#;;I was not sure what else would make sense timeline wise

[br1ghtestlight]

this is so funny to me actually bcuz this is 100% how i talk abt my characters ages. i know what YEAR they were born and i know what rheir ages are supposed to be at the start of the story but i dont actually know when it takes place?? im really bad at math. There was a moment where rainbow was supposed to be 23 and i somehow accidentally made her 17 lmfao

[milfbrainrot]

have always been a bit more neutral to timebomb but it has rly surprisingly grown on me so much ;-; i think i do see it more from the tragedy angle and maybe more one-sided. i'm not sure jinx has ever been in a place to reciprocate the feelings i'm sure ekko has, but it is nice to think about for years down the line and in terms of what could have been.

[yesimwriting]

Pulling Away

A/n did i write smut for once? yeah. also timeline wise is this perfectly accurate? it’s iffy,, but this fic isn’t about the plot too much so it’s okay

Summary: You’re not the only one that’s feeling a little territorial thanks to the influx of people you’re around in Jackson. 

warnings: 18+, implied age gap, no condom, a tiny bit manipulative if you squint, brief mention of losing virginity.

----

He’s not a force of nature, no matter how hard he might pretend to be for the sake of those around him. Joel can’t actually change anything. So the shift in temperature you feel as Joel stills has to be a byproduct of what’s in your head. 

The kind of burning cold that better fits a fever runs through you and you hate yourself for it. This isn’t the first time you’ve been delusional when it comes to him. 

You’re working off of a quarter of his face against low lighting. It doesn’t make sense for you to be able to feel so much from the little of him that you can see. It’s not anger. Or at least, not just that. There’s definitely a subdued rage radiating from him, but it’s undercut by something that punches you straight in the gut. 

Maybe you’re being a little unfair, but you have a right to it at this point. You can’t follow him around blindly like some kind of puppy forever. Especially now that you’re both settled enough to be able to think of things outside of pure survival.

“Ellie’s asleep.” A flat observation that you can’t explain. Maybe it’s the need to break the silence, or maybe it’s a genuine attempt at making things feel normal. You two should still be able to talk. You never wanted that to end. “Swore she wasn’t tired, but passed out as soon as her head touched the mattress.” 

Joel lets out a small sound from the back of his throat. It’s a spike in the atmosphere. “Think I’m gonna go to bed, too.” You don’t understand your awkwardness or the urge to create distance. It’s not like Joel would hurt you, but then again, the buzz of adrenaline doesn’t seem to be coming from a place of fear. It’s an uneasy burning that worsens when you raise your eyes enough to meet his. “Night.” 

The one word is a little better and somehow so much worse. Not aggressive or trying to make things better. It’s just there. Civil. 

When he says nothing, you take it as your sign to call it a night. Tomorrow could be better. Sure, your rocky dynamic might be going through growing pains while you set boundaries that should have been established long ago, but you’ll likely survive this. You’re all staying together in the same house in Jackson for the time being and you both care too much about Ellie to separate over something small. 

Even if Joel won’t directly admit to it, the part of your relationship that feels like co-parenting is sacred. That’s part of the reason why the feelings you’ve been fighting with yourself to dismantle are so complicated. He cares about Ellie more than he wants to admit and the last thing you need right now is to tear away the little stability she’s finally been given. Not over a few awkward conversations and stiff moments. 

The weird irony that vaguely reflects the issues of the world before isn’t lost on you. If someone were to squint at the situation, you’d seem like a wife trapped in a marriage for the sake of her children. Maybe if it was happening to someone else you’d have enough energy to find it funny. 

You turn carefully, like a too loud squeak of your shoes could be what snaps the thinning thread tying you two to a hint of casualness. You don’t need to pass him to get to where you’re sleeping. The three of you had been set up in a space that allowed for each person to have their own room. It’s like that in theory, but in practice it’s more like Ellie’s room, Joel’s room, and the spare. 

A comfortable enough bedroom that you’ve maybe spent the entire night alone in twice in the weeks you’ve been here. You can’t even pretend that you keep the few things you own in there either. Joel’s an even lighter traveler than you, so slowly your items made their way into the drawers in his room. Now, your room is basically just where you go to change into and out of sleepwear.

You’ll get used to it, used to the draft that originally led to you giving up on rocky sleep the first night you ended up sleeping next to Joel. Your dreams kept you up even more than the cold, but when Joel’s drowsy voice called out to you in the dark, asking why you were awake, you blamed the night’s chill. That’s how it first happened. 

It was a mistake you should have never let turn into habit. You’re correcting it now. Setting boundaries to prevent heartbreak. It’s only a matter of time considering the way the women here look at him.

“Since when do you sleep in there?”

His voice is so gruff it instinctually freezes you. Any sarcastic comment at the back of your throat vanishes immediately. The both of you are fully aware of how you end up each night, but it’s a boundary in itself not to mention it. You’re not sure if it’s more him or you, but what happens at night and early in the morning is never mentioned.

It’s a dip into another reality. A space where Joel’s a little lighter, almost more open. Sometimes he’ll drag your arm with him when he moves onto his side, a silent way of asking you to stay close. On the best nights, he’ll joke about it, letting your limbs meld together under a blanket and swear he’s just trying to keep you warm out of the kindness of his heart. 

His humor is the worst. The kind that some might justify as a result of years of it being at a stalemate for years considering the tragic state of the world, but you know better. They’re the kind of jokes that take a second to settle because of his general exterior, but are meant to be so dumb they force out a smile. In another life, the little comments are dad jokes.

The peace bleeds into the mornings now, he’ll keep the closeness and remind you that you don’t have to get up immediately by mumbling something about Ellie still being asleep. Like she’s the only thing significant enough to get you two to return to reality. 

You’re convinced that these moments exist because neither of you mention them. He’s crossing a line you didn’t realize meant so much to you and he’s being dramatic it, too. It’s not the rarest thing for you to ‘attempt’ to sleep in your own bed. Sure, you’re more likely to lay in that room for a few hours on nights where Ellie stays up a little later, but this isn’t the strangest thing you’ve done. 

He’s ripping any chance of returning to that separate world away from you. It stings more than it should. “Thought I’d give it a try,” you voice is too low, too defensive, “It’s not a big deal.” 

The defense sounds so weak in your own ears, you don’t even want to imagine what he took from it. “Bullshit.”

His voice comes out in such a low huff you feel it more than hear it. If the sound had felt any less dangerous, you would have pretended to mistake it for another wordless grunt. Your lips part slowly as your mind struggles to create any kind of logical response. 

Pretending is clearly getting you nowhere. The only reason you ever pretended it would was pure delusion. Joel has always been able to see through you, through any shift in mood. Even when your lies are better, his ability to sense them is uncanny. 

He turns with no warning. Joel crosses the space between you before you can even fully register his steps. Your body tenses as heat rushes to your face in result of an oddly charged parody of fight or flight. You almost step back, one heel shifting back, but then you meet his gaze and the determined glint behind his eye is enough to melt you into place. 

There’s something else there, too. A focus that pins you into place even further. Holds you there better than the barrel of a pistol could. 

The absurdity of the warmth rooted in your chest should be enough to make the feeling go away. It doesn’t, so you force your lips to part again. You need to say something. Anything. “Joel?” Not that. Not just his name in a voice that feels violently small. 

“You’re pullin’ away.” 

The accusation in his voice leaves no room for argument. You try anyways, “No.” The rest of your thoughts can’t come out while you’re looking at him at the same time. There’s shame in dropping your gaze to focus on your shoes and the little space between you. “It’s not like that.” 

Joel lets out a low sound. The creak of the floor as he steps forward again snaps you out of your trance. You step back in a desperate attempt to keep the space between the two of you equal. Your back hits the wall before you can come close to achieving your goal. It’s a knee jerk reaction that leaves your face feeling even warmer than before. A part of you expects Joel to laugh at the sound or at least comment on it. He doesn’t. He continues forward until his mouth is so close to your ear the warmth of his breath lingers when he exhales. 

He takes a second there, relishing in your stillness. “Don’t lie to me.” Joel pulls away just enough to look you in the eye. “You don’t want to talk to me, you’re talkin’ about leavin’.” The southern drawl of his voice is increasing with his frustration. It’s distracting in a way that feels too convenient. Like he’s doing this on purpose. 

You swallow once. “You found your brother. I have a sister out there, I’d--I think now that things are more settled with Ellie it wouldn’t be the worst thing for me to look for her.” 

“And you don’t want us goin’ with you, but you’re more than willing to let the guy that’s always lookin’ at you--” 

“Oh my god, is that what this is about?” You are insane. Of course his issue is who mentioned it. John knows travel, leaves Jackson and comes back in one piece when he needs to. He wouldn’t be the worst person to have with you if you did want to start a rudimentary search for your sister. “I didn’t make any plans with John, it just came up.” 

“You don’t want us goin’ with you.” 

Your throat feels dry. The thought of it makes you feel cold. You haven’t seen your sister in a few years and so much has changed. You’re no longer in the QZ and your sister has no way of knowing that. She can’t reach out if there’s trouble or good news and she has no reason to assume that you’re safe. You know where she lives, and if she’s not there, you know a few of her usual spots. She doesn’t typically stray too far from her bubble. It wouldn’t be a long trip, just long enough. 

Long enough to give you some space. Long enough to remember what it’s like to not be around Joel all the time. Long enough to feel less about him. 

And you’d come back. You wouldn’t just walk out of his life and Ellie’s forever. The little bit of space you’re trying to get would make it easier for you to stick around in the long run because it’s the only way you can think to get rid of the feelings that are trying to ruin everything. 

“We haven’t been here that long and Ellie’s finally starting to feel settled. I don’t want to drag her out of that yet and make her feel like her entire life is just going to be her being dragged around the country.” 

Your words are a jumble, rushed together in a way that makes the honesty of them less effective. It’s a good point. Ellie just called her room hers the other day and even asked about moving the bed against a different wall.

Joel lets out a low breath, eyes hardening. “You’re right. She’s settlin’ and she needs you.” He knows he’s hit his mark when you don’t respond. “How do you think she’s gonna take the news that you’re leaving?” 

“Leaving to visit my sister.” You struggle to swallow. “Temporarily. It’ll take less than two weeks.” 

His lips pull into a frown as his eyebrows together. Moody and brooding. The look you’ve openly referred to as his old man scowl. “With John.” 

Ugh. This again. Why does it matter? Yes, John will be there, but it’s not like it’s just you and John. Your sister isn’t that far and she has access to supplies that aren’t common, she has an understanding with people that have easy access to medical supplies. 

But even if it was just you and John, it doesn’t matter. There are a lot of areas in which you factor in Joel’s opinion, but this is definitely not one of them. You two aren’t together and with the way he does nothing to show any discontent when the girls here start to look at him, he definitely doesn’t need you keeping his bed warm at night. 

“If I go, he wouldn’t be the only one there.” The fact that you’re trying to justify John’s presence leaves a bitter taste in your mouth. You’re a grown woman, free to associate with whoever you want. You might jokingly call him your old man from time to time, but he has no right. “And if even if he was, what does it matter?” 

His jaw locks and the downwards tilt of his chin erases the little bit of confidence you’ve managed to build. “You’ve seen the way that boy looks at you.”

You have to bite your tongue to avoid from blurting out that he’s also seen the way majority of the women you see on a daily basis look at him. Joel’s also exaggerating. John does not have any feelings for you, and if he did, it wouldn’t matter. It’s not like you see John as anything more than a friend. But even if you did--it is not his business. At all. 

“He doesn’t.” There’s little point in saying that, Joel’s not one to have his mind so easily swayed and he’s been wary of John since the beginning. Sometimes it even feels like the more you insist that he’s a good friend, the more Joel seems to dislike him. “And if he did, it doesn’t matter.” 

Your words feel like a retreat they shouldn’t need to be. Small, the meaning of the sentence compacted and straining against the limited syllables. A part of you expects Joel to understand what you do mean. That it doesn’t matter because it takes two interested parties to form any kind of relationship. That your mind isn’t even there in terms of feeling safe...that the only person who has ever made you feel safe enough to imagine anything beyond friendship is right in front of you. 

For the first time, Joel doesn’t pick up on the relevance of what isn’t said. You can feel his lack of understanding in the way he moves, placing one hand on the wall, near your head. You blink, trying in vain to explain the motion, explain his proximity. He’s caging you in. 

The heat of his body is practically inescapable, amplified by the way he smells. Joel showered a little earlier, his natural scent combining pleasantly with that of plain soap. After so many nights next to him, you would think you would have developed a tolerance. You haven’t. And even if you did, you doubt it’d matter...this is different. Dizzying. 

“Doesn’t matter?” 

He’s somehow even closer and somehow not touching you. The realization that that’s the worst part of this leaves your stomach fluttering. You need the feeling gone, so you force out the first words that come to mind, “It matters as much as all the girls that look at you like that.” 

It feels more bitter than it comes out, leaving a metallic taste on your tongue. You need out. You need space. You need sleep. Joel’s silence feels like opportunity, so as subtly as you can you try to shift away from the wall. Your back is off the wall for less than a second before you’re pushed back against it. 

Your body hits the wall before you can realize that Joel’s hand is on your hip. There’s too much surprise for that fact to settle, so you look up at him almost bewildered. You expect him to let go or at least look somewhat apologetic. He does the opposite, moving the hand on the wall under your jaw and closing the distance between you in a motion so quick you can barely register it. 

His mouth is on yours before your mind can catch up. It makes no difference to him. He’s rabid in his patience, taking what he wants without forcing your lips to part. His hand squeezes your hip and all at once it connects. You gasp and Joel pins you to the wall even more securely, deepening the kiss with an expert’s ease. 

It lasts until you can’t breathe and ends with his teeth grazing against your bottom lip as he pulls away. “All of this,” the words are exhaled lowly, “’Cause you’re jealous.” 

The kiss left you so light headed your first instinct is to just agree. To not think and do or say whatever you need to in order to get him that close again. But his tone is too sure, too teasing, and the implication isn’t something he can just get away with. “Jealous?” His smugness is hard to take with him holding you against the wall like this. It’s too vulnerable, like this might be some kind of game to him. It makes you feel transparent. Hollow. “Fuck whoever you want, I don’t care.” 

It���s like you’ve said nothing until Joel has the audacity to squeeze your hip. “Whoever I want?” His hand shifts up your hip, your shirt moving with him. “Hm.” His hum settles beneath your skin, effectively silencing you as his eyes take their time raking over your face and down your body. “Those were some big words from you.” 

Heat rushes to your face. It’s ridiculous--you curse more than that on a regular basis. He’s playing into context, too aware of what he’s doing. The urge to push burns twice as hard as buzzing in your chest. “They’re true. We’re not--we’re not anything, so if I want to go with--” 

“I’m not losin’ you.” There’s a desperation in there that comes out so hard it circles back to vulnerable. “You wanna go see your sister, we go see your sister. That’s how we got through everything else.” The hand on your hip moves down, his fingers dipping beneath the elastic waistband of your shorts. You hate yourself a little for the way your breath audibly catches. “Understand?” 

His hand lowers even further, long fingers pressing against the fabric of your underwear. You’re not breathing right and you can’t bring yourself to care. The only thing you can think of is closer. “Y-yes.” 

“’Yes’ what?” No sympathy in his voice or anything that would give away that he has a hand shoed down your pants. 

His touch picks up pace, rubbing against you until a whimper escapes your lips. “Yes, sir.”

Joel moves his hand away with no warning. The whine that escapes your lips doesn’t feel like your own. He’s barely touched you and you’re already like this. “Barely touched you and you’re already listening.” He hooks two fingers in between the band of your underwear. “Should’ve done this awhile again, then.” 

You’re burning all over, the only thing you can manage is a quick, “Shut up.” It lacks any bite. 

He pulls at the band of our underwear, letting it snap back into place. If you didn’t know any better, you’d consider the flash of something softer across his face as amusement. “If you want me to stop, you’ve gotta tell me.” 

Your nod feels desperate. Your entire body feels desperate. For the way he kissed you, the way he touched you. “I-I’ll tell you.” He’s still not moving, not doing anything. It’s some sort of punishment. It has to be. “Joel...” 

“You going to say ‘please’?” 

You have half a mind to tell him to fuck off, but then his fingers hook around your underwear again. A promise. “Please, Joel.” This is all unfamiliar but you trust Joel to get what you want, what you need. “Need you.” 

With no warning, he yanks down your shorts and underwear. They fall down your legs and you blindly kick them to the side. “Need me?” He tilts his head down, pressing an open mouthed kiss against your cheek, then two to your jaw. “Need me where, sweetheart?” 

God. Anywhere. Everywhere. Your desperation reminds you of how incredibly unfair it is that you’re already down to just our t-shirt and Joel’s still fully dressed. You move your hand slowly, carefully tugging at whatever piece of clothing on him you can reach. 

He’s unimpressed. “C’mon, use your big girl words.” His hand is in between your thighs, his fingers teasing at your entrance in a way that makes it impossible to focus on anything else. “You were usin’ them just fine a second ago.” 

“Joel,” he kisses your jaw again, forcing away all train of thought. It has to be intentional. “Joel,” again, too soft. 

“I know,” he exhales the words against your neck, “I know, sweetheart. Need me to take care of you.” Joel doesn’t wait for a reaction, just pushes his fingers fully into you. You gasp too loudly, Joel moves his free hand over your mouth. “Be a good girl and be quiet. Can’t wake up Ellie.” 

Shit. How did you not think of that? “You’ll be good and quiet for me? Let me stretch you out a bit first?” There’s a knot in your stomach that’s slowly taking over all of your senses. As long as Joel keeps working at it, you could promise him anything. You nod against the palm of his hand. 

You bite your tongue to keep from whimpering too loudly. “Need you to relax,” he presses into you even more firmly, “Get you ready for me.” 

He slowly eases his hand off of your face. “Joel, please.” You’re not even sure what you’re asking for, you just know you need more. You want him to consume you entirely. Feel him until he’s all there is.

You hear the sound of a belt buckle and his jeans shifting. Instinctually, you move a hand towards him, wanting to help, wanting to feel him. “There’ll be time for that, right now it’s about you.” You’re about to argue when he skillfully adds another finger. Fuck. “You’re tight,” he breathes, “No one’s ever touched you here?” 

His fingers curl inside of you and you have to burry your face into the fabric of his shirt to keep from crying out. “Only you.” 

“Look who’s found her manners.” He’s picking up the pace and smoothing down your hair as you squirm against him. “Should’ve done this sooner.” Just as the coil in your lower stomach tightens, Joel takes his hand back. 

You push yourself off of him, staring at him with an expression you know he’ll consider pouting. “Why’d you--” 

“Because I want you to remember this.” He pushes you back to the wall, pressing his body against you. The head of his cock brushes against your entrance. With no warning, he pushes into you. Your sharp gasp overlaps with Joel’s low groan. “Y’need a man to fuck the attitude out of you.” He moves slowly, the friction unbelievably overwhelming and somehow not enough. “That boy wouldn’t know what to do with you.” 

Joel presses you further into the wall, sinking into you as deep as possible before pulling out just to sink back in. His pace is even until his breathing picks up. You’re a mess against him, hiding your face in his chest when he starts fucking you with full force.

“You’re squeezing me so good.” Joel practically pants the words into your skin. “Fuck, ‘m going to--you gonna finish with me, sweetheart?” 

Your mind is mush, you can barely nod against him as his thrusts start to lose their focus. You’re pushed over the edge as Joel’s teeth graze against your neck. He pulls at your orgasm, dragging it along until your legs are jelly and he’s pulling out in order to not finish inside you. 

The two of you stay holding onto each other for what feels like a long time and not enough. “You’re not goin’ anywhere, okay?”

You pull your head off of him enough to look him in the eye. “Not without you.” 

He smiles, lines that you can imagine kissing forever etching themselves into his skin. “That’s my girl.” Joel runs a hand up and down your back fondly. “Let’s go to bed,” he presses a kiss against your jaw, “Give me the space to properly appreciate you.”

The thought makes your body burn all over again. “You sure you aren’t tired out, old man?” 

Joel huffs out what’s almost a laugh, “We’ll see who’s tiring who out, sweetheart.” 

[misterbardman]

One thing I am still very curious about when it comes to Trials of Apollo: why did it take him roughly six months to become mortal?

Why not sooner?

If it was sooner, Percy and Annabeth, and Grover as well, were in New York City at school, surely they could’ve helped him.

Also, as much as I love Chalice of the Gods and Wrath of the Triple Goddess, technically, Nero and the others should still be around right? I mean, I sort of get why the main trio isn’t at camp, they probably don’t know about the lack of communication if it started around then.

But somehow, the gods have time to send Percy on Quests but not to try and get the prophecy stuff solved first??? Like, ToA, it is a pretty big deal that there are no prophecies or quests, that Delphi has been taken over by Python by that point,

But Percy has time to pet-sit? I don’t think he should handle every quest, but come on, he’s taking any quest he can get, why hasn’t anyone tried using that?

I just really want someone to ask about these things in the next book. Maybe mention seeing a Triumvirate real estate sign, or try calling camp and getting no response. Or just have Annabeth and Percy question what happened to Apollo after he was basically disappeared after the giant battle in blood of Olympus.

It is really surprising that no one questions this stuff until it’s too late. Still, I just think it would be so nice and neat to get SOME reference towards Trials of Apollo, it would make sense timeline wise.

It all depends when the next book is set I guess. Hopefully, it takes place during the new year, which I would love to see a scene from Percy’s point of view when Apollo and Meg first drop by, then go to camp and fight the nosoi. It would be so interesting to see someone else’s thoughts from the same scene.

I am begging for fan fiction or for something to be canon please please please-

[ganondoodle]

genuine genuine genuine question- wwwhy do you not like the zonai? (zonau? not sure if thats like. the worlds coolest plural or a translation difference) given your content with more monstery designs i would have thought they'd be up your alley!! however. i have also not played skyward sword (as much as id like to) and i know most of peoples upset with their existence and the totk storyline is because of its conflicts with that plot? i'm very excited to see what you do with your rewrite/botw2!! given their slight presence in faron in botw, it would be cool to see you repurpose the zonai in some way that doesn't conflict with the plot you're going for, something that makes more sense with the cryptic kinda bare minimum we had in botw? sorry if you've explained your stance on the zonai before <3

hhhhhhhh i had ranted alot about it but i hope you are prepared- (also "zonai" is sonau in german but im choosing to write it with a z so people recognize it at least, im pretty sure zonau is also the orignal japanese word for them)

i am fine with their design, in fact, i LIKE their character designs, however i dont like everything else about them.

and no its also not bc it affects skyward sword bc it doesnt affect ANYTHING in skyward sword, bc skyward sword is the VERY FIRST zelda game in the timeline and totk is nowhere near it, totk draws several paralels towards skysw bc its meant a sort of soft reset for this new era but its really just thematic overlap and references bc those are cool (i know alot of people are trying to convince the entire fandom that totk somehow is crammed into the old timeline but trust me its never anywhere near confirmed nor does it make any sense, heres the lil graphic i made last month to clarify how i think its meant to be understood .. quite obviously even -

i dont mean to sound .. mean, but some people read too much into little phrases or references to older titles (like first king of hyrule .. doesnt have to mean the literal firstest of the first ones in all of forgotten history ever, just the first of THIS hyrule for example), and while im not against theories i am very annoyed when people try to say its somehow canon when its NOT)

with that out of the way;

i dont like how they are 'integrated' into botws world, they feel unnatural and shoved in everywhere, they have been everywhere and did everythign better and cooler and no part of (this) hyrule was untouched by them their architecture feels not integrated well either and design wise its rather bland, while the sheikah shrines for example while obviously not natural and very 'techy' they still build a harmonizing contrast while the totk shrines are pretty laughably unfitting compared to them the basically complete disappearance of all sheikah tech related stuff bothers me immensely bc why would you just get rid of it istead of developing it further (i know about purahs towers and think they are just like a worse version of the previous ones; and before this argument comes up again, them destryoing it all -somehow- bc they were afraid of it being taken over again is a dumb excuse bc then they should be even more scared of zonau tech- even MORE unknown and advanced tech literally falling from the sky) you could have done SO MUCH with the ancient shiekah tech it drives me nuts

i also think it tipped the delicate balance of the kinda medival setting + high tech that botw had set up compeltely over, the zonau tech just .. is so painfully obviously only the way it is to give you little lego parts to glue together (i know its a focus of the game ... or at least the gamePLAY but it could have been done better, again i think they managed the balance perfectly with shiekah tech, its weird and isnt natural but doesnt endanger the believability of it ... the zonau tech just throws that out the window rly ... how cool would it have been if you could built lil guardian walk thingies djknhfkd )

in general they just feel like a complete replacement for the ancient shiekah and are so SO desperately trying to make the zonau the COOLER and BETTER versions of what the shiekah were (you COULD have connected them in a cool way, like there being ancient shiekah labs build in the old zonau mining facilities bc they used zonau tech as basis for their own tech etc)

like instead of building on the set up and potential botw had prepared, they just scrambled to make a 'better' version of botw, like oh no forget THAT ancient civilization we have an EVEN MORE ancient, and EVEN MORE highly developed peoples there that were also everywhere before you but also were never really hinted at- and then repeat botws structure .__.

having an old and forgotten civilization of whom only some withered ruins remain gave botw a much more real feeling, a world with a history that you will never know (you know, bc that makes it intriguing and is just .. a good choice of worldbuilding imo)- and then totk comes along and reveals everything and also nothing, we know too much of them to be intrigued by their mystery and also not enough to actually care about them (also them beign presented as the good perfectly perfectestest kingdom of light that can do no wrong other than underestimate the eeeevil guy while they also had their hands on every part of the land and made all other races be their face and nameless servants just ... thats weird man!! i know its a game, even if its only aimed at kids my god they arent stupid either!! you really present me with that and expect me to take it at face value what argh)

again i think they COULD have been integrated into it, but the way it was done completely threw me off, im not mad about them EXISTING but about how it was DONE in the game

the way they were done robs not just totk but also botw of mystery and intrigue, for example i much rather had them stay a mystery, only ever talked about in some text and some old and almost completely withered ruins left, you never get so see what happened there in the past, you can only guess, but you have to deal with the fallout anyway and thats just ONE possibility, there are so many and it feels like they chose the most boring one every single time

sometimes knowing less is better than knowing half

(maybe i can make it clearer when .. or if i can get to illustrate what could have worked -in my opinion- better .... sorry for ranting again ;__; )

[nomeniko]

hi :D for the ask game What do you wish more people understood about kazui? Which trial 2 MV do you enjoy the most, and why?

thank you for the ask i would grovel at ur feet in gratitude i hope the sun shines down and makes the light dance for u and you only today

1. if anything ive seen a few theories of kazui possibly revealing himself to be a two faced manipulator of sorts due to his self proclaimed liarness…. like ‘ohh u cant trust what he says he cld be trying to make himself look pitiable to the audience to get voted inno’ sort of theories which is. no he wont do that???

is he a liar? to a degree yes—liar not in the sense that what he says are direct falsities, but more like hes built much of his character to constantly disguise his true intentions/feelings as a defense mechanism. the lies he says are less of words from a schemer and more of redirections from someone who is, all in all, an insecure adult scared of what will happen if he isnt able to meet peoples expectations of him

as much as he calls himself a liar hes mad honest about where he thinks his capabilities lie, which is to say he doesnt believe in his capabilities at all lol. when amane asks him for help with her studies, he turns her down after some consideration bc he doesnt believe himself to be smart enough to help (despite having graduated from a university; sports degree or not credit shld be given where credit is due). when he talks to shidou post ktk attack, he refuses to admit doing any of the work in taking care of the situation and instead puts all the praise onto shidou. even his physical strength and skill (which is arguably the one part of him he does acknowledge and take some sort of belief in) is something he treats as less of something that he has achieved himself and more of an obligation of his—like, hes strong bc to him he HAS to be, bc it is expected of him to protect those who need protecting. he does want to protect others, sure, but much of that wanting comes frm how ingrained it is in him that thats what hes good for, thats what his strength is for (his timeline w/ yuno on her bday says as much nyway)

the way i see it, that self deprication of his plays back into his obsession with meeting the expectations placed onto him, or at least lessening the disappointment of others by lessening those expectations in the first place. if u tell someone that u didnt go to the right university, that u didnt do much to help anyway, that u were born so fundamentally wrong as a person that everything is bound to go to shit as long as ur there (he basically said this to es in his t1 vd im not even kidding), wouldnt that ensure the safety that youre less likely to ruin someone elses confidence in you? less likely to ruin bc in the small chance that u still fuck up, theres not much left to ruin at that point

in the end ig what i wish more ppl understood abt kazui is that hes a liar yes, but not a manipulator. he lies to stay safe, not to be a sadist or whatever. you cant take what he says at face value (in much the same way u cant do the same for any other prisoner tbh), but that does not mean u shldnt take anything he says srsly at all!!!

2. ok this one i have to give a bit of thought, mostly bc i cant pick just one

if the standards were which t2 mv do i enjoy for its direction music n visual wise, purge march takes the cake so quickly. the music itself is so bomb (which like, i cant even find a logical explanation as to why… its just so good to listen to) n the mv itself does such a great job at creating the right atmosphere, both in its flashy theatrics and the subtle uncanniness under it. mayb i have a slight bias bc tpm was the whole reason i got into milgram in the first place, but i stand by it idccc

aesthetic wise, def all knowing and all agony. the horror elements r genuinely disturbing, but not so overbearing that it overwrites the pop style that milgram has going on. i luove the use of amber for blood, plus the filters that remind me of found footage u usually see show up in asian horror movies. i think i was actually terrified the first time i watched the mv

symbolic wise, its cat always and forever god bless. it takes advantage of its aesthetics to hint at subtle secrets so well that it makes me giddy as hell. the use of colors as a part of the set, the transitions frm scene to scene having its own part in making the story, n honestly making the bg more blank than usual readjusts the focus of the mv on what matters p well. i cant mention every detail rn or else id be here all day

[mjrtaurus]

Thinking about Dragon Urpi reunion on Elbaf and it made me sad so I obviously have to share~

He didn’t believe it, not initially anyway. It’s not that he thought his people were lying to him, of course not that! He just…thought they were misled by some clearly cruel and vile person who wanted to tug at his heartstrings after ripping them out of his chest. It didn’t matter that the information matched up timeline wise or that they mentioned very specific psychical details that could only belong to one person, he didn’t want to allow himself to hope. Especially after all this time, after everything he’s done, after everything and everyone he’s given up for the cause…he wasn’t sure if he could face her.

The older revs led by Ivankov manage to calm the storm in his mind long enough to convince him just to look, just to hope a little and before his anxieties could come return he was on a boat bound for the island of warriors.

He was jittery the entire voyage. His finger would tap on the armrest of his chair while his foot would bounce off the deck complete in synchronized motion. His teeth would chatter against the silverware during meals and the weather was so beyond unpredictable, the navigator looked close to tears everytime a cloud rolled in.

Eventually (Dragon wasn’t sure if he’d call it too quick or too slow, the journey had taken a toll on him like no other), they hit land. Dragon leapt off to solid ground and began heading for the town. He passed by some elderly men who brightened up when they saw him and called Little Warrior with a sense of familiarity. He questioned them and felt his heart rate pick up as they explained that she had told them all about him and she always keep a photo of him close at hand. They ended up making the mistake of vaguely pointing to where the woman in question lives as Dragon takes off in a full sprint, rude in retrospect but he’d apologize later.

As he ran a million conflicting thoughts flooded his brain: She was here! She was really here! What could have happened to have made her run? Would she still love the person that he’s become? He had felt lost without her guidance, without her presence for so long! How was he going to explain this to everyone else? They were so far apart now.. Oh Nika Above what was he going to say to her? He didn’t deserve to see her again, not after all he’s done. Why does he get to be with his parent again after what he did to Luffy???

The grass he treaded had turned into a well worn dirt path before he knew it and he stopped just a couple dozen yards away from a normal sized house with a thriving garden and a woman with her back facing him. Her hair was long and a shimmering silver in the light, tied back in a loose low ponytail and - if this wasn’t a sign he didn’t know what was - a large strawhat, the brim old and tattered making it appearing like a shining sun.

He tried to call out but his voice failed him, repeating opening and closing with false starts. Eventually he gave himself a quick double slap to the face, his eyes filled with watery determination. He inhaled deeply, opened his mouth and…

She turned around first.

Shxjideisox rnen I am always open for sharing the angst and the hurt/comfort!!!

She sensed him before she saw him, his presence in her periphery had been such a constant in her life that she felt phantoms of him with her observation haki every so often. At first, this is what she had thought this case to be, but then she felt a soft breeze embrace her like it had a will of its own. She turned…

And there he was, looking just as heartsick as the last time she laid eyes on him.

She rose to her feet, still limber despite her age, but with a stiffness in her joints that she had grown to tolerate with the years. By the time she had righted herself, though, Dragon had already crossed the yard with a few long strides.

Static buzzed beneath her fingertips when she wrapped her arms around him, the scent of rain and earth filling her senses as he returned her embrace.

He was shaking like a leaf, clinging to her like he was terrified that she might disappear again, face buried in her shoulder, soaking her blouse through with tears he’d held onto for decades and never dreamed he would be able to shed.

She was thanking whatever gods would listen- be they sun, serpent, or ancestor- for this gift. To hold her baby again… with each passing year that hope had become more like a dream. Far away and unattainable…

But here he was. Her baby. Grown into a great warrior, and a greater man.

Oh, there was so, so much to talk about! But for now, they would both content themselves in this moment. Let all of the pain be washed away…

[juliamex3]

I knew whether this is Emilie or Amelie would be a huge debate in the fandom but the worst part is I can't even decide which side I'm on-

Like on one hand, with only the context of the episode, I would've been 100% sure this is Amelie. My first reaction to this scene was "WHAT THE HELL" then the immideate thought after was "wait this is just Amelie that makes more sense".

For one, she's wearing black. That has always been Amelies colorscheme. Amelie wears black, Emilie wears white.

Félix is in this scene, so his mom being there as well wouldn't be strange at all.

Plus Nathalie is there, alive and well again. So I thought that was Gabriels wish. Help Nathalie. He accepted his own death and Emilies as well and gets to be with her again.

BUT we don't only have the episode itself to go off on with this. We have a model sheet and the episodes script that refer to her as Emilie.

So, like, this should 100% be Emilie right?? But that seems so weird to me?? Because would the wish work like that? Can Gabriel trade one life for two? Wouldn't that mean there is still something else off in this new universe, someone else missing? Balance and all?

But mixing up the chatacters in the script seems like such an unlikely error.

There was a scene in the story board of Adrien smiling at the woman that got cut in the finished episode.

Which, if this is Emilie, is kinda disappointing to me that it didn't make it in. This isn't the moment he reunites with his mother timeline wise, but it's the first time the viewer sees them together again, so having this little scene in it would've been nice. It's not that long, they could've saved two seconds of time somewhere else.

If this is Amelie however, and the smile would've only been there to support the fakeout, then yeah makes sense to cut it out, it wouldn't really have been that important.

Maybe they changed their mind further down in production? Maybe it was supposed to be Emilie, but they ultimately decided not to bring her back to life and reused that model to be Amelie? I have no clue.

I know this is intentionally ambiguous, the viewer is supposed to wonder. If they wanted to be clear about it being Emilie then they would've had both of them shiw up. Thomas played off it himself on his twitter.

But the uncertainty of whether or not Emilie is alive again is driving me nuts.

Honestly an insane way to make use of the fact you have characters that are twins lmao

[dehydration-stati0n]

Cowboy Casanova {Cowboy!Shanks x Reader}

Shanks is divorced to an unknown woman in this AU (??) Her loss I guess🤷. I was going to use Nami instead of Belle-mere but then I remembered that didn't make any sense timeline wise sooo here we are

Western AU Rules Word Count: 0.7k Spoilers: None

"Uh oh, look who's coming." Belle-mere nudged you, watching as Shanks make his way over to where the two of you sat on your ancient porch, his horse hitched up on one of the nearby posts. It was a wonder how the drunk even managed to tie the knot with how much he drinks daily.

"Well, howdy ladies, fancy seeing y'all here." Shanks greeted, faking a thick southern accent as he tipped his hat to the two of you.

You couldn't stand Shanks. You've heard too many stories about him in the many bars around town to have much respect for him. Most of them end with the redhead being dragged out to stop him from drinking and flirting with all the women there. Someone with so little care about their reputation always left behind a trail of trouble- bad luck, so to speak. You only wished your heart would stop aching whenever the alcoholic in question came up in your mind. You thought you hated everything about him, so why did you want him around so bad? Why do you daydream about talking to him for hours on end? Why did he have to be so handsome? You could tell Bell-mere knew about your little crush through all the knowing glances she always shot your way. You swore you'd kill her if she kept making it so obvious.

"Shanks," You greeted, clearing your throat, "What are you doing here?"

His eyes glimmered with mischief as he caught your gaze with his own, "Just thought I'd stop by and say 'hi' to my two favorite girls."

Bell-mere snorted, rolling her eyes playfully as she spoke, "Oh please, Shanks, take all your flirting back to the bar. None of that'll work on us."

"Yeah?" He grinned, "Well, maybe that's why you two are my favorite." You felt a light blush dust your cheeks at his words. You didn't think you'd last long if he kept at this game of his.

Small, golden clouds of dust started to kick up against the strong orange of the setting sun. The night sky that slowly peaked out above the rolling hills of the west faintly cast an ocean of darkness over the desert landscape.

"No really though, what are you doing here?" You questioned, curious as to why he traveled all the way from the city to where your small house sat on the edge of town. It wasn't a ridiculous journey by any means, but it took about an hour to do so, and you doubted it was only to say 'hi'.

He gazed into your eyes for a moment before replying, "My daughter, Uta, she's uh- well- I need help watching her." He paused for a moment, considering his next words, "She's young, and I'm away a lot longer than I'd like to be. Would you at least consider it?"

You thought about it for a moment- well, overthought it. Babysitting his daughter would surely make people talk. It wasn't exactly common for a divorced man let his daughter be taken care of by someone other than his ex-wife. Would this make you appear to be his wife? Or perhaps Uta's mother? Was this his strange way of courting you? It was Belle-mere not-so-subtly stepping on your foot that broke you out of your little trance.

You blinked up at the man and sighed, "Yeah, bring her over here tomorrow, I'll look after her."

"Thank you, (Y/N), you have no idea how much this means to me." He beamed, jogging up the creaky wooden stairs of your old porch as he leaned in and kissed you on your cheek gratefully.

Your blush rushed back fast as you stammered over your next choice of words, "Y-yeah, anytime- I mean, we're friends, right?"

"Yeah," His features held a sort of saddened desire as if he wanted-hoped even, that they would've been replaced with something else- something more intimate. "If you ever need anything, just come fetch me, alright?" He cringed internally at the word 'friend', but he supposed 'friends' would do for now.

You watched longingly after the redheaded drunk. It didn't take long for Belle-mere to catch on to your stare, as she quickly started teasing you for it. Belle-mere's playful jabs and giggles, your desperate pleas for her to quiet down, and the hooves of Shanks' horse as he made his way back to the closest bar to try and drink his feelings away again filled the night air. Both of you and Shanks' lives would be a little different now that this little event would be set in motion.

[definitelynotshouting]

Hi hello I’ve been rotating ur hunger au around for a month it’s soooo good! but one thing I just keep wondering is like, what if grian hadn’t been found out until later in the games, say after secret life? Considering that would also be farther along in Hermitcraft season 9, after the crossover and buttercups, would anything significant change in litd ?

OH GODS OUGH...... well okay lemme put it this way. Pov you find out one of your closest friends whom you deeply trust has been highkey using and manipulating you for YEARS and is the reason for a huge chunk of your horrific trauma. And didnt say anything about it, didnt try to do damage control or come clean, just accepted that this would fuck you up beyond belief and kept doing it because it meant they could keep living. Like..... listen Grian coming back after doing this thrice is already a difficult enough sell, but 5 times????? Holy shit forget it i think AT BEST he'd get like. MAYBE Scar and Mumbo and Pearl to help him. And even then I dont know if they'd be willing to stick around for a very long time. Scar, maybe, bc i think hes insane especially about Grian, but everyone else??? Jesus. Genuinely not fuckin sure

I think thered be a lot more RAGE than there is rn, and a lot more bitterness, which sure is saying something since theres plenty of that to go around in canon as it is. Absolutely fucked end tbh i dont think thered be a huge chance for Grian to ever go back not even years and years later like in ia au. Even in the face of him dying. Idk i just cant see the hermits letting him back in or wanting anything to do with him on the whole after fucking up that badly, yknow???

Three times kinda hits that sweet spot to me, where its fucked up but it was spread out over years and Grian tried so fucking hard every single time to resist, so it makes sense that things are very difficult to get through when trying to mend fences but isnt impossible. But considering double life, limited life, AND secret life all took place within s9, i think that,, makes a huge difference in how things would go, tbh. My headcanon for the au is that each "season" takes place over a few years, but even by that timeline thats still three major fuck ups in a much shorter timespan, and not given the sorta,,,, bookending??? Ig??? Of taking place during separate seasons.

So uh, tldr; bad!! it would go so so bad. Idk what exactly would change majorly-wise but i think that betrayal would sting a LOT harsher than it does in canon (which is already pretty strong) and Grian's chances of getting help would be,,,, severely diminished, oughhhhgh

[puhpandas]

i saw some of your posts about being anti-cassie's dad protag for HW2, which valid, but the theory's become so popular most people seem to accept it. HW2 is kind of a mess to theorize about what the string of events was considering both endings could easily be canon, but I guess I'll get to the point. I'm sure most people have heard plenty of theories about what happens in the game if it's Cassie's Dad as the protagonist, so I'm curious. If you don't think it's him, who do you think is most likely? And (while this is difficult to figure out with any protag..) what do you think is supposed to be happening throughout the game, like, timeline-wise/plot-wise? Personally I feel like Cassie's Dad protag is possible, but I don't think it's set in stone or that he would be a reoccuring character. Imo Cassie's Dad protag works best if he stays a one-off character, building onto Cassie's backstory. I kinda wonder if the "what makes you so special?" lines aren't actually saying he's special, but asking what he thinks makes him special enough to go through all this and survive. Still I'm really curious to hear alternatives! I'm definitely not attatched to that theory lol. I just haven't really heard anything else tbh since the theory's so big in the fandom..

theres tons of evidence (a lot of it already used for cassie dad protag evidence) that apply to Cassie protag. for starters hw2 is obviously incredibly reminiscent of hw1 with its ending. vanny traps you somewhere and waves, the same way glitchtrap trapped you somewhere and waved in hw1s canon ending.

it's been widely accepted that vanny cassie is very possible and the direction the story is going in so playing as cassie in the lobby and going through princess quest and helping vanny and it being implied Vannys using the player as a vessel now the same way glitchtrap used vanessa to create vanny makes it very plausible we play as cassie

theres also the 'unused' line (but they all perfectly apply to the game as it is right now and add much needed context that make the game actually make sense) that's from presumably vanny, saying: "it kept you for a reason"

not only does the it pronoun 100% mean the mimic (and cassie is still down there in the same place where the mimic is literally free rn but alive) but it means that the mimic purposefully didnt kill cassie and also probably was the one to drop the evelator because it has a plan for her. aka the plan is getting vanny a new vessel so mimic can resume operations

the lobby itself also perfectly matches post ruin. you have the vanni mask on first of all, but second of all theres little items around the lobby that hint that you're cassie. like the robot parts strewn around that could imply cassie is trying to repair roxy (theres also the helpy screen)

as for "what makes you so special" I think people are misinterpreting the cassie ending as it being Cassies dad and not a staffbot. it literally shows you straight up that you get attacked by other staffbots and made into maskbot and give cassie the mask. if anything it shows us that Cassies arrival was planned and it's more evidence that we play as her becoming vanny. but its ALSO a perfect explanation for how confusing the minigames are in telling us who we play as

we literally play as a staffbot/mapbot. the minigames go from clean and fixed animatronics to gradually getting worse. even when the pizzaplex is clean and the animatronics are just a bit dirty, we've only seen that in sb. we play as a staffbot from pre sb, during sb, and post sb. "what makes you so special" what makes you so special compared to the other staffbots

it also explains why the animatronics are mean to you. staffbots are seen as useless hunks of junk and its shown all across the pizzaplex and in ruin as well when they're constantly shown discarded and destroyed.

freddy also says the line "you ARE a Fazbear technician, arent you? idk bc I can't see you". it means we literally arent a Fazbear technician. were a staffbot. and the same applies for carnies line about kids. its prerecorded and we're just a robot anyway

I have more posts about all this stuff individually but more in depth in my hw2 theory tag. this is what I genuinely think and I believe cassie is the protag for sure. it just feels so clear with how reminiscent hw2 is of hw1s ending tied with the clear plot of vanny cassie it's just like. why would we play as her dad when we watch ourselves get trapped by vanny the same way vanessa did right in front of our eyes.

we have the cassie ending because it shows us how maskbot got the mask and where it came from. it came from glitchtrap + by extension the mimic and vanny. vanny betrays glitchtrap at the end but also traps cassie in the process. the elevator dropped on cassie in ruin because the mimic did it on purpose to enact this plan. I think hw2 is more straightforward than ppl realize if you put everything together from what we have and dont try your hardest to put other characters in when the game is definitely about vanny cassie

like hw2 and ruin were made at the same time. they go hand in hand and reference eachother in the game, even before one of them was even out. the story is about cassie becoming vanny, the whole thing. this game is an intermission (the song scorched cranberries (the end credits song) is elevator music) showing us how the new villain/character thatll be big in the next plot was created. this is about cassie

maybe her dad will have the spotlight in hw2s dlc. idk. he has something going on but nothing in hw2 I dont think.

[pynkhues]

So I started watching Succession somewhere between s2 n s3 and till yesterday, I was under the impression Rava Roy(?) is supposed to be of Indian descent (though why someone would name her after food idk) but then I saw some bts of s4 with the actress and I'm sure she's white or not idk 😂 Point is, can you tell if the kids are supposed to be adopted? (That's what was suggested in an article) like I'm so confused??? Are they biracial? Is her ethnicity ambiguous? I feel like maybe you might have the answer for me 😅

It's never explicitly stated, anon, but I'm pretty sure Rava is supposed to be Jewish.

Natalie Gold, the actress who plays her, is Jewish herself, and the name Rava actually has Hebrew origins dating back to around the year 300CE. Interestingly enough, it's actually traditionally a boy's name in Hebrew meaning a father, which feels pretty deliberate given the nature of the show. I think too that her being Jewish makes sense given the tension between her and Logan, and Kendall's hyper-sensitivity to Logan's anti-semitism, most notably in 3.04 which happened pretty quickly timeline-wise after Kendall retreated to (and took over) Rava's apartment when he didn't have anywhere else to go.

In that sense, I do think we're supposed to understand that Sophie is adopted, yes. I've talked about it on here before, but I tend to think that Iverson is biological, and it's that, plus him being a boy and white, that causes Logan to simultaneously dote on, weaponise and abuse Iverson more directly and visibly on screen than he does Sophie. As far as Logan's concerned, Iverson is the only heir beyond his children, and it's pretty clear that he's been found wanting. What that means for Sophie who is, of course, just as much Kendall and Rava's child, is open to speculation, but I think the show is deliberate in the way it focuses on Iverson and forces Sophie aside.

[the-rolls-on-black]

I'm rambling a lot under the cut about potionomics self insert stuff

I've been trying to keep a more consistent look to my self inserts just so u can be able to point at it and be like hey! It's ashe!

(Because previously I was just doing pink girl and boy blue duos, which was fun! I got to indulge a lot with my masc side! But also not so fun for me story wise haha.)

But I also don't want to reuse themes/ideas! And while I think a princess vibe would go swimmingly with the loan shark vibe of Finn (think.. mafia princess!), it's also like.! Boo, I've already used the princess idea for UTMV bc my main f/o over there is very princely.

The bangs over the eyes is a must, always. And I want to incorporate the bow somewhere too! I don't know if I want to tackle the doll theme onto this one, as my previous two self inserts have been dolls. For the aesthetics, but it's also been like a vent kinda thing where I don't feel like a person?? Not sure. But it felt right. I might not tack it onto this one though.

I'm thinking still of doing something fairytale related because that's my jam! It's been my interest ever since I was little <3 I also gotta fit in with the game's design/overall aesthetic.

I got the physical boxset, so I have the artbook, which is great! I can look thru it for inspo/help.

So..I've already discussed with my partner about my self insert being a baker + bookseller / witch who puts spells on her foods. So there'd be witch + baker theme.

My heart really wants to say go for a red riding hood theme! It's fairytale inspired, and we can throw a basket into the silhouette! The cloak/robe/hood can fit the witch silhouette too perhaps?? I feel like the fairytale vibe also adds into the magical/witch aspect at least a little bit.

At least in pairing with Finn, I think it makes sense, theme wise? He's the big bad 'wolf' to my self insert's little red. Can easily also make him the lumberjack too that saves the day, mix both of them into one.. ah, I'd have to think about it more.

I can also have it where my self insert is a nature witch, and grows most of her ingredients in her garden, they're just tricky. Golden and rotten apples, whichever else. And the ingredients is what causes the food to be of no actual substance?

Do i continue on with the fairytale curse idea? My UTMV self insert is a doll that wants to be human, and she must find true love to do that. Very little mermaid and princess tutu esque inspired, I'm not sure if I should go with that for potionomics. It's fun! I love the trope, I'm a big fan of the older Disney princesses haha. And it wouldn't be out of the question in the universe. I could do the Ole "little red is a wolf too" type thing, and she's been given a human form for a certain amount of time so she can find true love. But then comes the time restraint.. and why is she able to open up/work at a shop during that time? It would work into the nature witch thing at least. BAH.

I'm thinking giving her a long braid that way I can still add the bow at the end without the top part of her design being too cluttered. I can also say this is rapunzel/tangled inspo! But I'm mostly pulling from raiden here bc I'd like to do the glowing hair thing for funsies!

And also for suresies a heart locket somewhere, even if it's not explicitly in the design... it's a must!

Gosh this isn't even including the already set world building the game has. Maybe Maven is the one who cursed her ???? Taking a wolf and turning her human to make her an unwilling servant as a way to selfishly fulfill her wish?? Maven could keep her human, but cursed her to where she would return back to her wolf form if she dared to leave Maven. And now that Maven is "gone", she must find true love to keep her form permanent. GOSH idk, it doesn't really fit the timeline. 😭😭😭😭☹️ I'm sure I'll come up with something.

Ok... I did in fact ramble a lot. Woopsie

[drusilla-carstairs]

What do you think about The First Heir concept? What's so special about this?

Hmmm I’m not entirely sure what you mean by this question so I’ll answer it two ways.

As a general concept, I think The First Heir fits well into the established lore of TSC, and has the potential to finally wrap up the strife that the faerie world has been in since The Mortal Instruments (and earlier in the timeline, but book-wise). I think it makes for a good conflict for TWP, though I do wish sometimes that TWP wouldn’t be focused so much on another faerie plot right after TDA, but narratively it does make sense. + We’ll also be getting princes of hell content, so I can’t complain too much.

I think that the stories we have gotten about The First Heir—about Kit’s family line, are interesting, if not my favorite of the more obscure TSC lore. I’m not super compelled, but I don’t think they’re bad by any means, yknow?

All that being said, I’ve been pretty clear on my blog that I’m not the biggest fan of Kit Herondale and all he stands for meta-narratively (CC and her obsession with the Herondale family and its borderline copy-paste members, the fact that he’s the most super special boy ever, etc). I hope that going into TWP I grow to like Kit better, and this plotline, but I’ll be very disappointed if Kit being The First Heir’s descendent turns into just another way for him to be overpowered. I think it undermines a lot of everything else we’re getting in that series—Dru and Ty’s times to shine, Ash’s introduction at all, I don’t want him to be redundant—and I also think it would just be. Lame. He’s a distant descendant of TFH. He’s not her directly. He shouldn’t be the end-all-be-all.

[smolstarthief]

Ok sooo I need to share this AU concept since I feel like it wouldn't make sense in the actual timeline and among other things but still it won't leave my head:

So remember how people came up with AUs where Joker and Maruki are related? Well... This was inspired by a part of me and Creepy's RP but what if Rumi had a surprise for Takuto and her parents on the day of their visit which obviously ended badly and put an end to that plan? That surprise ended up being Ren but unfortunately, Maruki already removed himself from her life so neither of them were aware of being related until present day and 3rd semester.

Poor Rumi would just be so confused on why she's carrying a baby after the (accidental) memory wipe but considering how her personality was described she would no doubt keep him despite the potential stigma she would be hit by. She starts living with her Grandparents and remaining family members after getting out of the hospital who were apprehensive about her having a child alone out of wedlock but take her in anyway. Also having probably met Maruki before at some point... They already assume that the father is him and believed that he abandoned her so therefore end up not mentioning him to avoid hurting her. Her grandparents at least cared more than them though and try to support her as she gets back on her feet.

Come the day Ren was born and Rumi absolutely dotes on him but does note something being a little familiar about him appearance-wise and she starts to feel off whenever she thinks more about it. Namely kinda like how, "Kasumi" ends up having random slumps/depressive episodes. This worsens as he gets older and starts showing similar quirks and behaviors as Takuto which her relatives (except for her grandparents) start to resent him for, especially when he starts asking questions.

At one point, Rumi ends up having a sudden breakdown due her own filter further weakening (curse the lack of power consistency with Maruki in canon) and an older Ren asking about his father which scares Ren and then herself when she almost hurts him in the process (probably not physically though since I don't see her doing that to her own child regardless of her mental state). This gets her sent to a mental health facility which Ren does visit more than her relatives (this would be part of why he was heading home late when he encountered Shido). Each visit can vary for him: One day she was her usual loving and energetic self that he knew as a child, the next she was hardly responsive despite his best efforts to talk to her. He also often brings a book or even a chess board since they both liked playing it ("Checkmate") to cheer her up.

He's still just as confused about his father and who he was but from what did learn and even overheard in the past about him, he starts to resent him. Even more so when his relatives start acting distant and cold towards him due to blaming him for Rumi's current situation.

And the lack of contact throughout the game? Blame the relatives as they wasted no time in sending Ren away for his probation which leaves her shattered but to them, it's better for her health in the long run. Being the stubborn woman she is, she still tries but is blocked and prevented from doing so each time which actually worsens things with her as opposed to helping her. It doesn't help that her Grandparents also passed away already by this point and they were actually her primary support system while everyone else in her family was just tolerant at best, uncaring at worst.

How Maruki would piece everything together I'm not entirely sure but maybe like this: He starts to notice Ren showing similar personality traits as Rumi and even himself but doesn't think much of it at first but then Ren decided to randomly bring a chess board to a session which surprises him but plays along as Ren states it cheers him up sometimes, his mom especially. Now I can see Maruki maybe playing it with Rumi when they were younger so when Ren starts showing more of Rumi's quirks as they play, Maruki starts to pale a bit. Again, kinda tying into that "Checkmate" line. Not sure how Maruki would finally figure it out since idk how he would get DNA test done while not seeming suspicious but maybe Shibusawa makes a comment about Rumi having a kid while they were catching up alone? Either way, he would probably also have access to medical files from Shujin and once he sees Rumi's name as his mother with the father not being listed...

"It can't be..."

Plus, I feel like once he gets the ability to warp reality then maybe he would have probed Ren's memories a bit for more confirmation. Needless to say, he's extremely guilt-ridden.

And poor Ren when he finally puts two and two together... Compared to canon, he's PISSED that the person he bonded with and confided to was also the person he resented the most and he just ends up making rash and impulsive decisions without thinking like Sumi before her reveal. Which is something that would startle even AKECHI of all people a little since he's so used to Joker showing more empathy. I would also utilize Raoul because fuck Atlus for making him a DLC Persona.

He would basically represent Ren's acceptance of everything and how he still wants to change Maruki's heart but not out of spite or revenge but to save everyone and HIM since he realized that Maruki is hurting too and needed help. He wants to reconcile with him. To summarize:

Also the departure for the "Leave" ending will be changed quite a bit with Maruki initially parting ways like in canon but then excuses himself with a break to catch up with Ren to give a proper goodbye (bumps into Sumi too). It leads to an emotional conversation until they see a familiar face that Ren immediately hugs. It was an astonished but slowly recovering Rumi. Her filter is gone too. Granted, it's a little bittersweet since Rumi would be kinda pissed that Maruki more or less up and left her alone (even giving him a good punch or smack) but she won't forbid Ren from seeing him either. She's just still a nice person at heart so she wouldn't be mad for long. Especially when Ren pleads his case and she trusts his judgement. That and she would acknowledge that she should've told him about her carrying Ren sooner before that visit to her parents.

The context behind her showing up would be sad initially... She came to Tokyo because she saw the news report of Ren's "suicide" from the facility and was heartbroken. But then she decided that she had enough of staying in that place and demands that she be released which the orderlies complied. She then decided to cut ties with her more toxic family members when they showed little to no care about that report and even insulting Ren to her face. She basically went to Tokyo to find Sojiro and a temporary place to stay as she decides what to do next. Obviously that changed when she sees him alive and hugging her. The filter would wear off after reality is back to normal too during her train ride hence her impulsive response to seeing Maruki.

It does get happy again though when she confirms that as soon as they come back to retrieve what's left of Ren's belongings, they're staying in Tokyo full time. She's also willing to talk with Maruki to catch up and try to give closure as well. Before they both depart, they each give him something to keep him company and remember them in the meantime: Ren gives him his favorite childhood plush toy that he carried around (which suspiciously looks like Mona) and Rumi... She gives him what she wanted to give him before that tragic day... An ultrasound photo showing a small silhouette of a baby. To say that Maruki cried quite a bit is an understatement as he hugs Ren tightly, apologizing repeatedly and promising to step and provide for them as much as he can.

Is TakuRumi gonna be endgame? Idk since a lot of time had passed and I honestly liked the aversion of expectations the game did by having him not get back together with her and deciding to start over on his own (I do wish that more closure was provided with her at least but oh well). Past TakuRumi is a definite but present day? Maybe not likely. But they would still get along since they both care about Ren greatly. Also just imagining Rumi going mama bear mode towards Zenkichi at the beginning of Strikers is too damn funny too.

[sirenjose]

I have a theory that Game 1 is the game where Orpheus got all the maps, as how else would Orpheus get so much land to partake in the games with? If this is the truth then I'd put Lily in this game, as well as potentially Lorraine Miller (who could be the reason why Robbie is in the game should it not be Dolores) as she is mentioned to have gone missing.

By "got all the maps", I assume you're trying to ask how he basically got ownership of all the areas we see in game?

Well, at least based on the original backstory for Oletus Manor, it talks as if some of these areas were already owned by the lord of the manor:

Soon the operation of most of the functional areas of the manor was restored, but some areas that were abandoned for too long and had little effect are still in a state of idle (such as woodland, hunting grounds, church and other areas).

We already know about Darkwoods being essentially apart of Oletus Manor, so there's no issue there.

With Red Church, the backstory states it is "on the grounds of Oletus Manor" and how it was even "rebuilt [in 1883] by the then lord of the manor and opened to the public two years later".

Sacred Heart Hospital's backstory states "A devout Christian lord of the manor decided to build a church hospital in his territory to provide basic medical protection to his residents". This likely wasn't Dennis (as the backstory says it opened in 1830 and wasn't completed until 1840), but it's possible it was a previous owner of the manor (as Oletus Manor is said to have been cheap due to it's infamous reputation) and thus whoever the current owner is would also own the land.

Lakeside Village is near the same mountains where Oletus Manor is, and thus we know isn't far away. It's likely even right by Darkwoods, so that one doesn't seem to be a problem either.

Golden Cave is in the same area, though due to its collapse I don't believe we'll actually go in. What we see is just a representation/recreation of it for our benefit I imagine. I think the same of Eversleeping, since that's likely where Michiko grew up (and thus far away), I don't think we'll actually have a game there either, but I could be wrong. Chinatown also seems like it might more be a map for backstory (like Eversleeping) than an area where we'll have a game, but it's hard for me to say for certain. I doubt he could have ownership of Chinatown or Eversleeping at the very least.

Moonlit River Park we know is owner by Barriere, who seems to also be the owner of the land Oletus Manor is on. It's possible when Orpheus bought the manor, he could've also been lent the park, and added that to his debt. But I do wonder if it's possible, rather than owning the park, he might've just... borrowed it for a day. It seems to be abandoned/in bad state, which is the same state Arms Factory and White Sand Street Asylum. If so, it might've been possible for them to go walk around or visit the area. We did see some ciphers during Ashes of Memory 2 at Kreiburg Racecourse (and as Manus was a previous owner of Oletus Manor, and abandonded, it likely isn't hard to believe Orpheus could own/use it too), but not all the games we've learned about seem to use them (like Emma's and Naib's games). As such, it'd make it easier to imagine a game being held in a place Orpheus might not own.

Regarding your other comments:

I have wondered for at least awhile now if Lily would be in game 1. If she came here for Orpheus and his debt, as Orpheus was in game 0, game 1 would at least be right after that one, while also being earlier timeline wise in regards to the manor games (and considering Lily is likely kind of young based on what we know about her story and Kreiburg racecourse, it could make a bit more sense for her to be earlier).

Lorraine... I wish we knew for sure if she was alive, as I can't help always wondering otherwise based on how she disappeared, but for now I'm leaning more towards she is. Maybe she left due to her disillusionment with the Church and what was going on. Either way, least she is someone tied to the orphanage, even appearing in Robbie's 1st letter, so out of a lot of options, she'd at least make some sense why she could be tied to Robbie. If she did appear, maybe we could get a bit more info about her disappearance and the asylum/church, but I'll try to wait for us to be more certain she'll appear again in the story before thinking too much about possibilities ^_^;

Thanks for the idea! I wouldn't mind getting more of her story.