#Outcasts of the Rift

[magenta-fantasies-illustrations]

Happy New Year! Enjoy your first glimpse into Book 2 and the Kikusekin Empire!

The first sunrise of 2025 brings hope that this will be a year to make steps forward, to right wrongs from previous years and work for peace and restoration. Look to the light ahead and have a happy 2025!

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Outcasts of the Rift is a story-driven, art-focused RPG combining strategy RPG combat with adventure game-style puzzles and exploration. Learn more here!

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[uno-san]

Bill Cipher Vs. Self-Hatred

Howdy y'all! Today I just wanted to go over some thoughts I had over everybody's favorite triangle that may or may not have occurred to some of you already. Naturally this will contain Book of Bill Spoilers.

To start off our little essay I thought it would be important to first sum up my thoughts on one of Bill's more complicated relationships: Stanford

Now we've all seen his dynamic with Stanford plenty of times in the show but with recent information coming from both the Book of Bill and thisisnotawebsitedotcom.com more light has been shed on the subject from both Bill's perspective and Ford's.

There's more than meets the eye when it comes to dissecting Bill's interactions and thoughts on Stanford, with the ever enlightening "EVEN HIS LIES ARE LIES" making theorists scratch their heads. Within the Book of Bill are these codes and their meanings: hbh grfwru ri d gliihuhqw nlqg/ zkr zdqw wr pdnh klv sdwlhqw eolqg

eye doctor of a different kind/ who wants to make his patient blind

Qeb alzqlo pxvp/ qeobb pfmp x axv/ tfii jxhb qeb sfpflkp/ dl xtxv

The doctor says/ three sips a day/ will make the visions/ go away

Ixvvb hdwhu/ edeb eloob/ zrxogq'w gulqn/ xqohvv lwv vloob

Fussy eater/ baby billy/ wouldn't drink/ unless its silly

As well as:

Finding out that both Stanford and Bill have a genetic mutation that made them Black Sheep suggests the possibility that Bill saw a kinship within Stanford. After all, he did make the offer for Stanford to join him. No doubt being able to sympathize with Stanford's situation yet misreading his motivations, causing the rift in their once savable relationship once Bill's lies were uncovered.

Now I'll admit it was others who came up with this theory in particular, especially when drawing comparisons of how Stanford was treated and how Bill allegedly was for having a strange eye. Stanford, in some form of other, might represent how Bill was before he saw the destruction of his world by his hands. A mere outcast looking for his place in the world. To be believed rather than ridiculed or "fixed".

Self-Hatred

And now we get to the Bill we all know today:

The chaos loving and nightmare inducing three-sided maniac, who may be hiding more insecurities than he ever let on in the show, thanks to the Theraprism.

Someone far more traumatized

Who's had to convince himself to fully be the bastard he is today

But if the theory that Bill had a type of kinship with Stanford thanks to their mutations was true, then wouldn't it be possible that his relationship with someone else might represent the inner struggle with himself?

For you see, the original title of this post was...

Bill Cipher Vs. Stanley Pines

As my own theory is that Stanley Pines is what Bill decided to project his self-hatred on. Nobody can doubt that the two have similar qualities, yet as I read the Book of Bill and thisisnotawebsitedotcom I couldn't help but notice the absolute malice that Bill has for Stanley whenever he's mentioned.

There have been many opponents before that have strived to take Bill down. Whether that was the Shaman, the Anti-Cipher Society, or Time Baby, none of his interactions with them have appeared as vitriol as compared to Stanley.

Not even Stanford has this same reaction, who, by really no contest, was the closest to ever defeating Cipher by himself. Both with the gun that he near successfully killed Bill with and the secret of the barrier of Gravity Falls he refused to give up. Bill didn't even have a real interaction with Stanley until the last episode.

Yet it isn't Stanford that causes Bill to break while he's in the Theraprism. It's Stanley.

"-A resume-inflating, cheap trick loving, past-denying overgrown child protected from failure only by a force field of DENIAL AND shamelessness!"

"Self-pitying"

"Stupid"

"Smug"

"Hack Jokes"

"UNWORTHY"

Now it could be just me, but those are a lot of specific insults to fling somebody's way that you've barely interacted with. Especially if Bill credits the Twin Swap to Stanford entirely as opposed to allowing Stanley the credit.

"STEP RIGHT UP, it's time to play my FAVORITE GAME!! BOOTLEG SIXER over HERE spent a LIFETIME trying to hide his humiliations, BUT I'VE BEEN INSIDE HIS MIND, so NOW they��re ALL YOURS for the low low price of BEING MY NEW PAL! ITS SHOWTIME FOLKS, AND THE ONLY WAY TO LOSE IS TO BE NAMED STANLEY PINES!"

“SHAME:TM - IT'S THE ONE FRIEND WHO NEVER LEAVES!”

This out-of-character hatred doesn't come from the fact that Bill thought Stanley wasn't worthy, it comes from the fact that Bill sees himself in Stan. Who by all means is a lying and conniving screw up. Somebody who let his family down.

This could possibly be proven by the poem Bill had wrote about Stanley:

The whole poem suits my point but I decided to highlight the sections that caught my eye specifically. That when you put into consideration Bill's clear trauma and regret about the Euclidian Massacre, his own words can clearly be flipped back on him.

That he sees himself as a curse and a mistake. A self-made monster. Someone who's left the past behind when the loss of his home is still on his mind.

And what truly gets under Bill's skin about Stanley Pines?

"He got his life and family back.

His big break, it finally came,

Redemption from a life of shame"

Stanley got back what Bill can't.

[valrayne-faeu]

Hi! The brain rot for this AU is still going strong and I have another question. So, we know that Nightmare and Dream don't really get along now, but was there ever a time when they did? How would they have acted with each other when they were younger/before the curse?

they were incredibly close when they were younger! they did everything together up until they were young adults. as their ideas for how they would rule the Seasonal Court started to differ, and the factions of courtiers’ manipulations increased, they started to drift apart. they began to disagree on many things but still got along for the most part, though tensions ran high and they began to argue often.

when Nightmare realised just how far the courtiers were going to maintain their power, even planning to use Dream and himself as puppet rulers, is when things came to a head. Dream didn’t take Nightmare’s concerns seriously, only seeing the courtiers as the fae that raised them and looking out for their best interests. he couldn’t yet see how far the courtiers had influenced his thinking and even his relationship with his brother.

this resulted in Nightmare trying to claim his half of the previous Queen’s power (by eating a fruit of her tree) and prove that he could be a capable king on his own��� to disastrous results. only the true ruler(s) of the Court could claim her power, and as he wasn’t a crowned king yet he was afflicted with a curse, and Dream accidentally shot both him and the tree with an arrow. this is when the conflict really escalated.

Dream had badly hurt his brother and split the tree in twain, symbolising the rift in their relationship and also splitting the Court’s magic; in the coming years eventually the magic would settle as Summer and Winter. Nightmare left with those fae loyal to him, killing or banishing the courtiers closest to him and leaving to settle in the castle furthest from the Seasonal Court as he could— this would eventually become the Winter Castle.

by the time Dream realised the extent of the courtiers’ manipulation and outcast them, it was too late. Nightmare asserted himself as a king in need of a kingdom and established harsh borders. unable to compromise with him, Dream was similarly crowned king and the war began. it took centuries of fighting over territory and resources before a truce was established, and centuries still for tensions to calm and peace to reign.

now there is casual movement across borders, Summer/Spring fae living peacefully in Winter/Autumn and vice versa, and even some tourism. every 5 years there’s a big party to celebrate the peace; the Courts alternate between who hosts, with the fae of the other travelling and staying in the host court for weeks of revelry.

Dream and Nightmare’s relationship never really recovered. they’ll be vaguely civil with each other during events and send letters back and forth every so often to keep each other updated on important matters, but they haven’t been friends since that arrow was fired. still, sometimes Nightmare will find himself chuckling at a funny remark Dream makes during a gala, and it feels like maybe someday they can be brothers again.

[questionablecuttlefish]

Why Lux would get along with Jinx's PnZ circles:

Some super easy headcanons:

Vi - Is an overprotective but well meaning big sibling. Familiar! Lux has one of those too. I think Lux would find the deep, painful rift between the sisters horrifying on a deeply personal level for her, because she would be imagining what it would take to push her and Garen to that place and it'd scare her to her core. I think she would be invested in helping Jinx heal her bond with her sister, for Jinx's sake above all else. She'd make it a mission.

Ekko - is a forthright, compassionate community leader of a group of outcasts, just like her. When the Baron war heats up in S2, he takes in refugees, just like Lux did with Terbisia during the Mage Rebellion. They both care deeply about Jinx and have very similar moral compasses. Lux's rich girl status might initially put Ekko off but he's easily mature enough to see past it - she's not a Piltie or an Enforcer - and Lux is mature enough to see that Jinx would benefit greatly from repairing her relationships with friends who genuinely care about her despite the wounds.

Caitlyn - Is the only daughter of a proud aristocratic lineage, just like Lux. These two have a lot in common, and Lux would understand the weight of The Family Name and The Legacy intimately. I think Lux would see a lot of Jarvan IV in Season Two Caitlyn's spiral to authoritarianism - like Jarvan, she lost a parent and it pushed her to punish and persecute a minority in response. Both had their grief and rage manipulated by a third party and both had second thoughts when they realized how far off the edge they'd leapt.

She was able to keep a cordial political relationship with Jarvan after the events of the Mageseeker, to the benefit of her community, and I could see her wielding similar diplomacy to build a bridge with Caitlyn from a POV as Jinx's partner.

Mel - Yep, a lot of the above also applies to Mel, but even more so with Mel being a mage (with Light-adjacent magic no less!) and one whose authoritarian matriarchal figure (Ambessa/Tianna) went to some grim extremes trying to cover up her magical talent to protect her from a sinister organization trying to destroy/exploit her for it (Mageseekers/Black Rose). They have similar complex relationships with family, preference for diplomacy over violence, and innate compassion. A lot of Mel's story is almost a Noxian mirror of Lux's own. They would have a LOT of common ground and a lot to talk about.

Seraphine - Going outside Arcane canon, Seraphine's just a giant sweetheart and a very easy best friend for Lux and Jinx as a couple. I think Lux would see a lot of her own somewhat naive but heartfelt wish to end conflict and persecution through nonviolent means reflected in Seraphine. It might unsettle or inspire her.

Zeri - A fellow mage whose powers Lux might try to help her develop, Zeri's going to remind her a lot of Jinx, just as reckless, maybe a little less volatile. But she's got a big heart, and wants to fight to protect her vulnerable community, what's not to like?

Ezreal - Including him because wanderer though he is, he's a Piltover boy. as i've said before I don't think this works as a ship, because they don't really have compatible personalities for a romance and their narratives are going in different directions, but as a friendship, once Ez actually stops pedestaling her from afar and gets to know her, there's a lot of fun dynamics to work with, particularly if you have Jinx around for Ez to bicker with and get into shenanigans.

A lot of this has found its way into the Ill-Omen's Series and my other fanfics. The more I write the more they all grow on me.

[lucisfavoritedemon]

Through The Portal: Chapter 4

Series Masterlist

Chapter Summary: Ford must talk Y/n down from making a rash decision. Both must face their tormentor head on.

Pairing(s): Stan x reader (platonic present, romantic past), Ford x reader, Dipper x best friend!reader, Mabel x best friend!reader Bill x reader

Warnings: angst, fluff, mentions of hopelessness, torture, mental manipulation, PTSD, unrequited love, flashbacks.

A/N: The events and ideas are based on a theory I have about the Nightmare Realm. This is in no way canonically true, just my theories based on what we canonically know about the Nightmare Realm.

“What!? Are you crazy? I would never even think about doing that to you!” Ford was frantic, he really couldn’t believe I just blurted that out so casually.

“Using the memory gun and erasing the thoughts of Bill, and what I saw and went through in the Night Realm, it might just work. I’m willing to make that sacrifice if it means keeping the rift safe.”

“No! That’s not even an option on my radar.”

“I’m aware, that’s why I’m making it an option.”

“No. I’m not doing that. I care about you too much to erase your memories all willy-nilly like that.”

“It’s not willy-nilly, Ford. I know what I’m asking of you and I know it’s a hard decision but…”

“A hard decision!? It’s an impossible decision that I am refusing to make. I’m not gonna do it, and neither are you. End of discussion.”

I sigh, “may I ask why?”

“Because, if I erased your memory of your time in there and your memories of Bill…you’d forget who I am.”

His words struck me. Was this Ford’s weird way of hinting at something? I shook the thoughts away. Ford and I had been through a lot when it came to Bill, and maybe he finally felt like someone truly understood him fully. He wouldn’t come out and say it, but he was scared of being the outcast he felt he always was.

“Okay, I’m sorry I asked.”

“It’s okay. As long as you promise never ask me to do that again.”

I nod, “is there anything else you need from me?”

Ford shook his head, “you can head back upstairs. I just felt like you should know what I found. You and I are of like minds and we both know how evil Bill truly is.”

I nod, “okay, if you need anything from me, you know where to find me.”

We shared an understanding look for each other before I walked back upstairs where the twins started to bombard me with questions and stories again. It felt nice that they were accepting of me into their life.

The next couple of weeks were interesting. Dipper and Ford told me about their adventure playing Dungeons, Dungeons, and More Dungeons that was then brought to life because Stan had thrown their dice, making the infinity sided die to roll out of its case. I enjoyed them sharing their adventure with me as I tried to make sense of my night terrors as Mabel called them.

The following week I helped the twins help Stan run for Mayor of Gravity Falls. I supported him 100% as the Stan I knew back in 1973 would have made a great mayor. I didn’t realise how much he had changed, or what little knowledge he had on politics. Still, I was happy to support him no matter what. After saving the kids, he was elected mayor by getting the birdly kiss from the mayor picking eagle. Little did I know Stan had a very extensive criminal record. I guess people do really change more than you realize.

I knew the adventure this week, though, was going to be interesting. I was fast asleep when all of a sudden I was in the middle of the nightmare realm. I feared it was another nightmare, then suddenly it morphed to where I was standing in the middle of a field.

“Y/n?” I heard Ford’s voice call out.

I turned around and saw him standing there, “Ford?”

“Wh-what are you doing here?”

That’s when we heard the malicious laugh of Bill Cipher. It was no coincidence Ford and I were here. Bill had a plan for us. Big plans.

“Well, well, well, well, well, well, well, well, aren’t you two a sight for sore eye. Stanford Filbrick Pines, my ol’ pal. And, could this be, my sweetheart? Y/n? I think it is.”

“Bill Cipher. What do you want from us?” Ford asked, pulling me behind him.

“Oh quit playing dumb, IQ. You two knew I’d be back. You think shutting down that portal can stop what I have planned. I’ve been making deals, chatting with old friends, preparing for the big day. You can’t keep that rift safe forever. You’ll slip up and when you do…” Bill then shows us a tear leading from our world to the nightmare realm, and I feel like I’m gonna puke.

“Get out of here! You have no dominion in our world!” Ford yelled at Bill, keeping a protective hand on me.”

“Maybe not right now, but things change, Stanford Pines,” Bill’s voice morphs into a creepy deep one, “things change.” He then rises into the tears laughing maniacally.

I shoot up screaming. Scared out of my mind. Bill was coming, and I was utterly terrified. The thought of actually facing Bill scared the shit out of me. Bill was someone I never wanted to actually face ever again. The fact that he appeared to Ford and I meant he was growing stronger and stronger with each passing day. That was the thing that scared me the most.

The next morning I could barely get out of bed. I sat there lost in thought, I was unable to fall back asleep after our meeting with Bill. I heard Ford call for a family meeting and I gathered all the courage I could muster and walked downstairs.

“Y-Y/n? Are you alright?” Ford asked, looking at me concerned.

“I’m scared, worried, I didn’t go back to sleep last night if that’s what you mean.” I stated.

Ford felt terrible I had gotten dragged into this, but little does he know I did it to myself. Bill’s infatuation with us was no coincidence.

“Ooh, mysterious scrolls and potions. Are you going to tell us we’re finally of age to go to wizard school? Is there an owl in this bag?” Mabel asked hopping in a chair and started to go through the bag Ford had on the table.

“No, I assure you if there is an owl in this bag, he’s long dead.” Ford took the bag from her.

Dipper and her sat down as I stood behind Ford. He pulled out a scroll paper and showed it to the kids, “Now, tell me children, do any of you recognize this symbol?” He holds up a scroll with Bill on it.

They both gasp before Dipper speaks, “Bill.”

“Y-You know him?” Ford was shocked, and so was I.

“Know him!? He’s been terrorizing us all summer. I have so many questions and theories.” Dipper spoke frantically.

“Dipper’s been pretty paranoid since Bill turned him into a living sock puppet.” Mabel added.

“The important thing is, we defeated him twice.” Dipper interjected.

“Once with kittens, and once with tickles.”

“It was a lot more heroic than it sounds.”

I looked at Ford concerned about the kids. This was serious, the fact they have faced Bill. It means he now has access to their minds, especially Dipper. Ford looked back at me with the same concerned look.

“The fact you have dealt with Bill is gravely serious.” Ford spoke up.

“So, how do you know Bill?” Dipper questioned. I knew I wasn’t ready to talk about that yet, and I knew Ford wasn’t ready either.

“Y/n and I have encountered many dark beings in our time, Dipper. What matters now is, his powers are growing stronger, and if he pulls off his plans, no one in this family will be safe.”

I wanted to punch Ford for confirming my suspicions. He was never good at comforting, so I don’t blame him entirely, but I didn’t want those to be confirmed. Neither did the kids as they gasped at what Ford just stated.

“Fortunately there should be a way to shield us from his mental tricks.” He unrolls a map onto the table, and grabs a marker, “a way to Bill-proof the shack. All I have to do is place moonstones here, here, here, and here, “he draws circles on the map, “sprinkle some mercury, and let’s see. I always forget the last ingredient.” He flips through Journal 1, “ugh. unicorn hair.”

“That’s not, like, rare, is it?” Dipper asks.

“It’s hopeless. Unicorns reside deep within an enchanted glade, and their hairs can only be obtained by a pure, good-hearted person who goes on a magical quest to find them.”

Mabel began screaming at the top of her lungs. She begged Ford to let her go on this quest to get the hair. Naming everything she has done that proves that she is obsessed with unicorns. Then she mentions that she is probably the most good-hearted person in the room. No one argues with her about that. Ford agrees to let her go, giving her the journal and a crossbow.

“Y/n, you wanna come with me and the girls on this quest?”

“I actually need Y/n here with Dipper and I.” Ford answers before I can say anything.

Mabel shrugs and calls her friends and sets off on the quest for unicorn hair. Ford leads Dipper and I down to the second floor of the basement. A place neither of us have seen yet.

“If we can’t Bill-proof the shack, we’re going to have to do the next best thing. We’re gonna have to Bill-proof our minds.” Ford pulls out a device that strangely looks like a torture device.

Ford begins to turn the machine on and places the metal helmet on Dipper’s head. This must have been the device Ford wanted to use on me a couple weeks ago, but worried my mind would still be vulnerable to his torment because of my dreams.

“So, what is Bill exactly?” Dipper questions.

“No one knows for sure. Accounts differ of his true motivations and origins. I know he is older than our galaxy, and far more twisted.”

“No kidding…” I mumble, still traumatized from my extra time with him in the nightmare realm.

Ford gives a sympathetic look before he continues, “not a physical form, he can only project himself through our thoughts through the mindscape. That’s why he wants this.” Ford holds up the rift, “I dismantled the portal, but with this tear, Bill still has a way into our reality. To get his hands on this rift, he would trick or possess anyone.”

“So how do we keep Bill out of our minds?” Dipper inquired.

“There are a number of ways I personally had a metal plate installed in my head.” Dipper doesn’t believe him, so Ford taps his head proving he does, “but this machine is safer. It will scan your mind, biologically encrypting your thoughts so Bill can’t read them.” Ford switches the screen on, “now, say hello to your thoughts.”

Dipper thoughts play across the screen. Some are interesting, others are utterly embarrassing. I felt bad that his poor thoughts were on display for us.

“By the way, you two never told me what your history with Bill was.”

“Dipper, do you trust us?” Ford asks, and he nods, “then you’ll trust that’s not important. Now, focus. It's time to strengthen your mind.”

The three of us sit there for hours as the machine slowly encrypts Dipper’s thoughts. I look over at Ford who has fallen asleep at his desk. “Must be nice to be able to sleep anywhere…or at all…”

“What’s been going on with you lately by the way? You’re more distant and paranoid, especially today.”

“It’s Bill. He scares the heck out of me. The thought of coming face to face with him in a physical form terrifies me.”

“S-so you had a bad experience with Bill too, huh?”

“I-it wasn’t always like that, Dipper…Bill and I were actually very close…then I got a true peak at what he really wanted…on the other side of my portal…he tortured me…Ford and Stan won’t be happy I am telling you this, but you and Mabel were going to find out eventually…”

“W-Wait, your portal? Y-you didn’t go through with Great Uncle Ford?”

I shake my head, “no…I had made my own. I found an old book in my parents' attic. They used to be Anti-Cipherites, or descendants of some. A group looking to take down Bill. It had an encryption on how to summon him. I did, and that night he appeared to me. He showed me his equation, he tricked me with his flattery, saying I didn’t need school or friends. Helping him would give me everything I ever wanted. Including helping my friend so he could finally go home before his brother left for college….that friend was your Uncle Stan…”

Dipper's eyes widened, “h-how old are you then?”

“Technically 61, but the place I was stuck in has no concept of time, so I never really aged…”

Dipper’s jaw dropped, “s-so you knew Grunkle Stan before he was banned from New Jersey?”

I nodded, “Stan lived with me.”

[fear-theories]

The Isolation

Other names : Utstött, It is crowded and I am Alone Classification : Intersection of The Lonely and The Eye

The Isolation exists as an intersection of The Lonely and The Eye, representing not just a fear of isolation but also a fear of the ability to have no observable impact with your disappearance from society. It is not just being afraid to walk this world alone, but the distinct fear of the knowledge that you are an outcast, completely exterior to the world in which you might exist. It is not just a fear one develops from exposure to being alone, but one that is forced upon the victim.

As a fear that is deeply focused on personal connection, this fear presents mostly in the form of avatars. The path to becoming one is astoundingly simple, though quite long. The most important factor is a consistent, profound shunning of the victim, usually by a social or workplace group, though it can occur in family units as well. Aside from the need for long term exposure, the victim needs to accept the isolation, willingly choosing to continue separating oneself from the whole even after the social rift may have been removed. This choice is usually followed by a descent into inflicting such shunning as they have experienced onto others.

Other victims that choose not to accept the isolation may also experience phenomena such as people failing to perceive them in unavoidable settings, inanimate objects that typically have some response to a human presence not activating, such as automatic doors or security alarms. Reports have been provided by victims of statues and other objects with faces losing their eyes, and thus their ability to "perceive" in the victims presence. It is not uncommon for victims that do not succumb to the power of this fear to simply disappear from all social records, save for record of their birth.

Classic behaviour of an avatar on the hunt may include inserting themselves into a social group likely to have vulnerable or outcast members of society and ingratiating themselves with their chosen target. They will then earn the trust of the individual, and encourage them to cut off most, if not all other social interaction in the victims life, creating a total dependency and insulating the victim from their support network. At this point the avatar will typically orchestrate some form of personal tragedy, or a series therein, in the victims life and cut all forms of contact, fully isolating the victim. The acute fear from such "projects" can be quite powerful, and avatars of this fear can be quite formidable.

Overall, this fear is a semi common subset of the Lonely, as the experiences required to become marked by it are disturbingly common. Should you encounter this fear, it is essential to your survival that you remember the love in your life. The connections that make you whole are your only recourse. Stay safe out there.

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Thanks for reading guys! This first fear, The Isolation, is a personal head canon fleshed out that was inspired by some of the content i have seen around tumblr already from the fandom regarding Martin, and I feel that it really fits his story line a little better than just a generic avatar of The Lonely. My boys life is too complicated for the answer to be that simple and unpoetic C'mon!! Anyways, if you're reading this you are a real one comrade! Thank you ! Stay Tuned for more!

-G

[anonymousreader4d7]

hiiii so what did you mean in the tags of that gladiator post recently???? (re: RMAU-verse Imp and Skizz backstory) because i am Looking 👀

*bouncing SUPER excitedly* OKAY! Okay, okay, so! First off, thank you SO much for asking!!! I was hoping someone would!!! Second! Let's preface the full answer with a little bit of RMAU-Verse timeline lore! (Yes I have a timeline Doc that starts from the beginning of the universe/multiverse in the RMAU-Verse... No, you don't need the whole thing for this... ...I don't think you realize the can of worms you opened here, lol. I could ramble about the RMAU-Verse all day, but I will restrain myself for now!)

So! Quick and dirty RMAU timeline that's important to this ask! Before Notch created the first world, the Primordials existed in the Abyss (sort of a... First and True Void). After most of the universe building has happened and most species have come into existence in their various ways, and Notch has stepped back and let the Pantheon of Developers take over "management" of his worlds, the Primordials in the Abyss that are like, the most stereotypically "Eldritch" (mindlessly hungry/destructive), begin to creep out of the Abyss and into the Worlds, leading to a Developer decreed and Admin led Hunt of Primordials. The banishment of the final Primordials at the end of the Hunt led to a Rift being torn into the Abyss and Deep Void (the void between the Abyss and basically the in-game Void, where RMAU-Verse Voidwalkers reside) - this Rift caused the spawning of the first Demons, and in response to their spawning comes the spawning of the first Angels - one Angel for each of the first seven Demons, the origin of each subclass/subspecies of Demon. These first Demons are, because of the Rift being the cause of their spawning, are particularly chaotic, it's literally encoded into them. So, the Angels vow to balance the chaos of their corresponding Demons - which leads to the Cosmic War between (mostly) them that is only de-escalated ages later after much negotiation between both sides AND the Devs and Admins. (There is a LOT more going on during this timeframe but it's more Xisuma centered than Imp and Skizz relevant, lol.) But anyways, after the... Essentially cease-fire, the vow of the Angels shifts from a "I will balance the chaos of MY demon" to "WE will balance the chaos of ALL demons", which leads to a lot of, like, placid-ness and self-isolation in both races, and even via elemental alignment in each individual race. Another thing that came from the train of Primordial Hunt to Demon Hunt was the creation of Hunters as a group - first to hunt Primordials, then many switched to hunting demons during the Cosmic War, and after that, eventually Hybrid Hunters evolved out of them. Hybrid Hunters are... Pretty much what they sound like - mercenaries that hunt hybrids, usually whether they've done anything wrong or not. (By the time of the main timeframe of RMAU, most groups of Hybrid Hunters have either been disbanded, are very small and minor, have been repurposed into an official, Dev over-seen sheriff's/ranger's-like office that hunt hackers and such no matter species, or have hunkered down so deep in the underworld/black market that no one really sees them or sees them coming.)

ANYWAYS, all that to preface what you were REALLY asking - Imp and Skizz, gladiators??? So! Both Impulse and Skizz are... On the young side of their species, but more than that, they're each... Odd. They don't fit the usual mindsets and views of Angels and Demons - Skizz being not very "submissive" to the "Universe" and his element as Angels "should be" according to his Garrison, while Impulse is too... "passive" in his use of his element and a little to interested in things other than pranks for his Troupe - and so they're left on the outskirts of their respective (and separate) groups, a little shunned and outcast. So, when they're each individually captured by Hybrid Hunters, and a powerful group at that, no rescue attempts are made - and they each know that. There is no rescue coming for them.

This particular band of Hunters runs a major underground fighting ring (think a cross between illegal dogfighting and a gladiatorial arena but with hybrids). So, they're each individually brought to the ring - and then they're locked in cages next to each other. A situation where the presence of the other species locks their instincts into a haywire aggressive state… Or it would if it were any other demon or angel… But they're Antipodes. (If you haven't seen my Antipodes lore, it's an Angel and a Demon who shared a moment of spawn/spawned because of each other, perfect opposites - I have a more detailed explanation in my Angels and Demons species notes which you can find from my master post in my pinned post) And because they're Antipodes, while they do feel the aggressive fighting instinct of proximity with their opposite species, it's not to the point of irrationality and they're able to push through it, especially the longer they spend in proximity.

Over time, they begin warming up to and talking to each other, comforting each other between fights and learning about each other. And eventually, as the fights get worse and they slowly get a creeping feeling of dread, that things are about to get so so much worse, they decide they won't stay here any longer, that they have to escape. So they start discussing plans to escape, but it all hinges on them being able to be out at the same time, which never happens.

Until one day, they're both grabbed, and they're shoved into the ring across from each other. The announcer’s voice rings out above them, hyping the crowd for a fight between an Angel and a Demon, a fight that's supposed to be to the death…

While they never had the chance to discuss this scenario, somehow, they just know what the plan is. They put on a good show, an excellent one, and yet, somehow they just know exactly what the other is about to do, and how to avoid the most damage while still being completely convincing, they just know what the other is about to do and how to react… And when the show has gone on long enough, they fake a win. Everyone expects the demon to be the more dangerous one, the one to win, the one to watch out for, so that's what they play up. Because Skizz is tired of this, and angels weren't always peaceful beings - they came into existence to balance and control the demons, they're warriors at their cores no matter how long it's been since they were truly called to fight…

So they pretend that Impulse defeated Skizz, and Skizz plays dead - so that when the Hunters come into the ring to recapture Impulse and clear the sand, they don't expect Skizz's attack. The Angel is fierce, teetering on the edge of bloodlust as he starts their fight for freedom - Impulse is only a beat behind him, waiting just long enough for their attention to be drawn away from him so he has an opening. And they do fight their way out, having learned from their time in the ring, their time as captives, both how to fight and how the Hunters work, letting them not only escape, but collapse the ring from the inside and free the other captive hybrids.

When the dust settles after their escape, it's just the two of them. They each know there's no point going back to their respective kinds, and they each couldn't bear to be parted now. Besides, as Skizz says, they made a great team… so they decide to stick together, and see where the world takes them.

So, to sum all of that up in a quick sentence: They, after being captured, met in basically a gladiatorial ring, and escaped when they were forced to fight each other.

The idea of them being captured and forced to fight in a gladiator arena being how they met is actually inspired by a Team TIES Fantasy AU I read called "tying down friendships" by @stormsaia... I loved the premise and got MAJORLY hit with inspiration for my own AU after/while reading it... (And also, as I've said before, my Primordials and thus also some of my Xisuma stuff is heavily inspired by @mawofthemagnetar's Eldritch Horror Keralis series.) (hopefully neither of you mind being tagged here as my inspirations!!!)

And so, that's more or less the answer to your question! Thank you again SO much for asking, I LOVED getting to ramble about this idea I have for how they met and part of why they are the way they are... (especially in their main fic I'm working on; it's prequel which would actually come not too long after this instance, actually; a piece I started during Skizz Week 2 ages ago but haven't finished; and also a... fic that has them facing... metaphorical "demons" from their past... *wink wink*) I'm always happy to answer questions about the RMAU-Verse (especially Imp and Skizz centric ones) so again, thank you so much for asking, I hope you enjoyed the answer!!!

[evilasiangenius]

A starling flew down, and once more landed on Crowley’s hand.

“I thought you told me to fuck off,” Crowley said to the bird. But then the white-speckled starling began to sing.

The bird had no words for this song, just a melody, but it was one that Crowley had not heard in a long time. The last time he had heard this song of Euripides, Aziraphale had played him a snippet as a quote at supper but then stopped because he said it was too sad and didn’t want to continue. They had ended the evening together as they usually did, talking until past dawn or maybe that was a different night or a different one and did it matter which night it was, when it was with Aziraphale?

Ten years behind, ten years athwart his way Waiting and home, lost and unfriended…

The two angels, fallen and otherwise, gave each other startled looks as the bird sang. It was joined by other birds, slowly, until a great murmuration descended down upon them from the skies, huddled under the protective cover of the courtyard corridor, warbling snippets and pieces of the song from garbled memory. Lost notes, added beats. The trill of a robin, the tap of the chisel upon wood, the rasp of a saw, the liquid burble of water. The chatter of a squirrel. A note, two notes, all a semitone off, the tuning of the scale that the song would have originally been in set adrift upon a heaving sea of sound, sliding on and off its tonal base as if the foundation was cracked and crumbling but the heart of the song remained recognizable.

As the starlings continued to sing it was as if he could feel at once all the words upon his lips.

A rift of the hills, raging with winter rain, Dead and outcast and naked. It is I beside my bridegroom And the wild beasts cry…

Crowley flinched; he had not heard this song in centuries and never this much of it, not since he first saw the play in Athens in the year of the Herm-breaking (which by the way was not his doing, not in the slightest, though he had received commendations for it later). Aziraphale had been there too, they had watched it together in the great theatre in Athens and they had long conversations about this particular play, until Crowley had not wanted to talk about it anymore.

“I think…” Aziraphale began.

“No, it’s fine. I should leave. I’m going to leave.” Crowley moved to duck out from under the corridor, but the starlings did not scatter. They stayed stubborn, blocking his path. The demon snarled in annoyance and threw up his hands, unwilling to exert his infernal will upon the birds to force them to leave.

“It’s still raining,” Aziraphale ventured, though he did not move from where he was standing, white speckled starlings perched all about him, some upon his shoulders, some fluttering in his curling hair as if nesting, another perched on his outstretched hand.

“So? Why is that a problem?”

“Because…because you should stay until the rain stops and things dry out a little. I know you don’t like being cold and wet.”

“Does it matter? Why would it matter?”

“It matters to m–” Aziraphale said, but then paused to think. “It should matter to you. You…should take better care of yourself.”

“Why?”

“B-because it’s virtuous!” Aziraphale exclaimed. “It’s virtuous to take care of oneself!”

“I don’t care about being manly or good or ethical or whatever that word means now.”

“Then…then because otherwise you scare cats. And people,” Aziraphale said.

“Why should I care if I scare cats or people?”

“You scare me too!”

The silence between them was not even broken by the birds who watched them with curious eyes, but slowly, as the two angels fallen and otherwise stood there, unable to find the words with which to address each other, the birds began to leave, one by one, fluttering off in a great white-speckled cloud.

more

[lej222]

Hii lej.. What do u think of latest chapter of aslfua?

Hiii there ^-^ Sorry for the late reply, I might be busy in the future but I will try to answer as fast as I can :)

ASLFUA 152 spoilers

I think we had a really funny callback in this episode because do you remember how Miae used to be the outcast in the class and she had to work hard to befriend the other kids? Now, we have Jisu as the fresh outcast and it's Honggyu again who openly voices his dislike towards him. Like, I'm always talking about paralles in the story and how Jisu parallels Miae so much, from his dynamic with Miae that is similar to the relationship between Miae&Cheol, to how other characters treat him.

The title of the story is about the academy and the last year of the century. So it makes sense Jisu's arrival to the academy marks the start of the ending of the series because this is the point where all the narratives come together. I've also mentioned this before, but aslfua seems to be a collection of parallel stories that intersect right now, one was happening in the background without the main characters knowing about it - that's Jisu's story-, and the other is the obvious one with Cheol and Miae. Author Soonkki likes playing around with perspectives, so it's common that seemingly unrelated occurances start to have meaning later on.

We actually know quite a few things:

the story is in its last stage

the title clearly references 1999 as the end of the century so the series has a limited timeframe

the narrator has pointed out how the academy kids don't have much time left together so they should get along

Jisu joined the class temporarily with the excuse of taking the mock test

the academy is not only a symbol for the whole story, but also one of the most important locations where Miae and Cheol started interacting without pretenses. Knowing this, Jisu's arrival could be the start of the core of the story, no wonder the supernatural power is becoming more aggressive. I guess this is where Soonkki's meticulous foreshadowing elements will come into play and where her writing skills can shine the most.

I didn't want to see a rift between the kids this far into the story and I've been vocal about how I don't like Jisu being used in the jealousy storyline. And I'm also not a fan of how Miae feels bad when she feels comfortable around Jisu and when people act like she's doing something wrong by being friends with him. I guess this is my biggest complaint in this episode as well, like give Cheol more scenes that are not about him being jealous! Let teenagers interact with each other without having to feel guilty about it! (hopefully this will be addressed)

Also, Jisu's possible neurodivergent behaviour is just shining through, it's actually funny. He's like 'I'm having fun -.-' with a straight face and 'I was bored so I solved all the problems' lol If he's yawning because of autistic fatigue caused by sensory overload and prolonged social interactions, it makes sense that he's doing it more excessively at the academy where he's surrounded by strangers. When I went back to the episodes where he was alone with Miae, he clearly didn't yawn as much so this theory seems to make sense.

[magenta-fantasies-illustrations]

Outcasts of the Rift is a story-driven, art-focused RPG combining strategy RPG combat with adventure game-style puzzles and exploration. Learn more here!

______________________________________________________________

This Saturday, Outcasts of the Rift will appear for the first time at 1Upstate in Albany, New York! 1Upstate is not a traditional gaming convention, and focuses heavily on game development and game developers. I’m looking forward to what I’ll learn! Of course, I will have the demo and other usual items with me as well.

[wishing-stones]

Dreamtale is a Trans Allegory

No, I will not take criticism. Essay ahead.

So on the surface, this is just a heartbreaking story of two brothers driven apart by the horrible nature of people who fear what they don't understand, right? Sad already.

But after picking it apart last night (and with a little input from a friend) I realized that the entire story can be seen as an allegory for transness. Let's examine this a little more closely.

From the jump, Dream is the golden child. He can do no wrong. Nightmare is the social pariah because he is different, he represents something people don't like, and if people both don't understand something and fear it, they tend to hate it rather than learn to accept it as it is. (You can already see where I'm going with this.) By contrast, Dream conforms. He is welcomed and accepted because he does what people want and is how people want him to be. This begins to drive a rift between the brothers; why can't Dream advocate his brother to the villagers? Why can't Nightmare just pretend to be nice, put on a mask for them?

This eventually comes to a boiling point when Nightmare, trying to defend his heritage, the person (tree) that made him who he is, as well as trying to defend himself, is struck down because people couldn't understand him, and that turned into fear and hatred. So, to protect himself, and to try and protect what was left of everything he knew, he transitioned. And he became what everyone painted him as. Evil. Mean. The bad guy. The different one.

Enter Dream, the golden child. He tries to talk his brother down, refuses to acknowledge the new Nightmare, and vows to "fix him." Nightmare Does Not Take This Well. If he can take away that last little spark of goodness (normality/conformity) in Dream, then maybe he'll see what it's like to be the outcast.

Obviously this doesn't pan out well for either of them, but after 500 years of Nightmare learning to accept who he is, build his self-confidence as that new person, and accept the consequences of his catastrophic blowup (massive falling out/no-contact family sweep) he's a little more stable. He has a home. He has underlings who understand him and accept him for who he is (found family) and wouldn't have him any other way.

When Dream shows up to try and "get his brother back" (force Nightmare back into who he used to be) things get catastrophically worse. Nightmare isn't that person and can never be him again. He accepts who he is - why can't Dream? It's not like he stoped being Dream's sibling, he just isn't the meek little bookworm anymore. Dream tries and tries and tries, but to no avail. And Nightmare hates him for it. Nightmare hates that he's trying to shove him back into that box (conformity) and will not have it.

From Dream's side, it's having to come to terms with the fact that a family member has changed so much. He could also be seen as the closeted case, since he put so much effort into making people happy (conforming) and putting the needs of others before himself. He failed to see the issues his brother had because he was too busy trying to make himself acceptable and fix everyone else's problems. If he ignored his problems, his feelings, they'd go away eventually, right? Wrong.

Dream tries to fit Nightmare into that box of his bookwormish, quiet twin again, partially because he misses what they had, but also because this frightens him. Nightmare's change and acceptance of that change is something that Dream struggles with because it's so different from everything he knew. He sees change like this as bad because he's so steeped in trying to make things right (colored perspective/internalized transphobia) that he can't see that... the brother he remembers is still a part of who Nightmare is. He still likes his books. He's still fairly quiet and withdrawn. He still likes learning (and being an insufferable know-it-all sometimes) and a bunch of other things that make him... him. But because the outside has changed, Dream has trouble seeing that the inside, the core personality and foundations are roughly the same.

And, if you're like me and like to see this resolved, Dream has to come to terms with this eventually, and learn to accept that... this is just how Nightmare is now. It's still his brother, he's just different and can't ever be the way he was again. People change as they grow, Nightmare just changed in a way that made it difficult for Dream to see and accept at first.

With that acceptance, Dream can also finally accept that he, too, has changed, and isn't the same as he was before, and it's okay to celebrate that and surround yourself with people who will similarly celebrate your growth and achievements.

Tried to to hit people over the head with things here, but yeah. Pry this from my cold, dead hands. Also they're both NBtM Trans. Fight me.

[ivomartins]

I see many people consider Dmitry a redflag LI but to me he's a morally grey character: he finds a strange girl amidst the rift and assigns her a place in the squad instead of, you know, just taking Lane hostage when she's made it clear she's pursuing her own goals and only compels to the squad's decisions because she has to.

I understand why the interrogation episode is icky for many people but for me the devil is in details: Dmitry stops the interrogation because he doesn't want to hurt Lane further, and the whole situation can be seen as a necessary evil from the squad's pov, given Lane's actions. And at the same time, Lane doesn't deserve that shit either: she's all alone in a trust-no-one situation, and now she sees very clearly that the squad is not her friends.

To me that's what moral greyness is: different interpretations of the situation, when you can see motivation of both parties without whitewashing them.

Dmitry's conversation about turning your weakness into your strength adds another facet to his character, just like the stolen babushka gift 😭. I love the way Alexandra shows that he actually cares about Lane through him wanting to give her a chocolate bar or helping her with the work and sacrificing his sleep.

And the soulmatism of their branch is so well done. It's not "your mc is promised to this LI although you'd rather have her killed him in a cold blood" but "yes the situation we found themselves in is fucked up and bleak but at least we have each other because in another universe we'd pass each other by without looking back"

And I love how you can see Dmitry lashing out in the latest episodes, with more and more people in the squad dying, because he's responsible for their lives, he's the leader. And you, as a player, can choose Lane's reaction to his behaviour.

But the thing that truly made me sympathize with him is him telling Lane "It would be sad to lose my humanity while hunting for monsters and become one in other people's eyes. I hope I haven't cross that line yet?.."

That's how you write morally grey characters! 🙌

P.S. His latest CG fucks

i'm shook tbh that some people consider dmitry a red flag LI 😭 like yeah. the interrogation scene was iffy and lane didn't deserve that. but the world has literally gone to shit and this is a man who's been forced by circumstances to blur the lines of his morality for the greater good and the safety of the people around him ??? when we take that and the post-apocalyptic survival-of-the-fittest setting into consideration, plus the fact that lane was sus from day 1 and didn't really make any effort to prove herself trustworthy, the interrogation makes perfect sense

and like you said the morally grey nature to dmitry is the most interesting thing about him especially when it ties into the development of his bond with lane like !!!! with cain there's affinity in their position as outcasts and the apathetic nature they share, suspended above everything, untouched by what otherwise jars everyone else in the squad

but with dmitry their affinity lies in dmitry having a different nature to lane and still being drawn to her despite that, still accepting her to the point where she points a fucking gun at his head and he doesn't even flinch 😭 and doesn't even hold it against her later on like ??? there's so much devotion and unconditional acceptance to it and for me personally as someone who's on the whisper path it's definitely giving "the hero loving the monster and cherishing their blood-soaked hands" kinda dynamic

like it's "human" organic soulmatism like you called it, to balance out the otherworldly ambiguous soulmatism with cain. ugh i can't enough of it

i also love how he's been lashing out too and that not even lane has been exempt from that because he's just under that much pressure. i just adore how every single character has been written with their own role to play in the story, completely independent from lane, and they all get to develop just as much as she does as the story goes on 🥹

(and yes his cgs have been superior, even to cain, since day 1. i will die on that hill)

[godsofhumanity]

Could you write some new Hera/Zeus headcanons?

okie i think i've actually managed to think of some new stuff!! hope it's okay, and sorry for the wait!!!!!!

first, let me link my previous Hera x Zeus hc's: (one) (two)

now. i wrote previously about how Hera and Zeus started off; essentially, after accidentally killing Metis (the ONE other goddess besides Hera whom i hc to be Zeus' "true" love), Zeus finds it impossible to let go of the past and decides that he needs to isolate himself from everyone so that he never gets close enough to someone to hurt them like he did to Metis.

BUT, Hera actually encourages Zeus to let go of that mindset, forgive himself and move on because he's the King now and he needs to take responsibility.

in this list, i wanted to elaborate a bit more on that.

so, Rhea and Zeus are very very close. i think Rhea has the best relationship with Zeus because, y'know, he's the hero. he's the only one she actually managed to save. she feels sooo proud and indebted to him. and, even though she tries very very hard to make that same relationship with her other children, it's very difficult because the others in the Big Six are already "adults" when they're set free from Kronos.

even between Zeus and his siblings; everyone is very cordial and everyone loves Zeus and thinks he's cool, but there's a bit of a clique between Hera, Demeter, Hestia, Hades, and Poseidon-- they're the ones who were trapped in Kronos' stomach. they're the ones who understand that trauma. Zeus, sympathetic as he is, just doesn't get it. he can never get it because he's never experienced it.

so, when the news breaks out that Zeus has done a Kronos and killed Metis and his first child (unborn, but still),, that's really unnerving for them.

i think the rest of the siblings are like, "uhhh too soon!". it's scary. he's supposed to be their brother and the guy who's King, but then he goes and does That and everyone's a little bit.. scared.

Rhea, of course, recognises that there's a rift now between the siblings, and i think she does her absolute best to squash it.

Kronos becomes mad because he gives into his paranoia and pushes all his siblings away. Rhea wants to avoid that by encouraging her children to stick together.. to forgive Zeus for his mistake and not make him feel like an outcast.

but, as i said, Rhea and her other children don't have that strong of a bond. it's not truly unconditional. they won't do just anything and everything she says.

Hestia, i think, was not a "newborn" when Kronos swallowed her, she was a few months old and she has memories of Before, so even though she does love Zeus, i think she just didn't have the strength to approach him directly after Metis' death.

Demeter, Poseidon, Hades feel much the same way.

Hera is unwilling at first. but i think she sees Rhea's exasperation, and she knows that Zeus would've done anything for anyone of them if they had made the same mistake, so that's why she's the First one to go, "yeah okay. i'll talk to him".

i like the idea of Zeus sitting in a forest, sitting by a lake-- he used to practice sparring with Metis by the lake (lake = water = Oceanus = Metis' dad). so the lake is like,, Zeus' connection to Metis.

and. because he's a weather god, the skies are very grey and gloomy only in this one place that he's sitting. and it's bucketing rain. he's drenched, but he pays no notice. he's just miserable.

when Hera first approaches Zeus, i think Zeus tells her to go away, and she insists on staying, and he argues more, and then, in a fit of anger, he releases lightning and sets a tree on fire, and that freaks Hera out-- it freaks Zeus out too because he didn't mean to do it. he has no control over his powers. Zeus' anger is a recurring theme in many later hc's i have hee hee... see: Prometheus, Hephaestus

but, scared as she is, she doesn't leave him. she stays with him, and in typical Hera fashion, she scolds him for acting miserable all the time and never doing anything about his problems.

i hc that Hera is the one who tells him to get his off his mopey ass and start training harder to get a grip on his lightning and his strength so that he won't make the same mistakes again.

and she gets through to Zeus.

in the Iliad and in some other myths, Hera is shown to be proficient in fighting-- she beats Artemis at archery and is quite a force to be reckoned with even though she's not the "goddess of war". but Enyo and Ares, her children, are gods of war. i think they get that from her.

i hc that Hera is brilliant at using swords and bows and spears. it's so natural for her. but Zeus, even though he has so much physical strength, he's not that great at being focused and precise.

but, he trains with Hera and she teaches him to do better. and it works. with raw power, speed, precision-- he's unstoppable.

now, like i've said previously, in all these interactions, they're really just friends. but i think that's where all the romance starts. their bond is like gold being tempered in the fire. each of these non-romantic interactions strengthens the romantic relationship they eventually develop; it gives them a strong foundation to stand on, and i think that's why they last in spite of the obvious highs and lows of their relationship.

much later on in their relationship, when Hera becomes pregnant with their first child, Eileithyia, i think this is a very important milestone in Zeus' life. it's not his first kid, but it is his first kid with a goddess that he truly loves. not a goddess chosen because Fate said so or because he thought it would benefit the future generations of gods, or because it was just a "happy" mistake with some goddess in a tryst... this is his first child with a goddess he would move the world for. there is no ulterior motive here; Eileithyia is born from pure love. just like Athena was with Metis.

so, for Zeus to remain calm during Hera's whole pregnancy-- the pain of losing Metis still fresh, Kronos' curse still whispering cruelly in his ears from the shadows-- it is a huge step for Zeus to remain in control of his fears. he is there for Hera when their daughter is born, she's the apple of his eye and he won't lose her, he won't accidentally destroy her like he did to his other unborn child (of course, time will reveal that he did not, in fact, destroy his other child hee hee but that's for another story).

and, Zeus' strength in this matter 100% comes from Hera being his rock. she's the one who put in the time to train with him and help him get over his fears.

[prettyinpwn]

Hi PrettyinPwn! So, I wanted to ask you something, because I'm honestly lost and confused. Like, I know it's a dumb question, you don't even have to answer this ask if you don't want to, but could you help me understand the difference between Stan and Ford wanting to sail in the Stan o' War in the past and Stan and Ford sailing in the Stan-o'-War II in the present? One of the themes of Gravity Falls is about learning to let go and accept change and I want to know how it fits in this theme. At first I thought that they sailing in Stan-o'-War II in the present was a attempt of bring past to present by living a dream that is rooted in the past, which gives them an element of their past to hold on to and thus they can keep a part of their past in the present. But since the Pines learned to let go and accept change in the end of the show, I know that can't be that.

No, don't call it a dumb question; I think this is actually a great question to ask about the narrative (and one I've personally struggled with how to view myself).

You're 100% correct. It's odd that the narrative theme is about change and accepting it, yet the conclusion to the Stans' story is about returning to the past AKA holding onto the past.

When I think about it, this feels like a point where other themes and character arcs overrode or blend with this theme. Namely, the theme of healing family rifts, forgiveness, the conclusion of Stan and Ford's character arcs, and the beauty of the parallelism/juxtaposition of their story with Dipper and Mabel's.

As it pertains to Stan and Ford's character arcs, they had their own personal lessons to learn. Stan's was learning inherent worth and forgiving of self, in my opinion. Ford's was finding true acceptance/love for who he is (and by "true" I mean the honest kind that people like Stan and Fiddleford offered him that acknowledged his flaws but liked him anyway AKA selfless acceptance, not the selfish kind from people that just wanted to use him AKA Bill and his father to an extent).

So taking those two arc lessons, look at what Ford and Stan offer each other in the end: Ford asking Stan to go on an adventure with him is him subtly saying, "I forgive you and you have worth", and Stan accepting was him subtly saying, "I also forgive you and I still love/accept you". It's a return to the way they saw each other as kids. A key element here, too, is what Stan says to Ford when he first suggests the Stan-O-War idea when they're kids:

Ford is made fun of. Stan defends him from the bullies. And Ford says this (and from a writing standpoint, this is the part where the character states his need/want):

"But I am a freak. I just wonder if there's anywhere in the world where weirdos like me fit in."

And this is Stan's reply:

"Hey, chin up, buddy. Look. (He and Ford look at the sea) One of these days, you and me are gonna sail away from this dumb town. We'll hunt for treasure, get all the girls, and be an unstoppable team of adventurers."

If we break this down, it's basically Ford saying "I feel unaccepted and like an outcast" AKA his character wound and Stan saying "I accept you, you fit in with me, and I'll always stick with you".

So when they end up adventuring together at the end, it's them getting their character need. They're both the balm to each other's character wounds. That, and another thesis of Gravity Falls is that a Pines twin alone is their worst self, but together, they're at their best. I explored this in my post about Mabel's writing, but I think that's why Hirsch and crew wrote both sets of twins sticking together in the end.

A metaphor the fandom likes to use a lot with the Stans is D&D stats: Ford is high intelligence but abysmal wisdom, and Stan is high wisdom but lower intelligence. So alone... well, we saw it for ourselves. Ford alone is taken advantage of, isolated, lacking common sense, etc. Stan alone is depressed, a bit dumb (I say that affectionately but he wasn't good in school, we all know this), etc. Lo and behold: they have what the other doesn't, and their character arc resolution is realizing they need each other and have different strengths that help cover their own flaws.

So all in all, it's still the theme of change, because the Stans sticking together is a change from their status quo at that point (they'd been apart for decades). But it's the theme of change tempered with the value of still holding on to what matters. Like Dipper and Mabel: yeah, they're accepting change and the future, but they're also holding on to some things AKA each other. That's what the Stans failed to learn until they were older, what the niblings taught them, and what they rediscovered that they'd long lost.

So honestly, the theme of change really should be reworded to "accepting a good balance between the past and the future; you can't stop time, but you can still fondly hold onto parts of the past". Why? Because this theme in and of itself is a blend of both sets of twins: the future focus of Ford and Dipper wanting to follow their ambitions and grow up faster, and the past focus of Stan and Mabel wanting to cling on to the past and stop time (I mean, look at the metaphor of the perpetual motion machine and Stan breaking it; he wanted to stop time - a perpetual motion machine in real life - basically).

This new version of the theme reflects that both sides have a point, and both sides were slightly wrong: the narrative conclusion their characters help define is a blend of both arguments; compromise. And the Stan-O-War II is just that: holding onto the past as they sail into the future; compromise between the two viewpoints and characters.

I hope that answers your question! :D

[chaifootsteps]

In my ideal world, Baxter x Sir Pentious would have been endgame. I mean, i’m pretty sure they are canonically, or at least originally meant to be, ex creative partners, and we all know what THAT means.

They were two of Hell’s most brilliant inventors, but they could never quite manage to make it big. They worked behind the scenes, making a living by providing weapons, elixirs, and the like to big gangs and overlords. They were also both secretly in love with the other, but never voiced their feelings, Pen because his deep seated insecurities and low self-worth made him believe it was impossible for anyone to love him, and Baxter because he didn’t know how to deal with or process his emotions, and didn’t want “matters of the heart” to get in the way of his work.

Baxter never cared much about fame or notoriety, in fact he much preferred to fly under the radar. Pen however was always desperate to find his place in the world, somewhere he could belong and have his achievements appreciated. Overtime he became bitter, and started insisting that he and Baxter should use their inventions to get themselves power and notoriety. This created a rift between them that eventually led to them going their separate ways, and eventually becoming rivals.

Baxter ends up staying at the hotel, which of course causes issues when he finds out Pen is there too. They of course start fighting constantly, and trying to one-up each other. But of course they can’t help but admire each other’s work, and keep end up getting along by accident.

After a while, they form a begrudging friendship, which progresses as the show goes on. This culminates when one late night, Pen drunkenly admits he always held a candle for Baxter, but never had the confidence to tell him. After hearing this, Baxter becomes withdrawn and nervous around Pen, fighting with his inner turmoil and the feeling he doesn’t want to face.

Pen of course assumes he has offended Baxter and ruined their friendship once again. He feaks out, and ends up leaving the hotel without telling anyone, causing Charlie and the others to panic because they actually give a shit about him in this version.

Baxter tracks him down, finding him in their old shared lab/house, now abandoned and run down. The two of them have an honest conversation, in which Pen admits that his fear of being an outcast and his desire for love and acceptance has caused him to sabotage the relationships in his life (and death i guess) that actually mattered, but that the time he’s spent with Baxter and the others in the hotel has helped him to value the place in the world he does have? instead of the one he wants.

In turn, Baxter confides in Pen how his experience as an outcast has lead him to become jaded and closed off, and gave him the mindset that trusting or caring about anyone will only ever be detrimental to him. He also admits that his time in the hotel, especially his relationship with Pen, has challenged that worldview, and finally tells Pen that he has feelings for him.

Sorry if this is too cringe or fanfictiony, Idk man, I just have a soft spot for men with emotional issues and mad scientists.

I just want them to be autistic4autistic evil husbands 😭

No, not the slightest bit too cringe or fanfictiony! Hell, you want to talk cringe, my Sir Pentious OTP will always be Pentious/my late Hazbin OC, which is why I never liked Pen/Baxter back in the day.

But lately, it's been growing on me. Pentious shipped with anyone who didn't stand idly by while he was sexually assaulted is fine by me.

[daughterofevil158]

“that snake is gonna bite Wolfgang in the ass hard” LMAO WE’RE REALLY COMING FOR WOLFGANGS HEAD HERE 😭😭 This is what he gets for outcasting his soulmate. Have fun groveling loser lol

ANOTHER BELIEVER!! That man is autistic as hell. His name is literally autism but scrambled. You can’t get more autistic than that

Do you think he spent a long time hiding his soulmarks so he doesn’t hear bullying about it??

Hell, do you think that could be his blackmail if he did try hiding it? Tozu said it himself, he’s not perfect, and we see with Kai that he gets things wrong. Maybe he saw Damon hiding all his soulmarks and thought he was ashamed of them and made it his blackmail

I’m just imagining Cassidy hugs him after meeting him and Damon freezes and bluescreens, you can see on his face he’s not comprehending what’s happening lol

His trust issues must be even worse because of Wolfie’s attempted murder. How is he able to trust his soulmates when one of them almost just tried to have him killed?

I feel like he would be more closer to Ulysses here because of them talking before the kg

I can see his logic for it being that It’s easier to trust him since they already “knew” each other and so it would be harder to betray each other

Now I have the cute image in my head of them knowing small things about each other and doing small things for them

Like Damon knowing how Uly makes his coffee and making him a cup in the morning, and Uly doing the same for him (Although I’m a big believer of Damon preferring tea)

I feel like they deserve some peace and happiness in the middle of this chaos

While I adore Wolfgang and understand where he's coming from, literally being inside Damon's head throughout the game makes me sympathize with him more. Sorry sheep man, but I'm #petty like that

In most soulmate AUs where the soulmark is important phrasing (ex: first words said to each other), there tends to be some skin-colored band-like products to help cover it up either for privacy or so people don't try faking being someone's soulmate. Damon was probably more open with his soulmarks as a kid, but after getting bullied for them in middle school, he's definitely covered them up by the time he enters high school (not that it really helps since now he's getting mocked for other things, but at least it isn't about his soulmates). He has all the phrasings memorized anyway, and he can feel when his writer soulmate sends him a message, so it's not a big deal (insert expertly written metaphor about how, contrasting how a snake sheds its skin, instead he's now wrapping himself in it as a means of defense)

Partial believer of "Damon's blackmail holder doesn't realize it's him cuz he isn't blonde in the picture," but I also feel that Tozu would clarify it's him on the back statement if it was really that vague. Incorporating your idea of Tozu using Damon hiding his soulmarks as his blackmail into the AU. If he intends to give it to a soulmate to cause a rift, it likely went to one that could be positively identified by a physical and permanent soulmark (Toshiko or Cassidy). Eva probably covers up her soulmark as well, and the other body soulmarks are either temporary (Ulysses) or weren't apparent until after arriving (Kai, Desmond, and Diana). But considering how the girls go to Damon to clear up the air before the blackmail gets sent out, it could also be up in the air who got it (imagine if Desmond or Ulysses got it lmao). Tozu definitely words it as vaguely as possible since he...isn't 100% sure (tho he does correctly guess that Damon hid his soulmarks because kids are mean, he's trying to put everyone in the worst light possible anyway).

I said here that soulmates with each other's names would almost certainly search the other online at least once. So I'm imagining Cassidy doing so, finding an article about Damon winning one of his earliest debates, and the picture has him smiling big with his parents hugging him and everything. "Aw, he's just a little guy!" And while she does try to respect his privacy, she'll still search him up every once in a while. And she sees more pictures, always of success, but with fewer and fewer smiles, until they just don't appear anymore. So yeah, she definitely hugs the hell out of him when they meet in person, but it's disguised as a friendly "Nice to finally match a face to the name!" (And yes, Damon is very Error. Does Not Compute. "Nice to...meet you...too?")

Evamon divorce arc. It's so bad because Damon knows that if he hadn't unintentionally blurted his thoughts out to Wolfgang, she would've gone through with her plan knowing one of them would die from it. No matter how this situation ended up, Damon would be getting emotionally devastated. Even tho no one did end up dead, it's just as bad as the canon trust issues will be because of the soulmate factor. The soulmates he hadn't really interacted with as much get their trust levels reset to zero, the others are only a little higher than that, and Eva's straight in the negatives after that. The only ones he'd act mostly the same around for a good while are Toshiko and Ulysses.

Because yep, like you said, they knew each other as personally as they could without getting the other's name before entering the KG (Ulysses...just forgot to ask throughout their several years of communicating, and Damon didn't wanna be the one asking first lol). Also a big agree on Damon disguising his trust as a pragmatic "It would be harder to hurt someone you have such personal ties to."

Ulysses has a green notebook that he got as soon as he found out his soulmate's favorite color and transferred all soulmate-related notes into it. Birthdays, favorite foods, milestones, preferred toothpaste brand, if Damon mentioned it in passing, it's going in the notebook, which Ulysses goes through again every time he makes a new entry (admittedly, it does sounds kinda super creepy out of context. But Ulysses doesn't want to forget a single detail about his soulmate, and so Damon's mostly flattered when he finds out). Imagine younger Damon writes encouraging little messages every day for Ulysses after learning that This Is What You Should Do with this kind of soulmark, and Ulysses very awkwardly and flustered-ly returns the favor with some short poems he enjoys (and asks Damon if he's okay on the days he doesn't write anything). And yeah they're somehow at the "memorized how you make your drink" stage before ever meeting face to face, and they definitely do it for each other in the mornings at EGA (it's to prevent their drinks from being tampered with, Damon swears).