#I've been doing some VOD watching and I finally understand.

[royalarchivist]

Tazercraft and Richarlyson: [ Talking about the butterfly effect that led to Cellbit and Roier getting married ]

Richarlyson: The real cupid is pa Mike.

Pac: If Mike was unintentionally the reason why Richas died*, and that caused Roier and Cellbit to— Wait, you're saying I'm single because you died?! Oh what the hell. No, it's fine, that's fine, that's fine, it's fine, I stayed on the ground so that others could fly, it's fine.

Richarlyson: KKKKKKK Pa, you misunderstood me 0_0

[giftcardgiveawaynew246]

download the app now

[luckthebard]

So this is a very niche rant that is probably only something I've noticed or been annoyed by, but:

The longer Critical Role has gone on and the more changes they've made/content they've created, there's been an increase in weird people who are desperate and determined to prove that changes or content they don't like are "an objective failure" - but often lie or deliberately misunderstand viewership statistics to do so.

There are a few big "facts" I see repeated by people to argue that CR has "gone in the wrong direction" that are just plain wrong, and I think what annoys me most is seeing so many people engage with those "facts" without bothering to double-check them or push back against the certainty with which people state them. An example of one I keep seeing now is "twitch streaming numbers are down" and it's like, yeah, sure, in comparison to when they didn't simultaneously air on YouTube. If you add up the YT and Twitch numbers these days it's about the same as mid-late C2, but people love to act like YT streaming doesn't exist to make a point that "people don't like C3". And I tbh don't care if people like or dislike C3 but why this determination to falsely quantify and validate a personal preference?

The earliest I saw this was an intense agreement on reddit that Exandria Unlimited was a "failure" for CR, "unlike Undeadwood," because viewership numbers were lower. And it was tbh baffling to not see pushback against that narrative, because it's just objectively untrue. Original EXU's VOD streaming numbers are higher than every single episode of Undeadwood, and it premiered literally years later. It also has a lower "drop-off" in viewership (comparison of how many views episode 1 vs the finale has) than Undeadwood, despite frequent claims to the contrary. And don't mistake me here, I really enjoyed Undeadwood, but it actually was a viewership misstep for CR to the degree that they didn't try anything like it again for a while after and significantly changed how they approached marketing and airing miniseries. (A big one being: don't air a long miniseries simultaneously with the main series, it's too much content for most people to invest in during a week.)

(Sidebar, but another great miniseries CR did that didn't get a lot of viewership love is the Elder Scrolls Online trilogy, so I'm going to plug it here. It has some weirdly low viewership numbers on episodes 2 and 3 and I promise you they're both well worth it.)

The other one I keep seeing is "4 Sided Dive has lower numbers than Talks" which is also just not true. Most 4 Sided Dive VODs have nearly twice as many views as Talks VODs (and I'm using the ones that aired directly on the CR channel as a metric here, not the ones re-uploaded from G&S which lost numbers in the change-over). And I'll tbh chalk that up to the fact 4SD airs much less frequently - people are more likely to think it's necessary to watch whereas with Talks if you weren't interested in the guests you might skip a week. I'm not making any claims about the quality of either show, but the use of false viewership statistics to support "one of these sucks" is so rampant and so weird.

All this to say that yesterday I saw a weird viewer-hungry YouTube clickbait video titled "Midst a FAILURE for Critical Role!!" with a truly absurd confidence on what the VOD streaming numbers for the Midst YouTube videos mean for the series mere days after the premier and snapped.

tl;dr, people just make shit up and say whatever on the internet all the time and we hopefully all understand and expect that BUT (and here's the more annoying thing) 9 times out of 10 people just engage with that WITHOUT LOOKING INTO IT THEMSELVES

[spreadingawarenessandlove]

FUCK ALL THE PEOPLE BASICALLY DEFENDING WILLIAM GOLD (WILBUR SOOT) BY SAYING HE'S AUTISTIC.

(starting notes: this is most likely going to be very much rambling and jumping from one thing to another. I am just very upset about the situation and what some people are saying about it and needed to clear my head.)

I, myself am autistic and ADHD and regardless of whether you realize it or not, you are stereotyping autistic people by basically saying that they don't know when to stop when asked and can't understand boundaries. Well!! spoiler alert!!! WE DO UNDERSTAND BOUNDARIES. AND IF SOMEONE ASKS US TO STOP IF WE'RE HURTING THEM/MAKING THEM UNCOMFORTABLE? WE WILL!!! WHY??? BECAUSE IT'S BASIC HUMAN DECANCY.

Autistic people are people too. With feelings, emotions, opinions, and boundaries. Just like every other human being on this planet. We are human, just with a more different mindset than most. And most Autistic people try their best to respect people's boundaries and to listen to people when they say no or to stop. If William Gold really is autistic and has a known habit of biting, he could have easily gone on Amazon and gotten a chewing necklace to help with the habit. They're like $5-11 and they almost always come in packs of 3-5 or more. I've had several throughout my life, and they really do help with said habit. So he has NO reason and NO excuse to be biting someone else instead. ESPECIALLY TO THE POINT THE PERSON IS SCREAMING AT THEM AND USING A SAFE WORD TO STOP.

And you people have to keep in mind that the biting isn't the only awful thing he's done to Shelby. He has physically abused her. He had pinned her down and had told her to try her hardest to get him off with full knowledge that she has been $e×ually assaulted before and then said something along the lines of that, he was so much stronger than her and that "she wouldn't be able to fight back". Had likely loved bombed her at the beginning of the relationship to make her stay(which, if you didn't know is a big red flag). Threw away almost all of her things after they broke up without even telling her. Manipulated her and gaslighted her (saying he wanted kids/marriage and then further into the relationship telling her he never wanted that & never said that) plus A LOT more.

Long story short:

-The autistic excuse is a load of fucking bullshit.

-PLEASE do some research about Neurodivergent people before you say anything relating to them online.

-While you're at it, research different kinds of abuse and manipulative behavior because you obviously don't understand that THIS? BITING someone to the point it HURTS AND THEY ARE SCREAMING? IS VERY CLEARLY ABUSE.

-Stop defending someone who already owned up to it (in the most shittiest and self-centered way possible, making it all about himself and also not even mentioning her NAME ONCE).

-Get off whatever social media platform you're on and either go play a game, go outside, read a book, or go to sleep if its late.

-And Always Support The Victim. NEVER The Fucking Abuser.

___________________________________________

(Final notes: I seriously recommend that you watch Shelby's VOD of you haven't and read these websites start to finish. You'll find a lot that relates back to William's behavior. Both inside and outside this relationship.

Shelby Shubble VOD

After reading them, I still recommend that you do more research about the topics I brought up. It could save your life one day.)

[marcussour]

Me the other day: I probably won't be able to keep watching CR live, gonna switch to the VOD's from now on

Me last night: Well, we had an hour change and the episodes are starting an hour earlier, let's try and see if I can still do it...

AND BOY OH BOY AM I GRATEFUL I DID WATCH IT LIVE LAST NIGHT

It's been like 6-7 hours since it ended, and all I could think about was the episode, and that ending.

I've been watching CR since campaign 1, and I'm not exaggerating when I say that was one of the most stressful and brutal episodes of any campaign I've seen, I think I can only compare it to the most stressful parts of EXU: Calamity, and we even went there knowing it was gonna have a "bad" ending. I know we've been close enough to a TPK before, but I never felt that risk so tangible and real as in last night episode. I was legitimately angry at Matt some times, like, nah, he overdid it, he went to far, Otohan's far too OP. And, besides the luck of the rolls, both for and against, I kept thinking like, Otohan's not even using the backpack, imagine what could've happened and how much worse it might've been if Imogen hadn't remove that from the equation. Of course everyone there has their full support and confidence in Matt, and he has the years of experience of being an incredible DM, but that was so stressful.

And of course, there's the ending. SAM MOTHERFUCKIN' RIEGEL. I can't stress enough how many flashbacks I had of Vox Machina and Scanlan's most iconic decisions (both the one in A Bard's Lament and, of course, the clutch one in the final fight). He's just that good, as a player and a performer. Just, coming out of the left field with that choice, understanding perfectly the consequences of what he was doing, and like, the slow realization in everyone else faces as they came to their senses regarding what Sam was doing, the disbelief, the sadness, the anger. It was all too real and powerful. I was watching, 02:24 am here, just, sobbing in my couch watching everything unfold as FCG final sacrifice ended up saving the party and taking out one of their biggest threats. It was just, so poweful.

It was a moment and an episode we'll be talking about for years to come. And it's amazing to think that we'll be so focused on the fight and it's finale, that you might overlook what happened in the first half, especially the fact that Imogen, against all odds, apparently managed to turn Liliana away from Ludinus and the Ruby Vanguard, which is gonna be huge, because I, for one, was fully convinced that they weren't gonna be able to do that (thank the gods for that 31 that Laura rolled).

This episode was an all timer, can't wait to see how things are gonna unravel next week. If there's a way to bring back FCG without his core (and if they replace it or rebuild it, is it the same FCG?), how is everyone's reactions going to be when they have more time to process, what's gonna happen now with Liliana, how and when will they return to Exandria, and of course, in what way Sam's gonna surprise us with a new character (already having flashbacks from Taryon Darrington introduction)

[niki-phoria]

‧₊˚✩ chishiya, arisu, and kuina's love languages

warnings: ooc chishiya, one mention of a panic attack, mentions of blood, kuina feels a little dysphoric, these are all kinda the same but oh well

inspired by this post by @/eletricheart !!

notes: kuina's heart bracelet is based on this pic and the flowers are based on this pic

a/n: i was never really into among us/mcyt streamers during 2020 but i've been watching some corpse vods and i love him sm

gn reader (they/them pronouns used)

requests open !! read my rules first

‧₊˚✩ chishiya

he's so DNSKLNSLS i love him sm

words of affirmation

word count 306

“what are you thinking about?” chishiya’s voice interrupts the storm of thoughts swirling in your head. he watches as you shift to move a little closer to him. 

“just…” you sigh, leaning back against your chair. “the games. the beach. everything, really.” chishiya remains silent next to you. the altered taser he was working on lays forgotten on the table in front of you. 

“you’re upset,” chishiya finally says again. this time you turn to look at him. “you’re biting your lip and playing with your fingers. nervous ticks. you’re smart enough to not do them in games, but when we’re alone or you think no one is looking you let yourself get anxious.” he turns to fully face you as you stare at him in shock for a few minutes. “so, what are you so nervous about?” 

you stare back down at your hands before you answer. chishiya remains silent, giving you as much time as you need to answer his question. finally, you do. “i’m scared.” your voice is quiet; as if you’re scared that saying the words out loud will make them real. “about dying. i’m not smart like you. the games are hard for me. what if i slip up one day and it all just… ends?” 

“you’re wrong.” chishiya’s answer confuses you. you look over at him with furrowed eyebrows. “you are smart. i can pick things apart, but i don’t understand people. not like you. you’re smart, and loyal, and kind.” he looks away, quickly returning his attention to the taser. “sometimes kind is the best thing you can be.” 

you’re sure chishiya notices the way your lips quirk upwards into a small smile when he lets one of his own grace his face. you fall back into a comfortable silence, this time without any negative thoughts clouding in your head.

quality time

word count 295

chishiya’s shoulders are hunched over from his position at the desk as he tinkers away at another kerosene bomb. the smell is nearly overwhelming as you enter the room, quietly closing the door behind you. though you’re sure he can tell that you’ve entered, chishiya doesn’t outwardly acknowledge your presence. 

you silently move to sit beside him, watching as he works. his hands move with precision; his work as a surgeon shines in moments like these. you lean your head against your hand as he expertly weaves the wires against each other through the soda can. he’s careful once he finishes creating the bomb as he sets it aside on the table. 

you remain in a comfortable silence as chishiya prepares to make another. this time, he slides a can over to you - a silent question. do you want to try making one? you oblige, following his movements as he uses a pocket knife to slice a hole into the can before setting it aside. 

the wires are easier to work with than you expected. they twist easily, allowing you to maneuver them into position. chishiya lets you lean against his shoulder to watch as he presses the wires inside of the can until you’ve created a makeshift bomb of your own. 

the sweet moment is interrupted when kuina swings the door open. “oh, sorry,” she says as you sit up. “am i interrupting something?” 

“no,” you hand the newly created device over to her. “chishiya just showed me how to make a bomb.” 

she twists it in her fingers before humming. “you guys are cute together.” you can't help the small smile that spreads across your face as you take it back from her, setting it alongside the others on the table.

gift giving

word count 234

you shiver a little at the cold air in the prison as you enter. the other players stand around. they're hardly subtle as they look around, anxiously sizing each other up. you feel a little uncomfortable under their harsh glares as you slip to the side, suddenly very self conscious about the swimsuit you’ve been wearing since finding the beach. 

a familiar white jacket catches your attention from across the room. you step forwards a little to see the man more clearly, gasping when he turns. chishiya. 

he notices you almost as soon as you see him. you try not to make a scene as you slip through the other people over to his side. “it’s so good to see you again,” you whisper. 

“you too.” he smiles a little. his eyes scan you for any new injuries before focusing on the raised goosebumps along your arms. chishiya silently slips his jacket off before draping it over your shoulders. you watch him with wide eyes. if the other players didn’t know you knew each other before, they do now. 

“what are you doing?” 

“you’re cold,” chishiya shrugs, tugging you back towards the wall to stand beside him. you slip your arms into the sleeves. it feels warm against your skin. he reaches out to zip the jacket up for you before wrapping an arm around your waist as you wait for the game to begin.

acts of service

word count 288

sunlight streaming through your windows wakes you early in the morning. you stretch, rolling onto your side away from the light in a poor attempt to get more sleep. you can feel chishiya sit up beside you as he silently gets out of bed. you whine, pulling the blankets back up over your body. 

chishiya slips his jacket over his bare chest before walking around to your side of the bed and kneeling down beside you. your eyes are still closed as he brings a hand up to cup your cheek, pressing a small kiss against your forehead. you smile a little as he walks over to the door. he slips his sandals on before making his way through the beach. 

food is easy enough to come by; especially so early in the morning. chishiya makes his way through the beach’s hotel to grab a bottle of water and a plate to prepare some breakfast for you. he decides on something simple - onigiri. he grabs a few pre packaged onigiri, placing them on the plate before making his way back to your shared room. 

you’ve fallen back asleep by the time he returns. chishiya silently places the plate and water bottle down on the bedside table before slipping back to his hideout in one of the beach’s many hidden areas to continue working on his various projects. 

the sun has fully risen by the time you enter the room. you silently place a water bottle and one of the onigiri he had brought you on the table beside him before pressing a quick peck against his temple in greeting. “thank you,” he whispers, taking the food. you simply hum with a small smile as he begins to eat.

physical touch

word count 228

“y/n,” chishiya shakes you awake, giving you a reprieve from your nightmare. you flinch as you sit up in your shared bed. the room around you is dark; only illuminated by small streams of moonlight streaming through the curtainless windows. you close your eyes, trying to calm yourself down. “are you okay?” 

“just a nightmare,” you choke the words out. your breathing is unsteady. tears sting the corners of your eyes. your hands are shaking as you wrap your arms around yourself further. 

chishiya hesitantly reaches out, resting a hand on your shoulder. his touch feels nervous - as if you’ll suddenly bolt away from him like a scared animal. you shift a little closer to him. he takes the cue to move his hand a little further, now brushing his thumb against the tears rolling down your cheeks. 

“breathe,” he whispers. you do your best to obey, starving off a panic attack as best as you can. 

you sit in silence for a few minutes to fully calm down before you move again. chishiya freezes as you wrap your arms around him, burying your face into his neck. his body feels stiff before he slowly relaxes to pull you even closer. 

“thank you.” neither of you say anything else. you don’t need to. chishiya’s arms resting gently around your waist say everything he can’t express with words.

‧₊˚✩ arisu

he's so cute here :((

words of affirmation

word count 282

you gasp as you jolt awake in the middle of the night. arisu leans over you, staring down at you in the darkness. he lets out a small sigh of relief when you sit up. “are you okay?” he whispers, handing you a bottle of water. you take it, grateful for a distraction from the nightmare that still lingers in your mind. “you were crying in your sleep.” 

“yeah,” you sigh. “i’m fine.” 

“are you sure?” 

“i just…” you fall into silence for a few minutes. you move to fully sit up, studying your hotel room in the darkness. it’s barely illuminated by a sliver of moonlight shining through a crack in your curtains. your eyes trace along the desk to the dresser and up the tv to the door. a small sliver of light is visible from underneath it. “do you think i’m a good person? i mean… we have to kill people to survive here. i watched people die in front of me. i was the reason why they died. and then we come back here and get drunk and sleep through the night.” you let out a shaky breath. “why do you love me?” 

“y/n,” arisu is quick to wrap his arms around you, pulling you into a hug. “none of this is your fault. we didn’t ask for any of this.” he pulls away just enough to wipe away a stray tear from your cheek. “i couldn’t do this without you. everything is better when you’re here.” 

you sniffle, hiding your face back in his chest. “thank you,” you whisper. arisu leans down to press a kiss against your forehead. 

“i love you.” 

“i love you too.” 

quality time

word count 284 (set pre-borderland)

“ah!” arisu curses under his breath after yet another defeat. he sighs, leaning back against his chair. you glance up at him from over your phone as he prepares to start another round. sensing his growing irritation, you make your way over to his chair. arisu looks up at you in confusion as you pull it back just enough to comfortably sit yourself on his lap in between his body and the desk his monitor is on. “y/n? what are you doing?” 

“i want to cuddle.” you nonchalantly reach over to grab your phone once again, snuggling against his body.

arisu’s face flushes a bright red as he wraps his arms around you. “okay.” 

you smile, leaning back against him. arisu leans his head against your shoulder as he starts a new round. his fingers expertly switch between each button on the console as he plays. slowly, you find your attention drifting from your phone to your boyfriend. 

the way he bites his lip when he’s trying to concentrate. how his eyes flick from every side of the monitor as he scans for enemies. the warmth surrounding the both of you from a mix of your body heats and the energy from the games he’s playing. 

“yes!” arisu cheers when his team wins. you keep staring at him when he looks at you, face flushing a deep red again. you barely stifle your smile as he looks away as he pretends not to notice you watching him. “what is it?” 

“nothing,” you shift a little closer, pressing a kiss against his cheek. “i just love you.” 

his blush deepens even more as arisu leans down to peck your forehead. “i love you too.” 

gift giving

word count 275

the sun beams down on you from above as you walk through the empty tokyo streets. it’s almost eerie to be alone in a city that you’ve only ever known as loud and constantly bustling with people - businessmen catching early trains to work, students rushing to their early morning classes, drunken crowds clinging to each other as they stumble their way home. 

you push the thoughts out of your head as you continue walking. lush overgrowth has begun to take over the abandoned buildings surrounding shibuya crossing. it looks beautiful besides the nostalgia that stings you everywhere you look. 

you shove your hands deeper into your pockets, about to turn around to go back to the beach when something catches your eye. a small patch of flowers has just begun to poke through a patch of grass. they’re short; petals a light pink. you smile, kneeling down to pick a few from the plant. you use a stray piece of string to wrap around the stems to create a makeshift bouquet before running back to the beach.

arisu is easier to find than you had expected. he’s sitting around with usagi and kuina on beach chairs as they enjoy their time away from the games. you bound over to him, eagerly holding the flowers out. “i got you something.” 

arisu’s face flushes a little as he stands to take them from you. “these are for me? really?” 

you nod as he takes them with a small smile. “they reminded me of you.” 

arisu’s smile grows as he wraps his arms around you in a hug. he presses a quick kiss against your cheek. “thank you.” 

acts of service

word count 244

“come on,” you say as you tug arisu alongside you back to your shared room. he trudges his body alongside you, drunkenly stumbling through the beach’s hotel. 

“you know, my lover,” arisu hiccups. “y/n? they’re the best thing that’s ever happened to me. i don’t know how i managed to live for so long without them.” 

“yeah?” you’re glad he won’t be able to remember how flustered he’s making you as you continue pulling him along. 

“yeah. and they’re so pretty, too! prettiest person i’ve ever seen. pretty, and kind! so, so kind.” arisu pauses when you open the door, pulling him inside and helping him lay down on the bed. he stares up at the ceiling in a drunken haze, mumbling to himself. “they make me so happy.” the words almost catch you off guard. you set a water bottle and empty trash can beside him as he continues rambling. “so, so happy. i’ve never been happier than when i’m with them. i’d do anything to make them smile.” 

you can’t help the smile that spreads across your face at arisu’s words. you lean over him to brush his bangs out of his eyes, pressing a kiss against his forehead. “get some rest,” you whisper. 

“hm, okay.” arisu rolls over onto his side as you curl up behind him. you press another kiss against his shoulder before turning the light out as you fall asleep next to the love of your life.

physical touch

word count 305

“arisu?” you squint at him in the darkness as he rolls onto his side again. you sit up, leaning over to turn the lamp on from your bedside table. arisu sighs, sitting up to face you. 

“did i wake you? i’m sorry.” 

“no,” you lean in a little closer to him, reaching over to grab his hand. “what’s wrong?” 

“i just…” he looks away from you to stare down at your intertwined fingers. “i’ve been thinking. about karube and chota.” you remain silent, rubbing your thumb against his knuckles as a silent reminder that you’re there for him. 

in the silence, your eyes scan each part of his face. arisu has always had his heart on his sleeve. it was one of the reasons why you fell in love with him in the first place. he’s never been afraid to show how deeply he loves the people around him. his eyebrows are furrowed slightly the way they always do when he’s deep in thought. his teeth chew on his lip as if he’s contemplating which words to say. 

“what if there was something else i could’ve done? i should’ve tried to cut the wires on the trap or searched for them or…” he pauses. tears sting the edges of his eyes. “it was my fault. they shouldn’t have died. they didn’t deserve to.” 

“oh, arisu, no,” you whisper, tugging him into a hug. arisu lets out a small sob, collapsing into your arms. you pull him closer to your chest as he cries. “you did everything you could. none of this was your fault.” you run a hand against his back to soothe him. arisu clings to your body as if you’ll also disappear if he lets go. you lean down to press a kiss against his forehead. “i’m here now. it’s gonna be okay.”

‧₊˚✩ kuina

there aren't enough kuina gifs on this website ://

words of affirmation

word count 336

kuina tugs the blanket further up over her legs as she leans back against the headboard of your shared bed. it’s a hot day on the beach. the windows are open. your jacket lays forgotten on the floor to let any potential breeze blow against your bare skin. 

she shifts uncomfortably next to you once again. you cock your head at her in questioning. “is something wrong?” 

“huh?” she looks over at you with wide eyes. “oh, no, i’m fine.” 

you furrow your eyebrows in confusion. despite not knowing her for long, kuina has always had her heart on her sleeve. you spend so much time around her that you’ve learned her nervous tells and the ways she acts when something is wrong. “are you sure?” you prompt again. “you know you can tell me anything.” 

kuina looks up at you again with tears threatening to fall from her eyes. she looks at you for a few seconds like she’s trying to memorize your face before she looks away again. “there’s something you need to know. about me.” you silently reach over to grab her hand, waiting for her to continue. kuina takes a deep breath before she begins. “i’m trans. i wasn’t born a woman. my father kicked me out when he found out about it.” she pauses, raising a hand to wipe away a stray tear. her voice drops even quieter. “i’ve never told anyone before.” 

“kuina hikari, you’re the most beautiful woman i’ve ever seen.” you shift to fully face her, squeezing her hand in yours. “i adore you and everything about you. nothing will ever change that for me. i love you. i always will.” 

“really?” her voice is quiet when she speaks again. 

you bring a hand up to wipe away another tear from her face. “really.” you let her curl against your side so she’s resting her head against your chest. you wrap your arms around her so she’s listening to your heartbeat. “i love you, kuina. never forget that.” 

quality time

word count 241

you stand uncomfortably at the edge of the crowd of people, ignoring the plethora of alcohol, drugs, and sex surrounding you. you search through the crowd for kuina, looking over the shoulders of strangers. “y/n!” kuina smiles as she makes her way through the beach over to where you’re standing. she has a bright smile on her face, hips swaying to the beat playing through the speakers. “come on! let’s dance!” 

you can’t help the smile that spreads across your face as she pulls you along with her into the crowd. she laughs, swaying her body to the beat. you follow her lead, albeit a little reluctantly. the smell of alcohol and sweat is almost overwhelming around you, the music is bound to give you a headache if you spend too long standing in front of the bass-boosted speakers, and the hot, sweaty people surrounding you make you a little uncomfortable. 

but none of it matters when you focus on kuina as she dances in front of you. she grabs your hand, twirling you around with her almost too elegantly for the hard edm beats you’re swaying along to. you intertwine your fingers together, letting yourself get lost in the crowd. just for a moment. just until the song ends. just for the night. just until you’ve had your fun with kuina and decide to retire back to your shared bed where you’ll fall asleep, wrapped safely in her arms.

gift giving

word count 316

“here,” chishiya says, ripping off a small piece of duct tape and handing it to you. “for the bracelet.” 

“you know how to make these?” you ask, using it to hold down the thread against the table. 

chishiya simply shrugs, turning his attention back to the makeshift flamethrower he’s creating. you’re sure you both reek of gasoline from the amount of time he’s spent trying to perfect the contraption. “i know things.” 

you chuckle a little at his vague answer as you twist the strands of thread between your fingers. they move unconsciously as you intertwine the strands between each other to create a small heart pattern. the blue and white contrast against each other nicely until it looks long enough to wrap around kuina’s wrist. 

you use the lighter to burn off the thread so it ends nicely. chishiya glances over at it for a second as you slide the lighter back over to him. “it looks nice.” 

“thank you.” you test the length around your own wrist before standing up in search of kuina. you find her rolling her wooden cigarette between her fingers from her usual spot on a random beach chair. you maneuver your way through the crowd to sit down beside her. “hey,” she greets with a small smile. 

“hi,” you say. “i made you something,” you say, holding the bracelet out. kuina gasps, bringing a hand up over her mouth. she hesitantly reaches out to take it as if it’s a fragile piece of glass in her hands. 

“it’s beautiful,” she whispers before throwing her arms around you. “thank you! i love it!” you laugh, pulling away just long enough to tie it around her wrist so it sits perfectly against her skin. she holds her hand out to admire it for a few seconds before wrapping her arms around you once again. “i love you.” 

“i love you too.”

acts of service

word count 334

the sun has just begun to rise when you wake up. the light shining in your face is enough to jolt you awake far too early in the morning. you let out a quiet groan, flipping onto your back as you stare up at the ceiling. your jacket is a poor excuse of a pillow and your body aches from the games and what feels like weeks of sleeping on the floor. 

kuina is still peacefully sleeping across from you when you finally sit up. a small smile stretches across your face at the sight. she’s wrapped up in a random jacket you found, curled up beside you. her bag lays propped up against the wall next to her. 

you quietly stand up, careful not to wake kuina as you creep through the convenience store you slept in for shelter. you scan the shelves for any food you can keep to easily prepare with minimal supplies, finally settling on a few packages of premade snacks and some bandages in case of an emergency. 

you stuff the food into kuina’s bag for her to eat later before slipping out of the store. you squint at the sun, watching as it rises. it’s a beautiful sight. a golden glow illuminates your surroundings as you make your way into a random store to search for some shoes that aren’t a random pair of sandals provided by the beach. 

you settle on a pair of white sneakers for kuina and a random pair of running shoes for yourself. you make your way back to the convenience store where she’s still sleeping on the ground. you set the white shoes beside her before going back outside to watch the sunrise. moments of peace are rare in the borderland. 

the sun has barely moved when kuina leaves the store herself, walking over to sit beside you. “thank you,” she whispers, slipping her feet into the shoes. you simply nod, letting her lean against you as the earth begins to wake.

physical touch

word count 231

kuina’s hands are gentle against your skin as she wraps another bandage around your bicep. she tugs it tightly against your arm so it’s tight enough to stop any more bleeding. she moves onto your other arm, holding out your arm so she can tend to your forearm. 

you wince as she presses an alcohol soaked towel against the wound to clean it. “ah,” you hiss at the immediate sting of pain. 

“sorry, i’m sorry,” she whispers. “i’m almost done, i promise.” she works quickly to wrap another bandage around the cut. “okay, we’re done now.” 

you sigh as she shoves the bandages back into her bag. you lean back against the wall of the convenience store you took shelter in. kuina stands up, looking through some of the shelves before grabbing a random bag of chips to share with you. 

you lean against her shoulder as kuina wraps her arm around your waist. you reach over to grab your jacket, laying it over your knees as a makeshift blanket. “do you really think we’ll be able to go home after this?” you whisper. 

kuina squeezes your hand, intertwining your fingers together. “even if we don’t,” she whispers. “i’ll find a way to get us out of here.” 

you press a kiss against her knuckles before snuggling a little closer to her. “i love you,” you whisper. 

“i love you too.”

[astoundingbeyondbelief]

Kaiju Week in Review (January 8-14, 2023)

"Somehow, heartbreak feels good in a place like this." One of my favorite sayings.

There's nothing like a kaiju movie in theaters. Shin Ultraman was almost as fun dubbed as it was subbed (and a smidge easier to follow). I don't know if I'll ever get used to anime voice actors doing live-action kaiju movies, but this was a good group, especially Emily Frongillo as Funaberi and Kellen Goff as Zarab.

Two big pieces of Shin Ultraman news accompanied its U.S./UK theatrical release this week. Cleopatra Entertainment licensed it for an American VOD/home video release; the wording in the press release is a bit confusing, so while the VOD will at least be happening in the spring, I'm not sure about the more important stuff. The Japanese home video releases are due April 12, so don't expect anything before then. Also, Ultraman Connection added the first episode of Shin Ultra Fight, with more to come. The first three episodes are just narrated clips from the movie, but after that, it gets weird. You need a (free) account to view Connection videos.

IDW put out two Godzilla comics this Wednesday—Godzilla Rivals: Rodan vs. Ebirah and Godzilla: Monsters & Protectors - All Hail the King! #4. I don't have much to say about the All Hail the King issue, which is mostly just setting up the big fight in the finale, but Rodan vs. Ebirah was a total delight. Taking the focus off Godzilla and letting some other kaiju shine was the right move, and this is exactly the sort of craziness all of these comics, with their access to nearly the entire Toho sandbox, should be striving for. It also has the distinction of featuring the first nonbinary character in a Godzilla story! At one point they divert a rampaging Biollante with song (all nonbinary people can do this).

After decades of obscurity, Space Monster Wangmagwi is out on Blu-ray from SRS Cinema, and... its obscurity was pretty much warranted. AIP-TV probably could've made something watchable out of this back in the day, but it would have been an order taller than the titular monster. It's largely plotless, with some of the worst foley I've ever heard. The street kid who decides to fight Wangmagwi himself is fun, at least. Given its legendary reputation, I recommend seeing it just to satisfy your curiosity; I'm sure it'll be up on Tubi later this year.

It would be malpractice for me not to mention the reveal of Gigan's older and younger sisters in Godziban. Before you ask, yes, showrunner Hideyuki Kobayashi understands exactly what forces he's playing with. It's very funny watching Toho let him do literally whatever he wants. I'm not sure when they'll be showing up in the show. The announcement was just for their props being exhibited at screenings of the Godziban "movie" (the new episodes from the Blu-ray edited together).

[mukuharakazui]

I'M SO SORRY TO HEAR YOUR MAIN GUY CAPTAIN SPARKLES QUIT MINECRAFT STUFF 💔 MY CONDOLENCES

no it's ok!!! he's still doing minecraft stuff, just on twitch and his 2nd channel rather than his main channel. right now he's doing an all advancements 1.21 snapshot series as the "finale" of his main channel mc content. i've also been kind of expecting this given the vlogs/"talking in front of a green screen videos" he's been putting out, esp the ones in the past year and a half.

unfortunately, while his dedicated audience is still committed to him, the new generation of minecraft youtube fans is nowhere near as keen on episodic series and are more for short-form content (e.g. "i survived 1000 days in hardcore this is my world" "this MOD lets you KISS the WARDEN in MINECRAFT?!"). jordan tried to appease the algorithm with this for a while and then did a whole series of videos talking about how he was done with that because it wasn't making him happy. he also did a big poll on his channel and found that a majority of his viewers have been watching him since around the mianite days or earlier, and we also weren't especially happy with his clipped main channel mc videos.

he's been making minecraft videos for 13 years now, and even as someone who's been watching since his original survival series, there are plenty of series and videos from him that i haven't touched yet because of the sheer amount of videos he dedicated his career to making. i can still go back and watch his older series i never caught, plus some videos i watched back in the day and don't remember very well/didn't understand the humor of (*cough cough* buildinggame *cough*).

given the way stampy ended his minecraft career, i'm glad to see jordan taking a similar route. they're definitely some of the few popular minecraft youtubers who were never involved in any sort of intense drama or horrible scandals. i would honestly argue that this is a small shift for jordan, but a large shift for his audience. his major shift definitely occurred around the time mcc started and when dream and his cohort got popular. that's when the youtube algorithm and new mcyt audience started to value him less than other mc youtubers and the whole thing where jordan tried to appeal to the algorithm and hated it. the only difference between what he's been doing for the past 2 years and what he'll be doing going forth seems to be that his minecraft content will, as a lot of it already has been, be focused on captainsparklez2.

i do think "retirement" as he put it, as opposed to "quitting" or "leaving," is definitely the best way to describe what he has planned. he'll still do mc, just not as his primary career. he also said he may be willing to do mc videos on the main channel if a huge update appeals to him in some way at some point. he's definitely not suddenly quitting minecraft forever, and if he does, i have no doubt he'd still enjoy hearing from people who like his minecraft content and wouldn't be too bothered by being known as the minecraft guy.

tl;dr i'm not sad cuz not only is he putting his own needs and goals first, but he also...isn't even quitting minecraft altogether. i mostly watch his twitch vods on cs2 anyways, so it's no big deal to me in the end. long live captainsparklez, team ianite forever, etc.

[hellhound5925]

Cyare Verd *Beloved Warrior*

Chapter Eighteen

After all that excitement, we are finally getting close to our destination. I'm back in my room, trying to reach one of my vode (brothers) or Kal'Buir because it's been a while since I've heard from them. No one answers which makes me a little nervous but I also know how Ka'buir can be.....He tends to be very secretive when the thinks it could endanger us...I just hope everyone is alright. I decide to check over my gear for probably the 5th time, before I suit up. I hide my knives in the various places, and grab my dual westward-35's placing them in their holsters at my side. I was never fortunate enough to get a jet pack...might have to check into getting one sometime... I slide my buy'ce (helmet) over my head and head out to the hanger where the drop ships were. Knowing I am quiet early I take my time.

When I get to the hanger I make note of the time....we've still got another hour and a half before we really need to be ready... I decide to lean against some of the crates piled up outside and slide my buy'ce (helmet) off setting it next to me. I take out my blasters and take the first one apart before checking it - again - and putting it back together. When I am in the middle of taking the second one apart I hear plastoid boots approaching. "What are you doing out here?" Asks Tup. I look up from my broken down blaster and see Tup and Kix. "Just anxious to get down there I guess" I give a light laugh. They both join me, one on either side. "Hope you don't mind if we join you" Kix smiles at me. "I don't think I had much of a choice" I say gesturing to the fact they both are sitting next to me, "but no, I don't mind at all". They watch me in silence as I check over each part of my blaster before putting it back together. "We star-35's right?" Asked Kix, "Aren't those Mandalorian?" Tup asked. "They are, you'll probably find a lot of Death Watch mando's use them as they are quite popular on Concordia" I explain. "But, you weren't apart of Death Watch I thought?" Tup asked. "No, I am not, but if you know where to look, these aren't hard to find" I continued explaining. They both nod in understanding. The three of us have some light hearted conversation, some about the holovids they recommend. Which lead to a playful argument - not surprising, this squad bickers like vode (brothers) frequently - which also causes me to laugh at them.

After about an hour Fives and Echo join. And the five of us are sitting in a line against the crates. "Hope my bed was comfy" I roll my eyes at Echo. "So that's, where you wandered off too! Just don't give me any details" Fives teases his vod (brother). "It wasn't like that" scolds Echo, "why is everything always about sex with you?" He continues. I laugh and kick open the door of opportunity "That's because he only recently discovered what it is". The group bursts into loud laugher that echos in the hangar. Some of the crew working on the ships look over. "Sorry Fives, she's not wrong" Tup says, fake wiping a tear. Fives speaks up, "What can I say....I'm a new man now." "Yeah we don't need to hear the details.....again" Kix sighs. I just laugh. "Call me the lady killer" Fives continues. Considering after that night, Fives has been patrolling - yes, that definitely the word I would use - and has now has 'game' as he likes to call it. I never quite understood why he could never pick up a women, I mean he is rather attractive - I don't find him as attractive as Rex, but he is a close second - but, he is also arrogant at times. None the less I love his as a vod (brother) all the same. Speaking of Rex, I wonder what he's up to... probably checking his gear over for the millionth time. The group staring at me pulls me from my thoughts. When I realize they are all staring the burst in to laugher. "Tup was just saying how he thinks, you and Rex would be perfect for one another" Kix raises an eye brow at me. "Oh don't worry....we've been....working on that" Fives says all smug. I don't say anything and let this play out. They have no idea we kissed earlier and if they found out....they'd never let it go....I'm not even sure if Rex really wants them to know. I'll leave it to him to tell them. I finally decide to chime in after a few more comments are made, "You guys might not want to press poor Rex's buttons. He might not like you all meddling with his love life" I say quirking a brow. "Openly deny you have feelings for him and we will" Fives says leaning forward so he can see me past his brothers. I wish I could hide behind my buy'ce (helmet) right now. "Fine.....I don't have feelings for Rex" I say slowly. They all laugh and I'm shocked Echo doesn't tell them about our conversation earlier. But that's Echo for you, he's a great friend. "That was super convincing" Kix says sarcastically. "You sounds more like you are trying to convince yourself" chimes in Tup. "Okay fine! I might have feelings for him....." they all cheer. "It was so obvious" Fives says very matter of fact.

Thankfully the rest of the conversation is interrupted by the announcement over the ships comms telling us to get ready to deploy. The 5 of us continue to sit there and shortly after, Jesse and Hardcase come in. "Looks like we missed a party" Jesse teases. The 5 of us get up and slide our buy'ce (helmets) over our heads. We connect out comms to the open line for our squad. "Everyone here?" I ask. "Everyone but Rex" but Echo says. There's a crackle "Captain Rex here" he chimes in. "Speak and he shall appear" I laugh. "Hardcase...put the spotchka away" Fives saying knowing well there is no spotchka. Hardcase smacks Fives and says "don't listen to him Cap". Rex ignores the banter, "I'm on my way".

We wait for Rex before pilling into the drop ship. The squad was behind me and Rex while to two of us faced the door. As the door shut, I reached for the handle above my head. I hit the open channel of our comm link, “You boys ready?” I asked already knowing the answer. A chorus of “Sir, yes sir” filled my ears. I smiled and whispered “atta boys”. Rex looked over at me, “Are you ready?” He asked. I turned my head toward him “Mando’ade cuy’gar rattling tiskala (A Mandalorian is always ready)”. He chuckles “I thought that was a dumb question”. The pilot looks back “Ready for take off”, and with that I feel he ship lift into space.

We had just touched down on Aargonar when I hear my comm crackle, “Commander Skirata….Captain Rex….come in”, it’s Anakin. “Captain Rex here”, “Commander Skiratta here, we read you”. “Good, we are getting into position now. Let us know when you are in position” Anakin continues. “Copy that” Rex replies. We hop off the ship and the men gather around. “Alright listen up” I start. Rex continues “Alright men, we are headed toward the back side of the base. From there, we are going to enter through the disposal tunnel. Keep an eye open for the disposal droids, we don’t want them heading back inside to call back the reinforcements” he explains. Fives raises his hand “I’m sorry, disposal tunnels?” He asks. “Droid parts. Don’t worry” I laugh, getting what he was eluding to. “Right” he says like he should have known that. Rex continues “From there we will split into 2 groups. Group 1: Commander Skirata, Echo, Kix, Hardcase. Group 2: Myself, Fives, Tup, Dogma, Jesse.” He then nods at me to continue “Group 1, we are going to set the charges to blow the base. While group 2 is going to find a way to shut down the droids already deployed. Group 1, I am sharing the holomap with you that we are using to place said charges. The rest of you will be looking for some kind of command center. Any questions?” “No sir” they all reply. “Good let’s get going then” Rex tells them.

We all head through the thick forest until we come across the base. We split into our 2 groups and search for the disposal tunnel. “Sir, I think I’ve found it” Echo says through our group link. “Good I’ll let the others know”, I change channels “Rex, Rex do you copy?”, “Rex here. Did you find it?”, “Echo did. Randevu with us, I’ll mark our location on the map”, “Copy that, good work Echo” he says the last part under his breath. It takes them only a matter of minutes to reach our position. Rex makes sure we have everyone, “I’ll comm Generaly Skywalker. Let him know we are in position”. I nod to him and wait until he finishes.

I turn to and start into the tunnel “Pare! (Hang on!)” Rex hollers. I stop and face him “what is it?”. I can practically hear is smirk…. “I’m always first” he says. “Ni ceta (sorry)” I say bowing and letting him pass. He lets out a small laugh at my theatrics. We head through the tunnel, with the rest of the squad in tow.

Masterlist

[arsenic-simp]

Oh god this is my first post I'm pretty sure-

Spoilers for Tommy, Tubbo, and Jacks recent lore on the DSMP!!! (Any mention of their names are automatically referring to their character on the SMP unless I state otherwise)

The fact I predicted the ending of S1 and the fact Tubbo's nuke would reset the server is blowing my mind, I have been on the "Dream just wants the server back to the way it was" train since exile, I'm losing my mind right now.

The fact that Tubbo was just going the fuck off once he discovered Jack changed the direction of the nukes, technically he had a right to be angry but he should've at least heard him out, If I'm not mistaken the only person that's truly ever heard Jack out was Niki, then when she helped break Dream out of prison she lost Jacks trust, so he labeled her 'as bad as Dream' I believe he said, I don't think that was word for word what he said though.

Also- the way Jack wasn't there in the ending either, when they were on the new server, I believe that this is basically a second chance mainly for discduo, and Karl if I'm not mistaken, this is going to be a bit far fetched, but I'm writing as I think.

I loved the recent streams and the insight it gave into Dream's motives for all of this, we were shown that Dream essentially wasn't lying whenever he said he wanted to bring the server together and for it to be a "big happy family", he was just going about it in a morally twisted way, he thought that was the only way to bring the server back together..it seemingly could but I feel that if Karl does stream another TOTSMP it could possibly be about what conflicts could stem between different members, now that Tommy and Dream have become friends in this server (so far).

About Karl, I've also just remembered that DreamXD still exists, so was XD just chilling in The End watching as the server reset or was he actively pulling strings to make this happen, I feel as though it could be either, and I'm wondering if George will remember anyone- WAIT, WILL KARL EVEN REMEMBER ANYONE- OH- OFF TOPIC, BUT WHAT IF XD DOES TO KARL LIKE HE DID TO RANBOO, BECAUSE IF KARL DOESNT REMEMBER ANYTHING HE'S ESSENTIALLY USELESS TO XD.

Okay my ADHD is showing 💀💀💀💀 I'm going to try and stick to one topic for right now..

Hold on, Schlatt(cc) said he was going to make an appearance on the server, does that mean- is Ranboo not dead anymore??? Is Mexican Dream alive again? This is making my head bounce off the walls because I have so many questions!!!

I feel like somebody is going to remember 'The Incidents' as what Tommy (cc) refered to the Nuclear explosion as, because the server wouldn't be as exciting without someone having some kind of knowledge about it, I feel as though it'd be Jack, mainly because he 1: wasn't in the 'trailer'??? for the next season as well as 2:he's canonically part robot, I've had this headcanon for a while that he could remember some things that others couldn't or didn't remember because AI is typically more agile than humans in terms of memory.

Another thing that I found fascinating is that your limbo changes, so if they die on the new server their limbo won't be the same as it was before (mainly referring to Jschlatt, Ranboo, and Mexican Dream) as well as; does the God of the server change? That's a question that's going to bother me until I see one, like- though XD was a minor character it was very comedic and a sort of...change from other characters, if that makes sense.

I will miss Techno's cabin, and the Prison bell, I mean, I understand that the server was getting a bit outdated so it needed a reset, but there's no remaking the cabin, and everyone in the world can put down a bell and it still not be the same as Techno doing it. I have no issue with the server reset, since the VODs with Techno's cabin and the Prison bell still exist and can be reminisced upon.

I do think the finale had a lot of us crying honestly, even the content creators themselves cried making this (Tubbo confirmed this on the last few minutes of his stream today), and the amount of work they had to put into that, I don't know, but the finale was definitely worth watching, and I would watch it ten times over, I originally started with Tubbo's POV then when Tubbo and Tommy split I went to Tommy's stream, and my god do I not regret it, that was one of, if not the best DSMP stream Tommy has ever done, his acting is improving, even though there were a few minor issues... Like his cam kept dying- but he stayed professional for the most part, and the acting was amazing, props to them, seriously, Nobody can make that exact thing and get the same amout or even more popularity out of it, and make a fandom like this.

But for now, until the next season, until more lore, I probably won't be posting a lot, maybe not even at all, but thx for, well, reading all of this if you got this far, if you really enjoyed I'd love if you left a comment; they help out a lot, even if it's just 'hi' or 'u suck!' it still helps lol.

[forestwater87]

Okay, for all of you who don't feel like watching Miles RP as David

Here are some of my favorite quotes. Context may be added if I feel like it. Reactions are my goblin brain screaming. All of these came from a discord so if they don't make sense . . . see goblin brain comment.

(That link should start directly at the point where he becomes David; if it doesn't, skip to 1:40:33)

In roughly chronological order:

David: "Teachers are sort of like camp counselors during the rest of the year."

The thing is David is absolutely up his own ass enough to think this.

David: "Trail mix is expensive!"

^ said to show he understands why not everyone can donate to the charity for teachers. Very adorable, am crying.

David's "ooooh" seeing one dude was extremely non-heterosexual. Fucking bicon. Him losing his mind that one of the arenas is called "Survey camp"

David: "A person's hitting me -- I'm sorry I'm sorry I'm sorry this is just pretend!"

This is just canonically how David plays video games. Either this or he's unwilling to commit violence at all, but I'll defer to Miles.

David: "That's very goat of you!"

Spencer: "Is David popular amongst his campers?"

David: "I like to think so! There's only 3 staff members, so I'm definitely in everyone's top 3."

"That also means you're in the bottom 3."

David: "Well, I choose not to think of it that way."

(I have to keep adding reacts so you can tell when one quote ends and another begins. Judge not lest ye be judged)

I think the other person in the stream is named Spencer. Friend of Miles. I know literally nothing else about him and am not even confident on those facts.

Every time he says something so non-David in his David voice I die: "I have a lot of grenades!"

David: "Oh my goodness, would you look at this beautiful scenery! Can we hike that mountain?"

This is so goddamn cute. I am dying. Miles looked at his fans and said "they will eat tonight" and I am so relieved.

David: "Not to be a couple of Greedy Garys, but I say we get this [care package] and then I'll drop another one!"

The fact that Miles is grinning like a lunatic the entire time is very good. (Also if this is formatted badly then I'm sorry but not all that sorry. I'm doing my best and David would be proud of me.)

David: "Didja getim? Didja getim? didja getim? How 'bout now?"

Spencer: "I didn't get 'em."

David: "Well, you tried your best and that's all that matters."

He calls healing "a little health kiss." I'm not sure why but it's very important to me.

David: [while jumping to murder someone] "Hi! Scuse me!"

(i just need something to separate the quotes okay)

David: "Well you know what gang, we did our best. You don't always win the 3-legged race. You did a wonderful job!"

Then there's a bit where they talk about Spencer's time at summer camp:

David: "ooooh hand-holding's pretty serious!"

David is too pure.

David: [dreamily] "Did you fall in love, Spencer? A summer love?" [puts hands up to his face]

Then there's the fact that David/Miles gets to pick where they play each round, and he keeps insisting on going to the one called "Survey Camp" every single time because it has the word "camp" in it.

David: "Now, I don't like to disagree, but . . . I was thinking we could go . . . to Survey Camp!"

Spencer reminds him that technically since David's the one with the power to choose, his opinion is the only one that matters:

David: "Everyone's opinion matters. And my opinion is we're going to camp."

David just steamrolling over Spencer's interests is very good. There are these little selfish nuggets sprinkled in among the wholesomeness that really capture the full David experience.

David: "Well, he's climbing up . . . he's coming my direction . . . oh, he looks scary . . ."

Spencer: "Is he coming towards me?"

David: "Oooh, I don't know. I'm dead!"

The positivity is relentless. I think Miles said on twitter afterwards that this whole thing was exhausting and I can see why. Being David is no picnic . . .

David: "I have a question: do we have to shoot each other in this game?"

And then a few seconds later:

David: "I'm just wondering if maybe there's a way we can, you know, help others. Talk through our issues."

And a few seconds after that:

David: "I was asking if they wanted to be friends in the game!"

I believe that moved killed him, too. Precious.

Also we're interrupting the real Miles!David content to share something my friend suggested to me while I was watching this and giving her quotes; she said that maybe David just calls everything camp to make life more fun, and then sent me this imaginary exchange that actually killed me all the way to death:

David: Gwen Santos would you go to marriage camp with me

Gwen: I'm going to have to change this story when I tell everyone

It made me laugh quite a bit.

Anyway, back to the video!

Spencer: "How do you sign up for [Camp Campbell]?"

David: "Well, um, you can fax, uh, an application to CameronCCampbell@hotmail.realwebsite.noreallyrealwebsite.com. And . . . you can know that myself and Gwen and Quartermaster and sometimes Mr. Campbell will do our best to make sure they get what they need! Which more than anything is love and support. And friendship."

Spencer: "How many dollars does this camp cost?"

David: "You know . . . it is, um . . ."

And then the conversation switches subjects and David breathes a sigh of relief.

Very shortly after this he changed his character from a woman (she was wearing a yellow shirt, which he liked because the campers wear yellow shirts) to "a Forward Scout with a positive attitude!"

"I like his style."

Spencer: "Does everybody abuse David verbally?"

David: "You know, sometimes people have harsh words. Mostly Max, and Neil, and Gwen, and Quartermaster, and Nurf."

Spencer: "Did you just list almost everyone?"

David: "Mmm . . . I'd say maybe a third."

Poor David. Somebody please protect him.

Spencer: "Yeah, I think people abuse David. I get that vibe. Or at least, I feel it in my heart. Like I wanna put ants in your bunk or something."

David: "Well, I think that says more about maybe some of the hurt you're carrying with you. And sometimes when people don't know how to process that, they act out. Do you want some trail mix?"

David just said his favorite part of trail mix is the raisins which is so cute. "They have a little bit of salt on them, which isn't typical for a raisin."

And he keeps telling chatters to watch their language.

David: "Who is my favorite camper? Aww, you know I couldn't pick a favorite! . . . But I know who has the most potential, even if he doesn't want to admit it."

I KNEW IT!!!!!

I've been saying for years that David doesn't have a favorite and gravitates towards the ones he thinks need him the most AND I FINALLY GOT ONE RIGHT!

David: "Well you know, Gwen swears and that's okay."

shipping intensifies

David: [gasp] "The moss is growing on the north side of the rock!"

Every time he nerds out about weird shit in the game I gain 3 seconds to my life.

Spencer: "Did you get teabagged?"

David: "What's that?"

Spencer: "It's where somebody places their most intimate bits on you for . . . friendship."

David: [softly] "Oh, I don't know about that."

Also David confirms that the whole show has been a single summer, so please see the "vindication" gif above.

David: "I know a lot of fun camp songs."

Spencer: "Sing 3."

David: [starts singing] "Bum-bum-bumblebee, bumblebee tuna, I love bumblebee, bumblebee tuna . . ."

Spencer: "Okay, please stop. I immediately regret this decision."

David: "Max said the same thing! One of my campers. And, uh, and my co-counselor, Gwen."

He's literally made of sunshine. I would die for this fictional man.

Spencer: "Are people at camp against their will? I feel like they are."

David: "No! . . . They don't always like it immediately, but it grows on them."

Spencer: "It sounds like they're there against their will."

David: "Well I just think that's a negative way of looking at it."

FWIW Spencer makes an excellent foil to David. Not as aggressive as Max or as dour as Gwen, but he brings a very . . . like, straight-man energy to the conversation. Like how a normal person would react to David IRL. I'd enjoy seeing these two interact more.

Spencer: "It's like your overpositivity is wanting me to balance it out with negativity."

David: "You know, I feel like that dynamic's pretty popular with me."

eeeeeeee <3

And the last one that I personally found noteworthy:

David: "One day we'll be able to afford safety equipment. Until then, we'll just have to deal with Quartermaster's Ropes Course. And a lot of pillows."

There's point near the last 20 minutes where either it got kinda boring or I just got too tired to keep track. But if there are any quotes you think I missed, please share them! This was a really lovely bit of content to feed our starving maw, and I appreciate Miles very very very much for taking one for the team.

[peace-favor-your-sword]

Okkk, I have another one😂 lol I've been so bored this week I kind of just need something to read. But here's an idea, extremely nauseous character; gagging and burping into their fist to try and keep from being sick. They're in the bunks (where they sleep) Also, their friend is there and watches them grow more and more pale or green and friend comforts sick companion. (Rex= sick) (Cody=comforting friend) Rex will at some point throw up and his stomach is cramping badly. Thank youu! UwU

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TBH not sure if this posted or if I just forgot..anyhow..

I have finally crawled out of my gremlin hole of not writing and and working and so I'm disciplining myself and finishing this request. Thank you to @angelwars11 for being the most patient person on this green earth. Hope this is good...Kinda spun it a little. Hopefully not TOO much. 

Content Warnings: I don’t think there’s any, just if you don’t like reading about people being sick, and sad don’t read. ;p 

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After a few hours of tossing and turning, Rex figured he was going to get absolutely no rest, because his stomach was still hurting enough to make him gasp when a fresh round of pain would hit. He got up, and clutched the wall next to him until his vision returned to him, and from there he made his way to the door. As he opened it, he squared his shoulders, and made his way down to the hall, to see Kix for some help. Any help. 

He was relieved to see that the med bay was for the most part empty when he walked in and he sat himself down on a bed, and waited for the familiar footsteps to approach. 

“Your stomach, captain.” The soft voice of Kix met his ears and the phrase was not a question. “I take it’s not feeling any better.” He looked up into the brown eyes of his medic and shook his head. 

“No, and I can't sleep, and I have a briefing this afternoon I have to make it to. Is there anything you can give me to help with the pain?” He asked, and Kix turned to the medical cabinet and pulled out a hypo. Rex presented the side of his neck and Kix injected the medicine and instructed him to lay back before pulling the covers over him. 

“I have talked to the General, and you are to stay and rest until you’ve recovered. We have men in the briefing that will be able to fill in.” Kix explained, and used all of his willpower not to roll his eyes in frustration when his captain fought him as he tried to sit up.

“That’s not their job. I am their capt-“ He stopped as Kix leveled a look at him. This was a well known look, and every trooper in the GAR has seen it at least once in their life and even then that was too much. It was the look that made you absolutely certain you did not want to cross the medic in front of you, and you were to obey them without question. 

“Respectfully, captain,” Kix argued, though his voice was calm. “You are no good to the men as their captain if you can’t focus, sleep or even keep food down. The general will be by to see you as soon as the briefing is over. He gave his word. Now sleep.” Kix instructed, and Rex laid back his head in frustration, but as the pain in his stomach subsided, he found his eyes becoming heavier and heavier until they finally fell shut with sleep. 

——

Rex opened his eyes and was immediately greeted with the sigh of General Skywalker by his bed, his hands clasped in front of him, deep in thought. 

Rex straightened as best as he could and saluted. “General.” He said, wincing at how rough his voice was. 

Anakin’s head jerked up and a warm smile came over his face. “Rex! You’re awake. How are you feeling?” 

“Groggy. Exhausted.” He thought, but nodded his head. “I’m feeling better. Stomach doesn’t hurt. I apologize I couldn’t make it to the briefing.” His face darkened with frustration, but a single wave from Anakin caught his attention. 

“You have done so much for the 501st, I think it’s ok if you miss a briefing or two because you’re not feeling good. Don’t worry, it’s a simple drop and go mission. The men will be just fine, and you’ll be well enough in a couple days that I hope to join us.” Anakin encouraged, and Rex nodded, but all of the sudden their conversation was interrupted by another clone in white and orange armor. Cody. 

He saw his brother was awake, and walked over with a smile, and he grasped Rex’s arm. “Hey there, vod. How are we feeling?” He asked, and Rex shrugged. 

“Been worse.” He said, and couldn’t help a small smile that came to his face at the presence of one of his closest brothers. 

Anakin watched the two converse and was pulled into a thought pattern that had been plaguing him for days now. When there was a small lull in the conversation, he spoke. 

“Cody. Can you please give us the room?” He asked, his tone kind but at the same time, allowing no argument. 

Rex gave him a curious look, and Cody as always, gave a crisp clean salute before turning on his heel and exiting the room. 

When they were alone, Anakin managed to finally raise his eyes to meet Rex’s, though it was extremely hard.

“I need to apologize.” He said quietly and before Rex could open his mouth and ask why, he continued. “For Umbara. For not being there.” 

Rex’s face fell immediately and he frowned before speaking in a distinctly rougher voice. “There’s no need to apologize, General. I know you would have stopped it, had you been there.” Had someone else been there..instead of me. 

Anakin walked over and sat back in the chair, and stared intently at his most trusted soldier, the captain who had been with him in battle after battle, who right now, looked on the verge of tears, and he knew exactly the reason why. 

“You know it wasn’t your fault, right Rex?” He asked, and he watched as Rex’s face crumpled and his eyes fill with tears. His stomach hurt again but this time it was for a completely different reason. And surprisingly, in the back of his mind, he registered relief. Relief at the fact that finally it was being talked about, that his General didn’t blame him, the captain who was supposed to protect his men, who felt like he didn’t. 

Rex’s cheeks were wet with tears and he turned angry eyes to his general. “It was! No one understands that. I was there, I issued the orders to go against the enemy, I was the captain who shot at our own men.” He sat up. “That was me, General. I did that. It was my fault.” 

Suddenly Anakin was right next to him and stared down at him the most intense gaze he’d ever seen on him. “Rex.” He said quietly and the man in question stared back at him without a word.

“It. Was. Not. Your. Fault. You can’t keep beating yourself up. Your men don’t blame you, and I don’t either. So work on getting better so the men can have their men back. Mourn for the dead Rex, but then let them go. They’d want you to go on and fight, and you know I’m right.” He offered a half smile. 

Rex was useless in the face of that argument, because he knew that Anakin was right. His men would want him to fight. The 212th would want him to fight. He wiped the tears off his face and nodded. “Alright, General. I will.” He said quietly, but he meant it. 

Anakin stood with a nod, and a smile once again graced his face.

“Get some rest. I’ll see you in the morning.” 

When the general left, Rex laid back against the pillow, and this time it was with relief so strong he could cry, because for once the crushing guilt was lifted off his chest. Maybe he could do this. Maybe he could lead his men again.