#also im not sure how many times i have to say this but this showdown isnt about winning!!!!!

[sonic-oc-showdown]

next time pls dont take sides on a competition poll youre running i find it unfair

I'm simply having fun with my own polls and I only root for the polls on my own blog. If you don't like it you can simply not participate or put together your own similar showdown and run it how you like

[veeranger]

Vee’s Steam Summer Sale 2023 Recommendations

as always these are just personal opinions etc etc please look up some real reviews before buying a game if you aren��t sure and remember that steam will give you a full refund if you have less than 2 hours played in under 2 weeks.

im going to try to recc stuff i havent shilled every 6 months for the last 5 years but the VNs are going to be the same as always honestly

Fighting Games

Guilty Gear -Strive- Ultimate Edition 2022 ($55.99)

yes im specifically saying buy ultimate edition because it has all the dlc as of this writing. buy the base version if you want but i hate playing fighting games with incomplete rosters.

anyway this is my favorite fighting game, bar none. this is the game that after years of screwing around on a bunch of other games finally got me to really want to get better and actually play against other people. there’s a super active playerbase and at least another year of support from arcsys on the way. the best time to start playing strive was a year ago but the second best time is right now.

Idol Showdown (Free)

yes im shilling a free game here. idol showdown is a good fighting game and the result of like three years of hard work from a small team. try it out and give them some love

Nitroplus Blasterz: Heroines Infinite Duel ($4.99)

this is not a good game but it is a funny game. saber is in it.

Narrative Games

AI: The Somnium Files - $7.99

one of the finest mystery games you can play imo. maybe uchikoshi’s best work. a perfect blend of mystery, character, and style. every character and conversation is compelling in its own way and every little thing builds up to the huge moments which makes them all feel totally earned. as always uchikoshi is a genius in the way he blends his signature branching timeline style with the themes and core concepts of the game. the twists and turns this game goes down are so crazy that weeks later you’ll still be realizing how all the little things you thought were just quirks were actually foreshadowing. cannot recc this enough tbh.

Zero Escape: The Nonary Games - $11.99

another uchikoshi joint, also extremely good. ive only finished 999, the first game in this collection, but i can recc it just based on the strength of that alone. whereas somnium is a murder mystery, 999 is a visual novel about being trapped in a murder game interspliced with escape room segments. whatever you think you know you dont, 999 will take you down so many twists and turns you’ll be fucking dizzy when you’re done with it. big recc.

VA-11 HALL-A: Cyberpunk Bartender Action - $10.04

i could probably talk about this game for as long as the others, even though its way way less complex. va-11 hall-a doesnt have a huge sweeping story with insane twists and massive reveals, but what it does have is an extremely personal narrative about loss, healing, and just living your life the best way you can in a horrible dystopian world. the cast of characters feel utterly real and you learn about the world they inhabit through interactions with them, rather than being infodumped by exposition. everyone has their own story and everyone is just trying to get by, including you. one of the best small scale personal narrative games ive ever played.

Night In The Woods - $9.99

another vn i would consider “small scale” but equally as impactful. nitw is a story about a disillusioned and struggling college drop out returning to her economically declining home town. nobody is secure, nobody is happy, everyone is suffering through their daily lives. you follow mae as she struggled to readjust to her childhood home and the people she left behind. until something happens that changes her priorities radically. all ill say. despite how i just made it sound, nitw is not all depressing. theres lighthearted moments and wacky days to cut through the bleak fog, as well as genuinely heartfelt moments that feel very earned. nitw is a game i think that everyone struggling through their 20s should play.

Grim Fandango Remastered ($3.79)

i know this is an old school adventure game and you might yell at me for sort of grouping it in with the VNs but i dont care. its a classic, its a beautiful game, everyone should play it. its old, it controls like shit, the puzzles are obtuse, but the experience is wonderful and memorable. its cheap as hell just go for it.

Action

Assault Spy ($4.99)

this goofy ass game is fun as hell. its a very dmc style character action with upgrades and moves to buy, and it actually has a pretty goddamn good mechanical system in place. the gameplay loop rules. only warning is this is not well optimized so watch your computer doesnt explode.

Marvel’s Spider-Man Remastered ($40.19)

i shouldn’t even have to shill. a must play for any spider-man fan. one the best spider-man stories ever hands down. such an incredible experience seriously. i cant even say enough here, if you haven’t played this yet you should do it asap.

Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales ($33.49)

everything i just said for the first game goes here too. a MUST play for miles morales fans. the combat is even better than the first too. you won’t regret playing this trust me.

Marvel’s Avengers - The Definitive Edition ($5.99)

no i’m not joking. ok well i kind of am but this game is getting delisted in september. it is an unforgivably mid piece of shit but if you have an interest in game preservation or playing something so bad they’re killing it forever, well here it is. they made all the microtransactions free btw.

Others

Tinykin ($13.75)

its like pikmin but its legally distinct! i like this game a lot, it has a very cute art style and its got easy to enjoy gameplay. i find it very relaxing. there’s a demo.

System Shock 2 ($2.49)

i will never stop shilling this game. fucking play it. its a cornerstone of video games. one of the most influential pieces ever put to pixel. you owe it to yourself to experience this if you feel any interest in it. maybe read a guide though its unforgiving if you screw around with your build.

Dead Space [2023] ($41.99)

exceptionally good. i dont have to shill the old shitty pc port of the original anymore. an A+ remake, i think it improves on the original in every conceivable way.

Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night ($11.99)

such a goddamn good metroidvania. its almost like the platonic ideal of a castlevania game. a true spiritual successor to SOTN. this isnt your dime a dozen soulslike vania, this is a true vania game in the best original style made by basically one of the core founders of the genre.

STAR WARS™ Knights of the Old Republic™ II - The Sith Lords™ ($3.49)

its a fuckin classic rpg. one of the best of the era. get it on pc so you can get that extended content mod they promised to import to the console version and then cancelled.

Save Room - Organization Puzzle ($2.09)

this is just a cute puzzle game. i like it.

[goldendiie]

so. the thing about last night’s chapter of americana is that it was kind of just supposed to bridge to the rest of the story. i have been deliberating for MONTHS about how to attack the issue of april-june of 1968 (aka, the rioting after dr. king’s death) simply because it’s such a difficult time. sarge, a clear conservative, would probably have a lot to say about the rioting. he’s pro-civil rights as much as anyone else (legislatively— not so much on the demonstrations). but AS A CONSERVATIVE he would not even TRY to rationalize the rioting. this would piss fillmore off, because he obviously would want to be on the streets, too. he’d be angry, mourning, just like everyone else on the left. 1968 is an incredibly polarizing time, especially through the lens of rioting. if i approached it realistically (and, also with the characterization i’ve made), they’d break up again.

also, on fillmore WANTING to be on the streets: there’s no good way to represent that. civil rights and anti war were completely independent from one another by 1968. civil rights had moved toward black power, in which there is no place for white help. the sncc actually asked all of its white workers to resign and “do their own thing” in may 1967 (i think). like there was simply no place for white people in civil rights activism after it turned toward militancy. that’s the truth, and it would be a disservice to bend it. i could write a thesis about the sncc split and late sixties black power— but, otherwise, i have no idea how to apply it to fiction. it’s a difficult balance between race politics, electoral politics, and plain old dichotomy.

so, i skipped two months, and moved right along to election politics. is it doing a disservice to history? yes. but it’s the only clear way to get them to stay together— whatever that means.

anyway. that’s my defense. i wrote my thesis on the 1968 democratic convention riots, so im sure you can expect a few (maybe 3? not sure) mostly-accurate chapters on the leadup & happenings of the convention. many thought that chicago was the final showdown— a “ragnarok,” according to historian todd gitlin. i’m going to throw my weight into that.

xoxo

[roughentumble]

okay, trying to sort out how the last stand would play out with this AU. the last stand is largely predicated on magneto being in his absolute worst place when he responds to the (very real) threat of mutant annihilation. also marie is not present during the film because she's off getting "cured", and jean is busy being phoenix and also reborn.

if we dont have her die, we give charles time to catch that phoenix is breaking through and attempt to contain her, and if we have logan and crew working on magneto we have a chance for him to respond in a much more coordinated way that's less sacrificial of his underlings, and perhaps doesnt lead to him abandoning mystique.

i'm thinking that when they hear about the cure, one of them(let's just say logan because i like playing favorites) needs to say "we have to go to the x-men about this." and when magneto's like tf we do, thats stupid, they need to double down and say "they already put pressure on the president to fight for mutant rights, so charles is clearly coming around, and if the government seriously has this weapon? we need every mutant we can get working with us. and the x-men are annoying, but they are powerful, and they're used to working as a team. if we can just get them on our side, we have a much better shot at winning this war. you say charles used to see reason. let's make him see reason now."

storm is VERY up in arms about this "cure", everyone sees the danger in it and how it'll be used against people, but maybe jean with phoenix threatening to burst through is the first one to say that she thinks they should actually join forces and take the fight to the government? charles is afraid of escelation, but her siding with the brotherhood is like a domino effect that gets everyone saying "this is dangerous and it needs to be stopped" and they hesitantly join forces

i imagine the x-men push for it to be a stealth mission without the use of escaped criminals, for it to not be a war or a giant battle. i think magneto wouldnt like that, maybe still pushes to recruit as many bodies as he can. in the beginning of the film, mystique has already been apprehended, so breaking her out is high priority to him, and why leave mutants behind to suffer in human hands when they could be used in a fight? the x-men say no, but magneto works using his own plans

mystique still gets shot with the "cure", but this time magneto doesnt abandon her, but instead sees her as something like a "fallen comrade". it rocks the foundations of their relationship, changes something fundamentally between them, but the potential for a future relationship is no longer shattered, because magneto's intense human hatred has waned. yay! fic of this story would really linger on this moment and use it as a turning point for his character, where abandoning her wouldve meant the destruction of his Self, and bringing her back to the mansion means the potential for his own redemption.

also, it means when mystique goes and gives the suits everything as a human, it's actually a clever ploy to look like a schism in their ranks, but it was actually planned to get a majority of their forces uselessly out in the woods. instead of being a coincidence, it's on purpose! and mystique gets to leave because she acted as an informant! even as a human, she's still changing shapes to get what she wants out of people

rogue is no longer interested in a cure, having spent a long time training her powers and learning to love them under a tutor who thinks incredibly(maybe, arguably, too) highly of mutations. logan keeps her balanced so she doesnt go off the deep end of fanaticism, but she's in a much more stable place.

okay not sure how the showdown would go down... storm outside causing raging winds to blow all the fired "cures" away from the mutants, and to keep eyes on her, while a small team sneaks inside? im thinking rogue for her touch of death/knock people out, kitty pryde for her walking through walls, and some sort of actual fighter chaperone(scott?), plus maybe someone to act as a human shield(colossus?)

that leaves a lot of people on the front lines, magneto, logan, wade, charles, storm, and jean. oh plus kids from the school who are ready for it, so bobby and a few others, and that pyro kid who went with magneto in X2. (i forgor about him. pretend my summary of X2 included a defector from the x-men to the brotherhood). plus the criminals magneto busted, minus that one body double guy who was a woods diversion. sorry body double guy whose name i forgot!

they're not killing any humans, much to magneto's chagrin, and logan is having a really hard time not slashing people with his big scary claws. mostly he just destroys plastic guns with them.

the plan then is to get the kid out, and also destroy the "cure" and all research they can find on it, while the majority of the crew distracts everyone out front. rogue uses her powers to render guards unconcious along the way, because she's well trained with them now, and kitty is pulling the group past clearance-requiring doors. they start by destroying all research they come across, and heading into the bowels of the facility to wipe all the computers, and then they go to get the kid, knowing that kitty's powers wont work once she's near him and they'll have to break their way out.

im thinking outside some mutants SHOULD go down to the "cure". the easy answer is a few of the kids and some of the criminals, but some part of the main crew would make it feel less contrived. i'd say either logan or storm-- storm getting taken out would leave a massive hole in their defenses, and logan would still be a formidable fighter but he'd become a liability in the fight if he were suddenly de-powered. plus, these are two people who care about their powers, especially in a logan joining the brotherhood AU, so it would be really painful for them.

then, just as the inside team makes their way outside and the outside team is finishing up with thr soldiers, phoenix breaks through jean's mind and starts wreaking havoc on both sides, professor x's barriers finally giving way. she's hurt, and angry, and just wants to cause destruction. charles tries to fight her off, but she's so much stronger than him. but then, the child sees her, and darts away from kitty pryde. he's small, and slight, and isnt even noticed by her until he's right on top of her, nullifying her powers and giving one of her teammates the chance to stick her with one of the "cures" laying on the ground.

in the comics, phoenix/phoenix force is like an entity that posesses jean, and not an alternate personality locked in her mind. i understand why they changed it for the films, but if we pull this back in, we could say that they were unaware she was the host for this being, it and not her subconcious is what xavier had originally locked away(unknowingly on his part), and getting the "cure" makes her an nonviable host, shunting it out of her mind, freeing her from its influence.

they spirit the child away in the jet, grieving their losses, but having sent the message that they wont stand for the eradication of their kind. the government will strike back, theyre sure, but for now more mutants are safe, and they can protect this child from being an experiment.

then, of course, several months pass and it turns out the "cure" was always a temporary suppression, a faint blue beginning to peek through on mystique's shoulders, a glass on jean's table wobbling as she puts all her focus into it.

charles and erik get to fuck nasty in the mansion, logan gets some time off to get dicked down without having to go on missions, rogue gets to feel powerful and useful, and jean is free of the specter haunting her mind, while the mutant population is pritected from a new weapon that wouldve been used against them

ok i THINK. that manages to stay. a little bit IC. and making sense. while also fixing shit. i think that's how the AU would go

ok, logan joins the brotherhood AU. xmen2000 happens very similar, but logan and rogue are on magneto's side, and logan knows a lot more about his past without actually remembering any of it. the timeline is stretched out instead of condensed into a few days, because it gives everyone more time to bond and more time for Things to Happen. we're putting deadpool in there in his slightly more morally loose much more merc-y self as hired muscle, because i like him. charles invades logan's mind during a conflict to try and pursuade him to the "good side" as xavier sees it, uncovers old memories that logan had heard about but not remembered firsthand, he decides he hates that shit and never wants someone in his head again so magneto agrees to surgically implant the same metal/circuitry that's in his helmet directly on logan's skull. no psychic is ever gettin in fort knox again, logan's brain is his own. through their newfound bond, logan starts deradicalizing magneto against specifically human hatred-- not the need to fight back against injustice or the genuine war against mutants that's on the way, but the idea of mutants being evolutionarily superior. he's actually making headway, good for him. the plan to have rogue sacrifice herself is instead a plan for her to absorb magneto's AND WOLVERINE'S powers+lifeforce, so she will survive. the x-men still stop their plan, but not before half the summit gets mutated, because wade is there to fight them off. the majority of the brotherhood gets away, but magneto is arrested, and they dont know where he's held. during all these events, the brotherhood including marie, logan, and wade have become like a little polycule/family, so this is a massive hit to morale, but mystique still decides to work things from the inside disgused as a now-reformed mutant hating senator.

X2 happens. logan's been trying to keep the brotherhood together with erik gone and mystique busy playing someone else, but it's a pretty small group. instead of logan left at the manor, colossus is given the honor, and he gets as many kids out as he can when the mansion is invaded, while bobby and pyro escape by hotwiring a car and calling the x-men to let them know what's going on. obviously the magneto escape plan goes off as does in canon, with logan's feathers ruffled that he couldnt be a part of it on account of metal skeleton. in the scene where the two disparate groups meet, it's the x-men(ororo, jean, nightcrawler, bobby, pyro) meeting the fully reformed brotherhood(magneto, mystique, wolverine, rogue, deadpool). bit of sparks between jean and logan, but jean Fully does not like or trust the brotherhood and logan literally doesnt even know she's married so the "women marry good guys" "i could be a good guy" scene plays out much harsher, but also he's not cut /quite/ as deep because he doesnt know this woman. it just reaffirms to him his commitment to the brotherhood and their ideals and their family, because he doesnt feel rejected there, and his ideals arent under attack. he was always gonna feel that way tho so its not revolutionary. logan still splits off from the group when he sees stryker, because even though he thought he closed that chapter of his life he still does have questions about his past and he feels compelled. this means he's not around to talk magneto out of his plan to target humans instead of mutants, which is a major schism in the brotherhood when he finds out about it later. they do pass each other in the hall, though, as magneto and mystique make their way towards the helicopter and logan makes his way back inside. magneto says theyre leaving, and logan says he has to go back. "i'll leave with rogue and deadpool in the jet, you two get out of here." he says. magneto asks if he's sure, and logan says "most of the mutants in here are kids. i cant just leave them." and magneto watches him carefully for a moment, then claps him on the shoulder. tells him good luck, my friend. they nod. magneto and mystique leave in the jet, while logan rushes inside. the end plays out pretty similar, with logan not as devestated because he didn't have that relationship with jean, but it's still rough to see such blatant self-sacrifice from someone he did ostensibly respect despite being on different sides.

obviously when the x-men appear as a group to the president, logan and marie aren't there, but that active role in trying to influence politics for the better ends up being the unknowing laying of foundations for the eventual merging of the brotherhood and xavier's institute, its the first stone layed that the other side needed to see

[stormyoceans]

Ah are you melting too? It's so hot here *help*

Your top 5:

lyrics

food

places

vegas quotes

pete quotes

vegaspete scenes

vegas clothes

good?

anyway *blows kisses*

HALEY IT'S BEEN 40 °C ALL WEEK IM AT MY LIMIT 😭 please make sure to drink lots of water and take time to cool down if you have access to some air conditioning!!!

sfjksgdkgs you gave me so many options and i know i should just probably pick one but im bored so imma do them all (it's not like it's already taking me ages to reply to these ;;;;;;). gonna put the interesting ones first and then put the others under a read more!!

VEGASPETE SCENES

already did it here!!!

VEGAS CLOTHES

1. THE WITCHY SHIRT IN EPISODE 9 I WANT TO STEAL IT SO BADLY

2. the white suit in episode 4. i mean im not a slut but who knows. it's also a crime that we didn't get to see him wear it again (i know it would have been impractical to wear it for the final showdown but it would have looked so good splattered with blood)

3. the leather jacket in episode 5. presented without comment 🥵🥵

4. the simple gray outfit in episode 7. i love his fancy shirts but he honestly looks SO GOOD in more casual clothes

5. it was so hard to pick the last one because i love vegas' wardrobe but i guess im going with what i call the slut- I MEAN the snake shirt in episode 11 (because the pattern reminds me of a snake skin?)

VEGAS QUOTES (these are gonna be so disappointing because they're just gonna be lines he says to pete IM SORRY)

1. "i love you, pete." (STILL CANNOT BELIEVE HE ACTUALLY SAID IT. I NEED TO BE SEDATED EVERY TIME I REMEMBER IT.)

2. "From now on, you're no longer my pet. You're the most important person in my life." (NO WORDS JUST 🤧🤧🤧)

3. "If I die today, could it be you who kill me?" (NO WORDS ONCE AGAIN JUST INSANITY)

4. "We make merits together, so next life, we'll get to see each other again." (funny how he initially said that just to mess with pete and now he's actually gonna take pete to make merits together any chance he gets)

5. "No matter how bad I am, if it's for the person I love, I will never hurt their feelings." (okay so he says this to porsche and at that moment i don't believe he meant it, but he definitely means it now with pete. he already hurt pete once, he's never gonna do it again)

PETE QUOTES

1. "When I was little, I used to watch superhero movies with my friends. We fought to be this and that hero... Then I grew up and find out that there's no heroes nor villains in this world." (tells you everything you need to know about pete as a character)

2. "They don't beat us because we suck. They beat us because they, themselves, sucks." (just.. yeah)

3. "I just wanna follow my heart." (PETE FINALLY BEING TRUE TO HIMSELF AND PITTING HIS OWN WANTS AND DESIRES FIRST IS EVERYTHING TO ME)

4. "Would you stop saying that you got nothing left? I'm right here. And don't you turn your back on me. Because... Because I'm hungry." (ONE OF THE MOST ROMANTIC LINES EVER YOU CANNOT CHANGE MY MIND)

5. "Kissing is for people that we like only." (i don't care if it's a little naive, i adore this line)

FOOD

1. pizza. if you had any doubts im italian this is gonna make it pretty obvious..

2. i was thinking about not picking pasta but the heart wants what the heart wants (or, well.. the stomach, in this case). what kind of pasta, you ask? just.. you know. any kind.

3. fried rice. BELOVED SAVIOUR OF PLENTY A MEAL.

4. tiramisu. desserts still count, RIGHT????

5. bread. just like with pasta, all kind of bread is good in my book. just give it to me.

LYRICS (once again, im terrible with these ;;;;)

1. Baby, we'll be fine//All we gotta do is be brave and be kind. - baby we'll be fine, the national

2. Oh, you wouldn't want an angel watching over you//Surprise, surprise, they wouldn't wanna watch//Another un-innocent, elegant fall//Into the un-magnificent lives of adults//Make up something to believe in your heart of hearts//So you have something to wear on your sleeve of sleeves//So you swear, you just saw a feathery woman//Carry a blindfolded man through the trees. - mistaken for stranger, the national

3. Now find a rooftop to sing from//Now find a hallway to dance//You don't need no edge to cling from//Your heart is there, it's in your hands//I know it seems like forever//I know it seems like an age//But one day this will be over//I swear it's not so far away. - various storms and saints, florence + the machine

4. 'Cause you can't jump the track, we're like cars on a cable//And life's like an hourglass glued to the table//No one can find the rewind button, boys//So cradle your head in your hands//And breathe, just breathe. - breathe (2 am), anna nalick

5. And do you look into the mirror to remind yourself you're there?//Or have somebody's goodnight kisses got that covered? - love is a laserquest, arctic monkey

PLACES (i actually haven't traveled a lot in my life so im just.. turning this into a funny thing. sort of ;;;;;)

1. my bed. ngl there's no other place i'd rather be.

2. the north sea. okay this sounds very pretentious, but.. one of my very few and most memorable travels has been to the netherlands back in highschool, and idk why but the sea there left such an impact on me, which is kinda ridiculous since italy has the sea everywhere, but you know. i'd like to go back to it one day, just to see if it still leaves me breathless.

3. parks. so, yeah, i have never traveled much but every time i go to a new city i always take the time to visit at least one of its park.

4. lakes. my region has the three biggest lakes in italy and growing up we never had enough money to go to the beach, so lakes were the closest substitute. still love them.

5. the one ice cream place in my town who still gives you free whipped cream and toppings. the backbone of our economy.

[sokka-with-his-hair-down]

Cabin Leader Zukka AU

Credit to @im-a-sokka-for-you, @waywarddork, @king-bumi-for-president, @sokkaseboyhair, and @crying-at-ikea for helping out with this monstrosity of a post!! Stupid Squad™ ily ❤️

This is long af but I promise it’s worth it 🥺🥺

Sokka and Zuko are rival cabin leaders at a summer camp

The camp has sort of a 4-elements theme because I say so

Eight Cabins. Two Water-Themed, two Fire Themed, two Earth-Themed, and Two Air-Themed.

Sokka leads the Southern Water Cabin. Yue the Northern. Aang leads one of the Air Cabins, and Suki leads an Earth Cabin. Zuko and Ty Lee lead the Fire Cabins. (Ty Lee shamelessly flirts with the assistant camp director, Mai...)

Sokka and Zuko’s cabins, along with all the other cabins, are competing in the yearly camp competition. There are different challenges, like water balloon fights (water), mud runs (earth), zip lining (air), and s’more roasting (fire).

Zuko’s cabin wins most years, and Sokka’s like “not this year. This year WE take the trophy” and he’s got his heart set on it.

Sokka thinks Zuko’s obnoxious. He sees him as hot-headed and snippy and arrogant. And he’s almost militaristic with his cabin kids. (And yet they love him. Even more annoying.)

Sokka wants to be the ✨fun cabin✨, he usually does, but he starts pushing harder to advance to the next round of the competition and win.

Sokka and Zuko have multiple confrontations. They’re snarky and sarcastic “good luck out there😈” kind of things (which Sokka HATES)

The two cabins pull pranks on each other all the time. Very Parent-Trap-esque. Sokka and Zuko plan a lot of them, but that doesn’t stop the kids from doing a few on their own (I imagine some very lovable OC campers).

Sokka wakes up with a shaving-cream beard more than once.

Zuko wakes up wearing makeup once...

Then, as the story unfolds with whatever subplots a writer may put in, Sokka catches more and more glimpses of Zuko acting more human... and hey... Zuko’s sort of sweet when he’s like that...

No. This is a competition. Zuko bad. Winning good.

Sokka confides in Aang and Yue one night after a staff meeting.

“You don’t understand, guys! He’s—he’s infuriating! He’s good at everything, and the kids all like him, and I know I’m supposed to hate the guy but I don’t anymore! And I don’t know why! And part of me feels like he deserves to win every damn time even thought it’s ridiculous that he does-”

“Sokka.”

Aang looks at him almost sympathetically. Sokka tilts his head in confusion.

“Have you considered that maybe you just have a little crush on him?”

“WHAT?!”

“...”

“Oh. Shit.”

Anyway Sokka has a bit of an awakening and is like “OH NO I LIKE ZUKO I’M SUPPOSED TO HATE ZUKO.”

After panicking about that for way too long, Sokka winds up telling Suki about this revelation and Suki is like:

“Well... I don’t know if I should be telling you this, but I think Zuko’s had a crush on you for years.”

“WHAT THE FUCK.”

Suki sort of awkwardly admits that she’s picked up on it. She and Zuko are friends (something Sokka could never fathom why but he left it be) and she tells Sokka how Zuko talks about him... an absurd amount. And how Zuko, on more than one occasion, has accidentally called Sokka cute.

(i.e “just because he’s Mr. Cute and Friendly doesn’t mean he can walk around like he owns the place!” “You think he’s cute?” “What? Uh-”)

Leading up to the final face off where Zuko and Sokka’s cabins will compete against each other, Sokka leaves his campers with Suki for a few minutes and approaches Zuko’s cabin one night and asks to speak with him. Alone.

There’s a unanimous “oooooooooooh!” from the campers.

The two step outside, and Sokka’s freaking out, but he’s gonna do it anyway.

He’s really awkward about it and keeps beating around the bush.

“Just get to the point, Sokka!!”

“Um. Do you like me?”

That. Was not what he meant to say.

In all honesty, Sokka meant to say that he likes Zuko, and THEN ask him if he liked him back, but he panicked, give the guy a break.

Zuko’s face goes completely blank.

“Wait, what?”

Sokka, now suddenly convinced he and Suki were wrong, chickens out and bolts, Zuko calling after him. (He can’t chase him because he can’t leave his campers unattended.)

Sokka freaks out silently as he leads his campers back to his cabin for the night.

He doesn’t get much sleep.

Day of the big competition. The campers are getting ready for the final showdown. Zuko’s team is a few points ahead of Sokka’s, but not ahead by many.

Sokka avoids Zuko all morning. Aang, Yue, and Suki are worried about him but he brushes it off, saying it’s no biggie (it is).

Right before the first challenge he overhears one of his campers talking to someone from Zuko’s cabin. The kid from the opposing cabin says “Zuko was in a bad mood last night. He didn’t wanna tell us why, though.”

Oh no. It’s worse than he thought. Zuko is angry at sokka. More than usual.

The games begin. Both teams tally up points after each round of whatever they’re doing (three-legged race, canoeing, etc).

The final score is kept secret—the camp director (accompanied by Mai<3) says the final score will be announced that night at the campfire.

Sokka makes sure he doesn’t run into any scar-faced boys on the way to his cabin. Or at dinner. Or on his way to the campfire.

Everyone is gathered around outside, fire blazing, hot-cocoa and s’mores present. Sokka doesn’t even care about winning anymore. In fact, he hopes Zuko wins, so he doesnt get any more angry.

But

The Southern Water Cabin wins.

Sokka’s campers jump up and scream with excitement. And though he isn’t feeling quite himself, he still offers hugs and high fives and congratulates them all on their hard work.

Then, suddenly, while kids are mingling and cheering, Sokka feels a tap on his shoulder and spins around.

Zuko.

“Hi.”

Sokka can’t find words to say. He just stares. Is... is Zuko gonna yell at him?

“Good job.” Zuko’s holding out his hand for Sokka to shake. Sokka does so, hesitantly.

“Uh... thanks.”

After a moment too long, they end the handshake. There’s a beat of awkward silence and Sokka’s heart is racing.

“Look,” Sokka begins. “About last night. I-”

“Don’t. Me first.” Zuko looks really uncomfortable, but he still keeps talking. “You were right.”

“Huh?”

“I like you. I have liked you, I mean. For a long time. Like, three years.”

Sokka’s dumbfounded. “I thought you hated me.”

Zuko sort of nervously admits that he’s not very good with people (and that he takes great enjoyment in riling people up). And he apologizes like:

“Sorry I was a dick. Me being a fucking gay idiot who can’t ask people out doesn’t excuse me being mean. So I’m sorry.”

Sokka’s sort of touched by all of this. Zuko apologized for being an ass and he has a crush on Sokka?

Sokka figures he should apologize too, since he was pretty much just as mean to Zuko as Zuko was to him. “I’m sorry, too.”

Eventually, the stilted conversation gets sort of quiet and even more awkward, and Sokka realizes he still hasn’t confessed. And, well, better late than never.

“I like you, too.”

“Huh?”

“I like you. As in. Like. I have a crush. On you. So there.”

Zuko has no idea how to react, but eventually a giant grin makes its way into his face and it looks beautiful in the firelight and he just sort of goes:

“Um... do you wanna get coffee or tea with me? Or something? Now?”

“You mean the shitty camp coffee and tea?” Sokka quips.

“Hot Cocoa it is.”

They walk up to the kitchen building and hang out at the counter and actually get to know each other for the first time in years. And Sokka thinks that becoming a cabin leader is the best decision he’s ever made.

(They may or may not have kissed sometime during the rest of their stay. A couple of times. A lot of times. Okay, they made out in the pantry a ton, but that’s nobody’s business but theirs.)

If anyone wants to write this, lemme know!! And again thank you Stupid Squad™ <3 @chaoticidiott @appa-bottom-jeans @soft-zuko you’re also Stupid Squad™ so this is your child as well now. Enjoy.

[questionablygourmet]

hello! im not sure if anyone has asked this, as ive typed several keywords and searched it in your blog but i couldnt find it so here i am. i want to ask about your interpretation of will’s mindset or what he thinks of atm when he initiates the fall and what do you think the most plausible way s4 happens? ive seen people say they go all murder husbands, ive seen those who say it’s a slow journey bcs of will himself still feel conflicted about murder (hence the fall)? thank you so much!

Heya! This subject is one I've touched on before but never been asked about directly, I don't think.

One of the most consistent aspects of Will's characterization is that when it comes to Big Decisions, he tends to make them in the heat of the moment, rather than based on any careful deliberations. There's an aphorism that says "no plan survives contact with the enemy" (D&D variation: no plan survives contact with the player characters), and certainly in Will's case no plan survives contact with Hannibal Lecter.

I think it's fairly uncontroversial to say that Will goes into the final showdown with Dolarhyde being prepared to die. We also have seen repeatedly that he has a hard time killing Hannibal even when he both wants to and has the opportunity to do so - when push comes to shove, he just doesn't do it (specifically, in Hannibal's kitchen in Yakimono and at the pigpen in Tome-Wan, also arguably in the Hobbs house in Releves).

We also know Will's moral compass is not exactly fixed on true north, even in s3b, as he's willing to sacrifice a whole police caravan to Dolarhyde to set his own terms for this showdown.

All these things in mind, where I end up regarding the culmination of TWOTL is that Will is feeling Way Too Many Things at once, and still has a lot of internal voices that are loudly objecting to how he feels about having shared the experience of killing Dolarhyde with Hannibal. Meanwhile, from a more meta point of view, I'm reminded of something Bedelia says to Hannibal earlier in the season - "You no longer have ethical concerns; you have aesthetical ones." I think it would be entirely reasonable to at least in part view Will's own character arc as one of a battle between ethics and aesthetics - the foundation of his intimacy with Hannibal, is, after all, his ability to understand Hannibal's mindset, Hannibal's design, which is fundamentally based on aesthetic sensibilities.

Anyway, point being, Will still has all these conflicting influences going on, and there's a convenient cliff right there. It makes for an aesthetically tidy ending, and he doesn't have to suffer a world without Hannibal in it if they both go out together. It's also possibly the only way he has left to avoid going even farther down the corruption rabbit hole, personally.

(I hope all that makes sense. It feels like something I could write about for days, but lately I'm just glad to get anything coherent on a page.)

As for season 4... it really makes a difference to me whether you mean "how do I see these characters realistically moving on from the s3 finale?" or "how would I expect an actual fourth season of the TV show to handle it?" Because those aren't the same thing at all. Based on what things Bryan Fuller has said about his envisioned s4, it sounds (to me) like he was planning on some role-reversal mindfuck thing where Will's manipulating Hannibal to hell and back, though to what end, I have no idea. (If this interpretation of his commentary is correct, I hold to the unpopular opinion that the show's close to perfect as it is and doesn't need any more. :P) But my personal favorite interpretation of how things go after TWOTL, based on a combination of my understanding of the characters and general fandom optimism, is that it becomes sort of a.... "Okay, I gave God a blank check to kill us, and he didn't take it, so I guess this means I've got to deal with how I feel about you, now," on Will's part.

But honestly, just based on who the characters are and how fucked up their relationship is, I could see just about anything happening after the fall as plausible. Which is part of why the fic landscape in this fandom is as vibrant as it is!

[lover-of-trash-and-people]

shadow and bone rewatch s1e6 while drinking mid-range scotch

I wish I have a face that is as unlined and pretty as Ben Barnes' when I'm 39

Arken you dirty dirty liar

the face Alek is making at his lies that he knows are lies firstly because he knows the art of lying so well and also because he can read people very well

okay Ivan is kind of a bad bitch with his smirk at Arken's lies

alek's eyes narrowing and his little smile when Arken says 'im an entertainer' bitch I love this show

*grabs hand, pulls up sleeve, and discovers Arken's hand is full of marks indicating successful passages through the fold* 'well, that is certainly entertaining' I love this man with all my heart

him screaming is so fucking hot, is that weird for me to say

Nina being the Darkling's spy is quite interesting

Ben giving the Darkling crazy eyes when Arken owns up to his guilt is so cool

also wtf is Arken a fool trying to negotiate with possibly the strongest man in the world

kind of loved the darkness literally eating him

also love Alina learning to use her powers better when she is alone than when she is with anyone else, wish we got to see the cut in this season as per the books, ah can't have everything I guess

the camera pan to Jesper's gun at his side, amazing

god Jessie is literally so beautiful I need to see her bring Alina to the peak of her power so bad

netflix you better renew this series to let the plot run to its completion

HOW THE FUCK DID THEY CAST THE CROWS SO PERFECTLY

INEJ FUCKING TREMBLING JUST THE TINIEST BIT AS SHE BOWS SLIGHTLY TO ALINA SGSHSBSJJSJSSJ MY TWO QUEENS

'And where is my Summoner?' my little Darklina heart ouchie I really wish you hadn't used and manipulated her like this Alek it was incredibly fucked up especially considering you actually caught feelings

'Ivan and I won't fail you' oh Fedyor my baby, my angel, you don't deserve what is coming

Helnik literally recreating Titanic lmao stop this is a joke

I too would jump off the raft if I came to consciousness to see a gorgeous woman with magical powers with her hand on my back

omg but why is ryevost so pretty though

'I know exactly how she felt. The King's soldiers treated me the same way... I'm not myself today.' why must you do this to me, why must you fuel my darklina soulmates agenda idiocy

I don't quite think I have a problem with the Zoya Darkling relationship as much as I have a problem with the line they chose to reveal it to use with.

my drink's over and I don't know if I should have another, considering that it's 7 am

the tenderness with which he looks at Zoya and takes her hand and then when he says 'I shall relax when I have Alina' makes me believe more that the man that is reduced to tears time and again in front of Alina could in fact be the master manipulator I know him to be

god I can't wait for Zoya's character arc

'I speak six languages, it's part of my job' why is Nina literally the fucking coolest

Alina blinding the oprichniki was so hot, I can't wait to see more of her power and her ruthlessness

I know I've said it before but good god is Jessie Mei Li gorgeous

HER LITTLE SMILE AMONGST ALL THE PANIC AS SOON AS SHE SEES MAL, THE AUDACITY OF THIS SHOW TO MAKE ME FEEL THIS WAY

THE SCORE COMING IN AT THE RIGHT MOMENT, THEIR HANDS MEETING, HER SMILE AGAIN DHDHSBSNSNSNSNAN IM IN PAIN

REALLY?! YOU'RE GONNA GO DIRECTLY FROM MALINA TO HELNIK WITH NO CONCERN FOR MY HEART?

I simply cannot get over Calahan's accent lmao it's really funny

'im not afraid of you' he says to the insanely gorgeous girl with magic

HIM HANGING HIS HEAD IN DEFEAT TO INDICATE NINA HAS MADE VALID POINTS YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND I CAN'T BREATHE

'You're just a man. Like all the others.' she says and then forgets her train of thought looking at him as he strips. god I love this

not sleeping all night and then scotch is not a good idea, I think

'I promise not to ravish you' 'I hate the way you talk' her hand on his chest, his hand gripping hers, my fucking heart feels like it's about to explode

good god these shooting locations and sets are so beautiful

Alina throwing the flask at Mal and Mal going 'OI!' I fucking can't, I guess I am a

simp for childhood friends to lovers, give me more of that banter and childhood friend energy, I am thriving

wow it literally seems like they took book! Mal sl*tshaming book! Alina and made show! Alina sl*tshame show! Mal, hmm, interesting

'They would have split us up!' MAL'S LITTLE SMILE AT THIS, and the 'You wrote me letters?' Mal's nod, the Malina yearning stare, the Malina hug, 'thank you for finding me' 'always. I'll always find you.' NO MALINA YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND YOU HAVE MADE ME ABSOLUTELY FUCKING FERAL

I understand they had to split time between my ravkan babies and the crows and that is why there were several aspects that were sort of not reflected on enough but Alina's training at the Little Palace, Alina's cut, Mal's personality, a teensy bit of backstory for the crows, maybe one lockpicking scene from my boy Kaz

random note: we have far too many idols and paintings and pictures and whatnot of Hindu deities in our house apart from the specially designed temple (we are Hindus, so maybe it's not that weird but it's a little weird)

Kaz's cane is a literal star, it's so beautiful my heart wants to explode

'Why would Heleen get the Crow Club?' *literally fucking gets up and walks aways instead of answering the fucking question* I LITERALLY CAN'T BREATHE I'M LOSING MY MIND

'I know that voice' WHO GAVE YOU THE RIGHT TO MAKE ME FIGHT FOR PLATONIC SHIPS IN FANDOMS

'We won't starve' omg get you someone who packs food for you when you go on the run together hiding from your ex who wants to capture you and use your powers as a weapon against your consent

Mal looking surprised at her summoning sunlight, Alina looking cautiously at him waiting for him to disapprove or run for the hills in fear or smth like that, 'I'm sorry it took me this long to see you... But I see you now' my dumb little shipper trash heart ouch

they really said we're gonna feed you this part asian couple as the protagonists in this show in 2021 and guess what I'm eating it's really tasty I'm very satisfied as a south asian

NINA'S LITTLE SMILE WHEN MATTHIAS WAKES UP WITH HIS ARM AROUND HER

'I can feel how much you hate sleeping next to me' 👀👀👀 BITCH SAID IMMA SPILL THE TEA AND THEN SHE DID

it's 8 am and guess what I'm getting another drink my parents have c*vid and are in govt qu*r*ntine centres there is nobody to supervise or stop me

I too say 'Why do you have to say things like that?' to my pretty crush when she flirts with me

Nina smiling at Matthias bragging about his conservative ways is my aesthetic

'No, it's not natural for someone to be as stupid as he is tall and yet, oh, there you stand.' MY FUCKING QUEEN

Matthias laughing uncontrollably at Nina saying something which isn't even that funny is a whole ass vibe

Kaz Brekker saying 'The Black General' ooh fuck yeah

YESSSS STEP OUT OF THAT CARRIAGE ALL SEXY BLACK GENERAL

isn't alcohol supposed to like kill germs? well, the amount in my system definitely will

I love my crows so much (always but this time particularly for setting that alarm in the stolen carriage)

ooh Polina recognising Inej by the knife yesss let's go writers

this Ivan Jesper showdown is all I needed from life and yet did not know about

Ivan taking off his cloak was, um, sexier than I wanted it to be

I just realised how thirsty I am going to sound in this post

'Has no one told you that keftas are Fabrikator-made and resistant to bullets, hmm?' 'Oh, I do love a challenge' LITERALLY EVERYTHING

im sorry to be pointing out flaws in a perfect show and adaptation but the line delivery on 'You robbed me of my brother, now I'll rob you of your life' from Polina was kind of weak

'You're a-' *gets knocked out with the back of a gun* LMAO we love the hints

got excited at the prospect of kaz v. zoya until I realised they will not be letting the opportunity of kaz v. darkling pass up

my goodness is Amita Suman a splendid actress

I AM NOT KIDDING WHEN I TELL YOU I SQUEALED WHEN I SAW DARKLES EMERGE OUT OF THE SHADOWS IN FRONT OF MY BABY BOY KAZ

THERE BEING ACTUAL FEAR OR ATLEAST DOUBT ON KAZ'S FACE, THE LITTLE BACK STEPS AS

THE DARKLING WALKS TOWARDS HIM, AAAAH I CAN'T

THE DARKLING STOPPING AT KAZ SAYING 'SHE FLED ON HER OWN' AND THE HINT OF TEARS THAT WE SEE IN HIS EYES

'IT WAS PRETTY CLEAR SHE WASN'T INTERESTED IN BEING A CAPTIVE ANYMORE' YOU TELL HIM, KING

*ACTUAL FUCKING TEARS IN THE DARKLING'S EYES AS THE SHADOWS APPROACH*

NOT ME YOWLING LIKE A HYENA THAT THIS CHILD OUTSMARTED THE MOST POWERFUL MAN IN EXISTENCE WITH A FAKE MAGIC TRICK

'Are you sure you added enough cloves?' literally warranting a wide ass smile from my queen Alina making my entire fucking day

for some reason, no matter how much I push it from my mind, Ben Barnes dressed up as the Darkling, dancing to 'push it' keeps coming to mind, it's absolutely ridiculous

I got somehow distracted with interviews but good things came out of that as it gave my body the time for the booze to kick in

and I would just like to say that I love Leigh for all she has given me

Alina is so fucking compassionate, I have no much love for her. I can feel her guilt and her sorrow as Mal talks of Mikhail and Dubrov

don't particularly like how the stag plotline is woven in, could have been executed better

'You're afraid you might start to like me?' *flaps furs like a bird's wings in frustration*

'I DO like you' my fucking heart you idiots

the sexual tension is so palpable and the moment is so intimate I simply cannot

OMG SHE FUCKING FELL

that moment where you think he might let her fall despite having read the books and he doesn't and he tells her his name I- <3

YOU DARE TRANSITION FROM A HELNIK SCENE TO A KANEJ SCENE YOU REALLY HAVE NO MERCY FOR MY HEART HUH

people have talked about this endlessly but Freddie's little jaw tic after he says Inej because Inej is wounded and he can't physically bring himself to help her I fucking cannot

THE MUSIC PICKING UP AS KAZ LOOKS TO THE DARKLING'S CARRIAGE I CAN'T WITH THIS SHOW ANYMORE

and now for one of my favorite scenes in television and cinematic history, David Kostyk throwing a book at Jesper Fahey without even knowing who he is merely because he opens the door of his carriage and says hello to him before getting knocked out by Kaz Brekker while trying to run away

Immediately followed by another, the scene with David Kostyk raising his finger to put forward his point in front of the Darkling and the Darkling trying to let him know he doesn't have to before obliging is one of my favourite scenes in the world

also sir please stop being devastatingly attractive in your glorious appearance with your face and your black kefta and cloak because all that comes to mind is Ayesha Erotica's Emo Boy and I'm afraid that is terribly inappropriate.

'No, you look great.' *literally looks down from embarrassment or blushing* MALINA RIGHTS?

THE LOOK ON THE DARKLING'S FACE BEFORE HE SAYS 'NO ORDINARY TRACKER, NO ORDINARY GIRL' BITCH IM OUT OF BREATH

'ORPHANS OF KERAMZIN, REUNITED.' 'ADORABLE.' HE FUCKING SNEERED IRL I FUCKING CANNOT

GOD IT'S SO GOOD

[myrmidryad]

20 Questions - Writer’s Edition

Tagged by @lambourngb thank you! 💗

1. How many works do you have on AO3?

81 total, mostly Les Mis and RNM.

2. What's your total AO3 word count?

1,557,760 holy shit I’ve written over a million words 😵

3. How many fandoms have you written for and what are they?

On AO3, not counting the universes I’ve written fusions with, there are seven: Les Mis, Roswell New Mexico, Merlin, MCU, Young Avengers, X-Men, and Vikings.

On ff.net, nine more: Teen Titans, Xiaolin Showdown, Transformers, Naruto, Narnia, Hellboy, Artemis Fowl, Lord of the Flies, and Skins.

Some fics are on both, but when I moved to AO3 I mostly left the ones I didn’t think were good enough to expose to a new audience. And gone from the internet forever (probably) is the Maximum Ride fanfic I wrote and posted to a forum back in the day. RIP that fic.

4. What are your top 5 fics by kudos?

from one side to the other (Les Mis, exr soulmate oneshot)

sentimental you and faithful me (Les Mis, exr bodyswap oneshot)

Just Another Guy With A Bow (Avengers, Clint/Coulson, Clint origin fic)

potentially lovely, perpetually human (Les Mis, exr empath!Enjolras)

This brave new world’s not like yesterday (Les Mis, exr the bowling alley fic)

5. What's the fic you've written with the angstiest ending?

If there’s a rocket, tie me to it is one of the first Les Mis fics I wrote, and it’s uhhhh very canon in that everyone dies. In my head it was kind of a partner fic to <a pattern in the system> A Bullet In The Gun, which was also a dystopia fic, but that one had a happy ending, and I wanted to go again and have the canon ending for Les Amis. And I think that might have been the last unhappy ending I ever wrote? I like happier endings way better!

6. What's the fic you've written with the happiest ending?

Basically all of them have happy endings, especially the long ones that actually have plots! But I’m going to pick Finding You, because I skidded canon to the left to force events into happiness before tragedy could ever strike, and spun that out into a nice long roadtrip with lots of happiness and love and friendship, ending on a great big optimistic note that everyone’s future would be just as happy and unstruck by tragedy. I reread chunks of this fic all the time for the good vibes.

7. Do you write crossovers? If so, what is the craziest one you've written?

I’ve written a bunch of fusions, but I think the only one that actually counts as a crossover is Fighting the Hurricane, which is a Les Mis/Pacific Rim fic. I’m not sure if my Les Mis/Oglaf fic is a crossover or a fusion, but it’s definitely the craziest one I’ve written just because Oglaf itself is so off the wall - Sharpshooter.

8. Do you write smut? If so, what kind?

I looooooove writing smut, of all kinds. I’ve written a lot of bdsm smut in particular for Les Mis, and weirdly almost none for RNM, idk what that’s about.

9. Do you respond to comments, why or why not?

I usually do these days, though on multi-chap fics if I’m posting a chapter a day or similarly quickly, I’ll wait and reply only the last chapter. I didn’t used to reply to comments at all unless they were particularly stand-out or asked a question, which was following the example of other writers, more than anything else. I also had the notion that people do sometimes use the number of comments on a fic as a metric to judge whether to give it a go or not, and replies massively skew that count.

I reply now, or try to. Um, confused widgeon, if you’re reading this, I’m sorry I haven’t replied to your comments from July 2020 yet. They were too nice and I got overwhelmed. One day I’ll get to them!

10. Have you ever received hate on a fic?

Lol yes, I was weirdly pleased and immediately deleted it.

11. Have you ever had a fic stolen?

Not as far as I know.

12. Have you ever had a fic translated?

I’ve had a couple of people ask about it before, but idk if it went anywhere.

13. Have you ever co-written a fic before?

I co-wrote very bad Transformers fic with my best friend in secondary school and we had a great time. Shout out @scythling! Since then though, no. I’m too precious over creative control, I think, and I quite like writing in a vacuum.

14. What's your all time favourite ship to write for?

Of all time is tricky. Enjolras/Grantaire will have to take the trophy though, I think. They’re iconic!

15. What's a WIP that you want to finish but don't think you ever will?

I have a bunch I’ve abandoned and accepted that I’ve abandoned, too many to list, so I’m not counting those because I know I’m never finishing them. Of the ones that are still in my WIP folders...there are also too many to list, but only a handful I’d be sad about never coming back to. I think the main one is probably Underground Dreaming, which would be very difficult to finish for multiple reasons, the main one being that I always envisioned it as open-ended. But I am sad that I stalled out on posting more than a few fics in that series. Too much research can kill the muse!

16. What are your writing strengths?

Dialogue and spooky atmospheres. Love me a spooky atmosphere.

17. What are your writing weaknesses?

I use ‘grinned’ way too much. Dialogue tags in general, but ‘grinned’ in particular. And I’ve developed a real problem with length, where I’ve become almost incapable of writing short fic. Which isn’t necessarily bad, exactly - length is needed for some of the stories I want to tell, but being concise isn’t something that comes naturally to me anymore.

18. What are your thoughts on writing dialogue in other languages in a fic?

Language barriers are one of my favourite things to write, actually, but because I’m very much not fluent in anything but English, I shy away from putting in actual words from other languages. I’d much rather have a whole exchange or speech in another language actually written all in English, with the difference indicated either by outright saying the character/s are speaking in another language or by altering the grammar and sentence structure.

19. What was the first fandom you wrote for?

Either Teen Titans or Xiaolin Showdown.

20. What's your favourite fic you've written?

Shadow Work is something I’m going to be proud of till I die, probably.

I think a lot of people have already been tagged so uhhhhhh if you haven’t done it already or want to @beautifulcheat @sugarfey @im-the-punk-who @gritkitty @maeglinthebold @daughterofelros @dotsayers

[deafeninggardenerpanda]

some of yall mightve heard the test read of the kirby fighters 2 novel came out a couple days ago. i actually translated that too, but it feels rude to put it out immediately... im pretty excited about it though, and i know a lot of you would be interested, so i put together a quick summary:

Table of Contents:

A Mysterious Shooting Star

King Dedede’s Challenge

The Tower that Decides the Strongest

Trek up the Buddy Fighters Tower

Shadow Kirby

Match! Twin Woods!!

Strong Enemies

Clash! Duo Edge!!

Meta Knight’s Secret

New Copy Ability

Showdown! Shadow Kirby!!

Fated Rivals

The Final Battle of Tiles //(牌 ? im not sure if this is right)

The Strongest Buddy Rivals

Character Introductions:

Kirby -- Gluttonous and full of energy. He can suck up opponents to copy and use their ability!

Bandana Waddle Dee -- King Dedede’s subordinate and Kirby’s friend.

King Dedede -- Selfish and self-indulgent. Self-proclaimed king of Dreamland.

Meta Knight -- A mysterious knight who always wears a mask.

Waddle Dees -- King Dedede’s subordinates. Bandana Waddle Dee leads them. They do all of the hard work.

==========

Chapter One: A Mysterious Shooting Star

A large purple star about the size of a small house lands in a forest near Castle Dedede. King Dedede and Bandana Waddle Dee rush out to inspect it, worried that the forest will catch on fire, however, the star is cool to the touch. 

When King Dedede touches it, the pieces scatter and disappear. As the two prepare to return to the castle, they notice peaches growing rapidly around them. It seems the star’s power has been released into the surrounding area. King Dedede wants to have peaches whenever he pleases, so he commands Bandana Waddle Dee and the other Waddle Dees to make a villa in the location. Construction starts the next morning. When King Dedede heads out to check on it, he notices Bandana Dee is acting more aggressively and energetic than usual. King Dedede finds he’s having a hard time sitting still, as well, and has the urge to help. As he heads closer to the construction site, he hears the Waddle Dees panicking. Bandana Waddle Dee shows him two mysterious masks that were dug up where the star landed.

He immediately starts to become influenced by the masks after picking them up, and commands the Waddle Dees to stop construction of the peaceful villa and instead, start building a tower where only the strongest can make it to the top.

==========

Chapter Two: King Dedede’s Challenge

The Waddle Dees start construction of the tower. News spreads throughout Dreamland and the citizens start to avoid the area. Meta Knight comes by, and King Dedede tells him what happened, omitting the masks that were found, and what he’s planning. 

In order to become stronger, Meta Knight also wants to fight the person who’s strong enough to make it to the top of the tower, and asks to fight alongside King Dedede as the final boss. Meta Knight points out that, Kirby, of course, will be the one to make it to the top. Neither King Dedede, nor Meta Knight, are willing to pass up the opportunity to fight Kirby, so they agree to fight together, and agree to let Kirby choose a partner to come with him in order to keep it fair. Meta Knight comes up with the name “Buddy Fighters Tower,” and King Dedede writes the challenge letter and tells Bandana Waddle Dee to deliver it to Kirby.

Bandana Waddle Dee quickly grows fatigued as he travels to deliver the letter. When he rests, he realizes that he never felt tired while helping construct the tower, even though he was working without break, and that he was treating everyone much harsher than usual. He deducts that it was caused by the mysterious shooting star and the masks, and rushes to tell Kirby. After hearing that there are many peach trees growing in the area, Kirby assumes King Dedede invited him over to have a party, ignoring Bandana Waddle Dee’s words, and rushes to the site of the tower with him in hand.

==========

(Beginning of) Chapter Three: The Tower that Decides the Strongest

King Dedede and Meta Knight stand in the tower and discuss how the tower, designed specifically for Kirby, should work. While thinking, two Kirbys appear out of nowhere and attack them, however, they’re much weaker than the normal Kirby.

They’re quickly defeated. King Dedede wonders if they were made using the Kirby Printer, however, that machine was destroyed a long time ago. Meta Knight figures out the tower made them in response to King Dedede saying Kirby’s name. King Dedede yells out the names of various food items in an attempt to summon snacks, but it doesn’t work. -- That’s the end of the test read.

[sarah-writes-marvel]

After-Party Showdown: MCU Cast x Fem!Reader (platonic)

S.S.” Ive literally had this fic finsihed since like Febuary so its a little rough but let me know how you like it!

Warnings: Blood, predetor male (Sorry to anyone named Eric... im sure your very kind), rudness..., sexual talk (kinda)

Word Count:1,710

MASTERLIST

-----------------------------

We had finished watching the premiere of the newest Avenger movie and the set, cast and a few selected friends returned to the reserved reception room at the hotel that many were staying at. 

RDJ, Tom Holland, Hiddelston and Gwenth were talking with a few friends of theirs and some of the set members. Chris Evans, Hemsworth, Elizabeth and Scarlett were also in their own separate group that was somewhat merged with Sebastian, Anthony, Don and Paul.

I was new blood to the crew, and although I was immediately accepted by the cast, I watched them mingle from the bar.

Eventually people began to disperse, mainly people that worked the cameras and the background actions. Basically leaving the actors and actresses and their few friends they brought with. 

I continued to sit at the bar talking with various people that came to refill drinks, even had a lovely conversation with the bartender, who seemed slightly star stucken. Nearing the end of the night a charming gentleman came to my side and struck up a conversation with me as we sipped away at our drinks.

“Hello beautiful. I’ve got to say you’re way too pretty to be over here on your own.” he said with a pearly white smile.

“Oh well thank you.” I blushed at his compliment. 

“So why aren’t you mingling with everyone? I've seen you sitting over here all night.” he replied, studying my face.

“I’m more of a people watcher. Introverted and all that jazz.” I reply taking a sip of my drink looking at the cast laughing and talking.

“Alright I can understand that. Do you want to be less introverted and hang out with me?” He replied with a sly tone in his voice.

“Well you sitting next to me talking aren’t you?” I stated. “In my book that’s considered hanging out.”

“Well I meant more along the lines of a nice walk and maybe heading back to my place.” His statement was blunt and outgoing.

“Oh well, I appreciate the invitation but I have to decline.” I replied as kindly as possible.

“Oh come on sweetheart. Why not?” His voice whined.

“First I don’t know your name. Second, I'm not a one night stand kinda girl, I'm assuming that’s what you had in mind.” I looked at him pointedly and annoyed.

“I’m sure I could change your mind. I’m Eric. It’s wonderful to meet you.” He held his hand out and finally introduced himself.

“I wish you would’ve led with your name.”

“Duly noted.” he retracted his hand before he kept talking. “So what’s your name?”

“Y/n.”

“Very hot.” his comment caused me to roll my eyes just slightly.

“If you are going to try and complement my clothes off you should stop now.” 

“Why? Because it’s going to work.” He leaned in, the brandy apparent on his breath, his hand sneaking around my waist.

“No,it won’t work. I would also appreciate you not touching me.” I said scooting a few inches away.

“Oh come on. You know you want to have a good time.”

“I was having a good time.” Even I could recognize the annoyance in my voice. I continued to watch my friends talk amongst themselves, saying goodbye to others.

“I can make it so much better though. I mean the dress is just begging to come off. It would be a great addition to my floor.”

“Excuse me?” I set my drink down on the bar, standing up and crossing my arms in front of my chest.

“Oh please. You wore that so you could get compliments didn’t you?” His eyes looked at the dress that hung on my body. It was a decently modest midnight blue dress. It hugged my waist, the skirt ended just above the knee, it even had long sleeves. The only suggestive thing about it was the vneck and the open back.

“Yes. Compliments. That was not a compliment. That was a shitty way to try and pick up someone.” I replied.

“Oh please. You should be happy that I asked you.” His face turned to anger almost as if he was annoyed.

“I’m perfectly happy turning down your request. I hope that you have a good night.” I turned heading towards the group to leave behind the creep at the bar but a hand wrapped around my wrist and pulled me back.

“What the hell do you think you are doing.” My voice was stern yet quiet doing my best not to create a scene.

“I’m going to ask again until you say yes.” he’s hand tightened around my wrist.

“Let go of my wrist.” I demanded a little louder wishing that the bartender hadn’t left to retrieve more ice and alcohol.

“Not till you say yes.” He seethed. I tugged against the resistance on my wrist trying to pull away. “Quit being such a bitch and take the compliment that I actually want to sleep with you.” His voice was hot against my neck when he leaned in to whisper that into my ear. I snapped. 

I twisted my arm causing his hand to turn with it allowing me to break free, gripping his wrist pulling him from his seat wrapping his hand behind his back and shoving his face into the bar. Suddenly all eyes are on the interaction.

“First of all, I don’t need to feel grateful for you telling me that I look beautiful, I’ve heard it many times, and that my clothes would look better on your floor.” I let go of my hold, Evans and RDJ approached the two of us. Eric stood up, raising his hand, almost in an attempt to hit me.

“I wouldn’t do that.” Evans said before Eric moved.

“Don't tell me what to do with my girlfriend.We we’re just having a nice conversation.” Eric smirked, his hand placed on my waist.

“Seriously. You seriously just did that?” RDJ laughed.

“What? Did you come to save her or something?”

“Oh no. We aren’t saving her. She can easily take you on her own. We’re just suggesting that you don’t do that because it’ll come with an asswhopping from a young woman in heels and many lawsuits.” RDJ started with a smug tone.

“There is no way in hell that she'll be able to take me. Plus I've got amazing lawyers.” Eric spat back with a smirk.

“Oh ya, no. You really don’t want to challenge her.” Hemsworth commented. Eric looked at him with anger in his eyes. I picked up my glass from the counter, taking a sip and holding onto it so I wouldn’t punch his face.

“Whatever.” he turned towards me. “Good luck ever getting laid with your attitude.You’re nothing without a man's approval you know. Even had to have these people come to your rescue.” 

His voice was quiet and annoyed trying to dig under my skin. And it did a little bit, but it just fueled my anger toward him. I looked at him and the glass shattered in my hand as I tightened my grip. The glass fell to my feet the remaining liquid splashing onto my dress and onto his outfit. 

“You can go.” I even scared myself with the tone of my voice as I spoke. The look of fear in the man's eyes gave me a sense of pleasure that I put him in his place. He pushed his way through the group that had surrounded us and rushed through the exit.

“Well then. What a dick.” I started watching the door close. My hand was still in a fist and I held my other hand underneath, feeling the blood from the cuts drip into a puddle in my palm.

Everyone looked at me shocked.

“Sorry. I didn’t mean to involve anybody. Is everyone ok?” I looked at the astonished faces of my friends.

“Are you seriously asking if we're ok?” RDJ questioned.

“Well ya.” I shrugged my shoulders looking at everyone who all seemed very concerned.

“You just crushed a glass with your bare hand. You are bleeding. We should be asking you that!” He exclaimed.

“Oh ya. I’m fine. I really hate guys like that though.” I looked down at my dripping hand and turned around to face the bar. I reached behind grabbing one of the clean white towels, dipping it into the cup of water that I had at the spot I was sitting. I began cleaning the affected wounds when Evans took over.

“You know I knew that you could take Hemsworth and I but I never knew you could do this! You gotta be careful. Someone might think you've got some super soldier serum flowing in your blood.” He smiled as he wiped away the blood and examined the cut in the center of my palm for glass. “Alright this may hurt just a bit.” He began tightly wrapping the cloth around my hand, tucking the end into itself.

“You should go to a doctor to get that properly taken care of.” Scarlett added.

“That's a good idea.” I agreed, standing from the seat that I had been pushed down on. “Well I had a great night with y’all! I hope I didn't ruin it with that little fiasco.” I smiled grabbing my clutch from the bar and walking through the group.

“Well where the hell are you going?” RDJ questioned.

“The hospital to get stitches, you know like Scar suggested.” I was confused at his question.

“Well someone’s gotta go with ya.” Evans stated.

“Ya. We’ll go with you. The night is still young!” RDJ exclaimed standing up and meeting me.

“You don't all have to come, it'll just be a couple of stitches.” I laughed.

“Too late I called the limo already. We're taking a trip to the hospital!” RDJ celebrated. Soon the rest of the crew was chiming in on a “To the hospital” chant as we made our way out the door, earning confused and concerned looks from the staff of the hotel. 

To say the hospital staff was surprised to see the cast of the marvel movies enter the emergency was an understatement, but I was glad to have the best people around me, even if it was for a few stitches.

---------------------------

Like I said it was one of the first fics I had written a while ago... But I hope you liked it! thanks for reading!

[janiedean]

oh i know c didn't believe it but i lowkey want her to see that he left her for brienne for the drama lol. but more than that i really do wanna see how the lsh showdown goes and how they proceed beyond that, if pod/hyle survive (i didnt think they would but pod survived the show so who knows). and then do they go back to riverrun, when and how do they meet up with sansa (i always thought LF would die in book 6 at the vale before sansa left for the north tbh but the show made me rethink and now im not sure?). anyway in that way they'd have to meet up towards the end of book 6 and that would probably also be the time arya's making her way back from braavos after taking needle back maybe? (i think i've read fanfics covering all this and they stumble upon arya somewhere along the way xD)

do they have oathsex in winds 👀 (there's definitely going to be lots of romanctic feelingssss) when and how soon xDDD do they head north now xD i have so many questionssss aaaaahhhhhh (although i'm honestly more forgiving of grrm these days, so i dont blame him at all esp given how i havent been productive AT ALL in the pandemic esp in the latter half and anyway his blog posts in the beginning of the year were so sad about so many of his friends passing away, it would take a toll on anyone :( )

(ngl grrm could release his notes in bullet points for the remaining books and say he's not writing anymore and i'd purchase that too :D i just wanna erase that fucked up excuse of a show from my brain esp the last 4 seasons)

I mean... I'll admit that seeing c. lose her shit realizing jaime left her for brienne would make my day but at this point I just... want team young griff to rhaenyra their way into KL and have her out of the way without jaime being involved so people stop harping they'll die together and honestly her dying without that acknowledgment would... kind of be poeticjusticeish and I honestly hope she sees melara laughing before she dies but fair enough I see your point uu

that said my money is on both pod and hyle surviving bc like... the batb will need hostages and if either were dead brienne would have let herself get hanged anyway so they need the leverage and at that point idt they're dead meat, pod because if he didn't die then then why would grrm do that and hyle bc I think jaime needs to get the jealous bust and no one else will tell him brienne was gonna die for him anyway so I'm of the idea that both live - for now anyway - and that the oathsex is happening in winds because the moment those two figure it out no way they can keep their respective clothes on

and then do they go back to riverrun, when and how do they meet up with sansa (i always thought LF would die in book 6 at the vale before sansa left for the north tbh but the show made me rethink and now im not sure?)

my theory for now is more like:

if sandor is at the quiet isle and they all collectively decide to look for sansa then they aren't going back to riverrun bc jaime would be defecting and he wouldn't go back for an army he didn't gaf about anyway also like... count that the blackfish is on the loose and jeynew is apparently in the wow prelude chapter or so grrm said so like whatever's up at riverrun is more with the remaining tullys + jeynew & the army having no commander imvho

also like.... the freys are obv set up to be northern conspiracy victims so that's probably gonna play out too and at this point I'm betting money brynden has a part in it because like as brienne is gonna off cat it's not gonna be stoneheart red-weddinging anyone also bc grrm doesn't thing personal revenge is a good thing

if I don't remember wrong brienne had come that close to figuring out the vale option so... if it's three of them at some point they'll manage that and then they go to the vale to get sansa and at that point they find her, swear fealty etc, lf gets moon-door-ed or smth and they grab the valean army to go to winterfell which was... what I think they stole in the show except it was never supposed to be just lf and sansa was never supposed to be in wf

and at that point they get there in time to help stannis take it bc like hell I think there's two sieges of winterfell in these books but if I was wrong and stannis failed then they'd be in time to help jon who at that point would have received robb's will

like I would like fandom (not talking to you ofc) in general to remember maege mormont and howland reed out of everyone have a fucking will signed by robb stark making jon legitimate which will conveniently be delivered after he dies and comes back to life so his vows don't hold him anymore

idk about arya's timing but could be doable

(also I should reread agot but I'm 99% sure at some point bran dreamed smth that was like... three people defending sansa from a mountain while she was trapped in a snow castle and while idk about frankengregor getting to the vale in timely fashion I always thought it was sandorjaimebrienne teaming up to do that but like I could remember wrong)

but I mean... more than all of that I'm eating my hat on the fact that brienne having jaime with her when she goes through his same ordeal ie having to kill your mad liege lady is going to be exactly what doesn't make her go in that path - bc at that point he did enough soul cleansing to know where he fucked up and he'll know she's better than succumbing to cynicism - and eventually gives her the force to deal with it and come out of it a better knight and stop giving a fuck about what others think of it and eventually at the end leads to her knighting and recognition that she is the best knighthood in westeros has to offer like that is happening regardless of anything else and I'm dying on that hill X°D and I'm saying it as someone who's written jaime knighting her since the year of the lord.... 2012 at least but I'm pretty sure that I put it in at least three fics and two of them were written before 2014 so when the show did it I just went like OH WELL AS THEY SHOULD so like it's bc I always thought he was going to do that T_T

[narvana27]

So, I wanted so speak about this subject for some time now, and now, when I saw another person with opinion that xiaolin showdown is somehow racist, I decided it's gonna be today. Disclaimer: Im not racist, homophobic, transphobic or anything like that. I believe everyone is equal and until you're good human - you're normal, you're good. HOWEVER... Xiaolin showdown is racist because it shows it characters in stereotypical light... Are you serious with it? Are you sure u know what a CARTOON IS? Cartoon is mostly for children, it's simplier version of reality, cartoons cant show kids all of the problems society has. Imagine cartoon who would treat about racism, homophobia, phedophilia, rapes and all of that stuff - normally. Without any filter. That. Is. Not. For. Kids. Because purpose of cartoon is to teach, ofc, but with fun. It is to show simplier version of life, that's why cartoons shows people without every single hair on their head drew separately - because it's contractual version of what we know. And so, if there's a cat - it gonna meow and drink milk, even tho milk is bad for cat's. Why? BECAUSE IT'S WHAT WE KNOW! Dog gonna bark, dog gonna hate cats, cats gonna run from dog - this is reality, but it doesn't mean every dog hates cats, and every cat is afraid of dogs, DUH! So: Xiaolin is racist because the characters are stereotypical. 😑 GURL. That's because cartoon have to have characters who are somehow unique, we need to be able to say something about them. And the show was out there in 2003. That's was 18 years ago, almost 20, almost two DECADES ago. You wanna change the world now, and you dont know that some time ago world was diffrent? Those were the times cancell culture didn't exist, those were the times political corectness didn't shout people's mouths. I get u, Im also part of Gen Z, and I see how world is changing, and Im happy for it, but u fight for equalness fighting with people by ruining their careers. You walk over dead bodies to your destination. Let's break this together:

-Raimundo - Brasilian. Loves football, beach, relax, is street smart, sarcastic. Is anything from this feature - racist? Wrong? If you would ask I dont know how many Brasilians if they think that fictional character that is from Brazil likes football is somehow hurtfull or offensive, they probably would say HELL NO! They would be more offended, if he WOULDNT like football, because people in Brazil are CRAZY over football. Not everyone ofcourse, but MAJOR part of them are. Is that "racist"?... No. Not at all. Why would it be, if people in Brazil really loves football?

-Kimiko - from Japan, loves technology and fashion -" Oh no! How wrong! Technology, because she's from Japan, and..." - No. She likes technology also because her father has technollgical business. She loves fashion because he was single father and didn't thought about the facf, that little girl would use more of clothes rather than another video game. But that was his personallity - floppy, but cute. Is there anything wrong with fashion and technology? She was feministic as hell and badass and strong as a motherfuck*r. That should do.

-Clay - American, from Texas. Loves Texas, loves meat, country music, his ranch life, nature. Again - meat. Says a lot of typical for Texas sayings... Is that something that hurt anybody? Any where? Any time? That's not bad features! Bad features and stereotypes are when you think every American is stupid, or every Russian and Pole (from Poland if u dont know) are always drunk and drinking vodka like water. That's the bad stereotype. Not dude from Texas liking meat and sayings.

-Finally Omi - because his short, has big round yellow face and his yellow in generall. Again, repeat after me: The show was creates in 2003. Almost 20 years ago. He's probably Chinese, that's why he's yellow. As well as Master Dashi. He's the shortes, because he's the youngest. Or maybe he has dwarfism? We dont know it. I will say another controversial thing: Almost every accusation of someone or something being racist online I see being said by white girl. U know what I read one time? This girl was saying xiaolin is a little bit racist because of ✨stereotypes✨, and at the same time she wasn't in knowledge that Asian people can have diffrent eye color than black or deep brown. "Kimiko is Asian and somehow has blue eyes"... Umm... Yes! Because that is possible XDD So, she was more stereotypical racist than her point that she tried to make 😂 It is BEAUTIFUL, that every character in the show is diffrent, and they show their cultures! I started to love Brazil because of Raimundo, to the point I read about that country like crazy and I have it emblemats in my room today. Is that wrong? I dont think so. Omi being yellow isn't in my state of non - racist mind offensive towards anyone, BECAUSE IT WASNT MEANT TO BEEEEE. It was 2003 for Gods sake, world wasnt focused on fighting the racism even 5 years ago, so what is the point of fighting racism in something, that wasnt meant to be racist, and was created 20 years ago? I would say: Shut the mouths of people saying dumb racist things to another people FOR REAL. In real life, or the internet. Cancell people who are really bad, but no if they done one mistake. Report racist and homophobic posts and blogs, fight racism as it is happening NOW, not something that was made 20 years ago. You wont erase history of your own country USA, where slavery were a thing. You cant cancell that, because how? It is history, it's in the past, so if you want to change something - Focus or now and today, and dont look for racism in things that arent racist. U think the creator of xiaolin - Christy Hui, who is half Asian, would make Omi and Dashi yellow because she's racist? Gurl, think about what you're saing, fr. Fight racism for real, dont try to convince people that xiaolin is racist because Omi is yellow or Kimiko likes technology or any of that shit. Its not. Like. That. Thank you.

[goodluckbabe2024]

my friend i am here with the self insert oc sam parallel episode, i have a history exam tomorrow and i refuse to revise in favor of writing this. let me take you on a journey.

this is very self indulgent and spans kind of the entirety of the series (because im nosy and want to be involved in every cool plot) so im not gonna embarrass myself OR bore you but the general gist of the first episode is this:

i am an 18yr old psychic kid raised by a hunter, meeting the boys in s2 through a “my father was also murdered by a ghost of his past”, except he did not immediately assume i am the antichrist while i was an infant and raised me relatively normal, thus demonstrating that john winchester was a fucked up parent because he allowed himself to be.

i am what sam could’ve been and he is once again reminded that all he ever wanted was to be normal and loved and how that was taken away from him, unfairly. he is angry. he is jealous. he feels bad about being jealous because “her dad’s dead, what the fuck,man”. he wants me to be ok, ultimately, ofc he does, but he doesn’t understand why i got it, why he didn’t, why couldn’t john do it. this serves as more material for soul-searching bc i am a firm believer that understanding the circumstances of abuse and neglect and wrapping ur head around them helps lift the guilt we often burden ourselves with: it’s not that if sam had been a better son john would have loved him more, it’s that john refused to look at sam for what sam really was: a child wracked by generational trauma and unprocessed grief, whose autonomy was violated before he could say his first word, in need of love, and chose to instead look at sam through his own grief muddied goggles and link him to mary’s death. insane how this is turning into sam analysis isn’t it.

i am also angry because im still sort of a child but not really, not anymore, im on the cusp of adulthood and going into it knowing that the world is unfair and hateful, grief is written all over me and sam thinks oh nono, because hope’s kind of the whole point isn’t it, and i had it and now it has been taken from me along with my parent and sam feels so alone and furious with everything, he’s plagued by skull cracking demonic visions, and he doesn’t want this idealized version of himself to ultimately end up like the version of himself that he is now, the one he doesn’t understand, the one he’s afraid of. he’s looking in a weird funhouse mirror, sees a kid who was different like he was but was cherished, and sees her end up in the same position he is now: fatherless, on a quest for revenge. he thinks that if we get the monster of the week, ill be better and he’ll find his hope in that. all roads lead to rome but he wont allow this one to reach the colosseum (defying destiny theme, hello).

the monster of the week hunt begins thusly, with sam generally uncomfortable. i confide in him about my psychic abilities and i explain to the brothers that i can help. both are opposed, but i am a chaotic little bitch and get involved anyway. throughout my involvement, sam learns more about the world of psychic mediums and thinks aha! hope! maybe if i dig deep enough (whore for lore amirite babes) ill find someone who’s lived an experience similar to mine! miss oc what are ur book recs for “i think i am psychic and terrified of it” and i say “fear not nerd have a very small cup of coffee and let me tell you about this great college course on divination”. this is relevant because i wanted to see more of sam desperately trying to fit into some sort of community, even a community of supernatural folk john and dean might’ve disapproved of, and finding that, at this point in time, he does not. he’s an outsider to normal people, he’s an outsider to those in contact with the paranormal. really hammer in that freak (affectionate) tagline. (he WILL build a safe haven in the men of letters bunker for all misfits in his adulthood, party city wig sam i do NOT perceive you)

the hunt culminates in an impressive showdown that includes the following: pyrotechnics, a cool spell, seeing things that aren’t really there, the power of friendship and a butter knife thrown like a frisbee. at the end we all look like final girls because im gay so blood is sexy. sam, who has come to regard me like a younger sibling/some sort of manifestation of his inner child, learns what it’s like to be deeply concerned with a youth’s safety and has a heart to heart with dean about how yeah, handling a teenager with incredible amounts of simmering rage and unprocessed grief while being barely equipped for any guardian-like role IS hard, man, is this what it felt like every time i busted out a batshit plan last minute and barely executed it in time to survive??? “yeah. bitch” “jerk.”

the epilogue is as follows: we see sam feeling many complicated things, but he is satisfied for the moment. we have a little heart to heart while laying flowers on my father’s grave. we both look a little worse for wear, but hopeful. “what’re you gonna do now?” “im not sure. college, maybe?” we keep in touch. i go on to art school and make homoerotic art pieces, as is my right. i make guest appearances whenever they need a deus ex machina bs spell to get out of trouble.

maybe in later seasons i go a little ape shit and commit some magical atrocities in the name of the greater good. maybe i get a little antagonized and he gets to offer me the understanding he couldn’t get when he needed it. i see you, sam, treating all misfits in later seasons with kindness, and i offer you a claire-like parallel to be there for through the tough times, thus healing some of your own wounds. everyone deserves an angsty wlw teenager to bond with . (i am only on season 9 of my rewatch and i have not seen seasons 12-15 in their entirety, if he does get one im not disrespecting that character and i love them probably)

the boys hit the road. vienna by billy joel plays, because it makes me feel things.

Slow down you're doing fine

You can't be everything you want to be before your time

Although it's so romantic on the borderline tonight

Too bad, but it's the life you lead

You're so ahead of yourself that you forgot what you need

Though you can see when you're wrong

You know you can't always see when you're right

You got your passion, you got your pride

But don't you know that only fools are satisfied?

Dream on, but don't imagine they'll all come true

When will you realize... Vienna waits for you?

end scene.

this is poetry. i will cherish this forever thank you for sharing with me and good luck on your exam

[lizparkcr]

ok so im trying to avoid having emotions about the shitshow that is the local elections so i dont yknow breakdown and ive been meaning to make a post for ages abt muriel’s route i have so many thoughts. obvious spoilers ahead not that i have more than like 2 followers who play arcana game

firstly....i was kinda underwhelmed with the second half/ending of his route. disclaimer i haven’t replayed it and haven’t got the reversed ending, only upright, and my memory sucks and i played it a while ago. SO, things that I....don’t understand:

1. SUCH a massive deal is made out of muriel (and MC) having to learn to fight, the plot literally hinges on it, only for it to swing off the plot all together into oblivion and for the final showdown to be....a series of literal games.* And I wouldn’t disagree with this as an ending tbh!!!! I think it’s fucking great actually -- a non-violent resolution to further signify Muriel’s journey from violence and isolation to peace and fun and family, and tbh sort of a massive fuck you to lucio; LITERALLY RETURNING to the coliseum only to BEAT Lucio WITHOUT returning to the violence that lucio forced on him, turning it into a place of actual joy. Like fuck!!  BUT with the whole first part it just doesn’t fucking fit lmao? Muriel could have faced his demons in the beginning without learning to fight at all, he still could have had that journey. Morga could have just traveled with them right? Or even better he could have refused to fight and then the ending would have been even better. We could have had a moment of Morga acknowledging their strength??? Acknowledging their non-violent victory WITH PRIDE??? Bringing her to reflect on her choices as a mother and a leader??? Devs why couldn’t we have had that :(  I may be remembering wrong but the apparent necessity of Morga teaching them to fight is the biggest source of tension for at least a book. It’s the reason for his first kiss with the MC!  Also yeah speaking of tension with Morga 

2. SUCH a big deal is made out of morga becoming/reflecting as (?) a mother figure to muriel (which in itself is a very bold way to go story-wise)....only for her to be killed off. Again, I don’t disagree with this decision, I like her but story-wise it could fit. But I can’t help feel like it was really premature. This is something I feel all routes suffer from, and perhaps I am expecting too much from a game that can be played for free very easily, but every single route has pacing problems, none more than Muriel’s imo. Considering the maternal aspect of Morga (for both her and Muriel!) is sooooo fucking loaded and intense like, you cannot drop that and then kill her and not really mention her for the rest of the story. Her “ghost” made an appearance sometime later and a few sentences were said and that was it. Her and Muriel’s past was so brushed over  and idk clearly they didn’t have the time or money or whatever to develop it which is a real shame. Their journeys could have run parallel or gone in opposite directions literally anything but Morga dying in a moment of weakness from a cheap trick by lucio :/ bc YEAH like that was not actually weakness but certainly what morga considers weakness!!! that mistake could have split her away from muriel+MC entirely OR brought them closer together. she could have been disgusted with herself and decided once and for all to let go of lucio as a son and go her own way to destroy him, or she could have woken up to what she can do differently now and work with Muriel and co and let go of lucio that way. idk man it was just a waste

Right then....onto the romance. or. lack of :( this is completely subjective, I know some people were v happy with it but like, this could not have been a drier route and im so fucking sad about it. There were definitely some sweet moments, but that was sort of it for me. I get what they were going for, but it’s personally sad to me that Muriel’s contentedness seems to have come at the expense of sensual intimacy/tension. like there was just absolutely no spice whatsoever. I saw someone describe the MC relationship as basically platonic and...yeah. Very little intimacy that wasn’t like, cuddling or holding hands, which since there wasn’t much to build on anyway just came across as nice but unexciting. It felt like it became too easy and too normal too quickly?  Naturally touch was such a precious and important thing in the beginning as Muriel was learning to trust, but that just did not get explored imo. The first kiss wasn’t...the worst, but it was sort of OOC to me. They could have got so deep with that first kiss -- the opportunity, the trust, the choice. “Happy accident” scenarios can be great and definitely could have worked for his story, but for the first kiss i was like oh ok we’re here now?? and..muriel’s ok with that considering we were just uhh sobbing about his forced servitude and violence?? idk how i haven’t mentioned it yet but the way the tone was all over the fucking shop in that book gave me serious whiplash. Anyway  it’s so disappointing bc c’monnnnn this whole relationship is brand new to BOTH mc and muriel.  At the start every touch is a small turning point and i think they did that so well, you feel excited at the development and where it will go, but then it’s like “ok well we’re together now so everything is easy and breezy”. you can create emotional tension (the good kind) through touch EVEN if they’re both ace. which the MC is not bc its the self insert character so. yeah. i feel like im probably being a bit harsh in retrospect but this is what has stuck with me. 

This leads me to Muriel himself, and what to me was the biggest opportunity to do blow everyone’s minds bc he was SUCH a mystery before his route. Dark and brooding but shy and caring, anti-social through anxiety and fear but lonely, his reluctant but consistent support of Asra and his friends. And that was all teased in the beginning! ....and then completely fell flat. Similar to my first point: they had some deep emotional development going, Muriel literally coming face to face with the past he never knew, and the past he wishes he could forget, learning to actually be around people, learning to trust people (and ngl i fucking loved the beginning stages with MC so much), and overcoming his anxiety and pessimism. He and MC literally travel together alone for weeks. WEEKS! And much of that is skipped by. We have big emotional scenes but not much in between. And then...and yknow im not sure where it changes...after khamgalai dies? (and dont get me started on that what the fuck was the point of THAT?) after MC goes to the arcane realms? I can’t remember but at some point it’s like...all tension is gone lmao. Including tension between MC and Muriel, and he becomes quite two dimensional. It was just rushed.  Vesuvia is in ruins, Nadia and co chased out of the palace, Lucio taking control etc but like...it doesn’t feel like it matters? Im really not saying that his route has to be all doom and gloom at all but don’t MAKE it doom and gloom and then do a 180 yknow? I remember Julian’s route in particular being so fucking tense, even though I knew I got the upright ending, that dinner scene was...phew. (and i do get that naturally the first 3 routes are bound to be a more exciting experience bc i was less familiar w the game etc but still, there was just 0 tension). 

im not even gonna talk about the MC’s past reveal bc i have issues with it in every route so whatever 

so yeah i love muriel and i still like the arcana but it’s writing and pacing is just so inconsistent and it makes me sad. I will continue to fanon Muriel’s route to death. 

*It’s occurred to me that the reversed ending may be more violent and actually fit with where the story seemed to be going in the start, but I stand by the opinion that it doesn’t matter because it still doesn’t make sense. I shouldn’t have to play the reverse ending to be like “oh ok that was the point of that” bc it should make sense and serve purpose in both endings, which i dont think it does.

[mousehole5000]

 this is it... the final post.... 226 through THE END!!!!!

this shit with mu qing and the river of lava is SOOOO dramatic im loving it

oh my god theyre on a FUCKING bridge of course they are okay let’s go boys

“You’re right. We’re alike. You think me odd, I think you to be rather weird too.” - so what im getting from this is that xie lian and mu qing are the only characters in this book with working gaydar okay yup got it this checks out

god... the fact that xie lian is ready to be like “look mu qing we can just forget about the past it doesnt matter we dont have to be friends i know you dont like me but im not gonna let you die over it” and then mu qing is like “.... god i really do admire you huh”

“You...certainly...are rather amazing. You’re...also...a better person...than me. Long story short, I...very much wanted...to become your f-f-friend.”  - going to think about this for the rest of all time im about to become utterly unintelligible im overcome with emotions

“And, at the end of the white silk band, Feng Xin was gripping Ruoye with one hand while the other was holding on to a steel-faced Mu Qing, and he shouted towards him.” - the fucking IMAGE of this im gonna cry this is everything i could have asked for im so happy also mu qing dangling there like “ welp. guess ill live“

“Feng Xin was almost burnt by that pillar of fire, and he shouted in outrage. “WHAT’S WITH THIS BAND OF DOG SHITS, ATTACKING PEOPLE WHILE THEY’RE DOWN, SO VILE! FUCK YOUR ENTIRE FAMILY!” Xie Lian responded, “IF THEIR ENTIRE FAMILIES ALL LOOK LIKE THAT, YOU SURE YOU WANT TO FUCK THEM??” - theyre so funny!!! and theyre best friends!!! theyre joking together now in the middle of all this i could cry theyre back!!!

“Using sticks as arrows, he held the bow with one hand and used his teeth to bite back the bowstring.” - no clue how practical this is but okay archer boy. hot

i actually have so many little quips between the three of them highlighted but we’d be here all night if i included them all. im literally so delighted by this omg worth the wait

“Each sabre strike slashed to the bone. It wasn’t like Xie Lian had never seen Hua Cheng use the sabre before in the past, but his style had always been easy and leisurely, nonchalant and casual. Rather than say he was handling a weapon, it was more like he was toying with a small knife. Yet those blade marks were filled with killing intent. It was easy to imagine just how skilled the one exchanging blows with him was, and how perilous this battle.” you have no idea how mad i was when i read this and thought we missed witnessing the fight between hc and jw omg

“Behind him, Feng Xin muttered, “Dear fucking god, may all the gods and buddhas grant their blessings, that better absolutely be Crimson Rain Sought Flower, otherwise he’s gonna go mad!” “Stop your rubbish,” Mu Qing berated. “We’re all the gods and buddhas ourselves and we can’t grant shit, just keep up with him! Look at the stumbling way he’s running, he’s gonna trip and fall to his bloody death before he even sees the man!” - okay i know i said no more quips but this is literally too funny i just wanted to read it again

“ However, for whatever reason, that vicious ghost, in its muddled state, took that large group of live mortals under its wing and fled for many days. In the end, they were still surrounded by millions of ghosts, trapped in a dead end, and it was going to be eaten along with those humans.” [...] “That vicious ghost almost made a move against those humans, but for some reason, in the end, it didn’t. It instead used one of its own eyes as the price to forge a blood weapon. That vicious ghost was already forcibly hanging on with its last breath; after digging out its eye it should’ve broken apart completely. Yet somehow something had shocked it, and it instead woke to its senses completely. “ - THIS IS AMAZING ARE YOU KIDDING ME???? IS THIS ALL WE GET ABOUT HIS GHOSTLY LORE?????? HUA CHENGGGGGGGG

“What a terrible offence, his old habit had come out, and he quickly apologized. “I’m sorry! You don’t have to listen to me!” Hua Cheng, however, only smiled happily. “Everything gege tells me is the best advice, so why wouldn’t I listen?” - this isnt the fucking time afjdkfjsdkl they really never stop

“So you can hold the illusion of a perfect Crown Prince of Wuyong to face and dismiss the Jun Wu now. Isn’t that your objective? Did you think I don’t know what you’re thinking?” “THAT’S NOT IT!” Guoshi cried. “Stop getting tied up in right and wrong, victories and defeat, I’VE NEVER THOUGHT THAT WAY BEFORE!” - jun wu only being able to see xie lian as his successor and believing that thats all anyone else sees too... okay

honestly this whole final showdown was a blast i cant put everything in but it was so much fun to read. the DRAMA the LAVA the SHOUTING t

“Hua Cheng had poured too much spiritual power into him. There really was too much, so much that it was completely outside the amount the cursed shackle could withstand.” - okay.... okay... the love you give will set you free... okay....

“With Jun Wu in his grip, he carried both their bodies and forcefully slammed into the incomparably-solid rock wall! He used all of his power in this smash, and in the rumbling and crashing of rocks, he also heard the sound of something breaking.” [...] “A moment later, Jun Wu suddenly asked, “That move. What is it called?” “...” Xie Lian raised his sleeve and wiped away the blood on the side of his face. “Shattering boulders on the chest.” YES!!!!! YES!!!!! xie lian actually lived that life!!!!!! i loved this detail so much

“After a moment of silence, Xie Lian took off the bamboo hat carried on his back, took it in his hand, and covered it over Jun Wu’s face.” - xie lian... good... another detail i love. a hat that protects from the rain, given in a moment of need, even to someone who has caused you hardship... we do not forget the kindness granted to us

“There was gratefulness, there was shame, there was heartache, there was wild joy, but above all else, there was incurable love.” - :pleading: i wish it was just that easy tbh. “i have to tell you about the worst parts of myself” “ive already seen them and i dont care i still love you“ truly the dream

“ It’s been so long since anyone listened to me talk, won’t you stay? Don’t...actually do this. I won’t be able to take it. Twice, it’s been twice already! I really don’t want there to be a third time!!!” - the bit about just wanting someone to listen to him talk... xie lian... :(

emily corpse bride moment.... i knew it had to happen.... butterflies.... death and rebirth.... inevitable

xianle trio bickering about ruoye..... mu qing complaining but not letting anyone else fix it... im so happy

“The Rain Master sat down on the spot, looking like she was going to perform a passing service for her. After all, Xuan Ji was the only one left of the Kingdom of Yushi besides herself.”  - xuan ji you sure the hell were... a character. this little moment tho..... yushi huang... many thoughts

“ Who hasn’t made promises, or swore to the mountains and the seas when they were young? Talking of affection, of love, of forevers. But, the longer I hang around in the world, the more I understand, something like ‘forever’ is impossible. It’s never going to be possible. Having it once was already good enough. No one can truly achieve it. I don’t believe in it anymore.” - jian lan im happy for you bummer it didnt work out with feng xin but yeah that was looooong ago. also this quote me same mood kin but its chill. having it once was already good enough

although yeah tbh if theres anyone who can have a forever like that... it would be a ghost and a god

fasdfjadklfj GOD... pour one out for ling wen.. but is that not the truth of this world? the one can be pardoned for being good at paperwork that no one else wants to do? isnt that the plot of the shawshank redemption?

okay but the fact that all xie lian’s friends come to visit him while he waits for hua cheng is making me feel all warm and fuzzy inside.... fengqing coming together to try to get him out of the house but get scared off by his cooking... amazing

“Last time, they spent eight hundred years running towards each other. This time, it only took an instant to fall into each other’s embrace.” - im completely unaffected by this. im not lying i swear (i am lying im very emotionally affected)

okay i love this final wrap up chapter party its so fun. mu qing moving on from the broom thing!!! good for him!! the beggars get their reward!!! the fun ghost city chefs!! SQX!!!! and he xuan is?? here too??? he’s hungry??? fjadlkfjsdl

“The grounds that Feng Xin and Mu Qing had just swept were once again filthy from that giant crowd of muddy feet. Mu Qing gripped his broom, looking like he felt someone had infected him with fleas, and his eyes were wide.” - me when my dad comes into the kitchen when ive just finished washing dishes i get it king

the little folklore bit... fun!!! oh my god its over..... :(

that was really fun i had a blast reading it and on the whole really liked it i WISH soo badly that hua cheng had gotten more outside of being cunty and devoted even tho those are both important i just wish there was more about like how he got by during those 800 years and like did he ever have doubts? what shaped his worldview was it all xie lian or was it his experience as a mortal as well? why is he so mean to e’ming? theres bits and pieces here and there and i know it was already SO long but that really would have been great if there was more about hc cuz tbh by the end, at least for me, the hualian relationship didnt actually feel as fleshed out as the xianle trio relationship like i still liked hualian’s dynamic and it was really sweet how much they clearly really liked each other and  everything but i kind of wish some of the other subplots had been dropped or diminished in favor of more hc development i think that would have been cool

but anyway thats some of my thoughts and i really did enjoy the hell out of book 5 that was a riot and uhhh thanks to everyone who read these or commented *lends you spiritual energy through a high five*