#admittedly things could change about the design at any point !

[camping-with-monsters]

WHERE WILL YOU BE DURING RANDOM CHIMP EVENT.

So yeah ToWG has a Sun Wukong character!! Admittedly I don’t have a LOT of his relevance down, but he’s one of the higher ups (called Tellhellers) like Lord, Anansi, and Baba Yaga. He’s planned for Spider’s Tag!

[leftneb]

There is Something Seriously Wrong with this Logo..... Chapter Two

So. Lots of you have seen this post by my dear partner ( @lailau7904 ) in which the Williams F1 design team get absolutely torn to bits. In the case you haven't read it yet I highly recommend you do because a) it's really fucking funny and b) it makes what I'm about to tell you even funnier. Though you don't have to, this post touches on entirely different things still regarding this one goddamn logo.

The original post starts like this:

Innocent enough, we made an assumption in good faith that the logo displayed on the Wikipedia page would be the same one as the official version used by Williams. Buckle the fuck up because I'm about to tell you why that was the worst mistake we could have made.

Please. Please I beg of you keep reading this took YEARS off our lifespans. Like the original post was fun and all but it was merely the top of the iceberg. If this were an hbomberguy video this would be the part where he reveals that the background was a greenscreen the whole time. More below the cut!!! :333

The Truth

Already after only a few hours after hitting "post" on the dissection, people started pointing out to us that we'd missed an absolutely crucial detail on the Wikimedia page we got the logo from, pay careful attention:

See THIS?

Yeah this means that that image is not, and never was, the official logo of Williams. All along it had been the work of a Wikipedia user by the name of Juanchocarbonero. Here you can even see the (admittedly painful) history of the file as provided by Wikimedia, this image was uploaded all the way back in 2016, it even underwent an update when the team changed their colour scheme to a lighter blue without getting fucking fixed.

But to me the absolutely most painful part about this page is the "File Usage" section. Which gives you a quick preview of just how deep the goddamn disease that is this piece of graphic design sin really spreads.

And just to clarify: the official version of the logo used by Williams on merch etc is perfectly fine. It's a nice piece of graphic design. I still quite like it. But the story doesn't end there. Not even close.

Consequences

When you look up "williams logo" on Google the image provided by Wikimedia the very first result that pops up, if you're looking for a high-quality .png of this logo that, logically, is what you'll end up using. And I mean, why wouldn't you? What reason do you have not to use it? As long as you don't look to close (oops) it's a perfectly fine, high-definition, clean and transparent image of the logo! No shit people are going to use it!

But this raises a question: Why IS it the most widespread version of the logo? That's fucking weird isn't it? Surely if the actual logo used on ex.: the official Williams F1 website (which, again, is perfectly fucking fine) was available they would've just used that, right?

Now. Small problem. If you want you can go ahead and open whatever search engine you use, if you do that I'm gonna need you to type in "Williams logo" into the search bar, and just try finding a picture that is

of the actual official logo (you can tell the bootleg from the real thing by checking if the middle segment of the W has spiky ends or flat ones. We're looking for flat ones here)

high quality (no pixels or blurring visible to the naked eye)

a transparent png (none of that chequered background bullshit)

NOT a logo with any words (such as: Williams or Racing) visible in it. those don't count.

If you didn't feel like doing any of that, I'll just tell you the answer: you fucking can't. Nothing like that EXISTS. The closest I could get are these two, both of which are mid to ass quality, so they don't count either.

No sensible individual is going to scroll google search results for 5 minutes straight just so they can use a 200x200 image, especially when they think a perfect alternative is right there.

I even found several recoloured versions of the diseased logo, including one as a sticker on Redbubble! Fuck me that's a horrible sight!

The Search

Because I wrote the previous paragrahps after we'd figured out exactly what had happened, you might be under the impression that by this point in trying to answer the question "Why the fuck is that image on Wikipedia instead of, idk, the real fucking thing?" we'd at least established the existence of said "real Williams F1 logo". You'd be wrong, because for somewhere around 24 hours after we'd made the initial, horrifying discovery of just how fucked the Wikipedia version is, we genuinely could not tell if that was the official logo or not.

The ones displayed on their website weren't at all downloadable or even copyable, a non-ass quality of the damn thing just didn't seem to exist anywhere, so we didn't dare draw any conclusions. And we were still foolishly operating on the assumption that Wikipedia wouldn't just lie to us. (this is why your teachers hate it when you use it a source btw. like this is the ONE time it's actually been reasonable)

So, in the hopes of finding the offical Williams Racing logo, the non-scuffed one because clearly it exists, somewhere, we consulted an expert on Intellectual Property: my mother!

What this "consultation" actually roughly looked like was: we went on a walk and I started rambling about the Situation from Last Night before she cut me off and pulled up the website of the World Intellectual Property Organisation, aka the place they store all the Copyright information of like, everything.

BEHOLD:

(pictured; THE ACTUAL FUCKING LOGO I CANNOT BELIEVE IT'S EXISTED THIS WHOLE TIME)

Link to the actual real official legal document because goddamn this rabbithole just kept getting deeper so I like, have that now.

For refence, here is the official copyrighted version and the Wikimedia file overlayed on top of each other. As you can tell, it's disgusting. It's a poor, eyeballed imitation at best.

The copyrighted logo is horrifically low quality because, guess what, that image also isn't downloadable or copyable from the page. I really really cannot blame Juanchocarbonero for uploading his own version to Wikimedia because there legitimately does not exist a version of this logo that is freely available to the public. Like that goddamn abomiation is all we have. It's the effort that counts I guess.

My mother suggested that a possible reason for this could be avoiding the production of knockoff merch, or at least making it recognisable in case it is sold. Think about it, when your logo Doesn't Exist online, no one can use it without a license! It's kind of genius! I'm also about 99% sure they didn't orchestrate it so, it was good luck I guess?

interlude: How the FUCK does Copyright even work

I did immediately think to myself "we should REALLY fix the wikipedia version, like, stat" because I cannot in good conscience have this information available to me and not do anything with it, for the good of the people. However, this poses an issue: was the logo really not scuffed on purpose? Could it be that that version uploaded to Wikipedia isn't a 1:1 of the official logo because of copyrighting issues? To find out I had to look deeper, by comparing the official, website-available logos of various other F1 teams I came to conclusion that: [........................]

Yeah so I wrote that paragraph before actually checking for refences, but even after probably an hour of trying very hard to make sense of the copyright documents and copyright law in general we could not make sense of any of it. According to my mother (again, the closest we have to an expert, like she actually works with copyright in the context of companies but she's not specifically an IP expert. just to clarify) it's actually a lot worse for Wikipedia to have a falsified version of the Williams logo, than it would be to use the copyrighted version. This is because they're spreading misinformation by pretending that's the actual logo. And yet.

According to the Copyright Tag (the one on the top) in the Licensing section of the Wikimedia page for the thing pretending to be the Williams F1 logo, it's fine to use it because just a bunch of shapes. The thing is however, that it says that for pretty much every F1 team's logo, most of which are sourced straight from the official website. So this doesn't really mean anything tbh. According to our local expert (still my mother) it's fucking confusing. So I've decided to leave that at that.

update October 20th: as far as the Wikimedia pages on copyrighting tell me, uploading the official logo could, potentially, get me into serious legal trouble with Williams because of copyright laws. Which is still confusing because as said, every other team's logo is sitting uncontested on their respective Wikipedia pages. So basically we still don't know.

Okay. Backtrack. We forgot to ask something very important:

HOW?

HOW does one fuck up a perfectly fine logo THAT BAD.

WHY does one make their own scuffed tracejob and HOW does it end up like THAT. Clearly something must have gone horrifically wrong for it to end up like that.

I have a theory as to what might have happened:

It was either drawn or painted by hand, for a physical paintjob it's actually sort of impressively precise, but still objectively fucked. For a while I outright refused to believe that it could have been done in a digital program with the types of mistakes that were made, but you'll see this theory (partially) disproven later on so I retract it for now.

Operating on the assumption that it wasn't done digitally, a likely theory could be one involving a picture of scan of the paintjob. If the picture was taken at an angle or the logo itself was on a curved surface that COULD potentially explain the weird sort of slide everything has to it.

From then the picture might have been inserted into a digital art program, and the area of the logo might have been automatically selected using the magic wand tool, which could explain the weird growth at the top and that odd rounded off corner.

We also drew the conclusion that the file itself had been "tampered with" (aka cropped manually) by a human, because no computer would generate a resolution of 3356x2543 (you can that this is the original resolution on the Wikimedia page)

WAIT HOLD ON IS THAT IT?

The question of how the Fuck this guy managed to mess up the logo, and even more specifically why some edges were fine and some weren't (ant colony looking thing on the top left) bothered us so much that I at one point started just looking up "WIlliams logo" with the results filtered down to pre-2017 in an attempt to find when exactly the messed up logo was created. As if that would be any help.

Now what I definitely didn't expect to find was THIS

ENHANCE

Yes, you're seeing it right, THAT is the original 'Williams logo with the fucked up arm angles and lenghts'. Which PROVES that, contrary to our previous belief, Juancocarbonero was NOT the origin of the mistakes. Instead it was [checks notes] a DeviantArt user by the name of Nerdkid56?

The original DeviantArt post, which as of 9:47pm CET on the 13th of October 2024 I am about 90% sure is the actual first appearanace of the scuffed logo, is from May of 2015, which lines up well with the original upload date of the fucked up logo onto Wikipedia (November 2016). At the time that DeviantArt post was almost the only source for the logo.

And in the case you needed any convincing that those two logos are the same, here they are overlayed. You may notice that it's one shape (excluding the rounded corner which isn't visible at this resolution.)

This discovery is essential to understanding why the current scuffed version is the way it is. You might remember our confusion about the way some edges are fine while some are attempting to leave the image, the whole thing is a weird Frankensteinian amalgamation of vectors and magic wand mistakes. With this knowledge we can now assume that the mistakes happened in 2 layers:

Nerdkid56: likely just eyeballed the proportions. I'd guess he drew one arm before the other and flipped it around without really checking the angles. Also didn't give a shit about whether the arms lined up with the base or not. Legitimately bad design made in a digital program.

Juancocarbonero: why he used the scuffed W logo instead of the normal ones that were also perfectly accessible by 1 goddamn Google search is a mistery. HOW he even got access to it is another question I do not think we'll have answers to. And I've already explained some of the things we think may be responsible for the uneveness and bumps. Point is he fucked it up even more.

My theory for why Juanchocarbonero used the scuffed version instead of any other available picture goes like this: it was the only png he could find. Practically every other search result for "Williams Logo" that predates 2017 is a jpeg or absolute ass quality (sometimes both for good measure) so, despite it's flaws, Nedkid56's trace of it could have been the best option available at the time (the quality is actually very very good since it's a vector image, and I guess our friend Juanchocarbonero doesn't have an eye for design considering he didn't notice uhm, everything that is wrong with that model.)

Conclusion

The only way to right these wrongs is to go back, to the very beggining of this saga. Wikipedia. Williams I'm so sorry for what you've had to endure. I know what I have to do now. When I eventually make a proper vector image of the official logo and upload it to Wikimedia it'll all be over. And I WILL do it (but not rn this has already robbed me of like 3 whole days of my life. soon)

All of this is, admittedly inconsequental, but also absolutely fucking hilarious. Like imagine. you. one single guy, you make ONE mistake in a silly little "tracing this logo" project because you couldn't be arsed to check the angles of a silly little W. And some other guy, who you likely don't even know, over a whole ass year later, takes your flawed piece of design, makes it even worse somehow and uploads it to a site from which your little tiny innocent mistake becomes the most widespread version of a logo used by an actual real company worth over 700 Million US Dollars. HOW. HOW DID THAT HAPPEN. WHY HAS NO ONE FIXED THIS??? IT'S BEEN 9 YEARS

Just to give you a final look on just how widespread this plague is, here are some examples of media the fucked up version of the logo is featured in:

this Mr V's Garage video (the original reason we started this conversation in the first place)

the thumbnails of these two videos by Tommo, this one by FP1Will, and this one by RicksF1Addiction

such an amount of random places. likely fanmerch and fanart, and like, pretty much any place someone wanted to use the logo. it's everywhere. if you've ever had the Williams logo displayed in anything you've made I can guarantee you 99.9% chance you used the fucked version

and late thank you to everyone ( @bumblewyn @mid-nighttiger @vro0m @lemonsgovroom @mikraas @leclerced fucking hell I kept needing to add people to this list because compiling all of this took absurdly long) who pointed out our misconception in the reblogs of the original post and contributed to us actually looking into this further. and sorry to everyone for accidentally spreading misinformation lmao (it's too funny not to have been worth it tho) (ALSO it's not really our fault is it)

and to keep the tradition of ending on a live discord reaction:

[catras-breakup-song]

i think there are a couple things about catra's designs that people tend to get wrong (in my opinion at least, these could just be interpretations):

catra's s4 outfit is actually just a force captain uniform, not necessarily a second-in-command horde ranking above one (not that it's any less hot on her!). despite having been a force captain for most of the earlier seasons, she was actually still wearing her cadette uniform. you know, 'cause she was always skipping force captain orientation and whatnot! and then she finally started taking that power much more seriously after the portal arc. you'll notice catra's design looks much more similar to scorpia's now bc boob window lmao, who was always a force captain since her first debut, save for personal customizations to support their animal hybrid body types.

also, bonus, the reason why catra's arm sleeves are uneven is to match her appearance while she was corrupted by the world falling apart, although that wouldn't explain why she still has part of her left arm covered in black. this was something i saw someone theorize a while back, but i'd never be able to find the post again.

anyhow, it also parallels glimmer's queen design pretty well (i hate that this image is mirrored):

they both have one arm covered by a sleeve, while the other is bare, yet still wear gloves on each hand. they both wear a headpiece. they both make room in their clothes to show their chests. they both have the V-curved waistband to divide their setup into torso and waist/thighs.

...moving on now...

2. catra (along with adora, glimmer, and bow)'s future wish designs were only supposed to be temporary for scorpia's ball that they were getting ready for. i see a lot of fanart that depicts them in these outfits as their main future designs overall, but i don't believe that's the case. they would definitely appear much more settled-down without a doubt, but in my headcanon adora isn't always wearing such a long dress and catra may wear shoes more often but usually not all the time. admittedly, this is just my own take and isn't entirely relevant to the point. also, mind you, that ball wasn't even canon to reality; we don't know if it actually ever happened. it was just something adora imagined she would be able to see if she were to live.

in addition to that, nate also said this, implying that adora does not stick with dresses as casual wear and by extension the same most likely applies to catra about covering her feet instead of wearing leggings that make movement more free, although this may change as time goes on after the war and they grow to find comfort in peace:

EDIT: i found this post

[justanotherflemethstan]

I have finally finished Veilguard. I have already voiced my critiques (critique 1, critique 2, critique 3 & critique 4) and I largely stand by them. so instead, here are 5 things I absolutely loved about Dragon Age The Veilguard.

1. Mourn Watch

Mourn Watch, Mourn Watch, Mourn Watch. Wow. wwowowowow. Everything, from Rook's background, their interactions with Emmrich and unique Mourn Watch dialogue options throughout the game, to the location and the lore and Myrna & Vorgoth, was Perfect. I wouldn't change a single thing and the only difficulty I have with the Mourn Watch faction is not making all of my future Rooks Mourn Watchers too. If bioware makes Mourn Watch themed merch I will buy ALL of it. if any of you are making Mourn Watch themed merch please hmu.

(also, can I just say, I bet that at least one of people responsible for Mourn Watch has read The Locked Tomb. you just can tell, and I say that as a compliment)

2. Grand Necropolis

Is it a cheat to have the first two points be kind of about the same thing? Who cares. The Grand Necropolis was AMAZING. I could spend an entire game within its walls and never leave. In fact, I WANT to spend an entire game within its walls. We need a Grand Necropolis DLC. I want to know EVERYTHING there is to know about its lore and its customs. I am truly obsessed. Special thanks to all the level artists and level designers involved in making Grand Necropolis happen.

3. Davrin and his romance

Davrin's romance was just breathtaking. Him and my Rook felt like soulmates and I loved loved loved every interaction they had. Everything from Davrin's character and his story arc to the voice acting and the way his romance with Rook was written is just fantastic. I probably won't be able to romance him again bc I ship him with my canon Rook so hard. Davrin easily goes into my Top 5 favourite Dragon Age characters of all time.

4. Combat

I've played a sword and board warrior and I had a blast. I was playing on Normal/Adventurer difficulty and admittedly by the end of the game my Rook became a bit OP and was insta killing almost everything that moved and bosses took about 8-10 hits. But I'm really really looking forward to experiencing the other classes and experimenting with different builds/party comps/difficulty settings. The combat was truly a highlight of this game for me and I'd say that it's probably my favourite Dragon Age combat system of all the 4 games now. Which is really not something I expected to say going into the game.

5. Companions and their personal quests

The devs promised us a diverse and lovable set of companions and imo they truly delivered. I liked doing companions' personal questlines the most, and I loved how they were all very different and didn't follow the same structure or story beats. Companions also all had different personalities and quirks and their interactions with each other were memorable and kept me engaged with the game even when I was struggling through some of the slower parts. The Veilguard did indeed deliver on The Veilguard.

___

I know all these are pretty subjective and I appreciate that everyone might have a different experience with any or all of the above points. I just felt it'd be only fair to be as vocal about the parts of the game I enjoyed as I was about the things I didn't like.

[jpitha]

Between the Black and Grey 70

First / Previous / Next

Fen awoke to Ma standing over her, smiling with her eyes. "Fenchurch, you really know how to get into a mess, you know that right?"

Fen sat up. Here, she didn't hurt. "What can I say Ma? I'm tired of being told what to do, and am doing things that I want to do."

She nodded once and put her hand out to help her up. "Good. You're learning." Fen stood up and looked around. It was the same old place it always was, but they were alone in the forest. "It'll be hard though."

"hmm?" Fen wasn't listening.

"Doing things that you want to do. It's hard. It's easier to just listen to everyone else and do what they say."

Fen chuckled. "That's hard too Ma. No matter what I pick, it's hard."

"Yes," Ma agreed. "That's life."

Fen came back, pain still there, disorientation still there, but now she was also floating in space. Her suit was helpfully flashing all kinds of warnings about being adrift in space but she was able to dismiss them. The beacons on her head and shoulders flashed to alert any potential rescuers that she was out here, but scans from the - admittedly - low power radar on the suit indicated she was alone.

Except she wasn't.

Where once there was just her expeditionary force and the white hole was now a... nebula.

It was beautiful.

No, more than that, it was stunning. Rainbow colors, swirling, dancing around her, visible in every direction. She was awash in a sea of color. But why? Was it the nanites?

As she floating in space, Fen stared at once location while time passed. She was sure that the nebula was very slowly moving. With a gasp that turned into a coughing fit, she realized what she was seeing.

It was a war.

The Nanites and Han'iel's nanites had consumed the entirety of the expeditionary force as raw material, and were now around her in the tens of trillions, fighting. The concentration of machines was so dense that she could see them.

Fen thought to herself, well okay Fenchurch. You came back here and you're making your own decisions now. So now what? Fen thought about the implant. It would make a dent in the volume of nanites here, and might be the tipping point to end the battle, but was she ready to do that? No. Not yet at least. Besides, if she did that now the virus in her body would never spread. She had to get closer.

Ugh, but how? The suit had maneuvering jets, but they weren't meant to be used for millions of kilometers. She could link again and get closer, but then that would be it. She'd be stuck. She queried the suit. 'Power options?'

INTERNAL BATTERIES 80%. USEFUL LIFE AT CURRENT POWER OUTPUT - 100 SOL STANDARD DAYS.

Well. At least she's starve to death before she froze to death. She tried again. 'Are the batteries sufficient to operate the wormhole link backpack?'

QUERYING... NEGATIVE. SUIT BATTERIES WOULD BE DEPLETED.

'Recharging options?'

CONNECT TO POWER ON SHIP OR STATION.

Ugh, it didn't have like, solar panels or anything? Fen had no idea about suit design, but she felt like something like that as a last resort would have been useful. 'Radio?'

LOCAL AREA ONLY. NO SIGNALS IN RANGE CURRENTLY.

Dammit. It turned out that an emergency rescue spacesuit wasn't just a teeny spaceship after all.

While Fen was working through her options and arguing with her suit, the nebula slowly came closer to her. She noticed as the color outside her face shield changed, and she looked up and gasped. What she had thought was a slow wheeling progression of the nebula was actually the nanites moving at tremendous speed. They had traversed the distance to her in less than two hours. Before she realized what was happening, the swirl of color surrounded her suit. Red warnings flashed in her vision SUIT INTEGRITY COMPROMISED. SUIT INTEGRITY COMPROMISED. Her suit was being eaten for material.

"Oh fuck." She said aloud, "now you've done it."

Ah, Empress. You are alive after all. The voice was practically liquid in its smugness.

"I could say the same thing about you. How goes the war with Han'iel's creation?"

We persevere, Fen. We were built well.

"Oh goody. You can talk to me as well." Fen sighed. "Well, as it appears that I am being consumed for raw materials in your battle, you had better say your pieces before I'm gone entirely."

Gone? You're not going anywhere. You forget we can manipulate matter on any scale.

Don't worry Fen. Once these nanites are destroyed, we will take good care of you. Han'iel's nanites spoke to her with a K'laxi accent. Almost but not quite sounding like Han'iel himself.

Take care of you? They can't even tak-- Her original nanites started to argue again but stopped sudddenly. What did you do?

"Whatever do you mean?" Fen said innocently, while grinning wickedly. It was going to work.

You have introduced a... pathogen. How?

"Don't worry about how, worry about your own damn survival now. I don't even care that I'm out in space alone because I got you. Neither of you will be able to come up with a counter in time."

We shall see about that.

Both of the nanites pulled out of her mind quickly, without taking care to be gentle. Through the blinding headache they left, Fen was laughing. It worked! It really worked! Her idea worked! "See Ma? I did it! I beat them. Not Gord, not the Empire, ME!" She shouted.

Before her eyes, the nebula changed. Rather than a dancing, swirling rainbow colored cloud, it was slowly - but surely - turning gray. The virus was taking over the nanites, using them to make more, and then disassembling what was left.

Fen floated, between the black and the gray, and watched them die.

****

"They think we have Fen!" Chloe shouted, as Gord took control of the ship's operation to dodge the attacks.

"Well, we kinda did." Gord said, trying to keep his voice reasonable as he concentrated.

"We - you - saved her life!"

"Yes. but they don't know that, Chloe. We never told them. I was going to, but then there was the nanite thing, and we had to put her in hibernation, and then the virus... I dropped the ball." Gord did the virtual equivalent of a shrug. "They don't usually shoot first and ask questions later though."

"They don't? Gord, are we talking about the same humans?"

"Okay okay, sometimes they do. Open a channel, I'll explain it."

"They closed communication." Chloe scanned the logs. "Looks like they opened all frequencies and asked for an explanation... and someone told them to kick rocks."

"Who?"

Chloe shook her head. "Don't know. They were far away, probably out near Jupiter or further. They were on at least a couple minute delay."

"Dammit!" Gord swore and went over to the comm set. He set the power output to full and opened all the channels. As he did so, he moved some relays and rerouted power from the reactor. As environmental powered down, his array powered up. Across Sol, everyone's comm array was overcome with static. Media players, comm arrays, and even some larger metallic structures all obeyed his command. For now, Gord was the Loudest thing in Sol. "Attention Humanity. We do not have Empress Fenchurch. We did, but she left on her own. If you stop shooting and take an Ancestors damned BREATHER, we can discuss this." Gord cut the connection and put the power back where it was. Times like this he was annoyed that he couldn't snap a physical toggle closed. It was much more satisfying.

****

"Empress?!" The weapons officer looked over at Penny.

Penny was trying very hard to hide her expression, but she didn't have Fen's experience. Her eyes were giving it away, Zhe noticed. She was frightened out of her mind. "S-Stand down. Weapons to idle."

As the weapons powered down, and the ship got off of its battle footing, one of the younger officers eye's went wide. "Empress... you should see this," and gestured. She and Zhe looked down at their pads.

And stared at the stardrive of Home.

Before Home was the... well, home of the AIs, it was a colony ship. Nearly a third the size of High Mars Hyacinth, it was designed to streak through interstellar space, bringing thirty thousand humans in hibernation and enough supplies to start up at least three cities. Six were launched, three made it, one blew up just outside of Sol, and two were lost. This was one of them. In order to thrust up to 50% of C, the colony ships had positively titanic star drives. Large enough to swallow a Starjumper, their exhaust would streak behind for hundreds of kilometers when under full thrust.

And one was pointed directly at them.

They hadn't planned on running, they had planned on lighting their stardrive, Zhe realized with a shudder. Her fur puffed out in fear. She knew the value of the human's old drives as a weapon. She looked over at Penny; she hadn't figured it out. Zhe flicked her ears in irritation. Leave it to humans to forget about their own weapons.

"Penn-Empress." Zhe said gently. "They pointed their stardrive at us. They were going to fire it."

"And run away? They have a wormhole generator, why run away with their old stardrive?"

"We-el, yes, they would start moving." Zhe said carefully, "but more importantly the drive exhaust would have reduced us to our constituent atoms."

"Oh" Penny said, and then her eyes widened when she parsed what Zhe said. "Oh."

"Yes," Zhe nodded. "On the Heap we're taught to never go behind a human ship. We were never going to win this engagement."

Penny's shoulders slumped. "They don't have Fen and we were nearly destroyed." She looked at Zhe and mouthed "What do I do?"

"Empress?" Zhe said, in a normal tone of voice. "I recommend we open a channel to Gord's ship and take him up on his offer to talk. We can learn what they know, and maybe work together to find out what happened to Fen. After all-" She flicked her ears as she spoke "-if the AI faction supports you, then your claim to the throne is that much more valid."

Penny's eyes shone. She was holding back tears. "Yes, that is an excellent suggestion. Comms, reach out to Gord's ship and let the know we wish to talk." She looked again at Zhe, blinked her tears away and whispered, "Thank you."

Zhe's face was impassive, but her tail swished behind her.

[pomplalamoose]

Ooohhh how about different eras of luke (ROTJ is my fav if doing one is easier) and maybe some modern dilf!luke 👀 reacting to you laying your head on his shoulder when you’re tired or have a headache pre-relationship?

Anonnn, you don't understand, I'm obsessed with this ask. I just HAD to do every single Luke era plus the Dilf AU as the cherry on top because it's been so long since I last wrote something wholesome😩

also it reminds me of the posts I used to do when I first started writing and ngl I'm feeling a little nostalgic

• sweet ANH Luke with his open smile and honest eyes is so easy to approach and befriend, resting your head on his shoulder comes almost naturally

• though unbeknownst to you he'd immediately be on the brink to loose his mind

• already he tends to be a little jittery with nerves whenever you randomly appear in the same room he is in

• even more so now that he's finally admitted his major crush on you to himself

• so just imagine his excitement the moment you decide to sit next to him

• as soon as your head touches his shoulder he goes bright red and doesn't dare to move in fear of accidentally shooing you away, his heart beating wildly in his chest

• for a slight moment he forgets how to breathe, though it's not like he minds

• this is the best day of his life

• not only does he finally get to feel the warmth of having you so close by his side, but also your soft hair aginst his cheek if he dares to tilt his head just a little bit

• when eventually he manages to somewhat normalize his breathing, his thoughts will start to wander

• he's SO proud you're clearly comfortable and feeling safe with him

• but should he strike up a conversation? Ask how you're doing? If everything's okay?

• maybe he could make you laugh

• your hands look so soft; what if he were to reach out and just take them in his?

• would you mind?

• he's not sure, his aren't as pretty and smooth as yours

• you smell very nice

• wouldn't your current position make you look like a couple to an outsider passing by?

• what if, and he feels very bold just considering, but, what if you...like him?

• quickly enough he has a very hard time remaining calm

• and how could he? He needs to tell someone about this RIGHT NOW

• good luck trying to catch ESB Luke sitting still for even once

• though should you be as lucky to catch him during a moment of rest and manage to lean on him, he'll feel similarly as ANH Luke; excited, a little nervous even, though not as much as his younger self would have been

• still he has to fight off the blush rising into his cheeks and will absolutely deny ever changing colors should someone (especially Leia, Han or even R2) point it out

• at the same time he wishes for as many as possible to witness this very monumental moment, hoping everyone will see that you're leaning on HIS shoulder

• HIS!

• yeah that's right! In your face, (add in name of random rebellion member that also takes an interest in you)!!!

• if he's feeling extra bold, he may use the chance to put an arm around your shoulder

• but very carefully so; he's afraid to overstep any of your boundaries

• after all he's not sure if you'd even like to be held

• there's only one problem: how is he supposed to do anything now?

• he has places to be, things to do, an Empire to fight!

• he's getting kind of warm too

• more than that actually

• Force, are you hiding a heater under all of your layers of clothing?

• also he just remembered; isn't there a meeting he has to attend?

• shouldn't he be working to improve his x-wing?

• he'll check on you out of the corner of his eye, trying to get a feeling for how long you plan to stay like this

• he needs to come up with a way to notify the others of his delay

• because there's no way he's moving even a single muscle

• he's not leaving you behind

• he simply can't!

• not when he was just chosen as your designated spot to rest your pretty but, admittedly, very heavy head

• but not to worry, of course he can handle it!

• he'll be here as long as you need him to be

• RotJ and post RotJ Luke is hard to keep tabs on and thus hard to find

• all you can hope for is to encounter him by pure chance, as he seems to simply have evaporated whenever you wander around searching for him

• though despite his withdrawn ways he's always welcoming and inviting should you happen upon him

• he, above anyone else, understands the importance of rest during a busy day

• he smiles mildly to himself as soon as you settle down and scoot close enough for your arms to touch

• the emotions you are unconsciously emitting, may it be nervousness, excitement or shyness, amuse him a great deal and he's keen to see whether you'll overcome them this time or not

• I don't think he'd tell you outright that he enjoys your presence, that it tends to calm him down and to ease his mind, until much later

• but despite what he is or isn't saying he can't help but feel a little warm inside whenever you come across him during the day

• despite that he can never not worry at least a little bit about your well-being and immediately feels the need to check in on you either with words or a gentle probe with the Force to make sure you're okay

• if he has the time to stay with you for a while he asks if you'd like to lay down

• see, he can shuffle to the side a little and then you could rest your head on his thigh instead of on his shoulder

• wouldn't that be more comfortable?

• he doesn't have a blanket in case you're cold, but maybe you could use his cloak?

• it's not the best, maybe a little rough and still a little dirty from his last trip as he didn't have the time to wash it yet, but it does a good job of keeping a person warm

• he doesn't show how happy he is should you follow his invite and agree to rest beside him, though maybe Leia would notice

• and possibly so would you by how he'd start to absentmindedly stroke your head and play with your hair whenever others are around to keep him properly distracted

• I think Dilf!Luke's reaction would really depend on the current situation/ on how far your relationship has already developed at that point

• here it's important to note though that he'd never tell you off or send you away for initiating contact, not even after just recently getting to know you

• yes he's standoffish and withdrawn, cold in demeanor, seemingly displeased with your presence in his house

• but when it comes down to it he is kind, always has been, even if he hides it away to protect himself

• his behavior towards you is nothing personal; the emotions you call forth are his to deal with

• he may try to at first but ultimately knows deep down that he can't hold you accountable for how his past still troubles him

• he's a father, deeply caring in nature

• no matter what, he could never bring himself to deny anyone his child's age comfort

• though he might be a little confused about why you chose him, of all people, to rest your head on

• after all it's not like he's been going out of his way to be peculiarly inviting or nice - quite the contrary actually

• he'll remain very still for the duration of your vicinity, involuntarily stiffening not only out of surprise but because it's been so long that anyone outside of his immediate family initiated intimacy

• he's so touch starved, so used to rarely feeling a person's warmth, that your simple act catches him off guard

• suddenly he has no idea what to do, how to continue on after

• for your own good and his child's sake he wants to keep you at an arm's length and yet...

• if he wasn't enamored with you before, he is so now

• he thinks back to those moments of doubt and insecurity frequently

• but where they once haunted him, they now serve as a reminder for how far he's come and what he was able to finally leave behind

• he's proud of himself too, yes, but most of all to call you his

• every little touch of yours, and may it be one as innocent as laying your head on his shoulder, fills him with joy

• never, in a thousand years, would he once have believed to be in a position to reciprocate your gentle displays of trust and affection

• but now that he can, now that everything feels a little less like a dream, it's all he wants to do

• (and he does)

• (forehead kisses are his favorite way to, he can't help it)

• (not when you placed yourself so conveniently)

[am-i-the-asshole-official]

AITA for not comforting a child after her science project didn't work?

( 💞💥 to find)

Okay this was a while ago but I still think about it sometimes and I'm genuinely unsure of if I did the right thinh.

So I (15F at the time) was a part of a science league thing facilitated by my school. Basically, you would meet after school once a week to study/work on projects, and then go to a competition in the spring against other schools. There were a bunch of different categories and activities but they were primarily separated into ones you had to study for (and would then take a test on) or build for (like a wheeled vehicle or a model plane, which would be graded). It was really fun and low-key compared to the sports programs at my school, so I liked it a lot.

A friend of mine, who we'll call S (15F) was also in the science league. We did a lot of study based competitions together, and usually placed in the competitions. During our third year, her youngest sister, M (12ish), joined the league. She was a really sweet and smart kid, and she was interested in trying a building based event. You needed two people to enter an event, so I volunteered to build a marble rollercoaster with her. M also grouped up with a girl in her grade for another building project (I think it was a plane).

Because M was doing two building events (which were predictably a lot more time consuming than the study events) and the school musical, we agreed I would create the plans for the rollercoaster and get the materials together. Now, each building events came with a printed copy of parameters and optional features that could get us bonus points. I decided on attempting for three bonus features (two jumps and a loop). Between designing on paper, adapting for the parameters, measuring out the track lengths, and gathering materials (that of which I had to switch out half way through), the whole process took me about four months to complete, and that was just the planning. We were getting pretty close to the competition date when we started to actually assemble the damn thing (at this point she had finished up her other stuff and was able to help me more consistently), and we were having a lot of issues with getting the track pieces to fit together. As I remember it, the problem came from having to fold the track over a bunch of times so it would stay in the 30cm-somethingish width parameter. The Thursday before the competition (which was in Saturday), M volunteered to take the coaster home and finish it there. I was honestly so relieved when she said this, because I knew through S that her dad was really handy, and like mini trebuchets and stuff for fun.

Flash forward to the event, when we're boarding the bus going to the school hosting the competition. She gets on with a cardboard box, and excitedly shows me a marble rollercoaster that is absolutely not what she left with at all. For reference, the original plan for the coaster was made of pvc pipe, which I spent around three weeks measuring out and cutting with a band saw in the shop room. This rollercoaster was two pieces of plywood with tinfoil tracks that you leaned against the cardboard box she was carrying it in. She hadn't included any of the extra features I had implemented to get us extra points. While I was shocked and admittedly pretty pissed I didn't say anything because she was a) a kid and b) I assumed that there was probably some issue that had arisen in testing that necessitated the changes. When we went to impound she struggled a lot with setting it up and the three pieces weren't attached with anything and were literally just leaning against each other. At this point it was also visually obvious that the width want way beyond 30 cms, and when the judges came around to measure, it turned out that it was above the allotted height too. M was looking really nervous about now, so I assured her that most of the time, the marbles don't even make it down the coaster tracks, and as long as our marble makes it to the end we should be able to place. Except, when it came time to release our marble, it moved for about three seconds before getting stuck in the tinfoil. We were allowed to try two more times, and it got stuck in the same place each time.

M was very visibly upset, and looking back I think she was on the verge of tears. It can't really remember what I said; I know I didn't say anything malicious or accusatory, though. Honestly, I think I might have just stood there in silence, because I was honestly really fucking angry that she ditched my design for no apparent reason and didn't bother to check any of the available rules or even test her design. But I don't think that anger justified leaving a little kid without support when she was upset.

tldr: When I was a teenager I didn't comfort my friends little sister after our marble rollercoaster didn't work because she had ditched the design I had made for one that broke parameters.

[bluegekk0]

based on the recent meme- grimm and crying? does he believe that crying is a show of weakness- even if only for himself? how might the sexy vampire god deal with emotions

He's definitely the type to claim that crying is good for you and encourage it, and then see it as a weakness in himself. I like to think he could make himself able to cry if he wanted to, but he chooses not to. This leads into your second question - for most of his life, he masked his emotions from the world. He specifically crafted a persona for himself that would be difficult to read and intimidating at a glance but also alluring. Though even if he let anyone get close, he was very selective in what emotions they'd see - usually pleasure and anything similar to that. But nothing aside from that, once he was done there, he'd return to being hard to read, almost emotionless.

In reality, his head was a battleground for so many emotions you'd be shocked that he hasn't broken down at that point. His regrets and anger, the feeling of loneliness, yearning, and just a general sadness. It was all in there, hidden under layers he created to mask them from the outside world. It's no wonder he never made himself able to cry - it'd be impossible to hide all his sadness and pain as he'd be tearing up damn near constantly. On top of that, being left in such a vulnerable state after his banishment made him very careful about showing any kind of weakness, in large part it was a defensive mechanism, one that unfortunately became very damaging for his mental health. And in his eyes, crying was the most obvious sign of weakness, so he designed his body in a way that prevented it.

However, things have changed, yes, he still hides his feelings from strangers, so many years of doing that won't just go away, and admittedly it is an useful skill. But now he has Vyrm, someone he can be fully honest with, and after being separated for so long, he was done hiding his feelings towards him. And following that, he became a lot more open about his other emotions, which he brings up during their heart-to-hearts. It's the only time he allows himself to be truly vulnerable, and as he quickly found out, it really helps to talk so openly about his feelings with someone. Yes, he would mention them occasionally to Divine (they are close friends, and unlike Brumm, her dynamic with Grimm is a lot more personal), but never to this extent; he'd always hide some details, especially those most painful to him.

He was a little apprehensive about it first, with all of Vyrm's struggles, Grimm was afraid of burdening him with his own problems (very ironic as that's a very Vyrm thing to do). But in the end it ended up being very healthy for them as individuals, and their relationship, so he doesn't regret it, even if at times it was very difficult. Despite all of that, however, his body is still unable to cry. Perhaps that's a mental barrier that he simply won't be able to cross anytime soon. The only sign that he would be about to cry if he could, is his voice trembling. But because he isn't very talkative around strangers (especially if he feels emotionally vulnerable), it's something only Vyrm and those closest to him would ever pick up on.

[hollowtones]

opinions on yoshis story? imo that game doesnt deserve to have music that good

I haven't played very much of it and I've been meaning to do something about that forever. I've played some of it and I've watched others go through most of it.

I know I've seen a little bit of modern grumbling (I don't know if this was a point of contention when the game came out because I was three at the time. OK I looked up some reviews from the era and it looks like it was also a thing people were mad about back then. LOL) over the fact that the game isn't more like "Yoshi's Island" & that it feels like it's aimed more at younger audiences. I dunno. I've never been bothered much by games with some tie to one another doing something different. (Some of the response reminds me of Transformers fans being upset over Hasbro making toys and shows for very young children sometimes; admittedly maybe I'm off the mark here.)

It's a very easy game if you want it to be. You can just eat any fruits you want forever and it's over in a blink. And it's fine. It's fine if the video game lets you beat it very fast if you want to. You can also try to collect only one single kind of fruit in a level and that makes things take longer and makes them feel like more of a scavenger hunt (especially if you're trying to get all the melons). I think that's neat. There's sort of an interesting design trajectory from "Super Mario World" to "Yoshi's Island" where the levels become a little longer, a little more meandering, a little more exploratory, sometimes (not always, and not massively, but it's still there) a little less linear. No time limit. Going for collectibles instead; making every level about getting a score of 100 (if you want to). You can see that iterated on in "Yoshi's Story"! No singular end point of the level. Bigger rooms to explore (while still keeping levels relatively short). More of a focus on puzzle solving and exploration. Collectibles simplified to one meter that you fill up, but there are multiple things that can fill it & you get rewarded for only collecting one kind. (And also the hearts that let you pick what level you go to next. There's a lot of "opening up more of the game for yourself if you want to go out and look for it" here. Are there other collectibles, actually? I don't really remember...) Secret fruits that give even more points. It makes the levels feel more like puzzle box toys that you roam around in. It's neat that they designed that for younger kids and it's neat that you can make it more difficult if that sounds fun to you. (I would have to play more of it myself to decide if going for all melons is fun for me specifically. But I like it on paper, y'know?)

The pop-up storybook theming is cute and the visual aesthetic of the game overall works really well. It feels like arts & crafts dioramas made by kids (or with kids) so they could play pretend with their toys while reading a storybook. It's got very strong toy feel overall. The music is really fun!!! It does the dynamic soundtrack thing where some parts of the track change depending on your health!!! I'm always clapping my hands like a seal with a game's music changes depending what I'm doing!!! Maybe it's a little silly of me to say this, given that it's a sentiment I've had in the past, but nowadays I scratch my head a bit at "the music in this has no right to go this hard" type comments. It goes hard because the musicians got hired to make it like that. (I'm imagining a guy who thinks the "Yoshi's Story" music is the hardest music ever created and I'm smiling serenely about it. I hope he's real & I hope he's out there somewhere.) I'm glad they let Totaka do something that feels at least a little experimental for the goofy Yoshi babies storybook super happy yay & jumping throwing game soundtrack. It's a fun contrast, isn't it? It feels very of-the-era in a way I'm having trouble externalizing outside of "well it's a little weird and multi-genre". It's neat that they all have a shared melody that they draw on.

Thanks for reading my short essay on a childrens' video game I haven't played a lot of yet. I need to go take a shower now.

[1moreff-creator]

Now that you've had some time to cool down from the Fuckfest of Friday Night, I'm a little curious on what you think of MonoTV's whole deal, because I haven't seen anyone actually talk about it much and that makes me so upset because wow Dev somehow managed to get me to care about this piece of steel

Spoilers up to the end of CH2

Hey! Yeah, MonoTV, huh? With everything else going on, this thing kinda got pushed aside, but there's been some really interesting developments indeed. I agree though, it's genuinely pretty incredible dev managed to get me to care about what up to this point had been nothing but a device for plot and humor.

You know, I originally wanted to keep this brief to give my full thoughts on the full part 2 analysis I'm working on, but maybe it's better if I just talk about it in full here and just link to this post from that one. Let me start by the theory side, because that's easier for me to write about :v

While MonoTV's creation being connected to XF-Ture Tech was always a very real possibility, the confirmation that at least its personality drivers come from them is nice. And there doesn't seem to be any type of repurposing going on:

MonoTV: Whenever I make a decision, ultimately, I must make the choice that fulfills my purpose [to run the killing game until the death of every participant]. After all, that was why I was created.

While we don't fully understand how this all fits together yet, I'm glad XF is being brought up because that might mean Min content in the future? For me, please? :,D

Anyways. Having a clearly stated goal for the killing game (killing all the participants) is also pretty useful for theory-crafting purposes, so look forward to seeing that line referenced in mastermind discussions moving forward. Not to mention, the secondary purpose of MonoTV playing the villain, with the reasoning:

MonoTV: This so-called TV show is more about appearances than you'd think.

So... ignoring the weird phrasing of "so-called TV show" as opposed to just "TV show," because I will go crazy if I look too deep into that, the confirmation that the appearances of the killing game are important seem to confirm a suspicion Teruko had back in CH2 Ep2.

Teruko: And also, [MonoTV is designed the way it is] as a way to reference that "past killing game," right?

Assuming via context that she's talking about THH, MonoTV being specifically created and programmed to look and act sorta like Monokuma could have some interesting implications moving forward, especially given things like Duke Spurling being alive to see the Tragedy and maybe wanting a recreation of the THH killing game. Thankfully there's no character with a talent for recreating things, such as art, an art forger of some kind, because if there was this could realistically point to them as the mastermind. :)

Final note about theories: I... called it? Sort of?

[Extract from Vivisection of the David MV] What I think is the best idea [regarding the multi-colored "original"] is that all the characters [which includes MonoTV] got the word. [...] I think it makes more sense to relate them to the meaning of "original style" under my interpretation, where "original style" means a change of heart.

Well, MonoTV sure had a change of personality, albeit briefly, now didn't it? (Please ignore the fact that I dismissed the possibility of MonoTV changing in the lines following that one :p) Admittedly "characters in DRDT will have character development" is possibly my least wild theory ever, but a W is a W (?).

Alright but screw theorizing that's for insane people. Let's go for character analysis, because the fact that MonoTV has become a genuinely interesting creature to study is possibly even wilder than the XF-Ture Tech name drop.

Now, a lot of what we hear character wise is similar to stuff we heard in MonoTV's previous character building moment; CH2 EP3.

MonoTV: Does a toaster know why it toasts? Does a calculator know why it adds and subtracts? They are simply machines that do their job without needing to understand why. To that end, I don't know who made this TV show and why. All I do is carry out the directives programmed into me.

MonoTV: I have no conscience, no sense of morality, no will at all. I am merely a robot, subject to the laws of my code. I have no choice but to perform the actions that my creator dictated I must. [...] All the decisions I make were already decided by whatever entity created me, because I am a robot.

It's stated in a much more melancholic tone, given the music in the background, the sprite pose, and the generally less silly "default personality," but it's nothing really new. MonoTV is a machine, it follows programming.

Except.

MonoTV: Even if I feel pain or guilt, I cannot stop. That is the fate that I have, to make others suffer. And there is no diverging from that fate.

Hey MonoTV what the fuck does this mean.

"Even if I feel pain or guilt"? Instead of "I can't feel pain or guilt"? The choice of wording here is very interesting, because it seems to imply that MonoTV does feel pain and guilt over the killing game, regardless of how impossible that should be. The "fate" drop is pretty huge for thematic reasons, as I'm sure you're aware; Teruko explains her own feelings about it in the rest of the scene, there's Xander's speech to Teruko before he attempted to stab her, Ace talking about how he was too much of a coward to fight his fate, Arei actually defying a similar fate in a way, David with the LGI lyrics, Whit and J and Rose and so many other people, all interconnected by this damn concept. I think it'd be fine if this is all we hear about MonoTV in relation to it, but there's definitely fun parallels to explore regardless.

Given how little we have of these particular character details so far, there's not much I can say about it other than I love the concept of an AI being forced to do something it doesn't "want" to because of code, and I'm interested to see if MonoTV will act differently in the future. It's supposed to reset to its previous personality in the full reset, I imagine, but it's not like we can just ignore all the shit it said here. I'm very curious to see where dev takes this.

That said, I also wanted to point out how this vague allusion to feeling pain and guilt and possibly hopelessness against fate aren't the only feelings MonoTV exhibits. Because for some unfathomable reason, it seems to care about Teruko to an extent?

MonoTV: Is something the matter, Teruko? Everyone else has already left.

Like, maybe I'm misreading because the personality change is fucking with me, but this feels like a concern more genuine than I would expect from pre-2-16 MonoTV. And...

MonoTV: You have to decide the answer for yourself.

This, along with the little speech about Teruko's humanity that precedes it, again comes off as MonoTV genuinely trying to help her through her emotions. I don't see how this correlates with its purpose, unless it somehow "believes" that giving Teruko advice on this will somehow lead to Teruko killing someone or something to that effect, which makes no sense.

If it doesn't help kill the participants, isn't necessary for the killing game, and doesn't make MonoTV seem like a villain, then it's not related to any of its purposes. It isn't code making MonoTV say this things. It's MonoTV's... consciousness? I guess? It's very, very interesting.

I am genuinely super interested in where dev is taking MonoTV, and if you told me that was a sentence I would unironically type before this episode, I would have called you insane. The writing in this series is genuinely immaculate, I can't believe we're getting genuine basis for MonoTV angst and it's compelling. Dev does it again!

Thanks for the ask, this was fun to ramble about!

[blueikeproductions]

So I’m now aware of EarthSpark rumors of a major character dying in the final episodes, and for whatever reason TFW2005 insists in their speculation it’s gonna be Optimus so Twitch gets the Matrix.

-rubs temples in confusion and annoyance-

Ok so a few things.

How the slag does that make any sense? Optimus is barely a character in EarthSpark, the show treats Megatron more as the hero. The way the show treats Optimus so poorly, I think if they could get away with it, Dot would be partying like Squidward at the mere idea of Optimus dying.

My point being they offer no emotional reason or investment for this Optimus dying. TFA gave a more emotional punch for its Optimus dying and he only stayed dead for a few seconds.

Two, and this is a more silly one, but how would the Matrix even fit inside Twitch’s chest? I’m pretty sure Twitch is about the same size AS the Matrix itself, unless the MacGuffin can size change? I don’t remember if that’s ever been a thing actually. For that matter does it even make sense for Twitch to get the Matrix? Having the Matrix typically means you’re the leader of ALL Transformers (but specifically Autobots in war time). I don’t think Twitch wants that or ever had a desire for that. Nor does it really make sense to give her the Matrix simply to make her leader of the Terrans, when she and Robbie seem to take turns. … Admittedly Robbie is more the leader than she is during S2, so shouldn’t Robbie get the Matrix by that logic?

Basically this but with Robbie instead of Hawk.

It would arguably make more sense if the Terrans were to have their own Matrix, they would’ve gotten a Terran Matrix of Bonds or some such. Presumably created from the Emberstone itself similar to the TFA Allspark getting a G1 Matrix container.

There’s also the Mini-Con Matrix from Dreamwave Armada.

Although that wasn’t a symbol of leadership but a MacGuffin designed to kill Unicron by the dead Mini-Cons of another universe. Plus the more I think of it, the Cyber Sleeves are a sort of Matrix in their own right, so I guess Robbie did get the Matrix after all….!

On a related note, they tried a similar idea in Cyberverse, with Robo-Robotnik and normal Megatron both being able to use the Autobot Matrix.

Admittedly they shouldn’t be able to because even Autobot Megatron couldn’t use the Matrix without Rodimus Prime helping him in IDW. And the last time otherwise in G1 saw Galvatron being unable to use it in his cannon, and Scourge became this.

So this leads into who is more thematically appropriate: Megatron.

He is basically all but the Autobot leader in the eyes of the writers, and the best character ever in that same regard. There’s far more emotional attachment by comparison to Optimus too; Megatron’s role, similar to his IDW self, is about redemption, second chances, trying to keep the next generation from making his same mistakes, & if necessary dying for his found family. That would be a more thematic end for Megatron, dying for his sins, but fully redeemed in protecting the Terrans and Maltos against… I would assume the Quintessons.

Plus, let’s be honest, if someone were to get the Matrix after Optimus, it’d more than likely be Megatron due to the staff’s bias towards him and their clear distain of Optimus. Wouldn’t that be something, Megatron basically “wins” by being good and inheriting the Matrix to lead Cybertron with the Terrans as his cheer leaders and angels to keep him on the straight and narrow.

Still regarding the Matrix, Hasbro continues to be weird about someone becoming Prime after Optimus, and a new Megatronus Prime, Twitchimus Prime or Maltous Prime probably wouldn’t fly with Hasbro if we still can’t get a proper Rodimus Prime in cartoons that isn’t a butt monkey. -side eyes Prime Wars in particular-

[kafus]

ok i've decided i want to infodump about vee and nova a little after all! because uhh not only am i impatient because autism but i also. want to dip my toes into talking about this. just days ago i was still terrified but now i am Tentatively Brave... if i can talk about it here casually like this then i should be able to write a more formal summary later some other time

i've tagged this post appropriately (at least i think i have, feel free to suggest if i should add more) but also a heads up here too before i keep talking that while i'm not going into graphic detail on anything there are STRONG themes of organized sexual abuse of a child, sexual abuse of animals, and grooming! (there are no disturbing visuals in this post, just text)

IF YOU CAN'T READ THIS POST THAT'S OKAY I STILL LOVE U

takes a deep breath alright so the deal with these two. back all the way in 2021, i decided i wanted to make "vent ocs" as in i just wanted some concrete/consistent designs i could use in vent art drawings that weren't a direct reflection of what i envision myself to look like or whatever. i was going through a lot in 2021, in december 2020 i had just gotten my first big repressed memory back and my life was in a whirlwind of change and heavily increased PTSD and DID symptoms, so i was using art a lot as an outlet. in the end i settled on this drawing, based on the design taste i would have had as a young person (god the quality is so old now LOL i've improved a lot but anyway)

i was intending for these two to be just visual designs and nothing more than that but i got attached and actually ended up giving them a whole storyline and everything, which is something i admittedly hadn't done in a long time up to that point so that's cool.

the reason i preface explaining the premise of the storyline with this is because i think it's important to acknowledge that these two are intrinsically tied with my real life and the feelings i experience as a CSA/OA survivor. not because i think someone has to go through awful things to write or draw about them necessarily, but because i am passionate about expressing myself. it's important for me to be seen in some way, to be heard after years of silence. it is not safe for me mentally to share the exact details of my abuse online rn (and please don't ask for them!) but i also don't want these two to be removed from the message that i survived something and this is me making art about that in an abstracted and magical way with a fictional universe that brings me a lot of comfort. i hope this makes sense lol

oh and also with that in mind if you think for even a second any of this is a weird sex thing for me or some shit please stop reading this post and go do something else with your time. this is my trauma expression and i don't need to be compared to the people i was abused by when i was a literal toddler thank you!

AANYWAY so! premise! gonna be point blank with it! vee (not her original name but shh) is born as a normal 100% human girl, aka without the eevee ears and tail. she is groomed from a very young age (like, toddler age) and eventually abducted by her groomers which happen to be members of... well right now it's team rocket because i haven't spent the time to worldbuild a new villainous pokemon organization yet. roll with me here. she is taken to a remote facility out in the middle of fucking nowhere and is never returned to her previous life or family.

Why? well i'm glad you asked! the org is running a bunch of different experiments in this facility and one of them happens to be trying to enable humans reproducing with pokemon. this doubles as both a money thing and a power thing. they seek out a child as the victim of these horrible experiments because children are easily malleable. way easier to control a child than an adult who already has a firm identity/self.

vee is the child they chose. surgery is forcibly done on her to give her working eevee ears and tail, and also like, fuck with her body chemistry and stuff. she's biologically part eevee now. yes this is bullshit pokemon magic science LMAO but she is kept in this facility and chronically sexually abused for a few years by pairing her with various mons and trying to get eggs to happen.

the experiment isn't working though so they hypothesize that giving her a dedicated partner, especially of the same evolutionary line, would help, and they raise nova from birth as an eevee to take on that role. eventually the two of them are paired together. despite the acts they are forced to commit on each other and the abuse they endure, they actually become inseparable very quickly cause like. they don't have anyone else. and also they just genuinely care about each other. additionally at this point nova has evolved into an espeon and has telepathic powers, so him and vee can communicate linguistically with each other, so you know that helps

generally my current focus of this story is in the early years, when vee is 12 and younger, before they start realizing that shit is fucked up and they need to escape (up until that hypothetical point they have been successfully groomed into believing everything happening to them was not abuse/was normal). i have left out a metric fuckton of detail here just to get across the basic premise. i am constantly exploring vee's psyche, nova's psyche, it's like an in depth exploration of the mind of an abused child in horrific circumstances and god it's cathartic. i love these two so fucking much

btw i guess this art has more context now huh haha after i infodumped off the plot to my sister they looked at this art again and was like. OHHH THIS IS EVEN MORE OMINOUS AND HARD TO LOOK AT WITH CONTEXT. AND I WAS LIKE YEAH!!!! YOU SEE THE VISION!!! THE SYMBOLISM!! ETC!!!!

uh yeah if you read this far thank you and i just wanna say i've been building up the courage to talk about these two for GENUINELY two years, it has been over 2 full years since that initial drawing, and i am nervous and jittery posting this but i do not want to die without having shared my work with the world and i'm willing to take the risks to get my voice out there. so you reading it is very much appreciated ur like my first step into being more confident as a survivor lol

oh and fwiw despite these guys being so correlated with my trauma it's not offensive to make headcanons or ask me questions about them or compliment darker art of them however you want, in fact i love that shit!! please i've been holding these guys back for two years i have so much to say that hasn't been said. as much as i am nervous i am EXCITED

[lou-syd]

So I read the first issue of Red Hood: The Hill and my expectations were admittedly low because of how poorly Jason is handled most of the time so I'm not disappointed like I've seen some people be (if you are, that's totally valid though, I def get it). I feel entirely neutral about it. I think it wasn't a strong start for an already very, very short run, and with it being a flashback its pacing worries me a bit.

I think it could be interesting going forward but I'm definitely getting the vibe that this is not going to be Jason-centric like a lot of people are. I do think it's too early to tell but it's definitely possible this will focus more on Dana and her crew which like I guess?? I like Dana and I don't mind some of the focus being on her at all. She's interesting and I like when Gotham-set stories actually feel like it's a real but weird place with real people living in it. I enjoy it when they show how much of a mess the city is and how the people living in it have to adapt to get by. Dana's dynamic with Jason has potential and that being the focal point of this whole thing could lead to a more compelling narrative overall. The idea of Jason being the one to try and guide a friend entering into this world could offer up a lot of good character beats for him that we haven't seen a lot of in a while. That being said, it feels like Red Hood is more of a vehicle for this story about The Hill so I'm not holding my breath for it. Retroactively changing his backstory around to fit this place into it also doesn't give me the best feeling either.

As for the rest of the 'new' characters, I don't really care for the little neighborhood watch crew outside of Dana. There's not much to go off and seeing Jason interact with them does nothing for me and just feels forced (but then again most of his relationships are forced in general). Having this many characters with such a short run is not going to allow for any of them to be fleshed out enough for them to feel like they matter in the grand scheme of things. By virtue of this being a flashback, the stakes already feel pretty low so having a cast of characters that aren't particularly compelling and whose relationships with Jason evolved off-panel doesn't help. They have cool designs though, I'll give them that.

I don't like that it took getting through almost halfway through the issue for Jason to show up and when he does it's underwhelming.

So far, it's shaping up to be a one-off story with low stakes. Which is fine. A short, contained story can be good if it's written well and there's something to take away from it. Otherwise, they're just slapping Red Hood on the title for readership's sake and calling it a day. Which like, nothing surprises me anymore but it's lame that this is what we get for Jason after the nightmare mess that was Gotham War and TMWSL.

Apparently, Zdarsky is planning on including Jason in his upcoming Batman arc according to some posts I saw so take that with a grain of salt but the thought of that happening makes me want to grind my teeth into a fine dust.

At this point, I feel like I'm just holding out for nothing with Jason. I don't like any direction they've taken with him outside of some interesting bits here and there so I hope this run picks up.

[2baddiesfanfics]

The Gift That Keeps on Giving

Pairing: Nobara x Maki

Tags: Gift Giving, Birthday, Birthday Sex, Bracelets, Oral Sex, Vaginal Fingering

Summary:

Nobara’s birthday is swiftly approaching, and Maki is at a complete loss as to what to get her. In an effort to make the most significant impact she can, she consults Panda, Inumaki, Gojo, Megumi, and Yuji for ideas. What she walks away with isn’t what she expected, but it certainly conveys her feelings.

Read on Ao3

Sweat dripped off Maki’s brow and splattered onto the floor of the training room as she whipped her spear around and lunged at an imaginary foe. Working out always took her mind off things when she was at a complete loss for what to do.

Although she normally exuded confidence in everything she did, she wasn’t exactly what anyone would call a romantic. In the few years they had been together, Nobara had become her everything. She cared so deeply about her that sometimes it frightened her (not a simple feat).

While she had no doubt she could protect her physically, in the back of her mind she was always worried her stoic nature would bore Nobara to the point she’d leave her for someone who shared more similar interests, or - her true worry - someone more attractive.

While her obsession with shopping and keeping up with the latest fashion trends often made Maki roll her eyes when she wasn’t looking, she also wouldn’t have it any other way. Nothing would beat the feeling that bubbled up inside her when Nobara emerged from a dressing room to ask what Maki thought of the outfit she was wearing.

She’d never get used to the idea that anyone cared about her opinion, let alone took it seriously. Growing up as a member of an esteemed clan was one thing - it was another entirely to be seen as less than useless due to the lack of her ability to see curses.

Nobara, of course, didn’t give a shit. As a matter of fact, it only made her respect her more. It was one of the many reasons Maki loved her. She saw her not as a Zenin, but as an individual with her own ambitions and dreams.

And that was why Maki was now wearing herself ragged.

Nobara’s birthday was swiftly approaching and she had absolutely no idea what to get her. Before they were dating seriously, Maki would always go with safe options. Nothing too expensive as to scare her off, but also nothing she felt truly conveyed exactly what her presence in her life meant to her, either.

But that was about to change. She was about to embark on a mission. Who would be better to ask than the people who she worked closest with? Nobara’s former classmates-turned-coworkers (and the one annoying sensei they shared) had been on far more missions and spent way more time with her over the last few years than she had.

But first, she’d consult her own team.

——————-

“Wow, Maki. It’s not usually like you to ask the two of us for advice,” Panda said with an inquisitive look on his face. “This must be important.”

“Salmon,” Inumaki nodded in agreement.

The three had been through a lot together, and Maki knew they’d spent enough time around both her and Nobara to at least get her brain churning. She let out a deep sigh and let her head fall onto Panda’s fuzzy shoulder.

“Nobara’s birthday is coming up and I’m sick of getting her frivolous things anyone could think of. There are only so many designer bags I can bring myself to buy,” she said with a huff. Selfishly, she was also admittedly getting tired of having the clerks at these upscale stores look at her like she was out of her depth.

“Hmmm…you two are always working so hard, but you tend to be sent on missions without each other, right? Inumaki and I see you way more often. Why don’t you research a trendy new restaurant? I always see her food photos on social media, and it would be a good chance to bond over a nice meal,” Panda suggested.

Maki liked the idea, but it wasn’t really a gift in her mind. What was so special about going out to eat?

“That’s not a bad thought, Panda, but it just seems too…simple. I don’t want her to think that I believe time with me is a present in and of itself. It just seems a bit egotistical.”

“Tuna,” Inumaki tapped his smartphone and showed it to her. The screen revealed a cute top with a not-so-cute price tag for such a flimsy item of clothing. Maki was quite impressed with his fashion sense. She had no doubt in her mind it would look fabulous on Nobara, but it still wasn’t quite right.

Inumaki placed his hand on Maki’s. “Mustard leaf?”

“Yeah, I’m ok. Thanks for trying, Inumaki. It’s not that you don’t have good taste. I think I just have to reflect on it a bit more. I really do appreciate the both of you,” she said with a soft smile as she gave both of their shoulders a reassuring squeeze.

—————-

“Well, well, well! What brings you back to Jujutsu tech, Maki?” Gojo chimed, his feet propped up on his office desk.

Her eyes betraying her annoyance, she took a deep breath. She wasn’t exactly thrilled to be coming to her old sensei for his opinion, but needed to keep her cool if she was going to get anything close to a thoughtful answer out of him.

“Look, Gojo. You’ve spent enough time mentoring Nobara when she was still in school to know a different side of her, right? Her birthday is coming up and I want to get your take on what she might like.”

“My, my, you’re secretly quite the romantic, aren’t you Maki? Who would have guessed?”

Maki quickly rose to her feet. “I knew I shouldn’t have even fucking bothered…”

“Wait! Wait. I’m just giving you a hard time. As a former student, Nobara’s just as important to me as you are, Maki. I know I rarely take things seriously, but you two deserve the happiness you’ve found with each other. Give me a moment.”

He cocked his head to the side, seemingly deep in thought. She hated that goofy-ass blindfold he always wore but, even though she couldn’t get a feel for what he was thinking by looking into his eyes, what he had just told her touched her.

“…what about a new hammer?”

Maki gave him an irritated blank stare.

“Hold on! Let me explain. You’re a weapon expert, right? Don’t pretend like you haven’t noticed she’s been using the same one since she came here from Tohoku. I know it has sentimental value, but you might be able to work with that somehow.”

For once, one of his moronic ideas kind of made sense.

“That’s not as terrible an idea as it originally sounded coming out of your mouth. I’ve still got Megumi and Yuji to consult, but I think you’ve brought me a little closer to something that might work…”

—————-

Maki could see her last two sources of intel hanging out at the bar of the restaurant they had selected as a meet-up point. As she approached, Yuji launched himself out of his seat to greet her.

“Maki-senpai! It’s so nice to see you!” He was always cheerful to the point of being annoying. If he were one of Megumi’s divine dogs, she’d swear his tail would be wagging non-stop. She’d never understand how her nephew could stand to be around him as often as he was even now that they had graduated.

“Yuji, I told you to drop the senpai. We aren’t in school anymore. It’s unnecessary.” Megumi smirked as he gave her a nod of acknowledgment. She signaled to the bartender and ordered a round of expensive drinks as a thank-you for their time.

“So…what’s the occasion?” Megumi inquired.

“As I’m sure you both…er, at least…as I’m sure Yuji knows, Nobara’s birthday is in a week. I’ve consulted Panda, Inumaki, and even Gojo as to what might be a good gift. Without a doubt, you two have been through more with her than I have, at least in a professional capacity. Do either of you have any idea of something that might really speak to her?”

Megumi and Yuji looked at each other inquisitively.

“Geez, Maki. How the hell would I know? Maybe like a fancy French perfume or something? Something that would stick with her throughout the day?” Megumi scratched the back of his neck. “I’m never any good at this stuff. Yuji, you’re her best friend. What do you think?”

“I mean…we’re still only entry-level so we don’t get paid as much as you, Maki-senpai.” She cringed at his continued use of the honorific. “Why not take her on a no-spending-limit shopping spree? An experience she’d never forget or not be able to replicate? You’ve seen the way she looks longingly when she walks past a designer store, right?”

While both of their answers were pretty much what she expected, at this point she felt she had enough notes to start to synthesize the perfect present. They sat and talked awhile, catching up on what their latest missions entailed before Maki headed back to her apartment.

———————

Maki sat on her couch staring at the framed photo of her and her girlfriend that hung proudly on the wall of her living room. Nobara’s smile in that picture made her heart pound as hard as the day it was taken on their first date.

I can’t fuck this up. We’ve been together for a good amount of time now. She deserves much more than I can give, but it’s the thought that counts, right?

Suddenly, her head snapped up. As dumb as all the men in her life could be at times, each of their answers contained an element that contributed to her final decision.

In the morning, she’d have to find a jeweler that could make it happen.

—————-

The day of Nobara’s birthday had arrived and Maki felt like she was going to throw up. She tried her best to hide her nerves throughout dinner but knew they’d be heading back to her place at the end of the night. She had no idea how Nobara was going to react when she opened the poorly wrapped box (Maki knew she should have had Mai help her out, but was much too proud to ask for her assistance - it wasn’t worth the teasing she’d have to endure).

“Maki? Hellooooo? You ready to go home?” Nobara had devoured her dessert and the time had come to pay the bill.

“Huh? Oh. Oh yea. I got it,” she signaled to the waiter and handed him her card.

“Babe…everything ok? It’s kind of hard to enjoy my birthday dinner when I can tell something is up,” she reached for her hand, and Maki slid her fingers through hers.

“Yeah, I’m good. Sorry. I just…have something on my mind. I’ll be fine once we get home. Promise,” she brought her hand to her lips and kissed the back of it.

“Ok, good. Because I plan to have something more than just the free ice cream they give out for birthdays,” she said seductively. Maki gulped.

I hope she still feels that way after she opens her gift…

—————

“Ok, I’m going to preface this by saying if you hate this, I can take it back. I know I don’t always have the best taste in what’s fashionable, so I don’t blame you if you think it’s hideous,” Maki spoke so fast Nobara could barely understand her.

“Hey! Hey,” Nobara cupped her cheek as she leaned her forehead against hers. “Maki, breathe. It’s just a birthday. I’m sure you put way too much effort into this. I know I’ll love it, whatever it is.”

Nobara peeled off the wrapping paper to reveal a small wooden box. Her nimble fingers undid the latch and opened it to reveal two thin, shiny, beautiful metal bracelets.

“Before you tell me to take them back, let me explain. First, I went to Panda and Inumaki. Panda’s suggestion had me consider our bond, while Inumaki showed me something you would wear,” Maki stated.

“Then, I swallowed my pride and consulted Gojo. That got me thinking about your weapon of choice and how you’ve honed your skill with it over the years. Finally, I got together with Megumi and Yuji last week for a final gut check. What Megumi said had me consider something that would linger with you whether you were out on the town or working, and finally, Yuji sparked the idea of something priceless or one-of-a-kind. Well, two-of-a-kind in this case,” she explained as she reached for one of the bracelets. “May I?”

Nobara’s eyes shone with unshed tears as she nodded in approval.

“Since you’re closest to Yuji, I had him sneak me a handful of the nails you usually fight with, and I found a jeweler who could melt them down and turn them into these. There’s one for each of us, and I had them designed in a way where they wouldn’t hinder our fighting ability while still looking…I don’t know, feminine would be the word, I guess?” She said while blushing.

Maki clasped the bracelet around Nobara’s wrist. As she pulled her hand away, Nobara reached forward, grabbed her arm, and pulled her into a deep kiss.

“I love it!” Nobara squealed when their lips finally parted. “I can’t believe you went through all of that just for a silly birthday gift. It’s so sweet of you, and I have to say, I’m impressed. In fact, let me show you how much I love it…”

She moved to bite and kiss Maki’s neck as her fingers started to unbutton the dress shirt she had put on for the occasion. Tossing it aside, she noticed Maki had worn the midnight black lacy bra Nobara had mentioned was her favorite on her. Her soft chuckle raised Maki’s tender skin under her lips.

“Aww, just for me? You shouldn’t have.”

“What can I - ahhh - say? I’m a giver,” Maki joked back between moans.

“That’s what I love about you,” Nobara whispered as she slid the straps off her shoulders. Leaning in, she toyed with her earlobe between her teeth before biting down lightly. “But now it’s my turn to thank you by giving you something.” The bra now lay forgotten on the floor.

“Ughhhh…Nobara,” Maki groaned from the cool air now sending goosebumps across her body.

Gently, she guided Maki to lay back on the seat cushions of the couch, her head now resting on the arm of the sofa. Kissing each breast, she took one of her already hard nipples into her mouth as she licked and grazed her teeth across the sensitive nub.

Nobara’s hands roamed to Maki’s pants and she lifted her hips to help her shed them. Maki shivered as the cool metal of the bracelet on Nobara’s wrist touched her inner thigh, her hand playing with her lover’s clothed entrance. She could already feel Maki’s wetness soaking through her panties.

“You sure do….ohhhhhh….like to take your time, huh?” Maki chided through her heavy breathing.

“Why rush to the good part? You need to be more patient, love,” Nobara’s head dipped lower as she licked from Maki’s defined stomach to her hips, leaving red bite marks on both sides. Making eye contact with Maki she placed the top of the fabric in her mouth and pulled her panties off with her teeth.

“Fuckkkk that’s hot,” Maki growled.

Making her way back up to her inner thighs, she kissed up and down, occasionally swiping her tongue across her clit.

“Nobara…I can’t…take it anymore. I need you inside me. Please!” Maki begged.

Grabbing one of the throw pillows on the couch, Nobara placed it underneath her lower half. Getting up from between her thighs, she placed her hand next to Maki’s head for support. Her fingertips slowly prodded her drenched entrance, and she felt Maki’s walls adjust to the width of the two digits she slipped inside.

Maki let out a noise of approval as Nobara continued to pump her fingers in time with the tongue she had slid into her mouth. They swallowed each other’s moans as Nobara’s thrusts came in faster pulses. The bracelet on her wrist could be heard jingling with her movements. Reaching her peak, Maki pulled Nobara’s face closer to hers as she shuttered around her fingers.

Maki hugged her girlfriend to her chest tightly. “So…you really like it? You’re not just being nice?” Her fingers toyed with the thin strand of metal as she looked at her for an honest answer.

“Maki. For someone who’s so self-assured on a battlefield, you need to have more confidence in yourself. I truly love it…almost as much as I love you.” Nobara kissed her cheek as she snuggled into the crook of her neck.

“I’m glad,” she said as she kissed the tip of her nose. “But you know…I do have one more gift for you.” The darkly seductive tone her voice took on sent a throb of heat directly to Nobara’s core.

“Oh? And what would that be?”

The faux innocence in her gaze drove Maki mad with lust. Snatching her arm, she brought her wrist to her mouth and placed a kiss directly under where her bracelet had come to rest. Maki heard a sharp inhale and smirked against her sensitive flesh.

“I think you know,” Maki muttered as she quickly grabbed and pulled her onto her lap. Nobara let out an excited shriek as Maki whipped her dress directly up and off of her. With practiced hands, she unhooked her bra and tossed it behind the couch. Reaching up to palm her breasts, Nobara let out a contented sigh.

“Mmmm…”

Maki’s hands traveled to her sides, pausing at her hips. Lifting Nobara to her knees with ease, she situated her face directly underneath Nobara’s pussy.

“Maki! What are you - ohhhhhhhh,” she hummed as she felt her trace her opening with her tongue.

“You taste so good, Nobara,” Maki’s muffled voice sent shivers across her body. Stabilizing herself on the arm of the sofa, Nobara began to rock in rhythm with Maki’s mouth. Maki’s grip on her ass as she rode her face almost made her come on the spot.

“Gods…Maki…fuck…”

“That’s right, baby. I’ve got you,” Maki paused to reassure her.

Barely holding on, as soon as Nobara felt her tongue apply pressure to her clit she had to catch herself to make sure she didn’t suffocate her as she found her release. Maki sat up and drew her to her.

“Happy birthday,” she said as she kissed her temple.

“Shit…I don’t know which gift I liked more,” Nobara replied with a laugh. She reached for the gift box that sat on the coffee table and took out the remaining piece of jewelry. Grabbing Maki’s arm, she fastened the bracelet to her.

Inspecting it, Maki chuckled. “I gotta say…these look even better when it’s the only thing we are wearing.”

[lover-of-skellies]

Jack Skellington Smoochability???

This makes me want to lose my mind, in the best way possible. For some unholy reason, that I can’t even begin to explain

Gonna tag all of you, because you brought this on yourselves >:| (/j, obviously)

@a-kiwi-fruit-that-makes-ocs @horsegirl469 @dragon-phoenix-along @lunarreaper12 @scienceisfood @nugget--daddy @madness-of-void @galaxytalesans20982

Jack Skellington gets a smooch-ability rating of 6 out of 12. He’s a decent enough choice, but there are some potential hazards/risks (mostly his hygiene) that you should take into consideration before leaning in for a smooch

1) Is his mouth dangerous? His teeth are not flat or super jagged, but they are somewhat sharp. Not nearly sharp enough to slice open your lip, of course, but enough so that they could still cause some discomfort. He’s only getting 1 point here, due to that

(Added a picture for reference, just because I can)

2) Would Jack bite? Is he aggressive? Admittedly, I haven’t seen Nightmare Before Christmas in so, SO long, so I remember very little of the movie. From what I vaguely remember, Jack strikes me as someone who does whatever they want, whenever they feel like it. Biting would probably be included in that. Though… in his defense, he seemed pretty laidback, and while he can be “scary”, I don’t think he’s truly aggressive. Not in a way that’d result in people being genuinely hurt by him, at least. I’ll give 2 points, since even though I’m not sure how much I’d trust him not to bite, at the very least he wouldn’t be actively trying to take a chunk out of anyone’s face

3) Are there any health hazards to the smoocher? He doesn’t carry weapons or anything that the smoocher could accidentally get hurt by, he might be somewhat of a biohazard. Because even though he’s not a walking corpse like Springtrap or eternally bleeding from the mouth like Geno, he still comes from a place where cobwebs, bugs and spiders crawling around, and sleeping in coffins is normal. We don’t know what his personal hygiene is like or how often he brushes his teeth. That being said… I’d say he gets 0 points for his questionable hygiene and potential yuckiness

4) Does he have a sympathetic backstory? Honestly, we don’t know anything about his backstory. I googled it, and all I found was that he used to be human. I’m not sure about his cause of death or what he was like as a human, but in the movie, he wants a change of pace. Despite his fame and success, he wants something more than that, so he can feel complete, in a sense. Which then leads to him kidnapping Santa Claus, creating destructive weapons (according to one of the websites I checked), and upsetting the entire town. He doesn’t mean to, of course, but his actions still did. Even though I kinda feel for him a little in regards to him wanting to find “something more”, all in all, the lack of information about him makes it hard for me to say his backstory is sympathetic. 0 points here

5) Does he deserve smooches? If you take everything he does that I listed in the point above and then also take into consideration what he was like as a friend to Sally (being a terrible listener, ignoring her objections to things, and talking over her), then…. No, I don’t think he’s too deserving. Maybe, maybe 1 point here if you squint because he had to eventually right his wrongs, but that still kind of feels like a stretch to me

6) Is he cute or cool? I wouldn’t say he’s cute, no. Definitely not based on the choices he made in the movie, at least. I could see him being cool though, both design-wise and in terms of his supernatural abilities. I’ll give him 2 points for coolness

In total, (no one come for me over this), Jack Skellington gets a smooch-ability rating of 6. While I personally wouldn’t smooch him, you’re free to, if you really wanted. He’s not the best possible smooching partner, but you could trust him to not maim you for it, at the very least. Feel free to take my rating with a grain of salt, because again, I haven’t watched the movie in such a long time, and I’m going solely off of what I found online in a few different websites and articles

[usagifuyusummer]

I've been snooping around since Rebirth came out because, man, ever since FFVIIR, I can't stop thinking about FF7...

After seeing Zack's parents, I can definitely see how his hair is both a mix of his parents styles. The front part from his mom and the spiky parts from his dad.

We do know Zack's light blue green mako eye color isn't natural, so from what we can see from his parents, we can conclude that Zack had a more brown-ish green-ish grey-ish lighter eye color before becoming a SOLDIER?

(Does anyone else have a more accurate desription on what they think Zack's original eye color might be like?)

I wonder how Zack looks like with the eye color we can see from his parents here. Admittedly, I do think that the scene is quite dark for me to truly observe his parents models design, since it is really different from the OG design.

I wish there was someone out there who could rip those models out for people as curious as me to observe. As they did bring up some info on Gongaga that I thought was really intriguing, like why tell us that? Why bring up that the Cetra descendants settled in Gongaga and lived in seclusion??? Why not just give us a full mock history book in the game that tells us the places where the Cetra have migrated or were prominent in? I have even more questions in my head than answers right now... Its brainrotting bad lmao.

Hm, I hope Part 3 clears up the questions I have on Zack and some FF7 stuff...

And how in the hell the Planet as a character is going to be portrayed??? Will Zack or the whole cast meet Minerva again to beat her ass up the second time??? Is Genesis even possible at this point, since there's only one part left to explain this whole thing...

I really hope Zack gets a DLC or specific story parts if they didn't have time to fully expand on some Crisis Core loose ends, Jenova and Dirge of Cerberus stuff... Maybe they're planning to do that after the main games end??? I don't know, there's just too many uncertainties right now. And I'm just rambling out of my mind lmao.

Side note, I didn't know what to describe Zack's parents eye colors, so if what I wrote in the poll is not accurate, sorry for that. Unless either someone tells me, or I read/watch an analysis of this somewhere, then I'll change it. This is the limit of my knowledge on this so far. Discussions are open for anyone of course, if there are any who think about this as much as I do lol.

I don't know if polls can be reopened, since I don't really want to have a time limit on this one. I'm just curious on what others think of this. If my post ever gets far of course... That's why I didn't want the time limit. I'll see what happens then. Thanks for reading my ramblings this far.