#you have to understand there are people being mind controlled into doing a jane austen romance in this show

[freytful]

i feel genuinely bad for my cooler mutuals who gotta follow a "wait was good omens 2 Odd on purpose" truther. like genuinely. How did this happen to me.

[atrologynuances]

Astrology observations pt2 || Planets in their detriment

NOTE: the interpretation of these are solely on the planets. harmonious/inharmonious aspects can change the translation of these planets.

these are based on personal observations as well as acquired knowledge from books, websites, and other observation posts.

𓋼𓍊 Aries/Scorpio Venus- may struggle maintaining a harmonious relationship which can lead to them changing their relationships quite often. aries venuses might posses an either fiery or more grounded energy thanks to the cardinal energy. scorpios on the other hand might be emotionally reserved, and only truly love very few people around them if any, the rest they keep around depending on what they can access from them (very manipulative). Given their possible relationship insecurities these two venus signs will seek for someone going at the same pace and someone with the same mindset, which realistically is hard to find. when they do think they’ve found it, they might later find out they were in fact wrong. When they do get in a relationship they might become possessive as a result of possible insecurities.

𓋼𓍊 Taurus/Libra Mars- these natives might need extreme motivation to get things going, like a 9-5 they don’t like, but the security and responsibility of it keeps them on their toes. these mars signs could also lack sense of security in their actions, which could leave them wondering whether they were right or wrong and as a result they might not fight for themselves as hard as they should. it is important for them to have a big support system that reassures and validates their actions when conflicts arise.

𓋼𓍊 Gemini/Virgo Jupiter- these natives have a hard time seeing beyond logic explanation, they could experience something and until they don’t find logic behind it they won’t be satisfied. get fixated on many things but never seems to finish or find a final answer to any of them. is not that they’re unable to finish them, they’re just no longer interested to. closed minded towards otherworldly subjects, or tries very hard to understand it.

𓋼𓍊 Cancer/Leo Saturn- these natives lack discipline but want it. they might vent to you that they do not like their current monetary situation and are looking to make some changes in that aspect of their life, but the next day you see them spending all their money on clothes. they know this is wrong but will still do it. they may be prone to control people and situations because they think they know what’s best for everyone. however, they do not like people telling them what to do lol. they might be prone to burnouts easily and immune system problems.

𓋼𓍊 Sagittarius/Pisces Mercury- struggles to find something that feels “right” for them, when they do find it they mostly have to work harder than everybody else to catch up. problems with communication; either started talking late or have problems expressing themselves as they get older. prone to saying things that don’t make sense upfront which will make them have to explain themselves often. this might create insecurities that will lead them to express themselves less. this is the reason why I think so many great writers have these placements, they can just erase and reword their writing without being judged for it.

- fyodor dostoevsky, jane austen, james joyce, victor hugo, emily dickinson

𓋼𓍊 Capricorn Moon- find it difficult to be vulnerable, this translates to needing or wanting material security to make sure they won’t need anyone. do not like to rely on anyone for emotional/financial support even if they really need it. despite all this, they are very emotional. the difference between them and their sister sign cancer is that they are not expressive with their emotions or act on them. something I have noticed is that they are not as workaholics as people might expect them to be, however when they work, they splurge on the money they make or might be stingy with it, as either one of these actions brings security to them. most of the times they don’t feel loved by either one of their parents even if they’ve both always been present in their lives.

𓋼𓍊 Aquarius Sun- natives are hard to describe for me because I have not met many of them, I feel like most hideaway at home lol. one thing i’ve noticed is that they cry a lot and are unapologetic about it. these people shine bright like their sister sign leo, the difference is they don’t want to so they avoid situations where they have to or when they are put in these situations they have to make sure their presentation is flawless. however in day to day life they do not really care how they’re perceived. they’re the ones that go to school in pijama pants. they also oftentimes seek some form of validation with other people, which is why they change partners often. very physically beautiful, but doesn’t seem to know or act on it.

Thank you so much for reading, I hope y’all have a wonderful day.

guide

[crownmemes]

Jane Austen Sentences

(Sentences from Jane Austen. Adjust phrasing where needed)

"Every day confirms my belief of the inconsistency of all human characters"

"There is nothing I would not do for those who are really my friends."

"Silly things do cease to be silly if they are done by sensible people in an impudent way."

"Laugh as much as you choose, but you will not laugh me out of my opinion."

"It is very difficult for the prosperous to be humble."

"It isn't what we say or think that defines us, but what we do."

"I have loved none but you."

"There is a stubbornness about me that never can bear to be frightened at the will of others."

"I do not want people to be very agreeable, as it saves me the trouble of liking them a great deal."

"There are as many forms of love as there are moments in time."

"I wish, as well as everybody else, to be perfectly happy; but, like everybody else, it must be in my own way"

"I have no notion of loving people by halves; it is not my nature."

"If I loved you less, I might be able to talk about it more."

"A large income is the best recipe for happiness I ever heard of."

"I may have lost my heart, but not my self-control."

"Business, you know, may bring you money, but friendship hardly ever does."

"How quick come the reasons for approving what we like!"

"Marriage is indeed a manoeuvring business."

"Surprises are foolish things. The pleasure is not enhanced, and the inconvenience is often considerable."

"When pain is over, the remembrance of it often becomes a pleasure."

"Life seems but a quick succession of busy nothings."

"I have not the pleasure of understanding you."

"I always deserve the best treatment because I never put up with any other."

"I must learn to be content with being happier than I deserve."

"The distance is nothing when one has a motive."

"The more I see of the world, the more am I dissatisfied with it."

"Nobody minds having what is too good for them."

"Without music, life would be a blank to me."

"It is always incomprehensible to a man that a woman should ever refuse an offer of marriage."

"My feelings will not be repressed."

"Happiness in marriage is entirely a matter of chance."

"My idea of good company is the company of clever, well-informed people, who have a great deal of conversation"

"Angry people are not always wise."

"There are few people whom I really love, and still fewer of whom I think well."

"Those who do not complain are never pitied."

"One half of the world cannot understand the pleasures of the other."

"You hear nothing but truth from me."

"The more I know of the world, the more I am convinced that I shall never see a man whom I can really love."

"One cannot have too large a party."

"There is no charm equal to tenderness of heart."

[absolutewodka]

I wanted to say something out loud (not doing it, as I'm obviously writing)

I absolutely disagree with the people's interpretation of Aziraphale's character as a naive one (he sure is in his own way), especially during the scene where he responds to Crowley's crushing "you can't leave this bookshop" by his own terrible "nothing lasts forever"

I do think Aziraphale clearly understood the "You can't leave this bookshop" as "You can't leave me" (This guy has been reading all Jane Austen's books, please) and I absolutely think his response was exactly how he wanted to respond to that. He can leave him, and he will a moment later actually.

He says it because nothing does last forever, as he spectated this particular humanity truth for 6000 years. And I think at this one moment, he thinks he might be one of the people who can actually make it last a little bit longer. (Which is an absurd idea of course)

I really like to think about this line as an imagery of one of Aziraphale's huge ego-trip. He, with arrogance blended in love and tenderness and sadness, also 'forgives' Crowley as he can't love him before making a difference upstairs. And Crowley, in Aziraphale's mind, surely doesn't understand all of this better than himself, or else he would have accepted Metatron's proposition.

And he makes the assumption that 'making a difference' might be more important than everything, as he naively (as I said, he is naive in his own way) truly thinks he could make a difference in Heaven, Metatron did choose him after all ? (I'm also quite sure he does fully realize how ironic that might be in context of season 1)

That of course doesn't change the fact he loves Crowley deeply, more than everything even if he doesn't realize it at the moment. Or maybe he does, because he asked again and again that Crowley joins him in heaven, almost crying that he needs him despite knowing that of course Crowley can't, won't, never will join him upstairs.

My point being : I truly think Aziraphale knew exactly what every word meant as he let them all out of his mouth carefully or not. Maybe he regretted them, maybe not. I also think he refused to kiss Crowley back (he kinda did kiss him back tho, in his own way, as everything he does) for a million reasons and none of them were particularly naive, or even pure or whatever.

In conclusion, in my own interpretation of season 2, it's all about Aziraphale not being naive, being in control, making choices, lying. We're past the cute angel can't-take-his-own-decisons phase. Doesn't mean he's mean or cruel.

Means he never made such a human decision in 6000 years before the day he chose to do something else than truly love something, someone. Even if he thinks he had made the decision to do so.

quick edit : I wanted to add something : I'm absolutely in love with Aziraphale's character in S2, the joyful cute angel he remains the whole 6 episodes, and my point (Aziraphale being in control of his complicated negative responses to Crowley) is extremely specific to the lines I talked about in the post, extremely specific to those scenes in particular and absolutely isn't about the whole season (except the part I'm talking about S2 Azirpahale's character evolution about lying, having his own opinions etc) and all of it that I said is my own point of view, my personal opinion and could be very wrong of course <3 and ofc I think Metatron is the bad guy and probably threatened Azirpahale on way or another. My point remains valid imo

[amatres]

OC Mannerism

thank you @the-raging-tempest for the template! it's hard for me to visualize these sort of things but i hope the general vibe gets across at least!

BASICS :

NO. OF SPOKEN LANGUAGES >> Taldane, Skald, academic Draconic, basic Varisian, rudimentary Kelish

TONE OF VOICE >> Melodic is the best way to describe it. Her voice almost sounds as if she is always somewhat singing. I'd put her around on a higher end of average, with a very soothing cadence. A Mezzo-Soprano.

ACCENT >> Though subtle due to how much moving around she's done as a child and later on in life after running away, Layla has a brevic accent. The irl equivalent for her would be a balkan accent, thank you Taylor for the inspiration😌. Those who aren't from Brevoy wouldn't likely be able to pinpoint where it's from, but those who are would if they were perceptive.

DEMEANOR > Approachable! Very approachable, friendly, and confident. Her confidence is not in a way of being prideful, but of being comfortable in her own skin.

POSTURE >> From the template Cas made that I'm still filling out: Layla carries herself with an easy elegance and the proper poise of one who spent many years among the nobility. Some who watch her say her movement has an almost unnatural grace and assume it’s due to her moroi heritage.

HABITS :

-Layla is always moving in public in some way, swaying back and forth, playing with her hair or clothes. Her favorite is her amulet, and when she becomes more introspective she holds onto it to center herself. She's not incapable of standing still, she just prefers not to.

-Despite, or perhaps because of, her bad vision she is constantly watching her surroundings and looking over her shoulder at the slightest noise. She does her best to disguise this as part of her constant movement, instead of the surveillance it is.

-She is almost always humming to herself, to the point she frequently doesn't realize it.

COMPLEXITY :

VOCABULARY >> ⚫️⚫️⚫️⚫️⚫️ Only held back by own limited vocabulary, as Layla is very well read. Depending on who she is talking to, she can range from speaking casually to speaking as if she is for an Jane Austen novel. It is notable however that the more poetic she is in a conversation, the more likely it is she doesn't like someone. Of course she could just also excited and is getting carried away.

EMOTION >> ⚫️⚫️⚫️⚫️⚪️ Layla wears her feelings on her sleeve with no shame. Whether it joy or grief, you will likely know what she is feeling. Over the years she has tried to catch herself, and with help of people she trust she can at least be brought down from where her emotions take her.

SENTENCE STRUCTURE >> ⚫️⚫️⚫️⚫️⚪ Once again held back by my own limits. Again she is very well read, and had a very proper noblewoman's education, so it bleeds into how she talks.

PROFANITY: She doesn't cuss much, not because it makes her uncomfortable, but because she just doesn't feel like it. Her cussing can be surprising to those who don't expect it.

FREQUENCY >> ⚫️⚪️⚪️⚪️⚪️

CREATIVITY (in regards to profanity) >> ⚫️⚪️⚪️⚪️⚪️ BOLD THAT APPLY

arse / ass / asshole / bastard / bitch / bloody / bugger / bollocks / chicken shit / crap / cunt / dick / frick / fuck / horseshit / motherfucker / piss / prick / pussy / screw / shit / shitass / son of a bitch / twat / wanker

THIS OR THAT:

straightforward or cryptic?

finding the right word or using the first word that comes to mind?

masculinity, neutrality, or femininity?

formalities or with abrasiveness?

praise or equivocation? (both, depends on the situation)

frankness or flattery (she does both, depends on the situation)

excessive or minimal hand gestures (idk if excessive is the right word, but she isn't 🧍‍♀️ the whole time either so lol)

name-calling or magnanimity? (this very much depends on who she's talking to and if she has control of her emotions at the moment)

friendly or blunt

IMPORTANT QUESTIONS

DO PEOPLE HAVE A HARD TIME HEARING OR UNDERSTANDING YOUR CHARACTER? Never, she is able to adjust very easily to the needs of who she's talking to. If they can't hear her, it's because of something out of her control or because she didn't want to be heard.

DOES YOUR CHARACTER’S POINT COME ACROSS EASILY WHEN THEY SPEAK? Depends on if she wants it to! But she is in general very articulate, so she has no difficulty sharing her point of view when she wants.

WOULD YOUR CHARACTER INITIATE CONVERSATIONS? Yes! She is the type of person to find someone who is in the corner and talk to them to put them at ease at a party, and try to get them to enjoy their time. She enjoys talking to as many people as she can because she enjoys hearing other people's perceptions.

WOULD YOUR CHARACTER BE THE ONE TO END CONVERSATIONS? Rarely. She will keep a conversation going as long as the other person is comfortable with it! It's only in conversations where she is angered does she cut it short, either to leave, or kill them lol.

WOULD YOUR CHARACTER USE ‘WHOM’ IN A SENTENCE?

Yes, both ironically and not lmao. noble ass but also mischievous ass.

YOUR CHARACTER WANTS TO MAKE A COUNTERPOINT. WHAT WORD DO THEY USE?

but / though / although / however / perhaps / maybe

all of them lmao, it depends on the context.

HOW DOES YOUR CHARACTER END CONVERSATIONS?

If the conversation is ended by her and it's not on a bad foot, she will smile and usually give a thanks for talking to her, say it was nice talking to them, and give a goodbye, though not necessarily all of them at once. If she's close to them she might hug them, or perhaps even kiss them on the cheek. It usually won't be in a formal manner, and she'd try not to overstay her welcome.

WHAT SOCIAL CLASS WOULD OTHERS ASSUME YOUR CHARACTER BELONGS TO, HEARING THEM SPEAK?

Just on voice? Probably they would assume she's from upper middle class, and probably assume she was raised by a wealthy merchant or something similar, or more accurately as a noblewoman. She can change it to better suit who she's talking to, so if she wants to come across a certain way, she likely can and will.

IN WHAT WAYS DOES THE WAY YOUR CHARACTER SPEAK STAND OUT TO OTHERS?

She can put most people who listen to her to ease, whether they notice it or not. She speaks clearly, and is genuinely polite but not to the point of sounding archaic. Most conversations with her leave her conversation partner in a better mood than they entered it with.

Anything that wasn’t touched on? -Despite me pointing out her habit of humming, she is heard laughing even more often. I think she'd have a very cute laugh, one that bubbles up and is infectious.

-Layla is an arabic name meaning 'night' or 'dark', given to her by her mother shortly before her mother's passing. Many believe, including Layla, it to be a purposely on the nose name for her child who was born in the middle of the night as a dhampir. It's pronounced 'lay-luh' as one would expect.

-If she feels threatened, Layla will be more likely to try and manipulate the person into not seeing her as a threat, before ultimately running away when they aren't paying attention. Ie. the fact that she'll mirror who's talking to.

[tonydaddingham]

am i missing something in kinda comparing the entire maggie and nina situation to paris? 'cause there was no need to get them to fall in love. a&c might not be able to make people actually feel it, but they seem to have mind control down pat without much effort (or any moral quandaries). they could have waited for an angel to show up and just faked it- easy, certain way out. it's not like the idea of working together like that is even weird, not after the gabriel miracle.

so. either they missed it, which is plausible, and uhhh, renders this whole ask pointless, or *would* have moral issues with it (also plausible💀), or they're being completely ridiculous again, and would rather plan balls than actually make an effort to get themselves out of Mortal Fucking Peril (not that aziraphale necessarily knows it is). i think it would fit the pattern, honestly- when not having huge blowouts over *problems of their own making* (hey aziraphale kill this kid it'll be fine, aziraphale why won't you ditch earth with me, crowley why won't you come to heaven with me), the ineffables always seem to be constantly, aggressively orbiting eachother, making heart eyes and goofing off (cough end of the resurrectionists "not kind" cough) with 0 regard for safety except for the (very very sadly i can't find the -ennial word for every other century) occasional heart attack, and then just skipping right back down the aisle.

(hope this is coherent, i've been editing things a little too long to tell)

hello @aq-uatic my darling!!!💕

(bby im so sorry!!! i thought i had posted this ages ago and i went rooting around in the drafts to continue something else and realised i hadn't!!! im an idiot sorry!!!)

i think there is some context behind aziraphale's actions in particular with this scene:

we know that aziraphale has a fondness for maggie, that i'd argue goes slightly beyond the fondness he has for humans in general (and even then that's questionable at times), and he seems genuinely put out that he's not in a position to help her - to wiggle his fingers about, and make it happen for her (horrifying implications, aziraphale, but we move). so, whilst aziraphale obviously is prompted into the whole 'lets-make-these-two-humans-fall-in-love-bc-that's-totally-normal-and-okay' by holding the everyday record back in the bookshop, i think there is an element of aziraphale genuinely wanting to help her, and coming up with the ball is his interpretation of an organic way to do that (💀). but it doesn't justify the whole thing one little bit; despite the possibility of that being his intention, it's completely batshit - nina certainly didnt know, let alone consent, to anything, and maggie didn't either; they're not dolls for either of them to play around with.

essentially though, i agree - any logical, coherent, sensible thinking would have probably just helped them arrive at a solution that didn't involve warping reality and bringing a whole room of people under a horrifying amount of hypnosis. but you have two supernatural creatures who, in a fairly major way by the time of 2023 at least, have their sense of existing amongst humanity influenced by not only the clandestine, dramatic nature of their own story, but by their tendencies towards damsel-but-not-wholly-in-distress-ing and anti-hero-at-best-ing respectively. we have to barely scratch the surface to see the intertextuality between these traits of theirs, and where they might stem from stories told in certain books and movies (emma by jane austen, and james bond spring to mind).

they constantly talk in riddles to each other, in code and in double meanings - they may somewhat understand the general sense of what the other is saying, but it's not categorical and leaves too much room for error or misinterpretation (which, ultimately, it does). it's a constant dance circling each other, ebbing and flowing, pulling in and drawing back, but never coming together properly; it's a quadrille vs. a waltz.

it makes sense that they are so used to finding the most roundabout and convoluted ways to do things, and this continues into s2, because not only is it how it tends to go down in fiction, but also because that's literally how they've had to exist - not only so their closeness isn't detected, or so their true natures aren't suspected by their respective head offices, but also by nature of being literal supernatural creatures living amongst humans - sleeper agents, of a kind - and constantly having to exist without detection.

none of this makes it right, of course not - but i actually don't think they see any other way of going about things. they're so good at it, so well practiced, that (as just two examples) they run verbal rings around gabriel/metatron (book) and beelzebub chattering about the great vs. ineffable plans at the airfield, and they dance around the most straightforward solution to the maggie/nina problem. as for themselves and their relationship, they dont speak plainly to each other until the bandstand or final fifteen... and even then, i feel like its aziraphale that is maybe the first to break and speak plainly? idk:

i think it's clear that crowley is the more scared, and therefore the more cautious, in this regard. for all his objections attempting to distance himself as an angel compared to crowley's being a demon, aziraphale feels to me that he is the more inclined to throw caution to the wind. i think its because crowley understands the danger in blowing their cover a little more than aziraphale does - aziraphale on multiple occasions slips in nearly admitting their closeness (1800, end of 1827 as you pointed out, and when meeting with the archangels in heaven in s1) - and is still stuck in the safety that dancing around what should be plainly said affords them. they both - as you wonderfully put it - aggressively orbit each other, and breaking the holding pattern comes a little too late.

so no, i think your drawing the parallel between the Weird-Ass dynamic in 1793, how they handle the maggie/nina storyline, and then how they behave with each other, is very apt! but its, at this time, arguably all that they've known - acting in this way - and breaking the cycle is starting to happen, but won't pay its dividends until s3✨

[funkymbtifiction]

Hi! I wanted to ask if it is common for enneagram 2s to get into fights because of their unwanted help? I find myself getting repeatedly frustrated at 2s in my life who feel the need to "help me improve" even after I ask them to stop. Are 2s unable to express their negative opinions without trying to offer solutions, so they seem nice? I am not hating on them! Just trying my best to understand. Thank you!

This post is deserving of an Emma Woodhouse moment, since she's one of my favorite 2s. I love it that she is "unlikable" but likable. Jane Austen is mocking 2s and their "interfering nature" while allowing us to care about this particular 2, who also has to learn humility.

This brings up an interesting point, because I have been noticing the mass tendency people have to offer unsolicited advice and now I am wondering -- are they all 2 cores and 2 fixers? Is offering unsolicited advice something Americans (since I am most familiar with them) do more than other nations, as a culture, because by in large we are so "opinionated"? If the former, it's because 2s see others struggling, or venting, and they think "this is mine to fix" because of the super-ego telling them that everything needs fixed, that current problems need resolved, and someone (me) ought to do it because nobody else will! The dependent/super-ego stance all assume "this is mine to do/think about/problem-solve."

I have both been on the receiving and the giving end of this, because I know 2s and I have a 2 fix. It can be annoying how quick they are to "try and help," but then I remind myself, they are just trying to seem important within the relationship and "relevant." And it's fine to give them that space. I used to get defensive, now I just say, "Yeah, that's a good idea, I'll think about that!" (and do what I want anyway). You can't control what others do, just how you react to them -- so remind yourself, "they want to feel useful." You can get a long way with 2s by thanking them for their input (even if you don't intend to do it). ;)

In your particular case, it's because the 2s in your life have not figured out how to establish boundaries between themselves and others. In other words, when someone says "stop," they need to learn how to stop, out of respect for the other person's autonomy. From a 2 perspective, this can be frustrating and hard, because they genuinely want to help you and see what they could do to accomplish that. It is hard for them to sit on their hands, especially when someone complains about something and they see how they could fix it! Going to them about your problems, in their mind, is asking for help.

Example -- "my friend has such a disorganized kitchen and often complains that she cannot find anything, but she won't let me come over to her house and help her organize it!"

Now, the 2 has two options:

1) keep asking her and offering to help (which might annoy her friend) because this is a need that needs filled,

2) Tell themselves to love their disorganized friend as they are, that this isn't their business, and respect them by taking no for an answer.

It's also useful to think about this from their point of view. Their identity is wrapped up in being "useful." As in, if I don't help, I don't exist. Imagine going around feeling like you are nobody, unless you have something to 'offer' someone else. Advice, comfort, support, love, affection, service. Imagine wanting someone to care about you and the only way you can think of to get their attention is to... help, by 'bringing something to the table.'

That's a bit sad, isn't it?

It's sad in the way that all the image types are sad -- the 2 can't just be loved for who they are, they think they must earn it; the 3 can't just be loved for who they are, they think they must impress you to get it; the 4 can't just be loved for who they are, they think they have to show you how much they are different. All the heart types "HURT" for love, and adopt different strategies to get it. 4s push you away prematurely, and deny themselves love; 3s work hard to impress you, and 2s... offer unsolicited advice, so that they feel "useful."

You asked about 2s and negativity. It is true, 2s hate to be negative, toward themselves or others. They think they SHOULD BE positive (the super-ego inner voice again, dictating how a "good person does XYZ") and upbeat. So they re-imagine criticism into being "helpful." This is also where their core sin of pride comes in, because "people NEED me." They NEED ME to tell them what to do, or help them improve, or talk to that person for them, or drive them to school. I am needed. I am important to them. What would they do without me?

As a note to the 2s and 2 fixers out there -- start asking questions instead of offering solutions. Like, "Oh wow, how do you feel about that?" or "What do you think you're going to do?" or even "Do you want me to help you come up with a solution?" There are ways to help people that don't include advice -- such as listening and being empathetic and showing them that you are Present with them. :)

[scaip]

When villainesses take the lead

We are the generation that grew up watching shows such as Digimon, Inuyasha and The Vision of Escaflowne. There is something attractive about works that involve journeys to other worlds with fantastical settings and exciting adventures. Let’s say, you have your normal fantastical plot: a common person falls into another world. There, they may develop or discover the possession of magical powers, live lots of magical occurrences and even may end up finding love! Magic Knight Rayearth, SAO and Zero no Tsukaima come to my mind, among others.

What’s so interesting about this type of fictional works? We receive the chance to explore themes of our interest, fulfil personal fantasies and escape from our common lives (the real world is already complicated on its own). This article shows how Escapism has its value.

There is a very interesting paradigm going on on Asiatic media concerning travels to other worlds. In fact, according to TV Tropes, this type of fictional work is called Isekai in Japanese media and it’s treated as a genre of its own. And yet, nowadays I find a very interesting twist in this type of media, a twist that makes things very entertaining.

The names of the works I’m talking about sound cliché and melodramatic: ‘My Next Live as a Villainess’, ‘Death is the Only Ending for the Villainess’, ‘The Villainess Lives Twice’, ‘The Villainess reverses the hourglass’. Others are more indirect, such as ‘The Abandoned Empress’ and ‘Your Throne’. Most are told from the point of view of females who have a traditional antagonist role.

I’ve always enjoyed ironic consumption, and these titles worked as magnets to me. What I ended up finding was a refreshing surprise: common women who fell into fantastical worlds made from the plots of novels and games they consumed in their free time, or more traditional ‘villainesses’ who travelled back in time to fix what was wrong in their first lives. In the first case, we would see normal girls who found themselves inside the bodies of ‘villainous’ characters and desperately trying to avoid their bad endings by the use of their knowledge of the plots while commenting on clichés and traditional tropes. In the second case, we see female characters who more or less identify with their ‘villainous’ role and try to change their bad outcomes while learning about themselves and what drove them to make their bad choices.

What do these types of works have in common? They are genre deconstructions. According to TV Tropes, deconstructions happen when a fictional work takes its elements apart and shows how certain elements would work in real life, by contrasting them to ‘real situations’ or parodying them. Sarcastic main characters help, too.

There is a very interesting trend among Asian Media (mainly works made by Korean authors, but there are Japanese too) concerning the deconstruction of traditional stories directed to the female public.

Why is this expression of the isekai genre so interesting?

First, because most stories deal with settings of historical fantasy, where we can indulge ourselves with beautiful Period dresses, gorgeous mansions and attractive love interests. One can’t help but remember the works of Jane Austen or the Brontë Sisters.

Second, because the twists of these works feel refreshing. We consider other points of view. We see why villains become what they become. We get to learn new plot points. Deconstructions give an interesting dose of realism and pragmatism to stories. They are refreshing because they give new angles to an old genre and we can identify with the situations.

But let’s not forget: the focus of this essay is villainesses. We get to see the story from the point of view of female characters who don’t portray themselves as good people and some even feel content with their roles.

Raised in a world where women receive lots of double standards, being pressured from young ages to be proper and good and yet receiving worse punishments than guys for doing the same things like them as a result of unrealistic expectations, along with some unhealthy extremes of social justice culture, where we are oddly pressured to change ourselves and learn from our mistakes yet we are not allowed to fully grow from them, it isn’t hard to identify with villainesses. After all, it is unavoidable to find ourselves as the villains of someone else’s life events. We are not perfect people and we fuck up sometimes. Especially when we are young.

So, why are villainesses so interesting? Because they fuck up, too. These characters don’t try to be saintly good girls and they acknowledge their situations. There is an interesting dose of cynicism underlying these works, in some, it’s more open than in others, such as ‘Your Throne’. Some female leads are noble demons who try to not drag third parties into their schemes, like Medea Belial in the work I previously mentioned. Others define themselves as villainess yet behave as anti-heroines are their worst, such as Aria Roscente in ‘The Villaines Reverses the Hourglass’. And others are heroes who still place themselves in the roles of villains, like Catarina Claes in ‘My Next Life as a Villainess!’’.

What do these three have in common? The leads also have internalized in themselves some moral standards about good and evil.

I don’t think it is surprising to find these types of works during the current fourth wave of Feminism we are living in. Terms such as internalized misogyny, double standards and deconstruction are concepts I learned these past years thanks to social media. So, why do I believe these types of Isekai novels that focus on villainesses are so relevant? Because we see other females’ points of view, we understand their positions and sometimes get to see that the true villains are other characters. Most of the villainesses of these works are, in fact, women with terrible social reputations who behave as anti-heroines at their worst.

There is a reason why the social settings of these stories are during past times. The authors of these works are deconstructing tropes from both old and new media. They are giving voices to Other Characters and show them in a realistic light, they write about flawed women who try to survive in a world full of unrealistic expectations, and that is true for both past and actual times.

It isn't hard for me to recall works such as Northanger Abbey or Jane Eyre. There are reasons why Period novels are still relevant these days, but that it’s not the topic I want to address in this essay. Here is this interesting article that analyses the success of Jane Austen works, while this note from the Guardian does the same for the Brontë sisters. Of course, experts and critics would get annoyed at me for putting Jane Austen and the Brontë Sisters on the same page, but please, bear with me: I’m talking about fictional works that deal with abuse, machismo, dysfunctional families and difficult childhoods, subjects still relevant to today. So, what’s so interesting about recalling these themes? It’s the way some Asian authors knew how to retake these stories, added some fantastical elements and still deconstructed others, providing us with a refreshing result.

Most of the isekai works I mentioned above are told from the point of view of young girls who are isolated for their social positions, because they come from other worlds and know that their ‘new bodies’ are doomed to die and more.

Imagine being reincarnated as the pretty daughter of a noble family and yet... you find yourself hated and isolated from others, in a situation you cannot control. And you can be murdered in cold blood if you don’t make the right choices. These works make it very clear some situations are ugly and dangerous. They are not painted in a romantic light. And the main characters acknowledge it.

Naturally, there are aspects we could criticize of these works. For example, the main leads usually are white thin ladies in gorgeous period dresses, who despite their issues still benefit from privileged backgrounds. And few of these works address LGTBQ+ representation, as most of the endgames are attractive male leads.

But then, this is not about pitting people against each other. It’s about acknowledging a new paradigm in story-telling, one that subverts and parodies plots.

Change is brought over by small steps. And I think we are going on a good path.

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Update (July 22nd): I see this post is reaching some people. If you feel like it, what about buying me a coffee?

[darthkruge]

hey could you do a jess mariano x reader where the reader has dyslexia but loves to read. someone at school makes a comment about her being dumb and she gets insecure but jess is super reassuring to the reader about how intelligent she is. also they can either be already dating or have mutual crushes. whatever you think fits better. <3

Jess Mariano x Dyslexic!Reader ~ All of You

Summary: Someone at school insults the dyslexic reader and their boyfriend, Jess, provides reassurance. 

Warnings: Bullying, language, insecurities, I think that’s it? 

Words: 2.1k

A/N: Hey!! I’m so, so sorry this took me so long to get to! I hope you don’t mind, I didn’t mean to keep you in the ask box void. I really enjoyed writing this, so thank you for requesting! I decided to make them already be dating because that’s where my brain went hehe. I hope you like it :)

You walked to school hand-in-hand with your boyfriend, as always. Even though it took him about 15-20 minutes out of the way, Jess never missed walking with you. He hated the thought of you starting your day by yourself and never wanted you to feel forgotten about or lonely. Thus, the tradition began and it has stayed the way you start your day, everyday, for the last few months that you’ve been dating. 

Jess pulled you behind the science building, pressing his lips to yours. Your hands instinctively wove into his hair and his arms wound around your waist, pulling your bodies together. He smiled into the kiss before pulling away from your lips and gently moving his kisses down the side of your neck. You hummed in content before moving to meet his face again, once again pressing your lips to his. 

These stolen moments were what you lived for. You’d never felt too confident in yourself, at least as far as relationships went, and you weren’t used to this kind of affection. Even so, you loved every moment of it. Everything with Jess felt so natural. No matter what, you came first to him and he never failed to show it. 

You both pulled away and he softly kissed your forehead.

“See you after second period?”

“Of course” 

“Okay, love. Text me if you need me. Or if you’re bored. Or if you miss me”

“Oh, yes! That Jess Mariano charm. I’m not sure how I’ll endure two classes without it!”

“I’m sure it’ll prove quite e difficult,” Jess said, laughing. The bell rang and he gave you one last smile before you parted. 

You walked into your English class with a smile on your face, giddy after the experience with him. He made you feel alive. It was the kind of feeling you didn’t know you needed, but once you felt it you couldn’t imagine losing it. 

You sat down in your seat, waiting for the teacher to start class. 

“Okay, everyone. Today we’re just going to be doing some silent reading for the first half of class and then I’ll put you in small groups to work on a new project”

Fuck. Group projects were the fucking worst. Unless you got one of your friends, people were normally assholes and impossible to work with. 

Even though you were upset with the new development, you were excited to have time to read. You pulled out your copy of The Great Gatsby that Jess had lent you and picked up where you last left off. Because you read so much and generally did well or at least half-decent in school, people never assumed you had dyslexia. Lots of people had this false narrative that if you have dyslexia, you must hate reading. It was something you were used to, the stupid comments and assumptions. You tried to not let it get to you but you sometimes felt frustrated. You’d run into loads of ignorant people in your life and while you weren’t ashamed to have dyslexia, you hated having to explain it to every new teacher, every new friend in your life. You never knew how’d they’d react.

Even so, reading was one of your greatest joys in life. Losing yourself in the work, in the story, it was enthralling. You loved to find characters that you connected with. Their emotions were palpable and made you feel validated and less alone. Reading was one of the main things that brought you and Jess together. He knew you had dyslexia and, thankfully, never treated you like you were any less. You were afraid he would break up with you once you told him, but, of course, he didn’t. You were still you, and that’s all he cared about. 

He loved trading books with you and hearing your thoughts on them. In doing so, he felt the two of you were brought closer together. Discussing literature was an almost intimate experience in your relationship. Learning which characters and themes resonated with a person was truly illuminating about their personality and mind. Right now, as you read Gatsby, Jess was reading Pride and Prejudice. You loved Jane Austen, as did Jess, and you completely enjoyed discussing her work. 

After a few moments lost in thought, your teacher’s voice pulled you back to the present. “Alright! Okay so for the group project you will be analyzing the short story “The Lottery” by Shirley Jackson. Please read it together today and discuss what you think the most pertinent theme is. I’ve already assigned the groups and I’ll display them on the board right now.”

Your teacher stepped back and turned on the projector so you could see the groups. Scanning for your name, you internally groaned when you saw who you were with. Sarah, Justin, and Alex. They were all close and their friend group didn’t exactly have the best reputation. You grabbed your bag, walked over to them, and sat down.

“So, y’all just wanna read it? Then just talk about it, I guess. We’re looking for themes, right?” Sarah asked.

Everyone nodded, opening up the copies of the short story placed on your desks. You jumped in and immediately felt yourself pulled into the writing. After a few minutes, your eyes glued to the story, you heard the rest of your group closing their packets. 

“Alright, everyone done?” Justin asked.

“Yeah, you?” Alex said

Sarah nodded in agreement.

You, on the other hand, felt your cheeks flush. You were only about 70% through the story. “Sorry, I just need a bit more time, is that okay?”

“Ugh, fine, whatever. Just hurry up,” Sarah groaned. 

Your face burning, you went back to the reading. It wasn’t like you weren’t trying, you were! They just wouldn’t understand it. You couldn’t count the amount of times people had told you to just “focus more”. It made your blood boil, honestly. It was so dismissive and you couldn't believe people still thought that way. You always focused and it wasn’t your fault, and, yet, morons like these three persisted. After a few more minutes, you heard Alex again.

“Come on! You can’t possibly still be reading?”

“I’m sorry, just-” You sighed, running your hands through your hair. “Please, just a few more minutes?”

“God, you’re so fucking stupid. No wonder no one wants to work with you. All you do is hold people up, you’re a goddamn idiot” Alex said.

Your eyes burned and unshed tears started to push their way up but you fought them down. You wouldn’t let yourself cry in front of them. They didn’t deserve to see how they’d affected you. 

Finally, the bell went off and you were able to leave. Your group glared at you and you realized you  hadn’t discussed the themes. 

“It’s, um, the story’s about the juxtaposition of peace and violence. Even though the people are in a calm, controlled setting, they resort to violence every year. It’s an outdated tradition they keep up and, thus, it highlights the difference between their actions and how they want to be perceived.” You said quickly, voice wavering. 

Your group scoffed before walking off. That didn’t bother you too much. You knew your analysis was accurate and probably far better than anything they could have come up with, even if they’d spent the last 15 minutes of class discussing it. Despite this, you still felt deflated. The shit they’d said, the way they’d treated you? You couldn’t deny it, it got to you. 

You walked over to your locker and put your stuff away. After that, you decided you were just going to go home. You could call the school later and say you were feeling sick or something. Honestly, you couldn’t bring yourself to care. You were just so drained, you needed to get away from this place and the people in it.

However, you didn’t want Jess to worry. You sent him a quick text saying you weren’t feeling well and put on your headphones before walking out of the school.

What you didn’t expect was Jess to come flying out of nowhere, appearing by your side as if you’d summoned him.

“Jess! What are you doing? Don’t you have class!”

He shrugged. “You weren’t feeling well. Did you honestly expect I’d leave you by yourself? And, seriously, Y/N, you know I hate this place. You’re the only thing that makes it bearable so if you  wouldn’t be here, why should I?”

You nodded and kept walking forward. Jess looked at you quizzically, trying to decode your dejected state. He kept quiet, knowing not to push you to talk. He trusted you’d come to him when you were ready. Therefore, he simply followed you until you made it off campus, where you turned into a random alley and suddenly stopped walking.

Jess caught himself, almost running right into you. You suddenly turned around, dropped your bag, and bolted right into his chest. He was caught off guard but instinctively brought his arms around you, trying to comfort you. He noticed you were crying, your broken sobs getting muffled in his shirt. He soothingly rubbed his arms up and down your back, desperately trying to give you solace. After you finally quieted down, Jess gently and slowly pulled you back.

His hands gripped your shoulders as he studied your face, your sad gaze meeting his. “What happened?”

“Stupid English, that’s all”

“Come on, Y/N, don’t shut me out. What happened?” He said, his tone kind.

“I-” You trailed off, trying to keep your composure. “Some kids just said some shit. I was just reading slower than them and they said some shit. It’s not a big deal, I just- it got to me, okay?”

“Who?” Jess said, firmly this time.

“Jess-”

“Who, Y/N?”

“Alex, Justin, and Sarah.” 

Jess groaned, rubbing the heels of his hands over his eyes. “Fuck them, Y/N. They’re fucking ridiculous and they don’t know anything about you”

“I know, I know. That’s why I’m so goddamn frustrated! Because, like, it did get to me. Jess- Jess, they’re right. I felt like an idiot today, I felt stupid. And I hate feeling that way!” Hot tears smarmed in your eyes, the frustration and anger bringing them out. 

Jess’s gaze softened. As livid as he felt toward the three of them, he knew that’s not what you needed right now. 

“Hey, hey, hey. Love, take a breath. I’ve got you, okay?” 

You nodded, your breathing shaky from the stress of the day. 

“I’m sorry that happened today. Listen to me, Y/N. You’re so smart. You’re smarter than I am, hell, you’re smarter than anyone at that school! They’ve got nothing on you!”

You looked at him and smiled at his words but shook your head. “You don’t need to do that, Jess”

“Yes, I do. We promised we’d be honest in our relationship, right? Well, that’s all I’m doing. Seriously, Y/N, who else at that school could debate the themes in literature with me like you? Who could discuss the importance of accurate representation in books with me? Who could talk to me about just how influential YA books are and why they should be taken seriously-?”

“They are and they should!” You cut in.

Jess laughs, nodding in agreement. “Exactly!! You’re amazing, Y/N. And I swear those fuckheads are gonna get what’s coming to them”

“Jess-” You warn.

“Okay, okay!” He laughed, holding his hands up in mock surrender. “They just- they messed with you and made you upset and I fucking hate that”

“I hated it too. I hate doubting myself because of my dyslexia. I feel so shit about myself when I get in that headspace and I start spiraling and it gets out of control so fast.” 

“I know. It’s not your fault when those spirals happen. And I know you know this, but I’m just gonna remind you: you’re not any less because you’re dyslexic. It doesn’t make you stupid or anything. It’s a part of you and I love you, all of you”

Your heart swelled at his words. Everyone thought Jess wasn’t good expressing his emotions but you knew the truth. He was quite eloquent when he wanted to be, he just sometimes had trouble with vulnerability. You didn’t blame him for it, with his past it made perfect sense. But when you needed that reassurement, that compassion, you could always count on him for it. 

He moved to place a kiss on your forehead before slinging his arm around your shoulder. “Let’s go home, okay?”

“Okay” You smiled up at him and kissed him once more before tucking your head into his shoulder. He pulled you closer and you grabbed his free hand with yours as you continued to walk through the Stars Hollow streets together.

[imaginepirates]

James going out with some of his men would include...

For the anon who wanted a story about Gillette and Groves dragging James out for a night of fun: I’m all too happy to deliver. (We’re going to assume that he’s a captain, at this point, given everything that happened just after his promotion wouldn’t leave time for much).

@emdrabbles​ @tesserphantom​ @paljonkaikenlaista​ @viper-official​ @wordsinwinters​ @groovyfluxie​ @hellspawn-brownies​

James isn’t even remotely aware that any one of his men would have the idea of asking him to do something with them. He feels socially isolated from them, which is how he figures it should be. He’s their commanding officer; they should be able to look up to him, and he fears that being too close to them will make him lose their respect.

Still, Groves gets up the nerve to ask James to go out with them one day. James, of course, is caught completely off guard. He never expected his men to try and include him in anything, given his station, and given the fact that he hasn’t been particularly friendly with any of them.

James hates the idea. He hates the idea of losing any sort of control over himself, even if in the company of “friends”. He’s afraid to make himself look like a fool in any capacity, and that his presence will make things awkward for the usual company. He knows that he’s stiff, that he doesn’t relax well around others. He figures his presence will dampen the mood.

He tries to politely decline, but Groves is insistent that he comes along. Groves figures that James could use a drink, and that the paperwork isn’t going anywhere. He says as much, too, which James can’t entirely deny, because with his position, he could use a lot of drinks, and he doesn’t particularly want to do tedious paperwork all evening.

“Pardon me for saying, Captain, but I think it would be good to spend some time with your men.”

What Groves means, of course, is that James needs to loosen up before he completely exhausts himself. And that James could use a friend or two.

James figures, at this point, that it might be rude not to accept, so he agrees to come along, if not entirely willingly.

Groves is screaming internally with victory, and he drags James out of his office to tell the others. They’re game for it, of course, having talked the idea over for ages. They’re all trying to hide smiles, and James is trying to hide the growing mortification he feels.  He knows he doesn’t fit in with them, and it shows.

They manage to make it to a tavern without incident, chatting along the way. Groves makes sure that they keep James close, but that they don’t directly engage him unless he wants to talk. James appreciates that he doesn’t seem to be interrupting anything, and for once, he’s not the center of attention. It comes as a relief.

Being at the tavern is a whole different story. Once they arrive, a thousand worries cross his mind. He wouldn’t know anyone, of course, but what if he did, and what if they told anyone, and…… The man has anxiety. He’s afraid that someone will catch him at this, like it’s a crime to be at a tavern.

Groves simply puts a hand on his shoulder as he notices James paling. James still feels awkward entering the tavern. He knows that people will recognize him, of course. He’s a fairly well-known man, and being somewhat in the public eye, he knows that there will be those who are surprised to see him.

The bartender greets the group, being the regulars they are. They probably eye James, but they wouldn’t say anything.

Each man in the group has their roles. Gillette, of course, is the one who regails everyone else with impossible feats and bawdy tales. Groves calls Gillette on his shit, and is, shockingly, the responsible one in the group. Unshockingly, Gillette is the one who drinks the most, though he somehow manages to never make a complete fool of himself, other than by flirting with servers.

James sits there, sipping at an ale, listening to the others, mildly amused by their antics. He starts to relax as he realizes that nothing is expected of him. He doesn’t have to act a certain way, or say anything.

For the first time in his life, he actually learns who his crewmates are outside of the Navy. He never knew about their families--their children and wives and siblings. He doesn’t know their hobbies, or who they were seeing, or who their friends were. It’s refreshing for him to learn more about them, and opens his eyes a little.

He’s shocked that Groves isn’t seeing anyone, given his station and the fact that, to James, he’s perhaps the most tolerable of all the other members of his ship. That there isn’t a woman he has his eye on surprises James, and shocks Gillette, who thinks that Groves deserves a nice young lady because the company of such is lovely indeed.

Those of the table who know shoot Groves sympathetic looks, especially due to Gillette’s interest in women.

Gillette is actually a raging bisexual, but is oblivious, and hasn’t thought that there was any need to broach the subject. This causes Groves a whole lot of unnecessary angst.

I will go down with this ship, I swear.

Groves offers James another drink, and though he tries to refuse on the basis that he’ll be working the next morning, Groves points out that they all will be, so James will be fine.

“How long’s it been since you’ve had a proper drink, anyway?”

James gives in, and ends up telling some stories about his time as a captain while he was stationed in England at Groves’ prompting. Everyone listens, enraptured, to James’ tales. He seriously downplays his own part in them. The group is impressed anyway.

The girl serving the table plays right along with Gillette’s flirting, but she drops teasing remarks at all of the boys present.

James is a little embarrassed, but he’s more embarrassed that he actually doesn’t mind being flirted with. In fact, he rather likes it. He could never, of course, admit to such a thing, but he appreciates the way she looks, and even more the way she looks at him.

Look, sometimes, he needs to know that people are interested.

However, he’s a level of repressed only known to Jane Austen novels, so he makes no advances, and doesn’t flirt back, only accepts her compliments with a gracious smile.

The others notice, of course, but they keep it to themselves. They can see the heat rising under James’ collar.

At some point, a group of drunkards decides, rather loudly, that they won’t be paying their bill. They also decide to be handsy with the server, who clearly isn’t having it.

James lets the farce go on for about a minute before standing, walking over to the table, ripping a man’s hand off the server, and, in his coldest, most commanding Naval voice, hisses at them to pay and leave.

Needless to say, they do. The fact that James can sober up that fast and intimidate an entire group of drunks says a lot. Mostly, it reminds his own men why they have such a healthy respect for him in the first place.

The server is grateful, but also has no problem telling James that she had things perfectly under control.

“I had that covered. You didn’t need to worry about it.”

“It’s the least I can do. There’s no need for you to take care of everything yourself.”

She seems amused, but in a pleasant way. She gives James a little kiss on the cheek, resting her hands on his chest, and he goes absolutely tomato red.

For the naval boys, the scene is an absolute riot, and they love every second of it. They know that they’ll never be allowed to bring it up ever again, but they relish the sight of their commanding officer at such a loss.

James manages to make it back to the fort, a little unsteadily, and dearly flushed. The group is all smiles, even the horribly tipsy Gillette, who somehow managed to understand the whole situation while drunk.

James knows that he’ll never live the moment down, but is secretly glad that he joined his crew. It was a much better way of spending his time than doing paperwork.

Upon return to his office, he finds a small napkin tucked into a pocket of his coat. It says “next drink is on the house”. James flushes even worse at that, glad to be alone in his study. He figures it was planted on him during the kiss.

And the next time the group goes out, James joins them. They’re surprised, but glad to have him along, and he’s glad that accept him how he is instead of how he always forces himself to be.

In the end, it’s a win-win situation for everyone involved. Even, over the course of several visits, the server, who enjoys teasing James greatly.

[arceneades]

Why I Love She-Ra (2018)

I watched She-Ra after my YouTube feed had been inundated with She-Ra for a couple of years. I just sort of wanted to know what it was all about. People were talking. I was curious.

I think the first time I felt like crying was during the theme song the first time I saw it.

“We’re Gonna Win In The End!”

This was a queer show. I knew that. And... well, I grew up in the 1980s. And people, we are winning. We are winning this fucking fight with the forces of fucking darkness, some of which were in my own mind and heart, and it has been a long god damn slog but we are winning.

In the late 1990s and early 2000s, I worked for a company that published a phone book (yes, a printed book, with phone numbers in it that you could call. It was a different time, okay?) that was targeted to the gay community. Specifically, it was a yellow page directory with advertisements for restaurants, and florists, and plumbers, and towing services, and any other business that you could think of that were paying money to let gay customers know that they would be treated like fucking human beings by that business.

That book doubled in size every year for 4 years. Because we were winning.

It took decades to go from the Defense of (straight) Marriage Act to nationwide acknowledgement of marriage rights. But we got there. Because we are winning. And I care about this fight.

So, yeah. I’m in. Let’s go. We’re gonna win in the end.

The feels did not stop. I cried during “Promise”. Well, I mean, of course I did, I’m not an inhuman monster. I cried during the battle of Bright Moon. I cried for Catra when Shadow Weaver left her, when she hurt her friends, when her pain and rage tore the world apart. She just kept breaking my heart. I wanted her to make just one good decision.

She did, of course, and I cried about that too. I knew what was coming with “Corridors” but it killed me anyway, Adora’s “no, no, no” just bruised my soul.

And “Save the Cat”? Adora’s righteous fury and the power of her love for Catra... again. Tears.

Maybe it was just 2020. Maybe my emotions were just close to the surface. I don’t know. I HURT for those kids. I wanted them to be okay. I still want them to be okay.

But I also felt seen. Seen in a way that... was different.

I was a middle aged, cis-gendered, straight white male. And this show was hitting me, and hitting me hard, and I didn’t know why. I was invested in this love story. I was invested in the war. I knew they were the same thing.

Not unusual, I suppose. I’m a Jane Austen fan. I like love stories. I like it when main characters get together. I’ve read Pride & Prejudice more than twice. But I don’t feel seen when I do.

Part of it was Catra. We all probably have some Catra in us. I might have more than most. It’s taken a long time to get some of my more extreme behaviors under control, although my rage and trauma tends to direct inward, not outward.

Part of it was Adora. I love characters that reflect fierce protectiveness, a part of us that wants to stand between the universe and the people we love and say “No, You can’t hurt them. You can’t have them. They. Are. Mine.”

But hey, you know, Tony Stark has that vibe in “Avengers: Endgame” and even dies to protect what he loves and while that speaks to me, I don’t feel... seen.

Tony Stark is played by Robert Downey Jr, an actor I grew up watching. Avengers is essentially built for me to watch. Literally, I am the target market, me and the kids I’m going to bring to the theater. I don’t feel seen. Marketed to, maybe. But not seen.

Which led me to wonder why a love story about two lesbians who are too young to drink, set in a world where it is not only okay to be a teenage lesbian but it isn’t even worth commenting on, meant so very much to me.

And thinking about that reminded me of something. Which is that when I was super into Second Life, a decade or so ago, I always used a female avatar. Always.

And it felt right. Perfectly right. And I had a lot of conversations with trans people who were also using female avatars because it helped them get along with their dysphoria. A feeling I don’t have. Of course.

I mean, sure. I prefer playing female avatars in games. That’s totally a cis-het thing to do, right? You know the joke, “If I’m going to be staring at an ass, it might as well be a nice ass.”

Okay, so maybe, just maybe, I did sort of decide that I wasn’t a man during that time. I wasn’t sleeping. I was depressed. I hated my job. Totally understandable. My friends straightened me out, shamed me out of that. Maybe that wasn’t the nicest way they could have approached that but I got shamed out of it, didn’t I? If I were actually trans, that wouldn’t happen. Right?

And I like being male. Well, I like the privileges that come with being male. I like having the upper body strength, and I find other men to be sufficiently terrifying that I wouldn’t want to... take off the armor. Not around them.

Yes, maybe, just maybe, I would prefer to have sex as a woman, given the option. That doesn’t make me trans, it just means that I really feel at home around lesbians and want to be a part of their world. Totally normal cis-het feelings there. It’s not like I would actually transform into a woman if I had a magic wand. I mean, not permanently. Not all the time. Just, you know, sometimes. When I wanted to take the armor off. Just when it felt safe.

Totally. Normal. Cis-Het. Feelings.

I mean, obviously I don’t want to be a woman. I don’t want to carry breasts around, for one thing. Looks uncomfortable. I like having just muscle up there instead, thank you very much. And I’m super comfortable with short hair and a beard. It’s a good look for me. I wouldn’t want to look different. I’m happy with my hormone mix. So, there you go. I’m a boy. 

So why don’t I want to be one?

This argument has been raging in my skull forever. Am I a boy? I’m not a girl. I like being able to grow a beard. I’m as Dad a Dad as any Dad on the face of the planet. I don’t want breasts. But... I sort of do want hips.

When I first started questioning my gender, as far as I knew, there were two options. And neither of them fit. Because what I am is non-binary. A fact I would not know if Noelle had not made SPOP, and I don’t know how I can possibly thank her enough for that.

And according to the kids on the enby lesbians server, I’m a non-binary lesbian, which explains the fact that I’m on my fifth Subaru, but doesn’t explain why I don’t currently share my life with a mixed breed Labrador.

I am queer. I felt seen watching She-Ra because I was seen. On Etheria, everyone would use my pronouns. On Etheria, my friends would have helped me through my gender crisis. On Etheria, even in a war, we love and accept each other for who we are. We see each other.

We’re not on Etheria. But I believe we’ll get there.

We’re gonna win in the end.

[letteredlettered]

Have you ever participated in play-by-post role play? I’ve learned about it recently and have become pretty intrigued - it seems like a fun way to write a little and collaborate with others (esp since writing can feel kind of lonely to me, at times). If u have - how did u find the experience/do u have any recommendations?

I’m not sure what play-by-post is, but if you mean LJ-style roleplay (which has moved entirely to Dreamwidth), then yes. I also participated in just a little roleplay in forums, back when people used forums. I know people rp on Tumblr and Twitter, but I don’t get how.

Writing is not lonely to me; I love being alone. I once tried to write a fic with my BFF  @mydaroga​ using roleplay, but we had some trouble coming up with a plot. I also once tried to write a fic with my dirty old man using roleplay--that was fun, but we never finished. The same thing was true then--it was hard to do plot that way, though feelings and character stuff is very fun. I feel like it would be really fun to do an epistolary novel that way.

(My dirty old man was my first fandom friend, when I was 17, in Jane Austen fandom. She’s called my dirty old man, because I told my mom I had a friend on the internet, and she was very concerned. “People can trick you!” she kept saying. And I told my mom that even if my internet friend was a dirty old man and not an female Argentinean human rights lawyer, they still knew an AWFUL lot about Jane Austen and I would treasure them anyway.) 

I started roleplaying on LJ because of the 2009 Startrek Reboot kinkmeme. People started showing up on the kinkmeme as characters, and I decided to make one, and then my BFF made one, and then we were off to the races. I quickly met some great characters and welcoming people, but I ended up not having a super great time.

I do want to @ @mydaroga one more time, because she still rp’s and has a really great time. She can possibly reblog with some recs and info, if she has time.

Below the cut is some of the problems I had with rp.

The problems started really quick. This was casual roleplay, started on a kinkmeme, without the rules and expectations you might find in more codified LJ/DW roleplay, but I soon found myself in situations where people made pretty strong demands of me. For instance, a player playing Character A and I made a little plan for a cool plot for our characters to address an emergency situation. I came home from work one day to find a Character B (whose player I did not enjoy) VERY UPSET that I had set up a plot and then wasn’t there to play it. I was completely confused because a) I wanted to play this plot with A; we had set it up; it was ours entirely; this B had just seen our little idea and decided it belonged to everyone, since it was happening in a fictional world in which Character B also exists, and due to the place Character B had in canon, the player decided B was in charge. In my mind, there was not “one” world; there were simply many little stories we could play out, which didn’t mean we had to include everyone and didn’t mean anyone else could butt in on our story. b) I had replied to A THAT morning, gone to work for 9 hours, come back, and opened LJ to reply right away. For player B, 9 hours was entirely too long for them to wait, and I did not and cannot understand that. I have a job; I have a life; I am someone who struggles to look at their phone--and at the time, most people didn’t even have smartphones. In fact, one reason I GOT a smartphone was because I was so into rp I wanted to be able to keep up, and that seems an unreasonable price to pay to keep up with rp. Why should I be pressured to rp when I’m doing rl things? This really, really rubbed me the wrong way--and it kept happening.

This kind of casual rp is fraught with people who demand to be a part of your play when you don’t want them, and who demand that you reply quicker than you can or are comfortable with. The reason for this brings me to the other aspect of rp that I struggled with: you’re playing characters who have deep feelings and intense relationships. Sometimes your characters fall in love or have sex or fight or kill each other, and this bleeds into rl feelings far more than any other fandom activity in my experience. Even when you’re writing fic and you become the characters, you get to control the entire situation. In rp, you feel what the characters feel, but you don’t get to control what other characters feel. People’s hearts get broken--sometimes because a relationship in rp feels more real and intense than some of our closest rl relationships, and sometimes because people DO have rl, and when they don’t respond to you, it can be hurtful. Sometimes I played characters who did hurtful things, and I didn’t realize it was hurting the player. Other times, I myself was hurt by someone who didn’t reply to me for days; I was too emotionally invested to deal with a lack in response.

If you’re not doing casual rp, but are using the communities on DW set up for such things, you’ll find some rules that will help address these issues. There’s an expectation for how long you’ll take to reply. There’s clear guidelines about when you can join someone’s storyline, when you have to include someone in your storyline, when you have to leave someone alone, how to tell someone to leave you alone. There’s an understanding about character bleed, and there’s community support to address it and talk about it; there are ways to tell someone you’re feeling emotionally invested in a way that can be hurtful; there are ways to protect yourself.

In the end, however, I find myself unhappy with these communities, as I do with lots of structured community both online and irl. When anyone is allowed to come and do anything they want, you get people who bully others, and no one knows what to do about it; feelings get hurt, and the result is chaos. What seems to be a logical way to deal with this is to create strong guidelines that everyone can agree to and support systems for when something goes wrong--but the sad fact is, as a contrary person, these guidelines often rub me the wrong way, and I often feel excluded by the support systems. I hated having to “apply” to LJ rp communities. I hated having to introduce myself in a codified way. I hated rules such as “there can only be one Commander Spock; if you want to play Spock it has to be a different universe or different age of Spock.”

In the end, I feel I thrive in the liminal space between anarchy and structured communities. Perhaps this is why I have always felt drawn to things that are fringe. I would be very happy to rp again if I could do it casually, but tbh I would probably dip at the first sign of in-fighting.

[extremelyblackandwhite]

the unseen one - 19

Pairing: Hades!Bucky Barnes x Reader

Warnings: none

A/N: i keep playing this game called “if i add this song to the playlist will it spoil the ending” and it has become my new favourite game. sorry that it took me this long to post, it’s been very hot in cambridge which always gets me in a right mood (i hate summer and heat) so i’ve been putting my frustration into finishing my exams. had to take a break because if i have to talk about serotonin once more, my only serotonin left will leave my system 😂

hope you enjoy this chapter xx

Next Chapter >>

(not my gif, credit to creator)

James maintained a tight grip on her as the Charon took them back to his chambers in the Asphodel Meadows. She was silent and still almost like a statue, her eyes taking in as they went away from the Tartarus to the Elysium and finally to the Meadows. Y/N wondered why the King of the Underworld had decided to make his home in such a bleak place. The sounds were always of torture and mumbled cries, the souls were people who, in Y/N’s mind at least, deserved to be somewhere else, and were always begging to be taken out of their misery. It wasn’t a pretty place but his home wasn’t also she’d call a home of a King much less a god. The ceilings were high and the walls were painted in light and dark tones of grey with minimalistic furniture. It was a far cry from what her mother would describe when speaking about deities’ residences. However, James seemed to be a simple man, at least that’s how he showed himself before she got dragged way under. 

     - Do you want me to ask the servants to draw you a warm bath? Maybe some flower petals? - James questioned, his hand coming up to her face to push some hair away from her sight. - Do you wanna eat anything? Just tell me what you wanna eat and I’ll make sur ...

     - Did you hurt Anne? - Y/N was probably the only person in the Underworld who could interrupt James without having the furies being released on them immediately. He daren’t look at her, knowing exactly the look she was probably giving him, the type of look that would make him want to carry the world on his shoulders until she was happy. 

    - I did not hurt Anne. 

    - Did you turn her into any of the following. - she raised her fingers as if she were mentally counting. - A plant, an animal, some sort of plant-animal, cursed her, made her grow serpent hair ...

    - I didn’t do anything, Y/N. - he held onto her hands before she could list other ways gods had punished mortals. He did wanted to punish Anne, there hadn’t been anyone who deserved more to have the furies released upon them but he knew that if he did such thing, she would probably try and release the furies on him too. - However, next time something like that occurs I will punish them. I’m the God of the Underworld and I won’t undermine that. 

    - That’s fair. - Y/N scratched the back of her neck. She understood there was a side to him that she was yet to discover, the side of him that was a god, a ruler, but she still wanted to believe that he was her Bucky. - Shouldn’t I get back to Hecate and the other maidens?

    - If you want. - he tried to maintain a calm facade but inside he was puzzling himself over if his words had maybe scared her and she would rather be with Hecate than to be with him. - You’re free to do as you may. I just thought you’d want to stay with me.

There was a tinge of disappointment and uneasiness in his features, tightened expression as he managed not to show her how upset he felt that she did not want to be near him. Maybe it was too much for her to handle, after all up until a few hours ago she was sure she was dating a CEO and now she was dating the God of the Dead. 

Noticing his, Y/N slowly raised her hands to rest against his cheek, her mere touch raising feelings of warmth in him.

   - Sounds like you want me to stay. - there it was, her little playful smirk. James wanted to roll his eyes at her, but he couldn’t help but feel some sort of way whenever she outsmarted him.

   - I always want you to stay, Y/N. - of course he wanted her to stay. He had to endure the first moments of their relationship constantly counting the hours and looking at the sky so he wouldn’t be caught and now she was here. Sure, she was here due to uncertain circumstances, but she was still here. - But if you wanna go back to the Elysium, I would understand. 

   - I just don’t want to cause you any trouble. - Y/N slightly turned her head to the side, embarrassment creeping into her soft features.

   - Why would you cause me any trouble, sweetness? - he took the hand that was craddling his face into his own hands, sensing something wrong. - Homesick? 

   - It’s just ... considering that I’m supposed to be one of Hecate’s maidens, wouldn’t people look down on you if they saw you with me?

   - Y/N. - he sighed. - Your parents were Greek historians, right? 

   - Yeah.

   - So tell me, what’s the worse thing a god has ever done? - that as a funny question for Y/N. There were lots of myths that made her sick to her stomach just hearing about it and other myths that would make her want to climb to Mount Olympus herself and punch some gods. The short answer was, there is no short answer. 

    - Do you want it in alphabetical order? - she joked. 

    - What do you think it’s the worse offence? 

    - Well, if you asked me what I think was the worse thing ever done by a god I’d say it was what Poseidon and Athena did to Medusa.

    - Were their reputations ruined even after what they did?

    - No.

    - Then I won’t get in trouble for associating with one of Hecate’s maidens. 

    - Yeah but gods also turn into a wide variety of animals to go and do less than savoury things with mortals.

    - Less than savoury things? - he smirked. - Last time I checked you were one of Hecate’s maidens not Artemis’. 

    - Cut it off. - she playfully pushed his chest away. Bucky just rolled his eyes at her behaviour, wrapping his arms around her waist, carefully moving her closer to him afraid she might’ve gotten hurt at the Tartarus. 

   - Come, let’s get some food in you. - he guided her through his place. She wondered why it was so minimalistic and why is it in the Asphodel Meadows of all places. Maybe he disliked to be surrounded by all the fauna and flora of the Elysium or maybe Hecate didn’t allow him near it. Nevertheless, it was an odd place and an oddly unremarkable home, at least for that of a King. 

He left her waiting in his dinning hall, allowing her time to inspect it. There was nothing much but a dinning table surrounded by various book shelves. The books were in Greek for what she could muster but what caught her attention were a few picture frames by a half empty unit of the shelf. Y/N’s hands reached for the first one, a sepia coloured photo of Bucky and a blonde man she swore she’d seen before. His hair was much shorter and shabbier with a child like grin, arms around the blonde guy who looked much more polished. Her mind was telling her she had seen this picture before, she just couldn’t point it.

The other frame contained the photo of a couple dressed in hellenic clothing adorned by golden accessories. The man was standing tall, hand on the woman’s shoulder whose hair rivalled the gold colour of the pins in her head and stood sat on a porcelain chair. The look in the woman’s eyes was serene yet controlling, almost like a storm brewing over calm seas. On both their heads sat adorned jewelled crowns and the man held the same staff James had been holding back in the Tartarus.

   - Y/N? - his voice suddenly echoing through the silent made her drop the face on the carpeted floors, a flush creeping through the apples of her cheeks as she herself dropped to the floor to grab it and put it back in its due place. - What are you doing? 

   - I was just looking at your photos. - she put her hands behind her back, eyes lowered to the ground like a child who had just been scolded. Bucky walked over to where she was standing, looking at the frame she had put back. - Are they your parents? 

   - No, sweetness. - he chuckled. - That’s Hades and Persephone, well, the original ones. I find you must have memory of those who came before you. 

   - She’s beautiful. I mean, I always thought Persephone had to be beautiful, after all it was said her undying beauty was what made Hades kidnap her. 

   - Hades didn’t kidnap her. - Bucky always forgot that mortals still fully believed the myth brought back to light by the Greek. Honestly, it was a disgrace that no Underworld God had yet to chance the misconception. 

   - Yes, he did. That’s why Demeter stopped doing her job.

   - Sweetness, do you seriously think someone whose name means Bringer of Death could stay in the Underworld against her will?

   - What do you suggest then? - she crossed her arms against her ripped tunic, all knowing smirk on her face. 

   - I don’t know if I should tell you now. - Y/N huffed, lips coming into a pout which made his heart melt at the look. - If you were to tell the story of Persephone and Hades, how would you tell it?

   - I wouldn’t because I seemingly don’t know. - she had a playful nature to her gaze, a stark contrast to those with whom he spent most of his days with in the Underworld. James took her hand in his like a scene in a Jane Austen movie, slowly pulling her to him. - So what’s it gonna be?

    - Persephone found the entry to the Underworld and decided to stay because she enjoyed it here. Once Demeter realised her daughter was gone Hades faked the kidnapping story for her because he was hopelessly in love with Persephone. 

    - What about the nymphs that saw the abduction? How do you explain that?

    - There are some perks to being the God of the Underworld, sweetness. 

    - I’m guessing you won’t tell me what those perks are. 

    - Maybe later, sweetness. You must join me for dinner now.

    - Bucky ... - she picked onto her nails, eyes looking at her shoes. - Who’s the man next to you in the photo?

tag list: @philogrobizedvee​​​​​  @keithseabrook27​​​​ @inlovewith3​​​​19

[demonandangeltwins]

Ok but like imagine Stephanie Brown and Claire Novak as the same person like after Claire’s parents die she gets ‘adopted’ by Crystal and Arthur. Like Arthur killed the real Stephanie and Crystal went crazy so he took her from some group house or something.

When they start calling her Stephanie she decides that going by a different name would be better than Arthur beating her again.

Then when Arthur becomes Cluemaster. She doesn’t feel bad about becoming the bane of his existence as Spoiler ‘Enemy to criminals and People who hate Purple’ not one bit.

When she falls in love with the 2nd Robin she doesn’t tell him her real name. She tells him Spoiler. When he tells her he knows who she really is, she’s relieved when he says Stephanie Brown.

It was the first time she was relieved to hear the name.

When he dies she’s devastated she never told him her real name. She screams and crys and wants to vow to never love another. But Jason left her an ‘in case of my death’ note. Making her promise to not be alone.

She vows to not love lightly and to insure he would approve.

It doesn’t help when she falls in love next it’s with the criminal Red Hood. So she fights it and fights it and fights it. Jason would never tolerate The Red Hood much less approve of him or his methods.

Then Black Mask kidnaps and tortures her. But Hood saves her. Jason would like him. Even if he was to late.

Hood tries anyway rushes her to Leslie and begs her to live. When she asks why he cares so much he takes off the helmet and says “Because I love you.” She doesn’t get the chance to say it back to scold Jason about not telling her he was alive this whole time. In fact she doesn’t get to say anything because blood is pooling in her mouth. But she squeezes his hand 3 times to say ‘I love you too’ and he says he understands.

She hopes he writes something good for her grave.

When she wakes up she’s in a coffin 6ft. under and her gravestone says Stephanie Brown 2001-2018 ‘A light in the darkness of Gotham that inspired Kind Hearts.’ She didn’t get to read it until 5 years later.

When she dug herself out she was greated by a hand with a trench coat draped over the wrist. Cas had brought her back from hell. She almost didn’t want him too. Two years in hell meant her soul might be damaged beyond repair. He knew that but He saved her anyway.

Cas had tried to apologize for not being able to save her sooner but he had been in Purgatory with Dean. Then Heaven had controlled his mind. She said it was ok, that she was ok that she didn’t even remember hell.

She lied on both counts. He let her.

Cas brought her to Dean who in turn brought her to Rowena. The witch called in a favor with Ra’s Al Ghul. The Lazuras Pit healed her body and Rowena healed her soul.

But her mind was another thing. Magic and the mind don’t go together well. So she was left with the memories of hell and very little else. She didn’t remember Gotham or Spoiler or Jason. All she remembered was 2,400 years of hell. 1,500 years of being tortured. The first 400 of which demons wore Jason’s face to cause psychological harms along with the physical. 100 years of torturing later she didn’t know who he was beyond the face of a demon. 1,000 years later she didn’t recall him at all. Then she said yes. She picked up a blade and began 900 long years of ripping people apart. Of pain and screams and people begging for it to stop.

She was just happy it wasn’t her anymore.

That was what haunted her dreams the smile she bore as they bled, and burned, and cried.

The boys eventually took her to Soiux Falls, South Dakota to heal up. Jody and Alex set up her room. She hunted to pay penance. She killed Werewolves and Vampires, Witches and Demons. She killed the things that killed innocents.

She had a code.

She worked at the precinct for Jody. She got her high school diploma and started her Medical Degree to become a surgeon. Alex, Jody and the Winchesters were her family.

But she was missing something, someone.

She went to Ra’s trained as a league assassin. Became ‘Aleasfur’ (The Sparrow). She met Damien Al Ghul a Prince no older than 10 but with a battle strategy that outmatched most.

He looked familiar.

She didn’t find what she needed. So Ra’s released her “for now.”

She found Themyscira trained with Amazons and Goddesses.

She did not find what she needed.

After 5 years of searching for a way to heal her memory she went back to the first thing she remembered top-side. Her grave.

A man was setting purple flowers on her headstone. She had dyed her hair and changed so much he didn’t recognize her at first. She asked if he knew the person who was supposed to be in the coffin. He said he loved her. Then looked up, she knew the look had seen it before, the ‘I know you, You’re supposed to be dead’ look. When he stood up she almost ran but he hugged her before she could.

When The man hugged her she felt at home even though she had no memory of him. When he asked where she’d been she told him the truth. Told him of having only one memory of his voice saying “I love you.” Of trying to restore more of her memory by traveling the world only to be led back to the beginning.

‘Jason’ brought her to a place called Wayne Manor. Said “Alfie will help.” ‘Alfie’ injected her with a serum. As she passed out she realized how stupid she is to let a total stranger inject some drug into her arm.

When she woke up she remembered.

She remembered her parents, she remembered Arthur and Crystal, she remembered Bruce Wayne and Batman, she remembered Cass and Kara and Kate, she remembered Black Mask, she remembered Tim Drake-Wayne, Kon-el, Duke Thomas, and Dick Grayson. She remembered her friends and family.

But most of all she remembered Jason.

The taste of his lips, they feel of his hands on her thighs, the feel of his dick in her throat, the way he would talk so sweet as he nailed her so hard or the pull of her hair as he bent her over.

She remembered him.

How when they would read Jane Austen on rooftops he would bit his lower lip in concentration, or how right before he kissed her his nose would twitch, or when they first knocked someone out in one punch the other convinced Bruce to buy milkshakes.

She remembered everything.

The look frozen in time on his face, the shrapnel dug into his skin and the crowbar stuck in his head. She remembered every cut and bruise. She remembered the way her throat felt after screaming so hard she coughed up blood.

Then She remembered the Red Hood.

How it felt to betray Jason’s memory. How relieved she was when he took off the hood, how she died holding her lovers hand. How her last thought was that he would love someone else.

When she woke up everyone was there. Cass, Duke, Dick, Babs, Bruce, Kate, Kon-el, Tim, Harper, and Alfred.

And Jason could be found right next to her, holding her hand fast asleep with Titus at his feet.

When Jason woke up and everyone went to their own rooms he told her he broke their promise of loving again. That he couldn’t move on that he loved her still. She told him he might not after she told the truth about everything, about what she had been doing for the 5 years she’d been out of hell. About all the lies she told before she died. He promised it wouldn’t change the way he felt about her.

She explained everything hunting, heaven, her time in hell her new friends and family. And everything else.

Finally she told him her name. How it became hers and why she never told him. Then she told him that she understands if he can’t love her after everything but she will always love him and always has even when she didn’t remember him she missed him.

Then he said the one thing She had always wished for “I love you, Claire Novak.”

[relationships-world]

Relationship rewrite method

https://relationship.healthbrzee.com/

read following points:-1)  Unlock His Love with The Power of Conversational Storywhen does he think of you?  When your name pops up on your man's phone, what do you think goes through his head? Is he excited to talk to you? Does he feel compelled to respond right away? Does he read your texts but then leave you waiting for a response until most of the day has passed? Or does he completely ignore the messages? The truth is, A LOT is going on in his mind when it comes to you. Memories, emotions, anticipation of the future (is this going to be a good interaction or a bad one?)... All these things flash through his mind in the blink of an eye. And his response (or lack thereof) is more of a gut feeling than a well thought out decision. The same is true when it comes to how he views your relationship in general. If you're having a hard time getting through to him, chances are he feels bad about the relationship. It probably isn't a conscious thing, but a bunch of factors make him instinctively feel like the relationship is more a source of pain than pleasure. We'll get into this more in a minute, but at the end of the day, "pain VS pleasure" is the ONE factor that determines whether he wants to be with you or not. In other words, if he has a gut feeling that your relationship is a source of pain, then no amount of logic, convincing, or begging will change his mind. His mind is already made up--from the inside out. We need to change that. We need to make him instinctively feel drawn to the pleasure of a relationship with you. If you can accomplish that ONE thing, he will be the one chasing you. So let me show you how I've helped women all over the world pull it off. watchvideo presentation2) The Movie Trailer Method.Your mind is an anticipation machine. The human brain is marvellous and complex, but its most amazing feature is its ability to experience the future before it arrives. In fact, getting what you want in life really comes down to one simple thing: The ability to see the future in your mind's eye before it actually happens. This skill, above all else, separates those who get what they want in life from those who don't. Why is this skill so important? The answer is simple. The more detailed your mental map of the future, the easier it is to see which paths to take to reach the outcomes you desire. The more detailed your mental map, the more powerful you become. Like a master chess player, you can anticipate traps and sidestep them before they fully form. You can also try out dozens of moves in your mind's eye before choosing the best one. But I'm talking about real life, not a game. People who learn to use this skill live charmed lives. Everything just seems to unfold in their favour. Is it luck? Is it magic? No. It's simply an enhanced ability to play out various possibilities in the mind's eye and recognize the choices that will bring the most pleasure and the least pain. But here's the tricky part. Seeing the future is not like skipping ahead to the last page of a book to see how the story ends. Your future is not a single, linear path. Rather, there are a hundred different ways your future could unfold. Changing just one variable in your life can have a cascading effect on every other variable. Things can get confusing fast. It's hard to anticipate how all the different variables will interact. Fortunately, I have a solution. It's like a shortcut that gives you most of the benefits without the headache of trying to anticipate how every little thing will interact. What is this solution? It's knowing which variables to focus on. Knowing where to focus your attention is the key to getting more of what you want in life. When it comes to relationships, there's one variable I want you to focus on. I want you to become an expert at noticing this one variable. And I want you to learn how to manipulate this variable so you can have the relationship you want. Ready? Okay, here it is: I want you to become an expert at triggering the right kind of mental movie trailers other people have playing in their heads. We are all running mini-movies of the future in our mind. People do it automatically all the time. They don't practice the skill intentionally. They even take it for granted. Most never bother to question the super quick movie trailers that pop in and out of their thoughts all day long. That's good news for you! Because it gives you a tremendous advantage when trying to change the way someone feels about you. The fact is, no one's in the director's chair. No one is controlling the mini-movies that blip in and out of your man's mind. Since no one is directing this movie, you can waltz onto the set and change the storyline. And you can do this anytime you want. Why These Mini-Mental Movies Matter So Much Have you ever received a social invitation and immediately decided you have no desire to attend? How does that happen? How is it that you instantly know you don't want to go? Simple. In a fraction of a second, you played a mini-mental movie of the entire experience. Actually, that's not quite right. It wasn't the "entire experience". In reality, it was more like a movie preview. Just little clips showing the highlights. And like a good movie trailer, each clip pulled at your emotions. You saw a super-speed version of what it would be like to accept the invitation. You pictured yourself feeling bored. You picture yourself walking back to your car when it was over, wishing you had spent your free time doing something else. Your mind created a mini-movie to help you make a decision. It happened lightning-fast, and mostly outside your consciousness. But you were left with a distinct FEELING that turned you off to the idea. Your mind is remarkably good at this. It's the process by which we decide what we want. If you are a person who struggles with anxiety, you may not love this feature of your mind. You may prefer to be more like a cat who is blissfully at peace with the present moment, not concerned about things to come next year, next month, or even tomorrow. Neuroscientists who study the concept of memory tell us the marvellous ways our minds encode, store, and retrieve life experiences. As we learn, we generate increasingly complex and accurate models of the future. You could say the purpose of our memory is to allow us to predict the future. If I remember that chocolate cake tastes better when it's moist, my brain anticipates a better experience when I choose to eat it now rather than letting it grow stale. However, if I remember that chocolate cake is my weakness, I may cut the serving in half and put the other half out of sight to remove the temptation, using better judgment for my health. If a large dog chased me on my way home from school as a child, I may still anticipate negative emotions from the idea of approaching a large dog even twenty years later. Here's my point. Memories give us the ability to anticipate what is coming next: pleasure or pain. You may not see where this is going yet but stick with me. These concepts are critical to understanding. They are simple concepts, but things I need to remind you of, to "activate" your mind so they will be fresh concepts as we dive into the foundational methods of this course. 3) Human MotivationHumans are motivated by many things. But almost all motivation comes down to either the pursuit of pleasure or the avoidance of pain. Your ex's decisions are no different. He is motivated the same way. But how does he know which decisions to make to pursue pleasure and avoid pain? Memory. His memory creates the movie trailers he uses to "see" the future. His brain is an anticipation machine. It is automatically making judgments about what he should do next to avoid pain and pursue pleasure. The reality of your current situation is that the movie trailers his mind is playing are showing him potential pain or a lack of pleasure in being with you. We've got to change that! Now for some good news and some bad news. Bad news first: We cannot go back in time and change his memories. But the good news: We can alter his feelings about the future without changing memories from the past. Certain trigger points cause people to re-evaluate old memories in a new light. Basically, we're going to change the theme of the mini-movies in his head that affect his feelings about your relationship. We're going to change the soundtrack. Change the lighting. Selectively choose clips that highlight the fun, the exciting adventure he could have if he chooses to make you the most important person in his future. Allow me to provide a few examples to get us on the same page. We are talking about "aha" moments that change his perspective. The memories have not changed, but the way he SEES them can change dramatically. Here's an example from my own experience: I was once hired as a consultant for a company that provided relationship advice. The owners of the company were highly complimentary of me. During our work together, my self-esteem began to inflate considerably because of their frequent recognition of my "unusual talent." It was nearly six months later when I discovered their long-term plan to sell me their entire business (at a highly inflated price). This dramatically shifted my perspective! Suddenly, I replayed all the discussions about my talents for running such a business. At the time, I had been surprised they would admit I could run the business as well - if not better - than they could. Now, looking back, I see the ego-stroking as false flattery designed to make me want to buy their business. That eye-opening moment changed my view on our relationship and the game I was involved in.4) True Actions and IntentionsI'll offer another example. Jane Austen's novel "Pride and Prejudice," (which has been made into multiple movies over the years) tells the tale of Elizabeth, a young woman who can barely stand the sight of Mr Darcy. Throughout the story, Elizabeth is under the impression that Mr Darcy is proud and selfish. This is based on several reliable things she had seen and heard. However, at the end of the story, Elizabeth discovers she was wrong. She had misunderstood the actions and intentions of Mr Darcy. Suddenly, she recognizes his true valour and goodness. She sees that he is more interested in the well-being of others than his own reputation. In the end, it wasn't Elizabeth's memories that changed. It was her understanding that changed. It shifted in a way that caused her to anticipate great pleasure from being with Mr Darcy in an intimate relationship. And of course, they lived happily ever after as a married couple. 5) Your Mission, Should You Choose To Accept It: Your mission is to tamper with the anticipation machine running in your ex's mind. Specifically, your mission is to change the mini-movies that play in his mind when he thinks about spending time with you. You're going to get those mental trailers to work in your favour. There is no other way. You have no chance of restoring your relationship unless he seeks a relationship with you as a path toward pleasure, absent from any level of pain that would cancel out that pleasure. Fortunately, The Relationship Rewrite Method was designed as an answer to this complicated problem. This system helps you find a way to be the leading lady in your life. To convince your ex - not only to let you play a part but also to make you his star. You see, a memory is just a form of anticipation based on past experience. Most people think of memory in the form of stories to be remembered and shared. That is what psychologists call "declarative memory." But there is another kind of memory called "implicit memory." Implicit memory is the kind you use when you get on a bicycle and instinctively recognize (or remember) how to balance. Implicit memory is not something you can put into words. You just know how to ride a bicycle. Declarative memory can be transferred to another person in the form of a story. But you can't transfer the implicit memory for how to balance on a bike. In other words, your ex can tell his friends, "First she did this, then I said that and then we got into a big fight." That's declarative memory. Implicit memory cannot be transferred using words. He cannot transfer the memory of what it feels like to kiss you. Your job is to change the implicit feel of the mini-mental movies that automatically play when he glances down at his phone and sees your name. We have to start small and gradually rebuild his gut-level emotional reactions to you. It's possible that seeing your number come up on his cell phone causes an instant twinge of anger mixed with fear and regret. Those are implicit memories triggering the wrong kind of response. The fights or strained relationship that led to your breakup may still dominate the mental movie that plays in his mind when he considers picking up the phone to talk with you. We need to change that mental trailer so your name brings the same excited anticipation Hollywood tries to create with a really cool movie preview. We're going to rewire his expectations and help him see a new future with you. By the way, are you enjoying this free report so far? If so, you would love my relationship course. It has laser-targeted advice in a 6-step formula to win back the affections of your ex and make him yours for good.Use the Power of Story to Touch His Emotions"Better to light a candle than to curse the darkness." ~ Chinese proverb 6) The human brain is wired for story. Lisa Cron, a highly-acclaimed writer, wrote an entire book on the subject. Hailed as a "story guru," Cron has explored the brain science behind the power of stories. She teaches other writers how to hook the human mind from the very first sentence. There is something special about how a story causes the human mind to pay attention. Cron proposes that from the earliest times, humans have transferred information primarily through a story. Stories are so memorable they can be used to transfer wisdom and knowledge from one generation to the next. Stories prevent humans from making the same mistakes as those who came before them. Stories also shed light on the way humans persevere and succeed in various circumstances. Perhaps the most powerful way a story can be used is as a tool for changing someone's opinion. Stories don't require effort to pay attention. Our minds are designed for stories. We naturally focus when someone transfers information to us in the narrative form. In Paul Smith's book, "Lead with a Story," he makes the case that business leaders can "captivate, convince, and inspire" using stories in the workplace. Smith relays hundreds of instances about influencing the minds of others by telling a simple story instead of relaying facts and information.7) The Power Of Stories Smith and Croon have recognized the power of stories to transfer knowledge. But here's what I want you to understand. Stories make it easier for you to influence people. They are more effective than trying to convince people with arguments, logic, facts, or begging. I have experienced this firsthand. I once attended a fundraising event for people living in the impoverished nation of Burkina Faso. I was unmoved by the statistics presented on how many children go hungry and how many families lack the basic necessities for good health. Then the presenter told the story of two little girls who had been struggling together to survive the hardship of their lives, I was suddenly hooked. I understood their plight on an emotional level. I immediately cared enough to take out my wallet and sacrifice what I could to help with the relief efforts. Think for a moment about the variables of a court case. Think of all the factors that determine if a defendant will be found guilty or innocent by jurors in a trial. Experts work diligently to narrow down the list of variables to those that will have the most powerful influence on the outcome of the trials. Can you guess the number one factor that influences the jury's final opinion of a defendant? Experts tell us it's not the facts of the case. They say it's not the evidence presented. Rather, it comes down to who tells the most believable story. If jury members can picture themselves in a vivid story and imagine the events unfolding the way the defendant claims they did, they will find the defendant "not guilty." If the prosecuting attorney tells a more convincing story, the defendant will most likely be found "guilty." How can I use this information in my everyday life, you ask? Here's how: we will craft a special kind of story to influence your ex's perspective. Stories evoke emotion and change minds.I want you to tell your ex the story of your relationship in a way that causes him to automatically begin to root for your relationship. Did you ever see The Italian Job, The Saint, or Ocean's Eleven? All these movies are about thieves trying to pull off big-time heists. They are stories about criminals. And yet, as you watch these movies, you begin to root for the criminals to succeed. You want them to get away with the loot and live happily ever after. Doesn't that seem strange to you? Why do we root for thieves to succeed at stealing other people's hard-earned resources? It's because their life experience was presented to us in the form of a story. The protagonist is the hero figure in a plotline - the person about whom the story is written. There can be more than one protagonist in a story, as there is in William Shakespeare's classic story, Romeo and Juliet. In Romeo and Juliet, we root for the relationship of this young couple. Sure, we care about Romeo and we care about Juliet, but the relationship itself becomes as important to us as either character. As you read or watch Romeo and Juliet, do you find yourself wishing they would just forget about each other? Don't you want them to put their own safety first and move on with their lives? After all, if you really cared about Romeo and Juliet, wouldn't you advise them not to put their lives in peril by pursuing the romance further? Of course not. That's not what you root for. (It's not what I root for either!) We want them to be together.9) We root for the relationship! We see the beauty of life unfolding in the way they discover one another, and our hearts want them to be happy. We understand the risks they take to breathe life into the new passion they discovered through love at first sight. Here's the point. By making your relationship itself the hero of the story, you can cause him to root for the relationship. Do you remember Allie and Noah from Nicholas Sparks' novel-turned-movie, The Notebook? The story of their relationship was a powerful tear-jerker. As an 80-year-old man, Noah reads to his wife, Allie. She has developed Alzheimer's and does not remember, yet she roots for the characters in the story of her own life as Noah reads from her journal. The story Noah reads to Allie is powerful. It is so powerful we pay money to participate in this story by going to a heater or purchasing the book. Using the power of story is only one of 6 powerful steps that will help you reconnect with your man, even in the worst situations. Bring him back. Save your relationship. Get the happiness you deserve. Always on your side, James Bauerhttps://relationship.healthbrzee.com/

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Favourite stories

Or more like stories i still think about even thought it was years since i read/watched them. I made this list to kind of make myself think what i actually like about them. If you have any recommendations based on this list feel free to let me know. Here is just a list, more under the cut. 

Psycho Pass

The Bartimaeus trilogy

Les Miserables

Brave new world

Démon súhlasu

Powers

Books by Jane Austen

Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron

Megamind

Martin Eden

My youth romantic comedy is wrong as I expected

Disclaimer: I just want to point out some stuff i personally liked about these stories. This is by no means a complete assessment of them, i know there’s more in them then i absorbed the last time i watched or read them.

Psycho Pass

In Japan Sibyl system judges people based on their crime coefficient – the likelyhood of them commiting a crime and being dangerous to other people. Those with high crime coeficient but no criminal history are called latent criminals and they are taken away from society and put into rehabilitation centers, which mostly means they’ll never get back out. Some latent criminals can under strict conditions leave the center and help in police investigation as Enforcers – hunting dogs for Inspectors.

There’s a lot i like about this series. The setting is interesting, the villain has kind of an interesting point, and then there are characters. Characters in this series are in my opinion not examined and developed as they could be, except for a few. That being said, Ginoza Nobuchika is one of my all time favourite characters. As an inspector, he wants to do what‘s right and believes Sibyl is the only right way to do that. So he strictly keeps in line, even tries to despise people closest to him who became enforcers, because if Sibyl is right, then they were in the wrong . Stuff happens of course and whole his character development is wonderful, but i won’t spoil anything more. And then there’s Akane. A role model. I love how Akane can think about crimes without ever affecting her crime coefficient (which is something that sent a few people to the enforfcers camp) and that’s because in the end her ultimate motive is to protect people and the law. 

The Bartimaeus trilogy  by Jonathan Stroud

The government of Britain consists of magicians – caste of people with knowledge to summon and control demons, who then have to obey them. With their powers, magicians control the rest of the population, keeping them away from education and true source of their power. We follow three main characters – Nathaniel „John Mandrake“, sold by his parents to become a magician and to believe magicians are what keeps the country safe,  working his way up the power ladder to become part of the British government, djinni Bartimaeus, summoned by Nathaniel, and determined to make Nathaniels life as miserable and troublesome as he can while he is forced to obey him, and Kitty Jones, a commoner, determined to tear down magicians rule.

If you ever thought that it was unrealistic how wizards in Harry Potter decided to hide from Muggles instead of taking control over the world, than i present you with Bartimaeus, where privileged caste of magicians controls commoners by power gained by exploitation of demons.

Les Miserables by Victor Hugo

So, i only watched two movies and read about 250 pages from the book, but let me tell you, Jean Valjean is one my favourite characters ever. I love what kind of a person he becomes even after everything he’s been through. I still have to read the whole book, though.

Brave new world by Aldous Huxley

People are born in the factory, they are conditioned to enjoy their life in a prescribed way, to fulfil every pleasure, to eradicate every negative feeling by drugs, and then to die and be recycled. People are conditioned to like the way they will lead their lives. So what is a meaning of life then? Is the meaning of life to find happiness? To be entertained? What if we get that and we are always etertained, we are always happy. What then? And what do we need to sacrifice to get that?

Démon súhlasu („Demon of consensus“ or „Demon of agreement“) by Dominik Tatarka

Written in 1963 in communistic Czechoslovakia, this short story talks about a difference between a public and private consensus and how there is a discord between these two when a person becomes a pawn. I don‘t think there is an english translation of this book, but thanks to the style of the writing I’m afraid about a half of the quality would be lost in translation anyway. But here is my rough translation of a short quote i like:

A pawn is a man, who in the name of his conviction agrees to be promoted to a position, for which he‘s not enough.  A pawn is a role that a man plays, only plays, terribly plays. A pawn is a role, in which a man plays, that nothing is his fault, that over there higher up are the officials, who instead of him think, speak, plan, for him they decide, for him they take responsibility.

A pawn used to believe in his conviction, now he doesn‘t even believe.

A pawn can this way think,to be a righteous man, who got of the path only because of a general change.

A pawn is a beast, a pawn is a dangerous man, class enemy.

Powers by Ursula K. Le Guin

Main character grows up as a slave, but for a long time he doesn‘t see it as something that wrong, he doesn‘t rebel, and he even kind of advocates for it being that way. Family who owns him gives him education and he‘s growing up with children of the Family, playing games as if they were on the same side. There is a particular part of this story i think about from time to time. After stuff happens, he looses interest in the world and he‘s not in his actions, none of what he‘s doing has any meaning for him, everything he does is automatic and he let‘s the world decide his next course in life. And i can feel that.

  Books by Jane Austen

I remember i read Pride and prejudice in the first year of high school when i started reading classics. To be honest, i did not really understand it, just some kind of story about love i guess. I picked it up a few years later and found a witty ironic narrator talking about a women from a social class, who can‘t work because they don’t have to and that way work is considered beneath them, and any exertion is considered unnecessary attention-seeking and is looked down upon. If there’s not much to inherit and you can‘t live of your work, the only way to secure a living is to get married well.

  Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron

Okay, so, the main character is a horse. And he‘s the strongest willed horse alive. This story is basically the world trying to break him, and i have to tell you, i love seeing him disapoint . There is no need for a character development, Spirit is already perfect at the beginning, he knows his place in the world, cares about his herd and all he wants is to be with them and to be free. To be honest, the animals not talking is a great choice here. There‘s a line from one of the songs that i remember from time to time: If you loose yourself, your courage soon will follow. So be strong tonight, remember who you are.

  Megamind

Megamind‘s whole life was dedicated to defeating Metroman and to rule Metrocity, altough because of Metroman mostly he just end’s up in jail. But finally one day (thanks to an accident) he beats the superhero and becomes the most powerful person in the city. That‘s about ten minutes in the movie. However, as days go by he comes to the conclusion that his life without Metroman, his nemesis, lacks meaning. So he devises a plan to create himself a new superhero to fight. Superhero burnout, how our surroundings influence if we become good or evil, power not corrupting people just giving them a way to show who they‘ve always been, and more.

  Martin Eden by Jack London

Poor sailor saves a life of a man from higher society. When he meets the man‘s sister, he falls in love with her and starts educating himself to get to her level. And so the story of hypocrisy, shallowness and social injustice begins. As much as i’m still frustrated about the ending, the story itself still comes to my mind from time to time, but i have to reread it someday because i read it only once and it was a very long time ago, so i know there was a ton of themes and content that flew over my head at that time.

My youth romantic comedy is wrong as i expected by Wataru Watari

This has a certain similarities to Catcher in the rye, mostly in style. Main character Hachiman Hikigaya is an unpopular high scholler without friends but with massive defence mechanisms to help him deal with his life. Great inner monologues.      

 Honorable mentions: Gattaca, Interstellar, Dark knight, Truman show, Brothers Karamazov, Coco, Brother bear, Matrix, Hamlet, Mucha do about nothing, Aoharu x kikanjuu(no seriously, this is hilarious), King of Attolia, Epos of Gilgamesh, Into the wild, Back to the future, stories by Božena Slančíková Timrava, Mulan, Fate/Zero