#it matters not what someone is born but what they grow to be ( meta )

[spellwrites]

12. someone who taught them a valuable lesson

((Introducing Imogen's default-verse (ex-)boyfriend, Daniel "Danny" Heap:))

A rueful huff of laughter escaped Imogen's lips. "That's Danny Heap. He's my ex, plus the reason I had to find a new favorite stationary shop to frequent, and honestly it's a toss-up as to which one I'm more mad about.

"I met him right after I got my shopfront off Diagon Alley. He was the clerk at Scribbulus - still is, the prick - and he was hot, he was in a band, he was into me, he was fantastic in bed... We dated for a few years, even moved in together. I thought I was happy, but... I don't know, I reckon part of me always felt like I was settling. Guess I still need to work on being honest with myself.

"Anyway, things were going well - or I convinced myself they were - and then the war started again, and I joined the Order. I felt bad about keeping it a secret from Danny, but it turns out I was right not to, because he didn't want to believe You-Know-Who was back, and nothing I said could convince him. So I was running around behind his back fighting a war he denied was even happening. Fun, right? It gets better.

"Fudge finally admitted the war was real, and Danny couldn't pretend anymore, but in the meantime, he'd noticed my disappearances for Order business, and he started to suspect I was seeing someone else. Eventually, he confronted me, and I had to come clean. Stupid of me. I should have just lied, said he was right.

"Danny freaked out. He didn't approve of me risking my life for wizardkind. He said it wasn't safe, that I should leave the fighting to Dumbledore and the Ministry. As if there'd even be a Ministry left if everyone had that attitude. I managed to talk him around eventually, but he was never happy with it. Too scared he'd lose me, he said.

"I thought... I thought, if we could just make it through the war, we'd be okay. Things would go back to normal. We'd pick up where we left off in our old life. I was lying to myself again. I should have known that life didn't exist anymore.

"Everything came to a head one night with a Patronus from Minerva saying there was a Dark Mark above Hogwarts and Death Eaters in the castle, and they needed backup. Danny couldn't take it anymore, tried to stop me from leaving. We had a huge fight... Finally, he said - said I had to choose. Either us or them, because he couldn't watch me get myself killed, and I couldn't have both. He was right. So I walked out the door and never looked back.

"I figured I'd crash at one of my safe houses 'til I found a new place. Little did I know they were all about to be compromised by Severus turning 'traitor.' But that's a whole other story.

"You know what really ticks me off more than anything else, though, about Danny? The arse had the audacity to hit me up a few years later, after the war, to see if I wanted to make another go of it. As if I'd ever want to be with him again after he showed his true colors like that. Please."

#help will always be given at hogwarts to those who ask for it ( answered ) #anonymous #it matters not what someone is born but what they grow to be ( meta ) #the world isn't split into good people and death eaters ( headcanon ) #all was well ( verse ) #i've chosen my side ( verse ) #and that's what matters. trying ( verse ) #we are only as strong as we are united as weak as we are divided ( danny )

[mae-i-scribble]

tonight i was thinking about orv’s theme about how yjh as a character, and to a larger extent people, will in some ways always be unknowable. (orv spoilers following, read at your own risk)

i feel like i’ve seen a few posts on here that somewhat take this theme to an extreme, leaning *hard* into that “kdj doesn’t actually know yjh like at all” which while on the right track, i feel completely misses the point. Orv goes out of its way to showcase that kdj actually understands yjh to a scary degree, even once they’re out of the early scenarios and the gap between kdj’s knowledge and yjh’s personhood grows larger, there are still things about yjh that *only* kdj can fundamentally understand. And I don’t think that the novel does anything to discredit that understanding, only says that there is much more to yjh. In the same manner, even if you’ve known someone for years, spent all your time with them, there can and will always be new things for you to learn about them. The danger that orv speaks of is trusting in that assumption, that your understanding will be enough and you don’t have to keep an eye out for more developments. That the person you know will forever stay the same. And this isn’t a kdj problem either, fundamentally a lot of the big disagreements that happen between kdj and yjh in the latter half of the novel are born from both of them misconstruing what the other is thinking, trusting that their understanding of the other is deep enough to base their judgements off of. (Post first murim destruction, divorce arc, yjh thinking kdj scattered his soul on purpose, etc.)

As always with orv’s themes, we can view it in a meta sense as well. Kdj’s understanding of yjh as a character is so complete that it’s nearly flawless- until the story begins to deviate and a yjh grows outside the parameters that kdj’s judgements are based on. Even before then, there was always more to yjh- but as readers, we can only understand a character as much as we see them. What you come away with from a story is your complete understanding, there is no growth outside of those boundaries because then it wouldn’t be an understanding of *that* character, you would be putting your own ideas and such into it. But talk to another person, and suddenly the same character you understand so clearly becomes someone else. Talk to the author, and they say something completely different. And can one truly claim to understand a character when the story will never talk about them in every conceivable way? What does it take to truly understand such a thing? Learning that 1863rd round hsy wrote ways of survival with such limited resources and knowledge on who yjh even is, and yet despite it all, still manages to write a story that captures so much of his essence. As orv readers, we know it isn’t everything- it could never encapsulate all of yjh, but the idea that even when one knows nearly nothing, you can still put on a facade of understanding.

We can get into a chicken or the egg argument with this, as 1863!hsy dictates how yjh acts with her writing, and that yjh in the 1863rd round is the one she comes to know before ever starting this story, but when it comes to this theme of the unknowable in the people around us, I don’t think this sort of debate is worth much. We know that yjh exists outside the story written, and how much of him is determined by hsy’s writing is negligible because no matter what, he always grows beyond it. Whether as 1864 or secretive plotter, it all comes back to that same point of there is always more to see within a person.

I don’t know quite where I want to go with this, only that I wanted an outlet for some of these thoughts inside my head, but one of the best things about this theme for me is how it answers itself. When the people around you become unrecognizable, what should you do? And orv says to reach out. To try. To understand. Kdj loses access to omniscient reader several times but always, always gains it back in orv (as far as i remember), because at the end of the day, he is not someone who stays trapped in his idea of who he knows yjh to be. Yjh too, even at the end of orv, is trying to learn more and more about kdj. Only when you are willing to hear out the other person, to learn about them every day, does this unknowable aspect become something less daunting.

#orv #omniscient reader #omniscient readers viewpoint #kim dokja #yoo joonghyuk #joongdok #meta #analysis #it just kinda ended up kdj and yjh focused because this is what the theme is most applicable too #i wish i had more thoughts on how 1863 wrote WoS bc that definitely fits in here more than what i said about it #i think too it can be applied to ysa and kdj #while not as relevant as it is with yjh since their relationship doesnt stretch back as far #they still spend so much of this novel learning more and more about each other #compared to back at minosoft where at least to me it looked like they already had an idea of who the other was as a person #so sorry if this is disjointed i need to stop writing meta as 3 am #in my defense its the only time my thoughts come out like this #on the verge of sleep #orv spoilers #omniscient reader spoilers #i forgot them early on my bad

[dairy-farmer]

The caped community finds out Tim is a meta by virtue of ✨something I'm too lazy to think up✨. His power? Tim can choose when he's gonna be pregnant. Like a duck that can prevent unwanted fertilization. It becomes this thing in the caped community (and rogues who somehow found out) where they try to fuck Tim and get him pregnant. The problem isn't fucking Tim. Turns out Tim is quite the slut. The problem is that he doesn't want to get pregnant. It's like a ginormous dick measuring competition that no one can seem to win. And then one day, they find out Tim is pregnant. The baby daddy? Some random civilian Tim met at a bar.

On Tim's part, he would love to get pregnant. He just doesn't want to carry any babies with a meta gene (he does NOT want to know if those babies can develop superpowers inside his womb and he's not eager to try it out) or carry the baby of someone with as many deep-seated mental issues like the bats (he read somewhere that babies can inherit depression and anxiety and have worse issues. His babies are about to get his, he does NOT want to get them double more). It left him with a very, very narrow pool of sperm donors. Good thing sex with these people are great.

-🦆

😍😍😍😍 tim's power being built-in birth control!!!! and tim being very logical and focused on who he wants to father his baby. because tim loves sex, he loves it A LOT despite his more...modest reputation, some might even say prudish.

but just because tim is willing to fuck a whole manner of people doesn't mean he wants them to knock him, despite how often that seems to be a fantasy of the many people he lets fuck him. sex is one thing but a baby? that's something tim does not take lightly.

before tim had been born his mom and dad had a pure bred show dog as a pet. her name had been biscuit and her picture had been higher up on the mantle piece than tim. tim had heard all about her growing up and he'd also heard about how other competitors in the show dog scene had tried striking deals with tim's parents to breed their dogs with biscuit.

"but it's not that simple timmy," his dad would tell him. "you can't just let any stud mount the bitch, otherwise that's how you get bad pups."

bad pups, like pups who didn't like to listen, who had bad temperaments, who inherited dispositions to diseases, and worst of all- pups who were ugly.

it'd been the same reasoning his parents used when they chose a sperm donor to have tim. tim supposed it was that "parent" who he had to blame for his meta abilities of being able to choose who impregnates him. he supposed it made sense they were a sperm donor since if tim had a sort of hyper awareness of his reproductive organs then it was likely they did to. after all, it was how he was able to stop his period without having to go on any medications. it was just a matter of reabsorbing the egg that wanted to descend back into his system.

so that's what tim does. he refuses to present the seas of ejaculate in his womb with a nice little egg to fertilize because he can tell they wouldn't be suitable. tim can 'feel' out the genetic material in him. can tell which sperm contains the right genes to be born a meta human (approximately 75%). can tell which ones will result in phenotypes like blonde hair or brown eyes. he can detect genetic predispositions for disease contained within them.

mental illnesses like depression, anxiety, addiction, and even bad temperaments like anger. diseases like pku, sickle cell, and cancer.

tim isn't perfect either. he has an increased risk of bpd and colon cancer, a higher chance of developing diabetes, a predisposition to vision problems and cavities. that's not even mentioning the actual problems he has.

tim's ptsd, depression, and naturally elevated cortisol levels from being so stressed all the time might have an impact on the fetal brain development.

and even though tim can't control that he can still mitigate the risk.

tim has already carefully selected a handful of eggs from his ovaries with the lowest risk and is carefully watching over them, keeping them safe until he finds a perfect genetic donor father.

which...tim is keeping his hopes realistic. the father likely won't be a cape because even if they don't have inherited issues, their accumulated issues will likely leak into the baby. plus tim doesn't like the idea of his baby having another parent that could just swing by and bother them. no, tim would much rather prefer a stranger, preferably a one night stand who would have no rights or ideas about his baby.

but until that happens tim has a large pool of willing participants to fuck him even if he wouldn't consider using their genetic material. and that's how it is. until tim has a business trip in st. paul minnesota and meets someone at a fancy lounge downtown.

not overly tall but a decent height, a nice musculoskeletal structure, a nice face, not pushy, sweet laugh.

it's after they have sex and are lazily making out in bed that tim realizes he's hit the genetic lottery jackpot.

no history of mental illness, at all. no elevated risks for diabetes, cancer, or a whole host of diseases. tim's genetics have a slight disposition for alcoholism but the donor is a rare drinker and doesn't smoke. no cardiovascular disease issues, low chance of allergy to pharmaceuticals, all blood, skin, eye, muscle, and tissue disorders appear to be low risk, and the only risk for autoimmune disease comes from tim. his donor even has the right genes for his babies to have straight teeth and clear skin through their adolescence unlike tim who had been forced to liberally use zit cream and braces throughout middle school.

yeah tim has hit the jackpot. he's so excited he gets horny again.

the donor is already more than tim ever dreamed of and the genetic material he already has is more than enough for him to get pregnant.

but could tim be blamed for wanting to widen the pool even more and give his baby the best of the best?

tim rides his donor hard and fast, bouncing and trying to thank the father of his future child for this gift with every whip of his hips.

he'll be coming back for more. all of his children will need to be fathered with this person because there's no way tim can let someone with such beautifully perfect genes slip through his fingers (also it helps that the sex is nice).

tim stares down at the gorgeous brown eyes all of his children will have (tim's light blue eyes carry an increased risk of basal and squamous cell carcinoma) as they roll back from the bliss of another orgasm, their balls clenching and cum shooting into tim's more than welcoming womb. tim's cunt clenches around the throbbing length, satisfaction purring in his chest as a fresh load of material for him to parse through fills him.

tim spends the plane ride home carefully choosing out the perfect sperm and gently guiding his egg to it. he carefully makes sure the two fuse perfectly, joining his egg and the material of his lovely donor (who tim has carefully memorized the name and address of for future reference). after all he'll be back in a few years to fuck his brains out for another sweet baby. it's what tim always wanted after all.

tim already knows he's pregnant weeks later but takes a test for his medical records, after all he needs to get started on all the proper vitamins and treatments to make sure his baby is born with the least risk possible. he also needs to inform bruce as quickly as possible so he can be benched. no need for unnecessary stress after all, it would be bad for the baby if tim's levels rose any higher.

news of tim's pregnancy spreads quickly and practically everyone tim has slept with in the last few weeks are stumbling over themselves to try and find out who the father is.

tim supposes he'll let them keep guessing for a few more weeks before their inevitable hovering gets annoying and he shoos them away.

because while tim might have the baby he's wanted for so long, he still needs help satiating his desires. orgasms always help with lowering his stress and the flood of hormones that are to come will, of course, make him too horny to function.

but at least he'll have help with that. afte rall, ever since people found out tim could control whether he got pregnant or not more than a few people showed up on his doorstep, desperate to be able to fuck bare back without any risks.

and tim, well who was he to say no?

#answered asks #asks #anonymous

[actual-changeling]

Do you think Aziraphale has been verbally, emotionally and psychologically abused by Heaven as well?

I will answer this question like one asked in good faith even though my gut is telling me there's a 50/50 chance it is very much not one.

So!

There are two parts to his answer, or rather one question is actually two.

Firstly, we have to talk about whether heaven is abusive, what that abuse looks like, and how it differs from hell.

Secondly, how did the results of question one affect Aziraphale, if it is different from what the other angels in heaven face, and what additional trauma might he have experienced due to being on earth.

I could write a 10k meta post about this and go into the finest detail, but I will just try and stick to the main points for now. It's still going to be way too long because I am so fucking tired of people accusing me of 'hating' Aziraphale or harassing me on my posts or in my inbox.

Is heaven abusive? Yes, and it applies to both heaven as an institution and the Archangels running it.

Getting to know Muriel and what their life looks like was extremely helpful in properly defining this, because they showed us that although the Archangels tend to travel and work as a group, most of the angels are incredibly isolated.

The result is complete emotional neglect, which not only impairs your ability to form and maintain healthy relationships with other people, it also stops your from learning emotional regulation and how to behave and feel as a part of (angelic) society. We see the consequences of that in Muriel, who comes across as overly naive, socially awkward, and out of touch with not just people but themselves.

When your entire life has been shrunk down to what happens inside your own head, suddenly being confronted with having to live outside of your mind is jarring, overwhelming, and foreign.

How do you talk to people when no one ever taught you how to do that? How do you behave around someone after a lifetime of being alone? How do your regulate your responses to their behaviour?

Who are you when there is someone else to perceive you?

Figuring that out is complicated and it takes time, and while most of the angels are only distantly aware of how humans live and what kind of interactions some of the other angels might have, the effects of that neglect stay the same whether they are aware of it or not.

Muriel shows us that angels are not born/made as a blank slate, and neither are humans for that matter. Tabula rasa as a philosophical belief is one thing, but reality is very, very different.

Angels also appear to have the same inherent need for connection, for a caretaker that loves them unconditionally, for someone to help them figure out how to be, and that provides a safe space to make mistakes. Without some or all of that, you grow up into a disregulated, socially awkward if not inept person who does not know how to have relationships or how to properly exist.

It is one of the reasons why autistic people are a) almost always traumatized to some degree and b) do not know how to socialize. No one ever works with our brains, and the resulting neglect is very similar to not receiving any help at all.

If you are now curious what happens if you're both autistic and were completely socially neglected, the result is uh. me. Hi! Not nice, but at least I am very sure I win the award for being my therapist's most fucked up client, so that's something.

Yet the angels are not solely emotionally neglected, the system/household they live in demands a low self-esteem, a lack of individual identity, and complete adherence to a defined ideology and behavioural pattern. In short, you are told how to be a useless, tiny part in a bigger machine, that your only purpose is to succeed at your tasks, and any opportunity for individual development is removed or destroyed.

If you are now once again curious what that might be like, uh, yeah, hi once more. Obviously my childhood was not exactly like an angels life, but the core characteristics were the same, just realized differently. Again, not pretty, really, really fucks you over.

Take that and the neglect, combine it into one person, and then drop them in the Garden of Eden—hello Aziraphale! Crowley got dropped into hell first, experienced more abuse, and then dug his way up into Eden before joining him.

Aziraphale experienced everything Muriel (and Crowley, and every other celestial being) also experienced, with one main difference: He is the one who got away.

We have to remember that out of every single celestial being, Aziraphale got the best deal. He did not fall, he got out of heaven (more or less) permanently, and was then largely left alone.

Does that erase anything I laid out above? No, of course not!

It simply provided him with the opportunity to heal, to take his cPTSD and who knows what other disorders he developed as a result, and start recovering.

Canonically, heaven did not bother him, like, ever, except for the odd note about 'frivolous miracles' or ten minutes of catching up every millennia. They only started monitoring him once they started to suspect he was involved with Crowley and trying to stop the apocalypse from happening.

Aziraphale worked on some things, he got better in many regards, especially with Crowley there to support him, but after six thousand years, many aspects have stayed the same or regressed back to the start over and over.

I will tell you a hard pill to swallow now: If you refuse to acknowledge your issues to instead live in a world of nicer denial and compartmentalization even when you have been offered the chance to change it, that is partly on YOU.

Is it fair? Fuck no! It's not fair at all, and I have had so many breakdowns over that fact. I did not break it, this is not my FAULT so why should I have to fix it all on my own? Why do I have to do the work, not them? How come they get away with it while I am going to have to carry this for the rest of my life?

I still have to do it though. I have to do the work, no matter how uncomfortable and exhausting, because I want to get better.

-

This conversation has so many facets and is a lot more complex, but this is already long enough, so if you have any questions or want to know something specific (while asking politely and in good faith) just send me an ask; I will do my best to answer it.

-

We are now only missing the last part of question 2, and that one is also so fucking complicated reducing it to the main points almost feels wrong, but I will do it anyway. Again, just ask if you have questions.

Abusive households are horrible, and you want to get out and away, but they are also the only thing you know. The world is scary, too big, too open, where did all the rules go that were previously defining your life?

Surviving in an abusive environment means you establish routine after routine after routine for every possible horrible scenario, you write a mental rule book to try and reduce the abuse (don't make them angry, don't cry when they're already shouting, don't do this, don't do that, do x but not y), and THAT is your socialization. THAT is everything you know, everything you are, everything you know relationships to be like.

Once you are away from that, you are completely and utterly lost. Even breathing feels like making a mistake, you feel watched, judged, rated, berated, you have them stuck in your fucking head. So you keep sticking to what you know, your behavioural patterns that have kept you safe your entire life.

The problem is that they kept you safe, past tense. In a healthy environment, all of those coping mechanisms are now maladaptive and harm you instead of keeping you safe.

However, breaking out of them and starting from scratch is terrifying. So, so, so terrifying. I live in constant fear, I feel judged and unsafe in my own flat with the curtains shut and the lights on. I feel like I am about to get subjected to another one of his fits for daring to use the stove.

No matter what you do, your body and brain are SCREAMING at you that diverging from what you know will kill you—and then you have to do it anyway.

Do it alone and afraid and awkwardly but DO IT. Otherwise you will always find a way to recreate the environment you grew up in, whether that is people getting into unhealthy relationships and replicating the patterns they know (which Aziraphale does with Crowley, e.g. the push-pull of his affection) or eventually even returning to it because they ruined you, but a part of you is so, so attached to them you just have to try and change them.

Some people can move on from it without going back, but sometimes you need to try and experience that failure for yourself before being able to move on, and that's where Aziraphale is at.

He needs to try and fail to be capable of finally committing to recovering.

So, to summarize this entire shitshow: Yes, Aziraphale experienced emotional neglect and abuse, and while it is different to what Crowley went through and objectively less intense and physical, it is still just as valid and horrid.

Just because a car accident is objectively worse than falling off a bike doesn't mean the biker's pain is unimportant. Both can kill you, both can hurt you, and both deserve to get their injuries treated.

Questions?

#alex answers asks #alex talks good omens #good omens #good omens meta #aziraphale #crowley #aziraphale meta #good omens season 2 #go2 #aziracrow #crowley x aziraphale #ineffable husbands #ineffable wives #ineffable spouses #ineffable divorce #the final fifteen #heaven is terrible #trauma discussion #long post

[kirbybecomesastarwarrior]

Curious, in this au what is Marx’s role in this story. Is he changed at all or different

I try to incorporate and mix anime & game lore in order (to try) achieve a good mix of both... (but everyone is 10 x emotional & sympathetic...)

So Marx was the last creation of N.M.E and was to be the "pièce de ré·sis·tance," a monster in the guise of a friend. Not just that, but the "perfect friend for Kirby." (Planning to take advantage of Kirby's soft heart and friendly nature.)

Similar to how they used the following monsters (Chill, Galbo, Kirby's Robot-dog, etc.), but he was never finished... the Nightmare's base was destroyed when Kirby & the townsfolk blew up the base.

Marx was just left there all alone... the only thing that survived. But he didn't know what was his purpose. And the minute he's born, all he can see are these soldiers (Star Warriors) hunting him down.

Thankfully, our friendly N.M.E Salesman saves him and tells him all about it, basically his last act of revenge against King Dedede & Kirby. And he honestly feels fulfilling his purpose is what's going to make him feel whole.

He even tells him that it was Kirby and the gang's fault he's left all along up here with no one. His beef wasn't just with Kirby but with everyone in Dreamland (but the anger is mostly towards cappies... they blew up his home).

Marx is pretty central to Kirby's stories and is one of the core reasons why he wants to become a star warrior. He does serve as one of Kirby's most loyal allies and one of Kirby's closest friends.

HEAVY SPOILER WARNING FOR (KNIGHTMARE'S END & KING DEDEDE REMPTION ARC)... Keep reading if you'd like... I'm going to water down everything and skim over some details in this explanation. And there's some art content as well)

(After the events of The Knightmare's End)

After remembering his past with Meta Knight... Kirby wanted more than anything to rekindle his relationship with his long-lost guardian. With Kirby regaining his memories it was easy for him to slip and reestablish the closeness he had with Meta Knight back when he was an infant. (He missed him so much...)

Meta Knight (on his part) was determined to make up for all the lost time, teach him everything he knew, and eager to reconnect with his boy after all those wretched years alone. He was ready to give him the world... (Basically, he spoiled him rotten for a while! XD)

Being under Meta Knight's tutelage, Kirby began to mature properly, even learning how to talk... but he taught him in a way that made him excited to learn. With each lesson, he'd weave tales from his past... which allowed Kirby to learn more about Team Halberd (their family). He'd even invite Knuckle Joe & Sircia for lessons & sparring so they could learn about their parents.

For Meta Knight, spending time with Kirby managed to heal the wounds around his heart. As for Kirby, he felt like this was what he had been missing all this life (a parental figure), someone who could always be there for him & love him no matter what. The bond they shared made each other feel less lonely, and it was one in which they helped each other grow.

But unknowingly this had consequences...

With Meta Knight reclaiming as Kirby's guardian leaves Fumu in this status of limbo. Fumu basically got everything she wanted... being free of the burden she was as the keeper of the warpstar. But she didn't know how drastically his relationship with Kirby would change.

Fumu still doesn't know Kirby overheard what she said... he just doesn't want to trouble her anymore (like she wanted). The events of the whole anime series took a toll on Kirby. (Namely, with the cappies wanting to kick him out.) He found himself staying away from town.

While everyone in Cappy town tried to make it up to Kirby... and forgave them. He never really trusted them or allowed them to get close to him like they used to. Fumu sees this and tries to remedy the situation, which backfires terribly. (Is the same thing similar to the "Kirby Takes the Cake,"- episode where he runs away.)

Fumu: Kirby this is your home, everyone lo-

Kirby: Then why doesn't it feel like home-

Fumu: Kirby but why-

Kirby: Poyo... going to Meta Knight's...

This was the moment when she realized just out of touch she was with Kirby. Bun could only watch this trainwreck... and couldn't help but be upset with Kirby turning down all his sister's party. Causing a rift between the friends. (They still didn't get it Fumu & Bun.)

This divide is made even further with the (redemption arc) of King Dedede. (Events involving Dark Matter)

Kirby forgives Dedede and now considers him a friend!? This leaves Fumu & Bun desperate to convenience him otherwise... believing him to be too trusting & too naive... But who should come to back Kirby on his decision is none other than Meta Knight!

Kirby: But he means you don't see what I-

Fumu: He's tricking you, Kirby! Like he always does...

Bun: Yeah, how many times has he pulled this "turned over a new leaf junk" on everyone!

KD: It's fine kiddo... I won't stay where I'm not wanted I'll-

Kirby: Poyo, (sees KD visually uncomfortable) but Dedede...

Fumu: Meta Knight, aren't you going to do something, stop-

Meta Knight: I stand by my pupil's decision... This is Kirby's choice... I trust him... do not overstep your boundaries, both of you!

Resulting in Kirby spending more time with Dedede & MK than with them (helping the king to better himself). The siblings want nothing to do with Dedede's betterment. Bun & Fumu... they can't help but resent Dedede but this also minimizes the time their time with Kirby.

It bothers them how increasingly chummy he's they've been getting with King Dedede. (There's also a little incident that Kirby & Meta Knight swore to keep secret for KD's sake that they two don't know about... which would have probably made them more sympathetic to King Deded, it just wasn't their (Kirby & MK) story to tell...)

In truth, Marx didn't have to do that much... he just had to expose Fumu & Bun's deepest insecurities about their friendships. With Bun being the main chess piece in it all.

(Marx's arc takes place after "Kirby and the Crystal Shards" )This is Kirby's first major adventure... without them.

Fumu bottles up her feelings... but Bun is furious and extremely jealous of King Dedede: it almost feels like they've both been replaced with the guy who tried to get rid of him before.

Causing tension from the once-knit, tight group of friends (Fumu & Bun). And the dynamic of the trio has been altered... causing the cracks in their relationship undeniable... And who should take advantage of these cracks... Marx.

Marx's major role in this arc serves to expose the cracks in the friendships he has with Fumu & Bun. And show how a pile of little problems can destroy a once-strong friend.

So, without going into detail...: Marx manages to manipulate the heck out of Bun & the other kids (the group he hangs out with in the anime) to bully Kirby, leading to the kids pranking and almost killing King Dedede.

Bun receives the brunt of the punishment and reveals his jealousy and anger at Kirby, leaving him and Fumu behind (especially after the Ripple Star saga).

This leads to Kirby calling Bun a horrible friend, resulting in "Empathic touch" being accidentally used. Bun & the kid gang are forced to see and feel what they've been doing to Kirby... even before the incident. All the times they made him feel small, left out, stupid, and different...

It's finally to revealed Fumu that Kirby heard her rant about "How she never wanted to look after Kirby..."

Everything all clicks to her now and she starts to apologize profusely. But it's far too late for that... because to Kirby... Fumu's actions lately (Marx also manipulated her into ignoring Kirby) prove it otherwise.

And they (Bun & the kid gang) feel awful (AS THEY RIGHTFULLY SHOULD!) And META KNIGHT IS ABSOLUTELY LIVID, no longer trusts Bun, and says, "I'm utterly disappointed in you..." And doesn't want him and those "gutter children" (Meta Knight) near Kirby... again...

But he (MK) apologizes to Fumu... "I'm sorry Fumu... I should have never got you involved... I will try better not to..."

Fumu: Not that's not what I wanted, Kirby- *reaches out to him*

Kirby pulled away from her, disheartened... Meta Knight trying his best to comfort Kirby... with Dedede carrying him in his arms... they both bring the poor baby home.

Marx relishes this! During this incident managed to paint himself as an absolute saint... (being the one who told MK of the bullying, warning Kirby about the car, etc.) while Bun was the evil mastermind (when in reality it was Marx).

While Marx may have been the main puppeteer, these were issues that were already beneath the surface... Marx just dug them up. (This is why this friend problem is carried into the next 2 arcs... okay back to Marx...)

Taking full advantage of Kirby's low state and doing his job as the perfect friend. And he actually manages to cheer him up! He plays with Kirby and listens to his problems (slowly accidentally gets attached and realizes how alike they are and... NONONO! Marx you've got a job to do!) But the more he spent time with Kirby the more his inner guilt grew...

A few weeks later, the game plot begins with a bit of a change.

Meta Knight is still suspicious of Marx... so rather than letting Kirby go alone to collect the stars, he goes with him (plus he's too young to travel alone.) Basically, Meta Knightmare Ultra & Kirby Milky Way Wishes combined. In short, the trip ends up being a fun father-son trip... just with them having to stop the Sun and the Moon from fighting at the end.

Meta Knight takes this as an opportunity to have him unpack the situation with Fumu & Bun. However, he doesn't give him the false hope that everything will be patched up instantly... it's going to take time and effort. And friends just sometimes (unintentionally) drift apart... especially when you're growing up... they change.

Meta Knight then reveals that he had a friend like that too and they ended up drifting apart as well... but it ended terribly (Galacta Knight). They collect all the stars (yada, yada, yada) same plot line happened, "Marx Villain reveal" but with a little twist.

When it comes time to make the wish... Nova attempts to grant the wish, but they cannot grant the wish. They tried multiple times as a result of this happened:

Nova: Are you sure this is what you want?!

Marx: OF COURSE THIS IS MY PURPOSE! MY DESTINY GRANT MY DANG WISH ALREADY YOU DAM-

Nova: That's not what you want... You don't really want this...

Marx: What are you...

Meta Knight takes this as the opportunity to fly into Nova... Basically, it was Meta Knight the one to destroy the Nova Clockwork, instead of Kirby on the Starship.

While Kirby takes on Marx... he tries to talk to Marx, but he's not having it... This is where Marx's Soul kicks in as he rages on all the while tears, are leaking from his eyes. Blaming Kirby for his failures, claiming he must have done something.

Marx constantly angrily asks, "WHAT DID YOU DO TO ME!," "WHAT DID YOU DO TO ME! YOU AND YOU'RE STUPID CAPPIES ARE THE REASON I'M ALONE IN THIS WORLD! YOU DESTROYED MY HOME AND RUINED MY LIFE I HAVE NO ONE! I HAD A DESTINY! I HAD A PURPOSE, AND YOU! I WAS CREATED TO WRECK HAVC! ... so ...WHY... Why... *begins to cry* I'm supposed to hate- You and your stupid friendship... why do I feel-*

Then Kirby hits him with an "empathic touch," which shows pretty much a montage of Marx and Kirby's moments together. He pretty much shows that "he was enjoying his time with Kirby...", and "he does care for Kirby..." (Oh no did he actually want to be friends with Kirby- This wasn't so supposed to happen!?)

Kirby understands it all: feeling lost, trying hard to fit in, finding your place in the world. What happened to him after the destruction of Nightmare's base. (how he was abused by a certain someone) Kirby just felt so sorry for Marx and was oozing with empathy for him.

Kirby: It's okay Marx I forgive y-

Marx: DON'T... Don't I... I don't deserve- AAARGH!

Due to Kirby's "empathic touch," he was able to also feel how much the friendship meant to Kirby. Marx can't help but he failed on both ends... he couldn't do what he was made for and he may have just lost his first and only friend...

And just before Kirby has a chance to forgive Marx: he flees anger at himself for everything he's done. He doesn't want Kirby's forgiveness (he doesn't deserve it...), leaving behind his balancing-ball.

Marx does make a wish, however... but it's not what you think...

Once destroying the Nova Clockwork Meta Knight, rushes to console his Kirby.

Meta Knight: Kirby, are you alright-

Kirby: If had just one person in his life... maybe he wouldn't have... he could've been my friend- poyo~*starts crying* I can't hate him, I just can't... ARE ALL MY FRIENDSHIPS GOING TO AMOUNT TO THIS IN THE END... LIKE THIS!?

Meta Knight: Oh my poor boy you've been through so much-

Kirby: Am I dumb, hoping he'll come back as my friend... IT DOESN'T MAKE ANY SENSE!?

Meta Knight: It doesn't have to... *hugs him* this friendship meant a lot to you... it helped you through a tough time * Think back on his friendship with Galacta, although it hurt him in the end, he was grateful for the good it did* it made you less lonely I think that part's worth cherishing... and I don't think you're dumb...

Kirby: Huh?

Meta Knight: After the war, I kept seeing the worst in everything... expecting the worst... to stop me from-... but it blinded me from the good as well (he's referring to Kirby) and... I fell into despair. *pats his head* I'm sorry to say this probably won't be the last something like this will happen, but...

*wipes tears with his cape*

Meta Knight says something that resonates with Kirby... and it's something he carries even to this day.

Meta Knight: So keep your eyes open and beware of the bad in the world... but also *takes Marx's ball and gives it to Kirby* hold on... hold on to the good as well... you don't have to look, just know that it's there... it'll keep you from falling...

For a while, Marx wonders galaxy... I'm not gonna reveal what he does just yet, but... the path he takes leads him back to Kirby.

One thing leads to another, and Kirby gets saved... BY MARX?! Marx tries to flee after saying Kirby, but he gets gravely injured... which forces him to have to stay put. Well, he tries to escape and is literally a feral cat the whole time. He just feels too darn guilty still about everything about Nova's Wish... and doesn't believe Kirby actually forgives him.

So, as a compromise, they let him recover in Halcandra. They cash in a favor from Magolor. Marx gets to know Magolor and basically talks about his story with Kirby. (Literally, Mags just redeemed himself recently...) This interaction makes him feel a little better... but he's still a little anxious that is until Kirby shows him his ball...

I really love Marx's story arc... I hope I didn't spoil too much there are a few secrets still hidden, but like I said this is a very watered-down version of everything hope you stick around for the full story!

Look forward to it!

#kirby #kbasw #kirby marx #meta knight #metadad #king dedede #galacta knight #krbay #kirby right back at ya #hoshi no kaabii #kirby anime #fumu kirby #kirby bun #kirby tiff #kirby fanfic #kirby tuff #magolor

[jojo-schmo]

what are your personal favorite headcanons for meta knight?

Boy, oh BOY am I glad you asked!! You have unleashed me!!

First of all, I am very much Team White-Eyed Meta!!! (And his pretty pink cheeks!!!!!) -slams my drawing from last year on the table as exhibit A-

I respect everyone on Team Yellow-Eyed Meta since that's what is technically canon. But I just think drawing white eyes is so fun and pretty to look at... My first Kirby game was Squeak Squad and I was so mesmerized by his pretty white eyes when they were revealed for that split second! I'd replay that boss fight a bunch as a kid just to see them.

So yeah, I have the power to be in denial about a few facts for my own amusement and that's one of them. Draw and consume the content that makes you happiest, friends!! :P

About his backstory and origins, I don't have any solid headcanons of my own since I really like seeing other people's takes on it! Being Dark Matter-born, made by Nightmare, blending anime and game lore together, etc. There's so much I enjoy! His mysterious past can be frustratingly open-ended but at least it's given a lot of people the opportunity to be super creative!

I do like to think he gets more enjoyment out of a good, honest battle than he likes to let on. I mean, it's what he's best at! He fights for fun! An entire arena was built for him in Waddle Dee Town!

...So speaking of fighting, I've been doing some thinking about his powers... Like a lot of thinking. This is what I really wanna talk about!!

He's got some good old-fashioned, hard-earned skill with a sword. Probably from years of training. But his more powerful attacks use a lot of wind and electricity. That's why I think Meta Knight has the power of Storms.

Some examples of his use of wind:

One of his signature moves is Mach Tornado, after all!

Now, the bat effect to his spin in RtDL Deluxe kinda puzzles me. It just looks cooler I guess. This is a dude who put his face on his airship so why not have tiny bat particles come from your signature moves? Could just be a natural evolution of his power growing stronger, teehee.

Anyway, here are some examples of his use of electricity: (This man has a LOT of electric effects in his attacks!)

So much electricity!! Zappo! Bzzzzt!

And as a bonus, when Meta unsheathes Galaxia in the anime it materializes from lightning. THAT IS DOPE AS HELL. I don't personally subscribe to much of the anime lore, but I eat this detail UP.

Next, I used to think Meta had telekinesis because of Star Allies. All that purple aura when he lifts the rocks seems like solid evidence.

But then he does the same move in Forgotten Land and he's actually lifting the rocks with wind!! And a lot of it!! So his mastery of wind is significant to me! Probably helps him fly better too! I think his use of wind could certainly give his opponents the impression that he has telekinesis and psych them out a bit!

Finally, I used to think his duplication move was because of the Jamba Heart in Star Allies but I realized he does this in the Kirby Mass Attack mini game (whose canonicity is probably up for debate, but hey.) I'm willing to hear someone else out for an explanation because I'm stumped! Lol :P

....So yeah!! TLDR I think he is a swordsman with the power of Storms!

I'm interested to see other people's takes on him, this is just what I've made up for myself, haha! Either way, I love Meta Knight and he is super cool!! Thanks for reading!!

#headcanon #meta knight #ask #Kirby series

[aleksanderscult]

Analyzing "Demon in the Wood" (book) - Part 5

(Part 1, part 2, part 3 and part 4)

(TW: self-harm!, suicide!)

Did you think I had forgotten about this meta?

ABSOLUTELY NOT

I was just dealing with a small health issue and before that I didn't have the motivation.

But now my meta-analyzing-self has returned with the fifth and last part of the book.

This is the passage from the book that actually made me think "What if Aleksander himself started sleeping less and less as an adult?". He "adopted" so many things from Baghra. It's possible that he did this too. Sleeping very few hours at night and always ready to leap at the first sign of danger.

Also, not Eryk not wanting to get smacked from his mom if she catches him. 😭

“It’s not enough.” His voice made me jump. The Darkling emerged from the shadows onto the lamplit path.

He really can startle people with his silent movements.

And the fact that he has been trained by hunters!

So he has learned from hunters, seers, Kings, Saints. Through all these four hundred years he gained an enormous amount of knowledge. (I would honestly sit and listen to his experiences for free)

HE'S TOO CUTE I JUST--

He really preferred to get interrogated by his mother for his wet clothes than get naked in front of a girl. 😭🫶

We went from this "He felt too shy to remove everything."

To this "His hand slid down to my hip. I felt a little trill of panic as my skirt slid higher and his fingers closed on my bare thigh."

They grow up so fast. 🥹🥹

It's that beautiful realization that he acts like a kid that makes me happy. All giggling and smiling while playing and swimming. This is the life he was supposed to live and he knows it.

He's so happy and hopeful that he starts making plans! 😭

He just wants to stay somewhere.

The Darkling never hated the otkazat'sya. It wasn't hate he felt but (overtime) he just only came to know their nature.

Eryk really liked Sylvi and thought her a good company to have her around.

He was aware of the way men looked at his mother.

I'm sorry but I find this line kind of awkward. It may only be just me. But little Aleksander seeing men giving lustful looks to Baghra is a little awkward. Like, man, not in front of her son. 😭

It was one more weapon in her arsenal.

Actually an anon once sent me an ask saying that the Darkling was promiscuous on his earlier days out of his need for touch and to gain information.

At that time I said that I doubted it since he had other means to gain information (through his spies, his natural charisma etc.) but @stromuprisahat discussed this in the comments and now I agree with her that Aleksander would sleep with someone to gain information. And, in the end, it was this line that fully convinced me. Just like I've said previously, Aleksander mimics his mother in almost everything. He just copies her behavior and patterns. And that's one more pattern that he must have copied. If he didn't have any other choice and was desperate (also it would depend on the person he had in front of him) Aleksander would go in "flirt mode" to get what he wants. Seduction was one weapon out of the hundreds in his arsenal, ready to be used if necessary.

Well hello socially awkward Aleksander.

That might be my hot take for him I think. Aleksander Morozova was actually socially awkward in sensitive matters (this moment right here, revealing to Ulla that they're siblings, his first kiss with Alina).

He was never raised in a stable home, never had healthy friendships and was raised by his mother very strictly and to value power over love. So whatever compassion he had as a person, he had it out of his own character. He was born with it and not nurtured to feel it or have it.

He doesn't know if this question about her mother is appropriate because he normally doesn't have conversations with peers and hasn't learned to.

It's a very sad but true fact about his character.

Eryk: "Thanks mom for nothing I guess".

I don't think people realize how cut off Aleksander was from literally everyone. And it was Baghra that cut him off. Not one single word about his father like she created him by herself or something.

(Now I also remembered how Alina was the only other person Aleksander could bond and be with since she was immortal too but Baghra took that from him as well. That woman really said "You'll have no one but me")

now I'm angry

He really really tries.

I've analyzed this moment a bit here but basically Aleksander was very awkward with others showing a vulnerable side. He isn't used to being close with others since he constantly travels, so here he does his best to comfort Annika as she lays bare her thoughts and feelings. He wants to let her know that her father didn't fail but did his best to protect his remaining family.

Hell nah!! 😭😭

Not my boy being protective over his new friend 😭😭

He only knows her for a few hours and he feels already close to her.

This shatters my heart because he doesn't want to believe the truth. He doesn't want to face it in the beginning. He's like "Oh. Maybe we're playing". He doesn't want to know that his friend has turned against him.

*tears up*

Can you hear me crying in the background? 🙂

He was so ready to protect her against a boy taller and stronger than him. Because they're friends. Friends are supposed to stick together.

*I'm ready to cry*

He's still in denial. 😭

And seeing the difference between this young Aleksander to his older version. The young one being naive, innocent and weak because he lets his emotions get the better of him. While the older one never begged for anything (at least directly), shed that side of him and still died because he still wanted things.

THE STRATEGIC BABY GRISHA IS HERE!!

He cleared his head and started thinking of ways to get out. And what better way of escaping than making Annika and Lev fight each other?

I personally think he said that line for two reasons:

He wanted Lev to know what he is in order to make him come over, break the ice and even stop Annika so he could buy himself some time and escape.

It's very interesting that he said "you won't be able to push her or her sister around anymore". He could have said "When Annika wears my bone she'll be more powerful than you" but he brought up Annika's vulnerable position and that shows that he understands why Annika does this.

But still he won't sit and let her finish the job.

His determination is the one quality that admire in him the most.

Take this moment for example. Someone just hit his head with a rock and he focuses on staying awake and alive. He doesn't allow his own body to take him down.

And here the same thing happens:

He's ready to vomit and pass out but he just forces his body to do more, to escape and survive. He never lets anything deter him from what he wants. And apparently it was Baghra that made him this way too:

She nurtured his strong will and over the years he became a driven, focused and determined person. And it were these qualities that kept him alive all those centuries.

When Alina left him behind on the Fold he survived and kept going.

When Sturmhond left him with a broken ship, a wounded arm and in the middle of nowhere, he survived and kept going.

When Alina betrayed him and brought a building down on his face, he survived, took the throne and rose again.

When his mother committed suicide, he cleared his head and continued his war.

When he came back from the dead, he still continued the march towards his ambition.

Literally nothing could stop him. Even "when he wasn't so sure he wanted to go on" he put his one foot in front of the other and set his eyes towards his dream. Whether that was to provide the Grisha a safe home, or the Ravkans a safe country or himself a companion to have. Or all of it together.

It was enough to make him less a boy than a prize.

A sad existence to live. Especially in your childhood. Your own people seeing you as a trophy to have, to wear and use than a human with a life of his own.

He revealed his gift to Annika when he showed kindness to her and now he pays the price.

His relationship with his mother is one of the most (if not the most) pivotal aspects of his character. Her words and teachings have been implanted deep inside him and can hear her often in his mind (just like he did in RoW).

Did he also hear her voice whenever he was close to dying in his adulthood?

He lashed out of fury, desperation and sadness for everything that happened that day. Just when he thought he had it all, fate came and took them out of his hands along with his hope.

Let me make a mark on this world before I leave it.

He succeeded in that. The Little Palace is the greatest proof and people talked about him long after he was gone (and they'll continue to do so).

As a child he saw how Grisha came and went from this world without "touching" anything. He didn't want the same thing to happen to him. He wanted to make something.

(Also the fact that he dropped that iconic, serious line at the age of thirteen. The Darkling at thirteen "I want to make something grand before I die". Me at thirteen: *watching Shakira clips and failing school like nobody's business* 😭😭)

I don't think most of us understand that Aleksander literally self-harmed himself to survive and save his mother's life as well. Used his own power against him to make sure that they won't be burned alive for what he did.

For the Ulle to be so sure that nothing would happen at their camp makes me think that they were being established successfully there for a long time. But that surety and protection faded because of his own people who are so desperate to gain power in order to survive. It's not a matter of selfishness. I don't see it that way. But it's a matter of survival especially since the Grisha are a group of persecuted people that are hunted down for their powers, feared and shunned.

Whether you believe it or not, I've seen people say that Aleksander didn't regret the fact that he was responsible for the burning of that village.

*screaming in frustration*

So. I'll repeat that it wasn't an act of selfishness but a matter of survival. It's not a black and white situation. If Aleksander had said the truth he would be executed alongside his mother for what he did. And the other Grisha wouldn't hesitate to do it since they already feared Baghra. And what people fear, they destroy.

Aleksander opted to cut his leg deep with his own powers, lose unconsciousness and tell a fake story to save his mother and leave from that settlement in one piece. But he didn't take pleasure from it. He wasn't glad when Lev and Annika died and felt sorry for their parents and their reaction. And now he feels sorry for the burning of the village. He knew they were innocent and he supposed they were going to interrogate them or something. But kill all of them? That he neither expected or wanted.

Look. I think Baghra loved her son. But let's be honest. If he wasn't so powerful, if he wasn't immortal he would cast him away the same way she did with his siblings. Sooo....yeah. It's a toxic kind of love. She loves him for what he can offer her (companionship mostly) so it's not an unconditional love. She mostly wanted to keep him safe because, if he died, she would be left with no one.

Bardugo in a podcast called her "a horrible, horrible mother" and she is. But I still find her a fascinating character that I can't get enough of for some reason. I don't like her but I find her interesting.

Honestly, me neither. Annika was not my favorite character in this story but I don't hate her for trying to kill him. She wanted to protect her family and their position in the camp. It's a bleak world for the Grisha and they have to "eat" each other to survive.

Aleksander really said: "I will make my people matter. I'll make them touch this world and make themselves known. We will be seen".

All the Grisha characters that were trained in the Little Palace owe their reputation to the Darkling. Alina would never know who she was and, even if she did, she would waste because she would be unable to use her powers without someone to guide her. Zoya would never achieve that reputation.

Grisha would just continue to live in caves and hidden establishments. Afraid to go out and show their powers to strangers.

By S&B the Grisha were still despised but there was a minority that held them in awe. But that did nothing to change the situation. Now they are seen but used by the Crown. It was the only place they could have in the kingdom.

It rose from the trees surrounding it like something carved from an enchanted forest, a cluster of dark wood walls and golden domes. As we drew closer, I saw that every inch of it was covered in intricate carvings of birds and flowers, twisting vines, and magical beasts.

“Welcome to the Little Palace,” said the Darkling.

He did it. The crazy son of a bitch did it. 🥹🥹

He managed to create a safe home for them. Made sure for them to be surrounded by other people like them, sitting in front of a warm hearth, in unity not in conflict with each other. Somewhere to rest their heads under the gorgeous carvings of vines and birds. A place to practice their powers freely and eat luxuriously. Somewhere to come back to, like all of us do when we want to go home. Somewhere to belong and somewhere to stay.

(fuck you Tolya for what you said in that duology. Fuck you and everyone who talks shit about Aleksander's greatest accomplishment)

That was the end of the book and I absolutely loved that story. I need 20 more novellas like this from the perspective of the Darkling from his earlier adventures. I'll analyze the Graphic Novel next.

#I've missed analyzing SO MUCH #anyway hope you enjoyed this part #the darkling #pro darkling #aleksander morozova #pro aleksander morozova #demon in the wood #demon in the wood meta #meta #shadow and bone #grishaverse #baghra morozova #annika

[tomatocages]

sdgjkal idk if this is the type of meta you'd want to write but I admire so much how knowledgeable you are about GROWING STUFF and about BAKING and I love the fandom's penchant for giving Shiro post-war hobbies to keep the PTSD goblins at bay so like, aside from strictly building headcanon situations i would love to hear your thoughts on his hobbies as META, like, thematically speaking, what will heal, how does he approach it, how does it relate to creativity and growth !!!!!!!!!!

I have been ruminating on this a lot and I hope my answer is something that actually answers your question! it's at the very least the start of a conversation. I give Shiro the same hobbies that I have, in many ways - fiber arts and baking and gardening - because these are the things that I use to hold on to living in a physical world, sometimes by the skin of my teeth. by my fingernails. It's hard to have a body and to be a person, and I always have the haunting sense that Shiro struggles with that in the wake of the war: in the wake of being a prisoner, who had to fight to survive; in the wake of having died and been caught inside the astral plane, becoming a ghost to himself and to others. I don't actually relate to Shiro very much, which is funny because in many ways I think I have a similar approach to responsibility that his character demonstrates (slightly resentful, but determined to do as good a job as he can, given the circumstances, even if that job is sometimes done poorly). The reason I grow a garden, or knit, or bake croissants, is because going through the motions is ultimately convincing to me. I am convinced that this action holds weight. The hat I knit for someone is a commitment I have made to keep them warm, the quilt I sewed when my nephew was born as a way of saying that I wanted to welcome him into a world that was more terrifying than not. These things take the burden of living off my shoulders and grant me some small measure of satisfaction, and I hope that in my writing I'm able to convey that Shiro is open to and deserving of this kind of satisfaction. That he is willing to put in the work that will help him survive and thrive. It's not a sense of ambition, exactly - I get the sense that pre-Kerberos, Shiro was very ambitious and somewhat idealistic - but it's a a kind of hope that has to be held in gritted teeth. Sometimes those teeth are gritted in a smile, sometimes not. But it's the process that matters. It's notable too that even if these hobbies are considered creative, they still have a quality of repetition and practicality; it's following a pattern. Directions for being a human person. Soup is either very creative or very boring, but either way, you'll be fed. Part of this too is my resentful, core belief that I am here on this earth and I should help other people while I walk up and down in it! And sometimes the only way to do that is to make someone dinner. I think that having some small kind of saving-the-world task to fall back on, after being a DEFENDER OF THE UNIVERSE, after being a champion of a gladiatorial arena, after being a star student in a quasi-military space program, would be a relief. Domestic work feels meaningful to me because it is the scaffolding of everyday life. (I'm not going to go into the religious baggage that I have from my upbringing here because it is too much, but I think these things are important even though for many years I was told domestic labor was the only gift I had to offer. And it was not a gift I wanted to give.) Still. There's something comforting about making something new out of very insignificant parts. I want that little bit of comfort to be present in Shiro's postwar hobbies, because I want all of the paladins to have that mundane experience of grace. Of waking up and getting on with things, not because the universe is at war, but because -- I don't know. You love someone so you're going to knit them a hat. And they're alive to wear it.

#meta #takashi shirogane #writing asks

[starrypeeps-headcanons]

Headcanon assortment (pt. 3) Shorties editon

-Magolor is very conscious about his age and his looks. With that being said, please, DO NOT call him "old", he will get very much angry.

-Galacta's hair is just superb, wavy, voluminous and just perfect. Of course, touch it and you'll die.

-Zan's nose is pretty ugly. It wasn't like this before though, in one fight with Francisca, she punched Zan in the face and broke her nose.

-Is hard to make Taranza mad, he really has the patience of a saint, but if you manage to make him angry you fucked up big time.

-When in certain mood, Zero Two can and will fight nearly everything and has even attacked his own kind.

-After being liberated from Forgo's possession, Elfilin was really never the same again, and fell depressed for a while.

-Gooey (therefore Blob), like any other member of the Dark Matter race, reacts negatively when in contact with light based objects. Although not as drastic as the other members of the family.

-Instead of not being able to feel (positive) emotions, the Dark Matter community values stoicism and emotionless-ness above everything else. Showing excessive emotion is frowned upon. For them is usually easy, save from some exceptions.

-Magolor has a replica of the master crown and whenever he's feeling cheeky or if someone pisses him off, he threatens the person by putting the crown on.

-Shadow Kirby can use copy abilities but doesn't like to (more like he's too lazy to) so he sticks to a sword.

-Iron Mam is a waddle dee, she just wanted to be ridiculously strong.

-...And Bandana Dee is a huge fanboy of her.

-The souls that DO get a second chance of living, get a new body identical to the previous one but with the scars of their respective deaths previous to their rebirths and no post mortem memories.

-Francisca lost sensitivity in some parts of her body due to frostbite.

-Fairies are born from a huge flower. A flower basically appears on the royal garden, over the time it grows and grows until it blossoms. And there you go: A fairy.

-I said this in a separate post but Meta Knight listens to a lot of old spanish music (Camilo, Mecano, Mocedades, Serrat, Leo Dan, etc.) more or less what your mom, auntie or even grandma listened to.

-Dark Mind is pretty vain and is always checking on himself to look for any cracks around his body to erase.

-Meta Knight is actually extensively trained in hand-to-hand combat (like all GSA members) he just would rather use his sword because he feels he's not as good (nor strong) at it.

-Marx is the very definition of a jock, he's very athletic and strong too. From all the sports he plays, he seems to excel at gymnastics.

-Another odd friendship that came to light during Star Allies was between Flamberge and Taranza. Their personalities are widely different but they still manage to get along nicely.

-Void Termina has a very wide vocal range, maybe not in his voice (which is low and booming) but the noises he makes, from growling like a bear to sound like a shoebill stork or chirping like a bird.

-In Dreamland there are three kingdoms: The Cave Kingdom, Dreamland Kingdom and the Heaven kingdom.

#the dark mind hc is not mine is from another person but i adopted it don't worry i did tell them about it #admin talks #headcanon #magolor #galacta knight #zan partizanne #Taranza #kirby zero two #elfilin #kirby gooey #dark matter #shadow kirby #kirby iron mam #bandana waddle dee #kirby francisca #ripple fairy species #meta knight #dark mind #kirby marx #flamberge kirby #void termina #tw: violence

[candlecoo]

In the Aspirations of Earth au, are people with quirks ever born in the martian colony? Since quirkless people can be born into a family where both parents have quirks, would it he safe to assume the opposite can happen? And what happens if there is a baby with a quirk?

So yeah a "Quirked" person can be born in the quirkless interstellar community but it's very rare, less than 50 people have been born "Quirked" in the almost 500 years since they departed Earth.

Plus they don't use the term quirk or meta ability anymore. Those with powers are labels "specialized" since more often than not they will go into specialized fields that relate to their abilities.

So like if someone was specialized to make plants grow no matter the environment, they would most likely have a career in terraforming planets.

These abilities basically just narrows down the career possibilities in the future.

#aspirations of earth au #candle answers #ask the candle #bnha au #bnha #bnha headcannons

[humanveil]

sorry i’m not done i just keep thinking of olivia growing up with that persistent, unshakable doubt that she’s not loved, not really, and how that feeling is born, at least in part, from the fear that she’s inherited some sort of sickness, and how that fear and that feeling is what shapes the trajectory of her life. it affects everything. it’s the reason she ends up at svu and by virtue of that, the reason she meets elliot. it's what leads her to this man that will crawl under her skin and make a home for himself in the very core of her being. this man that knows her! that sees her! that gets her! and then loves her unconditionally, in a way she’s never been loved before. this man who takes everything about her as it is and rolls with it – who loves her not in spite of it all but because of it. this man who looks after her and who does his best to show her that there’s no weight to those lingering doubts that have haunted her her whole life. this man who she'll grow to love back just as much.

everyone loves to talk about liv’s growth in the post-elliot years but the fact of the matter is that it’s elliot’s acceptance and support and stubborn, steadfast belief in her that helps her get over that first hurdle and start the journey of self-acceptance, without which a lot of the later developments could never have happened organically. i remember in april last year there was an article or interview where mariska said that elliot was the love of olivia’s life but then followed it by saying he was the “only man she ever trusted”, and it was the second part that truly knocked me on my ass because, like. so much of why liv’s feelings for elliot are as intense as they are can be distilled down to that sentiment. she’s never let anyone in the same way she let elliot in and she never will; she doesn’t trust anyone else enough to, even if she’s come close. like they really nailed it with that brian quote. she was never going to bare her soul to him and it is, at least in part, because of the way her relationship with elliot has (canonically!) shaped her ability to be intimate with people. (and there is something to be said here about how the way he left + how he fractured that trust affects all of this as well, but i’ve already written thousands of words of fic and meta on that, so i’m not getting into it here.)

what i mean is like. it’s no wonder he left such a big hole in her life when he vanished. she’s got all this love for him that’s intrinsically tied to her own self-image and there’s no way she can let it go. there’s no where she can put it. it’s why i think liv’s defensiveness when it comes to elliot always hits so hard for me. it’s like she takes (sometimes very valid) criticism of him as a personal affront, even if the criticism has nothing to do with her, and i mean. i get it. how can she explain to someone that it’s not just that elliot was her partner, it’s not just that they were best friends, it’s not even that they were ‘like a married couple’, it’s that for thirteen years they were quite literally two halves of the same whole. how do you explain that by the end of it everything was all so messy and intertwined and complicated and (disgustingly, gloriously) co-dependent that sometimes it was hard to discern where one person ended and the other one began?

#listen im just saying shit but also i've gone insane for real #don't even get me started on how liv shaped elliot's relationships in the exact same way it's just that bc of his circumstances #it manifested differently. #not that differently tho tbh. the man did literally have to move an ocean away just so there'd be a chance he'd be happy with his wife. lol #otp: it will always be you and i #terminal svu brainrot #sorry i know i have an eo acc for this but it's got so many followers now that posting stream of consciousness ramble-y meta that i've #written at 1am feels like poking a hornets nest. #it's okay to reblog tho #bensler

[spellwrites]

Imogen does not kill.

(Part 2 of 2)

(Part 1) For three years, this works well enough, and she thinks just maybe she can make it out of this war with her soul intact. Then comes the Battle of Hogwarts.

The Battle of Hogwarts is the first (and last) real, true battle in the war. Imogen is used to duels or skirmishes between small groups, but this is utter chaos. She's never fought like this before, and though she adapts quickly – because the only other option is death – it's overwhelming. She can barely keep up.

And her policy of incapacitating her enemies falls apart in the worst way.

Many of the Slytherin students, rather than flee as they were ordered, went to call on backup for either side before returning to fight. And a good deal of that backup, by virtue of the students' family connections, ended up coming from Imogen's spy network of disillusioned pure-bloods.

During the battle, Imogen ends up commanding a loose coalition of these spies and students – all with connections to the Death Eaters themselves – simply because she knows them, trusts them, and they trust her. These are her people, her responsibility, and when they're attacked –

It turns out, when it's to protect the people she cares about, she doesn't hesitate to kill.

Just like coming so close to becoming a killer all those years ago triggered her moral realignment, killing this Death Eater now... it's like a levy breaking. He's the first, but he's far from the last Death Eater she kills that day.

Most of them, she doesn't even know their names, but that first one she makes sure to find out:

Matthew Higgins.

His friends called him Matty. He liked fine whiskey, and chess, and the Wigtown Wanderers. He was a Death Eater, and he had to die – it was either him or them, and Imogen doesn't regret her actions – but underneath his hood, he was also a person. Just like her mother and father.

Matty had a wife and three children. The youngest is just three years old, a little boy. The oldest is a girl of eleven years named Erin.

Soon, Erin will start her first year at Hogwarts. She'll have to spend the next seven years of her life – studying, socializing, living – in the same building where her father was killed just a few months before she arrived.

When Imogen has a bit too much to drink and spends the nights staring into an empty bottle, frequently her thoughts turn to Erin. She wonders if, in eight years' time, it'll be her on the ground staring down the shaft of a vengeful girl's wand. She wonders if Erin will lower hers. She wonders if Matty knew her father. She wonders if Lupin ever stayed up staring into an empty bottle wondering about Cygnus Selwyn's daughter. (From what she learned of him during her time in the Order, she thinks maybe he did.)

It's funny, really. She has to acknowledge that much, if only because the only other option is to climb into that bottle and never come out.

#alcohol tw #the world isn't split into good people and death eaters ( headcanon ) #it matters not what someone is born but what they grow to be ( meta ) #i've chosen my side ( verse ) #and that's what matters. trying ( verse )

[reginarubie]

The first time I read asoiaf -I'll be honest- I felt weird. Then I read your metas and realized why I felt this way, it was my love-horror sense tingling 😭

reading D@ny chapters in agot -or any of Bran- gives this feeling of watching Ari Aster movies or The Witch, like they are making deals with devil 😭😂

Ciao nonny,

Asoiaf is very complex, and some of the horrors of it are not so clear to a first reader; there are multiple layers to it. Most of my metas have been caused by people sending an ask and causing a light bulb to light in my mind (see the dark!Dany and blood sacrificing Dany metas)

Or simply I made the connection out of the blue (like my Lucifer means Lightbringer metas).

And to be quite honest with you, even those could not have seen the light of the day without my amazing mutuals to whom I have privately whined and run a first rough draft through.

I mean, @sansaissteel has been of tremendous help especially with the realization that, all in all, Rhaego is what the valyrian would've called a chimera and that it happened after a blood sacrifice, like it happened in old Valyria.

In the same way @fromtheboundlesssea has been instrumental for the new (still yet to come, I've just started to scratch at its surface) biblical meta.

And more often than not the whole thing is spurned by some convo (like the latest biblical/secular meta about the figure of the Virgin Mary, the Mother and the mothers of asoiaf) for which we can thank @esther-dot and @minitafan.

And most of my metas have been born that way. From some comment someone made, or the light bulb going off in my mind out of the blue, and from the amazing conversations we can engage in, in this corner of the fandom.

And I couldn't agree more, the AGOT chapters of both Dany and Bran are like already foreshadowing the line they are walking on, and that they either will cross or remain on the right side of. We always comment on how Dany and Jon are foils, and Dany and Sansa are written to become moral rivals, and Arya is supposed to outgrow her childish awe at the dragons to see the horror they actually bring in the world (after the whole point of her growing fiercely more hating of how fire is used during warcraft); but the real antitheses and foils are actually Dany an Bran.

Horror follows them almost more closely than others, and certainly more closely than others they toy with it. Imo Bran is foreshadowed to sacrifice his abilities (and thus his possibilities to not feel like a cripple) for the good of everyone, which is the choice I think Dany will fail to make in the end; as we see Bran growing ever so restless but realizing that something is afoot and having the advantage of having been raised by Ned Stark; Dany is just a slow descent.

Horror is a great part of asoiaf and so layered I think not even Martin has done everything on purpose; some of it might have happened by chance and actually fit the plot. As I myself write stories and fan fictions I have noticed my brain at times plants the seeds of plot-twists I haven't even started to plan, before I realize I want to write them and then suddenly start to fit as if I had planned it beforehand.

Both Dany and Bran are actually engaging with “devils”.

The dragon for Dany and the three eyed raven for Bran... and come to think of it:

both creatures are symbolically connected between them and to the number three (three dragons, the dragon must have three heads; and the three eyes of the raven in Bran' dream and the three eyed raven); both connected to the color black (which would beg on a meta in itself) and red (might actually had another layer to the red decoded series of meta).

And.....I am stopping there before this gets out of hand, but trust me on this nonny, I will return to this matter, because you just opened the lid of a Pandora box and my hands are already itching to write it, but it needs research and a more throughout writing method. But I will address this matter because damn what you haven't just exposed in my mind.

Thank you, as always for dropping by. Sending all my love; I hope you have a wonderful day/afternoon/night, whatever depending on where you live!

Do drop by again, I'm always happy to hear from you all and you all are extremely instrumental in the insanity that is my writing-metas-method!, I'm always ready to be unleashed on the fandom with brand new ideas and metas sparked by all of your genial comments and asks!

*demonic mumbling*

Forever itching to write new metas,

~G.

#anon asks #ask the hag #metas metas metas #hello darkness my old friend #i've come to talk with you again #demonic screeches #mumble mumble #fingers always itching to write new metas #*demonic mumble* #Have you ever considered — lets endless scroll unroll — the link between Dany' “the dragon” and the “three eyed raven/bloodraven” for Bran? #NOW I AM #my spidey sense is tingling #My motto will be “The meta is coming” from now on #like a promise #like a threat

[nyerus]

If you don't mind, can I ask something from TGCF, nyerus? What do you think are Xie Lian and Hua Cheng’s greatest personality strengths and weaknesses? And, what do you love about Hualian's dynamic that differ them from Wangxian and Bingqiu? Of course I don't mean one of them are better than the other, because all of the couples of MXTX works are amazing in their own way......And anyone can have their own favorite.... I just love to read your metas and your answers, nyerus.... Also thank you, because of you, nyerus, I start reading TGCF..... 🤩 Sorry if you've answered these questions before.....

Hello there! I'm so touched that you got into TGCF because of me!🥺Hopefully this answer is not too long, but anyway….

I think Xie Lian's greatest personality strength would be his resilience. He is uncommonly resolute to his beliefs and ideals. It's understandable that he wavered at his lowest point after all he went through, but incredible that he ultimately came out still holding fast to his beliefs. Many would not be able to, even if they had help to see them through. I can't understate how profound it was for him to declare "I will never change!" at the end of book 5. Not that he didn't change and grow as a person -- he certainly did, and he knows that. But he will always hold fast to his values and his reasoning for doing what he does, no matter what anyone else wants of him.

As for his weakness, I think it's tied to this same resilience. As a consequence of this, he is the type to -- as MXTX put it -- "work hard and please no one" at times. He will do what he thinks is right, even if it lands him in trouble, and even if he doesn't personally want to. He just… still does. It often ends badly for him, but he isn't the type that can just turn away and close his eyes to problems he sees. He also isn't one to ask for help. As a teenager, he was heralded as a prodigy by all, so Xie Lian himself didn't think he needed any help for anything. This resulted in him never learning how to ask for it, or open up to people in that way, so when the time came where he actually needed to, he couldn't. It's what led to his downfall. When Hua Cheng enters his life in earnest, it's difficult for him to learn to rely on someone else, as it makes him feel like a burden. Both of these weaknesses are things he slowly begins to overcome by the end of the story! As he begins to open up to Hua Cheng, and lets Hua Cheng carry some of his burden, Xie Lian also learns how to forgive himself and live for himself a little bit more.

Coming to Hua Cheng: I think his greatest strength is very very similar to Xie Lian's resilience. They share this trait, albeit in a slightly different flavors. While Xie Lian's version is more self-sacrificing, Hua Cheng's is borne out of sheer stubbornness. Once he sets his mind to something, there is nothing that can get in his way. He will not waver, no matter what. It's actually rather extreme. But it's because of this that Hualian are so well-matched. It's hard for others to fully wrap their heads around this level of tenacity or intensity of belief. But since Xie Lian is so similar, he understand this perfectly, and vice versa.

Hua Cheng's greatest weakness meanwhile is his propensity to deny his own desires in lieu of what he thinks is best for Xie Lian. He holds himself back because he struggles with letting his desires be known, versus wanting to honor and cherish Xie Lian in the way he thinks Xie Lian deserves. That his "shameful" romantic feelings for Xie Lian would sully his beloved and his god, which to him would be a grave sin. But he still can't stop himself from wanting -- so it's a bit of a congitive dissonance for him. We can even combine that with his years of trauma from his childhood that he never really recovered from (it's why he genuinely thinks he's a monster, as that's what he was told his pretty much his entire life until the day he died). Ultimately, it's not hard to see why he feels unworthy. Ironically, another thing Hualian share.

That brings me to what I love about Hualian's dynamic in particular! They are actually very similar people. They share the same strengths, and the same intensity, so they are able to intimately understand what drives each other in a way no one else around them can. Both of them are one-in-a-million type of passionate for what they blieve in (like to an impossible and dangerous degree), so it would be hard for someone actually normal to get either of them on the level they want to be known. They also share some of the same weaknesses, and by seeing those in each other, they are able to help each other grow and overcome. Xie Lian learns to depend on someone else for once, and also to live a little more selfishly, instead of sacrificing his own happiness and well-being for the common people. Meanwhile, Hua Cheng also learns to depend on someone else (esp when he was kid-ified, for example), and that he is allowed to be selfish and want things for himself without locking away his desires. It's a very nice sense of symmetry, and really shows how they're very complimentary, rather than opposites.

Other than that, I really just enjoyed their dynamic and banter. They fell into this easy and warm companionship immediately! We didn't have to wait for that as a "pay-off" at the very end, and yet their relationship still had so much excitement as it developed and unfolded. They felt like an old married couple right off the bat, and it's just so lovely to see that sweetness -- especially in a novel that is otherwise quite dark. Their love was the lifeline that kept me going through the roughest parts of the novel! Not every couple has to have internal strife and drama between them to make it interesting to read, so it was a breath of fresh air!

I also want to add: since I mentioned that Hualian uniquely suited to each other's quirks, I've always thought it's a bit of a shame that said quirks get swept under the rug so often in fandom! They seem like this really "healthy and pure" couple on the outside, which is understandable because of how well they get along and respect each other. But they're both completely abnormal people, and as a couple they're genuinely unhinged. 😂 I think it's for all these reasons I gravitated towards Hualian, though I certainly do love the other MXTX couples as well!

#tgcf #tian guan ci fu #heaven's official blessing #hob #hualian #asks #elaine2895 #meta #kind of lol i actually mentioned some of these points on a twitter meta more recently

[theotherdeerinhell]

Not liking genderqueer headcanons is not transphobic

I recently saw a post that had a footnote saying "if you think that Alastor being a transgender man makes no sense, you're transphobic."

The rest of the post was just a collection of cute headcanons regarding an AFAB Alastor and doe antlers, and there is nothing wrong with headcanoning Alastor as an AFAB man. But what takes it a step too far is calling people who don't like that headcanon or find it nonsensical transphobic taking it too far. People disliking it for transphobic reasons may exist, I'm not denying that, but there are many more reasons.

An argument I have against it is that there is no in-show or meta evidence of him being transgender. Apparently doe antlers (which are possible in many species) are tiny like Alastor's, but we do have to keep in mind that he is a demon, and his antlers can get huge if he wills them to be. He could be keeping them small in his default form for weight and/or practicality reasons. (Even half size could lead to problems with normal things such as going though doorways, especially since Alastor's antlers grow horizontal) Deer biology is not going to completely apply to Alastor due to him being a magical being, just like how spider biology wouldn't completely apply to Angel Dust due to the same reason.

But even though I'm not a believer myself, I do adore it as a transmasc, and as someone who made a transmasc OC who is meant to be his adopted son. I think it would make the dynamic between them cuter if Alastor's been through the same type of shit Rabo goes through. Plus, even if Vivziepop's intention is that Alastor is a cis male, that doesn't invalidate alternative interpretations people have. If they are not hurting anybody, having fun, and it's affirming to them? Then I wouldn't yell at them for being "technically incorrect."

I shall say that Alastor is cis in Rabo's main fanfiction. It's always been the intention in the timeline where Rabo as a character exists, though it would be fun to write a short story taking place in a timeline where Alastor is a transgender man. There is a lot of great potential, and it would be a waste if it isn't explored.

And also, if you're someone who doesn't like the interpretation and you're harassing people for it, kindly move on to a space you'd enjoy being in, and block people who have this interpretation along with its associated tags. (This goes both ways: don't be an asshole)

Click read more for Rabo's comment on it. Because why not?

"The idea of my father being transgender would make me so happy if it's true. Unfortunately in my timeline, it isn't. But I welcome most Alastors as my father, and those who are trans are included. My love for my dad is unconditional, and he is perfect no matter what genitalia he had when he was born. <3"

#ooc post #ooc #hazbin hotel #ask blog #alastor #headcanons #trans alastor #vivziepop #headcanons are valid

[sagewordstarot]

The more I work with this deck, the more it feels like a real-talk oracle card, really a thing of its own. Not a toxic positive overly optimistic oracle deck that sees the world through rose colored glasses, certainly, but not the depth and complexity that the 78 RWS or the 130+ card Alleyman's Tarot. A bigger deck with smaller layouts seems to be the sweet spot for my intuition.

See, we learned something right there.

Finding - and frequently using - your intuitive comfort zone is not only OK but it is a good idea to better readings for yourself in the end. BUT at the same time learning, growing, and expanding that comfort zone is equally important. How else are you going to know what your optimum intuition conditions ARE?

That little bit of meta-analysis aside, let's look at today's card, the Snake.

All of the animal related ideas from the Bear last week still apply, just swap out the bear characteristics for snake characteristics.

Which I may not be super objective about.

I was born in the year of the wood snake - the green snake. After I learned about Taoism, feng shui, I ching and the like, I've always resonated with my chinese astrology symbol just as much if not more than my western Pisces sun sign. Although I don't know anything about sidereal vs tropical astrology, all I know is that I'm Pisces in both, which in itself is supposed to mean something in itself, I think. I'll leave that to the astrology adepts of you to figure out. But back to Snake.

The Christopher Butler guidebook to this Healing Light Lenormand deck reads the Snake as someone deceptive with malicious intent (Hey!)

Like owls, snakes are feared in some cultures, revered in others. Makes sense, because in the real world the old nope rope may be either harmless or lethal and you have to know something about them to be able to tell which is which. That's not the snake being deceptive. It's up to you to know "Red touches black, no worries for Jack. Red touches yellow, dangerous fellow." and so on.

Knowledge arms you against deception, both literally and figuratively. But that's another story.

Chinese astrology, the restaurant place mat edition, reflects the real world duality.  Snake year people can be stubborn, opinionated, intimidating with a heaping helping of hubris to go with it. But at the same time they are viewed as intelligent, wise, creative and intuitive.

Or, as the Sirius Black character says in one of the Harry Potter books "We've all got both light and dark inside us. What matters is the part we choose to act on. That's who we really are."

Part of enlarging our comfort zone, part of learning new things is associating them with things we know well. Just like with the oracle dice from the last "Learn  With Me" series I associate this with a few RWS Tarot cards, the Devil and the Three of Swords. Both acknowledge the malevolent side of human nature, cautions us to be on guard as well as asking us to be honest with ourselves about our deepest motives. Are we being deceptive, or are we being deceived.

As for the playing card inset, the queen of clubs, in my system of reading playing cards (I intend to write about that in an upcoming book) the Queen of Clubs is analogous to the Queen of Wands with a message of nurturing and self-care. Watching your back and taking care for your safety is, indeed, self-care.is

Thank you for reading! If you like what you've read, please like, follow, and share the blog  (same goes for the socials). None of this is monetized, so please support these free collective readings with private readings, memberships and virtual coffees on sage words tarot page on ko-fi.

See you at the next sip!

Above, author's photo including Healing Light Lenormand by Christopher Butler Title  © 2021 Lo Scarabeo srl, via Cigna 110, 10155 Torino, Italy. All rights reserved, used by permission.

#tarotreading