#Is it clear from this that I'm insane or am I not trying hard enough?
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Chosen for What?
A short tale about chosen ones.
"There it is."
Johann's voice was barely a whisper but in the unnatural silence of the forest it might as well have been a shout. The knight took a step forward, oblivious to the crunch of his footsteps on the dry leaves or the sharp, almost metallic smell of the coming snow.
His focus was entirely upon the spear. It's shaft was made of white wood, polished so smooth he had mistaken it for marble, and the bronze spearhead was shaped like a elegantly stylized shark.
It was presently stuck within the ribcage of an obscenely oversized humanlike skeleton, which was itself entangled in the gnarled roots of a tree the size of a watchtower. The giant's bones were twice the size of a man's. More remarkably, they were made of pitted, rust-flecked iron.
Johann reached forward.
"HOLD!"
Johann froze. Even though the salvation of his people was mere inches away from his outstreched hand, he dared not ignore the voice behind him. He felt the wizard's hand grip him by the shoulder.
"You know it is not meant for you." Aldara said. She squeezed hard enough for Johann to feel it through his mail shirt. He remembered her saying that wizards aged only on the outside. He had no reason to doubt her on that point.
"And who is it for?" Johann hissed under his breath. "That scum?"
The scum in question was already walking toward the spear. Galen VonZent, the cutpurse and murderer. Galen VonZent, the spoiled, cruel son of a merchant house who killed his own father and nearly bought his way to freedom. Galen VonZent, who Alex 'sacrificed himself to save.'
"Galan, take the spear. You're ready." Aldara said, her voice heavy with the import of the moment. When Galan moved to obey, she slowly pulled Johann back away from the spear, step-by-step.
The tall, golden-haired man grabbed the spear with both hands, and began slowly pulling it free of the iron skeleton. To Johann's shock and disgust, the shark-shaped spearhead bent this way and that in a swaying motion, aiding in its release.
"The gods must be insane, or cruel beyond reasoning. If that beast is their chosen one."
"You aren't incorrect." The old woman chuckled. "But why say that now? Why not when we found him?"
"I had faith the gods had chosen well, that he'd grow into the role. But since we saved him from the gallows he has done nothing but confirm that he was right to be there. He has been cruel, selfish, cowardly, and petty at every turn." Johann's voice was a barely subdued growl. "And even if you do not believe me, he murdered Alex."
"I told you to give him a chance." Aldara said. Johann braced to be lectured about some hidden goodness or potential for redemption. "I'm glad you took my advice."
"What? You agree with me?" Johann gritted his teeth. "You should have let me at least try to pull the spear free. If he can do it, I certainly can!"
"Why is a prophecy like a worm on a line?"
"Again with your riddles! I don't know!" Johann barely managed to suppress a shout. "Is that why I am unworthy? A riddle?"
Aldara sighed. She smiled in that way that made Johann think of his grandmother, and his anger faltered. She spoke, clear and gentle. "Do you think the Gods would leave something this important up to chance?"
"Obviously not, that's why the prophecy-"
She squeezed again.
"Tell me, how do you ensure that a chosen hero isn't killed before they can save the world?"
Johann glanced back at Galan. The brute had managed to free the spear halfway, and was taking a self-congratulatory break. "Whisk him away as a child to be raised in safety? Assign a wizard to watch over him? Place other heroes along the path to help him?"
"So many moving parts." The wizard laughed. "The gods can try and play us like puppets, but free will is a wildcat in a burlap sack-"
"-you can take it wherever you want until the sack tears." Johann continued the adage. "And you'll get cut along the way regardless."
"The task gets no easier by adding more cats."
"Then how?" Johann asked, somewhere between sullen and frustrated.
"If you need to make sure only someone who is worthy can take the spear, you make the spear ensure that anyone who takes it-"
The wizard paused, a wide satisfied smile on her face. It was not the smile she had worn when they were joyously feasting with the elf-folk five days into the quest. It was the smile she had worn when she made Vorn the Destroyer's blood turn to water in his veins.
Johann's gaze was thusly occupied when the sound of Galan's sharp, anguished scream ripped through the air.
"-is worthy."
Johann turned slowly. As a knight he had heard enough death rattles and screams to know that he didn't want to witness the cause Galan's banshee-like shriek.
When he finally did turn fully, his gaze did not meet a horrifying eldritch mutilation as he expected. Instead, there stood Galan, holding the spear reverently with both hands.
Though nothing outward had changed, every aspect that Johann had found lacking was now plainly there in the lines of his face and posture of his body: compassion, thoughtfulness, maturity, competence, sincerity... even hope. Everything was there behind those eyes.
Everything except Galan VonZent.
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Hazbin Hotel Prompts
Part IV
An assortment of prompts taken from the series Hazbin Hotel on Amazon Prime.
Adjust as necessary to fit pronoun and/or descriptor.
In case of Multimuse, don't forget to specify which one/s.
Reblog, please do not repost or add.
“ Where is miss fearless leader anyway? ”
“ Isn't it about time for another 'doomed to fail' plan? ”
“ Oh, you look an absolute mess. ”
“ I have enough on my mind without hearing your sadistic idea of a joke, asshole. ”
“ How can I face them after failing them all so hard? ”
“ I never expected to see such a miserable display of self loathing from you. ”
“ I don't know how you can enjoy all this suffering so much. ”
“ Just because you see a smile, don't think you know what's going on underneath. ”
“ I know something you don't know. ”
“ Then... Let's make a deal. ”
“ What's a favor between friends? ”
“ I didn't even know that was possible. ”
“ They say insane shit all the time. How was I supposed to know this one was true? ”
“ There's a friend of mine I think you should meet. ”
“ Oh, my, stars. Do my eyes deceive me? ”
“ I know you're an ace in the hole. ”
“ Oh, always such a charmer. ”
“ Wow. When you ask a favor, you don't start small, do you? ”
“ I like your moxie, girl. ”
“ We can talk about it inside or I can yell about it out here. ”
“ Clearly I am not the helpless one here. ”
“ Why wouldn't you use what you know to fight?. ”
“ It's not rocket science. ”
“ You fight like someone unafraid of harm, and this is what you'll take advantage of. ”
“ How has no one else figured this out? ”
“ You need a different type of motivation or there's no way that you can handle this. ”
“ We're going to need more weapons. ”
“ What do you do when someone you love lies to you about who they are? ”
“ Romance? My specialty. ”
“ It can be difficult to admit to things you're not proud of, especially if those things hurt the ones you love. ”
“ She's flawed. But, hey, who down here isn't? ”
“ Words are cheap. Actions, they speak the truth. ”
“ Have you ever wanted something that was so clear in your mind that you could taste it? ”
“ That's a little violent, can we tone it down? ”
“ I concur, stick with her, you'll be on the winning side. ”
“ I really hope that I'm ready for this. ”
“ I ain't finding no new drinking buddies. ”
“ Teamwork makes the dreamwork. ”
“ What in the hell are you supposed to be? ”
“ Look, I can't resist a fight, okay? ”
“ Here's to being alive today and not dying tomorrow. ”
“ I guess you have changed. ”
“ You are... Have always been a worthy opponent. ”
“ Destroy that ass! ”
“ Let the slaughter begin. ”
“ Trying to focus, sweetie. ”
“ I am so hard right now. ”
“ You should know better than anyone what a soul can accomplish when they take charge of their own fate. ”
“ I'm going to wipe that shit eating grin off your face. ”
“ This is better than sex! ”
“ Get somewhere safe. ”
“ You did good, buddy. ”
“ Look who thinks they're badass now. ”
“ You always were weak. ”
“ Ready to die rather than accepting mercy? No. Live. ”
“ Gotta say, you really let yourself go, buddy. ”
“ Don't forget, you're in my house, bitch! ”
“ How's mercy taste, you little bitch? ”
“ Take your little friends and go home! Please. ”
“ Come on, little lady, why the frown? ”
“ You can't quit now. Hell, you owe it. ”
“ Sorry to disappoint this is not where this ends. ”
“ Once I figure out how to unclip my wings, guess who will be pulling all the string. ”
“ Your deal is done, and I'm in charge now. ”
#rp meme#rp memes#rp prompt#rp prompts#rp starter#rp starters#memes#starters#prompts#roleplay meme#roleplay prompt#roleplay starter#roleplay memes#roleplay prompts#roleplay starters#sentence meme#sentence memes#sentence prompt#sentence prompts#hazbin hotel#hazbin hotel 2024
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Here is your one (1) free pass to yap about the stupid ass adeptus gang and their shenanigans (i love zhongli having been the Tired Responsible One for his entire life... he would 100% buy/have been gifted the 'proud mother of a couple of dumbass kids' shirt)
zhongli and his adepti are like one of my favorite bands of characters alongside itto and his arataki gang they are so funnyy
the adepti appear to be very serious and strict which they are but they are also insane???? Part of the story as a whole is to show that the divine aren't too different from humans and this includes the adepti.
Streetward Rambler and Guizhong arguing about music so Morax had to take away the bell after Cloud Retainer tattled? Cloud Retainer lending Moon Carver and Mountain Shaper her cooking device that they still haven't given back? Or that one time Cloud Retainer built a snowmobile with Guizhong and Ping before Moon Carver crashed it and it took hours to dig him out of the snow? All 3 of the so called elite adepti and even the god of liyue himself trying to help some kid reconcile with his father?
the adepti are all very unserious very much freaks of nature.
I think about the Yakshas as well especially Menogias, poor guy was born to style forced to slay. It's funny how his designs were so intricate that none of the fellow yakshas wanted to wear it but he was so stubborn about it that even Rex Lapis couldn't change his mind. In fact there is not enough Morax and his yakshas lore. Like please i beg every day for Zhongli to talk about people in his past. I know he wont but I want to believe anyway.
A part of me believes that once Zhongli quit being the geo archon and moved to the harbor, cloud retainer, moon carver and mountain shaper had a terrible case of empty nest loneliness. We all know how that turned out for Xianyun but I expect it's only a matter of time before the other 2 come closer to the harbor as well. Perhaps to follow Zhongli around like lost ducklings.
In one of Xianyun's character stories, Zhongli had a commission for consultancy but he was busy and just sent her to do it. I'm gonna tear up but the idea that Zhongli knew this task would be perfect for her and just sent her on her way is just the cutest.
Also in her voiceline for Zhongli, when she told him she was coming to the harbor he basically gave her a shopping list of things to do and how to arrange her home. I love the idea of Zhongli stepping into Cloud Retainer's new house and just instantly moving the furniture to ensure proper Feng Shui. Like the list was so extensive that CR got overwhelmed -like her of all people- getting overwhelmed with knowledge is amusing.
Moon Carver is one of Rex Lapis disciplines so its clear that even amongst the older adepti that Zhongli is a still a teacher and won't hesitate to lecture them. These days I am sure he trying to be a more relaxed person but old habits are hard to break.
I haven't even talked about Zhongli and Xiao which are my favorite dynamic in the entire game I love when they are together. But Zhongli slowly trying to get Xiao to open up and experience the beauties of life and get closer to humanity every lantern rite I might weep. Like lying about stupid sesame seed oil last year and now hes flying kites this year, Zhongli is playing some incredible 5D chess to get Xiao to visit him more without explicitly saying it. BECAUSE he knows if he tells Xiao to see him he will but he doesn't want to force Xiao to come he wants him to come on his own means.
Kind of reminds me how Zhongli keeps birds. Ya know he has like bird cages where he keeps birds which he then takes around but based on his disposition I believe Zhongli is an expert and keeping birds to stay. Just building them homes and cages and of course he lets them come and go freely but some of them find his homes so nice that they decide to stay with him. So yeah I think Zhongli is deliberately treating Xiao like a bird that will return to him by his own means.
Anyway I would love love loveeee to put all the adepti in a room and just watch them work. Like CR, MC and MS are bound to start an argument while Xiao tries to linger in the corner, Ganyu tries to attend to all of them while Ping and Zhongli just laugh in the chaos.
Damn, the fact I haven't seen Ganyu and Zhongli interact since the Liyue archon quest is a crime, they are the only Zhongli relationship that I am craving to see (other than zhongli neuvillette). I want to believe it is just because Ganyu would blow his cover instantly. She would have to bite her tongue to avoid calling him Rex Lapis.
Speaking of Ganyu the fact one of the first thing CR says about her is that she was once so fat she rolled down as hill? Or in Zhongli's voicelines he implies she is stronger or even fiercer than she looks so much so that she would be embarrassed by his lack of delicacy when describing her.
I have mentioned this is another post but it's kind of sweet how much the adepti like Zhongli. He is more than their god but also a very treasured companion and friend. First he always calls them his friends ("a friend approaches" AND THEN XIAO APPEARS). But like god forbid you are rude to him because they would storm off or snap at you (Xiao and Xianyun). Don't disrespect him or they'll hate you for years (Ganyu). But at the same time he is a friend that eats dinner with them during Lantern Rite or a friend they make fun of for making square cups.
Of course I imagine there is a lot of respect in their relationship and a noticeable power imbalance. I kind of imagined that with becoming "Zhongli" Morax not wanted only to become closer to humanity but also bridge the gap between himself and the adepti. Show them not only the beauty of a world led by humans but also to come to them not as their overlord but as a treasured friend. The adepti clearly hold him in very high esteem recognizing his sacrifice, strength and good of heart.
WHICH is why i'll never accept people who call Morax a tyrant because the adepti saw Morax out and about and were like "damn im gonna follow this guy for the rest of eternity he's so cool".
I also think it is hilarious how Zhongli has influenced the adepti and how they just kind of absorbed some of his personality traits. Part of the reason Ganyu is so dedicated and hardworking to the point of exhaustion is because of how much she looks up to Rex Lapis, she even states that her work could never compare to what he has done for Liyue so she pushes herself even harder.
Or Xiao the most loyal of the adepti who still works tirelessly to this day because of his contract. I believe the adepti especially the younger ones were like "he works so hard and sacrifices everything i will do just that!".
Even Yanfei who has never formed a contract with him still maintains that hardworking attitude but without the self-sacrifice so she is like the perfect Liyue citizen in Zhongli's eyes.
anyway I have some thoughts on adepti shenanigans i would love to see
Adepti feast, put them all in a room I expect a very elegant and mature feast but I also expect someone to break something. Maybe they will behave themselves with Zhongli next to them maybe they won't we have to see. In fact put Shenhe and Yaoyao there too lets cause problems
Adepti shopping spree. Xianyun and Zhongli are terrible they will buy anything they set their eyes on. Xianyun falls for marketing scams but then there is Zhongli who won't fall for scams but buys everything at full price anyway. They reek absolute havoc in the shopping district once they get paid.
I am on my knees please please give me a Zhongli and Ganyu interaction i am not so greedy to ask for specifics just please just please (also more Zhongli and Ping interactions hell throw Guoba there too).
I will accept any Xiao and Zhongli interactions like anything i love them together.
Like i said its only a matter of time before MC and MS show up in the harbor and I can't wait to see Zhongli tease them.
Zhongli teasing the adepti!!!!!! Zhongli in disguise "OH NO I am a poor helpless mortal how could I ever compare to the adepti" they are fuming but they can't argue with him. they can only tolerate his teasing until they are alone.
Zhongli gets harassed by the Liyue public for disrespecting Rex Lapis and the adepti had to step in and tell them that it’s alright
Xiao with the strength of the gods: Mr. Zhongli did nothing wrong
Citizens: He called Rex Lapis a bum?
Xiao: He didn’t mean that he’s sorry
Zhongli: No i’m not! I think he was a fraud!
Xiao: Forgive him
Anyway please give us more adepti and please let them interact with Zhongli more. They are always so bashful and sweet in his presence so I must have an interaction I must.
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The way almost EVERY single line in YLM can be related to a previous like she wrote about Joe is INSANE. Like YLM is basically the song that would most fit the theme of Midnights (reflecting on the past and integrating it into the present) and guess what? She left it out (for reasons that I understand).
Here we go;
You say I don't understand and I say I know you don't// Give you the silence that only comes when two people understand each other
We thought a cure would come through in time now I fear it won't// I thought the plane was goimg down, how'd you turn it right around?
Remember looking at this room, we loved it 'cause of the light...now I just sit in the dark and wonder if it's time// The entirety of Daylight duh
Remember looking at this room, we loved it 'cause of the light...now I just sit in the dark and wonder if it's time// The entirety of Daylight duh
Do I throw out everything we built or keep it //I am an architect I'm drawing up the plans (I'm reaching here I know)
I'm getting tired even for a phoenix always rising from the ashes // I am ash from your fire
Mending all her gashes // is this the end of all the endings, my broke bones are mending
You might just have dealt the final blow // Darling this was just as hard as when they pulled me apart (these two lines feel so similar to me)
Stop you're losing me (I hope I never lose you) I can't find a pulse my heart won't start anymore// he got my heartbeat skipping down 16th avenue
Every morning I glared at you with storms in my eyes// after the storm something was born on the 4th of July
How can you say that you love someone you can't tell is dying// There's many different ways that you can kill the one you love, the slowest way is never loving them enough
I sent you signals and bit my nails down to the quick // I gave SO MANY SIGNS
My face was GREY but you wouldn't admit that we were sick // I don't like anticipating my face in a RED flush (I could write an essay about just this grey/red parallel but nvm)
And the air is thick with loss and indecision//clearing the air I breathed in the smoke
I know my pain is such an imposition // You don't really read into my melancholia // Always taking up too much space or time // I'm not your problem anymore
Now you're running down the hallway // I heard your key turn in the door down the hallway // You were standing hollow eyed in the hallway
And you know what they all say "you don't know what you've got until it's gone" // he better lock it down or I won't stick around 'cause good ones never wait
How long could we be a sad song // each bar plays our song
Till we were too far gone to bring back to life // Do I really have to tell you how he brought me back to life?
I gave you all my best mes, my endless empathy // I'd give you my sunshine, give you my best// After giving you the best I had, tell me what to give after that?
And all I did was bleed as I tried to be the bravest soldier // All the bloodshed, crimson clover // And if I bleed you'll be the last to know // soldier down on that icy ground
Fighting in only your army // I'd sit with you in the trenches
Frontlines don't you ignore me // I'm still trying everything to keep you looking at me
I'm the best thing at this party // best believe I'm still bejeweled when I walk in the room, I can still make the whole place shimmer
And I wouldn't marry me either // She would've made a lovely bride // I'd marry you with paper rings // all they keep asking me is if I'm gonna be your bride // the entire bridge of Lover
A pathological people pleaser // what a shame she's fucked in the head // mirrorball tm // my covert narcissism I disguise as altruism
Who only wanted you to see her // Walking with his head down, I'm the one he's walking to
And I'm fading thinking DO SOMETHING BABE // Some boys are trying too hard he don't try at all though
SAY SOMETHING // You don't ever say too much
LOSE SOMETHING BABE RISK SOMETHING // this ain't for the best
CHOOSE SOMETHING BABE I'VE GOT NOTHING TO BELIEVE // stood on the cliffside screaming "give me a reason"
i have nothing intelligent to say but I LOVE THIS, let's discuss
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Hiya!!
My req is for ghost and köning!
“Teasing them in public ( or where ever your imagination thinks it would be fun👀)
Thank youuu💕
Oh yeah, let's do it.
Teasing them in public (Ghost, König/nsfw)
Tags: ghost x gn! reader, könig x gn!reader, hair pulling, cursing, flashing, teasing, touches
Ghost: His eyes are sharp, looking at you with an expression that would turn anyone else cold. You knew what it meant though, it meant that you were in absolute trouble the second you were alone. That made doing all of this so much more fun.
You sat at the bar for a moment, trying to get the bartender's attention as you glanced back at the group. It was rare they got to go out for drinks like this, so it was fun to see Price and Johnny. It was more fun however to drive Simon absolutely insane. You locked eyes with him at the bar, your hand moving up your practically bare thigh to drag the fabric of your skirt up further and showing him the edge of your panties.
He shot you that look, warning expressions having gone out the window. His hand gripping his beer bottle a little tighter at your show. You could play your games all you wanted, that was fine as long as none of the other guys noticed. If Simon was one thing, it was possessive. You made your way back to the table, tray of drinks in your hand for the table and sat back down next to him.
"Aren't you enjoying yourself?" You asked softly, teasing tone making him want to clear the table to put you in your place. "I'm enjoying myself plenty." He answered, loud enough for others to hear before moving to grab your hair harshly. No one else at the table noticed, making you smile because you were finally getting a response from him.
"Tease me all you want now doll, just wait till we're home."
König: He was like a mad man for you, he couldn't even understand it himself. The slightest touches of your skin against his could get him going and make him lose composure. Innocent touches as well, like walking past him and letting your hand linger on the back of his neck. He was like a feral animal for you and when you we're alone at the house, he could be. Not like in public now.
Your hand lingered on his thigh, a little higher than normal as you stood next to him and admired some clothes in the shop window. It was on purpose and he knew that, the fact that small things like this had been happening the whole day were the dead give away. Not to mention the mischevious twinkle in your eyes as you noticed him shift his pants.
"How does this look?" You asked, stepping out of your dressing room in a more scandalous than normal outfit. König bit his tongue, resisting the urge to rip it off of you. "Beautiful, schatz." He told you, smiling as you sauntered over to him and bent over, giving him a sweet kiss. Your hands lingered and moved from his shoulders to his chest before moving back to the dressing room.
"Where do you think you're going?" He asked, standing up to his whole height and following you into the dressing room with a laugh. You let out a squeal, feeling his large hands on your waist pushing you into the stall and shutting the curtain.
"Your teasing has been driving me insane, how am I supposed to continue the day with you if my cock is so hard it'll rip through my pants?"
A/N: i hope you all had a happy holidays and have fun plans for the new years!
#call of duty x reader#call of duty smut#call of duty#cod x reader#ghost#ghost x reader#könig x reader#könig#ghost smut#könig smut
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I hope I'm not pestering you at this point, but when exactly do you think he changed his idea of what being the number 1 meant to the extent that he no longer cared about the actually title? Because I got the impression that he'd accepted his weakness when compared to Midoriya under the condition that he would surpass him in the future, based on what he said during the War when trying to keep up with Deku. I kind of thought his visceral reaction to failing to truly damage Shigaraki, and him embracing the damage his awakening was doing to himself to kind of imitate Deku and the power he achieved with his self-sacrificial mindset, kinda supported that. How off am I?
Sorry if I'm making you repeat things you've said.
Oh, you're not off at all. Forgive me, I did not originally understand your meaning in the first question:
Do you think there's going to be a moment where Bakugou comes to terms with the fact that he might never be the number 1 the way he wanted? I can see the story is going on a "save to win" route, but I've been curious about how him realizing his most powerful attacked only grazed Shigaraki will play out.
I thought by not being "the number 1 the way he wanted," you meant his original idea of it from the beginning of the series--the "win no matter what" mentality without a thought for saving anybody. I see now you meant something different.
It sounds like you were asking if Katsuki will ever face the possibility that he may never surpass Izuku or be able to reach Izuku's level when it comes to firepower, that Katsuki may be in Endeavor's situation (not with Endeavor's mindset though) where he constantly sees how wide the gap between them is and must reconcile with that, that Katsuki may have to settle on a "number one" where he surpasses Izuku not with his own strength but only with help from others (i.e. teamwork).
To which I must say, uh, western fans, we gotta talk.
Anon, you may not be guilty of harboring the idea I'm about to challenge, but I see this one particular sentiment all over the place in the English-speaking fandom, and I really need to make something clear to everyone:
Horikoshi has never stated there is an upper limit on any character's power growth potential--NOT EVEN IZUKU'S.
Don't get confused by the "100% One For All" thing. That's a measure of how much of One For All Izuku is USING. It's meant to compare with how much power All Might could use at 100%--but Izuku's real 100% will be different. One For All didn't just get more powerful by being passed on. Each user before Izuku, including notably Shinomori, cultivated and improved the power. Izuku will do so too. His current 100% is not his end-all-be-all 100% over the course of his life. Izuku can train and work hard and grow and make One For All stronger, too.
And Izuku isn't the only one who can do this. Anyone, Katuski included, can improve their quirk. They don't have some set 100% limit they can't increase with enough effort.
To which you might say: okay, but realistically, there is SOME upper limit to that, right?
But actually...no. This is manga/anime, not real life. And shounen manga is particularly notorious for its focus on effort and improvement through hard work. This is a time-honored tradition of the genre dating all the way back to Son Goku of Dragonball (and probably even further back too). The upper limits of Goku's power growth become so absolutely ludicrous as his series carries on and needs him to grow stronger--SO HE JUST GETS STRONGER. That's like the EPITOME of what he is: someone who wants to get stronger so he works to get stronger and, lo and behold, he gets stronger!
And lest we forget, Horikoshi has named Goku as one of his ideals of a "hero," as one of the characters from whom All Might (and by extension Katsuki) takes inspiration.
You know how each generation of quirks has greater potential than the last? This is a direct parallel of One For All's evolution. It showcases that ALL quirks have the ability to evolve into something powerful just like One For All did; it's just a matter of what the quirk user does with it. And each generation can cultivate their quirk and pass it along to get even stronger too. If you want to be a real stickler about how maybe only CERTAIN generations of quirks could surpass One For All, sure, fine, whatever (actually not fine but I'll deal with this later*). We don't know which generation of quirk users Katsuki falls into, and there's a real chance he doesn't know either. But he was born in the same generation as Izuku, so there's no reason his quirk can't be of a ninth generation too. So, he has every reason to believe he could become just as strong as Izuku. He always believed he could surpass All Might, after all.
*Okay let's deal with this little nugget now. Does the ordinal generation of Katsuki's quirk really matter? Not really. Izuku's power was cultivated by many as a theme, but he acknowledges his is a strength made from others'. That doesn't make One For All inherently the best quirk ever, just that it was able to become so strong BECAUSE of others. If the others had done nothing with it, it wouldn't have become so powerful. MHA acknowledges there are other important and good ways of improving one's power: through hard work and effort. It's not that one form of cultivation is absolutely better than the other, just that they both have their uses--and that BOTH TOGETHER would be the best route to improve one's power. This ties into how Japan traditionally views talent and intelligence as products of hard work and improvement in contrast to how the west traditionally views these things as inherent and set at birth. If you're unaware, the Japanese word for "quirk," kosei, translates to "individuality/personality." Individuality/personality is also one of those traits a person has that can be seen as inherent or cultivated--but really it's a product of BOTH. The question of nature versus nurture, as always, is answered with "well actually, both nature and nurture play a part."
(If you want to go off on a tangent with this, go read whatever is the latest version of @siflshonen's Katsuki Bakugou powerpoint presentation on their blog at the time you are reading this.)
Now, I told you all that to tell you this:
Katsuki should never have to face the idea that he will never be able to be number 1 because it's simply not true.
Katsuki has every potential to surpass Izuku. If Izuku were to be satisfied with his quirk's growth and call it quits, Katsuki's quirk's growth would eventually outshine his GUARANTEED. It's because Katsuki is that kind of character, and this is demonstrated in spades throughout the entire manga. Gosh, remember when Izuku said he was only using 8% of OFA in Deku vs Kacchan, Part 2? Remember how the fandom assumed he would dwarf everyone else in comparison as he progressed further down the line?
And remember how Katsuki "grit his teeth to keep from falling behind"?
Everyone's always going on about how Izuku's power will someday eclipse everyone else's, but he's had that monstrous OFA power with him all along since he got it. He just has to improve his BODY to match OFA's power. Has no one really put any thought to how absolutely BATSHIT it is that Katsuki kept up with him? After Katsuki's growth had stalled for so long?
Remember, Izuku's raw power surpassed Katsuki's in DvK2. So by the time of the Paranormal Liberation War, Katsuki developed his quirk to match OFA at 30% in the same amount of time it took Izuku just to develop his body to handle that much OFA. If we're gonna get into the western versions of power-scaling where we care about natural limits...
THE HEIGHTS OF KATSUKI'S "NATURAL" LIMITS ARE EMPIRICALLY ASTRONOMICALLY INSANE.
So, I come back to something you said:
I kind of thought his visceral reaction to failing to truly damage Shigaraki, and him embracing the damage his awakening was doing to himself to kind of imitate Deku and the power he achieved with his self-sacrificial mindset, kinda supported that.
...and to something I said:
But if you mean he'll reconcile with how his firepower compares to TomurAFO's, I'd say, uh, keep an eye out, because already he's had a quirk upgrade since he tried his Howitzer Cluster on TomurAFO. It's very likely that is no longer the upper limit of his capabilities. And that's just assuming he hasn't achieved any other power ups yet/won't get another one soon.
Katsuki's Howitzer Impact Cluster vs TomurAFO was a single snapshot in time. Katsuki has already had a quirk upgrade since then, and as you so aptly pointed out, he's had a sort of philosophical/meta upgrade too as he emulated Izuku. I doubt these will be the last improvements he experiences in his life. He was always held back from surpassing Izuku by the story because he was missing such a huge part of being a hero: saving people. But that's been resolved now. He and Izuku will be rivals who challenge each other to be better for the rest of their lives, and I doubt either one of them will ever truly pull away from the other in terms of raw potential (at least not for long). Katsuki may have instances of self-doubt, of course. He even may at some point acknowledge Izuku as his superior. But I don't think that's a reason for him to ever lose hope or give up. I think there's plenty of reason for anyone to believe it's possible for him to surpass Izuku someday. After all, All Might was considered the best hero of his age not because of his strength but because of his spirit.
And Katsuki's sure got a shitton of spirit.
#anon ask#ask pika#my hero academia manga spoilers#final showdown spoilers#katsuki bakugou#meta#pika's objectively correct power-scaling opinions
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@qsmutslut posted something that made me so hard to I had to write it immediately. It's currently 9:03 am. I feel like I'm going insane. This was so hot to write. Anyway! I hope you enjoy :)) I hope it's what you wanted
It's been a while since they've done this.
Pac would call it "clearing dungeons," but he's really not doing much on his end, Etoiles is ripping through the hoards of mobs and stepping back to let Pac get the loot. It's adorable how Etoiles is just here for the fight. Pac finds it sweet that Etoiles chooses him to spoil.
They're nearing the end, but Pac can tell that the adrenaline is unbearably buzzing under Etoiles' skin. Pac knows because he feels it often enough himself. Etoiles finishes off the boss in the final room and turns to Pac with a proud grin, nodding towards the chest.
"You take?" he asks, putting his sword away as Pac approaches him. Pac nods and giggles, opening the chest and digging through it. The loot is excellent; since the server reset, it's been a bitch to get materials. Pac is honestly really thankful that Etoiles is doing this with- for -him.
"Thank you so much, Etoiles, really, you're too generous," Pac says, looking up at the man from under his lashes. Etoiles smiles at him, pulling his hood off to clear his vision entirely.
Pac won't lie and say that his crush on Etoiles ever disappeared. He can't be blamed. Etoiles is a beautiful man. He's powerful, he's generous, he's funny. Watching him tear through the mobs, hearing his wild laugh bouncing off the walls, Pac is reminded why he fell for him in the first place. Etoiles is a shaken soda bottle, full of too much energy and pressure and ready to explode at any moment. Pac adores his power and the way he throws himself into everything full-heartedly.
Someone so kind, so wonderful, shouldn't go unthanked.
"Will you come to my house? Let me thank you?" Pac asks softly, reaching out to rest his hand on Etoiles' waist, making the man under him jolt. Pac watches the way his eyes widen and his lips part.
It's not the first time they've slept together. Stories of how Etoiles acts in bed are enticing, and Pac is as greedy as Etoiles is giving.
"My bro, it's not necessary. Only if-" his voice trails off as Pac's hand slips under the edge of his armor, pressing against the thin shirt underneath "-only if you want," he finishes, voice dropping an octave and sending a shiver through Pac's spine.
"I do. You have been so helpful. I can't just let you leave after doing all this for me," Pac mumbles, smiling at Etoiles and pulling away. "Warp to my house, okay?" Pac says, and before Etoiles can argue, he pulls out his stone and warps away.
Pac goes inside, his house is shitty, but Etoiles isn't here to judge his decorating abilities. He's here to get fucked. Pac digs through his things until he finds his strap and harness. He hears the door open and smiles.
"Take your armor off, sit on the bed," Pac commands; he doesn't have to look to know that Etoiles is doing precisely what he said. Pac can hear the sound of removing armor, shuffling, and shifting clothes. Etoiles is so good; he's going to make him feel amazing. Pac steps into the next room to put the harness on and then grabs a length of rope. He returns to Etoiles and is pleased to see him sitting in just his undershirt and boxers, hands in his lap. He's so good.
Pac coos softly and walks over, straddling Etoiles' lap and pulling him in for a kiss. Etoiles' hands go to Pac's waist and run up and down his sides, affectionate even with Pac's tongue halfway down his throat. Pac likes that he doesn't try to fight for dominance; he follows Pac's lead. He tastes sweet, like healing potions and golden apples. Pac groans softly and rests his hands on Etoiles' chest. He pulls away from the kiss, and Etoiles is panting under him. Pac can feel the hardness of his dick pressed against his ass, and Pac thinks it's so fucking cute how worked up he gets just from kissing.
"Take your shirt off and lay back; I'm going to tie your hands," Pac mumbles, nipping at Etoiles' jaw. Etoiles nods and does as he's told.
When Pac has him how he wants him, laid out on his knees, chest pressed against the bed, hands tied in front of him, naked, he takes a few minutes to admire. After all, Etoiles works so hard on his body. Pac's hands drag up his thighs, digging his nails in and scratching down the sensitive skin. Etoiles whines softly, dick twitching between his legs. Pac coos and leans forward, dragging his tongue against his hole in a broad swipe before pulling away and standing to get lube. The choked sound Etoiles makes his music to Pac's ears. He giggles and digs through his chest until he finds the well-used bottle of lube. He slicks up his fingers and returns to Etoiles.
Pac takes his time stretching Etoiles and listens to his little whimpers and groans, the way he moans Pac's name. Pac feels so powerful to have someone seen as the most powerful man on the server, squirming and whimpering with his hands. The idea makes heat curl in his stomach and dampen the space between his legs.
He feels Mike's presence fill his head and laughs a little; of course, Mike is here. Etoiles is his favorite toy. He can take so much and still beg for more. Neither of them speaks as Pac pulls away and attaches the dildo to the harness, pressing it inside of himself and gasping softly.
Pac pushes inside of Etoiles in one mean thrust, and Etoiles chokes on his moan. He pulls at the binds around his wrists, and Pac feels a little hot at the way his muscles flex.
"You're so pretty, Etoiles, so good. You're so good to everyone. You need to be rewarded. Maybe I should call everyone here and let them say thank you," Pac purrs, fucking him hard and fast. Etoiles is already a mess under him, Pac's words making his moans kick up in pitch.
Pac manages to wring three orgasms out of Etoiles. The final one has him yelping Pac's name and pressing his face into the bed. He's got tears streaming down his cheeks, and when Pac looks, he sees there's nothing coming from his dick. A dry, painful orgasm. Etoiles is still gasping and shivering when Pac cums, nails digging into Etoiles hips and shivers wracking his spine. Etoiles is perfect through the whole thing, whining and crying but still and pliant.
Pac pulls out, unties Etoiles' hands, and pulls him against his chest.
"Thank you," Etoiles rasps out, pressing his face against Pac's chest and breathing through the pleasure rolling through his body.
#qsmpnsfw#eto!les#p@c#they're a ship I never understood but I GET IT NOW#eto!les and his whiny service sub self#entices me#sorry I will never write him as a top it's against my religion
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I hate that people can easily find the stupid and shitty things I said and did over 5 years ago and jump to the conclusion that that's who I am, and there's no easy way for anyone to see all the efforts I've been making since then to NOT be that person. It's hard to find all my apologies and explanations because I didn't tag them all properly. I've tried time and time again to explain that I was mimicking the behavior bad adults gave me when I was growing up and that no one really called me out on that behavior until it was too late. I've tried to explain that since then I've been going through extensive therapy to separate bad learned behavior from who I want to actually be. There's so much more to this whole story than what one small chunk of the internet is making it out to be. People who actually know me know that this has been eating me up constantly and that I am always living in fear of losing everything to this drama.
especially since some of that info takes quotes out of context, jumps to conclusions that aren't true, or flat out lies about what certain artworks are depicting or meaning to convey (Like claiming a grown ass adult is a child even tho I have proof the character looks totally different as an adult than as a child, or claiming that a shock piece meant to make people reel back in horror was a fetish when it was not at all that)
It takes clips of things without the full picture and puts words in my mouth.
Here's a little something about how I used to talk about sore subjects: I would make a controversial sounding statement, but then I would explain myself in a way that would show the statement wasn't as bad as I was making it out to be. A lot of the time they just take that bad statement and paste it for the world to see, without giving any of that context of me explaining why I said that and why it's not what it sounds like.
I wish people were smart enough to spot cherry picking when they see it, but they just aren't. They'll see one sentence, and someone saying "look they're supporting this bad thing" and that's all they need to think that's what it is. People aren't smart enough to really ask questions and try to understand a situation, all they want is face value to tell them how to think and feel.
People aren't going to bother to listen to me because I'm "the bad guy" and I'll "say anything to cover my ass".
Listen, if I was really that horrible of a person, don't you think there would be more evidence out there that is very clear and blunt and not just making assumptions on what a thing means?
I'm never gonna sit here and say what I said and did wasn't wrong, it was, but it was not done because I was trying to be a terrible person or prey on anyone. It was because I was insanely misguided by someone who groomed me for 5 years since childhood and then abused me for another 3 in a really toxic relationship. And then I never got HELP for it, I never got therapy to cope with it, I never even realized until way later that 'holy shit this person was 7 years older than me and was taking advantage of me the whole time'. Like I knew they were abusive but adults being friends with children was so normalized in my head, and throughout my life many adults or older kids exposed me to things I shouldn't have been and it skewed in my head what was appropriate behavior or not. Or what was okay to draw or not. And a lot of my opinions were formed around this adult who convinced me things like loli/shota were fine as long as they were strictly made up, and he fed me a lot of nonsense about what does and doesn't make a predator to cover his own ass. I was seriously fucked up almost beyond repair for a long time.
I have a warning on my blog now that minors shouldn't be following me, I make it a point to not ever work with minors on projects or talk to a minor in any capacity beyond a fan to artist relationship. I understand now that it is my responsibility as a NSFW artist that I simply cannot have minors as friends. And being much older now I don't even want minors as friends anyway. When I was in my early 20s the age gap didn't feel as bad but I'm definitely feeling it now and I just don't want to deal with minors any more.
I'm not a danger to anyone, I'm not spewing apologetics for horrible people, I've been doing my best to be a much better and more informed person
And I have no easy way to prove any of it in a way that will matter
I'm only talking about this now because once again I was kicked out of something because someone found that old info and that was all it took. No one cares about my side of things.
And I don't know if this will ever go away
I don't know if I'll ever find any amount of comfortable success because I can't get rid of this shit and on the internet it doesn't matter how long ago you did something or how much you've changed, you did it and therefor you're bad forever.
I hate this shit so much.
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Hey, about the video, I really hope it didn't come across that way in the way I phrased it, but in case you do think that, let me be clear that I wasn't trying to lay blame on the children or the ever rapidly-growing technology (<-not to a full extent anyway).
I fully agree with the girl in the vid that the parents are not doing their job well enough (if at all) and a lot of them are introducing their kids to devices with internet access WAY too early. (I mean- at just one year??? And they wanted to give it to her earlier than that!?? When she just came out the womb???) Not to mention laying the blame and setting ridiculous expectations on the teachers for things they should've been doing. But the thing is, a lot of those parents do happen to be Millenials, so.. it is kinda saying something...? Maybe? Even the youtuber added in the description "Millenial parents need to do better."
(I really hope you actually watched the full video to understand where I'm trying to get at here..)
Idk- I... I just hope you're not mad at me (based on how you wrote Margie's response....)
oh, no haha I'm not mad at you in the least, no worries about that!
My personal opinion is that the issue at hand is a very complex one. The school system is bad, and parents are not provided enough time or resources--especially in America--to raise their kids properly. Not only are american families culturally encouraged to raise their children in isolation, without any significant help/involvement from their local communities/extended family, but often, both parents are forced to hold down very emotionally, physically, energetically demanding jobs to pay for the cost of child birth, care, education, and day-to-day family expenses. In this way, I think it's very hard to even blame the parents--most of whom I truly do believe are doing their best and are running on less than fumes.
I do not have children, nor intend to ever have children myself because--the simple fact of the matter is--raising children is hard, even under the best circumstances. Raising children without a community to help with a lot of the heavy lifting, without an economic support structure, without financial stability...is insane, it's absolute madness. To me, it's no wonder the current generation is coming up the way they are. Parents are not fully to blame for it, nor are the schools. The whole damn pot is boiling; it's the whole thing, all of it.
In the end, I am confident the kids are gonna be Alright*, in the way that they always are. Every generation has a great deal of concern for the generations that succeed them--because the world is always changing, and that change can look a lot like regression. We backslide in some ways, but the march has always been forward. All anyone can do is the best they know how to.
#*they'll not be without the scars traumas and deficits unique to their generation but they will be as strong and resilient and adaptable as#every other generation that preceded them.
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hello, it's youngin anon once again. i need advice and i have no one to ask, so i figured i could ask you. it's a lot and long, so if you don't want to answer, feel free to ignore.
idk how familiar you are with immigrant child guilt, but it weighs on me immensely. my parents work very hard and i can see the way they struggle. i remember when i was young we didn't even have a bed! me and my siblings slept on cushions. i've seen the insane hours my dad has worked so as to afford me and my siblings a better and more comfortable life. both of my parents have put in a lot of work to give us good opportunities, starting with their immigration to the US.
in nigerian culture, education is extremely important, so as i grew up, my parents have always told me to focus on my education, telling me not to work and it did pay off bc i did end up as valedictorian. college, however is presenting a new set of problems.
my dad, who i am financially dependent on (and who is paying the tuition for the state uni where i'm enrolled) has made it abundantly clear that he thinks med school is the only valid career path. i told him that my roommate was studying comms and he said that she could become a lawyer or something, before looking me dead in the eyes and that wasn't an option for me. with him, it's med school or bust.
as long as i could remember, my parents have been telling me i was going to become a doctor. every time i asked my dad to get me something, he say, i'll do it and in the future, you'll become a doctor, right? and i would agree and that was that. i've answered to all the adults who asked me that i was was going to med school and they would all give me smiles of approval. if i mentioned any other career growing up i'd be ruthlessly shot down or gently persuaded about how much more security there was in medicine.
i was aware in high school that i didn't really want to be a doctor so i sort of set myself up, enrolling under my college's science school so as to cut off my own retreat path. i figured that if i was able to bear it during high school, i could bear it during college. but i can see my own behavior and i know that i don't really like STEM. not that it's a bad field! i just don't have any interest in it. i read the textbooks to learn enough to pass the test and that's it. i don't interact with my classmates or the professors or the material beyond what's needed to get an A. this is in sharp contrast to my history classes which i have been enthralled with. I took a world history class in the first semester enjoyed it immensely. last semester i took a war and violence in africa class and LOVED it. it made me want to become an African historian/Africanist. i talk to my professors, enjoy the readings, the assignments, all the new info i'm getting on the continent where my family originates. i go to my history classes and i want to be there. i want to learn.
i don't know if i could survive academia as a profession because i've seen you posting about the struggles from working in academia and there was a large strike at my school last semester because professors weren't earning enough. if it were a perfect world or if i had lots of money i would love to get my Ph.D focusing on West African history and be a history professor, but it's not, so. i've been thinking about law school as a happy compromise. i could go to law school with a undergrad history degree and if i went to law school i could also pursue JD/MA in History. i'm trying out some law classes next semester to see how i like them.
i'm now scared that if i were to transfer to a different school in my college my scholarship might be reduced. i'm also afraid that i would lose my parents' financial support if i chose to pursue a different career path and i have no actual work experience.
and i understand my parents' very valid concerns! both of them grew up poor in Nigeria and it was their STEM educations that afforded them better lives. they don't want me to experience that level of crushing poverty that heavily defined their youth. my mom tells me about her younger brother in Nigeria who struggles to get work with his masters. my dad tells me about co-workers' children who can't get jobs in their field of profession and have to work whatever jobs come their way. from what i've seen on the news, the future job market looks bad for the young people (around the world!). millennials are having problems and my generation isn't set to do much better.
is it fair to my parents to just disregard that and pursue work in the humanities? i want to do what i want, to just live my life, but it feels like it's not just my life. it would feel so selfish to just risk that all. whenever i talk to my parents about their journey in the US i feel like i should just suck it all up and go to med school. if my parents could suffer all of that, who i am to complain? do my struggles compare?
i feel like my sense of pragmatism and idealism are warring against each other. I don't like STEM, I'm good at it, good enough to get good grades in the classes, but it's not something i enjoy doing, but there's more job security. i love history and the humanities as a whole, but i might struggle with employment.
i'm semi-familiar with the path i would need to take to become a doctor. i would have to make it into med school (high GPA, experience in science research/labs, shadowing healthcare professionals, good recommendations, etc.), survive med school, survive residency (during which residents are worked like dogs), complete fellowships, and then i would be able to practice independently. and that would probably occupy the majority of my time. people have told me that med school is hard even for people that like medicine. for me who is just tolerating it, can i do it? and what about any future patients? is it fair to them?
my mom has always said that i could just get my second degree in whatever i wanted after i became a doctor, but i don't know if i would have the mental strength/energy/free time to go back to school after med school. i feel like if i grit my teeth and bared it for all my twenties i would lose the drive to do it my thirties. it feels like i've been putting off my living my life for my entire life. in middle school i thought about high school, in high school about college, and in college about post-graduate life. i'm tired of this constant look towards the future, but it's the only thing i know how to do. my brain is constantly asking "okay, and then what?"
if i go to med school and realize that i really can't do it, then i'll be trapped. it'll be too much debt to walk away from, too many years of my life dedicated towards that end goal of becoming a doctor. i feel like if i'm going to change my future plans, i should do it before sooner rather than later. 19 isn't too late to walk back but 26 might be.
but it's not like pursuing a career closer to what i want would be easier.
there's always this big fear in the background of, what if i fail? what if i risk it all to go to law school and i don't make it in? or i end up in a low-paying law job saddled with hundreds of thousands in student debt? or even if i make it to biglaw, i still end up burned out from all the hours that they work? wouldn't i still be miserable? i'm not super familiar with how law school works but i've done some lurking around @artielu's blog and law seems like something i should also go into in only if i'm sure.
(i'm not. i'm not sure of anything really.)
it feels like no matter what i'm going to be unhappy in the future. maybe everyone feels this way, maybe a certain level of unhappiness is normal in adult life. it just makes me feel so frustrated because i'm struggling so hard for what? idk. i'm also so desperately scared. i'm scared that one day i'll wake up in the my forties/fifties and realize that i hate my life. maybe i'll look back on this and lament how spoiled/whiny i was. idk. idk.
i'm not looking for an answer to this dilemma, i know this is a decision i'll have to make for myself, but i would appreciate any advice or even words of encouragement. thank you.
Welp. Okay, first of all, I am giving you a big virtual hug and sitting you down at your coffeeshop of choice. So imagine us talking there.
Second, thanks for pouring out your heart to me about this and your various other comments and chats over the years. I only know you as one of my favorite (shh) Tumblr anons on the internet, but I have always seen how thoughtful, smart, and hard-working you are, and I don't take it lightly that you trust me to listen to you and to give you good advice. (Or uh, let's hope, at least not bad advice? Jury's out.) Likewise, I'm absolutely sure that immigrant-child guilt is something to which a lot of my followers can very much relate, and would be happy to talk with you about. So if you are one of said followers and you'd like to encourage anon to reach out to you, please drop a note in the replies! I can't speak to this from personal experience, but I'd love to help connect you to others in your situation. Because yes, it IS absolutely a universal struggle for first- or second-gen immigrant kids: balancing cultural expectations of parents, American opportunities, feeling guilty if you do what you want, etc etc.
Third, and this is just me talking: if you absolutely feel this way, then no, I don't think you should go to medical school. I realize that this is far easier said than done, but if you continue to feel this strongly about it, then... you shouldn't be expected to do it, and that's just something that everyone in your family will have to come to terms with. After all, your parents came to America so you could be raised as an American, and there would be multiple pathways to success -- not whatever just they themselves had to do in order to get here in the first place. I'm afraid that you'll eventually have to bite the bullet and have an honest talk with your parents about this, but it may help if you present this as both your own success and THEIR success. After all, you're smart, talented, you have so many options, and you'll clearly succeed at whatever you choose to do. And that means THEY did their job right: they worked hard, they raised you right, they brought you to a place where there ISN'T just one narrow pathway to having a fulfilling and prestigious career. It doesn't mean they "failed" to make you a doctor. It means they succeeded in making YOU, and opening up so many more things for you to do.
Obviously: that's going to be hard either way, your parents are probably going to be upset, and that's very tough to deal with, especially if you're a close family unit and if you're financially dependent on them. You're the only one who can choose when to have the conversation and what might come of it, but it's still something that you do have the right to do. If you want to research other aid options or scholarship packages, or reach out to financial aid/admissions officers at other schools to see what it might take to transfer (that is, if you need to transfer), that's your right to do. You're an adult now and you have the right to take legal and personal responsibility for your own life. If you know what you want to do and how you want to do it: then again, isn't that why your parents came here? Isn't that what they were working to achieve?
Yes, academia is hard. No, there's no guarantee of getting a job. But there isn't the guarantee of getting a job in medicine either, especially if it's something you're forcing yourself to do and which (as you note) would impact negatively on you, your colleagues, and the patients you would be expected to serve. Especially post-Covid and in the American healthcare system: being a doctor/nurse/healthcare professional SUCKS! Even if you like it and feel called to do it, it still sucks, and the only people earning a lot of money from it are the senior/career/specialist types (as is the case in every field). Of course your parents have expectations and dreams for you, but they also don't get the right to control/dictate your entire adult life just by virtue of deciding to bring you into the world. After all, they did that, and that means embracing you as a person with your own choices. (And this goes for all people with controlling/bossy parents, regardless of immigrant or non-immigrant background). So again: this is what they wanted for you, and you've paid that off already.
I absolutely feel the "I spend all my time thinking/worrying about the future and being scared that I'll end up wasting my life" thing, which I think is common to a lot of high-achieving smart people (we are terminal overthinkers to a one). I can tell you now that life has a way of surprising you, and when you get a little older, you start becoming more comfortable with yourself, your accomplishments, your talents, and knowing what you're good at. So I don't think you will find that you've wasted anything. Likewise, when it comes to studying for advanced degrees in history: do you think it might help with your parents if you agreed to pursue a name-brand school? It's still not guaranteed, but trust me, going to a place like Harvard or Yale makes it tremendously easier to get a job or a future opportunity just by virtue of having that name on your CV and the people you will meet, and I have no doubt that you would be able to get in. As well, I don't really think your parents could argue with you going to an Ivy League, or think that you weren't applying yourself.
Likewise, if there is anything I can do to support you in this, please feel free to message me privately/off anon. I will write a letter of recommendation for you, I will see if I know a person who knows a person, I will help look at application materials, so forth and etc. I mean it: I WILL help you in the real world if I possibly can. I'm sure you have tons of other enthusiastic recommenders, but still. Also, I will say that despite the current (terrible) academic job market, I have seen quite a few openings for professors of African history/African studies/African-American literature and culture, and that's just in the US. There are also lots of opportunities around the world.
Anyway: I hope that's helpful to start with. I am giving you all the hugs. Please reach out to me again (especially via private message) if I can help with this in more tangible ways. And likewise, if any of my followers would like anon to reach out to them: please make a note in the replies. We can do this together.
<3
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I am currently sick and suffering™️ if you’re taking requests still, would you mind doing a Jason x Reader where reader is ill and is just constantly trying to hide it from him until it gets so bad that they can’t do it anymore? Ty
A/N: I hope this is what you wanted, if not feel free to let me know. It's been a week or so since this ask, so I'm hoping you're feeling better and this could be your reward. If not, I hope you feel better!
It was worth it, you kept telling yourself as you dragged yourself out of your chair to go get another cup of water. Better than being babied to the point of insanity by your well-meaning, but stubborn boyfriend. Jason, again, meant well, but he was so suffocating when it came to your health and safety, not letting you walk, feed yourself, bathe yourself. You knew it was the only thing to keep him from panicking, but you didn't want to have someone watching you while you peed. All you wanted was to go home and be cuddled after eating soup, anything else and you'd implode.
You'd made it through the day, through the aches and random pain that shot up your spine, the coughing that made you sound like a veteran smoker, and the sneezes that scared everyone away. All you had to do was get home and you could crawl into bed just like you had been for the past week. You hobbled up the stairs to your apartment, wincing when the back of your throat started to tickle, discomforting the already inflamed skin. You pulled your keys out of your bag, more sluggishly than usual, and slotted them into the lock when your ears started to ring and your fingers tingled. The ringing continued as you turned the lock and pushed the door open, allowing your bag to slide off of your shoulder and slump onto the floor. Instead of walking to your bedroom like you had wanted, you sat on the couch in the living room. With one final ring, your ears cleared, refining the muffled sounds you chalked up to other apartments into Jason's voice coaxing you back to him.
"There you are, sweetheart." He gave you small smile as you focused your eyes on him, gripping your thighs tighter as you reeled back. When did he get here? You opened your mouth to ask, but were interrupted by a slew of wet coughs, wincing when they burned your throat. He moved a large hand to rub your back. "Easy, easy. I brought you inside. Your coworker called, saying you'd been like this for the past week."
You didn't have the energy to react to the stern tone in his voice as he stood. Instead, you leaned back and sighed, bringing your hands to dig into your eye sockets as if it would dispel the pressure in your head.
"I'm fine." Your voice was gravelly and hoarse.
He glared at you hard enough to make you hold your hands in your lap like a child. "I found you practically catatonic at your door and you're telling me you're fine?"
"Jason-"
"Imagine my surprise when I get a call from your office telling me that you'd been like this for a week and didn't say anything to me, your boyfriend."
"I didn't want you to worry."
"And finding you like this," He swept his arms, his hands slightly trembling, "was better?"
"Jay." You grabbed his hands, trying to calm him. "This is why I didn't wanna tell you. You get all mother hen-"
"Mother hen?"
"What happened the last time I got sick?"
"I took care of you-"
"You paid Damian to sit at the foot of my bed and threaten me with a sword if I tried to move without calling you. Hence the mother hen title." You patted his hand and he kneeled between your legs, wrapping his arms around your waist. "I love you and I love how much you love to take care of me, but sometimes you go overboard."
"I wouldn't have to do that if you'd just let yourself rest. I just want you to be okay." You leaned your forehead against his hair, willing the tickling in your throat to wait until the conversation was over. "I need you to want to take care of yourself. Not eating, going to work coughing and sneezing, I'm worried about you. And I know you're an adult and you have things to do, but sometimes you push yourself so hard, you're not gonna bounce back."
"The pot calling the kettle black."
He shook his head vigorously, raising it from its bowed position. "Doesn't matter how many times I get stabbed or punched, I always come home to you. Every night, I make myself promise that no matter what happens, I need to make it back to you."
You were going to blame the pounding headache that had developed on your commute back to the blurring of your vision. Or maybe the tickling of your throat that had come back as a vengeful round of coughs. It didn't matter because Jason was there to take care of you. He tipped you forward, kissing your shoulder as you coughed phlegm. You were exhausted, keeping up the ruse and holding yourself together for the whole week had sapped the physical energy out of you, and Jason's confession didn't leave your emotions unspared. You cupped his face as you finished coughing, grimacing at the taste in your mouth.
"We'll get you something for that taste, 'kay? Right now, we gotta get you ready for bed. Your boss gave you the rest of the week off." He moved to stand, but you lowered your grip and tightened your hold on his shoulder, tucking your head into his neck. He soothed you as you tried to blubber out apologies, lifting you until the tops of your thighs were flush with his left side.
You calmed down in the duration it took for him to help you undress and fill the bathtub, opting to hold his hand as you felt your headache slightly lighten and the pressure in your sinuses loosen.
"You're not gonna get sick?" You slurred, gulping the bottle of water he had nabbed at the last minute.
"No, 'cause I take my vitamins, baby." You rolled your eyes at his boast. " 'Sides, even if I do, I have someone to take care of me."
You nodded and squeezed his hand tightly, opting not to say anything as your eyes watered again. Your eyes started to slide shut halfway through the bath and you were barely awake when you were fed oyster crackers and ginger ale. You finally stopped fighting against the encroaching wave of sleep as Jason tucked you into bed, accepting a kiss to his palm as the closest thing to his usual goodnight kiss.
He slid into the other side of the bed, propping you up to ease your congestion. As he pulled out his book and texted Bruce that he was taking the night off, there was a warm feeling of contentment and stability. He knew the next time you were sick, you would tell him and he was looking forward to it. And as you murmured in your sleep and unconsciously reached for his hand, he felt a slight tickle in his nose. He wasn't worried though, his favorite nurse was loudly snoring beside him. He'll be in great hands.
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Hey buddyyyy I was wondering if you could write about Slytherin male MC discovering their healing powers and healing Ominis of his blindness and Anne of her curse. I’ve read fics of those individually but never together
Keep up the good work 👍🏼
Hey! I love this idea. Fun fact, the first ask I ever sent on Tumblr was to the ever talented @hogwartslegacyreactions and it was how the HL characters would react to Ominis being cured of his blindness. Be sure to check her out! Scarlet is a lovely writer and I adore her blog. I owe much of my inspiration to her
This was originally a bit long all together, so I'm going to split it into multiple parts.
ONWARD!
Pt. 2
Pt. 3
Pt. 4
The Healer, pt 1
Ominis was definitely frustrated. He was having a lovely night's sleep when the Margaret the Diricawl landed on his chest. I was going to send a Niffler, but I didn't trust any of them to deliver a message swiftly and efficiently. Especially Ricky. I rescued him from a particularly grouchy vendor in Irondale, said he "pilfered the town and should be sent away to Azkaban." The last thing I needed was detention for the little stinker stealing Professor Ronan's hat, or Weasley's glasses. So I sent Margaret with a note tied to her- "Come to the Room please. I have something to show you." She was the sweetest of my Diricawls, one who wouldn't peck my dear friend's eyes out. They were very important to my plan. Anyways, the grumpy Gaunt stumbled into the Room of Requirement, muttering and cursing. "What? This could not possibly be more important than my rest." I laughed. I wasn't sure if it was really early or really late. I had been working for hours. "Oh trust me my friend. It is." I stared at the small vial that was the reason behind all this. A clear liquid glowed inside, occasionally flashing a brilliant blue. "Go sit on the couch." I ordered, and Ominis agreed. I had definitely piqued his interest.
"You told me that your childhood healers tried Phoenix tears and it didn't work." My heart was in my throat. This had to work. For him, for Anne..for everyone. "Right." He replied. "They thought that if that couldn't give me sight, nothing could." He was very stoic, I knew he had long accepted his condition and made it work. "Well. They didn't try everything. Mainly because this didn't exist until now." I brandished the small vial. He blinked slowly. "Wow. How incredible. I am in awe." He said flatly. Oops. "Oh right. Sorry. I call it Miracle Tears." I was tired. Naming stuff is hard, why do you think two of my pets are named Margaret and Ricky? Being creative was hard enough while not sleep deprived, Miracle Tears was going to have to cut it. "And who's tears might they be?" Ominis laughed. It was good to hear his tone shift from sleepy grouch to his usual sarcastic drawl. "Mine. Helios shared some. So did Diana." I replied. Ominis had met my phoenix, and my herd of Unicorns, so he recognized the names. "What? They cried for you?" He sounded shocked. "Yes, they are my bestest friends and they were much nicer when I woke them up." I shot back. "I thought of every healing substance I could think of. Phoenix tears, of course. Then Unicorn blood, but I knew that was out of the question. I consulted with Poppy, and we theorized that the tears could be used to a similar effect. We tested our theory, and we were correct." I didn't mention that our method involved jumping off of the balcony in the Room. "However, it wasn't as powerful, only healing partially." I said sheepishly. "Wait. Was that why Poppy was in the Hospital Wing for three days?!" Ominis more so sounded disappointed in me rather than upset. "You're getting off topic." I was glad he couldn't see my face reddening. "The last healing power I could think of was my own. Isidora went insane by removing pain and absorbing it. I did not want to risk that, so I thought up another way to bottle this power." He was quiet, I could tell he was thinking. "Listen. MC. I know you want to help me and Anne. But we've both made peace with our lives. As hard as it may be to hear, I don't need this." He was right. I knew he didn't. "I know. Sebastian does." I said softly. He was silent. Since the end of last year, Sebastian had fallen into a funk. His punishment of losing his twin sister was wearing too hard on him. He rarely spoke, and ate even less. I worried for him, and I knew Ominis did as well. "If it doesn't work, you can say you told me so and I will forget about it. But he's our friend, and he's slipping. We are losing him." That was enough for Ominis. "Alright. For Sebastian." I handed him the vial and he drank.
Ominis fell to the floor, writhing in pain and clutching his face. Shit. I didn't know what to do, or what to say. "My eyes! They burn!" He screamed. I ran into my potion room, frantically looking for something...anything. Dittany maybe, I can brew a Wiggenweld...I tried to focus, but my friends pained screams were throwing me off. As soon as I was about to scream for Deek, he stopped. He picked himself up off the floor, blinking. "I...can see." Ominis looked up at me. His normally pale eyes had turned into a deeper shade of blue. It worked. "Sorry my ragged mug is the first thing you saw." I laughed. He tackled me with a hug. "This is the world...the real world!" It was quite adorable seeing him staring at everything, his smile lit up the room. "We need to find Sebastian."
#Hogwarts legacy fanfic#Hogwarts legacy oc#x reader#Sebastian sallow#Ominis gaunt#healing#harry potter#hogwarts#gryffindor#hufflepuff#ravenclaw#slytherin#hogwarts houses#hogwarts legacy#hogwarts oc
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WIP Whenever! ♥
Absolutely blest by the tag from @myreia !!
As some of you may have noticed i have been in the TRENCHES with schoolwork the last few weeks LOL so all I have that is not just barely-coherent 4 am hallucinations is this jkdsfkjnfk. I've been holed up in my room being insane + I'm very eager to share so it's a longish snippet, hopefully tumblr dot website does not DESTROY the formatting.
I was thinking aaahhhh i can't tag ppl again I JUST tagged them in a thing but even if that were a thing it is not true I have been eaten by school for so long LOL @thepapernautilus @yourlocaldisneyvillain @delirious-comfort @eemamminy-art and anyone else who would like to pls feel free to tag me!
Wheel of Time, Liandrin x Reader 🤪🥰
--
The first time you meet Liandrin Sedai, it is not in your proudest moment.
You are a lady of perfectly average talents. And although you work hard and perform your weaves well, yours is not the sort of power that gets noticed. One must be noticed in order to be offered the trial of the Arches. And so it is that each of your classmates, each of your friends, each of your enemies, becomes Accepted one by one, and leaves you behind.
You have been a novice for nine years when your best and last friend goes through the Arches. And Light help you, you cry. You go out into the abandoned courtyard, you shamble down onto a stone bench, and you cry.
This is how Liandrin Sedai finds you.
“Oh,” says an unfamiliar voice, high and clear, surely put off by your discomposure.
You wipe furiously at your face, but you hadn’t expected to be interrupted. You cannot stop crying.
You feel her approach. “Oh, there now—“ she says awkwardly. You think you feel her hand hovering just shy of your shoulder.
“I’m sorry,” you sniffle. “I’m sorry, I’m just—“ but you have no words for what you are. You are a lady of perfectly average talents. You are a Novice. You are all alone.
In your periphery, you see the red skirts of the Aes Sedai trying to comfort you. This is, to your mind, even worse. At last you get the attention of one of the Red Ajah, and it is for this!
“There now, little sister,” says the Aes Sedai, and she sounds more confident now, as though she has steeled herself against your onslaught. “What’s all this? Surely nothing we can’t fix, yes?”
This is, somehow, the worst thing she could have said. You cover your face with both hands in a poor attempt to stifle a sob. “No!” you wail miserably. “No, it can’t be fixed! I try so hard, but it doesn’t matter! The problem is me! I’m—“
You are a lady of perfectly average talents. A Novice. Alone. Abandoned.
“I’m weak!” you cry, your hands falling uselessly into your lap. “I’m weak, and I always will be!”
Once more you scrub your white sleeve across your face, but the tears won’t stop flowing. The mysterious Aes Sedai sits at your side. “Weak?” she wonders after a long silence. “Weak in the One Power, you mean?”
“Mhm,” you sniffle horribly. “Everyone’s gone through the Arches without me.”
“Ah.” She draws out the syllable, low and rich, knowing. “I see. And you’ve been a Novice for how long?”
“A little over nine years,” you say. Somehow, recounting this information calms you, rather than making you more upset. At last you manage to dry your eyes enough to see.
“And you work hard, yes? You’re sure it’s not your form that’s lacking?” She asks the question without accusation.
You look up, meaning to nod your affirmation, but you are wholly unprepared for the sight. The Aes Sedai sitting next to you has an unearthly beauty about her, something indescribable that you don’t see every day. It’s not any one feature—her honey-blonde hair, her doll’s lips, her prominent cheekbones, or her wild, piercing eyes—but rather something more than the sum of her parts. Awe and apprehension course through you in equal measure, and you almost forget to respond at all.
“It’s true,” says the mystery woman, “this Tower often values raw power over actual skill. And I expect it’s also true that you’ve reached the limits of your raw power for the time being. And so I suggest—“ Without warning, she reaches up and wipes the tears from your cheeks. “—you stop wasting your energy on the things you cannot change.”
You are too stunned to speak. She inclines her head, as though studying something, but there is something off about the gesture. “After all,” she says. “There are so very many things that you can change.”
There is something unsettling about her, a distinctive undercurrent of unrest you don’t see in most Aes Sedai. You are reminded of a cat poised to spring upon an unsuspecting mouse.
“You know your weaves well?” she asks you. “If I were to test you, I would not find myself disappointed?”
“Yes,” you nod, perhaps a little frantically. “I mean—I know them well.”
The mystery woman nods, as though to say, exactly as I thought. She stands and brushes her hands over her bright red skirt. “Take a few days to collect yourself, little sister. Come and find me when you’re ready to make a change.”
You stammer. “Oh, but I—“
“Liandrin Sedai,” she clarifies. Then, just shy of turning to leave, she amends, “Oh, and keep this between us, hm?”
You nod, dumbfounded. And then she is gone.
You take Liandrin Sedai’s advice, and you spend the next few days in deep contemplation. You know you have not overstated your familiarity with the weaves, but you worry she will still be disappointed. In your heart, you yearn to move forward, but you worry that you are being prideful, that being a Novice still has something to teach you, and that you are ignoring it. You write to your mother, a letter that reveals little but says much, if one reads between the lines. You are profoundly lonely, deeply self-conscious, and yet you know you cannot possibly refuse Liandrin Sedai’s invitation.
Liandrin does test you, hard. In a way it feels good to finally show the full breadth of your dedicated practice. But you are unused to such rapt attention. Yours is not the kind of power that draws a teacher’s eye. You weave what you can with practiced precision, but what you can weave is not impressive, and it takes hard work every single time.
But Liandrin watches you anyway, her gaze piercing, her stance not a little unsettling as she prowls about the small room like a hunting animal. She doesn’t say much, just tells you what to weave and then watches, again and again and again, until you’re sure you just simply don’t know anything else you could possibly show her.
“Good,” she says, with a curt nod.
You drop your weave and stagger a little, out of breath and reaching for something to lean on. Your hand finds the hard stone wall behind you, and you take in a gasping breath. You’ve worked yourself to exhaustion before, but never quite like this.
“I think I see what you mean,” says Liandrin contemplatively. “You perform the weaves well, but it’s not the kind of thing that catches the eye. Pity, really. Raw power is all fine and well, but it’s nothing next to perseverance. One would think the Teacher of Novices at least could appreciate that.”
Your vision refocuses, but your mind is slow. You’re still stuck on ‘you perform the weaves well.’ You smile foolishly.
Liandrin regards you with an unreadable emotion. She squints as though studying you, but again there is something off about it, just like before. Half-consciously, you think that she is only affecting the mannerism of studying you, pretending to contemplate something even though she’s already made up her mind.
“No matter,” she says at last. “Run along and rest up.”
You hold a moment, baffled, waiting for something else that will explain what she is thinking.
She raises her eyebrows. “Go.”
You do not need to be told again.
#exciting tag for writing things#wheel of time fanfic#liandrin x reader#liandrin#wheel of time#sorry for preparing to become the x reader tag menace this is my villain arc sdkjfnjfkf#i have like a whole plan for the fic it is not sane#i am also picking and choosing my liandrin lore bc she deserves to be a misandrist in peace#i was gonna say ty for coming to my ted talk but this is decidedly not my ted talk#you will KNOW when it's my ted talk
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~Manifesting Seunghan's Return~
I am writing this post so that I can manifest Seunghan's return. Do I think it will work? Absolutely not LMAO however, I do think it is worth trying. For God's sake I just want to see my boy back with his 6 goofy friends ripping stages and making history.
Now, I don't follow any specific template or rules when I want to manifest something. I don't do crystals or do tarot readings for this. I literally put it into the universe by speaking or writing it down and put my trust into all the things I PERSONALLY BELIEVE IN to make things happen. What exactly do I say or write? My gut feelings, hopes and thoughts. That's it.
Mmkay...I shall begin
-Recently a former member of NCT made a comeback that no one was expecting or even wanting...with the exception of his fans. I'm not sure why, but something tells me to expect something similar in the case of Seunghan. There are many people that think he (Seunghan) is going to get kicked out of RIIZE after going quiet for probably as long as the former NCT member. Because SM is...SM, I can understand why some people would believe that and honestly, I don't see why I should throw that option out the door because quite honestly, I don't know what the fuck goes on behind it.
-HOWEVER, in Seunghan's case, if he were to make a comeback and return to our precious RIIZE, I strongly believe it will be after RIIZE has established itself as a group. My gut is telling me that it is likely that he returns after they drop their mini album, however, it isn't clear. My gut is telling me that their management is taking this very seriously because they invested a lot in RIIZE and are hoping that they are the next big group in SM. Also, I am not too sure what my gut means exactly when it says that Seunghan is likely to come back after RIIZE establishes itself as a group. I don't know if it means winning a specific award or what exactly.
-If his comeback is RIIZE's next comeback, which I believe will be their mini album, then we should expect to see random sightings of him, which have already started. Two people claimed to have spotted him shopping in Hongdae in late February. Literally today (Marh 06) an article was released that confirmed RIIZE will have a comeback next month, and in this article they mentioned all 7 members. Then, the article was updated to not mention him... Suddenly his name is making noise again.
-I feel like his team genuinely does not want him to be removed from RIIZE, though. I think many of them believe that the backlash he received was insane and unfair.
-When he comes back, there will 100% be a song about regret
-I think there is a huge likelihood that he will return to us because his scandals were not crimes or morally wrong. I'm mad they're even called scandals tbh but anyway
-I have two images in my head: a twitter post about seunghan in a couple of years praising him for his hard work and remembering the nonsense he was put through in his early debut days. The post praises him for overcoming obstacles that he faced and for becoming one of the most celebrated idols....the second one is another twitter post that feels very sad. The person that wrote the post feels like Seunghan was wronged and is disappointed...The post is also in the future, years from now.
-I don't feel the second post as strongly as the first.
-Idk I keep seeing these images in my head that feel like relief, praise, and bittersweet. Compilation videos of the RIIZE members looking at Seunghan fondly
Okay...Enough about my thoughts and gut feelings...
I hope that Seunghan returns to us very soon. I hope the people around him acknowledge how unnecessary this "hiatus" is. I understand that they probably felt like hiding him because they didn't want to tarnish the group's image (whatever), but it has been far too long. I think they kept him locked away because they realized RIIZE was riding a high wave and they didn't want any scandal to interrupt them.
Actually now that I think about it...What if my gut feeling of them waiting for RIIZE to be more established is actually them waiting for the right time for them to garner enough fans and anticipation to release theirr first mini album? RIIZE has established itself as a pretty powerful rookie group despite all the "backlash" they received (using the word backlash very loosely here btw). They have the entire industry waiting on their mini album so what if now is when Seunghan returns?!
I don't want to get anyone's hopes up, but right now would be a good time to bring him up IF what I am saying is true... Anyway,
I hope that Seunghan is able to return to practice with his friends. I wish for him to be locked in and focused in the studio making music with his friends. I want Seunghan to tell the world how cute he thinks Sohee is, how Shotaro is actually the real maknae, I want to see him play around with Eunseok. I want to see him dance with Shotaro and Wonbin. I want him to joke around with Anton. I need to see him talking to Sungchan. I hope that all of these things can be done soon, on camera, for the entire world to see. I want the world to see Seunghan as a member of RIIZE. RIIZE has to promote as a 7 member group.
RIIZE is a 7 member group.
7. 7. 7. 7. 7. 7. 7.
Seunghan will return.
7. 7. 7. 7. 7. 7. 7.
7
#seunghan#riize is 7#riize#rise and realize#shotaro#eunseok#sungchan#wonbin#sohee#Anton#manifesting#manifesation#spiritual#I'm insane actually#seunghan return#seunghan scandal#controvery#kpop rookies#sm entertainment#new kpop#kpop dating scandal#riize comeback#seunghan comeback#RIIZE 2024#hopelessly hopeful#manifest your dreams#attract abundance#male kpop idol#male kpop group#kpop boys
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We need to talk about Childermass
Before the Return of magic to England, there are, as far as we know, only four Englishmen capable of performing acts of magic. Strange and Norrell, Childermass and Vinculus.
Strange and Norrell can do magic at will. They have both the Talent and the Learning necessary, though they approach magic from opposite sides of that spectrum. Most likely, they are able to do magic because they are the instruments of the Raven King's prophecy.
Vinculus has clear magical Talent, but not the Learning (Childermass says this in "The Cards of Marseilles": "You are a strange creature - the very reverse of all the magicians of the last centuries. They were full of learning but had no talent. You have talent and no knowledge."). I count two feats of magic from Vinculus' interactions with the tarot cards. He lays out Childermass' fortune, meaning he can make the cards respond to him; it seems that it would not be enough for a random person to just lay out the cards, you have to have some magical ability to "activate" them, so to speak, to make them actually answer your question. This makes sense, as the Cards of Marseilles were created to be playing cards; they are not inherently magical. Vinculus' other feat of magic is transforming the deck into all Raven Kings. That is a proper feat of magic, but seems to be done in respons to Childermass dismissing him as an agent of the Raven King. I suspect Vinculus can only do magic spontaneously, in moments where he is called on to herald the coming of the Raven King. He is an instrument, not a master.
In this same category, as contrast, we find John Segundus, who has the Talent and eventually the Learning, but who cannot do magic until the Return. During the war in Spain, we get a glimpse into Strange and Segundus' correspondence, where it's clear that Strange has given Segundus all the tools he needs to perform an act of scrying magic, but Segundus cannot make it work. We know that he is one of the most magic-sensitive people in the story, but he cannot master it (and is on the contrary frequently magic's chew toy, poor baby). His example is important because it tells us that for most people, no matter their affinity, magic is simply barred.
Which brings us to Childermass, who just ... doesn't care ... about the rules? He has the Talent and the Learning, and he can do spells at will. Set aside the question of why the fuck Norrell doesn't realise how insane it is that his servant can randomly do magic when no one else can, and how he can call himself England's only magician with a straight face when Childermass is RIGHT THERE. That's a question of characterisation. I'm interested in the fact that Childermass can do magic at all. The other three people capable of doing magic before the Return are all instruments of the Raven King; his prophet and the two men meant to bring the prophecy to fruition.
It seems to me impossible that Childermass should not also be an instrument of the Raven King. Anything else would break the rules of the world Clarke has built. Although to be fair, he breaks those rules already because he is a servant who is not a servant (See that quote about how he will tell a whole room full of admirals and ministers that they're idiots). But what is he? The backup plan? Or is he allowed to practice because someone has to spearhead the Restoration once Strange and Norrell are gone? Explain, Susanna! Explain!
EDIT cause I read a little further: And then fucking Tom Levy comes in in chapter 49 and RUINS EVERYTHING! How can he do magic? Was the "two magicians" thing nonsense all along?? Does this mean anyone can do magic theoretically? Is Mr Segundus simply not trying hard enough? Is magic really gone or is that just what people think? Did Strange start the Return when he travelled through his first mirror? Please say so! I am so upset! What are the rules, Susanna?? Are there even any rules? ARE THERE RULES, SUSANNA?
#Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell#JSMN#JSaMN#John Childermass#HELP#It's no wonder there's so many theories that Childermass IS the Raven King or a child of his or something#Cause he's just hanging out in the background ignoring the worldbuilding rules through the whole story#andalsothey'redescribedsimilarly#and then in comes FUCKING TOM LEVY#HOW??#I need rules Clarke!#Segundus too timid#Didn't put his whole pussy into it
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Since you made a post about Peppermint I am now awaiting a post about Amber. Absolutely wonderful cuttlefish
okay i'm seriously trying to make this less of a novel than last time. But i can definitely provide (she is awesome)
So, Amber! She's a giant cuttlefish, and she owns a bakery called Sweet Beak Bakery in Inkopolis, close to the Reef. She's the kind of person with several hobbies overlapping, and Turf Wars have recently re-entered her circle of hobbies since Drizzle Season 2022. Most people know her either from her work or from shared interests, with however many library and museum courses she's taken part in to learn more about things that she thinks are cool. Her main point of interest is definitely humans, from their languages and cultures to even just their biology, and it's to a point where it's kind of weird. (She's got plenty of bones and a full-size human skeleton in her house.)
Amber is also dating Peppermint but we knew that already. It's actually a pretty recent development in their relationship, as they knew each other as friends for a few years before deciding on trying it, but them meeting each other actually goes WAY BACK to the mid 2010's (if you read the post about Peppermint, you already know how that went down). At the time, Amber was really into Turf Wars, and she primarily played the sport solo with her Splattershot and Inkzooka (like pretty much everybody else at the time, because there actually wasn't much recognition for Turf Wars in the mainstream yet). The difference is that unlike most people, she was a cuttlefish, and she was also REALLY GOOD. In her teens, she was widely admired and feared and had the friendly nickname of "Inkzooka Demon", and she was pretty famous for nobody ever being able to splat her. And you know, for her splatting everybody in return.
Amber actually didn't grow up in Inkopolis, but she moved into the city as soon as she was developed enough to start playing Turf Wars. Fun fact, she has a brother called Tiger who is the exact same age, but for some reason he developed faster than she did and thus was able to do Turf Wars way earlier. Amber was BEYOND salty about this at the time, especially because Tiger wasn't taking them seriously AT ALL.
(baby)
Anyway once she did manage to be accepted to playing Turf Wars, she went all out on it. Her parents had always been quite strict and demanding, so from a young age it was etched in her mind that success was what you should always be pursuing, and there is no other way to get there than hard work. So she went insanely hard at the Inkopolis turf scene at the time, and even won some tournaments (which were pretty niche at the time). She didn't have a team or anything, instead hopping between random teammates, being bounced between different teams for one-off matches, or playing in her high school's team.
Enter Peppermint at some point. Amber wasn't really a stranger to the concept of rivals - or rather the concept of people assuming they can measure up to her (which they very rarely could, and whether they could or not they would usually not come back). So once Peppermint started "1v1 me scrub"-ing her, she really assumed it would be a one-time thing. It was not a one time thing. Of course, she won every time, but the squid would just come back EVERY TIME like they were friends and just having a little silly time. She was determined to beat Amber every time, it never happened, she never really improved and she still kept coming back for... SOME REASON. Of course Peppermint called it a "rivalry", but Amber viewed it much more as an inconvenience and minor annoyance at the time.
It was up until they had their final showdown at Hammerhead Bridge's skeleton that she held this view. Obviously she would win again, and Peppermint would insist that they can do it again sometime next week. Instead of complying to this, Amber had instead rejected her and made it very clear that she was done playing these stupid games and wasting her time. It was obvious to supposedly both of them that Peppermint WASN'T going to ever win one of these, she had no idea why she kept coming back thinking she could. Amber played turf wars for herself at the time, for her OWN success, and not as some fun out-of-school sport that was for the silly funnies. She also thought that was the way it was done the best, but... she did have a MAJOR ego problem at the time.
Amber's mind also quickly changed after she learned that Peppermint had quit turf wars because of her words. Initially, she didn't really care about it because it's not like it was her business, but she found herself feeling bad about it regardless. Because while she didn't really have friends, nor did she play the sport for the "human" connection, it had been nice to have that connection with somebody where someone genuinely wanted to stick around and make excuses to spend time together. And not only had she fucked it up, but she'd also hurt Peppermint and done so enough to drive her out of the sport (she didn't know at the time that she would be back in like a few weeks).
So at the time, Amber reflected on what she'd actually gotten done in the few years that she'd been a high-level Turf War player, and came to realize in the end that the trophies really meant nothing to her or anybody else for that matter. Most people had friends and teams and lifelong relationships that they were building off of turf wars, and what did she have? Like, a vague legacy, some hunks of metal. Stress probably. NO friends because nobody wanted to play against her and those that wanted to play against her she kept kicking to the ground for some reason. She was never playing for fun, but it wasn't even fun, and she was playing for success but that success was undefined, and TECHNICALLY she'd already reached it a long time ago but she would also NEVER reach it, and she'd already failed.
So in summary, she quickly lost motivation and sight of what her goal even was when it came to Turf Wars, which caused her to also lose her passion for the sport VERY fast. Seemingly overnight she just decided it wasn't doing anything for her anymore, and probably hadn't been for a really long time. So she just focused on school and started thinking about what the heck else to do with her life that's actually interesting. She even reconnected with her brother (a known hippie), who she'd severed ties with before because She Couldn't Fucking Stand that he was a known hippie and didn't take responsibility for anything, and she became closer with an Octoling named Kombu, who was probably her only actual friend at the time (and only because he's also a known hippie and had no sense of self-preservation to know when to stop pursuing people who are way too full of themselves).
(pictured: Kombu, famous one brain cell haver)
Few years in-between, undefined stuff, Amber started getting a lot of stuff done. Like a lot of stuff. She was learning a lot of Octarian language and culture, mainly because she was living with (AND dating) Kombu. She was also getting really into history and especially diving deeper into human history, something she'd always been somewhat interested in but never really taken the plunge. She'd picked up painting, she probably spent enough time with Kombu to learn how to fix cars, at some point she set up a starter booklet for Octoling immigrants that don't know the language, she started investing in a house, she started collecting bones and stuff, and most importantly there was a decision to maybe start a bakery or something between herself and Kombu (even after they broke up!). So she went to culinary school all the while everything else was happening. I'm not an expert, but I'm sensing some workaholic tendencies. There was like a span of 3 years between her quitting Turf Wars and her opening Sweet Beak Bakery, but she was barely recognizable as the same person by the start of the business because of how much her priorities in life had changed.
She actually works at the bakery to this day, and it's very much something she puts a LOT of time and effort into. But having been at it for like 6 years straight (and indeed having workaholic tendencies), she did take a brief like, half a year vacation to Splatsville recently. By vacation I of course mean she rented a very temporary small apartment there, borrowed Kombu's car, and went there to spend like 10 hours a day in the desert hauling up human artifacts and bones to bring home and both sell, donate and keep for herself. That's extremely relaxing stuff, apparently. She also took Peppermint with her, and she was devastated by how hard it is for this cuttlefish TO CHILL OUT AND RELAX (and she's gotten MUCH BETTER at it than she used to be)!
The way she reconnected with Peppermint a few years back was really strange and awkward for them both, because Peppermint just happened to show up at the bakery, and the bakery had been up for a few years at that point. To be completely honest, Amber was kinda so over the whole turf war thing that she'd forgot Peppermint was like, a thing, at that point. But literally the second they made eye contact they IMMEDIATELY recognized each other and the following atmosphere was literally lethal.
Anyway, they ended up becoming friends for real this time and it only took like... a year for them to start having very obviously romantic feelings for each other. Yet they only started openly dating in 2022 (CAN YOU GUYS HURRY IT UP OR WHAT!!!!). but anyway they are having a very good time right now. Here's a picture of them eating one of those stupid squid-shaped ice creams
But very interesting fun stuff: on her Splatsville outing, Amber also got back into Turf Wars with Peppermint on the same team this time (except for the first Splatfest, in which they picked different teams and Peppermint was devastated). Getting back into Turf Wars was kind of a big deal for both of them for different reasons... and the obvious same reason of "dude, I haven't played for like 5-10 years the hell do you expect me to achieve?"
For Peppermint, she hadn't touched turf wars with a 10 foot pole after she'd been forced to retire due to not knowing if it was safe for her to ever play again - if she got too excited and Krakened and her meds didn't work there for some reason, it could be DEVASTATING. For Amber, she'd quit turf wars like, almost ten years ago and never looked back, and she didn't really feel any burning passion to ever get back into it. She'd only ever played for success, for which she didn't care about at all anymore, so there wasn't much reason for her to go back. But Peppermint offered her the opportunity to try playing Turf Wars the REAL authentic way where you're playing for fun and with friends, and she had to at least try it since the offer was made. So she did, and she hasn't regretted it (except like the first 2 months because going into a sport as extreme as TURF WARS when you havent done sports for like 10 years is DEVASTATING).
Either way, right now she's back to her home in Inkopolis, she's living with her gf, time is a flat circle and she's now known as Trizooka Demon, and she is not on good speaking terms with her own parents because they really don't like Peppermint. Which is super frustrating to her. But honestly, she's learned not to care almost at all about what her parents say about things in her life, considering she's come to learn that the only good decisions she's made in life so far are the ones that her parents have been against.
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