#i have a complex about the one (1) time i dreamt of someone's death the night it happened

[bunnyinatree]

One thing I love about Mikami is that he had one (1) vivid experience of wishing that someone were dead when he was a child and it came true, and he developed a miniature god complex because of it. He wished death on hundreds of people throughout his life, a handful of them just so happened to die, and he was like (Final Pam voice), "/I/ DO THIS."

#i don't blame him though #i have a complex about the one (1) time i dreamt of someone's death the night it happened #i've had plenty of non-prophetic dreams since ofc #but confirmation bias is a powerful thing #if the dream i had last night comes true in any capacity i will be so powerful (and so sad) #which also reminds me of mikami because from what we see in the manga he wasn't ecstatic after his mother's death #at least not at first #he cried a lot and desperately tried to rationalize her death into something he could cope with #what's that post: he may be a murderer. to you. well he's also a murderer to be. but i forgive him <3 #bunny babbles

[roguelov]

Thieves Will Steal Your Heart (Ch. 2)

Ch. 1

Summary: A notorious thief, you set your eyes on the Egyptian Museum in London. It’ll be an easy job, in and out. However, someone puts a hitch in your plan: the sweet gift shop employee. You become enthralled with him, and he in turn. But, at the end of the day, you still have a job to do.

Word Count: ~4.4k

Reader: Gender Neutral

Warnings: Some angst, violence, mentions of blood and death

Note: Yes, this is a complete repost sorry. This fic wasn’t showing up in the tags or in my reblog so I just wanna try something

Months later, you finally set foot back into London.

You opened the door to your newly acquired safe house, the one of many scattered throughout the world. Just like the others, it was purchased under an alias.

It wasn’t much, a simple old apartment complex on the top floor. The perfect ‘home’ for someone who needs to go as they please and to be unseen. Of course, there was another person who shared the floor with you. A nice older lady who mostly kept to herself, which was another reason you purchased the place. You didn’t need a nosy neighbor constantly pestering you about your life and whereabouts. Then again, you supposed as long as there was a roof over your head and a comfortable bed to sleep in, you didn’t care where you were. However, you will admit the balcony was nice.

A plain brickwork and stone wall with a perch perfect for planters. There was a tiny circular table and rusted metal chair left behind by the previous owners. In another life, you could imagine waking up each morning with a warm drink and sitting out here to watch the sunrise over the cityscape. In this life, all you saw was a perfect escape route. You could use a grappling hook and lower to the street fading into the crowds and maze of the buildings; or you could easily leap over to the nearby building and sprint across rooftops.

For now, you dreamt of that simple life.

A life in the light.

A life with someone.

With Steven.

You could imagine him next to you now watching the sunset together. His voice and presence were so clear in your mind’s eye despite the distance and time away. He would smile that adorable, goofy, smile and spew about Egyptian lore or possibly about a new interest he discovered. You would hold onto every word he spoke, and lean into him basking in his warmth.

Yeah, that would be nice. Maybe, some day.

The sun continued to dip behind buildings bathing the sky in orange and pink hues. A timer began to countdown in your head.

10.

Lights flickered on from the street lamps to inside houses.

9.

Kids who were playing on the street were now being called home.

8.

Headlights on the dwindling cars on the streets flashed on.

7.

Curtains were pulled closed.

6.

Front doors shut and locked in an odd cacophony.

5.

Small shops’ lights turned off for the night as the owners locked the doors behind them.

4.

While other lights, flashy neon signs, beckoned those who seeked sins for the night.

3.

Those who stayed in the shadows, and behind hidden corners, during the day walked freely out in the open.

2.

Laughter, haunting and resounded, bellowed.

1.

Darkness.

Night has arrived.

A twisted smile grew on your lips. Tonight, you were out to play.

Although, you just arrived the night before, you caught wind of an antique recently auctioned off. An antique, specifically a necklace enriched with stones so precious that supposedly used to belong to a well known historical figure: Marie Antoinette. And you had your sights set on it. You could easily double, maybe triple, the price sold at the auction.

The only issue was it was held inside the walls of a well respected family that came from old money: parents, one kid, with a full staff employed including a butler, chef, and maids. But, you liked the challenge.

And, luck shone on you.

The kid had a school play tonight, all the maids left after 5pm, the chef was excused earlier for the night due to the play, and the butler would accompany the family acting as their chauffeur. The house would be empty. Everything aligned perfectly. Of course, the security system on their penthouse would be activated, but no security system could hold you back.

Strolling through the apartment into your bedroom, you opened up your closest. Very little clothes hung up, you needed to do some shopping later, but for now you crouched down. You moved aside the two pairs of shoes you owned, and knocked on the wall. Nothing happened at first. Then it popped. A small square popped open revealing a suitcase inside.

You grabbed the suitcase tossing it onto the bed.

This was everything you needed. All you ever needed truly.

Opening it up, a black outfit was neatly folded off to the left. A tablet with a handful of phones was tucked into the top lid, and off to the right were weapons and gadgets. You smirked to yourself.

Let’s get to work.

Your outfit was similar to techwear: all black, loose fitting for mobility, and still breathable. Cargo pants - with pouches and thigh straps wrapped around your legs - stuffed into high laced combat boots. A thin turtleneck tucked into the pants and a jacket - it resembled a leather jacket with a hood, but unknown to others it was woven with Kevlar. Leather gloves covered your fingers, with one wrist wearing a tiny screen and the other had a cuff similar to a wide bracelet but was in fact a grappling hook. A mask that covered from the nose down with two ventilations. However, only one was operational, the other one distorted your voice. A clever trick if you said so yourself. And lastly, you dawned goggles that could nearly do everything from night vision to binoculars. A few knives were hidden on your body, along with two batons, and a couple other gadgets were tucked into the pouches and other pockets.

You were ready.

Flicking up your hood, you sprinted out of your bedroom, through your apartment, and out onto your balcony. You didn’t stop or hesitate. You leapt then tucked and rolled onto the adjacent roof. Popping back up, you ran into the direction of your next target.

After more building hopping, you stood on an opposite building, another extravagant apartment complex, across from the penthouse. You sunk into the shadows and pressed a button on the goggles. Night vision switched on.

Empty. Barren.

Your eyes scanned over to one of the few balconies and landed on the one leading to an office. You zoomed in your sight. A pristine glass case rested against a wall. Inside was a stunning necklace with gems ranging in the size of a golf ball to a pinkie nail. Your gaze shifted. Green lights blinked in the corners of the room and at the top of the balcony doors: cameras, the security system.

You switched off your goggles and glanced down at the tablet on your wrist, the high tech compact computer. Your fingers were swift as you input one of the many kill switches at your disposal. Back door entrances you’ve collected over the years. No matter how advanced, no matter the brand, you could crack it. Security systems were all the same. They all served one purpose: to keep everyone out.

But, they couldn’t stop a ghost.

After a few more seconds, you sent out the code and within seconds the blinking lights ceased. They won’t reactivate until you say so. Taking aim, you fired your grappling hook to a spot above the office balcony. You stepped up to the edge of the roof and looked down below. You had to be at least five floors up. One wrong move, one slip, that would be it.

But, you felt nothing. You were an eerie calm. Nothing frightened you, nothing fazed you.

Jumping, the wind whipped threatening to yank your hood off. It screamed to turn back, scared to stay on the ground. But, you didn’t listen. Never did. The grappling hook, your trusty guide, swung you over to the other side safely and swiftly. You gently landed on the balcony on the balls of your feet and retracted your hook. Slowly and quietly, you opened the door. It didn’t even creak or groan, it simply swung open with surprising ease. Stepping inside, you darted over to the glass case and began your work to carefully remove the necklace from inside.

But, you neglected one thing: human error.

You didn’t think anyone was home because no one should be. You were wrong. You didn’t account for the fact life was never so easy, and that people can be unpredictable, that events can change on a whim.

Such as, the butler didn’t leave.

He felt woozy earlier and his employers suggested he stay behind to get rest, and they would hire a cab. He laid in bed for a bit after the family left, but soon his throat grew dry. He got up to grab a glass of water. To get to the kitchen from his room, he needed to pass by the office. He needed to pass by you.

And he did.

He saw you through the cracks of the door.

You also didn’t account for loyalty, for the carnal need to protect those you love. You should have. You knew better.

The butler, who served this family for about a decade or more, who was with the couple before they married, and who watched their son slowly grow into a fine young man, would do anything for them.

Anything.

Wrapped in your own world, you finally had your hands on the necklace. The weight of it surprised you which quickly turned into excitement. Oh, yes, you’ll definitely make a lot with this score.

Then you heard it. A light step, a shift of weight.

Shit.

The butler burst through the door, charging at you with a butcher knife in his hand.

Shoving the necklace into a punch, you instantly dodged his attack. The older man swung with such precision and gusto. He was definitely trained to some degree.

Fuck.

You evaded each of his attacks, but you couldn’t disengage. He kept you here, whether to distract you for cops to arrive or to protect this home. He lunged again.

So be it.

You grabbed his wrist and slammed his wrist down on the desk, hoping to break his grip. But, it didn’t faze him. He swung his free hand, hitting you across your jaw. You stumbled back a few feet. Just enough for him to try again.

He aimed for your stomach, he aimed with all of his strength behind it. You didn’t think, you acted.

There was a way out, a way with minimal damage.

As he lunged again, you grabbed his first once more. You twisted his arm around using his own momentum and plunged the knife into his side. Or you tried.

You aimed for his side, a place where you could avoid major organs. A place you can easily slide in the knife; an injury that would scare him more than harm him. He would survive. And you would be gone, escaped back through the balcony.

But, he moved.

He twisted his body trying to break free, trying to avoid the knife. And instead, it plunged into his stomach. Directly in the middle.

He gasped.

His eyebrows shot up to his forehead. His eyes the size of dinner plates as it shuffled through different emotions: shock, disbelief, then fear. His head tipped downward, staring numbly at the knife buried deep within his stomach.

Your heart pounded in your ears like the heavy beat of death marching forward. Your breathing spiked, now fleeting with every inhale.

Oh, no, no, no. This wasn’t - oh god.

The man staggered backwards. Your hand flew out to grab him, but missed. Your fingers grazed over his shoulder. The knife sli out with a sickening ease. A vital mistake. Red gushed out. It painted his clothes, the carpet, and your hands. You ran forward pressing your hands onto his stomach as he crumbled backwards to the floor.

“Shit,” you hissed, applying pressure.

“Arthur, we’re -“

Another mistake, another human error.

You didn’t hear the front door open, you didn’t hear the family barging in. Most of all, you failed to hear the boy as he sprinted through the apartment cheerful, and delighted, to see an old friend. A friend who felt unwell, and the young boy who worried immensely about him, enough so to leave the school play early. A friend who now laid, dying in the middle of his father’s office choking on his own blood.

All thanks to you. You with his blood soaking your gloves, you with the knife still in your grip.

The monster.

In that moment, you rushed forward slamming the door shut in front of the boy’s wide fearful eyes then sprinted out through the balcony. The knife was left discarded on the floor, along with the necklace. You tossed it aside as if it physically burned you.

Damn it all.

Taking the same route coming in, you leapt off the building zipping to the other side. The screams of the mother shook you to your core. However, the sounds of the boy crying will haunt you for eternity.

You scrambled up to the rooftop then ran.

Ran and ran and ran.

You didn’t even try to make your way home, you simply wanted distance from that place. With every step, you struggled not to fall. But, you still did. You skidded across rooftops, only to pop back up and sprint more. Your legs burned while your lungs failed to get enough air.

Fuck, fuck, fuck.

And when you finally couldn’t run anymore, when you felt you were a safe distance away - to not hear any sort of sirens - you doubled over.

You yanked down your mask along with your goggles. You coughed almost trying to throw up. Your eyes stung as tears spilled. Your hands, your black gloves, were covered in blood. You could barely see it in the overcast light, but you could feel it. It seeped inside. You ripped them off, shoving them into your jacket pocket.

You squeezed your eyes shut unleashing a silent scream.

Why did it go that way? Why? Why? Why?

You weren’t new to taking a life, but you tended to avoid it at all cost. You haven’t killed anyone since - you shook your head. It didn’t matter. The butler was innocent. He was just protecting what he loved. You understood that clearly.

Taking a deep shaky breath, you tried to center yourself.

But, the night would only get worse.

Off in the distance, unbeknownst to you, a man in all white leapt from building to building. A god, with a bird skull as a head carrying a staff with a crescent moon on top, accompanied the man. But, he was unseen by all.

“Marc,” the god, Khonshu, said.

The man under the hood skidded to a stop. “Yeah?”

“Over there.” Khonshu pointed with his staff. On the rooftop, a person - draped in all black - paced then began furiously kicking a bulky unit. The faint rapid thud echoed in the silent night. “The scent of blood lingers on them.”

He knew what it meant. Khonshu didn’t need to say anything else. He sprinted over to the person.

Adrenaline still pumped through your veins. So, you heard your assailant first: loose fabric whipping, heavy approaching footsteps, and the singing of metal whizzing through the air.

You moved aside. A simple step. Enough for the dagger to skim past your face. You snapped your head over. What you expected paled in comparison to what was actually approaching: a man dawned in an all white garb with a cape. His face was covered in wrappings, and his eyes glowed an eerie blue, nearly white.

He appeared as a demented grim reaper.

This fucking day.

You pulled up your mask and goggles. You now had a split second to decide what to do next: run or fight. And you did what you always do: run. You ran over the ledge ready to jump to the next building. But, like always your opponents chose differently. The cape crusader was on top of you, and side tackled you.

You skidded across the rooftop on your back. Rolling over and getting onto your hands and knees, you glared up at your assailant.

He didn’t waste time. He swung his leg to kick you in the stomach. You narrowly missed his attack as you threw yourself backwards. His boot blew past the tip of your nose and the gust of the kick almost knocked back your hood. Spinning around, you popped up only to duck a second later as he tried to punch your face. Punch after punch, kick after kick, you dodged each of his tracks as a few clipped you.

You tried to back away, but it only invited him to come closer. He wasn’t allowing you to breathe or think. He wanted you right here in front of him.

With each evasion, frustration welled up inside you. The frustration that never truly faded from earlier, it was merely pushed aside and now has returned tenfold. He could one night go this wrong? That man, that innocent man, you hoped he would survive, but your doubts screamed otherwise. Now, this man, this wannabe superhero, was attacking you senselessly. Did he know? Or was he simply a psychotic person looking for their joy in fights? With the way he was attacking, he was out for blood. Maybe he was the latter in a more twisted way.

He touched the moon symbol on his chest, the only piece of color he bore a tarnished gold, and pulled out a crescent shaped dagger.

Definitely the latter.

Swingi with more furiosity, he swung upward, breaking your defensive stance. You were off balanced now so he swung down with all of his might. Instinctually, you raised your hands and stumbled back.

The knife sliced across the palm of your hand. You were lucky. The only luck you could conjure for this night. Any closer and who knows what could have happened. A thief without opposable thumbs obviously couldn’t do their job.

Fuck this.

Gritting your teeth, you retaliated. You clenched your fist trying to stem the flow of blood. The man lunged forward. His dagger now dipped in your blood. You dodged. But, instead of backing up, you weaved around his attack and stepped froward. You entered his space. With all the strength you possessed, with all the fruition pent up, you swung aiming directly at his face.

You connected.

His head snapped to the side as he fumbled backwards.

That was only step one.

While he was disoriented, you grabbed his cape and wrapped it around his face and body. Using momentum and physics, you jumped up high then flung your torso forward, yanking his body over your shoulder onto the rooftop.

Marc groaned as his back slammed into the concrete rooftop. Maybe, he shouldn't have taken the body tonight.

“Marc,” Khonshu said, “they are getting away.”

Marc clenched his jaw and ripped the cape of his face. Just as Khonshu said, the person was sprinting away, bouncing from roof to roof. Taking a deep breath, he got up and followed after them.

You heard him. His damn cape snapped in the air as he gained on you.

Fuck. Think. How do I get out this? Damnit, I need more time. I can’t -

Wait.

You peered over your shoulder. He was still coming.

Screw it.

You planted your feet down and whipped around facing him. Your assailant slowed down, but didn’t approach. He was smart. He knew to analyze the situation.

What are they doing, he thought.

You began to stroll.

He matched you.

The two of you circled around each other on a random rooftop.

“So,” you began, out of breath. “Care to explain why you’re dressed like that?”

You needed time, you needed to stall him.

He cocked his head. His glowing eyes glanced down at your clenched fist as blood dripped on the roof. A dotted circle slowly formed as you paced each other. “Why do you care?” He retorted.

You shrugged. Behind your goggles, your eyes scanned everything, trying to formulate some plan. “I don’t know. A man in bandages and a cape with weird glowing eyes comes after you, you start asking questions.”

He scoffed.

“So?” You cocked your head. “Is the cape machine washable or something?”

“Marc, finish this,” Khonshu huffed impatiently.

You watched as the man looked over his shoulder. You followed his gaze seeing nothing, only a sea of building tops and the faint glow of the moon behind the growing clouds. The man looked back at you. His unusual eyes pierced through you. It sent a chill down your spine.

“This is justice.”

“Justice? Running around rooftops?”

Marc wanted to rip his hair out. Your snarky comments mixed with Khonshu’s pestering was enough to drive anyone mad. “We’re here to protect the vulnerable, and you’ve done some horrible things, you’ve killed people.”

You froze in place. “Excuse me?”

“Theft, blackmail, arson, murder, and a list that continues on.” All the information given to him by Khonshu, by a nearly all-knowing god. As long as you were under his moonlight, he knew almost everything that happened.

You blinked. “What?”

“And you won’t stop, so I’m here to put an end to it all.”

You clenched your jaw. “Who are you to judge me?”

And how does he know?

“Not me, Khonshu.”

“Khonshu?”

Why did that sound familiar? It didn’t matter.

Your fists began to tremble. “I’m not a killer.”

The butler’s shocked, pained, expression was still fresh in your mind.

“Right, because you are an upstanding citizen.” He fired back.

The young boy’s screams still hummed in your ears. You squeezed your eyes shut. The roar of a raging fire crackled in the silent night, the unbearable heat licked at your skin, the knife in your hand coated in blood as you tossed it into the fire. You sighed looking up at the full moon as embers blended with the starry background and -

“I did what I did to survive!” You shouted, drowning out the noise in your head.

Marc blinked.

Huffing and puffing, your body shook in anger and fear. “They threatened my life, they threatened my family. I would have died if I didn’t do anything. I know deep down in my bones that it was them or me.” You opened your eyes looking at the cloaked figure in front of you, your voice now soft and thick with emotion, “But … but if … if I could give them their life back I would, do you honestly think I go to bed every night sleeping peacefully and happily with the blood on my hands?”

Marc stepped forward. Oh, he knew. He knew that pain well. He can clearly see each individual face of all of those he killed, killed in the name of justice, in the name of Khonshu. The crimes of his victims were horrendous, but they were still human. Faces of neighbors, faces of family members, faces of strangers. Each one haunted him each and every night.

“They speak the truth,” Khonshu stated.

Marc snapped his head over to the god who casually sat on top of a rooftop behind him. “Then what are we doing here?” He hissed.

“They are still a danger,” Khonshu pointed out. “They will steal again and again. In that aspect, they may never change.”

“And that’s it?” Marc threw his hands up. “They steal, so what? So do little kids, are we going to go after them next? What exactly are we going, Khonshu? We keep doing this over and over? Constantly killing time? Then we are no better than all the people you make us hunt down.”

I am no better, he bitterly thought.

“This is justice, Marc Spector, so why do you hesitate now?” Khonshu faded into particles of dust before reappearing in front of him. “Did this one pull on your heart strings? Do you see yourself in them? Or are you truly so desperate to be free of me and my suit, of my powers? I am the one thing keeping you alive, the one thing giving you a purpose.”

Marc gritted his teeth.

Khonshu hummed, satisfied in Marc’s reluctant silence. He glanced over to you, only to shade his head. “And now you let them get away.”

Marc whipped around. You were gone. He rushed to the edge of the building and couldn’t see any signs left by you. He spun around wildly searching for you, possibly hopping from roof to roof, but he still saw nothing.

“Well, Marc? What will you do now?” Khonshu mused.

“Zip it.”

“Hmph, so rude as usual.” Khonshu leaned over the edge of the building. He could lend an aid to Marc’s search, but if one slips away it doesn’t matter for the moment. There were other pressing matters. “Come now, we have other business to attend to.”

Marc glanced down at the droplets of blood. All of it contained on the roof, it didn’t lead in any particular direction. He sighed to himself then left.

You pulled yourself over the balcony to your apartment then flopped onto the hard ground. Breathless, you laid staring up at the overcast night sky. Your hand throbbed in a constant drumming pain. The blood was getting sticky as it dried and coated your entire palm.

You pulled off your mask and goggles. Sighing, you close your eyes.

Who knew one night could go so wrong?

A droplet hit your cheek.

Slowly, you cracked open your eyes. Rain began to sprinkle down. You didn't move as you let each drop wash away everything: the pain, the memories, the lingering ache.

You brought your hand to your face examining the cut. It was shallow. It would heal quickly. Thankfully. “Another scar to add to the collection,” you mumbled to yourself. Slowly, you picked yourself up and leaned against the bulky concrete railing: your bloody hand pressed firmly against it. You stared out over the quiet city. A city that would wake tomorrow to see the damage you caused.

“Until next time, cape crusader,” you mumbled before turning to walk inside.

#moon knight #marvel #mcu #Steven grant #Marc Spector #moon knight imagine #moon knight x reader #moon knight x gn!reader #steven grant x reader #steven grant x you #steven grant x gn!reader #marc spector x reader #marc spector x gn!reader #gn!reader #marvel imagine

[marwankenzarisgaylittleearring]

“I’d like to end up as a tree”

Marwan kenzari (31) won a gold calf last year for his role in the movie Wolf. As of next week he is to be seen in Bloedlink (/reckless), opening’s act of the Dutch film festival. “It’s not my place to say I’m good.”

Bloedlink

“Acting offers the chance to become well acquainted with the complexities of being human. The Moroccan kick-boxer Majid in the movie Wolf had a fascinating interior life. His character was even easier to understand when he said nothing at all - I don’t think I’ve ever had as little lines in a movie. Rico in Bloedlink is completely different. He accidentally finds himself swept up in criminal business, but he’s actually just someone who’s had a whole slew of bad luck. In the movie his character undergoes a few very surprising U-turns. In my portrayal of him, I interpret all those different sides as honest, I find that interesting. In the movie, Rico does some paradoxical things, but he means all of them. Of course that’s simply not possible. That’s what makes him fascinating and tragic.”

Journey

“If I’m a good actor? That’s not my place to say. Sometimes you do the most interesting things you think are worthless in the moment. A movie is a collaborative journey, which, in the case of Wolf, I underwent with director Jim Taihuttu among others. Although I secretly did think during shooting: this will be fun. Wolf is an honest movie. The kick-boxing, the hits to the body, very little of that is pretend. Not that everything should be real in a movie, but this story required that. At a certain point I felt: this could be something really fresh in Dutch cinema. And it was.”

Peanut Butter

“Ever since that role, which I trained for quite extensively, I’ve found it increasingly important to stay in shape. It wasn’t a complete transformation; even beforehand I would exercise six times a week. But now I’m slightly addicted, yeah. It makes you mentally stronger, too. If I’ve been training on a Sunday at 7 am and then at 8 am I’m outside again, showered, refreshed and in shape while the rest of the city’s asleep, I’m 1-0 ahead. Scratch that: 10-0. I pay attention to my nutrition as well. Bread for example gives false energy. But I’m not always so strict. I get plenty of enjoyment from a good, white slice of bread with calvé peanut butter. And then fold it over, don’t cut it! You shouldn’t cut a sandwich, everyone knows that. Then you miss the first bite.”

Toneelgroep Amsterdam

“After the acting academy in Maastricht I was immediately invited to Toneelgroep Amsterdam. I was with them for three years, but found my attentions pulled towards film during that period. When the actors from TGA are - rightfully - expected to be fully available. We “broke up”, though that sounds too serious, with full, mutual agreement. I see the company as family and will be playing in Angels in America at the end of the month, in New York. Director Ivo van Hove has been very important for my development. I admire his knowing exactly what he wants, but also his ability to be unsure and searching, and to be able to be vulnerable about that. But I have to be fair to myself. I’m 31 now, and these are my most important years in film. While I hope to be an even better stage-actor when I’m fifty. I’m slightly further ahead in film than on stage. That development is tougher, needs more time and possibly total dedication. Stage is the motor in the actor’s car; film is a different muscle. But if Ivo calls me in two, or ten or forty years, he’ll be the first stage director I’ll say yes to.”

Pierre Bokma

“As the son of Tunisian parents in the Hague painters-quarter I didn’t come into automatic contact with theatre. As a kid I was mostly interested in football, the emotion you see on a player’s face when he scores - fantastic. At a certain point I realised that movies can affect you the same way, even though you know it’s fake. That’s the magic of acting. Through contacts I ended up with De Nieuwe Amsterdam, an in-between theatre course for teens for whom the leap to theatre school was perhaps a bit too big. I learned everything there: playwrights, Dutch actors, repertoire. You’re also taught which acting schools exist. And I thought: where did Pierre Bokma go to school? And Fedja van Huêt? That was Maastricht. It also appealed to me that they implemented Bijltjesdag: you might still be sent away halfway through the first year. I decided: if I’m going for this uncertain profession, maybe the best trial by fire will be going to a school where you aren’t sure if you’ll be allowed to stay. I was allowed, in the end. At the theatre academy I came into contact with art, philosophy, poetry. All of that was new. But it didn’t feel as if I was behind, I only saw it as a fantastic source of riches; as if I could try on all sorts of new glasses.”

Huntersfamily

“I never thought that this path wasn’t laid out for me, I just always let myself be lead by my passion and my dreams. My parents are happy for me; I have a good connection with both. My father is an amazing person - an accumulation of beautiful ingredients. He’s honest with himself, doesn’t spare himself and laughs a lot, that’s important to me. He might be made out of simple components, he’s from a huntersfamily, but for me these are the components that build a strong character. My dad can tell beautiful stories, about his life in Tunisia, about his old friends who aren’t with us anymore. Every year death takes someone new, and in that way a beautiful group of people slowly disappears, the protagonists of a generation. One lives close to the elements there, I find that fascinating. It’s so different to our life here. I’ll also never interrupt my dad when he starts on a story like that. Even if I’ve heard it before.”

Vampire

“I’ve always said: I want to play a woman, a vampire, a Moroccan kick-boxer. I’ve succeeded in doing the last one. A vampire is a wonderful character. The beauty of their faces, the sensuality, the tragedy of never going outside during the day, and of course their never ageing; never dying, in fact. I’d like to never die. When I was a kid, I suffered a lot of nightmares. About falling and never landing. I had a hard time in the dream world, I wasn’t a big fan of night. It was, I think, a sort of inexplicable fear of dying. At a certain moment I grew familiar with those dreams, figured out how to influence them. I could for all intents and purposes check-out whenever it became scary. I became the director of my own dream world. When I was twelve, I fell in love, and then I was over it. I still have nightmares, like everyone else, but now I find them fascinating instead of threatening. Beautiful how your mind can make a story out of all sorts of ingredients. Sometimes I call my mother to talk about what a dream might mean. For example, I recently dreamt about my grandmother. ‘She thinks about you and loves you,’ my mother says.”

Tree

“I still know fear and uncertainty, but they don’t hinder me anymore. They’re two trusted companions now, who walk with me. They keep me sharp and hungry, and in a good way, they keep me on my toes. As long as they don’t hold me back, they can be here. Fear of dying is now simply fear of no longer living. If a way to live until you’re 377 is discovered tomorrow, I’ll be the first to sign up. I’d like to end up as a tree. Then you only need to have a care for wind, rain and sun.”

#anon come get ur interview !!! translated this first one & i'll get to work on the other ones for u mwah mwah #marwan kenzari #i also will be honest that i do not know if 'moroccan' is supposed to be capitalised i thought it was but if its not thats on me #idk how else to tag this. also i love him. also i love doing translation work bc sometimes it does not work out but usually it just allows #me to flaunt the nuance of language i guess #translation* #starting a collection ladies

[skipps-writes-for-gojo-satoru]

A lot of people are theorizing that Gojo might die in the manga or lose his eyes, and honestly, I thought so as well!

However, Gege had made it very clear in the manga that without Gojo, the world wouldn't be able to keep up with the rising strength and number of cursed spirits. Currently, there's only 2 jujutsu schools in Japan and not even 30 students. There's only 4 special grade sorcerers, now 3 without Geto, Yuki has her own agenda, and without Gojo, that just leaves Yuta to take on special grade curses.

The students are strong themselves, but they weren't even able to defeat Jogo or the octopus guy, let alone Mahito (who has since evolved) and Hanami (Gege implied in an interview that he would reveal Hanami's domain expansion later, which made fans go "wait, he's not dead?" Although, Gege might have chosen to forget about it this, but we shall see). Gojo himself was nearly defeated by Toji in his teen years due to Toji's intellect. Therefore, the students are going to have an incredibly tough time defeating the "brain" that has the intellect of a being who has survived for hundreds of years (over 150 years at least, since that's when Kamo Noritoshi had helped create the Cursed Wombs).

Even if they do find a way to defeat it themselves, they'd need help (let's also remember Choso almost killed Yuji, and Naoya almost beat Choso. The struggle is very real, especially since cursed spirits aren't the only enemy but politics are working against them, as well). The Gojo clan itself is only a one man team of just Gojo, and in the Shibuya arc Gege cemented the fact pretty clearly that if anything ever happened to Gojo, the world would pretty much be lead into an apocalyptic state or become overrun with curses- and that's exactly what's happening within the manga now. Because of Gojo's birth, cursed spirits were forced to become stronger, and the new age of curses won't even be able to be classified as only "Special Grade." Even right now, without Gojo, the Jujutsu sorcerers are struggling to keep curses at bay even in one city, let alone the whole country.

Even without the world's current trip to destruction, there's the matter of Yaga's execution. Who else, other than Gojo, is going to be able to stop this? Gojo is the only one who was able to convince the higher ups to at least stall executions. His students are still just that- students. In order to stop the higher ups' corrupt politics, Gojo, with his knowledge of jujutsu society and his silver tongue, is the one who has to intervene. Although it's possible, I wouldn't think that the students themselves would end up replacing the higher ups- if strength was all that mattered, Gojo would have taken over Jujutsu Society a long time ago. However, politics are not that simple, and I doubt Utahime, Shoko, or anyone else associated with Gojo is going to replace them anytime soon- not with Yaga on the chopping block as a supposed "traitor" for his affiliation with Gojo.

If the story is going to end with reformation of Jujutsu Society, an adult will have to take over the higher ups' places (unfortunately, Nanami, the adult of adults, cannot do so). Therefore, Gojo will have to lead, just as he dreamt of, with his "army" of strong students, his followers. Jujutsu Society needs someone with the intellect and persuasiveness Gojo has in order for change to occur- Gojo was able to convince the higher ups for many things, after all. He has the charisma to lead future Jujutsu sorcerers and teach them well. This is the role he has worked for all these years, after all. It would only make sense for Gojo to take over. Having Gojo die and the students kill the higher ups would be counterintuitive- Gojo could've done that years ago.

Gege also said that the one to tell Megumi about Toji has to be Gojo in an interview, so Gojo is definitely getting out of the box eventually to have that talk with him. However, I don't think Gege is going to kill him off afterwards- just Gojo being sealed is already putting the world into danger. The world needs Gojo's ability in order to get rid of all the curses quickly. If Sukuna ends up killing Gojo for whatever reason, I don't think having a Yuji/Sukuna combination will help the world because there will definitely be a power struggle between them (even if Yuji can withstand 15 finger Sukuna, 20 finger Sukuna is a whole other level, that's the complete manifestation of the King of Curses from a thousand years ago in a 15 year old's body! Even if Yuji is a special grade cursed womb, power doesn't win battles. He'll need willpower, trust, and wit. He's only just decided to kill Mahito, he's got a lot more to learn. There's also the matter of the 1 minute pact between them and what Sukuna will do to Fushiguro). Without Gojo, Yuta might end up having to kill Yuji/Sukuna in order to stop Sukuna from killing people (Yuta's ability to copy techniques will likely help), but losing Gojo AND Yuji will be very harsh on the world's state, leaving only Yuta to defend it and whatever crippled version of Megumi will appear after Sukuna's done with him (and the story. Yuji's development will go to waste if he's just killed by Yuta and then we'll have to see how Yuta plans to continue Gojo's dream of changing Jujutsu Society. Will Yuta become a teacher to create strong sorcerers like Gojo did? Will the world even still exist by that time? Killing the King of Curses won't change the world like Gojo dreamt. In fact, the story might just repeat itself with Yuta becoming a teacher instead). Still, if anyone had to kill Yuji, it should be Gojo, but if Gojo is to be the one that ends up killing Yuji to kill Sukuna, no one else will be capable of killing Gojo. Therefore, Gojo likely won't die.

Either way, I feel like it would be strange to kill off both Yuji and Gojo.

Gege also said that the "brain" can't control Gojo either, because it would be impossible for the brain to kill him. If the brain wanted Gojo's body after Sukuna possibly killed Gojo, I doubt it would be able to control him anyways because Sukuna would have sliced him to pieces. Gege also said there wouldn't be any point in the brain controlling Gojo's body, so Gojo dying for the brain's purposes wouldn't happen, as Gege said himself.

Therefore, I just don't see any good outcome from Gojo's death besides angst or even character development? What other reason is there for Gojo to die? Yuji already lost Nanami and thought Nobara died, giving him the character development needed for him to choose to kill Mahito. The world will also probably crumble if Gojo doesn't appear out of the box soon. Just him being sealed was enough for the Hunger Games: Jujutsu Sorcerer Edition to come out, so Gojo permanently disappearing (i.e. dying) pretty much means the world's gonna end 🤷 After all, if the spirits were gonna start a revolution, they could've done it ages ago, but they didn't because of Gojo. Gojo's very presence, even as a child, is what kept them in line all these years. Just one look at his eyes, even though he was only a child, had that old woman and old man looking cursed spirits sweating. Once Gojo appears again, many spirits will go back into hiding, even if not all. Therefore, his very presence would be a great help in restoring order in the world again. That makes Gojo coming back more useful than his death.

As for losing his eyes, it's possible but again, other than angst I don't see a reason for it. Gege also said that having Gojo be the Strongest is to show how strong Yuji's going to be in the future, so handicapping Gojo would be counterproductive.

Therefore, I doubt Gojo's going to die or lose his eyes in the story. There's just no reason for it, unless Gege intends to keep the world in an apocalyptic state at the end, kill off everyone except maybe one person, and have a new cast of sorcerers appear. Otherwise, Gojo's the only one who can reverse the world back to its original state, or close to it, at least within a few days, weeks, or months rather than years with his ability to exorcise spirits on a grand scale. Gojo might end up losing a few screws in his head, but other than that, I'm sure he'll be (physically) fine. I would imagine that Gege would want to loop back to Gojo's dream of changing society. In that case, who other than Gojo could lead? His students are still children. They're not as versed in dealing with the higher ups as he is. If the moral of the story is that such a thing is impossible, what bigger angst is there than to have Gojo live on as the Strongest as everyone he loves dies?

Of course, there was this one interview where Gege said his plan for the ending of Jujutsu Kaisen was that (of the 1st years and Gojo) to keep everyone alive except one person, or everyone dies except one person. In the former, it would easily have to be Yuji who ends up dying while everyone else lives since he's the one who's supposed to be executed from the very beginning. In the latter, as I said, Gojo being the only one left alive while everyone dies could happen just to show the burden and loneliness that comes with being the Strongest- just to show the difference in universes him and the others are living in (however, I will say that this outcome would be unlikely because Gojo's world will only reset to the day Geto had betrayed him. He would start from scratch, raising a new group of students, and then the story would repeat itself in a training montage. In a writing perspective, this ending would only occur if the author forgoes everything just to make you cry, that's it. It would work, but it would ruin the complexities of the story to reset everything by killing everyone for a new set of characters. Reminds me of the Walking Dead by TellTale games. Too many deaths and too many new people with only one of the original cast left. Pretty bad writing, that was).

Either way, if Gege is being serious in what he said about the ending of JJK and having all die except one or vice versa, Gojo is likely to survive either outcome.

However, if it does happen that Gojo dies while his students live, there's the matter of keeping Sukuna at bay and previous reasons stated above.

The only way I could see Gojo dying is if Yuji ends up surpassing Gojo enough so that he's no longer needed to keep balance in the world. Or, as Gege had described in why he killed Nanami (his favorite character, might I add), if Gojo no longer has any use in the story. In that case, Gojo would die, or it'd be alright for him to die because Yuji would take his place. Still, it's doubtful Gojo would become a character that's no longer needed when the world is hardly able to function without him.

If we're talking about Gojo's usefulness in the story being what determines whether he lives or dies, I'd say even if Yuji surpasses Gojo, Gojo would still remain useful- in politics, at least. Let's remember that without Gojo, the beginning of change in Jujutsu Society would not have happened. Yuta would've been executed, as would Yuji, Megumi would be in the Zenin clan, Maki would've never been recommended for 1st grade without Gojo paying off Mei Mei, Nanami might've not come back (Nanami said he hates the way the higher ups do things, but he trusts and has faith in Gojo even if he doesn't respect him). There are so many things that Gojo has done throughout the story, and if Gojo hadn't done one thing- if he let Yuta die, for example, or kept Megumi in the Zenin clan, the story would've been drastically different.

In other words, even if Gojo's physical abilites are somehow gone, Gojo's mouth still has plenty of uses. If the guy can talk his way out of his students' execution, he can likely talk his way out of his own, or at least Yaga's. Gojo's got a lot more uses than just exorcising curses, after all. As long as Gojo has use in the story, I'd think it's safe to say he'll survive. Hell, Gege might even keep him around just to hate on him some more. Though, the reality is that Gojo basically wrote Jujutsu Kaisen with how his actions created the ripple effect into what we have now- another parallel between the author and Gojo, since it's been said that Gojo has a lot of similarities to Gege (Could Gojo be Gege's self insert? 😳 Even their names are similar!)

Also, Gojo had planned ahead enough for Yuta to become a double agent and trick the higher ups into thinking he'd killed Yuji. It's likely he has more up his sleeve than that and is sitting in the prison realm waiting for other traps he had set to go off.

Here's the Q&A translation where Gege said the brain can't kill Gojo:

https://twitter.com/_zanzou_/status/1379431624262094868?s=19

Other Q&As I've read are from Shiro, JJK Fanbook, and Ducky on Twitter and JujutsuFact on Insta, etc

- 🤔 (Sorry if this one seems a bit rushed or hard to read! I'd have to reread the Shibuya arc to explain more in depth but the pain is just 😭 I'm going off of my thoughts while I was reading this awhile ago cause I got told Gojo might die in that arc and I remember thinking all these things to myself to convince myself he won't die and wanted to share!)

WOW JUST WOW now I've learned more from this post than all of my classes combined. I never knew about some of those things. That's very interesting 🤔 anon! Mann just reading this I'm literally trying to picture how the manga will go...and yes gojo ain't dying no if someone says he is imma slap them with this post. THANK YOU ONCE AGAIN OH GREAT 🤔 ANON. We really appreciate all the research you do and I absolutely love reading them!! ❤❤❤ I LOVE YOU

#thank you 🥺❤️ #ahh i love youu #gojo protection squad #gojo discussions #gojou satoru #jjk gojo #jujutsu kaisen #jujutsu kaisen gojo #gojo satoru #skipps chat

[seyaryminamoto]

May I ask - why Ozai likes Ursa more than Azula? Keep in mind you're not the only author who choose this portrayal and I'm as confused by it as Azula is

Oh, I know I’m not the only author who portrays it that way. These guys

did it too! :’D Though this guy

backtracked on it, to a fault, merely turning Ozai into someone who gives zero shits about anyone ever. Which means he gives the same amount of shits for Azula and Ursa. His Ozai is surprisingly fair on that front!

Alright, all jokes aside, the main reason many of us interpret Ozai’s relationship with Ursa as a little more complex than originally presented, it’s because of this shot: 

(Credit: former Piandao.org screenshots, now turned into a Google Drive folder)

That’s the same fountain-pond-thingy  where Ursa had been sitting in earlier flashbacks of that episode.

(Credit: same as above)

It’s such a small, simple moment that I suppose most Ozai haters would say it amounts to nothing, yet it actually speaks lengths about his character: why would Ozai stand here, melancholically, before a fountain that is no longer functioning (because in his screenshot, it’s not), a place where his wife used to sit, right on the morning after she left? This is a guy who literally just got EVERYTHING he ever wanted. He is Fire Lord now, thanks to the scheming and conniving and wicked plotting that took place over the previous day. He finally overcame his father and brother’s shadows! So… why would our first shot of a man who finally succeeded at everything he wanted be not a shot of said man rejoicing in triumph, but a shot of a man who is, by all effects, in mourning?

This suggests that Ozai may have cared about Ursa. The fact that we don’t see them angry, arguing or bickering through this episode also suggests that their relationship, while far from a lovey-dovey happy mushy thing, is that of two people who at the very least coexist peacefully. We don’t see any direct interactions between them, so yes, it’s possible they were far more troubled than the episode suggests (I, personally, interpret it that way), since everything in Zuko Alone is seen through Zuko’s eyes. But IF Ursa and Ozai were in such a bad place, to the point where he would have even convinced her to leave as he does in the Search… why would he do this? Why would he stand by that fountain as though honoring Ursa somehow?

All this being said, I personally find Ursa a much more interesting and dynamic character if her relationship with Ozai isn’t that of a victim and his abuser, but of a woman with such sharp wit that, even without being a bender, ergo, representing no physical threat to her husband, still wielded such authority that she could keep this fierce, savage man in check, capable of respecting her when she’s around, and even honoring her when she leaves. I have said it before, and I’ll say it again: in my very humble opinion and headcanon, if Ozai ever got close to genuinely loving someone, it was Ursa.

As ever, disclaimer necessary: this does NOT mean Ozai was entitled to Ursa’s love in return, this does NOT mean Ursa is to blame for the man Ozai becomes, I’m not implying this is a situation where “love” would have absolutely saved Ozai from being the man we know him to be. While I do believe that if he had chosen her above his ambitions he might have been ~better~, it was Ozai himself who had to make that choice. I don’t blame Ursa for how her relationship with Ozai turns out, whether in canon or comics or Gladiator, NOT EVEN A LITTLE BIT. Relationships like theirs are complex, difficult and not straightforward: both characters have faults, and both deserve to be held accountable for them. So Ozai deserves being held accountable for sacrificing everything for power, and that’s that.

But finally, getting into your question… why would Ozai like Ursa better than Azula?

Personally, in the way I want to portray them through flashbacks, it’s because Ursa makes NOTHING easy for Ozai, since day one. She isn’t trying to please him, she isn’t just a doormat waiting for him to stomp all over her: she has demands of her own, the first of them respect, and Ozai finds himself giving it, even if he doesn’t quite reason with why he’s doing it. He wants her to care about him, probably as starved for affection as his daughter is later on too, and whenever he made her happy, even if just a little, he would have felt a sense of accomplishment that was absolutely unprecedented for him.

Zuko canonically has described his family by saying they were “happy”, at some point. While no one can say for sure what time period he refers to (it could be the happy times ended when his mother vanished, or perhaps a little before that), I’ve always assumed he wouldn’t have seen Ozai and Ursa as they were in the Zuko Alone flashback and thought “wow my parents are so happy, look at their poker faces! That’s happiness!” So, I believe they actually were happy once, enough to make each other smile or laugh. There’s a simple scene in the first comic trilogy where they’re at the beach with their children, simply sitting together at the sand while their kids play in the sand and water: who’s to say those aren’t the kinds of moments Zuko refers to as happiness?

Compare that to the Ozai we meet in canon: do we ever see him happy in Book 3 about anything but his advancements and achievements? His smiles are always smirks. Every situation he’s in, he’s merely basking in becoming more powerful and fulfilling more of his often-pointless ambitions. While he seems to respect Azula to a fault (she interrupts Zuko in a war meeting and she gets no Agni Kai as punishment, Ozai is Mr. Hypocrisy Incarnate), did we ever see anything that suggested genuine affection for her? While I write him as directly involved in her training, canonically Azula has been trained by Lo and Li, two non-benders. Even a tiny canonical hint at how Ozai may have been involved in helping Azula reach her full potential as a bender could be, to a fault, interpreted as him caring for her a little more than he originally planned to, being invested in her growth for what it is and not only for what advantages it offers him. But instead, the entire extent of what we know about their relationship is that he sends Azula on missions, basically in the capacity of a military agent or leader: as much as this allows Azula to show she’s a badass, does it show Ozai cares about her? Do we have a single hint that he actually is emotionally invested in his daughter?

AT BEST… the lack of punishment for having lied to him about Aang’s death can be, somewhat, interpreted as unwillingness on Ozai’s part to punish Azula too harshly for a huge mistake. Even then, by the finale he outright yells at her before offering her an important “mission” that he can only entrust to her. And that’s their canon relationship, isn’t it? Missions, missions and missions. He hands her missions, she delivers. The consequences aren’t too steep if she doesn’t, but he might even yell at her if she tests his patience too much.

Basically, my take on Ozai respected Ursa, even though Ursa has no power of her own to threaten him beyond her disapproval and displeasure. Because she earned that respect, she was the only person he NEARLY considered an equal. He was willing to surrender if she was adamant about certain things (this is no spoiler, since chapter 9 we all know that, in Gladiator, Azula never learned swordsmanship with Piandao because Ursa didn’t want her to, and to Azula’s eternal outrage, Ozai gave in to Ursa’s demands, just like that!), he was willing to listen to her opinions on whatever was happening in the world, he would argue with her and they’d have disagreements because they were both stubborn as hell. All of this means Ursa’s opinions, beliefs and decisions mattered to Ozai, enough that he would sometimes back down and let her have her way.

Azula, however, has been his pet project, the perfect child, for as long as she has lived. He raised her to be his heir, to uphold his legacy, molded her after himself (even if the result wasn’t at all like him :’D), and Azula dreamt of following on his footsteps for a long time (until her own equal shows up and his influence serves to change the way she sees the world…). Azula, then, is his most loyal ally, and Ozai takes her for granted because of that. She will always be on her side because he raised her to be, and that’s that. 

Ozai’s first blast of reality that shows him Azula is NOT unbreakable, that she is NOT undefeatable and that he shouldn’t send into danger willy-nilly? It’s in the White Lotus Attack arc, where he finds her terribly sick in her room and she’s mortified that he’d see her that way. That was the first moment an actual surge of fatherly instincts came over Ozai since Azula was a very tiny kid.

Azula’s rebellions against Ozai in Part 1 are relatively small, and she’s constantly terrified to her very bone whenever she opposes him at something, as in her birthday. Ozai was displeased by it, and she was troubled and wondering how to improve things between them again later on. Pleasing her father is a behavior ingrained in her head from an early age. She wanted to make sure she was on his good side, even if she was growing much more aware of his mistakes, his shortcomings and everything wrong about him by then. Not being on good terms with her father was terrifying for her in those days, terrifying in ways it never was for Ursa: in Azula’s case, it’s learned behavior acquired mainly by seeing, through Zuko, what happens to someone Ozai considers unreliable and disposable. She absolutely doesn’t want to be that.

But it’s not until Part 2 that Azula outright starts to take a stand against her father. And yes, she was terrified too in the Festivals, but she went toe-to-toe with him in front of all his military leaders. Then she took his attempt to punish her, by forcing her to give a public speech she wasn’t ready for, and spun it on itself to both present herself as her father’s soooo loyal daughter while providing the entirety of the Fire Nation with new values to abide by in regards of how they treated slaves and honorary citizens. Ozai’s reaction that time was a petty, small revenge… but he actually was amused by what she’d done. And THAT… that was actual respect from Ozai, for once. He saw his daughter could stand up to him, and get away with it safely. Suddenly she wasn’t just his obedient child-soldier, which was what he had taken for granted that she was: she was a potential leader in her own right. At this point, their relationship changes.

That change takes a turn for the worse after she fails to convince him to carry forward her slavery laws project, and then she discovers Seethus’ assassination spree. At this point, the falling out between them is absolutely dreadful. Ozai doesn’t attack Azula physically, however: he argues with her, snaps back and does his best to convince her that he’s in the right, but she’s 100% certain of the opposite. By this point, Azula is behaving a lot more like Ursa than she ever had before: she defies him, stands up to him, and unlike her mother, she does have literal firepower to back her up. 

Point being: AZULA BECOMES A THREAT.

And while they’ve managed to kind of establish a low-key peace after that (though as you may imagine, this new arc is yet more trouble for the relationship between the Princess and her father), Ozai still sees Azula as a threat ever since. He’s willing to trust she won’t do anything too far out of hand, not as long as he makes enough concessions for her, not if he abides by her advice once in a while… but that makes her no less of a threat anyhow. He needs to make her a reliable ally again, and he can’t do that by wielding his authority over her head anymore. Not when she has already shown herself perfectly willing to ignore it.

And that means he respects her in an entirely different way than how he respected Ursa: he didn’t have any reason, Gladiator-wise, to think Ursa wasn’t on his side, they had disagreements but she was his wife and she supported him through thick and thin even in some REALLY shady stuff. Right now, Azula is starting to look like the entire opposite of that: she was the one he raised to be his wholehearted supporter. The one person who would only ever treat HIM as the hero, the winner, the good guy. And now she’s changed her mind about him, he knows it, and he’s worried about what that entails.

It’s ironic that it’s because of Azula’s rebellious bouts, and the cracks in her mask of the perfect daughter, that Ozai’s bottled-up affection for his daughter emerges. I won’t say that somewhere in the depths of his dark heart he loves her… but I will say that every time Azula rises up against him, he sees some of Ursa in her and he automatically takes her more seriously because of it.

Meanwhile, whenever Zuko stands up to him, he basically feels like it’s an ant shouting at the boot that’s ready to crush it. On a REALLY subconscious level, Zuko seems to embody Ozai’s weaknesses, the side of himself he would much rather pretend doesn’t exist. He despises Zuko for it all, because he’s a reminder of his own shortcomings and failures. And even when Zuko tries to rebel, Ozai continues to treat him as a weakling, unworthy of respect, that only warrants being crushed. He’d never be able to act like this with Azula or Ursa.

So, why would I say he cares more about Ursa, or that she’s his actual #1 while Azula is #2? Because Ursa was never a tool, never a source of self-fulfilment: she was someone who he wanted to impress, whose respect he craved and he offered her his own. He valued her, everything she offered him, even if things between them became complicated for an array of reasons. Ursa has always been a sort of blind spot for Ozai, the one person who made him happy in a sense that didn’t involve ambitions and advancement. She was a good influence on him, all around, even if he seldom knew how to react to her influence positively.

That’s not the bond he had with Azula. She was his perfect heir, and that was all he ever expected of her. Canon-wise, that’s all she is. Gladiator-wise, once she stops being ONLY that, Azula doesn’t simply become someone Ozai respects and approves of: she becomes a threat. She is the one and only person in the Fire Nation who can tear down everything he has worked for, and it sure looks like she wants to do exactly that. He has been molding her all her life, only to find she has become his worst possible enemy and now he has to be much more cautious about how he deals with her.

One day, maybe, once his characted develops some more… Ozai might start respecting Azula on the actual same level he respected Ursa. One day, he might realize that, while craving Ursa’s affection and love, he had already earned Azula’s but he threw it to waste. By then, it may be much more difficult to determine who is his #1 indeed… but until that point is reached, he will continue to hold onto the memory of his wife while ignoring that his bond with his daughter is what will determine if he can attain either true salvation or eternal damnation… :’)

#anon #ozai #ursa #azula #gladiator #theirs is a chaotic mess of a family #which is fun and horrible on equal measure #I honestly love Ozai's bonds with both of them Gladiator-wise #because they're a goddamn mess #but it's the most humane thing about him altogether #and that's fun #but he's still a shithead soooooo #yeah

[bolbianddolanhouse]

Book 3 FAQ!

Need to catch up? Heres all the previous FAQs 1 * 2 Heres the master post of all three books 1 * 2 * 3

Wow...you would think that with the whole pandemic that I’d get these chapters out faster. But alas this year got the best of me too. I’ve been a lil vulnerable in the tags with y’all and the check-in messages really touched me. So thank you very much to everyone that has checked up on me and enjoyed the chapters! I appreciate all of you :3 So lets roll out the questions!

Q: Who is Iwata based off? A: Iwata is based off my self-insert, which is also me. I know that sounds a lil narcissistic but it’s that real life reference that you’re a spitting image of your parent. Iwata was designed to look and act very similar to his mother based off that. What made him a little more original and not a copy of my self-insert is the tropes I added. I mirrored the trope of that of the relationship between Steven and his mom in Steven Universe; where he adored, then hated but then came to terms that he is not his mom but someone better. A whole journey of self-discovery and self-worth.

Q: The representation is amazing! How did you come up with these queer characters? A: Glad you liked them! Like I’ve said in previous FAQs and in the tags, all these characters were dreamt and I just build upon them in writing. So yes, most of my characters were created queer in my dreams but I make them more in depth by setting up how they discovered they’re queer. I did a bit of research on coming out stories and self-discovery epiphanies to have these characters more relatable so a fellow queer reader feels seen in a way. There’s already too much hetero works out there, I just want to gay it up in a respectful way. 

Q: The culture mixing is really good and consistent, how do you do it? A: For starters, I am latina. But the culture mixing stems from my knowledge about other cultures through language. I’ve been studying Japanese for almost a decade now and Chinese for about 4 years, so it’s no surprise that I’m referencing them in my work. Maybe what I depict isn’t what other half-Japanese half-Latinx families do, but it’s what I’d do if I started such a family. Plus there’s some overlap within those cultures and it makes it easy to put into writing.

Q: So. much. drama! Why is this book more dramatic than the previous two? A: Book 3 is were main on-going plot gets picked up more and shows signs of resolution. In book 2, it was to focus on not only Lili and the family dynamic but to remind the reader that life moved on with little resolve for the self-insert character. Iwata has a HUGE role in the resolution but in his own special way. And I’m not saying the answer is love...but it’s leaning there. 

Q: You reference specific food and snacks in this AU/ what are your favorite Cheetos? A: Like I said, I’m latina! Of course I write in the food of my home culture. Mainly the home cooked meals my mom would make for me and my siblings. It might not seem like much to the reader, but those simple meals add to the narrative of being home and traditions that help them embrace their mixed heritage. The reference of Cheetos are all over this AU because they’re my favorite hot chip. Naturally, my favorite Cheetos are the Hot con Límon with chamoy. 

Q: Love that there’s no canon character deaths in this book so far, but are there any major deaths planned? A: Just one but it’s not a tragic, hero fallen type death. It’s a natural death but it’s gonna be a tear jerker. That death won’t come until the WAY end of this AU, so I’m not gonna spoil anything yet.

Q: Can’t believe you predicted Dabi’s true identity. A: It was obvious tho. I didn’t really predict anything canon if you’re an anime only for BNHA. In this AU (without spoiling too much) there’s no Endeavor redemption and Dabi doesn’t cause that big drama on live TV. So if you’re an Endeavor hater like me, you’re gonna love what I have in store for them in the next book!

Q: I love Tenya being a dad and loving husband in this AU! Will we see more dad moments? A: Glad you like those snippets of dad Tenya! I love writing them for my own indulgence since there isn’t enough love for this character in the fandom. Plus I see a whole lot of consistent readers are Iida-stans and that makes me want to write more married fluff whenever I can.

Q: Beizu is best boi/Who is Beizu based off of? A: Beizu is the genius trope in this book. I made his character a more chill version of his mom but with that ‘who is my dad’ trope. Beizu is part of a trio that’s to mirror the agent trio of Ita, Jin and Mimi. The third member is yet to be revealed but they’re a BIG plot device in the coming book. But Beizu is one of my favorite OCs, maybe I’ll do a ranking of my OCs when everyone is introduced. 

Q: The villains and Hawks plot has me SHOOK! What’s going to happen to hero society when this case gets solved? A: Without spoiling it, the truth is going to expose the corrupt higher ups in hero society. The kids in the household has a part in taking down hero society as well but in their own, special way. Iwata has the biggest part in closing the case (but it’s spoiler if I say how), Lili and twins help tearing down minor things like education systems and laws. I will say though, the case gets resolved after the trio retires because Ita gets to return to America and found an heir to the company before they could draw to a conclusion. Which is a happy ending at the end of the storyline, no major deaths!

Q: Confirmed weddings? A: Yes :) because Lili and Iwata deserve good things and love. The twins have it easy in the coming book. Lili’s comes first and Iwata’s comes later than expected (can’t say why yet, gotta keep reading :3). I guess I can say that all of them get married but Lili’s and Iwata’s are the only queer ones. All the spouses that marry into the family take the Iida name, so Lili and Hanaka don’t change family names when they get married! Y’all already know those wedding chapters are gonna be lavish and take up most of the chapter, you’ll love them.

Q: But are the kids Joji stans? A: Oh jeez...they are the same way we like 80′s music. It’s pleasant to listen to but kinda cringe when you see your parents dance to it. I don’t really portray it, but the family digital library has all of Joji’s music in a playlist called ‘Sad hours Soundtrack’. If you ask Mr Muffins 2.0 who last listened to the playlist, they’ll snitch who and how many times it has been looped. That’s how Tenya knows who needs cheering up.

Q: I love the little references to their childhood, what else can you tell us about their pre-book childhood? A: As I said a few times in the tags, I cut a ton of stuff that isn’t relevant to the plot. Most of it was their childhood and how they manifested their quirks. Lili really liked to scream before she learned to talk, a very fast learner and at 3 years old got her engine quirk and later that year showed signs of a second quirk. Iwata was very quiet child, hardly cried or gets upset but latched on to mom a lot. His first words were in Spanish but struggled a bit with Japanese before entering kinder. Tensei was born first, then Hanaka followed 10 minutes later. Hanaka’s fire quirk manifested after the first breast feeding when she was getting burped by mom in the hospital. Mom likes to believe Tensei came out first to warn everybody that Hanaka can breathe fire. Tensei didn’t manifest his metal quirk until the age of 7, making him a very late bloomer. Though very different in personalities, Hanaka and Tensei get along and get very creative when it’s playtime. Up until the age of 5, mom would place Hanaka in kindling to get the BBQ grill or bonfire started. Hanaka has been known to randomly burst into flames as a baby, so Tensei had to sleep in a different crib for his safety. Tensei spent more time reading as a child because everyone was focused on managing Hanaka’s flames, thus making him a very studious boy.

Q: Not an AU question, but how are you doing?/ We don’t mind waiting for the chapters! Please take your time. A: I’ve been getting check ins and validation in my asks for the inconsistent schedule. Too many things came at me this year, both good and bad. I was doing well in speech and debate that I went to nationals and prepared myself for some serious competition, leaving no time to do chapters. Then I fell in and out of depressive episodes during lockdown where I’m from. In the summer my grandmother passed away from the virus in Mexico, then my beloved dog Mr Muffins passed away of old age. Those deaths hurt me and my family the most that I was having a hard time trying to cope plus trying to be responsible by adhering to CDC guidelines (I’m in the immune-comprised group). In my want to get over my grief, I trained and received my certificate in ordained ministry (yea I know that’s not the best first step, but I just needed to feel like I’ve achieved something being cooped up at home). I’ve very grateful that theres some readers that see the tags and check up on me. All your kind words gives me a little strength to write and finish every chapter at my pace.

Q: More art please? A: Yes :3 I have one coming up real soon! After the end of this book is where I’ll be releasing some art as a sort of place holder.

Q: Is the the estate drama eluding to the ending? A: Yup! And it will show up every now and then in the next book.

Q: This is a really good self insert AU! There’s complexity to your character and others...how do you write these interactions/relationships really close to actual ones? A: Thanks for the complement :3 When I first started this AU, I was in the middle of my semester of a creative writing course. Near the end of book 2 was when I finished the course work for it and by then you could see the progression in writing. ALSO, I’m a communications major as well! Writing these relationships and other social things were things that I remembered learning in my interpersonal communications class. I was a bit on fence on whether or not to start this AU because I didn’t think my writing skill was at all that good. With some encouragement from my classmates and friends, I pushed myself to write this whole AU out. I don’t plan on stopping until I finish the storyline, plus I hate leaving things unfinished.

And that wraps up this FAQ! Hopefully I got everyone’s questions since most were check-ins for me. But expect the last chapter for book 3 in the next few days. After Book 3, I’m going on a lil hiatus until the end of February. I have so many life events happening in the upcoming weeks that I’m gonna need time to recharge before resuming this AU. Y’all know I bounce back as promised, in the meantime, I have some art things queued to remind y’all that Book 4 is in the works. Only 2 more books to go! Thanks again for reading and I’ll talk you y’all again later in the tags~

-Love, Palma-sama

P.S. Heres the end of Book 3 for your connivence :3 other links are at the top of this post! 

#mha #bnha #self insert au #not canon #FAQ 3 #Book 3 #ask me anything

[doberlink]

93 fun OC asks because why not ... 

LOOONG post ahead about my shamelessly mary-sue RDR oc Camilla Beaumont (née Lemieux)

Basics:

1. What is their gender?

Camilla is a young woman.

2. What is their sexuality?

She is straight.

3. What is the meaning behind their name? Do they have any nicknames?

The name Camilla originates from the Latin term for free-born and noble. Originally her father wanted to name her Camille, but her mother decided otherwise. She goes by Millie with her older sister.

4. Do they have any siblings? How many? Are they older or younger?  Which sibling are they the closest with?

Camilla has two sisters, one a year older than her named Heidi, and another three years younger named Letitia.

5. What’s their relationship with their parents like? What about other relatives?

Camilla is close to her mother, Anastasia, but her relationship with her father, Henri, is tense. As both her parents first-generation immigrants, she does not know any other relatives.

6. What would they give their life for?

Her family and those she loves. Other than that, likely no one. Camilla is brave but she is also afraid to die.

7. Are they in a romantic relationship? With who? How did they meet?

Originally Camilla was infatuated with Lem Fike, whom she met by working with his Aunt Maggie, but when her father ordered her to return home, she lost contact with him and never saw him again. Following the death of her sister Heidi, she grew close to outlaw Arthur Morgan and the two fell in love. The two met when Arthur saved Camilla from being kidnapped by two men. Eventually, Arthur proposed and Camilla became pregnant, but Arthur died before they could marry or the baby was born. When she returned home her father arranged her to marry Edward Beaumont, the heir to his father, a wealthy bank owner. The two were around the same age and remained married, having a child of their own.

8. What do they believe will happen to them after they die? Does this belief scare them?

Raised in a religious, though not very, household, Camilla believes in heaven after death. She does not know what this entails, and so is still afraid to die. She does believe she will see her lost loved ones again.

9. What is their favorite color? Favorite animal?

Camilla’s favorite color is soft pink. Her favorite animal is a horse, specifically her Criollo, Nutmeg.

10. What are some of their talents/skills?

Camilla is a talented shooter as well as a good actress. She also has a fairly good singing voice though she does not use it often.

11. If they could make a mark on history, what would they like it to be?

Camilla loves fashion and always dreamt of owning her own clothing store, however she knows this is not a realistic possibility. Instead, she hopes to leave a mark on the world with her acting.

12. How old are they? When is their birthday?

As of the Epilogue (1907), Camilla is 26. During the events of RDR2 she was 19, and 18 in RDO. She was born on May 7, 1880.

13. What do they do for fun?

Camilla enjoys reading books or poetry, and secretly acting them out, though she is too shy to admit this.

14. What is their favorite food? How often do they get to eat it?

Camilla’s favorite meal is chyne of mutton, which she would always be served on her birthday.

15. What was something their parents taught them?

Camilla’s first language is English, however, she is also fluent in French, from her father, and German, from her mother. Even when speaking English, she has a slight French accent.

16. Are they religious?

Yes, Camilla is Catholic.

17. Where were they born?

Camilla was born in Saint Denis.

18. What languages can they speak? Where did they learn these languages?

See 15.

19. What is their occupation?

Camilla stays at home to take care of her and Edward’s children. However, she is also a well-known actress and often travels for her work.

20. Do they have any titles? How did they earn them?

Camilla does not have any titles, but she was temporarily a member of the van der Linde gang.

Personality:

21. What is their favorite thing about their personality?

Camilla takes pride in her kindness and empathy.

22. What is their least favorite thing about their personality?

She is unhappy with how easily she lets her heart rule her head.

23. Do they get lonely easily?

No, Camilla is content being by herself, but she does not like to be away from her loved ones for too long.

24. Do you know their MBTI type?

INFJ-T, the advocate.

25. What is their biggest flaw?

Camilla is very headstrong and acts on a whim, often getting her into trouble that could easily be avoided if she stopped and considered her choices.

26. Are they aware of their flaws?

Yes, Camilla’s father has made sure to remind her.

27. What is their biggest strength?

Camilla’s resiliency and positive outlook. She knows when things get tough they won’t get better unless she keeps on pushing.

28. Are they aware of their strengths?

No, it is simply her outlook on life.

29. How would they describe their own personality?

Camilla would consider herself much quieter and more soft-spoken than she would like and wishes she weren’t so headstrong and stubborn in her ways. However, she is proud of her ability to empathize with others.

30. When frightened, will they resort to “fight” or “flight”?

It all depends on the situation. However, before her time with Mrs. LeClerk and the van der Linde gang, her instinct would always have been “flight”. Now, it varies.

31. Does this character ever put somebody else’s needs before their own? Who do they do this for? How often do they do this?

Camilla will always put the needs of her loved ones before her, as it is how she was raised as a young woman coming from a more conservative household. However in a life or death situation, Camilla has no control of her instincts and while she will always do her best to protect everyone, she may resort to saving herself.

32. What is their self-esteem like?

Coming from a privileged upbringing, Camilla had a superiority complex when she was younger, but grew out of it as she aged. Now while she does think highly of herself, it is more confidence than vainness.

33. What is their biggest fear? How would they react to having to face it?

While not exactly unique, her biggest fear is death. She reacts to it on instinct.

34. How easily do they trust others with their secrets? With their lives?

With those closest to her, Camilla trusts them with anything, excepting her father. Besides him, Camilla believes that if she cannot trust them then they are not someone she wants to be close to.

35. What is the easiest way to annoy them?

Make fun of something she cannot control. For example, during her time with the van der Linde gang, Micah and Bill would make fun of her formal way of speaking, which both annoyed her and made her insecure.

36. What is their sense of humor like? Give an example of a joke they would find humorous.

Camilla’s sense of humor is never at the expense of others, but can still be funny. She often finds herself holding back laughter when she sees someone falling or spilling something, though she would never admit it.

37. How easy is it for them to say “I love you”? Do they say it without meaning it?

Camilla is not afraid to show affection to those she cares about, but she does understand the significance of the words “I love you”, and would not say them unless she truly means it. However, when she does mean it, she is not shy to say it.

38. What do others admire most about their personality?

Likely her optimistic outlook on life, and how she never allows herself to be down for long.

39. What does their happily ever after look like?

Somewhere safe and secure with her loved ones, with no fears of whether they will see another day or have enough food to eat. She believes she has found this with Edward and their children.

40. Who do they trust most? Is that trust mutual?

Camilla trusts her sisters more than anyone. She views them as her closest confidants and knows she could tell them anything.

Physical Profile:

41. What does their laugh sound like? Do they snort when they laugh? How often do they laugh?

Camilla has a soft laugh and covers her mouth when she does, so as not to be too loud. She does snort when trying to hold back her laugh.

42. What is their favorite thing about their physical appearance?

Camilla takes pride in her clothing, much of which is imported from Europe. She likes to consider herself fashionable.

43. What is their least favorite thing about their physical appearance?

Her body. She is short and thin and views herself as looking weak and sickly.

44. Do they have any scars? If so, what are the stories behind those scars?

She has a scar on her right shoulder from when she was shot during the confrontation in Blackwater with Amos Lancing.

45. How would they describe their own appearance?

Camilla would describe herself as average looking, though a bit on the frail side. Nonetheless, she is fond of her long hair. She is neither insecure nor proud of her appearance.

46. How easily can they express emotions? How easily can they hide emotions?

Camilla is good at hiding her emotions, but if she does so for too long she will reach a breaking point and it will all boil over without her control. 

47.  What’s their pain tolerance like?

Camilla can take most pain, but she will complain about even the tiniest of papercuts.

48. Do they have any tattoos? What are the stories behind those tattoos?

Nope! This is over 100 years ago! ^^

49. Do they have any piercings?

Camilla’s ears are pierced. 

50. How would you describe their style of clothing? How would they describe their style of clothing?

Influenced by her mother, Camilla is very into fashion and considers herself quite stylish. She enjoys wearing soft colors with intricate details and long skirts. Her favorite accessories are her hats and jewelry. 

51. What is their height? Weight?

Camilla is around 5′3 and weighs around 100 pounds.

52. What is their body type? Are they muscular, chubby, skinny, etc?

Camilla is smaller than average and quite thin, her least favorite quality of her appearance.

53. What is their hair color? Eye color? Skin tone?

Camilla has light blonde hair, blue eyes, and is pale with a warm-undertone.

54. What is their current hairstyle? What have been some of their past hairstyles? Which was their favorite hairstyle?

As of 1907, Camilla wears her hair pulled back in a curled bun hairstyle. When she was younger, she would rotate between a long plait, a curled ponytail, and a half-up hairstyle.

55. What is their alcohol tolerance like? What kind of drunk are they? How bad are their hangovers?

Camilla does not drink heavily, besides a glass of wine here and there. However, she did once drink heavily with the van der Linde gang and was a bubbly and excitable drunk. Her hangover the next day was enough for her to swear off heavy drinking.

56. What do they smell like? Why do they smell like this? (Is it the things they’re around or a perfume they wear?)

Camilla smells of her favorite perfume, Otto of Roses. It was the first perfume she ever received, gifted by her mother, and she has worn it since.

57. How do they feel about sex? Are they a virgin?

Camilla views sex as an intimate thing, not casual, and would only partake in it out of love, not lust. She has only had two sexual partners, Arthur and Edward. As shy as she is, she gets flustered any time sex is brought up (so imagine her around the gang members!)

58. What is their most noticeable physical attribute?

To others, it would likely be her outfits, as she always puts total effort into them.

59. What does their resting face look like? Do they have RBF?

Camilla does not have RBF! Rather she often looks curious or unsure, as she is always taking in her surroundings. She is quick to smile to strangers and always greets them on the street.

60. Describe the way they sleep.

Camilla sleeps on her side with the blanket pulled up to her chin. She cannot sleep if she is hot, and curls up into a ball if she is too cold.

Environment:

61. Which season is their favorite season?

Summer!

62. Have they ever been betrayed? How did it affect their ability to trust others?

While not technically betrayed, Camilla certainly felt so when she discovered that Arthur was working against her father, although unknowingly. When she confronted him and he argued that she should have told him, she felt hurt and like he had gone behind her back (though she later realized this was an unfair judgment).

63. What is always guaranteed to make them smile?

Someone going out of their way to make sure she is heard or welcomed to wherever she is, as Camilla often has a hard time joining or starting a conversation.

64. Do they get cold easily? Do they get overheated easily?

Camilla does not get hot easily, but she does quickly get cold. She despises the cold and will avoid it when possible.

65. What’s their immune system like? Do they get sick often? How do they react to getting sick?

Camilla is relatively healthy, however, she did used to get a severe cold each year when she was a child.

66. Where do they live? Do they like it there?

Camilla lives in Saint Denis, where she grew up. She temporarily lived with Maggie and Lem Fike, as well as at a camp with Cripps. She enjoys the city and weather of Saint Denis, and for the most part, she enjoys the people.

67. Is their bedroom messy? What about their bathroom? Kitchen? Living room?

Camilla is a very tidy person, and with the help of her house-staff, she keeps her home very neat.

68. How did their environment growing up affect their personality?

Camilla’s childhood upbringing taught her to be quiet, proper, and a ‘lady’. She followed these teachings well, but of course, her temporary run-in with a life of crime went against this.

69. How did the people in their environment growing up affect their personality?

Camilla’s mother taught her empathy and kindness, while her father taught her obedience and to be seen, not heard. Her older sister Heidi taught her to have fun and be rebellious, while her younger sister taught her curiosity.

70. How do they feel about animals? Do they have any pets?

Camilla loves animals and had a spaniel dog growing up. She speaks in a baby voice to animals, which she is embarrassed of.

71. How are they with children? Do they have any? Do they want any?

Camilla is the mother of two daughters, Margaret Beaumont (with Arthur) and Helen Beaumont (with Edward). Before she had children, Camilla loved them and dreamt of being a mother.

72.  Would they rather have stability or comfort?

Stability. Having moved from place to place quite often recently, with much-unwanted change, Camilla would find comfort from within stability.

73. Do they prefer the indoors or outdoors?

Camilla’s ideal place to be is sitting outside on a warm sunny day.

74. What weather is their favorite? Do they like storms?

Camilla loves a warm sunny day with a light breeze, and so she loves living in the South. She enjoys thunderstorms when she is inside reading by a fireplace.

75. If given a blank piece of paper, a pencil, and nothing to do, what would happen?

She would likely write a short story or poem, though the latter she is not very skilled at.

76. How organized are they?

Raised to be a ‘proper lady’, she is very tidy.

77. What is their most prized possession?

Her horse, Nutmeg.

78. Who do they consider to be their best friend?

Camilla’s former answer would have been Heidi, but since her passing, she would say Letitia.

79. What is their economic situation?

Camilla grew up in a wealthy household and has now married a wealthy husband. She is well-off and secure financially.

80. Are they a morning person or a night owl?

Morning~ she loves watching the sunrise and seeing the mist on fields. 

Miscellaneous:

81. Are they bothered by the sight of blood?

She does not get queasy or sick from the sight of it but dislikes the bad connotation that comes with it.

82. What is their handwriting like?

Elegant cursive that mirrors her mothers, whose she was always envious of.

83. Can they swim? How well? Do they like to swim?

Camilla can swim but she dislikes the feeling of being wet, especially her hair.

84. Which deadly sin do they represent best?

Pride. Camilla can often be too proud to ask for help or admit she is wrong.

85. Do they believe in ghosts?

As a child living in a big house with lots of shadows to cast, yes. Now, no.

86. How do they celebrate holidays? How do they celebrate birthdays?

A large festive dinner with family and family friends.

87. What is something they regret?

Not regaining contact with Lem after she left. He is her biggest ‘what-if’.

88. Do they have an accent?

Yes, she has a slight French accent.

89. What is their D&D alignment?

Not sure what this is!

90. Are they right or left handed?

Right handed.

91. If they were a tweet, what tweet would they be?

92. Describe them as a John Mulaney gif.

93. What’s the most iconic line of dialogue they’ve ever said?

Not really any, she’s pretty quiet! But here’s a photo of her instead.

Whew! That was fun! I don’t expect anyone to read this, but if you did... wow!

#Camilla Beaumont #Camilla Lemieux #RDR2 #RDO #Red Dead Redemption #Red Dead Redemption 2 #Arthur Morgan #Red Dead Online #Red Dead OC #RDR2 OC #Lemuel Fike #Lem Fike #Henri Lemieux #Heidi McCourt

[littlemisssquiggles]

RWBY Musings #7: Gonna take a wild guess as to what I think Oscar’s semblance might be as I believe it could play a role in helping Jaune to finally awaken his.

According to what Ren said in Chapter 4, it is stated that one’s personality can define their semblance or vice versa. That being said, my guess for Oscar’s semblance is something to do with his mind, particularly the way how his mind is right now.

What if...and this is stretch here...Oscar’s semblance will have something to do with dreams and memories which will then grant him a more enhanced ability to connect to others through his mind.

(Fasten your seat belts and grab yourself a snack readers. This is gonna be a long one)

If we look back, the very first time we were introduced to Oscar was when he woke up from a bad dream following the scene with Salem addressing Team WTCH. To me, that scene insinuated that Oscar possibly dreamt that scene or at least bore witness to it in some form of outer body experience...maybe?

Maybe Oscar dreamt of Ozpin's battle with Cinder too and that was the first time the two actually connected mentally before Ozpin was eventually reborn inside of him. That could be a possibility, yes.  

As I said before, it's a stretch. And while I don't have much more evidence from the series to back my hunch, however I do strongly think that Oscar’s semblance would have something to do with his mind.

Maybe Oscar will have a Professor Xavier from X-Men kind of power. While I doubt he'll be able to read others minds and/or lift things telepathically like Jean Gray (though that would be freaking awesome if he could); I do like the idea of him being able to connect to others mentally, more specifically through their thoughts and dreams.

It would make sense. Oscar is a man (well boy) with two souls. He is the embodiment of two minds sharing one singular form so having a semblance that reflects that would fit. Plus I really want this cause I would love to see the series do a visual representation of Oscar's mind.

Gonna use another Yugioh reference here again. Remember back in the original series when the character Shadi used his Millennium Key to enter Yugi's mind when he suspected that he was the one who stole Pegasus' Millennium Eye (which was actually taken by Evil Bakura)? In that episode, we got a nice visual idea of the inside of Yugi's mind after pairing with the Pharaoh. As viewers, we actually got to SEE what both sides of the coin looked like with each being represented by a different room and door.

If I remember correctly, Yugi's was described to be more childlike, pure and innocent, as remarked by Shadi, whereas the Pharaoh’s was basically a cold dungeon labyrinth with endless staircases leading to many intricate doors housing a variety of tricks and traps, all to deceive unwanted intruders. Some were even guarded by Duel Monsters; one of them being Yugi’s signature card: The Dark Magician, as I recall. This was done, as I believe, to reflect the complexity and overall mystery of the Pharaoh’s character as part of the story was uncovering the secrets of his past and his true identity.

Gosh! That was such a cool part of the original Yugioh and I would LOVE it if the CRWBY did something like that for Oscar and Ozpin. Fingers crossed!

While hearing the mental banter between Oz and Oscar is nice; it would be an even greater touch if we actually got to see the inside of Oscar’s mind and what it looked like, especially now that Ozpin is there. Somehow I envision Oscar/Ozpin’s mind world being no different than how it was for Yugi and the Pharaoh.

Picture this everyone...

Oscar’s Inner Mind 

Imagine one room. One single room. An inner sanctum, if you will. The room is divided in half. On one side, there is a locked door with a clock cog symbol embedded on its surface to represent it being Ozpin’s room while on the opposite end, is another smaller, simpler wooden door to identify that it belongs to Oscar. At the centre of the main mind hall is a single long table with two chairs facing each other. It is here, within these uncharted walls, where Oscar and Ozpin meet within their inner mind (I need a more creatively whimsical word to describe this).

Since Oscar is still the more dominant soul, the room atmosphere changes to reflect his mood. When he's cheerful or perhaps relaxed, it becomes a tranquil afternoon sky in a large open field covered with lush green grass mirroring that of the one he would see all the time back in his home in Mistrel. When he's angry or upset, the skies turn grey and cloudy. Though they never rain, the raging thunder and lightning above are more than enough to voice his troubles. 

And when he thinks of Ruby; the ambiance transforms into a beautiful sunset and what was once a grassy field becomes a vast rose garden filled with an outstretch of blossoming red roses; their gorgeous petals blowing ever so delicately in the wind.

Okay, that one was for my RoseGarden shippers but c'mon, how sweet would that be.

Picture a scene where:

Oscar and Ozpin are having a private conversation within his inner mind world when Oscar is either dreaming or meditating (perhaps a session with Ren). Oscar is frustrated with his training and Ozpin is there to offer him some reassurance. The room atmosphere is a raging storm to reflect Oscar's brooding dissatisfaction but in the instance where Ozpin is able to calm the boy down, it simmers to a gentle breeze blowing through a green meadow.

Ozpin then tries to lighten the mood by asking Oscar about how he felt about his new teammates: Jaune, Nora and Ren. Oscar, of course, gives a good review of three remaining Team JNPR members, commenting that he gets along well with everyone. And since they're all so nice to him and help him with his training, he thinks they’re cool. Ozpin quietly accepts this answer. He then addresses the real Goliath Grimm in the room. He asks Oscar about his thoughts on Ruby and the instant he does Oscar’s whole demeanour changes in an almost comical manner. The young farm boy is suddenly fidgety and by Ozpin’s keen observation, a little red in the face, barely making his point audible as he clamoured out a bunch of nonsensical facts about Ruby (that Ozpin already knew of) all summing up to him basically saying that she’s just a huntress he really, really admires for her strength and considers a good friend.   While Ozpin accepts this answer as well, albeit with one of his trademark scrunch-nosed chuckles, he doesn’t however fail to point out that while Oscar’s mouth said one thing, his own mind betrayed him. For at that precise moment, unknown to Oscar, the room had changed again to match his current emotions; revealing his true blossoming feelings for Ruby (which literally take the shape of a freaking rose garden).

Imagine how perfect that would be. I know it’s just a thought however if the series somehow ever did something like this, I'd lose my shit.

The Room of Two Souls

I’d imagine the inside of Oscar's room would resemble that of his original home back on his aunt's farm cause right now it’s the only family tie he has.

However as he makes more connections with people he come to care about, the room will expand and even change depending on the person or bond he’s thinking of. Y’know how folks are always using the analogy of creating a space in their heart for someone or something they consider special to them. Maybe the same can work for the mind; in particular Oscar’s mind, with him creating a special place in his own mind room for certain cherished loved ones using the memories and feelings he’s shared with them to bring it to life within his inner mind. Imagine a place in Oscar’s mind built on the memories and sentiments of his time with Team RNJR which in turn links him mentally to all of them. Take special note of this point. I’ll elaborate more on it later in this post.

Ozpin's room, on the other hand, will be complicated with as much intricacy as the mechanical interior of a clock. As a matter of fact, I picture it being like a giant clock tower leading into another room decorated with towering portraits of different men; the faces of Ozpin's previous vessels with the memories of their lives and adventures contained behind each portrait. It within here where Ozpin’s past memories are all stored. For all the Star Vs The Forces of Evil fans in the audience, remember how in the episode ‘Into The Wand', we got to see all the past Queens of Mewni in portrait form including Moon.

I pictured something like that for Ozpin and all his past forms. The portraits not only paint a vivid depiction of what the previous Ozpins looked like physically but additionally it illustrated a perfect mosaic of all the major events in their lives; from rebirth to death.

Imagine if we got to see a portrait of Ozpin in his last form before Oscar; when he was simply known as just Professor Ozpin: Headmaster of Beacon Academy. An eternal collage all his achievements up until his demise by the hands of Cinder (maybe then we might actually learn how the events of that epic fight).

Why I’m taking my time to describe this in such detail is because I would honestly love to see the CRWBY do something like this in the series as I believe it can play a major part in Oscar’s growth as a character. Why would you create a character with two souls if you didn’t plan on showing us, the eager viewers, how the inside of his mind looked?

I’m just saying.

Now that I’ve described what I think Oscar’s semblance is, you might be wondering at this moment what does that have to do with Jaune and his semblance? I’ll explain.

I think I’m all finished here with Oscar. Let’s talk about Jaune for a bit.

 Jaune’s Semblance Is....

Back in Volume 1, I remember Pyrrha mentioning that Jaune possessed a lot of Aura after using some of hers to unlock his. Ren said that once one has mastered control of their Aura, not only can it aid them during battle as a form of defense but also recovery by gradually healing their wounds. The keyword there is gradual. When Jaune first unlocked his Aura, it instantly healed his wound. Sure it was only a scratch but...the way Ren implied it is that the healing process is supposed to be slow, not as quickly as Jaune recovered.

So what this says to me is that Jaune is certainly unique when it comes to his Aura level and that is one of the clues to figuring out his semblance. What else so we know about Jaune? Let’s only focus on the positive. He’s always willing to step up and do what he can for the people he cares about. Evidence? Despite his feelings for her being unrequited, Jaune still cared enough for Weiss that he called out Neptune on the way he was treating her.

He even empathized with him a little too by helping him through his own securities by making him see the error of his shallow ways. He was so willing to cheer Pyrrha up that he tossed all semblance of dignity out the window and wore a dress.

He was kind enough to help Ruby on their very first day of school, even though they had only just met.

He even forged a new weapon for himself combining his with a memento of Pyrhha’s. He did it, almost as a little tribute to her so that, even though she was gone, the memory for her will forever live on with him and their teammates.

Jaune Arc: Helpful. Compassionate. Loyalty with a high level of Aura...I think I’m starting to piece together a semblance of a semblance here guys.

While Pyrrha didn’t exactly say that Jaune possessed an infinite amount of Aura, the fact that she said he has a lot of it; so much so that he’s able to project it around his entire body is interesting. Up until now, I haven’t witnessed any other character in the series project such a strong Aura around themselves that they glow in the same manner as Jaune did. Maybe his semblance will be something along the lines of Restoration: Because he possesses such a high level of Aura, he is able to use it to help others. This way he can use his Aura to commit amazing feats: such as shield others with it and/or even use it to heal and replenish their strengths by restoring their own Aura. 

I hope it’s something  morally exciting like that and true to the nature of Jaune’s character...rather than a semblance that just makes him super OP for a limited (or unlimited) amount of time, destroying anything and anyone in his path (like Mario juiced up on star power in a Super Mario Bros game).

NO! That’ll be way too typical. Way too shounen protagonist cliché!

But Squiggles, what the fudge does Oscar’s semblance have to do with Jaune’s?

To me, Jaune seems to be suffering a block right now when it comes to his own untapped power. Based on what he said last episode, the reason for his block doesn’t seem to be a physical one nor even a lack of skill. So...maybe it’s something deeper...something psychological.

Remember the point I made earlier about if Oscar had a mind semblance then maybe he can connect to people he’s close to. Here’s where that ties in now.

With a mind semblance, maybe Oscar can enter the minds of those he connects to or look into the memories. Maybe Oscar unknowingly connects to Jaune during his sleep/meditation and ends up sharing a nightmare/thoughts with him about the events of the Fall of Beacon where he’s been constantly reliving the moment where Pyrrha abandoned him to fight Cinder. We have yet to truly touch base on how each member of the remaining Team JNPR felt after Pyrrha’s death. Sure we caught a little glimpse of it back in Volume 4 (during the first and last episodes of the volume, ironically) but still not too much. I’m particularly curious about Jaune’ feelings in this as he was there that night and was the last person Pyrrha spoke to before leaving for her inevitable death.

You can tell or at least immediately assume that he’s still grieving over losing Pyrrha. Remember that episode in Volume 4 when Ruby found him training at night to an old recording of Pyrhha’s mentoring. While a touching albeit a depressing scene, it definitely highlighted my point of Jaune’s internal grief over losing a close friend.

Maybe Oscar will help Jaune by entering his mind to help him deal with his grief. Perhaps Jaune is suffering from that kind of mental block. Maybe his guilt and grief over Pyrrha is what has been holding him back from unlocking his semblance.

Now that I think about it, it would make sense if that was true. Everything about Jaune’s development and improvement from amateur warrior into a full-fledged huntsman has more or less centred around Pyrrha. Pyrrha was the first person to acknowledge Jaune’s potential and reach out a helping hand to help him grow. She was the first person to truly believe that he could be a real huntsman before he believed it himself. So wouldn’t it make sense if SHE is the reason why he can’t move forward? I think Jaune’s reasoning for not unlocking his semblance has something to do with his feelings for Pyrrha. Feelings of never fully understanding her during her time of uncertainty and grief (y’know over the whole Fall Maiden scenario). Feelings of never getting the opportunity to reciprocate his own feelings for her (?).

Feelings of feeling as if he failed her, not just as a friend but as everything: a friend, someone that she felt worthy of her love; failure as a leader cause she was part of his team. She was his teammate. He was supposed to protect her. But...he didn’t! He failed her! He probably blames himself for being so powerless that Pyrrha felt it more fit to send him away to safety rather than stay and fight alongside her to stop Cinder. Maybe if he had been strong enough and less of a weak burden, maybe he could have saved her.

He might not have been able to stop Cinder especially at her full Fall Maiden strength but at least he might have been able to save Pyrrha. If it weren’t for his weakness and incompetence as a huntsman...maybe she’d still be alive and their team wouldn’t be so broken; incomplete and...cold without her.  

So maybe we’ll get a mental battle where Jaune faces off against his guilt which takes the form of Pyrrha. And after defeating that and overcoming those negative feelings, he either finally unlocks his semblance or comes much closer to unlocking it, feeling more confident that he’ll do soon. Y’know just in case the show writers wanna drag this out longer again.

All in all, those are my theories. It’s a pretty interesting theory. Kinda out there. Wouldn’t be surprised if it’s not canon. As I said, early. It’s a stretch.

I just think it would be cool if we got something like this. If Oscar’s semblance doesn’t have anything to do with the mind then I’ll be fascinated to see what it could be canonically.

That being said, as a top choice, I’m still gunning for another mind-based, mental semblance in the series. So far Emerald Sustrai is the only confirmed one with her mastery of mental hallucinations. Neo was technically another with her illusions however I’m not sure if she’s still part of the series. I know she’s in RWBY Chibi (then again, so are Pyrrha, Penny and Roman Torchwick and they’re all....YEAH!) and I know fans have been waiting hopefully for her to make a triumphant comeback.

However beyond those two, I want another character to possess a mental semblance especially a good guy (seriously Emerald and Neo are both villains). So yeah, we need a good guy main character to have a mental-based semblance.

CRWBY...C’MON! Golden opportunity here! OSCAR GOLDEN OPPORTUNITY!

I’m just saying; Oscar is right there. You’ve already set him up with having two minds. You’re basically writing his semblance for him. Make it a mental one.  

Give him a cool Professor X type of awesome mind semblance! I’m calling telepathy or some RWBY variant of it. Maybe he can read the minds of people he makes either physical or eye contact with. This could be a SWEET ability to have especially in combat cause then Oscar will be able to tell his opponent’s next move before they even make it. The only exception will is that he won’t be able to read certain people who either have a mental type semblance like him or have somehow been trained to block out mental intrusion abilities like that or...are Salem. I also call the ability to enter someone’s mind through their dreams or thoughts or just by having a strong connection with to a person due to an intimate bond (like a close friendship or relationship).

Fingers crossed here!

 But anyways, I think now I’m officially done with this musing. See you all in the next new episode! Hope we get another Mistral moment with Team JNRR and Oscar. As a matter of fact, each episode should contain a mandatory scene with them). Just saying.

~LitteMissSquiggles (2017)

#rwby #rwby volume 5 #oscar pine #jaune arc #oscar and ozpin #rwby rosegarden #rwby musings #rwby theories #oscar and jaune #rwby shovelknight

[lordhenry]

survey 23

Are you an official couple with the last person you kissed? Nope.

Are you happier now or three months ago? Three months ago, I had more control over the things happening in my life. I’m getting closer and closer to completely changing my entire life, so yeah. I’m not anticipating that.

What’s the last alcoholic beverage you had? Vodka, followed by gin.

What did you buy the last time you went shopping? 3 shirts that were relatable, hahah. Cheers, coffee, and Japan.

If you smoke then what is your favourite brand? I don’t really smoke, but when I tried before.. I guess I liked Lucky Strikes.

What was the grossest thing that you ever ate? Maybe chicken feet? I don’t know, I don’t eat a lot of gross food.

What is the coolest thing about your job? The whole place’s concept, I guess. The fact that it’s a hotel-casino complex with lots of entertainment and shopping/dining options.

What is your favorite cologne/perfume? Hypnotic Poison - Dior.

Do you own more than 10 pairs of shoes? Yes.

What`s the longest paper that you wrote in school? 70+ for research. Ugh, worst memory of Academic 2017, ever. Worst subject, worst prof, worst everything.

What`s your favourite food in the whole world? King Crab came to mind.

What kind of food can you not stand? Liver. Guaranteed instant vomit.

What`s the last thing that one of your parents said to you? "Nobody speaks to me. Have I upset everyone?”

What is something you wish you could do? Be friendly, approachable and outgoing.

Do you ride a bus regularly? For work, yes. Otherwise, no.

What movies could you watch over and over and still love? Dangerous Liaisons, Love Actually, Death At A Funeral, and Fight Club.

Do you live alone? For work, but not right now as I haven’t gone for a week.

How often do you update your status on Facebook? Almost never.

Would you rather see a movie the day it comes out, or wait a few days? Whenever is convenient for me.

What activities do you prefer to do at night rather than in the daytime? Wasting time, relaxing, drinking coffee or tea, and drinking alcohol.

Do you prefer ice cream on a cone, in a bowl, or in a cup? I can’t enjoy ice cream on my own pace if it’s on a cone, so cup.

Do you like eating breakfast at times other than the morning? Yeah, sometimes I eat cereals whenever.

Would you rather date someone who played the guitar or drums? I don’t care, but if I had to pick then drums so we could jam. I play a bit of guitar so.

Have you ever liked anyone that was in a relationship with someone else? Yes.

Would you ever get a boob job? Nah. Not wearing a bra feels like heaven.

Did your last relationship end because of you or the other person? It was all me.

Do you ever ignore texts from some people? Yes, unless it’s important.

What does your last text message say? “I tried hard not to roll my eyes.”

What colour is your hair right now? Black.

Do people ever tell you that you’re funny? Unintentionally so, yes.

Would you be upset if you caught your boyfriend looking at porn? Nope.

Do you look intimidating? People say so.

How is your hair? Healthy. I really like it.

Look outside how’s the weather? It’s raining! Yay.

Did you ever think someone didn’t like you, but come to find out they really did? Yes.

Could you go the rest of your life without drinking alcohol? Sure, it would be boring but it’s manageable.

Ever given your all to someone who walked away? I don’t think so.

Have you ever done your makeup in class? Nope. But I did swatch lipsticks in class cause my friends and I ordered some online. :))

Do you like your music loud or at a reasonable level? Reasonable.

Would you rather have big or small dogs? Big dogs.

What’s one fruit you love in drinks? Lemon.

What do you label yourself as? Undercurrent.

Do you think you will be in a relationship 3 months from now? I don’t see myself that way any time soon.

Will your next kiss be drunk or sober? Hopefully sober, and hopefully far from now.

Did you have any unread text messages when you woke up today? How many? I had maybe 1 or 2.

Are you an alcoholic? I don’t really know what constitutes alcoholic, if excessive drinking then definitely not. I almost never say no to alcohol though. :))))

What’s one thing you really want right now? For everything to fall into place.

Who all do you have texts from in your phone? Dani, Pea, Justin, Mum, Andrea, Joe, Pam, the HR recruitment guy, etc.

Who was the last person you took a picture with? My older brother.

Who are you more like, mom or dad? I take after them both in such different ways. But personality-wise, I’m closer to dad. At least the rational/logical way of thinking and our dark dank humour.

Describe your life in one word? Unsteady.

What is your natural hair color? Dark brown/black.

Weirdest place you’ve kissed someone? ?? I dunno? Recent one was in a car and randomly/stolen so?? Everything was weird to me. Idk.

Ever stopped kissing someone because they had bad breath? No, not bad breath lmao just didn’t want it to happen.

Ever kissed someone on a dare/as part of a game? Yes. Just a peck. For the record, they were my elementary buddies and everybody pecked everybody. I know it sounds weird, but... :))))

Do you usually kiss on the first date? No. And why is everything about kissing jfc.

How old do you think you will be when you finally have kids? Mid 30s.

Are you waiting for something? Edit: Nope. (Forgot to delete someone else’s answer, so nope I’m not working as a meat processor or something.)

Do you think you’ll be married in ten years? I hope not.

Do you think you and your best friend will be friends in 10 years? I think so!

Are you attracted to the last person that kissed you? Not anymore. Not since high school.

What’s a fact about the last person you kissed? Ugh. Idk? He’s studying Engineering?

What plans do you have for tomorrow? Wake up early, finish my remaining hours in the Academics office, andddd eat Japanese for lunch.

When was the last time you were sick? Just a week ago.

Would you rather be able to control the weather or control traffic? Traffic.

Do you own any articles of clothing with skulls on it? Yes.

Are you faster at text messaging or typing on the computer? Typing on the computer.

Your last relationship, who dumped who? I dumped him.

How old were you when you had your first boyfriend/girlfriend? 18.

What if you got stuck in a lift with the last person who Facebook messaged you? She would absolutely panic, and I would laugh at her.

Do you think someone has feelings for you? Are these feelings returned? No. Probably not.

What if the last person you texted were to ask you out? I’m not gay.

Do you believe in love at first sight? Explain. Nope. Calm down, you don’t even know them.

When you listen to music, do you ever find that the songs affect your moods and change how you feel? It’s the other way around.

Can you remember what you dreamt about last night? Yes. I was an executioner, and I used bow and arrows. o_o 

#survey

[jainarepellista]

Tower of God S2ch244 Rough Translations

If you have any comments / questions / complaints regarding the translation, please contact me. Also, please link this blog if sharing to others. Thanks!

This feeling..

The piece of the thorn.. / is in there..!!

H-hey!!

?

c-can we get out from here?

Huh?

I-I'm a bit scared, you see~ / I mean, for people like us, Grand D'za is, you know~ / Anyway, we've shown you the way so that's that.. right Hockney?

Mata?

B-But we've come so far..

T-that's right! / We've already come so far~ that's what I'm saying.

...Yeah.. / It could be dangerous from now on, and you have no reason to keep following me..

R-Right!!

Mata!! Why are you suddenly!!

Give up, Baam.

?!

W-who's there!?

White.. and Karaka.. will be coming soon.

So give up.. on getting the second piece of the thorn.

Ra..

Haa- Haa-

Rachel..?!

43F Hell Train - Floor of Death - 13

30 minutes before Yuri Zahard's Arrival

Hell Joe's Castle

It's here. / If you go through here, there will be a passage leading to the Room of Souls.

Follow me.

..........

Shit..!!

How did this happen..!!

1 hour before Yuri Zahard's Arrival

Inside Hell Joe's Castle

Something that the intruders are looking for is in here..?

What was that broadcast awhile ago?

..That was Hell Joe, this place's ruler. / Sounds like he's up to something.

Hell Joe.. / Why did he make that broadcast?

He didn't seem to have the piece of the thorn based on his reaction last time.. / Is he trying to lure them in and kill them by lying?

Do not worry about it. Your resurrection is our priority, White-nim. / Please come with me.

...Alright.

Lead the way then. / To the room of souls or whatever-

I'm already eager to regain my strongest form!!

...Yes.

It doesn't matter whether Hell Joe has the piece of the thorn or not. / While you guys are fighting-

We will be taking your souls.

The piece of the thorn is in here.. / For real?

....That's what he said..

But it seems to be a setup for a trap..

?!

This is..?!

Hockney-ssi is going to the "Room of Souls" together with Baam-ssi.

The room of souls..?

The room of souls..!! / We have to go there!!

?

Huh..?!

Hockney-ssi is heading to the room of souls!! / And Baam is with him!! So the piece of the thorn must be in there!!

B-but we don't know where that is.

We'll have to find out somehow!! / Baam is definitely going to the Room of Souls..!!

Ooh- what's this?

Jyu Viole Grace is going to the room of souls?

!!

That's good.

White-nim?

Karaka. We have good news.

It seems like Jyu Viole Grace is also heading to the Room of Souls.

?

That means- not only will I regain my powers / I can also get rid of him at the same time!!

.........

......Hm.

But.. / how did you find out where Jyu Viole Grace is going?

...!

Let's make a deal.

Huh..?!

I am secretly working with one of officers here. He knows where the Room of Souls is. / If you want to go there, we can take you with us.

And in exchange, you'll tell us how you found Viole's location. / How's that?

It's not too bad for a peaceful proposal, isn't it?

.......

Alright.

10 minutes before Yuri Zahard's Arrival / Passage to North City

I feel sorry for leaving the castle like this but..

If I lead these guys / they'll tell us how we can escape this place..

I'm not betraying Hell Joe-nim / I'm doing this for him!

If Baam finds the thorn and gets captured by Karaka / all of this would have been in vain.. (lit. it's no different from a wild goose chase)

I have to meet with Baam in advance and make him run away..!! / Once Emile gets Hockney's signal..!!

Viole must be heading there to find the piece of the thorn. / An unexpected opportunity has presented itself.

With this chance, I can get him and the thorn in one go.

This way. / The path will become complex from now on so follow me well.

!!

Emile has gotten hold of Hockney's signal!!

!

Nods-

Ouch-!!

?!

..What is it?

Oh my-

I-I think she sprained her ankle!! / I'll let her ride my suitcase so please go on ahead!

....Very well.

You're wasting time.

...?

Rachel?

I have to hurry..!!

I can make it if I cut across!! / I have to get to where Baam is before those guys!!

Present

Yura-ssi is buying time for us right now / but Karaka is coming soon!!

He'll take away the piece of the thorn if he captures you!!

But if you escape now, he won't be able to get it!! / So run!!

Rachel..

The piece of the thorn?

(Startled!)

The piece of the thorn.. / Isn't that what Hell Joe was looking for?

W-who is that girl? / Someone you know?

......Yeah.

Baam!

Rachel.. / The reason you're telling me to run away..

isn't because..

........

you're worried about me.

But because you're concerned that Karaka might take away the piece of the thorn..

Baam!!

That's why you're trying to make me escape..

If I listen to you and give up everything like this / will we return to the old days?

I would be happy enough if I could.

But would you, Rachel?

But Rachel-

right now I

can't go back anymore

Rachel.

I'm going.

?!

What are you talking about!! / You'll die!! So give up!!

No.

I.. have a reason to go.

!

What... reason?

Let's go.

Huuh?!

Sorry for getting you involved / but if they find you, they won't just let you go.

Urk!? But inside that is D'za's~!!

Come on!!

Aaack!!

!!

I asked you what your reason is!! Baam!!

!!

Tell me!!

You came here after meeting that princess resembling the light of deep waters, didn't you!!

What did you hear from her!?

Tell me!!

(Aaah!!)

(Mata!!)

What did she tell you?! / Could it be..!!

....Arlen Grace.

!!

I heard about someone who might be my mother. / She escaped out of here to where we lived thinking it would be paradise.

........

But Rachel.

That place where we lived.. / wasn't like a paradise, was it?

W-what do you know about that place..!!

Hm. I don't know as much as you. / But I know that you despised that place.

Because you were there, that place was paradise for me..

But whether it's hell or paradise- I can no longer go back there.

That's why I'm going to find it-

So that everyone in this place can become truly happy-

A real paradise-!!

For that- / Zahard, FUG, the 10 Families

All of them are merely enemies that get in my way.

I won't go back anymore, Rachel.

...........

I'll gather the pieces of the thorn and climb the Tower / I will obtain the key and open the door after the Tower's last floor.

Surely, there is something beyond that.

Tch-!!

Don't make me laugh!! / Why are you doing this!!

What, you want to be a hero!? Don't flatter yourself!! / You don't have anything to do with this world's story!!

Give up already!! Just keep on waiting for me like before when you were trapped in that place!! / That's mine!! From a very long time ago, I!!

Rachel..

Goodbye.

!!

Damn fate...!!

A-are you alright? / She said a lot of things to you earlier.. You're just letting her be..?

Yes..

I'm fine.

(H-he's crying.)

.........

Ack?!

My name is Grand D'za-

H-he came out!!

Why did you come to this place?

Intruders-

Former Monarch of North City Grand D'za

Current Monarch of North City Grand D'ree

D-D'za-nim!! / W-We're!!

I..! / I came to take the piece of the thorn that Enryu left!!

What?! The piece of the thorn? / What are you!! Hell Joe's underlings?!

N-No..!! I'm!!

?!

This feeling..?

You're back!! My eyes!!

?

...Huh?

What did I tell you, Grand D'ree. Didn't I say that they'll come back!! / I told you my eyes will deliver my message to the savior and bring him to me!!

But how could you not even recognize my eyes!!

.....?

I apologize, D'za-nim..

Alright!! / Stranger who came with my eyes

You're qualified!! You can take the test!!

R-really!!

Of course!! Since you came with my eyes, there's no doubt that you're qualified!! / I'll let you take the test!!

Your eyes.. what.. / does that..?

..........

That test-

?

let me take it too.

Rachel..?

Please let me take the test too! / I'm also qualified!!

I've dreamt of walking this path for a very long time!! / And that person is here because I brought him!!

This person here is just someone trying to take away what should be mine!!

That's why- / I think I'm much more qualified to have the thorn than him!!

..........

Hmm..

But.. girl

I can sense an evil aura from you?

!!

Although I don't have eyes, I can feel chaos coming out from your soul.

...I also think you should give her a chance, D'za-nim.

?! Baam..?

She has the right to get a chance. / Please let her take the test together with me.

She risked her life to come here. / And I wouldn't have come to this place if it weren't for her.

........

Please let her take the test, D'za-nim.

Baam.. You..!! What are you plotting?!

.........

Fine!! Someone who isn't the real owner wouldn't be able to pass the test anyway!!

So I'll let you both take the test!!

And the winner among you

will find out the location of the piece of the thorn!!

This is your test-!!

!?

Punish my enemy, "Hell Joe"!!

And save my trapped younger brother, Grand D'sa!!

...Huh?

.....

What.. did you say...?!

Did you really think you can deceive me with such a cheap trick.. / How absurd.

Cough.. / Cough-!!

Speak. / Or your life will be at stake.

Where is Jyu Viole Grace right now?

Cough..! Cough!!

#Tower of God #translations #S2ch244

[artemisawakened]

Witchcraft Asks #1-105

Original questions in my previous post!

1. Are you solitary or in a coven? Solitary

2. Do you consider yourself Wiccan, Pagan, witch, or other? Pagan witch

3. What is your zodiac sign? Leo

4. Do you have a Patron God/dess? Artemis & Apollo. Athena & Hermes.

5. Do you work with a Pantheon? Not really.

6. Do you use tarot, palmistry, or 
any other kind of divination? Runes, tarot, and pendulum.

7. What are some of your favorite herbs to use in your practice? (if any) Lavender, sage. 

8. How would you define your craft? I wouldn’t even know how to go about defining it…

9. Do you curse? If not, do you accept others who do? I have only ever cast a cure once, and would only in situations where I see no other option. I’m not going to tell anyone else how to practice their craft, or judge them for how they do so.

10. How long have you been practicing? I don’t remember exactly when I started…around ten years, maybe eleven. 11. Do you currently or have you ever had any familiars? Have never had a familiar, but would like one. 12. Do you believe in Karma or
Reincarnation? Yes to both. 13. Do you have a magical name? Nope. 14. Are you “out of the broom closet”? Only to a couple of friends who are also witches. 15. What was the last spell you performed? Banish negativity. 16. Would you consider yourself knowledgeable? Fairly so. 17. Do you write your own spells? Almost always. 18. Do you have a book of shadows?
If so, how is it written and/or set up? Yes, it’s barely started though because I’m too indecisive about how I want it set up.  19. Do you worship nature? No, but respect and honor it. 20. What is your favorite gemstone? Amethyst. 21. Do you use feathers, claws, fur, pelt, skeletons/bones, or any other animal body part for magical work? No, I don’t like using animal parts.  22. Do you have an altar? Finally set one up after years of not having one, though I’ll have to take it down when I’m not home. 23. What is your preferred element? Fire, or water, depending on my mood. 24. Do you consider yourself an Alchemist? No 25. Are you any other type of magical practitioner besides a witch? I don’t think so… 26. What got you interested in witchcraft? As a kid, I felt very disconnected from the religion I was raised in, but felt a draw to some higher power that I couldn’t explain, so I’d sneak onto the computer to research other religions and came across Wicca, which is where I began my path. 27. Have you ever performed a spell or ritual with the company of anyone who was not a witch? No 28. Have you ever used ouija? A homemade one, yes. Will never touch one again. 29. Do you consider yourself a psychic? I suppose so, though I’ve closed myself off from that for now. 30. Do you have a spirit guide? If so, what is it? Not at the moment. 31. What is something you wish someone had told you when you first started? That my craft doesn’t have to be the same as anyone else’s. That there is more to deity than the binary of male/female. That the goddess can represent more than just motherhood. 32. Do you celebrate the Sabbats? If so which one is your favorite? In small ways, yes. Yule is my favorite. 33. Would you ever teach witchcraft to your children? I do not plan on having children, but if I did, I would let them decide if they wanted to learn. I would never force it on them as Christianity was forced on me. 34. Do you meditate? Not anymore, but I need to. 35. What is your favorite season? Spring! 36. What is your favorite type of magick to preform? Candle, simple magick. 37. How do you incorporate your spirituality into your daily life? Having small reminders that help me feel connected with deity, like jewelry, visual reminder of an altar, or the scent of incense. 38. What is your favorite witchy movie? Don’t have one. 39. What is your favorite witchy book, both fiction and non-fiction. Why? Don’t have one. 40. What is the first spell you ever preformed? Successful or not. Honestly I can’t even remember… 41. What’s the craziest witchcraft-related thing that’s happened to you? Can’t think of anything too crazy at the moment. 42. What is your favourite type of candle to use? Birthday candles. I use them all the time for spells, because they burn quickly. I know that if I have to let a larger candle burn all the way down, I’ll either run out of time, or forget about it and leave it unattended. 43. What is your favorite witchy tool? Crystals, candles, runes. 44. Do you or have you ever made your own witchy tools? I made a wand once. Am getting ready to (attempt) to make my own altar tiles. 45. Have you ever worked with any magical creatures such as the fae or spirits? I worked with a gnome in college. 46. Do you practice color magic? Somewhat 47. Do you or have you ever had a witchy teacher or mentor of any kind? I had an online mentor shortly after I started. 48. What is your preferred way of shopping for witchcraft supplies? Screen shopping online (a.k.a. drooling over things I can’t afford), scavenging in department stores for items I can use for witchy purposes, searching outside. 49. Do you believe in predestination or fate? I think there are certain paths that are set out for us, but they are more a guidance than set in stone, and I see it as a branched path with several options. 50. What do you do to reconnect when you are feeling out of touch with your practice? Sit outside and feel the grass beneath me and sun above, light incense or a candle. 51. Have you ever had any supernatural experiences? Quite a few. 52. What is your biggest witchy pet peeve? The whole Maiden-Mother-Crone thing. As a woman who does not want kids, it’s a bit alienating. There is more to a woman than her ability/desire to bear children, but it seems that most people place so much value in that being the epitome of what it means to be a woman. A big part of why I didn’t practice for a long time. 53. Do you like incense? If so what’s your favorite scent? Yes, sandalwood by far, but not the cheap fake kind! 54. Do you keep a dream journal of any kind? Not anymore. The last time I did, I dreamt about someone’s death before it happened and that freaked me out. 55. What has been your biggest witchcraft disaster? Placing a candle in spanish moss and lighting it. The moss caught fire, then I tried to blow it out, which sent hot pieces of moss flying. Luckily nothing else caught. 56. What has been your biggest witchcraft success? Honestly, just finding a sense of belonging and peace. Finally discovering my patron goddesses and gods. 57. What in your practice do you do that you may feel silly or embarrassed about? Talking to my goddesses/gods throughout the day about stupid things. (Not out loud) 58. Do you believe that you can be an atheist, Christian, Muslim or some other faith and still be a witch too? Yes 59. Do you ever feel insecure, unsure or even scared of spell work? Sure, but it usually falls away once I start doing the spell. 60. Do you ever hold yourself to a standard in your witchcraft that you feel you may never obtain? I used to, but realized my craft is whatever I want to make it. There shouldn’t be pressure and stress trying to hold yourself to a high standard. It’s not about being perfect.  61. What is something witch related that you want right now? A flower of life altar cloth or tile and more crystals. 62. What is your rune of choice? Mannaz. 63. What is your tarot card of choice? Don’t have one.. eight of cups used to always come up whenever I pulled for myself though, but I haven’t tried in a while. 64. Do you use essential oils? If so what is your favorite? Not currently. Used to use sage oil to cleanse my apartment when I lived on campus during college. 65. Have you ever taken any kind of witchcraft or pagan courses? I did an online Wiccan course like ten years ago. 66. Do you wear pagan jewelry in public? Not obviously pagan jewelry, but yes. 67. Have you ever been discriminated against because of your faith or being a witch? No, because the only people that know are other witches and one other good friend. 68. Do you read or subscribe to any pagan magazines? No 69. Do you think it’s important to know the history of paganism and witchcraft? To an extent. It’s a good foundation to build your craft on if you know a bit of its history. 70. What are your favorite things about being a witch? The individualization. Being able to feel connected with a higher power from anywhere. 71. What are your least favorite things about being a witch? Not being able to have a permanent altar. The misrepresentation in the media. 72. Do you listen to any pagan music? If so who is your favorite singer/band? I haven’t yet looked into specifically pagan music. 73. Do you celebrate the Esbbats? If so, how? Not usually, though I’d like to. 74. Do you ever work skyclad? Never, not comfortable with that.  75. Do you think witchcraft has improved your life? If so, how? Very much so. It has given me confidence, strength, a sense of peace and belonging. 76. Where do you draw inspiration from for your practice? So many different places… many many books. Friends. Tumblr and pinterest. 77. Do you believe in ‘fantasy’ creatures? (Unicorns, fairies, elves, gnomes, ghosts, etc) Some, like the fae, gnomes, elves, ghosts. Not sure about unicorns and dragons and wyverns, etc. 78. What’s your favorite sigil/symbol? Don’t think I have one. 79. Do you use blood magick in your practice? Why or why not? No, I don’t find it necessary. 80. Could you ever be in a relationship with someone who doesn’t support your practice? No, never. I don’t need someone who also practices, but they need to support and respect that I do. 81. In what area or subject would you most like your craft to grow? I would like to use candles more often, and for more complex spells. To incorporate magic into more of everyday life. 82. What’s your favorite candle scent? Do you use it in your practice? Lavender, sandalwood. I tend to use unscented candles more so, as I usually use birthday candles for spells. 83. Do you have a pre-ritual ritual? (I.e. Something you do before rituals to prepare yourself for them). If so what is it? Not really, just grounding myself, maybe making a circle. 84. What real life witch most inspires your practice? My best friend from high school. 85. What is your favorite method of communicating with deity? Sitting peacefully (especially outside) and just feeling their presence.  86. How do you like to organize all your witchy items and ingredients? They aren’t very organized right now, partly because I don’t have much, and partly because I have no space in my room for any one storae area. 87. Do you have any witches in your family that you know of? Nope. 88. How have you created your path? What is unique about it? I don’t know…not really thought that deeply about it. At this point I kind of just do what I want, as long as it feels right to me. 89. Do you feel you have any natural gifts or affinities (premonitions, hearing spirits, etc.) that led you toward the craft? If so what are they? Hearing, seeing spirits–have since I was a child. There was one particular instance involving a ball of light and a soothing voice. I was maybe eight. I think that was really the first time I felt the calling.  90. Do you believe you can initiate yourself or do you have to be initiated by another witch or coven? I believe you can initiate yourself. 91. When you first started out in your path what was the first thing or things you bought? Crystals, since they were easy to find and to pass off as just a “rock collection”. Books, because I am a complete bibliophile. 92. What is the most spiritual or magickal place you’ve been? Can’t think of a specific place. Old buildings though–I love feeling the energy they give off. 93. What’s one piece of advice you’d give someone who is searching for their matron and patron deities? Do some research, but let them come to you. Don’t let someone else tell you who you’re deities should be. Your true patron/matron will probably be one that you shy away from at first, but that keeps coming back up. 94. What techniques do you use to ‘get in the zone’ for meditation? I don’t meditate really. 95. Did visualization come easily to you or did you have to practice at it? It came easily. 96. Do you prefer day or night? Why? Night. Less people in the way. The moon and stars are out. There’s more freedom to practice my craft. It’s quieter. 97. What do you think is the best time and place to do spell work? Changes depending on the spell. 98. How did you feel when you cast your first circle? Did you stumble or did it go smoothly? It went smoothly, though I think I was shy and felt a bit foolish. 99. Do you believe witchcraft gets easier with time and practice? I think it gets more comfortable and familiar. You gain confidence. 100. Do you believe in many gods or one God with many faces? Kind of both at once? 101. Do you eat meat, eggs and dairy? Yes to all. 102. What is your favorite color and why? Purple, it’s soothing but also strong. 103. What is the one question you get asked most by non-practitioners or non-pagans? How do you usually respond? “So you like, do spells and stuff?” or “Do you worship the devil?” Response: “Yes.” and “No.” Generally just the one friend asking though, as almost no one knows that I’m pagan. 104. Which of your five senses would you say is your strongest? Sight. I tend to pick up on small details that most other people don’t. I’m more aware of my surroundings that it seems like other people are. 105. What is a pagan or witchcraft rule that you preach but don’t practice? Grounding yourself at the end of the day.

#witch #witchcraft #witches #witchblr #pagan #paganism

[mysteryshelf]

AUTHOR SPOTLIGHT - Tracee de Hahn

Welcome to

THE PULP AND MYSTERY SHELF!

DISCLAIMER: This content has been provided to THE PULP AND MYSTERY SHELF by Partners in Crime Book Tours. No compensation was received. This information required by the Federal Trade Commission.

Author Bio:

Tracee de Hahn is author of the Agnes Lüthi mysteries, which were inspired by her years living in Switzerland. Prior to writing full time she practiced architecture and was head of university alumni relations at a major west coast university. Born in Cape Girardeau, Missouri, Tracee lived most of her life in Kentucky. She is a member of Mystery Writers of America, Sisters in Crime and International Thriller Writers. Currently she and her husband live in southwest Virginia with their Jack Russell Terriers.

Catch Up With Our Author On traceedehahn.com, Goodreads: Tracee de Hahn, Twitter: @LuthiMysteries, & Facebook: TraceedeHahnWriter!

Find out about Tracee’s latest book

A Well-Timed Murder

on Tour March 1-31, 2018

About the Book:

“A true page turner…I found the plot fascinating, and de Hahn builds the tension and suspense perfectly to a satisfying conclusion. I was left wanting to read more about Agnes, and I am looking forward to her next adventure “– Charles Todd on Swiss Vendetta

Swiss-American police officer Agnes Lüthi is on leave in Lausanne, Switzerland, recovering from injuries she sustained in her last case, when an old colleague invites her to the world’s premier watch and jewelry trade show at the grand Messe Basel Exhibition Hall. Little does Agnes know, another friend of hers, Julien Vallotton, is at the same trade show—and he’s looking for Agnes. Julien Vallotton was friends with Guy Chavanon, a master of one of Switzerland’s oldest arts: watchmaking. Chavanon died a week ago, and his daughter doesn’t believe his death was accidental. Shortly before he died, Chavanon boasted that he’d discovered a new technique that would revolutionize the watchmaking industry, and she believes he may have been killed for it. Reluctantly, Agnes agrees to investigate his death. But the world of Swiss watchmaking is guarded and secretive, and before she realizes it, Agnes may be walking straight into the path of a killer.

Tracee de Hahn’s mystery, A Well-Timed Murder, is another magnetic mystery that will engross readers from the opening page to the stunning conclusion.

Book Details:

Genre: Mystery Published by: St. Martin’s / Minotaur Publication Date: February 6th 2018 Number of Pages: 340 ISBN: 1250110017 (ISBN13: 9781250110015) Series: Agnes Luthi Mysteries #2 Click these links to see A Well-Timed Murder on: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Indiebound | Goodreads

Read an excerpt:

There was a crowd but none of them mattered. Agnes Lüthi had eyes for only one man, the one she’d nicknamed the Roach. The one she’d only dreamt of finding in Switzerland.

She moved quickly despite her injured leg, focused on her destination, closing her umbrella when she reached the high canopy. A chain of busses discharged passengers in front of the Messe Basel Exhibition Halles, and they flowed past her toward the doors as if the world’s premier watch and jewelry show might sell out of goods if they dallied. She had never before been to Baselworld, but from the look of the well-dressed crowd judged it was a fitting place to find this particular man.

She was within grasping distance of a door handle when Marcel Aubry appeared from behind a kiosk. He was cloaked in a long, belted raincoat and had a finger pressed to his ear, listening. Before she could speak, he grasped her wrist with his free hand, and pulled her behind the advertising stand, out of sight of the glass front of the lobby.

“Slight change of plan,” Aubry said, his voice low and hurried. “The Roach is headed this way.” He frowned, listening to the voices in his earpiece.

Agnes moved closer to Aubry; it felt like stepping into a shadow. He was a big man, not exactly fat, but big enough to make her feel slim. She could hear the scratch of a voice broadcast from his earpiece, but not the words. Her pulse quickened. They’d worked together for years in financial crimes. Despite that, she’d never seen him run a field operation. This was an important arrest for him, one he’d not leave to others. She was thrilled to be included.

“Did you ever think you’d see us catch him?” Aubry said to her, still focused on the chatter in his ear. “No, and I don’t believe it yet today.” She’d had the Roach in her grasp three times, only to have him scurry back into a crack at the last moment. All of Europe and half of Asia was looking for him. In addition to Swiss francs, he’d stolen millions of euros, yen, dollars, and pounds—all electronically. Despite his methods, she’d always believed that he occasionally appeared in person at a place he’d targeted. Now it looked as if her suspicions were proving true.

“This time he’s definitely here,” said Aubry. “Problem is, the place is littered with exits and there’s a record crowd. Feels like half the world’s come to Baselworld. Good for the economy, bad for us, since on-site security doesn’t want a fuss disturbing their clientele.” He nodded. “Anyway, I’m glad you’re here to see it.”

“I was nearby when you called. I left my mother-in-law at the Beyeler Museum like a bride at the altar. She may not forgive me.” Agnes watched the crowd stream into the building, oblivious of the police operation. Aubry had orchestrated a smooth intervention despite having to move quickly.

“Your call was the best news I’ve had in weeks,” she added. “A few days ago one of my kids accused me of missing the criminals.”

Vincent – her oldest – had phrased it more bluntly: that she liked spending time with the bad guys more than with them. Before she could protest, her youngest son had added that at least she wasn’t a criminal herself. They’d all laughed. It was true, she did miss work. Surely that wasn’t a bad message for the boys? Their father had had a strong work ethic.

Aubry pulled his wrist up and spoke into a microphone, asking a question. He looked at her. “When are you officially back on the job?”

“Three days. Monday.” She gave her wool jacket a downward tug and straightened the matching skirt. Her stint in hospital had melted a few kilos away. Nearly being killed wasn’t the easiest diet, but it was no doubt effective. A few more kilos and she would consider thanking the man who had knifed her.

Aubry held up his hand, listening to chatter in his earpiece. “Any minute now,” he whispered, as if they could be overheard. “He’s heading to the lobby. It’s perfect. Fewer civilians and more space gives us an advantage.”

“He’ll run.” Agnes shifted weight off her bad leg. Critically, she eyed the long bank of doors. The building’s sleek overhang soared across the street, sheltering trams, taxis, a restaurant, and a flower stall. She hoped Aubry really did have all exits covered. She had a vague notion that the five or six halls of the Messe Basel facility were connected by upper corridors and enclosed walkways. It was a large complex.

Aubry tapped his thigh impatiently. His gaze strayed to her leg. “How’s life in violent crimes?”

A voice sputtered in his ear and Aubry listened, sparing her the need to answer. “He’s on the move,” Aubry said quietly.

Agnes tensed.

“Now,” Aubry shouted, running to the doors and yanking one open.

Two men in suits moved from another angle and Agnes spotted their earpieces. The men broke into a half run, and a few bystanders gasped while others pulled out mobile phones set to record video. The officers pushed ahead toward the turnstiles leading to the show, and Agnes followed. Aubry put a hand to his earpiece and stopped her. He angled his head down and she could hear voices talking on top of one another. Someone yelled and Aubry flinched.

Suddenly, in the distance, car tires screeched. There was a loud thump and a scream, followed seconds later by other shouts. Agnes turned toward the noise and Aubry followed. They ran to the right side of the building, ignoring the drizzle. The side street was closed to all but exhibitors’ vehicles and Agnes pushed her way through the gathered crowd. What she saw stopped her in her tracks. Aubry, close behind, collided with her.

The street was dedicated to instruments of luxury and speed, and in the middle of the road a gleaming red Ferrari had struck a man. He lay in a shallow pool of rainwater a meter from the front bumper. Both car and man were broken. The hood of the car was dented and smeared with blood. The man’s leg was angled midcalf, and the fabric of his pants was split by a bone. Blood spilled from the back of his head, pooling around his hair, missing with rain and running in rivulets to the curb. Agnes recognized the man immediately. She put a hand to her mouth. A second glance at the unique shape of his ears confirmed it: the Roach.

***

Excerpt from A Well-Timed Murder by Tracee de Hahn. Copyright © 2018 by Tracee de Hahn. Reproduced with permission from Tracee de Hahn. All rights reserved.

Tour Participants:

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AUTHOR SPOTLIGHT – Tracee de Hahn was originally published on the Wordpress version of The Pulp and Mystery Shelf with Shannon Muir

#shannon muir #pulp and mystery shelf

[anikaindon]

TIME.

   Most people view time as a 24-hour span of mixture of moments, memories, and experiences, shared together in the same phase. But does time really exist? Well, according to Einstein, “The only reason for time is so that everything doesn’t happen at once.” Is it about the complexity of people’s mind and how they view the space? Or is it just about the Theories?

 Time has been an ‘issue’ for some Philosophers if we’ll go back to history. So, what made me curious about ‘TIME’ itself? The answer is—death and love.

 Theories like A and B Theories of time discusses about the proximity of Past, Present, Future for the former and Equality of junctures for the latter to what’s happening in this world. Well, maybe some of you who are reading this blog might think I am an idealist because I am discussing things which are way different from the reality of other people. But trust me, I am not. I am just relaying my view of time.

 So what is it about time that made me relate it to death?

 Lately, I have been dreaming, seeing, and realizing things of which relate to loss of life, things that may cause life deprivation, or even limitation to living. Those of what I have dreamt made me wonder of time and its value.

 Time for an individual might be a measurement of life span. A measurement of what’s left. . . or maybe a guide for us human to organize things about our life; the mentality of us humans that we only have a few of whatever, can be time or life or resources we make to use the best out of it.

In this case we can say that time has no definite meaning if it’s an illusion or not. Well, this will actually depend on how deep the person will look into it. The deeper a person look, the more complex time will become. Say for example , for a typical man who’s late for a meeting or a class , time is not an illusion for him, it is a requirement on his everyday life; a must that need to be followed everyday of his life. But for those who have understand life, for a person with a deeper principle in life, it can be an illusion. Maybe they don’t worry at all maybe they don’t wait at all.

 No one can ever say... time will depend on how a person understands it. There is no definite time a person need to tell that his life is fulfilled, it depends how he understand life or what is his standards of the highest form of happiness . Some at their early age finds contentment within their lives, but some that are on their deathbed are sorry for their lives. This is what we set on our self, even our entire life wouldn't be enough if we don’t know what we want, when will we be contented, or what makes us peaceful inside and out.

 SO, what is it about death that makes me think of time, how it ticks, and how I see it?

 It is for me to come to a realization that whether the idea of time is REAL or NOT—I should learn to value every moment I experience.

 About love.

 I want to be blunt about the fact that it really has consumed me for a while now. But I learned that I should not jump to the other side of the world quickly and think of myself as a mature, or maybe a know-it-all kind of woman. I have learned that love takes time.

 Love takes time in the sense that before we let our heart flutter for someone we think we know for a long time or a short while; we still should do a self-check if we are ready.

 How ready will I be for the future? Am I doing what is right in the present? Do I still have unresolved issues in the past?

 Questions like this keep on coming; and the list is endless. TRUST ME. Unless, I am ready to face these questions to move forward and answer it maturely. I guess I still need to grow—we all NEED to grow in whatever aspect we are in (which I hope is always for the betterment of everybody!)

 Love and Death may not come hand in hand, but what I am sure of? It teaches us a concept which most people neglect—TIME.

 Just as the Book says, ‘there is a TIME and season for every activity under the heavens... a time to be born and a time to die,  a time to plant and a time to uproot,   a time to kill and a time to heal,  a time to tear down and a time to build, a time to weep and a time to laugh,  a time to mourn and a time to dance,  a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them, a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing,  a time to search and a time to give up, a time to keep and a time to throw away.” (Ecclesiastes 3:1-6 ESV)

#time #love #death #ecclesiastes #life #tumblr #blog #realization

[perusingprincesses]

Princess Emma Reviews: Ruckus by L.J. Shen

Synopsis

Rosie

They say that life is a beautiful lie and death a painful truth. They’re right. No one has ever made me feel more alive than the guy who serves as a constant reminder that my clock is ticking. He is my forbidden, shiny apple. The striking fallacy to my blunt, raw, truth. He is also my sister’s ex-boyfriend. One thing you should know before you judge me; I saw him first. I craved him first. I loved him first. Eleven years later, he waltzes into my life, demanding a second chance. Dean Cole wants to be my bronze horseman. But my clock is ticking. See, I’m not like the rest. I have an illness. Sometimes I conquer it. Sometimes it conquers me. My white knight has finally arrived. Hopefully, he isn’t too late.

5 Crowns

Book 2 in the Sinners of Saint series. We have already read Vicious and Jaime’s stories, now it’s time for Dean “Ruckus” Cole’s. So, although this book is a standalone I highly urge you to read the previous book (#0.5 #1) as you will feel like you are diving back in with a group of old friends; and they are also bloody wicked books. However, having said that it is not essential that you do to enjoy this book.

Rosie LeBlanc has never made long-term plans. She has never been one to commit to a relationship and she can never follow her dreams. Rosie was born sick and has always known her destiny would be shorter than everyone else; but if she could have dreamt about her HEA it would have always involved Dean Cole. She fell in love with him at 16… and then he dated her sister. Roll on 11 years and Rosie is still sick and after a long absence Dean is back in her life. But this Dean isn’t someone she recognises. This Dean she hates, and this Dean puts the capital R in Ruckus.

Dean never really wanted Millie; not from the moment Baby Leblanc opened that front door all those years ago. His intentions were only ever honest, but they became twisted and Rosie pushed him more and more towards her sister. A relationship that should never have been and was over in a flash also destroyed what could have been with the only star that shined in his night sky. He has spent the last 11 years high on weed, drinking to escape the hurt of his past and whoring himself around New York. But Rosie is back and he is determined to win her around, even if the rest of his life is falling apart at the seams.

L.J Shen was a new author to me before this series, and I am so glad I decided to take the chance and read Vicious. I put off reading that book as I wasn’t sure it would suit my taste as dark romance isn’t a favourite of mine. But I read the hoopla, realised it wasn’t that type of dark and took the plunge. Here I am 3 books into a series that I feel was written to meet everything I want in my reads. In a word this series and indeed this 3rd book Ruckus is my kind of book.

So as with the previous books, the synopsis we have been provided with doesn’t tell us much. I can say that this is a second chance romance of sorts and that this involves 2 characters that were featured in Vicious. We got to know both Rosie and Dean quite well in that book and we certainly got some back story, but I DID NOT EXPECT THIS! Yes shouty capital’s peeps because this book is amazing!

Neither characters were shown in their best light in Vicious, so I was unsure what we would get in this book. What you find though are 2 complex characters, both with hidden issues, but also with more visible ones as well. Rosie’s illness plays a big part in this book, as does Dean’s issues with in particular alcohol. What it means is that this isn’t a fluffy romance, it is a tough pathway that they will have to follow, forgetting the past and revealing the secrets that plague them. But the best part about this book is the humour that runs alongside the story, lightening what could have been a heavy read because of some of the issues between them. The banter between them is brilliant… Dean, well he is up front if nothing else. He is smutty, but he will make you swoon. On the flipside, Rosie is all about the sass. She is strong and fiercely independent, she is my type of girl! Of course, don’t forget Dean is one quarter of the Hotholes, so expect the usual when these 4 get together. It balances the book perfectly and for me made it a book that I think I only put down twice from start to finish.

So if you like your romance reads to be a little bit more than hearts and flowers, with characters that you will cheer for from the opening chapter, but who will also at times frustrate you with their decisions and make you tear up and swoon along the way, Ruckus is a MUST READ! A brilliant addition to this addictive series.

I now (not so) patiently await Trent’s book, Scandalous. We get a sneak peek into what and who it may involve… OMFG, If has left me seriously excited!

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Princess Emma Reviews: Ruckus by L.J. Shen was originally published on Perusing Princesses