Shinobu going on with her plan , with her strategy to kill Douma - Uppermoon 2 - regardless of what it takes, is bravery.
But real bravery started when she took the first strike and she realized how much pain she will be in. How much suffering she will endure in her last moments. How she ll suffocate and choke on her own blood and how her small body was nearly cut in half almost from the start of the fight. How she will have to fight for her life in that condition. And she pushed on , she never strayed from what she had to do even when she had death himself laugh and mock in her ear.
Look at her expression , the shock of how painful it is. Of how her body is fighting the blood filling her lungs.
The realization of how much she has to take before she can rest. The realization of how much Douma took from her and how much he s taking still. The realization of how much fight she has to put out and how much strength she has to find in her little body to see the end of her will.
I hope this isn’t weird but your medical posts about demon slayer is what led me to sign up for medical science too, although I already planned to, your posts just sort of encouraged me more.
You have no idea how much this means to me. Welcome to the medical world and i m glad i could be an inspiration !!!
Medicine is an art and a spectacle, and science is wonderful to study, to understand and to simply notice. I wish you the best in your journey !!!
I know this is a total "duh, we been knew" type of post, but the brilliance of the upper moons and what makes their blood demon arts so formidable is how they attack the three cornerstones of being a demon slayer.
Akaza attacks their fighting spirit born out of an innate and unrelenting desire to eliminate all evil. That drive is what gives them the strength to keep going. I also love how it ties to Hakuji's trauma of not knowing when danger was near 🥹
Douma's bda attacks their lungs which is needed to perform the breathing styles. This fuckass bastard knows that if they can't breathe, it renders their breathing styles ineffective. No, but seriously, fuck this guy 🖕🏽
Kokushibo attacks their knowledge. As the oldest surviving former Hashira, the twin brother of the creator of the breathing styles, and the oldest upper moon he knows and has seen all the breathing and fighting techniques from the slayers he's killed. That's why his battle arena has literal pillars that he constantly chops down, showing how dangerous he is to the Corps as a whole. It really do be your own people 😮💨
Anyway, just thought I'd yap cuz It's all just so...urghhhhh 🤌🏽
Btw, I haven't forgotten about the gysn posts I promised. I have a number of stuff in the drafts but progress is super slow. Asides from general life stuff, my health is failing so I usually don't have the energy to do the research and write as much as I'd want to. I'll make a post soon tho, so please bear with me 🙇🏽♀️
Again. Proving why he s called the Water Pillar again.
This succession of scenes - guys hold me tf back
He looks so confused and broken and tired and he can t do it anymore and his hair is in his face and he has blood on his mouth and his eyes are glowing blue and he s angry and locking his jaw and breathing through his teeth and barely standing and -
INFINITY CASTLE GOT ME FUCKED UP BCS WDYM GIYUU "i m not worthy of being a hashira" TOMIOKA IS GRUNTING AND GASPING IN MY EARS WHILE SENDING UPPERMOON 3 THROUGH MULTIPLE BUILDINGS. he would ve had to worry about me first before any demon fr
Take my son out of there. He didn't do anything wrong
He s a 14 year old child who only knew death and blood and maggots eating away at his brother's corpse
A 14 year old child who only knew deep in his soul how to hold a sword and how to cut necks until they dissolve into ash
A child who barely remembered his own name and why his face felt so uncanny in the mirror
A child who knew there was someone else next to him at some point , but it was too far away and too painful to remember. A child who never cried and never laughed until he remembered the murder of his twin brother that rotted away while holding his hand.
A child who faced the scariest of monsters without breaking down. Without showing fear. A Hashira of the Demon slayer Corps until the very end.
spoilers ahead
A child who was forsaken by his own ancestor and who saw the color of the sky for the last time while running towards his Master's mansion knowing it s being attacked.
A child who dragged himself to his death only to be useful till the end. Only to prove he was worth something. Knowing he was going to die , using his already broken body to help however he could anymore.
A child set to die as a soldier since the beginning.
I just wish sometimes i was a Hashira seeing the first rays of dawn after a night of battle, cleaning the blood off my sword and dragging my tired, bruised body to a Wisteria tea house to rest for a bit and have all the fellow slayers greet me as i pass by them
I just wish sometimes i would be called to Hashira meetings and i would travel the way to the Headquarters to kneel in front of the Master with the other Hashira and hear the voice that demanded absolute loyalty
I just wish sometimes i had a mansion with the title of my breathing style, Kakushi to serve and lower demon slayers to hear my commands and Tsugukos who look up to me to take the Corps and Breathing styles further
I just wish sometimes i had a glinting sword wearing the "demon destroyer" engraving on its blade , to gracefully slash away at demons and protect scared people that hide behind me whispering pleas and gratefulness
I just wish sometimes i could share tea with other Hashira or other slayers and go to Wisteria houses to be received and taken care of whenever i have wounds that I can't treat myself
I just wish sometimes i could look at the moon and get lost in the silence of the night as i patrol a dark forest path with my hand on the hilt of my sword.
The war conclusion I m trying to convey through my Vaena x Aemond series :
- i DO NOT think Aemond would choose and fight for anyone from team Black just because he s in love with her. He s not a lovey dovey loyal type that will fight mountains and armies for his lover. The only way he would do it is out of pride , for his own agenda or because he simply decides fighting for his mother and grandfather is not worth it anymore. Which leads me to the second point :
- the only way i think the war would be avoided because Aemond, from the start, chooses to fight for Rhaenyra - is that in his mind, he chooses and fights for House Targaryen. Targaryens are elitist god-complex war mongers who also are bonded to chaotic forces of nature. This makes them "closer to gods than to men" and they see themselves as powerful, out of this world, out of reach from commoners and other nobles alike. I think that in the right circumstance, with the right push in Aemond's unstable mind, he would see the Hightowers as enemies, as stains on his blood, and would resent them - this way Otto and Alicent would be completely powerless in the whole situation. Because Aegon and Helaena are sitting ducks , they don t care, especially Aegon. (If we re being factual, he even actively refused the crown at the beginning). And Daeron is too young to make any difference.
So the situation is decided by Aemond's stand on the problem - and if he resents the Hightowers, the green part of his blood, seeing it as weak, shameful, unworthy of a dragon, he would choose Rhaenyra's side. Because in that moment, in his mind, the choice wouldn't be "Rhaenyra vs Aegon and Alicent and himself by extension". The choice would be "House Targaryen vs House Hightower". He would even be psychotic enough to see it as a threat to the crown, to the authority of the Targaryen dinasty that has ruled for so many years.
And so, Aemond would resent them and would condemn Otto and Alicent for daring to interfere with their house and authority and power, seeing them as less than worthy to try and take the power for themselves. And by this point - the war is decided and avoided, because the moment Aemond (and Aegon naturally) turn against Alicent, she alone has no place to speak against them anymore. The same with Otto (he was imprisoned anyway even in the current timeline).
In conclusion, it is a play on Aemond's mentality, on how it can be nudged in a different direction and how far he can take the "blood of the dragon is the highest authority and no other peasant house can top that" perspective. Which comes into picture better when the Targaryen heir, the Princess, is someone Aemond respects and holds dear, and someone who will be betrothed to him and will assure his title as king. This makes his stand against Alicent specifically even more powerful - also since he has virtually no reason to dislike Rhaenyra or her children; his eye was never lost, the attack and mockery and tension afterwards never happened.
For the ask prompt you look like a bookish person especially with science that can spend hours researching something or like how accurate something is in media. In a cool way, trust me I love being around people like this!
This is true 100% i get really nerdy about things i hyperfixate on (including anime, book series, etc) and i m also a med student so yeah that s so accurate
literally Aemond is like the best person to torment psychologically because he has so many issues he doesnt even recognize half of them and probably Alys won't either like it s that bad
I think he s by far the most far gone out of the current Targaryens
No cause HOTD starting again just put my brain into targaryen-related psychosis again like i cannot stop genuinely redacting STRATEGIES and multiple-step puzzle plans which would have avoided the Dance.
Literally writing step-by-step situational strategies including political marriages or flat-out murders just to try and save the dragons and the Targaryens implicitly and the whole realm from war
On a scale of 1 to 10 how much of a nerd strategist am i actually
Canon fix-it - as the elder sister of Jace and Luke, princess Vaena, heir to the throne, she finds herself jumping in front of her little brother's dagger. Between thundering pain and splashes of blood, she sees Aemond's shock, horror, and panic, as instead of blinding him, the knife embeds its unforgiving blade into her hand.
-exploring the "what if" of Aemond not having any other reason to dislike his nephews and niece except for what his mother has drilled into his head. And he struggles with not knowing which thoughts are his and which are not.-
Aemond's steps were the only sound he heard walking through the dark halls of the Red Keep - aside from the dragonsong outside. Regardless of what his mother thought, he would never think of keeping the dragons restrained in the Dragon Pit. Even he, her son, acknowledged the distant offense of a Hightower having such opinions on their beasts - their power - and a particularly loud roar outside seemed to approve his thoughts. He stopped just for a bit next to the terrace, hands behind his back, leaning in to see which one of them made himself known so close to the castle. And there he was, her dragon, circling the towers as if he owned them , burned black scales covering the bright green of his underwings; the large wings casting even darker shadows that moved from window to window with his flight. Vaerax, beautiful beast, and dangerous, and wild, Aemond thought, reminded at once of the reason he left his chambers a few minutes ago. To find the princess, as he usually seeked to do in nights too full of thoughts and memories.
It would be considered indecent had it been anyone else, but Aemond knew the Crown Princess was allowed a bit more liberty than other noble ladies, for which reason he found himself walking on the main corridor to her chambers. The guards outside her door, one on each side, bowed their heads to the Prince as he approached. If it had been the first time Aemond visited so late into the night, they might have hesitated on his firm gesture to pass - but it was not the first time. It hadn't been the first time in many years, since somewhere around the time Aemond almost lost his eye and the Princess took the knife to her hand.
One of the guards pushed open the door, stepping inside only to announce,
- Prince Aemond is here to see you, Your Grace.
Without waiting for any answer, Aemond stepped through and set his eyes on the princess who stood up, slightly surprised, clutching a soft shawl around her shoulders. Something about her almost pulled at Aemond's smile, yet he did not budge. With a slight bow of his head, and a rigid stop a few steps away from her, his eyes thoroughly analyzed her as if she was the one who came to see him, not the other way around.
- What a delightful surprise, my Prince. Though, should i say surprise when your visits are more and more often these days ?
- I see i m not disturbing you, Princess. Though, one could say you've grown accustomed.
Aemond's reply was not harsh, nor soft. His voice was stuck in the same indifferent, almost quiet tone. He laid eyes on the table behind her, seeing old Valyrian books opened and scattered over used quills and papers. Just as he expected, princess Vaena was studying, reading, as a proper heir should. Aegon, his older brother, never did it. He never even mastered High Valyrian, which filled him with disgust and ironic amusement. Their mother dared hold Aegon so high and mighty when he couldn't even speak to his dragon in their mother tongue ? Pathetic, Aemond thought. My brother will never be a true Targaryen.
Princess Vaena, still dressed in her court gown, with a thin silver crown upon long, dark locks of hair, turned to follow Aemond's eyes, and his hand, as he picked one of her drawings off the table. Something stirred in her chest, seeing him in her chambers, alone, with his hand so familiar, so intimate in her belongings.
- Two dragons. he mused, holding the paper closer to the candlelight. You had a particular inspiration tonight, Princess, though i can't be sure who the other dragon beside Vaerax is.
- Vaerax does like to play with all other dragons, she replied, with a soft chuckle, stepping behind him. Smaller than him, her head reached his arm, enough to see the drawing he was looking at. She only glanced up when his head turned down to her, with that same contemplative, studying look in his eyes. Though the other dragon in my picture is a bit too big to be anyone else than Vhagar, isn t she ?
- I should feel flattered, then, Aemond replied, lowering the drawing to the desk, though perhaps a flight together these days would help the Princess refreshen her mind of how Vhagar truly looks. She could capture it better in her next drawing, that if she desires it, of course.
- Maybe a visit tomorrow during the day would also help the Prince see the drawing more clearly, she shot back with a velvety voice, crossing her arms, since i do think i captured Vhagar as true as my own dragon.
Aemond chuckled for the first time that night, liking the particular tone of voice she had when she bit back at him, even in that elegant, irritated way of hers. Holding his hands at his back again, he turned to her fully, meeting her eyes. Light, amethyst eyes, clear and oh so beautiful. She was staring up at him as if waiting for another banter, her hand loosening the shawl over her shoulders to show the pale expanse of her shoulders over the black gown she wore. Instead of teasing her again, Aemond spoke more quietly this time, almost a whisper.
- Ēdrugon kostan daor (I couldn't sleep). Bāngor lī jor bōstis, se lēda jor runor dāerior. (The nights are longer than others, and more filled with thoughts).
- Skorke jor runor, nya dārilaros ? (Thoughts of what, my Prince ?) she replied, her voice lowering just like his, the air suddenly becoming charged with more than banter and wordless conversation. She liked Aemond's voice when he switched to High Valyrian, and he liked how her eyes looked when he did. Their mother tongue - what made them the blood of old Valyria, a language only they could understand.
In response, his eyes dropped to her hand, the scar of taking Luke's knife instead of Aemond running from both sides of her palm to her wrist, to her forearm. A cut that would never fully heal on her milky skin; Aemond did not know what he truly felt about it, even after all this time. Understanding, the princess smiled softly, taking her scarred hand to Aemond's cheek. His cold, indifferent facade dropped to show the truly vulnerable prince beneath, his eyes fixed on hers with furrowed brows, as if letting her see the torment he felt every night. Dropping his head into her hand, his own came over hers as if afraid the deep gash still hurts.
- Skorkiri zūgī jor runor kipi? (Why do you still think about it?) she whispered, her thumb caressing the skin under his eye, as if glad the scar wasn't there, but on her hand.
- Skorkiri kostan daor? Banti mēni avy jepmen. (How could i not ? You chose me that night.) Closing his eyes under her fingers, Aemond then took her hand into his own, larger ones, to study the delicate wrist and palm that considered him higher than even herself that night. His own brother , his own mother , his father, have never even thought of going to such lengths for him. This is the thought that has tormented him ever since. He was always the second son, the forgotten prince, regardless of his efforts. Yet the crown Princess, his sweet niece, chose him that night. Over herself, and over her brothers' attack.
- You were stupid to do it, Aemond whispered, his thumb feeling the ridges of her scar.
- You said that before, she replied, but you had no mistake to pay for with your sight. Maybe with your life. You know i never regretted it.
- No, but i did. I still blame Lucerys for this, the prince said, with an intensity in his eyes that should have reflected hate. Yet it didn't. He was more confused than anything, confused at the hate he was programmed to have yet had no reason for.
- Do you really think that, Aemond ? she asked, soft voice bringing down whatever hostility he tried to hold onto.
- Vaena, he whispered, as if pleading with her, her forearm still delicately in his hands. They hurt you. You, of all people, for me, of all people.
- Anything different than this would have hurt me more. Hate hurts me more than this.
The prince's eyes deepened, seeing the frown on Vaena's face. He knew what she was telling him, of course. Hate, the hate he should harbor for his nephews, for her. The hate Alicent harbors for Rhaenyra, the hate she fears one day would break the realm apart and their house to shreds. The fear that the only thing that could bring the House of the Dragon down, is itself.
Aemond's brows furrowed as he tightened his grip on Vaena's hand. He knew what she was asking from him, yet he didn't know if he could give it. He was torn apart - he was made to think otherwise, yet the truth was right here in front of him. He had no reason to be hostile, neither of them had. Was he so easily manipulated ? To turn on his own house, because a Hightower told him to ?
Her voice pulled him out of his troubled head again.
- Bōstiar dāri, (stay longer).
Opening his eyes to hers, he found himself nodding before he could process the thought. The night was quiet, calm, and he heard once again the dragonsong over King's Landing. But it was peaceful this time, and it seemed even the dragons had settled down to rest for a bit. He couldn't handle the silence on his own anymore.
And so he lowered her hand down and poured the both of them wine from a forgotten pitcher on the balcony. He was used to reading Valyrian poetry too, after all, and it sounded better in her chambers, with only the candlelight as witness.
please do your research before believing anything you see on the internet. if i see another person saying that they killed off kyojuro because his hair was hard to draw, that sanemi is canonically colorblind, that shinogiyuu is canon, that douma is pure evil, that shinobu hates bugs and animals, that giyuu can't swim, that zenitsu is not a victim, that kanae is a pick me girl, that tanjiro is completely innocent and loves all demons and doesn't want to kill them, i will EXPLODE.
Canon fix-it - as the elder sister of Jace and Luke, you find yourself jumping in front of your little brother's dagger. Between thundering pain and splashes of blood, you see Aemond's shock, horror, and panic, as instead of blinding him, the knife embeds its unforgiving blade into your hand.
-exploring the "what if" of Aemond not having any other reason to dislike his nephews and niece except for what his mother has drilled into his head. And he acknowledges it is only her influence speaking.-
What a fine evening.
King's Landing was quiet, for once, save for the merchant's voices and the dragonsong decorating the skies above. Aemond swirled his wine on the terrace, watching over the horizon of a kingdom kneeling at their feet - his house's feet - flapping of wings and stray spitfires reflecting over the Red Keep's large windows. He liked watching the dragons. Vhagar was never among them, too old and too heavy to play so close to the city, but he enjoyed the others nonetheless. Vermax, regardless of his opinion on Jace, was a very entertaining dragon, as young dragons tended to be. And at the moment, over the roof of the Red Keep and above Aegon's Hill, Vermax was playfighting another dragon, bigger, and more elegant. Her dragon. And thinking of her, Aemond finds himself gripping his goblet just a bit too hard.
His sweet niece, elegant and firm like he heard her mother was when she was younger, long, black hair, always contrasting her skin and lips. Picturing her lips, Aemond swirled his wine once more, the same color that haunted his thoughts everytime he stepped into court. Both his eyes, thank the gods, focused on her dragon, as wild and untamed as she was underneath her serene appearance. He knew. And he remembered.
- flashback , the night Aemond claimed Vhagar, and instead of paying the price with his sapphire eye, she paid it herself -
- Oh no, it's him, Luke said, hiding behind Jace.
- Oh no, it's me, Aemond replied, heading straight for Vhagar. A Targaryen Prince should have a dragon, or he should die trying to claim it, he thought.
And as he crowned the skies on top of the she-dragon, the blur of ecstasy only ended as he argued with Jace and Luke and the glint of the blade caught his sight. A knife. And her voice, as capturing as ever, even as they were children:
- Luke ! Put that down ! she half-screamed, as if sensing what was next. Jace ! Take it out of his hand !
The princess was as beautiful as ever, if only a bit disheveled after running after her little brothers. Undone hair, flowing down in waves, and a thin scarf covering her skin from the cold of the beach.
And as Aemond watched the dragonglass come straight for him, he cursed his nephews, the bastards as they called them, prepared to pay the price. Yet it never came. Only the sound of her scream ringed in the silence of Vhagar's lair.
And there she was, Luke's dagger finding home in her outstretched hand, blood dripping in waves onto the sand. No...he though, no, why would she do it ? Why would anyone do it, over me, of all people ?
But the blood was real, and Luke's horrified sobs were too. And only chaos began as the guards ran to them as if going to war, the hand of the princess blooming red along with her painful screams.
Aemond remembered it too vividly, as it has plagued his thoughts ever since. The forgotten prince, some called him, the only one without a dragon of his own in his cradle. And if he was thinking about it, his own brother Aegon has been his torment about it. Not his nephews, not his sweet niece. The princess that took the responsibility for her little brothers' insolence, not blaming either of them. The one they had to stitch back together that night, her hand bearing the deep scars even now.
At the thought, Aemond rose suddenly from his seat, the last drop of wine from his glass having already poured down his throat. He had to see what his niece was doing. Stumble upon her, if you will. The beautiful princess that was either riding her own beast, working her mind on valyrian tomes, or in the King's court.