#( and i am So Game regardless of the outcome )

[my-current-obsession]

My hyper-specific type when it comes to otome guys:

- Absolutely pathetic - Cannot speak to a girl normally to save his life - Tries to be calm/aloof, but turns tsundere when flustered enough - A good and pure man at heart, yet does some questionable things - ...Little Red Riding Hood???

[lcfthaunted]

@sorrowsick • Zahrosa sent : “Someone, somewhere has failed you miserably. You were supposed to be loved, protected and cared for but you never were.“

Mazie’s initial response is a mere raising of her eyebrows, but the Nightmare next to her takes offense. Castle huffs, somewhere between a laugh and a growl, and hauls himself to his feet. It is not a small dog he takes the form of, as his shoulders come just below Mazie’s hips. She rests her hand between his shoulder blades; part comfort for herself, part reminder to him to behave. The witch before her unsettles her in ways she struggles to comprehend, and she knows Castle is picking up on that.

“You are not wrong that my training has been… slapdash,” she says slowly, “but that does not mean I was left unloved. I could not ask for a better mum and dad, better siblings, and Madeline did the best she could with the knowledge she had.” Madeline had bound her and Castle, after all.

Mazie tips her head to the Nightmare. “As for unprotected, well. I doubt anyone could argue that.” The Nightmare grins, and it is not the grin of a dog, with too many, too long, too sharp teeth.

[johnskleats]

is anyone going to tell the kat@angers that it's not feminist activism to argue Katara's arc in LOK is fine on the grounds that "some women want to be homemakers and that's okay!!"

Like you're not helping real women that way. In fact, most antis for the cannon ship ARE women. Many are homemakers themselves.

Katara is not a real woman. She is a fictional woman written by men.

Can the sensibilities and wishes of a girl change by the time she is a adult? Yes!

But as this is a textual character who, as per the text, rejects the societal structure of her fictional world (which mirrors our own) that women are and can only ever be docile homemakers (i.e. I don't want to heal, I want to fight; I will never turn my back on people who need me; let's start a prison riot; let's engage in vigilante ecoterrorism; let's pitch an absolute fit because the boys are not pulling their fair weight in the homemaking; let's confront my mother's killer at the absolute rejection and condemnation of the male figures whom I am to respect; etc) it is perfectly reasonable to argue that this end was not a natural course for her character.

Fictional characters are not real people. This means that they do not change their mind off screen. That is not an acceptable argument. That is called a "plot hole", which is a nonsensical change made at the convenience and contrivance of the writer(s), who in this case are men exhibited to not care for women or girls all that much. It is within THEIR character to write this way.

Regardless of who, if anyone, Katara ended up with, Katara tolerating disrespect, neglect, abuse of her children, giving up all of her former aspirations to live in the shadow of men, and dying as a mere footnote in history (and being alright with it!!) is not surprising given the absolute vitriol Bryke has shown toward female fans of their "creation". It was supposed to be a "boy" show. It was always supposed to be a "boy" show. The creators of Supernatural and Game of Thrones did the same thing. ATLA just did it first.

Arguing "not all women" is not activism in the face of what is really happening in this discourse. Sending death threats to real, actual women with feelings in defense of a fake pretend woman's fake pretend autonomy is performative activism, and worse, hypocritical.

Not all women agree with you. Not all women feel represented and find the outcome of Katara's story satisfactory. If y'all care about feminism and respecting women's choices so much, lay off the real life women you're so fond of harassing. Our views and opinions, while opposing your own, don't affect you.

[meanbossart]

Okay, one more question on the Bhaalist Drow au, if you'll indulge. What happens in Astarion's mindthe immediate aftermath of the ascension failing (as in, right then but also up until the game's end). Do they bother showing up to Withers' party? How does Astarion go slip sliding down into a cowed version of himself over time? And, what I am most fascinated by in something like this, how do the other cultists, especially direct reporters to DU Drow, or like deputies, treat him? Does Astarion find he's confined certain places?

Sorry, thank you!

No apologies needed! This is a very fun scenario to play around in.

So, I'm not sure if Astarion would immediately realize that DU drow purposefully ruined the ritual, but regardless he would have realized that this is the outcome he truly wanted.

I imagine that after Du drow embraced Bhaal, Astarion would have gotten it into his head that he now must ascend so they will be on leveled ground, and fully capable of pursuing their plans of taking control over the sword coast together as equally powerful individuals. DU drow would have sold himself as completely behind this plan and supportive of the idea, eager for them to exert total control as the most dashingly evil couple in all of Faerun. And perhaps this was genuine for a day, before the fear of losing his grasp over Astarion began to settle in. He didn't voice this as all, of course, but as an avid manipulator himself Astarion would be able to tell post-failure that his support wasn't earnest.

And I think Astarion just panicked; going back and forth between convincing himself that he should be thankful to have someone powerful by his side, and just feeling like has no other option but to go along with it. Whether or not he thinks he can abandon DU drow successfully, the world has just become a much scarier place than before, and at least here he knows he has someone to take care of him - someone he should be fond of, even if time eventually proves him wrong.

For a while (weeks, if not months) Astarion would have appeared nothing if not pleased with his predicament. He has a man who is head-over-heels for him who also happens to be the head-honcho of a powerful cult, he has access to as much blood and violence as he pleases and the ability to entertain his fantasies of power and cruelty to their fullest. If there is anyone left who cares for him, he paints elaborate pictures of their routine together - of their outings, of their riches, of his exquisite quarters and their intense sex. He tells them that DU drow might be Bhaal's chosen, but he has him wrapped tight around his finger day and night and pretty much runs the show behind the scenes.

These are fantasies that he wants to others to believe in as much as he wants to convince himself of them, and a narrative that DU drow might even humor - he likes the illusion of Astarion being in control, but it can't ever be like that in practice - but reality is a lot more hollow. They have gold, and they have the expensive garments, and the sex is intense, but life has become a performance from morning until night and Astarion has completely lost the element of tenderness that he had grown to enjoy. DU drow loves him like a prized possession, like a novelty - a fragile ornament that only he knows how to handle, and no one else is allowed near.

Whenever there is push back, whenever Astarion wants to branch out, he is reminded of how vulnerable and small he is. How every day occurrences and objects can harm him, and that while DU drow may appreciate him for the man he is, others will take him for a simple monster. That It is much easier to stick by his side, sacrifice some of his freedom but be cared for than to risk exposing himself to harm. DU drow also constantly reminds him of the pain he would be in if anything were to ever draw them apart, and guilts him about what may happen if he was to die.

And as rebellious towards Cazador as he might have been, total servitude is a default he learned to fall back into in search of safety. It is easier to turn to old habits and simply accept his circumstances, surrender to them. At least here, he is never tortured, he is never physically hurt, and he is only sometimes verbally berated. He can deal with it as long as it is an improvement upon his previous situation. Slowly, he'd just become DU drow's yes-man, he'd concern himself constantly with pleasing him, looking desirable, acting desirable, fulfilling his fantasies and acting the part that's expected of him. From the outside it may even seen like he enjoys the life.

He is basically seen but not heard by DU drow's consorts. It's less about the respect that they may or may not have for him and more about the respect (or should I say fear) that they have for their leader. DU Drow would make it clear again and again that no one is allowed to touch him, he would be weary of anybody trying get too close, of being too friendly, even of staring a little too hard - he would kill and torture men over the most mundane of comments whether they be positive or negative until everyone is just too fearful of interacting with Astarion at all. As for people outside of the temple, he basically never has a chance to mingle without DU drow's watchful gaze over him (all for the sake of protecting him, of course).

I think Sceleritas would be the only person who can consistently interact with alone, since DU drow trusts him completely. The little goblin himself no longer sees Astarion as so much of a person, more so a possession; one that keeps his master happy and productive. So he extends the same amount of respect to him as he does to DU drow himself, and functions as a butler to both.

He also reports back to DU drow about Astarion's every request, every diversion from habit, every misplaced sigh and fluctuation in mood, every eye-roll. He knows the questions to ask to get the answers he wants, to interrogate him with poise on behalf of his master so he can make sure that his beau is always happy and content. Astarion realizes this learns to watch himself around Sceleritas over time too.

[dalishious]

Reclaiming Independence of the Dales

Before anything else, I’d just like to clarify that that vast majority of this is made of my own ideas, based on interpretation from the little canonical information provided, and a little inspired by my own people’s history and governing structure. Additionally, what I am presenting here is an ideal situation, not necessarily what I think is an immediately realistic outcome in the world-state established. So, please keep that in mind.

The Dales were established as a homeland for elves—a small piece of a continent that was once called their home in its entirety, before the humans colonized it—by Maferath in -165 Ancient. This was in reward for the eleven people’s participation in the fight against Ancient Tevinter. But in 2:10 Glory, Divine Renata I broke this treaty and declared an Exalted March against the Dales, ending in its annexation by Orlais.

[Related Post: All You Need to Know about the Exalted March of the Dales]

If Solas has very low approval with Inquisitor Lavellan, and Lavellan accuses him of not doing enough to help their people, he will say the following: “You could order Halamshiral returned to the Dalish, if you wished. But ultimately, you know that would fail. That even you cannot solve this.” I hate this with a burning passion. The reason I can’t do that, Solas, is because it’s not an option in the game! Why are you as a character angry at me, the player, for not doing something that is not an option for me to do? Why was this written? Just to push the point that it’s not worth it to try and fight back against oppression? Because if I refuse to accept hopelessness in real life, why would I in accept it in a video game where the story is made-up, and therefore anything is possible if the developers so wish it.

Regardless, according to Solas, the Inquisition has enough power to support the reclamation of an independent Dales. I imagine this would require a lot of political maneuvering within the Orlesian governance, and therefore I think the best opportunity to do this would be with Briala ruling through Gaspard. This would then later open the door for Briala to be the leader of the newly independent Dales, too. I would like to see Briala as ruler of the Dales not just because she is a favourite of mine, but because I genuinely believe she is the best established character fit for the job. She was trained in everything Celene was trained in, has first-hand experience in court, has extensive connections, and has demonstrated her ability and desire to utilize these skills and assets for the benefit of elven kind.

Briala’s blackmail on Gaspard may help prevent Orlais from invading again while under his rule, but to last longer, the Dales would need to establish itself as a strong, independent Nation with allies. This is why I believe it would also be important to have Leliana as Divine Victoria in such a world-state where this could happen. Leliana re-canonizes the Canticle of Shartan, and in making it available for the common person to understand, would ideally help sway the minds of the average Andrastian into supporting the Dales’s independence. The nobility would of course be much trickier, because they and the Chantry are the ones who actually benefitted from its annexation—but there is little they would be able to actually accomplish if they did not have the power of the people behind them.

As far as allies go, Ferelden could only gain from Orlais losing control of the Dales, because it would mean cutting Orlais off from a lot of Ferelden’s border, therefore reducing the threat of another invasion. Additionally, a leader with just plain good morals like say, Alistair, would easily accept the elven kingdom’s return. But even Anora is willing to grant part of the Korcari Wilds to the Dalish if Mahariel requests it, and while this sadly doesn’t last, it does show a positive sign into her potentially being open to the idea of an independent Dales as well.

I sincerely doubt that all Dalish clans would return to the Dales and re-settle down. After all, they have developed differentiating cultures over the years of wandering in separated groups, with different ideals and different ways of life that they might not want to give up. But many would return, and that would likely create conflict between the elves coming from the Dalish clans and the elves coming from the cities. We know that some prejudice exists against “flat-ears” as some Dalish call those from the city, and we know that city elves have adopted a lot of misinformation from humans into their views of the Dalish. It would take time and positive leadership to reconnect the people, without risking falling into some sort of hierarchy based on origin. This is why I do not believe one group or the other should single-handedly rule alone. Rather, I think there should be a Grand Council of High Keepers made up of those voted into the position each to represent a single district of the Dales. (I like the idea of there being seven High Keepers, not just because there are seven traditional districts of Mi’kma’ki, but because it works out that there seven of the Creators. So it makes sense that there would be seven High Keepers.) The Grand Council would meet and make decisions together, with one appointed leader at the head to act as the Council’s chair.

In terms of protection and order, the Emerald Knights should be reformed. This would include the Fade Hunters, to protect the people against demons and maleficarum, with there being no Circles or Templars.

Restoring the independence of the Dales would lead to a revival of elven culture in ways that could never happen before, because they would actually be free to pursue re-learning the language, re-discovering the history and culture, and sharing it all amongst each other. They would not have to fear arrest the crime of simply being an elf.  

But what of the other races presently living in the Dales? I see no reason why they would have to leave, so long as they would be willing to follow the Grand Council’s leadership. I imagine many nobility would flee to Orlais, simply because they would not stand for it. But for the average human or surface dwarf, their life wouldn’t really even change much; they’d still be managing their farms the same as always. Hell, it might even improve things for them, assuming the Grand Council gives fairer treatment than the nobility previously.

[buwheal]

[You've Got Mail!]

You can now send your favorite salesman emails!! YAY!!

Here's some rules and information about the askbox.

First and foremost;

I try to answer as many asks as I can, but I will not answer every single one. Sometimes I just cant do anything with it that will work realistically with the perimeters of the world, and I apologize!! Its nothing against you guys!!

(Unless you break the rules ofc.)

So if you dont see yours after a long while, it’s probably something that wont work, sorry! You can always send more than one ask whenever and see if that one works instead!

Besides that, here’s the rest of what you need to know!

[RULES] :

Spamton physically PRINTS OUT each "email", so dont send asks that have a physical interaction. Sorry! Thats just how i decided to set up the world/situation, and is not really anything against you guys :-)

(more of a request than a rule tbh) Preferably try to send real questions or statements. most joke asks are funny, but are surprisingly hard to create an in character response for. You can still send joke asks if you really want to, just dont always expect an answer X-P (i.e. asks that contain nonsense,, you can still be funny and make jokes, and i should probably specify that, but things that are like "you look like a worm" or smth idk i have no clue what to do with lol)

I know he may be a personification of spam emails... BUT DONT SPAM!!! I mean it! It clogs the askbox and is a real pain. You can send him more than one ask, though, as long as you arent repetitively sending a ton in a short burst!! Send as many as you'd like as long as they dont qualify as spam.

Dont be sexual or romantic, please! Even "As a joke". I dont like Spamton like that and it makes me uncomfortable, plus I can't really answer that in character in a way that wouldnt provoke more of that. Thank you!!

Be respectful and patient!! I am just one person doing everything, lol, and this got far more popular than anticipated, so i will take a long time. I try my best to get at least one out every other day but i'll need breaks eventually!!!

I cannot give/spawn/materialize things for/to Spamton if you ask because of the way it’s set up. You are really just lines of text from a computer to Spamton, BUT... You can still do a lot if you think outside the box. or,, errr,, outside the computer. More like IN the computer. Kind of. Your words and your actions affect him and his reactions to you, so word it correctly and you can get him to do something or say something. Hes not stupid though, and he CAN usually tell when your intentions are... less.. than good.

[INFORMATION] :

[YGM!] is technically an AU!!! not only do the events of the game not occur, but this is also set before then!

Asks are put out one a day, regardless if i have more than one, UNLESS i need to connect two(or more) to complete one event. Or i feel like it. a little treat.

I am one person doing every ask and every unique frame of art, so expect 1 ask (If youre lucky, two) maybe every other day Monday-Friday depending on my workload per day.

This is just for fun!! I am using the askbox to exercise my drawing consistency, Spamton's personality, and the way he speaks and responds to different situations! This is a way I am using to improve my understanding of him as a character, so it wont be always consistent as I am growing and learning!

Just a little disclaimer, he WILL be mean. He is a sour, nasty, grumpy, bastard and I am absolutely not opposed to him responding as such. Just keep that in mind when sending an ask if you dont want that!

If you want a common outcome, talk to other people about it! go crazy! I dont mind long threads on my posts if you want to create a plan. Infact, I can even help and tell you things occasionally!!

What you say to him DOES and WILL affect the way he responds. Trust is lost far easier than it is gained, so keep this in mind. It is possible to regain his trust, but still hard. He is not a trusting person to begin with and being mean certainly doesnt help. BUT.. I am not opposed to being mean. Infact, they are quite fun to do. Either way is entertaining for me, so do as you will. YOU can choose to hurt or help him.

Using tone tags, while not required, are really helpful and assist me in understanding the intention in your ask if you think it may be interpreted another way! (i.e. sarcasm) :-)!!

I pick and choose asks depending on his situation, or if i have a good idea for a response, so you may need to wait a bit before i can get to yours!! Ones that i have an idea for take priority, especially when its to progress a scene. Or, alternatively, i am saving your ask for something i have planned.

I WILL reuse frames and poses to get these out faster and for my convienence :-) especially for the frames where there is no need to change his pose! So like.. dont think too hard about it lol.

Also, i prefer if you specify if the ask is for me /or/ Spamton. I do still do normal asks, lol. If its for me, just let me know!! I can usually tell, but most asks will be interpreted as for Spamton. I appreciate ones that start with his name before said thing is asked/stated specifically!! (i.e. "Spamton, __ __ __")

I wont be consistent with the way its answered. Sometimes it's one panel, sometimes its a couple panels, or sometimes they're animated gifs!! It varies depending on what i feel, so if youre lucky you can get a gif, lol. Those take longer usually though. Ive mostly switched to a gif format rather than multiple panels in a comic style, because its much easier to view! The animation quality can vary :-)

Thats about it!! Have fun!! ^_^

[kaibacorpintern]

ive read the argument that kaiba would stay in school to beat yuugi at grades, but i don't really think this squares. i think kaiba would see yuugi's "D+ SEE ME AFTER CLASS" on his math test and laugh his way to the administration office where he files his "i am dropping out of school and you won't stop me" paperwork and never steps foot in a high school classroom again.

like i think he went to high school as some kind of boring formality more than anything else. gozaburo seems to have had him in some kind of accelerated curriculum of languages, social studies, business management, and judging by DM, STEM as well (and being some kind of STEM prodigy just makes sense for him anyway, no matter the canon; he designed the duel disk!) so in the end he's just miles ahead of any high school curriculum regardless.

in addition, "beating yuugi at grades" is like... a perpendicular exaggeration of his competitive tendencies. first of all, he knows and acts like he is the smartest person in any room he walks into. he shows no signs of wanting to prove anything in that respect. he does not feel the need to prove he's smarter than yuugi because he already knows he is. second of all, "grades" is not the same as "duel monsters." grades are, in the end, a measure of how well you can take a test. Duel Monsters means something entirely different to kaiba--it is connection, passion, a vehicle of emotion; it is rising to meet the challenge of someone else, through an antagonistic/responsive zero-sum card game, with your whole being. a grade is something you can earn by yourself--a solitary victory. someone else can also "win" at grades and it has nothing to do with you. duel monsters is something you have to play with someone else, with an outcome constructed via interactions with other people.

in other words: he dropped out of high school the end

[krisluxxeeempress]

PICK- A - PILE, HOW DOES YOUR PERSON FEEL ABOUT YOU?

Pile One ( Skeleton Lovers) :

First things first, it's very clear that you guys are lovers however, the card came out in the reverse. I personally hold the lovers card in higher regards in comparison to the two of cups card. Anyone can have a connections but very few truly have a Divine soulmate or Twin flame connection as that is what the Lovers card indicates for me. With that being said, you both are very aware that you have shared many lifetimes together however, the BS has followed with it. I am showing a separation and you guys may not be talking. The masculine in this dynamic feels like they have lost complete control and or, refused to control their sexual desires. He may have cheated or refused to commit! The masculine could have used work as an excuse to avoid commitment and to cover up dealings with another person. ( how typical , yawns) If that is not your case, this masculine could have very well misunderstood your soulmate connection in it's entirety and as a result refused to commit. I see you guys had a sexual relationships for some and for others, where you possibly never met- there was a lot of fantasizing and 4D, 5D sexual encounters taking place for the both of you. Someone could have a fear of commitment or true intimacy due to a previous failed and traumatizing relationship ( yawns again). I am showing either you, them or both of you cannot stop looking at each others pictures, videos, social media or listening to any voicemails that may be saved still. For some of you, your person was in silent competition with you and they are mad you did not compete. This silent competition could be due to finances, career status or positions. It could be competition where you are literally competing for this persons attention, affection and love. So basically, they tried to make you jealous. (yawns again). For some, there was no real competition, all illusion created by them. Others of you, this person was leading you on out of pure ignorance of what your connection really was and meant. Emphasis on meant as this connection could be past tense, as i am seeing someone moving on and no longer wanting to be stuck mentally or physically. Someone is sexually frustrated or both, I see baby oil, dildos which only means one thing masturbation. For some, this person wants to have a family with you, others you already have one and they are concerned that you may move a long distance away or simply, find someone else to start a family with. They are mad at themselves because they knew better, allegedly, but didn't do better when they had the opportunity. For some, you do not have children and may have verbalized this at some point which prompted them to seek elsewhere. You may have had a change of heart, not because of them, but maybe- however, you had a change of heart and now want children but the damage is done considering whatever they did during your separation. Or whatever they did, or didn't do that led to the separation. The Outcome is not being able to move on meanwhile you have. Energy is fluid and so this can change, keep that in mind however, as of right now- it's a strong no.

Pile Two ( XOXO ):

Intuitively, this energy feels like a game. Like someone is playing chess and the other is playing checkers! ( i wrote this before pulling the cards) Let's proceed, shall we? Someone may have a Aquarius or Pisces moon, or moon on 11th or 10th house, regardless- i am getting that your person is completely detached or unable to identify how they feel at the moment. It's giving Linkin' park vibes, " Numb". The cards kept flying on the floor and so this can indicate someone who wants to brush things under the rug or they have a tendency to do this. If you had suspicions about your person cheating or using you for energy, attention or worse sex, it's true. It's hard to tell what side the reader is on because this person either is genuinely emotionally devoid or they have a strong poker face. Interesting i mentioned chess, checkers and now poker. Could be dealing with a Leo or Pisces. This energy seems confusing and all over the place! If this is your person for sure, it looks like they were using someone else until you wanted them or came back to them if there was a separation. I am wondering if Pile One resonated with you. I am also getting if someone claimed that a specific person or group of people were just their friends, the tarot cards and my intuition determined THAT WAS A LIE. This person wants to apologize for causing confusion, lying and either using you for sex or using others for sex until you came back around. I really think you should look into Pile One. You may have found out your position in all these mind games on your own or through this reading but they are mad because it looks like you have moved on or in the process of it. It looks like you are healing, focused on yourself and your financial stability- amongst other things that don't revolve around them and they are mad. They are mad that they lost at their own jigsaw games of BS. They are mad your standards are higher and defenses stronger now. They are mad you will no longer perform oral sex on them as it's clear you are the Goat with the Throat or Tongue, i don't know. They feel like you have moved on with a quickness and somehow it's an injustice. The outcome is only confirming that you have pulled back your loving energy and as of right now, i see no plans of you changing your mind. It looks like you are standing on principle and business. They want to apologize but . . I do not that being effective.

Pile Three ( Love Message):

Wow! this pile started off very strong with the world, death and lovers card all up right. This indicates to me a major transformation as within and so without! It appears like a lot of you are in relationship with the Divine and yourself and "your person" is really mad about this. They are mad you have chosen yourself. This person is realizing that they need you and want to have a heart to heart convo with you but the opportunistic card came out. This is the classic case of " you don't know what you have until it's gone" vibes. If you have no past person mad, this spread is indicating that you are unavailable to anyone past, present or future. Crazy thing is, this unattainable energy you are exuding is making other want to attain you. You are intelligent, stable, solid, and giving off royal vibes. You are committed to yourself and this is extremely attractive to the point, others are viewing you as a opportunity. This can be bad or good, you know this. Others see you as Husband or Wife material and are more than willing to fight for your affections. A lot of you have done the spiritual work to radiate such Divine and Royal energy. People want to be transparent with you, submissive even. They see your worth because you know your worth. There are some people who are mad you are not on their time or making time for them. In addition to, being mad that you do not show emotion! I feel like it was the complete opposite before where you wore your heart on your sleeve and even wiped your tears with the same sleeve. Sidenote, some of you may have a sleeve tattoo or this particular person- who feels entitled to your time and emotions, does. Some of you are just not the same person, it's the simple. You have came back from the dead, a completely new, powerful and fearless person. Whatever emotions you had, have died. These people that want you attention and love messages are going to have to be a magician to revive your emotions back from the dead, haha. You are not mean but you are direct and no nonsense. Some hate it and others love it. Congratulations, looks like a lot of respect, admiration and new beginnings are ahead, for you.

Thank you for reading! If this resonated, please consider hitting the reblog button so others can gain clarity and confirmation on their situations.

I offer more tarot readings on Youtube, Patreon & Tiktok! Check me out, links will be below for your convivence.

[lisharchivez]

Day 2 Adventure Above Clouds event🐦‍⬛ Sylus moment post : ALL possible outcomes

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Requirements

The posts will appear in social on the 2nd day of Adventure Above Clouds event's debut in game (regardless if you finish Mystic Adventure prologues/chapters with LIs or not )

🖤

🖤He posts this

when I logged into my main acc(when I have completed chapter 2 of new 2.0 story) something interesting has happened in front of my very eyes.

Luke comments->

Kieran comments->

Kieran likes->

This didn't happen in others ,so my conclusion is that their interaction appears if you completed the story.. what do you think?correct me if I am wrong.

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🖤Here are your comment options

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🖤Outcomes

option 1. option 2. option 3.

more from the event : Adventure Above Clouds

For more chat and posts all possible outcomes check my pinned here .

Thanks for the support

The end ;)

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[ticklystuff]

"Are you ticklish?"

a/n: ty kafka for the fic idea

characters: caelus, dan heng

wc: ~2.6k

summary: one truth, one lie~

"One round."

"No."

"Please?"

Dan Heng sighed to himself, ready to turn down Caelus' request once more, only to pause the second he looked up from his phone. Although the other was seated the same way as before, there was a slight pout to his lips that accompanied the plea in his eyes, his upper body just barely leaning over the other end of the mattress that was Dan Heng's bed. If this were March, the archivist would have no problem shooting her down, maybe even going as far to say he somewhat enjoyed it when he got the chance, but there was something different with Caelus, an unfamiliar feeling that Dan Heng found himself inept at putting into words. He found himself nearly caving to the request, but promptly shook his head. "No, no," he quickly turned the other down, unable to look him in the eyes while doing so. "No games."

Caelus huffed as folded his arms, the puppy-dog expression dissipating immediately at the sign of rejection. "But why not? You don't even know what the game is."

"Because I suspect it's a game you and March created to make a fool of me," he put it bluntly. "Am I right?"

"Wha- No!" Maybe Caelus was being honest with how vehemently he denied the claim. "March wasn't even involved.. this time. Someone else taught me, okay? March has nothing to do with this!"

Dan Heng stared at the other, flipping through the potential consequences of entertaining this "game" in his head, ultimately releasing a heavy sigh in the end. "At least tell me what the game is and I might consider playing."

One would think that Caelus had already won the actual game with the way he beamed in response. "Alright, so the game is called 'One Truth, One Lie.' It's simple; we ask each two questions per round and for one question, you have to answer with the truth. The other question, though, you have to give a lie. Easy, right?"

Dan Heng tapped an index finger to his leg as he gave thought to the rules presented to him. "How do I know when you're lying, though?"

"That's the point," Caelus said. "You don't."

"Huh, okay," he mumbled in thought, giving himself a moment to ponder. "Then what's stopping me from answering with two lies?" he threw his thoughts into the air, not necessarily directing his question at Caelus. "Or even two truths?"

"Ugh, don't be like that," Caelus shook his head at the notion. "It's no fun if you decide to cheat."

"I'm still not sure what's the end goal of this game, though."

"J-Just roll with it," Caelus stammered, huffing impatiently. "Please?"

Dan Heng tilted his head inquisitively, thinking of the many outcomes of the game. It seemed relatively benign and the overall nature was harmless, so maybe, just maybe, there was no ulterior motive? He gave Caelus one long final glance, receiving a big grin in response that only made Dan Heng sigh. "Fine, we'll go a round." He figured Caelus wouldn't take 'no' for an answer, regardless.

Caelus mouthed an inaudible 'yes' and Dan Heng couldn't help but chuckle at how very visibly excited he was. "Alright, alright," Caelus scooted closer, a little too close, "I'll go first."

Dan Heng watched as the other stared at the ceiling in thought, but as the seconds passed without a first question, he started to wonder whether this game was as simple as initially presented. "Err, you good?" Dan Heng blinked at Caelus, still awaiting a response. "Should I go-"

"Just shh," Caelus quickly waved his hand in the air and Dan Heng shut his mouth. "Okay," he breathed, a noticeable quiver to his voice. "W-What do you think about me?"

That was it? Nothing intrusive, or embarrassing even? Dan Heng couldn't help but raise an eyebrow, expecting a second question, but Caelus' held his wide eyes and what seemed to be bated breath for Dan Heng's response. "I-" he paused, pondering how he should go about his answer.

"You?" Caelus nudged him along. There was a glint of anticipation in his eyes that distracted Dan Heng for the briefest of moments, but he simply brushed it off.

"I like you," Dan Heng said with a simple nod, choosing to start off with the truth.

"You do?!"

"Uh, that's what I said, yes," he responded, taken back by the sudden eccentricity, blinking at the way Caelus seemed to visibly shake with excitement. "You're a dependable ally in combat and a great friend."

What he wasn't expecting was the complete one-eighty in expression, watching the ecstatic grin morph into a dejected frown and slouched shoulders. "Uhh, did I say something wrong?" There was genuine concern in his voice because what in Aeon's name did he say to hurt the poor thing?

"N-No, I just-"

"Should I have said that I hate you?"

"No!" Caelus nearly cried out, before sighing, balling up his fists as he recomposed himself. "I guess I just was ho- err, expecting something else? But y'know, you might be lying."

"I suppose?" Dan Heng wasn't sure what he was getting at. Why did it feel like he was playing the game wrong?

"Okay," Caelus inhaled with a nod, "your turn for a question."

"Mmmm," came an inward hum from Dan Heng's chest as he gave his first question some thought. He now realized why Caelus took so much time initially; an infinite amount of possibilities existed, so how could he just stick to one? As he took glances around the library he called his room, his eyes finally landed on Caelus' phone beside his leg and a suitable question finally sprung to mind. "How much money have you spent on your gambling games?"

"Uh, actually gachas aren't considered gambling because you still win a prize at the end, no matter the outcome," Caelus explained matter-of-factly.

"Okay, whatever helps you justify your gambling addiction."

"Well, I'm free to play, okay?" Caelus rolled his eyes at the sudden jab.

An amused chuckle slipped from Dan Heng's lips as he raised an eyebrow. "Really now?"

"Uh-huh."

"Yet you always bug me and March to pay for your lunch."

"Food always tastes better when it's free!"

Well, he couldn't argue with that. Still, he took one long final stare at Caelus, just to make sure, but found the other impossible to read, prompting a confident shrug that further threw Dan Heng off. Not that he believed Caelus at all, but his rather convincing mannerisms seemed to suggest otherwise. "Alright, your turn again," Dan Heng said once finished with his "investigation".

"Okay, I have the perfect question," Caelus said, leaning in with a smirk that Dan Heng already didn't like. "Dan Heng, are you.. ticklish?"

What a strange person this man was. Of all things he could ask, tickling was one of the things to settle on? Not about Dan Heng's past, or his most embarrassing moments, but tickling? Dan Heng blinked at the other, waiting to see if he'd take the chance to backtrack, but Caelus seemed content with his question, sitting there with a small smile as he waited. 

"I'm not," Dan Heng lied, folding his arms together. All the flashbacks of March, Himeko, even Welt on occasion, providing passing tickles seemed to rush to the forefront of his mind the instant he spoke, but he held a straight face for the sake of the game.

The smug smirk never left Caelus' face, even after Dan Heng presented his answer. "Really? You're not lying?"

"The rules of the game prevent me from revealing that," Dan Heng held firm.

"But do the rules of the game prevent me from revealing that?" Caelus asked the other. There was a brief glint in his eyes that Dan Heng failed to decipher as it disappeared, leaving him to sit there, perplexed by his actions.

What exactly was he getting at-

In hindsight, with a such a random question revolving around tickling, Dan Heng should've expected the unfolding turn of events, starting with Caelus pouncing on top of him, to the inevitability of Dan Heng being pinned to the floor, struggling under the weight of the other with futile protests. "Don't you dare!" came a hiss through clenched teeth, his hands desperately gripping Caelus' wrists, but Caelus' own hands were already positioned right where they needed to be, the space between Dan Heng's sides and Caelus' fingertips practically nonexistent.

"Oh, and what's the issue?" His tone was sweet, but Dan Heng's ears were not folly to the taste of mischief masked behind that saccharine grin. "I thought you said you weren't ticklish."

"The issue is that you're clearly going against the rules of the game!" He gritted his teeth as Caelus's fingers shifted to just barely pressing a small indent into Dan Heng's skin through the thin fabric of his shirt, resisting the urge to jolt under Caelus' grip.

This did not go unnoticed by Caelus, however, as if he was absorbing every reaction to personally store away, clearly enjoying the situation with a gleam in his eyes. "There's no harm in checking, right?"

"Caelus, n-no!" He inwardly cursed himself for the stutter in his voice, undermining his own facade. It didn't help that Caelus had now added another finger to each side, pestering Dan Heng with sporadic pokes. Normally, the archivist would shrug something like this off, but his sense of pride refused to allow Caelus to break the rules of his own game so nonchalantly. Not to mention the potential repercussions if Caelus did actually find the answer to what he was looking for. Dan Heng would shudder at the thought if not already preoccupied with the incessant jabs to his sides.

"Dan Heng, yes!" The gutturalness to Caelus' voice really added to his already over-the-top impish nature and Dan Heng did not like it one bit. Where did he learn this behavior from?! As if to answer his own question, a brief image of March popped into his head, but his focus soon returned to the situation at hand, as Caelus ripped his hands out of Dan Heng's grip and lunged at the other, all in one swift maneuver.

"W-Wait! Caelus!" His voice nearly cracked in frenzy, legs instinctively curling into his chest to protect his ribs just within reach of Caelus' fingers. He leveraged one arm to push against Caelus' body, while the other arm desperately fought off Caelus' own. "Why are you doing this?!"

Ignoring the question altogether, Caelus quickly backed off, only to send Dan Heng back into a panic at the feeling of a hand closing around his ankle, followed by a swift swipe up the sole of his foot. Though short-lived, the brief sensations were just enough for Dan Heng to uncurl his legs in an attempt to kick at Caelus, only to realize the betrayal of his own reflexes once his upper body was exposed yet again, creating just the perfect opening for Caelus to pounce and claim his prize.

"Caelus!! N-NohohOHOHOhoho!"

Time seemingly slowed for Dan Heng as the archivist did his best to defend himself, but Caelus' actions moved in real time and it wasn't long till his fingers met Dan Heng's ribs, eliciting a screech that was new to the both of them. There was a moment of pause, as if Caelus was registering everything that had just happened, and Dan Heng could have very well taken advantage of the split second of respite, but he did not like the fool he was, practically surrendering himself when Caelus started up again. His legs instinctively curled inwards just like before, but this time, Caelus was there to block him, undisturbed as Caelus made his ribs the center of attention.

"Wait, wait! Caeluhuhuhus! Stop! StaHAHAhahap!"

"Mmmm, I think you were lying in your last answer, Dan Heng," Caelus spoke nonchalantly, as if Dan Heng's frantic laughter wasn't echoing throughout the archive room. "But maybe you can tell me the truth yourself?"

At this point, the true answer to Caelus' query was quite evident, yet there was a sliver of him that went against the grain, willing him to hold onto denial. Maybe his pride took the best of him, or perhaps his own laughter ringing throughout the room had started to dishevel his line of logic; Dan Heng wasn't too sure himself, but those brief thoughts were soon usurped by the sensations at his ribs slowly making their way lateral of his midsection, heading straight for just what Dan Heng feared. 

"Wait! Waitwaitwait- wahahahahait!" Gentler touches were all that was needed, enough to send Dan Heng into panic with minimal effort, as he knew their intent full-well. His body arched forward and he flailed his limbs in an attempt to stop Caelus, yet it was like his arms turned to lead in the moment, heavy and powerless to stop the other as all he could really do was plead.

"I think we're about to really find out if Dan Heng is ticklish or not." The tone in his voice was mischievous, triumphant, almost ravenous; it was anything but innocent, which just went to show Dan Heng just how much Caelus was enjoying the moment. He didn't get too much time to ponder on this, however, as Caelus' fingers soon trailed up the side of his midsection, sending Dan Heng's eyes wide as he shook his head.

"GYAHAHA!" was what slipped past his lips at first contact, Caelus making his mark with two fingers digging into each underarm, as if each hand were needles to a balloon, pointed and precise, but their impact was very real, the overloading sensations engulfing Dan Heng in howling laughter as he was unable to deny the inevitable. "OKAY! OKAHAHAY! I-I'M TICKLIHIHIHISH!"

"Hmm? What was that? I can't understand what you're saying."

This bastard.

"YEHEHES! I'M TICKLISH! STAHAHAP!"

Seemingly satisfied with his answer, Caelus brought the tickling to a slow, allowing a slow stream of giggles to flow, before removing his hands from Dan Heng's underarms altogether. "Aww, Dan Heng, you broke the rules of the game." Caelus' words barely registered in his brain and Dan Heng would've shot him a disgruntled frown were he not busy panting from the ordeal.

"Screw off," he hardly managed through heavy breaths, giving Caelus a weak shove so that he could finally sit up again. "Are we done here?"

"Uh, no," Caelus spoke pointedly, hands on his hips. "You still need to ask me one more question."

Dan Heng rolled his eyes, already through with Caelus at this point. Something simple would do, anything to end the game and get Caelus off his back, and just as he was about to speak, an idea popped into his head, prompting Dan Heng to cut himself off at the last moment. 

"What was that?" Caelus looked at him expectantly.

"Ah, I had just settled on a question," Dan Heng began, clearing his throat before speaking again, "but Caelus, are you ticklish?" He watched for Caelus' reaction, almost relishing in how his mouth flattened, with the instant shade of red spreading across his face. 

"Uh, well-"

"Oh, and remember, there are ways of checking if you're lying or not," Dan Heng flatly reminded him, taking in just how easily flustered Caelus had become, playing right into Dan Heng's hand.

Dan Heng observed as Caelus breathed a sigh, avoiding eye contact as he twiddled his thumbs in his lap. The corner of his mouth nearly twitched into a smile that Dan Heng took effort into stifling, but there was something so satisfying with how easily the tables turned.

With a deep breath, Caelus finally looked Dan Heng in the eyes, speaking in the softest of voices, a stark contrast from his earlier demeanor.

"Yes, I'm ticklish."

[thefirstknife]

I remember, some days/weeks before the Conductor-is-Maya cutscene reveal, I theorized that even with all the Golden Age claims that Maya's Primary Query was all about Chioma. And that her whole thing would be an obsession with finding HER Chioma (this was all assuming this was the same Maya that got herself Veil'd and Neomuna's Chioma).

I have NEVER wished that I was wrong as I was after the last 2 instances of Encore.

The obsession? The madness? That I expected, but...

This is horrible.

Even knowing it was probably a negative use of the word, I looked up what "degaussing" means the first time I ran Encore and.... My heart sank. Such unspeakable thing to do.

This is NOT how I wanted to get toxic yuri on Destiny 2.

Game said "K, we made your girlfriend suffer enough from old man yaoi. Time time for old woman yuri for your suffering." and I AM SUFFERING ALRIGHT.

I just want them to be alright T_T

If we do find Real!Chioma and she gets to speak with the Conductor, I know I will cry on the spot and then die regardless of the outcome

Putting these two together because yeah. We're all going through it!!

I really liked that bit at the end of the radio where Osiris suggests that we might be able to turn things around if we find the real Chioma and I'm hoping so much that this is how this ends. Or at least that any of the remaining Chiomas might be able to reach through to Maya and help her understand.

There's a lot of emphasis on how Maya is doing this basically out of grief and displacement and the inability to process that she died and woke up in the Vex Network and that it's been centuries and centuries, but for her it's been a moment. What she's doing is horrific, but I don't see it as them showing us that she's doing it because she's evil. There's a lot of selfishness and Maya not understanding things, but at the end of the day, as Osiris pointed out, he could've fallen down that trap as well.

I'd like to see nice conclusion to this, to parallel Saint and Osiris once again and to give Maya and Chioma an ending they deserve: to be together.

We'll see! No matter what happens, I think there will be ugly crying next week.

[arcadekitten]

I have three questions for you if you don’t mind:

I hope your metal health isn’t causing you trouble because it’s starting to make me nervous if you’ll ever return to your projects.

What kind of animal is Embry?

How did Jaxter turned from hall monitor in HFSH to a serial killer in Fia’s Night Out?

Hope your doing well and hope you get better and go back to normal soon :)

1, I know you don't mean harm by this, and my intention is not to embarrass you or anything, but I do think it's important to talk about and just so you can understand why this statement is a bit inappropriate. I am not a company, or just an endless 'content' machine. I am a human being, and I'm doing this gamedev thing all by myself more or less. And I do it because I like it, and it makes me happy to do it.

I understand being worried about something you like not being around anymore or not getting new installments, but I would hope that even if I couldn't work on them anymore people would still be able to appreciate all I have made already.

I am not going to stop making my games, because I like them and they bring me joy. But I will have to take a pause on the progress made on them due to my mental health.

This just rings a bit inappropriate because you are putting the art before the artist, and if for some reason I had to stop then I am still owed that right as a human being to take care of myself rather than push myself to the point of pain for the sake of supplying 'content'. I don't like to think of it as content anymore. It is art that I choose to share, so please be patient and understand why my health needs to come first regardless of the outcome.

---

2, Embry is a human

---

3, No one said he was a serial killer

[agender-witchery]

It is, I think, maybe ironic the way I've been processing the whole Project Moon mess. Or maybe appropriate? The theme of the games is so often "caring to act is important in itself, regardless of the outcome of those actions". Chesed's 6th dialogue in Ruina is about the importance of doing something even if the situation is hopeless. Canto IV is about how nothing could be done to fix Yi Sang's past, but that it was still important he care about life. The entire point of the Seed of Light was to stop people from being so apathetic. The moral, time and time again, has been "We live in hell, and we will never not live in hell, but it'll be a bit more bearable if you simply care about something".

And maybe that's part of why I stuck to this series so hard in the first place. I've always been of the mind that the world is fucked, permanently. Climate change will kill us all if we don't become a victim of capitalism before the tides come in. I am absolutely, 100% nihilistic in this regard. The world is ending, and we are watching it end. But I still care. I care to do what I can. I care to urge others to take action. And I care to make the people around me happy. Because it doesn't matter that it's hopeless, to me, it matters that people try.

I've joked with friend groups that I'm Distorting amidst all this mess. But maybe the truth is that I've manifested EGO, and that I did so a long time ago.

The stories have always been about how important it is to care. And I certainly care.

[aylen-san]

In the Elven forge of Eregion:

Celebrimbor: Did you know, Galadriel, that Orome has been coming to me in dreams lately? His hunting horn can be heard beyond the mountains, and the shadows seem longer. I believe it's an omen.

Galadriel: Your premonitions are rarely wrong, smith. But what troubles you in these dreams? Is Orome warning you?

Celebrimbor: I see fire raging in the forges and darkness engulfing the rings. Lord Annatar... He comes to me, and I see his eyes flare with greed and insatiable power. And then—emptiness, as if everything we've created is turned to nothing.

Galadriel: Annatar? I’ve always doubted his good intentions, but you, Celebrimbor, saw him as an ally. Do you think your premonitions are about him?

Celebrimbor: I'm no longer sure. We so desperately wanted to create something great, something eternal. But what if it was the beginning of our downfall? Could it be that Annatar is just a mask, hiding a malevolent wizard?

Galadriel: Sauron. I suspected, but didn't want to believe. If this is true, we must act swiftly. You must destroy the Rings we've already created before he completes his own. The Dark Lord will easily enslave our work.

Celebrimbor: No… not destroy. But hide. I know places where he will never be able to find them. I will create Rings that are beyond Sauron’s reach, but it will be a dangerous game, Galadriel. If he finds out about this, war is inevitable.

Galadriel: War is inevitable regardless, my friend. But if we can deny him power over these rings, we may stand a chance. Prepare yourself, Celebrimbor. You must be ready for anything.

Celebrimbor: I will do everything in my power. But know, Galadriel, if this plan fails, I am prepared to give my life to ensure Sauron does not take possession of our work.

Galadriel: And I will stand by your side, Celebrimbor. We will not allow the darkness to consume this world again.

They exchange a silent glance, understanding that the fate of Middle-earth hangs by a thread. Now their decisions will determine whether the Enemy is defeated or if everything will fall under his shadow.

You're right, if this is indeed an alternative scenario, Celebrimbor’s fate could have unfolded differently. Let's imagine another outcome, where his efforts to hide the rings lead to an entirely different resolution.

---

Eregion, Celebrimbor's secret workshop

Celebrimbor completes the creation of the three great rings and decides to act ahead of the curve. He knows that Sauron will soon don his Ring of Power, revealing his plans. Instead of waiting, he decides to perform a ritual that will bind him to the rings, as Feanor once supposedly did with the Silmarils, to track their fate and conceal their power from Sauron.

Celebrimbor: (to himself) If I cannot prevent his rise, I must get ahead of him. My will shall be tied to these rings, and no one, not even Sauron, will easily master them. But I will have to pay a high price for this.

Celebrimbor binds his soul to the rings, sealing their power, and sends them to Galadriel, Gil-galad, and Círdan. However, this binding makes him vulnerable to Sauron. He senses darkness closing in around Eregion.

---

The Great Council in Lindon, on the day Sauron wears the Ring of Power

Galadriel, Gil-galad, and Círdan gather in Lindon. They discuss the situation, realizing that Sauron may soon come for the rings.

Galadriel: Celebrimbor has taken a great risk. If Sauron captures him, he might use him to find the rings. We must do everything we can to protect him.

Gil-galad: We will send troops to Eregion. Even if Sauron comes, we will not let him destroy that city. Celebrimbor must not remain there alone.

Círdan: But if Sauron has already donned his Ring of Power, we may be powerless against his dark magic. We need to prepare for the worst.

Galadriel feels the connection with Nenya, and through it—with Celebrimbor. She realizes that Sauron is close, but she also feels the strength Celebrimbor has poured into the rings, a power that will prevent Sauron from finding them.

---

Eregion, the final battle

Sauron arrives in Eregion with a vast army. Celebrimbor, connected to the rings, uses this link to conceal their true power and distract Sauron. He creates the illusion that the rings are located elsewhere, far to the north.

Sauron: (frustrated) Where are the rings, Celebrimbor? I can sense them, but I cannot find them. Do you think you can hide them from me?

Celebrimbor: (barely standing) They are beyond your reach, Sauron. Even if you destroy me, you will not find them.

Sauron: You may try to deceive me, but I will find them, even if I have to wipe out the entire world. I will destroy everything you loved, and the rings will be mine.

Celebrimbor: (with pride) Your threats are futile. I am prepared to give everything to protect them.

Sauron strikes Celebrimbor in fury, but at that moment, the Elven armies of Lindon arrive to aid him. A great battle for Eregion ensues.

---

After the battle, Lindon, Gil-galad and Galadriel stand before Celebrimbor

The Elven forces managed to repel Sauron’s assault, but the city of Eregion lies in ruins. Celebrimbor lies wounded, but alive. Thanks to his connection with the rings, he was able to prevent them from falling into the Enemy's hands. Sauron was forced to retreat, as his forces were defeated, and he could not find the rings.

Galadriel: You saved us all, Celebrimbor, but at what cost? Your bond with the rings will give you no peace.

Celebrimbor: (weakly smiles) I knew the risks. Better this than allowing Sauron to possess them. Now you must protect them, for I can no longer do it alone.

Gil-galad: We will swear to protect them, as you have sworn. But you must return with us to Lindon, Celebrimbor. You need to recover.

Celebrimbor: (sighing) Recover… perhaps. But Sauron's shadow will haunt me as long as I live. If he learns that I survived, he will come for me again. Yet, I am glad that we won this battle today.

Galadriel: We will manage, Celebrimbor. You have bought us time. Time to prepare, and time to face the Enemy when he returns.

---

Celebrimbor returns to Lindon, where he is cared for, but he never fully recovers. His soul remains forever bound to the rings, and he knows that one day Sauron will come for him again. However, thanks to his sacrifice, the rings remain safe, and hope for the future of Middle-earth endures.

[2-lines-and-a-circle]

Top or bottom of your class?

Notes: Reader x character, Riddle, Azul, Leona, Malleus.

Bottom of your class:

Racing down the corridor you found yourself searching for your name hoping to see it at the bottom of the list. What list you may ask, well the top student list. At the end of exam season for NRC the teachers would put up a list of the top students. Normally you would aim to be the top student, but today was different. Today you were praying to be at the very bottom or at the very least lower than him.

Coming up from behind you was him, the very person who you wanted to show your score to. Feeling all giddy from seeing your crush you smiled brightly at him as you looked back at him. However, he looked back at you in disbelief.

Riddle Rosehearts ver.

Riddle: Why are you at the bottom of the list?

Fiddling with your fingers you answered him without hesitation.

You: So that you could be first place. I got every test wrong for you, will you date me now?

Riddle: Did you think I would date you if you fell to the very bottom of the class?!

You: Yeah, isn’t that what you said would happen. You said that you would go out with me if you topped me in the next exam. Am I wrong?

Sighing in disbelief Riddle looked you up and down angry you were willing to throw it all away just like that.

Riddle: Listen, I worked really hard this time on our test in hopes you would too. Now it seems all of my efforts were wasted. Also, you… didn’t have to do this, I… was going to date you regardless of the outcome.

Blushing and looking away from you, Riddle looked just like a strawberry. In your burst of happiness, you immediately gave a big hug to Riddle. From there Riddle led you to the teacher’s office for your test retakes. Your very first date was a study session led by Riddle himself.

Azul Ashengrotto ver.

Azul: How disappointing, your score isn’t even on the top list.

You: I know! I got a couple of questions wrong so I wouldn’t get a higher score than you. So, are you going to date me now?

Standing there in awe Azul couldn’t believe he had been beaten at his own game. Azul was always planning on dating you, but he wanted to show he was worthy first. He did believe that if he passed you on the next exam, he would be deemed worthy. To see all of that go down the drain filled him with mixed feelings. Taking a deep breath, Azul prepared his next statement.

Azul: As I planned, I’ll comply with your request, but only for one date. I won’t do anything more until I surpass you.

By now the guilt of cheating your ways into a date had settled in so when you heard Azul’s remark you were ready to apologize. Curling up into a small ball you planned to reject him because of what you did.

You: Oh, um, actually, I was thinki-

Azul: No excuses. I made a deal with you, and I’ll make sure to see it till the end.

Looking up at Azul to meet his eyes you saw a warmth in them. You were sure he was true to his feelings, and this wasn’t just a deal he needed to fulfill. Giving Azul a small nod in yes, the two of you walked away from the exam results.

Top of the list:

Standing confidently in front of the exam results you glanced over for your name. There at the very top was your name. This should have made you happy, but instead a strange feeling came over you. Why wasn’t his name up on the list? Searching for his name, your eyes made their way towards the bottom of the list.

Running down the hallway you could hear the rush of students flooding in to check their names. There standing beside the wall was him. He had waved over to you with a cheeky smile. Such a smile which would normally cause you to blush, now stirred annoyance in you. Walking over to him you prepared to question him.

Malleus ver.

You: Why aren’t you at the top of the list? I don’t understand, you always get higher than me so why are you at the bottom?

Malleus: I see, you’re not happy. I thought if I were to mess up my exams on purpose you could finally get first place. Then, maybe you would go out with me.

You weren’t sure if you should feel annoyed or flattered, he was willing to get his own tests wrong for you. Honestly speaking you felt both, but it wasn’t important at the moment. After all, you believed that if he was going to rule the Valley of Thorns then he should be an excellent student.

You: That doesn’t mean you can just get bad grades. I mean, wouldn’t that look bad for the next king of the Valley of Thorns?

Malleus: I wanted to make you happy, but it seems I messed that part up. I should have thought about this more. Perhaps, I'll only get a couple of questions wrong next time...

You: …. Why are you smiling so much? I’m supposed to be scolding you and you’re supposed to feel guilty. So, why are you so happy? If you ask me, it looks like you were the one who got the top score.

Smiling at you sheepishly Malleus answered back with a voice full of love and happiness.

Malleus: Because you’re talking to me more than usual and if I’m correct you were about to offer to walk me down to the teacher's office, right?

You: You... *sigh* I really can't win against you if you look at me like that. Alright, fine! I lose, I'll go on that date with you.

Malleus: And everyone after that!

Smiling back at you Malleus reached for your hand which you gladly offered.

Malleus: Oh~ Are we already going on our first date? Where do you plan to take me to?

You: The Teachers' lounge and this part isn't a date, it's to make sure you're going to make up the next test.

Malleus: Then we're going on our date, right?

You: Yep! A study date to make up for your test! Quite romantic don't you think?

Holding your hand tightly Malleus gave it a small kiss on the back of your hand. Then he nodded in agreement as anywhere with you would make him happy.

Leona ver.

You: So, can I take this as we’re going on a date soon?

Leona: Who knows, I didn’t think I would actually score a lower grade than you. I guess I should have showed up for that one test.

Taking a look over at Leona you weren’t even shocked anymore. This was just how Leona was, but you were still going to use this to your full advantage. By now Leona was walking away and you were left following him. Matching your pace to his, you braced yourself to confess once more. Standing in front of him you asked him the question.

You: Leona… I really like you will you please go out with me?

Standing there in a fit of nerves it felt as though you had asked him for the first time. When in fact it had been much longer than the first time. Even so, it got your heart racing each time because you never knew what to expect.

Leona: …let’s go… I’ll take you on that date. You: Really! Does this mean we’re dating now?!

Looking down at you with a happy smile Leona answered your question with the most obvious sentence.

Leona: Yeah, we are. You: AWWWWWW! So, this means my feelings aren’t just one sided anymore! Hey, can I kiss you now too?

Stopping in his tracks Leona turned to face you. This time you noticed a shift in his happy smile. Instead of a happy smile was Leona with his eyes closed waiting for a kiss from his lover. Walking up towards Leona you gave a quick peck on his cheek, but that didn’t seem to be enough for the lion. Opening his emerald eyes Leona held your face and gave you a kiss on your lips. It felt as though he was burning a memory onto your lips. With that the two of you walked off happily chatting away.

[goodolreliablejake]

So, I read an interesting post discussing whether or not Harry Dubois counts as “a fixed character” or not, and it’s something I’ve been chewing on for a while. To talk about this, though, I’d like to take a detour to talk about something that seems entirely unrelated on the surface: Marvel’s What If?

That series was pretty fun, but in a way I was disappointed once I realized that it was an excuse to tell some really wacky, pulpy, self-contained stories that you could never get away with in the main continuity—as is the spirit of the source material! The reason I was disappointed was that I realized that the series isn’t actually interested in answering that central question at all: What if? Because Party Thor is essentially a different character from main films Thor, and just an excuse to tell a goofy romcom and have him fight Captain Marvel.

In my head, I can imagine a version of What if that is instead a character study, where we see how random chance or different decisions would alter the course of people’s lives, and it would tell us something about their essential character. What parts of them are always the same? What parts change? Is there a point at which this relationship breaks?

This is kind of how I see the different playthroughs of Disco Elysium. There are different outcomes, different choices to be made, but they don’t so much create different characters as they do reveal the facets of a single person. Regardless of how you assign your stats, Harry is a sensitive, imaginative person who tries (pretty unsuccessfully) to hide this behind a veneer of outdated machismo. Harry is woefully depressed, suffering from severe addiction, a fantasist who gets through his day by playing roles by putting on costumes. I kind of think it’s not that you were always a Sorry Cop if you play a Sorry Cop, it’s more like, sometimes Harry acts like a Sorry Cop, sometimes a Superstar Cop, sometimes a Cop of the Apocalypse, and anyway, isn’t it some pretty damn specific characterization that he’s the type of guy who would conceptualize, name, and LARP RPG cop sub-classes?

As for politics… Harry is the type of guy, part imaginative believer, part rube, who is highly susceptible to political onboarding. Any belief system placed in front of him, he’ll embrace it with religious fervor. And it would probably be better for him, me, and everybody if he internalized some Communist thought, but he’s just as likely to fall down the rightwing pipeline, and I don’t think that says as much about his essential character as we would like. No, I actually think that as much Disco Elysium unequivocally denounces fascism—the rhetorical games that fascists use to hide their cowardly hate, the self-delusion, the self-harm, the petty everyday violence—it also humanizes the people associated with this political orientation, shows how they could have fallen into this trap, why anyone would do something so seemingly inhuman. Remember, the game’s most out-and-out “traditionalist” is Rene.

In short, yes we can change some details of Harry and his past, but I don't think the changes are that significant. I think that the central mystery of Disco Elysium is “Who am I?” and that is a question that has a specific answer.