#also this is to say i'm on a true beauty brainrot and if you want to request headcanons for these characters i am rEADY to receive them

[suzyandthefox]

hey hey hello hi I got into S/lay the P/rincess a few months ago and I don't have anyone to talk about it much with, I am SO down to hear your nom headcanons if you have any

my favorite princesses are the Beast and the Den (for obvious reasons lmao) as well as The Moment of Clarity, and the Apotheosis, so if you have any headcanons for any of them, I'd love to hear them. and/or just your favorite princess(es)! go wild, as few or as many as you'd like to share, no pressure either way

I'd also like to hear if you have any headcanons for TLQ, whether as pred or prey, beeg form or smol. lobve the lil birb man. I like to think he'd be a switch :>

(sorry if this is a lot lmao. love your work!)

Thank you so much!!

Fellow S/lay The P/rincess fan, I'm glad we can share the brainrot together, I was working on my fan princess at some point (will drop the art underneath a break)

For this Ask I'm going to explore ALL the vessels and tell you which ones can eat other than the beast and which ones can be eaten.

Of course: Major warnings for spoilers

TLQ: My beloved,my lovely baby bird, He is what I call a True Switch, which is when someone fits perfectly both as pred and as prey, he is built like that.

Base Princess: She changes depends on your perception to her, but generally, she is just a normal woman. She can't vore.

Adversary/Eye of the Needle: Big strong muscle lady, shaped like an Oni (which I'm like 100% sure was the intention) and In a lot of mythos,Oni swallow their enemies whole. However, she would like a fair, engaging fight and swallowing you whole mid-fight wouldn't be very fair or fun.

I say, given the right circumstances, Adversary/Eye of the Needle can vore!

Maybe she would like to incapacitate you, or give you somewhere to rest momentarily before continuing the fight, or see if you can tear her apart from the inside out.

The Fury: Hates you and Hates you and Hates you and Hates you and Hates you and_ can't vore solely because swallowing you whole would be too merciful and she wants to shred you into a million pieces.

Tower/Apotheosis: All I wanna do, is see you turn into, A GIANT WOMAN, A GIANT WOMA_

Extremely beeg lady, she makes sure to ham into your head how insignificant and tiny you are, displaying her dominance over you, and of course, what better way to display dominance than to literally make you a part of herself?

She can make herself your gilded cage, your home, not only would she take her very sweet time enjoying your taste, teasing you and telling you how much of a delectable little morsel you are, but she would keep teasing you even after you reached her stomach.

She would tell you things like how this was all meant to happen and that your only choice is to wait for your fate like the meal you are, etc.

Not only can The Tower/The Apotheosis vore, she's very much a cruel bastard Pred.

The Witch: "I probably won't bite" (It's a fucking lie)

Little meow meow >:3, She would be in for the chase and the biting, but can't actually vore, she will 1000000% bite you though, and make it hurt.

The Thorn: MY WIFE MY BEAUTIFUL WIFE MY SWEETIE PIE_ The Thorn is one of the princesses that's lets herself be vulnerable to you, this route is all about trust and allowing yourself to be weak to the other.

And well, is there's any bigger sign of trust than safe vore?

After freeing her from the thorns, She would be weak, tired, in pain from all the thorns that hurt her and wrapped her.

If she was smaller, imagine if we could put her somewhere comfortable and warm, ease her pains.

"We must keep her as close to us as possible, away from this harsh,cold world that will hurt her fragile body" Smitten says as you look at her,she actually became smaller...

You do, indeed, want to keep her as close as possible, underneath your heart, within yourself, hidden safely in your depths.

You confess to her about your intentions, promising to her that you will protect her with your life... She hesitates, but agrees, you didn't hurt her before, why would you now?

Almost as natural as breathing itself, you tuck her in, your innards gently yet eagerly receives your lover, knowing who she is and what they have to do.

Smitten is absolutely Thrilled to have the princess inside the body, it's literal extreme cuddling after all, and being able to feel her movements within? Every delicate touch to your flesh? Knowing that she trusts you with her life? He literally can't be happier.

Hero still thinks it's inhumane and strange to swallow another living being whole like this, even if he knows the body is safe for the princess he is still squeamish about all of this.

Oops I wrote a whole mini fic, Can you tell she's my favourite? (I'm boring Ik but this route is genuinely the sweetest thing ever)

The Wild: A web of nerves lain upon a web of nerves lain upon a web of nerves_ Technically can't vore because you're already a part of her and she's a part of you.

The Wounded Wild: You seperated yourself from her, but your heart yearns, you feel that a part of you is missing, an emptiness inside you twists and turns like a hungry void, would you make yourselves one again? Even by force?

The Beast/The Den: Canon vore, enough said.

The Damsel: She's very demure,very cutesy, she would do anything you ask her to do, even if you eat her alive, she won't fight against you, "I just want to make you happy!"

As with the thorn, Smitten would be thrilled, but Hero would find more than one wrong thing with this.

The Grey/The Spectre/The Nightmare/The Wraith: These are all Ghosts, I don't see much vore potential here, outside of Spectre possessing you.

The Prisoner : Least vore potential tbh, 0% , can't see it happening.

The Stranger: "Who are you calling weird? Just kidding, we know we're weird. And so are you." Would make for an interesting pred with an interesting anatomy if she was a pred.

The Razor: Stabs

The Shifting Mound: There's an ending where she makes you a part of her, I guess that counts as vore.

And here's my own fan Princess: The Mouse!

Anyway I hope you enjoyed this! Thanks for asking!

[valkyyriia]

A Brief Respite

Words: 464 CW: Fluff | SFW Pairing: Leonardo da Vinci / OC

Note: I've been having brainrot with this OC and Leonardo and I wanted to write some fluff. I apologize in advance if Leonardo's OOC.

I've also been talking myself in and out of posting this for an hour now. So I'm gonna just do it and hide for awhile.

Not posted on other sites at this time.

“Draculina,” a voice murmured. She felt fingertips glide against her cheek and a gentle squeeze at her hip. Grumbling, she pushed her face further into the warm pillow she was resting on. 

A chuckle reverberated through her “pillow”, and she felt the touch against her cheek once more. “Mia amata, we can’t stay here all day,” they continued. “However much I would like to.” 

“Five more minutes,” she mumbled.

“Now that’s a change of tune,” he said, amused. “It’s already been two hours, Cara Mia.” Leonardo’s lips brushed against her brow. “I would let you sleep longer if I could, but then you would be even angrier at me than you’re already going to be once you’re awake.” His lips ghosted over both of her eyelids. “Let me see those gorgeous eyes, mia amata.” 

- Two Hours Earlier - 

“Leo, we can’t take a nap here,” Alessandra complained. Her partner had decided this hallway was as good a place as any for a quick pick-me-up, and promptly flopped down against a wall, dragging her down with him.

“Says who?” Leonardo’s baritone voice rumbled, pulling her into his arms and settling comfortably. “I didn’t want to have to wait to have you in my arms. Surely you won’t begrudge me fifteen minutes of your time, Mio Sole?” He nuzzled her hair. “I won’t even fall asleep myself, if that eases your mind,” he offered. Leonardo was only telling half the truth; he was always happy to hold her, that was true, but he left out his underlying motive. His Draculina had been dealing with a lot of stress and part of it was his fault, and she hadn’t been sleeping well as a result. It hurt his heart to see her so clearly distressed, so he decided to take matters into his own hands.

Alessandra sighed heavily. Leonardo smiled coyly and pressed a kiss to the crown of her head, knowing he had just won. “Fifteen minutes, Dormiglione,” Alessandra relented, resting her head in the crook of his neck. “No more. We have things to do today.” 

“Fifteen minutes,” he agreed easily, stroking her cheek and running a thumb along her waist soothingly. “Now relax. You need it, bambina.” 

- Present - 

Begrudgingly, Alessandra’s eyes drifted open. She pulled away slightly to look at him. 

“There’s my beautiful girl,” Leonardo cooed, tapping her nose. “How are you feeling?” He brushed a stray hair out of her face and tucked it behind her ear.

“Better,” she yawned. Alessandra blinked and smiled back at him. “But I thought you said fifteen minutes?” 

“I did, but you were sleeping too peacefully for me to wake.” He leaned forward and kissed her softly. “You needed the rest.”

“Thank you,” Alessandra murmured, kissing his cheek.

“You’re welcome,” Leonardo replied with a smile. “Now, let’s get to it, yeah?” 

Dividers by @/natimiles

Taglist: @natimiles

Let me know if you want to be added!

[ratinayellowbandana]

Hi!! I love your fics so much, and was hoping you could possibly do these prompts (or combine them!):

Hug

&

"You're safe here, I promise."

Thank you!! And no stress if you don't do this particular prompt, I'm just happy to read anything you write ❤️

ok so.. this ask if from September, but we're going to ignore that because I finally got around to filling it (with a slight variation). so thanks so much for your patience on that one. tossing my ep. 78 brainrot into the ring with everyone else's. here's a canon-divergent take on laudna bolting after the ziggurat and recounting old memories.

what if she retreated to the old laboratory instead of the woods?

cw: mentions of torture (canonical)

length: 1431 words

also on ao3

~~~

“Laudna, sweetheart?”

Imogen’s voice is a distant echo, resounding off the stone walls that warp and twist her words. She cannot see Imogen, cannot let Imogen see her. The veil that creeps over her face flickers in and out of existence, the phantom pressure of the choker heavy around her throat. Laudna bites back a low whine in the darkness. Shadows congeal around her feet, cloaking her from Imogen’s searching eyes. 

“Are you in here?” The question fades into heavy silence. The broken bookshelves and shattered vials give her no reply. 

Imogen had known just where to look, her clever girl. Laudna’s feet, guided by Delilah’s sweet whispers, had returned her unbidden to the laboratory. The scent of dried blood lingers in the groutwork. The metal table lies on its side, overturned during their spat with the castle’s vengeful spirits, its shackles dangling loose.

Laudna curls against the furthest wall, her form lengthening, cracking, shifting into something more. The thrumming in her chest urges her to lash out with cruel talons and jagged teeth. To tear and shred and protect until no one would dare cross her again. To snarl and fight until she is left alone once more.  

Her mama always said she was too trusting. Too gullible. It would get her into trouble. Trusting the wrong people. Lady Briarwood had been welcoming, so accommodating in her beautiful castle. She had seen something special in the farmgirl from the outskirts of the Parchwood. Her invitation had been a gift from the gods. The promise of private tutelage lured a girl below the city.  

Flashes of memory, scattered as fallen leaves, reveal racks of knives beside the door. The bite of iron into famine-thinned wrists. A throat screamed raw. Lady Briarwood’s traitorous sneer. 

“Laudna?”

The tunnels promised safety. It was easy to lose herself among the twists and turns. Carving a nook for herself was simple enough. A few well-placed crates disguised a forgotten passageway. She snuck up to the castle kitchens for castaway scraps. Pupils grew accustomed to the dark. Discarded trash became the foundation of her odd collection of possessions. Chipped bottles and forgotten tokens decorated her first home. 

They searched below the city for any traces of the Briarwoods’ nefarious projects. Laudna was flushed out of hiding when an unsuspecting guard stumbled across her enclave. 

Laudna?

The sting of betrayal sits fresh on her tongue. 

The spell is workin’, so you gotta be close. 

Her fingers stretch and claw at her hair. The fear of waking up alone again. A bed of moss tucked into broad tree roots. 

She wants to bite and mangle and–

Everyone leaves. True colors will show; it’s only a matter of time. They’ll learn what she is. They always do. 

Please don’t run from me.

Purple light dances overhead, casting Imogen in a familiar glow. 

“Where are you?” 

Laudna hunches into herself, a growl bubbling in her chest. 

“Stay away,” she spits, hating the way the words fall at her feet.

Imogen turns in the direction of her voice, eyes flitting over the swath of shadow hiding Laudna’s quivering shape. 

“If you really want me to go, I’ll go,” she says simply, ignoring the high notes of fear in Laudna’s voice. 

“I don’t want to hurt you. I don’t want to hurt anybody.”

“You won’t.” 

“You can’t know that.” 

“But I know you.” Imogen sighs, says softly, “Will you let me see you?” 

“Her influence is stronger here,” Laudna rasps. 

Imogen stiffens. “That’s alright. We’ll fight her off together if we have to.” Laudna doesn’t miss the barely concealed rage hidden beneath a layer of steely nonchalance Laudna suspects isn’t solely for her benefit. 

“She wants me to kill him and take the shard.” 

“She can’t have it.” 

“She needs it,” Laudna whispers, “and I’m afraid of what she’ll do to get her way.” She drops the shroud of darkness. “She always gets her way.” A broken sob tears from her throat. 

Imogen rushes forward, stopping short two paces away. “Oh, honey, can I–” she reaches out her hand, and Laudna nods. Imogen collapses at her side, taking Laudna into her arms. Laudna clings to her, trembling in the warm glow of Imogen’s lights. 

“I hate it here,” Laudna rushes. “I hate this city, I hate this fucking castle, I hate the gods-damned moon.” It bursts out of her in a wave as Imogen caresses her hair with gentle, practiced hands. “I hate Ashton,” she confesses through a choked cry, “I hate them, Imogen. Why would he betray us?” 

“‘Cause he’s a dumbass,” Imogen replies. “A dumbass who doesn’t think about the consequences of their actions and hurts everyone around them ‘cause he thinks we don’t care.” 

“He hurt Fearne. And he hurt you, and he hurt me–”

“Yeah, they did. And I’m fuckin’ pissed at ‘em ‘cause of it, but I don’t hate him.” She sounds weary and world-worn. 

Silence falls between them, save the dripping of a distant pipe.

Laudna speaks quietly. “She– she tortured me here, you know?” She feels Imogen tense beneath her, her hand faltering its steady course through Laudna’s hair before recovering once more. “I don’t… I don’t remember most of it. Probably for the best, really. Awful business, torture. I’ve heard it’s terribly messy.” Imogen isn’t smiling, and Laudna drops her attempt at lightheartedness. “I’m sorry. I don’t– I don’t mean to make you uncomfortable. Being in this room, I suppose–”

“In this room?” Imogen realizes, horrified. Her head swivels, taking in the overturned table, the broken beakers, the discoloration of the floor. “I didn’t realize– gods, Laudna, you never… We should go–” She moves to stand, but Laudna stops her. “She wanted to remind me, I think, of what she’s capable of.”

“You’re safe now. I promise.” Imogen murmurs fiercely, pressing her lips to the crown of Laudna’s head. 

“My ears,” Laudna continues, because Imogen knows this story. “She promised me lessons. Said I would be able to hear her better with my ears just so.” A dry laugh escapes. “I suppose she was right.” 

There is something about being here, in the room of her nightmares, with another living person. With Imogen, who grips her tighter, holds her a little closer. Who does not flinch away, but extends herself as a comfort. 

“I don’t think you’d have liked me when I returned the first time.” Laudna swallows. “I was… lost, callous. I hurt people.”

“You did what you needed to survive.” 

Laudna shakes her head. “I was angry and bitter. I fought recklessly and killed without thinking. Not every shack I came across was abandoned, Imogen. And when Delilah began her meddling… I felt it was justice for the harm done to me.” 

Laudna sits up, leans away from Imogen and twists her fingers around themselves. 

“There was a little girl once. She was kind to me, the way young children are with their imaginary friends.” She smiles fondly at the memory. “I do love children… I loved her, I think. She snuck me kitchen scraps and apples, and we would play games into the twilight hours before she had to return home.” Laudna’s face falls. “One day, she brought her parents to meet her spooky friend in the barn. They were not so kind to me.” She rubs self-consciously at a spot on her hip. “They attacked me, and I–” She swallows thickly. “I killed them.” 

Another sob resurfaces. 

“I didn’t mean to, I swear it. They were shouting at me, and then I was shifting back into my body, and the little girl was crying. And I ran.” She exhales a shaky breath. “I betrayed her trust. I’m no better than Ashton or Delilah or–”

“You didn’t deserve that,” Imogen says softly. “Any of it. Then or now.” 

“I’m sorry.” 

Imogen holds out her arms again, and Laudna falls into them. 

“You did what you needed to survive,” Imogen repeats. “We’ve all done things we can’t take back. All we can do is move forward and strive to be better.”

“I don’t hate Ashton,” Laudna whispers into the fabric of Imogen’s dress. 

“I know, Laud,” Imogen murmurs, “I don’t either.” 

They sit in the ransacked laboratory until the last of Laudna’s cries subside, and Imogen’s back is sore from leaning against the wall at an awkward angle.

“What do you say we go find the others?” Imogen asks gently.

Laudna nods and gets to her feet, dabbing ichor from her eyes. Imogen squeezes her hand. 

Together, they climb the stairs of the hidden passageway behind the bookcase and do not look back. 

[fervency-if]

*Screeches like a banshee* Author, you should not have reposted the bloody bridal gown because I'm now experiencing an intense brainrot for ROs and weddings.

So hypothetically, the talk comes (I assume the anemiacs don't really combust in churches and wedding ceremonies) which ROs are initially okay with marriage and which RO does not?

If they do get married, where would they want it? On a beach? On a traditional church? In a garden? In a luxury villa? Or they just slap on some courthouse papers?

Finally, which RO will let MC eat the officiants and other guests? And potentially join in on the fun? 🤭

Oops... I didn't consider the risks at hand, haha! And yes, very true - buildings such as churches are perfectly safe for them.

The Physician isn't really interested in marriage, but if the main character was, and it was important to them, she would say yes for their sake, to make them happy since she doesn't care much either way - she's neutral. She would want a small wedding, quite private; very few guests, and in a beautiful, location - outdoors, somewhere in nature preferably. Somewhere near a running brook, perhaps, so one could hear it's relaxing little noises in the background. She would actually be very excited when it comes to dressing up - she would want to wear a beautiful and quite extravagant dress and lovely jewelry. She would prefer the occasion to be calm... so no eating/drinking people, let's get married when already well-fed.

Aubrey feels similar to the Physician when it comes to this; he isn't really interested, he's also neutral, but if his partner really wanted to marry him? He would say yes to make them happy - but they would have to be the one to propose. He wouldn't want an extravagant wedding; he would just want his and his partner's close friends and/or family there. He wouldn't want the wedding to be very traditional; he would want to keep it all quite casual and not too 'sentimental' - but he wouldn't mind a nice location; you mentioned 'a luxury villa' as one of the suggestions, and he would like that idea. Especially if there were rumours that the aforementioned villa was haunted, or otherwise spooky in one way or the other. He would be most excited for the wedding party - dressing up all nice and dapper, celebrate with his beloved and their friends, getting tipsy... Oh, and he wouldn't mind a little bit of chaos either. Officiants taste so much better than wedding cake, he's sure of that.

Vesa would absolutely love to marry the main character in the future, and she would be very excited about it all. It's highly possible that she's the one who proposed, but she would love getting proposed to just as much. She would like something extravagant and lavish - a big feast with a lot of guests; and she would be extremely excited when it came to dressing up and looking pretty - she would spend hours on her dress (not white!) and make-up, hair, and accessoires. She wouldn't want it to be very traditional - she would prefer it to be a bit decadent and odd, but romantic at the same time - and the same goes for the location. And... yes. People might get eaten. Absolutely!

Narciso doesn't want to get married - he never will. He wouldn't mind something small and completely private, such as exchanging a symbol (like a ring, for example,) or something, but not a marriage.

Roswhen would absolutely love to get married in the future - they're quite romantic in that sense, and would get very excited. They would listen a lot to their partner's suggestions and ideas, but they would hope that their partner agreed with them that a beautiful garden would be the perfect place for a wedding. It wouldn't matter much if the wedding was big or small, as long as it was romantic. They would prefer to get married on a full belly, though - they wouldn't want things to become too chaotic... They can eat people the next day. Oh, but the main character really wants to... Fine, dear spouse. Fine.

Elan would like to get married very, very much - and he would prefer to get proposed to. He would definitely prefer the day to be quite calm, with somewhat few guests - a big wedding would feel a bit stressful and overwhelming. He doesn't have any real preference - a traditional church would be nice, but so would basically any other place. He would let the main character decide a lot of the things surrounding it, because he isn't exactly used to planning events at all. He would feel like Roswhen regarding feeding - they can do that the next day... But he wouldn't stop his spouse from doing it if they really wished.

[amethystina]

i've been staying up till 6am for the past 2 days to finish WWTD and oh my god? I love your brain? When i say the devil judge brainrot for me is bad, it's BAD. No fic has provided me this level of yearning and slow burn. You could make it a hundred chapters and update over the course of 5 years but I will still be there. Your brain is beautiful

Are you okay? That doesn't sound entirely healthy x'D

That said, I'm so glad you liked the fic! It probably comes as no surprise that I have a serious case of brainrot as well when it comes to these two — and this fic in particular. Right now I'm actually trying to keep myself from writing on it because I have other projects I need to finish first. It's a true struggle x'D

Because that's the thing with Who Holds the Devil: I have never — not once in the two and a half years I've been writing it — actually been bored of it or not wanted to write on it. I can sometimes procrastinate and my health often gets in the way and makes the experience less than ideal (because I sometimes push a little harder than I should) but I love this fic.

(I almost said "more than you all do" but that might be a lie at this point tbh x'D )

It's simultaneously one of the hardest and easiest works I've ever written. Hardest because it's so long and I (like most creatives) struggle with bad self-esteem sometimes, plus it's just draining to write something this long. But it's also the easiest because I have such a clear image in my mind of what I'm doing and where I'm going that I never have to hesitate. I rarely get stuck while writing it since, once I get started, it basically just flows without any effort at all. And so while it is exhausting and I have to take breaks sometimes, there's still no doubt in my mind that I'll continue. Because I'm so invested and still enjoy it so, so much.

So even if I make it a hundred chapters and will have to keep going for another couple of years, I'll still be here, too. Because I love this fic and I really, really want to see it through to the end. Partly because I want to give these characters the happy ending they deserve, but also because I think it's one of the best things I've ever written. Not in terms of pacing (there is no dramatic curve at all at this point x'D) but in... well, everything else, basically.

It is, at least currently, my magnum opus.

So thank you so much for joining me on this journey! I hope you will enjoy the rest as well. Thank you so much for the kind words 💜

[imminent-danger-came]

Is there anything that causes you lmk brainrot that you weren’t asked about yet? :o

Cause I absolutely love reading your analysis’ and/or your scattered thoughts. If so, this is a demand that you share with the class! No matter what it is!

I'm going to use this as an opportunity to go on a rant about 2x08! It's one of my favorite eps in the whole show and I'd love to talk about why that is.

I wanna talk about Sandy destroying the bear mountain. Can we talk about Sandy destroying the bear mountain? Let's start with Sandy destroying the Bear Mountain:

This alone contributes so much to not only the ep itself but to the hurt/pain motif (or theme) in the show as a whole. Sandy is the gentle giant who doesn't want to fight, mainly because he doesn't want to use his strength to hurt anyone or anything. We see this resolve all the way in the AHIB special:

Sandy: "That's a lot to take in. You know what I do to people who disrupt the peace? Serve them tea! [...] But I'm tellin' you now old friend: if things get hairy, I've changed. I don't go around picking fights no more!"

And it's the first thing he attempts with the Huntsman:

But, the Huntsman presses all the right buttons, Sandy snaps, and because he does so destruction follows (specifically the destruction of that beautiful Bear Mountain that brought him so much awe before, which he has now removed from the world), and it's proof of what Curse MK speaks of:

Curse MK: "Such pitiful creatures. Cowardly, reckless, monstrosities—all doomed to play a role in tearing this world apart, to cause nothing but chaos and destruction."

(4x07 Pitiful Creatures)

-

It's proof of what even MK speaks of:

MK: "No matter what I do, it's going to lead to pain. It's like the Lady Bone Demon said—it doesn't matter if I want to help people or not, everything I do just- it just makes things worse!"

(4x08 The Brotherhood)

-

BUT, the same "Better than we found it" s4 philosophy still applies here, and the first thing Sandy does is check on the surrounding animals and then the crimson jimsonweed:

Even if there was some destruction, the creatures of this forest all made it out okay. And ultimately, because Sandy was there he was able to get what he needed to save MK.

The 2x08 conflict also parallels two other fights in the show: Both Sha Wujing V Pigsy in 4x06 and Azure V MK in 4x13 (I think this flips towards the end of the fight, with it becoming more like MK V Azure). Each fight pushes one half of the conflict to the "breaking point" (Sandy, Pigsy, MK, then Azure) and in-turn revealing something quite monstrous within each of them. (("What's wrong, isn't this what you wanted?" - "You wanna see a monster, I can show you a monster!" - "Well alright then." - "No, this isn't what I wanted!")

The way Sandy explodes and destroys his own clothing in 2x08 reminds me of how MK does the exact same thing in 4x13 Rip and Tear:

And I think some of what Sha Wujing says is easily applicable to all 3 situations:

Sha Wujing: "But you were too weak to be who you truly are! I am a monster! That's what the world wants me to be, so that's what I'm gonna give 'em!" ((Curse MK: "You can't escape it. This thing, whatever you are, embrace it. Embrace your destiny.")) [[The Huntsman: "All it took to bring out the beast was smacking around some of your woodland friends ey?"]]

-

All 3 fights come down to what the attacker wants from the defender (who then turns into an attacker lol). The Huntsman wants Sandy to go berserk out of pure dark curiosity. Sha Wujing wants to "see a monster", want's Pigsy to give him a true fight. Azure wants MK to turn on Wukong and understand why Wukong isn't worth his loyalty. All attackers end up failing, in their own ways.

And I just think it's neat!

I especially think it's super neat that the Huntsman wanted Sandy to be a monster, ("What's wrong, isn't this what you wanted?") but ultimately Sandy proved he wasn't. Sha Wujing in contrast wanted to prove he was a monster, because "that's what the world [wanted him] to be", and almost did before Mo stepped in.

So next season (or just eventually), I really am hoping for some Sandy backstory! I have my OG Sandy is Current Sandy theory, but I'll love anything they give me. Sandy went through some pre-series character development, and I want to know what was and why it was! MK feels like he's currently following in Sandy's footsteps (in a way), so I'm thinkin' Sandy will be instrumental in helping MK with his current Monkey Form conundrums (or at least in my dreams he will be). Sandy's "No!" during 4x13 when MK explodes into his Monkey Form haunts me, and I'm always one to stand in front of my conspiracy board!

Bonus parallel:

Sandy: "Hurting others isn't a measure of one's strength—took me a really long time to realize that. As long as I'm doing something to help out a friend, I don't mind what it is! I just want to be there for 'em when they need me."

(2x08 To Catch A Leaf)

-

MK: “You don’t know! We’d risk it for sure! I won’t abandon them when they need us.”

(4x02 New Adventures)

-

[raayllum]

Hello! Just wanted to pop in and say thank you for the fantastic content! I just found your blog recently but have kept being surprised at just how perfectly your tastes seem to match mine haha. You are helping my Rayllum brainrot so much and also I am feasting on the wonderful angst. Like CHET??? How did I not know about that before?? That whole theory is a combo of my favorite tropes! I'm so hyped in hopes it'll be a thing. Anyway! No actual point to this ask except to say thanks and I think you're cool :)

AWW thank you so much!! I've always loved pushing characters into scenarios where they are no right choices, just the ones they're willing to live with, so as CHET grew as a theory it just became more and more up my alley - and it's come a LONG way in the (just under) three years it's been a theory of mine. (CHET themed playlist for vibes here.) It started as a whim after TTM came out and then flourished as I picked up on the game motif, the thematic resonances, etc.

Which, I don't know if I think it'll be a straight up hostage exchange anymore since 5x08 Already Did That (although I'd considered the same after 4x09, wondering if they'd repeat it so soon - and then 5x08 had two of them, so who knows) but I think the Game Motif and Rayllum's steady Salvation-Destruction reconciliation are still going to be interwoven and resolved with each other together, so next season it is! More thoughts and theories about our different options & how they could manifest here <3

And while I think at least some of those predictions will be right (I'd have a hard time imagining a plot element where Rayla isn't the one to break him out of the brainwashing, given all the setup and foreshadowing) even if they aren't it's like - I got literally everything I wanted in 5x08. Anything else that comes true or happens in line with prior thoughts is just a Bonus

That being said the cut lines from Finnegrin's Wake of "Seems to be love's got a tighter grip on you than those chains round your wrists, so I'll do you a favour and set you free" verbalizing the already implied dichotomy "lose Rayla and be Free from Aaravos (bye intro)" VS "save her and play into his hands (hi intro)" has been absolutely batshit beautiful to witness, it is coming back 100%, is already a 10/10, the universe loves me and i love them back

[soleillunne]

mutuals appreciation post!! bc i checked my mutuals list the other day and i was like woah

if i didnt tag you here, we havent talked that much so idk what to say but just know i appreciate you nontheless<3

@https-furina : PERSE!!! i don't know how to start this but thank you so much for being in my life. you've been nothing but encouraging since the first time i met you and i love you so much. words cant explain how much i care about you, but i'll find a way to make you know in some way soon hehe

@lucid-lilium : lili my fellow xiao kisser :3 i love talking to you so much you have such a colorful personality and you're so kind and so so so sweet <3 thank you for feeding my angst delusions.

@idyllic-affections : aph my beloved <3333 your works are very nom nom but also youre so sweet and i love brainrotting with you sm bc you never judge me <//3 the friend everyone needs fr fr

@mikacynth : mikaaaaa aaaaa i love your vibe sm you're so cheerful and interacting with you is like taking a deep breath on the first hours of the morning when the air is still cold but you stay out anyway because you dont want to miss the beautiful view <33 mwah mwah

@kisthes : KAZU HI FELLOW TSOA LOVER !!! i love talking with you sm but we've both been so busy lately so i couldnt interact as much as i wanted <//3 i appreciate you sm mwah mwah

@anonbinaryweirdo : OLIIIIII HI OMG the chaos child <3 i love talking to you sm bc you always have sth fun to say and its never boring (not that thats a bad thing but,,, you get what i mean) mwah mwah kisses

@zhongrin : MISS RIN!! i love dropping by in your teashop so much, theres never a dull moment there (be it crazy anons, or events, or anything-) and i love love love seeing you on my dash <3

@floraldresvi : vi, you are so precious!! i know you think otherwise sometimes but thats not true and i will bite anyone that makes you think otherwise >:( you deserve the world mwah

@akiayama : AYA HI HI we became moots not long after i started being into genshin and i remember being so shy to interact with you but you were so kind to me and you still are and i cant thank you enough for being with me through all these times :3

@kopivie : CINNA HI!! you're one of the first mutuals i made here and you're actually the reason i started playing genshin. back when i was trying to write for genshin myself you kept encouraging me so i want to thank you personally for being the reason why i'm here today :3

@i23kazu : ying!! you're so so so kind and talking with you is so fun, i dont even notice the time slip when im chatting with you! i know we dont do it often (which is a crime) but its still lovely to see you on my dash<3

[dailyduncney]

Duncney is Gracie Abrams coded

And i'll tell you why.

"But @dailyduncney, i have never ever listened to Gracie Abrams, can you give me some examples?"

Of course! Come with me and we will drown into the Duncney brainrot

"You were the best but you were the worst

As sick as it sounds, I loved you first

I was a dick, it is what it is

A habit to kick, the age-old curse

I tend to laugh whenever I'm sad

Stare at the crash, it actually works

Making emends, this shit never ends" - I love you, im sorry

Well, do i have to explain? We all know how Duncan can be the best and the worst at the same time. I think they were both wrong sometimes, and i just KNOW that they would be that kind of couple who says things while they are fighting, and afterwards they regret, but anyways, It is what it is.

Courtney is definitely the kind of person who laughs in moments of sadness. She's always trying to remind herself how strong and confident she is.

Moving on:

"Think about your dumb face all the time

Living in your glass house, I'm outside, uh

Looking into big blue eyes

Did it just to hurt me, make me cry

Smiling through it all, yeah, that's my life" - That's So True

I just wanted to include this part of the song bc she mentions dumb face and big blue eyes (Duncan has both)

Let's see the rest of the song

"Ooh, bet you're thinking: She's so cool

Kicking back on your couch, making eyes from across the room

Wait, I think I've been there too, ooh

Ooh, you've got me thinking: She's so cool"

That's literally Courtney when Duncan and Gwen started dating. Change my mind (you won't)

And for the end, the ultimate Duncney song (even if its unrealesed): In Between. I think some verses are also Gwent coded, but this is another topic.

"She toes the line between them

He says he's new at this

There's holy ground beneath them

And sparks fly when they kiss

He hates it when she's crying, he hates when she's away

Even at their worse they know they'll still be okay

He laughs at her eyes, at her smile

At the glasses on her face

She loves how he talks late at night

When there's no one else to say

How she's beautiful and funny and smart

Like nothing he's ever seen

He's good to her and she wants it more

Than everything in between"

❤️‍🩹❤️‍🩹❤️‍🩹

[blank-house]

This time I've got a question for you guys! I think it's impossible for the whole team to respond hehe, so just respond if you want to! Do you have a favourite? Idk if this is like asking you to pick between your children lol but do you have a favourite romance path? Or a path/charachter you find easier to write than the others? Like, if you met all of them IRL who would you get along with best?

I pitched this question to the server and lmao i'm just gonna copy and paste everything the members who responded said.

So Lilly's a writer and they said:

jamie is my boy toy because i like men who hurt my feelings and theres something that gets my engines revving when its someone who isnt immediately emotionally available easiest to write is percy and its bc i have the personality of a (socially conscious) frat boy id probably get along with cameron JFOENFKSN but i reckon thats it

Tsy's our sprite artist and she says:

hmmmm for me I would say Reynah!! I love bossy princess :melt: I like how she make Deja and Cam nervous with her presence haha😆 There's a lot in her smile and brow, like she's smiling but at the same time it's….more than a smile 😎 (the bossy aura)

Chochi's our UI artist and art director, they were also in charge of Elio's and Cameron's design! However, all they said was:

YOU ALREADY KNOW WHO IT ISSSS

ahdladha to clarify, Cameron's their all time favorite and they have been down bad since the concept art. It's actually hilarious how whipped they are for them and they have pleaded often for a Cameron route. We, the members on the writing end, like to make their life difficult by making drabbles about Cam Cam heh

Aiden helped with writing content during the Otome Jam and she said:

elio and cam elio buff and cameron hot

Which was pretty explanatory hah

Next up we have Poob, he's a BG artist on the team and he said Percy because:

hes annoying and i like that in a man

Which is very fair lol

We have another UI artist who helped us during the Otome Jam who wishes to remain andnonymous and they said:

elio bc he is my sweet sweet sweet babygirl i love him so much

Rachel's a writer we recruited to help with content after the jam, and she says:

Cam's actually my favorite. I love their friendship with the MC so much. Every time I see them I want to hug Cameron and not let go

Peach is Cameron's voice actor! And they said:

idk if this applies to me too but cam is 🫶🏼🫶🏼🫶🏼 they're such a fun character ! very relaxed and suave lolol but also they are,… hot

Kat is Reynah's voice actor! She says:

i am a big fan of the student gov girlies i too was an overworked undergrad who did too much with campus events 😔

Tippi's also a BG artist! She said:

Cam is adorable and I want to protect him and Percy is a beautiful man whore who I wish will play me around like a fiddle and then marry me

As for me, I'm all over the place. I already know I'm gonna get boo'd by some members of the team if I say I love them all equally-- they've seen first hand how quickly I buckle when it comes to Percy hahhh-- but it is true that I love every one of our characters. Each romance route gives me massive brainrot (I'm currently in my Jamie era) for their own reasons and each character is simultaneously easy and difficult to write for. But no matter what, I have fun in every instance. As for who I would get along with the best, that would be Deja, Cameron, and Reynah. Hah, they were written to be great friends after all.

[iwritenarrativesandstuff]

trigun anon again! The way you described Vash couldn't be more true, as someone who loves the "character who goes to unimaginable trauma but still chooses to be kind" (Atsushi Nakajima for example TvT), Vash is such a genuine character and SAME I would give him so much hugs he just absolutely deserves it :'<<

Hope you don't mind me going on a small spiel on Vash (no spoilers dw!) but I love how he fits the character trope mentioned above but he also stands out from the conventional cinnamon roll/kind hearted character. As you mentioned, what I find most interesting about him is how he's also relatively distant/difficult to read. It's also interesting that the anime doesn't particularly give a lot of the character's internal thoughts/dialogue unlike the usual animes (Meryl probably having the most) so it gives the audience further distance from Vash despite him being the MC.

What I love the most I swear about Vash is the beautiful irony and hypocrisy of his character, his inability to choose sides because he just wants to HELP others in any way he can because of his genuine care for people but also fears being close to them because he is the "Humanoid Typhoon". Im glad to share appreciation for his character esp since I haven't brainrotted over a character as much as I have for Ranpo Edogawa (he's my fave character in bsd and all time due to how well written he is <33) and I'm sure you'll love him more once you get to see the later eps,

Thank you for taking the time to read this ask and sorry its so long TvT!!!

Hey hey again! I'm sorry I took so long to get to this!

First off, never apologize for long asks! I love reading what people have to say, always!

Yes, Vash is a wonderful character! As I've finished the show now and am on to the manga, I can easily say he's worked his way into being one of my favourite characters in general! It's like you've said, he's genuine but also closed off, compassionate but keeps his distance. He's so idealistic but he's seen and suffered far too much to be naive. Old and young at the same time. Not human yet painfully human. He's such a wonderful contradiction.

I will say though, that I interpret the whole "sides" thing a bit differently. Everyone's accusing him of having to "pick a side" but he kind of already has. He's on everyone's side. From an outsider's perspective though... that looks like no one's.

So then, in episode 12, when Vash makes the decision to assert his beliefs and fight for them - it's not that he's "finally picked a side"; this is what he always believed. I think it's more that he realized he can't be on everyone's side all at the same time. Sometimes people won't listen. Sometimes you have to make a judgement call if you want to protect what matters to you. ...unfortunately, any attempt Vash made to do so and perhaps try to pick up the pieces in the aftermath quite literally blew up in his face... poor guy...

(Also you like Atsushi and Ranpo? You have great taste! Ranpo has such a fantastic arc. It'll be really cool to see where he goes in the future.)

[psychewritesbs]

Hola capaa~~ argentina y entusiasta de Clamp, JJK y Sonny Boy sos todo❣️❣️

I absolutely love all your psych analysis!! I was wondering if you’d like to write a little about Gojo’s relationship with Megumi, like what he views him as. I know there’s a lot of discourse about whether megumi views him as a father/brother/uncle/mentor/guardián but I’d like to read about Gojo’s probable view.

Saludos de CABA❤️

Hola hola! Mucho gusto ♥!

Dear CABAnon... I just need you to know that your ask is an amazing question that required so much fun and multilayered brainrot.

So thank you for the ask and thank you so much for your kind comments. I will write in English in case anyone else wants to read this word vomit but will say hello in Español at the end of this post.

I'm also so glad you're a CLAMP enthusiast too because I'm going to drop clamptastic moments to illustrate points. My heart rejoices in knowing you'll get it.

So without further ado...

Gojo + Megumi. Let's brainrot...

Also... I may or may not have written a whole analysis post only to realize that I wasn't necessarily answering your question so I ended up deleting most of what I had written.

Hence the delay...

Ok procrastination, attention deficit disorder, and my overall slow temperament might have had something to do with it too. So thank you as well for your patience! 😂

ANY-WAYS!

I've written about my thoughts on this relationship from Megumi's perspective in the past, but I feel like my thoughts could use some more nuance given everything we've seen of this dynamic as of late.

What I'll start by saying is that Gojo isn't a character I spend a lot of time brain rotting about, so I may only scratch the surface of my interpretation of him, or perhaps even mischaracterize him a bit *gasp*.

That to say that in order to answer your question, we kind of have to peel back the layers of this dynamic.

So let's start by taking an in-depth look at Gojo:

Gojo Satoru is human af

Ok so... names have meaning in JJK, right?

So given how popular he is in the JJK-fandom, I am assuming it is common knowledge that his name, and the kanji in his name, alludes to an enlightened being.

In other words, Gojo is a bodhisattva--an enlightened being who is able to enter Nirvana but delays doing so out of compassion for others and their suffering.

But here's the thing...

“One does not become enlightened by imagining figures of light, but by making the darkness conscious.”

Carl Jung

What is interesting about Gojo is that, despite his exalted spiritual status as the personification of a bodhisattva, he is actually VERY human.

For one, in relational dynamic to others he keeps others at a safe distance. Like that's literally part of how his Cursed Technique manifests, which is a beautiful example of how Cursed Technique can be a metaphor for the sense of self.

Second, Gojo CARES SO MUCH AND SO DEEPLY, it is actually shown how his emotional entanglements are one of his main weaknesses.

Now, for context, consider that emotional entanglements are a form of self-related attachment and that, in very simple terms, the goal of enlightenment is to transcend attachments that might hold the sense of self back from Nirvana.

Third, Gojo is a direct product of the society he is a part of since he does carry the burden of The Strongest / The Chosen One.

It's almost like Gojo's clown externalized persona is an attempt to add some much needed comic relief to the self-definition others have given him. An attempt to lessen the heavy burden of what it means for others to think of him and define him as The Strongest.

Now, what does strength/power mean in JJK? Overwhelming sense of self which is the byproduct of self-knowledge.

So I headcanon that it is precisely because he knows he is The Strongest, that, true to his character archetype as a bodhisattva, Gojo seeks to alleviate the suffering of others. Thus, his actions in an attempt to alleviate suffering are the result of his nature.

And here's the fun twist: Gojo seeks to do so through "power".

Now let's add Megumi to the mix.

Issai shujo to tomo ni

To answer your question, in addition to understanding Gojo's nature as a compassionate being driven by his attachment to others, we have to consider his actions and motivations.

Gojo bringing Megumi under his wing is an interesting rabbit hole for many reasons.

So let's start with the idea behind the theme issai shujo to tomo ni (“together with all sentient beings”—regardless of what hell one might fall into).

Consider that "it’s not enough for a bodhisattva of the Mahayana to just uphold the precepts. There are times when you have to break them, too. It’s just that when you do, you have to do so with the resolve of also being willing to accept whatever consequences might follow" (source).

To put it in JJK-words, how is Gojo abusing his position of power to further his own agenda?

Basically, it's a major red flag in terms of how Gojo might initially see Megumi as a means to pushing his own agenda for seeking power in order to fulfill his function as bodhisattva.

It's just that Gojo, as the adult in the dynamic, consciously and willingly manipulated Megumi into something that was beneficial for the both of them.

In other words, this is a red flag because Gojo, the adult, acted like a child and gave Megumi, the child, an adult choice.

This might loosely remind you of this fantastic meme and the context behind it:

(Source: noa-ciharu's fantastic talent for shitposting).

I just wanted to use the meme because it's about someone taking advantage of someone else's lack of psychological maturity.

As a side note, this also made me realize just how much JJK is exploring the idea that people's vulnerabilities get exploited by those who are in positions of power.

The thing is that Gojo could have just as easily ignored Megumi or reported him to the authorities. But he didn't do that, did he?

Instead he took Megumi under his wing and groomed him to become a tool that could help him change the Jujutsu-scheme of things. You could look at this and think "that's awful!" and you can also look at this and think "yes, it's shady, AND Gojo was also looking to help Megumi maximize his highest destiny and potential." More on this in a bit.

This is relevant because it says a lot about Gojo's "humanity" and the lengths he will go to for the sake of his goal and desire to alleviate the suffering of others.

Again, Gojo gave Megumi a choice Megumi should not have had to make. I have a 9 year old nephew, so I'm all for giving children choices so that they can develop their own sense of self. But the choices have to be age appropriate.

In other words, the adult in the room, Gojo, anticipated and used Megumi's innocence and love for Tsumiki as leverage to manipulate a specific response from Megumi that would benefit the both of them.

Which brings us to the next layer...

Noblesse Oblige

I think that because I come from a last name De los Reyes, I LOVE and deeply resonate with this term.

It's so...

"With great power comes great responsibility."

Voltaire

This is where the rabbit hole gets fun because, were it not for Toji's last words to Gojo, Megumi and Gojo might have never crossed paths.

And is there anything more clamptastic than the idea that inevitable emotional entanglements are the result of fate bringing people together?

The question this brings up for me is... even though Toji gave Gojo the choice (here we have choice as a theme again) to do as he pleased, can we consider this to be a curse that Toji put on Gojo seeing as these were his last words to him?

So the fact that Gojo chose to follow through with Toji's last words is the stuff of tragedy given we've already seen that Gojo's weakness are his emotional entanglement to others. And now that Sukuna has taken over Megumi's body... well... should we brace for tragedy?

But I digress...

The point of this layer is to introduce the idea that perhaps Gojo is someone who fosters strength / power in others through self-knowledge, both for the sake of his own agenda, and also because of the idea behind noblesse oblige--with great power comes great responsibility.

In other words, consider Megumi's theme in the sense that it would have been a complete waste of the talent he was born with, the prized family jewel worthy of one chosen by fate, to be squandered away in a lifetime spent fighting bullies.

Did Gojo see Megumi's worth only in terms of his family's name and his Cursed Technique? I think initially that might have been the case.

There's definitively something to be said about how Jujutsu society as a whole is a microcosm for the toxic Capitalist zeitgeist that permeates our world where our worth is measured against what we can do rather than for the mere fact that we are alive.

But... that's the thing, even if Gojo, as a product of his environment who is ironically seeking to upturn the very system that gave him the power that he has... Gojo is still Gojo, and Gojo is human af.

And for someone who is as enlightened as he is...

To blind himself to this truth about himself, to keep others at a safe distance in an attempt to lessen those emotional entanglements... well, it is kind of tragic, isn't it?

My precious student

I could have literally written this section only and called it a day but like... where's the fun in not word vomitting?

I have to say that I am loving how Gege is starting to tie loose ends. Promises he made early on in the manga are starting to unfold before our eyes.

For Gojo, the Hidden Inventory arc sets the stage for seeing just how much Gojo cares and the lengths that he will go through to alleviate the suffering of others because of how deeply compassionate he is.

So there is no doubt in my mind that Gojo CARES for Megumi deeply and holds Megumi in high regard both intellectually and emotionally.

Like... even if the way he recruited Megumi can be considered shady, I personally think it's in Gojo's nature to care deeply.

As a result I personally like the idea that Gojo came to care for, know and understand Megumi deeply. I should probably open a thesaurus to find a synonym for deeply, I've used that word like 5 times already.

I also think that Gojo sees in Megumi a mirror of himself given their fate has been somewhat defined by their respective Cursed Techniques. There's actually a lot of parallels in their behavior if you look closely.

Now, one of the biggest questions in fandom has been what life was like growing up in the Fushiguro household and what it was like to grow up under Gojo's tutelage.

So I love that Gege has finally given us a sneak peek at that dynamic because it sheds light into the answer to your question.

To me the panels above might show how Gojo approached fostering Megumi's talent. I could be wrong, but I get major "let's go for a walk so I can teach you something" vibes.

And like... I can't imagine how Gojo could have possibly avoided getting attached to Megumi if he basically saw him grow up. Whether he was around every day or came and went is the stuff of head canons.

But I definitively think there's a lot of love between these two characters and that Gojo sees Megumi not just as a student whose power he needs to foster through self-knowledge, but also as a protégé that was entrusted to him.

Now... given emotional entanglement is one of Gojo's major weaknesses, it makes me wonder what Gege is going to do once he lets Gojo out of the prison realm.

It makes me wonder what lengths Gojo will go through to alleviate Megumi's suffering.

Spanglish alert!

Merci a ma chérie (@justafrenchlondoner) for being a sounding board to help me answer this loaded question. We both loved the brainrot that ensued because of it.

Finalmente...

EAAAAA! Mucho gusto CABAnon!

Así es! Soy entusiasta de clamp, JJK, y Sonny Boy! Me encanta q t gusten a ti tb! The trifecta of perfection if you ask me. Lo único differente es q soy Mexicana pero al fin de cuenta, esa diferencia importa poco :)

Espero halla podido contestar tu pregunta... jeje... con eso d q me fui por una tangente q ni al caso me tardé un poco mas de lo esperado pero la vdd disfruté mucho contestando tu pregunta.

Espero escuchar de ti y tus pensamientos al respecto d nuevo!

Saludos desde mi pedacito en el Desierto de Chihuahua, victoria la psicoloca.

[kunikinnie]

a bit of spoiler + mentions of suicide/suicidal thoughts (average Osamu Dazai) + im most likely not the first one to think about this but let me have my protagonist moment, okay?

okay, i was on my Ōgai brainrot, right?

and, as a person who's only at the 12th volume and at the first season, and knows way more than they should because they literally look for spoilers (I don't. i just happen to see stuff), i was thinking about that one scene where Ōgai replies to Osamu, saying that he reminds him of himself. and right after, he asks him why he wants to die so badly, right?

now .

i know that he most likely meant that Osamu reminds him of hims because he thinks they have the same way of reasoning, scheming and stuff.

but ... what if it was also because Ōgai had those thoughts, too?

okay, i perfectly know this sounds as dumb as ass, because Ōgai just doesn't seem the type and all that. but WHAT if ?????

i was just thinking.......

okay, sorry, i hope you're having a good day:)

warning: mentions of suicide

ahh sorry I just got to this now! :'))

Thank you for sharing your thoughts! Well, I'll try to share my thoughts as clearly as possible without spoiling that much.

I think it's possible Mori may have considered suicide, but I think the big difference between him and Dazai that if Mori did have those thoughts, it's not due to any particular overhanging heavy emotion.

If I'm not mistaken there's that sort of philosophy where suicide is not necessarily a sad thing - it's just an option on how you live (or cease to live?) your life. That's how I imagine he'd go about it.

What he and Dazai have similar, I think, is the thought that "life is meaningless." I genuinely believe neither truly take that to heart or anything but the consequence of that idea is, for Dazai, to disprove that and hopefully find some sort of meaning in it, regardless of how beautiful, ugly, or trivial that meaning may be, while for Mori it's just... a fact, I guess? HAHA idk that might have been a terrible explanation

Because like, him accepting and fully embodying the role of a mafia boss, the night of Yokohama, shows that he's not the soul-searching, wayward in life type. If anything, he's hella ambitious. Single-minded and determined to reach his goals.

OR he might have gone through the same "lost" phase, but his personality now shows the choices he's made to determining that "meaning" or totally disregarding that search all in all. After all, the real author Mori Ougai was considered a romanticist in terms of his literature (he had a feud with another dude who said that literature should be realistic af, so he argued that no! it can be emotional and fantastical if one wishes to - that's the beauty in art, right?) until his work eventually evolved to be more "cold" (as in very logic heavy, characters have little power or are made to follow the roles they are given, plus his homage to a lot of samurai/traditional values of the old pre-Meiji Restoration Japan).

I think I should mention that he did write a short story praising a Japanese army general's suicide (since he promised he'd do that if the emperor died as he lost him a major battle during the Sino-Japanese War, I think) since it embodied the spirit of the true samurai. (Title is The Last Testament of Okitsu Yagoemon) Natsume Souseki, on the other hand, had other thoughts... (wrote a whole novel, Kokoro).

Sorry for the info dump but given how much BSD likes to tie irl author things into its universe, I wanted to link my interpretation/thoughts on BSD Mori by using the real-life inspiration.

Sorry for the long post but I hope that makes sense!

[octoxen]

MY BRAIN IS GOIN KABONKERS

gets ready for Xen happily rambles about the Final Episode of Alan Becker, THE KING

i was supposed to ramble about this last night/ after its premiere, but i was so sleepy lol-

If you haven't watched it, here it is!

For those who do not know about the series, I highly recommend watching from Episode 1 before this episode to prevent spoilers and confusion.

•••••

Basic Information:

AVM - ANIMATION VS. MINECRAFT

this amazing series that I always ramble and brainrot about is made by one of my favorites, Godliest Animator of the whole time, Alan Becker! (It is also a part of my childhood btw.) The Mini animated series features 5 stick figures, Second Coming, Blue, Green, Red and Yellow who are created by Alan himself on his computer, the legendary AAA game, Minecraft is also featured in the series. The series' plot basically starts with the Stick figures messing around and playing with the minecraft icon which it then turns to the five venturing deep into the world of minecraft, from a soft or happy story to intense and angsty lore, the series currently contains 3 Seasons and 30 Episodes, it started in the year 2015.

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SPOILERS WARNING!

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Now I'm gonna talk about the final Episode:

The King [Ep. 30]

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Honestly...this has to be the best episodes and one of my favorites from the series itself, Alan and his Animation crew outdone themselves, making the 7-8 months of work and compilation all worth it, all I have to tell them is they did an Epic job and thanks to them, the episode was possible to be made, I thank all of them, including Alan for making this series, its already like the series we see on our local TVs, but this is different. There are no voices, nor dialogues, but just Stickfigures, movements, perspectives and beautiful music, and an epic Tale of 5 stickfigures.

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I also had no idea King Neo/Orange's background was like that, what DJ (Alan's friend) said from the commentary was true, "Every villain is actually a hero in their own stories/head", yes, just look at how Orange hated minecraft because of the test gameplay and glitch that happened which caused his son's/sibling's demise, he just wanted to get his son back, unfortunately King can't because his beloved one is already dead. (maybe.)

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The glitch scene, specifically THIS scene

This. Shocked me. It reminded me so much of Pibby apocalypse. I was screaming "NOOOOO" while the video progressed, look at Orange :(, much worse, HE SAW HIS OWN BELOVED ONE DIE AT THE FRONT OF HIS VERY OWN EYES!!! I MEAN- WHO WOULDNT BE ON DESPAIR SEEING THAT? YOUR LOVED ONE, MEETING THEIR DEMISE INFRONT OF YOUR VERY OWN EYES!! My goodness...ALL I CAN SAY THIS IS VERY GOOD, SNACKABLE ANGST HMHMHMHMUHEHHE. The quality of the animation was so good too! The series really became an anime in a matter of time lmao-

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next up, when Orange planned how to destroy minecraft, I saw some scientific formulas there which activated nightmare fuels..hahahhehe. Mans really doing everything just to get his son back :(

When Purple saw that Orange was looking for the colored stickfigures (because he saw them playing minecraft at one of the local tvs in the city, he figured out they might know where the minecraft icon is and help him destroy it.), Purple went to Orange, telling him that he has already met them. Proving that, Purple did some fighting moves, but Orange didnt respond, Next, Purple pulled up and elytra which was from minecraft and equipped it, flew up and away with a firework and Orange finally responded and took him in.

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Finally, the fight scene. Purple punching King Orange was kinda satisfying after that betrayal, but the staff was stolen by Orange once again so their plan to catch King Orange failed-

HEROBRINE MADE A FRICKING APPEARANCE LMFAO I WAS ROFL SO HARD BECAUSE MANS WAS JUST DODGING LIKE THE ZERO TWO MEME 😭😭 ALSO. He possessed red again, that also shocked me, i was shouting "EPISODE ONE FLASHBACK?!?!?!" I JUST- AUSHEJEHWN ITS TOO EPICLY AMAZING AND FANTASTIC

the movements were also clear to see, I wonder how many animators animated every single stickfigure and mob in there to make the movements-

--------skipping few of the scenes

ENDGAME PART OR WHERE THE WHITE THINGY- VOID THING GOT STRONGER FROM THE STAFF, I STARTED TO STIM SO HARD BECAUSE IT WAS SO GOOD AND INTENSE, CUE THE MUSIC AND GRAPHIC, LOOK AT THE 6 STICKFIGURES GOING ONE BY ONE TO THE KING TRYING TO STOP HIM FROM DESTROYING MINECRAFT,, THEY WERE PUT IN THE WHITE VOID AND THAT CAUSED THEM TO GLITCH! THEN-THEN-

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Purple stood up and ran to King Orange, he countered the white void, reaching his hand to the King, this activated Flashbacks of the tragic Past, Purple struggling similar to Orange's son struggling to get out of the glitch. and when Purple gave up, Orange put the staff down and ran to Purple, he then realized that he was doing the same thing that Minecraft did to his son. He also realized Purple was the only one who understands him, who was with him through his plan and is like his beloved one, He also jumped in to the void to get Purple as his memories of him betraying Purple flashed, but Purple dissapeared to particles as Orange also dissapeared..

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ALSO! SECOND COMING'S QUICK THINKING WORKED, SAVING EVERYONE OMFG I LOVE HIM SO MUCH!

The way they did everything together just to stop minecraft from getting destroyed..the audacity of these 5 stick figures, I love them and their friendship so much!

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And now the part that really made me scream.

This scene.

I know some actually dislike the ship, King Orange x Purple because their relationship is more of a Father and Son dynamic, but for me and as one of the ones liking their dynamic, I actually cried when they hugged..King Orange is the new Father Purple needed, and Purple is the new son King Orange needed. I cried so much at this part, being happy because they finally realized they needed each other to fill the hole in their hearts. NOT TO MENTION THE DRAMATIC MUSIC HOLY GDOSYQJHWJQHWMAHAKH

ALSO SC APPEARING FROM THE NETHER PORTAL AUGHHHHHHH FHDJEHSNJ THE SLOW MOTIONNNNN

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by the way this isnt the end of my rambling- Im editting a few later but

THIS IS THE BEST EPISODE EVER. ITS BETTER THAN THE ANIMATED SERIES I'VE WATCHED ON NETFLIX. I LOVE AVM SO MUCH!

THANK YOU ALAN BECKER FOR MAKING THE BEST MINECRAFT SERIES EVER!

"It all started with 5 curious stick figures, ended with an epic legacy."

-Octoxen

[merotwst]

I don't know if you've seen Hadestown (there's a couple reccordings on youtube, it's really good) but I have had this idea stuck in my head of...just...Mc putting on a play in Twisted Wonderland, maybe during their second year when they no longer have to deal with the overblots, and kidnappings and cleaning ramshackle. And Jamil gets the part of Orpheus because his voive is just *chef's kiss* and I know he can play the guitar even if he denies it I KNOW HE CAN

Just Jamil singing the most beautiful love songs in a play about freedom, mending ones relationships, love and hope? Please I'm on my knees at the image of him getting the main part, getting to show his true talents to an audience and be recognized all while his crush is singing alongside him and he's never been happier??? It has me on a chokehold

OK LET ME BE HONEST

the reason i took too long to respond to this was bcs i had to listen to the musical. i finished it and UWOOOGH I FELL MADLY IN LOVE FUCK IT'S SO GOOD ANON THANK U I LOVE U FOR THIS

as for the jamil brainrot

YES?!?!?!?!? OH MY FUCKING GOD

no, i can see myself becoming absolutely mesmerized when he plays this poor boy who keeps his heart on his sleeve

LAAAALALALALALAAAAAAAA

ok but also

hear me out.......

i feel like he'd be so fitting as a hades....

AAAAAAAHHHHHHH BECAUSE HE'S SO GOOD WITH PAIN(?) IDK IF U GET IT BUT THE MELANCHOLY OF HADES WOULD BE SUCH A PRETTY COLOR ON HIM

and then imagine him slowly slowly learning to fall in love with his persephone again

THE SILENT ANGER AND RESENTMENT EVENTUALLY MELTING INTO LOVE ONCE AGAIN IT WOULD BE SO PERFECT PLEASE

imagine him looking at you with the coldest of glares (fans face and flutters eyelashes) and then soon, sooner when jamil hades remembers how much he loves you, the way everything becomes clear to him. what happened to you both? what has he done? he loves you. please say you'll try again with him

SCREAMING SCREAMING CRYING BLUSHING PLS I WOULD PROBABLY GIGGLE DURING REHEARSALS AND HE'D GET ANNOYED "LIZ, STOP THIS IS THE FIFTH TIME"

NO URE TOO BABYGIRL I CANT HELP IT

i wanna play persephone someday UGH HER GROWLY VOCALS

THE BELT in lady of the underground was EVERYTHING I ALWAYS WANTED TO BE EVER SINCE I WAS A FETUS I WANT TO BE THAT BELT HOW DO I BECOME THAT

i love love love persephone

ahhhh he'd be so excited if his crush got cast as his persephone pls imagine ure dancing with jamil in the end ure in love ure happy again he wants u to be happy go back and bring sunlight into the world once again and he will wait for you in his darkness. he'll keep ur memory of light in his heart until you return to him and ure in his arms again for the other half of the year im tearing up hold on

kalim would be orpheus

he'd be perfect as orpheus with his sunny personality it would br so natural. i dont wanna hear his bird screeching though cuz like apprently in the game people thing his voice sounds good bro idk bitch wher he's constantly SCREAMING. THAT'S NOT IT. ok sorry for the kalim slander i love him lemme squish his cheeks squish squish little bitch boy that i adore smooches forehead

and jamil would definitely be the type make his life more complicated by forbidding him to look back lmao anyways

BECAUSE WOW I DONT WANNA PUT JAMS IN ORPHEUS' AND EURYDICE'S TRAGEDY EITHER

he deserves a happy ending

he is the perfect hades idk if his voice would fit but we can make it work

i know because i was cast as persephone i was there i saw jamil he was perfect

the perfect babygirl for hades

[its-short-for-jackalope]

lol okay, hi.

i know ive been memeing about it tonight but i have some actual serious thoughts & feelings about Pulp Musicals rn so I'm going to ramble!

⚠️ This will contain spoilers for the first episode, The Great Moon Hoax !

Okay so one of my favorite, favorite songs in this episode is "John's Choice." (I will be listening to it on loop while I make this post.)

I love the whole song but I absolutely adore the part when Herschel is telling the crowd that the story is true. He adopts the phrasing that is familiar and easily recognizable after the "Great Astronomical Discoveries," we've heard, but now we hear it from his perspective, and my god it doesn't seem like it would do much but the shift in pronouns (he to I, his to my, etc) is SO impactful! (Especially when you're listening for the first time and you're expecting him to reveal the hoax like he'd said he was going to!) It gave me major chills the first time I heard it, and I still get chills every time. Every time.

Another bit that makes me go insane is when we get the line "I pointed it at the moon, our companion," and then the chorus/ensemble chimes in with "Always there, watching us, from Eden to Edinburgh. As we grow..." and then Herschel picks it up again with "As she glows," and he keeps going. But here it's the ensemble that gets me.

In "Great Astronomical Discoveries, Pt. 1" it's just Samuel and Rose singing those lines. Now, we're hearing the crowd singing them, and I think that's really cool and interesting. To me, it really reflects how it's a story that's grown and been passed around a lot, that people have been talking about it and telling each other. The crowd chiming in is like when someone interrupts to finish a story they already know by heart, or when people start singing along to a beloved song that's being played by a stranger in the street.

The crowd that's gathered at The Sun already know this story, and they start singing with Herschel because they already know all the words. It's not just his story—it has become theirs, too. And that just does something in my brain. Like.. it shows how much this story about the moon means to everyone, how important it is. (As Margaret says: "So many people have nothing to believe in...") They're so happy that Herschel is saying it's all real that they can't help but tell the story with him. And the way they whoop and cheer when he says it's true? That's beautiful.

...aaaaand also pretty tragic and heartbreaking if you think about the fact that we all know it really IS a hoax, haha oops, but we'll just not think about that right now, okay? okay. 😅

Of course, I can't ramble about my favorite things in this song without a huge shoutout to Curt Mega for his amazing singing. He puts so much feeling into this song in his roles as Benjamin and John. As Benjamin, we get to hear his vindication, frustration, and impatience, as well as his anger when his plan backfires. As John, singing about his made-up telescope, we can hear so much passion. Herschel's really trying to sell the story now, and I'd say he does a damn good job of it. (Sorry Benjamin!)

Basically, this song really lets Curt show off, and I am so grateful for that because my ears and my brain have been blessed. Thank you Matt, thank you Curt. 🙏🖤

now that I'm done rambling for the time being, I am currently in the middle of an art project that I'm hoping to finish tonight, so I'm gonna try and get back to that. If anybody else wants to add their thoughts, I welcome it!!! please, come experience brainrot with me!!!! :D

someday I'd love to make more posts like this (but hopefully better and more organized) so we'll see if that actually happens lol. I love this show so much. I wanna talk/write about it. 😍