#People’s Palace review

[beingjellybeans]

Elegant takes on Thai cuisine at People's Choice in Greenbelt 3

Since opening its doors in the early 2000s, People’s Palace in Greenbelt 3 has become one of the go-to destinations for those craving an elevated take on Thai cuisine. Known for its modern and sophisticated approach to traditional Bangkok flavors, this restaurant offers a dining experience that’s both familiar and fresh. The restaurant prides itself on its cosmopolitan ambiance and a menu…

[bloomshroomz]

Aromantic*

(Alternate Title: Schrödinger’s Romantic)

I keep wondering if “aromantic” is really a good word to describe my romantic orientation. I have plenty of reasons for why it is, but also plenty of reasons for why it might not be. Schrödinger’s romantic.

In order to know whether you experience romantic attraction or not, you first have to have a solid definition of what romantic attraction is. A definition which is clear, and also distinct from other forms of emotional attraction. I don’t think such a definition exists, or at least, it’s not commonplace.

“Romantic attraction: attraction that makes people desire romantic contact or interaction with another person or persons.” - UNC Chapel Hill LGBT Center

But what is romantic contact or interaction? Is it contact which is culturally considered romantic? In that case, the ways in which romantic attraction is defined would vary by culture, and even by gender. Or is it contact which one intends to be romantic? That would make sense, but is incredibly subjective. How do you know where to draw the line? What if you haven’t drawn one?

“[Romantic attraction] involves a combination of physical, sexual, and emotional feelings toward someone.” - WebMD

This definition is ridiculously vague, especially for a page which defines multiple other types of attraction in relation to romance. What physical feelings? What sexual feelings? What emotional feelings? What about alloromantic asexual people, or other varioriented people, who don’t necessarily experience sexual feelings as part of their romantic feelings?

But the article also defines aromanticism as “when you don’t have any desire for a romantic relationship,” so I can’t count on it for accuracy regardless.

“Romantic attraction is the internal pull that you experience when you are with someone with whom you internally feel connected, comfortable and interested in spending more of your life with.” - Choosing Therapy

Do people not feel connected to their friends? Do people not feel comfortable with their friends? Are people not interested in spending more of their life with their friends? Why else would people find time to connect with their friends, to confide in them, to engage with them? What about these feelings is distinctly romantic?

The article goes on to say this:

“Romantic relationships are relationships intentionally initiated and maintained for experiencing sexual and romantic feelings together, whereas platonic relationships are usually centered on another purpose like hobbies, friendship, support, work, etc. Romantic relationships can also include these purposes as well, but the platonic relationship excludes the romance and sexual feelings.” - Choosing Therapy

I ask again, what about alloaces and other varioriented people? What about people who have sex with their friends? Even when it’s taboo, it’s not unheard of. The distinction can’t be sex, so it has to be romance. So, what is romance?

Later in the article, it defines romance once again:

“Romantic attraction: The internal pull that draws your attention to the other person’s positive qualities, and your internal reaction to connect, love, share and spend time with them to have more romance.” - Choosing Therapy

I feel like I’m running in circles here. People draw their attention to the positive qualities of not just romantic interests, but to friends, family, and other people with whom they’d have no romantic interest. Connection, love, and spent time are not exclusive to romance either. If the goal is to have more romance… What is that?

Every answer I find fails to say what romance is on its own. The definitions always rely on presence or absence of sex, or other things which can just as easily be present in platonic or otherwise non-romantic contexts. Romantic attraction is consistently defined by things which are not distinctly romantic.

Is it even a real thing? I mean, I feel like it’s clearly not, but it’s also clearly very real to most people. Most people don’t think about it this hard. It’s like they were given a manual that I can never possess. It comes naturally to them. They feel romantic attraction, and they know, intuitively, that that’s what it is.

Is my lack of intuition evidence that I don’t experience romantic attraction, or am I just autistic? Maybe it’s both. When I described to my aunts my emotional attraction, they described my way of experiencing and perceiving attraction as very “intellectual,” which I initially rejected. But I think they were right. I lack the intuition to understand my feelings in any way that doesn’t involve a literal or metaphorical chart. It’s something I can’t just feel and then know like other people do.

Is romantic attraction always a “you’ll know it when you feel it” sort of thing? It seems like it. Even when I search “romantic attraction” on Google, many results either come from queer Fandom Wiki pages, discussions amongst a-spec people, Reddit, or Quora. Some results aren’t even relevant to the question, including multiple results which just describe what “aromantic” means. The opposite of what I intended to search for.

The thing is, I do have feelings which would likely be perceived as romantic to most people. I have a deep desire for commitment and companionship. To touch and be touched. To love and be loved. To be emotionally and physically intimate with other people. To feel the warmth of other people as we lay in bed together. To live out our mundane lives together. Things that most people would find incredibly romantic.

But are these things romantic if I don’t explicitly intend for them to be? Is it romantic for me to be open to it being romantic, without actively wanting that?

When I’ve described my feelings online, I’ve gotten mixed responses from other people, but I’ve generally been given similar advice from different strangers, and similar labels thrown at me, even when I hadn’t asked for advice or labels.

“I think you’d enjoy a queerplatonic relationship.”

“You might be cupioromantic.”

“You might be bellusromantic.”

And I can understand where they’re coming from. I don’t think they’re entirely wrong, either. I would enjoy a queerplatonic relationship… But not for any reason that wouldn’t apply to other committed relationship types. Queerplatonic relationships, platonic relationships, romantic relationships, and whatever else there is are the same to me in all but label.

Cupioromanticism is something I have considered. I made the flag for it when I was 15 years old as well (yes, the peach one with five stripes; I always asked to be credited anonymously), so I’m biased towards liking the flag. But the definition is “being aromantic, and also wanting a romantic relationship.”

I don’t specifically want a romantic relationship, but I do want committed relationships in general, and romantic relationships are included in that. So, maybe?

Bellusromantic is something I have also considered, and it also has a pretty flag. But I think it’s less accurate than cupioromantic. The definition is “being aromantic, and enjoying traditionally romantic things, but not wanting a romantic relationship (or not wanting a committed relationship, depending on the definition used).”

I do enjoy traditionally romantic things in a way which is not explicitly romantic, and I don’t explicitly want a romantic relationship. But I’m not opposed to romantic relationships, and I do explicitly want committed relationships.

I took some aro-spec tests, and my results had a tendency to skew towards cupioromantic, bellusromantic, and quoiromantic. Quoiromantic is another orientation which I have considered, and it might be the most accurate.

Quoiromantic is also aptly known as “whatromantic” or “WTFromantic” because the defining trait is that romantic attraction as a concept doesn’t make sense to you.

“[Quoiromantic], also known as [whatromantic] or [WTFromantic], is a [romantic] orientation defined by confusion, vagueness, and/or obscurity. A [quoiromantic] person may not understand or relate to the concepts of [romantic] attraction and/or [romantic] orientation. [Quoiromanticism] may involve confusion related to what [romance] is, whether or not one experiences [romantic attraction], and how to differentiate it from other forms of attraction. [Quoiromanticism] can also feel blurry and unclear, and may center around general confusion around one's identity and attraction. It can also refer to a lack of identification with [romantic] orientation as a concept, and can additionally serve as a label for people who cannot fit into more specific identities. [Quoiromanticism] can also refer to when one does not experience [romantic] attraction in a "traditional" manner. It is sometimes used as a catch-all term for people who know they're somewhere on the [aromantic] spectrum, but aren't sure where.” - An LGBTQIA+ Wiki (originally about quoisexuality; I changed some words.)

In a similar vein, pomoromantic (“pomo” being literally taken from “postmodern”) would also fit. My romantic orientation exists from a post-romantic perspective, where romance is understood to be made up bogus which isn’t actually fundamentally different from any other form of emotional connection.

“[Pomoromanticism] is defined as refusing, avoiding, or not fitting any [romantic] orientation label in terms of conventional labels or classifications, such as gay, lesbian, [biromantic], or [aromantic]. It challenges categorizations in favor of largely unmapped possibility and the intense charge that comes with transgression. Some [pomoromantic] people may be queer or questioning, and others may not be.” - Another LGBTQIA+ Wiki (originally about pomosexuality; I changed some words.)

But at that point, is it even worth labeling my romantic orientation? Should I just be bisexual/omnisexual? Maybe with a little asterisk at the end? Does any of this matter? Am I thinking too much? (I am.)

I think that continuing to identify as aromantic will probably close me off to potential relationships. I feel like the word gives people the wrong idea. At the same time, the way that I think about romance is fundamentally different than the way other people tend to, and I do consider my aromanticism to be a notable part of who I am and how I experience the world. Maybe I should just send this to whoever ends up being a potential partner. Probably more useful than any label.

[porto-rosso]

brother where is the charles appreciation

[cakypa120]

With the title of Champion of Magic came a lot of work. Separating a couple of Cyclopes or dragons, participating in peace talks, reviewing petitions and participating in court hearings. And that's just to keep the peace in the magical community. Billy didn't expect this kind of work at all!

The heroes were used to Marvel sometimes disappearing for days or even weeks, to him bringing piles of papers to the Watchtower and burying himself in them until the night. Or when he mumbled incoherent nonsense about fairies and leprechauns.

Hal: Cap, are you free tonight? We were planning on going to a bar tonight.

Marvel: Sorry, but I can't go with you, I have court today.

Hal: Wow, what happened.

Marvel: A dragon is suing a knight for breaking into a palace and stealing his bride.

Hal: What?

Marvel: Bye.

Batman: Captain, you've been gone three weeks. What were you doing that took so long?

Marvel: Does a treaty between the elves and the dwarves to end a centuries-old feud count?

Batman: I want a report on that.

Marvel: Not now, sir, I need to review the lawsuits filed against the fairies.

Superman: Captain, you need to take a break.

Marvel: I'll rest when I'm dead. But even in death, I'll have to work to keep this world from falling into the legal hell of the wizarding world.

Superman: Marvel, I'm worried about you.

Marvel: And I'm worried about how that pack of werewolves managed to cross into vampire territory and stay alive.

Diana: Hermes? What are you doing here?

Hermes: Just helping the Champion, of course!

Marvel: Did you figure out what kind of people you need to find?

Hermes: Don't worry! I'll get them for you even from Hades! Now go get some rest, Champion!

[atlaculture]

An Alternative to a Roast

So I watched Netflix's live-action Avatar and, frankly, I didn't like it. I was considering writing an in-depth review tearing it apart. However, after taking in reactions that ranged from one-line Twitter hot takes to in-depth video essays to paid industry reviews from big name media brands, I realized there wasn't much I could add to the discourse that someone else couldn't articulate better.

All that really needs to be said is that it was inferior to its source material in every aspect and incapable of standing on its own merits.

With that out of the way, I'd like to bring attention to a show that more people should watch: Kusuriya no Hitorigoto, known as The Apothecary Diaries in English. To be honest, aside from being strongly inspired by Chinese culture, it's not very similar to ATLA. It's about a commoner girl named Maomao who solves mysteries within the emperor's palace with her knowledge of poisons and medicines. It's a beautifully animated and deeply empathetic series that explores the struggles of living within a rigidly hierarchical society, with special attention paid to the social complexities of being a woman. If you like traditional Chinese fashion, murder mysteries, holistic medicine, well-developed characters, or class consciousness in your stories, give this series a shot!

[thelargefrye]

LONG LIVE THE QUEEN ... one - shot (17+)

pairing : king consort!seonghwa x queen!f!reader

genre : royalty, victorian era inspired, a little angsty, arranged marriage

word count : 1.2k

warnings : language, mentions of death / grief, self-doubt and not feeling good enough

note : for lapydiaries february event – remember to reblog and leave a comment if you enjoyed!

when your mother, the queen, passes away; you are set to become the next queen. beginning a new reign for your country. however, not everyone is prepared for your new reign.

LONG LIVE THE QUEEN MOODBOARD

when the first rays of the dawn painted your chamber in hues of lavender and gold, you would usually find peace in the beauty. however, this morning you found no peace in it. instead, dreading the sun slowly rising. sleep having completely evaded you during the night. leaving you restless beneath your silk sheets of your grand yet empty bed. 

you were beginning to feel the weight of everything pile on top of you. the weight of the crown, of duty, grief – it was all pressing down on you like an unseen force. 

no one to help relieve or share the pressure. 

the person who should share this bed with you laid asleep, peacefully probably, in his own private chamber. 

with a quiet sigh, you slipped out from beneath the covers. a shiver running through you as your bare feet touched the cold marble floors. the palace was eerily silent during this hour, not even the servants had begun their morning routines yet. it felt like a rare moment of solitude, one that you didn’t mind basking in. especially as you wandered through the empty corridors.

your feet carried you to the royal office without much thought. the room still smelled faintly of parchment and your mother’s floral perfume. a lingering trace of the woman who previously sat at the mahogany desk you stood at. your mother ruled with both grace and an iron will. the very thought of her made your chest tighten. 

you took a deep breath before settling into the chair, the glow of the sun shining through the large windows. there were stacks of documents waiting for you to review – hongjoong having sorted them into different stacks: requests from nobles, tax reports, petitions – but none of them could honestly hold your attention. instead, your gaze drifted toward the drawers of the desk, the ones you have yet to look through and organize since your mother’s passing. 

with hesitant fingers, you pulled one open. 

a collection of old documents were what met your eyes – some from past rulers, others bearing your mother’s elegant handwriting. but amidst all the old documents sat something… unexpected. a box, dark mahogany with beautiful and intricate carvings was held closed with a delicate golden clasp.

curiosity got the better of you as you lifted it out, running your fingers over the surface before carefully opening it. inside, a neat stack of letters tied together with a silk ribbon. 

you felt your breath hitch. some of the parchment had aged, but the writing remained unmistakable. these were your mother’s letters. 

carefully, you sorted through them, your heart tightening as you read the names inscribed on each envelope – your grandmother, nobles of high standing, your father… and then, at the very bottom, one addressed to you.

with shaking fingers, you opened it. 

my dearest y/n,  by the time you read this, i fear i will no longer be by your side. but you know that i have always watched over you, as i do now in spirit. 

you felt your throat tighten as your mother’s words unfolded before you, speaking of hopes and worries, of a future she would not live to see. 

i have seen the struggles between you and seonghwa. you love him, that much is clear. but love is not always enough to bridge the spaces between two people. my heart aches for you, my darling, for the burdens you bear and the ones yet to come.  i pray that in time, the two of you will find your way to each other. that the distance will fade, and you will not have to carry this loneliness forever. 

tears splattered onto the parchment, staining the delicate paper. you covered your mouth, pressing the letter to your chest as a silent sob wracks through you. 

you couldn’t do this. you couldn’t keep pretending that everything was fine when in truth you were breaking inside. first slowly, but now faster and faster with each passing day. 

you missed your mother, leaving you too soon to take care of a country that was full of people who didn’t see you fit enough to rule. with a husband who didn’t love you – who you carelessly believed loved you only for his distance to continuously shatter you. you felt alone. 

carefully, you wiped your tears before placing the letters back in the box and slid it into the drawer. the weight in your chest had not lessened, but exhaustion had finally crept into your system. you rested your head against the desk, letting the quiet lull you into a fitful slumber.

you awoke to the sound of hurried footsteps and panicked voices. 

the muffled voices outside your office grew frantic, and the sudden noise startled you into alertness. you stand to look out the large, grand windows – the sun now sitting high in the morning sky. you see guards, maids, and other servants running around in a panic. 

one guard tripping and landing in one of the flower bushes, a maid stopping, screaming at the guard as she pulls him up. you knew your grandmother was surely rolling in her grave at the sight you just witnessed.

suddenly, the door to your office was thrown open. 

a figure burst inside – disheveled, breathless, and frantic. 

seonghwa. 

your eyes met, his filled with something raw and unguarded. then, before you could react, he was across the room, wrapping you in his arms. 

you stiffened at first, startled by the rare show of affection. his embrace was warm, strong – so unlike the careful distance he always kept between the two of you. you felt his heartbeat thundering beneath your cheek, his hands firm against your back as if grounding himself in the fact that you were here, safe. 

“you scared me,” he murmured, voice slightly hoarse. “the entire palace was in chaos looking for you. when they said you were missing, i–

he cut himself off, exhaling a rather shaky breath before tightening his hold. “i’m just glad you’re alright.”

you barely registered his words. you could only focus on the way his arms felt around you. the way he was holding you like you mattered, like he was afraid to let go. 

but then, just as quickly as the moment had come, he pulled away. carefully. the warmth of his touch lingered, but the space between you two felt colder. a sharp voice interrupted you both. 

“your majesty!” irene, your head maid, swept into the room, followed closely by mingi, one seonghwa’s trusted friend and guard. irene’s eyes widened at the sight before her. she then quickly rushed to your side, wrapping a thick robe – where did she even get that? – around your shoulders.

“a queen should not be wandering the halls in only her negligee,” irene scolded lightly, shielding you from the prying eyes of the other guards outside. 

it was then that you noticed the way seonghwa’s gaze flickered downward, just for a moment, before he quickly looked away. his jaw tightening as a faint flush dusted his cheeks. something in your chest fluttered. 

seonghwa, always composed, always indifferent, had looked at you just not in a way you hadn’t seen him do so in years. irene ushered you away, scolding you gently, but you barely registered her words.

your mind still stuck on the warmth of seonghwa’s arms. on the way his eyes had darkened just slightly as they lingered on her. 

and as you followed irene through the corridors, you couldn’t help but wonder –

why had he looked at you like that?

[artsekey]

Disney's Wish

Look, Disney's Wish has been universally panned across the internet, and for good reason.

It’s just…kind of okay.

 When we sit down to watch a Disney film—you know, from the company that dominated the animation industry from 1989 to (arguably) the mid 2010’s and defined the medium of animation for decades—we expect something magnificent. Now, I could sit here and tell you everything that I thought was wrong with Wish, but if you’re reading this review, then I imagine that you’ve already heard the most popular gripes from other users across the web. So, let me focus in:

The biggest problem with Wish—in fact, the only problem with Wish—is Magnifico.

Whoa, that’s crazy! There’re so many things about Wish that could’ve been better! The original concept was stronger! The music was bad--

I hear you, I do. But stay with me here, okay? Take my hand. I studied under artists from the Disney renaissance. I teach an adapted model of Disney’s story pipeline at a University level. I spent a ridiculous amount of time getting degrees in this, and I am about to dissect this character and the narrative to a stupid degree.

First, we need to understand that a good story doesn’t start and end with what we see on the screen. Characters aren’t just fictional people; when used well, characters are tools the author uses (or in this case, the director) to convey their message to the audience. Each character’s struggle should in some way engage with the story’s message, and consequently, the story’s theme. Similarly, when we look at our protagonist and our antagonist, we should see their characters and their journeys reflected in one-another.

So, what went wrong between Asha & Magnifico in terms of narrative structure?

Act I

In Wish, we’re introduced to our hero not long into the runtime—Asha. She’s ambitious, caring, and community-oriented; in fact, Asha is truly introduced to the audience through her love of Rosas (in “Welcome to Rosas”).  She’s surrounded by a colorful cast of friends who act as servants in the palace, furthering her connection with the idea of community but also telling us that she’s not of status, and then she makes her way to meet Magnifico for her chance to become his next apprentice.

Quick aside: I'm not going to harp on Asha as a character in the context of Disney's overall canon. Almost every review I've seen covers her as a new addition to Disney's ever-growing repertoire of "Cute Quirky Heroines", and I think to be fair to Asha as an actor in the narrative, it serves her best to be weighed within the context of the story she's part of.

As Asha heads upstairs for her interview, we're introduced to the man of the hour: Magnifico. He lives in a tower high above the population of Rosas, immediately showing us how he differs from Asha; he’s disconnected from his community. He lives above them. He has status. While the broader context of the narrative wants us to believe that this also represents a sense of superiority, I would argue that isn’t what Magnifico’s introduction conveys; he's isolated.

Despite this distance, he does connect with Asha in “At All Costs”. For a moment, their goals and values align. In fact, they align so well that Magnifico sees Asha as someone who cares as much about Rosas as he does, and almost offers her the position.

… Until she asks him to grant Saba’s wish.

This is framed by the narrative as a misstep. The resonance between their ideals snaps immediately, and Magnifico says something along the line of “Wow. Most people wait at least a year before asking for something.”

This disappointment isn't played as coming from a place of power or superiority. He was excited by the idea of working with someone who had the same values as he did, who viewed Rosas in the same way he does, and then learns that Asha’s motivations at least partially stem from a place of personal gain.

Well, wait, is that really Asha's goal?

While it's not wholistically her goal, it's very explicitly stated & implied that getting Saba's wish granted is at least a part of it. The audience learns (through Asha's conversation with her friends before the interview) that every apprentice Magnifico has ever had gets not only their wish granted, but the wishes of their family, too!  Asha doesn’t deny that this is a perk that she’s interested in, and I don't think this is a bad thing.

So, Is Asha’s commitment to Saba selfless, or selfish? I’m sure the director wanted it to seem selfless, wherein she believes her family member has waited long enough and deserves his wish granted, but we can’t ignore the broader context of Asha essentially trying to… skip the line.

Then, we get our first point of tension. Magnifico reveals his “true colors” in snapping at Asha, telling her that he “decides what people deserve”. This is supposed to be the great motivator, it’s meant to incite anger in the audience—after all, no one gets to decide what you deserve, right? But unfortunately for the integrity of the film and the audience's suspension of disbelief, at least part of Magnifico’s argument is a little too sound to ignore:

Some wishes are too vague and dangerous to grant. Now, there’s visual irony here; he says this after looking at a 100 old man playing the lute. The idea that something so innocuous could be dangerous is absurd, and the audience is meant to agree.

... But we’ve also seen plenty of other wishes that might be chaotic—flying on a rocket to space, anyone? The use of the word vague is important, too—this implies wording matters, and that a wish can be misinterpreted or evolve into something that is dangerous even if the original intent was innocuous. His reasoning for people forgetting their wish (protecting them from the sadness of being unable to attain their dreams) is much weaker, but still justifiable (in the way an antagonist’s flawed views can be justified). The film even introduces a facet of Magnifico’s backstory that implies he has personal experience with the grief of losing a dream (in the destruction of his home), but that thread is never touched on again.

              What is the audience supposed to take from this encounter? If we’re looking at the director’s intent, I’d argue that we’ve been introduced to a well-meaning young girl and a king who’s locked away everyone’s greatest aspiration because he believes he deserves to have the power to decide who gets to be happy.

              But what are we shown? Our heroine, backed by her friends, strives to be Magnifico’s apprentice because she loves the city but also would really like to see her family's wishes granted. When this request is denied and she loses the opportunity to be his apprentice, she deems Magnifico’s judgement unfair & thus begins her journey to free the dreams of Rosas’ people.

              In fairness, Magnifico doesn’t exhibit sound judgement or kindness through this act of the film. He’s shown to be fickle, and once his composure cracks, he can be vindictive and sharp. He's not a good guy, but I'd argue he's not outright evil. He's just got the makings of a good villain, and those spikes of volatility do give us a foundation to work off of as he spirals, but as we’ll discuss in a bit, the foreshadowing established here isn’t used to the ends it implies.

              While I was watching this film, I was sure Magnifico was going to be a redeemable villain. He can’t connect with people because he's sure they value what he provides more than they value him (as seen in “At All Costs” and the aftermath), and Asha’s asking for more was going to be framed as a mistake. His flaw was keeping his people too safe and never giving them the chance to sink or swim, and he's too far removed from his citizens to see that he is appreciated. Asha does identify this, and the culmination of her journey is giving people the right to choose their path, but the way Magnifico becomes the “true” villain and his motivations for doing so are strangely divorced from what we’re shown in Act I.  

Act II:

His song, “This is the Thanks I Get!?” furthers the idea that Magnifico’s ire—and tipping point—is the fact that he thinks the people he’s built a kingdom for still want more. Over the course of this 3:14 song, we suddenly learn that Magnifico sends other people to help his community and doesn’t personally get involved (we never see this outside of this song), and that he’s incredibly vain/narcissistic (he's definitely a narcissist). I think feeling under-appreciated is actually a very strong motivation for Magnifico as a character-turning-villain, and it works very well. It’s justified based on what we’ve seen on screen so far: he feels under-appreciated (even though he’s decidedly not—the town adores him), he snaps and acts irrationally under stress (as seen with his outburst with Asha), and he’s frustrated that people seem to want more from him (again, as seen with his conversation with Asha in Act I).

              But then… he opens the book.

Ah, the book. As an object on screen, we know that it's filled with ancient and evil magic, well-known to be cursed by every relevant character in the film, and kept well-secured under lock and key. But what does it stand for in the context of the narrative's structure? A quick path to power? We're never told that it has any redeeming qualities; Magnifico himself doesn't seem to know what he's looking for when he opens it. It feels... convenient.

I think it's also worth noting that he only turns to the book when he's alone; once again, the idea of connection and community rears it's ugly head! Earlier in the film, Amaya-- his wife-- is present and turns him away from taking that path. In her absence, he makes the wrong choice.

This decision could make sense; it contains powerful magic, and if it were framed in such a way that the people of Rosas were losing faith in Magnifico’s magic, as if what he can do might not be enough anymore after what they felt from Star, going for the book that we know contains spells that go above and beyond what he can already do would be logical. Along the lines of, “If they’re not happy with what I do for them, fine. I, ever the “martyr”, will do the unthinkable for you, because you want more.”

            It would keeps with the idea that Magnifico believes he's still trying to help people, but his motivation has taken his self-imposed pity party and turned it into resentment and spite.

 But, that’s not the case. Instead he talks about reversing that “light”, which has had no real negative or tangible consequences on Rosas. Everyone had a warm feeling for a few seconds. Again, it’s meant to paint him as a vain control freak, but… he hasn’t lost any power. The citizens of Rosas even assume the great showing of magic was Magnifico.

Act III

              Then, we get to the consequences of opening the book (and perhaps my biggest qualm with this film). The book is established as being cursed. Magnifico knows it, Asha knows it, and Amaya—who is introduced as loyal-- knows it. The characters understand his behavior is a direct result of the book, and search for a way to save him. This is only the focus of the film for a few seconds, but if you think about it, the fact that his own wife cannot find a way to free him of the curse he’s been put under is unbelievably tragic. Worse still, upon discovering there is no way to reverse the curse, Magnifico—the king who built the city & “protected it” in his own flawed way for what seems to be centuries—is thrown out by his wife. You know, the wife who's stood loyal at his side for years?

              It’s played for laughs, but there’s something unsettling about a character who’s clearly and explicitly under the influence of a malevolent entity being left… unsaved. If you follow the idea of Magnifico being disconnected from community being a driving force behind his arc, the end of the film sees him in a worse situation he was in at the start: truly, fully alone.

              They bring in so many opportunities for Magnifico to be sympathetic and act as a foil for Asha; he’s jaded, she’s not. He’s overly cautious (even paranoid), she’s a risk-taker. He turns to power/magic at his lowest point, Asha turns to her friends at her lowest point. Because this dichotomy isn’t present, and Magnifico—who should be redeemable—isn’t, the film is so much weaker than it could’ve been. The lack of a strong core dynamic between the protagonist and antagonist echoes through every facet of the film from the music to the characterization to the pacing, and I believe if Magnifico had been more consistent, the film would’ve greatly improved across the board.

I mean, come on! Imagine if at the end of the film, Asha—who, if you remember, did resonate with Magnifico’s values at the start of the film—recognizes that he's twisted his original ideals and urges him to see the value in the people he’s helped, in their ingenuity, in their gratitude, & that what he was able to do before was enough. Going further, asking what his wish is or was—likely something he’s never been asked— and showing empathy! We’d come full circle to the start of the film where Asha asks him to grant her wish.

Pushing that further, if Magnifico’s wish is to see Rosas flourish or to be a good/beloved king, he'd have the the opportunity to see the value in failing and how pursuing the dream is its own complex and valuable journey, and how not even he is perfect.

 The curse and the book (which, for the purposes of this adjustment, would need to be established as representing the idea of stepping on others to further your own goals/the fast way to success), then serve as the final antagonist, that same curse taking root in the people of Rosas who’ve had their dreams destroyed, and Asha works with the community to quell it. Asha’s learned her lesson, so has Magnifico, and the true source of evil in the film—the book—is handled independently. Magnifico steps back from his role as King, Amaya still ends up as Queen, and Asha takes her place as the new wish-granter.

This route could even give us the true “Disney villain” everyone’s craving; giving the book sentience and having it lure Magnifico in during “This is the Thanks I Get!?” leaves it as its own chaotic evil entity.

All in all, Magnifico's introduction paved a road to redemption that the rest of the film aggressively refused to deliver on, instead doubling down on weaker motivations that seem to appear out of thin air. Once the audience thinks, hey, that bad guy might have a point, the protagonist has to do a little more heavy lifting to convince us they're wrong.

Look at the big-bad-greats from Disney's library. There isn't a point in the Lion King where we pause and think, "Wait a second, maybe Scar should be the guy who rules the Pridelands." Ursula from the Little Mermaid, though motivated by her banishment from King Triton's Seas, never seems to be the right gal for the throne. Maybe Maleficent doesn't get invited to the princess's birthday party, but we don't watch her curse a baby and think, Yeah, go curse that baby, that's a reasonable response to getting left out.

What do they all have in common? Their motivation is simple, their goal is clear, and they don't care who they hurt in pursuit of what they want.

Magnifico simply doesn't fall into that category. He's motivated by the idea of losing power, which is never a clear or impactful threat. His goal at the start seems to be to protect Rosas, then it turns into protecting his own power, and then-- once he's corrupted-- he wants to capture Star. The problem is, there's no objective to put this power toward. Power for power's sake is useless. Scar craves power because he feels robbed of status. Ursula believes the throne is rightfully hers. Maleficent wanted to make a statement. Magnifico... well, I'm not really sure.

[sweetums0kitty]

Erik Campbell X Death!Reader Ideas

Author's Note: Please be nice to me, I haven't written anything since 2022. I'm rusty and this was just thrown together. Erik is my pookie bear tho and I love him! <3

He’s the wife because provider verses providee in the relationship. It’s at least how Death sees it. Not understanding human relationship terms. Death sees life as something fickle and short. The rules are the rules and they take what they were promised eventually.

Not a malicious force really, thinks it’s fun to give humans extravagant deaths! Why go out with something dull and common when you could be crushed by a garbage truck!

Eros and Psyche analogy where Erik gets to go from the human realm to living in death’s cool goth palace. Gonna give him angst where he’s okay with trading his life for his siblings.

Of course he can still visit his family! He just can’t stay with them. That’s why he’s the Persephone of this story. The tattoo shop is burned down so he doesn’t have job.. Julia, Bobby, Stephane and Charlie have lives and futures that they can live. Idk emo boy depression and issues I’m projecting onto Erik.

Death who’s really into how alive people are, obsessed with his pulse and feeling it, idk pain kink?!? They’re switches cause that’s hotter but also Death will peg him cause I need to do that to Erik.

When Erik is in the land of the living he’s paler, maybe he doesn’t have a pulse, it’s like being the living dead. Idk why I find that cool just he’s the living dead. Maybe it works like he can’t die no matter what happens cause he’s Death’s consort.

Imagine: You’re death and you’re reviewing souls who have to die on a big long list and you’ve got Erik on your lap while doing so. You’ll stroke his hair and kiss his neck. Just cuddle the human you love.

Sorry if this is unrefined, I’m a little loopy right now but I love him.

[vestaignis]

Святилище Богоматери Короны (Santuario Madonna della Corona).

Святилище Мадонны делла Корона находится в деревне Спьяцци, в провинции Верона. Этот церковный комплекс построен прямо в скальной стене горы Бальдо в Альпах, на высоте 774 метров над уровнем моря. Под ним расположена долина реки Адиже, а над ним возвышаются утес и бескрайнее небо.

Считается, что около 1000 года благочестивые отшельники, связанные с аббатством Святого Зено в Вероне, основали на горе Бальдо религиозное убежище. К XIII веку здесь уже существовал монастырь. По легенде, строительство святилища началось в 1522 году, когда статуя Мадонны чудесным образом была перенесена с острова Родос на это место «по воле ангелов» после захвата Родоса османскими войсками. В 1530 году на месте чуда была построена часовня, а через столетие — более крупная церковь. Последние значительные работы по реконструкции проходили в 1970-х годах под руководством архитектора Гвидо Тисато. Ранее, в XIX веке, святилище подверглось неоготической перестройке, но позднее его признали нестабильным. Сегодня оно полностью восстановлено и безопасно для посещения.

В средние века в монастырь снизу вела опасная горная тропа, и это был единственный путь. Впоследствии построили мосты, деревянные и каменные лестницы, затем — дорогу на горе, по которой теперь автобус доставляет людей. По лестнице паломники/пилигримы поднимаются до сих пор. Тропа «Путь Надежды» начинается от города Брентино Беллуно. Вверх через лес ведут 1500 ступенек. В среднем на такой подъем в монастырь пилигримы тратят 2 часа.

Кроме того, внутри здания находится Святая лестница (Scala Santa), считающаяся точной копией лестницы во дворец Пилата, по которой Иисус поднимался, чтобы услышать смертный приговор.

Sanctuary of Madonna della Corona (Santuario Madonna della Corona).

The Sanctuary of Madonna della Corona is located in the village of Spiazzi, in the province of Verona. This church complex is built directly into the rock wall of Mount Baldo in the Alps, at an altitude of 774 meters above sea level. Below it is the valley of the Adige River, and above it rises a cliff and an endless sky.

It is believed that around the year 1000, pious hermits associated with the Abbey of San Zeno in Verona founded a religious retreat on Mount Baldo. By the 13th century, a monastery already existed here. According to legend, the construction of the sanctuary began in 1522, when the statue of the Madonna was miraculously transferred from the island of Rhodes to this place “by the will of angels” after the capture of Rhodes by Ottoman troops. In 1530, a chapel was built on the site of the miracle, and a century later, a larger church. The last significant reconstruction work took place in the 1970s under the direction of the architect Guido Tisato. Earlier, in the 19th century, the sanctuary underwent a neo-Gothic reconstruction, but it was later recognized as unstable. Today, it is fully restored and safe to visit.

In the Middle Ages, a dangerous mountain path led from below to the monastery, and this was the only way. Later, bridges, wooden and stone stairs were built, then a road on the mountain, along which a bus now takes people. Pilgrims still climb the stairs. The "Way of Hope" trail starts from the town of Brentino Belluno. 1,500 steps lead up through the forest. On average, pilgrims spend 2 hours on this climb to the monastery.

Also inside the building is the Holy Stairs (Scala Santa), which is considered an exact replica of the stairs to Pilate's palace that Jesus climbed to hear his death sentence.

Источник://t.me/borderlesstravel, /lifeglobe.net/entry/14697, /a-lex-7.livejournal.com/626492.html, /tourweek.ru/blogs/3449989, /www.tripadvisor.ru/Attraction_Review-g1785335-d3246292-Reviews-Santuario_Basilica_Madonna_Della_Corona-Ferrara_di_ Monte_Baldo_Province_of_Veron.html.

[fushigurokogane]

❝𝐎𝐮𝐫 𝐊𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐝𝐨𝐦❞

Royalty AU || Crown Prince Megumi x Reader || Part 3

"Either way, you weren’t supposed to catch the eye of the Crown Prince. But you did — not because you tried to impress him, but because you didn’t."

wc: 3.4k

authors note: HAIIII im back!! alr so this is kinda long?? idk. but im having so much fun adding to this plot tbh so i hope you enjoy and if your new, PLEASE read the first 2 parts first, it'll help you understand the storyline better :)

warnings: fem!reader, crown prince! megumi, forbidden romance, emotional manipulation, power imbalance, and political pressure

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masterlist

They didn’t ask questions at first.

The nobles, the court, the whispers behind fans and wine glasses — they all saw you once and dismissed you. A curiosity. A blip. Another face swept into the tide of courtly games.

But then they saw you again.

At the edge of the solarium, where the Crown Prince stood just a little too close. On the second terrace, where his eyes tracked your exit even while a visiting duchess tried to flirt with him. In the south garden, at dusk — a place no one went unless they wanted privacy.

And suddenly, it was a pattern.

It wasn’t supposed to be this way.

You told him that, more than once. In the flickering dark of the archives, where lanterns hummed like fireflies and your knees touched beneath the reading table. In the old chapel where no one dared go except ghosts and people pretending not to be in love. In the silent corners of the palace kitchens, hands brushing over teacups and smuggled fruit.

“This is dangerous,” you whispered once, the night his fingers found yours behind the velvet curtain of the observatory.

He didn’t say anything.

He just looked at you.

The kind of look that felt like a vow.

Like if anyone found you in that moment, he’d set the world on fire to keep you safe.

But fire makes smoke.

And smoke draws attention.

The first time you were summoned, it was under the guise of a simple interview. Routine, they said. Just part of an “internal security review.”

You weren’t stupid. You’d seen wolves wear sheep’s clothing before.

They asked strange questions.

How long had you known the Crown Prince? What was your family’s profession? Had you received any… unusual gifts lately?

You lied, carefully. Just enough truth to keep from slipping.

When you told Megumi later — behind the carved wood of a forgotten study — his jaw clenched so tightly you heard his teeth grind.

“They’re watching you now,” he said.

You didn’t ask if he meant they or he — because the answer was the same.

You looked at him, and you saw the storm coming.

He was different now. Not colder, but harder. Like steel forged under pressure. Every move measured. Every glance weighed.

He’d stopped leaving you notes. Stopped appearing in public anywhere near you.

But you still found each other.

In the space between dusk and nightfall, just before the bells rang the final hour, you met in a room that didn’t exist on the official floor plan.

Stone walls. Dust. A broken mirror no one had bothered to fix. It was perfect.

You were already there when he arrived, boots silent on the old tile.

“Megumi..I missed you,” you said, voice barely more than a breath.

“I missed you too. A lot." he replied.

Then his hand was at your jaw. Fingers tilting your face upward. His thumb brushing the line of your cheek like he was trying to memorize the way you existed.

“Tell me to stop,” he said.

You didn’t.

So he kissed you.

Not tentative. Not unsure. But like someone whose leash had finally snapped — restrained for too long, now moving like a tide pulled forward by gravity and grief and longing.

It was the kind of kiss that meant something. The kind that leaves bruises behind your ribs.

But when he pulled away, his expression had already changed.

Not regret. Just reality.

“They’re forcing a decision,” he said.

You already knew what he meant.

A political marriage. One that would “strengthen alliances,” “preserve tradition,” “ensure the future of the realm.”

The usual excuses for arranged betrayal.

“Who?” you asked.

“Lady Hisakawa.”

The name made your stomach turn. Not because of jealousy — but because she was cruel in the way polished things often are. Beautiful and hollow. Sharp behind the smile.

“I don’t have a choice,” he said, low.

“Yes, you do,” you whispered.

“No,” he said, and the weight in his voice nearly broke something in you. “I have duty.”

You didn’t cry. Not in front of him.

But you reached out. Held his hand like it might keep the world from spinning off its axis.

“I won’t stay here,” you said.

His gaze snapped to yours.

“If I watch you marry someone else, I’ll lose everything good I’ve ever been.”

Silence.

“Then I’ll never marry.”

You stared.

“I’ll delay. Strategize. Break rules they thought unbreakable. Whatever it takes,” he said. “If they want a performance, I’ll give them one. But I won’t give them you.”

Your chest ached. Every word was a wound and a balm.

“But if they find out…”

“They already suspect. And I don’t care.”

“You will,” you said. “When they come for me.”

His jaw tightened. “They’ll have to go through me first.”

And for once, you believed it.

That night, you left the palace through a side gate no one guarded anymore.In your pocket, you carried another violet. This one dried. Fragile. Pressed flat between the pages of a stolen royal ledger.

It wasn’t a promise.

It was a warning.

Because the palace walls weren’t made of stone. They were made of glass.

And glass only holds until it shatters.

It had now been a few days, the palace whispered.

A tapestry tugged at the seams, delicate threads coming loose under the weight of secrets. Servants changed routes. Guards took new posts. Doors once left ajar began locking behind them. No one said your name, but it lingered in the air like smoke: known, unspoken, dangerous.

And Megumi was more careful now.

Not distant. Never that. But sharper. As if he walked through each day counting steps and knives. As if he knew that one wrong move might unravel everything.

You saw him less, but when you did, it meant something.

A glance across the throne room during an open council. A single brush of fingers beneath a shared parchment in the library. A quiet moment in the garden just before dawn — when the sky was still indigo and the world hadn’t remembered to be cruel yet.

You didn’t speak of the marriage again.

Not aloud.

Not after that night.

But the threat of it hung over everything, a sword waiting to fall.

Three weeks passed.

You kept to shadows, wearing quiet like a cloak. The shopkeeper missed you. The capital streets missed you. But you’d become part of the palace’s undercurrent — a ghost no one saw unless they looked too closely.

And people were starting to look.

Lady Hisakawa was the first to make it known.

She wasn’t subtle. The court never was.

She found you alone in the conservatory one evening, pretending to admire the frost orchids while you waited for a servant to slip you a message.

“Pretty things don’t survive long here,” she said, voice lilting like it was dipped in honey and edged in venom.

You didn’t respond.

She stepped closer.

“You don’t belong, you know. Whatever fantasy you’re indulging in — it ends badly. For people like you.”

You met her eyes. “Is that a threat?”

She smiled, slow and deliberate. “It’s tradition.”

And then she walked away, trailing lavender perfume and poison in her wake.

The message never came.

You didn’t see Megumi again until the Midwinter Gala.

You hadn’t planned to attend. It was too public, too exposed. But the invitation arrived in silence — a single envelope bearing only your name, slipped beneath your door with no seal at all.

Inside, one sentence:

You said you wouldn’t watch. But what if I want you to see me fight?

You frowned, you didn't know what it meant. You wanted to know what it meant.

So you went.

You borrowed a gown from the wardrobe of a sympathetic court musician — deep navy with silver threading, the colors of dusk. You wore no jewelry. No mask. Only your resolve.

The ballroom gleamed. Light caught on ice sculptures and velvet drapery, casting stars on the marble floor. The nobles danced. The royals mingled. Everything was perfect.

Until it wasn’t.

Until he stepped forward in full ceremonial attire — sword at his hip, crown band gleaming like forged moonlight — and walked to the center of the room.

He didn’t call for silence.

He didn’t need to.

The crowd quieted on instinct.

Megumi looked at the gathered lords and ladies, eyes like winter storms.

Then he spoke.

“There’s been speculation,” he began, voice even but edged. “About my intentions. About the future of the realm. About alliances.”

He looked toward Lady Hisakawa, who stood near the dais, already lifting her chin with anticipation.

“There is truth in what you’ve heard,” he continued. “I have made a decision. But not the one you expect.”

A ripple moved through the crowd.

“I will not marry for power,” he said.

A gasp.

“I will not bind my life to politics. I have seen what love becomes when it’s used as currency. I refuse to bleed it dry.”

His voice cut like a blade now — controlled, lethal.

“I will not announce a bride tonight. Because she already knows who she is.”

And then he looked at you.

Not a flicker. Not a glance.

A look so direct, so defiant, it lit the entire room on fire.

You didn’t breathe.

He bowed his head, a silent vow in a room made of silence.

And the court exploded.

You were gone before the storm hit.

You slipped out through the west corridor, skirts lifted above your ankles, heart thundering like hooves on stone. Footsteps followed. Voices. Chaos in the wake of his truth.

But you didn’t stop running until someone grabbed your wrist and pulled you into an alcove.

Megumi.

His breath was ragged. His collar undone. He looked like a man who had just set fire to everything and didn’t regret it.

"You look so beauti-"

“Are you insane?” you hissed.

“Yes,” he said. “For you.”

“You’ve just undone a decade of strategy!”

“They’ll fix it,” he said. “They always do.”

“And what if they come for me?”

His hand framed your jaw again, tender and furious. “Then they’ll find you gone.”

Your breath caught.

“What are you saying?”

“I made arrangements,” he said. “Safe passage. A place outside the capital. No one knows but me.”

“Megumi—”

“If you stay, they’ll use you. To hurt me. To control me. I won’t let that happen.”

“And what about you?”

“I’m the Crown Prince. I can’t run. But I can protect you. Even from here.”

Tears pricked the edge of your eyes.

“I don’t want protection,” you whispered. “I want you.”

He kissed you then.

Fast. Desperate. Like he knew it might be the last.

Then he pressed something into your hand — a key, worn with age and silver-etched.

“There’s a gatehouse in the mountains,” he said. “It’s yours now. Go tonight.”

You stared at him.

And then, slowly, you shook your head.

“No.”

“Don’t be stupid—”

“No, Megumi. I won’t run unless you ask me to.”

Silence.

Then, his hand closed over yours.

“I won’t. Not yet.”

“Then I stay.”

His mouth trembled, just once.

And he let go.

The fallout came fast.

Whispers turned to accusations. Nobles turned on each other. The king grew ill. The court tried to rewrite the story in real time, but the damage had been done.

Megumi stood his ground.

And you?

You watched the kingdom crack beneath the weight of two people who refused to let go of something real.

A dangerous, impossible love.

The kind that shatters kingdoms.

The kind that builds them too.

@obsessivestrawberrysimp

[carriagelamp]

My favourite books from 2024! Another really strong year of books for me -- every year will have some stinkers and a bunch of middling reads, but the highs of this year were really high so I'm pretty content

As always, I give more detailed descriptions and opinions of the books in my month reviews, but here's a quick breakdown for anyone who's interested:

The Anxious Generation by Jonathan Haidt

A non-fiction book that looks at how childhood has been “rewired”, focusing specifically on the increase of overprotective parenting, increase of tablet/social media usage, and decrease of unstructured, independent play. It was a fascinating read that really looked at how children need to be given lots of opportunities to play, take risks, and make mistakes in order to learn and grow and how a loss of that might be impacting people’s mental health. As someone right on the cusp of the age bracket that’s being focused on, it felt very exposing.

Apothecary Diaries v1-2 by Natsu Hyuuga

Maomao is kidnapped and sold as a servant to the imperial palace, where she serves as a general dogsbody in the rear palace, home of the emperor’s various consorts and concubines. She’s determined to keep her head down until her contract is up… until she helps solve a mystery and catches the eye of the powerful eunech Jinshi who soon learns about her in-depth knowledge of apothecary work and anything to do with poisons. Very funny premise, Maomao hates Jinshi soooo much and he is such a simp for it. She just wants to eat poisons and be left alone and he says “no<3” to both of those

Bury Your Gays (and Straight) by Chuck Tingle

Both of these are very explicitly queer horror novels. Straight is a novella that riffs on the format of a zombie story, but with straight people becoming inexplicably violent towards queer people one day a year. Bury Your Gays is about a Hollywood screenwriter who realises his horror creations are begin to stalk him in the real world. Both are very intentionally built around social commentary on queer issues, and despite have audacious premises they completely own their camp and end up producing really well thought out, insightful stories. I can’t say I liked either as much as Camp Damascus but either is worth a read.

Console Wars by Blake J. Harris (and Blood, Sweat, and Pixels by Jason Schreier)

Console Wars is a nonfiction book I’ve meant to read for years on my brother’s recommendation and I quite enjoyed it. It explores the history of the video game console market in North America, with a focus on how Nintendo revitalized it and how Sega then swooped in to upset the monopoly it held. The book is written in a very narrative, personable style and I found myself really rooting for the various people and companies being portrayed ahahaha. A shockingly fun read. I also read Blood, Sweat, and Pixels which wasn’t quite as narratively compelling but a related read that looked at games with complex development cycles.

Defekt by Nino Cipri

Technically the sequel to Finna which I also read this year, but Defekt works as a stand-alone and is, imho, the better of the two. Both deal with a surrealist horror Ikea setting, where the sheer density and liminal-space-ness of it all allows strange wormholes to open up between these stores from different dimensions. Finna deals with actual wormhole hopping, whereas Defekt focuses in on one employee who gets assigned to a very strange overnight inventory shift.

The Disabled Tyrant’s Beloved Pet Fish v1-2 by Xue Shan Fei Hu

Fish isekai book. Is this a good book? No. Is it a really really fun book? Yes, in spades. In this book, Li Yu wakes up in a court drama novel… but not as a character but rather as the tyrannical prince’s pet fish. He is given the task to improve the prince and is stuck figuring out how the hell to do this as a fish. This book knows exactly how ridiculous it is and leans into it. Li Yu and Prince Jing are both idiots in very unique and exciting directions. No one knows what the fuck is happening.

Down Among the Sticks and Bones by Seanan McGuire

A prequel to Every Heart a Doorway, though it works perfectly well as a standalone. Honestly I liked it more than the first. This book has deliciously gothic horror vibes, and it plays with all the tropes you would expect from gothic horror / fear of the sublime. It’s about sisters who find a strange chest that lets them descend to the sinister land of the Moors. This is where vampires rule, werewolves stalk, and mad scientist’s ply their craft. The girls end up separated on and very different trajectories as they grow and acclimatize to the brutal existence of the Moors.

Escape From Incel Island by Margaret Killjoy

Exactly what it says on the tin. Completely insane book that is very worth the read if you feel like something that is patently insane. I strongly recommend treating this as a read aloud with a friend or loved one because I read it with my brother and couldn’t stop laughing. Top notch mercenary Mankiller Jones is sent to escort a computer scientist to Incel Island to retrieve lost governmental data. There they have to survive the hoards of Nice Guys, Volcels, Betas, and every other violent inhabitant of the island if they ever want to… escape from Incel Island.

Heaven Official’s Blessing v6-8 by Mo Xiang Tong Xiu

I finished the main series of Heaven Official’s Blessing (without reading the extras yet), and man what an ending! I could not have asked for a more epic or satisfying conclusion! The final battle and its various stages? The character reconciliation? The villain reveal? Perfect, no notes. The series itself follows Xie Lian, a prince who has ascended to godhood twice and been cursed and cast out from Heaven just as many times, giving him the title of the Laughingstock God. The story begins with him, to everyone’s dismay, ascending a third time.

Horrorstör (and Paperbacks from Hell, My Best Friend’s Exorcism) by Grady Hendrix

This book also deals with a Strange Alternate Ikea, but is the superior book. This was one of my top reads for 2024, and it was flawless horror. It is essentially a haunted house story set in an Ikea, that manages to be both chilling, disgusting, and a shockingly insightful critique of capitalism and retail. Very worth the read. 

After reading this I also read Paperbacks from Hell (a nonfiction book that does an analysis of horror fiction from the ‘70s and ‘80s, very good read) and My Best Friend’s Exorcism (which was decent but not my favourite of Hendrix’s since possession and exorcism isn’t my favourite brand of horror. The vaguely queer undertones and ending I found interesting, and it did some cool things throughout.)

Jeeves and Wooster books by P.G. Wodehouse

I ended up listening to so many of the Jeeves and Wooster audiobooks this summer while I was travelling. There were some I really really loved and some that fell very flat for me. I think I listened to too many in a row by the end… These books are like popcorn, not deep but very fun, and follow the airheaded but good natured Bertie Wooster and his man Jeeves who unfailing swoops in to solve all the strange and inane problems the Bertie gets involved in. They tend to be funny, light-hearted, and clever in their resolution of plot problems… though some of the issues do get rather repetitive. My favourites were: The Inimitable Jeeves, Very Good Jeeves, Right Ho Jeeves, and the Code of the Woosters.

Kaiju Preservation Society by John Scalzi

Some excellent science fiction, especially for my Pacific Rim loving heart. This bordered on the cosy fantasy genre, while mixing in plenty of science, world-building and a good dash of excitement. During the Covid-19 lockdown, Jamie Gray is stuck trying to make ends meet as a food delivery driver… until he runs into an old acquaintance who suggests he might have a very different job offer for him. Jamie ends up joining this very secretive “animal rights group” and finds out just how massive, dangerous, and otherworldly these “animals” are by being risked to an entirely different dimension filled with giant, radioactive monsters.

Lula Dean’s Little Library of Banned Books by Kirsten Miller

One of my favourite books from this year! Tthis book managed to hit on very topical subjects with both tact and humour. Lula Dean has spearheaded a book banning crusade, managing to get a number of “problematic” books removed from the library and has made a show of setting up a Little Free Library in her yard full of “appropriate” books instead. When Beverly Underwood visits her mother and hears about this she’s so exasperated with it all that she quickly hatches a plan swapping out the dust jackets of some of the banned books with the ones in Lula Dean’s Little Free Library. The rest of the story is about various people in the town who borrow a book from Lula Dean’s library and how the book they got instead ends up impacting not just themselves but their town. The first story involves a penis cake. Can’t recommend it enough, starts out humour and quickly becomes something you want to rally around.

My Happy Marriage v1 by Akumi Agitogi

This was pure mindless fluff, it was honestly a delight. This is a low-fantasy, Cinderella-esque story set in the Taishō era. It focuses on Miyo Saimori who lives under the thumb of her cruel step-mother, haughty step-sister, and indifferent father. She’s resigned to being treated like a servant in her own home and ekeing out a strained existence, but her life takes a turn when she finds herself nominally engaged to the allegedly cold and cruel Kiyoka Kudou. It’s just absolutely overwhelmingly cute and I really enjoy the contrasting POVs.

A Series of Unfortunate Events and Poison for Breakfast by Lemony Snicket

I’d never finished The Series of Unfortunate Events when it was originally coming out, so I finally sat down and did that, and honestly it was well worth the wait! It was a very interesting series to read as an adult, especially all in one go, because it really let me appreciate everything that Snicket was trying to say. It was a much more clever and philosophical read than I was anticipating, and The End was fucking superb. He absolutely stuck the landing, it completely blew me away. Poison For Breakfast was also a very interesting standalone novella that felt like surrealist philosophy. I might have even enjoyed it more than the basic TSOUE.

The Poison Squad (and The Poisoner’s Handbooks) by Deborah Blum

Poison Squad is a very compelling and topical nonfiction about the formation of the American Food and Drug act. The state of unregulated food processing in the late 19th century was, in a word, nightmarish. Don’t read this book if you have a weak stomach. But it’s completely fascinating to see how one person, Dr Harvey Wiley, made it a personal mission to scientifically prove what all these mysterious food additives were doing to people and put limits to what could be sold to consumers. I liked it so much I went to read Blum’s other book, The Poisoner’s Handbook which is set during Prohibition and explores the rise of forensic medicine and again exposes how people were being poisoned by simply living their standard lives.

The Pushcart War by Jean Merrill

The real, true history of the New York City Pushcart War!! For real!!! This is a delightful underdog story that is really written in the style of a history textbook recounting the fictional Pushchart War. This war started in New York City as the roads get increasingly congested with traffic, the worst offenders being the increasingly massive and arrogant trucks. The trucking companies hatch a plan though: if they begin to push out the little pushcarts, framing them as the problem for the congestion, then how hard would it be to push out taxis next? Or buses? Or motorcars? How long until they can make the road a perfect habit for trucks and trucks alone? How can something as small and poor as a pushcart owner fight back?

Railsea (and This Census-Taker) by China Miéville

I heard Railsea described on tumblr and it sounded sufficiently insane that I had to read it for myself. This author is truly unrivaled when it comes to bizarre worldbuilding that feels both very, very grounded in reality while also being completely unexplained and impossible. Railsea is essentially a Moby Dick meets Treasure Island retelling but with trains instead of boats and giant, mutated, vicious moles instead of whales. Unhinged. Can’t recommend enough. I followed this up by reading his novella This Census-Taker which was not as much of a frolicking adventure but fucked with my brain just as much or more than Railsea did. Genuinely not sure I even know what happened in that story but I enjoyed the experience of being completely fucking baffled for some 200 pages.

The Salt Grows Heavy by Cassandra Khaw

Another book to ideally not read if you have a weak stomach. This novella is very big on unrelenting body horror. This is a twisted fairytale retelling in which a cannibalistic Little Mermaid meets a plague doctor Frankenstein. Both of them are walking away from cruel past lives, along a trail that’s soaked in blood and viscera. You feel how painfuly and disgustingly human this book is, while also being so wildly separate from anything that resembles human anatomy or morality. Superb.

Scum Villain’s Self-Saving System v1-4 by Mo Xiang Tong Xiu

The last of MXTX’s three series I needed to read. It was the one I was most hesitant about, but I ended up having a really great time with it. It is simultaneously the most light-hearted and silly of the three series, while also the one that most gleefully dives into torture and sex. So you get a bit of everything with this, and as usual MXTX does a really good job of mixing the humour and series in a way that keeps things constantly interesting. The story is about Shen Yuan who dies our of pure, frothing fury after reading the shitty ending to the shitty, porny webnovel he’s been reading for hundreds of thousands of words. He dies cursing the lousy author and the lousy writing so he’s given a chance: step up and do it better! Which is easier said than done, when he finds himself waking up in the body of the series’ villain who is destined to be gruesomely tortured to death. Better get on that!

Shakespeare: The Man Who Pays the Rent by Judi Dench and Brendan O'Hea

This is the written result of a number of interviews held between Judi Dench and Brendan O’Hea and she discusses her time as a Shakespearean actress. It looks into what her time working with theatre companies was like, summarizes the plays she took part in, and delivers into some fascinating character analysis of the roles she played. An absolute treasure of a book for someone who enjoyed their Shakespeare and/or Judi Dench.

Singing Hills Cycle v1-5 by Nghi Vo

Probably my favourite series that I read this year, I can’t wait for the next book! This series follows Chih and her magical bird companion who come from the Singing Hills Monastery, an order that is devoted to keep recording tales and keeping a history of the land. Chih travels all over in these various novellas, collecting stories, memories, and histories that they come across. The first book has them entering the recently unwarded palace of the late Empress to learn about her marriage, imprisonment and rise in power. The second has them trapped by a pack of tigresses with nothing to do but frantically lure them into comparing stories. 

The War That Saved My Life by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley

Ten year old Ada was born with a club foot and because of it has never been allowed to leave her apartment. She lives a hard life trying to care for her younger brother and suffer through the abuses of her mother. Things change though as the Second World War truly begins and London begins to evacuate children to the country. Ada is determined — she and her brother will evacuate, they will escape their mother’s house, even if it means her learning how to walk on her club foot. Even if it means facing how different life is for unwanted slum children in the country, and confronting how much she and her brother don’t know about life. This was a very touching book, it did a great job of balancing Ada’s justifiable pain and anger with an optimistic story. Queer elements are all subtext but there — they aren’t the main focus of this story.

When Women Were Dragons by Kelly Barnhill

This book absolutely took my breath away, it was a next level literary experience. It’s very, very solidly magical realism, so don’t go into this expecting true fantasy, everything going on here is allegorical and a beautifully done allegory at that. This story is set during the 1950s, in a time surrounding an event known as “The Mass Dragoning” when thousands of women suddenly, spontaneously, transformed into dragons and flew away. The story follows Alex Green who was a child during this event. Her aunt transformed. Her mother didn’t. Both of these things have profound impacts on Alex as she grows up, and a woman’s role in society, a woman’s anger, her joy, her desire are all questioned and explored.

[theladysunami]

I had the most hilarious thought!

A reverse transmigration AU, only it’s Bingge’s wives that keep popping into the modern world.

Shen Yuan is house sitting at his parents’ place while they’re on an extended trip. A few days in he discovers Ning Yingying wandering around the place, in her full Xianxia wife-of-the-emperor garbed glory!

She’s confused, Shen Yuan is confused, and they haven’t a clue how or why she’s there.

A display of spiritual powers manages to convince Shen Yuan she’s not just some insane cosplayer, so he does his best to be a polite host and accommodate his sudden guest. Surely Binghe will show up to ‘save’ her eventually so Shen Yuan wants to ingratiate himself, but in a polite, platonic way, so he doesn’t get himself killed as a kidnapper or for seducing Binghe’s wife.

Then the next day, Liu Mingyan shows up. A few days later, Sha Hualing is there. Then Qin Wanyue. Then the little Palace Mistress. Etc.

This is going to be a problem!

Is there some sort of dimensional leak in PIDW’s inner palace? Why do all of Binghe’s wives keep showing up??? How is Shen Yuan supposed to entertain all these people and keep them from wreaking havoc on the city and/or destroying his parents’ house? He’s just a regular guy!

Thank god his parents' staff are on vacation, and they have guest rooms to spare, but still. The food delivery services are giving him weird looks, and surely his parents will eventually review his credit card statements and notice all his sudden odd purchases of women’s clothing.

I’m not sure what all the modern interests of the wives would be, and where Shen Yuan would take them on outings, but he’s for sure a much better host then he realizes. He ends up encouraging them all to expand their horizons in ways they never would have while stuck in the harem with its expectations and politicking. (For two I have thought of: Liu Mingyan definitely finds meimei’s danmei stash in her old room at some point, and it would be hilarious if Sha Hualing was introduced to online PVP games and became the queen of epic gaming trash talk).

Bingge does show up eventually, and it turns out he had been trying to break into Shen Yuan’s world himself the whole time, only some type of misfire or portal issue kept nabbing the various wives instead.

Pretty much all the wives stuck in the modern world adore Shen Yuan by that point, so of course they’re all fine with Binghe bringing him back to join the harem. He’s great! Binghe had better treat him well though, or else.

[dxrlingluv]

Love is a hassle

A/N : I saw this Telescope x Reader x Antivirus idea and I was like- “Yes.” Credits to @professionalyapper13 for this idea! Telemachus and Antinous art is from Duvetbox.

WARNING : GN!Reader, Love. Not recommended for single people(like me).

Word Count : 1.9k

The grand hall of Ithaca was a symphony of chaos, and you, unfortunately, had a front-row seat. On one side, you had Telemachus, Prince of Ithaca, his brow perpetually furrowed with the weight of a kingdom he wasn't sure he could hold. On the other, you had Antinous, the de facto leader of the suitors, all arrogant smirks and infuriating charm. And there you were, caught squarely in the middle, a tiny, neutral nation caught between two warring superpowers.

Your friendship with Telemachus was born of shared grief and quiet understanding. You had grown up in the palace, a companion who saw past the prince to the worried young man beneath. Your connection with Antinous, however, was a far more baffling affair. It had started with traded barbs and witty insults, a game of verbal sparring that slowly, treacherously, morphed into something resembling begrudging respect, and then... affection.

It was a situation that was, to put it mildly, a mess. A hilarious, frustrating, and strangely wholesome mess.

—————

"This is a lovely idea," Telemachus said, his smile so tight it looked like it might crack his face. He sat stiffly at the small table you had set up in a quiet alcove of the gardens, away from the clamor of the main hall.

"Indeed," Antinous purred, leaning back in his chair with an air of theatrical relaxation. He picked up a grape, examining it as if it were a rare jewel. "A private dinner. Just the three of us. So... cozy.”

You sighed, pushing a plate of olives towards the center of the table. "Can we please just try to have one meal without any underlying tension? For me?"

They both looked at you, their expressions softening instantly. It was the one thing they could agree on: your happiness.

"Of course," Telemachus said earnestly.

"Anything for you," Antinous agreed, his voice a low murmur.

The peace lasted for approximately thirty seconds.

"It's a shame the wine isn't better," Antinous commented, swirling the dark liquid in his cup. "But I suppose with the master of the house gone for so long, the cellars have been... neglected. Much like everything else."

Telemachus's jaw tightened. "The wine is fine. It's a humble vintage, for a humble meal."

"Humble indeed," Antinous mused, his eyes flicking over the simple fare of bread, cheese, and fruit. "I had a feast prepared in the great hall. Roasted boar, spiced wine, honey cakes... I would have invited you, of course," he added, his gaze locking with yours, "but I didn't want to impose on your... rustic gathering."

"We are perfectly happy with our rustic gathering," Telemachus snapped, breaking a piece of bread with more force than was strictly necessary.

You decided to intervene. "Antinous, that's very thoughtful of you. Telemachus, could you pass the cheese?" You were a diplomat, a peacekeeper, a referee in a game where you weren't even sure of the rules.

Telemachus passed you the cheese, his hand brushing yours for a moment longer than accidental. Across the table, Antinous's eyes narrowed. He casually stretched his legs, his foot "accidentally" knocking against Telemachus's under the table. Telemachus kicked back. You pretended not to notice the silent war being waged beneath the woodwork.

"So," you said brightly, desperately trying to steer the conversation to safer waters. "Did either of you see that beautiful sunrise this morning?"

Telemachus lit up. "I did! I was up early, reviewing the palace ledgers. The way the light hit the cliffs was magnificent."

"I saw it too," Antinous said smoothly. "I was on my way back from a late-night ride. There's nothing quite like the feel of a powerful horse under you as the world awakens." He shot Telemachus a look that clearly implied some people were stuck inside with boring paperwork while real men were out having adventures.

You closed your eyes for a brief second, praying for a divine intervention. A stray thunderbolt, perhaps. Just a small one.

—————

Somehow, you had managed to convince them both to escort you to the local market. Your reasoning was that you needed help carrying things. Their reasoning was that they couldn't let the other go alone with you.

The marketplace was a vibrant, bustling place, and for a while, the sensory overload kept them distracted. But it wasn't long before their competitive streaks resurfaced.

It started at the fruit stall.

"I'll get the apples," Telemachus announced, already selecting the most perfect, unblemished ones he could find. "I know you like the crisp, green ones."

"A fine choice," Antinous said, appearing at your other side with a basket of figs. "But a discerning palate such as yours requires something more complex. These figs are like nectar from the gods. Sweet, rich... decadent." He offered you one, his thumb brushing your lips as you took it.

You were still savoring the taste when Telemachus returned, holding out a gleaming red pomegranate. "Or this," he said, his voice determined. "It's a symbol of life and prosperity. And it's much healthier."

You ended up with an armful of apples, figs, and a pomegranate, feeling less like a shopper and more like a prize mule at a county fair.

The true disaster struck near the pottery stalls. A merchant's cart, overloaded with clay pots, broke a wheel and tipped, sending its contents tumbling towards a group of startled children.

Before you could even shout a warning, your two companions sprang into action. The problem was, they sprang in opposite directions.

Telemachus, ever the protector, immediately ran to shield the children, gathering them in his arms and herding them out of the way. It was brave, noble, and heroic.

Antinous, ever the pragmatist, did something entirely different. With a speed that belied his lazy demeanor, he lunged for the cart itself, bracing his shoulder against it and, with a great heave, stopping its momentum just enough to divert the main cascade of falling pottery.

It was incredibly impressive and probably saved the merchant a fortune.

They both turned to look at you, chests heaving, silently demanding to know who had done the better job of being a hero.

You simply stared at them, then at the mess, then back at them. "You're both going to help him pick that up," you declared.

The look of shared horror on their faces was, you had to admit, priceless.

—————

There were times, however, when the world narrowed, and it was just you and one of them. These were the moments that made the chaos worthwhile.

One evening, you found Telemachus on a balcony overlooking the sea, his shoulders slumped. The usual tension was gone, replaced by a profound weariness. You stood beside him in silence, following his gaze to the wine-dark water.

"Sometimes I think I'm going to fail," he confessed, his voice barely a whisper. "That they'll take everything my father built, and I won't be strong enough to stop them." He turned to you, his eyes filled with a vulnerability he showed no one else. "You're the only one who doesn't look at me and see a boy playing at being king. You just see... me."

He reached out, his fingers gently tracing your jawline. "You're my anchor, you know that? In all this madness, you're the only thing that feels real."

It was a simple, honest declaration that made your heart ache with affection.

A few days later, you were seeking refuge from the suitors' rowdiness in the palace library when you found Antinous there, surprisingly, reading. He looked up as you entered, and for a fleeting moment, his guard was down. There was no smirk, no challenge in his eyes, just a quiet intensity.

"Hiding from my uncivilized brethren?" he asked, a hint of a genuine smile playing on his lips.

"Something like that," you admitted, running your fingers over the spine of a scroll.

He stood and walked over to a high shelf, retrieving a small, leather-bound book. "I remembered you saying you enjoyed the lyric poets," he said, his voice softer than you were used to. "This is a collection from Sappho. I thought... you might like it."

You took the book, stunned. He had not only listened but had remembered a passing comment you'd made weeks ago. He had done something purely for you, with no audience and no angle.

"Thank you, Antinous," you said, your voice thick with emotion. "This is... this is incredibly thoughtful."

He just gave a small, self-deprecating shrug, but he couldn't quite hide the pleased glimmer in his eyes. "Don't tell anyone. It would ruin my reputation."

—————

The annual harvest feast was the stage for their grandest conflict yet. It involved a dispute over an archery contest, a heated argument about who had the right to propose a toast in the queen's honor, and it culminated in them knocking over an entire table of food while trying to "out-gallantly" each other by pulling out your chair at the same time.

Wine, figs, and shattered pottery splattered across the floor. The hall fell silent. Everyone stared.

You had never been more mortified.

Without a word, you turned on your heel and stalked out of the hall. The sound of two pairs of footsteps scrambling after you was immediate.

You led them to the now-familiar garden alcove and whirled around to face them, your hands on your hips.

"Are you finished?" you demanded, your voice trembling with a mixture of anger and embarrassment. "Do you have any idea how that felt? To be made into a spectacle? A prize to be fought over like a side of beef?"

They both had the decency to look ashamed.

"That wasn't my intention," Telemachus said, his face flushed. "I just... he's so disrespectful—"

"I was merely trying to show you the courtesy a prince should," Antinous cut in, for once looking slightly less than perfectly composed. "He has no idea how to treat someone of your worth."

"Stop it!" you cried, throwing your hands up in exasperation. "Just stop. Both of you. I care about you. Both of you! In ways that I don't even understand myself yet. But I cannot do this. I can't live in the middle of your battlefield." You took a deep breath. "So you have a choice. You can either figure out how to be civil to each other, or you can both leave me alone."

The silence that followed was heavy. They looked at each other, really looked, for the first time not as rivals, but as two people who were about to lose the same, very important thing.

Finally, Antinous let out a long, weary sigh. He looked at Telemachus, his expression grim. "I... apologize for my role in this evening's... theatrics."

Telemachus looked shocked, but he recovered quickly, nodding stiffly. "And I... for mine. Your behavior was... provoked." It was the closest to a compliment he would probably ever give him.

They both turned back to you, their faces a mixture of hope and trepidation.

Your anger had already begun to fade, replaced by a weary fondness. Looking at them, the earnest, worried prince and the arrogant, surprisingly tender suitor, you couldn't help but smile a little.

"A truce, then?" you asked softly.

They looked at each other again. A silent, complex negotiation passed between them.

"A truce," Telemachus finally agreed.

Antinous gave a slight, almost imperceptible nod. "For now."

And as the three of you stood there in the moonlight, surrounded by the scent of jasmine and the distant sounds of the feast you had abandoned, you knew things were far from resolved. But for the first time, it felt like maybe, just maybe, they didn't have to be a disaster. It was your chaos, after all. And in its own strange way, it was starting to feel a lot like home.

[kittenintheden]

to whomstever transformative work writers it may concern -

this is plagiarism.

"Once upon a time, a beautiful vampire lord lived in a splendid palace in a seaside city with his seven lowly spawn, whom he starved and kept in perpetual terror." vs "Once upon a time, a gorgeous vampire lord lived in a splendid palace in a seaside city with his seven sad spawn, whom he starved and kept in perpetual terror."

(almost word-for-word the same sentence and scenario, no true distinguishing features, probably not a sentence two people would uniquely come up with in its entirety)

this is derivative.

"Once upon a time, a beautiful vampire lord lived in a splendid palace in a seaside city with his seven lowly spawn, whom he starved and kept in perpetual terror." vs "Before our story truly began, there were seven poor vampire spawn who lived in constant fear under their beautiful, but terrible, master in the seaside city of Baldur's Gate."

(same scenario or trope, similar voice/phrasing, but a wholly unique work, with clear nods to the influencing material)

this is two writers with a similar voice.

"Once upon a time, a beautiful vampire lord lived in a splendid palace in a seaside city with his seven lowly spawn, whom he starved and kept in perpetual terror." vs "In times of old, a bustling city full of trade sat beside a sea, and in it lived a vampire lord of most evil repute. This is not his story."

(similar tone and voice, dissimilar approach)

this is none of the above.

"Once upon a time, a beautiful vampire lord lived in a splendid palace in a seaside city with his seven lowly spawn, whom he starved and kept in perpetual terror." vs "Cazador Szarr made a deal with the devil. That's how this whole thing started. Part of that deal? Find seven pretty suckers and carve a contract into their flesh. Keeping them as slaves in his shitty basement was just a bonus, really."

(same source material, same scenario, but unique voice/approach/style)

in case you needed to review the difference. stop hassling people because they used the same trope/scenario/word that you did. it's embarrassing. and it's the mark of an amateur, tbh.

[starfirexuchiha]

P5R Magazine - Translation for the Shuake Profiles

I decided to translate the profiles and character descriptions of Joker and Akechi in the P5R magazine☕🥞

英語の翻訳は間違いがあったら、直してくださいね！ 🙏

Joker Profile Translation

CODE NAME: Joker

ARCANA: ?

GUN TYPE: Handgun

STRONG AFFINITY: -

A student by day, and a Phantom Thief After School! He is the leader of the Phantom Thieves who leads his companions!

He is the Protagonist of this game who awakened as a "Persona User" during a certain incident. After being falsely accused and placed on probation, he was transferred to Shujin Academy. From there, he met his companions and formed "The Phantom Thieves of Hearts" with them. He works behind the scenes to reform the hearts of corrupt adults.

Initial Persona: Arsene

This is the initial persona that the Protagonist (Ren) awakens first, and his strongest attribute is Curse. He bears the name of Arsene Lupin, the famous great phantom thief, and lends his strength to the Protagonist when the Protagonist is cornered. Unlike the personas of the other Phantom Thieves, Arsene can be used as an ingredient for persona fusions, or be summoned from the Compendium.

CHARACTER REVIEW

Pay attention to the new characters and the new confidant interactions!

In this game, the main highlights of the Protagonist is how he will interact with Akechi who has a newly reformed confidant, and his interactions with the new characters Kasumi and Maruki. Since Kasumi in particular is a female character, the Protagonist can have a special relationship with 10 people at the same time with her and the existing characters!?? As a Phantom Thief, he can use the new wire ability for movement or exploration and encounters. Please enjoy more thief-like and spectacular actions with this. In battle, he uses multiple personas to be an active role as the core of the party!

⬆️ Hook the wire to a specific location and travel through long distances instantly! It is a new game mechanic that is essential for exploring the palaces in this game, and it is also very cool when you decide to do it. It is also useful for obtaining the new Will Seed items.

Goro Akechi Profile Translation

CODE NAME: Crow

ARCANA: Justice

GUN TYPE: Ray Gun

STRONG AFFINITY: Bless & Curse

The "2nd coming of the Detective Prince" who pursues the case of the Phantom Thieves.

He is a 3rd-year high school student who holds the title of a detective. He had solved numerous difficult cases and is even been called the ""2nd coming of the Detective Prince" by the media. He initially was in pursuit of the Phantom Thieves, but for some reason, he ends up working alongside the Protagonist and his group……

Initial Persona: Robin Hood

This is Akechi's initial persona. He bears the same name as a legendary gentleman thief who was active in medieval England. He specializes in Bless and Curse attributes, and his offensive skills will obliterate any enemy that stands in his way.

Another Appearance Of Akechi In His Darker Outfit…….

In the official PV, there is also a scene where you get to fight alongside Black Mask Akechi. But this seems to probably happen during the 3rd semester…..

⬆️➡️ Fighting alongside Black Mask Akechi is a dream come true for the P5 fans. Since Akechi didn't use his Black Mask form in "Persona Q2: New Cinema Labyrinth", Royal will be the first game where Black Mask Akechi is playable and uses Loki. Drag out the truth with his more aggressive powers!

CHARACTER PROFILE

Akechi's confidant got reformed in "P5R"!

The contents of the Akechi "Justice" confidant has been significantly renewed! In "Vanilla P5", his confidant automatically ranks up as the story progresses, but in this game, his confidant is manual. Therefore, unlike Vanilla P5 which only focused on the serious scenes regarding him, the normal everyday interactions with Akechi has increased dramatically which is nice. There are events that have also been added where you can go to various locations with Akechi. When you have the chance, make it a priority to rank up his confidant, and get to the bottom of his true intentions!!!!

⬆️ Many new events have been added to show an unexpected side of Akechi! As you rank up his confidant, you will be able to obtain an ability that is characteristic of the great detective Akechi which is the "Sleuthing Instinct" which allows you to detect an enemy's affinity at the start of battle.

[reccyls]

Victor's Main Route: Chapter 18 His POV Story

Masterlist

This is posted separately because it is unlocked on a 2nd readthrough and thus contains spoilers for later developments of Victor’s route

His POV Story: I Belong Beneath This Veil

Victor: Would you help me get dressed?

On the day of the parade, I summoned Kate after we had spent all of last night working together. I was asking her to help me with something that I could not entrust to anyone else.

(I did want to let her rest until the last minute, but…)

She gazed nervously at the room where former monarchs lived, But I could tell that she looked a bit better than this morning, so it seemed that she did manage to get some rest. That was a relief. I got to the point.

…

Victor: Like this?

Kate: The sleeve is over here.

My request was for her to help me get dressed for the parade. Since I was keeping my identity concealed, there were very few people that I could ask for assistance. I could have asked William. But there was only so much time before Kate���s time with Crown came to an end. I wanted to spend just a little more time with her, so I chose to call for her.

Victor: …I feel almost like a child.

She smiled awkwardly and I returned it. We continued to struggle with putting on all the ornaments and accessories that came with the outfit. If there was anyone looking, we would surely resemble a nanny helping a young child get dressed for the day.

Victor: I’d even requested that it be kept on the simple side, so that it would be easy to put on alone.

Kate: So the reason why the queen never wore any fancy outfits before is…

Victor: Is because I didn’t want to bother putting them on.

(I didn’t think the designer would add more embellishments after the review we had yesterday…)

Finally, most of the decorations were dealt with. I picked up a jewelry box and held it out to Kate.

Victor: Which brooch do you think I should wear on my chest?

Kate: You’re letting me choose?

Victor: I want you to.

Diamond, opal, iolite. After a moment of deep thought, Kate picked up one of the brooches.

Victor: I’m sorry to keep asking you for favors, but might I ask for another one?

Kate: Of course.

Victor: Could you fasten this brooch for me?

I put the brooch in her hand, then held hers in mine as I closed my eyes.

(I have just one small wish.)

I prayed that today’s parade would end without incident. And I wanted her to fasten it, because I felt as though that would make my wish come true.

Victor: Will you do it?

Kate: …I will.

She took her task seriously, and carefully pinned the brooch to my chest.

Kate: Done.

I smiled and picked up my usual veil. Just then, someone knocked on the door.

Palace Guard: Your Majesty, it’s time.

We exchanged a glance and hurriedly began working on the finishing touches.

Victor: Thank you for your help, Kate.

Kate: I’m glad I was helpful.

I stood up straighter and went to say goodbye to Kate. However–

Victor: I’ll be going now.

She grabbed my sleeve.

Victor: Kate?

Kate: Oh, sorry. I…

Noticing how worried she looked, I put my hand on her head and stroked her hair.

Victor: You’ve worked so hard, all the way until this morning, Kate. Victor: You still have the guard positions, the guest list, and Crown’s schedules memorized, don’t you?

Kate: Yes, but–

She still looked anxious, so I took her face in my hands and made her look up at me.

Victor: Everything will be okay, Kate.

Kate: Victor…

Victor: You do your part, and I’ll do mine.

Her worries seemed to fade, and her quiet response met my ears.

Kate: …Okay.

I was swept with a wave of longing when she let go of my sleeve, so I patted her on the head again before turning around.

Victor: I’m off now.

Kate: …Good luck.

She still sounded nervous about something. At the time, I thought she was worried about whether or not she would be able to fulfill her role as messenger.

(As soon as the parade is over, I’ll go see you to tell you how wonderful you were.)

-----

The parade proceeded without incident. I waved to the gathered crowds outside the carriage, trying to burn their faces into my memory.

(It’s a time of celebration.)

In accordance with my wish for the nation’s prosperity, I gave up on my life and ascended the throne. Every time I felt myself falter and long for my life to be my own again, I told myself that this was worth it. Some would say that this life was unrewarding. I myself thought the same, at times. But every time I saw how happy the people looked, I knew that it was not a mistake. Those days have happened time and time again.

(I don’t wish for everything to end anymore. Not as much, at least. But there are still days when everything becomes overwhelming.)

So that I could keep pressing on, I tried to remember the days like this. But as I gazed upon the scenes of celebration and revelry, what came to mind was how Kate looked earlier.

(I’ve seen many of her different faces. But I don’t think I’d seen that one before.)

I felt restless. I wanted to see her as soon as possible.

(But you have your part to play, as do I, so we must see them through.)

Recalling my own words, I sat up straighter in the carriage.

(...But… if you were by my side…)

“I know I would be happy.” Before I could finish the thought, I cut myself off.

(No. I can’t drag her into my fate.)

She was stronger and kinder than anyone else in the world. The person whose happiness I wished for more than anyone else in the world.

(Instead of walking down a path of destruction, your life’s journey should be filled with joy.)

And to make that come true…

Victor: My feelings must stay hidden.