#I really am fascinated with her. Talk about a background character but she has something interesting going on

[bonefall]

Does Midnight ever adopt children? I feel like she would be a very good parental figure. I need Midnight to teach me how to do geometry.

Problem is that she lives in the middle of nowhere, no humans nearby, no place for cats to live permanently. It was once a shrine that used to be visited but its isolation was the point.

I think she would have issues as a parent, she's kind but very, very lonely. Kids need to grow up and find themselves, but Midnight doesn't want to be alone. She would dread her little kitten getting older and needing more independence and not properly prepare them to live their own life as a result.

She wouldn't teach how to hunt, or how to properly regulate their emotions, or how to interact with other cats.

But BOY could they do math lmao

[heartless-tate]

Hi! If I may be so self indulgent and request something... 👉🏻👈🏻

Reader being a (for lack of better words) boring person. They're good at blending in within social circles but never standing out or having a circle or friend of their own. Good laughing at jokes but can't come up with good ones or even if they did, they don't have the courage to tell them outright. They're very much a chicken when it comes to expressing themselves as an individual because they're never comfortable enough around anyone. They are a chicken in general, to be honest. This essentially (and sadly) leaves them as an NPC in their own life. And they've accepted it, trying to come to terms with a life of extreme mediocrity. They're actively trying to push down any need of wanting more from life 99% of days.

However, when you're good at listening, you observe things much better and you learn things faster. And subconsciously, reader has been observing a lot of things about Velaris (including the IC). I'm not sure where this would lead but this is probably the only real skill they have; being a good observer and learner.

I leave the rest to you. I was thinking pairing them with Azriel (since he would probably understand her better) but I'm open to any modifications.

Also, just an afterthought, I've always wondered what job I would love to have in a fantasy world (and I don't know if this counts as an actual job) but something like observing the sky/stars to look for any forthcoming events sounds really cool. So I guess reader could do that since major events happen don't happen once in a hundred years or something which ultimately makes their job very boring. However, they love it because who wouldn't love spending their whole night star-gazing (potential date idea?? YESS).

Sorry this became way longer than I intended. I wouldn't judge if you chose not to write on it. Thanks & have a great day :)

Am I boring? | Azriel X boring F reader

A/N: Hiii! Tysm for your ask. I hope I captured what you were imagining right. 💖

summary: You’re a star mapper. And you’re boring with no hope of love. Or at least you believed that until Azriel came along.

1.2k words

warnings: no use of y/n, she/her pronouns, cussing??, romance?? That’s it?? I think?

The stars shined brighter tonight. Since you were a little girl, you had always been fascinated by them. How they sparkled. They were interesting, and beautiful- unlike you. Maybe that’s why you clung onto them.

You pulled a piece of parchment from your bag, and started mapping the stars. Rhysand, the highlord of the night court, had invited you to his court to observe and map stars from this  part of the world. You accepted, wanting some change. Even if you knew it wouldn’t be much of a difference to you. The inner circle was more than nice to you, and you appreciated it.

Laughter bubbled from behind you. You currently sat with your telescope on the balcony of the House of Wind. This was your third week here. Rhysand had offered you a permanent place here in the night court, but you were yet to accept. You didn’t fit in. You were a background character. A random star mapper, a job would probably never be much of use to anyone. Except weird star fanatics. Aka you. You were sure he only offered you a place here because of pity.

The inner circle seemed to really like you, and whether that was because of your quiet and shy nature, or the fact you always listened and gave great advice, or the fact you always laughed to try and fit in even if you didn’t quite understand the joke, you didn’t know. The only one who seemed to see past your mask of people pleasing was the Shadowsinger.

Anytime you ‘laughed’ at Cassian’s jokes, he was always there, smirking with a known look at you. As if he knew you. As if he had known you your whole life. Azriel had seemed curious about you. It was uncomfortable. Nobody had ever been curious about you. Everyone always enjoyed someone that they could talk to about themselves for hours. But he was the one always interrupting the other members of the inner circle to question you, on you. And your own life. And sadly you didn’t have many answers other than, “oh I don’t know.”

It made you feel weird at how interested he seemed in you. It made you feel awkward. But you knew he would lose interest once he really discovered there wasn’t actually much to you. You were a bore.

“Those stars are named Arktos, Carynth, and Oristes. They shine above that mountain for a week once a year during the blood rite.” A voice said beside you. You flinched as you noticed Azriel sitting directly by you, his shadows swirling around you both. He was always appearing out of nowhere. He handed you a plate of cake.

“Courtesy of Elain. She baked dessert tonight.” Azriel said, lifting a bite of his cake to his mouth and chewing on it.

“Oh.” You responded, setting the plate down beside you. You quickly labeled the stars on your parchment. They were beautiful.

“Do you like cake?” He questioned.

You paused and stared blank at him.

“I’m not sure?” You responded, fiddling with your hands. “It’s okay, I guess.”

Azriel smiled at you knowingly. Loud laughter boomed from the room behind you two. He looked right at you with piercing amber eyes that seemed annoyed. As if he had noticed you flinching from the loud sounds.

“Come with me? Just trust me.” He whispered, grasping your hand gently with caution. It was sudden. And you weren’t sure. You didn’t know him much. How could you trust him? But something in your body and soul screamed yes. Why not? It was risky- but life was boring.

“Okay.” You responded, gasping as he pulled you close, his wings wrapping you close to him, and his shadows swarming around you both before all of a sudden you were now standing on a cliff. Oh gods. His hands were on your hips gently, his wings spread wide, letting you see the view.

You both stood on a cliff that overlooked a waterfall and river. The moon reflected in the water and the stars did too, creating a mirror effect. It was probably the most gorgeous sight you had ever seen.

“Its- it’s…” Your words fumbled, mouth open in shock. “Beautiful..” you whispered. His breath was hot against your ear.

“Very.” He whispered back. When you looked at him he wasn’t even looking at the view. His eyes were glued on you. And he was looking at you as if you were a goddess. Azriel’s eyes softened, with adoration. It scared you. Nobody had ever looked at you like that. With a blush you realized he was holding you like a lover. He smirked at you as if knowing you just realized it.

Azriel slowly let go and used his wing to guide you to turn around. Blankets and pillows were on the ground. Like a picnic but a nest. His shadows swirled excitedly around the set up. He guided you gently to the set up, helping you sit down before sitting beside you.

“Do you want your mapping materials? My shadows can retrieve them for you. I wasn’t sure if you’d want to just relax and enjoy this night or continue star mapping.” He murmured.

You thought for a second. This was odd. Was this a date? Or did he do this with all of his friends? Did you want to map or did you want to enjoy this night with him?

“No it’s okay.” You replied, eyes glued to the stars above. They were much clearer from this view then from the House of Wind. You guess the city lights blurred them out. But here? They were in their full glory.

“Why did you bring me here?” He seemed to pause before responding. 

“My shadows told me you might be leaving soon. This is my attempt at convincing you to stay here. In the night court. With your mate.” Azriel confessed.

He watched your eyebrows furrow.

“Mate? I don’t have a mate-“ you panicked.

His wings cocooned you and his arm enveloped you. It was like he could sense your panic. He rocked you back and forth like a child. And it was comforting.

“I’m your mate. I’ve known since I’ve met you. I thought I would have more time to get to know you and the bond would snap for you, but then my shadows informed me of your soon departure.”

You swallowed, throat bobbing. You blinked a few times. “There isn’t anything about me to get to know.” You replied harshly. Azriel’s eyebrows furrowed with concern. Shadows swirled around you both, some tendrils caressing you.

“Don’t say that. I know it isn’t true. Everyday I learn something new about you. I don’t care what you say, you are the most interesting person I’ve ever met.” He said, words much louder and firmer now. He thinks you’re interesting?

“Stay. Stay with me. Let me get to know you. I don’t expect you to accept the bond anytime soon. But give me- give us a chance.” Azriel said, wings tightening around you both. His eyes bore into you, with a fierce and loving look in them. You couldn’t help but soften in his hold.

You realized then, you deserved love. And for once a belonging feeling overwhelmed your senses.

“I’ll stay.”

Hope you guys enjoyed 💗

[aihoshiino]

Hey! I’ve been hearing a debate pretty recently about Kana’s character, especially after 151. Some are saying that Aka is weakening her character…ignoring her past development..reducing her to a love interest…etc, stuff along those lines, by making her dream be just being Aqua’s idol. What’s your take on this?

Saying this with the full awareness that i am Asking For It by phrasing it like this but. this honestly just feels like a bad faith read by people who already don't like aqukana/kana in particular LOL. Like... idk, I can get being frustrated by the sudden swing over to all the romcom stuff again when we have A Potential Serial Killer just kind of vibing in the background, but Kana -> Aqua is something that's been part of the series for over a hundred and thirty chapters. It was going to need resolving before the series ended regardless of whether they actually hook up or not and it's baffling to me that people are throwing this accusation at Kana's arc when like... sorry, but Ruby is right there, lol

Like, if we're going to talk about 'ignoring past development' and 'reducing her to a love interest' whose dreams revolve around a romance with Aqua... is that not just describing Ruby since 123? Everything to do with Sarina's trauma of abandonment and emotional abuse at Marina's hands and the way it continues to affect Ruby, Ruby being triggered and retraumatized by having to engage with material depicting Ai's abuse at Ayumi's hands, the way she mistreated and took Kana & Mem for granted while she was clout chasing and how that caused fan backlash against those two while they did their best to keep B-Komachi afloat for her - all that shit goes out the window at mach speed once she finds out Aqua is Gorou and she spends the majority of her screentime after that gushing over her oniichansensei and having her narrative recentered around her obsession with Gorou. Never mind how bizarrely she'd flanderized and dumbed down she is in relation to it all.

(Note in advance: shout out to this thread by KizzityKaito on Twitter that I stumbled on while I was chewing on this ask that helped me to articulate some of the stuff re: Kana that I was kind of struggling to put to words - I don't agree w/the whole thread but I think the Kana analysis here & 'reincarnation as child acting' is fascinating and really in line with what OnK seems to be going for.)

By contrast with Kana... this feels consistent to me! This feels like additive characterization building on top of and not contradicting what came before. I've seen people frothing and screaming about her talk vis-a-vis being an actress not being her 'dream' but like... that just kind of checked out to me?? Kana is an actress. If that's her 'dream', she's already achieved it, as she says. Everything else has been her fighting and clawing to hold onto it. That's what she means when she says she didn't have any dreams; for Kana, becoming a nationally recognize actress again isn't a dream because it's just a return to the status quo.

Not only that, but like... being an actress wasn't even necessarily Kana's dream in the first place! She herself outright says it - it was enforced onto her by her abusive mom so she could live vicariously through her.

That's not to say Kana hasn't found her own spark for acting and that she isn't deeply passionate about it in her own way. But again, this is something Kana already has. A 'dream' is something you want to achieve - it's something you, well, dream about. And if you read between the lines, Kana's dream has never really been about acting.

It's about love. It's about Kana feeling secure in her relationships with the people she loves.

I think a lot of people are taking Kana's words in 151 entirely at face value and just... totally failing to read the subtext because they've been ignoring her all this time and now her arc is actually coming to a climax they don't know what the conclusion is building off of lol. Kana's 'dream' right now is something pitifully simple - to have the boy she loves not even return her feelings necessarily, but just to say that in his eyes, she shines brighter than anyone else.

[tobiasdrake]

Nearing the end of the first game. Let's see. Who haven't I talked about?

I guess now's a good time to talk about Mukuro Ikusaba.

Mukuro Ikusaba. The 16th student, lying hidden somewhere in this school. The one they call the Ultimate Despair. Watch out for her.

Despite how little time we got with her, Mukuro was my favorite character in Danganronpa 1. She's the character I was actually vibing with when I thought I was vibing with Junko. And I still adore Junko in that "She's great and awesome and hilarious, I hope they beat her to death with bricks," sort of way. Very good villain, top marks.

But I also still adore Mukuro too. Mukuro has a wealth of personality and conflict and story tied up in that itsy-bitsy span of time we actually get to spend with her. Every character has some kind of hidden depths that come out as you talk to them, and Mukuro's blew me away.

When I think of Mukuro, I think of this:

"Dreams are meant to change as you grow up, right? Depending on where you're at—kindergarten, elementary school, junior high, high school... But I've had the same dream since I was a little kid, and I've been rushing toward it ever since. So I've never really had to think all that hard about my dreams.

But if it doesn't change, your possibilities can't grow, right? That's how new opportunities are born. And up until now, I never did that. I never let my dreams grow. All I saw was that one dream. I put everything I had into that one narrow little world. I feel like there's so much more I could be doing that I'm not, and I don't like that feeling. So I think I'm going to start looking for it.

Is it childish of me to think like that? Am I just being a baby?"

This, I'm tapping my finger, THIS is Mukuro Ikusaba. The 16th student lying hidden-- This is who she is in her heart of hearts, laid bare and exposed. She's talking in vagueries to avoid revealing herself, but she's very clearly talking about Ultimate Despair and expressing her feelings on the plan that she and her sister are carrying out.

She's standing here in Junko guise, in the middle of the Killing Game, wondering aloud if this is all kinda stupid and maybe she could be doing something better with her life. She and Junko planned this for years and now that it's here, she feels unsatisfied. Stagnant.

This turmoil boiling inside of Mukuro is the most fascinating piece of background information we ever get about any character through Free-Time Events. It's a genuine tragedy that Junko gets her before she can fully process it, strangling what could have been the most complex and interesting character dynamic in its crib.

And it's a further tragedy what future entries into the Danganronpa series did to this character, ripping out every last interesting thing about her and reducing her Junko's weird twincest pet. Gross.

Except you, Danganronpa IF. You're pretty cool.

[bl4z33467]

I am Blaze.

I do art commission for discord nitro. Pm for more info. (Open, single character only, no complex backgrounds)

NSFW ACCOUNTS DNI

Owner of the Fallout Tumblr Hivemind Server: https://discord.gg/SyrdbEpr2d

Woah learn more about me \/ \/ \/

Facts about me:

Im 17 years old. Im a senior in highschool. Im from Pennsylvania, EST.

Im Agender and use she/they/it. He if im comfortable with you. I present androgynous. Your welcome to guess what i was assigned at birth lol.

Im Asexual (double A battery). I like men. And non binary masc tbh- Im not here to date though. If you want me, befriend me first smh. Even though ik you dont lol.

I am diagnosed with PTSD. Please do not talk to me about car crashed or vehicle accident, or make fun of my vehicle.

I do not have any other diagnosis but im frequently legitimately asked if i have autism irl, so you can make inferences. I do not like self diagnosis. I also struggle with extreme emotions, like outbursts or anger. I probably do not mean to harm you but can just lose it.

Im very happy to make friends with you, but please be patient as sometimes i can be standoffish in fear of you.

My fursona is Blazeus. She is a Gar-Pheasant Monster. I use her to express myself. Here is their reference sheet:

Things I like:

Birds. I would consider them my "special interest." I have been obsessed with them for years and years. I have chickens, muscovies, and pigeons. I show pigeons. My favorite birds are large ground birds like peacocks and pheasants, also pigeons. Also i like birds with cool feet, like coots and sula nebouxii.

Art. I love drawing, painting, making perlers, writing, sewing, and crafting. I do not like crotchet and knitting is okay. I use my art to express my emotions and tell about who I am.

Fallout. Its a cool game, it has music I like and gameplay is fun. I love writing stories, drawing and making ocs with my friends about the fandom.

OSC. I love object shows. I like most of the "popular" ones, besides one. I did not really like one mostly cuz it was scary.

Furry Fandom. Despite my parents saying I cant use the term "furry" I still consider myself s staunch one. I love drawing and making anthropomorphic characters. I also make fur suits and love wearing paws, tails, and ears.

Cosplay. Along with fur suits, i make non-furry costumes. I love going to cons dressed up and hanging out with nerds and being silly. I mostly have made fallout cosplays, like my secuitron and t-60 helmet.

Planes. I love plane spotting, and going to plane museums. I also am a fan of the logistics of planes. My favorites are the Concorde and 747. I like commercial aircraft a lot more than military.

Barcodes. I am fascinated by barcode symbology. The science behind creating these 1d and 2d data structures is incredible fascinating to me. My favorite symbology is the PDF417

Animals. I love all animals, not just birds. I especially like bugs and fish. Some of my favorite non-avian animals include gar, trout, crickets, millipedes, hyenas, snow leopards, snakes, isopods, catfish, flounder and halibut, gharials, sharks, and eels. I also like prehistoric animals. My favorite is marrella splendens

Geography and Cultures. I love maps and flags. I also collect flags and can stare at maps forever. I memorized all the country flags. I also love countryballs. I also love learning about different cultures. If you want something to talk to me about, tell me a food unique to your culture! Im from amish country so I have some pretty cool ones. Also learning about different religions is cool too! Personally, im a christian (the nice kind who actually loves thy neighbor) but I find the differences and similarities in religions fascinating.

My friends. My best friend is @irenecatz. We met back in like 2022 in December. We have been friends ever since. We got to meet each other irl in the summer of 2024. That was the best day of my life. She means so much to me, and without her I may not even be around anymore.

Shows: Fallout, Spongebob, The Patrick Star Show, Earth Odyssey, Meltdown: Three Mile Island, Xavier Renegade Angel, Prehistoric Planet, Nasa's Unexplained Files.

Movies: The Truman Show, Chicken run 1&2, Rio, Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs, 2001: A Space Odessy, Interstellar, Nacho Libere, Wall-e, Home on the range (with the cows by Disney) and Bicentennial Man.

Books/short stories: Fahrenheit 451, a sound of thunder, the veldt, the city, (can you tell i like Ray Bradbury?) Do androids dream of electric sheep?, repent harlequin, said the ticktockman, harrison bergeron, one flew over the cuckoo's nest, a lesson before dying, and dogman (ik in stark contrast).

Games: Fallout (ive played 1,4,NV,shelter) Pokemon, Minecraft, spore, SSB i main game and watch, Bang on balls, Mario Odessey, Gmod, and Roblox.

Activities: Tennis, Biking, Kayaking, walks, bird watching, photography, animal husbandry, fishing from time to time.

Music: I like 1950's rock and roll, ragtime, nerd core, pop, and "white boys singing about shit" genres. Artists include Tally Hall, They might be giants, Sabrina Carpenter, Englebert Humperdink, Gene McDaniels, and Duncan Lawrence. My favorite song is Holiday Road.

Collecting. Thing i collect: flags, bones, rocks, shells, feathers, Japanese chicken figurines, pokemon cards, bottlecaps, pokemon figurines, random bird figurines

Warhammer. Okay this one is new. I dont know too much yet so please dont call me a poser. Its cewl tho im getting into it lel

Other cool things about me

Im part of the National Pigeon Association, Trout Unlimited, and my local pigeon club.

I have won awards in photography and in pigeon shows

Ive been to many different US states and 5 Counties

Im going to school for Wildlife Technology, Wildlife and Fisheries science, and Poultry and Avian Science

Im good at public speaking but not a speaking face to face

Side blogs and other contacts

Yt channel: https://youtube.com/@sardiniastan?si=I9D2_u3ocoQRtU89

Art website: https://sites.google.com/view/six-foot-goose-art/home-page

@vulpesaltilis one of my fallout au oc

@vulpesnovos another fallout au oc

@genral-sir-blaze-s-hale my fallout 4 sole survivor

Discord: bl4z33467

[aetherceuse]

Let's talk about Lusamine's affinity for parasitic life forms.

My biggest gripe with Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon was the butchering of Lusamine's character; they removed so many story beats that were crucial to her, that it really dulled her down as an antagonist. I always felt that the Necrozma plot was awkwardly shoved into the game, and Lusamine's character assassination was the result.

HOWEVER.

I have been looking at it through a difference lens since Pokémon Masters EX released Lusamine's sync pair with Dusk Mane Necrozma.

The fact that Lusamine has bonded with not one, but TWO parasitic entities, is really interesting to me, because it is full of so much symbolism.

The plot with Nihilego, of course, has had many different interpretations; the "motherly love" interpretation is one that I stray away from in my blog canon. Lusamine's fixation on Nihilego, and her bond with it, is a result of fascination turning into delusion and madness. Her obsession with it's lack of emotion and efficient existence through a hive mind system led her to want to emulate that behavior. Of course, we all know what eventually happens, regardless of whether it is a canon or headcanon based interpretation: Lusamine is accepted by Nihilego, consumed, and becomes a host to it. And because she was a host, she lost autonomy and was driven insane by the neurotoxin.

That's a great story and all, and one that I am constantly trying to work out and restructure in the background for my own canon-- but now I am also looking at the Dusk Mane Necrozma implications.

Lusamine and Necrozma have a lot of shared themes and symbolism: being a source of light while simultaneously burning those around them, hungering for more power, living in a world that they were not born in, and being fractured. I do believe that Lusamine seeking to quell Necrozma in USUM had something to do with her being aware of these similarities, and deluding herself into believing that she was the only one capable of quelling this quasi-deity.

Only, she was NOT deluding herself, she was CORRECT.

Lusamine was capable of syncing with Necrozma and commanding it, but ONLY while it was ALREADY in possession of a host; Dusk Mane Necrozma is simply piloting the body of a Solgaleo, meaning, it is easier to be contained while it is feeding. And I think Lusamine knew what she was doing. She knew that she was compatible with this monster, but knew that it was parasitic in nature. THAT is the major difference between her dynamic with Nihilego, and the one with Necrozma: she is destroyed by UB-01 because it was a host-parasite relationship, instead of a balanced partnership like syncing. She did not allow Necrozma to control her.

That being said, there's still a lot of sad implications here: Lusamine syncing with a Pokémon that is using Solgaleo, a monster that her daughter was bonded to, is full of so much upsetting symbolism. She herself is a parasite, smothering Lillie's joy and other connections. There's no better representation of Lusamine and Lillie's toxic mother and daughter relationship than Dusk Mane Necrozma-- a form that gained its name because it represents the death of the sun before being overtaken by the night sky.

ALSO, the fact that Lusamine's dialogue lines in PokeMas suggesting that she views herself as a "guiding light," despite being paired up with the consumer of light, is another indication that she TRULY believes that she is some sort of superior entity and "savior," while channeling Necrozma's desire to "be full of light" and whole again. They really are parallels of each other. She is more in line with Necrozma's themes, than Nihilego's. That is why she stands at the side of Necrozma, and is doomed to be a servant of Nihilego.

All of them are parasites and all of them are connected, and it's not great.

What I'm currently thinking, is that the Nihilego plot AND the Necrozma plot can both exist at once-- Lusamine would not have the knowledge to sync with Dusk Mane Necrozma WITHOUT realizing that physically fusing with Nihilego did not work out.

We'll see how this develops in future plotting.

[decretum565]

Gundam Witch Season 1: Thoughts Upon Rewatching

So I have just completed my rewatch of the first season of The Witch From Mercury. It’s a show of many talents, certainly, for better or worse, but I am still overall enjoying myself on the second time through. Without further ado, here are what I liked and what I didn’t!

THE GOOD

—Starting off, Suletta remains a great protagonist. From the get-go, she’s an anxious delight with a steel spine, and I love that about her. Her story of desperately trying to reconcile those two aspects of herself is deeply compelling, and I also love just how snarky she can be on occasion. Love her!

—Miorine can be a bit harder to appreciate, but I still continued to like her on this rewatch. She’s very flawed, of course, but those flaws are ultimately sourced from the environment she grew up in. She’s great to analyze, and, like Suletta, is quite compelling.

—Their relationship is also really interesting to watch. There’s a lot of rough spots along the way, but it’s genuinely nice to see a canon lesbian relationship that feels authentic in this manner.

—I love Earth House. All of them. They’re so fun to watch, and I’d totally watch a show with only them.

—The production values are really pretty! The CGI does stick out a bit, but I didn’t notice that on my first viewing, so it’s not too egregious. The backgrounds are lush, the lighting is beautiful, and the character designs feel nice and distinct.

—The soundtrack is amazing. Both the orchestral score, and the OP and ED are fantastic. They really fit the show. The voice acting is also excellent.

—The stakes of the season finale are really well-handled, and the atmosphere the writers went for complemented that perfectly.

—The show’s super engaging!

—I find Guel’s arc fascinating. The second season fumbles it slightly iirc, but it’s both (initially) satisfying to see him taken down a peg, and horrific considering the amount of trauma the poor guy goes through.

—The Trial Scene is the best thing I have ever seen in my entire life.

—Other good scenes: Prospera calling Miorine out on her privilege, Suletta’s anxious breakdown in the bathroom, the entirety of Episode 8, the Grassley fight, and any Earth House scene.

—I think the fact that the school is meant for Wealthy Business Kids does a good job sliding past some of the more illogical parts of the concept.

—Sophie, Norea, and Secelia (plus Rouji) are also great. Couldn’t find a good place to put them in here, so might as well show my appreciation at the end of the good list, haha.

THE BAD

—The Utena homage doesn’t work for me as well this time. It worked in that show because the environment itself felt largely closed off from adults. Here, it comes off as more strange than anything just how powerful the Dueling Committee is. Am I supposed to believe that the teachers just do NOTHING? The entire time? Come on. Besides, we only see class like three times. If you’re gonna go with a school setting, you might as well do something with it.

—Prospera is . . . I don’t know. I like the way she’s set up in the Prologue, but after that the show feels like it’s spinning its wheels whenever she comes on screen.

—WHAT. IS. THE. TONE. Seriously Okouchi what are you going for here.

—There’s more glaring moments of writing than I remember. Episode 3 has Shaddiq talking to Sarius while researching Prospera, where he points out that the mining accident listed in her ID is likely the reason for her prosthetics. But she had previously explained this in Episode 2’s trial scene, where BOTH Sarius and Shaddiq were in attendance. Did the writers forget or something?

—There’s too many characters. I get that Shaddiq’s not-harem is supposed to be an IBO homage, but this show’s lesser episode count does not do them any favors.

—I don’t like how Suletta and Miorine’s reconciliation involves the latter hitting her. I just don’t.

—I don’t give a shit about Elan Ceres. #4’s literally Bargain-Bin Rei Ayanami, except Rei was actually interesting. The real one is fine, I guess, but he’s also pretty underutilized. And #5’s just plain creepy.

—What was up with that scene in Episode 1 where Vim tried to assassinate Delling? I suppose it was meant to be foreshadowing, but the scene feels so erratic compared to everything else in the pilot.

—Shaddiq is . . . Ugh. His initial interactions with Miorine are okay, but I don’t find him all that compelling. Also, I find it pretty “yikes” that the show decided that a (heavily implied) Middle Eastern character was going to be a prominent terrorist.

—Oh my god the pacing with Lauda is even worse than I remember.

—Episode 7 has some good moments, but the one scene with the Peil House ladies interrogating Suletta is so painful to watch. As is Miorine begging her father to give her money, which is in the same episode that Prospera calls out her financial privilege.

—Some of the direction feels off. It kept being framed in Episode 11 that Sophie and Norea were in the opposite Gundam. There was another moment that felt off to me but I can’t even remember it at this point.

—Just hearing the name “Quiet Zero” makes me tense up. I am not ready for Season 2’s pacing problems.

And . . . That’s about it! All in all, I’m enjoying the show, but watching Iron-Blooded Orphans has really highlighted the problems that Gundam Witch runs into. I might do a write up for Season 2 as well, but tbh that would depend on me actually knowing what was going on in the last two episodes. I do want to write a rant about how much Lauda sucks tho so who knows at this point.

[trainerlynda]

Intro

Hello, I guess I should tell you about myself?

I'm Lynda! I'm 35 years old and bigender, going by she/her he/him.

Born the 31st of January.

I research legendary pokemon in my off time, chasing legends and rumors about new ones. I find them very fascinating!

//Current Arc: none at the moment!

//Finished Arc: Fool's Faller

My main team is

Espeon (He/Him).

Raichu (She/Her).

Charizard (pretty sure he's a clone 'zard...) (He/Him).

Sceptile (He/Him).

Greninja (He/They. Demi boy).

Hydreigon (She/Her)!

As for my champ team? You'll need to challenge me to find out~

I also have a Giratina named Oblivion (He/They/It).

I like calling him Blivie. I don't really use him in battle or keep him in his ball, but I can call on him when I need to. He has his own account! @oblivionthegiratina.

I'm married to @silveredfeathers, so no funny business, got it? Really not into flirty banter unless you're him... or @timetravelerpyrite, recently a boyfriend.

I guess I should put this here now since its out now...

The link above will tell you what I am.

Sometimes members of my team will steal my phone so-

⚡: Sparky (She also likes using Yellow for her text.)

🐱: Espie (He likes using Purple for his text (He doesn't like pink))

🦎: Riptor (He likes using Green for his text.

//Mini events that have happened/are happening.

//Shadow Creatures (A mini takeover event)

//Extra info under the cut.

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

//Ooc. This is a sideblog! Unreality. Mod is an adult and goes by the same pronouns. All art I use is my own! I follow from @theshadowqueenofthedistortion ... Here's some of my other accounts as well!

//Link to her trainer card!

//Semi-Serious blog, I will participate in active silliness and also write serious stuff. Will sometimes touch on death, abuse and a few other things, I will tag the serious stuff with their appropriate tw/cw tags.

//No magic anons, Lyn has been through enough and I personally don't like them.

//I will not ship with anyone who isn't my BF (and myself, but that's a note for later), just for my comfort. Lyn's universe is a mix of pokemon and abunch of other things, if she goes to hang out with someone he'll likely go there with a portal.

//I am very open to crossover stuff! My character in herself is rather crossovery and his universe has dimensional travel, her world is separate from others and Giratina like screwing around with that (Palkia? Whos that? /j)

//Pokemon in his universe have human levels of sentience, however she is aware of places that have Pokemon that aren't sentient, so he won't find that odd.

//Real life animals exist along side Pokemon in her universe, like divergent evolution (not the pokemon thing, the science thing)

//I don't bite! (But my character might-)

//What the tags mean.

//Shadow Mod Speaks: Mod speaking.

Random Lynda Rambles: Lynda just saying random things, non serious tag, silliness encouraged.

//It is now Lyn Chats.

Lore Crumbs: Me sprinkling little tasty crumbs as a treat (Lynda info).

//Not used much anymore

//Mod Reference: Me and/or Zorana making references for Lyn and/or Silver.

//Shadow Art: Art by me that isn't a ref/finished.

Shifting Explorer: Closed and/or serious RP. I will also use this tag when responding seriously to something.

Espie the Espeon: For ease of finding Espie's posts.

Sparky the Dancing Rai: For ease of finding Sparky's posts.

Riptor the Great Gecko: For ease of finding Riptor's posts.

Oblivion the Distorted: For ease of finding Oblivion's posts.

Icy Apathy (Daniel): Daniel posts

Whirlpool Emotions (Jade): Jade Posts

Shocking Chaos (Crackle): Crackle Posts

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

//To do: Make a important pokemon list, make a general info background thing for Lyn (like those wiki pages for celebrities), make a public ref sheet for Lyn and her Pokemon (4/7 done), write out a public history thing for Lynda and @silveredfeathers (With help from Zorana (Silver's mod), again like those dumb wikis), get the courage to talk to other people (ongoing) /lh

[theshenanijiang]

ZZS really just said: I'll confess first, since it's so hard. And then gently punch tapped WKX said: You, the one that I know. And then walked off like it was no big deal. Good job keeping it casual!

Gu Xiang does not know what to do with this boy (Cao Weining). He makes her like him. He is considerate and sweet and a bit silly. What is that saying that WKX told Chengling? Oh yeah, "Tough women like clingy men." BAHAHAHAHA

My guy Rong Xuan really said: Lets all learn each other's secrets and then proceeded to steal a bunch of the sect secrets. Fascinating.

Awww. ZZS is so proud of his little dumpling. ZZS just put it out there he thinks life is the most important thing and WKX looked startled. That is some good advice right there. Let them scramble for the thing. We don't have to be involved. I like you and you aren't greedy and I am going to teach you, so you listen to my advice.

Meanwhile WKX in the background: Why do I get the feeling ZZS is saying this to me... can I let go? Can I be done with this? Should I listen to his advice?

Gu Xiang I hope you don't have to fight your way out of this mess. Are you sure that Xioalian didn't throw you under the bus on purpose? Was it ignorance or spite?

Oooooohhhhhhhhhhh Cao Weining.

WKX is like: I get a HUG?!

Chengling really be healing these two grown ass men by being son shaped.

"You're like a mother who sent her son away." ZZS is daddy, WKX is mommy?

That Yueyang disciple" CWN you sly dog!" ROFLMAO

That is one of the most beautiful things I have heard a character say as reassurance. "A bad guy can be forgiven if he puts down the sword, so why should a good guy be sent to hell for doing something bad once."

WKX's heirarchy of needs:

Chengling is so brave!

WKX and ZZS talking about their childhoods and then "Lets go make a big mess of the Scorpion King's nest, like the troublemakers we are!" 🤣

Xiaolian, what are you doing? I'm with you on this one Gu Xiang. Also, that is the correct reaction to the news that Chengling has been accepted as ZZS' disciple. Gu Xiang cannot handle boys being nice to her. LOL I dunno Gu Xiang, why did you think of Cao Weining?

ZZS watching Gu Xiang and WKX interact and then Cao Weining come in: Aahhhh so that is why she doesn't want to leave. Ah, young love.

ZZS really went: WKX there is no reason to be jealous, I just wanna hang out with you, boo. Buut our girl should settle down with the guy she seems to like...

Cao Weining is so excited that they might think he is trustworthy!

[dirtyoldmanhole]

guilty pleasure ramble about how i'd slot my self insert + zihark into fates since it feels inevitable after tellius/fe13(<where it got started)/feh

ironically mostly tellius & fates magic nerding, no worries. worldbuilding!

this is going to be incomprehensible without context lol, so: long story short i've spent the past uh. 20 years plopping those two in various FE worlds.

while tellius was naturally where it started, the story really solidified with fe13's spotpass characters and me trying to retcon (a) how tf they're viewed to the other living characters (shades, ghosts?) and how they got there, and (b) the avatar-tactician being all but a necromancer nosferatsu tank raising ghosts from her past and how the hell chrom + co would actually find that creepy.

(i need to name her at least for talking publicly. let's uh - bright eyes was ironically a name that a lot of dark mages started calling her way later on once she started hunting them down in tellius proper (the OG world) and she kind of likes that power trip. so let's go with that.)

anyway - bright eyes' (tellius) backstory is that she almost died as a kid from a sickness while growing up in begnion and unintentionally became a spirit charmer when making a pact out of sheer desperation of 'i don't want to die'. (-so be it, said the spirit).

so she gets regeneration and stunted aging at the cost of health.

a lot of the resulting tension of the story comes from playing with the dark sides of regeneration - not being able to die but still feeling pain, how can it be twisted into an advantage, etc. (if you've read the manga ajin, i loved how it really knuckled into the body horror and psychological horror of simple regeneration alone and how creatively it can be taken. are you yourself after being decapitated? if those two "parts" stay separate who *is* your true self? is the only way to stop somebody who can infinitely regenerate to cut them up in pieces and bury them alive? etc .... it gets dark yea)

anyway as time goes on, empress sanaki notices bright eyes during the mad king's war (being a simple mage that tags along with ike's army), and has her on retainer much like tormod investigating daein. (you can probably figure how things go when radiant dawn kicks off, and who she runs into again).

but while tormod's more there to investigate whether begnion's occupation is legit, bright eyes is there keeping tabs on dark mages and taking them out since she's gotten vastly better at combat.

since here's the thing - especially in tellius dark mages are much rarer/either begnion-sanctioned/branded/spirit charmers. there's a lot of fascinating social power dynamics i think are hinted in who gets sanctioned mage education and which kind of accepted mage training ... holy priests vs like, underground hedgewitches.

with the begnion empire and worship of ashera as monocultural? universal? as it is, i get the feeling that dark mages are seen as the "other evil" much like yune ("dark god" and all) - likewise, i am so fascinated by that one dark mage boss you get to see in p3 of radiant dawn. who'd he get trained by.

"dang bright eyes is a cop???" lol. yes, but rest assured that too is played with - when does it hit about hunting down kin, more similar than those who are your handlers? i love this kind of messy shit. consider it the ex-fundamentalist background of the author.

anyway, which! brings me to fates-verse.

nyx' whole eternal-youth-but-what-cost-curse-backstory instantly stood out to me as something similar (writing YRMR solidified my thoughts on how incredibly powerful and prestigious mages are in nohr compared to tellius; almost like minor nobles in their own regard) - but i also don't want to take that and copy it wholesale. that said bright eyes being nohrian feels patently obvious with the vampire background that nation has, lol; she'd always be the monster of the two.

zihark on the other hand feels easy; dead ringer for a hoshido mercenary - sort of like shura in he's willing to take on dirty jobs and crosses the borders into nohr unusually often for a hoshidan. almost frequently enough that a few folks mistake him for a nohrian at first (kind of like how no one in ike's army knew he was daein despite sothe himself also being daein).

but going back -

i kind of like the idea of bright eyes actually starting off in iago's mage guild; i want to explore how deeply fucked up nohrian's magic power dynamics are with the most emphasized bits of magic are mind wipes, faceless, sapping willpower, assassination via illusions ... simply controlling fire/ice feels positively tame in comparison.

anyway bright eyes basically trading health for regeneration as a way to survive in the mage's guild training feels remarkably on script there. all the baby mages trying to figure out how to "cheat" survival and the backstabbing until they graduate....

and well. can't kill a monster that just keeps coming back.

[astoriacolumnstaircase]

This is fascinating. I agree with you that Laudna tries to not be defined by her trauma, and that she tends to go for big swings, either not acknowledging it at all, or considering the risk of giving in entirely. I disagree that we haven’t really seen growth from her until now, because I’d argue that her asking if she should give in at all is a sign of the growth she’s had from her time with the hells.

She’s spent decades on the run (and now we know for sure that any low level cleric had a decent chance of turning undead on her any time she got comfortable, which really puts a finer point on why her being undead is so unusual in a world that includes like, dragon people and everyone is just fine with that), trying to make herself palatable, so to ask the rest of the group “hey what if I give into these horrific urges to consume people’s souls because it might give us an edge” that takes an enormous amount of trust that they won’t just decide she’s too dangerous to keep in the group and let FCG send her fleeing.

He wouldn’t, btw. There’s a very weird and complex dynamic between the robit and the dead girl where they’re like, dark mirrors of each other, but FCG played a big role in getting Laudna back from the dead and I don’t think they’d ever like, actively antagonize her for anything other than a bit that she’s in on.

But yeah I think you really nailed it with “How do you move on from a trauma that strips you from your future, physically alters you, and your abuser never leaves you?” because I feel like, maybe you never really do move on. It’s something she has to grow around. Like a tree that’s always going to be warped because of the boulder that shattered its trunk, but its roots were too strong to let it die. I think it’s a growth that’s actually kind of hard to see, because it happens so slowly, but that’s the beauty of a show like Critical Role; we get the time to see her evolve. And I don’t know if we’re ever going to get any of those big showy moments that we might have for other characters. But Laudna is my favorite character in the Bells Hells because of the way she always has this background conversation running with grief. And I like seeing it play out.

Now, I wanted to address something you said in your tags. And, please keep in mind that this is just my opinion, so I am hoping that my words won’t be touted as reason why Laudna fans or imodna shippers are the worst part of c3. You said:

And I had a really hard time gathering the gumption to even respond to your very good meta. I love meta, it’s the reason I got back on tumblr; I wanted to read what other people were thinking about these characters that I can’t get out of my head. I don’t write very much of it, because the way I engage with my thoughts about characters is through fanfic and little comics, and meta doesn’t really come naturally to me.

The reason I, a certifiable Laudna stan, haven’t posted about what her giving into Delilah means for her character, is because I have found most of the current meta that talks about her and Delilah also, somehow, involves Orym, even though Laudna is a grown woman with her own damn things going on. And, to be perfectly honest, I feel like a lot of the meta that I see that I’d really like to engage with has tags like this, and it puts me on the back foot. Like I have to dig myself out of the “imodna liker” hole before I can even say anything. Criticism for the things I haven’t said yet makes me worry that I’ll try and engage, and then get called out for another thing that I should have talked about but didn’t.

I like Laudna a whole lot. I am not frustrated with her character in the slightest. But I don’t ardently defend her on tumblr because I find that kind of back and forth to be really exhausting. I don’t want to be a public defender for my blorbo, I want to read really interesting thoughts like the ones that you have brought to me (thank you!) and I want to get excited and tell you my thoughts in turn! Because fandom isn’t my job. It’s what I do for fun.

sorry about the essay. And the weird format (I write in a different program because I can't really handle the one on tumblr)

Laudna, for most of this campaign, has desperately wanted to avoid being defined by her trauma. She doesn't always do that in the healthiest way, but she tries.

So for her to say, "What if I feed it? What if I give in? What if I risk it consuming me?," is a change for her.

Laudna only seems to be able to navigate her trauma in the extremes, either compartmentalizing and avoiding it, or letting it over take her. One could argue that actually feeling her anger and need for control is in fact healthier than avoiding it, but I don't believe Laudna sees it that way. Plus feeling extreme emotions and acting on those emotions in a time of distress (ie. Bor'dor) is very different from choosing to actively "feed Delilah." There's clearly a healthier middle ground here, but she can't see it. If Laudna chooses to go down this path, will she lose herself? Or in losing parts of herself to Delilah, will she finally see the woman that Imogen, Ashton, and the rest of the Bell's Hells see? Will she see that she is also deserving of a future as much as Imogen and her friends are?

As frustrating as Laudna's character growth has been for many of us, I still believe Laudna forces us to examine some difficult questions about trauma. How do you move on from a trauma that strips you from your future, physically alters you, and your abuser never leaves you? What would healing and growth look like for that person? Can you get strength by tapping into that anger and grief at times?

Laudna's self-imposed limitations on her own future can make her feel very stagnant as a character. But the fact that she's discussing this with her friends suggests things are changing for her, for better or worse, and I think it's worth discussing (if it interests you of course). More importantly, it's worth discussing on its own merits outside of the context of what this means for Orym and Orym's choices, or any other member of the Bell's Hells. If folks want to defend Laudna when another PC wonders if Delilah can help, we should be willing to talk about what it might mean for Laudna when she says it herself.

[cefonteyn]

European History and Sensibilities in 1899 season 1

Please forgive the length of this post -- I know I'm rambling, but I am so taken by the depth and brilliance of this show. For context, I'm an Indian immigrant to the United States, who studied American and European history and literature in the U.S. As you might imagine, I have many, many thoughts about 19th century European history and ideologies evident in 1899.

One of the really fascinating things to me about 1899 is how European it is -- obviously in terms of the nationalities of the actors and the characters, but also in terms of one of the show's leitmotifs: you cannot run from your station in life.

There were populist revolutions across Europe in 1848. They broadly failed, and the monarchs won. So in 1899, Europe was still a land of kaisers and czars (both words that come from Caesar, immediately locating 19th century Europe within a two-thousand year history of inherited status).

This is in direct opposition to the American myth, right? The idea that you can come from nothing and become the king of the world. That's a story Americans love to tell and hear, and when we Americans talk about European immigration in the 19th century, that's the way we tell the story. "All men are created equal," we say. This is where you're supposed to come if you're the "poor huddled masses yearning to breathe free." New York, specifically, is where Lady Liberty holds her lamp beside the golden door. (Lady Liberty is European, of course -- but she is French. France had a successful republican revolution in 1791, relapsed with a series of emperors, but by 1899 was a republic again.)

That's why the Kerberos is bound for New York, and not Buenos Aires or Sydney or Bombay. The American myth calls to all our friends on the Kerberos. The show begins with an American poet's words. Olek repeatedly looks at an image of the Statue of Liberty. Virginia explicitly says, "Everyone is running from something." They all hope to escape their pasts and begin anew in America, specifically, because of America's foundational mythos. Maura hopes to become a woman doctor. Tove hopes to lead a normal life with her baby and siblings. Iben hopes to establish a church rather than toiling in the fields.

But they never make it to New York. They've tried "dozens of times," Daniel tells Maura, but the ship never reaches its destination. Because New York isn't real. These European have no hope, ever, of successfully becoming the masks they wear. Angel says exactly this to Ramiro: "You cannot change the nature of things." Later on, it seems that he has had a change of heart, but his realization comes too late, and he's never able to act on his epiphany and become a better person.

Consider the stories of Ling Yi, Lucien, and Franz.

In the British colony of Hong Kong, Ling Yi tries to steal her way into a better life. The results are disastrous: she loses her best friend. Later, she loses her mother. Even though she acknowledges to her mother that she's not entitled to have dreams, she begins a dreamy relationship with Olek -- and then loses the boy she loves. By the end, she's lost everyone she cares about. There is nothing left of the better life she tried to steal from Mei Mei. The ship isn't real. The ocean isn't real. Even her beautiful stolen kimono is gone. The only familiar presence left in her life, the only person with whom she can communicate, is her pimp.

Like Ling Yi, Lucien tried to steal an identity. He returned to Paris from French Algeria trying to live out a dead man's life, and learned that the universe would not allow it. He accepts his death as soon as Eyk announces that he's heading for the Prometheus, and later tells Clemence, "I didn't get what I wanted. I got what I deserved." He understands his fate as almost a karmic balance. He stole a dead man's life, and now he has to die, too.

And then there's Franz. He's the "American" on board, in the sense that he does what a prototypical American would appreciate. He's clearly of a lower-class background and builds solidarity with the working class. He attempts to democratize the ship by empowering the underclass -- giving them arms. And when he feels that the ship's leader is not doing a good job, he seizes power to redirect the ship to its original course. It could almost be in the U.S. Declaration of Independence, which starts by justifying the American Revolution. His actions are so very American that he could almost be heroic.

Of course, the name Franz is related to France. France gave critical support to America in its revolution. Then, as I said above, it had its own bloody revolution and deposed its king. By 1899, France was a republic. So maybe it's more accurate to say that Franz is the French revolutionary, not the American.

But either way, in 1899, he's not a hero. His coup fails. Nobody shows him any respect at all, from haughty first mate Sebastian, to dignified first-class passenger Maura, right down to humble stoker Olek. The crew that was initially on his side turns against him (before he's deactivated, Wilhelm admits that Eyk had been right all along). Even the third-class passengers Franz empowered lose respect for him by the end, when he can't explain the mysterious Calling.

So, in the second half of the show, Franz returns to his proper place: under Eyk's command. (Just like France returned to imperial rule under Napoleon, even after its revolution.) Eyk is above deck, seeking philosophical enlightenment, exploring the nature of the mystery with Maura. And Franz is lower than ever, in the lowest part of the ship, performing manual labor: shoveling coal. When the storm hits, he doesn't even know until someone comes down to tell him.

In contrast, consider Olek. He never, ever subverts his station in life. Even when he's frustrated by Eyk, he does everything the captain requests. He treats everyone with deference, not even meeting their eyes, because he understands that he's lowest ranked. Even the relationships he forges -- the friendship with stowaway Jerome and relationship with prostitute Ling Yi -- are with people in his own class/rank.

Notably, Olek is Polish. In 1899, Poland hadn't existed for over 100 years; it had been divided between the Russian Empire, the Austro-Hungarians, and Prussia (later the German Empire). Olek is literally nobody, from no land.

And for knowing his place in life, he is rewarded by the universe: he ends up acting in stead of the captain, steering the ship. (Brilliantly, Olek's name comes from Alexander, as in Alexander the Great. It may not be immediately apparent to people who dismiss him as a "Polack," but Olek has rich history and leadership in his name.)

And finally, there's Eyk himself. His old-fashioned name also means "ruler," from the word for oak trees under which village heads issued their rulings. And he is the definite ruler of the ship. He is imperious and stern to start, and Maura immediately recognizes from the way that he carries himself that he is the ship's captain. He knows Morse code, and how to read naval maps, and the depth of the sea. He also knows how to read his crew and order them around.

Eyk exhibits a magnetic charisma, which works on everyone. Jerome and Ramiro, who would rather have kept their heads down and stayed out of the spotlight, end up risking their lives for him. Sebastian apologizes to him before deactivating him. Even Daniel -- for whom Eyk is a romantic rival -- helps Eyk, agrees with him publicly, and eventually just moves him elsewhere rather than deactivating him.

But as events get stranger, Eyk's behavior becomes erratic. He drinks heavily on the job. He treats officers, crew, and passengers poorly. He makes an imperious decision against the wishes of every single person on board. George III lost America for the same thing. Julius Caesar died for that, and so did Louis XVI.

But the mutiny against Eyk fails. Tove, who points a rifle at Eyk and informs him that they're turning the ship around, is also the first person to defect from the mutineers. She says to him, "Du bist der Kapitan." After the Calling, everyone again acknowledges Eyk as the captain. When the crisis of the storm begins, it's Eyk they seek first, before turning to Sebastian and Franz.

The show presents this as the correct order of things. Eyk is sympathetic, intelligent, and noble, in every sense of the word. We, the audience, love him for it. Even when we sympathize with Franz, we never agree with him and turn against Eyk.

So, the first season reifies the 1899 European idea that one ought to act in accordance with one's class status. Escaping one's station in life is impossible, and attempting to do so always leads to disaster.

(Here I would be remiss not to mention the relationship to Hinduism and Buddhism. The idea that everyone's life circumstances are a reflection of their actions in their past lives, and therefore should not be avoided or changed? That's Hinduism. The idea that the universe is an illusion? It's called maya, and it's in Hinduism and Buddhism. The idea that attachment to the illusory things of maya necessarily brings suffering, that suffering distracts you from your true self as part of atman and your goal of achieving moksha -- of being blown out of existence like a candle (nirvana) -- of achieving liberation from the cycle of birth, death, and rebirth: all of this is in Hinduism and Buddhism. It's exactly what Daniel tries to tell Maura.

Europeans in the 19th century were familiar with these concepts. Knowledge of Hinduism and Buddhism was quite fashionable not only in Britain, but across the continent, and it remained so into the 20th century. See, e.g., Hermann Hesse's 1927 German novel Siddhartha about the Buddha, or this Polish translation of the Sanskrit Ramayana from 1937.)

Of course, European history didn't end in 1899. Major shifts were on the horizon; a century of war was about to begin, reshaping Europe's map several times. European nations bit into one another, sometimes spitting each other out, sometimes swallowing each other whole.

The British empire continued to lose its global power. World War I ended Eyk's German Empire and established the Weimar Republic, setting the stage for the Third Reich. The 1917 Revolution ended Imperial Russia and established the Soviet Union. The Treaty of Paris reestablished Olek's Poland. Civil war raged in Angel's Spain. World War II began in 1937 on the Sino-Japanese front, and Ling Yi's Hong Kong was occupied by Japan. Olek's Poland was occupied by Germany, as was Clemence, Lucien, and Jerome's France.

And then the Cold War raged. Europe was split in two. America became a superpower and spread its sensibilities across war-ravaged Western Europe, while the Soviet Union did the same in the East. Eyk's Germany was itself split.

Until, finally, came the mostly peaceful Revolutions of 1989 (the same numerals as 1899!), fulfilling the populist promise of the 1848 revolutions. Round Table Talks -- beginning in Olek's Poland -- spread capitalist democracy across Eastern Europe. The Berlin Wall came down later the same year in Eyk's Germany.

(Jantje and Bo are German, too, of course. Their age and vantage point in Central Europe means they have a wonderful perspective on late 20th century European history.)

The Soviet Union collapsed in 1991, leaving America as the sole world power. Obviously, Europe is not America. To this day, America is a very libertarian country, ruled by a worship of individualism and the belief that riches and success are only a reinvention away. European countries are not ruled by this same fundamental ideology.

But in the 20th century, we Americans exported (read: forced) some of ourselves across the world, including in Europe, very often in evil ways. A lot of it was horrible and self-interested. We ruined lives. We ruined generations. We ruined entire nations.

But not all of it was bad. (Black Americans invented jazz and rock and roll, after all, and it's the latter genre that plays at the end of every episode.) And one of the things we exported was our foundational myth -- our belief -- now widely accepted in many parts of the world, including modern Europe: that it is inherently right and correct that people should chart their own destinies rather than being forced into roles determined at birth.

(Not to suggest that self-determination is uniquely American. Other cultures have this belief indigenously, of course! I only mean that we exported our own version.)

At the end of the first season, we see the same people that we've gotten to know, but in a new historical context. They no longer believe that they are in 1899; now it seems they're in 2099. They're not exactly in America, but they are in the territory that America claimed to have won spiritually in 1969, in its space race with the Soviet Union. (Of course, we now acknowledge space as a place for all humans, not for any race or nationality. That kind of unity is reflected in post-WWII organizations like the United Nations...and the European Union.)

And so I wonder if the same leitmotif will play in the next step of these characters' journey, or if the next season will reflect Europe's 20th century: changing social roles. Democratization. Mass murder and genocide. Waning empires and anti-immigration sentiments. Homophobia, transphobia, sexism, and gender equality and increased LGBTQ+ rights. Socialism and austerity.

I really hope the next season embraces the next chapter in Europe's history. If so, it promises to be a very interesting season, marked with sharp internal and external conflicts and contradictions. Because, to borrow a phrase from the American poet Walt Whitman, Europe is large, it contains multitudes.

[pottergerms]

Hi, I saw your post about "mourning" the HP series. I feel like lots of fans feel the same way, and I'm very sorry. But I see also a bright side over all the JK Rowling controversy. I'm a trans woman, I'm a writer (somewhat) and HP was one of the books I'd read when young that inspired me to be a writer. Yes, I am angry and hurt by JK and her transphobic ideas, but I don't mourn HP because I don't think HP belongs to Rowling ever since the moment she decided to publish it. Yes, I'm aware of the huge forture she earns and will continue to earn from it, yet I believe that "publishing" means "take to the public/to the people". We are the public.

Karl Marx said something (I won't remember where) that "once an idea is spoken out loud it doesn't belong to the one who said it anymore". Of course he was talking about the political movements that his ideas inspired in Russia, But I think he was right. About any and every idea.

People saying to "leave the fandom", or "read other books", are very simplistic. I went to Malaga and visited the Pablo Picasso Institution fully knowing Pablo Picasso was a sexist pig and a women abuser - and okay, maybe I wouldn't have done if he was alive and profiting from it - but what I mean is: I did not feel conflicted about enjoying his paintings, because for me it was more important to me how ~I~ felt about them, than what they were supposed to mean by the painter. I do the same about HP now.

I ask everyone: don't leave. No, The Harry Potter fandom always been an expert on not giving two shits about JK. Fanfiction has always been an act of freedom and rebellion. Why are people feeling less inclined to write / read fanfics now that JK is openly a bitch? It should be the other way around, no?

Write as many HP characters as possible as trans! Make it be the answer to the bigotry coming from the author mentioned in the disclamer!

When I was young, I always related to Draco Malfoy and I was ashamed to say he was my favourite character. But I couldn't help it. I also did go to a private school, I also felt like I need to be the best to impress my parents, I was a meanie, I was closeted (I always read Draco as a closeted gay kid) and I also came from a somewhat rich background. And my mother also spoke french.

I used to read lots of mpreg Drarry fanfics, mostly the ones with pregnant Draco. I didn't know yet why that concept of a man getting pregnant, the gender-swap and the (sometimes awful) feminization of my favourite character, fascinated me. Years later... Ta-da! I'm trans.

I am still very much in love with this fandom. And now, I have the pleasure to watch it's creator die of hatred for what she has created, because somehow, in a way, it created me.

I am speechless by this. Thank you SO MUCH for sharing all of that 🥺

I don’t have much to add because your experiences are yours 💛 but I want to share that I’ve also related to Draco for this reason… and being out as bisexual really did change my life. I would not have done it without this fandom, and without fanfiction especially.

JKR is the fucking worst, but I agree that we took Harry Potter from her a long time ago, even before her Twitter account. We always knew she wasn’t good enough to own its canon.

[asweetprologue]

Nili’s Benchmark Geraskier Fic Rec List

hey yall! I officially hit 750 followers (a few days ago, I blew past the benchmark without even realizing!), which is... insane. I truly can’t believe that so many people over the last year have enjoyed my presence in this fandom enough to continue to follow my work. you guys are so great and I love you all so much, so I decided to put together a gift for you!

this is a list of my favorite geraskier fics from the fandom, which I have been putting together over the last year or so. a few of these are big in the fandom, but a lot of them are smaller pieces that I feel deserve more attention! I have provided ao3 and tumblr links where I could find them, as well as ratings and summaries. Most of these are canon!verse because I’m not personally a big fan of modern au’s, but there will be a few of those scattered throughout as well. I’ve divided the fics into two sections: oneshots and multichapter. See the list below the cut!

Being in this fandom truly has gotten me through the pandemic in a big way and I have made so many good friends while here. thank you all for validating my weird obsession with these characters and enabling me in these trying times <3

Oneshots

all that was good, all that was fair (all that was me is gone) | M | 7517 | WARNING: Graphic Depictions Of Violence | @xdandelionxbloomx

Somewhere, deep in a forest, a man drags himself from his grave by sheer power of will. He lies gasping on the forest floor and does not know who or what he is. The world is wide and wonderful, though, and there is so much to see.

Or, Jaskier is so stubborn that he literally comes back from the dead.

Another fascinating addition to the mythology of the Witcher. Jaskier’s slow rediscovery of himself is so well done here. One I’ve come back to again and again. 

As Fast As Love Can Go | T | 9628 | @bygodstillam

There are Faeries in the Wood.

That's what everyone said, at least, not that there was any solid proof. Jaskier had tried, more than once, to find some. Just a hint somewhere, of a real story, of real magic. But all anyone seemed to have was stories.

Jaskier was determined to find proof. He wasn't expecting to find a witcher in the process.

Fascinating fic with some really interesting worldbuilding, and a fresh new take on True Love’s Kiss. Also with some great art by @hehearse!

beautiful, he stirs up still things | T | 2575 | @alittlebitmaybe

“You’re not asking me to dance,” says Geralt.

Jaskier turns his palm up on his knee, offering it. “I think you’ll find I am.”

Just them dancing. This is a lovely sort of pre-relationship dynamic. So soft.

Dialogue Prompt | NR | 2932 | @reinvent-and-believe

Dialogue Prompt 48: “You make me want things I can’t have.” Wordless I-love-you 50: buying them a special treat when you go out shopping

Geralt gets Jaskier a gift, which prompts some confessions.

Even a small love | E | 22,272 | WARNING: Rape/Non-Con 

“Well,” Jaskier replies distractedly. “Lots of things want to strangle you.”

“You don’t.”

It isn’t a particularly troublesome accusation, or even necessarily an accusation at all.

This is one I read early on in the fandom, and it really stuck with me. The dynamic between Jaskier and Geralt is perfect, and the misunderstandings between them feel so realistic. The non-con is not extreme, but do mind the warnings. 

For the Space of a Heartbeat | T | 2021 | @drowningbydegrees

As it turns out, falling into bed with your very best friend who you are privately very much in love with isn't nearly so nerve wracking as waking up with them the morning after.

Just sweet, morning after discussions. I love to see them talking for once.

Greensleeves | T | 10,414 | @rebrandedbard

When Geralt crosses paths with Jaskier in the spring, the world is dressed in green. Quite literally. Everyone everywhere is wearing green, and it all comes down to a song Jaskier has written that, to his mortification, has become popular throughout the Continent. It's torment, being forced to preform the song over and over again and have his heart broken anew. But who is this Lady Greensleeves the people say Jaskier is so maddeningly, heartbrokenly in love with? At the baron's wedding party, Geralt is determined to find out.

This is one of my personal faves - there’s just something about Jaskier’s feelings being put on blast while Geralt remains totally oblivious that I think is so very them. And the resolution at the end is delightful.

I Don’t Wanna Fall (If It’s Not In Love) | E | 13,902 | @writinglizards

The first time it's out of desperation. Things get rapidly out of hand from there.

OR the building of a relationship through mutual wank sessions.

I love everything Ashley writes, but this one was the first fic I read by her and it still has a warm place in my heart. I also highly recommend It’s Been A While (makes me cry every time) and Tell Me Honestly

Like a Storm, Like a Flood | T | 1065 | @valdomarx

Jaskier is leaving for the winter, and Geralt can't bear the thought of not seeing him for months.

It was soooo hard to pick only one fic by George, but this one is so soft and sweet and yearning I just had to go with it. This is really just about Geralt finally hitting a breaking point and saying enough is enough.

one flesh | E | 10,763 | WARNING: MCD 

“Well, then. I’m a ghost.” Jaskier spread his arms grandly. Geralt held his gaze for a moment, then dropped his head and laughed. Jaskier put his hands on his hips. “Do fill me in on what’s so funny.” It wasn’t funny. It was just so - ridiculous, the things Geralt’s fucked up brain would invent. This had to be the last nail in the sanity coffin, it just had to be.

Or: Jaskier is a ghost, and Geralt is a mess.

Jaskier dies and comes back as a ghost to haunt Geralt into taking care of himself. Geralt does not handle this gracefully. This fic is so sad and heartbreaking, but the ending is so sweet.

to render it transparent | E | 23,901

Geralt wakes up warm, peaceful, and utterly content, which is how he knows that something is severely wrong.

Sigh. This fic. This is a time travel fic - Geralt ends up in the future living with Jaskier on the coast, just after the mountain. It’s slow and beautiful and extremely bittersweet, all about how we choose to love people despite how much it can hurt us.

With All the Continent A Stage | M | 4745 | @greyduckgreygoose

Later, Geralt learned that the play was four hours long. Four hours long. It didn’t feel like it. Most of it passed by in a fever dream of ominous music, dance-fighting and dryads in gossamer leaves, swinging from hoops attached to the ceiling. Yennefer made an appearance, played by Priscilla in a glittering negligee. She sang a song to Geralt about putting him “Under Her Spell”, and they had a sensual dance number which was made a little strange by a sickened Jaskier (played by Jaskier) coughing loudly in the background.

(Jaskier invites Geralt to a musical production inspired by his own life.)

Jaskier basically writes Geralt a love letter in the form of a four hour long play. Geralt is an idiot about it.

Multi-Chapter Fics

A Lover’s Lament | M | 25,364 | @somedrunkpirate

So,” Jaskier begins, as casually as he can, “you are telling me, that in theory, if I were to be in love with someone — anyone — that person could well be in terrible danger?”

Of all terrible and ridiculous things that have threatened Geralt’s safety, Jaskier’d never thought that loving him might be what will get him killed.

I honestly can’t count the number of times I’ve read this fic. The monster is so interesting, and the mythos of it fits seamlessly into the world of the Witcher in my mind. Jaskier being so afraid that his feelings are going to put Geralt at risk, clearly unable to see that Geralt is going through the exact same thing. I think about the scene with them looking at each other almost daily. 

A Pair of Gloves, the Scent of Roses | M | 24,134 | WARNING: Graphic Depictions of Violence

In the bustling days before the Midsummer festival, Geralt is sent into the countryside to deal with a monster - with Jaskier once again by his side. But the bard has not forgiven him, and while he's not hiding his contempt for the Witcher, he is recalcitrant about revealing his true motives for joining him. As the hunt turns into a desperate mission to save an innocent man and the monster is not what is seems to be, Geralt learns a few new things about his old friend and decides to finally attempt to mend the rift between them...

This is one of my favorite’s in the fandom - it feels so believable, the world is so rich and the oc’s are convincing and charming. Geralt and Jaskier feel so honest here, stumbling around each other but still drawn together. Beautiful beautiful beautiful

Bearing the will of the flower | NR | 11,449 

The way Jaskier sees it, his hobby of following a witcher around was always pretty likely to get him killed.

The fact that it's happening now because the witcher in question doesn't love him, he thinks as he coughs up crumpled flowers, hardly makes a difference.

My favorite hanahaki fic in the fandom. I’m such a sucker for these, and these two idiots being so incapable of talking about their feelings really makes them prime candidates. 

Food of Love | T | 22,488 | @wallatile-qvibbler

I brought a dead princess back to life through the power of song is the kind of thing that would have got an eyebrow raise even from the stone-faced Geralt of Rivia, so it's a good thing he and Geralt will probably never see each other again.

(or: the one where Jaskier channels magic through his songs, and it almost never goes as expected.)

This is a Jaskier and Renfri centric fic, which wasn’t something I knew I wanted until I read this. Jaskier is a bard which in this AU comes with magical powers, but it feels so well integrated into the universe that I wish it was just... how the Witcher is. Renfri is so good here, and even though Jaskier and Geralt barely even interact you can feel the tension and love between them. Cannot recommend highly enough.

friends and allies of the witcher | T | 10,312 | @theamazingbard

Yennefer crawls over to her newest cellmate. They’re curled up on their side. Breathing, but only just. She’s not sure what she’s hoping for when she turns them over. Still isn’t when she sees that it is indeed Jaskier.

“Shit."

Yennefer and Jaskier each suffer in more ways than one at the hands of Nilfgaard.

Yennefer and Jaskier get capture by Nilfgaard and tossed into a cell together. Exactly what I want out of season 2 honestly. Their interactions are gold.

I’d Be the Choiceless Hope | E | 45,188 | WARNING: Rape/Non-Con | @lesdemonium

As a baby, Jaskier was visited by a fae, who gifted Jaskier's mother with Jaskier's obedience. As Jaskier grew older, the "gift" became more of a curse.

You know I’m not gonna make a rec list without listing Zoe’s Ella Enchanted au. Need I say more?

Silver and Copper | M | 56,139 | WARNING: Graphic Depictions of Violence | @kaer-cuan

Geralt is just supposed to pass through the quiet Lettenhove area. He's not anticipating being begged by its people to help save their viscount from a curse that keeps him from daylight. Lord Jaskier, they call him, and he's likely dying.

As Geralt struggles to untangle the ugly web of history that has lead to the increasingly complicated curse, he finds himself spending more and more time with the strange young viscount and wondering just what he might have been before the curse, and who he might be after. But things are not always as they seem, and as the curse tightens its grip on Jaskier, Geralt is forced to face the fear of failing yet another person whose choices were stolen from them.

Or-

Jaskier is kept from becoming a bard. Geralt finds him anyway.

This is a fic that haunts me. It’s very scary in parts, and mind the tags - there are some very heavy themes here. But it’s beautiful and touching, and Jaskier feels very true to himself even though his origin is so different.

we could be married (and then we'd be happy) | E | 50,222 | @a-kind-of-merry-war

Jaskier reached into his pocket, fingers grasping around the little box. He pulled it out with what he hoped was a romantic flourish, flipping it open to reveal the simple gold band inside. “Geralt,” he said, confidently, cooly, like this wasn’t terrifying, “Will you marry me?”

Geralt and Jaskier fake marriage proposals to get free deserts and shit but it goes tits up when Vesemir catches them in the act. Not knowing how to fess up, they go along with it for a while, which is hell because they’re both pining like mad. As I said, I don’t love modern au’s, but it’s merry so of course this one had to end up on my list.

~

And that’s it! 20 fics for you, and hopefully you can all find one or two you haven’t read before. There are a lot of people and fics that I didn’t include in this list only because I was trying to not put a million down (which I could). I highly recommend anything by @wherethewordsare, @julek, @contemplativepancakes, @witcher-and-his-bard, and @inber, as well as those linked to fics above, and I’m sure there are others I forgot to mention. Yall have truly made being in this fandom worthwhile <3

[nightowlfandom]

Yandere! Hawks (Keigo Takami) - Scratches and Bruises

CHECK OUT MY MASTERLIST HERE!

Alright I’ll do it...I’LL WRITE HAWKS SMUT....but I won’t like it.

Okay people so This is gonna have talks of death, abuse, yandere shit.

Leggo!

...

“What’s a pretty girl like you do sad for?”

You looked up from your phone to find a man practically leaning over the restaurant table. You could smell the alcohol from miles away and the way he was moving wasn’t helping his case either. You were instantly put off by him. Correction: You were disgusted by him.

“What’s a ugly man like you so bold for?” you smiled sweetly as the venom dripped off your words. “I’m really not interested.” you looked back down at your phone. You were just about to get a new high score on your favorite phone game and this asshole was ruining your chances. Your character almost died twice since he began bothering you. It was really starting to get on your nerves. If you didn’t unlock that new skin, you might kill someone.

“Oh come on.” he slurred. “Can a guy just compliment such a pretty lady?”

“Not when he looks like fucking Voldemort.” you replied just as quickly as he ended his sentence. “You’re kind of bothering me right now.” you pressed pause on your game and looked up again. “I’ll ask again. What do you want, seriously?”

Out of the corner of your eye, you noticed a guy at one of the booths, staring over at you. It didn’t feel creepy, but it was enough to capture your attention. 

“I wanted to-”

“What do you want?” you cut him off again. “We’re wasting time here.” you threw your phone on the table. “Save me the headache and save your ego...” you crossed your arms. you faked a smile. “Goodbye.”

“You bit-”

“Is there a problem?” 

A new person walked up to you two. The same guy who you had noticed before stopped in front of your table. He had sandy brown hair, and very sharp looking eyes. You swore you’ve seen him somewhere. You weren’t too sure.

“Nothing buddy, just about to show this bitch who she’s talking to-”

You crossed your arms and shifted around in your seat. “I mean I don’t need to be shown anything.” you shrugged.

“Oh are you?” he laughed. “Well I hate to break it to you but I’ll have to intervene” the stranger laughed out loud. 

“What do you mean-”

The drunk was instantly floored as this stranger grabbed his by the neck and slammed his face against the table not even an inch away from your phone. The drunk landed on the floor with a thud, moaning in pain. You weren’t even sure if he was registering the pain he was in or the fact that he had gotten his ass handed to him in the first place. All that you knew was that he was being peeled off the floor and escorted (more like thrown out.).

“You’re welcome, lady.” the guy didn’t take another look at you before be took a step forward. 

“I didn’t need your help.” you snatched your phone off the desk. “I can take care of myself.” you rolled your eyes. “And I wasn’t gonna thank you, either.” you stood up. “I’m definitely not going to now.”

The man slowly turned around, revealing his face clearly. “Oh really?” 

He was attractive, no doubt about it. His tight black muscle tee with baggy jeans and boots...damn he was a looker. Yet you weren’t like most MC’s...it would take a bit more than that for him to have any impact on you.

“Really.” you repeated. You put a hand on your hip. “Now if you’ll excuse me...I’m off to find another table to sit at.”

The man who ‘saved’ you didn’t take his eyes off you all night. Even when your friends came and joined you. 

“Hey Y/N, is that Keigo Takami looking at you?”

“I think it is!” another friend piped.

“Who?” you stared at her as you lowered your drink. “Who is Keigo Takami?”

“Y’know...Hawks.” she whispered. “I heard they call him that when he served time...” 

“He’s a literally crazy person. He’s an absolute menace! He’s a former hero...”

“Can imagine why...he beat the shit out of this guy who tried to hit on me.”

“Him?! I haven’t heard of him ever doing that for anyone before.” your other friend widened her eyes. “Y/N, I’ve heard of his past relationships...they didn’t end well. They all ended up missing...or in therapy.”

“I can take care of myself.” you shrugged. “I’m sure whatever Hawks has for me, I can take.”

“Don’t say that so freely, Girl. I heard he has a lot of screws loose.” your friend put a hand on your shoulder. “Like a lot.”

“Well whatever Mr. Man has in store for me, I’ll be prepared. It can’t be that bad, right?” your confidence dispersed a little bit. You looked behind you back at Keigo who had been cracking open a can of beer. He looked a little to interested in his own world to see you staring. 

“Y/N...Y/N!” your friend snapped her fingers in your face. “You okay?”

“Y-yeah!” You focused back on your friends, feeling your emotions sort of switch. 

From the corner of the room, Keigo’s eyes followed you. He took his bottom lip between his teeth as he studied you. Never in his life had he ever seen a girl like you before. He had never been so...fascinated either. Something inside him snapped, he had to get to know you.

He had to.

...

“Is there a reason  you’re following me?”

On a trip to the supermarket, you couldn’t help but voice your opinions. Keigo was hiding in behind a display of cans whilst you stared at the cheese. Hmmm Cheddar or American? Maybe Havarti! Hmm Pepperjack? Why were there too many types of cheeses?! Too many options!

“You have a very keen eye.” he revealed himself. “I like that.” he began walking along side down down the aisle. “Try this one, it’s the best on burgers.” he grabbed a package of Pepperjack cheese and tossed it in the cart.

“I’m just very aware.” you replied boredly. “It comes with the territory.” you opted to ignore him trying to shop for you. 

“Of being a hero?” 

His words made you freeze. You hadn’t been a hero in years, let along thought about it. It had been so long...

“I hung up my cape years ago.” you rebutted. Your tried to keep your voice steady, but he could tell his words affected you. It made you wonder how he even knew that.

“I can say the same.” he winked. “Only I traded the cape for...other things.”

“I can tell...Hawks.” you grumbled in reply. “That’s what they used to call you right?”

Keigo knew you were challenging him. Part of him was angry, others not so much. He was interested to say the least. No one dared call him that anymore. Hell, no one lived long enough to even finish such a sentence. What made you so different? You had guts...he liked that.

“Yeah...that part of my life is over now.” he began following you down the aisle. “What about you? Why’d you give up hero work?”

“That’s not something I want to discuss with a stranger in the middle of the store.” 

“I get it...how’s 7:00 sound?”

“Pardon me?” You and your cart skid to a stop. “What did you just say to me?”

“I’ll meet you at the bar we met around 7! Don’t be late, and tell the bartender Takami Keigo is gonna be waitin’ for ya.” he winked. “Don’t leave me waiting princess...”

“I don’t even know you!” you were taken aback. “You don’t even know my name...”

Keigo’s face twisted into a smirk. He took a step towards you. You flattened yourself against the aisle wall as he trapped you against the cereal. “So tell me...What’s your name?”

“Huh?!”

“For a hero...you’re pretty dense.” he chuckled, nearing his face closer. “I asked your name, Hun.” he winked. “Won’t you tell me?”

“Y/N.” you replied breathlessly. “My name is Y/N.” Why did you tell him that, you had no clue. Idiot!

“Okay then Y/N.” he neared his face towards yours. “7:00 tonight...okay?”

“Uh huh.” you nodded. 

“Wonderful, I’ll see you tonight, princess.”

... 

You sat at the bar stool, spinning around lazily. You called all of your friends, your parents, hell even your grandparents. You didn’t tell them the details, but you told them if you didn’t message them back by 9:00 AM the next morning, call you just in case.

“What can I get you?” the barkeep walked up, wearing a kind smile on his face. You suddenly remembered that Keigo had told you, and you didn’t trust it one bit. “Can I get a water please?” 

“Coming right up, young lady.” the older man kindly looked at you. “Anything for the former Number 1 hero!”

You giggled bashfully. “Please, that was years ago.” you shook your head. “I appreciate it though.” you smiled. Hero work, the bane of your existence. Your past buddies and partners had all begged you not to leave, but with the amount of scars and suffering you endured, you had no choice.

You wouldn’t put yourself through that again, not for anyone. 

“Here you are miss.” the glass was set in front of you. 

“Thanks.” you put your hand over the top of the glass. Now that it was in yoru hand, you could move accordingly. “I was also supposed to meet someone here?...Told me to tell you to expect me...Keigo Takami?”

The barkeep’s face fell, fear striking his features. “O-oh! You’re Mr. Takami’s company for the night! I’m supposed to escort you to his special booth.”

“Special booth?” you repeated.

“Y-yes, please follow me!” he urged. “Only VIPs are allowed back here, but he rented out the entire back area just for you!”

You felt your senses go off, fight or flight mode. Now or never. You reached in your purse. Knife, check. Mace, check....Gun...check.

The kind barkeep took you to a back area. It looked like the main dining area, only a lot more high end. Slow jazz music was playing in the background and the lights were low. He was right, there was no one here...except one person.

He dawned a brown leather jacket, black skinny jeans and those all to familiar boots. He tapped his fingers against the table as he stared down at his phone.

“Mr. Takami. She’s here.”

Keigo looked up with that shit-eating smirk. “Thank you Hideo, leave us.”

The barkeep stalked off leaving you alone. You suddenly felt out of place. You looked around, taking note of the city beaming outside the windows. 

“Beautiful isn’t it?” 

You looked back over at Keigo again, almost surprised. “Yeah, it is.” you nodded.

He motioned next to him. “You wanna sit down or are you gonna stand there staring at me? I don’t bite.” he winked.

Silently, you sat down, still keeping your distance from the man. You were about a good two feet away from him. You weren’t too keen on getting any closer.

“I’m surprised you came. I thought you’d find a way to get out of this.”

“I am too, but I figured I’d entertain this idea...just for tonight.” you shrugged. “Don’t try anything, got it?”

“Wouldn’t dream of it.”

Keigo cracked a genuine smile. You looked stunning and he wanted to tell you that. He wouldn’t admit it, but he knew about you when you were going by your hero alias. He recognized the way you walked, the way you spoke. You could have killed that freak who hit on you if you wanted to. However you didn’t. He was curious about that.

“Why did you ask me out?” you raised an eyebrow before he could get a word out.

“I’ll let you know in a minute.” he winked. “I’m more interested in you.”

“Like what?” you raised an eyebrow. “How interesting can I be?”

Keigo didn’t want to say he did extensive research on you and couldn’t find shit. It drove him crazy. It was making him go quite literally insane. He was more that interested. He was invested. When he didn’t answer, you sighed.

“You tell me first.” you crossed your arms. “I know your reputation proceeds you.” you raised a brow.

“Princess, that’s not how this works.” he tried to sound as if he was joking. “I ask the questions here.”

“Well it is today.” you shrugged. “Either we have an even exchange or you’re out of luck.” you shrugged. “You decide.”

Keigo stared blankly at you. You were a tough nut, that was for sure. Plus you sure as hell weren’t afraid of death. That must have meant you had no idea what he was capable of. Then again, it must have been your Hero Side taking a stance.

After what felt like a minute, he sighed in defeat. “...A friend of mine was killed by a hero.” he confessed. “You ever hear of someone called The Bronze Monk?”

“That name sounds familiar?” you raised an eyebrow. “He’s another hero, right? He can turn his fists into bronze.” You tried to recall.

“Mhm...He killed my friend.” Keigo clenched his fist. “I did 6 years because of him....”

“I don’t understand.” you raised an eyebrow. “What does that have to do with you?”

“This was while you were dominating the game I guess, so I don’t blame you for not knowing.” he shrugged and he slapped a hand on the table. “HIDEO! TWO BEERS.”

“So I’m confused. I heard The Bronze Monk died mysteriously...he fell from over 500 stories...”you paused. You took to time to noticed that Keigo has aired out his wings this time around. You didn’t even noticed he HAD wings. “It was all over the-...wait a second...You never said who your friend was.”

“She was a- she was a villain.” Keigo sighed. “She was like a sister to me and I was tryna get her to stop being so dumb...turn over a new leave and she was doing so well! Shit, but...one day she dumbly got into a fight with that asshole and I watched my friend die right there.” Keigo hitched his words slightly.

“I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have asked.” you said sadly, regretting opening your big mouth. “I didn’t mean to-”

“No...it’s fine. I guess in order to move on I gotta talk about it right?” he sat up straight as the barkeep came back with two mugs and quickly stalked back off. “I was so blinded by my own anger. What type of hero would go out of their way to punish someone trying to make amends....” he seethed. “I flew him up to the tallest building in the city and dropped him...I only got off on good behavior...”

It finally all made sense, to you at least. You let what he said marinate and sit well...it felt surreal.

“So.” Keigo grabbed his glass and took a huge gulp. “I’ve said my peace. You’re turn.”

You stared at this guy for what felt like ages. Something told you that this guy couldn’t be trusted. All the alarms were going off at the same time...but for some reason-

“My parents wanted me to be a hero.” you said. “My quirk is hereditary, so it’s passed from person to person.” you shrugged. “I loved saving people, helping people...then-” you paused. “I saw how corrupt, and hateful, and disgusting these so-called heroes were...I lost someone important to me too.”

Keigo raised an eyebrow, suddenly interested. You took a swig of beer, trying to gather your thoughts. 

Keigo took note of the way you were fiddling with your left hand. Your thumb grazed over your ringer finger as if something was missing...something important.

“Who was the guy?” Keigo asked, snapping you out of your trance. He had a gut feeling he already knew, but he wanted to hear it from your mouth.

“...H-he was um...we dated since high school.” you shrugged. “We were a team, him and I.” you smiled at the memory. “When he turned his back on the hero world, they turned their back on him too.”

“Meaning?”

“They sold him out.” you choked. “They left him for dead and told me he would be okay. I should have gone back for him but they held me back, they told me there were other people that needed my help.”

“What happened when you learned the truth?” Keigo asked. He only knew that a poor hero lost his life, he didn’t know that the only other survivor just so happened to be his future wife.

“I had to choose...my friends and my morals or being a hero. If anyone knows just how two faced and conniving these people are, it’s me.” you shuddered. “I’ve met traitors, and killers disguised as good guys. At one point I couldn’t take it anymore and I gave up! Forget being number 1, forget status, forget everything...Being a hero...lost me everything.”

“Hm. Thank you for sharing that with me, Princess.” he replied. “It must have been hard to do...it’s nice to know you trust me so much.”

“It was only fair, I guess.” you boredly drank. “It not that big a deal.” you stared down at your fingers. “It was years ago, I’ve moved on.”

Keigo took note of how your mood faltered. He couldn’t have that.

“Hey, look at me?”

“Hm?” you looked up from your glass.

“I’m sure where ever your fiancé is, whatever he’s up to. He doesn’t blame you.” he put a hand over yours. “He wouldn’t hate you for moving on either.”

“He wouldn’t?” you narrowed your eyes. “How do you know?”

Keigo couldn’t answer, he just wanted to say something, anything, to put a smile on your face. It was like a second nature in such a short time. He wanted to be your hero. “It’s just a hunch...you shouldn’t be afraid to move on...sometimes all you need is a push out the nest.” he winked as his wings twitched behind his back.

“Bird humor? Really?” you scoffed.

“It’s what I do, princess.”

...

After the heavy and depressing, you don’t think you laughed that hard in years. 

“Wait hold on.” you stopped laughing. “Pause for a minute! You, with those big ass wings got your ass handed to you by some chump named ‘The weather man?’” you were crying from laughing so hard.

“He could control the wind!” he defended, also laughing. “You shoulda seen it!”

“Well maybe you need to exercise your quirk more.” you crossed your arms.

“As if you’re the master of your own.” he playfully rolled his eyes.

“As a matter of fact, I am!” you raised an eyebrow. “Shall I demonstrate?” you scooted out the booth and stood up. “Don’t blink or you might miss it.”

Keigo leaned back in his seat, now very interested in what you were about to display for him. He watched your eyes narrow in focus as you held your hands out in front of your face. Slowly, a very tiny tornado formed in your hands, small and handheld. This mini tornado was soon replaced by a tree sprouting out of the top. You waved your hand around and miraculously summoned rain out of your palm. 

“Okay Y/N, focus.” you mumbled. Suddenly, out of everything, a flame erupted from the center of your hand. 

He watched in awe, he had never heard of anyone with a quirk like this one before. With another flick of the hand, everything you had summoned disappeared. “Ta-da!”

“That was amazing.” he commented as your sat down. “What was that??”

“I come from a long line of ‘benders’. Funny name, I know.” you giggled. “I can bend another element...spirit. I can only do it when I’m really happy though.”

“Why didn’t you try that one?”

“...I said I can only do it when I’m happy.” you smiled sadly. It didn’t take long for Keigo to catch on. 

“Oh.” he raised a brow. “Sorry, I-”

“It’s alright.” you shook your head. “Ever since...he died...I’ve never been able to do it.” you shrugged. “Maybe one day I’ll be able to.”

“I’d love to witness that.” Keigo laced his fingers within yours, making your face heat up. “I bet it’s beautiful.”

“...S-shush.” you scoffed, looking away bashfully.

Suddenly the song changed, a slow jazz song began playing. A slow beat, with soft drums and what you could describe as a romantic saxophone.

“Dance with me.” he held out his hand. 

You smiled, rolling your eyes playfully as you took his hand and stood up. He guided you to the middle of the floor. he pulled you flush against his chest. The slow music seemed to drown out the hustle of the city noise outside. He hummed thoughtfully, singing to the tune for you. 

“You never told me.” you mused as you two moved in sync.

“Told you what, princess?”

“Why did you ask me out?”

“Truth be told, something drew me to you.”

“Like what?” you innocently stared. “What about me could possibly interest you?”

“Out of everything you’ve told me, everything really.” he bit his lip. “You’re amazing, everything about you.”

“You aren’t so bad yourself, Keigo.” you shyly replied. You turned around and rested your back against his chest. He rested his head in the divot of your shoulder. He wrapped his arms around your waist, guiding you along to the music. 

He was right, he wouldn’t leave you, not now. Not ever. 

“Can I ask you a question?”

“Go for it, princess.”

“If I admitted I was wrong about you, would you hold it against me?”

Keigo nearly froze. A shock was sent up his spine as the words left your lips. “You shouldn’t say things like that, princess.”

“How come?” you turned around to face him. 

“I want to-” he bit his lip. A gentle hand rested on the base of your neck, his thumb caressing your throat. He laid a kiss on your lips, passion dripping off of every peck. His tongue slipped through the small gap as he moaned against your mouth. You whimpered and shivered feeling his tongue dominate your mouth. He responded with sounds of his own. Shaky breathes and low groans.

You responded to his touch, allowing his hands to travel under your shirt. “Keigo.” you whimpered. Your feverishly ran your hands through his hair, practically gluing your bodies together. You felt his fingertips creep under shirt, dancing across your skin. “W-we can’t do this here.”

“You’re totally right.” he didn’t cease, instead opting to kiss down your neck. “So...my place or yours.”

You felt yourself lose all sense of direction. “Y-yours.”

“You’ve just opened up Pandora’s Box, princess.”

...

You fell back on his bed, crawling backwards. He rid himself of that jacket and his shirt, leaving him to flex his muscles, his wings, and everything. You stared up, trembling in anticipation. 

Your friends would probably kill you, but you didn’t particularly care. You hugged yourself, suddenly feeling very vulnerable. 

Keigo loved it. It meant you still had innocence flowing in your veins, not for long. He would toy with your brain. He would bend you to his will and drive you insane with lust. You would be the perfect sidekick for him. He stalked over to you, biting his lip. 

“Look at you.” he mused. “You’re so cute.” he giggled. He rested a knee at the edge of the bed, beginning to crawl towards you. 

You noticed his wings were spread wide, covering over you two like a shield.

“C-can I?”

“Go ahead Princess.” he smiled knowingly. He had the look as if he knew something you didn’t. You reached a trembling hand to gently brush his beautiful feathers. A low groan erupted from his throat.

“Oh my gosh! Am I hurting you?” you almost withdrew your hand back.

“Don’t stop...please.” he growled lowly. 

It was only then you realized, this was turning him on. You ran your hands through his feathers. They were soft, shiny even. 

“Enough!” he grabbed your hand and pinned it above your head. “Look at you, princess. All ready for me.” he laughed. “I wonder how wet I can make that pussy for me.” he used his other hand to fumble with the button of your jeans.

You trembled under his touch, feeling your pants slide down your legs. You were completely drowned in your own lust. A fire was prominent in your chest. You were shaking under his fingertips. 

“Enjoy this, princess.” he winked before crawling down. He lifted your shirt up and planted little kisses along your stomach. He grabbed the hem of your panties with his teeth and pulled them down. 

You were squirming in anticipation, waiting. 

“You smell so...so-” he didn’t finish his sentence because he had drove his tongue up your slit. A gasp escaped your lungs. Absentmindedly, you had grabbed a fist full of his hair. 

“Fuuuh~” you couldn’t speak. You weren’t even sure he’d be able to hear your over the sound of your wetness. You could feel your water dribble down your thighs. 

“Wrapped your legs around my head.” he growled, digging his nails into your thighs. “Grind that pussy against my tongue, princess.” 

You thrashed against his mouth, feeling warmth gather in the pit of your stomach. “Keigo!”

He wrapped his lips around your clit and sucked harshly, making you cry out even louder. 

Keigo felt himself lose touch with everything, he was only focused on you in the moment. Fuck, was he hard too. Hearing your moans. Shit, he couldn’t wait to bury himself into you. 

“Baby, do you hear that?” he looked up at you as he promptly replaced his tongue with his fingers. “Listen.” he pumped his fingers into you. “You sound so fucking cute” he groaned, mimicking your soft whimpers. “It feels good, yeah?”

You couldn’t speak, so you just nodded. 

Suddenly, he yanked his fingers out of you. His head fell forward to rest on your pubic bone. He sounded as if he came just now even if it was you getting all the pleasure. 

Like a predator stalking after it’s prey he meet your eyes. He wore a sadistic grin with his bottom lip taken between his teeth. He sat up, fumbling with his belt buckle. 

“You ready for me, princess?”

“Yes, p-please?” you whimpered. 

Fuck, you couldn’t do that to him. He had a mind to tear you apart where you lay. Your jaw went slack as his cock was released from its restraints. Would that even- Inside you?! 

You felt it brush against you, slightly. You met his eyes and froze there. He was staring down at you. He looked absolutely feral. You could barely look away as he slid himself inside your throbbing hole. He painfully slowly rolled his hips into you. He twitched inside as he bucked his hips into you. 

“Look at how good we fit together. That’s right.” he managed through clenched teeth. “My cock was meant to be here. I was meant to fuck you.” he snarled. 

You tightened around his length as he thrust harder. “You’re so fucking beautiful, princess.” His jaw dropped again. “Say my name, please?”

“K-keigo.” you obeyed. You felt a warmth in your chest as well as your core. It was like a fire was being ignited in the pit of your soul. “I’m gonna-”

“Fuck! Don’t finish that sentence.” he snarled. “You don’t wanna know what I’m gonna do as a result.”

In a swift motion, you were suddenly staring down at Keigo. He had a death grip on your legs as he was now thrusting upwards. You had your hands on his chest in an attempt to support yourself.

“I think I like you more when you’re riding me.” he bit his lip. “You look so fucking sexy. Those moans, that body, your pretty fucking pussy-”

“Keigo, please! I can’t it anymore.”

“Oh yeah, you gonna cum? You wanna cum for me, baby?” he spoke in a babyish voice. “You wanna cum all over Papa Bird’s cock? Do it, do it for me...ARGH FUCK!”

You felt his warmth inside you at the exact same time you had came. He was shaking under you, rolling his hips upwards to relieve the friction he had caused. 

Keigo stared in amazement at a bright light erupted from your chest, a small bird in the shape of smoke began flying around the room.

“That would be spirit.” you laughed tiredly, watching the quirk you had thought died reactivate out of nowhere. 

“I hope you know...you can never leave me now.” Keigo sat up to lay kisses on your neck. “You’re mine now.”

(AND DONE! This was Hawks debut on the blog so lets all give hem a huge hello!)

[skystarchild123]

Michael in the Syndicate headcanons!

He comes along to meetings whenever they’re on. At first he would stick very close to Ranboo and would only really sit with him, but over time he started to explore and sit with the others. Despite grumbling about it at first, Phil eventually got used to having Michael sit with him.

Techno at first was very indifferent about Michael. The initial reveal that Ranboo was married and had a son created more of a “Phil where did I go wrong?!” reaction from Techno but after that he basically ignored the kid. The more Michael attended meetings though, the more Techno warmed up to the adorable little zombie piglin and eventually he started playing with him during breaks, giving him little gifts of weapons and armour (which Ranboo promptly took away) and he would even tell Michael stories about anarchy and how amazing it is. He becomes sort of a role model to Michael as time goes on.

On top of this, Techno teaches Michael how to speak piglin. Michael already knew the basics from his time in the nether but it was mostly baby-talk and very basic words. Thanks to Techno though, he’s able to learn piglin fluently and the two end up communicating in it often. Techno also gives Michael gold nuggets, gold swords, gold armour, basically anything gold because it reminds Michael of the nether and makes him happy.

Niki is very wary of Michael for the longest time but even she cannot help but eventually crack and admit he’s cute. Learning that he eats cakes, she starts baking again and brings snacks to the meetings (which sidenote everyone loves because their girl is a baking goddess). For the first time in ages, she’s having fun while baking and it becomes a stress relief for her outside of just giving Michael snacks. She also makes him some new clothes to help with the cold because he isn’t very used to it and he refuses to take them off even after going home to Snowchester.

Phil becomes a kind of uncle-figure to little Michael. The guy pretends not to care about him at first, calling him “lil shit” every time he waddles over or insists on sitting with him. It’s very clear however that this Phil showing love in his own way, as seen when he bounces Michael on his leg to make him laugh, crouches down to play-fight with him, and knows when the slightly more violent antics are going to far and hands him back to Ranboo. Phil can’t actually parent Michael like Ranboo does and takes a more ‘experience-based’ approach to teaching life lessons (ie throw him to the sharks and see what happens) but there’s no doubt he has a soft spot in his heart for the “lil shit” that he lets sit with him during meetings.

Oh god Ranboo is a helicopter parent. Michael is absolutely not allowed to come on missions (no Phil it does not “build character”!) and he is constantly monitoring how many snacks his son eats, what gifts Techno is giving him, if he’s tired, hungry, what have you. Luckily, the others are there to tone down the overprotective side of things and over time Ranboo becomes comfortable letting Michael pick up a toy sword and “duel” Phil, explore around not only the syndicate but Techno’s house, do baking with Niki and even go out to play in the snow (which admittedly Michael doesn’t really like because it’s cold but it’s still fascinating to the little guy).

Techno is still very suspicious of Tubbo so Tubbo isn’t allowed into the syndicate yet. As a result, Michael still technically lives in Snowchester. However, Ranboo starts to drop him off at Techno’s house every now and again if him and Tubbo have plans. The first time this happened Techno just did his signature “HA?” while holding little Michael and Phil laughed his ass off in the background. By the time Ranboo came to pick Michael up though, he found his son and Techno sleeping in front of the fire, Phil quietly picking Michael out of Techno’s arms and handing him back over.

It’s a gradual process, but the syndicate slowly become a sort of ‘Michael Protection Squad’. Techno tries to hide it but will actively fight any mob that comes near Michael. Phil is less ‘gotta protect’ and more ‘gotta make sure Ranboo doesn’t have a panic attack’ — he’s also very aware of Michael’s boundaries and will get Michael out of situations that make the baby uncomfortable. Niki goes rage-mode if she hears about something bad happening to Michael, bonus points if it’s another person (especially a person she hates). And, well, Ranboo would start a full ass villain arc for Michael so we know how much he protects his son.

This is a further in the future headcanon (basically a fanfic at this point), but Techno eventually starts to give Michael fighting lessons (under intense supervision from Ranboo, of course) and Michael learns the way of The Blade. Techno gifts him his old Netherite armour a piece at a time, one for every new milestone the boy hits. The final rite of passage is defeating his first wither, which is set up by Phil and Techno and Ranboo isn’t allowed to help with.

(Am I aware that most likely Michael will die soon? Yes. Am I aware that Techno is probably gonna react very badly to the whole marriage and child thing? Yes. Am I ignoring it to have a wholesome found family out in the snowy tundra that just wants anarchy, snacks and the best for the baby? Yes.)