#THE family ever (and alita)

[mint-mango]

apollo justice lineup pt. 3!

<- ☆

[drabblesfromthegraniteinn]

People looking at Alita getting an organic body and their first thought being “She can have sex and get pregnant now!” is “Tell me you missed the point of the whole series without telling me you missed the point of the whole series”.

Alita could already have sex in some of her previous bodies. I’d argue the Imaginos body would be much better sexually than any organic human body due to its ability to shapeshift. But the Imaginos body has so many more important and more impressive features that the sexual potential gets understandably overlooked. Not like Alita was in a relationship with anyone she could explore that potential with anyway. Most fans I’ve seen are repulsed by the idea of sexualising the Imaginos. She’s too godly and cool to sexualise. Why then are none of them repulsed by sexualisation of organic Alita?

Organic Alita has so much potential for interesting conflict and self-exploration related to being traditionally human for the first time, it’s honestly irritating how all that gets boiled down to hormones, sex and babies. I posted a short fanfic about Alita getting used to her new organic body and the only comment was from someone who wished I had gone more into the “dynamic of a new, adult, female body”. Is that all you guys see her for? She’s not a badass cyborg anymore, so she’s just a hot body?

And as for the ‘she can get pregnant now!” part…

Alita in canon never showed any real interest in having children. It’s alright if you give her kids in a post-canon fanfic, but don’t pretend she ever had some canon deep longing for motherhood. She did not. Maybe she would have gotten it if she had stayed in a romantic relationship with someone for longer. But from what we’ve seen in canon, she never felt the need to have kids. 

And no, being nice to a child character or being good with children doesn’t equate to wanting to have kids. Did you even read this manga? Caerula taught martial arts courses for children, but explicitly stated she wouldn’t want to have a baby even if she could.

The only reasoning I’ve seen anyone give for why Alita would want children is “because it’s natural for women to want to start a family”. That’s just putting the character’s sex before their personality. And, again, see my point with Caerula.

Even if she wanted children, wouldn’t it thematically make more sense for her to adopt? Having spent her whole life without a body that would be determined by her genetics and with no contact with any genetic/biological family, she wouldn’t have the kind of attachment to her DNA that makes people feel an urge to pass it down. What she does have is compassion for children who lost everything, partially because they remind her of her own childhood. Wouldn’t it be beautiful if after settling down with Figure they took in some unfortunate child and Alita showed that child all the love Ido had shown her and all the guidance she wished she had been shown when she was younger?

(If she really wanted a child that would be genetically hers, the technology to create one exists in Gunnm’s world. She doesn’t need to be a body-abled fully organic woman to reproduce.)

I’m not mad that people are interested in Alita starting a family post-canon. I’m mad that that’s virtually the only thing some people can think of in the context of Alita getting an organic body.

So yea! This rant is making me want to write another short fic.

[practically-an-x-man]

What would your ocs do in Arcane? How well would they fit into the universe/stand out? Would they be from Piltover or Zaun? Somewhere else?

Ooooooh good question, thank you!! I added Indie and Prometheus to the usual lineup since I know you know them better than some of the others.

Rae: Zaun. She'd be a similar character to Vi I think, the same sort of scrappy type always getting into fights. Eventually she runs into some upscale-looking guy, who's quite literally fallen from Piltover into Zaun at the hands of his father, and she helps him put things back together.

Robin: Piltover. She'd be from family wealth that gradually trickled away, and now she and her siblings are all packed into the same house, trying to hold onto the home before it gets repossessed by the city. They work together to design sound-based and communications tech, hoping one of their inventions will make it big and generate the money to keep their house.

Madison: Born in Piltover, but having fled to Zaun after things spiraled out of hand. Since then, she's developed a sort of cloaking tech, allowing her to sneak around near-invisibly, and plans to use it to get revenge on the ones who chased her away from her old life.

Ophelia: Piltover, and would be a very similar character to Viktor with his tech. Her father's inventions have them sitting reasonably comfortably in Piltover, though they're not rich by any means, but after his death it falls to Ophelia to innovate on his ideas and complete what he started.

Gia: The middle-class outskirts of Piltover, where she retains her flower shop and does her best to keep herself afloat so she doesn't have to relocate to Zaun. She's convinced that if she had to move, her prosthetic leg would be scrapped for parts and she'd be left on the streets (whether or not that's true, it motivates her to stay strictly in Piltover)

Jasper: Is a professional sci-fi derbyist à la Alita: Battle Angel (idk if there's something like that in Arcane but we're gonna pretend there is), having been born in Zaun but using their career to drive them up into Piltover.

Kestrel: Flips between Piltover and Zaun, often seen flying atop a wing-shaped glider that from high above looks like a small, soaring falcon. Nobody's quite sure who they are, where they came from, or which city they really belong to, but they're occasionally seen consorting with an adventurer on his rare visits to the two cities.

Katherine: Born in the outskirts of Piltover but later sent to the central laboratories as a historical research intern, she's devoted to understanding the history between the two cities and what divides them. Perhaps in time her research will drive her to a successful, steady life, but for now she's tethered to the boots of tenured professors.

Quinn: Works as a thief and pickpocket down in Zaun, and has lived their her whole life. Once, she and her crew risked a venture up to Piltover for a more valuable gig, but she fell from one of the stacks and broke her back in the escape. After recovery, she kept working, and built hidden compartments into her hollow crutches to hide the best of her haul. (It's very similar to her actual story, lol)

Eris: Nobody knows quite what they are. A fighter enhanced by years of shimmer usage, an immigrant from a far-off land where war brings endless accolades, a high-tech cyborg with sophisticated and near-indestructible prosthetics... nobody really knows, and rumors fly. All anyone knows is that they're dangerous, they've been around for a very long time, and it's best not to get on their bad side.

Nikoletta: Born in the deepest underbelly of Zaun, she functions as a crime lord. Nobody on Piltover knows she exists, but everyone in Zaun is quick to learn and bend to her rules. She's the queen of the shadows, the queen of the criminals, and she only ever meets in darkness. Nobody's seen her face in years, she's only known as the commander of the shadows.

Jimmy: He's an information broker known as The Ghost (yes, pulling this idea from that ask I just answered for him about a sci-fi AU lol). Outfitted with plasma-charged tech that allows him to slip through walls, he knows every single thing that goes on in both cities. And he's hard to track down - some say he's got a place in some hidden corner of Piltover, with a gentleman who supplies him with his tech, but that's all just another rumor.

Indigo: Born in Zaun, but conscripted into mechanics for military weapons in Piltover almost as soon as she was old enough to legally work. She tends to keep to herself, despite her striking appearance, but... one day a Piltovian general walks in on her sabotaging one of the weapons, and things quickly spiral out of hand.

Prometheus: Little more than a legend, at this point. In Zaun, they're known as the guardian of sleep, a good-luck charm to let children sleep in peace. It's said that a hungry child will dream of food and wake with a full belly, under their watch, and problems seem to dissolve in sleep for those who deserve to have their burdens eased. In Piltover, however, they're known as more of a horror story: once a scientist, who dove too deep into their experiments with arcanite and somehow became a coalesced form of pure, sentient energy. Maybe it's all just a folk tale, maybe they never existed at all, but the stories infiltrate the minds of everyone in the two cities... in some form or another.

[miqomonkly]

Character Inspiration: I'lyanna Zahn

Short(ish) Story to Start:

I've mentioned it before on a different post and maybe on a different site, but I wanna place it here as a foreward:

I never had an inspiration for Lyanna to start. She was my brainchild, who happens to have a lot of traits comparative to other pop culture icons.

When I first created her my idea was simple:

I wanted a catgirl who wasn't your average catgirl. I wanted one who was strong, who could take care of herself and be taken seriously by the world around her. Having her become a Monk seemed the most logical choice, as that connection to hand to hand combat seemed like a gateway to self-sufficiency.

It's been a long journey for me and her. And even now, I'm still learning about her and her story, and it continues to fill me with joy, pride, and sorrow. And I will continue to learn more as I share her with all of you wonderful people.

So... let's get into it, shall we?

Top Left: Cal Kestis

A rather spontaneous addition to this list, Cal Kestis is a tricky one to connect the dots to. The main connection comes from his life; the life of a survivor. His family - or what he considered his family - had been destroyed in one fell swoop, and those that remained were being hunted. In both of his games, Cal lost people he cared about, or worse, was betrayed by them. Sorrow was ever his companion, and itnled him ever closer to a dark and dangerous path... But through it all, he kept pushing. Fighting for a future where he and others like him no longer had to hide or love in fear, he continued to rise to the challenge.

Lyanna is no stranger to this kind of pain, and she, too, has risen to conquer it. Like Cal, she has lost much, but she will not give in to sorrow and despair. With her new family, she will fight for a world where all can finally know peace and love free from fear.

And she, at the last, my finally heal.

Middle Left: Tifa Lockhart

Tifa is an easy tie-in, and some might see it as a cop out when comparing the two. Tifa is strong, beautiful, and can kick your butt with only her fists and a prayer. To many, she's the shining example of the female companion; always by your side, honest, kind, heart full of gold.

I never made that connection until recently.

I still know so little about Tifa. I never played FFVII, and I never cared enough to look into her when I saw her around the internet. To me, she was just another sexy girl who could kick your butt; a dime a dozen in the video game world (I did have my closed-minded gamer period too, ya know!)

With the FFVII remake, however, I have had more time to see Tifa for her character than her appearance. And the more I learn about her, the more I see the connection between her and Lyanna. Kind and compassionate, fighting injustice at every turn, all while still remaining soft on the inside. Tifa is a fantastic woman, and while I don't think Lyanna will ever reach her level of fame, she is a fine example for my girl to strive to be like.

Bottom Left: Alita Battle-Angel

Once more, another spontaneous connection. What little I know of Alita comes from the movie, and even then, I've only seen bits and snippets of scenes from it. What I have seen, however, is a testament to her character; she sought out answers to her past in spite of the opposition she faced, from enemies and friends alike. And those answers pushed her further to grow and overcome all her challenges... even when she lost those she loved.

Top Right: Lyse Hext

Lyse is, once again, an easy choice. Same discipline, same world, same trials... okay, maybe not the same, but they definitely have some overlap.

In my headcanon, Lyse is as much a factor in Lyanna's story as she is in hers; they both take inspiration from each other whether they see it or not. The more I think about it, Stormblood touches on the darkest parts of Lyanna's depression and grief... so much so that she nears a rather serious breaking point. It is the stalwart faith of one Lyse Hext, as well as the many who value Lyanna as a person beyond her title as Warrior of Light, who manage to bring her back to fighting shape.

Middle Right: Kazuma's Grandfather (Fruits Basket)

This unnamed side character has had more of an impact on me and my character creation than I've realized over the years. I read the manga well over 13 years ago, and the story of this man has stuck with me ever since.

To summarize; the ancient Chinese zodiac is reincarnated over the centuries into human forms. However, there is a thirteen member that is included in this cycle: the Cat, who was deceived by the Rat into not attending the emperor's party. As such, the spirit of the Cat has always been a cursed one, and no one seems to love the Cat as they are not a true member of the zodiac family.

This man, the previous Cat before the character featured prominently in the manga, suffered much disdain and scorn from his "family" simply because he inherited the Cat's spirit. But through it all, he was a kind and gentle man, well acquainted with grief but choosing to smile all the same. Such a man who has suffered as he should have every right to be angry... but he chose kindness.

I see Lyanna in a similar light; she's known grief, pain, betrayal, and suffering... and in spite of it all, she chooses to remain kind and show love to everyone. Only those who have spurned her kindness in too great a manner (Ilbed, Laurentius, and Yuyuhase, for example) are no longer worthy of her life... but even then, she strives to show love to all people, no matter what walks of life they come from.

Bottom Right: Sora Takenouchi

Digimon will always have a special place in my heart, and Sora here has a place even deeper. Quite possibly my first animated crush, there are several connection between her and Lyanna.

First off, her selflessness; Sora was always putting her friends first, doing her best to keep them safe. This could occasionally become overbearing, as she demonstrated with Biyomon on several occasions, but her heart was always in the right place. Likewise, Lyanna does her utmost to care for others and their needs... even at the cost of her own needs.

Along that train of thought, Sora's darkness has, at least on one occasion, drowned out the rest of her emotions and even sense of the outside world. The darkness, sorrow, and despair that Lyanna holds in her own heart has more than once threatened to overcome her and drag her over the edge. But just like Sora, Lyanna has the companionship of dear, tried, and true friends who are there to pull her back from the brink. And their inspiration is enough to keep her going... even at the end of all things.

This was WAAAAY too long coming. The ever so wonderful @chadhunkler tagged me some week or so ago, and I've been trying to get it done forever. I hope it was worth the wait!

I cannot currently think of anyone specific to tag, so if you see this and want to participate, please feel free! And feel free to tag me as well, because I would love to see all of your lovely works!

[thedardanitan]

Hi Hi Hii (a very LONG introduction)

yes i copied the persona 4 result screen sue me atlus i dare you

Movies?? - Animated mostly, Studio Ghibli gets bonus points - anything you give me tbh I'd watch it fr

Anime -not very well versed with modern anime- i know what they are i just havent watched them

-Evangelion is my favourite though (the first I ever watched lmao) Books -all genres -Romance books least read, mostly because of a stupid reason I feel awkward to buy them/lend them (the last romance book I had was brought by my mom, i loved it tho)

-I read manga too but there's so many incomplete, I was reading Toyko Ghoul, Spy x Family, then the Evangelion manga (luckily finished it), the Persona 4 manga (finished this too), then started Pun Pun, Alita, AOT, honestly its a complete neverending mess that I've hardly finished any but im still open to suggestions LMAO

[astral-multiverse]

"Stooooooooooooop! I won't listen to any more of these wild fantasies! No... not fantasies... They're worse lies than that spoiled brat's pickup lines!" Alita cried out

"Suck it up, buttercup! You're already on thin ice, don't make it any thinner..." Bella said

"Show me an innocent... I'll show you a fairy tale" Alita responded

"Oh really? Well I'll give you one last chance to prove yourself. But I'm warning you, my patience is already waning with you..." Bella said

-- Tiala's Explanation --

That night, I went to ask Dr. Meraktis for the chart.

I had no intention of ever letting that chart fall into the Kitaki Family's hands.

But Dr. Meraktis didn't understand...

For some reason, he thought the Kitakis had sent me!

So I gave up and went home... All I did was talk to him!

Apollo Justice & Hajime Hinata: Ultimate Attorneys

@aceattorneysquad

Phoenix Wright and Makoto Naegi, two defense attorneys that went from a pair of fledgling rookies to a legendary duo of lawyers that pretty much everyone in the world of law knew about like a household name. They have saved many innocent lives and brought near impossible truths to light while also putting the true culprits behind their cases to justice. They were said to be a beacon of hope in this age of the law. However, even the brightest beacons can dim and waver... Seven long years have passed since their last big case, and that case... was something nobody would forget... It was the catalyst for what many have called the dark age of the law... Trials were rigged in the favor of the true culprits, most judges were bribed or blackmailed to have them tip the scales in favor of their "benefactors" and even some lawyers grew corrupt and used illegal or forged evidence to win trials... Hope was something of a rarity nowadays... But despite this, there is a certain pair of rookies that just finished law school and were about to start their mission to rekindle the lost hope and bring true justice back to this dark age of the law. Our story begins with a trial that will kickstart their careers and reveal to them some... disheartening truths. The duo were in the courthouse, specifically the defendant lobby, trying to get ready for their first big trial. And boy, were they nervous...

"Apollo, I know you're nervous, believe me I am too, but could you please stop pacing like that? You're going to wear out your soles... Plus it's not exactly helping ease either of our worries..."

[letapollojusticesayfuck]

Your post about Klavier being unbendingly lawful made me think about how hilarious it is that if you put Apollo, looking all proper and serious when suited up, next to Klavier, grinning rockstar decked out in chains and shirt partly unbuttoned, one would think Apollo would be the stickler for rules and laws.

But in reality Klavier has managed to make even being a rock star all about law, while Apollo was raised by literal rebels, has possibly been living with forged papers ever since being sent away at age [young], and also can and will punch someone for being too much of a dick. Not to mention what else he might have been up to inbetween age [young] and now.

Kinda makes me wonder if Klavier would assume the same, and how long it would take for him to realize otherwise... 🤔

okay so i'm going to take this as an opportunity to talk about one of my favorite things from aa4: the way that almost all the characters entirely subvert your expectations of them based on their outward appearance. (obvious spoilers ahead, if you're somehow following me without having played aa4)

So, yeah, there's Klavier and Apollo--the supposedly "bad boy" rockstar with a motorcycle and self-branded boots, contrasted with the seemingly straightlaced Brand New Defense Attorney in his comparably normal businesswear. ...and then Klavier turns out to make music entirely about upholding the law and is the prosecutor in the series most dedicated to finding the truth above all else right from the start, and Apollo punches his first ever client in the face once he discovers that the guy was...let's politely say not giving him all the information about the evidence he had.

The most obvious way AA4 subverts expectations surrounding appearances is probably in Turnabout Trump--you expect the legal mentor figure (Kristoph Gavin, in this case) to be trustworthy and upstanding. You're introduced to your somewhat shady-looking client who's Obviously hiding something. And then it turns out that the sketchy guy you're defending is Phoenix Wright, former paragon of justice; and you realize your mentor is significantly more personally involved in this case than you could have imagined, and by the end of the trial you're not really sure what the status quo is actually going to be for this game.

(the rest of this is under a cut because I uh. had a lot to say about this)

And then this subversion continues with characters like the Kitakis, who are notorious for organized crime but who are revealed to be trying to put that behind them and open a bakery; or Alita Tiala, who at first glance seems to be a devoted fiancée but who's been planning on taking advantage of Wocky's inevitable death for her own financial gains. You've got Lamiroir, the "landscape painter in sound," who turns out to be blind; and Machi Tobaye, the young boy who's actually been caught up in a smuggling plot.

(...come to think of it, AA4 has a lot of children who end up involved in dubiously legal schemes through the influence of parents/guardian figures in their lives (Machi and Daryan; Vera and Drew Misham; Trucy and Zak Gramarye--and even Trucy and Phoenix Wright, honestly).)

Ultimately, almost everyone you encounter throughout AA4 is lying about who they are--they're acting, putting on a performance. And this is one of the things about the game that I think is genuinely so brilliant--because Perceive, as a mechanic, is all about seeing through this seemingly-perfect image to what's being concealed. You have a game full of people whose identities involve some form of pretense (Phoenix, pretending to be a washed-up piano/poker player; Klavier, and the inherent pretense that comes with being a celebrity; Trucy, and her whole family's illusion-based magic; Lamiroir, who doesn't even know her previous identity; etc, etc, etc), and the whole point, more than ever, is being able to understand and see through to what truth they're hiding.

(this is one of the things that annoys me about the fact that we never got a resolution for Kristoph Gavin's black psyche-locks, actually--because the game leaves that as a dangling plot thread, because we never do get to find out entirely what he's concealing with his polished, perfectly composed facade. We can make educated guesses based on everything we find out--he's a perfectionist, obsessed with being in control; he wants to be admired and have people depend on him. But the why is never resolved in a satisfying manner within the text of the game, and then isn't revisited)

...I can't remember if I had some sort of profound point to this--I think I just wanted to talk about how interesting the characters in AA4 were, honestly--and because I really, really love themes of concealed/hidden identity, whether it's more concrete or abstract. I think I was probably supposed to talk about klapollo here and not give you half an English Lit essay--but i've been wanting to ramble about this for ages and this gave me an excuse.

[ruanbaijie]

one fine day at the end of january 2021, I started panicking about the day I no longer had any ideas for the untamed gifsets, so I decided to challenge myself by starting a get to know me meme (see post here). I gave myself 100 sets to do - fully expecting to never ever finish them. 

BUT!

less than 2 years and precisely 100 sets later (although along the way I might have cheated and changed 5 brotps to 5 cinematographies and one “romantic pairing” is more bromantic than romantic), I’m finally done!! 

this meme (series?) really pushed me out of my usual comfort zone of giffing (at that point of time I think I was still... 70% the untamed?), especially with giffing animated shows and more obscure shows. along the way, I picked up and practised new skills, new styles, new colouring tricks, and I’m really really glad that I took this on ( ˙꒳​˙ )

a summary of the 100 sets from my get to know me meme, bolded ones being my favourite edits that I’m really proud of:

🍁 5 cinematographies

goblin

kingdom

squid game

sweet home

watchmen

🍁 5 groups

karasuno volleyball club (haikyuu)

first years (jujutsu kaisen)

kamaboko squad (kimetsu no yaiba)

raizel's knights (noblesse)

tokyo manji gang (tokyo revengers)

🍁 5 animated films

kimetsu no yaiba: mugen train

nezha

prince of egypt

spirit: stallion of the cimarron

spirited away

🍁 5 films

alita: battle angel

daybreakers

the great wall

red cliff

train to busan

🍁 10 music videos

aria of life (wagakki band)

believer (imagine dragons)

everybody (backstreet boys)

fantastic baby (big bang)

how you like that (blackpink)

kill this love (blackpink)

love ya (ss501)

my new swag (vava)

no fear of the deep ocean (lin hun)

stranger in the north (namwee ft. wang leehom)

🍁 10 animated shows

86

haikyuu

jujutsu kaisen

kimetsu no yaiba

mo dao zu shi

tian guan ci fu

kabaneri of the iron fortress

shingeki no kyojin

tokyo revengers

shiki

🍁 10 shows

alice in borderland

all of us are dead

the fiery priest

the king’s avatar

my roommate is a detective

scholar who walks the night

the untamed

word of honour

sweet home

zombie detective

🍁 10 scenes

kuina kicking ass (alice in borderland)

thunderclap and flash (kimetsu no yaiba)

dance of the fire god (kimetsu no yaiba)

rengoku’s final words (kimetsu no yaiba)

this is just a club (haikyuu)

the general's funeral (the great wall)

not one of us (the lion king)

deliver us (the prince of egypt)

maeve being a badass (westworld)

yennefer being a badass (the witcher)

🍁 10 romantic pairings

kurodachi (cherry magic)

jiling (lie huo jiao chou)

jung yi hyun & yoon sae bom (happiness)

gu wol ryung & seo hwa (gu family book)

weilan (guardian)

kagehina (haikyuu)

hualian (tian guan ci fu)

songxiao (the untamed)

wangxian (the untamed)

wenzhou (word of honour)

🍁 15 female characters

diana bishop (a discovery of witches)

kuina hikari (alice in borderland)

mikasa ackerman (attack on titan)

kamado nezuko (kimetsu no yaiba)

kochou shinobu (kimetsu no yaiba)

lin mei (the great wall)

yoon sae bom (happiness)

zenin maki (jujutsu kaisen)

mori mako (pacific rim)

kang sae byeok (squid game)

nile freeman (the old guard)

luo qingyang (the untamed)

gu ryeon (tomorrow)

maeve millay (westworld)

yennefer (the witcher)

🍁 15 male characters

akaza (kimetsu no yaiba)

wei wuxian (mo dao zu shi)

kageyama tobio (haikyuu!!)

sugawara koushi (haikyuu!!)

tsukishima kei (haikyuu!!)

jung yi hyun (happiness)

suoh mikoto (k project)

gojou satoru (jujutsu kaisen)

ye xiu (the king’s avatar)

qiao chusheng (my roommate is a detective)

ferid bathory (seraph of the end)

ichinose guren (seraph of the end)

jiang cheng (the untamed)

baji keisuke (tokyo revengers)

kang min ho / kim moo young (zombie detective)

[starlitangels]

Reading Lesson

Had this idea in the car this morning and I just couldn’t get over how cute it was. (I headcanon that Theo is 18-21 when we meet him so this is quite a few years later)

—

I sat on the floor, curled up near the fire, wings kept away from the flames, watching Theo hold Alita in his lap across the fire from me. He had a small book open in his hands. “Okay, baby, you’re doing so good. What does this say?”

“Uhm… I… can… see… Mom… s… sm…”

“Sound it out, sweetie.”

“Sm… I… Smi… el. Smile?”

“That’s it, baby girl. You did so good. It says ‘I can see Mom smile.’ And your mom has the best smile.” Theo gave me a grin over her head and wrapped her up closely and planted a kiss in her hair. My hair—bleached white by the magic that gave me my wings. Apart from my hair, Alita looked like her dad. She had Theo’s bear ears and tail, his eyes, chin, nose—and smile.

I watched them fondly. Seven years ago, Theo couldn’t read himself. Now he taught our baby girl. Wind howled outside and snow piled on the windows. In the other room I could hear Hammond humming while he worked on the game he’d brought back from his hunt.

Free. For seven years. Free from the mage who’d kept me in a cage. Free to fly my daughter through the skies. Safe from prying human eyes. I had love, family, home, safety, and freedom. I’d spent seven years waiting for the other shoe to drop—waiting for something to happen to take everything away from me. But for tonight, I’d let myself be happy with my husband, daughter, and brother-in-law on the winter solstice.

Theo continued teaching Alita to read. I rested my chin on my arms, folded atop my knees, and smiled at them. The cottage was warm and cozy and there was nowhere else in the world I’d rather be.

“Daddy?” Alita asked quietly, yawning. “Is it bedtime?”

Theo smiled over her head at me. Alita never asked to go to bed. Usually she resisted it for hours. He and Hammond must have really worn her out playing in the snow most of the day. He stroked her hair soothingly. “Yeah, baby girl. It’s bedtime.”

“Will you read me a story?”

Theo got up and kissed my forehead, adjusting Alita in his arms. “Of course, sweetie. What story would you like me to read?”

“The one about Mommy,” she replied as he left the room with her in his arms to take her to her room.

“Okay,” he said, voice growing softer. “The story about Mommy it is.”

I watched the fire, alone in the living room. Cold winter winds swept down the chimney, but they didn’t bother me. Spending most of my life in a cage with nothing to keep me warm left me pretty resilient to the cold.

The floorboards creaked. My feathers bristled, waiting for something threatening, but the firelight only illuminated Hammond. “That munchkin finally ready for bed?” He sat where Theo had been, opposite the fire.

“Yep,” I replied, relaxing my bristling wings and smoothing my feathers.

“She’s a cutie. You both got lucky.”

“I know. I think I got the luckiest. Theo’s… well. He saved me in more ways than one when he found me on that beach.” I stared at the fire, remembering the day he woke me up. “He kept me alive—but he gave me a reason to want to keep living. Before… these—” I gestured to my wings. Hammond was the only other person in the Sanctuary who knew I used to be human. “—I was dying. It’s why my father sold me to the mage. My lungs were failing from the day I was born. No one ever expected I’d live as long as I had. Then my master did that spell and… and I got these. Suddenly I could breathe like a normal person. And Theo showed me the beauty of the world and helped me build a life worth living. I’d go back and suffer at the hands of that mage all over again if it meant I ended up here.”

Hammond smiled. “Theo was lucky to find you too,” he said. “He’s always been a good kid. Didn’t have the best of educations growing up here, but his heart’s always been in the right place. Divines—when you two found me, I’d never seen him look so happy as he looked every time his eyes landed on you. And listening to you teach him to read on the journey home, I knew eventually you two would end up here.” Hammond sighed and looked out the window. “You two needed each other. Thank the Divines your paths crossed.”

“I do. Every day.” I smiled.

We fell into silence for a few minutes, listening to Theo’s voice in Alita’s room as he read the story of what happened to me to her. I’d told him the story when I was teaching him to read. Unbeknownst to me, at the time, he’d been writing it down. He made it into a narrative like the books we read together as a wedding present for me, and he liked to read it to Alita.

After a while, he came back into the living room and plopped down next to me. His arms wrapped around me, carefully avoiding my wings, as he dropped a kiss on the top of my head. He was every bit as warm as he’d been the first time he picked me up in the woods to get me somewhere else on my messed up leg. Hammond got up, disappeared into the kitchen, and reappeared with a few cups and a bottle of wine. “Happy solstice,” he said, passing a cup to each of us and pouring.

“Happy solstice,” Theo and I replied at the same time before giggling. I took a sip and leaned my head on Theo’s shoulder.

Theo held up his glass. “To the Harmon family,” he said.

Hammond and I repeated the toast and drank again. The brothers looked at me, waiting for my toast.

“To... to happiness, freedom, family, love, and safety.”

They chorused my toast back at me, somewhat haltingly as they tried to remember the order I said my words in, and we all drank. Theo ran his fingers through my hair, resting his head on top of mine.

“So,” Theo said, “presents tonight or tomorrow morning?”

Hammond and I both laughed. “Tomorrow morning, when Alita gets hers,” I said.

Theo looked a little deflated. “Aww man,” he muttered.

I poked him in the leg. “I have something small for you that I’ll let you open up tonight,” I said.

Hammond glanced at me with an eyebrow raised. I bounced my eyebrows at him. Theo perked up and kissed me on the forehead. “Really? You’re the best!” he said.

I chuckled and got to my feet. I went to the small closet and extracted a small wooden box from the folds of a blanket. I returned to my spot between Theo and the hearth and handed him the box. He looked like a little kid as he took it from me.

He opened it gently, but excited. Inside, a dark grey metal locket sat atop a leather cord. He pulled it out and popped it open.

Inside was a tiny portrait of our family, him and Hammond standing behind me and Alita. On the other side, etched into the metal of the locket, said Always and forever, my Theo. With love, your Little Angel.

Theo looked at me with tears in his eyes. “It’s beautiful,” he said. I kissed his cheek.

“Happy solstice,” I said.

[cthulhubert]

And who can blame them for such noble aspirations!

I just want some kind of premise, y'know? And it seems more common now that we get something like, "Actually the aliens are an offshoot of humanity from when we had a magi-tech powered interstellar empire," or "We're similar because all complex life was seeded [( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)] by a precursor race," or this one that's rare but I really enjoy: "Hyperspace is actually a kind of dimensional travel, the 'aliens' are more from a parallel world."

Sadly, it's hard to know what to recommend, since a lot of the older stuff I only know through the rose colored glasses of youth and nostalgia; or because it's classics that everybody recommends. And a lot of it was anime, since they had that at Blockbuster, but didn't have much manga at the library. Armitage III, Tenchi Muyo, and Iria (the Zeiram Animation) stand out though. Tenchi Muyo also had literally-human-aliens and Iria had indistinguishable-from-human ones.

I looked up the Iria OVA a couple years ago, and while I loved the weird like, "shinto-tech" aesthetic, the plot and action were super forgettable.

Speaking of, mid-90s, tried watching Outlaw Star again and while it wasn't bad, it didn't measure up to my childhood memories. The anime was a spin-off of an '88 manga, Space Hero Story, which didn't compel me, and apparently not the fan translators either, who stopped after two volumes.

I have enjoyed the couple volumes I've read of those super classics: Galaxy Express 999 and Space Captain Harlock (oh! By the same guy that did the manga Star Blazers is based on! Uchuu Senkan Yamato. Didn't know that).

Speaking of classics, the Nausicaa manga, written by Miyazaki before he got into films, is just as good as its adaptation, and highly recommended. Sadly free of alien cheeks though.

Space Family Carlvinson is more slice-of-life comedy; charming but not revolutionary.

Just to torture you like I was, there was a manga that started in 1985, Elf 17. Really cute start, but while it got 8 volumes, only those few chapters were ever fan translated.

In anime there's the classic Gall Force. If you wanted something with a shaky biological premise....

Oh, from the same era, the Venus Wars manga is short but decent.

The titular artifact in Bio-Booster Armor Guyver was made by aliens but we never got to them in the part I read, so your call if it counts as "sci-fi" enough. It's quite hefty at 32 volumes before it hit hiatus. It has one of my favorite background world building premises out of anything, but it took like ten volumes to get to it, and I ran out of steam.

I'm trying to remember the manga I mentioned in the tags of my original post, but this isn't just my memory failing, it was legitimately forgettable aside from the wild ending. Something about psychic terrorists with interpersonal drama.

Also a question of what counts as old.

The manga that specifically inspired this post was Tetsuwan Birdy; it got one volume in 1985, which inspired an OVA (another fond memory); and then got a reboot in 1997. And it's just... not great. Good art but there's a lot of implied world building it never follows up on, and the plot dwells on stuff that doesn't feel important.

Blame! is also '97 and an all time favorite, though not really the same vibe as anything else I've mentioned.

Oh, Gunnm (Battle Angel Alita) started in 1990. Also more cyberpunk than these space opera adjacent others I've mentioned, but it's one of those cases where the OVA lived up to my memories. The manga and like, the first half of its sequel (which retcons the ending of the first) are really good. Kind of slumps after that, though it remains readable.

Haha, this got away from me. Not used to thinking of recommendations for other people so I just rambled. Hope you found something useful in there.

Was reading an 80s manga and it featured something common to older sci-fi manga, and even a fair amount of old sci-fi literature: "Alien race is not just physically similar to humanity but able to interbreed with them." And I feel like I see that very rarely now, and never without some kind of explanation. But it seems like some authors treated humanity like it was something ontologically fundamental. "Human" is just a natural shape, a part of the ordering of the world.

And a theory hypothesis conjecture popped into my mind. The battles over "evolution" in the late 90s were so widespread and vociferous, that a lot of people who otherwise just didn't care much got almost a collateral education in how deeply entwined humans are to the biology of Earth, in a way that completely deflated that style of thinking.

[alitaimagines]

“you should let me love you. let me be the one too, give you everything you want and need. baby, good love and protection, make me your selection. show you the way love supposed to be. baby, you should let me love you.” 

character: keigo takami - MY HERO ACADEMIA 

note: sorry for all the Hawks! im just in a fluff mood for him. sooo, I might take requests after all. if any of you want to send something in particular, I’ll see if I can write it out! 

you had been together with Hawks for a few months now. 

was it hard? fuck yeah. did you regret ever telling him yes? absolutely not. being with Keigo was one of the best experiences of your life so far and you never wanted it to end. 

-

the two of you met after he saved your university from a villain. you were stuck as a hostage in a room with the villain itself. the class was filled with a bunch of students screaming, crying, or both but you were so paralyzed with fear that you weren’t able to say or do anything. 

once Hawks swooped in to save the class, he quickly defeated the villain before sending in the rest of the pro hero response team to grab everyone. 

you, being so struck by fear, didn’t move an inch. Hawks had seen this happen before and knew that the tears would be coming soon. your face was tucked in between your knees as he tapped you on the shoulder. 

“sweetheart, it’s fine, you can come with me.”

finally looking up, you seen the winged hero before slowly getting up. your hand trembled as you walked out of the university. a few of your friends instantly ran up to you as they wiped their tears to make sure you were okay. 

“lets get you to a medic,” one of your friends exclaimed as she slowly walked you to the paramedics. you still hadn’t uttered a word nor were you in the mood too. 

after your friends left you and the paramedic finally started checking you, they chalked up your frightened emotions as shock. they placed a weighted blanket on you before they noticed Hawks walking to them. 

he snapped his fingers as he told them to give you a few minutes alone, “I don’t think she’s in the right state of mind to be asked questions,” one of the paramedics said. he sighed, “I’m not asking her questions now leave,” he lectured as the paramedics finally listened and went to check on someone else. 

you were leaning up against the wall, your eyes still as hazy as they first were when he saved you. 

“you okay?” he asked as you didn’t respond. he sat next to you before sighing, “listen, I know what happened to you was traumatizing-,” Hawks didn’t even get through the first half of the sentence before hearing you bawl your eyes out. 

he watched as you hid your face between your blanket, “I could’ve died. my family could’ve had gotten a call that I was murdered. oh my god, how am I going to tell them?” you sobbed as you felt Hawks move you against him. 

“they’ve been notified,” he murmured as your eyes widened, “where’s my phone,” you yelled as you dug into your bag to see the 100+ messages from your family and friends. 

“call them in the morning, they know you’re okay but if you call them in the state you’re, it’s not going to help anyone here.” 

you knew he was right but you didn’t care. you immediately dialed your mom and heard her sobs racking through the phone as she asked you a million and one questions. 

“m-mom, it’s fine! i’m okay,” you managed to say as she tried to calm herself down, “c-can I c-call you tomorrow? I need to talk to the paramedics,” you lied as she agreed and hung up. 

Hawks saw you grip your phone as the tears kept flowing down, “thank you for saving me, I know you’re a very in demand hero and you probably need to get going but you saved me,” you admitted as he nodded. 

he had never seen anyone this shaken up before and truthfully, a part of him was disturbed. he saved hundreds of people before but for some reason, your reaction and you alone enraged him. 

Hawks never dealt with the aftermath of villains but he was going to make sure that the villain who did this actually served as many possible years as they could. 

“nah, I’ll stay behind and make sure you’re okay. don’t need you ruinnin’ off somewhere and getting hurt,” he replied as you shook your head, “it’s fine. I’m okay. I’ve received a few emails that I’m excused for classes for the rest of the week so I’m going to take the few days to recover,” you finally said without stuttering.

Hawks remained sitting as he watched you wrap the blanket around you, “do you have a car here?” you nodded as he finally thought of a way to keep an eye on you but make sure you weren’t going to noticed him, “I’ll walk you there,” he added on as you hesitantly agreed. 

you walked to your car in silence as Hawks held your backpack. your car was a bit on the beat up side but you were a college student, a brand new car probably wasn’t even in your financial means. 

you put your bag into the trunk before going to the drivers side and giving Hawks one final look, “thank you,” you whispered before getting into the car. 

he let you drive off for a few more minutes before deciding to fly and follow you to your house. he didn’t mean to be the creepiest person ever but he was just concerned about you getting home. 

your apartment didn’t look to be too far from your university but as soon as he watched you get into the complex, a sense of relief washed over him and finally decided to fly back to his agency.

-

it took Hawks a while for you to come around to the idea of you dating him. your fears were warranted though. you didn’t want to be so publicized in the media nor did you want any of his enemies coming after you.

you didn’t want to be in the hero field. far from it. so dating the number two hero was in the complete opposite side of the spectrum for you. 

there would be days where Hawks would just come by your house for a ‘glass of water’ in the middle of his patrol. you would be so adorably cute and make him not want to leave but he had people to save and villains to defeat. 

when you finally cracked down and accepted the idea of dating him, Hawks hadn’t felt so happy in so long. the idea of Hawks coming home to you and you greeting him with a hug and kiss basically projected him to cloud nine. 

that’s where you were now. it was a rare day off for him and you were cuddled up in his arms when he woke up in the morning. you were probably still dead asleep as you had a tendency to sleep without waking up to any commotion. 

you had your hair sprawled all over your face as he softly moved it away to get a good look at you. in a sense, you were like his own version of heaven. he didn’t even know if he believed in a God but if there was one, he felt like they placed you in his life on purpose.

Keigo didn’t really fall for the fake corny romantic bullshit but ever since becoming official with you, it was hard not too. you would greet him at your apartment when he stopped at your place after his shift and on the days where he asked you to go to his house an hour before his shift ended, you were there to greet him with a kiss. 

he truly never believed he would ever get the taste of such that life but here you were, in his arms peacefully asleep.

Keigo still hadn’t told you he loved you yet but he knew that would be coming sooner than later. he had no intention of letting you go now. you were stuck with the number two hero whether you liked it or not. 

it was already reaching ten when you started shuffling in place. he looked down at you as you opened your eyes and gave him the sleepiest smile you could have. 

“morning,” you muttered, “how long have you been up?”

he shrugged, “eight, maybe nine?” he estimated. your eyes widened, “that long? you haven’t gotten up to eat? would you want me to make you something?” you asked. 

“in a minute, I just want to hold you for a few moments,” he admitted. you gave him a kiss which he quickly deepened, “what has you so soft this morning? you’re usually teasing me by now,” you joked as he shrugged. 

“waking up to you this morning felt different,” he mentioned, “I’ve never waken up next to someone I love before.” 

your eyes widened as you grabbed his hand, “aw, Keigo, I’m honored. I know your life has been considerably harder in comparison to mine but you don’t have to feel like I’m going to leave you or something,” you responded as he nodded, “I love you too,” you said back making him smile. 

he immediately plopped you on top of him and kissed you again, “holding you this way is going to get addicting, you know that?” you giggled as you snuggled up to his chest, “really now?” you mocked as you got up, “well that sucks because I’m making you breakfast and you’re helping,” you told him as he chuckled lowly. 

you got off of him and grabbed his shirt before slipping it on and making your way to his bedroom bathroom. you and him brushed your teeth before he got into the shower. 

once he finished and put on a pair of grey sweatpants with a white shirt, he met you in his kitchen that went hardly touched. he maybe cooked once or twice in it? Keigo tended to order takeout and never did learn how to cook. 

you had headphones popped in as you took out a few things you bought yesterday and mixed them together before pouring milk. watching you do the most domestic thing ever made his heart flutter. it was like the two of you were married and in a way, he longed that this relationship would lead to that. 

“are you gonna help?” you exclaimed as he laughed, “coming love! you know you’re able to connect your phone to the stereo that’s in the wall, right?” 

he made his way over to you before giving you a kiss and helping you connect the music you had playing in your headphones to the speaker built into the wall. 

ALITA

[ask-those-dumbasses]

Lore Post About The Gods

There are many gods in this universe, we are only going to be talking about the relevant ones. Otherwise this is gonna turn into the Greek God family tree very fast and trust me we don’t want that. So, let’s talk about some gods!

The God of Time - Avus Tempus (Grandpa Time)

General information: 

The oldest god and the god that interacts with people the most, Avus Tempus is the most well known. He is the keeper of time, making sure it passes normally with no great disturbances. He watches as time passes, but does not interfere with mortal disagreements, even if he disapproves. He says that it is not his job to interfere.

Avus is older than time itself, and is the creator of the other gods. Avus was also the creator of the first Time Demons - which he calls his children with great glee. He has been given many nicknames over the years, with the most common being “Grandpa Time.” The limits to his powers are unknown, but is it commonly known that he can control the flow of time, and can open portals to different dimensions or various periods throughout time by roaring. People also know that he, with the help of his two direct children, Moíra and Apeiro, killed the Titan of War during his rampage.

(Bonus: Grandfather clocks were named after him)

Appearance: 

Avus appears as a long serpent like dragon with no arms or legs, green scales, golden horns and eyes, with long white hair down his spine and on his chin, making a beard of sorts. Legends say that his body extends forever, able to loop around the earth. Avus himself jokes that he has not ever seen his own tail. His fur is said to be as soft as clouds, and his scales are so tough that no spear could pierce it. However, despite being immortal, Avus himself is not completely immune to the effects of time. His eyes are pale and milky, showing that with age his sight has gotten very poor. Today he would be considered almost legally blind.

Where they live:

Avus lives in a huge palace on the top of the largest mountain on Earth. The mountain is called “Mortum Manga,” and is on the “Multi Ossa” mountain range. Inside his palace are intricate carvings on the walls that tell the history of the world, from Avus’ creaton on to current day. There is also a fountain which is called the “Fountain of Youth.” Contrary to popular belief, this fountain does not make you immortal or young, but instead heals all sicknesses. It was named the Fountain of Youth because it was used to cure a large plague that was mostly killing children. 

Along the side of the mountain is a small village called “The Village Of Lights.“ These people often interact with Avus directly. In fact, every 5 years they hold a festival where they light various sky lanterns and send them into the sky. Afterwards, Avus comes down to the village and talks to them. He specifically likes to meet with all of the children - who he likes to call his grandkids. 

Personality: 

He is an extremely friendly and passive god, often inviting people to come and have tea with him in his palace. Overall, Avus is very polite and is more than willing to shelter anyone if they ask. However that is difficult for most - since not only does he live atop the highest mountain, he also does look very intimidating. In reality he just wants to talk about how your day has been going. Avus is most certainly the kindest god that mortals can talk to. 

He tries his best to keep up with new terms, words, controversial topics, etc. Because of his old age it can be hard for him to keep up. He ends up coming across as that overly supportive and sweet grandparent that doesn't understand but is trying to. (Ex: “Are you a boy or a girl? I cannot tell. My vision isn’t what it used to be. Oh wait - are you one of those non-berries? Not binaries? So sorry I don’t remember.”). Because of his age he is also considered very knowledgeable and wise, and people will sometimes come to him or pray to him for advice and counsel. 

Avus is mostly considered to be extremely patient and calm, however there have been reports of him being fiercely protective of his “little village.” Those who have dared to harm those living or seeking refuge there have mysteriously ended up turned to stone. 

The God of Life, Death, and Fate - Apeiro

General Information:

Apeiro is the god of life and death, which means it’s their job to make sure life is balanced. Apeiro can keep populations down through plagues, famine, natural disasters, or other means. Aperio can also bless certain times with good crops, more births, or other means to make sure populations stay up if need be. It is important to remember that Aperio’s job is NOT to make life/death fair.  Apeiro also makes sure that spirits end up in their proper afterlife. Apeiro can also tug on the strings of fate, not manipulating them completely, but pushing them where they want it to go.

They stand against large acts of necromancy, however, they made a deal with Alita long ago. In this deal, Totems Of Undying were allowed to be created and sealed deep inside Jungle Temples. It is unknown exactly what Apeiro got in exchange for allowing this to happen but people have speculated that it has something to do with the existence of Wither Skeletons, which guard Nether Fortresses, and Withers, which can be made with a combination of three Wither Skulls and Soul Sand. 

Apeiro also assisted Avus and Moíra in taking down the Titan of War. 

Appearance:

They have a dark gray cloak/robe that wraps around them and flows dramatically to the floor. It drifts behind them, rippling and waving like there’s constantly a breeze. At the edges of the cloak there are dozens of tiny white stars. They don’t have a face, just a black shadow that flickers around the edges when you look directly at it (which is something you should never do). They do have hands that look like skeleton talons that float separately from their body since they do not have arms. They also have horns that used to merge as a sort of crown above their head. Now, from previous battles, those horns have been splintered and broken in two.

Where they live: 

Apeiro lives inside a castle, which has the foundation of the skeleton of an ancient colossal dragon. They live with their younger sister, Moíra. Apeiro specifically lives in the head - which has been remade into a massive throne room mixed with a fancy ballroom. The neck leading up to this room is a very long hallway that has many statues of many different people. These people are referred to as “Champions,” and they are previous winners of the Champion’s Cup. 

This skeleton castle is called the “Fossa Palace” and it can be found in the middle of the “Decaying Wastelands” desert. It is unknown what killed the colossal dragon, but rumors have spread that Aperio did it themselves and decided to make it their home. Regardless, when the wind blows in the cold of night, people say they can still hear soft roars and hums of the dead dragon. 

Other than living with Moíra, Apeiro lives completely alone and does not normally travel outside of their castle. They only do so in big emergencies such as universal threats or large acts of necromancy. 

Personality: 

Apeiro is very dramatic and adores big and grand theatrics. The Champions Cup itself was created out of boredom since messing with mortal lives from the sidelines can only entertain a god for so long. Speaking of which, Apeiro finds great entertainment in watching mortal lives, and loves to play with them. Whether this is good playing or bad playing, depends on their mood. Apeiro finds it amusing to poke and prod at people’s lives from time to time, and is considered a being of madness from a few of their victims. Apeiro laughs as a witness to human wars, and sees all mortal conflict as beneath them. They will sometimes even find glee in watching other gods squabble over petty things. 

The Goddess of Karma, Justice, and Fortune - Moíra

General Information:

Moíra is the goddess of karma, justice, and fortune. This means she mainly watches over humanity and tries to keep people’s lives fair, even, and balanced. She gets very angered when there are big atrocities happening in the world, or even just when excessively unfair things happen to good or bad people. She is often the judge and jury and innacts justice as she sees fit. Moíra is a very patient force as well, and ensures that eventually, in one way or another, that good things happen to good people and bad things happen to bad people. karma is a patient force. 

She also blesses those she sees fit with various fortunes (whether this be money, something more spiritual, or something emotional will depend), or will take away from those who have committed horrendous crimes, 

Moíra also helped Avus and Apeiro kill the titan of war, and was the main one leading the charge against him. 

Appearance:

Moíra wears an extravagant white robe with golden patterns of leaves as an accent. She appears as a youthful human woman with dark skin and curly hair, but is very unnerving to look at. Her eyes are pure gold, dripping liquid gold down her cheeks. She has large curling goat horns which are decorated with various gems. Moíra also wears a laurel headpiece as a crown, with a bright red ruby in the center. She constantly floats just above the ground in order to keep herself clean. 

Where they live: 

Moíra lives inside a castle, which has the foundation of the skeleton of an ancient colossal dragon. She lives with her older sibling, Aperio. Moíra specifically lives near the top of the rib cage - which has been remade into a large fighting stadium. This stadium is where a tournament called the “Champion’s Cup” is held once a decade. There is an observatory hanging from the top of the dome ceiling, this is where Moíra resides. However she can also commonly be found with Aperio, or in the castle's library. Moíra does travel outside the castle for business purposes and works with people a lot.  

Personality: 

Moíra is much more careful about keeping balance then Apeiro is, and is much more responsible with her powers. Moíra also tends to scold her older sibling very often and is not very trusting of them. People think that the only reason Moíra lives with Apeiro is because she wants to keep a close eye on them.

By and large, Moíra is a very patient and slow god. She takes her time and thinks her actions through for a long time before acting. She thinks, a lot, and makes very calculated decisions like some sort of gamemaster. Moíra is willing to play the long game and waits for the pieces to fall into place so she can enact her plan properly. 

Moíra is also very vengeful, and remembers all of the little wrongdoings people have done. However she is very fair with her punishments, at least, she sees what she has done as fair. 

The Goddess of The End and the Keeper of The Void - The Enderdragon 

General Information 

History says that long ago there were Colossal Dragons; dragons that were born small and slowly grew throughout their lives until they were bigger than mountains. They have largely gone extinct because food became scarce and they were unable to eat enough to maintain their size. Some of their skeletons can still be seen to this day.

People know whispers of an old tale, about a dragon larger than mountains who rules The End as queen, and controls the Endermen as slaves to her will. That long ago she attempted to wipe out all life on this planet, but failed due to an intervention from Moíra, along with Avus who both banished her away from the Overworld. They say that one day, The Enderdragon will return, and have her revenge on everyone who dared forget her name. 

The majority of people don’t even believe she’s real, and some have never even heard of her. Most people believe The Enderdraon is a made-up myth tale that was made by man to explain the unknown creation of Endermen. Some people see The Enderdragon as a sort of boogeyman figure, a tale Dragon Riders will tell their children to get them to behave; Others believe she’s just some rumor made to prevent people from exploring The Stronghold. The only thing people know for certain, is that people who have dared to enter The End have either been never seen again, or come back with horrifying stories and with their children being cursed and becoming Endermen hybrids.

Appearance:

In stories she is illustrated as a large black dragon, bigger than mountains, with large grey horns and wings. The wings are usually torn, along with many scars from various battles decorating her body. The most prominent feature is her bright purple eyes. It is said that she breathes hot purple fire. 

Where they live:

In the End, one of the many different dimensions in this universe. It is mostly illustrated as many floating islands made of pale yellow sand. There are various crumbling purple buildings, along with purple plants that grow an odd fruit with teleportation abilities called “chorus fruit.” Endermen in the overworld are sometimes seen holding these. In the center of these islands are 10 tall obsidian pillars- each with an odd crystal that contains healing abilities, but only for The Enderdragon. 

Underneath the islands of the end is an endless void of darkness. It is unknown what could possibly be down there. Those who have tried to find out have never returned. 

Personality: 

In the legends, The Enderdragon is painted as an angry, vindictive, and spiteful dragon who wants nothing more than to watch humanity burn.

The Goddess of Magic - Alita 

General Information:

Alita is the keeper of all the different types of magic. There is Protection Magic, Elemental Magic, Combat Magic, Enchantments, and Necromancy. Alita is the higher power that can control all of these types of magic over others, and because of this is considered very dangerous. She can grant magic to people if they sacrifice something of great value. If she gives you magic then your spells will always appear as pure black.

Alita can also freely travel through the different dimensions - The Overworld, The Nether, and The End. She also creates permanent portals that are scattered all throughout the world. One of these portals is The Stronghold - which is a permanent portal to The End. It is unknown where others may be.

Alita is also the mother to all Kitsune, each born under a different type of magic. Kitsune are made to help Alita watch over the Overworld since she lives deep underground in The Nether. However, it is not uncommon for Kitsune to diverge from this purpose and instead do their own thing. Alita does not see a problem with this, since not only can she freely make new ones, but if she really needs to she can force her will onto the Kitsune that rebel against her wishes. 

Appearance:

Alita appears to be wearing an elegant masquerade mask that looks like a peacock. You can barely see one white eye and a small beak peeking out from the mask. Nobody, except for a few other gods, knows what she looks like under the mask. Anyone who has seen does not remember. Alita generally appears to be avian-like, being part Peacock. She has peacock tail feathers that fan up whenever she gets angry. However, the eyes seem a little too real, and people have reported getting headaches from looking at them for too long. Over her body is a beautiful silk purple dress with silver accents on the ends. She also wears many different rings and necklaces that have been given to her. 

Floating around her are five multichromatic flaming orbs that flash different colors. Each one stands for a different type of magic. Protection magic is represented by an icy blue, Elemental Magic flashes between red, dark blue, and light green depending on the element, Combat Magic is represented by royal purple, Enchantments is represented by orange, and Necromancy is represented by a dark green.

Where they live: 

Alita lives very deep underground in the nether, in the darkest caves surrounded by bubbling lava. Various bones decorate the entrance to her cave and she has a massive throne made of gold.  

Personality: 

Alita is described as the cruelest of the gods. While Aperio may mess with fate, that is their job and they ultimately keep some semblance of balance. Alita will play games with the mortals who dare to visit her simply for the fun of it. She is very playful and likes to toy with people, forcing them to make extremely difficult decisions and pay the price for their hubris. 

Alita can be won over with attention and praise however. She adores it when people grovel and give her positive attention just for a silly favor. While she may not often go out into the world, Alita is always open to visitors of any kind. After all, the visitors are often very entertaining. 

The Titan of War, also known as The Blood God - Sanguineous 

General Information:

Not much is known about the Blood God. He has mostly been lost to ancient legend. They say he was an old titan that became more powerful the more he killed. So, he became power hungry and so full of bloodlust that he attempted to wipe out all life on Earth. Because of this, he was killed by Moíra, Avus and Apeiro. His name is only known from old tapestries and ancient texts; Sanguineous.

Some say that he is not dead, but is simply resting for the right time to strike again. Some say his bones are what made the Multi Ossa mountain range. Some say that his presence can still be felt to this day. Some people do know that those who have been touched by his presence have pure red eyes. Other rumours tell of pockets of underground lakes that still hold the old Titan’s own blood. There are whispers that those pockets hold unimaginable power, if only someone could find and harness them. 

Appearance:

Old paintings and tapestries depict the Blood God as a creature made purely of bone - but only an upper body up. His chest is shown to be a human skeleton, with the hands mutated into large claws. His head, however, is depicted as a large ram skull, with humongus black horns and glowing red eyes. Sometimes, he is depicted holding a large netherite axe which he attempted to split the earth with.

Where they live: 

Since the Blood God is dead, he does not live anywhere. When he was alive he did not live in any particular place. He simply wandered the Overworld.

Personality: 

The only thing known is that he wanted nothing but for blood to be spilt from each end of the earth. 

[a-slut-for-leon-kennedy]

I mean idk if you’ll like any of these but here are some of my favorites:

- Stardust (edit: just now realized you put this in the tags haha sorry!!)

- A Long Way Down (TW: Suicide is a huge theme of the movie, but it generally isn’t super sad?? if you want I can tell you whether it has a happy ending or not!!)

- Tuck Everlasting

- Zombieland (TW: I mean it’s a zombie movie so guns and blood and obvi zombies.)

- Warm Bodies (Think Romeo and Juliet but zombie and wholesome af)

- Hotel Transylvania (listen, the first one was good! 3rd and 4th not so much,,, but the first one and second one were pretty good. Really wholesome!)

- How to Train Your Dragon (all of them, tho they make me sad af)

- Matilda

- Madeline

- Flushed Away

- A Christmas Prince (ok listen,,, this is a very stupid romance movie. I still think it’s wholesome and a bit of a guilty pleasure lol)

- Monster House (A classic)

- Paranorman (if you like movies with Tim burton vibes,,,, yes)

- Coraline

- The Giver (listen I fully understand if people don’t like this movie but I think it’s underrated and has some good themes)

- The Old Guard (possibly some of the best gay representation I’ve ever seen,, really really good. It follows a group of immortals)

- Megamind

- Kate (it’s on Netflix and is an action movie)

- A Man Called Otto (ok,,, it’s really sad but also really wholesome. Big Found Family vibes and has a Trans Male character whom I love very much)

- The Meg (arguably the best shark movie I’ve seen. I normally don’t like shark movies cause it gives sharks a bad rap but this one is highkey really entertaining)

- Alita Battle Angel (VERY sci-fi)

- Earth Girls are Easy (possibly the weirdest movie on the list,,,, but damn if it isn’t funny. You can watch it free on YouTube I believe)

- Nanny McPhee (a childhood fav of mine)

- BOLT (listen this movie is top tier)

- What we do in the shadows (funny vampires) (also just realized you put this in the tags too ahh 😅)

- Strange Magic (The music is a little weird but it’s got a really good romance)

- Twitches (listen,,, these movies are dumb af and don’t make sense,,, but I still love them way too much lmfao)

- Newsies (the movie not the musical, tho I think the musical is good too? Never watched it)

- Greatest Showman

- Santa Clause movies (listen,,, they’re actually great ok)

- Narnia

- Sky High (pretty good themes, really stupid but I love it anyways)

- Halloweentown!!!

Ok so this list is getting really long so I’ll cut it here, like I said these movies might not be for everyone but I’m a big movie watcher so I have tons more to share if anyone wants more lmao!!

I wanna know u guys’ favourite movies I’m always looking for new ones to watch

I’ll put mine in the tags in case anyone trusts my taste lol

[amethystpath-writes]

Hellooooo!!

Favorite TV shows? Movies? Books?

I need more content lol

Oh honey. You've just doomed yourself and everyone who follows me. Anything in colour is the main focus. I put descriptions with everything in white :)

Television shows (honestly don't watch very many but here we go)-

Vampire Diaries (I started watching as a joke but it's actually very good.)

V-Wars [Netflix]

The 100 (I personally wasn't very into this show but my ex best friend loooved it.

Um, I haven't watched any other shows to be honest.

Great British Baking Show?

Movies (get ready for an onslaught)-

Hellboy II (don't bother watching the first one) [paranormal creatures, very cool]

Underworld franchise (for mature audiences because there are some unnecessary scenes. also very gorey) [vampires and lycans/werewolves]

Queen of the Damned (this one might be R rated, too, but I'm not sure) [vampires]

Narnia [based off a book series by an idol. fantasy creatures- centaurs, minotaurs, witches, talking lions, talking beavers, yada yada yada.]

Pirates of the Caribbean [pirates, ye know? Also skeletons and fish people]

Harry Potter [witches/wizards, merpeople, good v evil, cool stuff, fantastic beasts 😉]

I probably don't need to tell you what half of these are, but just in case, I do :)

Alita the Battle Angel (or something similar) [robot lady with big eyes. Kicks butt.]

Ready Player One [based off a book. Most of these probably are tbh. Futuristic. Virtual reality- go- real reality I believe. Produced/directed by Steven Spielburg so you know it's good.]

Transformers franchise [epic vehicular alien robots that kick butt as well. Highly recommend these. Please watch. Also Spielburg or however you spell his name.]

Spiderwick [based off a Holly Black children series I read when I was a little tot. Awesome movie, I loved it and still do. Many fantasy creatures- griffin, goblins, trolls, a little house elf thing, hobgoblins because those are a thing (voiced by Seth Rogen btw) Also the twins are one actor and it's the guy that plays as The Good Doctor on a television series.]

Hobbit and LOTR [based off the books my absolute idol wrote years and years before I was even born. Hobbits- aka mini humans- dwarves, wizards, elves, orcs, goblins, a shapeshifter, a dragon. Also a little demon looking thing that's obsessed with this supposedly special ring- played by Andy Serkis. Lots of kinship and teamwork. Character development, woot woot!]

The Greatest Showman [best musical movie ever. Even if you hate musicals, you'd love this movie. I say that as someone who dislikes musicals. Hugh Jackman, Zac Effron, Zendaya, Rebecca Ferguson, alllll of the actors- even the extras- GLORIOUS.]

Okay, I'll stop.

Books (I've been working on this ask for like 20 minutes.)

The Remnant Chronicles (Mary E. Pearson) [Medievalish setting but it actually takes place in the future as she has said when asked! Amaaaazing villain in the second and third book. The Komizar is just- holy crap. He's haunted me since I read the trilogy. Kaden (an assassin) is a babe and I love him- he's better than Rafe (a prince), don't fight me. Lia (a princess) is a strong female lead who is extremely determined and strong.]

Pretty much anything by Sarah J. Maas (A Court of Thorns and Roses) (Throne of Glass- have only read the first book and started the second but I love it. Assassins, princes, evil kings, competitions, magic, political affairs. Amazing.)

White Crow (can't remember the author- maybe Mark something idkkk- but it's a single novel worth reading once. Very mysterious. Modern day and diary entries from another character alive in the...probably 1800s.)

The Devouring (also forget the author. Single novel. Kind of a thriller/horror.)

The Unfortunate Son (forget the author omg. Novel. Worth a read once. Pirates. White fisherboy sold into slavery in some distant land- interesting interactions between character and master- pretty sure there's a bird involved, too.)

The Witcher Series (by a name I can't even begin to spell or pronounce. If you look it up, you'll know it right away. One of the books is called Blood of Elves (this is the first book of the series), The Last Witcher- I believe. I played the third videogame of it and decided to start reading it- love it.)

The Devil in the White City (by Erik Larson. Actually a nonfiction story about an architect and a serial killer in Chicago, Illinois, 1890's told in a fictional way. Very neat way to tell a real story. Highly recommend.)

@silverwhisperer1 <- I have only gotten to beta read one of her books, but I love her writing style. The book I read was about pirates and I ADORED it. She has a pirate story already published called Hailie Storm, I believe. On Amazon, go check it out!!

We were Liars (forget the author, of course. Modern story. Veryyy confusing at first because of there being a large family. Don't worry, there's a family tree, and as you read you'll get the hang of it. No worries at all. MASSIVE PLOT TWIST THAT MADE ME BAWL MY EYES OUT IN CLASS. read it. Please. Even if it doesn't sound interesting, just pick it up. Literally one of the best books ever.)

Okay, I'm here if you need/want more :)))

[drabblesfromthegraniteinn]

Kids AU Part 3

Hugo and Alita climb on top of the playhouse in the backyard to get a better view of the house. Hugo knows Alita is related to Nova and Ido and that she has already been upstairs. She just doesn't remember it since she was still a little baby back then. Hugo admits that despite living next door, he himself never got to see the upstairs and he's been fantasizing about it ever since he can remember.

Alita hears Ido sneak out and follows him at a distance. She sees him get into a fight with some other kids and gets involved. Ido is worried she'll get seriously hurt since he she's smaller than most of the other kids in the fight and children get reckless when they get carried away. Ido tells Alita about the hunter-bounty system, which was made up by the kids to mark who to fight with and who to leave alone. Alita insists she wants to be a hunter-warrior, but Ido insists she can't. The whole reason for the system was that kids, especially little kids, who don't fight like her don't get hurt in fights.

(I know it's completely different than in the movie, but I had to fit it in somehow.)

Ido tells Alita about his relationship with Chiren. They used to play family a lot with a doll also named Alita. They even held a fake wedding which Nova refused to attend as in his own words "No niece of his would be an inbred defect" (Reminder that in this AU he's Chiren's older brother and Ido is their cousin). Doll got destroyed by a bully and soon Chiren and Ido grew apart. It wasn't because of the doll of course. Their parents just spend less and less time together. By extension, so did they. The doll was more of a symbol of that. Yoko reminded Ido of what that he imagined that doll would be like if she was alive. That and the name coincidence.

AU Index

Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 <- Part 4 Part 5 Part 6 Part 7 Part 8 Part 9 Part 10

[themaroonlightning]

I posted 260 times in 2021

55 posts created (21%)

205 posts reblogged (79%)

For every post I created, I reblogged 3.7 posts.

I added 97 tags in 2021

#ninjago - 37 posts

#dream smp - 10 posts

#alita winston - 9 posts

#cole brookstone - 7 posts

#ranboo fanart - 7 posts

#lloyd garmadon - 6 posts

#zane julien - 6 posts

#mcyt - 6 posts

#n1njag0 - 5 posts

#the island - 4 posts

Longest Tag: 89 characters

#i have the power of the first spinjitzu master and fritz donnegan on my side aaaaaaahhhhh

My Top Posts in 2021

#5

Benthomaar my beloved fish boy

I will protect you with my life!!

75 notes • Posted 2021-04-24 07:47:20 GMT

#4

Here’s another piece i made for the @ninjaneverquit-zine​ : We Are Family

The story behind it :

I had this idea that in the ending of Season 10, after the ninja made their mural, they thought of making another one. So they got a huge banner, bowls of paint and they all painted with their hands. There would be times where they would joke around and splash paint at each other, getting it on their faces. In the end, the mural was finished, the ninja had a lot of fun, and there was a big mess, but they all felt more happier than ever. 

Happy 10 Years of Spinjitzu! Here’s to another 10 Years of Ninjago!

See the full post

76 notes • Posted 2021-01-14 18:01:04 GMT

#3

Cole's final line in Ninjago, to honor Kirby Morrow for being his voice for 10 years

147 notes • Posted 2021-05-06 06:23:32 GMT

#2

Philza Minecraft and Technoblade (SAD-ist animation redraw)

Bonus :

See the full post

194 notes • Posted 2021-04-11 12:18:01 GMT

#1

“Long before time had a name, the First Spinjitzu Master created Ninjago using four elemental weapons. But when he passed, a dark presence sought out to collect them all, Lord Garmadon. So i, Sensei Wu, his brother, sought out to find four ninja to collect them first.”

10 Years, 13 Seasons, 6 Ninjas, One Family. 

Ninjago has been a part of our childhood since 2011. And until now, it’s still growing strong. The Ninjago community has a lot of supportive and creative people who have been watching the series about these six quick-witted ninja throughout the decade. They show their love with their words or their creations. Today, we celebrate that journey of all the adventures, memories and laughs we’ve been through together. Thank You to Tommy Andreasen, the Hageman brothers and the whole Ninjago staff and voice actors for creating a beautiful show that inspired us all.

Remember, Ninja Never Quit! Happy 10 Years of Spinjitzu!

340 notes • Posted 2021-01-14 07:53:42 GMT

Get your Tumblr 2021 Year in Review →