#Dead Friend Forever and this show have given me everything I need in the first epsiode

[respectthepetty]

JACK AND JOKER IS THE BEST FUCKING THING I'VE EVER SEEN IN MY ENTIRE LIFE!

THE FIRST EPISODE WAS GREAT, AMAZING, PHENOMENAL, FANTASTIC, A MOMENT, EVERYTHING I NEEDED IT TO BE, PLUS MORE!

I have eight million things to say about it but I'm in my office playing a long con so I could get out of a meeting that was scheduled during the show's airing time, so I can't write anything yet, but when I do . . .

AHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!

[sturniololuvz]

hii could you do a mattxreader fic and she loses her grandpa and it shows the different stages of grief like when she got the call when she was unmotivated when she was angry when she was sad like that if it makes sense?

i LOVE this request

⸻

“Grief doesn’t follow rules,”

[Denial]

It started with a phone call.

Y/N was sitting on Matt’s bed, scrolling through playlists for their late-night drive, when her phone buzzed. The screen lit up with her mom’s name. She answered casually — not expecting anything out of the ordinary — but the moment she heard the trembling in her mom’s voice, her stomach dropped.

“No… no, wait—” she said, standing up fast. “What do you mean? He was—he was fine yesterday. He was fine, right?”

Matt’s head shot up, alarmed. He stood slowly as Y/N pressed the phone harder against her ear, pacing.

Her voice cracked. “No. He’s—he’s okay, though, right?”

She hung up before she heard the answer. Her hands trembled as she dropped the phone onto the bed, and Matt gently approached, but she stepped back.

“No. It’s not real. This isn’t real. She’s just—she’s wrong. He’s fine.”

Matt didn’t push her. He just pulled her into his chest, even as she resisted, and held her when she eventually stopped talking.

⸻

[Depression]

For the next few weeks, Y/N wasn’t herself.

She barely left her apartment. Texts from friends piled up unanswered. Her camera stayed untouched. Even Matt’s attempts to get her out — to just go for a walk, to eat her favorite takeout — were met with half-hearted nods or quiet refusals.

“Do you wanna try going out for coffee?” he asked gently one day.

“I don’t want coffee,” she mumbled, curled into a blanket on the couch.

“What do you want, then?”

“Nothing.”

He sat beside her without another word. He didn’t need to fix it. He just needed to stay.

⸻

[Anger]

She snapped one day.

Matt had made her breakfast — nothing fancy, just toast and eggs — and when he called her into the kitchen, she looked at the plate and burst into tears. But this time, it wasn’t soft crying.

“Why are you acting like everything’s fine?” she shouted.

Matt blinked, caught off guard. “I—I didn’t mean to—”

“He’s gone, Matt! He’s dead! And you’re just making me eggs like that’s gonna fix it?”

“I’m not trying to fix it,” he said gently. “I just want you to eat. You haven’t in—”

“Don’t tell me what I have or haven’t done!”

She regretted it the second the words left her mouth. Matt’s face fell, but he didn’t walk away.

“I know you’re hurting,” he said, quieter now. “And if you need to scream at someone, I’ll be that person. But I’m not leaving.”

That’s when she broke again — really broke — and let herself collapse into him.

⸻

[Bargaining]

“I keep thinking… like, if I had called him that day—if I had just talked to him—maybe he would’ve gone to the doctor sooner. Maybe they would’ve caught it in time.”

Matt shook his head. “Y/N, you can’t do that.”

“But what if I—”

“You loved him. He knew you loved him. That’s all he ever needed. You didn’t fail him.”

She sniffed hard, eyes rimmed red. “I just want one more chance to say goodbye.”

“I know.”

And he didn’t say “he’s still with you” or “he’s watching over you.” He just held her hand.

Because sometimes grief doesn’t need answers — just someone to sit in the dark with you.

⸻

[Acceptance]

Weeks later, Matt came home to find Y/N sitting at her desk, writing something. The house was quiet, the air still, but not heavy like before.

“What’re you working on?” he asked gently.

She turned around, small smile playing at her lips. “A letter.”

“To him?”

She nodded. “Yeah. Just some stuff I didn’t get to say.”

Matt walked over and kissed her forehead. “You want me to read it?”

“Not yet.”

“That’s okay.”

She folded the paper and tucked it into a book her grandfather had given her years ago. And for the first time in what felt like forever, she looked like she was breathing again — not fine, not over it — but breathing.

⸻

“Grief doesn’t follow rules,” she said quietly. “I thought it was linear… but it’s not. It just… loops.”

Matt smiled softly. “And I’ll be right here every time it loops back.”

⸻

[fir-fireweed]

Possible spoilers, talking about the events of chapter 3 and what was revealed!

I am so looking forward to Tellus/Coda how the chapter ended and what’s been given so far is already there. I’m buzzing, there’s something about reunions and this specific case has already got me excited. It is heart wrenching.

I can’t imagine thinking you’re the only person from your particular village left, that all are most likely long gone, that grief. All to what feels like miraculously end up actually reuniting with someone from your village, but not just anybody, a dear friend and or love interest?

Thinking of how both mc and Tellus/Coda feel… it’s gripping. Even without them talking yet, they’ve both gone through so much alone without doubt, someone so familiar yet grown, grown without one another. Just looking at each other they’d know there’s a story, even putting aside the fact they thought everyone was dead. I wonder about what his reaction will be to mc’s ‘disability’, confused at first for sure in my mind at least. Based on the info in how the last update ended somethings gone on with him in the voice department I don’t know if he ended up learning to only have one or if he did something drastic for survival or something bad happened in which that was the lasting effect.

I don’t know what the options are going to be, the way Coda/Tellus is going to react to this situation. I wouldn’t blame him if he bolted and needed fresh air, maybe he feels it can’t be real he needs proof, he doesn’t want to leave or close his eyes for too long incase mc disappears 😭.It’s all so much. What’s given so far I can imagine on and on, how other MCs will react, especially my own. Burst into tears, shocked to the point there’s an emotional/internal delay. Run into his arms and squeeze him tight without thinking. Hands shaking/shakey in general. Suddenly clasping his hand, forehead pressed to his knuckles. He whispers MCs birth name and I can imagine mc whispering his back. I also can imagine the huh? that would be felt by others based on his relationship with other members, like this ‘rando’ shows up and you’re showing more then anything we’ve ever seen, all in that moment.

I keep thinking about the necklace mc still has, showing him mc still has it??? They’ve got me in a chokehold. Author, you’re wonderful, thank you for sharing your work!

Them (mc/Tellus coda) in general put me in a state of needing a life guard on stand by, the thinking you’re the only one left living that way thinking the only thing left is a necklace, it being the thing that made you feel like the people are there with you in a sense especially Tellus, the only momento, a reminder those years of your life weren’t just a dream, to find out he’s been alive all along. Mc in my mind based on my character heart would clench thinking about how they’ve been going through something similar but at least they had a necklace, they wished they could’ve done that for him or he had something similar. That’s me assuming he didn’t/doesn’t of course!

Forever thankful to Evelyn and her family truly; they are gems. I hope you’re doing alright, life’s treating you well and if it isn’t it starts doing so. I feel like my life got 1+ just because I’ve gotten to enjoy your work so far. Best wishes to you and your family :) ⭐️

I loved reading this so much! ❤️

I was buzzing over these same thoughts when I made the decision to bring Tellus back. That reunion moment?? 🥹 It’s incredibly difficult writing the follow up scene because of everything you mentioned above. I like to focus on describing the emotion the characters are feeling—in dialogue, facial expressions, body language, etc. But the emotions here are ALL of them, all at once! 😅 All 3 of us, MC, Tellus and myself are all:

Btw, I love these kind of asks, hearing your deep thoughts and takes on these characters and situations! Knowing you all are obsessing over these characters as much as I am is cathartic, lol.

[ppeonppeonhan]

The 10 Shows I DNF'd in 2024 — and the 6 I Should've

From Thailand, I nixed the vampire dramedy 1000 Years Old, because it was too goofy and took too long to get to the romance; Kidnap, because I was expecting a more badass version of Ohm; Two Worlds, because the MaxNat (see above) age difference is...unnerving; and 4 Minutes, because it was too dark and I'd already reached my limit for that type of romance with Dead Friend Forever back in the Spring.

From South Korea, I had to choose my sanity and stop watching Love in the Big City, which has some heavy mental health themes; and I also gave up on Blossom Campus pretty quickly, because after watching Boys Be Brave!, I decided no one in South Korea could top Ki Sub's cute, unhinged behavior.

From Japan, I could not sit through yet another emotionally abusive ML who is secretly in love with the human cupcake he crushes daily, so Cosmetic Playlover was deaded after episode 1; Love is Better the Second Time Around had a love interest that was both overconfident and a coward, which makes for an unappealing combination; Sahara-sensei to Toki-kun (above) had an ill-advised yet chaste teacher-student romance; Takara No Vidro was just more of the same cat-dog dynamic that I'm growing weary of when there's not a more interesting element or electric connection; and the Love in the Air remake had its moments, but their version of Prapai x Sky just wasn't hitting.

Ok now for what I SHOULD'VE given up on, but foolishly powered through — all from Thailand:

I basically hate-watched Bad Guy My Boss, but I genuinely gave City of Stars (above) a shot. It was a faux high-stakes comedy about a celebrity risking his career to come out of the closet for his longtime crush. If it was 6 episodes tops, it would've covered everything it needed to, but producing twice as many and a special episode was excessive. It really just seemed like soft core with a slapped together plot.

But not as much as Sunset x Vibes (above). Ooof! That series was created purely to feed MosBank stans. A workplace romance where an intern accidentally falls for a mysterious man who turns out to be his boss was all that series needed to be, but no, they had to throw in a life-threatening, past-life myth. Like...pick a genre. Do it well.

I Saw You in a Dream also had a high concept: Guy develops the ability to see the future in his dreams and has to figure out how to save his childhood friend who's had a major crush on him for years. I was into it, but it dragged on for too long and the big bad villain turning out to be somebody's fake ex-bf was beyond anticlimactic. Also, aside from infantalizing your love interest, I also hate when a love interest plays up being a baby/younger to get away with stuff, but then immediately jumps to adult behavior. Like are you a child or an adult? His character was 20. It was weird.

Meanwhile, The Rebound had me in the first half. I've grown to love sports drama BLs. But it started to drag and the obstacles they faced with a gangster looming and an overbearing mother resolved so easily that it made the climax fall flat.

Sadly, the biggest disappointment was the Thai version of My Love Mix-Up. Fourth and Gemini did a great job per usual, but it was hella boring. And I say that having enjoyed the Thai remake of Cherry Magic. Not opposed to rewatching the same storyline, but I just couldn't get into it.

[lesbicosmos]

happy one year of dead boy detectives!! ❤️🔎💙

incoming very long very sappy ramble about it:

it's always the shows you find while you're ill at home and just looking for something to make time go faster, huh?

see: me last june, suffering in bed because of a really bad chest infection and stumbling on a few tumblr posts about this silly ghost show, then deciding to watch it because i had nothing better to do, and needed something to distract me from feeling like shit.

i knew ten minutes into watching episode one that this show would become a fixation - and a big one. but even that is such an understatement of how much i love this show and how much it means to me.

i've been in many fandoms over the years, gone through many phases of a movie or a tv show taking over my life and personality for weeks or months at a time but i don't think any of them have stuck with me as much as dead boy detectives. sure if you mention any of my past interests i'll get really excited and mentally dust them off, but this one hasn't had the time to gather the dust in the first place. i'm also always desperate for everyone i know to watch whatever it is my brain is fixated on at any time, but i fear i annoyed my friends and family more than ever with this one, i'll still bring it up in conversation whenever i can

i've always been more of a character-oriented person than a plot person - even if a piece of media has a plot that barely makes sense, i will obsess over it if it has good characters. and this show has SUCH good characters. they're all so unique and every one is relatable in some strange way. and, of course, the queer representation is everything to me. it's SO queer without feeling performative about it. so many of the characters are queer and that aspect of their character is an intrinsic part of who they are as a person without it being their only trait. i only hope future shows take notes. no show has ever really had characters that resonated with me as much as these ones, especially the core four. and bonus! it has brilliant plot writing, too!!

and of course the cast and crew are all just as brilliant. i love when you can just tell the people involved in a show had a genuine passion and genuinely loved working on it. that's evident in every part of dead boy detectives, and the cast interactions that still happen even a year later.

this fandom is hands down one of the kindest most welcoming ones i've ever been in: the fandom events (i ran one myself and co-ran another!! i've never been that involved with a fandom before and it was so much fun), the meta commentary, the fics, the fanart - and the people. i only joined the dbda haunt discord a couple months ago but it's already one of my favourite online places to be and the people i've met on there are all absolutely wonderful, i love you all sm <3

the inspiration this show has given me to write fanfic has been INSANE. i've written before, but i've never had this many ideas i'm so desperate to write down. i still have so many that haven't been written yet!!

okay this post is long and i'm rambling but i just love this show so much and even though we've now had twice as much time since the cancellation as there was before it, i'm in awe of how much the fandom has arguably grown since then. i'll never stop fighting to get this show back, but even if we don't, i'm forever grateful for what we've got and the people i've met and become mutuals with because of it, and i truly believe no one will ever be able to stop us keeping this show alive - no pun intended

happy one year dead boy detectives, can't wait to see what the fandom brings over the next one <33

[alexwilltellyouthings]

Entirely self indulgent rating post about the top 10 TV shows that made me fucking insane for some reason

10. Sense8

God, this was so good. Such a blessing. I saw part of the cast during a Pride Parade and it's one of my favorite memories. I felt every possible emotion with this show, I love it.

9. The Last of Us

This is kind of a cheat, because the obsession comes from the games, but it is what it is. It's one of the few games that had a big impact on me and I closely relate it to my relationship with my dad. Can't wait to cry my heart out at season 2.

8. Good Omens

It's a given, isn't it? That stupid angel with his stupid demon and their stupid God. GRRRAAWW. A lot of thoughts and feelings came from the fandom, I have to point out. It's been very nice.

7. The Umbrella Academy

I have the first issue of the comics autographed by Gerard Way!! I mean, yes, it's because I'm a MCR fan, but it became even more precious after I got into the show. I'm rewatching right now, preparing for the last season. I'll be a mess when I say goodbye to them. Can't even really think about it too hard or I'll cry right now.

Continues under the cut

6. Our Flag Means Death

LISTEN THIS CHANGED EVERYTHING TO ME. What do you mean we can have a show THIS queer? It's all I want now. I ate it up. I smiled so much. I wanted this so badly and had no idea.

5. Interview with the Vampire

Feels like it should be top 3 honestly but I'll get there. This is also a cheat, I've been reading the Vampire Chronicles since I was like 15. Growing up with Anne Rice probably messed me up but hey at least I have great taste. And seeing them on screen? The way they made it BETTER? And Lestat?? Who has been haunting me for 15 years on and off??? And the second season and their reunion and and and?????????? I'm STILL insane about them and will be forever, I'm afraid.

4. Doctor Who

Listen. Listen. Okay. Yeah. What can I say? If you get into it, you're doomed. And I have been doomed for 10 years at least. I stopped watching for a while and got back last year, and it hit me all over again. I love this dumbass genius alien in a way that's calm, even. Just a permanent part of who I am now.

3. The Untamed

The year was 2022, it had been a while since I had a proper fixation and I didn't think it would happen with this danmei live-action, but then came Wei Wuxian. Guys, if I tell you I fell in love. Couldn't stop thinking about him. Everyday I was plagued by his smile and red ribbon and tragic backstory, yadayadayada. I really like other characters too, and their stories, but WWX did something to me that I still don't quite understand.

2. Queer as Folk (US)

This was a looong time ago and it didn't really persist over time like the others, but it was my first actual obsession. I was clinically insane over these gays. I had no one to talk to about them, so for every episode I wrote several pages of notes to comment to my (only) friend at school the next day, the poor thing. It was pretty much all I talked about because I spent EVERY MINUTE we had to talk going over the notes and explaining the episode. Like, between classes, during breaks, everything. Months of that. She held on firmly because she was a good friend, but I'm aware it must've been terrible. Like I said, insane.

1. Dead Boy Detectives

Maybe I'm putting this up here because it's my current hyperfixation? Maybe. But I don't think I have felt something hit as strongly as this since QaF over there. This time I can participate in fandom so I don't need to write every thought I have because it's all a big talk anyway, but I'm still pretty much having those thoughts all the time for *checks notes* nearly three months. I'm writing more than I have in years. I'm back at Tumblr after I don't know how long. I'm staring at GIFs over and over like I have the fucking time for that. I'm distracted at work daily. I talk about it in therapy. I have the main cast's notifications on. I'm getting involved in fandom discourse sometimes even knowing I shouldn't. It's a nightmare. I love it. I love them.

If you read all of this, congrats! Now you know how my mind works, kinda!! I'm open to talk about any and all of these shows. It's amazing how they mess us up. It's also scary, but anyway.

[casanovawrites]

rp sentence prompts from the society, season 1 — (part 2 of 2)

i sort of like losing track of time.

so, do you? have all you need?

i kind of think it’s actually kind of hopeful.

our parents are still alive. they’re just someplace else, and we have to figure out a way back to them.

there’s got to be a way to get back. doors work both ways.

i really feel like we’ve just been given some hope.

i miss my parents giving me a hard time.

what if there are wolves and bears in the woods?

i avoided you. i was caught up in being straight.

did you ever notice me before?

who died and left you in charge?

i told you, people are not fine. they might be quiet, but that’s not the same thing. they’re scared. and they’re angry.

i want to die. it’s okay. i won’t feel like this.

tell my parents i’m sorry.

i really thought i was gonna die.

you were always a terrible patient.

i’m stoic and tough.

last time you had a cold, you bitched so much you gave it to me.

who’s so angry that they’d try to kill people?

you guys left me in the dark forever.

i want someone else here. you’re creeping me out.

i am allowed to make a political statement. dissent isn’t a crime. 

coincidences happen.

how do you want to live? what about us?

there’s nothing in this place that i want.

you’re afraid of me. everyone’s always afraid of me.

does it make sense? or am i just doing something to do something?

can i sleep here?

you don’t look so impressed.

can we just, for a second, pretend i know what i’m doing?

what, you’re just done with her and onto me?

i thought i knew how i felt and what i wanted. but i didn’t. 

the idea of losing you… i didn’t think i could feel that way about anyone. 

i can’t stop thinking about you. so that’s what that was last night.

you look like shit, by the way.

i’m scared all the time.

i’ve done terrible things. 

this time is going to be different. you’re gonna be more careful.

since when are you superstitious? we can’t think like that right now. it’s a big world.

i am hopeful. but you haven’t seen what i’ve seen.

it’s weird that we never really knew each other in high school.

i’m the wrong person to fuck with, you know?

there aren’t a lot of people who would show up for me like that.

things are fine the way they are. why are you risking this now?

there’s a lot of big decisions i have to make. i don’t want people to think we’re making them together. i don’t want you to think we’re making them together. because they’re my decisions, and i have to make them alone.

just because you decided to show up doesn’t mean it’s a good time for me.

the world changed. it isn’t about what you want or what i want. 

i don’t trust myself to be with you the way i want to be with you.

who the fuck are you to decide what i’m good at?

sometimes i wonder if there’s another version of this world where we’re friends.

if i was home, i’d just get on a bus or a train and go. but there’s no way. there’s no way from here.

i just wanna die. i just wanted to be dead.

we had to forget everything we learned about what life owed us.

you’re right. i’m not in control.

what does it feel like to starve? it’s really slow and painful, isn’t it?

you would eat me? 

there’s not enough of us to eat. we’d buy ourselves maybe a month or two.

if we come back without an answer, people aren’t gonna wait around to starve. we’ll kill each other first for the food that’s there.

has anyone asked, ever, ‘are you okay with any of this?’

fuck off. i don’t need a nanny.

do people just come when you snap your fingers?

you don’t get to demand an audience with me. you’re lucky i showed up.

you’re half right about everything. you know that? and that’s worse than being wrong. that makes you dangerous.

i need power to get things done, but i hate it. and you will too.

i can decide what i think. but i can’t decide that i’m right.

we’re not gonna ask for power. we’re gonna take it.

are you a fucking hero? i don’t think so.

i never had any idea what i wanted to do.

maybe we’re being punished for what our parents did.

maybe we’re here, and there’s no there anymore.

it’s fucking terrifying. we’re just not saying the stuff out loud that we’re afraid of.

do you think we might actually be lucky?

what we have is built on trust, nothing else.

i’m willing to lose out every once in a while. it’s better than chaos.

what are you when you’re on your own, if you really think about it?

i’m sorry if i made you feel like i think less of you. 

you’re still warm, and i’m a little bit lonely. do you mind?

part of me just wishes we could stay out here in the woods. i don’t want so much noise.

no, fuck you. fuck you. i’m not afraid of you anymore.

i want to pull the strings a bit, that’s all.

it gets bad. but it’s not gonna get that bad.

i know what you’re thinking. ‘what am i doing, this isn’t me.’ but it is you. that’s how fast it happens.

[nettedtangible]

UPDATE RE: Sunburnt Summers

Hi everyone, I just wanted to update you all regarding what’s going on with this fic because I know it’s been a while.

I have made the decision to mark Sunburnt Summers as complete. I feel like the story is very well concluded and I really like the ending, with everything so open and all the possibilities at Remus’ fingertips.

There are several factors that have played a part in this decision and I wanted to chat about them here.

First of all, I have been really focussed on my other writing and very much dedicated to that, so I haven’t really been making the time to write on Sunburnt Summers. I did write about 30k words of Part 4 but my heart just wasn’t in it like it used to be and I found myself getting increasingly frustrated with it, and it began to feel like anything I put out would just be out of obligation and would probably not live up to the standards I set myself nor the expectations of you guys.

Secondly, I have been struggling a lot lately with my feelings regarding this fandom. With the recent supreme court ruling in the UK and JK’s direct monetary hand in that, my heart has been heavy. I am queer as are most of my friends and it pains me deeply to see those in my community suffer. I will always, always, stand with my community and especially Trans and Gender non-conforming people in this fuckass time we’re living in. I really don’t want to leave the fandom. And really, there is no world in which I can stop caring about Harry Potter – it just entered my brain at too formative a time in my life and became something I care about so deeply for so long. But, that being said, I do feel like I need some time to reevaluate my approach to fandom and the HP community, focus on harm reduction and centring voices of people who JKR’s bigotry so directly and horribly affects.

In a perfect world, she would keel over dead and we could all go on with our merry ways but, she is using her wealth to do real damage to real people and I think we all need to reckon with that in a real way. That being said, I do think this fandom is one of the most vocal and passionate voices speaking out against her! We are loud, and we present very much a united front. We constantly have to engage with her horrible views and thus, we are a community which has a vested interest in opposing her. Which I do think is valuable. We can also do our part to make sure the people in our lives who like Harry Potter but don’t engage in fandom know that we don’t support giving her money in any shape or form.

With all that being said, if you enjoy Sunburnt Summers, please consider the above, and make sure that you aren’t giving JK money in any way. Not watching the movies, not buying funko pops, or wands. Not trips to universal and certainly not watching this stupid, fuckass new HBO show. I know I’m preaching to the choir here but still. This is all I ask.

I don’t want to be done with Sunburnt Summers forever. I will still put out B-Sides whenever I can, and if I do feel the urge to write for the story again, I will. In that case, I will make a new work in the AO3 series for any further parts.

I am truly sorry if you were really looking forward to Part 4. I hope that one day I will be able to give it to you. But for now, I need to slow down, consult my community, and focus my passion where it wants to be.

Thank you to everyone for everything. You have no idea how much this fic, and all of you mean to me. You have given me so much in the form of joy and community, and I will forever be grateful for that.

[borntobeslay]

ESCAPE THE TOWN Chapter One: THE CLOWNS HERE KILL - Pt. 1

Word count: 3k

A/n: Sorry this took so long guys 😔 but first chapter is out! Pls enjoy and uhm yeah slay!

The Invite

Y/N: "I thought I had defeated evil for good this time."

Society Against Evil (SAE): We have a way for you to get back. But your friends will need to die.

This contract binds you to Everlock. Save the town, and you will return to the living.  Fail, and be lost among the dead forever.

LETTER: My friends, I'm going on an extraordinary adventure, and I’m in need of your help.  And so are hundreds of others.

(Knock on Manon’s door. She opens it to find a delivery man.)

Delivery Man: "I have a letter for you."

Manon: "Bitch, where’s my burger? I didn’t order this."

(Reads the letter.)

My friends, I'm going on an extraordinary adventure, and I’m in need of your help, and so are hundreds of others.  This is not an invitation to a ball or a dinner party.  It’s an invitation to embark on a dangerous mission.

It may sound impossible, but there’s a town trapped in the 1970s, and very soon everyone in it will be dead—unless we do something about it.  There’s a dark séance that will take us back in time. But for it to work, you must choose a personality reminiscent of that era, and dress like them.  Remember: nothing from the modern world can come with you.

Yuna: "Can I bring my gloss, though?"

The people of Everlock will know their role and their place, but you will be operating without knowledge or understanding of what’s to come.  This Friday the 13th, the doorway to Everlock will be open, and we will only have that one night...  To complete our mission.

Chaewon: "Don't worry, Y/N. I'm on the way."

Journeying Back in Time

Minju: "Where’s Y/N? I haven’t seen her in a while. Like, a couple months."

CONFESSIONAL – Manon: We’re in, like, the middle of nowhere, and it’s dark, and we’re literally by a fire. We’ve been waiting for like five hours. I’m like, “Honey, that’s just bad hosting."

Wonhee: "I thought this was just a day out or a variety show. Like, I thought this was gonna be a challenge. I didn’t realize it was, like, a full-on mission in the ’70s."

Giselle: "Why did she have us meet her here? Is this the town?"

Ryujin (rolling her eyes): "No, this is clearly not the town. The letter from Y/N said there’s a town stuck in the 1970s we have to save. Now, I love the 1970s. I’m just here to see if we can actually time travel."

(After hours of waiting, Y/N finally arrives.)

Y/N: "You guys came! Oh my God! I didn’t know if you were gonna come or not!"

(Group hug, voices overlapping.)

Bae: "We’ve been waiting for hours! We were really worried about you. But... can you tell us about this town?"

Y/N: "Yeah. So, I need your help. I really don’t know much about how we get there. But I was given this—and we need to save this town."

CONFESSIONAL – Y/N: So, I have a mission. I need to save this town if I want to come back to life. And if that requires my friends putting themselves in danger… it’s what I have to do.

The Carnival

(All scream as a clown pops out from behind a curtain.)

Clown: "It's your lucky day! Because the carnival's in town!" (laughs)

CONFESSIONAL – Rei: "I can deal with vampires, I can deal with werewolves and all sorts of other things. But clowns? Why does it have to be clowns?"

Hyein: "Are clowns anyone's thing? Like, no one likes clowns."

Yujin: "I find clowns delightful."

Clown: "We have a strong man, a snake woman, dolls with knives! It's like a bloody Christmas every day! We will be friends soon, and I've got a good feeling about that. Enjoy the ride!"

(The curtains open, revealing a cute retro carnival.)

Ningning: "Oh, look, there's rides. This is cute, though. What's there to save? This all looks fun!"

(A handsome guy walks up to them.)

Guy: "Hey. How are you guys doing? Where are you going tonight, huh?"

CONFESSIONAL – Manon: "So some homeboy approached us, AKA approached me. I'm like, 'Oh my God, like, you're kind of, like, everything.'"

Yuna: "Who are you?"

Bangchan: "I'm Bangchan."

Yena: "He's lying!" (Everyone looks at her like she's an idiot.)

Bangchan: "Why don't you just play some games and have a good time before my mom shows up, you know?"

Wonhee: "Aww, are you a mama's boy?"

Bangchan: "My mom is the mayor."

CONFESSIONAL – Lara: "He's cute, but he starts talking to us, and we're like, 'We don't know you, though. So, what are you doing here?'"

Yujin: "There's free food. There's free games. Let's settle down. You know, the problems will come to us. We're fine."

Y/N: "Everyone's happy. Everyone's normal. They're all having a great time. Maybe everything won't be so bad after all."

(People cheer as Hyein wins the ring toss. A worker hands her a pink pony.)

Worker: "Yeah. Her name is Blanche and she belongs to you now."

Hyein: "Hey, Blanche. Thank you, sir!"

CONFESSIONAL – Ryujin: "So, the guy seems extremely happy. Like, I would say, like, questionably happy… kinda scary to be honest."

Chaewon: "So we're here. Now what do we do?"

Y/N: "I don't know. Does this town need saving?"

(Looks at a random townsperson.)

Y/N: "Smile if you need saving."

(The girl smiles... a little too perfectly. Y/N and Chaewon make eye contact and giggle nervously.)

Y/N & Chaewon: "She smiled!"

CONFESSIONAL – Y/N: I feel bad that I'm keeping a secret about my mission. But at the same time, I'm kind of relieved because it doesn't seem like there's any danger in this town.

Kyujin: "If we're here to save the town, how can we use our talents to help? Because, like, as a dancer, I don't know how much I can do."

Lara: "I can mix things… like I'm a DJ and stuff but like, have you ever done detective work before?"

Minju: "No, this is my first job hehe…"

Lara: "Oh! So we're screwed. Okay."

(As the group walks along, they run into a mysterious woman...)

CONFESSIONAL – Wonhee: "I was honestly a little freaked out by this lady! But I thought, 'Let's use my social skills as a social butterfly and see what's going on here.'"

Wonhee: "Annyeong! Hello…"

Woman: "The stars."

Wonhee: "The stars? She's talking about the stars..."

Woman: "The stars have been talking to me. All kinds of secrets."

Wonhee: "So, what are they saying? Are they friendship secrets, light-hearted, dark secrets? Dark--Serious?"

Woman: "He's coming."

Haerin: "Woah, I—I'm sorry, wh--who's coming?"

(The woman closes her eyes and points around as if she’s sensing something.)

Rei: "The dog? The dog is coming... Uh you can have it I guess?"

Wonhee (gasps): "NO! Don't—That's Blueberry! I won him!"

Rei: "Oh uhm, sorry... This is Blueberry. Blueberries are coming? I don't know what she's talking about, but this girl is crazy, and I want nothing to do with her."

The Jack in the Box

(The creepy clown woman who welcomed them offers Y/N a game.)

Clown Woman: "Take this ball, throw it at these cans, and you'll win a prize."

Y/N: "Can I get the big pony if I win?"

Clown Woman: "Maybe."

(Y/N throws. Wins. She receives a box instead of a pony.)

CONFESSIONAL – Y/N: I was so sure I was getting that big pink pony. I even named her already. And then... she gives me a box? Like, excuse me? What am I supposed to do with a box?

Clown Woman: "Only someone with your unique gift can open the box and let the real carnival come out to play. But be careful! Don't open it just yet."

Group: "We got a gift. She gave us a box. Should we open it?"

(Before a decision is made, Bangchan's mom—the mayor—arrives dramatically.)

Mayor: "Thank you all for coming out to the carnival. It's our lifeblood."

Mina: "The spell won’t last forever... and then he is coming back."

Mayor (disgusted): "I wouldn’t listen to her words. She’s gypsy trash who lives on the outskirts of town."

Group (murmuring): "That was a reach..." / "Did she just say that?"

Mina: "Where did you get that box?"

Y/N: "I won it. It’s mine."

Mayor (snapping): "Mina!"

Mina: "Not today, Janet!"

Giselle (muttering): "Ooo Janet, You better shut your mouth, girl..." (grinning like she knows she just stirred the pot)

Mina: "Do you know what that is?"

Mayor: "A toy."

Mina: "No! That is one of the Carnival Master's wicked artifacts!"

Bangchan: "It's just a prize. Open it."

Group (mixed reactions): "Don’t open it!" / "Open it!"

Y/N: "I’m gonna open it."

(Creepy music. Screams. A jack-in-the-box with a knife in its head springs out.)

Y/N (shaken): "We probably just unleashed something evil."

(Chaos erupts. Clowns pour into the carnival grounds, attacking the group. Screams echo. Everyone splits up in a panic.)

CONFESSIONAL – Bae: One second we’re opening a toy, and the next, it’s literal hell. People screaming, clowns chasing us... I didn’t sign up for this!

The Clown Ambush

Bangchan (yelling): "Get your friends! Follow me!"

(He begins guiding people toward the arcade as clowns close in.)

Y/N (calling out): "Come on! Move! Everyone inside, now!"

(Y/N waits at the back, counting heads, making sure no one is left behind. Then—hands grab her. She screams as she’s yanked away.)

Voices: "Y/N!"  "They got Y/N!"  "NO!"

CONFESSIONAL – Y/N

"Bangchan was getting everyone inside. I was just making sure no one got left behind. That was my biggest mistake."

Yuna & Manon Caught

(Yuna and Manon sprint behind the others—but it’s not enough. A clown barrels around a booth and grabs Yuna. Another lunges from the shadows and tackles Manon.)

Yuna (screaming): "Let go of me!"  Manon: "Y/N! Someone help!"

(The rest of the group makes it into the arcade just before the metal doors slam shut.)

Chaeyeon (panting)

“They got Y/N… and Yuna… and Manon…”

Chaewon (shaken): "Are you serious? Okay—wait. We have to save them!"

Inside the Clown RV

(Dim lights flicker. Metal walls. The three girls are locked inside a musty RV, hands trembling, breath heavy.)

Y/N: "I have numbers. I have numbers."

Yuna: "Where?"

Y/N: "Calendar. It has circled dates. There’s a magazine back here too, with more circles. I think they’re clues."

Manon (reaching): "Wait—there’s something above me. I’ll try to reach it with my foot… ugh—okay, got it!"

Y/N (reading): "Lock One. October, Soda, Smoke."

Yuna: "Soda? There’s cans here. How many?"

Manon: "Six."

Y/N: "Smoke? Candles?"

Manon: "No, cigarettes. Seven."

Y/N: "Okay, so 13 for October, 6 for soda, 7 for smoke. Try that combo!"

(Click!) Manon: "Yes! One down."

Y/N: "There’s another note: 'Milk, Life, Delicates.'"

Yuna: "Milk—there’s three cartons in the fridge."

Manon: "'Life'—oh, the magazine. Page 17."

Yuna (mischievously): "'Delicates'? …Panty check?"

Y/N: "Keep looking for the panties!"

Manon: "How do you know I’m wearing any?"

Yuna (giggling): "Wait, you’re not?"

Manon: "Nope."

Y/N (dryly): "Girl."

Yuna: "Okay I found a drawer—ugh, five pairs. Try five."

(Click!)

Manon: "It worked! We got it open!"

Y/N (panting): "Thank God. Let’s get out of here."

Inside the Arcade

(The arcade is tense and dim. Machines buzz faintly as the group tries to catch their breath. The lights above flicker erratically.)

Bangchan: "I mean… My mom was a fighter. She wouldn't want me to give up now."

Lara: "Okay... give up on what?"

Bangchan: "I don't know. Whatever this is. This thing... it's one of the Carnival Master's artifacts.  I didn’t realize until you opened it, but… he’s been using them to corrupt this town for years.  My mom always pretended it wasn’t happening."

Kyujin: "Do you know how we can save our friends?"

Bangchan: "This is the clowns’ hangout. So I’m hopeful there’s something in this room that can help us defeat them."

(They all look around until someone notices a strange puzzle box.)

Ryujin: (Confessional) "So, basically we all found a box with letters: R, B, G, and Y."

Group (in unison): "Red, Blue, Green, Yellow."

Ningning: "Okay so… we have to get into it?"

Wonhee: "R, G, B, Y… R, G, B, Y..."

Lara: "Wait—why are you saying R, G, B, Y? That’s not even the order on the box."

Haerin: "This isn’t even turned on."

Giselle: "They actually have this color code on here—but how do we power it up?"

Yunjin: (Confessional) "We’re all kinda just looking around, like how do we turn this thing on?"

Ryujin: "There’s a corkboard over there."

(They rush over and see something scrawled in faded chalk.)

Chaeyeon: "It says… 'The scores get erased at the end of the day.'"

Minju: "Why don’t we erase everything and see what’s left?"

(Everyone begins wiping down the chalkboards.)

Kyujin: "Three?" Wonhee: "Three... ten?"

(More erasing. Dust fills the air.)

Ningning: "Erase them all!"

(Each board reveals one small number or letter still left behind.)

Ryujin: "Wait… put them all together!"

Bangchan (stepping closer): "All of them spell: 'Tap six times on glass.'"

Group (counting): "One... two... three... four... five... six."

(The machine dings. Everyone gasps.)

Haerin: "Oh my God." Rei: "I’m shook."

Giselle: (Confessional) "Honestly, what these random people might not know about me is that I love games."

Lara: "I got it."

(Machine dings again.)

Wonhee: "You guys taking turns?"

Ningning:(Confessional) "I don’t play pinball often… but when I do, I try to get a clue."

(As they play, the machine clicks and reacts to each correct move.)

Kyujin: "There we go!"

(A small gear unlocks inside the box with a chime.)

Haerin: (confessional) "Once you hit a letter, a little lock would open. It was perfect."

Rei:(confessional)  "We’re finally down to the last one and it’s literally impossible. No one’s getting it."

Ningning (suddenly): "Ooh—"

(Machine chimes.)

Group (cheering): "Oh, we got it!" / "That was nice!"

(The box pops open. Inside is a rusted gear and a note.)

Wonhee (reading): "There are four missing parts that must be returned to the jack-in-the-box in order for the clowns to—"

Bangchan (firmly): "—hopefully disappear. Or at least weaken."

(They exchange a tense glance.)

Giselle: “So… we have one. Three to go."

(Chaewon and Yujin are still stuck on the slowly descending Ferris wheel cart. Clowns begin surrounding the base. Mina arrives below, surveying the chaos.)

Chaewon (whispering): "Why don't we try to distract the clowns so they can get out of the van?"

Clown (yelling up): "All right, you little shits! Get over here!"

Yujin: "That's... not a bad idea. What do you think?"  (grins) "Pretty impressed?"

(They laugh nervously as the situation grows more dangerous.)

Chaewon: "Throw something to distract them!"

Yujin: "No!"

Chaewon: "Throw your horse!"

Yujin: "Let’s go hurt some people!"

Chaewon: "Fine. You won’t do it? I will. Bye, Blueberry!"

(She throws the plush toy. One of the clowns catches it gleefully.)

Clown (laughing maniacally): "Oh, I got a gift! It's a puppy!"

Chaewon (shouting): "Okay—go let them down now!"

Yujin: "Oh shoot—wait, no. That's us now. That’s our cart."

Chaewon: "That’s us, that’s us!"

(The cart lowers into place. But the moment their feet hit the platform—)

Clown (growling): "I wanna taste you!"

(Yujin gasps and stumbles back. The clown lunges.)

Yujin (panicking): "Oh, damn it!"

Chaewon: "I'm not afraid of conflict—"

(Before the clown reaches them— CRACK! —a sickening metal clang rings out.)

Mina (swinging a crowbar): "Back off, freak!"

(The clown collapses with a grunt. Mina plants her foot on its chest, breathing hard.)

Yujin: "Oh my God."

Chaewon: "Where did you get a crowbar?!"

Mina: "I broke into the maintenance shed. You’re welcome."

Yujin (still shaken): "Okay, okay. We’re not stalling! Let’s go, let’s go!"

(They dart away from the Ferris wheel as more clowns begin to notice the movement.)

Chaewon (panting): "Thank you! Thank you, thank you!"

Mina (glancing over her shoulder): "She was a huge bitch."

Inside the Tent

Chaewon: This newspaper has jester symbols.

Yujin: Four joker hats. What does it mean?

They find a piñata. Smash it open. One wooden piece inside.

They find a mirror frame. Place the piece. Lights flicker.

More hidden pieces. Last one in the toilet.

The final mirror lights up. Hidden note appears:

Clown’s Note:

“When the sun rises, my summoning ritual will be complete. The sacrifices I have made will have been worth it. The corrupted artifacts have given me the power I needed to conform the people of this town… to vessels worthy of being consumed by the cursed God.”

Back Inside the Arcade

(The group regathers around the box after solving the earlier puzzle. Tension hangs in the air, but there's also a growing sense of purpose.)

Chaeyeon (thinking aloud): "The artifacts... what if the artifact was the jack-in-the-box?"

Bangchan (nodding): "Okay, so if we can collect all the artifacts..."

Yunjin: "Maybe we can stop this from happening?"

Lara (reading from a torn page): "It basically says: You need to find these artifacts or you're all gonna die by sunrise."

Wonhee (sighs): "Oh. Cool. No pressure."

Giselle: "Oh, hmm... we're dealing with curses this time. I see."

(Suddenly, a shrill voice cuts through the silence from outside the arcade doors.)

Clown (mocking and taunting): "Little scared babies... let us in!"

Clown (howling): "CLOWN FIGHT!" (cackles)

Hyein (pointing at the jack-in-the-box diagram): "So the things we have to replace are the spring..."

Kyujin: "Yes."

Minju: "This turny-thing..."

Ryujin: "Uh-huh. The crank."

Yena: "These little keys..."

Ningning: "And I think... also the guy who lives inside. The jack."

Bangchan: "We have to replace the evil parts inside of it with new ones. That’s the only way to destroy the clowns."

Chaeyeon: "You guys wanna take these out and go look for them, or...?"

Lara: "I think we need to leave this arcade. That’s a good start."

Merry-Go-Round Madness

(Somewhere between the tents and the arcade ruins, Y/N, Yuna, and Manon are sprinting through the dark—panicked, bloodied, breathless.)

Yuna (whispers): "Guys… we need to make an escape."

Manon: "We have to get out—"

Y/N (panting): "We can’t fight them..."

Yuna: "Why not? Maybe we can. I’ve never hit someone with a bat—but I’ve always wanted to."

(A door nearby creaks open. The clown shriek echoes again.)

Y/N: "Go! AH! Oh no! No, no, no, no!"

(Suddenly, the rest of the group is visible in the distance—running too.)

Chaeyeon (shouting): "Is that Y/N?!"

Hyein: "That’s Y/N and Manon—and Yuna too!"

Minju: "Are you serious?!"

Lara: "Okay, wait—wait! We have to save them!"

Narration – Yena: We decide it’s time to get out of this arcade. So we have to make a run for it.

Bae (screaming): "Just run! Just run!"

(They burst through the arcade doors—but immediately clowns swarm them from every direction.)

Narration – Ryujin: As soon as we get out the doors, the clowns just overtake us—except for Bangchan, who inconspicuously, yet somehow obviously, disappears.

Clown (mocking): "Come join the party!" (cackles) "You're good. Your butt is clean!"

Group (shouting): "NO! GO, GO!"  (Bodies slam. Screams. Someone drops hard. Chaos.)

Wonhee (sobbing): "What about Chaewon?! No! She was right here!"

Chaeyeon (breathless): "Chaewon! What happened?!"

(Sinister circus music builds. Evil cackling grows louder.)

Clown (growling): "Mmm... I can smell your fear."

Y/N (barely audible): "Hey... hi..."

CONFESSIONAL – Y/N (voiceover): I'm racking my brain to figure out, like, how can we not be killed by these clowns right now? And I’ve got nothing.

Kyujin (shaking): "We’re gonna get killed."

Clown (snarling): "We want our box back, you filthy cretin."

Chaeyeon: "We don’t have it!"

Giselle: "You stole it from us!"

Clown: "Who has the box?"

Ryujin (quietly): "...Bangchan. Bangchan has it."

(The group is dragged across the field to a rusted, creaking merry-go-round. Each of them is tied, one-by-one, to the poles. It spins slowly, lights blinking above them. Around them, the clowns dance, cheer, and heckle.)

Clown Leader (with glee): "We’re gonna roll our Dice of Death... and whoever’s number comes up—I gut them. Right here. In front of your friends."

(He twirls the die between gloved fingers.)

Clown Leader: "Unless... unless... Luke rolls a twelve." (cackles) "Then maybe… just maybe… I let one of you go."

Group (whispered prayers): "Please roll a twelve. Please. Please."

(A squeaky clown hand tosses the dice. The buzzer blares.)

PANICKED SCREAMING

(The carousel spins faster. The lights flash wildly. The clown music distorts, and the scene warps as the screen cuts to black—)

TO BE CONTINUED

[mistywitcher]

oh sweet lord that last episode has rendered me deceased. i am dead. i cannot FUNCTION

what a show. and what a way to end the first season! as a hardcore insane percy jackson stan till i die, here’s my thoughts if you would like them:

FIRST OF ALL. the whole show: loved it. very little to critique in my opinion! i know not everyone is happy with everything, but personally i think it’s one of the best adaptations i’ve ever seen. it’s mostly faithful to the books, and the changes that were made i think were improvements and made a lot of sense.

rick wrote the first percy jackson book so long ago, this show felt like his way of being able to go back and change bits and edit the story to something that’s even better. that’s how i see the show!

LETS TALK CAST: it was fuckin perfection okay, i will fight anyone on this point. walker as percy has changed my fuckin life. his little emotional eyes in every single scene, showing so much depth to all of the dialogue, and giving the best vibes. the humour, the desperation, the self sacrifice. he is PERCY and i am so incredibly in love.

as for annabeth and grover, PERFECTION ALSO. leah slayed annabeth so hard, the little eye brow quirks, the way she was able to portray annabeth as extremely smart and logical, but not heartless, and certainly not cold. she brought such a warmth to the character and i am obsessed.

aryan as grover is just chefs kiss. from the satyr walk, to the one liners, to the uneasiness and resilience grover has, aryan has it down. i just loved him and I CANNOT WAIT TO SEE THE HIM FLOURISH IN THE (hopeful) NEXT SEASON!

the whole cast was amazing. i loved all the choices. it all just felt so right. from the cast, to the set, to the fights, to the cgi. i’m just in love okay.

LUKE AT THE END HAD ME BAWLING. the tears in his eyes, the way he begged percy to join the cause, the hurt when he sees annabeth. FUCK ME I NEED A MOMENT OKAY.

the parallels that are being set up throughout the show for luke and percy are wonderful, i cannot wait to see how it continues. i thought it was just so cohesive and the characters feel so real.

i love how they have set it up for the next season! it’s like it’s ready to go, it’s RIGHT THERE and i want it it so bad so LETS GET MANIFESTING FOR ALL 5 SEASONS FRIENDS ITS TIME!!!

and i have to mention my love of percy/annabeth or percabeth. it’s not the whole point of the story i know, but it is something that is very special to me. i love my little sea boy and clever girlie together, and this show has set them up so beautifully. it’s given them time to have a friendship, to build trust, but also the little looks they give eachother, the pining that we can see will eventually build. IT MAKES MY FUCKIN HEART SING OKAY walker and leah slayed too hard on that front. they understood the assignment.

i could go on about this show and percy jackson in general forever. but i shall end this here because i feel like i need to go cry for a few hours lol.

in conclusion, and this will sound dramatic but i mean every word of this. this show fucking saved me right now. percy jackson is so incredibly important to me, it’s my biggest special interest, it’s shaped me for a decade, it’s my comfort, it’s my everything. i’m currently dealing with a tumour in my head at 22, and my mental health and life is crumbling around me, but this show and percy jackson and rick riordan has kept me here for the last 7 weeks and previously years before that. i owe my life to rick riordan. i will never be able to express my love for this enough.

okay okay, i’m done. see you later once i’ve rewatched the series 4374 times and have memorised every fucking word.

[flowers-of-io]

So me and my friend were talking about Savathun and I wanted to have your thoughts about something she said

She said that the problem that she has with Savathun’s character arc is the fact that she feels like it’s pointless for her to have a character arc because it will just end with Bungie saying "She was just evil "

She also said that she doesnt get why people are saying "Savathun was given a chance and still chose her old ways " ; for her it makes sense that Savathun chose her old ways because

1) She is wanted by everyone and she is seen, everyone will kill her on the spot so she needs to protect herself ; 2) Even if she tries to be better, people will still look her as bad (because she hurted a lot of people). Eramis has the support of Mithrax and her Family to be better but Savathun has no one and if she died, except her sister , people will not cry or be sorry , they will just say "Dont cry, the world is better without her " or something along those lines

So she said "if Savathun chose to stay bad, people in Destiny will hate her and if she tries to be good, people will still hate her so she chose the logical option "

Of course, she doesnt deny the suffering that Savathun has caused but she feels like her character arc will just end up with "Savathun appears-> gets developped -> does something so bad that everyone just wants her dead-> Savathun dies -> end with "Savathun was just bad"

Omg I somehow totally missed this message, I'm so sorry for however long it has been lying in my inbox ;o;

I... kinda agree. And I hate that I agree! Because TWQ ended with such potential for a strong redemption arc for Sav, and then Season of the Witch rolled in and went "Oh actually she's been killing her own Lightbearers as a hobby :)" and I don't understand anything anymore. Savathûn, the tactician, the smartass, who hand-picked the Ghosts who'd join her and eventually rez Hive, now running around and killing them for... what? To fuel her training crystals? While she's involved in active war on two different fronts??? Ma'am. I need explanations.

There's no doubt Savathûn is atrocious and has caused enough suffering in the world to balance out thousands upon thousands lifetimes of nothing but good deeds, but eugh. Some of the decisions this season seem to me like the writers were bending over backwards just to show how Evil!!!!! she is, with no rhyme or reason. Yeah sure, show her killing people in gruesome ways!!! Show her fucking with their minds like she did with Osiris and Uldren!!! When it's in character. When it makes sense. I don't really understand why they'd throw away AN ESTABLISHED DYNAMIC between her and Immaru only to show her being mean to her Ghost, so 'she can't be a real Guardian now, can she'.

In this manner, I agree and also fear a little that Sav's storyline is going to be nothing but a cautionary tale of someone being gifted the Light and a second chance and squandering this opportunity, remaining Evil forever. It would be such a waste and I would cry.

The reason for why she chose to stay in her own ways, or at least act like it (and I'm talking here mainly about the events of TWQ, because this season has been very... weird about it?? and I don't yet know where I stand wrt this new info) is in my opinion a bit more complicated. First off, if we're going by the canon timeline, she was a week-old kinderguardian thrown into a full-scale war on two fronts while having to kick Rhulk out, transmutate her throne world, manage a whole ass Brood full of other amnesiac baby Lights, and figure out what the hell her past self wanted her to do to stop the Witness. I can also imagine the Lucent Brood was very volatile in their philosophies and way of life, the Light clashing with the Sword Logic, and just overall, it must've been pure chaos, especially for someone who's fresh out of the grave and doesn't know what the fuck is going on.

Secondly, after she's got back her memories -- the old ways is everything she's ever known. I think the case of her snatching the Traveler is a great example. She says she "will not Take, [she] will give", and it's evident she's trying to wrap her head around the new philosophy, to reverse-engineer it from the spaces between the words on the Tablets of Ruin, but she's still oh so very Hive in it. She will give the Traveler an incentive, a safe haven -- and then she will seal it away to protect it. Disregarding anyone else and any other harm this act might entail. I truly believe she had the right intention! She wanted to protect her saviour and the source of her power from the being she hates most in the universe, who seeks only to hurt and destroy the Traveler and threatens Sav's own survival. The plan made sense. It's the execution that was so sword logic in nature, the sealing and the stealing and the general disregard for the Traveler's wishes and choices, and she paid the price in the end. She messed up royally. She was still stuck in the old ways she'd supposedly rejected.

I'm not sure, however, if the lack of outside support would be any factor here. She's always been a loner. Her way of keeping people at a distance is very similar to Mara's, she's always valued the wiggle room moving so far away gives her, she's always wanted to be free and untethered and to decide only for herself. I don't think she cares no one would cry for her if she died; her main goal is NOT to die, and that's the motivation behind most of her actions, rather than the fear of being alone. I think this is where they differ with Xivu. And yes, she is lonely--I see this particularly in her last entry in Sororicide where she says Xivu has given up on her, and in the fact of how thrilled she is to have Eris and Ikora and us the Guardian as puppets in her little theatre. Riddles are her love language and she's enjoying it tremendously.

To sum up, I suppose, these are the reasons I see behind Sav reverting to the sword logic in some extent, or at least not going Full Redemption after acquiring the Light:

her brood (particularly the Lightless Hive) still being ingrained in the Logic and pushing it a lot

Sav believing Sword Logic to be the more efficient tool and therefore still using it to achieve her goals - so both necessity as well as her own calculating personality

her own habits and a billion years' worth of conditioning she's reacquired when she got her memories back

her drive to stay alive and get out of the whole game (whatever we define it as), and potential fear of death

[ahleezeruinavt]

Had the craziest experience of joining a “superhero roleplay server” for the first time in a while, one not distinctively Marvel or DC just kinda it’s own universe. It was considered “sci-fi” and so I didn’t really see any sci-fi elements really other than the city itself that it took place in but that was whatever

Things hit the fan when I started asking questions about the lore. Namely that if people born off of this island could have super powers (they called it “vigor” and also called their drug “vigor” which seems like it’s just a knock off version of Compound V from “The Boys”). When I tell you these people got so mad so fast.

Nobody on staff could give me a straight answer, and I think most of these people were in high school given their answers. They said no, if you’re born off the island, even if your parents were born on the island, that you could not have powers. I was confused because their written lore said it was “in their blood”. But when asked if it was genetic, they said no. Which is REALLY confusing bc if it’s in your blood when you’re born then it would be genetic.

I pressed a little further to ask why that is, and they dead ass told me “lol no we can’t tell you bc that’s something they’re finding out in the lore later” which is code for “we don’t have a reason yet, stop asking questions”. When something is the BASE REASONING in your RP server, maybe give it some sort of basis other than “people born here have magical powers”

So then I was like “okay so secretly mutated character is a no-go then, okay”, but someone else kept asking questions bc we were both GENUINELY CONFUSED on this whole “it’s not genetic but its in your blood”, bc they compared it with having mutations when you’re a baby. And I was literally trying to wrap my head around this bc no one was saying the same thing.

Eventually, I just got fed up bc the staff started blatantly ignoring me and the other person asking questions and left. My friends sent me this lovely screenshot from after I left.

Mind you, I did leave after “all that” bc no one of staff could give a clear answer on LITERALLY ANYTHING. It took a whole day to get an answer to a SUPER simply question about powers. ALSO I said that if the OC was too similar to X-Men I would 100% be willing to change it bc I had a back up character in mind anyways! Additionally, this shows me they did not read my powers at all bc I stated multiple times this was a NIGHTCRAWLER LEGACY I was looking to import over with any needed changes if she was too similar to Nightcrawler at the end of the day.

Like how are you going to insult me and be wrong about the x-men 😭😭

They then also gave me the most generic copy paste backstory for my character. “Well if you don’t want to be born on Selva, you can have magic instead of vigor” Cool, I asked how she would get her appearance with just magic alone. They just said “freak accident or spell gone wrong idk”

They had also proceeded to deny someone else’s character for assumptions THE STAFF made about them. Also had a ranking system that they didn’t have explained anywhere. Oh btw did I mention that in order to have a group of vigilantes you had to BUY IT WITH THE ECONOMY BOT? Bc god forbid you don’t want to join their one group.

Funniest thing was, when ranting about it in another RP server, someone told me their friend joined the server a while ago and the staff were all condescending and rude towards them. Can’t say I expect less from people who quite literally ignore everything they are asked to talk in general about the words for porn categories 😭

The server is called Selva City, so y’all can avoid it like the plague bc holy shit that was probably the worst RP experience I had in FOREVER.

[andersunmenschlich]

Threats

I much prefer them mailed from outside my secure residence. I'd rather not get them at all—these two new ones were not precisely welcome—but getting them in my mailbox was less worrying than finding them (as I did the previous) inside my home.

"You might be asking why you received this," one piece of hate mail asks, presciently.

The back of the mailer assures me that complete strangers performed a religious ritual over said mailer, and (improbable though it may seem) are even now in the process of ritually petitioning their deity on my behalf.

"Oh good," one might be tempted to think. "I could use a little help with the rent. Or, hey, we're talking supernatural intervention here: I wouldn't mind a healing spell. My everything aches."

But no.

It would seem that, rather than helping me in any way, the focus of these believers in the occult is threatening me.

"At some point in your life," the inside flap of the mailer informs me, "you definitely did something that upset our god. That means you won't go to a good place after you die unless you accept a sacrifice that was made on your behalf."

Well.

On the one hand, it's not much of a threat. They have an easily-offended invisible friend who won't let me into their imaginary afterlife clubhouse? Oh dear.

And on the other hand, maybe they've sacrificed something I'll like. The mailer isn't big enough for a rack of lamb, but perhaps they killed a bank account or two? I'd accept $200 if they really wanted to sacrifice it for me, or even $5 (though that doesn't seem like much of a sacrifice).

Unfolding the next bit, however, reveals that the sacrifice they're referring to is nothing I can accept.

The claim is that their imaginary friend sent them his imaginary kid, the plan being for said kid to be executed as a criminal... instead of me. Apparently. Oh, and them too. Delightful.

It's an interesting combination of insult and clickbait, this bit. I deserve to die nailed to a stick, apparently—but I don't have to worry about it if I use this one weird trick, which will make the imaginary kid's execution count as mine, and then (because I'm already legally dead) I won't have to die!

...A bit of an escalation from the original threat, but here we are.

Apparently the two choices are "die" or "go to our imaginary friend's afterlife clubhouse." That second one requires the first, but this mailer doesn't seem to have noticed that.

The last bit of unfolding shows that the one thing these weirdos have actually given up is an aluminum model of an execution device. The one weird trick is a ritualistic chant (with the caveat that if you don't "truly BELIEVE" in the magic then it won't work), and they follow this up by telling you that after you've done the ritual you need to visit their website and join their group.

The second piece of hate mail is subtler about the whole thing.

The future is going to be a beautiful, wonderful place, it says. They know this because they have a book that says their god is going to make the future a beautiful, wonderful place. Can you really believe what their book says? Absolutely, because the book says that you can. Want to know more? They are entirely willing to send you more claims in print form (the booklet they say they'll send you says "Enjoy Life Forever!" on the cover) or in the form of an actual physical human being (no photo provided).

If you didn't already know that their deity demands blood to satisfy its enormous offense at how awful you are, you wouldn't know until the extra claims turned up... and they already had a foot in your door.

[penixels]

✍️ tw: self harm, abuse

tw: mentions of self harm, abuse/sa

The anger has been too much to hold for too long. Who knew that all of that pain from childhood, teenagehood- all those suppressed memories and emotions would come out and destroy just about everything I knew.

And yet, it's the most freeing, beautiful thing. The process was ugly- letting out all of that pain. Facing the fact that my innocence, my childhood, it was stolen from me immediately up on being brought into this world. My existence was deemed a burden by my family and I suffered so much due to their resentment, and the disgusting skeletons in the closet of my mother's side.

They're dead to me. I never want to see any of those awful women in my life. I can't wait to leave here. To change my name, to be free of these people. To finally be able to pick myself up and take a step forward. Then another. Safely. Knowing there's not someone waiting around the corner to knock me down.

I'm not their toy anymore. I'm not going to sit around and wear a mask so they can paint their own shadows on my face and point their fingers at me.

The mind games, the abuse, the insults, the constant walking on eggshells. Never mind the fact my own egg donor neglected my most basic of need- food, hygiene, and safety. But I had a roof over my head, how dare I ask for my basic needs to be met. What an ungrateful little bitch.

The way they called me crazy for seeing their dysfunctional at best and abusive at worst relationships and knowing it was wrong. But they'd tell me I didn't understand love. That real, passionate love has moments like that. That I would "understand when I'm older". I'm pushing 30 and I still can't grasp the concept of hurting someone I love, physically or emotionally. I can never get the idea of being okay with disrespect as long as my partner has money. I put up with a lot, but abuse from a partner is something I will never tolerate and have never tolerated from anyone.

Coping with the things they told me were normal that I always knew weren't. But because I was never allowed to speak- never allowed to feel, I didn't realize. I didn't realize how much hurt and anger I had hidden. It's not fair.

I looked at pictures of little me. And I want to give that poor girl a hug. Even at such a young age, I can see the sadness and hurt in her eyes. The betrayal. The fear. I think of those photos I found years after a relative died. Photos that will forever haunt me, make me nauseated. I told my best friends about it for the first time today. It's something I've held close to me for so long. Opening up about it made me sick, but it was needed. I needed to know I wasn't disgusting, that I'm still lovable despite the things that happened.

All I can do is nurture her and show her the love no one else would really show. Let her have her fun, be her whimsical self. Cherish her, reassure her, let her laugh and cry when she needs. Let her be innocent- not scrutinize every choice she makes, every movement she makes. Not sexualize her entire existence. Not treat her as a burden. Allow her to use her voice, tell her she's pretty and worth looking at. Not lock her away and only acknowledge her when she's useful in some way.

And I can promise her I won't hurt or sabotage myself again. I'm 8 months self harm free since my last relapse. A habit I've had for a majority of my life. I didn't know better. I knew my family would hurt me, and I didn't know how else to process things. I wasn't allowed to speak, to write, to play, to do anything at home.

I forgive myself, and I deserve better. I know now that was both a learned behavior, and such a deep rooted and layered problem.

My kindness and patience are only earned now. Not given. I'm done extending kindness and warmth to a world that's been cruel. I won't let it break me, but I've built strong walls with iron gates that few will have a key to.

My inner self, my safe little garden, is only for me and those I trust. I'm nobody's doormat anymore. I'm no one's toy. Nobody's mother, therapist, doctor, healer, whatever.

As much as caring and nurturing is in my nature, far too many people have taken it for granted. Used and abused it. And while my forgiving nature and patience is unlike anyone else, it's not free for everyone. I don't care.

My pain is becoming my power. I'm so strong. Even my best friend tearfully told me today that I'm one of the strongest people she's ever met. I'm grateful to have known her for almost twenty years now.

I'm so vulnerable and sensitive right now. I've had a hard life, and I remained so gentle. Something I resented, but I now realize is so beautiful, but also needs to be protected.

It's weird. To feel so broken, yet to see the beauty people tried to cover, the strength people tried to beat out of you. I've only known cruelty, cruelty people can't even imagine that has left physical and mental scars on me, but I'm still so full of love. Instead of hating it because my family sees it as weak and naive, I'm going to embrace it. It's me.

It's me, it's beautiful, and lovable. I was always worth loving, and I feel sorry that those people failed to see it. They're missing out.

There's so much more I want to say. And throwing this here is cathartic in a way. Weirdly healing. Especially since nobody knows I'm here. I want to be safe for a bit, out of the eyes of my so-called family.

2025 has been hard. I wish I had the privilege to avoid the hurt to pretend it's not there. Yet feeling it and letting it go allows me to create new things.

I'll be okay. It's been hard. But I'll be okay.

[coleas97]

Monday, the 22nd of January

Completing my prompt for February early, as I am unlikely to have the time to complete it at a later date. Is planning this early problematic? Potentially. Anyway. February, the month of love. Some sentences are choppy; I have little to say about some of the sub-prompts. Cheers

February: What is your first memory of being loved and how has that challenged or supported your idea of love today?

As a first memory of being loved, the easiest and most obvious answer is the love I unconditionally received from my late mother. She was strong and selfless and put everything aside to make others feel better. Going through the heartbreaking times that she did, she never once showed a sign of weakness or helplessness. She was my perfect example of love. At first, losing her felt like the love I had received throughout my younger years was for nothing. I remember feeling new emotions of hurt that I did not even know was possible for a human being to feel. After time, I was able to hold on to the love that she gave me and take it not as a thing of loss, but an example of how it is of vital importance to put your entire heart into something or someone, as it or they can be taken away from you in an instant. Everyone who I choose to have in my life gets 110% of me regardless of the fear I have that they may eventually leave.

From my father, I felt love at times and in other times, did not at all. It was given to me then taken away, sometimes in the span of minutes. He taught me that love can be dishonest and manipulative. Apologies were in the form of new toys, or "man-to-man secrets," which I would later know was just his manipulative way of teaching me that if he sneaks a woman into the house, it's okay not to tell my mother. Love from my father was and is something I choose not reflect on often. I do not think highly of him and for many years, did not think of him at all. I always say that I was born knowing what it was like to have a dead parent, as my brain never registered him to be a care-giver, or a friend, or a provider. Although physically present, he was absent-minded. A ghost, really.

As for romantic relationships, the first time I felt love was with my first ever girlfriend, who for privacy will be referred to as "N." She was beautiful, kind, and heavily reassuring. Our relationship took place in a time when we were both naive and focused on the wrong aspects of life (wrong to me, at least). N was my first experience with many things and was with me until a bit before my mom's passing. As time went on, I began to take interest in the more emotional aspects of being a relationship vs. the physical and materialistic. After losing my mom, I needed emotional support and I often felt "too much" for another person to handle in a romantic setting - which at the time, I believed was meant to be all fun and enjoyment. I shy away from temporary romantic situations with women; I shy away from temporary friendships with anyone as well. I do not feel loved in temporary situations.. in fact, I feel afraid, insecure, and frankly (and perhaps harshly) disgusted. I appreciate and require all relationships with people to be long-term and goal-oriented. To become my friend is to be there for each other forever, to date me is to marry me. My ears shut off after anything that mirrors the phrase "go with the flow." I am painfully structured and organized, and to say it plainly, I need to know where things will go in any and every situation. A control freak, maybe. My relationship pattern is to be intense and codependent, but full of love nonetheless. I would say I am successful at acquiring relationships with others and unsuccessful at maintaining them. Those who last long in my life are often those who struggle to let people go, not that they would want to leave.. or perhaps they would? I try not to think about those things often. Not sure what to say.

Parents and romantic relationships aside, nothing will really ever compare to the love I receive currently from my son, Axel. He has so much personality, humour, and intelligence, at his young age. He cries when he is happy, he smiles at strangers, he looks up at me with so much admiration.. I truly want to be the best possible human being for him. I want him to live his life fully free of pain, although I know that is unrealistic. I suppose all that matters is that he knows that I'm there for him. He recognizes that he has a mother and father who love him unconditionally and that is all I could ask for, really.

Overall I reckon I've given love more than I've received it (although my son most definitely makes up for any losses). I am self-admittedly a love addict and hopeless romantic. Love is one of those aspects of life I continuously seek and once found, latch onto. I struggle to know if this is a negative or positive thing. For now, it can be a positive.

So after all that, I don't know that I answered the question. Fingers crossed that this is good enough for my therapist to dissect come Thursday morning.

[kagami--uchiha]

I know why I died... But he couldn't just just say that now could he? It would blow his cover, it would immediately have Danzo alert and who knows what he would do then. To him he should remain without a name and without a face for as long as possible. The only name he would be carrying from now on will be moth, or whatever othe alias Danzo might come up with.

Like a slave from the root.

And then in a way it felt like a confession, as if Danzo was regretting throiwng him in front of Hiruzen... innocent of the crimes that he was being faced with. Without even having a chance to talk or defend himself, there wa a knife to his throat and several Shinobi around him to keep him in place while he took tht punishment.

Treason, is what they called it. And traitor the title he had been given in what should have been his last moments.

Pictures that would never fade from his mind, a pain that would forever leave a nasty scar inside of him as he would alway be left to wonder: Why? What had he done to Hiruzen... and even more so.. what had he done to the man he felt so much deep affection to, to be betrayed like that? Nothing about any of that had been fair... and the only reason he still is alive, is because despite everything... there had been one he learned who was reliable.

The only person who would without a doubt be able to identify him and he hope, prayed almost, that this one person had remained unharmed... and alive.

"So it still isn't known who had plotted his murder? All those years and no one ever questioned what happened to him?" This was heartbreaking on another level... In a way Kagami had thought himself adored by most his peers and friends.. But the truth is: he was dead and everyone was fine with that.

For a while he looked at the pills, first unsure but Danzo swallowed them too just a moment ago... And he was fine. Picking them up he popped out all the pills, swallowing them under his mask with a swig of water. "So you.. would really help me finding out about what happened? He deserves better than to remain in the books,´ branded as a traitor."

As much as he didn't really careabout it anymore, in a way it was his pride that demanded he was paid the respect the village owed him. For all the services done, fo how he had given his body and soul for somethin that prove to be his grave. Eyes remained on the fire for a moment, taking in the silence for some moments until he felt a certain kind of lightheadedness... but also a tingle.

The latter somewhat grew.. into a sensation tha promied to become unbearable and it showed in the way he shifted uncomfortably. "... I -... uhm.." It didn't click for him what had happened.. After all, he ingested the same things the other did and he was... clearly fine? "Need-.. to lay down... I think.."

Now, did he think that he was one from the Aburame? Well the possibility was there for a lot of people to think so, though the Aburame had clan specific beetles they worked with. But he wouldn't argue about that, having Danzo think of him as anything but an Uchiha was a great advantage honestly, it'll put his Mangekyo as a last resort weapon that he can utilize if needed.

Every bit of movement was carefully followed by his own gaze, just making sure there weren't any tricks the other tried to pull. So far, all seemed safe. Until it suddenly all felt like a threat again. Now he noticed it again was a mistake to ask any questions that could be weaponized against him.. It now felt as if Danzo was interviewing him based on an application yet-

Kagami had never wanted to be part of that stupid plan of.. saving Konoha.

"What made me special to Uchiha-Dono seemingly is something that he took to the grave, seeing how early he had been laid to rest. Though it seemed he saw the values in me that he himself held dear to his own heart, teaching me his most precious techniques that he didn't entrust to any other. Though he taught me, that there aren't any pure of heart, there is darkness within everyone and it is up to us if we battle it to stay true to what we believe in."

"So with pride I can say I am far away from being.. some sort of pity-project, I have fled yes, but I have fled with reason as my life was on the line."

His head tilts a little, curiously as it seemed and then he quickly covered the left eyeslit. Not now, little friend.. Not after he almost killed her already. "I can't give any reason for you to trust me, I could say a lot of things, but you would never know how truthful these are. Because as much as Uchiha-Dono's lips always spoke the truth, his death has made me a little bitter with my own trust. I might not know everything... But I didn't really buy the story of how he died... This was too easy."