#her reality is that her mother no longer has any loyalty to her and the pain of thinking she does isn't worth it anymore

[pocketgalaxies]

We want to destroy my mother. (insp by @dadrielle)

#critical role #criticalroleedit #imogen temult #liliana temult #laura bailey #matthew mercer #gifs #* #*cr #cr3 #cr spoilers #angst tag #cr meta #nova shh #scheduled #3h12m c3e88 #18m c3e12 #3h17m c3e42 #3h42m c3e51 #4h20m c3e51 #1h35m c3e49 #i think this gifset might be a little bit unfair to liliana from a third party perspective but #i think it's Very Real for imogen. to feel like she reached out so many times and the loyalty there was so fucking flimsy #barely there to begin with and then gone in an instant as everything turned to red mist #thinking about how laura on 4sd a while ago said imogen is so fucking sick of it she's sick of having that hope #her reality is that her mother no longer has any loyalty to her and the pain of thinking she does isn't worth it anymore #:(((( #'help me.' 'this is for the best.' breaks my H E A R T :((((((((( #and matt's fucking Smile afterward. speaks a thousand words #thanks rj for the discord message that kicked this off!!!

[bumblesimagines]

was any of it real?

i can't go on without you.

Robb Stark

was any of it real?

i can't go on without you.

pronouns: he/him, male

The tales of chivalry and romance you'd heard growing up never spoke about heartbreak. They never mentioned how it was to feel as if someone forced you into a tub full of ice and water or how it felt to feel your heart slowly shatter into pieces. Maybe if they'd mentioned the devastating ache of such a betrayal, you would've forced yourself to turn away from Robb Stark of Winterfell. You wouldn't have returned the kiss that fateful night by the godswood and you certainly wouldn't have continued to meet him in secret, away from lingering eyes and nosy ears. It'd been fun for a while. Sneaking around Winterfell, sharing knowing looks, stealing a quick kiss during the daytime. 

And then the war came. And with it Talisa Maegyr. 

It was hard to hate her. How could you when she hadn't known about the long romance between you and Robb? Talisa was beautiful with her sunkissed skin, long chestnut locks that cascaded down her back, and sweet eyes that soothed the injured she tended to. Despite her kind and gentle nature, she had a fiery tongue that you'd grown to be amused by. And apparently so had Robb. In fact, she'd amused him so much, he'd gone ahead and slept with her. The bitterness, anger, and cold betrayal you felt had solely been reserved for the so-called King in the North.

You carefully ran a wet rag over your bloodied sword, the cool dampness digging into your skin as the cloth changed from white to red. He'd been silent since the moment he'd entered your tent, lingering by the entrance with a look of deep shame. His mother, the beloved Catelyn Stark, had already given him an earful for sleeping with her, but the light scolding had turned into a long lecture when Talisa revealed she carried the result of their night together. 

"What is it, Your Grace? You've been standing there an awful long time without saying anything." You murmured, watching the sword gleam in the light of the lantern. If it'd been anyone else, you would've been tempted to put the blade through their skin. But Robb was a Stark, a King, and the heir to Winterfell. Your family had sworn their loyalty to them and you'd be damned to break an oath over a foolish man. 

"(Y/N), I swear by the Old Gods and-"

"That means nothing to me, not anymore. You said those same words by the godswood before we marched off to war when you claimed to harbor real love for me. Was any of it real? Or did you see me as a simple bedmate?" Your head snapped in his direction, voice low and full of fury ready to be unleashed. Robb's frown deepened and he stepped further into the tent.

"Of course it was real, (Y/N). I've loved you since we were children. The moment Lord Manderly brought you to Winterfell, I knew you were the only one I'd ever want."

"And yet, Talisa is expecting your child. I don't desire your love if it's so easily ignored the moment someone opens their legs for you." You spat and Robb dipped his head again, looking like the young boy you once cared for so deeply. Rising from the bed, you slid the sword back into its sheath and set it aside. "House Manderly has been indebted to the Starks for many years. Ned Stark had been like a father to me. I fight this war for him and the injustice he faced at the hands of the Lannisters. I'll continue fighting with you, but not for you anymore. Perhaps this is a sign to accept Father's marriage proposal to Jeyne Westerling."

At the mention of marriage, Robb's head shot up, his blue eyes widening into saucers and filling you with some satisfaction. "What? Why was I not made aware of this proposal?"

"Why was I not made aware of you sleeping with Talisa until now?" 

"Because I can't go on without you, (Y/N). It was a mistake. I never should've allowed it to happen-"

"It happened, Robb. You're no longer a boy. You're a king. It's time to face reality and start behaving like one. You can start by marrying Talisa and saving her from shame... and by forgetting about us."

#x reader #x you #x y/n #x male reader #x male!reader #game of thrones #game of thrones x reader #game of thrones x male reader #game of thrones x you #game of thrones x y/n #got x reader #got x you #got x male reader #robb stark #robb stark x reader #robb stark x male reader #robb stark x y/n #robb stark x you #talisa maegyr

[nastyavolk-cp]

MY DEAREST - YANDERE!PLATONIC!ARTEMIS x “reader” (3/3)

Trigger warning: Physical violence, insulting, pure angst, psychological abuse.

Read part one and two.

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[ May 18th, 2023]

Alexia had finally developed a plan to escape Artemis and her Huntresses, she had thought and pondered for three months and a week to finally prepare her escape. She knew it was risky for her to try anything as she knew that Artemis was a born hunter and no prey would be able to escape her, but Alexia herself had learned a lot from the hunters and she herself was exploring their skills.

Of course, she wasn't a perfect hunter, but she had evolved a lot by then and that gave her more confidence to execute her plan to escape from there. What was in her favor was the fact that she had the trust of the other Huntresses, including Xenia, and she would even go so far as to say that she even has Artemis's.

However, a problem she was facing that could make it difficult for her to perform is that her body began to suffer from strange pains, in addition to that she felt that there was something strange going on inside her, it was a feeling that her bones they break but regenerate in a matter of minutes but in reality that didn't really happen and she was fine physically.

Because of this, she wasn't taken on intense hunts with other hunters, but instead stayed in the cave, often accompanied by Maia who was always checking to see if she was okay. Even with Artemis' orders that the Huntresses not treat Alexia like a baby, Maia indirectly circumvented this rule as the albino Huntress felt a connection with her and Alexia felt that the two had a genuine bond and that if she wanted to, she could take Maia along with her.

But Maia's loyalty lay on Artemis and not her, at the end of the day Maia would remain a huntress and would never think of running away from the pack, from her family. But Alexia was not like Maia, she held a grudge against Artemis for taking her away from her family and that she would never forgive her for making her and her parents suffer for her selfishness.

Alexia didn't feel safe anywhere, not even with Maia she was so much like her mother, keyword: similar. The albino would never be the same as Ekaterini, her smile would never be the same as hers, her words would never calm her the way Ekaterini calmed her, Maia’s touch would never be the same as hers. Maia was not Ekaterini and Ekaterini can never be replaced. And the girl missed her father, his words of encouragement and reassurance, how he would tell her stories from Romania when he put her to sleep, the smell of Romanian food he cooked for dinner and all the times he assured her that he loved her.

Her parents could never be replaced by anyone and their every memory was cherished and cherished safe, always livid in her mind and their smiles would never be erased. Every night she imagined them with her, their phantom hands running a hand through her dark brown curls and she could smell the woodsy scent of her father's favorite cologne and the sweet floral scent of her mother's shampoo.

But the girl will no longer need to fantasize because soon she will be able to have them back. She will make sure that she gets what she wants back and that Artemis would never again disturb and haunt her dreams.

[Hours later]

Alexia knew it was dawn and it was time for her to put her plan into action. She slowly gets up from her makeshift bed and cautiously takes her bow and arrows, without making any noise she manages to leave the cave without attracting anyone's attention and without waking the hunters who were plunged into a deep sleep, including Artemis.

The Greek girl took a deep breath silently and still aware of her surroundings she walked in the middle of the forest, she couldn't run as she would draw too much attention from any wild animal and she could risk getting caught faster if she wasn't cautious enough. enough. But as she walked away, her heart was pounding and agonizing, but why? Why did she feel this pain?

It was then that she suddenly felt drops of water fall from the sky and then a loud roar of thunder echoing from above. As the drops of water increased until it became an intense storm, Alexia's instincts immediately screamed for her to go back to the cave, where it was safe, where she could find comfort in her sisters, where she could be with Artemis.

What? What are these disgusting thoughts? She would never think so, but why had they come so suddenly? Why did she feel this feeling of wanting to feel safe in a group where she never felt security or affection?

Just when she thought about not giving in to her instincts and just moving forward, in front of her was a man. He was a tall man by Alexia's standards who was only 152 cm, maybe 190 cm, he had a well defined and muscular body, he had curly brown hair with white streaks and he had a big beard equally curly, he wore fancy clothes from Greece Ancient, his clear blue eyes along with his powerful aura told Alexia who he was.

Zeus.

“So you are my daughter's dearest doe? Her champion? Alexandra herself.” Zeus with his deep voice said followed by a loud sound of thunder. Alexia immediately grabbed an arrow and placed it on her bow, but Zeus held up his hands as if he were surrendering. “Calm down, Alexandra. I didn't come here to do you any harm, I was just curious why my darling daughter's most precious prize is wandering around on a stormy night like this.”

Alexia knew from her tone of voice that Zeus was mocking her and her anger at him only increased as she did not lower her loaded bow, the arrow aimed directly at the King of Gods. She wouldn't hesitate to throw it if necessary and she wouldn't risk letting her guard down, especially around a deity like Zeus who Alexia was aware of every horrible thing he ever committed, every sin he ever committed that he would never pay for him being the most powerful god on Olympus, no deity who knew his worth would dare to go against him.

“I will shoot if you come near!” Alexia threatened the god in a voice of pure hatred and spite, which surprised Zeus but he still maintained his calm and relaxed composure, which Alexia did not expect from a god who did not tolerate any disrespect from a mortal.

“There it is, just the way my little daughter likes it. You know, Alexandra, I see a lot of Artemis in you, I swear you two could be mistaken for sisters very easily!” Zeus continued and Alexia angrily shot him but the god's supernatural reflexes made him manage to catch the arrow even before it pierced his chest. The king of gods looked at her in shock and surprise, he didn't expect that she would actually do that, but she did.

Instead of feeling anger, as he normally would feel for someone daring to try to hurt him, Zeus let out a loud laugh which mixed with the powerful sound of thunder caused Alexia to startle. If she didn't already have a good impression of Zeus, now she got worse with the god laughing and laughing.

“Even the way you react to these things is so much like her!” Zeus continued to chuckle, but now his chuckles had quieted and he slowly regained his composure. “She saw herself in you and I can see that she is very close to making it.”

Alexia immediately frowns when he says that, what does he mean by that?

“What are you implying?” She questions him as she lowers her bow slowly and cautiously. Zeus's smile grew as he realized that she had no idea what was really going on.

“You know Alexandra, my daughter is very demanding and she has been wanting something that she could have all to herself for a long time, but it was only a while ago that she managed to have it. Which is you." Zeus said and Alexia let out a tired sigh, this was nothing new but she knew he had more to say so she allowed him to continue. "But she didn't just want a Huntress to complete her pack, but a sister. She wanted to have a sister to share things with but be hers alone and that no one could have her and steal from her. I think you didn't realize that in reality she had wounded you with her blood."

"What do you mean?"

“I heard that Artemis wounded you with an arrow when you went to reach your parents, in that arrow there was Artemis's own blood. As soon as you recovered she started feeding you small doses of ambrosia, tell me Alexandra, have you ever noticed anything odd about yourself?” Zeus asked with a cocky smile and Alexia felt her heart pounding too hard, it was a suffocating feeling and she swore she was barely able to breathe. “But there's nothing to worry about, Alexandra, knowing my own daughter, I know she'll take good care of her new sister, isn't that right, Artemis?”

Immediately Alexia looked back and her brown eyes met the cold forest green eyes of the goddess Artemis. The goddess walked towards them and Artemis's hand caught Alexia's arm with crushing strength, on the verge of almost breaking on the eyes of the Greek girl who stared at the auburn haired goddess in panic.

"I never thought you’d do anything useful, or even care about my sister." Artemis said in a cold tone, bordering on anger, but Zeus offered his bastard daughter a cocky smile and just disappeared without another word. Alexia felt the rain getting harder and harder if it hadn't been before and she could feel Artemis's cold gaze staring at her, not saying a single word but that her eyes meant so many things.

Then suddenly Alexia felt a strong burning sensation on her left cheek. Artemis slapped her very hard across the face and if it weren't for her hand holding her tightly, the girl would have easily fallen onto the wet floor. Artemis's anger could be felt down to the girl’s bones who was now muttering apologies but which were not heard, as Alexia was taken by Artemis who was silent the whole way, the grip on Alexia's arm became stronger and the girl's eyes began to weep in pain.

When the two got close to the cave, all the hunters stared at them, especially at Alexia. Most looked at her with mixed looks of betrayal, pity and disappointment.

“Go back inside, girls. Let me have a serious talk with Alexandra.” Artemis said, trying to sound calm, but her anger wasn't so easily contained. The huntresses agreed and then entered the cave again, leaving Alexia and Artemis alone.

"HOW DARE YOU?!" Artemis screamed and gave Alexia another slap in the face, this time she let go and the girl fell to the wet floor abruptly. The Greek girl began to cry, suffocated by anguish and fear, but this only provoked even more the uncontrollable and animalistic anger of Artemis who began to kick the girl and attack her.

“I GAVE YOU ABSOLUTELY EVERYTHING! A HOME, A FAMILY, LOVE, AFFECTION!” Artemis' words were increasingly aggressive and loud as she continued her aggression against Alexia, who was crying a lot and begging for it to stop.

"Please stop!" Alexia cried but was ignored completely.

“BUT YET YOU DECIDE TO ESCAPE?!! RUN AWAY TO GO BACK TO THOSE USELESS MORTALS?!” The goddess of the hunt stopped her aggression but her words were still poisoned by hatred, Alexia started to cry even more, especially because Artemis had insulted her parents. “AM I REALLY GOING TO PUT IT UP IN YOUR DUMBASS HEAD THAT YOU ARE MINE?!!!”

But Alexia didn't answer, just curled into a ball and covered her face with her hands as she sobbed louder and louder. Artemis huffed in anger and now it looked like she was regaining her calm.

“Alright, if you want to stay outside so bad, stay here and die.” She said coldly and entered the cave, leaving Alexia alone crying. The Greek girl then crawls over to lean against a nearby tree and hugs her aching legs, buries her face in her arms and continues to cry as her body throbs with pain.

She has never felt so humiliated, attacked and wronged. Her chest burned with anguish and she just wanted her parents to be there to comfort her, but the mere image of them made her feel more pain and cry more. She didn't want her to see them like this, crying like a little child over being beaten like she had never been beaten in her life.

Alexia never imagined that Artemis was so cruel. The rain hit the Greek girl's body harder, not helping her aching body at all. The girl closed her eyes, wanting to believe that all this was all a nightmare, that in reality she is at home, with her parents comforting her from this nightmare and that soon they would eat her favorite breakfast.

"Why? Why…?" The girl mumbled and then she kept crying until finally her body got tired and no more tears came out of her eyes, then exhausted she fell asleep as she prayed that she could be spared from further suffering.

[Hours later]

Maia knew she was tasked with taking care of Alexia, even without saying a word to her, her Lady’s forest green gaze was enough to tell her that she was going to take care of Alexia as the goddess decided to go to who knows where.

The other Huntresses were tense even after Artemis was gone, but some showed anger at Alexia, especially Xenia who wasn't happy about it at all.

“Who does this girl think she is? She only causes problems, I already felt that.” The nymph said and a good part of the hunters agreed, but Maia and Ophelia knew that the girl was suffering, but they chose to say nothing. Maia ignored the other hunters and left the cave with a first aid kit in hand, she covered her eyes so that the sun's rays would not blind her.

As soon as she got used to the light, she went looking for Alexia which was a matter of a few minutes as she spotted the Greek girl sleeping against the tree. As the albino hunter approached, her stomach turned when she saw the poor girl all covered in bruises and bruises. She knew that Lady Artemis was very violent and aggressive when she was angry, but she couldn't help but feel sad to see Alexia hurt in this way, for in the eyes of the eldest Huntress, she was just a child.

With just a touch on Alexia's arm, the brunette girl woke up in an instance, fear and desperation in her eyes, which made Maia pull away a little.

“Alexandra, darling, it's me.” Maia said in a reassuring tone, but the girl started to cry again, her bruised face being once again stained by her tears as she sobbed once more. The albino huntress then put the kit aside and gently pulled Alexia into a sitting position and hugged the crying Greek girl into her shoulder.

“There, there, it’s over, it’s over.” The albino said, trying to calm Alexia using her hand on the girl's back, making light and delicate massages so that the Greek girl in tears would relax.

“It hurts… Mommy… I want to wake up… I want to go home…” Alexia murmured as she cried, Maia knew that Alexia was thinking that she was seeing her own mother and that everything she was experiencing at that moment was just a nightmare.

“Come, let me tend to your wounds.” Maia said and then took the first aid kit, asked the girl to lean against the tree and she began to take care of every wound that her Lady provided on Alexia's still aching body.

The wounds didn't hurt like they used to, but it caused the Greek girl a lot of anguish to look at. It was a reminder that this was not a dream, but a bitter reality.

“Here, it’s done.” Maia said and stood up, then held her hand out to Alexia. “Let's go inside, you have to rest properly.”

“No… they all hate me…” Alexia mumbled and Maia shook her head.

“They won't do anything to you, I promise, it'll just be the two of us in there. Let's sleep together if you want, I'll make sure you rest better.” The albino insisted and the girl reluctantly agreed. Then Maia helps the girl to her feet and the two go to the cave, where all the hunters, except Ophelia, stare at her with judgmental and even hateful looks, but no words are spoken.

Then the huntresses leave the cave, leaving Maia and Alexia alone. The albino pulls her makeshift bed next to Alexia's, she helps the Greek girl to lie under the bed and she settles in next to the new goddess.

“It's going to be alright, Alexandra. Sleep tight, I'll be here when you wake up, I promise." Maia murmured and Alexia closed her eyes again, hoping her dream was more merciful than Artemis's hateful words.

#alexandra lykaios romanescu #alexia romanescu/female reader #yandere greek gods #yandere greek mythology #Artemis Route #yandere artemis #my dearest au

[lets-try-some-writing]

My...Mrs Darby is losing it, right? At least from Jack's perspective. How terrifying must be for a kid to be in any situation where you grow to be afraid of your own parent and overall being treated like propriety. I have the bad feeling that he could end up hating his human parent the most out of the three if things are not managed properly

Asuming that the kids are able to be in the presence of the other bots, cause you know: decepticons knowing about them and all that, I bet the tension would be suffocating (I mean, they need to be blind to not see the state they are in, and how they are not really there anymore and overall, the pain)

Relationships and loyalties will be tested, and things could go from bad to very bad in a blink of an eye

At this point I am writing for the niche group of people actually interested in this idea, but screw it. I love this thought. More sadness and angst coming right up dear anon!

Spiraling into Madness

The longer they are apart, the worse the pain becomes. The children can't take it much longer and Optimus is only falling further and further into the clutches of insanity.

Jack

Jack's mother... would not be pleased with his inevitable return to the Autobot base. She would already be incredibly sensitive toward anything regarding her son, her affection swiftly turning into suffocating overprotectiveness. She would try everything in her power to keep Jack away from the Autobots, even going so far as to order him to stay away from Miko and Rafael and keep him home from school when he disobeys.

This would in turn only lead Jack's already highly erratic emotional state to take a turn for the worst. He would become aggressive and eventually go on hunger strikes and make threats in order to be let out of the house. However even after June allowed him to return to the Autobot base, she wouldn't leave him unattended for even a moment. She would go with him to base and watch him like a hawk throughout his entire stay.

Jack would grow to be afraid of his own mother due to never being allowed a moment of privacy or peace. He would feel her watchful gaze at every moment and in every place, making him feel like prey being hunted. His lingering Cybertronian instincts would scream at him to flee, but as that is not an option, he would feel the urge to fight back instead. That combined with the noticeable absence of his father figure and the upsetting state of his body would make Jack skittish and highly volatile. He would spend every waking moment in agony as he tries to helplessly control himself and make sure that he doesn't lose control and harm his mother.

June frightens him, but she is still his mother, and he has no true desire to harm her.

When possible he would try to be as close to the bots as possible, feeling far more safe with them than with his mother. The bots would notice his fear and increasing aggression and would want to do something, but not wanting to incur the ire of the American government, they would stay their hand. Optimus would be kept in confinement when the children are around base after Jack's fear becomes obvious. The excuse the team gives would be something along the lines of "he needs time to readjust" but in reality it would be to keep the Prime from going ballistic upon seeing his sparkling so terrified.

Jack's condition would only spiral the longer he is kept away from Optimus, his siblings, and the team. Without intervention he would either lose control at some point, likely attacking his mother in a desperate bid to feel safe, or fleeing entirely, casting away his human bonds in favor of his Cybertronian family.

Miko

Her situation would be bad... really bad. She would only hold onto life because of the hope that she might be able to return to her Cybertronian form and family. As time passes, that hope would begin to dwindle and she would either fall into the darkness of her own mind or strive to do whatever is necessary to get her true body back.

Either situation would leave Miko highly unstable and self sacrificial. She would not have a care in the world about her own health and safety, instead only caring about returning to her "true" form and being with her Cybertronian family. Injuring herself could become a bad habit developed due to her disgust with her organic flesh alongside purposefully avoiding food. She would also likely end up taking bigger and bigger risks just to be able to distract herself from her own thoughts and the loneness of her existence.

Being at base would simultaneously be reliving and painful due to her proximity to her family but also the stark reminder of her human form and her father figure's rapidly deteriorating mental state. Despite dealing with her own demons, Miko would see the pain Optimus is going through better than Jack or Rafael. It would bring her no end of sorrow to not only be kept from Optimus, but to also know that he is suffering in his bonds.

Eventually Miko would snap, either doing something that could endanger her life in a bad bout of depression or straight up going ballistic and doing whatever it takes to convince Jack and Raf to help get her back into her proper frame. She might even go so far as to consider trying to gain the aid of the Decepticons if it means getting her Autobot family out of the government's clutches, getting Optimus out of confinement, and returning her and her siblings to their proper frames. Her morals and beliefs would begin to blur and change, especially after seeing the state of her siblings and Optimus. Miko turning to less than virtuous means to save herself and her family would not be out of the question considering her personality.

Rafael

Sparklings need care, lots of it, especially the newly forged. Rafael, despite being back in human form, would retain this desire to be loved and coddled. But as his need for affection and love would go largely unfulfilled by his human family, he would revert to more sparkling like behavior in an unintentional effort to get attention.

His emotions would be thrown into overdrive, leading even the smallest things to bother him. He would end up whining when he desires something instead of handling it himself and would cry when left alone for too long, although he would do his best to hide it. He wouldn't understand what is wrong with him and would chalk it up to dumb hormonal spikes or something of the like.

However as time passes his lingering Cybertronian instincts would only become more and more active. He wouldn't feel much dysphoria but he would begin to become desperate for things only a sparkling would love. He would sit next to the fan in his room just to listen to the constant thrum it emits in an attempt to replace the comforting rumble of Optimus's frame. He would also bundle himself up in blankets and sleep against a cold sheet of metal to simulate sleeping against Optimus's chassis.

It would eventually reach the point where Rafael wouldn't be able to take it anymore and his lingering Cybertronian instincts would kick it up a notch. He would break down and be desperate for attention, any attention. He would break things trying to get someone to hear him, to pay attention to him. At base he would make a fuss and try to cuddle up with Bumblebee, hoping to relive the pain in his heart from the lack of his father figure. If left alone for too long, his outlier ability might even begin to make an appearance due to stress, if only slightly. This could cause him even more distress or even pain.

Optimus

Kept away from his sparklings when they are at base in confinement is already enough to drive Optimus near insane when combined with the fact that they were ripped away from him without so much as a goodbye. But being forced to endure the war, the Matrix's urgings, his instincts calls, and his team at the same time? It would be enough to begin breaking him.

Paranoia would consume him entirely. He wouldn't trust any bot and be terrified of losing his younglings when allowed out of confinement. He would begin fearing betrayal and start questioning his own morals. He would start to wonder if perhaps his kindness and mercy were undeserved, thinking that if he were more aggressive and less willing to listen to the native government then maybe he would still have his sparklings.

Given enough time, Optimus would start to direct all of his pain and rage toward the humans. He would blame them for everything from the loss of his sparklings to the continuation of the war. Logic would start to be disregarded in favor of his maddened intensity and desire to protect what he sees as his.

If left unattended, Optimus would start to look toward the Decepticons as potential allies. He would be well aware of Megatron's atrocities, but Optimus has always been possessive. And if allying himself with his enemy to regain his family is what is required, then so be it. Sooner or later Optimus would shatter, tumbling into the darker parts of his mind and casting away his reservations.

This could, if allowed to fester, lead to the rise of a much darker Prime. One that if given the right incentive, would be willing to do just about anything.

#transformers #transformers prime #optimus prime #team prime #tfp kids as sparklings #angst #yep all pain #next installment of this will be nicer tho #maccadam #tfp

[lya-dustin]

Someone will remember us

Chapter 54

Taglist: @stargaryenx @mercedesdecorazon

Gif by @alicenthightowerdaily

He stays with her for that night and each one after, can’t escape with handmaids there and he was a better bedmate than any of them and even Helaena.

Better they think they have reconciled than risk getting caught.

Aemma can’t help but look at the man sleeping beside her, relaxed and looking as if nothing had changed.

Still looked more like a boy than a man, more like the Aemond who spouted bad poetry after a few drinks than the one who’s hands are drenched in the blood of her little brother.

Easy to pretend nothing had happened and all this was a nightmare she’d wake up from.

But she can’t do that.

No, because the moment he touches her all she sees is her baby brother’s bloated corpse drifted ashore.

And yet, tomorrow evening she will leave and never see him again.

He will die fighting Daemon, because he is going to die anyways.

At least, then you won’t have to see me die, he said as if she hadn’t seen him die in her nightmares.

Aemma doesn’t stop herself when her hand moves of its own accord and gingerly caressed the side of his face as she mourns what was and what could have been.

“Hen lantoti ānogar, va sȳndroti vāedroma.” Blood of two, joined as one, she whispered softly.

Aemond finds himself thinking everything has been some fucked up nightmare he has finally woken up from.

----

He inhaled the scent of Aemma’s hair and pulled her closer like he always does.

She loves him, but she can’t ever forgive him.

“Ñāqes, Aemee.” He nuzzled her neck, wanting to kiss her and tell her how awful his nightmare had been, and it is when she recoils at his touch that the spell is broken and Aemond is once again confronted with the reality.

Monster! Aemma had screamed as the midwives and the Maesters had tried to soothe her.

He killed her brother; she hates him, and this had been a mistake done in their sleep.

Their heads know its over, but their bodies do not. A small consolation, the one-eyed prince thinks as he mutters an apology to his wife who at least isn’t turning her back at him again.  

His princess isn’t moving away like she has done this past week either, and Aemond hopes that this was a deliberate thing and not accidental.

“You won’t have to worry about this happening again.” He added and wondered if this is the last time, he will have held Aemma.

“Baratheon has declared himself neutral.” Otto said with distaste and looked at Aemond who took the seat of the Prince of Dragonstone.

----

Aemond had never been his favorite, never gotten along with him for longer than necessary and frankly, he hopes Daemon takes great delight in beheading the man who singlehandedly led everyone to their deaths.

“I know.” It isn’t said in an angry tone, more like resigned and even sad.

“Rhaenys and Aemma are his blood, father, to rise against Rhaenyra’s heir is to make himself a kinslayer.” His mother deflected the blame against Aemond even she regarded him with suspicion these days.

Aemond tries not to flinch at the word kinslayer.

Aegon had called him kinslayer with pride, his mother with horror and Aemma with hatred.

He hated the word, but he wore it as a sign of his fucking shame.

He, a man of seven and ten, had killed his own nephew because he had let his anger and resentment control him instead of controlling it.

“He made no mention of it when we negotiated the price of his loyalty, grandsire.” Aemond toyed with the black round stone set to mark his place on the table.

The king had a clear diamond to represent all of Westeros, the Prince of Dragonstone had black jet with swirls of burgundy for House Targaryen.

The king was not here, at least father did not miss council meetings until he was too ill to even rule from his bed. Aegon refuses to do anything useful, he’s taken up training once more, but that has been just about it.

“Lord Strong’s sources speak differently, your highness, they say he offered his loyalty to you.” His grandfather dismissed the queen with a wave of his hand.

“Which I refused.” He had said nothing. He had not said yes either, so his silence could be interpreted as a no if he wished. “Am I to blame for Highgarden’s neutrality and Lord Hightower’s inability to rally his own vassals too?”

Had Cole not killed Beesbury, maybe Lyonel Hightower would have not embarrassed them further.

The vassals demanded Cole’s head in exchange for their loyalty, the High Septon made no move to bring his flock to their side after Aemma made sure everyone knew Aegon had forced himself on women and his mother covered it up.

The only great houses backing them were Hightower and Lannister and Oldtown was sworn to the Tyrells of Highgarden anyways.

Aegon the Usurper, Aegon the Unworthy, Aegon the Undeserving, for every epithet Otto had tried to attach to his brother’s name, three truthful ones appeared.

Aegon the Drunk was the newest one.

“If you are not careful, one would doubt your loyalty to your brother, the rightful king.” The Lord Hand coolly warned.

“Let them, I know Aemond is loyal to me and my opinion is all that matters, Lord Hand.” Aegon sauntered in with his crown only slightly tilted, eyes rimmed red from drink and his surly attitude worse than it had been in days.

He wanted war, real war with blood and a body count, not ravens and letters begging for help.

The only thing that kept Otto Hightower as Hand was that there was no real excuse to sack him, and Aemond knows him helping Aemma escape might be the thing that does it.

Not that a change in the council would help them, they were destined to lose anyways.

“I will be taking the children to mother after supper, you should leave then.” Helaena whispers in Valyrian as they finished adding little dragons on the sleeves of Jaehaerys’ nightshirt.

---

She knew, she had been the one to ‘suggest’ to Aegon that Silverwing did not need to keep wearing chains.

All of the people here would be dead because of one man.

She’s as docile as a lamb, Aeg, she probably thinks Alysanne is still alive, she had told Aegon who out of guilt never denies her anything.

Helaena and the children are the only people in this fucking place she will miss.

“You could come with us, Hel.” Aemma suggests and her best friend and goodsister sadly shakes her head.

They stop on their tracks when they hear the all to familiar sounds of the Queen Mother and the new Lord Commander of the Kingsguard.

“Geros ilas.” Goodbye.

“The Queen Mother, your grace, your highness.” Ser Willis announced, and Helaena took her leave.

----

“You don’t have to leave, Helaena.” Alicent said, but Hel protested and said she had other things to do.

And for the first time ever, Helaena hugs her. embraced her tightly as if this was the last time they would ever see each other.

“I see you have forgiven Aemond.” Alicent mentions after dismissing Criston and her guards.

“I have not, letting him in my bed is not the same a forgiving him, your grace.” She corrects her.

If you ask Aemma they are far from reconciliation and yet the handmaids noted less fighting, them sleeping together and even bathing together.

Criston has noted no change in his protégé, but the words ‘I would not hold my breath’ were uttered.

“Then why get his hopes up?” the queen asked the girl who looked at her curiously.

“Opening the path to reconciliation does not mean I forgive him for killing my brother, your grace. He knows and accepts that.” Alysanne never forgave Jaehaerys for refusing to make my grandmother his heir, never forgave him for banishing Saera and yet they reconciled.

They did always think themselves the Old King and the Good Queen. Doomed to suffer for defying duty and tradition.

Alicent prays nightly that the birth goes as it should and if the Mother is merciful, that the child be female.

A boy would be a threat, a girl would make a fine bride for Jaehaerys and solve all their problems.

“I know you do not believe me, but I am sorry for your loss and I am sorry that the king and the lord hand will deny you your child, you do not deserve the suffering fate has given you.”

Tara had overheard them speak about it, Aemond vowing to fight for them to keep their child, assuring her that they mattered more than Aegon and his mother.

“I would rather die than let you raise my son. How glad am I that it will never happen.” The princess grumbled thinking she cannot hear her, but for Aemond’s sake, the queen pretends to not to have heard.

Aemond couldn’t be seen as a turncloak. Aemond’s loyalty could not be questioned further. It is only a matter of time before her father makes her sons turn against each other over.

#aemma velaryon #someone will remember us fic #asoiaf fanfic #aemond targaryen x velaryon!oc #house of the dragon #oc fanfiction #ocappreciationtag #fyeahhotdocs

[yogrl335]

Been busy with politics the last few months. Dear lord, the hate from MAGA is awful; they hate Democrats, LGBTQ people, Blacks, Jews-the list goes in. So now I’ve come from sewers of right wing politics to the smaller sewer of CCers. Same hate, just directed differently. Flowers recently posted yet again about the “handshake” at Trevor live. Per the vipers, Darren met Mia there for the first time. Strange that there are photos of them together when his hair was longer, and they’ve claimed that she was Chuck’s girlfriend before being taped to be a “beard”. How is it then that he had to be introduced? And on a red carpet, not before? What’s the deal with using his left hand to shake? Who does that? And no actual handshake is seen. I would think it more likely that she was nervous about being in public. That would also explain her staying back while he schmoozed with other celebrities after. This weekend their panties are in knots because of an article in which he mentions his wife and child. Like married folks often do. They are like Pavlov’s dogs: say Mia and they foam at the mouth. Add in Bluesy and they have seizures. Today mmack (another reptile) posted a broadside about the coffee drink that Darren likes. It said that there was only a small amount of caffeine in a Ristretto as opposed to an espresso. So I looked it up. A cup of regular coffee averages 95mg caffeine but this can vary a lot depending on size of the cup and type of coffee used. Espresso averages 68mg while ristretto averages 63mg as per yourdreamcoffee.com. Per mmack this indicates a lie, I guess, because how could he be using it when “sleep deprived by a baby”. And how is a 5mg difference translated to one being a minimal amount of caffeine? Thus the great plot is unmasked! In reality it is just another excuse to spout hate toward Mia-a woman they have never met. Review their past postings. First they hated Ryan Murphy for forcing Darren into the closet, ostensibly to sell more records. Then they added Mia because they were dating and added Ricky (because he was a friend to Darren and Mia), blaming him for a lack of roles, which, as a manager, Ricky has nothing to do with. After Glee they briefly didn’t hate Ryan because he was going to help Darren come out. When he didn’t they restarted the hate to RM. They usually hate Starkids because they’re friends. It seems that loyalty and friendship should not occur if you are going to be a big star. They hate several actually gay men like Will, Ricky Martin, Rufus Wainright because they interfere with the snakes’ fantasy world. Now I don’t believe that they will change; there is too much hatred invested in their fandom. Like trump’s MAGA mob, they refuse to see reality. I comment here to try to get through to any fan who might think there is any truth to the fecal matter the CCers post. In case you’re wondering why I don’t go directly to their tumbler sites, I was a follower only to Darren Criss posts as I am to museums and libraries. After the wedding I saw a lot of cruel posts by the reptiles. I commented that they were being nasty about someone they didn’t know. The response from them was to first note that it was my first post/comment and that I sounded like a 34 year old, intimating that I was Mia. Then they blocked me. I am not Mia. I have never met her. I am old enough to be her mother. The fact that they can’t tell a fan from Darren’s spouse indicates little intelligence. They are foul, nasty, bloviating, belligerent bags of hate. Toxic.

#darren criss #miarren #tin haters #tinhaters #ccers are crazy #crisscolfer

[bludrunt]

*　　　　&　　◞　　　　𝐢　　　　.　　　　𝐁𝐀𝐒𝐈𝐂𝐒　　　　.

　full　name　:　haruka   ishino. 　nickname(s)　:　ruka   ,   rue. 　age　+　bday　:　28   +   june  10th. 　gender　+　pronouns　:　cis   female   +   she   /   her . 　sexuality　:　pansexual   +   panromantic. 　birthplace　:　tokyo   ,   japan. 　languages　:　japanese   ,   english   +   conversational   levels   of   korean   ,   mandarin   &   russian. 　accent　:　has   no   traceable   accent   in   any   language   ,   as    she’s   always   been   quite   good   at   mimicking   the   proper   sounds   of   whatever   she   learns.

　current　location　:　manhatten   ,   new   york. 　occupation　:　founder   of   soteria   ,   the   vigilante   group   targeting   both   mafia   and   the   government. 　loyalty　:　soteria   ,   yamato   ishino. 　family　:　shin   ishino   —   father   (   †   )    ,    jane   ishino   —   mother   (   †   )    ,    yamato   ishino   —   brother . 　notable　relationships　:　 aranya   saetang   —   self   proclaimed   sister   /   future   sister   in   law.  

*　　　　&　　◞　　　　𝐢𝐢　　　　.　　　　𝐁𝐀𝐂𝐊𝐆𝐑𝐎𝐔𝐍𝐃　　　　.

　 —　 this   is   not   the   first   memory   ,      but   it   is   the   most   important   one.   (   small   arms   holding   an   even   smaller   body   :      this   is   her   big   brother   ,      and   these   are   his   comforting   whispers   in   her   ear.   because   this   is   what   it   means   to   be   loved   ,      haruka   learns   ,      and   this   is   what   it   means   to   be   cherished.   so   while   the   rest   of   the   world   will   one   day   fall   away   ⸻   while   every   inch   of   the   foundation   eventually   does.   it'll   be   these   arms   that   remain   unshaken   ,      and   this   love   that   will   prove   itself   fierce.   )

　 —　 for   as   long   as   anyone   can   remember   ,      haruka   ishino   has   always   lived   in   the   shadow   of   her   older   brother.   (   but   this   loyalty   is   given   happily   so   ,      oh   so   happily   so.   )   following   in   his   footsteps   ,      and   treading   behind   wherever   he   dared   to   tread   :      what   was   one   without   the   other   ,      when   all   they   had   was   each   other   ?   she   knows   the   answer   ,      knows   it   so   dearly   in   her   heart   ,      and   so   she   continues   to   build   herself   in   this   exact   fashion   ;      shaping   herself   in   the   limitless   expanse   of   his   love.   boundless   ,      undaunted   ⸻   what   did   haruka   have   to   fear   with   her   big   brother   at   her   back   ?

　 —　 but   childhood   is   sweetest   through   a   bitter   lens   ,      and   so   fear   is   learned   through   the   ugliest   of   lessons.   for   the   world   they   live   in   is   a   greedy   one   ,      and   those   at   the   top   have   only   ever   learned   to   take.   her   parents   ,      her   security.   even   her   brother   (   her   dear   ,      dear   brother   )   begins   to   slip   through   her   fingers.   enamoured   with   the   japanese   mafia   ,      and   dedicating   himself   to   a   cause   ⸻   this   is   where   it   starts   to   go   all   wrong   ;      this   is   where   it   starts   to   cost.   (   so   much   ,      too   much.   )   the   petals   of   resentment   begin   to   flower   in   her   sanctuary   ,      and   her   rose   coloured   glasses   go   dim   dim   dim.   (   yamato's   loyalty   will   cost   him   ,      and   this   need   to   repay   debts   will   be   his   utter   RUINATION.   )

　 —　 haruka   has   been   '   growing   up   too   fast   '   since   the   day   she   was   born   ,      but   this   first   awakening   is   ice   cold   water   down   a   sleeping   back   ;      a   true   fracture   to   the   last   of   her   childhood   dreams.   (   haruka   ishino   comes   face   to   face   with   reality   for   the   first   time   in   her   life   at   fourteen   years   old.   )   her   brother   joins   the   mafia   ,      and   she.   she   learns   instead   how   to   lie   in   waiting.   collecting   information   ,      and   furthering   her   reach   ⸻   fourteen   is   too   young   to   create   any   sort   of   movement   ,      not   yet   ,      but   it   is   just   enough   to   spark   the   first   tides   of   change.   

　 —　 SOTERIA   is   an   accumulation   of   endless   tragedies   and   the   determination   to   finally   bring   about   that   change.   loyal   to   justice   and   unbending   before   all   ,      the   hands   that   join   her   own   are   equally   bloody   ,      yet   hungering   to   prove   themselves   as   the   foundation   for   a   better   world.   vigilantes   ,      they   call   them   ,      brazen   ,      they   might   be   ,      but   haruka   knows   to   the   core   of   her   ,      the   desperate   truth.   soteria   is   a   promise   :      the   people's   reckoning   ,      and   the   people   will   no   longer   be   denied.

*　　　　&　　◞　　　　𝐢𝐢𝐢　　　　.　　　　𝐃𝐄𝐓𝐀𝐈𝐋𝐒　　　　.

　 —　 true   #girlbossing   starts   here   AWEFJKF.   but   in   all   honesty   ,      ruka   takes   no   shit   ,      and   no   prisoners   ,      so   when   she's   on   a   warpath   with   her   mind   set   ?   you   get   the   fuck   outta   the   way   !   taking   charge   of   soteria's   day   -   to   -   day   operations   ,      she's   just   as   much   involved   in   the   nitty   gritty   dirty   work   ,      same   as   any   other   patroller   ,      and   that's   exactly   how   she   likes   it.   and   while   being   one   of   the   founders   of   the   vigilante   group   might   give   her   some   leeway   on   exactly   where   and   what   she's   doing   at   any   given   time   ,      she   very   much   sees   her   group   as   a   ragtag   family   ,      and   approaches   leadership   with   a   similar   mindset.   she's   open   to   ideas   ,      appreciates   questioning   ,      and   has   no   qualms   with   delegating   and   leaning   on   her   members   when   need   be   !   there   might   be   a   '   hierarchy   '   within   soteria   ,      but   she   likes   to   see   it   more   as   a   necessary   point   for   organization   purposes   ,      than   any   actual   power   play.   

　 —　 after   all   ,      the   whole   point   of   soteria   is   to   abolish   the   current   ~   big   players   ~   in   new   york   ,      and   it   wouldn't   do   to   fashion   themselves   in   such   a   similar   manner   !   and   while   she   has   a   personal   vendetta   against   the   government   in   specific   ,      there's   plenty   of   resentment   for   the   mafia   groups   as   well.   her   ideal   world   is   one   where   your   average   citizen   comes   first   ,      and   no   longer   has   to   live   in   fear   of   corrupt   systems<3333   #vigilanteshit

　 —　 has   a   large   assortment   of   tricks   and   skills   up   her   sleeve   ,      including   :      martial   arts   (   her   style   of   fighting   most   aligns   with   krav   maga   ,      as   it   derives   from   a   combination   of   different   techniques   ,      such   as   :      kyokushin   ,      hapkido   ,      kali   ,      and   kickboxing   )   ,      acrobatics   ,      stealth   ,      infiltration   ,      rapid   adaptability   ,      as   well   as   being   an   adept   tactician.   (   it's   serving   very   much   ...   black   widowisms   ....   )

　 —　 with   how   ...   unusual   her   upbringing   has   been   ,      ruka's   all   but   mastered   the   art   of   manipulation.   and   while   it   started   at   as   necessity   ,      mostly   learning   how   to   blend   in   and   adapt   out   of   fear   of   being   unnoticed   by   an   all   too   powerful   eye.   the   same   skills   that   allowed   her   to   go   unnoticed   and   remain   unseen   were   really   the   start   of   her   vigilante   career   !   she's   generally   viewed   as   being   incredibly   unassuming   ,      and   while   not   ...   easily   ignored   ,      she   doesn't   leave   much   of   a   lasting   impression.   she's   always   been   known   through   association   (   sister   of   ,      daughter   of   )   ,      rather   than   of   her   own   merit   ,      and   it's   worked   out   pretty   well   for   where   she   needs   to   be   in   life.   

#crimeshqintro #SHE'S READY TO MAKE IT RRRRRUMBLE

[encirclet]

⟨ aaron fontaine. cis man. he/him. 34. ⟩ we welcome mace redwyne to king’s landing , the ruling lord of the arbor. keep an eye out for their devil-may-care nature, they tend to cover it up by acting cunning. rumor has it they are neutral to the peace treaty, and their loyalties lie with house redwyne. you’ll know it’s them when you get flashes of spilled red wine blooming across the white of a shirt like blood, the light glinting off of canine teeth, and the obnoxious call to attention of a knife on a glass.

🍷    »    basics​  :

name:  mace redwyne title:  ruling lord of the arbor nickname(s):  none. alias(es):  n/a. age:  thirty five traits:  cunning, flippant, ostentatious, superior, egocentric. height:  5 foot 11 notable features:  a large pattern-like chest tattoo that he brought back as a souvenir from his time across the narrow sea.

🍷    »    ties​  :

alliances: house redwyne. mother:  lady delena redwyne née merryweather father:  former ruling lord robett redwyne siblings:  lady ? redwyne, princess denyse martell née redwyne, & multiple bastards fathered by robett. children:  quentyn flowers, 11. marital status:  unmarried

🍷    »    opening the cask  :

born on the arbor, heir to westeros’s finest wines and its largest fleet at 1200 ships, mace redwyne has never been denied a thing in his life. house redwyne, notoriously rich and even more well-known for their indulgent nonchalance has called the arbor home longer than it has been considered a part of the reach. mace grew up lazing in the sun, eating peaches the size of his head and adeptly dodging lessons concerning lordship and sword skills with little consequence.

lord robett redwyne raised his only legitimate son with leniency, a light hand — the same way he raised his scores of bastards, a garden’s worth of flowers that his wife was willing to turn a blind eye to. mace only had positive memories of his father, him organizing games amongst his children, mace growing up alongside his half siblings but never forgetting that he was a notch above the rest, that at the end of the night he slept in a down-filled cloud while they tossed and turned on thin mattresses of straw. 

the first hardship mace encountered, already ten and four years into his life, was his mother’s death. though mace was made to share his father with many others, his mother was his own. even when his two younger sisters were born, a few years apart, mace monopolized delena, demanding her attention as often as he could. her death was a blow to him, a crack in the idyllic snow globe he’d been living in all his life. as the reality of life’s cruelties began to seep in, he was resolved in finding a new escape.

as he grew older, mace selected his own calling in life (undisputed), setting out to sail over the southern seas, around dorne, and across the narrow sea to essos — in search of fruit that could produce wine greater than anything any person in westeros had ever tasted. he sailed around dorne and across the narrow sea to spend years in essos, travelling between braavos, pentos, qohor, and the in betweens. and as time ticked by, he remained empty handed, but never did he fret — for his lordship in the arbor was always waiting for him. 

but the lordship snuck up on him, for by the time that word reached him in essos of his father’s illness, robett had already passed. mace returned to the arbor a grown man, tattooed and with his 5 year old son hiding behind his leg. although quentyn is his only son and mace remains unwed, he selfishly sees no point in legitimizing him — he treats him as his father treated his half siblings, allowing him to live in the arbor with him. 

mace is not well suited to be ruling lord. he’s often away, leaving his sisters in the care of themselves — though he’s appointed knights (his half brothers, coincidentally) to watch over them whilst he’s travelling. he wields the power of the redwyne fleet with an iron fist, with warships guarding the redwyne straits despite the 200 years of peace. in reality, the ships are a warning shot, a display of his family’s wealth and prowess. every decision made may as well be done by the flip of a coin, for his attention span is short and unforgiving.

he is deeply selfish and egocentric, thinking of every situation in relation to himself rather than others, entering every room with the expectation that all eyes will be on him, and a plan to escape should they try to wrest from him his familial power. that said, though he’s now practiced in the various fighting styles of essos, he is lacking from his consistent avoidance of practice growing up. as of now, his ego has only served him positively, but with change on the horizon in westeros, what the future holds is a mystery. 

#rfms.intro

[playsgods]

*   ◟   :   〔  MACKENYU   ARATA ,   CIS   MAN   +   HE   /   HIM 〕  HIROSHI   '   HERO   '   MATSUDA  ,   some   say   you’re   a  THIRTY   YEAR   OLD  lost   soul   among   the   neon   lights.   known   for   being   both  BENEVOLENT  and  RELENTLESS,   one   can’t   help   but   think   of  SEDATED  by  HOZIER  when   you   walk   by.   are   you   still   an  UNDERBOSS  for  THE   DEAD   HAND,   even   with   your   reputation   as  THE   OMEN?   i   think   we’ll   be   seeing   more   of   you   and  THE   ETERNAL   DERANGEMENT   OF   A   THRICE   DAMNED   FOOL   (   ARE   YOU   NOT   YET   DISILLUSIONED   TO   THE   REALITY   OF   YOUR   OWN   LIFE   ?   TO   THE   HAND   THAT   THEY   HAVE   PLAYED   YOU   ⸻   CURSED   UPON   YOU   ?   )   /   LOYALTY   BRED   FROM   BIRTHRIGHT   (   SUBMISSIVE   IN   THE   WAY   A   GUARD   DOG   IS   SUBMISSIVE   ,   YOU   OF   BLUNTED   CLAWS   AND   FANGS   ;   LEASHED   TO   A   MASTER   YOU   COULD   NEVER   HOPE   TO   BITE   NOR   BETRAY   )   /   THE   PRACTICED   EASE   OF   FALSITIES   (   AND   WHAT   ABOUT   YOU   IS   EVEN   REAL   ,   YOU   MASKED   EVIL   ,   YOU   TERRIBLE   THING   ?   YOU   STAND   ALONE   IN   YOUR   HOUSE   OF   CARDS   ,   GLUED   TOGETHER   BY   LIES   NONE   COULD   DECIPHER   ⸻   NOT   EVEN   YOU.   ),   although   we   can’t   help   but   think   of  DEAN   WINCHESTER   (   SUPERNATURAL   )   +   PETYR   BAELISH   (   GAME   OF   THRONES   )   +   ANAKIN   SKYWALKER   (   STAR   WARS   )   whenever   we   see   you   down   these   rainy   streets.

*　　　　&　　◞　　　　𝐢　　　　.　　　　𝐁𝐀𝐒𝐈𝐂𝐒　　　　.

　full　name　:　hiroshi   matsuda. 　nickname(s)　:　hero. 　age　+　bday　:　30   +   nov   13. 　gender　+　pronouns　:��cis   male   +   he   /   him. 　sexuality　:　pansexual   +   panromantic. 　birthplace　:　yokohama   ,   japan. 　languages　:　japanese   ,   english   +   conversational   levels   of   korean   ,   mandarin   ,   spanish   ,   italian   &   russian. 　accent　:　no   determinable   accents   in   any   language. 　current　location　:　soho   ,   lower   manhatten   ,   new   york. 　occupation　:　underboss   of   dead   hand. 　loyalty　:　dead   hand. 　family　:　saito   matsuda   —   father   (   †   )    ,    yoshino   matsuda   —   mother   (   †   )    ,    hiroyuki   matsuda   —   brother  (   †   )    . 　pet(s)　:　tba. 　 　faceclaim　:　mackenyu arata. 　 　eye　colour　:　dark brown , almost black. 　hair　colour　:　jet black hair that retains a rather lovely little bounce as he moves. usually  left artfully  tousled  and  a  little  on  the  longer  side. 　height　:　180cm / 5'11. 　character　inspirations　:　dean   winchester   (   supernatural   )   +   petyr   baelish   (   game   of   thrones   )   +   anakin   skywalker   (   star   wars   ) + inuyasha ( inuyasha ) + haku ( spirited away )

*　　　　&　　◞　　　　𝐢𝐢　　　　.　　　　𝐁𝐀𝐂𝐊𝐆𝐑𝐎𝐔𝐍𝐃　　　　.

　 —　 you   cling   to   your   origins   in   the   hopes   that   it   will   save   you   from   the   futures   unknown.   (   a   fool's   hope   ,    as   if   you   do   not already   know.   )   for   you're   a   tragedy   walking   and   talking   ,    my   love   ⸻   but   are   you   truly   even   alive   ?    what   is   it   you   live   for   ,    do   you   dream   for   ,    when   they've   already   taken   everything   away   away   away.  　 —　 born   into   your   position   ,    your   name   is   one   that   has   generations   into   its   making   ;    fates   already   accepted   and   shaped   by   your   forefathers   above   you.   (   to   be   a   matsuda   it   to   be   loyal   ,    so   they   raise   you   ,    and   this   truth   is   written   into   the   very   bones   of   you.   )   as   they   live   ,    as   they   die   ,    they   will   serve.  　 —　 your   father   himself   dies   with   a   proud   smile   upon   his   face   ,    your   mother   resigned   in   her   duties   all   the   same.   bloody   and   broken   ,    puppet   like   limbs   collapsed   without   strings.   you   lose   your   family   to   a   massacre   ,    and   you   are   given   the   orders   to   accept   it   as   the   honour   it   is.   to   die   for   the   main   family   ,    to   trade   your   lives   for   their   own.   the   boss   makes   it   out   because   you   get   him   out   ,    and   when   they   applaud   you   for   it   ,   bring   you   in   closer   for   proving   yourself   faithful   :    you   take   those   honours   and   you   choke   through   the   pain.   (   underboss   to   the   leader   at   twenty   five   ,    and   all   you   can   think   about   is   the   memory   of   your   little   brother   bleeding   out   ,    as   he   too   ,    is   left   behind   to   die.   )

*　　　　&　　◞　　　　𝐢𝐢𝐢　　　　.　　　　𝐃𝐄𝐓𝐀𝐈𝐋𝐒　　　　.

　 —　 painfully   loyal   to   his   organization   ,    and   to   the   dead   hand   boss   in   particular.    there's   very   little   he   wouldn't   do   for   them   ,    to   the   point   that   he's   yet   to   find   a   line   wouldn't   cross.    as   one   of   the   underbosses   ,    he   reports   directly   and   only   to   the   boss   themselves   ,    and   considering   his   own   upbringing   ⸻   takes   the   organization's   hierarchy   seriously.   and   while   he's   loyal   to   the   organization   as   a   whole   ,    he   also   wouldn't   think   twice   about   sacrificing   any   one   of   them   for   the   boss   </3   just   remember   that   hero   is   always   about that   #bbae   life   (   boss   before   anyone   else   ). 　 —　 is   generally   known   and   viewed   as   a   rather   affable   person   ,    surprisingly   ?   but   as   long   as   it   doesn't   go   against   orders   or   his   stringent   beliefs   ,    he's   honestly   a   pretty   laid   back   guy   <3   he   doesn't   enjoy   getting   his   hands   dirty   ,    and   plays   it   as   fair   as   he's   able   when   it   comes   to   his   personal   life.  　 —　 secretly   harbours   feelings   of   deep   -   rooted   resentment   that   leave   him   trapped   in   a   constant   down   spiral   of   guilt   and   self   -   flagellation.   he   did   ,    after   all   ,    lose   his   entire   family   ,    and   then   proceed   to   retain   all   the   glory   and   honours   for   it.   but   of   course   ,    even   whispers   of   betrayal   will   have   him   going   for   the   jugular. 

#lawlessintro #going insane all by urself handsome ??

[thoughtsbeewild]

Total Victory: When your former colleagues are miserable at the job you left. Because they TRUSTED THIS EVIL FEMALE SINGLE MOM DIRECTOR

It makes me happy to know HOW WORST THE COMPANY GOT AFTER ONE QUIT/RESIGNS.

As I told my coworker at my former job quit, IMMA GOING HAVE A LEGALLY BLONDE MOMENT. Like FUCK ALL YOU ESPECIALLY DIRECTOR, The supervisor and the some of the democrat mom bitches.

These corrupted Demorat leadership around the USA are trying get rid of PEOPLE WHO WORKED DEVOTED PUT LOYALTY TO ORGANIZATION FOR LONG TIME JUST TO FUCKING REPLACE THEM WITH A DUMB ASS THIRSTY DEMOCRAT MOM WHO DESPERATE FOR A JOB TO GET PAID AT ANY RATE. BUT THEY WERE TRYING TO FIND WAYS SO I CAN TRAIN ALL MY KNOWLEDGE TO THAT BITCH AND AT END GET RID OF ME LIKE I AM NO LONGER USEFUL. seems like todays relationship where the a guy has gotten what he wanted out of you and your not use. Or the thirsty marketing instagram girl got what she needed to include you in her story to obtain followers. So apply that to your career , a director who HAS BEEN IN POWER FOR LESS THAN A YEAR, HAS POWER TO TERMINATE YOUR EMPLOYMENT AND FUCK WITH YOUR LIFE AND FAMILY. think people!

Because I want to know I was a VALUABLE ASSET to the company, that I made a difference, that I was part of the growth of success for that company when good leadership was around. I can tell you real talk HELL TO THE FUCK NO I DID NOT WORK FOR DEMONCRAT LEADERSHIP, fuck no.

Its like growing older, damn I know the fucking difference NOW. its its a game changer.

My former company trust this evil bitch selfie fucking mom so much. She is a hyprocrite online, like a demoncrat.

She good at selling the bullshit, like she an INNOCENT HELPING MOTHER WITH 2 KIDDOS HERE TO HELP YOU, SUPPORT YOU, WANT HELP OTHERS, LIKE BIDEN. SELL THE MARKETING BULLSHIT TO THE MEDIA LIKE SHE LOVING MOM BLAH BLAH BLAH. BUT A TRUE SNAKE, A DEVIL IN DISGUISE.

but in reality a lot of the current employees I've connected with are SCARED THE FUCK WITH FEAR, you dare to even question this divorced mom bitch its off with your head, she will fucking find ways to fire yo bitch ass, like a checklist.

I can probably see in REAL TIME WHERE DEMONCRATS WOULD USE BLACK PEOPLE TO MAKE THEM FEAR THE POLICE, LAW ENFORCEMENTS. Not sure why they don't see that. Hopully I can change your thinking to be more open and not just one way thinking scared because demoncrats out there

Imagine power, greed, the control and corruption this one director leader has. Making you so fucking miserable, mentally stressed, drained. while this mom bitch is taking BEACH SELFIES WITH HER 2 KIDS on facebook then marketing work online bullshit, but slaving away beside the scenes where you cant talk about it BECAUSE OF NDA NON DISCLOUSURE AGREEMENT.

People who were newly hired, they are scandalous they will do anything to get your job, a promotion

#the company downfall #fire the director #pray karma on the director #karma on the supervisor #karma on thirsty demoncrat coworker demoncrat moms

[wordtowords]

Love and Marriage in Perpetuity

n perpetuity - forever

About a week ago, I came across the phrase "in perpetuity" as I was registering one of the singles off of my second, original album with BMI, a "performance rights" agency that distributes loyalties to composers/artists after their copyrighted music has been played publicly.  It definitely has a legal, contractual ring to it. Lucky for me, all I had to do was check off a box, agreeing that I am and will be the sole owner of the rights to the song forever. And as we know, forever is a very long time.

In life, contracts abound. In fact, we can't get through reality as adults sans signing agreements. That being stated, few belong under the nomenclature of "in perpetuity." However, marriage does promise to be interminable albeit the divorce rate in reality tends to nullify the original arrangement and usually quite expeditiously at that. Still, there are exemplary couples that embrace the covenant for the long term. In March, I unveiled the ingredients necessary to perpetuate a loving relationship. The blog was called "Netflix and the Secret of Loving Longer." Which had all of two readers. (I'm going for at least three this time around.) Ever since I saw that documentary about the uber committed couple, living happily in perpetuity up in Vermont, I have been meeting real people who mirror that particular pair in at least one sense.

Just today, as my musical partner and I were setting up to perform Sinatra and Motown tunes for about fifty residents in an assisted living facility, an elderly husband and wife were ensconced in the third row of the house, 30 minutes early, watching reruns of Seinfeld on the TV situated just above our heads. The gentleman just happened to mention that he and his bride had recently celebrated 70 years of marriage. Yes, 70. Most of us don't make it to ten, sadly enough. Of course, I didn't want to assume that what I had noted in the aforementioned blog could possibly apply to everyday reality, but surprisingly, it does.

This ordinary human being verified a theory I had had even before I watched Netflix, perhaps even before there was a Netflix. The male (sorry, but this might only be true for straight couples) in a long-term relationship has to possess a stubborn choke hold on love. In clearer, less violently graphic terms, he has to be in love with his woman in perpetuity. The euphoric, somewhat seemingly nonviable emotional state has to last forever. Or the deal is off. My own father hung onto an unrequited love affair (or should I say, a marriage) with my mother in perpetuity in spite of her being an often difficult, imperious woman who had pretty much nothing in common with him. Since he was in love with her, it didn't much matter that she didn't return his variety of love because it made him blind to any and all imperfections she inhabited. Ergo the union lasted until the death-do-us-part clause of the agreement kicked in. He never remarried although he did date a woman only because she reminded him of my mother. (You see what I mean? In perpetuity is without a doubt forever.)

So there you have it, ladies. If you believe in marriage (or even a monogamous liaison) and want yours to last forever, just find a man who is head over heels in love with you. If you do, like the song "At Last" that I am learning for my next gig at a local nursing home, a spell will be cast, you'll feel like you're in heaven, and he will be yours in perpetuity "at last."

#love #marriage #word-to-words, #slice-of-life,  #blog, #blogging, #editorial, #reading, #vocabulary, #ReadersMagnet, #spilled thoughts, #good advice, #personal-essay, #writing community, #writing, #philosophy, #truth #relationships #forever #monogamy  

[eventiderpg]

BASICS

Faceclaim: Daniel Henney

Name: Ezra Klair

Age: 47

Gender: Cis male

Home: District 2

Role: Tribute

Personality: Polished, longanimous, allocentric, quixotic, and provacative

Song: 7 Years by Lukas Graham

BIOGRAPHY

Appearance was everything in the Klair household. Ezra's father was a triumphant peacekeeper, rotating his time between different districts. His mother was a dutiful homemaker. The head seat at the table was almost always empty, but his family had food on their plates. It wasn't his place to complain, so he never did. Instead, Ezra let himself be shiny. The firstborn of the lot, he paved the expectation for grades, behavior, and eventually the academy.

He rose through the ranks quickly, but to his detriment, Ezra didn't have an insatiable hunger for glory. Weapon wielding came naturally, but professors would grow tired of him finding it unnecessary to take out the little guy. He could match flora to information of what was edible or costly, but would be scoffed at for letting his classmate know the same. Fitness tests were a breeze, but he'd run laps until the last student would finish. A professor once got so red in the face exasperatedly asking why would Klair focus on teamwork when only one can escape? But the reality was The Games did not intrigue him as they did his peers.

As quickly as he rose, his rank soon fell. He never was reaped or volunteered during that time. That did not mean that familiar faces hadn't, however. The hardest was watching the 43rd Hunger Games. Thea Ellis was reaped and dominated. But while she physically escaped the arena, mentally her return took much longer. He was there for her through all of it, minus her time spent in The Capitol.

At twenty, he begins an apprenticeship with a blacksmith. Ezra has a knack for it. The same blacksmith retires when Ezra is twenty-eight. The shop he started at becomes his own. He makes less than what his parents' would prefer. His place on their pedestal finally disappears, replaced with a shiner, more cutthroat sibling. But image means less to him than the generation before him. He values hard-work and his happiness. The life of a peacekeeper isn't his calling, as much as others try to recruit him. However, it is for his close friend Elijah.

Elijah was his childhood neighbor. Their fathers were best friends. Eli and Ezra had lives that intertwined. Both were meant to be extensions of their families. Elijah could never tear away from that image. So at twenty-five, he becomes a peacekeeper. His intentions are good. He tells Ezra that he wants to help others and restore peace. The first few years eat away at the core of his friend, who begins to see the governmental workers for what they really are.

Ezra becomes his shoulder to cry on in moments of weakness, until he finds another solution. He tells the blacksmith about an underground community of rebels, enticing Ezra. Any loyalty to their government had been shattered since he became aware of the treatment of Thea. So hearing stories of other districts from Elijah is already beyond the tipping point. He spends nights making extra armor and weaponry. It doesn't compare to the materials of The Capitol, but it's something. He also spreads messages between so-called clients: other rebels. He's aware of what can happen to him, but it's about the whole group of people rather than the individual.

That is until Elijah disappears. People say Elijah got transferred, but nobody can give specific details. It's believable enough to most in district two, but not to Ezra. Six months later someone from the underground in The Capitol swears they've seen him. He's now an avox. Guilt eats at Ezra as he cannot tell Elijah's husband and children the horror. Instead, he throws himself deeper into the cause.

When the group in district two states they want volunteers to step up during The Reaping, Ezra is the first to offer. Nobody objects. The same sentiment is not shared by his love: Thea Ellis. However, it's bigger than Ezra. He's doing this for her, for Elijah, and for the actual betterment of Panem. He's aware of what can happen to him, but it's about the whole group of people rather than the individual.

Written by Blue

#the hunger games rp #new rp #oc rp #mumu rp #bio rp #eventidebio

[ben-wisehart]

I just wanted to say hello! I absolutely love your metas! Thank you for always providing us with such thoughtful answers ❤️. After reading one of your latest metas I have a q too but please feel free to ignore it if you want. So given opportunity, don't you think that Og!LBH would rather want SJ's love than SY's? Wouldn't it be a little like w a father who's love you always craved but never received? You'd try looking for that love everywhere else but it'd never be the same because that love-

-would never come from a person you most wanted to receive it from. What are your thoughts on this? Thank you!

Hi! Thank you so much, and thank you for your question! Sorry it took me a few days to answer!

This is an interesting one, and I'd be lying if I said I hadn't considered it before (strenuously). I think the answer is “kind of”.

I've said before in other posts that I don't actually think our Binghe, in Scum Villain, has figured out that the Shizun he met when he first became a disciple and the Shizun he ended up marrying are two completely different people. Not because Binghe isn't smart enough to figure this out (he's pretty damn sharp) but rather because he just doesn't let himself think about the reality of his childhood under Shen Jiu too much. I don't think he was, like, in love with Shen Jiu when they first met (ew) but the story makes it pretty clear that he was totally enraptured by him. He had just lost his mother, he had vowed to join a cultivation sect and get stronger so that he could honour her memory by protecting the ones he loved in the future, and then suddenly this beautiful, graceful, powerful cultivator has handpicked him to be his disciple?? Of course he was elated. He was honoured and excited and desperate to prove his worth—the novel describes it as “like he was beholding a god”. And then that same Shizun was dumping tea on him and walking away without so much as a glance. It was fucking traumatising (for me. and for binghe as well I guess but the pain I personally experienced reading this cannot be understated)

He desperately wanted his Shizun's approval and didn't understand why he didn't get it at first—but then, in Scum Villain, he suddenly did. It’s a situation that a lot of abuse victims fantasise about; that their abuser will suddenly see the error of their ways and change on their own. This doesn’t really happen in reality, but Binghe got the unique experience of having his abuser literally replaced with the kind person he’d always wanted his Shizun to be. From our Binghe's perspective, his Shizun was cruel to him for a little while and then suddenly changed to become kind and benevolent. He doesn’t want to second guess that. If he didn’t care about Shen Jiu’s approval, I doubt any amount of kindness from Shen Yuan would have been enough to inspire the loyalty that it did, but Binghe at fourteen still wanted that approval so badly. He wants to believe that the abuse he suffered under Shen Jiu happened for a reason, so he rationalises that abuse in whatever way he can.

But Bing-ge never gets that. The novel says he never let himself cry again after the tea incident. It would be easy to believe that he had written his Shizun off completely from that point onwards, and if you asked the adult Bing-ge I’m sure he’d tell you that this was the case—but our Binghe exists as proof that that isn’t true. Some part of him obviously held onto the hope that his Shizun would give him the approval that he wanted, at least for a while longer; I’m inclined to believe that the Abyss was the point where he finally accepted that Shen Qingqiu was truly irredeemable scum who was never going to change. Unlike our Binghe, I do think Bing-ge knows that Shen Yuan and Shen Jiu are two different people, and that he figures this out fairly quickly. He knows his Shizun a lot better than he did at fourteen, has already accepted that he’s scum, and has the benefit of an adult’s perspective. He doesn’t have a concept of transmigration, so the details are vague, but I don’t think the details would particularly matter to him. Whether he would explain it as Shen Jiu’s personality fundamentally changing due to memory loss, or as something less passive (like outright possession) Bing-ge confirms when he looks through SY’s memories that this is a version of his Shizun who was kinder to him, and whom his alternate universe counterpart ended up falling in love with. That’s all he really cares about.

I don’t know how common this particular headcanon is, but I’m of the opinion that Bing-ge genuinely didn’t know he liked men until he met SY!SQQ. He didn’t have a single positive male figure in his life and had no opportunity to explore those feelings. He isn’t the type to have analysed his trauma surrounding Shen Jiu at all. So meeting Shen Yuan and seeing himself happily in a relationship with him absolutely rocks him to his core. He doesn’t get a chance to unpack all this at that time, but the fact remains that Shen Yuan tending his wounds and braiding his hair was probably the first time a man had ever been so gentle and attentive toward him. Just like our Binghe, Shen Yuan is the first person to give him the kindness and positive attention he’s been craving, but unlike our Binghe, it comes over a decade later when he is a thousand times more traumatised than he was at fourteen.

But the fact that this new SQQ looks like his SQQ, and played the same role in the other Binghe’s life (as opposed to just being a nice unrelated man that he had settled down with) complicates things, because it forces him to take a long hard look at his own life and his own feelings. In Shen Yuan, he sees everything he wanted from his own Shizun. He sees everything he should have had but didn’t. He really did want his Shizun’s approval, once. He wanted to love him—that’s a hard thing to accept about someone like Shen Jiu.

It’s hard to say for sure how Bing-ge feels about all this moving forward this when we never actually see him in canon after the Bing-ge vs Bing-mei extras. We can only extrapolate based on his behaviour; he expresses disgust at seeing Bingqiu together and insults his counterpart, but still asks SQQ to come back with him seemingly without even thinking about it. He’s just had his entire worldview rocked, but he knows enough to know that he doesn’t want to let go of what he’s just found. Most post canon fics depict Bing-ge as developing an obsession with Shen Yuan after this meeting, and I don’t think this is a stretch at all. I’m actually writing one of these fics right now😅

All of this is to say that I do think Bing-ge’s obsession with Shen Yuan stems from his unresolved issues with Shen Jiu, but by the time he actually meets Shen Yuan, it’s a bit too late for Shen Jiu’s love to matter to him anymore. If the real Shen Jiu (assuming he was still alive at that point) were to miraculously change his feelings and offer Bing-ge the same kind of love he saw from Shen Yuan, Bing-ge wouldn’t want it. It’s too late. But also, if Shen Yuan were to suddenly leave Binghe and choose Bing-ge instead, I don’t know that Bing-ge would be completely satisfied with that, either. What Bing-ge really wants isn’t for Shen Yuan to choose him now, he wants Binghe’s whole life. He wants his own Shizun to have been like Shen Yuan from the beginning. He’s bitter and angry because he feels he was cheated of something that another Binghe got through sheer luck of the draw.

Honestly, I have a really hard time envisioning a truly happy ending for Bing-ge. I suspect we’re meant to assume that in canon, he spends the rest of his days feeling alone and unfulfilled. He’s an utterly tragic character. His whole life has been spent surrounding himself with more and more in the hopes that something will finally satisfy him, but I think the only way he’s ever going to feel satisfied is if he accepts that satisfaction isn’t going to come from having something, even if that something is Shen Yuan. It comes from being. Maybe for him that could mean being a husband, or a father, or a teacher, or a leader, but whatever it is, it’s all about the kinds of human connections that you have to build.

Tl;dr No I don’t think he would choose Shen Jiu’s love over Shen Yuan’s if given the option now, he just wishes he had it from the get-go. But I’m not sure he has enough self-awareness to unpack all these feelings and they would most likely manifest in him trying to possess Shen Yuan in the same way he’s used to possessing everything else.

#literally cannot express how delighted I am that I'm getting asked this stuff😂😂 #svsss #luo binghe #luo bingge #bingjiu #bingqiu #meta #mark z don't @me you can pry the word meta for fandom media analysis from my cold dead fingers #watch me post this before bed and find 600 typos tomorrow morning #svsss meta

[goggles-mcgee]

Too Late: Master Fu (commission for miner249er)

Chapter 7 of the commission for @miner249er

Previous Work

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Summary: Living for so long, it's hard not to just hide in a pattern and want to live in the past, even if the best thing is moving forward.

Wang Fu was no stranger to failure and mistakes, and though he liked to believe he had grown past those failures and mistakes, that he had learned and healed past them, now was not one such moment. He wasn’t a man of technology but he did own a television, not at first, but when Adrien and...and Marinette started out as Ladybug and Chat Noir he thought it would benefit him greatly to have an eye out for them. The best way he could do so in his age was the news, he would know about an akuma before his young heroes got to the scene so he would be prepared just in case Marinette would need to come over and borrow a Miraculous. Watching the fights filled him with dread but he would do it because it was one of the only ways he felt he could be useful to Marinette and Adrien, he couldn’t transform anymore, well he could, just not for long. Not long enough to be any real help. Maybe that’s why he ignored the signs.

The signs that screamed at him that something was wrong with Marinette, with her and Chat Noir’s dynamic, that something was desperately eating at her. They say ignorance is bliss, but Fu wasn’t so sure about that, it could be, maybe, in the moment when one is ignorant, but when reality comes crashing down you would have wished you had not been so blind. That is where Fu had found himself lately, trapped in that thinking time and time again. The news reports about Marinette had not helped that in the least, and they way the spoke about her enraged and saddened him all at once and though he was thankful that Hawkmoth was no longer a threat so he was able to be mad and sad, he could not find delight in the villain’s “disappearance” since it cost him the closest thing to family he had.

Marinette Dupain-Cheng. Fu had never thought he would get so attached to someone, he had never done so before, so it surprised him how easily Marinette squeezed herself into his heart. He hadn’t even had to think about who he would pass down the title and responsibility of Guardian to as soon as he got to know her. Even picking her as a hero had been easy, her soul was pure and it sang with creativity and love. When they got to interact with each other more, Fu began to care for her more and more as the days passed, he fully expected her to only visit for Guardian related things but to his delight and surprise, Marinette paid him many visits. From coming simply to see how he was doing, to bringing him some of her family’s pastries, each visit was a treasured moment for Fu.

Her kindness knew no bounds. If she knew he was having a bad day, pains and aches wise, she would bring him some tiger balm that her mom had bought. He had expressed his concern that her mother would notice and get mad with Marinette but Marinette had only laughed and told him that her mother has so many containers of tiger balm around the house and she always buys new ones even though she has, in Marinette’s words, ‘literally a million others.’ That memory brought a smile to his face and a pang to his heart nowadays. He remembered fondly how Marinette would come over and ask for Mandarin lessons since she only spoke Yue and she wanted to surprise her mother’s uncle next time he visited. Fu had been all too happy to assist her. He loved getting to pass on his knowledge and Marinette had been a great student. He even got to teach her how to brew tea.

For all her kindness, she never let it blind her, she let it lead her. She saw the good in people and strived to be the good they could strive to be as well. Wang Fu had admired her kindness and tried his best to live up to that level, where Marinette’s kindness was a strength, Fu’s became a weakness. His kindness blinded him. That was the only conclusion he could solidly come to after everything had changed. Before Marinette was...was akumatized. How else could he have missed the way that Ladybug, that Marinette, had looked during each battle on TV when Chat Noir would joke around...no when he would flirt and distract her from the fight. How stressed she seemed to get after each battle, after each patrol, how she would subtly try to bring up Chat Noir during their visits. Fu had thought nothing of it, or maybe he really did notice and had just willfully ignored everything.

Adrien Agreste was much like Wang Fu. Maybe that’s why he also turned a blind eye towards everything or why he didn’t notice other things. Adrien was a boy trapped by a role he never wanted, or a role he tricked himself into wanting and, or liking, much like Fu had done when he was taken from his family and taken to the Temple of the Order of the Guardians to train as a Guardian. Leaving his family had torn Wang Fu apart, he could have no trace of them in the Temple, not even his name, that too had been stripped from him along with any personal belongings. Truth be told he had forgotten his original name, time and the Order did that and it caused him so much sorrow. He remembered trying to write his old name anywhere he could get away with as a way to remember. He was always caught. So he stopped fighting and fully embraced being Wang Fu, Guardian of a Miracle Box, though at the time he never would have imagined being the Guardian of the most important Miracle Box in the Temple.

So it was easy for Fu to sympathize with Adrien, to him, Adrien joking and flirting around as Chat Noir was in a way the same as Fu trying to write his given name. Adrien just wanted to be free and Fu could understand that all too well. To live under strict rules that made you feel like you were doing anything but living, it was suffocating. So he had been soft on the boy, and that was another mistake for Wang Fu to add to his list, but he would put it up with causing the destruction of the Order of the Guardians and not fighting when he had to “leave” his family. Only because it seemed to be the catalyst to the whole butterfly effect that set everything that had happened into motion. Maybe if he had just spoken with Adrien, had been firm with him, maybe Adrien would have strived to become better rather than just be content with the freedom he had and not thinking of the consequences.

He should have strived to be better, a better man, a better hero, a better Guardian. For as much as Fu spoke and thought and remembered his hatred of the Order and their rules he didn’t try to improve upon them when he fled. No instead he followed those rules that had shackled him and kept him prisoner for as long and as brief as they had. Maybe if he had not lived in fear and guilt maybe he would have been strong enough to tell Adrien he was being unreasonable and maybe he would have told Marinette that she needed to take breaks more often and to just focus on one thing at a time. The kwami also had a lot to learn and that was on him for not teaching them and communicating with them. He should have made it clear that teenagers, no, that people in general, have changed. You can’t be too laid back, sometimes your holder will need guidance. Don’t be too positive and try to enforce that positivity on someone, positivity can become toxic and telling someone they always have to be happy or they always have to be the bigger person is not helping as much as you think it was.

Tikki, Plagg, and him had had a very long discussion at his house about that and about their mistakes in general. Both kwami were displeased with Fu and how he handled everything and honestly he didn’t blame them, but he could tell they took his words to heart as well. Plagg...Plagg hadn’t been eating as much since he was back in Fu’s possession, ever since he was taken from Adrien, and Tikki...Tikki hadn’t spoken a word after their talk. All she did was watch the TV and all the news channels, anything that was about Marinette she would watch, and undoubtedly she would get angry or sad and all the plants in Fu’s house would grow exponentially. All the other kwami tried to comfort her and get her to talk or even just rest inside the Miracle Box for a bit, even Plagg had tried, but the kwami of Creation did not budge. Now Fu could say he understood but that would be a lie, although he and Wayyz were compatible and they enjoyed each other's company, the two of them were not a true match. Tikki and Marinette on the other hand...those two were a true match, two souls connected and bonded, and for a kwami to lose one was said to be unbearable.

In Tikki and Plagg’s silence and sudden mood change, Sass and Longg had been more talkative and desperate than he had ever witnessed before. The snake and dragon kwami had explained to him exactly what their holders had been doing and had done their best to apologize to Tikki, but she had yet to acknowledge their efforts. They were similar to Plagg, their holder may not be a perfect match with them but they were close, so close, so to lose them was painful to them too. They had desperately tried to convince him to give them back to their respective holder, and again they had pleaded with him to do so today as he took a walk to get some air. He had brought them with him so that Tikki and Plagg could get some peace and quiet back at his house, and plus he felt like the two elder kwami needed the time alone. Fu just hoped they could help each other since he and the other kwami were struggling to do so.

“Masster, I undersstand your hessitancce, but I will assk once again, give Luka and Misss Kagami another chanccce. Their heartss were in the right placce.” Sass stated once more, though this time he was hiding himself in Fu’s shoulder bag as he went on his aimless walk.

“Sass is right, Master. I will admit, our holders were hasty in their quest for justice, but in the end their actions were done out of love and loyalty and a wish to help.” Long added.

“I understand that. Know that I do you two, but also acknowledge the fact that Hawkmoth is gone. The reason for the heroes is gone. What reason is there for you to be given back to those children?” Fu replied not unkindly, just with the facts that had been staring at him day after day.

“Masster...you don’t believe that. Yess, true as it may be that Hawkmoth iss gone, we never know when danger comess. Besidess, we don’t know where Miss Marinette iss...I know you want to find her, and Luka and Kagami want to find her too. They can help and they know how to use Longg and I’ss Miraculouss.” Sass replied after a while, and though Fu was reluctant to admit it, the kwami had a point.

“We don’t even know where to begin to look...but you do raise some good points Sass.” Fu muttered, he was grateful for today’s technology as it looked as though he was merely speaking into a Bluetooth speaker, a gift from Marinette, one of many. She had explained it was a good way to speak to the kwami without anyone getting suspicious. Truly the girl was a creative soul, and very smart.

“And, if I may say so Master, this world is not the one of old. The rules made for then do not apply to now, at least that is what myself, Sass, and other kwami believe. The traditional rules demanded our power not be used unless there are other Miraculi active or if the world we inhabit is well and truly on its way to destruction.” Long began after a moment of silence. “Even the word hero has changed, it became a role we never anticipated. I think it is time we change the rules and our views, otherwise, we stand no chance in this new world Wang Fu.”

Fu found himself short of words. Long was right, in all the years he had been alive he had watched the world change, it was a beautiful frightening thing to behold. Yet, in all those years of change, he never thought to change himself along with the world. He had been so stuck in guilt and fear that he mentally trapped himself in a prison of his own design, a prison shaped like a temple that had been lost long ago. There was no excuse really, the truth was plain and simple, Fu was scared. Scared that if he broke the rules that were trained into him from a young age then there would be no redemption, there would be no point in his survival. But the world had changed and maybe Fu did too and could change for the better, because even if the threats to the world weren’t imminent, they were persistent and prominent.

Change was good.

“You believe this change we need is to stay active?” He asked after a while.

“I believe that is a step, yes.” Longg responded and Fu could hear the smile in his voice. “This world needs help and we...we need help too.”

“Longg iss right. You were correct in giving all of uss involved a talking to. At the time we didn’t want to lissten, but the factss are we kwami no longer know how to connect and coexisst in this world with humanss.” Sass admitted, and it was another shock for Fu but at the same time, what they were saying was convincing and true. All of them, not just the kwami, Fu included, had been sheltered away from the world. It was not the advantage Fu or even past Guardians thought it was.

The sounds of children’s laughter brought Fu out of whatever reply he found worthy to give Sass and Longg, he kind of wished Wayzz would give his opinion on the matter but he understood why the kwami was letting his brethren speak their mind. Fu looked around to see where his walk had taken him and felt a pang in his heart and his breath stolen from him for a moment, he had walked to the park next to Marinette’s home. For a while all he did was stand there and take it in before he gave himself a wry smile and decided to take a seat on one of the benches near the fountains. It was a spot Marinette had told him was one of her favorites to sketch at. Sitting there brought fresh tears to his eyes, tears he thought were all cried out.

“I think you two are right, but we will not rush into this. We need to be smart about this.”

“I believe that is the wise thing to do, Master.” Wayzz finally gave his opinion along with a small discrete nuzzle to Fu’s cheek.

“As do I, my friend. As do I.” He chuckled in response.

After that the kwami let him sit there in silence and just reflect and remember. Truly he was grateful for that. He needed some quiet to himself, not the quiet of his home, that was a tense quiet that put an ache in his bones. No he needed this quiet, the quiet of being alone in your thoughts while hearing the noise of everything around you. Sass and Longg both had great points and though he loathed to admit it, if something did happen he wasn’t sure he would be able to do anything or at the very least get help. Fu didn’t like to think about his age much, he didn’t even celebrate his birthday before Marinette, because his age showed how long he had run from his guilt and it showed him his limitations. It would be best to have a team on standby just in case, and besides maybe they could help with just regular crime and disasters too. Yes a team really would benefit them all, but the who of it was where he was struggling.

He already decided he would not give out Tikki and Plagg...they weren’t ready to be out again and he couldn’t imagine giving the earrings to anyone but Marinette. He feared what Tikki’s reaction would be if he even considered the idea. No, it was best that those Miraculi stayed in the box, along with Duusuu who was still healing from being damaged and misused. He would consider Mlle Tsuguri and M Couffaine again as heroes, after all he was intimately familiar with making a mistake, and they made a mistake but they were trying to do the right thing. They were also Marinette’s most trusted friends, she trusted them with her secrets and her friendship, that was enough for Fu. Though he would still test them to see if they could handle being heroes once more. Adrien...Adrien he didn’t know what to do with. With everything that happened he had no way of knowing if their talks did anything. He hoped beyond hope they did because he truly believed that Adrien was a good kid at heart.

“Look who’s here guys! Timebreaker! What are you doing here? You going to bully us until we disappear too?” Fu heard and he immediately looked up to see a young girl with pink hair surrounded by a couple of other kids her age. He recognized her...ah yes, Alix Kubdel, Marinette had spoken of her a couple times when she told him of her friends and school.

“Careful guys, I wouldn’t touch her, what if we vanish if we do?” One of the girls in the group said with anything but fear in her voice.

Fu frowned and pushed himself up to stand, he couldn’t stand the way the group laughed and seeing as no one else was going to interrupt, he would. “What is this? École?” He paused and saw a girl with long blonde pigtails and a parasol and another with a bob of black hair. He recognized them too, the weather girls from TV that Kaalki liked to watch, Aurore Beauréal and Mireille Caquet.

“Oh back off Aurore.” One of the boys of the group of teasing teens scoffed.

“How about you back off Jackson,” Mireille said which seemed to surprise the lot, “You’ve seen what words can do. We all have.”

“Mireille is right.” Aurore announced, her voice demanding attention. “We are lucky that Hawkmoth is gone, but that does not mean you get to treat people like place mats. Any of you. Just because your victims can’t turn into puppets of a madman to get revenge on you anymore doesn’t give you the right to act like crétins. Shame on all of you.”

“If you insist on acting like children in école, maybe we should just call your parents and let them know how you are behaving. I’m sure they would love to know.” Mireille said with an innocent looking smile.

Fu smiled when the group grumbled and walked away from Mlle Kubdel, he watched as the two weather girls looked her over and spoke to her before the young girl shouldered past them both and ran. The girls looked devastated but all Fu could think of was how heroic it was for them to step up like that. “Heroic indeed…” He mumbled to himself.

#miraculous ladybug #miraculous tales of ladybug and chat noir #marinette dupain cheng #master fu #adrien agreste #alix kubdel #aurore beauréal #mireille caquet #ml class salt #slight adrien salt #slight tikki salt #literally just like a pinch of salt for this chapter #revolt of the akuma #rota #angst #ml tikki #ml plagg #ml sass #ml longg #ml wayzz #angsty feels #ml salt fic

[newdougsblog]

The Tragic Hero Full of Fear

Hello everyone! Before I get into this, I’d like to thank @jasontoddiefor​ for both the name and being the main enabler of this fun piece of writing. I also want to thank all my wonderful friends over on Discord for letting me bounce ideas off of them and helping me. You are all amazing!!

Ok, so let’s get into it!

The first six Star Wars movies (the Original and Prequel trilogies) are commonly referred to as “the Tragedy of Darth Vader.”  But what makes these movies a tragedy? How is Anakin Skywalker himself, the main character of said tragedy, a tragic hero? In this meta/essay, I will discuss how Anakin himself is definitionally a tragic hero and outline his story as it relates to the structure of a classic Greek tragedy.  

This essay will focus solely on Anakin’s character as he is canonically portrayed.

The Hero

Let’s go through the main traits of a tragic hero (as per early literature) and discuss them in the context of Anakin Skywalker.

Possesses immense courage and strength and is usually favored by the gods

Anakin’s courage is evident throughout his entire life, such as when he participates in the pod race in TPM or on the front lines during the Clone Wars. 

While we cannot definitively ascribe Anakin’s abilities to any deity, we can associate them with the Force. The Force is able to somewhat influence the happenings of the universe in certain ways and takes the place of any sort of deity.

Whether Anakin is the “Chosen One” or not, his connection to the Force is stronger than that of any other Force-sensitive being, so he is consequently closer to it than most, if not all, other Force-sensitive beings. 

Extreme loyalty to family and country 

Anakin is consistent in his demonstrations of loyalty to those he has strong feelings for (whether those feelings be romantic or platonic).

His devotion to Padmé surpasses his loyalty to the Jedi, and he is always willing to go to great lengths to ensure their safety and well-being.

Anakin also exhibits a strong sense of devotion to his mother, Shmi. His devotion to her, and by extension her wellbeing, surpasses his duties as Jedi. 

In ROTS, Anakin says, “I will not betray the Republic… my loyalties lie with the Chancellor and with the Senate… and with you” (you, in this case, referring to Padmé). In this quotation, Anakin’s loyalties are made quite clear. At this point, he is not faithful to the Jedi, but to his government, its leaders, and, of course, his wife.

Representative of society’s current values

During the Clone Wars, Anakin is known by the moniker, “the Hero with No Fear,” and is one of the Republic’s “poster boys.” He is charismatic, kind, seemingly fearless (obviously) and a strong fighter, thus representing the values that were important to the Republic at the time. The last characteristic is especially important because of the assurance it instills in times of war. As a representation of the Republic, Anakin’s prowess on the battlefield creates hope for its citizens that victory is possible. 

Anakin also empathizes with the opinion that the seemingly outdated Jedi Code holds them back. In the Citadel Arc, Tarkin remarks that “the Jedi Code prevents [the Jedi] from going far enough to achieve victory.” Anakin actually agrees with this statement, replying that “[he’s] also found that [the Jedi] sometimes fall short of victory because of [their] methods” (Season 3, Episode 19). He shows a sense of allegiance not to the ancient ways of the Jedi, but to the newer, more modern ideals regarding military action. 

Anakin claims to have brought “peace, justice, freedom, and security” to his “new Empire.” While the Empire's interpretations of the aforementioned values are skewed, Anakin continues to represent them as Darth Vader. 

Anakin’s statement to Obi-Wan also mirrors Palpatine’s declaration to the Senate: “In order to ensure our security and continuing stability, the Republic will be reorganized into the first Galactic Empire, for a safe and secure society which I assure you will last for ten thousand years.” The people applaud this statement, demonstrating a general sense of exhaustion in regards to the war and a yearning for what this new Empire is promising them.

Lead astray/challenged by strong feelings

Though there are many, many examples of Anakin’s emotions getting the better of him, we’re simply going to list two:

Anakin’s fury and anguish after the death of his mom leads to his slaughter of the Tuskens

Anakin’s overwhelming fear of losing Padmé is ultimately what leads to his Fall.

Every tragic hero possesses what is called a hamartia, or a fatal flaw. This trait largely contributes to the hero’s catastrophic downfall. Anakin’s hamartia is his need for control, which partially manifests through his fear of loss. 

Let’s explore this idea in more detail. 

Though Anakin grows up as a slave, the movies neglect to explicitly cover the trauma left from his time in slavery. However, it is worth noting that slaves did not have the ability to make many choices for themselves; they didn’t even own their bodies. After being freed, Anakin is whisked away to become a Jedi. He does not possess much control over his life as Jedi, for he is simply told what path he is going to take. While Anakin does make this decision on his own, becoming a Jedi is a disciplined and somewhat-strict way of life and not one that allows for an abundance of reckless autonomy as he is wont to engage in. 

(Side note: I’m not here to argue about Qui-Gon’s decision-making abilities, nor do I wish to engage in discourse regarding the Jedi’s way of life. I am simply presenting and objectively stating these facts in relation to Anakin because they are pertinent to my point.) 

During AOTC, Anakin is unable to save his mother from death. As Shmi dies in his arms, Anakin is absolutely helpless. The situation is completely out of his control, and he is forced to contend with the reality that despite all of his power, he cannot control everything that happens. 

He also feels that he has a larger potential for power and is being held back by Obi-Wan: “although I'm a Padawan learner, in some ways... a lot of ways... I'm ahead of him. I'm ready for the trials. I know I am! He knows it too. He believes I'm too unpredictable… I know I started my training late... but he won't let me move on.” Anakin believes Obi-Wan, his teacher and mentor, is holding him back. He expresses a self-held conviction of his status and skills and does not trust the word of his superior. 

In ROTS, Anakin starts dreaming of Padmé’s death. Considering what occurred the last time he dreamt of a loved one’s demise, Anakin is justifiably (or at least justifiably from his point of view) worried. He consequently wants to stop these dreams from coming true in any way possible. His fear of death, especially that of his loved ones, represents his need for control over everything, even things that are uncontrollable. This overwhelming desire leads to Anakin’s drastic actions.

As Darth Vader, he no longer possesses such fears, for everyone that he loved is either dead or has betrayed him. He is the epitome of order and control, eliminating any who disturb this perceived equilibrium. 

However, this changes because of one person: Luke Skywalker. 

Luke reintroduces something that was (arguably) long-absent in Vader’s life, which is interpersonal attachment. Vader yearns for his son to join him by his side. When Luke refuses, Vader continues to attempt to seek him out. In ROTJ, Vader is forced to choose between the Emperor, a man he has long trusted and followed, and Luke, the son he never knew he had. Out of a desire to protect and keep what little family he has left (and likely a sense of “I couldn’t save Padmé but at least I can save her legacy by keeping her child(ren) alive and safe”), Vader defeats the Emperor and saves his son. Though his actions are definitionally heroic, Anakin never truly overcomes his hamartia. 

The Structure of a Tragedy

Classic Greek tragedies follow a specific story structure, which, according to the German playwright Gustav Freytag, is as follows:

We’re going to focus on the three aspects that best represent Anakin’s story as a tragedy: The peripeteia, the anagnorisis, and the catastrophe/denouement. These occur during and/or after the climax. 

The peripeteia is the climax/the turning point in the plot. Said change usually involves the protagonist's good luck and prosperity taking a turn for the worse. 

Within the tragedy we are discussing, the peripeteia occurs when Anakin chooses Sidious over Mace Windu and solidifies his allegiance to the Dark side, becoming the very thing he swore to destroy. It is at this point that things really start to go downhill. He kills children, chokes his wife, fights his best friend, gets his remaining limbs cut off, etc. 

The anagnorisis is the point in the tragedy when the protagonist recognizes their error, seeing the true nature of that which they were previously ignorant of, usually regarding their circumstances or a specific relationship (such as Oedipus’ realization that his wife was actually his mother). In most tragedies, the anagnorisis is in close proximity to the peripeteia. In Anakin’s story, the anagnorisis occurs during ROTJ. After being wounded in his fight against Luke, Vader watches as his son is brutally electrocuted by Sidious. It is at this moment that Darth Vader realizes that Luke was right—there is good in him, and he still has the chance to redeem himself. 

The catastrophe/denouement (since this is a tragedy, we’re going to go with “catastrophe”) is the end of the tragedy. Events and conflicts are resolved and brought to a close, and a new sort of “normality” is established. The catastrophe often provides a sense of catharsis (release of tension) for the viewer. The protagonist is worse off than they were at the beginning of the tragedy. 

The catastrophe within “The Tragedy of Darth Vader” transpires soon after the anagnorisis at the end of ROTJ. Though the realization of his capacity for good is the anagnorisis, the follow-through (via his actions), as well as what consequently occurs, is the catastrophe. As previously discussed, Vader saves Luke by killing the Emperor but does so at the cost of his own life. This serves as the resolution of the tragedy, for the hero’s fate has been confirmed—Darth Vader fulfills his destined role as the Chosen One and, in doing so, brings about his own redemption and dies as Anakin Skywalker.

In conclusion, the categorization of Star Wars as a tragedy is a choice that heavily influences Anakin, the protagonist and hero, of the story. He is without a doubt a tragic hero whose fatal flaw leads to his downfall. In accordance with Aristotle’s theory of tragedy, Anakin’s tragedy is constructed not by personal agency, but by the narrative itself.

Works Cited

“Darth Vader.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 15 Mar. 2021, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Darth_Vader.

“Dramatic Structure.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 20 Feb. 2021, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dramatic_structure.

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#star wars #Anakin Skywalker #greek tragedy #anakin the tragic hero #meta #so many meta ideas not enough time #wow thanks tumblr formatting for being terrible

[tribbetherium]

The Middle Glaciocene: 115 million years post-establishment

Might Makes Right: Harmster Society and Culture

Having attained an advanced degree of self-awareness and cognitive complexity, the carnivorous podothere known as the harmster has, over time, developed a set of social behaviors, a form of social hierarchy, and each group displaying markedly-different behaviors learned and acquired over time-- the beginnings of society and culture.

These arose from the coordinated hunting strategies from their ancestors, the riplets, which relied on various cooperative methods to corral their prey, such as surrounding them with superior numbers to confuse and disorient them, driving them towards constructed traps such as pitfalls, and at times even igniting wildfires on purpose and pouncing on their victims as they try to flee the flames. However, this cooperative behavior is merely a pragmatic one born out of need: harmsters display little if any affection or loyalty toward their own kind, and willingly and callously sacrifice their fellows for their benefit and for the larger group. This likely stems a side-effect of their highly-fecund reproduction, producing up to four litters a year of up to ten offspring: losses are easily replaced each breeding season, and thus harmsters show very little importance on the individual, and view them in a utilitarian manner, only being valued for how useful they are to the group-- to the point that their sick, injured and weak are frequently cannibalized if they become a liability and are decided to be more useful as a source of food.

Harmster society is one fraught with brutality and violence, with their form of social hierarchy being in essence a dictatorship: individual packs are led by the strongest and most aggressive breeding pair, who maintains their hold of power over their fellows through fear and intimidation. Lower-ranking members of the pack frequently learn from painful experience that the alpha pair's will is absolute, and comply out of fear of punishment, but lack any sort of genuine loyalty to their leaders-- caught in compromising situations subordinates will willingly abandon their alphas to save their own skins, and even at times some brave individuals are known to stage a coup and attempt to usurp their leaders: a risky prospect, given that while insubordination is punished with aggression, outright challenges outright warrant a gladiatorial duel to the death between prospective leaders to determine who will become their leader.

Primarily nomadic in search for new prey, harmsters have not, at least yet, made permanent settlements and thus have not learned advancements such as architecture and agriculture. Their technology is currently still limited to weaponry comprised of wooden branches or sometimes animal bones that have been gnawed into shape to serve as a spear or polearm, weapons with a longer reach to compensate for their shorter arms. However, the tundra species is the most advanced of these, able to construct more complex tools, such as using hardened plant sap as glue and grass stems as twine to attach sharpened stones, or even the claws and teeth of slain rival predators, to create superior tools, one that has enabled the tundra species to slowly migrate outward, actively and aggressively expanding to conquer new land, acquire new resources, and simply engage in the thrill of combat and war, having a nigh-inherent desire for cruelty and violence.

This degree of callousness towards their fellows extends even to their own young, which are born fully-furred and open eyed and are tended to by their mother for at least two weeks. However, once they become relatively independent at about a month old she drops all her care and protectiveness and begins to treat them like any subordinate member in the pack, keeping them in line through fear and intimidation. At times she may even punish especially troublesome youngaters by viciously mauling them in full view of their siblings and peers to make examples of them, examples that the fast-learning juveniles, picking up behaviors by imitation and learning through painful experience what is and is not acceptable behavior, quickly heed and thus learn not to challenge their superiors or suffer dire consequences.

From a human perspective the harmsters may seem outright evil-- however, shaped by their ecological niche, evolutionary history and their experiences with the environment, their psychology is radically different from ours: intelligent as they are, their concepts of "right" and "wrong" are geared toward whatever is beneficial to their survival, or what hinders them in surviving: concepts such as altruism and amicable sharing are downright alien, even insane and harmful, ideas to them, and caring for one another and of the ailing and elderly, or showing mercy to their prey is seen as a wasteful expenditure of resources and energy, as they breed quickly enough to recuperate those that die, and killing prey animals humanely is not even considered as they prey would soon be dead anyway. In fact, they are subconsciously predisposed to outright sadism and cruelty, as the distressed cries of dying prey meant food, and thus survival, and this has manifested in their behavior as a joyful, ecstatic response to the act of killing, not only as a means of acquiring food or disposing of rivals, but for the genuine thrill of violence itself.

Shaped by their environment and favored by natural selection toward higher fecundity, increased intelligence, and utter ferocity, the end result is a creature unimaginably geared toward survival at the expense of others, a genuine capacity to understand other beings suffer and yet be psychologically predisposed to take joy in inflicting it, and a lust for war that provides them with a sense of emotional fulfillment. These traits, added with their ability to augment their own defenses with weapons of their own creation and their willingness to turn on their own kind if it benefits them, bring about a truly fearsome force of destruction all the more unnerving in its degree of self-awareness.

Indeed, easily the most frightening aspect of the harmsters is their capacity to observe the natural world's phenomena and create their own conclusions on the reality they experience. Seeing the inherent amorality of nature's ways, and observing through deduction by the behaviors and structures of different species, the harmsters observed that all living organisms were designed for the consumption of other living things: carnivores most obviously are designed by nature to be killers, but even herbivores were built to consume plants, which the harmsters have come to know are also living, and even plants themselves which shade and starve each other from sun, drain each other, strangle or poison one another. From this experience the harmsters would come to a grim conclusion: that all life exists for the sole purpose of destroying other life, that every living thing is defined by what it kills, that to destroy one another was the essence of the natural order of things-- a conclusion that would shape their very cultures and beliefs as their society advances further.

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#speculative evolution #speculative biology #spec evo #speculative zoology #hamster's paradise