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thesharktanksdriver · 1 year

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any way the wind blows (Platonic)

So I kinda watch records of ragnarok and became obsessed

This is platonic but later on I might make some romantic scenarios for a few characters

Y/n is based off of scaramouche fron genshin if he didn’t have mommy issues and was a decent person. Also left it gender neutral

Gods and humans had always been divide since the dawn of their creation

Molded from clay in their likeness yet considered inferior for their mortality

Despite the fact their creators were just as flawed (if not more) than they are

This was a reality that few knew or acknowledged, but one that Hephaestus had come to as he pondered one day in his lab

It was no secret he was hated by the others

For he is everything a god isn’t supposed to be

Their supposed to be beautiful and angelic yet he is ugly and deformed

Thrown from Olympus and experienced humans first hand before clawing his way back to his spot in the heavens

Given the most beautiful wife of them all who hates and despises his despite how hard he tries

He is scorned for simply existing just as humans are

Perhaps that’s why he finds better company in them than he does with his fellow gods

Though they are flawed beings they know that are not perfect

They embrace their flaws, and persevere despite how hard they are thrown down

They invent, create, destroy and rebuild again and again

Something in which the god of blacksmithing respects, for even the strongest blade can be melted down to create something even better

In his loneliness in his lab, deep within the smouldering smoke and bubbling magma of his volcanic home

Hephaestus longs to learn, to see, to hear but knows he cannot go to the surface world

So instead he decides to do what he does best

He decided to create his own human, one that would be imbued with the blessing of true immortality

For only something with a soul can be reaped, even gods face that fate if they are wounded enough

But if something doesn’t it will last forever

Hephaestus creates his magnum opus

His human

His child

“From finest clay your are molded, but within your veins lay no blood nor Ichor, but instead pure energy shall power you.”

You are created by his scarred and broken hands that are steady and firm

He makes you an epitome of beauty, something that he wishes he could be

For only something that is considered ugly can know what true beauty looks like

When your body is complete he imbues you with life through the lightning of Zeus

And then he lets the breath of zephyrs wind wake you

Through pure eyes you awaken and he helps you walk

Your like a newborn deer, shaking and buckling legs as you lean to him for help

You look at him with such kindness and innocence

And love

That one thing he had only wanted in his life from anyone

For the next couple of months he’s raises you, teaches you his craft and how to adapt

He is gentle but stern in his teachings, guiding yours hands and teaching you what he knows

Luckily your blessed by him to understand all languages and speak them as well

But despite spending months raising you he had not given you a name

Only calling you “my child”

When you ask of him why he hadn’t bestowed upon you a title he says he want you to decide

For you are worthy of picking it yourself when the time is right

For a long time you ponder

What shall that be

But it isn’t until he tells you to travel, to learn, to live and love like all humans that you decide your name

“And so you become a wanderer. Just know my child that if you ever need help I am at your call. My only advice is that humanity can be fickle but the gods are worse”

And so you begin your travels, through marshes and hills, or mountains to deserts

Through the valleys and into land that is lush in greenery of various kinds

From dusk to dawn you travel, stopping sporadically to stay in places that interest you, with people whom teach you before you leave for the road

It is a cycle

One that teaches you of humanity’s greed, pride, jealousy, rage, hate and despair

But one that also teaches you of their compassion, love, kindness, strength and their passion for surviving despite how the gods strike them down over and over again

They rebuild, they overcome and engineer a solution

For they only have themselves to rely on as the gods turned their backs to them

They adapt just as you do

But you are fundamentally different from them

An immortal being without a soul, one that looks and acts just as they do but retains thousands of years of knowledge you’d collected through experience

You aren’t a god but you aren’t quite human, yet you retain qualities from both

You are in between them but also something entirely different from either

You are you

And perhaps that is enough

“You and I have crossed paths, but our journeys will eventually diverge. Who knows what will happen next? Let's just wait and see.”

You end up meeting many humans (and some gods) in your journey’s but many stand out in your mind

One being the human who later would go onto become a demigod

Heracles who you knew as Alcides is someone you had met by complete accident when he was young

He was being bullied, pushed around and punched by children yet he still tried to put up a fight

He kept pushing on and standing up no matter how many times he was thrown down

You stepped in, sending the children running back scared whilst he gave you a toothy smile

Despite losing and being beaten down he was still optimistic

As you patched up the young boy he explained that those boys had been bullying him and his friends castor

That he never won against them but wouldn’t let them keep hurting his friend

It wasn’t righteous and he couldn’t stand for it

You can’t help but smile as he explains this, he was someone you’d only meet once in a blue moon

So you decide to offer him help

For the next couple of months you help the young boy train just as your father taught you

At first he fails

And fails some more

But he always returns to training no matter how beat down and tired he is

In his training your stern but encouraging

Teaching him to hone his strength and use it properly

It is then he begins to make progress

You show him how to stand up for the weak and to never waver in his righteousness

When you aren’t training him you spend time with him and Castor in Thebes

You buy them proper food and give some extra drachma to take home

They always feel a bit guilty about it but you assure them it’s no worry

You had plenty more (no, literally you had more money than you could spend from being a damn good blacksmith)

Figs are eaten as the three of you watch the sunset along with some honey drizzled fruit

They look up to you like a older sibling and it’s safe to say you view them as little brothers

But eventually as always you must eventually leave

Both are upset (especially Alcides) but on the night before you leave you take them to watch the sunset and stars once again

Eating ripe pomegranates as you explain each constellation that lights up the skies

“There is no need to be sad you two, perhaps we will meet again one day. Even if we don’t I will always be with you in memory and in what I taught. Just look to the stars and remember my stories”

That morning you leave but not before telling Alcides to keep up his training and to keep doing what he believes is right

You leave on horseback throwing to him a bag of coin with a sly smile

It’s many years later that you learn he became a god

A bit of pride swelling up in you along with worry

You can only hope he retained a bit of his love for humanity when he ascended to the heavens

another interesting human you meet is Qin Shi Huang

The first emperor of China with you as his personal Historian

The supposed cursed prince who was able to unite a shattered land under his power

Unlike others who still looked at hims with some semblance of hate or fear you always kept a small smile

Offering the knowledge he seeked with a certain something in your voice as you recounted tales of old

After a certain time he begins coming to you more, wanting to learn more

(Also using it as a way to get to know you. A mysterious traveler that somehow was so knowledgeable that despite being a foreigner ended up in court life)

You are outcasted much like he was when he was a child yet like him you bear it with a smile

When you talk with him the conversations start our formal

But in time he opens up as do you

Not about everything of course but about some of your travels and the sights you’d seen

From far spanning mountains that scraped the clouds to the green fields filled with wheat that made them look like fields of gold

He ends up wrapped up in those stories

At some point he’d come to call you friend

The only person after Chun Yan whom he’d let close to his heart

To see how he actually felt when he hadn’t locked it all behind a smile

As you get close to him rumours spread and it leads to you being harassed by several jealous court members

You don’t say anything, it’s not like it actually affects you anyways but when he learns

He is furious

It hurts him to know you were harmed because of him

That you were hated

Just like he was for actions that were not his own

But you brush it off simply telling him to give them a small punishment but nothing extreme

That in the end your alright and that you can’t really be mad at them

In their eyes your a foreigner who was in a position they could only dream about

It’s expected they’d get mad, maybe trying to drop a vase on your head was a bit much but in the end it didn’t hurt you

He reluctantly follows what you say but remains hesitant to let their actions go

Not long after this he tells you of his childhood, all the pain and loss

But how in the end he killed a god and united the land

There’s something in you that sparks at the “killing a god” part but he doesn’t ponder on it long

Instead the two of you talk

And for the first time you feel close enough to open up about not being human nor god

His ego probably gets a bit bigger when you causally mention that he’d likely go down in history

For your time as his historian he shows you in a lot of luxurious befit for royalty and high class nobles

Even years later you keep them, gifts you’d treasure for the rest of eternity and make sure to keep safe

He was born and bred in brutality so his rather violent ways aren’t much of a surprise but you try to help him find ways to temper it

To see that there are peaceful ways to end a fight

Around 4 years of staying there you know it’s about time to leave and Qin Shi isn’t very happy about it

He tells you as emperor that you couldn’t just leave

That as his historian you couldn’t up and go

As his only true friend

But those orders soon become pleads

And the authority in his voice drained as tears replaced it

During the month before you go he is at your side

Making new memories and silently dreading as hours and days fly by

He listens to more of your stories, to your personal accounts and how they differ to what’s told

And on that last day when the moon is full and you await a horse to take you on your next endeavour he stands by your side

And when the times comes for you to go he gifts you a bracelet commissioned just for you

He gently fastens it to your wrist

“A gift from me, a silent sign that you are forever the friend of the emperor”

“May our paths cross in the future my friend”

“Yes, let’s hope they do”

When he dies on a tour of his land at age 49 you somehow appear before his side as if sensing he was dying

His advisors are confused as he orders them to let you in but they do so in fear of the consequences

You might not agree with many of his actions you’d heard he committed but he was your friend

He passes holding your hand

The bracelet he once gave you is still worn to this day

He only wished he achieved immortality so you never had to deal with loosing yet another friend

But he is human and nothing can change that despite how you and he wish so

If you had a nickel for every time you ran into a human turned god you’d have two nickels

Weird it happened twice but your not complaining

You met Gautama Siddhartha the former prince of Kapilavastu as you took shelter beneath a tree when night fell

There you found him beneath the Bodhi tree that you took shelter beneath in a deep state of meditation

Until you politely asked if he was ok and he answered you

Compared to most you met Gautama is relaxed

He is in-tune with both himself and the world around him in more ways than he knows

You could already tell he was a legends in the making and decided to stick around for a bit to see where his journey would take him

Eventually as he reached enlightenment you grew curious as to why he remained on earth despite being able to go to the heavens above

But he tells you that his word isn’t done, that he wanted to spread what he had learned

To make people happy and to ease their suffering

It makes you happy

Never had you thought a god would do so but you assumed that because he was human before

That’s possibly why he still cared

Even years later when he does eventually go to the heavens you have a small Buddha statue in your possession of many items

As a way to honour him

You wouldn’t exactly call him friend (you didn’t know him long enough to do so though he’d disagree) but he is someone you’d certainly never forget

Raiden Tameemon is another you met curiosity enough at one of his Sumo matches

At the time you heard talk of a seemingly legendary fighter who had yet to lose a match and you wanted to check it out

You weren’t disappointed and began going to show up in the crowds who watched him

His strength was certainly admirable but so was his kindness in donating money back to his home town

So after a match you approached him and went with him for celebratory Sake

You kinda after that became drinking buds with him since other sumo wrestles didn’t seem keen on being around him

He is a lovely fellow one who you swear can eat a mountains worth of food and drink an oceans worth a anything

You on the overhand are technically the same m, you don’t need food or drink to survive you just have it to experience it’s taste and experience

He flirts with you quite a bit but you laugh it off

Taking them as compliments as you comment on his strength

His laugh is loud and boisterous as you both guzzle down more booze

You don’t really get drunk?, so your always the sober one who makes sure to get him home

To a normal person he’d be quite heavy but your able to carry him with no problem

Which gets quite a log of amazed onlookers as you carry him without so much as sweating

At his wrestling matches you’d always at the front of the crowd cheering for him

You know he won’t be defeated but you encourage him anyways

At some point he definitely uses your hat as a makeshift Frisbee despite you yelling at him

Sometimes during his drunken ramblings he talks of how he feels like a monster

You always assure him though that he is not

That he’s a man like everyone else

One who deserves love just like everyone does

It’s a rare moment but hearing that from you makes him cry a little

Perhaps he had waited a long time to hear that

He knows beforehand that you’d have to leave one day but when you do he says goodbye with a smile

He gives you a hug and pats your back with a blinding grin

You promise to catch another of his fights one day and you do

The last one before his retirement is spent with him drinking with you like for old times sake

Slurred singing and messy dancing as you and him walk side by side of the busy street as the moon is risen in the sky

He teaches you to laugh and enjoy a drink when times are rough

Every year though on the date of his death you honour him by having a sip of sake whilst watching the moon

For the moon had is the only remaining witness to those nights filled with laughter

Mr. Anonymous otherwise know as Jack (though your not sure that’s even his real name) finds you on his own

At the time you were briefly stopping off in Britain to check out the Industrial Revolution

So far it’s been disappointing to you and slightly disturbing as you’d seen young children be put on the workforce

Having to deal with hazardous materials and operate machinery that could rip them apart

Oh plus the buzz around the serial killer called “jack the ripper”

Now that in itself didn’t really interest you

But what did was how the media seemingly just ate it up

They speculated and theorized of who done it

Seemingly sickly enamoured by the mane who butchered innocent women who just were trying to get by

Those same victims seen as nothing more than side notes to the man himself

Their murderer

The ripper

At this point your not sure what’s worse, the idolizations of the killer or how the victims themselves are seemingly shamed for their profession

Anyways

Unbeknownst to you Jack had the uncanny ability to see people’s souls as colours along with their emotions

But for you there was nothing

Absolutely nothing except for sparks of electricity? Of sorts that buzzed around you

Ever the gentleman he offers you a spot at his table and even buys you a cup of tea

He insists and you allow him with a smile

You can never pass on a good drink and someone who wanted to talk

Eventually as day turns to night he offers to walk you to your hotel

Saying that London streets aren’t exactly friendly to those alone at night and you agree

It’s on that walk he reveals more of his true intentions

Still cordial and polite but you can tell he’s holding back getting violent if you did not respond

So you respond with the truth since if he attacked he’d figure out you weren’t human anyways

Safe to say he’s very fascinated

For the rest of your stay in England you stick around with him

By your choice as well

He is an interesting man but one that you nether the less find yourself enjoying the company of

He is upfront with you about how he is a killer

And how he goes by the Jack the Ripper moniker after killing the original

He knows he’s not a good person but despite that you see that maybe he’s selling himself short

There’s apparently a secret organization in London that tracks down and kills far worse scum of society

Killing the original Jack the Ripper is also a sign that to you be at least has some moral code of sorts

He brushes your comments off, though you can see that it seems to somewhat resonate with him

You and him often discuss Shakespeare especially since you had met the playwright and even acted in a few of his productions

Though you don’t have a colour he associates your soul with that of a rich Violet

A beautiful colour for someone as beautiful as you are in both body and metaphorical spirit

When your time in Britain is just about up you and him go to see Hamlet

It would be a night he’d never forget since it filled him with joy that he had not seen since the early days of his childhood

He felt at peace for once

Even when you leave you continue to mail to him

Telling him of your travels around the world and even sending a few small souvenirs

When he dies he’s at least glad to have had 1 true friend

“ Aphrodite?, heh. A wolf in sheep's clothing. To exert a higher level of control over people, she puts on a graceful and beautiful front. Most of those who have seen her true colours know of her cruelty”

Through your journeys unlike your many human friends you’ve meet a handful of gods in your time

You don’t go out of your way to meet them

But sometimes fate has different plans

And though those encounters are rare they remain in your mind

For a few examples

You meet Thor when Odin’s Raven Huginn was injured

He was sent to earth to deliver some sort of message and inadvertently got injured

And that’s when you found him, a bleeding mass of feathers in the snow

Yelling swears that would make even Loki blush

The bird is at first hesitant to accept your help

For he saw you as just as human but he reluctantly accepted once realizing he could get nowhere

So you brought the immortal pet of Odin back to your cabin to heal him

Whilst the raven is boastful and full of pride

He eventually begins to like your company as you engage in long conversation with him

Most gods brush him off as annoying so it feels nice being appreciated

He won’t admit it but he might’ve began to get attached

He might not like humanity but maybe your an exception

Once he is healed enough to fly it’s when he is able to alert Odin to his location

And a meeting place is made

You bring him out into the freezing cold

He’s talking and your making hums of acknowledgment as he talks about the gods

It’s somewhat interesting getting his view of them since yours is relatively negative (except for your father and Buddha)

And then he pauses

the talkative raven suddenly leaps from your shoulder and into the air

Flying high as you spot a man…no a god

Long red hair, markings covering his skin, piercing eyes and a large hammer resting upon his shoulder

When you get within a couple feet of him and Huginn the god stares you down

The Raven perched on his shoulder talking his ear off about how you had brought him back to health

It is then you learn the person in front of you is Thor, the strongest of the Norse pantheon

One whom you heard was battle hungry

Though other than that you don’t know much of him

You stand before the god of thunder unfazed

Huginn seems rather surprised at that fact but doesn’t make a comment on it

Perhaps even somewhat amazed at that fact

Thor offers you a reward though he doesn’t seem enthusiastic as he says this

Likely just following the orders from Odin

You quirk an eyebrow

“I don’t want a reward in money, I just have a question for you oh mighty Thor”

His eyes widen ever so slightly but he nods

“What is that?”

“What do you desire out of everything in the world, what is the one thing you want despite being an all powerful god?”

Now that makes him pause

Of all questions be certainly didn’t expect that nor did the Raven that begrudgingly found itself enjoying your company

He answers and your not surprised

“An equal. Someone i could fight full strength and be at match with. That’s what I desire”

You chuckle a bit at this

“I’m not surprised, but that did fulfill my suspicions. I wish the best to you, that you’ll find that one day. Maybe we’ll cross paths again”

And with that he nods and turns around

What surprises him though is when he feels something hit is back

He turns, there’s snow sticking to his hair

But then that-

Your gone, completely and utterly gone when he turns around

The furious wind carrying snow that covers up any footprints

He realizes that by throwing that snowball you were in some way teasing him

Something he’d normally be able to detect before you even threw it hit him like he was nothing

He searches for you for the next couple of years, always searching through crowds whenever he’d have to go to earth for whatever reason

It gave him a sense of something

He wasn’t sure what it was but he knew he wanted to challenge you

He needed to conclude that fight you begun but left for him to finish

But for him he would get to fight you again at a raid Vikings were doing against a village you were staying at

You couldn’t just there and do nothing so you geared up and ran into battle

And that’s when you noticed a familiar red haired god watching nearby

And he seemed to spot you as well since the next moment your engaging in battle with him

The battlefield around the two of you in an icy wasteland is accentuated by crashing thunder and biting lightning as you exchange blows

That the normal apathetic face filled with giddiness at someone finally living up to expectations

The raid is long forgotten as everyone evades the area and you do your best to lead the fight into a nearby wooded area

Trees are flattened by his infamous hammer that now pulsates and cracks at the seams

Flesh spilling out of it as it beats like a heart

You use the trees to bounce off and lead him deeper into the secluded area

Eventually you wear him out just enough to get a hit that sends him staggering back

You could go full power but you decide not to since you’d rather have some cards up your sleeve

And as he’s on the shattered ground, kneeling as a hand is placed over his bleeding chest he asks for your name

You just reply your a wanderer before disappearing into the brush

He’s found by Loki not long after who is confused and somewhat scared at the fact Thor of all people has an almost fatal wound

When he asks the red head simply replies he was training and nothing more

Content on keeping your existence a secret for his own sake of having an equal

Loki doesn’t need to be the god of lies and deception to tell he’s lying but says nothing

Another god you meet is Ares during wartime

You were on the battlefield not fighting but just doing your best to help those who were injured

You’d had a good amount of fighting in your life and had decided to do you best to help instead

And there on the battlefield, bloodied and victorious is the god of war

You locked eyes with him yet didn’t waver

Instead focusing on picking up a solider who had sustained a leg wound

He looks over the human who relies on you and at his uniform

One of the men on his side

Unbeknownst to him someone was foolish enough to try and sneak up on him

But you mouthed the words “behind you” to the god

Within an instant the man is dead and your taking the soldier back to his camp

A small interaction but one nether the less

Sometimes in war you see him but you avoid being seen

Disappearing within the blink of an eye

You’d rather not have your immortal status be known to the gods

There’s a bit of resentment you hold towards him for your fathers sake

Being a lover of your dad’s wife, the goddess of beauty herself

Whilst your father is resigned to the fact that his wife will never love him and goes behind his back constantly

You can’t help but feel angry for him because at this point he’s used to it

Speaking of which

Your father visits you every 5 years on the eve of your creation

Though as he said when you set out on your adventures you can call to him whenever you need him

As usual he is kind and caring

You recount to him your travels

Your friends and all of the advancements in technology the humans had made

He listens with a smile, eyes twinkling with joy at your happiness

On these occasions he almost always gifts you something he’s made

All of which you use on your journey like the satchel that no one but yourself can open

Or your now iconic kasa hat with a veil trailing behind it which was inspired from your times in Japan

And your clothes built to be able to be able to withstand your power when you use them

Hephaestus isn’t used to affection from being scorned by everyone

So he melts when you hug him or hold his hand

You never hesitate to do so and the first time you initiate the platonic action of love he cries

The god of smithing usually talks of his latest invention or what’s happening with the gods

The usual petty squabbles over any inconvenience

being invited to their council meeting every 1000 years yet again but not being told until last minute

He worries for not only you but also humanity

He sees the resentment and disgust the others hold for humans, despite the entire race being moulded after them

They don’t seem to acknowledge that humans are just as flawed as they are

He knows he can’t do anything though

So he just focuses on his worries for you

About how it must be to loose all your human friends

For they age and you don’t

A small part of him expects you to resent him for making you immortal

Yet you don’t

Though yes, it is hard to befriend people knowing you’d always outlive them

And while there were times in your life you had craved death

You came to realize how You enjoy the fact you’ve lived long enough to meet them in the first place

To be able to see how far humanity has come and how far it needs to continue

To watch empires crumble but new ones be rebuilt in their ashes

To meet people like Hypatia or Nicola Tesla, minds ahead of their time only to be recognized for their accomplishments later

Sometimes when he feels more alone than usual he looks at the little gifts you gave him

And it reminds him of how he’ll always have you

The one person who would ever give him love

Something that even his parents had denied him for something that isn’t even his fault

And unlike his uncaring mother and father he’d always give you his love

His care and support

For he knows that someone deprived of that can end up becoming cruel and angry

Just like he had for so many years until realizing there was nothing he could ever do to get that love

But now he realizes that’s ok

they deserve him nor his care

Only his child does

“You want me to introduce myself? I've gone by many names and titles during my journeys. they're all just water under the bridge to me now and you can Call me whatever you like…but y/n is what I originally gave to myself”

When the gods gather for yet another 1000 year meeting Hephaestus feels little need to go yet attends anyways

Perhaps to spite those who wanted him not to go

He sits in his seat of sculpted metal

Normally he barely listens but when the fate of mankind is brought up he becomes deathly aware

X’s are thrown up by almost every god

And he’s left confounded on what to do

He doesn’t put up a sign yet no one notices

And the normally stoic and calm god is left silently panicking

Until a certain Valkyrie makes her appearance

He knew of her well enough

Valkyrie’s were some of the few who treated him fairly since they respected him for his craft of weapons

She offers an opportunity for humanity to prove itself

Ragnarok

An event in which 13 humans and 13 gods would fight to the death

At first not many are intrigued until she does something to ensure they would accept the challenge

She called them chicken, scared to face the humans they had created

Once the meeting is over the god finds Brunhilde and her younger sister Göll

The youngest scared to a T whilst her older sister remains dead calm

It’s there that he tells her that he’s an ally

And that there is someone that she might wish to contact for a fighter

And so she takes his advice and finds you having tea in your home

when she asks you to fight for humanity against the gods you agree

And so Ragnarok begins

#platonic #shuumatsu no Valkyrie x reader #records of ragnarok x reader #travler y/n #ror Hercules x reader #Hercules x reader #ror #ror qin shi huang x reader #raiden Tameemon x reader #ror raiden Tameemon x reader #ror Buddha x reader #ror Jack the Ripper x reader #ror thor x reader #ror ares x reader #ror Brunhilde x reader #ror x reader #holy shit this is long

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tiptapricock · 5 months

Note

KangTsung/Liushang headcannons? For mk1

YESSS yes yea yes yes ywa yeah yeH BABY

Send me some Mortal Kombat characters or ships for some nsfw headcanons!

———

Neither of them know how they end up there, actually

Like objectively, sure. Shang Tsung gets sent to infiltrate enemy lines via seduction and get on Liu Kang’s good side to more effectively cripple the Earthrealm defenses

He plays innocent, he acts interested, he makes all the right comments and leaves all the right lingering touches to make any man go wild

But Liu Kang… knows him. He knows who he was, who he shaped him to be. He knows he hates Shang Tsung with a burning passion, and yet…?

Could he have turned out differently? Could this timeline have been altered so drastically that Shang Tsung ended up on the good path all on his own? Liu Kang crafted others that way, like Mileena and Baraka and Sindel, but he hasn’t touched the fates of mortals since the universe began

So part of him, the part that is more well meaning, is curious

And the other part of him, the part of him that is lonely and craves the types of human intimacy he has long starved himself of, is… well.

If Shang Tsung is showing so much interest, it only makes sense that Liu Kang investigates by fucking him

It’s not like he could do much damage, right? He’s not powerful in magic as he was before, and here they are surrounded by warriors who would jump at the nearest chance to defend Liu Kang

And Shang Tsung is also… very good at working him up

His laugh, the spread of his long fingers on Liu Kang’s waist, the way his eyes flick over him as if he plans to devour

It is stupid, but it happens

Liu Kang invites him to talk in private, and takes things into his own hands

He is cautious at first, conversational, but he drops his own touches, lets his eyes burn across the table as he hands Shang Tsung tea

He gets up to talk about Earthrealm, to talk about his duties, and circles behind Shang Tsung to slowly push the hair away from his neck

And kneel down

And kiss the warmth of human skin for the first time in many centuries

Shang Tsung himself is caught off guard by the intimacy of it. He expected Liu Kang to be rushed and intense as many men past their breaking point would be, but he’s not

He is pressure and heat, a burning line of fingers dipping beneath Shang Tsung’s clothes, maneuvering him up and against the wall

A tongue and teeth, a back that glows as Shang Tsung rakes his nails across it, a divine buzz hanging in the air as they grind and palm each other through hanging layers of silk and cotton

Shang Tsung, for a few minutes, forgets his mission

It is odd to be treated like a holy thing, to have a god’s eyes fluttering closed as he strokes him slowly, to be pressed into a quiet moment of intimacy as if he belongs there

And it is exhilarating

They continue after that night. Shang Tsung offers himself, and Liu Kang accepts

They spend evening after evening tangled upon the sheets, foreheads pressed close as Liu Kang fills Shang Tsung in deep, steady thrusts, hands moving to cup his chest, his shoulders, his cheek

This is wrong, Liu Kang knows, this will only end in tragedy, but it is hard to stop

Shang Tsung peels back his layers, finds the soft wanting beneath, and tugs at it

He rests himself in Liu Kang’s throat and pets his hair gently, praising him for his heat and compliance, for the beauty of a body that does not need to breathe, and Liu Kang melts with it

It is a tumble into something neither of them can pull away from

Liu Kang finds a desire growing he cannot quell, a bleeding pool of connection he is finally able to sate, and Shang Tsung is… losing sight of why he was here at all

Liu Kang’s hips are firm when he guides Shang Tsung in training, pressing too close, lingering after practiced falls to keep him close to his chest and smirking when he feels Shang Tsung get hard

He makes Shang Tsung’s breath hitch with his smile and the sting of his teeth, his fingerprints flushed burns that mark Shang Tsung’s shoulders and ribs on the nights he loses himself too deeply

But he is kind. He is a lord that cares

Shang Tsung has never deserved that, or perhaps he has, and the world has stolen it from him

It’s ironic, he knows, to find gratification in the arms and cock of the man who wrote his destiny, but it’s hard to think that way when Liu Kang sinks down on him so fully, so deeply trusting, and makes him feel like the center of the world

On those nights, when he cannot stop thinking, Shang Tsung digs his nails into the curves of Liu Kang’s skin, pulling him close, his hips snapping up, his chest heaving, and tries desperately to hold on to the man he was sent to kill

#this is more emotions than smut thoughts I think but that’s bc they make me explode #it’s SO funny and it’s also SO fucking. fated for failure and also the most tender deeply recognizing shit you’ve ever seen #mortal kombat #liu kang #shang tsung #liushang #kangtsung #mk1 #nsft #cot n balls #cot n balls writing

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galedekarios · 5 months

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that interview is driving me insane i've been thinking about it for the past hour and i still can't wrap my head around it. i think what really gets under my skin is it just... contradicts with the text of the game. the most positive possible reading of the ending where gale blows himself up is that it was an unavoidable tragedy dictated by fate but even that's a stretch. to say it's a good ending?? or a satisfying conclusion to his arc?? i call bull. it's more infuriating because there is such a clear good ending for gale's character arc and it's the professor ending! his arc was about learning to accept himself as he was, to value who he is as he is flaws and all, and he's done that in the professor ending! and the god of ambition ending is a bad end for him but still ties into his overall arc in a satisfying if sad way (imo). the ending where he dies just... doesn't. which is fine as a tragedy but to imply it isn't exactly that, a tragedy, is wild to me. and it being so blatantly contradictory to the actual events of the game makes me think that whole thing was just catering to people who hate gale which like... why? people who don't like him don't care about his story so why pander to them like this?

uhg. i am sorry for blowing up your inbox like this i just feel like i'm gonna rip my hair out and need to express that to a fellow gale appreciator. i love gale's epilogue SO MUCH it made me feel for a bit like maybe the writers had actually changed how they felt about him but. nope! silly of me to hope for that. wish i could memory wipe that whole interview from my brain dark urge style.

don't be sorry at all! 🖤 i feel the same way in a lot of ways. altho i feel the need to mention that gale's writer, jan van dosselaer, was not involved in this interview.

i started to make a meta post about this yesterday, but reading things like this from gale:

act ii [after elminster] Player: An old man with a craving for cheese. Hardly the great wizard of legend. Gale: A wizard doesn't reach Elminster's age without enjoying their home comforts. Those who seek danger over cheese don't tend to live as long. Gale: For Mystra to have sent him... The severity of her bidding could not be clearer. Or weigh more heavily on me. devnote: reflecting on mystra sending elminster, of all people - a powerful individual, becoming reflective. Gale: Time seems so infinite when you are young... a month is an age, a year is a lifetime... it is a strange feeling, to realise how little of it one might have left. Player: You're seriously considering doing what Elminster said? Gale: Of course - he offered the clearest solution to our problem. All I have to do is find the right place and time, close my eyes, and let go... devnote: Trying to sound upbeat, not fully engaging with what he's saying (that he's going to kill himself). Gale: Then the slate will be clean, wrongs will be righted, the Absolute will be gone... devnote: Trying to sound upbeat, not fully engaging with what he's saying (that he's going to kill himself). Gale: ...and I along with it. devnote: Still trying to sound upbeat, though this time the reality that this means he will die weighs a bit heavier

and:

act ii [act ii romance scene] Gale: I am terrified - I will not claim otherwise. My face could scarcely conceal it even if my words sought to deny it. nodecontext: Hushed, vulnerable Gale: There is no point in running from the inevitable. Better to meet it, on my own terms. nodecontext: Resigned

as well as this:

act ii [act ii friendship version] Gale: Yes... but there is so much to live for, and so few moments in which to house it all. Gale: Damn you. Damn you for giving me so much to care about. Our friends, our adventures... this would have been so much easier if it was just me. But it isn't. Gale: If there is a way - any way - to save all that's grown dear to me, I want to seize it. I just cannot fathom what that might be, other than to fail Mystra and condemn the world. Gale: Stay with me, will you? I don't want to think of it any more, but I don't want to be alone either.

act iii [before the netherbrain] Player: Gale... I think we should consider using the orb as Mystra intended. To blow up the Netherbrain. Gale: I'm getting rather tired of how often those I care about seem to reach the same conclusion.

when you have this:

and i just... couldn't finish the meta.

it's absolutely beyond comprehension for me how anyone could try to frame this as an ending that is the right one in "many ways", as the "guy who starts off annoying everyone", eating your "most priced possessions", having to "give back to the world".

for the founder of the company to say he wasn't "ready" the "first time", but he's finally "ready" now.

gale's death isn't only unnecessary, an instruction given to him by his former mentor on the behalf of a goddess, who would've sacrificed not only him but thousands of others to achieve her own goals, he doesn't want to die. he's terrified. he wants to live. he is offering this because he believes that his time has run out. because he wants his death to have purpose if it must happen. because he feels he made a mistake far bigger than he can ever make up for. because he doesn't want others to waste their chance at life like he feels he has. the will he leaves behind in the epilogue if he sacrifices himself isn't finished because he thought there would be more time. i could go on and on.

and again, the question is too... for what exactly does he need to "give back to the world"?

being perceived as annoying after coming out of what is presented as isolation and depression? asking for help with a now chronic impairment that feeds on his very soul and wreaks havoc on his body? for making a mistake? by that logic every companion deserves the same fate.

which brings me to the contrast to how most of the other companions are framed in this interview: k*rlach, "the labrador of the party". l*e'zel, "she's so young". ast*rion, "much of what he does it out of fear". sh*dowheart, "the jason bourne" and "victim of religous trauma". w*ll, "the true baldur's gate hero".

the difference is staggering. there's empathy here. there's at least a surface level understanding and/or appreciation of the characters there.

...and then you have gale.

it's alienating and disappointing to see devs have so little respect and care for their own character, as well as for the parts of their fandom who have grown attached to the character exactly for the strengths and flaws he has, for the struggles he faces and for the healing journey he can have if he is helped and lives.

#my opinion on larian has already changed to the negative for the way they've lied prior release re: what is actually in the game #as well as the amount of bugs and issues that other companies would be dragged through the mud for #as well as the extreme bias showing itself in the scene disparity of their characters #but this was really the final nail in the coffin for me #i also think that it would have been so easy to find a more diplomatic answer instead of choosing reddit talking points but that's just me #ch: gale dekarios #vg: baldur's gate 3 #series: baldur's gate #text: personal #text: asks #bg3 critical #larian critical #suicidal ideation cw #depression cw

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kyojurosprettygirl · 9 months

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ok so... Gyomei and gorgon! reader? (like medusa) she turns ppl to stone of they look at her but he's blind, so he's immune. reader is very lonely and when she meets Gyomei they're happy to finally talk to someone. Gyomei also gets some eyewear so she doesn't hurt anyone else as they be together. she'd wear a cloak or hijab to hide her snakes. as they walk together and the snakes on reader's head also likes gyomei Hhehvibdnvjfnf

a/n: I love the way you think!!! GOSH, i feel this is perfect for Gyomei (UvvvU) I rarely see anyone write for Gyomei, so I was pretty excited to write for him, but very nervous as well! Since, I don't feel I know enough of his character, and as far as im aware, hasn't been animated in action that much. I can really only write him based on what I know from his wiki and manga... Hope this atleast meets your expectations!! also, because of my lack of knowledge in Hijabs, I decided not to use that as a cover for her snakes, simply to be respectful, apolgies in advance!!

love casted in the stones.

Gyomei Himejima x Gorgon! Fem! reader

a man with tremendous faith, who never once doubted his gods plans for him, how peculiar, you think. he had every right to give up on religion, would a god really cast blindness upon their child? hell, you see and hear your own brother curse the gods for who they made you and him to be on the daily. but, he never thought of it as a set-back, rather, a small exchange.

in life, balance is an important part of it to upkeep. the same way life does to death, and darkness does to light. unbalance would bring chaos, something you learned to understand. it cannot always be day, but it cannot always be night. to him, losing one sense simply acted as a sacrifice, let the illness take you, or, let the illness take your sight. losing your sight isn't a curse, its not something you'd willingly live without, sure, but what good will cursing the gods out because of it do for you? besides, you can't get it back, so why dwell on it? why dwell on something you cannot change? It is a part of you, why not embrace it?

but oh, does it get lonely...

"furukawa." your tone is stern and harsh, a drastic difference from the soft honey your tone usually held. he stutters and closes his eyes, furrowing his brows he sighs. you gently remove his prayer beads from his hands and kneel next to him, you look up at him expectantly and he kneels next to you. hes embarrassed you caught him in such a state.

having lost faith isn't something unheard of, it happens almost every day, infact gorgons are known to be faithless beings by default, but, cursing the gods you swear you don't believe in is unheard of. gorgons had no reason to believe in the higher powers when, lets face it, if they existed, they wouldn't curse the souls they created for no apparent reason. gorgons are faithless as a means to respect the gods, not to detest them. they know gods are supposed to love every being they sculpted, lead them to abundance and fortune, not into the hidden parts of the earth to live the rest of their lives as mere folktale and legends. but alas, 'lost' faith still lingers. deep down, gorgons still believe. the reason why is subjective, 'to each their own', but they all hold their arms out in hope. hope that they'll hear their desperate cries to allow them to live with the others who walk on the planet.

most your kind, mistaken as demons, had been killed in what the last of your kind knows as 'The Great Extinction'. you can't blame the humans, it was in their instincts to survive.. ugly faces that had snakes for hair...ones that couldn't wait to bite and poison you...glowing silver eyes that turn you to stone while your still alive, feeling the very painful change your body was going through.. your kind truly was demonic, but you didn't choose to live that way. You were innocent souls that had been dealt the unfortunate, forced to hide away simply for being born. it was a horrible fate, but, 'everything happens for a reason'

"it's a wonder this temple is still standing," you pause and look at him. he nods, his eyes casted to the floor. you tap his cheek and offer him a gentle smile, one he returns. "speak to me, Kaito." you place his prayer beads down, and face him. he opens his mouth to speak, but sighs. "i can't find the words." his snakes sensed his sadness and awoke to try and comfort him, but he simply brushes them away gently and orders them to stop. they sit still on his head the way hair naturally would, and close their eyes to rest once again. "we're not going to exist soon. after you and i die, that's it." you wince subtly and look to the side.

kaito and his grandfather had taken you and your grandmother away from where your kind had hidden themselves for generations, a group of humans having found it and planned an attack that killed them all. 'they've gotten smarter' kaitos grandfather said. 'used mirrors to kill us!' your grandmother shouted, anger filled her soul. after many weeks of hiding, once your grandparents deemed it safe to go back to your old home, you went back. you spent a year burying statues of those you called friends and family, and rebuilt one single home to live in. you and kaito went as far to bury humans statues simply because 'it was the right thing to do.' your grandmother died angry, and kaitos grandfather had died depressed.

"and maybe it's for the better, kaito." his brows furrow, frustration evident in his face. "we're going to all die out and never experience the way life was mean't to be lived. all we know is that demons walk upon us and eat everyone they see-" you pinch his arm, "we are apart of those demons kaito. that's what the humans see us as. monsters. they won't accept us with open arms, just one more issue to deal with. two of us versus millions of them. " he grunts. "you shouldn't curse the gods who keep us alive and hidden." he gets up. "oh, you mean the ones who keep us alive to mourn everyone whos died. keep us alive to hide and only see the sun for one hour a day. is that what we live for? is that what we thank them for? for absolutely nothing?" you stare and him and grab his prayer beads, gently fixing them into the correct position in his hands. you take your own prayer beads out and hold them, closing your eyes. "protect us. it's all i ask of you." kaito prays the same as you and smiles.

you and kaito venture out during the night, deciding to find ways to blend in as you traveled. for about two hours into the night all seemed fine, but a demon had made their way to you both, mistaking you as humans. she growled as she jumped at you and kaito, you and him barley missing her attack, and you looked at kaito for a plan. he shrugged and you realized she didn't turn to stone. your eyes widen as you speak, "she's immune to us, she's a demon.." kaitos eyes widen and he runs to grab you. he helps you to your feet and commands you to run. in a state of panic, you do as told, and its only when you hear a humans agonizing scream when you realize he wasn't following. "Kaito!" you scream, he turns around to face you and he looks afraid. You reach your hand out and run to him, "Kaito!" you scream again. He reaches his hand out to you, and your three feet away when a blade finds it's way infront of you, cleanly beheading him. You gasp and open your mouth to scream, it's silent. its once his head falls to the floor when you kneel down and find it in you to scream. You hold his head close to your body and weep. You look up at the demon slayer, making eye contact, and you don't realize your mistake until his arms are stuck in place. "im sorry! im sorry! im sorry!" you frantically repeat. his eyes widen and he screams in pain, you don't look away as you watch him turn to stone; punishing yourself. you made that bed, now you lay in it.

you stayed on the floor holding kaitos head until sunrise.

once you stood up, you analyzed the landscape and came to the conclusion that he had ripped off the demons head with his bare hands, his hands still having blood on them, and had made eye contact with the first demon slayers partner; turning her to stone, evident in the way her body stayed in a fighting position. mistaking him for a demon, her partner beheaded him, which led to the events that followed. you gently placed kaitos head down and lifted his limp body to drag him onto a bed of flowers near by. once you did you placed his head next to him and let the last few tears out. you grabbed the demon slayers and placed them near his body, gently, and placed yours and kaitos prayer beads around their neck.

"this is fucking sick." sanemi says. tengen looks at kaitos body and then the two slayers statues. "how disturbing.." he sighs. Sanemi looks at tengen, "so, what do you think this is?" tengen crosses his arms and looks at the scene again. "a demon, 's the only explanation." sanemi rolls his eyes, "Yeah, no shit. but what kind. we need to have an idea of what we're dealing with. we were sent to investigate and all you can conlcude is 'demon!'" tengen grunts and shrugs, scratching his head. "we won't know until we face it. for now, its just a demon that has the ability to turn people to stone." sanemi kicks Kaitos body, "and this?" tengen, not being able to think of anything shrugs at sanemi. sanemi hums to himself, "it might have the ability to turn humans into gorgon like creatures, having them do its dirty work,i mean.." sanemi pauses to pick up kaitos head from his dead snakes and holds it up for tengen to see. "snakes" tengen says. "well he's not a demon, he was beheaded and his bodies here, so he could be an extension that won't die until the main body does." tengen says, too serious for his liking he continues. "unflashy way to die if you ask me." sanemi stares tengen down and tengen laughs. "let's take this back, we need the others opinions as well." they make their way back to the headquarters to have another pillar meeting.

you spent what felt like years hiding in the forests, but it was only a few months. you only ever snuck into villages during the night to take food and maintain your hygiene, laying low for the rest of the time unknowingly giving people more reason to think of you as a demon and keeping the demon slayer corps on their feet. no matter what, the only evidence they had to go off of was village peoples words. there was too many people confirming you existed, but not enough proof that you were actually there. after those two slayers; they hadn't seen any more of people turning to stone, just stolen food and a shadowed figure with snakes sticking out of their silhouette. you weren't a danger to them. 'for now' they said. The master had decided to send a final order on your matter, to keep an eye out for you and if you were seen to behead you. You were no longer being scouted for, nor investigated, so you used this as your chance to freely wander around the forest as pleased, allowing yourself to indulge in the lushness of the earth. Kaito would've liked all of this.

it was lonely for the longest time, you hadn't used your voice in months and the forest became your home. you walked in its paths as a lonely soul, having forgotten the sound of kaitos and your grandmothers voice, so there was nothing to hold onto in those dark moments, deciding to allow yourself to get hurt by demons that crossed your path and only running when you heard foreign footsteps or when it got too painful.

your heart pumped in your chest, 'is this really what im doing now?' you thought to yourself. the cold wind caressed your sweaty body, cooling you down after your face off with death. the wind was silent, but created soft sounds with the trees leaves near by. you found yourself walking to the singular wisteria tree in the area, it was the biggest you'd seen and it was absolutely gorgeous. your snakes had awoken and they stayed still, a silent way to ask for permission, you giggle and say yes, they can play. they nuzzle your face and you begin to cry, an overwhelming feeling taking over you. you felt heavy weight come off of you as your snakes "stood" to play in the wisteria flowers. you laughed to yourself and let wisteria envelop your figure; finding comfort in such a beautiful sight , completely forgetting exactly what you were running from...

Mitsuri abruplty stops her chase, causing Gyomei to stop with her. "Kanroji?" Gyomei asks. she looks over at you as your engulfed in wisteria, completely fine, she stutters a little before getting her sentence out, "she's completely engulfed in wisteria, she seems completely fine." she gasps when she sees you grab into the flowers and cry, "she's grabbing it even, it's doing nothing to her! are we sure she's a demon?" Gyomei hums, "it's the only valid explaination Kanroji, she must be more powerful than we thought if she can withstand the wisteria." Mitsuri shakes her head, "No, Himejima! theres no way she's a demon. No matter what, demons experience effects from the flowers, if she only hurt three people, she's weak enough for it to paralyze her!" Gyomei nods, "i see." he states. They stay there and they debate their next move. "we must find a way to take her to the master." he says, Mitsuri hums in agreement, "should we just.." she pauses, "how are we going to do that.." Gyomei thinks for a moment, hearing your laughter causes thin tears to cascade over his face, "it sounds so innocent, so full of life" he thinks. "are you okay Gyomei?" mitsuri asks, he nods, "it's just because of her laughter." mitsuri quietly lets an 'oh' escape her, she always forget's that the smallest things can make him cry. she looks over at you and she can hear it too, she wonders how you can be so happy and caught in the moment. "mitsuri?" she looks over at gyomei, "Yes?" He turns his heaed to the sound of her voice, "can you describe her to me?" she smiles, "ofcourse, gyomei!" she takes you in and begins to speak after a moment. "She has many really long black snakes on her head, like hair it seems..and they're playing in the wisteria. beautiful eyes, ones that glow in a way similar to the moon. other than that, she looks completely human, as far as I can tell. she's wearing a black kimono, with small detailings that match the color of her eyes." she stares at gyomei expectingly, and smiles. "thankyou mitsuri" he says. she hums fondly as a way to say your welcome, and goes back to looking at you. she and gyomei begin to walk towards you, trying to stay far enough so that you don't get scared and so that you don't harm them. you hear mitsuri sheathe her blade and your head snaps to her, her snakes quickly snapping back onto your head and closing their eyes, going back to their usual resting state. you step back and cover your eyes, holding your free arm out. "no!" you scream, voice hoarse from lack of usage. "please," you get on your knees, "if i.." you let out a shakey breath, "if we make eyecontact, you will turn to stone." your lips quiver, and gyomei hears the almost silent whimper you let out. mitsuri steps back and looks away, urging gyomei to follow suit, instead, he plants himself in place. mitsuri isn't afraid, she just wants to make you feel safe enough so that you'll allow her to take you to Ubuyashiki. "does it apply to those who are blind?" he asks, and you calm down at the softness in his voice. "i don't want to find out." you say, and you panic as he removes your hand from your eyes. you gasp and shut your eyes. "she has her eyes shut Himejima.." mitsuri states. he closes his eyes, "my eyes are closed, you can look at me." you open one day to look at him, and it's then when you realize how much bigger he is than when you first saw him. he unexpectedly opens his eyes, and you panic at first, noting how he doesn't move, but then you realize he has no pupils. "so it must not apply to the blind then." he says, tears escape your eyes, "i guess not.." you say. you indulge in the moment, and carefully place your hands on his face, giving him an out. he doesn't move. "you.." you begin, your voice wavering. "i can look you safely in the eyes." you exhale a laugh in disbeleif and smile. he smiles back, being able to hear your smile. "you can." mitsuri softly says, trying her hardest to not look you in the eyes, and suddenly, your no longer conscious.

your body lays infront of them in the shaded area of the garden as four demon slayers keep their blades pointed at your neck. the pillars talking among each other, some bickering about what they think you are, as they wait for the master to make his appearance. "we had it under control!" mitsuri states, the lower ranked demon slayer huffs. "didn't seem like it. the sun was coming up and we needed to get that demon to the master before the sun killed it." gyomei sighs, "you are mistaken, she's not a demon. the wisteria would have paralyzed her if she was" mitsuri nods and huffs. the kakushi near by hits the demon slayer in the head. "watch how you talk to the hashira!" you wake up and gasp as one of the blade inchs close to your neck. you catch yourself before you look up at the demon slayer and push your head down, causing the other blade to dig intself into your neck. letting out a yelp, it silences all the hashira. they quickly look above their heads to avoid making eyecontact and meet eyes with gyomei. He can't see you, but he can hear you well enough to know where you are and looks your way regardless. you keep your eyes locked on gyomei.

after a very long meeting,not everyone is fond of you. you are a danger, a small mistake will lead to bigger ends. but gyomei still insists that you aren't, explaining what he knows to his comrades, trying to get them to understand. once the meeting ends, and you apologize to the master for having turned two of his children to stone. he gives you his condolonces for losing your brother, and you decide to stay where you were and face the wall. you weren't demon, but you might as well have been one, atleast then they'd have a reason to get rid of you, atleast then they won't feel like they'll have to watch out for you for the rest of their time in the corps. you couldn't go to the villages, but you couldn't stay out in the forest, you were split. Ubuyashiki decided to have you be under Shinobu's care, since she seemed the most levelheaded in the situation. She agreed, as long as the master gave her time to prepare the butterfly girls and until she knew enough about you. he agreed.

gyomei sits next to you, to keep you company he says. and you both sit there for awhile. just enjoying each others presence. you hum a lullaby softly, and you both stay in silence until the end of it. once you stop, gyomei speaks up. "what is it you said you were?" he asks softly, trying to keep the peaceful atmosphere. "a gorgon" you say, and he hums. "i see." you snicker at that, "no you don't". and you cover your mouth, you had forgotten he wasn't your friend, it might be seen as rude. you open your mouth to apologize and he laughs. "i'll give you that one, that was hilarious!" he calms down and clears his throat. "it's not often that people joke with me, especially about my sight. they fear they'll hit a nerve if they do." you breathe out, "i just thought i did.." he hums and smiles. "stone breather, they said," you start, you hesitate, "do you like, breathe real stone?" he snickers. "i'll explain it to you, if you explain your eyes and hair to me." you giggle and shake his hand in a flimsy manner, "deal!" you say.

"are they just, staring at a wall?" Obanai says. Mitsuri shakes her head quickly, "no, they're falling in love!" he nods to her as a way to say 'okay, whatever you say' and she walks infront of Obanai. "just wait!" she perks up, "you should've seen them when we first found her!" she puts her hands on her cheeks and fondly smiles at the memory. Obanai shifts in place and changes the subject, them both walking away as they leave you and gyomei.

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ershisposts · 10 months

Text

TTEOM ENDING: NECESSARY BUT NOT A PROPER ENDING

i have read some posts about the ending which has been hugely misinterpreted to the extent that some people are saying they are not going to recommend this drama and I find that very disappointing and heartbreaking to see!

First of all, the ending is open ended. It's bittersweet and left us hanging for his return (which he will since in the book Tantai jin indeed reincarnates after 1000 years and in the show we saw that 500 years have already passed while he is cultivating inside the heart guarding scale). A few mins of extra footage to show that he returned (which is already confirmed in the book) would not have hurt. They should have given us that scene

I agree.

But what I don't agree with is how people are twisting it to mean that the drama conveys the message that one cannot defeat fate and all tantai jin suffered was for nothing which was absolutely not true! The original devil God controlled and planned tantai jin's whole life to the T starting from his birth so that he would give into him easily and fulfill his wishes of bringing the world to chaos. But Tantai jin reversed it ALL. He was a benevolent and kind ruler when he was Jing emperor instead of a tyrannical monster. Even his obsessive love for su su did not let him turn to the devil path.

From the person who wanted nothing but power to the person who wanted nothing but to spend the rest of his life with the woman he loves to the person who had it all he ever wanted but had to let it go to do what's right is a big fuck you to the devil god and to the destiny he was pushed towards. Many misinterpreted the ending thinking he did it for the world, or it's because the writers projected Ming ye onto him or solely for su su which is very disrespectful to the character arc and the growth he has experienced throughout.

The meaning of his sacrifice is twofold. Not only he claimed his agency back and made sure his body and soul would disappear so that there won't be any identity of him linked to the devil god, essentially dissolving the "made-up" life that he was led to live by the DG, but I see it as him also repaying his debt to su su and to the very few people who showed him kindness. In episode 39 when he absorbed the OG devil god, he finally showed that he is not willing to dwell on the negatives of his life but embrace the love he has received, however fleeting it was. He has learned to accept that he is worthy of love and now he will payback to the people who showed him that love to fulfill his debt (in taoism repaying debts is huge and is a recurring theme in xianxia genre). Yes, we can say he has nothing to payback for, those characters loved him unconditionally and he has suffered way too much. But this is tantai jin who has learned to give more than what he has received, and that right there is the significance of the chain of events in episode 40 that was necessary for us, the audience, to realize his immense character growth. This is a person who went from wanting to die to wanting to live but chose death, not for himself but to save the world which did not give him much. He went from someone who coveted power to someone who had all the power in the world and chose to give it all up because it's the right thing to do. And that's not to say he let go of his want to spend a life with his loved one because him leaving a part of his spirit in the heart guarding scale so that he can accompany the love of his life, and one day can come back to start anew, in a new life, that is "owned" by him and not by the DG shows finally how much he has come forth.

But yes, again, the REAL ending in the show should have been him reincarnating into that life that he wants and deserves. We also needed to see what happened to the secondary characters. The 40 episode limitation is one of the reason, also the writers could have given us an extra 5 mins of footage of his reincarnation and reunion with his loved ones (There is an audio recording but that's not enough ofc!) or do an epilogue. The possibility is endless but they did not and I understand that gripe but not recommending this solely for that reason is just too cruel.

This is one of a kind drama even for xianxia genre. Missing this is just missing a wonderful thought evoking story that makes you not only feel but also to think.

#till the end of the moon #cdrama #chinese drama #tantai jin #ending #chang yue jin ming

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obihoe · 3 months

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the matrix has soooo much in common with naruto actually. lol. was watching matrix reloaded today and there is a scene in there where someone tells neo that "u do not truly know someone until u fight them" ... hmmm. wonder who else might say smth like that .. but also. there is the obvious infinite tsukuyomi matrix parallel but Moreover. there is also this constant theme of like fate vs. choice, destiny vs. free will and like, neo, he questions whether he even has any choice if everything is predestined anyway and the oracle replies smth like "u have already made ur choice. now its ur turn to understand why u made it" like .. it seems very "character is fate" to me. like the choices he'll make, they are predestined, he cannot escape them, theyre fated for him but bc he is HIM .. bc he is who he is, he will make them regardless. this is exactly like madara's narrative? LOL. and naruto's as well. madara, contrary to neo, isnt actually the messiah or "the one" or whatever but he Also has a predestined fate path ahead of him. a path that he cannot escape .. what he wants, also, is control over his fate. his whole journey is abt struggling to be able to decide for himself, all he wants is control ... neo doesnt want to be powerless. he wants to decide for himself. yet, his path is predestined. and madara's path is as well but they still both make their own choices, they are NOT so much controlled by a higher power that decides for them but by who they are as a person. madara. he cant make any other choices. if it had been someone other than him back in konoha during his conflict with hashirama, that person might have been able to go abt solving this differently and the result would not have been what it was but bc this is MADARA. he cant. he is governed and almost imprisoned in some way by his own nature ... which is also what makes this a tragedy, Neo's journey is not a tragedy bc he IS the one and he doesnt want to become god. all he wants is to save trinity ... but the point is, their personalities, who they ARE, as characters, both madara and neo (and also naruto), predetermines their fate and that fate is either salvation ... or destruction. naruto, he also follows a predestined journey that has been picked for him by fate, i would argue that solving the indra/ashura cycle of violence has always been part of his destiny. but its still his own choice ... naruto wants to save sasuke. he doesnt want to abandon him. sasuke, he wants to be with naruto. so their love for each other, it is part of Who They Are and it saves them. and frees them of indra and ashura's violence ... but the point here is that "character is fate", it means that ur choices, desires and nature .. they are one and the same as ur fate. ur path is predestined but u DO have ur own will. ur very own will is much more what u cannot escape, not some higher power. its ur own self.

(trinity btw, she also runs towards her own fate and potential death despite having been warned by neo to not enter the matrix when he seeks out the source in there [or the "architect", the creator of the matrix]. she sees that his life is in danger ... and cant help but enter the matrix to try and help save him despite having been TOLD that she might die and promised neo to not do it. she cant help but do it anyway .. cuz she loves him. and cannot stand watching him die.)

madara CANNOT escape his Desire, his Longing for power bc power, it does promise control, and he cannot escape or circumvent his anxieties around trust, he cant trust ppl, its impossible for him ... he cannot communicate without violence, he cant help but WANT violent conflict w hashirama, he cant help but long to abandon his humanity and let go of everything that might make him vulnerable but he also Wants to be vulnerable at the same time asdsgdgdfs. the conclusion tho is that whoever u are as a person .. what u want and what u desire. it is what fabricates ur own destiny .. and it either dooms u OR saves u. in naruto's case, its his nature as a person that saves him (and sasuke). neo does end up saving the world and fulfilling his destiny as the one who ends the machines' world domination not cuz he WANTS to be a messiah but bc he just is. and madara ... its the reason he's doomed. his desires and wants .. theyre the reason his narrative ends in destruction

#:)#love pausing a movie to quickly write up a draft abt why its the same as naruto AGSFSGS #naruto goggles literally clouding all other media #but in all seriousness i was thinking abt this some time ago already bc of badninken's post abt how the matrix #and the infinite tsukuyomi are similar or almost the same #i havent even touched on that here yet LOL there's a lot to say abt that too #but yeah .... im obsessed and intrigued by the 'character is fate' thing :)#and also everything in the world is abt mdr. lol. not My fault #posts #madara #naruto #the matrix #<- VERY scary to set this tag. ADSFSFS #im sry matrix enjoyers but i had to relate ur fave movies w fucking naruto i couldnt help myself sfsfesfdgs

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jessamine-rose · 1 year

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꒰Disjecta Membra - Author’s Note꒱

Read Disjecta Membra here!! ヽ(´∀｀)

Read Chess Piece here!! ヾ(๑╹◡╹)ﾉ"

Aaahhh thank you to everyone who read my recent fics!! Mere words cannot describe my joy whenever I receive your sweet comments. Cheers to more readers rotting over enjoying the Jester’s twisted story (´｡• ᵕ •｡`)

To my old followers, y’all know the drill. In this post, I’ll discuss my characterization of Yandere! Pierro and his darling, my creative process, and bonus content from the rough drafts. Now let’s go behind the scenes~

“Cursed with your divine burden and lost hope for the future, you have accepted a melancholy life of solitude. By some stroke of fate, however, you encounter a kindred spirit who will save you from the depths of your sorrow.” (AO3 Summary)

꒰ Introduction ꒱

♡ For starters, I want to say a big thank you to @frogchiro and @seakicker!! Aside from giving me the brainrot which caused all of this, Kin shared some notes on her characterization of Pierro. And Juju inspired this whole fic with her amazing Pierro x Fertility Goddess AU!! I’d also like to credit @mirdance’s glorious fic Innamorati for aiding my character study and speech analysis of Pierro~

♡ Originally, the Jester’s story was going to be a short post and not my regular longfic + side story. But after getting too many ideas and developing Savior! Darling’s character….…rip my word count. The idea of Pierro subduing a fallen goddess was too powerful u_u

♡ As always, you can thank @diodellet for another amazing peer review. She’s been a big help since my first Harbinger fic, and I appreciate all that she’s done for me. Without her, my Genshin works wouldn’t be the way they are now (´∀｀)♡

꒰ Characters ꒱

♡ It’s official. Pierro is the most difficult Harbinger I’ve ever written for. Forget his dialogue, I died balancing his “hot and cold” attitude. I headcanon Pierro to be a possessive, controlling yandere deeply influenced by his trauma. His main strength is his intelligence, as shown by how he strategically orchestrates and manipulates events to his advantage.

♡ Among the Harbingers I’ve written for, Pierro is the least outwardly affectionate. He has strict expectations for his darling, such as her full loyalty and education, and will always prioritize the Tsaritsa/ Fatui over her. That doesn’t negate his soft spot for his darling—he simply has greater responsibilities as the Jester.

♡ Savior is my kindest and oldest darling. She’s a foil to Pierro in the sense that her grief left her with self-hatred, survivor's guilt, and a passive attitude. I gave her a veil for the mystery/ bride vibes + it fits in with the Fatui’s mask aesthetic. Her intellect and divine powers make her a formidable darling, and I enjoyed writing the scenes where she challenges Pierro >:3

♡ My thought process for making Savior the God of Mist was, “clouds/ mist can obscure one’s vision.” Her character references the Greek goddess Achlys simply cuz I’m a slut for mythology and symbolism. While she can create regular harmless mist, she can secretly claim “territories” via special mist made from her blood—an allusion to her self-sacrificial nature. I personally imagine her to be around 4,000-5,000 years old.

♡ Additional notes on Savior’s powers!!

♡ My own name and appearance for Savior

♡ And how could I forget my babygirl Oizys?? Like Savior’s other friends, he is named after a mythological deity. I wanted to make him similar to his namesake/ different from Pierro, hence their comparisons and his emotional, outspoken personality. He’s very close to Savior, as they are each other’s last surviving friend. In his final moments, all he wanted was to go home to her ;-;

♡ My appearance + doodles of Oizys

꒰ Literary Motifs ꒱

♡ Godhood/ Power – hahaha so for Pierro, I wanted to highlight the power imbalance between him and his darling. Before he became a Harbinger, he relied on the pity/ mercy of Savior. But after?? He views Savior as someone beneath him and wants her submission + praise. This desire also applies to their bedroom activities~

♡ Grief — as mentioned earlier, Pierro and Savior are foils to each other. Both of them have lost everything to traumatic events and thus find it difficult to move on. But while Savior succumbed to her grief, Pierro actively stepped up to seek justice and “improve” the world.

꒰ Chapter Titles ꒱

♡ Latin quotes – I thought they would give a nice dramatic touch to Disjecta Membra since it’s about Pierro and a fallen god. I purposely started the fic with i. memento mori and ended it with ix. memento vivere to compliment the full-circle ending and Savior’s character arc. Scroll down for the translations!!

♡ Chess pieces – at that point, I was just tired of spending so much time picking/ googling section dividers. I used chess pieces in order of rank since it is a recurring theme in their story. Beyond that, idk sh*t about the game -.-

Disjecta Membra - “scattered fragments”/ “surviving fragments of ancient poetry, manuscripts, and literary or cultural objects”

i. memento mori - “remember you must die”

ii. mea culpa - “through my fault”

iii. damnatio memoriae - “condemnation of memory”

iv. oderint dum metuant - “let them hate so long as they fear”

v. nitimur in vetitum, semper cupimusque negata - “we strive after what is forbidden, and always desire what is denied”

vi. amor et melle et felle est fecundissimus - “love is rich with both honey and venom”

vii. dulce est desipere in loco - “it is delightful to play the fool occasionally”

viii. flectere si nequeo superos, acheronta movebo - “if I cannot bend the heavens, then I shall move the powers of hell”

ix. memento vivere - “remember to live”

꒰ Deleted Scenes ꒱

Goodbye/ Blessing Kiss

♡ Originally, Savior could bless people with fortune through her kisses. That idea was an excuse for her to kiss Pierro’s forehead before he left + for Pierro to request her kisses. I think their first kiss scene turned out much better <3

Conversation with Zhongli

♡ Sooo Savior personally knows Zhongli!! While they are nothing more than acquaintances, they can relate to each other as old gods who outlived their friends. Similar with Pierro and the Tsaritsa, Savior admires Zhongli but feels pathetic compared to him. I originally planned to write their conversation but decided that it was enough to just mention it.

Savior’s Cold Hands

♡ In Chess Piece, Pierro prefers Snezhnaya’s climate due to his experience with Celestia’s sea of flames. Originally, he compares the latter to Savior’s low body temperature as a mist deity. It was going to be one of Savior’s insecurities since she can’t provide comforting warmth for humans……an inhuman trait which is perfect for Pierro.

꒰ My Favorite Scenes ꒱

“I shall overthrow the gods of the Old World, starting with you.”

♡ Catch me simping as I finally wrote Pierro’s glow-up and their reversed power imbalance. Yes, it was necessary for him to kabedon Savior and bring her to her knees. Yes, he secretly enjoyed that moment. I can’t say that my mind was pure when I wrote that scene =w=

You kneel on the floor, hands clasped together. “O, Lord Pierro, I humbly thank you for saving an undeserving creature such as myself! Had it not been for your benevolence, I would have been doomed to a life of sorrow. Your greatness is unparalleled. You have brought glory to Snezhnaya. The Tsaritsa—”

“That is enough.”

♡ Congratulations, Savior, for getting on Pierro’s nerves!! I greatly enjoyed writing this quote and the overall scene. One thing which sets Savior apart from the other darlings is her ability/ willingness to challenge her yandere, from irritating Pierro to strategically claiming her prison to semi-successfully escaping. It makes for an engaging dynamic between two smart immortals.

“Jester, I come bearing a report on our latest Archon Residue experiment.”

♡ Forget Pierro, Dottore steals the spotlight in iii. bishop. I didn’t originally plan for him to show up in another Harbinger’s fic, but he is simply that powerful. After 16.5k words of Pierro, it was very refreshing to reunite with Dottore’s chaotic energy. Since my Yandere! Harbinger fics are in the same universe, I referenced Dottore’s darling for funsies (๑･̑◡･̑๑)

꒰ Pierro x Savior Playlist ꒱

With a couple as angsty as Pierro and Savior, the 3rd and 4th songs were necessary. At least we end with an uplifting song ^o^

♡ Si Deus Me Relinquit – Kuroshitsuji OST

♡ Envy Baby by Kanaria ft. GUMI

♡ Gehenna by wotaku ft. Hatsune Miku

♡ Kyu-kurarin by Iyowa ft. KAFU

♡ Dear Answer by TRUE

♡

And that’s it!! Once again, thank you so much for reading Disjecta Membra + Chess Piece. I didn’t expect so much love for Pierro and Savior, and I truly value all of your messages. Pls don’t hesitate to share your feedback with me, and may more readers catch Pierro brainrot ♪(๑ᴖ◡ᴖ๑)♪

#pierro #pierro x reader #yandere pierro x reader #yandere pierro #yandere fatui harbingers #fatui x reader #genshin x reader #yandere genshin #tw: yandere #fem reader #jessamine-writing

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rphelperblog · 2 years

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Clockwork Angel Quote Rp Meme

“One must always be careful of books,and what is inside them, for words have the power to change us.”

“There's plenty of sense in nonsense sometimes, if you wish to look for it.”

“It isn't against the law to be an idiot.”

“Dear me. Such harsh truths so early in the morning cannot be good for the digestion.”

“Let me give you a piece of advice. The handsome young fellow who's trying to rescue you from a hideous fate is never wrong. Not even if he says the sky is purple and made of hedgehogs.”

“Sometimes, when I have to do something I don't want to do, I pretend I'm a character from a book. It's easier to know what they would do.”

“Are you implying that shreds of my reputation remain intact?"

“It is as great a thing to love as it is to be loved. Love is not something that can be wasted.”

cleverness that comes too late is hardly cleverness at all?”

“I see you're determined to miss my point."

"I believe we are dust and shadows. What else is there?”

"If you're point is that there was a pretty girl in the room and it was distracting you, then I think I've taken your point handily."”

How rude. Many who have gazed upon me have compared the experience to gazing at the radiance of the sun."

“It is not the same thing to be good and to be kind.”

“Whoever loves you now—and you must also love yourself—will love the truth of you.”

“For that was love, wasnt it--to burn bright in someone else's eyes?”

“You could know a man not by what his friends said about him, but by how he treated his servants.”

“Do you normally turn up in gentlemen's bedrooms in the middle of the night? If I'd known that, I would have campaigned harder to make sure they let you stay.”

“Remember when you tried to convince me to feed a poultry pie to the mallards in the park to see if you could breed a race of cannibal ducks?"

“It's all right to love someone who doesn't love you back, as long as they're worth you loving them. As long as they deserve it.”

“Only the very weak-minded refuse to be influenced by literature and poetry.”

"What kind of monster could possibly hate chocolate?”

“Beauty fades, but cooking is eternal.”

“There is more to living than not dying.”

“Whatever you are physically...male or female, strong or weak, ill or healthy--all those things matter less than what your heart contains. If you have the soul of a warrior, you are a warrior. All those other things, they are the glass that contains the lamp, but you are the light inside.”

“Black hair and blue eyes are my favorite combination.”

“Do reasons matter when there's nothing that can be done to change things.”

“Dreams can be dangerous things.”

"Is it dreadful, being so evil? Are you worried you'll go to hell?"

“I know you feel inhuman, and as if you are set apart, away from life and love, but... I promise you, the right man won't care.”

“You've always been what you are. That's not new. What you'll get used to is knowing it.”

"Perhaps we do need a chaperon.”

“If no one in the entire world cared about you, did you really exist at all?”

“Oh, I can never get enough. Which, incidentally, is what your sister said when--”

“With God on your side, what does luck matter?”

“Magic is dangerous - but love is more dangerous still”

“Inanimate objects are harmless indeed. But one cannot always say the same of the men who use them.”

“I had such plans for this evening. The pursuit of blind drunkenness and wayward women was my goal. But alas, it was not to be. No sooner had I consumed my third drink in the Devil than I was accosted by a delightful small flower selling child who asked me for two pence for a daisy. The price seemed steep, so I refused. When I told the girl as much, she proceeded to rob me.”

“You can keep it a secret.... But secrets have their own weight, and it can be a very heavy one.”

"Of course they are.... Look at him. The face of a bad angel and eyes like the night sky in Hell.”

“I've never seen anyone get so excited over books before. You'd think they were diamonds.”

"Dear me, massive blood loss. Death could be imminent.”

"You read novels. Obviously, I'm here to rescue you. Don't I look like Sir Galahad? ... My strength is as the strength of ten, Because my heart is pure - "

“Maybe I want a black eye. Did you think of that?”

“I do not believe you can threaten people into goodness.”

“And I think that you do not understand that sometimes the only choice is between acceptance and madness.”

"She doesn't smell like anything.”

“Do you often sleep tied to the bed?”

“Unless there was a reason for me to stay.”

“It’s also rude to go about grabbing at ladies you haven’t been introduced to,hasn’t anyone told you that?”

“It wasn't enough, not nearly enough, but it was all there was.”

“There was something peculiarly gratifying about shouting in a blind rage until your words ran out.”

Concerned about my safety, are you?”

“I have lost everything. Lost everything.Everything.”

“It’s bad form to bite,”

“If love is great, then it is worth fighting for.”

“I must say, I rather like the way you manage him.”

“Goodness, my nose is enormous.Why didn't anyone tell me?”

“Goodness, real goodness, has it's own sort of cruelty to it.”

“I do not walk like a duck.”

“There are more important things than being careful.”

“I played it for my bride, and one day you will play for yours.”

“I’m boasting of my investigative skills, and I would prefer to do it without interruption. Where was I?”

“Has no one respect for the classics these days?”

“Bloodthirsty little beasts. Never trust a duck.”

“Looking for an entirely reliable informant is like looking for a chaste mistress.”

“I mean, is there a chance for me? To have another life after this, a better one?”

“Where is your angel now?”

“It can be... difficult to to learn how the world truly is, to see it in its true shape and form... most human beings never do. Most could not bear it.”

“Is there a particular reason you keep biting vampires?"

We must away at once to the nearest brothel. I seek scandal and low companionship.”

“We shall throw him out onto the streets, I promise you he'll be gone by morning.Oh-no, you can't mean that-Of course I don't. But you felt better for a moment there, didn't you?”

“I believe in good and evil, and I believe the soul is eternal. But I don't believe in the fiery pit, the pitchforks, or endless torment. I do not believe you can threaten people into goodness.”

“Were you thinking about eating me?”

“Not really, but after that I think about how I could kill him while he slept if I really wanted to, and then I feel better.”

“the less you had, the more careful you had to be about everything you did have.”

“The best lies are based on the truth, at least in part”

“It would be wonderful if we all knew who we were. But that knowledge doesn't come from the outside, but from the inside.” “The virtue of angels is that they cannot deteriorate; their flaw is that they cannot improve. Man's flaw is that he can deteriorate; and his virtue is that he can improve.”

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ultraericthered · 4 months

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So I felt like making a hot take post about this audacious bitch:

Minene Uryuu, Ninth Future Diary Holder from The Future Diary. (Yes, she and Black Lagoon's Revy Two-Hands are almost the same character, I know.)

Losing her parents as collateral damage in religious extremist militia warfare when she was 8 years old, Minene was forced to live a brutal life as an orphaned, homeless street rat in a Middle Eastern nation overrun with the religious extremists' ceaseless conflict, possessing little of her own and having to resort to theft in order to survive. The result of this was Minene developing a burning hatred towards the idea of God and of all religion as a whole, organized or otherwise.

Carrying this disdain for everything related to religion and letting the wrath and hatred fester inside her heart as he got older, Minene was eventually able to make her living as a terrorist bomber, specifically targeting religious structures, religious organizations, and prominent, influential religious individuals, in order to destroy them in the name of atheism and shit. Before it was turned into her Future Diary by Deus, Minene's Escape Diary was a regular journal that she used to chart out all the possible escape routes in whichever area she was planning to attack. She is very tactical and intelligent, able to easily gather information and make deductions based on it. Having spent her adolescent years alone with no love or guidance, she believes she is fated to be all alone in the world, does not need anyone else in her life to help her, and must survive and endure at all costs so she may one day see the stated end goal for all her evildoing realized: the erasure of the very idea of gods and all religious faith built from the world. Throughout her life, Minene appears to be haunted by her eight-year old self and the memory of crying over her dead parents, symbolizing her desire to escape her own past and be saved.

So where I am going with this? Well, here's my hot take:

Minene Was Right.

...Except for all the ways in which she was not.

While wanting to erase the concept of deities and higher powers from the collective of humanity is childish extremism in her thinking (people have believed in such things for ages and I really don't think there is anything that could stop them), Minene's want to see the total abolishment of all religious institutions, depowering of religious leader figures, and cessation of both all damaging religious practices and of the relevance thereof, is honestly completely understandable. Sure, she cannot and should not force atheism onto all peoples of the world, and I'm sure once she was gifted god-like powers by an actual deity she'd find herself beginning to understand that, but when she looks at religion and its place in the world, Minene sees flawed, fallible, needy, selfish, hideously ignorant and deluded human beings taking the fact that conceptualized notions of divinity, spirituality, and higher power over all physical reality that is sacred and holy exist in life, and using it as an excuse to interpret spiritual faith in very human ways and apply them to human work for the fulfillment of human desires. Thus can religion become the driving force behind wars, behind crimes, behind abuse, behind oppression, behind classist, racist, sexist and homophobic practices, etc. If defined very broadly and stretched to meet the requirements that humans want it to meet, religion can be a vehicle for sin, all while the sinners hypocritcally preach that they're doing the righteous and holy work of their god(s) and stand against evil, vice, and sin that corrupt this world.

I feel I don't need to ellaborate on how much suffering is wrought upon too many innocent human lives due to violent conflict driven by extremists who use their religion to justify their acts of inhumane atrocity, who cling to the sacred dogma of their faith and the way in which they've chosen to interpret the words and will of their priests, prophets, messiahs and deities as being permission, or a mandate to satisfy their hatred, bloodlust, and hunger for power and dominance. Or on which currently going conflicts in particular I've in mind when I say all this. I've seen or heard the rhetoric of "our religion tells us..." or "our faith dictates that...", or even "our God commands us to..." applied to blatantly worldly matters and very human-centric, material-based disputes. And it strikes me as fucking ludicrous. So I just have to think that Minene had it right the whole time: if human religion and all the harmful ways religious faith gets utilized ceased to be, the world would be a far better place to live in. To me, this ideal is just.

So how did Minene then end up going oh so very wrong in her life?

I could easily point to the fact that she's a bloody terrorist, that she has gleefully bombed, gunned down, slashed up, and decimated populated areas with much human cost that she didn't seem to give a damn about, and clearly that's wrong....but that's a bit too obvious. Anyone with a functional moral compass can tell that the clear cut bad guy doing clear bad things is in fact bad and their actions cannot be considered right. I could go deeper and point to her hypocrisy, how she became what she'd hated most - someone who persecutes and victimizes other human lives due to her own belief that evil, sinful acts committed in the name of her own brand of faith (atheism) are justified or "necessary evil" - and that she's been every bit the demon that she'd come to see Murmur #1, 1st World Yuno Gasai, and John Balks as being....but nah, her worst error of all isn't even that.

Where Minene went wrong most of all is that her anti-religion ideals aren't and were never the true reason behind her turn to crime and terrorism, but merely the rationale she told herself. Meaning she was out committing impersonal, indiscriminate acts of mass harm and murder for the sake of no vision of a greater good, but over small, deeply personal psychological burdens that are really no good reason to do any of this awful, heinous shit. See, when I mentioned in my summary of her character that "Minene appears to be haunted by her eight-year old self and the memory of crying over her dead parents, symbolizing her desire to escape her own past and be saved"? That's what it's really all about. She chose to become a destructive, mass murdering terrorist and a public menace as a cry for help. Terror was her language for saying "someone help me, love and accept me, save me the way I was yearning to be saved, tell me it's okay for me to be human, to move beyond my painful past, live in the here and now for a better future, and not throw my life away doing horrible things....or if not, then please kill me! Just put me out of my misery now!" Anyone of sound mind and clear consicence truly motivated by a desire to make the world a better place for others to live in would never think terrorism to be an effecive recourse. Ever. That's how you can tell that Minene was never acting for the sake of that cause. It was always about her internal cycle of self destruction and the crying of her buried inner child for the healing and salvation of her soul, for the help she'd never recieved when she was orphaned years ago, never about the erasure of religion and how that might help the world at large. Minene's war was truly with herself.

With such a well thought out, disturbingly mentally and emotionally malnourished character to work with, it sucks that Sakae Esuno didn't always know how to work with her in the most effective ways. When you have a very realistically human set-up for someone who represents realistic human evil but then use it to depict instead a cartoonish, costume-wearing comic book supervillain and then still go for nuance, redemption and heroism with that character, it's gonna feel more than a bit awkward. But while I wish she'd have gotten more interplay with Yuno and Kurusu (and none at all with Nishijima), I do really appreciate that the core of her character arc was kept focused on her association with Yukiteru. What Minene truly needed was someone who'd be steadily open and understanding with her, which prompts her to be open and understanding with them, which itself taps at Minene's concealed humanity and draws out her better qualities, and Yuki was this person to her. What compounded this with the healing of Minene's heart and soul is that Yuki himself was, in his current state, reminiscent to Minene of what she'd been like as a kid: a naive, hopeful, and good-natured yet troubled youth walking towards a dark abyss as their innocence dies and their heart cries out for anyone or anything to pull them back away from the edge. While Minene realized the truth about what she'd yearned for and re-embraced her humanity too late to save Yuki from taking the plunge, it was just in time to save her own soul and make some difference, as ensured by, ironically enough, an Act Of God - literal Deus Ex Machina (but I remain torn on how this was implemented by the writing within canon, it sort of diminished Minene's arc tbh.)

And what she did not need was someone telling her "I love you as you are, warts and all, but only really because I love the idea of the person you could be and who I can see you becoming, because if you did become like that, then I'd want to marry you and get laid with you!" Goddamn, I hate the writing for that fucking character so much.

Hey, I now just realized - Minene and Cyrus from Pokemon could be considered like inversions of each other. Both characters suffered hardships in their young lives that brought them to some very valid points about worldly issues in need of being addressed yet their untreated personal pain and all the defects born from it in both mentality and personality steered them in the wrong direction, towards extremism and terrorism in their pursuit of a solution. But Minene seeks to eliminate the very idea of the divine while utilizing mundane human means, while Cyrus wants to eliminate human spirit while utilizing the exploitation of higher power in hopes of ultimately becoming a deity himself. And this is actually the second time one of the Diary Holders in The Future Diary has been likened to Cyrus!

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