#yes he has the power of prophecy and yes it is more complicated than simply that

[my-pjo-stuff]

i think the reason why people who are against authority also hate Luke is because Luke wasn't anti authority, he was anti olympian/ god.

Seen through his method of trying to dissemble the authoritative power of the gods by overthrowing them with another form of authoritative power. Kronos was no better than the gods - not in myth or pjo - and by trying to take down one government by reinforcing another, similar (if not the same), he is therefore not proving to be anti authority instead just anti god.

Not a great comparison but similarly to when the Russian revolution had overthrown the Tsar due to autocratic rule however then implemented their own autocratic rule in the form of the soviets. This is not solving any issues but rather reinforcing the same structure through a different leadership, there is very little to no chance Kronos would have provided better conditions for the demigods.

that's just my two cents as to why people may be anti authority and anti Luke, (personally i love the titan army) he is simply trading one authority for another which may benefit him (although he was manipulated to believe so). It's his actions that speak the loudest.

Personally I think while this may be the case in a meta light, we have to remember that Luke did not know all this. The Olympians were not just autocratic, they were downright tyrannical. The conditions were at the very bottom for demigods. If you remember up until Rick's retcon for HOO Luke was considered very old by demigodstandarts at the age of 19. They had practically no human rights at all. Luke allied with Kronos because it literally was his only fighting chance for his revolution, aswell as having gotten the promise to get a Golden Age for demigods. As it stands the "authoritarian government" thing was just something that would be there either way, the difference in the two options (to Luke) being "government that actively harms us" VS "government that doesn't". This is absolutely no attack on you or anyone else, but I think we need to remember to see these things from the POVs of the character. We as the audience can always easily say he should have done X or shouldn't have trusted Y based on the info we get- but we need to remember that most characters simply don't have that perspective. Ontop of that Kronos wasn't that much worse than the gods either by comparison. I mean...his main "crime" he's known for is being a tyrant and eating his kids. Zeus has canonically been at least compared to a tyrant one time. He ate Athena's mother in the myth to avoid a prophecy- that's how we got Athena coming from his skull. All things considered the gods and Kronos are round about on the same level on awful. Since you drew the comparison to Russia- the people who revolted against the Tsar did so not with the intent to instate another dictator. They did so because they were being exploited and starved by an upper class. The following tyranny was just something that developed after it in spite of the original idea and goals of the revolution. Luke was anti-establishment IMO who was forced to compromise his original values to some degree to even have a fighting chance.

Basically what I want to say is that while yes, everything you said is true- it's a lot more nuanced and complicated than that. And while it may take some time and thought to get into it- if people want to discuss on the topic they either have to put the work in or just stay out of it.

[marvelstars]

Not to get back on that thread: but people need to stop acting like Qui Gon Jinn freed Anakin out of pure intentions. He literally says the line that he hasn't come to free slaves and only gets interested in Anakin after secretly testing his blood, thinking Anakin fits a prophecy, and his pod racing is a good way to get that hyperdrive. If Anakin was not Force sensitive or just borderline Jinn would have mosey on with his mission.

From what I have seen Qui-Gon is equally praised and criticized for helping to free Anakin, positively because freeing someone from slavery is always something good, even if the reasons were questionable and badly because for many pro- Obi-Wan fans he seemed to worry too much to give a 9 year old former slave a place to live and learn about his powers over his 25 year old padawan who was ready to graduate from Jedi school and that´s a deal breaker for them.

Qui-Gon is a complicated and complex character in the PT and I believe it´s worth it to analyze his actions from different perspectives and the Jedi Order as well under those lenses.

First off: I agree Qui-Gon freed Anakin because he was the chosen one and if Anakin wasn´t force sensitive or he didn´t felt a strong presence in the force around Anakin, he probably would have left without doing much else for the Skywalker family, then again, given he rescued Jar Jar from being executed, there´s a possibility he would have tried to do something about Shmi and Anakin, maybe not much but something.

There´s a reason for this, George Lucas wanted to picture the relationship between Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan this way. He said this about them:

"“Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan disagree about using what one would call in mythological terms "the guide” . One believes in the guide, the other one doesn´t . When you are walking down the street and the are beggars on the street , one character takes the beggar along and the other one says “Why are you doing this, this is not a wise thing to do” The other one says “Yes but beggars can be USEFUL to us” It´s a classic mythological motif but at the same time it´s conflict" (George Lucas)

Qui-Gon is the person who brings with him the beggars, in this case Jar Jar and Anakin, while Obi-Wan doesn´t consider it WISE and in fact finds them annoying and unnecesary(Like many fans at the time TPM came out XD)

It´s curious that while Anakin was in deep need himself, when it comes to him, it was Qui-Gon and Padme the ones in the beggars position, they would have died right there on Tatooine if Anakin didn´t offer them his home and a place to eat and he did it not because he found them useful, he simply wanted to help, he did it out of compassion and curiosity, the same reasons why he liked to help the old slave lady with her unit to keep her produce fresh. Anakin has COMPASSION because his mother teached it to him. Anakin and Shmi relationship to the force was BALANCED they helped the few, cared for the many and their actions led them to be instrumental in saving an entire planet while being just a pair of slaves themselves.

In the end both Jar Jar and Anakin managed to give Qui-Gon and Obi-WAN the tools neccesary to achieve victory on Naboo at a military scale and protect Queen Amidala, which was their mission,while they personally fought Darth Maul.

Lucas doesn´t quite says this but Qui-Gon, while not being perfect and maybe driven by his own interest on prophecies, shows himself to be more compassionate for Anakin and Jar Jar than the Jedi Council or Obi-Wan and the reason is simple, Qui-Gon cares for the living force while the Jedi care for the force in a more conceptual and personal level and as an institution, their missions for the Senate are always the priority. Not some slaves from Tatooine or some Gungan from Naboo.

I believe Lucas wanted to picture here what exactly it meant the fact the force was umbalanced.

On one side you have the Jedi Council and Obi-Wan who take Spock approach to their relationship with the force:" the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few.” it´s a logical, rational and analytical way of seeing the force, it isn´t wrong but it kind of lacks something very important, kidness, compassion, love for the needs of the few.

While Qui-Gon seems to be more of the oppinion that if you atend to the needs of the few, then they will become grateful, support you and eventually can become useful and guide you to achieve the needs of the many. It´s not wrong either but he may hurt people on his way to achieve that, Shmi was left behind a slave while he managed to free her Son and Obi-Wan felt hurt/abandoned by his decision to train Anakin and take him as his new padawan.

Some compassion and kidness is there but there´s no love yet and we need to remember the PT happens when the force and the Jedi are umbalanced, the force truly doesn´t achieve balance in the PT and because this is ONE movie, until Luke convinces his father to come back from the darkside and Vader agrees out of LOVE and COMPASSION = UNLIMITED LOVE for his Son which destroys the Sith and frees the galaxy from imperial rule: the needs of the many and the few are no longer separated because they are one and the same.

If Qui-Gon lived he probably would have gotten closer to that particular pov, while not perfect and with some issues himself, he at least was oppening himself to another way of thinking, while the Jedi Order seemed happy to keep themselves crystalized in their ways of many years and even centuries ago, this isn´t wrong or malicious but it could prove to be harmful for the members of the order, who, like Anakin or Qui-Gon himself, didn´t exactly vibe with their present philosophy and of course eventually had the consequence of alienating themselves from the rest of the galaxy, at the point there were people like Padme, who despite having a direct link to them, doubted they were allowed to love and this is what Palpatine used to convince the entire Senate it was ok to destroy the Jedi Order if they became Rogue and attacked them, the Order´s freedom was conditional to their obedience to the Senate, the moment this seems to no longer be the case is reason enough to destroy their entire organization with hardly any resistance. The needs of the many(Galaxy) are more important than the needs of the few(jedi Order) and the Empire is born.

This is something Yoda begins to discover as well in the last chapters of the clone wars but he dind´t had time either to reintroduce those concepts inside the order.

So in short yes, I completely agree Qui-Gon would have left Anakin behind if he didn´t believe he was the chosen one or a force sensitive, that said, he probably would have tried to free him and Shmi but he probably would not have gone further than that, because that wasn´t his or Obi-Wan´s mission.

Still I sometimes wonder if he did that originally and he just didn´t notice Anakin was a force sensitive, Anakin would have grown up safe, happier and better able for his chosen one role, free from Palpatine´s influence, after all Anakin didn´t feel cold on Tatooine, he felt it near Coruscant, because the darkside was present very strongly there.

[the-most-faithful]

Lily Evans DIDN'T Use Ancient Magic to Protect Harry

And yes we return to this point once again (I think I will even make a video about it even though I have already covered the topic here)

The question is legitimate and still very active in the fandom "Did Lily Evans use an ancient spell to protect Harry?" Now short answer for those who don't have patience: No.

But it's a bit more complicated than that. Let's start by saying that I appreciate Lily as a character, she is human, full of facets and imperfections that make her absolutely credible. Of course we know little about her from the canon but not so little that we can't appreciate her. I say this to avoid being pointed out as a Lily hater because I'm not and I'm not trying to take away the merits that she has in the canon. We know that she was a very intelligent witch, skilled in potions, witty and certainly essentially skilled at fighting since we know that she "escaped Voldemort 3 times" during the war. Even if we don't know exactly what this means. Did she see him on the street and run away? Did she run into him at the supermarket and run away? Did she actually fight him and manage to save herself? This is not made clear in canon. But let's pretend that she actually managed to save herself on three different occasions, this certainly gives her good magical ability. Now let's move on to a fundamental point, ancient magic in the canon is not really explained, thanks to the video game Harry Potter: Hogwarts Legacy we know a little more and this is the canonical explanation:

"Magic this powerful can do great harm in the wrong hands. It must be wielded by a select few." — Niamh Fitzgerald

Furthermore, we are told that it is a very ancient, mysterious and powerful form of magic, the methods of which were almost forgotten in the wizarding world by the end of the nineteenth century. Those who could perceive it and had an affinity for it were considered to possess a unique and extremely rare ability. It was not widely known or understood, not even by the professors at Hogwarts.

As fascinating as the idea is that Lily Evans was a witch capable of using such magic, this is just a theory not supported by any canonical evidence.

So why do so many people believe this? Well, because Dumbledore assumes so. Let's go in order in the first book Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone says this:

���But then, why couldn’t Quirrell touch me?’ ‘You see, your mother died to save you. Now, if there’s one thing that Voldemort can’t conceive, it’s love. He couldn’t understand that a love as powerful as your mother’s leaves a mark: not a scar, not a visible sign… Having been loved so deeply protects us forever, even when the person who loved us is no longer there. It’s something that stays inside you, in your skin. Quirrell, who having given his soul to Voldemort was full of hatred, lust and ambition, couldn’t touch you for this reason. For him, it was a torment to touch a person marked by a mark of such goodness.’

So here in reality there’s no mention of ancient magic, it’s simply said that Lily, loving Harry, placed herself between him and Voldemort and sacrificed herself. This gesture of immense love acted as a shield for Harry. This is the first version we hear, simpler and more superficial since Ailente does not want to go into detail. (outside of the narrative fiction we could safely say that the author had not really thought about the next twist.) However later in the fifth book HP and the Order of the Phoenix in chapter 37 The Lost Prophecy Dumbledore reveals to Harry what he had hidden from him for years, I bring you the piece directly from the book:

«you arrived at Hogwarts safe and sound, as I had planned and desired. Well... not exactly. You had suffered. When I left you on the steps of your uncle's house I knew what your life would be. I knew I was condemning you to ten difficult and dark years». She paused. Harry was silent. «You might ask, and rightly so, why it had to be this way. Why didn't I entrust you to a wizarding family? Many would have welcomed you more than willingly, would have been honored and happy to raise you as a son. "The answer is that my first concern was to keep you alive. You were in greater danger than anyone but me could understand. Voldemort had just been defeated, but his followers - many as fearsome as he - were still at large, furious, desperate, violent. And I had to make a decision for the years to come as well. Did I think that Voldemort was gone forever? No. I didn't know whether it would take ten, twenty, or fifty years, but I was sure that he would return, and knowing him as I do, I was also sure that he would not rest until he had killed you. "I knew that he knew more about magic than perhaps any living wizard. I knew that even my most complex and powerful protective spells would not be enough to save you if he regained his full powers. "But I also knew his weak point. And so I decided. You would have been protected by an ancient magic that Voldemort knows but despises, and has therefore always underestimated... to his own cost. I refer, of course, to the fact that your mother died to save you. In doing so, she provided you with a lasting protection that Voldemort had not foreseen, a protection that still flows in your veins. So I placed my trust in your mother's blood. I entrusted you to her sister, her only living relative."

And here is the very first time that Dumbledore uses this term an ancient magic, but here the headmaster refers once again to Lily's love for Harry, not to an intentional spell. Also because at that moment Lily does not have the wand in her hand and in the saga this tool is essential to perform magic, apart from very few exceptions and specific cases. So sacrifice is what protects Harry, there is no ritual or spell, not even as Dumbledore intends it, who often speaks of the magic of love which is a feeling and not an actual spell.

So why if the will to sacrifice oneself is enough to protect those we love, James' sacrifice did not protect Lily and Harry? I have already discussed this point HERE to summarize James certainly would have sacrificed himself for his family and in a certain sense he did. He stood before Voldemort without a wand in the hope of giving Lily some time to escape but he did not activate any protection because he had no chance of saving himself and this is the fundamental point. In addition to the fact that he did not have a wand in his hand, like Lily, but on the contrary he was already done for and this is linked to Voldemort's will. The dark lord in fact goes to the Potters with very clear ideas, we can read the scene from his point of view in the seventh book in chapter 17 and we learn that he intends to kill Lily, he kills James without thinking twice and plans to finish off Harry too but he is convinced to spare Lily, this is the part of the book:

«Avada Kedavra!» The green light filled the narrow entrance, illuminated the wheelchair against the wall, made the bars of the balustrade sparkle like lightning rods. James Potter fell like a puppet whose strings had been cut... You could hear her screaming from upstairs, trapped, but if she wasn't doing anything stupid, at least she had nothing to fear...

She had nothing to fear, so it is clear, Voldemort thinks to spare her. Why? We will get to that in a moment

He climbed the stairs, listening amusedly to her attempts to barricade herself inside... she did not have her wand either...He climbed the stairs, listening amusedly to her attempts to barricade herself inside... she did not have her wand either...

Here we are told clearly, she did not have her wand either

He forced the door, tossed aside the chair and the hastily stacked boxes with a lazy wave of his wand... she was standing, the baby in her arms. Seeing him, she placed the little one in the cot behind her and opened her arms, as if he could be of some use, as if by hiding him she hoped to be chosen in his place... "No! Not Harry, please!" "Move, stupid... move..." "No Harry. Take me instead, kill me, but not Harry..." "This is my final warning..." "Not Harry! Please... Please... not him! Not Harry! Please... I'll do anything..." "Move... move, girl..." He could have pushed her off the bed by force, but he thought it was safer to finish them all... The green light flashed in the room and she fell like her husband.

There is no need to interpret or theorize here, we have the point of view of Voldemort who was there in the first person, adult and absolutely lucid, Lily did not do any spell or ritual, she just opened her arms in a desperate attempt to shield Harry.

But let's get back to the point from a moment ago: why does Voldemort think he can spare Lily? Because Snape asked for mercy for her. And this point is essential and canonical. We come to know in the last book through the memories Snape gives to Harry that he tried to ask for mercy for Lily.

"If she is so important to you" Dumbledore retorted "Lord Voldemort will spare her, won't he? Can't you ask for mercy for the mother in exchange for the son?" "I... I asked him..."

It always amuses me a little how some fans use this fact to attack Snape when in reality it is the only real reason why Harry survived. If Snape had not asked for mercy and Voldemort had not decided to give Lily the freedom to save herself then Harry would have died like his parents and there would never have been "the boy who survived". And no, it is not an interpretation but an established fact, given that the same protection is also indirectly used by Harry in the last book. In fact, Voldemort makes the same mistake in his arrogance by giving Harry the chance to escape. During the battle of Hogwarts he does not go looking for him, nor does he allow Snape to go and find him, he is convinced that Harry will come to him. And this was a huge mistake, because Harry by deciding to go into the forest makes the same sacrifice as his mother. I repeat, he could have escaped but decides to go to meet his death. And in the book, which unfortunately was not transposed into the film, this sacrifice protects the people Harry loves. In fact, during the battle, no one he cares about is killed after this moment, and once again we are told clearly by Harry:

"You will not kill anyone else tonight," Harry replied. They were still moving in a circle and staring at each other, green eyes inside red eyes. "You will not be able to kill any of them, ever again. Don't you understand? I was prepared to die to stop you from hurting these people..." "But you didn't!" "... I meant to, and that's what matters. I did what my mother did. They are protected by you. Haven't you noticed that none of your spells work on them? You can't torture them. You can't touch them. You don't learn from your mistakes, Riddle, do you?"

And like Lily, Harry didn't say any spells, he didn't perform any spells or rituals, he just sacrificed himself. If that's not enough, we can go back to a little while ago, when Harry is at King's Cross in his "vision" Dumbledore himself tells him.

"But I should have died... I didn't defend myself! I wanted him to kill me!" "And that must have made, I think, all the difference."

Now for intellectual honesty I can understand where the confusion comes from since shortly after Dumbledore says this

"He took your blood believing it would strengthen him. He took into his body a tiny part of the enchantment your mother laid upon you when she died for you. His body keeps her sacrifice alive, and while that enchantment survives, so do you and so does Voldemort’s one last hope for himself.”

What Dumbledore call a enchantment in fact is not a spell, it has no formula, it has no actual essence, it is, like the magic of love, the magic of music, of words, etc., something powerful that does not have the same rules as spells.

In the Italian translation, this thing is a bit lost since we call everything a spell when in relation here Dumbledore speaks of enchantment which we could translate as "incanto", even if in Italian it is still a bit confusing.

But the substance does not change, Lily did not produce an intentional spell, she made an instinctive sacrifice. This brings us to another point then, why has this not happened other times throughout known history, from what we know? Why has this phantom spell that makes it impossible for one person to hurt another not been used every time a loved one has been threatened? The answer is obvious, because this spell does not exist. As I said before, it is an instinctive sacrifice that however has value only and exclusively if the one who sacrifices himself is honestly ready to give his life without fighting and if the one who commits the murder is instead convinced of giving the person a chance to save themselves. So I repeat that it is the freedom of choice that makes all the difference. As I said several times in the saga, it is our choices that show who we really are.

[destinyimage]

Discerning Visions, Dreams & Symbols: How to Hear God Through His Prophetic Language

I have often asked the Holy Spirit, “Why do we see in visions, dreams, symbols, and the like?

How is it that You don’t just tell me plainly, much like a friend would tell someone about an event they have seen or that is upcoming?” One day He answered me on this issue.

Why Visions, Dreams, Symbols, and the Like?

What dropped into my heart surprised me. I knew it was God’s Voice when He answered. It was a simple yet straightforward answer—“I want to be pursued.” The word came to me that plain—God wants to be pursued. It was that simple! Such a basic but profound revelation it was to me that He loves it when people seek Him. To seek Him is to seek His will, and He is a relational God.

It is the glory of God to conceal a matter, but the glory of kings is to search out a matter (Proverbs 25:2).

The Scope of Encounters

The supernatural is an interesting space that is more real than this natural world; in understanding that, we will look at a few strange happenings, mysterious encounters, entities, and revelatory experiences and under- stand that they are all part of the spectrum in prophetic reality. However, we must determine case by case where each moment falls in the scope of encounters. We are going to take a look at many of the issues you may have heard of or even experienced and talk about them in a relatable way.

Although we will by no means cover the entire scope of encounters and experiences, we will offer thought and insight into some. I desire that you have a purposeful consideration as you see encounters through a biblical lens as a takeaway regarding what to do as encounters and situations present themselves, which are not mentioned in this book. Remember this—the answer is always the same. Surrender to Jesus, which means surrender to His Word.

And the spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets (1 Corinthians 14:32).

As we explore some unique encounters and prophetic experiences, remember the scripture from 1 Corinthians 14:32, “The spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets.” Prophets should be subject to the voice of other prophets and able to control their vessel.

Controlling oneself and the gift of prophecy (including wild physical manifestations) is always in your ability. Are there exceptions? Yes. The Holy Spirit may invade a surrendered vessel’s space, similar to how John the Revelator experienced the apocalypse. His experience resulted in writing down some of the most dramatic revelations the world has ever been exposed to. However, God is not the author of confusion, nor is He giving people complicated gifts that do not draw people closer to the Word of God and Christ Jesus the Son.

Crucial

What we are about to talk about is crucial to anyone venturing into the realm of prophecy or any spiritual encounter. You are responsible for managing yourself and holding command of the gift God has entrusted you with—you are also to biblically wield prophecy or any power gift God has entrusted you. Remember, if you find yourself resonating with encounters as we look at them or have an unction to step out in prophecy, stay with the Bible, be honorable, have class, don’t over-dramatize, and when in doubt, use people skills!

Encounters are subjective in that they are difficult to quantify for those hearing and trying to understand as an outsider looking in. This is also why deception is so rampant in the prophecy space. Because anyone can simply say, I have had a vision. I just went to heaven, or an angel just spoke to me, etc.

The Lord has given us His Word as the absolute standard and a powerful source for accuracy and propelling legitimate prophetic ministry to a heightened position.

God’s Written Word is a Place of Rest

Remember that God’s written Word is a place of rest for your heart! When you receive the Word of God by faith, it creates a sense of ease, and you will be able to cease your striving and start flowing. As a result, this is what you will convey to others—a flow, a sense of ease and peace rather than tension. Safety is found in His Words of life, and He will never violate what He has said.

Here and now, before we venture into some of the strange and mysterious aspects of prophecy and the supernatural, remember your foundation must be on God’s written Word. As it will keep your heart safe in that place of rest—stay safe, dear reader.

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Unique Supernatural Encounters

I’m about to go into an arena that is sensitive to talk about but happens to believers and unbelievers alike.

I have experienced many unique encounters over the years but have learned to stand on the Word of God and refuse to go beyond what is written. If the Scripture doesn’t support a thing, then teaching it should be avoided altogether. The following is a sampling of what sensitive people can and sometimes experience.

Remember, it doesn’t matter what the experience might be—the Word of God is your final authority. It must be, or subjective conjecture about what is legitimate becomes based on how someone “feels” about the event.

It is imperative that you know you can control your experiences. This is a highly important truth to be understood regardless of what you might think or what others have taught you. Controlling yourself is required to become mature in the prophetic.

Following is a number of experiential occasions that happen more to those who are prophetically inclined. This is, of course, a partial scope of encounters or experiences. Yet we must acknowledge the unique encounters so many seem to have. We will look at a list of encounters or simple explanations. Let’s begin.

Symbolism, Signs, and Strange Encounters

I have chosen to list many things I have encountered and have had others come to me about over the years. The terminology for some of these experiences and events is words I utilize to label and explain some of these experiences.

Traffic

To another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another discerning of spirits, to another different kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues (1 Corinthians 12:10).

Traffic is a term we have used for many years. It is a word we use to describe recurring experiences and encounters with the unseen. It is typically in reference to supernatural, emotionally impacting data that happens when in the proximity of people, events, or even when there are conversations pertinent to you or something you are picking up on about a person, place, or thing.

I have come to believe traffic is a heightened level of discerning of spirits as listed in 1 Corinthians 12:10. The Greek word for “discern” is diákrisis which means to distinguish, decide, or judge.

Defining Traffic

Traffic is emotional and informational data. In my experience, it is a “ripple effect” of either information within a person or a precursor to a prophetic encounter due to an event about to take place or an event that has already happened. It is the gift of discernment arbitrarily picking up on unseen movement in the form of words, actions, and intentions.

At times traffic in the negative sense works this way. Imagine if someone was yelling in your face, saying the meanest and harshest things, and telling you heart-wrenching information. You likely can imagine the feeling to a degree of what I’m describing. Now remove the data, the words, and any logical connection to what was said. All that remains is the sensation on the inside. You now understand what I call traffic.

One of the best ways to navigate traffic you don’t understand or where it is coming from is to pray out loud, speak the Word of God out loud in faith, and press in by speaking in tongues. Spending time in the Spirit by speaking in tongues will help you discern and lessen the negative effects of traffic.

Traffic is not something you look for but something you walk into—like the wind. Traffic is being exposed to random data. It can be emotions or feelings—not always read right or interpreted accurately, by the way. Something emotional or informational that comes from seemingly nowhere.

Having been in situations when emotion overcame me leads me to believe that Jesus may have been so moved for the people involved with Lazarus and for Lazarus himself, it drove Him not to cry, but to weep. It is very possible that Jesus could feel their pain. Potentially, the most extreme form of traffic Jesus encountered was manifested in the sweating of blood (see Luke 22:44).

This term, traffic, which is in the scope of discerning spirits, encounters the semi-unknown. It can predicate an encounter, either good or bad. It is an elusive experience, yet very real. A person who is sensitive to the things of the spirit and not full of the Word of God might feel like a bystander—it’s not something you are looking for, but rather a sensory encounter induced by people or events.

Déjà vu

Déjà vu is a French term meaning already seen. Déjà vu is that sensation of familiarity or the sense that you have been in a particular situation before. It varies in intensity and the depth of familiarity it provides. For one person it may relate to what they are currently experiencing. Another individual might see or sense much more, to the point of names and moments they can call right before they happen.

When I attended university, studying psychology, déjà vu was one of the things we learned. It caused me to take somewhat of a deeper interest in it, primarily due to the fact that I have experienced intense moments of déjà vu. My takeaway from studying and experiencing it led me to believe there are two aspects to it. One purely natural, the other and a far less common experience touches the prophetic realm.

Let’s look at the natural explanation through the lens of what certain psychoanalysts say. Some attribute déjà vu to wishful thinking; some psychiatrists cite mismatching in the brain, causing us to mistake the present for the past.

Some researchers offer speculation that déjà vu is an occurrence of a mismatch in the brain during its continual attempt to gather data and create a perception of what is around it, having only a limited amount of input.

Researchers also refer to your memory and how it only requires small bits of sensory information (such as a familiar smell) to bring forth a detailed mental recollection of an event or moment in your life. Some believe déjà vu is a “mix-up” between sensory input and memory-recalling output.

Another related theory states that déjà vu is a fleeting malfunctioning between the long and short-term circuits in the brain. Researchers postulate that the information we take in from our surroundings may “leak out” and incorrectly shortcut its way from short to long-term memory, bypassing typical storage transfer mechanisms. When a new moment is experienced—which is currently in our short-term memory—it feels as though we’re drawing upon some memory from our distant past.

A similar hypothesis suggests that déjà vu is an error in timing. At the same time we perceive a moment, there is a parallel release of sensory information that may simultaneously be re-routing its way to our brain’s long-term storage. This causes a delay and, perhaps, the unsettling feeling we’ve experienced the moment before.

One characteristic is common to all déjà vu experiences: we are completely conscious that they are occurring, implying that participation of the entire brain is unnecessary to produce the phenomenon.

Over the years, researchers have pinpointed disturbances of the medial temporal lobe as the culprit behind déjà vu. Studies of epileptic patients investigated via intracerebral electrodes demonstrate that stimulation of the rhinal cortex (such as the entorhinal and perirhinal cortices—structures involved in episodic memory and sensory processing) can actually induce a déjà vu episode.

A study published in an issue of Clinical Neurophysiology analyzed the patterns of electroencephalography (EEG) signals from the rhinal cortices, hippocampus (involved in memory formation), and amygdala (involved in emotion) in epileptic patients for whom déjà vu could be induced by electrical stimulation.

The researchers found that synchronized neural firing between the rhinal cortices and the hippocampus or amygdala was increased in stimulations that induced déjà vu. This suggests that some sort of coincident occurrence in medial temporal lobe structures may “trigger” activation of the recollection system.

There may be additional theories that researchers and professionals postulate over. What can be taken away is that there is a natural phenomenon involving your brain’s perception and memory which gives many this sensation known as déjà vu.

The Prophetic Side of Déjà Vu

The other side of déjà vu may have much more to do with the prophetic spectrum. This would be in the sensory prediction category. It could be that, at times, you walk into a setting, and suddenly you are reminded of a dream or vision. Sometimes it can be much more involved, such as a familiar event begins to play out in front of you. Only you know what will happen next, like a film you have seen before plays out before you. It’s as if you know the lines, the setting, and who will arrive, as well as knowledge of what will happen following each moment. This can last a few brief seconds or a minute. It is my opinion that this is within the realm of prophetic visions, dreams, and word of knowledge.

Sensory Issues

And Jesus said, “Who touched Me?” When all denied it, Peter and those with him said, “Master, the multitudes throng and press You, and You say, ‘Who touched Me?’” But Jesus said, “Somebody touched Me, for I perceived power going out from Me” (Luke 8:45-46).

Sensory issues are interesting. Mainly because they are subjective, I will try and explain this for the sake of helping someone. One of the only reasons I bring this issue out is because, on more than one occasion, when talking to prophetic people, this is part of the way their prophetic gift works.

Here is what I mean. Sometimes, there are moments when a person touches me, and that information will come to me about them—their life, past emotional issues, good, bad, and the ugly. An example of this is when I had a minor outpatient surgical procedure that required a little scalpel cut followed by a few stitches. I couldn’t move, and thankfully, Heather was with me.

When the doctor placed her hand on me around the halfway point of the procedure, I had a flash vision of this person’s life. I calmly said, “Oh, I see you play piano during the holidays.” She said, “Well, yes, I do,” and I proceeded to see and say things in detail about her life. Because of the proximity and close quarters of the doctor, it was like seeing into this person’s life.

I only shared a few things when this doctor began coughing violently and manifesting a demon! This is before I was to be stitched up! Meaning there was blood starting to roll as she coughed. Heather spoke up, saying, “Um, um, are you okay?” to the doctor, and the situation got worse until we prayed for peace in the scenario. Immediately the doctor was able to rush back over to me and finish.

Another time, I was having a routine blood draw, and with the needle in my arm, I saw something about the nurse who was holding my arm, and she burst into tears, which caused me a fair amount of pain! While Heather was hugging her, the nurse received a breakthrough in getting to know Jesus because of the prophetic moment.

Heather said to me, “Next time, wait until after the medical procedure before saying what you see!” Today, I take Heather’s advice!

My point in sharing these two stories is that there is a point of contact that draws on a certain spectrum of prophetic people.

Signs, Prophetic Symbolism, Numbers, etc.

Truly the signs of an apostle were accomplished among you with all perseverance, in signs and wonders and mighty deeds (2 Corinthians 12:12).

There is a level of subjective interpretation in the area of signs and wonders. Spiritual encounters can have a unique perception based on the recipient’s position. This applies to nearly all signs, wonders, prophetic symbolism, and numbers you see repeatedly or even wake up to in the middle of the night.

Therefore the people who stood by and heard it said that it had thundered. Others said, “An angel has spoken to Him” (John 12:29).

A great example is in John 12:29, where we recognize that some thought it thundered, and others said, an angel has spoken. This was the perception of those near the audible Voice of God. Jesus replied in the following verse by saying, “This voice did not come because of Me, but for your sake” (John 12:30). Interesting that the words were to affirm Jesus; however, the real purpose was for the sake of those around Him!

Yet even with the sign directly from God, the perception was not all the same.

So what is a sign? One way to describe a sign would be to call it a marked event, token, or miracle with a spiritual end and purpose. Signs are miracles that lead to something out of and beyond themselves, like the fingermarks of God. Signs are not valuable for what they are or the scene they might make—but their purpose is for what they indicate.

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[writerfae]

Hello I have a new oc and I’m obsessed with him

Short info: he’s a seer that lived long before the story takes place. Kian is said to be the mightiest seer the fae ever encountered. It was him who hid the Alderking’s regalia for the fae.

I briefly mentioned him before in this post

*

Kian was a human, born in a small village in a time where the lines between the two worlds were still blurry.

His village was not familiar with the concept of a seer, since those were rare.

Especially those who are fully human.

Most of the more powerful seer throughout history were half-fae, because their origin strengthened their power and made them more mighty.

But Kian was mighty even though there was no faerie blood in his veins.

Like every seer before and after him, he was already born with his abilities and so it happened that all throughout his childhood, there were occurrences where his powers showed, scaring the people around him.

He saw things no one else saw, spoke to people that weren’t there and sometimes had strange visions.

There were cases where he told people things that became true in the future or knew things of their past they never told anyone.

He once even predicted a bad harvest and the death of another boy from the village that both happened.

It left the villagers uneasy and alarmed, but it unsettled no one more than his parents.

They did not understand the power their child was blessed with and they didn’t know what to do.

The child’s strange behavior seemed to them like a curse on their family and they were ashamed and, most of all, scared.

So one day, Kian was not much older than six, they send him away.

Left behind in the woods to fend for himself, he wandered deep into the forest, lost.

When nighttime came, Kian had an encounter that would change his life forever.

A magical white stag came to him and it took the boy with it to the other world, the faerie realm.

It led him to a group of fae, wandering wise men and women, who recognized the boy as a strong seer and took him in, raising him to become the wisest of them all.

From that day on Kian was taught everything his mentors knew and he learned what he was, what powers he truly possessed and how he could use them.

He traveled through the whole faerie world, following the lines only he could see, visiting places no human had ever seen before.

During his travels he also often visited the fair fae courts.

Because he was using his knowledge and power to help people out, he was very well known and respected even with the kings and queens.

Which is also why after the incident with the Alderking happened, it was Kian who they trusted to hide the Alderking’s regalia somewhere no one would find them.

He was already an old man to that time and, granting them this last favor, he took the regalia’s secret to his grave, to protect the folk that had done so much for him.

*

wip intro / masterpost

tag list: @gr3y-heron @soupopoireau @harinawa @vibinwiththehomies @elisabethrosewrites @charleeyy @violetcancerian @that-one-potato-blep @imstillherebitch @stardustspiral @thewalkingnerdx @abalonetea @andifthestarsweretodie @myhusbandsasemni @contes-de-rheio @rhikasa @phantasticdomains @thegirlwithnonickname @marewriteblr @kimblewrites @writingbyjillian @write-for-your-life2 @deadlycupid @nora-theteawriter @ladywithalamp @the-writing-avocado @writing-is-a-martial-art @bloodlessheirbyjacques @sleepy-night-child (if you want to be added or removed from the tag list let me know!)

[waiting-for-ciena-ree]

"Parasite" Force Bond Theory

How does the Exile survive Kreia's death at the end of KotOR 2? Throughout the game, the story reinforces the idea that Kreia and the Exile's force bond is so strong that if one of them dies, then so will the other. Astonishingly, after being able to ask each Jedi Master about this problem, the player doesn't even have the option to bring it up to Kreia at the end, when it finally matters. How do we make sense of Kreia's death and the Exile's survival?

I have a personal theory, which comes from trying to understand another of Kreia's deaths: how did Kreia survive being a corpse in a morgue at the beginning of KotOR 2?

This overlooked "death" provides the key to my theory, which is that Kreia functionally died at the beginning of the game when Darth Sion attacked the Ebon Hawk, but she "survived" by attaching her soul to the Exile's. Essentially, Kreia became a parasite, and the Exile became her host. To me, this explains why Kreia and the Exile's force bond is uniquely strong; they are sharing one soul. It also explains why the Exile survives in the end; instead of killing Kreia with a final blow, the Exile simply commands her to "rest now" or "die now," and then Kreia dies of her own volition. Ultimately, all that needed to happen was for Kreia to let go. As a parasite clutching to the Exile's soul, Kreia could not possibly live without that bond, but she could choose to free her host. As the host, the Exile could not forcibly remove the bond, but they could survive losing it.

I'm fond of this theory because I think it's a natural reading of what the game shows us, and because it fits perfectly with how I view Kreia's character and the story's themes. By all rights, Kreia ought to be dead from the start. Both T3-M4 and the Exile identify her as a dead body. But through sheer stubborn will, Kreia clings to life for the sake of teaching the Exile. Furthermore, introducing Kreia as somebody "left for dead" parallels the reading that Kreia was Arren Kae, one of many victims that Revan and the Exile left for dead on Malachor V. Based on that reading, there was already a natural connection between the Exile as a perpetrator and Kreia as a victim. This makes their literal bond symbolically meaningful. Considering that the Exile cut themselves off from the Force to block out the pain of Malachor's victims, it is fitting that one of those victims would return to reawaken the Force in the Exile, in order to make the Exile finally come to grips with the suffering they caused. Another way I'd describe their bond is to liken Kreia to a ghost of Malachor V who is haunting the Exile, and the Exile can't be free of this ghost until they make peace with her. I'm proud of this theory because it ties the game together really well for me.

Why I don't believe Kreia is lying about the Force Bond

Before I go any further, I'd like to address the theory that Kreia was simply lying about the strength of the Force Bond in order to make the Exile do what she wants. This theory is tempting because of its simplicity. Kreia lies about many things to achieve her goals, so wouldn't it make sense for her to lie to you in the beginning that when one of you dies, so will the other? I can't deny that Kreia is a liar, so much so that it is difficult to believe or understand anything she says, even when her words feel true.

However, I don't believe that Kreia is lying about the strength of the bond because both the story and gameplay show that the bond is uniquely and dangerously strong. Near the beginning of the story, the Exile feels the loss of Kreia's hand on Peragus II, and near the end of the story, a dark-sided Exile feels Kreia stab herself on Dantooine. Meanwhile, a light-sided Exile will listen to Kreia describe the Exile's own feelings on Malachor V in loving detail to the Jedi Council, at the story's emotional climax. Both Enclave scenes showcase how powerful the bond is. As you travel, the game mechanics also reinforce the bond's strength in a positive way; Kreia's unique "force chain" ability makes her one of the most useful companions. 

There's also the matter that the game's narrative actually makes effort to disprove one of Kreia’s statements: specifically, the Dantooine Enclave scenes prove that the Jedi Council did NOT cut off the Force from the Exile in the past, even though Kreia said at the beginning that they did. Instead, Kreia's statement about the Jedi Council at the beginning becomes a half-truth, or even a kind of prophecy for the Enclave scene, since we learn that the Jedi Council would still cut off the Force from the Exile once they get the chance. 

Notably, while the Enclave scene disproves Kreia's earlier statement about the Jedi Council, it reinforces her statement about the strength of their bond, especially if the Exile is dark-sided and Kreia stabs herself. Anyway, my reading is that since the narrative doesn't disprove Kreia's words about the Force Bond, and instead offers clues for its strength, this complicates the simple answer that Kreia was lying about the bond. That's why I take the danger of the Force Bond seriously, and I prefer the simple answer that she's telling the truth.

How the game describes Kreia and death

The game's language about Kreia and death is fascinating to me. I love that both T3-M4 and the Exile identify her as a dead body when they first meet her, and that the Exile even meets her in a morgue. I love that Kreia's first words to the player are, "Find what you are looking for amongst the dead?" When the Exile tells Kreia that they thought she was dead, Kreia answers, "Close to death, yes, closer than I'd like." Just how close to death did she come? 

Kreia's introduction of herself is also noteworthy: "I am Kreia, and I am your rescuer -- as you are mine." We already know that Kreia rescued the Exile from the Harbinger, but how did the Exile rescue Kreia? It could be that Kreia is simply referring to how the Exile has found Kreia in the morgue and can help her escape. (It's also a reference to how Luke announces his intention to rescue Leia, Kreia's namesake.) However, it makes more sense to me if Kreia is saying that the formation of the bond literally saved Kreia's life, and that she would be dead without it.

Kreia's annoyance at the Exile looting bodies is mentioned again at Korriban, when she warns the Exile not to disturb the dead lest the Exile provokes the invisible Hssiss guardians into fights. Naturally, respecting the dead is a sensitive subject for Kreia! 

Another detail I love about Kreia is her ability to cloak herself from others, to make herself so small in the Force that people like Sion, Mical, Atris, and Jedi Council members can't see her. This ability feels ghost-like to me; we expect ghosts to be able to turn invisible. 

Finally, I'd like to talk about two parallel lines from Kreia about her own alleged death.

When Master Kavar sees Kreia in the Enclave, he exclaims in a shocked voice that he thought she died in the Mandalorian Wars. Kreia replies, "Died? No. Grow stronger, yes!" 

During the final boss fight on Malachor V, the Exile can ask, "Are you ready to die, old woman?" And Kreia will answer, "I died long ago -- and now the circle is complete. Strike me down, and at last, end this."

These lines from Kreia are two of my favorites in the game because of how they contradict each other. In each case, Kreia takes the opposite position in order to prove her opponent wrong. To say to them, "You thought." To Kavar, who claims that she's supposed to be dead, Kreia insists that she never died; she only grew stronger! To the Exile, who threatens to kill her, Kreia instead counters that she died a long time ago, and so the Exile can't harm her any worse. Kreia's words to the Exile make me emotional because she's in a much more vulnerable position here than when she was speaking to Kavar--here, she is about to die--and yet she still speaks proudly.

They're also brilliant lines for the way they connect Kreia's story to Obi-Wan and Anakin. Like Obi-Wan, Kreia proclaims to grow stronger after death. Like both men acted as though Anakin was dead, Kreia acts as though Arren Kae is dead. Kreia also borrow's Vader's words that "the circle is complete" to describe her relationship with her student. 

When Kreia says, "the circle is complete," it's meaningful that both Arren Kae and Traya were also killed in this same spot by their students. Arren Kae was "betrayed and murdered" by Revan, and Traya was "betrayed and murdered" by Nihilus and Sion. Now as Kreia, she turns the tables by betraying the Exile, but instead of killing the Exile, she forces the Exile to kill her on Malachor a final time, on Kreia's own terms. This completes the "circle" of Kreia's deaths.

But I think we can also apply "the circle is complete" to the structure of the game itself. Kreia begins the game as a corpse in a morgue, who then comes to life through her bond with the Exile. At the end of the game, Kreia returns to death, and her bond with the Exile also ends, leaving behind a wound in the Exile's soul.

Final thoughts inspired by Parasite (2019 film)

As I wrap up, I wanted to share how I thought up the name, "Parasite Theory." I had previously called my ideas the "Kreia Is Dead Theory," but I wanted to come up with a better metaphor. Then I started thinking about Parasite directed by Bong Joon-ho. 

In this section, I won't talk about any important plot spoilers from Parasite, but I will reference the movie's premise and themes. If you've heard anything about Parasite, you've probably already heard about the movie's themes and the central premise, so I don't think reading this would hurt your experience watching the film. But I'll give a vague spoiler warning for Parasite anyway, in case you want to be extra careful.

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Parasite asks, What does it mean to be a parasite? Specifically, it deals with how poor people and rich people develop parasitic behavior in a capitalistic society. At first, it looks as though the movie's central poor family is parasitically conning a rich family in order to survive. But later, when the movie takes a broader look at society, it's clear that a few rich families are parasites that hoard resources away from the many poor families, while also relying on their labor to fund their extravagant lifestyles. 

Obviously KotOR 2 doesn't take a deep dive into capitalism, but it does explore the aftermath of war in a thoughtful way which is rare for Star Wars. Even though the central sci-fi conceit of A New Hope is the invention of a planet-killing weapon, the movie doesn't dwell on Leia's reaction to Alderaan's destruction any longer than necessary. The spectacle of war and space explosions usually take priority in Star Wars movies, since they're blockbusters. In contrast, KotOR 2 doesn't even show the initial destruction of Malachor V, and the story is all about the suffering left in its wake. It also makes the stunning decision to have the protagonist be the person who ordered the planet's destruction. In this way, while Parasite explores the parasitic relationships between the rich and the poor, I think KotOR 2 explores parasitic relationships between the perpetrators and victims in a war.

And this gets at why I feel so much sympathy for Kreia, even though she is a manipulator who does horrible things. And it is easy to characterize her as a parasite who is feeding off of the Exile's soul in order to survive. Because when you get down to it, Arren Kae was a victim of planetary destruction caused by the Exile. In their own way, the Exile was also a parasite who relied on the destruction of countless lives in order to end the Mandalorian War. Like the rich family in Parasite, the Exile fed on people's suffering, even if that suffering was so harmful to the Exile that they cut themselves off from the Force.

When Kreia re-awakens the Force in the Exile, she also forces the Exile to confront their parasitic effect on the galaxy, even at the cost of becoming a parasite herself. And the surprising aspect of this is that Kreia still loves the Exile and finds hope in them in spite of the harm they've caused, even to herself. I'd say that the central question of KotOR 2 is something like, "What does it mean to love and honor the people we kill?" A light-side run of KotOR 2 finds hopeful answers to this question, as the Exile's actions help the galaxy heal and the Jedi Order rebuild. Essentially, to love people hurt in the galaxy means putting in the hard work to help them, rather than turning away from them in apathy. 

When it comes to Kreia and the Exile's parasitic relationship, one of the messiest and most complex fictional relationships I've ever seen, the Exile can bring a kind of peace of mind to Kreia, but they cannot escape the burden of killing her. In Kreia's view, this is because she "died long ago" and all there is left to do is for the Exile to finish what they started. To kill Arren Kae again, once more, but this time looking her in the eyes. For Kreia, that is the only honor from you that she wants.

[koorinohebi]

@super-kame-love

Continued From:

I am curious: how would you describe Kiomi's relationship with Jiraiya? And with Koji Kashin? What you've shared about them so far seems very interesting and I must know more!

+ + +

Sorry for breaking it into two different posts, Kame-san. The other one felt so long already.

Quick note: IF you haven't read or watched Boruto, this will definitely contain spoilers.

So for this second one, we have...

Kashin Koji

So the main reason I was interested in him was when rumors were floating around that Jiraiya or someone that resembles him is back in Boruto. One look at his design and I was like, yeah. Unmistakably related in one way or another. Lo and behold my friend, lo and behold.

I have 2 verses for Kashin Koji. One is the one where you often see me mention Takeda. That one is an on going RP with @ambitiousparagon, and the other one is a verse where I pen Koji myself. The one with Takeda is still in the works and currently still very unpredictable, so for this instance I'll talk about my own version of Kashin Koji, which actually...more than Kiomi being the main focus, I tend to lean more towards the man himself. This is heavily influenced by headcanons that are based on what I noticed his personality being based on what we know so far.

So when I first encountered Kashin Koji there was hardly anything on him, which is to say, still very true currently. He hasn't been seen in the manga after his crushing defeat against Isshiki, and in the anime, they've given him a voice, and we see how he acts, but ultimately it doesn't differ from what we've already read in the manga (if you or any of the ones reading this have read it).

So Kashin Koji is, despite being quite whimsical, a no nonsense kinda guy. So he is very...well, I wouldn't call it by the book, but as a shinobi, he chooses the most efficient way to carry out the mission, which is...by default, how Amado had initially programed him-- Not as a perfectionist, no, but as Isshiki would say it, Amado's programming of Kashin Koji rode on his maker clinging onto Jiraiya's mighty fate. However, with Jiraiya being the template, it's not a surprise if Koji would inherit the man's sentiments, principles, and even slight eccentricities as a Shinobi (which I believe Amado had predicted and saw as a weakness. He needs and creates tools as he sees fit, and he'll use whatever he can to further his agenda). Amado strives to emulate within Kashin Koji the "star of change" which Jiraiya possessed. As we know, thanks not only to the prophecy, but also due to Jiraiya's diligence in searching for that revolutionary that could change the world, he was able to bring together (in one way or another) three of the most powerful game changers that we have who affected the course of the current History. If they wanted to defeat Isshiki, he needed that kind of trick up his sleeve. Because however, Kashin Koji has imperfections, and someone Jigen had deemed weaker than he is (because Jigen told Amado to dispose of clones more powerful than he was), our good professor faces a setback and thus needs to come up with a new plan (going to the Hokage, and asking them to kill Isshiki instead while having Kashin Koji show them the "ropes" on how it's done).

My take on him stems from this human weakness. Kashin Koji is aware of who he's supposed to be a clone of. We see this when he comments on his fate being tied to Konoha and the like. And admittedly, knowing your predecessor's legacy, not to mention having been able to perfect something that the original couldn't gives him a bit of an ability to brag, and believe that he can be just as great or even greater than Jiraiya.

But the question is how convinced he is of this himself. I do believe that Kashin Koji wants to be a person of his own, and in being the perfect heroic shinobi tool, even if he dies, it wouldn't be for naught so long as he brings down his target (which happens to be the biggest threat since Madara, Tobi, and Kaguya). Believing that Amadao was entrusting the fate of the world in his hands bolstered his confidence. However, when Isshiki pointed out the painful truth of Amado's betrayal and deception, he internally refuses to accept it. That he was just a pawn, and that he'd never break free from being nothing but Jiraiya's shadow. I always felt that if at the baseness of Jiraiya's personality, you have a decent grasp of his shortcomings, regrets, and insecurities, you'll get a good grasp of Kashin Koji too. Although it's just my headcanon (and people dont really have to abide by it), Koji too, is plagued by this ever looming sense of not being good enough, as well as not living up to the name of his original (very much like how Jiraiya felt his accomplishments dont match that of Sandaime or Minato).

So after this long explanation on my take on Kashin Koji, you may ask where Kiomi comes in. Well, she comes in as a form of support.

Just as with Naruto's unreasonable worry, the first time that Kiomi sees Kashin Koji, she's instantly unreasonably bothered by him as well. Worse, when the mask comes off, and she sees his face she is instantly appalled and angry because everything that she's been keeping inside is dragged to the surface. Of course, none of this was Kashin Koji's fault. It was more of Kiomi's own regret, and seeing him was like opening a can of worms for her, reminding her of all the things she wanted to do and say had her teacher been alive. At the same time, she's very irked that someone was running around with his face, because someone had the gall to deliberately make a "knock off" as she calls it, of the man she respects the most.

With this much animosity, one would wonder how Kiomi becomes his support. While Kiomi and Kashin Koji initially dislikes each other, the woman rejects the fact that he's just "some clone", as he is also a person who deserves to live his life as himself regardless of whether he was created as a tool or as a clone. If you remember from my first post about Kiomi and Jiraiya's relationship, this was exactly the same kind of treatment that Jiraiya gave Kiomi when she viewed herself as nothing more than a disposable chess piece. She doesn't say this outright to Kashin Koji though. He learns this on his own. Seeing that someone believed in his own possibilities gave him a little peace of mind, just a little. In effect, this draws his curiosity. Kashin Koji being an Inner of Kara does his assignment pretty well, so he would by effect, know who she was as too. He believed she would be one of those who would constantly see him as a glorified Kagebunshin, but surprisingly she didn't. In fact, seeing as he was who he was, it would make him a perfect replacement, but she didn't treat him like that. This makes him loosen up around her, enough that his usually snide and sarcastic remarks are now laced with a hint of fond teasing. Ironically, she hates it when he does this, as it reminds her of Jiraiya. (Because Jiraiya often teases her about one thing or another.)

One of my favorite interactions of them is probably this one, just because it shows a little bit of both their internal struggles and how they deal with each other.

===

“Tell me,” Instead of standing to leave, he remained seated opposite from her. Kashin Koji removed the mask which barred a portion of his face that she was surely uncomfortable seeing. And he was right. She averted her eyes briefly, before putting up a look of feigned indifference once their optics finally met.

There was relative distress in her features, that much he could tell while staring at her…curiously, seriously. “Do I resemble him? This Jiraiya of yours.”

Looking at him was like staring into a nightmare, a stark reminder of what she could never hope to have. However, she understood his question. They were past simple notions of physicality. It wasn’t just about his face, nor was it about his origin. It was deeper than that. For Kiomi’s alleged simple-mindedness, this concept was not something so hard to grasp. Not when this was the very base of the learnings she had inherited from the mentor she respected the most. Despite Jiraiya and Kashin Koji’s shared similarities, they were still two very different people, each with their own uniqueness. Besides, denying a man his own identity was probably the cruelest judgment any living being could impose on another.

“You don’t.” The answer came simply; however, he did not miss the semblance of melancholy that lingered upon her visage. To him, it felt indicative of disappointment…such fragile and complicated feelings.

“I see.” Kashin Koji had closed his eyes then, satisfied with the answer. In a sense, he felt his lips curve into a smirk. Two words of reassurance; to think that hearing something so simple had such a significant impact. And as for Kiomi who had only seen the man scowl at her existence, this look on his face for the first time caused her chest to ache. Perhaps in her words, she knew not if a lie existed; if only because such an expression looked frighteningly similar to her teacher’s.

“The two of you must have loved each other very dearly.” At this point, he had refocused his gaze upon the female, only to raise a brow shortly after. He had never seen anyone choke on air before. Her flustered features shouldn’t have been anything extraordinary, but it felt amusing. “Was I mistaken?”

“Yes, you’re wrong! You’re very wrong!” She retorted, her flushed face, easily beating the most crimson of fruits. “Everything, this…my…they’re all just…” She tried to calm down as she explained. “…they’re all just…what I’m trying to say is…whatever they are, they’re all just one-sided emotions…” She looked downtrodden. He recalled Naruto saying that their mentor died while she was away figuring out herself, and had carried a burden none of them could share. Jiraiya had meant everything to them, each within varying degrees unknown just how much to the other.

After learning that all of this was one sided, he looked at her with lethargy. “Are you actually an idiot after all?”

“Oi, you actually dare to call me an idiot in my own house? Besides, it’s not like I stood a chance against the person he sought after.” It wasn’t a secret to her after all, that he had his eyes on Lady Tsunade. What chance did she have against someone who had shared in his losses, successes, strife, and victories?

“Was what you felt actually so flimsy that it lost to someone else’s? Did you confirm it with your own mouth?”

The questions that bombarded her, matched with such an unexpected interrogator threw her off. So much that when she had come to her senses, she found herself face to face with Kashin Koji. If she was distraught earlier, then the ante had been upped then and there. Trapped in between his arms, being stared at, it felt horrible and suffocating for many reasons that she convinced herself that she couldn't understand. “Should I teach you just how lofty your feelings are?” He lingered so close, too close for comfort. But that was where she drew the line. Steeling herself, she pulled her head back just enough to give her some room to drive her forehead down against his. THWACK!

Both of them found themselves clutching their heads, one clicked his tongue and the other was cussing up a storm in her mind--and verbally, apparently.

“Don’t you dare mock me—“

She was on the verge of throwing him out, but there he was, laughing, collapsed on the floor as he held onto his forehead. She stifled her annoyance because she remembered how; pranks of the same nature had been done to her, by none other than her favorite mentor. And he would laugh just the same. At least sensei’s were a little more innocent and subtle. “Don’t laugh at me either!” She demanded with childish vigor, kicking him in the shin repeatedly. He fended them off well enough, which added to her irritation.

“That’s enough out of you.”

“You don’t get to tell me what to do in my own hou—hou—“ That was to say, if she wasn’t going to stop her assault, then he would have to play along. Grabbing her ankle when she struck, he pulled her over; just enough to make her balance crumble, bringing her down effectively.

“What the actual hell is wrong with you?”

“Even now, you’re struggling to protect what’s important to you. You may be a bit weaker than others, but it doesn’t seem like you’re lacking in persistence and perseverance. What are you so afraid of?”

Again with questions and commentaries that she did not ask for…

Her silence was enough of a response. Regrets, apprehensions, guilt, it was painted on her face. Shaking his head, Kashin Koji came to a stand and dusted himself, thereafter extending a hand for her to take.

“At the very least, come up to the starting line and show that mentor of yours your resolve.”

She begrudgingly looked at the hand that was offered to her. She felt ashamed and annoyed at herself because she knew that his point was valid. He wasn’t wrong, and in fact, he made more sense than she had wanted to admit. With an inward sigh, she took that hand and he helped her to her feet.

“…” Their grasp on each other persisted for a while. There was no warmth there; no comfort of a familiar friend, but there was a firmness that was enough to uproot whatever doubt it was that crept within the confines of her mind. She wouldn’t exactly call the other’s presence reassuring, but in a sense it was something close to it.

“Tsk, just who do you think you are? Acting all high and mighty?” Compared to before, the scowl had turned a bit friendly, but a scowl none the less.

“In case you haven’t heard or have been mistaking me for someone else, it’s Kashin Koji.” He replied with a tinge of whimsy in his voice. Matched with that was a tighter grip on the female’s hand which she reciprocated in kind. “Kiomi.” She rebutted against his satirical introduction.

When they at last released each other, there was probably a reddening mark there, but it also seemed like they’ve come to a certain understanding. “With a grip like that, what do you even hope to accomplish?”

Everything that comes out of his mouth is a fucking insult… Kiomi mused, unabashed by such a sentiment. Still, she watched him retrieve his mask only to wear it over his face once more. “I’ve a scouting mission at the Hokage’s behest. Two days time.” He stated out of the blue, walking towards her direction, incidentally near the exit. “Join me.”

“And why exactly, should I do that?” Folding her arms over her chest, she asked.

“Learn something useful rather than wallow in your self-pity.” Just before he could pass her completely, the intruder halted to cup her cheeks, moving it side to side casually.

(I made a thing.Lol Kiomi and her tendency to get manhandled.) There was no tenderness there, rather it seemed like he was inspecting a toy for some kind of defect. “You dont seem outclassed by anyone, not even by the Godaime. Put yourself to good use. You are a Shinobi, after all.”

“What does Lady Tsunade even have to do with this?”

“Who else would you feel so inferior to? It doesn’t take a genius to put two and two together. Besides,”

Finally, he’d relinquish his hold to observe her frame carefully. She was a slender woman, possibly bordering voluptuous underneath all that fabric. From the wrinkles and silhouette of her attire, he could tell that she was filled out in all the right places. Fair skin, a set of apprehensive platinum orbs…among other things. “You have the curves. Maybe not the appeal and self confidence, but you have the curves. You’ll be fine.”

Perhaps it was in that retort that Kiomi ran after Kashin Koji as he left her place, albeit with a senbon or two hurled at the man. “I was wrong; you’re probably just as much of a letch as sensei!”

The projectiles were caught between the fingers and twirled around with ease, no troubles at all. He contemplated for a mere second before deciding to keep them as a souvenir. “You wound me with your presumptuousness. I'm a busy man, and have no time for countless women. Such a disappointing assessment.” He waved her off, walking away and finally disappearing from sight.

===

Pardon the length, but this is how they normally interact in my story.

Koji serves as a challenge for Kiomi, while Kiomi serves as a "net" for Koji so that when he falls pray to his feeling of incompetency, he remembers that she expects him to plainly be Kashin Koji, and no one else. Both of them remind each other of something important which they both hope would make them better versions of themselves.

So what kind of relationship do they have? I'm pretty sure it's along the lines of frienemies.

[thequeenb]

Our Story (part 5)

Pairings: KamilahxMC

Amy was surrounded by darkness, the silence around her was deadly. She could hear cries, screams but she couldn't move, she couldn't see.

"We finally meet" a voice could be heard and when she opened her eyes she could see a figure walking towards her

With every strength she had left she was able to get out three words and only "Where am i?"

The figure laughed, it wasnt a pleasant sound it was the most scary thing she ever heard. She compared it to Kamilah's sweet laugh, on the way her lips curved into an amusing smile, the way her head fell back as the genuine melodic sound escaped her mouth

"I have been waiting for this moment for centuries"

She opened her eyes, everything was pinch black but she felt a strong power surrounding her, eating her whole.

"Wha..but how..this is.." she couldn't wrap her mind around it

"This my child..is where it will all start"

"Who are you?" Amy asked, her words echoed through the void as the figure was now stepping Infront of her

But it didn't respond, it's eyes turned red, two pointy fangs were the only bright light that she could see.

"Oh Amy..its all my fault"

"Kamilah.." Amy breathed out. She closed her eyes shut trying to focus on her sweet voice but the darkness was pulling her away slowly

___

She was keeping her distance from Amy's bed. If she approached it would feel more real, more painful. The doctors left her alone in the room to say her goodbye but how can you say goodbye to the person you wanted to spend the rest of your life with?

Her father gave her privacy even she protest against it. She made her way next to her slowly, every step more hurtful than the last.

"Oh Amy..its all my fault" she finally spoke, her voice was heavy filled with emotions

She wanted to stroke her hair, to hold her hand but she was afraid to feel her lifeless body, the woman who brought life everywhere she went is laying dead Infront of her very own eyes

"I am sorry..i am so sorry" her eyes were now wet, her heart was breaking and she could feel it, she felt like someone stabbed her million times over and over again

She felt responsible for all this, if they never met Amy would now be alive, breathing, enjoying life. She felt selfish for introducing her into her complicated life, for failing to protect her.

Her lips dared to touch her cold skin. It was so gentle, like she was scared that she would break her. She kissed her forehead whispering a prayer while she was pulling away.

Her tears now fell freely, even when she tried to wipe them away the kept falling uncomfortably. That's when a soft knock brought her back to reality

The doctor came in with the nurses, an apologetic look was drawn on his face "Its time" he said calmly but Kamilah was the opposite of calm

"No..no please" she whispered as the nurses pushed Amy's bed carefully trying to take her away

"No AMY NO" she screamed without realising it as the doctor held her still

She could easily break him apart but she couldn't, every nerve on her body was tensed, she tried to brush him off and get to Amy but he held her trying to explain that they do what they have to do

"Let me go!! You cant..you cant take her..no"

Even if she was the most powerful vampire she now felt weak, her legs were giving up as she watched Amy disappear into the hallway

The doctor placed her on a chair bringing her water but she just wrapped her arms around herself trying to convince herself that Amy didn't die. She held tight on the neckless she gave her on Solstice, the only piece she has left of her.

___

Gloria was walking down the street trying to reach the hospital when she noticed a familiar figure sitting on a bench outside. Her heart was racing, her husband called her heartbroken, but she prepared herself years now for this day

Hesitantly she approached Kamilah who was looking at the night sky lost in her own world, a word where there was still hope

She was so taken aback that she didn't noticed Gloria sitting next to her until she spoke

"I am sorry" she said wiping her own tears

Kamilah looked at her, all her pain turned into anger "What do you want?" Her voice was cold, detached from all her emotions

Gloria blinked at her, she didn't knew what to say, how to make her understand

"She was my daughter, i love her even if you believe otherwise"

"I really dont want to talk to you" Kamilah stood up but a hand on her shoulder stopped her, when she looked into the woman's eyes she could see regret, pain

"I know what you are"

"Yes, a hazard to society, i know your beliefs" she rolled her eyes, trying not to show vulnerability to the woman who hurt Amy for so many years

They sat in silence, each on her own thoughts. A silent sob came from Gloria while she reached her pocket handing Kamilah a photo of young Amy

"She was..she was eight years old here" she said sadly pointing at her bright smile "i wanted to protect her but i couldn't"

Kamilah's attention was caught at the true emotions she was showing. She held the photo trying not to let herself lose control, because if she did there was no turning back

"Why are you doing this now?" She asked trying to understand her intentions

Gloria sat back at the bench skeptical trying to find the correct words

"I know what you ar--"

"Yes we talked about this already"

"No dear..i know you are.." she paused thinking of the right words "a creature..the one i knew one day would come into my daughter's life"

Kamilah was speechless, maybe this way a trap, a way to get answers out of her. There is no way she could have known except if Amy told her, which she didn't

"I don't understand what are you implying"

"You might think i am the monster in this story, but i knew that a danger would approach soon"

For the first time Kamilah tried to understand Gloria. It felt like they had something in common, they both tried to protect Amy and they failed

"Your husband told me about the paparazzi you know" her anger was building up remembering the accident

"I..i simply wanted to know about your lives, i didn't think--"

"You didn't think that telling them where we are was dangerous??" Kamilah's tone now changed

"I..i wanted to protect Amy and she wouldn't talk to us so--"

But Kamilah now started walking away, tears escaping her eyes. She couldn't bear to look at the woman who was responsible for their accident, responsible for Amy's loss

"You can't run away from destiny" Gloria said looking at the photo in her hand

Kamilah stopped her tracks midway, the fury inside her ripping her apart. Beyond her control she grabbed Gloria by her collar her eyes turning crimson red

"She would be here if you didn't tell them anything!!"

She breathed hard trying to control her heartbeat, her grip wasn't tight anymore when she realised what she had done

Gloria didn't flinch instead she was calm, ready to deal with Kamilah's fury

"I..i am--"

"A vamprire, like her" she whispered. Her hands were trembling as her thoughts went back to all the visions she saw

"She told me that a..a prophecy will be fulfilled once..once she has Amy" her voice was now distant, afraid

Kamilah blinked "how..how do you.."

"I don't understand it..i thought if i kept her close nothing would happen..but her..she kept appearing in my dreams.. warning me"

Kamilah's stoic expression faded hearing Gloria explaining her visions, how each time she held Amy a threat would appear and then she understood.

"The first.." she breathed out, her voice trembling.

Tag list: @scarlet-letter-a0114 @trouble-with-the-curve @ilovetaylorswiftforever7 @nydeiri @gavryllo @blackphenix9527 @amorettemcsky @la-guera-69 @vonda-b-real @sayeedbound @wildsayeed @littlemissgreen97 @mrskamilxh @yasmin0699 @superthelettera @nopenos-stuff @onyxgaytrash @thepotatobleh

[thekytchensynk]

A History (Fictober Prompt 5)

Prompt number: 5

Fanfiction Fandom: Dr. Stone

Rating: T

Warnings: No warnings

Read this story on AO3

Kinro dodges the first thrust. The second. Pivots. Attacks.

Misses.

“Too shallow!” Kohaku’s voice conveys as much irritation and disappointment as her weapon, as she closes in and strikes under his left arm, knocking him a step to the left. He resists the urge to react, and the two step apart instead. “I can’t say it any other way. You need to attack all the way through!”

The sun had dropped below the trees about ten minutes ago, and probably they should be eating dinner (he knows Ginro has already hightailed it back to the village to get his meal), but Kohaku hasn’t called an end, so he’s not going to ask for one. She’s taking the time to train him. He’s going to do everything she asks as part of that.

“Magma’ll be going for blood,” she says as she paces across their little sparring arena, twirling one of her padded weapons with a careless elegance that makes it almost look like a dance. “You can’t do this halfway.”

“I’m not,” he says, with only a small twinge of uneasiness. Ginro had urged him to tell Chrome and Senku about his vision problems, and on some level not doing so does indeed feel like doing things halfway. But at the same time … what were they going to do about it? It would just be making an excuses. Like he was telling them he expected to lose.

No excuses in war.

He can’t make excuses, and he can’t lose. Kohaku is training him because she wants to save Ruri, and he wants to as well -- not for her own sake alone, or for Kohaku’s, but because Magma cannot win again. Because if he were to get the village under his thumb ��� if he did that…

“Pay attention.”

Kohaku’s not angry -- not even chiding him really. More just calling him back to the moment, to this opponent and this fight. “Yes,” he says, resuming his ready stance. They go again. This time he feels he’s nearly got her, but she dances back to where her form becomes indistinct, where the difference between one step and the next gets lost, and he misses to the right. She lands lightly on his weapon -- how can someone so strong be so relatively light? -- and frowns down at him.

“You can’t beat him like this,” she says, hopping down and patting him on the shoulder before walking away, back toward the village.

She leans on the word “him” as though it were a prophecy. It’s the first time Kinro knows for sure that Kohaku knows.

“It is a great honor to defend the village. Safety is one of the building blocks upon which prosperity is built.”

Kinro, seven years old today, nods enthusiastically. It’s almost word for word the thing his father told him as he was sent off to train. His father had said it like he believed it, and old Topaz said it like he was just getting it over with, but Kinro believes it both times. The monsters from the hundred stories could all be out there. He imagines them sometimes, seeing their figures painted in the smoke of a campfire or the clouds overhead. Monsters that could sneak in and hurt his family and friends.

To learn to stand against such creatures was indeed the best thing one could do.

He does have his doubts though. Stories of Topaz’s history as a fighter are sometimes told around the fire, and everyone raises toasts to him on those evenings, but the man before him doesn’t look like a warrior. He is old, shrunken into his clothing, with eyes that squint at the world. Kinro rarely sees him anymore. His mother says Topaz has been ill, and has been resting to regain his strength, but Kinro thinks if that’s the case, the man needs to rest for a season. When he stands, he leans on his cane and still, can’t hide the tremors in his legs.

Still, his father said he would come here, to this man, to learn to be brave and fight. So he was going to do just that.

“We will begin working today, to help you become the honorable fighter your village needs you to be.” Topaz isn’t looking at Kinro, exactly. His eyes turn in the right general direction, but he doesn’t seem to be seeing. “It will be difficult, but if you obey orders, you will do your village proud.”

“Thank you for teaching me,” Kinro says, as he was instructed before leaving home. Then he waits in silence for the instruction to begin. The waiting makes him feel a little bit sick, and the situation gets worse the longer he stands here wondering just what will happen. He has used sticks and played at fighting with his brother and other village children, imitating the village chief. But the real thing is probably harder. What if he’s terrible? What if he’s weak? What if he goes home to his parents’ disappointed faces -- this child of ours cannot help protect anyone.

“We will start with the basics,” Topaz says, raising his cane with one hand. For a moment, Kinro thinks he intends to fight using that cane as a weapon, before realizing that he is pointing, only pointing. “And I have requested the aid of a powerful pupil. He will be helping me to train the youth of the village. Please convey your thanks to him as well.”

Kinro turns to see who the man meant, and there stands one of the older boys, Magma, with a padded stick over one shoulder and a grin on his face.

“You just need to try to strike through your opponent,” Chrome says as he carefully grinds some stone or another into dust at Senku’s instruction. “Don’t just stop when you think you’ve hit, right?”

Kinro makes a noncommittal noise from where he sits a few feet away, sharpening his spear -- his real spear, not the weapon for the upcoming Village Games. He appreciates that Chrome is trying to be helpful, but in a lot of ways, he may be the last person Kinro wants advice from.

Chrome isn’t much of a fighter, but not having the physical skill to do something doesn’t necessarily mean your observations aren’t sharp. In this case, he’s not saying anything Kinro hasn’t already tried, but he means well.

That isn’t the problem.

Even Kinro knows that the younger man wants badly to be the tournament victor, not for the power or glory that accompanied it, but simply because he wants to protect someone he cares about. Kinro gets that. He’s built his life to this point around protecting people. He is willing to give his life for it. He can’t imagine what would happen if his ability to do so were diminished to the point where it seemed an unattainable dream.

He feels like the advice Chrome gives him is baring something deep and secret in the sorc… the scientist, and he doesn’t want to observe that. Doesn’t want to be responsible for knowing it.

“How close are you getting?” he asks instead.

And Chrome explains. He tries to keep it in terms a non-scientist can understand, but sometimes his excitement gets the better of him and he leaps from the sphere of things Kinro knows and understands and into a world of words that sound like nonsense. But then he catches himself. Reins it back. Back to the clearer concepts.

Senku runs hot and cold, either too complicated from the get go or simplifying things to their broad concepts. Chrome, maybe because they’ve known one another so long, makes an attempt to explain the things they’re doing so Kinro understands. He appreciates it. And tonight, he wants those explanations. The intensity of the explanation carries how intensely Chrome needs them to win, so they can save Ruri.

Kinro decides to focus on that.

“ Are you even trying?”

Yes , Kinro wants to shout. I’m trying. You’re the one who’s not!

But he holds his silence and picks himself up out of the dirt. One of his teeth cut into his lip on that last one. He barely feels it. He’s sure it hurts, but after two weeks of training, everything hurts. This is just one more.

“Being able to set a solid base is the most important thing to know about fighting,” Magma chides, and in someone else’s mouth this might sound like honest instruction. “Your blocks will be weak. Your attacks won’t hurt. Try again.”

So Kinro sets his feet as Magma had shown him that first day, when Topaz listlessly watched them both. But most days since, Topaz has only watched briefly before wandering off to “take care of some things,” or just to nap.

Kinro assumed others would also be training, but it is mostly just the two of them. Magma sometimes speaks contemptuously about Titan, about how he is weak, how he has given up on training and joined his father felling trees. Kinro has watched Titan at work and doesn’t think he looks weak at all. But Magma seems sure, and Titan’s not here, so Kinro guesses he is missing something.

Carbo comes by sometimes to spar with Magma, but it seems to be out of obligation. The matches are always short. Kinro thinks Carbo could probably do better than he does -- he’s much quicker when he’s out fishing on the water than he is in matches with Magma. But it would be wrong to question his elders, even if they’re not much elder, so he keeps quiet. At least when Magma trains with Carbo, he’s not training with Kinro.

But there is no Carbo today, just Kinro who sets his feet as he was shown and raises his practice spear to block, and Magma, who swings with everything he has, and the end result is Kinro in the dirt again.

“What is going on here?”

Topaz’s voice cuts through the shady, wooded area where the two are practicing. He has woken from his nap it seems. And for a moment, Kinro thinks he must have seen that, he must know that Magma isn’t teaching him how to do anything. As he scrambles to his feet in front of the teacher, Magma speaks first.

“I am doing my best, Master Topaz.” Kinro can hear the edge of mockery in Magma’s voice. “But he refuses to even try to follow my instructions. A breeze could knock him over.”

What? Kinro starts to defend himself, to speak up for himself, but Topaz speaks before he has a chance.

“Unacceptable! Try again.”

“Master-”

“You can make statements and requests once I see you trying and not wasting people’s time,” Topaz says firmly, a little angrily. And just like that, there’s nothing Kinro can do. So he sets his feet as he was shown, and waits for the attack.

This one and the next few don’t come anywhere near as hard and fast. The first one knocks him to one knee, but it’s barely a tumble. And he thinks he can understand now what they were talking about with a strong base. It’s not something he could explain, but he can feel it -- the way the first of the attack carries down through his arms and torso and into his legs, and how if we were not braced, it would have sent him sprawling. The next time, he keeps his feet. And the next. And the next.

“So you can do it,” Topaz says after the fifth. “Don’t think you can be lazy when I am not here, child. You will only hurt yourself.”

He’s not really looking. Magma is grinning. So Kinro takes the only dutiful path.

“Yes sir.”

“We have two days.” Kohaku isn’t even breaking a sweat, while Kinro has been left panting by the day’s relentless training. “You have to break this habit. You are running out of time.”

She isn’t wrong, but without some idea on how to do it, they are just words. And he has no idea how to do it. Willpower and determination won’t be enough.

On the bright side, he does think intensive training with her had helped. They’re actually surprisingly evenly matched in a lot of ways. She is just so fast, and he can't keep up -- but he is getting slightly closer. And most of the fighters in the games would look slow in comparison. Especially Magma -- he’s always moved like a bear, ponderous but powerful, terrifyingly powerful.

Kohaku backs off and glances around. He knows without asking that she is looking for his brother, who has shirked training yet again. He always spends at least some time with the two of them, but usually no more than half of the overall training they do. Sometimes Senku finds him and threatens him with work until he returns. Sometimes he slinks away to one of the hiding places that only he knows to “practice by himself.” Kinro doesn't know if he just already thinks he's ready, despite evidence to the contrary, or if he’s already mentally abdicated his role as a fighter, expecting Kohaku and Kinro to do the real fighting.

“Sorry about Ginro,” he says as she scans the treeline.

“His training is not your responsibility,” she replies firmly.

He grunts in answer. Because of course Ginro’s training, his lack of discipline, is because his older brother has not carefully instilled it in him. He has been coddled, as much as people in this village can be. Protected.

Kohaku looks around once more anyway, just in case, then asks over her shoulder, “are you ready if you face him?”

He wonders if her constant travels into the forest when she was younger had led her to see some of the training he’d undergone. She’s never mentioned it, if so. But alone out of everyone, she seems to get that he is both hoping for and dreading a fight against Magma. That it is more than just Magma being the biggest obstacle. That it is personal, for him.

“Are you?” she asks again, curious.

“I will have to be,” is his only answer.

Many members of the village visit Topaz occasionally, making sure he has food and his home is warm and that he has good clothing. But lately there has been someone with him around the clock. Kinro is drifting off to sleep one night when someone comes and asks his mother to come watch over the old man. She goes without argument. By the time he wakes in the morning, she is back. Curious, Kinro asks why she went to the trainer’s home.

“Topaz is a strong man,” his mother says, taking one of his hands in both of hers. She looks tired, her blond hair unkempt from being out for most of the night. “But he is very tired. Our village will soon have to say goodbye to him, and we do not wish to leave him by himself until that time comes. It would be respectful for you to visit him today. To thank him and to say goodbye.”

Frankly, Kinro doesn’t want to. He has been given very little by Topaz. The man has not attended training in months, and even before that, he rarely taught anything -- just barking out a few orders when he was able to make it to a session. Kinro felt sure he couldn’t see enough to actually tell whether or not he was doing things right.

So Kinro doesn’t hate Topaz. He just isn’t grateful to him. The man had clearly once been spry and powerful and an important protector of the village, but he had kept the job of training the village children and then abdicated it to the last fighter he had trained, who used it as a weapon.

It isn’t that Kinro hasn’t learned anything from training with Magma in the last year and a half. He has. It is just mostly in spite of Magma, not because of him. He’s learned to use his quickness as a weapon. He’s learned to angle his spear to deflect some of the power in the older boy’s attacks, to lessen some of the brute strength advantage. He’s learned when to move and when to stand firm. It is an imperfect fighting style born not of training but of experience and pain.

And he’s learned that Magma likes to use training as a way to bully people into submission. To remove them as a threat to whatever he might want to do. To add them to his group, or to keep them out of fighting all together.

Kinro has decided he will do neither. Even if he pays for that every time they train.

“Can you come with me?” he asks.

And she smiles, saying, “Of course. Would you like to go now?” When he nods, she lets his father know they’re going, then takes his hand and they leave the house.

“We should see about your brother joining you,” she adds as they cross the village, before stifling a yawn.

“But he doesn’t know Master Topaz,” Kinro says. He also isn’t sure mischievous Ginro would be the best person to bring to a dying man’s bedside.

“Mmm. No. For training. With Magma now, I guess?”

Kinro stops abruptly enough that his hand pulls from his mother’s. She stops too. Turns. “Kinro?”

“Magma is taking over training?”

She walks back over to him and crouches down. He’s getting taller, and this actually makes her a little bit shorter than he. He’s not sure if she’s just tired and doesn’t want to stand, or if she just wants to look him in the eye as she asks, “Is something wrong?”

He looks into her face. She’s asking. He can tell her. He can let her know. But… if he tells her, she’ll make him stop training with Magma. May make him stop training to be a guard, a protector. And Magma hasn’t been able to batter that desire out of him.

“Will Magma accept Ginro as a student?” he asks. It’s a legitimate question, if not his real worry. He can deal with what Magma throws at him, but his brother is energetic and outgoing and a bit of a crybaby. And Magma will either break him, or else he’ll chase Ginro off, and he'll never get a chance to learn if he’s any good at fighting.

His mother considers the question for a long few seconds. “I suppose we’ll have to see,” she says. “But you can’t worry about that. You just worry about yourself.”

That statement honestly doesn’t make sense to him. Ginro is his little brother. He’s been helping watch over him for years. And nothing in him will let his brother face Magma’s training.

“I could train him,” Kinro says, anxiety pitching his voice up.

His mother smiles fondly. But then the smile fades as she studies his face. She leans in a little closer. “You’re serious about this, huh?” she asks. He nods emphatically. “Is there something wrong with training with Magma? You can tell me.”

He doesn’t say yes. But he doesn’t say no either. And after a little while, she takes his hand and they go say goodbye to Topaz, who looks almost unreal in his bed, still and pale. He’s gone by that evening.

The next two days, his parents speak to the parents of some of the other older children in the village. And they ask him, with forced casualness, if he still wants to keep training with Magma. And he says yes, and no more is said of it. But Ginro stays home, being trained by a combination of his brother and his father.

“You can’t possibly go along with this, Kohaku! Match fixing … it would be a disgrace to the entire bout!”

But even as he says it, he knows the answer. What she wants is to save her sister. If that means getting free wins so she can save her strength, so be it. And he doesn't agree with her, but he gets it. He totally gets it. And it makes him feel a little guilty.

Because everyone else is united in their reasons to fight. And sure, he shares that reason with them. He wants to protect Ruri, for her own sake and Kohaku’s and Chrome’s.

But he has another reason too.

When Kinro is eleven, training starts to happen less regularly. By the time he’s 13, Magma decides training him is “not worth his time” and ends it. Kinro wonders, for a long time after, why exactly that happened.

Magma may be telling the truth. After all, more and more often, their training ends in stalemates. Magma can still put him down with one blow if it’s a clean one. But landing a clean blow is becoming harder and harder for his teacher to manage. He sees the frustration building. It may certainly not be worth it.

But Kinro never stops wondering if it’s something else.

Magma clearly hoped his offer -- lick my boot and join my side rather than fight me -- would be tempting. The history between them, mostly hidden from everyone else in the village, weighed in those words and the taunts that followed.

Kinro hadn’t backed down before. He wasn’t going to do so this time either. Not with everything on the line. And he couldn’t help but notice that Magma was doing everything to put him off his game.

“I’m no longer the fighter you know,” He found himself saying in the face of Magma’s taunts. And as he said it, he realized it was true. Magma was still bigger, but no longer nearly as much so. And he was slow. And he wanted to win only for himself.

And he couldn’t scare Kinro. Not anymore.

[him-e]

Submission: How do you think r+l=j will be handled in the books?

Hi, him-e! I appreciate the fact that you make an effort to parse through what the show’s given us in order to make more calculated predictions about what’s coming in the books. I’d like to ask, then—because I don’t recall you ever talking about it—how will r+l=j be handled in the books. It’s a fairly accepted possibility in fandom that finding out about it will wreck Jon. And fair enough, it probably will, considering how much pride he takes from being Ned’s son. But then there’s the rub for me—a lot of people also expect Jon to be angry at Rhaegar and to revolt against his biological father by abandoning the role he was supposed to have in the WftD. That makes sense, it can be existentially terrifying to think that your actions are all a product of a prophecy and that you have no control over them. It’d also fit with the other five main characters, who will likely all be going through their own dark phases. Here’s the part where I think we should take the show into consideration. What effect did r+l=j have on Jon, exactly? Mostly, none—I’d say it served as a catalyst for Dany’s downfall. Nothing was made to challenge Rhaegar’s character or actions, and the last season was the perfect place to do so, considering he’s Dany’s brother and almost every single aspect of Dany started being portrayed negatively. But sure, one could argue that the show isn’t good at handling psychological turmoil and that he’s Jon’s father too, and Jon must remain morally pure. Still, I then think about the books. If GRRM intends to make Jon rebel against Rhaegar and what he stood for as part of the fandom believes, why didn’t he seed anything related to that yet? Anything that makes Rhaegar more challenging and least susceptible to idolization? Some examples of how he could’ve done this: * GRRM could’ve shown Doran or Oberyn still angry at Rhaegar for leaving Elia behind. Instead, they both want to side with Viserys and later Daenerys without any (mentioned) reservations. * GRRM could’ve had Ned thinking about the fucked up power dynamic between Rhaegar and Lyanna (less harshly than Robert, but still negatively), but instead Ned only thinks about how Rhaegar didn’t frequent brothels. * GRRM could’ve had Dany have her view of Rhaegar be challenged the way her view of Aerys is being (slowly) challenged, instead she still thinks of him the same by the end of the fifth book. * GRRM could’ve added a POV who is critical of Rhaegar’s actions, yet he added three in FeastDance who idolize him (JonCon, Cersei, Barristan). And that’s not even mentioning how R/L was painted as straightforwardly romantic in the S7 finale, which may well be what GRRM does—if he doesn’t think Dany was raped by Drogo in the books, maybe he thinks R/L is an unproblematic love story, even if many have pointed out the consent issues. Finally, I don’t see his friend Arthur Dayne having his reputation challenged in any way in-universe for remaining with Rhaegar despite the fact that there is reasonable criticism to hold against him. My question, then, is: isn’t it more likely that Jon’s problem with r+l=j lies with his relationships with Ned and Dany and not with Rhaegar?

Hi, thanks for your submission, and sorry it took me a while to answer! ;))

Using the show as an indicator for how the books will deal with things like this is very tricky—because, as you said, the show sucks at psychological insight, and character motivations are usually either grossly simplified or not taken into consideration at all (which, ironically, makes them seem even more obscure and complicated if you’re trying to analyze them. See: the entire debate on why Sansa didn’t tell Jon about the knights of the Vale back in season 6. The show simply didn’t address the reason why she didn’t tell Jon, because it wasn’t important to the plot, but the fandom—me included—tried to make sense of it nonetheless, with increasingly convoluted explanations. Was Sansa trying to throw Jon under the bus, and let him perish in the battle so she could be lady of Winterfell? But that clashes with her desperate attempts to convince Jon to delay the battle. Did she hope they could do without Littlefinger’s help until last minute? Was she afraid that Jon would’ve had the final say on how to use the Knights, had he known? Was she trying to prevent him from taking credit for the victory? And so on).

There’s also the fact that the show dealt very quickly and superficially with the Prince that was Promised and Azor Ahai prophecies, mostly via Melisandre’s cryptic catchphrases and more as an afterthought or book nod than as an organic part of the narrative. The prophecy was just not conveyed well in the show. We’ve hardly ever seen other characters grapple with its meaning, or experienced its importance in the context of Westeros’ slowly waking up to the threat of the White Walkers. So, if the bulk of book!Jon’s reaction to r+l=j is temporarily rejecting his supposed role in the PtwP prophecy, it makes sense that the show completely skipped it, just as it makes sense that it skipped the valonqar part in Cersei’s prophecy: it simply has no place in the show’s narrative as they devised it. There would be no point in having a major character angst about his role in a prophecy, if said prophecy is all but a namedrop whose significance remains largely unknown to the average viewer who hasn’t read the book.

So… is it possible that in the books resurrected!Jon will go through a phase of complete rejection and denial of his heroic destiny, that will climax with the reveal of his parentage and a major identity crisis? Yes, totally. It’s exactly the mix of complex character study + mystical/magical stuff that I can see d&d scrapping in favor of a more materialistic, down to earth “game-of-thrones” narrative (the whole bend-the-knee pseudopolitical drama with Dany, for example).

But what will he reject, what will he deny? Which identity will challenged?

His destiny as a prophesied hero, fulfilling which has never been an (explicit) driving force for him? (we know everything Jon’s done in the Night’s Watch was building up towards his becoming the champion of humanity against darkness, the “third head of the dragon”, the “prince that was promised”, but it was Ned’s teachings and Ned’s moral lessons that inspired his choices and actions, not Rhaegar’s prophecy) His (non-existent) relationship with a biological father that never mattered to him?

Or…

isn’t it more likely that Jon’s problem with r+l=j lies with his relationships with Ned and Dany and not with Rhaegar?

^ Nailed it.

I think Jon’s psychological conflict about his parentage will be more about Ned/his Stark identity (and Dany) than about Rhaegar. For one thing, Rhaegar—regardless what light the overall story presents him in—isn’t really present in Jon’s narrative; Jon has virtually no opinion of him, and Rhaegar’s name rarely shows up in his chapters. Sure, when the PtwP prophecy finally erupts in Jon’s narrative and he realizes what Rhaegar was trying to accomplish, he’ll necessarily develop more complex feelings for him. But as of now, Rhaegar Targaryen is simply someone from the past that Jon isn’t really preoccupied with. Secondly, and more importantly, Rhaegar is a dead character, who has always been dead since the beginning of the story. I truly doubt he is going to have more of an impact on Jon’s character evolution than Ned (the father that raised him, the only father he’s known, and the faux-protagonist of book one) or Dany (the living and breathing major character Jon will plausibly have a romantic dynamic with, that with no doubt will be drastically affected by the parentage reveal).

I actually think it’s more likely and more narratively compelling that, rather than rebelling against Rhaegar, r+l=j makes Jon rebel against Ned, and everything he represents. Make him temporarily reject his Stark identity (out of fiery anger re: being lied to by Ned, and forced to a life of bastardy and anonymity, the reasons behind which resurrected!Jon, more wolf than he’s ever been, might not immediately understand, or care to understand) and embrace his Targaryen ancestry instead, with the whole fire&blood shebang. That is… until he’s made whole again by the love he has for his siblings, and the need to protect them. I think Jon’s love for his family—the family he grew up in—will be what eventually leads him *back home*, back to his Stark roots, back to Ned’s teachings.

[kittenshift-17]

What are your favorite dramione fanfictions??

Ok, so I’ve been sitting on this Ask for over a month trying to think of favorites because I honestly haven’t read a dramione fanfic that wasn’t written by me or one of my besties in a really long time. But I’ve put together a list of those I have read, and those I liked enough to add to my “Favorites” list on FFN. I’ve included a bunch of my own stories, too, since I honestly do enjoy reading my own work and hope others will too. *shrugs*

Presque Toujours Pur by ShayaLonnie Bellatrix's torture of Hermione uncovers a long-kept secret. The young witch learns her true origins in a story that shows the beginning and end of the Wizarding wars as Hermione learns about her biological father and the blood magic he dabbled in that will control her future.

Howl For Me by Kittenshift17: The Ministry enacts a Marriage Law, magically pairing couples who'd never in a million years agree to even speak, let alone wed. Paired off with Malfoy, Hermione has to suffer the added indignity of the Ministry banning all contraception and forcing fertility treatment and aphrodisiacs on them all. Draco's secret makes it worse.

The Alkahest by Shadukiam The Marriage Law, once enacted, has the power to destroy Hermione's perfectly normal life. Luckily, she and Ron are already planning to obey the horrific law together as a team... Until a Malfoy-shaped wrench gets thrown into the works. Dramione. Cover by littleneko1923 (thank you!).

Lady of the Lake by Colubrina Hermione and Draco team up after the war to overthrow the Order and take over wizarding Britain. "I don't even especially mind belonging to you most of the time," he closes his eyes and just breathes for a bit, savoring not being in pain. Finally he adds, "Just… try to take better care of your toys." Dark Dramione. COMPLETE

Last Year by Canimal There's nowhere to hide when a victorious Voldemort sends his best tracker to find Hermione. Draco won't give up until he finds her again. A story of the unraveling of the lies we tell ourselves. (Dark!Hermione)

Give Unto Me by Kittenshift17: The Ministry is offering rewards for having children. They've got a list of unconventional pairings and their willing to give certain people the thing they want most. When Ron overreacts to the idea of Hermione being paired with Mafloy and does something stupid, Hermione's life is set on a new path. One that involves having a baby with Draco Malfoy.

Eros & Psyche by RZZMG Draco challenges Harry and friends to play EROS & PSYCHE, a scandalous card game with a dark, mysterious history. It's Slyth vs. Gryff, male vs. female, pride vs. desire in the ultimate game of hearts and amour! Pairings: Draco/Hermione, Blaise/Ginny, Ron/Pansy, Seamus/Lavender, Theo/Daphne, Harry/Tracey. AU 7th yr. Secrets, romance, angst, and sex await the turning of the first card...

Summer of the Dragon by Lena Phoria 3 years after the war Hermione takes a break from Ron and accepts a summer job collecting supplies for Ollivander's wands. What she doesn't expect is having to work with Draco Malfoy, who's more haunted by his past than she ever would have believed. Together they will travel the world, fight dragons, conquer demons and maybe find exactly what they're looking for. COMPLETE.

The Silver Dragon by Kittenshift17: "This can never happen again," he warned quietly, waving a hand between the two of them indicatively. Hermione nodded emphatically in agreement, not daring to say a word lest she be terribly rude. Or vomit. Either was an option. Hermione wondered why she had a terrible sinking feeling inside to think that it still might.

The Green Girl by Colubrina Hermione is sorted into Slytherin; how will things play out differently when the brains of the Golden Trio has different friends? AU. Darkish Dramione. COMPLETE.

Stripped Bare by Kittenshift17: *COMPLETE* Dragged to Malfoy Manor, Hermione is tortured for information on Harry's whereabouts. When the Cruciatus curse proves useless, Bellatrix settles on a heinous course of action to loosen her tongue. Forced to come together under threat of death, Draco and Hermione are about to learn there is more to their relationship than hatred.

Ninety-Five Percent by HufflepuffMommy A new Wizarding Marriage Law has come into effect and Hermione takes her chance with the Ministry and lets them decide who would be the best match for her. Who would ever believe that Draco Malfoy would be her best match with a 95% Compatibility? (Hermione/Draco). Rated M for language and mature themes later on. COMPLETE!

Sang et Lumière by Freya Ishtar  *8th Year* Late one night, Hermione hears a sound that chills her bones—a howling from the Forbidden Forest, yet all werewolves fled at the end of the War. When she finds Draco stumbling back into the castle the next morning, she becomes his confidante . . . and something more. 

Tip of My Tongue by Kittenshift17 When Draco's wife is caught cheating and pregnant to another man, Draco must fight for custody of his son, Scorpius. Hermione, determined to ensure her son, Aurelian, grows up knowing his brother without Draco finding out, somehow winds up tangled into the middle of Draco's impending divorce. Can she help it if she also keeps finding herself tangled in his embrace, and liking it?

His and Her Bruises by lezonne "I congratulate your ability to leave a mark on me, Granger. Although I must make a point of it that my bruises on you are far larger than yours on me. When competing, you should always aim to win, yes?" Fractured timeline from fourth year up; will eventually look into their lives after school. Violent references. Sequel "His and Her Scars" is now up!

The Wayward Familiar (complete) by Freya Ishtar Returning for 8th year, Hermione unexpectedly winds up with a 2nd familiar when the one she buys for Ron as a gift—a ferret she jokingly names Draco—refuses to go to him. When she realizes the creature isn't what it seems, she goes further than she ever thought she would to get the real Draco back.

Addicted to You by Kittenshift17: An act of kismet whilst herb gathering sees Hermione interacting with an unknown werewolf. When he bites her while she is in her animagus form, he sets into motion a twisted destiny that binds them together as mates. With Remus and Sirius there to help her through, Hermione's biggest worry is finding out the identity of the werewolf who marked her.

Star-Crossed by HeartOfAspen Three years post-DH (EWE/Dramione). A prophecy handed down the Malfoy line for generations revolves around Draco, throwing a wrench into the life he's trying to rebuild. Even more perplexing, it somehow also seems to involve one Hermione Granger? Angst and murder, fluff and stuff.

Amuse Me by sloanwolves DMHG head boy and girl share a dorm. Draco walks in on Hermione doing something naughty then blackmails her. And Draco has been secretly been pining after the head girl all year! - Rated M for explicit sex scenes, language and lots of casual drug use.

Little Do You Know by Kittenshift17: Post-war, eighth-year marriage law fic. In a world where pureblood pomp collides with muggleborn sass not everything is as it seems. As the pairings unfold in the most peculiar matches, the current and former students of Hogwarts have a learning curve ahead of them. Little do they know that those people they called enemies might turn out to be their perfect match.

A Dangerous Affair by krissh Hermione was terrified. The rage in Draco's eyes was unmistakable; He looked like he was ready to kill someone. When she did not answer, he slammed her arms above her head, pinning her to the wall. "How dare you mock me like that," he snarled in her face. "You filthy mudblood."

Curls and Bruises by s l y t h e r i n d o l l  "When I'm done with you, I won't need your permission. You'll simply be begging for it."

Better Dig Two by Kittenshift17: Hermione never expected she'd fall pregnant with a lovechild fathered by a mystery man to get back at Ron for cheating. Her drunken revenge leads to the birth of her son. 5 years later she is confronted by Draco Malfoy with a photo she thinks is of her son. Things get complicated when he tells her it's not.

The Risk-Reward Ratio by MissiAmphetamine Set during TDH; a maimed, disillusioned Draco surrenders himself to the Order after he earns Voldemort's displeasure. Hermione's pity for him blooms into something more and he stops seeing her as just a mudblood, as they both discover there's far more to each other than they ever thought possible.

A Regular Life by acro acro Draco's mouth popped open. He'd seen hair like that before in his other life, all curling golden-brown madness, rippling and crackling with an intensity that matched the gold fire in its owner's eyes. Her eyes. Her…Mione. Draco stumbled forward on disbelieving feet. "Granger?"

Lost Images by EvilGu  MARRIAGE LAW Hermione must marry Draco Malfoy- the only wizard that (begrudgingly) petitioned for her who is not actively trying to kill her. If only there was some loop-hole... Can the unlikely pair survive marriage, in-laws, ghosts, murderous enemies, and their own traitorous feelings?

Unrequited Snowfall by Kittenshift17: Draco Malfoy has a secret. An Infatuation. An Obsession. '"I have to admit Granger, I was less than pleased with some of the things you drew in this book of yours" he said, pulling his hand away before he could do something crazy like sliding it into her hair and tugging her close so he could snog those pouting lips of hers.' Sequel: UNREQUITED SNOWSTORM.

Unrequited Snowstorm by Kittenshift17: SEQUEL TO UNREQUITED SNOWFALL. The trial of Draco Malfoy was the most controversial of the year. Most felt that he ought to be thrown into Azkaban for his crimes, the other half passionately believed it was wrong to lock up an eighteen year old boy for choices he'd been forced to make under duress. Hermione Granger never expected the trial to take a turn like this. DMHG.

Isolation by Bex-chan He can't leave the room. Her room. And it's all the Order's fault. Confined to a small space with only the Mudblood for company, something's going to give. Maybe his sanity. Maybe not. "There," she spat. "Now your Blood's filthy too!" DM/HG. PostHBP.

Draconian Heart by camnz Hermione had known the bitter end was coming, but it still took her by surprise as their cottage was crumbling from the force of the Deatheaters' assault. There really wasn't any hope left, but she would fight none the less. The dark side had won and there was no place left in the world for the remnants of her side, so this is how it ends. Very DARK - contains non consentual.

Wrapped In Red by Kittenshift17: *COMPLETE* During a school wide Secret Santa, Hermione has the bad luck of picking Draco Malfoy, suspected Death Eater. When she tries to sneakily learn his secrets in order to get his gift, and Malfoy winds up trapped under some mistletoe, things get out of hand. Who said snogging a Death Eater wouldn't land her in a strangely addictive mess? A Christmassy Dramione tale.

The Switch by BackInBlack99 When Hermione and Draco wake up in each other's bodies, chaos ensues. Will they set out to make or break the other's reputation? And can they find something more along the way? Pride, pranks, and forbidden temptation...

The Boy in the Hammock by galfoy Hermione tugged at the string holding the hood onto the boy's head, gingerly pulling the fabric back to reveal his face. Lying before her, barely recognizable beyond the swelling and the blood, but still very much himself, was Draco Malfoy.

Seeds of Seduction by AnjaliMalfoy There is only one rule in the game of seduction...Never fall in love. Draco Malfoy is a prized Death Eater. Hermione Granger, a member of the Order of the Pheonix is sent to seduce him for information.

Fallen by cyropi What can you do when hatred is tearing your world apart? Can you survive when love is all you have left? And how can you win when you’re fighting your own reflection? DMHG, HPGW.

Mistletoe Masquerade by Kittenshift17: *COMPLETE* Hermione Granger receives a strange and beautiful gift anonymously, and is swept off her feet at the Ministry's staff Masquerade Christmas Ball. Caught beneath the mistletoe, Hermione finds herself snogging an incredibly intoxicating young man, only to be shocked when she learns with whom she had been locking lips.

Aurelian by BittyBlueEyes Two years after the war, a young stranger pays a visit to the burrow. His arrival alone is baffling, but the news he brings of an upcoming war turns the world upside down. Hermione's quiet, post-war life will never be the same.

Someone Saved My Life Tonight by JadedDragon4 COMPLETE! They didn't choose to be partnered together or for tragedy to strike. But now, lost, hurt, and together, they must choose to save each other . . . or die alone.

Bathwater by xXBeckyFoo It's their 7th year,the Dark Lord's dead and the Death Eaters are all rounded up. Nothing could go wrong, right? There's a sense of peace in the air, but how long can it possibly last when the Ministry's throwing people together for all eternity? Curse the new Marriage Law.

An Aversion to Change by Mel88 Sent back to Hogwarts with the suspicious title of Head Boy, Draco is forced to share a dormitory with none other than Hermione Granger. With a war looming on the horizon and another danger even closer to home, their final year is anything but ordinary.

A Marriage Most Convenient by AnneM.Oliver Hermione lost it all when she divorced. Draco would lose it all by age 30 if he didn't marry. Marriage to each other would be perfect, one would even say it was most convenient. Her daughter even looked like him, although, he wondered why that was.

What A Difference A Night Makes by Kyra4 DHr prefects, top students in their year and Houses. Makes sense that they'd be chosen by the faculty for an honors project that requires them to be locked in the astronomy tower all night. Will they fall for each other or rip each other apart? COMPLETE!

Soooo.... Yeah.... Lemme just fling these 42 recommendations at you. *laughs*

All I ask in return is that if you read the works by these talented authors, please, please, please, make sure to leave them some kind and encourgaing reviews in return.

xx-Kitten

[everlastingcaptainswan]

Contractual Attraction (4/?) 

Enchanted Forest AU 

Summary: The war had raged on for many years, the people of Misthaven would say too many, and there was only one way to end it, only one way to quiet talks of rebellion. Princess Emma of Misthaven would have to marry the enemy, Prince Killian of Montave.

Notes: Hope you guys have a happy new year! The next chapter will be up on Thursday!

FF          Ao3

Chapter Four: The Unwanted Visitor 

The treaty and all its copies were ready to be signed the next day followed by a unity ball. Emma wanted to roll her eyes at that name, it’s a ball to celebrate the war being over, an excuse for them to dress up and declare peace. At the treaty signing Emma, Killian, and Liam sat at the table with Elsa, Anna, and Kristoff watching. All three of them signed the original treaty and its copies without hesitation. The original would stay here in Arendelle and copies would go to Montave and Misthaven. 

Emma sat the quill down on the table and a red plume of smoke appeared, revealing none other than Rumplestiliken, the Dark One with his scaly iridescent skin and reflective eyes. 

“Who the hell are you?” Liam shouted as he jumped out of his chair. Killian followed suit, both of them drawing their swords. 

“Oh, such bravery,” Rumplestiliken cheered in his sing-song voice. 

“Answer the question!” Killian demanded. Emma stood and crossed her arms. 

“Dark One, what do you want?” Emma asked. All heads in the room turned to her. 

“Ah well, Dearie, that would be you.” 

“Emma, what the hell is going on?” Elsa asked her. Emma pushed her way around the table, around Liam and Killian, avoiding the latter’s eyes. 

“For what?” Emma spat out, ignoring Elsa. 

“That arm of yours has seen better days. We had a deal, Dearie,” he practically growled at her. Rumplestilikin grabbed her arm tightly pushing the sleeve of her dress up, examining the scars. Killian stepped forward at that point, moving closer to Emma. 

“I fulfilled my end of the deal!” Emma snapped, yanking her arm back. 

“It won’t stay that way if you’re dead. That spell will only hold if you’re alive and after everything you gave up for it, I would think you wouldn’t want that to happen. Stop trying to use your magic. Unless you have a death wish, Savior?” Emma would like nothing better than to punch him in the face, but that won’t do any good. Emma simply nodded, “It won’t happen again.” 

“Lovely, I will not have this conversation again. Congratulations on your engagement,” he glared at her as he disappeared into a red plume of smoke.  

“What the fuck just happened?” Liam asked, exasperated. Elsa turned on Emma. 

“After everything he put your parents through how could you make a deal with him?” Her friend asks looking for an explanation. Emma sighed. 

“I didn’t have a choice.”

“There’s always a choice with him!” Elsa shouted and Emma cringed. 

“Will someone please explain what just happened?” Killian asked, looking between the two blondes. 

“Now.” Liam demanded. Emma walked over to one of the chairs and gripped the back of it until her knuckles turned white. 

“Around eight years into the war there was rumblings that Regina was rallying for support and was planning an attack. This terrified my parents. They thought she’d enact the dark curse that she never could when they first got married. She nearly destroyed them. There was a prophecy told by the Dark One that I would be the one to break this curse, to end Regina, to be the savior. When she tried rallying for support my parents knew they couldn’t fight a war against two enemies, so they sent an elite team, led by myself, to find her and take her out one and for all, after all I was the savior. I found a way to do it, but it came at a great cost…” Emma trailed off, not sure if she could get through the rest of it. 

“You made a deal with the Dark One.” Killian stated and she nodded. Anna gasped and Elsa looked like she might burst into tears. 

“Still doesn’t explain why he just showed up here,” Liam pointed out. 

“Regina was only a threat when she had magic. The Dark One gave me a spell that would take her magic away, he just failed to mention that it would take mine too. Not just take it, if I try to use it as you’ve seen it’s extremely painful,” Emma explained, done with Liam’s attitude. 

“He mentioned you dying,” Killian said, looking distressed. 

“If the scars reach my heart it will kill me,” Emma said never taking her eyes off of Killian. He didn’t move, didn’t blink, hell Emma wasn’t even sure he was breathing. 

“Fuck, Emma. He was right do you have a death wish?” Elsa snapped. 

“No, I don’t. The other day was the first time I’d even tried in years.” Emma shook her head. Killian finally snapped out of his trance and grabbed both her shoulders. 

“You’re not even trying to use your magic anymore, do you understand? Both of us are sacrificing everything for this peace treaty and I won’t have you throwing it away,” He told her intently. His blue eyes like a storm. 

“Let go of me,” she said through gritted teeth and he dropped his hands quickly, “Trust me it’s not a fun experience when I try. It won’t be happening ever again.” 

“Enough. He better not show up here again,” Liam warned her. 

“He won’t he delivered his message. He wants Regina to stay powerless just as much I do.” 

“What would happen if she did have her powers?” Anna asked, scared for her friend. 

“She threatened to come for me and my happiness. Her typical threats, hard to achieve when you can’t throw fireballs at your enemies,” Emma shrugged. 

“Charming, love. Any more enemies we should know about?” Killian asked, sarcasm dripping from his voice. 

“Just you honey,” Emma said in a sickly-sweet voice. Both of them glaring at each other. He ran hot and cold with her. One-minute protective the next mad and snarky with her. Emma swore he was about to jump in front of her when the Dark One was threatening her. Emma couldn’t quite get a read on him and it frustrated her. 

“We all have a ball to prepare for, we all have a role to play I suggest we get ready for that,” Elsa advised them all. Emma snatched her copy of the treaty off the table before leaving. 

 Emma was never a fan of balls, usually a lot of pompous princes and suitors lying in wait for her. It always felt like an ambush and none of them could dance very well. One time she had a suitor stare at his feet the entire time they danced. The one good thing about being engaged was she wouldn’t have to dance with suitors any longer. Although she would have to dance with Killian and who knows how that’ll go. The entire night he had barely looked at her unless he needed to. Not that she minded, but to sell this marriage he had to at least act like they enjoyed each other’s company. 

Killian stood from the table and extended his hand to her, “Would you care to dance, love?” 

“Yes,” Emma said as she slipped her hand into his grip. He led them out onto the dance floor with a graceful spin. The music started up and they began to move. He moved with ease and grace that surprised Emma. 

“You’re not bad at this.” 

“Of course, I’m not,” he said offended, “What kind of men have you been dancing with?” 

“In my experience princes aren’t always the best dancers. You would be surprised,” she chuckled. 

“Ah well not all of us can be naturals like you,” he smirked. It was her turn to be surprised. 

“There is no way you can know that,” she said as he twirled her around the dance floor. 

“Yes, there is. You move with grace and ease that few women possess.” He dipped her, their gaze not breaking once, “However there is only one real rule to dancing.” 

“Oh, really and what is that?” she asked. 

“Just pick a partner who knows what they’re doing,” his voice husky and low. Emma admitted it stirred something inside her, but it can’t be that. They may have a peace treaty, but he was still her enemy. 

They continued to dance for the next few songs, mostly because Emma has never had a partner this good. She’s definitely never enjoyed a ball as much as this one. The only reason they stopped is because Liam interrupted asking for the next dance. Killian kissed the back of her hand before saving Elsa from dancing with the Duke of Weselton. 

“Do all Montavian men dance this well or just you and your brother?” Emma asked lightly.

“Is that a compliment?” he asked surprised. 

“It’s been known to happen from time to time,” Emma shook her head. 

“Ah, so you’re saying I shouldn’t get used to it,” he teased her. 

“No, I’m saying you shouldn’t expect it,” Emma lowered her voice, “I sense this dance has an ulterior motive.” 

“I would feign hurt if it weren’t true, but yes it does. I want this peace to hold, I need it. We all do. I would never threaten the treaty,” he said in a hushed tone. His face serious. 

“To the point please.” He had to spin her before he could reply. 

“I speak as a brother not a king when I say please don’t hurt him.” When she looks confused, he continues on, “Killian. He’s been hurt in the past and I don’t know if I could see him like that again. So, please be gentle with him.” 

“I will, but I doubt emotions will play a factor in this marriage.” Emma said with a lifted eyebrow. The music from the song came to an end and they stopped. 

“I’m afraid they already have. Just keep what I said in mind.” He raised her hand to his mouth and kissed it. 

“What?” Emma asked, shocked. He said nothing else before leaving her on the dance floor. She stared after him confused as he approached Killian and Elsa. 

What was he referring to? Did he think she had feelings for Killian? Or perhaps Killian had feelings for her? But surely that cannot be possible, it wasn’t like she had been kind to the man since her arrival. Hell, at that dinner she told him she didn’t need to know him. Perhaps that was why he ran hot and cold with her. Feelings always complicated matters and not always in a good way. What on earth has she gotten herself into now? 

As the music to the next song starts Graham came to her rescue and all but dragged her into his arms. 

“You hate dancing,” she grumbled once the shock wore off and she came back to herself.

“You looked like you were drowning out there. I had to save you,” Graham whispered. 

“I didn’t need saving,” she grumbled. 

“Whatever you say, Princess. I can’t wait until we get home,” he groaned. 

“Arendelle isn’t so bad, there are worse places.” He spun her out and back in. 

“No, it’s not, but I wasn’t talking about that.” He continued on when Emma still looked confused. “We are surrounded by enemies on all sides. I’ll feel better once we’re home.” 

“You know when we go home one of them will be coming with us, I’ll be marrying him.” She frowned; not sure what Graham was getting at. Graham scoffed. 

“That won’t hold, you won’t go through with it.” Emma blinked a few times before she stopped in the middle of the dance floor. 

“The Emma I knew wouldn’t do that, wouldn’t roll over for the enemy. What are we truly doing here?” Graham asked her. People were dancing around them. Many eyes were on them as well. Emma was tired of being dignified, of putting on a pretty face. Emma smacked him across the face, the sound echoing through the room. 

“I am doing this for my people, for Misthaven. I thought you of all people would understand, but I guess I was wrong. Don’t ever speak to me like that again,” she hissed at him before storming out of the ballroom. She busted through balcony doors the cold winter air welcoming after the suffocating feeling of the ballroom. Emma gripped the balcony’s railing so tightly that her knuckles were white. The moon light reflecting off of the sapphire and aquamarine engagement ring Killian had slipped on her finger before the ball. 

Elsa and Anna smiled upon Killian and Emma. He held a beautiful ring of sapphires and aquamarine stones. 

“It’s not quite a traditional engagement ring, I hope you don’t mind,” he said sheepishly. Emma shook her head. 

“I’m not very traditional anyway,” she replied. Killian chuckled and slid the ring onto her finger. It fit perfectly, as if it were meant to be. Emma tried to not dwell on that fact. 

“It suits you.” She nodded because the truth of the matter was it did. She rather liked it. 

Emma heard footsteps behind her and a sigh, “Elsa, if you’re here to lecture me about being a proper lady now is really not the time.” 

“Good thing I’m not Elsa nor here to lecture you,” Killian said. Emma turned quickly to face him. 

“Just here to see if you’re alright,” he clarified. 

“Shouldn’t you be checking on Graham or cleaning up the mess I made?” Emma crossed her arms, not quite meeting his eyes. 

“Maybe I should be, but Graham isn’t quite as pretty as you.” Emma rolled her eyes at his compliment. He joined Emma at the balcony looking over the courtyard. 

“Never miss a chance, do you?” She finally glanced at him. 

“Not when it comes to you. Graham is your most trusted knight, what would cause you to strike him?” Killian wondered. Emma tore her gaze away from him. 

“He questioned my loyalty to this treaty,” she let out a laugh, “called me weak.” Emma doesn’t know why she laughed. She certainly didn’t find it funny. Graham was her closest friend and he just betrayed her. It hurt more than any bodily injury. 

“Should I-” Killian started and Emma shook her head. 

“No, there’s nothing I wouldn’t do for my people. I may have been hesitant at first, but not anymore.” Emma placed a hand over his on the balcony. 

“Good. It’s a sacrifice for both of us to be sure and I know it’s something you didn’t agree to lightly.” Emma just squeezed his hand and they stand there for a few minutes. Eventually he led her back inside when the cold became too much. Elsa found them immediately. 

“What the hell?” Elsa asked hands on her hips, a stern look on her face. Killian was still holding her hand. 

“Here it comes.” Killian tensed up beside her. 

“You better believe it! Emma you will be queen one day and you can’t go around slapping people at balls.” Elsa huffed. 

“I know that I lost my temper. Sorry I wasn’t perfect for every second of the day,” she sighed, releasing Killian’s hand. 

“You know that’s not the point. What did he even say to you? You two are as thick as thieves.” 

“Questioning the treaty, my motives, and loyalties. Trust me he deserved it,” Emma crossed her arms. Elsa narrowed her eyes. 

“Why’s he still assigned to you?” she asked. 

“What the hell does that have to do with anything?” Killian asked, finally speaking. 

“Thank you!” Emma said, thrown by the question. 

“Emma, you have to know. It’s as plain as day. Your parents surely know. Unless you’d rather keep it a secret.” 

“Since I clearly don’t know please enlighten me as to what you’re referring to,” Emma threw her hands up. 

“Graham’s in love with you. Has been for years by the look of it. Of course, he doesn’t support the treaty he probably thought you’d marry him.” Emma blinked a few times, clearly in shock. She had wondered if he had feelings for her, but he never said anything. Not directly anyway. 

“So, my question is why is he assigned to you when it is clearly a conflict of interest?” Elsa snapped. 

“Because there was no one left! Graham and August are the only knights left that my parents trusted with my life. Let’s not stand here and pretend that wasn’t a concerning factor, that coming here wasn’t a risk. Lancelot is dead, my father couldn’t come with me, and the rest of the knights are too inexperienced, so that leaves Graham despite his conflict my father knew that he will lay down his life for me. That’s why he’s still assigned to me.” Elsa’s jaw dropped. 

“Don’t worry I won’t go back to the ball, but do enjoy the rest of it,” Emma said as she strutted out.

[nerds4life]

2 winners and 3 losers from One Direction’s solo albums

The boys have all gone in different … directions … since their indefinite hiatus in 2016. Some are better than others.

By Alexa Lee (Jan 31, 2020, 9:00am EST)

A decade — yes, a decade — ago, a teenage boy band by the name of One Direction was formed. After auditioning as individual singers on the British musical competition The X Factor, Niall Horan, Liam Payne, Harry Styles, Louis Tomlinson, and Zayn Malik were thrown together into a group by TV personality Simon Cowell in 2010. And thus, One Direction was born.

While the group only placed third on The X Factor, their time on the reality show was just the beginning of their global takeover. Over a span of five years, the group released five albums, did four world tours, broke numerous Billboard 100 music records (including ones previously only held by the Beatles), recorded a documentary, and even released a perfume.

At the same time, the five members also became the basis of adolescent crushes and fervor for many years to come. Thanks to their individual quirks and calculated branding ploys, each boy quickly became an archetype for a different high school crush: Niall was the adorable friend, Harry the artistic boy next door. Zayn was quietly mysterious, while Liam was extroverted and jockish. And Louis? Hmm, well — Louis was also there.

For those five years, the One Direction boys seemed like they were untouchable. That is, until Zayn left the group in 2015 to embark on a solo career, and, a year later, the remaining band members announced an “indefinite hiatus.”

Four years after One Direction announced its hiatus, each of the One Direction-ers have begun their own solo careers. It’s the first time any of them have recorded without each other, and the first time they’ve performed solo in front of an audience since being on The X Factor as teens. Their solo albums, good or bad, reveal how each individual wants to reintroduce themselves to the public, and how they’re attempting the complicated leap from adolescent pop star to independent adult artist.

Now that Louis Tomlinson has dropped his first solo album, every former One Direction member has released at least one solo project. (Harry and Zayn have each released two.) And there are some very clear winners and losers among them. Here’s how they stack up against each other and what each one tells us about who these boys are now that they’ve spent some time apart.

Winner: Fine Line by Harry Styles

Watching Harry emerge triumphantly, hair and culottes billowing, with the title of Most Popular and Critically Acclaimed Ex-One Direction Member is not unlike watching a long-awaited prophecy finally fall into place. Ever since One Direction first stepped into the international limelight, interviews and press circuits saw that Harry was different from his fellow bandmates. He was offbeat but cool, disheveled but sexy.

And in 2017, when he released his debut album named — what else? — Harry Styles, Harry established himself as worthy of all the hype from his years in the band. A brooding rock record filled with anecdotes about all the sex he has and heartbreak he’s felt, Harry Styles reintroduced Harry to the world as an indie songwriter, David Bowie fanboy, and charismatic lover. And with his next, more experimental 2019 album, Harry takes all these elements of his identity a step further, securing his spot in the popular music landscape as a modern rock star.

Harry released Fine Line at the end of last year, interrupting winter’s dreariness with bright, dancey songs about all-consuming yearning. The lyrics of “Adore You” and “Watermelon Sugar” conjure images of summer fruits and summer loves, and both songs set the perfect soundtrack for encountering a crush at a party, or at least fending off seasonal depression. And on “Cherry,” his transportive and melancholy ode to an ex, listeners get a glimpse at genuine heartache from Harry. Despite having built a career out of belting love songs, Harry has never before sounded this vulnerable in his music before. “Cherry” shines a light on the vulnerabilities of a seemingly invulnerable star and brings a touching depth to Harry’s music that was previously absent. Fine Line is the most adventurous and enjoyable of the One Direction members’ solo efforts, and it’s sure to convert even the most crotchety boy band skeptics into believers.

Winner: Flicker by Niall Horan

As a member of One Direction, Niall was beloved — but not for being the band’s breakout star or its scene-stealing performer or even its biggest personality. Niall’s greatest charm, and the primary allure of his 2017 album Flicker, is instead seeming like an ordinary, likable guy. The human embodiment of a chill night in, Niall projects affable, regular-guy energy, but in a more palatable way than, say, Ed Sheeran. He’s a man who, after being part of the most popular boy band this side of the millennia, can still convincingly seem like he’s bemused by his fame and wealth. Niall likes Nando’s, and he likes to golf on the weekends. It’s easy to imagine him as one of those people with the uncanny ability to put horses at ease simply by murmuring the dulcet opening bars of his hit single “This Town” and running his guitar-worn hands over their hides.

Niall brings this same aura of safety and coziness to Flicker, where he strums his acoustic guitar and sings earnestly about the mundane highs and lows of falling in love. His songs are emotionally and musically safe — the most upbeat tracks, “On the Loose” and “Slow Hands,” still retain a mellow, unhurried cadence, and sad songs like “Paper Houses” veer away from raw grief or anguish, opting instead for lyrics that just barely skim the surface of sorrow.

Is it always good when an artist’s best quality is being inoffensive and never taking risks? No, but perhaps in the swirling political and social chaos of 2020, it’s what we need. Niall is a calming lighthouse in the stormy sea of life, and we would be fools to let him out of our sight.

Loser: Icarus Falls by Zayn Malik

Writer Allison P. Davis once described Zayn as someone who “sings about sex like it’s this thing he just heard about on a Jodeci song.” It’s this image of Zayn that echoes in my mind whenever I think about his couple’s photoshoot with model Gigi Hadid, or the boyish pirate-themed pub in his backyard, or his many, many selfies featuring a tortured grimace and 5 o’clock shadow. Despite his reputation for being the quiet, mysterious band member, in his post-One Direction career, Zayn has revealed both his passion for sensual R&B, as well as a powerful lack of convincing sexual energy.

Davis’s one-sentence character study is also a devastatingly apt summary of Zayn’s second album, which came out in 2018. At nearly an hour and a half, Icarus Falls is a boring, corny exploration of what happens when a too-handsome man ensconces himself in cologne and longing. Chock full of weak lyrics (e.g. “That’s how I feel the soul inside her body”) and dull, forgettable beats, the album has neither the playfulness nor sufficient melancholy to breathe life into Zayn’s sensual aspirations, and the end result is unrewarding.

The disappointment of Icarus Falls is worsened by the fact that Zayn’s debut album, Mind of Mine, was so much better. Mind of Mine’s intriguing blasé attitude was an exciting change of pace from Zayn’s demeanor in One Direction, when he was obligated to sing very un-blasé songs like “What Makes You Beautiful.” Although the 2016 record also frequently stumbled when it intended to seduce, it showed signs of artistic promise that make Icarus Falls seem like dull anticlimax, with a mere two exceptions. “Let Me” and “Entertainer” are soothing tracks in which Zayn vows to shower his lover in devotion and luxury items, and they’re the only songs that come close to the groovy fun of his last album. For listeners who are unable to let go of Zayn’s undeniable vocal chops and moody flair (me), these quality songs are exasperating reminders that Zayn is wasting his potential as well as everyone else’s time.

Loser: LP1 by Liam Payne

For many years, Liam seemed poised to stay in the “normal guy” lane with Niall, often playing the band’s cheerful jokester in music videos and interviews. Because of his jovial stage presence and photogenic, symmetrical face, many people — Liam included — thought he would follow the footsteps of another boy band pop mogul, Justin Timberlake. Recently, however, Liam’s public personality has begun to curdle slightly, in the form of controversial Instagram posts about his personal wealth, dating and impregnating the judge at his X Factor audition, and regrettable jewelry he calls the “Payne Chain.” Today, Liam seems less like a new Timberlake and more like a second-rate Bieber.

Liam’s debut album LP1, released in December 2019, follows a similarly cringy trajectory. Boosted by Chainsmoker-esque beats and sleazy lines about “[doing] your ass in the car,” Liam’s music is a bold statement separating himself from the sound of One Direction, but it’s not for the better. At one particularly low point, he leers at and fetishizes his partner’s bisexuality in the song “Both Ways.” But even on tracks without pointedly offensive lyrics, Liam’s bravado comes off as corny, and he fails to utilize his sonorous voice’s full strength. Each song on LP1 sounds like a mishmash assembly of smash hit ingredients, but the final product can’t quite stick the landing, and songs blur together in a haze of tropical synth and repetitive melody.

It’s not all bad, though. Tasteless songs aside, it’s hard not to listen to LP1 without admiring Liam’s unwavering audacity. Not everyone has the bulwark of confidence required to sing lyrics like, “I just wanna have fun and get rowdy / One Coke and Bacardi, sipping lightly,” or release a song called “Hips Don’t Lie” that’s neither a Shakira cover nor good. While this album is not the radio-ready bop collection that Liam was perhaps hoping it would be, LP1 is, above all else, unapologetic about what it is.

Loser: Walls by Louis Tomlinson

In a recent interview with the Guardian, Louis says, “[Niall’s] the most lovely guy in the world … Zayn has a fantastic voice … Harry comes across very cool. Liam’s all about getting the crowd going, doing a bit of dancing … And then there’s me.”

Louis’s self-deprecating remarks reflect the popular perception of him as the forgettable, “other” member of One Direction. Sadly, his same failure to assert himself as a unique public figure and musician is the downfall of his album Walls, which struggles to sound memorable despite being the solo album that most closely resembles One Direction’s former sound.

Louis is the last member of One Direction to release a solo album, largely because he put off recording music for an extended amount of time after the death of his mother and sister in 2016 and 2019, respectively. Given this context, it’s not surprising that Louis’s music is steeped in solemnity, whether he’s nostalgic for an old relationship on “Too Young,” or openly grieving the loss of his family on “Two of Us.”

Unfortunately, Walls feels like a confessional series of diary entries set to drums and tinny acoustic guitar, and while the frank intimacy is a refreshing contrast to, say, Liam, ultimately the album feels lackluster and sonically generic. Soft guitar and even softer vocals accompany lyrics about longing — for someone, a feeling, a moment in the past — making Walls feel like a pale imitation of One Direction’s booming rock-inspired pop rather than an entity of its own. In his first attempt to separate himself musically from the group, Louis once again blends into the background.

Not everyone is better off alone [insert pun about One Direction becoming Many Directions].

The transition from boy band member to adult man solo artist is not an easy one. The scramble to assert oneself as a legitimate, relevant musician can be full of pressure, and not everyone walks away with equal amounts of fame and success. In the case of One Direction, the majority of these underwhelming solo efforts suggest that, as much as the members have striven to express their individuality, their biggest legacy will probably be being part of a group. (Unless we’re talking about Harry Styles, that is.)

[bloodofrobertsmith]

The Virgin Mary

   I was first inspired to write this biography by an issue of LIFE magazine that was completely about Mary. As I was reading I realized that despite being raised in a Christian household, as well as being surrounded by Serbian Orthodox and Catholic families for most of my young life-- the only thing I truly knew of Mary was that she was the virgin mother of Jesus. It’s important for me to note that although my family was full of devout Christians, I had spent all of my life rejecting it as a non-believer. I still stick to this thought process today. 

  I had learned later in my first semester of college of the symbolism and religious rites that surround her, but I still did not know anything of the Historical life around her. Was she real? What kind of life did she live? And who really was she? I wanted to know the truth vs myth of who Mary was. 

“The young Jewish girl goes to the stone synagogue in Nazareth. She offers devotions in the small women’s section adjacent to the main prayer hall. In chorus with the other congregants, the girl recites Psalms and absorbs their lessons: ‘Abandon yourself to God.’

 One extraordinary day she is visited by an angel who asks if she’ll play a part in the birth of God’s son. She answers yes. Perhaps a little more than 2,000 years ago, she makes her way with her husband Joseph, a carpenter, to a village called Bethlehem. Perhaps Bethlehem; some scholars posit Nazareth as more likely. In a stable, for the inn was filled, Mary and Joseph celebrate the birth of a son. They lay the infant in a feeding stall and name him Yeshua -- in Greek: Jesus. she raises Jesus to be a strong, brave young man. A leader of other men. That is the story of Miriam of Nazareth. And that is all we really know,”

But how did we get to this story? If as stated by Jarslov Peikan, we could copy on an eight by eleven sheet everything there is about Mary in the New Testament. Then why is Mary so popular through the ages? I think Mary is the perfect and most original examples of what happens when an idea evolves and grows from its original source.

Miriam of Nazareth: Miriam was born in a small village in Galilee. Known as Mary to the masses, her real name would have been Miriam or Maryamme-- one of the most common names of the day. As a young Jewish woman living in Palestine, she was a second class citizen. Not knowing how to read or write, she worked alongside her mother since she could walk. Basically, she was a poor woman and modern depictions of her are usually able to recognize that, But, the catholic church had a huge role in presenting us with images of a fair-skinned woman robed in blue silk. When she was a Mediterranean woman of low class who would have most definitely worn a simple wool or linen tunics and a shawl over her head.  

The political environment of Mary’s life was a complicated one with constant Jewish oppression in the form of Roman legions. The end of the dictatorship of Herod the Great had made way for the Romans to storm into Galilee and squash Jewish revolts. Which I think is a perfect breeding ground for Jewish prophecy of a savior to form in. Josephus, a Jewish writer records that many cities were burned and people murdered by the Romans 

Mary and Joseph: So, where does Joseph come into the life of Mary? The popular image of Mary we have come to know is that of a young woman in her early twenties birthing the savior. But, if we think realistically of the time period, she was probably only 12 or 13 years of age when betrothed to Joseph. Who would have been much older than she. However, Mary became pregnant before her marriage to Joseph. Let’s see how the Bible addresses this: 

(NCV) Luke 1:26-38: 

“God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, to a virgin. She was engaged to marry a man named Joseph from the family of David. Her name was Mary. the angel came to her and said, ‘Greetings The Lord has blessed you and is with you.’ But Mary was very startled by what the angel said and wondered what this greeting might mean. The angel said to her ‘Don’t be afraid Mary; God has shown you his grace. Listen! You will become pregnant and give birth to a son, and you name him Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of King David, his ancestor. He will rule over the people of Jacob forever, and his kingdom will never end.’ Mary said to the angel, ‘how will this happen since I am a virgin?’ The angel said to Mary, ‘The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will cover you. For this reason the baby will be Holy and will be the Son of God.’ Mary said, ‘ I am the servant of the Lord. Let this happen to me as you say.’ And the angel went away.”

For the millions of Christians, Catholics, and sub-sets of these practices, the Immaculate Conception is proven fact based on the actual fact the Bible records it as such. The apparently divine conceptions of Jesus Christ, is a miracle -- a simple and unquestionable matter of Faith. But the gospels tell us very little about Mary and the pregnancy itself. Nor does it cover the societal reaction of Mary exposing to her village, let alone her husband. When Joseph had found put, he would have most definitely thought of her as unfaithful. We do know that when Joseph found out, he had the idea to divorce her quietly, as not to expose her to shame and death from the village elders. But the Bible does state that an angel appeared to Joseph and said, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife, Because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to name his Jesus, because he will save people from their sins. 

Since most scholars today consider most of the Bible to be legend and mythology, it could be theorized that Mary, a young girl of no younger than 12 but no older than 16 had been raped by a stranger or Joseph himself. I believe it could be Joseph because I don’t know why he would have motivation to cover up another man’s rape child as the birth of the savior. I theorize essentially, that Mary and Joseph had premarital sex and Mary was impregnated. I will not determine that Joseph actually raped her as there was no such thing as statutory rape back then and they were already betrothed. I know that does not exclude it. But, given the context of the time, That is my estimate. No one will ever know what actually happened probably besides Mary herself. 

But was the immaculate conception truly just a couples cover up? Maybe. We probably won't ever really know. I cannot prove or deny what is fundamentally the foundation of 2 major religions and its sub-branches. But, I as someone who believes in nothing, have a hard time thinking that this was simply a Hebrew God formulating the redemption of Man. However, the New Testament, and I suppose history; say that Joseph was a kind man, and did not give away Mary to the Elders or have her stoned for “adultery.” As far as how and exactly when the conception happened, that will continue to remain between Mary and Joseph... Or maybe Mary and herself. Even then, practically impossibly, it could be true that Mary gave birth to the Jewish Messiah. 

Mary the Idea: It’s important to address the immaculate conception and life of Mary as the ultimate catalyst for what she would become. So how did Mary become the exalted Saint and Mother of All ideal to the populace? 

When taking a look at Mary’s fame, it is not terribly difficult to see her evolution as the Virgin Mother of the Messiah to the Virgin Mother of all the Christian World. Though it is important to know that she is more popularly worshiped by catholic sects, Christianity also celebrated her above any other biblical figure, Save God/Jesus himself. 

“Not everyone needs a brother or sister or savior, or accepts that a savior has arrived historically, or will do so one day. But everyone once had a mother.” Basically, even with all the majesty of the universe going on and changing around you, we all need a mother. Even though she is not the only saint to patron mothers, children, motherhood, and orphans-- she is regarded as the Mother of Mothers and Jesus/God is the King of Kings, Having a mother (with special circumstances aside) is the one most universal experiences of life. We all have one and we all want to love them and be loved in return. And Mary is clearly the finest and most ideal example of a mother in all of history. She is the mother of Jesus, How could she herself not be equally perfect?

But as we know, Mary as a mother is not really explored in the Bible. Basically through the centuries, as Christianity spread through European missionaries and expanded as an idea/religion, Mary expanded as well. If Christianity were not so against “false idols” I think she would be a Christian god in her own right. She was also a huge inspiration to poor people as an impoverished second class citizen becoming the “Queen of Heaven.” 

Millions of people today and throughout history have turned to Mary for help, fortune, and love. She is the most named after woman in history and the most prayed to saint in all of Catholicism. Mary was a girl whose choices and circumstances made her into the most famous woman ever. Not all to her own credit as I hardly assume she could have predicted this, The spread of Christianity through colonialism was probably the biggest amplification of her life and story. Allowing her to become Mary, Mother of All. 

[dazais-guardian-angel]

A lot of thoughts about All Might, Izuku Midoriya, and My Hero Academia’s themes of empowerment and hope

So a few months ago I finally jumped on the infamous My Hero Academia bandwagon, and I’m finally getting around to talking about what it is about this series that has me so utterly captivated and emotional beyond belief, something I’ve wanted to discuss for a while now. MHA does a lot of things right, and at the same time, some things wrong, I can’t deny, (and man, I wish it didn’t do some of those things... alas), but there is one aspect of it in particular it (that expands into a few different things) that affects me more than anything else, that I wasn’t expecting at all when I first walked into it... something so special to me purely because of how so few other series focus on topics like these, and so beautifully and profoundly.

Below I’ll go into what I believe is MHA’s biggest strength, what makes it stand out from other shounen series, that resonates with me and so many others so deeply. This post is super long and rambling, with way too many pictures, and all of this has been said before by others, but hey, this is really damn important to me so I need to cry about it myself in-depth okay. Hopefully this all makes sense? lmao. Oh and lots of spoilers ahead.

It all has to do with our two main characters, and how they embody and exemplify more than anyone else the themes at the heart of the series:

First off, the main point: All Might is a disabled superhero.

I haven’t read/watched a ton, at least compared to many others, but I’m still confident in saying that, like other marginalized groups, finding disabled characters in media, main ones that are handled well, and don’t have their disabilities magically cured or made irrelevant somehow, is really fucking rare. And even in these cases, the disability is usually something such as blindness, deafness, muteness, an inability to walk, or lack of limbs. Which by no means am I saying that it isn’t important to represent those disabilities as well, far from it (I want more characters in wheelchairs, god dammit); I’m only saying that there’s even less chance of seeing more complicated disabilities, ones that might not be obvious from the outside, or on the flip side, ones that are very obvious on the outside (to the point that they might seem “unsightly”, disabilities that writers, especially in Hollywood, wouldn’t be eager to want to attempt properly, unfortunately), because of that.

All Might is arguably the secondary main character in the series, and he has a very specific set of issues due to the injury he received in the past: the blow to his torso meant they had to take out his stomach, much of his lungs were mangled and destroyed, and he had to have many successive surgeries just to get to a stable point, all of which left as emaciated as he is, and with a massive, ugly, bruised scar that caves inward like an impact crater, which looks like it hurts like hell. Losing his stomach means getting enough nutrition is virtually impossible for him (since he doesn’t have the time nor the discipline to eat as regularly as he needs to), making him even more dangerously skinny, and losing so much of his lungs wreaks havoc on his stamina and breathing, as well as causes him to cough blood on a regular basis.

...and All Might is the strongest superhero in the MHA universe, while still having all of these problems.

Now I won’t say that this is the absolute pinnacle of disability representation or anything, absolutely no way; All Might’s blood coughing is used for comedic effect, which I wish weren’t the case (though that happened the most near the beginning of the series; you don’t really see it anymore), and it would honestly be really nice if his disabilities were made more of a focus/point in the normal, mundane slice-of-life parts of the story, instead of just when the plot demands for it to be relevant, which so far has only been in the USJ arc, the Kamino Ward arc, and I suppose you could argue with the reveal of his death prophecy in chapter 131; it would be really amazing to see the other characters helping him when he needs it, and to see him using medical technology, even. Fanfiction is a blessing that I am eternally grateful for for doing this, but it’s not a replacement for canon. However, having said all that, it is incredible, something that I cannot even put into words how thankful I am, that Horikoshi has done even this much. All Might is not only the strongest of the strong, but he is simultaneously weak and sickly as well, he is both, and the best part of this is that when his “weak” side is revealed to Izuku, and later on everyone else, no one considers that part of him “lesser” or “inferior”: he is still strong, he is still “All Might”, to them, no matter what he looks like, and no matter what he can do.

In essence, having this in a Superman character is genius, because heroes are meant to be inspirations, beacons of hope, people who the characters, and the audience, watch, and are able to think “I can be strong and do good like them, too”, and one of MHA’s main themes is that heroes are heroes ultimately not because of what physical strength they possess, but because of their hearts... so how reassuring, how inspiring, how perfect is it for the top hero to actually be so ordinary, so human, underneath all the bravado and physical strength? Someone who is not some godlike entity on another level entirely, impossible to reach, but simply someone as normal as anyone else, filled with nothing but kindness and an entirely selfless earnestness to help the world, who worked as hard as he could to reach where he did, even despite all odds, despite everything he endured... someone that almost anyone can relate to, and feel like they can become. That is why everyone continues to love All Might no matter what he looks like and what he can or cannot do, and to have someone with so many physical disabilities be so beloved and considered so strong in the story?

That is powerful. That is the kind of character so many more stories need, who, again, people like myself can relate to, both in feelings of weakness and frailty and insecurity, but also in feelings of inner (and outer) strength and motivation and confidence, too. All Might is disabled: that’s just a fact of him, he is never going to ever recover any more, and no one faults him for his disabilities or treats him differently or delicately for it, except for Aizawa a couple times (out of concern). And I love him for it, because I can see my disabilities in him, I can easily picture him going through so many of the hells I’ve been through throughout my life, and god I’m just so emotional to have All Might. I was sobbing during the Kamino Ward All for One fight, seeing All Might be allowed to fight and WIN in his non-powered up, weak form, seeing everyone cheering him on because they held unwavering faith in him no matter what he looked like, to the very end. You never truly understand how important representation is until you are given some, finally. Could there be more to it? Yes, absolutely, and I wish there was. But it’s so wonderful to have a character like this at all, who is an endless sandbox of headcanons and art and fics, all of which are very likely based on what canon does tell us about All Might. It’s just... so nice to simply have a character like him there, shown positively. Thank you, Horikoshi.

However, it goes beyond just All Might; there is the other half of this representation (and relationship), as well:

In MHA’s universe, being quirkless is likened to having a disability; only 20% of the population do not have quirks, and being in that percent is considered strange, a tier below so-called “normal” people, and something to pity and sympathize, if the adults and kids around Izuku in his middle school years are any indication. It’s bad enough knowing that actual disabilities are often treated this way (All Might doesn’t want anyone to see his true body, out of shame, guilt, and fear that people will worry about his ability to continue helping them, even though he is the most beloved and strongest hero of all time, and proves for six entire years with these injuries that he can still work!), but the fact that this then happens to people without inhuman superpowers, something that no one had and wasn’t at all a part of society and everyday life generations ago, that not being cool (basically) will get you looked down upon too, is awful to think about. But that’s the situation Izuku is put in, and it’s because of this specifically that All Might has such an incredible impact on him: that is, not just because of what he does for him, and how he starts off admiring him from a young age, but also because of All Might himself (I’ll get to this).

Izuku admires and tries to emulate All Might as a child, dreams of becoming him when he gets older, just like any kid would; like many children probably did with All Might. But once he’s told that he won’t develop a quirk, clinging to that dream, clinging to All Might, becomes even more fervent and desperate and necessary and important, no matter how impossibly out of reach now All Might’s level may seem, no matter how foolish it is and how deep in denial he goes, because believing that he can become as great a hero as him, believing his heartfelt and motivational words and actions on TV, is all Izuku has to keep his spirits up, to still have any hope. Everyone around him loses faith in him ever becoming someone great, becoming as strong as others with powerful quirks will become, even someone with a pointless quirk means more in society’s eyes than someone like Izuku (ableist much??? ugh) but Izuku continues trying to shoot for his dream, though he has no idea how besides researching other quirks, refuses to give up on himself, despite the pitying, despite the constant, horrendous bullying (bullying that is, again, essentially the way a disabled person would be bullied for having a disability. Think about that. why is Bakugou painted as so forgivable in the narrative again), and I really do believe All Might’s existence for all those years before he met him was the only real reason for that. Izuku is stubborn, but it’s clear at the beginning of the series how badly everything has affected his confidence and self-esteem... if he had never met All Might, it haunts me to think about when Bakugou’s suicidal taunts might have finally pushed him over the edge, possibly literally.

But then, he does meet his hero. And who is it that he finds?

A depressed, broken, and unhealthy man, the complete opposite from the person he had known and looked up to and clung to all his life, who tells him that his heroic smile is no longer real, but rather a mask, and that Izuku should face reality: he can’t become a hero without a quirk.

Now, initially, of course, this utterly devastates Izuku, and one can’t blame him. He reacts exactly as All Might believes anyone would act if they saw his true form, true self, and then his hero rolls with the unpleasant mood and makes it worse, and deals the killing blow and shoots down his eternal dream, the scraps of hopes he’d been clinging to. And hearing it from the man himself, someone who is literally in the same situation Izuku is in, essentially, forces him to give up entirely, because if All Might says he can’t do it, then that’s the end of it, isn’t it? No more lying to himself, after this... not after his hero has basically just told him that everything he projects to everyone is a lie. All Might is the best of the best, and yet, still, he ended up like this, so how on Earth can Izuku think he can do even a FRACTION of what the number one hero has done, with no power at all, and come out of it alive??

All Might is depressed, and weak, and powerless (despite having so much power), just like Izuku is, but he has no inspiring words of comfort about pushing past boundaries or defying odds and expectations, because he doesn’t see himself as anything inspiring, anyone to shoot for, not like he is, doesn’t want anyone emulating him and getting themselves hurt like he is, and he’s not going to be cruel to someone and tell them that they can do things they won’t be able to just to make them feel better; he knows the harsh reality better than anyone. He doesn’t intend to hurt Izuku on purpose, he’s only trying to keep him from doing something reckless that will get him hurt (oh the irony, minutes later), and in his depression and self-loathing and guilt, he’s forgotten how he originally felt when he wanted to become a hero, way back when, the same way Izuku feels... he has lost all hope himself, so of course he has none to give to Izuku, someone sitting squarely in his similar, currently-hopeless position.

In short, all of Izuku’s insecurities and fears are confirmed by that first encounter, which is like looking into a mirror, (and, again, that is heartbreaking, for that to happen with All Might, of all people) and at that point, he’s ready to give up.

But then, the sludge attack happens soon after, and everything changes completely when they meet again.

My Hero Academia’s most beautiful and unique quality to me is how overwhelmingly hopeful and uplifting it is, the message it carries of realizing that you can achieve your dreams, in some way, in some form, no matter how out of reach they may seem and no matter how insignificant and lost you may feel; it is so positive and moving, heartfelt and sincere, wholesome, in everything that happens in it, even when “bad” things happen, compared to many animanga nowadays that steep themselves in darkness and depression (not to say they’re not good, of course I love many of them, but it’s still true), and that’s why it’s so incredibly refreshing and so beloved, I think, despite how very simple the story is. And all of that starts right here, in this scene where Izuku is first told that he can become a hero, that is probably one of the most iconic scenes in the entire series, if not the most iconic.

People like Izuku need to be given hope, encouragement, to know that they’re believed in, that there can be opportunities out there for them; on a most basic level, they need to be treated with normalcy and positivity, just like anyone else would be treated. Lying and giving false hope to unreasonable levels isn’t right, but neither is wallowing in and validating the utter misery, sorrow, and hopelessness the person is feeling, which is exactly what Izuku’s mother does; she doesn’t mean to hurt him, she’s still a good mother, but ultimately she does, unfortunately (especially when added to the school bullying that no one makes any attempt to stop, least of all Izuku himself, his self-esteem as low as it is). At the end of this scene, All Might offers to give Izuku his quirk, and the thing is that you can definitely say this is, in essence, Izuku’s disability being done away with, and I’m not going to say you’re wrong; I, too, was initially disappointed, because I had hoped that this was going to be a story of Izuku becoming a hero without a quirk, cliche as it might be (ideally with the support gear introduced later in the series that I didn’t yet know existed). What makes it more tolerable, though, is knowing that he doesn’t end up recieving One For All for a very long time after this, and even when he DOES get it, he has to work so, painstakingly hard to fine-tune it over the course of the series (reaching only All Might’s level will take him years, I imagine), harder than anyone else who had a quirk from an early age, to even reach a state where he can use it without breaking his body. But getting back to the point I’m trying to make: the focus of this scene is not on Izuku being offered a quirk (because, again, it hasn’t happened yet), but rather simply on the words All Might says to him. In this very moment, what impacts Izuku so strongly is being told that he can become a hero.

Simply those five words. That is all Izuku wants, what he needs more than any actual power itself. What he has been wanting someone to tell him for years upon years, to simply believe in him.

And this is where I’m extrapolating some, but I think that All Might’s condition/situation also has a hand in causing Izuku to react so emotionally to this: previously, All Might’s secret was devastating to him, coupled with his hero rejecting his hopes and exposing nothing but a bleak, harsh reality to him, with no hesitation at all, but here, when All Might completely turns around, inspired by Izuku’s actions and remembering that strength does not make the hero, but heart (”remembers his origins”, as it were), and finally tells him what he’s been craving from someone for so long, it is so much more powerful that it’s coming from All Might in his normal, human, sickly body, and not the heroic one everyone else sees. The “heroic” form of All Might might give off more confidence (especially in his own mind), but that is also the version of him that seems so much more impossible to reach, that seems so untouchable and as far away from the current Izuku as a hero can get, and not to mention is the version of All Might that is “fake”, that he doesn’t consider truly him, and able to convey his most genuine feelings; instead, All Might chooses to give Izuku his offer not as the beautiful hero the boy has idolized all his life (that, to him, is the only version of him he’d recognize, and like, especially since his normal form is the one that, just hours ago, told Izuku to give up), but as himself, as Toshinori, in all his weak, flawed, normal humanity, and it speaks volumes that Izuku is still so incredibly moved, so happy, to hear these words from this All Might that is so different from the one he’s always known. To other kids who have quirks already, powerful or not, they can easily look to the All Might that the world sees and be inspired by him (see: Bakugou), just like Izuku did all his life, be inspired by the power of that All Might, but this new All Might becomes infinitely more relatable to Izuku, just like a child in a hospital, who can look at Toshinori’s character (heart) and body instead, that is so strong despite being so frail at the same time, and can think “If he can do everything he does like he is, then maybe even I can, too.” And what makes it even more poignant to me is knowing that, ultimately, Toshinori essentially tells Izuku what he himself has been wanting someone to reassure him of for the past five years, too; he not only sees the younger, quirkless him in the boy, but also sees the him of now, who has been losing hope and confidence rapidly under crippling weakness for years, and hasn’t had anyone to convince him that he still matters and can do good for the world.

There’s a post I’ve seen that talks about the advice “never meet your heroes, because they’re sure to disappoint you” and how this ends up being subverted when Izuku meets All Might, and it’s absolutely true. What’s so beautiful is that meeting All Might, and seeing all of his many, many flaws, actually causes him to admire him more instead of less. Everything that Toshinori despises about himself, feels guilty over, are what leads to Izuku having an even greater amount of respect for him than ever before, knowing the human side of him, the person beneath the hero; his strength despite his physical ailments is already something Izuku is moved by, but then later finding out that All Might, too, started out quirkless, just like him, causes him to feel even closer to him, and more hopeful that he can become a great hero. He no longer remains simply a fanboy of All Might, but rather, someone who intimately cares about him as a human, as his savior, as his teacher, as his father figure, and finds so much in common with him. The “buff” All Might is everyone else’s All Might, but Toshinori is Izuku’s All Might, the person who told him he could become a hero, the person who shared his heroic spirit and dreams and lack of a quirk as a kid just like him, the person who is reckless just like him, and caring and strong (yet weak) and everything Izuku is and aspires to be. Izuku knows for the entire period All Might is still able to use One For All that his time is running out, that his era is rapidly coming to an end -- and he does cry when that end finally comes, mourns for the ending of the greatest hero he has ever known and the person he looks up to more than anyone else in the world, but even when that happens, his respect and admiration for All Might still does not waver one bit. Even when he can’t fight anymore, Izuku forever considers him All Might, and he’ll never stop doing so: from the moment he tells him he can become a hero, “All Might” and “Toshinori” blend together to him, and becomes someone he eternally loves and respects all the stronger, someone he wants to make proud, someone who he never wants to stop teaching him, and being there for him. All Might starts off as a vague, figurehead idol to Izuku, an image of someone that he loves from far away, and comes to him and becomes a person, and Izuku grows to love that normal, ordinary person more than he loves any other hero. It is the best and most touching version of a “meeting your hero” story that I can think of, where their flaws are embraced, and shown positively, and empowered, adding to their best qualities instead of taking anything away.

And Izuku’s love for Toshinori is, quite literally, saving his life.

As I alluded to, after sustaining his injuries, it’s clear that Toshinori falls into a deep depression, and changes vastly from the person he was when he first started out and for most of his career. After Nana is killed by All For One, he momentarily loses himself to anger and acts selfishly over the selfless duties of a hero, and tries to murder AFO out of revenge, and nearly dies as a result. Besides the obvious ensuing terrible trauma and ptsd he would have had to deal with, and an excruciatingly long recovery period (with probably many relapses), on top of his continued grief over losing his master, not being able to work nearly as much as he could before is absolutely devastating to Toshinori. Being All Might, helping people, saving people, being a hero is what he considers his only real value, which is why he desperately and recklessly continues pushing himself to keep working for however many hours he can, even if it hurts his body, even if his “All Might” smile and jovial personality turns fake and becomes a facade only for the peoples’ sake, not something he genuinely feels anymore, because to Toshinori, if he can’t be the number one hero anymore, he is nothing.

Toshinori has never been in it for the fame or glory; from day 1, from the moment he told Nana about his idea of becoming a “symbol” for people to rely on to keep their world safe for them, so they don’t let their fear lead them into crime, he has always been incredibly humble about everything he does, and extremely self-sacrificial. Of course, a hero needs to be selfless, at least to a degree (Ochako might be doing it for personal gain, but her desire to help people is still 100% genuine, for example), but after the major turning point is his life is when Toshinori begins to take it too far. When he goes after All For One is the sole time that he loses sight of how a hero is supposed to act, and he is punished severely for it, and continues to punish himself in order to make up for his mistake and do what he believes is his necessary duty, having completely forgotten how it felt to want to be a hero, for himself, for his own dream. Being the Symbol of Peace no longer is something Toshinori feels truly passionate about, like he did in the past, but now something he does on autopilot, something that he feels like he has to continue doing just because he’s already done it for so long, been so famous and so relied on for so long, even though it’s utterly exhausting for him, exhausting on his body and exhausting on his mental state, to keep up his normal upbeat personality that everyone knows and loves, but he continues on because not being able to continue serving the people is worse than literally anything else to Toshinori. He doesn’t have anyone there to prove to him that he has value as a person, not just as a hero, let alone to tell him that it’s okay for him to finally stop and rest. As far as we know, it seems like Gran Torino and Naomasa didn’t try to dissuade him much, and though Nighteye tries, rather violently, his approach isn’t the kind that’s convincing to him, and unfortunately his revelation that Toshinori will die in five or six years if he continues working as a hero seems to backfire, and instead makes him want to continue working more instead of less; he most likely believes that he won’t be around much longer, anyway, with the state of his health, so he’s convinced that he needs to do as much as possible before accepting the inevitable end. And then, Nighteye leaves him, so Naomasa is essentially the only person to support him Toshinori has left (seriously, Nighteye, I know you care; come on!).

But this is why meeting Izuku is so important for Toshinori, as much as it is for Izuku; everything changes for him when he does. At first, all he sees in Izuku is another fanboy, trying to chase a dream that Toshinori knows very well is completely unattainable for him without any power, because of how he can do nothing, is nothing, when he runs over his time limit and can’t use his quirk anymore, and he tries to shut him down as reasonably as possible, even admitting how unfair it is (because everything about himself is unfair now, to him); he knows how he must look to a fan of his, and hates it, and doesn’t have the energy to give him any small amount of hope or comfort, because he hasn’t known what it’s like to have hope in years, so he cannot give out any in return, when to him, now, being a hero is only something that will get you hurt, get you guilt-ridden, and, for someone like Izuku, get you killed. ...But it’s when he sees Izuku in action, sees his pure, unadulterated, selfless desire to help (however foolishly), it’s like a light turns on in his mind again, because actions always speak louder than words, and Toshinori is finally, truly reminded of that feeling, that innate, original, burning desire to be a hero that he had had when he was Izuku’s age, and also quirkless, and Izuku’s passion ignites his own passion once more, after so long, and lets him see the light and inspires him to act.

And because Izuku moves him, awakens something inside him again, like this, he chooses him to be the next One For All inheritor, partly because, as I said, he sees his younger self in him, but also I think because he understands exactly how hopeless Izuku feels, and wants to do something to change that, since he can (since he believes Izuku is worthy); his own dreams have been long since crushed out of helplessness, he doesn’t want this child’s to be too, when he himself got a chance from Nana when he was just like Izuku, back then. The thing is, at first, despite the spark that Izuku initially ignited in Toshinori, he still believes that he is going to be ready to die when the fated time comes, however it may happen; he starts teaching at UA, but knows that his time with One For All is running out, and believes that once it does, or once he dies, whichever comes first, that will be the end of things, and he won’t regret it. He knows he is not a good teacher, not knowing how to help Izuku train One For All so that he doesn’t hurt himself, and he initially believes that it is simply good enough that he managed to pass on his legendary quirk before he died, the one true urgent thing he’d been worried about since he became injured.

But then, over time, Izuku starts changing him.

Slowly, without even realizing it, Toshinori is affected by Izuku’s presence, his admiration for him, his care for him even when he’s in his normal, “inferior” state. He begins to be reminded again, truly, of what it means to be a hero, why he does what he does, why he loved it, and grows to again find value, importance, confidence, in the ideals he created for himself all those years ago, that his master encouraged him to stick to, again, and shows pride in them again, despite his “shameful” and “weak” appearance. The battle at Kamino Ward is truly the turning point for Toshinori, because he goes into it believing that his prophesied death will occur there, while taking down the person who took everything from him in the process, but it’s during that battle that he suddenly truly realizes not only what I said above, but also that it’s not enough anymore for him to simply win here, it’s not enough anymore for Izuku to solely have One For All on his own: now, All Might wants to live. He wants to live for Izuku’s sake, to be there for him and support him and care for him, and for his own sake as well, because Izuku has become more than just his successor to him. He wants to live, wants to defy his fate, he refuses to die, and tells his sworn enemy as much, multiple times, has a true will to live that Toshinori has not felt so strongly ever since his injury, and it’s thanks to his students, his fellow teachers, but more than anything else, Izuku. Because Izuku never takes advantage of him, never takes him for granted, never scorns him, never makes him feel as weak as Toshinori always felt; Izuku looks at him as if he’s the sun in the sky, he respects him, trusts and wants his guidance, he loves him, and in the same way that Toshinori empowered him on that day by telling him he could become a hero, Izuku gives strength to him right back, every single day, simply by being with him, and letting him know how much he needs him, how much he can do for him.

yeah I just wanted an excuse to put these panels cause they fucking kill me bye Just as much as Toshinori no longer wants to accept death, is determined to fight against it, Izuku is determined to stand by his side and make sure he succeeds in that, by helping him and protecting him however he can. No matter how many years pass, and how much stronger Izuku becomes, and how much weaker and more “unneeded” for his training and guidance Toshinori becomes, Izuku will never, ever, ever give up on him, or stop wanting him and believing in him. It is for Izuku’s sake that Toshinori has come as far as he has, not just mentally and emotionally, but even physically: he’s making a conscious effort to wear clothes that fit him now (obviously, now he can, without his quirk, but I think it says something that he’s made the change at all, since he doesn’t have to if he doesn’t wish to), and he’s trying to get in shape as much as is possible for him; anything he can do to extend his lifespan even a little bit more, for Izuku, something he didn’t care about at all before meeting him.

And of course he doesn’t want to simply live; he tries to make a conscious effort to become a better teacher, that Izuku desperately needs, even though Toshinori knows he’s not good at it. He realizes how important it is that Izuku stop injuring himself, stop being so recklessly heroic, lest he get himself into a deadly situation just like he did six years ago (something that Toshinori had to have thought about initially, when he first turned Izuku down that day, but since became ignorant of after giving him One For All and not knowing at all how to handle the teaching/mentoring side of things), and implores Izuku’s mother to let him continue teaching him and helping him become a hero, not only because of how deeply he’s come to care about the boy, but because of how much he genuinely believes he can achieve his dream, and how much he wants to make sure things go right with him, after everything in his own life went so horribly, depressingly wrong. Wants to make sure that he doesn’t lose his precious mentor, his source of guidance, the way Toshinori did, doesn’t want him to have to struggle alone, wants to make sure he can have someone to share his feelings with, someone to lean on, so he never has to hide anything, someone he can get everything he needs from, because Toshinori, as the number one hero, has been through it all. Toshinori wants to pour his all into Izuku, protect him, raise him, lift him up, as his successor and who is basically like a son to him, after everything Izuku has given him in return, after he has done nothing but save him the entire time they’ve known each other.

And that’s ultimately the core of their relationship, in the end: two people who saved each other, are still saving each other, in the most poignant and moving of ways. Both of them acknowledge somehow that the other being there is what kept them going. For Toshinori, I most certainly believe Izuku is why he is still alive today, and I honestly believe the same for Izuku as well. Without All Might, Izuku would not have made it through the bullying, and the pitying, and the loneliness and despair, and without Toshinori, he wouldn’t have been blessed with the gift he’s been given, wouldn’t be able to being living out his dream and trying to achieve it, wouldn’t have found friends, best friends, people to talk to, happiness, encouragement, support, strength, and above all, a father figure who he adores almost as much as his mother. Without Izuku, Toshinori wouldn’t have been given someone to guide, and nurture, and protect and want to see grow, wouldn’t, I believe, have had the same relationships with the teachers and students at UA, wouldn’t have been given a family, a son, a reason after he lost One For All to keep getting himself out of bed every day and keep living. Izuku and All Might parallel each other in so many beautiful ways: both of them begin quirkless, but hopeful, with strong ideals, a desire to do good, and kind and earnest hearts, and eventually they lose their way, Izuku gradually and hesitantly, and All Might drastically, devastatingly, and messily, agonizingly and bleakly, though both of them retain their kindness despite their internal despair, and then they meet each other and... save each other, become each other’s world, give each other so much. They both look past what they consider to be their weaknesses, and see the beauty and potential in each other, and bring out the best in each other, make each other happy.

More than anything else, All Might must live to the end of the series. He must. At the beginning, he started off depressed, dying, and ready to die, but now he is hopeful, still weak, still disabled, still dying, in a way, but trying so damn hard to live, and he deserves it so much. His arc is all about him doing everything he can to make sure that happens; he “should” have died at Kamino Ward, if this were any other series, he would have, but he didn’t, because he knew Izuku needed him, just like he needs Izuku. I want him to live, I want him to age, and become old and grey, and to need more help and need technology to help him (give him a cane, give him a wheelchair, give him oxygen, give him everything), but still be alive, alive to see Izuku become a great hero just like he always knew he would be, alive to see him graduate and get married and have children, and see that for all his other students too. I want him to live, for himself, for Izuku, and for everyone in the audience who he touches, just like he does to me. I see myself in Izuku, in his emotional state and his insecurities and his tears and his uncertainty about what he can accomplish, and I see myself in All Might, in his body (so much of his body) and his pain and his frustration and his shame and his insecurities. Both of them represent what it feels like to be disabled, in different ways, literally and figuratively, and being shown that you still matter, that you’re still important and can do so much greatness, and are given the opportunity to do so, to go beyond.

That is why All Might and Izuku matter, why My Hero Academia’s hopeful, uplifting, and inspirational outlook matters. The two of them are each other’s heroes, not because of any grand spectacle, but because they made each other feel needed, important, and strong when no one else was there to give that to them, at their lowest points. That’s why they are, to me, one of the absolute best mentor/mentee relationships in anime and manga, ever.

All Might will always be there for Izuku in some shape or form... but please, Horikoshi, from the bottom of my heart, let him live. He’s still important, always will be. Don’t let him fade into irrelevance. Don’t let him die.

Izuku needs him. I do, too.

(and let him wear this outfit in canon, it’s so badass; look at those oxygen tanks! SO MUCH POTENTIAL)

“Between my inferior self, and the world that surrounds me, I form an image and try to grasp it, but it feels so far away.

That endlessly expanding sky held no clear destination, so I started to feel scared. But no matter how many times I stumbled, you were right there, smiling.”

- “Heroes” by Brian The Sun

“And when it gets too hard, and nothing seems to work, I think about the reason why you kept pushing forward. I’m meant to be the savior but you saved me instead, I tried to hold your hand but you just held me in the end.

But then what’s left for me? With no one else around, I’m stuck here with the guilt that I can’t be left alone now. But keep looking ahead because you know that you should, and don’t be sad it changed, because I’m happy that it could!

And when I feel like giving up and doubting myself, I think of every letdown, the pain that I felt. But the things that I have lost are now the weapons I wield, each one of them a flower that is always concealed.”

- “Long Hope Philia” by Masaki Suda

[eternityunicorn]

Love Me Apocalyptic: Part Five

Author: eternityunicorn 

Genre: Romance/Drama/AU

Pairing: Elijah Mikaelson x OC 

Warnings: Violence, Smut (*Smut chapters marked +18)

Summary: AU of an AU: Elijah Mikaelson and Eternity had been lovers centuries ago. Betrayed, he had thought that he would never see her again. However, in present time, she has returned with a purpose, intertwining their paths once more. Elijah hates Eternity for the past, but finds his addiction to her is still as profound as it had been before and he cannot fight it, leaving him in a complicated relationship with his former lady - in an apocalyptic love.

NOTE: OC and original elements are from my up and coming novel series!

AUTHOR’S COMMENTARY: This chapter is an AU of TO Season 3, Episode 3!

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Elijah paced back and forth in front of the fireplace as Niklaus spoke of one newcomer in town from the past, Lucien. He was listening, of course, but only partially. His mind was clogged with his thoughts of Eternity. He was disturbed, captivated, salacious, and violently bitter all at once where she was concerned. He had no control over the rage or the lust he felt toward the ethereal woman. It frightened as much as it thrilled him. 

His hand shook at his side as his mind wandered back to the events at the gym, forcing him to shove it into his pants pocket, mirroring the other one. He d don’t need questions asked about his odd behavior. Just what was wrong with him anyway? How could that woman have him so undone in ways that no other ever had him? What madness was this...addiction?

The older Original distracted himself then with his brother’s continuing conversation, as to not drive himself to insanity.

“And, given the circumstance, Lucien qualifies as both friend and foe, and according to Freya's prophecy-,” Niklaus was saying.

“-You are to beware both friend and foe. But, let us not forget family, Niklaus,” Elijah cut him off, jumping into the conversation as if he hadn’t been distracted at all. 

“Lucien's two out of three - I say we put him down. Just like old times,” his little brother replied.

Freya, their long lost sister, had predicted a terrible threat similar to that of which Eternity had already personally warned him about. Their big sister had foreseen the destruction of Niklaus, Rebekah, and himself, as well as their entire sirelines involving a mysterious weapon and something known simply as “the Beast”.

“You two have a terrible shadow over you,” their dear sister had said to them. “Rebekah, too. If this prophecy is fulfilled, you will all fall. One by friend, one by foe, and one by family.”

After that, everyone remained guarded, ready for whatever was to come. Now, one possible enemy was here, in the form of Lucien, though Eternity had spoken of others. She had said he had to go to Marcel’s to find them. 

“You can deal with Lucien, but do not kill him,” instructed Elijah, taking charge. “There are questions that need answering. Specifically, we need to find out why he is here?”

Niklaus smirked at his choice of words, “We? Have you finally forgiven me?”

Forgive? No, he was still angry toward him. He had not forgiven the hybrid for killing his paramour or for virtually imprisoning Hayley within the compound; though he was still impressed with Niklaus’s leniency toward the female hybrid. He could have done a lot worse to her for taking Hope away. Even so, he had not yet forgiven him any of it.

Instead, he gave his little brother a false smile, “I will consider it...when Hayley forgives you for locking her away here at the compound, when Gia rises from the dead, and when hell freezes over. For now, however, we have our mission. Let us focus on that, yes?”

With that, before Niklaus could respond in any way, Elijah left the room, heading to where Eternity had told him to go to next.

When he arrived at Marcel’s loft apartment, it was to quite the sight. The younger vampire’s brood of followers were sprawled out all over the floor unconscious. It didn’t seem as though any of them were dead, only had their necks snapped by whomever had assaulted them. Marcel himself was nowhere to be found, but Josh his right hand man was and he started to come to. 

Coming to stand over the young vampire as he roused, the Original gazed at him with patronizing amusement as he asked, “Joshua, would you kindly enlighten me as to what happened here?” As he did, he pulled out his pocket square from his suit jacket and dropped it on the lad’s chest, who’s face was covered in his own blood. 

While Josh groaned in pain and clambered up from the floor, Elijah moved around the room taking in the carnage. The other vampires were still out of commission and the appallingly subpar furniture was tossed all over the room. Whomever had done this had been strong and powerful.

“Ohhh,” the younger vampire replied as he rubbed his shoulder in pain, “God, this woman....”

“What woman?”

“I don't know. She walked in like she owned the place. Said she had to talk to Marcel in private,” Josh paused to wipe the blood away that was under his nose, then he said, “We tried to get rid of her, and boom-- Smackdown City. Which obviously went quite well.”

As he explained, Elijah notices something on the floor next to one of the unconscious vampires. He crouched down gracefully and picked up a small black business card with a stylistic looking owl stamped on the front in white ink, of which he examined as he held it in his hand. 

“Did this woman happen to have a name?” He asked Josh next.

“I don’t know,” replied the boy at first, but after a moment’s thought, said, “Um...Aya?”

Upon hearing that familiar name, Elijah closed his eyes and sighed, “Aya. Let me guess-- Five-foot-seven, built like a goddess, vicious as a viper?”

“So, you know her?”

“I sired her.”

Then the Original dipped the business card into the nearby pool of blood and watched as writing beneath the owl insignia appeared in the form of an address: 7041 St. Charles Ave, New Orleans, LA. This was where he would find Aya, Marcel...and the Strix, including their serpent of a leader, Tristan de Martel.

Immediately did he leave the loft with haste. If that brood of elites were in town, then that meant trouble of the worst kind. Eternity had been right. Old friends were in town and a new storm was brewing. He needed to find out just what exactly was going on and quickly. Though he could guess it had something to do with this damned prophecy against he and his. 

Speaking of the ethereal woman, upon exiting the building, he found her waiting for him. She stood there with her arms folded across her chest, a smirk upon her plush lips, and dressed in the exact same silks and leathers he had torn from her body in blind, angry passion not an hour before. She approached him slowly, the breeze making her wispy white locks ripple and wave about her as she came closer. It also shimmered in the sunlight, making her appear divinely otherworldly.

“So, you have found the location of one old friend, as I said you would,” Eternity said to him.

“Yes, I have,” he replied curtly with one hand in his pants pocket. “I’m heading there now. Thank you for your insight. You may run along now as this does not concern you.”

 As he turned from her, mostly to put distance between them since he could not trust himself around her, she called out to him, “I think I’d rather accompany you!”

Elijah inwardly swore and turned back to face her, though he didn’t draw closer, “That won’t be necessary. I have things well in hand.” He smiled tightly at her.

Eternity grinned amusedly in response and closed the distance between them, “Oh, I wasn’t asking. I was very much telling.” She patted him on the shoulder, before moving around him to head in the direction he had been going.

With an tightening jaw and a hidden white knuckled fist, he growled annoyedly to himself. Then he sharply turned to follow her, praying for someone or something to save him from this torturous nightmare he found himself in. 

Before long, they arrived at the address on the business card Elijah had found inside Marcel’s dwelling. In that time, he had remained quiet, though Eternity had tried to engage him in nostalgic conversation, speaking of the good parts of their shared past. It was more than he could bear. He didn’t want to remember it. He wanted to forget.

“This reminds me of our past adventures, when you acted as my familiar, my right hand,” she smiled fondly as they reached their destination, her still walking in front of him. “We had a lot of fun throwing our weights around as alphas - I as the Universal Queen and you as an Original. You were my greatest familiar. It will be interesting to see our prefect rhythm in action again as it has been an age.”

At those words, Elijah could no longer stand being silent. He grabbed Eternity by the arm harshly and spun her to face him. “I am not your familiar nor your right hand, not now, not ever again,” he growled down at her quietly. “In fact, let me make it perfectly clear to you that I am the one in control here. We are not partners as we may have been in the past. You will follow me, do as I say. Do you understand me?”

She gazed at him momentarily as if she were going to protest, but then she nodded in acceptance.

“Good,” he released her, moving ahead inside, snapping his fingers at her as he did, when he noticed she didn’t automatically follow him. “Shall we move, please?”

It was Eternity’s turn to look at him in displeasure. He heard her quietly dangerous growl at his command and the condescending way he snapped his fingers at her, but could only grin to himself as he headed inside, with her following him per his order.

Elijah could hear Marcel talking to Aya as they entered the ornate and elegant building. He moved down the hall at vampire speed, stopping just outside the open doors, as he heard the younger vampire laugh, “A great sales pitch, really.” He echoes of mockingly clapping could be heard and then Marcel said, “Just one thing - who’s ‘us’?”

The immortal queen caught up to him just then, coming to stand behind him in the shadows.

“The oldest society of vampires this world has ever known,” Aya was heard replying. “We are called The Strix.”

It was here that Elijah moved to make his entrance, coming to stand openly in the doorway of the room. “Quite the prestigious organization,” he said to the occupants. “Responsible for countless wars, numerous plagues, assassinations....”

He found it rather amusing how Aya froze at the sound of his voice and refused to immediately turn around to face him. Her body language told him that she was displeased with his sudden appearance there. 

Good, he thought. He wasn’t exactly fond to see her either.

“You have to break rules if you want to build a new world,” Aya responded to him haughtily, turning to face him at last. “Hello Elijah. It’s been a while.”

Marcel sighed exasperatedly, “You two know each other.”

“Intimately,” Elijah replied to him, just as he sped toward the tall woman, grabbed her by the back of the neck and bent her backwards with his hand shoved into her chest, literally holding her heart in his hand. 

Eternity had moved into the room behind Elijah, if the resounding gasps and whispers from the Strix members around them were any indication. It was a curious thing their seemingly familiar reactions to his companion, but he refused to be distracted by her or the reactions of the others to the ethereal woman. He remained focused on his other former lover, whom he currently had at his mercy.

He gazed threateningly at a gasping, pained Aya as he murmured, “Whatever you are doing here, I know you're not alone.”

“Let her go, Elijah. No need for this to become vulgar,” called a familiar make voice suddenly from the doorway.

With a roll of his eyes and a smirk, he said, “And there he is.” He turned with his hand still embedded in Aya’s chest and finished, “Tristan.”

The little weasel stood there in a dapper suit with more Strix members around him. 

Elijah noticed that Eternity stood behind the group near the doorway, unseen by any of them, looking rather amused by the whole scene before her. For now, it seemed she was remaining neutral, which was fine by him. He didn’t want her interference anyway.

The Strix members moved in around him and Marcel, prompting the younger vampire to murmur to him, “You go left, I go right?”

Unsure of his intensions with the infamous vampire society, Elijah yanked his hand out of Aya’s chest, much to her relief, and turned to Tristan as he replied to his companion, “Why don’t you stay where I can see you?”

“It's been ages since I've enjoyed a good scrap, but, uh...it’s not why I'm here,” Tristan said bemused, rolling his eyes and handing Elijah his pocket square for him to clean Aya’s blood from his hand.

Annoyed, the Original took the offered piece of fabric and began to clean his red stained hand.

“Mr. Mikaelson and I require the room,” the little weasel politely ordered the Strix. “Please leave us.”

Immediately did everyone else leave, except for Marcel and Eternity, whom remained in the same spot so far. 

As soon as they were alone, Tristen began to explain, “Elijah, your sireline - your life - is at stake. You want to hear what I have to say.”

With a reluctant sigh, Elijah dismissed Marcel, whom was displeased with being treated as an underling instead of an equal partner or friend, but begrudgingly did as he requested. He knew better than to try and dismiss Eternity. She wouldn’t go, even if he requested her to. So he paid her no mind and focused on Tristan.

However, it seemed that the weasel had noticed her presence after all, when he said to Elijah, “I’ll tell you, but first, I have been dying to meet your lovely companion. Please, introduce me to the notorious ‘White Goddess’ of legend amongst the worldwide Strix community.”

Elijah was surprised. He had never heard of this nickname for Eternity before nor had he ever heard of such a phantom plaguing the Strix. This was the first he was hearing of it. 

Before the Original could react, Tristan turned to face Eternity, who finally moved away from the wall and gracefully approached. “So you have heard of me...Mr. de Martel, is it?” The queen said.

“Please, call me Tristan, my dear,” the little weasel replied charmingly, lifting one of the ethereal beauty’s hands to his disgusting lips and kissing her knuckles gentlemanly. “And you are?”

“My allies call me Eternity, but since you are not that, you may refer to me as Your Majesty,” said Eternity with a tight, unamused smile, “You understand, yes?”

Immediately did Tristan drop her hand and swallowed thickly, clearing his throat nervously as he turned back to Elijah, whom had been rather amused by her response to the other man’s false charms. 

“Yes well,” the weasel said to the Original, changing the subject, “perhaps we should get down to business.”

The amusement left Elijah as quickly as it came. He turned and moved over to the large window to gaze out over the New Orleans cityscape. “You waltz into my city unannounced with your flock of sycophants flaunting news of a threat,” he spoke gruffly. “All the while, your little lapdog Aya is conspiring with none other than Marcel Gerard.”

Tristan rolled his eyes yet again as he replied with a bit of amusement, “‘Conspiring?’ How grandiose. I thought I was the one with a flair for the dramatic.”

Elijah turned then and moved toward the other man as he coldly said, “Watch your tongue. I am not the patient, fun-loving social butterfly you might recall.”

“Your Marcel is a potential recruit,” Tristan sighed. “He has nothing to do with the larger issue we face.”

“The larger issue?” He responded skeptically, while dramatically turning a nearby chair toward the weasel and sitting fluidly upon it.

“You've no doubt heard about the war between the sirelines?” The other man told him. “Well, as it happens, your line, thanks to my Strix, has wreaked all manner of havoc on Lucien and his assorted interests. As a result, he's desperate to exterminate the lot of us - me, Aya, everyone you've sired. Of course, the economical way to complete this task would be for him to kill you.”

Eternity stepped in then, coming to stand beside Elijah with a hand on his shoulder protectively, “This Lucien can try to kill Elijah or any of the Originals, but he won’t get far enough to succeed. It so happens that the Mikealson family is under my protection and I’m afraid any Earth-based immortal is out of their league if they think they can get anywhere near those I stand guard over.”

Elijah was moved by her determined words, though he fought those softer feelings with every fiber of his being. He did not show how they affected him, keeping his poker face in perfect order.

“Well, that is a surprise, my lady,” Tristan replied rather neutrally. “Seeing as it goes against your reputation as an unstoppable vampire hunter. Your body count is notoriously impressive, especially amongst my Strix, many that have fallen by your hand throughout the centuries, if I recall. So forgive me, if I am a little skeptical about your intentions for my sire - and the rest of the Mikaelson clan too, of course.”

Eternity stepped forward then, “I only kill those whom pose an immediate threat to the innocent through war and mass killings and other such vile behavior. Your Strix and others like them are threats, whom do not seek peace or coexistence amongst the innocent. As Mr. Mikaelson pointed out, you and yours are rather infamous yourselves in your disregard for others, in being the cause of so much chaos and destruction. If you sought peace, then I would leave you be, but you are a dangerous lot and I fear your time is about done.”

Tristan swallowed thickly in nervousness again, averting his gaze like a sniveling coward.

“The Mikaelsons, though flawed as well, are not quite as wicked as you,” the ethereal woman carried on, turning back to Elijah, whom gazed at her curiously, “despite what some might claim. Are they of light? No. Have they left death and destruction in their wake? Yes. However, I see the potential in each of them to change, to be better than the monsters they were created to be. I see hope in them, a flicker of light - the very thing that I do not see in you or yours or any of the other vampires I have slain over the years, Mr. de Martel. So do not doubt my intentions, sir, for I will defend them with all that I am until the end of time. Are we clear?”

Tristan nodded, “Of course. Forgive me.”

Elijah gazed in wonder at Eternity, feeling a well of emotions coming to the surface at her words. He couldn’t believe what he was hearing, though he didn’t doubt what she said. She didn’t just profess protectiveness over himsekf, but over the rest of his family too. Yet, he still kept what he was feeling hidden, especially as she rejoined his side with a small smile flashed in his direction.

“Now that’s settled,” the ethereal woman said to the weasel. “Perhaps you can continue your explanation, Mr. de Martel?”

Tristan opened and closed his mouth several times, before he hopped to it and returned his attention to Elijah, who patiently waited for this charade to conclude. 

“As I was saying, Lucien will try to kill you,” he began again, but paused at Elijah’s unbelieving face. “You don’t believe me. I know that you have a friend in high places, but you shouldn’t be so careless as to think Lucien cannot still get to you. Your companion cannot protect you twenty-four seven, after all. I’m sure she has other duties to attend to, not pertained to your safety or that of your family.” 

Tristan briefly gazed at Eternity, whom only grinned humorlessly in return, before once more returning to Elijah, “Perhaps you underestimate Lucien's ambition? While I doubt he'd have the gall to attack you directly, I believe he might try and find someone else to do it-- namely, Niklaus.”

Elijah narrowed his eyes at the little weasel, intrigued, but still doubtful, “What makes you so certain that Niklaus would select Lucien over his own family?”

“From what I hear,” the other vampire replied, “he tortured his friend Marcel, cursed the mother of his child, and burned your paramour in front of you, all because he thought it the logical way to defeat his enemy. With Lucien in his ear, how long before the logical thing is to get rid of you?”

At the reminder of losing Gia, Elijah grew angry and saddened all over again, clenching his fist as his poker face momentarily slipped. Then he felt Eternity’s hand upon his shoulder, giving it a reassuring squeeze. Her small gesture of comfort was enough to help him to pull the mask back into place.

“Well, how very fortunate, indeed, then — Niklaus is on his way right now to put Lucien out of our collective misery.” he said, as he gracefully rose from the chair and turned to leave with Eternity following him. 

“You have to stop him!” Called Tristan, stopping him.

Elijah turned back to scoff, “And why would I do that?” 

“Lucian has a seer that believes there's an object capable of killing you,” the other man said.

“I'm well aware of the object in question. My sister also foresaw it,” he smiled tightly. 

“Well, I don't have it,” Tristan told him. “I'm quite certain my sister doesn't have it, either. Logically, then, one must assume that Lucien has it, or he knows where it is. If he dies, none of us will find it. Not until some other assassin attempts to use it against you. If you've any hope of finding that which can kill us all, Niklaus needs to be stopped.”

Elijah sighed and inwardly swore. Damn this fool for being right, he thought. 

Immediately, he once more turned to leave. This time he was unimpeded and was allowed to leave. Eternity followed him out, but not before she issued a threat unto Tristan, “You wish to live, yes? Well then, do be careful how you step in the future, Mr. de Martel, because I will be watching and waiting for you to...misstep.”

The Original couldn’t help but to smirk to himself as he heard this, but like always covered his amusement up quickly as she caught up to him. He couldn’t afford to allow the lady to see anything other than his hostility and hate. 

Elijah still refused to show her his admiration...or his love.

To Be Continued....

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