#Post inspired by seeing someone say “skill issue ”

[drumlincountry]

people underestimate the degree to which I do NOT know what is going on. E.g. I found out what the Unabomber was YESTERDAY.

[sukirichi]

PLEASE STOP COPYING FICS ‼️

I am by no means gatekeeping concepts or tropes. We all know that it’s normal to see the same tropes or AUs be used differently, and that is not plagiarism. However, I recently found a fic that was oddly similar to my old (and discontinued) Gojo x Reader series, Reckless. The CEO! Gojo is nothing new, and neither is an accidental pregnancy trope. The only reason I am concerned is because this Gojo series I found has the exact same themes as Reckless that consists of: a playboy CEO Gojo with a very notorious reputation, a poor reader who is an employee and asset to the company (someone who works closely with Gojo), reader getting knocked up from a one night stand with Gojo, reader with a seemingly dead/absent mother yet still in contact with her father, Gojo with a very traditional family who does not like reader, and Gojo with an ex he struggles to let go of - which are all elements of Reckless.

The first chapter of that Gojo fic is also eerily similar to my first chapter with the same flow of: YN finding out she’s pregnant and her friend being there for her, Gojo saying he’ll take responsibility because ‘they both made the baby’, YN having to move in with Gojo to take care of the baby, and both of them coming to a mutual agreement that their ‘relationship’ will be purely for the baby’s benefit. The flow of events and specific details about the characters’ backgrounds are too similar to mine.

Again, I am not gatekeeping concepts, just as how I’ve had other writers ask me if they could write their own stories or takes based off of the NAOYA’S TROPHY WIFE COLLECTION or the BONTEN HUSBANDS EXCLUSIVE, and I’m fine with that. I’m even happy people are inspired by what I write. But being inspired is completely different from taking someone’s story and posting it as yours. Please trust your own creativity and skills in writing. You can write amazing stories and have people love them without having to steal from others.

It’s sad to say this is not the first time I, and other writers, have been plagiarized. It’s even more upsetting to know that a friend of mine who has also written a Gojo series (that I’m sure you all know and dearly love) experiences the same issues with the same person. The fact that this is happening to many writers out there is disheartening. We work hard and pour a lot of love in the stories we create. None of us are getting paid for this, and we simply want to share our passions with others. So please, let us be kinder with one another and show love and support the right way. If you love a fic, you give feedback and rb/comment + show support to the writer. You don’t steal their ideas and play it off as your own because you liked it.

[stxrrynxghts]

Okay so, recently there was a huge kaand. As y'all know, I usually post incorrect quotes or my rewatching series of Star Plus Mahabharata. Now someone took my posts and blew them out of proportion. I have blocked them, yes, not because I'm afraid, but because I don't want any stress. I get easily affected by this stuff, and I don't wish to fall into depression again.

I'm writing this post to clarify MY opinions, if y'all are willing to listen. Currently, all the quotes and rewatches are deleted. I will post them either publically or privately again, but it depends if you all wish to see them.

I use basic meme templates from the incorrect quote generators, and put the names of the MB characters which I think suite the template. So there was this specific incorrect quote:

Draupadi: I love you guys, you are the best thing that happened to me. The Pandavas: we are the best thing that happened to you? Draupadi: yeah. The pandavas: we are starting to feel a little sorry for you.

Now, this is a very popular incorrect quote. I don't see how this is derogatory towards the Pandavas, or Draupadi for that matter. It's just a joke. And I'm allowed to make jokes. You, however, are not allowed to post screenshots of my posts on social media without my permission/giving credit.

Tell me honestly, did this feel insulting to any of you? If it did, then I will accept my mistake. I did not make it from the intention of hurting anyone. I just thought it would suit them.

Now change the characters. If I had written this for Krishna and Balarama, would it feel insulting? No. IT IS JUST AN INCORRECT QUOTE!

And then this person says that I used "derogatory" language for my favs. WAIT WHAT? Does this person even know who my favs are? Pls tell me where have I used derogatory language for Abhimanyu or Uttaraa. Yes, I have made incorrect quotes. But these quote templates are used by 100s of ppl online, it's not just ME who is making these quotes, srsly. And no one has ever said that "hey I find them insulting".

Then, my rewatch series. First, it is solely, SOLELY based on what SP MB portrays the characters to be like. If I put any references from the OG MB, I MENTION IT explicitly. My rewatch series was inspired from @demonkidpliz's rewatching MB series (yes, I did take permission before starting it.)

Now, Dhrishtadyumna was trying to kill Drona, right after his birth. So I said it was "out of his aukaat". Why? Because he is very weird. He insults Draupadi in a very sexist way, and is downright irritating till this point. So I used this language for him. It is a satire on the show, God.

OG Dhrishtadyumna was a very nice warrior, but are his warrior skills shown in the show ? Are they? No. And if you consider this to be an accurate representation of him, then...you are special.

Then, this person posts stuff about me calling Arjun depressed. THIS was the biggest issue. I saw some of my friends commenting under it, without even clarifying it with me, first, so it did hurt initially.

The show does not show Arjun to be the great warrior he is. Arjun in the OG MB does not hesitate to fight UNTIL the Kurukshetra war, and he has proved his mettle as the best warrior of his time multiple times in the text. In the show...well, all of his gr8 warrior sequences are just removed. Almost all of them.

In the Varnavrat thing, the Pandavas (and Arjun) are eager to kill the Kauravas, which is very uncharacteristic for SP MB Arjun. So I said that "oh, he wants to fight? He won't want to fight after the depression hits in."

IT IS FOR SP MB ARJUN.

NOT FOR THE REAL ARJUN, GOD.

Yes, I know that he was a gr8 warrior. Yes, I know that he did tapasya and pleased all the Gods. Because he was GREAT. And I know that. The title of the post was "Re-watching Mahabharata", and the tags were "starplus mahabharat", "starbharat recap" and "starbharat". Srsly? You will say that I am calling the OG Arjun depressed?! Really?! It's a satire on the show!

Asking me to show even a single verse in the text where he is mentioned to be depressed is kinda weird since I DID NOT CALL HIM TO BE DEPRESSED! And I know how serious depression and suicide is. I suffered from it once. I don't need anyone teaching me about how serious it can be, or how it can affect your life. I am NOT trying to pick fights with anyone, okay? I am not. I am not interested in weird kalesh at all.

I want y'all to tell me if I have done anything wrong, or if any of you ever had similar feelings seeing my incorrect quotes or rewatch series. Since they are currently deleted, I will start posting them again if y'all are interested in seeing them.

[connoisseursdecomfort]

Inspired by Yumeka's post here.

On whether or not Yor and Loid are present when Anya's being kidnapped, my bet is currently on "no".

I feel that Yor and Loid did not witness Anya being kidnapped based on these few scenes:

Bond is present as they arrived at the dwelling.

He bites off the symbol of the uniform.

He then hands the piece of cloth to Loid, giving him the confirmation that a certain organisation has kidnapped Anya.

Coincidentally, in the trailer, when Loid holds the piece of cloth, he says, "Has Anya somehow stumbled into that issue related to the military?" (Something like this.)

On Yor being jealous after seeing Loid interacting with a woman in the car. It's extremely convenient to say that Fiona's the woman in the car, because she's shown to be in a car. It could be someone else, but also, it could be the anime production team being a troll.

There are things I'd like to add.

Why does she want to get the "chocolate" in the first place?

Anya is a kid, but most of the time out of her fear of being abandoned, she's very well-behaved. But here she's holding the key asking, "Is my family going to fall apart?" This might be the reason she feels the need to get to the "chocolate", and eats in accidentally in the process.

I feel like it's almost a must that Yor and Loid would not work together - the movie has to be anime-onlies friendly, and they still have to hide their identities from each other.

There's a small detail on how Twilight's going to get to Anya though.

It is very likely he's going to get in by pretending to be someone who is of higher ranking (two diamonds vs the leader and the lower-level goons) - this could get him access to more places.

Yor tho. Her MO is to march in kill everyone. So. Yup...

Anya has said "Go to hell, baby" twice. I am expecting her to say it at least the third time in the movie.

(Manga spoilers alert under the cut)

I think the movie would most probably be placed after Chapter 58.

Two reasons:

First being it is confirmed that Chapter 59 is animated.

The second being Bond finally has learned that he should bite the arms, not the legs:

In a more emotional note (blue curtaining the fuck out), he learned to keep himself safe in order to give Loid (and Yor) the information they needed:

Edit: Thank you, Yumeka, for the comment. I personally still think it's a problem mainly because on Loid's side, although he knows Yor is trusting, is it wise (pun unintended) to show off his skills as he gets a uniform, a gun and maybe a mask as he gets in?

Especially when in Ch.59 she's still trying to explain to Loid why she's this strong.

But again, this is just my speculation and the reasoning of my speculation~ You could be right - Anya's in danger, and when children are in danger, Yor tends to not hide her strength and just rush to save the kid. Just like what she did in Ch.59 for Becky.

[princesssarisa]

I once reblogged a post about Disney's Beauty and the Beast where the OP wrote that in a sequel, they'd like to see Prince Adam still struggling to control his temper at times. I think I agree: anger issues don't easily go away. But there's something else I'd like to see in a sequel even more:

I want Prince Adam to make peace with the Beast.

I also want him to know that Belle has made peace with the Beast.

I want Adam to accept the fact that he was once spoiled, selfish, and unkind, and not to excuse it in the least, but to understand that he was made that way by his royal upbringing, not born that way. I want him to see that he can choose to behave differently in the present without hating his past self.

I want him to accept his temper – to realize that just as long as he doesn't act on it in harmful ways, it's okay to feel overwhelming anger when he's attacked or threatened. I want him to know that despite the importance of controlling it, his anger doesn't make him a bad or unlovable person, and that it can be used for good too. Namely to fiercely protect the people he cares about, as when he fought off the wolves to save Belle.

I also want him to accept the fact that he lost interest in dignity and gave in to his feral, "beastly" instincts: wearing tattered clothes, eating like a messy animal, ripping and smashing everything in the West Wing in his rages, etc. I don't want him to remember it as a character flaw, but to know that it was partly the fault of the spell warping his mind and partly out of sheer despair.

I want him to remember that he was never all bad. Even at his most beastly, he was moved by Belle’s request to take her father’s place as his prisoner, which made him agree to the exchange even before he realized that she might break the spell. Then when he saw her crying, he felt compassion and remorse, and he gave her a comfortable room and free rein of the castle. While his ferocious rage when he caught her in the West Wing was inexcusable (his anger itself was justified, but not his reaction that made her afraid for her life), he was instantly racked with remorse, and when he realized she had run into the forest and was being threatened by wolves, he risked his life to save her, which inspired her to give him a second chance.

Then, after he comes to these conclusions, I want him to be assured that Belle has done the same. I want him to know that Belle truly loves him, not just a role he learned to play to please her.

There's a comment somewhere or other on TV Tropes (I think on the Fridge Brilliance page), which says that the Beast "had to learn to hate himself" to become a better person. That breaks my heart. I don't want him to go through life hating himself and pretending to be someone else, or, if he does, for it to be portrayed as a good thing. That's no way to live.

I've been thinking of more recent Disney/Pixar movies like Turning Red and Inside Out 2, which promote accepting the messy sides of yourself (without using that acceptance as an excuse to behave badly, though) and loving every part of yourself. Beauty and the Beast obviously isn't about that mindset, but arguably just the opposite – some of the creative team have said that the Beast's character arc is about the universal process of learning to control our "animal" instincts and become civilized human beings. But are these movies’ different messages mutually exclusive? I'd like to think the Beast/Prince Adam can choose to be a civilized human being, yet fully accept the "animal" part of himself too.

I know that part of the problem is that I see parallels between the Beast and a neurodivergent person. Lack of social skills, physical messiness, struggle to connect emotionally with others, overpowering anger under stress that he struggles to regulate, etc. I see my own AuDHD qualities in him – maybe I'm projecting them too much onto him – and I feel as if part of his character arc is about learning to "mask." I know this wasn't the creative team's intention, but it feels that way. I don't want Adam to spend his entirely life masking and hating what's under the mask, or to think Belle loves only the mask and not his true self.

Let him make peace with the Beast.

[carpisuns]

the most hurtful thing about the rise of AI art, to me, is that the importance of lived human experience is up for debate.

you could say a lot about the ethical implications of it all and how it negatively impacts actual artists—how their work is being stolen and fed to bots without their permission, how they are losing ownership of their own artistic expression, how they're are losing their jobs because AI can "replace" them. but people will always find a way to talk their way around it. "if they didn't want people to use their art, they shouldn't be posting it online." "you can't own an artistic style." "the generated art piece is not actually their art. it's not stealing." and the real clincher: "i don't know what to tell you. that's just progress."

i feel like so many people see this issue through the lens of charlie bucket's dad getting fired from the toothpaste factory because a machine could place a cap on the tube more efficiently. but making art is not the same as screwing a cap onto a tube of toothpaste. it's emotional. it's meaningful. it's expressive. the end result is informed by the experiences and choices of the creator. and the viewer's experience is different knowing that a human is behind those choices—that there was real choice involved at all.

you could argue that AI art retains the inherent humanity of art, because it uses samples of real art made by real people—a whole collective pool of representative humanity. but it's not really the same. it's just an echo. an illusion. a mimic of life without the spark that actually makes it alive.

when i look at art, i want to think about the human behind it. i want to feel connected to them. i want to ponder their choices and notice their details and appreciate their skills. i want to look at it and feel something, because the artist felt something when they made it.

sometimes i see a cool piece of art and get excited. but when i realize it's AI, the emotion is gone. "what's the difference?" someone might ask. "if you liked it before, why don't you like it knowing it's AI? the image didn't change. it's still the same." and sure, visually it's the same. but emotionally it's not. i can't make a connection with it anymore. because there was no real intention behind it. i can't search for meaning in it, because there is none. when i look at AI art, even visually impressive art, i feel nothing. there's no wonder. there's no connection. the only possible feeling for me is, "wow, technology has come so far! neat."

it doesn't even have the appeal of "art" created by nature, like the Grand Canyon or the ocean or the night sky. those create a sense of wonder because there was no human involvement at all. the beauty came from the universe itself, and it feels like a gift from nothing and everything at once, and it's that beauty that so often inspires humans to make something in its likeness.

but AI art feels like a weird in-between of the art made with no hands and the art made with human hands. like pseudo-clay molded with empty gloves. it's sort of uncanny valley–ish. something almost human but not quite, so it always feels a little off. with human-made art, mistakes are understandable, expected, even endearing—a reminder that a person made this, and people are not perfect. but that weird offness of AI art just feels wrong. like a glitch in a simulation, reminding you that what you see was never real.

but really, even if AI was always completely indistinguishable from human-made art, the viewing experience would still be fundamentally changed. we make art to connect with each other, to see and be seen, to speak and to listen. but when i look at AI art, i don't know how to listen for a song. all i hear is the whir of cogs in a machine.

some people might point out that we're all just machines too. that AI's 1s and 0s are really no different from the synapses firing in our brains, and we draw inspiration from everything around us the same way AI draws from the samples in its generation bank. it's different to me, though. maybe i just feel this way because i myself am a creator, and i want to feel like i have something special to offer. but i have to believe there is meaning in the choices and expression of humans that there isn't in the choices of a program.

i'm sure this is just doomsday talk and it wouldn't actually happen, but the idea of AI eventually being handed the primary "creative" role over human beings is frankly devastating, even terrifying. i don't want to live in a world where all the art around me was generated automatically from a prompt and spat out onto a conveyer belt. it would be an inexpressible loss to me.

this isn't to say that AI doesn't have a place at all, or that we should abandon our exploration of technological advancement. i just hope that as this issue gets bigger, we remember the real point of art. when we are sad or lonely or angry, all of us turn to art. whether it's visual art or music or film or writing, art tells a story. we take comfort from the stories we tell each other, and it means something that those stories come from other people. art is and will always be a bridge between us and the rest of humankind.

so while our technology continues to develop, i hope we guard that bridge. I hope we protect the creative space of artists who want to tell stories. i hope we keep the demand for emotional expression high. i hope we honor the humanity of human-made art. if AI art is a truly reflection of us, i hope we keep looking toward the figure that cast the reflection, keep seeking the voice that started the echo.

[einsatzzz]

Hiiii Ein! Hope the pain has lessened, huuno! For everyone: "Does your OC love anyone? (romantic)",  Kurumi: "Who would your OC say is their best friend?", Kana: "Which canon character respects your OC most? What gained that respect?" And Yui: "Did your OC bear witness to anyone’s full character arc?" Sorry for sending so many djdjd take your time!!

Nimaaaa!!! Thank you!!! I was gone for a bit so I couldn't answer this sooner, but the pain has lessened a good amount during that time 🥰🥰✨ Please don't say sorry for sending asks, I love receiving them, it gives me a topic to yap about for my ocs dskjghdvhs I just get bad at answering them when my health spirals down 😆😆

Here's a sketch inspired from this ask, yipeeee kana triooo

For everyone: "Does your OC love anyone? (romantic)"

Ooohh!! 👀✨ I love this question, very juicy hahaha 🤣💕 This would depend on which point of the story they are, but the trio will eventually love someone to some romantic extent (at least).

For Kurumi, that's a big YES, as she's quite the hopeless romantic! She loves shoujosei series(or just the romance genre in general) and dreams a lot of being in a relationship like the lead couples there. Add to that her cuteness aggression, it's quite inevitable that she gets crushes of varying degrees on quite a good amount of characters 😆🫶✨ (examples are Tsuna, Kyoko, Haru, Chrome & Enma - if you feel like there's a pattern then yes sjdfbhjsdv). Of course, a simple crush is different from really falling deep in love with someone, but it's a good start. Her only problem is that she can't commit and go through with it (like confessing, etc). I don't know if you know already, but if you see my previous ship arts with her, maybe you already know who she does fall in love with lol

😆👉🐟

For Kana, it's a vague/complicated type of love that can be romantic so I guess that's a "yes"??? Anyway, getting it to even develop slightly towards that direction is technically not impossible, the chance is non-zero, but it's gonna take...A LOT of time, patience, persistence, understanding & survival skills (and acceptance that u can't ever fix her lmao). She already has a ridiculous amount of issues caused by her love(/obsession?) on the platonic side of things ngl mxhdkbddmdn

For Yui, that's a HELL YEAH! Among the trio, he's the only one with dating experience but he really can't say he loved the people he dated romantically. It's more of trial and error run for him. Fortunately for him, he does eventually find someone he likes a lot! I don't think I mentioned this before unlike for the other twins, so I'll put it here lol The person he ends up falling for is Hiyori (Oniyanagi 10th Gen Sun Guardian).

Kurumi: "Who would your OC say is their best friend?"

Kurumi's bestest friends in the whole world are definitely Kana and Yui! 🥰💖✨ They've been through a lot and are very much ride-or-die. Yui is Kurumi's very first friend. They initially became friends out of obligation and loneliness, but after some rough events here and there, it became a genuine friendship. He's stuck with her/supported her during difficult times in their childhood and Kurumi will always appreciate him for that.

Then there's Kana to Kurumi. Where do I even begin? That's a whole rabbit hole right there. They're platonic soulmates, a set package. Do not separate OR ELSE. 👁️👄👁️

Kana: "Which canon character respects your OC most? What gained that respect?"

Oh, from the top of my head, that would be Hibari. I'll just make separate post if I can think of another canon character who can dethrone him in this lmao His respect for her is based on the respect that he would have for strong and worthy opponents. Kind of similar to Reborn? But more chase-able/bully-able (since she's a fellow student, their paths would cross more often).

It all started when Kana attacked and tried to kill him this one time to take over the school (they went ham at that time, Reborn just stopped them). This is what happens when you think murder is always the answer to your problems. You get some guy, with a passion of at least 180 hardcore soulslike game players, who wants to keep on retrying that boss fight @ you.

Yui: "Did your OC bear witness to anyone’s full character arc?"

Yui doesn't really like being in the spotlight. He's not even that fond of having the right-hand man role designated to him and the "formal" responsibilities that come with it (this is why Gokudera criticizes him often). But one of the main reasons he still stuck to this role is so that he can get to watch over the twins in his own way.

He did bear witness to a good amount of Kana's character arc, but since we're talking from start to finish of someone's character arc, then that would be for Kurumi's. No matter what happens, whether this bestfriend of his grows into a fine person or falls into ruins, he will be there to witness it all 🙂

[leeneir]

Duo AU; Pro Gamer Iso x Violinist!Reader (Part 1)

I check the iso x reader tag EVERYDAY. FOR ISO CONTENT. Sadly, Iso isn't that popular. Sigh. Guess I'll do it myself.

AU inspired by those public pianist trends on yt and my Iso x OC ship as always. Along with that one toxic pro gamer Iso x reader on here, i fking love that au sm. (Hes not toxic in this one tho lol)

Pro Valorant player Zhao Yu, better known by his internet name "Dead Lilac" is a mechanically gifted one-trick main whose name is famous all over the gaming community.

Professional Violinist "Reader", famous for their musical talent and prodigal like abilities, having climbed up the ranks and becoming renowed in the music community and on social media.

Iso finishes up a stream with a sigh, the ratio of wins to losses was bad today, how disappointing. Zhao Yu lays in bed, taking a brief moment of rest before he continued on with his day.

His roommate Omen is playing with the cat when he goes to the kitchen to get something to eat, they talk for a bit, and the cat starts purring at his feet. He picks it up and just does a stare off with the thing while it paws at his face (without claws), and blows a rasberry. Omen chuckles.

Omen brings up the fact that his friends are going out for an outting later, Zhao Yu decides to get ready. He wears his signature hoodie ofc.

Jamie, Sunwoo, Tala, Tayane, and Mateo come along. Sadly, Ryo couldn't come. He was too busy with his drift practice or whatever. Tala says her brother was just too lazy to come.

They all meet up at the mall where they go shopping and do whatever, discussing random whatnots and getting up to antics. And then they find a piano in public and Jamie tells Zhao Yu to play something, they'll record it and post it online because why not? He's really good at playing it too.

Zhao Yu decides to humor them and gets on the piano, trying to think of a piece to play before he starts.

His fingers cross the keys with grace and practiced ease, playing a romantic classical version of a popular song. Zhao Yu finds himself lost in the music piece as strangers began turning heads and pausing in their step. He can feel his friends' eyes on him as Phoenix' camera records him, and he finds himself becoming more confident with each note he plays.

Unbeknowst to him, as he was nearing the chorus, one stranger came up and opened a peculiar shaped bag, pulling out a violin out of it. The moment Zhao Yu plays the chorus note, a new instrument joined him.

He almost paused, but his fingers kept playing. Somehow, he and the violinist were perfectly in sync. He turned his head without lifting his fingers, and he see's the stranger playing the instrument, and he's awed by their ability.

More people crowd around as they watch the duet, enchanted by the melody and harmony while Jamie continues recording. Zhao Yu and the stranger play until the end of the song. When they finished, the whole crowd applauded and cheered. It sort of reminded Zhao Yu of the music recitals he did when he was younger.

He gets off the piano and approaches his duet, complimenting them on their skill and giving his name, which the stranger responded with their own.

Reader and Zhao Yu chat about the piece they just played, and Jamie and Mateo run in with the video, showing it to both of them. It's then that Zhao Yu saw Reader passing by before they decided to play, and he's amazed at how easily they synced up to him without missing a note.

Mateo then says that he was a fan of Reader which promptly confused Zhao Yu. Was Reader someone famous? Jamie asked for permission to post the video which Reader granted without issue.

They continued talking for a moment up until Reader said that they had an appointment to get to and excused themself.

By the time that was over, Zhao Yu's friend group went nuts. Apparently having held themselves back from "ruining his chances", whatever that meant. Jamie and Mateo however couldn't hold themselves which is why they approached. Sunwoo proceeded to shake him uncontrollably for not getting Reader's number. When he asked why he needed it, Tala called him a "lonely bastard".

He asks if they knew her since Mateo did, and he was told that Reader was a social media influencer known for their violin talent.

Jamie sent the video to Zhao Yu's editor and they continued on with their hangout. Though, the duet still played on the back of his mind throughtout.

Timeskip to later that night, Zhao Yu realized that maybe he should have gotten Reader's number, and also why Tala called him lonely. Omen watched the video too and acknowledged Reader's social media presence which made Zhao Yu wonder just how popular they were if even his roommate knew about them.

The next day, Iso's editor had the video ready and posted. And it was doing numbers.

As it turns out, a duet between a pro gramer and a famous violinist was bound to go viral and become so popular that it was trending on every platform.

Both to his confusion and surprise, his fans went crazy with the shipping. He knew what it was only because his online group and team engaged in such antics. Although he wasn't sure how Reader would react. He only just recently followed them on their socials and was surprised to find out that they were already a follower.

His twitch chat wouldn't shut up about the duet and he recounted the story of how that moment came to be. And they went haywire. Zhao Yu found ship edits of him and Reader from the duet video and things were getting out of hand. He was worried of how this would affect them considering they weren't part of this side of the community, much less even in this community.

He found a response from Reader regarding the duet, and to his relief it was mostly positive. They even addressed a part of the response directly to him, asking if they should record an official one if he wanted to.

Now, Zhao Yu was open to collabs. But for some reason, this one had him staring at his screen for minutes as the type bar blinked in the chat box, it was Reader's instagram.

He decided that it wouldn't hurt to add some music content into his gaming content and wanted to reach out to Reader to inquire about that collab idea they proposed. Except... he was nervous.

Why was he though? It made no sense. Zhao Yu didn't get nervous, so why was he? He's done this dozens of times, so why was it any different now?

Mustering up all the courage he could, he typed a few letters and sent the message without leaving room to think it over.

On Reader's phone, a notification popped up from instagram messages. They opened it up, it was from Iso?!

"Hey" they read.

Yknow, this has been sitting in my drafts for 3 weeks. Finally glad i got this out even if some parts are uncohseive

[astrojulia]

hi! can u make a post about saturn rx in leo in the first house? thank u^^

Saturn Retrograde in the Natal Chart

~ Saturn Rx through the houses and signs analysis

Every planet when it is retrograde works differently than its direct placement. It's not TOTALLY different and so you can read and look up its normal placement, you just need to make a few changes, Saturn Rx (Retrograde) has the following things to look out for:

You may find it difficult to assert yourself, and people may not see you as an authority figure or someone mature enough to handle more elaborate tasks. This could impact your confidence and anger management.

You may not have been taught an accurate sense of what the rules are, or how much responsibility you have to take on in order to be considered responsible. Discipline may have been vague, and you may not have known when to stop yourself, or when is it enough.

You may not know your own limits, and have trouble setting boundaries, especially in the house and sign where Saturn is retrograde.

You may not have a clear understanding of what you can or cannot do.

“There is something missing in the relationship with the father that impacts the life — divorce, hard working and not with the family, on the road at lot, killed in a war or died early — with Neptune, he is preoccupied or ambivalent.”[lynnkoiner]

If you have retrograde Saturn in your chart, you may experience sadness, depression, loneliness, fatigue, or a lack of motivation. Disrespect from parents or other authority figures may also hold you back. Retrograde Saturn focuses on whatever is hindering your productivity and success, which could be an ongoing problem that requires attention.

⌦ .｡.:*♡ Spiritual/Karmic meaning: Many see Retrograde Planets as info of your past life and something you need to do now. In terms of the spiritual and karmic meaning, retrograde planets can provide insight into your past life and the lessons you need to learn in this one. If you have Saturn retrograde in your natal chart, it signifies a problem with self-discipline or avoidance of responsibility in a past life. Due to illness, immaturity, or disrespect, you may have neglected to take care of your loved ones. Some lessons or extra effort will be required in this life to pay off and leave behind this karmic debt. It is important to learn these lessons to avoid having to go through the difficult cycle again.

⌦ .｡.:*♡ Saturn Rx in the houses and signs:The position and aspect of retrograde Saturn can show the areas of life, personality traits, and behaviors that require extra development. Ideally, Saturn is disciplined, responsible, stable, respectful, and reliable. A healthy Saturn is hardworking and dedicated. The goal is to be strong enough, both physically and emotionally, to deal with life's difficulties and take responsibility for oneself and one's family. Depending on where Saturn is retrograde in your chart, you may need to focus on developing specific skills or traits to become more successful and fulfilled.

⌦ .｡.:*♡ Sources and Inspirations:Whoever reads this post will see that it's very similar to posts about Saturn but very negative, and well, this is the focus of this post, talking about the positive parts you can see in other posts. So the focus is on what Rx can do and what to work with. The inspirations for this post were few since it is specific, they were this one and this one, the template for this post is from sparklypalace on deviantart and poohsources on tumblr.

This placement can indicate a significant difficulty with self-esteem and saying 'no.' With Saturn Rx in a fire sign and house, issues related to fire can be stuck. There may be a fear of expressing oneself, speaking up a little louder, running, or indulging in carnal pleasures. You might be too afraid to step up and face life. You may not feel welcome in anything that showcases your creativity or deviates from tradition; you want to be like Picasso, but the world expects you to be like Da Vinci. First and foremost, any issues with Saturn are usually resolved with time, as our superego (that voice that dictates how we should behave in society) realizes that it doesn't need to be so restrictive because, deep down, nobody cares. With this aspect in mind, I think a lot about tattoos and body transformations as a means of freeing oneself and putting art on one's own body. Generally, it can be challenging to assert oneself as someone with their own unique tastes, and working with creativity without expecting the result to be worthy of a museum can be helpful.

Saturn Retrograde through the zodiac signs

✧. ┊ Aries and aspecting Mars: individuals may struggle with asserting themselves and expressing their needs and desires. They may lack confidence and have difficulty managing their anger, which can lead to conflicts and challenges in personal and professional relationships. They swallow their wills and feelings so much and end up locking themselves up. It's important for these individuals to work on building their self-esteem and learning healthy ways to express their emotions.

✧. ┊ Taurus and aspecting Venus: it can bring up issues related to finances, material possessions, and self-worth. It seems that everything they do in life forces them to step out of their comfort zone so that they never really feel comfortable (especially in the house where the Saturn is). Additionally, they may struggle with valuing themselves and their abilities, which can impact their personal and professional lives. They often question whether who they are has the makings of an honorable and valuable person. It's important for these individuals to work on building their self-worth and learning healthy financial habits.

✧. ┊ Gemini and aspecting Mercury: individuals may struggle with expressing themselves effectively. They may have difficulty making decisions and may feel overwhelmed by the amount of information they need to process. It's important for these individuals to work on developing their communication skills and learning to trust their instincts.

✧. ┊ Cancer and aspecting Moon: individuals may struggle with expressing their emotions and nurturing themselves and others. They may have difficulty with family relationships and may feel like they don't have a solid foundation in their personal lives. It's important for these individuals to work on developing healthy emotional habits and creating a supportive network of loved ones.

✧. ┊ Leo and aspecting Sun: individuals may struggle with self-expression, creativity, and leadership. They may feel like they don't have the confidence or skills to take on leadership roles or express themselves creatively. It's important for these individuals to work on building their self-confidence and developing their creative abilities.

✧. ┊ Virgo and aspecting Mercury: individuals may struggle with organization, analysis, and perfectionism. They may have difficulty staying focused and may feel overwhelmed by the amount of work they need to do. It's important for these individuals to work on developing healthy organizational habits and learning to prioritize their tasks. They may also benefit from working on letting go of their need for perfection and embracing their imperfections.

✧. ┊ Libra and aspecting Venus: Individuals with Saturn Retrograde in Libra may experience difficulties in maintaining relationships, particularly with romantic partners. They may struggle to find balance and harmony, which can result in issues with compromise and conflict resolution. These individuals may have a fear of abandonment and may struggle to express their needs and desires. It is important for them to learn how to communicate effectively and define their own boundaries to maintain healthy relationships.

✧. ┊ Scorpio and aspecting Pluto: Saturn Retrograde in Scorpio can lead to difficulties in trust, intimacy, and power dynamics. These individuals may struggle with trust issues and have difficulty forming deep emotional connections with others. They may also have a fear of vulnerability and struggle with expressing their own emotions. These individuals may have a tendency to manipulate others or feel manipulated by others, leading to power struggles in relationships. It is important for them to work on developing trust and emotional intimacy with others to cultivate healthy relationships.

✧. ┊ Sagittarius and aspecting Jupiter: Individuals with Saturn Retrograde in Sagittarius may struggle with belief systems, philosophy, and adventure. They may have difficulty finding their own identity and may feel trapped by societal or cultural expectations. These individuals may also have a fear of failure or a lack of direction in life. It is important for them to explore their own beliefs and values to find their true path in life.

✧. ┊ Capricorn and aspecting Saturn (sorry,not possible 😅): Saturn Retrograde in Capricorn can lead to difficulties with authority, responsibility, and ambition. These individuals may have a fear of failure and struggle with taking risks in life. They may also have difficulty with authority figures, either feeling intimidated by them or feeling the need to constantly challenge them. These individuals may also struggle with finding balance between their personal and professional lives. It is important for them to work on developing self-confidence and a sense of direction to achieve their goals.

✧. ┊ Aquarius and aspecting Uranus: Individuals with Saturn Retrograde in Aquarius may have difficulty with individuality, innovation, and detachment. They may feel pressure to conform to societal norms or struggle to find their own unique identity. These individuals may also have difficulty with emotional expression and forming deep connections with others. They may feel disconnected from others or struggle to fit in with their peers. It is important for them to embrace their individuality and work on developing emotional intimacy with others to cultivate healthy relationships.

✧. ┊ Pisces and aspecting Neptune: Saturn Retrograde in Pisces can lead to difficulties with boundaries, empathy, and spirituality. These individuals may struggle with setting boundaries and may feel overwhelmed by the emotions of others. They may also struggle with developing their own spirituality or may feel disconnected from their own intuition. These individuals may have a tendency to isolate themselves or feel like they are constantly giving to others without receiving in return. It is important for them to work on developing healthy boundaries and learning how to prioritize their own needs and emotions.

Saturn Retrograde through the houses

✧. ┊ 1st House: With Saturn Retrograde in the 1st house, you might find yourself struggling with self-image, self-worth, and self-esteem. Maybe you've always felt like you don't quite fit in, or that you're not good enough. You might try to make up for this by taking on too much responsibility for others. When Saturn goes direct, you might build up walls to protect yourself, but during retrograde, you might have trouble saying no.

✧. ┊ 2nd House: If you have Saturn Retrograde in the 2nd house, you might find yourself having a tough time with money, material possessions, and self-worth. Maybe you've been taught that you have to work really hard to get what you want, or you've seen your parents struggle financially. During retrograde, you might feel like you're responsible for other people's finances, and have a hard time setting boundaries.

✧. ┊ 3rd House: Saturn Retrograde in the 3rd house can make communication, learning, and decision-making difficult for you. Maybe you get really anxious in school, and it affects your ability to learn and express yourself. You might have trouble hearing correctly when you're nervous. But opening up about your struggles can help you form closer relationships with others.

✧. ┊ 4th House: With Saturn Retrograde in the 4th house, you might struggle with emotional expression, nurturing, and family relationships. Maybe you have a hard time connecting with your parents, but you still feel like you need to take care of them. You might take on too much responsibility to try to bond with your family, even if it's not good for you. Sometimes, it's necessary to set boundaries and distance yourself from your family to become your own person.

✧. ┊ 5th House: If you have Saturn Retrograde in the 5th house, you might have trouble with self-expression, creativity, and leadership. You might find it difficult to say no to your children, especially if they're your firstborn. Expressing your emotions might also be tough for you, which can lead to misunderstandings. When it comes to gambling or speculation, you're not likely to have much success unless you're well-aspected.

✧. ┊ 6th House: Saturn Retrograde in the 6th house can cause issues with organization, analysis, and perfectionism. You might be a perfectionist at work because you have a hard time setting boundaries. This can lead to bosses and coworkers taking advantage of you. This placement isn't great for being a boss yourself, since you might struggle with similar boundary-setting and perfectionism issues.

✧. ┊ 7th house: You might run into some trouble with your relationships. It can be tough to find a good balance and harmony with your partner, and you might feel like you're having some issues with being a parent. If this sounds like you, it's important to set some boundaries and learn how to say "no" to avoid getting into any sticky situations.

✧. ┊ 8th house: Trust and intimacy might be tough for you. You might find it hard to get on the same page as your partner when it comes to money, and you should be careful about tying yourself down legally until you really understand your financial situation. It could be helpful to look at your partner dad's attitude towards money to get some insight into their own finances.

✧. ┊ 9th house: You might find yourself struggling with your beliefs and sense of adventure. If you grew up in a really religious environment, you might feel like you're having trouble breaking away and finding your own identity. Try to challenge those old beliefs and create your own value system. You might also find yourself changing your mind about what you want to study in school or where you want to go, but it's important to keep questioning and finding your own path.

✧. ┊ 10th house: You might have a hard time with responsibility and boundaries at work. It can be tough to say "no" and take control of your own career, but it's important to define your own boundaries and responsibilities to achieve success. You might find that you have a bit of a struggle with authority figures, particularly your dad, but once you figure out your own attitude towards responsibility, you'll be in a better spot.

✧. ┊ 11th house: You feel like they're struggling to express their own personality and might feel a little disconnected from their friends. You might feel like you don't quite fit in with your own age group, and it can be tough to find a sense of belonging. When Saturn is transiting, you might be looking for a way to feel more connected to a group, but when it's retrograde, you might find yourself feeling a little intimidated by people your own age.

✧. ┊ 12th house: You might struggle with setting boundaries and connecting with other people. It can be tough to develop your own spirituality and empathize with others. You might feel a little bit isolated, but finding a job where you can work independently might be helpful for creating a sense of security.

[meimi-haneoka]

Clear Card Trivia 2 ~ Alice in Clockland and its meaning in Cardcaptor Sakura Clear Card

"But in the end...what the heck was that 'Clockland' ?"

Raise your hand if you have thought so at least once! If you did, then welcome to one of the posts of my Clear Card trivia series, an unexpected one I have to say, because I had scheduled to write other posts before tackling this one, but today I suddenly realized, thanks to a conversation in a community, that probably this aspect of the series takes precedence over other things.

I've seen countless of people confused over this matter ever since the play started in the plot, and everybody knows that usually when things get unexpectedly complex, they are quick to be labeled as "useless" and "nonsense".

No, Alice in Clockland isn't just a flex on CLAMP's outstanding drawing skills, it isn't useless, it is very much connected to the plot and DOES have a meaning.

Now that the main story is over, I would like to tackle this issue. I don't presume to have the Big Truth in my pocket, especially cause Ohkawa-sensei was quite eloquent in her recent public speeches: a motto she's going by is "If you think so, then it's surely true....for you", but I feel like the way I understood and reconnected the whole play and the consequent events inside Momo's book do work out pretty well, so I'll just do what I usually do: I'll write my own interpretation out here, hoping that people reading it will find it useful, will find the right angle to look at all this part of the story, and have some of their frustrations with this arc sedated. And maybe share it around to help other people too.

I just want to get my voice out there so that no one can say "no one understood it".

Of course the text below is full of spoilers if you haven't read the chapters from 64-ish / volume 13, also I will talk assuming you know what is Kaito's plan and what feelings moved him to think such plan.

Then, if you're ready, let's proceed to see in details what this is all about, starting from the play.

The Alice In Clockland Play

Let's start from the fact that the play is based on Alice Through The Looking Glass, and that is because….well, Alice in Wonderland is Ohkawa's most beloved book, so she really feels connected to it (and as you might know, this isn't CLAMP's first title inspired in Alice in Wonderland). It's just a preference, but for example many other books are referenced in this arc (as you might know from my other post in the Clear Card Trivia series) particularly "Momo" by Michael Ende (yeah, Akiho chose Momo's name from that book!).

The play (first called "The Two Alice" and then at last minute "Alice in Clockland") is undoubtedly the focal point of the second half of Clear Card. It's during the play that Kaito starts the final stage of his plan (and succeeds). But not only that, the plot of the play itself offers a good foreshadowing to what's going to happen to a certain someone later on. CLAMP used the "parallels" structure a lot in this arc, because it enhances the feeling of interconnection between the characters. "I understand what you're going through because the same happened to me". Sakura is an extremely empathetic character so that fits her and her world perfectly.

So the plot of the play Naoko wrote is quite simple: there are these two twin sisters who get separated by supernatural reasons and one of them ends up lost in another world, becoming Queen of it and forgetting completely about her family of origin. In the play they're both called Alice because of the imagery that twins are initially one same being that gets divided in two… Even the family of origin forgets about the lost daughter, but somehow their feelings for her never get erased, and they keep a chair (which stays empty) at their table. It's like they're feeling that someone is missing and are waiting for her to return, even if they don't really know it. One day, a magical black cat gets to meet the Alice who stayed in her world and ends up guiding her to a magical land: his goal is to lead her to meet her lost sister and reunite them. After wandering for a while. Alice finds her sister/Queen of that land, and touching her hands she suddenly remembers who she is, and what she herself came here for, which is to bring her back home. The two go back home together and we reach the happy ending of the play (which we could only see in the rewritten world, but surely followed the scenario Naoko had written). The most important message of the play is that even if we forget about someone, feelings cannot be erased and those will lead us back to the person we forgot and to remember about them. (Does this ring a bell..?)

The Actual Clockland

It might be useful to remind you that we're currently dealing with two major magical tools shaped like books, at this point of the story: one is the Book of Time Momo is guarding (to which Akiho gave the title "Alice in Clockland" and which will inspire the title of the play), a magical book capable of recording someone's life and, activating the so-called "Forbidden Magic", rewrite it completely. Another one is the magical artifact, shaped like a book, that was engraved into Akiho's body by her Clan and the Association of Magicians, where any magical book that Akiho reads gets "written down" , to store its magical power for use and consumption of those criminals. There's just one "tiny" problem: the more magic gets written on it, the more the book consumes and suffocates Akiho's soul, till the point of no return where the soul will get destroyed. The Clan and Association prefer this outcome as it would be easier for them to manipulate Akiho as an artifact, devoid of any conscience.

In the middle of the school play, Kaito brings Sakura and Akiho to Clockland, which is a "dimension" existing inside Momo's book, to prepare them for the rewriting of the world that he's going to perform afterwards. This world is built using Sakura, Akiho and Kaito's memories (you can see many elements that appeared in past chapters and that come from their memories, like the botanical garden where they had a double date, or the rose garden where Kaito met Akiho the first time). Another thing to be noted is that Hitsuzen (the force of inevitability that rules CLAMP's manga) facilitated Kaito enormously, so much that many things went exactly as he wished and how it was convenient for him (which isn't a good thing, since this led to a big big mess). So following the school play's roles, here Akiho is the Queen of this land, she's the most important character and it makes sense seeing who Kaito is doing all of this for. Sakura keeps being Alice, just like in the play.

In Clockland, Kaito removes Sakura and Akiho's memories and stores them in the botanical garden. He needs to do that for two reasons:

‐ just like the play, he hopes that Sakura and Akiho will follow along their roles and recognize eachother as sisters ‐ as such, this Clockland works as some kind of "primer" for their brain; ‐ he needs to change and rewrite those memories to make them become sisters later on, so he needs to have them collected in one place.

It is to be noted that Syaoran here is an intruder, Kaito didn't initially account for him to join in, and wanted to take on the role of the cat himself. In the play the cat is the one who leads one of the Alices to find the other one and make them recognize eachother as sisters, so this is the one thing Kaito wants to do and the role he wants to take on for himself. While it's true he takes Syaoran's appearance during the first part, his only goal the whole time was to take on the role of the Cat of the play. If the role had gone to, say, Yamazaki, he would've taken his appearance instead. This is clarified by Momo's "I wish I could've seen you interpret a funny character" line, instead of the cold and serious behavior of the Cat. And his reply, "I would've worked hard, as far as I could" is further confirmation that he would've played any type of personality as long as it was the Cat. This doesn't even affect Sakura, because while being under the effect of his spell, she doesn't recognize Syaoran in him (as she should, since it's not really him). So fundamentally it is to be excluded any intention to "manipulate her" or ease her in with Syaoran's appearance (as I had erroneusly written in a previous version of this post). Realizing the real Syaoran got in, and not wanting to be hindered in his plan, Kaito uses the Mirror Sakura Card as a red herring for the boy. Syaoran, in that regard, even as an intruder ends up achieving a result very in line with his "Cat role", which is to make someone remember (Sakura remembers her identity when he shouts her name). The Clear Cards are inside Clockland because Kaito soon will need to use them to power the forbidden spell. As we know from later events, not all of them are there, and some follow his orders (like Shade), some don't (like all the Cards with appearances of Sakura's loved ones, which are trying to give her hints along the way to wake her subconscious up ‐ this is exactly their role and it worked well because Sakura starts to free herself from the spell Kaito casted to keep her subconscious dormant and to keep her in her "in role", symbolized in the manga by a change of fonts used in the dialogues, a thing that those who have read it in English couldn't recognize because they didn't respect that aspect in the translation).

Another thing that Kaito hopes for, while the two girls interact in this "fairytale" (it is very much considered a fairytale by Kaito, since he calls all of them "characters"), is that Sakura will end up creating the Card he needs to operate the exchange of artifacts between him and Akiho (exchanging his pocket watch for the artifact book inside of her). As we said above, Hitsuzen shamelessly favors him and Sakura does end up creating Exchange at the last minute. Once that is done, Kaito doesn't need to keep them in this Clockland anymore, and by the contract they have, Momo starts to activate the forbidden spell on his request, rewriting everyone's memories to satisfy Kaito's wish to turn Akiho into Sakura's sister after he removed the artifact from her with Exchange.

Now, we know what happened after Kaito activated the forbidden spell. Everyone's memories were rewritten following his wish, and he was turned into a dragon and imprisoned by effect of the Seal of D., which was imposed on him by the Association like some sort of "trap", should he ever mess with Akiho's artifact.

But it's here that the play from above comes back in from the "backdoor", to bring the unexpected parallel: Kaito ends up being the character who's lost in another world and whose existence is totally forgotten by a loved one.

But that loved one got a "memento" of him (the pocket watch, which parallels the role of the chair in the play) and that object causes Akiho to feel strange, to feel like she has to fix it, she's extremely attracted to this pocket watch even if she doesn't know why. In the end, just like in the play, Akiho and Kaito reunite and despite not remembering anything about him, and not even having his true appearance in front of her (cause she meets him as a dragon first), Akiho knows perfectly well that that is the person she loves the most, because her feelings weren't erased (just like in the play).

Sakura's role in the finale ends up being similar to the one of the black cat, making everyone remember who they really are and their connections.

So this is roughly the "significance" of both the play and Clockland in this story. It is to be noted that what happens in Clockland is extremely abstract and full of riddles because Alice in Wonderland + Through The Looking Glass are exactly like that. Have you tried to read the originals by Lewis Carrol? It's quite difficult to follow along and nothing seems to make sense….when actually, with a different reading key, it does. I've had to pause my reading of Through The Looking Glass (that I had started in hope to understand the Clear Card story better) multiple times because it's quite difficult for me to stay focused and understand what's going on. I guess Ohkawa‐sensei wanted to go all out on the references to this story, and give the same narrative vibe. The references of course don't stop at the narrative structure, you can read the others in my post about the literary references that I had linked at the beginning of this post, in the section about Alice in Wonderland.

Kaito's True Feelings

Another thing to be noted about Clockland is that since it's playing a lot with the subconscious of the characters, Kaito's true feelings end up appearing here and there. The Queen's Castle, the most important place, is built on crystals, a reference to his true name (something that Sakura points out immediately and Kaito doesn't reply to, while showing a pensive face). Their memories together are protected and stored inside the botanical garden, once again made of crystals. Sakura hits the bull's eye particularly when she says that the rose garden (where Kaito met Akiho for the first time) feels extremely important to someone (that someone is Kaito, of course), and Kaito (disguised as Syaoran) looks away and urges her to move forward. The "someone" could be interpreted as Akiho too, of course, but the Cat/Kaito's reaction and the fact that the Cards told Sakura that this place is strictly interconnected with someone's "wish", makes me lean more toward Kaito. The garden pavillion appearing with the Repair card is another important place because it's where Lilie told him "you'll find something/someone you'll like, one day". It's quite telling that Sakura, despite not even remembering who she is, is guided by her infinite empathy and recognizes immediately those parts of this land that reveal Kaito's true heart and the core of this whole matter, through the continuous questions she keeps posing to everyone, in a desperate attempt to make sense of what's happening and subconsciously fight the spell that's keeping her in her "role" (she'll do that with Akiho too, later).

It's interesting to note also just how much Hitsuzen played on Kaito's side, guiding Tomoyo's instinct to re-do the outfits for the two Alices and ending up giving to Akiho a serious, dark outfit with a black veil. I remember how me and some friends commented that more than a queen, she looked like a mourning bride. Considering what happened afterwards, the imagery CLAMP chose was pretty spot on. Not only that, but the black veil also served as a metaphor for Kaito keeping Akiho's subconscious dormant, making her act like the role of the play required her to. Needless to say, Akiho was able to slip away from the grasp of that spell basically on her own, without even needing magic, only relying on her strong feelings for Kaito (she didn't even remember her name, but lifting the veil up - a very powerful imagery - she remembered that she had someone she loved, and also Sakura's name. This gets once again conveyed in the Japanese version by the change of fonts in the script). The rose headpiece is also another quite interesting part of the outfit, as Sakura asks to the Cat/Kaito why the roses in the garden are all white, despite being this the Red Queen's land... For sure, that place was referencing the real rose garden where Kaito and Akiho met the first time, where the roses were all white, but that also means that the only Red Rose in that land is....Akiho. I also remind you that the rose headpiece was featured in the color page of chapter 69, with Kaito cradling it in his arms with a sweet smile, as if he were holding something very precious....we could read the color illustration as "that's the only thing he got left of Akiho".

This is the reason why Momo, in a moment where the Alices are on their own, tells Kaito that no matter how much he tries to hide himself behind the Syaoran disguise, his true nature shows up anyway. The whole place is full of elements making reference to very important things in his heart, and his true wish. That is only normal because the whole place is made up of their memories. This is also why Momo says that Kaito gave "all of himself" for the activation of the spell.

Another very interesting part is when Sakura, before meeting the Cat/Kaito, meets her friends Rika, Chiharu, Yamazaki and Naoko in the shape of the corresponding Cards (Appear, Synchronize and True & False). The Cards tell her that what appears in this world depends on what Sakura wishes, but her reply is "This is the Red Queen's land. Shouldn't she be the one to decide what appears here in this world?" which works wonderfully on a metaphorical level to point at how Akiho should be the one deciding what happens from now on, since this place is hers and was built for her alone. Seeing how mad Akiho got at Kaito afterwards for deciding her happiness on her behalf, yes, Sakura's question was pretty legit.

In Clockland we have also lots of meaningful interactions between Sakura and Akiho and words said in conversation that will become absolutely essential to help Sakura reaching the truth in the rewritten world (especially the whole discussion about "memories" and "records"), since they stayed in her heart even with the activation of the forbidden spell.

And I believe this is everything regarding these two parts of the Clear Card plot, a way for CLAMP to undoubtedly experiment with a different kind of storytelling, and to ask their readers to dedicate a little bit more of attention to the story, trying to get out of the logical approach to things, and thinking on a more abstract and metaphorical level.

[piracytheorist]

Episode 28 thoughts!

Did I say I was elated by the political commentary from one (1) line in the previous episode? This one had LOTS and I am so excited to get more into the world building!

Since this episode is mostly focused on Yuri, this post will focus on his part. The other parts are light-hearted and unrelated to the plot of Yuri's part, so I'll make a separate post for them. Maybe.

I admit, though Yuri is nowhere near blorbo territory, I am genuinely intrigued by his character and I can't help kinda investing in how his story will progress.

It's almost scary, how good at his job he is. The SSS have truly hit the jackpot with him, considering how capable he is, how dedicated he is to protect his sister, and how young and easy to manipulate.

Their wanted guy does something completely non-suspicious and tries to run out the window the moment he faces arrest, because that's exactly what an innocent person would do! Anyway, he gets ambushed by Yuri and oh my god.

Yuri please. That's not a normal face to have after throwing someone down - especially someone who actually drew a gun at you? Interestingly enough, the guy didn't draw a gun in the manga.

Then we see about the anti-East stance of Westalis, and... that's a very interesting image there.

"The Devil's Republic" instead of "The People's Republic". "The Age of Confusion" and "The truth as told by photographs". Imagery of mass graves and harsh military law. Also, Cyrillic letters on the journals to the left and right! I wonder if they're actually translatable, but in any case it's interesting that it's the West that uses Cyrillic letters along with Latin ones. I'd have loved to be a Japanese-speaking fly on the wall when they decided on those stylistic choices.

So Perkin already had issues with the law, and was using his journalism skills to rebel against the Ostanian government.

As I said, I absolutely loved that we got some political commentary on this episode, as I've been dying for some signs on how Westalis sees Ostania. And well. It's not good.

Perkin lies and constructs scenarios that fit his "Ostania is a nightmare" narrative, manipulating the audience loud and clear.

Like, look, buddy. I know Ostania sucks. I know surveillance and censorship are the death of freedom, but you don't need to go that far. It's yourself and your work you're sabotaging that way.

And he's not even... like, he then mocks the kid and tells him if he continues to "not share his toys" he will be arrested and killed? Bro, chill.

That's what happens when you join the trenches of a cold war but have no sympathy for your fellow human. Perkin mocked and terrified the boy and then he left laughing. He had no reason to do either of that.

Looks like Perkin's mother died, and her death was caused by their poverty; probably a sickness they couldn't afford proper treatment for. So he's in for it for personal reasons, though again, that doesn't justify being so mean to an innocent kid and manipulating the people of a foreign nation.

Wait, wait. Perkin says something interesting.

According to what he says, people keeping their wealth for themselves and not sharing - aka capitalism - is what the West stands for. But then he's mad at Ostania's government for forcing them to live in poverty and thus causing his mother's untimely death? What's going on, and what is his reason behind making the child fear the West? Because what he says there certainly isn't going to inspire the kid to go against the Ostanian government.

I'm leaning towards him not trusting Westalis either - and is just using them to rile them up to help bring the government down - and/or having a lot of unresolved issues that he's bursting out irrationally on a little kid, because the kid can't defend himself and is an easy target for Perkin's ire.

The fact that Yuri of all people, the personification of no control over one's feelings, got so mad at Perkin for terrifying the kid like that, says a lot.

Yuri made all of those appendices about what clothes Perkin wore and what people rode the underground train with him, so when Yuri mentioned Perkin went to the market, I expected a "See appendices for what he bought there" lmao

Interesting detail that Perkin had a cactus and a succulent, plants famous for needing very little care. The ashtray is also full. Visual commentary!

At least whatever is wrong with him is really really funny. The way his superior has caught onto that though XD

And he's conscious of it lmao

It's a good sign, if you ask me.

Lotsa books and another plant, I can't tell what it is but it's one that seems to require water and sunlight; and it's seated next to their full library!

Meanwhile, Perkin unknowingly, but unsuccessfully, reaches for Yuri's sensitive buttons. Yuri writes his sentence about Perkin probably being motivated by his care for his family... but Perkin is the enemy, you see. Maybe kinda related to what I said in my meta about Yuri's extremism, to him the "other side" are monsters with no empathy who only want to bring chaos. Suddenly he's faced with a man who threatens the safety of the country Yuri's beloved sister lives in, and with illegitimate means to boot, yet his motivation is something Yuri can relate to.

Considering Yuri got so mad at Perkin for scaring the child, I wonder what Yuri's reaction will be when/if he finds out Twilight's core reason to be a spy. That would gut him, I think.

Yuri's original notes on the paper say "Although it is still in the investigative phase, these actions may be caused by his personality and beliefs. Another possibility is hatred of a particular group or individual. However, that seems somewhat insufficient for the motive. Is Perkin [motivated] by concern for his family?"

It's easy to call a man such as Perkin a bigot and use such a narrative to explain his actions, and thus dub him the "enemy" and a "monster", along with anyone who would ever oppose the Ostanian government. So Perkin caring for his family and their future shocks Yuri to the point that he rips the paper off, deleting any signs of sympathetic view towards Perkin.

Perkin waits for his opportunity; after the mail is cleared from "suspicious" letters, he takes over from his coworker so that he can slip his very incriminating - and very misleading - "evidence" in.

Apparently people aren't too suspicious of people offering to help.

Perkin knew what he was doing, though. After his father warned him, he hesitates for a moment before the throws the letter in the cart and seals his fate.

It is pretty terrifying, though. Defamation is no joke but it's one of the things free press has to tolerate, if it wants to be called "free". Legal action can be taken after the press is out, in a public court, and investigate on how much of it is a lie and misinformation aiming at hurting someone or a group of people. Letting prejudiced and brainwashed police officers dictate what should be said and what not is at the height of censorship.

Perkin realizes he's fucked. He's terrified, but he knew what he was getting into - and he has experience with getting in such trouble, after all.

He's not a nice person, but I felt so sad when he said goodbye to his father and just... walked out to accept his fate.

Something interesting regarding the SSS is that they refer to themselves as "kokka hoan-kyoku" (State Security Service) and that's their official name for them, but the people may call them either that or "himitsu keisatsu" (Secret Police). I don't think I've heard anyone but citizens (and WISE agents) use the latter. Like earlier, when Perkin threw the toy gun in the trash, one of the boys used the phrase "himitsu keisatsu". I feel that's interesting because it may show how using the latter may be less... "respectful" for them.

When Perkin is being arrested, for example, he uses "himitsu keisatsu", and then calls Yuri "the government's dog". So that shows how much he respects them, lol.

SOMEONE SLAP HIM ISTG

Heeeey, Yuri... what if post-identity reveal Yor really really fucking loves Twilight and will be devastated if he's hurt? WHAT THEN?

But also hey, the fact that Yuri felt the need to reply to Perkin? It's a sign that this whole case had a much bigger impact on him than he expected. He put Perkin in the mould of "bad person who wants to destroy the country my beloved sister lives in, who makes his family sad" in order to avoid the possibility of relating to him.

He'll get there. He'll get there. It's a good sign he offered to request for financial aid for Perkin's father. Perkin thanking him for that speaks for what truly mattered to him.

I just love how layered everything is. Since the whole story is mainly focusing on Twilight's side, we as the audience are meant to sympathize and want peace to be secured, and for outside forces to help bring down the totalitarian government. But we're not meant to justify Perkin's behaviour, whether that's his fictional narratives or the way he mistreats innocent children, and at the same time we're meant to understand his motives were sympathetic. No-one's perfect, and the road to hell is paved with good intentions. At the same time, we're shown that Yuri, the "enemy" of Twilight's side, also has sympathetic motives and can also show empathy.

I mean, yeah, he swallows it down and replaces it with projection and coldness. But isn't that what Twilight does, too?

God, my heart fucking aches. He's twenty years old. He has his entire life ahead of him and this is where the regime lead him into. It's terrifying, and it's meant to be.

Yuri is so confident he'll catch Twilight and the director is like "Yeah whatever. If that helps motivate you." I see now why he referred to him as a cute puppy in episode 8. Yuri has very little experience and dreams very high but in a way, that keeps him motivated to work his ass off and never doubt what he's being told to do.

... Huh. Another similarity with Twilight? (sans the lack of experience)

Yeah oh my god that's even scarier. The director thinks that catching Twilight is too much for Yuri, but he allows him that "illusion" because it motivates Yuri. Fuck. Disgusting.

You'd think that a household with a spy and an assassin living in it would be using their peephole a little more often. Instead Yor looks surprised to see Yuri at the door. Like I get how it needed to be this way for the show, but it's a funny concept XD

Their outfits are so cozy! I love how they use different shades of red for Yor. And a detail!

I love how every single piece of clothing Yor owns has rose-shaped buttons. It's like she has an unlimited supply of them in every colour and just replaces the normal buttons with them. I know it's for stylistic choice on Endo's part but it's a cute little headcanon to have XD

Anya <3 she doesn't understand and she's still freaked out by Yuri's obsession with Yor but she cares <3

And that's the thing! Anya cannot understand the intricacies of what's just happened. She just reads Yuri's mind and what she gets is "He needs comfort." And she offers it T_T

ACAB but that doesn't mean one can't be a sentimental bastard. You know?

The little heart on the moon ended me. What an episode!

Overall, I loved it, especially after writing down this analysis! Not much plot-wise but I really appreciated this look into the political situation and how all of it affects Yuri - and how there's a lot in him that can help him grow.

Oh, and reminder that I'm anime only, so please no spoilers from the manga 😁

[genericpuff]

Sorry but I think you’re being super negative about the whole “Rachel Presents” announcement.

Rick Riordan is a white author who is passionate about mythology. After Greek mythology and briefly going into egyptology, he used his influence to give People of color a chance to write modern mythology stories from their own culture and experiences—and most importantly he stayed in his lane.

I think Rachel choosing to step back and give other people a voice is a great outcome, considering you guys all joked about how horrific it would be if she tried to appropriate another culture in her next series.

You also said she should have given LO to another creator who had the passion and dicipline to finish for her. That’s ESSENTIALLY what she’s going to be doing with RP. Maybe her true calling is just…being an Idea guy. She has wonderful concepts and cool ideas, but lacks commitment. In this scenario, we could end up with super amazing stories, with proper editing from Random house and proper commitment from new creators. I don’t really see the issue here, everyone wins.

(And lots of authors do the whole “___ presents” format. I don’t think she deliberately copied RR. Most likely her books sales did well and Penguin House approached her with this offer.)

lmao what? I was against the folks saying she should give it to another creator. I don't think not liking the series should mean she's obligated to "give it to someone else." The series is hers and so it's her responsibility to finish it. I do think she should have ended it a long time ago or if she was really miserable making it then she should step away, but she shouldn't be giving it to someone else to finish for her just because "boo you suck at writing your own comic". She started this, she should finish it.

And this is literally her doing exactly that - appropriating other cultures - with extra steps. Just instead of being on the front lines with her own work, she's sponsoring other works based on her own bar for quality (which we know is EXTREMELY low) and slapping her name on them so she can take a "backseat". It's really icky to see from a creator who practically failed upwards and is now using "herself" as a selling point, when she has no real legitimacy outside of LO, which was only as successful as it was because of WT constantly sinking money into it and advertising it over other series on the platform (and because it's based off a story that was VERY popular to romanticize at the time, the H x P myth. Like it was literally what was popular on Tumblr when it started as a hobby comic on Tumblr.)

I'm outlining all of these posts with "speculation" because obviously I don't know what's really going on behind the scenes here, but I think it's really disingenuous of Rachel to sell herself as some top tier brand name for mythological works as a whole when she's caused so much actual harm to the Greek myth community and its sources. It's furthering the notion that she has any credibility as a "folklorist" when really she just pulls whatever comes off the front page of Google. And the similarities between herself and Rick Riordan do matter here because of how commonplace it is these days for Rachel to rip off other works rather than take inspiration and make it into something that's organically her own.

That's my two cents. It's not me trying to be "negative", it's me being genuinely concerned over the blatant appropriation from a white woman gaining even more control over the depictions of cultures and mythologies that she claims she's educated on and isn't. Unlike Rick Riordan, Rachel does not have any formal education in the subject she's claiming to be educated about. Unlike Rick Riordan, Rachel allows her fanbase to use her work as a source on Greek myth and she obfuscates the line between "fiction" and "fact". Rick Riordan started Rick Riordan Presents after he had multiple hits under his belt that were celebrated and loved. Rachel is starting Rachel Smythe Presents after a one hit wonder that could be chalked up to a total fluke that wasn't even able to go out with a bang.

Rick Riordan writes fictional stories inspired by Greek myth for children. Rachel is writing fictional stories claiming to be "retellings" of Greek myth - and now other mythologies if the implications of this project follow through - for adults. It's disingenuous and it frankly deserves to be paid attention to and called out.

I do genuinely want to see creators given an avenue to monetize their work and that's why I think the thought of it is nice, but any amount of further digging just makes this feel like a grift that will lead young and inexperienced creators down a path that won't benefit them (or take advantage of them) due to the blatant lack of care and management exhibited by Rachel over the past 5 years. Just because Rachel had one massive hit that lined her pockets for years does NOT qualify her to be a titan of the industry. Not by a long shot.

To quote Super Eyepatch Wolf,

"Let's say you decide you want to become a carpenter, and particularly, how to build a nice chair. Think about the kind of person you'd want to learn that skill from - would it be from someone who's built nice chairs every day for 30 years, or would it be the guy who built ONE nice chair 5 years ago out of a special kind of wood that doesn't exist anymore, who has NO experience with the kind of wood available to you now?"

EDIT to add: it was more likely Rachel's representative, Britt Seiss who landed this deal for her, not Penguin House themselves. That's what agents are for.

EDIT EDIT: this is ALL assuming she even FOLLOWS THROUGH with this project, because god knows the only reason LO has even gone on as long as it has was because she was being held responsible via a contract, she's NOTORIOUSLY bad for committing to things and has even admitted to it in interviews. She barely even works on LO as it is. Spring of 2024 could roll around and this project could entirely fizzle out. Again, not me trying to be a negative nancy here, I'm just stating my own concerns based on what we all know about Rachel at this point and how she operates.

[bonezone44]

Why the Daddy/Uncle Depravity?

This is a blog post for adults with critical thinking skills. If you read this and you wanna throw hands--then you do not have critical thinking skills and this blog post is not for you.

I reference DDlg, non-con/dub-con, trauma

++++++++++++++++++

I've noticed a lot of DDlg reader fics in this fandom. MUCH more than any other fandom that I've been in, but I think that mostly has to do with the fact that this fandom is centered around a particular actor and the characters he portrays.

And part of me has always been bothered by DDlg stuff. It weirded me out. But sometimes, part of me found it hot. And I couldn't understand why.

and the more stories I read, the more conflict it caused in my brain.

Because, you see, humans exist in multitudes. Much like the movie, Inside Out, there are multiple voices and perspectives that exist within us and give us our inner monologue and allow us to reflect on ourselves and the world around us.

And in my own personal real life, I would laugh in some dude's face if he wanted me to call him 'Daddy.' I would roundhouse kick him in the balls if he tried to push the issue, too.

But then I read it in stories and I'm like, "Damn. That's HOT."

---So what's the deal???

I'm sure many of us have heard the explanation that women who write rape fantasies or depraved sexual fantasies are exercising "control." It's been said that these fantasies allow us to take back our power in a way that we desire to do so. WE get to say what goes and WE get to write an encounter in a way that allows us satisfaction. (whether sexual, emotional, etc etc).

---But that explanation is generally referring to people who have experienced sexual trauma and are using fantasies as a way to process (and likely, 'remove') the experience from their system.

---What about other people? What about their fantasies? What's really happening when writers write and reader's read?

So here's where I'm at with philosophizing on this.

As I said before, humans exist in multitudes. We exist in many different parts and pieces and as we interact and connect with other people and the world we live in, we become even more multitudinal.

Even though I'm an adult woman, part of me is still a child. Even though I'm an adult woman, part of me is my husband. Even though I'm an adult woman, part of me is my dog. Part of me is my house. Part of me is my best friend. A small part of me is the guy who works at the gas station I frequent.

Even though I'm an adult woman, part of me is young and tired and doesn't wanna do the work and wants to pout about it. Another part of me is older, wiser, firmer and more aggressive.

And those two parts of me can be turned into two characters that I can name 'Daddy' and 'Little Girl.' And I can create a situation for them to experience and react to one another in. I can provide them conflict. And I can create an outcome for them. And I can write and direct and describe what happens between the two of them in a story format, if I so choose.

and I can share that story. And someone can read it.

And as they read it, part of them might relate to the 'Little Girl' and another part of them might relate to the 'Daddy'. And they might connect to the story's situation and the conflict as it may/may have exist(ed) within themselves.

---And when the smut comes in??

well that just makes it even more fun! Because on a physical level--sex can be fun and feel awesome. It can be a full body experience. There's chemicals and stuff that happen (google it. I'm not a doctor).

Sex can make us feel good. And when disparate parts of ourselves are in conflict and we find a way to resolve the conflict through feelings that feel good?? it feels good! It feels satisfying!

And in fic, we're experiencing these emotions and inspiring physical feelings using a narrative that exists in the safety of our own minds.

---But what if I want it for real?? in the IRL??

Some people do! Some people need it. Some people have a desperate need (or simply a 'want') to experience this relationship dynamic for themselves. They have a need to find someone who understands the internal battle and who will play the opposing part with them.

That's where the real life kink comes in. And it requires lucid minds and respect and clear, unambiguous consent.

Sometimes it's a full-time dynamic. Sometimes it's temporary role-play. Sometimes people try it and realize it's not for them.

But for some people, the fic is enough!

--You haven't mentioned Uncles yet....

Substitute 'Uncle' in place of 'Daddy'. It's a title for a familial masculine, authority figure. You could even do 'Big Brother' if you wanted. (Remember that Big Brother Frankie fic?? 🥵🥵🥵)

Substitute 'Mommy' or 'Auntie' or 'Grandma Claudia Flores' if you're looking for a familial feminine, authority figure. 'Big Sister'

--Why does it have to be a family member??

It doesn't! It can be a boss or teacher or professor or etc etc etc

It depends on YOU and what YOU connect with the most and what part of YOU that you want to explore.

--What if I wanna be the 'Daddy' ?? What if I wanna be the 'Uncle'??

Go for it ! There is a dominant authority figure in all of us.

🙏 Be the Dominant Authority Figure you want to see in the world !

--Do you have anything else to say for yourself??

In every 'Daddy' exists a little girl. In every 'Uncle' exists a niece. In every Dominant Authority Figure, there is a Submissive Figure as well.

In these fanfics, the Dominant recognizes a part of themselves in the Submissive. Just as the Submissive recognizes a part of themselves in the Dominant. That connection begets the dynamic.

[toxinellebug]

Paris Special HEADCANONS

Marinette only became emo after Chloe posted the video of Kim humiliating her online because there was no Socqulien to stop her.

Marinetter didn’t wear fishnet gloves or a scarf until those black veins started to appear.

Adrien only cut his hair after his father FORCED him to go to school, (because socializing with kids his own age would be good for his mental health) as an act of rebellion.

When the black lines started to appear, Adrien took inspiration from the Baker girl’s emo makeup to hide it.

Marinette ended up in Ms. Mendeliev’s class, NOT Ms. Bustier, which is why she never met Alya or met Adrien personally, but knew he was a spoiled brat because Chloe paraded him around the school as her Adrikins.

Adrien, who resented being sent to school, followed Chloe’s lead and probably bullied Nino, while Chloe made Alya her new fav target.

Marinette never met Luka since she and Juleka never became friends.

The Crush who thinks she’s a pathetic loser that she references is Kim. (In eng dub she says bf, which makes no sense since the special takes place at the begining of S5 after they got the Rabbit back and right after Cat Noir cataclysmed Monarch at the wax museum- and at this time Adrien has not yet fully accepted his feelings for Marinette and Marinette had broken up with Luka in ep 1 of s4 so she doesn’t have a boyfriend, which would be clear in her diary, but she does have a crush who sees her as a very good friend, whereas bad marinette’s last crush would have been Kim)

Adrien probably enjoys fame and modeling. His mother wanted to be a famous movie star after all. Also, he praises the perfection of Adrien Agreste when he is Claw Noir/Griffe Noir, and frowns when Shadybug/Toxinelle insults him. But Cat Noir has said that he is better looking and better dressed than Adrien and doesn’t understand why girls were fighting over him. Enjoying his fame and possibly relishing in signing autographs at school could also reinforce Marinette’s belief that he is self-centered despite not knowing him… Cuz remember, she was surprised that he seemed to know her, which means they aren’t classmates.

Good Gabriel obviously made Adrien go to school since being alone isn’t healthy for a teen, and Gabriel can’t design for his brand, save the world AND homeschool his son all at the same time. Plus, making friends and learning social skills would help Adrien overcome his grief.

The Centralist nature of the world ruled by the Supreme would result in Sabine having more conservative values, which would make her a more harsh disciplinarian who criticizes her daughter frequently.

Good Gabriel could not risk someone else suffering from the peacock, nor having his identity exposed to the Supreme, therefore FELIX was never born because Fathom Colt could not be trusted. (Sure, you could argue that the Supreme willingly lent Colt the peacock in exchange for something and that’s where Gabriel got the idea from but he had nothing to offer so he stole it, but since his wife is Amalie’s twin and suffered from the same infertility issues, it would be too suspicious if Emelie just miraculously got pregnant when it was impossible for her suster to do so without a miraculous.) The Gorilla was sent at Amalie’s insistence since Adrien is the heir of the precious DeVanilly bloodline and thus must be protected!

Gabriel accepted only because it stopped Amalie from insisting that she be allowed to adopt her nephew after her sister’s death.

This would also mean Amalie sees Adrien as the rightful owner of the DeVanilly twin rings and she would not insist on having them back, which means Gabriel could claim to keep them in a safe until Adrien comes of age because he knows Adrien will lose his free will if anyone gets their hands on those rings and good Gabriel respects his son’s autonomy as a person.

Gabriel never met Nathalie. She was a relic hunter, and since Gabriel stole what he needed from the Supreme, he never needed to hire Nathalie to search for magic jewels.

XY is famous and popular, Jagged Stone is either a nobody or his music is strictly underground indie because it is banned for it’s anarchist nature.

Andre never became Mayor, but he still has the Hotel and is a Movie Director. Chloe’s bad attitude still comes from her father’s wealth and Mother’s influence.

Mylene would not be allowed to attend Francios Dupont.

(Let’s face it, it is a Private school and all the kids who go there are either rich, middle class, or have show biz connections. They have an exclusive curriculum, including textbooks no other school uses, and no handicap access. Nino DJ’s as a hobby- do you know how expensive equipment is? For a 14 year old kid to have that as a hobby he needs to come from money. Building an AI robot isn’t cheap either, Max- son of an astronaut. Alya’s dad has at least a Master’s Degree if not a Doctorate in order to be a zookeeper and her mom is a chief in a 5 star hotel which affords her an apartment in one of the most expensive cities in the world, and ALYA, despite having 3 sisters, has her own bedroom with a balcony. Bakers in Paris also earn more than just a decent living, and sewing is not a cheap hobby either for a 13/14 year old who could lose interest because she’s a teenager. Mirelle and Aurora have the networking and connections to get on TV, you really think their parents wouldn’t send them to a highly rated private school? Chloe is repulsed by public transportation, do you think she’d be caught dead in a public school? Do you think the daughter of the Mayor and the Queen of fashion would go to public school? Do you think Gabriel Agreste who has a bodyguard for his supermodel son would allow him to attend public school? Do you think a world famous Fencer who also runs for political office would teach at a public school? Do you think Tsurugi san, who demands perfection and nothing short of the best, would allow Kagami to join a fencing club at a public school? No, Francois Dupont is a private school, and the only reason Mylene is able to attend is because her dad works there as a janitor. That’s why Chloe is always digging at how poor her clothes are.)

Betterfly said mutual aid is a crime in his world, meaning it is Centralist politics, which means Mylene and Ivan would not be able to protest anything legally and Ms. Bustier would not be able to get a job as a teacher with her idealistic liberal values… meaning she is not a teacher, or she is a mean teacher and probably even has a husband rather than a wife.

Post Paris Special, in addition to being homeless fugitives, Adrien will be a mess because the girl he has been yelling at, calling a cockroach, and trying to steal from is also the girl he’s been head over heels in love with but never had the guts to actually TALK to and it turns out she HATES his civilian identity and he has no idea how to talk to her without his mask but wearing the mask he falls into old habits and has to constantly correct himself before calling her cockroach and he constantly berates himself “WHY did I say that?? Stupid, stupid!” Everytime he ends up saying something snarky, rude, or tries to flirt and it just comes out cringe because he REALLY wants her to like him but he is also low key terrified of her hating him, yet just her grabbing his hand turns his brain into mush and have him daydreaming about wedding bells and a hamster.

Meanwhile, Marinette has never had a friend before, and has zero idea how to work as a team, especially with a moron who is as conceited and spoiled as Adrien Agreste, but they are stuck together now, and she DOES want to give it a shot, especially if it means she can change her crappy life and NOT be destroyed by her own powers. But she has no idea why her so called Partner is so bi-polar; one minute he’s acting smug and showing off, the next aloof (trying to play it cool), then he’s trying to crack jokes and get her praise, then he seems like he’s ready to snap and call her shittybug only to become apologetic, nervous/embarressed/awkward, and try to change the subject. Sometimes he acts like her touch burns him, othertimes he acts like he wants to hold her hsnd and follow her like a lost puppy. But most annoying is when he screws up her plans by trying to protect her by becoming a human shield or tackling her out of harms way (and spending way too long on top of her) when he used to be content to let her hit the ground and laugh about it. She doesn’t know if treating her like a damsel in distress is his idea of “team work” but it is annoying because for her plans to work he needs to focus and do the jobs she TELLS him to!

Marinette is still anti-love after her trauma from Kim so she has no romantic interest in anyone and is completely clueless to Adrien’s feelings and gets annoyed because she sees Paw Noir’s pathetic attempts at flirting as him mocking her even though they are supposed to be “good guys” on the same team now.

Gabriel is aware of both their feelings and it gives him a headache because teen romance is the worst and he knows Claw Noir would sooner drop dead from embarrassment than accept love advice from him, and quite frankly, Gabriel is far more worried about these children being put in danger and all the school they are missing and how worried Marinette’s parents must be with their daughter missing. But he knows the Supreme would show these two no mercy so they can’t return to their civilian lives until the Supreme is defeated.

IDK if Gabriel was able to remove Nooru’s muzzle, or if the Supreme started muzzling Kwami’s after the butterfly and peacock was stolen, but if Ladybug and Paw Noir are going to use their miraculous the right way, they will need to feed their kwamis.

Plagg still does not trust Adrien; it’s not the first time his miraculous has fallen into the wrong hands and been misused and the whole thing has left him jaded with a strong dislike of humans (who are only good for making cheese!) so Plagg will hate and be an asshole towards Adrien for a while before the kid can earn his trust and friendship.

Tikki wants to trust but she is nervous and dispirited from all the harm that has been done with her powers. She wants to believe there is still hope for her young holder, but she’s also not ready to open up her heart just yet. Marinette also is not used to showing or receiving affection, but she knows from reading her other self’s diary that Tikki is supposed to be her friend but she has no idea how to open up to the tiny creature that until now has only been her slave.

Gabriel feels great sympathy towards Marinette who has suffered so much abuse, and great guilt towards Adrien who has never learned how to socialize with kids his own age or deal with negative emotions in a healthy way, but he is certain that these two kids are made for each other.

Nino is still terrified of Paw Noir, and is super weirded out that the biggest bully in School after Chloe is now suddenly, awkwardly, trying to talk to him and asking about his favorite movies for dome reason? But they are members of the underground resistance together now and he’s not going to risk ticking this kid off and getting cataclysmed.

Alya is wary because Shadybug has tried to kill her several times these past few months… and now they are suddenly allies? Sure, that’s not weird or suspicious AT ALL.

[hihopelessromantics]

Thing in my drafts I found inspired by a conversation between me and @librathefangirl about intercultural communication in nnt. Original post:

Another interesting thing to play into is how they view skills and hobbies is the goddess / demon culture shock they must experience in the human world. Elizabeth and Meliodas might have totally outside-the-box-ways of solving complex issues that humans can't imagine because well, in their realms, different things are possible. People they've encountered may consider them airheaded for things that any demon or goddess may conclude.

This phemonemon would happen to fairies and giants too, but demons and goddesses have always had a much more complicated view of humans due to their respective cultures. And vice versa. Fairies were straight up gone (?) from the Britannia dimension for centuries, while the giants mainly maintained a buisness relationship with humans. Of the races, therefore, I would say humans would have the best general understanding of giant culture. They know the least about fairies, and their understanding of goddess and demon culture equally sucks due to propoganda and the war.

Some example ideas!

Elizabeth doesn't know how human city planning works and can name maybe sixteen human colors. Five of these, she's told, do not exist. In her human lives she's been fascinated with both architecture and abstract art, and enjoyed hobbies involving both. The notion that someone would commit tax fraud is something she cannot wrap her mind around. Paperwork in the celestial realm is hella efficient. But POLITICAL fraud / detail oriented drama happens all the time and she knows 73 ways to shut it down quickly. More than half of these would result in the offender being openly shunned / banished by goddess politicians and she is not able to replicate them in human society.

Meliodas knows exactly what the mantis shrimp colors Elizabeth identifies are called, but only in demon. He thinks not being able to understand the “more intelligent” Britannia animals is a skill issue on his part. He has spent several centuries trying to get horses to respond to him the way dragons have in the past (that one scene from the new movie killed me). Because human adults rarely have the type of respect toward creatures he's used to seeing in the demon realm (they keep trying to tell him that no plants aren't sentient, not even certain types of plant, what do you mean just ask them not to damage the road with their root system?) he takes advice on wildlife mainly from children, witches, and Horse Girls TM. King won't correct him because that would mean unraveling 3,000 years of tales and explaining that there is no pixie that ritualistically collects human teeth. If you ask Meliodas why he thinks someone would possibly want to collect teeth he will tell you incredibly specific stories about the demons in his army who do so, including a sweet-tempered general who wears necklaces of her ancestors’ fangs and considers it her most wholesome family tradition. Her particular necklace weighs almost ten pounds. King does not want to think any more about demon teeth than he already has.

Thoughts?

[chiara-klara-claire]

Aesthetic/cute idioms

My personal selection of idioms collected here and there. Inspired by this post by @rmscarpathia - my posts - resources masterpost | aesthetic idioms | words with cute literal meaning

Japanese 🇯🇵

木漏れ日 Komorebi - The sunlight that filters through the leaves of the trees. 🌳 🌞

鏡花水月 Kyōka suigetsu  - Flower in the mirror & a moon in the water 🌸 🌙 : something which is visible and cannot be touched as well as the profound beauty of poems that cannot be described in words.

花笑み Hanaemi - flowering smile/ the smile of flowers 💐: old Japanese, a  smile as beautiful as blooming flowers, calling people to feel happy.

浮世 Ukiyo - The floating world -  depicts a place of fleeting beauty and living in the moment, without worries. It described the urban lifestyle, especially the pleasure-seeking aspects, of the Edo-period Japan (1600–1867)

Chinese 🇨🇳

海誓山盟 Hǎi shì shān méng - The promises of mountains and vows of seas 🏔 🌊 : A proverb of eternal love.

日三 秋 yí rì sān qiū 🍁🍁🍁- One day, three autumns:  when you intensely long for and miss someone, one day feels like three years.

Swedish 🇸🇪

Mångata - moon road 🌙 🛣The glimmering,roadlile reflection of moonlight on a river. see also Hungarian 🇭🇺 Aranyhíd - The golden bridge 🌞 🌁: A term for the reflection of the sun as it shines on water and can literally be translated to.

Gökotta - Dawn picnic to hear the first birdsong 🎶 (gök=cuckoo), Swedish tradition which often takes place around Ascension Day in late May or early June.

Smultronstället - Place of wild strawberries 🍓: a special place discovered, treasured, returned to for solace and relaxation; a personal idyll free from stress or sadness

Mellan hägg och syrén - the time Between Bird Cherry and Lilac: corresponds to försommar (pre-summer). The expression is said to originate from a cobbler’s sign saying his shop was closed “mellan hägg och syren”.

Att vara blåögd - to be blue eyed: to be naive =🇩🇪 blauäugig

Norwegian 🇳🇴

Å leve på luft og kjærlighed - live on air and love: to be so madly in love you don’t think about anything else

gjensynsglede - see-again-happiness: feeling of joy, anticipation, love you experience when you are about to meet someone you haven’t seen in a long time.

Det er bare blåbær - It’s just blueberries 🫐: Expression, meaning something is simple, or something is only a minor issue.

Danish 🇩🇰

det er fest og farver 🎉🟥🟨🟦- it’s party and colors: A lively and festive mood or way of living

Finnish 🇫🇮  @suomipaskea @depressingfinland​

Kaiho - hopeless longing: an involuntary solitude in which one feels incomleteness and yearns for something unattainable or extremely difficult and tedious to attain.

luonnonlapsi - nature’s child 🌿: a genuine and sincere person who’s carefree and down to earth, a scatterbrained, someone who doesn’t care about the ways of society. Slightly negative but in an endearing way [- @evelhak]

siirtyä ajasta ikuisuuteen/iäisyyteen / potkaista tyhjää- went from time to eternity / kicked the emptiness: said about someone who has died

Olla hyvällä tuulella— To be on / To have a good wind 🌬: To have a good mood. To be mildly happy.

oma maa mansikka, muu maa mustikka 🍓🫐-our land strawberry, other land blueberry: there’s no place like home

German 🇩🇪  This post with additions of @germanenthusiast

Etwas durch die Blume sagen 🗣️🌼- to say smth thorugh the flower: used when conveying something dramatic in a gentle or roundabout way

Habseligkeiten: have-holy-things: individual possessions that might be seen as useless/of little value, but regarded as valuable treasures

Fingerspitzengefühl - fingertips-feeling: good skill in handling things/ sensitivity and empathy

Sehnsucht - longing-search: intense inner longing for somebody, something or a place

Weltschmerz - world pain: gratuitous melancholia / kind of feeling experienced by someone who believes that physical reality can never satisfy the demands of the mind / the feeling of anxiety caused by the ills of the world

Zeitgeist - spirit of the time: the dominant set of ideals and beliefs that motivate the actions of the members of a society in a particular period in time

Engelsgeduld 👼- angel’s patience: a lot of patience

Schokoladenseite - chocolate side 🍫: refers to your better side (e.g. when taking a photo) sich von seiner Schokoladenseite zeigen (to show oneself from one’s chocolate side) = to show oneself at one’s best

Sich aufbrezeln - to bretzel oneself up 🥨: get all dressed up

Friede, Freude, Eierkuchen - freedom, joy and omelette 🥞:  everything’s hunky-dory

sich freuen wie ein Schneekönig 🤴❄️ /Honigkuchenpferd 🍯🍰 🐴 - to be happy like a snow king/honey cake horse: to be very very happy

Dutch 🇳🇱  @docnederlands

uitwaaien 🌬️ 🌳 - to go out in windy weather, particularly into nature or a park, as a means of refreshing oneself and clearing one's mind

over koetjes en kalfjes praten - talking about cows and calves 🐄: smalltalk

kalverliefde - calf love 🐮: A word for the temporary affection and infatuation usually experienced by two young people in love.

De bloemetjes buiten zetten, to put the flowers outside 💐: to have lots of fun

Italian 🇮🇹  this by @sectioavrea

Se son rose fioriranno, If it’s roses, they will bloom 🌹 : if something is bound to happen, it will

all’acqua di rose - blanded with rose water: used when something is very moderate

Non è tutto rose e fiori - it’s not all roses and flowers 🌹💐 : it’s not all nice and perfect (as you think it is)

il sole bacia i belli - The sun kisses the beautiful 🌞: said to someone who complains about sitting in the sun

baciato dalla fortuna - kissed by luck 🍀💋: to be very lucky

Ragazza acqua e sapone - soap&water girl 🧼 the girl next door, with a natural look

Avere l’argento vivo addosso - to have quicksilver on your body: to be energetic, active, lively. Often used for kids

Spaesato(m)/spaesata(f) -out of (one’s) country/native place “mis-country-ed”: to be bewildered, disoriented, confused

Sognare ad occhi aperti 👁️ - To dream with open eyes: to daydream

essere al settimo cielo ☁️ - to be at the seventh Heaven: to be over the moon, see 🇫🇷 below

French 🇫🇷

Être aux anges 👼👼- be where angels are

Être fleure bleue 🌼🔷- to be a blue flower: be sentimental to the point of naivety [apparently from an expression by the German author Novalis]

English

Serendipity: an unplanned fortunate discovery

Apple of my eye 🍎👁️ - 🇮🇹 Luce dei miei occhi (light of my eyes) 🇩🇪 Licht meines Lebens (light of my life)

Greek 🇬🇷

petrichor: the earthly scent produced when rain falls on dry soil 🌧️ . from πέτρος pétros (stone) + ἰχώρ īchṓr (the fluid that flows in the veins of gods in Greek mythology)

Phosphene - light-appear: a sensation of a ring, stars or spot of light caused by rubbing your eyes ⭐️ 👁️

🇻🇳 In Vietnamese, “to miss someone is the same as “to remember someone“. So to ask “do you miss me?” You’ll say Do you remember me?

🇮🇷 in Farsi, to answer to a compliment you say “it’s your eyes that are beautiful”

Idioms found among others through: @mylanguagesblogger, @wonderful-language-sounds @thenoaidi 

🌼 started: spring ‘20, posted: march ‘23, last updated: 20.4.2023