The Art of War

War is the place where life and death meet; it is the road to destruction or survival. It demands study. War has five decisive factors, which you must take into account in your planning… First is a Moral Compass; second is Heaven; third is Earth; fourth is the Commander; fifth is Regulation. [ Private. Independent. Selective. Written by Walden. ]

[fivedecisivefactors]

Welcome to my blog for Tseng from Final Fantasy VII!

This interpretation of Tseng is entirely based upon the original material and—as a result—a lot of headcanons that were formed between the watching of Advent Children and any further developments, well prior to the remakes even being a rumor .

To be clear, I am not against writing with any muses or versions of muses from the remakes, or even incorporating events as they have unfolded there into verses, but the way that I write Tseng is entirely based upon the original version so even in circumstances where those things have been incorporated, Tseng will still be OG!Tseng.

Further information can be found in my carrd, the link for which is listed below.

Thanks for your time and your follow, and I look forward to writing together!

RULES // CARRD // HEADCANONS

I do also have other FFVII blogs that can be found here:

@thecursedgunman — Vincent Valentine

@theobliqueandthedirect — Rufus Shinra

@ofduskorofdawn — Multimuse for Final Fantasy VII, as well as Kingdom Hearts. It includes but is not limited to Reno, Rude, and Reeve of Final Fantasy VII, as well as Riku, Vexen, and Axel of Kingdom Hearts.

Note: The first is a main blog; the latter two are a side blogs, and thus, any follows will be from one of my main blogs.

I also have a few other blogs with FFVII verses available:

@weariedshield , @secondofthelegion , @aworldofmania — Muses from a mobile game called Path to Nowhere. [ It's a pretty niche game, it seems like, so be assured, no prior knowledge of the game is necessary. ]

@mistersaxophone , @justwantedbeeframen , @beboptothebeat — Muses from Cowboy Bebop [ blogs currently under construction as my love of the anime was recently revived ]

@lechevaliermelancholique — Haji from Blood+

@alchemicassassin — Midas from FORTNITE

@arashikagesteel — Storm Shadow [ with occasional Snake Eyes muse ] from G. I. JOE

@swiftdeathtoevil , @notquitebuddha , and @nolongerbattosai from Rurouni Kenshin

[warofthebeasts]

Could Tseng really be surprised by such a question? He knows far better than most what a return to Shinra would be: death. There is no further use for him, not for the dog who has by the accounts of those who matter turned and bit the hands that fed him. His future is to be put down then dissected, parts repurposed into something greater all in the name of science and progress and corporate greed.

It is a return to being seen as not a person but a possession, and he has come such a long way that to return to that would kill him more than actual death.

Yet even as Sephiroth had asked that question, he isn't sure what answer he wants most to hear: a 'yes' would mean that he still holds some value; a 'no' would confirm his freedom.

(And they both know that Tseng could take him back. Leap, Tseng could say to him, and he would without question leap from a cliff to the rocks below.)

Does it matter? he asks himself in a moment of realizing that he could simply...

Decide for himself. He could place down the suspicion, he could set aside the fear, and allow himself to trust someone's word. Had the Turk ever let him down before?

(But hadn't the Turk also always stood by while adults sent a literal child to war?)

He lets out a breath.

"...Thank you." He means it. He will trust his word.

[fivedecisivefactors]

Tseng... is uncertain what he had been expecting in answer, but the sincere thanks had apparently not been on the list. There was no further question given. No further accusations thrown. No rightful rebukes on the part that he had played, willingly or otherwise.

There is simply acceptance, and... he is not sure what to do with that or what to say in the face of this.

Perhaps the other might notice as much because the man says nothing for a long moment, and if Sephiroth were to look closely, perhaps he might see what is a rare moment of openness upon that usually impassive face, surprise evident [ and perhaps even a bit of mistiness to his eyes ].

"... If there... If there is anything I can do for you... any way that I can help..." he says at last, after a long moment, his throat feeling tight. ".... know that I will. You need only ask it."

[fivedecisivefactors]

Alright, so today was a bad, bad pain day, and, after taking a pain reliever, I spent a good little bit trying to figure out what the least painful way to lie down was and then sleeping off and on for most of the day. I am not hurting as bad now, so I am going to try to get some things done because I want to write. We'll see how it goes. 😂 [ Fun fact! I write not one but TWO characters with back problems, one of whom—Ariana—I wrote a literal decade before I had back problems or even a warning sign of them myself, and the other for around five years prior. At least I can confirm my research was solid. 🔥🙃🔥 Maybe I should start writing characters who hit the lottery and become billionaires??? Do we think that would work??? ]

[kosmogrl]

"you need to let it go" that would be really cool, unfortunately I'll take it with me to the grave

[unorcadox]

[firelorcl]

i scare people lots because i walk very softly and they don’t hear me enter rooms so when they turn around i’m just kind of there and their fear fuels me

[fivedecisivefactors]

I have been hit with some serious nostalgia of late.

Would anyone like to write with muses from:

Cowboy Bebop? [ As of now, there's Spike, Gren/Mr. Saxophone, and an OC. @justwantedbeeframen, @mistersaxophone, and @adeepershadeofblue ] Blood+? [ It's literally just Haji. I don't know what to tell you. I have a type. @lechevaliermelancholique ] Yu Yu Hakusho? [ Kurama and an OC. @stilladamnedmartyr, @rejectingapathy ] Rurouni Kenshin? [ I write Kenshin, Saito, Saito's wife Tokio, and possibly Sano when inspiration strikes ] Beauty Pop? [ It's a random manga that I expect no one to know, but essentially, the protagonist is a hair stylist. xD @workalittlemagic ]

And perhaps most randomly of this list:

G. I. Joe? [ With this I write Storm Shadow with an occasional appearance of Snake Eyes, maybe the Crimson Twins, and possibly Zartan, but I doubt how much interest there might be so I'll just list the first for now. @arashikagesteel ]

All of these can be written within their own canon, within pre-determined Final Fantasy VII verse, or a brand new verse if someone is wanting to plot something.

And, not part of my current nostalgia loop, but if any mutuals are looking for more Shinra experiments gone wrong or another SOLDIER currently on the run, I also have muses from a mobile game called Path to Nowhere that exists within a world that adapts very easily into Final Fantasy VII's universe. [ @weariedshield, @secondofthelegion, and @aworldofmania ]

[fivedecisivefactors]

I have been hit with some serious nostalgia of late.

Would anyone like to write with muses from:

Cowboy Bebop? [ As of now, there's Spike, Gren/Mr. Saxophone, and an OC. @justwantedbeeframen, @mistersaxophone, and @adeepershadeofblue ] Blood+? [ It's literally just Haji. I don't know what to tell you. I have a type. @lechevaliermelancholique ] Yu Yu Hakusho? [ Kurama and an OC. @stilladamnedmartyr, @rejectingapathy ] Rurouni Kenshin? [ I write Kenshin, Saito, Saito's wife Tokio, and possibly Sano when inspiration strikes ] Beauty Pop? [ It's a random manga that I expect no one to know, but essentially, the protagonist is a hair stylist. xD @workalittlemagic ]

And perhaps most randomly of this list:

G. I. Joe? [ With this I write Storm Shadow with an occasional appearance of Snake Eyes, maybe the Crimson Twins, and possibly Zartan, but I doubt how much interest there might be so I'll just list the first for now. @arashikagesteel ]

All of these can be written within their own canon, within pre-determined Final Fantasy VII verse, or a brand new verse if someone is wanting to plot something.

And, not part of my current nostalgia loop, but if any mutuals are looking for more Shinra experiments gone wrong or another SOLDIER currently on the run, I also have muses from a mobile game called Path to Nowhere that exists within a world that adapts very easily into Final Fantasy VII's universe. [ @weariedshield, @secondofthelegion, and @aworldofmania ]

[fivedecisivefactors]

Alright. I am here and settled and about to make that everyone's problem. 😂

[balaclava-trismegistus]

Sun Tzu is so fucking funny to me because for his time he was legitimately a brilliant tactician but a bunch of his insight is shit like "if you think you might lose, avoid doing that", "being outnumbered is bad generally", and "consider lying."

[elidyce]

My personal favourite is his lengthy lecture on the subject of Supplies Being Very Important I Cannot Stress Enough The Importance Of Protecting Your Supply Lines But Also Supply Lines Are Expensive As Shit So Steal The Enemy’s Supplies At Every Opportunity. 

[biohammer]

via- @elidyce

[crazy-pages]

One of the more important things to consider about any historical work is the audience it was published for. The Art Of War was aimed at fancy nobles high on philosophy with little practical military experience who were nonetheless leading armies.

[limpurtikles]

Sun Tzu, after desperatly trying to explain extremely basic logic to a bunch of upper-class twits, basically sat down and wrote the most elaborate "As per my last email" ever

[boethiah]

thank you for sending assassins after me btw i really needed that. it meant a lot to me

[sadgalelissa]

when you want to be heartless but you know that’s not how you are

[faememes]

Family isn't just blood.

[quotefeeling]

“You often feel tired, not because you’ve done too much, but because you’ve done too little of what sparks a light in you.”

— Unknown

[spaacemusings]

                                                war is a slippery slope.

                                                  what would you do?                                                          becomes                                                     what will you do?                                                          becomes                                              my god, what have you done?

                                                    you meant so well.

[cinemapix]

BROOKLYN NINE-NINE (2013–2021) S02E16 | The Wednesday Incident

[indomabiles-blog]

                     YOUR SHOULDERS ARE TOO HEAVY;                            put some of that weight down and talk to someone.                                           ( you don’t have to do it all alone. )