#I just find is very silly when people write him traumatic backstories

[illdothehotvoice]

Dimentio's entire. Thing. dshjnfdgnmdfh Makes me go crazy go stupid and it's so annoying because I don't even LIKE Dimentio that much but I'm also tired of seeing his character butchered lmfao dshjkfdg

[descendant-of-truth]

Y'know, it occurs to me - Movie!Sonic has a lot more in common Shadow than any other version of Sonic that I know of, and that creates a unique storytelling opportunity that wouldn't have been possible before.

Because originally, Shadow having a dark and traumatic backstory was what separated him from Sonic. Their similarities came out more in their confidence, their playful attitude, and even their withdrawn demeanor (though Shadow's is more extreme). Sonic's genuine ability to be carefree and optimistic was his biggest difference from Shadow.

In the movies, Sonic is... not nearly as put-together. Just like Shadow, his personality is shaped almost entirely from the result of tragedy. Both of them had to watch their closest family member get shot trying to save them from raiders (who were specifically targeting them for their powers) by sending them to Earth. The difference here is that, for Shadow, this event is fresh in his mind, while Sonic's had ten years (give or take) to accept what happened and move on.

Except, there's more, because losing Longclaw is itself not the main thing informing Sonic's character - it's the fact that he spent those next ten years in near-total isolation. Also similarly to Shadow, he took the last words his family said to him very seriously, and she told him to stay hidden no matter what. Combine that with the natural fear of what being found did to Longclaw, and the majority of Sonic's life has been spent hidden away, looking out at the world but unable to participate in it.

Remind you of anyone?

(I swear if the movie doesn't make a point about this parallel specifically I'm gonna lose it)

Normally, Sonic is a silly and upbeat character because that's just how he is by nature, and the feelings he keeps to himself are rarely detrimental to his health. In the movie universe, Sonic is silly and upbeat because he needed to be that way in order for his life to be bearable.

His constant chatter isn't quirky for the sake of it, it's a habit he developed out of necessity because there was no one else to talk to. He compulsively needs to fill the silence because not doing that would only reinforce how alone he was, and it's something he can't shake off even when he's not by himself anymore. His primary method of handling his feelings is to ignore them until they literally explode out of him with lightning firing everywhere.

All of this to say, a Shadow meant to be a foil to this Sonic is going to look very different from the Shadow we're used to. From what little about the movie's events have been described as of writing this, I'm inferring that Shadow's actually going to be a lot more open about his motivations for revenge than he was in the game, and that puts Sonic in the very interesting position of being more closed-off than Shadow.

Because sure, he might try to connect with Shadow's pain like he did with Knuckles. But because Sonic and Knuckles's history was so directly connected, they didn't really have to... talk that much about it. Sonic could acknowledge that they both lost their families a long time ago without having to go into detail about it or the aftermath. And because it had been so long since it happened, it was a lot easier for them to put it behind them and move on.

Shadow can't do that, because for him, Maria was lost very recently. He's not going to accept "you can move on and find new people to care about" as an option, and Sonic can't very well tell him to just ignore it like he did, either. Shadow isn't going to do the whole repression shtick.

For the first time, getting through to Shadow may just depend on Sonic being able to acknowledge his own pain, first. After all, how's Shadow supposed to interpret Sonic, if not as some random guy with a perfectly happy family and an obnoxiously happy attitude telling him that he needs to just, get over what happened to him? How can that come across as anything but naive and shallow without understanding how much Sonic suffered to get to this point?

(It's still a little naive and shallow even with that in mind, but the reason for that isn't because he has no perspective on what experiencing a violent tragedy is like - it's because his only known way of handling it is to leave it in the past and Not Think About It)

Though I do wonder if there's room for Sonic to initially clam up on his emotions even more after meeting Shadow for a bit? Like, he learns to some extent what happened, and is like "aw jeez if this is what could happen if I let myself be more upset about my lot in life then I REALLY need to reign it in" which is the exact opposite lesson he needs to learn but would be really interesting to watch

Point being, I think Sonic and Shadow are being set up as even more like mirrors to each other than usual, and I can't wait to see what they do with that potential

[destinysbounty]

Tell the people of your blorbitos¹, bountyboss²!

1 - blorbitos (noun): smaller blorbos, that originate from one's own brain;

2 - [n]boss (noun): a term equal to girlboss, often using a certain part of the interlocutor's identity or aesthetic as the replacement for "girl".

Aye aye, captain!

So i have. Many. Many many blorbitos from my brain. Ignoring all the ocs that come from various unused fics, here are my two main brain blorbos:

418 -- Red Visor oc

418 is a Red Visor who formerly worked for Unagmi but eventually developed self-awareness, passed through the Manifestation Gate, and is just kinda chilling in the real world now. He's become very intrigued by philosphy and sociology and existentialism and is a total nerd who reads long, dry academic papers just for fun. Hes also probably the closest thing to a well-adjusted individual in all of Ninjago. Red Visors dont originally have individual names iirc, but he named himself after a particular HTTP error code bc that's just his sense of humor. His friends call him 'Four' for short. Ive also been considering putting him in a post-ns12 fic that ive actually been working on for several weeks now, but that depends on whether or not i actually write the darn thing

Avery - elemental master oc!

Now i went a bit overboard with her backstory, but if youll indulge me for a bit of a rant! So, in the distant future, long after the original ninja are gone with only Lloyd left bc immortality, a kid named Avery befriends the current master of amber, named Kiara. Anywho, a new threat has been wrecking Ninjago and an old, wisened Lloyd has been recruiting elemental masters to help him protect the world once more. And since Kiara is the new master of amber, she gets recruited - and because Avery is her bestie, she insists on tagging along.

Avery isnt initially an elemental master, tho! She starts out in a support role that is functionally similar to Samurai X. But over time she gets a bit jealous of everyone's cool powers and adventures, and all the attention they get from saving the world all the time. So when a new villain manages to find the Teapot of Tyrahn and releases Nadakhan...well, Avery gets duped into wishing for elemental power. And thus the element of acid is created! The drawback? Using her power physically hurts her! And she doesnt have a lot of control over it! Isnt that fun.

Anyway even after they defeat Nadakhan (for good this time), Avery is still stuck with her broken element, and old!Lloyd trains her to control it. And JUST when she is finally getting the hang of things, guess who shows up - the Time Twins! Remember how they yoinked off to the future at the end of HoT? Yeah this is that future. And remember the Obsidian Glaive from Shadow of Ronin? The relic capable of manipulating peoples memories? Yeah they manage to piece that thing back together, and use it on Kiara to coerce her into turning traitor and siding with the Hands of Time (by twisting her memories to make her think Avery isnt her friend but rather her enemy). So in a big confrontation between Avery and the Time Twins/Kiara, Kiara shoves Avery into a time vortex.

Eventually, Avery lands in the past. Several centuries in the past. Roughly circa season 3 of the canon era, to be specific. And. Uh. Shes not having a great time, lets just say that. Especially since old!Lloyd's teachings were the only thing that helped Avery control her broken element, but now she has to deal with a version of Lloyd that is actually less experienced than her and its...complicated. So Avery has some messy baggage regarding Lloyd, and also its just generally weird to have her old man mentor be so young and spry and silly.

In an AU where Avery exists, shed have met the ninja during Chen's tournament (due to future knowledge she knows Chen is evil, but old!Lloyd has never been especially forthcoming about the more traumatic details of his past and also she has terrible memory, so she while she knows Chen is evil she doesnt exactly know the nature of his schemes. Shes just here bc she wants to steal Clouse's spellbook in case it has any time travel spells that can send her home.) From then on she would be a recurring ally, using her vague-at-best knowledge of world history to aid them in their various quests, until officially joining the team to help search for Master Wu.

Anyway, im not much of an artist but here's a drawing of Avery! Dont ask me to draw 418 tho, i dont think my limited art skills reach that far

I have some more ocs, but these are the most well-developed, fleshed-out characters i have so far.

[zevzevarainai]

Hey! You ever end up doing essay on the kazumaji gifs? (I'm highly interested because it's always majima o' clock where I live)

it’s always majima o’clock here too; maybe we live in the same area... but lmao i didnt write the essay on my kazumaji gifs because i didnt think anyone would want to hear it so i meant it more as a per request kind of deal. and you’re requesting. I want you to know you did this to yourself, my friend

below the read more for everyone’s well being. welcome to my first official majima analysis essay

ok so in those tags i said something like majima is softest with kiryu because it is absolutely the truth (unless you count makoto, which i love them too, but majima has moved on or at least is making an effort to. and that was pre-tacky snake skin jacket and pre-mad dog persona.) 

the prompt for the gifset was “maybe something about majima being stupid and unhinged but like, in a sweet way” and the whole point of this rambling is that kiryu is really the only one we see who causes the mad-dog persona to slip. kiryu says he can never get a read on majima but just because he is unpredictable doesn’t mean he doesn’t understand that he isn’t just batshit crazy. he trusts majima, and finds comfort in his lack of predictability, keeping kiryu’s life exciting and providing distraction from the insane amount of tragic shit that happens to kiryu. and majima has a similar experience of idolizing the yakuza lifestyle as teens/young adults only to have the yakuza drag them through hell. But this is supposed to be about Majima.

ANYWAY what GETS ME is again that mad-dog vibe slipping around kiryu. the only time we really only see it again is with Saejima when he comes back from jail. i’m gonna talk about that later too. LET’s GET TO THE GIFS i’m going in chronological order not the order i put them in

1)

Ok so as an audience, we don’t really know what happened between Kiryu and Majima between Yakuza Zero and Yakuza/Yakuza Kiwami. Yes, we get that tiny ending scene of Majima going KIRYU-CHAN for the first time and Kiryu smiling at him. But we are given nothing as to how they met or why Majima started calling him Kiryu-chan. It is left completely to the audience’s interpretation. Because then it goes straight to the first scene with Majima in Yakuza/Yakuza Kiwami after Kiryu gets out of jail. It implies that they already knew each other, and arguably that they were somewhat close -- close enough for Majima to “miss him.” (What was majima doing for those 10 years, i don’t know, but he clearly wasn’t in a great place, missing both kiryu, makoto, and saejima, we ignore y5 lore in this household or make up shit to fill in the giant gaps) You could argue that Majima missing Kiryu is just Majima being “crazy haha woah” but his character is so much deeper than that, and it’s proven in this gif’s scene. Yes he is fighting Kiryu with all his men. But if you are reading this you understand that them fighting physically all the time is a secret love language. They never intend to severely hurt each other. Fighting is how they know that they have an equal, someone else who was modeled into a weapon because of the Tojo Clan.

And yes, “He belongs to me!” is an extremely gay thing to say. He doesn’t even need to say that, though. One of his men didn’t understand that he doesn’t actually want to hurt Kiryu. The guy picked up Majima’s knife and tried to actually hurt Kiryu. Majima willingly gets stabbed so Kiryu doesn’t get hurt. That’s a handful of gay subtext right there. Majima’s first scene in y1 is about how the world is a horrible, shitty place that will chew you up and spit you out if you care. Then he goes and gets stabbed. Self-sacrificially. He cares about Kiryu, even if it hurts. 

2)

This one isn’t as deep. It stems of the same concept of them fighting each other as equals. Majima explicitly says more than once that strength is the most admirable trait, Goromi says that it only matters that a man is strong. Kiryu is the only person who presents a challenge to him. He admires him. 

3)

(As a disclaimer, I know a lot of people are uncomfortable with Goromi. I’ve also seen a lot of non-binary, gender-fluid, etc. people project on Goromi and Majima, and I feel like that can only be a good thing. Obviously they deserve more and more quality representation. I think the people who dislike Goromi are valid as well, but for the sake of this argument we are going to see Goromi as the people who project on her do and I’m going to use she/her pronouns when talking about Goromi.)

Regardless on your stance on this whole little side quest, the player has the choice to go along with Goromi which creates actually a lot of subtle connecting between the two of them. Even in just talking to her, we see the mad-dog mask slip. She talks about how much she cared about the girls at Club Shine and wonders how they’re doing. Literally says “all part of my tragic-ass backstory.” And Kiryu sympathizes with it. Says he sees through the “i hated it” bullshit and sees Majima/Goromi’s true self, which is that the cabaret job was hard for Majima because he cared about the women and didn’t like using them as a source of income and knew it would be his fault if they got hurt. 

Also, Goromi says that "When I’m with a guy, it’s all about if I’m having enough fun. That’s why he’s gotta be strong.” Sound like someone we know? Someone who we are talking about in the last gif with i-just-got-the-shit-beat-out-of-me-and-it-was-awesome bliss on his face?

Anyway, the scene in the gif is near the end of the session. Kiryu is talking about how he’s been in prison for 10 years, and Goromi says that now that he’s out he should try to relax and and a little fun. Arguably, “since you’re so lonely right now, I’m gonna give ya a hand!” is most of Majima’s role in YK1. Kiryu gets out of prison. Majima wants to fight him all the time and says it’s because he’s gone soft and needs to train. Majima Everywhere presents excitement in his life when everything else is hard and shitty and traumatizing. Yes, Majima kidnapped Haruka. But there isn’t a lot of info on that. Majima says he did it so they could fight but it very likely could have been an order from the Tojo Clan or even Nishiki. Until he develops a bond with Haruka, Majima is, in a way, all he has. Nishiki is mean now. Yumi is ???. Kazama is i don’t even remember but he certainly isn’t any emotional support. He’s lonely. Majima is the only person he has from before prison, and quite possibly the only person who understands what he is going through. 

4)

YK2, Kiryu has yeeted out of Majima’s life as Kiryu does, but he’s trying to protect haruka so I’ll let it slide. And what does Majima do now that Kiryu’s not there? Leaves the Tojo Clan. Yes it’s because he doesn’t like the 5th chairman’s style and to make up for Kawamura, but the point is he’s bored. The use of “MY Kiryu-chan” is obviously written there because “haha majima he’s crazyyy” but come on. Majima left the Tojo Clan after Kiryu stepped down as the 4th chairman. Because he was bored. Because he couldn’t trust his own men. The only person he considered an equal just wasn’t there anymore and he found it difficult to adjust. (That’s YEARNING, fellas)

So yes, HIS Kiryu-chan came home, but what is home in this context? It clearly isn’t the tojo clan, so I guess it could be Kamurocho in general. But if the clan doesn’t make it home, what does make it home? Perhaps a certain triangle shaped man??

5)

Oh boy silly Majima wants to fight Kiryu again hahaha weeeeeeeee NO listen, LISTEN, he does want to fight kiryu again, because 1) the man has been bored for a year 2) FIGHTING IS THEIR LOVE LANGUAGE 3) Majima is once again surprising Kiryu in a world where nothing surprises him anymore, where kiryu expects people to be vile and only want him for gain. Every single goddamn game it’s “Kiryu plz save the Tojo Clan plz” and Kiryu NEVER gets anything in return unless you count, i don’t know, Daigo and Haruka’s safety? But Majima doesn’t give a shit about any of that. Majima is one of the only people who consistently does things for Kiryu (even if they’re presented in an abnormal way). Majima is really the only one who makes sacrifices for Kiryu. But this fight, it kicks off YK2 of “hey, i missed you but i won’t admit it because we’re manly yakuza, please let me try to make you smile.”

6)

THE kazumaji scene. Going off of Majima being the only one to make sacrifices for Kiryu, here’s a perfect example. Majima first aids the Tojo Clan which he swore to leave literally only because Kiryu asked him to. Then, here, he get beaten within an inch of his life because he promised Kiryu he would protect Kamurocho from Ryuji. Majima does not give a shit about the Tojo Clan at this point. Yes, Majima LOVEEESSSS beating people up, but he’s fatally wounded. This is not a Majima who would die for the Tojo Clan. This is a Majima willing to die for Kiryu. After warning Kiryu about being to trusting, too.

And of course, we get the Majima collapsing on the pavement and Kiryu rushing in to CRADLE him in his arms like a damn fanfic. You’ve even got the “I did it for you” which everyone knows is basically an “I love you.” Look at Majima’s face in the gif. Bless the Kiwami 2 graphics, first of all. He’s looking at Kiryu like he wants him to be the last thing he sees, like he wants him to know that he’s going out for Kiryu, that despite the fact that he’s about to cough up blood he needs Kiryu to have the information he needs to save the clan and Kamurocho. He’s telling Kiryu all this with labored breath because he promised. Kiryu “One-Expression” Kazuma is viably worried as hell, the little nod in the gif kills me because Kiryu needs him to know he’s touched and he’s so grateful. The only reason Kiryu left him was because there was danger elsewhere and he trusts Kaoru enough to take care of him. (Side note: I love Kaoru Sayama, but I still feel like she’s good enough a character on her own and doesn’t need to be a romantic interest for Kiryu. Like it was like oh... she’s Girl so she needs to fall for the Big Strong Male Protag.... If Majima was a cis girl they would have made out in this game, maybe even y1.) 

7) Speaking of sacrifices, Yakuza 3, the game where Majima literally joined the Tojo Clan again because Kiryu wanted him to protect Daigo. That’s a huge lifestyle change, Majima.

Yes, this scene is funny because Majima is riding in a Barbie-ass truck like a 15 year old driving on a learner’s permit in a downpour (yet proves he can drive stick seconds later) and thinks he hit Kiryu while he purposely hit everyone else. Look, Majima needs this ok y3 he looks like he’s been crying since kiryu left no one No One is going to hurt Kiryu now

That truck is likely stolen, he’s driving erratically as fast as he can because Kiryu is in danger, how did he even know that Kiryu was in danger is it like some kind of 6th sense... If you didn’t already know, I would take a bullet for Majima’s voice actor; his delivery of “Kiryu-chan! Where are you?!” could have just been like haha oops kiryu did i hit you ;3 but instead it’s this raw cry of genuine panic, like did his actions get kiryu hurt, Majima could not live with himself if he was the reason Kiryu got fatally hurt

8) Ok I’ve hinted at the fact that I have beef with the Hot Mess that is yakuza 5, wasn’t huge on Y4 and Y6 was fine but it was heavily based on the events of Y5. In my head I’ve got an entire fix-it fanfic in which Majima yeets out to Okinawa with Kiryu after Y3 I could write that upon request too ANYWAY here’s another sacrificial majima...

Despite not caring for Y5, THIS SCENE is RAW. Maybe he’s not super “unhinged” in this scene but it’s just so much. Majima, who Kiryu brokedown in his taxi bc he thought he got killed (because Kiryu made him stay in the tojo clan haha we’re out here crying), chooses Kiryu over Saejima. Saejima, Majima’s oath brother, Saejima. We love Saejima, Majima loves Saejima, but 25 years is a long ass time. Majima changed. Saejima changed. For awhile he had Makoto, but then Kiryu was all Majima had for a good chunk of Saejima’s time in prison. This is the man Majima got his eye stabbed out for defending. But the BaD GuYs that arent memorable enough for me to even look up the names of are like look, we want to watch the world burn because we are Bad Guys, so either you are going to fight your brother to the death or we are going to snipe Kiryu’s daughter in the fucking head. Obviously he doesn’t know that Baba is going to betray them, so he has to pick between Saejima and Haruka. He chooses to potentially kill Saejima for Kiryu’s happiness. I’m sure if things didn’t change, Majima would have held back and let Saejima kill him. Majima would rather die than see Kiryu in pain. Majima would rather kill Saejima/let Saejima kill him than let Haruka die. If that’s not a giant declaration of unconditional love and devotion, I don’t know what else to tell you.

Anyway, thanks so much for indulging me and listening to my yakuza opinions if you made it this far you the mvp :’’’’)

[shadowbanki]

About that New Project (UPDATED)

EDIT: I updated and I added MORE CHARACTERS (something felt imbalanced still and I couldn’t stop lol) and I actually did general descriptions for all of them... They’re not extensive and may change, however.

———

The thing I was talking about in my Soune Taya post...

The Mega Project?

Well... it was going to be a visual novel concept.

But since I have no skill in making a VN, I’m just going to write a story. Like the anime that will be based off the VN. Like Clannad’s anime or something.

It’s going to be long since I have (ahem) FOURTY-SIX (46) WHOLE CHARACTERS WITH ROUTES THAT I’M GOING TO INCORPORATE.

This is why I said I will never ever finish it, even if I devote my entire life to it.

But it won’t feel right without all these characters. I WANT to have all these characters. I’m a “go big or go home” person. I’m too ambitious and I know that.

So.

Here are the characters.

Haku, Neru, Miku, Luka, Teto, Gumi, Meiko, Lapis, Merli, Lily, IA, Yukari, Uta, Zatsune, Rin, Len, Kaito, Akaito, Dell, Gakupo, Yuuma, Piko, Mizuki, Nigaito, Dex, Daina, Ruby, Taya, Longya, Ling, Momo, SeeU, Ruko, Ritsu, Miki, Aku, Bruno, Clara, Iroha, Yuu, Wil, Kyo, Akari, Qingxian, Anon, Kanon In the story adaption, Uta Utane (Defoko) will take the role as the player/main character, and learns everyone’s backstories. She will be the one with the (gigantic) “harem” around her. Think, Tomoya from Clannad. But IF there’s ever an actual game, I’ll plan on Uta being one of the date-able characters. She’ll be your childhood friend.

The characters are all college students here. They are all college-age, roughly between 18-26, depending on which character. I may give them specific ages eventually.

Here are descriptions I thought of already. For some of these Loids, this is my first time EVER writing or portraying them. Ever.

(Full names are listed in Western order. This is partly due to the story taking place in the USA, in a “Japantown” sort of place to explain the prominent Japanese population.)

——————————————————

Haku Yowane- A shy, gloomy girl who is looking to join in the school’s choir... However, the choir doesn’t have enough members. And it’s not like Haku is a good enough singer to singlehandedly bring it back to life... or confident to work up the courage to even audition. Haku seems to depend on Neru, her only friend, to comfort her when she gets down. Haku is the cousin of the popular Miku Hatsune, the most popular girl in the school and star singer in the choir. Neru Akita- A tomboy with a hot temper. But inside, she hides delicate feelings. She seems to always be with Haku, cheering her up when she gets down. The two seem to only have each other. Miku Hatsune- A very popular girl and star singer in the choir. A bubbly, cheerful sweetheart. Has lots of friends and is always smiling. Idealistic and doesn’t believe in impossible. Miku dreams big, but apparently she gets very depressed when her dreams are crushed. Luckily that never seems to happen... for now. Luka Megurine- A polite and elegant woman. She can appear aloof and intimidating at first, but is actually just shy. She is half Japanese, a quarter French, and a quarter German. Teto Kasane- A bubbly girl who can be childish. Is playful, weird, and a bit demanding. Very clumsy. Gumi- A girl who can be a bit shy, but once you get past that, Gumi is unique, free-spirited, and chill. She likes art and reading books. She keeps a sketchbook with her at all times. Meiko Sakine- The confident, mature woman of the group. Energetic and loves to party. Still responsible. Like a mother or older sister. Has quite a temper, though she mostly uses it to defend others... Lapis Aoki- Merli’s stepsister, who seems to be the opposite of her. Bubbly and playful, and quite childish. Quite friendly. However, she can be a bit selfish at times. Lapis is Japanese, though her adoptive sister Merli is Indian. Merli Aoki- Lapis’ stepsister, who seems to be the opposite of her. She can seem cold and distant, even a bit harsh at first. But inside, she is very thoughtful and willing to help those important to her. Merli is Indian, though she was adopted into Lapis’ Japanese family after the death of her parents. Lily- The school’s toughest female delinquent. IA- An idolized girl in the school for her good looks and singing skills. However, she hides dark feelings? Yukari Yuzuki- Half sister to Akari Kizuna. Looks up to IA but also feels she will never be as good as her. Uta Utane- A rather plain, bluntly-spoken person who doesn’t see much in life. Usually bored, silent, and rather deadpan. Once a bright girl with lots of dreams. Deep inside, she is passionate and caring, really... Can it be restored? She is non-binary, going mostly by she/her. Miku Zatsune- Edgy and hates Miku. She would rather be called Zatsune, because her first name happens to be Miku, like the person she despises so much... But could there be something deeper to her? Rin Kagamine- Rin is a bit chaotic. She is bold, brash, athletic, and charming. She is also just plain nuts. Len Kagamine- Len fries to be cool and hip, but he is just a big dork. He is quite the comedian however, sometimes unintentionally. Kaito Shion- Kaito is a silly boy. He loves ice cream, unicorns, rainbows, and anything fluffy. But he also has moments of seriousness where he says really deep, philosophical things. He is quite romantic. Akaito Shion- Akaito is a sarcastic and grumpy boy, but when it comes to romance, he gets quite passionate. He sometimes flirts around with girls, but when he finally finds a true love with a girl (or guy) who truly changes his life... well... it’s a bit different. Dell Honne- Dell is usually in a bad mood. He currently lives with a father who barely acknowledges him. He tends to keep it all inside, and he’s really just lonely and needs to find someone to vent to. He enjoys computer programming and composing electronic music. He is Haku’s half-brother, but they didn’t grow up together. Gakupo Kamui- Gakupo likes doing kendo and martial arts, and is generally athletic. He is a nice guy who also loves animals and history. He seems serious, but can be unexpectedly silly sometimes. He likes embracing his Japanese and Ainu heritage. Yuuma- Yuuma likes music and is quite popular. He may seem hard to approach, because sometimes he doesn’t know what to say. He is a little blunt at times, but has a good heart. He has a crush on Mizuki. Piko Utatane- Piko is a genius who loves astronomy and excels in mathematics and physics. He is a shy and compassionate person, but whenever he opens his mouth, he sounds very strict. He is bad at socializing and making friends, which leaves him quite lonely. On top of that, he is sickly and absent from school often. Piko wishes to make a friend. His first friend in the school is Lapis Aoki, who pretends to be a fairy to grant his wish. After a while, Lapis declares that she wants to be Piko’s friend. Mizuki- Mizuki is a singer who also plays the a Japanese harp (koto.) She is quite a charming person and seems to flirt with many people... even girls... but not Yuuma. Since Yuuma has a crush on Mizuki, this discourages him. Nigaito Shion- The youngest of the three Shion bothers. Nigaito’s nicknames are Nini and Nii. He is rather sickly, but remains to have a warm and pure heart. Dex- Daina’s childhood friend. Best friends, even though they are of completely different genders, and with very different personalities. Some people wonder how it works. Dex is silly, fun, a bit of a party animal, but he is still very caring and compassionate. He just needs a bit of help devoting himself to his studies. But he is quite intelligent when he is focused. He is Black, Creole, and is learning French. Daina- Dex’s childhood friend. Best friends, even though they are of completely different genders, and with very different personalities. Some people wonder how it works. Daina likes to study and learn, and doesn’t like atmospheres like parties so much. She prefers quiet, peaceful places. She may seem a bit distant on the outside, but she is just a little shy. She is White, with English and French heritage. Ruby- Ruby is rather confident, yet nice, and will always give people a helping hand. She is Black and Latina. Taya Soune- Taya is incredibly polite, bowing at many occasions and also offering to do favors a lot. He speaks very formally. He is non-binary, but go mostly by he/him. Longya Yuezheng- A quite serious man who is dutiful and studious. Protective over his younger sister, Ling, and monitors her safety constantly. This is due to Ling nearly getting into a tragic accident when they were younger, traumatizing Longya. He is Chinese. Ling Yuezheng- Ling is a hardworking student, however she has a playful side and she feels lonely that she doesn’t have many friends and is devoting her life to studying. Momo Momone- A peaceful, sleepy girl. Rather low-energy and tranquil. However, Momo has quite a temper when it comes to injustice. SeeU- A rather eccentric, bold and energetic girl with “the light of the stars in her eyes.” She is Korean. Ruko Yokune- Ruko is one of the most mature characters, having a lot of wisdom about life and many experiences. However, they still have moments where they need a helping hand. Ruko is non-binary, mostly going by she/her or they/them. Ritsu Namine- Ritsu is rather brash, but means well. He is non-binary and mostly go by he/him. Miki- Loves romance anime/manga and is obsessed with “cute couples.” A true fangirl. Acts cute and animated. Iroha’s best friend. Aku Yamine- Hates her name, because it’s pronounced the same as the word for “evil” in Japanese. Prefers to be called Akurin. Aku is a very nice and naive, somewhat clumsy girl with big dreams. Is half Black and half Japanese. Bruno- Black Latino, lived in the Dominican Republic. Polite and soft-spoken, but a talented guitarist. Clara- From Colombia, and is Latina. A rather doting girl who somehow feels like both a mother and a little sister. Iroha Nekomura- Loves cute things and stuffed animals. Is kind of insecure and doesn’t find herself very cute, though her best friend Miki constantly reassures her. Yuu- A sweet, cheerful guy who is always filled with energy. Half English, half Japanese. He is in a band with Wil and Kyo called ZOLA PROJECT. Wil- A sophisticated, fashionable guy who is quite outgoing. He is Black. He is in a band with Yuu and Kyo called ZOLA PROJECT. Kyo- A wild, energetic guy who is always raring to go. He is Japanese. He is in a band with Yuu and Wil called ZOLA PROJECT. Akari Kizuna- Yukari Yuzuki’s half-sister. Cheerful and sweet, and wants to make others smile... even though many heavy thoughts are hiding behind her own smile. Qingxian Mo- She seems very nice, but she’s actually a bit self-absorbed. Since her name is hard to pronounce for English-speakers, she insists on being called Qing (pronounced like Ching.)

Anon- (Coming soon)

Kanon- (Coming soon)

[froggonoboggo]

Answer all the OC questions Erika. D O I T

Alright then! lol I’ll do Persedimun Rigas as he is currently in the rp thread I have with my friends🌹 Where in the world does your OC feel most at home? Is there any reason why? If it’s not the place they were born, where were they born? Is there a certain somebody that makes them feel at home where ever they may be? What does home mean to them?

Percy feels most at home on his farm and anywhere in the ocean. He made the farm his own after he had been in hiding for centuries, and as a water dragon, he and the ocean are one. Percy was born up north somewhere deep in the ocean but left when he was old enough to separate from his family. There is absolutely someone who makes him feel at home, and home to him means somewhere he feels safe, happy, and can just be himself without holding anything back.🍄 What are your OCs favourite snacks? Their favourite comfort food which always cheers them up when they’re down? Favourite meal to make? Do they enjoy baking and cooking and are they any good in the kitchen?Percy has a sweet tooth and he’s not picky either, the man will eat about anything you give him. He’s also a big fan of soup, and any soup he can fix up is his go to in order to cheer him up, the same goes for favorite meal to make. He adores baking and cooking and he’ll tell you that he’s alright in the kitchen.

🍁 Where does your OC go when they need to have some time to themself? Would they ever have their own “comfort corner” filled with all the things they like? Do they have a favourite spot outside that feels like its theirs and theirs alone?

Percy doesn’t have many places to escape to, due to needing to keep himself inconspicuous from higher beings, and he doesn’t need to for the most part because his safe place is on the farm. If that place is compromised he disappears into the ocean for awhile.

🍂 Does your OC enjoy hugs? What do they do as a show of affection for: their friends, their family, their significant other(s) or for strangers? Over all what are they like with recieving affection from others?

He adores hugs and will readily give them out whenever it is needed. For friends and family he shows the same type of affection for both. He’s a very touchy guy, lots of pats and jokes, always ready to do something for them. The same goes for significant others actually, but more kisses involved, hand holding, and lingering touches. Does not hold back from PDA. For strangers he’s less involved with the touches. Percy loves receiving affection, and depending on what it is, may become bashful.

🌻 What little things do they notice about people or the world around them that make them happy? What tiny little treasures do they find in the normal every day that makes the world seem a little brighter for them?

Percy is a bit of a cheesy sap, and smiles and laughter really brings him in. The sounds of happiness really strikes him. The soft eyes of his cows, his dog, and the soft pattering of rain calms him.

🌾 Describe your OC through the eyes of someone absolutely head-over-heels in love with them

Persedimun is warm and soft, as well as a big boy who’s chest serves as the best pillow. He’s super goofy, adventurous, caring, and has incredibly kind eyes and gives the best hugs. Percy is a cheesy romantic and its adorable, his hands are rough but they hold what they cherish so delicately and tenderly, with every ounce of love and admiration he has to offer. He’ll hang on to every word you say and will say your voice is one of his favorite sounds.

 💐 How does your OC handle being unwell or forced to rest in bed? Who cares for them and in what ways? Does your OC enjoy being doted on or are they a terrible patient? Reversed: is your OC good at taking care of others who are ill or in need?

He’s not particularly a fan of being sick and he’s usually the one who takes care of himself, since he was a rogue dragon for a long time and he’s also by himself for the most part. He does, to an extent, like to be doted on, though he’d rather do the doting to the ones he cares about himself. He’s an excellent caretaker and usually stays by their side unless asked otherwise.

🌿 What way does your OC show that they care without using words? What way do others show your OC that they’re cared about without using speech?

As stated above, he shows that he cares about someone by always being willing to help them out, no matter what he’s doing or may want to do. Percy likes to take care of people. He also likes to give gifts, things that remind them of someone or he creates something.

🌳 What is your OC’s favourite way to relax after a stressful day? Do they have a favourite book to curl up with? A hobby? Or do they have a nice bubble bath and have an early night to bed?

He draws, paints, or naps, for the most part. If he could, he’d morph into his dragon form, hop into the ocean and sun himself on the surface like crocodiles do. Or he sits under a tree in the field, surrounded by cows and sheep and just looks out across the moors and into the trees, perhaps doodling. Percy’s an artist, and likes creating paintings or sketching, perhaps writing as well.

🌲 How deeply does your OC feel? Are they typically empathetic or do they have a hard time connecting with others in this way? What are they like when offering support and comfort to someone they care for?

Persedimun cares perhaps too much, sometimes. He’s incredibly empathetic and sympathetic, always available to lend a hand and help someone, whether it be an innocent bystander or someone they care about. Him caring about the wellbeing of his people led him to where he is now, shamed and hiding in the middle of Scotland by himself.

🌺 What does your OC do to calm down when they’re scared or after a nightmare? Do they have any special comfort items or need to be reassured by a specific person? How do they handle this if they’re alone?

He usually stays up, gets out of bed and just looks outside and thinks to himself. Or he’ll go outside and listen to the sounds of the night, sit on the porch and just contemplate. He’s not too keen on asking other for help in this situation, and usually deals with it by himself unless they find out. He will accept help at that point, and contact is great at calming him down.

🌸 What are some of their favourite things and why? List as many as you can think of!

Naps, eating, shiny and pretty things, painting, the ocean, rain and storms, cows, being cozy and warm, sweaters, animals in general actually, flowers (specifically gladiolus).

🥀 How would your OC decorate a notebook or journal? What kind of things are written in there? Could you give an example of a nice entry?

If he can, will doodle on the cover and within as well. Would write about random thoughts and rambling, notes about what he’s learned about his curse, notes about his art, things for him to remember and things he does remember because if he’s not careful with his protection spells or forgets to bring his charm, he’ll slowly forget things that he should remember. An example of a nice entry would just be him rambling some random fact he learned today from one of his friends and a silly doodle at the end. 

🌼 Who are this characters friends and found family? How did they meet, how long have they been friends for, could they ever be something more than just friends? What do they look for in a friend or a romantic partner?

Percy’s new friends would be Matteo, Artemis, and Killian, who belong to @sanguinemori @cacticouture and @technologicalnoiz respectively. As it currently stands in the thread, the closest Percy is to any of them is Matteo. They technically first encountered each other in a seedy bar when some werewolf decided to insult Matteo’s sister and Matteo pulled a sword on him. Percy interceded before things got too crazy, as well as the other two. They haven’t known each other for long, but their chemistry is perfect, and there is definitely a chance that they could be more than just friends. 

What he looks for in a partner and in a friend is not much different from each other. He loves to hang out with adventurous people, people who know how to get rowdy and have fun, people who can be as goofy as him and don’t mind that he tends to ramble about things that sometimes don’t matter. And people who care, who are warm.

💫What is your favourite fact about this character and why?

My favorite fact about Percy is that when he became a god he was like “fuck hanging out and hiding in the clouds, I’m staying right here and interacting with my worshippers as if they were family and helping them directly” and I love that because how easy would it be if you were some guy in ancient Greece and you could just walk over and ask your local dragon god if he could make it rain since your crops aren’t getting enough water and he’s like “yeah no problem dude” and then it just happens. No middleman, no catch, nothing, just straight up answered.

☄️ Does this OC deserve better treatment from you? Do you make them suffer just a little bit too much? Be nice to them!

As of right now, his backstory takes the brunt of the suffering, but hey, there’s always room for more >:)

🌠 On a scale of 1 - 10 how Baby is your OC? 

on a scale of 1-10, Percy falls on a 6. He is baby to me, but I’m not actually sure how much baby.

💦 If you as the writer could erase one traumatic event from this OC’s life what would it be and why?

His rebellion caused a whole string of traumatic events, just one after another, but I’d take away him losing his first friends, where they were captured, stripped of their godhood and are now being tormented. Percy didn’t deserve to lose them, and there could’ve been a very high chance they all made it out alive. The man would probably be in a better place if he still had their support.

God this is a lot, sorry about this but those are all the asks Aary XDD as you requested! I had a lot of fun doing this!

[backtodc]

As fun as it is to throw salt at Gosho I think this could be a good time to talk about some good DC cases. So, which are your top ten cases so far?

Hmmm, this took some thought–presented chronologically because I couldn’t pick preferential order XP

Billion Yen Robbery (013-016): Even disregarding its long-term impact on the plot, this case on its own had a good twist in how Akemi disguised herself and the lies she told to track down her robbery partners. I’m always a fan of people, rather than going for big heavy-duty disguises, just using little details of makeup and presentation to completely change their appearance. Ran’s big heart was evident in this case and how strongly she felt about “Masami”‘s safety after just meeting her twice, and this one also what is still one of my favourite ninja-Ran moments to date. Potential kidnapper/murderer across the street? Maybe we should call the police, or run down the stairs OR I GUESS WE COULD JUMP OUT OF A FIRST FLOOR WINDOW AND CHASE HIM ACROSS THE STREET AND DO A FLYING KICK TO DESTROY HIS CAR WINDOW AND ALSO HIS NOSE

Akemi’s death opens up a shitton of plot, and, despite how it gets slightly overused later on (not quite to “did you know Bruce Wayne’s parents got murdered” levels but definitely a biiiiit overused) it’s still one of the most genuinely tragic deaths, especially since Shinichi admitted his real name to her to try and offer her some comfort as she died. TEARS Q_Q

A Haunted Mansion Murder Case (017-019): The case that introduced the Ayumi, Mitsuhiko and Genta. I always think of this one quite fondly. It had a genuinely creepy atmosphere–the “haunted” mansion looks the right side of cliche-creepy, especially once it turns out there’s actually someone around, and honestly I can forgive the incidents of the kids wandering off alone and vanishing because they’re six, of course they’re gonna do silly shit like wander off alone in a haunted mansion. And the truth of the matter is something that’s vanishingly rare in Detective Conan, something I wish we saw more often: a crime of passion. 

There’s no clever trick to the murder: the son, Akio, just loses the rag under a torrent of verbal abuse and smashes his father’s head in with a candlestick. There’s no clever trick to the cover-up, either; his mother messed with the crime scene a bit and reported it as a robbery, and given that the family’s obviously very wealthy, money probably changed hands if any investigating officer did think to suspect anything other than a robbery. All she’s thinking about is protecting her son from the consequences of his crime; all he can think about is his guilt and horror over the murder he committed. The case goes from genuinely creepy to honestly tragic. It’s a proper emotional story, and at no point do any six-year-olds have to witness a human corpse, which I’m always in favour of. And I like Genta, Mitsuhiko and Ayumi and I’m glad they were introduced shut the fuck up

The Hatamoto Family Case (020-025): This was another case with good creepy atmosphere, a solid closed circle situation, classic big fucked-up family situation but at the heart of it, Natsue and Takeshi are a genuinely sweet couple who really don’t deserve all this bullshit and you spend the case really hoping for them to be safe and things to turn out okay for them, the traumatic deaths of several close relatives aside. The murderer is pretty sad, though I feel like Gosho intended him to be more sympathetic than he actually was–he certainly could’ve done with less abuse from his grandfather and been allowed to emotionally invest in his art more, but the cousins thing aside, murdering multiple people over a girl you’ve never even approached marrying somebody else with whom she’s had an actual relationship and is in love with is… not sympathetic. But I’m also glad that the nice chef uncle came out alright too, and that all three of the sympathetic family members reappeared in later cases since they were all very likeable characters. 

Moonlight Sonata (062-067): This one sticks in a lot of people’s minds, and I think it’s for the same reason that the haunted mansion case sticks in mine; atmosphere. This is another one with a good, genuinely creepy atmosphere from the immediate sense of “small town with a dark secret” we get as soon as the Mouri Detective Agency arrives on the island. Gosho was very good at building these atmospheres once upon a time, I would’ve liked to see him write a horror manga. The case is deeply tragic from start to finish, from the murders of the Asoh family, to the fact that Seiji/Narumi got the idea for the “curse” from playing a funeral song for a man who’d just had a heart attack after admitting to murdering their family, to the complex nature of Dr Asai’s grief and guilt that they felt the need to avenge their family but simultaneously called for a detective in the hopes that they’d be stopped, to their suicide at the end because they can’t live with what they felt obligated to do. There are Gosho’s usual… issues… with gender, and given the bigotry that became obvious later he probably had no clue at all what he was doing with Dr Asai’s gender, but I feel like they weren’t handled unkindly for an AMAB character living as a woman? I could be wrong and I wanna open this one up to the trans folk in the audience because I’ve never found a trans fan’s commentary on Dr Asai and how they think they were handled, but goddamn I still cry thinking of their suicide at the end and I appreciate that this was a one-off case that had a visible long-term emotional impact on Conan.

Magic Lovers’ Murder Case (192-196): As well as being an interesting murder involving some quite sympathetic characters, this is a really good case for seeing what Kaitou Kid’s like under the mask (or was like; I feel like he’s lost depth since this?) as expressed through Katsuki Doito. He came along to investigate suspicious user activity, but he joined the magic-lovers’ forum because he is a nerd for stage magic and stage magicians and enjoys nerding out about stage magic and stage magicians. He gets to unapologetically fanboy over his late father with other magicians, with is pretty goddamn cute imo. He also gets to show off knowledge and fondness for other magicians, and his knowledge of magic tricks is useful in solving the case, even though, by his own admission, he’s no detective, and it led to tragedy. We don’t really see how Kid felt about being unable to prevent that murder, since he was still being played as pretty mysterious at the time, but it was a good choice for his second appearance in DC imo since it cemented him as Not A Bad Dude. Also, Conan gets to be one of Those Shonen Protagonists by running across a burning bridge, which, y’know, is always cheesy, but also always kinda cool (the artwork was particularly effective imo)

Twilight Mansion (299-302): I genuinely enjoyed the gathering of the knock-off famous detectives and was pleasantly surprised by Hakuba’s appearance (back when I still held out hope that that kind of thing meant that Kid would get more involved in the plot). The mansion itself is actually quite gorgeously designed and rendered, especially at the end when the exterior crumbles, and again, DAT CREEPY ATMOSPHERE. I guess it’s officially plot-important now, too, which I just wanna say, I officially called nine years ago, but also I was hardly the only one calling BO involvement with Karasuma. 

Most of all, in general, I just really like watching and reading things involving skilled people being very competent at what they do, so the fact that ALL of the gathered detectives (save that one dead one) figured out what was up and were able to communicate and come up with a plan without revealing themselves to the brilliant detective BEHIND the whole thing, and the execution of that plan, were all very, very good and I liked it. I might reread this one right now, actually, while I’m thinking about it, I really do enjoy it top to bottom.

Golden Apple Case (350-354): PEAK interesting backstory on the part of Vermouth and Yukiko, a reasonably interesting murder, Yukiko’s RAD driving scene, and one of my favourite Ran moments ever. The confrontation with the serial killer/Vermouth is tense as hell, and the fact that Ran reacts instinctively to save his life and just can’t bring herself to drop him and let him die, to be responsible for a death, no matter whose, is a very powerful statement on the integrity of her character. She’s just to her core, and Shinichi does steal the moment a bit by helping her pull the serial killer up and getting the really good “you might need a reason to kill, but you don’t need a reason to save a life” line, but this still feels entirely like a Ran moment for me. We find out later that this incident had a profound effect on Vermouth, too, and is possibly the entire reason she’s hiding Shinichi’s secret from the BO and explicitly the reason she doesn’t want Ran to come to harm. Shame we haven’t had much Vermouth character development in a while because this stuff was JUICY.

Two Cases Under One Moon (429-434): An ICONICALLY good Bo-fightin’ case where everybody involved is putting in Maximum Effort. Heiji puts on an extremely good show as a fake Shinichi (the boy’s an extreme drama queen and Heiji does that very well), Yukiko’s disguise skills are valuable and well-used, we finally get the revelation that Vermouth has been Dr Araide for a while AND that she’s maybe immortal (…not… that we’ve gotten ANYTHING on that since..) AND we get the VERY interesting nature of her feelings concerning Shinichi and Ran. Also, we get Ran so concerned about Ai’s wellbeing that she hides in a car boot and then jumps into gunfire in order to protect her, GOD that’s SUCH a good Ran moment. Shinichi, Jodie and Akai all also get to be very brave and very smart and very badass, and ugh really I just wanna go back to everything about Vermouth in this case and explore more of that forever. Please. Also more Jodie, whose backstory we finally got in this case after revealing that she’s not Vermouth. What is it with interesting women disappearing as soon as their backstory is out MOVING ALONG 

Clash of Red and Black (595-609): This case is a cracking case. This one was long and complicated and many-layered and everybody involved was on their highest gears and it was great. Akai and Conan work as a fantastic team and Conan gets free reign to do some very good detective work for the FBI (I still believe he told Akai who he was during this case, it would make sense and undercuts how concerned I am with all of these grown adults letting a six-year-old run all around an active incident). We get a good look at the incredible power and cruelty of the Black Organization when they cause immense collateral damage just to flush the FBI out. We get the story on both Akemi and Akai’s relationship AND the Hondo family, and OH BOY THE HONDO FAMILY.

It’s also one of the most interesting Eisuke cases, imo, where not only does he do some solid investigation to find Mizunashi Rena, we get a glimpse of some real deep trauma over losing his last family member that’s driven him to be willing to attack Rena with scissors out of desperation to get answers about what happened to his father and sister. I mean, I am most definitely not advocating stabbing coma patients, but for Eisuke a lot of the trauma of your whole beloved family dying or disappearing was just implied and not explored, and then he got booted from the series immediately after things got interesting with him, so bleh. We also barely see Hidemi after this, and ?????????? because she’s a CIA agent who’s in DEEP to the BO after surviving a HORRIFYING situation where she has to proudly boast of murdering a man who was secretly her FATHER, who SACRIFICED HIS LIFE TO PROTECT HER… why are we dicking around so much with Mystery Family instead of exploring this one??? This case is kind of the last hurrah for anything interesting happening with the Hondos so I love it for that.

And I love the complicated counter-bluff involved in delivering Kir back to the Black Organization without looking like they were delivering her. Again, this was apparently in exchange for her assisting the FBI and she barely appears after this…? Nope this isn’t about salting at Gosho moving on

The Life-Threatening Broadcast of Love (804-808): I love this one solely and 300% for the part where Miwako Sato jumps out of a helicopter, shoots a noose off of her boyfriend’s neck, grabs him, wraps her coat around him to protect them and knocks both of them out of the range of a bomb blast at the last second, like the goddamn action hero that she is.

So in no particular order, those are my top ten: how about the rest of you?

[tumblunni]

What do you guys think about the names Dustin and Darcy for my protagonists in Let's Go?

Cos i really wanted to play the co op mode thing by myself, just so i can pretend this role in the plot is filled by two siblings and have a bit of fun roleplaying that. But i dunno yet how the co-op works and whether you'd be able to customize the avatar of the second player or if its just the default trainer? Or can you only play co-op if you have two separate games? Im planning to buy the other version anyway once i get more money, so it could be fun to play my first version with sibling one and then the second playthru is sibling two's turn to shine!

Oh and the whole reason i wanted to do this is cos i wanna try out the customization features to make some ocs now that there's no competitive online stuff unless you pay a subscription fee (LOL NO THANKS). Like..i always felt like i HAD to make my character me in xy/sumo/usum, otherwise its like lying online? But of course i cant actually make me because theres no nonbinary option or even remotely ambiguous outfits for either gender. And you cant have wild hair colours while i dye my hair 24/7 irl lol. Its silly cos like 95% of the gym leaders and other characters ingame have anime hair colours yet the player has to be normal? So yeah i cpuldnt really enjoy making this innacurate defanged version of myself yet i didnt feel like i was allowed to just make up a new character either. Closest i could do was give myself white hair like my old trainersona when i was 12, lol. I mean i guess thats my 'real hair colour' underneath the dye right now, if you think about it that way?

OH GOD PIKACHU CAN HAVE A LITTLE TUXEDO AND BOWLER HAT HOLY FUCK IM SORRY TO INTERRUPT THIS BUT I WAS WATCHING THE IGN REVIEW AND THEY SHOWED PIKA BOWLER HAT PLEASE GO GOOGLE THAT VIDEO JUST FOR THAT 1 SECOND OF NEW FOOTAGE OF MY BEAUTIFUL CLASSY BOYE

okay where was i

Yeah! I think sibling trainers could be a good and unique way to handle a rival! Like having them be your sibling already establishes that rivalry. But it can be a soft and nice rivalry! I wanna go with that fun version rather than the full on angry exaggerated sibling rivalries you often see in kids media. Like i know that some people legit dont get on with their siblings and some people can even have a very gary esque full on rivalry thats sorta 'love to hate' or like..tsundere pretending you hate them. But personally i never had experience with that, i can never relate to those 'tfw u hate ur sibling and theyre always an asshole but lolll u love them anyway' posts. I only got to live with my little sister for a little while due to the catastrophe of abusive parenthood that was my childhood, and i lost contact with her forever when she was very young so i doubt she'd even remember me. *sigh* But like i don't think i only love her so much because i miss her! People say newborns and toddlers are the most bratty so like you'd think if i was gonna ever find her 'annoying' i would have done it back then. I was always just mega proud of her and whenever she'd be 'bratty' i'd be cheering her on and trying to protect her from mom. And when she'd try and pull pranks on me or practise play-fighting or whatever i was just like 'lol thats legit funny' and taking play-falls so she felt better about herself. Like we didnt have much power in that household so i felt like encouraging her pretending to be a wrestler would help her feel like she had some sort of control in some part of her life i guess? And just i wished i was allowed to roughhouse and run around and be all 'unladylike' and just enjoy BEING A KID when i was a kid, yknow? I always had legit fun being with her and legit enjoyed it and was legit proud and legit never annoyed. I just dont understand 'yeah she's annoying but i love her anyway'. I was only ever her rival as a play-rival to help encourage her to like.. Enjoy the things she enjoyed. Feel like someone else cared. I only ever acted like 'ha ha baby stuff yeah sure i hate hanging out with my sister" cos i thought i was SUPPOSED TO. I always felt so guilty doing it and so dissappointed cos id rather hang out with her than be a boring stereotypical teen tbh. I dunno, maybe this isnt typical for siblings and its just a sign of how badly we were raised? I was just real fuckin lonely and absolutely loved having a family member who loved me for the first time since my grandma died. Same reason i always used to act all 'i am too cool i totally am not soft for my lil sister' around my lil sister's dad. I really wanted him to love me too! I used to say swear words at him cos i thougjt he would thibk i was Cool And Adult?? I have soooo many cringe moments from that phase of my childhood. Man it hurts to think that i never actually did get to become that positive influence that protected my sister from my mum and let her know she was loved. Cos i was sent to live with my dad when she was like 5ish? And never saw her again and now im too scared to try and reach out to her again because 1: she probably doesnt even remember me, 2: theres a chance she believes my mum saying i was some horrible asshole who abandoned the family, 3: even bigger chance that contacting her could mean my mum finding me again and big fuckin risk of further abuse. Plus the awkwardness of introducing my trans self when she'd remember me as her sister and all. Sigh! All i can do is hope that her cool dad eventually got custody of her, and that he didnt turn out to be a secret bastard like when i met my own dad. He seemed good, but then again i was just a lil kid and my dad seemed good at first. Sighhhhhh...

SO UMM YEAH WOW I MADE MYSELF SAD

Anyway the point is that whenever i write siblings i'd rather write 100% unapologetic super loving love cos its wish fullfillment for me. This is also why in/cest shipping is a massive beserk button for me, good wholesome family relationships are REAL FUCKIN IMPORTANT and how DARE you corrupt that shit! Some people would fuckin KILL to have that wholesome family!!

Anyway lol thats why i'd like a Wholesome Rivalry for these sibling ocs! Like they challenge each other to contests along the way just for fun, and they react all 'wow my sis is the BEST' when you beat them, so hard feelings at all. And you dont JUST do rival stuff but also sometimes just hang out and have fun cos you missed each other. And if anyone threatens your sibling then THAT is the only time you see the Serious Sibling Power! Rival moments: ha ha lol bet ya cant beat me ooo im a scary villain LOL I CANT KEEP A STRAIGHT FACE HAHA! Giovanni punches your brother: *stony cold death glare from hell as tricksy prank sis turns into an unstoppable vengeance engine* Oh, but also the only other time they'd be serious is in their final battle together! Like most of the 'rivalry' is just competing to make the adventure fun and to help each other get stronger. But if sis/bro ever actually legit said they really want to fight to find out who's the best, and its like..important to help their self confidence, then i think bro/sis would respect that and go all out. Taking a fall and letting them win would be the most disrespectful thing of all! Oh, but i do think there would be one kind of battle like that during the story? Like in one of the more low stakes faux-rival fights the sibling actually does try and let you win, and the challenge is to try and lose against all odds. High stakes super failure battle!!! Imagine the evil team in the background like 'wtf' as these two run the most aggressively slow race of all time! XD

Oh and i kinda thought about different personalities for the two of them based on who you pick? Like i did like that aspect about brendan/may in RSE compared to other 'unpicked option becomes rival' characters in later games that didnt even have one personality let alone two. It just sucks that the personalities they decided to give them were 'female rival is super self concious and thinks youre better than her because youre a boy' and 'male rival is super ego and thinks he's better than you because he's a boy'. Boooo!

So instead of that the personalities i was thinking for these two would be less sexist lol. Male sibling Dustin is basically Wally so far? I need to develop him a bit more to make him a bit distinct, i mean its not like every single shy dude is identical. I'm thinking maybe mix him with all the wasted potential in Brendan? Like in the game they slightly hint at him having the ONE non stereotypical trait of liking cute teddy bears, and that made me think about how much better his whole plot would have been if it actually criticized his sexism and said that he only behaves that way cos he's overcompensating for being bullied for being 'feminine', yknow? And then in the manga they actually DO write him as super feminine, and even as a contest star who loves fashion and dressing up his pokemon! But then GAHHH they present it as some sort of fuckin 'character flaw', like he's shown to be selfish and superficial because of it. And the backstory is that him and the female protagonist used to be 'normal' until a traumatic event. Brendan was a Natural Fighting Prodigy until he saved his female friend from a wild pokemon and was so traumatized that he never wanted to fight again, while she wanted to learn to fight so she'd never need to be protected again. But this is not only presented as Wrong Ways To Be Gender but also like.. Fighting their natural instinct which still comes through?? Like male protag hasnt fought in YEARS yet whenever he's forced to fight he's just magically better at it than female protag who's been practising all these years to become his equal. Ha ha silly girl you can never achieve that! All you get is this patronizing 'well if you just tryyyyy girly things im sure you'll like it' plot and then you get rescued by him in the end because OF COURSE you do. Sigh! I cant believe they made me hate that pairing even more than the games did! So yeah i dont really wanna write Dustin as a jerkass who's secretly got synpathetic motives of internalized homophobia/sexism, cos i feel thats a plot very specific to my perceptuons of Brendan and id basically just have to make Dustin a clone of him and he wouldnt be able to shine on his own merits. Instead i'm just thinking of writing him as a 100% sensitive soul, and he still faces predjudice for not being that bigoted idea of an 'ideal man' but really the fact he doesnt bow down to their demands proves that he's the bravest person here.

And then I'm thinking maybe the female sibling Darcy is the older one and is a bit "gary ish"? Like eitjer way you still have a friendly and loving siblingness, but she's a bit more of a sass who is tsundere about admitting she loves her bro. But i dont think she's the cold or grumpy sort of tsundere, more like a trickstery tomboy? Bombastic loki jock sis! She can only be a bit abrasive with her bro cos she wants to teach him to be tough even when she's not there to protect him. But sometimes she can mess it up and make him feel like he has to change his personality in order to be tough, rather than letting him know she supports him in being "unmasculine" and just wants to help him find the confidence to stand up to people who bully him for it. Like she feels like she is 'weaker' than him in the sense that she worries too much about what people will think if she expresses her real emotions, yknow? Like theyre both suffering from toxic masculinity! He's suffering from the standard form where men who are too 'soft' are beaten down into that mould. Ans she's suffering from the problem where 'masculine' girls feel like they have to be '100% masculine' in order to be allowed to be themselves at all. Like back when i was a kid and before i came out as trans i always used to try and pretend to like sports ans like..cliche macho shit where you Cant Admit You Care About Your Friends and also i wasnt allowed to like ANY feminine things at all. I had to either follow the stereotype of femininity entirely or follow the opposite stereotype, i wasnt allowed to just reject stereotypes and like what i actually like. So yeah me realizing i wasnt really a girl has led to me embracing more 'girly' things than back when i thought i was one! So i think Darcy would have a similar arc but like..the cis equivelant? Just finds people who arent such judgmental pricks and stops having to conform to either of those stereotypes in order to keep fake friends who dont really give a shit about her. She can have a plot about both forced feminine and masculine stereotypes being equally limiting, rather than that shitty 'being masculine is a prison uwu every woman will be happier embracing her love of makeup' shit. That dominant narrative just made me feel like i was somehow wrong about myself whenever i didnt like 100% Of Sports All The Time, i must be somehow girly if i liked even ONE girly thing yet i needed hundreds of proofs if i wanted to be masculine. And like i wasnt just allowed to be neither! I wasnt allowed to like parts of both! I wasnt allowed to BE GODDAMN TRANS!!! So yeah i dunno if i'd go whole hog and make this character a trans man or a nonbinary person tho? I think she's just actually a cis girl who happens to be sporty and brash and likes a lot of 'masculine' fashion and hobbies. And she's just been made to feel self concious about it, as if she cant possibly REALLY be that unless she likes Every Single Boy Thing and wins at Every Single Challenge. Does anyone else remember that shit too? The girls have to win Every sports game against the boys in order to be 'one of the boys' but if you lose even one of them it somehow proves that you're inferior. Even though the boys lost 50 billion games to you and that doesnt prove theyre inferior! Like man she has sooooo many 'gary rivals' in her school life, thats why she loves going on this adventure with a kind brother rival who actually respects her! So her resolution would just be her staying the same but being more confident about it and saying fuk u to those fake friends. Same as her brother's plot, just they both face different specifics to the way this sexism affects them, yknow?

Oh but yeah when i did finally learn about LGBT stuff and realize i was trans it was Big Amazing cos even in the rare stories about Its Okay To Be Yourself it still left me feeling weirdly empty when the girl decides that yes she does wanna be a girl in the end. So i get that these plots might come off as queerbaiting if i write them badly? I need to make sure to make it clear that these characters 100% want to be seen as this gender and its just other people being fuckfaces and trying to define what their gender has to mean. I think maybe i'll try and mitigate this potential misunderstanding by adding different sorts of lgbt content. And, well, also cos i just want lgbt content in all of my stories because i am lgbt, of course! I'm 100% sure that Darcy is gay, and i think also maybe possibly Dustin is trans? Like, his plot is about being mocked for being a 'feminine' boy, but its also even more personal for him because he's a trans boy and he feels like he needs to change his personality in order to pass/he isnt really real because his personality doesnt fit the stereotypical image of a man. Like if you'd looked at the two of them back when they were identical twins, you probably would have expected Darcy to end up being trans if you were the sort of person who believes those basic ass stereotypes about 'boys who play with barbies and girls who play with trucks'. Or i mean maybe its the other way around and Darcy is a trans girl who still has a 'masculine' personality according to stereotypes? Or even both of them are trans and both face being told that they arent real because they dont fit the perfect stereotype of a trans person according to cis perceptions? Or maybe i'm overcomplicating things with all of this and it'd just muddy the message i guess. I might just keep it to them both being cis but also both of them like girls. And i can always apply my trans and other LGBT headcanons to other characters along their adventure.

Anyway LOL im rambling too much!

[nemo-draco]

Ups and Downs + all of them! GO!! 😆 Jk You don't have to do them all if you don't want to. But I won't stop ya if you do try answering them all though.

@fiddle-dee-dee777

I am not bothered at all LET’S DO THIS!! (Though putting it under a cut to save a dashboard.)

1. What inspired you to write the fic this way?

Uh, partly piecemeal like it started off, or just how I got the ball properly rolling? To answer both, I had Chapter 2 written down first because that was the first scene I had at the time, and the beginning chapters of the story filled in after. Bendy seemed like the logical choice for an opener as he gave you the most complete picture of the studio and the world without being too bogged down by backstory or motivation. All in all, he’s pretty simple to get; find my friends, which becomes ‘get the heck out of dodge’ when things start going horribly wrong. It adds to the mystery and horror of the situation while making him easy to sympathize with.

2. What scene did you first put down?

Sammy’s sacrifice leading into Bendy meeting Boris. It wasn’t a scene that I’d seen anybody talking about with this sort of AU (particularly the meeting Boris again bit), and I wanted to take a crack at it.

3. What’s your favorite line of narration?

Partly whenever I try to slip in a bit of humor, usually during downtime or when the toons are commenting on something creepy. One notable one is when Bendy outright melts down when he realizes he can’t get out the music department, and yells at a speaker. There’s also another moment upcoming that I’m kind of fond of. Look for mention of the bench. You know the one. (THE ONE THAT SEARS ITS LIKENESS INTO YOUR NIGHTMARES.)

4. What’s your favorite line of dialogue?

Probably Bendy viciously chewing out a cutout because it was there when he was inconvenienced. Though I do love it when characters either get to be silly or have heart to heart moments overall.  (We’re gonna have more of those ahead. A little ways ahead.)

5. What part was the hardest to write?

There were a few things that were kind of difficult. Properly opening the story in the prologue for one. Like, it’s a world with vague magics, that helped create living toons, one’s been living on the street for the past 30 years and he’s kind of a sad, psychologically-battered guy. How does one introduce that without getting too crazy and loosing a potential reader? Nice thing about fanfiction though, is that most often people know the lore coming in, so the worry was fleeting at best. The updated version of Bendy’s concussion-induced recollection at the end of Chapter 5 was another one, for pretty much the same reason.

6. What makes this fic special or different from all your other fics?

A few reasons. It’s pretty much my return to more  long-term fanfiction after taking nearly a year of either writing very short fics (few and far between) and focusing exclusively on my original works. It’s also kind of the most up-to-date representation of my writing skills thus far, at least on the Internet. It’s also kind of probably the closest thing to a novel that I’ve attempted in terms of fanfiction too, so there’s that.

7. Where did the title come from?

Initially it was from the mood of the original scene that I had written; the literal ups and downs of nearly getting sacrificed by Sammy, finding Boris, doubting it is Boris and nearly hitting him with the axe, and then everything catching up with Bendy in one emotional implosion. After I expanded it was kind of an indicative of the larger plot, with the trauma of the studio, the aftermath of the recovery, and the main cast having to rebuild after everything.

8. Did any real people or events inspire any part of it?

So-so. Making characters undergo traumatic events for the sake of having them fight for their happy ending is something I tend to do a lot. Write what you know, right? Either way, a lot of dialogue was inspired by my younger brothers going back and forth around the house. It’s amazing what sorts of verbal gems teenage boys come up with.

9. Were there any alternative versions of this fic?

Not so much an alternative version, but I did have a sort of divergent idea following an event that hasn’t happened yet. Dunno if I’ll get around to it though. We’ll see if I maybe post a short about it once we get there. There was also another idea that I had about Boris actually running away with Bendy and them living on the streets together, but it was more one-off, ‘hey, wouldn’t that be a heartwarming if not vaguely bittersweet idea’.

10. Why did you choose this pairing for this particular story?

Not really any romantic pairings in here, barring a couple but those are more between OCs and not a focal point to the plot. Family’s more in focus for this one.  

11. What do you like the best about this fic?

If I had to choose, the characters. Definitely the characters. The story hardly works so well without them. Overall, though, it’s kind of a strange mix of everything. Not to mention how thoroughly it’s drawn me back into the field of fanfiction. That’s lead to some pretty awesome things overall.

12. What do you like the least about this fic?

Less about the fic and more about the fact that I’m missing the sheer freedom of being able to write whenever I want. Forty-hour work week and a writing style that gets really freaking detailed really don’t mix. (And then maybe deadlines get into the mix. Like with Chapter 5. /headdesk)

13. What music did you listen to, if any, to get in the mood for writing this story? Or, if you didn’t listen to anything, what do you think readers should listen to to accompany us while reading?

There actually is a playlist, believe it or not! The chapter titles are the songs, and with the last post having the song in it I think I’m going to do that from now on. I was thinking of putting up something on Youtube once the studio plotline is done. I’ve seen posts of playlists on here, but I haven’t quite tackled one myself yet, so who knows how that will turn out.

14. Is there anything you wanted readers to learn from reading this fic?

Well, not much really. Dunno what somebody might learn from this, given that really, anybody can read a story in a variety of different ways. What might be inspiring or meaningful for one person might not resonate so well with somebody else. It might make them think, or they might just be here for a good time. Figure if anything, me writing this, heck me writing anything, can give somebody reason enough to have a fun time reading it, then I’m good.

15. What did you learn from writing this fic?

Kinda wondering if I should be waiting on this until I’ve finished, but for the moment I’d say I’m learning a lot about time management. Granted, I may have a different answer once I’m done writing it, so for now gonna leave it here.

[suallenparker]

Philinda Fanfic: Behind the Scenes, Chapter 13

RATING: T

SPOILER: This is set in a Universe where Phil quit his Tony Stark babysitting duties after the first gig and returned to active field work. So, basically their backstories stay the same until after the first Iron Man Movie.

SUMMARY: After her former partner Phil Coulson almost got killed in action, the traumatized SHIELD agent Melinda May returns to duty. She and Phil  go undercover as contestants of the celebrated TV show “Forever Love” to catch a stalker and to trip a traitor.

NOTES: See Chapter 1. BIGGEST THANKS to @pooritalianfan, @dianemaryallison and @firedragon1109 for being the best writing buddies one could hope for! :D

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o0o

Chapter 13: Family in which they meet Diane’s mother.

He sent Faith home two days ago, so now he was down to dating four amazing women and this week he would meet their families. In less then an hour he would meet Melinda's mother – Well, he knew Melinda's mother, but he would meet Diane's mother. A fake mother. So no need to be nervous, right?

Phil washed off the bits of shaving cream, before he ran his hands over his now soft cheeks. He was already dressed; dark grey jeans, black and white checkered shirt and a grey tie combined with a black sports jacket. Classy and cool, the perfect outfit to meet the fake mom of his fake date.

The other agent on a staged home would make it feel more like a mission which was perfect, because otherwise he was about to lose it!

He applied some aftershave, the same type that Melinda had bought for one of his birthdays once, so he hoped she still enjoyed the scent.

He definitely spent too much time kissing Melinda. Maggie was thrilled with it, but it got very hard to remind himself that this was all fake. Because he was losing it.

They were always surrounded by cameras and he had to call her Diane, so distinct between what was real and what was pretense was easy enough, right? Nope.

Because it was still Melinda's lips on his and her hands on his chest when they kissed. He loved the way she tasted. He could spend a whole night just kissing her and -

That was exactly the problem!

He sighed heavily before he took the secret phone. Time to call Garrett again. Maybe that would cool him down. Or at least make him angry enough to stay focused on the job!

“Broke any hearts today?” Garrett asked once he answered the call.

Phil clenched his fist. Yep, that man definitely made him angry! “So not funny when it's true.” He modulated his voice so most of his anger was held back, he just sounded kinda tired.

“Stop rolling in self pity, at least you get to do real work.”

“Going to the Philharmonic with a beautiful woman isn't real work. “ Audrey had kissed him during the concert. Sweet. And sexy. She was such an amazing human being! Yet still, nothing compared to Melinda. Talking to Melinda was more exciting than kissing Audrey. He was such a shitty person for doing that to her. Phil bit his lip.

Garrett snorted.  “Oh, poor you. At least you're not stuck in a van, is what I'm saying.”

“Yeah, that's true.” Phil swallowed hard before he switched to humor; “On a level from one to ten, how bored are you?”

“I'm considering joining an online sudoku club.”

“My face is a mask of horror right now.”

“Which one did you take to the Philharmonic?”

“Audrey.”

“The one without family, right?”

“Yes.” Which was why they hadn't spend the night with any family, but in a classical cello concert.

“Did you send her home?”

“Not yet.” Because Maggie didn't allow him to send home more than one woman a week. He had sent home so many in the early stages, that the program needed the other woman to stay on. Lying sucked.

“And who's the lucky girl you'll take out today?” Garrett asked.

“Diane. - Melinda.”

“Is it true that special agent Lian May will come in? I heard Hand say something along the lines …”

What now?

“You hadn't heard?”

He pulled in a deep breath. “You're my only real contact in this op.”

“You see Hand every day!”

“And instead of giving me important intel, she just powders my face.”

“Did she really tint your lashes?”

“What did Hand say about special agent Lian May?”

“That she'll come in to pose as Diane's mother.”

It wasn't true. He would not spend tonight with special agent Lian May. No chance. She was way too poised and classy for a mission like this. - Like her daughter. Who was here, pretending to be in love with him.

Oh crap! “And you're just telling me now?” He pulled off the grey tie. He needed to change. What was he thinking? No way would he go face special agent Lian May wearing checkered anything. “I have to hang up.”

“Just please call me after the date?” Garrett asked, sounding whiney.

Yeah, no. He ended the call. And Garrett had no reason to whine. Someone really should've told him about Melinda's mother!

o0o

Since the fifteen minutes that Melinda had arrived at the location – a stone cottage surrounded by wide fields and trees – Hand had been applying stuff to her face while Javier had pulled her around to find the perfect spot for her to stand for when Eric would arrive.

She hadn't even had time explore the house that should be her home! She hadn't even met her fake mother!

Natascha had watched everything with a smirk on her face. Once this would be over, Melinda would kick her ass for that!

But now Javier dragged her to a tree close to the driveway and Hand applied another coat of red lipgloss and then – then the limo arrived.

At least Javier and Hand vanished into the background! The camera people got into position, and – Action! - he stepped out of the car.

He wore blue jeans, white shirt, no tie and a dark grey tailored jacket. And he carried the most grand, beautiful bouquet of wild flowers she had ever seen. It was so big, he carried it with both hands.

She walked towards him in silly red high heels with peep toes that gave the “perfect” pop of color to her black dress with white dots that she was forced to wear today. At least her hair was wrapped into a functional, high ponytail. It was the only thing she would've picked to wear on herself.

Then again, as uncomfortable and strange as she felt in her outfit, it was a good reminder that this was all grounded in deceit.

So she gave Eric her best 'Diane'-smile. “You brought me flowers?”

And the smile on his face dropped so fast, it almost made her laugh.

“They're for my mother, aren't they?” She had figured as much but flustering him was always such fun! She ran her hands over his shoulders as she reached him. She could almost feel how Natascha zoomed into the scene.

Phil tilted his head. “I'm sorry.” He looked so guilty and cute, she wanted to kiss him! - Which was bad. Very bad.

She took her hands off his shoulders and hooked her right arm under his left to guide him towards the house. “She'll love them!”

Just when she turned around, her mother – her actual real life mother wearing jeans and a loose floral blouse, no less – opened the door.

“Mom!” she gasped.

Somehow Phil managed to hold the flowers with one hand, because suddenly he covered her hand on his lower arm with his and squeezed.

Without him, she might've stopped breathing. But he was here, calm and steady by her side, and she smiled at her mother. “You didn't have to come out! We were just on our way to you.”

“I just couldn't wait!” Her mother opened her arms, which was even more disturbing than the floral blouse she wore. So Melinda had no choice but to let go of Phil and go hug her mother as her heart was pounding.

What the hell was going on?

Her mother held her tight. “You look good,” she mumbled close to Melinda's ear, so nobody else could listen in. “It's so good to see you. Now relax!” She let go of her.

Melinda took a breath and gestured at Phil. “Mom, this is Eric.”

“Hello, ma'am.” He offered her the flowers.

And her mother's face lit up. “Those are beautiful! Thank you so much!” She took them off him. “Come in, kids!”

This would be a long, weird afternoon.

o0o

So far, so good. An hour into the family date, he was still alive and though Melinda had left the beautiful modern, white kitchen to be interviewed by Javier a minute ago, special agent May hadn't stabbed him with a knife, but handed him one. That might be because Nat was filming them, but still.

With a grin, special agent May gestured at some carrots on the counter. “Could you slice those?”

“Do you want them in discs or stripes?”

“Stripes, please.”

He started on the carrots while she cut off broccoli in small florets.

“You're good with that!” she said.

“Thank you! Cooking relaxes me.”

“I think so too. My daughter on the hand …” She clicked her tongue.

Phil grinned. “We had a pizza making contest and she forgot to turn on the oven.”

“You got lucky! When she was about ten, she almost burned my kitchen down, trying to make fried eggs.”

He wondered if that was a true story. “I can definitely picture that.”

She put down her knife and looked at him. “You really like her, don't you?”

And because Nat was filming them, he had to look at her too, and be honest. “It's more than that for me. She means a lot to me. A lot.”

“I can see that.” She smiled.

His throat felt tight and he focused back on the carrots.

“You're good for her, you know? I haven't seen her so relaxed ever since …” She shook her head and pressed her lips together. “It's so good to see her like this again.”

It definitely was! The way her face had looked when she had told him about Bahrain … open and vulnerable. Ever since they had returned from that hell, it had been like there was this wall between them. And now that wall was gone and he had his friend back.

“And if I know my daughter at all, you're very important to her too,” special agent May said and picked up her knife. “And if you hurt her, I'll break both your legs.”

“I don't doubt it.” Now he could smile at her.

o0o

Even later, after a good dinner that special agent May and he had cooked together, he and Melinda walked alongside a flower field, holding hands and enjoying the evening sun. They had to walk slowly, so Nat wouldn't fall on her butt as she walked backwards in front of them. Another camera person followed behind them.

Phil squeezed Melinda's hand and smiled. “Your mom threatened me.”

“Of course she did.”

“it was kinda great!”

She looked at him as if he lost his mind and he laughed.

“Scary, but great,” he clarified. “She really loves you. I'm glad you have family like that.”

“She is pretty great.” Melinda smiled too. “Scary but great.” She stopped and turned to him. “You're pretty great, too.”

And because the cameras were on them and because it was his job and it was just too hard to resist her, he leaned down and kissed her.

He was so screwed.

o0o

It was almost midnight, but Melinda couldn't sleep. They had flown back to the mansion after their walk and now she was back in her room.

She was tired and her whole body felt exhausted from the day and meeting her mother and jet leg, but whenever she closed her eyes, she thought about that kiss today. Those kisses. And she couldn't fall asleep whilst thinking about kissing Phil. Because she would dream of him and it would be perfect and then she would have to wake up. Just like this would all end eventually too.

So she grabbed her secret phone and called Hill. She picked up after the tenth ring.

“Why didn't you tell me my mother would be there?” Melinda asked. For one, because talking about her mother was better than obsessing over Phil, and secondly, Hill really had some explaining to do!

“May?”

“A head's up would've been appreciated!”

“Garrett is on the run.”

The words took a moment to register. “Excuse me?”

Hill took a deep breath. “We tried to bring him in this evening, but he was waiting for us, he took out an agent before he left.”

Melinda tightened her grip on the phone. “Tell me which way he went, and I'll hunt him down.”

“You can't leave.”

“I'll get him.” She would hunt that rat down and drag his ass back to operations. She would -

Outside her room, someone screamed so loud, it almost made her heart stop.

“Who was that?” Hill asked.

“Lorelei.” Melinda had recognized the voice immediately. Something was definitely, horribly wrong!

“Stay in place and call me -”

But Melinda was already out the door.

o0o

NOTES: Thank you all for sticking with this story and supporting me trough this progress! I had to take a break to restructure the ending of the fic, but I’m so excited for what I have planned for them (and you) now! I hope you enjoyed this chapter! Can you believe there are just two chapters left?! Please let me know what you thought! I LOVE hearing from you!

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[my-mystic-messenger]

Why Rika is poorly executed character and villain

See, here is the thing - and please don’t take it the wrong way - but in a fandom like Mystic Messenger where the fanbase is predominantly underaged, the general consensus tends to be off, in my opinion.

People say that there is no right and wrong in opinions and to some extend that’s true. What someone else thinks is bad can be golden to you, however there is a difference to personal opinion and critical one. Critically speaking, I don’t think Rika is a well executed character or villain and here’s why:

Writing:

So to explain my point for why I think Rika is a poorly written character and villain I will use a list I found of what makes a good villain as well as villains from other movies that I would actually consider good villains. Let’s start by determining what the most important thing is for a good villain: their motivation! Why they act the way they act can make or break a villain, because it does so much more then tell you why they do it. The motivation gives you their backstory and makes them human and relatable, which is very important. A really good villain, in my opinion, has to be so clever and manipulative it will make you question your own morals. A good example of such a villain would be Light Yagami from Death Note, who despite being a serial killer of unimaginable magnitude still has a large fanbase and many people who support what he did, in fiction as well as in our world. His motivation is to actually do good and the nice thing about Light is, that he does not have one of those silly, over the top backstories. He’s just a cop’s kid who saw how the system never allowed his father to actually safe people, so he takes matters into his own hands. However, there are even villains who have absolutely no motivation or known backstory and are still highly enjoyable, I call them the psychotics. It is something that is much harder to pull off and often times fails, but if done right can be amazing. Best example; the Joker. We know nothing of his past and even the bits and pieces of his ‘traumatic childhood’ he tells us about are presumed to be lies and manipulation. Because he is psychotic with no motivation other than chaos he’s unpredictable and keeps us on his toes. Rika, on the other hand, is neither of those despite trying to be both. She is definitely psychotic and with a twisted mind, but she isn’t the 'fun’ kind like the Joker and she most certainly isn’t as clever about it or half as unpredictable. He actions are foreseeable and have been done over and over before. Be it her torturing and manipulating vulnerable people into her personal slaves or the whole shtick of I’ll try to make everyone you care for believe I’m actually the good and innocent person in all of this to make you look bad. I mean “The important thing is not to discredit her message, but discredit her” is literally a quote from the Handmaid’s Tale. A book written in 1985 that in one sentence summarizes Rika’s obviously unoriginal actions. Then of course there is this whole thing about wanting to allow people to be their dark selves, but yet again has been done and done better. That’s kind of a Lucifer thing to do, in every media ever created, and Rika does it poorly as well. Again, she says she does it for others – which would be a Light thing to do – but actually does it for herself – which would be a Joker thing to do – because she can’t handle her own darkness. However she doesn’t do it for fun, she does it because she’s weak which discredits her as a villain immediately. Also, let’s be real, what has Rika really achieved? She started a cult, sure, but she never tried to actively harm the RFA. She didn’t have some kind of greater plan beyond trying to get them to Mint Eye where they’d mostly live peacefully. What she did was manipulate a bunch of innocent, mentally unstable people into joining a cult. Even in a hero-villain story of a smaller frame like Mystic Messenger that’s hardly interesting. Scientology does the same thing and I don’t call them villains, just idiots.

Motivation isn’t all, of course. Remember how motivation gives us backstory? It does in Rika’s case too, sadly as I mentioned before Rika is a walking, talking cliché. Boohoo, my parents didn’t love me and I was bullied at school. Haven’t heard that one before. 

Beyond her ‘tragic backstory’ being unimaginative as hell, the whole things is also highly convoluted, messily executed, rather unrealistic despite being such a simple premise and beyond all that does not excuse any of her actions. Like no offense, but people who choose to adopt a child – which is a messy and expensive process usually very carefully planned and thought through – abusing said child doesn’t make sense. Not to mention that there would be social workers checking on them regularly. Also, honey, this is a bit personal but I was physically and verbally abused by my mother my whole life. I was bullied in school until I graduated and I too am mentally ill. It still doesn’t make me relate to Rika and her bullshit at all. Those things usually make people kinder, because they know better than to mistreat others the same way they were mistreated or it makes them aggressive and lash out. Rika again tries to be both and fails at being both. At this point I’d also like to add that for a website like Tumblr where everything has to be PC and unproblematic, I find it quite strange that a mentally ill person like Rika is allowed to call her mental illness a bad, evil darkness. Just saying. Then again, motivation and backstory aren’t everything. Neither Moriarty nor the Joker have those and they are still some of the best villains in history. There are other traits a villain should have and I have a list. Let’s have a look:

✓convinced they’re the good guy

✘ has many likeable qualities

✓a worthy enough opponent to make your hero look good

✘ you like when they are on stage/appear

✓clever and accomplished enough that people must lend him begrudging respect

✓can’t be a fool or a bumbler

✓has many of the same characteristics of the hero, but they’re misdirected

✓should occasionally be kind, and not just for show

✓can be merciless, even to the innocent

✓persuasive

✓stop at nothing to get what they want

✓proud, deceitful, vengeful

✓jealous, especially of the hero

Now looking at this you might say hey, Rika has a lot of those! That makes a good villain right?! Wrong, because Rika has a lot of those! This is like checking off a very obvious bullet point list to make sure you got everything right.

That is precisely why Rika is so goddamn flat and boring, because someone sat down, made sure to stuff everything from this list into a character and call it a day. Worst of all, not only do they follow a well-known grid, they aren’t even innovative about it.

I could go into detail about all the things on the list she does have, but then again sadly enough, those speak for themselves and there is very little to elaborate on. I mean the fact that I cannot elaborate on bullet points already gives away just how poorly the character is constructed.

However, there are two things not checked off that are rather important to talk about and in my opinion outweigh most of the other bullet points anyway: “Likeable qualities” and “liking when they appear in the story.” Neither of which can be said for Rika. Name one (1), likeable trait Rika has. I can’t think of a single good thing about her, not a single one. She isn’t funny – like the Joker or Loki – she isn’t extraordinary intelligent – like Hannibal or Moriarty – and she doesn’t make you question your morals like Light or hell Jigsaw if you will. Beyond being a cliché villain, she’s also a failure as a character. Ever character, even the worst villain, have likeable traits. Rika has none. She literally doesn’t have a personality, if you think about it. All there is to her is her tragic backstory, her mental illness and her darkness. That’s it. As for liking when they appear, you better believe that whenever Stayin’ Alive plays I think of Moriarty or that I care more about Loki than I ever did about Thor. Whenever I got a VN with Rika I rolled my eyes and tried to get through it as fast as possible. She was boring, repetitive and talked in this silly metaphors that were so utterly basic I’m sure that if I dug through my writing during primary school or early teens I’d find something similar. She sounded more like an angsty teenager than a well through out villain. So to summarize, before the writing part gets even longer, she is hardly original, has no abilities of her own and instead uses goons for all her work, has no personality and no redeeming traits. What usually makes the movies and shows interesting – hero and villain going head to head – was by far the worst part of the V route. If I ever have to read a conversation between V and her again, I’ll smash my head.

Design:

Now one might thing that there isn’t much to talk about when it comes to Rika’s design and even less to criticize and there really isn’t much I have to say on the design itself, but more so the three designs of Rika we have and the changes in design and personality in the V route.

Rika has three main designs. Her main-main design – that brown dress – her Mint Eye grown – that thing she wore in the secret endings – and the latest addition that sleek, black dress with that pretty mask that still makes me wonder what the point of it was, MC didn’t know her anyway.

Let’s start with the main design. Frankly, it’s quite basic, although I get where they were going with it. The colours are all light and pastel, trying to make her seem approachable, sweet and innocent. Long wavy hair and that big bow on her chest add to that whole lolita-childlike innocence thing.

The dress is brown, because brown is a simple, 'cheap’ colour probably supposed to show how humble she is, that she doesn’t dress up herself to invest more of her money and time into people who need it more than her. I get it, I’m still not a fan of the design.

Everything about her is too light and similar in colour. Rika kind of drowns in that dress. Like her blonde hair faints into even lighter colour she fades into the dress. Compared to the vibrant designs of everyone else, she sticks out like a sore thumb and they could have done better.

Also, that whole looks like an angel but it actually the devil thing is like yet another cliché they knocked off with Rika. It’s like those little Grady twins from the Shining or ever Yandere in every anime ever. Yet another unimaginative rip-off.

Her second design, the whole Mint Eye ruler gown thing, not particularly pretty design wise as well as having a confusing colour palette that has literally nothing to do with neither Magenta – which is her code name in Mint Eye, right? - not you know mint?

Also the whole now I am evil therefor I give up my modesty and wear fancy ass clothes to show how much better I am than everyone else also leaves this Mean Girls vibe in my mouth. Especially when you consider that it looks like a pastors robe so it’s like Mean Girls meets God complex.

Again, it’s not horrible but better and smarter choices could have been made. What really ticked me off through was her third outfit, what that kind of said about Rika and how her behaviour changes while she wears that black dress.

Let me preface this by saying that sex isn’t a bad thing. It’s a natural process, it’s enjoyable and it brings life. While I personally think people should wait a little longer and be a bit more modest to fully enjoy the experience, there is nothing wrong with sex itself. Oversexualization, on the other hand, is a problem.

Throughout the entire V route I was actually shocked how sexualized the entire thing was compared to the main game and it made me so uncomfortable, especially when Rika was involved since they’d worked so hard to establish her as this innocent, childlike girl.

Be it the strange photo series that she shot with V or her dress that became black, tight and with a very suggestive cut out on her chest. Now mind you, I don’t have a problem with sexy characters, but I do have a problem when innocent characters become sexy once they turn evil.

Her being overly sexual in the V route to show that she’s given up her innocence and everything good is nothing new. Anyone reading comics or watching superhero movies knows that female villains are always overly sexy instead of practical. I just hate the message behind it.

It leaves a foul taste in my mouth that a game supposed to be for young girls basically, subconsciously teaches them that being sexy is dirty and evil. Even worse, however, is that she not only becomes overly sexy, she becomes lesbian!

You cannot imagine how I fumed at that bad ending. I really wanted to toss my phone against the wall. A previously straight established, innocent character becomes a prying, sexualized lesbian once they turn evil. Grade A writing, Cheritz. Grade A.

You have an entire route with Jaehee where you can’t romance the poor woman and never get so much as proper CG together until the DLC’s where it’s still a thing of blink and you miss it hidden romance and yet we have this whole thing with Rika.

To me, honestly, that was a double slap in the face. Being sexy isn’t evil. Seduction shouldn’t be a goddamn weapon. Prying on someone physically is fucked up, no matter the gender, and being lesbian is not a fucking trait you unlock when you turn evil.

Once again, nothing but clichés, overused tropes and at this point even harmful messages for a young, impressionable audience that really makes me question decisions that are made in the Cheritz headquarters.

Voice Acting:

Finally, we get to the voice acting. This time I really don’t have much to say other that I found it weak, especially compared to the other voice actors who did amazing jobs while having much less to work with than Rika.

Every actor dreams of getting to play crazy characters, because you can really go bonkers with it and do things normal characters can’t and wouldn’t do. You can be creepy, over the top, crazy and hysterical. You can scream and shout and then split seconds later switch to eerie and quiet.

Playing a villain properly is one of the hardest things to pull off, but also the most fun and rewarding. While voice acting makes it a little easier, since you only have to focus on your voice instead of every single body movement, it’s still the most fun and with lots of options.

Rika didn’t do any of those things. Even when she had that whole breakdown towards the end of the V route I was majorly disappointed at how subdued and small the whole thing was, especially in comparison to the actual CG.

That is why I really thing Rika’s voice actress did a poor job, because she didn’t even take into consideration what CG’s she was working with, let alone the facial expressions of the render in the general game. Her voice acting never freaking matched!

So we have a CG where Rika is on the floor, bawling her eyes out and obviously screaming in agony and the voice actress just…doesn’t do any of it. There is way too much almost calm talking in the middle of a break down and honestly I’ve cried and screamed more about series finale’s than she did in what was supposed to be a heartbreaking and defining moment. Talking about subdued and calm, I also don’t think that the voice actress worked a lot with the voice to begin with, just read the texts mostly as herself, since Rika sounds the same no matter the situation or the render. That feels out of place especially when she has that freaky render where her eyes get all black and spooky but he voice actress just keeps on talking like normal, the render changes back to her sweet personality – showing how twisted she is – but the acting doesn’t change along. It’s just a job poorly done especially in comparison to say V, Jumin and Yoosung, who in my opinion did the best jobs despite having little to work with in some cases. The others were good too, but those three really stood out. V, because despite having very little lines in comparison and being a relatively calm character managed to convey every single emotion necessary and always perfectly fitting to the render. Despite not being a big fan of V, his voice actor really tugged at my heart. Jumin, because he is such a cold and calculated character and gives you so little to work with – something the voice actor even talked about – and yet he gave him this vulnerability and human side with just his voice. The things this voice actor made me feel…oh boy. Yoosung’s voice actor literally made my jaw drop when I heard him speak in the Valentines Day special. While Yoosung was still almost a child with a high voice during the main route here he actually sounded like the same boy but older! Then I heard the guy speak and he sounds literally nothing like Yoosung and you manage to capture something so youthful despite not having that voice and then capturing it while aging it up at the same time is just amazing work. In comparison Rika’s voice acting was just as bland and boring as her character. Which is ironic, really, because Rika could have been and should have been the most interesting and facetted character of the whole game. Instead her side-kick stole her spotlight every time. Sad, but hey I love me some Saeran.

Conclusion:

3000+ words in and I have not written a single positive thing about Rika and I still can’t think of anything positive to say. The only time she made me feel any kind of emotion was when her theme was playing, because that is literally the only good and emotional part about Rika.So, after having read this piece I’d really like to know why people consider her a good or eve interesting villain, because to me she clearly is neither.

[rollipolli-yoli]

Happy Birthday Keith!

(A little late, but) To celebrate I’ve decided to compile a list of my favorite Keith-centric fanfics! Full of well written Keith! 

Hound by Story_Monger

Chapters:11 Status: Complete Ships: None Rating: General Audiences

Tags: Horror, Team as Family, Past Child Abuse, Character Study, Platonic Relationships, Suspense, Angst, Emotional Hurt/Comfort

Summary: Keith has a lot of practice being alone; you might almost say he's good at it. When he finds himself seriously injured and stranded on an unknown planet, he knows he's not alone there. And here's the worst part: even after rescue and after things return to normal, Keith gets the distinct sense that whatever was on that planet has followed him. He doesn't have proof. But he knows it's there. He knows it's not going to stop until it gets what it wants.

Hound is incredible on all levels. It is an artistic, gorgeously written character study, full of suspense and horror that had me on the edge of my seat at all times. I loved the transitions between THEN (the sections of the story that take place the year Keith was alone in the desert) and the NOW. Keith’s backstory is a real mystery still, and this story uses it’s head cannons to the fullest, never feeling out of character or out of place. The wonderful platonic affection the paladins shower each other with is adorable and refreshing between the bits of heart wrenching angst and spine tingling horror, and all around this fanfic seems to know Keith even better than the show writers. It’s not only one of my favorite fanfics, it’s probably one of my favorite pieces of fiction I’ve ever read, period. 

WARNING mentions past child abuse but it stays away from graphic details.

Recoil/Release by Cheshyr 

Chapters: 13  Status: Complete  Ships: None Rating: Teen and Up

Tags: Team as family, Anxiety, Insecure Keith, Panic Attacks, Past Child Abuse, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Sketchy Science

Summary: When Keith is bitten by an alien creature with venom that causes your dominant emotions to be amplified, the team is ready for a day of dealing with an incredibly angry paladin.

Which means they're not ready at all for what actually happens.

As a person who suffers from panic attacks and anxiety, this one really hits close to home. Keith’s insecurities and fears, amplified to an impossible measure thanks to the alien creatures venom keeps the stakes high, and is backed up with solid writing, dialogue, and character interactions (seriously I LIVE for best friend Pidge&Keith). The angst is heartbreaking, the humor will have you laughing out loud, and the heart felt moments between our favorite space team will leave you feeling warm and cozy for days. It’s not always perfect, but it’s definitely a worthwhile read.                                        

WARNING: As someone who suffers from panic attacks and anxiety I did have to take a small break from time to time. The panic attacks and anxiety are very VERY well written. The child abuse is barely mentioned and more implied than anything  (never really described or shown ) but I’ll still put a warning. 

Running Flat by SKayLanphear 

Chapters: 2 Status: Complete Ships: Klance Rating: Mature

Tags: Romance, Thought-Sharing, Pining, Longing, Silly Boys

Summary: Lance, like all the other paladins, is finally getting used to the “mind meld” they all have to indulge in when controlling their lions. Until someone’s uncontrollable crush comes in and knocks them all back in surprise. It’s a crush that circles persistently through their thoughts and only gets stronger as time goes on, until they begin to realize this might be a bit more serious than the term “crush” implies.

Meanwhile, the unfortunate paladin behind it all is trying desperately to bury the feelings away, yet failing at every turn.

-I find SKayLanphear to be a master of character, and while this fic is not completely Keith-centric (since it’s sometimes told in Lance’s POV) I believe Skay has a wonderful grasp on Keith’s voice, and who he is as a person. I love the way this story takes the interesting concept of mind melding that was introduced in season 1 and fully explores it. Add in some angst and romance,and you got yourself a great fic. Skay’s A+ writing and interesting premise makes for a short and sweet story with a hefty emotional punch, and it will most definitely leave a mark on your heart.

You can also find @skaylanphear here on tumblr

Nothing Can Breathe in Space by Idrilka

Chapters: 4 Status: Complete Ships: Sheith Rating: Explicit

Tags: Backstory, Pre-Canon, Canon Era, Mutual Pining, Unresolved Tension, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Slow Burn, First Time, Friends to Lovers

Summary: The truth is: what Keith wants or doesn’t want won’t bring Shiro back.

The truth is: nothing can breathe in space. 

(Or: the story of how Keith and Shiro come together, come apart, and come together again.)

I desperately want to know about the back story of Keith and Shiro when they were at the Garrison and this fic is a good way to scratch that itch. While the story is obviously told through a more romantic lens then it probably will in canon, it doesn’t feel overly sappy or out of character. Filled to the brim with angst, this story of discovery, loss, and re-discovery (told in Idrilka’s fantastic interpretation of Keith’s voice) will probably make you cry. But it will also fill you with hope, and an excitement for the day we get to see Keith and Shiro’s actual backstory in canon. 

WARNING: There will be feels. Also, PTSD. And some adult shows of affection. All very tasteful in my opinion, but just be warned that it’s there. 

Call Me, Beep Me by Orphan_Account

Chapters: 10 Status: Complete Ships: Klance, Minor Shallura 

Rating: General Audiences

Tags: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Wrong Number AU, Texting

Summary: (00:31) Do you think she gave me the wrong number on purpose? (00:31) Or was it a genuine mistake? (00:32) Like maybe she writes funny and I misread it? (00:32) Some of the numbers do look a little dodgy... (00:33) Cause, you know, her threes could very easily be poorly formed eights? And maybe she writes her sevens like her ones? (00:45) What (00:46) The (00:46) Fuck??? (00:47) Oh good, you are awake!

Where Lance messages the wrong number and things kind of snowball from there

This fic is hilarious. Written almost completely as an epistolary novel (the chosen form text messages) this fic has as much fun with itself as you do reading it. It isn’t always easy to keep the essence of the characters the same when placing them in alternate universes with new alternate lives, but this fic does a fantastic job. The character dialogue is fast and smart, their interactions funny and relatable, the romance is adorable and slow-burning, and the plot is great with a satisfying conclusion. BONUS: If you love Pidge and Keith as best friends the way I do, you'll love them in this fic. It is one of my biggest disappointments that I will never know who actually wrote this.

WARNING: You may die of laughter

Fragile: Handle With Care by EchoResonance

Chapters: 7 Status: Complete Ships: Sheith Rating: Teen and Up

Tags: Abuse, Child Abuse, Physical Abuse, Past Abuse, Hurt/Comfort, Trauma, Soulmates, Soulmate-Identifying Marks, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Angst, Heavy Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending

Summary: Shiro's heard all sorts of stories about soulmates. He's seen the stories in action. He's seen his father knock his hip against the corner of the counter and watched the bruise bloom on his mother's. He watched his friend get a tattoo and seen another friend with the fading remnants of that very same mark. It was a magical moment for some people.

Shiro and his soulmate were not those people.

An AU in which the marks that one person receives, the other also bears temporarily. And although Shiro has had few accidents and has never been struck a day in his life, it is very rare that his skin isn't a painting of reds, blues, and purples

Although this story is actually written mostly from Shiro’s point of view, Keith is just SO Keith in it, that I had to include it in the list. I have always had an interest in Soulmate au’s, and while marks from your skin appearing on your soulmates skin isn’t exactly new, the added feature of your soulmate feeling the pain you feel kind of is (at least to me). I wanted to know how someone as private as Keith would react to this, and this fic delivered. 

This fic is beautiful. Full of all kinds of emotions, beautiful writing, an interesting premise, and a good grasp on the characters. Seeing the characters we know and love play out in this new world they’ve been put in is an emotional roller coaster that I never want to get off of. 

WARNING: There is definitely sensitive and triggering material in this fic. Please read the tags carefully. While the abuse is never grossly graphic or shown in great detail, do not continue to read it if you feel it will have an effect on your mental/emotional well being.

A Horse To Water by SKayLanphear

Chapters: 3/? Status: In Progress Ships: Klance, Minor Shallura 

Rating: Mature

Tags: Romance, rivals to friends to lovers, cowboy keith, city-boy Lance, deals with controversial subjects, Racism, Homophobia, Horses, Angst, Violence, Mutual Pining, Misunderstandings

Summary: Lance moves to the country and meets a hot-headed cowboy intent on being as difficult as possible. Despite his efforts, however, Keith merely inspires Lance to wonder at the pros of saving a horse and riding a cowboy.

If anyone was going to make it onto this list twice, it would be Skay. Back with another Klance fic (once again with rotating POV), but this time in it for the long haul. This fic is so much fun and drama so far. Great premise, fresh setting, excellent writing and grasp of character,  and horses. FREAKING. BEAUTIFUL. HORSES.  But don’t worry, the angst is there, bubbling just underneath the skin, and I can’t wait for it to come in full (which it will just you wait). I am really excited to read this fic as it continues, and see how the characters we know and love interact in these new (but fitting) roles they have been given.  Plus come on guys, it has cow-boy Keith. COW. BOY. KEITH!

WARNING: Although the fic is still in its early chapters, according to the authors tags it has been tagged mature for a reason. So all you guys who shouldn’t be meddling around in the mature tag...stay out of this fic. 

[mdye]

In the best of the classic novels of the late 19th and early 20th century that are beloved of certain teenage girls, there’s a careful balancing act between the sensibility of the heroine and the sensibility of the world around her: The more gothic and lurid the world, the more sensible the girl, and vice versa.

Jane Eyre, with its gothic haunted mansions and madwomen in attics, requires sensible, acerbic Jane, who when asked why she isn’t afraid of a fortune-telling gypsy woman, replies sharply, “I’m not silly.” Alice in Wonderland is such a topsy-turvy acid trip of a world that it needs a heroine who considers such sensible topics as latitude and longitude even while in the very act of tumbling down a rabbit hole.

Conversely, Little Women, with its sweet-natured domestic plot of dolls and cookery and nursing, can accommodate Jo March’s blood-and-thunder sensibilities. Pippi Longstocking’s gentle Swedish village has room for Pippi and her suitcase full of gold coins to hold her horse over her head with one hand.

And Green Gables — lovely, pastoral Green Gables with its lyrically described woods and sunsets and freshly baked cakes — has room for the wild, rambling imagination of Anne-with-an-e Shirley. It’s the push and pull between Anne’s absurd fantasies and the sensible and unthreatening world in which she lives that makes L.M. Montgomery’s Anne of Green Gables and its sequels so immensely charming — and it’s that very push and pull that’s missing from Netflix’s new adaptation, Anne With an E.

Anne With an E makes Anne’s absurd fantasies reality

Montgomery’s Anne Shirley knows exactly what she’d do if she had to spend the night out of doors. She says so in the first few pages of Green Gables, upon greeting her new guardian at the train station:

I had made up my mind that if you didn’t come for me tonight I’d go down the track to that big wild cherry tree at the bend, and climb up into it to stay all night. I wouldn’t be a bit afraid, and it would be lovely to sleep in a wild cherry tree all white with bloom in the moonshine, don’t you think? You could imagine you were dwelling in marble halls, couldn’t you?

The fantasy’s combination of tragic pathos — a poor little orphan girl, all alone in the world, forced to sleep outside! — and picturesque sweetness is typical of Anne’s imaginings. And equally typical is the reader’s easy certainty that the fantasy will remain just that: a fantasy. Anne Shirley will never have to sleep in a cherry tree if she doesn’t want to. That sort of thing simply doesn’t happen in Green Gables.

Sure, there are tragedies in Anne’s past. She alludes matter-of-factly to her time as a glorified child slave, neglected and unloved and so lonely that her only friends are her own reflection in a glass door and the echo of her own voice. But the walls of Green Gables are so loving and secure that the reader can relax comfortably into the knowledge that all of that loneliness and neglect are in the past. In the present of the novels, Anne will never be so alone and without resources that she would have to sleep in a cherry tree, because Montgomery would never allow her world to become so lurid.

In the second episode of Anne With an E, Anne spends the night outside, alone and unloved, under a cherry tree. (Not in the cherry tree; she’s not Katniss Everdeen.) A tragic misunderstanding has led her guardians Matthew and Marilla to send her back to the misery of her orphan asylum, but Anne is too traumatized to set foot in the place.

Instead, she takes shelter under the blossoms of the cherry tree, racked with flashbacks of how her evil fellow orphans used to pelt her with dead mice. Meanwhile, Matthew runs himself ragged trying to find her, and along the way is injured in a carriage accident that leaves him blood-soaked and disoriented. When he finally finds Anne, she’s in a train station, trying to earn money for train fare by reciting poetry to strangers. (She has already evaded a sinister stranger who wants to kidnap her for purposes unknown.)

It is all exactly as torrid and gothic and romantic as Anne Shirley’s wildest imaginings, and it has no place whatsoever in the orderly calm of Green Gables.

Anne With an E is supposed to give Anne the prestige TV treatment. Why does it have to change her world to do so?

Showrunner Moira Walley-Beckett has said that with Anne With an E, she wants to give Anne Shirley the prestige TV treatment: lavish production values, psychological depth, and a focus on antiheroes. (Walley-Beckett is the writer behind Breaking Bad’s much-celebrated and pitch-black “Ozymandias” episode.)

“I don’t see the point in doing ‘Anne’ in a way that’s been done, that’s very charming, teacups and doilies and ‘Oh, Anne’s in another scrape,’” she says. “What’s the most realistic way to show the way a girl like this, from a strange place, with enormous prejudices against her, would move through the world?”

The production values are certainly there — Anne With an E is consistently immersive and beautiful to look at — and increasing the focus on Anne’s PTSD is, in theory, an entirely reasonable move. Anne did go through traumatic events, and although Montgomery handles them with a light comic touch, they do leave a mark on her psyche. If, as Walley-Beckett has said she is, you are interested in trauma, why not treat those plot elements with more seriousness than the novel chooses to? Why not flesh out her backstory?

But there is a wide, wide gulf between giving Anne’s traumatic backstory its due and turning her lurid gothic fantasies into the literal truth. And Anne With an E goes beyond changing the angle through which we normally read Anne: It puts her in an entirely new world. Which creates the unfortunate implication that the kind of sweet domestic fiction that Montgomery wrote so well is not worthy of the prestige TV treatment, and that psychological depth can only be found in worlds of exaggerated and lurid cruelty.

This Anne is unmercifully bullied by the people of Avonlea, the community that’s home to Green Gables. Children run circles around her shrieking that she smells; boys compare her to dogs and bark at her. In Montgomery’s Avonlea, the worst Anne faces is some snide comments about penniless orphans from her schoolmate Josie Pye, who everyone knows can’t help but be nasty. The rest of the town is easily charmed by her sweetness and by her silly, unrealistic fantasies, which, after all, are so very far from describing the world in which they live.

Toward the end of Montgomery’s Anne of Green Gables, Anne turns her hand to writing stories with her friends. She sends a few of them to an old lady of her acquaintance, and is very much puzzled by her response:

We copied out four of our very best and sent them. Miss Josephine Barry wrote back that she had never read anything so amusing in her life. That kind of puzzled us because the stories were all very pathetic and almost everybody died. But I’m glad Miss Barry liked them.

Miss Josephine Barry would find Anne With an E highly amusing, but perhaps not quite in the way it’s intended to be. Anne Shirley would weep torrents over it, though.