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kryptsune · 3 years

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World Building Wednesday!~Yokaifell

🌼One of my personal favorites was chosen this week and I am so excited! It was a tie between Wiccafell and this and I just decided to do a little coin toss. I am happy to also announce that the ideas in Yokaifell will also be appearing in a more original form in the Souly Damned Universe. I will talk more about that on SD Saturday!

Yokaifell AU

Yokai Masterlist:

[Red] Ryutsuki (Ryou) 龍月- Kitsune (Kitsune Ebi- Shou & Rin)

[Boss] Kuro 黒- Gashadokuro

Doomfanger- Maneki neko (a variation of the bakeneko this kind brings good luck and fortune which I thought would be cute for the brothers. Hilariously Doomy was with Boss before he died coughs. Doomy is kind of like that cricket in Mulan supposed to be lucky but... questionable.)

Flowey: I am unsure if I am planning on putting Flowey in this or just have him as Asriel. Either way, he would most likely resemble the higanbana. These are also Red’s flower of choice, which is…ironic if you know the language of flowers.

The Dreemurrs: (this is a hard one. There are no Yokai as far as I can recall that are goat like, however there are some good candidates that could work. I have a few in mind right now and that is the kotobuki, hakutaku, shisa, Kirin or even the baku.

Undyne: Uni nyobo

Alphys: Honengyo (This is kind of the “Godzilla” idea she would just be mini XD)

Muffet: Jorogumo

Grillby: Onibi (this is a strange one because he would have to be a combination of onibi for this to work but don’t worry I am on it!)

Gerson: Kappa/ Genbu (due to his wisdom)

*{The lesser monsters would be a variation of yokai not exactly pertaining to their UT counterparts unless I can make that connection. The Underground/ Underworld, in this case, it basically the spirit realm so it’s not really necessary. They are not exactly trapped like in the original.}*

Main Plot Synop: Frisk is a foreigner trying to start a new life across the world in Japan. I am still trying to pick a possible location in Japan but that is a minor detail. I will say that I would like it to be a little more secluded. It is also modern day (I settled on Izumo). The people she moves to live among tell Frisk of their traditions and stories but her being from the West she has a hard time understanding. Frisk is told not to stay out too late and wander the nearby forest but hey who listens to reason? She ends up getting lost, alone, and afraid. That is until a series of flame like lights presumably show her the way back to the town. This happens a few times but she becomes more and more curious by them until they lead her deeper into the forest. She comes upon the entrance of an abandoned shrine stopping before a Torii Gate as the lights disappear. These are kitsunebi by the way. Only when she is hesitant to pass through it do they appear on the opposite side.

She ends up being startled by a white haired human that seems to have just appeared out of thin air. He tries to speak to her but she barely understands the language if only a few words. In frustration the stranger steals a kiss from the shell shocked human girl only for her to suddenly be able to understand what he is saying. A still highly confused Frisk ends up learning that he is in fact a demon or rather her interpretation since she is from the West.

It turns out that in order to give her the ability for her to understand him a dose of his magic was required changing the physical makeup of her soul causing it to become desirable to other hungry yokai that roam both the spirit realm as well as the night. Not believing his claim and rather angry at his sudden advance she storms off heading back toward the village. She begins to see more than she should as spirits appear out of the woodwork.

An oni appears in front of her ready to devour the poor unsuspecting human in which she ends up running back to the gate in order to avoid the giant monster. At first Ryou is not interested in saving the human girl but it is his fault that she has ended up in this situation. He saves her but not before she ends up accidentally running through the Torii Gate attempting to dodge an attack. The beast follows and Frisk ends up trapped in the spirit realm when the monster destroys the gateway. Kuro, Ryou’s older brother makes quick work of the beast.

The rest of the story revolves around Frisk trying to return home which requires a journey since a human does not belong in their realm and the gate to “leave” is on the opposite side of the realm. It is incredibly dangerous for someone like her to be there so she ends up in disguise with the help of Grillby and Ryou. Ryou is a kitsune so he is able to create the perfect disguise adding more magic to her soul to fool it into becoming a yokai temporarily. He is surprised to find she is the same kind as him, a kitsune.

Their journey takes them all the way across the spirit realm to find another gate and on the way they run into a colorful cast of characters. Some are helpful spirits. Others are man eating demons that are looking for a delicious human soul to devour. At first Frisk is content staying with the brothers but a human does not belong in their realm and that causes complications.

Yokai Lore/ Spirit Realm world:

The spirit realm is a dangerous place that few humans have ever set their eyes on. It the world between. A space that is home to various yokai. Humans cannot naturally see spirits as the modern setting has diminished the humans that still believe in them. They are not trapped but rather there is a hierarchy that is established. The more powerful the yokai the more they are able to interact with the human realm.

Hierarchy brief explanation (restrictions and interactions):

Servants of the gods- Yokai that can interact with the human world during the day or whenever they see fit. They are messengers for their respective deities. They are not known to be troublesome or mischievous.

Kitsune- A more rare type of yokai that can shift its appearance at will but mostly represented by that of a multi tailed fox. Some of them are servants of the gods but those who have no alignment can walk among the living during the day for a duration of time. When the night comes they can walk freely and interact with humans as they see fit. They are mostly known for luring humans away with kitsune ebi or fox fire.

“Boss” Yokai- Yokai gain their status by either specific species or their prestige. That can either be obtained by LV gain or doing favors for the gods. Some are hostile and some are passive it depends on the encounter. They can walk freely during the night without hindrance but unlike the two prior they cannot take form during the day.

“Lesser?” Yokai- Yokai that are relatively weak and unable to hold a physical form in the human realm. They can move objects and possibly possess humans but they have no ability to interact on a substantial level. They can be seen by some humans as little dancing and vanishing lights. They can rarely pass the barrier as is.

Lost souls- Lost spirits that wander between realms. They cannot interact with humans but can be seen from time to time. They are what the west consider the typical ghost.

Human Struggles Info {Plot}:

A human does not belong in their realm which also means that the world is also an enemy. The power of the soul plays a huge factor in this as weak souls are more susceptible to the world influence. There are three different outcomes that are possible for a human if they end up trapped in the spirit realm.

Dinner is served- A large number of yokai are known for their man eating tendencies finding human souls and flesh a kind of delicacy. Some are beasts that kill for pleasure but humans worst outcome is being eaten or killed.

You’re one of us now- A strong human soul slowly can be changed. The soul decides what kind of yokai that humans can become or will become. It is entirely possible that most of the yokai were once human but it is unknown. They are usually lesser yokai or spirits.

Lost soul- What the title implies. A soul unable to remember who they were. They wander for the rest of eternity searching for answers they will never receive. They are miserable creatures that pull others into their fate. Their depression is infectious and anyone already questioning themselves could easily find themselves among their ranks. They are not malicious only confused and desperate.

Symptoms of becoming a Lost Soul:

Confusion

Memory loss

Random emotional outburst/response

Physical weakness/fatigue

Relationship {Plot}:

Ryou and Frisk become close for a reason that they are both unsure about. They could be soul mates or his magic that is embedded in her soul begins to spread making her have feelings for him. Either way her love for him never wavers. A human can never fall in love with a yokai. It is not only forbidden but also very dangerous. *whoops* Their soul bond only grows stronger as their outward feelings increase. They spend the night together not understanding the consequences of that kind of action.

Unfortunately, Frisk begins to show symptoms that her soul is not powerful enough for this world and she begins to lose herself and forget. In desperation Ryou and Kuro make the decision to travel all the way to the end of realm to get her back to the human realm. When they get there she has a choice. She can stay and become a lost soul for the rest of eternity or leave and forget everything about them. Since Ryou and Frisk are soul bound she would feel a loneliness for the rest of her life unable to understand why. It is like losing a part of yourself. It hurts but she chooses the second option returning to the human world a little bit changed from before.

*Have any questions past this point be sure to drop them in my ask box! If you want to see more drop a comment and/or a reblog!

(spoilers ahhhhead)

Epilogue {Plot}:

Though Frisk has forgotten about her soul mate and her time spent in the spirit realm she still has these feelings. She finds herself spending more and more time peacefully sitting by the gate or in the forests surrounding her home. It is calming and peaceful for her. What is even more curious is her new condition. She finds out by some miraculous way (not really she just doesn’t remember) that she is pregnant. When she has her children she finds them as normal children for the longest time until they turn 10. They start seeing things that they shouldn’t including dancing among little fire like lights that she swears she has seen before. She could swear she sometimes sees little fox creatures dancing in the flames. A trick of the light...right?

Frisk doesn’t know but Ryou’s ability to walk in the human realm has him visiting his children and her even though she is unable to see him any longer. Sometimes she wakes up in the middle of the night feeling like someone is there. A kind of warmth that she leaves her feeling cold when it’s gone. Her two children begin to show physical signs of being yokai including little fox ears and tails which she does not seem to question. It feels right to her for some inexplicable reason. Her children eventually see their father through the gate one day and Frisk is hesitant to step through it (for obvious reasons). She follows her children only to leave the human world behind once more meeting a stranger that to her is not so strange. Her memory slowly returns his Ryou’s help and they live happily together with their kids. It turns out that giving birth to two yokai children strengthened her soul from before giving her the ability to stay and become a yokai herself. As before she becomes a kitsune.

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doppel-drop-distance · 3 years

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Doppel Spotlight: Giovanna

Surprise~!

I know, I know, about time, right? The hypothetical Soul Gem has broken, and the Doppel Spotlights are back from the dead! Er…temporarily, anyway. I can’t say for certain how many more of these I’m up to doing just yet. It’s a bit too early for me to make any big estimates or guarantees. But! This Doppel analysis has sat here unfinished for quite some time now! And you all have shown such lovely support that I couldn’t help but be excited looking at all this old material again. So as a gift to you all, let’s finally analyze the Doppel of our main protagonist, Iroha Tamaki!

This analysis will contain spoilers for all of Magia Record’s first arc! This does include anime-specific content, as I will be discussing certain scenes from Episodes 5 and 7! You have been warned!

Let’s dive in, shall we?

GIOVANNA

Doppel of Silence

Feature: Cuckoo

“The master of this emotion is aware of how pitiful her Doppel is and refuses to look at it. This Doppel wordlessly wraps around and strangles anything it doesn't want to hear as it continues its search for something to fill the hole in its heart. While it should be calling for someone, it is cowardly and afraid of acknowledging the reality it has concealed, and so it remains, silently covering its ears.”

It's been a while, so how about we start things off with a little refresher?

Both Giovanna and Campanella’s names are direct references to Night on the Galactic Railroad, a Japanese novel written by Kenji Miyazawa. In the story, a shy boy named Giovanni travels on a star-bound train with his close friend, Campanella. To keep things brief, I’ll leave most of the general plot details out. However, if you’d like a lengthier summary, I suggest reading the summary I provided in the previous Doppel Spotlight, which is linked here.

I should also mention I actually located an English-translated copy of Night on the Galactic Railroad! As a result, I can quote the story directly, although I cannot guarantee the accuracy of the translations or my own interpretations. Please keep that in mind as you read!

The opening scene of the novel establishes early on that Giovanni is a reserved, self-conscious boy. In class, he is certain he knows the answer to the teacher’s question. However, when called on, he doubts himself and stays silent, bringing upon the jeers of his classmates. Campanella, who also raised his hand for the question, willingly chooses not to answer, despite also knowing, in order to show some sympathy for the flustered Giovanni.

This opening scene is likely what is referenced in Giovanna’s nature as the Doppel of silence. Giovanni stays silent out of self-doubt, and as a result believes himself to be pathetic. Iroha also silences herself in her own way, being very passive, self-conscious, and reserved at the beginning of her story. And, true to that comparison, her Doppel’s reflections of insecurity make her feel pitiful, to the point where she refuses to look at it.

Giovanni’s character can also be representative of Iroha’s inner loneliness. With his mother sickly and his father out of the house, Giovanni is too occupied with taking jobs and caring for his family to have time to talk. More often, he is bullied by his peers. The only exception is with Campanella, who doesn’t bully him, and even sympathizes with him. As Giovanni and Campanella travel on the Galactic Railroad, Giovanni’s loneliness is at its clearest. Campanella begins talking to Kaoru, another passenger on the train, and Giovanni becomes morose with jealousy. See this quote here:

“Is there really nobody who will stick with me to the edges of the universe and beyond? Campanella just sits there jabbering away with that little girl, and it hurts me more than anybody knows.”

Iroha is also incredibly lonely, deep down. She lives on her own, with parents away on business trips. The anime implies she doesn’t have a lot of friends either, with her classmates talking behind her back instead. Worst of all, her sister, who she values more than anyone else, is completely absent, Iroha being the only one that remembers that she exists. Such relationships sound awfully lonely, don’t they? It’s only through her bond with Yachiyo and the rest of Mikazuki Villa that Iroha grows into her own, letting her optimism, warmth, and confidence shine through.

Giovanna’s connections to Giovanni tie her quite close to Campanella, Yachiyo’s Doppel. And, well, Yachiyo is certainly not the kind and sympathetic Campanella at first meet. Her first encounter with Iroha is cold, brutally honest, and fully intent on keeping Iroha out at any cost. We learn later on that this attitude is a wall Yachiyo puts up to protect people – that she believes the people that get close to her die, and that she still struggles with the guilt of her past. Yet, it is Iroha who shows sympathy to Yachiyo, breaking down that wall between them. For example, let’s take a look at Chapter Six. After a trip to the Memory Museum Uwasa, Yachiyo has been reminded of the death in her life and is reflexively closing herself off again to keep Iroha safe. Iroha once shriveled up in response to Yachiyo’s intimidating rejection, but now, as her friend, she isn’t having it. She says this:

“You saying there’s nothing you can do to help Tsuruno and the others… It makes me feel sad…Lonely…We fought together all this time…But more than that, I’m angry. I’m angry with you, Yachiyo...”

“I’m your friend, Yachiyo. And as your friend, I’m going to take out that Uwasa, all on my own! I’m going to be the one to protect you. I’ll smash this made-up idea you have of me sacrificing myself for you!”

Just as Giovanni interprets his journey with Campanella as a sign to stay diligent in life, Iroha’s friendship with Yachiyo allows her to steady her own resolve and fight adamantly. Their namesake connection is a sign of their bond, and their newfound devotion to fight together and protect each other.

To wrap up this Galactic Railroad talk, have you noticed that in many of the anime’s early episodes, Iroha is riding on a train? In fact, it is on a train that Iroha is whisked away to Zenobia’s Barrier in Kamihama, where she meets Yachiyo for the first time. Perhaps a stretch, but a fun little detail regardless.

Anyway, there’s far more to Giovanna than story connections! Giovanna’s silent nature reflects a lot of Iroha’s character struggles: mainly, her feelings of denial, and her inclination towards self-sacrifice.

“This Doppel wordlessly wraps around and strangles anything it doesn't want to hear as it continues its search for something to fill the hole in its heart. While it should be calling for someone, it is cowardly and afraid of acknowledging the reality it has concealed, and so it remains, silently covering its ears.”

When you think of someone “strangling anything it doesn’t want to hear”, concealing their own reality and being afraid of acknowledging it...well, that sounds a lot like someone who doesn’t want to accept the truth.

Iroha shows quite a bit of denial in her search for Ui. The odds are stacked against her for a lot of Arc 1. She finds little to no clues wherever she searches, and the Ui she encounters from the Uwasa of the Commoner’s Horse is only a fake. Iroha is certain that Touka and Nemu, Ui’s closest friends, will remember Ui. But, they do not, and only ridicule Iroha for her seemingly impossible set of memories. Throughout Chapter Ten she is belittled for sticking to her goals. She’s ensured on all fronts that Touka and Nemu aren’t believing her, and that there’s nothing she can do to change their minds. But, no matter how many times Iroha is told by the world that she’s believing in a lie, she never lets her belief go.

“I’m still going. No matter what you say. I’m bringing Ui back with me…She’s the whole reason I came back to Kamihama.”

This stubborn determination, when twisted by the corrupt perception of a Witch, is far more like paranoid desire: an aching, fearful need to find whatever is missing in her heart and get rid of whatever threatens it.

Following this, let’s talk about Giovanna’s feature: a cuckoo. Cuckoos are solitary birds, shy and secretive, and best known for their calls. Yet, Giovanna’s beak is tied up with cloth. She cannot call for anyone. Her journey to find Ui is painted as one of futility: Giovanna searches and searches for the one she’s longed for, but in the end, is too afraid to call out to her.

Here’s a fun detail, by the way:

In Episode 5, when Iroha summons her Doppel for the first time, Giovanna actually does not have bandages around her beak (which is why she’s able to let out that high-pitched shriek):

In future appearances, however, Giovanna does have the bandages around her beak.

Come to think of it, Giovanna looks rather... different in her first appearance, doesn’t she? Not only is her beak not bandaged, but her colors are a lot redder and more decayed, her cloak is worn and full of holes, and the crown around her head is gone. This may just be a stylistic choice for Iroha’s first Doppel, but I can’t help but wonder if it’s a sign for something else. Maybe that Giovanna is angry with the Commoner’s Horse Uwasa for projecting an illusion of Ui? Giovanna does fight a lot more aggressively here than in any other appearance, after all - she wraps the Uwasa up and drills into it with her beak. Meanwhile, in her second appearance, she only attacks an Uwasa with her bandages.

Giovanna’s unwillingness to call for others actually brings up an interesting facet of Iroha’s character: her sacrificial devotion. The reason that Iroha unleashes her Doppel in Episode 5 is because she neglects her own needs in favor of others. She believes that she must be strong on her own to find Ui, a thought reflected by her own Doppel’s words in Episode 7:

“Stronger…If you don’t become strong, you won’t be able to find anything! Cover your ears! Shut those eyes! Silence determines fate!”

When Iroha fails to find Ui within the Uwasa of the Commoner’s Horse, she is filled with despair. Ui was right before her eyes, proving the beliefs that even she may have begun to doubt. Yet, in that same instant she recognizes the Ui she sees is nothing but an illusion the Uwasa projected for her. So close, and yet so far. When Iroha begins to succumb to her despair, she even mentions that it might’ve been from the shock of not seeing Ui.

With all of these feelings, all of this disappointment and despair, who does Iroha use her only Grief Seed on? Yachiyo, of course. At this point in the story, Iroha wants to be friends with Yachiyo, but they are not seen as equals. She is not comfortable enough to open up to Yachiyo about her feelings, and neither is Yachiyo with her own. Yet, Iroha still sacrifices herself to keep Yachiyo from falling to despair. And by staying silent about her own woes, Iroha falls to her despair for the first time, summoning her Doppel.

Let’s keep this topic in mind and focus on something I haven’t addressed before: the Magia Archive artbook! There are some production notes in here that provide insights on the meaning and symbolism behind a Doppel. Unfortunately, I don’t know Japanese, but I did find a translation of Giovanna’s section, courtesy of @greenyvertekins. Here is a small piece from it that I would like to highlight:

“The motif is a bird flute and a saint with a rabbit-like appearance.”

The theme of a “saint” struck me as a little odd, at first. I wasn’t sure where I was supposed to get that idea from her design. But, it did lead me to a unique little find, which is probably a stretch, but maybe kind of cool anyway?

(credit to Silvermoon424 on Reddit for the scan!)

It’s a bit harder to see in the official art, but that crown circling Giovanna’s head – to me, it sort of looks like a crown of thorns. A crown of thorns is a very striking sign of self-sacrifice.

And sure, this is the stretchiest stretch that ever stretched, but those drop-like patterns on Giovanna’s body are red, and kind of look like drops of blood, right? Beads of blood that have also been associated with the crown of thorns, r-right? Right…?

Phew…I’ve been going on for a while, haven’t I? Is this…is this longer than the first one? I don’t even know anymore…Let’s silently wrap this up with one more, fun little stretch on my part.

Both cuckoos and bunnies, which are elements of Giovanna’s design, are symbolically representative of spring. Spring is cherry blossom season in Japan, and the Eternal Sakura Uwasa lives near a cherry blossom tree only said to bloom when Touka, Nemu, Ui and Iroha are united again. At the end of the event Cherry Blossom Dreams, the Eternal Sakura even remarks that “spring can finally begin” because they are all together. So, if you squint really hard, maaaaybe the springtime connections here are representative of Iroha, Touka, Nemu, and Ui’s union under the cherry blossom tree. But probably not. I’m just having some fun.

And, that’s it! That’s all I’ve got for Giovanna! Wow! That sure was something!

I hope you all enjoyed my silly little analysis! I know some of these connections are a bit loose, but I like drawing whatever parallels I can with what understanding I have, haha. It was great to write one of these again and share it with you all!

If you have any of your own thoughts, additions, or corrections, do send them along! I would love to hear other interpretations!

#magia record #doppel spotlight #iroha tamaki #giovanna

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heavenlyeros · 3 years

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All this recent lore seemingly pointing us to draw the connection between Umun’arath’s corruption and Saladin slowly falling to the darkness himself is driving me crazy. Is Xivu Arath whispering dark temptations to our favourite angry warmonger? We don’t know, but it sure seems like it. And then, of course, we have the emotional rollercoaster that Osiris has been going through. Naturally, I can’t help but look (respectfully) at these two arrogant and extremely competent men 👀 They have both spent a very long time with only themselves, and they are both acutely aware that they are good, so it’s no surprise they’ve built fortresses around themselves - and blinded themselves in the process, too. It’s been exciting and terrifying hearing these two grow to respect each other over the past few weeks, but while Crow sways Amanda to acceptance... I was not quite expecting Osiris to be swayed to Saladin’s views. He was always quite firmly in the middle, for what’s logical for the greater good if nothing else, and it makes sense, but it hurts. And that exchange where Osiris confirms his support were Saladin to split from the Vanguard and go against their wishes? Sign me the f up.

I wrote a thing about this, of course: my interpretation of what’s been going on in Osiris’ brilliant, idiotic bird brain. Warnings for angsty O14, Sagira, and general sadness. This is only how I see it (hint hint please come scream about lore with me whether you think the same or different), shaped in part by some amazing lore people in the community (check out r/destinylore and also tumblr user homosiris’ essay on Osiris if you haven’t because dayum, that’s some good shit that echoes my angsty feelings just right):

Picture this: you wake up one day from your forever-slumber with no memory of who you were before. The little drone who appears to have brought you back - your ghost - explains that the Traveller has gifted you with Light. You have infinite questions. You might not precisely remember the world you came from, but you know it has changed. Everywhere you go is a battle: the hive, the fallen, even your own kind - war lords versus iron lords. You find out that not many were given this gift. There is no other logical option, of course, but to keep fighting these battles to protect those who cannot. You don't understand, but every day answers a new question, and you have faith that the machine god in the sky must have chosen you for a reason. Years pass, outright wars, the weight of leadership. Your questions take different shape. Reason chips away at blind faith. You realise, one day, that the only gift your people have been given is the gift of war - that the Light's gift for you was to be a warrior. Endlessly. Your questions make others uncomfortable. Eventually you are exiled. Your student, your colleagues, your friends - they don't stick up for you. But you've been bearing the gift of dying to protect others forever. You must carry on. And despite all of your doubts and all of your anger, the Traveller's shackles, your ghost, your little light - she sticks by you. She never stops supporting you. She is your dearest friend. The two of you spend what feels like an eternity in the corridors of time. Not lost, but always searching. You make echoes, countless reflections of yourself, but for centuries upon centuries the only voices you ever hear are Sagira's, and your own. No one reaches out. They did not listen before, and they will not now. You carry on fighting in your isolation, forever seeking an answer to the most frightening of questions - how do you stop the end of everything you hold dear, the annihilation of your people? The few who paid some mind to your so called "prophecies" are little more than fanatics. It lends you little credibility. You are not only an exile, you are a pariah; you are alone and that extends beyond the simulated limitlessness of the infinite forest. You would not admit to it, but you are lonely, too. Time changes you. Confined within these confluxes, doubt takes roots, and you realise your mistakes. No one ever came to apologise to you. But more painfully than that - you have no one to apologise to. Would they give you the chance, if you were to return? Would they even be there at all? Or would everything you failed to prevent have crushed them into nothingness? You must fight on. Time also makes you powerful. You were always amongst the very best, but in the forest you hone your skills into the closest thing your kind has had to godhood. If nothing else, you have faith in yourself. If no one else, you will prevail. Something changes, one day. In the blink of an eye you are lost in the inevitability of the vex's machinations. You lose Sagira, too, for her own good, maybe for good. No matter; you must fight on, you must continue in your mission before the calamity has time to sink in. But another Guardian shows up. They carry the fight where you couldn't. They bring with them Ikora, too, and she seems willing to listen. She invites you to come back - come home. But what you did get back was your little light, and a million more timelines to explore, infinite new questions, and you know there will be no place for you in the City that threw you out. You have become invincible, and with that invincibility comes the wisdom of knowing where you cannot take another blow. You have spent eternity preventing untold histories repeating outside the realm of your control. You have grown skilled at not repeating history. Amongst the people who left you behind - whom you left behind, a little voice that might not always be Sagira's nags in the back of your mind - was the one that you loved most. You would never say, you would never risk it. So when you find out that he did not abandon you at all, but has come on a crusade to get you back -- you don't know what to feel. Joy. Horror. Love. Fear. Only, you don't know what you fear most. And suddenly it feels like your whole life's work has come to exactly this moment. It is now your turn to get him back. It strikes you, all at once, the suffocating loneliness you have endured. The tether to your sanity that was your clear purpose. It terrifies you, the hurt Saint has been subjected to. It terrifies you, too, the purpose that has kept him fighting. You don't know what to make of it. But in the end, you don't have to. You don't succeed. You wouldn't ever let your countless failings eat at you, but this failure is like a dagger through your chest. It is the Guardian, once again, who recovers Saint. Time is funny and cunning like that. You know where to find him. You know you would be welcome back, too, but time has made you see open arms as little more than a cage, a trap waiting to close in on your lungs and crush them. The guilt, most of all, cannot be reasoned with. Saint is good. Saint represents every ounce of Light you wouldn't believe in but cannot help still having faith in, even after all this time. Saint would not see in you the hate that you do. You cannot put him through that. Saint deserves the world, and even in your egotistical confidence you know that you are not it. So you must fight on. For the world that Saint deserves. Sagira, of course, is as always by your side. You don't know how it happens. One moment you are a fury of light in its every shape, and the next you are alone. Truly alone. You had accepted time has finally come for you. You were ready to die. Not... not this. But you must carry on fighting. You have nothing else left. It is once again the Guardian who saves you - this time because you asked. Not to save yourself, but to avenge her. Days and weeks and months pass and all you can do is drown in the fight. You must do it for those you love, so you do not lose any more, even if they will not have you back. The fight takes a different form now, but it is still a fight. You are confined to the City. The place that exiled you, now become prison. All because you dared ask the questions that terrified them! And you paid dearly for it. You are heartbroken and tired and underneath it all you are angry - an anger that bubbles pleasantly to overtake all of the pain. You must not give in to it. You are invincible. This, too, time will heal. So you tell yourself you fight because of love. Your love for the people, your love for this prison-City, your love for Saint. You catch glimpses of people looking at you with pity and it fills you with rage. You cannot escape this anger. It keeps you fighting because you are so, so exhausted, and there is no place for you to rest your head. You have made your loneliness into a way of life. You do not need their pity. You will prevail, as you always have. Sagira might be gone, but you will learn to carry on. You always have, you will prevail. You will fight for those who are hurt - you will not fight just to hurt those who hurt you. That is how it's meant to be. And you are always right. You are the Vanguard Commander's advisor now. It feels like a mockery - the mighty phoenix, now little more than a flightless canary in a gilded cage. You remind yourself these people care about you. That after all this time, and after all of your perceived wrongs, they have taken you back. You remind yourself it is them you fight for, any way you can. It is a slow road back up now that you cannot fly, but you will make it out. You will come out soaring. Victorious. You know it is true; you are always right. You work alongside Lord Saladin. He carries the same exhaustion you are all too familiar with less gracefully than you do. You see him be consumed by countless traumas, you see him for what he is - a shellshocked veteran flailing in resemblance of fight, clinging desperately to a place he used to have in a world that has moved on. He doesn't sleep, doesn't care for himself, his living quarters are a mess. You almost pity him, but you have to stop yourself to laugh at just how similar you are. Saladin is past forgiving. Saladin is past compromise. He has let the hate consume him, make him blind - but in his anger you see him come alive with a fire you know you shall never again harness. Perhaps Saladin is right. Perhaps you were wrong. Perhaps the only way to not give up is to give in.

#destiny the game #season of the chosen #destiny 2 #lord saladin #osiris #destiny osiris #destiny #i have a lot of feelings and all of them hurt #if there is an ounce of potential for angst and pain in something you bet i will latch onto it like the hungriest monke #these two angry assholes? yes #i could have had something wholesome but no #give me the idiots #someone needs to slap some sense into them #at first i hoped osiris would slap some sense into saladin #and honestly? he is well known for playing the long game #he might not be the wisest but he is smart and a good strategist #so maybe this is all just a ploy for osiris to do exactly that #osiris has a voice line i think in presage about saint saying hello #he is not an island #he has a support group #i just really don't think he's actually accepted that whatsoever #maybe he will #or maybe he'll fuck up again he's good at that #tell a man you don't agree with him once and he will go fight literal god all by himself #anyway yes #p a i n o c l o c k

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helena-thessaloniki · 3 years

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Hi Helena! Big fan of your writing here🥺♥️ Your rivamika fics are my safe space 😭 (if you have time to answer) i’d love to know when you first started shipping them, why, and what made you continue to love this ship (or anything else to do with your journey as an RM shipper)? i love your characterisation of both levi and mikasa individually, but even more so, your portrayal of their dynamic as a couple, which is why i wanted to ask so badly ☺️ x

Hey anon! Oh woah, first of all, thank you so much. Second of all, oh god, you probably shouldn't have handed me the mic. heh 😅

I’m afraid to look at the word count of this response, I’m sure it’s much more than you bargained for, but I appreciate the question and enjoyed thinking through my response (: Most importantly, I’m so glad you find my stories as a safe space. It’s really an honor. Thank you for sharing with me 🖤🖤

TL; DR As a longtime reader, writer and lover of stories and story-telling, by being someone who pays attention to how stories are crafted and deliberately developed from beginning to end, I sincerely thought Isayama was setting up rivamika as an endgame relationship. So, I read into and interpreted meaning out of ALL their interactions and became deeply invested.

I don’t necessarily ship them cause of the parallels, age gap, enemies to lover trope, height difference, or some of those common reasons and/or kinks. I’m more basic and boring than that. I love the concept of them coming together as though it’s inevitable.

They both are unbelievably strong, selfless, and have suffered so much loss— so, no one else could truly understand them as well as they can understand each other. They both probably would have always settled for a stable, simple life, and been alone and lonely even without realizing it— instead, they find each other, and realize what it means to actually no longer be alone, to do more than just survive. It’s this understated bond, as opposed to a dramatic and passionate romance, that I envision in them and that I love so much.

Then, the passion, heat, the romantic "spark"— I think that’s an added bonus, the cherry on top, the perfect final puzzle piece. They’re both so physically capable, can speak through their actions, and don’t show much need or capacity for emotional/ verbal communication, so the ability to connect with each other through physical intimacy and mind-blowing sex seems like another given.

Still, at the end of the day, for me it comes back to their ability to fully depend on each other, to the inevitability. Not like some soulmate trope where they 'have no choice' in it, but like the stars aligned to prove it's right. How each of them have only one other person on the whole planet who could see and understand them, to be on par with them, to make them realize there’s more to life than settling and surviving, and they happen to find it in each other.

You asked, I rambled 😅 Here’s a breakdown of my thought process in my rivamika journey. For those who make it to the end or want to skip to the end, I'll finish with the excerpt of the very first rivamika scene I felt compelled to to write.

I've tried before to re-watch and remember the exact scenes, exact moments, that initially captured my full attention, but I guess it was all of them, the gradual and cumulative compilation of their earliest interactions.

Mikasa always appearing cool and indifferent, and paying no attention whatsoever to others fawning over, like Jean initially falling for her, but then her strongly reacting over Levi in the courtroom showed how uniquely capable he was at getting under her skin.

Of course, the scene in the forest chasing the Female Titan was a critical one. I think of that as the first time both Levi and Mikasa were truly able to see the other's strength, mental and physical. And for them, orphans and trauma survivors who have suffered extensive loss, I think that seeing strength in another person made them feel less alone. Less alone in a deep, quiet but cataclysm, life-altering sort of way, even if not a romantic one. Like they didn't know it was something they didn't have, something they didn't expect to get from life, but then found it with each other.

(Even when we found out Levi was an Ackerman, I was disappointed if it meant they were immediate relatives, but willing to accept it wouldn't be a romantic end to loneliness, it would be a familial end to loneliness. But... the author never explored that. Not once.)

In that forest scene, manga and anime, the way that Levi pauses to really look and see Mikasa and think about who she is, what she’s gone through, and how strong and dedicated she is now— that was a defining moment. It was also a visual demonstration of Levi breaking character, from aloof and ruthless, to considering and curious. I thought Yams was showing both of them do that on purpose.

Then, Levi getting hurt because of Mikasa in that scene felt like another clue. Sure, it was while saving Eren, and sure, it could have been meant to humanize super-soldier Levi, or sure, it could have been another aspect of how Mikasa rushing into things over Eren ends up hurting other people that later changes in her character development, but it felt like a very pointed statement about Mikasa being a vulnerability for Levi. And that's swoon-worthy, right? Most of us have been exposed to and conditioned by stories about how special and romantic it is to be the one and only girl who can make an otherwise disinterested or unattainable guy actually pay attention to her, and so admittedly I fall right for it.

I’m sure I’m forgetting plenty, but the opening of season 3 felt like confirmation. When Levi figures out Kenny's behind things and entrusts Mikasa with instructions to share with the others, instructions about fighting people instead of titans that ultimately everyone else besides her struggles with, and when Mikasa lets Levi hold her back from chasing after Eren, her most important way of trusting and having faith in Levi, I honestly took that as cues from the author that rivamika was endgame. I let myself get truly invested from then on. That’s that understated bond I was referring to. To me, that unspoken but undeniable trust is the most important dynamic.

Seeing them fight together or fight similarly has always been fun and powerful and fulfilling.

I'm newer to the snk club. I was originally an anime-only fan and started watching in fall 2019, I think. I wasn't on tumblr, twitter, or anything else to see fandom discourse. So, I didn't know that the rooftop scene of Mikasa fighting Levi over the serum was such a staple for our ship until much later. I love the scene just like many do for all the reasons we do, but I don't think the actual scene was pivotal for me, so much as it's aftermath. I thought it represented two things.

One, it was an important marker in Levi's characterization. Hands-down one of the most striking scenes to me is the one where Levi is in the alley, somber and alone, listening in on Eren, Armin, and Mikasa talking together. It artfully shows his longing for hope and connection. So, when Levi chose Armin for the serum, that represented Levi choosing hope. And when Mikasa ultimately gave up fighting Levi and didn't choose Armin, which Armin finds out about later on, I see that as an important marker in Mikasa's development. It puts a wedge between her and Armin/Eren [Armin, because he knows she would have let him die, and Eren, because Armin is too special to him and he couldn't look at her the same way after realizing she would have let him die]. That distance between her and her childhood friends is one I don't think could ever be healed completely, one of those painful lessons in growing up. By doing that, it then also puts a distance in Mikasa's own childhood self to her current self. I thought that matured her and separated her out in a way that was another clue toward eventual rivamika developments.

That's a whole other conversation on Mikasa, but I’ll stay on track. Her love for Armin was absolutely authentic and fierce, but at the end of the day, at the core of her being, she chose survival over hope. Meanwhile, Levi chose hope over survival. To me, that was soft, fertile ground for the reasons why eventually, if/when Mikasa found hope and chose hope, that could directly tie together with her inevitably in coming together with Levi. Again, less butterflies and fireworks, but more natural and in a way that was just a given.

I wrote Beyond the Walls before reading the manga from the Marley Arc and on, so that's why most of that story is her journey into embracing that hope. *manga spoilers* There's a lot of meta, criticism and talk about Mikasa's silent, off-screen and subtle style of character development in the Marley Arc and afterward. I won't go down that road, I'm still processing the end of the manga to be honest, but I think it's fair to say she does eventually end up choosing hope over survival when she lets go of Eren and saves humanity instead. I love the “Stay with Me” line and think it’s perfect; a simple but profound display of trust and their deep-rooted bond in a really understated way. *end manga spoilers*

Here's something I always wanted to talk about in full but haven't. It honestly reads to me like Yams was building toward rivamika, and didn’t do anything to stop that until too late. There are tools authors can use to ensure we stop shipping a pair or start shipping a new one; love triangles are commonly used in every artistic medium and we’ve all been persuaded by these tools. But Yams didn’t use these tools to make sure readers didn’t feel convinced by rivamika. For all the reasons I listed above, more I'm forgetting, and for the following:

If he wanted us to think they were family and it would be incest, he should have added in a conversation between them realizing they were (close) family and that they weren't the only ones left in their biological family like they thought. But he didn't.

If he wanted us to think it was completely inappropriate between a child-and-adult and student-and-teacher, then he could have done something to ensure Mikasa looked childish or Levi looked older, but no. They barely look ten years apart. I do think it's unacceptable and that there's a power imbalance between a child-and-adult relationship regardless of that, and that there can't be true consent when one is a superior and another a subordinate, so I personally age-up Mikasa in my head and try to handle his position of power responsibly in my writings... but the point being, by the end of canon, there's no inappropriate or non-consensual romance between them, yet there's a lot of history and chemistry that could naturally lead to an age-appropriate and consensual relationship. If Yams didn't want us to think so, he could have made it more clear that there were reasons it wouldn't happen.

The only thing that makes sense to me is the author planned on rivamika endgame but was shamed/pressured out of it (either internally or due to others) OR that the author somehow accidentally created such vibrant chemistry and an incredible dynamic between them. Like, he didn't put enough convincing substance of eremika in, didn't make Levi look old enough, didn’t have one of them do something unforgivable in the other’s eyes, etc. Those are some of those tools he could have used. Romance was never a key component in snk. And since we now know Yams planned or needed eremika endgame for sake of plot and the conclusion of the manga, I personally think he didn't know what to do with the riveting rivamika substance and chemistry being much more convincing to readers. Once he had them so well built-up, maybe the only option he felt he had was to just stop putting the characters together. We get little-to-no rivamika interaction, platonic or practical, after season 3 all the way up until the very end. But there was so much of it beforehand ?? So, it simply doesn't make sense. I think the author just straight-up cut any and all interactions out between them because it was too convincing and moving, more convincing and substantial than eremika. But, as the end of canon shows, we needed to have some eremika buy-in. It's messy writing and unskilled in the romance department, but considering for how long and how complicated snk has been in a creative process and how lackluster the eremika romance (the main and apparently pivotal romance) is developed, I think it’s plausible to say the author effed up.

As far as writing fanfiction goes, there's just so much room to explore them. In canon, we aren't given enough insight into their individual perspectives, let alone their dynamic together, so it feels like a blank canvas to work from. I think that's part of why I love to write them, and also why I don't necessarily read much of them. When I first started shipping them while watching the anime, I read a few of the classics that were canon-verse, but I haven’t really read much since. For me, exploring and discovering them as a writer is the most fun. (It's one of the reasons Naruto and Harry Potter have such large fanfiction collections. There's so much world-building and so many characters, but there's also so much left to the imagination.)

In general, I'm drawn to strong characters, especially women, who are multidimensional enough to be real, vulnerable and soft. Mikasa is the pinnacle of that. I don’t necessarily like to write about her love or infatuation with Eren, but I do respect and admire and consider it integral to her character and her amazing capacity to love. We can have strong, kickass women who falter when it comes to love but are still considered strong for it. The two don’t have to be mutually exclusive and Mikasa is a beautiful example of that.

And Levi is strong, but real and vulnerable too; he’s honestly a fantastically developed character, from Petra explaining to Eren in the beginning how he’s not the amazing hero he’s painted to be to the public, to how Levi genuinely cares for Erwin and others and chooses hope despite all he’s suffered.

The end of the manga wrecked me a bit. Kind of like Games of Thrones. You have something that was so epic and well-done for so long, a rushed ending that isn't immediately sensical and isn't fulfilling is hard to stomach. Eventually, I'll move on from the denial of that and process what I think and feel about it. The whole reason we have fanfiction is to expand on canon, but it's made me put rivamika on the back burner until I figure it out. So I'm a little less hyper-fixated on the pairing right now even though interacting with you all and asks like this remind me what brought me here in the first place. 😊

To conclude, I’ll share that the very first rivamika content I wrote was a compilation of moments I thought could be inserted into season 3. These are still moments I plan to edit and publish one day. For anyone that actually read this far, I’ll put a rough and unedited excerpt of the first scene I ever wrote about them.

Thank you again anon 🖤😊

BEGIN EXCERPT [after the rooftop fight for the serum, immediately following the ceremony where Eren touched Historia by kissing her hand]:

Part of her was embarrassed at such a flagrant act of disobedience to a superior, especially to one who saved her and countless others' lives in the past. But mostly, she was anguished by the situation Captain Levi put her in once he revoked the serum meant to save Armin and planned to use it on Commander Erwin instead. Her current ostracization and self-loathing was not entirely her own fault. Anger she felt toward herself was just as easy to wield against him.

It must have shown in the grit of her teeth or defiant tone, because he turned to look at her, more aloof than curious.

Like a flint struck to steel, it ignited the fury she felt toward him.

“I shouldn’t have hesitated. I should have just killed you,” she answered him at last, piercing him with eyes darker than the night.

He wasn’t concerned. “You’re good, but not that good.”

Her hands fell to her side, fists clenched as she stood with a single, fluid movement. Before she could let loose a threat, he sighed.

“What’s the problem, Ackerman?” He was dismissive, his shoulders relaxed and posture loose.

The fire too furious to contain, she went sailing for him with the same speed from the battlefield. Her fingers already curled, she tightened her grasp as she swung her fist into his gods-damned apathetic face.

Levi wasn’t unprepared. He easily side-stepped her, then snatched her wrist to steal her momentum. Though he tried to toss her aside, she was no less fast; Mikasa dug her heel in and spun, her other arm shoving hard into his chest.

Too graceful to stumble, Levi used the chance to hook her second arm too. He caged both her wrists in a grip so strong, she was sure it bruised her bones. Still, he only looked at her warily, almost bored.

“Shouldn’t you be grateful? I chose Armin.” If his reminder was meant to ease her anger, it had the opposite effect.

Fury and desperation gifted her additional strength. She shoved into his chest hard. Levi shifted backward, nearly forced into loosening his grip; within that split second of an opening, Mikasa slammed her elbow into his chin, rocking his head backward.

“You did,” she seethed, but as fast as the fire inside her exploded, it was doused. Her next words came out broken and damp. “But I didn’t.”

Levi remained stern and otherwise unmoving as he attempted to flex his jaw through the spasm of pain. As the momentum of the fight died down, he loosened his hold on her wrists and evaluated her distraught frame.

Mikasa immediately released her own hands and turned away from him, eyes stinging from tears she refused to shed as she focused on the stars ahead. Admitting the harsh words aloud hurt her far more than any injury she could inflict onto him.

Not only was Armin one of the only friends she had, but he’d been a steadfast one throughout almost all she could remember of her life. After the trauma of her childhood, it was Eren and Armin who embraced her, whom she learned to love. Now, though, there was a wedge between her and Armin she was not sure could ever be removed. What was worse, as deplorable and selfish as she knew it proved her to be, was the painful wedge it now put between her and Eren too.

Once again, she found Levi standing at the peripheral of her sight, close enough to see but far enough to be a blur at the edge of her watery vision.

“You almost killed me.” Levi repeated his earlier words, but he said them with an odd bite, torn between frustration and patience. “You would have killed me to save him.”

Too late, Mikasa realized he hadn’t meant these words as an accusation, but an odd form of validation. She bit her bottom lip, teeth puncturing too hard; the tang of metal was sharp on her tongue when she swallowed blood.

“You thought about letting your closest friend die,” Levi said quietly, tiredly. “But I did let mine die. I left him for dead, when I could have saved him.”

Mikasa was startled from her selfish reverie, for the first time acknowledging the sacrifice he made on that fateful afternoon. She’d been too absorbed in her own relief, and then, her own regrets to consider what the decision had done to him.

For a brief moment, she considered turning to face him, but the stark reality of the matter made her refrain. How could she feel pity for his loss, when his loss enabled her gain? An uncomfortable knot tightened in her stomach.

“Tch,” Levi sighed. He was only one notch less taciturn, but for him, that was soft. “You’ll live with your guilt, and I’ll live with mine.”

His words granted Mikasa’s tears the permission to spill. She buried her face further into her scarf, both hands trembling at the worn threads. As quietly as he arrived onto the roof, Levi disappeared from it.

It was rare for him to indulge in alcohol or celebrations, but Erwin’s absence felt more tangible than his presence ever did. Levi distracted himself with the chaos of the few remaining Scouts that Erwin had died entrusting his legacy to, and attempted to drown the pain with whatever drink Connie Springer shoved into his hands.

He found Hanji with their ale long-forgotten about on the table as they half-stood from their seat, frantic while explaining some morbid experiment in great, vivid detail to an unsuspecting and slightly horrified MP officer.

Though Levi wordlessly took the seat beside them, Hanji paused their rant to slap him hard on the back, an enthusiastic greeting flying from their drunken lips. The MP took this chance to excuse himself, a pathetic attempt at politeness, but Hanji either didn’t care or didn’t notice.

“Ah, Levi,” they smiled at his drink, though it didn’t entirely reach their one eye. “Where you been?”

Levi didn’t answer. “You know, shitty-glasses, you’re even more unbearable about your experiments when you’re drunk.”

Hanji waved dismissively and reached for their ale. Years spent in battle and command together had gifted both of them with an eased familiarity, and sometimes, genuine friendship. In the same manner he ignored their question, Hanji ignored his lack of response and went on with their original inquiry.

“Careful, Captain,” Hanji warned lightly. “Now that there’s far fewer Scouts, you having a favorite might cause some division.”

Even though Hanji meant the words, there was a glint of mischief that twinkled in their remaining eye.

“It’s not favoritism,” Levi countered bluntly, turning his vision toward the young man on the far side of the room. “Eren is simply the best chance that we have in this war.”

Hanji laughed as if he’d made a joke and Levi looked back to stare at them, unable to be surprised at their quirks or oddities any longer, but still a touch curious about what spurned this current demonstration.

“I wasn’t talking about Eren,” Hanji said at last, a pointed nod toward his injured chin.

Levi blinked. He didn’t realize he was nursing his injury with the hand not on his drink. As though it were too hot to touch, Levi dropped his hand.

Hanji was not judgmental, nor inquisitive. In a war-torn life of losing too many cadets entrusted to him, the fact that Levi found a soldier with the strength and skill to remain safe was not only rare, but worth special attention. Still, it made him too lenient.

“Sometimes I think you’d let her get away with murder,” Hanji chided halfheartedly.

When he thought of Erwin dead in his grasp, sometimes he wasn’t sure if he already had.

#my asks #my thoughts #rivamika #rivamika fanfic #lena writes

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deadreamersociety · 3 years

Text

todd’s natal chart

(not my gif!)

sun - scorpio

the sun represents a person’s ego and identity.

scorpios are known for being naturally guarded and closed off, as todd so clearly is. he is quite content in his loneliness when he first starts at welton academy, as he knows that making friends must include vulnerability. he doesn’t begin to open up to neil and the rest of them until he’s sure he can trust them. his stubborn reluctancy to make friends may also be a form of protest. he is determined to convince his parents to pay attention to his loneliness - this may be a cry for help. todd’s scorpio stubbornness can also be seen when neil is trying to convince him to be more passionate about the dead poets society - if a scorpio doesn’t want to do something they won’t.

moon - taurus

the moon represents a person’s emotions and how they react to them.

taurus moons are very often introverts or homebodies, much preferring to find comfort and safety in a stable environment rather than adventure. throughout most of the movie todd is quite underdeveloped - he is overly cautious and afraid of unpredictable events. todd is afraid of breaking societal rules (‘but that’s not how it works’), which is why he’s so attracted to neil. neil and him are on similar pages with how they feel about constricting institutions like welton, and neil gently holds todd’s hand through new things, which is exactly what he needs. neil provides a comforting presence for todd, and this is a main reason that they become so close. at the end todd breaks through this fear, and shows how strong willed he is - another signature lunar taurean trait. he is also consistently reliable and loyal. he takes the fact that he finds comfort in a warm, calm environment and expels this so that others can always find comfort in him.

ascendent - taurus

your ascendant sign represents how people see you, your outward appearance, aesthetic etc.

taurus risings may tend to take things slowly, preferring to watch life from the bleachers instead of getting involved. this, of course, is only increased by todd’s taurus moon. it’s plausible that the reason he’s so reluctant to get involved with the dead poets society at first is because he’s too worried about what people may think of him. he spends a lot of energy on stressing about how he’s perceived, though he has no reason to. his taurus rising means that his presence is captivating - he radiates stability which is part of the reason neil is so drawn to him, as that’s what neil was lacking. i can see todd as a collector of some sort - possibly coins, as it is something constant and predictable in his life that he can control.

mercury - virgo

mercury reflects a person’s communication and how they process information.

people with mercury in virgo tend not to be flashy in communication, instead preferring to keep a simple, predictable rhythm to conversations. todd doesn’t like things he cannot predict, which is why he was so caught off guard by neil’s ‘no’. this placement and his scorpio sun tend to make him paranoid, so he isn’t expecting someone to be so kind to him. it’s probable that he gets overwhelmed by a lot of questions - he may feel interrogated, and could become angry, trying to end the conversation with blunt answers. todd, as common for mercury virgo placements, finds communicating effectively very difficult. what he means and what he says are often two different things, as he struggles to put his thoughts into words. when it comes to studying, todd clearly prefers to sit in his dorm alone instead of in a loud room with other students, as he needs an orderly environment for him to process information properly.

venus - cancer

venus reflects how a person loves and what their relationships may look like.

cancer in venus placements are very sensitive when it comes to love. they prefer calm, private relationships over ones filled with unnecessary drama and attention. these placements like to provide stability and comfort for their loved ones, paying attention to their lover’s emotions rather than their words. it may take todd a longer time than others to truly fall for someone as he is very sentimental and doesn’t like impersonality. he is protective, but may display this in an unconventional way. an example that springs to mind is when todd is trying to convince neil not to impersonate his dad in the permission slip. he knew neil would get in trouble if he was found out, and is trying to protect him from that. todd’s cancer venus would make him an amazingly empathetic boyfriend, but he has a fear of being hurt or abandoned, which can make him reluctant to commit. because of this fear, he may be slightly possessive or jealous.

mars - sagittarius

mars represents a person’s bravery and aggression.

people with mars in sagittarius are known to run when they get angry. they need space and time for themselves so they don’t get too aggressive. when arguing they tend to pick up a moralistic stance that often annoys people. these natives can seem blunt at times, but todd’s taurus moon may override this slightly. instead, he can come across as difficult to understand - he is a puzzle that people (especially neil) may want to solve. todd enjoys friendly debates, but will prefer to observe than participate most of the time because of his aversion to conflict.

jupiter - libra

jupiter represents a person’s luck, growth and wisdom.

todd’s jupiter is in libra. he is fair-minded and treats others with equality - he knows what it’s like to be excluded and bullied, and doesn’t want others feeling this way. because he values social relationships so much, he can be a bit of a people pleaser. libra jupiter’s are naturally compromising to a certain extent, but todd is afraid of judgement and conflict - he just wants to be liked, even if that occurs at his expense. art of any form is a symbol of luck for these placements, and in todd’s case, this applies to writing (specifically poetry). his relationship with others begins to improve after mr keating makes him stand in front of the entire class and create poetry on the spot. the poets (aside from neil, obviously), only began paying real attention to him then, after being stunned by his talent. that is when he begins to be treated as an equal.

saturn - capricorn

saturn rules communication and discipline.

people with this placement tend to be ambitious, but may have a difficult time accepting it. they tend to be responsible, but because of todd’s other placements, he may have a love/hate relationship with this side of him. throughout the film we can see that he wants to join neil and the other poets in rebelling, but knows that his actions would likely result in negative consequences, so stops himself. for example, when he is invited to join the dead poets society - clearly he likes the idea, but knows it goes against welton rules. todd fears losing control, and this fear holds him back. in order to make more of his life, he should learn to take more risks.

taglist:

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#dead poets society #dead poets #dps #dps fandom #dps boys #astrology #todd anderson #natal chart

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eleanore-delphinium · 3 years

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Meet Me Halfway

Genshin Impact: Jealuc Aristocrats AU

Next: CHAPTER 2

Chapter 1: It Was Good To Meet You

The Gunnhildr family is an aristocratic family that was believed to have existed even before the founding of Old Mondstadt. They had a long history of individuals who had greatly contributed to Mondstadt, and for that alone they were highly renowned.

Their contributions ranged from being a nameless and faceless person behind a curtain, to a scholar, to a knight, to an alchemist to even the smallest things as having a maid do something seemingly so menial and yet pivotal. The bottom-line is, one way or another, any contribution for Mondstadt was always tied down to the Gunnhildr name.

May that be pure luck or not, no one would know.

The Gunnhildr family, simply put, is special to the people. They represented hope and good fortune. There is even a saying amongst the people: Behind every event, a Gunnhildr will surely be present.

And thus, every Gunnhildr is regarded with the greatest respect and are seen as the most desired partners. After all, who could not resist such prestige however, it came with the price of being ready to serve Mondstadt.

Jean Gunnhildr was no exception, however, she had some kind of leniency when compared to her ancestors, as she was born in a time of peace, in the sense that there was no war. There were your occasional monsters sure, but it was a time of relative calmness. And so, it was deemed unnecessary for her to learn anything physical—in other words, her combat training was very limited. She did not have any formal physical combat training at all.

As a Gunnhildr, one’s contribution was not limited to being a knight or anything of the sorts. She contributed potential intelligence, but particularly beauty and wealth at this point in time. And she found it rather odd that she could only contribute such things, when her mother herself was a knight. But Frederica Gunnhildr had justified how she raised her children, claimed it was for her daughters' own good, and Jean trusted her mother’s better judgement. Thus, Jean and Barbara, Jean’s sister, were known to be the best women to marry in Mondstadt.

The sisters set the standard of a woman of Mondstadt and was the epitome of grace, beauty and intellect, the embodiment of a noble lady.

“Oh look, it is Lady Jean Gunnhildr.” An aristocrat whispered to her female companion as they stared at a blonde woman who was politely chatting and laughing with other aristocrats.

Diluc Ragnvindr’s red eyes couldn’t help but follow the two women’s gaze. And somehow, the moment his eyes laid on the blonde woman, her grey eyes met his. She smiled politely at him and a woman beside Jean noticed her gaze. She whispered something into Jean’s ear, and the blonde woman’s smile faltered for a moment, but she quickly put on a soft smile as she nodded towards Diluc and continued chatting with the man beside her.

The two women who had been talking about Jean, followed Jean’s gaze and were surprised to see Diluc.

“Greetings, Sir Ragnvindr.” The brunette said as he nodded and they excused themselves. Before they were out of his ear-shot he heard them whisper: “Pity, had Lady Jean received her vision at a younger age, perhaps she would not be a catalyst user.”

“Perhaps it is because she is a Gunnhildr that she is a catalyst user. After all, their choice of weapon has never hindered the Gunnhildr from assisting the people. Their mind alone is a weapon.” The other replied and Diluc could not help but agree. The Gunnhildr were just that kind of people, they could even just offer songs and prayers and the people would see them as saints.

Diluc Ragnvindr was quite the opposite of the Gunnhildr family.

The Ragnvindr family name could be traced back as far as the Gunnhildr name, and is also a noble family. It was just that in the past two centuries the Ragnvindr name was a stain in the aristocratic landscape. That was because at that time, the Ragnvindr’s wine business boomed, and they became a well renowned wine tycoon, and since this development, the Ragnvindr family would rather choose their wine business over stuck-up aristocrats and their rules, even though they were aristocrats themselves. And thus, the rift between the Ragnvindr and the aristocrats was formed.

The Ragnvindr were still respected, it was just that they could not be contained as the noblemen would say. They did what they pleased and with no remorse, is how the mass sees his family, thus scandals after scandals would follow a Ragnvindr. Even though it was something not worth mentioning, the aristocracy just seemed to make an issue about anything, because it was a Ragnvindr. Diluc was no exception to this.

In fact, the scandal that seemed to follow him around, is that he has many women, and particularly enjoyed deflowering the innocent. Whether it is true or not, the man did not care to clarify.

Diluc stood in a corner with a glass of wine in his hand, just observing the current ball for the aristocracy. This time around no one seems to be sucking up on the young heir of Ragnvindr. Perhaps it was because of the rumor of his latest conquest the night prior. Whether that be the case or not, the loneliness was beneficial to him, but it appears that he kept hearing of Lady Jean Gunnhildr.

He quietly nursed his wine as he pretended to be focused on the dance floor.

“Lady Jean is a little too old to be a marriage candidate, but I suppose she would do.” Diluc heard a man near a pillar talk.

“Well, it wouldn’t matter if she was thirty—she is a Gunnhildr, anyone would marry her.” Another had said. Hearing this, made Diluc think that the woman they spoke of is rather unfortunate. Had she been born a Ragnvindr, she probably would not be chalked up as nothing but her family name. But who was he kidding, even his own name was scorned by the people. At least, had she been born a Ragnvindr, the notoriety the name brought would buy her freedom.

“Well, I personally would prefer Lady Barbara.” A third person quipped in, and Diluc raised a brow. Diluc wasn’t really into gossip or the aristocrats but it appeared that the Gunnhildr sisters were a common topic as of late. “Lady Jean is just twenty-two, but there is something about Lady Barbara that just makes a man go mad.” The same man added, and Diluc was disgusted at the subtle tone he was using to talk about a woman who had just turned eighteen.

“God, I hope Sir Ragnvindr will not lay his hands on Lady Barbara.” The second man had very cautiously and quietly added and because of this Diluc almost could not hear him from where he stood almost five meters away.

“Did you hear of the latest—” Diluc felt someone’s eyes on him and with a sly smile, he turned his head to the three men talking from afar. His red eyes met with one of the men and all three smiled politely at Diluc as they pretended to be minding their own business.

“That was a close call.” The third one cleared his throat. Little did they know that Diluc had been listening in on them this whole time.

“It is odd though, that Lady Jean has not married yet, and there seems to be no talk of her possibly getting engaged.” The first one continued on. After a while, his eyes locked on the blonde dancing with a black-haired man.

“Well, as much as everyone would love to marry into the Gunnhildr family—because she is a Gunnhildr, finding a suitable marriage candidate must be difficult.” The first said and all three sighed.

“Well, there is someone who is eligible.” The three men gave a quick glance in Diluc’s direction, who was rather amused that he was still in the pool of possibility.

“If there is anyone who would qualify, it would be him.” The second man said. “Even with all his scandals, the fact that he has a lot of money is reason enough.”

And for a moment Diluc Ragnvindr sincerely thought of the man’s words. Diluc could not comprehend what the Gunnhildr would need his wealth for, they were already wealthy enough.

“His wealth alone could secure the Gunnhildr wealth for centuries.” The second man added and Diluc couldn’t help but mentally nod with that observation. The Gunnhildr are wealthy it is a fact, but with his added finances their sustainability would be doubled—no perhaps tripled. It is rather ideal.

“But he would get nothing from it.” Those words alone echoed in Diluc’s head in his own voice too. And hearing someone else say it aloud was a perfect reflection of his own thoughts.

Diluc laid his eyes on the blonde woman named Jean, whose smile faltered for a second with her dance partner, but he caught her silver eyes looking somewhere else for a second too long before they returned to her partner. At first, he thought nothing of it, but soon her eyes travelled elsewhere and for a moment she looked vacant. He followed her gaze with his eyes and was surprised to see a knight.

‘Hmm, perhaps her lover?’ He thought.

The knight clearly met Jean’s gaze and he did not react at all; the man just bowed his head in politeness. So, Diluc’s gaze went back to Jean and for about five minutes she was not distracted, and then as she spun, her eyes seemed to have caught something and Diluc quickly followed her gaze.

By the third time this happened, Diluc had a sly smile on his lips as he made his conclusion.

It seemed that the eldest daughter of Frederica Gunnhildr was an interesting woman.

Diluc Ragnvindr, for the first time, had finally seen someone he could possibly marry and that was Jean Gunnhildr. But he shouldn’t be rash, he should observe the potential candidate first. He was only twenty-three and there was no rush for him to get married after all his father, Lord Crepus Ragnvindr was still alive even though Diluc was now handling anything related to the family name, making Diluc the Lord in everything but title.

Diluc was certain that Jean’s mother must have started to feel anxious about her daughter’s lack of fiance as the people too seemed to perceive Jean as a little too old to be married.

Such nonsense. He shook his head. But it just simply meant that Diluc must make a decision soon.

It was currently the social season, so there were more balls that needed to be attended to after this, so he had more than enough opportunities to talk to Jean. But two balls after seeing Jean as a potential candidate, Diluc could feel the bated breath of the social circle. It seemed that talks of Jean’s marriage had arisen and placed everyone on edge.

He was not particularly one for chances, but she was the first woman he ever considered marrying. He would not allow someone else to take the lead. So, when he noticed Jean slip out of the ball unnoticed, of course he would follow.

She walked quietly into the garden and hid behind a tall garden hedge.

As he turned to follow Jean behind the hedge, Diluc spoke, “When you walk you do not make a sound.”

Jean froze and quickly turned around with widened eyes. She recognized the man instantly.

“Lord Ragnvindr, greetings.” She bowed, and she heard him chuckle.

“Lord Ragnvindr is my father, just call me Diluc.” Hearing this she boldly looked up at him.

“I’ve heard you are not one for titles or rules.” Jean said as she stood up from her bow, not bothering with formalities anymore.

“As it should be, as I am a Ragnvindr.” He smiled charmingly, and she sighed as she mumbled an agreement. It isn’t something surprising coming from a Ragnvindr. They seemed to be a family unbound by society’s perception and were capable of paving new paths that no one would have thought of, granted they would also be scorned as they walked that path.

She turned and made her way to a marble bench that had no armrest or backrest which she had spotted before he startled her. She sat down with a plop and stared blankly at the hedge across from her.

“Therefore, in your eyes the Gunnhildr family must be such a stickler for rules.” And he laughed at what she said as he took a seat beside her.

“It is rather amazing how light you are on your feet.” He noted and she glanced at him from the corner of her eyes.

“I am an anemo user, it must come from that.” She offered and he smiled.

“Perhaps,” He crossed his legs and placed his elbow on his leg as he rested his head on his hand to look at her. “Is that how you were able to slip away from such a crowded hall unnoticed?” A smile formed on Jean’s lips as she turned her head to look at the clear red eyes of the man beside her.

“Indeed.” A simple response.

“It seems that being a catalyst user befits you.” And as he noted the very faint twitch of her brows, his smile turned a bit sly. “People say it is a pity that such a talented and intelligent woman as yourself is a catalyst user.” He inched closer to her and he smelled a familiar scent on her. He deeply inhaled her scent and he recognized what it was the next second. Jean looked at him questioningly, he was a bit too close to her for someone she had just met.

In fact, this was their first meeting and they did not even formally introduce themselves.

“But between you and me, I think those people are belittling the catalyst users. Those people who judge you don’t even have a vision themselves. What right do they have to judge what weapon one uses?” He pulled away from her with a knowing smile on his lips while Jean merely pressed her lips.

“They even say, had you gotten your vision at a younger age, you would probably not be a catalyst user—these people really.” He shook his head.

“And I heard rumors about you.” Jean finally said, and he looked at her in interest. “You are said to be a rather promiscuous man.” Diluc laughed wholeheartedly.

“Suppose I am, but I have never tried men.” Jean frowned at the implication in what he said and he smiled at her with a glint in his eyes.

“I probably shouldn’t be seen with you.” Jean said but she doesn’t even move an inch to attempt to leave.

“Or else you’d have a scandal with a man like me?” He feigned hurt but his eyes were crinkling in amusement, and his lips were smiling mischievously. “A Gunnhildr would never be caught with such a scandal.” And Jean looked away from him and stared at the hedge with great focus, as they stayed in silence for some time.

“I heard that Lady Jean is looking for a marriage partner.” And he felt the air around them turn stifling. “How unwelcoming you’ve become,” He caught her cold quick glance at him and then returned her gaze on the hedge opposite them.

“It’s likely the reason why you slipped away from the party.” She sighed and leaned back far away from him with her arm against the bench.

“You’re not wrong there.” She tilted her head to look at him.

“Must have been tiring.” He simply added, and in his eyes, it seemed that he had seen several different versions of Jean in the span of a few minutes. He admits he is rather bewitched by her.

“The Gunnhildr family is wealthy, it probably isn’t hard to find someone.” He drawled in addition.

“But not as wealthy as yours, Sir Diluc.” And Diluc was more amused than he should be seeing her lips form his name, and her sweet voice calling him. He realized that there was no one else befitting to be his spouse than the woman before him.

“But the Gunnhildr family has excelled in business recently.” He studied her carefully and the shock in her eyes was evident, and she quickly tried to look neutral. “That was your doing.”

She instantly sat properly and refused to look at him. “How did you know? I am using an alias. It isn’t even linked with the Gunnhildr name.” Her brows etched together.

“There is nothing that I would not know.” And she turned her head to look at him. She had no doubts in his words.

“Did you get this information from Kaeya? I heard he loves secrets.” Her scrunched up face was so very endearing for Diluc and yet he also disliked the fact that she spoke of Kaeya with familiarity and by his first name with no reserve.

Diluc simply chuckled and then spoke, “There are many means to knowing something, Lady Jean.” And she pressed her lips at his statement. “As much as Kaeya loves collecting secrets, he wouldn’t sell that information.”

“You know, had you joined the alcohol business, you’d be a force to be reckoned with.” Diluc couldn’t help but add, this time it was his turn to lean back on the bench with his arm. “I would actually welcome it.”

Jean does not hide her confusion. They had never crossed paths before, but he clearly came to talk to her. And he knew information about her that was kept greatly confidential.

“The dress you are wearing must be from your own shoppe.” Her eyes flicked very confused as to how he knew of this information, but she nodded solemnly.

“Why don’t you marry me?” He offered nonchalantly and Jean was taken aback. Jean did not reply immediately, thinking that he had more to say, or at the very least tell her that he was just kidding. But as the minute passed into the next, she realized he was serious at his offer and she laughed.

“Are you mad? We just met, and why would I consider marrying you-- A man who is rumoured to have many lovers?” She shakes her head.

“Hm, you’re not wrong, what would I have to offer aside from my vast treasury?” He sat up properly, “Maybe because I know something about you that you don’t want others to know. Other than that secret identity you have.” She looked at him with an open glare. “In fact, I can offer you what you want.”

“And pray that tell, what is this desire?” She asked with a small bite to her tone.

He smiled genuinely as he leaned closer to her and Jean tried to lean back. He whispered into her ears, and her eyes widened. She tried to push him away, but found no strength in her hands that rested on his hard chest.

“If I was a woman, I’d think you were trying to molest me.” The haze in Jean’s eyes cleared up and she looked at her hands that were over his pecs. Her entire face turned red as she stood up.

“You can consider my offer, Jean.” And hearing her name being called out in such a manner by Diluc made her heart skip a beat. No, perhaps it was the revelation of someone else knowing what she so desperately tried to hide.

What she desperately wanted.

“And why do you think I would accept your offer?” She quietly asked.

“Even if I am known to be quite a debaucherous man, apparently I am still the most eligible for a Gunnhildr. And why do you think that is so?”

“It is because you are a man.” The same quiet voice. “They would say that it is what men do.” She stared at him with clear eyes.

“Ah, yes they, the aristocracy—the people.” There was a small hint of contempt in his eyes. “And if it was a woman of the aristocracy enjoying that of which men seem to adore—it would be a different kind of story.” He looked up at her and smiled grimly.

“And why would Jean Gunnhildr, a woman of the highest prestige, stay under the curtain of night with a man as promiscuous as me?” He stood dangerously close to her. “Simple. It is the same reason why you are not yet wedded.” He leaned into her ear.

“Jean Gunnhildr willed it.” He pulled away, their lips a few inches too close from one another, and Jean’s heart beat drumming in her ears.

“It does you no disservice if a scandal like this would befall you, in fact, I can tell you perceive it as something quite beneficiary.” A charming smile as he took a step back. “If you have decided, come look for me, Jean.”

And he turned on his heels and walked away, the way he called her name echoing in her mind. She didn’t know why, but she wanted to hear him call her name again, with no Lady in the front or Gunnhildr at the back.

Just Jean.

~.~.~.~.~

Jean took her time to think about Diluc’s offer. If men were really all the same, there is a possibility that her husband would still seek outside pleasure after they are wedded. If she married Diluc, who already was known to have multiple lovers, she wouldn’t be taken aback if someone told her that he was cheating on her. And what else could she expect from a man who was already known as promiscuous?

Loyalty and faithfulness? Of course not.

Their marriage would be loveless, but everyone enters that kind of marriage sooner or later. And it just so happened he presents himself as the better option. They could go their own way after the wedding and he will provide what he swore to her. The Gunnhildr clan will receive security for centuries with what Diluc would give as the bride price. As he was known to be lavish and had money to spare, the bride price he would be willing to give, would not be small.

Her marriage with Diluc would be scandalous to a degree, but Diluc matched her in prestige and wealth, that alone would quell people. In fact, a Gunnhildr willingly marrying a Ragnvindr would put the Ragnvindr name in the good books after almost two centuries of scandals. It would be the reset that his family name needed, if that was what he was after.

With the little interaction she had with Diluc, she was fairly certain that their marriage would be for formality's sake, and the pair of husband and wife would be left with their own devices. That alone was more than appealing to Jean.

She bit her lip as she thought of the possibilities.

But it had been almost a month since his offer. And somehow, she had curbed the talks of marriage. And since then, rumors of Diluc’s nightly activities were greatly reduced too. There were still talks, but not as much as before, and she truly believed that if she said she agrees to his proposal, he could spin the story of their romance in whatever way he wants. She could even greatly contribute to the lie he plans to sell.

What bothered her was that he had not tried to approach her even once since then. Maybe the reduction of his nightly ventures was his way to show his good faith in his proposal to her. But he did clearly say that if she was interested, she had to look for him herself. And it wasn’t like he said he would put a halt to his hobby, and yet the rumors revolving around him and his women were reduced. Therefore, it was a possibility that he had placed effort to try and be less promiscuous. Perhaps it was for her.

He was not known as the best fighter. In fact, people say his pyro vision was wasted on him because his ability with his claymore was average and that even his expensive claymore could not compensate for the lack of his skills. But that was quite alright with Jean. She shouldn’t judge because without her catalyst she would not be able to stand her ground against monsters or treasure hoarders.

No matter how she thought about it, Diluc Ragnvindr’s proposal was very tempting. She gets what she wants, and he gets whatever he wants.

Although, he could be after her chastity, and this could just all be a long game for Diluc Ragnvindr. In fact, hadn’t she been told that he had chased a woman for almost a year, and when he got what he wanted-- her chastity as the rumor says, he had coldly left her.

She pressed her lips with etched brows as she gazed at the dandelions outside her window.

Those were all rumors. Even so, there must be some kind of truth in them. If everything in that hearsay is true, even having the same outcome as the woman from that tale would benefit Jean well.

A strong wind blew outside her window, scattering the whites of the dandelions.

Jean had clearly made a decision already. She knew what she wanted.

She simply wanted more. And he was the solution.

Jean turned around and stared at the blue and white dress with gold trims displayed on a mannequin. This is what she would be wearing on the upcoming ball, and on that day she will seek out Diluc and give him her response. Better she does it as soon as she can to ensure her mother does not make a match on her stead.

She already waited for far too long.

~.~.~.~.~

The day of the ball arrived and Jean does not even recall how many balls or functions she had attended since the first and last time she had seen Diluc. There were times she thought she saw the familiar red hair of the man but when she turned to confirm her doubts, it felt like he had vanished into thin air. And due to the talks of her looking for a spouse, she was required to be at most of the events that she was invited to attend.

Jean admittedly was exhausted, but it was her who dragged her decision out. Now there was no turning back.

She prepared for the evening, and made sure she had on minimal jewelry, matching her off-shoulder dress of white, blue and gold. Her choker necklace was like a thin metal strip of gold around the middle of her neck. Tonight, she would look for Diluc and give him an answer to his offer.

A knock came from outside her door, “Jean, are you ready?” It was the familiar voice of her sister Barbara.

“I will be in a moment.” She replied back as she walked to her vanity table, glanced at all the perfume bottles on the table top and reached out for a bottle of purple liquid. When she brought the bottle near her neck, the liquid appeared blue for a second, Jean spritzed an extensive amount of perfume on her body.

“Barbara, can you come in here for a moment?” She inquired as she returned the glass bottle where it belonged.

The door opened to reveal Barbara who wore a pure white dress.

“What is it Jean?” She asked and Jean gestured for her sister to come to her and the younger blonde followed her. Jean opened the drawer and grabbed a light blue gemmed pendant hanging from a silver chain. Barbara’s eyes widened at the item.

“It matches your eyes well.” Jean says and Barbara looked at her older sister with watery eyes.

“That is your most treasured pendant.” Jean nodded and smiled.

“Yes, and now I want you to have it.” Jean could see all the questions in Barbara’s eyes but she gave the younger girl a stern look: “It is for my most beloved sister.”

Barbara nodded as she turned around to accept the gift and Jean clasped the necklace on Barbara’s neck.

“I will treasure it sister.” Barbara placed a hand on the blue gem as she turned to Jean who suddenly hugged her. So many questions at the tip of Barbara’s tongue but she kept quiet because she knew her sister well. If Jean had no intentions of saying anything, she would not give the slightest hint.

“I know you will Barbara.” Jean whispered and as she pulled away, she changed the subject. “Can you smell my perfume?”

Barbara shook her head, “No.”

Jean smiles, “That’s good, I didn’t want to put any tonight.”

Barbara stared at her sister in confusion and before she could ask, Jean quickly told her that they should leave or they would be late.

“Yes, you’re right.” Barbara says, completely forgetting the question she wanted to ask.

When Jean and Barbara arrived at the ball, the first-person Jean noticed was undoubtedly the red hair of Diluc Ragnvindr. He had on a polite smile, a wine glass in his right hand and a group of men surrounded him. It seemed that something good had happened to the Ragnvindr family for people to flock to Sir Diluc the way they did.

But it was a good thing for Jean, it saved her the effort of hunting him down as they obviously got him cornered.

“It seems that Sir Ragnvindr is quite popular tonight.” Jean casually said to her female companions.

“Oh, yes, the ladies have become rather interested in him because there seems to be a shift in his demeanor recently, and less scandals.” One woman in pink offers, and Jean noticed the secretive glances of a number of women.

It seemed that Diluc could pick whoever he wanted to bring home tonight. And oddly enough it did not disgust Jean. Rather, it was quite appealing—almost funny in fact.

“Well right now, the men are flocking him due to the news that Sir Ragnvindr will be selling some really old cases of wine that his family have kept for a few centuries. It is said that it is projected to double his revenue stream.” A woman in yellow mumbled.

“Then it is a good thing that the men are keeping him preoccupied. It saves all the women here potential heartbreak and scandal.” Barbara said almost in a sneering tone.

“Barbara, we do not know for certain if those rumors are true.” Jean quietly said and the women in pink and yellow look at Jean skeptically.

“Lady Jean, I do not know why you are giving the man the benefit of the doubt, but a maid of my household has seen Sir Ragnvindr bring his maid to an inn,” The woman in the yellow gown leaned closer to Jean. “And they stayed there for three days.”

“In the same room.” The pink haired added glancing at her companion who nodded. “I heard the maid is one of his most frequent lovers— his favorite even.” Jean stole a glance at Diluc from across the room, and somehow, he had also glanced her way. And for at least five seconds their eyes locked as his lips gave her a coy smile.

“I see, that is interesting, but gossip is gossip.” Jean smiled tightly. To her, the information provided a fall back. If she married Diluc, his maid could satisfy his desires and she would not have to, giving her more time to do what she pleases.

“Honestly, Jean-” Barbara looked at her sister in worry.

“Why don’t you go and talk to your friends?” Jean tells Barbara, who did not look like she wanted to leave.

Eventually, Barbara left Jean with the two women they were talking with and Jean socialized and danced, as a proper lady would do. It took Jean two hours after arriving to have the opportunity to slip out of the hall to look for Diluc, who had excused himself from his companions.

Of course, she did not follow him automatically when she saw him leave. At that point of the night, no one had approached Jean and she had stood in the corner as a background character. Forgotten by the crowd, just as she wanted. She smiled as she covered her face with her fan and waited for five minutes before she unhurriedly walked out of the hall.

Finding Diluc was only a matter of a few minutes. It seemed that he was a special guest as she found him wandering the part of the host’s mansion that most people shouldn’t be in.

Suddenly there was an arm beside her right ear and she was pinned to the wall.

“Oh—look who came to find me.” A deep voice whispered in her left ear, and she turned around unsurprised.

“Greetings, Sir Ragnvindr.” The man blinked at her vacantly for a moment.

“Let us bring this elsewhere.” Diluc glanced at both ends of the hallway, opening the door nearest to them as he gestured for her to enter. It seemed that this man really had no care for rules or manners was what Jean thought in passing. She willingly stepped into the room and walked in the middle of the bedchamber. Her lips pressed, she heard a click from the door.

“Locking the door to ensure I do not run?” Jean asked mockingly but with no malice as she crossed her arms and he rolled his eyes. He took a step forward and stumbled. Jean had taken a step forward to try and help him, but thought that she would fall into his trap, that is if it was a trap, had she assisted him and thus, she quickly withdrew her foot.

She did not believe the rumors completely because she was certain that there was more to the stories. But this was still their second meeting, she was still observing him, and thus she still needs to remain vigilant.

“Is this how you get with your women? Offering marriage and when they look for you, lock them in a bedchamber and do the deed?” She received a deadly glare from the man who seemed to have trouble walking at the moment. But she took note of the way he glared at her, and in all honesty her heart softened up to him.

“Since you are here, I assume you agreed to my proposal.” His glare softens. “I only locked the door so that we do not have to worry about other people walking in on us.” And she raised an eyebrow at him.

“I wouldn’t want a scandal to befall my future wife—even if she is to wed me.” He stood before her, and she could smell the alcohol all over him like perfume.

“How much did you drink?” She scrunched up her nose, and he chuckled softly. He leaned into her neck and she stiffened a bit, unsure of his actions.

“Huh, the same scent from before.” He mumbled as he pulled away, his eyes searching for something and Jean narrowed her eyes at his nonchalant comment. But her gaze quickly softened when she saw that the man before her wasn’t exactly at his best, his face turned and his eyes searched for something in his wobbly state.

She held his elbow and his head turned to her. “You don’t look well.” She simply said with the faintest hint of worry. He pulled his head back without moving his body and he blinked at her slowly as if just realizing who she was.

“Believe it or not, despite the fact that I sell the best and most sought out alcohols in Teyvat, I have the poorest alcohol tolerance.” He chuckled as he saw Jean’s eyebrows draw close to one another. “Don’t get me wrong—after a while of drinking, I have developed my alcohol tolerance, however-- overall, it is still poor.”

“Then if you do have poor alcohol tolerance, why would you be drinking?” Jean’s eyes stared at him with familiar clarity and Diluc couldn’t help but smile because of it.

In Diluc’s hazy eyes, Jean looked particularly enchanting. The image of the blonde woman, in a mostly white dress, with blue and gold accents paired with the minimal jewelry was breathtaking. The moonlight behind her made her look as if she was glowing, and that paired with her outfit and bare collarbone, was very distracting.

“How can I not? You’ve seen the horde of people surrounding me tonight, they kept refilling my cup.” And his eyes shifted to Jean’s bare neck, and then her collarbone and even lower. She silently watched him who began to sway: “It’s good for business.” And he lifted his hand with an extended index finger.

His finger touched the base of her neck as it passed the curve of her collarbone. “And you—you should be afraid of me.” His muddled eyes cleared up as his finger stopped between her breasts. Jean remained unmoving, her expression gentle.

“And why is that?” Jean inquired, seeing his eyes cleared up and with pressed lips he pulled his hand away. And judging from his reaction, she could tell he was displeased with his own actions.

“I could have you right here and now. And we will see if you should not be afraid of me.” He glared at her.

“Have you forgotten? I am blessed with a vision too.” And he laughed at her words.

“My sword against your catalyst?” And she looks at him with open amusement at his mocking tone. “My fists and trained body, against-- what?” She found that his glare towards her was not insulting. It was the truth, she gave a faint smile, she would not be able to fend for herself with her fists if it came to.

“You know, these past few weeks, I could have sworn I saw the familiar color of your hair.” She reached out to his neck and grabbed a piece of hair from his ponytail. “You made it a point to avoid me well.” She smiled at him as she let go of the lock of hair. Her mere actions bring Diluc’s eyes back into a daze.

“It’s either you like it when your prey walks directly into your trap with no choice, or you respect me enough to decide on my own without being coerced.” Diluc fought hard to keep himself level headed as he stared at her. “I think that you present yourself to the people the way you desire to be seen.”

And Diluc visibly frowned, “Tsk.” He walked past her and she grabbed his wrist. He looked back at her with a deadly glare.

“I’m not afraid of you.” She said in such a clear and calm voice and with a cast-down gaze she laughed, startling him. Her laughter was captivating.

“You look like you’re about to throw a tantrum, Diluc.” And he looked at her with quivering lips. He really liked his name coming out from her lips. He wanted her to call him that in many different ways—in different tones.

He clears his throat. Maybe this was the wrong decision, but the offer was already said and done and she clearly came here to accept it.

The night was still young. And two unengaged people were in a bedchamber all alone. If people caught wind of this, it would be very scandalous, and they would drag Diluc’s name into the mud, not that they haven’t already. But this one would be the worst, simply because of the woman in front of him.

Jean Gunnhildr.

“A tantrum?” He sneers, “Let’s get to the point Lady Gunnhildr, we’ve chatted long enough.” He flicked his wrists out of her grasp. And she frowned, not because he withdrew his wrist but because he called her Lady Gunnhildr.

“You seem completely sober now.” She remarked and he looked at her with a twinkle of desire.

“I’m afraid if I let the alcohol take over me, I’d do something that would scare you.” She looked at him as if saying she was not afraid of him and he just shook his head at her. He turned around to walk to a chair by the window.

“As you can see, I am here to accept your marriage proposal.” He nodded as he took a seat while she stood where he had left her, in the middle of the room. She could see clearly that he was putting distance between them. There was a pitcher of water and a clear cup on the table beside him and he poured himself some water.

For a moment Diluc hesitated, he clearly wanted to offer her water, but opted not to, and she could see it well. She really was intrigued by him.

“You seem to be at home.” She quietly remarked.

“As I have said, I have poor alcohol tolerance. I specifically requested a room from the host.” He raised his glass to her. “A perk of being rich—and particularly the rumor of me selling well preserved bottles of wine from a few centuries ago.” She smiled at his words; she was convinced he was feigning arrogance.

“But I have my conditions.” She finally said.

“Ah, of course.” He looked at her with the glass in hand, “I want to get to know you first.” He looked at her with furrowed brows but didn't say anything. “And I know you are wholly capable of spreading the rumor that I am already matched. And that would make people think that there is no need to talk about my marriage and I wish for the identity of my match to be kept as a secret.”

“And won’t your family clear the rumor out?” He inquired quietly, giving her a worried expression.

“They will not if I tell them not to. That I wish to decide on my partner myself, and that the rumor is a blessing in disguise.” And he looked at her like she was a fool.

“My mother has always placed her daughters’ happiness first. If I say that is where I will be happy—when I choose who to marry—then she will concede.”

“Then tell me,” He looked at her blankly. “Why have you not gone against your mother and do what you want to?”

She pressed her lips and then sighed. “Because she said it was for our own good. And I trust her judgement.”

His mouth opened as he hesitated with his words, but settled with a “Fine.” He drinks his glass of water. “Consider it done.” He had things he wanted to ask, but he felt that it was not his place to comment on such matters.

And they stayed in silence again, Jean standing in the middle of the bedchamber awkwardly.

“I suppose you would like to get to know each other in secret.” He finally said seeing her standing there and rubbing her arm. Her eyes firmly glued to the floor, flickered back to him and her lips gently turned upward and she giggled.

“Yes, doesn’t every woman dream of having a secret love affair?” She teased, and he was taken aback.

“You shouldn’t be saying that, and especially not to me.” He coldly warned her, but she gave him an enchanting smile. She did not see the man in the rumors that people seem to talk about in him.

“Tell me something—how can you recognize my scent?” His eyes flickered for a second and he smiled genuinely, surprising her with it.

“Oh, you noticed?” And she tried to calm her beating heart as he said those words. She felt like she had finally met her match. She did not reply and waited for him to continue.

“How could I not recognize it? I funded that potion’s project.” And her lips ever so slightly opened as she silently inhaled at the revelation. And Diluc’s red eyes were craving those soft lips.

Diluc would never know, that at that point, with his steady gaze on her, Jean felt like a woman. She was equally as captivated as he was to her. A man in a suit, with red hair sitting on a couch with the window behind him, the moonlight passing by him making him look almost like a shadow. The water on the glass glittered because of the moonlight.

A silent lone figure.

She wanted to know more about this man. She was certain there was more to him, like a suspenseful book, you have to read the end to quench all your questions.

And that marked the second time they met. An interest in both parties that could not be denied. A curiosity that was quite evident in both their faces, and yet it passed over their heads and did not register in their hearts.

And this will not be the end of their involvement towards one another, it is simply the knot that will start it all, which will lead to an entanglement neither of them had hoped for.

CHAPTER 2

Author’s Note: Thanks for LadyOfRandom for helping me edit!

#Genshin Impact #Jealuc #Jean x Diluc #Jean Gunnhildr #Diluc Ragnvindr #Romance #Fanfiction #Marriage and Engagement #Pride and Prejudice #Eleanore-delphinium #aristocrats au #jean is a catalyst user

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andraaste · 3 years

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I am not your enemy - Lance fanfiction part 7

Chapter 7 too, enjooooy (⚠️ chapter 6 was released at the same time, be careful not to miss it. You can find all the other chapters on the hashtag « i am not your enemy » ⚠️)

(Link for Chapter 8 here)

Chapter 7 : I had just entered his territory

I followed the merry band to the cherry blossom tree, a place where proudly enthroned the two statues representing Leiftan and me, the saviors of the white sacrifice. At one time, I loved this place. It had even been my favorite place in HQ. But today ... every time I walked past these inanimate figures, I felt uneasy. To see us represented in this way put too much pressure on my shoulders. Most importantly, I still had this strange feeling that people kept staring at me.

The others didn't seem to realize it, they were arguing loudly and bickering, but for my part, I couldn't help but pay attention to everything around me. Thus, since the news of my awakening from the Crystal, I had repeatedly caught shifty glances in my direction, often accompanied by whispered conversations a little too loudly. I was totally confused by these behaviors. How to react to the admiration, and at the same time the fear, that we arouse in the hearts of people when they see us ?

At that moment, I had the unpleasant feeling that I understood, if only minutely, what Lance could be feeling. And how loneliness must have weighed on him sometimes too.

I shook my head sharply to try to get those thoughts out of my head. I would no longer fail to come to sympathize with this man's moods. In addition, the atmosphere was at the party tonight, I really had to stop brooding alone in my corner. A good part of the inhabitants of the HQ were present in the garden, it had apparently become common measure here that to celebrate the return of the troops left for the missions of rank A or B, that is to say the longest and most important missions, and everyone seemed to be doing it to their heart's content.

Conversations were mingling all around me and I couldn't focus clearly on any of them, when a brown head appeared in my field of vision. Seeing the mischievous smile that crossed the young wolf's face, I couldn't help but throw myself into his arms.

- Chrome !

The latter hugged me eagerly without losing his smile.

- Andraste, how are you ? I heard you were already doing great things in the infirmary, he chuckled as I pulled away from him.

- What do you want, I still left Eweleïn alone for seven long years, I had to make up for it a bit.

Chrome burst out into a frank laugh close to barking, which made me smile even more.

- When did you come back from your mission ? I questioned him.

- About an hour, which was more than enough for me to hear from you.

- Oh that's just my new celebrity daily, that.

He laughed again before running a hand through his thick hair, his expression suddenly confused.

- And if not, I also heard that you had crossed paths, well you know...

He didn't dare finish his sentence, so I did it for him.

- Lance, yes.

- And that Huang Hua ...

- Made him my new chaperone ? Yes too, I cut him off, slightly irritated at the memory of my meeting with her.

- You know, her decision is not easy, especially for you, but if she decided that it was the best thing to do ...

- Then I'll have to get used to it, I know.

Chrome seemed both surprised and relieved that I was so easily resigned to gently following the Chief of the Guard's orders.

- But you know very well what I think about it, I continued. Okay, I understood that his faults had been atoned for and that he was a great fighter, but I should still have a say in my relationship with him. Except in this case, Huang Hua did not give me a choice and probably to him either. This is what irritates me the most, but I'm far too tired right now to argue with her. So be it.

The wolf was looking at me with big round eyes.

- What did I say that was so shocking ? I asked him, flushing my cheeks.

- You accept her decision without complaining or shouting throughout HQ that Lance is a traitor and that Huang Hua has gone wild ? Maybe you should take another trip to the infirmary, I'm not feeling your best, he said seriously.

I rolled my eyes at his mockery as he laughed again.

- I'm teasing you, don't take it like that !

He patted me vigorously on the back to ease the mood, which probably moved me a side or two in the face of so much delicacy. Unfortunately, he didn't seem to realize that his gesture was a bit too vigorous for my poor human carcass.

- Finally, I hope that Lance and you... he continued.

- Are we going to become the best friends in the world ? Don't expect a mea culpa, I tolerate his presence, at the very least read.

A mocking pout slowly appeared on his face. I raised an eyebrow.

- What ?

- No nothing...

He was trying to keep from smiling, I knew that. I sighed in exasperation before using a tone that meant to be threatening.

- Chrome.

He awkwardly raised his hands in peace.

- Alright, Alright. No, I was just thinking that the two of you are really the same.

I paused for a long time trying to figure out what he was talking about. Sensing my confusion, he continued cautiously.

- You and Lance look a lot alike, he tried to explain to me with a shrug. It's just that it's really blatant, at times.

Sorry ?

Was he really telling me that Lance and I were alike ? How's that, "really blatant" ? He didn't care about me now.

- You know, it's not pejorative at all! I know you and him are complicated, but ...

- Yes we can say that it is rather complicated, indeed.

- But having seen him a lot in recent years, I can guarantee you that it's a compliment !

A compliment ?

- Chrome, you should stop there, I said, putting a hand on my forehead.

- I ... yes, you're right, he finally concluded with an embarrassed laugh.

Suddenly two arms circled Chrome and Karenn placed a kiss on his cheek.

- You are there my loulou ! I was looking for you.

Turning in my direction, she continued :

- Andraste, if I can borrow it from you.

I gave her a polite smile as she already began to pull Chrome by the arm.

- No worries, have fun.

I watched the couple walk away and sighed heavily. I had to admit that I was more than fed up with how everyone valued Lance. But on the other hand, I couldn't deny that I myself had, on rare occasions, appreciated his presence. Well, as much as possible anyway. I found myself thinking about the last time we had exchanged. It was clear that he had gone way too far in our training, but despite that, he still managed to make me feel some semblance of my powers again. And this feat had only happened in his presence.

I think it was time I stopped running away from him.

Abandoning the festivities, in which I had actually not participated so much, I went in search of the dragon. I suspected that Lance should not be very fond of this kind of events and therefore decided to slip away discreetly. The fact of me going away from the evening surprised me the greatest good, I think I could not stand the noise and the crowd very well. Who knows, maybe spending several years meditating in a crystal could create a kind of agoraphobia. Anyway, the more the calm of the night enveloped me, the better I felt.

I finally wandered around the HQ gardens with no real idea of where I needed to go. Where could Lance be now ? And what was I going to say to him, once he was in front of me ?

Despite everything, I decided to head towards the corridor of the guards. Crossing the great hall of doors, I entered the corridor which led to the chambers of the members of the Guard. The night bathed the room in a soft light, but still, I could feel my heart race as I approached the door to his bedroom. What exactly was I going to tell him ? I had no idea.

My hand remained in the air for several long seconds before I mustered the courage to strike, my heart definitely racing. However, no sound from the other side of the clapper reached me in response. Other seconds flowed during which I didn't even dare to breathe.

Maybe he wasn't here, I must have been wrong... I finally lowered my arm, blowing loudly as I passed, and started to turn away when I felt the door open close to me.

- Andraste ?

I turned at the sound of his voice, it also slightly out of breath. It had been several days since I had heard it and surprisingly, it seemed even more serious than usual. Lance then fixed his icy gaze on mine, as if waiting for me to answer him something, but I stood for a moment stuck on the drops of sweat that smeared his chest.

Oh.

- What are you doing here ? he asked me while raising his eyebrows. You need something ?

Take it easy, Andraste. At once.

- I ... no, not really. I just wanted to talk to you, actually, I finally managed to articulate. Well, nothing very special and if I disturb you, we can do that another time.

- Why would you bother me ? he replied without a hint of irony.

His question caught me off guard but he didn't seem to mind. Seeing that I could find nothing to answer, he shifted to the side and invited me in, a glimmer of defiance in the pupils. I hesitated for a moment. Was it really a good idea ?

Slowly, I finally entered the dragon's lair. I felt him close the door behind my back and an icy shiver ran through me as a thought crossed my mind.

I had just entered his territory.

Deliberately.

(Chapter 8)

#eldarya #eldarya new era #eldarya lance #eldarya writing #eldarya fanfiction #ashkore #i am not your enemy

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pl-panda · 4 years

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The Vines that bind us - Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I don’t own Miraculous Ladybug or any DC characters. I own only the plot, and even that is inspired by the amazing story "Marigold Ivy" by @lwandile13 on Wattpad. Go check it. It's great. He allowed me to take some inspiration, for which I'm grateful. Also, don't translate the french words maybe. Or at least do it on your own responsibility. Big thanks to @Liza! on Discord for being my Beta :)

Marinette Dupain-Cheng was a normal girl, with a normal life. But she had a secret. Her real name was Marigold Isley. She was born under that name in Gotham city sixteen years ago. Her mother never revealed to her who was her father, but Mari never cared. She was happy with her mom and several aunts and uncles. Technically, none of them were related to her by blood, but Rogues were quite close to each other (excluding some outcasts like Joker or the Menagerie). They taught her many interesting things such as lockpicking, stealth 101, or hand-to-hand combat. She was five when it started, so her first-ever practical test was breaking into a kitchen cupboard and stealing a jar of cookies. Overall, she was very happy.

It changed when she was eight. One very tired social service person named Elizabeth Barrow got wind of a child of a villain. That Elizabeth was new to Gotham after being reassigned from Metropolis and didn’t yet get the wind of how things worked. Maybe her colleagues didn’t like her, or maybe she was just too overwhelmed by the sheer scale of the problem in Gotham. Previously, there was an unspoken agreement in the government that they wouldn’t notice Marigold. In exchange, rogues were calmer. Or at least tried to keep the death toll down. For a time, Gotham even started to slowly heal. But then, Elizabeth took the case of Marigold Isley. Ivy tried to fight. To protect her daughter. For three days, the city was held hostage by giant plants. It was only the fear in her daughter’s eyes that made Poison Ivy relent and let go. She didn’t want that life for Marigold. The one condition she gave was that the girl would leave America as a whole, to ensure she would be safe from all the madness.

And so Marigold ended up in the care of baker’s couple in Paris. She never showed any powers thus far and the adoption agency kept the parentage a secret. That’s when Marinette Dupain-Cheng was born. She continued with martial arts training and stealth training, but now only as fun and reminder of her mother and extended family, as opposed to actual necessary survival tool. She also picked up designing as another hobby, which soon turned into a kind of obsession. She was generally a ray of sunshine.

The one black spot in the happy world of Marinette was the Mayor’s daughter. Chloe Bourgeoise considered herself above others and just couldn’t stand sunshine girl. She ruined her clothes, sometimes damaged her homework, or verbally assaulted her. While Chloe was generally disliked, she was more of a nuance. Overall, Marinette was happy. At least until two events changed that.

When she was twelve, Paris was attacked by Hawkmoth for the first time. Marinette found herself becoming Ladybug, a superhero with magical powers that protected the city from harm. She received a partner in form of Chat Noir. It took some time before she got hang of it, and then more time before she and Chat became an actual team. Over time, more heroes joined them, even if temporarily only. She had people she could count on. She became Happy again.

Privately, she started her own brand: MDC, managed to become a class representative, and became best friends with Alya, who joined around the same time she became Ladybug. It was quite ironic. The superhero was best friends with one person whose greatest dream was to unmask the hero. Marinette also developed a huge (and a bit unhealthy) crush on Adrien Agreste, a famous model who was in her class. She spent years vying for his attention, but nothing ever came from her attempts. She was unable to even say a word around him and her face always became red like her mother’s hair. Overall, she couldn’t complain.

Then, when she was fifteen another black spot appeared. It was Lila (Liela) Rossi. She came to their school and immediately started sporting lies with every breath. Surprisingly, everyone seemed to buy into that, believing her like she spoke the gospel. Everyone but Marinette. She tried to expose Lila, but it only backfired. She became an outcast, disliked by everyone, and universally hated. Suddenly, it became okay to bully her because she was a bully herself and deserved it. It became okay to shun her and no longer include her in anything. The worst was Alya, her former best friend. At first, she just tried to nudge Marinette to give Lila a chance. When Marinette tried to show the truth, Alya practically attacked her. She was just as much responsible for Mari being cast out as Lila was. The fact that her best friend abandoned her only fueled the gossip and allowed Lila to drive the final nail in. In the span of a few weeks, Marinette was left alone.

Around the same time, Chat Noir became more persistent in his pursuit of her while Adrien, who Marinette knew was aware of the lies, was only telling her to keep the high road (do nothing). She could understand him. As a famous model and son of a well-known fashion designer, he was always taught to not provoke the press. It still served as a wake-up call on her crush.

--------

Marinette was packing her things after lessons when she noticed someone approach her from behind. Immediately, she tensed. After eleven years of martial arts practice, it was an instinct. Before she had time to turn around, something heavy landed on her desk with a loud Thud!. She turned to see Chloe standing over a large book, a single thick envelope, and a puffy bag that content Marinette couldn’t guess.

“What’s a…” She started, but Chloe cut her off. She had her usual ‘resting witch’ expression.

“The book contains every single instance I verbally assaulted you, destroyed something of yours, talked about you behind your back, or in any way otherwise did something wrong toward you. Here are the materials for the damaged clothes,” she pushed the bag toward her, “and here is money for other things.” Chloe gave her the envelope. “I apologize for all of that. I was jealous of all the attention you kept getting even though I thought I deserved it. I now realize that my behavior was wrong and hurtful. I will understand if you’ll never speak to me again. I kept acting ridiculous! Utterly ridiculous!” With that, she turned and started to walk again. Marinette idly noticed that there was no Sabrina nearby. Thinking back, Chloe was no longer acting (overly) mean toward anyone as of late.

Making a split-second decision, Marinette raced after the blonde and pulled her into a hug.

“Wha…” Chloe yelped before sinking into the hug. Neither girl realized they were crying until they finally separated. Blonde had her lite make-up in total ruin while Marinette had tears still going down her cheeks. “Does that mean you accept my apologies?”

Marinette didn’t answer immediately. She stood there with open mouth for a moment before smiling weakly. “Yes, Chloe.”

Since that day, they were best friends. It turned out to be a blessing. Chloe, once she finally allowed someone to truly know her, turned out to be a highly intelligent, funny, and very much still overbearing person. She still acted high and mighty, but it no longer felt mean, rather just… felt. She took to defending Marinette from the rest of the class. She was aware of Lila’s lies from day one but never acted on it until it was too late. Sabina abandoned her for the liar. Dealing with loneliness was hard on her. She didn’t even have parents that cared. Her father would probably move sun if she asked, but he had an emotional range of a toothpick. Her mother didn’t even know her name, so she didn’t bother.

Something about their friendship must’ve upset Lila because the girl upped her game. Marinette’s parents suddenly found themselves facing strong critique and constant inspection from the sanitary department and child protection questioning their parenting abilities. MDC, who was slowly becoming one of the go-to fashion designers for famous found herself in the middle of several fake media scandals, including one lawsuit over defamation. If it wasn’t for Jagged Stone and Penny rallying her customers, Marinette and her parents would end up broke. He managed to save MDC and practically made her untouchable. Still, Alya and Lila got off scot-free as nothing could be linked to them.

Perhaps what pushed Lila over the edge was Chloe confronting Adrien. She yelled at him for good two hours straight about responsibility and morality, pointing in detail exactly what he did wrong. She would probably go on if Marinette didn’t stop her. After that, Adrien finally apologized and tried to make things right, but it only turned against him. By then, Lila had everyone so deep into it, that he was powerless. She didn’t go after him as her partnership with Gabriel Agreste was too important, but she did tattle to the Fashion Mogul about it. Gabriel tried to get his son under control, but this was one thing that he couldn’t achieve.

It did inspire a whole youth fashion line ‘rebel’, which became a global hit.

All this time, Marinette kept two secrets. One was her identity as Ladybug and the guardian, the other was her true name and family. Until she kept neither.

----------

Marinette returned home after another day at school. Recently, her mother revealed she was pregnant with another child, even though she was believed to be barren. Everyone in the bakery was overjoyed and the couple even started to hand out small treats to any guest that came. The free samples helped the business return to a better standing.

When she entered, strangely there was no sound in the bakery. It was empty. Usually, her parents would both be very busy as it was still business hours. Slightly worried, she went upstairs. When she entered the living room, she found an envelope addressed to her.

Isley

We tried, but we can no longer tolerate you. We turned a blind eye when we learned how improper you act, trying to drag every boy you meet for some, and we quote, “alone time”. We didn’t react to the bullying accusations, believing them to be overexaggerated. Even when you were expelled, we still had hoped you’ll turn out into a fine young lady. But now, we must think of the baby. Today was the last straw. Hearing about how you ruined that poor impaired girl’s birthday was both cruel and against everything we taught you.

We held hope you won’t follow in your mother’s footsteps, but you proved us wrong several times. We supported your obsession over fashion, even with the drama it caused, because it was actually non-violent. At first, we didn’t want to teach you how to fight, but we convinced ourselves that you would have a way to vent the emotions somewhere away from us.

Please, don’t try looking for us. We will probably have already left the country or even the continent. The bakery is yours. We don’t want to have anything to do with the spawn of evil such as you.

We hoped you would turn out better

Sincerely,

Tom Dupain and Sabine Cheng

Marinette tried to read it over and over again, but her eyes welled with tears. She had no idea she was screaming until her throat was coarse. Rationally, she knew she needed to keep calm or she would attract the Akuma, but emotions made her not care.

Unknowingly to her, the plants all around Paris responded to her cry. They started growing and spreading, trying to get to their queen and comfort her. The Akuma that would’ve come for her stumbled into one of the vines, corrupting it. Hawkmoth was surprised, it was not something anyone ever seen in Paris except on TV or some strange Japanese shows that play after midnight. The more important thing was that even though he akumatized the plants, he had no control over them. He couldn’t even recall his Akuma.

Back in Marinette’s living room, she started to feel the ground rumble. Soon, plants exploded from the ground and broke windows. She slowly looked at her hands to see them tinted with green. They were not the same as her mother’s, but close. She looked to the floor where pieces of glass littered everything. Her face was the same, but her hair became blue and her eyes were now the most vibrant iridescent green she’s ever seen, exactly the same color her mother’s eyes were.

She started to panic even more. Tikki floated next to her, talking to her, but Marinette couldn’t hear her. Or maybe process it. She could hear the plants call to her. She could hear them speak. They promised her revenge. They promised retribution on those who attacked her. God’s wrath would rain upon them from the sky and hell’s fury would consume them from beneath.

Impaired girl…

“Liar Rossi.” Marigold seethed. She knew there was only one person who would do such a thing. Only one talented enough to convince her parents she was a villain. If they wanted a villain, they would get one. Her mind was being clouded. Her clothes were already torn, replaced by a skintight outfit made of leaves, much like her mother wore. Then, Marinette remembered another part of the letter. She added a skirt made of purple petals that complimented her blue hair nicely and long sleeves that reached to her hands, ending with a triangle that reached her middle finger and surrounded it at the base. She left the decolletage as it was.

Exiting her house, she allowed the vines to carry her. There were only so many places The Liar could hide. First, she went toward School, as it was closest. She made plants carry her over the roof right into the courtyard while more of them broke the doors and blocked any exit. The fencing class was still going on, but The Liar was not there. She looked over the scared crowd, spotting two people she wanted to find. She needed to protect them from The Liar, else they end like her. She grabbed the fencer in a red outfit and her partner, knocking their masks to reveal Kagami and Adrien. The plants wrapped around them, forming a sort of cocoon before dragging them to the heart. Marinette then turned her sight to Eifel tower. She knew The Liar liked to drag the class there.

As she moved through town, she passed the Hotel where Chloe lived. Pausing, she made the plants lift her toward the balcony. Her best friend was indeed there, right next to the lit-up Bee-signal. Honeystly…

“Marinette!?” The blonde jumped in surprise

“Marinette is gone. She should’ve never even been. I’m Marigold, the daughter of Poison Ivy.” For a moment, the fog thickened, but Mari shook it off quickly enough, before whatever caused it managed to get the hold of her.

“Marinette Dupain-Cheng! If you got yourself akumatized, I’m telling my daddy!” Chloe shouted. Seeing the tears form in the iridescent green eyes, she looked at her friend with pity. “Oh, Mari! Is this the Liar again? Come here right now!” The blonde spread her arms for a hug. She didn’t care about the Akuma. Her friend needed her and she would help her conquer the world if she asked. Chloe owed Mari… everything. She helped her evolve beyond being the queen witch. In response to the gesture, the plants in the garden started to grow until they surrounded the two of them in a tight cocoon. Marinette stepped onto the balcony. She affectionately petted the vine that carried her so far before allowing it to return to its hunt for the Liar.

“Chloeee!” Mari launched herself at the girl. She sunk into the embrace, allowing tears to start flowing again. She sobbed her heart out while pushing a piece of paper she constantly held in her clutched fist before. The blonde took it and read while patting Marinette on the back of her head.

“Salauds! Ridiculous! Utterly Ridiculous! How dare that cochons! And the chienne! Wait till I tell daddy about this! Don’t worry Mari. I will protect you! I will ruin her! Merde!” The rant made Marigold pause. She never heard Chloe curse. Like… never. “But first. Mari. You know I love you and I would help you hide the body, but drop the Akuma. It’s making you look Ridiculous. Utterly Ridiculous! I mean the dress is so much spot on and so you, but the whole take over Paris is more my style. I can let you be my faithful sidekick while we take over the world if you want.”

For a moment, Marigold continued to stare at Chloe before she burst out in a fit of laughter. It wasn’t a nervous chuckle or the villain cackle, but genuine pearly laughter. It was just so… Chloe-ish. She couldn’t imagine anyone trying to dissuade an Akuma by offering to become a sidekick.

“You… You… Never change Chlo.” Mari smiled at her friend.

“Whoa. You… didn’t make me a fertilizer? I mean, of course, you wouldn’t. You are just too good of a person, but Hawkmoth…”

“I’m not akumatized Chloe.” Mari smiled. “It’s me.” As if to prove her point, she stood up and spun, allowing the blonde to see her from all sides. “This is how I really look. Apparently, I do take some after my mom.”

“Your… mom?”

“Pamela Isley, she was a famous biologist. Mom was brilliant. She used to be one of the smartest people in the world.” Mari praised. “There was this one accident that she is now famous for…”

“Pamela Isley? I remember reading about her.”

“Yeah… She is…”

“Didn’t she create this environment-friendly line of cosmetics?” Chloe asked in her typical fashion

“Yes! I have no idea why everyone remembers her only for the ‘Poison Ivy’ thing!”

“I know, right?” Chloe nodded. “Wait a…”

“Tada!” Mari said weakly before trying to look away, doing everything not to look her friend in the eyes. The blonde gently grabbed her chin and moved it so she could look right into the beautiful green eyes of her best friend.

“Mari! If you think I would abandon you just because your mother took veganism too far… You’re utterly ridiculous!”

Marigold smiled slightly. Slowly, the green receded and her eyes turned back to normal. The dress remained, as without it she would end up naked and she didn’t fancy trying to explain to anyone that.

She then turned to the plants and tried to order them to return to normal, only for them to resist. For a moment, her mind started to feel fogged, but it didn’t hold at all now.

“As much as I like the scenery, maybe we stop the plantpocalypse?”

“Um… Remember how I told you I wasn’t akumatized?”

“Yeah?”

“I think the plants are…”

“You’ve got to be kidding me!” Chloe shouted. “Listen here Hawkmoth! Get this Akuma the heck away! I don’t care about some fancy Jewels that will totally clash with your suit! I mean purple and white with red earrings? Are you colorblind?”

There was no visible reaction to the plants.

“Strange…” Marigold ran her hand over the plants. “They still respond, just refuse to yield.” Inside, Mari cursed that she couldn’t consult Tikki.

“So… Want some cookies?” Chloe asked. “We just have to wait for Ladybug to save the day. At least the damage will be repaired.”

‘Except Ladybug it trapped here…’

Suddenly, something small and black slipped through the vines and entered their small peaceful enclave. It zoomed between items on the balcony, trying to avoid being seen. It would’ve been successful if Chloe didn’t know about Kwamis.

“What was that!?” She shouted pointing at Plagg’s hiding place.

“What? I didn’t see anything!” Mari tried to lie. It was the one skill she never had. She did compensate for it by never getting caught.

“A Kwami! I’m sure I’ve seen one.”

“Kwami? Who’s Kwami? Is that some bird? How would a bird get here? I mean we are trapped in…”

“Ugh! I don’t have time for games!” Plagg suddenly floated before the pair. “Chat is trapped and can’t help without revealing himself. Paris is being destroyed mindlessly and nobody can do anything as the vines are harder than steel.” The cat summarized. “And I’m hungry. Give me cheese!” He looked at Chloe. “Camembert would be the best, but I’m not that picky.”

“Why come to us? Ladybug took away my miraculous.” The blonde asked.

“I didn’t come to you. I came to her.” The god pointed at Mari.

“Me?! Why? It’s not like…”

“We don’t have time for charades guardian! The Akuma is out of control! Literally! Hawkmoth’s connection was somehow severed and now you have a giant plant that knows only the rage. This is serious!”

Mari wanted to protest or try to save some of her identity, but then Tikki floated out of her purse.

“Oh no! Marinette! He is right! We have a huge problem.”

“Why?” The girl asked resigned.

“You’re Ladybug!” Chloe shouted but was subsequently ignored

“Hawkmoth must’ve akumatized the plant, hoping to control you, but he had no idea it was sentient. But it stopped being sentient the moment you let it go. I… It never happened before.”

“You’re Ladybug!!!” Chloe shouted so loud that everyone had to look at her.

“We can talk later. Now we need to somehow deal with the plants. Maybe… No. What about… But they are too tough… What if…” Marigold started to run through various scenarios and plans.

“Can’t you just order them to expel the Akuma?” Plagg asked bored.

“It… It might work.” Mari had a focused expression. In her head, she was running through all her knowledge of biology, miraculous magic, and how her mom’s powers worked. Hesitantly, she walked to the edge of the cocoon and called the main vine to her. The wall spread slightly and allowed the tip of it to enter. Mari touched it and started gently caressing it.

“you’re a good boy. Yeah! Who’s a good boy? You’re. Yes! You’re a good boy. But Good Boys don’t have Akuma. Do you want to be a good boy? Of course, you do…”

Chloe stood there and watched how Marigold kept talking to the plant like it was a puppy. She felt something fall into her hand. Opening the palm, she saw two earrings.

“I… I can’t!” She protested, but Plagg floated before her eyes.

“She can’t do it. If Akuma escapes, we will have plantmagedon on a larger scale.”

“Fine. Spots on!”

Just as Mari finally talked the plant into expelling the Akuma, Chloe caught it.

“Bye Bye Little Butterfly!” She released the pure white bug. “Lucky charm!” Chloe shouted. A red and black folder fell into her hands. She looked at it curiously. Inside, she found a complete set of adoption papers for her father to sign. She quickly pulled out the sheets and tossed the folder itself, releasing a swarm of ladybugs that repaired Paris to how it was before plants. The sheet stayed.

Transformation dropped after that and Chloe handed the jewel back to the true owner.

“You still have sooo much explaining to do!”

Nobody remembered about Adrien and Kagami being carried together to safety, which turned out to be Mari’s basement. And while Ladybug Cure should’ve restored them to where they were taken from, for some unknown reason they remained locked there until Mari returned late into the evening to spend the last night at the bakery. It would be some time until Tikki admitted that it was an act of revenge on Plagg for revealing her chosen’s identity. He had to go the whole day without cheese. The one good thing that came from it was that Kagami and Adrien had a long frank talk and ended up as friends. The relationship just wasn’t working.

----------

When Mari was adopted by the Mayor, she decided to keep using the Dupain-Cheng name at least for now. At first, Chloe’s father was against it, but once the girl presented it as a way of getting good press of mayor who personally looks after his citizens he practically ripped the papers to sign them. Although on paper he was the adopter, Chloe was the real parent/sister that took care of Mari. Lila seethed and spitted, but couldn’t really do much more. Adrien and Chloe roped Jagged Stone and Penny into Marinette Protection Squad. Luka and Kagami, who somehow hooked up, also joined. At some point, Mari entrusted Luka and Kagami with permanent Miraculous and Gave Chloe the Bee miraculous back. Some Fox illusion of Chloe publically applauding new heroine helped hide her identity. The hardest part was revealing to Chat, Viperion, and Ryuko her true identity. Adrien was a big surprise, but at least they finally dealt with their crushes once and for all. The fact that they were in love square in two people was way too awkward. Chloe and Mari did notice Adrien sometimes looking at Luka, but he was happy with Kagami. The only person that disproved of ‘Lukagami’ was Kagami’s mother, but she warmed up to him when he accepted the challenge to a duel and was completely pacified when she learned that Luka is apprenticing under Jagged Stone.

Jagged and Penny wanted to Adopt Mari, but ended up filling the role of uncle and aunt. After some time, Mari realized that she rebuilt what she once had in Gotham. These people might not have been her family by blood, but it mattered little. That family might’ve been damaged, maybe even broken, but they were happy together. They found solace in one another. Once more, Marinette was happy.

Until a trip to Gotham came knocking on the front doors.

#maribat #miraculous ladybug #miraculous lb #Miraculous #Batman #DC #MLB x DC #Mother!Ivy

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sporksaber · 3 years

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Ok, I love the role swap concept with zuko and azula, but I feel like they switch their abilities and personalities a bit too and I think itd be more fun without that. Where Azula is an antisocial and unstable genius who wants to gain power and zuko still struggles with being the less powerful and extremely empathetic sibling. So here's how I'd do it.

(Note, this is just for fun. I'm not saying anyone else's version is bad. But I've though about this so much and need it out of my head before I go off cuz make a whole comic and I do not have the time, i need to work.)

First off, Azula wouldn't call out in concern for the men like how zuko did. In my version she's allowed into the meeting because of the aptitude for strategy shes shown. She speaks up because it's an inefficient plan that uses up too many resources when there are other options. This enrages her father and leads to the agni kai. Azula is terrified and feels betrayed but has no idea how to handle any of it. She fights back during the agni kai, but in her panic she sets off a bolt of lightning. Ozai finishes the match and severely burns on her lower back. Azula is banished for her use of lightning on the fire lord (bc ozai fears she will no longer be easy to manipulate and might plot his death) and is forced to leave the next morning.

Some things to note: azula is eleven at this point. I changed the placement of the scar bc I think zuko's is very symbolic in a way that doesnt suit azula. Zuko's scar being over his eye and close to the light chakra shows the way his view of the fire nation and honour obscures his vision and how he is unaware of the truth of the world under fire nation rule. I set azula's over her spine because that chakra is based on survival and blocked by fear. It also represents trust which will fit into her arc with the gaang. Finally, she doesnt have Iroh to guide her. One of the things that bothered me was Iroh writing her off as evil despite her being a mentally unstable child. She did have to be defeated, but the way he talked about it was too dismissive. (Personally I think he was projecting his views of his brother and his perceived failures with him onto her.) Azula isnt sent to capture the avatar so she isnt given soldiers. She's completely alone without an advisor to look to or keep her calm.

Azula is given a manned ship with a disgraced soldier and an attendant when she leaves. The way I see it the soldiers zuko had were probably more irohs than his. The soldier is relieved to not be executed but hates being demoted to playing babysitter to a child at sea. The attendant views it as a punishment and hates Azula for it. Eventually the attendant will betray her and be killed for it. Azula never trusted the soldier and he eventually leaves to start a family in an earth kingdom colony. Azula doesnt miss him, he was no longer useful. The loneliness does get to her though.

Azula is obsessed with getting the underhand, so she had been successfully building connections and planting spies where needed.

(Zuko has been acting as a respectable crowned prince. He holds a zealous loyalty to his nation and father. He still faulters as Iroh tries to steer him from tyranny, but his sights are set on his father's approval and that alone. Afterall, if his prodigy could be discarded who's to say what would happen to him if he failed?)

This brings us to the start of the series. Like Zuko Azula witnesses the trap on the old fire nation battle ship go off. She investigates and finds that an air bending avatar is living at the south pole village. She decides she wants to speak with him.

Azula didn't believe the avatar existed before this point. Hiding didnt add up to her knowledge of the morality of airbenders, so she assumed the air nation avatar from the start of the war would be dead. She would know if one had appeared in the water tribe, as the south had all its benders killed and the north was compacted so close together it would be impossible to hide. Earth would be harder, but they were most likely to fight back and out act. And if in ba sing se they'd be used as a weapon or gotten rid of to preserve the peace of the city. Once the culcle progressed to the fire nation it would either be used to take over the other nations or enf the cycle for good. After all, there hasn't been an air bender for a hundred years even if the rumors of some acolytes surviving were truthful.

Azula kidnaps aang with far more ease than she should of been able to. Once he stops struggling she calmly offers him tea and promises to release him once their discussion is finished. He takes the tea and drinks it without question and besides a wary glare shows no more hostility. She thought him a fool, the tea could have easily been poisoned and promised are nothing but words. His naivete makes her job easier though.

She finds out that he was suspended frozen in the avatar state the last 100 years. And so, Azula informs him of the war and the fire nations crimes, advising him to master the elements if he wants to prevent all his new friends and the avatar cycle from certain destruction. Aang is conflicted, he never asked for any of this. Azula just gives a bitter smile. "The hands of fate were never designed to take requests, they move without regard to any life dependent on it. Dont waste your breath when there is nothing you can do."

Azula wants to see Ozai fail. If helping the avatar is what it takes then so be it. When his friends appear to save him she let's them leave without a fight. Theyll be useful in the future.

As the gaang's travels kick off she sets out to find out if the rumours about the acolytes are true. In this she finds a traveling circus. The youngest daughter and an old friend of hers was eager to escape and found Azula's life exciting. She didn't hesitate after being invited along, insisting that traveling would be easy for her and that she'd pull her own weight.

She encounters the gaang a few times as time goes by. The relationship is reluctant on the water tribe siblings part, they dont trust her and hold a decent amount of fear towards her. Her cold and calculating demeanor was unsettling, but the unhinged way she fought was terrifying. Her form was perfect and her attacks were precise, but the bigger the fight the more lost she became as she laughed and shrieked and occasionally snapped at someone who didnt seem to be there. The only worse reaction was when she zeroed in on one opponent, picking them apart both mentally and physically as she drove them to the ground. )

Things that'll happen as I move through an episode list:

Azula doesn't have her ship attacked do she diesnt run into zhao while doing repairs, instead going straight to ty lee.

Azula learns that the gaang is on kyoshi island and heads ther after them. She has been keeping track of the avatar as they move. Ty lee gets along well with the kyoshi warriors while azula buts heads with them. They dont want her there and azula hates it when people get in the way. Zhao appears to try to capture aang and Azula dips at the same time as the gaang. She tells ty lee she can stay but she insists on sticking with azula. This puts her on edge.

Ty lee gets captured by earth benders, when she escapes on her own she cements her usefulness to Azula.

They run into zhao trying to capture the avatar and azula tells him she'll capture him first. They both attack aang during the solstice, though azula's attacks are all purposefully set to miss and trip up zhao as much as possible. Aang is the best way to prove her father wrong and she's not going to lose that.

They rob the pirates that try to capture the avatar. Azula needs the resources and it gives her leverage over the gaang.

After almost killing ty lee for scaring her by popping up behind her Azula tells her why she was banished. (In more of a "my own mother thought I was a monster" way than an opening up about trauma way.)

Azula learns that zhao has captured aang and frees him. She then sets to reworking her information network as not all of them are scared enough of her to not fail her. She remedies it quickly.

Azula learns that zhao is plotting her assassination and decides it's the perfect moment to fake her death.

Azula enters the north pole to defeat zhao and gain any information she can. Ty lee rades a library during the confrontation. Zhao is surprised and infuriated to see her alive, Azula smiles as she sends him to his death knowing that she is not only helping the avatar but also that he gave her a perfect way to hide from the fire nation. (When news of his sisters death reaches hum, Zuko doesnt know what to think. She was always cruel to him, but she was still his little sister.)

The crown prince of the fire nation is sent to capture the avatar. Azula follows him as he begins his search. (Zuko begins to think he's going insane as he keeps catching glimpses of his recently deceased sister out of the corner of his eye.)

Ty lee keeps running into a girl she slowly befriends. She's gloomy and sarcastic and ty lee thinks Azula would like her. (Zuko's fiance Mai tells him that she thinks his sister is still alive.)

As Azula notices ty lee become more and more distracted as she absorbed herself into the cultures that surround them she decides it's best for them to split up. Ty lee diesnt agree, but Azula leaves anyway. She has work to do.

While traveling alone Azula cant escape the thoughts of her mother. Of her fathers betrayal. Of the life she lost because the idiot elders had no grip on proper strategy that even a child could create. She meets a boy that reminds her far too much of zuko with a mother far to similar to theirs. When she sends the bandits controlling the town running she knows it's more than just controlling a territory that compelled her. But at the same time she doubts not following through on the whim would have bothered her.

Ty lee meets toph and chat for a bit. Ty lee tells her about azula and how she left. When toph tells her she should forget her she insists that azula didnt really ditch her and that they're still friends. They talk about their friends and childhood.

Ty lee finds Azula and immidiently jumps at her, which she does not enjoy. Ty lee insists that she still wants to travel with her and Axula sighs as she let's her tag along to the next location, ba sing se.

Azula slips through guards and protocols as she tries to gain any information she can to help her once they reach the city. Ty lee befriends a guy named jet and his group, the freedom fighters. When he tries to get more than friendship she turns him down and it becomes much more awkward.

Ty lee becomes a street performer and chames everyone she meets as Azula researches the dai lee and how they keep control. After lashing out in frustration ty lee drags her out to enjoy the city's night life.

Azula learns of the presence of the avatar and location of appa. She frees him and sets to work taking control of the dai lee. She let's herself be briefly captured but her plan shifts when katara is thrown in with her. Katara is pissed just being around her and azula plays up a cool kind of annoyance. Katara briefly catches sight of the burns on Azula's back and offers to heal her, only for Azula to freak out and yell at her to stay away, backing against a far wall in a fighting stance. They are saved by the rest if the gaang and ty lee shortly after.

Azula goes back to try and salvage her plan only to be caught off guard by the appearance of her brother and his offer to return to the fire nation. Not willing to lose all possible advantages, she agrees. They battle the gaang, and when they are almost captured azula sends a bolt of lightning at aang, causing them to retreat. Katara can heal him more easily than she can maneuver them out of an execution.

Azula returns to the fire nation with her brother, mai and ty lee, starting the beginning of a large power play between her and her father. They are sent to lo and li beach house. The relationship between the siblings is tense, zuko has always been the child born with nothing who gained everything when his blessed at birth sister lost it all. Azula has always been cruel, but he cant help but let his heart catch on the moments when she's not. ("My own mother thought I was a monster, My father thought i was too difficult to keep around" "Don't let their words blind you, you need to be more careful, zuzu." "I learned the hard way to never turn your back to anyone, and the scars will always be there as a reminder if I need it." )

Azula runs into iroh, who is very disapproving of her presence. He warns her to stay away from zuko and to watch herself while at the palace. Later, zuko comes to her asking about their great grandfather. Upon being pressed he admits that he was sent a mysterious letter. He thought she was going to burn it when he handed it to her but instead the heat from the fire revealed a hidden ink. "Honestly brother, did you ever pay attention at all during lessons?" They find a autobiographical scroll of their great grandfathers life and the secret that their other great grandfather was roku. Azula scoffed at the idea of bloodlines deciding fate and quickly left. But Zuko remained conflicted.

During the day of the black sun Azula confronts Ozai. As iroh and Zuko fight the avatar. She learns that her mother left for zuko's sake and that she was never going to be fire lord. Azula tells him she'll be somthing even better and leaves the palace.

Azula and ty lee follow the gaang to the western air temple. Katara immidprntly attacks but is quickly rendered unable to bend by ty lee. Azula tells them that the only way for them to of gotten out was for Aang to be incapacitated, and she knew katara could heal him. Aang decides they can stay but have to stay distanced from everyone else.

Azula tries to teach aang fire bending but is slowly growing sick while aang is barely able to produce a puff of smoke. Unable to sleep and constantly on edge, it soon affects her bending, sending her spiraling as she loses control on the only consistent power she's ever had. Her and aang journey to find the true source of fire bending to try to help their conditions.

Still sick, Azula is itching to do anything away from the temple. Finding sokka trying to reach the boiling rock to find his father, she decides to go with him as she knows the prison well. Sokka declines but she goes anyway. They dont find his father, but they do find suki. Azula formulates a plan but they postpone when sokka's father arrives.

Azula comes up with a new plan, now reluctant to include sokka. He tells her to trust him but she insists she has no reason to. Her sickness has been getting worse and he tells her she needs to trust him, making her angry. Only when he catches her while they're escaping dies she finally begin to accept trusting him, if only slightly.

(While they're away ty lee tries to convince

Azula goes with Katara to find the man who killed her mother. Azula has no concept of why katara is so upset, which causes her to get angry. But azula tracks the man anyway.

Ember island players- azulas character has the scar across her chest. She's absolutely insane and "not entirely inaccurate, but I'd never come up with such a dumb plan." Shes also heavily implied to be more than close to ty lee, which azula has no reaction to even as the others freak out.

I havent decided the ending, zuko will probably turn to the gaang's side. I'll add more later and maybe write or illustrate a bit.

#avatar the last airbender #atla azula #firelord azula #azula deserved better #atla au #role swap au

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tiz-chan · 3 years

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SnK characters and their arcana if they were in a Persona game:

note: the descriptions come from Labyrinthos Academy. Some traits are upright readings, whereas others are reverse. I just tried to pick whichever traits I thought matched best.

Eren: The Chariot

Determination

Ambition

Willpower

Aggression

Obstacles

The Chariot tarot card is all about overcoming challenges and gaining victory through maintaining control of your surroundings. This perfect control and confidence allows the charioteer to emerge victorious in any situation. The use of strength and willpower are critical in ensuring that you overcome the obstacles that lie in your path. The Chariot's message comes to make you stronger as you strive to achieve your goals.

Mikasa: The Lovers

Love

Unity

Choices

Detachment

Indecision

The primary meaning within the Lovers is harmony, attractiveness, and perfection in a relationship. The trust and the unity that the lovers have gives each of them confidence and strength, empowering the other. The bond that they have created is very strong. A more personal Lovers meaning that can apply to individuals is the development of your own personal belief systems, regardless of what are the societal norms. This is one of the times when you figure out what you are going to stand for, and what your philosophy in life will truly be. You must start making up your mind about what you find important and unimportant in your life. You should be as true to yourself as you can be, so you will be genuine and authentic to the people who are around you.

Armin: The Magician

Desire

Resourcefulness

Concentration

Cunning

Manipulation

When you get the Magician in your reading, it might mean that it's time to tap into your full potential without hesitation. It might be in your new job, new business venture, a new love or something else. It shows that the time to take action is now and any signs of holding back would mean missing the opportunity of becoming the best version of yourself. Certain choices will have to be made and these can bring great changes to come. Harness some of the Magician's power to make the world that you desire most.

Historia: The Empress

Sensuality

Nurturing

Creativity

Insecurity

Negligence

The Empress shows us how deeply we are embedded to our femininity. Femininity could be associated with fertility, expression, creativity and nurturing among many other aspects. It therefore calls you to connect with beauty and bring happiness to your life. Understand yourself and get in touch with your sensuality so that you can attract life circumstances to bring happiness and joy. She is a signal that be kind to yourself, to take care of yourself. The Empress is also a strong indication of pregnancy and motherhood.

Jean: Death

Transformations

Transition

Letting go

Repeating negative patterns

Fear of change

The Death card signals that one major phase in your life is ending, and a new one is going to start. You just need to close one door, so the new one will open. The past needs to be placed behind you, so you can focus your energy on what is ahead of you.

Reiner: The Moon

Complexity

Secrets

Confusion

Deception

Anxiety

the Moon card can symbolize your imagination is taking the best of you. In the dark of the night, you are taking a path that you are unsure of, for there could be danger lurking in its depths. You are the crawfish embarking on the path in the card. The moon's light can bring you clarity and understanding and you should allow your intuition to guide you through this darkness.

Bertholdt: The Tower

Destruction

Trauma

Sudden Change

Upheaval

Chaos

The Tower represents change in the most radical and momentous sense. It is for this reason that the card itself visually looks so unnerving. But it doesn't necessarily have to be truly frightening or ominous. Because at the heart of this card, its message is foundational, groundbreaking change. The kind of event that the Tower card marks does not have to be something terrible, like a disaster or a great loss. Change itself is a normal part of life that one has to embrace. But it can sometimes strike fear, for it means that we must abandon the truths that we have known prior to this event. The old ways are no longer useful, and you must find another set of beliefs, values and processes to take their place.

Annie: The Hermit

Contemplation

Solitude

Self-reflection

Rejection

Loneliness

You are currently contemplating that you need to be alone. Never be afraid to take this chance to reflect, as it could help you clear your mind of all the clutter that comes with everyday life. The Hermit may also refer to your effort in taking action that is authentic and aligned with your true self. You are perhaps searching your inner soul for guidance on what is right, and where your next steps are to be.

Levi: Justice

Honesty

Integrity

Consequences

Fairness

Cause and Effect

The decisions that you make now have long-term effects in all things, both for yourself and others. There will always come a time where you will be judged. The Justice tarot card appearing in a reading signals that a judgment will be made fairly and accordingly. The decisions that you have made in the past will be carefully weighed with fairness.

Hanji: The Sun

Success

Optimism

Confidence

Excessive Enthusiasm

Unrealistic Expectations

The Sun card represents success, abundance, and radiance. Like the sun itself, it gives strength and vitality to all those that are lucky enough to feel its rays. There is much joy and happiness that is coming to you. Because of your own personal fulfillment, you provide others with inspiration and joy as well. People are drawn to you because they are capable of seeing the warm and beautiful energy which you bring into their lives. You are also in a position in which you are capable of sharing your qualities as well as achievements with other people. You radiate love and affection towards those you care about the most.

Erwin: The Emperor

Authority

Control

Focus

Protection

Stubborn

It’s all about control when it comes to the Emperor, for this card means authority, regulation, organization and a fatherliness. The Emperor represents a strategic thinker who sets out plans that he must see through. He is a symbol of the masculine principle - the paternal figure in life that gives structure, creates rules and systems, and imparts knowledge. Where the Empress's desire for their kingdom is to create happiness, the emperor desires to foster honor and discipline. He guides with a firm hand, following the calling of the crown above all else. Though he is a ruler, he understands that to reign is also to serve - thus he acts rationally and according to what is for the greater good of the kingdom.

Ymir: The Hanged-Man

Sacrifice

Uncertainty

Contemplation

Lack of direction

Waiting

The hanged man understands that his position is a sacrifice that he needed to make in order to progress forward - whether as repentance for past wrongdoings, or a calculated step backward to recalculate his path onward. This time he spends here will not be wasted, he does this as part of his progression forward. His upside down state can also symbolize the feeling of those that walk a spiritual path, for they see the world differently. Where there are others that do not understand the need to sacrifice, you see it differently. This is a natural course of action for you as you walk the path alone.

Marco: The Star

Hope

Inspiration

Positivity

Faith

Renewal

The Star brings hope, renewed power, and strength to carry on with life. It shows how abundantly blessed you are by the universe as evidenced by the various things around you. It may not be directly evident at the moment, for this card follows the trauma of the Tower card. Remember that you hold within you all that you need for your fulfillment - the only thing that you need is courage. For this, you have all reasons to rejoice. To see this card is a message to have faith, for the universe will bless you and bring forth all that you need.

Sasha: Strength

Courage

Confidence

Compassion

Inner-power

Cowardice

When you get the Strength card in an upright manner during your tarot reading, then it shows that you have inner strength and fortitude during moments of danger and distress. It shows that you have the ability to remain calm and strong even when your life is going through immense struggle. It also shows that you are a compassionate person and you always have time for other people even if it's at your own expense.

Connie: The Fool

Beginnings

Adventure

Reckless

Naive

Distracted

To see the The Fool generally means a beginning of a new journey, one where you will be filled with optimism and freedom from the usual constraints in life. When we meet him, he approaches each day as an adventure, in an almost childish way. He believes that anything can happen in life and there are many opportunities that are lying out there, in the world, waiting to be explored and developed. He leads a simple life, having no worries, and does not seem troubled by the fact that he cannot tell what he will encounter ahead.

Zeke: The Devil

Oppression

Addiction

Obsession

Independence

Reclaiming control

Getting the devil card in your reading shows that you have feelings of entrapment, emptiness and lack of fulfillment in your life. It might also mean that you are a slave to materialism and opulence and no matter how hard you try, you just can’t seem to shake off the feeling of wanting to indulge in luxurious living. Addiction to substances or material pleasures can also be the reason for your feelings of powerlessness and entrapment. In situations such as these, you may feel as though you are a slave, unable to control your impulses or willpower to direct yourself towards something other than the satisfaction of these desires.

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