#also tell people to kill themselves for sport

[gvalesdraws]

finally started my first bg3 playthrough for my jeweler turned warlok guy and i enjoy every second of it

[caruliaa]

it is annoying that if a team in a game i dont rly personally care about win people who are sore losers about it are going to tell fans of my fave musician to kill themselves violently just bc shes dating on of the members and that if they lose those same people being sore losers about it are still going to tell her fans to kill themselves violently just bc shes dating on of the members

[rendezvouz-fling]

Astro Observations #15

• People with Virgo 4H tend to have very critical parents/step parents who are constantly worrying about everything, even things they can’t control. The native might’ve also grown up with the “Clean the house every Saturday” rule.

• Those uncles/grandpas who always give you money and say “Don’t tell your mother” mainly have Sagittarius/Taurus placements!

• Virgo sun-Virgo moon little sister who gets spoiled without asking 🤝 Pisces sun-Aquarius moon older sister who always gets told “No” when she asks for something.

• Most singers who are known for singing sexual songs have an Earth/Fire Mars! E.g. Prince (Aries Mars), Ginuwine (Virgo Mars), Jeremih (Leo Mars), Vanity (Taurus Mars), etc…

• They’re also the types to use moans/giggling or indistinguishable talking in the background!🌚

• Aries moon-Aquarius moon duos are the best friends who are each other’s ride or die and won’t tolerate others talking shit about their best friend!

• Aries moon especially can get very defensive about their best friends.

• Capricorn suns with Gemini moons and Libra risings are the ones who always offer to do your hair, sometimes make up too but they’ll mess up and laugh at how hideous they made you look 😭 anddd they love watching YouTubers that play pranks on each other! They also have very contagious laughs.😂

• In addition to that, they were the types to be watching Ar’mon & Trey, Queen Naija & Chris Sails, Jazz&Tae, TAYLOR GIRLZ, etc…😭

• Water placements especially Water suns are the types to play the piano anywhere! They’ll literally go to people’s houses just to play on it or you can find them playing it in church after the mass.🧐

• Sagittarius moons are the biggest hype people out here!! If you’re into music, they won’t even care that it’s really loud or that your neighbors might complain. They’re the people who’ll tell you to turn it even louder and they encourage you to follow your dreams.😩💞

• Taurus placements are the types to walk into stores even though they’re not going to buy anything they just like to look around and either complement or critic stuff lol.

• 10H suns 🤝 somehow getting their ways with things/people.

• Detective, self-conscious Scorpio mercury mother 🤝 blunt careless Aries mercury daughter.

• Capricorn venus people tend to get hurt a lot especially when younger, that’s why most times they prefer to takes things slow and build a bond first before they start letting you swoop them off their feet.

• Air moons/risings might agree to a lot of things because they just can’t say no in fear of people not liking them anymore.

• Earth moons are the most forgiving hands down. ✋🏽

• When a very reserved yet sweet Scorpio moon tells you they really love talking to you, you mentally stimulate them and they just don’t want to make fools out of themselves thinking they might be doing the most around you. THAT is when you know you’ve won them over.😮‍💨

• Guys with Cancer sun/moon/mercury and Leo mars will literally be the sweetest souls you’ll ever meet!! They’re also very funny, will let you know how beautiful they think you are anddd will try to include you in almost everything!

• They’re also into sports specifically basketball!

• People with Aries venus in composite love to try and impress their partners lol. Literally the girls that run faster when their boyfriend/crush is watching them from afar.

• People who have the same tempers as their moms might share the same element or a compatible sign with their mothers in their risings in their Ascendant persona chart! E.g. My mom’s an Aries mars and I’m an Aries mercury and in our ascendant persona charts I’m a Leo rising and she’s an Aries rising!✨

• Having Water mars-Fire mars parent combos really make you tough!😭

• Aries sun friends are the types to let you live with them for as long as you need!❤️

• 5H suns are so comic! You guys kill me😩😂

• Pisces suns be writing romantic stories/poetry!

• Capricorn sun-Water moon relatives are the types to financially help their families. My eldest uncle is a Cap sun-Pisces moon and he literally got a job at 17-18 just so his 5 siblings wouldn’t have to worry about not having enough to eat and that has to be the most thoughtful thing ever!🥺 Cap placements in general don’t get as much recognition for their generosity as they should!!🤎

[odetojupiter]

what if i told you that thea’s raven number - 14 - is an unlucky number because, translated, it sounds similar to ‘must die’/‘will certainly die’ in cantonese, and ‘is dead’/‘will be dead’ in mandarin.

‘her number was 14 for reasons’ - nora sakavic, aftg extra content

what if i suggested that tetsuji gave her that number specifically because he considered a black woman dominating his own sport a threat not only to himself but to his perfect court. not only is tetsuji’s misogyny pretty clear, but we all know the other ravens were killing themselves trying to be given the next perfect court number, but that was never gonna happen because even though the perfect court was actually full of the best players, it was never actually about championing the best players, it was about ownership. so what if i said that tetsuji hated that thea was as good as she was without having any ties to himself, outside of signing on to the college team he coaches. he felt undermined because he couldn’t fully credit himself for her skill, and so he gave her the 14 - on the surface, it’s an achievement to get so close to single digits for the ravens BUT it comes with a hidden threat. you will die if you go too far.

and then what if i suggested that nora also chose 14 because of the way the fandom reacted to thea. i have no idea whether she’d already picked out the number before the series was published but i don’t think it’s mentioned in the original series ?? so i mean…

yes, i’ve seen the list of issues people have with thea but what’s crazy to me is that we know literally nothing about her bar the few tidbits nora mentioned in the extra content, and the few scenes we have in the series. and i know there was probably a full backstory written for her that we never got to see bc of all the hate nora got purely for introducing her, and the subsequent reactions to literally everything we’re told about thea just makes me think that nobody actually learned anything about how people’s trauma can drastically influence how they perceive the world and how they react to things including the abuse of other people - cough. andrew and aaron cough. - her reactions to things are bound to be built off her experiences and she was literally in a cult which would completely rewire her world view so like (even what we’re told in the EC, we don’t meet her until her fifth year of edgar allan so she’s five years deep into this shit guys, and you know tetsuji was physically and mentally abusive to all the ravens u have to know that by now)—-

but anyway this post isn’t supposed to be a defence or a critique of her i just find the number 14 aligns with the way people speak about her as though she’s done something bad enough to deserve death threats, so i just hope you realise when u perpetuate that shit it’s like ur tattooing that 14 right on her face.

oh to add to that, in japanese culture the number fourteen represents imperfection, but specifically beauty found in things that are imperfect. if i say that’s a way of saying no thea isn’t perfect but that doesn’t mean she deserves to die ? what then?

bc no she’s not a perfect person and ill be the first to admit i hated that scene in tsc with jean, but are you really telling me that’s the worst thing an aftg character has ever done?? why is she being branded as the worst when she was literally in the series for like 3 pages?

and do u know what, the fact that she, post graduation, still wears her 14 is 1) a sign of pride that she really is one of the best and 2) a reminder that she is not dead yet, despite the efforts of tetsuji and the literal fandom

[mycolorscheme]

tw suicide i guess but it's from a research viewpoint mainly and also abuse within the nest. also this connects to the sunshine court bear with me

i wrote this whole essay a year ago on suicide clusters in schools and it was focused on high schoolers but a lot of my research came from adolescents as a whole and some of my sources were about college students and i learned a lot about how different factors can create suicidal behavior such as academic pressure, athletic pressure, etc and the combination of many factors only exacerbates this which is all pretty self explanatory but suicide clusters is the phenomenon of when a couple suicides leads to a domino effect of suicides and suicidal attempts. a mainstream pop culture example would be heathers (except the initial suicides were murder coverups) but on a more local scale this happens at a lot of schools and my high school was an example of it. part of why this happens is because it is (unfortunately) common for people to have suicidal ideation and tendencies, but once someone around these people commits suicide, it begins to feel like more of a tangible reality. in addition, being in an environment where even one suicides or death has occurred can often be very depressing and soul crushing and horrible and decrease people's mental states further.

as someone who did all this research and wrote a 10 page paper on this stuff, reading the sunshine court was incredibly interesting. these ravens are ultimately so traumatized and brainwashed beyond belief. they do not realize that they have been indoctrinated and have been part of a cult and they spent so long without being able to talk to anyone who could tell them how messed up the nest is.

like. they were not able to communicate with their families from the day they entered the nest. they were living on 18 hour schedules. they did not leave the nest unless necessary or interact with people outside of their team or ever really seen sunlight. that is beyond absolutely insane.

and their king, riko, kills himself (ironically also in a murder coverup, bringing it back to heathers). and then they are sent home to people they haven't talked to in years. and they don't know how to adjust back to normal life.

so of course they are lashing out. and it does not surprise me that they are trying to end their lives.

and then another one of their teammates kills themselves. and then another one. and then another one tries but is found before it is too late. and it creates this chain of suicides because what do they have to live for if not their team. they are a raven though and through, and even after they graduate and leave the nest, they never really leave. so they all get placed in suicide watch.

and then they are called back for the next season. and that is the worst thing that could possibly have happened to them in terms of their mental health. to make matters worse, they have a new coach who i cannot imagine they will instantly trust. and at the same time, their old coach that they were probably so frightened of but felt like they needed is nowhere to be found. and to add on, the entire power structure of the ravens has been dismantled, and they will all fight to be at the top.

and yes a lot of them are horrible people but a lot of it is a byproduct of the environment they were forced to survive in. some were already violent while others turned to violence when it became needed. they need time to heal and to process and to come to terms with the fact that what they endured was not normal. that playing a sport at a collegiate level, even for the chance to go pro, should not mean completely devoting your entire life to the sport and nothing but the sport. that it is crucial for their mental wellbeing to experience life and relax and have fun and eat junk food every once in a while.

and while i'm so glad jean is out of there and is able to start healing, my heart goes out to the ravens who are still stuck in the nest. because yes, they have the choice to leave, but they do not have the mental capacity to even realize that that is an option.

but i hope in the next book we see them slowly start to break. that the summer they had returning to normalcy alerted something inside of them deep down that what the nest is and how the ravens operate is so fundamentally wrong and so, so messed up. and i hope that the new coach isn't a bastard. but i don't have high hopes about that. to be completely frank.

all in all, the phenomenon of suicide clusters is a big issue, and i hope that at least one person found it interesting to read about the sunshine court and the ravens through the lens of suicide clusters. if you ever need mental support, there are more resources now than ever. your life is worth so much more than you could ever even comprehend. every little dot on this planet makes a difference. i love you all.

[cat-autism-wizard]

five times danny's english class learned that he was phantom (and one time he had to reveal it)

5 - kwan

kwan wasnt stupid. everyone seemed to think so but he wasnt stupid, not really. sure he needed more time to learn basic things from his peers but he wasnt stupid. he was a genius in sports. he was naturally strong and he loved physical activities and was great at it.

after the ghost attacks started, he became protective because of it. he would shield his friends and would help people escape. he was good at it and loved keeping people safe.

he was really lucky about it too. his best friends were really strong. dash was almost as buff as kwan and he was also great at sports. dale was even stronger than kwan and he was such a sweet guy. star and paulina were cheerleaders and kwan was positive that if five of them were to race paulina would beat them so easily and star would be the second only to paulina.

four of them would go to nasty burger after school and dale would meet them there since he had to pick his brother up from middle school.

they got close pretty easily with the high school starting. kwan knew dash since elementary school. they were best friends. then paulina, dale and valerie joined them in the middle school and in high school theyve met star. valerie stopped hanging out with them after a while. kwan knew it was because of the unfair system of 'popularity' and he didnt like it. he still liked valerie as a friend. sure she was mean when he was angry but she was still one of the people kwan grew to care so much. and when paulina dated fenton (she still claims that she does not remember that happening) kwan actually get to see how tucker and sam really were and he enjoyed their company even if he couldnt admit it.

for the worse or the better in the ghost attacks none of those things mattered. no one cared if the victim of the attack was someone popular or not. they just protected each other. they lived in amity park, everyone had each other's back in the most haunted city in the world.

one day as they were waiting for dale, a ghost attacked the popular fast food restaurant. four of them shared a look and they took action. dash opened the doors and helped people get out. star texted dale to update him while paulina's eyes searched if anyone needed help. kwan was helping people to calm down and get out safely.

as people were getting out of the building he saw three people still talking. he realized that it was the 'loser trio'. they looked distressed. manson and foley looked like they were telling something to fenton, kwan wasnt in the hearing range, then they got out from the door dash was holding while fenton went out from the back door. which was not safe in any possible way. the ghost was close to the back door.

kwan rushed to the back door. he heard star and paulina scream but he knew they werent alone, dash was with them. and kwan knew star and paulina could take care of themselves. kwan knew them. they were stronger than most people he knew and their endurance was higher than anyone he knew. he was pretty sure if they gained some courage they would surpass him in helping people with how strong and smart they are.

but fenton on the other hand, was weak. he saw him in the PE class and it was almost sad to watch the boy try. he could swear fenton almost pass out when doing the basic exercises. kwan didnt care that fenton's parents were ghost hunters, fenton was not them and he wasnt sure if the boy could survive a ghost just by himself. sure he had some knowledge about ghosts but knowledge alone couldnt help him with a ghost trying to kill him.

kwan got out from the back door. but he found something he didnt expect. he did find fenton like he expected. what he didnt expect was that fenton had glowing rings on his waist which then transformed him into phantom.

he quickly hid to a place so that phantom couldnt see him. phantom went inside without wasting a second presumably to fight the ghost. kwan sat on the floor trying to process what just happened.

fenton could turn into a ghost and not just any ghost. he could turn into PHANTOM. he WAS phantom. kwan didnt know how or why and he didnt even THINK about the possibility that fenton actually died or something similar. what he knew was that it was a secret to be kept.

kwan walked inside and went back to his friends. they all looked worried especially paulina and star.

"i couldnt find fenton, guess he ran somewhere safe." kwan lied. star and paulina gave each other a look and turned back to kwan.

"did you see something.. different?" paulina asked. it sounded like she was trying her best to choose the right words.

"like what? a racoon? nah i havent seen one but i heard there were racoon somewhere close." kwan said making himself sound clueless. paulina smiled and star sighed with relief. what was that about?

"if this weird questioning is done, can we go? you know before getting hit by a ghost ray or something." dash said annoyed. he was tried of holding the door for no one. they all agreed and left the place. they waited somewhere close but not enough to be dangerous. paulina still asked him some questions but kwan dodged them all by acting stupid.

kwan wasnt stupid but he knew it had its perks when people thought that way. so if its to protect the secret of their hero, then he will be stupid.

1 2 3 4 5 +1

[destinationtrekk]

hello!!! vamp hunter anon reader again this will be my last ask for a while i dont want to annoy you lol i just really love ur writing ive been a longtime lurker <3

after reader and vamp! wesker’s last encounter i like to think both of them are conflicted. reader is flustered at the thought of what happened and avoids the mountains for a while to think. wesker however is kinda pissed. he is a vampire, a god. these feelings are beneath him, he can’t fall for some hunter.

one day reader is attacked by some other vampire during their “hunt” for wesker and end up seeking refuge at his mansion because lets be so deadass they both know at this point neither of them are going to kill each other. wesker is like ???? because really. out of all people you come to his lair?? he’s also a bit pissed. reader is his prey, the marks on their neck should speak for themselves. reader stays at his for the night just to regain energy while he plots to clear out any vampires overstepping the bounds to his territory.

btw reader didn’t leave without payment the next morning either he taxed them for blood😭😭😭😭😭😭😭

wesker only pretends to be annoyed that you showed up. like ugh, seriously? we used to hunt each other for sport and now you don't knock before coming into my house?

he's actually relieved you came to him for help. not that he would ever tell you, of course, but he keeps up with all the supernatural happenings around you, and he knew who was after you before you were even attacked. so when he sees the bite marks on your neck and the dried blood all over your shirt, coupled with your sluggish movements, he's pissed.

not only did someone touch his prey, but they also nearly killed you! by now he knows exactly how much blood to take from you without hurting you or affecting your abilities to protect yourself - he wants you performing at your best. he's also hungry himself, and he isn't going to take advantage of you when you can barely stand.

so he reluctantly sits you down and feeds you, taking care to clean your wound while you stay silent. it's odd, he thinks, since you're usually obnoxious and sarcastic, even when you pretend to struggle against him. at this point, you both know you enjoy each other's company far too much to put a stop to... whatever this is.

the next morning, after sleeping in wesker's oddly warm bed, he quietly sits next to you and takes a few sips just for appearances. he isn't hungry, thanks to his late night hunt after whoever dared touch what belonged to him. he bites you just for appearances - you don't need to know how brutal his kill was in defense of your honor, or that he's craving the warmth of your skin against his lips.

[neonscandal]

explain to me how bakugo is traumatized. the kid he grew up with was nice to him once and he immediately came to the conclusion that he should die. that's not trauma, that's being insane.

I'm going to start with the fact that, justifiably, there's never a reason to tell someone to kill themselves. Additionally, note that me saying Bakugo is traumatized does not mean that Midoriya is also not traumatized.

Regarding your question, the trauma that I mentioned on a recent ask, (I assume this one prompted your question) referenced the following:

Captured by the Slime Villain, effectively bound and suffocated in front of an audience (doesn't include the fall out after being someone who is publicly assaulted)

Muzzled, bound and robbed of autonomy in front of a national audience at the Sports Festival

Kidnapped and bound by the LOV (the forcible binding is recurrent through all the above)

Don't really have to go into the swath of issues he and Class 1A likely can and do develop from being child pawns in a war of adults but that can be applied as well re: survivor's guilt, PTSD, paranoia from the mole, etc. from the PLF arc and up until current manga events (I didn't feel like a spoiler warning).

Things that people don't tend to capture in the box of Bakugo's characterization:

He comes from a verbally and physically abusive household, demonstrably (you can jump down to the second paragraph of Bakugo's Strengths listed here for my thoughts on that impact)

Forced to defend himself against older kids from a young age and possibly on a recurring basis, as referenced in the above image. We could probably chalk the confrontation up to a consequence of his false overconfidence, sure. But does that justify 4th graders ganging up on what looks like a kindergartener/first grader?

As for Bakugo and Midoriya's relationship, we don't have much to go on. We know they were close and amicable as kids, things likely went to shit when Midoriya didn't develop a quirk, there's some beetle excursion in the woods that Bakugo refers back to a lot which is pending further context for readers/viewers, and then there's a fall in the river which really soured relations as Bakugo misinterpreted genuine kindness for condescension (see home life and such above). Again, none of this justifies the bullying we see at the start of the series or the way their interactions have shocking physical components. But what I do find interesting is that I've previously likened Bakugo's disposition to Endeavors but, in retrospect, I think he's a strong parallel for Dabi too.

Dabi's rage stems from being robbed of what he thinks is his inalienable birthright as the oldest son and heir to Endeavor's legacy. He disproportionately targets Shouto as the usurper of what is rightfully his. Dabi's claim, of course, makes more sense from a traditional and, probably, cultural standpoint. But the reason I mention it is that I don't think Bakugo was constantly telling Midoriya to take a swan dive off a roof. It doesn't forgive the bullying but it contextualizes why, that day, the bullying reached a new height when Midoriya was outed for still trying to get into UA. Bakugo saw this as an immediate threat to his position because, even though he didn't admit it at the time, if anyone could get into UA, quirkless or not, Bakugo knew Midoriya could.

Just as Midoriya has always seen Bakugo as being heroic and capable of being number 1, Midoriya proves time and time again that, even without a quirk, he's got the spirit of a hero and is successful in spaces where Bakugo is not. As the story progresses, we see evidence and the ultimate manifestation of Bakugo's remorse through his apology and other ways he's softened up. I'm not saying he wasn't a little shit but that's also not all he was (IDK if you've met kids but... without healthy socialization they can be little emotional terrorists). As things have unfolded, we see that, internally, Bakugo uses thoughts of Midoriya to galvanize his path forward and we've recently confirmed that when Bakugo spoke to Kirishima about strength... he was referring to Midoriya, you can scroll down to paragraphs around the last picture. I'm just gleeful about calling it. But, suffice it to say they've both been looking to one another this whole time.

There are still periphery pieces of their background missing because the story is largely from Midoriya's perspective. I don't think we'll get a comprehensive backstory but I think there will be some sort of meaningful explanation behind the beetle trip that may inform why Bakugo ultimately misinterpreted things so poorly at the river. I mean, maybe it's as simple as the fact that he couldn't fathom kindness because it's something not typically afforded to those who are perceived as strong. I don't know but I look forward to finding out.

[winterstellars]

sins of the son | part iii

15,506 w (entire fic is 55,619) | aemond x nameless fem oc (can also be read as reader insert) | 6.14.24 | the first two parts can be found in full on ao3

content warning for violence in this excerpt. if reading the full fic on ao3, please be mindful of the tags!

What could you possibly kill that you love so much it would make the sun rise again?

—Succession S2E10, written by Jesse Armstrong

Harrenhal stands out from the gray-brown muck of the Riverlands like a lonely gravestone: bitter, ugly, twisted. Aemond can just barely see the broken towers and melted stone walls, the work of his ancestors, as Vhagar pierces the clouds and descends upon the castle. It is for the best that the weather has put a thick haze between them and the countryside. If it were clearer, he might be able to see the villages. The farms. Small huts where simple people live. It is best not to think of them as people, what with the orders he and Criston have. It is best not to think of them at all.

Her hands, which have been anchored to his tunic since they left the capitol, finally uncurl when Vhagar touches the ground. The tension dissipates as he helps her down from the rigging. She is a bright bloom of life against the dull backdrop of snow and steel. Soldiers cross the courtyard carrying supplies, lighting torches, draping green-and-gold banners with the three-headed dragon sigil emblazoned upon them. Nightfall is close—the clouds hide the glow that should be a sunset—and every bone in his body aches for a bed and a pile of quilts and furs.

“My prince.” Cole, though muddy from the march, is as sharp and meticulous as ever. “The castle is secure. The scouts have not seen any men within a league of here. They likely retreated when they saw our advance.”

She makes a small humming noise in the back of her throat. “They know this land better than we do.”

Cole makes no reply, but Aemond can see a small muscle by his ear go taut. He will not do any of them the disservice of pretending as though Cole would approve of her presence. To him, she represents an uncomfortable inconvenience. Neither as shameful nor as easy to overlook as one of Aegon’s whores, but still. Inconvenient. A blemish on Aemond’s honor, if such honor ever truly existed.

“My lady.” It is a generous allowance coming from Cole. “Perhaps you would be more comfortable inside.”

“I’ll stay,” she murmurs, holding Aemond’s arm, thumb stroking over the crisp leather. He can feel her gentle stability, the sureness of her presence. His wife, he thinks, his queen. 

“These are the prisoners?” He gestures to a pack of men in fetters, closely guarded. Many sport gray hair and long-healed scars from wars of the past along with fresh cuts and bruises. Others are barely old enough to swing a sword, scrawny and unsure of themselves, the same age as Luke had been—

He kills that thought in its infancy. Storm, sun, blood. It feels more like a nightmare than a memory now.

“What’s left of House Strong,” Cole replies, disdain dripping from his words. “They await the king’s justice.”

He can feel her watching him. He dares not look back. He and Cole know full well what their orders are. They know that the king’s justice knows nothing of mercy and everything of retribution.

“I’ll have the servants make up a room for us. You can rest. I’ll find you,” he tells her, but as soon as he speaks, she shakes her head. Firm, sure, unflinching. Sometimes her conviction ought to frighten him. 

“I rode to war with you,” she says. “I expected war.”

“Have you ever seen a man die?”

Her mouth moves, almost resembling a smile, but her eyes are far too steely for there to be any hint of joy. “You won’t scare me.” 

He couldn’t, he realizes, even if he tried. There are no shadows in which he can hide from her gaze. All of his rage, his grief, and his love has been laid bare in front of her, and she has not fled from him. What he must do will not change anything. She has seen him as a killer and still loves him all the same, still touches him as though his hands have never committed any sin.

The first man the guards bring forward has a mop of brown curls with spots of gray by his forehead. His doggish nose is split with a fresh break. He does not look at Aemond, but that is for the best. This man is a ghost from another world, some wretched glimpse of what Luke might have been like had he lived. A silver wedding band perches on his ring finger, and a piece of red ribbon is tied around his wrist. It is a simple thing. A little trifle. Something a child might gift a father.

Traitor, traitor, traitor, Aemond chants to himself, embedding the word into his heart. It does no good to let himself imagine what kind of person this man might be. He makes himself think of his mother, of Helaena, of Jaehaera and little Maelor. Their safety comes at a price he will always be willing to pay.

“Your name, Ser?” Criston asks for him. He is silently grateful; if he tried to speak now, he would not know what to say.

The man keeps his face lowered, shoulders hunched, all signs of fight drained out of him. “Harrold Strong.”

“You command the garrison here?”

“I do.”

Aemond draws his sword, the steel singing in the crisp winter air. He sees her standing off to the side. Her breath turns to mist as though she could breathe smoke and fire, fiercer and darker than even Vhagar. If she can be a dragon, he must be one too.

“Harrold Strong, your house has betrayed the crown and has conspired in treason against the king. In accordance with the law, your lives are forfeit. You and your men have been sentenced to the king’s justice.”

So slowly, as if he has all the time in the world, Harrold Strong looks up at him. Stares. Raises his chin.

“You the king, lad?”

Aemond ought to offer him better dying words, but when he searches inside himself, any pity has evaporated. He has his sword raised in the space of one heartbeat, and in the next, head falls away from body and blood coats the earth. Though he can see Criston’s mouth moving, there is nothing but a great, piercing silence in his head. The guards bring another man—no, not a man, a boy not even Daeron’s age—forward. The boy is crying. A pair of soldiers come for the pieces of Harrold Rivers. One drags his body off by his arms, the other scoops his head up, careful not to touch his neck. Aemond breathes in and tastes metal on the air.

It is past nightfall when they finish. His shoulders burn from the effort of it all. Blood pools along the cobblestones, draining outwards in little rivers. She is there when it is over, arms crossed, serene as a statue, the hem of her dress stained indelibly red.

read the rest on ao3

[cordycepsfem]

Let's talk about this article:

... because I read the study, and I have some questions.

This article breathlessly states that trans and gender non-conforming teenagers are attempting suicide by up to 72% more, potentially based on laws their states are passing.

... but also as low as 7% more. So no, there is no massive wave of individuals committing or attempting suicide everywhere. There is no trans "genocide."

The survey run by the study did have participants ages 13-24, and found those participants through social media ads. They had more than 5,000 respondents from California and less than 180 from Wyoming, just as an idea of the sample.

The study admits that "no work has been able to identify casual mechanisms between state-level anti-transgender laws and the mental health of the TGNB (transgender/non-binary) community" and "no research has specifically identified a casual link between anti-transgender laws and increased suicide risk" but then boy does it go on and try.

It also fully admits that TGNB teenagers "are already at risk for mental health concerns," which the study believes is due to "minority stress" (stress associated with being the negative impacts of being part of a minority) or potentially because they feel "unimportant and disconnected" (who doesn't, as a teenager?) but which, in my opinion, is more likely because everyone keeps telling them they're going to commit suicide.

Let's talk about these laws that are apparently causing "trans children" not to exist. There have been laws to limit access to cross-sex hormones, dangerous off-label cancer drugs, and permanent life-changing surgery on minors (considering these drugs have a wide range of side effects like slowed intellectual and emotional development, osteoporosis, vaginal atrophy, permanent infertility, and never being able to orgasm, and the surgeries are designed to remove healthy body parts, this seems positive); keeping bathrooms segregated by sex (considering that girls face higher levels of abuse in mixed-sex restrooms and changing rooms, this also seems positive); and keeping sports sex-segregated as well (considering that male and female athletes have different strengths and body types, this seems like it would increase fairness for both groups, and so seems positive to me too).

Now let's talk about people who are actually committing suicide, not just using it for emotional abuse:

The Jed Foundation, which works to increase mental health support on high school and college campuses, says that almost 14% of young adults and 22% of high school students have seriously considered suicide in the past year; 10% of high school students attempted suicide in the past year. The groups with the highest rates of both consideration and attempts are females, Native Americans, and lesbian, gay, and bisexual individuals.

The CDC tells us that teenagers in rural communities who face isolation, Black teenagers, and "LGBT" teenagers have the highest rates of suicide deaths. Alaska (which has, notably, no anti-trans laws on the books) has the highest rate of suicide deaths (roughly 40 in 100,000), and it's noted that pockets of suicide spring up in groups like Native Americans, Mormons, and evangelical Christians. The places with the lowest suicide rate for teens are urban areas and big cities, whereas those in isolated areas with higher access to firearms and illegal drugs or alcohol see higher rates.

The rate of teen suicides is the lower than the general suicide rate of the entire US. Elderly people have the highest rate of suicide. But yet all that's talked about is the rate of specifically trans kids killing themselves because they couldn't get "gender-affirming" health care, or play on a sports team, or go into the opposite sex's bathroom. The media has decided to push this angle, and almost everyone has eaten it up. Obviously they're the most affected by everything.

I am tired of this narrative. Teenagers and kids deserve better.

[desultory-novice]

Here's a probably bizarre one

Are you into Table Top RPGs? And if so what do you think a Kirby themed one would look like? In just broad strokes at least, not asking you to get in depth with all the numbers or something

I'm trying to actually make one along with a few friends of mine as a "little" group project, we're throwing out ideas, figuring stuff out and what not. Turns out making a proper TTRPG is difficult and requires a lot of thought.

I used to be! In my family, playing D&D (2nd edition!!) was like watching sports for other families! I dropped out of the hobby sometime in my teens, as I started to struggle more with roleplaying ^^; and though I've shown interest in the occasional system and even played in a handful of one-shots, a lot of my knowledge comes from overhearing stories from my siblings, who are still into it!

When I brought this concept up to my sister briefly, she mentioned something (and maybe it was spun off something legendary blogger Prokopetz had said) about trying to "twist" D&D into a system for telling stories it just wasn't keyed to tell! That you CAN do that, sure, but maybe it's not the most efficient way...?

Soooo...

...In that sense two TTRPGs that come to mind when I think about alternate ways you could do a Kirby game other than just "explore dungeon and kill monsters!" (...Note that these might not be perfect fits either, they're just ones I've heard about and caught my interest!)

Magica Logia, a Japanese-only RPG (sorry...! ^^;;) that was really popular on NicoDouga/NicoVideo that is mostly based around playing these magicians with true forms (O~ooh, Soul Forms, you say?) who go around solving magical incidents!

While there IS combat, most of it is about learning what is even going wrong and using your skills (which are more like "concepts" and all HIGHLY interpretable) to detect just WHO has been affected through roleplay scenes that play out in a turn based structure!

It was REALLY popular to do long videos of characters from various games and anime playing versions of themselves via Magica Logia and so I often think that it suits a variety of more story-based settings! (Like, a huge focus on the story of a session is finding out who has been POSSESSED by the evil forces this time and I hope you can see my vision for how well that would work for Kirby!)

Another that I'm slightly less familiar with but I've always wanted to learn more about is Ryuutama, which, to quote the main website, describes itself as "Miyazaki's Oregon Trail?!" XD

A huge focus of the game seems to be around "regular" seeming characters going to new places because they're filled with wanderlust (and Kirby IS a wanderer!) and managing the resources to get there! (How much food you have at any given time feels like it would be a natural fit forany Kirby TTRPG) 

I also like that the journey and the places you go seem to be decided on by the group as a whole, with everyone contributing something! It reminds me very much of how magical various places in Pop Star (or the rest of the Kirby-verse galaxy) can be! And I think that kind of inventiveness would be wonderful.

Do you really want Kirby and the gang to explore a re~gular old cave? If it's going to feel like Kirby, the cave ought to have... Oh, crystal stalagmites in the shape of ice cream! Or that reflect your image like funhouse mirrors! Or the ceiling is covered with moss that acts like glow-in-the-dark bedroom stars!

...Again, I haven't seen this one played before like I have with the other one so I'm mostly going off concepts I find appealing from the product page! It does make you think though!

-

As for ideas of my own, I'm split when it comes to character creation. Either everyone should be allowed to make their own "Kirby"/Puffball and you KEEP it to puffballs, or you pass on playing Kirby and let people choose from a variety of commonly returning ally races (Poppy, Simirror, Birdo, Dee, Chilly, Joe, etc...) The reason I would suggest going either all puffs or all non-puffs is because even though my ideal Kirby TTRPG is not amazingly battle heavy, I still think that would really cut down on any questions of POWER SCALING (my beloathed... :shiver:)

I think that creativity in the interpretation of game mechanics should be emphasized, and that smaller numbered dice would be better (D4s or D6s, a D10 at most??)

I can see stats being more akin to MOODS rather than like, physical prowess and how fast you are/magic potential etc? After all, Kirby is strong enough to tackle on otherworldly horrors...but the comics often depict him as being unable to when he is, say, [Tired] or [Hungry] so having to balance your player character's ~total health~ as opposed to just their HP might make things feel more Kirby-esque, as opposed to just a Kirby-themed D&D reskin! (Not that there's anything wrong with that, if that's where one's interest lies!)

Another thing from Ryuutama that I liked the sound of was each character having a key [Personal Item] that is important to them! Maybe it's not EVEN magical, maybe it's just...emotionally significant?! Maybe part of the goal of story creation can be discovering what ties these characters together through an exploration of their items! (Everyone declares theirs to the game master and the game master builds the adventure around that?)

Anyway, I think I've made my preferences for a "non-standard" style TTRPG here clear! Sorry if that wasn't your desired direction...!

-

But yes, good luck with you and your friend's project! I'm sure it IS a lot of work! I don't know how much progress you've made in the week it took me to get to this one, but I would love to hear more if you think you've narrowed in on your idea! And I'm sure a bunch of others here would be interested as well!

[jjlovesgoodies]

I think you should make headcanons about the yttd cast playing Mario Kart

Alright!!! Ty for the ask!!

This is how I think the YTTD cast play Mario Kart:

(Spoilers for the 1st Main game)

Sara - Like most things, Sara gets super competitive when it comes to Mario Kart, and if someone beats her at it she’ll refuse to speak to them for at least a week. (And she sticks to it, even if it’s Gin). She’ll always play as Daisy.

Sou - He’s been playing the game almost all his life, and is a pro. Like Sara, he is really competitive and will most likely end up yelling if it isn’t going going well for him. I can see him playing as Shy-Guy.

*Sara and Sou will curse and insult anyone who passes them out

(More under the cut)

Joe - He’s pretty good at the game, and tends to get playfully competitive, but unlike some people (Cough cough Sou and Sara) he doesn’t curse anyone out while doing so. He chooses a different character to play as every time, but he’s particularly fond of Mario and Yoshi.

Kanna - She loves playing the game, though most of her experience of it is constantly getting her ass beat by Kugie, and unfortunately not much has changed when she plays with the others (Once again cough cough Sou and Sara) though she has gotten weirdly good at throwing green shells accurately. I think she’d play as Peach.

Gin - He gets so excited whenever they start playing, and he’s actually quite good at the game. Though he has started to take after Sara and Sou and will tell people to kill themselves if they wrong him while playing. He’d play as either Bowser or Donkey Kong.

Keiji - My guy cannot play this game for shit, whenever they play courses that you can fall off the edge of, that’s how he spends the whole race. Like everyone else would finish and would just be waiting a solid ten minutes for him to cross the finish line. Also he always plays as Rosalina, I just know he does.

Reko - Her and Alice have been extremely competitive at this game since the dawn of time, though she went a little easy on Gin and Kanna at the start, until Gin saw right through it and told her to actually try. She does her best to refrain from yelling/cursing at the two of them (she does slip up from time to time, but she does her best). But anyone else and it’s on sight, she is not holding back (ESPECIALLY Alice and Sou. She will bring up traumatic childhood experiences and every insecurity Alice has ever had just to throw him off during a race). She mains Waluigi.

Alice - Like almost everyone else on this list so far, he is also competitive, though when playing with ppl like Sou, Sara, Reko half of the time, and even Gin on a few occasions, he usually ends up losing, so he spends most of the time either screaming “fuck you” at anyone and everyone (except maybe Kanna) or muttering angrily to himself as he plays. I think he’d play as Dry Bones.

Kai - I haven’t played/seen his minisode but from what I do know abt him I doubt he had much experience with the game as a child, so he’s mostly new to it. I feel like he’s a quick learner though, and would be on the higher end of the cast in terms of skill. Unlike the others, though, he is completely silent as he plays. I get the vibes that he’d play as a Koopa Troopa.

Q-Taro - He’s not the greatest at the game, and has yet to win a race, though he blames it on the stupid shells, and makes sure to mention that at least he can play real sports (glance at Sou). He always plays as Bowser.

Nao - She’s alright at the game, like Joe she gets playfully competitive, and has accepted the fact that she almost always loses. She’d play as Baby Bowser or Wendy.

Mishima - Whenever someone asks him to play it with them, he politely declines, as he’s seen what that game does to the group. The only time he would play it is if it’s only Kanna, Nao and/or Gin (though he’s quickly removing Gin from that list bc the terrible swearing habit he’s developed). He’d either pick a random character or Lakitu when he does play.

Other related HCs:

-There was one time where Nao, to the shock of everyone (her included), somehow managed to beat Sou on Rainbow Road and has yet to shut up about it (This is a reference to something that happened irl, and like Nao I have yet to shut up about it).

-Sara and Sou, as mentioned, yell a lot while playing, but it gets so much worse when they’re playing against each other because they keep escalating the things they say to each other, attacking at each other’s biggest insecurities and stuff (Like Reko to Alice lol).

-Once in a particularly intense 1V1 race with Sara and Sou, Joe decided it’d be funny to unplug whatever console they were playing on before the race ended, just to see their reaction. And that’s how Joe actually died.

[my-autism-adhd-blog]

Hi! My friend recommended your blog as a nice place for some research about Autism.

I've started to notice a few things and question if I could be autistic, but I wasn't able to find enough information about it while researching.

Do you have any info about how to identify autism in adults? It would help a lot 😊

Hi there,

I’ve found some resources. I’ll leave excerpts below. They are a bit long.

Common signs of autism in adults include:

* finding it hard to understand what others are thinking or feeling

* getting very anxious about social situations

* finding it hard to make friends or preferring to be on your own

* seeming blunt, rude or not interested in others without meaning to

* finding it hard to say how you feel

* taking things very literally – for example, you may not understand sarcasm or phrases like "break a leg"

* having the same routine every day and getting very anxious if it changes

Other signs of autism

You may also have other signs, like:

* not understanding social "rules", such as not talking over people

* avoiding eye contact

* getting too close to other people, or getting very upset if someone touches or gets too close to you

* noticing small details, patterns, smells or sounds that others do not

* having a very keen interest in certain subjects or activities

* liking to plan things carefully before doing them

Autism in women and men

Autism can sometimes be different in women and men.

Autistic women may:

* have learned to hide signs of autism to ‘fit in’ - by copying people who don’t have autism

* be quieter and hide their feelings

* appear to cope better with social situations

* show fewer signs of repetitive behaviours

This means it can be harder to tell you're autistic if you're a woman.

Common symptoms of autism in adults include:

* Difficulty interpreting what others are thinking or feeling

* Trouble interpreting facial expressions, body language, or social cues

* Difficulty regulating emotion

* Trouble keeping up a conversation

* Inflection that does not reflect feelings

* Difficulty maintaining the natural give-and-take of a conversation; prone to monologues on a favorite subject

* Tendency to engage in repetitive or routine behaviors

* Only participates in a restricted range of activities

* Strict consistency to daily routines; outbursts when changes occur

* Exhibiting strong, special interests

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is typically a life-long condition, though early diagnosis and treatment can make a tremendous difference.

Autism Symptoms in Adults at Home

Other peoples’ feelings baffle you. You have a collection of figurines on your desk that must be in the same order at all times. These, and other common manifestations of ASD, may be apparent in adults at home:

* Your family members lovingly refer to you as the “eccentric professor” of the family, even though you don’t work in academia.

* You’ve always wanted a best friend, but never found one.

* You often invent your own words and expressions to describe things.

* Even when you’re in a quiet place, like the library, you find yourself making involuntary noises like clearing your throat over and over.

* You follow the same schedule every day of the week, and don’t like unexpected events.

* Expressions like, “Curiosity killed the cat” or “Don’t count your chickens before they hatch” are confusing to you.

* You are always bumping into things and tripping over your own feet.

* In your leisure time, you prefer to play individual games and sports, like golf, where everyone works for themselves instead of working toward a common goal on a team.

Symptoms of ASD vary greatly from person to person based on the severity of the condition. These or similar manifestations of ASD may be apparent at work:

* When you’re having a conversation with your boss, you prefer to look at the wall, her shoes, or anywhere but directly into her eyes.

* Your co-workers say that you speak like a robot.

* Each item on your desk has a special place, and you don’t like when the cleaning company rearranges it to dust.

* You are really good at math, or software coding, but struggle to succeed in other areas.

* You talk to your co-workers the same way you talk with your family and friends.

* During meetings, you find yourself making involuntary noises, like clearing your throat over and over.

* When talking with your boss, you have difficulty telling if he is happy with your performance or mad at you.

In addition, autistic individuals may exhibit extraordinary talents in visual skills, music, math, and art. And roughly 40 percent of autistic individuals have average or above-average intelligence.

Some of the characteristics that adults with an autism diagnosis commonly report, include:

Communication

You may:

* Find joining in conversation difficult.

* Speak in a flat, monotone voice, or not speak.

* Have trouble relating to other people’s thoughts or emotions.

* Use repetitive language.

* Find it hard to read someone’s body language and emotions.

* Find that others don’t understand how you are feeling and say that “it is hard to know what you are thinking”.

* Dominate conversations and provide excessive information on the specific topics you are interested in.

* Find it easier to talk ‘at’ people, rather than engaging in a two-way conversation.

* Have trouble reading social cues.

* Find ‘small talk’ such as talking about the weather and what others are doing difficult.

* Take things literally. For example, if someone says ‘oh that’s a piece of cake’ or ‘you’re barking up the wrong tree’ you find it difficult to know what they mean.

* Be blunt in your assessment of people and things.

* Find it difficult to maintain eye contact when you are talking to someone.

* Have your own unique phrases and descriptive words.

* Find building and maintaining close friendships and relationships difficult.

* You may make faces that others find unusual.

* You may make gestures when speaking with people.

Behaviour

* You enjoy consistent routine and schedules and get upset or anxious should that routine or schedule be changed.

* You find it upsetting when something happens that you did not expect to happen.

* Have trouble regulating your emotional responses.

* Are bothered if your things are moved or rearranged by someone.

* Have a series of repetitive rituals or behaviours that you follow on a daily basis.

* You make noises in places where you are expected to be quiet.

* Preference for highly specific interests or hobbies that you spend a lot of time on.

* Have difficulty multi-tasking.

* Have a very strong reaction or no reaction at all to sensory stimuli, such as textures, sounds, smells and taste.

* Like operating solo – both at work and play.

I hope these sources help you. Thank you for the inbox. I hope you have a wonderful day/night. ♥️

[13a07s]

My Everything #2

(Shoyo Hinata)

[Artwork is not mine! Credit to seranlynx]

Requested by: @l1l14i

Word Count: 3,275

Warnings and/or Pre-Notes:

Cyber bullying (?)

Slight fighting

Weed (Fun fact, as of 2023 weed is still illegal in Japan but we're going to ignore that)

Alcohol

———————————————————————

I looked at the comments. I know Akaashi told me not to, but I did anyway, and it was the dumbest thing I could have done. Since looking, my eyes have been constantly scrolling over the thousands of comments.

     They look so cute!

     She's so lucky! I would kill to have @Hinata._.Shoyo on me like that!

     Do you think this is the mystery girlfriend?

     No wonder #21 never shuts up about her. I wouldn't either!

      Omg, there's a new hottest OTP in the volleyball world. @Bokuto.Koutaro and @Akaashi_Keiji better watch out

     Despite all the good comments praising the glimpse of our relationship, all the compliments thirsting over Shoyo and me, even the upright vail sexual things people wish to do to one or both of us, all I can focus on is the bad comments.

     Ew, that's the mystery girlfriend? I excepted... better

     She's chubby, for an athlete's girlfriend

     No wonder @Hinata._.Shoyo is so dedicated to his sport. If I had to go home to that I'd drown myself in volleyball too

     Gold digger if I've ever seen one

     @MSBY_Black_Jackal maybe get #21's eyes checked??? That is nowhere near the hottest woman alive. Even from the glanced photo, I can see a million needed improvements.

     What the hell is up with her hair???

     My hand jumps up to my head, tugging on my towel hat so it comes unraveling. Right after, my fingers run through my hair, working out some of the wet knots I haven't paid attention to since getting out of the shower. Shoyo likes my hair... I think. He likes it, right?

I haven't talked to Shoyo about the post yet. We were alone long enough for him to drop his bags before he and a few other Jackals went down to the hotel gym for their workout sessions. With me being alone in the room it's given me plenty of time to check the comments, unpack, check the comments, shave, check the comments, shower, and check the comments.

Since he was in such a rush to meet up with the team, he left his phone behind. That has given me time to ponder going on his phone and scrolling through what he's been tagged in that I haven't seen yet. I know the password, it's my birthday, and it's not like Shoyo would care. It still feels wrong doing it without asking, even if I know he doesn't mind.

     The girls' - and Akaashi's - group chat has been dinging every ten minutes or so. They've all been telling me to not look or reply to any of the comments, asking what room we're in so someone can sit with me until the boys get back, telling me I'm beautiful, that Shoyo loves me more than anything in this world.

     I've been ignoring their texts - and the occasional call - as much as I can, barely sparing them a glance. I know Shoyo loves me, that he thinks I'm beautiful. I also know he's a man and that he finds other girls beautiful too.

     I've looked at the profiles of some of the commenters, mostly the ones commenting on my weight or openly slutting themselves out to my boyfriend. A lot of them have been supermodel pretty. Supermodel skinny too. I keep trying to remind myself that those photos aren't natural. That they are photoshopped or filtered. That my photo with Shoyo hasn't been touched up. It was snapped and posted.

The hotel door beeps the click of the door opening following the approved key swipe. "Ya, ya, I'll ask the Mrs. I'll let you know. Ya, see you soon," Shoyo rambles to one of his teammates, slowly sliding his way into the room. "Hey baby," he greets, tone instantly softening and his face relaxing at the sight of me.

     "Hi," I snip back, casting my eyes to my phone again, rolling over a comment made of a line of throw-up emojis and the words 'His humbleness isn't the only thing he took from the Karasuno dirt fields'. Maybe I'm reading into it but I'm pretty sure they're trying to call me hick without actually saying it.

Shoyo shifts his body weight, eyes glancing around the room before they're set on me again. "So, Atsumu and some of the other guys and gals are going down to the bar around seven. He invited us to join... you want to go?"

"No."

Concern flickers across his face, quickly drowned out by a smile. "Alright," Shoyo answers, shrugging his shoulders before making his way toward me. "A night in with you and a movie sounds good too," he tries, kicking his shoes off before crawling onto the bed.

I spare him a glance before fixating on the post again. 'How the hell did THAT bag @Hinata._.Shoyo???' rolls across the screen, adding another drop of emotion to the puddle collecting in my chest.

"You're my everything," Shoyo coos, nuzzling his nose against my neck, the tips of his hair tickling my skin. "You know that, right?" He asks, pressing a gentle kiss to my jaw.

"Ya."

"Do you?" He asks again, arching up so he can lock his sight with my eyes, his nose brushing against mine. "You've been... I don't know. Not you since we've gotten here. Bokuto said Akaashi is worried about you," he slowly pushes out, his fingertips on my thigh, toying with the end of the towel I'm still wrapped in.

"I'm fine, Shoyo," I mutter, moving my legs away from him. When his hand grips me tighter instead of falling off, I push it off myself.

Sadness flickers in his soft eyes for a moment, quickly replaced with concern. "Is this about the picture of us?" Shoyo asks, using his grip on my leg to pull me back to him. He snatches my phone from me, glancing at it for a moment before throwing it on the bed.

     "You know about it?" I ask, a bit dumbfounded. There's no way he knows about it. There's no way he knows about it and hasn't told me about it let alone talked to me about it. I haven't talked to him about it because I haven't had the chance to yet. Not because I just haven't.

     "Of course I do. I've known about it since, I don't know, less than five minutes after it was posted. I was tagged in it and I've gotten a new mention in the comments every ten seconds."

     I sit frozen, staring at my confused boyfriend. He's an idiot, right? Like, legally an idiot. He has to be. "What the fuck, Shoyo?" I mutter, my words coming out slow but heavily.

     "I didn't want you to worry about it. I figured - "

     "You figured what? If you didn't say anything about it I wouldn't find out about it?"

     Sho stays quiet for a few moments, a loose smile on his lips as his eyes wander across my face. "I figured sooner or later the public was going to get a picture of us. You look sexy as hell in the one they got, so why freak out about it?"

     "Have you not read the comments?"

     "I have," he hums, head tumbling downward so his lips can crash against my bare shoulders. "'Damn number twenty-one is lucky'. 'If that's the type of girlfriend volleyball players have, sign me up'. 'No wonder Hinata never shuts up about her'. 'Shit man, if my girlfriend looked like that I'd praise her with every breath I had to offer'. 'If I had a girl like that, I'd make her my everything too'," he quotes, little kisses being littered across any bare inch of skin he can get to.

     "Those aren't the comments I'm talking about," I whisper, quickly losing hold of my anger, on my sadness.

     "Baby," he whispers in my ear, nuzzling the side of my face as his hands rub my thighs, his tight grip closing on my flesh every few seconds. "You are my everything, do you know what that means? It means to me you're perfect. I love your hair, I love how it catches the sun, I love how it feels, how it smells, how it looks."

     "I love your curves, I love the dips and twists and every inch of your body. You could be a hundred pounds heavier or a hundred pounds lighter and I'd still love the shape of you."

     Shoyo's kisses fall toward my neck. He nudges at my chin until I tip my head backward, giving him more space to run his lips over. "I love every birthmark, every scar, every inch of your skin. I love your smile, your eyes, your soul, your laugh. Every second possible I spend thinking of you. Thinking of this gorgeous body, of your loving personality."

     His praises are dripping with his admiration of me, drips that fall into the puddle in my chest, slowly but surely eating away at all the negativity that's been building up. "If you ever left me, if you ever decided we were done, that would be it for me. I would never be with another person again. I'd simply play volleyball until I couldn't anymore and then spend the rest of my days wallowing in Rio, waiting for you to want me again."

     "You're my everything, baby. You've been my everything since the first day I saw you since my eyes fell on the pissy girl with braids in her hair that tried fighting the frappuccino machine because it wouldn't work. You are my everything. You know that. I make sure you know that, and if you don't, I need you to tell me you don't. Tell me you don't feel like my everything if that's what's happening. Tell me so I can remind you, so I can fix it, do you understand?"

     "Ya, I understand," I murmur, my mind foggy from the mix of Shoyo's praises and the feeling of his lips leaving my skin on fire.

     "Good," he whispers against my jaw, a line of kisses leading up to the delicate kiss laid on my lips. "You are my everything, baby. Without you, I'm not even sure I can breathe. I am lucky to have you in my life, and I am thankful for every day I wake up next to you."

     My eyes sting with the threat of tears, a threat that's fulfilled quickly. "Oh, baby," Shoyo coos, kisses instant back in action to brush away the water leaking from my eyes. "Don't cry. I hate seeing you cry."

     Giggles slowly spill out, mixing with my tears as I replay the last line of his love speech. "Sho? What the hell are you going to put in your vows that could top that?"

     "I'll just reuse it," he teases, his laughter easily mixing with mine. "Now, drinks with the gals and the guys?"

     "Drinks with the gals and the guys," I agree, stealing another kiss from him.

                      ————————————

Shoyo's arm is around my shoulders, keeping me pressed close to him as he coats my hair in kisses. With every ding of a passing floor, my heart seems to beat faster. I'm always nervous going out in public with my boyfriend, but with the recent shining light of the public on me, I'm more nervous than usual. Pair that with the fact I'm sure every hotel in Shizuoka is swimming with fans and you have a disaster waiting to happen.

     I don't like the attention or the million cameras or the public in general, which is why Sho usually goes to these things alone and I show up the day of the game. At least for away games. Home games are easier to deal with. But, he begged me to come with him this time so I gave in. That was a dumb decision.

"You're fine, baby. Paparazzi and such aren't allowed on private property. Fans are all we'll have to deal with and most of the time they're too star-struck to notice much. You'll slip into the bar as easy as usual." Blind optimism at its finest, but I can't help but hope that he's right.

     When the final ding comes, Shoyo tugs my hood up for me, helping to hide some of myself. His arm falls too, his fingers instantly finding mine and sliding themselves in place. My heart races with the sound of the elevator doors opening, my stomach turning in tone with the two noises.

     Instantly, a million clicks and cellphone flashes go off, the crowd of fans yelling his last name, asking a million questions. Some are simple questions asking for photos or about the game tomorrow, others are centered toward the recent photo of us. Shoyo simply smiles, stepping forward to block me from the crowd as he answers some of the simpler questions.

     Slowly, he leads me out of the elevator, trying his best to inch around the crowd toward the bar. Within seconds, Bokuto appears situating himself next to Shoyo and in front of me too. "Hey, hey, hey. Don't forget Hinata isn't the only spiker on the team," the bigger man booms, glancing behind himself to send me a smile.

     The two beefy men in front of me continue the slow and stretched-out walk to the bar, the three of us shuffling like penguins to get to the entrance. Sadly, the bar has an open construct; no door, just an open wall with a velvet 'fence' to close it off for the Jackals to use tonight.

     "Hey," Akaashi greets, nodding at the worker to unclip the makeshift gate.

     "Hey," I greet back, stepping through before glancing at Shoyo. Bokuto and him are still taking pictures and answering questions, only two or three steps away from me. "I don't like coming to these things."

     Akaashi shrugs, watching our goofballs with me. "It's a lot at first but over time you get used to it. Just don't do anything stupid, like have dry sex in a car," he teases, a soft grin on his face as he spares me a glance. "And you'll be fine."

     "Ya, that was pretty dumb of us."

     That gets a laugh out of him, and a bigger smile. "If it makes you feel any better, Kotaro's and my first 'scandal' happened because someone got a photo of me helping him button his shirt as we left a restaurant bathroom. He spilled red wine on his shirt so I helped him clean it but of course, the media turned it into us having a quickie." That does help, a lot more than I thought it would.

     "Shit happens. Scandals happen or get fabricated. There's no point hiding in the dark forever because that just leaves more for the imagination. The hard part is done. The world has proof of you. Hot ass proof." That makes me giggle, a few soft chuckles leaving Akaashi as well. "Hey, even the coach's wife said she'd leave him for you."

     "She did not," I manage to get out, more laughter mixing with my words.

     "She did too, which you would know if you answered any of our texts."

     "I was busy wallowing in sadness and self-pity."

     Akaashi shrugs again, his grin falling from his face, his usual resting bitch face back on. "That happens too. Half the world will love you and the other half will hate you regardless of what you say or what photos they get of you. Just got to roll with it."

     "Did you smoke a blunt before coming down here?" All the partners of the players have different ways of dealing with the stress of publicity they and their player have. Some smoke, some use weed like Akaashi, and some just enjoy their partner's hefty wallets and use retail as a means to cope. I'm not sure what I'm going to use to cope yet, but at the moment a few hits of what Akaashi is on sounds like a nice and quick way to chill out.

     "I had an edible. I don't have anymore so you're going to have to be sober or drink."

     "Drinking it is then," I mutter, letting my eyes scan over the growing group of Jackals paying attention to their fans right outside the bar.

     Akaashi and I stand inside the entrance, still blocked from the fans' view by the team members. If this is how people act at the hotel, the gym is going to be insane tomorrow.

"Alright, alright, I promised my everything a drink so I got to go guys. I hope to see you all tomorrow," Shoyo's voice rises above the chaos, the ginger starting to back up from the crowd. Being cut off only makes the crowd louder, the rest of the members quickly follow to avoid the uproar.

As soon as he's through the cloth fence, Shoyo's arms are around me, burying me into himself as he drags me further into the bar. My head pops out from his arms when I'm no longer forced into movement. "There's my everything," he coos, pecking my lips as he loosens his hold.

We - and the rest of the team - are tucked away in the furthest and darkest corner of the bar, safe away from the crowd still at the entrance. Greetings are thrown around, a few "you two looked sexy in your picture" mixed in. Everyone answered with a "damn right" by Sho.

Shoyo's hands are on me at all times, even as we sit with everyone else. Hand on my thigh, in my hair, toying with my fingers, anyway he can touch me he does. "You're beautiful," he whispers, his hand jumping up to push my hood off.

     "Thank you," I answer, taking his hand in mine before resting it in my lap. He's antsy, like always, but more so than usual since he's still worked up from my meltdown. Having his hands wandering over my body isn't going to help much with our scandal.

His movements stall for a moment, his brain ticking at what to do before his soft touches are replaced with butterfly kisses. My cheeks heat up more with every kiss he litters my skin with. "Honey, we're with people," I murmur, trying to shrug him off.

"So?" He whines, shaking his hand out of mine so he can wrap his arms around my waist, pulling both me and the chair closer to him. "You're my everything. With so many people around, so many people having proof you exist, I want to remind everyone that you are my everything. Always have been, always will be."

     "Gross," one of the older members tease, fake gagging until his wife smacks him upside the head, paired with a whispered lecture and an ear pull.

     Shoyo giggles, nuzzling my head until I turn it enough for him to kiss me. Slowly I let myself give into the gentle kiss, letting my adoring boyfriend melt away all the stress of the day. "My beautiful, perfect everything," he sighs, pecking my lips once more before pulling away from me. "Anyway, we should get a round of shots to drink to our future victory over EJP."

     The team cheers at the offer, one of the members flagging down a server to take the order. A smile plays on Shoyo's face, his hand enveloping mine again to raise it, kisses being peppered across my knuckles. It's hard to believe just an hour ago I was convinced I was nothing to him. Even in moments where his focus is on the team, on volleyball, I'm still at the forefront of his mind. I'm still his everything.

———————————————————————

[kyuohki]

27. I'm actually gonna ask the same thing I asked smaller-comfort. tell me your personal SoS lore for your fics. Your headcanons. I want to know your interpretation of characters and worldbuilding!

I have so, *so* many. I apologize now for the length!

I can't remember if this is addressed in game, but headcanon that Aephorul is extremely skilled at traveling through space/dimensions. Also headcanon that he *can* travel through time as well, it's just more difficult for him to do so (doesn't have a Vial of Time like Resh'an does, but has his own way of doing it.)

Contradictory to canon, Dwellers *can* be killed without Solstice Warriors, but it's extremely difficult to do so (and at extreme loss of life and destruction of the surrounding area). After Resh'an figured out that Solstice magic is the best chance at defeating Dwellers without all the immense fallout, he propaganda-ed the hell out of the worlds to make it seem like *only* Solstice Warriors are able to fight them to mitigate the losses; then implemented his Cult for Child Soldiers(TM) to ensure that those Warriors wouldn't question it. (Honestly, the whole thing is Resh'an's answer to the Trolley Problem).

People who are born *close* to a Solstice, but miss the actual day, have a huge boost to their magical potential. Much higher chance for elemental magic that corresponds to the Solstice they're near.

Borrowed from @smaller-comfort, but Resh'an has a system of puppets on the various worlds/dimensions that deal with *most* of the Solstice Born and deliver them to their Mooncradle/equivalent. Those that he sees have an extremely high potential of success, he delivers personally (Valere and Zale, for instance).

Parents of Solstice Born are given advance warning by the Great Eagle Puppet landing on their home, sometimes even arriving before the parents realize they're gonna have a baby themselves. This is to give the family time to come to terms with having to part with their child. If the parents do not name the baby, then the current Headmaster will on their arrival at Mooncradle.

Minor Mooncradle headcanon: The beard that younger Moraine, Brugaves, and Garl sport is unique to Mooncradle. They start growing it out in their 20s (mustache is optional, but is usually started around 40-50's).

Another Minor Mooncradle headcanon, and Trio Headcanon: Kids keep their hair about shoulder length until they hit their teens, then they can do what they want (though most keep it long anyway). Zale *hated* the long hair, and snuck out to chop it all off with stolen shears (a couple of years before they sneak into the Forbidden Cavern). When he got in trouble, Garl did the same in solidarity (though he managed a much neater cut to his hair); Valere never cut her hair bc she likes the length, though would help Zale and Garl keep their hair shorn short (either by standing guard while they cut it, or cutting it herself (it's usually neater when she does it. Zale usually gets impatient and ends up hacking at it. Eventually the adults give up on enforcing the hair rule for them.

Monsters are on the rise, both because of the ones being developed in Aephorul's Lair and sent out to the game world, and the Acolytes also doing whatever they could to boost them (monster farmers?? *snerk*). A lot of smaller villages/towns get overrun and are either completely destroyed, or people end up just leaving their homes and making their way to larger cities for the protections they provide (why Brisk looks/feels so sprawling and diverse; also why some get desperate enough to try for Lucent (not believing the warnings/tales and getting stuck).

All the cyborgs on Serai's world have actually been around for a long, long time. None of them can really remember exactly how long anymore, due to their trauma of being turned into cyborgs along with all the continuous torture from the Dweller of Dread.

Serai is related to the Queen that Was (going for niece, atm), and part of her desperation to fix everything is because of that (though she can't fully remember *why*, she feels responsible for it all.)

The Queen That Was had been a powerless figurehead for the government in the Megacity, and had made a deal with Aephorul or one of his followers, to grab for power for herself and humans against the other races.

Tentative idea is that Cedric (computer aide to Serai) was a scientist whose experiments/designs were stolen and repurposed into the Catalyst. He learned what was happening, and before he could be captured and forced into the Catalyst himself, managed to upload himself into a computer in Repine (saving his soul from the Dweller). As time went by, he became more like a computer/machine himself until it was just assumed that he is an AI when found by Serai.

Songsters were little guys! Look like an anthropomorphic cat, with a very long, prehensile tail (resembles a cougar/snowy leopard in shape.) Broad shouldered, are very strong, but short and stocky (ranging around 3 or 4 feet in height.) Hands are 5 fingered, but feet are broad paws to aid in climbing (so no shoes for these guys). Very large ears, and their faces don't really lose a kitten-ish look; there is a huge variety of fur types and colors. Clothing is loose and draped when not working/building; more for decoration than protection (they wear more when dealing with other races, to account for differing race stances on nudity). They have specific clothes they wear when building, for fur/body protection (PPE, like little hard hats, special boots, etc).

Songster cities were designed to look like they sprung up with nature, as balanced as they possibly could with their environment. They had magic and tech to make life comfortable, even in the smallest villages. Their tech was pretty advanced, and built to blend in and be unobtrusive.

Human cities lean more to high urban and tech, though they do have many pockets for greenery (parks and the like). Essentially like how Star Trek and Star Wars "utopia" cities are depicted? All clean lines or heavy industrial and super integrated with tech and machines (leaning more towards Star Wars. There are still slums and underlying issues that are swept under the rug).

The Birdmen were not necessarily less technologically advanced, but their religion/culture made it look as if they were. Like the Songsters, they built their structures to work with nature, but with as little influence on the "wild" areas as possible. They have technology, but is integrated into their structures to not be as obvious as the other races; and due to their religion, some technology is simply forgone. (In game the Sacrosanct Spires is very heavy on the stone structures, integrated with nature, but the huge root system and cut branches suggests a lot of it was cut down and back? Possibly something that happened during/after Aephorul's influence). Their preference is to keep as much of their history/religion/culture intact, so they appeared to be less advanced. (Birdmen were possibly dissmissed by humans (and even by Songsters?) as being hidebound to their religion and less advanced as a result, and that might have been a driving force as to why they sided with Aephorul).

The Megacity was built as an attempt at strengthening a developing peace between the races, with the Songsters doing a lot of the design, but all contributing to it's development (definitely prior to the Cult getting a firmer stranglehold on the Birdmen.)

Before Aephorul arrived and set up his stronghold, there were a lot of wars between the Birdmen and Humans, as well as civil wars between Humans. In the height of strength in the megacity, there was ultimately a huge grab for power by the Queen That Was to solidify humans as the ones in charge instead of being governed by a congress of all races.

[p5x-theories]

Other Notable NPCs

(last updated 9/27/24!)

This post will be a quick rundown of all the other relevant NPCs introduced in the main storyline of the game so far.

Palace Rulers

The first Palace ruler is Takeyuki Kiuchi; his Shadow is also known as Lord Cupid. Kiuchi is a confirmed phantom, known as the Collision Man, who violently runs into women while passing through train stations. He used to be a baseball player, but had to quit and become an office worker instead. His Palace takes the form of a baseball stadium.

Kiuchi's distortion revolves around blaming women for the problems in his life, after an elementary-school-aged Motoha embarrassed him while he was still an athlete, and later a scandal with a woman got him kicked off the team. He's stated to have mixed together feelings of lust with a desire for domination/"revenge", and treats women the way he does as payback for the women that he believes wronged him in the past.

After talking to his Shadow, it's revealed he considers baseball the only thing he was ever good at. When he thinks there's nothing left for him, Motoha reminds him what he actually liked about the sport, then convinces him to turn himself in and start fresh, and maybe get back into helping coach kids' baseball teams later on.

[In Wonder's visions, Kiuchi pushed a mother and her baby down a staircase, killing the baby. When he's later arrested, he seems to be having a breakdown about being a murderer, and how there's no coming back from this for him.]

His Treasure was a giant golden baseball in the Metaverse, and turned into an everyday rubber baseball in the real world.

The second Palace ruler is Hiromu Miyazawa; his Shadow is also known as Pan. Miyazawa is a confirmed phantom, related to the vicious bad reviews he gives restaurants, leading to their closure. He's a popular food critic, and is also known as the Flavor Swordsman. His Palace takes the form of a Japanese castle-themed movie set.

Miyazawa's distortion revolves around his desire to be an actor, and his inability to get protagonist roles or be taken seriously in supporting roles due to his appearance. He explains he had to throw away his pride to get roles, and eventually moved into food reviews instead because people liked his harsh reviews, so he got more fame and money. This pursuit of money eventually led him to extorting restaurants for good reviews. His Shadow is obsessed with being the protagonist of the "movie".

After talking to his Shadow, it's revealed he treats the chefs that he reviews so badly because he's jealous that they still have pride in their work, and are genuine to themselves, when he gave up his own pride and dreams. The ramen Shun made for him made him feel this so strongly he cried. Shun tells him he can start over and be more honest this time, after turning himself in, and Shun will treat him to ramen again even if he's penniless.

[In Wonder's visions, Miyazawa won the rigged contest he challenged Shun to, which led to Shun being declared an official phantom based on Miyazawa's lies about Shun's behavior. He mocks Shun even as Shun is informed his father figured died of a heart attack in the hospital.]

His Treasure was a golden film reel in the Metaverse, and turned into a movie ticket in the real world.

One of the rulers of the third Palace is Kumi Katayama, class 2C's homeroom teacher (the class Wonder and Motoha are in), as well as their math teacher. She seems to be the math teacher for class 2D (Shun and Tomoko's class) as well. Her Shadow is also known as Kiskil-lilla. Katayama is a confirmed phantom, known as the Rush Rider, who bikes recklessly and injures people while dressed as a Cyler Eats deliverywoman. Her Palace takes the form of a dam that is being pushed beyond its limits and falling apart, though it's later discovered it isn't solely her Palace.

While she's somewhat strict and no-nonsense during class, she seems softer outside of this, and asks Motoha and Wonder about Shun when Miyazawa's video worries her. Shun seems to regard her highly, saying she's a passionate person, and trusting her to listen to him. Katayama is also shown repeatedly to care deeply about the wellbeing of all her students, both present and former, and will go out of her way to help them. After Akashi (see next) comes to Kokatsu and begins to target her with his new policies, she becomes more desperate and stressed. Her Shadow reflects this, being painfully puppeteered by Shadow Akashi into attacking her students against her will.

Katayama is also revealed to have been a famous delinquent as a teen, and friends with Masa (further down the list). This is presumably when she cultivated the biking skill that she now uses as the Rush Rider.

[In Wonder's visions, Shadow Akashi sends so much electrical power through Shadow Katayama, to force her to keep fighting the Phantom Thieves, that the real-world Katayama dies.]

Her Treasure was a copy of a manga about bad teachers in the Metaverse.

The other ruler of the third Palace is Kei Akashi, an educational consultant who comes to Kokatsu Academy, allegedly sent by the school council to help with the problem of teacher overwork. His new policies target Katayama in particular, as he's using her as "bait" for some larger plan. To this end, he arranges situations to repeatedly get Katayama in deeper and deeper trouble with the dean, all while making himself look like the innocent good guy of the situation who can actually solve problems.

His Shadow lurks in Katayama's Palace, and is eventually identified by Ruferu to be a second ruler of the Palace. However, he's discovered to essentially be operating as a parasite, and notably the cognitions of the Palace see Katayama as their boss, while referring to Akashi as the "new director" they're all scared of. Shadow Akashi uses electrically-charged, cordlike arms to electrocute Shadow Katayama into doing whatever he wants her to (particularly, attacking the Phantom Thieves) while also stealing the power generated by her via the Palace to power himself up.

After the Phantom Thieves rescue Shadow Katayama from him, and convince her to return to her real self, Shadow Akashi puts the dam Palace on lockdown.

School-Related

Mr. Hakozaki is class 2C's science teacher. He's somewhat jumpy, and admits he doesn't spend a lot of time around other people, even idolizing a historical scientist who never shared the results of his research with anyone. Still, he seems extremely passionate about the science he teaches, even if he's anxious about actually teaching it to a group of students.

Mr. Shimonuma is class 2C's civics teacher. He doesn't seem to have much faith in his students, and primarily enjoys when they don't know an answer, so he can correct them. He's stern in a slightly sadistic way, though he hasn't yet been seen to go so far as throwing chalk at his students (like Ushimaru does to Joker); it's all verbal.

Mr. Endo is class 2C's English teacher. He's somewhat casual, with a slightly disinterested vibe, but he evidently know his subject, and doesn't seem to be slacking on teaching it. Still, he complains about the strangeness of English sometimes, and once mentions that he wishes the whole world spoke Esperanto.

Ms. Taniyama is class 2C's world history teacher. She's friendly, and seems gentle with her students, while of course displaying a knowledge of and interest in her subject. She seems to have some interest in various forms of divination, though it only comes up offhandedly.

Mr. Nagara is class 2C's literature teacher. He's very passionate and enthusiastic about his subject, and seems to generally feel emotions deeply. At the same time, he seems somewhat prone to tangents. He's the type to laugh at his own jokes, and is overall very reactive.

Kokatsu's Dean of Student Affairs is a man named Yamanashi. Yamanashi has a level of authority at the school, but he's still quick to become nervous if questioned or called out in any way, even if he stubbornly puts his foot down about whatever is under question. He tends to push any work he can off to Riko Tanemura (and then brag about how capable she is), and is quick to follow Akashi's new policies when they sound like they're in line with what the school wants, without much critical thinking.

Other

Merope is Wonder's Velvet Room attendant. Though she has a very calm, collected, and straightforward demeanor, she is very dedicated to helping him however she can, including coming up with the idea of (and creating) the Phantom Idols that help him in combat.

She is also a Confidant of his, and it revolves around her "special project" to help improve his skills further. However, she is very interested in idols and idol culture- apparently believing them to be similar to the role Wonder plays- and much of her "special project" focuses on teaching Wonder more about idols, and how to be more like one. She is not only focused on being a good idol mentor towards Wonder, but also on herself being a proper idol fan, and refers to having done extensive research on the subject, though in practice she's evidently missing a bit of practical knowledge.

Merope seems to have a fondness for Wonder that may edge into romantic territory, though she's not romanceable. She casually refers to them doing things similar to what a couple might do- such as when they ride a ferris wheel together- and asks Wonder about it. However, as she tends to keep a very matter-of-fact tone, it's difficult to say whether she's actually flirting, or simply gauging his own reaction to understand him better.

More information about Merope's Confidant can be found here.

Marthym is a humanoid shadow that mainly dwells in Mementos. She is a self-described businesswoman, and notably runs the in-game store that takes actual money, as well as allowing players to buy gacha pulls.

Marthym's main story role seems to be her loose function as a guide to Mementos. She explains to the Phantom Thieves how to open up areas using tickets collected on that floor, and mentions that this benefits her as well as them, though she doesn't clarify how.

She also introduces the player to Paradise, which is an area where the player can see their guild, and includes special rotating boss fights that give extra rewards. Again, this seems to be explained as part of her business.

Yamagoshi is the owner of the restaurants Toraiken and Ashouken, and has been running them for a long time, though his wife passed away at some point after their opening but prior to an elementary-school-aged Shun visiting. Miyazawa particularly harasses Yamagoshi, as he wants to be given ownership of Ashouken, especially after Yamagoshi fell ill.

Shun sees him as a surrogate father, and Yamagoshi evidently cares a lot about him as well, as he set aside an heirloom to be given to Shun when he turned 18. [In Wonder's vision, when Shun loses the competition and is declared a phantom, Yamagoshi dies of a heart attack.]

Yamagoshi seems to believe in teaching others, as he opened Ashouken specifically with the intention of it being a place for his employees to learn. He also believes in authentic flavor for his food, and is very proud of the restaurants' ramen's signature taste.

Masa is the person currently running the ramen restaurant Ashouken, though Yamagoshi actually owns it.

Masa is an apprentice of Yamagoshi's, and believes strongly in the same principles as he does. It's mentioned his dream is to open his own restaurant. He's familiar with Shun, and seems fond of him. Prior to the start of the game, however, Masa began to give into Miyazawa's demands for ingredient changes and bribes, even as it ruined Ashouken's food, because he didn't want Yamagoshi's restaurant to die completely.

After trying Shun's ramen in the competition Miyazawa challenged him to, he seems to have come to his senses, and becomes much more willing to stand up to Miyazawa, even if it risks his job. Masa is also the one to inform Shun when Miyazawa formally apologizes.

Masa later reveals that he and Katayama were friends in high school, and delinquents at the time. They seem to still keep in touch, as when Miyazawa got Shun fired from Ashouken, Katayama came to Masa to ask what happened.