#TOUCHSTARVED seaspring

[silverryuan]

Another far-fetched theory...

So remember the part where Ais said it's not bad to be a black sheep?

This sort of implies that Ais must've been a sacrificial lamb possibly as an offering to Ocudeus. Was the Hivemind a cult before turning into a gang? Were the other sacrificial lambs members of it? And who was the Shepherd?

[westbifire]

Another background sketch i did ft. the Seaspring and Ais (I also might make the one on the right an illustration we'll see)

[carp-from-space]

Taking a dip

[diamndkarma-vn]

Ais's isolation is on my mind AH

The hinting at him being a seasoned leader, implying he used to be surrounded by people, only to lose them all somehow (maybe something to do w Ocudeus?)

How he doesn't even really seem to have himself either--possibly losing his own sense of self and his mind the longer he's possessed

Ais lives at the shrine way outside of Eridia where someone would only dare to come to not for his company but for the seaspring

If he does want companionship, he probably has to be the one to go out and seek it, not vice versa bc again--seaspring out in the scary wastes ain't a walk in the park

Repeatedly bringing up how bad of an impression he's made on the MC since they arrived as if he doesn't want to miss out on a potential companion

I wonder how Ais would respond if MC became a prominent figure for him--leaving or dying--and leaving him behind to be alone again. Would he be resigned to it bc he's lost count of how many times it's happened or will they be a breaking point?

[portsandstars]

It's a relief that they can't open doors

[aiscapades]

the fact ais was the first character created and they're called red spring studio

[redspringstudio]

A sense of dread pervades the air of the Seaspring... Did you read through all the notes? 🩸 What do you think they mean?

[bigmeandragonlady]

bio re-do! (template here)

[theravenanarchy]

The death grip this game has on me is only further proven by the fact I was about to get in the shower when I had this thought.

I think the way that you will achieve the good route with Ais is by surrendering control over to him and the the good route for Leander will be taking control.

I know it seems kind of obvious on the surface 'Ais' dialogue about Leander liking when others take control' duh, but hears the core of my theory, I think Ais is the most trustworthy.

Everything about Ais' character oozes self security, he has no reason to lie to you about the others because he's well aware of their darkness, if he wanted you to dislike them he could just be honest. Somebody like Vere seems to have no problem giving control to him (the scene in the bar where Ais catches him is adorable u///u and telling!!) He's fun cause you kinda want to give him control. Trope wise yes he's ver obvs the daddy dom archetype but he's also got all the cute caregiver vibes that GOOD DOMS NEED. He isn't lacking in a sense of self either, ironic.

So then you flip that for Leander, HE IS TRYING SO HARD TO MAKE YOU FEEL SAFE...but he doesn't ask you what you need, he just tells you anything is on the table because he'll do anything for your favor. I'm pretty sure the hero routine is genuine, but he definitely adopted it as a way of ingratiating himself to others. So he's definitely lacking a sense of self.

I read Tonari no Seki no Hen na Senpai recently and really just lost it over how much I liked it. Basically the thing that makes it a comedy is the both lead characters are weird little creeps so they use it to explore communication, dynamic sub/dom relationships, and expressing your love versus having it reciprocated. The last chapter specifically hits on how the ML was okay forcing the relationship by being sneaky until the FL makes him choose between being able to be physical with her but being hated or being in an actual relationship but giving her the power to set the boundaries. Obvs he chooses the second one because that's the actual fulfilling relationship and it's cute and stuff.

Back to baby girl, I'm so happy to think that his good route will be about healing and like adorable unconditional love between him and the MC. Like he so much wants to build a safe space for you, nonono baby let me care of you omg you traumatized bitch I love you. Also super into the idea of the MC having the choice to be all clingy to Leander or sweet and assuring (or rejecting him and making him cry or ANGRY let me see that darkness bb)

Poor sweet Leander is so clearly afraid of death, being powerless, and being alone, where Ais isn't afraid of anything. I think that will be the core of their dichotomy, two people who can get along but having completely different ways of navigating the world and their sense of self.

[deep-in-the-blue]

Jump in the Seaspring with him?

[6okuto]

About the Ais hc, I'm thinking......his pets and yours would eventually get along to the point that would spark the thought of living together and waking up next to e/o and being domestic and lovely and:(((( *screams and cries*

KNocks down your door. i am here. and i am losing it . imagine if it's a pet that is like...soo much smaller than the soulless... ogh those clips of the cat and dog coming to snuggle with the other who's already sleeping...it's so over. it's soooo over. getting them little outfits too... I love pets bro...i love those little animal friends....

there's no way to be all-encompassing of every pet for a proper drabble but like! the idea of! you joking about how your pets have gotten so attached to his, how they always perk up when you mention visiting. and ais humming as he continues to watch them play... and then Half joking about moving in together so they can see each other more often.

and you're like hahah. for real? and he turns to see the shock/hesitancy on your face, and he smiles, and he teases you like what? you don't want to move in with me? (he's partially hiding the fact that he's sort of nervous you actually don't.) and he knows princess probably wouldn't be welcomed by most renters, huh? would you rather come here? (wherever Here is. i have no idea where he sleeps every night. is it the seaspring...) or maybe build a house somewhere else?

he's turned to keep watching your pets play together at this point, and you think his voice is oddly calm for what he's proposing. your mind is reeling at the thought of living with and waking up to him—not new thoughts, and definitely not unwelcome ones either. so after a few beats of silence you say you'd like that. and he doesn't respond at first, maybe to see if you keep speaking. and you say you're not sure where or how, but if you could live together, you'd really like that. and so would they, probably.

and :(( AAAHHH... ais saying he probably has spare room for you somewhere. and you say what? you don't sleep in the seaspring rafters every night? and he's like ? the amount of back problems i'd have. and then you both laugh and WAAHHH

[starlit-eudemonia]

[redstrewn]

Musa here! This is kinda random but smth in my neuro psych textbook reminded me of fucking ocudeus; the fluid surrounding our neurons (the cells in our nervous system which, among other things, lets our brain and muscles communicate with each other) is described to be alike to ‘seawater’ bc its made from chloride and sodium ions. Sodium ions can cause the electrical communication between neurons to occur by going into the neuron and causing a relatively positive charge. The book also says that this fluid is ‘like seawater’ bc we used to be sea creatures down the evolutionary line. Like ughhhh i rlly hope rss goes into this!! I also wonder if electricity in some form can influence ocudeus and his grip on ais

OMGGGGG THE VOLTAGE GATED ION CHANNELS YUHHHHHHH

CONSIDER. Vika (RSS art director & character designer) is a medical illustrator iirc? If so, they WOULD know about the sodium chlorine flow in the membranes.

YOU KNOW. FUNNY THING ABOUT THE ELECTRICITY MENTION.

Also Leander's scar kinda giving ⚡⚡⚡

[lord-shitbox]

(moderate demo spoilers again) so ais's Creature TM is named ocudeus. 'ocu' prefix means Eye and 'deus' suffix means God..his one and only buddy is named eyegod

[hexcoeur]

ok so one of the endings to Ais' route had to be drinking from the Seaspring right? like it has to. it's probably not gonna be a good ending, but I'd love it if it wasn't a strictly bad ending either. like yeah you lose your individuality to the groupmind, but it's not like you disappear completely - your mind does get added to the groupmind too.

it can't be entirely bad, can it? sharing your mind. you're never alone. you're everywhere. when you're asleep in a warm bed no you're not you're talking with a merchant no you're eating a berry it's sweet on your tongue no you're walking and the wind is cold. you are one and you are many. when you're in pain no you're not. are you happy? no you're not. it's confusion it's chaos it's silence it's bliss. there's nothing like it.

you know?

[leannlyre]

doodles