#I'm past the point where I think I'm destroying a friend group

[shadow-and-purgatory]

Screams

[pyreo]

I'm comparing the Dungeon Meshi manga to episodes I just watched and now I gotta capital-p Post about this one episode (spoilers past Episode 12)

So this part is an emotional side-step from the central throughline so far - Laios and Marcille got Falin back successfully and reunited, and they got that payoff from the very beginning where they thought it would be impossible. But Chilchuck is very much a part of these layers of development, so after that dragon finally dies, we stop for a second - Laios and Marcille are recovering, Falin has disappeared again - how does Chilchuck feel at that point?

It's the perfect stage to insert that because he didn't really share in that sense of victory in the same way as Laios and Marcille recovering someone extremely close to them. And that's on purpose because he keeps everyone at arms' length. As soon as that arc hits its end and Falin is recovered, there's at last space to ask - why is Chilchuck even here.

He's asking himself that through the chapter. Now that they've lost the person they intended to save, he regrets agreeing to come.

And starts shouldering responsibility for everything ending up this way. We saw that when he got stuck in the mimic room before - he refuses to let himself ask for help, or he'll try to take burdens alone to lessen relying on others. The original Touden Party was six people, and when Laios insisted on going back underground they were two, and he knew they would die, and figured maybe, maybe if they were one more, with his skillset, maybe they'd have a chance. He couldn't let them walk back down just to die.

And he's going back to that mindset - their lives are on me. He thinks he could have prevented this if he'd chosen differently. Essentially, the walk alongside the orc woman is him working through a guilt spiral.

He sees a second chance to correct that mistake of joining the party. He wants them out now, before they die. The orc asks him how they defeated a dragon and, in explaining it, he reminds himself of all the risky, ridiculous things they had to do, and he isn't satisfied with just getting lucky. Laios got his foot bitten off, on purpose! This proves to him that if they go any further they will not survive. And he hints at this dissatisfaction a couple chapters later, wishing his teammates prioritised things other than winning at all costs...

Like, obviously. The point of this chapter is Chilchuck pretending to be a self-serving coward. To the point where others react with disdain, even disgust, towards him because he wants to lie to Marcille and Laios to ensure they turn back. He's desperate to get out of a hopeless situation by any means necessary, and will destroy his standing in the group in a blink if it means nobody else dies. He has to go on a stupid mental health walk for his stupid mental health and talk through his little bout of panic and doubt.

'You called me a coward so don't be surprised when I act accordingly'

He needs someone very blunt to tell him 'dude you're not being a coward for wanting your friends to get out of hell alive. you're a coward for making excuses instead of honestly telling them your concern is genuine' and he BSODs about it. He needs to rant and externalise that frustration over their recklessness at a third party. He needs to scream that they are idiots because he's the only one for which the ends don't justify the means and he can't keep losing his mind over everyone's safety. Down to a point, the orc praises their ability to survive the explosion from the dragon's fuel sac, and it only justifies Chilchuck - Falin didn't even know she could cast the spell that stopped them all being killed, and they cannot continue getting lucky like this.

Anyway. The reason I stopped to think about it was this part-

Where he recovers Laios's monster-infused sword. The thing that made their situation in the dragon fight go from bad to worse, that he swore at Laios for in every language he knew. The most angry we'd seen him. And now he calmly picks it up and praises it for being the only one of them smart enough to make a run for it.

He's projecting, obviously. He's internalising the label of 'coward' and changing himself to fit it. And, look at him, he's so tired of this. It's evidence of his sheer exhaustion that his anger immediately disappears and he actually gives it a compliment. Him and Laios's sword, the group cowards, the only one who agrees with him.

Then, because he had a walk before getting into the argument, he's organised his feelings and drops all the walls and pretense and just says it.

There's a rule of writing where you contrast your high energy sequences with parts that are slow and mundane, to make the difference more apparent. I think that's why I like this bit so much. The fight against the dragon is long, and the emotional stakes are enormous. Right after that we have the bath scene with Falin and Marcille, and Laios ruffling Falin's hair, and this part that pauses everything to explore the stuff that Chilchuck finally needs to say. And it's wrapped in this neat little solemn journey to pick up their supplies and remember how it felt when all five of them had a meal around a real dinner table at last.

And because he doesn't resort to individualistic trickery, because he explains his point as a duty of care rather than pitting himself against the others, he gets backed up. Senshi agrees that they don't have the supplies to continue, and the orc lady mentions her brethren will return later and can give them support, all of which together breaks down Laios's singleminded devotion to his cause.

Personally I think the manga's better suited to comic timing, but in the anime you can get fleshed out little moments, like Laios's face journey as he realises the other three are making a good case for their survival.

This was my favourite part so far, and I like how both Chilchuck-centric episodes have separated him from the others. Because he won't reveal anything he's thinking otherwise. lmao

[theresattrpgforthat]

TTRPGs for people with dyscalculia?

THEME : Dyscalculia Friendly.

Hello friend, I’m going to first point you to the Math-Lite Chaotic Murder Hobos recommendation post I wrote up a year or two ago.

What I understand about dyscalculia is that in can affect the ability to do mental math, but I'm not sure how much it affects number recognition. I have a few games here that ask you to read the faces on a die, but I don't think any of them expect you to do any addition. I hope you find something fun on this list!

Cats of Catthulu, by Joel Sparks.

CATS OF CATTHULHU is the beloved rules-light roleplaying game in which the players take the part of ordinary cats, secretly defending human civilization from the Chaos Cults of the other animals. All the players have to do is act like cats, while the Cat Herder arranges exciting challenges for them—anything from snacky time to daringly interrupting dire rituals.

In Cats of Catthulhu, the way the story will go is always a mystery. You and your friends play to find out what happens. One person, the Cat Herder, arranges the secrets and situations, and sets the scene, but even they don’t know where the night will end. The players take the role of individual, ordinary cats. All you really need to do is act like a cat.

It might be a bit difficult to get your hands on them, but the original dice for Cats of Catthulhu don’t have any numbers on them; instead, they have sad cats and happy cats. Whenever a cat does something, they roll 2 of these dice. Rolling a Happy Cat is a success; rolling a Sad Cat is a failure. The reasoning behind these dice is: cats can’t do math!

If you can’t get your hands on cat dice, you can use any old d6, and regard 1-2 as Sad Cats and 3-6 as Happy Cats. You’ll also want to get some kind of physical token to use as Treats, which are player currency used to allow free re-rolls. Cats of Catthulhu is great for groups who are mostly getting together to just have a fun time, ready to act silly and get into all kinds of shenanigans.

DUSK, by Gila RPGs.

Equipped with the latest suntech, you are tasked with venturing out into the Dusk, and helping bring a new dawn to humanity. The Dusk does not want you there. 

Good luck.

In DUSK, you play as Shards, survivors on the planet Obron after the devastating nova-event that saw your world destroyed. Now you wield powerful technology fueled by pieces of your dead sun, in hopes of surviving another day. DUSK uses the LUMEN 2.0 system, and is a diceless RPG focused on resource management rather than luck or chance. 

As a diceless game, DUSK feels a lot different from a number of other diceless games, and I think that’s because of the style of game it’s working off of. LUMEN games are more about strategy than they are about narrative, and in DUSK that’s carried forward in the form of Suntech, items that require energy to power and provide specific advantages.

DUSK is still a relatively new game, but the designer is prolific in the amount of quality work he’s released in the past - and so when he says that there’s more to come, you best believe there’s more to come. If you’d still like to roll dice but you like the idea of the setting in this game, you might want to check out NOVA, which also uses the LUMEN system but gives you dice to roll or LUNA, a game about cultists trying to destroy the moon. Both of these games use pools of d6’s and ask you to look for the highest number, so I don’t think there’s that much math involved.

CASE & SOUL, by Briar Sovereign.

CASE&SOUL is a lightweight tabletop game for telling action-packed stories in the mecha genre. CASE&SOUL is designed for one-shots and short to mid length campaigns. Speed through a lightweight downtime; hire freelancers to pad out your Crew’s skills on missions. Customize your playbooks with SOUL moves, and enjoy a cut-down FITD gameplay with just the essentials for fast and flexible sessions.

Forged in the Dark games use a dice pool, rather than abilities with modifiers. You add dice from various places on your worksheet, and try to roll at least one 4 or higher. Rolling a 4 or 5 is usually a mixed success, and rolling a 6 is a complete success. Personally, I’m a big fan of games that use dice pools, as I’m also not a fan of trying to add up all of those numbers, and having to just look for the single highest dice helps speed up action resolution.

At the same time, Forged in the Dark games can have a lot of moving pieces at once, especially if the GM wants to track a large number of factions, or players want to plan multiple-stage missions. CASE & SOUL advertises itself as a slimmed-down version of these kinds of games, but I can’t tell whether or not that is the case when I look at the character sheets. What intrigues me is the CASE and SOUL tracks; I think your CASE is your Mech, and it receives Harm differently than your SOUL, which is an interesting way to measure how much your mech is (or is not) part of you.

Keyforge: Secrets of the Crucible, by Edge Studio.

In the center of the universe hangs the Crucible, a gigantic artificial world created by the enigmatic Architects and home to countless beings and cultures. Here, impossibly advanced technologies mix with arcane powers to make for a setting unlike any other! Uncovering the secrets of this mysterious world will take all your skills—but the potential rewards are boundless…

Explore this world of boundless opportunity in Secrets of the Crucible, a new sourcebook for the Genesys Roleplaying System set in the KeyForge universe!

You’ll need the Genesys Rulebook for this one, because the main reason I’m recommending Secrets of the Crucible is because of the dice system. Genesys dice don’t use numbers; they use symbols that represent success and failure - and they also have symbols that deepen the nuance of each roll. You can roll advantages or disadvantages that calibrate exactly how much you succeed, as well as triumphs or despairs that give you the same kind of highs and lows as a Nat 20 or a Nat 1 in D&D. This means that each roll tells you so much more about what’s going on around you than just whether you open a door or sweet-talk a guard.

As for the setting, Keyforge is originally a card game published by Fantasy Flight games, about a world called the Crucible, full of secrets that various factions are competing to unlock. It reminds me of the worlds of Magic: the Gathering or League of Legends, with various settings that look very distinct from each-other, and represent different styles of play.

SHIVER, by Parable Games.

WHAT IS SHIVER?

SHIVER is a tabletop roleplaying game that lets players bring their favourite scary movies, spooky tv shows, and horror stories to life. Ever wanted to play through the plot of your favourite film on the tabletop? Or wanted to make sequels, prequels and original stories in the worlds of pop culture you love? SHIVER lets you play that!

SHIVER is setting neutral allowing you to play any story, anytime, and as anyone. Want to play a game of teens in survival mode against a zombie horde? Kids on Bikes who dread exploring a haunted house on Halloween night? Or perhaps a medieval monster hunter looking for a werewolf, vampire or mage? SHIVER can deliver stories and characters for anything from cult pulp classic to Cthulhu fuelled eldritch mystery.

The designer of SHIVER set out with the goal of making games easier for his friends, who had similar struggles with games that had too much math involved. Players roll six-sided and eight-sided dice with various symbols on them, looking for the symbol that represents their character's strengths. The more difficult the task is, the more of the required symbol you need. The game itself is recognized as a class-act horror game, good for everything from pulp-action to gothic fiction to slasher horror. If you don't have the special dice, you can substitute with d6's & d8's, or you can use the free Dice Roller designed for this game.

Tournament Arc, by Biscuit Fund Games.

Are you looking to experience the triumphs and defeats of Space Hyper-Basketball? Need to feel the epic highs and dizzying lows of card games in the post-apocalypse? Want to face the trials and tribulations of the cheese-rolling World Circuit?

Tournament Arc is your very own collaborative sports anime experience, made in the diceless Belonging Outside Belonging engine popularized by games like Dream Askew and Wanderhome. In every thrilling episode, you’ll play the part of the Team as they negotiate the complexities of their daily lives, explore a collaboratively created world, and, most importantly, play the Game.

Tournament Arc is both diceless and GM-less, and is designed to tell stories about teambuilding and competitive sports, although the setting appears to be pretty flexible. The Belonging Outside Belonging game system provides each character type with prompts, and sorts those prompts into different categories. Usually there will be some things you can always do that generate tokens as well as narrative obstacles, and then other things that you can only do when you spend tokens - and as a result, also help characters confront those narrative obstacles. If you have players that like having something tactile to keep in their hands as they play, you might like Tournament Arc.

Warehouse Bitches, by Darling Demon Games.

The Time Worm arrived as it was prophesied just as the crown fell upon his head, and all potentials collapsed into a single haunted citadel, which you call Hex City. You are transgender punks and goths from earth, and in this place your powerful hearts make you witches, daemons, beast-people and arcane architects. We bide our time, smoking and drinking, playing video games and eyeing the crumbling walls of our enemy, The Lord of Olympus.

In Warehouse Bitches, you play as one of the titular warehouse-dwelling trans folk in the hellish Hex City. In this GMless Belonging Outside Belonging game with a unique coin-flip mechanic, you'll wield magic, build allies across the city and fight back against the bastards in subtle ways.

I’ve already explained a bit about how Belonging Outside Belonging works, but Warehouse Bitches adds another layer by using coins as tokens. Using coins, your options are different depending on whether or not the coin is on Heads or Tails. The moves on your character sheet are not just differentiated between Strong and Vulnerable, they’re also differentiated between Heads or Tails, and you must have matching sides of the coins showing in order to be able to use those moves. Characters also have Magic moves, which require the player to flip every coin they currently hold, and reassign those coins based on whatever side they land on.

Warehouse Bitches has only 4 playbooks as it stands now, so a group of 4 players is probably the largest group that can play the book as it stands now. The game is GM-less, but looking at the rules, I think it would be possible to have someone pick up the GM role in order to introduce complications and narrate the actions of various other factions in town. Similar to other BoB games, there are zones that have various elements and details that need to be decided as you play, which will also help provide events and interesting features that keep the game fresh and exciting.

[ashwhowrites]

Perv! Eddie Munson x cheerleader! Reader, where she's taking treat or treat some kids that she baby-sits, and Eddie scares her while she was with the kids, and that ends up on the night getting ruined, and reader gets angry at Eddie and days later she goes to his house to try to talk with him and tell him how awful he is for scaring them, but they end up kissing (and maybe smut If you feel comfortable)

I love perv Eddie

I hope this is what you wanted and you enjoy it. Thank you for requesting <3 happy October

⚠️small bits of smut, Eddie is an ass ( but I like it )

Trick or treat

Y/N always caught Eddie's eye.....the cheerleader team as a whole did. He liked to sit at the bottom bleachers, hoping he'd see up their skirts during their flips. He'd sit under the bleachers during football games, hiding in the cheerleader's section as he jerked himself off. But there was something about her that stole Eddie's attention. In many ways, he wanted to humiliate her and use her body as she tried to hide away from him. She never gave him the time of day, she didn't even notice him.

Tonight she would.

~~~

Y/N was walking behind her small group of kids. She babysat a little boy named Evan every day, and he needed someone to take him and his friends trick or treating. She loved Halloween and seeing kids dressed in their costumes. She was dressed up as an angel, something simple she put together. A white dress, a halo, and wings.

She followed behind the boys as they took a turn, a man with a Michael Myers mask jumped out. The boys screamed in terror as they ran, smacking into her as they raced down the street.

"Asshole!" She scolded, pointing at the man with a disapproving look. She couldn't believe someone would be sick enough to scare young children.

Eddie laughed as he tore off the mask, his cock twitching at the angry look in her eyes and snarled lip.

"Of course it's you." She spat in disgust. "You just ruined their night, feel good about yourself?" She crossed her arms.

Eddie smirked and bit his lip, looking at her up and down.

"You look amazing in that tiny dress." Eddie whistled, walking around her slowly. He eyed the way she shivered and tried to stay mad.

"Just a little trick, but I see my treat has arrived." He said, standing behind her as he whispered it into her ear. His tongue licked the shell of her ear as he pressed his hard cock against her ass.

She gasped and pushed herself away from him. She turned around and slapped him hard across the face. She looked at him in horror as she ran past him.

Eddie held his cheek with a smirk, watching as she ran out of his sight.

~~~

A few days passed and Y/N couldn't help but think of Eddie. The way he looked at her like she was a small prey he was stalking and planning to have for dinner, but she liked it.

She was positive it was stupid, but she asked around for his address. She stood outside his door, her head spun with all the ways he could destroy her.

"Christmas came early." Eddie teased, licking his lips as he eyed her familiar uniform. Y/N tried to act grossed out by his words.

"Listen, I'm here about the other night. When you scared the shit out of the kids I was babysitting?" She tried to sound intimidating but Eddie just smirked.

"Yeah and what about it? Jealous I didn't make you scream too? Promise baby girl, I can make you scream in seconds."

"You are disgusting. No! I want an apology. You ruined the kid's night! I couldn't get poor Evan to sleep!" She explained.

"Maybe it's his hot babysitter that keeps him awake, not me." Eddie flirted, using his arm to lean against the doorway. His face was close to hers.

She shivered as he got closer, his musky scent filling her nose. She tried to ignore the memory of his cock pressed against her. The feeling kept her up all night, he was hard and seemed big.

"Whatever, I don't know why I even came here." She scoffed, turning around but his hand softly grabbed her wrist. He gave her all the control to walk away, but she found herself frozen. He tugged her closer, her body turning into his. She couldn't help it, her eyes drifted down to his pink lips, a smirk stretching across his face as he noticed.

"I think you came here for yourself, not the kids." His taunting words made her knees weak. He removed his hand from her wrist, placing his finger under her chin, her head now pointed up towards him. She prayed he didn't hear the whimper that left her lips.

"Now, if I were to kiss you, would you stop me?" He asked, clicking his tongue as he turned his head to the side. The cold air from outside was blowing against her body, but it did nothing to cool her down.

She didn't have an answer, she wasn't sure why.

Eddie took her silence and smirked. Leaning down to whisper right against her lips. "I guess we'll find out."

She hated how easily her body melted into his when he pressed his lips against hers. The control he had with just his lips, her thighs clenched thinking of all the different ways he could have control over her. His hand moved down to her neck, wrapping around her throat as he pulled her even harder against his lips. She wasn't sure when it happened, but she felt his tongue exploring her mouth. Her hands gripped his shirt desperately as he kept moving her further into the house. It was like she had no control over herself.

Her body was slammed against the now-closed door. His knee shoved between her legs as his hands moved down her body. Squeezing her breasts, hips, and thighs. She felt a fire burning down her skin, his hands held all the flames.

She whimpered when he pulled away, her eyes locked on the spit that connected his lip to hers. The thin string had her craving to smash her lips on his again.

"Your pussy wet now too?" He cooed, mocking a sweet voice as he taunted her. She immediately went to snap her legs shut, forgetting his knee was locked in place. The embarrassment filled her body when she clapped around his leg.

"Oh, you poor thing. Think you could hide that from me?" He taunted her, she got whiplash from how fast he turned her around. Her face shoved against the door as he yanked down her skirt. She couldn't form any words, not sure if she'd moan or ask him to stop.

She gasped when his fingers pushed into her, right over her underwear. The material shoved into her cunt, forced to soak up her wetness.

The laugh Eddie let out made her shake.

"Now run home and take care of yourself." He said, pulling up her skirt. He grabbed her arm and moved her away from the door, opening it and pushing her out. She couldn't speak when he slammed the door in her face.

She raced home, breathing heavily as she tried to wrap her brain around what happened.

She wasn't sure what the fuck happened, but she found herself wanting to come back over.

Tags!

@bmunson86 @mxcheese @ladymunson @michaelfuckinglangdon @z0mbie-blah @biittersweet @mirrorsstuff @somethingvicked @micheledawn1975 @ago-godance @magnificantmermaid @tlclick73 @hargrovesswifee @cityofidek @manyfandomsfanvergentreblogs @silky-luxe @lokiofasgard616 @loving-and-dreaming @eddiemunsonsbitch69 @thegemaqua @ashlynnkennedy @strangerthingsstories5255 @harringt8ns @pleasinghellfire @whoscamila @stusdollface93 @gretavankleep37

[dollydaisies]

Can I pls request a BTS reaction? They have a crush on their friend who is not a celebrity, so they can't confess to her because of their reputation/job, but they are really close. One day someone from their company revealed a sensitive information about them. So, the members and the company accused her of it because they thought that she was only with them to become famous. They didn't believe her and also told her many hurtful things. But later it was revealed that it was not her but someone else and she was telling the truth. Later they try to reconcile with her and asks her to forgive them but it was too late. Can you please write it as angst?

If it's too specific for you, you don't have to write it. Thank you anyways ☺️☺️

my first ask! thank you so much for sending this! my bts skills may be a tad bit rusty, so i'm sorry if this isn't up to par with your expectations. im doing allll the research i can! some things may be changed up a bit, but i'm trying to stick to your prompt the best that i can!

summary: forbidden love hurts, and it sometimes builds up frustration inside you, which then turns into flipping out on the person you love nonsensically solely because you're overwhelmed. they had to learn to think before they act, and, now, they're suffering from the consequences of their actions.

characters: just to test the waters and see if you like what i'm doing, i am only doing kim namjoon. if you like this, i will continue with the other members i’m comfortable writing! please tell me if i did well or was a lil' off. i'll always take constructive criticism:)

kim namjoon never meant to hurt anyone, but he especially made sure that he would not hurt you. he cares about you so much, to the point where seeing you even slightly sad could mess up his whole day.

you're bts's songwriter and producer, but also their friend. when they make plans, they want to include you, always. even if they go to the beach for a run bts episode, they want YOU to be there after the cameras are off. of course, every single member of the group wants you to be around, but namjoon insists on it. you're his safe place, the person he confides in when times get hard--why wouldn't he want you there?

"are you sure you don't want to come with us on this tour?" namjoon looks at you with full passion in his eyes. he wants you to come with them, even if he won't directly say it. "you know that we will always want you to come with, right?"

that little "we" always gets you every time. sure, you know that it's true, and so does he, but that's not what you want to hear and that's not what he wants to say. you want to hear him say "i want you to come with," but it feels like he refuses to say it. he's only not saying it because it'll make his feelings too real, and he can't deal with the reality that you can never be his.

"ah, i know, joonie... but i need to work on the ideas you all gave me for this next album. it's the final one before you all go on hiatus, so i can't take a break," you respond, playing with your bowl of ramen without eating it. you're the only two in the kitchen, and it's quiet. "i'd love to go, but i just can't afford to right now. you know i'm short on money."

namjoon sighs, but nods. "i understand. it's just gonna be hard to be on tour without you."

you send him a sweet smile, then giggle softly. "you're such a baby, did you know that?"

"it's our little secret, keep it hush."

that wasn't the secret that destroyed everything you've built with him over the past decade, but it was more of a foreshadow. you felt excited at the idea of having a secret with him, but also dread--this is silly, though. you guys have thousands of secrets. you're best friends, and you always have been, so why is your gut telling you to fight or fly?

around a week later, dispatch reports on news that namjoon has never told a soul about--except for you. the moment his brain processes the information told to him by the higher-ups, he immediately gets up from his seat and marches to your usual spot that you linger in.

"get out."

"huh?"

your face is full of pure confusion, a bit like a deer in headlights. sure, you've had your arguments and fights before, but he has never been this harsh off the bat--hell, he was rarely ever truly harsh.

the way his eyes look at you with pure disgust, and the sarcastic laugh he lets out... it feels like you don't know who's standing in front of you. yeah, it's namjoon, but... it's also not.

"i knew you were desperate for money, y/n, but i didn't think you'd be this desperate. if i knew you were like this, i would've fired you sooner."

"namjoon, what the hell are you talking about?" you stand up from your seat, yelling at him a bit. it's obvious you aren't even mad, you're just a mix of confused, scared, and worried.

"you know what i'm talking about, y/n. hell, the rest of the world does as well, since you decided to go to dispatch about it."

he holds up his phone so you can look at the site he pulled up. you scrolled and scrolled in pure shock, confusion, and disgust. "i... namjoon, i did not rat you out to anyone. why would i?"

"people like you only care about money. figure it out, and get out of this dorm."

absolutely stunned, you walk to the door in complete silence, then turn around. he looks a bit lost in thought, then he finally sees you. you, whose eyes are full of tears; you, whose cheeks are red due to how panicked you got from him yelling; and you, who refused to yell at him back even when he disrespected you.

while he was so sure he was right, a pit in his stomach grew larger. he feels like he’s doing something bad, something wrong, and he doesn’t know why.

"i just want to say," you pause for a second, then continued. "if this is the real you, kim namjoon, maybe i should've been the one to expose you after all."

you slam the door.

months have passed, and you work at a local music store. sure, you write songs still, but they're not for anyone else except you. you refused to talk to all of them, talk about all of them, or even think about any of them. in your mind, bts disbanded the second he broke your heart, and your trust. truthfully, it’s unfair, as all the other members have texted you so many times and begged for a response, but you can’t think of them without thinking of him.

the store is completely empty, so you're scrolling through every single social media app you have downloaded brainlessly. the words you're reading are not completely processing in your head at all, they kinda just look like funky shapes.

one title, though, caught your attention.

"kim namjoon talks about trust, compassion, and friendship in recent SEVENTEEN interview."

your jaw clenches, and you slam your phone down. your tears are threatening to come out, but you refuse to let yourself still be hurt by him. he doesn't deserve your time, your tears, your anything. that's, at least, what you keep trying to convince yourself of, anyways.

the bell at the door rings, and you try to regain your composure. you

"welcome to good vibes, home to all of the--"

you freeze. you don't know what to do, what to say, or how to even move. are you supposed to say anything? it's not like he’s saying anything—hell, he has a mask over his face and a hood on his head, but you KNOW it’s him. now, he’s just staring at you blankly. you’re wearing a mask, so maybe there’s a chance—

“y/n,” namjoon softly says your name, and your heart pangs against your chest. it’s a mix of heartbreak, anxiety, and all the leftover love you have for him. “i was looking for you.”

you’re so nervous, you could burst into tears. you want to hop over your desk and run into his arms and tell him how much you miss him, but also how much you hate him for hurting you so much. why do you still love a man that said such unforgivable words?

“why?” your words were a bit breathy, and you began to chuckle a bit while shaking your head. “there’s nothing left to say—unless, y’know, you’re gonna tell me all i care about is money again because i have a job.”

“i’m sorry,” namjoon sighs, then walks to you. the desk separates you, but you wish you could fall into his arms. you keep your composure all the same, though.

“that day, i was so stressed. it felt as if so many things were happening at once, and to know that a secret that i only told you got out… i felt so much betrayal all at once, i didn’t want to hear you out. if i’m being completely vulnerable, i wanted to go cry,” he let out a small chuckle.

looking at you, your face was completely unreadable. it’s like you were thinking of so many things, but also of nothing at the same time. was he doing well? he doesn’t know. he’s just going with what he feels in his heart.

“in my heart, i knew i should’ve ran back to you and apologized; in my heart, i knew i should’ve heard every single word you said, because you would never lie to me,” namjoon balls his hands into a fists, then looks at you in the eyes, “so i’m sorry it took so long for me to realize that i was wrong.”

the store was tense, and all you could hear is the music playing so softly in the background as you stare at him. he’s trying to read your expression, to see if there’s any bit of leftover love in your eyes, but it just feels cold.

after a minute, you begin to laugh. it’s a full laughing attack, actually, and namjoon just stares. his heart dropped to the bottom of his stomach, because he’s not stupid—he knows this means he’s fucked up.

“what, did you think was a kdrama, namjoon? did you think i was going to hear that apology, jump into your arms, and say, ‘oppa, never hurt me ever again!’ or something?” you say these words while still laughing, and namjoon is still stunned. “what happened for you to come up here and say this to me? based on your new change in personality with… hating poor people and all, i can’t imagine you just woke up one day and did it.”

“we found who actually did it. it was our stylist, sooyoung.”

“so that’s what it took for you to finally realize i was innocent? instead of thinking back ro everything you said to me and how hurt i was, it took them finding out the real person behind the crime for you to realize i was telling the truth?”

you slam your hand on the desk, and your body is trembling. you’re on an adrenaline rush, but you’re also sad, scared, and angry. namjoon notices this and places his hand on yours, like he always used to.

“y/n, you’re shaking, please ca—“

“i don’t give a fuck, namjoon,” you yell, and namjoon is completely frozen. “i’ve known you since you were a trainee, and, yet, you still thought that i was some… freaky gold digger that would sell her friends out for money. do you know how much that hurts? to know that you think i have the potential to be like that?”

namjoon’s eyes begin to tear up, while your eyes have already overflown. your cheeks are entirely red, and you let out a choked sob. your head drops, and you let out a dry chuckle.

“for over a decade, i have been nothing but loyal and true to you; yet, it takes a full-blown investigation for you to realize how you did me wrong,” you then look up at him with no sympathy in your body. “it’s my turn to tell you to get out, namjoon. and, for your sake, never come back. i never want to see you again.”

he hesitates to walk away, and you’re staring at him, emotionless.

“what, are you deaf? get out.”

namjoon finally leaves, walking quickly towards his car, and you fall to your knees. you’re on the cold floor, shaking and crying, as you realize your life will never be the same ever again.

[zelda-donovanboat]

The Tragedy of Ruth Flemming <3 <3 <3

"You're splitting me in two!"

Ruth Flemming has only ever wanted to be loved. The only girl in a small friend group of nerds, Ruth is constantly told (and telling herself) that she will never know what it feels like to be wanted. People tell her to die every day. Ruth isn't seen as a girl. She's seen as a nerd. That's her entire identity. She craves to be touched not just because she's unbelievably horny, but because it would mean someone wants to touch her; it would mean someone thinks she's worth that level of intimacy. She would be someone. When you watch coming of age movies and you get to the part where the guy sees the girl for the first time and the world stops and maybe their hands touch as they reach for some fallen items and there's such an intense electricity that they have to pull their hands and flinch away--that's all Ruth Flemming has ever wanted. To be the girl in the movie. In her final moments, Ruth gets her standalone moment. She gets an entire song where she not only gets to sing, but monologue and act and act out being the girl of a movie (even if this girl is now middle-aged and overlooked and unwanted; the latter of which being how Ruth feels about herself). I could say so much about Just For Once, I know many people dislike that song but I think it's genius, especially in conjugation with the rest of the development and twists that NPMD places on different typical 2000's movie tropes, such as Richie's development and death. But I'm veering off track. She has just done something she's wanted to do for a long time. She acted. Even if it was just for herself, it was a start. Much like Richie starting to feel acceptance from the football team, Ruth is starting to feel a small build of confidence. And then Max destroys it. Not only does he mock her performance, but he kills her in the most painful possible way I can imagine Ruth being killed; a fucking wedgie. Obviously this continues the theme of Max killing his victims with extreme bullying methods (though this only happens to his first two victims, Richie and Ruth), but it's more than that. How often do you hear of a girl getting wedgied? I know it sounds ridiculous to read, but really. Think about it. You don't. And this brings me back to my earlier point; Ruth isn't seen as a girl. She's just a nerd. And nerd's get wedgied all the time. In Ruth's final moments, Max destroys everything Ruth had just built up. She's not a girl, she doesn't get her moment, she's a bad actor ("You SUCK, Flemwad!"), and the past five minutes that she had to feel herself and perform are now tarnished by the knowledge that she was being watched and the watcher wasn't a fan of what they saw. Max does more than take away Ruth's life, he takes her spirit. I love you Ruth Flemming. You deserve the world, you deserve the Globe Theatre, you deserve love and you deserve attention and you deserve life.

[true-blue-sonic]

How would you describe Silver's personality?

Let's see... There's a few aspects of Silver's personality that I think strongly characterise who he is as a person.

Silver is determined. He has a strong desire to protect the future, to the point where he's made multiple trips to the past to stop disasters from occurring there and ensure the safety of his own time in turn. Related to this, Silver has an optimistic attitude and generally doesn't lose hope easily, as conveyed in multiple bios such as his one from Generations. Notably, he shoots down Infinite's statements about how he'll show the rabble that "there is no hope" immediately, asking "Does anyone but you believe your lies?!". However, this is not infallible: in both Rivals 1 and 2 there's moments wherein Silver loses his hope ("No! I'm too late!" in Rivals 1 when Eggman Nega goes to space to take a picture of the whole planet; "It's too late. I knew there was way for me to change the future…" in Rivals 2 when the portal to the Ifrit's dimension opens despite his efforts). However, it also takes little for him to get this hope back again: the very instance there's the slightest indication things can turn around, he's back on it again. This is seen in both Rivals games and also '06, where Elise pointing out she feels Sonic's presence in the wind makes Silver give her a rousing speech with the idea she can use the Emeralds to bring Sonic back again.

Silver is sassy, rude, and blunt. In Colours DS, he's got a clear opinion on Eggman's Experience the Future ride that is conveyed in quite a sarcastic manner ("They think THAT is what the future is like? Please." and saying Sonic should give it a pass), and he similarly expresses rather abrasive statements about people who are not his allies. Notably, even Sonic remarked once that Silver is getting on his nerves (in Rivals 1). He mocks Sonic in '06 after their first battle ("Hmpf! Is this a joke? How could someone like you cause the destruction of our world?"), and immediately rudely regards Knuckles after getting the information he wants out of him in Rivals 1 ("Got no time to explain it to someone like you… See ya!" followed by "Like I said before, I don't have time to deal with you right now. See ya!"). In Forces, he bluntly tells Knuckles "Who cares what it's called?" about Operation Big Wave, stressing the fact that a good strategy is more important than a good name. Overall, Silver also has a temper: especially in the Rivals games, he quickly goes to throwing hands when someone expresses scepticism about his mission or makes fun of him as a person. It certainly doesn't seem like he is okay with letting people walk over him!

In an interesting contrast to the above point, Silver is also kind and cherishes his friends dearly. In '06, he puts his entire mission to defeat the Iblis Trigger on hold when deciding to help Amy find her person she was looking for first. I am not actually sure why he does so: I think the fact the past is so beautiful and the people are happy there helped inspire him to spread that kindness to the girl who's been kind to him in turn so far? But Silver clearly cares for his friends and allies: in '06, he is distraught by the fact he'll lose Blaze to save the world, he is similarly seen with a hurt expression when Sonic's alleged death is brought up in Forces, and in Rivals 2, he is genuinely grateful to Espio for the help Espio gave him in stopping the Ifrit from destroying the world.

Silver is honest, to the point of being blunt also... and this thus means that he is not always taken seriously. In a Sonic Channel story, he tells a group of Soleannan officials that he is from the future and gives that as reason why he knows calamity will befall a specific place in Soleanna; this is precisely why he is not believed. In Rivals 2, he is very clear about needing the Chao to save the world: Knuckles and Rouge promptly determine that this is something highly unlikely and that his psychic powers must have made Silver "a bit goofy", despite the fact Silver is entirely correct.

Silver is not always correct in his thinking, but it is difficult to change his mind. It also seems that once he gets encouragement that he is perchance doing the right thing, he goes right back to his earlier ideas: seen in '06 with Blaze's statements about what must be done to change the future, where it took an intervention by Shadow and a trip to the past to change Silver's mind about Sonic in full. However, Silver does show the ability to be introspective. After his fallout with Amy in '06, he is sitting quietly by himself, entirely unengaged with his mission to destroy the Iblis Trigger and instead wondering if hurting one person to help many others is "right". In Rivals 2 he is the one who figures that just endlessly fighting is actually against his goal of collecting Chao, and thus he turns that very goal around into a battle with Sonic wherein the victory conditions are to collect the most Chao. And in Colours DS, he is the one taking note of the fact it feels like he and Blaze have fought together before, after Sonic points out they were in perfect sync.

Silver seems to like fighting and has a bit of a Blood Knight mentality. In Generations, he expresses happiness at brawling with Sonic again in a rematch (stating that it should be fun), and in Colours DS he is intrigued to find out what the robots in Sonic's era can do (but unfortunately has to face Orbot and Cubot, making him lament that there was no challenge). Similarly, in the Triumph cutscene of mission 2-3 in Colours DS, he almost begins one-upping Blaze about how he could easily have handled the likes of Orbot and Cubot by himself, to Blaze's displeasure. He thus also seems confident in his own abilities, helped by the fact his powers are tremendously strong and can do amazing feats.

Silver is sharp and takes note of small, almost insignificant details to come to correct conclusions. In Rivals 1, he notices "Eggman" is actually Eggman Nega due to his speech and mannerisms, as well as a small slip of Nega about how there'd be nobody to stand in his way in the past and future. He is also only shown as gullible in '06: in Generations, he originally fights Sonic because he's not sure if the real deal is asking him for the Chaos Emerald (thus not blindly trusting that someone who looks like Sonic actually is Sonic), and in Team Sonic Racing he is right on top of Eggman's plans with the Ultimate Energy Engine. In Rivals 2, he immediately determines at the first appearance of "Eggman" that it is actually Eggman Nega trying to pull the same trick as before, where he is shown to be correct as well.

This got very long, and I am certain I am missing some (or perhaps even many) things. I've written multiple posts about parts of Silver's personality before, but leave it to Tumblr to not return those to me, haha. But I think these are some of the most important aspects of Silver's personality! Lastly, there's also some things that are not explicitly stated but that I think do fit his personality well:

Silver appreciates the small things, things that other people might not notice so easily. His favourite thing is noted to be the blue sky in the Mario & Sonic games which is also shown with him stating that "the sky [of the past] is gorgeous" in '06, he marvels at the desert area of that game (that Amy notably shows more disregard for, asking him "What? You mean this desert?"), and he is multiple times noted to have awareness of the happiness of a whole world: the above quote is followed with "and everyone's happy", and in Colours DS he says "The sky is blue, and everyone's got a smile". A blue sky and the fact the people of the world all have a smile are not extremely noteworthy things, but they're clearly important enough for Silver to mention them both in two games.

Silver doesn't care much about what others think of him. The only time I can recall wherein he reacted crabby to someone poking fun at him is in Rivals 2, where Knuckles calls him crazy for thinking the Chao will be necessary to stop the world from being destroyed (here Silver's response is "I'll show you how crazy I am"). What he is doing furthermore also directly relates to him wanting to save the world, which could explain his annoyance at Knuckles not believing him. The only time wherein Silver has gotten anything akin to flustered in the games is, at the top of my head, '06 wherein Amy gets the jump on him and doesn't let him get a word inbetween her spiel before she drags him off to go find Sonic.

[that-one-kiddo-in-the-back]

Grey Jedi and Mandalorians. She's wrong about both

To start off, I am what Lily would describe as a Star Wars weeb. I live, breathe, and shit star wars.

First things first, Gray jedi is not a thing in canon. I'm sorry, everyone who wanted it to be canon it's just not. Ahsoka isn't a gray Jedi and none of the other morally gray characters that can use the force, and it's not because of what Lily thinks. simply put, no mortal force user can be in the middle. Now, you can have force users that don't aline themselves with the jedi or the sith, but that doesn’t make them a Gray jedi. If you're a jedi, you use the light side. That's why you're a jedi, and if you're a sith, you use the dark. That's why you're a sith.

Now that that's out of the way... Lily doesn't know how the Jedi and the Sith work or why people actually want a gray Jedi. She chalks people wanting a gray Jedi as people who can't make a choice because they are scared of that, not because maybe they want a force user that uses both sith techniques and jedi techniques. She brings up the jedi and sith code

She describes the Jedi code as "living without based passion," which isn't the same as just having no attachments. The jedi is loosely based on Buddhist priests who have no earthly attachments, so they can focus on their own self and inner peace and describes the Sith code as something they came up with to spit on the Jedi code and that the "passion they have is was is what's worth living and that living is the nature of the force" and how the sith code is asking why a Jedi wants to be an "empty husk of a person" which it isn't. Much like how the Jedi aren't perfect all the time... the sith still aren't the good guys. The only way you can use sith techniques is to let your anger and other negative feelings run through you. To use your anger to fan the flame where as the Jedi believes that the anger can drown you in sorrow and make you do things you wouldn't.

In Star Wars rebels season three, you watch Ezra struggle with the dark side after everything that happened on Malachor. You watched him become almost a completely different person, how he no longer saw his friends and family as equals but possessions. You saw how he was quickly to anger, and you can see the looks on the crews face when they can tell he's in a bad mood he was spiraling in his guilt for Ahsoka's "death" and getting Kanan blinded by maul. Everyone could tell he wasn't dealing with his trauma in a healthy way. Something lily needs to understand about the Sith is that they are all traumatized for one reason or another, i.e. it's considered taboo for a sith to pick up a young child. The sith believes you have to experience pain in order to open yourself up to the dark side.

The Jedi learns to let go of the past to move forward where the Sith cling onto the hate and lose themselves to it.

Mandalorian time, next to the mortis gods (the ones), the Mandalorians are my favorite group

The Mandalorians are like the real world Spartans (my siblings call them space spartans) fighting and survival of the fitteat teaching their children at young ages to protect themselves and others that can keep up that doesn’t mean they will watch you die well for some anyway. Mandalore is a bit more like earth as it has many clans, with some getting long with each other and others not so much.

She does have a point in that Mandalorians are toxic masculinity except for the fact that their are women Mandalorians and not all the Mandalorians think the same way hell the Mandalorians themselves talk about how much their own war mindset is destroying their planet death watch are considered traitors.

Something I thought was pretty interesting was how she made fun of people who say that Mandalorians can go toe to toe with the jedi... which is a true thing? The jedi and the Mandalorians don't get along all that much because of philosophy and other things. Mandalorian armor is made out of a metal that can't be melted by a lightsaber they made an energy whip to grab like the jedi when they use the force, and my favorite fact that the Mandalorians made guns called slugthrowers which as basically pistols that fire bullets making it impossible for Jedi to defect them

She also brings up dutchess Satine as the "only person that doesn't want the constant war" and how she was killed only for Obi Wan's characters' development and completely ignoring Bo-Katan's. Yeah, she died in Obi Wan's arms, but that didn't really develop his character. If anything, Bo-Katan had much more of an impact as she left Death Watch, the main group that was responsible for her sisters death and even helped get maul the man that killed her sister dethroned the jedi didn't save the Mandalorians they helped them.

At the end of her video, she goes on about how people who like the like the Mandalorians are plugging our ears and going lalalala at her claims, which are fair fan boys in Star Wars are one of the most toxic people you'll find. For Mother's Day, I made a tiktok saying which woman in Star Wars would be a good mother and had one guy telling me to go back to the kitchen (little shameless sharing of my own content don't mind me)

but what killed me was the fact that she fully blames the Jedi for making the clones. Which just isn't true. The clones were a trap set by Darth sidious and count dokku they were made with Jango fett's DNA with his consistency, and he got his own kid out of it. For the most part, the clones were treated with respect from the Jedi plo Koon treating them like battle brothers Anakin treating them like the people they are. Aayla even developed feelings for her commander, Bly. The sith made them kill the jedi when the time was right.

Something that needs to be said is that the Jedi didn't want the war they didn’t want to fight. No one except the sith and corrupted officials wanted the war because of how big it would be, and even more so, no one liked the idea of the clones everyone saw it as a slave army, which only fueled the Confederacy not liking the republic.

If Lily was a Star Wars character, she would have bought all the propaganda about the Jedi being blood thirsty and needed Order 66 to happen. she'd be on the empire side and call the rebel alliance a group of terrorists. Yes, the clones are slaves but they aren't the Jedi's slaves they're the siths Slaves.

Like I said before, at the beginning, I am a big fan of Star Wars, and for the most part of the video, she has some good points I just really wished she'd understand that the Sith aren't good people the Sith are fueled with revenge they use and manipulate the people around them for their own benefit yes the Jedi were corrupt, yes the Jedi aren't good people either. Get the sith off that pedestal. Yes, the Mandalorians aren't the galaxies' strongest species, and yes, the Mandalorians are the physical embodiment of toxic masculinity, but that doesn’t mean the Mandalorians are something that needs to die out.

[bonefall]

elder bones, what made you want to turn the politics of warriors into a story of anti-fascism? or, at least a part of the story is.

A mix of family and friends I've lost to radicalization + personal experience with the alt-right pipeline after a painful religious deconversion + frustration with how I feel parts of canon's messaging fall into authoritarian talking points

WC as a series is pro-xenophobia and even, sometimes, dips into outright eugenics. I don't know if the books contributed to where I ended up, but I do know that they were in my head a lot in a time I was vulnerable. The way that it treats foreigners and outsiders was particularly painful, especially the Tribe.

Over and over again, we see a pattern in the series where the Clan cats are superior to other cultures, and all their internal problems are caused by Born Evil cats or Barbarous Foreigners. Groups that are peaceful (Tribe) are borderline incompetent, needing to be saved over and over. Culturally, Clan cats are framed as superior by the narrative, with a way of life that is fragile and must be protected against outside threats. Their God is infallible, even when we see it fuck up and act maliciously over and over, but you're meant to ignore that.

Scourge shows up in the last book of TPB, one-shots Tigerstar, and presents BloodClan as love-and-friendship-hating foreigners that pose an existential threat to the Clans. A common enemy to unite against, who will destroy your culture, your people, if not stopped. In a final effort, Firestar rejects his kittypet roots once and for all and embraces his destiny. The Clans win in the end because of their superior religion and Clan bonds, and then... the alliance falls apart immediately, returning to petty squabbles because they don't have a supreme force to fight against.

The enemy is both strong and weak. Fear of difference. Action for action's sake.

The 'lazy' and disabled are treated like burdens who need to find something 'useful' to give their society, with bigotry towards them not challenged, but 'corrected.' "Actually they're NOT useless, they help do X thing sometimes!" You could argue that Jaypaw is displaying internalized ableism when he's insulting Longtail and Brightheart, and that's a fun reading, but that's not called out in the text or even really addressed.

Certainly wasn't my takeaway, when I was young and stupid and in a bad environment. So in my own head, I'm not putting themes in it that weren't there before; I'm subverting what I feel is written on the page.

(intentional or not, mind you. I don't think the writers are pro-authoritarian, I think writing xenofiction brings out subconscious biases. You write the world the way you think it "naturally" is, and that can be revealing.)

WC says that its villains were born with a 'darkness' inside of them, and with their deaths, "peace" (a normal amount of killing each other over rocks) can be restored. And I'm saying, instead, the darkness is in Clan culture itself.

So, that culture needs to change. Just like it has in the past, just like it will in the future, as is the nature of a living culture. Until then, the set of ideas they call "Thistle Law" is a sickness, a weed, and it needs to be cleared away with radical ideas.

[blubushie]

https://www.tumblr.com/blubushie/761610902932979712/idk-if-this-is-just-my-experience-but-i-noticed?source=share

my two cents on the "problematic" content thing is that tf2 is one of those media where you can lean into both feel good shit and darker topics simultaneously.

a recipe for a good tf2 fic is over the top gore and ridoculously stupid humourous scenes.

but also, If you're upset about people posting blood and a lil' guts, you picked the wrong fandom. that said, writers should of course use their best judgement and tag things appropriately. yk if someone comes in complaining about blood, there's a notice that says "you might see some shit"

and I don't play anti/pro ship games because the definitions of such things are fucking convoluted and meant to incite riots at this point, I do believe... I guess it sounds ridiculous to say it but I have seen people complain about "the mercenaries would never..." in the past. and it's always left me scratching my head.

and like this is tf2 we are talking about, people are going to die, horribly, which includes our main protagonists. there will be violence, fire, and swearing.

but also, If you're upset about people posting blood and a lil' guts, you picked the wrong fandom.

There's a reason I don't tag for blood on this blog and that's why lmao. I'll tag for gore gore (it's #haemocyanin btw—think viscera and guts and body horror) but I won't tag for blood.

I have seen people complain about "the mercenaries would never..." in the past. and it's always left me scratching my head.

This as well. IIRC at one point someone (either Hale, the Admin, or Miss Pauling, can't recall who) outright states that a few of the mercs are sex offenders. And this can be anything from "got slapped with an indecent exposure charge for pissing in public on a wall while drunk and had to register" to "outright assaulted someone" and we don't know what it is or who it is. And I'd personally rather my mercs not be violent sex offenders, but we also don't know, and I'm not gonna shit on someone or harrass them for exploring that bit of lore and what the circumstances might've been behind it.

It's very ironic to me that the "oh we're all freaks" website draws their line at, like... petplay or something and you can't go any freak beyond that. Now, it can certainly be argued that certain acts aren't in character for certain characters, but people as a whole are also highly nuanced. Someone can frequent a prostitue and then go home to their happy wife and happy little family. An alcoholic sociopath with anger issues can hold down a stable job and be a good friend and a good person—is that also out of character? People are confusing, extremely self-contradicting creatures, and it's fun to get into their heads. We've all got skeletons in our closet. We've all got something problematic about us, or our pasts. No one's hands are really clean—there's always dirt somewhere, it's just a matter of finding it. Stones in glass houses. I think harrassing someone for the fiction they create is bullshit, personally, even if I do find it morally reprehensible and disgusting in my own eyes. Depiction doesn't equal endorsement.

And people are allowed to not want to interact with people who depict or engage with certain things! God knows I have a few of my own that I wouldn't want to interact with. I just don't reckon nobody should be harrassed for it. I don't reckon real people should be harmed over fiction. I can recall a few groups to recent memory who ordered certain works destroyed, who demanded certain things not be talked about or written about or art done of them, and none of them were the good guys.

[scrumptiousstuffs]

Only Friends Episode 10 - Redemption

In which we see more character growth (especially Ray), Atom and Boeing are manipulators with a massive grudge and Mew needs to get over his bitterness if he ever wants to make his second chance work

Top & Mew (featuring Boeing)

We start with the most awkward lunch/dinner scene ever. Top being hopeful Mew is there for reconciliation but with Boeing in the picture (and giving sly quip about how Mew is the better version of himself), I can see why Mew is having trouble trusting himself (or Top) ever again.

And we see Boeing capitalising on this matter - he clocks on it and oh boy, he pounces! I must salute Boeing here (and Mond playing him is amazing to see...😚!). We are alluded to Boeing coming every night when Top can't sleep, allowing himself to be essentially an emotional teddy-bear for Top but inside, he is seething with fury. This is the man he dumped Sand for, only for the relationship to implode because Top break it off at the 3 months mark (or less).

And then we have Top basically thinking Boeing is his friendly ex, where he poured his feelings and anguish over his broken relationship with Mew - even admitting to Boeing that for Mew, he can see himself in a long-term relationship.

Mix all of the above with Mew who still feels insecure about himself - and at the back of his mind, I'm sure he is wondering whether he can ever trust Top to not cheat on him again (we see Boeing shrewdly mention this when he met up with Mew to seduce kiss him in the latter's apartment). [Also, what's with the men in this show using plants as a pick up line?]

I'll give it to Top though, he is working hard to prove himself trustworthy for Mew. But it seems Mew is playing a game (with Boeing an eager participant - and I don't think its so much Boeing likes Mew, even though he said he does to Top, but more so he wants revenge on Top for dumping him those many months ago).

I think we can safely say for TopMew to have a fighting chance to salvage their relationship, Mew will need to find somehow to not only forgive Top but also trust in himself.

(Kudos to Book as Mew in this series, I thought his acting has improved significantly compared to his last series; you can see a change in how he behaves as the series progresses, from sweet and openly trusting to somehow close off and almost bitter after the whole Top/Ton revelation).

Nick and Boston (featuring Atom)

If you ask me a few episodes ago whether I thought Boston was redeemable, I will have say no. But after this episode, urghhh.. my 💔 breaks for him.

For all his callousness and arrogance, Boston is honest and holds true to his own code of conducts. He has always been upfront with all his bed partners what they are getting into, which is to never expect a relationship with him. Plus he makes sure all his partners consent before having any sexual encounters. And so, for Atom to manipulate the whole situation and tells his sister the opposite happen - wow that just leads to the group of friends ganging up on Boston. I think we can safely say, the one mistake Boston did was to sleep with his friend's younger brother (and Ray summed it well - "Atom is your friend's brother!")

But the damage is done, and it's easy for Cheum to rally Ray and Mew on her crusade to destroy Boston because they already have past grievances with Ton. Especially Mew, who looks exceptionally smug and satisfied when Cheum slapped Ton and expelled the latter from their friendship group.

Some folks are angry Cheum behaved that way - I will say Cheum is behaving as any older siblings should be. I too will be angry (and ready to commit murder) if my younger sibling insinuate he/she is being sexually blackmail by a close friend.

You can tell, Boston is at his lowest point by now. And we now know he definitely has feelings for Nick (but with an emotional range of a teaspoon, Boston, like most of the boys in this group of friends are terrible at expressing them). So, I think him meeting up with Nick in the store was the former trying to make a connection with the only person in his life right now who doesn't loath him. And wow - the whole subtext conversation between Boston and Nick regarding Boston's screen protector before Boston just casually handing his phone for repair with Nick's photograph as his screensaver 🥹!!!!!

Their heartfelt reunion on the rooftop was raw and emotional to see. It's probably the first time Boston really open up to someone and I'm glad it's with Nick - they are both a bit "loony" with weird/creepy habits, but they both accept their craziness and fell for each other despite them.

(But poor Daddy Dan - I fear he will now be in the sideline with Boston back in the game! Although, that scene in the meeting room between Dan/Nick.....🫠🫣)

Ray and Sand (featuring their respective fathers)

We see the most character growth in Ray this week. It starts with Ray yet again denying he has alcohol dependence, arguing with Sand about going to rehab. However, I think we can safely say Sand is Ray's moral compass and his comfort/safe space. It's only when Sand insinuates he does not want Ray to die that he reluctantly agree to go for rehabilitation/counselling sessions. Even then, he only agreed with a condition - Sand telling his birth father about himself. I suspect Ray wanted Sand to refuse so that he in turn don’t have to go for those sessions. Needless to say, he underestimates how much Sand is willing to go an extra mile for Ray (as viewers, we already know this, Sand is so gone for Ray), where we sees Sand taking the brave step in confessing to his dad (and how poetic it is the dad is called Sun with him having his own Ray of sunshine next to him?). I'm glad Ray stopped Sand from confessing though, instead stating it's enough to show Sand is brave to do it, which in turn makes him brave enough to take the first step (character growth!!!!! we love it!).

So, it must have hurt Ray so deeply when he thought Sand was in cahoots with his own father for money. As we learn by now, Ray loathes himself, and has unfortunately defines himself by how much he is worth to other people. It doesn't help his first encounter with Sand was transactional (with Ray hiring Sand as a drinking buddy). As an outsider looking into at their journey, it's easy for all of us to see how quickly Sand values Ray when he refuses all payments after that once off incident. Ray in his rage and volatile state cannot see pass this.

The whole conversation in Sand's living room was raw and intense - both sides are hurting with jab after jab from Ray insinuating Sand duped him. And with Ray being so angry, it's hard for Sand to get any words in. However, Ray is correct in one aspect - when he angrily pointed out "You want me to stop drinking, but here you are making and selling liquor. You think my life will be better with you, it's just going to hell!." - because it's true, if Sand wants to be the support person for Ray, he will have to make the communal effort to also make Ray's environment as alcohol-free as possible. And I think it dawns on Sand (who despite his maturity is only 22 yrs old himself) when he let out the most heartbreaking scream (who else cried bucket in this scene, cause I did) before breaking the wine jar (I love the symbolism here - Sand is again ready to give up his source of income for Ray)

We ended episode 10 with Ray fully accepting he has major alcohol issue (especially after his own dad finally lifting the lid on what Sand has done for Ray - I can't believe Sand researched all those rehab centres and present his findings to Ray's dad!!! ). I think most of us will agree - that last scene of Ray breaking down, apologising and sobbing to imaginary Sand, knowing he may have lost the one person who believed in him and loves him unconditionally - was as Oscar worthy performance by Khaotung (and all of our collective heart breaks for him 😭😭😭😭).

I have high hopes we will see Sand/Ray reuniting, although with Boeing popping up, it's definitely going to be interesting!

As usual, it's a roller coaster ride from start to finish. I'm impressed with all the actors, but this episode goes to Khaotung who played Ray so masterfully, First who plays Sand with quiet dignity and Neo showing cracks of vulnerability as Ton.

So, is it Saturday yet? (I can't wait to see what shenanigan Boeing is going to stir next)

[olenvasynyt]

I want to talk about my journey with Azriel. And tbh I'm a bit afraid to because I like Gwynriel, but it wasn't always in my head, and I had / have some harsh opinions about him.

When I first read ACOTAR, he was instantly my favorite batboy because I love a broody guy with a dark past. You could tell that was is very sensitive under his cold exterior, and I always really liked characters like that. I also have an OC that Az really reminded me of so before I joined the fanbase, I only saw Az as my OC. It was great. (this is an OC who I have been developing for an embarrassing amount of time and one who I love so deeply I feel like it is a permanent mark on my very soul so yeah. It was great. And it's what makes the downfall of Az so painful for me)

And then I joined the fanbase and got into a group of friends who also loved Az. And I remember me and this group discovered there was a bonus chapter for him!! It was so exciting but we heard there was controversy so we decided to read it together.

And oh my god. The instant switch we all went through...it was actually fucking crazy. I remember I was at work on my break and my friends were just screaming DANA OH MY GOD I HATE THIS DANA PLEASE ANSWER ARE YOU OKAY DID THE BONUS CHAPTER KILL YOU???

It's really hard when you had a certain vision of a character you like and then a single chapter has the ability to destroy it instantly.

None of us in this chat thought about the shipwar or anything. This group was never into that. We just immediately got the absolute ick from Az's POV that it instantly turned us all off fom liking him. And we talked about the shipwars and E/riel vs Gwynriel but we all shared the mindset that both Elain and Gwyn deserved better than Az.

This ACOTAR friend group was heavy into Azris 💀 Because we all were like, "he needs to be fucking humbled and no one can do that better than Eris!!" But that is something I'll delve into later. Plus Az has a habit of supressing emotions until they build up and break and that is one of my favorite tropes when it comes to mlm romances. Shoving away thoughts, having feelings of self-hatred, seeing someone else and hating the way they make you feel, etc etc etc. I can spend ages talking about Azris. The perfect mlm enemies to lovers.

It was so bizarre how quickly my thoughts around him shifted. For a while, he did feel like an incel to me, or a fuck boy, or just a very entitled person. It also got me to see the flaws in other things such as the situation with Mor and how weird it was that he listed after her and tried to declare his feelings right after he rescued her from the Autumn border. That’s weird behavior. And I was always more accepting of Gwynriel before I interacted with the shipwars (and I never liked E/riel or barely thought of E/riel before the shipwars), but again, after ages I was always like ughhhh I like Gwynriel more but Gwyn deserves better.

I disliked Az for such a long time and it was so disappointing because I did really like him from the instant I met him! He reminded me so much of my OC that I've had for ages! But the bonus chapter...

So many of my mutuals and followers on tiktok know this: I don't want a female to heal Az. He needs to be humbled, brought to his lowest point so he can break and open up and heal. I kind of think of Chaol where he was brought to such a low point but he still struggled to open up. And as soon as I realized that similarity, it helped me appreciate him more.

The bonus chapter shown a spotlight on his flaws as a character. But that's the thing: The bonus chapter shown a spotlight on his flaws as a character.

After several rereads, especially my last reread, I again opened up to him because all of those flaws make him so complicated and interesting to read. And all of that on top of his backstory, his struggle with his feelings, his self-hatred and desperation and loneliness...it helps me root for him. I root for him to heal, to do better, to think better about himself, and I hope that he can heal enough to allow himself to have a happy life. He is dark, sad, lonely, angry and envious and reactionary, and all of that makes him so complicated. I personally like to read characters like that. I enjoy reading complex characters. Their low moments can be painful, but you can see hope for him, and the potential future where things are resolved and you get the feeling of such wonderful euphoria.

So I do like Azriel. I do. But I think the flaws and the low moments he has are very important to his character. And they can make you hate him, sure. I definitely experienced that. But if you like him, it is important to point out that those flaws do exist. It what makes him, and what will drive his story.

[tenebraevesper]

Sonic Cyber Revolution, Entry 51: An Ancient Ally

''Oh yeah! Act tough, jump on, and become like the wind! Go past the trajectory of the vast sky!''

– Mikakunin Hikousen (Unindentified Airship) by Digimon Adventure: (2020)

xXxXxXx

Big the Cat had a rather simple outlook on life. He liked to fish and he liked to spend time with his friend Froggy. That was all. However, that didn't mean that he wouldn't help people in need. That also included a small pink orb of light that was floating around him, asking him to help her finding ''The Last Guardian'', whom Big knew as Knuckles.

''I'm not completely sure where he is… but I know where his home is,'' Big said, with Froggy, who was sitting on the top of his head, croaking in acknowledgement. ''If you go straight this way, you will find it.''

''Thank you!'' Tikal responded. Suddenly, Froggy reacted to something and leapt off, surprising both Big and Tikal as he left.

''Froggy, wait up!'' Big followed the frog, leaving Tikal behind. Tikal sighed, realizing that she was on her own. She couldn't blame Big for leaving, as the purple cat was clearly worried about his friend leaving so suddenly, especially in a moment of crisis like this. She then went into the direction Big had shown her, hoping that she would be able to find Knuckles. She could sense Chaos presence, and as much as she wanted to go to him to save him, she knew that she needed proper help.

xXx

Lily, Knuckles and Team Chaotix were in Eas, following the signal that would lead them to the Chaos Emerald. Fortunately, it seemed to be close by, with the group racing towards it, Charmy being ahead of everyone. They had entered a residential area, with Lily and Knuckles recognizing it.

''Oh, please don't tell me this is going where I think it goes,'' Lily groaned in disbelief. Charmy flew up, placing his hand over his forehead.

''Hey, I can see your house from here!'' he told Lily and Knuckles. The two exchanged a look, with Knuckles giving her a serious gaze.

''If your mother doesn't hand us the Chaos Emerald over, we will fight her for it,'' he said. Lily had to stifle a chuckle, having to agree that Knuckles was right.

''I don't think that will be necessary,'' Espio said, pointing at a Super Badnik, E-106 Eta and the Egg Keepers that followed him. It appeared that Eta had also detected the presence of the Chaos Emerald, going straight for it. However, the Badnik suddenly turned around when Espio threw a kunai, hitting one of the nearby Egg Keepers and drawing Eta's attention. Vector stepped out, cracking his knuckles.

''We won't let you get that Chaos Emerald! Chaotix, go!'' Vector exclaimed, with him, Espio and Charmy rushing towards the Badniks. Knuckles too went after them, while Lily left the battle, instead using the distraction to get to the Chaos Emerald. Fortunately for her, the Egg Keepers were too busy fighting Knuckles, Vector, Espio and Charmy, and the Chaos Emerald wasn't too far from their current location. In fact, it was in the small woods close to her house, and to her relief, she found it stuck on a tree. She climbed up, relieved to find the purple Chaos Emerald and grabbed it.

''Gotcha! Now to- agh!'' Lily almost fell out of the tree when Eta suddenly appeared and ripped the Chaos Emerald out of her hands. She held onto a thick branch for her life, while Eta scanned the Chaos Emerald to make sure it was the real one, only to get slammed into the tree, the purple Chaos Emerald flying out of his hand. As it turned out, Knuckles broke off from the fight and tailed Eta, attacking him on sight.

''Are you okay?'' he asked when Lily got off the tree. He got a nod in response, and the two turned to Eta, who attempted to get to the Chaos Emerald. Knuckles punched Eta again, trying to keep him away from the Chaos Emerald, while Lily picked it up. Knuckles narrowed his eyes, glaring at Eta. ''Yeah, this one is tougher than the other Badniks.''

''How about using Chaos Surge?'' Lily suggested. ''We destroy the Badnik, he won't get the Chaos Emerald.''

Knuckles nodded, reaching his gloved hand out for Lily. ''Chaos Surge!''

As Eta charged once again at them, claws formed into a closed fist, he was met with a punch from a Chaos Surge-charged Knuckles. Surprisingly, Eta had managed to withstand it, having been upgraded by Dr. Eggman for combat against Team Neos. However, what Eta did not expect was to get punched by Lily square in the face. The moment Chaos Surge was used, they became an unit. Knuckles delivered another energy-charged punch, pushing the Badnik back, and then delivered an upercut, sending Eta flying against a tree. The robot fell over, seemingly defeated.

''That was close,'' Lily said. ''We should go back to the Chaotix.''

Knuckles nodded, but before either of them could even leave, they were surprised by a pink orb of light appearing before them. Knuckles rose an eyebrow as it started to float around him. ''What is that?''

''My name is Tikal. I'm so glad that I had found you, Guardian,'' Tikal told him, with Knuckles giving her a confused look.

''I don't know you…'' Knuckles replied, glancing at Lily for some kind of advice. He felt like he should know what's going on, but at the moment, his mind was blank.

''That is fine. We have never met before, but I know who you are, and I need your help, Guardian,'' Tikal responded, with Knuckles's eyes narrowing.

''What do I have to do?'' he asked.

''The Master Emerald had been shattered, and you're the only one who can find the shards and put it back together. If you do that, you'll be able to seal Chaos back into the Master Emerald,'' Tikal replied.

''That tracks, but wouldn't it be also possible to calm Chaos down without sealing him back into the Master Emerald?'' Lily asked.

''Unfortunately, not this time. Chaos is being controlled by that platypus scientist, so the only option we have is to seal him back into the Master Emerald,'' Tikal replied. Both Knuckles and Lily gave her a stunned look.

''Platypus scientist?!''

''Knuckles, Lily, are you-'' Knuckles and Lily turned to Vector, who had managed to arrive, followed closely by Espio and Charmy. They had destroyed the Egg Keepers and were about to join the battle with Eta, only see them talking to a red orb. Vector scratched his head. ''Uh, what's going on?''

''Starline was the one who unleashed Chaos upon Neos City by shattering the Master Emerald,'' Knuckles explained. ''Lily and I will try to find the shards. You should go to Souto and find the other Chaos Emerald. Here, take this.''

Knuckles took off his AR Visor, giving it to Vector. Lily tossed the Chaos Emerald to Espio. ''I don't know how long it'll take to find the shards, so it would be best if you guys bring the Chaos Emerald to Lucas and Sonic.''

''You can count on us,'' Vector said, placing Knuckles' AR Visor around his neck.

''How do you even plan on finding the Master Emerald shards?'' Charmy asked.

''I will be their guide,'' Tikal said, drawing the attention of the Chaotix, who gave her a confused look.

''Who are you?'' Espio asked.

''My name is Tikal the Echidna, the daughter of Pachacamac, the last chieftain of the Knuckles Clan, which resided in Mystic Ruins 3000 years ago. My father and my tribe had attempted to steal the Chaos Emeralds and the Master Emerald from their guardian, Chaos. In retaliation, Chaos ended up going on a destructive rampage, so I sealed him and myself into the Master Emerald.'' Tikal formally introduced herself.

''You don't look much like an echidna,'' Charmy pointed out.

''Charmy!'' Vector scolded him, but Tikal flew around them.

''This is just a form I took after being released from the Master Emerald,'' she explained, turning to Knuckles. ''We need to hurry up.''

''Right.'' Knuckles nodded, him and Lily following Tikal, while Vector turned to Espio and Charmy.

''Okay, you heard 'em boys. We have a mission to complete,'' he said, only to see Charmy and Espio's eyes widening in surprise. He turned around, only to see Eta suddenly getting up, realizing that the E-100 Series robot still wasn't done with them.

xXx

''What is a Chaos Emerald doing here?'' Rika asked. She, Wave, Arven, Storm and Chase were staring at the green gem Jet was holding in his hand. They had left their airship hovering over Infinity Forest, with Wave being alerted by a sudden energy surge and they decided to investigate, finding the Chaos Emerald.

''Wait, that's a Chaos Emerald? What is it doing here? Are those things even supposed to exist in this reality?'' Wave asked, with the rest of the Babylon Rogues exchanging puzzled looks. Jet shrugged.

''I don't care. If it's a real Chaos Emerald, then it's valuable and we can sell it off to someone.''

''The only person I imagine that would be interested in buying the Chaos Emerald is Eggman,'' Chase said. Admittedly, he knew that Team Neos would also want the Chaos Emerald, but he wasn't going to tell them anything on principle.

''He's only getting it if he pays a nice sum for it. Else, we walk and find a different buyer,'' Jet said, quite satisfied with his little scheme.

However, before the Babylon Rogues could even return to their airship, they were startled by a flash of cyan light, with Shadow, Rouge and Touka stepping out of it. They immediately spotted the green Chaos Emerald in Jet's hand.

''I will say this only one time,'' Shadow said, stepping towards them and extending his hand. ''Give us the Chaos Emerald, and you'll walk free.''

The Babylon Rogues exchanged glances, Chase, Rika and Arven being a bit more nervous than Jet, Wave and Storm were. They knew that Shadow was really dangerous. Of course, Jet didn't care.

''Ha, if you want the Chaos Emerald, you'll have to race me for it first!'' Jet said, quite excited about the idea of showing off.

''Jet!'' Wave shouted indignantly, knowing that if he lost, they'd lose the Chaos Emerald.

''You go, Boss!'' Storm, on the other hand, completely ignored everyone's reaction and gave a thumbs up. Shadow was slightly taken aback by Jet's challenge, but before he could respond, Touka rose her voice.

''If you want a hoverboard race, I'm all for it!'' she said excitedly, her eyes gleaming. Shadow rolled his eyes as he heard this response. He knew Touka well enough to be aware that she wouldn't refuse a hoverboard race, even in such a situation. Surprisingly, Rouge stepped out, walking over to the Babylon Rogues.

''Is that Chaos Emerald really that unimportant to you that you would wager it in a race?'' she asked, stepping in front of Jet.

''As if! I never lose, so I'm not afraid take the risk,'' Jet bragged, with Rouge grabbing his hands, an elated expression on her face.

''Ah, I recognize you! You're that famous racer, Jet the Hawk! I'm so glad to meet you, I'm a big fan of yours! Could I get your autograph?'' Rouge asked, much to Shadow and Touka's confusion.

''Of course you can!'' Jet replied, grinning proudly and turning back to Wave, Storm, Chase, Rika and Arven. ''See, I'm famous enough to have my own fans asking for my autographs! Does anyone have a pen?''

Chase, Rika and Arven remained puzzled by what was going on, Storm was clapping, while Wave just facepalmed in exasperation.

''Don't worry, that's not necessary,'' Rouge suddenly said, letting go off Jet's hands and walking back to Shadow and Touka. ''As a matter of fact, I don't need your autograph when I have this.''

Rouge placed a hand on her hip, lifting the other hand and showing the green Chaos Emerald. Jet immediately looked down at his own hands, realizing that he was holding a rock. It appeared that Rouge had swapped the gem for the rock while sweet-talking him, leaving Jet slack-jawed. Rouge, who was quite amused by this reaction, giggled.

''You can't beat a world-class treasure hunter,'' she said. Jet gritted his teeth, furious that she tricked him so easily, and turned to his team.

''Get the Chaos Emerald!'' he shouted, pointing at Team Dark. As for Team Dark, Rouge flew up, exchanging glances with Shadow and Touka, who just nodded in agreement and quickly left the clearing. While they could fight, they were more interested in getting back to Neos City rather than dealing with the Babylon Rogues. They had more important stuff to worry about.

xXx

Speaking of Team Dark, Omega had a great time taking down Egg Keeper after Egg Keeper, being hot on E-101 Beta's trail. He fired a missile warning, which exploded right in front of Beta, who turned around to face Omega.

''Analyzing – E-123 Omega. You are the traitor among our ranks,'' Beta said, pointing his twin cannons at Omega.

''I have surpassed all of you!'' Omega responded, firing several shots at Beta. Beta used the jet booster to dodge Omega's attack, firing back with his own. Omega managed to retaliate, destroying the missiles in the air and causing fireworks, but when he tried to lock-on on Beta, he realized that the Badnik was much faster than he had thought. Obviously, this Badnik was created for agility, while Omega had both defense and power. So, how would one deal with such issue.

Omega dodged another barrage of missiles, as Beta had stopped to fire at him, and Omega launched a missile of his own, hitting Beta's legs and destroying them. Beta fell over, his arm cannons flailing as he tried to get up. He was met by Omega, who pointed his own arm cannon at Beta. ''I will be your end.''

He fired at Beta, completely destroying the head and deactivating the Badnik, and then looked around. ''One down, seven more to go.''

Having made a decision, he activated his jet booster and went towards Kita, having detected another E-100 Series Badnik there.

xXx

Amy got up, lifting her Piko Piko Hammer. Frankly, she didn't expect that Rough and Tumble would be able to use the grey Chaos Emerald in such way, but maybe it was because she hit the Chaos Emerald directly that it reacted that way. Unfortunately for her, a white aura formed around the skunk brothers, powering them up.

''Hah, now this is much better!'' Tumble said, feeling the energy of the Chaos Emerald coursing through his body.

''With this gem, we'll be able to beat up Pinky easily!'' Rough added, keeping a tight grip on the Chaos Emerald. Amy narrowed her eyes, taking note of Cream and Cheese giving her a worried look. She turned to Minami, who just nodded confidently.

''Cream, Cheese, take cover. Minami and I will take care of these two,'' Amy said, extending her hand to Minami, pink energy already crackling between the two.

''Chaos Surge!''

Amy's light green eyes changed to pink, and her Piko Piko Hammer was also charged up with pink energy. However, the bigger surprise was Minami also gaining a hammer made out of pure pink energy, her own eye colour matching Amy's. Rough and Tumble were caught off guard, despite their initial confidence.

''What's going on?'' Tumble asked.

''No clue, but they won't beat us so long as we have the Chaos Emerald,'' Rough replied, smirking.

The two skunk brothers charged at Amy and Minami, who swung their hammers, blocking both of the skunk brother's punches. White and pink energy clashed, crackling around both of them, but it was much more even. Both sides backed off when they realized that they weren't making a move, but Rough and Tumble charged once again. Their move being quite straightforward, Amy and Minami leapt to their respective sides and the two skunk brothers leaving cracks in the asphalt, their punch being way stronger than expected. The two girls then brought down the hammers, unleashing a blast of pink energy towards the skunk brothers, resulting in a direct hit. Rough held up the Chaos Emerald in an attempt to defend himself, but it was useless. While they looked quite scuffed, they were still able to fight, with Tumble going after Minami, while Rough went after Amy.

Amy swung her hammer, blocking Rough's punch once again, gritting her teeth as she tried to push him back. She knew that if she relied to much on Minami's BioEnergy, they would run out off the Chaos Surge and be back on square one, and with Rough and Tumble still having the Chaos Emerald, they'd be done for.

As for Minami, she took a different approach. After blocking one of Tumble's kicks, she opted to dodge another, being surprisingly swift on her feet. ''Hey, Tumble, don't you think that it's a bit unfair that Rough is the one holding the Chaos Emerald? That way, he gets more power from it than you.''

''W-What?'' Tumble stopped, turning his attention to Rough, who was drawing quite a lot of energy from the Chaos Emerald to defend himself against Amy and then fight back.

''Yeah! He gets most of it and you get the scraps. Honestly, I think that it should be the other way around, since you're the stronger one between you two… Or, am I wrong?'' Minami asked, with Tumble getting pissed off, not even noticing the smirk that crept up on Minami's expression.

''Hey, I also want to get juiced up!'' Tumble yelled, marching towards Rough, who turned around in surprise.

''What are ya talkin' about?'' Rough asked, confused by Tumble's sudden change in demeanor.

''Give me that Chaos Emerald! I want to hold it!'' Tumble demanded.

''Dude, you already got your share!'' Rough protested, only for Tumble trying to grab the Chaos Emerald and the two ending up struggling over it.

''I'm the bigger of us! I deserve more!'' Tumble shouted.

''And I'm the one who found it! Finders keepers, bro!'' Rough replied, not wanting to let go of it. Both of them were suddenly surprised when a blue blur flew past them, knocking the Chaos Emerald out of their hands, only to get caught mid-air by Cream, who was flying via her ears.

''Oh, com'n!'' Tumble grumbled. Meanwhile, Cream held up the Chaos Emerald for Amy and Minami to see, having asked Cheese to distract the skunk brothers so they could get to it.

''I got it! I got it!'' Cream flew towards Amy and Minami, only to suddenly get hit by a blast of energy.

''Cream!'' Minami and Amy cried out in horror as Cream fell, with Minami rushing towards her and catching her. Amy turned towards the attacked, only to find herself staring down an E-100 Series Badnik.

This opponent was a humanoid robot colored in mainly red and white. He possessed no neck, his head and torso coming together in an almost ellipsoid shape. His torso was red with a wide and white vertical stripe down the middle and possessed a head light with a hexagonal gray frame on the right side. He also had gray mufflers surrounding the pelvis area and had the number ''102'' painted in white on the right of his large vertical stripe and the left side of his rear. His head meanwhile was small and platform-like with a yellow shade and green cylindrical eyes. He also had a hexagon-shaped disk hovering behind his neck, and a laser targeting scope on the right side of his head. His shoulders were black vertical cylinders. Attached to each of them were his arms, which were long and designed with two joints; his left arm held a black-gray blaster while his right arm had a tri-digited hand with two points of articulation on each digit. Also, his right upper arm was red with yellow-orange cuffs, while the parts between his upper arms and forearms were gray. He also possessed two long and inverted legs with five points of articulation and large, black feet with two sharp toes and roller wheels on the heels. The upper sections of his legs in particular were red while the rest of them were gray, except from his calves, which were thick and red with gray and yellow-orange cuffs.

''E-102 Gamma,'' Minami muttered, still holding the injured Cream in her arms. If things weren't already bad, they were about to get worse, with Egg Keepers swarming the street. They were surrounded.

xXx

Warren and Tails were in trouble. Not only were they surrounded by Egg Keepers, but E-103 Delta was trying to shoot Tails out of the sky. The robot was quite keen on eliminating Tails, who had reached for his orange backpack and rummaged through it.

''Warren, catch!'' Tails tossed a laser gun to Warren before focusing back on Delta. The laser gun looked more like a toy, but Warren knew that it was strong enough to take down the Egg Keepers. Meanwhile, Tails took out his boomerang and threw it at Delta, hitting the robot straight in the head. Delta stumbled back, attempting to recover from the hit and fired back at Tails. Tails dodged it, his ears flicking when he heard a beeping noise coming from the Miles Electric.

''That has to be the Chaos Emerald,'' he muttered under his breath, only to nearly get hit by Delta. Tails flew behind a building, out of Delta's range, and checked the Miles Electric. The Chaos Emerald was quite close and Tails was certain that he would be able to spot it, but the issue was that he was worried about leading Delta towards it. They needed to take out Delta and the Egg Keepers first, and Tails knew exactly how they'd do it.

He peeked out of his hiding spot, only to realize that Delta was gone from the overpass. Warren was still busy holding the Egg Keepers back, and fortunately for them, most people evacuated Erekiteru due to the attack. If they used Chaos Surge now, they would be able to take down all the Badniks without any issues. Tails quickly flew towards Warren, throwing his boomerang at the closest Badnik and knocking it back.

''Warren, we'll have to use Chaos Surge,'' Tails told him. Warren nodded, well aware that they needed to deal with this issue as soon as possible. Tails flew towards him, extending his hand.

''Chaos Surge!''

Tails' light blue eyes and Warren's green eyes turned amber as they absorbed the orb of energy, with yellow and amber energy sparking around them, like electricity. As the Egg Keepers surrounded them, they were suddenly met by a wave of energy that spread like an EMP, deactivating the Egg Keepers in an instant.

''Where is Delta?'' Warren asked, him and Tails looking around for the Badnik. To their dismay, the Badnik took advantage of the chaos and quickly moved towards where he detected the Chaos Emerald. As it turned out, the yellow Chaos Emerald was inside a gacha machine, which Delta destroyed and took the gem out.

''No!'' Tails took out a couple of round devices and threw them at Delta. It were the same devices he used against Shiro, enhancing his EMP power and surrounding Delta. To his surprise, Delta actually managed to resist it, forcing Tails to drain more of Warren's BioEnergy to make the EMP wave stronger. However, before Delta got deactivated, he opened part of his body, stashing the yellow Chaos Emerald inside it, then fell over.

Both he and Warren ran over to Delta, making sure that the Badnik was down, and started searching for the yellow Chaos Emerald. Tails lifted his head in alarm. ''The Chaos Emerald is gone!''

''How's that possible?'' Warren asked. Tails narrowed his eyes, taking out the Miles Electric, connecting it to Delta's system, giving him a layout of the Badnik.

''There is some residual Chaos Energy inside it,'' he said, with Warren taking a look at it.

''Wait… Don't tell me that Delta somehow induced Chaos Control,'' he said, with Tails giving him a wide-eyed look. He then pointed at a particular part of the robot. ''That's where the residual Chaos Energy is the strongest, and the Chaos Emerald is gone. It has to be Chaos Control. Try searching for it on the city map.''

Tails switched to the map, discovering that there was no Chaos Emerald anymore in Erekiteru, but now there were two Chaos Emeralds at Sentoraru. Tails frowned. ''That has to be Dr. Eggman's doing. He upgraded the E-100 Series.''

xXx

''Boss, E-101 Beta and E-104 Delta have been defeated,'' Orbot said, glancing at Eggman, who was staring at the screen, taking note of the lost signals. His eyes were narrowed, and he appeared to be in deep thought, analyzing the situation and planning his next move.

''What about the Chaos Emeralds?'' he asked.

''The one in Erekiteru had been successfully teleported to Sentoraru,'' Cubot replied. Eggman smirked.

''Excellent. I just hope that Starline knows what to do with it. I gave him all the pieces to succeed, but the question is whether he'll be able to pull it off,'' he said.

''What should we do about the destroyed E-100 Series robots?'' Orbot asked.

''Let the Egg Keepers bring them back to the Egg Base. I know ARMS is not operating anymore, but I don't need anyone else to figure out how to replicate my own robots,'' Eggman replied. He knew that it was a bit unusual for him to recover Badniks that were useless to him, but this was a different playfield and he needed to adapt. Maybe he would find use for them, maybe he wouldn't, but for now, he was going to observe the situation and wait for the right moment to strike. Considering what he knew about Starline, there was a high chance that the platypus would screw up and that's when he would have to step in.

''We have news from E-105 Zeta in Souto and E-107 Theta in Infinity Forest. Both are close to the Chaos Emeralds,'' Orbot added.

''Is that so? At this rate, Chaos will reach his final form soon than expected…'' Eggman muttered in interest.

xXx

''The Chaos Emerald has to be somewhere close,'' Lucas muttered, following the signal on his AR Visor. Sonic was already ahead of him, scouting the nearby streets for the Chaos Emerald at supersonic speed, but he returned empty-handed. As precise as Tails and Warren's tracking system was, Neos City had many places where a Chaos Emerald could be hidden, causing them to completely overlook it.

''It's not here,'' Sonic suddenly appeared before Lucas, pointing at a section of the area. Lucas just nodded in response, and Sonic was about to speed off to search another section, when they suddenly saw Ferra and Metal Sonic passing by. Both exchanged glances and immediately followed the two Enforcers, figuring the two would lead them to the Chaos Emerald and hopefully stop them from taking it. However, as they entered another street, they briefly lost them.

''Where are they?'' Lucas asked. Famous last words, as both managed to turn around just in time to see Metal Sonic firing an energy blast at them. Both leapt to the side, dodging it, with Ferra and Metal Sonic hovering over the two.

''Did you really think that we didn't notice you?'' Ferra asked in a sarcastic tone. Sonic shrugged.

''Weeeeeell, we kinda hoped that you wouldn't… Okay, that was a dumb assumption,'' he admitted. Suddenly, Metal Sonic charged at him, with Sonic leaping back, avoiding the sharp claws and performing a spin attack into Metal Sonic. Metal Sonic caught his attack, but Sonic uncurled, attempting to kick him back. Metal Sonic managed to grab him by the leg, throwing him away, but Sonic curled back into a ball and dropped right on top of Metal Sonic.

While Sonic kept fighting Metal Sonic, Lucas turned to Ferra, knowing that he needed to keep her away from Metal Sonic and from using Chaos Surge. ''Hey, where is the Chaos Emerald?''

''What? I thought you'd know where it is,'' Ferra replied, much to Lucas' surprise. That wasn't a response he had expected.

''Wait, so if none of us knows where the Chaos Emerald is…'' Sonic stepped back, avoiding a swipe from Metal Sonic, ''…where is it then? It has to be somewhere in Sentoraru.''

Metal Sonic paused, tilting his head as he realized that, as much as he wanted to fight Sonic, they all had a point. He and Ferra had to find the Chaos Emerald and get it to Chaos. However, now that they had run into their competition, this was going to turn into a race to find it. Frankly, it wasn't a bad trade-off. Metal Sonic then spin-dashed into Sonic, sending him flying straight into Lucas, with both hitting a nearby building, Lucas crying out in pain.

''Lucas, are you okay?'' Sonic asked, looking alarmed as he glanced at his partner. Lucas reached for his shoulder, rubbing it.

''I don't think anything's broken, but there will be bruises,'' Lucas replied. Before he or Sonic could make a move, he and Sonic got a message from Warren and Tails.

'''We lost the Chaos Emerald. The E-100 Series can teleport them','' Sonic read aloud, with Ferra smirking and Metal Sonic giving them a look of superiority. Both Lucas and Sonic just shot them a glare.

xXx

''Looks like things are proceeding according to plan,'' Dr. Starline smirked when a yellow Chaos Emerald suddenly appeared in his hands. Admittedly, he was surprised to see the gem appear virtually out of nowhere, but had soon realized that the EggMobile was modified to respond to the E-100 Series, which tracked his position. He turned to Chaos, who was awaiting his orders. ''Here! Absorb the negative energy of the Chaos Emerald!''

Starline threw the Chaos Emerald at Chaos, who did as he was told, increasing in size and mass, and he gained a line of bones that traveled down his right arm into his hand, with the yellow Chaos Emerald being embedded inside it. Starline smirked.

''One down, six more to go.''

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#Sonic Cyber Revolution (Masterlist)

[laurelindebear]

How is it that humans have such endless capacity for hatred, conflict, and war?

I'm not even talking about Ukraine or Israel/Palestine or Syria or Armenia or whatever the fuck. I'm talking about all of us.

When I was 19 and I had my first boyfriend I thought all the stupid rules around dating and courtship and all that would be gone in my lifetime. Why wouldn't more women ask out men (or other women)? Nothing wrong with it; I have done it myself. Why wouldn't everyone pay their own way on dates? Why would people assume the man would pay for everything or the woman would 'owe him' later? Everyone works now, so why not split it? If we want equality, why not act like it?

But clearly, I was fuckin' stupid, because it's not over. It's not even better - it's worse. Nobody talks to anyone. There's a loneliness epidemic (the discourse of which is focused on men, because men still aren't socialised to make friends or practice emotional intimacy with anyone but sexual partners or even recognise feelings, apparently, but it's not like it's peachy for women looking for relationships either). Patriarchy and toxic masculinity and toxic femininity are still killing everyone and now they have living embodiments all over everyone's life via the algorithms, all the time, telling women and girls they are subhuman garbage to be victimised and subservient and boys and men that women are their enemy to be destroyed, and that they need to be angry and violent to society.

Do you have any idea how fucking tired I am? Why the fuck do we 'need' a War of the Sexes? Why the fuck have we EVER needed it? (Not 'why did/do we need feminism.') Why the fuck are we supposed to be mortal enemies, trapped in endless battle, cursed to never understand or trust each other? WE'RE ALL JUST PEOPLE. It shouldn't be this hard.

And it's everything, everywhere, all the time. 'Hurhur Americans are stupid because they microwave water.' 'Ugh Europeans are rude and joyless and don't trust compliments.' 'Australians are -' 'Trans people are trying to destroy -' 'Queer people are so - ' 'Muslims need to -' 'Jews should -' 'Boomers are -' 'Millennials are-' 'Zoomers are-' 'Breeders' 'Childless people' 'Westerners' 'Atheists' 'Cishets' 'Leftists' 'Fascists' 'Tankies' 'Liberals' 'Anti' 'Pro'. Every person and every word must be taken in the worst possible light. Malice isn't just assumed, it's mandated. Everyone is responsible for countless sins: their own, their parents', their friends', and those of everyone they might share any kind of group or link with, living, dead, or yet to be born. Everything is a fight, always, forever, and if you're not fighting and hating and categorising and labelling and shunning, you're part of the problem.

I know cultural relativism has limits, and I know all things aren't equal, I'm not stupid, but come the fuck on.

The whole world is hurtling straight into an age of fascism and authoritarianism and autocracy. I'm at the point where I think the 'Great Experiment' (not of the USA, but of representative democracy and pluralism and tolerant societies all together) was always doomed. We'll never get past that wretched, pathetic need to name an 'other' that is our enemy to convince ourselves we're better, we're worthy, we're good. Not like them. And that will always lead to insular thinking and to actual war. We'll never outgrow might makes right. At least two of the major world deities rely on it as their source of authority, FFS.

Do people not get it yet? Your purity and your precious little groups are all a fucking lie. EXISTENCE IS HARM, EXISTENCE IS COMPLICITY IN EVERYTHING THAT HAS COME BEFORE US, THERE IS NO ERASING ANY OF IT. EVERY PHILOSOPHY AND EVERY SOLUTION TO EVERY PROBLEM HAS DRAWBACKS AND MORAL COMPROMISES. THAT'S JUST LIFE. WE ARE NOT PURE AND WE NEVER WILL BE. JUST FUCKING COEXIST WITH PEOPLE EVEN IF YOU THINK THEY SUCK. WE ALL SUCK.

I love and treasure individual persons. People as a whole, I like about as much as I like mosquitoes.

[aita-blorbos]

AITA for wanting to be beautiful?

I (15F) really thought I wasn't pretty. At all. I kind of thought of myself as a Mrs. Mix-N-Match, all slapped together at random by a blind old lady or something. I thought my nose was stupidly big and my hair was too dull and too straight. I thought I was too fat. My mom and a friend who I'll call A (15F) told me all the time that I was fine just the way I was, but I didn't believe them. They were beautiful, both of them, in a way I wasn't. They were happy with themselves, and obviously they wanted to spare my feelings.

Ever since high school started I wasn't able to get it out of my head that I was just so... stupidly ugly. That I wasn't right and I needed to be fixed with makeup and plastic surgery. One day I got into a fight with A because she thought I was too focused on beauty, and I said a lot of terrible things to her about how she still acted and dressed like a kindergartner. I kind of hated myself even more after that. I really wasn't beautiful on the inside, either, like everyone said counted the most.

That night I decided to do something and sit with the popular girls I admired. I tried to dye my hair blonde, but it didn't work out and my mom was really upset with me. The next day I went to school the same as I'd ever been and sat with the girls anyway, because it was either that or sit alone now that I'd been awful like that to A. I couldn't keep up with them though. I felt so left out of something I wasn't even apart of.

Every day on my way home, I walked past this big junkyard. It's kind of interesting to look at, so sometimes I just stopped and stared. It's where all sorts of ugly things went to be destroyed, there's kind of a beauty in that. Sometimes I felt like walking in and just making my real home somewhere.

On that day, though, I saw a hand sticking out of the trunk of a car. It was humanlike, with long fingers, but I remember immediately recognizing it as some kind of doll. I was curious, so I broke the trunk open and found a robot girl. She looked like a dainty, beautiful clown, but being left in a junkyard she was kind of trashed.

I felt bad for her. So I took her home and brought her to my room. I cleaned her up, gave her some of my clothes that I wasn't worthy of. I redid her makeup the best I could and everything, I really did do the absolute most I could to make this robot pretty again. I think I did a good job.

After I was finished, I turned her on to see if she still worked. And she did! She sprang to life and introduced herself. I'll be calling her E. E thanked me for fixing her up and making her look new again, and offered to grant me a wish to make me as happy as I made her. It felt so surreal at the time, but I made a wish anyway just to fulfill whatever programming she had. Maybe I felt like she could really grant my wish. I'm not sure.

I wished to be beautiful. E told me that she would need a little while to think about how to grant my wish, and turned off on her own. I wasn't sure at the time when had just happened, so I went on with my day as usual. She wasn't on again when I woke up for school the next morning, but by the time I came home I found her on in my room.

E gave me this heart shaped pendant necklace, and told me to never take it off under any circumstances. Apparently it was what was going to help her make me beautiful. At that point I was kind of starting to believe it, because I'm not sure where she got a pristine, actual silver pendant from if she wasn't really magical.

Over the next couple of days, I got prettier. Piece by piece. First my arms, then my legs, and then all that was left of the old me was my face. E warned me that I wouldn't want to change my face, because it would be shocking and maybe even scary, but I told her that I didn't want MY face.

So the next day, I wake up with a brand new, perfect face. I go on a date with my crush, I spend the weekend with a group of beautiful girls I'd always idolized! I felt left out with them, still, because I was still poor and couldn't afford half the things they could, but it was awesome.

At some point, though, I tripped during lunch. Everyone was laughing at me even though I was beautiful. I was more focused on the pendant E had told me to never take off, because the way I'd fallen the pendant had broken off of it entirely! The laughter stopped after a minute, replaced by screaming, and I realized I was turning into some kind of scrap metal monster.

A gave me the pendant as I was standing up. I told her she was a good friend and ran home as fast as I could as my body broke down. When I got there, I couldn't find E anywhere. Eventually I checked the garage, where I found a bunch of bloody trash bags. I opened one to find a bunch of organs and dismembered body parts, it was horrible. Then I saw a familiar nose I'd obsessed over for so long in the bag, and I realized E had been taking me apart to make me "beautiful".

E arrived in the garage and told me she had granted my wish as I fell completely apart. Then, and I don't even know how, she took my old appearance as her own. I realized then that I had been really pretty. I think I died after that.

I don't know. I feel horrible. I was just so stupid, and I didn't listen to anyone. I was horrible to A. I think I kind of deserve what E did to me. I'm just... ugly. Inside and out. She showed me that.

AITA?

[rhaenys-queenofkhyrulzz]

Mctna modern au headcanon

This is so ooc but pls forgive me 🙏🙏

A 32 year old Seon-ho sits down in the corner of a bar by himself. It's barely past 9 but most people have already left. The ice in his drink had long since diluted whatever cheap alcohol he'd ordered. He closed his eyes as a band started up on the makeshift stage, losing himself in the music and his memories.

And I met her downtown in the slums of Austin Once we were sober, she said "I'm from Boston" I told her, "I couldn't give Massa-two-shits" Luckily, she likes guys that treat her like

Third-year uni student Seo Hwi gives in to his friends Mun-bok and Beom to at least attend one party before graduation. It's not that he doesn't like them- in fact everyone agrees he'd probably be the life on them. He just doesn't see the point in partying with a massive group of strangers when he'd much rather just have a good time with his friends.

Enter Nam Seon-ho. He's in the same year but mainly keeps to himself. Still, that doesn't stop him from stealing glances at that one handsome, always-smiling Culinary Arts student. He decides to go to this party and get blackout drunk 'cause once he graduates, he'll be stuck back at home with his dad learning the ropes of his company.

They reach the venue (a rundown off campus house with shitty LED lights all over the place) that night. Mun-bok quickly leaves Hwi to chat up a pretty girl by the drinks table and one of Beom's other friends beckons him away. Hwi feels a bit stranded so he gets his own drink.

He makes small talk with some people but an hour later he's bored. He goes to get another drink when he sees Seon-ho, the 'kinda beautiful actually' business major he sometimes sees walking around campus, chugging back some disgusting mix of drinks like there's no tomorrow.

Help me, everyone calls me Mickey Just wanna be your darling

Hwi wants to approach him but Seon-ho talks to him first, thanks to some good old liquid courage. They hit it off really well even if Hwi makes one too many corny jokes. One thing leads to another and then they're making out in the corner before stumbling their way into Seon-ho's apartment. Sung-rok curses when the door to their dorm slams open and throws a book at Hwi who barely dodges it. He's grumbling something about 'damn self-destructive tendencies' as he makes it out of the room just before they're making out again.

A couple months pass and they're actually a couple now. They graduate and move back to Seoul. Seon-ho takes up a job at his dad's company while Hwi is now a new hire at some fancy restaurant. Things are good for the while. They're happy and making time to see each other. In fact, they're almost unhealthily dependent on each other.

So, listen, I know you're probably with him And maybe for good reason But, you don't fuckin' need him I warned you

But as the years go by, they're getting busier and Seon-ho is getting more stressed at work because of Nam Jeon. He starts drinking more and more. It doesn't help the fact that the owner of the restaurant Hwi works at, Yi Bang-won, has started to take an interest in him. This gives way to lots of arguments between them. Why talk it out when they could just fight and fuck instead? Plus, Seon-ho gets to the point where he's almost always drunk when he's off work and has even started to get high.

Maybe stop getting your advice from the guy you get your high from

Hwi can't bear to see the love of his life- because they both know; that's what they are to each other- destroying himself day by day. Especially when it puts Yeon in danger because of it.

How can I love someone that can't stand The thought of loving me back? Why do I think I need that? I know you, pick me But one day, babe, you'll thank me For teaching you how to leave A piece of shit just like me I warned you

They break up.

Everything goes to shit. Seon-ho is convinced Hwi hates him and that Bang-won had a role to play somehow. Seon-ho overdoses. Nam Group gets involved with this huge drug scandal. In the midst of this all, Seo Geom passes away in jail after wrongful imprisonment and Yeon develops epilepsy. Hwi's mind is so clouded with worry, grief and anger, he's convinced that the Nam family was responsible for those fake charges. Seon-ho and Hwi hate each other.

Yeah, I remember when you said how you wish that I was dead So, I tried to kill myself Swallowed way too many pills And god the tummy-ache was shit But not enough to kill the kid

Against his will, Seon-ho survives. Nam Jeon shipped him off to rehab, telling his failure of a son to keep his head down and listen to him. For the next 6 years, the only confidant he has is Sung-rok. He and Hwi don't talk anymore, even if they both hate and yearn for each other each day.

Sometimes I wish I didn't live But I'm so fucking glad I did I remember what you said You were wishing I was dead Now, you're wishing me the best 'Cause my song's stuck in your head

In the present day, miles away, Hwi is listening to the same song on the local radio station as he's washing wares in his kitchen sink. He'd uncovered the truth about Bang-won about 2 years ago. By then, all forms of communication between him and Seon-ho had been cut. He felt such horrible guilt for blaming Seon-ho for getting Seo Geom imprisoned after their breakup as some horrible form of revenge. He'd sunk to the floor, tears welling up in his eyes when he recalled the last words he'd hurtled at him, "You pretend to be so different from him but you're just like your father!"

As Hwi puts a dish on the drying rack, he sighs deeply to himself . His heart constricts painfully in his chest. Even though he can't forgive Seon-ho for getting Yeon hurt those years ago, he hopes that he's doing well wherever he is. He just wishes he could make things right between them.

I'm so glad I still exist Just so I can rub it in

In the bar, Seon-ho gets up to leave, the condensation from his unfinished drink pooling at its base on the table. He wonders what Hwi would think of him if he saw him now. When he realised he was all alone in this world, he'd made it his mission to at least quit getting high out of sheer spite.

You were perfect and I'm so sorry I'm such a dick But you still love me I still regret letting you leave me Don't you forget you used to need me

Now, Seon-ho knows that they'd both had parts to play in the train wreck of their relationship. They were both argumentative near the end and were never willing to compromise their own values for the other. At his lowest points, he'd wondered what would happen were he to lose his wretched pride. He and Hwi could've talked to each other. The heavens knew they were so fundamentally flawed and yet, they understood each other in ways no one else could.

Seon-ho looked up at the stars and shoved his hands into his jeans pockets. Hwi, if you can hear this...I'm sorry.

In his home, Hwi's heart suddenly felt a bit warmer.

For as much as both men had and still hated each other, they'd always loved each other far more.