#long read!

[pressurereunited]

What makes RU Sebastian and Damien strong?

Delving into the concepts of strength and heroism.

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What is Strength?

Strength is quiet, true strength is through action, not words.

True strength is through sacrifice on the behalf of others.

Strength is choosing integrity and compassion time and time again, even when it costs you.

Now what does it mean to be a hero?

To be a hero is to show courage, moral strength, selflessness in the face of adversity, and inspiring others with your actions. Acting for the common good, no matter the risk, no matter the cost... Often embodying integrity, justice, and a commitment to helping others.

Now, let's go into Damien first... What makes him strong?

Damien was a boy who grew up with UrbanShade, he had lost his parents (RU Sebastian and Olivia) as an infant during the breach and spent his life within UrbanShade on the surface.

After fourteen years and with dropped hints of where he truly came from, he was sent back to the Blacksite... Not by choice, but he wanted to go... Because he wanted to see where he really came from.

He then met RU Sebastian and after getting to know him for weeks, he was told the truth... And he embraced his father.

That there is strength... And understanding in one. Damien could've been irrationally angry with his circumstances, he could've rejected his dad, left and returned to the surface, he could've allowed himself to give in to the negative emotions.

That takes a lot of mental strength.

But he didn't, he accepted his circumstances, accepted his father... And chose to stay, and through staying... He's found where he belongs, found his true family and found genuine happiness.

And even now, he shows strength and resilience... Despite the traumas he's endured with Eyefestation, despite the dangers he fights... He does it for his family, whom he loves dearly.

Now let's delve into RU Sebastian, but along with strength, let's delve into the concept of what makes him a HERO?

Firstly, strength.

RU Sebastian isn't just strong physically... Whilst he's a physical powerhouse no doubt, that's not where he reaches people... Where he appeals to you, the viewers... That's not why you like him so much, is it?

He's strong in the mental sense, despite ALL the shit he's went through. Being framed by the people he served his entire career, being wrongfully imprisoned, being forcefully mutated against his will, losing his son and wife for 14 years... Etc, etc.

He's been through shit. No doubting that.

But EVERY time the situation calls for it, he's choosing integrity, choosing kindness, choosing patience and compassion no matter what he has gone through, no matter what he's feeling currently... THAT IS STRONG.

Heroism

What makes RU Sebastian a HERO?

No, he doesn't have superpowers, no fancy costume, no cape. Just a fish man in a trench coat with a focused expression.

What makes him a hero is that he exhibits the traits of one!

Courage: He's shown courage throughout this story, not just in the Blacksite but in his past, the military is a dangerous career, one that doesn't always guarantee you'll see next year... But RU Sebastian served the military with commitment.

Even so, him being sent to the Blacksite prison shows courage... He knew the risks of threatening to expose the corruptions he found in his military branch, and whilst they did shake him up a bit, he still chose to do the right thing.

He's a brave man, leading a bunch of mentally shaken up people (including yourself) into building a society to thrive in takes bravery.

Moral Strength: He's known to be compassionate and shows integrity through his actions. He's grounding to most he encounters, showing that you don't have to choose the lesser options even in dire circumstances.

Motivation: Keeping his Family safe and The desire for peace motivates his actions.

Inspiration: He's an inspiration to most in the Blacksite community and to some of my lovely viewers (maybe to your OCs too 🤣)

Commitment to the Common Good: Helping keep up with this community shows his commitment to the common good!!

Overcoming Adversity: Absolutely. He got sent to the UrbanShade Prison, he chose to be a beacon of hope to the other inmates. Got sent or the Blacksite and forcefully experimented on, he chose not to let it change him and still chose to be a beacon, a grounding presence, earning him quite the reputation.

Nobility of character: You can't read all of this and say RU Sebastain doesn't have a noble character!

All of this.... He's all of this, and doesn't expect anything in return, doesn't want anything in return... He didn't want recognition (though he got it, I mean... that's going to happen.) He's very humble about it (call him a hero to his face, and he would disagree saying he's not perfect.), he even refused to be the Prime 'Patriarch'/Leader of the community, instead setting up a system where a group leads the community and he helps them... he only cares about his family and keeping the peace in the Backside community. Not about recognition, or personal gain.

THAT, my lovelies... Makes RU Sebastian... A hero.

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I hope you enjoyed this read, this little deep dive into my Damien and RU Sebastian, and I hope I was able to teach something if you were looking to learn!

Thanks for reading, my lovelies!

[veomuertos]

Crescendo || Finale

Regret was a horrible thing to relive. For years, nearly a decade, he had managed to bury that regret. Hiding the whispers of dark memories beneath the calm of meditation and self-professed peace. The voices of then were drowned out by the voices of now. And Ricardo had been happy. No…perhaps happy was too strong a word. Relieved would fit better; his evenings no longer tormented by mutilated bodies and people strung out of their minds on heroin and cocaine. He would spend hours trying to forget the glee he had felt when men and women would literally come crawling to him for another hit. Willing to pay anything, even their own souls, for just one more hit. At the time…the power had been it’s own drug. Here he was, a kid barely into his teens; controlling half of the LA water front! One of the biggest traffic routes in the United States! All through his own power; all because of his own devious mind. It sickened him. Back then the sight of ragged humans, their nails cracked and bitten down to a nub. Eye glassy and bloodshot from the drug collapsing their veins as it surged through their emaciated bodies. That horrible, heart-wrenching sight…had made him grin like a kid at Christmas.

Sure it meant money for the gang and a new patsy willing to be caught or even killed to get them their supplies, but it meant something completely different for Ricardo. For Ricardo…it meant one more soul to add to his army. An army of hell bound souls that would gladly work for him, because he promised them a few extra years away from their Demons.

These past few weeks had become his personal Hell on Earth. So many creatures just plain out fucking with his head.  The monster’s shadows crawling into the recesses of his mind and dragging out those old memories; memories that had physically sickened him. Not because they had reminded him of how horrible of a person he had been; he needed no reminder of that. But because they had shown him how happy he had been during that time. The laughter and smiles he had shared with his friends and loved one in the Barrios. Nights where they would create a bon fire in the middle of the street, people of the neighborhood coming together for one night to sing and laugh. Like the world’s happiest, dysfunctional family.   Despite the fact that he had been ruining lives and killing foolish, desperate people; Ricardo had been honestly happy.

In his own desperation he had attempted to focus on something else. Work was not enough; he just couldn’t throw himself into his job like others seemed able to. So he turned to his ‘second job’, deciding that a nice bare knuckle fight against Retribution would be a great way to fill his mind with the now. He had even planned to utilize just his own abilities. No ghost or specters to help him. It would have been perfect….but the best laid plans are often the easiest ones to derail. And this one had been severely derailed.

Nights after he had met Abbadon, Ricardo still couldn’t shake why the man’s mere presence had affected him so much. He had just been another member of Retribution. Another enemy to fell and push aside like the carcass of a rat. Oh Ricardo had the answer, but he was trying to deny it. Fully unable to accept that at one point he had been just like the Memory Manipulator. Using the weaknesses of the masses to ensnare them to his ideals and bidding. Regardless of the evidence his mind pushed at him Ricardo refused.

That denial just fueled his confusion though, his mind slowly trying to cover the holes from the encounter. Holes that were now filled with old memories. The ones the monster had brought back to the surface; ones Ricardo had also tried to deny were there. It was a maelstrom inside his mind. Voices trying to be heard over his conscious. So many voices cursing him and blaming him for their deaths or damnation. Ricardo had nearly broken twice but his stubborn nature refused to allow him that luxury. He held fast and steady and so doing, had sealed his fall into madness.

The deciding battle against the Shadow Monster was to be his saving grace; despite the plan he and Click had come up with. Ricardo just felt that they were going to win. Somehow they would win. Nothing could escape Hell…nothing.

It seemed that fate was still against him, because that night everything that could wrong went wrong. Both men had been trapped along with the monster in Hell. In Hell! Something that he had devised to not exist, was surrounding him. Ricardo felt that if his wrist had not been broken, he would have cracked. The pain kept his mind off where they were and kept him from becoming a complete lunatic. How they escape, Ricardo isn’t sure. He knew they had walked for hours…the soles of his feet completely burned through.  The stings coming from the burns forced him to recall ever grueling step.

“Step…through Hell…” He muttered to himself, a broken laugh escaping his lips as he curled tighter on the bed. His cast covered wrist held protectively against him. Slowly the broken laughter turned to harsh sobs. He didn’t care who heard him; he needed this. The burden of so many regrets was heavy but to have to face the very place he had sent so many souls? Literally staring into the bowels of Hell; tasting the stagnant, heat filled air….fuck, it was…it was just too much! His mind was disjointed, fleeting memories of his home in the Hills…his mother’s voice followed by Alberto’s. It wrenched another broken cry from his scratchy throat. Those memories fled, pushed aside by the smell of car exhaust and old piss. Sun warm asphalt against his skin and the sound of people yelling in various languages. L.A had been home…despite him not having an actual home….but no! No he had done such horrible, horrible things there. Broken and killed so many people.

Slowly his cries turned to whimpers; small wisps of hair sticking to his tear stained face. Someone had come in at some point and drawn him to them. A cold hug that he relished and clung to like a long neglected child. The tears subsided, Ricardo only sniffling every so often. “Lo siento…lo siento, I’m sorry…” He murmured to no one, Delilah’s arms the only thing keeping him from collapsing to the floor. Safe arms, cold arms; that was what he wanted….the only thing he needed. The ghost woman shushed him, drying his face and tugging him back on the bed.

But Ricardo did not sleep. His mind was still tormented by ghosts he could do nothing about. Gunshots…motorboats. The smell of Maryse’s perfume suddenly turning into the cheap one Lisa wore. A broken toothed smile and the almost too white smile he associated with Dolph. Thick accents from the Latin islands shifting to soft accents from Africa and Ireland.

“NO! No puedo…por favor…basta ya…p-por favor.” His voice cracked, raspy from his earlier hysterics, “please…I’m sorry…..I’m sorry…”