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#this collection was titled 'hope and glory'
crescencestudio · 1 month
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๋࣭⭑ Devlog #38 | 2.27.24 ๋࣭⭑
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How is it already almost March omfg.
Anyways Happy Valentine's Day month!!! This year, I was swamped with work, so I didn't get a chance to make Valentine's Day art. I did make a Valentine's piece last year though.
BUT we did have beloved @magunalafay make these Valentine's Day cards this year for the community!!! <3 If you missed it, well Happy Valentine's Day!!!!!
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She made these as a gift, and I love her very much. Maguna u r so talented
This month was pretty busy for me, but I'm super happy with the progress made this month ^^ I feel like I've started the year off in a pretty good groove after it being all over the place for a hot second, yay!!!
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This past month, Etza and Druk's routes. With the revamped demo finishing its revisions, it left a lot more time for me to focus writing on full route development.
If you missed the announcement, I FINISHED Etza's first draft!!! YAAAYYY!!!! FINALLY!!!!!!
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That means 4/6 routes are finished in terms of the base writing, which is so exciting to MEEEEE. I've always seen Etza's draft as The Milestone because with their route finished, it would mean the four Central routes are done writing. And to me, while there's a good chuck of writing left, we are nearing the end of it.
There's only two routes left and that means it's about ~100k words which is CRAZY compared to when I had ~300k to write (:cries:). Even if that sounds like a lot, once I start chipping away at those routes, that 100k goes into the "double digits" aka 90k...80k... etc. and that makes me want to pee my pants
We also finished editing Druk's route, yay!!! So we reached a lot of milestones this month ^^
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We are nearing the end of the Vui background commissions. It's very bittersweet; I'm so used to mentioning him in my devlogs now </3 There's only like 3(?) more BGs left for him to make, and then all of the BGs for the game will be finished. Very Wild! I think Alaris will have 25ish BGs, and they are all Stunning.
It's been a while since I showed you all a BG, so I'll give you all a preview of one I just got in!
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Isn't it cozy? Guess whose house hehe
I personally have been doing a lot of sprite work this month to finish the final art assets for the demo. I added some expressions to Druk and Aisa that I'd been procrastinating (I don't even know why I was procrastinating them). And I finally finished Mom and Kimura's updated sprites! Patreon already saw them, but I'll show the new versions here too ^^
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Preview of Mom (left) and Kimura (right) updated sprites. Now everyone's sprite styles are cohesive YAY!!
Aside from sprite work, much of my "art" time has been on finishing up/putting together the last of the screens for the GUI. Specifically, I got THIS BABY up and running. She is my crowning glory.
Memory Screen to Replay Unlocked Free Time Dates
Oh my god.... You all have NO IDEA how much of a pain this was to code. There is a transparency gradient going on in the left and right B&W previews (courtesy of community programming angel feniks/shawna).
And then the effort to have the Titles and Descriptions of the Previewed Date change tilted me on Multiple Occasions. But we finally got it to work thanks to bestie @siyo-koy pointing out I just coded one stupid "if" statement wrong LJAFSLIEFJIEJ. But the effort was WORTH IT because I'm so proud of her!!! I hope you all like it too as a way to relive Free Time Dates. I had a lot of fun with the Titles and descriptions.
I also put together the Stats and Affection Screens
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Preview of Personality Stats & Affection Screens
So I coded both of them a bit differently from each other. The Personality Screen shows you a breakdown of your traits so far. Think of it like a pie graph! So in the preview picture, your choices indicate you are 33% Brave, 16% Charismatic, etc. I felt like this was a more natural way to portray personality rather than how many bravery points you've collected so far!
And then for Affection, it works in a more traditional way, where it counts it based on how many you've gotten out of the total amount you can get. This way, as the story progresses, how close you are to the person reflects how much your relationship as developed!
I've also added little descriptions underneath each that change depending on the percentage. So for example, if you have gotten 82% of the affection points for Kuna'a, the description of your relationship might change as well hehe
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Other than that, I've mainly focused on getting the demo together. We released the beta demo earlier this month (? LOL). And the feedback has been so kind!!
A lot of this month was spent polishing so that the demo can be ready for early access and eventually public release. I updated sprites, made sure music crossfades with each other so that transitions between soundtracks feel smoother, I added/polished all of the screens I needed to (e.g., Memory Room, Full Credits, Cleaning Music Room, Adding Stats Screens), and I FINALLY as of yesterday added the Voiced Lines!!
One thing I added in the Extended Demo that I'm really happy with is the use of Extended Pronouns (courtesy of Angel Feniks). Below is a preview of how it works now!
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Preview of Extended Pronouns Function. Credit to Feniks
Basically, you can choose multiple pronouns for yourself, including custom pronouns (e.g., xe/xem, fae/faer, etc.). On top of that, you can choose how often you'd like the pronouns to alternate (e.g., every line versus every scene) and what kind of terms you'd like to be used for you (e.g., neutral vs. masculine vs. feminine)!
Overall, the demo is getting closer and closer to release!!! Early Access will hopefully be ready by the end of this week or next, so if you all would like access to it, please feel free to subscribe to my Patreon for this upcoming month! Available to Wyvern tier ($5) and up.
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I didn't have any time to really play any games this month because I was drowning in work LMFAOSLJIEF. I did play the Threads of Bay demo by @lavendeerstudios and it was GORGEOUS! Very cute game with lovable characters and charming visuals. Andrew, I will have your number
Every other section was really long, so I'm going to throw it here even though it's not market research. But Intertwine recently hit 600 ratings, which is crazy. Thank you for still enjoying that game even if it's not one that is my main focus anymore. I'm really happy people still like it :on the verge of tears:
Anyways, this has been a long devlog. Here's to continuing to Ball in March. Hope you all have a great rest of your month, and I'll talk to you soon! <3
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helluva-demonbelle · 1 month
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Here’s chapter one of my fic! Once I can post it on AO3 I’ll also be posting chapter 2 and 3 with it, and I’ll drop a link.
Title: Rings of Id
Ship: Radiobelle
Roughly about 3k words here.
Summary: Charlie Morningstar, Princess of Hell, could break the contracts of her citizens, throwing off the already unsteady balance of power of the Overlords. It wasn’t something she was keen on advertising.
She broke their contract. She freed their soul. But there was a problem.
The Overlord came to collect.
Notes: No warnings, yet, but something I’ll be exploring in this fic that I love reading is the duality of Charlie’s powers and personality. She will have moments where might seem out of character but it’s just where her more demonic side comes through. Also that’s a working summary but it gets the idea across I guess.
With the stroke of her hand, she smoothed out the non-existent wrinkles in her pants for what was probably the fifth time in the past hour, her nerves positively buzzing with excitement. Her leg bounced and she tried to ignore the slight creak her chair made with each shift in movement. It wasn’t the best armchair, admittedly, having come from her old nursery it was probably as old as she was. The paint was chipping a bit, the cushion was fraying at the seams, but it was serviceable! And comfortable. Plus, it reminded her a bit of home. With a little bit of love and care she was sure that it could be restored to its former glory.
But! That wasn’t what was important right now. What was important, Charlie reminded herself, was that there was a potential patient! Her smile widened, her attention once again brought to the demon before her.
They were a slip of a thing. They sat on the edge of the loveseat, eyes darting around for potential predators. They were ready to bolt, she could tell, and the princess hoped that it wasn’t her presence that brought them such unease. With deep black eyes and tiny little golden horns, one would assume they were of the sheep variety.
Charlie watched as they fiddled nervously with their hands, looking everywhere but the crown princess. A part of her couldn’t help but feel like they were taking in the wrong sorts of details- the torn wallpaper, the loose floorboards, the crack in the ceiling. Sure, the Happy Hotel needed a bit of fixing up, but it wasn’t anything that she couldn’t fix herself! And she would be! Once they got a little bit more funding.
She was just waiting on proof that her program would work. Then she could present it to her dad, show him it would work and then- Charlie stopped. Now was not the time to think about that, actually. She had a potential patient in front of her now. And they just might be the ticket that they needed.
“So!” Charlie began, her voice broke the silence like shattered glass. The poor sheep demon nearly jumped out of their skin and bleated loudly in surprise. Charlie winced. She really hadn’t meant to startle the poor dear, but after she had walked into the room, the demon hadn’t spoken a word. They kept looking around every corner, jumping at shadows of all things. Maybe it is because I’m the princess, she mused thoughtfully. But, that didn’t seem to hold much weight, much like her own title. Charlie was as respected as a hellhound. Maybe even less. Still, she couldn’t let that stop her, she would just have to be a tad bit more mindful of the demon in front of her.
This time, a little softer, more gentle, “Vaggie told me that you’re looking to check into the hotel. Can you tell me a little bit about yourself?”
“I- ah- my name is… Lambert?” It said, confused. It was still looking around, as if it expected someone to come jumping out at it. The poor thing. They looked so frightened. Charlie grabbed the demon’s hand, her grip firm.
“Well, Lambert, my name is Charlie Morningstar. Nice to meet you.” Lambert tugged her hand away and Charlie dropped it without much protest, her hand falling back into her lap.
The lamb demon paused, shifting its gaze from her hand to her face, and she could only hope just how earnestly she meant it showed. She did mean it. It was nice to meet them. It had been a good 2 months or so since the last prospective patient had graced their doorstep.
“Well,” Charlie said, dropping her arm, pleased. She folded them neatly into her lap, ever the lady. “Now we have the introductions out of the way- what can we at the Happy Hotel do for you?”
Lambert’s gaze dropped, unable to meet her own. She watched for a few moments as they fiddled with the hem of their shirt, tapping against the fabric as if in constant debate. They wanted to tear it open, she knew. Nerves. Charlie took a deep breath. Patience. She needed to be patient. This had to be hard for them, obviously, since they were so scared.
“I- um. I heard that you- you redeem people.”
Charlie’s eyes softened. Not quite, but that’s alright. “I don’t redeem people,” Charlie corrected gently. “Redemption can only be achieved by seeking it yourself. Apologizing for ones sins, trusting in others, helping those you care about… those things can help redeem someone. I can help, we have a specialized program, but I don’t redeem people myself.”
Lambert dropped his gaze, disappointed. Their shoulders visibly drooped as they dropped their head in defeat, holding their face in their hands. “I knew they lied,” Lambert’s voice cracked as they let out the beginnings of a sob. “I knew it was too good to be true!”
“Woah woah, hey now,” Charlie stood up, moving closer to the sheep demon. “There’s no need for tears. Why don’t you tell me what’s going on? Maybe I can help!” She smiled, earnestly hoping the poor thing would open up to her sincerity. It was a superpower that only worked a handful of times, and mostly with her girlfriend, but that was neither here nor there.
“You can’t help me!” The lamb sobbed into their coat, their shoulders shaking. “You can’t! You don’t redeem people!”
“Well, that’s true, but it doesn’t mean you can’t redeem yourself! That’s what this hotel is about!” Charlie took out her carefully drawn plans out of the pink envelope, nearly dropping them in the process, and set them in front of the sheep. “Look, here! See, we have a step by step program to help poor unfortunate souls like you to get redeemed! All is not lost!”
“It doesn’t matter,” The lamb continued, not listening to her. “It doesn’t matter! He owns my soul! I’ll never get redeemed!”
At that, Charlie paused. He owned their soul?
An Overlord.
Of course.
Charlie straightened herself, smoothing down her jacket as she came to a stand. For a moment, Charlie watched as the poor lamb lamented their fate, their shoulders shook with grief and regret. The poor thing needed help. Was practically begging for it. With a sigh, Charlie closed her eyes and stood still.
She could feel it. The power lay dormant within her, a rolling ocean waiting for her to call. All she needed to do was reach for it, and then she could save the poor lamb- she would Save HIM -
Her hand outstretched, her powers at her fingertips burning to be used, begging for release - she stopped. A deep, uneasy feeling churned in her stomach, twisted into knots.
The risk was too great.
But she could. Shouldn’t she?
Charlie let out a slow, uneasy breath.
She’d done it before.
No. No Vaggie had talked to her about this. Not another one. It could cause a lot of problems for them at the hotel. They didn’t need an Overlord on their doorstep, not when they lacked proper protection. Vaggie could handle most small demons that may wander in to threaten their safety, but an Overlord…?
She would not put Vaggie in that position.
Still. The lamb before her was in trouble, clearly.
“Can you tell me about them?” She asked, trying to keep her tone soft. It wasn’t easy. The sight of the lamb, bleating in distress.. anger rolled through her. No. She had to be calm. She hated seeing her people so distressed, and, though the lamb might be naturally inclined to be skittish, Charlie struggled with keeping her anger down and not wring that damn Overlord’s NECK -
She swallowed as she pushed those thoughts down. No. That was not who she was. Charlie focused her attention back to her client, and, hopefully, future patient. The princess offered a small smile in what she hoped was reassurance. The lamb shuddered, their full out panic now having been reduced to tiny hiccups and sobs. Charlie took a handkerchief out of her jacket, offering it to the little lamb. They took it, smiling gratefully, before dabbing at the corners of their eyes. Charlie knelt down to be at eye level with them.
“Please, tell me about the contract.” The princess took the lamb’s hand with her own. “I promise, I will do whatever I can to help.”
“I just- I just- I didn’t want to be prey anymore,” Lambert hiccuped. “I was so tired of being h- hu- hunted by the other demons. I just wanted to give it back to them. Tenfold. What they would d- do to me.”
Lambert sniffed, blowing out their nose into the kerchief. “I - I made a deal to- to get back at them. He- he gave me powers. To hurt them. To hu- hunt them down. But it didn’t l-last. Only a day. Then they came back.”
“And.. he took your soul?”
Lambert nodded. “F-for one day. I g- got what I wanted but it didn’t last.”
Charlie frowned. That didn’t sound like a fair deal, but it was common knowledge sinner’s couldn’t die permanently, unless it was by an Angel’s weapons. Did the lamb truly not know? Or did they not think about it? The poor dear had been duped. .
“Lambert,” Charlie began softly. “Do you regret what you did?” She had to know. To be sure.
The lamb demon paused at the question, not looking at her. They twisted the kerchief in their hands, teeth nibbling on their lip. Their body was tense, as if ready to bolt at any moment. Charlie shifted her position, kneeling directly in front of them. The lamb was one of her people. She would do anything, anything, to help them in their hour of need. But she needed to know. If they weren’t regretful, if they didn’t want to be better, there was nothing she could do.
“No.”
The weight of their words hit her like a pile of bricks.
“N-no, I don’t. They d-deserved what they got! I just- I just wish I didn’t have to sell my s-soul to do it.” The princess closed her eyes.
They just wanted to get out of their contract.
They didn’t want to change.
Charlie sighed, her shoulders sagged as she exhaled, but she was quick to stand up with a smile on her face. Sure, she was a bit disappointed, but that was okay. The path to redemption was not linear. Just because they didn’t express regret today didn’t mean that they weren’t going to express regret tomorrow! And, besides, maybe their minds would change. Maybe, down the road, they would regret what they did. And once they did, she would be there, ready and willing to help.
“Well,” Charlie began, clapping her hands together. “That’s okay! The Happy Hotel is here to help those who want to repent and go to Heaven,” Charlie said, sitting back in her armchair. “You are more than welcome to check in. We don’t charge rent, and you can start the program to begin the process. We have daily activities to learn how to become a better person so that way you can earn your way back to heaven!”
“D-do you offer protection?” The lamb asked, tilting their head to the side. Charlie winced, averting her gaze as she scratched her head.
“W-well, no, each resident is responsible for their own safety outside of the hotel-”
“What about inside the hotel?” The lamb pressed. “W-what if someone comes in to attack us? Is the King going to protect us?” Charlie’s lips tightened at the line of questioning, a flush rising to her pale skin. Charlie didn’t meet the lamb’s gaze.
“We are perfectly capable of protecting our residents without the assistance of the King, thank you-”
“But how?”
“...Vaggie is our security?”
The lamb tilted their head. She wasn’t sure if it was in disbelief or curiosity. “One person? You’ve got one person defending the whole hotel?” Disbelief. The lamb jumped down from the seat, pushing their way past the princess as it tossed the kerchief to the ground. Charlie stumbled back, the back of her calves hitting the coffee table. She watched as the lamb marched to the door, grasped the handle and slammed the door shut behind them.
She winced.
Another potential client, gone. Charlie sighed, falling onto the loveseat, cradling her head in her hands. It was getting harder and harder to get clients in here as time went on. Tears stung in her eyes, but Charlie was quick to wipe them away. She couldn’t afford to cry over another lost client. It was their choice if they wanted to stay at the hotel or not. She couldn’t force them to want to be better. The burden of leadership weighed heavily on her shoulders.
How in hell was she supposed to convince people that redemption was in their best interest…?
Didn’t they want to be safe from Extermination day?
Didn’t they just.. Want to be better?
She leaned back and closed her eyes, ignoring the stress headache forming in the back of her mind. Every year, her people were exterminated by angels. Every year, she had to watch as those she cared about most ran and hid, permanently suffering in a final, painful, death. It was a massacre that she had lived with for over 200 years, and she was so tired.
Tired of her father not caring. Tired of her mother, missing.
Tired of her people dying.
Still, Charlie mused, all was not lost. Just because one sheep demon didn’t want to check into the hotel didn’t mean it was over. After all, it wasn’t like everything hinged on them! There were still plenty of demons out there, and there just had to be demons who wanted the same thing as her. After all, Vaggie did, so there was one. And, Angel Dust, too! While sure, he was primarily using the hotel for free rent… But! That didn’t mean he couldn’t be redeemed.
She just had to try harder. She would get them next time. There would be a next time.
There was a soft click as the doorknob turned. Charlie rubbed at her eyes, forcing any evidence of her tears away and grinned as she turned around. “Hey, Vaggie!”
Vaggie was not at all convinced by her enthusiasm. “You okay, hon?” her girlfriend asked in her approach. Charlie snorted, letting out a small laugh, waving the concern aside.
“Who, me? Course I am. Why wouldn’t I be?”
Vaggie gave her a look, and she knew that look. She sighed, allowing the smile to fall, but, to be fair, not for long. She couldn’t help it, where Vaggie was concerned. “I am okay,” Charlie reassured. “Really.”
Vaggie made a noise of disbelief, but didn’t say anything further. She picked the soiled kerchief with her spear, lips curling in disgust as she disposed of it in the trash. Vaggie set her spear down on the table, joining her on the seat. Charlie immediately turned closer to her girlfriend, letting out a sigh as her eyes closed. She leaned down, resting her head on Vaggie’s own. Vaggie reached out, grasping her hand and laced her fingers with her own. Her thumb traced circles over her pale skin, a comfort when Charlie was feeling down.
When Charlie dreamed of Heaven, it was Vaggie who grounded her, the support that kept her going strong.
They sat in silence for a long time before Vaggie finally asked her what happened. Charlie sighed.
“They wanted me to break their contract.” Vaggie bolted up, her eye wide in both shock and fear. She grasped Charlie’s face in her hands, earnest, anxious. Her fingers were practically shaking against her skin with fear.
“They said-?” The princess lifted her hand, cutting her girlfriend off with a shake of her head. She straightened herself, shifting so her feet were tucked beneath her.
“Not in so many words,” Charlie assured. “They asked if I could redeem them. Apparently someone owns their soul, and someone told them I could help.”
“...Did you?” Vaggie asked.
Charlie shook her head as Vaggie rejoined her on the couch, their thighs touching. Charlie reached out for her, and Vaggie didn’t hesitate to grasp her hand. Her grip was tight, anxious. Like she was afraid she would disappear if she would let go.
“Why didn't you offer to break it?” Vaggie asked then. Charlie shrugged, leaning her head back.
She could have. It would have been easy, relatively speaking. If the lamb had expressed any sort of guilt for what they had done, she might have offered. They had very few residents at the hotel, and if breaking the contract meant getting another soul redeemed, then she would.
She would do anything to save her people.
But, they didn’t express remorse. The only thing that they regretted was selling their soul to do what they wanted. It wasn’t like she wouldn’t have allowed them residency at the hotel if they didn’t express any sort of remorse for what they did. Angel Dust had no shame at all, after all, but there had to be some sort of desire for redemption. A hint of guilt. A fleeting grasp of remorse. She could work with those.
The lamb hadn’t expressed any of that.
Even still, that wasn’t even what did the deal in. The lamb was scared of whoever owned their soul. The other Overlords and demons could pose a potential threat, too. Thus far they had done well enough on their own, but the lamb didn’t seem like much of a fighter, and likely didn’t want to be put in a place of danger. The Happy Hotel skated on by for the most part simply because they were an unremarkable threat.
No one really cared who she was, Princess or not, and their only patient was Angel Dust. It was unlikely they had decided to run their mouths regarding what she did for them. If they had, she would have heard more about it.
Overlords making contracts was commonplace.
The Princess of Hell breaking that contract, however, was not.
Contracts, deals. Agreements. Favors. All the same thing, really. It didn’t matter. As Princess of Hell, respected or not, she could void the agreements made between her citizens. Contracts were legally binding and were the bread and butter for the sinners in hell, but it didn’t mean anything to the Princess, really. She was the higher authority, and the only ones above her were her parents.
And her mother wasn’t even around.
It wasn't something she was particularly keen on advertising. If it was, Charlie would have every regretful sinner, like the lamb, on her doorstep begging for their contracts to be broken so they could get a fresh start. She absolutely wanted to help her people, more than anything, but if they didn’t regret their decisions, if they didn’t want to be better, there wasn’t a point. Not to mention, though she had thus far had stayed off the Overlord’s radar, breaking contracts left and right would throw off the balances of power and make the Hotel a target. She could not afford that.
She couldn’t do that to Vaggie, or Angel. They didn’t deserve such a fate. It was her job to protect them, no matter what Vaggie thought.
“They- didn’t think the hotel was safe.” Charlie finally offered. Vaggie snorted with a roll of her eye. She didn’t tell her that she didn’t think it would have worked for the lamb, either. Not right now, anyway. Maybe later on the lamb would change their mind. There was always tomorrow, Charlie reminded herself. Charlie took a deep breath and grinned. As she came to a stand, she offered her girlfriend a hand up.
“Maybe we should look into security,” Charlie offered. “Razzle and Dazzle can circle the skies, plus, it would give them the chance to stretch their wings, too!”
“You sure that’s safe? What if someone tries to attack them?” Vaggie asked. Charlie waved it off.
“They’re dragons. If someone does try to attack them, they’ll eat them.”
“Wow. You sound very casual about that.” Charlie shrugged.
“It’s not the solution I would like,” Charlie said with a shrug, “but it is a temporary solution anyway. Besides, anyone they eat will just come back in a few days.” Vaggie nodded.
“Well, it does suck we weren’t able to get another patient.”
Charlie nodded, but her smile only widened as she stared down at her girlfriend. “There is always tomorrow!”
-
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laurelwen · 3 months
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Texts in Like Minds: Alex's Essay (deleted scene)
It has only recently come to my attention that a deleted scene exists on some versions of the Like Minds dvd (not the US version sadly). Thanks to @general-theory-0f-relativity, I learned about and was able to see this scene, and I really wish it had been included in the final cut for reasons I will explain in another post. The scene is in their lit class, and it involves the teacher handing back graded assignments. Alex's essay title is clearly legible despite the low quality of the video, and I immediately had some thoughts about it in relation to his character. Unfortunately, the video quality and the shots involved do not allow us to read the title of Nigel's essay other than to determine that is definitely a different topic. This tracks with my own experiences in lit classes and as an English lit major in college; we generally were given a list of potential essay topics to choose from. Based on those two pieces of information, I draw the conclusion that Alex intentionally chose the topic of his paper.
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The title: "Compare and contrast Dulce et Decorum Est, Anthem for Doomed Youth, and the Before Agincourt speech from Henry V"
Alex’s essay topic is incredibly common in English literature classes, essentially pitting two opposing ideologies against each other.  The Agincourt speech from Shakespeare’s Henry V is constantly quoted and paraphrased in media, and chances are good that most of you will have heard (or heard of) at least a part of it.  To sum it up, this is a speech being given by King Henry V to his soldiers as they prepare to engage the French in the Battle of Agincourt in 1415.  Facing a dire situation in which they are badly outnumbered, the king is trying to find some way to boost the morale of his men and encourage them to enter a battle in which hope is small and many of them will certainly die.  He does this by appealing to their sense of courage and honor, painting a picture of the glory they will earn for their heroic deeds and suggesting that they will be long remembered and highly praised by their countrymen.  These ideals are used by leaders and nations to lead the reluctant into the horror of battle: honor, renown, courage, brotherhood, duty, and loyalty to a cause or state.  It is the ages-old refrain sold to the common man–that to die in battle is actually a desirable thing, for it proves one’s character and masculinity.  
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The two poems mentioned were both written by WWI poet Wilfred Owen, famous for his castigation of war and of the madness of that conflict.  “Dulce et decorum est” refers to a quote from Roman poet Horace: Dulce et decorum est pro patria mori - "It is sweet and fitting to die for one’s country."  This sentiment is the same as that espoused by Henry V in his pre-battle speech, but Owen calls out the idea as inherently false, deriding it as propaganda meant to lure men into a pointless war.  In this poem, as in “Anthem for Doomed Youth” and the rest of his war poems, Owen vividly depicts the brutality and misery of war. The lived experience of the soldiers undermined the false promises of a glorious and honorable struggle.  The horrors of WWI would forever traumatize an entire generation, and Owen himself would die only one week before the end of the conflict.  
As a side note, it is worth mentioning that Owen met poet Siegfried Sassoon while recuperating from shell-shock in 1917, and it is now believed that they were romantically involved despite attempts to straightwash Owen.  Sassoon encouraged and helped Owen with his writing, including both poems referenced here, and he was the one who collected and published Owen’s works after his death.  (Further reading on the gay war poets.) It's unlikely that Owen's gay relationship with Sassoon was covered in his class, but we know Alex was an extensive reader who pushed outside the boundaries of what he was taught. He could have discovered this information on his own.
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While the comparison itself is extremely common in English lit classes (a quick Google search will show you a number of essays on this exact question), I find it a particularly interesting choice for Alex.  As someone who questions authority, rebels against rules, and rejects conventional ideologies, it is fitting that he would be drawn to write an essay examining this conflict between ideal and reality.  Knowing as we do his feelings regarding the hypocrisy of the Church and the causes and wars they engage in, one suspects he likely ascribes to the same sentiment as Owen–rejecting the propaganda of patriotism and sacrifice in the service of a Cause sold by those with self-serving interests.  I tend to think this character trait is one of the main factors influencing his interactions with Nigel–on one hand, he is reluctant to support any notion of a higher purpose or cause, but on the other, he is intrigued by a cause which paradoxically espouses iconoclasm - attacking or assertively rejecting cherished beliefs and institutions or established values and practices.
As a small side note, both actors' filmographies include WWI movies: Tom Sturridge in Journey's End and Eddie Redmayne in Birdsong. After his starring role in Birdsong, Eddie became interested in WWI and has been involved in projects honoring and remembering those involved in that war. Here's a video on FB of him reading another of Wilfred Owen's poems, "Asleep". I had a past life/WWI AU idea based on the story of Owen (Nigel) and Sassoon (Alex), so discovering this scene was absolutely chef's kiss perfection for me.
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writingsofwesteros · 1 year
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Daemon targaryen x dornish/martell reader?
since things has been good btw them and the dorne, the king invited the martells for rhaenyra’s wedding where daemon saw the dornish princess and immediately fall for her
AN: Hi, I hope you like it x
“I am surprised you invited them.” Daemon couldn’t keep his mouth shut for long; and this was no different. The music covered their conversation as the food was beginning to be placed down on the long table. Viserys was already tucking into the chicken and Daemon couldn’t help but roll his eyes.
“Of course, it is all well.” The King hummed; lounging back into his chair as his happiness only grew. Daemon hummed. He knew there was no more conversation to be had with his brother about it. His fingers moved up and down the goblet of wine as the rogue Prince only grew more bored.
“At least you are free of your marriage.” Viserys commented, sipping at his own wine as his head turned to his brother. “Hmm, that took long enough.” Daemon commented; always moaning about something. “You have to get married soon.” His brother ordered and the Prince only huffed. 
“I mean it.” Viserys continued as if that would change his brother’s mind. Daemon only hummed and this time it was the King who rolled his eyes. The Prince lounged back; his legs spreading as he took in the room. The sight of his niece dancing brought a smile to his face if only for a moment.
“They have arrived, my King.” Daemon overheard a servant whispering into his brother’s ear and finally he thought the night was going to become interesting. “Of course.” Viserys hummed and moved to stand. Daemon didn’t bother; he only lent in with his hands clasped together on the table. 
The music continued but the guests dotted around the room turned as the announcement of House Martell arriving echoed through them. Their bright orange aesthetic lighting up the room. “I cannot believe you brought us here.” You whispered to your father. “Hmm, do not worry.” He smiled politely.
The soft yellow dress hugging you perfectly glittered under the candle lights. It was backless and inviting. Your matching golden jewels wrapped around your neck and wrists to perfection as you held your head up and continued to walk. Your eyes caught sight of the royal party and your intrigue was slightly lifted.
The rogue prince himself was there in all his glory. You had heard he’d been exiled only months ago. “My King.” Your father smiled brightly as pleasantries were given. Your eyes twitched as you watched the sight in front of you. The fake niceties had you nearly rolling your eyes but you fought against it.
“Princess.” A soft whisper of your title had your head turning. The Rogue Prince himself stood beside you. “My Prince.” You purred and deeply curtsied. Your soft, warm eyes locked onto him as you stepped closer to meet him. Your father is still in conversation with the King. “I am sorry about your wife.”
“Don’t be. It is no loss for me.” Daemon hummed as those bright eyes of his moved over your body. You only raised a delicate eyebrow before gracefully taking the arm he offered. “Thank you.” The Prince leaned in and collected a goblet of wine that you knew wouldn’t be as delicious as the ones in Dorne but you smiled politely and sipped.
“Would you like a dance?” Daemon couldn’t help but ask. The words tumbled from his mouth before he could stop himself. A smile tugged on your lips as you hummed around the goblet. “If it pleases you, my Prince.” You teased him. “It would..” Daemon hummed and cheekily took your wine from you.
Your smile only grew as he gently took your hand. His fingers are moving to play with your own. You hated how your heart was already skipping a beat. “I did not think you would be a good dancer.” You couldn’t help but tease whilst Daemon only chuckled and had you twirling around the dance floor.
Your giggling echoed around the room as you were completely unaware of the stares coming your way; even from your father and the King. The rogue Prince was and he couldn’t care less as he kept you close. A little too close; but both of you didn’t mind as your soft breasts brushed against his chest.
His hand settled on your waist as his thumb gently moved in soft circles. Fuck, you were weak in the knees already. Not that he could know this as you tried to keep your composure. “The night has become less boring.” Daemon leaned in and whispered into your ear. His soft lips brushing against your neck. 
“Oh, did it?” You hummed; looking up at him. The size difference had you flushed for a moment before you calmed. The Prince only smirked as he twirled you around once more; your eyes catching your fathers. His eyes were soft as you were twirled around again and again; your giggles echoing around the room.
Daemon’s hands couldn’t stop touching you as he stroked your sides; lower than should be allowed. “You are incredibly beautiful.” The Prince couldn’t help himself; he was in near awe of you. “Thank you..” You whispered and hated the soft blush coming over your cheeks as you ducked your head.
Daemon only smirked. You were an addiction for the Prince now as he kept you close; dancing the night away. You were both unaware of the sets of eyes on you and the whispers of plans you weren’t included in. 
“I see a way we could bring our houses even closer.” Viserys whispered. The head of the Martell house only hummed. “It seems there is.” 
“We should return now.” You giggled into Daemon’s ear. His mouth watering scent moving over you. “I am enjoying myself here.” His hand gently stroked up and down your side whilst your own rested on his chest. You softly chewed on your bottom lip as your cheeks flushed prettily at his attention.
“Do you not like it here?” Daemon couldn’t help but tease you. “Hmm, maybe I’m getting bored.” You teased back. The prince only smirked with a hum escaping him once more. Oh, he was going to enjoy you. His hand gently took your own once more before gracefully guiding you back towards the table.
Your fingers played with his in those short moments before you moved away to greet your father. The Rogue Prince’s eyes never move from you.
TAGLIST
@heartysworld
@janelongxox 
@severewobblerlightdragon 
@lettherebrelight 
@writerslove2403 
@opheliax98
@bshelley322 
@casualheartadorable 
@kittycatcait219 @lilyviolets
@multifndom @7minutes-tomidnight
@savage-aespa 
@kid-from-new-zealand @mypatrochilles @ladystardvsts
@thekayarlene 
@sandronebabyy 
@ivanna6026 
@bubblebuttwade
@rosesinmars
@believeinthefireflies95
@vivalarevolution @my-dark-prince
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yeoldontknow · 2 years
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Ataraxia On The Horizon | Masterlist
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There are tales waiting to be told across the sea, above and below it; in the sky, and beyond it. There are stories of great love and great loss, stories of great adventure and great sacrifice. If we told you we have uncovered seven of the greatest tales, would you lend us an ear? Would you, if we told you we have gathered seven adventures through love and pleasure and pain, lend us your heart? Could you do it for the love of a pirate? For the love of a god? But what if there was even more? Would you swoon for the unfathomable man who steals hearts as quickly as souls? Are you in it just for the reputation, for the glory?
Are you greedy enough to give us everything, to have all of it?
Welcome to Ataraxia On The Horizon, a collection of stories that speak of adventure, escape, and love amongst the sea and sky. Here, you will find danger as quickly as you find romance. Here, you will find hope in the same instant you find grief. If you are seeking a journey amongst the tides, a life amongst the clouds, or the splendor of a stranger’s warm hand - read on.
all banners and images produced by @jamaisjoons​
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✶ Title: Love Across Moonlit Tides ✶ Author: @jamaisjoons​ ✶ Pairing: Pirate!Namjoon x Sea Demi-Goddess!Reader ✶ Tropes: Strangers to Lovers, Fantasy, Adventure
✶ Summary: When humans began doubting their faith and the Gods' power began to fade, Mirrhea, Goddess of the Sea, left without the Ocean's Heart, her most beloved treasure. Cetoan children have grown up hearing about the Heart of the Ocean: its absence, Mirrhea, and, most of all, its immense power. Legend says the Verraine Isles hold the secret to the treasure, but no matter how hard any pirate, treasure hunter, or adventure seeker has tried, the Isles themselves remain just as lost as the Heart of the Ocean. 
When Namjoon sets foot upon the Verraine Isles, he expects to find jewels, and gold, and money, but instead he simply finds you. He finds you and is immediately thrust into an even greater adventure.
⟶ Setting Sail Soon
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✶ Title: Damned To The Depths ✶ Author: @kookdiaries​ ✶ Pairing: Pirate!Jin x Native Islander!Reader ✶ Tropes: Sinbad au, Forbidden Romance, Adventure
✶ Summary: After the announcement of your betrothal to a well-known merchant sailor is derailed by his sudden abduction, you’re tasked with trying to save his life, and yours, by finding centuries old lost gold along with a pirate you’ve heard is nothing but trouble. Captain Jin is feared by many. He lays claim to whatever he desires, and does so easily. That is until he meets you. Taken by a long, lost friend, he knows damn well you are spoken for. But that is exactly what has him so intrigued by you.
⟶ Setting Sail Soon
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✶ Title: Serpents Sea ✶ Author: @jeonjcngkook​ ✶ Pairing: Pirate!Yoongi x Commodore’s Fiance!Reader ✶ Tropes: Regency, Strangers to Lovers, Angst
✶ Summary: There is nobody more feared than the myth of the Seven Seas, captain Min Yoongi. No one has seen him with their own eyes but with tales of debauchery and violence, black magic and buried souls — it isn't hard to picture what such creature he may be. 
You didn't have to wait too long to come face to face with the captain as a transaction that goes wrong between the pirates and your fiancé throws you into the arms of a young beautiful blonde with kind eyes as a pay off for protecting the land. And yet maybe the mesmerising captain Yoongi is the reason you wish to stay.
⟶ Setting Sail Soon
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✶ Title: Ala Morn ✶ Author: @yeoldontknow​ ✶ Pairing: Archer & Bard!Hoseok x Space Pirate!Reader ✶ Tropes: Reincarnation, Space, Sci-Fi
✶ Summary: Wisperia Sirens are never meant to fall in love. 2000 years ago, you did, and you paid for it by watching him die miserably in your arms. In grief, you took his name, his ship, and his legacy, honoring him for eternity. Hoseok is the most famous bard of his era, and you are the only subject that has ever carried fascination for him. Determined to meet you, he sneaks onto your ship and plans to write the first honest song about you. But then, why are you so strikingly familiar? Why do you look at him with coldness in your jaw and warmth in your eyes? Why do the words come so easily? Why does he find it so easy to love a pirate?
⟶ Setting Sail Soon
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✶ Title: Melodies Of Your Heart ✶ Author: @jimilter​ ✶ Pairing: Pirate!Jimin x Siren Princess!Reader ✶ Tropes: Strangers to Lovers, Drama, Fantasy
✶ Summary: The kingdom of Carmen Deae which lies calmly beneath the turbulent Cantiuncula sea, is inhabited by mystical females that sing deathly Melodies. Every mermaid, on becoming of age, is sent for a human male that crosses the sea. Once with child, she returns to the kingdom a Siren. However, you – the youngest princess of Carmen Deae – refuse to have intimacy be an act of treachery committed for your species’ survival. You wish for love. 
Cutting through Cantiuncula and drifting ashore to your heart, Captain Park Jimin is beautiful, kind and enigmatic. But allowing yourself to love him – would mean partaking in the very rite you shun. 
What must you do?
⟶ Setting Sail Soon
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✶ Title: No Survivors ✶ Author: @inkedtae​ ✶ Pairing: Capricornus!Taehyung x Pirate!Reader ✶ Tropes: Strangers to Lovers, Horror, Drama
✶ Summary: The storm seemed to come from somewhere other than the sky. One moment, the stars were swallowing the sky and in the next, the sea was swallowing your ship. Every member of your crew abandoned ship and you cursed them under your breath as the gale tore apart your mainsail. You didn't think anyone heard you. But he did. The Capricornus heard, and he would like to invite you to dinner.
⟶ Setting Sail Soon
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✶ Title: Tentative Tides ✶ Author: @amourtae​ ✶ Pairing: Pirate!Jungkook x Princess!Reader ✶ Tropes: Forbidden Romance, Enemies to Lovers, Age Gap
✶ Summary:  Don’t unravel the past. Don’t contemplate the future. And don’t fall in love with a grouchy pirate.
Your family castle, Winter Hill, stands boldly on the sandy beyond, admired by all who sail past, yet never appreciated by you. A castle that stands as though it has emerged from a fairytale, instead reminds you of a lifetime that was solely full of grief. Your only escapes were the books left by your mother in her old library, and the majestic sea that your chambers overlook, the perfume of salty water lingering through your window every morning. Tired of not being able to physically revel in the beautiful blues, you sneak away onto a ship, hoping to see the wonders that lie beyond your caged home. 
Disguising yourself as a cabin boy, you manage to last 3 days until the Captain’s son catches onto your little act. In order to prevent him from revealing your secret to your father, you’re forced to give in to his 3 condition… to hide yourself from the rest of the crew, to stop gawking at him upon every chance you receive, and to tell him about the secrets that lie beyond the castle.
⟶ Setting Sail Soon
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in-death-we-fall · 1 year
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Fishnets and Formaldehyde
Hammer went backstage on the Murderdolls sell-out pre-Xmas UK tour last month to die alright. Terry Bezer advised on lippy and eyeliner. Compact shots: Awais
(google docs) Thanks @incredizort for sharing your collection
The last 12 months have been one helluva year for one Mr Joey Jordison. Slipknot have gone strength to strength – the Iowan nontet (sic) embarked on arguably the biggest stage spectacle ever seen with their debut British arena tour and the subsequent ‘Disasterpiece’ (sic) DVD release. Before that of course were the triumphant stints at this year’s Reading and Leeds festivals. And, oh yeah, he’s also managed to get a whole other band to a similar status of credibility.
The switch from drummer to guitar god for the Murderdolls was all too easy for Joey – reflected by their glorious position in the Metal Hammer reader’s Poll (p.58) for their outstanding ‘Beyond The Valley Of The Murderdolls’ album. Not to mention those awesome live shows that helped build that solid fanbase at monumental speed through relentless touring in the band’s self-titled ‘Mobile Morgue’.
“Whenever you start a band you want people to go apeshit,” explains vocalist Wednesday 13 backstage just before the band hit the stage the night of their crowning glory at the London Forum in December. “But in the UK I can’t believe we’re already headlining a place this huge, so it was kind of shocking, but at the same time it was something I was hoping would happen.”
To say it has simply ‘happened’ for the Murderdolls in the UK would be selling the band’s achievements something short. An incredibly successful UK debut at the Garage, a stint supporting Papa Roach across Europe where they consistently blew the headliners clean off of the stage, and now with a sell-out British tour to their name, the Murderdolls bandwagon quickly turned into far more than just a side project featuring one of metal’s biggest stars.
“Maybe when we first started out people were perhaps just turning up to see me,” admits Joey somewhat coyly, “And there was a hell of a lot of Slipknot shirts in the audience at first, but as time’s gone on, it’s become more and more about the Murderdolls as a whole.
“I think we’re providing a fun outlet and a lot of kids aren’t used to that, hearing depressing lyrics all about war, politics, childhood trauma and bad parenting all the time. It’s a different circumstance to hear a band singing about grave robbing, killing your wife on your wedding day and killing Miss America. I mean if you’re relating to a song that’s called ‘Grave Robbing USA’, you’ve got a fucking problem, because our songs are written with a dark humour attitude and it’s just about having fun. Kids’ll leave our shows with smiles all over their faces and be saying ‘Man, I had so much fun at that show’ and maybe they’re not used to that because of a trend that’s going on right now.”
Agreed. That fun atmosphere of the band’s shows remains unrivalled in the world of rock music right now. Witness vocalist Wednesday 13 whipping the crowd into a frenzy on top of the monitors thrusting a red and black umbrella adorned with the word ‘Fuck’, throughout new song ‘I Love To Say Fuck’. Hear the squeals of excitement that greet the opening to typically twisted Murderdolls romance story, ‘Love At First Fright’. Or witness Joey’s camp homage to Marilyn Manson as he comes on for the encore in a pseudo SS Grüppenfuhrer’s get-up. (Whether the little guy knows the irony of the situation as the Forum infamously played host to Moseley’s 1930’s fascist rallies – and that giant eagles adorn each side of the stage tonight — is anyone’s guess). Just a few examples of how the ‘Dolls expertly plaster shit-eating grins across 1,000 baying audience members’ faces with style and ease.
“We’re definitely a touring band,” states Wednesday defiantly. “That’s the whole thing about us: we never grew up in the same town and we hadn’t been practicing in our mum’s garage for years and years – it was just a thing where we met and just learned to be a better band by playing onstage every night.
“If you’ve seen the show before you’ll know that everyone is running around, giving their all. We just try to get better and better and I think we’ve definitely progressed into a live band. Right now, I’d say we’re one of the best live bands currently on the scene.”
Consolidated by the band’s three minute anthems of aggravating slabs of punk rock fury, the shows are doubtless an excuse for everyone to let loose and have a good time. Something that must clearly be out of the ordinary for Joey when you consider his day job…
“Fuck yeah,” laughs the drummer-come guitar god Jordison. “I didn’t ever want to come out playing drums with fast double bass drums and being real heavy wearing my mask and shit. I thought it was really important that the kids could see that I do play guitar and that I write a lot of Slipknot’s material.
“It’s just been fucking fun. I’m having a blast. With this band, I don’t care how many fans we get. Slipknot was definitely geared towards getting as many people to listen to us as possible while still maintaining that ‘fuck everyone’ attitude but here I just get to go wild and have a good time.”
The doubt that will be hanging inside many a ghoul’s head will be concerning the future of the Murderdolls and how long the good times will continue to roll. With the Slipknot engine ready to fire up any week now, to begin work on their much-anticipated fourth album, is there any chance that the Murderdolls will be a brief flash in the pan, or are the band in it for the long haul?
“This is absolutely a long-term project,” Joey says reassuringly. “I wouldn’t have it any other way, man. I’ve got to do some Slipknot stuff next year with the recording of the album but then we’re going to go out again after that. There’ll probably be three or four months of leeway time and then we’ll go back out on tour again. Me and Wednesday have already begun writing for the next album already and I can’t wait to get back out again even though we haven’t finished touring this album yet!”
Photo captions:
Because you’re worth it
“Spare any change for some Loreal guv?”
“Hmm. Too much emulsion?”
“Oh. My. God. I think I see a blackhead. Oh, hi Eric!”
Wednesday: dressed to kill
“Bah! These raspberry ripple stains will never come out!”
Acey: most dreaded
Is it raining men yet?
School’s out for ever!
Wednesday falls for the old mascara-swapped-for-road-tar gag
Eric Griffin: Nikki Sixx’s very own Mini Me
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melverie · 20 days
Text
⸺ LESSON 4 ⸺
Solomon
MC's magic
demons & angels (& humans)
strange feelings & soup
misc
- lesson 3 || lesson 5 || all posts so far -
I've decided to also collect the quotes from the website here because I don't actaully remember ever reading Lucifer's in the story? Anyway, I've also added Mammon's to the lesson 3 post! General spoiler warning for all of Obey Me Nightbringer, as well as for the original Obey Me
⸺ SOLOMON ⸺
once again, he's suddenly wearing his human world look [4-9 + 4-11]
This [4-9; pic below]. Why is he excluding himself here
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also Solomon was just never all that careful about keeping it a secret that MC is from the future?? He just casually brings it up again in front of (Chihuahua) Mammon and Leviathan [4-9]. Kinda surprised that it took until Leviathan's arc for anyone to learn about this
⸺ MC'S MAGIC ⸺
the others point out that Lucifer's magic is super strong, yet MC is able to make Lucifer stumble with a curse he normally would have been able to brush off easily [lesson 4 hard mode] -> also this post :)
⸺ DEMONS & ANGELS (& HUMANS) ⸺
the brothers were denied service at Ristorante Six [4-2] and at the library [4-4] before they gained the titles of seven Rulers of the Underworld
despite now holding the title of seven Rulers of the Underworld, a lot of demons are still opposed to the brothers' presence in the Devildom, so Diavolo wants them to be a part of RAD's founding to show they should be treated with respect [4-11]
Leviathan gives us a little insight on how things were for the brothers before the Great Celestial War [4-13; pic below]
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⸺ STRANGE FEELINGS & SOUP ⸺
Lucifer tells MC that they should just spend the night at HoL since "it's already late", and Belphegor's bullshit detector immediately goes off. He tells MC that Lucifer seems to have become fond of them [4-2], and Satan also points out that Lucifer's behavior is unusual [4-4] -> if MC tells Belphegor that Lucifer isn't all that fond of them, Belphegor's intimacy will go up & he'll tell them that he would have been irritated had MC said they're happy about it [4-2]. Cute lol
Leviathan is VERY open with MC with how he feels about his current situation [4-13; pic below]. He also later says that he finds it very easy to talk to MC [4-18]
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⸺ MISC ⸺
Lucifer becomes a bit more hopeful that things will change for the better for them now that they are the seven Rulers of the Underworld, when previously he just wanted to keep to themselves [4-2; pic below]. Genuinely happy to see this change tbh <3
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Satan rushing in to save the Chihuahua (aka Asmo) Beelzebub & Belphegor are trying to bathe [4-A]. This has nothing to do with anything, I just love one bundle of wrath who carries nothing but love in his core <3
Diavolo talks about offically unveiling his plans of building RAD as the first royal academy [4-11]. Again, RIP 'The Glory Days' devilgram
Leviathan kind of blaming one of the twins for everything that transpired [4-13; pic below]...? Fairly certain he doesn't actually mean it and only said it because he was so emotionally charged in that moment tho
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Lucifer wanting to check on Leviathan, telling him honestly how he feels & the doubts he has/had and apologizing to his little brother like the big bro he is [4-16] <3
second quote from the website [4-11; pic below]!!
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Between Heaven and Hell
This is a collection of spamano fanfics with demons, priests, angels, and religious themes. If you've been craving some of that catholic guilt in fanfiction, this is definitely a place to go.
To note: anything written in red contains smut, anything written in green contains content warnings, but not smut. Only finished fics are recommended here. Always check the tags and description on the individual fic, don't read anything just to criticise the author, and I hope you have a good reading!
Demonic:
Seven Deadly Sins by TheFreakZone: Lovino moves into a house, and soon finds out he's not alone – he's rooming with seven demons each representing one of the deadly sins. At the same time, he has a crush on this guy, Antonio...
Devil!Toni and SexyBaker!Lovi by Vodka112: Title kinda says it all. Antonio is a demon, Lovino is a sexy baker. What more do you want from me?
Three Hundred Years by SnowyWolff: Antonio is a demon and Lovino is a witch. Over the course of three hundred years, their relationship changes.
Seven Devils by flavio-sexual: Lovino is frequently possessed by demons as a child, and Antonio tries to help him. It's horror.
Unholiest of Nights by killerkitty15: There's a demon inside of Lovino (again), and he's tried to make it leave, but Antonio won't leave. Contains attempted rape (not between spamano), gore, character death, and horror.
The Contract by BlueFlamePy: Captain Antonio has picked up a demon, and wants this demon to help him gain glory and immortality.
Ecclesiastical:
Amo atque credo by StarsMadeinHeaven: Lovino is a priest who doesn't believe in God. Antonio is a roma who believes in God, but doesn't believe in priests. I'M STILL BRAINROTTING OVER IT. Mild smut.
Gifts by LimitlessReach (orphan_account): Lovino and Father Antonio are up to things they probably shouldn't be doing.
Temptatio by Sixteen clumsy and shy: Lovino is a priest accused of sodomy, and is interrogated by head inquisitor Antonio. Also contains noncon and torture. I wouldn't say it's hot exactly, but it is wellwritten. Really gets into the headspace of someone who is rapidly losing things they didn't even know they could lose.
Demons and Priests:
Possessed by LimitlessReach (orphan_account): Antonio is a demon, and hypnotises the priest Lovino.
I Can't Ignore you, I'd Do Anything For You by gloomcoyote: Here we have the exact opposite! Antonio is the priest, and Lovino really doesn't like when you say God.
Sins of the Innocent by orphan_account: Same premise as above, except there's five whole chapters of it!
Be aware that all of these straddle a fine line of dubcon because of demons and humans, and if that bothers you, don't click them.
Angelic:
Glorious Angelus by Black.Rose.Authoress: Antonio is visited by an angel named Lovina.
I Don't Hate You by BlueFlamePy: Lovino and his brothers are angels and have been sent to Earth for a mission, but they meet a group of dark angels, and one of them takes a bit of a liking to Lovino. Although it contains smut, it's only in chapter four (gerita) and the very last chapter (spamano).
Demons and Angels:
Tomatina Angel by GlassSerendipity: Christina (nyo Romano) is too bad for an angel, and Antonio is too good for a demon. As one tries to save souls and the other tries to doom them, they fall in love. Contains character deaths (that's how the characters become angels and demons), torture and one very non-graphic attempted sexual assault (not spamano).
Demons, Angels, and Priests:
A Divided Cross Path by Kin Siofra: Lovino and Feliciano are priests after their grandfather died, but Lovino starts seeing an angel named Antonio – and suddenly, there's also a devil named Antonello hanging around him. Yes, there are two Spains. Content warnings for character deaths, and non-graphic child abuse.
Religious Themes:
Bless Me, Father by plump_thighs: Antonio goes to confess his sins to a priest. But you have to be sorry for it to count.
All of Our Sins by Terminally Introverted: Lovino and Feliciano attend confirmation classes under their group leader Antonio. Lovino and Antonio slowly realise this church in particular is a very awful place. Warnings for homophobia, religious guilt and trauma, self harm, attempted suicide, and a bit of an age gap (Lovino is 17, Antonio is in his early 20s).
Not a Sin by ChibiDevil098: Romano has pushed his feelings for Spain away for centuries, but one Christmas Eve, Spain returns, and reassures him that what they feel is not a sin.
Confessional Ambush by Stripes93: Romano is trying to confess, but his boyfriend Antonio is on the other side of the curtain instead of the priest.
Don't Tempt Me by Reda: Romano has chosen a very particular thing (person) to give up for Lent this year.
Visiting the Pope by RomaNatty: Romano and Veneziano are supposed to introduce themselves to the new pope, and they bring their boyfriends. It does not go well. For the pope, that is.
Raised in Penance by cuneifire (orphan_account): Romano prays for his sins to be forgiven.
Hallelujah by AntheaAnonymous: Lovino and Antonio go to the same church, and can't get their eyes off of each other. Contains the most PG-13 sex scene, it is so PG-13 that I don't think it needs to be red.
Accept Surrender by stardropdream (orphan_account): Smut with religious guilt.
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niigata-division · 2 months
Note
Lyal looked at the box that he received,black with a triqueta with a card with "happy birthday Lyal-san"
Smiling he opened it looking at the objets
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The biggee objet was a paint of the egyptian god Anubis in all his glory,the goth looked at it fascinated until he notices a firm and a card
"happy birthday Lyal-san,i know that you're a fan of egyptian mitology so i'm giving you this, it's part of my next collection of paintings about egyptian mitology i hope you like this,the other gifts are from my husband i think you met him"-Natsume Kurome
The next objet was a detailed mask of a egyptian jackal with a card
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"happy birthday Shiba,this mask is made frol a craftman of kumamoto,his store is where i get some costumes for the Starless's stageplays and he made a amazing work with them,so i know this gift isn't bad
P.d:my other gifts are from the theater where i job and i think you will be surprised"-Kunio Kurome
Raising an eyebrow the detective looked at the other two gifts
A VIH with the title of "Death Note:the Musical (with Joey Kurusu as L)"
Was when when ne noticed something more in the box
A small promotional theater poster but looked more like a cinema character poster (the Starless Theatre is well know by it) and Lyal's eyes opened with surprise
The poster shows at the detective of Kanazawa Joey Kurusu wearing a black royalty suit with a purple with gold details jacket sitting on a dark throne decorated with white roses, the blonde was without his glasses and using makeup (deep red lipstick and purple eyeshadow with black rimmel) in the poster Joey had a arrogant and a bit crazy smile that showed two vampiric fangs and holding in one hand a glass of a red liquid, the title read "Bloody Prince"
"what the..."-said Lyal looking at his friend's poster ¿Since when Joey was in the theater and why he didn't knew?
The poster has another cars and Lyal quickly read it
"it's surprise? Joey sometimes act in the Starless (especially in anime adaptation,the VIH is when he perfomed as L in the musical) and the poster is from "the bloody prince" it's a musical vampire romance with a rock theme and Joey have one of the main roles, the stageplay will be in one or two weeks and in this letter are some entries is you want to go with someone i think is a good gift, happy birthday Lyal-san"-Kunio Kurome
Lyall laughed as he saw Joey on the poster. “Well damn Joey, I didn’t know you could act. I’m almost heartbroken that you didn’t tell me. I suppose I can’t blame you, though I’ve been told multiple times that I’m a harsh critic. No, but I’m definitely going to see this on opening night.” Reaching into his pocket, Lyall pulled out his phone, snapping a picture of the poster and sending it to Joey. Suddenly, an idea popped into his mind and began to type in a number he knew by heart. 
“Hey Kaoru, I just got 2 tickets for a stage show with our favorite clown as the main lead. Do you want to come and see it with me?”
Thank You For The Gift!
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theatredelabsurde · 8 months
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hi! what book are you reading rn? I keep seeing your posts about it but idk the title lol. also, just wondering if you have any book recommendations?
hi! the book im reading rn is the shards by bret easton ellis! it's very good, though not necessairly the first book id rec if you want to get into ellis (id rec you start from american psycho if you like gore, otherwise less than zero is a good starting point).
i have a lot of book recs!
so if you're new here my go-to recs are: anything by camus (if you're more of a fiction reader id rec you start with the plague, otherwise you can satrt with the myth of sysiphus, though id argue the exile and the kingdom is a very neat collection of short stories too); the play henry iv by pirandello and the play life of galileo by brecht; the brothers karamazov by dostoevsky (most wonderful book ive read in my entire life); notre dame de paris by hugo; the satanic verses by salman rushdie (also recommending midnight's children by him); jonathan strange and mr norrel by susanna clarke (fantasy that takes place during the napoleonic wars, incredibly funny and well-crafted and if you like susanna clarke piranesi is her second book, which is one of the most upsetting things ive ever read).
if you want some challenging reads (that are worth it): the dove's necklace by raja alem (don't trust the description, it's not a thriller); my name is red by orhan pamuk (another murder mystery that's not really a murder mystery, you can also try out the black book by him but it's a much denser read); l'horde du controvent by alain damasio (only available in french and italian im afraid, but it's a high-fantasy with nietzschean elements thrust into it lol); no exit by sartre (ive also enjoyed dirty hands by him, didnt particularly appreciate nausea but i should probably give it another chance); rayuela by cortazar; glory by noviolet bulawayo (satire of the 2017 zimbabwe coup d'etat, very similar to wizard of the crow by ngugi wa thiong'o for the kind of satire though i appreciated the former more); the death of vivek oji and freshwater by akwaeke emezi (havent read their latest novel, but they are a dear author to me personally); the natashas by yelena moskovich (a book i dearly loved and i should reread lol); fieldwork in ukrainian sex by oksana zabužko; beloved by toni morrison; kindred by octavia bulter and foucault's pendulum/the name of the rose by umberto eco.
if you want something lighter: the detective series aristotle detective by margaret doody; the revolt of the angels by anatole france; african psycho and memoirs of a porcupine by alain mabanckou (i preferred the latter, reading the former is only worthwhile if you've read american psycho imho); the farseer trilogy by robin hobb (GREAT fantasy); life begins on friday by ioana pârvulescu; the broken earth trilogy by n k jemisin (another great fantasy); the daevabad trilogy by s. a. chakraborty (another fantasy lol); needful things by stephen king (only stephen king book im still fond of); the crying of lot 49 by thomas pynchon (if you like conspiracy theories lol); journey to the end of the millennium by a b yehoshua; the johannes cabal series by jonathan howard (ANOTHER fantasy lol); this thing of darkness by harry thompson (a BIG DEAR favorite of mine) and finally the wandering by intan paramaditha (this is one of the most out-there recs here it's a choose-your-adventure story about a woman selling her soul to the devil in exchange for the ability of traveling the world. starts in jakarta but takes place literally wherever).
had to help myself a bit with my goodreads lol but most of these ive read in the past three years! hope you find something that suits your tastes!
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raidoesthings · 7 months
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A while back, I made Sora to introduce my blood moon headcanons, but since then, I fleshed them out more by making three more leaders!
Hope ya like the updated headcanons and new ocs ^^
Ever since the first rise of the blood moon, witches of all kind worshipped it. It strengthened their magic and allowed them to study and access spells they never could before. Festivals were put together in order to honor the blood moon’s power. As countless years went by, not only was the festival introduced to non-magic users, making the festivals that would be seen in the modern day, but four covens were formed to cover each aspect of the blood moon’s power: emotions, witchcraft, primality, and the power of the angels. Each coven has a leader, and the current ones are:
Aphrodite - A stoic snow egret who can perfectly read people and tell exactly what kind of person they are and how they feel. She studies how the blood moon heightens certain emotions such as sorrow, rage, and glee. Though while she can be incredibly manipulative, she chooses to be passive with her work and is often seen around Lupine whenever the witches are out gathering supplies. She has an elegant, but sharp and fast pace fighting style, almost as if her feathers were like swords.
Lupine - A snarky and sassy black cat. He’s easily the most approachable of the witches, but he’s still rather snappy and irritable. His mindset with his works on making spells is that it fundamentally has to function to a goal, no matter how pretty or colorful a spell looks. This straightforward mindset causes him to clash with Sora, with the lizard insisting that it wouldn’t kill for him to have fun and let loose, but his dislike for Sora only gets him to ignore her words. His spells are extremely strong, either it be offensive or defensive. Though he usually uses string restraining spells, as he isn’t one to like combat all that much.
Sora - The not so friendly neighborhood chameleon. Sora is unpredictable and chaotic, fitting with her title as the one of primality. The moon is known for causing certain species to fall under an uncontrollable feral state, which Sora believes is a chance for beasts of all kinds to let their troubles go and let it all out. In her eyes, many people reject the idea of her philosophy, leaving her to force it onto others via breaking charms that repel the ferocious effects. She has a little sister named Glory, who she saved from death by using one of her own eyes to make the needed medicine to cure her sister from a poison. She does have kindness, despite her extreme methods.
Morphisse - No one truly knows what Morphisse is, not even his lover. The only ones who even get close to seeing what he hides are his sacrifices, who he painfully drains the life forces out of to satiate his hunger. His coven’s power are what keep the connections with the blood moon and the angels stable, and therefore making him by far the most powerful blood moon witch, even having control in what the other covens can do at times, but it thankfully isn’t often. He is a meticulous planner, making sure that every detail in his plans are accounted for. He sends witches to patrol all around the lands, even having a spy to infiltrate the Old Faith before the promised liberator came along. He is calm and collected on the outside, but purely sadistic and cruel on the inside. Some say that he wants to be the very thing that undoes this current world, but who can say for certain?
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adarkrainbow · 11 months
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The Yaga journal: The road to the otherworld
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Baba Yaga as depicted in Mike Mignolia’s “Hellboy”
The first article of this journal was written by Natacha Rimasson-Fertin, and its full title is (when hastily translated by me): “The Baba Yaga on the road to the other world: a crucial meeting for the hero of the fairytale”. As I said previously, I will merely summarize the article and recap some of its important points. 
Every reader of Russian fairytales is familiar with the famous chicken-legged isba, the home of the Baba Yaga. But where exactly this home is located is however quite unclear - its position seemingly changing from tale to tale. This article relies on the fairytales collected by Afanassiev to study the places typical of the fairy tales, the travel the hero must undergo to reach the hag, all to try to locate the mysterious but iconic lair of Baba Yaga - which, in hope, will help clarify her “true function and identity”. 
It should be mentioned that, while the article focuses on tales about “travelling heroes”, it does mention the existence of another handful of tales where it is the Baba Yaga that invades the world of the humans - it is tales such as “Ivachka” (NRS 108-111) or “The wild geese” (NRS 113). [Note: NRS is the name used to refer to Afanassiev’s classification of Russian fairytales, the same way there is the ATU Index]. And in these tales, the house of the Baba Yaga is not actually located in the “otherworld”, but rather right next to where humans live: by a river side, or in the forest where the heroes regularly go fetch mushrooms. In fact, in these tales, the house of the Baba Yaga misses its chicken legs, and seems to be just a regular isba.
While the reasons for the quests of the heroes in Russian fairytales are varied and multiple, there is a general tendency: heroines usually seek to be set free from something, while the heroes either seek this same “deliverance” or actually seek a wife. In fairytales, space is organized by two oppositions: known and unknown, familiar and foreign/alien. In this context, as Propp highlighted, “the farytale is built around the hero moving in space” - so travel means the breaking of the order of things, and thus a journey is already something extraordinary. In russian fairytales, according to Tatiana Ščepanskaja (in her “The culture of the road in Northern Russia), the road is actually “outside of the divine order” and even opposes this divine order. Traditionally “the road is the world of the non-being, where the custom doesn’t work. By taking the road, the individual is out of the community, he escapes the world of social workings - there is punishment, no public pressure, but also no encouragment and no glory. On the road, one is alone and free, outside of community and its norms.” So the man who travels lose all status - he doesn’t belong to the human society, but to the “other world”. On the road, one leaves the protection of their ancestors behind, and open themselves to numerous dangers - this is why many heroes of Russian fairytales always ask the blessing of their parent before going on the road. 
The road itself, as an “open space” is the world of all possibilities. In the last verson given by Afanassiev of the fairytale “Go I don’t know where, bring back I don’t know what” (NRS 212-215), the hero, after hearing that the Baba Yaga wants to eat him, mentions his status as a traveller “Why, you old devil! How could you eat a traveller? A traveller is bony and black, first heat up the tub and bathe me - then you’ll eat me!”. The bathing ritual itself is also a rite of passage. 
The frontier of the otherworld is of various natures, depending on the tale. Usually it is a clearing in the woods, which forms a typical liminal space. The Baba Yaga is closely tied to forest, her house often being at the heart of the woods, which isolates her from the world of the men. On top of living in a deep wood, fear also forms a “circle” around the Baba Yaga, as she kills anyone that comes near her house and people avoid it - sometimes the forest even has additional obstacles, such as a deep pit, or a mountain. 
In “Ilia of Mourom and the dragon” (NRS 310), we actually do not have a forest, but a mountain, forming a vast plateau. The hero needs to climb a very tall and very steep mountain made of sand - in order to go to the palace of the tsar whose daughter is harassed by a dragon. At the top of said mountain, the hero encounters not one but two Baba Yagas, who tell them how to reach their elder sister, and then the “Nightingale Robber”, whose whistling is so deafening it kills who hears it. The rest of the story seems to happen on the same plateau, since the hero is never said to go back down. The demultiplication of the Baba Yaga, turned into a trio of sisters, each older and more powerful than the next, and the presence of the Nightingale-Robber, embodiment of absolute evil and enemy of the Russian land, expands the “frontier of the otherworld” into a true no man’s land.  
A similar phenomenon of “expansion of the liminal area” can also be found in the second version of “The feather of Finist, the fair falcon” (NRS 235), where the heroine has to walk into a deep and dark forest until iron slippers and an iron bonet are “worn out” - only then does she found a “small house made of lead, constantly turning around on chicken legs”. Sometimes the house is said to be found “beyond the three times nine countries, in the three-times-tenth kingdom, on the other side of the fire river” (Maria Morevna, NRS 159). As in the previous tale, the river of fire plays the role of a “last limit” between the world of the humans and the other world - and when Ivan returns, as the Baba Yaga finds herself deprived of her magical scarf, she burns in the flames. 
The isba of the Baba Yaga has so many different descriptions that Vladimir Propp used it as the perfect illustration for his “Transformations of the fairytale”. Only two elements stay the same: the house is located near a forest, and has chicken legs. And even then, sometimes the chicken legs are replaced by other animal parts, such as “goat horns” in “Ivan the small bull”. In the second version of “The feather of Finist, the fair falcon” (NRS 235), the heroine finds a “little house of lead, on chicken legs, that was constantly spinning”. Propp explained that actually, the descriptions of the house constantly spinning on itself are oral deformations of what the house could originally do - turn on itself whenever it was commanded to. From “turning back”, the house simply started “turning”, until came the image of a house constantly spinning. In one of the seven versions of “The sea-tsar and Vassilissa the very wise” (NRS 224), the house is not described (”a small lonely isba”) and only two elements allow to identify it as the house of the “Baba Yaga with the bone-leg”. One is the dark, empty forest surrounding the house, and the second is the fact that when Ivan-son-of-merchant tells it “Small house, small house, turn your back to the forest, and turn you door towards me!” the house obeys and moves. And inside waits the Baba Yaga, her body going from one corner of the house to another, and her chest sagging to yet another part of the house.There is one particular case, the one of the NRS 141-142, “The brave Bear, Mustache, Hill and Oak”, in which the Baba Yaga and her daughters live in an underground world, with no mention of the isba. 
But what happens inside this house, with this house? Propp did wonder, upon looking at the fairytales - why does the house needs to turn around for one to enter? It is true that Ivan finds himself in front of a wall “without windows or doors”, but why doesn’t he just go around the house, instead of telling it to turn? It seems to be forbidden to go around the house... The house seems to be on a frontier that Ivan cannot cross - one has to go through the house to pass, as it is impossible to cross otherwise. The open side of the house is usually turned towards the “three-times-tenth kingdom” that Ivan must reach, while the closed side is turned towards the realms Ivan comes from - Propp linked this with the Scandinavian custom of never having a door facing the north, because the house of Hel, goddess of the afterlife (Nastrand, the “beach of corpses”), had its door located towards the north. With this element, Propp concludes that the house of the Baba Yaga is actually the limit of the world of the dead - and crossing the house allows to “select” who passes and who doesn’t pass into the afterlife. Thus the meeting of the Baba Yaga is a trial in itself. 
Propp sees in the chicken legs a remnant of the pillars on which stood the initiation-cabin, which seems to feed into this idea of the Baba Yaga’s isba being a rite of passage towards death. In his book about ancient Slavic paganism, Boris Rybakov mentions a type of malevolent undeads called the nav’i (nav’ in singular), who are the dead without baptism and that we must appease through offerings. He says that they appear like enormous birds, or feartherless roosters the size of eagles - they leave the footprints of a chicken, and attack pregnant women and children to drink their blood. These elements clearly evoke the myth of the Baba Yaga: is she one of those “wrongly-dead”, turned hostile towards humanity? 
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If we read the dialogue between the Baba Yaga and the hero of the tale, we understand better the trial that the Yaga is. In the tale “Ivan Bykovic” (NRS 137), Ivan-small-bull enters the “chicken-legged, goat-horned house”, and sees the Baba Yaga with her bone leg, laying on her stove, stretching from one corner of the house to another, her nose reaching the ceiling. She exclaims that up to this day she never smelled or saw a Russian man, but today she has one “rolling on my spoon, rolling in my maw”. Ivan answers “Hey, old woman, don’t get angry, come down from your stove and sit on the bench. Ask us where we are going, and I’ll answer you kindly.” The Baba Yaga has a similar dialogue to the heroine of the second version of “The feather of Finist, fair falcon” (NRS 234-235), but there she is less aggressive, probably because the maiden calls her tenderly “babusja”, “small grandmother”, to which the Yaga answers with affection “maljutka”, “little one”. These examples prove us that the heroes and heroines have to find the rights word to either intimidate or appease the Baba Yaga, to make her an auxiliary. For a male hero, it is courage that is put to the test, when it a female hero, it is politeness that needs to be used. But always, it transforms the Baba Yaga, from a guardian and an adversary, to a guide and auxliary.
In some tales, the Baba Yaga is much less aggressive, and is immediately a guide to the hero, and even shows some tenderness - like in the first version of the tale “The sea-tsar and Vassilissa the very-wise” (NRS 219-226) where she tells everything the hero needs to know for his quest, and calls him “ditjatko”, “my child”. This role of auxliary and guide is especially present in the tales where the hag is depicted as the mistress of the animals, or of the winds. For example in “The enchanted princess” (NRS 271-272), the hero, a soldier, uses a flying carpet to find where his fiancée is located. He visits successively three Baba Yagas, all sisters. The last one lives “at the end of the world”, in a small house beyond which there is only pitch-black darkness. Beyond the end of the world, there is nothing, the void. This last Baba Yaga is the ruler of all winds, and helps the soldier by summoning them - the south wind ends up revealed to the hero where he will find his bride. 
However these are the tales where the stay at the Yaga’s house is brief. Other times, the hero has to stay for a long time at the house, and then the nature of the trial changes: the hero has to fight to keep their life. In “Maria Morevna” (NRS 159), the hero goes to Baba Yaga to obtain a magical horse able to rival the one of Kochtcheï-the-Immortal. The Baba Yaga agrees, but only if he serves her for three days - if he succeeds, he’ll have the horse, if he fails, she will place his head at the top of a pole. The hero manages to overcome the various imposed chores thanks to the help of animals he spared previously in the tale.
Another very interesting example is in the very famous fairytale, Vassilissa-the-very-beautiful (NRS 104), which is also the one where the house of the Baba Yaga is described in the more details - including the spikes covered in human skulls that Ivan Bilibine famously illustrated. After letting purposefully the fire go out in her house, Vassilissa’s wicked stepmother sends her fetch some fire at Baba Yaga’s house. Instead of being devoured, the heroine returns safely, and on top of that, this travel to the otherworld acts as a “reparation” - since justice is re-established through the deserved punishment of the wicked stepmother. The fire Vassilissa brings back destroys the wicked woman, reducing her to ashes. We should also note that, unlike in other tales, there is no need to ask for the house to turn, Vassilissa simply waits for the return of the Baba Yaga by the entrace gate. And on top of overcoming her fear, the girl is faced with much more complex tasks. The first is to do the house chores, but which are impossible by their enormous scope - however Vassilissa manages thanks to a magical doll and her mother’s blessing (the first being the manifestation of the second). The second trial is when the Baba Yaga has a discussion with the girl: she encourages Vassilissa to ask question, while warning her not to ask too much, because “not all questions are good to ask”. This is because the implicit taboo is to not ask the old woman about what is going on INSIDE her house. Vassilissa is victorious, because she knows when she should just observe - she doesn’t ask about the mysterious disembodied pair of hands working inside the house, but about the horsemen riding around the house, in the woods, and the Baba Yaga is very glad she asked about “only what was in the courtyard” - but, as some commentators noted, this is also perhaps the last trial because it is the only one that Vassilissa manages to overcome without the help of her magical doll. Once she saw what she had to saw, and overcame her fear, Vassilisa was initiated to typically feminine tasks of the patriarchal society - cleaning the house, preparing the meal, weaving... But this serves to actually fulfll her destiny - as in the second part of the tale, she arrives at an old woman who creates shirts, and the shirts she makes for the old woman are so good the tsar itself will summon Vassilissa and marry her, thus fulfilling the prophecy of her name (Vassilissa coming from the Greek “basileus”, “king”). The hero becomes a hero because they manage to perform the imposed task - these are “elective trials”.
Russian fairytales contain numerous other characters merely called “old women”, “hags” or “crones”, but that some elements associate with the Baba Yaga and the role of the “initiation-master”. Their old age, the fact they live in a house near the woods, and especially their way of speaking to the hero. We even meet a genderbent Baba Yaga in “ivan-of-the-bitch and the White Faun/Sylvan” (NRS 139) - an old man in a mortar, who pushed himself around with a pestle. Though this character’s behavior does not evoke the Baba Yaga at all. 
With all of that being said, again the Baba Yaga is provent to be a deeply ambivalent character. Many different searchers provided many different explanations, but always ended up confronted by the contradictions that made her. According to the author of the article, the most pertinent theory would be the one of Anna-Natalya Malakhovskaya, who sees in Baba Yaga not just “an archaic mother-goddess in a world of good and evil dichotomy”, but rather a “goddess whose many roles fulfill the three functions of Dumezl”. That is to say, 1) wisdom and the link to the sacred, the magical divinities 2) the warrior function and 3) the fertility/fecundity function that is interwoven with death.
So... What sense should one give to these tales about a travel to the other world, to the afterlife, to the world of the dead? Beyond the entertaining nature of fairytales, is there an initiation in these tales? We can remember that Vassilissa the very beautiful, in her tale (NRS 104) is banished by Baba Yaga once she reveals to her the nature of her magical helper - when she speaks of the blessing of her mother, Baba Yaga tells her to leave the house, since she doesn’t want anyone blessed in her house. There seems to be something dadactic at work here - especially when we consider the virtues embodied by Vassilissa: piety (in the traditional sense, religious piety) and filial piety (as she stays faithful to the words of her mother), as well as docility, serviability, and bravery or rather trust. Trust in her mother’s blessing that even the all-powerful Baba Yaga cannot contradict. This last motif, of which the Vassilissa tale is the most emblematic example, highlights how the Baba Yaga is tied to archaid, pre-Christian concepts. We see here the tie to the protecting ancestor-spirits, through the mean of the mother’s blessing, which saves the heroine. This tale maybe illustrates the “double faith” so typical of the folk-Christianity of Russia. 
Now, if we return to the tales evoked briefly at the top of the article - the ones where the hero doesn’t visit Baba Yaga’s home, but rather those where Baba Yaga invades our world to kidnap a child. How to explain the appearance of the witch in the world of the humans, either directly, or through intermediaries (the wild geese). If we look at “The wild geese” (NRS 113), we notice that the little brother is actually quite safe in the Baba Yaga’s house - he plays there with golden apples. What causes fear and trouble is the fact that he was kidnapped, more than where he stays. The disturbance in the order comes from the ravishing - and the girl is worried that she will be punished for to not having watched over her brother well enough. It seems here that the appearance of the sinster Baba Yaga, or of her winged servants the wild geese, is here bringing an answer to the phenomenon that reason refused to explain - in this case infant mortality. These “wild geese” that “ravish little childrens” might be agents of death. 
In conclusion, the Baba Yaga is at the same time the guardian of the frontier to the other world, but also the ferryman (or ferrywoman) leading to it, the guide to this other place - for she is a liminal being between the world, half-living, half-dead, half-animal, half-human. It seems that layers and layers of cultural meanings, symbolism and interpretations have accumulated themselves onto the Baba Yaga more than on any fairytale character, resulting in a complex and tangled knot creating a divinity as spiritual as chtonic, ruling over the fate of mortals. 
As for the geography of the fairytales, we can clearly have a three-part map with the Baba Yaga tales: our world, the other world, and the in-between-world. In the in-between world, passage can go either way. Under the aspect of simple, entertaining stories, these tales are initiation rites, describing through images and pictures the changes happening when one “passes” into the adult age, as much on an individual level as on a social one. 
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mod-ais-icons · 5 days
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Lolita (Buttonaiko) Themed NPTs
Requested by: @buttonaiko
🐇💌 -- Names: Bun/Bunny, Grace, Glory, Cheer, Lily/Lilian, Joy, Cloud/Cloudy, Jill/Jillian, Jelly/Jellian, Melody, Harmony, Liberty, Iris, Pinkie, Fuchsia*, Blossom, Allen, Coral/Coraline, Mary/Merry, Marian/Marion, Nymph*, Maiden, Tide, Destiny, Bishop, Chelsea, Serenity, Bonnie, Venus*, Amity*, Blush, Magenta*, Blush, Ruby, Cherry, Charm, Bliss, Mercy, Faith, Wonder, Creed, Hope, Patience, Rebel, Prudence, Valor
🐇💌 -- Pronouns: she/her, he/him, they/them, wi/wing/wings, cu/cute/cutes, bu/bunny/bunnys, ra/rabbit/rabbits, se/sea/seas, flo/flower/flowers, gra/grace/graces, glo/glory/glorys, la/lace/laces, pur/purity/puritys, tu/tune/tunes, mel/melody/melodys, admi/admire/admires, glo/glow/glows, mai/maid/maids, squ/squid/squids, maid/maiden/maidens, fai/faith/faiths, in/innocence/innocences, hea/heart/hearts, cher/cherish/cherishs, cha/charmed/charmeds, fai/faithful/faithfuls, vir/virtue/virtues, mer/merciful/mercifuls, fis/fish/fishes, pi/pink/pinks, in/ink/inks
🐠/🐠s, 🎀/🎀s,✨/✨s, 🎠/🎠s, 💋/💋s,💎/💎s, 💍/💍s, 🎵/🎵s, 🍨/🍨s, 🌸/🌸s, 🌺/🌺s, 🌷/🌷s, 💗/💗s, 💟/💟s, 💌/💌s, 🖤/🖤s, 🐰/🐰s, 🐇/🐇s, 😇/😇s, ❔/❔s, 👄/👄s, 💄/💄s, 💘/💘s, ❣/❣s, 💕/💕s, 💞/💞s, 💓/💓s, 🪼/🪼s, 🦑/🦑s
zhe/zher, xe/xem/xyr, ze/zer/hir/hirs, ey/em/eir, ae/aer/aes, ve/vis, ve/vey, h3/h1m/h1s, hei/heim/heir/heirs, ne/nim/nis, ne/nym/nys, le/lem/les, shy/hyr, sh♡/ h♡r, fae/faer, shey/shem/sheir, fey/fem/feir/feyr, rhe/rher/rhers, ae/aer, em/er, tei/ter, shey/heyr, fem/fems, sh*/h*r, h*/h*m, h♡/h♡m, hy/hym, she/shey
🐇💌 -- Titles: [prn] With The Unmeasurable Curiosity Of A Bunny, [prn] The Purity Of The Sun, A Distorted View Of Love Amongst Thee, A Free-Floating Bay Nettle In The Vast Ocean, [prn] With An Bounding Curiosity Of Peculiar Love Types, [prn] The Local Cat Cafe Maiden Collecting Hearts, An Enigma In A Bleak Game World, The Vibrancy Of A Dozen Moon Jellies, A Maiden With Bioluminescence, The Charm Of A Mushroom Jelly
- *Fuchsia is a shade of pink. *Nymphs are fictional type of nature spirit. *Venus is a planet. *Amity is the concept of peaceful, friendly relationships between people or countries. *Magenta is a bright shade of pink. Many of the names are just concepts.
Sources: 1, 2, 3, 4
TITLES SPECIALIZED FOR LOLITA - this is tailored specifically for cher n cher as a person.
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demifiendrsa · 1 year
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Etrian Odyssey Origins Collection — Announcement Trailer
Etrian Odyssey Origins Collection will launch for Nintendo Switch and PC via Steam on June 1, 2023 worldwide.
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Overview
About
Create endless adventure.
Explore the rich beginnings of this RPG franchise with remasters of three timeless adventures that inspire players to go on a journey of discovery, mapping deep dungeons, and building customized parties for exploring and engaging in tactical combat.
Play as the leader of a guild of adventurers, searching for rare treasures and secrets within the depths of a vast, sprawling labyrinth.
Traverse and draw a map of the environment while encountering enemies large and small in turn-based combat, then return to town to rest, sell materials for better equipment, and manage your party, selecting from a collection of heroes to build the right team for the job.
Key Features
An all-in-one bundle of Etrian Odyssey HD, Etrian Odyssey II HD, and Etrian Odyssey III HD.
Touch screen mapping functionality for the Nintendo Switch: Plot your progress through the labyrinth, drawing walls and placing icons to note special events and items.
Full mouse support and functionality to map drawing, menus, and dungeon exploration.
Newly remastered graphics, remastered soundtrack and quality of life improvements including difficulty selection and save slots.
Easy access to the monster compendium, quest log and skill tree.
Maximize your adventuring by optimizing your party, choose the characters that work for your playstyle or the best team for the job.
Etrian Odyssey HD
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In a vast and fertile land lies a small town known as Etria, a peaceful village that became famous for a startling discovery. A crack in the the vast forest opened at Etria’s edge, leading downward like a gaping maw. It all began there…
Those who hear rumors of the labyrinth of Etria begin to harbor dreams of exploring it. Riches, fame, prestige… and a promise: the true spirit of adventure on the perilous edge of death.
Build a party of explorers from nine different character classes – Create a woodland survivalist, shield-bearing protector, whip-wielding dark hunter, and more. Scour through the dungeon’s many layers and fend off the unknown to discover the truth behind the Yggdrasil Labyrinth.
Etrian Odyssey II HD
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When civilization sunk beneath the seven seas, deep forests spread across the five remaining islands.
Only the chosen ones escaped the waters in their castle stronghold. Eventually, the waves overtook even the last five islands…And the castle was all that remained. After the passing of ages, the people of the floating castle have chosen to descend upon their mother soil.
Build your own party from twelve different classes of heroes and climb through the Yggdrasil tree to reach the clouds and uncover the truth of High Lagaard.
Etrian Odyssey III HD
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Traverse through the mysterious ruins that connect to the bottom of the sea.
South of the great continents, beyond the sea, lies the ocean city of Armoroad. Legend has it that part of the city sunk without warning a century ago to the bottom of the ocean, taking with it untold technology that is now lost to mankind.
Intrigued by the legend, many explorers gathered in Armoroad, all hoping to challenge the undersea labyrinth. But so far, none have found the fabled sunken city. Set sail to Armoroad to navigate the Yggdrasil Labyrinth, find the drowned city, and win fortune and glory!
Build your own party of explorers from the all-new twelve different character classes. Descend the labyrinth that swallowed the mystery of Armoroad and the drowned city.
Etrian Odyssey HD Character Potrait DLC Set 1
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Adds two ATLUS themed character portraits to your party:
Joker from Persona 5 Royal
Ringo from Soul Hackers 2
These portraits can only be accessed on Etrian Odyssey HD.
Etrian Odyssey HD Character Potrait DLC Set 2
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Adds two ATLUS themed character portraits to your party:
Demi-Fiend from Shin Megami Tensei III: Nocturne
Teddie from Persona 4 Golden
These portraits can only be accessed on Etrian Odyssey II HD
Etrian Odyssey HD Character Potrait DLC Set 3
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Adds two ATLUS themed character portraits to your party:
Nahobino from Shin Megami Tensei V
Aigis from Persona 3 Portable
These portraits can only be accessed on Etrian Odyssey III HD.
New Character Portraits
Landsknecht (Etrian Odyssey HD) – Masters of sword and axe, Landsknechts can bear a wide range of weapons and armor in close combat. Balanced warriors for the front line.
War Magus (Etrian Odyssey II HD) – Equally skilled at magic and melee. Force Skill: Invoke Heals party HP and ups elemental resistance. Can work from the front or back lines.
Sovereign (Etrian Odyssey III HD) – Those of royal blood from kingdoms large and small. Their orders raise morale to turn the tide. Supporting combatants on either line.
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fallesto · 8 months
Note
[ PALM ]:          taking the receiver’s hand, the sender brings it to their mouth, and places a tender kiss against the receiver’s palm. ( surprise me )
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NOW WAS NOT HIS TIME –
DEATH –
After centuries of those who had stood loyally with them, it had finally come to collect it’s long due payment of the souls that had avoided its cold touch ..
So many had been taken that night ..
So many more, in the handful of years that had brought around the end of their kind. A small spark that they had spotted within the streets of a capital. A child who wore those marks within his ears, a feeling of dread that washed over them.
That man …
Had he returned, had once more, the people of the land prayed so much, that he had been brought back into the world, to finish what he had started centuries ago? Perhaps, but this time he would not have his due, they would not be cut down once more.
Demon after demon …
Sent towards them, the entire country nothing more than a board, using their connection, the feeling of each demon being killed and knowing with it had been him, that he had done it. A gradual thing at first to try and remove him.
The hungry sent to him first in the hopes their lust for more power and titles would see this through to the end …
The content sent to him never, a prized lower demon that had stalled, a chance for them to break their bonds with there false family, who were holding them back, alas it did not go the way that they wished, the family failed them, there power divided, wasteful …
The redemption, the one given a second chance, to prove themselves, to keep his lower moon title and his life while all others had perished, promise of victory, a new title, more blood, a place at there side and yet, they had managed to claim his head, despite them holding all the cards, a concern …
The greedy and the worthless, oh how they had expected an upper moon that had been placed forward by a chosen one they could count upon, to be the one who ended this once and for all, but alas, they had every single means to end it, love. A horrid thing, had been the shift and turn, that had taken a powerful force from them …
The cowardly and the perfectionist. Desperation perhaps, to throw two upper moons at them, and the results were alarming, their fury released within the moment at the imagery shown to them, that a demon had overcome the sun itself, the cost was three upper moons, worthy. In death they had become useful.
In death there is glory to them, praise and thanks, for they had found purpose.
Yet here and now they would not allow any more upper moons to fail, to fall, no more would be taken from them, no more would die, no more, it all stops.
Crimson footsteps, painting the soaking wet boards, as they walked over the water almost, to find the remains, ash within the air, the flickering reminder of how easily, all that power could be removed, with one mere mistake. A small leap up, to the broken hand of the ice statue created within the mayhem.
A body and a head at the side, a hand stretched out trying to grasp onto something, onto anything as their finger pressed down onto it, tracing over the remains of the hand, scraping at the cracked flesh and digging that single claw within and injecting them, life. A small pump, the sound of a heart kick starting again, death would not take this one.
“Live —”
A single word uttered and nothing more, as they would kneel down for the moment, to clasp there hand within there own tightly and deny them the darkness, to keep that link burning strong and to keep them here, as a surprise, red eyes following, a small twitch and movement, as the arm moved, there hand with it to lower it down to the head there, to feel cold lips, a head that was barely even the namesake, a tender kiss as the jaw open there palm, would bite down into their hand and gift them more blood from one to the other.
“Take what you need –”
A small movement as they crouched down at their side, and allowed there hand to linger there there mouth, to feel the cold lips there, a nudge from themselves, to part those flickering and ash filled jaws open and place the side of there hand within it, to let those sharp fangs linger there, and press down, take your fill, take as much as needed, but if they died here and now, there wrath would tear this entire country to shreds.
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neopuff · 9 months
Text
title: the fall of a sparrow (chap1: what a wounded name) word count: ~3700 characters: holiday, six, white knight summary: Providence was very different before Rex. chapter 2: https://www.tumblr.com/neopuff/721160769391181824/title-the-fall-of-a-sparrow-chap2-the-rest-is ao3 link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/48147466
She didn't used to get migraines.
After almost two years working for Providence, Rebecca found that migraines came significantly more often than a decent-tasting meal or an opportunity to socialize with someone genuine. She'd started to get used to the constant pounding behind her eyes and she'd built up a sizable collection of over-the-counter pain medication.
She was always vigilant about not using too much. Always careful not to rely solely on the meds. But sometimes it was difficult. She was very, very tired. It was hard to pretend she didn't just want to drown herself in acetaminophen and go to sleep. 
But she couldn't. Beverly needed her. And Beverly's life depended entirely on Rebecca's continued diligence and loyalty. She refused to let her down.
Two years was a long time, though. She'd been loyal to Providence that entire time, no matter how much she hated it. And she hated so much about it - her peers constantly dismissing her, the soldiers constantly harassing her, everyone constantly ridiculing her for idealistically believing that things could be better. That there was a way to look at the state of their world that didn't rely on giving up.
She was perfectly aware of how people talked about her. No one seemed to care that she was a human being with feelings, just like they didn't care that many of these mutants - EVOs, if anyone would listen to her - used to be human, too. No one cared. They wanted the destruction or the paycheck or the glory. And all she wanted was to be able to hear her sister's voice again.
(Often, Rebecca would spend her free time reading up on other nanite research organizations. Before Beverly mutated and she had no other option, Holiday had been fielding job offers from a number of places. The US Department of Energy, the Center for Disease Control, the World Health Organization… Providence spent too much money on tanks and soldiers so she’d barely considered their offer until they had weapons trained on her sister’s unconscious body.)
And so, Rebecca stayed put. She collected her paltry salary in exchange for Beverly's life. She woke up every morning, zipped up her boots, and analyzed repetitive, pointless data for a sadistic man that loved to see her squirm. She ate two meals on a good day, drank way too much coffee, took a few painkillers and hoped the headaches would pass. She ignored the feeling of unfamiliar hands on her ass as groups of soldiers passed by, cheering about their latest kill. And she didn't protest as what was left of her family and friends pulled away from her and her intensely busy new life - leaving Rebecca alone and quite lonely.
Being lonely often led to bad decisions, which was how Rebecca found herself waking up in a bed that wasn't hers on the morning after an attempted date with a coworker. Well - coworker probably wasn't the right word, but saying she slept with a hired gun wouldn't make her feel any better about what had happened. She knew he wasn't really interested in what she had to say, but it was so nice that someone actually let her talk for once that she didn't care. And in a mistaken bout of gratitude, she'd slept with him.
It wasn't bad. It wasn't particularly good, either. But it didn't matter. What mattered was that Holiday was feeling so low about herself that she had traded sex for an uninterrupted hour of optimism and she needed to make sure to never do something like that again. 
Afterwards, soldiers started knocking on her door more often than ever with expectations that they could have a good time if they pretended to listen to her for an evening. Obviously Rebecca didn't want a reputation like that, but once it started there was no way to turn it off. It took several months of celibacy before things went back to the way they’d been before (which, compared to her life pre-Providence, still wasn’t great).
It was just another reminder that she didn't get along with soldiers. The hired guns were all the same to her. Even the one who thought himself too good for the Providence uniform - she'd never interacted with him but she'd noticed him staring at her from a distance several times - was no different. They treated the war like a game. They didn't care. Half of them knew someone personally who'd mutated and they still didn't care, because why should they care about monsters? Mutating was a betrayal and a death sentence and there was no coming back.
Despite all of the negativity and ridicule directed her way, Rebecca still talked to anyone who would listen about the research she wanted to do and her hopes for the future. She couldn't talk to her superiors without consequence, but she needed to tell someone her theories. Even if that someone just wanted to fuck her or laugh at her, maybe they'd retain a tiny piece of information that could make it to someone else and start a chain reaction of giving a shit. If she could get even one hired gun to stop referring to mutated children as spoiled meat, it would be worth it. Even if he just wanted to mock her or sleep with her or report her. She was still going to tell the truth since none of the other scientists bothered.
Dr. Fell was a closed-minded, hard-hearted asshole. He treated her like a burden while simultaneously making her do as much work for him as possible. Rebecca let him do and say whatever he wanted because he could fire her at any moment and then Beverly would be dead and the years she’d wasted at Providence would’ve been for nothing. But it was hard going day after day without correcting his misinformation or pointing out the errors in his equations or trying to make him understand that repeating the same molecular dissection over and over and over again wasn’t going to yield different results. It was the textbook definition of insanity and she had no choice but to sit there and participate.
There was a certain point in their working relationship when Holiday let a complaint slip - not to an HR representative because why would Providence care about the wellbeing of their employees? - but to someone she'd thought was a neutral party. Instead, the complaint found its way to Fell, who decided to start focusing their dissection efforts on large arachnoid mutants.
He didn’t point it out and she didn’t comment, but the threat was very clear.
When Fell started inviting soldiers to watch dissections like it was a show, Holiday got even worse at holding her tongue. How was she meant to sit idly by while these men would watch the total irreversible destruction of living beings? They treated it like entertainment and she was being forced to perform. It was impossible not to say something, even when their esteemed guests just mocked her.
She was so, so tired. Tired of soldiers. Tired of sadists. Tired of having to remind grunts that her sister had to be fed daily, not just when they felt like it.
Rebecca sat on the edge of her bed every night and wondered if any of this would be worth it in the end. But with the way things were going, she wasn't sure if there even would be an end.
x
Providence wasn't of any interest to him.
Six was used to working in a more…freelance environment. Occasionally partnering with a trusted friend he'd made several years earlier, but never staying in one place for too long. He liked to be on the move - that made it much harder for anyone to track him.
But after The Nanite Event, things changed. The worldwide mutations had put a temporary hold on his industry - very temporary, but it was a noticeable gap between jobs - and he needed both an outlet for his anxious adrenaline and a new source of income.
Knight had informed Six about Providence early on - he was among the first group of soldiers itching for an opportunity to join the fight against their mutating brethren. He'd thought Six would enjoy the challenge, since he'd expressed boredom towards his career path once or twice in the past. Six rejected the offer initially, but after a few months (and after his master's transformation), he decided to give it a shot.
Six had never fought with large groups before. The only thing that made his new position tolerable was getting to work in groups of two or three at a time, and the fact that he was just contracted for the time being. He didn't get healthcare or benefits, but he was making plenty of money. Providence had a surprising amount of money at their disposal, which Knight claimed came from exorbitantly wealthy investors.
He didn't really care about the details, nor did he care why Knight knew so much about it. As One's condition got worse and worse, Six found himself caring about anything other than his master less and less. He didn't enjoy fighting or killing anymore. He lost interest in sex and he lost interest in food. Nothing brought him pleasure anymore.
It made things a bit awkward with Knight, sometimes. Knight had gotten a new spice for life thanks to the mutation crisis - something about being able to participate on the noble side of a war that made him feel like a hero. But Six didn't feel like a hero. He felt worthless. And the people around him were clearly picking that up from his attitude. He couldn't help it, though. Killing or capturing every mutant they met was a pointless, aimless task. It seemed to him that eventually, every human and every animal would mutate. They couldn't cage the entire world. So where did it all lead?
Would he someday have to capture or kill One?
Six didn't think he could do that. He didn't want to. He wanted One to go back to normal and for his life to go back to the way it used to be. He was never a very happy person, but at least back then he could find small joys in life. He used to do whatever he wanted, whenever he wanted, and no one could force him otherwise. Not even his master. And that was a life he'd enjoyed. He’d never appreciated it enough when he’d had it.
Taking a full-time position at Providence - after six months of contract work - was the point where Six realized he was starting to give up on One. It was accepting that the life he used to live was done. It was putting his number on an employee registry. It was affiliating his name with a group other than the one he’d given his entire life to. 
But hey - they gave him a decent-sized room with a surprisingly comfortable bed and his own bathroom. Three meals a day, if he felt like eating. Unlimited access to weapons. And all he had to do was whatever Knight told him to and take down mutants before they could hurt anyone.
Before they could hurt any of the remaining real humans, Knight would specify. He'd go on and on about how people who mutated were weak or deserved it and the truly worthwhile and strong would stay human forever.
One was proof that Knight was completely wrong, but Six never felt the urge to argue. His friend only knew One by reputation and certainly didn't know about One's condition. That wasn’t any of his business, after all, and the Numbers had done everything they could to keep it private.
There were days at Providence that Six wanted to leave. He’d stopped pretending to be invested in their operation not long after becoming full-time, but it was only when he heard from the other Numbers about One or about them struggling to continue their lifestyle that he thought about walking away. He didn’t need to be there.
Knight certainly didn’t need him - he was extremely friendly with the other soldiers at Providence, and even some of the scientists. He was so social these days that Six often wondered if he was the same mercenary he’d befriended so many years ago. The White Knight he knew was an ideal mercenary - excited for every hunt and every kill - but he was secretive and paranoid. He was bitter at the world and he didn’t like other people.
The new Knight, Providence Knight - he was cheery. He whistled, he smiled, he spoke highly about his peers. He was always on top of the world. And Six could not understand how.
As Knight grew more social, Six became more and more reclusive. He’d talk to as few people as possible, kill or capture all the mutants that he could, and only bother with meals he could eat while walking back to his room. It was a quiet way to live, but he didn’t want anything else.
There were a lot of things he used to enjoy that he couldn’t anymore. One of which he found himself thinking of every time he heard from Five - but he wasn’t going back to her. What they’d had together hadn’t been good for either of them, but now that he was slumming it in Providence Headquarters, the options for available women were limited.
That thought process occasionally brought him to one woman that had caught his eye. She was a doctor that worked for Knight’s friend, Dr. Fell. And she was fantastically beautiful. Though Six had no intention of ever seducing her or even talking to her, he did find himself occasionally thinking of her when he needed to relax. She was barely a person to him, just a token or a reminder that there were still good things in the world.
(He’d overheard a lot of rumors that attempted to crush the image of perfection he’d created for her in his tired, depressed mind. Six ignored them and chose to believe what he wanted. It wasn’t like he’d ever get to know her. She was just a pretty face to keep his mind off the constant stench of death coating his hands.)
Thoughts of her weren’t enough to prevent him from isolating further - Six couldn’t stop himself. Without One’s guidance; without One’s presence, he was completely lost.
About two years into working for Providence, Six noticed that his partner was paying him a lot of extra attention. As if he’d finally noticed how little joy Six got out of anything in his life. It would’ve been nice if he weren’t so constantly agitated by Knight’s peppy attitude. But Knight didn’t care - he just paid compliment after compliment, making sure Six knew how much he was appreciated. How much he was needed. How much he was helping to keep the human race safe.
Six didn’t care about any of that. He was just tired. He just wanted the war to end and for everything to go back to normal. That was all he wanted.
x
He enjoyed being a mercenary.
White Knight had spent the better part of twenty years hunting and killing for money. He was good at it, thanks to his handful of years in Special OPS. And he had all the connections a guy like him needed to keep it up for a long, long time.
But sometimes, occasionally, rarely…he missed out on some of his favorite parts of being in the army. He missed the camaraderie, he missed the opportunity to command, he missed the glory, and he missed being a hero. As much as he enjoyed killing, it was the opportunity to save innocents by killing others that made his blood really flow. Ending one life to save thousands of others was never a question for him - it was simply the only choice that one could make.
When the mutations started, Knight didn’t know what to think. Every news outlet was spouting different theories of what the cause could be and every scientific giant on the planet was trying to get their name on the first vaccine.
Personally, he thought it was pointless. What mattered was exactly what they could see - people were transforming into giant, hideous, uncontrollable monsters. And there was no turning back.
Providence started making waves just two months after the mutations began. White Knight heard about it from some army buddies that knew he was enjoying his life in the private sector. They’d all enlisted with Providence in the hopes that it’d give them the same high they used to get while fighting covert missions overseas.
He didn’t hesitate for a second before joining. Of course, Knight offered the job to his partner, but Six had never been military. The biggest team he’d ever worked with was six people and from what he’d been told, any more than three of them usually led to disaster. Nonetheless, he knew Six would have a lot to offer Providence if he’d give it a chance. They’d always been good at working together, and it’d be fun to see Six in a new environment, but his friend didn’t seem interested.
Knight, on the other hand, was not going to miss an opportunity to kill hideous monsters and save countless lives. It would be nice to feel like a hero again.
Though he was pushing 40, working with all the soldiers at Providence made him feel like a 22-year-old again. A 22-year-old with a lot more authority and an army of strong, excitable soldiers ready to ask "how high?" when he gave an order.
His age and experience (and the quick employee turnaround due to high mortality) led to Knight becoming one of the most well-known and well-liked soldiers at Providence within just a few months. It was true that Providence wasn't quite military, they didn't bother with titles like General or Captain. Knight didn't love that and mentioned to his teams time and time again the benefits of a proper chain of command on the battlefield. But he did love being able to talk strategy amongst not just soldiers, but scientists, too.
Some of the mutants didn't need to be killed right away. Studying them was the best way to know how to destroy them, after all. And many of them possessed abilities that could be utilized by the human side. Dr. Fell was a brilliant man who kept his priorities straight, and Knight was proud to work alongside him. He even leveraged his friendship with Dr. Fell to convince Six to come on-board, and it worked surprisingly well.
Six had always been reclusive. Even when he drank and smoked and womanized, he’d still keep to himself as much as he could. Knight had always considered himself honored to be able to get a glimpse of the man behind the sunglasses, even just one small piece at a time. But he always felt that Six wasn’t reaching his full potential. He was a tremendously amazing fighter, but he never seemed to derive joy from it the way he should’ve.
Killing humans was repetitive. It was understandable that he’d lost interest over the years and just saw it as a job. But killing monsters was new, and unique, and dangerous. Knight knew Providence was just the thing to reignite the fire under Six’s ass, so getting him more involved was a victory in itself.
Everything about Providence had felt like a victory to him. He had respect and power and he was able to protect the human race from the foreign machines that were turning weak men and children into mutants. He was excited to be on the right side of history - when the survivors of this war wrote about Providence in their history books, the name White Knight would stand out as a leader and a savior.
So when Six finally moved from being a temp to taking a full-time position with Providence, Knight was very excited for his friend. He was ready to really work together again and take down the monsters that other soldiers couldn’t.
But his friend didn’t seem to see it that way. Instead of getting more invested in his work, Six got quieter and more reserved. He became somehow even less social than he used to be, and after a few months on the job, White wouldn’t have hesitated to call him whiny.
Because Six started complaining. Half the things he’d say were complaints about the way Providence ran things, and it really pissed Knight off. He’d done so much work at Providence, making it safe and secure. They were the leading organization in mutant capture and study and Six spent his free time muttering about it being pointless.
Knight was concerned, obviously. He’d gone out of his way to build a comfortable life for his friend, and the thanks he got was…that. Against his better judgment, he reached out to one of Six’s long-time associates to see if there was anything he could do to fix things.
“Bit of a lost cause, but…well. His birthday’s comin’ up. Get ‘im somethin’ nice.”
Six would’ve killed him if he knew he’d contacted any of his old team, but Knight was excited for an opportunity to cheer his friend up without it coming across as pity. He’d give him a nice gift and show him exactly how much progress Providence scientists were making on the spoiled meat they’d been caging up. If Six felt like capturing mutants was pointless, he just needed to see what they were being used for.
If only his friend understood that by destroying a few, they were saving everyone else. It was an honorable, worthwhile cause. And just because certain loudmouth, shrieking, annoying scientists couldn’t see the merit of their own work, that didn’t mean Six needed to fall into that same self-destructive mindset.
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