#4) I do NOT post this to provoke this was already about to be posted as today's Drawtober before shit hit the fan and I WILL finish it !

[bluginkgo]

Ep 8 Thoughts and Details Part 1

Some thoughts and details I had while watching ep8, and some parallels I found. And yes, I had to split this into 2 parts because Tumblr said "fack you, you can only upload 30 images :P"

Spoilers, duh

Already starting strong, the song that plays through the radio is "Cyn's theme" if you will, that is heard all the way back in ep5 (time stamp about 2:34)

Ep8 showcasing the first teaser image that was released on Liam's channel. Quite bittersweet, in a good way.

Well, uh, Uzi is a true god now XD She's got the AS that was originally in Cyn as well, double powerful and double traumatized/damaged OC!

"A How-to guide of overcoming the existential dread evoked by murdering innocent sentient robots capable of emotion and independent thought. Real life JCJ engineer testimonies. Thought provoking analysis of life and the benefit of being the apex predator. Insanely philosophical advice such as, 'Get over it,' 'Shut up and keep working,' 'Do you want a job or not.'"

Bleh >:P The fact that the AS is still playful is something a bit silly to me, in a funny way. Despite it being the god of the universe- almost- it has a silly side to it.

The amount of times there were cuss words either almost said/implicated made me so happy and burst out laughing one too many times XD

I've seen some people mention how the reunion between Uzi and Nori was unsatisfactory. In my opinion? It was perfect. The awkward feeling of meeting someone you should have known your entire life, all the while trying to the world was perfectly translated here. The silliness that Uzi inherited from Nori shines here. But most of all, N's kindness shines through Uzi. I think if Uzi was still her angsty rebellious teen like she was back at the beginning of the series, she would have not had as nice of a reunion with Nori as she did now.

Omg, you have no idea how happy I was in this scene. The animation, VAs, the DETAIL- ALL OF IT was so amazing! N looks so silly and goober-y <:3 Another thing I took notice later on was the timing. It's not really stated how much time it took for Uzi to go from falling down the AS hole to being punted into space. But assuming about minutes, that implies N facking booked it. The moment he got tossed out of the cathedral with the keys, he absolutely booked it to the ship without evening thinking whether Uzi was alive or not. He needed to see the evidence for himself. He didn't give up on and assume that Uzi was gone.

Recently one of the animators posted the scenes they worked on, giving us a clearer view of expressions. The work done by Xoriak was amazing and really pushed the expressions on these characters to the limit. What used to be Uzi's anger, quickly melts into relief an sadness as she realizes that N didn't give up on her in this scene. While she sacrificed herself, N did not accept her possible death as the only answer. No, he chose to look for her, and he would have done the same with V had the elevator not been blocked off.

This made me happy too. N has grown so much from who he was in the pilot. He used to be the push over that made friends with rocks, that accepted any order from the higher ups and didn't dare question any rebuttals. Now? Now he's confident enough to even voice the fact that he was mad about what Uzi did.

Give me like- giv- give me a second- LKJD;OIADKNVKVNAKDJF;OIWAEJFANVKJASDJFAOIWEFNAKJSDBV For the longest time my hyperfixation has been BONKS. Evident enough with what I've drawn (looks back at the 4-5 bonk drawings I've made). The fact that I got to see them bonk in canon made my sad sorry soul ascend into the upper plane of existence XD Oh and "die man bit-"

I grew up watching Studio Ghibli, so to see this moment- of NUzi falling and holding hands, of course my brain said- YOYOYOYO LOOK LOOK THEY'RE SO CUTE-

The moment of respite, the hug, the tail wrap around and the quick release from Uzi's part after having a heart to heart- it was all so perfectly beautiful ;w; NOT TO MENTION THE MUSIC, as usual AJ DiSpirito absolutely delivered. I REQUIRE THAT MUSIC TO BE PLAYING LOUDLY IN MY EARS 24/7 PLEASE AND THANK YOU AJ.

"I owe you 1 spaceship" -N

Couple things:

It's funny how J just either gave the ship up without a fight, or N was so stupidly fast that J couldn't even do anything about him taking it XD

N is an absolute machine at speed drawing XD

"I'm FINE, and calm, and GO AWAY." J is the embodiment of the entire work force TwT Couldn't help but say "same, honey, same ;w;"

Excuse me while I just- ITS VVVVVVVVV SHE CAME BACK OH MY GOSH- passes out On a more serious note, I've seen plenty of people mention that if V came back, her sacrifice would be for nothing. I don't think so. V came such a long way and grew to be more kind and honest thanks to her interactions with N, Uzi, Lizzy, and even her "death." It shows, because she chose to side with Uzi and N, and they all fought together in an amazing dance.

There were many moments in the episode that were a bit "slower" pace as many have put. That these moments took away from the intensity that was supposed to be in the episode. I don't think so. These moments are needed not just for the comedy part of it, but to give our brains to rest. To take a second, process the fighting we just saw, and be ready for more action. This is often used in Studio Ghibli movies, where after heavy action, it is followed by moments of quiet serenity to give you time to let the events sink in.

This, this right here TwT CRIES. These three have been together, hanging out, figuring out the eldritch mysteries- of course they'd pick up habits from each other. From N becoming more confident with himself and allowing himself to be mad at someone. To Uzi picking up on V's crawling on the ceiling habit. To V picking up Uzi's "bite me."

The amount of hand holding that was in this episode gave me enough serotonin for a life time. And the way that N always ended up wrapping his tail around Uzi, be it a hug or a cool pose. All of my NUzi hyperfixations are becoming canon and making me go FERAL.

Something that is interesting and always comes back to us, is the AS's interest and fixation on N. The way I have always seen it was Cyn was the reason for it. The AS tends to take something from the host and amplify it ten fold. For Uzi's case the perfect example was when she felt anxious or upset. Ep4 and ep7 are great examples of that. For Cyn's case it would seem that she got attached to N after she entered the mansion as a Solver host. The AS probably took that thought and amplified it to unhealthy amounts.

Oh.MY.GOD. THESE GOOBERS SEND HELP THEY'RE TRYING TO KILL ME WITH HOW CUTE THEY ARE. N first attempts to protect Uzi, and she says "nuh uh" and covers his hand instead. This. This right here. It's far too beautiful TwT

Great frame, but uh, how the fack are we able to see the AS symbol? XD Cause uh like, her face has a split for the nose section still and all of a sudden it just... went away? XD Don't get me wrong, the animation is TOP NOTCH in these last episodes, but silly little moments like this- where it's super tense and scary, but after a rewatch it just seems silly.

When I first saw this I figured "oh shit, it's ep7 all over again, they're gonna be obliterated." The demonic screams I let out were a bit embarrassing to say the least XD

This little shit. She's just playing with them, and she knows it. This entire fight was nothing more than a little game for her. Like a cat playing with a mouse before killing it.

In this scene you can actually hear the first notes of Eternal Dream, but in a super distorted way, much like it sounded in ep6 (timestamp about 15:30)

Alright, Ginkgo what now, why include this blurry frame of nothing? I really admire Cyn's VA. Fitzy has always done an amazing job at making my favorite character- Cyn- the creepy silly goober that she is. So of course I would have watched and unwillingly memorized laugh takes that Fitzy also shared. One of which was here (time stamp of about 0:47. The laughs are similar, and most likely reused from ep7 takes that never made it into ep7 but carried over to ep8. Just a fun little detail I noticed.

OMFG LMAO AAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHHAHAHAHHA THE WAY I BAWLED THE FIRST TIME I HEARD IT XD

Split second frame but I see it. I SEE IT V. SHE COVERED UP N'S CORE TwT Despite all of the comments she made, despite all of the things she did, she still cared for him. And the entire show, her entire character growth shows that. She didn't run in that moment- she could have much like she did from Cynessa mere seconds ago, but she stayed, and tried to protect N too.

OMG BAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHHAHAHAHA YESSS UZI XD

The entire fighting scene between Uzi, Cynessa and J was so amazing. As usual, AJ DiSpirito did an AMAZING job with the songs, but more so the fact that Uzi is able to hold her own against J and Cynessa, that just amazes me. She has always been strong, but seeing it in battle made me appreciate it all that much more. Another thing about this episode, it seemed like the animators didn't particularly try to hide anything sneaky. All of the glitched sections (ex: Uzi's visor after she at the AS) were code that general population is unable to read/decipher- unless someone with an actual expertise tells me otherwise, I can only assume its code of her CPU functions- once again, remember, I know next to nothing about computers and that language TwT But the moments that were evident were these- they were even changed to BLUE. From the pilot time, everything was sneaky. I mean from the way the Murder Drones logo switched briefly into the AS symbol, to N's waking up having administration "CYN" written on his visor upon reboot. All of that was sneaky details put in for us to hunt down. This time around, it didn't feel much of like a hunt and more like silly easter eggs.

Wanna see the rest of it? Yeah, here's part 2 because Tumblr doesn't like more than 30 images per post TwT

[mitsuristoleme]

I just saw your requests are open so I might as well jump in BECAUSE SKDNDNSN ok buttttt what about sukuna + his tummy having a mind of its own BEFORE you were their wife, like, you know nothing about this man but everytime you come in sigh you hear the most direct cat calling you've come across only to see a man with an expression of "God kill me now" so you don't know what's happening but it makes you really curious so you just... Provoke him? Like, use revealing clothing, put on an expensive perfume, etc. AAAH I Just love that hc of his stomach mouth having a mind of its own istg aaaa

a/n: ok so im gonna write this in a modern au because lets be real heian era Sukuna did NOT care about dating/courting

formatted into a bullet point headcannon post because im having way too much fun with this and nothing is connected in a cohesive form (pls forgive me for that but my brain is going ham with this concept)

cw: gn!reader, cursing, sexual content, bestie!gojo, Sukuna’s tummy mouth is a menace but wbk

imagine you’re a teacher at jujutsu high and a special grade sorcerer (because i enjoy feeling strong and this is a little self indulgent) (yall can choose if you want to be gojo’s classmate or nanami’s it doesn’t really impact anything)

Sukuna gets reincarnated without a vessel (dont ask me how it just happens ok) and to everyone’s surprise, he volunteers to be an instructor at jujutsu high

he says its to “make these pathetic kids somewhat decent sorcerers so they dont ruin the name of jujutsu”

for whatever reason, the higher ups assign him a spot among the teachers at the school

imagine your shock when this 1000 year old 7 foot tall motherfucker shows in the middle of your class to introduce himself as the new teacher

you’d heard about his whole situation but you didn’t expect him to show up in the middle of a lesson

you attempt to shoo him away but he doesn’t even move (i mean what did you expect really?) and you’re forced to end class early

weirdly enough he keeps a hand clamped over his stomach the entire exchange?? you chalk it down to a stomach ache or something (that night you do wonder if curses, or er, the king of curses, even get physical pains)

ok so before i get into the whole thing lemme just-

in my head, the tummy mouth has the humour of a middle school boy and the self control of the dog from ‘absolutely anything’

so yk. its a mess.

you see him the next day in the staff room

hes wearing a starched white shirt (it accommodates all his four arms and you question how he got one made in a single day) and a pair of fitted slacks, looking WAY too good for a curse

you realise you’ve been staring through the glass window if the staff room and finally enter

only to be greeted by a LOUD wolf whistle followed by a “OOOOH HEY HOT THANG” in the deepest, raspiest, most demonic ass voice you’ve ever heard

sukuna looks like he wants to kill himself.

he gets up and leaves the room immediately

you hear the a faint “NO GO BACK AND FLIRT WITH THEM YOU WIMP ASS HOE” in the same demonic voice as he stalks away

and you’re standing there

wondering what the actual fuck just happened

did you just experience harassment in your workplace?? but his mouth never even moved???

Gojo enters the staff room right after Sukuna vanishes and you IMMEDIATELY fill him in on whatever happened in hopes that he would have any explanation

hes confused, curious and amused all the same time

this doesnt mean hes of any help though

no, the piece if shit just laughs at you and goes off to terrorise the first years take class

before leaving he very unhelpfully reminds you that you have to share classes with Sukuna today

you enter the classroom a couple minutes before the students (you literally have 4 students and one of them is a panda god knows what the point of 2 teachers for such a small class is) and find Sukuna already in the room, leaning back on the chair, his legs resting on the table, eyes closed

once again

looking WAY too fine

just as you internally celebrate that nothing weird happened THE SAME OLD DEMONIC VOICE booms a “DAMN BABY YOU LOOK FINE, CMON LEMME TAKE YA HOME”

“wha- I- Eh??? I’m sorry what the fuhck?!?” you sputter, eyes wide

Sukuna has leaped up from his chair, a mixture of embarrassment and murderous rage on his face

he hisses a “shut the fuck up” in the vague direction of his abdomen before turning to you and apologising

“i am so sorry,” he says sheepishly “i owe you an explanation at the very least after two incidents”

“OI DONT APOLOGISE ASK THEM OUT THEY’RE HOT AND I KNOW YOU THINK SO TOO”

“I WILL LITERALLY FUCKING SEW YOU SHUT IF YOU DONT STAY FUCKING QUIET”

and once again. you’re standing there. shook.

Sukuna turns to you again with an expression that clearly says ‘Gods please strike me down right now’ and asks if you know about him having multiple body parts

you’ve heard of the legends and stories: four eyes, four arms and mouths he can will to appear wherever he wants, so you nod

“Well it just so happens that the mouth on my stomach is sentient, and extremely vulgar. Although i’m sure you noticed the latter.”

his voice is a wonderful contrast to that of his tummy mouth

deep, melodic and smooth

he just got even more attractive.

fuck.

you realise you haven’t given him a response and nod dumbly muttering out a quick “uh-huh”

thankfully the students enter at that moment saving you from any awkwardness

what you have recently come to identify as Sukuna’s tummy mouth stays blissfully quiet throughout the class and shockingly enough the silence on the belly front continues throughout the day as you discuss lesson plans with your ridiculously hot coworker

that night as you’re getting ready for bed, you remember the exchange between Sukuna and his appendage (specifically the part about Sukuna thinking you’re hot) and a mischievous idea forms in your brain (hey gojo satoru’s influence was bound to kick in at some point)

the next day you leave the top few buttons of your work shirt undone and put on some of the pheromone perfume you got as a gag gift in an (what you presume to be potentially successful) effort to rile Sukuna up (lets be real you think hes pretty damn hot too)

clap yourself on the back for that one bestie because the second you enter the staff room, Sukuna’s eyes nearly bulge out of his skull and the tummy mouth starts BARKING

and drooling apparently (how do you know? well maybe because the front of sukuna’s pristine white dress shirt is now sopping wet)

“WIFE THEM UP I SWEAR TO-“

the sound of a coffee cup shattering interrupts whatever was gonna come after that

you’re met with Nanami’s incredibly unimpressed gaze

without saying anything he leaves the room, muttering, “its too early for whatever the fuck this is”

well.

that happened.

yall get together eventually

gojo tells you “i knew you wanted to fuck him”

before you can come up with any sort of response, your boyfriend’s stomach pipes in with a “OH HE DEFINITELY WANTED TO FUCK THEM”

this is your life now.

good luck.

a/n: HI IM HERE TOO THIS TIME!! i left the ‘getting together part kinda up to interpretation because im shit at writing the ‘getting together’ arcs but we’re gonna pretend like it was because i want you to be able to go wild with whatever you want

please dont copy or repost my work without my permission

comments and reblogs are appreciated

check out my masterlist

dividers by @/vanillekiss

[cinnanamii]

Ganjis 3rd year birthday letter and the heavy mischaracterization of the characters in game 3/just ranting about the birthday letter

(⚠️⚠️‼️THIS POST WILL BE DISCUSSING LEAKS/SLIGHT SPOILERS FOR GAME 3 OF IDV!! IF YOU DONT WANT TO BE SPOILED ON GANJIS 3RD YEAR LETTER OR GAME 3, SCROLL AWAY PLEASE! AND ALSO KEEP IN MIND, I AM NOT A GAME 3 EXPERT! IF I GET ANYTHING WRONG FEEL FREE TO CORRECT ME!!‼️⚠️⚠️)

Ganjis 3rd year letter was leaked recently (you can probably find post about it on tiktok and on discord servers) and I am so far beyond unimpressed and disappointed.

To start out this yap session/rant, I’m going to list the characters serial numbers, so that you can know who I will be talking about so that you can get a grip on what I will be discussing.

• 3-1-2 is anne

• 3-?-1 is aesop

• 3-1-4 is ganji

• 3-?-3 is Victor

The fact that netease decided to fill the letter with shock value racism, ruin annie as a character, and just ruined Ganjis character arc, and basically made Victor useless is so BEYOND me. This is a a lot, so I wanna start by talking about the blatant mischaracterization of annie and ganji in this letter.

To start off, they made annie so unnecessarily, hateful and racist towards ganji. It would make sense for annie to be afraid of loud noises, as they did introduce her as a timid woman, but making her afraid of ganji and becoming violent to him because of his accent is so beyond me. The whole reason why annie attacked ganji was originally because aesop manipulated annie into hurting him, not that annie got scared of the way he spoke? Plus, due to her timid and sweet girl type personality i could never see annie physically fighting/attacking ganji, it’s just not something that would happen. How could she ever have the confidence to do that, when she was literally scared of ganji? Then, on top of that, annie wouldn’t be provoked by his accent so easy? In her trailer, she was literally described to be like her mother, who was very nice, that being a trait annie had. So for her to just go attacking him so so EXTREMELY out of character for her.

Then, next screenshot I’m showing right now is the shock value racism randomly put in this for god who knows why?

“unfavorable impression” caused by 3-1-4’s accent? This is so ooc for annie, it feels like a poorly written oc/au. The antagonization of annie feels so unnecessary and just not needed. Game 3 might not have had a Hunter, but it did have an antagonist, that being aesop. The whole antagonization doesn’t feel right for her at all.

Then now, I wanna talk about Victor. One of the main things in game 3 is that they were not able to talk or communicate with each other. if they were able to do that, what’s the point of him even being here if they could already speak verbally? His writing was already kinda not the best, but this entire letter takes whatever relevance he had to the plot away. He needs to get something consistent, or else in this case his character is just useless. It’s completely unfair that aesop is able to get clear motivations and goals, but the other characters goals and aspirations just get handled horribly.

Game 3 was so unique in the way it functioned, and with the characters that were so similar, but so different at the same time. What could have been a group of compelling a deeply well written characters now feel like a dumpster fire or mischaracterization and the severe lack of coherence. All just from one letter too. This feels like a big fat slap in the face for me as someone who loved game 3, and all of the characters for game 3, ESPECIALLY annie, and if you loved game three, also this should feel like a slap in the face for you too.

**im aware that this is a leak, and it could be potentially false, but this has been on my mind practically ever since I heard of it, and everything is just so absurd.**

edit: the letter was updated and changed, a few things did change (examp; annie isnt racist anymore) but that dosent mean I don’t have issues with the letter, I’ll probably make an updated post eventually if people r still interested in this

[nekropsii]

I am so sorry your completely true and honest takes not rotted with fanon because you actually read the comic seem to attract so many lunatics. You are a lighthouse amidst a storm of insanity

Thank you. Sincerely. It's really appreciated, especially now. People should be required to pay me $500 before saying mean, out of pocket shit to me. Like, sure, I'm absolutely wrong sometimes, I accept that. But nothing I do warrants this shit. Honestly, no one deserves this. Sexual Violence isn't something you can wish upon anybody in a way that makes you hinged and morally upright. You can say you hope someone dies and have that be fine, but... You can't do this. You can't sexualize someone against their will, or make any comment about fantasizing about assaulting them or generally hoping they get assaulted. It's just sick, no matter the context. There's no point in which that becomes acceptable to do.

I don't even know what's provoking this. As I've said, I don't really leave my corner. I just talk about things that happen in the damn comic, and if people like my posts, that's their business. I don't go in the tags. I don't really interact with the fandom. I just wanna post whatever current thoughts I have about Homestuck and work on my webcomic. It feels like I could post the simplest thing with extensive citations and get sent some weird, vile nonsense because some individuals can't seem to help but take everything so goddamn personally that they've been rendered too stupid to just filter my username out about it and have to resort to saying dehumanizing bullshit that could easily get them banned... And apparently already has before. Fun!

You Know What? Here's a Tutorial:

Step 1: Go to Settings. Step 2: Scroll down until you hit the Content You See section. Step 3: Type whatever the hell you want into the Filtered Post Content section. Step 4: Have some fucking decorum, Jesus shitting Christ, this isn't a hard ask. Step 5: Profit!

[el1997jk]

Hi, El! Hope you're doing good 🦋✨️

Just passing by, uh—

I was asking myself the same question, and I found it an interesting thought exercise, so: in the next five years, which ten goals would you say you've got for your fanfic writing hobbie?

It doesn't need to be ten goals you'll actually run towards in the next five years, if you ain't got smth like that in mind, but if you Had To choose ten goals, which would they be?

Hi, well, firstly, thank you so much for asking. I'm doing well. 🦋😊⭐️ How about you? How are you doing? I hope you're doing well 💗

No worries, you can pass by and ask me questions any time. 😊

You are right it is a question that is very interesting, though exercise.

My answer to your question is:

Honestly, I think that for me, coming up with those ten goals for my hobby of fanfic writing was harder than the part about it happening in the next five years 😅

My ten goals (in no particular order except for the first one)

1. Finish my two ongoing fanfics. (Hopefully, I can achieve this by the end of this year)

2. Write at least half of the ideas that I have for fanfics into full stories. (I currently have 20+ ideas, and I know that number will get bigger as time goes by)

3. Finish writing a fanfic either fully or at least halfway before I post the first chapter.

4. Get better at writing scenes that are out of my comfort zone (18+ scenes, sad scenes, fighting scenes, etc.)

5. Write for at least thirty minutes to an hour every day (or longer depending on how much time I will have throughout the day)

6. Have people submit ideas that they would like me to write for them. (I would like to try it)

7. Write down any ideas that I might have for either ongoing fanfics or future ones so I don't forget them. (Either on a piece of paper, into my phone, or voice record it)

8. Have at least somewhat of an idea for a plot that will happen in the fanfic before I start working on it so I don't get stuck. (Or start rewriting the fic from the start when I'm already halfway through)

9. Keep track of what plot points I want to have in my fanfics and write them down into a list, so the story doesn't end up all messy.

10. Have a posting schedule from Monday to Sunday for my fanfics, so whoever reads them knows on what day the next chapter will be posted. But it also helps me to stay organised and not get overwhelmed while posting. (There won't be a fanfic for every day of the week all the time, obviously. It will depend on how many fanfics I'm posting at the time)

I don't know if those goals actually fit what you have asked me, but it was really interesting to think about and come up with them nonetheless.

Thank you for such a thought-provoking question. I don’t think that I would have thought about these goals otherwise.

🦋El🦋

[melverie]

⸺ LESSON 11 ⸺

Solomon

Lucifer

two bitter exes

demons & angels (& humans)

strange feelings & soup

records of a banshee

fragments of the past

misc

- lesson 10 || lesson 12 || all posts so far -

Since season 3 releases starting July 2, I hope I can finish the recap by then ;-; I actually have a few more thoughts on the 'two bitter exes' & 'records of a banshee' categories, but I'll put them in their own posts. It also has to do with 10-A btw :) General spoiler warning for all of Obey Me Nightbringer, as well as for the original Obey Me taglist: @lonely-north-star

⸺ SOLOMON ⸺

treat for the Solobesties <3 [11-1; pic below]

Solomon says he hasn't been to the reaper's cave in a long time [11-4], but we went there in OG season 2?? Was that really that long ago??

Solomon apologizing to MC for putting them in this situation [11-8; pic below]

we learn that the rule at the Fountain of Knowledge is that no promises can be made there and Solomon claims he forgot about it [11-8]

Solomon reminds us that we can't return home even if we wanted to [11-12]. Thanks Solomon ._.

Thirteen gives MC the brothers' grimoire and adds that, since grimoires are born at the Fountain of Knowledge, that's probably why Solomon wanted to come here in the first place [11-16]

⸺ LUCIFER ⸺

apparently Diavolo and Barbatos wanted to come with Lucifer, but Lucifer somehow managed to talk them out of it. He also told Belphegor to stay with Beelzebub [11-14]

if MC tells him that he isn't actually angry, Lucifer doesn't answer and instead just looks annoyed [11-14]

he has moments where he seemingly calms down for a second only to immediately go back to trying to recreate the OG's lesson 16 incident [11-14]

⸺ TWO BITTER EXES ⸺

(hi the category title is a joke. That being said, re-read lesson 11-14 and you'll know what I mean)

Solomon calls Lucifer out on essentially needing Diavolo's permission to do anything because he swore complete loyalty to him for all eternity [11-14; pic below]--which is SO funny to me btw?? Like, Solomon is really out here acting like Lucifer wasn't actively committing treason the first time they properly met back when the exchange program first started -> that being said, he does seem to put a lot of emphasis on Lucifer having sworn his loyalty to Diavolo... -> also why is Solomon provoking Lucifer further btw, the situation does NOT call for that

Solomon mentions that Lucifer already sees him as an enemy which then caues Lucifer to fall silent and change the subject [11-14]

Lucifer casts a spell on Solomon and MC to immobilize them. I have a few problems with this because

1. I might have misremembered, but wasn't it (offhandedly) mentioned in NB season 2 that Lucifer was still learning demon magic? OG Solomon should definitely be able to easily break free of the spell then 2. Solomon easily overpowered pissed off Diavolo once 3. Solomon thought a war against the entire Devildom by himself 4. even if Solomon isn't necessarily stronger than Lucifer, the OG has stated multiple times that they are on par with each other

You can argue that Lucifer's magic was enhanced because he was so pissed and overprotective of his brothers in that moment, but Solomon is also super protective of MC. He should have absolutely been able to overpower Lucifer here -> also, Solomon later does break free from the spell, however he was only able to do so because Lucifer lost his composure after seeing the grimoire [11-16]. I call shenanigans, but that's for another post... (-> also just wanted to say that I love overprotective Luci. That was such a good moment ❤️ [11-14; pic below])

when MC decides to hand the grimoire over to Lucifer, Solomon seems saddened by their choice, and Lucifer questions if they truly know what they are doing [11-14]

⸺ DEMONS & ANGELS (& HUMANS) ⸺

Solomon asks MC to side with humanity [11-8] -> he wants the other realms to see humans as equals -> he does kind of make it sound like he won't be able to side with humanity himself for whatever reason [11-8; pic below]

⸺ STRANGE FEELINGS & SOUP ⸺

Leviathan calls Thirteen the 'mean and scary type'. Asmodeus rightfully points out that Leviathan should have no idea what kind of person she is [11-12]

both Leviathan and Asmodeus seem kind of bothered by how much Thirteen loves MC [11-16]

⸺ RECORDS OF A BANSHEE ⸺

once again, the only two brothers that originally went to free Beelzebub also happen to be the only two that now attack MC for being human. Who knows what would have happened had Solomon and the rest of the brothers not shown up when they did

while discussing the lesson @misc-obeyme (hi CC!! Thanks for letting me post this <3) pointed out that the entire situation with Beelzebub was probably orchestrated by Nightbringer to force MC into revealing the truth [discord server lol; pic below]

⸺ FRAGMENTS OF THE PAST ⸺

Solomon's past!

1. he and Thirteen met back when he was a kid [11-8] -> he was looking at her through a lattice window from the basement and shrieked when they made eye contact [11-10] 2. Thirteen says that back when they first met Solomon's soul was captivating [11-10] 3. Barbatos brought Solomon to the Fountain of Knowledge when he was on the verge of death and nursed him back to health. Once his wounds were healed, Solomon left. Thirteen doesn't know where to [11-10] 4. Barbatos gave Solomon the title as "the Witty Sorcerer" and told him that he now has to look after the Fountain of Knowledge [11-10] -> ever since then, Solomon's soul has changed 5. Thirteen says that Barbatos let him experience whatever he wanted which is why he lost his innocence and why nothing scares him anymore [11-10]

⸺ MISC ⸺

Thirteen lore Thirteen lore Thirteen lore Thirteen lo--

1. she lives in the 'Otherworld'. [11-4] Solomon says it's called that because Thirteen enjoys her freedom 2. she already has the RAD uniform because Diavolo gave it to her in hopes of her attending the school. After modifying it a little, she now wears it because she likes it [11-6] 2. each level in the reaper's cave has a different rule that must be followed, otherwise One Must Pay the Price™ [11-6] -> the rule at the Fountain of Knowledge is that no promises can be made there [11-8]. MC later promises the brothers to help them and Must Therefore Pay The Price™ [11-16] 3. she has an older sister called Candy ( @too-much-gacha is that you? XD). Solomon says he hasn't seen her ever since she fell victim to one of the traps decades ago, Thirteen claims she's fine [11-6] 4. she hated the human world back when she first met Solomon because of how depressing it was with people dying left and right due to diseases [11-10] 5. apparently reapers are supposed to stay neutral, but Thirteen does her own thing [11-16]. Queen <3

Leviathan gives us the basics on how grimoires work [11-16; pic below]

Asmodeus turns into Leviathan's personal interpreter for a second, you love to see it lol [11-16]

Satan and Luke bonding over a cat ❤️ [11-A] -> btw has anyone else noticed that they've sort of become a dup lately? They keep sharing Nightmares and events...

[gmwsuperfan5467890]

Theories on the Script Leak

Recently, JLH posted a page of the script on her story. To paraphrase, Maddie and Buck were having a conversation where Buck feels guilty about hurting someone at a basketball court but at the end it implies that he felt like he did it on purpose. We know that the character Buck hurts is male because that was what the script said. Now, I will go through the character (in no particular order) and discuss the probability of them being the ‘hurt’ character. Additionally, I’ll discuss possible plots and questions that could arise from this.

1) Chimney. To be honest I don’t think it’s Chimney because if it was, Buck would feel way too guilty to talk to Maddie about it and I feel like Maddie wouldn’t be as calm if Buck admitted that he felt like he hurt Chimney on purpose. I also don’t think they’ll have a fight this season because it is Madney’s wedding and they already had a major blow-out in season 5. At most, they might have disagreements on the wedding planning but nothing major.

2) Albert. If the actor wasn’t working on other projects, it would have been a more likely option than Chimney. Maybe Buck and Albert had a fight because Buck and Natalia broke up and then Albert started dating Natalia. So Buck feels betrayed and jealous because he couldn’t be happy in a relationship with her but Albert can. Or maybe Albert has a serious, long-term girlfriend that he plans to marry and Buck feels jealous that he’s not at that place yet, even though he is older. Or Albert says something that accidentally provokes Buck. In the script it also implies that there are possibly 2 ‘hims’, the ‘him 1” who got hurt and “him 2” that is mad that Buck hurt “him 1”. So in this case, Chimney could be mad that Buck hurt Albert.

3) Also a likely option. Buck has been aggressive to Ravi before in an attempt to haze him for the job. And I could see Buck being jealous that Ravi is advancing in the job faster than he did.

4)Christopher. No way in hell is it going to be Christopher. First of all, Christopher is a child, if Buck is trying to imply that he may have hurt him on purpose then he is a major asshole. Secondly, there is no conceivable chance that Buck could ever get mad enough at Christopher where he would be extra rough or aggressive with him and if Buck does hurt Christopher, he wouldn’t even think for a second that he may have done it on purpose because that is the last thing he’d ever do.

5) Bobby. I don’t really think it’s likely because I can’t really think of a scenario where Buck would get mad enough at Bobby that he would think that he hurt him on purpose. Even when he got Interim Captain, Buck didn’t hide his disappointment from Bobby and had a asked him why he wasn’t offered the job. Buck and Bobby’s relationship has certainly been fortified last season, so I think if Buck had a problem with Bobby, he will just straight-up tell him. There will be no Lawsuit 2.0.

6) Eddie. I think it’s most probably Eddie. I am trying not to look at this through shipper goggles and keep my expectations low but there are definitely reasons that Buck could get mad enough at Eddie where he would think that he may have hurt him on purpose. Buck could be jealous that Eddie is spending more time with Marisol or whoever he is currently dating. Or Buck could be upset that there’s a new development in Eddie’s life that Eddie didn’t tell him about. Or Buck or Eddie could have both said something hurtful to each other in the heat of the moment and now things are tense between them. Or Buck and Eddie may be hiding their feelings for each other and it’s causing more tension, more aggression and more fights.

I feel like Buck would feel comfortable being rough/aggressive with Eddie because they are close and they are peers unlike him and Bobby and Christopher and I feel like Buck’s emotions are more heightened with Eddie so it would be easier for him to get in that headspace.I also think that ‘him 2’ could be Christopher. Maybe Buck feels like Christopher is mad at him because he hurt his dad.

Now I don’t think Buck actually intended to hurt the person but I think he was definitely more aggressive/rougher than usual with this person. I really hope this plot is good and that the resolution is shown.

[anythinganother]

The Final Judgement in BSD???

Hear me out. I was reading about biblical apocalypse a lot in previous days and i came up with few things i would wanna share with you here! Please guys i need your opinion on this.

The Four Horsemen of Apocalypse

I already made a post about it but for the context: in Bible, apocalypse is preceded by opening The Seven Seals. Opening of the first four seals releases the four horsemen – pestilence, war, famine and death (there is a lot different interpretations of idenity of the first horseman. Conquest, conquest provoking the pestilence, even Jesus himself or Antichrist, but lets go with the main basic interpretation for now) DOA members can resemble The Four Horsemen.

Conquest/ Pestilence – Bram. I call it pestilence cause its precisely what vampirism do.

War – Fukuchi. I think no explanation needed.

Famine – Sigma – we will talk about him in a moment

Death – Nikolai.

More or less it fits. Also, what’s interesting, they all hate the mission of the horseman they resemble…or nearly all. Bram hates changing vampires, Fukuchi hates war, Sigma hates hunger. I dont know what to say about Nikolai in that one tho. Maybe that he tried to kill Fyodor and at the end, when he thought fyodor was dead, realized it gave him nothing and he didnt really want to do that? It was only about Fyodor tho, not about death as a whole. Anyways, i will stop it here cause i think a bit of a pattern is visible.

Antichrist.

Next thing i was thinking of is Fyodor being The Antichrist. Antichrist – sometimes described as evil twin of Jesus, false Christ. Basically impostor who tries to fool people that he is the Jesus and eventually lead to armagedon. Somehow fitting for Demon Fyodor, don’t you think? Of course we don’t have any direct proofs yet, maybe only the Jesus parallels that could end up being fake and a way to ‘fool’ us, but it’s still interesting scenario to think of.

The Book.

We sometimes forget that The Book is – or should be – the main focus of the plot of BSD. Every antagonistic organisation’s main goal was to posses the book. Fyodor was present in or around all of them so it seems like its his goal too. Everything that’s happening from season 4 is because of page from said book. Despite that it’s very important thing for whole plot, we still know very little about it.  Back to the topic of Final Judgement, in the first paragraph i already said that apocalypse was preceded by opening The Seven Seals. The symbolic seals that was securing some book (or scroll to be specific) that author of Book or Revelation saw in his vision. Maybe in BSD, the seals could refer to The Book itself and we have something more going on in the background?

Fineee, that's all for now i think. Reading about it took me a few days so i hope fandom haven’t died yet after last chapter and someone will actually read it. Have a nice day if you read it!! English is not my first language so sorry for any grammar mistakes.

Special thanks to my friend @skrybazasterixa for listening to my raving about it in last few days and helping me come up with this all. Luv u ♡

[accio-victuuri]

Sugar Rush: September CPNs 🍬🍭

The month of BXGs had some very exciting candies! Let’s review them together ^^ Same disclaimer applies. Only for CPN-loving bxgs. If you hate this kind of thing, please spare yourself the pain and scroll along.

• Similarity between Shengyang & Yibo ( when what you love becomes a career )

• Same brand = Covernat

• Them being the Sun 🧡

• WYB’s Pechoin Ad spotted in an episode of SBMS

I really have a lot of feelings with the Shengyang x Chen Shuo AU pairing. They are so perfect together!

I mean….. ⬇️⬇️⬇️

• There is something about the similarities between shengyang & yibo in the way that they look at the person they care about the most that gets me. it’s this whole “puppy” devotion they got going on. an innocent kind of love.

the kind where you look at the person’s reaction first when something happens, you wanna see them happy before you enjoy what’s in front of you. even if they don’t talk, you carefully observe their body language cause you wanna figure out how to help them and show them that you’re on their side. ☀️

• In a BTS released by One & Only, they showed some wardrobe and looks for Chen Shuo. This one is him wearing a black helmet instead of red. Did you see the peppa pig sticker? and i can’t make out the other one. What a coincidence, considering the CQL crew’s “history” with peppa pig 😂😂😂

• Not really CPN, but to archive this incident where cpfs commented WYB photos on ZZ’s douyin post. This reminds me of that 95 post on weibo, where it was all cpf, then 🍤 of course did the most to “erase” that. but that comment section has so many interactions. I’m 50/50 on this, I think it’s unnecessary to do it, knowing full well that it will “provoke” a fan war and i personally don’t want that. The other half of me tho is cackling cause cpfs surely know how to troll. My fave tho are photo comments of cute fandom dolls 🥺🥺🥺

• One and Only top box office in Chongqing on 9/4

• Summary of SBMS clowning material from 9/1 to 9/5 ☀️

• Similarity in WYB & XZ selfies ( vintage motorcycle gear )

• XZ’s mystery driver, and was it WYB?

• INNER MONGOLIA MYSTERY : I’m naming it as such because it’s truly a mystery as of writing. There’s been some rumors already that LOCH & Mermaid will have scenes shot in IM. XZ tho is confirmed to be there. The cast and crew were spotted and XZ is not exactly hiding it either, his IP is there.

What makes it sus is a video captured that is allegedly of the hotel entrance where XZ stays. It’s too dark to see who he is with but some cpfs are saying you can see someone who is like WYB going in too w/ XZ. the way the person walks tho is so WYB as far as I can tell. And the most sus thing is the hotel closed all the lights in the lobby. Who the fuck does that. Yeah I know XZ is VIP and they will do everything to protect him and make sure no photos of him will be taken. But to actually close all the lights??? There must be something more… probably another VIP guest????

and well this.. whatever this is… it’s not covering with umbrellas anymore, it had come to this kind of hiding already. and how they were hiding who was coming in and. there were 2 people. so yeah. 👀

again, i am including this here to archive but i’m not fond of them being followed around like that. just leave them alone to work in peace. 🙃 we should be more focused on their projects and not act like paps. understand the reason why there are proxy shooters is because there is an audience.

the most sus thing do, is come monday, the black cloth and all the cover up was not done anymore. So it makes you think that they were really trying to hide something in those days they used it. 🤡

• SBMS clowning series version 2 / version 3 / version 4 / version 5 / version 6

• Hangzhou Asian Games power couple 🔥🔥🔥

• THEM and Li Qin as leading lady 😂😂😂

• Their long hair! Please bring it back for both please and thank you ☺️☺️☺️

and the fact that GG is absolutely glowing in the photo. We’ve been speculating that WYB visited him, so is this the result????

• YIBO-Official 9th debut anniversary debut clowning: who folded the shirt // 2019 memories, new? black panther drawing and day&night selfies // XZ signed the artwork + the pose is inspired by yibo

• Edited background in yibo’s selfie + Why we think this was taken in Inner Mongolia

• Couple autograph !!!!

• RIO becomes cpf’s friend lol

• Love is like this / Fireworks

• The timing of their posts ( an example )

• This is so funny!!!! Now that we have a glimpse of Wei Ruolai, he is being paired to Xiao Sa — who we know is Mister Ye’s. So it’s now a love triangle 😂

⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️

• bracelet & hand cpn - i don’t personally buy into this cpn but a huge chunk of the fandom were talking about it so i’m including it

• XZS Vlog Chapter 6 candies: ZZ & WYB similarity in XZS vlog + xzs and ybo are working together again & salomon shoes & mosaic design + panda rumor

• Matching Mid Autumn festival post ; Also how WYB’s look like there is a Mole. ☺️

There are also talks of the photo being taken from a proper camera, the most popular guess being a leica. I guess how YBO reposted this and said something like how Bobo is a “photographer” clued people in. But it could be because he posted an artsy photo like this instead of a selfie. 📷

—— END ——

See you all next month! 💕🍬

[pastara-cell]

Not a traffic/hermitblr post, But i’ve fallen back into the the music freaks fandom for probably around a month, so I wanna post thoughts.

I’ve seen WAYYYY too much shit about drew getting a redemption arc. Guys, redemption arc makes him no longer the antagonist, and as much as i’d love for him to get a happy ending, I think We are missing a very obvious plot point here that not enough people are capitalising on, and that is a COMPLETE VILLAIN ARC.

Okay okay, hear me out. I know that, on the surface, this seems like it wouldn’t happen, drew’s stated that he’s done with jake, and to be honest, he seems like he’d be way to upset to get revenge, and I dont think he’d be the type for it either. He’d probably just ignore jake. HOWEVER-

He already hated the club, and what do you get when you mix hormonal teenage boys with back to back bombshells at once (jake spending less time with them, then finding out zoey cheated on him, losing jake, and probably some other stuff,I need to rewatch tmf)? You get an absolute minefield of emotions, ready to blow up the entire field if so much as a stone is thrown at it.

This is where the ultimate villain arc sets in. First few weeks, maybe 1 or 2, drew’s not gonna do shit. He’s gonna be grieving and probably honestly crying himself to sleep, you CANNOT tell me he wasn’t 2 seconds away from sobbing in the drakeup fight. However, after those 2 weeks, this little shit(/pos) is gonna go full on Regina George, World Burn style.

In the past, Drew has (canonically) been the one to start verbal fights, but let other people do the fighting while he just watched and laughed. Not anymore though, because now he’s pissed and petty and is probably feeling the teenage equivalent of his world pretty much ending. Nothings gonna be the same again, so why bother?

I feel like he’d projecting heavily, starting fights with the music club and even other people for even so much as provoking him. I don’t think these fights would ever go past swearing, insults, and maybe a finger shoved into a chest to point at them, as I don’t think drew’s the kind to get too physical, However, I can absolutely see him screaming at the top of his lungs at Luke Because He knocked over his lunch tray or something, which would probably spiral into a fight with zander

Small inconveniences and remarks would feel like a stab in the chest to drew, causing him to lash out. And one small fight could definitely domino into a WHOLE arc. I’ll list a theoretical example for this scenario, expanding on that tray idea from earlier (This is just one way of how this route could go, and is just for example)

>Luke bumps into drew, knocking his tray down. Probably apologises

>Drew doesn’t give two craps about apologies at this point, and yells at him, probably calling him a name and getting more annoyed than usual

>Zander spots Drew yelling at luke, and comes over to protect him. Luke tries to get zander to go off, knowing he’ll probably make it worse. Zander doesn’t listen, and yells at drew, probably something along the lines of “the hell is your problem?!”

>Drew yells at Zander too, and it begins to go back and forth. Definitely name calling, maybe pushing or shoving if someone got too close

>if a teacher hasn’t already seen them, then I feel like hailey would go over. Jake would probably follow behind, but be out of drew’s vision for a bit

>Probably spirals into drew vs zander and hailey, while luke tries to break them up and jake just kinda standa there.

>Drew starts screaming at them, is probably overwhelmed with everything all at once, because emotions

>I feel like this is when Jake would step in, and tell drew to back the fuck off. He’d probably say it nicer, but definitely would be like “hey, quit yelling at them! Its not a big deal, just clean it up!”

>Drew, at this point, probably not wanting to deal with all 4 people at once, would leave, probably taking henry and liam with him

And then, seeing as how a lunch tray could probably set him off, we’d rinse and repeat this and other scenarios until drew just snaps. You’d get tired of constantly feeling as if you’re battling the world with every inconvenience too right? Insert mission Burn book!

Mission burn book is essentially what I like to call drew’s way of getting “revenge” on the club. (Name is 100% inspired by mean girls.) Whether it effects jake (I personally think it would be targeted at the club in general, drew not even caring jake was in it any more) or not, It’d be something drastic. Definitely a 2 in the morning, chugged 4 cans of redbull and 2 monsters decision.

I feel like it’d definitely effect them socially, maybe outcasting them even more than they were before. Infact, outcasting them SO BADLY, that essentially everyone in the club starts to get bullied. And this makes for great angst, and flashbacks to middle school jake!!

Drew, meanwhile, would sit back and watch the chaos, making sure to keep henry and liam out of it. Maybe he’d regret it a bit. Maybe he wouldn’t. But it either way, he’d go all out.

TLDR: guys make him evil stop making him get a redemption arc, the potential with evil popular teenage boys is actually so high

[jttwaudiodrama]

Zhuang's JttW Doodles #2

Ne Zha yelled, “You unruly, fiendish monkey! How could you not know me? I am Ne Zha, Third Prince of my King Father the Pagoda-Bearer. By the imperial command of the Jade Emperor, I have come to arrest you.” Wu Kong burst into laughter, “Little prince, your baby teeth have yet fallen, and your foetal hair is still wet. How dare you talk so big? I shall spare your life and not fight you."

Journey to the West, Chapter 4

This poem appears in Chapter 4, Part 2 of the audio drama.

Also featured on our Patreon page.

===

Hi, this is Zhuang. I made all the art for this series.

Here are some doodles I made almost 10 years ago when I could kind of draw but not really. Not sure if I'm entirely out of that state now but hopefully I have improved.

Each one corresponds to a specific passage in the original text, as written on the doodle itself in traditional Chinese. And I will also put the English translation from the audio drama down below for your reference. Not every chapter has a doodle, so I will post the ones we've already covered in the drama, and the rest as we eventually get there.

===

Why I chose this scene:

Ne Zha was a rebel of his own in his earliest days. A child so out of control that left his own father permanently traumatized. One wonders if Ne Zha in any way saw his younger self in Wu Kong.

In a way, Wu Kong's "crimes" definitely affected more people/god, but they were also much less violent and gruesome. Compared to Ne Zha, who paid for his sins with his own flesh and blood, what Wu Kong did sure seemed like a child's play.

Back to this actual encounter. Wu Kong definitely has his own little rulebook on who he would or would not fight. He tends to start with verbal insults, usually about how weak and unworthy his opponent is.

Ne Zha was definitely older than he was despite looking like a little boy. At the same time, Ne Zha was just as easily provoked as Wu Kong was. This is one of the earliest instances of Wu Kong trashtalking his opponent and getting into a fight anyway.

Wu Kong probably knows the trashtalking never deters anyone. He just has a lot of fun doing it.

[silurisanguine]

OC Questions tag game - (lisa-and-shadow question answers)

I was tagged by @lisa-and-shadow in the oc questions tag game and I'm going to answer the three given me as all 4 of my ocs!- Seren Jones, Aeryn Ryder, Zofie Orel and Kiara Black This was great to really delve into their personalities as i wrote these, i hope that comes across! Since this is going to be a long post, answers behind a cut! And I'll tag @vorchagirl @despicablediet and @bearlytolerant @staticpallour @fangbangerghoul @a-cosmic-elf @atonalginger @eridanidreams @toxiclizardwrites @therealgchu @aro-pancake with these three questions to answer, no pressure though! What is your favourite place to visit? Do you have a signature style or look? What was your favourite toy as a child?

First up Seren Jones (My Starfield, Coemancer Starborn OC)

What was your first kiss like? "Oh...fumbled, messy and embarrassing!...but kinda nice too. I was fourteen and so innocent in that regard. It was with a girl I'll call Katie, a fellow expat I'd met and grown fond of in the Akilan secondary school I ended up in after my parents and I had moved back there. I'd known from the moment i started thinkin about other kids in that way that I liked both boys and girls and finding a girl that seemed to like me too, well I jumped at it...guess my curious explorer streak came out early! It was such a classic trope, kissing her behind the school sheds during break. She basically dared me and I'd never kissed anyone, so I just sort of smushed my lips against hers as she opened her mouth and yeah...messy. Then a teacher came round the corner and discovered us and although they weren't angry I was so embarrassed. Katie I think more so as she kinda avoided me after that." Do you have a signature style of dress/favorite outfit? "Now? I guess my starborn suit. It feels like it's part of me... I dunno. When I'm reborn in a new universe, I'm already wearing it, like it's born with me. But style? I tend to go practical, what will fit under it, so sportswear or jumpsuits, anything fitted or light. As for what I like, I guess I used to enjoy wearing fitted suits and formwear in dark colours, like blues, blacks and greys, sombre tones rather than bright colors. That I leave to my hair! Think my favourite item of clothing though...was my wedding dress. That was this cream and deep dark navy blue sleeveless gown I'd found in a shop in New Homestead, but I think that had a lot to do with the way Sam looked at me when he saw me in it." Are you quick tempered? Or even-keeled? "I'd like to say even keeled most of the time, even when I'm seething inside I play it cool usually. Why I survived that gauntlet going undercover with the Crimson Fleet for Sysdef. I used my anger to play the role and I think when I do show anger it's the cold kind. I don't tend to scream or shout, unless it's the Hunter provoking me, then...well I tend to react." Next Aeryn Ryder ( My Mass Effect Andromeda pathfinder)

What was your first kiss like? "Oh god let me think...Okay, you know, I don't actually remember exactly as those days have become a blur. I can tell you though the first kiss I do remember, the one that set the bar for all future kisses. That was with Kesala when I was eighteen, a research assistant on a prothean dig I was peacekeeping. She was this petite lavender skinned asari that just made everything so interesting. She had such enthusiasm for her work that it was infectious and she brought that to the evening I spent with her at the bar. She was what...112, young for an asari but I could tell she was experienced if you know what I mean. The kiss itself was tender, slow and made my legs weak...and that's all I'm saying on the matter." Do you have a signature style of dress/favorite outfit? "My black leather jacket, I love that thing so much. I usually pair it with a simple top, and fitted pants and my go to sneakers, usually in purple shades. I like comfy and casual. Not that I don't like dressing up, I love dressing up, but I never get chance now! I'm either in armor or wanting to wear something comfy afterwards. I did get to see these gorgeous fabrics back on Aya that Jaal told me were used to make gowns for ceremonies and important parties. Maybe one day I'll get something made for myself, when we can finally celebrate." Are you quick tempered? Or even-keeled? "Feisty, that's what my brother Tristan says I'm like. I've had to temper it as Pathfinder with all the important people I deal with and SAM thank god really helps there, calming me down from doing or saying something I might regret. But there are times they know to just let me loose and let it out my system!"

Next Zofie Orel (My Deus Ex / Assassin's Creed OC)

What was your first kiss like? "Hmm. Jason, a fellow Assassin acolyte in the Coterie. We shared a birthday so we shared a kiss too after both of us getting a little drunk at our eighteenth party...He died in the Incident protecting civilians. He was a gentle soul really, I don't really think suited to the life, but he was a damn good scout and very good kisser." Do you have a signature style of dress/favorite outfit? "I only wear red, black and white clothes as it makes it easier to mix and match when travelling and I rather like the symbolism. I suppose I have different signature outfits depending on who I am at the time. As Sofia, I wear sleek, expensive clothing, usually a fitted suit. As myself when on a job I wear my custom made tac vest and armoured combat trousers and when I'm off the job, it's what ever is clean but I tend to go for more high end clothing, just in case I need to put on the Sofia persona." Are you quick tempered? Or even-keeled? "I would be lying if I said I didn't have a temper, but I've been trained to control it, hone it into a weapon. Some may call me cold for it, but I feel things strongly, I just hide it well, lest my emotions be seen as a weakness by the enemy." Lastly Kiara Black (My Thief/Dishonored OC)

What was your first kiss like? "That's a bit personal, why do you want to know?" *a few minutes pass* "Fine, you're not going to let this go are you? It was a streetgang kid when i lived in Dunwall, nothing special." Do you have a signature style of dress/favorite outfit? "Anything dark and fitted so I'm not noticed. I tend to swap between my gear - this leather and twill get up I'm wearing now and something loose after to let my skin breath." Are you quick tempered? Or even-keeled? "I...try not to be. But some people make me angry with their bigotry and arrogance. I can't do much about it though, so there is no point in getting angry, it's better to get even."

[consistentsquash]

This rec list from eldritcher probably got lost on Dreamwidth posts. But I got permission to crosspost so I am gonna copy/signal boost here.

@hprecfest folks ofc don't reblog if you already have it.

I've brought a few cherished fics to this lovely fest. 1. A favorite fic under 5k: Blishen's Firewhiskey, written by @givereadersahug Draco/Lucius. A sinister ficlet. 2. A comfort fic: All of Time and Space. Dudley, Ninth Doctor. All of time and space, indeed! 4. A fic with art: Bringing up Babymort, created by @my--witch and grooot, a terrific Snapecase entry. Severus Snape/the marvellous Hermione Granger. 5. A non-AO3 fic: The Wandering Hat, written by whimsickle. A bright ray of sunshine in a bleak life. Severus Snape, as a child. A terrific Snapecase entry. 6. An unreliable narrator fic: The Residue of His Mind, written by @paulamcg. Sirius, in the throes of dissociation. The pairing is Sirius Black/Remus Lupin. 7. A canon-compliant fic: Before I Am Old, written by @maeglinyedi. Tom Riddle, in his youth. This ficlet has had an enduring influence on my works (when I'd scribbled stories in that corner of fandom). 8. A canon-divergence fic: Friday's Child, written by deslea. This piece has had an enduring influence on how I've written Narcissa Malfoy (when I'd scribbled stories in that corner of fandom). 9. A rare pair fic (less than 2000 fics on AO3): New Joys by @paulamcg. Tenderly wistful. Amelia/Molly. 10. A fest fic: Candles Lit Against the Dark, written by @perverse-idyll. The pairing is Minerva McGonagall/Wilhelmina Grubbly-Plank. A terrific Snapecase entry. 11. A dark fic: Too Old for Playing, written by @paulamcg. A brooding, unhappy piece. How could it be anything else? This is Severus Snape's Worst Memory. 16. A fic that made you laughed: Jeeves and the Secret Society, written by @perverse-idyll. I did feel sorry for Severus Snape, but Jeeves and Wooster sailed me over to an ocean of laughter. Albus Dumbledore/Severus Snape. 17. A fic that made you cry: Work is Good, written by iulia_linnea. Deeply moving and heartwrenching. The pairing is Tobias/Eileen. 19. Fic with the hottest smut: A Slytherin Gathers His Rosebuds, written by @kellychambliss. A ravishing concoction of Minerva/Severus. 20. A fic rated G: Egg Nog, written by delphipsmith. A terrific Snapecase entry. Severus Snape. 21. A thought-provoking fic: Teardrop in Your Palm, written by @danpuff-ao3. A wretched soul wants something he can't have, and stoops to despairing lows. Scorpius Malfoy (Draco's son)/Harry. 24. A holiday fic: How do you solve a problem like a DADA teacher?, written by gracelessmary. Assorted Hogwarts residents. 25. A fic rated T: The Ice cream Man and the Potions Master, written by @squibstress. I would gladly join the queue at Florean's shop (and not only for the ice-cream). Florean Fortescue and Severus Snape. 26. A fic with an ending you can’t stop thinking about: Sybil Trelawney and the Unexpected Gift, written by @squibstress. Satirical, intimate, clear-eyed, and flayingly insightful. Trelawney. 28. An under-rated fic: Gossip and Mischief by bluedreaming. Assorted Hogwarts residents. 29. A post-canon fic: The Eyes Have It, written by lash_larue. A Hoggywartyxmas present, written for me! I couldn't have foreseen this marvel in my wildest dreams. I am utterly in love with it! Ollivander and Trelawney. 31. A fav amongst favs: Accommodations , written by @kellychambliss. An unforgettable entry from Minerva Fest. Minerva/Severus.

[I'd also wanted to say it's wonderful to have a fest like this. Thank you for running it, and for running it on Dreamwidth as well.]

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[redstringraven]

an excruciatingly long ramble about the '03 turtles and the enneagram 🐢❤ pt2

[ intro + disclaimers post ] [ pt 3 - leo ] [ pt 4 - don ] [ pt 5 - mikey ]

raph, 8 with a 7 wing

intro + why raph

welcome to the first of these giant posts. i’m. not kidding, you’re gonna click ‘read more’ and see why this series is titled “an excruciatingly long ramble”. i’ve done my best to section it off so you might have an easier time finding your place again if you need or want to take breaks. there’s no way i’m going to cover everything there is to talk about, so i might write and link ‘addendums’ to these posts later on as i think of things.

since raph is the first one, his might be a bit longer than the other three because there are a few enneagram terms that i’ll define as we go. you can then take those with you to the upcoming three posts. so please bear with me, grab a snack, a drink, some nice background music, and WE RIDE.

• . • . •

i wanted to start this project with raph because i feel like we start the series at his lowest/unhealthiest point.

only four episodes into the show (meet casey jones, s1ep4) we see him lose control of his temper in a serious way: he attacks mikey. throughout the rest of the episode he's forced to ‘face himself’ in casey and start monitoring his anger.

while we see him continue to grapple with his anger throughout the series, this is his worst moment. he has nowhere to go but up. in contrast, we see leo in probably his healthiest state of mind at the beginning of the series only to be at his worst in the first half of season 4. but back to raph; we'll have time for leo later.

as the series continues, we see glimpses of this temper rear its head again, with some examples being at the end of their encounter with karai in city at war (s2ep16) or during his fight with traximus in the battle nexus (s2ep24). in these instances, we get a close-up shot of his eyes narrowing and, with traximus, the area around them darkening. this was something that was specifically focused on during s1ep4 whenever he began to lose control. the loss of control is still THERE, it’s just less frequent now. he’s growing.

i think it’s also important to highlight that mikey ribs on him during the battle nexus (s2ep25) not unlike how he does in s1ep4, too. sure, they might be in an environment that shields them from danger of serious injuries, but i think it says a LOT that mikey’s comfortable provoking raph to the degree he does. raph’s acted on his apology, has done work, and mikey knows this. he's watched him do it. it's time already to be The Worst™ again.

but enough about why i chose raph to go first; let's cover the basics of an 8.

bare basics of the 8

as stated in the introductory post, the enneagram focuses heavily on the why and the motivation behind your behavior.

8s are one of the three assertive types (along with 3s and 7s), and they’re a part of the gut triad (made of 8s, 9s, and 1s). assertives can be described as moving 'against people'. they respond to stress or difficulty by building up, reinforcing, or inflating their ego; they will expand rather than back down or seek protection. assertive types will often have issues processing their feelings.

the gut triad may also be referred to as the ‘doing’ or the ‘instinct’ triad, as they respond instinctively and tend to be honest and direct in their self expression. i’ve also seen it referred to as the ‘anger’ triad since these types tend to have problems with aggression and repression, and they can carry a great deal of rage. types in the gut triad seek autonomy and are concerned with resistance and control of their environment. an 8 externalizes it. a 9 forgets it. and a 1 internalizes it. there’s a lot more information about the triads out there, but this is what we’ll take with us for now.

an 8’s basic fear is that of being harmed or controlled by others, of violation.

their basic desire is to protect themselves and determine their own course in life.

they believe they’ll be okay so long as they are strong and in control of their situation.

childhood take-aways

at an early age, 8s begin to understand that in order to keep their environments, themselves, and the people they care about from being hurt, they have to have willpower, persistence, and endurance. 8s often “grow up too quickly” and focus on survival issues. they’ve picked up that “might makes right”.

we don’t get to see a lot of the boys’ youth, but we’re given an idea in the first episode, things change (s1ep1), of the perspective they were raised under. i’ll be referring back to that throughout this section of each post. master splinter states:

“your path in life will not be an easy one. the outside world will not be a friendly place for you. you four are different in ways the surface dwellers would never understand. to survive, you must master these skills i teach you: the powers of stealth and secrecy. you must become kage, shadow warriors, and you must never be discovered by the outside world.”

8s ask themselves “how can i--and the few people i care about--survive in a cruel, uncaring world?”. it’s possible that this way of thinking was only solidified by movies they saw growing up, or even witnessing what casey was going through during the lesson (s3ep13). if the outside world isn’t friendly to what it considers ‘normal’, then surely it won’t be kind to what’s different.

8s were often independent, adventuresome, and assertive as children. they'd be found running ahead of the pack. they’re the kid who will stand up to the playground bully without flinching. they might have questioned authority, trusting themselves more than most adults, which lead to being punished frequently.

8s often find themselves in the role of the scapegoat, the “black sheep” or problem child. raph even calls attention to this, himself, in his ‘03 profile: referring to himself as “the angry young man” and “the dark one”.

it's brief, but i think we get a glimpse of this in s2ep23 at the start of the battle nexus arc: master splinter starts to express his disappointment in leo for following him to the nexus, but raph steps in immediately to shoulder the blame. he could have stayed quiet but, no. he’s the ‘problem child’ here. he can take the heat.

raph as an 8

now that we've touched on the basics of an 8, as well as a few things they may have picked up early in life, let's take a look at raph and his 8.

8s can sometimes be nicknamed: ‘the challenger’, ‘the leader’, ‘the protector’, ‘the provider’, ‘the entrepreneur’, ‘the maverick’, or ‘the rock’.

i’ll continue to refer to raph by his numerical type because, while the nicknames that grant a surface idea of their behavior, most users of the enneagram prefer to avoid descriptive labels. one 8 might feel being called ‘the provider’ suits them while another 8 might not see themselves in that label at all. nicknames are quick summaries/general ideas, but it’s good practice to use the number type itself.

an ‘average’ 8, in terms of their mental and spiritual health, tends to be a steamroller rather than a diplomat and have a black and white way of thinking: people are good or bad, an opinion is right or wrong, the answer is yes or no, etc. this isn’t to say raph can’t acknowledge nuance (far from it), but rather that 8s believe not having clarity or absolute certainty about your position and viewpoints represents weakness or--worse--cowardice. the rest of us have opinions, the 8 has facts. they don’t have a lot of patience for indecisive people, and they might use aggression to emotionally protect themselves. many exhibit an abundance of common sense.

8s are extraordinarily tough, physically and mentally. they can absorb a great deal of punishment without batting an eye. raph has a tendency to be the one catching blows for his brothers or guarding them during fights. we can refer back to being the 'problem child' as well; he can handle the heat. he’s an anchor who keeps his brothers grounded when worries spike, and he tends to be blunt, to the point, and possibly the most ‘world-wise’ out of the four.

8s want to be loved but often feel rejected or like misfits, which becomes more evident in their “take it or leave it” attitude as they get older. you can accept them as they are, or you can get out. they attempt to protect themselves by rejecting others first, and they might develop a fear of dependency. the “i don’t need you guys” sort of mentality. during tales of leo (s1ep19), raph even says “who needs you?” to leo before he tells his story.

it likely goes without saying that raph, like many 8s, admires strength. since their basic fear revolves so much around maintaining what power and control they have, 8s are the types of people who can walk into a room and immediately know who holds the most ‘power’. they’ll just as likely be deciding whether or not that power is deserved, and if they’ll be with or against it. it probably took raph like, what, five seconds to realize that one big alien was the head honcho in the big house (s2ep3) and he took them out first excuse he got.

raph wants people to challenge him back; an 8 can quickly lose respect for you if you’re unwilling to stand toe-to-toe with them (even if the 8 disagrees with you, they'll respect that you held your ground). they also want the truth. they don’t want you to ‘protect’ them from unpleasant details or facts. if they don't have all the information--no matter how harsh or unpleasant it may be--they can't control the situation or hope to reach their desired outcome.

let’s elaborate a bit on what the hell a ‘wing’ is. the enneagram is depicted as a wheel--kind of like a clock, if that helps you picture it without a visual aid (albeit i’ll link one here; ignore the arrows for now, we'll return to them).

a type’s wing are the two numbers that neighbor it on the wheel. the wings for an 8 are: 7 and 9. when someone says they’re a type “with a wing”, that means that they feel influenced in some way by that neighboring type. since the enneagram looks at ‘why’ and motives, you might find that the wing you lean toward more might fluctuate or change as you grow and experience life.

i'm confident raph is an 8w7, meaning his enneagram type is an 8 but he takes influence from 7. delightful, then, that mikey’s a 7. i think it’s a nice little way to tie them together when it’s time for Shenanigans™.

8s who have 7 wings are sometimes called ‘the independents’. along with being one of the most energetic and sociable types, people of this subtype tend to be risk-takers, adventurous, and combine the 8’s need for intensity with the 7’s love of anticipation. they’re practical, pragmatic, competitive, and not concerned with pleasing others, but also tend to be lead by their feelings, resulting in them being impatient and impulsive. they might be more confrontational and aggressive and are less likely to back down from a fight than an 8w9.

i remember seeing a link to one of those character… personality across all quizzes type of wikis somewhere and if memory serves raph was listed as an 8w9. i can’t help but wonder if that decision was made because it would give him two types on the instinct/gut triad, verses an 8w7 where his core type is on the instinct/gut triad, but his wing is in the thinking/head triad. we’ll discuss that one more when we get to don and mikey. *murmuring from the audience* yes, mikey is on the thinking/head triad. he’s actually fully on it, wing and all. *more murmuring from the audience* i’ll get to it, i’ll get to it.

but, no, 8s with a 9 wing have an almost deceptively laid back quality to them and are much more willing to be open and affectionate around their loved ones. 8w9s are sometimes nicknamed ‘the bear’ for that reason and, while highly protective and aggressive in being so, i don’t really think of raph when i think of that (you can see where labels might cause a problem). 8w9s are more willing to let their walls down in safe spaces; raph appears guarded and careful just about every time we see him no matter whose company he’s in. his walls only come down in periods of high emotion and, even then, he’s either reluctant to let them show or tries to hide them immediately after the moment passes, even getting angry that they managed to surface at all.

the wing isn't the only other type that influences your core number, though. let's talk about the other two.

stress & security numbers

as i said at the beginning of this post, raph’s is likely going to be the longest because i’ll be introducing various enneagram terms as we go along that you can apply to the other posts going forward. bear with me, please, this information is going to help in the last three sections of the post.

i stated that the enneagram can be compared to varying colors, or even a color wheel. There can be an infinite different types of red, but they are all still expressions of the same base hue. maybe an orange-red, a violet-red, a pale pink, the list goes on. likewise, the enneagram types take influence from the other types, even ones that wouldn’t be considered their wings. these would be their ‘stress’ and ‘security’ numbers.

‘stress’ and ‘security’ are meant to refer to the current mental health level of the individual, with security representing--as you might have guessed--the healthiest state of mind you can be in and stress being the unhealthier side of that. when a type is in an unhealthier state of mind, they begin to adopt the negative traits of their stress number. vise versa, when in a healthier and secure state of mind, they begin to adopt the positive traits of their security number. you may have noticed on the wheel i linked earlier all those arrows in the center. those point to a type's stress and security. let’s start with raph’s stress number.

raph’s stress number is 5. this means that in a stressed or unhealthy state of mind and spirit, raph begins to show the negative behaviors associated with 5s.

(i love looking at raph and don from the enneagram perspective because it’s a common misconception that don and raph are polar opposites. i think their link in their stress and security numbers illustrates that they have a lot more in common than seen on the surface. because raph’s stress number being 5 means that don’s security number is 8. but more on that when we get to don).

in times of high-stress or low-spirits, 8s will become solitary. they’ll minimize their own comfort, take poor care of themselves and may succumb to insomnia or unhealthy diets. they might spend more time brooding or strategizing to size up a situation than they might actively engage with it. they can become extremely cynical and contemptuous of the beliefs and values of others, nihilistic, and have little hope of reconnecting with themselves or those around them.

i'll cover this more in don's post but for some examples: don, being a 5, will often withdraw to his lab and overwork himself (we can see examples of this in s2ep13 return to the underground, or continuing to push himself despite being sick during the second half of season 4).

when it comes to raph, we have a few examples of the 5’s negative traits showing through in periods where he would be unhealthy mentally and spiritually:

when he realizes his temper’s getting out of hand, he’ll isolate himself and “get some air” (some examples, s1ep4, s1ep24)

he’s the most reluctant to talk to leo during tales of leo (s1ep19), and after his story he separates from the group to stand by the window (while not fully leaving the room to isolate, it’s the farthest he’s willing to go from leo's side)

he spends most of the city at war arc (s2ep14-16) retreating from the conflict, where leo is actively engaging with it

in same as it never was (s3ep21), raph has isolated himself from leo and mikey. he expresses contempt toward leo’s decision to leave master splinter behind. he’s the one who calls the situation “hopeless”.

an 8’s security number is a 2. when in a healthier state of mind, they take on the positive traits of a 2; they have the ability to see potential in people and want to help those people recognize resources and strengths they didn’t know they had. a key word for a healthy 8 is “empowerment”. they would agree with the phrase “give a person a fish and they eat for a day; teach them to fish and they can feed themselves for life”.

8s allowing their 2s to surface means learning to open their hearts to others, letting their guard down and expressing the tenderness they’ve so carefully hid away. it’s important to understand that this movement is not accomplished by imitating the qualities of a 2. an 8 must have greater contact with their hearts and grow comfortable with their gentler feelings. they need to stop equating vulnerability to weakness.

i think some good samples of raph’s 2 coming to the surface might be found:

the exchange with mikey as they're cornered by mousers; “well, it’s been fun, guys” “even me?” “especially you, mikey” (s1ep3)

helping leo recover in monster hunter (s1ep20) and forging a new set of swords with him

every fucking time he gasses don up, but for a specific example, return to the underground (s2ep13)

everything with mrs. morrison in touch and go (s3ep8)… just all of it. don’t even look at me.

throughout all hallows thieves (s4ep12) he’s cheery and even a little nostalgic toward halloweens past. we get an earnest, unguarded laugh out of him.

healthy, integrating 8s make outstanding leaders; they’re able to communicate their profound respect and admiration of others, and they better recognize boundaries and limits--especially their own.

HEY, LET'S TALK ABOUT THAT LEADER THING. i'm sure some of you locked onto that when i listed 'the leader' in the nicknames section.

raph’s temperament and unwillingness to let his 2 surface often gets in the way of him taking a leadership position. he once expressed a desire to be the ‘top turtle’ but made the decision to follow leo. at the end of his flashback during tales of leo, we see him eagerly asking leo what he did to stop the alligator and enthusiastically following him back out of the tunnel. not a smidge of negative feedback in sight. i believe he recognizes and respects leo’s ability to lead, be it by strategy or morals, more than gives into his desire to lead. remember that as far as the 2003 series is concerned: leo is the UNOFFICIAL 'leader'; this is a role he naturally steps into, not a responsibility that was directly assigned to him (i think raph might even be the only one who refers to him as 'fearless leader' or a 'leader' at all, but i could be wrong). 8s don’t need to BE the person in control, they just don’t want to be controlled. they will follow other leaders who are decisive and have earned their respect. to anyone who wants to point out that leo and raph still argue a lot, don't forget about what i said in regards to holding your ground with 8s. they may not like it in the moment, but your ability to hold your ground will be recognized. leo more than often holds his ground when raph challenges him.

(when raph and leo butt heads it’s not because they’re at odds with each other because raph wants to lead or because leo doesn’t consider raph capable of leading, it’s because they’re both stubborn fucking idiots who’re thoroughly convinced their way is the right way; for raph admitting he’s wrong is a show of weakness and surrendering control which is a fear for 8s and for leo it’s a kick to his pride and ability to be ‘good’ which is a fear for 1s. simplifying it down to a power struggle between them drives me up a wall, iN THIS ESSAY I WILL--).

while a small example, a moment from the first notes from the underground episode (s1ep13) has always stuck with me when it comes to raph’s potential and ability to lead: he’s not only the one to throw the grapple to get them across the bridge, but when they’re dangling from a stalagmite after the bridge collapses, he’s the one who gathers them together to do ‘crack the whip’. leo actually doesn’t have any dialogue in that whole sequence; raph’s the one who takes charge and gets them safely to the other side.

it’s also interesting that in cases where leo’s not present AND raph’s in the company of someone similar in behavior to him, his 2 seems to come out on its own. when running around alone with casey, raph is the one reining him in. similar case with godman falcon in across the universe (s3ep20). you could use tyler in lone raph and cub (s1ep24) as another example, but i’m not fully counting that as tyler is like. ten. and stinky.

cardinal sins - 8 and lust

here's term that, on the surface, might appear a bit self-explanatory, but it tends to be a bit more nuanced than that. at least as far as the enneagram is concerned.

every type on the enneagram comes with its own ‘cardinal sin’; you might recognize seven of them from the traditional deadly sins. a type’s cardinal sin is less of a ‘sin’ and more of an almost addictive, involuntary and repeated behavior that we can only be free of when we learn to recognize and manage it. learning to manage your type’s cardinal sin is one of the purposes of the enneagram as a tool.

an 8's cardinal sin is ‘lust’. don’t mistake this for lust purely in its sexual definition; this is ‘lust’ as in the drive and need for intensity. 8s want to feel solid and alive; interactions must be intense, play must be intense--there’s something of a daredevil in 8s as they're looking to experience what life has to offer at 110%. it’s ironic that giving into lust is the antithesis of the control raph’s 8 demands he maintains; lust after a person or object is to be under its power, the opposite of what an 8 truly wants.

i’m sure at least some of you are wondering about ‘wrath’. something that might be important to keep in mind, here, is that 8s reach for rage in place of other emotions; not only is rage easy to access, it’s also an intense and overwhelming emotion. we'll talk about this more when we get to leo, but his 1 makes him a member of the 'anger' triad as well. where raph takes any emotion he feels intensely and replaces it with anger, leo will often take his anger and replace it with a less harsh explanation. but again, we'll get to that.

something else i think is interesting to consider are the cardinal sins associated with the other types that 8s are connected to. in raph’s case, it would be his wing, 7, with his stress and security numbers 5 and 2. the other cardinal sins in his main circle would be gluttony, greed, and pride respectively. when it comes to raph, 'gluttony' makes more sense in application than a 9's 'sloth', which contributes to why i disagree with him having a 9 wing.

sooooo, now that we’ve gone over a lot of information about 8s in general and some samplings of where i see an 8 in raph, i wanna look at three specific points in the series to just kinda pick up and turn around in my hands like a little puzzle box. i’m sorry, i know this is long just--AUGH. i could sit here and run characters through an enneagram lens all day, i'm the worst.

city at war

for me, city at war is a fantastic example of an 8 and a 1 colliding. this is also an arc i see discussed frequently, and often those talking about it have an easy time seeing the perspective of one brother but not the other. for complete disclosure, i’ve always been in raph’s court with this one; even as a kid i'm pretty sure i agreed with raph that they should stay out of the fight (but i’m also a 9, and we tend to avoid conflict of any kind however we can).

we’ll be talking about raph’s perspective here, obviously, and we’ll return to this arc in leo’s post to discuss it from his perspective. remember that one of the enneagram's uses as a tool is to grow in compassion for others and allow us to understand why they act and react the way they do.

a big thing to keep in mind when looking at this arc from raph's perspective as an 8 is that we need to look at the last time they dealt with the foot specifically. while there are five episodes between shredder’s supposed death in secret origins' ending (s2ep8) and city at war beginning (s2ep14), it’s important to consider the sheer weight of everything that lead up to this point and the amount of time passed as those events transpired. remember that an 8’s basic desire is to protect themselves--and the people they’ve come to care about--as well as determine their own course in life. the foot completely uprooted all of that for raph.

we’ll say the shredder strikes back (s1ep17) is the starting point. the boys may have faced the shredder for the first time in shredder strikes (s1ep10), but i don’t think they fully understood what the FUCK they were doing. because they’re fifteen year old boys. with weapons. they think they’re invincible. they’re very stupid, and it's a miracle master splinter hasn't developed like six ulcers.

shredder strikes back is a brutal wake up call to the fact that… NO, ACTUALLY, y'all are pretty fragile. this was the closest they’d probably come to having a family member taken from them. like, all things considered, leo should be dead. he was only “returned” to them on the brink of death to rub salt in the wound. and with the 8’s ability to sniff out who has the most power in a room, i doubt this detail was lost on raph. his brother is only still alive because shredder allowed it.

enough time passes for leo to recover, and we’re right back in new york using the fact we’re ‘dead’ to our advantage to take down shredder once and for all. the next three episodes all occur in the same night. but we did it! we’ve defeated shredder--we thought we’d gained control--but, just kidding, dad’s gone and disappeared.

our search for master splinter over the next few hours sends us to space. the next five episodes are desperately trying to get back to earth and their father. the turtles are in space for a few weeks, but only a few hours have passed on earth.

all of secret origins happens in the span of another few hours and ends with the shredder dying once and for all. he's totally dead, you guys. for real this time. no way in hell he survived that. ...foreshadowing is a literary device whe--

for us, that’s eighteen episodes (which if you were watching back in 2003 in the way the episodes were released would have not only been about eighteen weeks minimum, but the waiting period between two seasons as well). as viewers, it feels like a lot of time has passed. because it has. for them? that is a LOT of shit--again--over a relatively short period of time.

for an 8, this has been a ton of shaking around their control over their course in life. it’s been a huge threat to both their own security and that of the few people they hold dear. going from having to avoid their home and hiding away in april’s apartment, to almost losing leo, to almost losing splinter, to being blasted across the galaxy, discovering their ties to the shredder… but now. FINALLY. shredder is dead. they’re free! ...they should be free to once again determine their own course.

i can only imagine raph is eager to find some semblance of control and grounding again. the world has proven itself in many ways to be cruel and uncaring, just like he’d learned to believe. his 5 probably has him in a bit of a choke hold. and now, as the foot and the mob and the dragons are in a turf war, for SOME GODDAMN REASON his brother--who he almost lost--wants to get involved. raph, usually the first into the ring of conflict, slams the brakes on. this isn’t our fight, and we can just let them weaken each other and eat themselves alive. we gain safety by not involving ourselves, we have control again. to throw ourselves into that is risking another loss. returning to the cardinal sins, the 5’s greed/need to protect their resources and their energy, could very much be in full swing here.

8s and 1s are, unfortunately for everyone else involved, both types who unrelentingly believe they’re correct in an argument. and to back down from said argument could mean submitting to a part of their basic fear. raph’s 8 recognizes this as a moment for them to regain control of not only their own lives, but also as an opening to just let potential future enemies use up resources and wear each other out. and leo’s 1, as we’ll get to, refuses to listen to this on the base that it wouldn’t be right to sit back while people are getting hurt because of an imbalance ‘they caused’.

karai showing up in new york to take shredder’s place leading the foot (giving them a leader and direction again would be empowering them) was the final straw for raph. because what does he do? he isolates. fuck this shit: i’m out.

cards on the table? i’m not too keen that the narrative made it seem like leo was ‘right’ and raph was ‘wrong’, especially with casey stating that “the way he was raised, you fix your mistakes”… like… killing the shredder was a mistake. idk. clumsy choice of words on casey's part or mishandled writing, i'm not fond of it. and raph saying he was being an idiot at the end… honey, sweetie, darling, gravy, you were not being a full fledged idiot. you were both right and you were both wrong and you were both idiots; the situation is complicated and they can be both at once ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ gray is a value that exists, and you’re both grounded. equality.

anyway. next topic.

darkness within

this will be shorter than the last one because it’s more of a five minute encounter than a span of three episodes with a history, but i think it’s an interesting thing to look at anyway.

i know that from a meta perspective, raph’s nightmare in darkness within (s3ep14) was more a nod to another incarnation, but the fact his fear of becoming anything remotely like the shredder speaks to how self-aware of his anger he might be at this point in the series (note: this is not me saying ch’rell is also an 8; this is a warped fear that came from raph's subconscious, not a direct ‘prediction’ of things to come).

more in-depth views of the enneagram include the levels of development, which is a scale of one to nine how healthy or unhealthy the type is. at their healthiest, 8s can be described as self-surrendering and heroic. self-reliant and strong. self-confident and leading. but at their unhealthiest? 8s can become ruthless and dictatorial. megalomaniacal and terrorizing. sociopathic and destructive. sounds a lot like our favorite chewed up piece of stale cinnamon gum.

raph is aware that his anger--as well as his need to be strong and in control of his situation--could lead him down an even vaguely similar path. we saw glimpses of that, as i said, as early as episode four of the first season. losing grip and control of his temper and attacking mikey. his worst moment. the foot were barely even part of their lives at that point. that happened during what should have been a mundane little training session between brothers, where there was little to no outside influence. while not the shredder exactly, he is aware he has the potential to become something similar if he allows himself to give in to his anger and fears.

the first half of season four and leo’s… gestures vaguely

i think the last thing i want to talk about is the first half of season four and just generally dealing with leo at HIS worst. specifically cousin sid (s4ep1), i, monster (s4ep5), grudge match (s4ep6), samurai tourist (s4ep13), and scion of the shredder (s4ep15).

in cousin sid raph’s reaction to leo’s shift in attitude is, at first, positive. he goes as far as to jokingly state that karai should stab him more often if it means leo’s going to be less hesitant to fight (think his 7 wing was showing itself in that moment tbh; trying to make a joke out of something he shouldn’t have).

by i, monster, i think he’s started to notice that something’s wrong. he holds the others off as he recognizes that leo's fighting something more than just the rat king.

in grudge match, he starts to confront leo on his shift in attitude only to be interrupted by master splinter. by the time we get to samurai tourist, raph’s had it with this 'new leo'. he goes as far as saying leo's "going mental". mikey shuts this down (and boy, we'll get to that), but it's clear that raph's standing with leo has only gotten more and more tense.

i doubt it was intentional, as the writers focused more on leo’s handling of their final confrontation of the shredder, but… with all due respect to master splinter, i don’t agree with him when he later tells leo that his brothers have healed. i don’t think they’re in the unhealthy zone as deep as leo is, but given raph’s more negative and almost accusatory approach to leo’s state, i can’t help but tilt my head and see his 5’s influence beginning to color his perception. he’s having a hard time connecting. digging his heels in, becoming uncompromising. his 2 is hidden away and preventing him from showing vulnerability or gentleness toward leo's state. an 8’s antagonism can lead to self-sabotage when it comes to relationships, and leo’s reacting differently to raph’s attitude or not reacting at all. leo’s sudden change in attitude paired with any healing raph has left to do has likely raised his walls in a place he thought he was safe in. his 8, which is so focused on protecting himself, no longer feels like it has any control over the situation--he doesn’t know how leo’s going to act, how receptive leo will be to his own behavior, or even what to do to get leo “back”. and, obviously, leo’s worsening state is doing nothing to help any of this. raph's falling toward rejecting leo first so leo doesn’t have the chance to reject him. playing into that fear of dependency by continuing to push leo further away from him before leo has the chance to do the damage himself.

we see in scion of the shredder that he hasn’t completely given up; playing into his 7, mikey makes a coo-coo motion at his head in reference to leo and raph promptly smacks him for it. i think this says a few things: that raph took what mikey said in samurai tourist to heart and, because of that, he’s now at least trying to be more nuanced about leo’s state, verses basically having said the same thing mikey just did two episodes back… even if it might be ‘too late’ for that considering leo’s already had his worst moment and gone to japan.

when we roll around to prodigal son (s4ep16), raph’s likely on a big emotional ride over here. some of this i have to point at rushed writing and also the general vibe of early 2000s media, but some of it can also be directed at raph’s 8. we see him very briefly express “””weakness””” when leo assures him that the rest of the family is okay (he braces his hands on his knees), but upon returning to the reservoir station all the walls are right back up and he just walks right past don, who’s relieved to see him, and, boom, he’s right back on the attack--angry that the foot destroyed their home. defenses up. i’m not relieved, i was never worried, i was never scared, i’m just MAD.

conclusion

as mentioned in part 1, the two books i referenced and heavily pulled from in the more enneagram-focused sections of this project (the parts where the enneagram itself is explained rather than how it applies to the turtles) were:

the wisdom of the enneagram by don richard riso & russ hudson

the road back to you by ian morgan cron & suzanne stabile

gonna be real with you, lads, i have no idea how to properly close this out, i just looked at the page number and word count and muttered to myself "jesus christ; girl, shut up".

as i said at the start of this post, if i have anything to add/more observations regarding raph's 8 in the series i'll link them here as addendums.

for now, we're going to stay in the instinct triad and move over to leo. and from leo, we'll go to don because they both have a foot in the feeling/heart triad.

see you in the next one and, if you read all this, here's a platter of warm cookies of your favorite choice. and your favorite drink to wash it down. you're the realest.

[queen--of--shadows]

A Formidable Pair: Part 4

Azriel x Reader

Summary: As spymaster to the Spring Court, the Reader meets her unfriendly match from the Night Court as they work together to train, rebuild and repair Court relations.

Warnings: none

Word Count: 2083

Notes: I hope this makes up for the fact that I haven’t posted in nearly 3 weeks 🥲 NEXT AND LAST PART COMING OUT IN A FEW DAYS I PROMISE 🖤 

Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Part 5

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For nearly three hours, you and Azriel had been soaring the skies in silence, with only the sound of the cold wind whipping past his mighty wings to break the stillness. The terrifying initial ascent had your heart plummeting into your stomach—you had never flown before, and the speed and agility with which the Illyrian flew had caught you off guard. But you kept your face as neutral and disinterested as possible, not wanting to reveal your fear and inexperience, despite your fingers that dug into the muscles around his neck as you held on for dear life.

As you flew over the massive span of rolling green hills, you couldn’t help but marvel at the breathtaking view. Pink and yellow patches of wildflowers dotted the landscape, creating a stunning contrast against the verdant green. Eventually, the bright colors gave way to a familiar thick forest, with vibrant hues of deep red and sunset orange. The air was crisp, with the lingering scent of an eternal fall.

Despite the beauty of the Autumn Court, it never quite felt like home, but more of a cage under the constant scrutiny of your parents and the other High Fae’s political games. Although you were excited to finally have a chance to travel and get out, the Spring Court’s endless warmth had also become stifling.

Fortunately, the Shadowsinger didn’t need any directions, sparing you from any and all conversation. You had been dreading the thought of making small talk with Azriel, so you stayed quiet throughout the flight, taking in the sights and sounds of the world below.

And appreciating his muscles that shifted underneath your arms and legs as he soared gracefully for miles and miles. As much as you despised the male and his attitude, you didn’t mind savoring the warmth radiating off his body in the freezing air high above.

As you neared Eris’s manor, hidden beneath the dense foliage, Azriel began his descent. He had slowed down considerably as if sensing your discomfort during the initial takeoff. Catching a current and riding it down gently toward the roof of the manor, he expertly banked and landed with barely a sound. You stifled the surge of admiration for his impressive flying skills.

You didn’t miss the glint of exhaustion in his eyes as you hopped out of his arms. Azriel stretched and fluttered his massive wings, his muscular form silhouetted against the clear autumn sky. Despite his weariness, he managed to fly without stopping for hours, and landed with such quiet ease it was clear he had mastered the skies and honed his skills over countless flights.

Your mind cleared as you locked eyes with Eris, who was already waiting on the roof, greeting you with a smug smile and a wink that made your skin crawl. Even though you had grown up alongside Eris and the Vanserra brothers, you couldn’t shake the feeling of disgust and unease he provoked. The heir always had eyes for you.

You took a deep breath, steeling yourself against the nausea and irritation that churned in your gut, before sauntering your way toward the red-headed lordling. The Shadowsinger knew better than to follow, keeping his distance toward the cream-colored ceramic fencing at the edge of the roof.

“Welcome home, darling,” Eris drawled, his voice dripping with sweet sarcasm. “What do you have for me?”

For weeks now, you had been diligently gathering information about the Spring Court spies and Rhysand’s plans to travel throughout Prythian. Despite your efforts, there wasn’t much to report other than the usual border disputes with the mortal realm. You knew Eris was anticipating some significant intel, but you had done your job, and you were eager to request a new posting. Let someone else handle the monotony of the Spring Court.

“Nothing out of the ordinary,” you replied coolly, fully aware that Lucien had likely already briefed his brother on this stupid little stunt of his, forcing you to play nice with the Shadowsinger. The glint in Eris’s eyes confirmed your suspicion. “Aside from what Lucien already told you.”

His smirk widened into a wicked grin. “Well, enjoy your ride to the Night Court,” he teased, his deep hazel eyes flickering toward the winged male standing far behind you. “I’ll see you at the party.”

You met his gaze head-on, refusing to let his words embarrass or intimidate you. Letting your lethal stare do the talking, you silently turned on your heel and stalked back to Azriel.

“Let’s go,” you growled, your anger simmering just below the surface. Without hesitation, Azriel scooped you up in his arms and shot up into the sky. Whether he was smart enough to not ask about your short encounter with Eris, or indifferent to it all, you didn’t care. Though he likely didn’t care for Eris given his history with The Morrigan, the High Lord’s notoriously stunning cousin.

Another conversation avoided.

Thank the Gods, the Mother and the Cauldron.

You needed to get away from all of this bullshit.

Azriel’s shadows provided a warm cocoon against the chill wind, so you didn’t notice as the multicolored forest became barren, the trees covered in a thin layer of sparkling ice and a soft dusting of bright white snow coated the ground. You also didn’t see the massive winter storm miles ahead, blocking any sight or visibility for miles. As Azriel soared closer to the edge of the Winter Court, it became evident that there was no way you would make it through the whiteout.

“We have to stop,” he said, his voice barely audible above the shrieking winds. His hands tightened around you as he pulled you closer into his chest and nosedived toward the snowy forest floor.

“There’s an inn between the borders of the two courts. We’ll spend the night there and head back out in the morning. I’m sure Kallias has already given Rhysand word of the storm, so he should know we’re running late.” You didn’t bother responding as you grabbed your pack from his and trekked through the ice behind him.

---------------------------

As the innkeeper cautiously slid over the key to Azriel, who requested a room for two, you couldn’t help the knot forming in your stomach at the thought of sharing a room together. But after hiking through two miles of slushy snow and ice, your feet near-frostbitten, the prospect of a cozy inn and a warm bed for the night was more than welcome, even if it meant spending more time than you had planned with the Spymaster.

The downstairs level of the inn was packed with travelers seeking refuge from the storm, their laughter and chatter filling the air. You both kept your hoods down to avoid drawing attention, the tension between you palpable as you followed him up the narrow staircase.

The hallway upstairs was dimly lit, the flickering candles casting shadows on the wall, and lined with rooms on either side. Azriel ducked his head and tucked in his wings as he unlocked the small creaky door to your room, and you followed behind quickly, ready to tear off your soaked boots and hop into a boiling bath.

Your heart sank at the sight of a single bed tucked into the corner of the room, with only a thin dusty rug by the fireplace.

You locked eyes with him, unsure of what to say, but before you could speak, he offered, “I’ll take the floor.”

You didn’t argue.

He left the room after lighting the two small candles on the mantle above the fireplace, presumably to get extra bedding for himself, leaving you alone to run a bath. The scorching hot water was a welcome relief from the cold, and you soaked and scrubbed your tired body, feeling the tension in your muscles ease.

A pang of guilt writhed in your gut at you at the thought of using up the hot water for yourself, instead of letting the male who flew your ass out here go first. The male who just offered to sleep on the cold hard ground so you could sleep in a cozy bed.

You shoved the thought aside and sunk deeper into the tub.

Finally emerging from the steaming tub once it ran cold, you tugged on a clean pair of pajamas, the thin satin material hardly suitable for the freezing cold. Better than sleeping in dirty leathers, you supposed. Braiding your wet hair back into a plait, you walked out of the bathing room to a delicious aroma. Azriel was sitting on his makeshift bed on the floor, with piles of thin sheets and a fraying blanket for a pillow, and two bowls of steaming hot stew.

You mumbled your gratitude as you took your bowl and perched up on the bed, wrapping a blanket around your shoulders. You both ate in silence, but as the storm raged outside, the dilapidated window did nothing to keep the howling wind and freezing cold out. Azriel attempted to fix the windowpane and tighten the rusting latch but to no avail.

The chill threatened to seep into your bones, forcing you to take matters into your own hands. As much as you loved to run away from the confinements of the Autumn Court, you sent a silent prayer of thanks to the Mother for the gift you were granted because of it.

With a flick of your fingers, the fireplace roared to life, casting a warm glow throughout the room.

Azriel whirled around from the window, the only indication of his surprise. His cold, golden eyes revealed nothing.

You rolled your eyes at his ignorance. “Someone didn’t do his homework,” you said into your bowl as you sipped from the rim.

His shadows seemed to squirm under the heat, writhing faster around his shoulders and arms as if to protect him from the flames. You didn’t question it.

“We leave as soon as the storm dies down.” His voice was like life given to shadows, deep and rich and commanding against the incessant howling of the wind outside. “I’ll be up every few hours to check on the weather. I’ll wake you when it’s time to go.”

“I can check on the weather. You should rest, you must be exhausted from flying,” you said, trying your best to sound as amiable as possible, hoping it would end the nagging guilt you felt.

“I’m fine,” he snapped back. “I don’t need you to babysit me.” Violence danced across his beautiful, brutal features.

Anger coated your veins.

“What the fuck is your problem with me?” you said with calm lethality. “You’ve been nothing but a brooding, egotistical, dismissive asshole since the moment you stepped foot in the Spring Court. We don’t need to be friends, but you don’t need to be a pretentious, condescending dick toward me, either.”

His face was a mask of stone, but his eyes flickered in the light of the hearth like molten gold. “You are loyal to my enemies,” he seethed, his shadows like asps at his back. “I have no reason to like you, no reason to trust you. Once I drop you off at Rhysand’s doorstep you are no longer my problem.”

Rage licked its way up your spine and into your bones, the heat of the fire matching the intensity of your anger. “Hate me all you want, Shadowsinger,” you spat, “It doesn’t change anything. Do you agree with every decision your High Lord makes?” He went still, shadows of death dancing in his eyes. The dim, gold light of the fire caressed his tan skin, the tips of his tattoos flickering just above the collar of his black sweater.

“I didn’t think so. And since you seem to be unaware, I was sent to the Spring Court as a favor to Lucien, not because I’ve sworn loyalty to Tamlin. You may think your shadows tell you all, but there are some things even they don’t know.” His shadows rippled around him, as if reacting to your words.

For a moment, the room was silent except for the crackling of the fire and the shrieking wind outside.

He let out a harsh laugh, full of the dark, swaggering male arrogance, but didn’t respond.

He knew you were right.

His shadows curled protectively around him, dark as night and soaking up every bit of light glowing from the fireplace.

So you turned your back to him, pulling the blankets and sheets up over your head, and let the deep, long-awaited sleep claim you.

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I just updated the tag list so I’m sorry if you got tagged twice! Xx

taglist: @caosfanblr @starswholistenanddreamsanswered @elenas-safe-spot @ragegarage @fo-cus @icantthinkofanythingplease @theravenphoenix26 @his-sweet-nightmare @simplywitchy @rellik181 @blurredlamplight @bookish-dream @judewife @littleblackcatinwonderland @sarahstone217 @lovebookie123 @redbleedingrose @cute-baby-ducks @brekkershadowsinger @iangelofmusic @j-pendragonx @foggypeanutmongeroaf @davinaclaire16 @luckypersonmentality @eddiesbixch696 @lexie1o9 @halfmeltedcandles @abigailrose98 @mrs-azriel @liftyourhipsformelovex @moonlightazriel @cafe-inaaa @sebby-staan @brooke3132 @holb32 @wolfyland07 @thesillyyogourt @shadowsingersmate24 @humanpersonlasttimeichecked @illyrian-dreamer @marina468 @kennedy-brooke @margssstuff

[redsnowdrop]

CHARLES LECLERC X OC

Chapter 4 -brother’s best friend; forbidden love-

-> F1 Masterlist <-

She accidentally looked out the window and saw her brother giving her the middle finger from the parking lot, but Flavia strangely smiled. She was amused by that scene. After a few seconds, however, she saw Charles come out and it was clear that the two had met on the stairs or even at the entrance. She followed him with her gaze until she saw him disappear into the distance. Her brother entered without knocking -I think you owe me an explanation-

-You told me the exact same thing when you saw me smoking for the first time-

-It's not the time to joke. What happened- he simply said, he didn't ask. He had his trousers on backwards, no one ever knew how it was possible, his shoes in his hand and dark circles under his eyes that reached his knees.

-Do you want to lecture me when not only have I brought you home but when your breath also smells like a dead mouse?-

-I think it was Charles who took me home- he pointed his finger at her –I saw him as I was coming in-

-Yes, I ended up getting drunk and he was kind enough to drive my car-

-Did he also put on you the pajamas? Why did he leave the house now?-

-How do you know how much time has passed since we returned?-

The hangover was starting to affect Antonio's mental clarity –You know what? I have a headache- he closed his eyes and lowered his head -Just tell me that you haven't had sex with him-

-Why would it be so serious?- she provoked him with a mischievous smile on her face but for Antonio it wasn't the ideal morning for joking.

-Because Rosa is already dating Lorenzo and I'm Arthur's friend, the situation is already messed up itself-

Flavia had a confused expression –What‘s wrong with that?-

-Think about when Rosa will leave Lorenzo for a man who has a fatter wallet, between me and Arthur it will be embarrassing and it would be even worse if two sisters went out with two brothers, who, coincidentally, are my friends, in some way. You've had so many nice and stunning boyfriends, is it really too much asking you to stay away from my friends?And what if after getting together you're the one who breaks up? What are we doing? Do I invite my friend and your ex to our house?-

-You are a friend of Arthur, not of Charles and Lorenzo and Rosa are thirty years old- the blonde underlined.

-I also remind you that I graduated and I am taking a sabbatical. I'll stay here, you leave for Milan tomorrow for your stupid photography course. When you argued with all your friends I did favors for you so, I don't feel like I'm asking you for the moon by begging you not to do it with my friends- he remarked with a hint of anger in his voice. He wasn't really angry though, he loved his sister and they had always been there, in some way, for each other and Antonio cared a lot about friendships and having fun. It seemed reasonable to him to ask her for this small favor after all the sacrifices he had made for her.

-Anyway I was just teasing you-

He lay down in the guest room because he couldn't stand after driving half an hour after a party that lasted until four in the morning.

-Nothing happened, don't worry- they looked into each other's eyes -and I promise you that nothing will happen- she smiled at him bitterly. An emotion which, however, his brother did not grasp as his vision was blurred.

It was just one kiss and I'm going home tomorrow, he'll forget about it and so will I. We will move forward and I will return the favor to Antonio. No one will ever know anything and we will all go our own way.

But that kiss happened and I loved it.

Hi guys! This is a small spoiler from my story! That will be posted on AO3!

I will prioritise other FF (Carlos and Lewis’ for sure) because this FF needs more work to do (not only I have to translate the whole thing in English but I desperately need to change the finale and her personality in the latest chapters as well because it’s the one I liked less overall)

(Flavia is the oc, Antonio and Rosa are her siblings! Just to clarify if it wasn’t clear enough!)

Hope you like it and let me know what you think! For any questions I’m always reachable!

See you soon, xoxo!