#Originally I wasn't going to have this part

[thefirstknife]

I accidentally checked an item on Ishtar that isn't available yet because I wasn't sure what is and what isn't and luckily for me it's not lore with any spoilers about the plot which is why I'm going to show it because I will never recover emotionally or physically from this. Because I've spent years wishing for this interaction to happen. Literally personally wrote it as well, that's how much I wanted this to happen. And now it did.

Afterlight

Again I don't know when this will be available in-game, most likely act 2 or maybe 3. But I am in complete shambles. Peach has been such a niche little lore-only Ghost character and then they slowly mentioned her a few more times leading up to TFS and in TFS and now this. And in her original lore, she was such a cool presence and made a reference to how she should do what Sagira did and steal someone's Guardian, so after Immolant I became utterly obsessed with the idea that she should meet up with Osiris and become his Ghost. Or at least his buddy. Because she's so similar.

And well.

*bursts into tears*

Also all the little details.

"Best part of having been inside the Traveler? I've got an argument to win."

Referring to the original lore where she had an argument with another Ghost about the nature of the Traveler.

Osiris learning stasis as well as strand. Her showing up on his shoulder. His "You're not-" (Sagira) (I'm on the floor).

"This is the start of something beautiful." PLEASE.

[eclipseberrycake]

Satisfied (Onesided! Ginger x Reader x Cosmo)

AN: If y'all know Hamilton, y'all know. Now I know, I have requests and the next part of MBC promised (which is almost done and I'm so excited to show you guys), but I was struck with a thought in my headache riddled brain which was scattered all sorts. And it's my Blog so. >:D sucks to be y'all. /lh Also sorry for being gone for son long, I re-dislocated by knee and that was no bueno </3

This is the MBC! Reader, but I don't really emphasis on Sprout and Astro in this, so I just put it as Cosmo.

Lil bit of a songfic, but it's mostly just inspired by it.

Warnings: One-sided/unreciprocated affections, Ginger gets sad. Maybe her mains shouldn't pmo next time.

☁ Being a holiday toon had both it's pros and cons.

☁ On one hand, she loves seeing all the children and their excited little faces as they scamper about, smiles brightened by the cheer of the season. There's always a semi-permanent smell of cinnamon and pine in the air, lingering and almost tangible on the tongue.

☁ She gets to spend her days baking and enjoying life with the other toons, talking to them about their holiday wishes and going on runs with them. Those were her favorite moments, by far, were seeing all the other toons in action, playing a part that was so well rehearsed to them it was practically muscle memory.

☁ And, she got to see you. You were a distractor, a damn good one at that, and she found herself drawing towards you more and more.

☁The first time she met you was pre-outbreak. Her and the other holiday toons were just created for Gardenview's first holiday season, and some of the other commons were tasked with getting them acquainted. While originally she suspected she would be paired with Cosmo, as she was his cousin, she was pleasantly surprised when you popped up.

☁ You gave her a cheerful little wave as your entire body seemed to bounce with joy, never staying still as you introduced yourself. You offered a hand for her to shake, she remembers, your hold firm and confident. She remembers thinking in that very moment how your iris' reflected the light like stained glass. You were still talking, she remembers, but not about what. Just the sound of your voice.

☁ You spoke with vigor. Bold and bright, intelligent about whatever you were going on about. She liked that. She wasn't very bold herself, admittedly, it was a family trait, so to see you so exuberant made her chest burn.

☁ You were almost like a phoenix. One of those fire birds the children would tell her about. They were in stories and were known for their bright flames. There were more to them, but she couldn't quite recall, all she knew was that, like a phoenix, you burned like a star, calling her attention as if she were a moth.

☁ You led her around the kitchen areas, where she was able to spot Cosmo, waving at him. While he did acknowledge her with a bright grin and tight hug, she knew his eyes were focused somewhere else.

☁ She tried not to think about it, but ultimately it was all she could focus on. You welcomed your own warm greeting with Cosmo, making his cheeks dust a rosy orange as he wrapped his arms around you, his tail wagging in a blur behind him as he nuzzled into your neck.

☁ He looked at you like you were not only a star, but the moon, sun and planets all in one. Like you were a sight far beyond his own comprehension that he was merely lucky enough to see.

☁ Like he was simply a man in love, seeing the very object of his adoration.

☁ The thought stung in her chest. Cosmo, oh sweet Cosmo, was such a lover at heart. She knew this. He would give and give until he couldn't any longer, then would try to give more. She knew, if she had made her adorations of you known, he would've backed off. He would've encouraged her to get to know you. He would've done everything in his power to help her shine bright enough to match you.

☁ But she couldn't do that to him. Not when he looked so smitten, so...in love.

☁ That would be cruel.

☁ Though she supposed it was as equally cruel to force herself to admire you from a distance, watch as your flame burned with you, yearning just to feel the heat. She just wanted to know what it was like to hold your hand and twirl away to Christmas songs like Tisha did. Or to feel your hands wrap around her waist to boost her to the higher branches like you did with Scraps. Or even just for you to sit beside her with a cup of hot chocolate and cookies like you did with Goob.

☁ She wanted all those things and more. She wanted to know what your early morning voice sounded like, still heavy with sleep as you fought off the pull of your exhaustion once more. She wanted to know what it was like to feel you crawl into bed and collapse under the covers, whining for cuddles because you've had such a long day. She wanted to wake up and see the rays of sun cross your face as you continue to snooze, unaware and unrushed by the events of the day.

☁ She wanted. It burned in her chest so tightly it hurt, brushing against her ribs and pulling every time she caught a glimpse of your smile. The sound of your laughter made her stomach churn, knowing it wasn't because of her. Even the way you walked had her captivated, from the way your feet hit the ground, turning as you adjusted to upkeep conversation, seamlessly moving like a dancer.

☁ Just once she wanted you to dance around her, smiling like she was the same sun in your sky that you were in hers. Laughing at her jokes and spilling compliments unto her, holding her hand and kissing her cheek.

☁ Just the thought of it makes her cheeks burn before she's shaking the thought away.

☁ The shake of her head knocks whatever flashback she was reminiscing about loose, and she's back in med-bay, shoulders hunched as she fiddles with her blanket.

☁ It was a hard night, she remembers, a constant switch between throwing up whatever she could and clutching at her aching head. Cosmo was there, supporting her wherever she could, but to her surprise, you were there too. You were constantly moving from the med-bay, to wherever, returning to pass Cosmo something before dashing off again.

☁ It's a soft comfort, knowing you're there, and you're okay. She feared what had happened to you during the outbreak, but was caught where she was and left with the consequences.

☁ Cosmo had told her that you were the one to rescue her, briefly explaining the entire situation. You had risked your own life to save her own, and her chest ached at the thought.

☁ To see you once more was a dream come true, but to know you had done that all for her was....exhilarating.

☁ Cosmo was mid-explanation of her injuries when you made a return for longer than a second, looking exhausted, but still upright. You perked up when you noticed her gaze on you, giving a happy little wave. "Ginger! Good to see you awake! I hope the nurse hasn't been giving you a hard time." You joke, circling around behind Cosmo even as he shoots you a look.

☁ "Bite me." The cake rolls huffs, making you snicker as you angle your head to flutter your lashes at him. "I already diiiid." You laugh even as he swats at you.

☁ Ginger giggles at your antics, loving the mischievous smirk on your features even if Cosmo looks less then impressed by your antics. You settle quickly, diverting your attention to her with a far softer smile on your features. "How are you feeling?"

☁ "Okay." She responds, already feeling that familiar flutter return to her chest. You nod at this, perching yourself at the end of her bed as one of your hands gently sets itself on her leg. The very action makes her nervous system shudder, cheeks turning a softs pink as she pulls her hair over her shoulder to play with it.

☁ "I'm glad." You breathe out and the very noise you makes as you lean back, running a hand over your forehead and down the back of your head. The relief makes your shoulders sag, the evident (In hindsight) ease in tension relaxing the muscles in your face. You look older like this, more experienced, even if your youth peaks through in hints she knows to look for.

☁ It's in the same shine of your eyes, even as they haze a bit, unfocused but sharp nonetheless. Trained to pinpoint the slightest bits of movement, yet eased enough now they only look at Cosmo. She can watch in real time as the color of your eyes fills itself with something new. It's hearty and bright, nearly making your eyes gleam like an angel's. She knows what it is, and what hurts more is that there's something else there. There's a comfort there that's unique to you and him. Something that's always been there, and she's either remained ignorant or blissfully unaware of how to notice it.

☁ She can see it all now though. Much more clearly than she ever has before.

☁ It's comfort in the love you've found with Cosmo. It's the nervous butterflies of crushes and fresh romance that have settled and instead evolved into a home of reliability and adoration. It's the swell of your heart at the very sound of his name and the sight of him in any capacity, easing off the immediate jittery reaction into a softer, welcoming one that she's sure eases you more than anything else. It's the evolution of shy touches and evading eyes once they've been caught looking into lingering glances with cheeky quips and hands finding purchase in places they've traced a thousand times.

☁ There's other places she can see how young you look, especially in this light. It's in the way your fur falls, untamed and wild, windblown from the running, jumping and dodging you've done as a distractor. It's in your hands that carry a mass of scars. but no wrinkles. That are rough and calloused, but not worn and rigid. It's in your posture that slumps with fatigue and the weight of your responsibilities, not years of experience.

☁ Swallowing, she allows herself the one bit of comfort as she reaches and grabs your hand. It's not warm like she imagined, rather cool and clammy. You must clench your fists when you run and it must've cooled your palm since then.

☁ She gently drags the pads of her fingers along the lines of your palm before gently clasping your hand in her two. "Thank you. For what you've done."

☁ You blink at this and the tension returns, making her inwardly frown. But all you do is smile, that same, gentle and understanding twitch of your lips even as you avoiding look at her. No, you're looking at Cosmo.

☁ "No one really thanks me." You start, looking down at your lap for a second before returning to look at Cosmo. His own eyes are filled with the same look yours are and one of his hands find itself on your thigh. His knuckles flex as he gives it a gentle squeeze, as if urging you to continue. "So, thank you. But I truly don't think I'm worthy of it." Your lips upturn into a mischievous little thing. "Not if Sprout has anything to say about it."

☁ Cosmo scoffs. "With the amount of stress you bring to his life, I don't blame him." Her cousin shakes his head. "But. Ginger's right. You do deserve to be thanked."

☁ You don't look like you believe them, but let the subject drop with a optimistic little huff. "Well, if distracting is what it takes to meet some of the best people in my life," You pause and Ginger's heart practically shatters as your eyes immediately turn to Cosmo. He's already watching you and look that feels too intimate for her to witness laces his features. "It would have been worth it."

☁ The remnants of her chest collect into a dusted fragment that holds some sort of semblance to what it was before only to absolutely shutter and collapse once more as you shake off and stand, clapping your hands. She misses the feel of your touch and the warmth you provided simply by being there. It's momentarily made worse by the fact that you turn so Cosmo is in your immediate vicinity first, rather than turn to her first, even if you end up facing them both.

☁ "I have to get going. Sprout caught me on my last little run to get supplies and made me promise to get something to eat or else he would, and I quote, 'drag my sorry ass to the kitchen'." You shrug at this, even if Ginger has to hide a giggle behind a hand. Cosmo waves you off with a roll of his eyes. "Sure, sure, blame it on the warden. Maybe your just sick of my company."

☁ You fake an affronted gasp, holding a hand to your chest even as your lips tilt into a smirk far too charming to mean you took any real offense. "Me? Tire of you? Puh-lease." You lean down, gently cupping Cosmo's cheek before pressing a soft kiss to his lips.

☁ The simple action softens her cousin by a rather drastic degree, making his shoulders fall and his tail wag. She has to look away from the act for just a second, looking back before either of you can notice.

☁ You separate with a wave and promises of seeing Cosmo during bedtime, giving a final well wishes to Ginger before leaving. You were out of sight before long and Ginger swallowed the suddenly thick lump in her throat.

☁ Looking over, she watched Cosmo, who was looking at where you left with the same lovesick grin he used to wear pre-outbreak. It was just as dazed and awestruck as it was then, even if it's tampered by the familiarity of knowing you and your isms' and your little habits. She's sure Cosmo has become more than well-acquainted with you and who you are, your character and your person. She's sure he's even been witness to your very spirit and soul in the early cracks of down, bearing witness to your freshly awoken mind as you lace nothing but sweet nothings about and to him within the early air between you two.

☁ "You look happy." She says, despite herself. It seems to stun her cousin as he blinks before turning to her, all rosy cheeks and wagging tail as he holds the palm of his hand to his cheek, probably feeling the heat there.

☁ "I am." He breathes out. "They- All of them just..." He seemingly can't find the words, kicking his feet just a bit. "They make me want to be a better person. I just- I can't explain it."

☁ She could. She could explain all too well how she wants nothing more than to be the person you think of her as. To improve herself so that she may one day hold even a candle to the image you have of her and hopefully repay all the kindness you have ever shown. To be the person she wishes to be if only to ease your own burdens and the responsibilities you've placed on your own shoulders, just to see the beam of your smile once more.

☁ She wonders how things may have changed if she had been selfish, just once. How it could've been her, holding your hand and sharing a bed with you. How it could've been her that you look at like no one else is in the room. It could've been her that shares inside jokes and small little bouts of laughter with you. It should've been her.

☁ A flicker of a thought passes that it still could be her, but as she looks at Cosmo, it immediately wilts. She could never take that away from him, not even in a fantastical thought that blisters and pops the seconds its prodded.

☁ "You don't need too, it's written all over your face." She gently teases, and he rolls his eyes. He swats at her prodding hand, scoffing just a bit.

☁ "Oh stuff it." He scoffs, sliding off the bed. "I'm gonna go get you something to eat. You want a book or anything while I'm gone?" He looks back and she shakes her head.

☁ He takes this for what it is before leaving, shutting the door behind him and leaving her to her thoughts. Before she can stop them, they wander straight back to you, despite every effort she tries to make to remind herself that your not hers to think about. She buries her head in her knees and clenches her fist, if only to numb herself from the reminder of feeling your touch against her hand.

☁ On the other side of the door, Cosmo stares at the plain white of it before retracting his hand with a sigh. He'd recognized the look on Ginger's face, having seen it a few too many times on Goob's, and his chest aches at the thought of putting his own cousin through the heartbreak of rejection. Yet, he can't bring himself to mend this injury. Not at the expense of himself. He'd spent too much of himself on others too constantly. You were his one reprieve from a lifetime of consistent giving. He wasn't sure what else he could give.

☁ If there was one thing he would never dream of even thinking of giving up was his chance with you. He had worked too hard and given up too much of himself, his well-being, even his own sanity in the face of those twisteds. You and him and Sprout and Astro had worked too hard for far too long for anything to break that up.

☁ So while he wishes for his cousin to continue healing and her utmost happiness, he doesn't wish for it enough to give up you.

[thesweetnessofspring]

Mutual you know I love you and respect your opinions but I just CANNOT get behind you hating on Katniss being related to the covey 😭 what did she do to you????❗️

Look I totally get not wanting everything to be interconnected and like "fate" and stuff because part of the value of THG is that there's no chosen one. So like I understand and appreciate and enjoy that reading of it

But I don't think Katniss being covey ruins that? I think it's more to show the same group of people being routinely oppressed over and over again. Not to mention 12 is a small district, so I guess it just doesn't bother me so much. But I'd love to hear more of your opinion

I don't like it because:

There are NO INDICATIONS of Katniss being Covey from the original trilogy. Maude Ivory and Katniss both being quick to learn new music was put in during TBOSAS, but other than the songs, there is no other definite evidence of the Covey even existing. And because Katniss seemingly knows nothing about the Covey, I genuinely hate the idea that a Covey-Mr. Everdeen never shared his culture with her, other than songs, which don't necessarily have to be limited to the Covey's culture anyway. And before anyone mentions the lake or woods, TBOSAS says other people went there too, Francis is the one who made the movie say only the Covey knew about it but that's not canon. There is a fiddle player from 12 in MJ, so if he were Covey, where are Mr. Everdeen's instruments? Where is a hint of a Covey name for Katniss or Prim (like maybe just a ballad or just a color, something inconspicuous but important)? I can accept a culture being snuffed out/going way underground in 12 without Katniss knowing about it and thus we only get the smallest clues about its existence, but I can't accept that her father was part of that culture and didn't share it with his kids or even leave any clear indication it was part of him. Especially when he works such a dangerous job and his death could mean all memory and knowledge of his people might disappear. And I mean, he was willing to sing The Hanging Tree so it's not like he wasn't willing to risk giving his children forbidden knowledge.

As you mentioned, the whole "fate" thing. Lucy Gray was rigged to be reaped, but Prim was random chance. It shows you can do everything "right" (i.e. not be made a target by the Capitol, not take out tessarae, be the youngest age with the least amount of slips) and random odds don't care. You can be reaped. I see Katniss being Covey making the "it was rigged for Prim to be reaped" theories happen all over again, like Snow knew and wanted to kill off the Everdeen line. Now, in TUC, Suzanne plays with the idea of if something is fate or our own choices, so I can see a similar theme play out in the background here if a reader chooses to explore it. Was there some kind of fate that Lucy Gray used to bring about Katniss and Peeta going into the Games together? But I don't like the idea of it being a bloodline thing. I'd rather it be from Katniss's merit, like Lucy Gray's ghost observed her in the woods and chose her to be the Mockingjay and knew that Peeta would be the one to get her there as he is Snow's foil.

A non-Covey Katniss still shows that the same people are oppressed over and over. D12 is as a whole, even the merchants, though they certainly benefit from certain privileges those in the Seam don't have. But Katniss, who is Seam, is incredibly oppressed as well, as have the generations before her. And again, saying that Prim being reaped and Katniss going into the Games shows that one group (the Covey) is a more oppressed group supports the "Prim's reaping was rigged" theory that is such bullshit.

I don't see anything being gained in terms of the themes. Katniss may be a "chosen one" in a sense, but she was a girl who loved her sister, and Rue, and Peeta, and got caught up in being the Mockingjay. Making her Covey turns her into a traditional "chosen one" and it just does not jive with the theme of THG or Katniss's character at all. If the Capitol is built on the same 15 families having power, then why would that be replicated in the rebellion with the Covey being the "chosen ones" to bring down Snow? As if because Lucy Gray was betrayed by Coriolanus, those of her people are the ones who must take him down as well. Not because Katniss and the districts have been oppressed and so it's something she feels bound to do as a duty to the people, as she realizes in MJ. Katniss was used by some of those powerful families, but she wasn't powerful in that way. Making her Covey gives her extra mythology that goes against this idea and makes her "special" even if she wasn't special until that Reaping Day.

The fact that the district is small is why I'm not bothered by Haymitch and Mrs. Everdeen having some kind of history (it's there in CF, so it is an original part of the story) or even if Mr. Everdeen makes an appearance! I'm from a big city but it's wild hearing how some of the older generations in my circle are connected and now that I'm an adult, knowing about the relationships and drama that happened to my older siblings' cohort (especially as their kids are now becoming teens and learning some of that history). Life does connect in interesting ways! My personal favorite theory is that Mr. Everdeen hung around the Covey and learned music from them (maybe Haymitch was even a little intimidated thinking Lenore Dove would prefer Mr. Everdeen to him?) but making Mr. Everdeen's connection a family connection (blood or adopted) really sinks the themes of the original and Katniss's role.

[0aurelion-sol0]

My Arcane Season 2 criticisms:

Things I actually disliked:

How the Hextech plot turned out, I though it was very badly executed especially in terms of Viktor's evolution through the whole show. Lack of proper explanation about what was actually happening, unnecessary and horribly executed twist at the end, clumsy established rules and dissapointing payoff for anyone involved in this plotline. Final battle was cool and I like the Commune's designs but dear god, was this storyline confusing...

Ekko's community plus the tree's state at the end of the show. You really couldn't put a 15 seconds shot of the community being well and tree being ok ?! Seriously I know you had to make choices given it's animation but come on now... It was like one of the main driving points to stop Hextech for him & one of the safe haven of Zaun & Piltover and it's completely shoved to the side but no, we have to see minutes of Loris, Steb and Sky being there just being a representation of our characters' inner conflicts as if them doing it and/or saying it out loud wasn't enough...

Ekko convincing Jinx to not kill herself by telling her what he experienced, Jinx rallying the undercity to protect Piltover & Zaun from Noxus & Viktor and a proper conclusion to Sevika's story regarding all of this. WHAT THE HELL ?! We needed to see this, this is so important & it's completely ignored. IN WHAT world, did anyone think cutting this was a good idea ?! We needed to get a proper closure & development about Ekko & Jinx's relationship which was already thin to begin with. We needed to see Sevika affirm what she truly thought about Jinx and a moment about Isha regarding the two of them even if Sevika wasn't super close to the kid, we needed to see Sevika get to see the Undercity finally rallied together after spending the ENTIRETY of the show trying to do that and see how that whole thing came about for them to fight with Piltover. It is ridiculous to that me that this was cut... It was so important!

Things I didn't necessarily dislike but I have mixed feelings about:

Jayce not getting a single scene with his mom. I know she was there at the end, in the crowd, mourning him but come on, not even one scene with her before the end where she could allow him a form of reflection and comfort before putting his life in danger or after, I don't know... DISSAPEARING FOR WEEKS IF NOT MONTHS! I know you could interpret it as Jayce being so lost on his mission that he forgets about her and her importance but she was one of the reasons they ended up in Piltover in the first place. It's of course not as vital to the story but it could have provided some breathing in this fast-paced season.

Vi's character arc this season. While there are some part that I like, I feel like it wasn't explored as deeply & as fully as it could have been. The foundations are there but aspects like her relationship with Vander, violence and Zaun could have been pushed far more than they were in this season.

Caitlyn's arc and how the most important bit happened off-screen, again, just like with Vi, the parts it would have been better to see or being more developped weren't as much as they could've been. I am not of the conclusion she didn't face any consequences or was let go by the narrative of the things she did. But her coming to terms with her actions happened mostly off-screen and that is a shame because it was one of the more interesting parts of Season 2.

Singed's characterization. Now I understand why he was developed the way he is, in terms of what he represents for Caitlyn and for the show, but I don't think it was as compelling to me to have him be yet another parallel for the themes of the show or being a reminder of them was completely necessary for me. We got it the other times, I understand why, it had it's purpose; I just prefer how evil Singed was in the original lore & the story he had back then. I understand humanizing antagonists & reinforcing the theme of your story but sometimes it's nice having an element that's a bit of an outlier and explore other themes to give some variety to the story.

[hopelesslyprosaic]

I feel like The Six Napoleons is one of the best Granada episodes, and part of why is, of course, That Scene.

By which of course I mean this one:

All genius, but of course, even more specifically, the bit starting at about 5:52. You know the scene I mean, and if you don't by all means watch it!

Honestly, it's an in-a-nutshell demonstration of the greatness of both canon and the Granada adaptation.

Here's the scene from the book:

“Well,” said Lestrade, “I’ve seen you handle a good many cases, Mr. Holmes, but I don’t know that I ever knew a more workmanlike one than that. We’re not jealous of you at Scotland Yard. No, sir, we are very proud of you, and if you come down to-morrow there’s not a man, from the oldest inspector to the youngest constable, who wouldn’t be glad to shake you by the hand.” “Thank you!” said Holmes. “Thank you!” and as he turned away it seemed to me that he was more nearly moved by the softer human emotions than I had ever seen him. A moment later he was the cold and practical thinker once more. “Put the pearl in the safe, Watson,” said he, “and get out the papers of the Conk-Singleton forgery case. Goodbye, Lestrade. If any little problem comes your way I shall be happy, if I can, to give you a hint or two as to its solution.”

And here's the dialogue from the show:

Lestrade: I’ve seen you handle a good many cases in my time, but I don’t know that I ever knew a more workmanlike one than this. We’re not jealous of you, you know, at Scotland Yard. No, sir, we are proud of you, and if you come down to-morrow there’s not a man, from the oldest inspector to the youngest constable, who wouldn’t be glad to shake you by the hand. Holmes: Thank you! Thank you! Would you get down the Conk-Singleton forgery case please, Watson? Goodbye, Lestrade. If any little problem comes your way I shall be happy, if I can, to give you a hint or two as to its solution.

Not many differences! ACD knew what he was doing- he knew how to write a good yarn, he knew how to write good characters, and he knew how to write a good interaction. Granada wasn't filmed in canon order, so we don't get to see the progression of Holmes's relationship with Lestrade per se, but after a number of excellent, more "foiled again!" type Holmes-Lestrade interactions since A Study in Scarlet, ACD decided to do something cool and different here and pulled it off beautifully.

And when the director and writer of this Granada episode put this one together, they decided that the relationship between Holmes and Lestrade should be a focal point in this episode, and not only did they barely need to change a dang thing in the ending to do it, what small things they did change were all beautifully in the service of the tone of the original ending, taking advantage of the brilliant material they had to work with. I was just relistening to the excellent episode of the Jeremy Brett Sherlock Holmes Podcast discussing The Six Napoleons, and one of them points out that one of the few text changes is removing the word "very"- going from "we are very proud of you" to "we are proud of you." And it works so well- it accentuates the contrast with the previous suggested notion that they would otherwise be jealous, between what Holmes might have expected to hear (and, indeed, perhaps expected to WANT to hear) and the actuality, and how much more meaningful it turns out that is to Holmes.

The creators here- and I of course include the actors, as both Colin Jeavons and Jeremy Brett act the fuck out of this- are so smart with how they pull this off. They know that what they have on the page is gold, but they also know how they can buff it up for a stronger shine. They know that Brett will absolutely eat up all of ACD's stage directions about his response, he knows the character inside and out at this stage, so let's keep the scene the way it is and, instead, build the rest of the episode around setting up this scene in such a way that it will have maximum impact as written.

There is one thing that is added- and that's the handshake at the end, that Holmes offers to Lestrade. We don't know what happens after Holmes's final words in the story, but in the episode, the physical acting continues telling the story only implied in the text of the short story- Lestrade is a bit thrown by Holmes's reversion back to his old, casually cutting self, but rolls with it, only for Holmes to extend his hand to him. Lestrade seems, even, slightly surprised- this is, perhaps, Holmes's rare gesture of pride in him.

[hrizantemy]

I was searching for quotes to talk about something else, and while I was searching, I found this, and now I wanna rant cause it pisses me off.

“There were only a few blocks in the city like that. When I’d asked Rhys about them, about why they had not been improved, he merely said that he had tried. But displacing people while their homes were torn down and rebuilt … Tricky.” (Chapter 4 of ACOFAS)

So... Rhys was aware that people, other than Nesta, lived in the same apartment complex as her. He also understood that it was tricky to renovate, much less tear down, an entire apartment building that people lived in, even to improve it. Yet, it became no problem when he needed to punish Nesta.

He set his plan into motion the day before the intervention, meaning the residents got a one day notice that their home was being torn down. More over, there's no indication that he found them somewhere else to stay, or if it would be acceptable to them. I mean, with a day's notice, they don't really have a choice, do they? It's that or the streets.

On top of that, he didn't even rebuild or renovate them for the original tenants to move back into. It was a shelter for those displaced by the war, which is all well and good, but where have those people been in the last year, while Feysand built their fifth mansion? In the teaser at the end of ACOFAS, Cassian is about to knock on Nesta's door, and as he does, he acknowledged that both the town house and house of wind are empty, because they all stay at the river house, so it wasn't either of those places, even though the citizens, seemed to be able to come and go from there freely.

“As High Lady, I hosted weekly open audiences with Rhys at the House of Wind.” (ACOFAS Chapter 4)

If I remember right, the go there for star fall too, so clearly there isn't an issue with people coming and going. Was there some secret exit Nesta was never told about? How do people not find the entire thing suspicious?

And let’s not forget—the entire intervention was planned behind Nesta’s back. She had no warning, no say, and no chance to prepare. Rhys had already decided the day before that she was losing her home, meaning that no matter what Nesta said or did in that room, the outcome was set. This wasn’t an intervention; it was an ambush. They gave her an illusion of choice while making it clear there was only one “acceptable” answer: obey or be cast out. And worse? The others just stood by and let it happen.

Feyre, who should have understood what it felt like to be powerless, didn’t hesitate to use her High Lady title to force Nesta’s compliance. Cassian, who knew how much Nesta hated the House of Wind, didn’t argue against her being trapped there. Amren, who claimed to be Nesta’s friend, mocked her in front of everyone and stood with them instead. And Rhys? Rhys acted like he was being merciful, like this wasn’t about control, as if tearing down an entire apartment complex overnight wasn’t an extreme punishment over drinking and meaningless hookups.

And let’s talk about the hypocrisy of the Inner Circle’s “concern.” They spent months watching Nesta spiral, judging her from a distance, but did any of them try a real, genuine conversation with her? Did anyone sit her down before this and ask her what she needed? Offer her options that weren’t just “get better on our terms or be exiled”? No. Because it was never about Nesta’s well-being. If it were, they wouldn’t have waited until they were personally inconvenienced to act. They wouldn’t have forced her into a place they knew she’d feel like a prisoner. They wouldn’t have ripped her home away from her overnight without a second thought for the people who lived there.

The worst part? Rhysand frames it like this was some great kindness, like they saved Nesta from herself. But you don’t save someone by taking away their choices. You don’t save someone by punishing them for grieving the wrong way. You don’t save someone by isolating them under the guise of help. What Rhys did wasn’t help—it was control wrapped in the pretty lie of “what’s best for her.” And the fact that nobody in the Inner Circle questioned it? That just makes it even worse.

What makes it even more infuriating is how Rhys gets to play the benevolent ruler while doing the exact same things he would never let another High Lord get away with. If Tamlin had done something like this—had forcibly removed a vulnerable person from their home under the guise of “helping” them—everyone would be up in arms about how controlling and abusive it was. But because it’s Rhysand, the so-called progressive, feminist ruler, it’s somehow acceptable? It’s somehow for Nesta’s own good?

This wasn’t just about Nesta—it was a show of power. It was Rhys reminding everyone that he had control over them, that their homes, their choices, their lives were ultimately in his hands. If he could do this to Nesta, Feyre’s own sister, then what chance did any regular citizen of Velaris have? He made a conscious choice to tear down that apartment complex overnight, without warning, to send a message. Nesta wasn’t just being punished—she was being humiliated, made an example of, and the collateral damage? The people who also lived there? They were just an afterthought.

If this shelter was so important, why wasn’t it prioritized before? Why wasn’t it part of the many rebuilding efforts after the war? Why did it only become urgent when it gave them an excuse to strip Nesta of her independence? They had the time, the money, and the resources to build an entire mansion for Rhys and Feyre, but they couldn’t be bothered to create a shelter for displaced citizens until it served their agenda? It just proves that this was never about doing what was right—it was about controlling Nesta under the guise of righteousness.

They gaslight her into thinking this was all her fault. That if she had just behaved the way they wanted, if she had just healed the way they deemed acceptable, none of this would have happened. They make her feel like the problem, when in reality, she was a grieving, traumatized woman who needed support, not exile disguised as an intervention. But no, instead of meeting her with real compassion, they met her with control, force, and punishment. And somehow, Nesta is the villain? Absolutely not.

They rip away her autonomy, humiliate her, isolate her in the House of Wind, and then act like she should thank them for “saving” her. But saving someone means meeting them where they are, not dragging them somewhere they don’t want to be and forcing them into a version of healing that only benefits you. And let’s be real—their idea of “healing” was never about what Nesta needed. It was about making her palatable to them, easier to deal with, more like who they wanted her to be.

And what really gets me? The double standards. Rhysand and Cassian both use drinking and sex as coping mechanisms, but when Nesta does it? Suddenly, it’s a problem. Suddenly, it’s out of control and dangerous. Cassian drinks just as much, but nobody’s forcing him into an intervention. Rhysand literally spent years letting his trauma dictate his choices, but Nesta doesn’t get that same space to process? Instead, she gets punished for grieving the wrong way.

Let’s talk about how the Inner Circle treats Nesta’s trauma like it’s something she owes them to fix. Like she should be getting better on their timeline and in a way that makes them comfortable. But what did they ever do to actually help her before this? Feyre never once genuinely tried to reach Nesta without judgment. Cassian would show up to her apartment when it suited him, but did he ever try to truly understand why she was pushing everyone away? Amren, who Nesta thought was her friend, turned on her the moment she didn’t act how Amren wanted. And Rhys? Rhys had been looking for an excuse to control Nesta from the moment she refused to bow to him.

What’s even more disgusting is how they used Feyre’s pregnancy as a weapon against Nesta. As if Nesta, the same person who risked her life to save Feyre twice, would ever wish harm on her or her child. They act like she’s a danger, like she’s this uncontrollable force, when in reality, they just couldn’t stand that she wouldn’t submit to their version of what a “healed” Nesta should look like.

The truth is, they didn’t want Nesta to heal—they wanted her to conform. They wanted her to stop being difficult, stop reminding them of their own failures, and stop making them uncomfortable. And that’s not love. That’s not care. That’s control. They acted like she was choosing to self-destruct, like she was deliberately making their lives harder, when in reality, she was just drowning and no one threw her a lifeline until it became inconvenient for them. Where was this intervention months ago, when she was spiraling? Where was this support before they decided she was an embarrassment? They didn’t help her because they cared—they helped her because they were tired of dealing with her.

Rhysand’s entire inner circle is made up of people who have coped with their trauma in violent and self-destructive ways, but only Nesta gets treated like a threat. And the fact that they expect her to be grateful? To look back and thank them for tearing apart her life, forcing her into isolation, and treating her like a burden?

[ai-art-thieves]

they're calling us ableist for pointing out ai art XD

Ok. Let me understand what's going on here

You try to alert someone about this, but it didn't go too well and now rjalker is demanding for a witchhunt for anyone that goes against crippled-peeper.

And I thought shit like this only happens on twitter....

Might as well clear my name and debunk the claims present here.

To clarify, transmisic is not a misspelling of transmisogynic. It is another word for "transphobic".

First of all, I had never interacted with crippled-peeper before I got the tip from anon. At all.

I never even heard of that user before in my life.

I probably bet that the users that rjalker claim to be ableist or transmisic have never heard of or interacted with crippled-peeper either.

Next point:

Let me answer rjalker's question with a question. Have you ever seen JPEG artifacts before?

And, more specifically, do you know the difference between ai pixel art and regular pixel art?

The fact that it don't show evidence/proof that the icon is not ai generated and shows examples of jpeg artifacting clearly shows that its post is a reactionary response. (I know this sentence structure sounds kind of weird, but I'm trying my best with the pronouns that I have been provided.)

Luckily, I can debunk that claim right away because I am quite familiar with pixel art myself.

I have done my fair share of sprite edits.

And before this user claims that I'm stealing another person's art, no. I am not. My main account is @magicalmysteryperson, and here is the proof.

Here's links to the pieces as well.

Now, with that out of the way, allow me to prove why rjalker's claims make no sense.

By redrawing the image from scratch. Here's the image.

here's the original, for reference

Already something is amiss.

There are a whole bunch of varying line weights and splotches that are considered by most sprite artists as serious faux pas.

Some parts of the image are blending with each other.

The gradients with both the floor and the wall are way too smooth for an image like this.

And the small leaves on the soil are an extremely big give away that the image was ai generated.

I am not demonizing the person for ai generating their icon.

Yes, ai art is bad, but some people do use it, even disabled artists.

I'm not going to demonize someone just because they play with that tool.

It's the dishonesty that is the main issue here.

Remember: their story behind this icon was that they made it over three years ago.

And their stance on AI on September 25th, 2024:

However, the claim that they made the image over three years ago is put into question when in 2021, 2022, and 2023, they had various other icons... as well as using ai art constantly.

The images in the latter two screenshots have not been archived by the wayback machine, and these posts have been scrubbed by the user. Again, everything prior to 2023 is scrubbed from the account.

I will also do what rjalker did and provide wayback machine links. here, and here, and here, and especially here.

Now, let's tackle the second claim: "It's JPEG compression".

Here's both the png and the jpeg files of the plant I drew.

Note that with the jpeg compression, you can also see that even though the image looks softer, there is still a form of pixelation. It's still made up of little squares, not rounded splotches.

You can simply look up "compression artifacts" and find that what's going on in crippled-peeper's image is not the result of jpeg compression artifacting.

If you want to see what my image looks like in a bigger form, here you go.

I have also did numerous forms of jpeg compression to see if I could replicate what crippled-peeper did.

I wasn't able to.

I just got more cronch and more pixels.

And before rjalker claims that the icon was an ai upscale of a jpeg...

I upscaled my own images on various sites to check if that claim even had any legs to stand on.

While some of the effects were present, it wasn't enough for me to replicate what crippled-peeper did unless I made the same thing with an ai image generator.

Until crippled-peeper has proof that the image was made over three years ago and made on a tablet in the hospital, the allegations presented here stand.

And please, do not harass rjalker.

I get that it made a post that, while it had the best intentions, was poorly researched and reactionary.

But I don't want that post to ruin its life.

I want that post to be used as a teachable moment.

To think before you type or post.

Don't let your gut control you. Just stop and think.

You don't want to post a call out post that completely backfires and hits you instead.

[summerwriting]

banner belongs to @dollywons

Author's note: i am probably going to make a part two or turn this into a little series. Also head Canon readers colour is pastel blue. Also sorry about spelling mistakes if there is any, I'm dyslexic. i am also taking requests if you're interested check out arcane writing requests

A OLD FRIEND

You worked yourself through most of your nights, and they were normally quiet and consisted of the same repetitive activities. Serves a drunk dude kicks him out serves a drunk dude gets hit on kicks him out serves a another stupid fucking drunk dude and kicks him out again. Ok so Maybe they Weren't quiet, but it was a normal Night for you. What you were not expecting to happen on your Regular Saturday night shift was an old Friend that you thought was dead walking into the bar.

“I'll get a beer” is the first thing she said to you. She definitely Didn't recognise you. That's for sure  oh boy you were going to have fun that Night.

“Coming up, vi” you snickered, shaking your head.

“How do yo– oh haha very funny, don't you Dare say it's written on my face” Vi snapped at you.

“Well it is, but would you prefer me call you Violet, Violet” you say leaning on the Counter. There was a smirk on your face 

“Im sorry what who the fuck are you and why the fuck do you know my name and i mean my full name” she got Defensive real fast wich made you Laugh and roll your eyes.

“Mmmm you'll just have to figure it out won't you” you grabbed a glass “violet” you add her name at the end just to tort her. You filled the glass full of beer, all the while vi’s eyes Scanned over you Suspicion and cautiousness in her Gaze.   

“Ok thats not funny, who the fuck are you Bitch!!!” she snapped angrily her hands went down hard on the table her voice was loud and Obnoxious almost like Shame wasn't something she even had thought of. The people in the bar went quiet at the Sudden yell and their eyes went to her and well… you.

“You might want to be quieter, girly,”  you said, slipping her glass over to her with a smile on your lips. It didn't take long for everyone to go back to their original conversations.

“How do you know who i am?, talk” her voice came out threatening and her demeanour came off as Intimidating but not to you. 

“You'll just have to remember me. I can't be that forgettable can i?”you took a seat on your side of the counter resting your head in your hands your head tilted to the side.

“Just tell me who you are,” Vi demanded. Your Eyebrows furrowed in disappointment

“I'm Y/N, you seriously couldn't recognise me?” you asked.

“Oh god” vi’s eyes widened with sock and they seemed to Light up. She Launched forward, jumping over the Counter, wrapping her arms around you. You smiled and  wrapped your arms around Vi as well. “I can't believe this, i thought i'd never see you again” her hug was so warm and comforting and loving, it brought back old memories for you and her. you remembered the butterflies you would get when she would hug you like this or hold your hand or wrap her arm around your shoulder and when she would look at you with her big beautiful blue eyes the ones she was looking at you with right now.

“You thought that. i thought you were dead” you cupped her cheek. your eyes searching hers.

“I'm so sorry sweets i was- i was- well it's a long story” vi coked out. Her hands came up to grip both sides of your face. 

“Where have you been?”you asked, you needed to know you hadn't seen her in 7 years and she just showed up like the walking dead.

“I was arrested and shoved into stillwater for 7 years and then some enforcer got me out and i went looking for powder and well im sure you know about jinx and then well me and that enforcer kissed and then i stopped her from killing a kid and then she hit me and now i'm a drunk liveing in some shity apartment.” well that was a mouthful and a lot of information for you to take in. The two things that stuck was that she had been to prison and she's been in a Relationship with an enforcer which made it even worse, because yes you were a little jealous which was stuped. you Hadn't seen her in 7 fucking years, you Shouldn't feel that she was just some silly Little crush you had when you where little that was never Reciprocated.( Because you were like 11 and she was 15 but thats not the case now)

[maxicaiman]

I MUST know HOW Swiftshot came to be, you must tell the people!!!

ERM WALL OF TEXT BE UPON THEE

Knockout and Orion Pax liked each other just before the start of the war, during Orion's time as an archivist. Unfortunately, the war started up, and right as Optimus was granted the Matrix, Knockout was sparked up. He didn't realize this until after he turned down Optimus's request to join him with the Autobots, and when he found out, it was too late. He met Breakdown shortly after having Swiftshot, and Breakdown agreed to take care of him and raise him as his own. Breakdown absolutely ADORES that kid. The rest of the Decepticon High Command know Swiftshot's sire is Optimus, and isolate him from the battlefield as a result.

Swiftshot grows up, originally helping Knockout in his lab but quickly growing tired of that, wanting to be part of the action. After much convincing, they finally allow him to tag along on recon missions, shielding him from the Autobots as much as they can. Breakdown dies, however, and during his mourning of his father, Starscream makes a snide comment about how peculiar it was to mourn a bot you're not even related to. Swiftshot, of course, questions this and Knockout reveals that Breakdown wasn't his father, Optimus Prime is. He reassures him Optimus has no idea he's his sparkling, has zero play in the deception, and did not abandon them intentionally.

Of course, Swiftshot still has a LOT to process, and he isolates himself for a long time before coming to terms with it and deciding he needs to talk to Optimus himself. He requests a personal meeting with the leader, which Optimus accepts out of curiosity (he's barely spoken to this scout so it's odd having him request to talk to him). They meet up and Swiftshot reveals their relation, recounting the stories Knockout had told Optimus as proof. Optimus is, of course, shocked and realizes this isn't a set up or a trap. Their meeting is cut short when Soundwave, who keeps a close eye on Swiftshot at all times, commands him to return to the Nemesis. Just as he does, Optimus asks him to join his side. He declines the offer, saying he can't just leave Knockout alone.

He stays with the Decepticons but his spark isn't in the fight anymore. He switches to take over Breakdown's former post, assisting Knockout in the lab full time. The two talk a lot about both Optimus and Breakdown, and Swiftshot decides that if Optimus really is his dad and had no idea, then he deserves some grace and gives him a chance. When Knockout defects and joins the Autobots, Swiftshot goes with him, knowing he doesn't have anything left with the Cons. He gets to be around both of his parents until Optimus gives up his life to restore Cybertron, which is when Swiftshot decides to go off on his own to explore. There's a lot he hasn't seen and he wants to actually live.

He does have a role in RID2015 but that's a whole nother story 💪

[monsterblogging]

So, I decided to rework Amara Namani for a better Pacific Rim 2.

First, her name suggests to me that the character was originally not meant to be white; or that the version of Amara we actually see in the film was combined from multiple characters, one of whom was not white. So, I'm going to make her Desi.

I'm also going to make her a survivor of K-Day, because I suspect this was the original intention, and because it makes things make a little more sense. The novelization informs us that the specific Jaeger Jake was stealing parts from was Romeo Blue, which would suggest that this scene was originally written to take place in Oblivion Bay, in the San Francisco Exclusion Zone. (This will also make Amara a young adult.)

I'm also going to make her someone who fights in mini-Jaeger battles. I don't know for sure if this was the original intention, but it makes sense and establishes her as someone with combat ability. (We know from the comics that these kinds of fights happen, and the very name "Scrapper" makes me think that a double meaning could have been originally intended - the mech is built from scrap, to scrap in fights.)

Jake (who is now Stacker Pentecost's nephew) meets her in a very similar way to what we see in PRU. But there's one important difference: the pair of them don't get chased down by November Ajax, but by Lady Avenger, which is piloted by Mako Mori and Raleigh Becket. (Mako is a little surprised to see that the man she's chasing is her own cousin!)

I'm also getting rid of that weird cop stuff, by the way. (This also means that Jake/Amara/Scrapper are not getting tased, because that was honestly fucked up.)

Amara is offered the chance to join the PPDC as a cadet, where she is trained by Raleigh Becket, who has just been diagnosed with cancer and will no longer pilot Lady Avenger while he's in treatment. (And yes, he will recover!)

This version of Amara also has difficulty fitting in with the other cadets. One of her problems is that she's spent all of these years fighting by herself, for herself. While she wants to pilot a real Jaeger, she doesn't really have the right attitude for it.

Meanwhile, Jake is now working for the PPDC because Mako has convinced him to fill in for Raleigh for the time being. Jake and Amara bond over Jaeger tech together, and before long it's obvious they're drift compatible - we can see them anticipate each others' actions.

When the kaiju attack, Amara is paired up with the best match they can find for her among the other cadets. However, their drift compatibility score wasn't great, and their performance in the conn-pod is also not great. Amara and her assigned co-pilot fare poorly. Jake and Mako step in to save them and take the kaiju down, but Lady Avenger has serious damage, and the fight isn't over.

Jake has an idea - he switches places with Amara's injured co-pilot, and they proceed to kick the ass of the kaiju. (Mako, meanwhile, gets into Scrapper, and continues to assist the fight.) The story plays out similar to what you see in the original PRU, though with certain differences as the nature of the main villain is quite different.

[masked-alien-lesbian]

Aislinn x Vampire MC (Verity Wright)

Aislinn finds out Verity's true nature part 1

[katabay]

PAGLUIB

way back in like. march?? I took a stab at writing some kind of kabitserye type of story but it was a mess: it kept veering off into murder mystery drama territory because I was reading a lot of murder mystery novels around then and it Wasn't Good because I hadn't tried writing mysteries, let alone murder mysteries, before lmao

I did write a handful of short mystery stories since then, so next year I might take a stab at this idea again now that I'm no longer jumping head first into a genre pool I don't know how to swim in :)

[poorly-drawn-mdzs]

Bonus 6: Dress-up

[First] Prev <–-> Next

[austenpoppy]

Dick and Bette Kane - part 1

I started writing this as an answer to the people who claim they love Dick's "petty" side/him not being welcoming to specific people he supposedly has a grudge against. The problem is, those same people tend to mention Helena Bertinelli or Jean-Paul Valley as examples of that happening, when it doesn't reflect at all the relationship he had with either of them in the New Earth continuity (which is generally the one being referred to).

I will do a breakdown of Dick's relationship with those two in separate posts, but it got me thinking about a "heroic" character Dick's been consistently uncomfortable around in that same continuity, and one he openly doesn't appreciate much : Bette Kane, a.k.a Flamebird. Yet people do not seem to ever list her among the characters Dick's not very fond (for very good reasons).

Bette Kane's an interesting concept as a character, because she's not a very good super-heroin, but she's extremely competent in other areas of her life. As a teenager, she began playing tennis in competitions, and she was so good at it she quickly became "a pro", and was considered something of a celebrity.

Yet Bette dreamed of something very different. She openly admired Robin (Dick) and wanted to imitate him by becoming a super-heroin of her own. She even designed her costume as a tribute to him, and chose the code name Flamebird. That's somewhat ironic considering Flamebird was originally Nightwing's partner back when Nightwing was an identity Superman had used.

Bette as Flamebird's New Earth origins are recounted in Secret Origins, vol. 2 annual 3, which is focused on a mental attack Dick suffers at the hands of the Gargoyle. Here Gargoyle narrates one of the first acts Bette did as Flamebird, which was saving Navy men hanging to lifelines attached to an air-craft carrier that was being lifted into the air. Other super-heroes helped resolve the situation, and that teamwork is what prompted the creation of Titans West.

Secret Origins, Vol. 2 Annual 3

Interestingly, you can see that Dick wasn't really aware of how much he'd inspired Bette, and this mental fight with the Gargoyle happened several years after his first meeting with Bette as leader of the Titans, and years after his first meeting with Bette at all.

At first glance, this may seem surprising, given that Bette was obsessed with Robin and wasn't remotely subtle about it. After becoming Flamebird and rescuing the Navy men, she was part of the unofficial first meeting of Titans West along with Gar, Hank, Dove, Charley, and Lilith. And her first reaction was to be delighted at the idea of seeing "Robin" again, calling him "a cute hunk". When Lilith asked her to tone it down and be serious, she instead went further by commenting on Dick's legs.

Secret Origins, Vol. 2 Annual 3

Then when it became clear the newly formed Titans West would have to seek help and go see the official Titans in New York, all Bette cared about was that she was going to work with Robin.

Secret Origins, Vol. 2 Annual 3

When the two teams finally met, it wasn't love at first sight. Once they finally started discussing the case they were working on, Dick suggested a plan of action that involved the two teams splitting up. Bette cut him off as soon as he said it to contradict him and affirm that she was going with him, which she ended up doing.

Her behaviour was honestly creepy. She cut off Dick just because she'd decided that she was going with him. She didn't refer to him by his code name, but only by the part of his body she'd commented on before, calling him "legs". She took his face between her fingers. And the sentence "I've waited too long for this", coupled with the nickname, would've made my skin crawl. It sounds like she'd fantasized about Dick for a while, was going to have what she wanted no matter what, and had no problem announcing it out loud.

Secret Origins, Vol. 2 Annual 3

After the case was over, the two teams had a fight over what team had done more to solve it, and over the legitimacy of Titans West. Wally criticized the way they'd come into the headquarters like they belonged, Bette said they did because they were Titans too, and appealed to Dick to validate her opinion - calling him "legs" again, which implies that this was the nickname she gave him the entire time they worked together.

Dick said he wasn't sure whether it was a good idea for the others to be Titans, because he wasn't sure he would be able to lead two teams, one of them long-distance. Members of Titans West were affronted by Dick's speech, including Bette. She went with the others, talking to Dick again to tell him that "[he'd] never know what [he'd] missed", making her departure partly about a romantic/sexual golden opportunity Dick didn't take. Appreciate the fact that she called him "Robin" again now that she was irritated by him.

Secret Origins, Vol. 2 Annual 3

Titans and Titans West had a couple other team-ups before Titans West disbanded, during which Bette learned Dick's secret identity. From the way Bette acted during the one team-up recounted in details in New Titans #56, we can deduce that every time she met Dick she kept trying to seduce him, persistently, relentlessly, in obnoxious ways that sometimes border on sexual harassment.

It was well-known that Bette was obsessed with Dick - not like Bette was trying to be subtle about it, she had no problem making her intentions clear and that publicly. There's a panel I couldn't include in which Hank scoffs at the idea that Lilith "trusts" Dick and tells Charley that "she's got the hots for him. Just like Bette."

I'm sad I couldn't include it because there's this hilarious exchange after in which Hank bemoans "Man. That burns me. What's he got that I haven't ?" and Charley answers "Look in the mirror and weep" (lmao).

But as I was saying, Bette kept trying to hit on Dick. In the panel below she asked him whether he needed help (the "sure" implying it's not the first time she asked the question), only to say that it was "[his] loss" when he said no. Dick was very polite in his answer, thanking her for her offer, but was turning her down all the same.

New Titans #56

Not long after, Dick told off Hank and Charley who'd gone in an argument over leadership and about their association with the Titans, before having the conversation about Dick I mentioned above. Bette immediately cheered him on, calling him "handsome" as she got close to him. Dick ignored her.

New Titans #56

During a fight she called out to Dick to warn him about an assailant, and had to sneak in a comment about his butt (whoever said this kind of things was recent was lying). Dick was clearly uncomfortable, answering with an embarrassed "Uhh, thanks, Flamebird" - the "uhh" plus the two commas in a three-word sentence indicate he didn't know what to make of her comment. He also corrected her to make sure she knew he'd seen the assailant she was talking about. It was a way for him to reaffirm his skills as a crimefighter (she's not the first one he said those things to), but also a way for him to reject her attention.

New Titans #56

She was also very physical around Dick. I can't include all panels of her, but she seemed to be near Dick most of the time, would touch his shoulder for no reason when they came in a lab, or, like in the panel below, latch onto his arm. Dick wasn't shown shaking her off, but he wasn't seen reciprocating either.

New Titans #56

So in the end, it's not a surprise Dick had no idea Bette'd wanted to become a super-heroin because she'd been inspired by him. Not when most of their interactions revolved around her attraction for him, not when she kept making comments about his looks.

As an aside, this is one of the reasons I can't take seriously anyone who says it's Devin Grayson's fault if Dick's been sexualized. Hard to do that when you have an entire character who could've been one of the best tennis players in the world but decided to become a crimefighter because she was obsessed with Dick, and kept gushing over his legs and butt. Dick's been dealing with that kind of things since the 80's, guys.

Part 2

Part 3

[raystranslationsfestival]

Dependable Older Brother.

Type: Skit. Character: Luke (First Skit). Characters Featured: Luke, Yuri.

Translation, recording, subbing by Shi. Proofread by Yewfelle.

[boatboys]

actually on the topic of old drawings; the first-ever drawings I did of Rich, Liam, and Sol turned up on my deep-dive of old discord messages and I was compelled to redraw/compare!

Rich very much predates the worldbuilding of the Michigan Fleet universe, as one of Key/rollerskatinglizard's oldest OCs, and was originally just a normal amount of un-tweaked big and buff dude, although I also sucked at drawing people with body mass back when I drew these lol. It does make me laugh that the huge crooked nose and sad, downturned eyes have been a constant from sketch one!

Liam predates the Michigan Fleet as well and was originally mine! He..... hasn't changed much actually haha. Although his size/prettiness/temper being a genetic modification is new, from the first lengthy discussion of mods where fourhands and hastings both got established (although not by those names). It looks like I coined the mod name "Babydoll", which I do NOT remember doing.

Sol was the most Group Effort of these three, looking back at the messages: Key invented a salty little gorgeous asshole with modded hearing for a snatch of interaction in a wildly different context than his new introduction; roach was the one who suggested the elf ears and iridescent hair to go along with it, I was the one who suggested he was from New York and threw several large pinches of "a big tsundere about Rich" into the mix, and a lot of the much later patrician worldbuilding was roach.