#Characters Matching Game by Wonder Forge

[mass4ubd]

Disney Classic Characters Matching Game by Wonder Forge | For Boys & Girls Age 3 to 5 | A Fun & Fast Disney Memory Game for Kids | Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Donald Duck, and more , Blue

What you get – Disney Classic Matching Game comes with 72 tiles and instructions.

Clear instructions – Easy to learn with a clear instruction manual. Learn to play in less than five minutes!

Develops critical skills – this game helps preschoolers practice their focus, memory, and matching skills.

Characters you love – enjoy fun pictures of all your favorite Classic Disney characters, including Mickey Mouse, Minnie, Dumbo, The Incredibles, Donald Duck, Goofy, Timon and Pumba, Tinkerbell, Buzz Lightyear and many more!

Great for kids and families – matching not only offers great solo play opportunities for your preschooler, but is also a great game for adults to join in on the fun. It takes just 15 minutes to play, less than 5 minutes to teach, and makes a fantastic Easter gift!

[fauxnotice]

ALIEN SKINCARE. v! blue lock/male! reader. originally posted on quotev. masterlist.

CHAPTER II. WHEN THE LOCK IS BLUE AND THE WORLD IS ENDING.

SPOILER WARNING for various characters not yet properly introduced in the anime (all of them appeared in the vs.U-20 arc), for the Hiori light novel (very vague spoilers, you'll probably only notice them if you've read the novel), and for Episode Nagi manga (extremely vague, probably won't notice them even if you've read the source material).

Since that match, you haven’t felt the “spark” again. 

And yet, you had decided to apologize to your team, making sure that they knew that your sacrilegious crime against the spirit of football and teamplay was just an one-off thing and that you weren’t going to go around stomping on your teammates again. No matter that it was you that made the loss seem not as pathetic as it would have been if you hadn’t scored at all. But in the end, the only important thing is that you could keep playing. 

In truth, you’ve never been certain in love, yet you knew that you loved football. 

You also knew that it would be for the best if you completely let go of any hopes that playing football will take you anywhere. No matter how proud the general public was of the team representing their nation, they were … rather unimpressive against other teams on the global level. 

Unlucky you, to be born here. 

The chances of making it big (by your definition) were near zero. You should make peace with that fact.

So why did a simple letter leave you in such a perturbed state?

Never mind you first thought of -who even sends letters anymore?- the crest of the JFU causes a period of wide-eyed gaping. Sayaka, who had informed you of the envelope arriving earlier, looks over your shoulder curiously, as she searches for the name of the sender. “Japan Football Union? How exciting! Come on, open it!” 

You pause. Which is incredibly dramatic, even by your standards. It’s not like whatever is in there is going to bite your fingers clean off or something. You internally roll your eyes at your own behavior, as you rip the paper.

Right when you’re done reading the contents, a cheery jingle coming from your phone interrupts you. You already know who it is -you did change the notification sound for him specifically, just so you could immediately differentiate it from messages sent by your bothersome classmates, since you usually tend to ignore those for hours before you actually reply to them. None of them care most of the time, so no big deal. 

🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝

look at what i got 🎶

Sent 1 attachment.

You look at the picture, and lo and behold, it’s the exact same envelope as the one that was addressed to you. What strikes you as more important at the moment is the fact that Bachira seemed to be back to his usual mood, which is nice, since he was rather dispirited earlier today. This tended to happen semi-regularly after matches or practice with his team, so you were left to wonder if those people were sickos or something of similar nature, for making Bachira of all people upset. The fiasco at his recent game was obviously the current cause, though you couldn’t get what the big deal was. They did lose, sure, supposedly due to Bachira’s blunder, but who cares? He was the only person worth anything on that team. If the outcome is that important to them, they should get good. Bunch of slugs, you swear.

Ah, you’re keeping Bachira waiting.

You

I got it too

It’s for some “Player improvement project”

Sent 1 attachment.

🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝 

way to ruin the surprise ú_ù

You

Lol

🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝

so we are going x33

  You

I guess

I’ll think about it

This whole thing seemed very sketchy. The notice didn’t seem to be forged or anything of the sort, but the lack of proper details about what exactly this whole project was about (or just about anything, really, since whoever sent these was very stingy with information) made you doubt the legitimacy of this entire scheme.

Maybe it was some sort of a coordinated kidnapping plan? That would be funny. Though you fail to see what exactly they’d gain from doing that to a bunch of football playing teens, assuming that was their target audience. Force you to kick the ball until you die? Do human experimentation? Lock you somewhere where not even the sun would find you? Would they demand a ransom? Sayaka didn’t have that type of money. But thinking logically, if this invitation was the best the organizers could come up with, maybe it’d be possible to outwit them? Much to think about.

You should consider this carefully.

You considered it carefully. And such careful consideration led you to taking a train from Chiba to Tokyo with Bachira on the date stated in the letter. While Bachira seemed pretty excited (as is the norm for him), you kept all of your feelings internalized. 

After wasting time (Bachira wanted to look around) and following the map given to you, you finally made it to the supposed location of the project. The JFA building stood proud in front of you two, so you decided to believe that you most likely won’t die or be seriously harmed today. That would cause a real big scandal, for sure.

“This seems to be the place.” you hum as you glance at the paper once more, slightly frowning at the lack of one crucial detail. “But it doesn’t say where exactly we’re supposed to meet.” 

“That means we should go in, right?” Bachira retorts, making it seem rather easy. It seemed like you were the only one overthinking everything. How you envied him, sometimes. Going through life with the carelessness of an amoeba seemed a lot less difficult than whatever was going on with you. Then again, minimizing your existence to the simplest cluster of cells doesn’t even seem that appealing when you think about it twice. You just can never win.

“It’s not like we can go back, now that we wasted money to get here.”

Your companion grins and slaps your back not at all lightly. “It’s always about money with you! Let'so go, let's go!”

You decide to stop the objection before you could vocalize it. Now’s not the time for bickering, even if it’s definitely not “always about money” with you, but whatever. 

When you finally open the door, a considerable number of people turn to face you, which makes you (secretly) bristle in discomfort. Sure, you were an expert at playing a social butterfly, or at least a regular friendly peer, but rooms filled with a crowd of mostly unfamiliar faces wasn’t your ideal setting. You make a quick move forward, making them lose interest and turn to look back ahead. 

As minutes rolled along, it seemed that nothing was happening other than more people coming in. In order to pass the time, you chatter with Bachira, completely discreetly (only on your part) commenting on the boys around you. Some of them looked … rather interesting , so you had to wonder how they leave the house everyday while looking like losers of the genetic lottery. Hell, some of them weren’t even ugly, yet they chose to present themselves in a way that made you wonder if they had a hole in their heads, or at least blindness in one or both eyes. You spot a guy with so much hair gel that the mere fact that he still has any hair is a miracle of global proportions (“Bwahahaha! That guy looks like a turnip!” Bachira observes, to which you laugh very unnoticeably). 

You wish it was enough to distract you from the one thing that you had expected, yet feared, once you realized the group consisted of all teenage boys -the stench. 

You don’t even want to imagine how bad it’d be once you started actually playing instead of standing around. You weren’t even that demanding; it’s not like you were asking them to bathe in holy water every three hours, but some soap would be nice?!

Unexpectedly, someone turns towards you. Before you is a bespectacled guy, with a rather handsome face and a fitting smile to boot. You guessed that there was something beneath that visage. Like an insecurity or an ugly personality facet that deserved to be wrapped in a pretty packaging, tucked away from the public eye. But you were just brainstorming. This guy could be going through the torments of a lifetime and it wouldn't be in your realm of caring. Then, he starts talking to you.

“Sorry to bother you, but do you two happen to be forwards?”

Huh. That’s one way to start a conversation. At least it gave you a small hint on whatever was going on here.

“Yeah!” Bachira replies before you can. “You’re one too?” You add.

He smiles and nods, very pretty and proper. “That’s right. My name is Yukimiya Kenyu, by the way. It’s nice to meet you.”

You easily slip into the familiar role as you smile back at him, radiating as much of your inner grace as you could while introducing yourself. “It's very nice to meet you too, Yukimiya-kun.”

The door opens once again and everyone predictably turns to look at the newcomers. You hear many whispers about the “Crown jewel of Japan”, but you have no idea who that is so you don’t even bother. You know Bachira doesn’t know either, and you don’t care enough to ask Yukimiya about it. There’s two guys at the entrance, so it’s a 50/50 chance that one’s the jewel and the other is the pebble. Whatever the truth is, you’ll find out if it ever becomes relevant to you. Which is not now.

Right then, your eyes get abruptly violated by the man that takes the centre of the podium. Not only does he wear the look of a freakish horror caricature like it’s second skin, his strange choice of a hairstyle makes him seem like a scorched thumb more than anything. You give him a point for effort, though, since his dead fish eyes and lanky limbs only add to the aesthetic.  He oppens his mouth and talks, unfortunately.

Now, here’s the thing -you would have liked it if you were able to readily disagree with whatever bullshit this guy’s saying. But it’s understandable bullshit, which is a whole nother thing, so you settle on wearing a pensive and slightly concerned expression, just so you don’t seem out of place. Unlike most of those present, leaving your team behind for this delusional charade … doesn’t seem too bad to you. Perhaps it’s the ultimate hating mindset rearing its head once it senses an opportunity to muddle your thoughts. The whole plan of making the world’s best striker sounded very nice, but you weren’t fully convinced either. Not to be judgmental and superficial (you are) but looking like that and declaring such ideas didn’t leave much space for trust. You share a sideways glance with Bachira.

Then, for some reason, Possible Jewel suspect number One starts talking too. Arguing, mostly. You think it’s a silly hill to die on, but it’s not like you can blame him for thinking the way he does. People treasure their bonds and stuff like that, or so you’ve heard. Unsurprisingly, more complaints pipe up. Most are nonsensical to you, but you do agree with whoever asked why all of you had to live together. Looking at all of them … sharing a living space seems like an idea cooked up by a sadist of the highest calibre. 

Yeah, you … don’t want that. Who knows where all these people have been. 

“Ego’s” response to this is to start this strange contortion performance? Then he talks about the Japanese team and how they’re basically shit-out-of-the-ass bad (which isn’t untrue, but he didn’t have to say it like that), and continues on to quote many world class players, finishing with the principle of “egoism”. 

This “egoism” is heretical against the primary principles of football, ingrained within every regular player who has ever had to share the field with a team.

You, an alien attempting to imitate regularity on a daily basis, find yourself at a loss of words. Transfixed, almost, enchanted even, by this man’s otherworldly philosophy. It feels like home, you realize, cold and empty, but still a memory of the years during which you had felt alive, like an actual being, like someone fitting into the mechanisms of existence. No -you want to bend these mechanisms to your liking. Someone like you is deserving of that.

What a tantalizing offer. You want to reach out and devour every fruit.

There’s a certain swirling darkness within Bachira’s eyes as he gazes at you. You don’t pay attention to it. In the end, you’re the only one that should matter. The center of all, it’s you-the lowest of all scum. 

The gate opens, and the answer is clear. 

After signing the letter of consent, for better or for worse, you find yourself amongst all 300 selected players as you’re led into different vehicles like a flock of sheep. During that time, you were forced to say goodbye to Bachira, since you were assigned different buses, but you assumed it wouldn’t be long until you saw him again. At least the seats are nice, you think as you make yourself comfortable against the window. And it has air conditioning too. Well, it seems like Ego and co. were actually serious about this, since they sunk so much money into it. 

Just as you’re about to force yourself to doze off for the sake of making the trip easier, someone interrupts you. Oh, the joy. You felt like you had enough people time today, but it seems like you were wrong in your belief.

“Excuse me, do ya mind if I sit here? Everywhere else is taken, so …”

Is that a Kansai accent?

The newcomer has a ridiculously cutesy face, complete with the bug eyes of a bizarre size, but the image of daintiness is harshly offset by the boy’s height. Not thinking much of it, you give him a close-eyed smile and a nod as you move your things to give him space to sit. 

“I don’t mind at all! Make yourself comfortable.”

The boy thanks you as he sits down. By the time he’s content with his position, the bus starts moving. For the sake of politeness, you introduce yourself to him, and he returns the gesture, letting you know that his name is Hiori Yo.

“Hiori-kun,” you say like a true conversationalist, “Are you from Kansai, by any chance?”

Hiori nods. “Yeah, I’m from Kyoto. What about you?” 

Feeling glad that you weren’t stuck with someone who made conversations awkward for you, you continue without a hitch. “I’m from Chiba, but I used to live in Kyoto for a bit before going back.”

His eyes widen a bit. “Really? What made you move back?”

“Family matters, nothing much.” As you feel the conversation derailing, you smoothly reel it back. “Say, what do you think about this whole “Blue Lock” thing? It’s all pretty weird, isn’t it?”

“Honestly … when I got the letter, I thought it was some sorta scam.” Hiori admits, smiling when you start laughing. “I dunno, it just seemed suspicious.”

“Right? My friend didn’t think twice about it, but it seemed shady to me. It doesn’t help that the guy who’s supposed to train us looks like that.” You make a few vague hand gestures, hoping to demonstrate your point better.

“Like Slender Man?” Hiori supplies rather unhelpfully, actually. Your English is good enough to understand the literal meaning of what he says, but you have a feeling that he’s referencing something, yet you had no idea what. Unfortunately, your free time was usually spent training, so your knowledge of what was outside of your general sphere of interests was … lackluster. But if you were good at one thing (other than kicking a ball), it’s faking it until you make it. Ego is definitely slender, and a man, so that’s a start.

“Yeah!” You snap your fingers with a practiced amount of enthusiasm. Before your talk could get to the point where your ignorance about this so called “Slender Man” put you in a bad spot, you hum and turn to look out of the window. “I wonder when we’re going to get there.” 

Hiori leans in to look to look outside as well. The next few minutes are spent in comfortable silence, much to the delight of you. You like people who knew how to shut up.

Eventually, silence bores you, as well. 

“Why did you decide to come to Blue Lock?”

Hiori blinks owlishly at your sudden question. “I … wanted a change of pace, I guess.” 

Hm. There was obviously something else hiding in there. Well, luckily for the guy, you weren’t interested in prodding at secrets when they held no importance to you. Whatever issues he had, he could deal with them on his own.

The look he’s giving you implies that he wants you to answer your own inquiry as well. 

“That’s nice. I just like to play football.” 

And that’s that. 

As it turns out, the Blue Lock building is in the middle of nowhere. Totally not skeevy. 

Next, you’re supposed to wait until your name is called. Luck seems to be on your side today, since your name is the first one on the list. You wave at Hiori as you move forward, deciding that he’s good company, with his overall calm demeanor and good sense of conversation-silence balance. Talking to him again wouldn’t be the worst thing.

You find out that you’re supposed to give your wallet and phone to the woman waiting in front of the door, which is … weird, but yeah, sure, might as well. It’s not even a kidnapping at this point, since you consented to being here. You just wish you knew you’d be staying somewhere else beforehand, so you could have packed more of your skincare products, and then thoroughly mentally prepared for rooming with a bunch of possible creeps amd weirdos, which would obviously turn your long established and extremely well-planned routine onto its head.

You’ll have to manage. 

You’re definitely not gritting your teeth at the thought.

Just as she hands you your uniform, you remember. “Excuse me?”

“Yes?”

“Will you inform our guardians of this? Or should we do it ourselves?”

“We will notify your parents and guardians, don’t worry.” Anri replies, and proceeds to explain that you should look for the room marked with the letter present on the fabric.

With a quick “thank you” and a smile, you move on, looking down at your assigned uniform.

241

V

Your eyebrows furrow.

When you move onward, Hiori watches you leave. 

As he waits his turn, he can’t help but think about how unusual you are. Not in the way you present yourself, no. The “perfect student” trope, he’s seen it a lot. People who are nice, outgoing, helpful, and so on; there’s a plethora of those. It’s about the intensity with which you fall into the archetype. The wording of every sentence you say, every move you make, the intonation of your voice -it all seems carefully planned out, programmed and running with no bugs or other disturbances. 

So much that it’s unsettling.

In a way, you remind him of Karasu. You’re both rather guarded, he thinks. But the difference is there; you didn’t seem to be trying to analyze him. Sure, you asked him questions, and he answered, but you had never shown interest in digging in further. Maybe you were just being considerate? It could be. The two of you just met a few hours ago, after all, so you minding your business didn’t seem all that unreasonable.

You said you liked to play football. That’s why you came to Blue Lock. That was an unoriginal, even a little airheaded answer, considering the specific situation you all were in. Even so, Hiori has to wonder …

Ah, his name is being called.

Karasu Tabito has always known that he was a rather ordinary person, but the ranking of 252 does sting a little. 

That’s probably why he’s surprised to see that you, out of all people, are carrying the highest number out of everyone in the room. 

Don’t get him wrong, you had this specific, yet common, kind of charm that probably had all the girls swooning. From the way you walked, you looked, you smiled -yep, you fill all the “pretty boy” boxes.

And yet, you don’t carry yourself like someone who’s supposedly on the top of the foodchain of this small group. Most guys like you had this strong air of confidence, regardless of their disposition, yet you lacked that entirely. Not that you were cowardly either. You just struck this peculiar kind of balance that seemed in no way natural.

And such artificalness only hid weakness.

Well, finding your weak spot is just another job for the analyst.

And he is given his first clue when a blonde guy walks up to you with stars in his eyes and asks if you were the “Slumbering Angel of Chiba”.

Karasu almost laughs. What kind of cringy title was that?

You seemed to share some of his sentiment, because you look at the other like he had grown another head or said the stupidest shit possible to your face with no remorse (which he possibly did?).

Interestingly enough, you force your expression into something softer, which makes your confusion all the more clear. “I’m not sure I follow …?”

The boy then goes on to retell the story of you scoring some crazy goal against some crazy strong school, and how you stopped some crazy guy from doing just about anything the entire game and whatnot. The more he talks, the more off-balance you seem to become. 

Then, at some point during his rambling, you raise your hands to stop him. “I don’t know where you got it, but … drop that title, alright? It’s misleading.”

Misleading in what way, he wonders. 

The large screen suddenly flickers to life, with Ego’s ugly mug on it.

After a brief explanation of the “Dormitory test”, a ball drops right in front of Karasu, and a cartoonish icon made in his image lights up the screen, along with a timer. 2:16.

 Ah, he thinks, Way to rub salt into the wound.

Of course, everyone scatters like headless flies. He has to thread this carefully. Losing his cool and randomly shooting at people with hopes of hitting someone would be as good as immediately giving up. If he wants to climb to the top, he should at least attempt to eliminate the “king of the jungle” right?

That means Mister Angel is at the top of the hitlist.

You look aware, standing in a stance which would make it easy to move around, when the time comes. There’s even a small smile pulling at your lips. And yet, you’re looking at him impassively, like he’s an actor whose performance wasn’t worth humoring.

Perhaps you weren’t as humble as you initially appeared to be?

1:47.

Shit. Karasu is wasting too much time. Still, if he tries to go after you, there’s no guarantee he’ll succeed, and that will lead to even more wasted time. You haven’t shown any of your abilities yet, so trying to go in blind is difficult. 

Guess I’ll have to pick ya apart next time. 

He kicks the ball.

It flies through the air, heading in the direction of the simple-minded creep, Otoya Eita.

Perhaps it was the very simple-mindedness that allowed Karasu to link up with him and make this play.

“Ooh, flashy.” He says, before kicking the ball back just as it touches his foot.

The slam of it against the face of an unfortunate victim cuts through the air.

Sone Yuto.

1:22.

The poor boy manages to barely scramble onto his feet, with his facial muscles creased in pain. 

Then, begins the rather lackluster period of him trying to hit someone and failing. Karasu almost feels bad.

00:36.

With a flash of movement, against all odds, you come in. 

00:29.

Karasu watches you as you watch the field. The smile nevers withers away, as you roll the leather football against the floor. 

00:21.

It’s almost as if you have everyone holding their breath. Unlike earlier, now you do seem like the strongest of twelve.

00:13.

By now, most people have relaxed, perplexed by your lack of offensive movement. Karasu doesn’t give himself the pleasure. For once in his life, he can’t find anything that would offer him a glimpse into the workings of your brain. 

00:09.

00:08.

00:07.

00:06.

Your smile drops, just for a moment.

00:05.

You move so suddenly it’s hard to detect at first. The ball slams against the wall and returns to you. You raise your dominant leg to welcome it, and while you’re keeping balance on the other, you rotate the upper part of your body as to relocate the trajectory of the ball and send it into the space behind you-

-Right into the torso of the boy who had approached you earlier, who was hiding in your blind spot. The impact is strong enough to force him onto his back.

00:04.

Higuchi Kouki.

00:03.  

Karasu sees you whisper something to the fallen blonde, but he can’t hear what. He thinks he doesn’t want to know.

00:02.

Higuchi still isn’t getting up.

00:01. 

The outcome is obvious.

00:00.

Higuchi Kouki.

LOSE.

Karasu Tabito looks at you, your trademark smile, your relaxed posture, your burning gaze, and thinks-

What a remarkable guy.

[popculturebuffet]

Next up for Warner Bros Animation, favorite character from the 2002-08 half of the Kids WB shows with: Mucha Lucha, Ozzy & Drix, What's New Scooby Doo, Xiaolin Showdown, The Batman, Johnny Test (this oughta be interesting since it aired on three different networks with varying seasons of quality with seasons 1-3 premiering on Kids WB, seasons 4-6 being produced for Cartoon Network, and the revival seasons being produced for Netflix), Loonatics Unleashed, Tom & Jerry Tales, Shaggy & Scooby Doo Get a Clue, and Legion of Superheroes? I skipped Coconut Fred since everyone and their mother despises that show (one of the worst of all time).

Jesus Christ that's a lot. Also look given some past entires here, Coconut Fred is being kept on the grounds that it shoudn't be forgotten just for being horrible. like da boom crew which I thankfully haven't seen. So anyways..

Coconut Fred's Fruit Salad Island: I saw it at the time and it.. sure does exist. It's a half hearted spongebob ripoff. I'm talking about it because it did exist but don't have much else. Maybe I shoudl've left it out but i've let worse shows have an entry. This is just.. ntohing.

Mucha Lucha: IT'S A WAY OF LIFE! Senior Hasbena who just had a fun voice and a great early spotlight episode. The show itself is one I need to revisit but is awesome as hell, having a nice respect for luchadore culture while also being pretty nonsesically fun. While I would love a full on wrestling action series, this one was still good fun and needs ot be avaliable to stream in some fashion.

Ozzy and Drix: Drix if only because he was my faviorite in the movie. This series feels.. unecessary. It's not a bad idea but both frank's state at the start and Ozzie and Drix ending up elsewehere make it feel like the first film didn't matter and it feels weird to just.. not keep the setting. If they wanted kid plots, Frank has a daughter. That gripe aside the series was ... eh. Not terrible, but nothing really super special either.

Xiaolin Showdown: Jack Spicer. The boy, the myth the legend and Danny Cooksy's best role by a wide margin. A fun villian who was laughable enough to never get boring and stick around long after he'd been outclassed by newer big bads. Xiaolin Showdown is one of the best cartoons of this era, one of the best of this action show block and one of the best. I rewatched it in college and was amazed it held up so well. The show is genuine about our four heroes working, said four heroes while having familiar archetypes for the most part, are great characters who are a load of fun to watch and the format of the showdowns is engagin: while it does usually lead to some form of fight the contest format adds a nice wild card to it: our heroes can end up in a game where telling the truth is the only way out, a soccer match for OMi's soul, or a battle royale with all present. IT's a wonderful show I wish would get a proper revivial. And no Chronciles dosen't count, chronciles can go fuck itself.

The Batman: Another one to revisit and i'd say clayface as the twist of him being someone batman knew and trusted is utterly guttnig. I gave up on this one early for petty reasons depsite having most of the toys: I hated what they did with mr freeze and felt it couldn't compare to btas. Time has passed and with the later seasons adding some nice swerves i've accepted the show is it's own thing, trying to be a more action oriented shonen to forge it's own identity from the more moody btas. And it did apparently get better and better as it went and having seen a later episode or two casually , I can agree. Plus I admit to loving the touch of having batgirl join up before batman. Also the movie where he fights dracula is fucking dope and wel lworth your time.

Johnny Test: I'd say the twins for being usually hilaroius. As for the show.. it's eh. I used to hate it

But I now see it as an okay show that had some fun bits, and what I saw of the revival, as sadly short lived as it was, was better. It's still not AMAZING, but it wasn't the mindless garbage it got labeled as either. Nor a dexter's lab ripoff.. I do think they took some inspriation from it clearly, I mean look at the twins... but when you look at the cast none of them really match up to dexter's aside from the twins, whose crush on gil and age diffrenate them just enough. It's not an amazing show but it's hate was overblown.

Loonatics Unleahsed: Look the base concept of "The looney tunes as superhero: could be fun. I have a batman daffy and superman bugs on my desk as I type this. They did skits of the kind. The problem is lonatics wanted to be batman beyond with looney tunes and it never worked as a kid and dosen't work now.

Tom and Jerry Tales; I love tom and jerry but i've barely seen this.

Shaggy and Scooby Doo Get a Clue: The timing on this one as good as i've been watching through this on and off with @jess-the-vampire recently. I don't really have a faviorite. As for the show itself it's overhated like the last two entries and honestly.. it's okay. It's nothing amazing thus far, trying to be venture bros by having henchman 2 be an obvious ripoff of 21. Which wouldn't bother me if they did it right but instead he's just annoying. That being said it's still not a terrible series: the theme song is terrible but the show itself is solid, having intresting sometimes bonkers plot and shoudlnt' be vilified for breaking formula. It may not entirely work.. but I can respect TRYING something new an dhope go go mystery machine is a better version of this.

Legion of Super Heroes: Bouncing Boy: this series kept his goofy powers but also what works: someone who badly wanted to join the legion, never gave up and then threw in his reboot self's pilot skills and flsehd out his perosnality.

As for the show i'm a big legion of superheroes fan and this show is part of what brought me to the clubhouse. It's a slick show that nicely merges the two continuties it had to work with: the pre zero our one from the silver age and beyond and the reboot that helped ground things (The third reboot, yes three and there was a fourth long after, was just happening around this time so only star boy being black made the cut from there), while keeping the silver age namesan dastetic from before.

The result is a fun show that loves the legion dearly, has a great cast of characters and despite being made to have a teen superman show dosen't let clark overshadow everyone else: he's the lead.. but most of the main cast get a focus episode over the course of season 1. I"ll admit season 2 isn't quite as good as due to executive mandates the female cast is sidelined in places and imperix is a boring villian, while superman x, superman but EDGGGYYYYY just isn't that intresting. But season 2 isn't all bad with some standout episodes, the addition of chameleon boy and a truly chilling arc with brainy and an old friend I won't spoil for those who haven't seen the show. This series is a little seen gem that needs more love.

I realized as we worked on this I almost forgot something important, a series that begs for the spotlight so..

What's New Scooby Doo: We're comin after you, we're gonna solve that mystery. This is a hard one as the gang is reinvented well but i'd have to go with Fred, whose goofiness begins. After the great prequel that was pup named scooby doo and the success of the live action movie, What's New was a reinvention of the franchise in an odd way: it goes back to the gangs old actors , minus grey delise making her debut as daphne, and old style of writing thigns but updates it in a way that dosen't feel too dated now: sure the gang does extreme sports, but it's not to rocket power levels and fits for Daphne.

This series also cements fred and daphne's new roles going forward, roles that helped keep the character fresh despite the dozens of films and handful of series to come. Fred was dialed back from teh conpsiarcy theroist of pup, but instead became the bumbling tourist, a tad awkawrd in places and a tad over excited in others. It added nice layers to him besides solving mysteries and bullying his best friend and it left the door open for him to get reinvented a lot. Daph meanwhile, got a welcome reinvention that let her fit into the classic gang better: like her pup counterpart she often uses fashion, her wealth is more displayed (if not used as a fucntion) but her friendly nature and willingness to get into things (or easliy getting into activties she hated at first), all debuted here.

What's New is a fun series: shorter than you'd think, but having watched it about twice with jess , it holds up really well, combinging the usual formula with some fun hyjinks and creative setups. Sometimes it was bonkers, but it was a solid return to form that let the series experiment more with the next few, and deserves more credit for helping codify a lot of the modern franchise.

[muppetears-stuff]

do you have any headcanons about Warren or other characters you like ?

Yes. Yes, I do. Thank you for asking!! ^^ more under the cut cause this gonna be long- :3

so, headcanons vvv

Bisexual. But that's just fanon-

I have a whole bunch of headcanons for double exposure Warren/design concepts that I have only thought of yet😔😔 but I will tell!!!

I love the idea of him having long hair, longer hair than original game Warren. He has it in a low ponytail, or I might just keep it down.

He's a lot more confident in his style and personality than teenage him, so I like to think he still sports the undershirts but wears jackets a lot more now, too. Lanyard covered in pins, and his student ID/regular ID, taking that from his original concept design for the first game because a lanyard feels SO Warren to me,,,,

Breaking away from double exposure thoughts. It's canon that he's friends with most girls at Blackwell. I like to think he's invited to sleepovers and hangouts sometimes, even if he's awkward around them, but he's one of the nicest guys at Blackwell. The girls are taking advantage of that.

I love the thought of nervous characters biting their nails (like me. And Warren is me /hj), and so he paints them/let's the girls paint them, it's to keep him from biting his nails off. If they're pretty or have something on them, he's not gonna wanna bite :]

Listens to bloodhound gang and Weezer. Specifically, "I wish I was queer so I could get chicks." By bloodhound gang and "I just threw out the love of my dreams." By Weezer. And weird al,,,,

He would've had such a wonderful dynamic between Chloe and Max, and I love to think that some rebel/mischievous part of him admired Chloe. He would drop everything to help Max and one of her friends if they needed help, as shown in the game. So he would've definitely helped with the mystery behind Rachel.

The type of guy to take one compliment from someone and think about it for the rest of his life. keeps him up at night type thing. /pos

Flocked to Max and thought he liked her, but it was just because she was the first person who made him feel seen and appreciated and made him feel like a person. He says it in the game, and it makes me cry, so it's not really a headcanon, but the first part is-

Gifted kid shame and burn out. Cries over getting a low grade or score and can not physically function for a week. I would love the idea of in game, him hanging around Chloe and Max, where some of his dialogue is him talking about how he should be back at Blackwell studying but finding what happened to Rachel is more important than an English paper.

If he does something cool as hell, he's gonna recognize it's cool as hell and gets giddy when someone else recognizes that it was cool. (the craving for validation, I get it.)

Mom friend, I have decided. Warren is not opposed to a little tomfoolery, maybe a bit of property damage, but if anyone got hurt while doing so, he's there with a bandaid and disinfectant immediately.

Presented Max with the idea of matching costumes for Halloween, Paulie Bleeker and Juno Macguff from Juno 2007, but she declined ,:3 (they are literally them!!!)

He's overly dramatic about things and will pull out the puppy dog eyes to get what he wants (which isn't a alot, he's a simple man.)

Bag, lanyard, jacket. COVERED in pins and patches of his interests/bands he likes

Has bumper stickers of movie references

Named his car. Her name is Lauren.

Mom knits things for him like sweaters, beanies, and mittens, and it's always a lovely gift during December<33 complete momma's boy.

Has vocal stims of random references that make him giggle way too much, repeats them for no reason. Picks at his cuticles or underneath his fingernails or messes with his undershirt sleeves. Constantly wiping his hands on his jeans. Big hand talker too :3

Wears a ton of wrist bands/bracelets and definitely ends up wearing concert wrist bands they give to you at the door for longer than needed because he forgets to take them off-

Is creatively stunted and can't visualize things properly. He wishes he had the creative brain that Max does so he can maybe see the world outside of facts and pre-established knowledge. Has a hard time writing because of it.

And that's it :DD I could probably do a part 2 with other characters,,,of course, if that is desired💖💖 thank you for asking!!

[startrekmemequeen]

4, 6, and 10 for the ask game :3

4. Least favourite character

It's hard to choose cause there are so many characters in star trek 😅

From the top of my head, Gul Dukat. I hate him with passion.

Also Kivas Fajo cause he hurt Data and it's just a crime against humanity.

5. Favourite alien race?

I really like klingons, they have one of the most well-written cultures in star trek. Also i don't remember star trek enterprise well cause i watched it in 2017 but Xindi are so cool as a concept. 5 (if i'm not mistaken) intelligent species evolving on one planet. Aquatic Xindi having spaceships filled with water. It would be cool if it happened to our planet too.

10. Do you read fanfiction? If so, what are your faves?

I read it a while ago but i liked it. Summary: A slanging match turns into a competition as two men of science and engineering pit their creations in a head-to-head race. For a young android just emerging into sentience, will the pressure prove to be too much? Or will it change the way it views humanity, and itself?

It has Noon ^^ (honestly i don't remember how well he was portrayed there but at least the portrayal wasn't bad you know what i mean). But the desription of the race is breathtaking. This fic made me feel feelings.

Summary: It's Cadet La Forge's first year at the Academy and his only goal is to be the best engineer that Starfleet has ever seen. On his first day, he meets the most unusual student that's ever attended the Academy - a highly advanced android named Data. As the two grow closer, however, it becomes apparent that certain cadets don't want Data to succeed ... and will go to catastrophic lengths to stop him.

A daforge fic with very interesting plot (no smut, rated M for the angst and injuries and stuff like that). Amazing slow burn.

Summary: "You know, Data, I've been thinking about some of the times we've had. Like that time we went sailing on Devala Lake. You remember that?"

"I have a complete memory record of that day."

Beautiful. Just beautiful.

Summary: Noonien Soong is an undergrad at the Daystrom Academy with a desire to accomplish great things. Maybe too great for his capacity.

The high expectations himself and others put on him always gave him the need to be the best at what he does, but the recent doubts that his promises might not be fulfilled has taken a toll in his self confidence.

Academy Noon! This fic has my whole heart. Wonderful characterization.

[nihilnovisubsole]

how are you finding ffxiv btw? curious to hear what you think of it so far if youre open to sharing!

i wrote up some early impressions here! tl;dr, it's got me good. the people who said i'd like it were absolutely right. i'm enjoying talking about it, so have some more

it's funny to see how many of the game's incidental quests follow the "you look like an adventurer" format. "you look like an adventurer, go save my cat from that tree," "you look like an adventurer, bring me a blue flower with red thorns," etc. it's a format i've been banned from using at my job - our narrative policy is that it feels gamey, and questgivers should always have a deeper reason to solicit the player specifically. that said, even the starting cities have a dizzying amount of sidequests, and you can't afford to be precious when you're writing at that scale. hat tip to the writers for having to come up with it all!

i mean, really, it blows my mind how much there is to do. i worried that i was chewing through the ARR story too quickly, but my friends keep saying this is only the beginning? omg

i find myself chasing a kind of roleplay that i haven't before: one that revolves around the game's time-of-day system. since cutscenes [in general - i guess some are forced] match the current weather and light, i've been scheduling cutscenes around what seems most cinematic or plot-appropriate. i waited until nightfall to do the greenbliss festival and hear the grand company speeches to make them more solemn. by coincidence, i fought foulques during a downpour, and it felt so much more dramatic. so did crossing thanalan at nigh noon. you know that bad thing that happens at the waking sands? i trudged all the way to the church alone in the dead of midnight afterward. now that's kino!!

oh yeah, those veteran friends i mentioned earlier? they're obsessed with which eligible bachelor i'll attach my character to. i'm so flattered. how can you not be. getting ubereats deliveries of "yeah, this one is a miserable bastard, you might like him." i'm told that the game implicitly encourages this sort of thing by stressing how much your player means to the major characters. no wonder you've all been having so much fun over here

i made some rookie mistakes in the character creator, so no screenshots yet ): thank goodness you get a free fantasia eventually

i have more details cooking, though. i see her as a fallen dragoon who thought she'd failed at being a hero and has been given a second chance. starting in gridania was less a "newbie lancer" thing and more a kurosawa "stranger comes to town and solves its problems by the sword" thing. she's also been forged-in-battle friends with raubahn for many years, and i've heard he gets a lot of story, so i'm looking forward to that.

don't worry, i've been forearmed about what happens-

[the vaudeville cane drags me offstage]

[cryptidsurveys]

Monday, December 16th, 2024.

What was the last game you played?: Lol, earlier today, I was putting together some PVC dog cots with Kristen, River, and Liv, and I was like, "It's Squid Game; the last person to finish…" (ominous hand gesture)

Is there anything going to get released soon that you're looking forward to?: I'd have to check with my mom, but if she's interested, then we might go see Mufasa: The Lion King.

Do you have a fan in the room you're in?: No.

How many candles do you own?: Three. Two in my room and one in a pinecone wreath centerpiece on the dining room table. There might be more "in storage," but I'm not going to bother trying to account for those.

What's something you wish you liked but you don't?: Seaweed. Rolled sushi and rice balls look so appetizing, but I just haaate the taste of seaweed.

Do you use a baby voice when talking to animals?: Sometimes I use a baby voice, but I also use a voice that isn't exactly babyish but is still pretty sappy. And sometimes I use my normal voice.

Would you say your parents put too much pressure on you?: No. Of course they had expectations, but they were never overbearing about them. Especially now that I'm older, they very much let me forge my own path in life.

What's for dinner today?: Probably a rice bowl of some sort.

Can you fall asleep easily or do you need something to help you sleep?: I need something to distract from my constantly buzzing thoughts. Last night, I rewatched a video by Natural World Facts called Into The Abyss: Creatures Of The Midwater. He has such a soothing voice. Really appreciate content creators who don't feel the need to YELL. You can't make a subject any more interesting by SCREAMING at me. :')

What do you do when you get bored of sitting in the car a long time while on trips?: There's not much I can do beyond listen to music or audiobooks, chat with whoever is with me, eat, or take a nap. I can't bring a laptop along because of motion sickness.

What game did you play most as a kid?: Games like tag and hide and seek. Pretend - basically made up scenarios / stories, either "LARPing" or using action figures or stuffed animals as characters. As far as video and computer games go, Mario Kart, Star Fox, Yoshi's Story, Roller Coaster Tycoon, Star Craft, and Moraff games (they had options such as Tetris, Mahjong, matching games, puzzles, pinball), etc.

What's the best thing that's happened today?: Nothing sticks out, but it's been a pretty decent day so far.

What about worst thing?: Nothing was all that bad either.

Do you like the scent of gasoline?: Ehhh. Not so much after accidentally getting it on my hands when pumping gas the other day.

What's an odd smell you find pleasing?: Maybe campfire smoke lingering on clothing. It's not necessarily pleasing by itself, but there's a nostalgic quality to it.

How often do you visit Bzoink?: I so wish Bzoink was still a thing. I wonder where all of the previous Bzoinkers migrated to after it closed down. :'(

Which cell phone network do you use?: Verizon.

What's something you've been made fun of for before?: I've never been seriously made fun of for anything. Not to my face, anyway.

What is something you need to work on?: Not allowing my fears and insecurities to get the best of me or make me resentful, envious, etc.

What movie or show has scared you the most?: As a child, Watership Down. I don't know why I kept renting that movie when it terrified me so much. Also, The Ring. Obviously less scary after I realized I wasn't actually going to die in seven days.

Would you rather have cake or ice cream? or ice cream cake?: Right now, probably cake. Love all of the options in general, though.

What is your style in clothing and would you like to change it?: So boring. I would like to change it, but it's going to have to be a process because I'm not going to overhaul my wardrobe all at once.

Do you like the color yellow?: Yeah.

Have you ever been to a drive in movie?: We went a few times when I was younger. Loved it then, but probably wouldn't enjoy it as much now.

When were you last in a body of water? (pools count): Years ago. Probably wading in Comanche Lake while on a backpacking trip.

What dead celebrity would you bring back if possible? why?: None.

Do you listen to gospel music?: Not really…? Not unless certain Christmas carols or classical religious choir music count.

What do you think of Harry Styles?: This was on a recent survey…and I still don't have any thoughts. I barely even know who that is, tbh.

Would you say your personality is naturally outgoing?: I would consider myself something of an ambivert. I'm not a social butterfly - I'm actually pretty shy, at least initially - but I do enjoy being around others. There are times when it's draining, but when the vibe is good, it can be very energizing.

Are you currently talking to anyone?: No.

What are you craving right now?:

What did you last order online?: I haven't ordered it yet, but I'm going to be purchasing an Ed Gorey calendar as a Christmas gift for my mom.

What's the weather like today?: Sunny and 41*F.

Do you know anyone in the military?: No.

Would you rather listen to rock or rap music?: Rock.

Have you told anyone you loved them today?: My dad, my kitties, and some of the kitties at the shelter.

Do you have any songs stuck in your head?: Not right this second.

What were you doing the last time 10am came around?: I think we were just finishing up cleaning in cattery.

What are you planning on doing a few hours from now?: Just my usual nighttime routines.

What's the best gift anyone could give you?: Love. Or something more materialistic - a job at the animal shelter.

Where did you get the top you're wearing?: The shirt is from the animal shelter and the hoodie is from Amazon.

What was the price of gasoline the last time you saw it?: I think it was $2.89.

What's something you have a strong opinion on?: I feel like an abyss of apathy.

Do you like watching scary movies?: Sometimes.

Which is closer.. your birthday or Christmas?: Christmas.

Do you keep your loose change in a piggy bank?: I keep it in a jar under the upstairs bathroom sink.

Are you planning on getting any tattoos or piercings soon?: No.

Do you like your middle name?: I just don't feel connected to it.

[princeescaluswords]

Scott's Burden of Faith in

The Maid of Gévaudan

A close-reading analysis of the library scene in Episode 5x18 in honor of @momentofmemory's birthday.

There is an argument to be made that the climax of Scott's story arc in Season 5 does not come in Apotheosis (5x20) but in this scene two episodes earlier, an episode mostly focused on a guest star and a story set two-and-a-half centuries before the present time. Yet it's very possible to see that the crisis in Scott's life manifests in all its complexity and is resolve this particular night.

It is a crisis of faith. Not religious faith, but a crisis of Scott's faith in what he has come to believe is the right way to act; in other words, his faith in his own identity: the True Alpha. One of the things I love about Teen Wolf is the idea that Scott doesn't start out the series with any other vision for himself aside from the idea that if he works hard he might make first line. No one else expects greatness out of him either: his mother, Stiles, and especially not his own father. Deaton has an intuition, but he doesn't press the issue. They're not doing this to be mean; he's a teenager after all. He has to forge his own vision.

By the time of La Bête's rampage at the lacrosse game, Scott has been the alpha for 41 episodes, and while he may have faced dire straits, suffered incredible losses, and even endured temptation, his choices have, for the most part, been good choices. Every character says so. But Season 5? Not so much. I would argue that for the first time, the tragedies befalling his pack are a result of his decisions. It's not that these are malicious decisions, they are just wrong. When before all the setbacks had always been because of the power of the enemy, this time Scott has been responsible for some of them.

Scott starts 5B in doubt. "Why would they come back?" he asks his mother in Status Asthmaticus (5x10). This isn't someone who's blaming anyone else -- even Theo -- for what has happened. He's questioning his own credentials, his own right to possess the identity of True Alpha. He's not even sure he can pass AP Biology, he's not even sure he deserves to heal like a werewolf can, let alone that he can defeat the Doctors and their creations.

It's not that he doubts the value of saving people or even the value of his pack. He doesn't waver about whether he should try; he wavers about whether he has the ability to do these things. When he staggers into the library, he's tired, he's bloody, and he's realized one more thing he definitely cannot do -- defeat the Beast in a physical match up. He leans against the table, and it's not hard to imagine him wondering why he ever thought he could stop any villain.

The plan to get the game cancelled failed. The plan to sabotage the television broadcast vans failed. Kira's fox spirit has gone completely off the rails. Liam has been reduced to a walking pile of hamburger. He doesn't know that he's won Hayden to his side, but he also doesn't know that Corinne has been threatening Malia. He's as lost as Marie-Jean was when she went into the woods looking for a wolf instead of a werewolf.

Melissa: You know what you're doing when you say should too often? You're should-ing all over yourself.

We don't know what he was planning to do but then he looks around and sees that he's not in the library alone. To the audience, other than Sydney, they're strangers, but he knows them. That's what Scott does -- he knows people. He's the only character to use Boyd's first name. He knows that Kyle is a senior; he knows that Josh is a junior; he remembers Kira's name. He might be in doubt about his own identity, but he knows who these people are. He knows something else.

Gerard: A monster whose only purpose was to kill. Not for sustenance, not for revenge, not for any rational impulse other than the drive to end life wherever it's found.

They are all going to die. They cannot escape the Beast. They cannot fight it. He can't fight it. All he's been able to do is survive. And he hesitates. He looks around. Because what the heck is he supposed to do?

Theo: We gotta protect him, right? Scott, come on. Scott? Scott, this is what you do.

Scott looks around the library. He has died here. He has felt his heart stop lying on those steps right behind him. He can't win, and even if by some twist of fate he survives, everyone here will have seen his face. The students in the library will see who he is and there will be consequences for that. (Hello, Nolan.) It's not fair, but things have never been fair.

Scott: So, somebody has to do something. Somebody has to save everyone. So somebody's got to be the bait!

The crisis has arrived. He doesn't have any allies with him right now. He doesn't have a plan. He doesn't have an advantage. He's hurt. He's inadequate (Professional mercenary Braeden will point this out in a few minutes). These students are terrified. They know it too. They can see the blood.

Melissa: So all you really need is to ask yourself, "What am I going to do?"

He has to reveal himself. He has to protect them. He has to give the hope. He has to lead them. He has to have faith that he can do these things, no matter how badly he's screwed up or how much it has cost him, or how much it will cost him in the future. It is what an alpha does. It is what a True Alpha does, and whether he wants to be or not, that is what he is.

"Go upstairs."

That's not a plan to beat the Beast; it's not guaranteed to save anyone. it's a statement of faith in his own ability. Win or lose, survive or die, it doesn't really matter what happens next. It doesn't matter that the Beast will be revealed as Mason and that his mistake with Corey will cause the pack to lose a chance to stop all this. It doesn't matter that this will set the stage for Monroe when Nolan talks to her over the summer. At this moment, Scott grabs onto the faith that it is, in the end, a good thing his eyes are red and that he has healed and that he is standing right there in this library.

He roars.

[zazzander]

Thoughts on Dogsred – Rou’s past

The biggest let down so far with the Dogsred manga is how it fails to ultisie Rou’s past beyond the surface level.

The main character, Rou, was a rising-star in junior figure skating. He had a pending sponsorship. He had a fanclub. In his transition over to ice hockey, there are many potential stumbling blocks. And each one of these could generation conflict in the narrative – this is important because conflict is the bread to any story’s butter. Nothing happens without conflict!  

In general, the manga has focused primarily on Rou learning two things: the rules and how to use a hockey stick. These have been the only challenges we’ve been presented. Now, that’s not to say there can’t be more issues later. The manga is still in the try-outs arc, so we might find that Rou struggles with teamwork later, on account that he has never played a competitive team sport.

But I’m not holding my breathe.

Why? You might be asking.

Well, let’s talking about Rou’s reaction to hockey equipment – and the lack of issues the manga presented. One of the only character traits that was get for Rou early on (another big issue of the manga but that’s for another post) is that he is vain. He cares about looks; he values elegance. In many ways, he’s a stereotypical figure skater.

When he dons his grandfather’s gear, the author does hint at this conflict. Rou asks for a deodorizer when he realises the old leather stinks. But – that’s it. It’s one line. After all that build up, Rou should have had a far stronger reaction. As far as I’m concerned this is a missed opportunity exemplifying a lot of what’s wrong with the writing in this manga.

This could have been its own mini arc; one we see progress through Rou’s first game and beyond. First, he huffs and puffs about the ugly gear. It’s stinky! Gross! He’ll look ugly like that. But he needs to get that hockey goal so fine he’ll wear it, it’s not like he knows anyone here…

OH CRAP! A bunch of people from his middle school just showed up to support the team. Now he’s panicking on the ice because he isn’t elegant. This could be an opportunity for a character moment between him another player. We could even set up a new arc: Rou learning what it means to play on a team. Or he can just get so pissed at the rival character he forgets about appearances for a second.

Then, during the game, he glimpses a move that makes him think beautiful, and suddenly, he’s wondering: what if I could look that that? And it’s just another reason for him to pick up ice hockey! Woo! Rou now has a mini-arc that works with the plot and enhances his characterisation.

Now drama and angst isn’t all we could get from Rou’s transition into ice hockey. The type of skates these two sports use are different. And it could have been a funny moment for Rou to fall over because he’s trying to skate like he always does and it doesn’t work. Or, if he didn’t wear his grandfather’s skates in that first match (he did), the hockey players on his high-school team could point out later that he’s wearing the wrong skates and we could do that transition later.

Furthermore, Rou’s balance is never thrown off by the extra gear (he’s used to skating around in skintight leotards!).

These are all little things that would help build the believability of Rou’s story.

As I mentioned, Rou was a rising-star figure skater. He’s been training in this sport for year and consistently gets high scores. He’s implied to be the best in his age-group and soon to be discovered, which would catapult his career. News outlets report on his dramatic outburst during a competition. Rou’s reputation follows him even to his grandfather’s rural town.

We find out in the try-out arc that Rou’s mother studied sports science and knew a lot about modern methodologies. This runs contrary to his high school team’s coach. This guy forges his player’s through brutal training regimes and, frankly, unhinged and dangerous techniques (like driving behind his freshmen in a van while they run up a hill). That’s not to say this guy doesn’t look out for his players, he’s got his eye on them, they aren’t about be sent to the hospital – however, he does denounce modern methodologies.

And honestly – this is an awesome concept.

It’s old vs new, but is it? In the beginning, yes, it should be, then slowly the two styles are merged into one as Rou brings in his knowledge from his previous experience and the coach slowly applies it to the team. And BOOM, they succeed where previously they had failed.

Did this happen?

No.

This entire conflict starts and ends way too quickly to matter. “Insufficient hydration hampers physical efficiency” he says, to which the coach says, “if you wanna do things your mama’s way, go back to figure skating”. Okay, fine, Rou can’t argue his case just yet. He’s a newbie who hasn’t even made the team! It’s fine for Rou to hunker down and not voice his opinions. But we needed Rou to think about this stuff. For example, “oh this is familiar, I used to train six hours a day, more during school break – here’s the technique I used to keep myself going” or “this is archaic, modern practices are like this for this reason”. Have him thinking about electrolytes and what-not.

Instead, Rou is all too quickly converted, accepting the coach’s authority on the subject when he sees the guy giving some of the more exhausted freshmen water. 

What is the point of Rou being a top figure skater if he can’t bring more than a couple fancy tricks to the team? The Oino team lost. They need to do something different to get to even higher heights. Narratively, that was the point of them losing! What was the story as it was set up! It’s these little choices that make the manga suffer.

(P.S. in some recent chapters Rou has brought up the fact they lost and therefore their training is out-dated, the coach basically says they will just “train harder” – so we’ll see if this goes anywhere. Maybe once Rou makes the team, he’ll be able to bring in some much needed outside perspective.)

[doubleddenden]

Time for pt... 6? I think? Of me changing up Ash's teams. Today we approach Sinnoh, and honestly there isn't really a lot I'd change so much as I'd evolve or add.

In case you're wondering, yes, I did ditch Gliscor. It's a cool Pokemon and do love Ash has one, but I think it'd be better off with Dawn or Brock. To keep the spirit alive, I'd say Weavile inherits his quirks. And just to make it clear, this is a continuation of my AU, fresh off of an Orre arc after Battle Frontier.

More blurb under the cut

So like I said, I wouldn't change much storywise or team wise.

The first obvious change is Weavile- after Ash was kidnapped to Orre and Sneasel joined his team, Sneasel ended up following Ash to Sinnoh because he liked Ash and didn't get much of a chance to travel with him. He takes the place of Aipom in this case, who while I enjoyed, I hate Ambipom and how Dawn left it behind after trading. No real reason that should have happened. It also takes the place of Gliscor, who again I think is a great Pokemon, bit the type clash killed me even as a kid.

Sneasel would evolve into Weavile shortly after the gang arrives to Veilstone City for the first time. After meeting Paul's brother, he gives Ash a special item that will help it evolve. Weavile would then choose to evolve to protect Chimchar from Paul's Electabuzz. Paul is very triggering for Weavile, especially seeing how Paul has treated Chimchar while there. Weavile would associate thus with how he was treated in Orre before Ash saved and purified him, so he forges a particularly special bond with Chimchar to help him get stronger, and that bond persists even after It evolves into Infernape. He'd also become like a big brother to Brock's Happini and Dawn's Piplup, but a bit of a bad influence that Pikachu has to correct sometimes. Weavile would kind of become a kleptomaniac, which causes slight trouble, until he learns to keep it among the group as slight pranks.

The other change would be how Ash would obtain Buizel, and it would eventually evolve to Flostzel. Instead of trading, Dawn would just give him to Ash since he enjoys battling. He would evolve into Floatzel after training on Iron Island with Riley and Lucario, scored a huge win against a horde of Steelix. Behavior wise, it doesn't change.

Gible would be caught much sooner and be rotated out.

Torterra and Infernape would also evolve sooner, and Torterra would actually win fights instead of lose so damn often.

The last change I'd make to the team would be that Ash would receive an egg towards the end that'd hatch into a Mantyke. It's still a baby, so Dawn and Brock would actually help raise it sometimes and even hold it on their teams sometimes.

Story would remain mostly the same, except Ash would finish as runner up in the Sinnoh League against Tobias. It'd be a bit of a closer match, and I'd imagine hid team would look like this

Tobias did have Darkrai and Latios on his team already, so I think he'd be the type of player to cheat using Action Replay or Game Shark for legendaries and shinies. We'd also actually have some time to get to know Tobias, as he'd go on to become a villain character in the next arc.

Ash would lose, but he'd get through 5 of his team members before finally falling to Crescelia. Suddenly he'd get invited by Scott to the Sinnoh Battle Zone. Up North. Tobias would take up a villain role as he'd attempt to hunt down the legendary Heatran. Ash and Barry would meet up with Palmer, and Lyra would join the crew with her Chikorita and Marill (In HGSS promotion, since both have the same Battle Frontier). Lyra would resume teasing Dawn and Ash a bit. Buck would be Ash's main rival for this arc, but on a friendlier term since they're both hunting Heatran.

Tobias would end up being exposed as a fraud- all but his Darkrai are clones made using the same technology used to make Mewtwo but perfected, and this would be a huge Team Rocket operation involving Giovanni himself.

It turns out Tobias has "DNA Balls" that can sample any Pokemon its thrown at, even if the capture itself fails, and form an almost perfect copy that can even be altered for the shiny gene. The only of Tobias's pokemon that wasn't a clone was his Darkrai, who has a legitimate bond with Tobias after he was the only trainer it met to not shy away from its nightmares.

Ash and the gang would end up stopping Tobias and making him realize what he was doing was wrong, and Tobias would release all of his Pokemon to try and start over again. Giovanni attempted to take over the attempt at Heatran, but a last minute help from Paul ended up giving the gang the last push they needed to save it.

Paul would have matured and realized the error of his ways, and actually apologized to Infernape. Although by this point, Ash would have beaten the Battle Zone, the final battle of this saga would be with Paul, same as it was when it started. Paul would have a team that looks a lot like this

Terrifying on the surface, until you see Lucario on his team. It turns out that after losing to Ash, Cynthia gave him an egg to hatch. Paul initially refused, but Cynthia recognized that Paul came to a realization of how he treated Pokemon after his and Ash's last fight. "Raise this Pokemon the way you think it should be raised, and you will finally understand."

Paul is definitely still brash and cold, but he is kinder to his Pokemon now and knows Ash is the best way to test and see if this works.

It would be a close call, with another brawl between Infernape and Electivire, then A final one between Pikachu and Lucario. In a narrow win, Pikachu wins. Ash and the others are concerned that Paul would turn back to his old ways after losing, but instead, Paul simply admits that he needs more time to properly bond with his Pokemon, and that he'd continue trying.

The rest of the saga would end normally. Brock realizes he wants to become a doctor, and Dawn becomes a fashion designer.

However, in a surprise, there's 1 more arc between Sinnoh and Unova- another custom arc, yes. After Ash's impressive feats in the Battle Zone, he gets invited to Poketopia by a friend of Scott's. Lyra decides to accompany him since it looks fun, and Dawn decides to check out Poketopia on her first trip solely for fashion purposes. Brock, however, decides it really is his time to head home. It was fun, and Ash and Brock thank each other for being best friends for close to 4 years now. Ash matured a lot, and Brock got to travel and see all sorts of things thanks to these travels.

With that, they say fairwell, and Ash, Dawn, and Lyra continue to Poketopia.

Which will come next time in this au.

[mikyuna]

A/N: Omaigawd, my last post went boom, still tho thank you guys so much!

Obey me boys with a chaotic and energetic s/o

Lucifer

This man is tired

Just give this man a proper break already

Basically, you are part of his brother schemes 24/7

In short, his brothers 2.0

But because you are his s/o, he might make an exception for you

Soft spots for the win

Anyways, he will try to distract you by giving you other important work such as sitting down on his lap and being his comfortable character

He will find all kinds of work to tie you down beside him just so you don't participate in his brother's prank

Well obviously it doesn't end up his way 24/7

In some cases where you end up in their shenanigans, he will of course have to punish everyone who is in it

So while his brothers are being punished the harsh way, you get the softer punishment

Sure he might be the Avatar of Pride, but when it comes to you he goes soft

This man even tried to match your energy during his free days by bringing you shopping so that you can bounce all you want around the area

After all your smile is one of his main motivations in life besides his brothers

Mammon

The 'will get involved but soon realized he f up' type

Mammon loves you and well you often do pranks so he undoubtedly will follow along

But he will try to convince you to do things that might involve getting your hands on Lucifer credit card of sort

Well, you being you, thinks that as long as it is fun and it will flip Lucifer upside down you will gladly do it

The ending results are pretty clear though, the both of you ended up being punished

If you are sad and his way of comforting you is bringing you to do more pranks regardless of the punishment

This man loves you and your smile so much that even if he gets punished for doing pranks, he will do it for the sake of you

Some of your pranks are also ways to cheer him up

He is so used to being made fun of by his brothers that you often think of fun antics to cheer the poor man up

So it's a two ways thing now, a method to make both of you smile happily

(He tried once to drag you into the casino, well you ended up missing)

(Hence, he promised never to bring you to a casino every again)

After all, he's your first and he will also be your last <3

Leviathan

He's panicking, like Lucifer he will try to stop you by distracting you with his games or anime

Sure it might work for a short period but later on it gets harder to stop you from angering any of his brothers with your prank

Mammon is an exception, you can prank him however you want

But at the end of the day, he will be the one planning for a much safer and harmless prank for you

'If you can't stop them, join them' kind of logic

Sometimes he will offer his style kind of prank

Such as cosplaying as Ruri-Chan, or annoying his brothers with Tales of the Seven Lords facts

(Have none of the brothers finds out that it's oddly similar to them, you sometimes wonder)

Your energy is overwhelming at times, but he more or less appreciates someone more energetic to drag him out of his room

A shut-in and a loud human (an alien), what a unique combo

Satan

He's annoyed when you both first met

Like who is this loud and unruly human that is disturbing his reading time

But once you guys become a couple, his attitude changes

He will plan with you how to prank Lucifer, this is the only prank that he will cooperate and allow you to do

Other than that, he will try to divert your attention to something else, such as him reading a romance novel with you

Your energy is always spent, the number of books he gives you each day to read is just well...

I mean at least you are somewhat more controlled when you are with him

In some special cases, where you managed to convince him to let loose and play around

He will sigh, pat you on the head with a fond smile and play tricks or anything that you both feel like doing

Very wholesome moments, and seeing Satan have fun is not an everyday thing so the brothers will more or less forgive the both of you

Asmodeus

Oh dear, no

Sure you can play pranks and all but at least do it after your sessions of playing dress up or after he finishes your skincare routines

Regardless of your gender, you will always be in his room while he applies makeup and dresses you up

And what makes you think that after his beauty sessions you will have any energy to spare

You are hyped up by him with his fashion show and by the time everything wraps up, a few hours already pass by

This man is also hard to convince, try dragging him to do stupid stuff and you will be the one that is dragged to play dress-up instead

Sure you might be on full chaos mode, but it will be with style

No way in cheezus that you are going to do things without proper clothes that makes you go blink blink

Seriously, thanks to this, the brothers can easily stop you before you ended up doing anything stupid

Well, guess Asmo is naturally good at stopping and spending your energy elsewhere

Beelzebub

'Does it includes any food?'

This precious teddy bear will think that the chaotic things you are bound to do are bake cakes randomly or making food

He's excited

How can anyone resist this precious man

So instead, you play around with him happily, acting like two years old kids in a playground

Hey, I mean he's pretty satisfied

Due to this man being physically fit as well, you will power off in no time

Your more chaotic side have somehow been more reserved around Beel

The brothers, mainly Lucifer have never been more glad than this

But even if you do remain chaotic and loud

He will still love you, no doubt

Like you do stupid things and the next moment be prepared to get bear hugs

After your shenanigans, you will end up cuddling him instead and well, it acts as a form of distraction

Not to mention, it's working perfectly fine too

Belphegor

Who? What? Where?

Wasn't you just beside him, a few minutes ago? Where did you run off to?

His source of comfort just went missing and this could be troublesome

'Sweetie, are you pranking Lucifer? You are doing great sweetie!'

Other than that, please come back to him

He needs his sleep

Sure your energy might be contagious

But the only effect that will have on him is him smiling brightly at you while he drags you back to bed

But not only is your energetic personality contagious, his sin is too contagious

One moment you might be hopping from room to room

Next moment you will be back in his arms cuddling and sleeping instead

One word, magnets

Diavolo

Cue laughing

Intrigued man request to join you

Proceeds to get hold back by Barbatos, with a scary smile

The two of you are shivering in fear

Decided to stay in his office to complete his work instead

But under a more serious note, he is the future Demon King, he cannot afford to let his reputation go down in ruins

Sure he will play small pranks with you, but it will only be applied to the brothers

As much as he would love to join you for bigger and more adventurous stuff, he cannot abandon his duties

Not that it changes a thing, he still love you and your daringly loud attitude

Although he might not be able to enjoy the fun that you enjoy and love

But your smile is enough to make him smile and laugh together with you as you speak about your experiences

I mean he loves you a lot, and it's no shock that he will do anything for you, so long as it is something within his power

So if you get upset or something, he will find ways to entertain you as well, such as privately chaotic moments with you

Another man that only goes soft around you

Barbatos

This butler is being seen as an uptight, polite, and professional loyal butler of Diavolo

Plus he's incredibly cunning and smart as well

On several occasions, when the chaotic pranks seem to be harmless and in fact, interesting enough

He will turn a blind eye and let you commit whatever pranks you want, especially on Lucifer

(Poor Lucifer)

He could be either the silent mastermind or the spectator that chuckle when the prank is successful

While the majority of the time, he will contain you

Sweets and tea, how could you resist Barbatos homemade sweets and tea right?

As thanks you often help him out with his duties such as cleaning and sort

Although he always told you he could handle it but truth to be told he appreciates it

Just look at you go, you are so enthusiastic over something as simple as helping him out

How adorable, he coos

Likewise, he has no problems handling both you and your overly energized self

Solomon

Amused

Just amused

You are just straight up daring and cheerful

It's a scary combination

But he loves you regardless

He definitely planned a few of your pranks before and so the two of you are partners in crime

While the two of you might get into trouble, you also enjoy each other's company and have a lot of fun together

Lucifer is officially having a headache

Solomon is also considered quite old since he is immortal and all

Your cheerful and energetic demeanor cheers him up and reminds him that he's lucky to have met you

After all who can resist a bright smile from their s/o right?

In order words, your partner and your supporter

Simeon

How much energy do you have each day?

He wonders while thinking both you are Luke are adorable

It's almost as if Luke got a younger sibling but in this case, you are his s/o

He rarely supports your antics

More than half of the time is him trying to convince you to do safer things

"Simeonie~"

"Ah good day to you, my lamb, Luke have recently tried baking a new cake and have invited you over to try"

Barely giving you a chance to finish your words

He could be strict and scary sometimes

But he will never use it on you unless it's a very bad case

His happiness comes from both Luke and your happy smiles

So, as long as you are happy, he is too

Cheering you up, will definitely include any pranks

He thinks that it's ineffective

Overall a very patient angel when dealing with your chaotic side

Luke

Platonic headcanons

You are so cheerful, why don't you come to stay with him in the Purgatory Hall instead?

He treats you as an older sibling

Sure you might be messy and all at times

But you are still a ball of sunshine as well

With how cheerful you are, he is often worrying for your safety

What if you get bullied by those pesky demons or even those brothers?

(In fact, it's quite the opposite)

But because you never directed your pranks at him before so he worry for you quite a lot

What if the brothers got angry at your pranks and decided to eat you?

This small angel has made quite the decision to act as your guardian angel

Often trying to lecture you that you should be more careful and cautious

Playing these pranks might cost your life

You just smile and pat his head

You TRIED, you really did

You tried to lessen your pranks to make the small angel feel less worried

Well at least the brothers can have a few short moments of peace now even if it's only for a short period of time

[formashimataichi]

i ask this as an arata and really enjoy your write-ups but do you think arata is a weak written character? i go on r/chihayafuru often and there's a general consensus that he's not well-written and it's not a surprise that he's unpopular but i like the way he's written but i wonder if im just being biased as an arata fan?

I definitely do not, lol! I think people are mostly thrown off by the storytelling structure employed with his character arc, because it’s a bit different in comparison to how Chihaya’s and Taichi’s are executed. Personally, I believe part of why Arata’s arc feels so distanced and sparse in comparison is because, initially, that is the point. He is a character who is for a long time perpetually alone. He does have a small support system of some close friends, but few of them actually deeply understand his troubles—either because they lack an understanding of his relationship with karuta (his hometown friends) or they lack an understanding of his relationship with his grandfather (Chihaya and Taichi). Thereby, contending with those struggles is difficult and often a slow and stifled process, because he’s ultimately isolated in his own paranoia and grief. He struggles with conceptualizing how to move on and move forward from his grandfather’s death, until certain catalysts prompt him to take action—namely those to do with him reaching Chihaya and Taichi again. These catalysts obviously come to a head with the conclusion of his second year and the beginning of his third year, because he decides to challenge Suou to put off his retirement, and he decides to form a school team. Arata breaks out of his mental paralysis and takes these enormous steps to forge a path forward for himself. He starts involving himself more with the people around him, regardless of how deeply they understand his inner troubles; he starts actively reaching to compete alongside Taichi and Chihaya and shape his own dreams in light of them shaping theirs; etc.

To many readers who don’t readily identify with Arata’s struggle to allow himself to just be, the win against Taichi at the Qualifiers likely feels blindsiding, because to what end does Arata win other than to reinforce that he’s simply the “best” at karuta and can never be beaten? To the end that allows him to forgive himself. After years upon years of carrying guilt over the position he holds in other people’s lives—whether as his grandfather’s indirect killer, as Taichi’s obstacle, or as the future of the association’s intimidating dreams—Arata truly unleashes himself. He indulges in the love and the passion and the hunger for this game that’s been ingrained into his soul since he was a child and that he’d almost forgotten how to hold onto. It’s a huge, huge moment that I think perfectly predicates his increased presence thereafter, because it’s the natural conclusion to him finally refusing to remain stuck in one place, never moving, never evolving, never again reaching out. Time moves forward.

And, obviously, as we all know, the Qualifiers aren’t necessarily a guarantee of closure for him. There are still serious doubts and fears that plague him as he competes with Suou at Oumi Jingu—but the point that the final matches seem to drive home is that because time has already long since begun to move forward, there is no going back. Arata has an entire support system behind him now, ready to lift him up from the depths of despair should he ever recede into them. He has Chihaya. He has Taichi. He has his kouhai. He has Harada-sensei. He has Yuu. He has his grandfather. And all of that is okay. Relying on people is okay. Entrusting your back to the people you love so that you can be your best self on the tatami is okay. Arata’s arc is an exercise in how distance and proximity are used to illustrate a belief in self; it’s another extension of that infamous Harada-sensei quote: Solo matches are team matches. Team matches are solo matches. So, so much of the narrative in Chihayafuru centers itself in the importance of community building, and I don’t think that Arata escapes this concept! He’s an omnipresent character by the final arc not because Suetsugu needs to illustrate that he’s the superior male player and was always meant to be, but because he’s finally fully entrenched in the world he once left behind. He’s a part of the community. He helped build that community per his own kindness and loneliness, and these are the fruits of those earnest efforts and endeavors. Even the way he dialogues with Suou during their most recent matches with each other is emblematic of that.

[morganaspendragonss]

on the outside always looking in

"Why did we leave him there? We wouldn't have done that with anybody else? Heroic measure, right up to the hospital doors."

Nancy remembers when the captain's son got shot.

*

a nancy gillian character study

ao3 | 1.2k | 2.02-2.07

Nancy remembers when the captain’s son got shot. It had been chaos—more controlled than tonight’s, but chaos all the same. TK died in that hallway, or would have done had it not been for Michelle’s quick and steady hands working to patch the wound up and restart his heart. He would have died again in the ambulance, but Nancy had been there with the ambu bag, Michelle doing compressions while Tim drove as fast as he could.

Heroic measures, right up to the hospital doors.

It’s not that Nancy blames TK for surviving that day, nor is she bitter that he was allowed to live whereas Tim wasn’t. She knows that Judd is right, that there was no coming back from a lava bomb to the chest. But there’s a part of her that still wonders, what if?

What if the bomb had hit someone else? What if it had been Marjan or Judd or TK or, god forbid, Captain Strand? Would Nancy have been held back from the body then, like she was tonight, like she wasn’t when TK’s heartbeats had faltered then ceased?

She knows the answer, of course she does. A gunshot and a lava bomb are worlds apart; there’s no comparing the two.

Still.

There’s always been a divide in the firehouse between EMS and Fire. Less so now than it had been with the old 126, but it still felt like her and Tim against the world, especially after Michelle left. Nancy could handle it when she knew she had someone by her side to share an eye roll with where a firefighter did something particularly jock-ish; someone to forge inside jokes and mess around with.

She’s alone now.

Completely, utterly alone.

Captain Vega is kind and Nancy has huge respect for her—it’s clear that she’s a total badass in the field. But she’s not Michelle or Tim; they’re in a weird place right now, neither of them quite sure yet how to act around each other when not out on calls.

And she was okay with it when Tim was here. But Tim is dead and Nancy is alone on her bench, alone in the firehouse, alone in her home. She gets a couple of texts asking how she is—one from Captain Vega, another from Marjan—but Nancy ignores them both, preferring instead to curl up in her blankets and pretend that she doesn’t see Tim’s flaming body every time she closes her eyes.

When she goes back to work, things are… Not different, exactly. The firehouse is still just as divided as ever, but it feels more noticeable this time. She and Captain Vega have grown closer, and Nancy considers her a friend as well as a captain now, but she’s drifted so far from everyone else. Even Marjan, with whom Nancy has the closest bond out of all the firefighters.

The thing is, she knows they all hang out. They go to Marjan’s roller derby matches, they have game nights at TK’s boyfriend’s place, they go for drinks together at the bar. All of them, save for Judd—who has his wife to go home to and who prefers hanging with the ‘grown ups’—and save for Nancy.

And it’s—it’s okay. It doesn’t bother her, except… Except it does; god, it does. She’s never felt this alone in her life, and it feels like it’s crushing her. She could say something, she knows, but Nancy has her pride and her dignity, and she’s not going to hand the firefighters such a prime opportunity for teasing, all wrapped up with a fucking bow on top. Oh, they’d be nice about it, Nancy is sure; she’s never once doubted that they’re good people.

But she’s been burned before, and, besides, it’d feel like they were inviting her out of pity, which Nancy wants none of. Tim’s high school analogy may seem childish at times, but it’s also fundamentally right, and she has too much self-respect to go begging the cool kids for attention.

So it’s fine. She puts her head down, she works, and she finally, eventually, feels like she’s regaining some of her footing.

And then, just like that, it’s all gone. The surgery on her foot has her out for three weeks, and by the time she’s healed up, TK Strand has turned everything on its head.

And it’s not just the bus—that’s irritating for sure and she’s not going to pretend that seeing this last little bit of what she and Tim shared be stripped away doesn’t hurt. It’s not even that it’s him; Nancy knows TK was a good firefighter and she can see he’s a good medic, and if someone had to fill Tim’s spot, she’s just glad that it’s someone she knows.

But TK came in when Nancy was out, and now it feels like she’s the new guy, like she’s the one intruding on the dynamic. Not even just between Nancy and Tommy, though that’s the part that stings the most, but the dynamic in the entire firehouse.

She’s jealous, she can admit it. Jealous of TK and his easy way with people, jealous of the others and the bond they have that so clearly doesn’t extend to her. And she’s angry, because none of them even realise it, and Nancy doesn’t know how much longer she can continue to ignore it and laugh it off.

She’s on the verge of snapping when she gets a text from TK asking her to come to the firehouse. She rolls her eyes, wondering what the hell can’t wait until they’re on shift again, but she agrees to go anyway. It’s not like she has anything better to do.

And when she gets there, it’s— Fuck.

It’s Tim.

Tim’s name permanently painted on the side of the rig, there for everyone to see, to know. Tears well up in Nancy’s eyes and the others surround her, providing silent support as she carefully finishes the work the rest of the team started.

The team.

Her team, maybe.

Maybe, she won’t be so alone anymore.

She catches TK’s arm as they file out, all headed to Carlos’s place, Nancy included this time. 

“This was your idea, right?”

TK shrugs. “It was a group effort,” he says, then sighs at Nancy’s raised eyebrow. “Carlos gave me a talking to. He made me realise… Well, he made me realise a lot of things, actually, but the most important one is what an asshole I’ve been. I’m so sorry Nancy. I hope you can forgive me, and that maybe we could start over?”

He’s looking at her so earnestly, and Nancy hardly knows what to do with it. She laughs awkwardly and clears her throat, then gestures back to the rig. “This was a pretty good start,” she admits softly, giving him a small smile. “Buy me dinner next and maybe I’ll consider taking you up on that second chance.”

“Carlos is cooking if that counts? I swear, his food is a million times better than anything you’ll find in a ten mile radius.”

Nancy cocks a brow. “Ten miles, huh?”

“At least.”

She laughs for real this time, shaking her head at TK. “Nuh uh, Strand. I’ll take the food, but you do not get to palm off your apology on someone else.”

“Fair enough.” TK grins, holding out a hand. “Partners?”

Nancy hesitates, then nods and takes it, a real smile spreading across her face as they shake. “Partners.”

And maybe, just maybe, things are finally on the up.

[csleko]

Hero Forge: My "Souls-Borne" Characters so far...

I've cleared Bloodborne enough times to get platinum, and still enjoy going back to it every once in a while. It's undeniably my favorite of all Fromsoft's titles (that I've played, but I don't think DS3 or Sekiro are likely to usurp it when/if I get around to them.)

Anyway, I had a seriously rough go of it trying to get through Dark Souls 1, starting two attempts that ended in rage quits extremely early on. First try didn't even make it TO Undead Berg because I got lost right at the start and got eaten by endlessly regenerating skeletons, second try I managed to actually beat the first Taurus Demon, and don't remember exactly what I got stuck on and inevitably rage quit again, but it happened.

It was only my THIRD attempted playthrough- after getting hooked on Bloodborne and making use of the same strategies- that I was able not only to actually see the rest of the game (which I had up to that point theorized didn't even exist and any known details were just part of an elaborate inside joke among people pretending to have made it that far), but actually beat it.

And finally overcoming such an infamously difficult game was cause for some kind of celebration, so I immortalized the Chosen Undead I took from the Undead Asylum to the Kiln of the First Flame...as a Hero Forge figure trying my best to match the loadout I had when I defeated Gwyn. The Gargoyle Tail Axe carried me through the ENTIRE game after I got it.

THEN. I did what any sane person who hated every step of Dark Souls would do after finally beating it...I played Dark Souls 2. Again. After my two rage-quits of 1, I thought maybe 2 would be better and fix at least SOME of the things I hated about 1...

NOT SO. ONCE AGAIN I went the "wrong way" and got obliterated by a bunch of giant knights that, given my "I literally just got out of the tutorial area" level, each qualified as a boss fight by themselves even though they were just normal-ass enemies.

ATTEMPT #2 WOULD BE DIFFERENT, THOUGH. I beat Bloodborne AND Dark Souls 1, after all. It would be painful, no doubt, but possible. And no, it was decidedly NOT better than 1. I discovered entirely new things to hate about it in ADDITION to the returning obnoxiousness from 1.

But I slogged through, raged at the bad parts, acknowledged a few good parts, and EVENTUALLY the Bearer of the Curse became Queen of Drangleic by taking the throne (in contrast to to how I ended the previous game by *not* doing that.) Another Hero Forgery was in order! This one was a bit tougher just because of how much unique armor and gear there was. The life-stealing Butcher's Knife became my favorite after favoring various axes up to the point where I got it.

With that, my Dark Souls journey is done until 3 goes on a decent sale, but I did get Elden Ring, and that's actually been a ton of fun! Not "dethrone Bloodborne" fun, but it can comfortably take 2nd place in my rankings.

At the time of posting this, I haven't actually beaten it yet, but I am AT the final boss, and it's a massive Fromsoft-level pain in the ass. I'm sure I can do it, and I'm on track for the "marry the pretty moon witch lady" ending once I do, so I jumped the gun a bit and made...

I spent far longer than I care to admit trying to make something look like Ghiza's Wheel, AKA the Whirligig Saw, AKA the Pizza Cutter, but I just couldn't get anything to work for the blades.

NOW. If you've read this far, you're probably wondering something like, "Wait, you said Bloodborne was your favorite, so why didn't you make one of these for that game?" I didn't make a "Bloodborne Neiri" because my original Bloodborne character, and the one I first beat the game with was actually Tailii. I didn't make Neiri as a character until I realized that NG+2 Laurence was just too much for Tailii to handle. So I started a new character, played through the whole game again, and was able to take out Laurence and the Orphan of Kos, and get its weapon drop for the platinum.

Only after that did I decide to give the other Souls games another chance, and start making the different versions of Neiri in Hero Forge. For the sake of completion, I made Bloodborne Neiri after finishing the Elden Ring version.

And here she is. Because of how BB's armor system works, I actually frequently change outfits throughout the game, so neither Tailii nor Neiri ever had a consistent look, so I went with the Knight's Set purely for fashionable reasons.

Wow. This post ended up being a lot more text heavy than I planned.

If you want HF links to any of these, here:

Bloodborne

Dark Souls

Dark Souls 2

Elden Ring

[nyxdelanuit]

Joy is Yellow (Kaminari x Reader)

Hey guys! This is for the BNHarem collab. The theme this time was Flowers c:

Here’s the link to the rest of the collab! Please look here to find more of your favorite BNHA characters written by some awesome writers!

It wasn’t often that Kaminari was disappointed with becoming a hero, but watching you wander around the farmer’s market in the mid-morning sun, he regretted not being able to do this everyday. You walked arm-in-arm with his friends, unaware of his pining. He wanted to tell you, so badly he wanted to tell you… but if there was one thing Kaminari had learned about himself since graduating UA, it was that as soon as he caught feelings, the words stopped coming out of his mouth right. He couldn’t risk messing everything up. Not with you.

 Sero hung off of one arm, Mina on the other. Your bag hung precariously off of your shoulder, threatening to tear Mina’s arm from you as it fell. Yet you didn’t mind, you simply forged forward, smile wide on your face. Kaminari let you pull his friends forward, hanging back to hear your laugh filter through the crowds. His eyes watched your back as you ran around, looking through local honeys, fresh vegetables, and the occasional booth of art and hair pins. The crowd grew larger as the morning went on, obscuring you from his vision when you ducked into tents and booths, but he still took in the crisp air with joy in his heart. Kaminari thought he might finally understand what people meant when they mentioned ‘simple pleasures.’

He had to resist the urge to sprint to your side as your squeal pierced the calm air. The sight of you, unharmed, calmed him somewhat but didn’t ease his pounding heart. Face flushed, eyes wide in joy, and utterly angelic as you took in the wide selection of flowers in front of you.

 “Mina, look!” You held a slip of paper out to her, hands trembling in excitement. “I never knew flowers had meanings. Look, this one has almost a whole page!” You were threatening to turn Kaminari’s insides to mush, watching you flitter from flower to flower like a hummingbird, barely stopping to skim over the slip of paper in front of each flower. Kaminari may not be able to get the right words out of his mouth, but maybe….

 Daffodils: Inspiration. You inspire me to push myself every day. I want to be someone worthy of your beauty- inside and out.

 The note sat nestled inside a modest bouquet of buttery yellow daffodils, still dewy from the chill morning. Your fingers ran over the note, trying to recall the handwriting. It was at least someone who knew where you lived- in a gated apartment for recently graduated students of UA- and someone who knew of your new obsession with the language of flowers. With gentle hands, you scooped up the flowers from your stoop, placing them in a vase you had purchased at the market the day before. It was true what they said, flowers really brightened up a room. Or maybe that was the feeling that sat airily in your chest.

 You usually ran into one or two former classmates while wandering around your apartment complex, but Kaminari was becoming a more regular face. It wasn’t unwelcome, you enjoyed every moment spent with the ditsy blonde. You did wonder if he played up his dumb blonde shtick for laughs, but he was always genuine with you. As you wandered through the gates after your shift, it was no surprise that he was the first person you saw.

 “Hey! Have you eaten yet?” He called out, a grin plastered on his face. You couldn’t help but think he’d been waiting for you, as self-absorbed as that made you feel. He was still staring at you, the grin faltering before you realized you hadn’t answered.

 “Oh, not yet. I was hoping to get out of these gross clothes first.” He nodded sagely before breaking out in another grin.

 “Let me pick up some food for us while you change then. And no saying no! I want to have a picnic, and no one else will have one with me!” Kaminari tried his best to give you the most pathetic puppy eyes that he could muster, a smile breaking through as you giggled at his antics.

 “Fine, ‘Minari. I’ll meet you out here in twenty?” You were surprised he hadn’t concussed himself with how hard he nodded before sprinting off with a wave. Surely he must have whiplash at least?

 If it wasn’t Kaminari Denki, the class flirt, you would almost think the picnic laid out before you was… romantic. He had surely put a lot of energy into it, making sure that the blanket had shade, but wasn’t hidden under the tree, a wonderful view of the late afternoon sky, and most of all, quiet. Not many people ventured to this part of the complex, preferring to stick to the well-worn paths and their own spaces. Your favorite guilty-pleasure dinner was laid out like it was homemade, a bottle of sparkling juice on ice nearby. Kaminari must have been serious about wanting a picnic.

 The picnic flew by in a flurry of laughs, leaving you both red-faced and out of breath. He had tried, really, to keep himself serious. There were many questions about how your life was like now that you were outside of school, if you liked your job, and any problems you had been facing. He tried so hard. And then he misjudged the toss of a snack, hitting himself in the eye instead of dropping it into his mouth like he intended. You appreciated his efforts, but you appreciated the unadulterated Kaminari more.

 You weren’t sure how it devolved into a pseudo food fight, the two of you desperately trying to win points by throwing food into each other’s mouths. It was funny, and, sweet, and utterly juvenile. After spending so much time trying to grow up quickly to match the world you were thrust into, it was such a welcome reprieve.

 He insisted on walking you to your door that night.

 “No self-respecting hero would let someone walk home alone. Especially if home is only a few doors down from mine.” The grin on his face as he left you at your door felt a little more genuine that night.

  Marigolds: Affection, making a connection. To let you know you’re on my mind. Seriously, you’re on my mind, always.

 The marigolds on your doorstep weren’t quite as fresh as the daffodils you had received a few days before, but they still held their pungent smell. You were never a big fan of the smell, but you couldn’t help smiling as you remembered the meme fights Sero and Kaminari used to get into in high school.

 “They’re marigolds!” Sero shouted at the top of his lungs.

“My god, I think she’s right, they are marigolds!” Kaminari yelled, overly scandalized.

“I may not know my flowers, but I know a b-” They started together, stopping only when an irate Aizawa turned the corner. 

 The memory alone would have been enough for you to place them among your daffodils, still standing strong with the flower food you had found squirreled away in your cupboards. The sentiment scrawled on the note only made you want to keep them more. Hopefully the daffodils would cut the scent somewhat.

 You hadn’t seen Kaminari since the picnic, besides glimpses here and there as one of you left for work. He had looked so tired lately. You knew that he had Sero, Kirishima, and Bakugou looking out for him, but even then, they were busy too. You were less so, by choice. It was too much to jump into right away, and you were always one to adjust to the waters before you dove. It was time to repay him for the picnic.

 The knock at the door surprised Kaminari, he was already setting his alarm to run down to the flower shop before you woke up. Then he could get another bunch of flowers, leave them on your doorstep before you left for work, and get a nap in before his shift. He had tried to ignore the dark circles spreading underneath his eyes and the yawns that plagued him. You were worth a little inconvenience.

 So when he saw you on the other side of the door, he thought his heart might stop. There you stood in all your glory, looking like you were plucked straight from some painting he ignored during his middle school museum field trips. He knew better now, if he could find your beauty in the paintings, he would stare for hours.

 You cleared your throat, pulling him from his drowsy daydreaming. “Can I come in ‘Minari? You’ve been looking a little beat up lately, so I made you some dinner.” He felt awful as he watched you shuffle the carefully stacked containers of food in your arms. Quickly, he went to grab some of them from you, easing your load and motioning you into his house.

 How could you do that? Just a few minutes and a simple dinner, something even he could have made, and he suddenly felt like he could run a few laps. No more yawns, they had been long replaced by full body laughs as he watched you utterly fail at the most recent fighting game he had bought. He couldn’t be bothered to play with you, the food in front of him was too tempting. Kaminari couldn’t remember the last time he had made himself food. You must have been an angel sent just for him.

 Sunflowers: Joy, optimism, positive energy. Tell me your secrets, please. How do you light up every room you enter? You chase away all the tiredness in my body. It’s like you’re an energy drink for my soul.

 You wondered how you were going to fit such large stems into your vase. It seems like your mysterious suitor had thought of that too, buying only a few smaller flowers. It was starting to look like a proper arrangement, although you wondered why it was all yellow. Surely there were flowers in other colors to convey what he wanted? No matter, the sunflowers in front of you definitely cut through the empty space, filling up your room with enough color to rival the sun.

 There was a big assignment that a few of the people in your apartment had been appointed to. Kaminari was included, and you barely caught sight of him anymore. Sero had also been called, but you saw him sneaking into Mina’s apartment with the morning’s light. At least you were assured that one of your friends were being properly cared for.

 You couldn’t help yourself, you started leaving containers of food at his door, little notes, and a few healthy drinks to combat the sugary energy drinks he preferred. Your dishes were always returned clean by the next day, and it made you feel like you were doing something more than sitting on your ass working part-time while he was out there giving his all. The night that signaled the end of the assignment, you found your dishes outside per usual, with a note.

 Thanks Sunshine.

-Denki

 The beating of your heart could be heard in your ears. You were so flustered you didn’t notice how the note matched the others you left on the counter.

  Pansy: Loving.

 This note confused you. Just a single word as explanation and a bundle of gentle yellow pansies with bleeding black centers. Still, you placed the gentle stems in the vase. You were sure to place them where they wouldn’t be crushed by the more boisterous flowers. The petals were so delicate beneath your fingers, you were afraid they’d wilt at the slightest touch.

 You’d be sad after these flowers wilted. It was such a fun experience to open your door every morning and search for flowers on your stoop. Even if they weren’t there every day, it only made the days you found them more exciting. You hadn’t really stopped to consider who had been leaving such sweet presents, but you knew who you hoped it was. Maybe you were just reading too much into it, with all the yellows consuming your thoughts.

 You knew that Kaminari had the day off, time to recover from the grueling days of work behind him. Even so, you couldn’t resist making more food than you needed. You missed him, even though it had only been a handful of days. With swift steps and an even swifter knock, you were finally in front of him.

 He looked awful, there was no nice way of putting it. His hair was unruly in an unintentional way, dark circles and even darker bruises littering his body. But he seemed to light up at your presence. It was a sight to see as the fatigue lifted from his face, his body less weighed down by his slouching shoulders.

 Kaminari ate beside you on the couch, a scene that was becoming familiar to you. It was comfortable here, just the endless chatter of the television to end the silence of the growing night. You stayed long after food was finished and the dishes were washed- Kaminari insisted it was the least he could do. Even longer after, when Kaminari’s head fell heavily to your shoulder. Whatever energy you gave him must have reached his limit. It took some time to maneuver him to his bed, all dead weight, but you slid him under his sheets eventually. With a brush to his hair- simply to get it out of his eyes, you tried to convince yourself- you left as quiet as you came.

 There was no flower when you opened your door that morning. It was a little disappointing, they seemed to have come after particularly nice nights with Kaminari before. You let yourself get caught up in your head with every thing you had done since the last bouquet, chewing on your lip as scenarios ran through your thoughts.

 A knock came at the door before you were able to chew your lip raw. A quick glance to a mirror and a quick straightening of your clothes made you presentable. You weren’t sure why you were so nervous to answer the door. It was just a neighbor, probably one that has seen you in states much worse than when you first woke up…

 It was a pleasant surprise to see Kaminari standing before you. He fussed with something in his grasp before he realized you opened the door. He thrust his fist toward you, a single daisy in his clutch. The poor stem had almost been worried through, leaning at an awkward angle. You accepted it with cautious hands, supporting the tired flower.

 “So, Denki, what does this one mean?” You smiled at him coyly, enjoying the way he could barely meet your eyes.

 “T-true…” His voice was barely a squeak escaping his throat. You took mercy on him, grasping his hand with your free one. Kaminari’s eyes finally flew to yours, questioning.

 “Breathe, ‘Minari.” You smiled, coaching him through a breath, and then two. His eyes were clearer when they met yours again. He let a grin sneak onto his face, bringing him a bit more confidence.

 “Daisies mean t-true love… and soulmates.”

 After many shared smiles and messy kisses, you led him into your apartment, his hand still clutched in yours.

 And many years after, you would still get compliments on your bright yellow daisy pendant, encased in resin and lasting as long as his love for you.

[ashintheairlikesnow]

Whumptober Day 17: Dirty Little Secret

CW: Creepy whumper, whumper POV, implied whump of a minor, implied noncon references

“Well, Kelly, you’ve spent an hour talking politics, is there anything else you’d like to hear my thoughts on today?” Governor Oliver Branch sits easily in the padded chair behind his desk. It’s a deep, dark burgundy with little brass accents, and not that he intends to tell Kelly Donahue this particular bit of information, but it very comfortably holds the weight of two.

“Well, let me check.” Kelly smiles at him - bright, perfectly-applied deep pink lipstick, camera-ready stylish-but-demure blue dress, legs crossed politely at ankles, sensible heels. Shellacked hair. The cameraman, on the other hand, is wearing a t-shirt and jeans, and looks like he’s ready for a beer at the bar downtown.

Oliver would rather be at the bar, too.

Still, he’s just as camera-ready as Donahue - had his boy get his favorite suit out, a charcoal gray so dark it’s nearly black, while they played Interview. Baldur loves the game - one of the only times Oliver allows him to speak, when he pretends to be a reporter asking Oliver questions, and Oliver loves the sparkle he gets in his eyes.

He loves extinguishing the sparkle, at the end of the game, even more.

The color of his suit is carefully chosen to pop against the chair, and he hasn’t worn it on TV before. It’ll go over well, he’s sure of it. Even Nancy had nice things to say.

The tie he’s wearing - a burgundy that matches the chair with a brass-colored tie pin, just to hammer the coordination home - was wrapped around Baldur’s wrists this morning. There’s a delicious little thrill to wearing it now, knowing that some of Baldur’s sweat is still in the silken fabric. 

He takes a breath, thinking of the way the boy knows how to beg, and how delightful it is to read in his eyes how much he would like to beg for it to stop, but is too well-trained to do anything but beg for more.

The shameless scandal of it all, if they ever found out, always adds an edge to their moments together. Baldur is, of course, as close to a relationship as Oliver has had since he decided to run for Governor.

Got a little annoying to keep paying to keep rumors underwraps. Didn’t cost so much more to simply buy himself someone no one else will ever know about. An easy financial decision, nothing more.

A financial decision that knows exactly how to do that thing with his hips-

“Are you open to some questions about your personal life?” Kelly cocks her head, and her hair doesn’t move an inch. Oliver can’t help the way his eyebrows raise, very slightly. Whoever does her hair… Oliver would very much like to offer them double their wages at the studio to get them to do his hair instead.

“Oh, of course, Kelly. You know, I’ve always been an open book to my constituents, since I ran for city councilman and read my own ‘don’t ask about’ file out loud during a meeting.”

A nice bit of theater, that. He claimed to have gotten it from his opponent, but really… Oliver had written the damn thing himself. No one knows your dirty little secrets better than you do, after all. 

“Yeah, I remember - I was there for that.” Kelly laughs, tucks a bit of hair behind one ear.

Oliver blinks, looking her over. He thickens his southern drawl, one of the things polls routinely find his constituents find endearing about him. Just a good old boy from Charleston, somehow finds his way to California to settle down for good. Really, it adds a hint of sincerity to all is falsehoods. “No. Impossible! You’re hardly old enough, my dear.” It sounds like idle flattery, but for once, it’s all genuine. Oliver’s been governor of this great state for nearly a decade, and was city councilman for quite some time before that, and Kelly can’t possibly have been out of school-

“I was a senior in high school,” She says, almost shyly, apparently guessing at his next question. If he were a different man, he might flirt with her. But what’s the point, when he has someone - something better, hidden away just behind that door? 

“What led a senior in high school to attend a boring old city council meeting? Sure you weren’t such a good civic-minded young citizen as all that?”

She giggles a little, then glances over her shoulder, mouths something at the cameraman. Oliver can guess what. Edit that out.

Kelly Donahue doesn’t want the episode to be aired with her giggling like a schoolgirl at a bit of idle flattery. Well. Everyone has their things they like to hide, don’t they?

She has her giggle. Oliver has a teenage boy locked in his bedroom.

He almost wishes he’d had Baldur hide under the desk for this, instead. Imagines speaking with Kelly, all sincere interest and open honesty, while petting through Baldur’s soft, shining hair, hooking fingers into his collar to pull him up against Oliver’s leg… He thinks about hosting a perfectly normal interview while Baldur is drugged to dozing, right there. 

He’s done it a dozen times with field trips and one-on-ones. Flirting with disaster - with the absolute chaos that would ensue if the boy were found - is exciting in ways that nothing else in Oliver’s life ever has been.

Baldur’s so very good at holding so very, very still for him, and feeling that boy shaking with energy he isn’t allowed to expend, fighting all his own instincts... Oliver had his youthful indiscretions, and there is no drug, no girl, no boy, no drink… nothing in his life, absolutely nothing, feels as good as knowing that Baldur’s entire body is begging him to move - and one word from Oliver means he can’t.

And if he does - if he breaks the order, if he cannot help but disobey it… well, then Oliver gets to do his favorite thing on Earth. He gets to tell Baldur it’s time to play a game.

Then he gets to hurt him, and hear the way he cries.

There is no power on earth like the power you could hold over another human being’s very nature, and all for a bit of money changing hands in discreet ways. Thank God for shell corporations, or he’d be in prison by now.

“Oh,” Kelly says, blushing a little, interrupting his thoughts. He ticks his smile a little wider. “I was there to argue about something with the Pledge of Allegiance, actually.”

“Ah, yes. The Young Republicans Club. I remember that whole mess.” Oliver waves on hand, gives a soft laugh. “If you’re still in contact with any of them, I do hope you’ll give them my absolute apologies for stealing their thunder that night. I promise you, Kelly, Scout’s honor-” Oliver crosses his fingers up in a little salute. He was never once in his fucking life a Boy Scout.  A little money changes hands, a few documents are forged, and now he was an Eagle Scout who led community service. Funny how that works. “-I had no idea what any of the topics were going to be, I was too nerved up that night, really I was.”

“Oh, that was years ago.” She waves her hand a little, but her own smile has widened in response to his. “It’s not a problem. I was just… honestly, I didn’t see it at the time, but it was a privilege to see that kind of political theater in action.”

Oliver’s laugh is bright, and loud, and he wonders if the boy can hear it, through two doorways and a hallway’s worth of distance. If he’ll listen for the sound of his Sir’s laugh, to try and gauge when it’s over. If he’ll be waiting at the door to the bedroom, waiting to be allowed out, to be given permission to do… well, anything.

“Theater? I am wounded, Kelly. I was merely being honest-”

“Now, Oliver, I know a bit of showing off when I see it - I do plenty of it on my own.” Kelly laughs, too, and they are such good friends, Oliver and the journalists who come here to interview him. He’s a boring bit of story, honestly - a reliable progressive governor of a reliably progressive state. No wife and no kids, no scandals, no weekend indiscretions. 

Governor Oliver Branch does his job and does it well. His legislature likes him, more or less. His constituency adores him. He’s been re-elected in a landslide. There’s been talk about Presidential aspirations, although Oliver’s never thought any higher than the Senate.

Senator Oliver Branch. 

Now that sounds lovely, doesn’t it?

He’ll have dumped the boy by then, of course. No loose ends. The boy has plenty of skills to find himself a new keeper. Even if he doesn’t, he won’t be Oliver’s problem anymore, will he?

He’ll buy another, then.

He and Kelly chat, the interview going off without a hitch. It’s softballs all the way through, easy-to-answer questions, because no one has any difficult questions for him these days. No, Oliver is a good governor in a good state doing good things with good intentions.

Oliver smiles. The questions are easy and his approval ratings are high. There’s been some discussion about a Presidential run, although he’ll of course be bashful and refuse such an idea. His character can’t take the scrutiny, he’ll say, and everyone will laugh. 

All great men have things they’d rather hide, after all.

Although perhaps not things quite like this.

Down the hall, behind a locked door, Oliver Branch’s dirty little secret sits wearing only one of Oliver’s button-ups, knobby knees curled up to his chest, collar buckled snugly around his neck.

The boy rocks and rocks, staring through the tiniest gap in the drapes over the balcony door, watching the clouds move in the sky and wondering what it would feel like to go outside.

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