#a very creepy monk statue

[hlh-shortcuts]

[ganondoodle]

since im currently a slime monster (sick) and cant draw or write anything coherently, heres a short list of more things i came up with for the totk rewrite (botw2 edition) (some things may have been mentioned before already):

more weather types (like fog, storm)

specific enemies tha only spawn in certain weather (so you dont encounter all the enemy types constantly, everywhere)

underwater swimming returns! since im removing the building (so it can shine in its own game, ACTUALLY made for it) and added the hookshot as a main movement option i feel like its reasonable to include it (hookshot underwater like in tp is cool!!)

underground (which is more a rly big cave system, and more unique, with few access points) can be filled with water (creepy! cool!)

zora dungeon is absolutely the ancient water thingy (that serves only as single stupid button press for a nonsensical waterfall thing in canon ?????), its a giant structure in part like an aquedukt (? the roman water thing) and the bossfight is in a mostly empty reservoir (bc those things are freaking scary AND cool+ i know there is one where the ones who built it used old statue heads as foundations so ... what if they used botw sonau ruins similarly?)

bosses dont drop any crafting material (so they wont just have ... duplicates stomp around like its normal) and can be refought via an NPC (sort of like its worked in skyward sword) unsure if i should add a new one (like an ancient shiekah monk that just kinda chills in a special place you have to unlock first) or an existing one (impa? koga?? ngl i kinda like that idea lol .. he has funny dialog to each of them that may or may not be true, if you choose one of his fights he is very touched)

(cant think of more right now, i need to lie down, maybe ill add more later- but feel free to comment or add in tags what you think; and just as a disclaimer, i know its getting more and more involved and complicated, but i still dont think it would have been impossible to do, also this is still something that will never be real anyway, so why worry about how 'possible' it is :) )

[quitealotofsodapop]

LMK assorted Spider Gang LMK headcanons/theories

sequel to this post. Focusing on the Spider Gang cus I just finished reading that section of Journey to the West.

Spider Queen:

Spider Queen was one of seven sisters... seven sisters who fell to Monkey King's staff after trying to capture Tripitaka/Tang Sanzang for their master; Hundred-Eyed Demon Lord/Centipede Demon. Spider Queen was the only survivor of the fight besides the sisters' adoptive sons. She has spent the last countless years trying to rebuild the family and home she once had, accidentally becoming a "queen" of spider demon-kind in the process.

The Hundred-Eyed Demon Lord's current status is unknown. Spider Queen doesn't care. Her former "brother" refused to give up the Tang monk in exchange for the safety of his sisters. She views this as the ultimate betrayal from someone she had considered her mentor/older brother. She did steal his alchemy supplies though, hence her cauldron.

Spider Queen actually lost her legs in her and Wukong's original fight - hence why she uses a mechanical lower body. Modern mobility aids yall.

Spider Queen also has beef (accidental Pun) with Zhu Bajie for harassing her and her sisters when they were bathing. Homeboy really went so creepy that they predatory spider demons didn't even wanna eat him. Even Pigsy's brief lapse of braincells when he first met Spider Queen was more polite than what his predecesor did.

Spider Queen's motherly nature extends beyond her clan. It's why LBD deliberately possessed a child to approach her - she knew Spider Queen would think twice about hurting "just a little girl". Spider Queen even gets a little protective over MK once she starts talking to him on an equal level.

Syntax:

Syntax was once a scientist who worked at the Weather Station. When the station was damaged by Red Son and MK's fighting in "Bad Weather"; he got scapegoated by the company as it's lead programmer and was fired. This gives him mega resentment towards both the Monkie Kid gang and the DBK family specifically.

He ran into Spider Queen while trying to find work as a freelance programmer. She needed someone to design a delivery system for her venom that didn't require her biting every single victim's neck. Syntax scoffed and went "I could just program a swarm of mini-robots to do it for you. We use similar drones while cloud-seeding at the station." and the rest is history.

Syntax's name is not only a programming reference, but is a ref to a type of spider family called Synotaxidae - related to Huntsmans and Black Widows (family <3). His name in Mandarian is "Liù yǎn zhū"/六眼蛛 meaning "Six-eyed Spider", which could be a glasses joke from the rest of the spider gang (who normally have four eyes) or a reference to a species in the same family - a six-eyed sand spider, known for their reclusive natures, and having the most powerful venom of any spider species. Hilarious if Syntax ever accidentally bit someone and it was a 1-hit KO.

The antidote made by Red Son wouldn't have worked on Syntax. While it did cure those envenomated during New Years, Syntax getting the "first spin" of the refined venom meant that he recieved far higher a survivable dosage/damage from the spider-bot. He had to work out a few more kinks before the New Years parade or else Megaopolis would been filled with dead half-spider people.

Syntax is having a small crisis of humanity. Not as big as the gang expected, but more like "Oh dang. I could've just been a demon this whole time? This rocks!- Hey why do chickens freak me out all of a sudden?" There's lot of spider demon stuff he has no context for - Spider Queen probably has to give him the spider demon version of "The Talk" the first time Syntax drums his legs at someone he likes.

Has/had a very mild rivalry with Macaque, mostly cus the shadow monkey would poke fun at Syntax for being a magic-less former human, and the programmer could toss the criticism right back at him in words Macaque didn't understand. The hostility died down when Macaque got weirdly interested in an RPG Maker game Syntax was playing, and wanted to know how videogames worked. And so the development of the "Macaque VR game" began.

He def chose the name "Syntax" for himself.

Huntsman:

Huntsman is only slightly younger than Spider Queen. He was a fellow spider demon disgusted by what the pilgrims had done to her sisters. And was a little curious at how strong they truly were. Encountered Sha Wujing on the road when the river demon was foraging, and was immediately enamored with his strength. He knows Sandy is pretending to be a reincarnation, he could recognise his Blue from anywhere.

Hates being seen as weak. Will act out if he suspects someome is "going easy" on him. Even with spicy cooking.

Saw some Things in the potion-portal Tang accidentally sent him to in Laozi/Lao Tzu's lab. The "duck" label was a metaphor.

Beyond tracking devices, this spider is tech blind. Has no gotdamn idea Syntax is talking about half the time.

Goliath/Strong Spider:

Is a little older than Huntsman. But no one's really sure how old he is. Not even him.

Was a drifter from another clan before joining Spider Queen. He doesn't like to talk about what happened with his birth clan.

Deliberately trained his body so he could physically protect his friends/clan from harm. A lot of things can squish a spider, and Goliath wants to make sure that never happens again.

Goliath/Strong Spider has no idea how to make or spin a web. It's the folly of his sub-species. He can however, knit you a pretty good wool blanket instead. :3

Since he's based on a spider called a Goliath Bird-Eater; Goliath occasionally just plucks a bird out of the sky and noms on it like Hogsqueal in The Spiderwick Chronicles. If he ever saw Peng, not even the Buddha could stop Goliath from trying to take a bite.

Spindrax (sadly toyline only ;_;):

Has an obnoxiously black-and-pink colour scheme as a foil to Mei's white-and-green aesthetic.

Is Mei's equal rival in everything. Racing, pinball, arcade games, hand-to-hand combat, etc... Spindrax and Mei even go toe-to-toes when it comes to dancing.

Uses a stylized motorcycle helmet while driving, so much so that Mei honestly didn't know what Spindrax's face looked like until after a race/spider gang fight.

Youngest of the whole spider clan. She's barely considered a young-adult by their standards. Gets babied/underestimated sometimes by them and wishes to prove herself.

Would annoy Syntax while he's working by flicking rubber bands at him.

Bonus ideas+:

The original spider clan was once an actual kingdom, but it fell to silk-greedy humans during the mid Tang Dynasty when the empire began enforcing extreme measures to prevent rival nations from getting their hands on easy silk. When a few too many Roman and Greek tradesmen went to the Spider Kingdom instead of following the Silk Road - the kingdom was burnt to the ground. The Seven Sisters were the only surviving members of a very minor branch of the royal family - saved by a centipede schoolmate.

The Spider Sisters in Journey to the West had adoptive children in the form of other bug demons known as; Bee, Hornet, Cockroach, Cantharis/Spanish-Fly/Blister-Beetle, Grasshopper, Maggot/Wax-Fly, and Dragonfly, who came to defend their moms' after Zhu Bajie harassed them. However they were just little kids, so they could barely nip at the pilgrims even as a swarm of insects. Even the tallest of them was said to be "no more than two and a half feet". SWK simply scared them off by making his hair-clones turn into different birds. It's likely that Spider Queen had to care for her orphaned nephews/students in the aftermath of Jttw.

Would be cool if the seven niblings were still around, trying to avenge their moms and aunts. Hilarious if they were somehow more successful than Jin and Yin at villainy - if only a smidge. Then again that means at the end of canon S3 they're left without a family, if LBD doesn't see them as extra mech material that is...

MK: *driving home from a delivery* A voice off to the side: "Hey monkey-head!" MK, stops driving: "???" (MK turns, only to see seven scrappy-looking kids) MK: "Aww. You guys fans of mine?" Kid 1#: "No! We are sons of the Seven Spider Sisters! Sworn enemies of the Monkey King!" MK, tensing up cus arachnophobia: "S-spiders?" Kid 2#: "Yeah! Now you're gonnna get it!" The Kids: *transforms into their true demon forms* MK: *massive sigh of relief* "Oh thank the buddha! You're just regular bug demons. Sorry nothing personal, I just can *not* deal with a swarm of baby spiders right now. You guys get home to Spider Queen before it gets dark ok?" MK: *continues driving home* The Kids, briefly stunned: "HEY! Get back here!" "You're not suppose to run away!" "We're telling mama about this!"

Spider Demons are able to heal/hibernate inside cocoons similar to those seen in the cave system. Huntsman and Goliath were sleeping off the worst of the winter frost when New Year's woke them up. It could also give an explaination to where Spindrax and the seven adopted bug kiddos are - they sleepin'.

I leave you with this funny Gary Larson comic with a spider in it:

[lividdreamz]

INSANE ASYLUMS, CANNIBAL PROPHETS, ELDRITCH CULTS, & SELF-PROCLAIMED GODS GALORE

A WIP INTRODUCTION — OF ILL REPUTE

GENRE; Dark Fantasy, Occult Horror, Romance (?)

TARGET AUDIENCE; Adult

STATUS; Outlining and Drafting

TARGET WORD COUNT; 40K — 60K

CONTENT WARNINGS; gore, violence, torture, cannibalism, abuse and exploitation of mental patients, sexual content

SUMMARY; When a new patient who calls himself Yoska Menik and boldly declares he is a god arrives at The Maker’s Sanctuary—an insane asylum with a reputation built on less than holy monks, shrieking lunatics, and inhumane practices—he is quickly dismissed as a madman. While everyone believes Yoska Menik’s another deluded lunatic, Valentin, a fellow inmate harbouring a dangerous secret of his own, finds himself inexplicably captivated by him…even as increasingly strange occurrences begin to unfold around the asylum. As his relationship with Yoska Menik deepens, blurring the line between madness and sanity, Valentin must learn to navigate the treacherous path between his forbidden desires and the dangers they present.

THEMES/TROPES; Faith, Belief, (Abuse Of) Power, Revenge, Rebellion, Religion, Identity, Tradition, I-Don’t-Like-You-Very-Much To I-Will-Serve-You-All-My-Days, Found Family (Kind Of…)

CHARACTERS;

Valentin — Alleged cannibal. Prophet. Performer of strange blood rituals at midnight. He’s also an opium addict, but we don’t talk about that.

Esa St. Edvin — A god (self-proclaimed) with dubious eldritch powers (unconfirmed). If you call him Yoska Menik, it’ll make his day.

Martja'ysa Bruheimer Isko-Sanni — A formerly wealthy divorcée who may or may not be able to commune with spirits. Moody, melancholic, prefers solitude.

Johannes St. Lendzell / Ly — Purported victim of demonic possession. Cried and clawed at walls often. Friend of Valentin. Dead.

Pia St. Ørjan — A woman who believes she’s made of glass. Approach with caution.

Jin ij Phanom Sieng — Valentin’s younger brother. Merchant. Rebel fugitive and woefully bitter about it.

Father Paavali — The Maker’s Sanctuary Monk #1. Cruel, contemptuous, and violent.

Father Mika — The Maker’s Sanctuary Monk #2. His kindness, compassion, and love for his wardens often mask his perverted urges.

STARRING A CAST OF;

Creepy monks

Creepier cults

Strange supernatural happenings disguised as miracles

Ritualistic cannibalism

Blood magic

Wacky religious prophecies

Cruel and unusual punishments

Opium addicts

Failed rebellions

Surreal sex dreams

A gothic insane asylum

One (1) ghost

TAGLIST; Ask To Be +/-

MAIN TAG; Forthcoming!

OF ILL REPUTE is a WIP I began working on in 2018 and promptly dropped (for many reasons). However, as you can clearly see, I’m picking it back up again! If you’d like to know more about it and it’s world, here are two posts where I go into more detail about its setting. More posts about its worldbuilding (and characters) to come!

[mykingdomheartscharacters]

https://x.com/wuhoffz/status/1816610952369811485?s=46

Its positively true that Akira visited her dreams since 2017, Rose saw the woman similar to her friend. The outside dog ran so fast and while she kept saying Sailor Moon repeatedly like she call Sailor Moon or Sailor Moon would arrive, she splatted Rose’s hand for not allowing Rose to touch the opened box of crayons, then Rose turn other side, she saw the very familiar another pedophile creepy man smiled creepily painted with that green face like the Mask tried to scare her and have the sound effects of the jumpscare from Five Nights at Freddy’s 4. Her experience of being mentally tortured and brainwashed and raped are true, I read her memories, they’re not lies, they are all real.

Rosella says, she wants to be what she wants to be, because being called an Aunt of Grandma made her weak and its curse to her. Aunt and grandma is cursed for her and her name, the reasons why that monk looking rubbish pedophile attracted on Rosella.

[umichenginabroad]

Week 7: Enjoying the Czech Republic

Dobrý den! I can't believe my time in Prague is almost over! This week my friends and I have been trying to take advantage of all the things in Prague, so we've been going out every night, and trying all the food places that we had not eaten at yet. On Sunday, we tried to finish all of the math homework that we had not done, since we were on our Nice trip.On Monday, my friends and I were also on a Hunger Games movie marathon, so we also finished the last movie. We also discovered that there was a club that was free for students during the weekdays, so we decided to go check it out. When we got there, we realized that we were supposed to get the tickets beforehand, so we decided to do that on the way back to the apartment. 

On Tuesday, we wanted to tan (since we don't want to lose the one we got in Nice), so we decided to go to Žluté Lázně. When we got there, we realized that we had to pay a fee to get in, so we decided to go to Old Town instead to run some errands. We stopped at a bookshop, and I got a book that I am currently reading called The Plus One. It helps me have some sort of entertainment besides my phone, since I kind of got sick of it. After that, we went window shopping (since we are on a tight budget now), and went back to the apartment. At night, we decided to go to Zluta Pumpa for dinner, before getting ready to go out. That day we did have tickets to get in for free, so we went and had a good time since most of the people who were there were relatively our age. Something I have noticed from partying in Europe is that a lot of older people go out, and you don't see as many young people.

On Wednesday, our class took us on a field trip to the Museum of Technology. It was very cool since there were a lot of cars, planes, trains, and bicycles all over the place. We went with our math teachers, and one of them had worked in an aviation school, so he showed us everything and explained how everything worked. Being a pilot is very hard! After our field trip, we went to eat brunch at a place called Bistro Monk. The food was really good (I got pancakes), but it was very overpriced since it was for a more US audience. After brunch, we had been wanting to try fruit dumplings for the longest time, so we went to a place called Knedlin, and they were actually really good. I didn't get one for myself because I was stuffed, but I tried a piece from my friends and they were good! 

Thursday was a really chill day because I went to class, and from there decided that I wanted to try Venezuelan arepas here in Prague. Being from Colombia, there has always been a rivalry between Venezuela and Colombia on where arepas are really from. I was interested in trying the arepas from Venezuela, and have also been craving them, so I figured that was the closest thing I was getting. I went to a place called Arepas de Lyna and they were actually very good. I was happy I went because I was also finally able to talk to someone in Spanish for a long time, since the workers there spoke in Spanish. I then went back to the apartment, read my book, and tried to do some math homework.

Today, I went to Kutna Hora! We went with CEA, and they first took us to the bone church. The bone church was very creepy, since all the decorations inside were made from skeletons! Unfortunately, we were not allowed to take pictures, so I can’t show you guys any. We then went to the town to eat lunch, and then went into the mines. This was a very cool experience, and I would recommend it to anyone who is not claustrophobic. There were very narrow and small spaces we had to go through, and it was pretty dark. I really enjoyed it though, and I got to learn a lot about silver mining during that era. We then went to the Cathedral of St Barbara, who was the patron Saint of miners. It was really pretty, and on the path leading to the cathedral, there were a bunch of statues, which kind of resembled the Charles Bridge.

I have had a lot of fun in Prague this week, but I am going to go to Vienna for the weekend, so I will update you guys on that next week. See you later!

Mariana Pardo

Biomedical Engineering

Engineering in Prague

[normal-horoscopes]

Student is fairly average within the setting but she's kind of the amber sky version of a grimy drifter. People might generally know she's from the glowing swamp but she falls well within most people's idea of human.

The sorcerer is uncommon but very in the ordinary for the setting. The average person seeing the Sorcerer is like seeing a Buddhist monk. You might not know what exactly they're doing or why there in a place but everyone will immediately go "oh hey a monk"

Kali is notably uncommon for the setting. Her strain is well known but women are rare and generally understood to be of higher status. She would turn heads if she walked into a bar and not because she's 6'4''. Most members of her strain are big.

Nico is both rare and kinda creepy within the setting. Most people are aware of the church but may not be aware of what he is, or able to recognize what he is at a glance. He would come off as striking and off-putting. People understand he's alive and a person but they wouldn't know what he is.

Teacher is terrifying and fucked up in the setting. Meeting her would be like meeting her in real life. She is strange and alien, most people wouldn't be immedeately sure if she was even alive or sentient. She would have trouble walking into a bar because people would scream.

[whatifxwereyou]

The Oncoming Storm Part 18: Nemuri Hime

Liu Kang x Reader and Kung Lao x Reader (gonna do both, two paths!)

Kung Lao gets serious. But forgets to tell you all the important things. Boy, he's good at talking. Lol. Hope you guys are still loving the Lao time! Liu will be back soonish. Planned out his whole part last night and then the future. Question! Are you guys READY for the choice or do you want it drawn out more? Also, for the future of this tumblr, is anyone interested in oc x reader stuff? I have so many ideas that I have never shared Lol. Anyway, thanks for reading. Much love. Update Sunday!

Part 17 Part 19 Chapter Index

“They’re going to have someone in there keeping an eye out now.” Kung Lao kicked a loose stone on the walkway, arms folded over his chest. “So much for that idea.”

“For now. We weren’t getting anywhere anyway.” You were still in wonder that any of that had happened. It felt like a fever dream. Your whole life kind of felt like a fever dream now. “Maybe I was wrong. Maybe it isn’t in there. I tried to trust the vision and my gut, but it led us in circles. Nothing looked the same as it did back then.”

“Why would it lead you there otherwise? Maybe this shrine has changed more over the years than we thought.”

“You think so?” You furrowed your brow. He had pushed you like you’d been doing something wrong for a small moment inside the shrine but there he was, preaching his belief in you. It’d been easy to escape the frustration of not knowing where you were going with all that had happened in the shrine, but it was back in full force now. You were grateful to Kung Lao for not making it weird, but it was also a little weird to act like it hadn’t happened. You had a feeling that he knew exactly what he was doing.

“I trust your gut, Y/N.” He shrugged as if it were nothing. That was nice. You weren’t sure anyone trusted you those days so to hear it put so plainly as if it were no big deal was wonderful. “Let’s take a walk and rethink our strategy.” Together you walked around the shrine and along the path slowly, making your way toward the volcanic cauldrons.

Some were surrounded by posts and signs, expressing what they represented and why the water was the way that it was, but you didn’t stop to try and read any of them. Many of the cauldrons had small statues lined up surrounding their edge, placed there for prayer. You didn’t speak much. It seemed that rethinking your strategy was mostly just thinking. You were okay with that. Your head was still buzzing.

It was important to try and clear the fog from your mind. Between the disorientation of this place being so different from the vision in your head and then everything with Kung Lao, you were dizzy. You stopped before one of the cauldrons and Kung Lao read the sign above it.

“One of the hells of Mount Osore…” He was not good at silence, it turned out. He hadn’t been when you were younger either. You’d asked him once back then and he’d said silence was too loud. The dizziness became a buzzing, and the buzzing became darkness. You thought that you’d drifted to sleep to the hum of Kung Lao’s voice.

When you opened your eyes again, you gasped for breath. Your lungs were on fire, as though you had been deprived of oxygen for too long, as if invisible hands had reached into your chest and grasped your lungs to force all the air out. You lost your footing and stumbled forward but before you fell, Kung Lao had his arms around your middle and was pulling you back to him with a forceful yank. You lost your balance and collapsed into him, grasping his arms in surprise with a yelp. He held you upright.

“What the hell, Y/N? You can’t just do that!” He scolded. You gasped to refill your sore lungs and the ache began to fade. You weren’t where you’d been when you’d been listening to Kung Lao but you recognized the place immediately. It was the lake of blood from your vision. You turned in his arms to apologize but the words didn’t come. How did that happen? How had it happened? His expression went from frustration to concern quickly. You wanted to ask what happened, you wanted to ask him how you’d gotten there, but in your mind’s eye, you could see your body falling into that pool and the horned creature staring over you as you drowned beneath the red water.

You shuddered and covered your mouth. Maybe Raiden was right. It hadn’t felt like there was a shadow hanging over you until then when your body had moved beyond your control.

“Y/N, did you hear me?”

“What happened? What are you talking about? What did I do?” The words came out extremely fast, all at once almost. Bless Kung Lao for understanding a word of it.

“I was reading about that cauldron over there.” He gestured down the path. It seemed so distant now but that was the last thing you remembered. “And you walked away. I followed you and you stepped up and just went to jump right in. Right into the blood lake. Didn’t respond to me when I called you.” He tried to joke but there was an underlying concern that neither one of you could shake. “If you wanted to take a dip, Y/N, then you just had to say so. There’s those bathhouses.”

“No, no Kung Lao. I… I’m confused, that’s all. I don’t remember coming here. I closed my eyes to listen to you talk.” His low and deep voice was soothing, but you wouldn’t give him the satisfaction of knowing that right now. “Then I felt like I was falling, and I couldn’t breathe. Then you and… here we are.” You gestured to his arms that still held you and you felt his fingers sink a bit further into the clothing at your waist as if that would protect you somehow.

“You really don’t remember walking up to the creepy blood lake and almost throwing yourself in?” His face was flooded with concern. You shook your head no. “Okay.”

“You believe me?”

“Of course I do, Y/N. You’re white as a ghost. Why would you lie about something like that? Also, you’re terrible at lying.”

“Thank you?” You couldn’t decide if that was a dig or not.

“Okay.” He exhaled and you watched his face contort as his tongue ran over his teeth. “In that case no more wandering away from me. You stay with me at all times. Got it? We tell Raiden as soon as we can.”

“Okay except that I don’t remember wandering away from you, Kung Lao. You were reading and then…”

“What do you think caused this?”

“I don’t know. I really don’t. Honestly, afterward I saw this part in my vision. I’d been choking on ink but in my head, I was drowning.” You pointed toward the red volcanic cauldron. “In there. And I could see that creature. He was watching me. I… I thought it was just my brain interpreting the ink in my throat but… what if… Raiden’s right?”

“You doubted that Raiden was right?”

“This has been a lot, Kung Lao. Accepting it all at face value is difficult.” You responded somewhat defensively.

Kung Lao finally let you go and turned away. He pulled off his hat, pushed back his hair, and then cursed. That would have been funny had you not still been coping with almost drowning because your body had decided to try to kill you. “Okay. We’ll deal with that as we go. I’m changing the subject now because I’m not sure how to process what you just did without talking to Raiden.”

“Smart. Avoiding the problem. Like it.” You were happy to go back to thinking about literally anything else. Up until now you’d handled all this nonsense with relative poise. You’d like to keep it that way.

“Let’s discuss strategy. What do you remember from your vision about the room where this artifact is supposed to be?”

“There was a well. The creature placed something inside of it and I heard this horrible ringing in my head. It was… sad?” It was difficult to describe a ringing as having emotion, but it had been sad. You’d had the distinct feeling that it was sad.

“Back up. What about the well? There was no well in that room. In fact, the whole shrine is elevated. There was a step down in the back for dining, maybe? Could the well have been in that area?”

“I think the floor of the shrine used to be level with the ground. Maybe they built over it? I read that it was abandoned here for some time.”

“That’s a very distinct possibility. Great. Now we get to desecrate a holy place. Loving this more by the second.”

“Or we can hope there’s a hatch above the old well or a way to get beneath the shrine without destroying it.”

“There are way too many people here for us to search that thoroughly without being caught.”

“You’re right. We need privacy.”

“And I’m all out of excuses, honestly.”

“The excuse you came up with earlier only really works the one time before it becomes incredibly suspicious.” You felt your face flush despite yourself. Kung Lao stood just behind you and bent over to be closer. You could feel the smirk on his face.

“You kissed me back so… didn’t feel like much of a lie.” He made a kissy sound near your ear and you tilted away and swatted at him.

“Stay focused, Kung Lao! So, we spend the rest of the day and then pretend to leave ahead of everyone. Then we can sneak in after the monks are at rest, right? Hopefully, we find an easy way to get to where we need to go.”

“That’s as good a plan as any.” Kung Lao began to lead you away from the volcanic cauldrons and you were grateful. The air was thicker there and, quite honestly, the more distance between you and the blood lake the better. “And if we’re caught tearing up the floor of the shrine in the middle of the night, then I’m pretty sure that no amount of making out will get us out of it without getting into trouble.”

“If we’re caught then we could try to be honest about it like I wanted to be in the first place.” You stuck your tongue out at him. “You could try it every so often. It works.”

“Wow.” Kung Lao sounded truly insulted but also laughed as if surprised you had the audacity. “What is that supposed to mean?”

“Let’s just talk like adults for a few seconds. I’m not that little girl that you teased all the time. You don’t have to come up with crazy fake-date schemes. Hell, I’m surprised that you didn’t say we could only afford one room at this point.”

“Oh.” He straightened his posture and furrowed his brow. You nodded as if to confirm that he was far more obvious than he thought he was. “Does it really bother you?”

“Bother is a strong word, Kung Lao. Sometimes you’re just… all over the place. You go from pushing me too hard to not listening to me to having unwavering faith in me. Sometimes in a span of like ten minutes. I don’t mind the teasing, honestly, but it’s difficult to focus when I can’t tell what’s going on with you.”

“Okay.” He puffed up his cheeks as he thought and then exhaled deeply. “So, I don’t quite know how to act around you.” You were genuinely surprised that he was speaking so candidly. You’d expected him to laugh it off and move on. He didn’t.

“Why? I only expect you to be yourself.”

“I know. That’s not on you. I’ve had a lot on my mind.”

“You don’t always act like there’s a whole lot going on in there.”

“Wow.” He winced.

“Sorry, it was easy. I get it though. I have a lot on my mind too, but you are all over the place since you got back. You tease me like we’re kids, then you flirt with me like we’re very much not kids, then you push me when I tell you that I can’t be pushed anymore. It is a rollercoaster spending time with you.”

“I guess I didn’t realize I was so all over the place.” He laughed and you walked together again. The further you were from the cauldrons the better you felt. “It’s funny. I’m still a little shocked that you’re here with me. Little Y/N. My Y/N. Weirder than that is that you are the person I found peace in when I returned home to clear my mind. I never thought I’d see you again. I can’t believe I didn’t recognize you.” He avoided your eyes, and you got the chills but refused to shake them off. Him speaking so fondly of you in such a serious tone was freaking you out. These were things that you probably should have talked about far sooner. Instead, it felt as though he’d gone into some weird unspoken competition with Liu Kang for your attention. It wasn’t a competition. You just wanted to talk to him. “Your hair threw me off, I think. You didn’t keep it white. Same face now that I know. Cheeks aren’t so chubby anymore, though.” He pinched your cheek playfully and you scrunched up your face and swatted his hand away.

“I… didn’t recognize you either and you came into my store at least a dozen times over the last couple years. And the dojo just as many. I remember you fondly. You were always very kind with the students. And you look way different, I mean I can still see it, but you had these… dimples as a kid.” You poked the sides of your mouth. “They were so deep then. You still have them but they’re much more subtle.” It was funny. Something about his honesty cleared the air at least for the time being. “Also, I thought you were dead. So, I never considered I’d see you again.”

“You would have been crazy to have guessed it was me.”

“Sometimes I think that I have gone completely crazy and I’m in a hospital somewhere. That this is all an elaborate fantasy that my mind has conjured up to help cope with my madness.”

“I could see that.”

“What? The wild improbability of the truth?”

“No. You being in a nuthouse somewhere.”

You laughed and shoved his shoulder. He nudged you in return. “Some things don’t change, I guess.”

“I defaulted to sarcasm with you. Being together reminds me of when life was simpler. It’s easy to joke and get carried away but I understand that there is also distance with time and age and that this is extremely complicated. And that we haven’t talked about it. Talking about this kind of stuff makes me feel… uncomfortable.”

“What? No. I couldn’t tell.” You walked peacefully along the stone path. Across the way the monks were giving a demonstration and others were setting up tables for a meal near the white beach.

“Can I confess something?” He led you off the stone and down onto the white sand that bordered the beautiful, but absolutely artificial looking, lake. He offered you his hand to help you down and you took it. He didn’t let go of it as you walked together. Fun new game again: fake date or Kung Lao being affectionate? Your brain hated this game. Your heart hated it even more.

“That depends. Is it appropriate to say? Will I smack you when you make this confession? Will you be getting smacked and are you ready to risk being smacked?”

“Maybe. It’s hard to gauge how grown-up Y/N will react to most things.”

“Go ahead, Kung Lao. I’ll try not to smack you but no promises.”

“I uh…” He hesitated and then let go of your hand in favor of grasping the air in front of him as if trying to reach for the words to say what was on his mind. “I hate that you have the dragon mark.” You stopped in your tracks and Kung Lao stopped with you. Of all the things you’d expected, it hadn’t been that.

“What?”

“Yeah. Little Y/N. The girl with the gift, mom called you. You had enough problems. Now you’re here. A warrior chosen to fight for earthrealm alongside me and a bunch of other misfits with the same mark. Lost your home. Your life.”

“I could see your logic, Kung Lao, but I’m tough.” Your heart was racing again. Was this serious conversation better or worse than the rollercoaster ride that was Kung Lao? You couldn’t decide.

“Yeah, Liu showed me the bruises you’d left on him. I was a little impressed. However, you, just moments ago I might add, unconsciously almost drowned yourself in a lake of blood. Went completely gray, weren’t breathing, just walked over and almost threw yourself in.”

“Yeah, that is concerning.” He was right. The dragon marking and your arcana had awoken things within you that were beyond anyone’s control, especially yours. You were scared. You couldn’t imagine how it had to have felt to be watching it happen to someone you cared about. “You know, Lao, it’s probably not actually blood. I’d guess it’s algae making the water red…” You tried to joke but it was a feeble attempt. Kung Lao didn’t even smile.

“That’s not the point.”

You stepped in front of him and offered him a tired and forced smile. “I don’t regret where I’ve wound up, Kung Lao.” It was your turn to speak honestly. To say things that you’d meant to say and had been afraid to say for a long time. You’d kept waiting for the ‘right time’ but the time would never be right. “I’m terrified.” You searched around them just to make sure no one was close enough to overhear. “I killed people, Kung Lao. I never thought I’d be capable of such a thing. My dojo? My shop? They’re gone. I probably won’t see my family ever again or any of the people I associated with home. That life is gone. It scares me. Everything I knew is… being unlearned and relearned. At the same time? I feel like this is where I’m meant to be.”

“Yeah. You didn’t really get to process much of that, did you? Just went straight to studying and training with Liu Kang.” Kung Lao sounded almost bitter. You hadn’t thought about it that way. Liu Kang had been a beacon of comfort to you but was that healthy? Maybe some of what had escalated your whatever-it-was you were had something to do with your sudden lack of control. You were attracted to him, sure, in a crazy way even, but you were also vulnerable. Maybe the attachment between you had gone from big to huge because of it. You felt guilty. Liu. Oh, no. You’d kissed Kung Lao. Not just kissed him but kissed him. Things were instantly that much more complicated and messy. You had to talk to Liu. You had to sort out your thoughts. You had to do the same with Kung Lao. But you didn’t know how and just kept kissing them. It wasn’t like you’d ever been good at romance.

“It’s been difficult. But also surreal. Easy to forget some of it.”

“I get it. Really, I do. Because I’m not done confessing things yet.” He still sounded uncomfortable but urged his hand to your back and continued your walk. “I’m also super grateful that you have the dragon mark.”

“Well, that’s conflicting as hell. I’m having a hard time processing that.”

“I never would have gotten to know who you were or get to know you again at all without the mark. It’s brought me closure, in a way. I never thought I’d see you again.” You walked in silence and you felt your eyes burn just enough with tears that you thought talking was a mistake. You breathed through the sudden urge to cry until it faded.

“I’d like to state for the record, that you being this serious is freaking me out a little.”

“It’s been known to happen now and again.” He bowed his head politely to you after tucking his hat beneath his arm. “I’m sorry that I’ve been weird since I got back.”

“It’s okay, Kung Lao. This has been difficult.”

“Y/N?” He started, as though he had something important to say. He hesitated then exhaled and replaced his hat back on his head, tucking the strap under his chin. “Let’s keep walking.” He turned away and did just that as though he’d said nothing at all. There was clearly something on his mind that must have been difficult to share. You caught up to him.

“What aren’t you saying?”

He turned to you and searched your face with a glint of worry that faded so fast you weren’t sure if you’d imagined it or not. Then he smiled.

“I’m starving. That’s what I’m not saying. The sun is going to set anytime now and they’re setting up food so we should grab some.” He started back across the sand. You grasped his hand and pulled him back. That was not what he’d struggled to say.

“Lao, really. You can talk to me.”

“I know, Y/N.” He smiled so you let go of his hand. Whatever it was, he wasn’t ready to talk about it and who were you to say he should be? “Let’s get some food. You’re still gray so I’d like to see you eat.” If nothing else, he at least seemed less all over the place. What were you going to do? You didn’t know so you couldn’t think about it right now. You’d take everything one step at a time. It was all you could do.

[edelweiss123]

It still baffles me...

...that the writers of a kid's show who were willing to blatantly address various heavy topics on-screen such as revenge, war, torture, racism, famine, sexism, ableism, child abuse, abandonment, and fucking GENOCIDE, with gravity and aplomb...

...still somehow thought that "literal 12-year-old doesn't end up with his first crush" would be a deal-breaker.  Like...?

Okay.  First, a disclaimer.  I am a die-hard Zutara shipper. I'm also really fond of MaiLee and Taang, independent of that, and really don't care for Maiko, but that's topic for a different post.  None of the points I’m going to go over have anything to do with those pairings.

But EVEN IF I didn't feel that there were far better canon characters for Katara and Aang to end up with respectively...

Kataang, as it is written in canon, is sad and weird and uncomfortable to me, and here's why:

The Dynamic

Maybe if the characters had been, say, 16 and 18 when they first met, this wouldn't be a problem.  But Aang is 12 and Katara's 14.  And their maturity gap is far larger than a mere two years.

Aang, despite being well traveled and the burden of Avatarhood on his shoulders, is also a very *young* 12.  Remember, up until the iceberg, he's lived a pretty idyllic, mostly responsibilty free life.  He's only known he was the Avatar for like, a month, tops, before that.  Sure, the other monk children don't play with him after this reveal, but it's well established he has friends all over the globe; he's a prodigy, yes, with all the pressure that can bring, but it doesn't appear he was pushed to master air so fast?  He just very much enjoys airbending.  And Gyatso is a loving guardian.

Which is why he runs away at the first sign of something difficult in his life--the possibility of losing Gyatso.

Compare this to Katara, who was born in a hostile landscape amongst a struggling people.  She is, as far as she knows, the last of her kind, with no teacher to guide her.  She suffers a traumatic loss young, and it is *explicitly stated in the show* that she stepped up to fill her mother's shoes at what, 7? 8? While her family grieved.  Her father leaves, possibly to never return, when she is 11.  She is laden with responsibility beyond her years.  Her time and energy are not for her to spend on herself--she has too much to do.  *She is not a child*

So of *course* she starts mothering this wide-eyed cheerful boy, who got taken away by the same people who murdered her mother within a day of meeting him.  He's the Avatar but he's also an innocent kid in need of protection and care.

Now, does that mean she never acts immature?  No--she *is* still a teenager, and prone to occasional bouts of typical teenager dumbassery. (see: waterbending scroll).  But she does most of the chores and nags the others about their misbehavior and tries to console them when when they're down. She literally poses as Aang's mother at a PTA meeting.  For fucks sake, at the end of Season 2, when she's holding a dead Aang sprawled in her arms and looking pleadingly at the sky, there is NO WAY you can convince me all those art students storyboarding that scene WEREN'T making an intentional reference to *La Pieta*--You know, that super famous statue where Mary is cradling her dead Savior son (before he gets resurrected) and that is widely considered one of the most poignant examples of MOTHERLY LOVE AND GRIEF in the whole WORLD.

And I don't know about you... but it's really, really creepy to me for a *romantic* relationship to result from something with that much mother/son energy deliberately coded into the show.

The Lack Of Development

At what point does Katara reciprocate the crush? It's very well established that Aang has a crush, of course.  But we've got 61 episodes and basically no definitive evidence that Katara feels anything for Aang beyond platonic affection.  There's the time a fortune teller says she'll marry a powerful bender and she's like, 'huh' (let's ignore the fact that Aang at the time is like the only powerful bender she really knows).  There's the time she (almost?) kisses Aang in a cave because, you know, she thinks they might stay lost forever and starve to death if she doesn't (romantic!)  

The other two times Aang kisses her--she's just kind of shocked after the first one, and gets mad after the second one because she *had just expressed a desire to not do so seconds before*  And the fourth kiss is in the literal last 30 seconds of the show, with no dialogue, no lead-up, just a fade to black "welp this is happening, aaaand, SCENE."  It very, very much has the feeling of "hero gets the prize/girl" instead of "two people who have been mutually longing for each other come together", and that's really, really gross to me.  It does such a disservice to both their characters, but Katara's especially.  It feels like she had no agency in this result, that they got together because Aang wanted it so much, but it matters so little what she wanted that we don’t even need to bother showing her wanting it.

The Stunting/Regression of Character Growth

What does Aang sacrifice? The answer?  Nothing.  'Now, wait a minute', I can hear you say, 'he lost his entire people and culture!  How can you say he's lost nothing!'  I didn't say he's never suffered *loss*.  But having something taken away from you and giving something up for another's sake are two entirely different things.  Aang, in the end, gets everything he wanted--the girl he wanted, his pacifist morals intact and unchallenged, his culture eventually restored.  Hell, he even somehow gets the Avatar State, despite never explaining how he manages it when it was EXPLICITLY STATED he couldn't do so without letting go of certain attachments.  Wow, guess it turns out he never needed to sort out all of his emotional trauma to acheive inner peace and enlightenment after all--just needed a good acupressure session to get those chakras flowin'! One quick magic whack to the back!

I don't think 'the hero is always right' is a good message.  The theme of 'just because you want something doesn't necessarily mean it's what's good for you, or others' is a pretty recurring theme throughout the rest of the show, and having the universe warp itself to accomodate the beliefs of the protagonist  (lookin' at you, deus-ex-machina turtle) so he is always right, no matter what, means that he never has to reevaluate his beliefs, never really has to *grow* as a character.  

Kya, Ursa, Yue, Iroh, Hakoda, Katara, Sokka, Zuko--hell, even Toph, who makes the decision to let Appa get taken so she can save her friends...

Over and over it's shown that Love is Sacrifice, and I think Aang should have been shown making some personal sacrifices for the sake of the world, instead of showing that the power of clinging to his absolutist morals is enough to solve all his problems.

I understand why the writers, despite showing many characters die off-screen, hesitated to show Aang killing someone, even someone unredeemably evil, because there would be no way to do it OFF screen, and it IS still a kid's show.  (On that note:  couldn’t they have just somehow...idk, trapped Ozai in the Spirit World or something?  Have him literally sent to not-hell?)  

BUT, that doesn't mean they couldn't have shown Aang doing something that made him realize that, as the Avatar, even if a necessary action went against his personal beliefs or wasn't what he wanted, his needs are superceded by the needs of the world he claims to love.  He ignores this in S2 and nearly pays the ultimate price... but it's never properly addressed again. And thus, because that never happens, I honestly don't consider 13-yr-old Aang all that much more mature than 12-yr-old Aang, and I think that's a waste of potential.  

And as for character regression...

Katara? Master Waterbender and war-hero?  Who grabbed onto the first opportunity to explore the world beyond her tiny home, who fought for every scrap of skill and recognition she had--against a world determined to see her as lesser because of her race, her gender, her age?  Who never backed down from what she thought was right, even when her own family and friends didn't support her?  You're telling me that, according to canon, *that same Katara* was perfectly content to retreat to the South Pole and do nothing of note for the next 70 years except for being a good little housewife and healer?  Get the fuck out of here with that misogynistic horseshit.

IN CONCLUSION

I could go on.  I could talk about the unequal division of emotional labor between the two--with Katara constantly having to be mindful of not upsetting Aang too much lest he fly away and/or have an Avatar State tantrum.  With Katara constantly reassuring Aang, but Aang, for instance, offering unsolicited advice about revenge instead of trying to understand what she needed, or kissing her without asking--twice!--and expecting them to be together without him ever even asking if that's what she wanted.  I could talk about Katara not taking Aang to task for things he does wrong and Aang not being willing to see that Katara isn't perfect--how he puts her on a pedastal and Katara is afraid to leave it and break his illusions by being her real self.

But ultimately, what it boils down to, it that the most unrealistic thing about AtLA was not the magic, or the spirits, or the hybrid animals.

No, the most unbelievable thing about this show is that the ending was ruined just because more than creating a consistent thematic and emotional throughline, a couple of white dudes wanted to vicariously live out all of their "hot-for-babysitter" childhood fantasies.

And that's all I have to say about that.

[liquidink21]

If I were doing the Avatar Remake

Just a list of things changes and tweaks to the original I would make to Avatar if I was in charge of this netflix remake, given that we’ve all lost hope in it and now I’m just speculating to make myself feel better. I’ve already made a list of things it really needs, and this list includes them, but I’m just going to go hog wild with my imagination and opinions on Avatar. In a rough order of when I think and them and what episode it becomes relevant.

How long are these new episodes going to be? I’d like to extend them for more story content, though am wary of overdoing it. How does thirty minutes sound? Enough for some more depth to some episodes.

I think it should be pointed out earlier on that there are more villages across the South Pole. This is canon, and would make the Southern Water Tribe feel more alive.

Aang’s friends from the past: in addition to Kuzon and Bumi, give him a Northern Water Tribe pal. He’s never been to the South Pole, and was deliberately coming to make new friends somewhere the Monks wouldn’t think to look for him. We can reference this friend again when we reach the North Pole.

Somebody, probably Iroh, mentions Zuko’s name in front of Aang. It’s always infuriated me that the Gaang know’s Zuko’s name suddenly in Warriors of Kyoshi without anyone telling them what it is. I don’t think it needs its own episode, just somebody says it while he’s captured.

The terms of Zuko’s banishment don’t restrict him from the colonies in the Earth Kingdom, so they don’t consider those colonies to be proper Fire Nation territory. I feel they should have their own name, just to make the politics of the show feel deeper. “The Eastern Protectorate” is a nice reference to the Chinese “Protectorate of the Western Territories.” Zhao can namedrop it when they go to his port.

The fact that Kyoshi Island has such a different culture from the main Earth Kingdom should be brought up. The answer is a mix between isolation and cultural exchange with the Southern Water Tribe. Katara and Sokka probably have a passing knowledge of the island. “Oh, that’s where we are.” Also, if Aang knew to come here for the Koi fish, how didn’t he know about there being Kyoshi revering settlements there?

There should be an adult Kyoshi Warrior training the others. She approves of Suki training Sokka, and comments on the rarity of outsiders and men being Kyoshi Warriors. I feel Sokka is the first outsider, but there was another man. Adult warrior gives the explanation that when she was a young trainee, a man working on the docks was teased for “fighting like a girl” so warriors taught him exactly like a girl.

There should be an Earthbending Kyoshi Warrior. I mean Kyoshi herself was a bender, the art can’t be exclusively a non-bending form.

Maybe point out that there are multiple villages on the island. This is in fact canon.

Haru’s mother and village could use some actual names.

We never see any non-bending Earth Kingdom soldiers. I loved how the Fire Nation has different uniforms for its bending and non-bending warriors, and I’d like to see the same for the Earth Kingdom troops.

I want to know more about those pirates? The captain is ethnically a Fire Nation citizen. Is there a story behind that? A navy deserter? Like an opposite of Jeong Jeong, deserting not for ethics but because he didn’t like duty getting in the way of fortune? I’m probably just overthinking it.

The names of the Freedom Fighters are obviously pseudonyms, and Jet probably urges the Gaang to adopt some themselves.

While I don’t actually feel that Aang lying to the two groups in The Great Divide is an unforgivable wrong, I feel the lie itself was a little demeaning and could have been a little more sophisticated.

I have seen that post saying there needs to be more Indians in Avatar than just Guru Pathik, given how many Indian concepts are in the show. Many people also share the opinion that there should be Indian airbenders, so yes they should appear in the flashbacks in The Storm (and The Southern Air Temple as well). Also some Earth Kingdom villages should be Indian based as well. I think the market from The Waterbending Scroll could be a good place to start, maybe the port from The Storm as well, though probably somewhere that isn’t just a background place as well. Maybe the nuns in Bato of the Water Tribe too.

Iroh could be less creepy with June.

Ah, The Northern Air Temple. Honestly I feel that while the ultimate message of Aang being okay with the Mechanist and his people settling in the Air Temple is okay, I feel it needs to end with a greater emphasis on the Mechanist’s people being more respectful to the site. Ramming pipes through historical mosaics and demolishing statues is really not on. Also, while Sokka being cool with industrialisation is in character, I do think he’d disapprove the desecration.

I feel the fact that a lot of the Fire Nation’s technological might (not all of it, though) is riding off the back of a blackmailed Earth Kingdom citizen is something that could be brought up more often.

Yue’s story with the Moon Spirit needs to be explained almost immediately, so that it’s not kind of an arse-pull when the plot needs it.

Legend of Korra makes a big deal about the South gaining independence from the North, but they’re already treated as separate nations? I think it should be mentioned somewhere, probably from Hahn, that the South is technically subservient to the North, though operates with a great deal of autonomy that comes with not being able to contact each other.

The North is pretty sure it’s the original Water Tribe, but can’t say for sure. Hahn thinks of the South as nothing but a colony, though Arnook is more progressively minded and notes there are no records of who came first and treats the South as a sister tribe.

I think there’s another character worth adding, a captain of the Northern warriors. He can appear several more times throughout the series, which I’ll elaborate on.

Zhao comments “there’s a reason they’ve survived a hundred years of war” whereas other comments suggest the Northern Water Tribe has been sitting out of the war. Apparently the North did take uniforms from soldiers 85 years ago, so I think the idea should be that they received one big siege back then, and since then they’ve been experiencing raids since then culling their villages and forcing them into that single fortified city-state. Since then, their ability to send ships out has been impeded by Fire Nation ships patrolling those water but not engaging the city itself until Zhao’s siege.

Yue, when mentioning the waterbenders learning from the Moon, should reference humanity receiving bending from the Lion Turtles, just to introduce the concept that bending could be given and therefore by implication taken away.

There’s a historical character I want to introduce: an Earth Kingdom general that was nearly able to push the Fire Nation out of the Earth Kingdom around half-way through the 100 Year War, but was taken down by internal Earth Kingdom politics. The Fire Nation had to do its conquests all over again because of him. It would help fill out a century of history that is poorly explained. I think he could be introduced by Sokka asking General Fong how they still have an outpost on the west coast when most of that region has been occupied by the Fire Nation.

Azula’s blue fire should be depicted like blue flames are in real life: very straight jets rather than the flickering things you see in the animation. Since it’s basically just powerful fire, I think it should be seen with a couple of other firebenders, though Azula is the only one that exclusively uses it. Jeong Jeong and Iroh would be good people to use it.

I saw a post once by a Korean rightfully upset that the only Korean characters in the show (Song and her village) are lumbered in with the essentially Chinese Earth Kingdom as if they’re the same culture despite Korea obviously being separate and having a poor history of China attempting to enforce hegemony over it. I think maybe something could be made of Song and her people being a distinct culture that has had a generally poor relationship with the Earth Kingdom at large. Maybe the previously mentioned Earth Kingdom general was screwed over for being of this culture.

I’m not sure how to depict the Swampbenders. They'll no longer be caricatures of the guys in the next studio, so they’ll be more respectfully treated and not hillbillies. I’m not sure if they should be Vietnamese (given the original characters have Vietnamese names) or southern Native Americans (given they’re waterbenders, and the other waterbenders are Inuits).

After failing to get Bumi as Aang’s earthbending teacher, they throw around suggestions. Since Aang is learning waterbending from Katara they consider a similarly aged Earthbender. Katara suggests they go find Haru, while Sokka suggests the earthbending Kyoshi Warrior I mentioned before.

I saw a post once suggesting that the Beifongs were collaborators, and while I think this is somewhat extreme, I would like to explore the interplay between their wealth and their position in the war. Also, the fact that Toph had been sheltered from the war and has far less of an emotional stake in it needs to be explored in more detail.

In the Zuko Alone flashbacks Azula really needs to be made out as a normal child with a bad influence (her father) instead of an inherently bad child. My sister points to this episode and claims Iroh or Ursa should have just drowned her and that’s something incredibly fucked up to say about a ten(?) year old.

In that vein, Iroh’s “no she’s crazy and needs to go down” line really needs to be changed to something more compassionate. Most Avatar meta states that Iroh doesn’t actually hate Azula; he’s just prioritising Zuko’s safety, and his line here needs to reflect that.

Aang should recognise the Lion-Turtle, and know that they gave humanity their bending powers. Just to keep that concept in mind, so that when it comes to the energybending climax it’s less of an arse-pull.

Wan Shi Tong’s morale compass and lumping a bunch of kids attempting to avoid genocide in with conquerors needs to be called out more, and I feel Katara should be the one to do it.

Suki gets to stay on for one extra episode and help fight the Drill. It also makes for a better explanation of how she got back. Right now it’s implied she went back across the Serpent’s Pass; in my own she’d explicitly head along the wall and go back with the ferries.

I want more discussion of Ba Sing Se’s social stratification. Was Jin able to visit the Jasmine Dragon? Or was she blocked from entering higher rings?

Toph’s lie detecting thing made into a spiritual or chi related thing. The whole heartbeat thing is pseudoscience.

The Northern Water Captain I mentioned earlier reappears, having met and joined his men with Hakoda’s. Hakoda praises his son with helping bridge the gap between the two water tribes.

Ty Lee gets more appearances in Book 3, even if just in the background. She got some nice development in The Beach and I want to see more of it as Azula’s brought her out of that circus and back into the Fire Nation nobility.

Sparky Sparky Boom Man’s tattoo has a different design that is not a villainised appropriation of a Hindu symbol. Something nice and geometric, maybe sun based.

Hawky at some point returns to Team Avatar. I want them legitimised as a member of the Gaang! Equal status to Momo and Appa! Also I suppose bringing a letter back from the Beifongs could have significance to Toph. But let Hawky return!

Hama has a more compassionate ending. I feel after she’s led away, Sokka figures it’s pretty fucked up that they’re handing one of their own over to the Fire Nation so they go and rescue her. They give her a choice between joining them to fight during the eclipse or returning to the South Pole to help rebuild the Southern Water Tribe (given that there’s Notherners helping rebuild she could help make sure they rebuild it in the style of the south and not a facsimile of the north). She chooses the latter.

No weird Guru Pathik during Aang’s hallucinations please.

While discussing the allies that Hakoda picked up, he mentions some people he couldn’t get: they couldn’t find the Kyoshi Warriors, the Sandbenders didn’t want to come, the Omashi Resistance wanted to use the eclipse to retake their city, and General Fong’s outpost had been overrun. Just flesh out things a little.

Sokka and the other Water Tribe warriors should be wearing that facepaint for the Invasion.

I want more interaction with The Duke, Haru, and Teo with the Gaang.

Chit Sang’s girlfriend and friend join with the second escape instead of being strangely absent. Also, who is he? Sokka probably looks him up to make sure they’re not bringing a serial killer into their midst. Preferably not, I like to think they were thrown in there for opposing the war.

I’d like Suki to learn from Hakoda that the other Kyoshi warriors are alive, if imprisoned.

Suki doesn’t like wearing prison clothes and attempts a facsimile of Kyoshi islander clothes by stealing Katara and Haru’s clothes.

Some more emotions between Sokka and Suki relating to her imprisonment please. There’s a lot of pent up trauma there and I’d like them to work through it.

People like to play up Katara’s “you obviously didn’t love her as much as I did” line into an insight to a horrible character rather than just something stupid said in the heat of the moment, though I do think Katara should apologise, if only to show the haters that this isn’t her personality.

Training with Aang, Zuko finds out he has the peace of mind to do lightning. He wouldn’t use it against Azula, but it would be a nice demonstration that his inner turmoil is more or less resolved.

The adult Kyoshi Warrior I mentioned at the very beginning of this reappears as a White Lotus member. She, for whatever reason, has a replacement warrior uniform for Suki, because I feel Suki shouldn’t have to go through the climax in a Fire Nation disguise. Also maybe Sokka should be wearing his warpaint too? I mean it’s culturally significant to him.

You want lightning? No I don’t. Azula’s growing inner turmoil denies her the use of lightning, mirroring Zuko’s original inability to use it when he was lost and confused. So when it comes to sneakily zapping Katara it’s just her fire, but a flame more concentrated (and by implication, rage-fueled) than we’ve ever seen from her. A veritable beam that Zuko has to put his all into deflecting, opening him up to an attack. A non-lethal attack; Azula still has that line about “the family physician”. She doesn’t want Zuko dead and leaves him be when he’s down. Despite going off the deep end there is a spark of compassion in her that stops her from doing that.

As I’ve stated previously, Aang needs to do something slightly more significant and spiritual in order to access the Avatar State again rather than that stupid rock. Some sort of spiritual lesson.

As I’ve said a few times now, the Lion-Turtles should be known to the audience by now, along with their ability to give bending to humans, so that the ability to take bending has been implied.

The weird orange-vs-blue lightshow with the energy bending was kind of melodramatic, though the corruption-vs-purity thing could still be visually represented by Ozai trying to physically overpower Aang and failing.

Possibly to be continued.

[chacusha]

Trials of Mana remake liveblogging (2/3)

Liveblogging from Beuca Island to slaying the first seven benevodons:

Classes: I chose Mysticist for Angela (I usually go light path for her, so am changing it up). Partner chose Monk for Kevin (he thought it seemed more appropriate). And went Valkyrie for Riesz because I went dark path last time.

(I definitely like this “being able to actually preview what the classes do before switching” change a lot.)

Vuscav swimming is adorable. My partner absolutely loves his theme music too, so that’s also adorable.

Other than that, though, finding the last four elementals was a bit boring. Aside from searching for Li’l Cactus and trying to learn some new abilities post-class change, I find this leg of the game a bit meh.

The Duskmoon Forest is gorgeous though. I had to take a picture of the way the light hits the golden goddess statue:

The path to the Winged Defender (I forget the name) is beautiful. It really captures the feel of that area from the original of being the highest place in the world.

I also took a picture of the sun rising around the mountains:

The Mana Sanctuary is also beautiful!! I love this lush jungle with lilypads and sparkling water!!! The music is great although I would have loved some more vocally vocals, if that makes sense.

I’m using this game as a reward for finishing my work in a timely manner and this game is really a comfort game for me. The aesthetics and music of the game are so comforting, and I really like making my way through these maps. Poking around exploring stuff is really relaxing.

Angela continues to carry the cast in terms of having not terrible voice-acting.

I feel like Belladonna’s voice actress is trying, but the character movement and deadpan expression really DON’T allow for a plausible “mourning for Dark Majesty” speech, and deepening her voice to sound distraught isn’t working. This is painful.

Taking out some benevodons now. Water, Wind, Light, and Earth weren’t too hard. My allies really aren’t helping me on any of them, though. I’ve basically had to hang back as Angela and spam supereffective spells while my companions fail to dodge attacks and die. The wind benevodon on top of Flammie was the roughest because I didn’t know how to dodge the attacks from the side.

My partner wanted me to do the light benevodon early because when I played the original, I kept on getting repeatedly turned into a moogle and didn’t bring the Minor Mallet with me to allow me to cure the status infinitely by turning mini and then turning back. So I ran out of healing items and ended up with three moogles desperately trying to finish off Lightgazer by throwing handaxes and pumpkins at it (it didn’t work... I ended up having to restart). He found the image of moogles throwing handaxes at a demigod so amusing and wanted to see it again but I equipped stuff that protected me from moogle status. Maybe I should have been braver and gone without it, though... Would have loved to see the moogle status effect in this game.

Gem Valley is a very odd dungeon. I found it visually very stunning and enchanting in the original, but jarringly the music is so creepy and unsettling. But in the remake, they’ve made the dungeon as a whole more creepy, like you’re descending into Hell. It’s interesting.

Went to the Woods of Wandara, which was an interesting dungeon what with the fixed camera platforming, but uh... got wiped out repeatedly by Mispolm and found the battle just very tedious in general, what with my useless companions, the regenerating mobs that get stronger as the battle progresses, and the very difficult to dodge vine sweeps that take out a quarter or a third of my HP even when I’m standing at the very back of the clearing, which makes spamming spells from a distance very difficult. Will try it again after I’ve done a second class change, maybe.

Did the Fire benevodon -- also very tedious largely because I do not know what’s up with the statues. I ended up destroying two and leaving the third up and that seemed to be fine. Once again, we never managed to fulfill the requirements in time, nor do my companions like to use their specials even with full gauge, so it was an extremely long battle.

But I got enough ??? seeds to class change. Either I got very lucky this game or the results of planting these seeds are not random because the first six seeds I planted got me all 6 class change items.

New classes: Angela: Magus (dark/dark). Kevin: Warrior Monk (light/dark). Riesz: Star Lancer (light/dark). I really like the pink in Riesz’s Star Lancer outfit, but I wish the blue was a lighter/brighter color like in her SNES sprite.

Okay now that we’ve classchanged, Dolan was super easy. And Mispolm was much more doable too.

The Chartmoon Tower looks gorgeous, but I also miss the maze-like-ness and outdoor bridges of the original. This dungeon has such a good set of enemies, though -- definitely my favorite.

It’s a bit of a mistake to have both my strongest fighter and my healer in one character (Kevin). I basically have to always control him to make sure heals come in a timely manner and that he uses his specials promptly. Maybe setting his AI to be more aggressive with the support/healing spells might be helpful. I’m glad this game doesn’t deny KO’d characters EXP, because often it’s just easier to leave one or both companions KO’d throughout the battle.

[jeuneoiseau]

D and i were starting to practice moon river to sing for grandma while she’s been in the hospital. But he wasnt getting it down so we did “love” instead with J to send on video. I said we could sing moon river for her another day. Then i was being sent videos of my summer bday party two years ago (when things were simpler but not necessarily better) and the clips were when i walked through the door and everyone was singing moon river to me because it was a moon party.

Today, i woke up at 6 to do yoga, shower, and have breakfast before work. It was so dark and i could tell it wasn’t going to be a sunny day. I lit all the candles in my apartment to prepare for yoga. I thought to myself “candles in the morning remind me of my grandma.” A few days ago i put on the gold pendent “mother mary and baby jesus” necklace she had give me in honor of her and what she is going through. I always wear or keep close tokens from people i want to feel close to or remember. When i was dressing for work, i was deciding which of my 10000 tshirts to wear, and ended up choosing my sacred feminine tshirt against my practical senses because Z always messes my white shirts (but if its not him it’s me). And he did. But i kept it on anyway. JF told me about this cool trail called harts brook. I took Z. It turned out to be a convent with multiple buildings across the land/preserve and there was a garden and spread out parking spots and trails to walk on. I didnt have much time with Z to take a trail, but i drove to the back of the property to where the abandoned house and labyrinth are. (Pictured below). It was mystical and magical. There was soft thunder in the background. I too felt soft as thunder. I walked the labyrinth with Z (And believe it or not it took a while). I dont fully understand the purpose of labyrinths yet (though sue monk kidd had JUST mentioned one in the dance of the dissident daughter where i left off), but i know it is akin to seeking answers on the path. There were statues of mother mary and other saints. I know movies and media give places and statues like that a creepy reputation but i always find them comforting and full of secrets. I thought of my grandma and wanted to bring her there. Then mom group texted the family saying to call her individually so she can update us so we can prepare our hearts for where grandma is at in her health. My heart didn’t feel shock and sink as it used to. I dont think im surprised anymore at bad news and tragedy. But i wanted to know. Since the stint procedure went well, i assumed she wasn’t recovering well, or that they checked the mass on her pancreas and it was indeed cancer as they predicted. I hadn’t heard the update yet at that point, but I cried in the labyrinth. I always feel weird crying in front of Z. I felt a surge of drive to, once again, chase feminine wholeness and awakening, chase mental health and live my one wild life as well as i can.

I called my mom and she said that grandma doesn't want a biopsy on the mass, and the doctors said that the stint is going to work fine but it is only temporary. The issues with her bile ducts paired with the pancreas are linked and the doctors said they see it happen often and it is very likely cancer. While i don’t doubt that, I personally would feel antagonized if i didnt know exactly what was going on in my body. But it is said that if it is cancer, she has 6 months to a year to live. Presumably. While, again, this doesn’t cause me to feel panicky, i just feel sadness. Sadness that i don’t feel like its possible to soak everything up out of life. Sadness that i dont know where i am going to live in a month and a half, and now, i dont want to go anywhere far so i dont miss grandma. She is my lovey, my queen, my best friend. Even if she is different than she used to be and we dont agree on everything. She is my home, my safe place. I have less and less of those to return to. My prayer is just for quality moments. I’m so glad i got to make the easter bread rolls with her. I want to drink tea, eat pastina, and watch i love lucy with her on the couch on a rainy day. Her laugh is my favorite thing.

That’s all for now. I hope to see her in the next week.

8/13/2020

[plague-of-insomnia]

spoiler for any but particularly wdh please!

Since I got this right before we posted Ch 3, “Burn Together, Pt 1,” I got permission from @luci-on-the-moon to share a tiny bit from the opening flashback scene in the next chapter, Ch 4, “Burn Together, Pt 2.”

Hope you enjoy as Bard realizes young Luci isn’t easy to deal with.

~~~

The kid didn’t say a goddamned word.

Nothing. Their very first day working together, and [Sebastian] was as silent as a friggin’ monk.

After thirty minutes of failed attempts to elicit some, any reaction from the creepy young man riding shotgun, Bard decided to try Spanish. “Hablo español?” It sounded more like, “Ha-blow es-pan-ole,” and his verb conjugation was wrong, but he didn’t know that.

Nothing.

Bard sighed. Lit a cigarette and smoked it in the suffocating silence. He’d study the kid with a side glance whenever he could. The boy sat like some ancient statue, hands on his knees, back straight, that long hair flowing over his shoulders, eyes directly ahead. He barely even breathed.

Bard tossed his cigarette butt out the window and took a deep breath. “You come with a manual or something?”

~~~

I hope you liked it! In case you missed it, you can read the first three chapters and the prelude of Where Demons Hide on AO3.

[rootindiahealthcare]

Top 5 summer destinations

The summer months are just around the corner and you know how much we like to travel and meet WowTrippers new destinations. So, we want to introduce you to our top 5 summer destinations! Whether you are planning a getaway with friends or want to spend a summer vacation with your family, here are 5 summer destinations that you will definitely enjoy. Dubrovnik - A Journey Through Time to the Middle Ages The first of our top 5 summer destinations is Dubrovnik, a medieval-style city in the southern part of Croatia on the Adriatic coast. Neither beach lovers nor culture enthusiasts will live here with a desire to do tourism. If you like to spend your free time at the beach, Dubrovnik offers you beautiful sandy and pebbled beaches surrounded by crystal blue waters and pine forests. Here you can relax and enjoy the warm Mediterranean air. You will also get great views of the old city fort. This brings us to the best places in Dubrovnik; that you should not miss, such as in the old city itself.Whereas declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO forty years ago.

Why UNESCO made this decision You will know when you enter from the Pile Gate and enjoy the indescribable medieval atmosphere created by the small labyrinthine lanes. The atmosphere resembles a real-time voyage of the Middle Ages and Renaissance with its ancient fortress, Franciscan monastery, and a wall about two thousand meters long that protects the old city. Dubrovnik is the center of attraction for fans of the famous series "Game of Thrones". If you are a big fan of George RR Martin's history, we recommend that you join one of the organized tours. They will show you all the hidden places and corners of the city and uncover some of the series' little secrets. Speaking of mysteries, have you heard about the curse of Lokram Island? If supernatural is not your thing, please head straight to the next destination for this summer on our list. If you are passionate about darkness, read … The small island of Lokram is not far from the old city. This can be reached by boat. There are remains of antiquity for the voyage, including an old Benedictine monastery. According to legend, fiery monks cursed the island 700 years ago. The people of Dubrovnik are convinced of magical power. So the mysterious island is completely uninhabited. If you dare to see it; keep in mind that you must have left before 9pm. This is the mandatory rule you must follow if you do not want to fall into the terrible curse and know the wrath of the monks.

Palma de Mallorca - Paradise Beach vs. Creepy Dragon One popular destination that should be among our top 5 summer destinations is Palma de Mallorca. It is the largest of the five Balearic islands of the Mediterranean Sea. Enjoy your time at the many unique beaches in Palma de Mallorca, which have nothing to envy some Caribbean beaches. In addition, you can relax and give yourself a refreshing beer; or fruit cocktail at nearby beach bars or within the beaches. Palma de Mallorca has a lot for culture lovers. When you have traveled to its old city and visited its church. Then we recommend a special view of El Castel de Belver. It is a palace of the Middle Ages, which serves as a residence and patronage for King Jaume I. The palace itself is a small world. It is situated in the middle of a cedar forest at an altitude of about 110 meters. That offers an impressive view of the harbor and the city of Palma de Mallorca. The nostalgic position and great scenery are not only the castel de belver's peculiarities; but also the palace. Its spherical shape means that there is no other similar throughout Europe, which makes the palace a unique example. If you are interested in the history of Palma de Mallorca. You are lucky because here you will find a museum of the history of the city. Palma de Mallorca also has its own dragon. "El Draque de non Coca", which lived in the sewers of the city in the seventeenth century. It is said that the dragon killed many people; until he encountered the brave knight Bartomo Coco, who killed him without hesitation. Confirmed by several sources, this story actually happened. What do you think Is there any truth to that? Stop doubting visiting the Diocesan Museum, where you can find the remains of the mysterious dragon.

Catania - the perfect getaway for Sicily Catania is one of the top 5 summer destinations that would really be worth visiting on these holidays. It is located on the eastern coast of Sicily. The city has not yet been invaded by mass tourism. Therefore, it is still considered a special recommendation for those; who wish to discover an impressive historical city. Here you can chill with a delicious pistachio ice cream at Piazza del Duomo and enjoy the authenticity Catania has the shortest metro line in the world with only seven stations. In our stunning trips as WowTrippers we love keen means of transportation, we recommend that you use this quiet means to get to know the city and surrounding areas. What we recommend on your summer vacation and what you really shouldn't leave in Catania is Etna. It is the largest active volcano in Europe, with eruptions nearly every year, and offers a show you will never forget. You can take the cable car to the top or go for a walk. The best option is to take a guided tour, so you will not only be sure, but you will also get lots of interesting information and exclusive advice from an expert. If you are fond of trekking, you can book a special excursion on top of a 3.323 meter high volcano. You will have an impressive view of all of Sicily and you can clearly feel the volcanic activity and have a look at the crater and lava caves. Since the volcano is always active, you can get lucky and see the real lava, An ancient legend from the time of the ancient gods speaks of Hephaestus, who marries the beautiful Aphrodite. Every time he believed his wife to be unfaithful, anger and jealousy blinded him and caused his smiley fire to grow so much that he angered Etna. What do you think, WowTripper? Would you dare to climb Etna to see this natural spectacle? Top Destination Summer Catania

Mykonos - Summer destination for party and beach holidays Mykonos Cycladic island is located in the Aegean Sea and is one of the most famous Greek islands. According to legend, Heracles threw twelve giants into the sea, which were set in stone and became islands, including Mykonos. Although it is very popular and visited by many tourists, we continue to recommend Mykonos as one of the top 5 summer destinations. In that place, you can relax on the beach and forget about your daily life. Paradise Beach and Super Paradise Beach are the most famous beaches on the island and are named after them. You will feel in heaven with a cocktail in your hand. If you too like a party, then you have come to the right place. Mykonos is one of the most popular party destinations and has so many discos that it will take you a week to see them all. When you are tired of the beach, you can take a walk in typical Greek alleys with their white houses and blue doors. Don't miss the curious Panagia Paraportiani Church, which actually has five independent chapels and is in danger of collapsing due to its asymmetry. The quiet side of Mykonos can be explored in the famous Cato Milli windmills, from which you can have a beautiful view of the city. Here you can not miss taking a selfie! A curious history of the city that we would like you to know is dedicated to the Mykonos mascot: Petros, the Pelicans. The bird was found badly injured in 1958 by a fisherman who escaped and cared for it until he recovered. Petros remained loyal to his fisherman and the city and was soon named an absolute favorite of Mykonos. Since then he moved independently from the old city. Okay, we accept it … It's not the same Petros of 1958! Nevertheless, the replacement continues to run through petro alleys. If you find it during your vacation, taking pictures is a must! You can find cheapest tickets on this portal with niche comparison. Ajiaco - land of Napoleon The final destination of our top 5 summer destinations is the capital of Corsica: Ajiaco. Ajaccio's beaches are amazing and invite you for a relaxing and refreshing beach day. We recommend the Bay of Porticcio, where you can admire a historic watchtower that is perfect for exposing your photographer skills and immortalizing the moment.

If you want to explore a quiet and relaxing Corsica island, we recommend you take an adventurous excursion along the Corsica Railway. Start in Ajiaco and take you through the beauty valleys, bays and mountains of the island. A different experience that you will tell your friends and acquaintances! If you still don't know, Ajaccio is the place where Napoleon Bonaparte was born in 1769. The inhabitants of Ajaccio and Corsica ordinarily regard their famous emperor and celebrate it with enthusiasm. Allow yourself to get infected by this boom and take a search journey through the old city of Ajiaco. Go to "Maison Bonaparte", the house in which Napoleon was raised. We recommend the audio guide, which will tell you many interesting anecdotes about Napoleon's life. The Place Dusterlitz Monument is a huge granite statue that recalls the city's statue. As a child, under a granite rock, he is said to have loved reading books of historical heroes like Alexander the Great. And this is not the only monument discovered in Ajashio. This summer destination has hidden many monuments and statues in your city. Read the full article

[toki-aah]

Dororo’s blink-and-you’ll-miss-it moments (from ep 1 to 3)

I love how much attention was paid to little details in this anime. It’s a joy to rewatch the episode to find out nice little tidbits.

Second part here

Warning: Contain spoilers from ep 1 to 3. Some facts may be well known across the fandom but I’m still including them in case someone never heard of them. Correction and addition are welcome.   

Let’s get started, shall we?

Ep 1

This is from the scene where the blind monk saw Hyakkimaru for the first time. See that little green thing under baby Hyakki? It’s the pouch that has the emblem of his family that Jukai gave him before his departure

He still has his right leg bandaged over here. Because the real leg grew back but he still didn’t have skin by this point

This is from the scene where he fought the mud monster. Someone had pointed out that he was keeping his mask from falling off but I don’t think that’s the case. Notice how the bottom of the swords didn’t point out of his elbows anymore after this. It’s very likely that he’s extending the range of his swords in this scene.

This one is obvious. He hasn’t got his nose yet so the nose has a different tone from his skin. This difference was only shown once, though. As it may distract the viewers in later episodes if they still keep it that way.

Ep 2: 

Poor Hyakki had to touch the fish first because he could not see dead things, and only saw Dororo shoving a stick to his face

See how the character for maru is a little off to the right? Who writes like that? A blind person! Hyakki can’t see shit, folks. And that makes sense

Ep 3:

Jukai slipped and fell near a Buddha statue and met baby Hyakki this way. This may suggest some kind of divine intervention here. 

On my first watch, I found it a little creepy how he lay completely still to look at the ceiling here. And then I realized he was sleeping. The mask didn’t have eyelid so Hyakki always slept like that. With his fake eyes open.

Kaname went away, leaving the prosthetic leg that Jukai made for him behind. Hyakkimaru did so too :(

I’ll make another post for the remaining eps later.

[violet-bookmark]

Princess of Dorsa, by Eliza Andrews, chapter 6

Chapter 5 was very unexciting and chapter 6 doesn't start off much better: Tasia herself is bored with her lesson and falling asleep. I do love the scenery's description, it is very immersive (it's ironic that I say this about a description that is supposed to arise boredom and sleepiness). Her creep of a teacher notices that she's falling asleep, so he quizzes her about the lesson. She replies way more diplomatically than usual, which is good because it makes her sound more calm and clever than when she just lashes out.

As she describes her creepy teacher, we get some lore from the Wise Men: they wear their hair like medieval monks. That's it. That's the lore.

Also apparently the house of Dorsa was founded by a barbarian who had a wizard brother that he killed, so I guess that's why there hasn't been any magic so far. The book did a great job at making the explanation sound as boring and uninteresting as Tasia found it, so I almost forgot about it. Then suddenly we get this:

"Your father told me earlier today that he intends to make you his true heir," Norix said. "You'll still have to marry, of course, but your father wants you to be the one with the power, not your husband."

I was mistaken, looks like she will have to marry anyways. I understand this in part, but not really. It would make sense for her to marry after they find out who tried to kill her, or at least can rule some possible suspects out. Otherwise they would not only anger the killer by naming her the heir, but also giving him the possibility of getting closer to her and murdering her for real.

Another thing to note is that Tasia's parents had few children for their time and station. I don't know if this is because her father is impotent, because her mother had poor health (which could be, except we don't have any idea of how she and Tasia's brother died) or if they had other babies that died, but it is a massive inconvenient. If House Dorsa is ruling a massive Empire, the more children they have to marry off to other houses, the better.

Her creepy teacher, Norix, proceeds to act all condescending and explain to her that normally, females can't inherit (as if she didn't know) but that given the circumstances, it is time to do a very special exception, despite the fact that Tasia hasn't either shown strong leadership skills nor an interest in the crown.

I am tired of "females can't inherit" being common law in fantasy: the Salic Law was responsible for women not being allowed to ascend to the throne and inherit titles or property for a big part of the medieval age (although it varied depending on the century, some countries didn't have this law while in others it was introduced a lot later, etc. So even realistic fiction authors should double-check their facts). Of couse, even without it, mysoginy was a reality that shaped women's lives in many ways. During the medieval age, women worked on the fields for as many hours as the men did, but in my country they only got the same pay as children purely because of their sex. But those circumstances and the Salic Law were not something unavoidable or that just had to happen, and it is tiring how a lot of medieval fantasy books just expect readers to accept settings where women don't have any power (except for a few exceptions) with no explanation. Sometimes they even have less power than real medieval women; a lot of authors seems to think that for some reason, lower class women never worked? Or did anything apart from having babies, staying in the kitchen or prostituting themselves, really (something that a lot of the time they are portrayed as enjoying, of course). Hell, even high-born women did a lot of remarkable things during the Middle Ages that the majority of people don't know about, either because the men in power didn't want them written in history or because they deemed them less important just because women did them.

But back to the point.

"And I happen to believe that your father's decision is rooted in wisdom. This might be the right time in history - and you might be the right princess in history - for a woman to rule again."

And I happen to disagree, but then again I am not a pervy old man with a monk's haircut, so you know, grain of salt.

Tasia's brow furrowed. She was the right princess to rule the Empire? Norix's sudden proclamation was more than out-of-context and unexpected; it was out-of-character. She was relatively certain that her tutor didn't even like her, let alone think her capable of ruling an entire empire.

Even Tasia thinks he's full of shit.

Norix informs her that they are interrogating the man that was trying to kill her (while cosplaying as a Wise man) but that they are having a hard time getting anything out of him because he can resist truth serum. I was fine with this until:

To resist the truth serum required years of careful, painstaking training. It required poisoning yourself with the serum on ever-increasing doses, tolerating months of sleepless nights and vomiting until one built up an immunity to it,

Wait wait wait, no. Months of sleepless nights? The longest recorded time a person has been without sleeping is 11 days. Not sleeping for days can have very damaging effects on the body; it can cause hallucinations, paranoia and psychosis, along with damage to the nervous system, poor movement coordination and devastating effects on a person's mental health and overall wellbeing. It even messes with your hormones and your entire internal clock, affecting hunger, body temperature, etc. It is rare to die because of lack of sleep but it happens, and I am sure that anybody would die after months of not sleeping, if they hadn't gone insane first.

Tasia reaches the conclusion that it's possible that the Wise Man that tried to kill her wasn't a cheap cosplayer but the real deal, since the means to train somebody to resist the truth serum are expensive. Which means that the one that wanted to kill her was a noble. We don't know exactly what Wise Men do because knowing about their hairdos was more important, but they seem to be teachers to the rich and the poor alike, as well as advisors to nobles. So far, none of them have proven to be master assassins, let alone to have good fighting skills. Why would they send one of them to kill her? No wonder he didn't get the job done. They could have trained a professional assassin to resist truth serum and just have him/her do the deed.

It's also stupid because Wise Men seem to be fairly publicly known as well, so that should make it easier to track down the killer. What makes it worse is that, if the assassin was indeed a Wise Man, he tried to murder her in his Wise Man uniform for everyone to recognize his status, which is extremely dumb.

Norix starts to ramble about how clever she is for having reached that conclussion (... It's not an impressive deduction, and it doesn't make Tasia look clever, but the book look dumb), and he points out that she has an ability to manipulate people, like the guards of Sunfall gate. When Tasia is like "wtf" he reminds her that everyone and their mother knows about Tasia's lovers. Which yeah, Tasia has mentioned before that everyone and their mother does, indeed, know about them. Why is she surprised when she already knows that everybody knows?

"You are many things, my dear girl. Imprudent, churlish, impulsive, mule-headed - these all describe you well. Still..." he said, almost as if to himself, "they are traits you can learn to temper, should you decide to. Traits you could use, even. As your father has. Statecraft, strategy, the right balance of daring and caution. These are things that I can teach you. But loyalty - aaah, loyalty cannot be taught. And the one thing I know you are not is a traitor."

This is... A weird way to phrase it. You could just say that she's a loyal person instead of being like "well, you definitely are not a traitor ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ so you'll do". And so far, Tasia hasn't demonstrated any kind of loyalty to the Empire or to anyone else but herself, really. She has mentioned several times that she isn't bothered about politics, her lessons bore her to death and she puts 0 effort into them, and she hasn't thought once about the Empire apart from when the men urge her to (her father, Norix, Cole, etc.), and even then she hasn't had a single thought of her own about it. She hasn't been traitorous either, but she doesn't seem to care enough to be. She only comes across as a selfish brat. Not caring enough to go out of your way to hurt someone or somehing =/= loyalty. Honestly, the only reason that would make me believe that Norix supports her as a ruler is that he believes she will be easily manipulable since she doesn't give a shit, and then, as an advisor, he will be the one with all the power.

Now that I think about it, only the noblemen have ever worried about politics in this book. All the noblewomen we have seen so far are too worried about their lovers and their looks to spare a single thought about politics, despite the fact that they will be their husband's confidantes in the future and they should have notions of how things work to be able to give good advice and to be politically competent as noblewomen. This is not only sexist, it doesn't even make sense. Even Tasia’s mother seemed to be only interested in singing with her pretty exotic birds and was so damn unremarkable that Tasia outright tells us that everyone has pretty much forgotten about her. Not even Disney princesses are so damn politically useless. If the noblewomen in your "gritty" look-at-how-many-times-I-mention-sexual-assault-aren't-I-edgy-esque series fall short at the side of Disney princesses, you're doing something extremely wrong.

After talking about the fact that it was the Emperor's idea and not Norix's to name Tasia the official heir, she remembers how her dad was talking about some of the women that had become Empresses in their own right:

Empress Adela, the warrior-queen who'd saved the nascent Empire after a series of wars that had nearly destroyed it. Adela's father had only two daughters, and the younger one died before reaching adolescence. Rather than marrying Adela off and turning her husband into the heir, he named Adela the heir and never forced her into marriage.

But Tasia is still forced to get married? Why?

Tasia asks Norix why did he tell her before the Emperor could, and Norix says that he wanted Tasia to not be taken by surprise and to do something stupid in front of the Emperor. Great trust you have in her, dude. Somehow, Tasia doesn't take offense on that, which she should. She takes offense when Jos does as much as breathe near her, but Norix insults her to her face and it is A-okay? He's her teacher and everything, but still, she mentioned earlier that everyone should know their station. That he told her beforehand also bothers me because it will make the naming scene far less epic; now that Tasia knows it won't be as interesting or impressive, and far less dramatic.

Out of the blue, but why didn't her father remarry after her mother died? Unless he had a problem, the natural course of action in a society where the upper class needs heirs would be to remarry both for the babies and the extra power. This reinforces my theory about him being impotent. We are given no explanation whatsoever for a lot of things that we should know, so I will headcannon away. No cannon facts can stop me because they don't exist.

After Tasia finishes her lessons she starts to get nauseous because all the responsibility of being an Empress is hitting her at once. Joslyn tries to make her feel better:

"Princess... If it eases your burden any... I want you to know that no assassin will get near you again. Not while I remain in your service"

She is so kind and considerate, I love her.

"That eases my burden none," Tasia said. "I've known you for all of - what? Four hours on the clock? Five? And as you pointed out, the attempt on my life was only last night. Then you suddenly appear today? For all I know, you are my assassin's accomplice, weaseling your way into the palace to finish the job."

Why are you like this, Tasia? Okay, you're worried about the assassin, but throwing sudden accusations isn't going to help you. And since when you have suspected Joslyn of anything? This comes completely out of the blue. "That eases my burden none, I won't rest until I find the mastermind behind the assassin." Would have been a way better response while still coming across as angry and aloof. Her actual answer not only makes her come across as angry but as a total idiot as well.

[...] to the Princess's private apartments, at which point Joslyn slipped ahead of her and inspected all three chambers - the antechamber, Tasia's bedchamber, the servant's bedchamber. Tasia put on a show of the inspection being superfluous and unnecessary, but secretly she was glad for the guard's diligent caution.

If you are grateful for it, why did you put on a show and got mad? The only thing you will get doing this is that Joslyn will be less eager to inspect the rooms next time. Granted, she answers to the Emperor, but if you're telling her that the inspection doesn't need to be done, she might think twice about it next time. Why is the author doing this? This is not cute, this is not "banter, or "rivals to lovers" or whatever, this is just stupid and makes Tasia look immature.

Whatever it was, Tasia had to admit to herselt that she felt just a little bit safer as she crossed the treshold into her private chambers.

A shame that this won't stop you from being an asshole to Joslyn.