#Mai is my Idol

[geothewriter]

Vermillion Seas Cardinal Skies: Chapter 20 - Realization

Hello all!

Chapter 20 - Realization is long in coming, but it's here!

Shoutout to @achillmango, as always, for her excellent editing/proofing work! I'm super excited to share this one with y'all. It's special. it's really special. There's not much else that I can say about it though.

So with that out of the way, please enjoy chapter 20 - Realization

“This is such a terrible idea.” Mai sighs and continues walking down the carved hallway in solitude. She shudders at the thought of what the waterbender will do to her when she discovers who is knocking at her door. Mai knows what she’s going to say, just not how to say it. Yeah, Katara saw her when she got off the airship with the rescued prisoners. More like glared at her; but, this is different. This is a one-on-one confrontation with the girl who immediately swept Zuko’s feet and somehow blocked his chi with a water whip when he asked to spar with her an hour ago. This is going to go fantastically.

Continue Reading on AO3.

[junotter]

Part 1 of my modern avatar au, the fire nation

[lachatalovematcha]

✦　　　.　　. 🌈🥕　��˚　.　　 . ✦ ˚　　　🍅💚　 . ★⋆. 　　　.  ⭐🌸 ◕⩊◕ 🌸 ✧*̥˚ 𝙋𝙧𝙞𝙣𝙘𝙚𝙨𝙨 𝘾𝙤𝙤𝙠 *̥˚✧ ˗ˏˋ🥬🎀🌈(かわいい食べ物) 🥬🎀🌈ꕤ*.ﾟ♡‧̍̊·̊🍦🎀🌈‧̥°̩̥˚̩̩̥͙°̩̥‧̥·̊‧̍̊ ♡‧̍̊·̊‧̥🍦🎀🌈°̩̥˚̩̩̥͙°̩̥‧̥·̊‧̍̊ ♡‧̍̊·̊‧̥°̩̥˚̩̩̥͙°̩̥‧̥·̊‧̍̊ ♡🍦🎀🌈(⌒▽⌒)☆ 𝙈𝙚𝙡𝙤𝙣 𝙎𝙤𝙙𝙖🧃🎀🌈·₊̣̇. ⊱カラフルな世界 ⊰ 🍅⭐⋆｡‧˚ʚ🍓ɞ˚‧｡⋆素敵な一日🥦🎀🌈𝙏𝙖𝙗𝙚𝙢𝙤𝙣𝙤 𝙣𝙤 𝙢𝙖𝙝𝙤𝙪(๑ᵔ⤙ᵔ๑)🍫🎀🐥🎀(づ｡◕‿‿◕｡)づ 絵の具 🎀🌈🥕

＊*•̩̩͙✩•̩̩͙*˚ ˚*•̩̩͙✩•̩̩͙*˚＊*•̩̩͙*˚ ˚*•̩̩͙✩•̩̩͙*˚＊₊＊*•̩̩͙✩•̩̩͙*˚ ˚*•̩̩͙✩•̩̩͙*˚＊*•̩̩͙✩•̩̩͙*˚ ˚*•̩̩͙✩•̩̩͙*˚

˚🎀🌈‧ ︵‿ ꒰ ⏝ ୨ 🎀🌈 ୧ ⏝ ꒱ ‿︵ ‧˚₊ 🧇🎀🌈₊˚‧

(๑˃́ꇴ˂̀๑)⭐️１５，０００ 人のフォロワー⭐️

₊˚🎀🌈‧ ︵‿ ꒰ ⏝ ୨ 🎀🌈 ୧ ⏝ ꒱ ‿︵ ‧˚₊ 🧇🎀🌈₊˚‧

✦　　　.　　. 🌈🥕　 ˚　.　　 . ✦ ˚　　　🍅💚　 . ★⋆. 　　　.  ⭐

🍅💚thanks for 15k🍅💚

[demaparbat-hp]

She truly is

[starredfishing]

check out how many painful memories of their beloved teammate i can make these guys carry

[wonysugar]

i wish men would just leave women alone

[mildewewe]

GROOM IN MAY GROOM IN MAY PARK MOONDAE GROOM IN MAY!!!!!!!!

[dapper-lil-arts]

Idol Poster i'm making for my room! I took the Inktober as an opportunity to work on bigger projects for myself, and really try to inprove my style! I learned some cool things this week ^w^ I friggin love polka dots so much. I'm gonna start incorporating them more on my style! Plus some more fun things ;3

Shoutsout to catgirls. 🙀 10/10

[liaragaming]

Lyrium Idol + Dread Wolf + Solas Theory

Solas and The Dread Wolf are two separate entities. The Dread Wolf is a pride spirit / demon. The Red Lyrium Idol is a conduit to The Dread Wolf (which is why Solas wants it back).

I was working up a post discussing The Hunt of the Fell Wolf codex where (apparently) Inquisitor Ameridan hunts a spirit-demon-wolf. It caught my attention because - you know what "fell" means?

adjective - fierce; ferocious; dreadful; savage; destructive; deadly

Basically, Bioware put a Dread Wolf codex in front of our faces and just used a thesaurus so we wouldn't notice. You find this codex in the Frostback Basin (one of the dlc's to Inquisition).

The codex has no given author. For context, I'm assuming this story didn't actually happen, that it's just a tale in which Ameridan features, like Varric inserting Hawke into a story because it needs a hero. Ultimately, I don't think whether or not Ameridan actually fought The Dread Wolf is as important a question as what the codex says about The Dread Wolf. So, that's what I'll be discussing.

BUT... then a friend came over, we started discussing the codex, they had ideas, and I grabbed my copy of Tevinter Nights. And the two actually back each other up really well. So...

Theory Breakdown - Part I - The Nature of The Dread Wolf

*spoilers for Tevinter Nights (only for "May the Dread Wolf Take You")*

The Mortalitasi's Tale

In this tale, the Red Lyrium Idol is used to pull various mages into the Fade (the exact reason why isn't important for this discussion). Almost instantly as the mages are pulled into the Fade, the Dread Wolf appears:

It was a beast unlike any I had ever seen. Lupine in appearance, but the size of a high dragon, with shaggy spiked hide and six burning eyes like a pride demon, and it came to us on wings of fire that resolved themselves into a horde of lesser demons as the Dread Wolf landed before us.

This matches up with the description of the spirit-demon-wolf in the "Fell Wolf" codex.

Favored like a wolf it was, In size like a Woodsman's Death. Within its eyes burned eldritch fire, The Fade in every breath.

The wolf is also described as striking out "with one huge paw, the monstrous thing" and having "jaws like a dragon's."

This horde of lesser demons is also present in the "Fell Wolf" codex.

Whilst elsewhere did Haron valiantly With demon-wards contend.

So, here we have two different sources collaborating the same thing.

CONCLUSIONS: 1. The Dread Wolf is massive in size (like that of a dragon) 2. It is accompanied by a horde of lesser demons.

The Mortalitasi's Tale (cont.)

The Dread Wolf yells at the mages:

"YOU MEDDLE PAST YOUR UNDERSTANDING, FOOLISH MORTAL MAGES, AND IN DOING SO, YOU THREATEN ALL CREATION. YOU USE MY IDOL CARELESSLY TO VANDALIZE THE SEA OF DREAMS. NOW FEEL THE PAIN OF WHAT YOU HAVE CREATED. FROM THIS MOMENT, SHOULD YOU EVER BIND A SPIRIT, THEN YOUR LIFE IS MINE."

The fandom has largely accepted that this is Solas talking. But, at no point do we seen the Wolf as anything but a wolf. The Mortalitasi also comments on the hypocrisy of the Dread Wolf forbidding the binding of spirits when the lessor demons would have needed to have been bound in order to follow Solas' bidding. And this just doesn't make sense because we know Solas is against binding spirits.

BUT, does it not make sense that lessor demons might willingly choose to follow and fight alongside a greater, more powerful one? I thought there was something in Inquisition about the other spirits/demons following the bidding of the Nightmare, but I can't find the specific dialogue.

In any case, going with this theory because it means there is nothing contradictory about what we know to be true about Solas's morals regarding spirit binding.

As to what kind of demon, we need to go back up to the Mortalitasi's description of The Dread Wolf, which specifically states it has "six burning eyes like a pride demon." The fandom has been pointing out that the eyes on Dread Wolf imagery look a lot like a pride demons and that Solas's name means "Pride" for years. I don't think I need to elaborate further - except to point out that the "massive" size of the Wolf makes sense for a Pride demon, as they are also huge!

CONCLUSIONS: (cont.)

3. The Dread Wolf is it's own spirit/demon entity separate from Solas (most of the time - we'll get to that). 4. The Dread Wolf is a Pride demon.

(Part 2 below)

Theory Breakdown - Part 2 - The Nature of The Lyrium Idol

In the "Fell Wolf" codex, Ameridan follows the Wolf to it's lair, described as a "labyrinth" (which is not a word often used in DA and interestingly is what Solas calls the network of eluvians in Trespasser). In the lair, Ameridan finds what I can only conclude is the lyrium idol - which (somehow) can slay it:

An idol of fade-touched stone, Which could prove the monster's doom.

There is nothing else on the traits of the idol. But suddenly afterwards, Ameridan has a "burning blade" (like Meredith's) which is later referred to as a "demon-stone" as Ameridan slays the Wolf.

This seems to imply the Red Lyrium Idol and the Dread Wolf are connected, somehow. (1) The idol is found "in it's lair" which implies it has special significance. (2) when Ameridan strikes at the Wolf, the idol shatters - which might actually be what defeats the Wolf, not Ameridan's blow. (3) In the Mortalitasi's Tale, the moment the the Idol was used, the group was taken into the Wolf's presence. The ritual wasn't even complete!

We don't see Solas interact with the Dread Wolf in Tevinter Nights, but we do get a story of Solas interacting with the Idol when he finally retrieves it (told by Solas, himself).

The Bard's Tale

He whispered something as he picked it up, tracing his gloved fingers gently along the crowned figure who comforted the other, but I could not make out the words for they were elven.

A lot of people have interpreted this as Solas "lovingly stroking" the Idol... which is not exactly what the text says. But I agree with the sentiment that there is something tender or perhaps more accurately affectionate here.

The Bard's Tale

The Idol's Journey is now complete, and it has found its master.

What we can be certain about the idol is that it is a weapon and a tool and something more - and it means a lot to Solas.

CONCLUSIONS: (cont.)

5. The Red Lyrium Idol is a conduit to the Dread Wolf.

Theory Breakdown - Part 3 - Tying it all Together

We know each of the evanuris is associated with an animal, and there has been theorizing that each of them had a spirit-animal companion. I can only conclude that the Dread Wolf is such a spirit that Solas encountered and befriended and is connected to in some level that goes beyond what we currently understand, somehow bound without binding.

The "Fell Wolf" codex describes the Dread Wolf as both a pride demon and a wolf spirit:

Beast and spirit—both felled at once, Though neither hunter knew.

"Neither hunter" is referring to Haron and Ameridan. They were hired to slay a beast but encountered something otherworldly instead. This part is pointing out that the true nature of the "Dread Wolf" is complicated. While it is a Pride demon, it's also more than that. It is both "beast" and spirit, whatever the nature of a spirit-beast may be.

And I do think it being a Pride demon is important to not forget because it put the events of DA2 into greater context. If the Idol is a direct conduit to an extremely powerful pride-beast - it makes sense that the thing has great appeal to Bartrand and Meredith (the two must prideful people in close proximity) so much as to consume them.

Which just makes the context of Solas being connected to this thing somehow even more interesting. For instance, this line in the Pride Demon codex for DAO stood out to me:

Be wary of how prideful you become, lest you find too much in common with such a fiend.

In context, the line is warning mages and templars about being too confident in their abilities and falling when facing a pride demon. Taking it alone at face value, it seems to be saying, "don't befriend a pride demon." Solas connected with this creature, found "too much in common" with it, and befriended it.

I'm not really sure why the Red Lyrium Idol was created, if it was blighted to begin with, or when it was made. Theoretically, Solas should be able to just find the Wolf whenever he wants, but maybe there's something more convenient in having a fast-travel method. And maybe the Idol is involved in a ritual that bound the two together. Maybe that's how the evanuris ascend to godhood.

There's also the question of how the Veil has messed with things. Maybe the Idol is more important than ever if the Veil is somehow interfering with this connection between the two.

But I do think Solas wants and needs the Idol because the two can merge into one being. We've seen that possessed mages (abomination and non-abominations alike) have increased power. I'm almost certain Solas would have needed an insane amount of magical power to put up the Veil, and merging with the Wolf would have helped. He likely needs it again for what's to come.

Part 4 - Extra Stuff

This doesn't fit into the theory but I need to point it out:

The words "Woodsman's Death" in the Fell Wolf codex used to describe the Wolf is really interesting. Call me crazy but, I think this might be a reference to The Woodsman and The Beast in Over The Wall. (DA has used pop culture references before, so it's not that big of a stretch).

Also, there is another reference to an eclipse in the Fell Wolf codex - the Wolf directly appearing after the sun descends and the moon rises.

an eclipse as fen'harel stirred

[batsplat]

Thailand 2019: Valentino Rossi provides his take on Marc Marquez's superiority that season. Then, Marquez is asked about Fabio Quartararo's prospects and Rossi comments on whether he will congratulate Marquez for winning the championship.

[rwbyofmyheart]

I’m still in shock we got twst characters singing “This is Halloween” in English…

[lachatalovematcha]

🎀⭐🌈⋆.˚(*≧∀≦)ﾊ歌おう仲間よ🌈🍮🎀はメッセージ☆.:*・ みんなで歌おうよ どんな心も一つになれる きっと☆.:*・☀️🌈🍎(๑╹ω╹๑)/ ☆ ₊˚⊹☘️🌈⭐ＦＲＩＥＮＤ 笑顔で☘️🌈⭐暖かい気持ちになれるよ 🎈⭐️🌈愛のうた🌈🍦⭐️🎀(◡ ω ◡⁠)⭐🍅🥕

[asiangirlsarehott]

[fiie]

proof mai is a lesbian:

1) this trivia from gege

2) she's dead.

[sassy-bi-latina]

Dream final thoughts

I'm calm now. I actually think I won't say as much as originally planned cause I am no longer in the heat of the moment. But I still want to write about this show. Mostly cause I remember I wanted to do the same with GAP and then I didn't. My thoughts will be a mess so I'm sorry beforehand. I don't know where they'll lead throughout the post. SO LET'S FIND OUT TOGETHER.

I'll start by saying, I have read 5 books of Chaoplanoy (GAP, Blank, Dream, Us and Mate). Against my better wishes. I do this because my brain gets anxious by not knowing what happens. So reading the books helps me because it gives me a better idea where it'll go. It sometimes gives more insight to the characters like in Dream or The Secret of Us (which isn't a Chaoplanoy book but serves as an example). It also helps me see the adaptation in a different way and sometimes it helps me appreciate it more, for example, in Blank, which the book felt like Nueng was a bit predatory but the adaptation imo was so good, it just felt like a love story with two people with an age gap and nothing else which the book failed to deliver.

Okay, that being said, I said against my better wishes because if you know me and you talk to me, you will know I do NOT like Chaoplanoy's writing whatsoever. At first I thought it might be issues with translations but as I read more stories, I started to perceive patterns in her writing style that I didn't like.

Onto her adaptations, IDF gave us the biggest GL in recent times, they weren't the first to propose doing one, they just were the fastest so I think they got lucky. And I won't take credit away from the actresses nor the team behind GAP, but I genuinely feel like whomever had taken the first step would have been a success. IDF just so happens to be the first.

I will say, IDF released an initial pilot trailer that looked promising and while the editing and some of the acting choices didn't convince me as much, I was very sold with the plot points. And I think some of the things that distance themselves from the original book were a bit more interesting, like the focus on Song's relationship and the focus on the second lead couple which was scratched till the point they were just crumbs what we were getting. At the end, they decided to change some things at the beginning and then on the second part decided to be more loyal to the book. Which for me didn't work as much. Don't get me wrong, I did like GAP, I just think they did a disservice trying to initially take a different route to the book just to do a U turn and go back to it, because it didn't feel consistent.

And why am I saying all this about GAP when in theory it's my thoughts about Dream?

GREAT QUESTION MY FRIENDS.

And it's simply because while IDF "failed" in GAP by maintaining too loyal to the book they have the opposite issue with Dream, in which they lead astray so much and just didn't arrive to the heart of the people as well as it could have.

Dream, from the 5 books I've read has been the best one. Not only did I not actively dislike it, I genuinely enjoyed it and I genuinely think that had the show been more like the book more people would have.

For starters, a thing I've seen people complain about a lot is the lack of backstory of Kimwan. We're just thrust into their angst and they expect us just to feel for them without previously giving us anything to make us feel for them. That doesn't happen in the book. It starts with them as teenagers. We are told about the dreams, we are told how they met, we're actually told how they didn't get along at first. We get to see their school life. We see how they genuinely met (Mali was a loyal friend to Wan, a bit too loyal, and locked Kim in cause she didn't like how she treated Wan, which wasn't bad just Mali didn't like it). We ACTUALLY get to see Pam and how Wan and her had a rivalry going even them (just because Wan couldn't take someone being as pretty and equally admired as her).

We spend a couple of chapters just getting to know them, their bond just not between them two, but also with their friends. Did you know Kim got better at drawing because of Wan? The drawing she gave her during Valentine's? She practiced until late at night, because she has ALREADY given her a drawing that wasn't very good but she promised the next one was gonna be better, also because she knew Wan was gonna pick her next partner based on gifts.

Wan didn't end up confessing for the same reason as the show with the difference that the mothers WERE together, which was something I didn't like, and I did prefer they just kissed. But it made sense in the book that Wan never confessed, the mothers were together and she knew that would have broken Kim if she found out AFTER they got together.

Imo, in the show Wan could have confessed earlier cause they never actually got together but I guess she lost her bravery.

After we spent knowing them and loving them in highschool for a couple of chapters, which I think was at least 1/3 of the book we have a time jump where their story as adults starts.

The other thing is, we spent so much time with Marwin? Props for Heng, more work supposes that there's more pay for him but not so much for us. Marwin overstayed his welcome.

In the book, he was there but it didn't feel overwhelming. For starters, we know him at the same time Wan does. He is already established as Kim's boyfriend. Wan isn't thrilled but tries because it's Kim's choice. Kim never goes to work with him either. We also hear about the beach, but it's in passing, I think this, contrary to the highschool moments could have served better as a flashback. And tbh, in the show, contrary to the book, Kim seems more interested in Marwin, in the show he's just there. While in the book they have a genuine connection. You aren't necessarily rooting for him but it's understandable why Kim feels comfortable with him, which is exactly why Wan tries.

Another important thing that I think is lacking a bit in the show is that they kind of undersold Kim. Kim is as loyal to Wan as Wan is to Kim. I think one of the moments that reflects that best is in the scene where they're alone with Marwin's parents, in which, yeah they talked bullshit about Kim and Wan jumped them like in the show but then they started attacking Wan and that is Kim's limit. Matter of fact, Wan is surprised how Kim acts, so reassure and not taking anyone's bullshit and she says it herself, she doesn't care what anyone says about her but she will never let anyone talk shit about Wan.

Also, not only are they very loyal to one another, but they are best friends. Wan is actually with Kim when she receives the news about her mother having cancer, unlike the show, she's in late stages and I had hope they would change her dying but they didn't 😔, cause I'm the book she doesn't even receive treatment cause it felt hopeless. And I think stuff like that showcases their bond. I found it odd that you are going through that struggle and your first instinct isn't to tell your best friend even if they were fighting at the time, especially considering their bond.

Next up is the matter of the actual letter and the confessing their feelings. Yay for Samorn and her nosiness for saving her friends. But I actually did prefer how it happened in the books. Samorn, actually keeps telling Wan that she better act soon but she better not do anything on the wedding day, which is understandable. My girl is smart, she knew the consequences.

Wan doesn't throw the letter, or well, she does, on the shooting she's having that same day but our boy Pat picks it up and attempts to read it aloud and Wan is like "Hey that's mine" to which Pat responds with "Not anymore, you threw it". Wan ends up snatching it back and out of her OWN will reads it. By having Samorn taking a pic and telling Wan to read it, it feels like they took away a bit of Wan's autonomy. It just made me feel a bit weird about the whole scene.

I WILL say, the little moment between the four girls and the camping scene afterwards? Impeccable. Wouldn't touch it for nothing in the world. Marvellous. Gorgeous. Lives rent free in my mind. Thank you very much.

And last but definitely not least, the decline of Marwin. I think they shouldn't have cramped it all in the last episode. I think they should have taken 1 episode and a half of a slow decline, cause that's what happened, at first what Marwin started doing wasn't perceived much by Wan, she thought it was weird that both the fathers decided to retire early but nothing much until she realized it was Marwin. Which, btw, another moment in which Kim's loyalty is shown, she met Marwin behind Wan's back because she couldn't take Wan hurting, cause she wasn't getting much jobs done. But Wan interfered, which shows Wan's maturity imo, since she was like "Don't do that on your own. Every hardship we talk about it and we see how we deal with it TOGETHER" which I think is very sweet. Anyway, they did attempt to apologize together like in the show, and his villain monologue also happened but in the show it fell flat. I think it was better established how he became the very thing he didn't want to be. You knew beforehand his dreams and aspirations and how what he did he did it out of love (regarding his businesses) and not money.

I WILL SAY, I don't necessarily think the show is horrible. The actresses are amazing and have great chemistry. I really liked the secondary couple, although I wish we would have seen more of them. I did like they DIDN'T make the fathers soulmates like in the book. I adore the bond between the four girls. I like the inclusion of Pam and Dokrak. I liked Pat and him being such a nice guy. I also think Jessie was a fun addition.

I ALSO think, that with some different editing, rearranging some scenes the show would have been better.

I also think IDF needs to learn that people like angst but different shows and stories require different formulas because angst for the sake of angst isn't fun.

If you're here, thank you for reading this long ass post.

As a treat, some fun facts

- If you've seen Blank, you know that one radio show Anueng likes, well, in the book of Blank, Wan actually calls the station and explains her story with Kim.

- The singer of the MV is Pleng from the Affair book, series coming out this month, on the 30th.

- The other MV actress in the book is a reporter that had a scandal, if I'm not mistaken a sex tape of her with another woman was leak. I think I read somewhere that she also has a book 🤔. But I don't recall her name.

ANYWAY, with that. I leave. I probably didn't say a lot of the stuff I initially wanted but that's mostly because I'm calm now.

One final thing, IDF you shall pay for your crimes. And please give me fluffy Faymay. I DESERVE it 🥺.

PS. I do not want to be tagged as one of those persons that is like "Oh the book is better" and sounds bitchy about literally any adaptation. Far from it. Matter of fact, ask my friends, they'll tell you how much I dislike that IDF has me defending Chaoplanoy's books 😔.

An addition that I forgot and it's very much necessary: I wish they would have, at ANY point, made Kim tell Wan that they IN FACT slept together at the beach, she just gaslighted her cause she got scared? THAT WAS NOT A GODDAMN DREAM AND THAT'S THE HILL I'LL DIE ON!!!

[haomnyangz]

jaywon. begin killing.

bonus (avenge my son nikki):