#yes i could translate it into English without destroying anything

[alvodra]

Felsenweich

Steter Tropfen auf Stein

Bin ich der Stein?

Werde ich geformt?

Ist das Wasser Wissen

Und das Ergebnis eine

Stets sich wandelnde,

unvollkommen vollkommene Struktur?

Oder ist das Wasser Druck,

Sorgen, Ängste, Last?

Und bin ich kein Stein,

sondern starr und zerbrechlich?

Werde ich geformt?

Oder werde ich gebrochen?

Bis nichts bleibt als Stücke

Und Erinnerungen und Leere.

Oder bin ich ein Gefäß?

Das Wasser beides, Wissen und Last.

Die Schale fängt es auf,

vermischt es,

bis beides untrennbar ist.

Und es wird etwas Neues.

Mit vielen Namen.

Erfahrung, Weisheit, ja.

Aber auch Persönlichkeit.

Die Schale fängt auf,

sie trägt.

Auch sie wird geformt.

Aber brechen tut sie nie.

Der Stein akzeptiert das Wasser.

Er ist beständig. Fest.

Ein Kunstwerk.

Die Schale ist im Stein.

Sicher. Fest. Unzerbrechlich.

Die Schale bin ich.

[mh073099]

“I’ll Find You” - Captain Rex x Reader Fic Part 3

TRIGGER WARNINGS - Sexual Harassment- a bit. Themes of Torture, Terrorism, Murder, our girl is a separatist spy okay she's not the good guy yet. Age Gap- 18/19 to a 24/25. Don't Worry not for long, I am a fan of age gaps.

Author Note- SOOOOOoooo It has been a really Long time since I posted anything for this and almost abandoned it but I reread it earlier and got some inspiration again, to anyone that cares reading this. Also, pay attention to the time stamps.. they will be important in the future.

Gif rights to creator

Part 3

Paris, France 05/21/2067 01:45

As we sat down in the café, I suddenly felt awkward. Here I was, sitting down with the first person in ages that really noticed me, regardless of if it was real or not. I felt naked. Laid bare under his gaze. 

“Relax, princess. I’m not going to bite.” He smiles at me. Never in my life has someone smiled at me this much. 

“Not even if I ask nicely?” I snark back, leaning forward onto the table with my hands. Rex just looks at me, smirk on his face, not taking the bate. 

“You know what’s scary?” I ask him. I’m unable to help myself.

“What?”

“Knowing that you could destroy everything I’ve ever known, and yet I think I’d let you.” What the fuck am I saying? And that thought must be showing on my face because he starts to speak again.

He regards me carefully. “Maybe that’s what you need,” comes out slow and soft.

“I don’t need saving.” I look him square in the eyes.

“I’m not taking about saving you. I’m taking about freeing you.”

“You don’t know what you’re talking about.” I feel we are dancing around the obvious.

“Hmmm. Tell me something about yourself. Something honest, real.” He asks while sipping his hot chocolate. He looks so normal, so calm and at peace. While we sit here and dance around elephants in the room. 

“Oh, well I don’t know. Um… I speak 6 languages.” I offer up. Kinda at a loss to answer, for Am I really that much of a person? I do what I’m told. I am the makeup of ash and ember that has been molded by pain, over and over again. My whole life is a lie. A secret. Something I cannot share, for the so called greater good. Honest? Something Real? Am I even real? These thoughts aren’t ones I should be having. Conversations like this lead down a dark road.

“Wow, that is impressive.” He really does look impressed by that fact. “What Languages? Even though that’s not what I meant by my question, obviously. But I have to ask.”

“Maybe I am Deflecting.”

“You are most definitely deflecting.” Then he looks at me expectantly.

“Well, English obviously,” earns me the low chuckle that I am growing to adore. “As well as French, Spanish, Geonosian, Huttese, and Kittat.”

His head snaps up from where he was drinking his coffee. “Kittat? That’s a dead language, used by- “

“Yes, The Old Empire. My mother is a historian. Translated a few things for the republic. Taught me as she was teaching herself.” The lie falls easy and quick from my mouth. The dead language isn’t as dead as everyone thinks. It’s what the separatists use to pass information along. An Illegal language has its benefits.

Which of course he brings up. “Mhhmm. And Isn’t it an illegal language?” He cocks his head; his eyes harden the slightest bit.

"Technically yes but Historians like my mother have permits and clearances for such things. Teaching me? Now that wasn’t necessarily legal but what kind of government prohibits a whole language? Its just words.”

“Dangerous words” he counters carefully.

“As if words in any other language can’t be dangerous?” I lean back. “It was William Douglas said ‘The most important aspect of freedom of speech is freedom to learn. All education is a continuous dialogue- questions and answers that pursue every problem on the horizon.’ Without the freedom to criticize, question and challenge the dominant narrative, societies cannot make progress.” I finish with a huff.

Rex leans back, with a smile on is lips, and something bright gleaming in his eyes. “You’re very passionate about this.”

“There is only passion.”

Rex pauses, licks his lips and smiles. “Of course, you’re 100% right about freedom of speech. But progress is slow. We must learn from the past. Not repeat it.”

“And isn’t that what’s happening?”

“I don’t think so. I work for a great senator, Her efforts and even the quiet efforts of her husband have shown that they actually care for their people. And truly want to make the world a better place. The right way.”

“What’s your job title exactly?” I bait him.

“What’s yours?” 

I sigh. He had me there. “Hmm.” The right way. Is there really such a thing as right and wrong? Or did it come down to Just you and them? Two sides of the same coin? I look down at my hands, unable to look him in the eye anymore. “Still feel like you’re following me.”

“Maybe it’s not you I am following.” His response makes me freeze, and then surprisingly relax. That is a loaded response…but maybe. Just maybe.

He reaches his hand down across the table, pinky touching mine and interrupting my thoughts.

I loop my pinky with his. Looking down at our entwined fingers. His pinky finger is calloused but warm. I hope he couldn’t tell how sweaty my hand was while being hooked on my pinky.

“Where do you see yourself five years from now?” I asked, still staring at our pinkies.

His inhale makes me look up, and I can’t make the expression on his face. “You don’t ask easy questions.”

“You’re one to talk.” I fire back.

We both dissolve into giggles. I just feel giddy, and his smile in intoxicating. For the first time, I feel clean. Like I don’t have to hide. 

“In five years? A promotion, with better pay and better hours. My schedule now is nowhere near stable, but a set work schedule would be nice. And hopefully, a relationship. I’m a little young to think about starting a family, but I want that someday, and in 5 years, I hope to have that person by my side.” He answers, taking hold of my whole hand as he finishes.

“Hmm. That sounds nice.” I say absent mindedly, imaging what a family would even feel like.

“What about you?”

“What about me?”

“Where do you see yourself in five years?” He squeezes my hand in reassurance.

Dead. For a cause that I am not even sure I believe in.

“Honestly? I don’t know. Right now, my work keeps me busy, as well as in the moment. Success is seen in immediate results. Long term is not something I am looking at yet” I try to keep it vague.

“You haven’t thought about it?” He pushes.

But pushing starts to irritate me, and I snap back with, “I’m young, what’s there to worry about? Who cares for future.” I say in a huff. A dark look overtakes my face and I pull my hand away. Hands in my lap, looking at him in all his handsome goodness. Curse life for dangling him in my face. His eyes are filled with sympathy as if he could possibly understand what it was like to not know what happens tomorrow. To have your fate completely out of your own hands.

“Princess, you asked the question.” He pauses then leans a little more forward. He looks so open. “I don’t know what you’re caught up in. But I have friends. People that could help-“

“Woah let me stop you right there. I do not need saving. I am perfectly fine thank you very much. I don’t know what you think you know, But I can tell you, You are wrong. I have a well paying job that provides for me, I get to travel, I-“ I loose track of where I was going with this. How do you try and stand up for living a life you don’t want? “Rex,” I sigh. “I’m fine. You will just come to find that I tend to be pessimistic at times.” I offer up.

He just looks at me, taking in the sight of me. I wonder what he sees?

Then he reads my mind and goes, “When I look at you, I see a strong, beautiful ruthless young woman with her whole life ahead of her. But you have this look in your eye. You’re not happy. Not even close.”

“How do you know?” I shake my head.

“I recognize that look because I used to stare at it in the mirror every day. Until I found a way to stop living like that.” He offers. Rex cocks his head at me, looking concerned and sympathetic. I hate it. I can’t understand why he cares.

“Sounds easy.”

“Hardly.”

The silence seems comforting. I don’t feel as alone as I normally do.

“I’d gladly let you ruin me if you asked.” Left my mouth unbidden.

First, I see surprise flash across his face. Determination settles in its place.

He pulls out a card, and slides it across the table. I don’t look at it, just slip it in my pocket.

Rex goes to say something, But at that moment, the door to the 24-7 café we’re in opens.

When I connect with his eyes, all I feel is dread. The anger is rolling off him in waves. The card heavy in my pocket.

Rex must notice the color drain from my face because he turns slightly and catches sight of Maul.

“I’m so sorry.” I whisper to Rex, as Maul approaches with long strides. He arrives at our little table in just a few steps.

“Let’s go.” Is not question. “I’ve been requested to make sure you arrive home safe. Your mother was worried.” His deep voice oozes with thinly veiled venom and misplaced passiveness.

“Is everything all right?” I hear, Rex’s tone firm, calm and dangerous. I look over at him, and the look he is shooting at Maul rocks me off balance. He looks positively murderous. Never could I image his face set in stone like this.

“I wasn’t talking to you.” Maul sneers, slowly moving his gaze to Rex. The heat in their stare was almost Nuclear. As if at any moment, they would collide and explode on each other, leaving devastation in their wake.

"Everything is fine John,” I quickly say making sure not to give his real name out, hand reaching out to his and I go to stand up.

His gaze shifts to me and his eyes soften. “It was nice talking to you princess. Stay Safe out there.”

I softly smile and look to Maul. His eyes burn me, promising trouble that he will enjoy, and that I certainly will not. “Well? Let’s go then.” I bark out bitterly.

We turn and leave.

It took everything in me not to look back.

 Paris, France 05/21/2067 02:15

The whole drive was silent on the way back to the manor, but the smugness was rolling off Maul in waves. I didn’t know what lied ahead of me. But I did know one thing. Rex knew I was trouble. This could go one of two ways. I could give rex up, milk him for what he knows and dispose of him. The thought twisted painfully in my chest, and it became hard to breath. Or I could toss Rex a bone. Slowly bring down the cause. I’d be betraying everything I had known. But what was a cause that killed and stole for their own gains? An Ideal that the Republic is the oppressor while simultaneously oppressing not only those they deem an enemy to the cause, but to their very supporters as well. That idea made the weight on my heart ease a bit.

Oh God, what have I gotten myself into?

When we arrived at the manor, I was hesitant. The place held a blanket of doom that did little to keep the cold out. Maul stalked forwards while I meekly followed behind. I was scared. Maul was excited.

We entered the haunted manor and made our way to the main parlor. In the room stood the Count, my Mother, and Him. The Chancellor of the separatist movement. Everything about him was absolutely Sidious. My mother’s face was blank. Just an empty shell with her face. The Count looked bored. Maul looked like a dog, drooling for a bone.

“Hello, my darling girl.” His voice was like poison. It took everything in me not to flinch. “I have a job for you.”

Here. We. Go.

  Paris, France 05/21/2067 04:00

I lied there, in my own blood and vomit. Left alone to pick myself up.

The Humiliation of this night will forever be burned into my spine. All for what?

To test my strength, He said. To assure everyone but more importantly to assure myself, that I have the will to continue this path. To kill doubt that lingers within myself and within our circle about my abilities. After all, I was just a young girl. They needed proof of my loyalty. My undying loyalty. To remind myself that Peace is a lie. To become what I pretend to be, he said. To prove I am enough for this job, that I will see it through. No matter the pain, the costs.

“Tell me, do you have anything to say for yourself? To prove yourself worthy?” In all his Sidious might, he stood over me. Brand still glowing, the smell of burning flesh overtaken my senses. I looked over at my mother. She looked at me as if I was nothing. I didn’t recognize her anymore. 

Turn back to him, Looking him in the eye. “There is no peace, only passion.”

 His smile is wicked, and he continues.

  Paris, France 05/24/2067 13:47

I lay in bed, just staring at the wall. Ace by my side. I have to keep him from trying to lick my wounds.

I need to get up. I need a plan out of this. This…this isn’t me, right?

“Peace is a lie, there is only passion.”

I sit up, pushing myself through the pain.

“Through Passion, I gain Strength.”

Standing up was hard. My legs gave out, and I had to learn heavily on the bed until I could get my feet underneath me.

“Through Strength, I gain Power.”

I slowly make my way over the mirror.

“Through Power, I gain Victory”

The Woman looking back at me is unrecognizable.

“Through Victory, My chains are broken.”

A lie. All I see are chains.

“Through Victory, My chains are broken.” I repeat.

Tears cloud my vision, and I am filled with rage.

“Through Victory, My chains are broken.”  I whisper, before I slam My fist into the full-length mirror.

My knees hit the floor, digging into glass. I relish the pain.

“I am set Free.”

I reach for the Card.

Paris, France 05/24/2067 13:59

He picks up after the first ring. “Hello?” His voice deep, and rumbles through me. I take a deep breath.

“Did you know?” I ask, voice hoarse and sore, but full of force. No room for argument. 

“Princess, is that you?” I ignore the butterflies in my stomach at the nickname.

“Rex. Did you know when we first met? Back in D.C.?” I ask again. There’s no way he didn’t know now. Not with the way our late-night conversation went.

He sighs. “No. I didn’t know back then.” 

“You Promise?”

“I promise.”

“When did you find out?” My voice breaks.

His voice is soft when he replies, “I didn’t find out until after seeing you that afternoon at the cafe. I went back to the embassy after that and... well.”

I took a deep breath. He was honest with no hesitation. I don’t know how I knew that, but I did. I believed it deep in my bones. 

“You let me walk away.” My vision starts to get blurry.

“I knew you’d make the right choice in the end. I believe in you.”

“That doesn’t make any fucking sense,” I whisper.

“Princess, are you ok? The other night you-

I choke out a laugh. “Yeah. I’m fine. Tell you’re bosses I’ll help. That’s what their expecting right?” 

I let out a sniffle. God, I’m really doing this.

“Look, Let’s talk about th-”

“No. No talking. One condition. You’re the person I talk to. No one else.”

A sigh. “I wish you would stop interrupting me.” His voice holds 1000s emotions, and I can’t place any of them. 

“Get used to it. Good-bye Rex. I’ll keep in touch.”

I hung up the phone. 

[unkwn0s]

Rebirth of a Star General: Chapters 201-220.

Hiii, omg it's been a long time (and we still dont have a trailer ffs) i wanted to let the translator have time for more chapters thats why i took a break but im back!!!!!!

Engaged hejue u are everything to me 🥺.

Btw guys the best translator ive found so far in english is lazygirltranslations so each post im making its thanks to her amazing work and i reccomend her if you want to read the novel.

Chapter 201: it's so priceless to me how shen muxue got completely destroyed after plotting against he yan (we will talk abt it again later) but also how xiao jue got the guts to do it in front of everyone (including smx bc he knew he yan was jealous)

Quote Chapter 201:

"The autumn moon mirrored everything, revealing one’s thoughts without hiding anything. Joy or shyness, secrets or sadness, nothing could escape the eyes of others. 

No one could withstand being looked at by him with such eyes. He Yan heard her own heartbeat, “thump thump,” one sound after another. In the noisy banquet, it was clear and powerful, leaving her powerless to resist. "

AND NOW THE PART. THE REASOM WHY I READ THE NOVEL IN THE 1ST PLACE, LISTEN CLOSELY AND U WILL HEAR ME SCREAMING

QUOTE CHAPTER 201:

"In the deep autumn night, in the quiet courtyard, the Milky Way laid silently, the slanting moon climbed up the curtain, and the beautiful night was not as enchanting as someone’s captivating eyes. 

He asked, “Do you like the moon?” 

He Yan, dazed, answered, “… Yes.” 

In the next moment, he placed a cool and smooth object in her hand. He Yan looked down, and the black jade snake-patterned ornament, once taken away by her when she was drunk, rumored to be the heirloom of the Xiao family, laid in her palm like a lifelike python. 

“Now, the moon is yours.”

AAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHH @&*#&$(×[÷&#(@(+[#&,'XKA♤○◇▪︎¥~》~¡₩\♤●♡•♡•♡*@*$(×(#>&$(#]÷[#($($(=

Chapter 203: Bai Rongwei and Xiao Jing accepting he yan. Chi wu mad at fei nu for not telling him he yan was a woman and the Liangzhou brothers finding out the truth lolz

Quote Chapter 203:

“I thought she had an androgynous appearance.” Chiwu said in a daze. “Besides, how could I believe that a woman would go to Liangzhou Garrison and throw twenty stone locks alone, beating even strong men? AND SHE ATE SO MUCH” .

Chapter 204: What calls the most for me here is what Shen Muxue father tells her after he finds out she almost got he yan beheaded over pettiness

Quote Chapter 204:

“Where you’ve gone are no fewer places than He Yan, and the people you meet may not be more than He Yan, but your vision and ideals are far inferior to hers. I don’t doubt you as a father, but after tonight, the difference between you and her is apparent. YOU ARE NOT AS GOOD AS HER”.

Chapter 204/205: He Xinying starts to doubt the circumstances of He Yans death and one of the saddest scenes happen on the temple.

btw a note: they removed he yans reborn life family and also her husband from the first lofe so i wonder which characters will fill up the gap.

Chapter 206/207: i always cry at he yans mother interactions its so tragic and heart wrenching 😢

In the next chapters we will see he yan and xiao jue investigating and how xj already knows he yan is hiding something from him.

Quote Chapter 214 and me drowning in my tears:

"He once sheltered her with an umbrella, gave her a piece of candy, and gifted her with the nonexistent moonlight. However, he didn’t know that she led such a miserable life, to the point where she couldn’t even have her true name. On moonless nights, she hid behind a mask, spending many lonely and humble years.

He saved her once but couldn’t save her the second time." 😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭

He Yans meeting w Xiao Jue's swordmaster and us nearing the truth:

Quote Chapter 215:

“Master, I don’t have a sword,” He Yan said, “I don’t even have a suitable weapon.”

“You will have one,” Lu Daichuan shook his head, the laughter in his eyes seeming to penetrate everything about her. “Your sword will return to you.” YAAAAAAAAASSSSSS SHE DAMN WILL.

“Your swordsmanship has improved a lot.”He curved his lips slightly. “Long time no see, General He.” 🫠

Quotes Chapter 216 SO MANY GOOD ONES:

“Perhaps fate took pity on me and gave me another chance.”

"Fate was cruel, but it was also mysterious. Every seemingly casual choice led to unpredictable outcomes".

“I’m sorry.”

“For what?”

The young man’s voice was restrained, husky, and low. “For not recognizing you immediately.”

"For a long time, it felt like she had been walking alone in the dark night, unnoticed and uncared for. No one discovered her existence, and no one cared about her joys and sorrows. There were no apologies, no cheers, and the beginning or end, joy or sorrow, were all part of her solitary story. Until one day, someone discovered her.This person in the world, the only one, was her light, the source of all her brilliance." 🫶🫶🫶💕💞💞💞💖💖

"Under the night sky, the young man’s gaze was as deep as autumn water, shedding all the coldness and sarcasm, incredibly warm.Xiao Jue smiled slightly, “Why so lacking in confidence? Even if you’ve been married, in my eyes, you’re just a girl.” He bent down slightly, gazing into her eyes.“ As for Flying Phoenix General, it doesn’t matter. I only came for He Yan.” 😭😭🫠🫠🫠😭😭🫠😭😭😭

WELL. We done a lot so far and now the fun (downfall of he rufei starts) until next post hopefully we have a teaser 🙏🙏🙏🙏

[stormhearty]

Hello, storm, are you ali right? I hope so, because I've just read the last part of "Pushed to the Edge" and I've been staring at the wall since I finished reading it.

As a good lover of angst, I have to say that this ending broke my heart into pieces. And I don't even know where to start, but here we go!

I don't know what I felt when I got to the part where Azriel was listening to the inner circle being tortured and he was trying to reach them and couldn't. My heart ached the moment I read it. My heart ached the moment Nesta and Cassian screamed for each other, Feyre and Rhys. But I remembered all the moments when the reader begged to be heard, and was ignored and dismissed as nothing. As for Elain, I confess I thought she'd been killed, not that she was still alive, and nothing compares to my surprise at the moment she was stabbed, but again, here I am without reaction (rumor has it she looked like the Cheshire cat smiling). Could I feel sorry? Yes, but I remember her lying about her powers and as Eris said: what for? To win Azriel's affection and be seen, while Y/n was left in corners and erased like an unwanted stain on a sofa? But I'm not going to put all the blame on her, because even though she was a big idiot and a jerk, the whole Inner Circle had a hand in breaking our beloved reader (especially Az). And Azriel? Being tortured and used to help destroy Prythian was so I can't find words, because it will weigh heavily on him and how he failed as a companion and protector. And I confess I felt my soul weep when he saw her die for the second time, even though the first wasn't in his arms, and the second was the final one and it was in his arms😭 I didn't cry so much for his loss, but for her decision to die, but I can't see a place where she would live with her actions, even under the darkness. I'm not going to lie, I wanted to cry a lot when he saw that she was dying, my foolish heart can't take something like that, even though I know he deserved it and I reinforce what Kosechi said "You all never deserved it…"

Don't touch me! My Roman empire was thinking about Helion after the end, because even though he didn't appear, I kept thinking about how he felt about everything the reader was doing. I confess that one of my biggest fears was having to read about him here, since my heart couldn't bear to see him destroyed watching Y/n, but my imagination chased me and I just wanted to hug and comfort him😭

Thank you, Storm (that suits you as you brought a storm to me, causing my little boat to be shipwrecked) for giving us something as distressing as this story💖 it will have a place in my heart.

Note: maybe some words don't come out in the context I meant, because my English is a translator💀😭

@favsrachz

Hahaha!! I am doing great! I am super excited about people's reaction to the final part of "Pushed to the Edge"! And it looks like people are enjoying the twists and turns of the last part!

I so much enjoy reading your reaction to this last part, my dear!! It is a rollercoaster of emotions -- I really wanted to play with that. Reader getting her revenge against the IC, against Prythian, against Azriel. I wanted to have reader get her just dues with torturing the IC, letting them hear each other's agony and pain, when they couldn't do the same for her. That is their torture -- to be reminded of what they couldn't do for her.

And no! Haha! Elain didn't die (unfortunately). Reader wouldn't let her get away with it so easily with death . She wanted her to live and regret and have her family hate and dislike her for the rest of her eternal life.

And Azriel, being tortured and used was a small touched. Many people said that it would be interesting to see how far the inner circle would do to get her back, to show their devotion, to show their regret-- and Azriel's part shows that. He would do anything for her at that point.

And your right, reader wouldnt be able to live with herself knowing that she was a part of Prythian's destruction. You'll find out more of readers thoughts and insight and decision of all that in the epilogue

And Helion! My dear Day High Lord! I am and will write about that in the epilogue! The aftermath of this part will be written in the epilogue! Please do look forward to it!

And no! You are fine! I understood what you were trying to express and I have to tell you thank you so much for your support for this series!

And Storm is such a cute author nickname! Thank you ❤️❤️

[true-blue-sonic]

What exactly is Silver's dynamic with Blaze? Specifically in Sonic 06, Colors and Team Sonic Racing?

I gave this some thought last night, because I feel like their dynamic between games is actually a bit different. Let's see!

Starting with Sonic '06, there is a bio that mention Blaze sees Silver as a 'younger brother': a Japanese bio for '06 has the term 弟 or otouto in it, which is a way to refer to a younger brother. Specifically, the translation from DeepL I get says "Blaze is strict with [her]self and shy around other people, but [s]he has feelings for Silver, whom [s]he works with, as a companion and like a younger brother." In general, Blaze seems to be the calming factor to Silver's more impulsive and hot-headed nature. She tells him to calm down when he expresses frustration about Iblis' undefeatability after the first battle with it, in the boss battles she's the one who comes in with warnings and tips on how to defeat monsters (e.g. telling him Iblis' weak spot is his head, or that Silver can destroy the armoured parts of the Egg-Genesis), and generally she's just a focused presence that motivates Silver to stick to his mission to save the future.

So generally, in '06 they are shown to have a close bond: for example, in the Test of Friendship Silver needs to undergo, Blaze is the one captured, and she gives him a very genuine-sounding "Silver, thank you." when she is freed again. She furthermore has clear trust in Silver, following him without a doubt when he presents to her a final plan to defeat Iblis that he is sure will work. Similarly, Silver is stated to be "young and somewhat immature" in an interview with Nakamura: he benefits from Blaze's calm demeanour and the fact she helps keep him on track. He is furthermore clearly distraught at the prospect of Blaze sacrificing herself to save the world, doubtfully asking if she is his friend (which Blaze doesn't answer directly, but I think the sentiment is a clear yes, she is, and she likes his naive nature. They say approximately the same in both Japanese and English, though Japanese does not state anything about Silver 'not knowing what to do' without Blaze.). Whether Silver sees Blaze as an older sister or just as a close companion, I cannot say exactly, though. But one thing is for certain: Silver benefits from having Blaze nearby him to keep him focused, and Blaze is similarly fond and trusting of him in turn.

And then the events of '06 got basically wiped, with Silver and Blaze's history alongside it. The first time they are shown meeting again in the games is Sonic Colours DS (where I'm not counting Mario & Sonic Winter DS). And in this game, their dynamic is actually a bit different! What happens is that Orbot and Cubot challenge Blaze and Silver to a fight in Eggman's amusement park, and promptly get trounced. Silver and Blaze lament that it wasn't a challenge in the slightest, but interestingly, in both the Success and Triumph endings, Blaze and Silver almost begin one-upping each other for a bit:

Succes:

Tails: I almost feel bad that those robots picked a fight with you two. Sonic: Heh, talk about unlucky. Silver: Right? Blaze: Don't exaggerate. I merely defended myself. And it was soon obvious how weak they were. I pulled my punches. Sonic: THAT was pulling punches? Yeesh.

Triumph:

Sonic: I'm still just surprised at how persistent those robots are. Tails: You're sure you guys are all right? Blaze: I could handle the likes of those two all day. Silver: Seriously. I could take care of those two myself, easy. Blaze: I could handle them by myself as well! Tails: Easy, guys. We're all friends here, and you work together well. Sonic: Yeah, you guys were in perfect synch. Blaze: Hmph. I suppose it was an easier fight with your help. Silver: It almost felt like we've paired up before. Tails: Wow, maybe you guys were partners somewhere, some time. I guess anything is possible!

Especially in Triumph, we see that Silver begins to almost brag ("Seriously" and "easy") about how he could have taken care of the robots himself, causing Blaze to defensively react that she could have done so by herself as well. I could be entirely wrong, but I do not recall an instance in '06 where the two of them were so competitive together, or almost disregarding of the other's efforts for a second. In other words, in Colours DS they do not seem to think that they needed the other there to help out... but the very moment an indication comes that they were fighting well together, Blaze relents and says that Silver's help was valuable to her all the same. In a kind of gruff, not very flattering way ("I suppose it..."), but definitely there. And Silver is the one who proceeds to point out that they feel familiar to the other, in a clear reference to '06.

What I think can be concluded from this game is that the alleged brother-sister relationship '06 stated they had, or at least their sense of close companionship, is not really there anymore. At least not to the levels it reached in '06. Blaze and Silver are effectively strangers who just happened to stumble across each other, and who are left only with a vague sense of familiarity and none of the memories explaining why that is the case. Silver says it almost felt like they've teamed up before, which to me does not express a clear sentiment of him being sure it actually happened. It seems more like a vague, odd-sense-of-deja-vu kind of musing. And yet, they are still noted to be in perfect sync with each other when it comes to their fighting, even if their statements about said battle might clash with each other somewhat. They're clearly alright with spending time together and are to be feared in battle, but the very tight-knit companionship they once had has been undone along with the events of '06, I think is accurate to say.

In Generations they are shown hanging out together somewhat at the end, but they don't talk, so that indeed brings us to Team Sonic Racing. In here, I feel like they have a closer bond than in Colours DS. Blaze genuinely compliments Silver at the end of a race, telling him he did a good job out there. She is also the one picking up that there's something on Silver's mind, which she asks about directly and gets an honest answer in turn to. And lastly, she very blatantly states she trust him, which I think for Blaze is a big deal: she's certainly less withdrawn than she was at the start of Rush, but she's still not one who makes friends very easily or who is excessively jovial and embracing of the power of teamwork. Laying out her trust so obviously is not something I think she'll do with every character. Overall, Silver and Blaze seem like better friends to me than they were in Colours DS, which makes sense considering they might simply have spent more time together.

So to conclude, I think we can say that Blaze and Silver are good companions. Blaze is the one with the level-headed nature that Silver can discuss his troubles with, and Silver in turn is someone Blaze appreciates for his honest, naive-ish and determined nature. I think it can be argued that Blaze regarding Silver as closely as a little brother is something that was mostly the case in '06 alone, due to them apparently growing up together (the wiki says Silver accepted Blaze for who she was even when other people were teasing her for her fire powers, but I feel like they're muddling Rush and '06 there. There also is no source linked, so I am not sure how reliable that statement is. But Silver clearly did not fear Blaze and her pyrokinesis despite the fact a fire monster is the one who'd destroyed his world, so I can see merit in the statement all the same.). With '06's story never happening in the first place, their close bond has been removed as well, but they seem to be rebuilding it to an extent in the later games. And what is also of note is that in a recent Sonic Channel story wherein everyone's memories were wiped, Silver and Blaze start out gruff and dismissive towards each other also, but it takes very little for them to begin appreciating each other once more. Also there they are in perfect sync in the end when it comes to their battling.

So tl;dr: good companions with mutual trust between them, where Blaze is the more supportive and level-headed one and Silver is the one who relies on her for guidance, but where she appreciates his nature. Arguably not as close as they were in '06, especially not in Colours DS, but I feel like it can be reasoned they are building towards that again with the time spent together in later games.

[iconoclast-infidels]

Dmitry declared his love. How sweet. The realist in her believed it with a side of skepticism to protect both of them just in case all while hoping for the best.

Nico probably also at some point told him Nova didn't trust the church either. It was a complicated relationship considering she was harboring a child of Hell.

"Help how?" She didn't understand how he could help her or what he really meant as he looked like he wanted to reach out for her hands. She didn't resist. She nodded a yes.

He left a moment later and came back with a rosary and a story to match it. She hadn't expected him to bring one so quickly. She looked over the exquisite detail as he explained why it was so sentimental. She ran her fingers gently over the precious metal and beading. It was the idea that he would have given it to Nico if he could actually touch it that touched her.

"I'll take extra care. I'll be sure to hold onto it in his stead."

Then out came a second one that seemed to be sturdier that she could be less delicate with.

"Thank you, really. This will do just fine."

Nico would text back that he'd put that on the list and that it was a good idea giving Dmitry credit for good looking out about the time Nova was saying, "I don't speak Russian either."

She started to smile as he explained the reason for having the dang Vulgate in Russian of all languages. "Clever. How clever you are." She was impressed.

As for why she wanted different versions specifically, "Hmm how do I put this? Anti-Catholics? Yes, Anti-Catholics believe Catholics hide scripture and refuse to translate into any formal language. It goes back to the whole forced conversion of the England. Anyway, the Douay-Rheim's say theirs is supreme because it's based off the Vulgate basically Catholic shit. However, the King James people believe theirs is the shit because it's based on the Textus Receptus and believe theirs was written under divine inspiration. In other words, the King James went straight from Greek to English, as opposed to Greek to Latin to English. This goes a long way in the telephone game of translating.

"The rest of the history of translations beyond that is meaningless to me. What I need is to be able to cross reference because no book can be trusted when there's so much misinformation because I trust no one. What I need is to miss nothing because a translator picked and chose his words to appeal to a certain audience. Religious texts are puzzle pieces full of clues that destroy or protect us if we read carefully enough. I need all the words. I could miss something too valuable.

"For example. Just off the top of my head something so simple and common. Ecclesiastes King James is harder to remember but it's something like 'Is there anything whereof it maybe said, see this is new?' But in the Douy it says 'Nothing under the sun is new.' It's where people get There's nothing new under the sun from. It's just easier to say. I want to not miss a meaning either because of stupid wording. But I need to be able to cross reference because the fucked-up wording is what an exorcist or a witch or summoner that might try to control my son learns to chant and I need to know what's being hurled at him, recognize it, so I know what to counter with. I can't do that if I don't fully understand it. So, I study, and I study a lot."

She was relentless. That's why she looked exhausted. She never let her mind rest even in the hospital. She was always planning for the day she could help again.

As for what else he could help her obtain.

"I was going to ask for the New Revised Standard too just in case. You can never have too many. But just a few things let me think."

While she calmed her mind to think it through, he asked about Nico's name. Oh, that one made her smile. It withered as soon as it grew. It was a sad sort of smile; one filled with disappointment despite a good memory. It was a touchy memory. This was where Dmitry would hear Nova start to open up willingly without being asked. Enough bond had been made. She'd talk here more than she probably had since she'd gotten there.

"It's in combination of his middle. Niccolo Jeremiah. The Victor of the People. That's Niccolo. My people. His people. I didn't want him to forget where he came from, his humanity. Jeremiah means God will uplift."

It looked like it almost hurt her to say those last three words. She took a big breath. "I don't even know if I ever told him what it meant. I can't remember anymore. Memories get so blurry in lock up. He was just a little boy. "

She put her hand on her head trying so hard to remember, "Oh wait, maybe I did? I think I remember him getting mad the story of the Weeping Prophet Jeremiah because he was always such a negative child. His life was so full of hardship he didn't see the point. Pretty sure he's murdered in the end, I forget. Which is contradictory to the name's meaning." She laughed soft recalling her little boy pouting about it once she remembered.

"One of my favorites is from Jeremiah though. It says, well to be specific as we just mentioned, in the Douay-Rheims 'The heart is perverse above all things, and unsearchable, who can know it?' Another version says, 'The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; Who can know it?' But I remember very specifically the first time I came across it I read, and I don't recall the version, 'The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?' That hit me to the core. Beyond cure is a lot to say for a prophet. What about the word unsearchable in the other? Isn't that what is in every person's word of advice when making a choice? Just search your heart. Follow your heart, right? Even the delivery of 'who can understand it' felt sassy like fuck it instead of the more archaic language tones where the question who can know it seems meant for a preacher to deliver a point there. Stop and speak. God can. Look to God. Always look to God. But I say to you, just be careful when listening to your heart. I think it means in matters of the heart it can't always be trusted. Love isn't what people think it is so we must be careful when listening to our hearts. That's what I think. Look where it got me."

She paused there. Maybe that was a little too revealing of her heart.

She shook her head. "I think I became obsessed with the different versions too in trying to teach Nico. Trying to figure out how to reword them and tell him the stories to some extent without making his ears bleed or sick to his stomach and without sending the wrong message. But know even though it doesn't matter what language it's spoken in the demons are especially sensitive to it being spoken in Latin for some reason."

Her mind had gone back to the different translations, but she wasn't finished speaking on why she chose the name. Here's where the opening up truly began. She glanced up at him in that double checking their safe space first sort of way.

"It wasn't just the meaning of Niccolo. That's why I chose it. As in me. But it wasn't just me involved. It was my favorite of which his father allowed me to choose from back in college. He was my philosophy professor. I didn't know what he was at first. I did by the time he was born, but we'd have so many theological conversations outside of class. Aside from the demonic naming he needed a name for while he was on earth and he wanted it to be named after a nod to some our best talks, places we hit an impasse in ways of thinking. Niccolò Machiavelli was one we went back to many times. So, he finds great pride in making me name my son after a man whose reputation is that of an atheist tyrannical cynic. That's why I find great pleasure in knowing the ironic meaning of the name.

"I find a lot of irony in the name actually. People don't fear Machiavellian concepts like they once did. People now use The Prince he wrote as a guide to understanding evil, so the poor have a handbook. They understand what the rich in power are doing to them if they educate themselves. Sadly, it's very stated it's only those who seek shelter in the blindness of their churches who the evil can overpower. It's all written there step by step how to be corrupt and stay in power by using religion in politics when it's meant to be separated all the way back in the 1600's and still people stay blind in their pews voting republican as the book plainly reveals. Every time I see anything good happen in the world of politics morally I think that's a vote passed for Nico. Someone paid attention."

So who was Nova? Right then she let Dmitry know. She was the person who named her son after everything immoral while hoping he was going to see not everything was what it seemed. A handbook for evil could be the guidebook for the uprising too. It was a lot to put on one little boy. Maybe too much. The heavy hopes of parents that might burden children with them. But, what could Nova do either? She was only human.

Forgive me.

If there was one thing angel ears heard, it was prayers. He said nothing, but the words and the emotion behind them reached deep in his soul, right where it mattered the most. It wasn't his place to forgive her; that wasn't what she needed from him. He could, however, keep his promise — the same vow he'd made before Samael: to save Nico. Dmitry was not consciously aware of this calling he'd accepted, but he nonetheless acted on it in everything he did.

Even in suffering. Even in his patience while Nico figured things out. He was patient with Nico and he was gentle, even when it hurt. Especially when it hurt.

Nova saw it: he loved Nico.

The way she warned him about Nico was received as approval. Oh, he knew she meant it, he knew it was serious. But it also sounded, to him, like approval. He gave her a soft grin and crossed his heart with his pinky finger in the most serious of promises. "I'll love him forever, no matter what. Forever."

Nova was right; there was conflict. But Dmitry did mean his words seriously, too. It was no idle promise, no joke. He had framed it with the lighthearted demeanor he often kept, but he meant it as seriously as he loved the stars. Whether Nico would be able to understand it in the future, even through his self-exile in Russia, he loved. The anger would come from love, from the refusal to let go; not out of rejection nor hate.

Dmitry tilted his head, listening to her request for the rosary and the Bibles. That made sense, too, though he almost hadn't been expecting it either. He remembered distantly that Nico had once mentioned how she'd tried to teach him. He reached for her hands again, to comfort her, and to get her attention. He felt the turmoil, and he still wasn't sure what sort of withdrawals to expect her to go through, either.

"Let me help you. Please?" His voice was still quiet, still soft. This was for her, but it was also for himself. He couldn't just stand and watch someone suffer if there was anything he could do to help. He was calm enough that hopefully it would help her too. He didn't himself realize, but part of the urge to reach for her hands was that, in the same way he often accidentally bled his own feelings into others through physical touch when overwhelmed, he could do with the calm.

Now, her actual request. He nodded. "I have something for you, gimme a sec."

Just like that, he wandered off to look through his things and pulled out a drawstring pouch. He pulled the top open and took her hand gently, emptying the contents into it. "This is sentimental, don't go using it for rituals or nothing. It's for you; I'd have given it to him but... So I'm giving it to you, so you know I meant what I said earlier. This one's the one I was holding one night after... doing something I needed to do. I was feeling all sorts of ways, and he just... He understood. That night, he kissed me. I'll never forget the way he kissed me. That's why this one matters."

The night on the hill. Even now he still kept the rosary he'd had in his hands then, beads colored with dried blood he'd never dared clean off. It was special. It deserved to be kept.

Then he dug through his pockets and found another rosary, this one less elaborate, more basic. Still blessed, the both of them; he always took care to have them blessed. He gave her the second rosary with a nod. "This one's fair game."

As for the Bibles, he sat on the countertop like she had done earlier and took another drink from the bottle. "Interesting choice in translations. Vulgate, yeah, classic. Gonna take me a while to find but I can get one in print for you." He quickly texted Nico to ask if he was getting Nova a phone, and 'actually just add that to the list if you didn't already'. "Now, mine's in Russian, it's... I figured it would keep Nico from actually reading it by mistake. Told him what it is, of course, but I figured if he can't read it to begin with then it might not be as bad as if it were in English? So I gotta actually get ya the other two. I have to ask, why King James and Douay-Rheims? They're similar. I guess the deuterocanon isn't in the King James, but you can technically get one with it included. I'll get you both though, I'm just curious. Those I can get today. What else do you need?"

And then an afterthought. "Why Niccolo? I mean, his name. Why Niccolo?"

[darkpoisonouslove]

What kind of powers does Faragonda and Grifin have?

The show gave them both various powers without ever specifying what their magical element/core is like it did for the Winx girls and the Trix. So I have my own headcanons.

I already described Griffin's core powers (since she also has other areas of expertise which I've mentioned) as particle manipulation. I want to elaborate that her powers do not work on living things (plants, animals, fungi, microorganisms, people AND the Dragon Fire) but can work on plants that are severed from the root and are considered dead as well as on dead animals and people. Plus, she can use her particle manipulation on herself and to an extent on people who are connected enough to her that they could successfully pull off a convergence.

Also, I've always believed that Griffin's necklace is a stylized monad (or monas) symbol:

Now I've been looking into it and it fits so perfectly. Here is (a translated version of) what I found:

The English astrologer and mathematician John Dee first published in 1564 about Monas Hieroglyphica, as he called it. The upper semicircle is the moon, the circle with a dot below is the sun and the cross refers to the four elements, but also indicates birth, crucifixion and resurrection. "Dee's hieroglyph represents all being, both macro and microcosm."

The Monas is a representation of the alchemical doctrine of the "One in All" and the "All in One". All the signs of the planets and the metals were hidden in the Monas. In the case of the sun or gold, the moon or silver, of mercury and copper or Venus, this is easy to see. Also, Dee used characters other than the usual for lead, iron and tin, so that these also fit into his hieroglyph. Dee regarded his Monas as a talisman, which embodies all the forces of the universe, namely those of the elements, of the heavens and heaven above. Dee's assessment of his Monas is characteristic of symbolic thinking in alchemy. It was believed that a symbol really "is" what it represents. (source)

And here are the alchemical symbols of the elements, planets and seasons so you can see for yourself how the monad combines them all in itself:

Where I'm going with all of this is that if interpreted as a monad symbol, Griffin's necklace is a perfect fit and representation of her particle manipulation powers because it symbolizes the unity of elements which is something that her powers are based on as they reshape one element into another, implying that they are all connected and are one and the same in their core. And according to alchemical principles, wearing the symbol of something allows you control over the thing itself. So basically, Griffin's necklace is a talisman that's boosting her powers of manipulating the matter around her.

Now that I rambled extensively about that, Faragonda's powers are slightly less developed. I have something but I feel like I need to think more about it. There are various abilities that Faragonda has but I'd say that her core is earth. In fact, her magic functions quite similarly to that of Cornelia Hale from W.I.T.C.H. in that Faragonda's powers can affect anything that comes from the earth such as plants, stone, sand, dirt, mud, glass and so on. (Yes, I know Valtor tried to bury her underground in s3 which seems nonsensical if her powers are earth based but I wouldn't put it past Valtor to think he's so great and powerful that he can trap her in her own element.)

For a slightly more in-depth look, Faragonda's plant magic is best underground aka on the roots of the plants. She has a much easier time consolidating things rather than destroying them aka it will be easier for her to make a boulder out of pebbles and glass out of sand grains rather than the reverse processes. She also has the ability to make magical energy itself tangible or intangible. All magic users can manipulate the tangibility of their own magic to an extent to expel it from their own body without hurting themselves (in case it's getting out of more delicate areas such as Darcy's magic often coming out of her eyes in the first season) but Faragonda can manipulate it all the way to making it completely intangible. Which can be very useful for making her magic infiltrate magically protected spaces and objects. Her magic also includes the detection and usage of underground energy lines known as ley lines.

"Ley lines are lines that crisscross around the globe, like latitudinal and longitudinal lines, that are dotted with monuments and natural landforms, and carry along with them rivers of supernatural energy. Along these lines, at the places they intersect, there are pockets of concentrated energy, that can be harnessed by certain individuals." (source)

That's why Faragonda is good at harnessing the natural energy of a planet and can open portals all over the place with ease, even portals that reach to faraway planets (aka the one she opened for Griffin as mentioned in the flashback in 3x10). Btw the pixies also use the pockets of energy along the ley lines to teleport to other planets.

[bbykpoper]

𝕿𝖚𝖗𝖙𝖑𝖊𝖓𝖊𝖈𝖐 𝕾𝖜𝖊𝖆𝖙𝖊𝖗🐢

Inspired by this post 🍂

Pairing: student!minho x professor!reader

Song recomendation: Maple Syrup by The Backseat Lovers

Index: Jisung // Changbin // Chan // Hyunjin // Jeongin // Felix // Seungmin

.・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。..・。.・゜✭ 。.・

Pens scribbled along the papers as you walked through the rows of seats closely observing the students as they wrote their paper for the next 40 minutes of your English lecture. Unbeknownst to you, one student finished his paper in the first 20 minutes and continued to stare at you as you went around helping some of the students translate Korean into English.

You were a well known novelist who taught English at the local college to students who either majored in this language or chose it as an extra curricular. You were a kind hearted professor who was beloved by the students because you took the extra time to help your students and even make your lectures more interesting.

And even now, you were holding extra classes to help some of the students who were struggling with the language write their papers which will bring them a grade higher if turned in by the deadline.

“Professor y/l/n!” A student, Han Jisung, raised his arm calling you over. “Can you please help me make a sensible sentence out of this part.”

You walked over to his table which he shared with one more student, Lee Minho. A fourth year who is exceptional at English sitting in every single one of your classes, extra lectures or even presentations and book signings. Something which you found odd, but never really voiced concern over it.

“Which part is giving you trouble Jisung?” One more thing which you loved doing is call your students by their names, erasing any family advantages the surname could bring. “Ah, I see. You can translate it...”

To Minho your voice blended with the night breeze of his first day back for his last semester of uni. He was just coming back to his dorm, dreading the whole sharing his room with a freshman episode, when he heard you crying and yelling at a man who sported a pretty heavy hand print on his cheek. That was the night Minho fell endlessly in love with you and your soft demeanor but beautiful crying face. The color purple forever associating him with you, your purple sweater which you haven’t worn since.

“Minho?” Your question broke him out of his lovesick staring and he blinked, acknowledging you. “I asked are you finished?”

“Yes, I’ve already sent my work over to you.” He spoke, his voice an ice cube how cold it sounded.

“Great, then you are excused if you wish to leave.” You smiled walking down to the front to get your laptop.

“Dude, the drool is dripping on your laptop.” Jisung snickered beside him, quickly shutting up when Minho gave him the death stare. “You know that even if you pursue a relationship with her, you can destroy her career or even yours before it began.”

“I know. That’s why I’m not planning on doing anything while I’m a student here.”

.・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。..・。.・゜✭ 。.・

The end of the year came quicker than you imagined. The graduating students running around to finish their thesis papers while the rest ran around finishing up their exams. You sat at your desk going over some papers when a knock sounded at your door and you called out to the person to come in. 

A hot muffin placed next to your working hand as dark obsidian ink poured from your fountain pen. You raised your head up to see Minho, the boy who seemed to follow you everywhere with his 

Minho walked in, a diploma in hands a nervous shake in his movements.

“Hello Minho, how did your presentation go?” You asked him with a smile.

“Good, I officially graduated 15 minutes ago.” He nodded. 

“Congratulations.” Your smile grew wider. “May your future be bright and fruitful with success.”

“I want to take you out on a date.” He suddenly bursted out which caught you off guard. “On a proper date, without the fear of destroying your reputation or career.”

“Minho, I’m your professor... I don’t exactly think that’s appropriate...”

“You’re not anymore. I graduated.” He argued back. “I’ve liked you for a while now, and I’d like to take you out on a date.”

“To be honest, I’ve known that for a while now. That’s why I haven’t reported your weird behavior to the Dean.” He furrowed his eyebrows, knowing that he controlled his facial expressions and sudden urges to show any emotion in your vicinity. “Jisung has a pretty big mouth on our consultations.”

Minho’s face promised murder.

“I can spare one date, but I can’t promise a second one.” You sighed. “I’m not entirely fond of relationships anymore.”

“What if I prove to you that I’m serious professor?” He asked, hope filling his bones. “And that I truly am head over heels in love with you.”

“Then I guess a second date could happen.” You shrugged your shoulders smiling at him. “I finish at 5 p.m. If you want, we can go today.”

“Yes!” He smiled widely, the first you’ve ever seen up close. “I’ll be sure to come pick you up.” He turned to leave, scrambling to get ready and plan everything.

“Oh and Minho.” You called out just as he was about to leave. “It’s y/n, not professor anymore.” You looked him in the eye. “Remember, you’ve graduated today.”

“I’ll be sure to pick you up at 5 p.m. y/n.” He smiled softly as his cheeks burned, leaving you with a little dance of butterflies in your stomach at the way he said your name.

One date couldn’t hurt much right?

Too bad that one date would turn into two, three, and eventually a proposal and marriage, with a small family of successful novelists at your back end.

[nostalgebraist]

Interesting stuff. Some reactions:

I don't disagree with any of the points above. Yes, the mere fact that a source text is old does not, in itself, justify the use of archaism in the target language.

And yes, cross-cultural categories like "epic" are lossy abstractions over more specific, non-identical literary forms belonging to specific cultural and linguistic traditions.

There are established conventions for "epics in English." (Whether translated or original, with influence running in both directions between "what the most celebrated English-original epics are like" and "what the most celebrated English translations of Homer et al are like.") But we shouldn't demand that every translation of a so-called "epic" follow these conventions.

----

Still, I stand by my claim in OP (even if it was imprecisely expressed), that there's an appropriately epic quality to the Warner&Warner translation that is lacking in Davis.

This isn't about the (now-)archaic features of Warner&Warner. You could modernize their diction – and untangle their sometimes convoluted, old-timey syntax – without destroying the quality I'm talking about.

The quality is something more like... I want to call it an "elevated tone."

Not "elevated" as in "high-flown and erudite," but as in "setting the material apart from mundane present-day life." As in "creating an atmosphere of uncommon greatness (in every sense of the word)."

Evincing an appropriate reverence for your material, when it's the kind of thing that is written about because it's revered.

Handling that weighty material with appropriate care. Appreciating its heft, and its significance. Not speaking too lightly of it, or too casually, as through the first king who ever ruled were just some guy like you and me, and nothing more.

----

What I find remarkable about Davis is that he not only lacks this quality, but seems to be striving for its opposite.

His prose is "less elevated" than I'd expect for epic poetry, but that understates the situation. Even by the standards of ordinary prose narration in English, it's oddly pedestrian, flat, tuneless.

@argumate said in another reblog that it feels like a plot summary, and indeed that is a thought I had many times while reading Davis' Shahnameh. It's a shapeless collection of facts, related in a bored-sounding tone and piled up into long mind-numbing paragraphs. Nothing feels singled out as significant; there is no build-up and release of tension; there is just the one fact and then the next.

Consider for instance:

It was he who first taught men about the preparation of food and clothing, which were new in the world at that time.

The meaning here is basically the same as in Warner&Warner, who have this as:

And under him the arts of life began, For food and dress were in their infancy.

But the tone is worlds apart.

This is the beginning of the world, when even the things you and I take for granted did not fully exist yet. Warner&Warner's language drives home the weird extremity of this gap. Even such basic things are "food and dress" were new, then; the "arts of life" really had not existed, before, and were only now being established from scratch. Whoa!

Davis' version evokes none of this eerie distance. He conveys the same information, but he doesn't do anything with it. It just sits there.

Among other things, this leads Davis into an awkward redundancy here: if you've already told me that "it was he who first taught men about the preparation of food and clothing," you really don't need to explain that these "were new in the world at that time." Like, thanks, man, but I could have figured that out myself – it's a direct logical implication of what you've already said!

Davis might have rendered this bit non-superfluous by giving it something to do in the passage, in a literary sense if not an expository one. But, since exposition is the only thing Davis' prose ever does, any element without a unique expository purpose of its own is just left sitting there, seeming pointless.

In this case – as often with Davis – it dangles awkwardly at the end of a sentence, bringing that sentence to a limp and underwhelming conclusion. And, as he often does, Davis expresses it in a specific, inappropriately casual register that has a weird sort of "edutainment" vibe. Like this is a "fun fact," a "did-you-know?", a random piece of trivia.

While I'm slagging off Davis' style, I also want to take a moment to gripe about his choice of the phrase "world sovereignty" in the very first sentence. It feels like a microcosm of Davis's problems.

This is not merely modern-sounding language – it's language that specifically evokes (to me, anyway) a modern understanding of rulers and politics. It sounds like something you'd expect to find in an academic poli-sci paper, like some specialized and precise term invented to draw fine distinctions between all the different sorts of power and kingship that are conceivable. This fine-grained way of thinking is exactly wrong for the primeval period being narrated, when even food and drink were in their infancy, and there was no need to draw careful distinctions between different sorts of rule because rule itself was only just now coming into being.

Again, the literal meaning is not too far from W&W, who in this case write "power among mankind." But "power among mankind" lacks the spurious precision of "world sovereignty." It's broad, primal, simple, direct; it is a phrase one can imagine people really using in the very first days of civilization. Kingship, "sovereignty": these were new, and still unfamiliar. But power is a more basic idea, with much older roots.

----

What is Ferdowsi's style like, in the original?

Obviously I can't say firsthand. But here are some typical characterizations (my emphasis):

Ferdowsī’s poetic genius in creating a lofty, dynamic epic language that is brief but to the point and free from complexity greatly contributes to the strength of his style. (Encyclopaedia Iranica)

[Describing some early translations and their constrast w/ the original] The verse in iambic pentameter [in Champion's trans.] is heavy and laden with archaic diction. Reasonably accurate, it lacks the quick pace, vivacity or pathos, as well as the simplicity, of the original Persian. [...] Atkinson’s translation, like the earlier one by Champion, lacks the epic thrust of the original. (Encyclopaedia Iranica)

Direct, unadorned, rapid, full of life and emotion, simultaneously "lofty" and "free from complexity."

This doesn't much like either Davis or W&W, frankly.

But W&W, for all their fustiness, at least capture some of the "loftiness" and the human intensity suggested by these descriptions. Davis doesn't manage that, and in fact does not manage to do right by any single one of the qualities indicated above. He's got all the "quick pace" and "vivacity" of a templated regulatory compliance report.

----

A last complicating factor re: archaism.

According to Brittanica:

The Persians regard Ferdowsī as the greatest of their poets. Down through the centuries they have continued to read and to listen to recitations from his masterwork, the Shāh-nāmeh. Though written some 1,000 years ago, this work is as intelligible to the average modern Iranian as the King James Version of the Bible is to a modern English speaker.

So, even if the language wasn't archaic at the time of composition, there is a whole tradition of later and later readers encountering it in the original, and experiencing it as archaic – and perhaps interestingly and beautifully archaic, like the KJV is for many English speakers today.

The KJV – or indeed Shakespeare, with whom Ferdowsi has some things in common.

Like Shakespeare, Ferdowsi is renowned not just as a great writer, but as a great shaper of the very language in which he wrote.

Wikipedia claims (though annoyingly without attribution) that

Some experts [who?] believe the main reason the Modern Persian language today is more or less the same language as that of Ferdowsi's time over 1000 years ago is due to the very existence of works like the Shahnameh, which have had lasting and profound cultural and linguistic influence. In other words, the Shahnameh itself has become one of the main pillars of the modern Persian language. Studying Ferdowsi's masterpiece also became a requirement for achieving mastery of the Persian language by subsequent Persian poets, as evidenced by numerous references to the Shahnameh in their works.

which strongly resembles the way people often talk about Shakespeare's influence on the evolution of English: a single genius creates a celebrated exemplar of literature in his language, exerting a dramatic influence on all later literary culture in that language; meanwhile the undimmed cultural prominence of his work across multiple centuries exerts a kind of frictional drag on the evolution of the language itself.

Which is to say: not every English translation of this guy needs to feel archaic in a KJV/Shakespeare kind of way. But if there were no such translations, we would be missing something real about the work in its cultural context.

I feel like I've had the same experience several times now: someone does a new translation of a non-English literary classic, and all the critics praise it to the moon, so I go and try to read it, and it's turns out it's just . . . bad? Like, really bad? And weirdly bad?

A while back, I wrote about the case of Pevear and Volokhonsky. Here's another example, which I encountered while doing background research for my novel Almost Nowhere.

----

One of my novel's major characters is a literary translator, famous for his rendition of the Persian epic poem Shahnameh ("Book of Kings").

To help me write this character, I tried to read the Shahnameh myself. I started out – where else? – with the translation that seemed to be the gold standard, and which was certainly the most critically lauded.

Namely, the 2006 translation by Dick Davis, in prose with occasional shifts into verse.

Here's how the Shahnameh begins, in Davis' translation:

What does the Persian poet say about the first man to seek the crown of world sovereignty? No one has any knowledge of those first days, unless he has heard tales passed down from father to son. This is what those tales tell: The first man to be king, and to establish the ceremonies associated with the crown and throne, was Kayumars. When he became lord of the world, he lived first in the mountains, where he established his throne, and he and his people dressed in leopard skins. It was he who first taught men about the preparation of food and clothing, which were new in the world at that time. Seated on his throne, as splendid as the sun, he reigned for thirty years. He was like a tall cypress tree topped by the full moon, and the royal farr shone from him. All the animals of the world, wild and tame alike, reverently paid homage to him, bowing down before his throne, and their obedience increased his glory and good fortune.

And here is the same opening, in the 1905 translation by Arthur and Edmond Warner (which I only discovered much later in the process of writing Almost Nowhere):

What saith the rustic bard? Who first designed To gain the crown of power among mankind? Who placed the diadem upon his brow? The record of those days hath perished now Unless one, having borne in memory Tales told by sire to son, declare to thee Who was the first to use the royal style And stood the head of all the mighty file. He who compiled the ancient legendary, And tales of paladins, saith Gaiúmart Invented crown and throne, and was a Sháh. This order, Grace, and lustre came to earth When Sol was dominant in Aries And shone so brightly that the world grew young. Its lord was Gaiúmart, who dwelt at first Upon a mountain; thence his throne and fortune Rose. He and all his troop wore leopard-skins, And under him the arts of life began, For food and dress were in their infancy. He reigned o'er all the earth for thirty years, In goodness like a sun upon the throne, And as a full moon o'er a lofty cypress So shone he from the seat of king of kings. The cattle and the divers beasts of prey Grew tame before him; men stood not erect Before his throne but bent, as though in prayer, Awed by the splendour of his high estate, And thence received their Faith.

Now, I can't speak at all about the source text. I have no idea how faithful or unfaithful these two translations are, and in what ways, in which places.

Still, though. I mean like, come on.

This is an epic poem about ancient kings and larger-than-life heroes.

This is a national epic, half myth and half history, narrating the proud folkloric lineage claimed by a real-world empire.

There is a way that such things are supposed to sound, in English. And it sure as hell isn't this:

What does the Persian poet say about the first man to seek the crown of world sovereignty?

Excuse me? That's your opening line? I thought I was reading a poem, here, not taking a fucking AP World Literature exam!

----

Postscript

Some of the critical praise for the Davis translation, quoted on the back cover of my copy (emphasis mine):

"A poet himself, Davis brings to his translation a nuanced awareness of Ferdowsi's subtle rhythms and cadences. His "Shahnameh" is rendered in an exquisite blend of poetry and prose, with none of the antiquated flourishes that so often mar translations of epic poetry." (Reza Aslan, The New York Times Book Review) "Thanks to Davis's magnificent translation, Ferdowsi and the Shahnameh live again in English.” (Michael Dirda, Washington Post) "A magnificent accomplishment . . . [Davis’s translation] is not only the fullest representation of Ferdowsi’s masterpiece in English but the best." (The New York Sun)

[gintamatranslations]

Gintama Extra Volume 25 - Toyako Summit #2

(I scanned the page as best as I could without destroying the manga. I translated it from german into english, so deviations from original japanese texts might happen.)

Oishi: Yes, I have returned there. It feels like when I first started drawing manga.

Onishi (laughs): Then maybe you should go back to your parents first, Sorachi-Kun. Go back to a time when you were young and innocent and drew your manga with a glow in your eyes.

Saito: Exactly! To a time when you were still thinking, "Dirty jokes?!" "What's that?"

Sorachi: I wondered back then what my parents thought about dirty jokes.

Saito: And I, as the editor of this series, wonder if it wouldn't be better to have me replaced and return Gintama to Onishi-san's editorial care.

Onishi: No, I'm finished with Gintama. I won't put up with such a small number anymore. Anything that doesn't have a circulation of at least two million per volume doesn't interest me.

Oishi: Two million?

Onishi: That's right, two million. Then we can talk about it again.

All: ...

Onishi: At the end of the day, uninspired drawings also affect the overall quality of a manga.

Oishi: People buy a manga just because of a nicely drawn cover. That's also why gag manga usually sell so poorly.

Onishi: While we're at it... the cover of Gintama volume 23 was so bad... The guy with the cannon for an arm looked like Cobra: The Space Pirate.

Sorachi: You mean Kanemaru? I didn't have any other chara for the cover.

Oishi: Or the cover with Prince Hata. I also wondered why you put him on the cover.

Sorachi: Because there were no other characters in that volume that I could have used!

(Text under image: Posing in front of the lake of Inokashira Park! A (at least in theory) successful souvenir for the participants who had heated debates!)

Saito: At least what Gin-san on the sleeve, that distracted people from the cover. However, with Hedoro, I also wondered why he was on the cover.

Onishi: We put him on because he was a key character... But we still got hit on the head for that. Our deputy editor-in-chief just said, "Gosh! Think about it!"

All: (laughing)

Gintama lacks eroticism!

Onishi: Well, I guess that brings us to the crux of the matter. It's about time a new character joined the main characters. It's a breath of fresh air for the title.

Saito: And what role should she play? Name any other series as an example.

Sorachi: Gin Tama lacks eroticism?

Onishi: She could take a role similar to Lala in Love Trouble.

(Translator Note: Lala is the protagonist's love interest in "To LOVE-Ru", so basically they suggest Sorachi should introduce a love interest for Gintoki)

Oishi: That would make Gin-san and the others smaller ...

Saito: Small enough to fit in her cleavage?

Oishi: Yes, exactly!

Onishi: Because the female characters in Gin Tama don't exactly sparkle with eroticism.

All: !

Sorachi: And what's the best way to go about it?

Saito: It would be great if she looked like the actress Mikako Tabe.

Sorachi: What kind of chara would be good?

Saito: Didn't I just say a character that looks like Mikako Tabe?

Sorachi: Somehow I get the feeling that you're not concerned with the readers' wishes, but with your own.

Onishi: There's something really wrong with you.

Saito: I have Mikako Tabe as a desktop image on my computer at the office!

Onishi: Mikako Tabe? Well... it's okay.

Saito: Excuse me?! She's insanely pretty!

Oishi: Let's ask what Sorachi-san's ideal female character looks like. And that is purely from the appearance.

Sorachi: Purely by appearance? Well... actually I like all girls who are pretty.

Onishi: That's the worst!

All: (laughing)

Sorachi: When I was walking to Inokashira-Park, I noticed that the girls at Kichijoji are all really pretty.

Saito: Yes, that's right.

Sorachi: Isn't that right?!

Onishi: How come you're both on one wave length at once?! (Laughs) Well, you really can't say that ALL the girls here are pretty.

Sorachi: Yes, pretty much all the girls here are pretty.

Oishi: That's just because pretty girls automatically attract your gaze, while you just overlook not-so-pretty girls.

Onishi: Just saying "all" doesn't count! You must have some visual preferences after all. For example, big eyes, or long hair, short hair....

Oishi: Or big breasts, small breasts...

Sorachi: Well, I like big breasts better.

Onishi: What?!

Sorachi: What "what"?! (laughs)

Oishi: There are no characters with big breasts in Gintama.

Onishi: That's right! In fact, not a single character with big breasts appears in your manga...!

Sorachi: Yeah, because I'd be kind of embarrassed.

Saito: Ah, I see.

Sorachi: Yes. There's just nothing I can do about that. But maybe I would manage to jump over my shadow ...

Saito: Good. Then do it.

Sorachi: You might think I have a Lolita complex because I only ever draw charas with small breasts.

Dishi: Kagura is also your female protagonist.

Onishi: Yes. All of your charas have small breasts. That looks an awful lot like a Lolita complex.

[chaos-caffeinated]

Emotions can help you remember Part 3 (Sebastian Michaelis x reader)

 Okay this is it, those words say everything you need to know, enjoy!

update: Oct/06/2020: To compensate for the part, I completed the story. 

Like I said -did I even say it?- I am an overachiever...and a sucker for plot

Not requested (Tagging @naniky​)

NSFW/T - 18+

Smut, lemon

One more thing: Do not forget I am not the only author, my brother and I share this blog for the sole reason of creating content together as well as maintaining an easy access to our stories. Just look under #caffeine for more stories from him, the media he does, previous works, requests/commissions/, and what he is willing to write and not write. 

Okay, NOW onto the story: Enjoy!

I wrote this part incredibly long that I just had to make another part, which will be uploaded in the next hour (October 31, 1pm). If you would like to be reminded, just click on the button on the top right corner (if mobile) and select “get notified”.

“Though it’s good, it’s not fluent enough. Again.” Sebastian ordered, his facial expression was laced with the strictness of his voice. His eyebrows were knitted behind his delicate oval glasses that were chained for easy access. He held a short whip that caught your attention each time he smack it onto his hand, sometimes wondering to ask him if it hurt to whip himself. 

Flinching from the sound, you involuntarily let out a whimper before gazing at the text before you, “Ce soir, je serai donné à l’obscurité, je n’ai que moi-même au prince des ténèbres. Oh Crow permettent à mon corps d’aider dans votre plaisir que votre vie s’est propagée avec la douleur que l’humanité comme elle l’a-a...a...^1” You felt burned out, your voice no longer being able to read off the text that Sebastian had you reading, emphasizing the importance of pronunciations. 

Sebastian, on the other hand, was enjoying the moment you were casting yourself off to him, simply smiling behind his façade of strict teacher. Once you finished your speech you would his for the night, but he flinched when you stuttered towards the end, his attention towards you made him realized you looked tired, “Sebastian...I’m sorry, but I...I am so tired...French is not my strength, I am so sorry.” You gazed downwards, too ashamed to even look at him in the eye. You felt the constraining corset shift underneath as you crossed your arms, disappointed at yourself.

Before he could sigh subtly, his brain had racked up the idea to try something. He smirked widely, his eyes glinting the mischief with the intertwined lust. 

“It is unfortunate, Miss. (L/N), but you have four days before the ball, and I’m sure you want Miss. Hopkins to be delighted upon your return without a language barrier, right?...”

“...Y-yes.” You confirmed, saddening at the fact that you may potentially be upsetting her. 

“Well then, I hope you realize I have a couple tricks under my sleeve, however, some may deem it as unorthodox because of its-” he used the thin stick in his hand to whip the desk, his free hand placed on the mahogany desk leaning over slightly, hovering over your body. Your head whipped upwards where you immediately came face to face with the handsome butler/tutor, to which your cheeks were tinted with a slight pink hue from the closeness between you. 

“Physicality.” He finished with a smirk, “Of course I need your permission, but time waits for no one my lady.” He adds as he rose the tip of baton from in-between your collarbones up to your chin with a light tap. You subconsciously tipped your head back lightly in response to the baton to which he responded with a subtle smirk. When you heard his sultry voice, you almost swore to hearing a purr at the end. 

Entranced by his proximity, you gulped subtly and let out your respond:

“Yes....Sebastian.”

“Then we shall start immediately.” And he closed in by pressing his lips against your lips, one second secure and passion, the next dominant and rough. You let out a soft meek as you were trying to push against him, but he was strong. You sensed he wanted more, hence why he was rough enough to lean you back. 

He removed himself, smirking and revealing the fang as he lick his lips lightly, “I hope you are ready, Miss. (L/N), for I am not lenient.” And he stood up, “Stand.” He commanded, raising the baton to visually represent his command as you obeyed. 

You watched as he made his way behind the desk, but you looked ahead as you were afraid of anything sudden.

He made his way to where you sat and the chair scraped along the floor. 

“Sit.” He ordered, and you sat down to an unfamiliar seat when you realized the firmness and slight shift underneath. You blushed as you realized you sat on his lap.

You trembled softly as you felt as he placed his hands on your hips as he adjusted both of you, “You will read and translate the words I point, if you fail, I will punish you accordingly. Ready?”

You nodded, “Yes, S-Sebastian.”

With a smug look, he pointed at a word of ease to get you comfortable. This went on for a couple dozens of words before he began to challenge you: adding feathery touches to your back, causing you to flinch. 

“And this one?...” He leant by your ear, his voice having a slight rasp as he ushered.

While his gloved finger lightly traced your back, your body shivering from the touch, your voice faltered from it, “Uhm...eh...p-plaisir^2...”

“A stutter, Miss. (L/N)? When the ball is in session, I’m sure you’ll have someone like this as well. You can’t be distracted with this simple touch.” He took his forefinger and traced down your spine, making your cheeks blush again from the vulnerability. 

“...S-so what’s my punishment, then?...” 

“You want to be punished? Hm~...I’ll speak two paragraphs in French and you’ll translate them.”

Groaning as you had trouble listening and understanding, you took a deep breath and sighed, “Fine...”

“Good. Now...Dès que je t’ai posé les yeux, j’ai étré enchanté par ta beauté. J’avais espéré que vous travaillions pour Mlle Hopkins, et vous avez fait votre preuves devant elle ainsi que le jeune maître; talentueux et belle, je te voulais. Je vous ai dans mes mains, votre cœur bat vite, votre corps est à la chasse d’eau- Je sais que vous me voulez tout aussi bien, et à tout moment vous vacillez dans vos leçons Français, je vais m’assurer que vous souvenez de mes mains, mon corps, ma voix. Vous ne m’oublierez jamais aussi bien que la belle langue de Français.^3“

You couldn’t concentrate while he was caressing your back. Images flashed in your mind and you were shy to even have them possessed into your brain. You were fantasizing about being fondled, his hands caressing in other places, to have your own hands running through his raven locks. You wanted it all. However, when he spoke you understood some wording, his distinct pronunciation brought the sense of familiarity which gave you the confidence to translate his message, making you blush in the process as you processed the message. 

The more you spoke, the more Sebastian grew with anticipation. As you finished, he had held your hip, without moving his digits and whispered into his ears, “Good, now for a reward. (Y/N). Tell me, are you in any way against of my teachings?”

“...N-no...” you shyly confessed, “Please...keep it going...I do believe it’s helping me.”

His smirk widen, enough to reveal the fangs, “Good.” He whispered, “Then from now on...nous parlons dans Français ^4.”

(From this point on, it will all be english, I promise. I just thought this was fun)

~

You let out a gasp when he rose his hands, groping your breasts as his lips grazed on the back of your shoulders; he let out whispers you were able to catch, only to respond with the same whispered voice. Each word he spoke out you would be given a kiss from his soft, yet rough lips onto your warm flesh. His hands lingered over your breasts, his fingers rubbing your clothed-areolas triggering them to harden. 

“Tell me how are you feeling, (Y/N). Describe it.” He pulled back his hands as he teasingly, irritatingly, slowly removed your dress to expose your soft skin to his greedy mouth and hands. He removed his gloves to expose his black nails and the Faustian contract that linked his current master and him as property as he was currently ready to devour a mortal body in front of him, “Tell me, (Y/N)...what do you want me to do to you?”

“I...I feel like...my skin is on fire, like I want more just to get rid of it, but...but I like it...I like the feeling of your hands on me...I never want it to stop... I know I want more, I want to feel you everywhere...” You let out shaky breaths as you tried to muffled your moans in, your chest heaving as you gazed down to see his right hand placed on your abdomen area and you gently grabbed it, leading it back to your breast. His touch alone was driving you wild, craving for more as you tried so hard to hold back; believing that you were strong only to fall back.  

Sebastian hummed in response, "Then so be it." Where his hands were located, he easily held you down while bucking his hips, earning a few mewls from you, and your head lulling back as your chest arched forward. You hated how your body betrayed your logical side, falling into the temptation that you thought you had handled, but it was only destroyed from his presence, from his words, from his eyes. 

He bunched up the skirt so your clothed womanhood would be pressed against his clothed bulge, your moaning raised slightly to place your hands on the top of the desk, immediately interrupting the craze. You were panting, you were blushing, you were craving for more of his hot touches that got your body to get tingles, “...It is overwhelming...how is it that your so good to get me so desperate like this?...You are like the devil everyone warns to stay away from...” You attempted to take control of your body again, but you felt something pressed against you as you not only felt a hand on your hip, but another placed in front by your hand. 

Sebastian was even more entranced, while you felt he was responsible for your craze, he blamed you for his craze towards you. Other people would feel guilt while in the bliss of pleasure, others feel a sense of betrayal for their partners, others feel used when the Head Butler of Phantomhive seemed to be intriguing enough to have his attention, but when there isn’t a direct order from Ciel to gather information, to get them to cooperate, he feels a sense of ferality since his interest is purely internal. His plans were to make you his; you can be feisty, you can be yourself, he was most amazed that a simple being such as yourself can manage to stir a demon with their core motivations. He just wanted you, but there were instances where he believed he was doing this because he was to be yours, and that did not sit well with him, which is why he would do everything to get you to submit to him first.

When Sebastian stood up, the chair sliding back, he pressed against you, "Are you scared of me?" He whispered into your ear, "Because I can assure you that even the devil can open your eyes to reality...” He taunts as he raised his hand to caress your exposed arm with his fingertips then grazing them with his black nails before placing on top of yours, interlacing with your fingers.

You whined desperately, turning your head slightly to glance at Sebastian who was smirking. Once again your flesh burned with passion as you feel him start discard your undergarments, the idea that you two were getting closer and closer to bond was filling you up with anticipation, with more shivers down your back. What surprised you was to see each piece of your dress in front of you as he asked you what they were called: he wanted you to continue to learn despite the situation you two were in.  

"What is this?" He asks as he takes off each material. You grunted as he was testing your French by having you name every single material. Each time he removed something he would ask you and it was getting annoying. It was torture, hell, trying so hard not rip anything apart to get closer to become one.

After what felt like an eternity of hell of torture, you were naked in front of him. You realized how vulnerable you were in the position, offering yourself to the Head Butler of the Phantomhives and that made you cower slightly. Trembling, you tried to close up when you felt two soft hands placed on your back.

"Such a magnificent body you have, it's no wonder why everybody else wants you. Beauty like this deserves to be shown off...,but at this moment, and moments like these...you are mine alone." He whispered to you only, his ushered tone had a growl towards the end, like a predator growling in victory towards its prey. His fingers trailed up your back to the nape of your neck and held it in place as the other groped your breast.

You wondered when he had the opportunity to unbuckle his pants, but you shivered once you felt the head of his cock rubbing against your clit, a wanton moan releasing as your body pressed against him almost out of instinct.

"Mmm, desperate for more?~" Sebastian teased as he smirked devilishly, holding you in place as he rejected to further your pleasure.

"Please....please, Sebastian." You begged, tearing up, "Please..." you panted as you swayed your hips in an attempt to tempt him further.

Sebastian smirked and remained like that only to hear and see you move less and less. You tried waiting patiently, tried, but you simply closed your eyes and imagined the scenarios that made you blush. As you imagine him, your thoughts were quickly interrupted as he guided you to bend over the desk as he held your hips, "Distracted yet again, Miss. (L/N), my my. You are one persistent student, aren't you?" He snapped his hips towards, his cock rubbing against your entrance which startled you, "Patience 'will get you anywhere and everywhere', my dear." He reminds you before he proceeded to enter.

As you stiffened from the pressure of his member stretching you, you let out a strained moan as your hands gripped the edge of the table. Even Sebastian groaned subtly as you tightened around him and he calmly rubbed your back in a soft manner, "...W-was...Was this your first time?" He caught his breath as he eased the thrusting by removing himself until the hilt.

You involuntarily let out a breathy moan as he returned, thrusting in a steady pace. Each thrust felt more good and pleasurable than the last before you your hips pressed back against him. You even arched your back as you press back to feel his hips slap against you. The pace was increasing ever slightly, his breaths were audible as he let out breathy moans with your vocal ones. He had an immense grip on your hips that bruises were going to appear, but you didn’t mind. You would have to deal with that in the near future, at the moment you getting taken care of very good by the butler. 

Sebastian let out a soft chuckle as he removed himself and proceeded to sit on the chair. You gasped and whined from frustration when you looked over your shoulder to see him sitting, his erection was resting against abdomen; the image alone was an unholy sight, for he had achieved his core motivation. 

The way his hand rolled over to curl his finger into a “come hither” motion made you and your body responded by flowing with his hand. You turned around and watched as he accommodated his sitting position for you to sit on him once again. Facing forward, you rested your knees beside his thighs and remained uplifted as you stared into his enchanting crimson red eyes. His smirk widen -his bloody smirk- as he leaned forward to nip at your flesh. His arms entangled you in an embrace, but he held you down; he had successfully trapped you fully, he had you, not the other way around he thought you intended. 

You took a deep breath as you felt him once more, but this time it felt different. The way he held you, the way he gazed into your eyes as your back arched and your head leaned back, mindlessly staring at the ceiling. He leaned forward once again only to lick at your mounds and made suckling motions over  your harden nipples. His right arm wrapped around your waist and held you down as he thrusted into you unexpectedly with a steady speed. 

Moaning and instinctively placing your hands through his raven locks, you tilted your head down only to look straight into his devilish eyes. He pulled away from your nipples as you tugged at his locks; his eyebrows twitched subtly as they furrowed slightly; lips were agape as he panted softly. There were sweat beads decorating his pale face as he let out soft moans, your blush darkening from the mysterious man himself, 

“Are you e-enjoying the view, Miss. (L/N)?” He asked in his best attempt of a flustered tone, “You’ve gone back to your head once again, and just how would you feel good if trapped in there?” He bucked his hips which made you buck your hips in response. He pulled your body at an angle which trigger a hyper vocal activity, even your hand left his hair to cover your own mouth, closing your eyes to sense him intensely than before.  There was an intense tingling sensation as your body took over control to reach their goal too. 

As the speed and pressure built up, you had the courage to not only sit back up, but wrap your arms around his neck, curving forward so your mouth latched onto his neck, biting into it as he stiffened from the sudden move. 

You had reached a point that you desperately wanted to increase the speed from how close you were, grinding against him; knowing him already, you were the one that had to obtain it instead of asking. 

Sebastian was completely thrown off guard from the bite, his nails puncturing your skin as he stood up with you in his arms and laid you on the top of the desk, his hands gripping on your thighs, bruises would be appearing in a while, but he didn’t care as he aid in your goal, “A naughty girl indeed..” He panted, his eyes darkening, “Marking me in such a way is unforgivable...now I have no choice to reciprocate your feelings-”

Before you can even comprehend his intentions, you felt a sharp pain on your shoulders, your back arched forward as you cried out in pain, “S-sebastia-”

A hand covered your mouth, your voice muffled as he moaned as well into your shoulder. 

As you came onto his girth member, he remained still as he tried to hold off, even his body shivered from the denial- the torture he put himself into when he purposely holds himself from pouring his pleasure into you. As your body shivered and bucked into the pleasure, you simply held onto him as you rode out your orgasm, the sensation of the building pressure continue to overwhelm, the feeling of pushing him off whilst holding him close was a dilemma. 

As your eyes closed, you can feel him shift, you hear the rustling of clothes in a quick, yet slow manner. Instead of the clothes, you focused on yourself: your legs slightly shaking, your chest heaving as you breathed heavily, your cheeks burning, your body freezing from the sweat that had gone out to refresh you from the hot man in front of you. 

Slowly, you opened your eyes to see him dressed up already. His deep red eyes maintained fixed on you as he fixed his tie, his smirk plastered on his facial features, “Miss. (L/N), I do believe the lesson over for now, I think it’s best for you to rest.” He offered his hand towards you while you just had come down from the high. You felt queasy, but it wasn’t it. No, you felt lighter, you felt fresh for some reason. Could the taboo act made you much bolder, could it have made you more experienced?

“...My dress.” You managed to croak out in English, your voice sounded hoarse and you blushed from embarrassment as your hand hovered over your mouth.

“Oh my...I think overstepped my boundaries a bit, my apologies my lady, I will prepare some tea to soothe your voice...We don’t want our lesson to go to waste.” He spoke in a matter-of-fact. You blushed as you averted your eyes from his as you nodded, “Y-yes...”

“Yes?” Sebastian’s eyebrow quirked slightly which you quickly corrected, “I mean, ‘Oui, monsieur’.” 

When you saw him smile in a satisfied manner, you nearly sighed in relief, but you were now flustered and quiet from the ‘lesson’ that he performed to help you learn French. Without a doubt it left an impression you, an act of intimacy and vulnerabilities in a lovemaking surely stirred things up to help you remember words -events- more effectively. 

While you were thinking, Sebastian helped you back in your dress, “I have to say, I didn’t know of such a strong bite from you, my lady. It was certainly an eye-opener.” He explained as he helped with a few items. When he got to the corset, he lifted you onto your  feet and turned you around, “Hopefully you don’t forget about our time like...this” he whispered as he guided his hands across your abdomen which you instinctively let out a breathy moan, “Y-yes...I’m sure I’ll never forget about the event...” you stabled yourself as he pulled on the corset only to make you gasp from how tight he was pulling. 

After a couple minutes, you both cleaned up the area and headed to your room to rest. Your voice felt raspy, nearly gone. When a surprise visit from Ciel caught your attention to ask about your lessons, Sebastian intervened for you, “I apologize young master, but realizing that Miss. (L/N) is tight on schedule for the ball, I had a trick under my sleeve to ensure she would capture the lesson, but...I believe I was too harsh on her.” He smirked lightly which you forced yourself to nod.

“...L-lost my voice a bit...” you confirmed, “But it’s not like a cup of tea won’t help.”

Ciel nodded slightly, glaring at Sebastian, “I’m sorry as well, I know Sebastian can be too rash with his studies, but if he does it again you can tell me. I’ll be in my office if needed- Sebastian, I want cake when you’re finished.” and he proceeded to walk to his study room. 

“Yes, my lord.” Sebastian responded before guiding you to his bedroom.

“Couldn’t have been more obvious?”, You bit as you rested your hand on your neck.

Sebastian chuckled behind his fist as he arrived to the room, opening the door for you, “If you wanted me to, I could have.”

“You really have no shame, Mr. Michaelis, but please...I ask that you keep this our secret...I don’t want you to get in trouble as well as I...” You asked of him as you entered the room to sit on the bed. 

Sebastian placed a hand over his chest as he leaned forward wit his eyes closed, “As you wish, I will keep it between us.” He stood up once again with his eyes open halfway. 

You smiled small as you leaned against your hands behind you, “You’re so...intriguing Sebastian. One moment you are a shadow, the next...uhm, you are almost a beast, and right after that you are....back to a shadow- how?...” You sat up, “I’m...beyond tired- very tired- and you are still up and going to complete your duties.”

Unnecessary to withhold his smirk, his half-lid eyes glanced on your way, “Your observational skills never cease to overwhelm me, Miss. (L/N), however..” his voice got more stern as he got closer, “ I have mentioned before that if you look into someone, you might regret it later, so I advise you my lady to keep at bay..”

The closer he got, the more you look up to stare into his eyes, challenging him, “Temptation rises when provoked, so I suggest you stop provoking me, Mr. Michaelis. Because we...intertwined in a forbidden act, you opened the doors to temptation, my... I even have to take care of myself in order to walk through those doors again...”

The corners of his lips curved slightly, Sebastian took your statement into consideration, but as entertained as he was to continue this conversation, his duties in the manor made him realize he had to cut it short, “I do have a few ways to cure that, my lady.” he suggested, his tone completely changed from the previous ominous tone to the mischievous one he possessed earlier. 

“Keep your tricks in your sleeve, please. I’m already exhausted from...your lesson there.” You huffed with a flustered face as you avoided eye contact once again. However, you failed to realize just how close he gotten. He reached out to your chin and pulled you close to him, “My lady, I have many tricks under my sleeve that I am not afraid to show you...four days is all I need.” He smirked darkly as he pulled away with a cheerful smile as he closed his eyes for the moment one again, “I will be right back with the tea as promised. In the meantime, please do relax and rest your voice...madam.” he added and proceeded to close the door behind him.

He left you speechless, knowing full well that his tricks were just promises ready to occur.

~

When Sebastian reached to the kitchen, he couldn’t help but rest against the door for a moment. After taking a deep breath, he chuckled darkly as he placed a hand over his face, “Sweet, sweet (Y/N), you drive me into a deep craze.” The hand hovered the side of the neck you bit him at. He was serious when he said you had a strong bite, and it wasn’t just that of muffling your moans. He strolled over to the counter and took out a knife to use as a mirror. He lowered his collar and managed to see a bruised bite-mark on his neck. His smirk widen and he clicked his tongue as he placed down the knife, “You’re a feisty one; I admire that.” He smiled darkly as he removed his coat to prepare the young lord his dessert. 

 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~4 Days later~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

The music was soft and inviting, a subtle siren in your head to set the atmosphere of the ball. It was a slow drag from the violins which gave you strength to take a deep breath and walk forward to the crowd whom were laughing. 

Ciel was conversing with a man -the truth being the other way around-, commenting and opinionating of events that bore the young master to a tremendous level, but he remained to act as if he was in interest to the best of his ability to focus on capturing a special guest. When the nobleman excused himself after recognizing an acquaintance, Ciel called forward Sebastian who stood behind him, “Sebastian, keep an eye on Miss. (L/N) and anyone she is speaking with, there may be a chance that she’s talking with him at this moment-” as he gave him his order, Ciel spotted you with someone casually talking in French. He stood there slightly impressed at your proficiency and commented instead, “Miss. (L/N) has a lot of confidence with her French, she even looks different from before.” 

Sebastian smiled with his eyes closed as he respond, “Thank you my lord, it took a little more effort due to the time restraint, but additional teachings were added to ensure proficiency.”

Ciel eyed him for a moment, “Additional teachings? It didn’t involve something like close proximity did it?” He asked with a near disgust that his demon butler would go that far, but not surprised if he revealed the information. 

Placing a finger over his lips, Sebastian responded, “Miss. (L/N) has asked me not to disclose any information regarding our situation young lord, but that should already tell you.”

Ciel’s eyebrow twitched before releasing a sigh, “...Unfortunately, it did.” 

When he turned back to look at you, he audibly gasped when he didn’t see you there anymore, “Sebastian, track her.” He ordered  with a slight urgency in his voice, 

Bowing his head, Sebastian replied, “yes, my lord.” and he walked from his master to find you.

~

While the dynamic duo were talking, you were having a conversation with someone that was visiting a friend. It became so casual and so friendly that the two of you had walked over to the table to take a few pieces of snacks. 

His name was Jacque Arias, born into a family that dealt with the fabric industry in South France, you thought having a good friendship with him would help Miss. Hopkins with future business after you explained to him that you worked as a tailor for her. 

As you took a drink from your glass, he spoke: “I am so relieved to finally have something to go to, if I had to stay in the office one more night I would have gone insane.”

“So you like parties to distract yourself from work?”

He nods, “Yes, and to meet lovely ladies that could potentially be my future wife, like yourself.” He smiled small with a slight tilt of his head.

You blushed from hearing this, stiffening slightly, “Searching for a wife? Me? Surely you gist, sir. I am merely just a tailor intern.” You explain to him, ‘At least for the time being, I like having those small arguments with Sebastian,’ you admitted in thought. 

He reached forward to your hand only to caress, "A beautiful intern no less-...it maybe my imagination, but perhaps the party has tire me out. Shall we go somewhere more...silent? Somewhere we can be more intimate?"

You were ready to say no, already losing the interest of a business partner potential. If he wanted to marry you, for some reason you felt it was your choice to choose, and you wanted to choose someone that perhaps wasn't necessarily available to be taken, and you responded, "I don't want to offend you, but-"

He took your hand in his and lightly started guiding you out, "Then let's enjoy nature together." He suggested, "I...I don't-" You glanced around to see the mysterious man himself offering glasses to the guests, but he also glanced at your way. You noticed the faint smirk before he tilted his head forward, 'Go.' You felt him say before he went back to attend with the rest of the guests.

Almost feeling your body going light, you then followed the man ahead of you with a light smile.

It was chilly, your skin shivered to make some warmth, "Are you cold? I'll call up my carriage." He offered as he took off her coat, "In the meantime, here." He placed the coat over your shoulders, "I'll be right back." And he walked with a rushed speed.

You were surprised to see his nice side as he was going to get the carriage. You were suddenly curious about taking his offer, but you wanted to reject by the interaction at the table. Giving him the second chance to see him truly, you decided to wait outside than inside where it was warm.

~

Waiting patiently for a couple minutes, you felt your body shiver once again, but you subconsciously glanced around. You felt like someone was staring at you- stalking you. It felt uneasy for you, your hands tightening the coat around your body while you made your way back to the manor so you would at least be with someone before you spotted someone in pitch black. You almost called out his name until your eyes widen at the revelation.

While the ball was still in place and everyone was blissful at the moment, with the earl holding in his disinterest in people and balls overall, Sebastian kept a close connection with you. He immediately recognized the man you were with and knowing how humans seemed to be believe they were mated with one intense session, he just had to play the role of the silent lover, granting the permission for you to be with the next chaperone, 

The atmosphere was filled with a wave of chattering, the laughter whether genuine or filled with arrogance, Sebastian could listen to all with depth. He listened to the piece played by the string quartet and multi-task with his butler duties. Suddenly, he heard a change in the quartet, a new piece was to be played and he listened.

The violins and violoncello were stroked rapidly in the next piece that it threw people off guard. They were not expected such an allegro tempo from the players: notes raised, dropped, the moments of silence, the notes raising a subtle anxiety from the audience even Sebastian felt it. He felt the anxiety, he felt -for a moment- his heart beating faster and faster and he turned to glance at the young master only for him to just watch the quartet as well. In that instant, he heard your panting with his demonic ears, it was the only thing that stand out from the silent crowd and the musicians ahead of him. 

He strolled to the head of the family and bent over at his height only to whisper by his ear to prohibit eavesdropping. While Ciel watched ahead, his full attention was for the demon. 

“Sebastian, I order you to find him and bring both of them back here after the ball.” He ordered with the ushered tone as the butler replied: “Yes, my lord.” before smirking at the slight liberation in his current state.   

Previous Part/ Final Part 

~Translations~

1: Tonight I will be given to the darkness, I have but myself to the prince of darkness. Oh Crow allow my body to help in your pleasure as your life has been done with the pain that humanity as it (cut out: brought/ apporté.)

2:Pleasure

3: “Good Now...”The moment I laid my eyes on you, I was enchanted by your beauty. I had hoped you worked for Miss. Hopkins, and you proved yourself in front of her as well as the young master; talented and beautiful, I wanted you.

I have you in my hands, your heart is beating fast, your body is flushing- I know you want me just as well, and at any moment you falter in your French lessons, I will make sure  you remember my hands, my body, my voice. You will never forget me as well as the beautiful language of French is in your possession.”

4. we will speak in French

A/N: Tell me why I spent over 45 minutes searching the music sheet for the Diabolic Waltz and Danse Macabre (Can you blame me? It’s amazing work.) only to confirm or learn from parts where in the music because I am an overachiever and I go all out when I attempt to describe the music without being “the music played louder” come on, I didn’t spend two years in the marching band and be discriminated for being a woman and a semester in Music Appreciation in college for NOTHING- TEMPO, FORTE (Brother save me, this is my call for you to save me, this has gone way too far even for my own sake).

P.S. I am saying it again: Do not forget about my brother, Caffeine, he makes exclusive and waaaaay better stories than I. Just look under #caffeine for more of his content as well as a list of the media he covers for any requests/commissions.

[ashbrea381writings]

Fractals and Feathers: Chapter two, Information

“Colored cracks may appear in cases where a soulmate dies and is subsequently resuscitated.” Tim quoted as he sat back from the computer. “This happens frequently with heart patients and those in bad motor accidents.” 

“Yes, but these are a lot of them… And they’re gold.” Damian commented with a sigh. “And Kent has mostly gold with a few red ones. It shouldn’t be possible for someone to die and be resuscitated that many times!” He began pacing around behind Tim, muttering. “There must be some kind of magic involved here, perhaps Mother is behind this, Grandfather always hated my wings, it could be some sort of magic they’re using to try and make me think my soulmate is dead, but it didn’t work right.”

“Baby Bird, that doesn’t explain Jon’s wings.” Dick commented as he walked in, removing his mask and wiping some sweat from his forehead. “Besides, I did some recon too, it seems like a few people who’s soulmates are in Paris have experienced the same thing. When they called their soulmates in a panic over the cracks that had appeared, they were told that there is a new set of Supers in Paris. And one of them has the power to reverse all the damage done by the Villain… Including death.”

Tim gave a groan, typing furiously as he tried to get past the firewall that kept rewriting itself. “I can’t get any info out of Paris. I even set my VPN to and address in Paris, but it somehow keeps blocking me.” He growled in frustration as a window opened on the screen previously just covered with code, showing a young woman with dark, blue-black hair in a high ponytail and a red and black mask over eyes that practically glowed blue.

“Will you stop that?!” She snarled in heavily accented English. “I don’t care who you are, but you need to keep your noses out of our business.”

Thankfully, Tim and Damian were still masked up, and Dick was able to turn around before the video fully opened. “We work with the Justice League, if people are dying repeatedly and are only brought back by magic it IS our business.” Nightwing responded in his best Batman impression as he turned around with his mask back in place. “I’m assuming that would be you who does this?”

“Yes, it is, and I would appreciate it if you and your superpowered friends stayed away from my city.” She seemed to set whatever the camera was attached to on a ledge, showing a stunning view of Paris behind her. “We have it handled here and we don’t need any of your friends making our jobs harder.”

“Isn’t your job to protect the citizens of Paris?!” Robin growled, stalking up to the screen and glaring behind his mask. “Yet somehow, those who we know have soulmates in Paris are suffering with the knowledge that their soulmates keep dying only to be brought back by some magic that might just stop working one day!”

“I don’t get a choice.” She responded, crossing her arms. “Hawkmoth won’t stop until he gets what he wants and I don’t feel like letting the world potentially end, thank you. We are working on his identity, but it’s difficult with the magics involved-such as the one that alerted me to your intrusion and prevents you from finding what you want.”

“And how are we supposed to trust you?” Red Robin asked, almost too casually for Robin’s preference, if the way his shoulders stiffened was any indication. “See, we have a couple people we know personally whose wings are covered in gold and red fractal patterns, and we’re awfully worried about people who have to sacrifice themselves that much. Especially since it obviously sticks long enough to make a mark, AND they all showed up within the last couple of weeks.”

“One of my team members is able to rewind time for a maximum of 5 minutes at a time, this allows the possibility of thousands of different aborted timelines, hence why the lines might show up multiple at a time. Because they might have died in a couple dozen of the timelines before we finally had a solution.” She sighed and pinched her nose. “We are up against a madman with a magic item that allows him to use negative emotions against us and make his victims do the dirty work for him.”

“Dirty work? What kind of dirty work?” Nightwing asked, frowning and crossing his arms in turn. “What does he want, exactly? And how does that potentially end the world?”

“He wants the magic items that myself and my partner use. The ones our team uses and that Hawkmoth and his partner use are from a set of them, I won’t tell you how many. Each has a different power, and the one’s my partner and I use happen to be the two most powerful, using the power of creation…” She paused and gestured to herself, glancing off screen for a moment. “And destruction, respectively.” She stepped to one side to reveal a young man in armored leather with cat ears on his head.

“When you combine them, you are able to make a wish. Would you trust the man who is willing to destroy Paris with such a wish?” The young man asked, his black and acid green wings flaring out as though in a threat display. “Or being able to use someone like Superman as a weapon?”

“How would that be possible?” Nightwing asked, “Also, since we will apparently be having a longer conversation than I expected, I’m Nightwing. These are Robin and Red Robin.” He added, pointing to them. “We would like to offer aid if we can, even from a distance if we needed to. I’m assuming that since you could connect to our computer with the magic you’re using, you could also exempt it from the magic.”

“That’s a bold assumption. I’m Ladybug, and this is my partner Chat Noir. While I could let you guys have an exception, I’m afraid I don’t see why I should trust you.” Her wings were also bristling, the red-and-black spots clearly caused by the magic they used just as Chat’s coloration obviously wasn’t natural.

“We are known for being detectives above all else. We don’t have powers, and one or two of us are even mentally well-adjusted enough that we could probably come to you guys without risking whatever happens with your villain.” Nightwing insisted.

“How about we come to you? Give us a place to meet with you in your city, we have a way to transport ourselves. I’d like to size you up before I give you any more information.” Ladybug countered, moving her hands to her hips. “I don’t trust that you’re nearly as well adjusted as you claim, I’m one of the most positive people on the face of the earth and even I have had to force myself out of mindsets that nearly got me Akumatized. It’s not as easy to avoid as you think.”

“What was that word? Akumatized?” Red Robin asked, frowning as he tried and failed to translate the word.

“It’s what we call it when someone has been taken over by Hawkmoth. He sends out a butterfly corrupted by magic and turns normal people into a villain. Once the Akuma -the butterfly- is purified the victim does not remember any of what happened while they were Akumatized.” The Bug and Cat pair exchanged a glance, making frustrated faces at each other.

“What was that look?” Robin asked, still angry that they weren’t giving him what he wanted. “The look you two had just now?”

“We… We’ll tell you after we decide if we want help from you.” Ladybug sighed. “I’ve added a way for you to message me on my device I’m using to talk to you, it’ll show up as an app on your computer. Don’t use it for trivial matters or I’ll just lock you out. Give me a time and place to meet, using my timezone preferably, and I will do my best to have both me and Chat be there to discuss matters further.” With those last, brisk words, Ladybug reached for her device and cut the call.

“Well, that was rude.” Red Robin huffed, picking up his phone to show Batman’s face in a video call there. “Did you hear all that, B?”

“I heard. Send coordinates for the top of Wayne Enterprises, for 9:00 pm Paris time tomorrow.” He instructed, sighing from his seat in the Batmobile. “We will all meet them there, let her know that myself and the three of you will be there.”

“Copy that, B. Sending the information now.” The young man typed quickly, double-checking what time that would be for them. “That’s the middle of the afternoon, are you sure?”

“Yeah, nobody has anything scheduled for tomorrow, and she sounded about the same age as Robin. With all that considered, I don’t know if they DO have civilian plans early the next day, so I’d rather err towards them having more time to sleep.”

Reading the return message, Red Robin began to chuckle. “They want to meet us at 4am Paris Time, as they already get up that early to do other things and missing half an hour or so wouldn’t be an issue.”

“Very well, if that’s part of their routine, we can handle that.” Batman answered, seeming interested to know what the heck had them up that early.

[just-a-real-human]

Stress

(heya! this is my first story and i’m still not that good, so keep that in mind as you read ‘^^ please give any constructive critisism you can give to help me improve! i’ll write in mostly metric to make it easier on myself, let’s chalk it up to the translator being extra nice today) (extra note, i’m Dutch and English is actually my second language, so keep that in mind as well)

The classroom was filled to the brim with all kinds of aliens, from the wonderful to the weird, speaking in all their exotic languages. all the conversations differed and the translators they had really started to prove their worth! the only thing that truly stayed constant was the subject of their conversations...Humans. That was because this was a special class all about Humans, given by the head of research on humans, or ‘anthropology’ as the humans call it, an alien called Kr’kn. Kr’kn was one of the first to spend an extended amount of time in the company of humans, going on to become a famous figure in the galaxy.

After a couple minutes of this exitement in the classroom, it all suddenly went silent as two figures walked onto the speaking platform. the first being Dr. Kr’kn himself, a Molusk-like creature having some resemblance to an earth octopus, but with about 12 tentacles, 4 for locomotion, which are place under his body, giving him an upright gait and making him stand about 1.4M tall and 8 tentacles for manipulating the environment. But perhaps even more exiting, behind him followed a Human! The human followed Kr’kn closely, fidgeting with something grey in his hands. when they reached the speaking platform, The human promptly took seat in a chair next to the speaking platform, continuing to play with the thing it was holding, yet hiding it from view, looking around the room, but never looking directly at any of the students. Dr. Kr’Kn looked over the room and took a deep breath before saying.

“Humans, strange creatures aren’t they? Very, very complicated ones as well, there is much more to them then any sensory organ could perceive. They are loud, but can be almost entirely silent. They are social, but they need privacy and alone time frequently. They are tall, yet can blend with many environments, even without technology. I could go on for HOURS about the uniqueness of humans, and i probably will sometime! But not now, because over the course of these months i will teach you all i know of humans, starting not with the very basics, but the more advanced things as through (their equivalent of internet), reading and lessons you’ve learned the basics of them. So let us start with a subject not often touched on in education, stress and, unavoidably, rage.”

The students sat, watching the doctor, and occasionally the human, with wide eyes. they had indeed learned the basics of human biology. they had briefly touched on hysterical strength and subjects like that, yet they still didn’t have a very good understanding of humans, simply because nobody had. Except of course them one teaching them.

Dr Kr’kn continued. “We all know stress, most species have it. But in humans it can be especially prevalent. Stress in humans can drastically affect their mood, emotion, sexual interest, concentration and even lifespan. It can induce depression and loss of interest and a whole managerie of different effect on humans, nearly none being benificial. Often stress quickly can lead to anger, and is oftened compared to a rubber band, each thing that stresses them out tightening the band and if they are too stressed, they get angry. Humans have dubbed this stress-overload as ‘snapping’, and it can range from shouting at someone to assault and even death, both for the human and the one who made them ‘snap’.  Humans can be quite easily stressed, for instance my dear friend here gets stressed by crowds, eye contact and meeting strangers, as well as a looong list of other things. this is partially due to mental disorders, but mostly due to personal differences.”

Many of the class nervously eyed the human after he said this, the human did seem a bit uncomfortable, what if he ‘snapped’ here? This seemed to be a stressfull environment, why would he be here? Was he forced?

The Doctor looked around, noticing the nervous glances and chuckled. “No worries, my friend here is calm as can be. This actually leads very well into the next part, how do humans relieve stress? Well, there’s some ways, that you’ve probably already learnt, and seeing as that’d be a little embaressing to go over for my friend, i’ll go to the less well known ones. A very popular one, maybe even more popular then any other, is music. An immense amount of emotion can be transferred into music, ranging from happiness to sadness, even anger can be put into music! The best example of ‘angry’ music is probaly a kind of music humans dub ‘metal’. Anyone sensitive to rythms, loud noises or things like that, please cover your ears.” He said, swiping a few times on the tablet infont of him, a large hologram raising infont of them before saying once more “I repeat again, if you are sensitive to fast rythms or loud noises, please cover your ears!”

He then pressed the play button and the music started playing, and indeed, as he said, the pure rage put in that music was so overwhelming some students actually seemed afraid, as if the humans on the hologram could jump out and attack at any moment! The human accompanying Kr’kn seemed to enjoy it, moving his head up and down in the rythm of the music a little.

Dr. Kr’kn paused the music, swiping it away. “Well, i suppose you get what i mean about anger being conveyed in the music? And despite its seemingly simple nature, metal often has deep symbolism, especially compared to the simple first impression. It also happens to be one of the most difficult forms of music to play. Another good way to relieve stress for humans are video games, especially either calm and cute ones, or the most violent ones they can create!”

The class laughed a little, assuming the doctor was making a joke. As a reaction the doctor pulled up another hologram, showing the class a cute, calm game about finding many orb like creatures with (human) smiles on their faces. It seemed to be a good example of what the doctor meant.

“now, if you are bad with blood, violence or dismemberment, please look away, and if you are sensitive to rythms and loud noises, cover your ears again.”

He then pulled up a video as one specific game, one set in a red, fleshy cityscape, destroyed and overrun with the most disturbing creatures you could imagine. But worst of all, a human was running through! With more of that ‘metal’ in the background the man was running through the creatures, shooting them with ballistic weapons, energy weapons and cutting them apart! It even ripped them apart with its bare hands! Many students looked at it, horrified, some even needing to look away. Kr’kn laughed, swiping away the hologram. “that there is a favorite game among many humans, including my friend here, he is quite skilled at it, in fact, the footage there is my friend playing that game!”

The students looked at the human, terrified. Humans ENJOYED murder and destruction!? They liked such violence and that music?

Dr. Kr’kn laughed again. “Anyways, yet another way of relieving stress, or more accurately, prevent stress, is in the form of a mental support thing. Often that is an object, like in the case of my friend here! If you would please look to him, he will show what his emotional support object is.”

The human seemed a bit aprehensive before revealing the grey thing he was holding and had been playing with...it was a small, grey teddybear with a white scarf. it was clearly quite old, it was clear it used to be coloured something else then grey, but due to years of hugging and washing, it had lost it’s colour, only it’s snout being a little brighter grey with a brown nose.

“Yes, that little thing is one of the most important things in my friends life, so important, in fact, that he has once killed someone for taking it.“

The students gasped, looking at the human, who looked away a bit, now holding the bear closely, clearly regretting what happened back there, and speaking for the first time. “Not JUST for taking teddy...he was a pirate”

Kr’kn laughed, shaking his head “True, true, the fact remains that it is an incredibly important object to him, anything else and he would have waited to sneak up on him, but he instead took the pirate on without bothering to sneak, he shouted so loud the pirate was stunned for a moment before my friend here beat him with a glass and stabbed him to death with the shards! none of us would dare approach him for hours after that...well, the humans kept their distance claiming he needed time alone, but we all noticed even the humans were fearfull. He only truly calmed down when his chosen mate, or ‘girlfriend’ went to speak to him. And that brings me to the most important and effective ways for a human to relieve stress.

Kr’kn let the students stare at the human for a little bit, he knew how they must have felt, humans were terrifying when you learn such stories, and even more if you experience them!

“there are 4 most important ways for a humans to release stress. And they are: Screaming, crying, talking and love. Screaming lets them simply release all the rage in their system in a simple roar, it can be one scream or many, but they are almost always effective. Talking means to simply share their troubles with someone, be it human or not, even talking to a pet, friendly wild animal or book(by writing it down) will help them as they aren’t the only ones stuck with it anymore, and the other might be able to help in some way. And now the two most important ones, Crying and love. Crying is a strange thing, humans will leak water out of their eyes and make a repeating sound, often accompanying screaming, but even more often it is silent, and they usually cry when safe. It releases all their stress and sadness over a period of time and is a very clear way for others to see how they feel, and Love is often a result of it, or what causes it, which is good. For instance the previous story, my friend here told his Girlfriend everything, and a human often gets repetitive when telling something, which you should deal with if you truly care for them. He then simply got a hug, which is one of the most primally loving and caring things a human can do. You all know kissing is something that human mates do, but a hug can be done by any human they care about. Physical contact is important for a human, and a good hug will often make a human cry their worries away, which is an important part of bonding and caring. Now do not go about hugging humans every chance you get, it’s something special, and not every human likes it. For instance my friend is a bit sensitive, so there are few people he allows to hug him, and i just so happen to be one of them.” He said the last part with a certain pride, having his race’s version of a smile as he looked at the human.

“Anyways, this is where my job ends for today, and yours starts. I want you to write a simple list of stress-relieving things for a human, write it as accurately as you can. And even if it isn’t very accurate, as long as your tried, it’ll be good enough for me. Next time i will go over the dangers of a human and what you should do to avoid it. I hope you have a good day and enjoy your time, goodbye!”

The students wished him farewell and Kr’kn walked away, the human joining him, still holding the bear closely. The students exitedly started talking to one another, having learned many things about humans that they didn’t know before. After many minutes of conversation, they slowly started to leave, and after about an hour or so the classroom was entirely empty.

WELL! that was my first story, i hope you enjoy it! again, give your opinions and constructive critisism down there, any ideas and suggestions are welcome as well! have a nice day c:

Good news! I fixed the comments (i think). :D

[pear-pies]

Placebo in Rock & Folk magazine - April 2003

Words by Jerome Soligny, photos by Carole Epinette

Wonky translation under the cut:

These three did it all. Shot with the QOTSAs and posed with Indo. They survived "Velvet Goldmine" and the Top Bab. They come back after the ordeal of the fourth album. Danger interview: “Jerome, what if you came out?” They ask our charming reporter.

"We do not regret anything"

Everything begins again with "Bulletproof Cupid", a punky instrument that pulls everything off. Then "English Summer Rein", mechanico-depressive spinning punctuated by twisted keyboards, and "Sleeping With Ghosts", the lament which advances while blistering during cooking, confirm the tone. Against all expectations, because you never know how will age the groups that the previous album installed at the Top, Placebo took over. And stuffed it in an iron glove. Further on, "The Bitter End" tumbles through yapping guitars which would stick to the hatches the thickest of the sailors. Be careful, Placebo is on the way out of being one. At the end of the record, Brian Molko, Stefan Olsdal and Steve Hewitt do not even run out of steam. The cows. They drop a "Centerfolds" which frolic like a cynical top under a shower of saving doubts. What augur still other perspectives.

The fourth album: a horror for all who have faced it. Often a stupid trap. Returning from the Gothic directly inherited from the glam of pageantry and from these hasty and harmful certainties which congest the face and the veins, Placebo publishes its first real great disc. Oh, not the marvel of wonders, not the album from the third millennium, but something very strong, compact, tenacious in listening, which proves that the future is indeed there, in front, where the light is most blinding. Calfeucée in their Parisian hotel (the Costes, of course), our three lads do not make the blow of the revelation, of the luminous questioning. Simply, they now think with their heads, a good plan most often Likewise, reality no longer frightens them, and it is probably she who is hiding behind this "Sleeping With Ghosts" which relates the sorrows only for the better. melt into hopes At the moment when rock brings us back to life and when we just want to ask them everything, the Placebo have decided to say everything. Not even in a hurry, they settle down on the couch, ready to talk like never before. Despite new batteries embedded in the carcass, the Panasonic barely a Brian Molko: Hey Jerome, you came to talk to us this time when you had not come to the previous album ...

Rock & Folk: Uh yes but I was there for the first two, that says a lot, right?

Brian Molko: Certainly, I also believe that over time, we finally appreciate the true nature of the problem: we were mainly criticized for the sound of the previous album, which I can understand but, paradoxically, it is the one that brought us to the Top.

R&F: Legitimately, we have the right to expect a lot from the people we love: while "Black Market Music" sounded a bit like a sequel, this new record is all about a renaissance.

Brian Molko: Actually, we were finally able to live a little. After having existed in a small bubble for a very long time, we forced ourselves to take an eight-month break. The album-tour rhythm put us on the sidelines: we no longer had normal contact with anything. We were losing ourselves. We have fully lived the old cliché which claims that we spend the first years of our life writing a first record and six months on the second. It turned out to be very true. We had to get back to the situation of the first album, see friends, go shopping, look at the buildings in our city.

R&F: So the freshness would come from there ...

Brian Molko: Yes, and it was essential spiritually, emotionally and physically.

Steve Hewitt: We had to be in tune with reality again.

Brian Molko: In fact, we find ourselves in a bit of the same state of mind as when we released "Without You I'm Nothing", although "Sleeping With Ghosts" is a lot less gloomy. The heroin has since stopped leaking. In fact, I feel like I've pulled myself out of what I consider my second teenage years, between twenty and thirty. I conquered the self-destruction, exorcised some demons, understood what had happened to me. I held on to what I had learned. As a human being, I am now able to continue living, to try to answer the big questions posed by existence.

R&F: Maybe that's why the melodies are needed this time. It took me four records to get a favorite Placebo track.

The whole group in chorus: Which one?

R&F: "Protect Me From What I Want", of course ...

Brian Molko: The most paradoxical is that this song dates from the end of the "Black Market Music" sessions. I was not married at the time, but I was trying to get out of a particularly vicious divorce.just started. Then we wait for the lyrics, which don't arrive, it's rather intriguing. We especially wanted to avoid the big Rican producer side, we needed someone who shakes us up a bit. Jim could do that because he comes from dance and his pedigree is impressive. We have all his records at home, Bjôrk, Massive Attack, Sneaker Pimps and especially DJ Shadow. It is believed that guitar rock can only evolve by incorporating new genres, this is the only way to remain a modern rock band. At home, we practically only listen to hip hop.

R&F: Still, he didn't betray you.

Brian Molko: No because he actually brought out our rock side, which I'm particularly proud of. In fact, because we always wanted to control everything, it was not easy to be forced, to do certain things backwards, to walk on the head. But in truth, that's what we wanted: yes, there was some tension in the studio but we all took advantage of it. The challenge is necessary and it is also valid for the public. We opened up and rediscovered ourselves.

Stefan Olsdal (emerging from his chair): We found ourselves in front of the mirror, at the foot of the wall: someone had to kick our ass.

Brian Molko: Jim was like, "Why are you doing this?" We would answer him: "Because we always do it like that!" He would say: "All the more reason not to do it."

Stefan Olsdal: On the first day, he messed up all the demos, changed the tones, the tempos ...

R&F: Like Brian Eno ...

Steve Hewitt: Yeah, but with a lot more compassion. Eno is a bit (silence) ... We don't really like being told our actions, but at the same time, we are still young, still absorbing. Jim knew how to preserve us while making a modern sound.

R&F: Modern and rock'n'roll at the same time, a characteristic which does not necessarily apply to all the young groups in The which recycle the past gently but are convinced to have found the virus of the AIDS.

Steve Hewitt: Placebo doesn't belong to any current, has nothing to do with fashion.

R&F: You always pose as outsiders.

Brian Molko: It's the only way to survive.

Steve Hewitt: These bands, like The Strokes, play the nostalgia card.

Stefan Olsdal: And what happens next? I would not like to be in their place.

Brian Molko: If you want good New York pop, you better listen to Blondie.

R&F: In 2003, 11 seems that you have abandoned all the androgynous paraphernalia, sexual ambiguity, glam references ...

Brian Molko: I think today everyone knows what there is to know. Our sexual inclinations haven't changed, and we still wear makeup. It is just more expensive and better applied. We are ourselves, in our music and in private. I went through my travelo period (in French in the interview - Editor's note), and I understood that being androgynous was not wearing skirts. It is a way of being on the spiritual plane. It is not an image but a state of mind.

Steve Hewitt: It's like being punk, it's an attitude.

Brian Molko: At the same time, I don't regret any of my eccentricities. I grew up in the spotlight and it all kind of makes me smile.

Stefan Olsdal: People still talk to us about certain outfits or positions, as if it still shocks them.

R&F: Yes, and particularly in France, a particularly homophobic country which bumps heartily on gay artists.

Brian Molko: And you, coincidentally, you still hang out with.

Stefan Olsdal: Jérôme, it's coming out time (laughs) ...

Brian Molko: All that has to change, that all of France becomes gay (laughs)!

R&F: "Protect Me From What I Want" precisely, here is a title heavy with meaning. What was the idea behind this song?

Brian Molko: For me, it's a study of the pathological need people have to copulate, the search for meaning in copulation. As if bachelors or monogamists were aliens. As if we were only one when we were two. The song is about the fact that one relationship has destroyed me but I can't help but look for another ... why do I keep coming back to this?

R&F: Wow, we're bathing in philosophy here!

Brian Molko: Yes and it's the same elsewhere in the record: in "Plasticine", I insist on the fact that you have to be yourself above all while asking myself all these questions. Why do we have to do a lot of forbidden things, bad or harmful?

R&F: It's therapy in public.

Brian Molko: At least I find some balance in it. These are not songs about compassion or self-pity. They came out like this because it was vital for me. I am in this privileged situation where I can express myself and the world hears me. Otherwise, I would be really frustrated and I would have suffered a lot more in the last fifteen years.

R&F: Music saved your life.

Brian Molko: Sure.

Steve Hewitt: Everyone: I think we can say that. Without Placebo, we would not be not even alive.

Brian Molko: Spitting it all out is not necessarily the right solution. There are things with which to live. In fact, I've always been afraid to go see a psychiatrist ...

R&F: Yet, listening to you speak earlier, you could have the feeling that Jim Abiss acted a bit like a shrink with you.

Brian Molko: That's right. You could say that.

R&F: At a time when Bush and Blair want to play World War III, what attitude do you adopt? What do you think of these Englishmen who left for Iraq to constitute a human shield?

Brian Molko: Let's say we stand together. We participated in the March for Peace on February 14th with Damon Albarn and 3D from Massive Attack. We were also surprised that so few groups mobilized, which increased our desire to participate tenfold.

R&F: Do you consider that it is the role of the artist to give voice in such circumstances?

Steve Hewitt: Yes, in the sense that we can help with general motivation.

Brian Molko: I'm very interested in seeing if Blair is going to let Bush bomb Iraq with the British present on the soil of the country. If he ever allows that, the consequences will be dire.

R&F: It will only be one more religious war, in the name of oil and money ...

Brian Molko: It seems absurd that we can still fight for that. And curiously, nobody speaks more, or almost, of Bin Laden. Wouldn't it all come from him, by chance, as a huge consequence of September 11? On the other hand, we have such a feeling that Bush wants to finish the job that daddy started. Its image is so bad that it needs at least one war to restore its image.

Steve Hewitt: And reinvigorate its dying economy.

R&F: The method is lamentable, deceitful. Like those employed by the recording industry which claims to be doing well by selling pop in damaged boxes to ignoramuses.

Brian Molko: The ability of this job to ingest people, bribe them and then spit them out is impressive. This is what happened here at Canal +.R&F: Business is the beast.

Brian Molko: All these pre-made artists are young and naff ...

Steve Hewitt: They'll all end up in a labor camp for ex-pop stars.

R&F: Warhol was talking about fifteen minute glory, we're brutally passed to fifteen seconds.

Brian Molko: We should have called them Karaoke idols from the start.

Steve Hewitt: And it only works because of the TV ...

R&F: Who washes the poor, helpless brains.

Steve Hewitt: You can tell how much people want to think less

R&F: And spend less. For many, music should be free: one in five thirteen-year-olds doesn't know that a disc doesn't have to be a computer-burnt puck. Some are flabbergasted when they see a cover for the first time.

Stefan Olsdal: And those who don't buy records put pressure on those who have them to pass them on at all costs, just long enough to copy them.

R&F: Exactly.

Brian Molko: That's why we blame Robbie Williams so much. Scooping 80 million pounds off EMI and then declaring that pirating music is a fantastic thing just makes him want to stick a chunk in his face.

R&F .: And then piracy is not a matter of environment. It's not a suburban thing. There are rich kids who find it normal to burn 80 CDs during their weekend and sometimes sell them to their friends ...

Brian Molko: What do these people believe? That we are there, the face in the stream with a syringe stuck in the arm singing "La Vie En Rose"? And who will pay for our children's school? Not them, anyway. Our mentality is quite different: we always want to buy records from people we love, from our friends. Personally, we are partly out of the woods, but it will be particularly difficult for new groups to make a living from music in five or ten years.

R&F: Come on, we're not going to leave each other on this, a little humor won't hurt anyone. If you were to be banned from any of these three things, which would you choose: making music, making money or making love?

Steve Hewitt (almost tit for tat): I would stop making money, without hesitation. It's because I love music and sex too much. And then, well, you have to choose.

Brian Molko (completely overwhelmed): Oh damn, that's not true. What a dilemma!

R&F: No Brian, that doesn't count, make an effort (laughs).

Brian Molko: Ah, I don't know. And then if. I would stop making money and get on well with someone super rich.

R&F: Or you would be pimp ...

Brian Molko: Yes, that's it. Good plan.

Stefan Olsdal: Stop making love does not mean to stop loving ...

Brian Molko (preparing his shot): And we can always masturbate (general laughter).

Stefan Olsdal: OK then, I would stop making love.

R&F: Okay, it will be written in black and white for all eternity.

Brian Molko: Will we live long enough to regret it? This is the real question.

*COLLECTED BY JEROME SOLIGNY

[Inset, Trash Palace]

Already present on the first album by Trash Palace which he had adorned with his presence one unhealthy recovery of "I Love You, Me No More "in duet with Asia Argento, Brian Molko is coming to re-stack. This time he cosigns directly "The Metric System " with Dimitri Trash Palace Tikovoi, an electro saw boosted to bleeps fundamentals available in two remix and its clip on an enhanced single recently published at Discograph. The result is particularly (d) amazing and sounds good logical, like of Placebo cyber.Placebo in  Rock & Folk magazine - April 2003

[tamaharu]

sigh okay so. last night, i finished orv. i basically blitzed over the epilogues in a couple of hours, and i can officially say i have finished orv. if you have populated my blog at all over the past couple of months, there is no doubt you have seen me talk about it at least once.

now, usually when i finish something - especially when i have posted about it extensively on my journey - i tend to do a write-up about it. just to bookend the liveblog, get my thoughts in order, and give an official recommendation or otherwise.

i cant do that for orv.

link to the webnovel english translation (i can also give you a link to an epub that you can download if youd prefer to read that way.) + link to the webtoon manhwa

im not someone who generally cares if i get spoiled or not. its nice to go into a story and be surprised, but it doesnt ruin the experience for me. therefore, i take a generally laissez-faire attitude towards what i say and reveal in my own liveblogs and reviews. thats how ive been doing the orv lb as well, more or less. however, with that ending...

orv is a beautiful, long, heartfelt, chaotic, hilarious mess. its a lot, both in terms of content and word count. its not for everybody. but i want it to desperately be for you. orv, and its ending, is a story that i could talk about for however long you might like. i could go through every plot beat in a bullet list, i could try for days and days to really convey what emotions the ending stirred in me.

omniscient reader's viewpoint is a fantastic story. its nearly perfect in every way. are there some things i wish could be changed about it? yes, of course. nothing is ever truly without its flaws. but those criticisms are far and few between, are superficial at best.

none of it, however, would ever be able to accurately convey anything of what this story has just done to me. to understand, you simply have to read it for yourself. that is the only possible way for you to understand. ...........which is very thematically consistent LMAO.

the last ending that got me this fucked up was utena, and we can see how its destroyed my brain since! even then, i didnt feel the need to lock down my queue to allow for some breathing room lol. a superficial thing, but maybe something that can possibly convey the sense of that ending.

im just going around in circles at this point. please. youll understand why im being so weird about this if you read orv, if you give it a chance. you wont regret it, i swear.

[jikooksgirl19]

My Soulmates I 2

Genre: Soulmate AU, fluff,angst,eventual smut

Pairing: Idol Jimin x Lawyer Reader x Idol Jungkook

Warnings: mentions of death and abortion

AN: Thank you for your patience with this chapter. Not only did I delete it prior not once but twice, I had a personal loss happen that caused me to take some time away from writing. But I’m back on track and writing this story again. I hope you all enjoy this chapter. It’s short but I have some big stuff coming in chapter 3. Please let me know your thoughts and give feedback. I love talking to y’all.

*****************************************************

The three of you found yourself on the Top floor in Bang SiHyuks office. He sat across from you, hands clasped tightly just staring at you all. He hadn’t said anything in the last 15 minutes after you and the boys explained what happened, except to call on his personal secretary. The silence was deafening and you were so so tempted to tell a joke just to break the silence. Just as you were about to open your mouth his secretary Kim Hyunjae came into to office with a stack of papers with all the information about poly soulmates. He began to explain in detail about how the bond between you three is deeper than a normal soulmates, and it plays a huge part in the emotional side of things. Not only do multiple partners have a stronger connection to each other but their emotions, feelings, even moods can be affected by the other people in the relationship. It had been documented that on some occasions each party could physically feel what his or her mates were going through during moments of heightened situations. For example if one party had a headache or got hurt or even was sexually active the others could feel this both physically and emotionally. They also could not be parted from each other for long periods of time without it causing harm to themselves. Though extremely rare the pull of the bond would act as a tether and bring all participants back to each other, or risk crippling illness and the eventual death from the one that left or was left in the relationship. Unlike a normal Soulmate bond it could not be broken except through death as the universe had decided that these were the most sacred of bonded mates hence why they were so rare.

Only one case with no death of the separated mate has ever been documented, and that is in the case of Korean Soulmates Song Jungman, Jong Ara, and Im Jinna . The group had decided they wanted children so both Jong Ara and Im Jinna had tried to conceive but only Ara was able to do so. In a jealous fit Jinna claimed that Ara somehow caused her infertility and wanted to break the three apart. She played the victim so well and convinced Song Jungmin to leave Ara. Together they would start a new life with just the two of them leaving Ara behind. Ara was devistated as she was expecting their child and knew if they left her with the intention to not come back she could get sick, lose their child or even die. She pleaded with them both claiming her innocence but unfortunately Jungmin did not believe her and they left her to move to Japan. Ara waited to fall ill knowing that the separation would be too much but her overwhelming love for her child triggered a new bond that allowed her to survive the loss of both soulmates. After several years it was discovered by Jungmin that Jinna had once had an abortion before meeting her soulmates and as a result she became infertile. He was destroyed by this information because he didn’t try to listen to Ara and wholeheartedly believed only Jinna. He threw away part of his heart because he believed the other so willingly knowing that it would lead to the death of Ara. He believed Ara to have passed away after they abandoned her all those years ago. He left Jinna to go home to Korea and accept his fate wishing to be buried next to Ara and their unborn child only to discover that Ara not only survived but had twins, a son and daughter and was married to a man that had lost his soulmate years earlier. Though he tried to make amends with Ara it was difficult for her to forgive him as their bond had been broken beyond repair. They were both still connected but since they had been separated for over fifteen years it wasn’t as strong, in fact it was like meeting an old acquaintance instead of a lover. Unfortunately his separation from Jinna became too much and he succumbed to debilitating illness and died only three months after reconnecting with Ara and his children. It was later found out that Jinna died the same day in a hospital in Japan. Ara was of course sad at this news, but the love of her children allowed her to continue living and she was able to find peace.

You had tears in your eyes and noticed that you were holding on to both Jimin and Jungkooks hands during the story. You were so wrapped up in this that you didn’t even realize you three had unknowingly gravitated towards each other for comfort. They were both choked up as well. Someone cleared their throat causing you to refocus on the gentlemen in front of you. You sat up straight and decided to get straight to the point.

“So where do we go from here? I don’t even know what I’m supposed to be feeling at the moment, and now you’re telling me I have this life altering, can’t change a thing, you now have not one but TWO soulmates, and oh yeah, you will feel all their emotions and feelings and you can’t even be away from them for too long or you might just up and kick the freaking bucket situation going on...this is what you are saying to us right now?” You couldn’t help the panic rising in your voice. Your professionalism was flying right out of the proverbial window. Jungkook just looked at you, and then Bang PD and said “What she said.” You couldn’t help it you started to giggle at his brief statement then the boys started giggling with you.

Bang SiHyuk cleared his throat and got right to the point. “First we get you moved into the boys complex. You will have an apartment on the floor below the dorm along next to Jins soulmate Yuna. This will allow visits between you three without risk for now. Only essential staff will be told about this arrangement. Y/N you will be hired on as a permanent staff member within our own legal team. Also because you are also multilingual you will assist with our translation team while the boys are traveling, as well as help teach English to to boys. This will help with the questions the public might have about you being around the boys all the time. This is going to take some preparation before we can put this information out to the public. We are also going to have to get you started on the path to Citizenship here in Korea.” Said Bang SiHyuk loudly while clapping his hands together as though he just solved all the problems in front of him. “Now I suggest that you three get to know each other and settle anything else you might need to attend to quickly. Y/N I will have your apartment ready in two days. Is that enough time to get you packed up and ready to move?”

You sat there with your mouth open like a fish trying to digest everything that was being said. This was going too fast and you needed to pump the brakes on whatever this was that was happening. Realizing you needed to answer you opened your mouth to vehemently deny any of his requests and spoke up with a resounding. “Yes Sir.” It came out of your mouth like it was nothing. You immediately slapped your hand over your mouth and thought what on Gods green earth is wrong with me? I have lost my ever loving mind. While you and your inner bitch-demon continued to argue in your mind, the others started making arrangements for you.

You noticed that Kim Hyunjae didn’t seem as though he was fond of you or this situation you had found yourself in. He didn’t out and out say anything rude or with tone but your gut told you he was not happy with this relationship between you, Jimin and Jungkook. You chalked it up to the amount of paperwork this was going to cause him so you tried your best to let him know you would be as much help as you could and you would do your best for the boys and the company. At this point you were giving Jimin and Jungkook your current address and contact information so you could meet tomorrow morning for a “ Get to know you meal”. You excused yourself and prepared to go home when Jungkook caught up to you. “ I know this is a lot Noona and we are all a bit overwhelmed and know absolutely nothing about each other, but please know that I am so blessed to call you my soulmate. You seem very kind and you are beautiful and smart and amazingly funny even when you don’t mean to be.” He smiled at you and your heartstrings tugged in the most peculiar way. You were already becoming attached as you could feel a pull towards the younger man. He took your hand and shook it in a very businesslike manner and said “Till tomorrow malady” and bowed in a funny way causing you to laugh again. Jimin came out and grabbed your other hand and said he was looking forward to breakfast and getting to know more about you as well. You said your goodbyes and turned and left the building hailing a cab to take you home so you could process the events of today. You had not been prepared for the absolute crazy that happened today but deep down you were getting excited at the prospect of having and loving two adorable soulmates.

As Jungkook and Jimin were getting ready to leave Jungkook looked at Jimin and asked “What are you going to tell Somi?” Jimin just looked back at Jungkook with sadness in his eyes and shrugged his shoulders and replied “I have no idea.”

To Be Continued...

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