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#{{minerva's connections}}
fanstuffrantings · 1 month
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OK OK it's so hard to choose for fairy tail redesigns because I am obsessed with your redesigns in general lol so I know it's gonna be good. Because I can't choose: cobra or a sabretooth member would be fab!!
Thank you! That's sweet!
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I'm going to be completely honest and say I do really like a lot of the original sabertooth designs. Sting specifically might be my favorite character design mashima has ever made. That said, rogue really wasn't not for me. I can't tell if it was the design or my tastes that are the issue here. I think one day I'll go in and sketch the rest of the competing team in my style with some tweaks.
One day I will draw Cobra. I do largely like his designs even if they're safe for mashima.
Bonus: demon Minerva redesign since instantly when I saw sabertooth that's who I thought of
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happilychee · 6 months
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sabertooth headcanons pt. 1
I feel like mashima could've made sabertooth just a smidge less flat... they all had so much angst in them and the potential to evolve and grow as people... or they could all turn nice in the span of an episode. that works too.
♡ sting is a sweetheart. he's a genuine, caring, and kind boy who grows up to be a charming and earnest young man. that is, unless he's on the battlefield. old sabertooth sting makes an appearance in those moments. his smirk is cruel, his taunts are like daggers, jabbing away at the opponent. he's cocky and arrogant, and maybe he has the right to be so because his attacks are so powerful they blow the enemy away.
♡ lector is the kind of friend who talks major shit about whatever you're doing as he's helping you. he tells sting how dumb it is to go on a mission alone in mid-flight to their destination. ride or die? nah, lector is fly or die.
♡ rufus loves tea brewing. this is one of the few areas of knowledge that he chooses not to use his magic on. he loves sitting down with a good book and reading about the history of tea, tea cultivation, the proper culinary techniques to brew the perfect cup of tea.
♡ orga is the reason sabertooth has open-mic nights. the (second) strongest guild in fiore turns into a comedy club on tuesday nights, and surprisingly, it's good. orga serenades whoever comes to mind that night: it's been sting, rogue, yukino, all the usual suspects, and on one memorable occasion, mr. yajima. yukino tells the most wholesome, funny stories while frosch and lector act out the scene behind her. in what was probably the most fever dream moment of sting's life, minerva took the mic and delivered such a seething, deadpan stand-up that she got the entire guild cheering for her.
♡ minerva goes all out for halloween. besides just being into arcane magic and the history of magic, she loves spooky things. also, she's a bit fucked up, and this is a good outlet for her. sabertooth will gladly take minerva's scarily detailed sculptures of severed limbs over her lashing out any day of the week. to her guildmates' surprise, she also organizes a family-friendly haunted house in the guild hall for the kids of gazania.
♡ in my heart of hearts, sting does not become sabertooth's guild master. I headcanon him as a healer, so I think he would establish an infirmary in sabertooth and oversee it. unsure if rogue or minerva becomes guild master. I think minerva would be better suited for the role, but there's also recency bias against her because of jiemma. and she needs time to process everything that went into sabertooth's upheaval.
♡ which sabertooth member do you never want to piss off? you might think it's minerva or rufus or even the twin dragons. no. it's yukino. she is the sweetest, kindest member of sabertooth by far, and also the most patient. if you offend yukino, she's unlikely to do much about it, but celestials forbid you hurt her friends, especially minerva. she'll send her spirits after you, and no one will ever find your body.
♡ sabertooth, despite their efforts to become a kinder place, is still a hard guild to get into. they're not like fairy tail where anyone can just join. the core members argue for a long while about what kind of entrance test they should have. ultimately they decide on a test of strength, but not just physical ability. minerva says that it's in the eyes, whether someone has the drive and tenacity to always improve themselves and make sabertooth proud. she tries to be subtle, but she's also staring at yukino the entire time. one eyebrow wiggle from lector turns minerva as red as the cat's fur.
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fruitsyrups · 3 months
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i think your hat post is really cool and interesting but susan’s hat is a cat and i will die on this hill
this is true!!! when i was talking about the modern human hats not resembling animals i meant all of these ones
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(excluding the minerva-bots and finn of course)
#wait. wait. i just thought something#finn wearing his bear hat -> bc it makes him feel connected to the humans#and martin & the hiders (that old woman with the tiger at least) not wearing hats bc they don't feel that personal connection w/ the island#ok this is so obvious but i just think comparing and contrasting finn and martin is so interesting#but i don't think martin really was a hider. i don't think he felt particularly connected to any ideology or viewpoint in particular#he's a floater#yk#martin is so interesting#i dont like the amnesia theory or whatever (that martin also lost his memory in some capacity)#like to me its just that. he was able to commit enough to start a family but not committed enough to go back to them#after being seperated & having freedom#& he just super duper avoids thinking about it bc it makes him feel guilty. but not guilty enough to do anything about it#like when he said he doesn't like thinking about minerva cause it stresses him out that doesn't come across as 'can't remember'#it very much comes across as 'nah im not gonna expend energy into thinking about something emotionally difficult'#like if he actually tried to be a dad to finn he'd have to face all the time he spent not looking for him. instd of just avoiding it all#like where's the fun in making him less Complicated. you know?#whenever finn is in the vicinity martin's always tryna get out of there as fast as possible 😭#i guess that could also just be seen as him trying to avoid the consequences of his actions (like when he's worried finns gonna try to rip#his arm off lmao) but i personally interpret it all as a guilt thing too#none of this is related to the ask but yea 🫣
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bytectrl · 1 month
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TAG DUMP .
. au . › star wars.
. au . › avatar .
. connection . › m . holloway .
. connection . › e . bowan .
. connection . › m . hughes .
. connection . › s . mae .
. ooc . › mine .
. dyn . › bagley & orion .
. dyn . › ermonn & orion .
. dyn . › minerva & orion .
. dyn . › saena & orion .
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vigilskeep · 1 year
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HELP i just remembered the stupid concept where arthur and helenas baby mage sister imprints on anders and keir like a duckling which was already hysterical in arthur’s worldstate but is frankly insane in helena’s
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waterfall-ambience · 10 months
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reworking chapters 20 - 23 of perpetua rn. i'm still keeping the old versions around in a separate doc but the character development in those ones felt a little off. damien shrank back too quickly, the aquarium thing would be better material for arc 4, and luna's talk with avery was getting too long and complicated.
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huecycles · 2 months
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#1 - FRAGMENT: Vitality
Gaster's repressed inner child, as well as the source of his curiosity. Carries himself in a joyful, mystifying manner. Made contact with Jevil.
#2 - FRAGMENT: Speech
Gaster's manner of expressing himself and how he articulates language. Can easily persuade others and knows how to move a few pieces in his favor. Made contact with Spamton.
#3 - FRAGMENT: Rapture
Gaster's motivation for working as a scientist and passion for his job. He's driven by an insatiable desire to study the depths of the universe. Made contact with Halojack.
#4 - FRAGMENT: Wisdom
Gaster's intelligence and brilliance as a scientist, which got him his powerful position. Is great at solving problems that are thrown at him. Made contact with Beltrowel.
#5 - FRAGMENT: Beast
Gaster's more primal and intense thoughts/behavior, often repressed in favor of his detached self. Is very volatile and can be dangerous. Made contact with Spree Blitz.
#6 - FRAGMENT: Everything
Gaster's analytical side and hope for a bright future. Quietly observes those around him, studying what makes them "themselves" and his connections with others. Made contact with Minerva.
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greenwitchcrafts · 3 months
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March 2024 witch guide
Full moon: March 25th
New moon: March 10th
Sabbats: Ostara-March 19th
March Worm Moon
Known as: Crow Moon, Eagle Moon, Goose Moon, Hrethmonath, Lenting moon, Lentzinmanoth, Moon of Snowblind, Moon of Winds, Plow Moon, Sap Moon, Seed Moon, Sore Eyes Moon, Storm Moon, Sugar Moon & Wind Strong Moon
Element: Water
Zodiac: Pisces & Aries
Nature spirits: Air & water spirits & Mer-people
Deities: Artemis, Astarte, Athena, Cybele, Isis, Luna & Minerva
Animals: Boar, cougar & hedgehog
Birds: Sea crow & sea eagle
Trees: Alder, dogwood & honeysuckle
Herbs: Apple blossom, broom, high John root, Irish moss, pennyroyal, wood betony & yellow dock
Flowers: Daffodil, jonquil & violet
Scents: Apple blossom & honeysuckle
Stones: Aquamarine, bloodstone, jasper, opal &topaz
Colors: Pale-green, red, violet, yellow & white
Energy:  Balance, beginnings, dream work, energy breaking into the open, exploring, fertility, inner development, karma, prosperity, spirituality, success & truth seeking
For many years, it was thought that the name "Worm Moon" referred to the earthworms that appear as the soil warms in spring. This invites robins and other birds to feed—a true sign of spring.
However, more research revealed another explanation. In the 1760s, Captain Jonathan Carver visited the Naudowessie (Dakota) and other Native American tribes and wrote that the name Worm Moon refers to a different sort of “worm”—beetle larvae—which begin to emerge from the thawing bark of trees and other winter hideouts at this time.
March’s full Moon often plays a role in religion, specifically in Christianity, this Moon is known as the Lenten Moon if it is the last full Moon of the winter season (i.e., if it occurs before the spring equinox) or as the Paschal Full Moon if it is the first full Moon of spring (i.e., if it occurs after the spring equinox).
Ostara
Known as: Alban Eiler, Lady Day & Spring/Vernal equinox
Season: Spring
Symbols: 8-spoked wheel, butterflies, chicks, decorated baskets, eggs, feathers, jellybeans, lambs, rabbits, seeds, shamrocks, spring flowers & sunwheels
Colors: Green, indigo, light blue, pastels, pink, red & yellow
Oils/Incense: African violet, florals, ginger, jasmine, lotus, magnolia, rose, sage & strawberry
Animals: Cormorant, hare, hawk, rabbit, sheep, sparrow & swallow
Mythical: Dragon & Unicorn
Stones: Amethyst, aquamarine, bloodstone, moonstone, red jasper & rose quartz
Food: Dairy foods, eggs(hard boiled), fruits, honey, honey cakes, leafy greens, vegetables, pine nuts, pumpkin, sunflower seeds, sprouts & waffles
Herbs/Plants: Acorn, cinquefoil, dogwood, ginger, Irish moss, olive, strawberry & woodruff
Flowers: Celandine, crocus, daffodil, dandelion, Easter lily,  jasmine gorse, honeysuckle, hyssop, iris, jonquil, linden, narcissus, peony, snowdrop, tansy & violet
Goddesses: Aphrodite, Ariadne, Artemis, Athena, Coatlicue, Cybele,Demeter, Diana, Eos, Eostre, Flora, Gaia, Hera, Idunn, Iris, Ishtar, Juno, Minerva, Persephone, Venus & Vesta
Gods: Adonis, Attis, Celi, Cernunnos, Coel, Dagda, Dalon ap Landu, Dumuzi, Green Man, Lord of the Greenwood, Mithras, Odin, Osiris, Ovis & Pan
Issues, Intentions & Powers: Agriculture, balance, beauty, fertility, growth, life, love & rebirth/renewal
Spellwork: Air magick, fertility, new beginnings & water magick
Activities:
• Go on a hike/walk & look for signs of spring
• Add Ostara symbols to decorate your altar space
• Plant vegetable &/or flower seedlings
• Decorate eggs with bright colors
• Set your intentions for the weeks/months ahead
• Start a new class or hobby
• Create eggshell candles
• Make plans & new routines for the future
• Participate in rituals & ceremonies that connect you with energy & the life force of nature
• Have a feast with your friends &/family with sprouts & leafy greens
• Bake hot cross buns or lavender/lemon flavored treats
• Clean & de-clutter your home
• Try a re-birthing/ renewing ritual
• Bring fresh flowers or plants into into the home
• Host a spring & floral themed tea party
• Make egg based food dishes & desserts
This holiday marks the Spring Equinox, which happens before March 19-22. It is the second of three spring celebrations (the midpoint between Imbolc and Beltane)  during which light & darkness are again in balance, with light on the rise. It is a time of new beginnings & of life emerging further from the grips of winter.
There is much debate regarding the origins of Ostara due to the lack of primary sources about this sabbat. One theory is the name of Ostara came from the Anglo-Saxon goddess Eostre. Another theory is that Eostre is more of a localized goddess in Kent County, England. Despite the questions of her origins, Eostre is associated with modern-day Pagan traditions of Ostara.
There is no evidence that the ancient Greeks or Romans celebrated Ostara, although they did celebrate their own spring festivals, such as the Roman festival of Floralia & the Greek festival of Anthesteria. It was a time to honor the returning sun, fertility & rebirth.
Related festivals:
• Nowruz- March 19th
Nowruz marks the first day of spring & renewal of nature. It is celebrated on the day of the astronomical vernal equinox. It is also celebrated as the beginning of the new year by people all around the world for over 3,000 years in the Balkans, the Black Sea Basin, the Caucasus, Central Asia, the Middle East & other regions.
It promotes values of peace & solidarity between generations & within families as well as reconciliation & neighbourliness. Nowruz plays a significant role in strengthening the ties among peoples based on mutual respect & the ideals of peace and good neighbourliness. 
Traditional customs of Nowruz include fire & water, ritual dances, gift exchanges, reciting poetry, symbolic objects & more; these customs differ between the diverse peoples & countries that celebrate the festival.
• Holi- March 25th
Holi is a popular & significant Hindu festival celebrated as the The festival of colors, Love &Spring. It commemorates eternal and divine love of the deities Radha & Krishna. Additionally, the day signifies the triumph of good over evil, as it celebratess the victory of Vishnu as Narasimha over Hiranyakashipu. Holi originated & is predominantly celebrated in the Indian subcontinent, but has also spread to other regions of Asia & parts of the Western world through the Indian diaspora.
Holi also celebrates the arrival of Spring in India, the end of winter & the blossoming of love. It is also an invocation for a good spring harvest season. It lasts for a night & a day, starting on the evening of the Purnima (full moon day) falling on the Hindu calendar month of Phalguna, which falls around the middle of March in the Gregorian calendar.
• Easter- March 31st
also called Pascha or Resurrection Sunday is a Christian festival & cultural holiday commemorating the resurrection of Jesus from the dead, described in the New Testament as having occurred on the third day of his burial following his crucifixion by the Romans at Calvary c. 30 AD. It is the culmination of the Passion of Jesus Christ, preceded by Lent (or Great Lent), a 40-day period of fasting, prayer, & penance.
Easter traditions vary across the Christian world & include sunrise services or late-night vigils, exclamations & exchanges of Paschal greetings, flowering the cross & the decoration and the communal breaking of Easter eggs (a symbol of the empty tomb) among many others. The Easter lily is a symbol of the resurrection in Western Christianity traditionally decorates the chancel area of churches on this day & for the rest of Eastertide. Additional customs that have become associated with Easter & are observed by both Christians & some non-Christians include Easter parades, communal dancing, the Easter Bunny & egg hunting.
Other Celebrations:
• Festival of Luna- March 31st
Is a feast day honoring the Goddess Luna who is seen as the divine embodiment of the Moon.
The Temple of Luna was a temple on the Aventine Hill in Rome, dedicated to Luna, the moon goddess. Its dedication was celebrated on March 31st, thus the celebration.
According to Tacitus, it was built by king Servius Tullius. However, the first confirmed reference to a temple to Luna dates to 182 BC & refers to one of its doors being knocked off its posts by a miraculous blast of air & shot into the back of the Temple of Ceres. That account probably places the temple at the north end of the hill, just above porta Trigemina. The temple was struck by lightning around the time of the death of Cinna, as was the temple of Ceres. After the destruction of Corinth, Lucius Mummius Achaicus dedicated some of his spoils from the city to this temple. It was destroyed in the Great Fire of Rome in 64 AD & not rebuilt.
Sources:
Farmersalmanac .com
Llewellyn's Complete Book of Correspondences by Sandra Kines
Wikipedia
A Witch's Book of Correspondences by Viktorija Briggs
Encyclopedia britannica
Llewellyn 2024 magical almanac Practical magic for everyday living
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ellecdc · 4 months
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The Drink Snob (part 3)
mafia au!Remus Lupin x fem!reader - 3.1k
p1 // p2 // p3 // p4
CW: attempted drink tampering, attempted human trafficking, a lot of swearing because it's Remus and reader (obviously)
Synopsis: You take Elle's advice, Remus returns the favour.
You waited at the end of the counter for your mocha to be called through the café. You were feeling pretty good about yourself; you had an interview lined up at a nice restaurant at the end of this week, you’d guest lectured for Minerva and got great feedback from both her and the students, and you’d found time to facetime Elle twice more.
The café was fairly busy with a fair number of students trying to get their caffeine fix between classes. The barista apologized to you for the wait, but you waved him off; “I’m not in any rush right now, take your time.” You had said to him.
“That was quite polite of you.” A voice to your right commented. 
You turned and raised your eyebrow at the dark-haired man. His hair was an array of curls pulled back into a low bun, and he kept his onyx gaze fixed on you. 
“And that surprises you?”
He smirked at you. “From a yank? I’d have to say a little.”
“Right,” You scoffed, “I’m not American.”
He looked at you strangely at that. “You sound like an American.”
“Maybe I’m just practicing for a part.” You shot back.
He hummed in response. “A budding actress, hm?”
Before you could respond, your name was called at the counter.
“Peppermint mocha for Y/N!”
You picked up your cup and turned back to the man. “As nice as this was, I have to take my leave.”
“Come to dinner with me.” He interjected quickly. You stared at him incredulously.
“I’m sorry?”
“Come on, I want to hear more about this budding acting career of yours.” He said as he winked. 
Your immediate thought was hell no. But then you thought of The Man ™ from the pub last week, and how surprising and nice it was to finally connect with someone. Wasn’t this exactly what Elle was saying you should be doing? It went against every part of your better judgement, but this opportunity had been placed in front of you twice, were you really in any position to ignore it?
“What’s your name?” You asked. You were met with a victorious smile.
“Tan.”
You considered him for a moment.
“Fine, one dinner.”
He clapped his hands together. “Wonderful, how about tonight? There’s a Spanish fusion restaurant that just opened downtown that I’ve been dying to try. I could pick you up. Say 7?” 
You looked the man up and down; you may be stepping out of your comfort zone agreeing to a date with a stranger you met at a coffee shop, but you weren’t suicidal. 
“I’ll meet you there.” You offered. Tan seemed to deflate a little, but the emotion passed quickly over his face.
He gave you the address and then actually kissed you on the hand before you turned and exited the café. 
Were all Brit’s this bold? Was this just an English thing? You walked back to the faculty building hoping this was a meet cute opportunity you could tell Elle about. 
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“It’s kinda smart, really.” James commented, taking another drink from his water. 
“What is?” Remus asked, not looking up from the salad he was pushing around on the plate in front of him.
“Scouting near the universities.” 
Remus looked up at his mate then, his black hair as wild as ever as he pushed his glasses back up the bridge of his nose. His knee was bouncing under the table, and Remus knew he was just trying to make conversation while they waited for Lestrange to make his appearance, but James could be so thick sometimes.
“Yes, James. It’s almost as if the traffickers have a method that they follow to find young women they can pick up.” Remus muttered quietly, finally shifting his gaze up to the door. 
“Sorry.” James muttered as he ran his hand through his hair again. “I just hate waiting.”
Remus chuckled. “I can tell.” 
James made it through at least a minute and a half of silence before Remus finally took pity on him. “Harry’s so close to walking now, eh?” 
James’ face lit up as he began a long tangent of his son’s different methods of movement which ranged from scooting, crawling, shifting, and rolling. “And Moony, yesterday he stood at the coffee table and walked around it all by himself! He was holding the coffee table, but still!” 
Remus smiled at his friend’s happiness just as he noticed their target entering the building. 
“He’s here.” Remus muttered into his collar which hid his speak piece.
“Greasy bastard, how do they manage to look creepier and creepier every time I see them?” Sirius muttered darkly into Remus and James’ earpiece from his car parked out front. 
Sirius hated not being able to join on some stakeouts on account of his family. For example, Rabastan Lestrange is technically related to Sirius through marriage as he is the brother-in-law of Sirius’ first cousin Bellatrix. Sirius and Bellatrix, both Black’s by birthright, and the Lestrange’s have historically held ties to the mob boss Tom Riddle who had his followers call him Lord Voldemort. Pretentious fucks at best, but at worst they were prejuidiced, racist, bigots who were involved in human trafficking, which meant it was very important that they get caught and stopped, not the other way around. Which meant Sirius had to play back-up. 
Remus was fine with that. James could be a little annoying on account of his ADHD, but he’d take that over Sirius’ inner rage any day. 
Remus got it, he really did; Sirius had been surrounded by this his whole life – born and raised to carry on the Black line of arseholes, and he’s seen things many people haven’t. His family was awful and what these women and children went through at their hands was horrible, but being hot-headed in the field didn’t save them.
Remus figured Sirius would probably make a good police officer if they weren’t so corrupt, though he would struggle playing by the rules.
Maybe in another life. 
“He’s got a seat in the far left. It’s secluded and near an emergency exit. Reg, are you able to get eyes back there without being caught?” James asked into his own speak piece. 
“On it.” Was Reg’s response. 
Remus watched the door as James watched Rabastan. People came and went but James never mentioned a change in our target, so Remus disregarded them.
Suddenly, Remus’ breath caught in his throat. No. Not her. 
“We should try the croquettes.” James said - their code.
No.
“No.”
James looked up at Remus. “What?”
“It’s...” Remus started, but he didn’t know how to finish. James kept his eyes on Rabastan as you walked past Remus’ line of sight.
“Wait, is that-” James started but they were interrupted by Regulus.
“I’ve got eyes on the emergency exit.” 
“Copy.” James muttered and looked back to Remus. “What is it?”
“What’s going on?” Sirius interjected in their earpieces. 
“Is that the girl?” James whispered to him, causing Remus to scrunch his eyes shut.
“Wait, what?” Reg called.
James sighed. “Remus’ girl from The Drunken Sailor, it’s her.”
“Wait.” Sirius yelled causing both men to wince. “The girl Rabastan is meeting, it’s Remus’ girl?”
“She’s not my girl.”
Sirius called out the wrong name. “Right?”  Sirius carried on over top of Remus. 
“Y/N.” Remus corrected.
“Oh my God,” James said wide eyed at him. “You’ve got it bad.”
“I do not.” Remus started before changing gears, “fuck off, Prongs. Now is not the time. We’ve got to get her out of here.” 
“Easy, Remus.” Regulus encouraged him quietly.
“Tell us how you want to go about this.” James added.
Both Black brothers shouted a what over the earpieces. 
“The plan stays the same, Prongs. Same as it always is – get her out.” Sirius barked.
“No, Padfoot. This has taken on a new element. If Remus isn’t careful, he could be accused of nefarious actions himself. She’s scheduled for an interview at the restaurant in a few days.” James chided. “It’s your call.” He said to Remus.
She wasn’t supposed to get caught up in this. 
She was supposed to go back to school and stay away from dingy bars – and dingy men. She was so clever; how could she have gotten swept up with Rabastan?
No.
Don’t be an arse, Remus.
These men were smart. They knew how to come off completely charming, and targeted women, well, women exactly like her.
She was a student, she was foreign, and she was probably alone when he approached her. She was their perfect target.
Remus just hoped she had kept her wits about her; she had noticed so quickly that his drink had been tampered with, hopefully she’d be just as alert tonight. Remus knew from the staff at the café that she had declined his invitation to pick her up, hopefully she didn’t give him her number, either. 
“Do you want me to swap, Remus?” Regulus queried over our earpiece. 
Did Remus want him to swap? 
What did Remus want?
Remus kind of wanted to be the one to be sitting over there with you.
He turned to look at your table to see you place your jacket on the hook of the booth beside you. As your head was turned, Rabastan’s hand hovered over your glass of water which began to fizz.  
“Moons?” James asked quietly again. 
But before Remus could respond, you looked back up and your gaze found him. Your eyes and nose scrunched a little as you considered him as if you couldn’t believe what you were seeing. You finally shook your head slightly and offered Remus a small smile before turning back to Rabastan. 
Well, you knew Remus was here now. 
So much for keeping her out of this. 
“Now.” Remus said as he stood from his place at the table. 
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The world had to be fucking with you at this point, right? You weren’t actually seeing The Man™? He must just be a figment of your imagination?
Apparently, he was not just a figment of your imagination because he was suddenly standing at the end of your table as if he was about to take your order.
“We really must stop meeting each other like this.” He said with a smirk.
You chuckled nervously as you stared at his beautiful face. “Uhm, yeah. Haha. What are the odds?”
“Uhm, do you mind?” Tan said as he considered The Man ™ and you with furrowed brows.
“I do, actually.” He said severely, before a second man with a mop of curly black hair sidled up behind him looking far more pleased than his counterpart.
“Rabastan, my man, it’s been too long.” He said entirely too loudly. You felt your cheeks heat up as you offered the people around you a nervous smile. 
Tan seemed to pale at the sight of the newcomer. Suddenly, his glass of water was turned over in front of him as he scrambled to stand. Before Tan could get anywhere, the curly headed man embraced him in an aggressive looking hug that involved an arm around his neck.
“You bastard, I can’t believe we let it go this long without catching up. Why don’t we have a little family reunion, hm? I know some cousins of yours who are just dying to see how you are.” He announced to the entire restaurant as he man-handled Tan to the emergency exit behind your booth.
You watched with your mouth hanging open as the door closed behind them and the restaurant returned to its appropriate volume. 
You turned your head towards The Man ™ as he slid into the booth Tan had just been dragged out of for all intents and purposes.
“What?” was all you could manage to mutter. 
“Don’t drink your water” was his response.
You looked down to see the table – now pooled with Tan’s water – and sat there in front of you was your water with a filmy layer on top. 
“What the fuck just happened?” you muttered more to yourself than anything.
“I returned the favour.” The Man™ replied with a shrug as he mopped up the water on the table that was starting to spill onto the bench of the booth you were seated on.
“What? Were you following me around waiting for some guy to drug me?” You asked incredulously.
“Relax, sweetheart. It’s not that deep.”
You scoffed in outrage. “Do not tell me to relax you fucker, I was nearly drugged, and lord knows what else.”
“I know exactly what else.” The man snarked back. “He would have brought you out to a van that his buddies would have pulled up upon his command, they would have dumped your purse and all of your belongings in the dumpster behind some business a few blocks away, flown you to Portugal and sold you to the highest bidder, and that’s ignoring everything that would have happened in between. I can assure you, darling, that there was only one fucker here and he was just dragged away by my mate there. So please for all that is holy, relax.” He pressed the end of his sentence as he dumped your glass over as well just as a server came by.
“Oh, let me clean this up for you!” The server exclaimed at the mess just as The Man apologized in faux embarrassment. “I’ll get you two new glasses. Have you had a chance to look at the menu?”
Completely stunned, you decided to field the question to the infuriating man across from you who, fucking damnit, looked just as handsome as the first time you’d seen him. 
“Just the waters for now, thank you.” He said with a smile which flashed his dimples, the bastard. 
“Are you okay?” He asked softly which was in stark contrast from his demeanor before the server came.
“I’m fine.” You muttered probably more aggressively than you should have. “Fuck, I’m going to kill her.” You growled as you leaned your elbows onto the table and shoved your face into your hands.
“Who’s that now?”
You groaned, hands still covering your face. “My friend, the bitch. This is all her fault.” 
“How so?”
“This was her idea! Going out with him, I mean.” You answered miserably as you leaned back against the booth and crossed your arms.
“Your friend knew that guy?” He asked somewhat alarmed.
You snorted a laugh. “No. She just thought I should get out more. Was so worried about me being all sad and lonely in this new city. This’ll teach her.” You muttered as you picked imaginary lint from your skirt.
The man was mirroring you; leaning against the back of his booth with his arms crossed as he seemed to consider you.
“Is that why you started handing out your CV?”
You felt your eyebrows furrow. “My what?” 
The man dramatically rolled his eyes. “Oh, my apologies. I meant your resume.”
You nodded your head in understanding before slamming your hand down on the still damp table. “How do you know I’ve been handing out resumes? Are you actually stalking me?” 
“No, even your luck doesn’t seem to be that bad. Though, being nearly drugged twice is not a good track record.”
“If I’m remembering correctly, you were the one nearly drugged last time.”
The man smiled at you and something about it felt far softer than you felt the moment called for. “You applied at my mum’s restaurant – the one on 72nd. She was going on about finally having live music in the joint; I saw your CV.”
“I didn’t apply as a musician.” You shouted somewhat panickily. You cleared your throat before correcting yourself. “I mean, I just...I was just looking for a job as a server.”
He squinted his eyes at you before responding. “Well, good luck trying to say no to my mum.”
“What are the chances of me getting drugged if I work at your mum’s restaurant?”
This surprised a bark of laugh from him. “Actually, your chances would be quite a bit lower.”
“I don’t know...” you said suspiciously. “Every time I’ve been with you, drinks have been drugged.”
He hummed as he squinted his eyes. “Hazard of the trade.”
“And what trade is that?”
“Crime.” He said simply. You chuckled, but as you looked back up at the man, you noticed he wasn’t laughing.
“Oh, you’re serious?” You commented.
The corner of his mouth seemed to quirk at your word choice, but he offered you one quick nod.
“But...you’re the kind of criminal to have your drinks drugged and to stop other people from getting drugged?”
He moved his head side-to-side as if to say sort of.
“And you’re telling me this...because?”
“Because” he said as he seemed to square himself, “you ought to know that before you accept the position.” 
The Man stood and left some bills on the table. “Are you safe to get home on your own?”
Still reeling from this whole ordeal, you nodded dumbly at him. He offered you a soft smile.
“Take it easy, Y/N.” He said as he left through the emergency exit.
It was only at his use of your name that you realized you still haven't caught his.
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Remus was kicking himself. He should have just asked if you were okay and went about business as usual. He shouldn’t have sat with you, he shouldn’t have confessed about his mother’s restaurant, and he definitely shouldn’t have told you about the nature of his career. But he couldn’t let you walk into that interview without knowing what you were potentially getting yourself into.
And what would have happened if you had taken the job and then seen him there? Then you really would have suspected him of stalking.
Well, Remus has technically stalked before, but not in like a stalkery way, you know? It was like...
It was surveillance! 
Fuck, he was grasping at straws.
It just seemed like the world was hell bent on shoving you in Remus’ path. And when Remus first met you – he was insistent on keeping you away from him, from this.
But you just had to drop your resume off at his family’s restaurant.
And you just had to get picked up by a human trafficking sociopath. 
So, if you were going to insist on walking this dangerous line Remus calls life, you might as well know where the line is.
He didn’t know what he was more worried about: that you’d take his warning or that you wouldn’t. 
Continue to part four here.
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k0komi · 9 days
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this might sound a bit far-fetched at first but hear me out, i consider myself an avid feminist and i swear even from that perspective alone i could never bring myself to like james potter based on how he acts in the books, so let me draw a quick comparison between him and snape based on canon (mostly snape's worst memory):
-james does not respect lily's rejections and doesn't take no for an answer (even after multiple times)
-> lily tells severus she wants to end their friendship once and he respects it without further bothering her (only getting somewhat involved again years later to attempt to save her life which is a pretty good reason)
- james isn't really shown having any female friends in the books and only seems to pursue lily because he wants to date her, not because he wants to form an actual connection/friendship (although he most likely improved on this aspect as he got a bit older, i'll give him that)
-> severus and lily had an actual friendship with a long shared history. even if he developed feelings for her later on (which can't be said with 100% certainty based on canon material) that wasn't the reason he originally connected with her, and he never made any unwanted advances or bothered her about it because he actually valued her as a person beyond just a possible relationship. he's also well respected by and (possibly?) friends with several women as an adult, including minerva, charity and narcissa.
- another point about james is that not only does he not accept lily's multiple rejections, but he also reacts to them with anger and violence. again referring to SWM, as soon as lily tells him off, he starts disrespecting and threatening her and then turning his anger towards snape in a form of sexual harassment. do i need to say more...
-> and please don't get me wrong, i'm not writing this post to argue that snape was a good person who did no wrong. he treated people badly and used a slur against lily in this same chapter - he joined the death eaters ffs. however, his violence was never gendered, which is what i wanted to focus on with this post.
so.. let me summarize: james potter is a male who can't take no for an answer - and reacts to rejection with violence and anger. who (in the source material) is only shown trying to connect with the opposite gender because he is romantically interested in them and harrassing them about going on dates for what was probably months on end. who threatens violence against said person ('don't make me hex you') and also doesn't shy away from actively resorting to violence and assault over small inconveniences.
those are all some of the biggest red flags a man can have and the kind i wish to stay as far away from as possible. also yes. i know he was a teenager, but this kind of behaviour is simply not something i will personally tolerate regardless of age. i especially can't stand the way many fans use this sort of 'boys will be boys' mentality to excuse his behaviour or just completely downplay it. obviously you're allowed to like him as a character for a variety of reasons, but pretending that the kind of behaviour he displayed in the books is not downright dangerous is not the way. especially because those same fans often try to make him out as some sort of feminist, which is just... LOL.
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wingedhallows · 4 months
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we'll be family; sirius black
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pairing: sirius black x reader | 1.6k words plot: sirius is finally back and your godson is as well. You're determined to finally be a family, no one will come between, you're determined. prompt: "we'll be family" authors note:I hope you like it, there might be another part :)
navigation | part two
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“The food is incredible, Molly.” you smiled at the red haired woman. A couple of humms agreeing with you as you continued to devour the bowl of food. “I’m glad, hun.”
Your hand was entangled with his, shoulder to shoulder. 
Sirius had broken out of Azkaban a few months ago, you’d been inseparable ever since. Albus had let you finally and officially meet your godson, not that you haven’t seen him before.
The old wizard had forbidden you to take him, he had deemed you unfit to take care of an infant when Lily and James were killed and Sirius was sent to Azkaban. You complied all those years ago, not that you didn’t go down without a fight.
“Harry, love, we’ll get all of your things tomorrow morning, alright?” you spoke, his head snapping to you. He gave you a small smile and nodded. “I’ll come with you, no worries.” Your hand found his and his smile widened a tad. “Alright.” Harry had run away in a fit of anger, with good reason, you thought.
That old hag had it coming. You slightly waved your hand and the jug of water hovered over the table towards you. You were one of few wizards who were able to do magic without a wand. Making you a great asset to the Order.
Sirius tensed up, you knew well that the wrongful accusations still hurt him and how annoyed he was that he was practically bound to the house he most hated.
“Alright, all kids out!” Alastor spoke as he made his way into the kitchen. “We’ll start the meeting!” he continued. Molly ushered the children out before Harry turned to you. Sirius's hand had found its way across your back and held your waist while the other gently stroked your shoulder. 
Oh, how you had missed this, missed him.
“I want to stay, Y/N.” Harry whispered as he held onto your hand. Sirius didn’t intervene, he had made his point an hour ago. “Go on now, Harry.” Molly pushed him gently and you rose to your feet. “I’d like Harry to stay.” You said.
Severus who just arrived scoffed at you, lips in a snarl as he opened his mouth. You held on to Harry and ushered him to take a seat just like yourself.
“He’s got you under such a tight grip, just like all those years ago.” You rolled your eyes at him and propped your head onto your hand in boredom. “Like calls to like, I guess.”
He paused and the hand your husband had around your back tensed, your eyebrows shut up in anger. “Black’s been a lovesick fool without an opinion even in his school days, it was only a matter of time for you as well, Y/N.” 
Your face converted into the cold mask you knew too well, the fork in your hand clutched tightly as you, without a thought, apparated just across the table. Sirius had gone through a lot during your school days, his parents were absolute monsters and your love kept him above water all those years. To badmouth your connection, the shared pain and sorrow was unheard for.
 Without as much as a huff you pointed the fork to Severus’ neck, his eyes wide.
“I might be all smiley, happy even because after twelve years of a sentence he didn’t deserve, I finally have my husband back you better don’t forget that I’m a Slytherin as well, dear Snivellus.” You leaned down, eyes boring into his. “I’ll end you just like the little worm you are, if you dare insult my husband once more.”  “Any more comments to add?” he gulped and avoided your eyes. “That’s what I thought.”
Without another word you apparated right back into your chair, the slight squeak from the old chair the only sound in the room. “What was that?” Kingsley spoke. You didn’t think too much of it. Your friends have known since school, even Albus and Minerva knew. It was no secret that wandless magic was your expertise.
“You’ve mastered wandless magic?” Kingsley spoke again, your eyes found Harry’s, who tried to hide a laugh. Your outburst towards his most hated teacher filling him with joy. “I had a lot of time.” You huffed, the filled cup found its way to your painted lips.
Your hands found their way to your lover. His lips connected with your neck as your fingers played with the back of his neck. “You’re breathtaking when you’re angry.” He whispered in your ear before pressing a light kiss onto your cheek. “Oh, how I love you, Sirius.” you smiled into the kiss.
The meeting had gone by quickly after you all agreed to let Harry join the next meeting. Albus claimed that he had to think about it thoroughly, since it wasn’t a light choice to make. Sirius and You stood with your opinion, there was no time to waste, you thought.
“Here they are.” you smiled before grabbing a pile of dusted old books. They were in fact photo albums. “I haven’t seen those in years.” Sirius spoke behind you, his hands tucked into his trousers. “I want Harry to have them.” you gave him a kiss and made your way out of your bedroom. Sirius had given you a nod and settled on the bed without another word.
You knocked on the room the kids slept in. Harry, Hermoine and Ron had agreed to share a bedroom. There was a slight rumble before you opened the door with a squeak. You tried to suppress a laugh, of course they were still awake.
A snort escaped you as you flicked on the light. “Stop pretending to be asleep, you lot aren’t good at it.” Harry rose first and gave you an uncomfortable laugh. Hermoine and Ron joined him shortly after. “Sorry, we were supposed to-”Oh, please. You’re old enough to sleep when you feel like it.” You waved him off, the three visibly relaxed. 
“I came because.. I wanted to give you these.” You held out your hands. Your godson got up from his bed and joined you on the floor. His friends joined you as well. “What are these?” He asked. You gave him a smile and opened the first one. “These are our years at Hogwarts.” 
The first page was graced with a group photo of Lily, James, Remus, Peter, Sirius and You. You all held onto your graduation caps, wide smiles on your faces. “This was right after graduation, but there are pictures of all seven years.” 
A small smile formed on your face as you watched how James had tried to stretch his arms over all of you, how Lily leaned into James’ side with a wide smile. Remus had his arms around Sirius and You, your hand on Sirius chest as he pressed a kiss onto your head.
Harry stared at you with wide eyes. “I was determined to document our time together.” you paused and flipped to another page. “This was after your mother had finally agreed to go out with your father, we were all so happy that James’ yapping would stop now. He was insufferable, really.” 
In the picture was James as he held Lily in his arms, smiling wide. Remus, Sirius and You stood next to them shaking your heads. Sirius had his hand in yours and your other arm was propped up on Remus' shoulder who had sat down onto a tiny wall. 
Harry chuckled and you flipped to another page. “This was when your parents asked us to be your godparents.” you looked at the picture. How the shock spread onto your faces before you smothered baby Harry in a kiss. Sirius stroked Harry’s cheek and settled a kiss on your cheek. You’ll never forget the warmth that spread through you as they asked you, how much love warmed the place that night.
“Take your time looking through them.” You paused and raised your hands to Harry’s cheeks. Oddly enough it felt like all those years ago, when you used to hold little Harry in your hands. “I know Sirius and Me are not your parents and…we’ll never be but, I’ll try my best to be anything close to the mother Lily never got the chance to be.” A tear made its way down Harry’s cheek and you quickly wiped it. “I love you, Harry. We’ll be a family now.”
You gave Hermoine and Ron a stroke to their cheeks as well and left them alone. Before you were out the door you spoke once again. “You can ask me anything about them whenever you want, I’ll gladly answer your questions.There are so many great stories about them.” he nodded and got to his feet. 
Within seconds he had his arms around you, his face buried in your neck. You held him, stroked his back in a comforting manner. “Thank you, Y/N. I love you too.” He raised his head and you wiped the tears once again. 
“Your parents would be more than proud of you, Harry. Such a lovely young man you’ve become.” you planted a kiss on his forehead and left the kids alone.
Sirius was still awake, a book clasped in his hand as he looked at you through his reading glasses. “Are you cryin’?” he said, book long forgotten as he sat on the edge of the bed. You nodded and embraced him in a tight hug, your head rested on his chest. “I showed him some pictures of all of us.” He planted a kiss on your temple. “Oh.” was all he said.
“I miss them.” you whispered, a tear rolling down your cheek. “Me too.” he answered.
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ricep0pp · 6 months
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already having to relive the Octavian/Luke comparisons and i think i may in fact spontaneously combust.
the blatant misremembering of Octavians character simply because readers just went along with whatever the main cast thought is honestly a little bit infuriating. he's the most spectrum coded character in HoO and most of his actions up until he is literally *brainwashed by Gaea* are justifiable.
"b-but he destroyed Percy's pillow pet comfort item!!" okay, maybe think about how he has to do this with his own comfort items every day? it's literally his job and it's very likely that nobody has ever gotten upset with him over it before. and *Reyna told him to do this* so why are we mad at octavian if it was an order from the praetor to do an augur thing and the easiest way to do that was with an item that had a connection to Percy?
i will also never get over the banquet scene at the beginning of MoA. Octavian literally does nothing wrong here but the characters decide that they just really want to make him the butt of every joke simply because they find him 'annoying'.
after Reyna does the toast and Jason is recounting their rescue of Hera/Juno, Octavian interrupts him in an exclamation of disbelief that they hadn't noticed that the queen of the gods had been imprisoned in a location that was very important to the romans. is interrupting rude? yes, but he obviously seems distraught over the fact that Juno was unknowingly imprisoned. instead of politely explaining the full extent of the situation, what does Piper do? immediately use charmspeak on him.
next, when Percy praises Jason's skills ("No wonder they made you praetor."), Octavian immediately brings up the fact that they have three praetors now that Jason has returned. this is really important, especially from his perspective since he's such a stickler for rules and regulations. Percy decides to immediately abtagonize him, and then completely dismiss his frustration over Percy choosing to step aside for Jason. Octavian has every right to be offended over this, even if it's not necessarily the most correct time to bring it up. Percy antagonizes him, and then basically blatantly insults him by treating the position he's worked his entire life for as if it's nothing important.
after that, Reyna has Octavian recite the great prophecy, ignoring his hesitancy (that is entirely warranted considering greece and rome have been at war for literal millenia). when Annabeth recites the last two lines of the prophecy and Frank brings up her parentage, Octavian has a right to be skeptical. in rome, Minerva isnt even a war goddess, and doesn't have children. without understanding how the gods operate in their seperate forms, it's reasonable, considering they arrived in a war ship, are being lead by a child of a war goddess that they are wholly unfamilliar with in more ways than most of the other major gods, and are, in fact, greek, to be suspicious of the groups intentions.
when Annabeth and Percy list the seven demigods they believe should go on the quest, Octavian is again rightfully upset. There are rules and procedures that are being completely ignored, and by visitors that are already suspicious to him and have made it very clear that they do not care about his opinion, even though he's on the senate and *the fucking augur.* he is once again interrupted, but this time by the book itself as Tyson shows up.
Ella then recites the 'mark of Athena' prophecy, which Octavian *once again* has every right to know about. prophecies are his job, and his entire *personality* as far as camp jupiter is concerned. i understand that it basically says 'Annabeth will destroy rome' but her secrecy in regards to the quest her mother gave her has never once made sense and is not justified in any way. instead of even saying something simple along the lines of 'Athena made me swear to secrecy', Percy for some reason is made to be the character that needs rescuing (in a situation that has nothing to do with him) and Annabeth takes the opportunity to make Octavian into the fool in front of all of his peers. it feels even worse later on when Annabeth and Reyna discuss the prophecy but only to agree that it even *is* one, and for no purpose beyond that for several paragraphs.
THEN when Leo offers a tour of the Argo II to Octavian and Reyna *once again* dismisses his suspicions, she winds up partly to blame for the resulting attack, as well as Leo for never telling anyone about gaea, and Annabeth for not saying anything when she noticed Leo was acting off. when Gaea attacks CJ and Octavian relays to Annabeth that he saw Leo open fire on the city, she assumes he's pulling some trick to get them to fight each other. she had known him for all of maybe a few hours and for some reason, watching her friends and boyfriend openly bully him has convinced her that he could be evil?
mind you, all of the above events happened over the course of *two* chapters, both of which are from the perspective of Annabeth who had only just met Octavian.
he only really began doing things you could consider 'evil' once gaea had fullt brainwashed him and driven him mad. and even then, he gets a fucking joke death?? as the only character up to this point that i was ever able to identify with on an ASD level, that feels really shitty! and the fact that the fandom just jumped on the Octavian hate train really drives home how people cannot handle spectrum coding/writing/*people* unless its presented in a cutesie helpless way.
but back to the original point of Octavian being compared to Luke; Luke was scheming the *entire* time we knew him. He did not want to protect his home, he did not have any real morals or self imposed rules. all he cared about was getting back at Hermes for not showing he cared about him (which is kind of bs considering Hermes is one of the busiest gods in the pantheon but as a fellow neglected kid i get it.) Luke was willing to do this in any way, even if it meant literally destroying the world. Octavian was just trying to keep his home safe in the way that any historical roman would have.
You also kind of have to consider his background. he was left at camp as an unwanted baby. we dont even know if his parents named him or if the camp did. his only identity is that he's a legacy of Apollo with a gift that is incredibly useful to CJ. this, along with his very clear coding (whether intentional on Rick's part or not), only shows me a character that was always unwanted and outcasted from the only place he even could call home. he doesnt want to be praetor for power, he wants to be praetor to prove to everyone (and himself) that he's worthy of being one of them. if he wanted power for the sake of power he could easily use his augur position to manipulate his way up, but never once do we see him attempt this. it doesn't help that he's named after THE Gaius Julius Ceasar Augustus, the man that founded the fucking roman empire in the first place. imagine how that must feel? to have your identity tied to such massive, larger than life people? imagine feeling like you have to live up to that in a place that seemingly fucking hates you for existing and only keeps you around because youre useful??
i really wish people would stop blatantly villainizing Octavian, dudes literally just an 18 year old autistic kid that was victimized by Gaea. give him a break, please.
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salmalin · 1 month
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I commissioned @decadentworld for this piece of Genesis and Minerva in the place of Adam and God in "The Creation of Adam" and I cannot emphasize enough how the quality of the work surpassed any and all expectations I had. My mental image was captured flawlessly, and I'm so glad with how it came out. I cannot wait to hang this on my wall.
I'll put a link to the uncensored piece in the comments for those who want it.
Image description under the cut.
Using the staging of the classical art piece by Michelangelo's painting of the Birth of Adam from Book of Genesis, Genesis Rhapsodos from Final Fantasy VII is in the place of Adam and Minerva is in the place of God.
Genesis has red hair and a lithe, muscular build. His face and general appearance is based on the image of a Japanese rock musician, Gackt, while his body is painted with more classical ideals of physique instead of modern. He is nude except for a bit of foliage over his groin, reclining against a dumbapple tree bearing purple fruit. He is reaching for Minerva, their hands nearly touching.
Beneath him are the exposed roots of the dumbapple tree, where Angeal's hand, glove tattered, is among the soil. There are long white feathers scattered around his feet, calling to mind his deterioration in the source material, as well as a purple dumbapple hanging above his and Minerva's hands, symbolizing that their connection bore fruit.
Minerva is on the right, replacing God in the original painting, with Whispers replacing the many cherubs that were around Him. Minerva is a blonde white woman wearing white, draping fabrics with god and blue armor over top—a breastplate and pauldrons.
The Whispers are figures that are made entirely of ghost-like cloaks. They are both white and black, symbolizing that Minerva's actions are both in support and denial of the Planet's will, as Genesis was born of Jenova's cells—an alien that was not part of Her. The Cloud/Womb-like structure around God in the original painting has been replaced by the Lifestream, a bright-green liquid-adjacent substance that can be perceived and drawn as a series of flowing threads.
The painting is done in the style of Michelangelo.
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I think for all the discussions we have of "everyone hears the jokes and the piano; after that, they stop listening" surrounding Louis, we tend to still simplify his connection to the piano.
Yes, it's very cute that he sings Clementine a little song when they first meet, and it's very cute that he plays a little prank on her while "tuning" the piano. It's super cute that they carve their initials into the piano and Clementine carves a heart around them. It's mega cute that he names his song he wrote after her when she confesses her feelings. Louis playing Don't Be Afraid at the party is, in my opinion, one of the best moments in all of TFS.
But here's the thing: That piano is Louis' heart.
I don't mean to go all metaphorical on you, but I'm dead serious—the piano is Louis' heart, and when you think about his arc and his romance route with that in mind...?
That piano is his one comfort in a world where the dead walk. It's been with him from the beginning of the outbreak. We know from his backstory that Louis wanted to take singing lessons so he could be a real musician, and his father denying him of that was what set him off to be a "vindictive fuckhead." Louis never got those singing lessons, and it's a very real possibility that Louis taught himself how to play.
Sure, others could've taught him; we know Minerva was musically talented, perhaps she showed him a thing or two. But learning piano, or any instrument, is brutal even with professional guidance. It takes hours of practice until numbness wears fingertips raw; dedication to memorize every key and finger placement to make music pleasing to the ear; self-discipline to keep going through every fumble, every failure, every single cruel thought of self-doubt; intelligence and a creative ear to write his own songs.
And yet, it's severely under-appreciated by everyone. It's annoying. It's distracting. It's unimportant. It's an excuse for Louis to mess around and not do any real work. He doesn't have any actual talent. The music and the piano are brushed off, unheard.
Yet, Louis keeps playing. He keeps singing. He keeps making jokes.
Creating music, the one thing he wanted so badly as a kid that he destroyed his parents marriage, was possibly the greatest comfort he had... a welcome distraction to disassociate from the horror and death happening around him.
It's bittersweet, like a purpling bruise that you can't stop pressing on; it hurts, but there's something else below the pain. The piano is out of tune and it's something that brings him joy... but will always act as a constant reminder of who he was and what he did, why he's at Ericson to begin with.
We first meet him while he's playing; Louis' heart is exposed, but is it really? Is he playing to his true potential? Louis hides behind the mask of a charming, charismatic goof. It's what is expected of him, so he plays a silly song intended to poke and prod at Clementine, to gauge a reaction. That's something we see him do at multiple points in episode one. In fact, we can consider a majority of episode one to be like the song he's playing when we meet him; it's mostly cheery or fast-paced.
Louis is able to soothe AJ with his "alluring" music after the kid bit Ruby is an indication that the two of them will share a bond. Louis is a natural at communicating and bonding with the younger kids [another talent that's overlooked] so it's interesting that he praises AJ for being a natural at piano, as well.
But the song stutters just a bit when Louis and Clementine are in the woods together, though; "There's only one guarantee: this moment. That's the only you got, only thing any of us got. Might as well enjoy it." ...Only for Louis to compose himself and send her away.
It's only when Clementine has a gun in her face, held by Marlon, that the music isn't fun anymore; it's rainfall and thunder and the words "I thought you were more than that" sung through the wind in a melody only Louis can hear.
Then Marlon's dead. The song is over, and reality has arrived.
I've talked at length about Louis in ep2 and his vote in the past. It's one of the most compelling things about Louis' arc and romantic route. It's a tragic mistake driven by trauma and guilt. It's people simultaneously telling him to shut up and telling him to be angrier than he is. Telling him to stop burying his head in the sand when he's never been more aware of everything happening. It's AJ peering up at him with pleading eyes that Louis can't stand to look at. It's Clementine wrapping his heartstrings around her fingers and tugging just enough to hurt, but not break.
Louis missed Clementine. He says as much when Clementine admits she missed him first. I don't even know where to begin with that! I can think of no other way to describe it other than they are half agony, half hope over this... and if you get that reference, you get a gold star. I just- the ache, the tension, the conflicting feelings of finally having a quiet moment to talk but Louis not being ready yet.
Y'know how someone carved "you suck at playing" in the side of the piano? It's something you might not initially notice while playing the game, just as Louis' insecurities aren't apparent at first.. but they're carved in him; never fully healed, still scabbed and bleeding... Until Clementine offers him a bandage.
She won't clean the wound for him, but she'll be there. She'll help him figure out how to do it himself so he can heal. She'll listen to him, not belittle his feelings or pain. She'll make an effort to know his keys and notes and practice playing his song until she understands.
When Clementine chooses him to spend time with him, it's a mirror of their first time meeting... but this time, Louis plays something real: a song he wrote, one that I believe he crafted during the two week time skip... a song he wrote with Clementine on his mind, for better or worse.
If the piano is Louis' heart, he literally asks her to sit there and try to tune it, which ends up being a joke but I say she's already tuned your heart, my guy. It's there before them, changed in the warm candlelight. He plays for her and opens up about how no one actually listens, but Clementine did.
And remember, this is the night of the raid. They don't know it's coming, but they know it'll be soon. Louis understands that he could very well die, so what does he do? He carves his initial into the one thing he's always had, and he asks Clementine to do the same.
I'm sorry, how are we NOT more feral about this? Prior to this scene, the only thing we see carved into the piano, into Louis' heart, is an insult. This thing that Louis cares so deeply about, this instrument that's become so intertwined with who he is... he wants to leave his mark on it just in case he dies. A reminder that it was his and he belonged to it just as much. Something so important, and he asks Clementine to carve herself into his heart where no matter what, they will be immortalized together in this moment.
And when Clementine carves a heart around their initials? Yes, his reaction is very cute and that's great... but she's not ashamed of him, or her feelings for him. She wants everyone who looks upon his heart to know that. She tells him how she feels and Louis is so giddy, and warm, and he names the song after her and I am going to start biting anything that moves, I can't-
Oh, and let's discuss the party scene in episode three, shall we? Y'know, where the heart covered initials are on full display? Where Louis tells the story of why he was sent to Ericson to everyone?
Louis is so... vulnerable. Sincere. Ashamed of what he did. This is the exposed nerve, the one he was so afraid of showing Clementine but there it is... and she doesn't reject him. Sure, she can say it's fucked up if you choose to, but she doesn't break up with him over it.
Also the fact that everyone sitting around him finally listens when he's at his most unshielded only for Tenn to ask him to play Don't Be Afraid for them after...? How do you not see the connection? Are you trying to make me cry? In that moment, Louis' heart was heard and appreciated and beautiful and strong and-
Listen. I am fine. I'm so normal about this. And fine. I'm fine.
But I also have to add that during the walk in episode four, if you let Louis choose what to add to the imaginary house, he picks a brand new piano because he wants a new heart to reflect the confidence and growth Clementine helped him achieve and because he loves her and AJ so much that wants the new heart to not just be his but also theirs and I am so fine with this, okay.
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ratwavegamehouse · 6 months
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Out Now: Terminal
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A digital pirate action game. The Matrix infused with pirates. Fight the system that tried to make you think you were crazy. Shatter the nightmares, take back your life, crash the world.
"Terminal is a salt-encrusted love letter to The Matrix and its technognostic brethren, pitting pirate hackers against a controlling computer – and also against the cycle of uprising, crash and reset that traps their world. The game's setting – from the free pirate city of the real world to the virtual palaces of the Terminal's inhabitants – jumps off the page with vivid art and writing, and the system is laser-focused on who your crew really are and what they'll sacrifice to get the ending they want." - Minerva McJanda (Voidheart Symphony, Rhapsody of Blood)
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Written/designed by me, illustrated by @gormengeist and edited by Alyssa Ridley. We'll be adding in stretch goals from guest writers before going to print.
This is the biggest game I've ever written. Beneath the swashbuckling cyberpunk exterior it's also a deeply personal game. It's about feeling crazy and people who wanted you to feel that way. It's about breaking free from people who want to control and manipulate you by finding genuine connection. It's about burning down two worlds to build the future you want.
The Itch page also includes link to podcasts about and actual plays of the game, along with articles about the book. There's 19 community copies up for grabs but they will probably go quickly just as a warning.
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vigilskeep · 1 year
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colour symbolism breakthrough
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