#I have plenty of ships i could list XD

[katerinaaqu]

Odyssey Parallels to my "Survivor's Guilt and Survivor's Duty" story (Rhapsody /Book 5 of Odyssey, Calypso's Monolog)

So here is a small break down of one of my most beloved fanfictions of Odyssey line by line from Calypso's monolog in 5th rhapsody of the Odyssey where she complains to Hermes for demanding to let Odysseus go, listing what she did for him. I find interesting how she speaks of the things she indeed DID do for him as if that somehow makes him her "property" or rather having a right on him (or as my brilliant friend @artsofmetamoor stated "like she was keeping a cat!" XD) Buckle up this analysis is long! XD

And I was the one to save him, while he was alone holding onto the ship's keel, for his fast ship was split open in the middle of the wine-dark sea by Zeus's thunder!

(Translation by me)

"Odysseus traveled once more; this time alone and grabbing upon the last remains of his beloved black ship… The night came cold and he was shivering. By the morning another storm caught up with him and his mast was once more drifted by the huge waves that resembled white top mountains, tearing apart his clothes and his flesh. And yet his hands endured… It was as if his heart and hands combined turned into oak or stones. The Man of many Torments endured. (From Part1)

Next day the sun was merciless over his head, sending him almost to the brief of hallucinations and heat as sweat was running down his already wounded body. The night the gods felt pity on him and sent a drizzle rain. Odysseus raised his head to the heavens trying to grab as much of the fresh god-sent water as if that would be enough to quench his insatiable thirst and the burning of the salt. Once a passing seaweed came close to him to which Odysseus made some sort of imitation of a meal for himself. How many times he nearly slipped off his life-raft he lost count…how many times he probably actually fainted on it he could no longer remember. And yet, the King of Ithaca endured…in strength that he had no idea he had. It was as if both his body and spirit had decided he had a duty to survive. He survived the agony and pain as well as the anxiety and fear every time something touched his foot beneath the waves or a passing fish would bite his legs. He had long stopped feeling much." (From Part 1)

"Therewith the worst came; a thunderbolt stroke the ship and the sudden flash and tremendous sound left them all blind and deaf. Odysseus screamed in pain shielding his ears. The ship cracked from side to side down in the middle; splintering in the winds like it was a pile of leaves." (From Part 1) => [This moment more graphically described by Odysseus himself in 12th rhapsody]

There all his goodly companions perished and the winds and waves brought him here!

(Translation by me)

"By night before the tenth day of his painful journey he had collapsed. He didn’t feel the sand beneath his body as his raft finally beached at a sandy beach. He didn’t move as some crab or beach beetle walked over his sea-beaten body. By dawn some hints of his consciousness returned. It was only for a brief second that the rays of sun touched his salt-crusted cheek but Odysseus saw or at least he thought he saw a tall slender figure picking something up from the beach many meters away from him (maybe a seashell). The figure turned towards him and walked there. And then everything turned black…" (From Part 1)

"He yelled till his throat was sore…till his voice was gone…he sobbed and cried tears almost as plenty as the waves of the sea. The storm was roaming around him… There was no one there to hear his lament… His voice was carried around by the wind…his tears were washed away by sea and rain…His body was borne by the direful winds… Six hundred men had started that fateful journey… Now there was only one… Now he was alone." (From Part 1)

I took him in with care and love and gave him food, I even told him I would make him immortal and ageless for all eternity!

(Translation by me)

"She slid her arm behind his back and half-raised him with unexpected strength, bringing the goblet to his lips. As the liquid touched those thirsty, dry lips, Odysseus gained strength anew to his arms; the type of strength you get when you need to survive. He greedily downed sips from the drink and aimed to hold it with his weak, shaking hands. He tasted the sweetest drink he ever thought he would taste; it was sweeter than honey, smoother than wine. It was all the tastes he ever knew and none at the same time. He coughed as the drink went down the wrong way but he drank more ignoring some that escaped his lips and down the thick layer of curly hair that adorned his wide chest. He was thirsty! He was thirsty to the point of madness!" (From Part 2)

"“My maids shall bring you some food, Odysseus. I believe you are strong enough to eat now. Nectar and potions we created should allow you to heal to that point” “I am grateful, beautiful goddess…” “Rest and regain your strength first” Calypso advised sweetly, “The rest shall come…”" (From Part 2)

"The weeks passed and Odysseus was indeed trying his best to keep himself in good condition. A few days more and he could walk about Calypso’s grotto without any problems and soon he felt gaining his old strength back. Eventually he got out of the grotto and got to explore the isle around and know his surroundings. Under the tender care of Calypso and her maids, Odysseus felt like finding himself again. He gained the weight he lost by his cruel misadventures and managed to built his previous physical strength." (From Part 2)

"“You nearly lost your life out there, darling… Why must you torment yourself over them? Why must your heart always mourn? Forget about this…mortal coil. Stay here with me…stay and rest, finally, Odysseus… You shall not want of anything here… I could offer you the gift of immortality… Never shall you fear sickness or death again! Never shall you find yourself in the same pitiful state that you were when you first showed up at my doors! You shall be my equal! All you need to do is ask…” (From Part 3) => [also remembering the first rhapsodies how Athena says t the council of the gods that Calypso aims to make him forget his homeland]

***

So yeah... I tried my best to follow the Odyssey but of cource details filled in by me! For those interested the three parts of this story are here!

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

And of course viewe's discression is advised given the hard hemes it includes (yes it includes the mention of SA so yeah...sad and dark stuff)

My Calypso fanart based on my story

My Odysseus fanart based on my stories

[aquaburst3]

I read a post where OP listed off all of the reasons why they don't see Mallyuu being possible in canon and believes that Malleus would be in a politically arranged marriage to a powerful fae of high status. I strongly disagree with OP. Even as someone who isn't a huge Malleus stan or has their Yuu shipped with him.

Okay, sure. If we're looking at that possibility from a strictly dogmatic historical and realistic lense, then I agree that statement would be correct. But we're not talking about the possibility of a real life marriage for a crown prince here, but about a fictional one in a Disney game. In that case, I think it's possible. Because...

I don't think game has such a law actually put in place. The game never mentioned it. The closest thing are that stupid council, who could be overthrown or put in their place, and Lilia saying that "Malleus can't enter a marriage lightly" during the Ghost Marriage event. (Far as I'm aware, I've tuned out most of Book 7 since it's mostly just one stupidly long flashback.)

If such a law did exist and Malleus was in a canonical arranged marriage, wouldn't the game have brought it up by now? (Yana sucks at foreshadowing and laying down this shit, but come on! That's too much even for her. xD)

Yuu brings some things to the table. They are human. Malleus marrying them would help with diplomatic relations between the fae and the humans. With how isolated the fae are in that world, they kinda need it. They also survived several overblots and would've saved Malleus' life, which is worth something.

I'm pretty sure that his grandmother could pull a Sultan and just change the law if such a thing is in place. She's one of the most powerful fae in the world, so what she says goes. She could easily put that council in their place if she must.

Dragon eggs in canon can only be hatched by true love, either platonic or romantic. (Even if I think that whole thing is silly, but that's beside the point.) If Malleus was in an arranged loveless marriage, he would never be able to produce an heir like the council wants, even if he has an AFAB/cis female partner. If they want any kids from him and he marries an AFAB person/cis female, it must be someone he loves like Yuu. If he marries someone AMAB or cis male, then he can just adopt or use a surrogate.

If we bring mythology/folklore into this, it's even more possible. The fae criteria for marriage is focused more on how talented and attractive the human partner is, that's it. There are plenty of stories where fae "spirit away" normal human women and men away to marry fae royalty. I imagine the fae in TWST are similar.

As for the life span thing, I think either Malleus will pull an Edward and let Yuu age normally or have the human partner drink fae aging potion. (I went with the latter in my own writing in a general sense. Again, shipping my Yuu with Jamil.)

Even if he was in one, he would find a way out of it. One of the biggest tropes that the Disney brand stands for is "true love conquers all". While the form of that love changes, that idea remains the same. The game shattering that by making Malleus be doomed to be in a loveless arranged marriage forever would go against what the brand stands for, so it seems highly unlikely. The fact that the game is also tapping into the otome market makes it even less so.

So, yeah. While I don't think MallYuu will ever be canon, I think a union between them is quite possible. It's fanfiction. Do whatever you want.

[nerdlydelicious]

My favorite Crackship: Knightshade

The ship I respect but it's community is a bit to much for being literally the most popular: Whiterose

I would like your opinion on these two, no need to list my fav main ship, you already know👍

Aah, Knightshade. I’ll be honest, I’ve always kind of regarded this ship as great value Black Sun/Bumblebee in a way, but that is in no way a knock against Knightshade. It just confirms that Blake has a thing for cheery blondes XD

While sharing certain similarities with Blacksun and Bumblebee, there’s definitely enough unique about the ship to make it stand out as it’s own thing.

Also, the fact that Blake was fangirling over the Rusted Knight before she knew it was Jaune gives me the head canon that Jaune is why Blake likes blondes, and that will never not be hilarious to me.

All that said, Blake supposedly doesn’t like dogs…

But she doesn’t seem to mind this golden retriever.

7.5/10, but I could be talked up.

As for White Rose, I like the ship itself well enough, don’t really have any strong feelings one way or the other about. But some White Rose shippers could stand to chill out over White Knight. Again, some. Not all. Plenty of y’all are cool.

But back on topic, White Rose is a cute little ship thanks in no small part to Ruby and Weiss both being very cute themselves. They have that ‘opposites attract’ angle going on that people like, and the ship has the distinction of not only being the first RWBY ship, but having a fic written about it before we knew anything about Ruby or Weiss outside of their V1 trailers. That’s some dedication right there.

Personally I view Ruby and Weiss’s relationship as more of a sisterhood than a romantic bond, but that’s just me. Love it or hate it, White Rose is a shipping powerhouse for good reason.

6/10 as a romantic ship, but 9/10 as a friend ship (Heh, word pun)

[ineffablecolors]

hey just wondering why you think Roy reuniting w Keeley post s3 would’ve been bad for him? I sort of agree but also don’t want to bash keeley in anyway so I haven’t talked about it

Heya! Thanks for the ask and sorry you feel like you can't discuss something though I do understand why. I'll preface this by repeating something I've said before - canon did such a horrible job of holding Keeley accountable for anything and wrote her as if she could do no wrong and fandom seems to have picked that up and totally ran with it.

I do love that when reading RoyJamie fanfic, I never see Keeley bashing, as you call it, because vilifying female chatacters is such common practice in fandoms. But Ted Lasso fandom seems to swing to the other extreme where I've never even read a fic where Keeley apologises for something? And you can't even quite blame the fans, they just picked what canon put down - Keeley can do no wrong.

So, first of all, I think simply judging Keeley's actions is not bashing at all, it's just treating her the way every character BUT her is treated in both fandom and show. I think Keeley, like almost every other character, has made plenty of bad decisions and mistakes and, personally, how I react to them is a mix of how well I can relate to her and something else. Jack, for example, was a very professionally questionable decision but I completely sympathise with Keeley for it because 1) she faced consequences for her mistake even if it's never acknowledged that she made one and 2) I can relate to it! Hiring Shandy on the other hand was such a monumentally stupid decision that I could never relate to, so it just makes me annoyed with Keeley and the fact that the show treated it as her just being too sweet and wanting to give another horribly unqualified woman a chance rather than as a point towards her lack of professional skills.

Anyway!! The something else is important for my answer. As much as I love discussing my favourite shows and try to be objective, I very rarely am. Once I pick a favourite character, my opinion of almost every other character is informed by how they treat my favouriteTM. Is that fair? No. Do I do it without fail? Yes. Do I feel bad for it? Umm, no, that's my baby, nobody is allowed to be mean to them xD

And this is how we get to the Roy Kent of it all (finally! christ, this is gonna be long, sorry but also thanks!). Roy's my favourite, my baby, my grumpy, old, emotionally constipated and physically aching romantic. Roy can and has done wrong, I'd never claim otherwise. But I'd still claim he's the best chatacter and one of the best people on the show. And he's always gonna put himself last on his list of priorities.

Which is why I fully admit that I judge Keeley extra harshly when it comes to her and Roy. For brief context - I totally shipped Roy and Keeley and think they were good for each other, for the most part, in s1, I was ecstatic they were together in s2 and still shipped them like hell on my first watch (which was binged with s1!) and less and less on every consequent rewatch, part of me still wanted them to be together and then to get back together in s3 until I actually watched it all and completely changed my mind.

Shall I finally answer your question? I don't think Roy should reunite with Keeley because he gives too much of himself and she gives too little. I don't believe they are well balanced and I dont believe he'd feel loved with her again.

That WAS brief! But if you'd like more detail...

I think as sweet and good-hearted as she's portraited, Keeley is inherently a selfish person. Now, we circle back to bashing and judging. I'm doing neither. I'm myself a selfish person in many ways, that's not the worst thing to be in some regards. But I think Keeley is especially selfish in her romantic relationships and that simply does not suit someone like Roy. When paired with a selfish partner, Roy would just give and give and blame himself for not getting as much back.

I'm not saying there haven't been some great moments between Roy and Keeley, full of affection and care from Keeley, such as the scene at the end of s1. That's probably my favourite moment of theirs. But there have been some pretty shit ones too that for me outweigh the good and, more importantly, came once they settle into the relationship.

As early as their first kiss, Keeley got so annoyed and impatient, she immediately slept with Jamie. I know the show took it as an opportunity to have a kinda feminist moment but can you picture that turned around? Roy and Keeley kiss after tons of flirting and build up, and the day after Roy sleeps with a girl Keeley has a proper (however childish) feud with just cuz she told him she was busy that night. That would've never been fine. Again, I'm not saying it's wrong, I'm saying it's the response of a person who only cares about what they want and doesn't plan for the future.

Then, we have the infamous "Roy is a fridge magnet" episode which I still can't wrap my mind around so gimme a sec here. Your boyfriend is too into you, is perfect (by Keeley's own words) but not giving you the space you haven't asked for. So, instead of talking to him - don't even get me started on people writing Keeley as a character who's good as communicating - girl, where?? - you talk about it to his boss, a bunch of his coworkers and your ex who has an antagonistic relationship with him, and eventually as you're spending time together and he's trying to share one of his interests with you, you start screaming bloody murder at him about how clingy he is. Do I have that all correct? All of this would have been forgivable ofc, miscommunication happens, people aren't perfect, etc, etc, expect... forgiveness was asked by the wrong person. What on earth did Roy have to apologise for? This is the #1 example for me of that show trying so hard to make Keeley a perfect sunshine girl boss that they made 0 narrative or even logical sense. Honestly I hate that whole episode with a fiery passion.

Then we have the funeral shenanigans, which I won't even get into because I think Roy was 100% hilarious in that and Keeley was 100% overreacting (and yes, that's a heavy term to use towards a woman but here's the thing... she was). I guess this would be a good place to talk about their ILYs as well. Roy's ILYs always come with an acknowledgement of Keeley's feelings and his own fault for hurting them in anyway. Keeley's first ILY though has absolutely nothing to do with Roy. She's happy about her own success and he's celebrating her. That's it. That's the first time we see her say I love you. Don't get me wrong, I don't think Roy's aren't better but I think that just proves why he couldn't be happy with Keeley. Every time he's said ILY, it's been tinged with sadness and guilt and self-incrimination. Why would I want him to be with someone who constantly inspires those feelings in him?

This is now definitely too long so I'll try to wrap up with s3 very quickly and mainly the fact that the episode Keeley is drinking alone in the pub is one of the only ones where Keeley faces consequence for her actions (in this case, sleeping with her boss - again, not something I blame or begrudge her for but also something she should've probably considered can get her funding pulled when it ends, see: never thinking about the future (and why I don't see Keeley being successful without people like Barbara or Rebecca but thats a different topic)). Keeley responds to being made to face the music by using Roy to make herself feel better. I'm sorry but there's no other interpretation of their hook up for me. He's just read her a very heartfelt apology, ending with another guilt ridden ILY and then he was leaving. Except she chased him down, not to say it back ofc, but to use him for sex.

Thanks, I hate it.

At the end of the day, it all comes down to the fact that I think Roy was right to break up with Keeley. Not because she's not a great catch and not because there was anything wrong with her being successful or needing time for herself but because they're not right for each other. Roy is too selfless and ready to blame himself for everything and Keeley is too focused on herself and ready to take advantage of that.

Roy is the kind of romantic that would tell his cabbie to date his wife and compose a playlist for the girlfriend who treated him horribly yesterday. He's the kind of guy that's had to bottle up all his emotions forever and never talks about himself with people and has had his fucking watch stolen by his fucking hook ups. He deserves someone *cough*Jamie*cough* who is absolutely obsessed with him! Who will appreciate the things he does for them and the time he spends with them rather than take them for granted at best and be annoyed at worst. Who will make him feel like he's been struck by lightning! He deserve someone who cares about his feeling and frankly, in season 3 at least, I don't think that's Keeley or should be again.

[justashadetalkative]

🛒 What's on the list? Any plots or ideas? Something you wanna write?

Ooh.

To start with, I do have a wishlist tag!

But for more recent ideas and wants…

I would really love to do more stuff with Ithadel that feels more grounded in his community role! Perhaps some thread where he’s helping to deal with some sort of supernatural threat or investigation — that’d feel especially fitting to start now here in October, haha. 

But more threads with a very slight pre-established relationship—even just something where the other muse is generally aware of Ithadel’s clinic or some issue that he’s helped with in the past—would be really neat, too. One of the bigger inspirations for Ithadel’s… everything, was the community role of witches in Discworld, especially within the Tiffany Aching subseries. I’d love to do more with that.

I also want to write more with Phosa — it’s ironic but convenient that right after complaining that I struggle to write her she’s suddenly become one of the most active character voices in my head, hah. I want her to make friendsss…. It has been just a generalized longing, but I guess now’s as good a time to brainstorm as any! I might draft up a brainstorming/wishlist post for her soon.

I would also love to write Diamond interacting with children again some time. I don’t have many (active) mutuals who have child muses or who write their muse during various time frames right now, but Diamond’s attitude around kids is delightful to write and I miss it, hah.

Speaking of the Spire, it might be fun to do a proper Spire Plot some time! There are plenty of disasters and events that I could pull from, and it’d be fun to send that crashing down and involving some other folks’ muses in the mess. >:)

And I’ve been interested in exploring more non-platonic and queerplatonic shipping over on the side blogs, but currently that just boils down to keeping an eye out for potential chemistry. xD

[moodymisty]

Hey there,

Congrats on your milestone. I love seeing your stuff come across my dash. If it isn't too much trouble, may I request: " You look so hot when you do that. " with Wrecker?

Honestly, there's so many scenes this could apply to. A personal favorite of mine is when he does that loosening up / neck crack before he fights. My soul leaves my bod-...shit, I'm rambling.

Anyway congrats again and looking forward to seeing what you come up with

❀ Milestone prompts list ❀

Author's Note: Same wavelength, you and I. Feel free to ramble about Wrecker any day because that man... /swoon (also omg thank you so much for the kind words, I'm so happy you enjoy any of the silly stuff I put on your dash XD)

Relationships: Wrecker/Gn!Reader

Warnings: Subtly hinted at Jedi!Reader, Fluff, Flirting

"I like the new look."

Hunter jerks his head in your direction, and you look down over yourself. You've always been partial to darker colors, but the black and dark grey of your new robes almost perfectly goes along with the palette of their armor, funnily enough. You shrug.

"Well, I had to match. Couldn't just go around sticking out like a sore thumb." He gives you a small, lopsided smile and nods. "Hopefully, it doesn't get singed like the last one." Hunter turns and gives Wrecker a look, who in response he holds up his hands and relents; But it's not as if he needed to in the first place.

"We're landing in 10. Make sure you have everything you need." The planet you're bound for is in view, and it won't be long until you're on solid ground again. Hunter returns to his spot by the navicomputer and leans over the controls, doing something undiscernible as you prepare to finally land.

It hasn't been that long, but fresh air is still desperately wanted. And some room to spread out, as Wrecker stands beside you and stretches his arms, almost bumping into multiple parts of the ship. You feel cramped and stuffed tight in this ship, so you can't imagine how he deals with it. And for much longer periods of time, too.

He lets out a grunt as he fixes his one shoulder, before trying to crack his neck. He gives it a few rolls around before leaning it hard to one side, and then the opposite.

Even with all of his armor but his helmet on, you can see the way his muscles flex above the collar of his bodyglove. The veins running up either side of his neck, or the bump on his throat.

It's... Distracting.

If anyone were to take a look at you they'd know you were quite obviously staring, and with quite an incriminating expression to boot. Thankfully when Wrecker turns towards you however, you have your composure back.

"What?" He looks down at you as he cracks his knuckles next, one hand before the other.

You and Wrecker have a little bit of an odd relationship; Usually involving plenty of joking around and silly flirting. It's something that's progressed over time and you don't know exactly where you both stand in it all, but it's fun. He's sweet, and you enjoy being around him.

It also helps that he's so easy on the eyes, saying the first words that tumble out of your mouth and not remembering where you are.

"You look so hot when you do that."

Wrecker grins, and Crosshair turns around in the co-pilots seat to look at you, and all the sudden you realize that the two of you aren't alone.

You want to melt into the floor.

"Oh yeah?" He nods, smirking while he pulls at his shoulder in another position; But you can see some of his shyness peeking through. "I'll uh, keep it in mind." His smile is a bit softer now; As much of a confident dynamo as Wrecker is, sometimes he has trouble taking genuine compliments.

The airlock is a few steps away, if I just throw myself out of it...

He's still stretching, and the relieved moan he lets out when his shoulder finally gives way and releases gets far too twisted in the gutters of your mind.

You only manage to pull yourself out when you have to, as Hunter returns from messing with the navicomputer and you quickly turn to him.

"Everything going well?" You say, hoping he doesn't notice the way you and Wrecker are both acting. But who are you kidding; There's zero way Hunter didn't here.

If only Wrecker would stop smiling at you like that...

"There's a small storm forming right over the base, so it might be a bumpy landing." Hunter looks between the both of you, his usual tired expression more so exaggerated than usual.

"And keep it on the down low, you two?" You purse your lips tight, looking at Hunter.

"Yes sir."

[tarisilmarwen]

Rebels Rewatch: “Siege of Lothal”

In which Vader is an absolute beast and we shift off-base from Lothal for (semi-permanent) good.

A brief note on the nature of serial escalation.

Oftentimes in a series, especially one based around extrapersonal conflict with multiple arcs, what will happen is that your initial antagonist will be something or someone relatively small or simple to handle, and as your characters grow and get stronger the threats will get bigger and bigger.

Now, there is a point at which the villain can grow to be TOO big, and there’s no way for the heroes to defeat them or nowhere bigger for them to go from there.

You also don’t want to throw your strongest antagonist at the heroes at the very beginning, or risk everything else looking anticlimactic by comparison.  This could have been a risk in Season Two, as Vader is quite a significant step up from Imperial officers, Agent Kallus, and the Grand Inquisitor.  Fortunately Rebels makes the wise decision to keep Vader in reserve most of the season, only really bringing him out for the two most significant narrative points in the story (the opener and the finale), and relegating mundane antagonist duties to our new Inquisitor duo.  In this way, the narrative keeps our heroes busy but not overwhelmed, leaving more breathing room in the story for individual characters to get plenty of focus and development.

And on that note, let’s dive in.

We open In Media Res with an action prologue that quickly informs us of the new Status Quo and allows us a moment to settle into it.  The Ghost is no longer flying alone, but alongside a half-dozen other Rebel ships, who work in perfect coordination and tandem with our team.

The dialogue is comfortably casual.  The music is generically exhilarating.  Kanan and Hera tease each other.  Zeb topples off a railing.  Ezra gets heart eyes about Sabine being amazing.

The Spectres are now a part of the wider Rebellion and things are looking up.  They’re looking good.

Which of course means it’s time to ruin things for them. XD

In the Imperial Dome, Kallus and Tua snipe at each other about the problems they’re facing and even in the frustrated dialogue she gives, it’s obvious Tua isn’t entirely enthusiastic about punishing her own people for the actions of the Spectres, only listing out things like patrols and checkpoints and curfews.  While definitely authoritarian given the Empire, these are relatively light restrictions.

Which Vader points out as he enters.

It’s obvious in hindsight that Vader’s immediately sussed her out as more sympathetic to the Rebels than she lets on.  (Consider how she claimed there was nothing more she could do yet the minute her life was in danger immediately knew to beeline for Jho because he had contact with the Spectres and has a ready list of Rebel sympathizers to barter with who she hasn’t had arrested.)

It’s insidiously clever, how Vader uses her to set a trap.  But poor Tua.

:(

She was just a frightened normie in the end.

Hi Sato!  You are criminally underrated as a character and I love you.

I love how you can already tell Kanan isn’t comfortable with this from his sulking posture back there.

Catch me sobbing about how Ezra’s so intimately empathic and connected to Lothal that he can sense Tua’s genuine intentions from a holotransmission.

Tua dropping hints that she knows about the “true reason” the Empire came to Lothal and once again I’m marveling and wondering at just how far back the whole World Between Worlds reveal might have been planned.

This whole scene between Kanan and Hera is fraught with tension.  (And not just the romantic kind.)

Seriously, show me a more intimate setup and blocking.

Kanan’s dialogue and agitated tone and body language betrays his apprehensions.  He’s afraid to join another military organization, to be around reminders of the Clone Wars, to be drawn back into that environment.  It’s one of the first hints we get about his PTSD regarding the Clone Wars, and I love that Ezra overhears.

I think it’s hilarious how the Spectres take a Star Commuter 2000 shuttle like it’s just a day trip to Lothal from Garel like last time, lol.

Aaaaah Ezra showing off his character development and how selfless he’s grown!  I’m so proud of him.

Also he can sense Vader from atmosphere.

I haven’t commented about the music much but I like the way the strings drag across the notes here to create some quality tension.

Kallus is such a smug snake here, it’s amazing that I like him.

I think I hear a very brief snippet of the “Shenanigans” leitmotif in very serious trumpet.

Man.  What a way to go.  RIP Tua.  :(

Vader overwatching lets us know this exactly according to plan.  He is scarily competent in these episodes.

Subtle animation appreciation moment: The way the blaster bolts spark as they pop off the side of the shuttle.

A snippet of Ezra’s theme here, as we find our heroes hiding in his old house.

Ezra holding his old cadet helmet. :(((((

There’s a somber kind of finality when the troopers set fire to the house.  This whole season premiere has an overall sense of, “You can’t go home anymore.” and nothing emphasizes it more than the Empire torching places we know and have been (Ezra’s home, Tarkintown, etc.).

His face. :((((

Rebels bucks the Status Quo so hard it’s painful.

“I wish that worked for me.”  “I wish it worked on you.”  Lol.

"Have you smelled me?” Love this subtle joking callback to Ezra complaining about how Zeb smells. <3

All these typical light-hearted bits and moments only contrast harder against Vader’s later deadly serious entrance.  It’s quite effective, actually.

This sequence is one of my personal No Context Signature Scenes, I love it so much.

This slow small pan away from Kanan et. all as they exit frame, hinting that something’s behind.  How Kanan stops in his tracks, eyes widening with fear and alarm.

How Ezra stops too and you can practically see the goosebumps raising on his arms, feel the deadly cold they’re feeling.

CUE THE MOST ICONIC BREATHING IN CINEMA HISTORY.

Yeah, I’d be terrified too.

The Imperial March cuts out right before the TO BE CONTINUED titlecard and if you weren’t screaming before, you certainly were now, lol.

Ezra looks so terrified, look at the way he’s shrinking into his shoulders here.

Vader barely expends any effort in this fight, blocking one-handed, effortlessly flinging Kanan and Ezra across the landing pad, which reinforces how seriously outclassed they and the Spectres are.

You do not win a fight against Vader.  You do not even survive a fight against Vader.  If you survive an encounter with Vader it’s because he let you.

This moment where Vader almost forces Ezra to cut off his own head with his own lightsaber is particularly dark and terrifying ggkjghdsk.

Twice in this fight the importance of armor is proven.  Kanan catches a glance of Vader’s saber on his shoulder pauldron and Sabine gets a blaster bolt reflected into her freaking breastplate AND helmet.

WELL THAT ISN’T THE MOST HELLISH THING I’VE EVER SEEN.

The Imperial March is a constant in this scene, not surprising, given that it’s technically Vader’s leitmotif.  It fades out as we check up on our heroes and this is such an effective scene.

Everyone is visibly rattled by the encounter, and the voice acting perfectly conveys how shaken and frightened they are.  Something I do have to give the Disney era of Lucasfilm props for is remembering that Vader is a freaking terrifying villain, practically a walking Eldritch Abomination in the eyes of normal denizens of the galaxy.  So this scene helps convey that.

Lol Kanan and Ezra immediately objecting to calling Lando for help.

“The compassion of the Rebels is a weakness.  One we will exploit.”

*sobs in Rebellion Era Jedi feels*

“Jedi cannot help what they are.  Their compassion leaves a trail.”

No I’m never going to be over that line, sue me.

Proof that even “filler” episodes on this show come back and have relevance, the crew make a deal with Lando for help to get them offworld. :)

We even visit his farm again. :)

Also I love this southern-accented droid, he’s so polite.

There’s a unique flute cue here that I really like.  Also, the “Shenanigans” theme has been slowed down, tempo-altered, minor keyed and just put through the gamut of musical variation this episode, wrung out until it’s almost unrecognizable.

This smoke effect is gorgeous, almost painted in texture.

This conversation between Kanan and Ezra about the cost of their actions is fascinating in what it reveals, especially towards the end.  Kanan sees reflections of his battle-eager younger self in Ezra, still fired up and passionate about the fight, not yet truly damaged by his experiences.

That wouldn’t truly cement in Ezra until the finale, but we’ll get to that later.

RIGHT, ANYONE STILL COMPLAINING ABOUT REBELS’ ANIMATION OWES ME MONEY FOR HOW PRETTY THE CLOUDS ALWAYS LOOKS.

There are in fact a lot more Star Destroyers guarding Lothal this time, we see three up in orbit and I know we saw at least three others in airspace above Capitol City.

I... think they reused Sato’s voice actor for one of these Imperial technicians here.

I love this quiet scene right here.  Kanan’s still got massive misgivings about being involved with the wider Rebellion, but he’s overruled by the others, by Ezra’s sense of obligation to get stronger for the sake of his people.  (This would later play into his Dark Side temptations in Season Three, Ezra has always viewed power as a means to protect, to preserve, to cling to.)

The shuttle seems to have been tracked with a more mundane method this time, a transmitter that activates upon reentry from hyperspace.

Another brilliant ploy from Vader.  Told you, he’s scarily competent in this.

A modified Endor space battle cue plays in the background here.  The notes are ever-so-slightly soured, off-tune.

Would like to point out, just to emphasize, Vader nearly takes out the entire Phoenix cell on his own here.

Ahsoka’s presence has been mostly downplayed until now but the narrative subtly brings her into prominence by having her board the Ghost for the fight.

“All right kids, do Mom and Dad proud.” <33333

The Found Family vibes always get to me.

Underrated awesome Kanan moment: Boosting and assisting Ahsoka’s Force Scan of Vader.

God, that sliiiight turn of Vader’s head as he senses Ahsoka back just gets to me.  This whole sequence, Ezra talking about the cold, about the fear, anger, and hate he senses, Ahsoka’s eyes snapping open in horror, “The apprentice lives.” I HAVEN’T EVEN WATCHED ALL OF CLONE WARS OR PARTICULARLY CARE THAT MUCH ABOUT THIS RELATIONSHIP AND I STILL CATCH THE FEELS.

Vader being single-mindedly focused on the Ghost now that he knows Ahsoka’s aboard... not to Kenobi-show blubber again but, “All he’ll see is me.” Anakin is so obsessed with erasing himself and everyone who knew him it will drive him to obsession uuhhhhggggghh this stupid messy asshole.

Hera outflying motherfreaking Vader because he’s too distracted. <333333

I do like that Rebels kept Ahsoka’s appearances to a minimum too, knowing her mere presence would overshadow the others.  (Same reason the Teen Titans writers never brought in the adult heroes; they had to let their cast stand on their own merits.)

Egads look at the lighting effects in this scene.  Look at those slow-moving patches of light and shadow.

Ahsoka deep in denial about Vader’s identity.

Ezra’s theme ringing out briefly until it dissolves into tense strings.

And the Emperor’s theme comes in along with the first technical appearance of the man in this show, even though we never see him, only hear his voice.

I... kiiiiiiinda prefer Sam Whitwer’s dub of the scene, honestly.  Glad Disney+ still has his version on their site.  (Apparently the Ian McDiarmid redub is only on the Amazon Prime digital downloads, which is kind of asinine, but hey I appreciate not having the retconned version foisted on me.)

Aaaaaand episode end.

This was a rollercoaster of a season premiere, emphasizing that things have definitely changed for our heroes, that what was familiar can no longer be accessed, that we’re now hitched along for the ride with the wider Rebellion and what happens to it.

It’s simple and effective and it lets Vader be absolutely terrifying.  No complaints, really.

Next time, we get even more TCW characters reappearing.

[fowlfics]

Ten questions for writers

Thank you so much for the tag, @katia-anyway !

1. how many works do you have on ao3?

At the moment of writing this post, 253!

2. what’s your total ao3 word count?

I just broke 700k with my last fic :3c

3. what fandoms do you write for?

Whichever one I'm obsessed with at the moment xD Currently, I am thoroughly within One Piece's grip. Before that, there was BNHA, but I have written for a couple other fandoms in far smaller quantities before.

4. do you respond to comments? why or why not?

I used to! But it became overwhelming fairly soon. Moreover, a lot of the comments I get are simple emojis or "this was cute!" and while i do appreciate them - of course i do! it always brightens my day to see them! - i find myself at a loss as to how to respond. I don't like seeing a chain of my own "thank you!" comments responding in the same way to everyone, and it feels like i'm cheating somehow, like i'm artificially inflating my comments count ajsdhkajh So nowdays I usually only respond if someone asks a question or says something that I feel I can respond to with something more substantial than just a "thank you <3"

5. have you ever had a fic stolen?

Not to my knowledge (unless I am forgetting, which is also possible lol)

6. have you ever co-written a fic before?

Oh, yes, plenty! Lemme dig up the receipts. Most notably there was a ton of fic telephones in Fic Fight '22 which I'm still not certain if I've got all of them jotted down xD

Then there was that one Stain & Aizawa & Izuku & Katsuki longfic we had started with (listing in the order on our tracking spreadsheet) Addri, myself, LadyE, Blanc, Sophy, Ryuka and Kooky! We initially started it as a November NaNoWriMo challenge back in 2022 (inspired by the joint Whumptober completionist thing NWA did) and we've got up to 40k before life had caught up xD

OH and of course the NWA Two Perspectives in Feb 2023, where both Brinn and I wrote 11k of the same EraserMic fic (fic 1)(fic 2) each in one person's POV, it was a lot of fun!

Other then those, there might have been instances of me co-writing with someone, but I do not recall them! (my memory is a sieve, if you wrote a fic with me and i forgor pls don't take it personally :crypuddle:)

7. what’s your all-time favourite ship?

There isn't one! I am a notorious multishipper, and I'll ship anything that moves in the vicinity of my current blorbo (cough cough Sabo the Revolutionary and April O'Neil being the. current victim of that)

The ranking of my fav ships switches pretty much hourly, with individual blorbos taking a longer time (it's been a mix of Sabo, Ace, Luffy and Law in any order for the past half a year or so) and fandoms being the slowest to rollover (BNHA to OP pipeline across 4 years)

8. what are your writing strengths?

I've been told I'm a speed demon xD You Are Loved (13k) got written over the first four days since my joining of MDL. I prefer to go all-in on a fic idea the moment I think of it!

9. what are your writing weaknesses?

If I let a story idea stagnate, I'll have to wait until I'm in the mood for that particular fic to write it again, and it could take months. I write fast, sure, but it doesn't exactly work if I have no words to put down on the page xD My writing is very motivation-based, which sucks for any kind of a schedule but alas, I deal with it

10. first fandom you wrote for?

Hmm I believe that'd be Danny Phantom! I've written entries for Phannymay back in 2017, but I have since moved those to an alt AO3 account due to the fact that I barely knew english at the time and didn't want those on my record xD

Tagging: @mangogreent @portgas-d-aroace @taizi @swordsmans @ceramicwings hi pookies <3

[brandwhorestarscream]

TFA Invasive anon here, ready to serve up some more!

First and foremost, yes, it was the Nemesis and crew that wound up on Earth with the repair team. It is definitely Milfatron time and the baby Optimus is holding is their eldest; he's already made squeaky noises at other attack helicoptors so they know his alt mode is chosen definitely. Otherwise, he's a little sweetheart that likes to chew on things and stare at everyone; aka just like any baby ever. There's a couple others from their broods in the herd chasing Bee.

As for Bee, the moped is actually his sparkling between himself and Prowl (Bee carried) and the four wheeler is Prowl's sparkling from Lockdown (Lockdown carried), who also stopped to top up on supplies when he heard rumors of a starting colony and had a few wild nights with the ninja. He still swings by every now and then to check up on them and take Prowl on dates. There's two other sparklings in the bunch that are Bee's between himself and Blitzwing (Blitz carried); one's a flappy wing'd triple changer and the other's a chunky grounder that's been patting tank pictures, so they know what he wants to be.

And yes to all of the rest; just all of it. Ratchet supervising nap times and tending to little hurts and aches and just being the best grandpa bot ever, grumpy or not. Prowl moves a lot more carefully now, making sure tiny watching optics can follow what he does and always ready to swoop in and catch anyone that slips off a branch or some other high surface. Bulkhead's art classes are very popular and the bitties love every moment of it; the art produced is hung up all throughout the base in various spots.

The other TFA characters are here too; Wreck-Gar helps with the art classes and just playing with the bitties. They love his high energy and willingness to get down and play with them on their level. The Constructicons aren't too good being around tiny sparklings but they help make playground equipment and bittie sized furniture out of stuff, as well as ensuring the nests and hides are safe and well put together.

Blackarachnia is still hiding out on Dinobot Island, with the Dinobots as basically her adopted sparklings. She and Optimus still meet up sometimes to catch up and just sort of...talk, about things. There's a lot of healing that needs to be done there, but it's happening.

Starscream took over the top of Sumdac tower, the tallest in Detroit. ONLY THE BEST FOR HIS NEST. He has a handful of squeaky bitties that are a full rainbow of colors, so best of luck guessing the sire(s).

And basically the only Decepticon that didn't date/get together with an Autobot is Lugnut, but that's only because of his loyalty to Strika. Who....he called over once they got a good signal going and she arrived with her team to help settle in. Then they had their *own* sparklings to add to the growing bunches.

....They may or may not have also brought in an Autobot team that they'd stopped to help; their ship had engine trouble and why not come along with to a new colony, right? So Team Athena could be here too as well!

Ok I’m just gonna go down the list and address every point one at a time, because this kind of ask makes me gush incoherently! Under the cut because this bitch is LONG

1. Hell yeah Milfatron time! 🤩 I gotta know, when you say the bitty OP is holding is their oldest, do you mean the oldest of like a litter, aka all born at the same time, or do they like each other enough to have bitties multiple times over the years? Both are good so it’s your call 👀 or even they’ve had multiple litters? I’m so here for it regardless

2. I’m so glad you’re throwing plenty of cross parenting out there! I’ve always loved that vibe for the invasive species AU. Some mate for life and others just wanna contribute to the colony, and both are 🥰 I’m my book. I love the BeeProwl moped baby XD I love the Lockprowl car baby. I love the Blitzbee bitties (twins?). There’s just so many bitties 🤩 you suppose Bulkhead decided to take the plunge into parenthood, or is he content just being their teacher and playmate?

3. Glad we can agree on old grandpa Ratchet. He’s already has his bitties over the years, and probably won’t be kindling ever again (unless drift shows up in which case-)

4. Wreck Gar! Hell yeah Wreck Gar he’s so cute :’) the bitties probably climb all over him, they just love their big loud Uncle

5. I…….. always forget about the TFA constructicons 😅 are we gonna go with their canon iterations or just go with more of them, as a gestalt? Regardless, at least they’re helping, praise Primus for that

6. Elita still mutated into Blackarachnia? Inchresting 🤔 was Archa 7 a potential colony planet? Were the three of the, just young and stupid and dicking around? How did that whole thing go down? Dying to know. But good on her for finding herself a niche and a family ^-^

7. As for the rest of the decepticons, I love Starscream and his nest of squeaky babies. Ofc he takes the tallest tower because that’s just how he is, BUT. I actually don’t know if it would be Sumdaac tower. Like, think about it. All of Sumdac’s fortune came from tech he got from Megatron’s corpse. Megs never crashed here, so he never had access to it. He still may be an inventor but one with such a vast tech empire? I kinda doubt it. So, whether or not it’s specifically his tower is up for debate, but still! Tall. If he doesn’t decide to stay in the Detroit area he probably peace’s out to a tall, steep mountain where no nosy humans can bother his sparklings and wake them from their naps

8. You will literally never convince me that Lugnut and Strika don’t have twin girls Clobber and Alpha Strike. You will literally never convince me otherwise. Lugnut is dealing with parenthood about as well as you’d expect lmao 😂

9. Team Athena 👀 Rodimus? Hot Shot? Red Alert?? 👀

[countlessrealities]

3. Have you ever unfollowed someone over a fandom opinion? 7. Is there anything you used to like but can’t stand now? 20. What is the purest ship in the fandom? { From Hazbin Hotel or Helluva Boss }

Salty ask list || Accepting !

Have you ever unfollowed someone over a fandom opinion?

Honestly? No, I haven't. I respect all sorts of opinions on fiction, even the ones I totally disagree with. As long as you're respectful when presenting your opinions, that's fine by me.

I have unfollowed people for being total assholes over others' opinions / headcanons / ships / etc. Plenty of times.

Is there anything you used to like but can’t stand now?

Already answered here, but if I had to think about something else...I've always liked slow burns, but when I was younger (aka in my teen years) I was also too impatient and wanted shit to happen faster? Not saying that I'd instant ship, but I didn't give ships the proper time to develop. Now it's either slow burns or nay for me xD

What is the purest ship in the fandom?

"Purest" is the last term I'd use for those two fandoms, considering that we're talking about literal demons, but if I had to pick one, I'd say Moxxie and Millie? They are absolute relationship goals. They know each other inside out, know each other's flaws and accept them. Sure, they kept a few secrets from each other, but nothing that could be a true deal breaker, you know?

The other one is Charlie and Vaggie, even if, tbh, with the events of the show they have showed some borderline toxic traits. I still like to think that they'll deal with them and fix shit, since their whole relationship is very based on honesty and communication, but it's undeniable that, at times, they feed each other's unhealthy tendencies.

[enchi-elm]

Apfelessig rewatches Turn S01E01: Pilot, second half

30:21 It's the little details, like all these women doing laundry and wearing proper headwear.

30:36 ...Can I just point out that the first person to ask Anna if she's alright is Captain Simcoe. Like she's beating the crap out of a jacket with a wooden paddle, no, she's not, but it's nice you care?

31:19 "Your husband has been shipped off to prison--" Zero points for tact, Simcoe.

31:40 Simcoe, you're such a dick. I think--honestly, I think it's a bit overdone to have the whole "establish him as a villain by making him appear predatory to women, or at least, one specific woman" thing, in fact, TV producers, I'm wholly sick of it. There are so many more interesting ways to make someone a baddie. Simcoe's a menace in so many other ways.

33:12 I can't believe people just paddled into the Sound in a rowboat. It's the freaking Sound.

33:24 ...and then Abe even falls asleep in his rowboat. In the Sound. At night.

33:56 Wild to me that Continental Congress can arrest people. Like, I get it, at this point it's a...what would be a good word, alternative government? Or, like, a military occupation? Militia government? Brain's fried. It's just funny, like, "we're setting up our own Justice system and included in the list of possible charges is illegal trade", like, oh good, I'm glad that was a priority when you were planning to denounce your relations to the British King. (edit: Okay, actually, that does make sense, if it's about not passing on resources to the enemy.)

Also, like, I have a lot feelings about Ben XD like, I love him, I relate to his characterization a lot, and obviously I am a die-hard Tallster shipper, but he did very much waterboard his childhood friend. Like, that is a thing he decided was a good way to coerce his friend to work for him.

34:51 I mean okay, it's not clear that Ben ordered them specifically to waterboard him, but like, he did set up his imprisonment. He's not, like, immensely concerned with Abe's well-being after either.

35:37 Even Abe doesn't trust him XD Ben is straight-up stone cold in this episode

36:18 I love this scene, everyone's so sneaky

37:07 This is the legal definition of entrapment, isn't it?

38:30 "And the 12 pounds." Abe figures it out so quickly that they set him up. (edit: HA!)

39:03 Oh Abe. Of all the smart, STUPID STUPID things you could have done to cover up the fact that you got arrested for smuggling, coming back to town with a fake/self-inflicted wound when there's a murder inquiry on is number 1 on the list.

40:27 "Captain Joyce is dead?" If you look at his face, you can see his life flashing before his eyes as three people who consider him a prime suspect wait for him to catch up.

42:18 "I've never killed anyone." "I have. Plenty just like you." Oh, Samuel Roukin. I would like to buy you a beer some time.

42:25 "Travel safe!" XD Also, Simcoe just like bodily throws Abe to the growd like he weighs---

42:47 ANNA AND CALEB, YES!!

43:01 Anna, probably: My husband has been arrested, there is a threatening British captain living in my house, I manage my estate alone, and now there's someone signalling me from my barn. I think I'll go investigate this dark building alone because I don't feel vulnerable enough.

43:19 Oh. Not Caleb, not yet.

43:30 Oh yeah, Simcoe's Welsh.

44:25 "Caleb? You saw him! How is he?" Keeping Strongbrew alive in the year of our lord 2023 <3 @ladytp @lucyemers

44:27 "Unshaven. He's insane." Ahhh, the words that sparked a mythology. <3

44:35 "Ben? They were together?" ....You know I don't think I've seen a fic where Anna is the jealous one. That could be interesting. I have a modern AU WIP where Ben finds out about Anna and Caleb having a fling and he's the one who gets jealous (though he's not clear who he's jealous of).

45:04 "What more are you waiting for?" Listen, if Anna and Mary were the main characters of this Culper Ring, the war would have ended years sooner, just saying.

46:29 "Anarchy." "You mean self-rule." "I mean chaos masquerading as freedom."

47:00 Judge Woodhull: Abe can you maybe just make it a bit easier for me to keep you alive and out of prison and your family sheltered and fed

47:27 LOL HEWLETT: Good of you to want to pay the fine for smuggling but honestly you're probably too broke so I guess you're going to prison. *turns to Abe's dad, also at the dinner table* Sorry, can't play favourites Abe's Dad: OR OR OR HANG ON OR WE CAN COME UP WITH SOMETHING ELSE

48:09 Hewlett's just too good at his job. I love his characterization, he's such a liability to everyone's plans because he's fastidious, orderly, and well-mannered and wants to find reasonable solutions for everything.

48:59 Oh the Woodhull father-son drama. I totally tuned out on my first run-through whenever this came up, it just really wasn't my scene. I found Townsend's family relationships far more interesting.

49:04 Hewlett: ...and another reminder that I am really good at my job, if not knowing who to trust with my information, is that all your friends will unknowingly shortly be under attack by a homicidal maniac I barely keep under my command. Good night, all!

49:54 Who feeds all these soldiers? I've never heard of military records where a side was saying they were actually getting the properly rationed amount of food but I've seen plenty of records complaining about how well-fed the other side was.

50:49 I have no memory of this scene. Abe's first real act of espionage and I remember none of it. Can't even remember what he does with it.

52:46 Ohhh okay, so I guess Ben just gave Abe his entire Culper plan without knowing yet that Abe was actually going to go through with it. I thought Abe'd send a letter first or something being like "okay, I'll do it" but then how the heck would you get that to Ben. Just seems a bit risky, like, "Okay Abe, I've strong armed you but you don't seem convinced, anyway here's exactly how to reach me". ...I guess he didn't really have a choice

53:19 "Barrel. Over a barrel." It took me a while to learn what that meant. Simcoe playing such a creep.

54:40 Captain "No Need" Simcoe, lifts an entire barrel of cider by himself

55:17 Hey hey real quick you know what never got explored in enough detail? The slave ownership and indentured servants on display by the main characters. edit: "Yeah but Abigail--" ABIGAIL NEEDED TWICE AS MUCH SCREEN TIME AND A BETTER EXPLANATION OF WHERE SHE CAME FROM.

55:52 What, Abe, I thought you'd figured this out already? What was the "And the 12 pounds" about earlier then?

56:12 "You passed muster when you refused to give up my name." Abe, your childhood friends played you like the cheap kazoo you are. I would love to have seen that conversation with Ben and Caleb where they plan this, like, "Okay, we need to force Abe to play ball. Ooo, I know, let's set him up, arrest him, and see if he squeals on you." "Excellent idea. Shall we make him fear for his life?" "Oh, several times, why not?" "Why don't we just try to drown him after we first shoot at him?"

56:23 Should we keep a count going as to how many times Caleb gets punched in the face in this show? Because: 1

56:31 "I'm 2nd Company, 4th Battalion, New York Regiment. Alright?" Readers, do you have any idea how much I tried to find anything to confirm or explain that. I wholescale gave up, lampshaded and straight-up fabricated a backstory for Wind and Water, even before it became plot-relevant. I'm convinced no one understands or understood how the Continental Army worked in 1776. No one. "I'm assigned to special detail with Captain Tallmadge." Remind me, again, they never met, right? Do you know how hard it is to investigate the military record of a man who's backstory has been so foundationally altered? From the 1700s?

59:40 BATTLE COUPLE BATTLE COUPLE BATTLE COUPLE

1:00:53 Ben you salty man.

1:01:30 Hmmmmmyesssssss this Ben/Caleb interaction is so revealing as to their personalities. *chef's kiss*

1:01:43 I have seen this gif a million times, it's so weird to see it in its natural habitat.

1:02:09 Mary! <3 ...is she literally the only person to say anything kind to Abe in this entire episode?

1:03:45 Sprout <3

And that's the end of episode 1! Fun experience to see it again after so long. It's so much richer than I remember <3 Maybe I'll do a proper rewatch of the whole thing. It'd be nice to go back to something comforting.

[mcalhenwrites]

I'm pretty excited about working on those prompts for October. My hope is that I'll still work on lots of other stories while getting some practice with other characters in stories I've somewhat neglected or haven't developed much. It'd be nice to revisit older characters like Xavier, Mirza, and Seth. Work with characters I'm still fleshing out, like Warren, Henry, and Maureen. I haven't talked much about the newer stories I have, but Maureen is the child actress. Warren and Henry dislike one another - Warren hates Henry, actually - and are from my story about the colossal automatons. (Yes, I know. More automatons. Shhh. I really like them.) I love how I mentioned Seth and Mirza, two of my favorites throughout time. I'm sure I'll give plenty of attention to Hazel and Ferdinand and all the Seasons crew too. Plus Roscoe and Noah get neglected! I honestly have so many fucking ships and stories, it is getting ridiculous. I should be writing more than I do to keep up with everything and actually finish more of my WIPs. Going back to the prmpts for October, though... I made the list when I couldn't find one that had general autumn themes. I wasn't really feeling the idea of writing whump for a month (even though I do tend to write a lot of this lately), and same with fluff. Another event had a big red flag with a statement about the person running it having the right to not include any works they deemed inappropriate. (The phrasing was a little more serious than that, iirc.) So I made a list that anyone can use for art, writing, crafts, etc. Wanted it to be broad enough that lots of ideas could be spawned from the prompts/themes. Latt and Yume helped go over it with me, giving me some recommendations on what was repetitive and Latt suggested dolls as a theme. I'll work on them in the coming weeks, but I wanted to get started ahead of October. I'm glad they got put out almost a month ahead of time. I haven't actually thought of what I'll write for them, despite being the one who came up with the list? It's funny I didn't think, "Oh this would work for this pairing" or something like that... XD

[tenebriism]

🚢 any of your genshin muses Tina aside from Luc since he sees lumi as little sister!

Shipping Sheet - [ ACCEPTING ] ;;

The only two characters from my list that I DO heavily ship with Lumine, in general, are Wanderer and Albedo, but I'll give Wanderer some love since Albedo already gets plenty of attention in comparison. So, Scaralumi/Wanderlumi it is, theoretically.

do i ship our characters together?: yes | no | not yet but maybe soon

would i like to ship with you?: yes | maybe, i'm willing to try | no

type of relationship i could see: childhood or high school sweethearts | exes | engaged | married | long-term relationship | crushes | unrequited love | fling | long distance | online relationship | just dating | new relationship | toxic lovers | friends with benefits

tropes i'd enjoy writing for them: friends to lovers | enemies to lovers | exes to lovers | fake relationship / dating | forbidden love | grumpy and sunshine | star-crossed lovers | surprise pregnancy | second chance | soulmates | amnesia / mistaken identity | forced proximity | secret relationship | slow burn relationship

would i rather plot first or jump right in and see where it goes?: develop their relationship first | jump right in | something in between

For this, it's really just deciding if we're going to go with him as Scaramouche, or as Wanderer. Wanderer would make more sense, based off of canon, of course, but both have potential.

what now?: let's plot something | send me shippy memes | i'll send you shippy memes | write me a random starter | i'll write you a random starter

I'm horrible with plotting, so memes would make for an easier way to get the ball rolling.

anything else i want you to know about me / my character / my shipping habits: Not in particular! Only that my Wanderer goes by Tsuki, if you didn't already know. XD That's really the only thing I can think of that's extremely important to take note of.

@draconiclotus / @inyvat ;;

[fadebolt]

Oh damn, it's actually happening! These round 1 polls have been going around for so long, I honestly can't even remember what I used to be doing on my blog on a daily basis before (granted, the first RW Showdown blog showed up not too long after I created this account, but I digress). Of course, I imagine the tournament is still gonna be running for quite a while. Though considering that we've had almost 200 days, with a few accidental hiccups on rare occasions, I imagine that organizing this might be a bit of a difficult task. So yeah, feel free take as long as you want. The shipping and the region polls have been on a break for quite a while too, and I have absolutely no issues with that either. Also, goddamn, did it take a long time for another region to get its final room shown. If I didn't know better, I would think that LttM, as well as all the Saint regions, and the arena rooms were rigged. At least Sky Islands was the second non-Saint region to have this happen, so my prediction that I made a while ago was somewhat right xd.

That's all, now back to the list!

Personal room rankings:

1 - The Exterior: D04 (9/10) 2 - Drainage System: A06 (9/10) 3 - Garbage Wastes: A11_PAST (8/10) 4 - Submerged Superstructure: S09 (8/10) 5 - Outer Expanse: WORMPIT (7/10) 6 - The Rot: LC06 (7/10) 7 - Submerged Superstructure: VENT13 (7/10) 8 - Shaded Citadel: S03 (5/10) 9 - Garbage Wastes: B06_PAST (5/10) 10 - Sky Islands: D08 (4/10)

Extra comment: WORMPIT doing the best was pretty easy to predict. The room is indeed very unique, and I'm sure I wasn't the only one who has seen a Slugcat show up at the top, on first visit, which was definitely an "Ooooooooooooooh!" moment. So why did I not put it higher? Cus to me, it sort of looked like you could actually make it to the top with a Squidcada (a creature, that mind you, was present in the room that connects to the rightside pipe... which is the exact kind of hint the Leg and the Underhang used with Grapple Worms), and I wasted an insane amount of time and sanity, trying to make that happen. I know, me being a dummy doesn't make a room worse, but these are my rankings, so down into the middle it goes!

As for the rest, I've already rambled about my love for interesting large rooms before, and D04 certainly fits that bill, with its only potential flaw being that the DLL can often camp in really stupid spots that can offer quite the frustration (though I do feel like the room offers plenty of ways that you could solve this problem).

D08 is the lowest on my list, which is not necessarily a fault of the room's design, as it is actually pretty darn good, in the grand scheme of things. My main issue are the goddamn Centiwings, as the layout of the room can make it very annoying to deal with them. Is it impossible? No, of course not, I just wouldn't considering it fun to have to do the room's platforming, while jerks are flying above your head, and you're hoping that they aren't going to bolt straight at you in the worst possible moment. The randomness of their aggro, as well as the room not allowing for any vertical movement whatsoever, are things that certainly don't help.

And last, but not least, we have we… VENT13 reaching 10%? Huh, interesting. These sorts of rooms don't tend to draw too many votes, since there isn't really anything flashy or cool about them. However, this one does indeed have a very nice color palette (seriously, the green rooms of SS are simply incredible), as well as some Bubble Weed, in spot where you're very likely going to need them. It's still a bit surprising to see this room making it through, but I'm certainly not complaining.

Pick Your Favorite Rain World Room, Day 179

This is not single elimination! Every room with at least 10.0% vote will move on to the next round.

There is a hidden slugcat in one of the rooms (they can be in any color). If u can see it comment or reblog with where they are and if u are first, u get a cookie!

Credit for game screenshots goes to: Rain World Interactive Map, Rain World Wiki and me

Congratulations for day 178 winners!

[legolasgoldy]

Ship that is canon but you don't ship: 💤

// Thank you!! :D @weofarda​ Yayy! more questions!! //

100% Aredhel/Eol.  I made a long post about Maeglin thats been in my drafts for like two years bc it never got finished, that touched on why I dont ship it. I dont think I have to explain why haha we all probably know why. Its not a consensual relationship, AND is an extremely abusive relationship. On top of all the obvious mental and physical abuse, he legit murders her in front of their son. Enough said.

A less obvious answer would be Finrod/Amarie. I dont dislike the ship at all, I think its sweet I just have never been attached to it idk why. When I started writing Finrod, before I could decide whether or not I shipped them he jumped for Maglor and wanted him so he chose who he wanted to be with. My Finrod and Amarie were only ever friends. I never really had a say X’D Finrod has a mind of his own haha.

[veilder]

Hi! Would you happen to have Convin or Reed900 fics to recommend?

Oh, hello! I can definitely help you with Convin fic recs at least, lol! Reed900, not so much, but there are plenty of blogs around that you could ask for that ship. ^_^ But yeah, I’ll try to categorize these as best I can! And give a little summary, too! :D

Longfics 75k+ (Complete)

1. Mission: Unexpected by J11nxed (@j11nxed) Rated E (violence, sexual content, language, abuse): Super great casefic with lots of amazing character development. Very funny. Probably my favorite characterization of Connor and Gavin, lol. The fic I read when I’m feeling down. ^_^

2. Golden by jarpad (@embaggins on Twitter) Rated M (dark themes, mature content, allusions to self-harm/suicide, mental health issues, language): An absolutely beautiful story of healing and overcoming your demons handled in a very respectful manner. The subject matter is very thought provoking and it brought me to tears, both cathartic and not, more than once. It’s a heavy story, but... So worth it, imo.

3. like roses, death blooms by alekszova (@ewates) Rated M (violence, rape, torture, abuse, mental health issues): A very, very dark revenge fic. Definitely the darkest one on this list. If you like heavy angst, this might be for you, though please heed the tags. A lot of this story is about the aftermath of horrific events but there are still some very brutal scenes.

Mid-length fics 20k-75k (Complete)

1. Running Uphill by NHMoonshadow (@sharysisnhmoonshadow) Rated M (violence, peril, language): The ultimate time travel soulmate AU fic imo. Absolutely top tier Gavin characterization and development. Rich backstories and relationships. Definitely some trauma, omg. But ultimately, a happy ending. Definitely a must-read for any Convin fan imo.

2. Traces by berryblonde (@berry--blonde) Rated M (language, peril, minor suicidal ideation): One of the first long fics I ever read for this ship and still one of my faves. Excellent casefic setup, very interesting premise and some very dynamic characters. Also, really A+ backstory for Gavin. This is basically a classic for anyone who wasn’t around in the early days of fandom. Highly recommend!

3. His Robin by wolfetz Rated T (drama, language): Absolutely fantastic coming of age story set in a human!AU world. Really great character work for both Connor and Gavin and their relationship through the years. Love this one.

4. A Scratched CD/A Faulty Code by consecrated Rated T (mental health issues, language): Companion pieces told from Gavin and Connor’s POVs respectively. These were also very early fics I read when I was first getting into the fandom and I love them both dearly. The characterization here went a long way towards me loving the ship to begin with. A great intro to Convin.

5. That Boy is a Powder Keg by QueenHarleyQuinn Not Rated (language, violence, mature content, mental health issues): One of the most realistic takes on Gavin going from his canon asshole self to someone who could feasibly be in a relationship with Connor. I’m definitely due to re-read this cuz I can’t quite remember the details anymore, but I know I really enjoyed this at the time. Good for anyone who likes a more antagonistic take on him.

Shortfics/Oneshots (~20k)

1.  Sedum Spathulifolium by Burrahobbit Rated T (language): This fic... is so dang sweet. I’ve read it so many times. It’s absolutely adorable, what can I say? Love their dynamic here. ^_^

2. Always know that you are not alone by Liveinelf Rated T (language, drama): Another fantastic take on Gavin and his growth as a character. He starts off very close to canon here and is one mean asshole. But this fic does a great job of explaining why he acts as he does. And how he changes. Highly recommend.

3. Some things never change by berryblonde Rated T (language): An absolutely hilarious fic, lol. The view of Convin through the eyes of some rookie trainees, omg. It makes me laugh so much. XD

4. Mankind Needs More Empathy by BrightestStarInTheSky  (@brighteststarinthesky) Rated T (language, drama): Some good old-fashioned Gavin-getting-his-head-out-of-his-ass, lol. I love fics like this. Need a good basis to start a relationship, after all. Apologies are in order. ^_^

5. as i see them by rekal Rated T (language, drama): Same as the previous entry, this one deals with Gavin’s character growth and how he and Connor grow closer in the aftermath. It’s lovely.

6. Sweet/Wise men say... by 99MillionMiles (@99millionmilesaway) Not Rated: Two short, sweet fluff pieces that absolutely delight me every time I reread them. And as a bonus, some beautiful art by @deep-in-mind67, too!

7. Melted Phoenix by Astrapod Rated M (violence, trauma, mental health issues, mutilation, peril): This one... This is a heavy fic. It starts off with a very harrowing description of android violence that might be too much for some folks to handle. Proceed with caution. But, if you can weather that, this is an absolutely beautiful fic about love and healing. Definitely recommend.

8. So Pathetic and So Lovely by alekszova Rated M (language, drama, mental health issues, mature themes): I think the fic’s description speaks for itself here: “ Neither Gavin or Connor think they are capable of being loved by the other, but that doesn't mean it's true.” Definitely worth a read.

9. An unexpected turn of events by Smokey310 Rated T (language): This one is freakin hilarious. Connor and Gavin and a night out at the club, omg. I love this fic to death. XD

10. As Do I by berryblonde Rated T (drama): A human!AU where your soulmate can feel the injuries of their other half. It’s the story of a lifetime together. All the way til the end.

11. because the bed’s warm and it’s cold out by voidpants (@voidpants) Rated G (no warnings): Connor and Gavin being old men together. It’s beautiful. Such a lovely take on the two of them.

Unfinished Fics/Honorable Mentions

1. Spinning Yellow by sheepishwolfy (@sheepishwolfy) Rated E (violence, language, mature themes): Amazing casefic with top-tier characterization. What’s written of it is still amazing, even if it’s not complete.

2. Amidst a Crash of Worlds by fireplanetz Rated T (violence, mature themes, war, language): A fic told entirely through letters between Connor and Gavin in the aftermath of the bad ending of the game. It’s such an awesome idea and it’s executed so well. Definitely recommend. 

3. The Bet by Pence Rated T (language): Brooklyn 99-inspired DPD shenanigans. Need I say more? It’s so funny and I love the characterization of Connor and Gavin. Mostly finished, too! Just the final chapter missing!

4. Wicked by MercuryPilgrim Rated M (language, mature content): I love this one. It’s such a unique take on Connor and Gavin and it works so well, too. They are delightful here. Love the dynamic!

5. (can’t say) i don’t love you by Chibbers (@teh-chibi) Rated M (language, drama, sexual content): An angsty hanahaki!AU fic where these two idiots don’t realize they’re in love with each other. Really great writing here. Very emotional. Made me feel a lot.

And I guess I should mention that I have fics of my own, too, about half of which are Convin? You can check them out on my AO3 here! ^_^

So yeah, there we go. Those are really all I can think of off the top of my head. I know I missed some amazing works, too, alas. But at least this can give you a good start, yeah? Hope this helps @pancrystal! And thanks again for the ask! :D (Also, if I messed up any of the link or if there’re any glaring typos, lemme know. This was a lot of janky, Tumblr formatting, omg. >_<)