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sketching-shark · 11 months

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If you were put in charge of making a JTTW movie/TV adaption from start to finish what direction would you have the show go?

*SHAKING AND FROTHING AT THE MOUTH FROM THE THOUGHT OF BEING IN CHARGE OF MY OWN ULTRAVIOLENT BODY HORROR-ESQUE JTTW ADAPTATION* Oh I am so normal about this prospect anon.

But in all seriousness I think I would DEFINITELY want it to be a lengthy animated tv adaptation because there's so much rich backstory and plot in the og classic that a movie length doesn't really let you delve into, AND because the wild transformations and different entities seem like they would be best conveyed in the limitless possibilities of animation! Like just imagine how terrifying a havoc in heaven would be where the Monkey King is shown taking FULL advantage of every single one of his abilities (as-you-will cudgel size transformation, tons of monkey clones, transformation from one creature to another, invulnerability, truth-seeing eyes, transformation into a three-headed six-armed towering monstrosity to fight an Erlang Shen who does the same, etc.). In addition, I also do think that the length of time it took for the pilgrims to warm up to each other and for Sun Wukong to go from a practical and ruthless yaoguai warlord to the Buddha Victorious in Strife is an important part of what makes Xiyouji the classic that it is, and this is all something that I think could be well captured in a lengthy animated series.

I know for sure that I'd want to spend a good amount of time on Sun Wukong's transformation from a relatively innocent stone monkey to the most viciously powerful of the yaoguai warlords to a sincere Buddhist, especially since the very understandable fear of death for himself and his loved ones seems to constantly be a driving force behind a lot of his actions. I think seeing the transformation of the monkey from loving and wanting to protect a relatively small group of people (47,000 monkeys & his friends) to extending that active love and compassion to individuals of all sorts, both human and yao, could be a really cool arc for the Monkey King too. This is especially so as it raises the interesting question as to whether compassion and love can end up being destructive if it's only offered to some but not others, and what atonement for past violence might be.

Zhu Bajie and Sha Wujing also present a potentially fascinating case of dealing with disgraced deities who start off by considering their time on Earth and time on the journey a punishment before they eventually come to develop genuine compassion for the mortals they encounter. Stories about a fall from heaven leading to the fallen ones developing greater empathy for those who were once literally below them is my jam, and I think these other two pilgrims could offer a neat way to explore that! Also I want to note that I'm fully on team "Zhu Bajie is constantly complaining that he's hungry and tired first because of his own appetites and then as a way to get the other four self-destructive idiots to stop and take care of the basic necessities of life." For sure I'd also add in that potential hint noted by others that breaking a vase during a banquet had a precedent of being used as a signal to start a coup, thus explaining why Sha Wujing's punishment on Earth was much worse than Zhu Bajie's. And one simply can't do without the indication that it was everyone's favorite Friar Sand who had eaten eight of Tang Sanzang's reincarnations! He may be one of the pilgrim group's straight men, but he also spent centuries as a cannibal <3.

Also yeah hard agree with others that both Zhu Bajie and Sha Wujing start off the pilgrimage pretty terrified of Sun Wukong because they saw him at his violently worst in heaven. As a treat :3

I think I'd also have Ao Lie spend more time outside of his horse not just so that he can be a dragon-ish guy as well as an actual dragon, but also so that we can get more insight into how his transformation from a destructive prince to a humble steed changed him. I think it also would be cool to spend a little more time on the dragon kings and how, for example, it does raise some uncomfortable questions about their whole deal if Ao Lie could commit arson & destroy a pearl and be punished pretty brutally while Ao Guang could run a weather-based protection racket for centuries and get a 12 year old to kill himself and yet they all seem to be cool with that :[

I'd also want to make my adaptation one that deals more with the aftereffects of the absolute bullshit the pilgrims go through. For example, it's pretty rare to find an adaptation out there that gives full weight to the stuff Tang Sanzang went through, and while it is understandable why and can be funny to characterize him as one of the "straight men" of the pilgrim group or as the weepy useless guy who falls off his dragon horse all the time, I've literally never encountered an adaptation that for example has him react at the age of 18 to his mother committing suicide after Xuanzang went through so much to try and help her, or him having to see both of the human companions he started the journey with get eaten alive by yaoguai. I'd want to make Tang Sanzang more of a dynamic character than he is even in Xiyouji itself, and I do think delving into this background--you knowing, showing why exactly he does in fact have good reason to be suspicious and even hateful of yaoguai and perhaps more secretly certain humans (his mother was after all brutalized for years by a bandit chief)--would be good to deal with in showing Tang Sanzang's journey to enlightenment. And for sure I'd want to make Tang Sanzang a little more like the historical Xuanzang in having him both be a master translator and a canny rule-breaker; I think that having the story follow history in that Xuanzang was in fact forbidden from going west in search of Buddhist scriptures but went anyway, for example, would be a good path to follow. Might give him an interesting point of relation and sympathy to SWK as well, in that both of them would be challenging authority to do what they think is right.

I do think that this all could also make for a really interesting point of tension and later comprehension between Tang Sanzang and SWK, where you would have the monk and the monkey on the same journey for very different but in some ways similar reasons (Tang Sanzang wants the scriptures because he sincerely believes that they will save countless souls, SWK wants to finish the journey so that he can go back home and protect his monkeys). Like Tang Sanzang would be starting the journey at age 28 and after going through some pretty intense trauma, but having lived in a monastery for most of his life wouldn't have much of a sense of what dangers the world contains as SWK, even though he is determined to complete the journey no matter the cost to himself. SWK, on the other hand, would be starting the journey after the bitter defeat in heaven and the anguish of 500 years in solitary confinement, and would likely be enraged about everything he lost but would still be operating under the terrible elation that came from his vast violent power. As someone else once put it, it could be a similar dynamic to a late middle-aged triads boss having to watch out for a beginning grad student lmao. So you'd have a lot of tension between SWK and Tang Sanzang's world views, with the former thinking that violence is a perfectly acceptable way to solve problems or get what you want, while the other abhors violence of all sorts, and they'd both have plentiful reasons to criticize the other.

While the film The Monkey King 2 is far from the best JTTW retelling out there (though it is one of my personal favorites lol), it also has this pretty great and rare scene for JTTW retellings that I feel I'd like my own retelling to somewhat emulate. Here, Sun Wukong saves Tang Sanzang and a bunch of little kids from the violent actions of a king, but he's only able to do this because the Monkey King is more powerful than the king and is able to legitimately threaten the king with death if he goes back to his vicious ways. Tang Sanzang does get Sun Wukong to spare the king, but the king then directly calls the monk out on the seeming hypocrisy of his mission. I forget the exact words, but the king's accusations were basically about how Tang Sanzang is a fraud and a liar because for all that he preaches peace and forgiveness he wouldn't be able to make it anywhere, he wouldn't be able to save anyone, he would have in fact been killed long ago if it wasn't for Sun Wukong's power and willingness to violence. And I do think in a lot of ways this is the crux of a lot of interesting questions that Xiyouji brings up even if it never provides one solid answer: that we all want to be relieved of suffering, and yet what do we do in a world where violence is something we both constantly suffer from as well as commonly inflict upon others?

I guess ultimately I'd want this to be a retelling that really focuses on the many forms and roles of violence in the shaping of a society, what the consequences of this violence often is, and what might be done to create a more just and peaceful life for all.

I'd know I'd want to spend a lot of time on SWK getting back home to Mt. Huaguoshan and finding it this burned-out ruin with the vast majority of his family dead or otherwise gone, only to realize that this was done by heaven in retaliation for the war and his havoc in heaven in a true case of mythological M.A.D. I feel like this, as with other scenes, would be a good way to bring up Xiyouji's frequent refrain that "for the strong there's always the stronger," and how the devastation that violence and warfare wrecks on a landscape, even if it seems awesome and justifiable at the time it's being waged, leads to horrific problems that don't go away even after generations and which could very easily be turned against you and your loved ones. I've said before that one of the things that I like about the Monkey King is that he almost always has a very clear reason for doing what he does, and I think this would be a great arc for it to really and painfully hit home that ultimately violence does not exist in a vacuum, and, especially when you care about so many, it ultimately serves to create a world where your own loved ones can easily become the next who will suffer. Yet even here the complexity of the situation doesn't stop, because while SWK is able to vastly improve the lives of his monkeys by doing everything he can to restore Mt. Huaguoshan back to its former fecundity, he also protects them by well killing 1000 human hunters who had been going after them for years. The violence may never stop, but neither do the efforts to make the world a more peaceful place. And as it is, no one can live by the sword alone.

Just some sketchy thoughts anon, but I hope you like what I'm laying out :)

#anon answered #jttw retelling #some studio hire me #please #also haha man skimming through it I got surprised all over again on how violent JTTW is #still!#lots of instances of people loving each other and trying their best as well #sun wukong #monkey king #tang sanzang #zhu bajie #sha wujing #ao lie #bai longma #violence

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canarybell · 7 months

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About the Ball, the safety of the angelic embassy and the importance of discussing plans

You know, I think there was actually one more reason for Aziraphale to have a ball in his bookshop. Not just for the sake of having a dance with Crowley or make Nina and Maggie fall in love – though, of course, the idea of it happening was present and pleasant for the angel.

I first thought about it few days ago while rewatching episode 5. Do you remember how insistent Aziraphale was on making everybody going to the meeting, stooping to direct temptation to achieve 100% attendance? Yes, yes, I know, it was for the ball where Aziraphale planned to dance with Crowley and (maybe) make a step further in their relationship. But if you think about it - yeah, Doctor Who fan provided music, but why would Aziraphale need a magician and his partner for this meeting to present? Even if both magician and DW fan had declined, there still would have been Nina, Maggie, Mrs. Cheng and her husband, French restaurant owner, Mrs. Sandwich, Mr. Brown, some other people…it actually seems the whole street except for first two men agreed to come without any problem. It’s not like two random people would make any difference – neither for Crowley (he doesn’t even know or care about them!) nor for Nina and Maggie.

There also was that subtle face change, when Nina and Crowley couldn’t see Aziraphale – he’s suddenly a lot more serious than during his talk with Crowley, and even a bit concerned about something?

Now, we know (and Crowley doesn’t) that Aziraphale is aware that Shax knows about Gabriel. It seems Aziraphale totally forgot about that danger focusing on the ball….or not?

You see, while the bookshop was a center of demons’ unwanted attention, it was also (paradoxically) the safest place for mortal to be in the Whickber Street at night in case demons attack (and it looks like they only attack at night). In theory, at least. We saw how demons followed unassuming Maggie while she was heading to the bookshop – hardly with good intentions. We also know the bookshop is technically an embassy and thus safe from demons – unless you go out the doorstep on your own like Mr. Brown or invite them like Maggie. Otherwise all demons could do was breaking the windows and shouting some nonsense from the street.

Actually, even Crowley agrees the bookshop is the safest place for Nina to be at that night:

So that’s can be why (I assume) Aziraphale was trying to invite everyone on the street – he knew there was a chance of Shax arriving, and had in mind people of Whickber Street would be safer inside. That’s why he didn't bat an eye when Crowley told him about demons outside – he knew it might happen and actually took measures! He even explained it!

There is actually nothing to worry about! Humans will be too busy the whole night, dancing, talking Jane Austen style and trying to figure out which guest is the seamstress and which one is the seamstress – and wouldn’t even notice something unusual happening outside. In fact, Aziraphale and Crowley might even dance (while Shax helplessly looks at them from the window) and even kiss – what can Shax do, with them being inside an embassy? The whole London might be destroyed, but an embassy will remain safe – like at that concept picture:

….At least he thought so. You all know how it ended. Demons broke the window, Mr. Brown went outside and was taken by demons (so, ‘keeping humans safe’ idea failed), and only then Crowley bullshited their way out by convincing Shax ‘civilians’ should be evacuated.

You see, it wasn’t a bad idea, per se – using available props, like demon-proof building, or summoning/discorporating circle later. But it was a terrible plan, as it didn't take into account the various subtleties – would demons be able to draw attention to themselves even if they can’t enter? How humans might react if they notice something and how to keep them safe at this case? What to do in case demons stay – they definitely can wait for a long time – longer than humans will agree to stay for sure?

And you know what could have made this plan better? Discussing it!!!!! With Crowley!!! With Crowley actually discussing it, not just disregarding it, cause the idea is good, it just needs some revisions. That’s why there is such thing as peer-review, for God’s sake, to see errors caused by cognitive distortions!

(And then Crowley in his turn ignored Azirapjale’s attemption to suggest and discuss some plan – maybe about activating the circle? That actually wasn’t a bad idea too, but shouldn’t have been the whole plan)

But if they discussed the demon-proof embassy plan, Aziraphale would also have to mention that he had met with Shax, and he didn't want to talk about it - for whatever reason. Probably the same reason why Crowley kept silent about his meeting with Beelzebub, Shax’ threats, and Jim's "prophecy" of the tempest.

A severe case of miscommunication disease, the main villain of these series; The Metatron is no match for it.

#good omens #good omens meta #good omens theory #aziraphale #ineffable husbands

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halfmoth-halfman · 6 months

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About the scene you just talked about:

I actually saw it (or interpretated it) as less problematic because Samara was part of Farahs group and therefore a freedom fighter, then she was forced to do you know what by Makarov. Makarov used not only the negative stereotypes that exist against middle eastern people, but also the fact that Farahs group is one of his main enemies in Urzikstan and this is where I think that COD actually did a good job i guess? Because stuff like this happens, especially in these times of the war in gaza, middle eastern (also mainly muslim people, but idk if Samara is explicitly muslim) people have it harder to fight against stereotypes and media are quick to blame them and use these stereotypes (which was also shown in mw3 with the news thing). Idk if it was their intention or if I just optimistically interpretated it like that, but I thought the scene was like a depiction of what happens in real life, short: middle eastern people being negatively used to push an agenda which is easy because of the existing stereotypes

I hope i was able to explain it well and not offend anyone. I would love to hear more opinions on this :)

(there are spoilers below)

i can understand that they may be trying to emulate real life, but personally i think regardless of samara's ties to farah and her being a former ulf soldier, they should've chosen a different way to go about the mission. yes, it could be understandable for makarov to want to frame farah and urzikstan, and that it could be playing off of real stereotypes and experiences that middle eastern people go through, but i don't think activision put that much thought into it and i don't think they care.

the original no russian mission involved makarov framing america despite the 141 (also his enemies) not being american, but activision chose to change that to specifically frame the middle eastern country for terrorism (mirroring a 9/11 style event) and kept that in during a time when there is actual genocide happening in palestine and islamophobia is growing back to a post-9/11 high in the us, the country they're based in.

and honestly, the change really cheapens makarov's character for me. he's supposed to be some big, menacing villain who is at the forefront of his movement and willing to do whatever it takes to achieve his goal, and in the og games we see that in the way he carries out the no russian mission himself. in this game, he does what? threatens samara then jumps out of a plane and that's it? the worst he does is give a speech explaining why he's doing it - it's his men that do most of the work forcing her to carry out the hijacking.

he's also supposed to be the 141's big bad, their mortal nemesis, but there's more emphasis on the way he and konni group terrorize and kill farah's friends and soldiers - dena and samara, in particular - than when he shot soap, a main character, and i think that's very telling.

if it were another gaming company that put more thought into their plot and considered the nuance of their storylines, maybe i could be convinced it was well intentioned, but activision makes military games. these game are meant to be military propaganda above all else, so i'm not willing to give them that kind of grace. i think it was a deliberate choice for an american company to not have their villain frame america like in the original game and instead fall back onto the same, tired "let's frame the middle eastern people as terrorists storyline" that's in every pro-military game and movie, during a time when there is a humanitarian crisis happening in palestine.

#luvmeraxes #moth answers #answered #mw3 spoilers #mwiii spoilers

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fixfoxnox · 1 year

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Luke's Updated Giant COD AU List

Dropping this tonight so everyone can take the time and figure out what you want to order lol

Story-Driven

These AU's have one storyline that they follow. Requests for one-shots/drabbles are welcome, the one-shots/drabbles will fit within that storyline and add to the overall story. Non-canon requests are welcome.

Ultranationalist Roach (Roach/Everyone)

Roach is betrayed by Shadow Company and left for dead. He survives, but gets dishonorably discharged from the military for trying to speak out against the men who tried to kill him. When he's discharged, he and several other men who left the military following him, form the American Ultranationalist party.

After an assassination attempt that leaves Roach and Jackson the only two remaining leaders of the party alive, the ultranationalists quickly become more violent to get to their goals and are soon branded terrorists, with the 141 being sent to bring down Roach.

Despite the fact that the men are trying to kill him, Roach decides that they're all rather gorgeous, and he wouldn't mind having them around, so he devises a plan to slowly kidnap the team and form a little harem for himself, starting with one Vladimir Makarov.

Cartel! Rudy AU (Rudy/Alejandro)

Alejandro is struggling to keep the Cartel from fully taking over Las Almas. Valeria is making big moves and slowly gaining ground on Los Vaqueros in a way that can't be controlled. So when the power of the cartel in the area begins to shift, Alejandro takes notice.

At the same time, he finds himself distracted by the husband of a rich new man in Las Almas. He finds himself absolutely taken with Rodolfo Parra and, despite his troubles at the time and Rudy's marriage, he finds himself beginning an affair with the man.

However, he soon begins to grow suspicious of Rudy's husband. The cartel's power is shifting and it seems to coincide with the appearance of Rudy and his "always busy" husband. Does the suspicious timing of their appearance mean that Rudy's husband is a new player in the world of the Las Almas cartel? Or is it someone closer than Alejandro expects? (Spoiler: it's Rudy lol)

Letters To Love (Soap/Roach)

With Roach's family planning to marry him off, he decides to try to save himself by pretending to be engaged to a foreign king. He begins sending letters to sell the story, not realizing that the letters he assumed would get dumped are actually being sent to King John MacTavish. When the Royal family forces him to send an actual letter to the king, the last thing he expects is for the man to show up to actually claim him as his fiance.

Soap MacTavish is everything Roach shouldn't want, yet he finds himself falling for the man quicker than he expects. Lucky for him, Soap is already in love with him thanks to his letters. Happiness won't come easy for them though as they have to navigate cultural differences, traditions, and a creepy prince who is determined to have Roach for himself.

The Kind Hand of Death (Ghost/Roach/Soap)

Ghost is the god of death. Since the moment he was born into the world he was bound to be hated and despised by most because of his job. They do not see death as anything other than cruel. His temples, built in the early days as an attempt to please him, fall into ruins. Unlike the other gods, he has no followers.

The good in his life, too good in the opinion of many of the other gods, is his husband. Soap is the god of many things, but many hail him as the god of life. He is beloved by the gods and people alike and, though he loves his husband, he does not understand him. Soap does not know what it is to be hated by a world that you care for so deeply and, though Ghost hates to admit it, all that he wants more than anything is someone who understands him.

So when a young man stumbles into one of his temples with an offering, Ghost finds himself showing himself to the mortal and asking him to become his priest. The mortal is kind to him in a way he'd never experienced and he quickly finds himself drawn away from the other gods to bask in the mortal's affection. Of course, it would only be a matter of time until someone notices and though his husband is kind he can also be incredibly cruel.

(AKA IM BACK ON MY THANATOS/EROS AU BULLSHIT FOR THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN HERE FOR A BIT)

One-Shot/Drabble Driven:

These AUs are meant primarily for one-shots/drabbles. They have no cohesive story and, as such, we are free to play with the ideas however we want!

Compound AU

Roach's father was extremely paranoid/anti-government and spread that mindset to his mother. Before Roach was born they locked their entire family (his parents and three older brothers) into their family farm that his father had turned into a survivalist compound. Roach was born and raised here, but at the age of 18, he escaped and went to his Aunt, Kate Laswell, for help. He ends up joining the military and eventually, Laswell introduces him to the 141 when they need someone they can trust for a more secretive mission.

Anima AU

This world has little creatures called Anima who are essentially super-powered protectors who are born with the purpose of protecting their human. Roach is Ghost's mischievous Anima who has taken a liking to one of his teammates, Soap. It's all good though, because Ghost also has a thing for Soap.

Dragon Au

Soap and Ghost are bonded dragons who feel like they are missing something from their bond. They eventually find it in the prince of a nearby kingdom, Roach. They "kidnap" him and bring him back to their land to join their relationship. Roach is chill with it cause Soap and Ghost are good cuddlers and they let him roam around the woods.

However, word of Roach being taken spreads around and Soap and Ghost are forced to defend him against endless numbers of princes and knights coming to try to rescue him. Not only that, but a black scaled dragon in the woods near their castle has taken a liking to their bonded and keeps trying to steal him!

Luckily for them, they also have plenty of time to be fluffy cute boyfriends and occasionally get visits from their various dragon friends!

Monster AU

Ghost is a very very powerful hybrid (offspring of a demon and vampire) who has just been brought on to the 141, a specialized military team filled only with monsters. He's typically used to the people that he works with being scared shitless of him, so he isn't prepared in the slightest for the 141.

There is Price and Gaz. Price almost takes on a fatherly role to him, the older reaper showing no sign of fear of him at all. In fact, the older man keeps occasionally slipping him an extra blood bag with his meals, constantly checking in to make sure he's eating properly. Gaz is a rather unassuming nymph who, despite not looking like much, can be absolutely terrifying when he wants to. Which is usually when someone fucks with the plants that he's growing on base. He doesn't seem to even realize how dangerous Ghost is, constantly asking him questions about the little plant he keeps in his room and occasionally giving unprompted advice on how to care for it better.

But possibly the most confusing are the two overexcited werewolves on the team. Soap and Roach are attached at the hip, likely to be found wrestling or running around like excited puppies just as often as they can be found trying to get in each other's pants wherever the fancy takes them. Ghost tries to steer clear of the two, their overly happy and excitable nature making him want to keep away. Unfortunately for him, its like the two men have become somehow attached to him, almost always following him around like lost puppies, begging for his attention.

He was expecting fear from his team, not two over grown dogs to decide he was their new owner!

Pirate AU

Ghost and Soap are the most fearsome pirates on the seas, known for robbing and pillaging any merchant ships that they set their eyes on. Kidnapping, ransoms, robbery, and just general high seas hijinks are normal for them, and any person setting out on the Sea knows that if you see their flag flying high, the only thing you can do is turn away and hope you escaped their notice.

Roach is the son of a wealthy aristocrat who is being sent to join one of his uncles for the summer. Unfortunately that means crossing the sea. He's sent with several guards surrounding him, but unfortunately guards mean nothing to Soap and Ghost when they spot a wealthy aristocrats ship. So the ship starts getting attacked and boarded.

The Captain, in an attempt to keep Roach from getting kidnapped, dresses him up as a woman, hoping it will keep Ghost and Soap from recognizing and taking him. What they don't expect is for Soap and Ghost to not care that they don't recognize Roach, because they can tell that the "woman" they're looking at is an aristocrat and they know they can just get the name of the family from one of the men/the ship. So they kidnap Roach anyways.

Now Roach is stuck on a ship with two really hot pirates who are definitely going to realize that he isn't a woman sooner or later (sooner lmao) and when they do, well who knows what they'll make him do?

Camboy/Streamer AU

Soap and Ghost are a super popular couples channel on YouTube. They're known for their fun dynamic of Emo + Sunshine and just generally how in love they are. Everyone knows them, including one dear fan of theirs, Roach. Roach watches them because he thinks they're fun and he has a fat fucking crush on both of them.

Roach himself is a gaming youtuber known for playing fps games (he plays call of duty guys), but beyond that he's also known for his NSFW content that he started for fun self confidence stuff. He posts pictures and videos, but also essentially does camboy work because he's grown fond of it and the money he makes from it is nothing to sneeze at.

During one of his streams he starts getting a shit ton of donations and like requests from this one account who are dropping like insane amounts of money on him. That same account also shows up in his gaming streams to start donating a shit ton of money too.

Anyways he doesn't know that the account is actually Soap and Ghost who found him randomly one night but now they're accidentally kinda falling for him and accidentally essentially becoming his sugar daddies.

Honeysuckle and Citrus (ABO AU)

Ghost meets his omega while on deployment in Al Mazrah, a rather interesting place to meet when he works with the military and the man he loves happens to be a crime lord in the area. Ghost/Roach focused, however can include other pairings.

NikPrice Mafia AU

Price has a bad habit of sleeping with the wrong people. When one of your exes becomes a terrorist, another tries to kill you, and another just turns out to be an asshole, you eventually start to wonder if you're the problem. So Price has sworn off sleeping with people.

At least he swears off sleeping with people until he runs into a handsome Russian man who saves his ass while he's working an undercover mission. Said handsome Russian man and a rather compromising position, end up with him breaking his rule and hoping for the best. But nothing could ever work out in his favor.

Of course, it would be his luck that he would sleep with the head of the Russian mafia. Now the man's in love with him and using his knowledge on the terrorist they've been hunting to try to get Price to marry him.

CEO/Single Parent AU

Ghost and Soap are the ceos of a highly successful business that they started together. The two are the power couple of the business world. They work together seamlessly and any choices they make, they make together. So it makes perfect sense that both of them would fall for their shared secretary, Roach.

Subtle flirting isn't getting them anywhere, but they're determined to have Roach in their relationship. They're soon to realize, though, that they'll be getting a bit more than they bargained for when they learn that Roach is the single parent to a mischievous five-year-old girl.

Hijinks ensue as Soap and Ghost try to gain the favor of both Roach and his daughter. They may have a little bit of help along the way from Roach's daughter who wants nothing more than chaos and to see her mom be happy. (Trans!Roach btw)

SoapRoachGhost Mafia AU

Soap and Ghost are the heads of the mafia and have been leading together for years. They've also been married for years. They've been content with their relationship, that is until they get a new weapons dealer for their mafia after their last one fucked up.

Their weapons dealer just so happens to have the prettiest man they've ever seen as his husband. After making efforts to get to know the man's husband, Roach, at several get togethers, they devise a plan to take Roach's husband out of the picture and have Roach for themselves.

General AUs I'll Write:

This is just a quick list of general AUs that I will write if you ask for them. You can request them with any situation and any ship and I'll be more than willing to write it! If you see something not on this list and you're curious on if I'll write it, just send an ask or dm and I'll let you know! You can request these for a ship or for an x reader idea!

AUs I'll Write:

Monster AU (Any monsters! Any creatures! I am a monster fucker!)

College AU

Mafia AU

Celebrity AU

ABO AU

Fantasy AU

Youtuber/Streamer AU

Cowboy AU

Historical AU (I do have a degree in history 😈 )

#call of duty fanfic #call of duty #cod #gary roach sanderson #simon ghost riley #john soap mactavish #ghostroach #ghost x roach #captain john price #nikprice #soap x roach #soaproach #ghostsoap #soaproachghost #soapghost #ghostroachsoap #luke's masterlists

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mr-f3l7 · 3 months

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While we're on the subject of Greek Monsters being Victims

I honestly feel pretty bad for the Minotaur.

First some backstory; A prince named Minos was competing with his brother from the throne of their island, Crete, and decided the best way to get a one up on his brother was to show the gods favored him. So he prayed to Poseidon for his favor and Poseidon decided, "Yeah, sure", and gifted Minos a pure white bull as a sign of favor.

(A side note, historically ancient Crete had a huge thing for Bulls, most of their surviving culture heavily featured bovine sigils which might explain how this story came to be and so on).

The Cretans, who loved Bulls, of course recognized what this meant and Minos ascended to the throne. Of course, here is where the classic mortal arrogance steps on divine pride comes in. See, Minos was supposed to sacrifice the bull to Poseidon as a show of thanks but Minos decided that he liked the white bull far too much to simply kill, so he sacrificed a different bull and kept Poseidon's cow hoping he could have his cake and eat it too. Poseidon was reasonably a bit pissed that this mortal reneged on their very simple deal and decided some wildly indiscriminate divine judgement was called for.

Poseidon decided the most poetic thing to do was to make Minos' wife love the Bull even more than anyone on Crete, even Minos... by, like, a lot. Like, a lot. Long story short, Minos had a bastard son who was half bull and was horrified. According to the myth, the Minotaur was originally raised by Minos' wife but quickly became vicious and as an unnatural beast feasted on human flesh since it had no actual place in the food chain. To contain it, Minos tasked Daedalus to construct a massive labyrinth to contain the Minotaur.

There it would languish for years, lost in the dark and even used as a sadistic form of execution for Minos' enemies, specifically Athenian men and women handed over to Minos after he waged war with them until eventually Theseus would arrive and slay the Minotaur.

Now, you may be wondering why I would feel bad for this guy. By all accounts, the Minotaur had no chance of growing out of its monstrous ways. Very quickly it turned into a man-eating beast with violent tendencies. How can it compare to another tragic myth like Medusa?

Generally, I think the fact it had no chance to begin with is tragic in and of itself. Medusa was a victim of divine crossfire between Athena and Poseidon, while the Minotaur was a victim of Divine Circumstance. Poseidon didn't care what became of the Minotaur after it was born, merely that it came into this world to torment Minos after he was slighted by the mortal. Perhaps there was a chance it could have overcome its base instincts, but the Minotaur was from the start designed and intended to be a horrifying beast.

It was despised by Minos from the moment it drew breath, and it certainly horrified the people of ancient Greece. It must have grown physically much faster than it did mentally, and with an unnatural mix of animalistic instinct and human mentality would have made it difficult to handle without being able to rip men and women limb from limb. It would spend the rest of its life wandering a dark maze, feasting on whoever Minos threw in there to survive.

I think the last point that gets me is that monsters don't have names. Minotaur is an anglicized version of its Greek name, Minotauros, meaning the Bull of Minos, which was a description of what it was but it also had a name; Asterion, after Minos' foster father. It was a half-animal that probably deserved to be put down, but in the end it was a thing that was brought into a world that would despise it and never had the chance to learn and be better.

It makes me wonder if the Minotaur being a mindless monster with no hope is the better option than a confused and neglected creature who had no choice but to become the beast his people saw him as.

#greek mythology #minotaur #the minotaur #greek gods #poseidon #medusa #theseus #athena #greek heroes #myths #mythology

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littlesparklight · 1 month

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As a sort of companion to the earlier post; I did write this one before that one but they touch on slightly different things.

One of the reasons, to me, that any version (ancient or modern) that cuts out the gods for realisms sake just isn't at all as satisfying, is the interplay of divine and human action that keep the war going.

(Another is the plain fact of how there are things especially in the Iliad that cannot happen as they do if you don't include the gods.)

The quarrel at the divine wedding causes the Judgment causes the start of the war, yes. And, again, my preferred version for the ultimate background for all this is definitely that Zeus has at least partially some cosmic reason; the overpopulation and/or the ending of the heroic era. But I could even take the "the war, by being centered around and because of Helen, is the only way he can give her kleos and this is why he planned it". I don't think I've ever seen that in an adaptation, but I think it'd be a very interesting angle to take!

But after Paris and Helen comes to Troy, you also have Aulis. The second muster, specifically. Agamemnon commits hubris, and if he wants to go to war, his payment will be his daughter (whether or not Artemis rescues her). It's the choice not just of Agamemnon, but all the men present, prompted by mortal failing (Agamemnon's) to take the action that will allow them to actually go to war.

Make no mistake, of course especially Hera and Athena would do everything to make sure the war happens. They would do so regardless of whether Zeus has an ulterior motive known only to him (~the plan of Zeus~ as it were).

But human action and intent matters.

Achilles "saves" the Achaean war effort a couple years in, after having gotten to see Helen and then stopping a mutiny.

Achilles is, again, the cause the late stage of the war (the Iliad) turns out as it does. It's his request of his mother that sparks the events in all their deadliness.

Again, of course, if Zeus has an ulterior plan this fits in well, but would he have needed this, as it happens in the Iliad? It's Achilles and for Achilles and because of Achilles, that it happens. Because of Achilles, the truce around Paris and Menelaos' duel, and the agreement predicated on its outcome, simply would never happen. Yes, it requires divine intervention to assure it's derailed, but it was human action that made sure the solution the truce might have offered becomes impossible.

Human action to murder sleeping men, more than once. Human action almost topples Troy 'before its time'; it requires divine intervention to keep at bay. And yes, that might be prolonging the war, but if men have a fated time of death apparently cities can too.

Divine intervention assures the cruelty of the trick with the Horse, certainly.

Human action assures the horror of the sack itself, of the murder of any male inhabitant who cannot get away, of the sexual assault of any women that, too, can't get away. The sack is of human make, and human design. That cruelty is mortal and human alone and frankly - what extra years of war is as horrifying as the sack itself is?

Would always be.

The gods, again and again, delays Troy's fall or makes sure the war continues, certainly. But they also grieve for favourites or sons killed, wanting to rescue them if they can (sometimes they can).

What compassion is there from the Achaeans for the Trojans, during or after the fall? Literally none. The gods, those not explicitly on the Achaean side, have more sympathy, even if they can't (or won't, especially for fate-related reasons) do anything at that point.

There's surely a balance to be struck, I feel, between "ohh helpless mortals stuck in a seemingly never-ending war of horror because of eldritch, uncaring gods have their own agendas" and the very human agency and action (and cruelty, so, so much cruelty) that also is present. Plus the genuine and honest caring and grief for at least some humans a number of the gods provably display in the story.

#the iliad #greek myth thoughts #trojan war

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deathlessathanasia · 5 months

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From what I've seen, Poseidon generally seems to be considered a very temperamental and impulsive god, maybe the most temperamental and impulsive of all his siblings, but in the Iliad at least that is not how he is characterized and in fact we even have some instances where he advises caution to his sister Hera. If anything, she is far more temperamental and impulsive than him in this poem.

In Iliad VIII we have this interaction between Hera and Poseidon: "… lady Hera was angered, and started on her throne, shaking great Olympus, and she addressed the great god Poseidon: 'oh me, Earth-Shaker, wide-ranging in might, does not your heart in your very breast feel for the Danaans who are dying? They bring gifts for you up into Helike, and Aigai too, many of them and pleasing; you used to wish them victory. If only we were willing, we who aid the Danaans, to thrust the Trojans back and check far-thundering Zeus, then he would be sorry sitting there alone on Ida.' Then greatly troubled the lord Earth-Shaker addressed her: 'Hera, reckless in speech, what kind of word have you spoken? I would not wish for the rest of us fight with Zeus the son of Cronus, since he is far the stronger.'". Keep in mind that shortly before this Zeus had ordered all the gods to stay away from the battle and had threatened with severe punishment anyone who would offer assistance to either the Achaians or the Trojans.

In Book XX, it is again Hera who incites the gods to action and Poseidon the one who advises to wait and not do anything rash: "Nor did the son of Anchises escape the notice of white-armed Hera as he set out against the son of Peleus through the throng of men, and she, summoning the gods together, made a speech: 'Consider you two, Poseidon and Athena, in your minds, how this matter will be. Here comes Aeneas armed in gleaming bronze against the son of Peleus, and Phoebus Apollo sets him on; come, let us turn him back on the spot; or rather let one of us stand by Achilles, and grant him great strength, so that he does not fail in spirit, and so he may know that the best of immortals love him, and the other gods are so much wind, they who before warded off the battle host and fighting from the Trojans. …' Then answered her Poseidon who shakes the earth: “Hera, do not rage beyond reason; you should not. I myself would not wish us to drive the other gods together in strife, since we are much the stronger, so let us go aside from the haunts of men and seat ourselves upon a lookout point, and let the war be the concern of mortals. But if Ares starts to fight, or Phoebus Apollo, or if they should keep Achilles back and not let him fight, there and then the strife of battle will arise from our side too. …'"

Also compare the difference between the way Poseidon and Hera conduct themselves in the battle of the gods in Book XXI. While Poseidon encourages Apollon to attack first, being the younger, and reminds him of the insults they both suffered by Laomedon, Hera doesn't wait for Artemis to actually do anything or even talk to her before she hits her with her own weapons and makes her run away in tears.

There are some other instances in the Iliad where Poseidon shows himself to be more cautious and sensible than his reputation suggests. In Book XIII, when Zeus turns his gaze away from the battlefield, Poseidon takes advantage, revitalizing and inspiring the Achaians to fight. However, he takes care to do so secretly and in human guise because he recognizes that Zeus is older and more knowledgeable than him. In book XV, Poseidon is certainly angered by Zeus' attempt to bully him into submission and reacts to the message he receives with harsh and bold declarations, but he recognizes the wisdom in what Iris says to him and does relent and obey eventually even though he considers himself equal to Zeus in honour.

#poseidon #hera #greek gods #the iliad #ramblings

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theladyofbloodshed · 2 years

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Chapter 14 13 (still can’t count lmao) - the Lucien & Nesta brotp

‘And if there is any sign of him here-’

‘- I am to winnow Nesta directly to you. I am capable of following an order – particularly one you have issued seven times.’

Nesta counted on her fingers. ‘I’d put that figure at eight actually.’

Lucien threw her a wink, but Azriel’s shadows darkened around him. It was enough for Lucien to shuffle away with apprehension.

Nesta gave her male a comforting embrace. He had a meeting at the Hewn City with both Mor’s father and Eris Vanserra in attendance so the tension was already running high. Cassian had been given a duty in Illyria so the pair did not come to blows in such close quarters. They did not doubt Eris’ ability to sniff out any instability either to exploit. Azriel would have been fine if Rhys hadn’t passed a comment that Cassian was in a volatile state. Nesta understood. His heart was worn on his sleeve and Eris always capitalised on that – Azriel, at least, usually managed his temper around Eris and Keir. Volatile had pealed as a warning bell to Azriel though and he had become frantic in his desperation to protect Nesta.

‘I’m being over cautious,’ he admitted.

‘Paranoid is the term I would use.’

‘Lucien,’ Nesta warned, keeping her arms locked around Azriel’s body.

The male had become a reluctant ally, promising to stay with Nesta in the event of an enraged bat paying a visit and demanding she mate with him. She had to wonder how much of it was due to the goodness of Lucien’s character versus working his way towards Elain and winning favour with her fearsome elder sister.

‘Go. You’ll be late.’

‘Anything, Lucien, you winnow Nesta to-’

‘To Illyria. I know.’

Nesta pressed her hands to Azriel’s hard chest. ‘Don’t tease him, Lucien. I’d hate to spend my day scrubbing your blood from the carpet.’

If Nesta thought it might be awkward to spend time in close quarters with the male, she was proved wrong. Lucien dripped with charm and warmth, engaging Nesta in conversation, making her laugh as the minutes ticked by – even going as far as volunteering to help in the kitchen. She had judged him too harshly initially, Nesta could admit. Lucien had proved time and time again that he was a good male. But how could she still not find repulsion to the mating bond that had snapped into place mere seconds after Elain had emerged from the Cauldron?

Lucien had pledged his allegiance to the Night Court when he had no other choice. It was not the case now; Lucien would be desired by many courts. He had a very calm demeanour, always fulfilled his role, and looked good doing it. Nesta had to wonder if he merely remained serving a court he did not fit into for the rare moments when he crossed paths with Elain.

It was cruel to think such a thing. If he wasn’t fae – if the bond hadn’t snapped – then Nesta knew Lucien was the type of male that would be good for Elain. He was polite, well-educated, caring. More than that, he was happy. He didn’t swallow up the space and dominate it, he was kind and thoughtful with laughter coming easily to him. Take away the golden eye and exile, then Lucien would be the type of male Elain would be encouraged to marry. And how different was an arranged marriage made by parents versus a mating bond decided by fate? Nesta would have accepted the former without hesitation, trusting her parents to make an advantageous match. It was complicated.

‘Cauldron, your face has flashed through a whole spectrum of emotions while you’ve stared at the fire.’

‘Oh. Thinking. Apologies.’

‘Do you want to play three men’s morris?’

Nesta bubbled up with delight as Lucien pulled the small, wooden square from his pocket. ‘How do you know it?’

‘Jurian,’ he explained with a wry smile.

And Lucien knew mortal customs thanks to his time there. The bridge that Elain needed – though she’d nestled herself well and truly into Feyre’s family now.

Their game soon progressed to full blown chess at the table and Lucien was far smarter than she’d given him credit for. Nesta couldn’t work out any of his tells. She could only beat Azriel because his shadows helped her to cheat. They had no loyalties truly.

As they played, Lucien spoke about his life in the Autumn Court at her request. On the topic of his education, Nesta listened with fascination. Their lives sounded similar; hours spent with a grizzled tutor who taught them mathematics, literature, music, geography, history – though of course the content was different – all ready to package them off as the perfect partner in a marriage that would bring wealth or properties.

It made her squirm to think of how similar Lucien was to them and the ringing voice in her head saying that he would be good for Elain did not relent. No, Nesta would never insist upon it simply because of a faerie bond. She’d hate for any to think the same of her own bond. They could be wrong. Hers was wrong. Elain deserved the choice. Lucien too.

It was set to be a long meeting in the Hewn City so Lucien was glad to have an excuse not to attend. Nesta did not want to know how or when Azriel had collared him to be her guard dog that day. Likely he was smart enough to realise that Lucien would need Nesta’s blessing if there was any hope of a future with Elain and he’d never do anything to cause an issue for her and Azriel. He’d not breathed a word of finding them together either.

A casual mood had slipped into the room so both lay on the couch with their legs beside the other reading. His flames moved silently in the fire place in ribbons of gold and orange as he read one of her books. Of course, he’d managed to pick the filthiest one on her shelf. Every now and then, Nesta saw over the top of her own book the way his eyebrows kept quirking upwards or the stifled snorts at whatever passage he read.

At the knock of the door, he snapped the book shut as if scandalised that somebody might catch him reading a romance about a handsome farmer who charmed the lady of the court.

They moved into position by the door. Lucien’s fingers brushed against her own as she pulled the door open a crack, ready to whisk her away without a second’s hesitation.

‘Oh. Elain. Uh. A moment, please.’

Nesta made a show of shutting the door then fumbling with the chain to give Lucien time to scurry into the bedroom to hide. Nesta didn’t need questions about why Lucien was in her house – especially as nobody had ever paid her a visit before.

‘Come in,’ she said gesturing to the small space.

Elain struggled to hide her discomfort at the lodgings, despite their own cottage being in a far worse state. Her home was clean, tidy, warm. It lacked the decadence of Feyre’s homes but it was the best Nesta could manage and she’d done it all on her own. Elain did sit eventually after scrutinising the room thoroughly.

‘Are you expecting company?’ Elain gestured to the small table where a freshly brewed pot of tea sat along with two cups.

‘Oh. A habit. I forgot Azriel wasn’t here.’ A terrible lie. Worse still was the fire place that was burning without any sort of fuel. Elain had never lit a fire in her life so hopefully would not pay attention to it.

‘I came to talk to you.’

‘I presumed as much,’ Nesta replied, struggling to keep the bite from her voice.

Of course, Elain would not come to visit, to be the sisters they had once been, but only to give voice to the inner circle’s musings. Elain was always the safest option for such things; nobody would ever shout at her, least of all Nesta who had protected her for so long.

‘Go on then,’ Nesta snapped. ‘Say what you have to say.’

Elain blinked at her tone then brushed the skirts of her pretty, pink dress. ‘Very well. Nesta, would you reconsider your decision? It’s causing issues with the running of the court like today, for instance. Mor said that-’

‘I care not for her opinion.’

She blushed slightly as another argument was prepared. ‘When Rhysand came here a few days ago… It’s put strain on him and Feyre too. She thought they were in agreement about this. It could drive a wedge between them.’

‘What Rhysand does is not influenced at all by me. He is his own person. You are trying to turn my relationship into a battle.’

‘No, that’s not it at all, Nesta. Please, you must understand. The change is difficult. Azriel so rarely comes to the house any more. It’s upsetting everybody because he’s chosen…’ She wrung her fingers in her hands then her eyes flicked to the tea pot. If she thought Nesta was about to pour the tea for her in the middle of this, she was more spoilt than Nesta realised. ‘Is it… Is it just to cause a fuss?’

It felt like a punch to the gut. Nesta had moved here to be away from them all. She had gone to the restaurant at Elain’s request. She would have quite happily remained in this place alone if Azriel hadn’t sought her out. Their love had been unexpected, yes – but to think that Nesta would go to these lengths purely out of spite? They had kept their relationship hidden for months to not cause a fuss. To not cause any pain.

‘That was extraordinarily cruel – from you especially, Elain.’ It hurt in ways Nesta could not even explain. Her anger couldn’t rise to the surface; it was held down by pain. She had to blink away tears.

‘Couldn’t you just try to become friends with Cassian? You’re not expected to accept the bond tomorrow, Nesta. It would be much easier for everybody if-’

‘I am in love with Azriel. He is my partner, Elain. He is the male that I want to father my children. No, I will not try to fall in love with somebody else because it makes your lives easier. How dare you say such a thing to me?’

Those big doe eyes blinked at her in confusion. It was an act that Nesta had seen her hone in front of their father to make him give into his beloved. She’d fallen for it enough too.

‘You are a hypocrite of the worst kind.’

Elain clutched a hand across her chest like it could shield her. ‘The bond isn’t the curse you believe it to be. Feyre is so happy with Rhysand. It’s just causing so much upset.’

‘When did I ever pressure you to abandon your ridiculous pining for Graysen to become friends with Lucien?’

‘That’s different,’ she said quickly.

‘From where I’m standing it’s a mirror,’ Nesta said, her voice was quiet and raw with pain. She’d had no doubts that Elain would support her in this. So utterly wrong. The sister that she had fought for and protected all this time had never grown a spine to do the same for her. ‘You get choice but I do not? My happiness is insignificant compared to the happiness of your new, little family. Azriel’s happiness is not put into consideration either.’

When Elain tried to speak and explain herself, Nesta cut her off. ‘When I pushed against this bond, I didn’t just fight for my right to choose, but you as well, Elain. Why should I have bothered? Should I be awaiting an invitation to your mating ceremony to Lucien? Are you just causing a fuss? Instead of ignoring him at every damn occasion like a petulant child, try and be his friend. We need Lucien so be an obedient girl and fuck him to secure the alliance for your beloved court.’

The bedroom door opened. Lucien’s face remained neutral but Elain had turned beet red. It had not been a set up but likely felt that way to her. And Nesta was glad for it. That awful part of her was glad to see Elain flustered around Lucien.

‘Nesta, I think that’s enough.’

It didn’t feel like enough. She wanted Elain to feel ashamed. Lucien was too good to ever pressure Elain into accepting their mating bond, he wouldn’t bellow and demand it or haunt her until she gave in. He was kind enough to open the front door for her as she fled from the apartment.

The male flopped down into her vacated seat with a sigh.

‘Sorry you heard that. It’s nothing personal against you. More a war with the Cauldron itself.’

‘If anybody would go to war against the Cauldron, it would be you. I understand,’ he said, gently. ‘I had a love before. I was certain the bond would snap. I can’t imagine anybody filling the void that she left. It is difficult for me too.’

Nesta nodded in understanding. She hadn’t considered whether males ever pushed against the bond too – whether Lucien had been just as horrified by it when it snapped between them.

‘If it helps, the Cauldron liked Elain enough to make her a seer. I’m sure it chose you with good intentions whereas I attacked it. I’m fairly certain Cassian is my punishment.’

Lucien let out an exasperated laugh. ‘The good news is, the tea is the perfect drinking temperature for us.’

***

The meeting was made longer by Eris who was never able to shut his mouth. He passed comment on everything. Had a remark about everything. Made a witty joke that only he ever found funny repeatedly. Azriel hated the male. There was not one part of Eris Vanserra that was good.

Mor had been agitated throughout, biting her nails or wrapping a lock of her hair around her finger – but she hadn’t leant on Azriel for support. She had no Cassian to rely on either. It might do her good, Azriel realised, to stand on her own two feet without bowing into fear in the presence of Eris and her father. He’d have been there if she needed somebody to lean on; he’d said as much. He was still her friend despite everything. But he knew his value now.

When it was done, Azriel was agitated still, desperate to get back to ensure that Nesta was well. He’d be a fool to trust Lucien entirely, but he couldn’t hide Nesta away in Rosehall whenever he became anxious, no matter how much he truly wanted to. It would not do her any good to press his fear upon her. And through it all, he knew Cassian better than any. He’d never willingly hurt Nesta. At least not until the bond was truly severed – then they would have to batten down the hatches and brace for the storm.

‘Come for dinner,’ Rhys pleaded.

Azriel caught the tightness to Feyre’s expression. Her hello had been brief and cold in Velaris before they’d winnowed. Likely his words last week hadn’t been well received. It was wrong of him to bring up Tamlin – and he had apologised – but she’d grown frostier towards him. Mor too strode down the corridor of the city she hated without checking he was beside her like usual.

‘It’s alright. I’ll go back home.’

‘Bring Nesta,’ he said. ‘Please.’

‘I’m not going to put her in a situation where she’s criticised simply for being in love.’ Azriel murmured. He loved Nesta too much to expose her to their pecking.

Rhys shook his head tersely, following the females to the balcony where they’d return to Velaris. ‘It won’t be like that. What you have deserves celebrating. The others will come around. Az, please. You can’t hide from us forever.’

And it was the truth. There would be times they’d all need to be in each other’s presence; Solstice for instance or Starfall which was only a couple of months away. He’d rather not have to prepare for battle each time he met with his family, but if that was what it took then Azriel would do it. Nesta was the most precious person in his life.

‘I’ll ask her. No promises.’

Rhys let out a chuckle. ‘We know who’s in charge at home.

‘Says you,’ Azriel said nodding towards Feyre who had a face like thunder.

Azriel winnowed directly home. He let the silence fall around him, breathing in a sigh of relief in the stairwell that he was away from the Hewn City. It was a putrid place full of males who didn’t care who they stepped on to reach the top.

Both Nesta and Lucien were slumped on the couch with a glass of wine in hand.

‘What’s happened? Did he come here?’

Nesta’s face brightened at the sight of him, but her smile didn’t meet her grey eyes. And it was unlike her to drink at all, especially not in the day.

She sunk into his embrace with a noise of contentment.

‘What’s wrong?’

‘My company is so poor that Nesta needed to drown her sorrows.’

The male rose. Azriel would be angry at him later for drinking when he’d needed his reactions to be fast. He could tell something wasn’t right with Nesta. She was clinging to him without feeling self-conscious. The touch was more important than her embarrassment to need somebody else.

Lucien said a brief goodbye then departed into the sunset.

‘Will you talk now?’ Azriel asked, kissing the female he loved.

Nesta did eventually. He sensed her hesitation to admit what Elain had said for fear of retribution. It stung to hear it from the sister that Nesta had always given everything for. Her own hurt was clear to see; what was worse was that Nesta still felt like she was betraying Elain by confessing what she’d said. Elain was naïve. Or at least he’d always thought she was. Pretty and docile, never stepping a foot wrong. This was not naivety. This was planned for when Nesta would be alone. It was calculated and callous.

‘I thought she’d be on our side,’ he admitted.

Nesta gave a frustrated sigh. ‘There are no sides. This is not a war. It’s not us against Cassian. He is your brother.’

When Nesta’s voice cracked, it broke a part of Azriel. This had put so much weight on her shoulders; weight she shouldn’t have to bear for choosing to love him. They had committed no crime yet Nesta was being painted as a wicked female sent to upheave the calm.

They needed to see them, just as Rhys had, to know their love was genuine. But they weren’t a spectacle to be gawped at. Nobody else had faced as much scrutiny.

‘Get dressed. Something light. We’re going for dinner.’

Nesta swallowed. ‘I don’t want to go there.’

Azriel smoothed the wayward strands of hair that had wriggled free from her coronet throughout the day. ‘We’re going to the Summer Court. We’ll go to the sea.’

Her face softened with hope. And it was enough. They’d keep going through this storm because they had something worth fighting for.

When Nesta emerged from the bedroom in a cornflower blue, silk dress, Azriel’s jaw dropped to the floor. She’d pulled the pins from her golden-brown hair so it fell in waves over one shoulder. It was tempting to skip dinner and have dessert here. A shadow darted from his body to twirl around Nesta.

‘My beautiful Nesta.’

They were heading out of the door, ready to winnow to catch the sunset when Rhys’s voice echoed in the chamber of his mind.

Am I to expect two extra dinner guests then?

Their absence would not be blamed on Nesta. Azriel was done entirely with anybody saying a bad word about her. She would not burn for a crime that was not hers. Not his Nesta who sang tavern songs to him over an ale and who had never once been embarrassed to be with a bastard-born Illyrian, who loved every difficult part of him. He'd be her shield. Her sword. He'd be the fires of hell if she wished it.

Ask Elain why we aren’t coming.

@chosenfamily-valkyriequeens @theleafpile @loysydark @rarephloxes @wannawriteyouabook

#nesta vs the buffer

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httpskeopi · 2 months

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TW: longer read, ranting. I may or may not get fought for this 🤷‍♀️

something I find interesting about western body positivity culture is how they've started treating skinny people (especially girls) in the process of normalizing different bodies.

Now this isnt everyone but i think its grown more online in the recent years. Maybe I'm wrong about this and please correct me if I am or even add to this if you have any thoughts

First of all, people are now acting like being thin or fit is bad and if you're a girl, you've been brainwashed into doing what men want and only want male attention for it.

Second, if they achieve anything it's because they're "conventionally attractive" and everyone is biased because you are "pretty". Once I saw someone on here say that doctors are fatphobic for invalidating fat people's health problems or dismissing them and they would rather treat skinny people's problems or give individuals with eds treatment they need in recovery more than fat people. First off, eating disorders have the highest mortality rate than all other mental illnesses. Two, people with eating disorders can and Will be declined for treatment for whatever reason.

3, the fact that people will see a skinny person and assume they have anorexia therefore they are "unhappy".

4, (i usually see this on twitter/tiktok) how people who are "unconventionally attractive" (they themselves describe themselves as that) or fat will try to find a way to turn anything into a micro aggression or an attack on them because they think no one can say anything nice to them (???) especially if its a skinny person. Someone on tiktok said that telling someone they have a "pretty face" is an insult/micro aggression if they say it to some isn't thin

5, when people will advocate for mental health care and acknowledgment but will run for the hills when they see someone with an ed. To them, it's too "evil". We're somehow a threat to them so they shame us and refuse to empathize.

We have seen time and time and again people idolizing trauma, mental illness and even horrible crimes against humanity and making it cute, quirky and "attractive" but they draw the line at anorexia.

I was very surprised when I first entered this space that a lot of the users in this community weren't actually fatphobic or they didn't make it a habit to body shame others. Most people here are nice but delusional (😭💀)

What I'm not getting is that how others will shame, villanize and stay as far away as possible from people with eds but for those who do have an ed (not saying every person), won't say a word about others bodies or condem them for being a different size or in being in another mindset.

For the good eggs in this community, we dont judge and we supportand want our friends to recover but outside of our sphere, we're rarely shown compassion.

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toshis-puppycat · 2 years

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Loving Hades

A/n: Eden baby I'm so sorry this took me so long to post. But I've finally had the burst of inspiration to finish it and here it is!!

Summary: Just gods in love. Because I don't know how to summarize.

Pairing: Hades!Shigaraki Tomura (Shimura Tenko) x Persephone!Reader

┍━☽【❖】☾━┑

Everyone told you that it was a bad idea. To leave the mortal realm, asking to go into one of the territories of the kings. You were basically asking to be taken as a bride where you had no power whatsoever. And you'd be at the mercy of the kings. The "playboys" as your mother would say. You did meet one of them a long time ago. He gave off the feel of a male lead in those romance novels that the flower nymphs gave to you. Saying that you "needed the variety" all of them left you a flustered mess.

You also knew some general information. The traitors some would call them. But in reality, they saved everyone didn't they? They brought an end to a tyrant! And well they were also 'subtly' attempting to trash your mother without saying it directly, considering she was a 'traitor' too. The gall some people had. It was one of the many reasons why mother came to the mortal realm, but you wanted to explore.

It felt suffocating to live with your mother. And there was that constant feeling. Suffocating, irritating, wrath. It was all overwhelming. But you didn't feel it here. Maybe it was how fast paced everything was. Or maybe it was being away from everything in the mortal realm. The mortals didn't interrupt anything in the realm of the Gods. Of course, it seemed so obvious now that you were actually wandering around in the realm. That feeling in the back of your mind finally retreated, dormant. You were finally away from all the stress you were feeling when you were with your mother. Then that feeling of guilt filled your heart. Your mother really did try her best to protect you. And she did! But you wanted to see so much more of the realms.

Under the guise of learning you convinced your mother to allow you to take a scholarship, and of course… staying away from men. She left you with Deku though. He was a trustworthy ally that your mother had in the realm of the Gods. He was kind, generous, and he worked to protect the mortals that followed him. He met your mother completely by chance, having to meet you both for business. To work together. He admired your mother's work for quite some time and wished to work together for prosperity. It helped that he worked to understand all the plants that you both made and to know how to take care of everything. He also explicitly stated his interest in the business aspect of your partnership. He admired you both but refused to ever make a proposal. He was focused on being a hero for his followers. (And while your mother believed he had no interest in anyone, you saw how he looked at the ones he said were "just friends", looks full of love and affection) You admired that about him. He could do what he wanted.

You want that too. You wanted to be looked at with such love, with such tenderness. You shook the feeling away. It would do no good to focus on any of the negative feelings. Or even be distracted by your wants. Especially when you had to go meet with other people that Deku worked with soon. It would help the Gods to have vegetation nearby. Or at least more closely. Deku was the middleman for a business man for the underworld. He worked with the gods in olympus and those in the domain of the dead. He was wary of the underworld and ensured you would be wary of it too. He didn't fully trust the king of the underworld, they at best had a strained partnership and at worst wanted to kill each other despite how impossible it was to do so. Gods couldn't die. They could be tortured, they could be destroyed and put back together. But to kill one was difficult. Overall, they didn't have the best relationship. Actually meeting Hades… it brought a different look than what you'd been told by everyone.

"He's disgusting and a vile excuse for a god." You remembered being told by flower nymphs living in olympus.

"He's aggressive, and feels oppressive." Deku said to you. "He's not a bad God. But he's overwhelming. It makes me nervous. And we aren't on the best terms, it's difficult knowing that."

It all made you worry when you followed Deku into the conference room. But then you actually saw him. Red eyes, light blue hair, the feeling of exhaustion came off in waves from him. He looked… like he was suffering more than intimidating to you.

The meeting of course went off without a problem. And you surprised everyone, yet the only one you could focus on was him. Hades… but he truly preferred to be called Tomura. It was the name he'd chosen after being abandoned by his father, when he followed All for One, and then subsequently betrayed him after realizing what he had truly been after. There was a reason he was called a traitor. AfO wanted the destruction of everything. He was the true evil that the Gods had fought against. One that your mother refused to talk about. She only focused on how Shigaraki followed him previously. How it was difficult to trust one who'd been raised by such a horrid immortal. But he proved himself, even partially sacrificing himself. It took eons to heal from the wounds on his face. Injuries from immortals were semi permanent.

But meeting him in person, he didn't look evil, aggressive or intimidating. He looked tired, like he was ready to leave and just never come back even though he had to take care of all the beings who lived in his realm. He was dedicated, and didn't want anyone following him to suffer the way he did under AfOs reign. You knew it, you felt it with every fiber of your being.

He wasn't a God who would stand idle if his people were suffering. He was one who'd protect everyone he could. You assumed that after he realized the wrongdoings of everything he'd done before he just felt remorse. He couldn't bring back the dead, he could only ensure that their spirits would pass on and be alright at least. This was what you felt of course. Staying in Olympus proved that it wasn't what everyone also thought of him. The rumors of how he acted before was obviously how he acted behind closed doors now. But you'd always remember his eyes. The tired, worn down look he had. (You didn't notice they didn't look so tried the moment he laid eyes on you, they only went back with his own negative thoughts coming to the forefront of his mind). Tomura was kind to you after your official meeting. He did his best to show his best side to you. But you knew his other side, although it didn't bother you as much as it bothered others.

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Tomura was… in a bind. A very very bad one. He fell for another God. The goddess of spring, you… Persephone. Or well your more preferred name Y/n. You were bright, loving, and you made so much to help the Underworld. Someone no one else really wanted to do. He worked with Deku but he felt it. He knew the younger God was wary of him. He couldn't tell him he had nothing to fear. He was also weary of everyone. He knew they feared him, hated him even. He and Deku only just got on friendly terms. And that was only because of his asking for assistance to feeding the population of the Underworld. But it would never erase what he'd done. Working with All For One ruined everything. He was repenting, trying his best to show through his actions that he was remorseful. He couldn't blame everything on youth, being manipulated by him. All he had to do now was have everyone listen to the proposal Deku brought with you. He'd never seen you before this meeting. Only hearing about the Goddess of Spring helping her mother within the Mortal Realm. He felt everything light up within himself. A feeling of completion the moment he'd laid eyes on you. The Underworld didn't feel suffocating anymore, it felt like home. After eons of not feeling anything, it felt right. He wished the feeling would never go away.

But it would, just flicker in and out. The feeling of belonging. The feeling of rightness. It would always flicker when you were nearby. He wouldn't tell you though. He couldn't, you were a goddess trying to step up in the world and didn't need him to suffocate you.

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Tomura was… different from other Gods. He was respectful to your time, and thankful for your effort. Never saying "of course. It's your job to be doing this." And shrugging it all off. He was kind to you. Deku was nervous about this of course, he'd only seen the interest that Tomura had and assumed. But you never felt that. Some Gods you've met, were very open about how they see you as a being. Someone to be used. Not a Goddess but an object to gain something from. Your mother always said you may never be able to see the truth of this, but you could feel it. Tomura was honest to you. And yes he desired but that desire was more towards domestic things. He would look at you with uncharacteristically soft eyes and ensure that all his attention was on you whenever you spoke. Other Gods didn't do that. Well to be fair, so did Deku but he already proved himself in that aspect. It wasn't the same feeling you had with Tomura. He was kind, he respected you. Even when he thought you weren't present, he was respectful of you. And he was admittedly very attractive to you. An older God of course, should be off the table for you. But Nymphs loved Zeus! So no one should blame you for liking the God of the Underworld. You wanted a future with him involved. You wanted to forget your mother, your whole 'mission' as a goddess of eternal Maidenhood. None of that mattered to you if you weren't as free as it felt to be near him. You worked slowly, you weren't fully needed to interact with Tomura but you did. You threw yourself into working with him and bonding. You would take anything to be nearby. And to be fair he was helping you as well. Paying you for your work, even donating to the Goddesses of Eternal Maidenhood! Which he never had to do. So you did what you knew you did best. Causing chaos. That fact was proven as your name had been changed. Kore to Persephone, and of course your name you went by for friends and family. So what you'd be causing problems? You totally meant to cause them. (In no way did you try to cause these problems). You disappeared. That feeling just finally taking over. You were done feeling smothered by others, you wanted him. You felt it in your very being that he was everything you could ever want.

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It was a tale like no other. Talked about like it was forceful. The absolute anarchy that occurred. People always assumed the worst of Tomura. The worst of Hades. You'd never be at the forefront of it all no matter how much you'd take over tasks. You were kidnapped in the eyes of everyone in olympus and the mortals. But the truth was, you never wanted to leave the moment you entered the Underworld and met him. You wanted him. He almost didn't accept your affections when you fully came out with them. You were… everything that he wanted. And he didn't want to ruin you. But then he paid attention. Looked at your actions without the feeling of apathy seeping in and convincing him to let you go. It might have taken Hecate (Toga finally making him see) pushing him to realize that you were more than serious about him. Even willing to sentence the souls punishments. No matter how brutal they could be. He wanted to say he held out and made you return to your rightful place because it was the right thing to do. But he would be lying then.

"Are you sure? That you… you want me?" His voice was uncharacteristically small. Like he was waiting for you to have a 'gotcha!' Moment.

"I've never felt this way for any one else Tomura. Please… let me love you." A pleading tone, a loving gaze and you just tenderly cupping his face.

How could he even think he could reject someone he felt so strongly for?

Hades was saved the moment he pulled away from All for One and betrayed him. But he never truly felt it until he was in your arms and given a love he never thought he'd experience.

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Taglist: @dearbraus, @thotsbythia

Smooches to yall, I'm sorry I took forever to write this

#bnha #bnha x reader #mha x reader #tomura shigaraki x reader #bnha au #🌟 — [ Heavenly Bodies ]#hades and persephone #but like make it Hades!character and Persephone!reader

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seeminglyseph · 2 months

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The majority of Olympian Greek Gods as described in myth: bearded, thick, muscular, could be hairy and fat so long as they were powerful and athletic, they are the peak of Greek Masculinity. Thick facial hair is a must for all but the gods representing youth like Hermes and Apollo, so those guys had thick black curling beards to show their strong masculinity.

Dionysus as described in like half his mythology: youthful, one of the youngest of the Olympians, beautiful as a woman, raised as a girl in some myths, crossdresses in some myths, frequently considered unworthy of respect or recognition because of his slight and feminine appearance. He is small, slender and feminine and despite that is fierce and frenzied in battle and leads many frenzied and violent women to war with him. He is a god of war, madness and outsiders along with wine. The partying was less a spirit of chill relaxation and more frenzied nihilistic chaos as a rebellion against surrendering to the nothingness of not belonging or being accepted.

And yet. *and yet* people will throw themselves into a tantrum over making the the femme god of Olympus have one of the most masculine bodies and then throw lipstick on it and argue they’ve made it it femme and that to argue differently is body shaming because Dionysus is they’re hill to die on because all they know of him is the basic concept of Wine and Parties. They have taken the concept of Bacchus, modern interpretation and extraction and simplification and ideas and pushed it on a god who never represented the concepts in the ways that they have come to mean.

I understand that Jack Black as Dionysus started as a really fun joke, but. Dionysus has mythology. He has a whole story and it’s rich with character that *isn’t* true to the characterization of “jolly party dude who brings the drinks”

And yes this is my personal Greek Mythology pet peeve that nobody else cares about but me, so what? I’m tired of having people literally try to talk me out of “canonically accurate Dionysus” because they think Greek Mythology is somehow missing fat hairy manly representation.

I’ve seen people argue that Hermes, Apollo and Dionysus shouldn’t be twinks, there are too many twinks in the Olympian Gods. And they chose to pick the three that literally like. Represent the youthful men. If you want bears there’s literally *everyone else.* You can interpret literally every other male adult god as having hair, muscle and body fat in any combination you so desire and they are *perfect* for it. Heracles is right *there*. He’s also a “mortal” son of Zeus who ascends to Olympus and I don’t know of anyone else who would count as a man who would be a giant hairy man as much as Heracles. He and Dionysus are fucking bros. There’s plenty of room for body diversity and bears and fat guys who are buff.

Taking the *one* god explicitly described as “small and slender like a woman” and fighting tooth and nail over how that could definitely actually mean anything if you change the definition. It’s taking rep away. It’s not body positivity, it’s not inclusivity it’s exclusion. You’ve taken a trans man and made him a cis man who might be a drag queen because that’s like. “The same thing, right? It’s all the same.”

That’s it. That’s why it pisses me off. Rant over.

#seph rambles about Greek mythology #my complex feelings about Dionysus #it’s probably not that deep

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shiftingdiariesofophelia · 11 months

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guys i wanna talk about religion in my hp DR.

so, i have been working on my script for way too long at this point. but one of the things i decided early on was my own religious practices. i, in my current/original reality, do not practice any religion and define myself as agnostic. but in my DR, i have scripted in a religion that i both understand and follow. now, this may be weird for some of you, but i’ve always been a person of science and logic. i can’t just blindly follow a god or deity or anything. but i’ve always loved the outsider idea of religion. that there are people who have faith, wholly and truly, in something other than themselves. so, as a way to experience this for myself, i have scripted the Greek pantheon into my DR. this way, i KNOW that my gods are real. there is no doubt in my faith, as it is not blind faith. and i don’t know if anyone else is interested in it, but i’m gonna explain it here.

so, essentially- different religions/practices/etc. have their own forms of magic, as i’ve discussed here previously. the Wizard/Witch practice of magic stems from Grecian ideas. magic was a gift to select humans from the gods thousands of years ago. these groups of humans went on to form the bigger wizarding families that have become infamous. The Blacks, the Dumbledores, the Potters, etc. the way that this practice works in my DR is a little strange. not all wizards or witches practice religion, and not all believe in it. that is okay. they are not punished by these gods for their lack of faith. if someone chooses to practice religion, they will need to choose a patron/patroness as a main form of worship. now, they can make offerings and such to any of the gods at any time, but your patron god is meant to represent your goals or who you are as a person. they’re sort of who you identify the most with. they are your connection between the body and the spirit.

i myself follow the teachings and have chosen Hecate as my patron goddess. Hecate, goddess of magic, witchcraft, the moon, the night, ghosts and necromancy. despite being the literal embodiment of magic, she is actually one of the rarer gods to have as your patron. a lot of people become selfish or think too much when choosing a patron and choose something for petty reasons. they want to defeat their enemies, so they’ll choose Ares or Athena. they want power unimaginable, they’ll choose Zeus or Hades. but there’s something so delicate and personal about paying homage to Hecate, the first Witch, that is so special to me. Hecate is the daughter of titans, but she is not siblings to Zeus, Poseidon, Hades, Demeter or Hera. her parents were Perses and Asteria. she was born a titaness, but made a god after the fall of Kronos. she is rather separate from the rest of the gods, and does not attend Olympus as much as the others. she is a goddess of crossroads, and her torches light the way for anyone who cares enough to ask for her help. Hecate specifically is the one who blessed me with magic, as I am muggle-born, and has also given me the gift of foresight. Foresight being different from prophecy- prophecy is vague, like an idea of something. Prophecy is what Trelawny had been blessed with. Foresight is actually watching something unfold in front of you. Either present, future, or past. Hecate, of all gods, tends to feel the most for mortals. she is sympathetic to us in a way that the other gods can not comprehend. she is an eternal maiden goddess, and tends to answer young women more than anyone else, she even answers more to women who are no longer maidens than men. i could go on and on about her. i’m so glad to have her as my patroness.

a lot of the major wizarding families were originally given magic by one of the gods, and it’s become commonplace for purebloods to choose that original god as their patron. so, for example, the House of Black has always worshiped Hades. the idea that they are favorable to the god of the underworld is reassuring to them when practicing the dark arts. they also tend to make offerings to Thanatos, so they may have death itself on their side. other wizarding families have different patrons too, some more loosely practice than others. the Dumbledores, Zeus, the king god, god of the sky, and of lighting. Powerful and knowing, designed to be great leaders. the Weasleys keep to Hestia, the goddess of the hearth, the family, the home, and domesticity. the Malfoys (Lucius’ side) have kept to Ares, god of war, violence, bloodshed, and courage. which is ironic, given Lucius’ knack for being a pushover. the Longbottoms have had a long history with the minor god Pan, the god of nature, the wilds, shepherds, flocks, and even has connections to fertility and springtime. and the Potters tended to worship Apollo, the god of Oracles, sunlight, knowledge, healing, music and arts, athleticism, and protection of the young. not every member of a family practices, and some are more devout than others. but all of us were given magic by one of the gods, major or minor. and the oldest wizarding families are no exception. they just happened to be among the first of our kind.

i would also like to reiterate: these are not *exactly* the same as this reality’s Greek pantheon. these gods in my DR are much more forgiving, much more lenient, and don’t interact with mortals very much as they do in our mythology. sure, they may bestow blessings and guide those whom have chosen them as their patron, but the gods do not interfere with mortal affairs so much so that they play a crucial role in events. wars between mortals will remain between mortals. the gods are simply there to observe.

#reality shifting #shifting #shifttok #desired reality #shiftblr #harry potter dr #hp shifting #hogwarts dr #current reality

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thegeminisage · 3 months

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it's tng update time.

we did. and you know this. because i made. i counted. 18 posts about it. "half a life." and of course: "the host" (honorific).

half a life: part of what makes the ep after this so wonderful is that THIS episode was so genuinely upsetting. it was a huge bummer. it was awful. the only fucking episode lwaxana troi has been in that cathy actually watched and she had a valid character arc. i was furious. and then we got into it and i was like. oh.

first of all, kudos to charles winchester from mash for being here. cathy caught a 4077 ref that i missed bc i wasnt paying attention. i cant believe he was gay when he did this

secondly. the fucking. ethical implications of. people who are infirm should be dead for their children's sake and for their own sake. like it's better to be dead than in a nursing home. when you're 60 time's up. parents care for their children so children should care for their parents. your aging parents are mortal and they'll die one day. your daughter wants you to kill yourself. you want to die and can't wait to kill yourself. you don't want to live and then you do want to live but you still have to kill yourself. you're 60. you're 60. YOUR DAUGHTER WANTS YOU TO KILL YOURSELF. when she is 60 your daughter WILL ALSO KILL HERSELF.

i think the most fucked up part of this was that lwaxana ruined him. she meant well, and for once i saw her point and her arguments as totally valid (i usually think she's horrible), it was like maybe the only semi-selfless thing she's ever done aside from the ferengi business we will not be discussing. but she ruined him. when he was fine with dying and he had to die, fine and whatever. when he wanted to live?? no longer fine. if he lives his people will hate him forever. his daughter will regret him living because he can't be laid to rest in the family plot. because he can't die with his friends and family surrounding him. but he's 60. people live to be well over a hundred in the star trek universe, other aliens live even longer. he's SIXTY. he's healthy. he has work to do. a planet to save. and he's gonna die knowing his work meant nothing and his planet might die and his grandson may have nowhere to grow up. live or die, he will be miserable either way, just because he was introduced to a different way of life. it's SO fucked up

i think i had more to say about this after it ended but i have clean forgotten all of it. like it's been blasted out of my memory which is probably for the best. the short version is, i am living at home taking care of my mother who turned 58 three days ago. i didn't need any of that.

but then.

But Then.

the host: what can i possibly. i mean. the sheer. the fucking

like the fucking MOOD WHIPLASH alone

i had heard of this episode years ago. so i knew beverly's bf was a parasite and he eventually jumped into a woman and i was made to believe she was super homophobic about it. i was prepared to look completely past all of this and enjoy not-quite-gay SUBTEXT. i was NOT prepared for ANY of the rest of it

to get this out of the way: as i said, though i miss wesley very much (ask catherine i say so like every episode) it's so fortunate that he was not here. i think bev finally hit menopause because her horny levels were CRITICALLY off the charts and this whole debacle would have been so awkward for him. i'm glad he sent her a letter god bless i'm so glad he's fine wherever he is

the BABY BUMP THIS GUY HAD. this i was not expecting. i didn't know we were doing pregnant men in this episode. i figured the entire episode would be about beverly being like "this is weird cuz idw fuck you now that you're a woman" i had no idea his ass would jump into RIKER

riker did amazing bg work in this ep too before he got to star. he gave beverly and her bf some KNOWING looks. at one point the following exchange was uttered: "HE knows they're fucking." "yeah he wishes it was him." apollo and the dodgeball.....

the fact that after that i literally did have the thought "yeah except he'd never fuck beverly. she's one of the few people who are off limits." lisa simpson dot jpg

and then riker's pregnancy, what can one say. beverly put a little worm in his body. i'm only sad we didn't get to see the baby bump because that would have been extremely funny

i spent the whole ep thinking no way can beverly fuck riker. they have to work together. she has to look him in the eye after this. AND THEN THEY DID.

like it's so insane. it's not even that i dislike the concept because the fallout could lead to some extremely meaty interpersonal drama except for the fact that star trek generally isn't about interpersonal drama and we didn't see riker again after he got possessed. we didn't get one word from him. the silence seems so calculated so as to avoid having to write his reaction. BUT I WANTED HIS REACTION. will he not tell us how it feels to be possessed and pregnant and FUCKING BEVERLY CRUSHER? genuinely this is the first time i've been tempted to look up tng fic. someone tell me there is fic

also, like, he only had 18 hours until he got a new body. she could have waited to fuck the new guy if she felt weird about it being riker. SHE didn't know the knew guy was gonna be a woman. like it had to be menopause

the fact that deanna condoned this, even suggested it, is INSANE. not only because she didn't consider riker's ability, or lack of ability, to consent, but because THAT'S HER BOYFRIEND. quasi-boyfriend. sometimes exes sometimes fwb. like it's NUTS.

their discussion was so wild too. like "what do i miss...his hands, his mouth...no, there was more than that" girl they were 5 more minutes away from discovering the split attraction model. actually i don't even normally like the split attraction model but this episode made me like it a little more. growth <3

actually on that subject quasi-exes are weirdly chill with each other on this show. picard and beverly are kinda dating and kinda not, the same way deanna and riker kind of are and kind of aren't. and picard is like...beverly whatever else i am to you i'm also your friend and i know this fucking sucks. do you want a hug. like that is SO chill and cool of him. and ik they probably do this bc they don't want to have to maintain character development but it winds up accidentally feeling really refreshing

anyway: The Woman

i can't believe that beverly can fuck riker, her "sort of "brother," but not this hot blonde lady. and i know it's because they can't be gay but ACTUALLY

i was SHOCKED that gender didn't come into it at all. like yes it was the elephant in the room but nowhere in beverly's dialogue did she say she couldn't do this because odan was a woman now. copypasting:

"Perhaps it is a human failing, but we are not accustomed to these kinds of changes. I can't keep up. How long will you have this host? What would the next one be? I can't live with that kind of uncertainty. Perhaps, someday, our ability to love won't be so limited."

NONE OF THAT MENTIONS GENDER. none!!! the only part that could be interpreted as a gender thing was when beverly said bring HIM in, and was smiling bc she was about to meet the new version of her bf, only for her smile to drop when she encountered a woman. you could sort of read it as "a woman will be even weirder than riker and i just don't have it in me to go through that acclimation process again" BUT LIKE. like she's CHOOSING not to. not that she couldn't eventually adjust. to a woman. beverly just found out she's bisexual fr

like the wrist kiss was SO SENSUAL. LIKE WHAT THE FUCK. i can't believe they let two women do that on tv in 1991. holy shit. AND!!! they said i love you to each other. i did quite literally stand up out of my seat. it feels very progressive considering when it was written

and like it's a shame this was in the same episode where riker gets knocked up bc that distracted from the entire gay thing. i WISH the whole episode had been odan in a woman's body and riker had had his own episode to do all of that in later. like it would've been incredible. sexuality is fluid <3

anyway. wow. next time: "the mind's eye" and "in theory," two episodes i already feel sorry for because they will Never live up to all of that.

#personal #star trek blogging #tng lb #good fucking lord.

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unbelievablekittygrim · 1 year

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smoke signals

Moses spoke to God through a burning bush.

That part always appealed to Maurice, the brutality of God. He’d never quite understood the painted image of a loving and caring omnipotent Father, watching over His children with a warmth and a softness. Forgiving the sins of humanity, even acts that would be otherwise considered unforgivable by any sane and rational being and definitely any sane and rational deity who has unlimited knowledge of a persons thoughts and actions, as long as they prayed in whatever church they believed was the ‘right’ one, feverishly begging for forgiveness on all fours. Maurice knew it was all mostly lies, anyway. Centuries of contorting the text to fit the will of generations of power hungry con men masquerading as men of the church had left the image of God a hazy reflection of whatever you needed it to be. Maurice knew better, though. He’d read the stories, the old stories, the real stories. How God sent plagues down upon Egypt, how He drowned the world without mercy, how He punished Jonah for disobeying His order to sacrifice his mortal life. It seemed clear to Maurice that the true nature of God was cruel and uncaring. A God who commanded humanity as a shepherds dog commands the herd -- guiding under threat of a violent demise.

Finding himself surrounded by dense wilderness, with nothing but a full moon to reveal any path to an exit, Maurice had never felt further from God. The clearing he’d found himself in was vaguely familiar-- maybe he’d crossed through previously?-- but there was no guaranteeing any sort of familiarity was legitimate, and not the product of the dark obfuscating any perceivable differences between the number of clearings he had stumbled into tonight. There was something deeply wrong about these woods, something sinister that seemed to twist and gnarl the branches above him, obscuring any sign of civilization or even stars that would help him navigate his way home. Not that any man made landmarks could do much to help. He had only lived in this town for four days now, and most of it remained foreign and unexplored. He had only met a couple of the people who had moved in around him, and they were similarly sheltered from the towns nooks and crannies. His mother had never liked him hanging out with anyone, let alone kids his own age, so it’s not like he had the social skills to make local friends now. Or any friends, actually. He kicked a rock, watching it trip and scatter across the uneven ground. How late was it? He’d only meant to go out for an hour, just to see what lay in the thicket behind his new home. He’d heard rustles and howls from his attic bedroom window every night since he moved here, keeping him awake late into the night. He wasn’t sure why these noises unsettled him more than the fire station down the street, or the old train he could feel rumbling in the distance sometimes, but he knew there was something wrong with them. Something wrong with the woods itself. Tonight, he was staring out his window at the brush below, when he spotted something. A flash of light, emerging from behind a shrub, two silver disks that seemed to reflect the white light of the moon before disappearing behind the foliage. This startled Maurice, and he decided enough was enough. Cowering up here away from the danger, hypothesizing about what could be out there was going to keep him guessing and paranoid forever. Better to get a look at what could very easily have been a possum, or worst a coyote. Did they have coyotes here? He wasn’t sure, but he could find out. He’d grabbed only a jacket, necessary to shield him against the cold december chill, and a pocket knife to defend himself, and stepped out into the night.

Now in the middle of a seemingly endless forest, Maurice sat slumped against an old tree trunk, attempting to pass the time before sunrise. It was cold, very cold, and although his fingers shook and his spine shivered, he made no effort to find insulation or shelter. Instead he decided to play a little game. He picked a rock, no bigger than a baseball, about four meters away, and locked his eyes on the target. He pictured his gaze hardening, becoming tangible, hooking itself around the smooth, grey stone. It began, slowly at first, to tremble, then shake, then finally like a trigger being pulled, the rock shot forward towards Maurice’s head. He quickly ducked as the stone rocketed into the tree behind him, exerting enough force to lodge itself into the bark of the old birch. He pulled himself back up with excitement, staring at the damage. The rock had penetrated the wood so deeply, Maurice was having difficulties pulling it out with his fingers. He grabbed his old knife, its gunmetal grey blade chipping away at the rotten wood. His heart beat fast, full of the adrenaline of victory and a near death experience, as he giddily scraped away the dry flakes of the bark. The brutality of God, ultimate power with no rules or consequences, was something he was familiar with. Something he admired. Something he craved. He peeled back the layers of birch bark, loosening the stone just enough to get a strong grip on both sides. With a heave, Maurice pulled the rock out of the wood, but instead of being met with the hollow inside of an old tree, he found himself staring at something much worse. An eye, a human one, was pressed up against the hole the stone had made. The skin around it looked grey and bruised, and even though Maurice had let out a sharp scream seconds earlier, the person to whom the eye belonged appeared unphased. The wood around the back of the rock was wet, sticky with a substance he couldn’t quite see but could definitely smell. The tree appeared to be bleeding. His heartbeat rose again, this time out of fear. He began to pull away further at the tree, ripping off chunks of wood as he unearthed the corpse that had been shoved in the hollow birch through a crack in the other side of the trunk. The body belonged to a girl, about his age, with smooth dark skin and darker hair. She had been horribly disfigured, hideous claw marks shredding her slip dress and slicing her skin into ribbons. Her other eye socket was clawed and hollowed out, and her left arm was torn clean off. But the most terrifying part of all was the heart. There was a smooth hole, about 4 inches in diameter, that had been bored clean through her chest and out the other side. The wound was rimmed with black rot that appeared to be creeping across her skin in fractaled veins. It didn’t look like the kind of wound any weapon or animal could make, at least not anything native to new england. Judging by the the barely dried blood on the tree and stone, this kill was fresh.

He backed away in terror before taking off in a sprint, muttering any and all prayers he could muster in hebrew, latin and french for good measure. He tore through the forest, stumbling on the roots of trees but picking himself up quickly, for fear of becoming the prey of whatever could possibly do that. He ran for what felt like ages before he came across another clearing overlooking a cliff. Merde. He was boxed in. His heart racing, Maurice collapsed out of terror. The bushes lining the edge of the cliff rustled in the wind as he felt the chill whip around him. Was this really how it ended for him? Everything he had been through, the impossible trials his mother and pastor put him through, the great pilgrimage his church had made, was it all for nothing? Minutes prior he’d thought himself a god. What kind of fool would think such a thing? This must be his punishment. God would never let such a crime go unpunished, especially after using his demonic abilities for leisure. He deserved to die for this. The crunch of fallen logs and twigs echoed throughout the forest, amplified by the otherwise deafening silence. He began to shake, not out of chill or fear but pure adrenaline, a burst of energy impossible to describe. The smell of copper wafted through the air as he felt his chest get hotter. This was it, this was the end for him. He began to recite a final prayer.

“Our Father, Who art in heaven-” crunch.

“Hallowed be Thy name; Thy kingdom come-” crunch.

“Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us-” The smell of copper grew stronger as Maurice’s vision began to darken.

“and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil,” As he glanced up one last time, he saw the eyes of the beast, a piercing silver gaze, peak out from behind the trees. It let out a bone chilling snarl as it took one more step, revealing a massive paw with dozens of claws packed together. Maurice shut his eyes.

“Amen.”

A burst of heat shot out from behind him as the bushes began to combust, one by one, sending sparks and smoke emanating out into the clear sky, obscuring the full moon above him. Maurice opened his eyes to see the beast retreating, running at full speed away from the clearing, terrified of the display in front of it. He turned to face the burning bushes, the smoke dancing and parting into the night in two distinct columns, twisting like the horns of a goat. He stood, mouth agape and terrified. Deep down he knew: he had done that. His abilities, previously assumed to be limited to rock throwing and the occasional prophetic bad dream, had just proven themselves to be far more destructive than ever before seen. This was the word of God. He was powerful, and he was worthy of power. He stared at the bush for what felt like hours, in awe of the power of God and himself, until he began to feel lightheaded. The fire and smoke began to creep itself into his lungs, and the rush of adrenaline subsided until he was left entirely drained. He knelt by the fire, still marveling both at his creation and its holiness, before exhaustion eventually overtook him, and he passed out.

Maurice awoke to birdsong. He wasn’t sure what time it was, but the sun was in its early stages of rising, and the fire had gone out. He quickly rose, pulling his jacket on tighter and assessing the damage he had caused the night before. The shrubbery behind him was completely gone, and he could clearly see some sort of tree farm or orchard on the ground beneath the cliff he was on. As he stared, he heard a twig snap from behind him. Maurice whipped his head around to see a person, about his age, with bright orange hair highlighted by their blue winter jacket. The circle of white birch trees around them seemed to frame them in a way, the black nodules like peering eyes focused on him. Maurice went to say something, but the stranger spoke first, a wide smile on their pale face.

“Hey there, stranger! You look a little lost. Need some help?” The person asked, hand outstretched. Maurice saw something in their cold, piercing blue eyes, something familiar. The brutality of God.

“Yes, please,” he replied, gripping their hand firmly in his.

#writing #creative writing #my writing #horror #short story #religious trauma #body horror cw

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