Latest Posts by penguka - Page 3

Tarot Gen Cards - A conspiracy theory and Hcs

Well, I was re-re-re-reading some chapters of manga (I can't help it, sorry) and I'd noticed one thing about Gen' cards.

But first, when and who made one of the most powerful trick of this cute mentalist?

Let's start straight (or not, in this case?).

↘️⬇️↙️

In chapter 70, paper (and the possibility to make sheets to draw and write on them) is acquired by the Science team. So I don't think Gen' cards already existed before this chapter because they made by paper with a touch of plastic (I supposed because the paper it was more easy to draw something on but only paper isn't enough).

In chapter 82, Gen remembered Senkuu' words about the entertainment (so like his own magic show) and how they will come back. I wanted to include it because from chapters 70-81, Senkuu and all of them in general had zero (0) chills to make something of frivolous like cards. So when Gen' cards could be made? Maybe after this chapter?

In chapter 84, finally we could see one of the cards: the Joker + Gen explained one of his psychological tricks.

Had you noticed? The Joker had a sort of title.

Uncertainty Principle.

It wasn't a psychological or magical concept but a scientific one. The Uncertainty Principle was also known as Heisenberg's uncertainty principle. Google-chan was trying to explain to me what it was but it wasn't important for this post, so let's forget about what it was but not that it was a scientific concept.

Also the double faced joker here had the same scar of Gen.

Cute.

🌻

In chapter 88, we could more of his cards. On the cards were written Tarot Gen Card (and they hadn't the pattern motive that they had in few chapters before).

At first I thought that there was something strange but Wikipedia-chan explained that even cards like these that Gen used could be called like this. For Tarot Cards I did mean another type...

Btw, in this chapter we also saw another card. 3 of hearts that had a title as well.

Theory of Evolution.

This one is an another scientific concept like that for the joker's card. It's a reference to theory of evolution made by Charles Darwin, of course.

So here we go with my theories:

1) Gen made these cards by himself

I mean, he needed them and finally he had all materials to use. Tarot Gen Cards are useful for good (little show that he could make as it was shown in a small photo in this panel from chapter 99)

or "evil" magic tricks (when it was to make his and Senkuu's interests went well). This could be valid because on cards there was Gen's name (normally on something made by Senkuu there was always his name).

2) Gen asked to Senkuu to make these cards

Gen was very lazy. He needed cards and he asked them to Senkuu for the same reasons that I'd said above. Also Senkuu maybe could draw (we didn't know nothing about Gen's other skills) or they asked to the little child from the Village to draw a few illustrations on cards lol

3) Senkuu made them for Gen as a gift (after all, Gen has made for him the telescope)

Yes, same reasons above but there was more. Senkuu didn't express his feelings and he preferred to do something concrete for who he loved and cared about. So he made cards with Gen's name but call them with scientific concepts also to teached them to Gen.

The scene that I've pictured in my mind is like this:

"A mentalist like you have to have cards with him... So here we go. Use them for Science Kingdom's Sake."

"Have you given to me a present, Senkuu-chan~? For what? I'm not complaining."

"It's not a present, it's for your mentalist job. Use them for tricking who wants to trick us."

"Wait... Why has every card a different scientific principle on it?"

"Because you can study them now."

"Have I to study here too? Tewwible!"

And I've done, let me know what do you think, if you mind or if you want me to focus on something else about SenGen or Dr. Stone story 🃏

Some Psychology Tricks You Need To Try

“Let’s pretend that the giant sky serpent who roamed the ancient sky regurgitates the six moons it has consumed one by one ; that the first man and woman refused to devour the forbidden. That we existed before we were two boys banished from paradise, before humanity defied the gods, before mythology was passed by tongue in front of the dying embers of firelight, before creation and chaos, before sin, before I met the boy with eyes that retold the same old story of men who succumbed to the desire for tragedy; foreshadowing our fates, before I loved him. And there was nothing but light in the vastness of existence. Tonight, I will devour him in the dark; not for sin nor for defiance, but like the legend of the bakunawa: to devour the last moon in infinite cycles for millennia to come, to quench the hunger and yearning for the light that resides in him.”

— “Bakunawa ” (via floralbruisesx)

The Kite and the Sky and the Sea.

At the beginning of existence, before time even began to flow, there was the Sky and the Sea. The Sky was this burning, white-hot compression of Everything, condensed into a single point. The Sea was this flowing, ink-black expansion of Nothing, expanded over a vast multitude.

There was, and many storytellers today forget, a third character in this story. It was a being that flew between the Sky and the Sea, with nowhere to roost. For simplicity’s sake, we shall call her the Kite.

The Kite was getting tired, having flown for both no time at all and for eternity. She needed a place to rest. And so, she goaded the Sky and the Sea into a war with each other, saying to each that the other had insulted them. Angered, the Sky exploded and threw out solids and liquids and gases, while the Sea expanded even more, attempting to swallow the Sky in its darkness.

The Kite made sure to weave between the fighting entities, and when the dust settled, found that there were countless islands dotting the Sea. We call these islands today as “planets”. So satisfied, she alighted on one, and fell into a deep slumber. Such is how our universe came to be.

land spirits

in cities and towns, you won’t really have to worry about this but it’s important to be careful and respectful of the land you plan to cross, especially if it’s your first time visiting and especially if it’s in a forest. land spirits like duwende live in trees, rocks, dirt mounds, caves, and pretty much everywhere else. duwende can be playful but will get angry if you destroy/disrespect their home, so always ask permission before you pass through and don’t spit, urinate, or even run around ((be really careful not to crush mounds))

In Philippine Mythology, Mayari is the one-eyed moon goddess of war, beauty, strength, and revolution. By @porkironandwine on twitter

Been looking into filipino mythology again cause I’m working on ocs and I thought I’d share some moon deities

I rendered some characters of the Philippine Mythopoeia book in the style of Renaissance grotesque, with creeping flora, weird fauna, monsters, and deities.

supreme forces of the universe.

THE BAKUNAWA

It holds the universe in its coils of void. Time rides on its back, flowing outwards in a spiral. It wishes to devour the moon and plunge the world into eternal night.

A primordial force of chaos and disorder, the Bakunawa has the power to dissolve anything. It makes itself felt in the physical world through anything that spirals - tornadoes, whirlpools, snakes biting their own tails.

IN THE MIDDLE OF SUMMER

The parched earth cracks. Sweltering air rises in ripples. The droning cicadas announce his arrival. It is almost high noon.

He is the Heat Haze Boy.

The Heat Haze Boy represents all that is hot, bright, and restless. One of the twin forces acting on the universe, those under his sway are passionate, ambitious individuals, though with a tendency to be belligerent and hyperactive.

A STORM SIGNAL, RAISED

A cold wind blows from the southwest. In the distance, rolling thunder like a drumbeat. The chattering geckoes whisper her name. Rain is coming.

She is the Monsoon Girl.

The Monsoon Girl represents all that is cold, dark and flowing. She is the counterpart of the Heat Haze Boy. Those under her sway are dedicated, patient individuals, though with a tendency to be depressive and sentimental.

Like twin siblings fighting over a toy, the two constantly wrestle for control of the universe. All of creation is caught between their tug-of-war. However, when not in conflict, the two are known to collaborate - the world and all its creatures was born from the combining of their powers.

new sengen fic is up lol more gen being a sad boy and senku being awkward because that’s my entire shit. don’t worry it has a good ending:)

*thinks about how Gen is always next to Senku bc he wants to win him over and he wants Senku to like him*

hhghggfjfgdhfhghvbjn

Gen - The most superficial man is dead

There, there, easy. I don’t mean literally. What I mean is that Gen’s superficial side is officially dead. We all cry about Gen’s petrification crack. Really me too but on second thought I think Inagaki and Boichi are also sending here really beautiful message.

We all remember Gen’s introduction. He seemed shady since very beggining and his petrification crack which looks like creepy smile with sharp teeth was like cheery on top screaming ,,Yeah, he is evil”. Manga readers, anime watchers don’t even lie that you knew he is a good boy after introduction. Or first thought was at least ,,villain or antagonist” not ,,new buddy”. Petrification crack really tried to highlight Gen being sketchy character.

Gen even introduced himself as ,,The most superficial man on Earth” which points at him being selfish person which will trample others to chase after benefit and be the last one standing. He even talked about shallow things like chilling all days with bunch of girls.

Interesting fact: After choosing Senku’s side Gen never brought back idea of getting harem and he don’t even flirt with girls.

Like really all Gen do since then is hang around Senku as close as he can if he doesn’t have job to do in different place. When Gen is in ,,chilling out mode” which he talked about doing with girls he is doing with Senku.

Let me bring up technique Gen is using to manipulate people. It says about being next to person you want to win over but Gen explain it more as moment of negotiation which is one time situation if you want something from other person.

Going back to Gen’s ,,special behavior” towards Senku. Gen is using same technique but this time for winning person over for personal reasons. Gen choose person he really wants to gain trust from on longer terms and not in one time negotiation. Gen isn’t stalking Senku or anything like that but omg Gen wants to share personal space with Senku in all parts of daily routine: 

1. Eat next to Senku

2. Stand next to Senku

3. Walk next to Senku

4. Work next to Senku

5. Sit/rest next to Senku

6. Sleep next to Senku

That’s everyday parts of human life and Gen is doing everything to do those things with Senku around. That’s almost like living together. Gen at this point seek for every occasion to approach Senku. Let me show you how he is doing this:

Let’s take cotton candy moment as an example. Gen is standing few feet away from Senku. He just spotted him standing alone and free after giving cotton candy to everyone and what Gen is doing next?

Few seconds later Gen is already at Senku’s side chilling with cotton candy. They are pretty much touching with elbows. That’s start of entering personal space and it looks like Senku doesn’t mind that at all. Gen is usually approching Senku THAT close when he is alone and not in big group. Gen then just waits for Senku to be in more open area again.

Maybe Gen really was superficial man in the past but Senku really picked his interest. Maybe whole harem talk was a lie since beggining or Gen warned Senku that was his already exerienced past to perform magic shows, write books, chill and hang out with girls so he wanted to check if Senku is worth of changing his old ways. In the end Gen pretty much confessed to Senku that he liked him longer than he thought.

Gen even said being around Senku makes him feel safe. That could be another reason why he stand next to Senku almost all the time because he feels comfortable and not only for times when his Science is needed. Senku in terms of body is the weakest person around so saying his side is the safest place sound weird. That just shows that Senku also keeps Gen’s sanity in good mood and Gen believes Senku has solution for every situation.

Kohaku are you secret Sengen shipper? She always saw through Gen’s lies. She pretty much called out Gen wanting to stay with Senku for personal reasons and not for strategic reasons. Senku is also in the corner smirking probably being flattered by Gen being soft towards him and only act tough.

And this is just prove of Gen really feeling safe only around Senku. Gen wasn’t that scared since being around Tsukasa and Hyoga. Just let Gen be around Senku because separation gives him almost heart attack XD

Now let’s go back to Gen’s petrification crack and hidden beautiful message from Inagaki and Boichi about Gen. Just look at him here while being all soft around Senku and now look at his petrification crack. Now let’s be honest. Does it still suits him alfter all Gen went through? Shady mark on face of someone who is opening up to people and only mess with them with no bad intentions. Yeah this petrification crack looks cool but doesn’t it also show broken and bad version of Gen? And this is where all this character development went:

Gen let himself turn into stone FOR Senku. That was the most selfless act he ever did. This pretty much threw out the window all his ,,superficial man” trash. Superficial man would take a run for it, join Mozu or Ibara or something like that. Gen choosed to sacrifice himself to protect Senku. To protect not himself but another person not knowing if he will ever get out of stone again. He took that with smile on his face with full trust in Senku. Boichi even focused on Gen’s cheek in stone form now without petrification crack.

Gen by loosing his petrification crack is saying farewell to his superficial side. He is fully team player and doesn’t want to be last man standing anymore if he knows someone like Senku could do bigger things to benefit not him but many more people and is more worth saving. Gen turned from superficial man to selfless man and now scar won’t be reminding him every morning how badly he treated people in the past. Gen will get back his pretty face and losing scar might lift some burden from his shoulders or he will make fun of it and start doing make up looking like his petrification crack to remind himself how much he changed.

Gen was scared but not anymore

I looked back at all scenes with Gen in Tsukasa Empire and I noticed interesting thing. Gen would never stay on Tsukasa’s side because he NEVER felt comfortable there. He looked actually scared and always with his guard up. He never smiled in genuine way. He kept his distance. He wasn’t fine with Tsukasa’s plan. I actually think Gen wore bags with fake blood not since he found Ishigami Village but since he noticed how messed up Tsukasa is. He wore that to protect himself in Tsukasa Empire and it just happened to be more useful against Magma. I really feel bad for Gen. He looked miserable around Tsukasa only looking for chance to escape.

But then he joined Senku’s group in permanent way and his whole attitude changed. He started to smile in genuine way. He felt comfortable and that let him enjoy spending time with people. He started to mess around without fear of getting hurt by some meathead who wouldn’t understand the joke. Gen himself even said that Senku’s side is the safest place on the world. He is really happy now.

Gen: Oh, is your "brain" acting "illogically"? It’s a hunk of meat with electricity in it, what did you expect?

Senku: Sometimes it scares me that you’re a psychologist.

when i tell u i left everything for this-

why do i love u sm why?! ill do the same for you if tumblr notified me, but pls, it's prob smth u don't want to see, tumblrs lying 😭😭

my full illustration for @familystylezine, a publication about the histories behind various asian, asian american, and pacific islander foods! my piece features the filipino tapsilog.

Luna: A Magindara’s Tale

A short story I wrote back in 2018 inspired by the Philippine mythological creature: magindara.

language: english, 3k+ words

- ☾ -

The sea engulfed the sun as the night took over the sky. Quiet cool and quiet calm, the moon revealed itself after hiding behind the clouds, illuminating the ripples of water surrounding an island. Sounds of small waves filled a young magindara’s ears as she rested her upper torso on a huge rock. One would rarely see a magindara out of the sea, only surfacing to drive away the humans wreaking havoc beneath the tranquil waters. However, in one particular night, underneath the majestic full moon and blazing stars littered across the sky, the young magindara let the wind kiss her cheeks and dance with her long hair. Her gaze reflected how enamored she was by the sight of the moon, gently but frivolously splashing the water with her blue tail. She started losing herself to the night’s trance, smiling unconsciously.

“Ja!”

The young magindara quickly slipped from the rock that she was positioned on, plummeting into the sea. Gasping and raising her head above the water, she turned to the direction of the familiar voice calling her name. Her eyes met the amused look of her elder sister and fellow magindara, whom she didn’t expect.

“You shouldn’t be up here, Jahaya. Let’s go,” the young magindara’s sister, Pamani, said in a wary tone.

Jahaya, the young magindara, looked hesitant in taking her sister’s advice. Glancing back up at the sky and then back to her sister who was definitely losing her patience, Jahaya only puckered her bottom lip to try and persuade the elder in letting her stay. She pleaded with her eyes as she continued to stick near the rock with no plans of returning to their district. Pamani glared at Jahaya, sighing in disbelief and aggravation.

“It’s late at night! We’re going to get in trouble for this.” Pamani snapped at the younger. She thought Jahaya was being naïve and careless with her actions. Deep within the sea, lies little source of light due to time and it would be hard for them to swim.

“Let’s just stay here, please? We won’t see anything down there if we start swimming now,” Jahaya knowingly said. Pamani, once again, heaved a heavy and defeated sigh. She knew Jahaya was right; nonetheless, she was also right about getting in trouble for not returning to their homes.

“I hate to say this but you’re right.”

The following night, Jahaya was simply back at the surface of the sea. She rushed through the waters, kicking like a dolphin being chased by its predator. Aware that she would end up in trouble for sneaking out at night, Jahaya knew it was best to be quick on her tail. The young magindara, even though she was previously scolded by her family, and mentor, could not be stopped from admiring the beauty of what she knew was dangerous for her— for their world. After all, the world has always been cruelly beautiful to them.

With her head emerging from the water and tilting up to see the stars, Jahaya smiled to her heart’s content. The stars always felt like friends and it sure did feel like a reunion whenever she saw them. For the past years, she lived in the murky, cold, and dark sea. It was not gravely bad; she didn’t despise it. The sea was just never enough.

As she bravely swam to the shore and almost onto the land, the young magindara felt her senses fall into tranquility’s spell of rest. Jahaya sat near the shoreline, her back turned to the island. Her mind was void of the fact that she was being completely impetuous about exposing herself into the open where humans lived. Magindaras and humans were never the best of friends.

“Hey, what are you doing out here?”

Jahaya froze in her place, eyes popping out of their sockets. Her mind completely went blank, unable to register the situation and allow her to escape. She remained turned back to the owner of the voice who asked her the question she left unanswered. The voice sounded foreign, small, and out of genuine curiosity. Soon enough, the owner of the voice took a step forward, the action making a crisp sound on the sand that was very distinct from the calm waves of the sea. Out of pure reflex, Jahaya turned to the stranger who noticed her presence beneath the star-littered sky.

Standing a few feet from the magindara, was a boy who looked the same age as her. It was hard for Jahaya to see him clearly but she was able to decipher his short stature and concerned eyes. She thought about swimming away; but she was unable to move due to how petrified she was.

“Don’t come near me. You’re bad luck,” Jahaya spat darkly, putting up a fearsome demeanor to protect herself from the human boy. Her intentions for the boy were clear as the dark sea. Stepping carefully into the light, the boy’s eyes twinkled in awe at the sight of the magindara. His mouth was set agape with a shocked expression plastered on his face. His gaze took into account Jahaya’s blue tail accented with peach scales, her long dark brown hair, and supposedly sharp brown eyes.

“You’re a magindara! Why are you here? People might find you and kill you!” the boy exclaimed deliberately.

Jahaya’s eyebrows scrunched down together, physically showing that she was confused with the boy’s statement. Constantly asking herself with the question, “Is he trying to help me?” while sitting still, she became a tad bit eager to learn about the boy before her. Such reaction was different from what the elders under the sea told her. She thought all of the humans were vile creatures who would instantly bring harm to her. Jahaya continued to wonder about what made this boy act any different towards her.

Tilting his head to the side, he told her, “I don’t want to cause any trouble. I just don’t want anybody to get hurt. You need to go soon because this island is swarming with people.”

“Why are you trying to help me? Are you not scared of me?” Jahaya asked the boy genuinely, maintaining her curiosity and wary stance at the same time. The boy carefully sat on the sand too, keeping his distance from the magindara to not scare her away. He turned his gaze towards the stars, smiling to himself. “You don’t look scary at all,” the boy innocently told her.

“That’s not the point. I think you know that our kind often kills yours, right?” Jahaya blatantly stated. The young boy turned to her, peering intensely. “I don’t think you kill mindlessly nor is that your intention here in the first place,” he said before taking a glance at the sky. The sky remained the same, breath-taking and overwhelming with glimmer. As a few moments passed by, Jahaya no longer felt scared of the boy; however, she did feel intrigued and annoyed by him.

“The sky is beautiful tonight. Is that why you’re here?” he asked her to confirm his early suspicions. Just by that, Jahaya’s mindset was swayed towards the thought of the moon and the stars. Gaping up the sky herself, the feeling of satisfaction and delight came rushing back to her. She unknowingly smiled, drinking the scene with her eyes. “I don’t see the sky down there. I have to come up here to see them. I really want to see it; even if it means that I’ll be in danger every time. Sihuya taught me how to fight back anyway,” Jahaya rambled without fully registering the thought that she was sharing too much information with a stranger. Once she was able to do so, her eyes widened a fraction, scolding herself in her head and looking down.

“We’re only children! You’re small like me! I’m quite sure that you won’t be able to fight a grown-up just like how I won’t be able to fight a fully-grown magindara,” the boy told her. Jahaya only rolled her eyes at him, even though she acknowledged the fact that he was right.

“I’m already twelve! My tail will surely grow longer and stronger next year and I will be able to swim away really fast if you insist that I won’t be able to fight anyone,” Jahaya snapped back. Giggling at her persistence to prove him wrong, the boy moved closer to Jahaya to be able to talk with her properly. “You’re funny… uh, what’s your name?” he asked the magindara.

Once again, Jahaya visibly froze. The thought of interacting with a human crossed her head once more and it became too real when she saw the boy smiling at her and waiting for her answer. Keeping silent for a few seconds, she examined the boy beside her. She memorized in her head his dark hair, dark skin, warm eyes, and overall lanky body. To her, he indeed looked harmless; but the thought of giving even the smallest amount of trust to the boy did not settle with her. However, as her gaze continued to stay glued to his, she felt herself lower her guard down.

“Jahaya. What’s yours?” she finally said, clearing her throat after. She felt the tiniest bit of regret afterwards; but she decided to disregard it.

“My name is Khani. Does this mean we’re going to be friends?”

Both of them chuckled slightly, turning their gaze back to the sky afterwards. The question was left unanswered because neither of the two knew the exact answer. After all, magindaras and humans were never the best of friends.

- ☾ -

After four years, the sea was disturbed with vigorous paddling and numerous webs of rope clawing at its possessions. Boisterous talking erupted from the fishermen who were responsible for such chaos. They continued to take the sea’s pearls, shells, and fish; irking the sea’s guardians. Gathering the fish in big nets and collecting corals, the fishermen remained oblivious to the magindaras who already had their eyes on taking them down.

“Jahaya, remember everything I taught you. The sea needs your help and you must give it to her,” Sihuya, her long-term mentor, stated. Jahaya gave her mentor a stern nod before swimming away quickly. She swam with anger and determination raging in her system, reaching the moving boats on the surface of the sea. She decided to carefully follow them, her mind slipping into the natural state the sea intended it to be. The seafloor began to grow taller and before she knew it, she was by the shore.

“There were so many pearls down there! We can trade them for silk.” Jahaya heard a fisherman blurt out loudly. Stealthily raising her head from the water, she saw two oblivious fishermen sorting out their new catch. She swam a few meters away from them so that her appearance would not be too clear for them. She did not want to reveal her secret just yet.

When Jahaya achieved the proximity she desired, she turned her back towards the island and began to sing a sweet melody. The melody she sang was newly made by her mentor, Sihuya. She was confident that the melody would instantly lure the humans. This was proven to be true when the footsteps behind Jahaya became more audible than before. Calling out to her, the fishermen made the biggest mistake of ever stepping into the sea again after taking all its possessions.

“Akin ka.”

With the last two words of the song, Jahaya quickly faced the two fishermen and gave them a sweet but sinister smile. Once she caught a glimpse of their stupefied expressions, she went back into the water and grabbed the two fishermen by their feet. Jahaya dragged the two men with all of her strength, swimming towards the deep depths of the sea.

After such an event, Jahaya started gaining control over her conscious mind. The feeling of exhaustion and regret stayed afloat in her head. She hated how nature intended her to be even if she could never fight against it. She steadily swam towards the shoreline, releasing an exasperated sigh as she sat down on the sand. The waves washed over her blood-stained tail, calming her down. Gazing up at the sky, a tiny smile appeared on her face when the moon and stars became visible to her.

“Tired?” Jahaya’s smile became bigger upon hearing the question. Turning to her right, she saw Khani with a smile on his face too. He sat down beside her, mimicking her actions by admiring the sky. The two uttered nothing to each other, basking in each other’s presence under the moonlight. After a few minutes, Khani ended up staring at Jahaya; noticing how lost she was gazing at the sky. Sighing, he looked down to see newly formed wounds on her hands. Khani, without even giving it a second thought, already knew that they were from Jahaya’s victims.

“I never really liked killing people. I just want to protect the sea,” Jahaya muttered quietly when she noticed Khani’s scrutinizing stare. His eyes softened at her aloof form, feeling his chest grow heavy at the sight of his distressed friend of four years.

After their first encounter, the two of them started to see each other at night. Their encounters stayed between them and soon, Jahaya became Khani’s secret while Khani was hers. Jahaya watched Khani grow into a young man responsible enough to partake in tilling the soil of their land. His hard labor not only showed itself on his taut muscles but his soul’s maturity. Naturally, the magindara grew up too, doomed to a fate she deeply abhorred. Nonetheless, the moon decided to mesh their souls. Khani became a huge part of Jahaya as she wished that she could be with him all the time. The boy thought the same, yearning for the night at every given hour. Their friendship continued to blossom but stayed unbeknownst to the world.

“Why are you staring at me like that?” Khani snapped out of his daze, blinking rapidly. “Like what?” he asked the magindara. Jahaya only frowned at him before her eyes met his. “Like I’m the best gift that this world has ever given you,” she cheekily said with a teasing grin on her face. The two of them shared a quick laugh, distracting themselves from all of life’s heart-wrenching complications.

Releasing a contented sigh, Jahaya leaned her head on her friend’s shoulder. Khani instinctively draped his arm over her, keeping her close to him. He placed his head on top of hers, directing his gaze up at the moon afterwards.

“You know, we always say that we’re each other’s secret but I don’t think that’s entirely true,” Khani whispered to Jahaya. The magindara scrunched her eyebrows together in confusion and said, “What? Do you think someone’s watching us right now?” Khani chortled a little before pointing to the sky. “The moon and the stars have always been our witnesses,” he told her. Jahaya let out an unamused laugh to purposely get under Khani’s skin. However, he knew her too well to see that she liked the thought of that.

The two stayed together for the rest of the night, staring at the moon and stars. Their minds quietly shared the same thought of these celestial bodies staring back, hearts beating in sync and ears attentive to one another’s breathing. Sadly, as the sun slowly came to life, Jahaya and Khani knew that the moon and stars could not always watch them; just like the way the two of them could not always see each other.

- ☾ -

The scorching heat burned Jahaya’s skin. Closing her hazy eyes, the sun’s rays felt like shards of glass piercing through her body. Although she felt immense pain, it was not enough to bring her back from her unconscious mind. Jahaya unknowingly let go of a boy’s deceased body, numb to everything else but fatigue. She held into the sand, her eyes dark as the murky sea. The foul smell of decaying bodies took over her system; but she sat there, unwavering and unaware. Soon enough, other magindaras emerged from the sea with human bodies occupying their clutches. Jahaya watched with a befuddled look as they continued to dump the humans on the island with expressionless faces and robotic gestures. When the deed was done, she swam back to the darkness she belonged to.

Above the sea, numerous boats carried the humans and their dangerous voyage. Having their home rattled, the magindaras were left with no choice but to continuously kill fishermen in order to defend their home. Most of the magindaras were out of their right state of mind, seeing most of their loved ones affected by the humans’ trespassing. Some were driven by anger and some were driven by pure devastation, dragging the fishermen to the depths of the sea and mercilessly drowning them.

“Sunset is near! We must retreat, now!” Jahaya heard their mentor, Sihuya, shout through the expanse of the sea. Hearing this, Jahaya felt relieved that the day was about to end. She weakly swam back to their district, slowly gaining back control in exchange for buried memories of the day.

As the night slowly took over, Jahaya snuck out for the nth time to see her friend. She was ready to have the highlight of her day, briskly swimming towards the island that her friend inhabited. Seeing a light glow surrounding the new moon, she patiently sat by the shore waiting for Khani. Jahaya closed her eyes for a while, letting the serenity of her surroundings take over. Opening her eyes, she hoped that she would already see Khani by her side again; however, she did not see him.

How could she when she already had him in her arms beneath the sun?

- ☾ -

The sea engulfed the sun as the night took over the sky. Quiet cool and quiet calm, the moon revealed itself after hiding behind the clouds, illuminating the ripples of water surrounding an island. Sounds of small waves filled a magindara’s ears as she sat on her usual spot on the sand. One would rarely see a magindara out of the sea, only surfacing to drive away the humans wreaking havoc beneath the tranquil waters. However, in one particular night, underneath the majestic full moon and blazing stars littered across the sky, the magindara let a human boy’s lips kiss her cheeks as his fingers combed through her hair. Her gaze reflected how enamored she was by the sight of him, gently but frivolously splashing the water with her blue tail. She started losing herself to the night’s trance, smiling unconsciously.

“The sky is beautiful tonight, right?” Jahaya asked the wind. The magindara turned to her side, seeing her old friend of seven years. He appeared with the same youthful glow that left Jahaya bewildered. Staring back at her reflection on the water, she wondered why she looked older than him. Nevertheless, she gave him a smile, eyes soft and fond. Turning her gaze back up at the moon and stars, she carefully leaned her head on her friend’s shoulder. She immediately felt cold, unlike the usual warmth she basked in when he would drape his arm around her. “Look, the moon and stars are watching us,” Jahaya whispered softly into thin air.

“Ja…”

The magindara quickly turned to the familiar owner of the voice, seeing Pamani staying afloat in the water. Pamani eyed her sister with an uneased expression, noticing her lack of glow and dead eyes. Frantically looking around and seeing no one but her reflection on the sea, sorrow started to cloud Jahaya’s form. She felt her chest grow heavy, seeing that Khani was not there with her.

He hasn’t been— for years.

“You shouldn’t be up here, Jahaya. Let’s go,” her sister said. Labored breathing filled the once dead silence, Jahaya muttering incoherent words to herself. Pamani made a move to approach her younger sister; but she immediately stopped when Jahaya held a hand up.

Jahaya attempted to push away the truth. She gazed back up at the blurred sky, seeing the moon and the stars staring down at her. Soon enough, tears started to cascade down her cheeks and blur her vision of the entities completely. The moonlight shone on her, reminding her of its difference between the sun’s rays. Sobs erupted from the back of her throat as the urge to scream came rushing to her. Jahaya opened her mouth to do so; but no sound came out for she could only sing a sweet melody.

“Jahaya, please,” Pamani pleaded. The older magindara only watched her sister get lost in her own thoughts and sight of the sky, having her own tears blur her own eyesight.

Jahaya sat still on the sand, letting her hand graze over Khani’s empty spot beside her. Instead of his arms around her, moroseness embraced Jahaya. Gone was her hatred for losing control, driving into complete lunacy.

-

Anggitay are creatures from Philippine mythology. Said to have the lower half of a horse, and the upper half of a woman they were similar to the Greek Centaur, except for the fact that they were exclusively female. 

They were said to be the female counterpart to the Tikbalang, a creature thought to lurk in the forests and appearing as a bony, humanoid with horse-like features and excessively long limbs.

More Myths 

beside you is the safest place 😴

🚫🚭

yeah its advanced… advanced gayness

my old doodles with winter sengen ❄️

gen loves… [x]

Jujutsu kaisen fanfic centred around the Philippines

hindi na maliligaw - 1st chapter posted! 

Summary:

Childhood friends, Megumi, Nobara and Yuji, reunite in the Philippines years after Yuji disappears from their lives.

OR

Nanami and Haibara retire to the Philippines. Gojo and Geto are insistent on bringing their kids along to visit them.

Omg I shall read this! I love jjk and my country and this combination is just <333

I wrote a jujutsu kaisen fanfic that’s set in the Philippines

Oh!! I never knew, thank you for adding this, I really appreciate it!

Philippine gods & goddesses.

Introducing you Philippine mythology! I didn't include them all though! Maybe I'll continue it in future blogs?

Bathala

— Bathala reigns supreme in the heavens, though his beginnings were not necessarily so set.

— The head honcho of the gods in the Tagalog myths.

— The god is known to have married a mortal woman, and from her sprang three of his powerful offspring: Apolaki (God of War and Guardian of the Sun), Mayari (Goddess of the Moon), and Tala (Goddess of the Stars).

Mayari and Apolaki

— Apolaki and Mayari both fought over the Earth’s dominion.

— The sun god wanted to be the sole ruler, but the goddess of the moon wanted an equal share.

— This resulted in a ferocious battle. Apolaki took one of his sister's eyes, but regretted it, and conceded.

— He then ruled the earth with Mayari, only they would rule at different times.

— In the day, it was Apolaki’s moment, and at night, Mayari shone in the sky (though her luminescence is dimmer, due to the loss of one eye).

Hanan

— According to some myths, Hanan is the daughter of Bathala. The goddess has Mayari and Tala as her sisters.

— Hanan is the goddess of morning, dawn, child birth, and new beginnings.

— It is said that she is the deity most important when people enter a new age or a new phase in their life.

Tala

— Daughter of Bathala.

— Ruler of the stars.

The Marias

— Maria Cacao, Maria Makiling, and Maria Sinukuan are mountain goddesses (or fairies) with their own separate jurisdictions.

— The most famous of the three, Maria Makiling, is the guardian of Mount Makiling, located in Laguna.

— Maria Cacao watches over Mount Lantoy in Cebu, and it is said that her domain houses the Cacao plants, a useful ingredient in most Filipino chocolate delicacies.

— Lastly, Maria Sinukuan holds dominion over Mount Arayat in Pampanga. There, she is said to bring forth bountiful harvests from the mountain’s fruit trees.

Dian Masalanta

— Diyan Masalanta is the tagalog goddess of love, conception, and childbirth, and the protector of lovers. 

a mananangGAL

Anitun Tabu

Goddess of wind and rain 

Animation is a mix of cut-out and hand-drawn elements.

Another Bakunawa drawing! I wanted to change up my artstyle and I really liked this

So it has been discussed that Dark Academia is quite Eurocentric and a bit (if not so much) elitistic. If you like it, it's alright, though.

If you, my Filipino mutuals, felt that Dark Academia is pretentious, maybe (just maybe) it's because we cannot really relate to it while its western practices cannot awake our connection to its roots. For us, it is just "aesthetics" and will never be a "way of life".

Personally, I like the dark hues of dark academia, but I'm a lover of Filipino culture eh.

I would like to gather your thoughts about the Dark or Light Academia aesthetics and lifestyle in Filipino cultural settings. I'm sure I can find many Filipinos here who have ventured more into reconnecting with the indigenous academic culture than I have.

Let's start! (lol haba ng intro ko, eto lang pala 'yon)

Share any media, books, movies, objects, study materials pertaining to the following categories: my examples, without pictures because I'm uncreative.

Book Reco: any myth book, tbh

Poets to read: Andres Bonifacio (for those who don't know, this boi made a poem about Sidapa)

Writing Instruments: Bamboo and ink

Classical Musical instruments: Talaandug (alam nyo yung bamboo flute ni Agilus sa Mulawin, yun 'yon)

Must study: Baybayin

Study Table snacks: Puto pao

Coffee and Tea Reco: Barako, tanglad tea, lavender tea, turnate tea, and Sampaguita tea, all of which are grown in south east asia and can be found in shopee/lazada.

Philosophy and ethics: I'm blank on this one. Sadly, I only know Nietzschean and Confucian.

Objects that should adorn your study table: sari manok, because I'm basic and edgy.

Objects that should adorn your wall: T'boli weaving, Fernando Amorsolo works, random wooden stick you found in the wild

Objects that should adorn your book shelf: clay pot, random wooden stick you found in the wild

Garments: red saya (I have 3! Who cares about heat death!)

All I can give are basics and general, I'm that surface level. Please share your knowledge to celebrate Filipino Academia aesthetics/life style.

((edit: ah, the problem of study aesthetics is the consumerism that comes with it. So a reminder, don't feel forced to buy anything. We're just vibing. And if you can buy things, go local as much as you can.))