#(from here on i talk about the second two because the first is now irrelevant)

[lunaandco]

guys my age

pairing: alexia putellas x ofc

summary: the new rookie looks up to alexia, yes, but it's not as innocent as she would hope to

warnings: age difference: claudia is 20 yo; power imbalance; I forgot pina's name was actually claudia, so there is two claudia's on the team, deal with it; smut, thigh riding, nipple play

masterlist // series masterlist

Claudia is quite pretty. Alexia never tried to actively deny that, but it bothered her that she noticed far too much. Pale skin, rather small built, brown hair cut to her chin and icy blue eyes that made her look more innocent than a girl her age should be. Claudia was too young for Alexia's taste. And yet—

She was one of the Barça B girls joining them for training for a while now, reeling from the adrenaline of the debut, cheeks lit aflame and skin shimmering with sweat. When she arrived, the first days she spent them figuring out if she should be called Claudia or Díaz, since Pina was already stabilised on the team. But Pina chose her surname, so Claudia kept her name.

Shirt off, the red and blue fabric thrown over her shoulder—her debut shirt, she would probably frame it. Alexia remembered that euphoric feeling, of the first game, of the first goal.

Claudia's volley had been the seventh goal of the day, almost irrelevant to the punctuation. But it had huge emotional impact, and Alexia was sure it would make the rounds on the Internet, it was beautiful and powerful.

Salma threw an arm over her shoulders, as they sang some Barça chants. Alexia joined quietly, as she dressed on her street clothes. Slama and Claudia had become tight at some point or another, between training sessions and media obligations from the club.

Alexia wouldn't be surprised to see them become a couple, sooner or later, women's football was full of partners that were teammates or rivals, but there was something that bothered her about it.

She waited by the car, patiently. Alexia may be one of the older, more settled players, but she understood the juvenile need to celebrate a little.

Finally, Claudia rushed to her side, after saying her good-byes to Salma. It was when they were alone like this, that Alexia felt the strangest.

Backpack slung over her shoulder, a pair of dark blue jeans and a green bomber jacket, Claudia looked her age. But her blue eyes, always shimmering with delight, turned a little bit glassier and bigger, looking at Alexia.

"Thank you for driving me," she said quietly, settling on the passenger seat. Alexia wanted to ask where her parents were, how could they have missed their daughter's debut at the highest level, but she decided against it. The last thing she needed was to delve into her mommy issues.

"Don't sweat it," Alexia replied. "It's nice to have company in the car. Drives get lonely."

After that, they were silent, as Claudia hummed the songs on the radio and Alexia focused on getting her to her apartment without checking the map. She had drove this path more than once, Claudia always being passed around by the players with cars.

"We're here," said Alexia, parking on a miraculous free spot.

"Merci, capi" said Claudia, picking her things up. Alexia ignored how the nickname made her feel. Claudia bent over to give her a goodbye kiss on the cheek, like she always did, but Alexia was shocked when she felt Claudia's lips on the corner of hers, close enough to be noticed, far away enough to claim it was a mistake.

The kiss lasted a second longer than it was proper, but it was enough for a crawling feeling to take over Alexia's stomach.

"Adéu," said Alexia, but she was talking alone, as Claudia slipped away quickly.

💙❤️

The next game was away at Germany, and the team was buzzing with excitement. Alexia kept to herself a little, claiming that she was a bit tired because a bad night sleep, and letting Irene and Marta take over the captain duties.

Claudia had been assured that she would be subbed in around the 60s mark, Pere was very excited to see what his new youngster could do. Her and Salma spent all the plane ride giggling, showing each other silly things in their phones.

Alexia watched them for a while, a bitter taste invading her.

She could feel the ghost of Claudia's lips on her, and could not stop thinking about the way she looked at her, blue eyes big and shiny, like she adored her.

It wasn't uncommon for the rookies to have admired Alexia for long, but Claudia made it feel different.

Alexia couldn't lie and say she was never endeared, but that endearment was turning into something inappropriate, that she could not allow to happen.

💙❤️

The room assignments at hotels were made at random, making sure everyone shared room with everyone, in an attempt to increase the team's chemistry. Nevertheless, it still caught Alexia by surprise when Claudia rolled her suitcase inside of her room.

Alexia hoped the stay would be uneventful, for the sake of her consciousness, but at night, when the lights were off, and sleep was hard to come by, she heard the sheets rustling in the bed nearby, as Claudia got up and crossed the distance between beds in a blink of an eye.

Alexia was laying on her side, facing Claudia, but she kept her eyes closed, thinking that if she pretended to be asleep, Claudia would leave her alone.

More rustling, this time from her bed, and soon she felt Claudia's body, accommodating against hers. Claudia's head was pressed to her shoulder, little whines leaving her throat as she tried to find a nice position.

Alexia gulped, the feeling of Claudia's bare thighs against her own was too much. But instead of pushing the girl away, Alexia threw an arm over her torso, pushing her closer to her body, and dropped a kiss to her hair, already feeling the grasps of guilt.

Claudia's whining died and was replaced by a short purring sound, before her breathing stabilised and Alexia was left alone with a sleeping teammate on her arms.

She was, oh, so fucked.

💙❤️

Alexia woke up to to her alarm clock. In her arms, Claudia groaned, pressing her forehead to Alexia's clavicle. Turning off the alarm was challenging, having Claudia in the way, but she managed.

Alexia sighed, wondering if Claudia would be able to hear her heartbeat.

"You're very comfortable," said Claudia.

It confused Alexia, how Claudia could be so normal about this, how she didn't seem to notice what she was doing could get her, them, in trouble. Like flirting with your decade older captain was not a dangerous game to play.

"Claudia..." she started, but her voice died down on her throat as Claudia looked up to her, eyes sleepy but burning with desire. She pushed up a little and drop a small, quiet kiss, this time fully on Alexia's lips. "This is not a good idea..."

Claudia hummed, eyes closing and and squirming a little. Alexia's thigh was lodged between hers, ans she let out a little sound that had Alexia tightening her grasp on Claudia.

"Capi..." She should have stopped it. She should have been the responsible, wise captain she had been trusted to be. But that silly nickname took away all her self control.

The kiss was messy. Tongue and teeth clashing, Claudia was moaning softly, as her hips started moving, using Alexia's thigh to get some friction. She was suddenly grateful they had both chosen to go to bed with only a t-shirt and panties, because now it was easier to slide her hands all over Claudia's back, up and down to hold her hips and help her move.

The noises Claudia was making, both of their shaky breaths, Alexia was glad the volume wasn't enough to make it through any walls, because she could not stop. She felt the wet patch on her thigh, and it drove her even more insane.

Her hands pulled Claudia's shirt up, so she could play and suck on her nipples. The moans got higher pitched and soon Alexia had to help Claudia with her shaky hip movements, until the rookie was coming all over her thigh.

"Alexia..." she exhaled, cheeks rosy and eyes glazed, Alexia bit her lower lip. "Ah... Let me..."

Claudia's hand travelled to her panties, she wanted to help Alexia have an orgasm too, but Alexia wasn't ready. She could not let her know how wet she actually was, how turned on she was because of their illicit kissing and humping.

"We're going to be late," she said. Claudia pouted. "I don't know about you, but I don't want to take it up with Pere."

Alexia couldn't see that Claudia agreed. If there was something she wanted more than Alexia, it was to carve her spot on the team.

"Alright." She nodded. "But later..."

"We'll see," said Alexia, trying to be as vague as possible, but it was obvious to the both of them that she would cave in sooner or later. "Vamos," she gave Claudia a light smack on her thigh, and the girl giggled as she leaped off the bed, picking up her clothes and pausing to get one more kiss before going to the shower.

Alexia sighed, as she heard the door close. She was so fucked it wasn't even funny.

[a-man-in-the-crowd]

My Will Dissociation HC Makes Sense I Swear

okay sooo??? tumblr like messed up the original version of this so let's try this again 🤩

[TW: dissociation, i try not to go into too much detail about it but yk proceed with caution]

will's always been a bit of a weird character. while i did immediately attach myself to him, i think the episode that really got me invested in who he is as a character was episode 80's bathroom scene... so naturally, that's where this all started.

i've talked in depth about why i think will is eavesdropping here, so i'm not going to get into that. however, what i want to focus in on is how seemingly out of it he is in this scene. we get full-body shots of these random ass guys will is listening to, almost like we're reading an entirely different comic— and then, suddenly, he's brought out of it.

at first, will's reaction seems pretty normal. he gets knocked into, he's surprised. as one tends to be. however, what made me raise an eyebrow was how slow will is. he just stares at the guy for a moment while he apologizes, seemingly readjusting to what's going on, and then takes another second to realize he should respond and he should spit out his toothpaste. he takes just long enough for the guy to assume the interaction is over and to leave before will can get a word out. just all-around horrible reaction timing, as if he forgot that he's also a person in this plane of existence and had to take a minute to adjust.

so, naturally, after realizing this i decided to go back and observe him in earlier chapters. he seems normal enough in his debut, which is a detail that will be mildly important later, and his next appearance is episode 30, where he's...

completely not paying attention. which, i mean, fair, this isn't really his drama, but he doesn't even look up to see what the hell is going on. he's? fidgeting, maybe? picking off lint (which would honestly be kinda funny)? meanwhile, everyone else is at least paying half a mind to what's going on.

in the next episode, he seems to start looking up when annabel asks lenore if she manifested, and when lenore says no one manifested, he seems... intrigued? he's looking over at monty, wondering what the response is going to be. but that's basically the strongest reaction to anything he's had this whole scene.

he's just generally really detached from everyone else, like he's in his own little bubble. he doesn't even join their little stand-off, seemingly behind the posh gang. this could just be because he doesn't want to bring too much attention to himself — after all, the first thing he finds out about these people is they're forces to be reckoned with. but i also think there's room for interpretation so.

of course, early-nevermore will is pretty apathetic (whether that's on purpose or not is irrelevant here), and anyways it was the morning he could've just been tired, so let's skip ahead a bit to the final meal scene and its direct fallout.

a pretty good portion of the fandom knows this already, but will doesn't have a reaction to the one life thing. he's the only one to not have one (besides, of course, annabel who is always two steps ahead and whom will parallels), which on its own is pretty weird... but, to me, the weirder part is what he says afterwards.

now, could this be him playing dumb on purpose? yes. there's plenty of reason to, and will is a performer at heart. however, this could also imply that he's used to not hearing these sorts of things, maybe because he doesn't tend to pay attention. i doubt will would have the self-awareness to realize this isn't just a normal issue everyone has, or if he does and he's playing dumb it could be him using things he thinks makes him 'stupid' to achieve the effect he's going for.

but honestly, he's just really unresponsive for like no reason sometimes. like here.

he's putting a man in a wall, one of his accomplices was just pushed to the ground by the ringleader, and will... is just staring. there's something to be said about his complete and utter lack of morals, but here i'm just honing in on how he doesn't seem to react. like at all. to anything that's going on. like will??? (this also how i feel about him just ignoring the blood stained wall like buddy 😭)

i skipped the manor arc because he isn't really like this at all in that arc (besides directly after when he's just woken up — which, by the way, could make this all evidence he has insomnia or something). however, that does lead me to a point i want to make. will isn't always like this, which means he isn't inherently apathetic (amorality aside...), he has moments of apathy, and that changes things.

we already covered the bathroom scene, but the episode after is a panel that really made me think i might not be reaching too far here. fellow nevermore fans, this is how william wilson's mind looks:

fragments of a shattered mirror (this is also around the point i started considering he might be specifically plural). a reference to william wilson, probably, but even then it's an interesting choice of visual. as you scroll down?? the glass?? detaches?? eventually falling away?? leaving spaces in between?? real i mean wow that's pretty weird.

[note: i do love the implication that monty offering to be his friend is one of his more vivid memories (and the all-black background, making it seem completely focused on monty and him??). like. oh gay— i mean okay will.]

the two will focuses after this are pretty normal for the most part, he's pretty present in the moment, more evidence he isn't Just Like That, and then ep116, where there's nothing about dissociation specifically but well. am i crazy for thinking this sounds like a conversation with himself?

obviously, people talk to themselves sometimes. but "wonder how long this one'll last for" and "there's worse places to get stuck i guess" sound like two different people talking at once. but yk. i could just be seeing what i want to see so take this one with a grain of salt.

and now, for the thing i waited three weeks to make this post for: episode 120

this is maybe the most vulnerable we've ever seen will, and this vulnerability is about how he feels like he almost just wasn't — or isn't — real to other people. he barely makes an impression after all, no one notices when he walks in a room. they act like he doesn't exist. and, maybe some deep part of will agrees. maybe he doesn't exist at all.

—

anyways that's the end of me yapping thank you for stayinggg

[lostuntothisworld]

Some Propaganda for my "Adrien has 2 amoks because he is his own dead twin sister" theory

I've mentioned this theory many times before, and have written a proper post about it (linked here) BUT! Season 6 has started to officially air and while we're only 4 (very out of order) episodes deep, I am practically vibrating with the implications.

In summary, my theory is that Emilie created 2 sentikid embryos, and that's why she succumbed to her illness long before Colt did. There's a tragic phenomenon that can happen with a multiple pregnancy called Vanishing Twin. It's where one of the twin embryos miscarries. The twin is usually reabsorbed by the mother or is passed, but the surviving twin embryo can also absorb their twin. This would cause a second phenomenon called Human Chimerism. Adrien's twin sister was created with a separate amok, so Adrien would have 2 amoks, and 2 sets of DNA.

Now, onto season 6's possible foreshadowing below the cut...

First of all, we need to let the cat out of the bag (ha), and talk about the incredible post @bklily wrote linked here. In Werepapas, Adrien is trapped in a trophy (because he is a prize on a pedestal to be won... but that 's not the point of this post), and because the akuma flew into the Twin Rings, Ladybug had to break them. (The fact that they could possibly be fake rings is irrelevant with this point).

While in the trophy, and the rings broken, Adrien, as Schrodinger's Cat, was simultaneously dead and alive. @bklily put it best. "The cat is always dead and alive." Adrien's dead twin sister would be woven into his DNA, and the boy is always going to be dead and alive, no matter what.

Another thing I think is important to point out is that the Twin Rings were emphasized to be TWIN rings multiple times in the episode, in a way that hasn't been done before. According to family tradition, the rings represent a marriage between England and France, and Gabi Grassette/Gabriel Agreste was French, while Emilie Graham de Vanily was English. Of course their twins would be a "marriage" between England and France. The Graham de Vanily twin rings are two rings that become one...

Even an episode that doesn't have focus on Adrien such as Daddycop has implications.

While he is in the process of being akumatized by Chrysalis, Roger is lovingly cradling an INVISIBLE baby girl. It's his precious Sabrina, whom he loves more than anything. My heart skipped a beat when Roger called the way Sabrina was treated a "'MISCARRIAGE' of justice!" Because in order for Adrien to be his own twin sister, there has to be a miscarriage, and Emilie would have had to hold her darling baby boy, while her daughter was invisible.

Adrien, both alive and dead... with two sets of DNA, both male and female. Twins that become one... Which brings me to my next point: Mylene's Progress Pride pin.

I mentioned it in a previous post (linked here), but this pin includes the almost always forgotten/ignored/left out intersex symbol (a purple RING on a yellow background). It's a tiny detail that has major ramifications for my theory.

You see, Adrien has 2 amoks, and if my theory is correct, 2 sets of DNA, both male and female. This is an intersex condition that is rare, but DOES exit in real life. While Adrien was created by magic, he would have a condition that does occur in the real world. Intersex characters are exceedingly rare in fiction, and it's even rarer that they have an intersex condition that actually happens in real life.

As for the reasons that I think Adrien's twin was created to be female, I feel like it's pretty self explanatory, but I will explain my reasoning.

There is a definitive femininity to Adrien. From the fact that not so insignificant portion of the fandom thinks he could be a trans girl or nonbinary, to the show sticking him in a dress and called him a princess, to the way he's been conditioned by his parents in a way that is very relatable to girls. Too emotional, too innocent and needs to be sheltered, valued for his beauty and not for his considerable smarts, and locked in a "Princess tower" for most of his childhood.

The Portuguese dub even has Marinette's grandma Gina call Adrien "handsome as a princess" in Weredads. While the jury is still out that the English and French dubs will keep that line, I am willing to bet that they will.

I would also like to point out that within the Resistance, Adrien is Comrade Mayo, while Ivan is Comrade Aioli. Both are very similar sauces that are often confused with one another. We know from the Miraculous Secrets card game that Ivan has a baby sister whom he adores. He loves her so much, that his Alliance Ring shows a little baby girl during the finale when he and everyone else were suffering from nightmares. Ivan's particular nightmare seems to be one of abandonment, which is also one of Adrien's big fears other than being trapped.

Kind of a contradiction there, with Adrien being afraid of abandonment but also of being trapped.... ah anyway.

In an interview, Astruc and the other writers said that Ivan has issues, and we'll find out about them in future seasons. I'm willing to put money that his abandonment issues stem from something with his baby sister. How can a baby girl abandon a teenage brother? I'm not sure what the writers would intend for Ivan and his baby sister, but I do know the angle they could potentially put for Adrien's abandonment issues and his possible dead twin sister.

I'm sure there are other reasons that I've missed so feel free to add them! I'm so excited for season 6, and possible future posts expanding on this theory propaganda!

[skyfallscotland]

Things that got me a little frustrated with Onyx Storm in no particular order 💔

Please be nice, this is an addendum to my main Onyx Storm review post, and there is also a post about things I loved 🙏 I'm just a sensitive heart with superior pattern recognition (I'm mentally ill lol) and I struggle when I don't understand things—and I understood nothing.

I find it really hard to just go with the flow, I hate it when I don't understand things, and being confused just didn't make for a good reading experience for me. So here goes:

The magic system being entirely retconned.

“It’s beautiful,” I whisper. I’m marked by their magic as a rider now, as their rider.

It's consistently referred to as "their" magic or "Andarna's magic" or "Tairn's magic" in the first two books, but in this one, the continent has magic and outside it, they're powerless?

Oh, except Vi for...reasons?

The marked ones all having second signets? This felt like fan service or a retcon. Why haven't any of them gone crazy? Because statistically some of them should have (and it would have at least been interesting). And if Liam could wield ice and use farsight, and that wasn't initially an error, why not wield it when Deigh was literally being chewed to death?

Continuous mentions of Xaden hearing actual fucking thoughts for god's sake that just get dropped and never picked up again? Par for the course. Don't even talk to me about it, I'm done.

Sgaeyl not talking to Xaden all book? Does she realise she would have died too, they all would have died if he hadn't done what he did? Mum pls the silent treatment sucks (this might be a personal trauma so we can probably scratch it, actually)

Andarna leaving then coming back almost immediately? I get it, she wanted to meet her shitty family, but this would have had more impact if she'd stayed when they were on the island. It felt like I got teary at her exit for nothing, like it was a ploy. I think I have whiplash.

Violet saying quite literally her most pressing need is information and then deciding no actually it's to know what her baby dragon is dreaming about in her dreamless sleep? Is this a joke? 😭

Violet is suddenly Adrian Ivashkov 💀 And what’s that got to do with who they are at their core? I’m lost! 😭

Also, those not-dreams never being explained? Like we know it's Berwyn calling him, but seriously Xaden, click on pls!

Xaden's mother showing up for...no reason? Really? Nice emotional arc, I enjoyed it, it was one of my favourite sequences, but she wasn't important to the story at all and we just?? Left?????

(I also want to punch her in the face, how dare she)

Finding out Halden's been doing...something??? At the Isles this whole time?? For Reasons, I guess??? I don't know, someone else might need to explain that to me.

(How I felt ^) Oh! And him being a twin? Basic information we could have known before—and I still don't know what happened to Alic, really. Like I want the whole story? 🥺

Violet's hair, the temple, all of that someone's going to have to explain to me like I'm five too because it's not clicking, I'm sorry. Also the temples/priestesses have magic? Their own different type of magic? And they aren't venin either? What makes a venin, a venin? My head is still spinning.

Aetos being back defying all logic (the aide to exile to in charge of everything pipeline really is something) and then he disappears entirely and is irrelevant? 😭 Why bring him back at all? What was the reason?

This is like the continuity that says Degrensi kicked Varrish out for being too torture-y and then they put him in charge of torturing kids, and then Degrensi followed Varrish's orders (even though he's below him in the chain of command and he hates him) last year to keep Xaden away from Violet all the time, but wait, now Degrensi gives no fucks about following orders???? I'm?? I just spent so much time being like wait, what?

Xaden who can literally command shadows for some reason not being able to sneak into Violet's room? And that same Xaden having zero control so they can't have sex, but then suddenly when it was time for another evenly spaced out sex scene, him being totally fine????? Is it ✨a mindset✨ ??

Violet having her memories wiped? For? Reasons???? Seriously for what purpose could the literal wedding ceremony part not have been remembered, please, that’s just mean Rebecca.

Aaric just Not telling anyone about his signet even though it would have meant more people living??? Aaric's name being CAMLAEN?????

I get that that’s a literary device, but on top of everything else I still felt like I was chasing my tail 😩

Professor Riorson teaching everyone for months, incl that signets have perfect counters, like his shadows and Violet's lightning, then sending Violet off to face the lightning/storm wielding gal while he went to face a guy he's literally incapable of killing? HELLO, should you not realise and switch?! Don’t be a dumb dumb (also a literary choice but it annoyed me so it’s here, please never battle the elite four Xaden, you’d fail).

Also oh look there's no rune on Brennan's neck like the one on his hand—sorry WHAT? are we implying that's from Naolin mending him or what? Do you know about it? Fucking say so, you sure as fuck haven't told us Vi???? It really bothers me that Violet apparently knows things and we don't. I feel like that's what third-person-POV is for, if you want to do things like that.

I still don’t know why venin can channel within the wards at all? And the wardstone was so easily altered after all that drama in IF?

Why aren't we reading Lilith's journals? Vi, sweetheart, please, give me some joy here.

Where are the other foster kids??? I still can't see how they're safe and not leverage, especially now it's looking like it will be a full-on secession bid once more.

Tyrrendor mines talladium?!

SURPRISE GRANDMA??? PLEASE!!

As you can see, I have a lot of questions—more than I had at the end of the last book, because none of those were answered, so I just have...this bigger pile of questions.

If you can read along and not think about any of these things and just not be bothered by the not knowing of it all, then I'm jealous of you. I really, really wish I could, but that's just not how my brain works and as someone with a mental illness I get tired of having to defend that to other people, it makes me feel like shit, honestly. I don’t want to think about these things, I just do. Like yeah, I hate my brain too but I have to live with it.

There were plenty of things I liked about this book, but my overall experience was that it felt messy, chaotic, and overwhelming.

Even the end—I still don't understand what happened fully, and I know that's on purpose, but after not understanding anything the whole book and having my questions from the last book go unanswered, I don't exactly appreciate it as a literary technique, I just find it frustrating 😟

In any case, these are just my out-of-pocket, personal opinions typed up late at night with zero filter, please don't come for me (lol), you don't need to agree—in fact, I know people don't, I ran a poll—this is just...how I'm feeling right now. It's a sucky feeling, but it is what it is.

I hope I can do a re-read at some point and enjoy it more, and get a better grasp on things, but for now...🖤

[carriedawatermelon]

Doing some little kinktober ficlets because why not. Please find the first installment of soft Ronance filth, which in this case is not actually that filthy, below.

Prompt: Seven Minutes in Heaven

Someone bumps into Nancy for about the hundredth time, a shoulder jostling her own near the wall of the living room, which Nancy uses to brace herself. At least the girl—Megan, third grade, sixth grade, a few years of ballet and most recently, second period US history—apologizes, genuinely. 

“Sorry, Nancy. Too many people.”

“Too many people,” Nancy agrees and tries for a smile, which maybe works as she gets one in return. 

And there are too many people, and there’s too much noise, and Nancy knows the occasional, protesting throbbing behind her eyes is going to become a full-fledged headache soon, but still, she stays. She stays and makes her way successfully out of the living room and into the kitchen. It’s still too crowded but only with people moving through, grabbing beer and whatever godawful punch is on the counter as they pass into the backyard or the living room or the den, where a whole other mass of bodies has congregated to talk and flirt and try to pretend like this is a normal week-before-graduation party. 

It’s why she’s still here, that last part. Because it’s the week before graduation, and she’d been sitting with Hopper and Steve talking logistics two days ago and realized that the enthusiastically offered invitation from Becky, who like Megan, she’d known for most of her life and also hardly knew at all, would be the last one she ever got. Shit, she’d thought, absently correcting Hopper’s patrol map to accommodate for the newest construction. Shit, this is it. 

She’d had that thought many times over the last few years, in a life-or-death way. It was jarring, to have it in the way she was supposed to, in the way that pretty much every other teenager in Hawkins and if John Hughes was right, everywhere else in America, had it, too. 

“Steve, switch with me for Friday,” she’d said, and he’d done it, and now Nancy is leaning against a kitchen counter, wincing as something lukewarm soaks through the back of her pale yellow button-down and watching as her classmates do exactly what they should be doing the week before summer break. 

She doesn’t feel angry that they’re pretending, the way she had with Steve. Well. She does feel angry. She always feels angry. But for the most part, it’s not with the people around her. For the most part, it’s on their behalf. On Barb’s behalf. On her own, even, when she can let herself. 

They’ve all suffered. They’re the ones who stayed or came back, the crowded party at this point consisting of most of what remains of Hawkins High, grade irrelevant. Nobody is trying to kick anyone out, and nobody’s policing the door. 

As of about two weeks ago, curfew had been lifted. Officially, the army finally managed to secure the area after the earthquake. Unofficially, El had demolished a weakened Vecna, the party offering her backup in the real world and the upside-down and the space in between. The work that’s left is still left, but it’s eliminating stragglers and maintaining vigilance, and El and Will both have a kind of ease and confidence that makes the rest of them feel hopeful, that made Nancy feel like she could switch a patrol shift to Steve to go to a party. 

“Nancy,” someone shouts from the door of the kitchen. Ally, eyes bright with a plastic cup in one hand, shakes her shoulders. “Come play spin the bottle.”

In a small mercy, she’s being dragged toward the den before Nancy is forced to provide an answer, laughing an “Okay, okay, okay!” 

In a bigger mercy, her body is replaced by one that makes Nancy’s shoulders relax, a genuine smile break across her face. 

“I was going to ask if you wanted to sneak out back and smoke, but I’d hate to stop you from a game of spin the bottle with Hawkins High’s most eligible bachelors.”

Robin’s grin is big, her hands shoved into the pockets of her black jeans, an oversized green t-shirt tucked into the front under...Nancy’s favorite jean jacket. 

“Thief!” 

Robin’s grin grows. “Fair’s fair.”

And, well, Nancy can’t exactly argue. Robin’s black jacket is in her possession—currently neatly folded in the passenger seat of Nancy’s car—where it’s been since about two weeks after their first encounter with Vecna and where Nancy intends for it to remain until…until. 

She scowls anyway, pushing back from the counter and making her way to Robin, who stiffens for a second at Nancy’s hug before relaxing into it, wrapping her arms around Nancy’s shoulders and holding her close. The jacket smells like the detergent her mom uses and a little like Nancy’s perfume, but underneath is all Robin, lavender and cloves and the cigarettes her mom smokes. She can smell weed, too, and she pulls back a little to look up at Robin, who’s looking down at her with a faint blush. 

When Robin told her, fingers twisting and face paler than usual on the couch in her basement, that she likes girls, she’d put herself as physically far from Nancy as possible in the shared space. Nancy, heart broken as she listened to halting, stuttering sentences so far from the Robin she had grown used to, had tentatively scooted closer, lifting an arm in offer. Robin had hesitated for a second and then collapsed into her, crying while Nancy reassured her. Now, with Nancy’s constant encouragement, she’s getting better about touch, about initiating it and accepting it.

Of course, it is different now, but that’s Nancy’s fault. That’s because Nancy, as she has let herself admit for the past six or so weeks with increasing acceptance, wants to kiss her. She hasn’t yet and doesn’t now, but she does reach down and lace their fingers, tugging Robin toward the sliding door to the back. 

“There’s a Robin/robber pun here somewhere but I can’t quite get there,” she admits, happy to see that the crowd of their peers thins significantly after the deck.

Robin snorts, follows easily as Nancy begins pulling them past small groups of people and toward the grass. It makes her bristle, still, the relative quiet in the largely dark yard, and Robin squeezes her fingers like she understands, because she does. The house and the summer night give enough light to navigate well enough, and Nancy has her eyes on a set of lawn chairs that seem to have been abandoned by a group now moving back toward the house, but as she moves toward them Robin stops her. 

Her grin is pulled up at the side as she looks from Nancy to a tree with a tire swing and a set of boards nailed to its trunk. Nancy sighs, and Robin moves toward them, grinning, letting go of Nancy’s hand to pull at the steps and look up at the tree house. 

“Robin. No.”

“What?” She says, in a terrible attempt at guilelessness. 

“You know what.”

“I don’t.” She says easily. “I don’t know what.”

She shades her eyes like that’ll help her see in the dark, and Nancy rolls her own, stomach swooping with affection, before reaching into her bag and pulling out a flashlight. 

When it clicks on, Robin looks back at her and bites her lip. “Nancy Wheeler. The Boy Scouts have got nothing on you.”

“Yeah, yeah,” Nancy says, like she isn’t about to indulge a terrible idea. “Investigation purposes, only, Buckley. We didn’t survive the upside-down so you could break yourself climbing a tree.”

“Totally, totally,” Robin responds, like she doesn’t know Nancy is about to indulge her terrible idea. “I’m just gonna investigate these first few steps and, uh…” When the first two hold, she looks down at Nancy happily and keeps climbing. 

“You have no sense of self-preservation,” she calls after her. “Ms. Delayed Walker.”

When she reaches the platform at the top, she pouts down at Nancy, features a blend of shadows in the strange light. “That’s really rude, Nance. I think you should come apologize.”

“You’re ridiculous,” Nancy says, already on the second plank, flashlight shining up from where she’s tucked it vertically in her purse. It catches Robin’s grin, and Nancy stares, feels like she’s falling with her hands securely gripped on the wood. Robin’s not the only one who’s ridiculous. 

She pulls herself into the plank next to Robin, who wraps an arm around her waist. It’s reflex maybe, because the platform is small, and Nancy sees the flash of panic across her face so she leans into Robin’s body before she can pull away, hand moving to hold Robin’s against her. 

“If we fall out of a tree before graduation, I’m going to be so pissed at you.”

Robin laughs, squeezing her, and then begins scooting back, Nancy releasing her so she can make her way into the little house behind them. For all her talk, she wouldn’t be up here if she didn’t think it were sturdy. The climbing planks are relatively new, wood stained and smoothed against splinters, so she suspected the house would be, too, and she’s pleased to find that she’s right.

It’s big for a tree house, and tall enough that Nancy can almost stand comfortably, bent just a little to explore, fingers on the cross beams below the roof so she doesn’t bump her head. There’s a little table shoved into one corner, a window in each wall where she can see that the little platform they landed on extending around the house like a porch. When she turns around, Robin has made herself comfortable on some cushions against the back wall, a pink floral print that looks like maybe it was stolen from lawn furniture. She has a joint in one hand and pats the seat next to her before reaching into her pocket (Nancy’s pocket) for a lighter. 

There’s a lantern hanging from a hook near her head, two candles inside and Robin lights them as Nancy clicks off the flashlight and settles, close enough that their knees touch. Robin hands her the joint but keeps the lighter, and Nancy bumps her shoulder as she lights it. 

“Such a gentleman,” she says, before inhaling, and Robin rolls her eyes but blushes. 

Nancy doesn’t cough, though it’s still sometimes a close thing, the weed a post-Vecna addition to her life. It helps her relax and it doesn’t make her feel bad the way drinking does and it’s given her some of her favorite nights, sitting around smoking and talking and watching movies with Steve and Robin and Eddie and sometimes Jon or Vickie. 

She passes the joint back, and props herself back against the wall, lets herself look at the girl next to her as they smoke together for a little while, making aimless conversation. There’s something undeniably attractive about watching Robin smoke, the shape of it between her lips and the way they move as she pulls, the smoke that she exhales slowly, eyes exploring the little house. 

Eventually, Nancy asks, “How’re you feeling about next week?”

“Eh,” Robin offers along with another hit, which Nancy takes. “Weird. Fine. Nervous. Excited.” She brings her eyes back to Nancy, who smiles at her. “How ‘bout you?”

“Eh,” she echoes, and Robin pokes her gently. She’s warm, this close to Nancy, and she wants more, scoots closer, takes her hand and twines their fingers. Twirling the thick silver ring around Robin’s index finger, she feels Robin’s breath stutter, her own breath escaping with a happy sigh at their proximity. Robin mutes the joint and sets it against a Coke can. “Fine, I think. I feel good about what’s coming. Good about Chicago.” She squeezes at Robin’s fingers and Robin squeezes back. “Good about Chicago with you. I’m ready, I think. It’s not like…I didn’t exactly love,” she stops playing with the ring for a second and gestures out toward the yard, the house, “all of this. High school. You know.”

“Yeah,” Robin agrees. “Yeah, that’s for sure.”

Nancy presses closer, drops Robin’s hand in favor of wrapping it around her under her (Nancy’s) jacket, bullying her way into her side until Robin wraps an arm around her shoulders, laughing, thumb running a gentle up and down against her arm as they settle. 

“The ending hasn’t been so bad,” Robin says, pauses. 

Nancy can’t help but repeat, stoned and uncertain she’s heard correctly, “The ending hasn’t…” She can’t even finish, her voice cracking on what surely is a joke, and then they’re both cackling, clutching each other. 

“Dingus,” Nancy gasps, mostly in Robin’s lap now, and Robin groans. 

“I am. I’m a total dingus. ‘The ending hasn’t been so bad,’” she repeats, mocking herself, and Nancy tucks her head into her neck, laughing, Robin’s arms tight around her waist. “That’s what I get for trying to be smooth, I guess.” And then she shuts up so fast Nancy hears her jaw click. 

And maybe Nancy should be nervous, but instead all she feels is immensely pleased. “Oh?” She says, voice teasing as she pulls herself away, adjusting until she’s straddling Robin’s thighs. Robin looks terrified and also can’t stop staring at Nancy’s legs where they now bracket her own, eyes flitting between Nancy’s and their laps. Her hands are hovering at her sides, fingers opening and closing around nothing, and Nancy takes pity, full of smug affection as she takes them and puts them on her thighs. 

The noise Robin makes is something between a groan and a whimper, and it makes Nancy more than a little feral. 

“Trying to put the moves on me, Buckley?” She doesn’t try to hide the want in her voice as she lets her own hands settle on Robin’s neck, thumbs tracing the corners of her jaw. 

Robin finally holds her gaze, fingers spreading and squeezing at Nancy’s thighs. Nancy shivers. Robin squeezes harder. 

“Nancy.”

Robin’s lips are warm and waxy, the last of the vanilla chapstick she likes clinging on through their smoking. It’s perfect; she’s perfect, hands climbing to Nancy’s waist, where she holds her steady as she deepens the kiss, the taste of weed and lemonade and Robin filling Nancy up. 

“Nancy,” Robin says when they pull away, voice breathy. “What’s happening right now?”

The affection Nancy feels is almost violent, it’s so overwhelming, and she lets herself kiss Robin again, hard and quick. “Well,” she says. “You attempted one of the worst lines I’ve ever heard.” She keeps her tone teasing, and Robin closes her eyes and groans, head thudding against the wooden wall behind her. 

Nancy tsks, and Robin blinks open her eyes, blush in full force in the candlelight. She’s fucking gorgeous. 

“And it worked,” she says primly, moving a hand to Robin’s sternum, flattening her palm and feeling her breathe before tugging at the lapel of her (Nancy’s) jacket. “Because it appears I like you so much that I’m willing to overlook things like thievery and terrible come ons.” 

“You…you like me so much that…” And then she’s kissing Nancy again, less gently, and Nancy sighs approvingly, sucking at Robin’s bottom lip. Robin’s mouth moves to her neck, her hands shifting to Nancy’s hips to urge her closer, and she goes easily, moving a hand into Robin’s hair and moaning as her tongue and then her teeth find a spot that makes her hips cant.

“Fuck, Rob.” 

She pulls away, gasping, hands flexing on Nancy’s hips. 

“Do you…do you want…” She shakes her head, eyes closing, and Nancy kisses her gently. 

“I want to date you,” she says, watching as Robin’s eyes snap open. “I want to hold your hand while you talk to me about whatever the movie of the day is, and I want to fix your collars and leave lipstick on your cheek when I kiss you goodbye, and I want to ask you to stay over and have you know exactly what I mean.” 

“Yeah?” 

Her voice is small, almost scared, and Nancy channels as much love as she can into her own as she says, brushing a thumb over a beautiful cheekbone, “Yeah. Is that something you could want, too?”

“Yes.” A hand cups Nancy’s jaw. “I want that so much, Nance. I can’t even…I want you so much. I’m…it’s…” She laughs, running a hand through her hair. Nancy misses it. “Sorry, um, sorry. I just, I really can’t believe this is happening. Holy shit.” Her smile is wide, her eyes bright. “Nancy Wheeler wants to date me.”

Nancy laughs, tucks her hair back. She feels the flush in her own face and doesn’t hate it, for once. “Yeah, I really do.”

“You’re beautiful,” Robin says, and bites her lip. “Is that…I think it all the time, you know. Like, all the time. Like, yesterday when you got mad at that guy for turning without his blinker, and you made this face, and your lips did this thing, and all I could think was how gorgeous you were. And then tonight, when I showed up and you were leaning against the counter, and I could tell you were trying to figure out how you were gonna say no to Ally, you know, you have this, like, thinking face, and God, Nancy, all I wanted was to press you back against the counter and…”

She stops, catching herself, but Nancy wants none of that. “And what, Robbie?” She takes Robin’s hand and puts it back on her hip, greedy and pleased as she watches Robin’s eyes grow big, feels her fingers flex. “What did you want to do?”

She moans into the kiss, into the grip of Robin’s hands, letting her hips roll into the body pressed against hers. When her mouth moves to her neck again, kissing and sucking, Nancy throws her head back and holds Robin close. 

Hands move from her hips to the buttons of her shirt, tentative, and this had probably been the conversation Robin wanted to have earlier, about what Nancy wanted.

It takes an incredible amount of willpower but she manages to pull back, panting, tilting Robin’s face to meet hers. Because Nancy will absolutely let Robin fuck her in this treehouse, but Robin’s a virgin, and she deserves better than cramping hands with their clothes still on. Nancy has plans. 

“Come home with me.”

“Okay,” Robin agrees immediately, head bobbing eagerly, and Nancy grins, kissing her gently.

They tidy themselves as best they can, hands untangling as they reach the house again, and the party’s still in full swing, loud and bright and smelling like cheap beer and fruit punch. 

They pass by the group playing spin the bottle on their way out, a series of shouts coalescing into a chant as a couple is sent off to the closet for seven minutes in heaven. 

Robin shakes her head. “Nightmare,” she says under her breath, and Nancy laughs. 

“I don’t know.” She grins at Robin and uses the crowd as an excuse to grab her hand again, keep her close. “I feel like you’d find lots of jackets to steal.”

She doesn’t need to see her to know her eyes are rolling. “I would bet 20 of Steve’s dollars that my jacket will be in the passenger seat of your car when we get there. The hypocrisy is heavy, Nance.” 

“So, what?” She shrugs as they break through the front door, making their way to Nancy’s car up the block. “I like wearing my girlfriend’s jacket.”

It’s quiet, and Nancy’s worried for a second that she’s overstepped, but when she looks, she finds Robin staring at her with heat in her eyes, her jaw set. 

“I bet,” Robin says, looking around and keeping close to Nancy, voice low, “I bet you’d look great in that jacket and nothing else.”

Nancy swallows, stops as they reach the car. “Wanna find out?”

[unsweetingtea]

The Sonic Movie 3 trailer came out and it is awesome!

I know it came out a week or so ago and I might be late into talking about it but rest assured I watched it 30 minutes after it came out.

I decided to start talking about it now because I want to put in my two cents about a certain topic.

At some point in the trailer we get this image of Tom:

He’s screaming “Sonic!!” and then it immediately flashes to this image of Shadow:

There is also this interaction with Sonic and Shadow:

“What did you do?”

“What I had to.”

First of all, f🤬cking aura Shadow, holy sh💩t. That “what I had to” sent shivers to me timbers.

Second of all, why I’m making this post:

This has led people to believe that Shadow might harm Tom in some way or even killing him.

And I don’t think that is true.

Do I think that they might tussle around? Yeah. Do I think Shadow will straight up assassinate him? Hell no!

CONTINUE UNDER THE CUT ⬇️

Now, I have seen people believe it and draw it but more as like a “this is a cool alternative but I don’t actually think it would happen”, but then there are others who genuinely believe that Shadow is going to kill Tom.

While there is nothing wrong with believing that, it raises a problem for Shadow’s overall character.

We all know Shadow is just misunderstood. Especially from Sonic, Knuckles, and Tails. Keep in mind that they are working with the very people that killed Maria—a little girl, Shadow’s best friend, and they have no idea 😀

I feel like if Sonic finds out about it, then there will definitely be conversations yet to happen, and not very friendly ones.

I kinda think this might be an image of Sonic looking around the Ark. Maybe this is when he finds out? However, that is not something I can really prove:

One thing I will say: even though if we were in Shadow’s position and we might try to kill humanity too, I think we should all acknowledge that even though we can understand him it doesn’t mean we should agree with the path he has walked down on.

Anyway, Shadow = misunderstood. Got it. That is all a story for another time, I’m still here for something else.

I think we can all agree that Shadow has been through a lot, and I think some of the games do him justice for the way he makes up for his actions; finding out who is he is and honoring Maria’s wish, sacrificing himself and falling down to earth, going against Black Doom’s wishes, fighting Memphis, saving Sonic (multiple times), him and Team Dark, the Archie comics, and more.

We’re gonna ignore the Boom!Shadow for this one boys. He’s irrelevant. (lol)

While Shadow and Sonic aren’t friends or enemies, they’re by each others side to do the right thing. All Shadow wanted to do was the right thing and at the time he believed it was killing humanity.

I think what I’m trying to say is that Shadow has done some villainy sh💩t under the influence of what people showed him back to the accident of the Ark. However, he is not a bad guy and he doesn’t deserve to be the bad guy.

If they do this, if Shadow kills Tom, he will be an irredeemable monster to Sonic and even to me, and Shadow doesn’t deserve that treatment.

I don’t want to look at Movie!Shadow knowing that he killed an amazing character and the father to Sonic.

I also want to say, that when Sonic is talking to Shadow and asks him what he did, he sounds mad but he doesn’t sound mad enough to the point of Tom’s death kind of mad. Sonic would be f🤬cking furious. He would fr say “screw the power of friendship I’m about to END this B🐶TCH”.

I can’t say for certain that Tom isn’t going to die, but I really don’t think and want to believe that Shadow is going to be the one to kill Tom.

Like I said before, it’s tragic for what happened to him but we shouldn’t justify the path he’s walking on. Killing Tom is no excuse either.

I just don’t want to be disappointed. I have been looking forward for this movie for too long. I really just want Shadow to be the sweet little anti-hero he truly is.

While I’m here, I wanna circle back around to Tom screaming Sonic’s name. First of all, Tom is in a G.U.N uniform. Either he’s going in disguise or maybe the commander guy whose name I don’t care to remember gave him a position in the G.U.N forces.

In the first Sonic Movie, Maddie did say that there has been a Wachowski serving and protecting for 50 years. The same amount of time Shadow was in a coma. Maybe the commander recognizes Tom’s last name and offers him a position.

Maybe Sonic and co. find out about what they did to Maria and the Ark, and when confronting G.U.N, G.U.N decides to turn on them. Maybe that’s why Tom was screaming Sonic’s name, because he was about to get hurt. Remember, even though Sonic saved the world in the 1st movie, in the 2nd movie G.U.N still believed they would be a threat. Maybe G.U.N is using them in hopes they won’t find out about what happened 50 years ago. They’d be perfect against Shadow, they’re the same species! (Kinda…)

If G.U.N can’t defeat Shadow, maybe another powerful being can.

Anyway, those were my two cents.

Don’t take this post too personally please, if you wanna believe Shadow kills Tom, then by all means go off! I just wanted to show my perspective of things and how I see Shadow as a person.

Remember, opinions are opinions and we shouldn’t devalue anyone’s just because we don’t agree.

Take care! 🫶🏻

[mallllii]

Illuminated

pairing: dabi/hawks

tags: first kiss, realisation of feelings

wordcount: 1.1k

They sat on that rooftop again. The highest in the area, but still way below the clouds. Neither the overworked salesmen doing overtime in their glass offices nor the potential hero flying to the next emergency site were able to spot them here. Traffic noise was floating up from the streets beneath, but it was a comparatively quiet spot. Perfect for talks of treachery and corruption.

It was also much easier to reach than old warehouses cramped between buildings and infrastructure, at least if you came from above. How Dabi made it up all those stories without raising suspicion was a mystery to Keigo, one of many.

Regardless of what the HPSC’s tasks asked of him, his personal mission was to uncover each and every mystery surrounding Dabi. When his goal had shifted in this direction he didn’t know, but something about the man intrigued him. The more time spent with him and the more information he slowly gathered, the more he became invested in solving this puzzle.

And as much as he tried to convince himself otherwise, for his own conscience, he knew this was not about his identity or his connection to the League of Villains or anything else that might be relevant for the greater good. No, this was purely self-indulgent. He’d give more for Dabi’s morning routine than his real name at this point.

Looking at him now, while they argued about adjusting the phrasing of a report, he wondered if he would ever be sick of learning more about him.

The topics they wanted to discuss that night ran out, so it was time for Keigo to bring his small talk training to use and make Dabi stay regardless. The longer their conversation lasted, the later he had to return to his empty apartment. Every minute spent with Dabi was valuable.

“It seems you’re not very fond of the way I handle things with the Commission,” he said.

Dabi pulled the USB drive with the fake paperwork out of his laptop. “You’re too vague. Even an idiot like Twice could figure out that those reports are bullshit. If you want to meet the boss, you need to get your shit together and stop jeopardising your own spy work.”

He tossed Keigo the drive, eyes not leaving the screen. There was precision in a lot of his movements that indicated professional heroics training. That acute awareness of his surroundings was familiar to Keigo. It was these tiny details he tried to pick up on, since Dabi did his best to stay as mysterious as possible. They’d shared a meal countless times and Keigo always had to rely on body language to see if he liked the food or not, because he refused to share facts about himself. It would annoy him if he weren’t so fascinated.

Dabi tried to pack up his stuff, but Keigo managed to engage him with irrelevant hero gossip. This was yet another thing he’d noticed: Dabi was unusually informed about the inner workings of the industry. He supposed this was all relevant information he should report back to the Commission, but something told him to keep it to himself. After all, they were sitting here, just the two of them, chatting without any obvious ulterior motives. It had taken a lot of time and building trust to get to this point, and Keigo wouldn’t waste it by ratting Dabi out.

He proved this decision to himself by making an off-hand comment about something Best Jeanist had worn at an event once. It was a pretty stupid joke, but suddenly Dabi was laughing, clear and full of joy. For such a deep and raspy voice, his laughter was surprisingly melodic. Keigo couldn’t do anything but stare at him, the city lights illuminating his beautiful side profile.

After a few seconds, Dabi seemed to notice him watching and turned around. Those intoxicating blue eyes were scanning Keigo’s face and Dabi’s expression became serious. Keigo didn’t dare to breathe, unsure what to make of this mood shift and the deliciously anxious feeling in his chest. Then Dabi’s eyes flickered to his lips. Keigo felt heat rush to his cheeks and his heart rate was increasing with every second they spent staring at each other.

Then, unsure, they both inched their faces closer together and before Keigo could process it their lips were touching.

It didn’t last long though, because Dabi pulled away before he even had a chance to press into it. He tried to regain his composure while Dabi stared at him, wide-eyed. His chest was moving at a rapid pace, the rest of him remaining rigid. For as long as Keigo had been studying him, he’d never seen him like this. Almost like he was…scared.

Now worried himself, he tried extending a hand in a weird way of offering comfort, but Dabi snapped out of it and slapped him away. “What the fuck,” he whispered and Keigo was unsure if he was even talking to him. This “kiss” must’ve upset him for some reason.

Keigo was unsure what to make of it too. It certainly hadn’t been what he imagined under getting to know Dabi, but it explained his fascination. Has he had a crush this entire time?

Before he had a chance to dwell on this revelation, Dabi suddenly sat down right in front of him, hand on Keigo’s thigh. His mouth stood open in surprise and Dabi closed it, putting his other hand on his jaw. Blue eyes were piercing into his.

“Listen, hero.” His voice, full of determination, faltered for a moment. “I have no idea what I’m doing. It’s not like anyone was ever dying to kiss me.” Keigo wanted to add something but Dabi’s grip on his face tightened. “Stop that. I don’t want you pitying me. Just…I warned you, so don’t be disappointed.”

Dabi leaned in and this time, Keigo was a lot less awkward about it. He tilted his head, pressing into the kiss without second thought. His enthusiasm seemed to reassure Dabi, who relaxed after the first few seconds, self-doubt forgotten.

Keigo’s hands found his waist as they pulled each other closer together. Kissing Dabi was addicting. It made Keigo feel like was burning up, in a good way. He should’ve realised much sooner that this was what he’d been craving all along.

The contrasting textures of his lips, the taste of him, the gentleness in his touch - Keigo added all of it to his mental list of things he knew about A-rank villain Dabi. After a lifetime of reporting and documenting his every move, it was thrilling to have information solely for himself. No one else knew Dabi like this. And with every new fact he discovered, he grew more certain that he would never get tired of learning about him.

[nanamineedstherapy]

Idk why I did this but... enjoy & bonus - I teach you how to do a basic analysis/decode meanings faster by my thought process.

🎤 CAST COMMENTARY - "Colors" by Halsey

(ft. Satoru Gojo, Toji Fushiguro, Ryomen Sukuna. Mentioned Megumi Fushiguro)

filed under: you shouldn’t let men have opinions, but here we are.

GOJO (too loud in the group chat):

ok first of all i just wanna say i’d kill to be described as a lilac sky like that is peak gender

second of all. this song? this song is what it feels like when ur the manic pixie dream boy and the girl wakes up one morning realizing she’s cold and alone and all u ever gave her was serotonin-colored smoke and withdrawal.

the boy in this song? he’s ME. but also I would never treat her like that. but also if i did. she’d still love me. bc charisma.

TOJI:

nah this is about a broke addict who thinks feeling sorry for himself makes him mysterious.

girl thought she could paint over rot.

ended up stained.

GOJO:

wait wait WAIT no bc toji you ARE him. “you’re ripped at every edge but you’re a masterpiece”? that’s literally what ur fangirls say when u kill people with a smile.

and let’s not ignore the 28 years old thing bc you didn’t even make it there and that’s foreshadowing

TOJI:

i wasn’t addicted to pills i was addicted to violence that’s different

also 28 is a fake number. real men die at 27 or disappear into domestic irrelevance.

SUKUNA (voice like wine and ash):

This composition is not a love song. It is an elegy.

The boy is already a corpse, embalmed in melancholy. She touches him and becomes a pallbearer of his suffering—

and calls it god.

You were red and you liked me ‘cause I was blue…

Such mortal poetry. She did not desire him.

She desired to be desired by him.

To be transformed into something more beautiful than herself.

But purple, alas, was not to his taste.

A union too honest.

Too alive.

He preferred decay.

GOJO:

sukuna what the HELL that was so unnecessarily deep who taught u Tumblr syntax??

also real talk this is literally megumi’s worst fear LMAO. emotional intimacy?? colors??? nah bro’s gonna “everything is grey” himself into an early grave

SUKUNA:

The brat lives in grayscale because it requires no courage. Color demands vulnerability.

TOJI:

he gets it from me.

i just don’t monologue about it.

GOJO:

ANYWAY the part that KILLED me was “i know i’ve only felt religion when i’ve lied with you.” like. that’s such a me line. spiritual awakening but make it horny and sad?

SUKUNA:

She does not know god. She only knows grief. She has confused the two.

TOJI:

she’s not confused

she’s codependent

GOJO:

guys be honest do u think she ever gets over him??

like do u think she dates again or does she just trauma spiral for five years and make niche embroidery accounts where she cross-stitches his initials in different shades of blue

TOJI:

she dates again but only emotionally unavailable men

so yeah basically she never gets over him

SUKUNA:

She dreams of resurrection.

But builds her altar in the ruins.

GOJO:

ur literally a war crime in human form and still said that prettier than a YA novelist on a deadline

TOJI:

don’t feed his ego

he already thinks metaphors count as moral superiority

GOJO:

ok but last point. this whole song is a warning.

you think you’re the main character but turns out you’re the background shade that ruins the painting

and the person who loved you?

they tried to turn trauma into art.

but it bled through the canvas.

SUKUNA:

All mortals bleed eventually.

But some—

do so beautifully.

Now the real analysis I did before that scene -

I know nothing about Halsey nor is this my favorite song or anything, this is just an objective from my perspective, so don't see this as a hate post 📯

Colors is a track soaked in psychological nuance, poetic fragmentation, and a painfully intimate portrait of loving someone who’s drowning—and pulling you under with them. It's not just about heartbreak. It's about the subtle erosion of self when you love someone who's deeply, fundamentally unwell.

Core Themes:

Depression & addiction (coded in “blue”)

Romantic idealization & disillusionment

The slow bleed of codependent identity loss

Unreciprocated emotional labor

Love as transformation—and rejection

Key Lines & Their Psychological Weight:

“Your little brother never tells you but he loves you so / You said your mother only smiled on her TV show”

You're introduced to a man emotionally neglected, disconnected from his family, and probably emotionally unavailable because of it.

The “mother” smiling only on TV implies a performative affection in the household—suggesting deep emotional repression. A man raised without warmth, who doesn’t know how to give it, only mimic it.

“You’re only happy when your sorry head is filled with dope / I hope you make it to the day you’re 28 years old”

This is addiction. The speaker is observing the self-medication, the chaos, the looming sense of early death.

“28” is specific—past the infamous 27 Club. There’s an unspoken grief that’s pre-grieving, the helplessness of watching someone spiral and being too in love to walk away.

“You’re ripped at every edge but you’re a masterpiece”

Classic trauma bonding. Loving the broken parts. Romanticizing them.

This is textbook for those with anxious-preoccupied attachment—thinking your love will “save” them, because you see the art in their damage. Even if they never see it themselves.

“Everything is blue / His pills, his hands, his jeans”

Color psychology:

Blue = sadness, numbness, overdose, death. But also: longing.

His entire existence is tinted with this depressive fog. Even things he touches or wears are soaked in it. It’s not just his mood—it’s his aura.

“I’m covered in the colors, pulled apart at the seams” = the speaker is absorbing his pain. She’s becoming blue by osmosis. A bleed-through of trauma.

“Everything is grey / His hair, his smoke, his dreams”

Blue was his body. Grey is his spirit.

He’s not just sad now—he’s empty. He doesn’t dream. He doesn’t feel. He’s devoid of color. Depression has moved from emotional to existential.

“I know I’ve only felt religion when I’ve lied with you”

This is where the speaker reveals her wound: he was her transcendence.

Not God. Him.

Love isn’t holy here—it’s carnal, dishonest, and desperately needed. It’s not salvation. It’s a substitute for it. A cult of him.

“You said you’ll never be forgiven 'til your boys are too”

His sense of worth is tied to collective guilt—maybe for something they’ve done, maybe just for surviving.

Survivor’s guilt? Addiction group? Brotherhood and trauma?

Either way: he refuses healing unless the whole damn house gets to rise. And he never believes that’s possible.

“You were red and you liked me ‘cause I was blue / But you touched me and suddenly I was a lilac sky / And you decided purple just wasn’t for you”

This is the kill shot.

She changed herself to merge with him.

Red (him) + Blue (her) = Purple (the compromise, the union). (bro this is a coincidence but please hallucinate that Gojo made me do it lmaoo)

But then he rejects it. Not because it’s bad—but because it’s not what he thought he wanted.

This is the fate of so many empathic people who try to heal others—they shift, mold, blend… only to be discarded the moment they stop being a fantasy.

Psychological Readout:

The male subject is emotionally unavailable, likely depressed, possibly an addict, and emotionally stuck in childhood wounds. He can’t commit, can’t feel, and doesn’t know how to receive love.

The narrator is an emotional caretaker—a textbook codependent with a savior complex, deeply sensitive, probably with a history of neglect herself. She sees beauty in broken people and thinks it’s her role to mend them by becoming what they need.

Their dynamic is toxic, but tragically familiar. The more he disappears into his fog, the more she paints herself in his colors—until she disappears too.

Conclusion:

"Colors" is not a breakup song. It’s a funeral for identity, a memorial to martyrdom in the name of love.

It’s what happens when you fall in love with a ghost, try to hold it—and vanish alongside it.

The song is a psychological portrait of codependent erosion: the high of being “needed,” the slow horror of losing yourself, and the final abandonment once you’re no longer palatable.

She loved him in full-spectrum.

He only ever saw blue.

Now what do you think? 😏

[anxious-witch]

Part three of height/stance analysis of DBDA character. This part is about the Cat King, mainly in regard to catwin, but I will briefly touch upon his few scenes with other characters too.

Charles's version, Edwin's version

So, the Cat King another character that take a dominant position in most of his scenes. Immediately, when we meet him, he is sitting on a throne, above Charles, Edwin and Crystal, which is meant to intimidate them and to show off his power over the situation. Focusing on that specifically, now we can notice a pattern-Charles gets lowered when he is feeling helpless, Edwin when he feels out of control and the Cat King when he actually loses the dominant role of the scene, aka the events aren't unfolding as he planned. Which are similar, but not exactly the same, which tells us a lot about each of them.

The Cat King is a magical being of unknow origin, so it makes sense his sense of self is tied into power. From what I noticed, that power comes from either intimidation or desire, or sometimes both.

So let's go back to the first scene where he appears. Crystal and the boys are naturally, intimidated by him, which is further exemplified by the fact that the Cat King doesn't even rise from his chair, and yet keeps his high ground.

When does he rise? When he is about to offer Edwin a private conversation, taking control more directly that way.

But notice the camera angle in this scene. Not only does it not show the Cat King and our trio(because we know very well both Charles and Edwin are physically taller, but it also shows him from a slightly lowered angle of the camera, so he appears bigger. Almost as if he is looming over them. Then, once he and Edwin are alone, we get to this.

The first time where the Cat King looks smaller than Edwin. BUT, take a look at Edwin, who is usually standing oerfectly poised and straight, looming over everyone and everything. Here, he looks almost slightly hunched down instead. But why is the Cat King smaller here, you may ask? Because he is trying to find Edwin's weak spot. He even says here "What should you punishment be?" Only when Edwin counters with "I don't see the harm in one little spell" does the Cat King resume his dominant position.

Looking at this two shots, Edwin looks almost timid, his usual height deemed irrelevant when he is alone in the shot, almost bledning in with the dark background. In contrast, the Cat King is illuminated, appearing bigger and more threatening, further highlighted by his satisfied expression.

This is followed by a scene where CT slaps the bracelet on Edwin.

When the Cat King leans in, die to the angle it looks like he is taller than Edwin. Because he figured Edwin's weak spot-his repressed sexuality. And here, Edwin is giving in to it, giving the Cat King the power to put the caging spell on him.

What I found interesting is that immediately after, the Cat King willingly sits down in his chair, leaving Edwin standing. He seems to work under a careful set of rules so once he brands Edwin with his bracelet, he briefly gives the power back to Edwin, in giving him a choice to give in to his desire. I talked about this in another post here, but the gist of it is that the Cat King forces him to choose between giving in to his desires(accepting his homosexuality) or face his flaw(his dismissivness of creatures and ppl he finds irrelevant to him).

Only when Edwin refuses to reclaim him power in accepting his inital offer does the Cat King rise again and assumes his dominant stance.

Now, let's analyze their second meeting. When Edwin arrives, the Cat King is lounging on the wall, lying down. He is still on a higher ground, but I find it interesting that he again, gives Edwin a chance to reclaim his freedom first. And he does so twice. Firstly, by giving Edwin a chance to tell him how many cats there are, and when he is wrong, to go along with his flirting. And when he doesn't, then the Cat King rises once again.

When he gets close to Edwin, we have, again another shot where CT looks taller. Because Edwin feels out of control when he is around, because he feels small in the face of his own desires. And the Cat King is aware of it.

Now, the firest scene is when things TRULY get interesting. By this point, we see Edwin gain much more confidence in himself and his feelings, partially due to accepting he has feelings for Charles and partially bc of his friendship/situationship with Monty. So when they meet each other in the woods, we get this shot.

Not only is there a very noticable height difference we weren't show before, but the Cat King is actively leaning down, leaning towards Edwin as he reveals Monty's betrayl to him.

Why? Because he realized Edwin was well on his way in winning his game. So here, he is trying to find his footing again, trying to appease Edwin. And I'd say he almost suceeds, because for a brief moment, when he is talking about Edwin owning him a thanks, they are on equal ground, height wise. But then, CT brings up a second kiss and that balance shatters. We get this shot:

Of Edwin cockying his head up and making himself appear taller, despite the camera angle not working in his favor. And of course, we then have Edwin walking away, with the camera showing how small the Cat King is in that moment as he makes his threat. Edwin turns back and then he is the one lowering himself on the Cat King's level to show off the bracelet and remind him that's all that he is to Edwin.

Reminding him that while Edwin can stoop to his level, they are not equal, and that Edwin understands his game now and that he is done with it. He took his power back.

I find the fact that their power dynamics are shifting sm throughout these soo fascinating, honestly. Their rs is so dynamic and it's shown so plainly through who is appearing bigger in that moment. But! Let's shift from catwin for a bit and take a look at another character that manages to be more dominant in a scene with the Cat King. Which is, of course, Esther.

Cat King tries his usual approach with her, with him sitting on his throne and not paying attention to her entering, but Esther clearly doesn't fall for that intimidation tactic, instead grabbing him by the throat and forcing him in a position where she is in control. It's not only violent, it feels almost degrading, given the way she does it and given what we know of the Cat King thus far.

And the thing is, even when he escapes her grip, he relinquishes the power to her, leaving her up on his throne while he is left standing down next to it, as people who usually visit him do.

I don't think I need to get into her literally killing him with her cane, and how he is literally at his lowest when he is lying on the floor. And even when he is resurrected, from then on, he seems noticably smaller in every other instance he appears in. Like he lost a fraction of his power. And even when he snarls at Esther and tell her to keep her hands off Edwin, the shot he is in purposefully makes the warehouse seem much bigger around him, while the shot of Esther is much closer up. Because she is a more threatening figure here now.

When Crystal and Niko come looking for his help, at first he appears behind them, as if he had to sneak in to his own warehouse. He gets back on his uplifted position later, when he does decide to help them and when he realizes he holds the power of having the information they want. But notice how he orders them to sit, so he can loom over them more. I'd guess that he has been made aware of his own vulnerability and powerlessness by Esther and he tries desperately to reclaim it in that moment.

Which is why his last scene with Edwin is so impactful! They have both been irreparably changed by circumstances. Where Edwin now stands taller, his confidence and power regained, Cat King looks almost comically tiny in comparison!

Look at that wide shot of the alley! Edwin's height is not only shown fully, it's amplified, and the Cat King's tight fitting clothes are making him seem even smaller and more vulnerable here.

Because in that moment, the illusion is fully shattered. Edwin calls CT out on his own loneliness and they are both aware he lost the game, because he is the one that fell for Edwin and he has nothing to keep him with anymore. But Edwin has grown too. He doesn't gloat in his power and in fact, when he kisses Cat King's cheek, he lowers himself on his eye level, so they are equals once more, in that brief moment. This time not doing it to hurt the Cat King, but rather to show affection and forgivness. He understands him now and he holds all the power.

Honestly, if we get a Cat King reappearance in S2, I'd love to see how their relationship would change. They are the ones whose relationship is the most dynamic and it's constantly about who will gain the upper hand.

As always, if anyone has anything to add/think I forgot something, olease feel free to add it

[simpforpeterp]

bucky barnes x oc

True Blue

Chapter 3: Say It

summary: Post-Endgame, everything’s fractured, worlds, teams, people. Bucky Barnes is trying to figure out what freedom even means, and Bianca Delgado, the most powerful Avenger no one really talks about, is hiding from the fallout of her past. She’s sunshine and sharp edges, a walking contradiction with too many secrets behind her smile. He’s quiet and coiled, still fighting ghosts in every shadow. Neither of them is looking for someone. But they keep finding each other anyway.

featuring: late-night training sessions, reluctant vulnerability, Thunderbolts playing chaos matchmakers, and two tired people learning how to be a little less alone. takes place post thunderbolts pre thunderbolts post credit scene

warnings: none

word count: 4.1k

 

 

“And Ms. Delgado, what do you think about these ‘New Avengers’ moving into where the Avengers used to reside? Or better yet, how do you feel about the man who killed Tony Stark’s parents living in what used to be Stark Tower?” A reporter asks, the press conference going silent to hear her answer.

Bianca doesn’t flinch. Doesn’t blink. She’s standing in heels, blazer crisp, mouth painted a shade too bold for a press conference but perfect for a fight. She leans into the mic slowly, deliberately.

“I think if Tony were here, he’d be more worried about the fact that the world is falling apart, again, than about real estate.” She clears her throat.

A few scattered murmurs ripple through the crowd. The reporter opens his mouth, but she cuts him off with a lift of her hand.

“And as for the rest of your question,” she continues, voice cool and unshaken, “the man you’re referring to is Sergeant James Buchanan Barnes. He was brainwashed, tortured, and forced to do unspeakable things for over seventy years. And he’s spent every second since trying to make things right. I don’t agree with the ‘New Avengers’ but to bring that up now is completely irrelevant and a little rude.”

She lets it hang a moment. Her eyes sweep the room like a silent dare.

“If Tony could look past it, so should everyone else. It was a fight when that…fact came to light but it’s over now so there’s nothing to discuss there. Next question.” Her eyes waver ever so slightly as she looks at Sam.

“Ms. Delgado, what exactly is your problem with the New Avengers? Is this going to be another civil war and if so, whose side are you on?” Another reporter asks.

“This is not another civil war, this isn’t a war at all. And the problem isn’t personal, I’ve met them all and think that they are good people, mostly, who have good intentions,” Bee starts, choosing her words carefully. “But intentions don’t automatically make you qualified. And they don’t erase consequences.”

The room stills. Cameras click. One reporter raises a phone to capture her more clearly. She doesn’t look away.

“The world’s unstable. The multiverse is cracking. We don’t need symbolism, we need experience. We need leadership that knows how to survive chaos without creating more of it,”

  She doesn’t mention names. Doesn’t have to.

  “And for the record,” she adds, “I don’t pick sides in hypothetical wars. But I don’t follow people just because they’re loud or shiny or trending. I follow people who bleed for others and don’t ask for applause.”

Her voice drops a little at the end, but it carries. There’s a beat of silence. Sam shifts slightly behind her, expression unreadable. Bianca breathes out through her nose and adjusts the mic again.

“We have no direction and the ‘New Avengers’ were very obviously a political strategy and nothing more. They can do good things but not like this, not right now. Not when they were formed by a crooked politician trying to save her ass. She didn’t form the team for the American people, she barely even formed the team. She just claimed she did because she ran out of options and honestly? The Avengers shouldn’t be political in the first place.” She says strongly.

 

“Why do I feel slightly insulted and in awe of her at the same time?” Ava squints as they all watch the TV.

“Because she’s a real Avenger and not part of whatever game we’re playing.” John scoffs.

Bianca leans back toward the mic, steady as ever.

“And let’s just be honest,” she continues. “The Avengers weren’t perfect, but we chose this. We bled for it. We weren’t drafted by a poll or assembled in a PR office. We weren’t picked to fix a politician’s approval rating. We showed up when it was messy. When there was no glory. When half the world was dust.”

Her eyes flick out across the crowd again, sharp, unwavering. She’s not raising her voice, but it’s louder now somehow. Like truth cutting through the static.

“So no, I don’t trust a team formed out of desperation, wrapped in shiny branding, and built on the assumption that the public won’t notice the strings being pulled. I don’t trust a leader who thinks a press conference is the same thing as a mission briefing.”

  She looks toward Sam, just briefly, and then back to the press once she sees his smile.

“I’m not here to make enemies. I’m here to make it clear that saving the world isn’t a marketing strategy. It’s sacrifice. If they’re ready for that, good. But they shouldn’t expect anyone to follow them just because they got a new logo and a flashy name.”

She steps back from the mic. Doesn’t wait for applause. Just folds her arms and stares down the cameras.

The TV plays, the broadcast finishing with talking heads scrambling to reframe Bianca’s statements. But none of that matters. The silence in the room speaks louder. Ava sinks deeper into the couch, arms crossed.

“Okay. That was... intense.”

“She basically called us amateurs,” John mutters.

“No,” Red Guardian grins, holding back a laugh. “She said the truth. ”

“Why does it feel like she saw through us?” Yelena mumbles, flipping a knife between their fingers.

“Because she’s not wrong,” Bucky says from the doorway. Everyone turns to look at him. He’s calm. Maybe too calm. “She’s not trying to humiliate you. She’s trying to warn you. This thing you signed up for? It costs. You don’t always see the price right away. But she has.”

“And what, you’re on her side?” Ava raises a brow.

“There are no sides. People are dying and other universes are seeping into ours. We aren’t equipped to handle this no matter how much we want to pretend. And honestly? If Valentina didn’t put me in this position, I wouldn’t be here. Sam is Captain America, I promised myself I’d always follow that shield and now what am I doing? This is stupid.” Bucky crosses his arms.

“So what, we just quit? Walk away because some girl in heels made us feel guilty on TV?” John scoffs under his breath.

“She’s not some girl ,” Yelena cuts in, voice low. “She’s been through more than most of us combined. You think she talks like that because she wants attention? No. She talks like that because she already tried silence, and it didn’t work.”

Bucky glances at her, grateful but still grim.

“She’s not trying to make us feel guilty,” he says. “She’s daring us to be better. And the worst part? She’s not even mad we’re here. She’s mad no one told the truth about why we’re here.”

“What if she’s right? What if this is all just…optics?” Bob speaks up.

“Then we stop playing pretend. We make it real. Because if we don’t, people get hurt. Again.” Alexei speaks up.

No one speaks for a long moment. The screen still shows a paused frame of Bianca, standing with her arms crossed, defiant and unshakable. Unapologetically honest. Ava breaks the silence first, her voice quieter now.

“She made us look like kids dressing up in someone else’s armor.” She sighs.

Yelena glances back at the screen.

“Then maybe it’s time we earn it.”

Bucky doesn’t say anything. He just keeps looking at Bianca’s face on the screen, and somewhere deep in his chest, he feels it like gravity. When did she become this person?

 

 

“Oh my god, I sounded so cool!” She squeals and jumps around Sam.

“You did sound pretty cool.” He laughs.

“Angry but cool, right? Because I meant everything I said. I hate when my job gets political because I’m still struggling to understand American politics. I’ve lived in space most of my life so this is really confusing.” She tells him.

“You just stood in front of a dozen cameras and basically accused a U.S. senator of puppeteering a superhero task force, and this is what you’re worried about?” Sam raises an eyebrow, still chuckling.

“Yes! Because now people expect me to keep talking like that and I don’t always have the words. Sometimes I just get mad and yell things and then regret them two hours later in the shower.” She flops dramatically onto the nearest couch.

“You didn’t yell.”

“Not out loud.”

  “You were honest. That’s what mattered.” Sam sits beside her, softer now.

“Do you think I was too harsh?” She exhales slowly, the post-adrenaline crash settling in.

“I think you were the only person in that room telling the truth like it didn’t scare you. And sometimes that does sound harsh. Doesn’t mean you’re wrong.”

She turns her head to look at him.

“You’re a really good friend, you know that?”

“Yeah, I know.” He smiles.

 

 

Bucky practically camps outside her door waiting for her to come home. Waiting for Bianca takes as long as paint drying because she gets distracted by everything. It amazes him constantly that her ability to get easily distracted combined with her forgetfulness and clumsiness hasn’t killed her yet.

He hears the elevator doors open and he straightens up.

“There was something in the air that night, the stars were bright, Fernando,” She sings straight out of the elevator and doesn’t stop when she sees Bucky. “They were shining there for you and me, for liberty, Fernando.”

“Bianca.” He says as calmly as he can.

“Though I never thought that we could lose, there's no regret,” She sings and begins to dance around him and she’s suddenly singing directly to him. “If I had to do the same again, I would, my friend, Fernando. If I had to do the same again, I would, my friend, Fernando.”

She ends her dramatic serenade with a bow, nearly trips over her own feet, and lands in a half-crouch right in front of him. Bucky stares.

“Hi.” Bianca grins up at him, not even out of breath.

“You okay?”

“I crushed that press conference,” she declares, popping up again and spinning once for good measure. “Also I accidentally insulted like half the government. So... possibly wanted for treason.”

“I saw,” His voice is even, but his eyes are unreadable as she unlocks her door and saunters in. “You meant every word.”

“Yeah.” She looks at him more seriously now, shrugging off her blazer and tossing it over the back of a chair. “I meant it. You know I did.”

There’s a pause. The tension shifts. Bucky watches her carefully, like he’s trying to decide whether to thank her or scold her, or maybe both.

“You didn’t have to say my name,” he finally says.

“You didn’t deserve to be dragged through the dirt either,” she replies, crossing her arms. “It’s not just about you. It’s about the kind of world I want to protect. One that forgives.”

That lands heavier than she meant it to. The room goes quiet.

“I meant what I said too, by the way,” she adds more quietly. “If Tony could look past it, everyone else should be able to too.”

He studies her for another moment. Then he moves closer, slowly, until they’re only inches apart.

“You always say things like that,” he murmurs. “Like it’s easy.”

“It’s not easy,” she whispers back. “But it is simple.”

They’re both still, standing in the low light of the hallway, her makeup slightly smudged, his jaw still tight from everything he doesn’t say.

“You’re never allowed to sing at me like that again,” he says dryly.

“Too powerful?”

“Terrifying.”

“Just be glad it wasn’t Broadway.” She smiles.

“Yeah, yeah.”

“See you around, Sergeant.” She does a funny little salute before going to shit her door but he stops her.

“Wait,” He puts his hand on the door. “I’m going to train again tonight. If you wanted to come with.”

 

 

“And the pieces fall into place.” Yelena smiles as she watches the hallway footage.

“Oh, come on, they’re just friends. If that. Their dynamic is weird.” John leans forward to try and see.

“Okay. I’ll probably head down. But don’t wait up, I have to talk to my publicist. She’s pissed.” They hear Bee say through the speaker.

“And you remember that it’s training, not therapy, yeah?” He teases but with a serious tone so she doesn’t take it that way.

“Right. Sorry.” She nods before turning away.

“Oof, Barnes is a fumbler.” Bob hisses.

“No, no, you don’t get it,” Ava says, eyes locked on the screen. “That was him trying.”

“Trying what?” John asks, still skeptical.

“To ask her out. Or, you know…connect. Emotionally. In his very specific, deeply repressed winter-soldier way.” Yelena nods knowingly.

“Wow. So that wasn’t just about push-ups and punching bags,” Alexei says, reaching for popcorn someone definitely didn’t offer him.

On screen, Bianca disappears into her apartment and Bucky just…stands there. In the hallway. Like a man who’s already regretting not saying more.

“He likes her,” Bob says like it’s a breakthrough.

“Everyone likes her,” Ava mutters.

“I agree with John, he doesn’t like her like that. Not yet anyway.” Alexei shrugs.

“Do you think they’ve kissed?” John asks suddenly.

“If they had, we’d know,” Yelena says dryly. “The air would be different. The Earth would have tilted. Bucky Barnes kissing anyone voluntarily would disrupt the entire gravitational pull of the planet.”

They all go quiet for a second.

“We are so weirdly invested in this,” Ava murmurs.

“What are you guys doing?” Bianca randomly appears behind them and Yelena quickly closes the screen.

“Watching…um, Love Island.” Bob nods.

“Oh, okay.” She says plainly.

“Where did you come from?” Ava asks.

“Portal. I can’t find my phone anywhere. I need to call my publicist.”

Bianca starts to look around with everyone’s eyes on her. She’s still a mystery to them all. They know the fame stuff about her. They know most of her backstory. They know that the Avengers took her in when she was a 17-year-old runaway, coming down from space. They know she has two sisters and one of them was brutally murdered by her father.

And they obviously know all about her father. But they don’t know about her personality at all.

She lifts one of the couch cushions and shakes it out with zero hope. Then checks under the popcorn bowl. No phone. She doesn’t notice how quiet everyone’s gotten. Not yet.

“You guys didn’t take it, right?” she asks distractedly.

“No!” they all say a little too quickly.

She squints at them, suspicious but tired. There’s glitter on her cheek and a scrape on her knuckle. Somehow she still looks like she just walked off the cover of a magazine.

“You okay?” Yelena asks carefully.

“I’m always okay. It’s my most annoying trait.” Bianca shrugs.

She flashes a quick smile, but it doesn’t quite reach her eyes. Then she kneels to check beneath the coffee table.

“She says that like it’s a joke,” Ava whispers under her breath, “but I don’t think it is.”

“She’s been through a war,” Alexei mutters.

“More than one,” John adds.

Bianca suddenly straightens, triumphant. When they turn back to see her, she’s lifting the couch up with one hand and she just picked her phone up from under it.

“Ha! Got it. Under the couch. Of course.” She smiles.

“You’re like…really strong,” Bob tells her.

“My dad used to make me sword fight and train all day every day. I wouldn’t be allowed to stop training with my swords until my hands were cracked and bleeding. I’m one tough cookie.” She shrugs with a smile and walks away as if she didn’t just leave everyone horrified.

“She always acts like none of it touched her,” Bob finally says.

“Because if it did, she wouldn’t be able to move,” Yelena mutters. “That’s how people like us survive.”

“You think Bucky knows?” John leans forward, elbows on his knees.

“He knows. Not everything, maybe. But enough. That’s why he looks at her like that.” Yelena looks at him, her expression unreadable.

“Like what?”

“Like he’s afraid she’s going to shatter. And he’s even more afraid she won’t.”

 

 

Bucky doesn’t know what he’s doing. Waiting for Bianca like an idiot. He paces back and forth, occasionally punching the heavy bag like it’s going to give him answers.

He hates how restless she makes him feel. He hears her before he sees her, soft humming, a tune he doesn’t recognize. Maybe something from the '80s or something she made up. It’s always a coin toss with her.

She strolls into the gym with mismatched socks, hair in two loose braids, wearing sweats that don’t match. Her phone’s tucked under her arm, and she’s still texting someone as she enters.

“Nice of you to show up,” he says, though there’s no bite in it.

“I was emotionally unraveling,” she replies casually, tossing her phone onto the bench. “And also I couldn’t find matching socks.”

He watches her stretch out one leg, then the other, like she didn’t just casually mention emotional unraveling in the same breath as socks. She always does that. Lays the truth down like a punchline.

And this girl in one Snoopy sock and one Rapunzel sock is confusing him.

“You okay?” he asks after a beat.

“Yep.” She cracks her neck and stands. “Ready to get beaten up? Being a superhero is really weird.”

“Yeah, let’s go.” He sighs, widening his stance.

“Your balance is all off, that’s your issue.” She tells him as she lunges at him.

“Oh really? Maybe it’s because I have a huge metal arm attached to my body.” He groans.

“You’re not using your core,” she says, circling him.

“I have a metal arm , not a metal abdomen ,” he shoots back, dodging her next hit.

“You could’ve just said thank you for the free coaching,” she teases, ducking under his swing and tapping his side with two fingers. “That would’ve been more polite.”

“I don’t do polite when I’m being bullied,” he grumbles, already sweating.

“You think this is bullying? Bucky, please. I haven’t even made fun of your grumpy little warm-up playlist yet.” She grins.

“There’s nothing wrong with Johnny Cash.” His eyes narrow.

“There’s nothing wrong with Johnny Cash,” she mimics in a deep voice, lunging again, this time, he catches her wrist.

For a second, they’re both frozen. His hand wrapped around her arm. Her eyes dart up to his. It’s not the grip that stops her. It’s the way he’s holding her like she’s breakable.

“Don’t do that,” she says, quieter now.

“Do what?”

“Look at me like I’m gonna fall apart.”

He doesn’t answer right away.

  Instead, he lets go gently. Too gently. She exhales and takes a step back.

“I’ve seen you lift a car with one hand,” he mutters, looking away. “And I’ve still never met anyone more fragile.”

“I’m not,” she says softly.

“I know,” he replies, even softer.

  Another long pause. The gym hums with silence. Somewhere far away, a vent clicks on.

“Training. Not therapy. And anyway, Bob Dylan is better.” She tells him before going for another hit.

“Three times a week,” she repeats, shrugging mid-punch. “And somehow I’m still like this.”

She jabs again, and this time he dodges with a low grunt.

“Isn’t that excessive?” he mutters, trying to sound casual but clearly stunned.

“Depends on your trauma rating,” she says breezily, ducking low and swiping his leg out from under him. He hits the mat with a thud.

“I’m what they call a gold-tier mental health crisis. High maintenance. Lots of feelings. And swords.” She offers him a hand.

He takes it but doesn’t let go right away when he’s back on his feet. His fingers curl slightly around hers before he realizes it and lets go.

“You make jokes about it,” he says, not accusing, just observing.

“Yeah. It’s that or scream into a void.” She glances at him. “You should try it sometime.”

“I scream internally,” he deadpans.

“Classic.” She snorts. They circle again, slower now.

“I didn’t mean it,” he says suddenly.

“Mean what?” She blinks.

“That thing I said. About you being fragile.” He clears his throat.

“Yeah, you did. But it’s okay. You didn’t mean it like an insult.” Bianca tilts her head, not smiling for once.

“I meant…” He exhales like the words are heavy. “I meant that sometimes I forget how much you’ve been through. Because you walk around like you’re fine. Like none of it touched you.”

“It did,” she says. “But I don’t want it to be the only thing people see when they look at me.”

He nods. Quiet again.

“You know,” she adds after a beat, tossing him his water bottle, “for a guy who says this isn’t therapy, you’re weirdly good at it.”

“Don’t tell my therapist,” he says.

“Three times a week, Barnes. Come on. Live a little.” She smirks.

“Maybe once.” He grunts.

“That’s the spirit.” Bianca brightens. She throws a towel at him. He catches it, but she’s already walking away, braids bouncing, mismatched socks padding across the mat like it’s a runway.

And all he can do is stand there, towel in hand, watching her like he’s still trying to figure out how she’s real.

“I can do a cartwheel, do you want to see?” She giggles before doing it anyway, doing a double cartwheel across the mat to him.

He just stares for a moment. Sometimes he wonders what her squirrel brain sounds like. She’s smart, very intuitive, but her brain probably sounds like a bouncy ball in there.

“Let’s go again.” He sets his water down.

“Round two: Metal vs. Mayhem.” She says in a video game announcer voice and he can’t help but smirk.

“Metal vs. Mayhem?”

“Our team-up name, Metal and Mayhem. Isn’t it sick?” She asks as he stands closer to her.

“Metal vs. Mayhem?” he repeats, raising an eyebrow.

“Yeah,” Bianca grins. “You’re Metal. Obviously. And I’m Mayhem. Because, well-” she gestures to her entire self: mismatched socks, braids, glitter still faintly on her cheek. “Look at me.”

“I don’t hate it,” he says as they take their stances again.

“Careful, that almost sounded like affection.”

They start slow, feints, blocks, light jabs. She’s quick. He’s precise. It’s familiar now, like a rhythm they’ve settled into. A quiet kind of trust.

“Don’t go easy on me just because I did a cartwheel,” she warns, ducking under his swing.

“I’m not,” he says, then adds, “you’re annoying.”

“That’s my other superpower.”

They trade a few more blows, Bucky flipping her over and onto her back but she hits the weak spot behind his knee and he’s down with her. She grabs onto his shoulder and flips him back over.

“I have night terrors.” He admits as he gets on one knee to get in another hit that she blocks.

“Don’t we all?” She pauses, unsure if she heard him right. He shakes his head slowly.

“Not nightmares. Night terrors .”

She doesn’t say anything at first. Just moves, blocks, pivots, and ducks under his arm. But her expression softens. They circle each other again. Sweat starting to form at their temples. Breathing heavier.

“I’ve started waking up screaming,” he says suddenly, barely above a whisper. She stumbles, not from a hit, but from the weight of his words.

“I don’t even remember falling asleep. But I wake up yelling. Like I’m back there. With them. Hydra.” He doesn’t stop.

Bianca lowers her hands, but he doesn’t. He keeps his guard up like he’s scared of what happens if he drops it.

“I feel the chair under me,” he continues, his voice rough. “The restraints. The cold. I can hear them prepping the needle. And I can’t breathe. It’s like it’s still happening.”

She steps forward slowly, gently pushing his arm down.

“Is that why you don’t sleep?” she asks, her voice soft but steady.

He nods once.

“I get it,” she says. “I used to wake up screaming too. But I didn’t have anyone to tell.”

“You still scream?” he asks, like he’s surprised.

“Sometimes,” she admits. “It feels so real. Like I’m back in the weird tube thing I’d be in getting my ‘enhancements’, whatever they were. It’s like I can still feel them removing parts of me and putting in the better parts. Or sometimes I’m back fighting my sisters. Whichever one of us won would get to eat for the night. I always won. But we’d go back to my room and we’d share. I remember one time we got caught. We didn’t eat for almost two weeks.”

They stand there a moment. Still catching their breath. Still technically in a sparring stance, but neither moving.

  Bianca raises her fists again.

“C’mon, Barnes. Round three.”

“Metal and Mayhem?”

“Versus our trauma.” She nods.

[youkaigakkou-tl]

The TRUTH behind the soul pieces

Preamble: I started writing this expecting nothing, but I actually found something??? not clickbait???? gone right???

Warning: the expected reaction of reading this is “damn. I’ve never seen someone grasp harder at straws” and “I dunno about this one chief”

So. "The soul pieces aren't exactly what we're told they are" is an idea I've had for a while now. (I wouldn’t even call it a theory, it’s just a passing thought.) Not that "they're manifestations of Haruaki's traits" is wrong, but I think there's more to them than immediately obvious. I just haven't talked about this much because even I don't fully buy into it and it kinda verges on horoscope-type confirmation bias territory. It’s kind of a, I THINK there’s more to it but I don’t know what exactly is more.

A brief recap

First one shown is his "worldly desires", animal trio vs Seiryuu.

Second is his "freak athleticism", that Kurahashi's team and Ebisu just ran into.

With just these two he runs off to find Sano

Third is his "cowardice", found by Sano's team and Byakko, which gets away and hides in Sano's pocket.

Fourth is his "memory", originally found by Hijita's team and Genbu, which gets picked up by Genbu and then the whole Heian flashback happens.

And last is his "intelligence", which for some reason is also the one that can use his exorcism power.

So immediately a couple details stood out to me.

Why is "memory" here?? I wouldn't call that a trait exactly??

Also, when it first broke apart and flew off in five directions, it's specifically pointed out that it's "like a five pointed star" (even though it's not really if you look at the actual locations on a map lol)

And the sticking point, if it was as clean and simple a split as “Haruaki’s traits”, why do the traits bleed into each other? “Athleticism” is into sailor uniforms too, and “Cowardice” and “Intelligence” are pretty quick by themselves. Also, even without his “Memory” at the time, he remembered that conversation with Seimei in ch87.

The five pointed star detail, considering everything in the arc heavily relates to the Four Gods and Seimei's star, which relates to Wuxing, almost begs to be referencing that too.

What is Wuxing?

Wuxing, five elements, five phases, gogyo, whatever other name for it: I’ve talked about it briefly in my Kyoto arc analysis

(Wait. Is this actually all I mentioned regarding Wuxing in that analysis???? This tells you nothing!!)

(Tbh I think I had a longer explanation about it but I cut it because I thought it was irrelevant)

Wuxing 五行, roughly translated as five elements or phases, is a concept that comes from Taoism. The five elements are Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal and Water and describes the interactions between them. Here’s the wikipedia page if you really want to get into the details.

The “xing” means movements/moving, and the entire concept of Wuxing comes from the five classical planets’ (Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn) movements affecting… things? In general? (It’s horoscopes)

In fact, the names of those five planets in Chinese and Japanese are tied with the Wuxing:

Mercury = 水星 water star

Venus = 金星 metal/gold star

Mars = 火星 fire star

Jupiter = 木星 wood star

Saturn = 土星 earth star

You’re taught these as a kid but not the reasoning behind it (because it’s hella irrelevant lmao) but I guess it kinda makes instinctual sense? (Venus = yellow, Mars = red, Jupiter = stripes, like tree rings?? Saturn = brown. Mercury = it looks like there’s rivers? idk how much detail they were seeing in the BC times)

And just to sate curiosity, the planets that were discovered after telescopes were invented are just based off the English names

Uranus = 天王星 sky god star

Neptune = 海王星 sea god star

Pluto = 冥王星 underworld god star

By the way, this is also why the days of the week are named after elements in Japanese; it’s not actually the elements, rather it’s referring to the celestial bodies: those 5 planets + the moon and the sun. It’s the classical Chinese system that Japan adopted around the 5th century AD, and they haven’t changed it since then. (Chinese uses stuff like “weekday 1” for monday now.) And China itself adopted the Greco-Roman system of the 7 day week, days named after celestial bodies around the 4th century AD, which is also why the planets and days line up if you look at the English and Japanese names now.

Would be crazy if they independently decided to have 7 days in a week and name days after celestial bodies and assigned the same planets to the days huh.

(Also, TIL from looking at this chart that the sun (taiyang) is indeed called that because it’s the “great yang star”, and the moon is called the “great yin star”, you know, like yin-yang)

I’m remembering why it’s so hard to research and write about this stuff now. Everything is so inextricably connected to everything else its hard to talk about one thing in isolation. Thanks for indulging my astronomy tangent I love astronomy.

(I always got saturn on da mind when I think about Seimei cus of this art…)

The only useful part of this essay

So. Wuxing. Here’s a pretty standard diagram of it so it’s easier to visualise

There are five types of processes Wuxing describes:

Generating: Wood feeds fire

The reverse side of generating: Fire burns wood

Regulating: Wood grasps earth

Excessive regulating (destruction): Wood depletes earth

The reverse side of regulation (exhaustion): Earth rots wood

And here’s a full list of it, from wikipedia

With this in mind, you’ll notice that it pops up all over the place in Kyoto arc!

If we take lightning as aligned with metal (because Byakko = metal = lightning user), this is the regulating interaction of metal -> wood

Metal cuts wood, but wood also dulls metal

Water… nourishing wood….???

Water destabilizes earth

(“This is just pokemon lol” WRONG!! Pokemon types and every other element system in videogames came from Wuxing!! (Or Godai))

Back to the soul pieces

So you see, it’s incredibly tempting to connect the five soul pieces with the five elements of Wuxing. It’s basically begging for it. The Wuxing has been associated with lots of things that come in sets of five, including things like senses, tastes, smells, emotions, mental qualities, periods of one’s life, body parts. It has applications in divination and traditional chinese medicine after all. If there was a clear, 1-to-1 match between the soul pieces and the elements, you bet I would have talked about it more by now. But the connections are tenuous at best, and even I don’t really believe it. They might, probably, just be the traits we’re told they are. So this really is just to humor myself, and maybe someone can glean something more from this.

Let’s lay out the things surrounding the soul pieces:

“Desires” was at Arashiyama (a bamboo forest) and Seiryuu was present, both associated with Wood

“Athleticism” was at Ginkaku-ji (silver pavilion), none of the four gods were present, no obvious element associations here.

“Cowardice” was at Mount Kurama (mountain = earth?), Byakko was present (metal?)

“Memory” was at Kiyomizu-dera (clear water temple), and Genbu was present, water association

“Intelligence” was at Kinkaku-ji (gold pavilion), and none of the four gods were present initially. (gold = metal?)

The other thing I’ve yet to mention is all the soul pieces seem to be of different points in Haruaki’s life. (Well. Four of them at least.)

“Desires” and “Athletics” seem to look and act younger (as much as you can tell with chibis…), both wearing simple t-shirts, and “Athletics” t-shirt and shorts look like what Haruaki wore as a kid in the Miki arc flashback. Adding on to that, we’re constantly told how into sailor uniforms Haruaki was as a little kid (literally whenever his childhood gets brought up: Mamaaki talking about it in ch8, him saying his first cry as a newborn was “sailor uniform” in ch43, the ch51.5 extra) (ok to be fair. his sailor uniform fetish gets brought up at every opportunity. but i feel like it’s Pretty emphasized here) Also I feel like “Desires” especially talks like a kid.

Meanwhile “Cowardice” and “Memory” are dressed the way he currently does, and “Cowardice” seems to parallel the way Haruaki was at the start of the series. It’s Sano’s team that runs into him, he acts like how Haruaki did early on just amped way up, and he ends up hiding on Sano.

IQ-kun… still don’t know what to make of him and how he fits into this lol

Put like this, doesn’t it almost seem like, in the order they appear, they represent points in Haruaki’s life too?

Or, this could all be nothing, because they’re all wearing the same thing in the jacket for Volume 14.

So anyway, from this angle, it seems like Desires and Athletics line up fairly cleanly with Wood and Fire respectively, but Cowardice, Memory and Intelligence are a little murkier. Cowardice only somewhat lines up with Earth, and both Memory and Intelligence could align with Water, while Memory could also be Metal. (I dropped the quotation marks bc they were getting distracting)

Here’s a diagram to illustrate.

(See it’s kinda, pick-and-choosey, horoscope-type shit)

Immediately a couple problems arise. First and most majorly is the horoscopey-ness of it all. And then there’s the matter that, if the four gods represent four out of five of the elements and earth is the outlier, wouldn’t it also make sense if IQ-kun as the outlier would be assigned that?

There’s also the possibility that the first four are a set, and IQ-kun makes up the “yin” to the rest of Haruaki’s “yang” (But then what would the first four correspond to individually? idk….)

We’re getting nowhere with this analogy, so let’s look at some adjacent philosophies in sets of five, just for fun, and see if they line up any better.

Traditional Chinese Medicine

This one is the most related to Wuxing, there are five main “organs” in TCM that have associated Wuxing elements. They might be called the same names as the anatomical organs, but they’re actually more like concepts only roughly correlated with locations on the body. This is stuff codified thousands of years ago before modern knowledge of the human body, mind you.

Heart (fire): stores the “aggregate soul” (the mind)

Spleen (earth): governs transportation of qi and blood, and governs muscles and limbs

Lung (metal): stores the “po 魄” (physical soul)

Kidney (water): responsible for willpower or fear

Liver (wood): governs free flow of qi, blood and emotions. Stores blood, which stores the “hun 魂” (ethereal soul)

(The wikipedia page I linked has more in depth descriptions)

And if we sorta line up the attributes…

Desires = Liver/wood

Athleticism = Spleen/earth

Cowardice = Kidney/water

Memory = Lung/metal

Intelligence = Heart/fire

Something like this? It doesn’t line up particularly nicely either, and certainly doesn’t line up with the first theory…

But reading up on this actually brought something useful to my attention: the concept of “hun” and “po”

See, there’s this Chinese compound word “hun po 魂魄” that generally just means “soul”, but if you get really semantic they’re two different types of souls?

The “hun” is the yang-aligned “ethereal soul” typically understood as the wits/mind of a person, whatever constitutes the personality, and is the part of the soul that leaves the body on death.

The “po” is the yin-aligned “physical soul”, sometimes described as the “baser animal spirit” of a person, and is attached to the body.

This could explain why Haruaki’s soul is also Seimei’s soul, but also Seimei is in the underworld?

This scene I got real hung up about in my Kyoto arc post?

It lining up and being a reasonable explanation is one thing, but whether sensei is deliberately referencing a property of Chinese linguistics that doesn’t have an equivalent in Japanese kanji is another thing. And honestly, I could see Tanaka “I’ll have to read up on Chinese history, but off the top of my head Byakko and Seiryuu are from 4000BC and Suzaku and Genbu are younger” Mai could and would do it. (Good god, what I wouldn’t give to see sensei’s notes. Yohaji fanbook explaining every cultural reference PLEASEEEE IM BEGGINGGG)

Godai

Godai (“the five great (elements)”), while also a thing with five elements that features prominently in Japanese culture, differs from Wuxing in that it originates from the concept of Mahābhūta in Indian Buddhism, and features Fire, Water, Earth, Wind and Void. It’s a more inert definition and describes the elements as building blocks, contrasting with Wuxing which is more concerned with the balancing and interaction between the elements and the changes they cause in each other.

Godai also isn’t ever depicted as a star (and Wuxing is only depicted as a star as a byproduct of all the arrows denoting the interactions, sometimes the 5 elements are arranged like the 5 side of a dice with lines connecting everything) and is typically depicted as a Gorinto, a stone structure.

In order from top to bottom, it goes Void, Wind, Fire, Water, Earth, and represents the structure of the universe in Buddhism.

So. Attributes and if they line up any better.

Earth: unmoving, stability

Water: fluidity, adaptability, motion

Fire: passion, power, energy

Wind: growth, freedom

Void: the spirit? thought? there’s not really a clear description of this one. To begin with, originally in Buddhism, it’s just said that “from void emerged air, from air emerged fire, (etc)”

I could see wind = Memory and void = Intelligence, but the rest… I dunno man

The five aggregates in Buddhism

And now, following the thread back from Godai, to the Buddhist concept of Skandhas, or the “five aggregates of clinging”, described as the five factors that make up a sentient being’s personality. (Hey, this sounds like it could be onto something here!)

The five aggregates are:

Form or matter: the material form of a person

Sensation or feeling: the five senses + intellectual sensation, and the feelings that occur whether pleasant, unpleasant or neutral

Perception: cognition and recognizing what has been previously noted

Mental formations: dispositions, or something that motivates a person to take action (or sometimes described as the influences of a previous life?!)

Consciousness: cognizance, or the base that supports experience, sometimes translated as mind, intelligence or life force

Wait… This kinda… lines up…? No way…?

Form = Athleticism

Sensation = Cowardice

Perception = Memory

Mental formations = Desires

Consciousness = Intelligence

This… kinda works? They all basically line up and it’s not too tenuous, and there’s enough matching details in the descriptions of the five aggregates that it’s kinda scary…?

I’ll be real, prior to writing this section I hadn’t actually read the descriptions of each of them too carefully (I had the tab open and roughly noted the descriptions kinda worked) and I entirely expected to end this essay with a “in conclusion: no conclusion i learned nothing lol” but there’s actually something here????

And Tanaka Mai is known to reference Buddhism a lot, so this could entirely be intentional…??? I’m kinda shaken rn tbh

I mean, I guess I should have looked to Buddhism first considering sensei’s track record, what with how the arc opened with Haruaki getting put under a waterfall to get rid of his worldly desires, and how 3 out of 5 locations were Buddhist temples, but Buddhism concepts usually use their Sanskrit names and I don’t know how to google for that… (making excuses. classic)

Um. Hope you enjoyed reading this and that you learned something? Here’s all the relevant wikipedia pages if you want to go down your own rabbit hole:

Wuxing (Chinese five elements)

Godai (Japanese Buddhism five elements)

Mahābhūta (Indian Buddhism five elements)

Hun and po (two concepts of souls)

Skandha (five aggregates that make up a person)

Twelve Nidanas (didn’t mention this one, but it’s related to skandhas)

If you read all this you should read all my other long rambly things too if you haven’t, they’re all under the #rambles tag 👍

[martialartslover7]

Why Asuka Deserves Better. #JusticeForAsuka

Oh, Asuka. My poor, dear Asuka. You were meant for greatness. You were meant, for so much more. Your second name only ended up becoming the subject of ridicule to the developers, despite them having breathed life into, with very clear intentions on making you a hidden MVP of the story.

No matter what any of these cringe dudebros in the FGC, the demented twits on Twitter, or the braindead Redditors claim about you, you are a character, that deserved to be on the top half of the totem pole.

You deserved to fight alongside Jin, Hwoarang and Xiaoyu, the main Tekken trio. You deserved to kick, at least ONE, of Mishima's asses, entirely on your own. You deserved to meet Jun, and maybe even train under her guidance to become a full-blooded Kazama, completing your training…

…You could have, you could have, it's all I can say with her. And it genuinely pisses me off, how she never evolved beyond what Tekken 5 showed to us. And listen, I know that, to many of you, she doesn't even seem like much "to begin with", but that's only because, you're not as invested as I am, much less in the character, and what she was truly meant to be, which, I am pretty sure, most of you just view as "shallow, coomer bait", or "gooner material for virgins".

Well, if you truly think that way, jokes on you, you're the true loser of this tale, as it just proves my point that, you're just a typical FGC shill, who is merely here for the ride, but not for the long term. Much less for the overall integrity of the game's integral core qualities, that made everyone else fall in love with it, in the first place.

And listen, I am fine with it, whatever floats your boat. But then stop trying to copy some pro player's opinion, like a mindless lemming, and then act so surprised, when people rightfully make fun of you for it. Whenever I see these people talking shit, I keep referring back to this meme right here:

But in all seriousness, since this is Asuka's birthday, and I want to clean up the trash, left behind by online circle-jerking sessions on any platform, claiming that "Asuka is just irrelevant, move on, buddy", allow me to take charge, and show to you, WHY Asuka always deserved to be relevant, in spite of the glaring evidence speaking against the argument. Lemme start with this:

When Asuka first debuted in Tekken 5, it became quickly clear, that her fighting style was a derivative, more up-front and aggressive version of Jun Kazama's style of martial arts. And if you really want to go there, I mean…

…Just look at her, man. This doesn't take a genius to realize: Her appearance, her design, the vibes she exuded, all of it, contributes to her feeling like a near-perfect, honorable and tasteful homage to Jun Kazama, who, by the way, at this point in the series, was declared "missing". She wasn't considered dead, just missing.

Not helped by the fact, that…

…Come on, look at her facial features, how can you NOT see a bit of Jun Kazama in her? Especially, when you put this in-game face model of hers…

…right next to Jun's facial model from the character select screen in Tekken 2. Am I being crazy, or do these look actually related, for real now? These two feel eeriely similar. And just for that alone, you could tell, the devs, at one point or another, certainly had bigger ideas with her.

But this is not where it ends. If it was, I wouldn't even be writing this stupid long thread.

Despite Asuka's ending in Tekken 5 being comical in nature, there is STILL some serious value to be found, a trace, a hint, of her being of far bigger importance than even the devs themselves ever gave her credit for…

…And seriously, sorry for going off-track about this, but, I am sure I am speaking on behalf of every Asuka fan, anywhere: FUCK. OFF. With this bullshit mindset of:

"Asuka was never meant to be a serious character, stop trying to pretend, there was ever anything salvageable about her, when all she ever was, is just a cringe, cliché moe anime tsundere girl with huge honkers and a rotten, loud-mouthed attitude, that makes me want to rip my ears off, every time she opens her mouth. Stop the cap. You probably just goon for her, in that case, you're a horny pedo, get outta my face." -- Every FGC shill on social media

And listen, I know, it probably was never exactly like this, but all the key- and buzzwords probably allign, because, I have been there, numerous times, especially in YouTube comment sections and Twitter. And it wasn't just limited to Asuka. This is a universal problem, that can be applied to all fighting game characters in general. We all know the drill by now, the moment you get confronted with the FGC, hoping to find at least one nerd, who is willing to partake in story discussions and theories like in the anime community, the majority of users will, 9 times out of 10, claim:

"I don't care about story in fighting games, no one should, it's a Nothing Burger. You cannot expect that quality from something, not meant to be played, all by yourself. Oh, by the way, I had sex with your grandma." -- Some loser pro player on social media

How. Fucking. Often. Did I hear this justification. ANYWHERE? Try to guess. Believe me, the count is too high to count at this point. Why are people THIS freaking boring in the FGC? Is the part about, "being so accepting of crushing mediocrity, and never wanting to wish for better" the most common commodity these days? You just want to play the game? Good. Then do me, and everyone else, especially yourself, a favor, and…

SHUT THE FUCK UP! NO ONE ASKED FOR YOUR MENTALLY IMPAIRED TAKES, WHEN YOU NEVER CARED TO BEGIN WITH! SHUT! UP!

But, now that I got THAT out of my system, back to Asuka. As I said, her Tekken 5 ending, despite not being much to go off of, is probably, the one and ONLY time, where we see Asuka, being at her absolute best, despite not being much to go off of, is probably, the one and ONLY time, where we see Asuka, being at her absolute best, despite the comical outcome, which, I am obviously going to cut away, because I didn't come here to waste everyone's time. I am glad to give reminders, here you go:

…and what happens after this? Does it ever get expanded upon? Does Asuka become relevant in any sort of way? Does she maybe get the chance to fight at Jin's side--

Oh, right. No, this is not what happened. What actually happened, is this:

And just seeing her laugh this maniacally like a psychopath, it just reminds me of this laughter right here, when Mephiles killed Sonic in 06, except, Lili's creation itself killed, what little left there was of Asuka's potential as a character, so, same thing:

But just wait, this isn't the only thing we came here for, and that is me dunking on Lili, which, at this point in time, has become far too easy for me, so I will leave that for some other time. For now, just a reminder: It never improved from here. Instead, it just got sadder, the more time passed. And for some reason, everyone is so accepting of it, despite Asuka's and Lili's """""rivalry""""" (or lack thereof, as, by this point, it feels more like an ongoing trainwreck, circus performance, than an actual rivalry to take seriously) feeling like a shittier "carbon copy" of Sakura and Karin.

A can of worms I may need to tackle in the near future...

Since it's her birthday, let us all come together, as Asuka fans, and celebrate, what makes her so great in the first place. And one of those things being:

Her badass attitude.

Ignoring her arcade ending for a moment, every other scene with her in Tekken 5, may it be either against Feng Wei or Jinpachi, was this: Peak. Not much else to add. And because I like being petty, I will gladly remind you all again, why I am saying this, no further comment needed.

THIS is why, many of us grew to love Asuka. Every situation she was put in, she just stood tall. She didn't feel even remotely intimidated by Feng's appearance, let alone Jinpachi, and he looks the most demonic. Any normal person would have just run away, but she never did. And considering she managed to "heal" Jin afterwards, her Kazama blood actually meant something here, which leads me to assume, her fight with Jinpachi must have been insanely one-sided. It's not much, but considering the implications of her ending, and Kazuya's ending in Tekken 4:

This was very likely, a setup for Asuka's character. Considering that, it never openly specified, how pure-blooded of a Kazama you need to be, to have this level of power potency, to match and reject the Devil Gene. Especially since, Jin had always been more Mishima, than Kazama, even by blood. And even if, Asuka just so happens to be from a Side Branch of the Kazama family, this doesn't really change anything, the consistency still alligns with what we have learned. And again, someone like Jin, who was more on the dominant Mishima spectrum, still managed to keep his own powers under control, thanks to his mother's Kazama DNA...

...for a while, at least.

Meaning, as things stand, Jun is not the only one, who was able to keep Kazuya's Devil Gene under locket, to give herself a fighting chance against him. And if Jun managed with him, then surely, Asuka must have done the same to Jinpachi.

And again, I am fully aware that, this is all purely speculation, but the points still stand, even if it doesn't get on-screen confirmation, the implications still hold weight, even now, despite all the retcons. A hidden W for us, Asuka fam. Yay!

(Megumin, because her English VA, Erica Mendez, is just pitch perfect for Asuka, should Bloodline ever get a season 2, don't @ me)

Also, another reason, why we love Asuka, even in some non-canon material, are scenes like this:

*cough* Ahem, considering the thumbnail, I am looking respectfully, please don't smack me, Asuka.

But leaving my bonobo monkey brain thoughts aside, this ending may not be canon, but let's be real: Does it even matter? THIS is the Asuka we are all looking for. She may be a tough cookie, but this ending shows another major strength of hers, that alligns with what we know from her in the canon games:

Her pure soul.

Sure, she throws punches, and yes, she is brash in her wording, but here, as you can see, she doesn't immediately throw herself into the frey, coming at them swinging. She remains patient, even with said patience gradually dwindling with them, because, we all know, mobsters suck. She has a perfectly good reason to get moody on them, but she chooses not to, at least, not the moment she arrives. That only proves one thing: She might be a vigilante, but getting violent on people is not something she likes doing regurlarly, unless, she isn't even the aggressor in the situation.

In fact, despite being given no incentive to do so, she still decides to show empathy to them, and promising to let them off the hook, if they start behaving from now on. Whether that's truly effective or not, considering that we are talking about Yankees here, that's a different question entirely. The point is: Asuka remains the bigger person, first and foremost, despite living in a hostile, unfriendly environment. If that doesn't make you sympathize with her, then, allow me to remind you, WHY she decided to join the 5th tournament in the first place:

Her father.

That makes her stand out: While most competitors in the series join for monetary gains, in hopes of gaining control of the Mishima Zaibatsu, or just becoming famous...

...AND DESIRING VENGEANCE ON A FUCKING MISHIMA FOR THE UPTEENTH TIME...

...Once again, another sympathy point to garner from her: She is not fighting for any grand goals, she just wants to get penance on the person, who dared to lay a hand on her family. That simple action by itself, speaks volumes of Asuka's overall character. The fact, that she goes this far, in joining a tournament, which has become infamous for being more of a macabre bloodsport than an actual tournament, while she was barely around Xiaoyu's age, too...

This girl, will gladly lay her life down for you, if you're family to her.

Again. The Jun Kazama parallels just keeping coming with this attitude of hers. She knew her life was at risk, just by joining this damned tournament, and yet, she didn't give a damn. She joined regardless. That alone tells you EVERYTHING you need to know about her character basics.

And another point to be made about her:

She is genuinely hilarious. Check her out.

Screw this moronic slapstick humor, where everyone gets turned into a butt monkey for no reason...

I AM LOOKING RIGHT AT YOU, HARADA.

Another reason why I love Asuka: Every situation she gets put in, even when she is the one being made the "loser" of the situation, the way she reacts to all these ludicrous moments feels SO. FUCKING. RELATEABLE. Every time she is confronted with Lili, or she is faced with ridiculous circumstances, like pretty much all her interactions during the Scenario Campaign, she feels like my personal rage translator. The self-awareness she brings, is my jam. And the sarcasm she throws in Hwoarang's face is so freaking delightful, that moment still makes me laugh.

This is where you know: You know a character is good, when they become super relateable in instances like that. You don't need slapstick for this, just have them react in ways that any normal person would.

Another point for contention, and this is one where, if you think about it for a few moments, it just makes too much sense to happen, but you end up becoming sad, that it never got to that point. And that is this:

(Image done by JIN-XIA-HWO-ASK-STE)

These four look so good together as a team, anyone saying "No", you are just lying to yourselves. These four look like a dream team. And I am not just saying that from a design and aesthetic point of view, but also, well, Jin is the only Kazama in the team, that cannot keep his own powers in check, unless he went through very extreme measures to do so. This team needs one Kazama, that can keep his power in-line, preventing him from going haywire again, and risk the lives of Xiaoyu and Hwoarang. Asuka, is, if you will, the super glue, that keeps this trio together.

And though we never saw them interact as a unit, Asuka's prologue in Tekken 6, once again, shows that, despite having all the reasons to be spite- and resentful of her relative, for his actions having gotten negatively reflected back onto her, due to them sharing the same second name, by some freakish "misfortune", look at this:

...Do you see her having any killing intent? Like, does she truly want to exude true harm on her relative, despite everything he has done? Nope. And if it's presented in this sort of fashion, it becomes more than clear, she isn't taking herself TOO seriously. And I like that. She might be a good guy, but she isn't living any delusions, she is aware that her own behavior is not exactly acceptable, and as we established: Family first. Which is why, I am not sensing malice from her. She just wants to have an excuse to smack some sense into him, because, that is how she expresses: I care about you.

Oh, Asuka. We really don't deserve you.

But the biggest point of all...

...and I am sure, everyone is able to agree with me on this, on how to make Asuka the true complete package for an awesome character, forget Lili...

...we need a rivalry between her and Reina. I mean, do I even need to explain why? Just look at these two, and dare to tell me, this doesn't sound like peak story material.

(Image done by @_jelart)

Asuka - A heroic tomboy, fighting for others, never herself, and a Kazama, that purifies the supernatural evil

Reina - An evil tomboy, fighting for dominance, to assert herself above others, which is true to her Mishima nature, enforced by Heihachi, and bearing the Devil Gene (technically, she is a Hachijo, but that makes it more epic)

Kazama VS Hachijo.

Both are foils to each other, and unlike Lili, Reina is an actual challenge for Asuka, not just in terms of combat, but also differing backgrounds, how they were raised, and the clans they both come from. It's just perfect, man. Come on, Bamco, don't be cowards for real, do this. You will have a cash cow waiting for you. Anything to get away from this airhead blond.

Oh, also, another excuse for me to show off this amazing artwork, to match Reina's Devil form:

(Big thanks to @Raydash30 on Twitter for this, you rock, dude)

In conclusion, Asuka Kazama is a queen among queens. In all of fighting games to me.

No matter anyone says, she is deserving of so much more, and I will never forgive Harada for just shoving her into the background, that would be bad enough, but never even TRYING to resolve this "conflict" between her and Lili. This has gone very stale after a while. Like, I don't mind comedy with Asuka, but what you do, my dude, is the equivalent by putting someone in a torture chamber, and putting a laugh track over it. It's not fun, it never was, and it never will be. Outside of it having overstayed its welcome.

Even the white bread basic bitches in the community, who cannot tell the runs from apple sauce would be able to tell you, how old this has grown with these two. Just go on Reddit. OF ALL PLACES. Or in YouTube comment sections, whenever Asuka was a topic in any way. EVERYONE says the same thing: She was meant for so much more. If that doesn't set the tone, then I don't know what will.

YOU HAD ONE FUCKING JOB. ONE. FUCKING. JOB.

AND YOU FAILED HER. EVERYONE LOSES.

If you're interested, check out my video here of why Asuka deserves better, it's her birthday, and I pray to, whatever god is out there, if there even is one at this fucking point, that it will go up from here for her. I am not living any delusions though:

Other than that though, one video summarized Asuka's best core design aspects better than I ever could. And here it is. Check it out, it's very interesting how much thought was actually put into her, overall.

And for more details, if you need a cohesive timeline for all this, check out my Twitter thread for this.

And to end it off in an epic way, here is, what I call, Asuka's theme song for when she fully embraces the main character energy. Enjoy. Now go and do AMVs with dat shizz.

And with that...

Happy Birthday, Asuka. This one is for you.

(Image done by my bestie, Jared789 from DeviantArt)

PEACE.

[hyumjim]

On harm reduction and Google

I took the last of my percocet today, which was prescribed to me after a surgery I had last week. Unlike previous days, I took a normal dose of Adderall as well today since I wanted to get some things done, but I'm cramping a bit. In the interest of caution, I googled "percocet adderall interaction" before I took it, to make sure this would not be harmful to me (although my doctor, who has a list of every medication I take regularly, would certainly have said something if it was a problem, so maybe I shouldn't have bothered. But hey, more information can't hurt you, right?

Right?)

This single Google search has taught me a lot about how profit-seeking entities taking advantage of enshittification have made it extremely difficult and complicated to access basic health information.

The TOP RESULT (and of course the one Google showcased) was from some drug rehab program called "Alina Lodge," which said:

I ain't no city-slickin' doctor with no fancy degree, but that don't sound right to me. I am not taking New Jersey's Premier Residential Treatment & Detoxification Campus at their word here. It would seem to me that the amount of each drug you're taking would probably be a factor. Let's now look at the second result... also from a drug rehab program! This one is called Banyan Treatment Center in Florida.

This is much longer and written even more poorly than the first result! We have a straightforward "NO" despite the concession that doctors will in fact sometimes prescribe these drugs together... followed by a long list of the reasons why doing this will definitely kill you. "You" are presumed to be a person who is "abusing" prescription drugs here and thus acting irresponsibly. There is no accounting for the amount of the drug you are actually taking, and therefore no allowance for any situation outside of one where you are speedballing. Incidentally, I do think that people who are intentionally speedballing are probably less likely to google "adderall percocet interaction."

Anyway, the third result is Drugs.com, and here is what Drugs.com has to say about this.

Wow, that's a really different answer! And yes, it is the answer I am willing to trust, given that it is from a reputable source that aggregates trusted information rather than a for-profit rehab facility. (I don't know how much these places charge because there's no pricing info on their website; I can only think the answer is "a lot.")

If we continue scrolling, there's some irrelevant results and then, at number six, yet another rehab website warning us of the deadly nature of this combination. This one is from Desert Hope Treatment Center in Las Vegas.

This "article" is written better than the others and as you can see, it actually includes sources, something the other two rehab sites did not bother to do. The author is a clinical psychologist, although apparently not one that works at the Desert Hope clinic (she's based in New York) so I guess they are hiring out psychologists to write articles for their website for some reason.. which is just weird. Anyway, it lends this article a veneer of polish and authenticity (I mean, Alina Lodge gave no credentials for the author of their article, meanwhile Banyan's article was written by their fucking Director of Digital Marketing!!!) but make no mistake, it's still bullshit. I mean, it is a crazy statement. The accepted wisdom is that you should take drugs under the supervision of your doctor; this website is saying even that is dangerous! (There is no elaboration as to what this means exactly, it just moves to the next topic lol). So let's look at the citation: "Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2022, February 23). Polysubstance use facts." There's no link, so I can only assume they're talking about this little fact sheet from the CDC website. And what does that source say on the topic of prescription drugs?

Wow, that's not at all the same thing! That is a really shitty citation! Almost like these are not reputable sources of information, because they are ads. These are all ads, and I believe they are meant to make the reader feel like they have a drug problem, and the world is not safe for them, and they really need to go to expensive rehab right now. We'll come back to this later. It might be really obvious to you that these are ads, but they're dressed up to look like reputable medical sources (especially that last one), and a lot of people would not know the difference; particularly older people. This may be part of why every time I mention a medication to my mother, she tells me it's DANGEROUS.

Anyway, after another irrelevant result, at #8 we have GoodRx, which is a reputable source.

So exercise caution and look out for symptoms of serotonin syndrome, I got it! Finally some good fucking information. It turns out that I regularly take other medications that can cause serotonin syndrome too, so this is something I should be aware of anyway (although I think the risk is pretty low, or my doctors would have brought it up). As an aside, in the future I'll probably make use of things like the WebMD Drug interaction checker, where you can input any number of drugs and get a list of potential interactions in order of their seriousness. Of course, googling a potential interaction won't get you this tool or anything, because google sucks, as you know.

Back to our never-ending Google journey, I wanted to mention one more shitty result. "rehabcenter.net!" I hope you didn't think that my Google search was hampered by the lack of quotation marks, etc. That is the reason for some of the irrelevant results, which is why I later did a search with quotation marks around "percocet" and "adderall." With all the chaff removed, rehab center dot net shot up to #7 on the list! (Desert Hope also went up to #4, and GoodRx is simply GONE. Thanks, Google!) Now, you may be asking "what the hell is rehabcenter.net?" And I'm so glad you asked.

Rehabcenter.net is the property of Regard Healthcare, which owns several rehabilitation centers across the United States. Our dedicated team of treatment specialists will direct you or your loved one to these facilities if they believe it to be a good fit. All Regard Healthcare facilities uphold a quality of care rooted in accredited, evidence-based practices, and positive outcomes. (...) All the content found on Rehabcenter.net is originally created by a team of web developers, writers, researchers, marketers, and graphic designers. We pick topics of interest that are most valuable to our audience, and base them on search volume, relevance, and the latest research concerning addiction treatment. Content is fact-based and derived from credible sources such as medical journals, government agencies, and other relevant publications. (...)

GENERAL DISCLAIMER: RehabCenter.net is intended for educational purposes only and is not designed to provide medical advice of any kind. Any information found on RehabCenter.net should never be used to diagnose a disease or health problem, and in no way replaces or substitutes professional care. In the case of a suspected health problem, please contact your healthcare provider. The producers, contributors, sponsors, editors, and authors of RehabCenter.net have no responsibility or obligation to anyone (person or entity) for any harmful consequences that may happen, directly or indirectly, as a result of the content or information provided on RehabCenter.net.

This is somehow even slimier than anything previously seen here because rather than advertising for a single rehab facility, it's a fucking corporate entity. Despite all of these disclaimers, it is still very much pretending to give authoritative medical advice lol. The "article" that came up in our search has a little blue check indicating that it is "Trusted Content," and it was "medically reviewed" by a real(?) medical doctor! And what does it say about percocet and adderall, the two drugs that are currently battling it out in my bloodstream fighting to kill me?

It's very AI-generated, very DARE. And, to the point, none of this really applies to the people who I think are most likely to search for information about drug interactions, i.e. people who are using drugs for a medical/therapeutic reason. I also don't think any of this is actually helpful to "recreational" drug users or people with substance use disorders either. Because there is an obvious agenda behind these websites, it casts doubt on all of the information even if some of it is true. A harm reduction approach would actually help people who use drugs for any multitude of reasons, and potentially save lives, but this would mean presenting factual information in a non-judgmental manner, which is counter to the aims of these rehab websites, whose goal is to maximize their SEO and get people to pay for rehab. If someone is doing drugs while equipped with enough information to mitigate their risk of serious harm, then they're not in rehab, which is abstinence-only. So harm reduction is actually anathema to these people who are trying to profit off of addicts.

HELPFUL LINK ROUND-UP.

The National Harm Reduction Coalition's huge library of resources is great if you need or are interested in info for the safe use of illicit / non-medical / "recreational" drugs

WebMD drug interaction checker

[kilannad]

Musings on Dragon Age alla the Veilguard Controversy

I was talking with my brother after I finished Veilguard and its led to some Thoughts. For context, shortly after Veilguard came out and my dash became nothing but DA, I asked him if the games were worth playing; he said the first three were but the newest was shit and that I'd end up rage quitting quickly.

Naturally, that meant I played all four back to back.

Warning: I'm a literature major first and gamer second. My analysis/meta commentary reflects this. Spoilers for all four games below the cut.

this got stupidly long

I saw a post recently about how the greater theme of all Dragon Age games is Grief. Through all four storylines, it's the one thing they share, the uniting force of the series. I cannot agree more that Thedas is a setting about grief and the greater arc between games reflects that. However, that and the conversation with my brother had me reflecting on the story each game was individually trying to tell.

I'm setting aside the technical gameplay for each of these because while I think it helps tell the story, it's also largely reflective of what technology was like when each game came out and doesn't add much to the point I'm trying to make.

Origins

When you boil it down, Origins is a story about Duty. Someone, for whatever reason, is placed in an organization bound to protect Thedas and is then left nearly completely alone to do it. From the very beginning when Alistair looks to you to make a call in Lothering, it's people and the world asking for a choice and telling you this is your job. It's your choice. Can you live with it? Are you making the right one? Irrelevant. You are a Warden. The Warden. Alistair refuses to lead and you're the only other one left. You need to get allies to stop the Blight and that is the only thing that matters. Do you save the mages or damn them? Can you reconcile the werewolves and elves? Which king do you raise in Orzammar? Every decision you make ripples out and effects the world but you have to make them. The Blight must be stopped. How you get there is important because it changes the world but it doesn't matter because you end up in the same place anyway; fighting an Archdemon, stopping the Blight. You can be cruel, kind, aloof. It doesn't change it. This is your job, your Duty. You are the Warden and the Blight must end.

DA 2

Is there a word that means perseverance and failing anyway? If so, that's the theme of DA2. Inevitability, maybe. You lose your home. You lose your sibling. You go to a city where you're promised a better life and have to sell yourself in order to even get in and live in squalor. Every step you take, every day you live is about protecting your family and fighting for a better life. You collect strays because you are one and maybe together you can make everything a little better (the streets run red with blood). Surely going to the Deep Roads will fix things, will get your mother the life she deserves. (It does, but what is the cost? Unknowable, considering the next two games and the effect of the idol and red lyrium). If you earn enough respect from the Arishok, surely you can prevent bloodshed, can save the city. (You do but you're too late. People are already dead; the Viscount is already dead). Maybe, if you're quick enough, if you're smart enough, you can keep the city together. You're the Champion now, you have real power. You just need to be smart enough, funny enough, forceful enough. (It doesn't matter. Whatever steps you took don't matter and it is your fault. You blow up the Chantry as surely as Anders does no matter what because you let him get here. You promised to protect and you failed). You get up and do your best to limit the bloodshed anyway. But the match has been lit. The path has been laid out. (It's a tragedy. I could make a whole post about how the 3 Act structure lends itself to this story, but I'll save it for another time.) (This doesn't touch on the two DLCs. You have to wonder, years and years later. You are the reason Corypheus is freed. You are the reason those Qunari spies are never identified. Could you have stopped Dragon's Breath? Maybe.) (No.)

Inquisition

Faith. Not religious faith on whether you think you are Maker sent or not (see this for my thoughts on that), though that is important. But Faith in people. In the world. In what could be. Do you have Faith in Cassandra, Leliana, or Vivienne being the Divine? Do you have Faith in Bull? In Dorian's father? Do you have Faith in Solas? Do you have Faith in yourself? I've ignored gameplay for most of this post since it's not very relevant in most ways, but for DAI it is. It's open world for many reasons, most Doylistic, but it also lends itself to the weight and size of the story. The entire south is depending on you keeping the world together. You feel that in every minute you spend running around huge maps, doing a million little things. In a lot of ways, it's the sister game to Origins. But whereas Origins concerns itself with a singular, focused duty, Inquisition is about having Faith in making a better world. Sure you stop and make watch towers; after Corypheus is defeated, this area will still need protection. Why not help the draconologist? He's a good guy. Of course you help Valta go towards the Titan; she's a friend at this point. Every choice you make showcases whatever brand of Faith you carry, whether it be weary or reluctant or passionate. The world is changed by the Faith people have in you but just as equally as the Faith you have in the world.

Veilguard

Finally, we get here. The fourth, bastard child. The reason that I even started these games in the first place. Plenty of people have pointed out that what Inquisition is to Origins, Veilguard is to DA 2. That is a fair comparison I think in many ways, but also diminishes what Veilguard is trying to do. There's a lot of criticism towards the game (and much of it is very fair I think. There is no joy in engagement that isn't critical (meaning well thought out) and shit sometimes needs to be called out) but that being said, I think some things need to be taken in good faith.

The atmosphere: I've seen many a complaint that Veilguard removes the 'dark fantasy' elements that were so beloved in various previous games. Do I think some of the factions were sanitized for the sake of time and staying focused in a way the other games didn't do? Absolutely, yes (Minrathous, looking at you). HOWEVER I don't think that means it stopped being dark fantasy, or magically stopped feeling like Thedas. Did we all see D'Metas Crossing? Treviso/Minrathous? Harding/Davrin??? DA games have always been hilarious (Morrigan and Alistair banter comes to mind, to say nothing of the Bull/Inquisitor BDSM scene) while still feeling real and I don't think Veilguard loses this at all if you're willing to enjoy it for what it is.

Consequences from previous games: this one... this is my biggest pet peeve with the game. Zevran, Fenris, Merill, Hawke/Warden choice... this game is so big (geographically) that there were a million ways to have more of an impact from whatever world state you have. On one hand, I understand that it might take away from the story being told (see below) but on the other I think a few more lines of dialogue, possibly by these characters themselves, would fix a lot of problems about the factions being sanitized that people have complained about. I wasn't part of the development and don't have the knowledge to know if there's a doylist explanation for this.

Personality/choice impact: I've seen some complaints that even the 'mean' options aren't actually that mean and the game hard-fixes you into an archetype. I've also seen complaints that most of the important decisions are near the end game and thus aren't felt near as much as in some previous games. These are both very fair criticisms that are completely understandable. However, I do think there is a reason for them, whether you think it's a valid reason or not. See below.

Here is the crux on which all conversations about Veilguard's plot must rest: what story is it telling? Origins is about someone forced to carry a duty they did not ask for. DA 2 is Some Guy (gn) fighting for a life and life fighting back. Inquisition is an accidental miracle doing everything they can to save a world on the brink of ruin. But Veilguard?

Veilguard is a story about a reluctant hero. If Origins is Duty, DA 2 is Inevitability, and Inquisition Faith, then Veilguard's theme is Responsibility (which is not the same thing as duty). Rook gets hired. That's their problem, that's what sucks them in. They don't even have Hawke's excuse of coming to a place for a better life anyway. Varric finds them on the street (so to speak) and drags them along. And then he dies (not that they realize it) and suddenly the world is ending and it's their problem! There's a conversation where Solas asks you why you're leading the Veilguard and one of the options is you saying because someone has to step up. That's the whole point of Veilguard, the whole story that is being told; the world is ending and you have to be the Hero. Like with all the games, the companion quests all relate to the main theme. Bellara has to take responsibility for her brother and deal with the consequences. Neve takes responsibility for Dock Town. Lucanis for his cousin specifically and then the Crows as a whole. Taash for their identity, Harding for her lost heritage, Emmrich for his life (one way or another), and Davrin for the griffins and also what it means to be a Grey Warden. It all comes back to this one question: if I have to step up, what does that look like?

Rook has to save the fucking world and they did not ask for this. They aren't like the Warden, who was the only choice left. They aren't Hawke, who is fighting for their family and friends and home. They are closest to the Inquisitor, who was also chosen to save the world seemingly by accident, but crucially the Inquisitor had no choice--they had the anchor. They had to be involved with the Inquisition, one way or another (which is why they aren't actually the Inquisitor until after the first act ends and you end up at Skyhold). Rook?

Rook could walk away. Rook has every right to say fuck this and walk away. Let Harding or Neve lead the Veilguard. The only thing stopping them from doing that very thing is the fact that Varric is their friend and has asked them to do this, to take on this responsibility. And that is enough.

A story depends on character motivation. This is especially true of every DA game; if they didn't find a way for the character to buy into the goal, then there is no story. It's the first rule of writing. Even as an asshole, the Warden is still caught in a duty they don't want but have to complete. Even aggressive, Hawke still has to protect their family. Even doubtful, the Inquisitor still has to stop their world from falling apart because they are literally magically infected by the disaster. Rook doesn't have any of that.

Rook can't be an asshole, or at least as much of one as in previous games, because then the whole story stops working. If Rook doesn't care, if they don't value the world, or their friendships, or at least their responsibilities, then why the fuck are we here? You can say that Solas is controlling them as much as the anchor forced the Inquisitor's hand (ha) but I don't buy it. He has to use constant manipulation tactics and hallucinating Varric just to get them to do as much as they already are. If they didn't care about Varric? If they didn't willingly reach out to Solas for help? No fucking way could he get them to do it.

And that means there is no game.

There is a term many of you are probably familiar with: railroading. I would find Veilguard guilty of this far more than any other game, though Inquisition comes close imo (another post for another time). However, I would equally argue it has to be. It is a story of a reluctant hero, forced to carry a responsibility they are not ready for and deal with the consequences. If you aren't willing to be a hero, if you aren't the underdog, if you don't deal with your responsibility, then there is no plot. There is no game. They could have put those conversation options in, but where would it get us? A hollow game without even a sense of internal consistency, which DA has long prided itself for.

Is it perfect? No. Could some changes have been made to alleviate these problems at least? Yeah, of course. But that's true of all the games. How many people complained about DA 2's repeated maps? Of DAI's obnoxious fetch quests? Of Origins' either or mentality for basically all the choices? Don't let its flaws blind you to the story being told. Because that is where it shines, just as all the Dragon Age games do. It's why we're all still here, being heroes even if we don't want to.

[theredqueens-blog]

I needed to pass my exams with high grades but I failed.I did scripting, visualizing and affirming 2 months but didn't work...I want to change my grades by revision. Please tell me how to do it step by step

Hi

Ok,a step by step would be choose what you want ➡️ decide is done and it's true right now ➡️ stand on your choice NO MATTER what you see in the 3d. From the moment you make your choice,anything that is not what you chose is not your problem. It's like ordering fried chicken and getting fried fish. Will you eat it? Will you say "well,I guess I'll have to eat it now,what else can I do?" NO! You're paying for this shit, you call the waiter and say "I ordered FRIED CHICKEN. This is no fried chicken,take this back and bring me my fried chicken!"

Now,there's a second part in this whole manifestation thing that people call self concept. Self concept is nothing but how you're thinking,how you're seeing yourself and the situations around you. Doesn't matter how much you do or don't do techniques,if you're thinking against yourself,against what you chose,say goodbye to whatever you want because it will either come and leave again,or it won't come and since you're thinking shitty thoughts your reality will give you even more shitty stuff to deal with.

So there's the first part,choose,stand in that decision,and the second part,think like the person who passed the exams. Any thoughts that don't align with the person that have passed their exames are IRRELEVANT. You passed you exames. Some little thought creep up like "it sucks so much didn't made it". NOPE. I.PASSED.THE.EXAMS. The fuck is this thought talking about? Weird.

Also,stop looking at the 3d for validation! I know this is how we were trained,looking outside for validation,for other people and stuff to validate us. Problem is that's not how reality works. Reality goes INSIDE ➡️ OUTSIDE. Reality FOLLOWS your perception. You go first. Looking out there will only give you more of the same because reality can only give you what you're perceiving and assuming to be true. If you look outside and say "yeah, I've been doing this for two months and nothing". Reality goes "you're SO RIGHT! Here some more proof you did it for two months and nothing! Always happy to help you 😊 "

And remember that there is no time,so it only have been two months and nothing if you say so. There's only NOW. You're new every second so choose your new reality at any moments it comes to your mind.

Hope this helps

[salvagesmha]

Altering the Final War's Battlefields

With the series done, one of the few things that took me until now to get to was basically a bit of a revamp of the Second War battlefields.

The problem with them in the long run for me is that, LOV members aside, there was just...no other major villain established in those fields to really give a shit about or really have a sense of dread about.

One of the major differences between the 1st and 2nd War is that, regardless of how you feel about the results of the 1st War, waltzing into it you understood that the Villains were very credible, established threats.

The League of Villains and their upgraded powers, the MLA top brass and knowing what havoc just one of them could do, the High End Nomus that lay in waitin production thanks to Ujiko, Gigantomachia being a living disaster, 100K soldiers who we know should be on par with regular Heroes from training and have put the LOV on the backfoot. YMMV on how the 1st War turned out, but walking in there was some solid anticaption and intrigue in how these elements would be used....

The Second War does not have that. Why? Because Horikoshi kinda just...gutted the PLF and didn't reaaaaaaallly bring suitable, built-up replacements for them?

High Ends that have personality and can think? Nope, back to just the dumbass Nomus who are just rampaging monsters...that's it.

The PLF soldiers? Literally just 100 people now and, even then, the jailbreakers they got to replace them are just...well, nothing, like I talked about here.

The top brass of the LOV/PLF? Most who could provide interesting fights or intrigue were taken away for just Skeptic...whose regulated back 'hackerman' only.

Replacing them are either AFO's Assassins or Advisors who are just ether not developed at all or just came in too late, beaten too quick and used too little to care about. Thus, it really makes them feel totally irrelevent to the other stuff going around during the war.

For all the talk of the Heroes being at a disadvantage, it certainly did not feel so with just...6 of the bad guys out of a hundred or so people would really care about.. As such, my list below is basically having major Villains take the spots of the Jailbreakers/Advisors as 'Bosses' of their fields so as to give each place a solid Villain to get invested in. In addition, also adding in more returning Villains to help make each place to feel 'alive' in a sense.

If you wanna see how I'd use the Advisors, for the most part (there's a few changes here), look here.

Central Hospital:

This is the most blatant change I feel works for the story better is Trumpet being the ‘Boss’ (or well, one of the Bosses) of Central Hospital. One of the issues in the that battle came about from Disgustus being shoved into two contradictory roles. The first, up until the midway through the battle, is an advocate of mutants that seemed to be genuinely hurt and bitter from the discrimination he’s implied to have gotten (as evidence by his scar)...except then we get to the second half. Which has his internal thoughts filled with how the PLF were just using the mob they gathered as tools and makes him just cartoonishly corrupt. 

Instead of him being forced into both, I think a good idea would have been for Trumpet to take the reigns as the corrupt leader, acting as a false sympathizer for the Heteromorphs, and Disgustus to remain as a genuine, if disdainful extremist. It gives a mook of the PLF more depth since it reminds the audience that a lot of the Villains walked down the path due to rough lives, and allows for their still to be a scummy Villain still to stop. Heck, I feel using Trumpet as the Boss also just makes some of the plot feel more coherent, since he can use his Quirk to not only boost the mob, but make them too frenzied up to really listen or notice something being off (like Spinner clearly being out of it due to the additional Quirks) or notice him clearly covering his ass.

In this case, it’s Shoji and Koda beating Trumpet that could allow for the mob splinter to really begin and stall, with the pig guy’s group merely being the final blow to crack the facade for good. As for Disgustus and the rest of Spinner’s crew, they can be defeated right before they could enter the hospital. Something that hurts Shoji and the others badly enough that the mob genuinely could have killed them if not for pig guy. Heck, to help with this option, I also raise Chimera from movie 2 to return, acting as extra muscle for the crowd and, given his own experience being discriminated against, be another pillar of change get the crowd motivated. While Shoji loses the first encounter against Chimera, this second time, he barely manages to defeat him and is in danger of being killed when help arrives.

On a minor note, more of the USJ crew returns, mainly the Heteromorphic side as well, perhaps trying to spread the idea that, from the beginning, the League of Villains was just trying to raise awareness and change…even though that was very much not the case XD

Boss: Spinner, Trumpet

Jailbreaker: Chimera

Advisors: Spinner’s Advisors

Return: Steel Bulwark, Invisible Wall, Chomper, Greedy Gaping Jaw

Okuto Island

Given this is Toga’s battlefield, there’s not quite too many changes I’d make here. I think the most blatant that could be done is make Moonfish, whose acting as the ‘Jailbreaker’ for the Okuto Villains, more prominent. If Kunieda and Gashly are allowed to wipe out or fend off multiple Heroes, than a guy whose supposed to be on par with them should really be allowed to cut loose and be more of a massive thorn for their side. Plus, since I also think League members should at least get at least a significant send-off, I think Tsu being the one to take him down would be a good way of giving her something major to do. In this case, Tsu uses her wits and camouflage to bait Moon into being more careless with his attacks. Something that leads to him leaving himself open to being stunned by her poison mucus before being knocked out.

Another change I’d make is including Eleph from the High Ends on this battlefield. I think it’d hit the point home how much of a gamble splitting hte Villains up from each other was, as there was always a chance one Villain could have a real advantage wherever they got sent to. In this case, Eleph’s quirk allowed him to suck in water to make fierce hydro attacks at his foes. 

On a lesser note, I’m also for Hanzo Suiden/USJ water thug to add to his mayhem since it should have been high priority for that water fucker to at do something threatening given that battlefield was his advantage. Perhaps’s he’s teaming up with Eleph to help boost the Nomu’s attacks? 

Likewise, for the Advisors section, I’m all for Toga having her #1 Advisor at the scene to help add to the pressure of Okuto.

Boss: Toga

Jailbreaker: Moonfish

Return: Hanzo Suiden, Minotaurus

Nomu: Eleph

Advisors: Toga’s #1 Advisor 

Kamino Ward:

Given that the purpose of this place is that it doesn’t have any Major Jailbreakers, only real major tweak I would make for this is that Ribby replaces the NHE here. I think it’d be fitting if the High End assigned to Dabi was also an ax-crazy killer Nomu that wouldn’t give a shit to being set on fire and is just enjoying the chaos of the War. SImilar to the anime, Ida’s attacks with Ribby, alongside someone like Burnin, are what eventually gets him to go down.

Honestly, I’d probably include Starservant and Ending since both were Dabi’s grunts during the EA arc, and it’d be nice for them to assist their boss once more. Plus, both fit the theme of being crazed Villains unconcerned for their lives, like the other two above as well. Not that I think they’d be a major help, but it’d give some familiar faces the audience would recognize and help care more about the battlefields beyond just the final Boss taking up a major focus.

Boss: Dabi

Nomu: Ribby

Return: Starservant, Ending, Sharkyonara (RIP poor bastard), One-Eyed Green Dragon, Sickle Claw

Advisor: Dabi’s 1st ranker

Jaku Ruins:

To take the place of Skully of the Jaku Ruins battlefield, I raise you Geten. Honestly, I think this is the most natural choice as the Face of Jaku Ruins given how Skully shares Geten’s ‘Quirk Makes Right’ mindset and I think it’d hit more for Mina trying to reason with Geten about how both were fighting for their fallen mentors (in this case Re-Destro) than her trying to resonate with a character who hasn’t really been given his due at all. It’d especially hit harder given RD is basically Geten’s Dad too, so ice boy’s attempts at freeing Machia is coming from a placed of enraged love like Mina had.

As the Jailbreaker of Jaku, I raise Slice as being the sort, mostly to act as a villain against Mina, and would be in a similarm indset to geten about trying to avenge a loss loved one + getting payback on Mina while she was at it since it was her acid that cost her the first fight.

Likewise, in this case, all three of Geten’s Advisors + Dabi’s #2, will be at Jaku. Skully is there to work with Bindi Girl into creating gas that’ll keep their forces safe. Geten’s #3 can probably utter his mammonist line from overhearing about the Heroes plot, and be apart from the first wave of the Jaku villain forces to intercept the Heroes (before being taking out fairly easily - he’s No. 3 for a reason after all). As for Geten’s #1…well, he’’ likely just be there for Geten to bounce ideas off and defend the Commander against enemy attacks.

Now, on the returning Villain side, I’m surprised Giant Villain wasn’t brought back to rematch Mt. Lady. He’ll not be as strong as her, but he can keep her busy after she stomped through a good number of their guys. And, like in canon, Sludge Villain can stay and do his thing. Also, as apart of the first wave, Teruo’s here…to probably be one-shot immediately again, but he will be there XD

Boss: Geten

Jailbreaker: Slice

Return: Sludge Villain, Giant Villain, Teruo Hazakashi (Naked Guy), Axer, Stitched Giant

Advisors: Geten’s Advisors, Dabi’s #2 Advisor

Troy Parking Lot

Now this is one of the trickier locations since it’s pretty just one of the ‘spares’ of the battle. But, ultimately, I think it can work to be something even more meaningful than in canon. In this case, I want Mr. Compress to be left behind here. The support of the League faceing off against pretty much the spares of the Heroes trying to mop up the last of the resistance. Plus, it’s not like Compress doesn’t have a Hero of his own he has beef with. Aoyama was the reason his plan to capture both Bakugo and Tokoyami went screwy, and given Aoyama comes from a rich family that his ancestors would have likely stolen from, well…there’s a lot fun you can have between these two brawling out.

The way I see it, Kunieda makes his plants like in canon, and thanks to Compress’ mask, (alongside several other Villains still remaining that do wear masks of their own or maybe even just Kunieda has control over who he turns into plants) Compress is able to go back to his tree hopping shtick like in the training camp arc and show off his own stealth abilities again. Able to gradually whittle down the Heroes by taking advantage of the foliage to turn those who aren’t plant turned into marbles.

Since there are no Nomu here, the lesser Villains will be made of minor villain gangs, those like Cider House to Team Resvoir Dogs. Stragglers that are really only lasting as long due to Kunieda’s cover and will likely go down after Aoyama/Hagakure’s combo attack.

Boss: Mr. Compress

Jailbreaker: Kunieda

Return:Cider House, Blade Villain/Street Thieves, Reservoir Dogs, Gorilla, Spike

Advisors: Compress #3,

Takoba Stadium:

Honestly, this might sound weird, but Skeptic honestly could have taken Gashly’s place. Gashly’s whole thing is that he spawns minions to outlast others while he himself is in a safe location…

Kinda like Skeptic’s Quirk…or Twice’s…or Toga with Twice’s Quirk (Horikoshi didn’t spend much time on Gashly’s power, let’s be real…). If the main boss of Takoba is just a summoner, than just let Skeptic be badass and not only hack UA’s systems, but also fuck people up via his henchmen too? Heck, you don’t even have to do much to explain how he can do both without issue.

Have him hide somewhere during the chaos…or alternatively? Bring back the Shie Hassaikai guy, Tengai, Barrier and allow Skeptic to camp with in. As for how he can use his set-up at all, have AFO’s spies implant a virus that allows Skeptic access to UA’s systems so that he can safely work his magic in peace…at least up until La Brava stops him. As for how he can fight so well, perhaps have a chapter detailing Skeptic actually bothering to improve his Quirk so that he doesn’t need to use much to create puppets thats can do simple commands, and with access to Detnerat support items, he can effectively spawn more infinitely.

That’s how you can explain Skeptic outlasting the others for so long. At least, up until Tengai is knocked out by Tokage and Kamikiri via the Warp Gate. Thus, shutting down the barrier to allow Skeptic and any remaining Villains to be wiped out. 

Of course, there’s also the issue of the likes of Ketsubutsu’s deal with Skeptic being overturned, though I think a good way to handle that is to have them also at Takoba trying to take Skeptic’s forces down. In this case, a good midtier Villain that can give them a challenge is Deidoro Sakaki and Katsukame. Sakaki’s Sloshed and Katsukame’s energy drain are being a real nuisance in preventing the Heroes from getting to Skeptic, so it’s up to Ketsubetsu to stop them. In this case, Shindo and Nakagame take down Sakaki, while Ms. Joke and those other two guys beat Katsukame. Thus, freeing up more space to focus on the nerdy fuck who needs to get out of the barrier. 

As for any other side Villains to go along with Skeptic, I’m all for including the likes of the Carmine Advisors that made it out, beyond Toga’s 1st ranker. So Toga #3 and Skeptic’s #3. As for Gashly, he can still work as the main muscle, albeit with a revamped Quirk? Perhaps his Baby Tree quirk is more on the psychological side of things that make Skeptic’s puppets even more of a hassle to fight against? Nomu for Takoba will be Chubs to add to the whole theme of ‘this place is chalk full of tanky, long-distance, support fuckers who won’t fight directly’ which is just bound to get on the Takoba Heroes nervesXD

Main Boss: Skeptic

Jailbreaker: Gashly (with a revamped Quirk, probably something rhyme-based to help Skeptic’s puppets out)

Return: Tengai, Katsukame, Sakaki - Shie Hassaikai. Needle Hair, Martial Hair

PLF:  Skeptic #3/Toga’s #3

Nomu: Chubs

UA Shelters

Always thought this was more of a shame that there wasn’t really any proper fights here. Yeah, I know the idea is ‘oh, we can’t let the Villains in’ but c’moooon! It’s the final fight - let them be more of a threat by a few breaking in, causing the Heroes on the inside to try to stop them.

Let Mustard return to spray his gas to help weaken the Heroes defenses, which allows him to get a rematch with Kendo and Tetsu again! Let Mimic get smuggled into UA to take control of the damn thing after Skeptic failed! Have the remaining yakuza work with the saboteurs, acting as their guardsman while they try to bring UA down and it’s a race against time to really stop them. Hell, let Mummy return to use his powers to turn the machinery against the Heroes and have them work hard as Hell to stop him!!

How did they get in? IDK, let one of the saboteurs have a Quirk that let’s them be dollar tree version of Mr. Compress, or maybe they snuck in, if only barely. Heck, maybe after Kurogiri is freed, AFO placed the data for inside of UA and the team meant to rampage in it (thanks to the spies) inside of Shiggy’s mask and Kurogiri warped the taskforce in after the factl There are ways to go about it to make it work. Just allow people like Kaminari and Momo to get more to do than off-screen deal with Twice copies!!! 

But, with that in mind, every location needs a boss of some sort, right?...So why not have the one in charge of such operations be Giran? Have him sneak into UA via his muddle Quirk and make him the director of sabotage for the Villain forces, something he’d be proud to do since he’d want revenge for Twice's death. As for how he doesn’t get folded instantly when found out, if you don’t want to have him unguarded, you can have him use his/Detenerat’s support items to hold off Heroes long enough to make some play happen for his side. I just think it’d be a fitting way to end his story trying to payback the man who saved his life instead of just…not existing after a while.

Boss: Giran

League: Mustard

Jailbreaker: Mummy

Shie Hassaikai: Chronostasis, Mimic, Nemoto, Garbage Trio

PLF: Saboteurs (Tajima, Mihaera, and three people no one cares about)

Gunga Villa

Last, but not least, we got the Gunga battlefield…which is very much due for an uplift. Seriously, the battlefield against the Demon Lord should not have been so damn barren like in canon. Even the Nomus that got sent with him, who were giving everyone else so much trouble, went down likes chumps. So…how to correct it?

Simple! Make it the powerhouse buffet with all the heaviest of hitters being sent there. Woman and her analytical skills mixed with her bloodlust? She’s there to kick ass like the rampaging beast queen that she is, and ensure that the the Heroes really don’t get that much of a break while AFO is wrapped up fighting Team Endeavor in the skies.

Rappa of the Eight Bullets rampaging through the battlefield, knocking out people clean up until Kirishima arrives on Machia - then the rematch of a lifetime could occur!!! I will never stop harping on this, I truly believe we should have gotten a Kirishima and Rappa rematch in the Final War, and its a WASTE Rappa/none of the yakuza besides Overhaul returned!!!

Toxic Chainsaw, the name-dropped foe that All Might whooped back in the 1st chapter and could have probably been a neat callback? Add in Dreadlock Jailbreaker having a spike quirk and the threat from a living pincushion and toxic waste shoots the threat level way up. These guys I’ld probably leave as a deal opponents for the Shiketsu side of things, to give them some form of meaningful foe to clear out before taking on AFO.

Finally, the name-dropped Sanctum and the rest of the Twice Squad serving as, well not really AFO back-up, but general mook rallying nonetheless so the battlefield for this affair is a bit more of semi-organized affair for the Villains instead of a huge mosh pit where they got wiped out so easily.

Boss: AFO

Jailbreaker: Toxic Chainsaw, Dreadlock Jailbreaker

Nomu: Woman

Advisors: Sanctum & other Twice Advisors

Return: Rappa, Habit Headgear, Tesla, Victor

-

Ultimately, this was how I'd split them up! I tried to give each battlefield someone related to the League or who we have seen could be a credible match for the Heroes.

ALso saw fit to give an expalnation as to why some are here and others elsewhere...or not here at all.

Why isn't Re-Destro here?

Because I think the idea of Redestro going down fighting allow the PLF to escape is actually a good idea and could have lead to more development for his top brass, with the post-war showing how each of them are trying to carry on the organization's will. Geten's furious and preparing his Quirk more, Skeptic is actually training to defend himself and other better, Trumpet is channeling his inner Usopp and just lying to every straggler he finds to bolster their forces.

Why is the Shie Hassakai helping AFO?

Mutual benefit. The SH wants Overhaul back, AFO can free him if they win. Also, in Rappa's case, he just wants to brawl so he's imediately on board.

Why only Movie 2 villains on-board?

Because they're the only movie villains that are both in Japan, and not arrested internationally. I mean, I could have tried to incldue Wolfram and his dudes, if I wanted? But if I do ever make a pitch for a new Dark Deku Jailbreaker arc, I'd rather save him for that.

Aaaaaand, that's that?

Regardless, this is pretty much just a thought experiment on my part so hope you got some enjoyment from it!! Think I could have done any of these battlefields better?