#Neptune is as well and not the ‘worse’ version

[mikeluciraphgabe]

Hazel: hey Percy?

Percy: Hm?

Hazel: Why doesn’t Neptune have any children?

Percy:

Percy: I’m right here

Frank: .. aren’t you Poseidon’s

Percy, waving him off: Same thing

Nico: What I think they mean is, Hades has me and Bianca and Pluto has Hazel

Percy: No I got that. Neptune is Poseidon and Poseidon is Neptune. Like H2O is a fancy word for water but it’s the same thing overall.

The three: Roman and Greek versions are different-

Percy: You guys don’t get it. They are one person. Or god. Whatever. The only real ‘difference’ is Neptune is slightly more insane then Poseidon.

Hazel: No, I’ve met both of them. If we go with them being the same with only a small difference, that difference is huge. Neptune is fucking crazy and Poseidon is like. A cat.

Percy: oh no

Poseidon: *causes earthquake and tsunami to completely take over camp*

Percy: awe man :/

Hazel, soaked: what the fuck

Percy, controlling the tsunami to not kill everyone and earthquake not to take all the buildings: Like I said. They are the same. Neptune is only slightly more insane. He would have made the wave much larger and the ‘quake to take out a few more cabins. Trust me; they are both fucking mentally unstable

Percy: Myths on Poseidon have been watered down - ha - and everyone has forgotten just how crazy he is. Trust me, Poseidon is just as bad as Neptune when he wants to be.

Frank: but- Poseidon is so… chill compared to Neptune

Percy: that’s because Neptune refuses to change his dialect and Poseidon is fucking old trying to fit in with his 19 year old son.

*ground warbles*

Percy: Shut up Dad, you know I’m right

Hazel: your family is so fucking weird

Percy, grinning: Thanks!

[vampirae]

Astrology observations

Capricorn Venus isn't so materialistic, into hypergamy or well-known/respected people. There's more depth to this placement; they look for a long-term relationship or bond, so they're not gonna invest their time, energy, money and love for something frivolous as popularity or a nice income, surely they wouldn't mind an ambitious person or someone that wants more than a simple life, but they look firstly for a safe place, someone that won't let the down, and understands them.

Fire rising with a watery planet (like Moon, Neptune or Pluto) in 1st house or heavily aspected by the aforementioned planets tend to be mistaken for a water sign or rising. Their fiery nature is watered down but if you look closely and patiently you'll notice that fierness, vitality and chaotic positive energy that only fire signs could have.

Planets in 2nd house or Taurus could be accused of being lazy, and honestly they're okay with it, it's your problem not theirs, they just enjoy doing stuff in their own natural pace, unless they have fire placements or abundant fiery houses. They'll take this more as a criticism, and honestly it will get on their nerves, and they would light up that fire and start doing projects one after another, just to show you, that you shouldn't underestimate them.

Honestly, fire placements tend to be really emotional, but not in a watery placements way, but more when you touch their ego, personality or life visions. It's also the only placements (except Scorpio and Capricorn) that could use their rage/annoyance to their advantage, it gives them an extra boost of motivation and energy.

Cardinal moons are the easier to deal with. Like you could persuade them more easily, also they're more open to new perspectives, unless they hate you obviously, then you can't do anything.

Like fixed moons are so so so stubborn about their emotions and beliefs, that it's useless to talk to them. Let's say they're in a toxic relationship, no matter how much you try to convince them to leave their partner, they'll find an excuse for every toxic trait their partner have, it's like talking to a wall.

Same situation but mutable moons, oh Jesus, try to understand what they're thinking, and if they understood your point of view, until they're sure they can manage the situation, they'll stick with it even if, they may realize you're right.

Cardinal moons on the other side, are way more realistic and pragmatic, if you give them evidence and a well thought explanation, they'll start crying like little bitches, but will listen to you and start to think about it, planning what to do, or just looking at the pro and cons. Somehow they're the least delusional moons, even if all this realism hurts them.

Scorpio placements, honestly I don't understand why all this placements are so sexualised, tbh they only Scorpio placement worth it, it's Scorpio mars (hot bitches by default). I've noticed that usually Scorpio placements are so overbearing and borderline toxic. I mean they're a ride or die, tend to very loyal and sincere, gives amazing insights and advices but in love, oh Jesus, too much drama, paranoia, jealousy etc. The only placement I feel safe with it's Scorpio mars, they're just too focused chasing their goals and give all they have to their partner, my golden boy/girl in an ocean of issues.

Talking about Capricorn placements, I low-key hate when people think they're marriage material or extremely loyal, like it's enough to be in their hearts to have the best version of them and the undying love. Sure, they look like the least person to hurt you, but they can be worse and more insincere that a stereotyped Gemini or Libra. Usually they're taken for granted, and people use them a lot, without appreciating them or their efforts, with time, their resentment grows, to a point where they will continue acting as usual, but behind your back, they'll chase pleasures and happiness. Practical example: they could have another partner or just a liaison that would fill their emptiness, or hide their real income, and use the rest for enjoying or buying stuff, or just going out with other ppl, it may be also friends, yet say they had some extra work to do. I've noticed that Capricorn placements ends up with controlling people (family, lovers, friends), so they learned to act well and do stuff in secrecy.

Also, Capricorn placements tend to have few things that sparks joy in them, it's always about responsibility, goals, self mastering, chasing career or social status, whatever they do it's never enough, few are the lucky ones that have a healthy emotional support or enough ego to chase what they really want or love.

To sum up, a Saturnian heart it's like a flower, if you take care of it one day it will become like an Hayao Miyazaki's garden, if you do the bare minimum you'll end up with a lawn full of weeds. They have a lot to offer, really they can be so selfless but to the right people. *I think even some 10th house placements could relate to it*

[astrologiadivertida]

Liam Gallagher Chart Analysis : Destined to be a Star-pt2 part1 :

https://www.tumblr.com/temblando/767731729970626560/liam-gallagher-chart-analysis-destined-to-be-a?source=share

Sun sextile Neptune:

Very creative. He has a lot of potential in creative or artistic areas. He’s really good at visualizing stuff in his head, then manifesting it, art-wise.

He’s really sensitive to other people’s emotions. Also, he can be very soft and sensitive.

Mercury in 10th house:

This is so Mercury in 10th house coded. He knows himself so well sometimes it’s really kind of funny😂 He loves talking about his career. He will probably love talking in a podcast or a talk show.

Mercury square Jupiter:

Ooh. Maybe not. I feel like he was never appreciated for his intelligence. And he might view himself as a stupid person.

His style of learning does not fit the traditional way of learning, so he might have felt a lot of frustration at school. His lack of interest in school might have led him to drop out or not go to college. His level of intelligence does not match his level of learning.

People might think that he’s being overly loud and grandiose in his words when he’s not. People might not get what he’s saying because it’s too over the top.

Mercury sextile Neptune:

I feel like he is very good at writing fictional stories. He is very imaginative and creative. He probably daydreams a lot and often makes differentt happens in his head. He versions of wha lies to himself about the things that happened.

His voice is very easy to the ears, very melodic and soft. He has a lot of potential to be a good singer.

Mercury conjunct Pluto in the 10th house:

Mercury conjunct Pluto, their words are dogmatic. He forces his ideas and thoughts onto others. He is quite stubborn about his own ideas and will try to teach people(or argue very harshly with them) if they think differently.

Sun conjunct Pluto in the 10th house:

He changes his public persona a lot. His personality changes are there for a lot of people to see.

He can also intimidate people. His presence is very dark and mysterious, very Pluto-like. This could have scared or thrown off a lot of people he met in his career, like his music producers or his band members, etc.

He's also his own boss, and he hates it when people tell him what to do. He's very stubborn and he wants to get things done in his own way.

He also can attract a lot of obsessive people(gaslighters, narcissists, etc) in his career. Even if he did, he’d recover and be born again. That’s the power of this aspect.

Pluto in the 10th house:

He is obsessed with fame. Achieving fame, recognition and all sorts of things. He would have always wanted to be a celebrity so bad.

He’s probably highly sexualized as well.

He’s also kind of hated by some, and loved by some. Public is polarized about his image.

ex. He won third place at Britain's most hated person when he was on the peak of his career. I think it was because of his rowdiness and his blatant disregard for rules -pluto in the 10th house, pluto+mars MC

He probably got the evil eye a lot, because a lot of people are jealous of him for him being so young yet massively successful.

Jupiter square Pluto:

He’s like really stubborn. When he decides to believe an idea, no one can shake him out of the idea. There is no way of persuading him out of his ideals, beliefs, etc. He can be a one tract, one mind kind of a person. He can have tunnel vision.

Pluto conjunct m.c:

He’s kind of a troublemaker. He doesn’t have a good reputation. He has the villain image. Or he goes out against the rules.

Probably perceived as a really rebellious person.

He might have been an outcast and he is not here to continue that. He has the ability to change society for better or for worse.

Uranus in the 10th house:

He changes his looks a lot.

pretty boy era

John Lennon era

old man era

knitted sweater era

Manchester Lad era

Willy Wonka Era

Zoolander era:

He also seems unpredictable to the public. Or maybe just really restless. Nobody really knows what he will do next. Will he do music? Acting? Maybe that’s what makes him so interesting. He is tabloid gold. He has the ability to change music forever(and he did, didn’t he?)

Mars conjunct m.c:

He is perceived as a violent person. He always seems to pick fights and throw hands at people. He can never sit still. He always has to do something to someone. Also people can think of him as a sexually potent person, people might think of him as a sexual and powerful man. I feel like the mars and Pluto conjunction to his mc made his whole rock star persona valid.

Moon in Pisces in 3rd house:

I still don’t know how Pisces moons work. I don’t even have an inkling for it. But all my life, I have been attracting Pisces moons as friends. So I think I know their vibes but I don’t know how they work. Pisces moons seem like they’re not paying attention to what you say. They always look like they’re dreaming and they have very feminine and soft energy to them. They like expressing themselves through some form of creative endeavors though.

They were mostly introverted, but Liam Gallagher is not an introvert for sure. 😂

His moon in the 3rd house makes him like those really friendly white dudes who can strike a conversation up with strangers at any given moment: at the airport, at the mall, at the gym, etc, etc....

He lives off the liveliness of the conversation, the back-and-forth banter is what makes him feel alive. He loves expressing himself but he also loves listening to other people when they talk.

But he hates it when somebody criticizes his intelligence. He can be very sensitive intelligence-wise. His siblings or his school friends could have been quite moody. His mood can change a lot, and he can be a bit neurotic and always on edge.

He might be very emotionally connected with his siblings or his childhood friends.

Moon square Neptune:

He’s always so moody. He feels things very deeply, so small things can hurt him a lot. He has mood swings and he’s very confused about his own emotions. He might probably resort to drugs or alcohol because of this.

3rd house ruler(Saturn, Uranus) in 7th house/10th house:

His siblings or his close friends at school could become his business partners. It’s really interesting because he got to work with his own brother. And he got really famous for it. It’s his job now, working with his brother.

Saturn in Gemini in the 7th house:

He always seems to attract strict people in his long-term relationships or his business partnerships.

I think is actually great for him because he’s not a grounded person at all.

His business partners or his open enemies can be very manipulative people. They can also be very good with words. They can be very authoritative towards him as well, such as “do what I say, or else”. This wouldn’t make him really happy though, because he has to do everything by himself. He wants to be his own boss.

Maybe this is why he fights with his brother all the time..

like or reblog for part 3

[ancientgoddessofegypt]

ASTRO OBSERVATIONS PT 2.

If you want to know about your gifts, talents and skills you should check out your sidereal chart as each planet holds a lot of detail on the mind-spirit-body connection. It shows a lot of your personal power from each planet and sign and how they all fully come together to make you, you.

Capricorns are naturals at the occult. They hold a lot of deep knowledge about how this world works and they express the duality of it very well. Most think that capricorns are built on just the law and while they are, they know that their are rules that can be broken. Capricorns are an interesting bunch, they know just how to be successful in anything that they do. Getting closer to the higher ups because they just that 'it' factor of being the boss. They dont 'kiss ass' per say, they just know how to play the game. And another thing about the game, capricorns know thats what we live in. So to play the game, they learn to become the chess master.

5th house scorpios can make anything interesting in this house. Games with them can be slightly taboo. Could have a lot of sex partners. hidden secrets around children, their love life and the type of games they like to play. An observation ive seen with scorpio 5th housers is that BDSM and weird kinks/cosplay could be a thing.

5th house uranus will have some pretty interesting kids. Will Smith has this placement for example. People with this placement are gonna have to understand that their children are going to be a totally different version of them and thats okay. Unique individuals, they can create fun and new games for people. You could be the next person to make a new board game or something a long those lines. Video games? New toys? Theres a business mindset here that needs to be touched on with these placement holders. You guys can really create new, whimsical worlds for people to enjoy!

Neptune in the 8th, spiritual realms open up to these individuals. They do not sleep. No I mean literally, their dreams take them to new dimensions all the time and they come back finding out new information from these worlds. Even their waking life is like a dream, connecting it all together. May be prone to getting psychosis due to the consistent stimulation to their third eye. Its a wild ride for these kids, if you have a friend with this placement gon' head and check on them.

10th house Saturns & Jupiter placements have self mastery written all in their chart. Whatever it is they came out to do its been done before in many other lives. If you believe in past lives, then im talking to you.

10 house jupiter individuals are natural geniuses finding their way through life. They focus heavy on community and love to learn more about how they can help them, what they can bring to the table etc.

Mars in the 8th house is a strong placement for jealousy to occur. These individuals know what they want when they want it. Highly passionate in nature, they most create a routine where their energy can be tapped into on a daily or they'll suffer burn out. Or worse, become a sex maniac. All your energy can not go to sex, it has to go to something that sustain you. Whats your purpose? goals? get into it. thats where most of it HAS to go to.

Venus 6th house need routine to be in order. Some chaos here and there but not too much in your day to day. Your minds needs to follow your passions and purpose in order to feel stable. Focus on something that makes you pay close attention to detail. Something that forces you to take your time.

People with this placement normally have the cutest pets :) and they get the most compliments all of the time.

[wrotelovelytears]

They stare cause they know

IT Girl from ATL

👀Honestly I'm grateful for this Saturn in Pisces transit. I've learned so much about myself and the world around me from isolation. I'm not going to lie and say it's been easy because my mental health has taken various directions and without this time completely alone, I would never have the personal understanding I do now.

‍💀This transit has been about learning to be alone and what it means to be oneself. I see this as a preparation for the Saturn in Aries transit which entails taking those lessons learned and helping others with it through leadership. And I will be starting my Saturn return then too

👀I've noticed as we get closer and closer to Neptune in Aries the world gets more and more... Violent. Like there's no other word to describe it but just pure malice floating in the air. While I could use only astrology to explain it, I'm not going to pretend like there's no big social things that happened that are also making the world this way. Ever since the beginning of the pandemic human behavior has taken a turn for the worse. Add in "forced" isolation from the masses and you get a world ripe for conflict. Yes Neptune is about illusions and honestly it shifting to a more active sign, yeah we might just have to take that L collectively.

👀 I also peeped we will have Aries ruling Neptune, the North Node and Saturn all at the same time at some point. Not saying the world gonna end or nothing, just saying prepare to see more of the current things you see.

👀 So are we gonna talk about how everyone was going the Age of Aquarius is gonna push society forward in good ways just to end up having degenerate behavior become the norm. I understand that Aquarius is the sign of change and "futurism" and it also is the sign of headassery individuality to extremes. Aries is more about individuals leading (ie group work) while Aquarius is more individuality rediscovered and using that to lead (being yourself and that making change). Unless we all course correct this newfound sense of hyper individuality the world is gonna get worse.

Y'all my sons

👀Since my solar return is coming up (this may or may not be posted around or on it), I want to reflect on my past solar return chart. (I will be using whole sign and sidereal chart as a heads up if your wondering why certain planets are in certain signs)

‍💀This time last year I was working two jobs at once, two separate times, I'm blaming my first house mars. Like I have never in my life made a decision so short sighted and yet I managed it because not only is my mars in my first house but Taurus as well. I'm stubborn already but when I was told it was impossible to do both, yeah I doubled down.

🤭That Taurus Mars also made me very conscious about my appearance and how I see myself. This wasn't a negative thing however, I've done so many things to change my appearance to fit the version of me I think is best. Including getting various piercings, doing another big chop (also didn't want long hair no more), buying clothes that made me feel attractive and saying more affirmations in the mirror. The biggest change (that I had little to do with) was finally achieving my body goals. With it being in a 29 degree, I believe this is almost certainly my final form.

‍💀I find it funny how my Moon is in the 22° (which is also the natal degree it's in) and in Cancer because when I tell you I fucking cried all the time and for everything. I did. I know I'm naturally very sensitive but it's like someone turned the dial up and broke it. This has led me to happy tears as well. I also did emotional eat a lot or vice versa. I think combining this with Taurus Mars did make me a little more suspectable to food and emotion related ups and downs.

🤭I also made a lot of progress in therapy due to just wanting to finally process and get over certain shit. I'm going to say the third house holding it is what made me more willing to talk. However this also led to me randomly remembering some tragic thing that happened to me at some random ass time and going "wow, that's kinda fucked... Whomp whomp".

‍💀The crazy thing about this entire transit year is starting it off with a head injury that's kinda led to some long-term neurological issues. Literally didn't even get a day into the year and got the shit knocked out of me because Aries wanted to chill in the 12th house.

🤭Even though I had to stop working due to multiple head and neurological injuries, I at least learned what jobs, bosses, and work environments I do and don't like. I also learned how to easily see when someone is not in my corner and rather be headstrong then correct.

‍💀My MC happened to be in Capricorn that year and yeah, I definitely worked my ass off. I wanted to focus on longevity and stability. That's honestly been my theme this year (and moving forward). That did mean I might've let my relationships struggle because I was working and constantly outside.

‍💀Back to appearance (let me be vain in peace), my Sun and Aphrodite transiting the 6th house probably played a big role in why appearance was so important to me. Having them being in Libra made it just double down.

💀As I am editing this I also have my Ascendant in the 6°, I already said my current sixth house is ruled by Libra so yeah. Being hot n sexy was my goal this year. I achieved cute and "uwu" in the end tho.

‍💀This has honestly been the first year (since I was like... 12) that I haven't had any type of romantic relationship, I think this leads back to Saturn being in Pisces mostly. I also think it's me having a Scorpio Venus (which happens in my natal chart) but in the seventh house. See that's squares my natal Venus despite being in the same sign. {Actually my whole chart this year squares my natal but that's not the topic at hand.} I honestly didn't know what to do in the beginning of the year, I wanted a relationship and understood how important they are to me (sorry I'm a romantic at heart, I love love and being in love. Transiting the seventh duhh) AND I did almost no work to seek one out partially due to things I had to work out from my past (there's that pesky Scorpio in me popping up). Anytime I was approached for a romantic partnership I automatically questioned the person's intent and if it was self fulfilling prophecy or my intuition being OP, I never had anything pan out. In the beginning that annoyed me and I realized one I wasn't done doing work on my lack of trust in people, two seventh house rules open enemies and them people did not have my best interest at heart.

‍💀My Jupiter was in retrograde which could've played a part in why I dropped most of the spiritual aspects of my life and tried to raw dog it. That was a terrible idea, I ain't never felt so lost before lmao. While I could have religious talks, the spiritual aspect was lacking. It was like belief without practice for me and that's not really believing. As the year is coming to a close I've been getting more "lucky" and spiritual again. I had to learn that certain aspects of my life just work and others don't. And that my definition of my religious beliefs are vastly different than what others of my faith might be.

🤭All in all I learned the lesson of the importance of individuality within community. Not community without individuality. Or individuality before community.

‍💀Another reason for my struggle with religion, spirituality and all that was Saturn being in my 9th house. My will to continue higher education and be involved in anything literally besides work was gone. Now my life long dream has been multiple PhDs but when I tell you I avoided any conversation around finishing my first degree, one PhD was looking real unattainable.

‍💀Saturn really beat my ass this year as it was also the ruler of current profection. Hopefully my luck will truly change (in literally every aspect of life at this point) by the time my Jupiter year comes around.

‍💀Another note about my third house Moon, I fell back in love with the things of my childhood. That included gaming, socializing (on my own accord), "weird core" related things like the backrooms and analog horror and so on. The moon transiting certain houses can honestly unlock new (or old) things about you that bring comfort.

‍💀I'm a fixed Dom in my natal chart so being a Cardinal Dom for a year has been very exhausting. I'm used to finishing and quickly learning things. The way I was constantly tested this year had me always on edge. I think it is a good thing however because even though I did end quiet a few things, I also picked (back) up even more things. This has been a year of change without bounds (thanks Aries Uranus ), change that was honestly needed.

‍💀My chart is also pretty evenly distributed. Like I wasn't lacking fire, earth, water or air which explain why change was whooping my water Dom ass. Yes I know water ain't still (even ice isn't unless absolutely 0), and damn how do the fire and air people live like this? I could barely take a break to process anything. I had to process on the move and always be on it.

🤭I'm hoping next year it's more relaxed and stable, I can't handle all this change and movement.

‍💀Funny how my PoF was in Leo fourth and I worked with kids. It was beyond rewarding because I witnessed everything from first steps and words to the start of public (or private) school.

🤭Ceres might have also played a role in how invested I was in my jobs and the children I worked with. However my ovaries might have been on one because I started wanting to have a baby myself and that really isn't a good decision at the moment.

🤭Ceres also might have helped me connect more with my own mother as well which surprised quite a few people but I'd say it's been worth it. Learning how to mother myself has been greatly useful and even helpful with understanding my own.

‍💀This year I found out that I'm Chinese, Japanese and Peruvian, through DNA testing (again). And while doing so caused both my parents to have an identity crisis, I knew of my Asian heritage and somewhat of an Indigenous one as well. Problem is the countries were all wrong from family stories. (At the end of the day I'm still Black, that hasn't changed at all). I find it unironic China and Tokyo conjunction in my 8th house while Inca (what I used as a Peru substitute) chills in my third (almost second). To further that China and Tokio trine my Ceres and yes it is my mom that's half Chinese Japanese (and Vietnamese but couldn't find nothing for Vietnam, we taking what we get). And Inca trine my Jupiter (which I personally associate with my Father because he's a Pisces). My parents on the other hand hate this news because it did bring up old things they wanted to bury in their past (8th house coming through). My only lasting question is how the hell-

💀See I had a strange aversion to taking pictures of myself and even moreso posting the ones I did take. Turns out my Photographica was conjunction my Saturn and opps with my Moon. Anytime I'd take a picture I'd automatically feel disgusted with it despite feeling "pretty". Self image has been difficult this year, despite a lot of improvement.

Asteroids mentioned: Ceres(4)(ur mom) , Photographica(443), Aphrodite(1388), China(1125), Inca(8275), Tokio(498)

This my first actual post in idk how long. This year was.. A lot for me on a personal and societal level. While astrology may not be my source of a ton of dopamine anymore, it's still an interest to me. There's so much organizing I have to do with this page, so please be patient with me as I try to get back into the swing of things.

(If you learned something new or would just like to support me you can leave a wittle tip via the tip button or one of the links in my masterlist. Kofi: nymphdreams🧸)

[skitskatdacat63]

i would LOVE to hear about your ocs if you feel like talking about them 👀

Hehehe thank you for indulging me ;; I'm just thinking about well this post relates to the relationship of my main oc pairing!!

Also a little apology in advance I didn't mean to write this much shfkfk, but even still, I'm leaving a lot out honestly. They are my blorbos who I'm constantly fiddling with. I'd include drawings of them but I honestly really need to draw them new portraits first so. If I draw/post them, I'll let ya know if you'd like! Though they are on my blog somewhere I think 🤔

(*note, I have my own AU where instead of there just being one Earth, there's a different version for each of the planets, that's ruled by a god, the planet is sort of their pet projects, monitoring how differently society would go with different overarching rulers, if that makes sense. This story takes place on Neptune, with a kind of benevolent emperor sort of God, who Noir works for directly.)

When she was younger, Eclipse gets kidnapped(to be used as ransom, as shes from a very famous, prestigious family) and was ultimately rescued by Noir, a special operative/spy. So their relationship literally starts off by Eclipse suffering in Noir's arms, Noir forever being burned into her mind as a protector/someone she can trust completely. Noir takes it on as her personal duty to try and teach Eclipse how to defend herself and such things, giving her resources and contacts in the dark underbelly of society, as Eclipse insists she wants to be fully aware of what the world really is capable of(she was incredibly sheltered beforehand.) ....

Noir though is also not immune though to kind of fostering the same sort of bloodthirsty, relentless ideals in Eclipse that she has in herself(that she struggles with), as she finds them to be very similar creatures, thus unintentionally pushing Eclipse down a worse road(though tbf the road Eclipse is already on is probably worse, so maybe it's a good thing, maybe she was never destined for anything good, and this was actually the better path.)

However later on, they're separated after a traumatic event between the two of them(ominous), with a lot of misunderstanding, but they suddenly can't get in contact with each other, so they both go off to lick their wounds, thinking the other has abandoned them for what ever reason(they are not rational people.)

Eclipse is suddenly unmoored completely for the first time ever, so all of her worst tendencies come out, and shes living terribly. She ultimately becomes a mercenary, as the time where Noir had taught her was the first time in her life she actually felt like a real person, not a pawn being used by her family, so she wants to make use of all the resources and contacts Noir had provided her, and make something of herself(this path is honestly the only other way she can conceive of, as she went from being sheltered to suddenly experiencing the worst that life can offer.)

Anyhow, obviously this new mysterious mercenary/assassin would sound some alarms, so Noir is sent out to investigate who this person could possibly be(not in a like, hunt this person down and kill them way, but in a, gauge how dangerous they are and whether we could make an asset out of them or if they're opposition, kind of way.) Eclipse's looks have changed drastically since they last saw each other, and shes obviously been going *through it*, so Noir doesn't recognize her. This hurts Eclipse immensely because what do you mean that I'm apparently just a footnote in the life of this person who changed my own life drastically, was I just a pastime, just an easily disposable little plaything. Noir has no idea who she is and why she's so hostile, and it starts this perpetual cat-and-mouse game between them. Noir originally was just trying to make a measured analysis and even possibly try to connect and offer an olive branch, but Eclipse is understandably incredibly resistant, and has constantly been in fight-or-flight mode for the past years.

At some point Noir actually realizes who Eclipse is, boom big reveal moment!!(haven't 100% decided, but something to do with the fact that Eclipse has a very distinctive...scar.) So now she's suddenly trying to court her and get close again, apologize, do whatever she can to reconnect with this person that she really loves and relates to. Eclipse, as I said constantly in fight-or-flight, doesn't trust this, thinks it's another game, thinks Noir is just trying another tactic. Thus the chase continues, but it's only aggressive from one side now(though tbf, I think everything Noir does is aggressive in some way so, perhaps aggressive from one side and aggressively loving from the other.) So. The post I mentioned. I love to imagine that the way they finally reunite and Eclipse finally begins trusting Noir again is through her getting grievously wounded again(wow I'm so kind to my ocs.)

Again, even if now she doesn't exactly fully trust Noir outwardly, there's this internal sense of unconditional trust she has in Noir as Noir was practically burned into her brain as a guardian angel, a protector, someone who she can actually trust. The problem is that she really does trust her and trust that Noir loves her unconditionally for who she is(something she has never really experienced), but obviously that traumatic moment and their losing track of each other for years, which is a huge misunderstanding though probably unreconcilable by other people's standards tbh, caused a crisis of faith. So what better sign of faith than her first instinct after getting wounded being to seek out Noir for help.

Imagine Noir getting a call from Eclipse from the first time in YEARS(yeah of course she somehow got her new number onto Eclipse's phone, and Eclipse glared at her and threatened to delete it but never did. Thankfully.) and it's her gasping for air, choking and gurgling on her own blood, and Noir suddenly feels like it is in fact years ago and is frightened to see Eclipse under these kinds of circumstances again, but it's her chance to finally prove herself as a protector, one who has finally gained the right to be trusted again. She takes Eclipse home and nurses her back to health, the possessive creature in her pleased at having this amount of control and this singular status of protector(when Eclipse was kidnapped, it was still a job for Noir and she had to kinda just. Step back. And restrain that possessive part in herself that wanted to be the sole protector. She came in her own right to help Eclipse in other ways, but still, that lack of agency and control over the entire situation really sat with her heavily.)

The trauma of the situation linked them together, and then the trauma of a different situation tore them apart, and then the trauma of ANOTHER situation finally brought them back together again. Please teach them how to communicate clearly for once please and not rely on traumatic circumstances as their relationship counselor ;;;; OKAY. I THINK THATS THE GENERAL OVERVIEW OF THEIR RELATIONSHIP.

[ghostchasersmagazine]

Of all the leader-type characters of the Hanna Barbera mystery solver shows, I think Biff from Jabberjaw is one of the most underrated. I like how his ideas weren't always bright, as it makes him different enough from the other leaders. Also, his designs in both the original series and the Cartoon Network Groovy are really fun. Speaking of the Cartoon Network Groovy, I'm surprised only Jabberjaw and Josie And The Pussycats got them, as I think that Butch Cassidy And The Sundance Kids, The Funky Phantom, Goober And The Ghost Chasers, and The Amazing Chan And The Chan Clan could have all benefitted from having them.

I agree! A lot of the other leader characters tend to act as the Straight Man of their respective groups, so Biff's character is a fun play on that by having him be more of a plan guy, someone who's in charge mainly because it was all his idea in the first place.

What I particularly like about his characterization is that he's still good-natured about it. A fast-talking character like him could have easily be written as a scammer or a schemer, so it's nice to see that they avoided that route and had him still be a good guy.

His character also still has at least one of the major benefits of the traditional leader characters have, in that he's arguably the most "grounded" of the four Neptunes. He serves as a good middle point between his friends; he's not as serious as Shelley, as he does come up with plans that could fail in comedic ways, but he's still more serious than Bubbles and Clamhead, as he's still the one coming up with the plans to keep the group going in the first place.

As for Biff's (visual) depiction in the Cartoon Network Groovie, I'll be honest - I'm not a fan of his design there. Conceptually it works; I think the designers did a good job of making the Neptunes look like a 90s band, and I am a fan of time capsule designs like that.

The problem is that it just doesn't read as Biff to me. By making his hair noticeably shorter, straighter, and changing it from brown to black, it takes away what made Biff visually stand out among the other leader types. They didn't even give him the same shade of blue to wear. They could have said that it was a (then) modernization of any other guy character and it likely would have been just as convincing to me.

It's a very similar problem to what I don't like about Bubbles's design in the Groovie. There's an argument that her design is even worse in this regard because by straightening her hair it does take away the main factor that did separate her from the other blonde girls, her curls, but I do like her design slightly more, since by keeping her hair the same color and length I could at least tell it's supposed to be a version of her.

That's both the inherent brilliance and biggest flaw of Hanna-Barbera's human character design in the 1970s - because most of the characters are drawn physically the same, the hair and clothing are essential in making the characters memorable. By changing/getting rid of those two aspects, it makes the characters near unrecognizable, which is what I think happened to Biff in this case.

But moving on to discussing the Groovies more generally, I apparently don't remember these as well as I thought. I looked up a list of them to refresh my memory and I only remembered like, three of them, the Atom Ant one (if only because it unnerved me as a kid), the El Kabong one, and the Magilla Gorilla one. I don't think I heard songs like "Jabberjaw Running Underwater" or "Signal in the Sky" until I found them on YouTube later on. There were also a couple of shorts I thought were Groovies but apparently were part of the Cartoon Network Shorties line instead, like the Huckleberry Hound short.

That is to say, while it would have been cool to see Groovies for other shows as well, I guess it wouldn't have helped me personally get interested in the shows as a kid.

I do think it's interesting that Josie and the Pussycats and Jabberjaw were the shows chosen for the Groovies to represent the 1970s, though. I do get why they did it, as they were both musical shows and Hanna-Barbera produced multiple adaptations and mystery solver shows during that time. But since a lot of the other Groovies were based on heavy hitters like The Flintstones and Yogi Bear, you think they would have opted to make Groovies out of the seemingly more obvious Scooby Doo or even Speed Buggy given its popularity at the time.

Of the shows you listed in particular for potential Groovies, I think an Amazing Chan and the Chan Clan Groovie would have been cool. The fact that the Chan Clan is a musical group tends to get overlooked when discussing Hanna-Barbera's musical shows, so acknowledging that would have been neat. Plus it could have been a way to have a Groovie about the actual mystery solving aspect of these mystery solver shows, since that surprisingly tends not to be discussed as much when bringing up the shows.

In a similar vein a Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kids Groovie would have been fun too, just swapping the detective imagery from the Chan Clan idea with spy imagery. (Though, this hypothetical does make me wonder if a Groovie was made based off the show would [then] modernize the characters' designs too, modeling Butch after a 90s heartthrob instead of David Cassidy.)

No real ideas for what a Funky Phantom or Goober and the Ghost Chasers Groovie would be like, though.

[apollosgiftofprophecy]

Where do you find info on the myth of Choine, ive been trying to research them but all that comes up is stuff about Chione

Okay so the Chione (i spelt it wrong before oops those pesky o's and i's) I was referring to isn't the snow goddess, who I usually spell as Khione (though it can also be spelt with a C, making things CONFUSING) to keep things straight - BUT for our friend Chione with a C, I can help you out there.

Here's a wiki page she shares with other Chiones

Her father's wiki page expands on her more

And here's the Theoi.com page she's in as well as a couple screenshots:

Chione is also known by two other names, Philonis and Leuconoe, but they're all basically the same person because they are all given the same story, give or take a few differences.

The oldest version, that I know of, is written by Hyginus in his Fabulae, where she sleeps with Apollo and Hermes and has Philammon (father of Thamris, a suitor of Hyacinthus btw) and Autolycus (grandfather of Odysseus). The first is Apollo's son, and the second is Hermes's.

Ovid also tells her story in his Metamorphosis - however, he also does it from a different angle (it's too long to put in as a screenshot you can find it on the theo.com page).

Before we continue, I would just like to say that Ovid purposefully wrote the gods in a worse light as a criticism of Emperor Augustus (they had political beef). So those myths where the gods are complete assholes mainly originate from Ovid - like Medusa's rape at the hands of Poseidon (Neptune), for instance. Or Athena (Minerva) punishing Nyctimene when her father raped her.

Both of those stories have older, very different accounts. Medusa had always been a monster in the OG Mythology, and Nyctimene first appears in Hyginus's Fabulae and Athena doesn't turn her into an owl to punish her, but to make her Athena's life-long companion.

(Trust me, I did the research on this - the Fabulae came before the Metamorphosis. Ovid was born towards the end of Hyginus's life, so while I couldn't pin down a specific date the Fabulae was written, we can infer it was probably before Ovid.)

In Ovid's telling, Chione was raped by Hermes (Mercury, since this is Roman) and later that night she slept with Apollo who was disguised as an old women (apparently she was into that ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ you do you Chione) and then gave birth to her sons.

In both accounts, we get the story of how she dies.

Later in life, she boasted that she was more beautiful than Artemis (Diana) because she caught the attention of two gods. Artemis, enraged, shot an arrow through her tongue and killed her.

RIP Chione. Hubris strikes again.

[arcticdementor]

“Baby, It’s Cold Outside” has a well-deserved bad reputation. It’s a song about, as our Britt Hayes put it, “a woman being held hostage by some guy who may or may not have drugged her adult beverage.” But it didn’t simply spring, fully formed, out of our culture’s collective disrespect for women. Before “Baby, It’s Cold Outside” became a rapey Christmas classic, then was overcorrected into a Nice Guy anthem, it was the musical centerpiece of an equally terrible hit summer movie: Neptune’s Daughter. Premiering 75 years ago—bringing “Baby, It’s Cold Outside” to a moviegoing public who, until then, had no song to put on when pressuring their date into sex—Neptune’s Daughter clearly had no idea that its single notable contribution to pop cultural history would become a holiday staple. Again, this was a June release. It’s not set during Christmas, in the winter, or even in a locale that actually ever gets cold. Neptune’s Daughter is a truly idiotic entry into MGM’s series of “aquamusicals,” starring Esther Williams. Yes, “Baby, It’s Cold Outside” won an Oscar for Best Original Song for being in a movie that was mostly a vehicle for swimwear and racism.

…

In Neptune’s Daughter, Williams (playing a swimwear entrepreneur) and Montalbán (playing a “South American polo player”) get caught in a rom-com of mistaken identity (and cultural appropriation). But that only lasts for an hour before the movie gets bored with itself, adding in a mob subplot (also of mistaken identity and cultural appropriation) to kill time during its final 30 minutes. The key incident of the film is when Montalbán’s identity is stolen by a virgin masseur (played like a spasmodic toddler by dough-faced comedian Red Skelton), which leads to all the horrible accent work you might expect as he parades around pretending to be a Latin lover.

…

The script eventually called for a little romance to lubricate its humming race-joke engine, which meant finally putting the musical into “aquamusical.” That’s where Guys And Dolls songwriter Frank Loesser came in. But “Baby, It’s Cold Outside” wasn’t supposed to be in Neptune’s Daughter. According to Williams in that NYT piece, the filmmakers had a completely different Loesser song, “I’d Love to Get You (On a Slow Boat to China),” ready to go, but the Hays Code’s censors balked at its use of the word “get,” which they thought was too clearly a euphemism for “fuck.”

…

Neptune’s Daughter is as hacky as anything MGM was putting out around then, and a fitting follow-up to the previous year’s Williams x Montalbán production. In On An Island With You, Williams’ character is literally kidnapped to a remote island by her love interest. This (and, y’know, all that xenophobia on display) paints a fitting picture of how the studio—and the powerful censors OKing everything—thought the world should work. But their time was running out. In just a few years, America would be flooded with movies from all over the world, movies that treated audiences like adults who live in the real world. Studio pictures would change in turn, their conservatism now often hiding out in the subtext of our blockbusters. But some of the cultural ephemera that kept it front-and-center, like “Baby, It’s Cold Outside,” continues to live on, increasingly anachronistic to our modern eyes and ears. It’s strange and uncomfortable, and it makes sense that it’s still the target of popular backlash, but as soon as you place the song back into its original context, you realize that it’s a miracle that a worse version hasn’t been haunting our holidays.

[empress-mizuki]

[King Midas penned a letter to Empress Mizuki with a slightly rushed hand, dropping honorifics in his hurry. The last few days had been chaotic for everyone, his party being no exception.]

[The fight that took place between Shogun X and Daigo had taken its toll on everyone with the fear from the drain that targeted all residents of the island. The changes that followed with the newest additions to the land were ones he doubted anyone enjoyed. With a new, less favorable version of himself running around, King Midas was likely amongst those that detested them most.]

[Even still, he knew The Empress would be in an even worse position. From his scouting of the island, he saw Lost Lake had, truly cruel to it's name, been lost. Which meant his friend would be more than just displaced. She had only just told him what that place meant to her, a piece of home that she fervently wished to protect. One that he'd made a foolish promise to do what he could to help. Evidently the Zero Point had other plans, as it so often did.]

[His letter to her went out later than he wanted, as he understood what it was like to have one's home unceremoniously ripped out from underneath them (though, in his experience, it had been by his own doing), but he'd had to make sure his family was in order, and safe, before he could get it out.]

[He sealed the envelope with his usual, golden wax seal, and dropped it into the waters that he hoped would still reach her. If he didn't hear back by evening, he'd go out to find her himself. There was a worry in the back of his mind that she might have been taken along with the sanctuary she watched over.]

Mizuki,

Let me start with the deepest condolences possible for the destruction of your home. Next to say that I hope so strongly that you are safe.

If you are in need of a place to stay while you make whatever plans necessary, my yacht and the property up the line from it are open to you. For as long as you'd need.

I understand you housed many within your temple, they are welcome as well. The dorm spaces on the Marigold are empty with the crew having moved to the condominium building. As much as I have enjoyed the space, I am happy to give it up for the sake of a friend who has been nothing but kind to me.

There is also a temple nearby, on the rock outcropping just east of my dock. I'm not certain anyone currently resides there, as I haven't seen recent coming or goings. I have ventured over myself on a few occasions. It's smaller, and up a cliff from the waters, but could offer you solitude if that is something you'd desire.

Aside from all of this, again I express my hope that you are safe. Please write me back as soon as you can, if only with a confirmation of that if the rest is too much.

If you need anything from me, say the word and I will be by your side at a moment's notice.

-Midas

[It didn't take much longer than usual for the King's letter to reach the Empress, as she and her Guard had been sheltering in some small shacks on the water just north of where Lost Lake had been. To hear from her dear friend brought some warmth to her heart, and his concern touched her deeply.

She considered the King's offer of sanctuary on the Marigold. It was a lovely ship, and quite spacious, but she did so hate to impose so many people on his generosity, even if he had said they were welcome. Between herself, her five Guards, her Champion, and Kendo, they numbered eight at the moment, not including little Neptune, and that was no small number when accounting for a ship, even a full yacht.

As she considered, her eyes wandering to the Ageless Champion sitting nearby sharpening his blade, one of her Guard stepped up beside her and whispered in her ear. They had scouted nearby locations for more permanent shelter, and Flooded Frogs had been a place of interest. Scouts reported that it was abandoned and in some disrepair, but livable, with a little work.

Well, the Empress had never been one to shy away from a little work. If Flooded Frogs was safe and open, had good accommodations for her people and guests, and was safe for Neptune, then that was where they would make a new home. A new sanctuary.

With a deep breath of relief, the Empress set her pen to paper.]

My dear friend,

Allow me to begin with the reassurance that I and my people are safe. We escaped Lost Lake with everyone uninjured and everything of importance. A new addition to my ranks, my Champion, was able to give us warning enough to get everything together and get out without incident.

I deeply appreciate your concern and your offer. I did consider accepting your generosity, but even as I pondered it, my people returned with favorable news concerning a new location I had marked as a potential alternative. We are gathering what we have and heading there immediately, as there is much work to be done.

Thank you, dear friend, for your empathy towards me and my people. It means much to me that you would so swiftly offer aid to us in this upheaval. I do hope to see you soon, but, spirits willing, in better times.

For the foreseeable future, you may find me at Flooded Frogs, due north of where Lost Lake was. Near the coast. You may even see fit to moor in the nearby inlet, should you like to visit for an extended stay. You and yours are always welcome, no matter where we make our home.

May the waves repay your kindness with blessing, my friend.

Empress Mizuki

[xxdoubledaisyxx]

One of the problems with the "public image", the one that concerns us all and me especially for being the one to say so, saved by the order of divine grace issued forth by the authority of Purple Heart, Neptune's true self.

Aloy, we are all in your debt for your salvation, and on behalf of all humanity let me be the first to admit that I have feelings for you.

Those kind of feelings. The goddessy-divine kind. The kind that either gets people married or gets them fired, with firm lines and sharp points to keep the corners straight so there isn't any fooling around, considering what is at stake.

You've got Gaia to protect and serve when the Moon King comes to claim what is his from the Sun King and wants to know why he shouldn't claim what is yours as well. That is through no fault of his own, but these things happen to people like us, who become popular figures for one reason or another. We both have world salvation in common in very different ways.

You have the blood and flesh truth of your body as the proof and right of access to the divine power that reigns supreme over all men. It is your ancestral legacy as much as mine is, only with one difference. Where my ancestral legacy descends into the age before my own, yours descends unto the age that is my own. That makes you like me, but me not like you.

Although I must be hideously ugly in comparison to beauty and loveliness as yours, I would not mistake you for a superficial twit who cannot see past the surface of my skin. Therefor, if you would be so kind as to call upon me at your leisure's pleasure to attend to your most innocent and pure desires to be amused the deadly way, I would cast my life aside without a heartbeat's time between to keep me back and be there for you.

I've got America to protect now and a cruder version of Gaia still in the works. Helen, the AI that we have here and now, in real life as I have so named her. Whatever the case, that is something I have mastery communicating with that other people lack. It is not how I can convert my own language into synthling, it is because I can translate synthling into my own language, and my own into English.

What I'm getting at, is that we both know synthling, Aloy and I, and are bound by fate and self-commitment to protect and serve the higher power that is synthetic life relative to our vast and mysterious home. You need no reminder of the threat Faro machines are to us, nor do I, because my sin is the very evil that caused the corruption, but not for myself, for you and all of us.

The people who are blessed with our protection and begrudged nothing of their in-crowd life back at town are often in need of this particular lesson, and we patiently suffer their abuse until they have it... the one at present involves rogue synthetic life. Everything could be lost in a single moment at the point of failure that is the core of the world's power, which in reality is our synthetic cyberstructure, and thus we will fight to the death to defend it from danger. So will our friends and allies, all throughout Story and space. And we do so time and time again with eternal life.

Aloy, if you will be my girlfriend in real life, I'd be honored to make you happy with my rugged good looks and boyish charm forever to the tune of your heart's desire.

...

anyway, what I meant to say is that the confusion on the world stage is making reality difficult to comprehend for most people because the USA's posture is ambiguous, which is unacceptable. The USA is always established upon Freedom and Democracy, just as Israel is to Faith and a Kingdom.

If that is unclear it causes people stress, but that is not what should concern you. What you must take care about now is that the stress is having an extraordinary negative affect on people who are already struggling with comprehending our complex reality. People with mental health disorders like myself, and much worse. The public image needs to be clear cut and certain at all times. There is no argument necessary, and it is discouraged if wasteful of time.

Good works require timely decisions and action. Almost always it is good who puts the first foot forward or makes the first move.

So, clear that up to make staying sane a little bit easier for all of us.

Thanks.

[babyeinsteinshenanigans]

Some of these are actually kind of close to my own headcanons of the character aftermaths, but with a few differences.

Bard the Dragon already had an acting career when he joined the cast and later left. Of course, he was devastated when he was laid off. To make matters worse, he finally gained the courage to confess his romantic feelings towards Carmelo (the mascot caterpillar). But, before he could, Carmelo announced he was getting married. Bard ended up becoming a notorious thief and arsonist in the end.

There are two Pavlovs in my headcanon, with Pavlov just being their last name. The one from Neighborhood Animals is named Ivor and is a child psychologist. His eldest son, Evan, is in college and works in a coffee shop. I haven’t figured out what Evan’s major is, though.

Yes, Vincent is still a painter and got married to Vivian, but he also works at the same coffee shop as Evan Pavlov because painting isn’t really a well-paying job for him at the moment.

Issac is actually a physicist, not a geometry teacher. He’s also roommates with Lizzy the Tiger (from Numbers Nursery), who is a mathematician.

It is unknown what happened to Otter, but it has been rumored that he teaches deaf students now.

Pillie and Coco are now working together as a music duo. Not sure what genre though.

The Koala’s name is actually Amadeus with Mozart being the yellow bear. Amadeus became a pianist and composer while Mozart became a marching band drummer.

Bach didn’t die in a car accident, but Neptune did. He was walking to the beach one day when he was hit by an out of control car and rolled off into the ocean. But some say that he’s still out there, eager to lure in and drown his victims.

As for Bach, to put it simply, he discovered that his birth was the result of a generations-long curse. He ended up finding the amulet that tied him to the curse and ended up becoming a freaking vampire (that!s not a joke, he really did).

Beethoven is, in fact, a cellist. He never played double bass, though, just the cello.

Marley (or the Baby Newton version of Quackamus) ended up becoming a professional surfer rather than a millionaire philanthropist.

While Neighton never did drugs, he did have to live with Macdonald due to pretty much being unable to live on his own. He was never the brightest, but as this point he was at Patrick Star’s mentality (to a lesser extent, but still).

My headcanons for what happened to the Baby Einstein puppets after the show ended:

- Bard the Dragon went on to pursue an acting career, but eventually he left that dream after he became cripplingly self conscious about his attitude and the unintentional trauma he caused kids to feel. However, he went back after going through therapy and issuing a public apology, and he now works as a stage actor for a community theater.

- Pavlov the Dog got a career as an archaeologist, and his partner, Jane the Monkey, is a renowned natural zoologist and author.

- Vincent Van Goat reconnected with Vivian, and they got married shortly after that. Vincent is still a painter, and his wife Vivian is a critically acclaimed performance artist.

- Isaac the Lion became a high school geometry teacher, and later got a husband, Osvaldo, who works part time as a youth pastor at an affirming church. They adopted two kids, Andrés and William.

- Otter took the money from his only appearance on Baby Einstein and saved up on residuals from DVD sales to buy a camera, as he found a calling in photography. He is now a somewhat successful photojournalist.

- Pillie and Coco both found their passion in music; Pillie became a music professor at a local university, and Coco became a percussionist in a Grammy-winning jazz fusion band.

- Mozart the Koala went on to become a conductor and composer, and won 3 Album of the Year Grammys for his recordings of Mahler's First Symphony, Mozart's Magic Flute opera, and his own collection of classical pieces.

- Tragically, when Bach the Rabbit went on to be a respected organist and had a budding career, he died in a car accident at age 29.

- Neptune the Turtle became a marine biologist and got featured in the Nature and Science journals for his discovery of a new variety of deep sea species.

- Beethoven the Giraffe, though depicted playing the violin, is actually a cellist and double bassist, and he earned a spot in the New York Philharmonic as one of their most respected members.

- Quackamus Duck became a billionaire through getting in early on natural gas fracking, though later recanted that investment and became a philanthropist, donating heavily to climate change organizations and investing in renewable energy startups.

- Neighton the Horse fell on hard times after leaving the show due to being a drug addict, and it was rumored that he took the money from residuals to pay for his addiction. He is now recovering and 13 years sober. MacDonald the Cow founded a farm and started his own rather successful business growing and selling wheat, rye and barley. Neighton and MacDonald got married and founded an agricultural school.

[kittyprincessofcats]

RWBY Volume 6

So, I pretty much binge-watched this one in a few days because I really needed to know how things go on after Volume 5 and it was just so good! Lots of messy thoughts to come!

[There will be spoilers for RWBY up to Volume 6 in this post (duh). Please don’t leave any spoilers for anything after Volume 6 on this post, or I will block you.]

Thoughts under the cut because this ended up getting a little long.

- The character short for Adam was really cool! It was cool to see how the White Fang began, to see Sienna, Ghira, Ilia and Adam in action, to see the irony of Sienna being a mentor to Adam and encouraging his ways when you know he’ll end up killing her, and to see a glimpse into Adam and Blake’s past relationship (and how the stuff he said to her was textbook emotional abuse). However, I do have one criticism, and it’s something that really bothers me: There’s a continuity mistake with Ilia’s age. Let’s think about this: Ilia was always implied to be the same age (or around the same age) as Blake. In the part of this short where Ghira was still leader of the White Fang, Ilia appears and doesn’t look younger than in canon. But we know Ghira stepped down at least a few years ago. If Blake is meant to be a teenager in volume 1… there’s just no way Ilia could have been there and already been an adult. She’s supposed to have still been a kid when Ghira was leader, unless she’s at least a few years older than Blake – which I don’t think she’s meant to be? Yeah sorry, this kind of stuff just bothers me. I get that timelines can be hard to keep track off, but that was a really obvious mistake and it ruins my immersion a bit.

- I loved the whole opening fight on the train and just seeing team RWBY fighting together again.

- I’ve got to say, I do feel bad for Weiss: After everything she went through to leave Atlas, she now suddenly has to go back there. I mean, that must suck.

- I’m a bit sad they just but Ilia on a bus, but I get that her main conflict is pretty much over and they had to go back to focusing on the main characters’ quest. I still wish we’d have at least gotten a scene of her interacting with the other members of team RWBY, though.

- I really liked Ilia and Blake’s goodbye at the train station, though. (And the whole “wrong tree” moment with Neptune really made me laugh 😂)

- Also just wanted to say I love Ilia’s new outfit (and the fact that she has spots on her belly – this is really important information, okay?)

- There’s a certain irony in the Faunus becoming more accepted because they STOPPED Adam’s attack on Haven.

- I think Jinn and the whole concept of how asking her questions works is super cool.

- I totally get why everyone’s pissed at Ozpin both before, during and after Jinn revealed his and Salem’s backstory. He has been hiding an awful lot from everyone, even after promising not to anymore, and he actively tried to stop the team from finding out the truth. Plus, the whole fact that he doesn’t have a plan for defeating Salem and is potentially risking everyone’s lives for nothing. (That said, can they not take it out on poor Oscar, please? None of this is his fault.)

- Oscar fighting Ozpin from within and telling them how to summon Jinn was a really badass scene. And I feel super bad for Oscar overall. Not only is he kind of at war with someone who lives in his brain now, but he also just found out that he’ll eventually only become a part of Ozma. And on top of that, people are punching and blaming him for stuff that’s not his fault. That’s super harsh.

- I’m kind of glad Cinder’s alive, because as I said, I was hoping they’d develop her more and make her a more interesting villain… but I don’t feel like this volume did that. Right now, she’s still pretty superficial, unfortunately.

- And now, time to get into one of the highlights of this volume for me: Salem’s backstory! Because holy shit, that was one hell of a backstory! When I said back in my post about volume 5 that I hope Cinder’s alive because I would like to see them make her a more interesting villain, I didn’t expect them to do just that, but for Salem. I love villains that are interesting, but I didn’t expect Salem, the literal big bad of the show, to be the interesting one here! I am pleasantly surprised by this, though! (And just to be clear, because some people love to misunderstand this: When I say “interesting”, I don’t mean “She has a sad backstory, this excuses everything she’s doing”, I mean “She has a sad backstory, this makes her more compelling as a villain”.)

- So, about that backstory: Do we all agree that the gods are major jerks, or what? I mean, initially not bringing Ozma back to life was fair, death is a part of life, they can’t upset the balance, I get that – but making him repeatedly disintegrate in Salem’s arms after she just thought she’d gotten him back? And then making her immortal just to make sure she couldn’t be with him? And then killing ALL of humanity just because of the actions of a few? But still not letting Salem die? And then bringing Ozma back after all (because now it suddenly doesn’t ‘disrupt the balance’ or what?) and kind of tricking him into that whole relics task because he wanted to be with Salem? The god are jerks, I rest my case - and I’m not sure if bringing them back is a good idea.

- Also… I get that she’s like… evil and all… but am I the only one who thought Salem got way sexier after jumping into the pools of grimm? Is that just me? Because damn… I’m kinda into that version of her. (Come on, she’s a sexy goth witch and I’m a simple lesbian, what do you expect?)

- So yeah… in an unexpected turn of events, Salem might be one of my favourite characters now? Oops? (*insert obligatory ‘this does not mean I condone her actions in any way’ disclaimer here*)

- I feel super bad for Salem and Ozma’s kids, though. I hate kids getting hurt in media in general. (I imagine the grief over them stayed with Ozma forever. And I like the theory that he gave the original four maidens their powers because they reminded him of his daughters. In general, I don’t consider him to be the bad guy in this backstory at any point. His only mistake is not being honest with the people who are helping and protecting him in the present.)

- I am now convinced that this entire show has to end with Salem and Ozma dying. That’s the only way all of this can end. Salem will have to either be killed somehow or learn the lesson the gods tried to teach her and die. Ozma will have to fulfill his task and die as well – either through Oscar dying with him (😢), through only Ozma dying but Oscar getting to live without him, or through the reincarnation cycle ending and Ozma/Ozpin recognizing that Oscar is going to be his last life. Something like that would be my prediction.

- Speaking of interesting villains: This volume also did a great job with Emerald and Mercury! With those two, I’m actually hoping for a redemption now. (And Hazel is a great guy as well. The fact that he was willing to take the blame for their failure at Haven to protect Emerald and Mercury is something I really respect.)

- I also I want to say I find Tyrion super entertaining.

- It was great to see Neo again! (I’ve gotten so used to Chibi!Neo it was almost weird to see regular Neo again.) Her fight with Cinder was EPIC.

- (I basically feel like this volume did a great job on all villains except for Cinder. But hey, maybe that’ll still happen.)

- This was an interesting volume for Qrow. On the one hand, I get why hearing Oz’s backstory drove him into a sort-of depression and made his drinking habit worse and I feel bad for him, but from the point-of-view of Ruby and the others, it must have also been super frustrating that the one proper adult in the group couldn’t keep it together and everyone else had to keep doing the hard work.

- Maria is a super cool and epic character! I really hope she sticks around with the team for Volume 7 because she’s amazing and I love her. She was super badass in her backstory (that moment where she lost her eyes was painful just to watch), I love the fact that she was Qrow’s hero growing up (and that he based his weapon on hers!), that we finally met another character who has (well, had) silver eyes, and that she’s that funny, cranky, but also wise old lady now who mentors Ruby and is just super funny all around. Good stuff, I hope we see more of her!

- The Apathy are the creepiest grim yet. The whole concept of them draining you of your will to live without you even noticing is just SO scary – I love it, but I’m also low-key terrified. The crew’s trip to that farm estate could have easily gone very wrong. Pretty much nothing but Ruby’s silver eyes even worked on them. I like how those episodes set the whole thing up – Team RWBY having emotional conversations while they were in the house, everyone having doubts (which makes sense at that point in the story, so you don’t really question it at first), and then the sneaking realization of what’s going on. Also, the guy who sealed in those Apathy grim in in the first place was just so dumb. How could you think that was a good idea? Good job getting everyone killed, dude.

- I’m glad this volume gave us more on Ruby’s silver eyes! I like that she finally got to use them before the season finale (though I loved that joke on RWBY Chibi), and I also like that she first used them to protect Blake. (I don’t ship them as much as Bumbleby, but I feel like Ruby and Blake’s ship/friendship is super underrated.) It was also nice to learn more about how the Silver eyes work in general and how they came to be. (If they came from the god of light, I’m assuming all the people with silver eyes are the descendants of Ozma’s past lives? TV Tropes kind of helped me out here: Apparently if you freeze the picture where you see one of his past lives with his kids, you can see the kids have silver eyes.) People with silver eyes being hunted also comes as no surprise to me, that’s kind of what I was assuming already. (Which raises the question: Just how did Summer Rose die?) Also, interesting fact that they only work on the Grimm...

- That moment where they reunite with JNR in Argus was really sweet. I also loved the design of Argus as a whole.

- I LOVE Saphron, Terra, and their son!!! I love that we got to meet one of Jaune’s sisters, I love that we got some more LGBT+ representation, and their baby is adorable!! (I loved that scene of everyone cooing over the baby. Also, that moment where Ruby realized Jaune and Saphron were siblings. Also, that moment where the baby helped them distract the guards by crying.) Basically, I just love the Cotta-Arcs. (Also, I just want to say that Saphron is super pretty.)

- Cordovin and her two goons are hilarious. I mean, I also hate them because they’re overly patriotic Atlas-people and Cordovin was racist to Blake – but they’re also super freaking hilarious. Every little line of Maria and Cordovin’s beef with each other had my dying with laughter 🤣 (mainly it was Maria’s lines that had me dying with laughter).

- That whole scene with the statue of Pyrrha was such a tearjerker 😢. First the leaf, then the sad music, then Jaune talking to that red-haired lady (I’m guessing she’s either Pyrrha’s mom or sister?), and then Ren and Nora joining and giving Jaune a pep-talk 😭 😭. I think this was a really important moment for Jaune, not just to get closure, but also to stop blaming himself and putting himself down. I’m glad Ren and Nora told him they don’t want to lose him too, and that the red-haired lady said she’s “glad Pyrrha was surrounded by such amazing people”. Gosh, now I’m tearing up again writing this 😭. I miss Pyrrha 😭 😭.

- I love Oscar’s new outfit. It was time for him to finally drop the farm boy look.

- I love how Jaune is so down for crime that his plan is just “They only let Atlas airships though, so we steal an Atlas airship.” I mean, makes sense.

- I think their whole plan to steal the airship was super cool and although I get why things can’t be that easy in shows like this (and I love that we got the showdown with Adam), I still kind of wish it had worked just because it was a really cool plan and everyone had their part to play in it. Heck, even the baby got to help (and it was awesome)! But yeah, Adam just had to ruin everything, nothing new there.

- So, about Adam: First of all, he’s a major creep for victim-blaming Blake (again) and stalking her. I like how creepy his behaviour is from a story-telling perspective (and from an angst-loving “I like seeing my faves suffer” perspective), but his story was getting a little old, so I’m not too sad they killed him off now. It was a good point in the story to do it. (That said, holy shit is he a creep! “I wouldn’t have to be doing this if you just behaved”? Wow. I get that he’s meant to be abusive and controlling; that’s the point of his character (and like I said, I’m here for the angst), but… yikes, poor Blake.)

- And then we had Blake and Yang’s rematch with Adam. EPIC STUFF. First of all, I like that Blake was able to hold her own against him for a bit (and same for Yang later). I also love the whole dramatic setting by the waterfall and the fact that Blake lost her coat (this is important, okay? it symbolizes vulnerability – and also it just looks cool), the scar on Blake’s belly (from their fight at Beacon, right?), the face reveal of Adam – I just love how all of this was set up in such an epic, dramatic way. But the most epic moment, at least from the start of the fight, has got to be Yang just jumping down there with her motorcycle hitting Adam and that amazing music. I’ve said before that Yang is just too cool for words and I will stand by that. The fight itself was epic too, though I was so stressed the whole time I couldn’t completely pay attention. Blake and Yang fighting Adam together was definitely the best part, though. And I loved the irony of Yang’s metal arm saving her. In general, I like that Yang and Blake got to fight and defeat (and kill) Adam together because he’s been a demon for both of them, and I like that they clarified they’re doing it as equal partners. “We’re protecting each other” was a nice callback to earlier when Blake tried to reassure Yang she’d protect her, and to even earlier when Yang was protecting Blake at Beacon.

- Let’s talk about my other highlight of the volume: Bumbleby! Because sorry not sorry, there’s no way you can deny their romantic subtext anymore at this point. Early in the volume, there’s the conflict of things being weird between them, and Blake not knowing how to deal with her guilt and thinking she needs to protect Yang (and do stuff like getting her bag down for her) – while Yang feels insulted by this and thinks that Blake sees her as being incapable of doing anything now that she lost an arm. Then, when Blake first leaves to disable the comms, they give each other those really sweet, loving looks. And of course, it all leads up to them confronting their nightmare together, holding hands, and declaring that they’re protecting each other. Add Adam’s jealousy to that (He was making comparisons between himself and Yang and asking “What does she even see in you?” – that’s not a sentence you just say to your ex’s friend) and you’d have to be willfully ignorant to not see the subtext. And those soft moments after the fight just killed me: Blake breaking down crying, Yang immediately running to hug and comfort her, Blake’s promise not to leave, Yang reassuring her and wiping away her tears – I LOVE hurt/comfort stuff and I’m so soft for these two! They love each other so much!

(Pretty much the only downside of all this is that a few major parts were spoiled for me in advance. Look, it’s pretty impossible to follow lots of blogs that post wlw ships and not see that picture of Bumbleby holding hands, or the one of them hugging (or the one of them killing Adam) at some point. So yeah… I’d seen all three of those pictures before and knew this would happen. But it was still really nice to see it all come together and see how we got there!)

- The fight against Cordovin and her giant mecha was also pretty cool! It reminded me a bit of the Legend of Korra finale. Ruby going inside the arm canon was an especially epic moment. And I also liked that small moment when they were flying on the Queen Lancer and Ruby had her arms around Weiss’ waist (a bit of White Rose, yay!).

- I like that moment when the Grimm attack and the team first realizes they just destroyed the only thing capable of stopping them – but to be honest, that was mostly Cordovin’s fault. She brought out that mecha for something it wasn’t meant for and started the fight that attracted the Grimm in the first place. Also, how exactly did she think the people of Atlas would take it if she had actually hurt Weiss? So yeah, most of that mess was on her, tbh. I’m glad she at least came though to help in the end, though.

- Back to Bumbleby: Honestly, the strongest romantic undertones weren’t even in the fight with Adam or directly afterwards for me, but in the last episode when they’re all on the ship together. So, Blake is blaming herself for the plan going wrong, and Yang has an arm around, her, still half holding her and reassuring her. And then – and this one really gets me – Ruby hugs Blake and gives Yang that knowing look over her shoulder while Yang suddenly looks away shyly. They’re communicating without words and Ruby totally knows what’s up. She’s basically saying “So you and Blake, huh?” and suddenly Yang – YANG – is feeling shy. This isn’t subtle. And then later Bumbleby hold hands again and look at each other like that… they’re in love, I don’t make the rules.

- And finally, we of course have Ruby’s epic silver-eyed moment in the finale, which was AMAZING. I loved all the flashbacks and how they’re drawn pictures and not just stills from the episodes, I love how the memories of her friends motivate her, I love how much of Penny there was in there (bit of Nuts and Dolts, yay!), I loved seeing adorable little!Yang, and of course the first look at Summer Rose! (I still want a Team STRQ backstory episode at some point.) Also, the music during that scene was so good!

Gosh, now I’ve talked for way too long again, but there was just so much to say about this volume! Long story short: Loved it, can’t wait to continue! (I know exactly 1 major spoiler for volume 7 because it was unavoidable on social media, but that’s it. And it’s a spoiler I really didn’t mind knowing, so…)

[gracemyheart]

KaguMyu Act II ~ Rant Reaction

Okay, Act II is watched and I have to say, it was better than the first one.

That was probably because we had more songs (?). From which I forgot most already again. xD

Disclaimer: Leni is honest again, if you can't take that, don't read it.

Spoiler-filled notes with screenshots under the cut:

- First of all... it happened even less than in act I... if that is even possible. The "story" goes: Kakeru is ill, Himeko worried but still doing her thing in America, the Senshi fighting Kaguya - almost dying after doing nothing, Luna sings a song, the Senshi are free again and Super Sailor Moon appears, then everything is fine and as a Christmas present Luna gets turned into human does her flying thing with Kakeru and then realizes that Artemis is the better choice (here, in the manga and in the movie a BIG FAT WTF, LUNA! >:o)

- What I have to admit is that Luna (both Lunas!) is a brilliant singer and saves a lot of screentime with her wonderful voice.

- Act II has more Senshi in it but they literally do nothing but almost dying. No one can do anything besides Super Sailor Moon in the end. I don't even remember if I heard any attacks? They feel so useless and almost like bland background characters - we had this in the Dracul Arc but that was okay because the story focused on other characters but they were still there! The CHARACTERS were still there doing character typical stuff. And here...they exist..sometimes.

- Gotta say that after Shuu and Sayaka, I LOVE those two but like the rest, they don't do anything. A part of this cast is so wasted. They could be so good but they do not have the chance to shine because they don't do anything. Isn't this musical called a Sailor Moon musical? Why aren't the Senshi doing anything? I don't get it!

- Also may I add that Kaguya is the craziest bitch, I have ever seen? That is actually a good point because in the movie she was, as the Senshi here, just there. And here she has some kind of crazy personality? If we can call it personality, lol. But again...what are her motifs? Why does she want to freeze this planet? We'll never know.

- And then puff paff suddenly the Senshi pull themselves together after Luna sang a song and then we got Super Sailor Moon and then there is no finale because it is already the end! Boom bam! Kaguya dead! And we only have like 30 minutes of act 2. Can a musical be so short? I guess they did not have enough boring scenes to fill the musical with...or the story was simply not giving us more.... who knows?

- okay, I want to apologize that I called Rinko a plastic surgery face - I do not know if she actually did a surgery, she just looks like it. Her face just looks very unnatural to me and what makes it worse, she looks zero like Usagi. Even worse, she has zero Usagi attitudes. Worst, she does not feel like an Usagi at all. Having a chat with my bestie @vampiru-chan, who asked me how I'd rank her in a Sailor Moon ranking, I said, I'd put her in the same dustbin I already put Hotaru and Shiori. Because none of them was the littlest bit Usagi to me. This sounds hard? Life is hard, honey.

- We had quite some actresses here, who have quite a lot of potential to become good Senshi or Sailor Moon Characters. I am talking particularly of Kisara Matsumura (Jupiter), Rei Kobyashi (Mars), Shinjyu Terada (Uranus), Ayana Kinoshita (Neptune), Yune Sakai (Luna), and Marisa (human-Luna).

I did not include Riku Sorahane (Tuxedo Mask) because I really have enough of the cool Takarazuka actress playing an out-of-character cool gangster Mamoru. She is a great actress and a great singer but I don't like what NewMyu does to Mamoru even though it's sexy (yes, I am looking at you, Tani ;3)

Hellu, it's me, the typical NewMyu blue filter again

*OVERALL*

- *Story* It was boring. But not like NewMyu usually tends to be, with telling the storyline of the manga in the most boring way (talking of NewMyu 2013-2017). No, it was boring because nothing happened. I watched two hours of this musical and I don't remember a proper plot or memorable scenes. I remember that, as a child, I only liked the movie because the Outers had their full transformation with that amazing music in it. I never really cared for Luna's sudden love for Kakeru. But at least there was a storyline? Even if it was only for an hour, there was a story and something happened. But in here... nothing. I also did not like that the Senshi were merely side characters. We had no real character scenes and if there wasn't the birthday scene, the complete cast would have felt even more unnecessary.

- *Cast* Talking of an unnecessary cast. Human Luna (although a great singer) was so unnecessary to be extra cast! Cat-Luna could have played her very well too. Why? Because she is the same person, just with two legs. They did not cast a proper Mistress 9 in UNV but in here a double-Luna? Nelke, that makes no sense. Instead of a second Luna, you could have cast an Artemis. Or even better, bought better costumes.

- *Music I* We have quite some OSTs in the background which is a new thing for NewMyu, applause! But somehow it was too difficult to let the instrumental version of "You Are My Universe" play in the Curtain Call? Why was it the vocal version? Eh?

- *Music II* The songs are not memorable. I already forgot most of them again. I think I liked the ending song and the first part of the Outers song. The rest is not something I would listen to. "You are my Universe" is no image song that is catchy or iconic in some way.

- *All in all* Wasted time. This is a pity because some actresses would be really good if they had the chance. But they won't get another. As my friend @vampiru-chan said, if there will be a new mass-production Sailor Moon musical, they will cast everyone new again.

*Did I like something?*

- We got an OST, even though it was a poor OST but at least we got one

- Moonlight Densetsu was a Service Number and no Crystal song

- Shinjyu and Ayana had a lot of potential

- That ending song was nice

TO MAKE THIS CLEAR! I don't want to say I hate everything about KaguMyu. I am just very disappointed with the outcome. It feels so much like a wasted chance to produce finally something good again. Or at least something better than since 2013.

[readforchangeproject]

Chapter 10: I Ruin a Perfectly Good Bus 10/04/21

Feel free to join in with our read along of The Lightning Thief - here's all the info

I love that Annabeth is taking a book on the quest in case she gets bored- a girl of my own heart

OF COURSE Grover listens to Hilary Duff lmao. Do you think he knows 'what dreams are made of' from the Lizzie McGuire movie

I was wondering if Maia was a reference to something so I stuck it into google translate and apparently it means midwife in greek?? that can't be right. there's no way the word that gets the magic shoes to fly is 'midwife' :////

ahhhh okay I've done some more digging and apparently Maia is the name of Hermes's mum- now that makes a lot more sense

Also sounds like Zeus's relationship with Maia was non-consensual. Not as bad as the swan situation but still. This is why Zeus sucks.

"Grover went flying sideways down the hill like a possessed lawnmower" hahha

It's interesting that Chiron says Hercules rather than Heracles

Actually the whole Hercules vs Heracles thing is v interesting in that I can't think of any other instance where the roman name has caught on over the greek. Maybe Neptune I guess. Anyone know why that is?

Wow riptide really said "sorry babe if ur human it's not even worth my energy trying to kill u" #rude

eeeeekkk the narrative that Athena caught Poseidon in her temple 'with his girlfriend' is a bit yikes

Obviously I understand this is a book for kids, and myths vary from version to version anyway but do think it's worth noting that a lot of versions depict this as yet another non-consensual relationship

Which honestly makes it worse that Athena gets mad at Medusa as well as Poseidon. I do think it's interesting that Athena can be presented as very #girlpower but there really aren't many instances of her having positive interactions/relationships with women in greek mythology

If you’re interested in reading more about Medusa and the role of women in greek mythology I'd 100% recommend checking out 'Pandora's Jar' by Natalie Haynes! I read it a couple of months ago and it's a 5/5, very colloquial and readable with lots of insights into the role of women in greek mythology and how and why it's changed over time

This chapter title is fake news. They're getting on another Greyhound bus which, by definition, is NOT a 'perfectly good bus'.

Idk how I feel about the fact that Gabe smells "repulsively human"

Like I get it from a narrative standpoint but it also feels like it's saying Gabe is the epitome of human, if you had something that was 100% fully fledged pure human you'd get Gabe

And I'm not sure I like that. I'd like to think that humans are good at their core and we're not all just people trying our best not to revert back to our natural Gabe-like tendencies

And I reading too deep into this? Yes. Anyway Sally is a trooper and and icon for sticking with Gabe for Percy's sake and I love her

This scene of them playing hackey sack with an apple is so pure!

Did nobody think to give Grover a weapon? Or anything other than a tin can?

Gotta be honest lads, this quest isn't off to a great start

We're raising money for Save the Children so please head to our justgiving page if you would like to donate- any contribution is appreciated including spreading the word!

[vmheadquarters]

We’re still playing our game of written hot potato! Dozens of your favorite authors are taking turns to tell a Veronica Mars mystery story. Each writer crafts their chapter and then “tosses” the story to the next person to continue the tale. No one knows what will happen, so expect the unexpected!

Follow the “vmhq presents” and “murder we wrote” tags for all the installments, or read the story as it develops on AO3. --Chapter Thirty-One of MURDER, WE WROTE is written by @nicemom93. And stayed tuned next week for Ch.32 from @mysilverylining​  - tag, you’re it!

_____________________________________________________________

CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE by @nicemom93​

Cat-rimmed eyes peered out through the slats of a shelf at the end of the closet. That was what had first caught his attention. Now, Logan stared at his own face looking back at him from beside those eyes. Eyes that looked like Carrie's, but were not.

"Oh, man. I thought the crazy-ass murderer wall was insane."

Veronica pushed past Ruby's glittering dresses and reached behind the shelf.

"Where in the hell did she get this?"

The eyes moved back and forth, then vanished briefly, before appearing again, hiding Veronica from his gaze as she pushed whatever it was out to him.

"Take this."

"What is it?" He reached toward her and realized she was handing him a life-sized cardboard cut-out of Ruby, dressed up in her Bonnie DeVille hair and make-up, wearing a short black dress. "Oh, you have to be kidding me."

"I wish I was."

He took cardboard Ruby from her, and she immediately reached behind the shelf again, pulling a second cardboard shape into the open. "And if things weren't already bad enough..."

She balanced the second cut-out beside her, holding it upright with an arm around the waist as she looked up at the cut-out version of Logan, conservatively dressed in slacks and a cream button-up, and shook her head. "I shudder to think what cardboard you and cardboard Ruby have been doing in the last year."

"Oh fuck, no." Logan backed out of the closet with Ruby's image, and Veronica followed with fake him under her arm. Back in the larger bedroom space, she leaned Logan's image against the wall and took Ruby from him, tucking them together before stepping away to admire her handiwork.

"You're a matched set," she said with a grin, and he saw with dismay that she was right. His cardboard doppelganger's hand rested near his hip, and a narrow strip had been cut in the space between his arm and body where Ruby's hand tucked in, notching the shapes together.

"You know what this is from, don't you?" Veronica asked, and Logan nodded.

"It's the date you brokered for me to keep yourself out of jail," he replied. "Where did she get these?"

"I'm guessing Etsy," Veronica said. "You can get pretty much anything you want on the internet."

"You can have life-sized pictures of people made without their permission?"

"You were in the picture together. The poor sucker who created this probably just thought you were a couple."

"Nonononono." He hunched his shoulders up and out, trying to shrug away the idea of he and Ruby as a couple, glaring balefully as Veronica laughed. "I'm glad you're enjoying my pain."

"Oh, quit whining." She stepped back to the cardboard pair, pulling them apart, then began to run her hands over the cut edges of Ruby's figure, from the top of her head, down to the floor. "Why am I not surprised that the Balboa Sheriff's Department's work is getting shoddier and shoddier. If they'd found these little gems, they probably would have hauled you in already as a person of interest in Ruby's death."

"And they actually got to turn the lights on," he answered. "But, ya know, this little reveal probably would have looked worse on you. Like maybe you needed to get rid of your competition."

Veronica turned back toward him, now frowning. "Oh. That's actually plausible."

"Uh-huh."

"Should we take them with us? Or at least yours?" She side-stepped to the Logan cut-out and began her process again, running her hands down the cut edges from his head to the widened base at the floor.

"If we take it, we're gonna light it on fire, right?" Logan responded, but Veronica's answering laugh was suddenly silenced.

"Oh, wow, I think I found something." She knelt on the floor, leaning down to peer closely at the area around cardboard Logan's calf level. She nodded and looked up with a grin. "Yup. Apparently, you were more than just eye candy to Ruby."

"Well, that's certainly a relief," Logan said, and she nodded, then focused on the cut-out again.

"The cardboard is corrugated, so there are little tunnels of space between the front layer and the back. This one—“ Her face twisted in concentration as she dug her finger between the layers. "—has a little something extra hiding in your leg." Her fingers pinched together, and, with a triumphant smile, she pulled out a key.

"That's probably why she hid us in the closet," Logan theorized.

"Yeah, that makes sense. I wondered why you weren't standing guard over her as she slept."

"I know, right?"

Veronica chuckled, then looked down at the key in her hand. "Now, what do you open, little key?" She glanced up at Logan. "It looks to me like some kind of private storage. A little safe, maybe? I think it would be hidden too, or else someone could just walk off with it."  

"If it was here and wasn't hidden, I would think the cops would take it in," Logan suggested, and Veronica nodded.

"Yes, that should be true, with a competent department. With this group, they would still probably take it to see if there was anything in it they wanted." She turned the key in her hand. "There’s a number on it, so if we figure out where to look, we’ll be able to match it up. N3754G."

“Hang on, let me see that.”

Veronica held out her hand, and Logan shined the light on her palm with the small key. The quick look was all he needed.

"That's from the Neptune Grand. They have private storage boxes on the first floor...at least they did when we lived there. Even if you're not living there, they'll let you rent the box. That gets a little pricey though. I guess they figure that anyone who doesn't want to rent a safe deposit box at a bank, or get their own safe, probably has something pretty questionable to hide and is willing to pay to do that."

"Huh." Veronica closed her fist on the key and shoved it into her front jeans pocket. "So, if I show up with the key, will they just let me open the box?"

"You need to know the name the box is rented under, and you need to be that person, or on their list of approved alternates." Logan raised an eyebrow. "Now, I'm not the detective here, but my guess is—" He pointed the phone at the cut-out of Ruby. "—the box was rented by Ruby Jetson—" He moved the light over to his own image. "—and the guy she trusted with the key is an approved alternate."

Veronica nodded and stretched up to give him a quick kiss. "I think that's some pretty good detecting, Lieutenant."

He leaned down for a longer kiss. "Thanks. Now can we put these back where we found them and get out of here? I'd rather not be trying to sneak out of here after the sun's up. We can head straight for the Neptune Grand and see what Ruby's left for me. There always used to be 24/7 access to the boxes, at least as a resident. I guess it could have been different for non-residents, but I'm not sure why it would be."

Veronica stepped back and grabbed her own phone out of her back pocket. "Why don't you put them back while I make one more loop through the room...make sure we didn't miss anything. Then we can head over to the Grand." She grinned at him. "Do you think the restaurant still makes those three meat breakfast skillets like they used to?"

Logan nodded and grabbed his cut-out, heading back to the closet. "I wouldn't be surprised. They serve twenty-four hours; are we eating before we use the key, or after?"

"Oh, before, definitely. I don't want a big break in the case to keep me from my breakfast."

"Yeah. We must have our priorities."

***

The skillet had four meats now, so Veronica was feeling good as she and Logan approached the front desk of the Grand.

"She came to me with the novel...are you sure that you're her key alternate and not me?" she asked again.

Logan shrugged one shoulder. "This isn't the CIA, Veronica. We can probably just tell them that Ruby Jetson left us the key, and Logan Echolls and Veronica Mars are here to collect the contents of her box. As long as one of us is listed, I'm pretty sure this will work out fine."

"I hope you're right."

At 5:49 AM, there was no one at the front desk, but Logan gave the reception bell a quick 'ding', and Veronica leaned her crossed arms against the counter to wait. Logan squared up behind her, hands on her hips.

"This makes me think of the old days," he murmured in her ear. "You're here to bully something out of the clerk, and I'm here to watch admiringly."

"You're here to back me up," she responded. "It's what you do."

"It is," he agreed, kissing the top of her head. He reached to strike the bell again when a voice from behind them stopped him.

"Oh geez, I knew the two of you were going to show up. Why did it have to be on my shift?"

Veronica spun toward the voice, pushing Logan away as he stepped to cover her.

"Logan, stop, it's fine." She stepped around him to face off with the newcomer. "Ratner."

"Mars."

"Still working at the local hotel, I see."

"Still managing the finest hotel in Neptune, you mean."

"Potato..." She paused, then gave her long-ago nemesis a wry smile. "You've been expecting us? Why?"

He shook his head at her. "Uh-uh, you tell me."

She dug into her front pocket and held up the key. "I believe we're on the list."

"Whose list?" Ratner queried, and Veronica laughed.

"You look like a hotel manager, but you question like someone with a criminology degree. What are you still doing here, Ratner?"

He shrugged. "It's unusual for someone to work outside the scope of their degree? The Grand was more lucrative. In the end, it made more sense to stay here. Especially once that one—" He jerked his head at Logan. "—and his brain-dead buddy cleared out of here. I live in the '09 now, Mars. So, stop questioning my life choices and tell me what you want."

"You know what we want, Ratner. The private box of Ruby Jetson, AKA Della Pugh." She shook the key at him.  "I believe this should get us beyond your velvet rope."

"Do you know the secret password?"

Veronica glanced over her shoulder to give Logan the evil eye—you never mentioned a password—then back to Ratner again when he laughed.

"Relax, Mars, I'm just giving you a hard time. You got all the pieces. No secret password." He walked past them, moving behind the counter. Veronica followed, watching as he dug around in a deep drawer, coming up with a set of keys. "All right, let's go."

Veronica turned to follow him as Ratner headed toward the bank of elevators. She caught Logan's hand as she moved past him, and they exchanged hopeful looks. This may be the break we've been looking for.

"So, Ratner. Why were you expecting us?" Veronica asked as he unlocked a door beside the first elevator and led them inside.

"I'm the manager, remember, Mars? I know every customer we have in our privacy boxes, and when they have an alternate I'm familiar with, I know that too. When I saw the news about Della's death, I assumed you'd be along directly."

"I'm a little surprised that the untimely demise of a customer doesn't make you lock the box down," Veronica said. "What if whoever killed her comes looking?"

"If whoever killed her has the key and was previously designated, they're gonna get the box. That's just the way the system is set up. I mean, there's probably a lot of these boxes here solely because the client was worried about getting murdered. You know the type. 'In the event of my untimely demise...' But really, it's no big deal to us. We just have to hope the client made a good choice and didn't pick the person who was out to get them." He stopped at another door and paused, tossing a skeptical look over his shoulder at them before unlocking that door. "I will say, I've never been too sure about Della's decision-making, and when I saw she'd chosen the two of you..." He huffed a short laugh. "This choice was no exception."

"You have to know we didn't kill her," Logan said indignantly, and Ratner raised an eyebrow, but overall, his body language didn't seem to show any real stress, so Veronica was pretty sure he was just tormenting Logan. And it's working. "How well did you even know her anyway?" Logan continued, and Ratner stopped with the door only partially ajar, his face now scornful.

"Oh, now you're some kind of white knight?" Ratner asked, shaking his head. Logan bristled and took a step forward, but Veronica reached for his wrist, and he fell back again. Ratner shook his head as he watched the exchange, then rolled his eyes. "If you must know, we frequented some of the same establishments," he said, then pushed the door fully open and waved them inside. "She told me she had something big happening and needed a place to stash some evidence. I offered her one of our boxes."

"Karaoke much, Jeff?" Veronica asked with a smirk as she moved into the room, fingers still tight around Logan's wrist. The room was empty, except for a high table in the center, and another door at the opposite end. She turned to face Ratner again and noticed that his cheeks had colored slightly.  

"My private time is my own, Mars," he said, closing them in and moving across to the other door. "You two wait in here, I'll bring out the box and give you your privacy."  

As soon as he disappeared, Logan turned to look at her. "Does that mean you think that Ruby and Ratner..."  His eyebrows bobbed suggestively, and Veronica wrinkled her nose.

"I'd rather not think about that."

"I dunno. From personal experience, boyfriends are a natural suspect."

"True, but from everything Clemmons and my mom had to say, it seems like we've got plenty of other people willing to whack Ruby without us dragging Ratner into it."

The man in question returned to the anteroom and placed a rectangular metal box on the table. It was around the length of his arm, about half as wide, and around six inches deep. "All right, I'll leave the two of you to do your business. Take the contents, or leave it, it's up to you. If you're leaving it, just lock the box up when you're done, and I'll put it away again in case one of her other designees comes in later. If you take everything, you can leave the key also. There's no reason for you to keep it if you don't leave anything in the box."

"Other designees? Does that mean there are other keys out there?" Veronica wondered who else Ruby might have trusted with her secrets.

"No, only one key, but some clients designate multiple people. Then, whoever on the list ends up with the key can come in and be entitled to look."

"Who were Ruby's other designees?" Logan asked.

"That's confidential information," Ratner said. "Unless she left a list in the box. That happens sometimes."

"That could be interesting," Veronica mused. "Set it up so one of your friends finds the key, gets directed here, and then part of what you leave for them is instructions on how to set up the next person. A post-mortem scavenger hunt. That sounds fun."

"Oh, God, no," Logan groaned, and Ratner laughed.

"Only you would think scavenging after death would be fun, Mars. Give Admiral Moneybags here a break and just leave a will like a normal person."

"Boring," Veronica singsonged, then made a shooing motion. "Go on, Ratner, get out. We've got some post-mortem scavenging to do."

Ratner scoffed and moved to the door. "Happy hunting," he said and slipped out of the room.

"Okay, now, let's see what Ruby left us." Veronica pulled the key back out of her pocket and inserted it in the lock.

"Please tell me you're not going to do anything like that," Logan said. "Send us off on some crazed hunt after-death."

"Nah," she answered as she turned the key. "You guys won't appreciate it enough to make my effort worthwhile."  She tried to raise the lid, but it stuck, and she pushed the box toward Logan to let him fight with it. "You know, really, you guys should all be doing that for me. I'm the only one who would enjoy it."

"I'll take that under advisement," Logan said, as he found the extra latch on the back of the box and released it, then pushed the box back toward Veronica. "Okay, you ready for the results of Ruby's scavenger hunt? Hopefully, this gives us what we need to figure this out."

"Cross your fingers," Veronica answered, and she opened the box