#There’s literally a scene where she’s like ‘I don’t know what he may be capable of and it kinda scares me’

[kittykatninja321]

Constantly thinking about that post that’s like “people think Talia was controlling Jason in lost days, Jason could barely control Jason let alone Talia” because literally one of the first thing he does after regaining consciousness is outmaneuver league agents to run back to Gotham. If he wanted to leave he could that’s why she brings up the idea of training in order to stall his plans to kill Bruce (at some point he does clue into this). To me the dynamic of Talia manipulating Jason while Jason is semi aware of this and consciously going along with it is a much more interesting dynamic to explore than “Talia is an evil temptress and Jason is hapless to her whims” you constantly see in fanon. To me their post Lazarus pit dynamic is like if you took in an injured wolf and now that it’s healed it may bite you or fuck off at anytime but it sticks around for food and company also it keeps on bringing you dead prey animals

[thewritetofreespeech]

Hell yeah! Delico's Nursery is getting the love it deserves!

Could I request Dino falling for a female reader who's nicknamed the "Queen of Poison" thanks to her vast knowledge on posions and toxins?

Another day. Another murder.

The frequency in which murders kept happening in the city was overwhelming now. The choices in targets getting bolder and more obvious with each passing day. This time hitting another member of the noble class.

“There is much less blood than with the last murders. Perhaps this isn’t our evil?”

“No. Look at the flourish in which the bodies are displayed.” Dali countered Dino’s theory. “This is the same people, just their methods are evolving.”

“They used a coagulant.” [Y/N] announced as she examined the body, then stood to her full height again. “So they didn’t want this to be a bloody mess like the others. Something special about this one?”

“Hmmm….perhaps their blood was too valuable to spill. Or not worth it.”

Dali and the group continued to theorize, but it was clear that there were no other leads here, so they turned to continue their conversation elsewhere and let the police handle the cleanup.

As they all began to leave, there was a flutter of noise behind them, along with a startled sound from [Y/N]. When they turned around they saw one of the assailants holding her from behind in a vice grip. Teeth barred at her neck. “Stay back!”

“[Y/N]-chan!” Henrique called out. Echoing Dino’s sentiments of terror.

He hadn’t been paying attention. He hadn’t been protecting her. He thought someone capable and strong as [Y/N] would be fine if left alone, but it seemed he had let his guard down too far and she was literally a breathes touch away from becoming a thrall.

Was this how Dali felt when his wife was transformed before him? When the woman he loved became a bound slave to another before his eyes?

“Whatever you think this is going to accomplish, I assure you, that won’t be the case.” [Y/N] reasoned with the man over her shoulder. “I don’t know anything about TRUMP and I’m not valuable enough to bargain for.”

“Ha! I don’t think so. You may not know anything about TRUMP, but you’re sure valuable enough to get me out of here.” He snickered while looking at Dino and the others. “Your friends are too scared to even move with you as my shield.”

“Give Lady [Y/N] back and you can go free.” Gerhard instructed. “You have my word as head of the Fra family that we won’t pursue if you release her.”

“Your word don’t mean shit!” His grip tightened and [Y/N] grimaced. An expression Dino mimicked out of anger. “My only guarantee is this one. And I’m not letting her go until I’m free of here.”

“Would that be before the gate or after? I just want to know how far I have to walk back after this situation has ended.”

“Heh! You got a smart mouth on you. I like that.” The men all tense as his fangs poised at [Y/N]’s neck again. “Maybe I’ll keep you around longer after that.”

“Please don’t.” [Y/N] urged him. Though no panic or pleading in her voice just remarkably calm, Almost bored with this pantomime of danger. “I can assure you on this as well, it will not end the way you think. We’ll both just end up in pain and with sore heads.”

“Pain hn? Well, what’s life without a little pain.”

Dino felt his blood run cold as he saw the man bite [Y/N]’s neck. Intent on turning her into a thrall. Unbeckoned he called out, “[Y/N]!” before his cries were drowned out by the screams of the other man.

He screamed and cried as he violently pushed [Y/N] away to claw at his face with both hands. An odd sizzling sound filling the room along with his cries as the flesh around his mouth dissolved away. The skin bubbling and popping before he fell to his knees and eventually on the ground. His smooth, bleached skull where that vicious smile used to be.

“Does anyone have a towel?”

The men all come out of their stupor from witnessing such a horrific scene, and Gerhard gallantly offered his neckerchief substitute. “What the hells was that?”

“A combination of strychnine, arsenic, and a few other special ingredients I have swimming around in my blood. Most of it is a topical defense cream a created for such emergencies.” [Y/N] lifted the neckerchief to see if she was still bleeding and seemed pleased to find it had stopped. “I did warn him that we were both just going to end up with sore heads.”

“His face melted off!” Henrique reminded her.

“Yes, that was an unexpected reaction. Perhaps humanoid saliva compounds cause a more explosive reaction than original testing. I’ll have to do some more research.”

The Queen of Poisons. A name that seemed to strike fear an those that heard it, but none knew of the true power of the doctor turned bioweapons expert for Vlad. Dino honestly didn’t know her power, until this moment. “Are you truly alright? You don’t feel….”

“Enthralled?” She finished for him. “No. My thoughts feel quite my own. Typically, when the host dies, the link with the thrall is severed. He didn’t have time to give me any commands, so I guess we’ll never know. Although I suppose the theory is moot since he won’t be giving any orders, at all, ever.” The toe of her shoe poked at the whitened skull, which nodded in agreement of her hypothesis.

She could keep her theories. Dino was just glad that she was ok. “We should still get you to a doctor. Get you checked out.”

“I am a doctor.” [Y/N] insisted with a pout. But, she eventually saw reason and followed. Muttering about how doctors made the worst patients.

As the group filed out of the crime scene, leaving it to the police to section and clean up, Dino hung back to call out to Dali. “Dali,” the other man stopped and looked back towards him, “if I ever said anything unkind or cold to you after Frida’s death. I—“No need to apologize.”

Dali just offered Dino a smile, like he always did. “You don’t know what it’s like until you have lived it. You couldn’t possibly have known.” He placed his hand on his friend’s shoulder. “Let’s just be grateful that your story ended better than mine. Come, let’s get out of here.”

Dino nodded silently in agreement and followed after the rest to leave. He felt his heart still hammering in his chest, thinking on the what ifs. Dino wasn’t usually one to speculate but it seemed his mind was unwilling to let it go. What if his story had ended up like Dali’s without her ever knowing how he felt? If the roles had been reversed and he was unable to tell her while under another’s spell?

He would have to rectify this immediately, or at least very soon. Dino wasn’t usually one to speculate and he also wasn’t on to leave to chance. He would have to tell her. Perhaps tonight.

[revserrayyu]

2.6 Penacony thoughts [part 3]

**Spoiler warning** for the very last bit of the story, starting with the party setup and everything that follows after. Of course don’t read further you haven’t finished the story for yourself because I wouldn’t like the ruin the experience for you.

I always love how self aware the game is. I personally can’t remember why he would be here right now but his tendency of using movie terms so passionately at every chance he gets is endearing to me for some reason, so I’ll let his sudden appearance slide just because I enjoy having him around.

Boothil calling Robin “singing queen” is something I didn’t know I needed until it was said and done, like shut up that’s adorable.

Him opening up about his past in an attempt to calm her down before the performance.. y’all, this pair was cute to me before but this whole patch has sold me on them.

Reca literally calling people npcs but at least he says they can still hold value and the power to influence others. I think life can be thought of this way too, like other people obviously can’t be you, they may not even be part of your supporting cast of characters, but they’re still human and should at least be treated with kindness because who knows how they may or may not affect your life.

Robin mentions Sunday once and all I can imagine is him still chained up to that chair Jade found him in. Really looking forward to seeing how our holy man manages to return in 2.7. I’m still placing my own hopes on him accepting Jade’s deal but we shall see. If so, I’m curious to learn what the consequence will be and how people’s opinions of Jade might change. I wonder, if she saves your beloved Sunday, would y’all still dislike her? I’m already so fond of her so naturally I’d love to give her more praise if such a scenario does happen.

But Robin has seemed so downcast ever since that final battle. Poor girl. She really has been doing so much on her own since Sunday got locked up. You don’t have to do everything by yourself sweetie! So many people are willing to help!

Ma’am you're so pretty. DJ queen is truly a bright and beautiful sight to behold! I’m glad she’s able to smile so big after all the chaos Penacony experienced recently.

And then we have our lovable cowboy sitting off to the side enjoying the show.. until some random npcs come over and drag him to the dance floor so he can really sway to the beat.

As much as I love seeing the Trailblazer wield different weapons in cutscenes, I really wish we pulled out the bat or lance for this one. Seeing us hold out the hat while Dan Heng wields Cloud-piercer and Rappa with her giant shuriken just makes us look a bit silly.

I did like how Reol’s song from Rappa’s trailer played in game during that whole section where all we did was spam Rappa’s technique and chase down Profnana. I hope Hoyo continues to include trailer songs more in the actual story in the future, like how they included a calmer version of Monodrama during the 2.3 Sparkle bomb hunt scene.

All that nonsense with the monkeys is happening and March is over here just living her best life at the concert. I suppose that’s fair. She was hard at work during our recent trip back to the Xianzhou with her training arc, fight against Hoolay and calming down a raging Feixiao, so now it’s our turn to endure all the craziness.

Never in my life would I have imagined seeing Boothill in the spotlight during one of Robin’s shows and yet here we are.

He’s such a fun, entertaining character.. I guess if he can moonwalk during his own trailer, he’s perfectly capable of tap dancing and busting out some silly moves like this.

Behold! A literal definition of crashing into a party.

At least we provided Dan Heng with a soft landing? Seems we’re totally fine with it too if the rock n roll hand signs are anything to go by.

Rappa naturally makes a much calmer landing, until one of her spray can bonks her on the head again. Still a fine ending to a successful mission.

Damn dude, what else has the IPC done to you?

I’m actually not too surprised to see Rappa act this way? like she doesn’t seem the type of person to be completely hung up on getting revenger over someone else who wronged her. She’ll still feel hatred towards them, sure, but she’s able to put all those emotions aside and focus on other things if she wants to, like that whole band side quest that recently started.

I dunno, I still think attending university in a dream is such a wild concept. Penacony is truly a bizarre place.

Oohh boy. Safe to say we’ll be seeing these two again in the future, yeah?

Well, that’s all for now. I did finish the whole band side quest that had all the rhythm games last night and it was fine. Far less Serval than I had originally expected with how the 2.6 livestream introduced the event though, but at least she was there for a fleeting moment.

[starlightshadowsworld]

Im watching Animeirl’s guess the week video where they ask a bunch of anime related questions to figure out who in this group isn’t an anime fan.

And I thought it’d be fun to write my answers to the questions.

What anime/manga power would you like to have?

Finral’s spacial magic from Black Clover. Make myself little portals here and there to travel through. It’d be pretty useful especially considering I may have fucked up my knee.

If you had to daily wear one characters costumes what would it be?

Probably the hardest one because man do I not want to wear a school uniform for the rest of my life.

I’d say Elizabeth Midford from Black Butler. Specifically her outfit from Book of Atlantic I love that dress and shows. And she kicks ass in it so it’s a win.

If you had to pick one character to bring to a deserted island for a year, who would it be?

Kunikida from Bungou stray dogs. That man is prepared for anything and probably has a plan for this in his notebook.

And most of the supplies we’d need I think he’d be able to make in his notebook. I think he’d be good company and end can both trade stories.

Name a favourite anime fight scene.

Mereoleona Vermillion vs Rhaya from Black Clover. One of the hypest fights I’ve ever witnessed. He thinks he can win automatically because he has copy magic and Mereoleona just smirks and says bet.

Name a side character who deserves their own spin off show.

Mitsuya Takahashi from Tokyo Revengers. Specifically set after Toman broke up.

Mitsuya went from captain of a gang division to successful fashion designer. All the while carrying the broken dreams of the friends he lost. Not to mention he’s one of the few founding members of Toman left and I’d absolutely watch a show about him.

What is your favourite character nickname?

The moniker given to Bsd Beast’s Atsushi Nakajima, The White Reaper.

Do you have any anime complaints?

I’m only saying one and keeping it brief. I hate when I’m watching a show and there’s incredible and compelling female characters. And they lose that strength to chase after the main character.

So capable and strong but oh they’ve joined the good guys or became the love interest so now they can’t do shit. I’m aware it’s not just an anime thing but it definitely happens.

Looking at you, various Yugioh spin offs.

If you had to fight an anime character and go all out, who are you fighting?

Fyodor Dostoyevsky from Bungou Stray Dogs. I’d probably lose because he’d have some plan but until that kicks in, ima kick his ass. I don’t need to survive this or kill him I just wanna ruin his day.

Sub vs Dub?

I usually watch stuff in sub because of how much dubs can leave out, especially if I’m watching something where the details are important.

But I’m not really bothered, I’ve watched shows in dub and others in sub. I’ll just pick whichever I feel like. If I’ve seen a clip of it I’ll usually just pick if that clips in sub or dub.

And depending on how…obsessed I am I might watch it in both.

Do you have a favourite anime weapon?

Admittedly I don’t know of many weapons in anime and while it does piss me off, it’s objectively cool.

And that’s the divine blade ‘in the presence of the rain’ aka Amenogozen from Bungou stray dogs. It’s a literal space time sword and I have to respect that.

[uriekukistan]

mutsurie…… and my boy aura……..

for mutsurie :3

when i started shipping it: literally on my first watch during the auction…it makes so much sense idk

my thoughts: when the two emotionally damaged characters who dont trust anyone enough to get close to them trust each other enough to get close 😖 also the fact that urie recognized that mutsuki was afab during the auction and he literally never said anything about it he was just kinda “oh okay” and never treated mutsuki any differently…it’s interesting because mutsuki really idolized sasaki for that same thing but never realized urie did the same thing for him…idk much to think about with that one

what makes me happy about them: see past comment, also they both care for each other unconditionally and i think they both need that because they both kinda care for themselves conditionally if that makes sense.

what makes me sad about them: okay maybe im too angsty rn but i dont think they have a happy ending together, or at least not for a while. like i said, they care for each other unconditionally but care for themselves conditionally, and i think before they can truly be happy together they need time apart to care for themselves…

things done in fanfic that annoys me: when they make mutsuki super emotionally and physically weak so he relies on big strong man in control of his emotions urie to put him back together…like it sometimes feels like its putting mutsuki in this traditionally feminine damsel in distress position and thats kinda ehhhh…also bold of you to assume urie is in control of his emotions or that mutsuki isnt strong or capable.

things i look for in a fanfic: im starving for content so the bar is pretty low….good spelling and grammar is nice :D

who i’d be comfortable with them ending up with, if not each other: i think they’d be better alone if not together…i’ve seem mutsaura floating around recently and while im intrigued i do think it has toxic potential which is interesting to read and think about, but i just want them to be happy 😞 healthy relationships only for my pookies

my happily ever after: they take some time apart like at the end of re where mutsuki is not even in tokyo and they learn their own value as individuals (ideally separate from their jobs) and then they reconnect after that…not that i’m saying you “have to love yourself to love someone else” and i dont think in their time apart they wouldnt still love each other, i just want them to have a happy healthy relationship 😞

who is the big spoon/little spoon: at the beginning urie is definitely big spoon and mutsuki is little spoon, but when they get more comfortable, they switch around sometimes. i think urie really likes being the little spoon…not that he would admit it

what is their favorite non-sexual activity: parallel play, like just comfortable silence and mutsuki’s reading while urie’s painting or something

tbh i dont think that much abt aura so i’ll try my best 😭🙏

how i feel about this character: i like how much i…don’t like him if that makes sense? his decisions irritate me but also they are indicative of how complex he is. interesting guy.

all the people i ship romantically with this character: as aforementioned i have seen mutsaura floating around and i have definitely found it intriguing…may i also propose him with higemaru? they kinda give that opposites black cat golden retriever couple vibe idk maybe im crazy

my non-romantic otp for this character: from the scene where he and mutsuki are trying to intercept touka and miza from extracting kaneki from the dragon, i really liked his interactions with higemaru and hsiao so i like the idea of them as like a besties group idk

my unpopular opinion about this character: im not sure i have one? idk

one thing i wish would happen/had happened with this character in canon: for him to get closure from his aunt that she was okay with working with the ghouls for peace. i know he was told about it by…hsiao i think maybe it was higemaru, but it would have been nice to see him hear it from his aunt. i think he kinda needed it.

my otp: i dont think i really have one 😞

my crossover ship: again i dont really have one, but i can definitely draw parallels between him and geto from jjk…in that they both were so bothered by some tragedy that they both started to walk a very dark path. the difference being that aura’s friends were there to turn him around and (idk if you have or are planning to watch/read jjk but spoiler warning for s2 ep1-6 and jjk0) geto’s friends trusted him so much that when he said he was okay, they believed him and yeah…cutting myself off before i get too far

^could also be the long dark hair and emo vibes that makes me associate aura with geto

a headcanon fact: aura the type of guy to give scary vibes but talk to stray cats in a baby voice on the street…you see a scary man in the alley and you’re about to run away but then you hear “who’s a good kitty? you are! yes you are aweee what a cute baby” that’s him

[question-why-not]

i really hate how the DC writers and some fans are so obsessed with “which batfamily can beat which” and with just seeing “cool fight scenes” and stuff

This awful obsession keeps taking precedence over and destroying any semblance of actual good creative stories

Jason Todd is probably one of the most common victim of this BS, see RHATO 25 and all of those stupid fights between Jason & the batfamily in Task Force Z, the writers making the characters fight in situations they absolutely don’t have to, at least not without trying to talk it out first (there was absolutely no reason for Jason & the batfamily not to communicate about what’s going on with the task force, it was literally only engineered to be a total failure of communications to have a batfamily VS Jason fight that looks cool)

i don’t actually read a lot of comics, i read task force z just to get context on that panel where Cassandra spooks Jason, but i’m sure other people here can tell examples where it happens to other characters too, but i do think Jason is a more common victim of this simply due to DC not having any real direction to take his character to because they won’t let go of the Joker, and even without that simply because they won’t let go of the conflict between Jason & Bruce, because “if it’s not broken don’t fix it” and these people are concerned with making money not with telling a compelling story

Also, like, fighting isn’t all the members of the batfamily can do????? They have a wider skillet than that, with each of them also having their own unique specialization??????

Dick is one of the best acrobats in the world, and extremely capable & experienced vigilante, he’s the oldest of the batkids and has the most experience as a result, and he’s also a leader in the vigilante community

Barbara is Oracle, a legendary hacker and leader+coordinator of multiple superhero teams, top notch computer skills second to none as well as multitasking and crisis management

Jason is a master tactician, he can toy with people and factions in extremely long term plans to achieve the results he wants

Tim is the shoe-in to being the world’s greatest detective, he’s a very capable vigilante overall, and his computer skills are top notch, not that far behind Barbara

i don’t know if Stephanie is considered “the best” of any batfamily skill in particular, i suspect this may be due to writers’ sexism treating her more like an emotional support character to others rather than as her own character most of the time, i don’t actually read the comics that much and my information is what i decided should be canon based on what i learned from the fandom and in my opinion makes for the most compelling story, please do tell me if Steph has been written to be exceptional even in the batfamily in any particular skill, she deserves to be

Cassandra is the world’s best combatant, hands down, she stopped and restarted a man’s heart to make a point using just a palm strike, in a front-on battle she can literally take anyone down before they can really perceive that she’s there, and her combat skills also happen to allow her to read people like an open book

Damian was trained by the league of assassins from birth, he’s extremely capable in everything in a similar manner to how Bruce is, his character arc is even not really about him learning how to be a badass vigilante and more about him learning how to express himself and connect with others

Duke is literally a superpowered hypergenius, i don’t think i can do justice to his abilities here so go look at his wiki page

Stop constantly making these people fight each other!!! There’s more to them than that, and it just makes for shitty stories!!!!

[doublethetheories]

Miraculous LB/CN Movie: Multiverse Notes

Based on the movie having differences in not only plot, but worldbuilding laws set up in the show, I’d like to propose the perspective that the movie is in a different universe than ours (the show). This is less of a theory and more just me wanting to point out some interesting things I saw when watching with this pov. I hope you all enjoy!

Canon Events

Using the logic from Spiderman: Across The Spiderverse, we can gather that multiversal laws have canon events for every version of a like character. Ladybug And Cat Noir presented a few of those when compared to Miraculous Ladybug. Let’s talk about them.

Alya:

She is meant to be the first person to document the new Holders’ first battle. It’s a shaping moment for her (and sometimes Marinette too, though it isn’t a canon event for LB). 

Marinette:

Obviously it’s becoming the miraculous holder, but quickly after, she has a more notable canon event: rejecting the miraculous. I saw this as a canon event because its sameness made me realise how significant to her this decision, and then the decision to rejoin the fight, is for her growth. Realising she is capable is huge for her.

Adrien:

Losing his mom. This may seem obvious, and it is, but I want to discuss how it affects him differently in this universe in the next section. (Other than the upcoming notes though, this obviously is what shapes his relationship with his father, and it’s also a CE for Gabriel as well, launching him into his next arc.)

Differences (and significance)

Aside: Okay so first let’s address the butterfly in the room: changes in the moth miraculous. I’ve been seeing a lot of people on twitter discuss how it was presented as evil/chaotic by a default in this movie, and when I watched sadly I agree. This falls under the “changes to the world laws” umbrella I mentioned earlier, and it didn’t worsen the story, but I also feel like it could’ve been better used as an opportunity to show how the power isn’t bad and it’s the holder’s responsibility to use it for good. I feel that would have been a better lesson. Anyway, back to theory.

The biggest difference I noticed was in a specific scene with Adrien and Gabriel, where Adrien talks back and even shouts at his father, and it really caught me by surprise. But then I realised why.

Adrien in this universe isn’t a sentimonster.

It’s not a canon event, it’s one of the things which makes him different than ours. Here, he’s able to go through the teenage angst that comes with his age and with losing a mom (and having that as your dad). 

Lastly, I’d like to point out other differences in the world, broken into two categories for ease of reader 😌

Character Differences:

Nino never had a crush on marinette (that we know of), and it seems like he did on Alya :)

Marinette isn’t blubbering-nervous, she’s quiet/shy-nervous around Adrien (an improvement, I think we all agree)

Kwami’s personalities ! (explored more in World Law Differences)

Gabriel both A) did more damage as a villain while B) caring more as a father, both of which were equally jarring

if you’re confused about A, the mime literally pulled out a(n invisible) gun multiple times o.o

World Law Differences: (mentioned earlier)

Holders’ Powers: To my knowledge, the Holders don’t have a time limit after using their powers

Furthering that point, and this may be debated, but I don’t think their powers work the way we’re used to.

We never see any holder use their trigger word, and it doesn’t seem to be a one-time or limited thing, it’s contraints are just the Holder’s willpower and physical endurance for what they’re doing

Other miraculous might not exist, it might just be the main 7 (fox, bee, moth, turtle, peafowl, and ladybug/chat noir)

This is implied by the intro sequence, and also I thought I noticed the miracle box being shorted in my watch through, though that might be just me

Kwamis are able to be physically present while Holders are transformed (doesn’t affect much but I found it interesting)

They also acted wiser, Tikki and Nooroo having moments of sober seriousness that was wildly different than what we’re used to.

except for uh...

Plagg.

no comment.

Guardians of The Miraculous might have powers of their own which we just didn’t have time to explore. (This could’ve also just been the creators wanting him to be mysterious with no intended lore implications)

Implied chaos around the Moth Miraculous (this is mostly just in the intro though, the rest of the movie it’s Gabriel who’s responsible for the bad stuff rather than it being inherent)

There is still something to say here about power corrupting, we don’t know how much of it was him or the miraculous, and that does bug me :/

Power ups likely don’t exist in this world too, given what I mentioned about the power-constraints being different; The holders likely are able to handle extreme circumstances naturally when transformed, and if they can’t (like the lava scene) that’s because it is too much for them.

Contacting holders was significantly easier here since they were able to receive (vague) notice while detransformed; I liked that :)

That’s all!

Let me know if there’s anything I missed that I should discuss! As always, the ask box is open and I love reading comments and discussing things with y’all :))

Thank you for reading!

[fightingthetides]

'small things' (for Yamamoto)

[Original] ||Accepting|| @squaletta From a meme tag in my other blog

Readmore because it got long (~2k) because I went with actual canon scenes.

For Yamamoto, it wasn’t very accurate to say that he’d think any memories he had with others were insignificant, as he simply treasured any moment he spent with his friends and family. What could be said was that there were some memories that became something like a ‘core memory’ for one reason or another. Just a memory that he falls back to every once in a while to remember how things began.

Speaking of that, of course the most important memory is how he’d first met Squaletta. Initially, it was just a regular day out with the guys, in the shopping district. Okay, maybe it wasn’t so average, considering they skipped school that Sunday to hang out with friends instead. It was just prep day, so it’s no big deal. Basil came crashing in (literally) into Tsuna and there she was, Squaletta.

He can remember the chaos in the moment with people screaming and debris flying everywhere as she was causing a fuss with her attacks. Honestly, Basil was quite the guy to have gotten that far with Squaletta hot on his tail. He may have lost the rings in the end, but the fact that he managed to keep his life was impressive enough.

Gokudera and Yamamoto teamed up together when Squaletta approached Tsuna, asking about the relation she had with Basil. Maybe for Gokudera it was mostly his sense of duty for protecting his ‘boss,’ but at the time Yamamoto had moved because of his sense of camaraderie. He viewed Tsuna as a respectable friend. He didn’t have an instilled sense of her being his ‘boss’ or anything yet. The mafia business just felt like… yeah, a game.

Don’t get him wrong, games were important to him. He took each game very seriously, but a game of mafia was secondary to the wellbeing of his friends, that’s where he and Gokudera mostly differed.

Just when he felt concerned for Tsuna, he felt his bat at his side, like some trusty sidekick that could be summoned at will. Funny, right? Even if he’d seen first hand how capable Squaletta was (the destruction in her wake was telling enough, after all), he wasn’t a true swordsman by any means. He had an instinctual aversion to hurting someone with the blade.

He didn’t have the guts to seriously hurt, much less kill someone with the blade. He didn’t think about it at the moment, but there was a part of him that held back because Squaletta was a woman. What if he could overpower her and hurt her?

A stupid and conceited thought to have considering that Squaletta defeated Gokudera and him without breaking a sweat. He can still remember the rebuke they both got from Reborn after everything was finished with Dino’s intervention:

“At the level you’re fighting at right now, you’ll be nothing but a bother. You two can go home.”

“Especially you, don’t think yourself so highly and accomplished to think you can look down on a swordswoman for something so arbitrary like her gender. That woman is a master at her craft and should be respected as such.”

Man, the kiddo always knows how to knock some sense into you with some harsh words, but he needed to hear it! After being defeated so one-sidedly, it ignited a spark of competition and vengeance that he didn’t know was possible for him if the subject wasn’t baseball.

If this woman was a master at her craft, then the only way for him to get his revenge match would be to study a craft himself, and he knew just who to talk to. The Asari dojo was finally going to welcome him within her walls as a student even though he’d rejected her for years in lieu of baseball.

(ref: ch. 82-84)

-

“We are the Cervello Organization, a branch of the Millefiore. No more and no less.” Weird how these women look the same as the ones that oversaw the Ring battles between Vongola 10 and the Varia. Yamamoto vaguely recalls at the time wondering if they were all clones or something.

“The Cervello… of the Millefiore?” “Screw this! Whoever you are, you’re blatantly on the enemies side!”

Leave it to Gokudera to start firing off verbally. The one who is brave enough to speak his mind where others may hesitate or not be able to see the issue regarding bias.

“Oh, no, they will judge fairly. It’s their specialty. Indeed, surely it is you who are not following the rules of fair play?”

It was Kikyo who spoke next to build off Byakuran’s statement, “I feel obliged to congratulate the individual in question for her impressive ability to conceal 99.99% of her bloodthirsty presence… but faint though it may be, I can still sense the remaining .001% there is somebody hidden in that base unit of yours.”

That’s when Squaletta emerged from the base. She had hidden herself in there so well that none of the others had noticed her there. “The heck! So you showed up!” Yamamoto smiles at the discovery.

Varia-quality indeed, being able to hide 99.99% of her bloodthirsty presence. Though, that Kikyo guy was also impressive to even pick up on that.

“Don’t get me wrong, ya piece of trash! I just snuck in in the hope of causing a bit of madness and mayhem.”

“Hahaha”

That’s what he can expect from her. Secretly, he’d been pretty disappointed that she couldn’t be around to witness the battle. She’d spent her time training him so that he’d be ready for battle and it was a shame that she couldn’t watch over him—but here she is!

“The thing holding you back is the fact you’ve never fully embraced the sword.” “Never fully embraced the sword?” “The you I knew in this era was the same way.” The two were camping out in the woods to train in seclusion. The fish that Squaletta had caught while on the fishing boat was being grilled over an open fire. Yamamoto felt that it was almost like having a camping trip, but he kept those thoughts to himself. “It always pissed me off… but I accepted it as part of who you were.” “What…what are you talking about?” Yamamoto did have a hunch as to what she was talking about, but it was a difficult topic for him and he almost wanted to avoid it. Would he be able to discard baseball forever in order to focus on the blade, or would he choose to remain focused on both, not giving either one his full attention and efforts? Of course, giving up on the blade wasn’t an option. “If you really want to become strong, there’s just one thing you have to do! Baseball or the blade. You have to choose one.” The gravity of her tone was too much for Yamamoto to dismiss it easily with a laugh, his usual go to knee-jerk response. He’s silent before he cracks a small joke when the awkward air hung too heavy on his shoulders. “What are you, my career counselor?” “I know you have the talent to handle both at once! But the blade isn’t something you ‘handle,’ it’s something you stake everything on!” Squaletta hopped onto her feet to scream these words at him. Yamamoto goes silent again, watching her from past the fire. Slowly, a smile shows up on his face, “Then the answer’s obvious. I’ll devote myself to the blade.” He grabs his blade that was sitting beside him and holds it close to him. “You know, when I fought Genkishi, I felt confident that I could win… that I’d take him down, and we’d all go back home to the past…” he remembers the pain of running full force into a wall, damaging his skull. The memory causes him to wince, “But the difference in power was just crazy, he slaughtered me. As my consciousness faded away, I found myself overcome with regret… that I hadn’t taken the blade seriously enough that I’d brought shame upon the name of my Old man’s Shigure Souenryuu… and most of all... that I hadn’t done the best I possibly could for the sake of my pals.” It wasn’t often, but Yamamoto was opening up about the thoughts he always kept hidden deep inside. He usually opted to keep his thoughts to himself, and wallow in his thoughts when alone, but he felt that perhaps Squaletta would understand him, or at least understand the feelings of regret he had at the time. Perhaps that’s why she went silent and listened to him speak. “I don’t ever want to feel that way again. But you know what, It’s strange-“ he lays down against the log that he was sitting on earlier. “Now that I’ve decided to focus on the blade alone, suddenly it’s like a huge weight’s fallen off my shoulders.” “So you were letting that get to you, huh…” That was her sole comment for him. “Still, it’s kind of sad… forgetting all about baseball, even if it’s just for a while.” He smiles, knowing that she was going to scream at him the moment she registers that Yamamoto was going to focus on the blade solely for a temporary moment. “OI!!!”

Looks like she’ll get to see the fruits of their training after all.

(ref: ch. 243 & 246)

-

Yamamoto was awake, staring up at the ceiling. He was alive, well… if you can call it that. He kept fading in and out of consciousness. He’d lost a lot of blood and the shock of being betrayed by a friend was something he needed to wrap his mind around.

Whenever his mind was awake, it wasn’t for long, with how much drugs were in his system at the moment. The doctors did everything that they could in order to keep him alive. His condition was severe, and the doctors were sure that there was a higher chance that he’d never be able to walk again.

He could only hear bits and pieces of what was going on around him, but he wasn’t sure what parts actually happened, and what may have been caused by the delirium of all the drugs and adrenaline in his body.

Maybe some of what he ‘remembered then’ was a figment of his imagination.

He can remember feeling the presence of his father being by his bedside, his hand shaking with nervousness. They’d already lost his mother, and his Old man wouldn’t be able to handle losing him as well. If nothing else, he had to pull through for his Old man.

He had a few visitors who came by to visit and drop by small get-well gifts.

It may have been a fever dream, but he can remember his father reading off a message Yamamoto received. He couldn’t understand it at the time, but he later found out from the others that Chrome was tasked with making an illusionary version of him to take his place during some ceremony. He wished he could’ve been there for Tsuna and the rest of them—but… what can you do when you were fighting for your life?

Not sure how much of a life he could’ve had if his prospects was that he wouldn’t be able to walk. He’d have to effectively lose both his dreams of playing baseball and being a swordsman forever.

Apparently, Dino and Squaletta had both noticed the fake instantly and asked for details. Squaletta had sent a message off during the ceremony that he’d better work hard to recover. Someone of his caliber shouldn’t listen to some lame doctor who says there’s a ‘good chance’ he’ll never walk again. Unless his legs are chopped off, he better find a way to make them move or she’ll render his useless herself.

Harsh words, but so like her.

At least, that’s what he THINKS he remembers.

Luckily, someone came by to heal him back to new, so he could rush off to go be with his friends. He also wanted to clear the air with his misguided buddy.

(Inspo ch.295)

[scknight05]

There are a lot of times I wish my life had taken a different course and I wouldn’t be where I am now. It feels like it’s mostly bad, but there are some good things scattered through there. I’ve made some awesome friends that I probably wouldn’t have made if things haven’t gone the way they have the last 10 years or so. But that still doesn’t mean I don’t feel like a complete failure. Or having to deal with feelings like I’m feeling right now.

Long story short: I started watching 9-1-1 Lonestar. I’ve only made it through the second episode. Decided to take advantage of my parents being away to have some me time (since my computer and TV are in the living room because my room A) doesn’t have the space B) isn’t capable of handling those items due to the age of the place we live) and fired up Hulu on my TV. About 10 minutes or so from the end of the second episode, they come back. My mom is amazing. I love her to death and she’s the main reason I’ve made a lot of the choices, good or bad (but not blaming her for the bad ones, those are on me), that have led me to where I am. My dad on the other hand.. well that’s another story that I may save for if I ever decide to try to go to therapy or something.

Anyway.. around the time they get back, it’s gets to a scene where TK shows up to Carlos’ house and they start kissing. As I’m sitting at my computer, my father is in his chair, which is literally on the opposite side of my computer monitors and I hear “Queers. Bunch of queers”

And I kinda snapped. Not throwing anything but believe me I wanted to. I just very loudly said “Excuse me?” And he didn’t reply but I didn’t leave it alone. I kept going “You wanna run that back by me again?”

Mom was in the kitchen and heard and asked what was wrong. And I very loudly said “The old redneck apparently has a problem that two of the main characters are gay and are kissing.”

And now he’s in another one of his manchild moods where he’s not talking. Or at least not talking to me, but he’ll end up saying something to my mom and then find someway to complain about me not respecting him. So he’s doing what he does best. He’s gone to his bedroom and is lying down, either trying to go to sleep or pretending to be asleep.

I know I would probably be a completely different person than I am right now had certain things in my life differently years ago, but damn sometimes do I wish that they did. I don’t know.. maybe this is just another bump in the road to trying to figure out my life.. But I hope I get some clear and concise directions soon. I’ll be 37 this year and feel like I’m a complete waste of space and an absolute failure, especially when I look around and see people in their mid to late 20s that seem like they have it all: love, happiness, a carefree life… I just want a fraction of that… To feel SOMETHING other than the darkness.

[docholligay]

Ep 6: Shauna

Hello! This is about up to Episode 6 of Yellowjackets, and ONLY episode 6 of Yellowjackets. I have not seen beyond the sixth episode, at all, and know NOTHING about this show. Please do not spoil it for me.  Things that are spoilery in nature, for me, include: saying things like  “Just wait!!” confirming or denying anything I put forward, outside information about the cast interviews or creator statements, leading questions like “Do you think “blank moment” means anything?” etc. Remember  that Y’ALL HAVE SEEN THE SHOW AND I HAVE NOT. This informs the way you  talk about things relating to the show. Just be really careful is all  I’m asking. Also: If there is LITERALLY any stance I  could take on this show or character that would make you upset, please  just fucking block the tag

If you WOULD like to discuss the show and my takes on it, the Discord is right here! I don’t go there, so it’s a great place to get every emotion out.

Please thank @sailorsunspot and @moonlight-frittata for backing this odd way of doing a liveblog, and remember my tip jar is always open

Let’s hear it for Jeff. I love that we are intentionally complicating the situation, this episode may as well be called, “Intentionally complicating the situation” because at the beginning we are sold this disaffected husband who might be cheating on her (I know I already said I’m not sure I think he is, and I know am hard into the idea that he is not.) and poor Shauna is seeking something in not at all suspicious Adam. 

But now. 

Jeff is a decent guy, who loves his wife, and who stands up for her when she isn’t even capable of standing up for herself because she feels so guilty about the fact that she lived and Jackie did not that she is willing to let herself be flogged every single year on Jackie’s birthday to prove that Shauna did everything she could for Jackie. But Jeff stands up. Now Shauna doesn’t get to be the poor, understandable victim, now she is a woman who is failing as a wife to someone who is trying, and who cares about her, and who already has failed as a mother, raising a daughter who, I don’tr even give a shit about liking her, doesn’t even respect her. 

The show looks at Shauna, looks at us, and goes, “Wow, isn’t this just a little pathetic?” I am AFLAME. 

Speaking of things I have rapidly reversed course on, last episode when she said that it was Jackie’s uniform, given by her parents, I said, “Oh that is very sad and sweet and totally misguided and so unintentionally cruel” and I loved it then, but I sport of love it more now as an almost, maybe not quite, intentional act of violence. Holy shit, her parents are so angry that Shauna lived, and they are going to make her pay for it, every single year, and remind Shauna of how the one who didn’t deserve to live, did, I don’t even know that I think they KNOW that’s what they are doing, and I am SUCKING IT DOWN LIKE A HUMMINGBIRD AT THE FEEDER. 

It’s not even as if I don’t understand how this can happen. I’ve written before about how often, those who die young are canonized, and everything they would have done would have been perfect, and they were so wonderful, and they would have been like this, or remembered that. It is so easy to be wonderful when you’re dead. So much more when it was your child. But there has to come a point where you search inside yourself, and look hard, and see what you’re doing. You don’t even have to be NICE to Shauna, just say you can’t see her anymore, and that is INFINITELY kinder. 

The reason all of this works is that Shauna hates and blames herself, too. I love the scene with Jackie, and ‘Jackie’s ghost’ but Jackie’s ghost is just Shauna. The call is coming from inside the house. Which I love so much about all of this, is so much of it can be taken as, “is this happening? Yes, and also no.” (Though I do think the show is going to making a strong pitch to “actually supernatural” which manages to both delight and frustrate me at the same time. Shauna does not believe that it’s not her fault, and that is why Jackie calls her on it, and tells her she thinks it’s her fault. I like the “Why are you here?” response from Jackie. Does Shauna know? Does she know how much she hates herself, and Jackie, and how she, too, cannot let Jackie go? 

In turn, Shauna is going to take it out on Callie, by refusing her the college fund. I would, again, say that Shauna doesn’t even realize what she’s doing. Would I let someone fucking insult me like this, repeatedly, so Midge could have a free college education? I like to think so, but I don’t actually know the answer to that. I have trouble shutting up. But Shauna--It’s important to point that right before she turns down the college fund, she says, “I don’t even like my daughter” because that’s the key, and she’s talking to herself. Why is she putting up with it for someone that she doesn’t like, who treats her like shit? 

We are getting to indulge in Shauna’s selfishness here, of all the ways that she feels guilty for surviving, but instead of living a life Jackie could be proud of, she is instead submitting herself to life as the sacrificial lamb, and has herself convinced of her own martyrdom and victimhood, I think, and wow do I love it.

[theevilthatismokke]

/chapter 101 spoilers/

What an interesting chapter…!

Gotta say, I didn’t expect the new chapter to give us a Yugi twins flashback right from the start.

And, honestly, there’s quite a bit to unpack here…

First, I guess we can add clockmaker (or… tinkerer..? in this case) to the myriad of Amane’s nerdy abilities, heh. Very curious as to why HE specifically had to fix the clock before the school festival was over.

A few things to note:

a) The mysterious hand/ghost mentioned an accident, all but outright stating it had to do with the school play;

b) The Yugi shinju is heavily implied to have happened during summer, due to the twins uniforms;

c) It’s very likely that the conditions presented to Amane (so he would fix the clock) have to do with Tsukasa. Otherwise, I doubt Amane would do it.

I think it’s very probable that he felt, or knew, that they’re going to be separated again. The clock, the power to (literally and figuratively) control time, Amane could make sure that he could either fix or prevent whatever was coming to separate them again.

But Amane failed. Or he didn’t get the answers or results he wanted. Or Tsukasa decided for both of them to disappear again (like he callously tells Amane, urging him to decide whether he wants Tsukasa to stay or disappear).

After that… Amane probably decides to take drastic measures and kills his brother (so they won’t be separated again), committing suicide immediately after.

All I’m unsure about is whether the timeline. They are in their first year here. Meaning they are 12, while they died when they were 13. Sooo, there’s a gap of nearly a year, maybe, between this scene and the shinjuu. Did he kill Tsukasa during another school festival? Or was it unrelated?

Also, I know we’ll likely learn it soon, but… what the heck is the deal with the Clock Keepers?

Do they really need so much help with their clock that they constantly need to threaten teenagers with their beloved’s lives to get the work done? Are there literally no clockmakers in the After Shore? Because…

That’s genuinely hilarious. Good job, AidaIro lol

Now, onto the other stuff…

I was not expecting Wizard of Oz as the play??

Did AidaIro get interested in Lloyd Webber’s other works after the Phantom of the Opera Musical?

It’s a very interesting choice, to say the least. An adventure about a lonely and misunderstood girl who craves more from life, a story about people yearning for things they think they don’t have and could only attain through magical means- only to discover they didn’t really need such changes, as they were capable of it all along… A Wizard without any real powers, from the same world as the protagonist… Dreams and wishes… hm…

Also!! Also!!

Both Tsukasa and Nene being interested in theater!! Musicals at that!!

Small note, but, yes, The Wizard of Oz was the play that Tsukasa’s class did back in the day! It’s not just that Hanako somehow knows it after Nene recites a few lines…

But I’m pretty sure that’s “Over the Rainbow” they’re singing!! The notes match!

I’ll be expecting the Tsunene Wizard of Oz fanarts/animatics/fics. Don’t disappoint me fandom!!

Tsukasa is even singing along here!! And considering that Hanako knew the lines of the play, 50 years after, makes me think that Tsukasa may have been quite excited about the play!! Did he know all the lines?? How much did he help?? I wanna know!!

And speaking of theaters, accidents and Lloyd Webber musicals…

Is there going to be a “Phantom of the Opera” situation here? Was there one 50 years ago??

I mean, look at this auditorium:

It’s begging for something to happen!! Pleeeeeaaase, AidaIro!! I wanna see some chandeliers drop!! Get Nene the main role lol

Not to be that person, but. Nene’s class has absolutely no taste.

Look at her!! Looook at heeeer!! She’s so cute! So charming! Where you gonna get a more passionate actress, huh?!? Huh?!

Honestly, though, I love how AidaIro really hammers how Nene’s an artistic, romantic girl at heart. This is very cute too:

Awwww. Can’t wait for Hanako to drop those chandeliers and get scolded by his girlfriend again

Wasn’t expecting for Akane and Aoi to retain their firework party looks. But I guess this is it!! They’ve changed, and so do their looks! It’s a really nice, simple way to signify their character development, I love it.

Akane isn’t going to lie (to Aoi, at least) anymore, nor is he going back to pretending he doesn’t see Aoi for who she is, even her flaws, so, he’s ditched his glasses.

Aoi isn’t going to wear her mask all the time (to Akane, at least), or worry she isn’t loved by anyone (aka Akane) anymore. She can relax a bit, she has someone she doesn’t need to wear her mask of saccharine perfection for, she’s literally letting her hair down, heh.

EDIT: it has come to my attention that maybe Aoi can’t tie her hair well anymore because of her hand. And of course, she’s not ready to talk about it with Nene yet. In this case, the hair down can also signify a distraction. Just because she’s not going to wear her mask around Akane, that doesn’t mean she’ll do it for anyone else.

How lovely for them. I can’t wait to see the shenanigans that’ll make them do crazy shit for each other again!

Finally the two funniest scenes of the entire chapter (plus a comparison):

How dare…! You leave miette?? Out of fun?? Jail for daikon!! Ten thousand years jail for daikon!!

And the final scene:

Look, I’m sorry. Honestly, AidaIro do make him get across as very shady and menacing here, it’s a wonderful cliffhanger!

But…

I can only imagine Akane going “who the fuck are you” immediately after ( insert old most popular girls meme)

Like, in the very same chapter, Nene goes:

She’s forgotten!! She has Natsuhiko’s number and she’s forgotten!!

He’s shady, and he has an agenda, and he can look menacing and creepy and he’s air!!

He’s air!! (Also the probable reason he can do as likes. But still. So funny.)

Also, lol at AidaIro flexing their knowledge. Is that a warning? Should I be prepared for more Alice in Wonderland parallels/nods?

All in all, really enjoyable and cute chapter! Can’t wait for the horrors and heartbreak that await us in the future!

[dizzyonmywizzy]

looking for opinions on my goobies fanfiction idea [NSFW 18+ warning]

for those who don’t know, Goobies is a fine piece of media craft that is currently in a top-down auto-shooter game format. but lately I have been wanting to take it to the next level and explore the world provided to us in a bit more depth.

The main characters in our story are Hoozey Woozey, a big dude with a hot bod (literally has a high temperature according to the extremely brief in-game lore) and incredible fisting abilities (strong arms for punching, which even though it isn’t ‘canon’ is his primary fighting style in the story) and Spinky Winky who runs really fast and is capable of rapidly firing out goopy globs with such force that they may as well be bullets.

Other minor characters include Wiggle Woogle, who is effectively Hoozey’s pet and floats around like a a blob of liquid in zero-g. Basically no offensive capabilities. She’s just there to be cute. This is the only character who can’t speak and Dizzy Wizzy, who kinda lurches around like a drunkard and shoot blobs similar to Spinky, but at a much slower speed. Their chemical composition is such that the blobs he shoots with it combust in an explosive manner (I made that up because the game doesn’t explain why the shit he kills explodes)

I also am trying find a way to work Bingus Bongus into the story, but I don’t really know how to fit what’s basically a single big dump-truck ass that primarily attacks by bouncing dat ass around into the story. It’s just a pretty overpowered fighting style, so I wouldn’t know how to make Bingus die with Dizzy Wizzy (whoops spoilers)

Alright, now we get into the actual story bits. It’s just a framework so you all will have to excuse the messiness of the details.

All of our characters live on the same island, which is about to be swarmed with an invasive species of black blobs. No it is not a racial allegory. Take it up with the Goobies developers if you see it that way, you damn racist. Anyway, these guys range from little blobs, to big blobs, to amongus-shaped blobs, to spidery blobs, blobs that are suicide bombers, and boss blobs that we can get to later… basically it’s a whole lot of blobs.

I’m not particularly attached to the characters’ genders. The choices will make more sense once you read the NSFW ending but these guys are blobs, they really don’t even need to be gendered. They don’t even need to be capable of contorting their bodies to have genitals.

Anyway, here’s how the story starts. Hoozey is out with his pet, Wiggle, and just so happens to encounter Spinky while he’s out. I guess they’re just doing their own things. Details are still a work in progress, like I said. They feel like something is off with the amount of aggressive black blobs that they’ve been seeing around lately, and lo and behold they start bouncing out of the ocean en masse.

It’s mostly the weak bitches, and their numbers are nothing to really write home about until a bunch of blobs walking on four legs show up along with this octopus looking motherfucker shows up. I should mention that none of the normal enemies are really any bigger than the main characters. The spider blobs are about the same size as them, as is the octo-blob. It’s at this point the characters realize a serious issue might be arising, and they agree to have the speedy Spinky take Wiggle to safety and call for help from their other friends.

So Hoozey is left on his own to fight the big fuckers and I’m going to make this a cool fight scene. Lots of gory blob action. In game the octopus blob is a mini-boss, and it has this thing it does where it starts sucking you in towards it. All I know for sure is I want it to do this to Hoozey while he’s struggling to hang on to a tree or some shit and eventually let go, using the socking to give himself tons of momentum and fucking slam the octopus into a big mess.

Now comes a boss, Amam, who’s pissed that so many blobs are dying (and is capable of speaking). Amam is a big fucker with epic hair that ass-crashes into the ground to launch projectiles in all directions, and can focus energy into big explosive projectiles.

Hoozey’s kinda getting butt-fucked, but then Spinky shows up with their friend(s). This is where Dizzy Wizzy comes in, and optionally Bingus if you want.

They do some epic shit, killing tons of little minion blobs, spider blobs, and figuring out Hoozey can throw little blobs at Amam for Dizzy to shoot so they explode like grenades. Hoozey does some epic shit where, to finish Amam off, he climbs up on Amam’s face, increases his body temperature (he can control it when he gets really mad) and singes Amam’s eyes out with his burning hot hands while the other characters shoot the shit out of it. Amam explodes into a huge gory (for blobs) mess and the characters convene to have some-post battle dialogue.

Dizzy reveals he sent Wiggle to hide safely in a mountain cave. It’s important to include that they need to go back and get Wiggle or she’s gonna fucking die in there. I don’t want any loose ends by the end of the story like “WHAT HAPPENED TO WIGGLE IS SHE OKAY.” If they die, Wiggle will die.

But the calm doesn’t last long. The sea is dark and churning, and it’s because there’s a massive fucking swarm of blobs, big and small, with a horde of amoguses running headlong at them. They have no choice but to run away and Dizzy is so dumb and slow that he gets totally consumed. The blobs get killed by absorbing things into their bodies, so he’s like getting absorbed by dozens of blobs and screaming horribly. It’s awful.

And here’s where the endings come in. I’m not sure which I want to use yet.

The “canon” and clean ending is this: They run to a mountain at the center of the island, blob army hot at their heels, and eventually get surrounded and die, crying out to each other as they get consumed. It’s an epic and emotional last stand where they fight even though they’re getting fucking annihilated. It’s the bad ending, and is canon cus you literally cannot win in the game. You play until you get overrun and die.

The good ending is as follows.

To escape the horrifying horde, they climb up a very steep cliff face until they can’t anymore and look out over the seemingly endless horde of blobs, still coming out of the ocean yet covering every inch of land on the island. Hoozey and Spinky are scared and know that they have no way out and perhaps an hour at most, as the blobs are climbing on each other World War Z style to try and get up to them. They could fight back, but defeat is inevitable. They confess their love for each other and fornicate. I envision Hoozey using his big strong arms to hold Spinky while he… does the thing, but as an amogus it’s not like Spinky has love handles or anything. Idk.

Now I will tell you that this is an impreg scene. Spinky needs to bear Hoozey’s child. As blobs, they have a very rapid gestation period and Spinky will spawn the child in like 5 minutes mitosis style. All of Hoozey’s - gum? Congeals into a blob inside of Spinky that grows very rapidly, splits off, and continues growing into a blobg that is built like Hoozey, but huge and with super long limbs.

They’re very surprised by the fact that this happened. I guess Spinky didn’t know she was ovulat—globulating? I dunno. They were just banging to enjoy their last minutes but it’s actually gonna save them.

Also the child retains both of their memories and is fully matured in like 5 minutes, ready for battle. Blob biology.

The child does some epic shit where it grabs blobs, now coming over the cliff face and pops them like grapes. Then starts throwing them in bunches into the crowd where they explode epicly, killing thousands. He’s like the beast titan if the beast titan could make everything he threw explode.

Together they dive into the crowd, believing that victory is possible and that they can save their island.

Cliffhanger ending. Do they win? I don’t know, reader, that’s for you to decide.

I am the greatest author of all time. Everyone else can eat shit. I literally made blobs fucking an essential plot point.

Anyway, thoughts ?

[canichangemyblogname]

I think this is a critical addition.

I didn’t start watching until season 7 aired, but I didn’t watch season 7 right away or first thing. I started from season 1, and I ultimately started because my grandfather watches the show. I think this has impacted how I interpret the rest of the show.

I started watching season 1 in March of this year, and I think that has had *the* biggest effect on the way I see this show and interpret the characters. Buddie literally wasn’t a thing where I started. Buck had to go through CRITICAL character growth in season 1, and yet I’d been advised (by fandom) as a newer viewer to just skip that season. I’m glad I ignored that advice, because otherwise I would have missed critical early context and arcs for Chim, Hen, Buck, and Bobby.

If you never saw season 1, and instead skipped directly to season 2, you will have a very different viewer experience. You will end up reading certain scenes and interactions and arcs very differently, especially regarding Buck.

I think the real division in viewing experience may be between fans who watched season 1 vs fans who skipped directly to season 2 (for buddie).

Some of the dumbest discourse around Buck’s bisexuality and approach to relationships 7 seasons in can possibly be explained by this as well. There are a lot of fans out there who did not watch the season that started Buck on his journey to reform his approach to relationships and why. Even if they know what happened, they still didn’t see how Buck was immature, irresponsible, and reckless. Stealing a fire truck to hook up with a former patient is a breach of several conduct rules, not to mention likely illegal. It wasn’t just about Buck growing up, but him learning to take the initiative to make things right with others; make things better for himself. They continue this lesson into season 2 with the advice “You don’t find happiness; you make it.” He desperately wanted to reapproach how he did relationships— romantic and platonic— in favor of creating relationships with more emotional weight, balanced give and take, defined boundaries, better communication, and more support. For seven seasons, he has been working on this, learning something new with every bump in the road with friends and every time a romantic partnership doesn’t pan out. But if you didn’t watch season 1, you missed this moment where Buck’s character pivots, leading to takes like, “Buck should sleep around to explore his bisexuality” or “Buck doesn’t know what he wants from a long-term romantic partnership” or “Buck hasn’t learned anything about relationships.”

I also think it explains why there is one set of viewers who see scenes like 02x01’s Whatta Man as a punk-ass kid on thin ice for bad behavior seeing the new guy as a threat to his status and position vs buddie confirmation. Those fans who saw season 1 are maybe more likely to know why Buck feels replaceable and insecure in that moment, and why he feels Eddie’s competency and ability would threaten his status and position, as they’d know that Buck is on a probationary period of his own after having been fired the previous season for bad behavior and countless mistakes on the job. Buck saw a man who was just as physically capable as him, but possibly more competent and who hadn’t disappointed Bobby and thought, “Oh, he has to go.” The tension resolves when Buck realizes that they’re equally matched and the 118 works better as a team. It also ends when Buck lets go of his ego, accepting things like him not being the 118’s calendar boy “anymore.” (I say anymore because if you watched season 1, you’d know that Buck went “viral” of sorts on TV, partly for his looks, and that his looks were the subject of several arcs or smaller episode plots. It was like the show couldn’t go an episode without reminding the audience that Buck’s a hot babe. Patients would compliment him, his GF of the time contacted him because she was encouraged to reach out to the “hot firefighter” after seeing him on TV, someone even used him to catfish women. He was— like— their de facto calendar boy.) However, if you started from 02x01, that scene comes across less as “Buck’s being immature and a dick… again” and more as homoerotic.

Some viewers were misled, told that “buddie” is a foregone conclusion and then directed to how to watch the show to see exactly that, and that includes skipping right over season 1.

I actually think the majority of the 9-1-1 fandom is comprised of viewers who were lied to or misled by fanon and fic and cannot reconcile that with what they’re actually viewing. They came in with the a priori conclusion that Buck and Eddie are a couple or “endgame,” and everything is interpreted through that conclusion, leading to the impression that we’re all watching two different shows. “I started watching for buddie and am so disappointed it hasn’t happened yet!” “I was promised buddie; they’re supposed to be a couple!” “Why hasn’t buddie happened yet 😩?” “I only watch for buddie, and I’ll be so disappointed if it never happens 😢.” “I’m here for buddie, and buddie only 😂.”

[spookyrobbins]

now i’m even more thankful mark died. that entire scenario would be horrible. i can just see arizona having to deal with it because mark loves to throw it in her face. and he’d probably make some offhand comment about how “callie always comes back to me”. it would literally feel like all her fears were justified. god, arizona would be miserable.

what would happen if arizona decided to move away because it’s obvious callie doesn’t need her or want her around? it’s always been mark anyways. do you think at some point callie would realize just what she did and how does she fix it. like would she see how horrible mark has been to arizona and how he enjoys belittling her place in callie and sofia’s life. would she ultimately try to follow arizona and get her back? because she realizes she can live without her but she doesn’t want to. she wants her wife back.

and what would mark’s response be if callie told him she regrets sleeping with him? he’d probably get upset and tell her something sleazy about how she loves it and that’s why she sought him out. callie would then say that she only went to him because it would hurt arizona and she had to be drunk to even convince herself to go through with it.

on a side note: i would’ve paid good money for a scene where callie tells him he’s actually not that great in bed, especially compared to arizona. that she faked it because you just know it would wound his pride. and i fully enjoy when ppl put him in his place. it’s always a good time.

re: arizona leaving - i think after a point, maybe a month, maybe a few, callie would go looking for her. at the very least, she would want closure from arizona. but i think also callie would be able to recognize that she does still love arizona and would want to fix things. i could totally see callie tracking her down and saying she wants to talk and arizona who’s had a few months to reflect on her own actions and process callie’s being a lot more capable of having those conversations. i do think if calzona were to get back together it would a) not be in seattle and b) probably without sofia, which may seem out of character for them. but i think arizona would probably not be in a position to be a good parent for sofia at that point and i think callie might be in a difficult position with mark and i think also she might be resentful of sofia which again not a healthy way to parent.

totally agree about mark being sleazy - i think as soon as they sleep together in this timeline, it would be the end of any sort of relationship for them. i don’t think callie would ever be able to forgive mark for taking advantage of her in such a vulnerable state and doing it to hurt arizona. and i think mark would be very wounded by callie’s rejection and would fight to take sofia away bc mark is at the end of the day very possessive and somewhat impulsive. like i don’t think mark and callie could even be in the same room together so who knows how they’d manage to coparent.

[haroldosaur]

Characters, body language, and (maybe) my favourite scene in the Halo series

hi everyone I’m back on my bullshit and infodumping about Halo again!! (Well, I say “again”. This may be the first time I’ve posted something like this to tumblr. In which case, ignore the ‘again’ part lmao)

So! Uuuuh there’s this scene in Halo 3 where Master Chief (you) rescues Cortana (your AI companion) from this hellhole-type location. You got separated at the end of the last game, and you’ve spend most of this game apart (and also you just fought through the hardest level in the dang game to get to her)

And yeah, it’s a bit goofy out of motion - green tin man rescues his vocaloid waifu, more at 11 - but bare with me here

There’s something real soft to me about the way Chief, who by this point is a legendary hero who’s saved the human race multiple times, gets down on his knees to get closer to Cortana and be more on her level. Considering the context (she’s been trapped here for a while, and the implications are that she’s had a REAL bad time of it), it’s this incredibly tender gesture from a guy who mostly just spends his days turning aliens into a fine pink mist.

The dialogue is really slick too - the talk of promises is a callback to what they say to each other at the of the previous game, when they get separated. Chief says something to the effect of “I’ll come back for you” to Cortana, and Cortana responds with: “Don’t make a girl a promise if you know you can’t keep it.” In the Halo 3 scene, Chief is almost bragging that he’s right - but it’s in a soft and vindicating way, countering Cortana’s despair that there may not be enough of her left to rescue. Like, “I’m here. You can trust me. You can rely on me. I said, didn’t I?”

And then, when Cortana hears his voice

she literally lights up

[not pictured: me, crying]

There are more callbacks in Cortana’s dialogue here - in a flashback/monologue at the start of the game, it’s revealed that she picked Chief as a partner because he was ‘lucky’ (”You had something no-one else had... luck”).

Chief then replies with his own callback to that opening monologue - a one-two punch in the feels that demonstrates how in snyc they are with each other.

(Also! The way he kinda dips his head and moves towards her as he says it? It creates that sense of when you’re focusing in on someone because they have your full attention. You know what I mean?)

There’s also the fact that when Cortana stands back up, Chief doesn’t immediately do the same; instead, there’s this brief moment where he just remains kneeling.

I wouldn’t say he’s in awe, or subservient, or anything, but it’s such a deep sign of respect - especially considering (and I’m reiterating here) that the Master Chief is essentially a god amongst men who blows shit up and kills aliens by the thousand and is the big saviour of the galaxy.

Then, when Cortana asks him if he has an escape plan, his response is: “Thought I’d try shooting my way out. Mix things up a little.”

Aside from being a pretty good deadpan joke from an FPS player character, it’s also?? so meaningful?? Because in Halo 1 and ESPECIALLY Halo 2 chief has this kinda underplayed, snarky sense of humour. He’s a man of few words but he DOES have words and he’s also capable of being funny every once in a while. But in Halo 3 (the game he mostly spends without Cortana, I might add), hes pretty damn deadpan, focusing on just getting the job done - and then, the second he’s back with her, he cracks a joke!!

OH, and there’s this other big where, after she gets back into his head via an AI chip, she tells him:

“Just keep your head down... there’s two of us in here now, remember?”

And that’s a callback to Halo 1, because in that game - after you get Cortana for what’s implied to be the first time, or at least the first time in a long while - pretty much the first thing she says to you after you get shot at is “Hey! Keep your head down! There’s two of us in here now!”

But when she says it in Halo 3, her voice is much softer, and it’s clear that rather than a direct statement, it’s this warm callback to their history mixed with her own relief that she’s back, she’s here again.

TLDR, I fucking love the mesh between the back-and-forth dialogue and these characters’ obvious care for one another, and the fact that he’s there to rescue her and he’s on his knees. like. it’s a wonderful little hybrid of olde-type chivalry and conventional friendship? Like the princess and the knight are also best friends?? And I just think that’s neat, and that they convey it so well in a 70-second cutscene.

[sortasirius]

“Despair” and Dean and Cas

Well well well, winning is my favorite thing.

As usual, this is going to be as long as hell. And fair warning, it’s extremely emotional.

So here it is, the thing that we have been barrelling towards for years, literally years.

Just want to point out this.  Also, I will NEVER allow someone to speak negatively about this writing group, EVER.

Team Free Dads starting off the episode is so sweet, so scary.  Cas’ calming, Dean’s fear, Sam’s desperation, really just hammering home how much they love Jack, how his pain is pain for them, how losing him is unbearable.

“I can’t stop this.  I’m coming apart.  I don’t want to hurt you.  Don’t let me hurt you.”

Oof.  If you’ve ever question whether Jack is a Winchester, this line should shut that shit down for you.

When I tell you I was PISSED when Billie sent Jack to the Empty to EXPLODE?????  PAIN.

“Yeah the Empty can’t come to earth, not without being summoned.”

Hello Bobo, clue number 1.

The fact that they only had Jack in limbo for like five seconds was great for my heart health, thank u very much Bobo.

Also Dean wielding Death’s scythe?????? KING?????

Man, Sam and Dean’s growth.  The way that they’re able to, idk, actually speak on how they feel without death looming or fear or pain.  It’s just a conversation, just an honest conversation of Dean admitting his mistakes, admitting how he felt.  Admitting that he fucked up, and Sam forgiving him for it.

CHARLIE AND HER GF CHARLIE AND HER GF CHARLIE AND HER GF

Also...hunters and their “dates.”  Two hunters who are happily together, who are happily fighting monsters.  Hm.  Sounds like a Saileen/Destiel parallel to me boys.

You ever wish Cas would look and the mirror and take the great advice he gives others?  Because I do.  He’s always tried to be “useful” for Sam and Dean, for Jack, always tried to make sure that he’s useful enough that they keep him around.  But what he doesn’t understand, what he’s never understood, is that they need him because of who he is, not because of what he contributes.

Remind y’all of anything?

And here we have Clue Number 2

And then, Sam’s realization.  Eileen.

Did I begin full tilt screaming no in my apartment when he said her name?  Who’s to say?

How can a lock screen cause me this much pain????

Okay but: Charlie loses Stevie, Sam loses Eileen.  Clue Number 3.

I feel like I don’t talk enough about how much Sam loves Eileen.  About how obvious it is that they are endgame, about how happy he is when he talks about her.  This just feels like a blow to the stomach, but we’ve barely even started.

Sam immediately shifting into protective leader mode?  He is the love of my life.

Dean’s simple nod, like it’s a given?  Enough to do me in right there.

This is another episode where it’s just so clear that Sam is the leader of the North American hunters.  Everyone knows him, everyone is willing to follow him.  He’s knowledgeable and kind and fair and just and an incredibly capable fighter.  Once again, I don’t believe his work on earth is done.

Can we also please talk about how FRIGHTENING IT WAS for Jack to kill that plant???  I don’t really have much of a comment on it because I was literally just like ?????

With Billie saying that it’s Chuck, the way that people were dusted, very similar to Becky and Amara, I honestly wouldn’t be surprised, especially with Donna getting taken off the board.  It’s like I said last week, I don’t buy that he’s taken himself off the board, he’s too invested in the unraveling of this story to take a step back.  He’s gotta break them before he can defeat them, that’s the only way.

And here we go, into one of the most painful and surreal things I will ever write about.

Dean’s speech.  His guilt, his regret.  The shame of not only trapping himself, but the pain, the horror of trapping Cas.

“I just lead us into another trap.  All because I, I couldn’t hurt Chuck.  Because I was angry and because I just needed something to kill, and because that’s all I know how to do.”

“Dean-”

“It was Chuck all along.  We never should have left Sam and Jack, we should be there with them now.  Everybody’s gonna die, Cas.  Everybody.  I can’t stop it.”

His narrative arc.  Tied up in a bow.

“She’s gonna get through that door.”

“I know.”

“And she’s gonna kill you and then she’s gonna kill me.  I’m sorry.”

Cas smiles.

Cas knows.  He knows what’ll get them out of this, and he knows that he would do anything in this Universe for Dean Winchester. The human man he fell for.

“When Jack was dying, I made a deal to save him.”

“You what?”

“The price was my life.  When I experienced a moment of true happiness, the Empty would be summoned and it would take me forever.”

“Why are you telling me this now?”

“I always wondered, ever since I took that burden, that curse, I’ve wondered what it could be, what my true happiness could even look like.  I never found an answer, because the one thing I want, it’s something I know I can’t have. 

“But I think I know, I think I know now...happiness isn’t in the having, it’s in just being.  It’s in just saying it.”

“What are you talking about, man?”

The most selfless thing Cas does in this, and he does a lot of selfless things, is to tell Dean Winchester how impossibly good he is.  To tell him that he is worthy, to tell him that he is adored.

“I know, I know how you see yourself, Dean.  You see yourself the same way our enemies see you.  You’re destructive and you’re angry and you’re broken and you’re daddy’s blunt instrument.  And you think that hate and anger, that’s what drives you, that’s who you are.  It’s not.  And everyone who knows you sees it, and everything you have ever done, the good and the bad, you have done for love.  You raise your little brother for love, you fought for this whole world for love.  That is who you are.

“You’re the most caring man on earth.  You are the most selfless, loving human being I will ever know.  You know, ever since we met, ever since I pulled you outta Hell...knowing you has changed me.

“Because you cared, I cared.  I cared about you, I cared about Sam, I cared about Jack, I cared about the whole world because of you. 

“You changed me, Dean.”

“Why does this sound like a goodbye?”

Dean’s greatest fear. His fear of those loving him leaving him. The terror of being alone.

“Because it is.

The head shake.  Don’t love me.  Don’t love me if it means you’ll leave me, don’t love me, everyone I love leaves me.  Don’t leave me.  Don’t love me.  Don’t leave me.

“Don’t do this, Cas.”

Just like I always thought.  One last look at Dean before the Empty takes him.

“Cas-”

“Goodbye Dean.”

And Dean is left, broken on the floor, unable to answer Sam’s calls, unable to do anything.  It doesn’t matter to him that Chuck has wiped everyone out, it doesn’t matter to him that Sam and Jack might need him.  It doesn’t matter.  It doesn’t matter, because the thing that mattered still hangs on his lips, still waiting to be said, and now he won’t get another chance to say it.

The fact that I am writing this, even with all my spec, with all my analysis of the writers’ room, of their text, of the way Dabb and co had approached this story, nothing could have ever prepared me for this.  Nothing could have prepared me for a three and a half minute, uninterrupted scene where Cas confesses not only that he loves Dean, but that he has always loved him.

I talk a lot about how these writers don’t get the credit they deserve.  Unfortunately, from most of this fandom, they never will.  We will likely never know the fights with the network they had, the steps backward they had to take, the way they had to beg and fight and claw to get this on the screen.  But they did it.  They did it for these characters, they did it for this dinosaur of a show, and yeah, they did it for us.

It was not easy, I can promise you, to get this greenlit.  They had to fight for this, they likely had to call in favors and make threats and quite literally put their careers on the line (you may scoff at that, but WB is a BIG company, especially in the TV/movie world) for this story.  This story of Dean and Cas, the man dragged out of Hell and the angel who fell for him.

I have tons more to say, and will likely have several more posts about this, but I want to leave all my babes who are worried that that was the end for Dean and Cas with some takeaways.

Sam is missing Eileen.  Dean is missing Cas.  That is no longer a fun subtextual parallel, that is it for them.  Their respective endgames are missing, and they will not know their peace until they get them back.  Chuck will not win.  That’s not the story being told, and right now?  He’s winning.  He’s broken them, left them with nothing, left them with an empty world and a hole in each of their hearts where their person (or angel) used to be.

Our show is going to end with “contentment.”  “Contentment” isn’t from Sam and Dean being filled with grief and hitting the open road.  It isn’t Sam getting Eileen back and leaving Dean with no one.  “Contentment” is Sam and Eileen, Dean and Cas.  Together.