#Keri Talks

[keriancal]

crawling around like a bug. hello once again. hope yall like ff14 cause im insane now

[greenlaut]

maybe i don't want to be in any work industry maybe i wish i'm a sword with blood rust and my past wielder reincarnated and found me again as an enthusiastic weapon collector and he bathed me with citrus water and flowers and he made me a sheath from a leather he tanned on his own and all i can think of is how unworthy i am to be in his hands with how much water i stain with my rust but then i remember his hands were bloodier than mine .

[khattikeri]

the thing about wei wuxian’s victims is that calling them wei wuxian’s victims in the first place is nebulous.

that isn't to say those who died or were bereaved after nightless city or the first siege of the burial mounds weren't hurt by wei wuxian’s retaliation. but calling them "wei wuxian’s victims" while ignoring that cultivation society scapegoated and hunted him down, and that wei wuxian never attacked without being threatened first, is a massive oversimplification.

sure we have minor characters like the cultivator who lost his leg or the cultivator who lost his parents, and sure mxtx writes them as part of a mob of more unreasonable people who were largely not even present for these events, but the thing is... there are major named characters who were present, or who had loved ones there, and their grief and pain are given full attention by the story. they're called jiang cheng and jin ling.

my sister/my mother died at nightless city because of you! except no, jiang yanli actually died because an entirely different nameless cultivator stabbed her, and she intentionally pushed wei wuxian out of the way to protect him out of sincere love. it wasn't the first time. she already demonstrated this when she stood up for him and called him her blood brother in front of her fiance and his family at an event they were hosting, when she had zero backing support and could've easily been dumped and had her marriageability ruined for speaking out of turn.

who's to say that jiang yanli's death wasn't the only instance of cultivators dying at nightless city from friendly fire during all the chaos? we don't know. the one thing we do know for certain is that once it was all over, the survivors attributed the (dubiously counted) thousands of casualties to wei wuxian alone.

saying that wei wuxian was the sole cause is overly convenient for cultivation society. in particular the major sects politically did not want to help the wen remnants and were content to mistreat them in forced labor camps. they thought that wei wuxian was too dangerous with his unique ghost path of cultivation and use of resentful energy, so they gathered everyone up and tried TWO different times to assassinate him. the first time just killing wei wuxian alone. the next time, taking all the remaining wens out with him.

there's a lot left unsaid about these major battles and sieges which leads to a lot of our discourse as fans to begin with-- we have such limited information about all these major events of the past! and unfortunately for us, that's the point!

that's the thesis of the book! the details of the pain and grief you go through don't actually matter! regardless of it, you have to eventually move on. you have to actively choose good, to do what you think is right for the sake of doing the right thing, and not just to act based on your idea of fulfilling debts or deserving to be repaid a certain way!

what everyone claims as indisputable facts about wei wuxian are actually skewed not only by rumors, but by politics. mxtx doesn't depict these various randos to give them a brief beat of sympathy. nor does she do it just to make wei wuxian look better.

they are there because they are also angry and bitter, stewing in the past looking for someone to keep blaming (wei wuxian; the cultivation world decided thirteen years ago it would be wei wuxian) and demanding recompense from him. jiang cheng does the same for the entire damn book.

jin ling breaks the cycle; in spite of the rocky start he eventually chooses to trust wei wuxian and argue on his behalf even in front of his elders. even though he's the heir to a major sect. even though he has been taught his entire life to despise and be angry at wei wuxian for orphaning him.

mdzs is a complex story. it also happens to be a black and white story without gray morality. there are many what-ifs, actions that went poorly or circumstances that would've shifted the course of events if only things had gone well for everyone, but nobody acts in a legitimately morally grey way.

throughout the novels there is a clear delineation between good and bad, righteous and wrong; wei wuxian is clearly the former in both cases not because mxtx wanted to more easily depict her protagonist as a good guy, but because she consistently bases these dichotomies upon the fulcrum of hypocrisy.

supporting the use of resentful energy via ghost cultivation to kill your political enemies in wartime and then immediately turning on the person doing so for you once the war is over, blaming all evils on him and trying to get him killed because he's trying to help the few survivors of the opposing side (both because it's the right thing to do and to pay back a life debt he secretly owes that only two or three people know about, oops)-- that is hypocrisy.

if wei wuxian does it and we like it, it's expected of him and he deserves no praise, though he handles it all with charm and stride befitting the son of the illustrious cangse-sanren.

if wei wuxian does it and we don't like it, he's a murderous evildoer, the ungrateful and dangerous son of a servant (whose name we conveniently never say even though we all know who wei changze was).

mdzs is a book about the hypocrisy of the upper class. mdzs is a book about grief. mdzs is a book about society and rumors and politics and the pitfalls of chasing after what you are "owed". mdzs is a book about love and sticking to your own path and principles. wei wuxian is its protagonist, and by the novel's own values, he is indisputably good.

[adhdtsukasa]

looking at emukasa middle birthday fanarts made me realize something and that something is: fes emukasa is like the perfect emukasa for me (aside of the canon emks, obviously. nothing's topping them) (and this is not an inherently romantic post i just wanted to ramble about them)

sorry i know it's been a few months since their fes came out i should just let it go but i just can't get over the fact these outfits/cards were so criticized for being plain and simple while this is the thing that makes them so good. they look nothing like, for example, shiho's or an's fes cards, which are full of vibrant colors and are interesting to look at, they're basically quite the opposite of who emukasa are on a daily basis and this is the sole thing that is making them pretty. because they show off their soft side that is sometimes overshadowed by how flashy and colorful their usual cards are.

and when you pair them together, they look like the purest form of softness — and that's precisely what emukasa's relationship is. it is what the entire wxs' relationship is, obviously, but it just hits differently with emukasa: because they are two energetic and full of life characters who managed to find a soft solace in each other's presence, who, despite their differences, trust each other so much and around the other person can just be themselves. it's also reflected in the canon by how their relationship evolved from the start of main story through the climax in our happy ending to basically today, how they are more and more in love with each other with every second — whether you think of it as romantic or not.

and fes emukasa feels like coming home after a long day, like falling right into the embrace of your loved one, like sun shining at you when you two are laughing with tears in your eyes, because this is what they are to each other, right? they both know that they are each other's safe place and that they changed their lives for the better because of their meeting. fes emukasa feels like emu thanking tsukasa for helping her save wonder stage and tsukasa thanking emu for inviting him to wxs all over again, because that was when their softness was at its peak. when their vulnerability is at its peak, because they are equally vulnerable on their fes cards.

fes emukasa is their essence and how soft their wishes actually were from the very start, so no matter how good some other costumes were — no matter how fun it is to throw wedding emu and white day tsukasa into fantasy setting, no matter how interesting it is to rewrite the peter pan story based on their amidst a dream costumes — it is them that speak to me the most, even if for most people they are way too simple to be considered fes cards. even if all emu's doing is standing in front of the open gate, ready to go forward.

even if all tsukasa's doing is eating a toast.

[kerizaret]

Any news on the Cyberpunk dead world au that you're willing to share? :3

HI HI SORRY THIS TOOK A WHILE!! But yes I do in fact have something to share!! It's about time I do!

In fact im taking this ask as an excuse to give a whole CPDW AU introduction!

The story takes place in the dystopian city-state of Shibuya, a huge closed off city isolated from the rest of the world. It's controlled by one government with extremely strict rules and ideologies, which seems particularly adamant on limiting people's creativity and self-expression. Its also very controlling

Rui is a government-hired mechanic there. His family are mainly responsible for building, programming, fixing and maintaining robots / drones / other small devices controlled by a system called "SEKAI" which serves the purpose of "maintaining order" in the city – patrolling, restraining criminals, offering help to citizens etc. These "forces" are controlled by a group of high-ranking government officials led by miss Asahina who the Kamishoros direcly respond to

Rui has figured out long ago by closely observing and helping his parents' work (who he knows were showing this to him on purpose), that the SEKAI System doesn't serve as a way of protecting the citizens, but rather of controlling them, constantly surveilling, creating a "perfect" false narrative, spying and eavesdropping in order to quickly silence anyone who might oppose the vision the government has

Knowing he's partially partaking in this as someone who makes the SEKAI tech, he's decided to revolt by himself by sabotaging his own inventions to break in the long run, going to peoples home's to fix their broken devices while secretly deactivating their hidden cameras or hacking them to spy through them on more important government supporters or officials. He has also managed to create a copy of Len - one of the highly intelligent government AIs capable of freely hacking into any SEKAI device, scanning its code and even controlling it - and created Rin who helps him in his secret work

Rui is aware that there exists some kind of an organised resistance in the city, since he often has to fix devices they broke and hears about their stunts from time to time. From his investigations it seems their activity has started becoming apparent a few years prior, not too long after the introduction of a new governmental program called "TV-fication"... Still, despite all this information, Rui hasn't been able to ever track them down before to find out more

It would seem, though, that he caught the eye of someone from the secret organisation "Untitled" after his most recent job...

That's the main premise!! The beginning relies heavily on Rui's pov at first but we'll learn a lot about other characters later as well, don't worry :3

Other important characters include:

• Emu, a journalist for her family's popular TV chain and member of a very influential governmental family

• Nene, a low ranking common worker and Rui's neighbour, though they don't talk much - not since Nene's parents have undergone the TV-fication process...

• Tsukasa Tenma, the beloved shining star of the Aoyagi idol industry and also the main propaganda machine of the government, spreading their message and ideals through his songs, in interviews and any media appearance (Rui hates his guts)

• Ena & Akito, Tsukasa's advertiser and on-set stylist respectively (as well as his reluctant friends), working for the governmental Shinonome advertising company

• Mafuyu, currently training under her mother to take her role as a leader of this "police" force in the future, owner of the KAITO AI

And others.... there's quite a few characters appearing in fact! But that's all for later :3 for now you shall get this!

(Also reminder I'm working on this with the wonderful @xxwelxx !! This would NOT have become such a big au if not for their help!!)

[thegodthief]

Maintenance time on the wood wands.

Oiling up the ol' faithful: Nothing but good vibes. It knows I'm in a slump and that this will likely be the only attention I give it for a while, but you know, I remembered it and oh wow this oil feels so good. Spa day, you know. Just gonna rest here and emanate good vibes because it's good not to push yourself when doing so will hurt you. Remember when this thing happened are you were worried that I was damaged beyond use? Scars mean you survived. I survived that thing that happened. We'll survive this fallow time, too.

Oiling up the hazel wand: FUCK YOU! Fuck your oil, fuck your hands, fuck your preparations, fuck your timing, and FUCK EVERYTHING ABOUT THIS TOO BRIGHT SEASON! Where the fuck is the night and the darkness, bitch? THIS MACHINE EATS [SHADOWS]! Bring me the head of what monster is in your way! Oh, you're in your own way? I WILL EAT YOU TOO! Your aesthetic is too damn pale. Do you even goth, bitch? And why the fuck don't I have more oil? AND WHERE IS THE FUCKING INCENSE?!

*stares at the camera with a neutral expression*

Welp. Glad to know both wands still have their juice. But damn.

[the-one-that-weeps]

I can't explain if but you're my sun coded mutual. Just think of you first when I think of the sun /pos

Oh!! Thank you so much :DD!

You're obviously star coded to me- but you're very bright and warm — just like the sun — so I might change my perspective sometime.

[jencsi]

Finlay Friday- Finn and Shaw pt 3/?

[palmtreepalmtree]

Also, The Diplomat is fantastic.

[oldcoyote]

i would apologise for the teen wolf sterek renaissance of a problem that i am having right now and the fact that it's going to be a lot of what i post for awhile but i am decidedly not sorry lol

[keriancal]

snails are actually a perfect animal. these bitches activate a speed boost. 

[mccoyquialisms]

when your hands are dry and you have to touch paper

[khattikeri]

I said it on twitter too but I'm actually beyond disgusted at some of the responses to Selen Tatsuki's termination & what she went through at Nijisanji EN. especially on the Japanese fan side

like even knowing about the bullying and suicide attempt, I've seen SO MANY Japanese comments and accounts prioritizing the copyright/permissions bullshit with her music video and her "breaking rules" by not going through her managers according to company protocol.

A lot of people were even bringing up racist arguments involving the fact that she's Chinese, saying it's obvious she would've "behaved improperly" and hurt the company.

it's actually revolting how willing people are to believe the company's termination notice at face value. "it's 4 pages long, so clearly something bad is going on and I trust the company". I've read those words over and over from many different people, and it's nauseating that they all mean it in earnest. Confused and baffled that EN/international fans are mad about the termination.

I haven't had a cultural gap hit me this hard in the face in a while. I hope Dokibird recovers and only experiences joys going forward, I'm sick and done w this company

[kerizaret]

I swear I had a dream where mafuyu, mizuki, minori, tsukasa and (fes) rin suddenly became part of,,,, a fairytale? Some story? or smth? It was kiiiind of like sleeping beauty at first (mfy being sleeping besuty) but it changed later anyway and ik everyone was trying to get them to a happy ending

I actually don't remember much anymore, ik mizuki and minori were often on the lookout for mfy's parents bc they didn't trust them, but there was once some talk about mfy's dad seemingly being good snd trying to help her. I remember rin was mafuyu's good fairy but at some point she started kind of like,, losing her powers? Also tsukasa started becoming invisible and disappearing whenever anyone from the story (so mfy&her fsmily) (for some reason rin didnt count) stood close to him. Just straight up gone in a second and popped back when they were away

There was a scene where mfy was talking with her dad and he was good snd trying to protect her from some curse or smth and giving her good advice, then he left for a moment, and then came back and he was suddenly being very pushy and manipulative?? Trying to corner her in some tower and make her do smth (I think it was to touch that sharp thing that made sleeping beauty fall asleep bc of the curse) but mfy instead kept backing away to the balcony. I know rin tried to stop him but he easily swatted her away bc of her lost powers and said that she had no impact on them anymore bc she stopped being part of the story because "there's already someone who's her successsor"? As in another person became the fairy in the story so rin lost her powers? And that someone was apparently tsks? Who wasn't here bc he got invisible-d again???

Anyway mizuki and minori were chatting somewhere under the tower in the garden and heard the noises and when they looked up they saw that the one talking to mafuyu was kind of, switching between two appearances and it was actually (fes) len using some kind of an illusion to look like mfydad and "advance the story"?? Anyway they panicked bc mafuyu was already on the balcony and while backing away from len she had no more space left, so she just LEANED OUT AND FELL DOWN FROM THE BALCONY. Idk how but mizuki and minori MIRACULOUSLY managed to run up and catch her 😭😭😭 also tsukasa then popped to existence again on the balcony and I'm p sure he slapped len and broke the illusion but then I woke up so ifk what else happened

[thegodthief]

Eight minutes and twenty-eight seconds of Keri rambling about how to pull context out of a contextless pull. A quick demonstration of possible readings of the cards pulled for February 20, 2023.

As the visual is a static image of the discussed cards, you do not need to keep the video onscreen to follow along.

[lethalchiralium]

ur literally one of my fav people on tumblr

I LOVE ur work

thank u 🤭🤭

AWW THANK YOU!!!

i put so much effort in everything i wrote, that means so much to me 😭🤍

i love you!!!!