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hardgum · 10 hours ago

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Alright, I'm gonna rant one last time and repost this because it actually explains most of my issues with season 2. This is what I mean when I say that stuff gets too weird and suddenly anything is possible.

On one side you have magic, weapons, the environment, I don't know what to call it. This is important, because it sets the stakes. If that stuff doesn't get established to a point where I can roughly guess how powerful things are and how they can be used, then anything is possible. Viktor could've sent a gigantic skybeam down on Piltover and Mel could've ridden a magical unicorn to fly up and stop him and it would've been reasonable within the given lor because there wasn't any. An example that done better was actually Ekko's Z-Drive. It can rewind four seconds, nothing more, nothing less. There's no weird stuff where e.g. Ekko suddenly appears twice, and you're never left wondering "Why didn't he just go back further?" Because the boundaries were clear.

On the other side you have character motivation. This is what lets me connect to a character. This has been missing on so many parts! Just like the other post mentions, in season 1 even the most minor character like Huck had his motivation established. If he helps Vi first, why does he betray her later? Because he's shown to be weak and timid and shimmer makes him strong, so he's addicted to it! Now compare that to Maddie's betrayal. Maddie did it because she was... Evil? Heartless? I guess? Apparently she was just a tool for Ambessa just as she was a tool for the story.

Talking about Ambessa: What even was her goal? Weaponization of Hextech to use it against the Black Rose I suppose? She clearly wanted to protect Mel, but when Mel disappeared we didn't even get to see Ambessa's reaction! Ambessa generally felt like she was just there to cause conflict, like she just wanted to murder everyone in her way to take over Piltover... and then what? Fight the Black Rose? Who are they even? Honestly, up until the end I wasn't sure if they're actually bad, or just a resistance group that has resorted to dark magic and deception to take down Noxian warlords! It's still unclear actually...

Honestly, I liked act2 mostly for reuniting Vi, Jinx and Vander, and even that happened too quickly, but it still worked for me because of the build-up (you kow, for character motivation) in season 1. Isha also has no character, but at least we got to see Jinx connect with her like a sister.

And then there's Ekko, who's an interesting case. I didn't get disconnected from him, HE got disconnected from the plot! I understood his character for ep7, but when her returned in ep9 he was suddenly able to connect with Jinx despite not having seen her since their fight on the bridge only because he met an entirely different version of her that he liked in the almost perfect universe? And it's not even properly shown?! I get that it would move him to give Jinx another chance, but this made it seem like he suddenly understood her, even though AU!Powder has nothing to do with her. He just reappeared after months of being gone, he has no idea what happened and what state she's in! And then he says one proper line and it just cuts away.

Many people praised season 1 for often going the "Show, don't tell"-route, but season 2 was neither show nor tell...

Anyway, like I said, last rant to put my frustration into words, I'm tired...

what made season 1 so stunningly good was that every scene could be explained with stuff that happened on screen.

Why did Vi know where to find Vander after Silco took him? well of course because of Ekko who was established in the first few minutes of the first episode to be the character to be on look out.

Why did Powder follow the others to the abandoned building? why because she wanted to feel useful, she wanted for her stuff to work and she wanted to help. She wanted to not be the Jinx. This was all established through character moments that were natural and normal human interactions.

Why did Mel invest in Jayce? Why because first of all her own mother sent her away so seeing Jayce's mother stand up for her son must've hit her. And we see her talking about having to find new investments. Of course she would. He sounds interesting enough. Why not try it? If it doesn't work banishment is still on the table.

Why did Viktor help Jayce? Because he didn't want to stand in Heimerdingers shadow as just an assistant anymore. He was sick and knew the problems of the undercity first hand, he wanted to help. Of course he would, if there was a chance hextech could do it.

Why did Marcus continue to help Silco even after Graysons death? Why, because of his daughter or course. He could be threatened, molded and used. He wanted to establish big things, and was hasty in his youth, and we see 1. Silco exploit that and 2. Marcus regret that.

Why did a shimmer induced Huck help Caitlyn out? Why because as early as the very first episode in Vanders first speaking scene he gets help from Vander and well why wouldn't he then show that help for Vi, knowing he can?

literally every scene makes sense, everything can be explained with stuff that we SEE in the show. There isn't anything "off screen" or just not there.

Now tell me

Why did Caitlyn suddenly switch sides again in season 2 act 2? Why and how did Mel know that her brother wasn't actually her brother? Why did she know how to solve the puzzle? Why is Viktor suddenly floating in the universe? Why does Ambessa just ignore her daughter being abscent outside of that one throw away line? Why do Maddie, Loris and Isha exist? Every chatacter existed for a reason that wasn't just Plot even if they sometimes were just for Plot in season 1. But Maddie, Loris and even ISHA for gods sake, really are just Plot. Isha not as much as Maddie and Loris and thank god for that but still, her character, while I still hope it isn't true, existed to die and further Jinx's pain.

it's just so ugh

Edit: A lot (and I mean a LOT) of people have told me how Kino did make sense and I agree with that now. Though I stand firm with my opinion that we should've gotten to know him before so we could have figured it out even easier with Mel, there were actually signs I didn't notice myself before. Thank's for that.

Plus I will not back down on the fact that Mel just knowing the solution to the puzzle "makes sense cause sHe WaS ShOwn TO Be gOoD WiTh PuZZLes" is stupid. Yes, I know she is smart and good with that. But that's like a whole different thing. It's such a leap I don't know how some of you don't see it.

#arcane #arcane season 2 #arcane spoilers #arcane critical #feels kinda good to realize WHAT actually bothers me #and the other post brought it right to the point #act3 wasn't even out when it was written #I'll try to stick to the good parts now #like Sevika and Jinx teaming up

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nightunite · 1 day ago

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slides u twenty dollars can we consider jealous johnny if he sees reader is only that avoidant with him and no one else… i don’t want to rush ahead in case you have something else planned but like, johnny hearing that there are rumors one of the baron’s newest maids is pregnant and the timing just lines up a little too well 😵‍💫😵‍💫

-noona bc tumblr refuses to let me send asks from sideblogs

Hiiiiiiiii Noona 💖

Thank you for the twenty, I'm gonna spend in on blind boxes, it's not an addiction, I can stop anytime I want. Spoilers concerning reader's pregnancy under the read more:

Gonna answer only the first part of this and save the second half because I don't wanna give away too much just yet. I will say that at the point this piece of the story takes place, our dear reader is indeed aware she's pregnant and has informed Konig, who insists on her having someone with her when she goes out into town. Anything could happen, and he fears the idea of her falling and harming herself or the baby, or having to do so much heavy lifting. They're just on friendly-ish terms though for now, as this isn't by the time reader has started showing, so no rumors have started flying yet. Also, curious how one section of this will be interpreted. Johnny exhaled as he stepped out of the shop, breath a thick fog in front of him as the winter chill set to work stinging his cheeks. Snow had fallen last night and stayed, keeping the roads slick. The thick woolen cap he wore snug around his head crushed down his signature hairstyle, but he'd rather have flat hair than a raw scalp. He rubbed his gloved hands along his wrists to fend off the shivers, the door behind him shutting with a clatter and the ring of bells as he moved along the walkway towards his next stop a few streets over. Four stores in, and he had yet to find what he was looking for. He wasn't entirely sure what that was, mind you, only that whatever it was remained elusive. It let him move about town all the same to get out of his house which had felt odd these past few weeks. Too loud, too quiet, achingly lonely yet also too many people nearby setting his nerves on edge. Impossible to get anything done, his irritation grew erratic like his thoughts. All he wanted was a moment of peace, a chance for his ever-restless thoughts to let him breathe lest he take it out on his staff.

Try as he might to deny it to himself, he knew why this happened. She wasn't there anymore. Packed up and left in the wee hours of the morn, when the fog was thick and the duchy silent as a graveyard. Didn't bother to inform him, merely the head maid whom had given him a look that said he was a fool. Shortly thereafter, word had gotten back to him that she had taken up a position in the Baron's home. He'd had to take a swift walk to handle that knotted up wad of string wrapped tightly in his gut.

If he were an honest man, he would say she hadn't truly been there even longer. It made his throat close up, the way she seemingly wasted away in his halls, sunken in on herself like a sunflower wilting in the frost. Like a cold snap at the start of winter, suddenly she had no time for him. Always quick to pull away from him, to find some task to do that kept her preoccupied from the start of the day until well past it. Hesitation whenever he asked her what was wrong, a momentary pause before she would tell him nothing was the matter, addressing him as 'my lord', as though the name she had permission to use would not escape her mouth.

Eyes always downcast, fixed on the floorboards or over his shoulder when she would bring herself to pretend to look him in the eye. Truth be told, he preferred it in some ways, the relief of not having that direct connection. At least then he didn't feel the weight of his inadequacy of caring for her, like a verdict cast down upon him. This way he could pretend that he was the man he was supposed to be. He stopped attempting to touch her in any way when he caught how she tensed, braced herself for contact. The kissing followed shortly thereafter, her strained smiles and broken laughter making him feel worse, like he never should have even tried. Anything further wasn't even on the table, and the thought of even broaching the subject made his insides churn. And so, he stopped. Filled his time with the other maids, though that never lasted long either. They weren't right; laughter too loud or high pitched, smile too far to one side, hair the wrong thickness between his fingers. It left him feeling further unease, as though he kept going down the wrong hallways in a maze that he had no chance of escaping. Like a picture set at the wrong angle, or shoes that are a size too small. It pinches him, makes something inside him pace like a beast in a cage, keeps him up at night. He knows what felt right, what kept him sated and content in his days. Eyes that gazed at him like he was her salvation, her sun, always turning towards him with a smile that made his own lips turn up. Soft hands even after hard work, rubbing over the calluses of his palms and stroking over any scars, pressing gentle kisses to them. Laughs and squeals that made his heart race like a schoolboy, cheeks flooded red with the desire to keep her that way, keep all of her attention on him. Even now as he turns the corner, he feels a small smile coming up from those memories, only to freeze awkwardly on his face.

Across the street there she walked, a small box wrapped in her free palm. He hadn't anticipated her being out, assuming she had remained indoors lest the chill finally do her in. He felt his breath leave his lungs at the sight while his blood raced at a fever pitch, heart beginning to hammer. She looked beautiful, the way she had before whatever had occurred at the duchy. Cheeks fuller than he had seen since this past fall, eyes bright and a small smile on her face, she looked radiant to him. Some piece of him, deep in his soul perhaps, relaxed in relief at the sight of her hale and hearty. Another part of him, a part of who he is as a man, feels the stirrings of bitterness at the fact she seems to flourish again once out of his reach. But he couldn't help the way he wanted to grit his teeth and snarl at who stood at her side. Baron Konig, the man who had poached her from him. Still draped in his silly shroud, he was covered head to toe, a thick peacoat covering him and sturdy boots making contact with the ground, clicks following. Even with the coat in the way, Johnny's eyes narrowed at the way her hand was tucked into the crook of his arm. Why does that bastard have the right to touch her? He must have said something under that hood, for she looked up at the Baron and let out a chuckle, breath pluming out for a moment before she responded with something that he nodded in return to. In his free arm he held several packages, looking for all the world as though they weighed nothing. To a man of that size, they probably didn't.

Johnny felt the acidic tendrils of jealousy lance through him, searing him from the inside out while he fought the need to bare his teeth and tear into the man. He couldn't help it, truly he couldn't. That should have been him with her, guiding her down the street while she looks up at him and laughs at whatever he tells her. Actually no, he thought, she shouldn't be out here at all. She should have been back in the duchy with him, playfully seated on his desk, fire roaring and keeping them both toasty while he pretended to work. He would reach out and cup her face, stroking the apple of her cheek, while she would lean in and reward him with a kiss for his hard work that day. A game they had played before, the two of them wrapped up against the bitter outside world, a secret shared between their hearts.

Why does she not look at him that way? What did he do to harm her? What must he do to have her return to him? Just look at him again, please. Even just a passing glance, something to show that she still recalls who he is, who he can be to her.

Words of adoration and touches that feel like absolution dissipate from his eyes, Johnny swallowing a small noise behind his teeth when he sees how she leans into the Baron so she can stretch slightly higher and say something in his ear. Never before has Johnny wished to be lesser in society so as to step forward and take her hand and pull her home, show everyone who she is meant for. Unable to bear the sight any longer he hunches his head into the collar of his coat and swiftly turns around. His attempts at finding peace have only led him to further turmoil.

As he heads back to his carriage, his thoughts circle over and over, ruminating and digging furrows into his sanity.

He doesn't deserve this, none of this. Not with a woman like that, not with her. When he returns to the house, he has letters to write.

#baron konig au

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heeseungiez · 1 day ago

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nothing i don’t have | pjs

part 3: toenze

pairings! park jongseong x reader, ft. huening kai x reader

summary! it was supposed to be simple, you and jay would fuck whenever either of you felt horny — no feelings. but it was hard not to catch feelings where park jongseong was involved. so you took the easy way out: you ended it.

genre! texts, written fic, college au, love triangle (corner)

word count! 1.5k

content warnings! swearing

author's note! i'm sick and not doing ok but jay and toenze always is on the brain </3

previous | masterlist | next

The last thing you expected to see today was Jay with an electric guitar. But here you were, standing in the Sanctuary Café in front of their live music stage, where Kai’s band was setting up. And he was a part of the band.

You had stumbled inside the coffee shop late, and the guys were already half-way through setting up. Not a single thing had been out of the ordinary when you came in. It was your boyfriend and his three other band members, each getting ready for practice. You greeted them with a smile and side-hug each, and it seemed like it would go the same way any other practice had gone before.

But then someone new entered the shop. Dressed in a grey hoodie and flannel, your eyes widened at the sight of Jay. He held a guitar case in his right hand, and you thought, okay, maybe this is just a stupid coincidence, but then he noticed you, and he started walking toward you. So you thought maybe it was because of you.

And then Taerae spoke up, “Jay, hey! I’m so glad you could make it.”

You glanced at Kai, whose expression was just as puzzled as yours. He had no idea as well.

“Yeah. Thanks for inviting me.” Jay’s lopsided grin made your heart skip a beat, and you had to take a step back when he was close to the stage. “You guys were looking for a second guitarist?”

“We were?” Kai asked, giving Taerae a pointed look. The boy shrugged with a smile, unaware of the happenings between Kai, Jay and you.

“Yeah, I met Jay at a guitar shop, and heard him play. He’s actually really good, so I thought I’d ask him to come by. Honestly, I’d like to focus on vocals sometimes, so a second guitarist would be useful.” Taerae shrugged, giving his painfully sensible reasoning that nobody could refute without sounding like a petulant child.

“I mean, I have nothing against it if he’s as good as Taerae says he is,” said Beomgyu, eyeing Jay. “But the girls are mine,” he joked, although his glare felt a bit too realistic.

“Yeah, I don’t mind either. We could use another visual, too,” Yujin reasoned.

“Kai? It’s already three to four.” Taerae looked at the drummer, and he sighed in response.

“Can we actually hear Jay play before we make any concrete decisions? Because right now, it’s all just opinions.”

Yes, that made sense to do. You nodded despite having nothing to do with the band and its decisions. But you knew that Jay truly was a genius when it came to playing the guitar. You’ve heard him play more times than you could count, and occasionally, those performances were specifically for you over video call or in person. You always loved listening to Jay’s playing and singing.

When Kai glanced at you, he understood as much from your expression, and a small frown decorated his lips. He shouldn’t be jealous, he was the one dating you, yet the knowledge of everything that transpired between you and Jay, and your feelings for him made him scared for what could happen if Jay got his head out of the gutter and realised that maybe, he was also in love with you.

“Okay. I can play a song I’ve been working on with Heeseung,” Jay said, getting his guitar out — it was Jane. With Taerae’s help, the two quickly set it up and connected it to the speakers.

When Jay started playing, you immediately recognised the song. It wasn’t finished as far as you were aware, but Jay and Heeseung had been working on it for quite a while. The song, Paranormal, meant a lot to Heeseung especially, so he wanted to make sure every single detail about it was perfect.

To you, it sounded amazing already, but considering Heeseung’s perfectionism, he probably always thought of something that wasn’t quite right yet.

When Jay was done, everyone around him started clapping. Including you. There was no denying his talents, and Taerae was especially proud of being the person who brought him here.

“So, you write your own songs too?” he asked.

“I’m still struggling with writing decent lyrics, but other than that, yeah.” Jay nodded, glancing at you. There were times you helped him write a few lines here and there, so you averted your gaze, biting the inside of your cheek.

To be completely honest, what you and Jay had, to you, did not feel or seem casual in the slightest. Even Kai thought you two were actually dating at first. But that was the kind of person Jay was. Sweet, caring and affectionate without thinking much into it — he didn’t do it on purpose, it was just what he was used to. Small acts of kindness or even bigger ones, to him, were something he did because it was the normal thing to do. So what he perceived as casual was seen as so much more to anyone looking from the outside. Or to the one on the receiving end of it all. But you understood Jay better than anyone, unfortunately. So you couldn’t even delude yourself into thinking that confessing would lead to something.

Letting go was the much better option.

You were grateful for Kai. For being your anchor and for giving you the strength you needed to tear yourself away from Jay.

“Then it’s decided, right?” Taerae looked at his band members, a proud smile gracing his lips.

Beomgyu and Yujin agreed with eager nods, but Kai sighed. Glancing at you, he noticed you were already watching him, your smile supportive of whichever decision he made.

And, to nudge him along, you said: “He is really good.”

“Ugh, fine,” Kai mumbled. “Would be a waste not to let him join if that’s what he wants.” Shaking his head, Kai’s attention was more on you than Jay.

“Welcome to the band!” Beomgyu exclaimed, instantly going in for a handshake with Jay. “I look forward to working with you.” The bassist faked a serious tone. “But seriously, though, the girls are mine.”

“Literally no girls want your loser ass,” said Yujin, rolling his eyes.

“You little—” Beomgyu put down his bass just to chase after Yujin who started giggling, running around the café in an attempt to escape.

Taerae and Kai laughed, shaking their heads. You, on the other hand, bit your lip and headed toward Jay while steeling yourself from whatever the conversation might lead to.

“So, you want to join Kai’s band all of a sudden?” You raised your brow, and Jay looked almost puzzled that you spoke to him. Though he recovered quickly, nodding.

“Yeah, sure. Why not, you know? Taerae asked, and I didn’t feel like saying no.”

You hummed, a little in disbelief over the whole situation. You doubted Jay didn’t have any ulterior motives for joining the band, but you didn’t feel like bringing it up now since the likelihood of Jay actually telling you was little to none.

“It’ll definitely make it easier to find someone else then, since girls do love guitarists,” you commented with a light chuckle.

Jay smacked his lips together, shrugging. “I don’t think I’m really looking for any casual hookups anymore,” he said, which took you by surprise this time. “I’ve been wasting too much of my time not committing to anything. So it’s time for a bit of a change.”

“For joining a band?”

“For committing myself to something I love,” said Jay, a smile gracing his lips as he stared at you. There was a spark in his eye as if he could sense the way your heart skipped a beat, but then he chuckled. “I want to focus more on music, and Taerae’s offer was kinda perfectly timed.”

“Right, of course. That makes a lot of sense,” you agreed, nodding dumbly along.

“Why? Did you think I did this because of you?” Jay’s tone was teasing. He tilted his head and raised a brow at you, the corner of his mouth lifting into the signature lopsided grin of his that revealed his dimple.

Your brain stuttered as you stared at him, blinking excessively. “No. No— obviously, not. Why would I think that?”

“I don’t know. Maybe because you know that I missed you? You said we’d be friends but then you’ve barely spoken to me,” Jay explained himself, pursing his lips. “So, you could be thinking that.”

“I was not thinking that.” You furrowed your brows. “But you should’ve told me. I thought that since you’ve barely texted me that you don’t want to hang out as much anymore.”

“That’s not it, I just— I don’t know…”

“You can always talk to me about anything, Jay. That’s what friends are for,” you said, smiling thinly. “I’m glad you finally decided to pursue music, though.”

“Yeah, me too,” Jay said.

“Okay, guys, stop messing around. Let’s begin practice!” Taerae exclaimed, clapping his hands. “Jay, can you follow my lead?”

tags: @moonpri @addictedtohobi @samsayssam @sillydallyz @semisemirin1i82

#enhypen #enhypen x reader #enhypen fic #enhypen fluff #enhypen angst #enhypen fanfic #park jay #enhypen jay #park jongseong #jay x reader #enhypen jay x reader #park jongseong x reader #jongseong x reader #park jongseong angst #park jongseong fluff #park jongseong fic #enhypen jay fic #enhypen jay angst #enhypen jay fluff

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musashi · 2 days ago

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Musing on Movie!Nessa's Future in Part 2

A lot of people simultaneously expressing confusion alongside their celebration of Nessarose finally being played by a wheelchair user, because her being able to walk in act 2 is obviously a huge plot point--the spell cast on the shoes is what turns them into the ruby slippers which establishes the continuity and leads to a bunch of other plot threads, etc etc.

This is obviously the reason a lot of people give for her being played by an able-bodied actress in the past, it's obviously a bullshit reason because a huge majority of wheelchair users are ambulatory and can walk and stand for varying periods of time just fine. So like. They could have still had an ambulatory wheelchair user playing her, but I digress: the point is she is played by Marissa Bode in the movie. A wheelchair user, hurray!

These are just the opinions of someone who is not a wheelchair user so take them with a grain of salt (and please speak up if you have your own stuff to say as a member of the community!) but from what I can see as someone who's been insane about Wicked for about 15 years now, the movie did a lot of good for Nessa's character. Previously, the ableism toward her was baked into the metanarrative itself, but it's now been moved to a more realistic place--the characters within the story.

Previously Nessa was treated with little agency or autonomy not only by the characters but by the people writing the story. Most notably of all, her chair is constantly being grabbed and wheeled around by other characters. The movie corrects this--she is very rarely wheeled around except by her father (and he is called out for his coddling/infantilizing of her by Elphaba within 2 minutes of their introduction) and the one time a stranger tries to do this in what reads even to me as a genuinely traumatizing and far too familiar scene for any wheelchair user to have to sit through, Elphaba immediately fucking goes apeshit and starts throwing fucking furniture. Nessa herself also tries to advocate for herself and tell the professor in question to stop kidnapping/assaulting her and is, again, realistically not listened to.

This last bit obviously happens in the stage musical too but Nessa's own agency is much less pronounced. The movie adds little things here and there to give her more of that agency--Elphaba's protectiveness is much less "I have to help and watch over my poor disabled sister" and much more "I have to make sure no one underestimates or takes advantage of her." Even the plot detail that Elphaba was not there to be her caretaker but just to drop her off and make sure she got settled in her dorm adds leaps and bounds to Nessa's autonomy. Her and Boq's shared look in the opening ceremonies where they both bond beforehand at their inability to see over the crowds' standing ovation. And of course, the dance scene, where he no longer wheels her out but instead beckons her to follow him!

These little details add up in ways that are, at least in my opinion, very meaningful. They also extend to the production itself--where the sets were made accessible for Marissa and she was even allowed to do her own stunts, in her wheelchair! That part in the beginning where Elphaba levitates her was her in a harness in her fucking chair and all. Dope as FUCK.

So I am mentioning all of this because I think the people working on this movie have shown that they are unafraid to make changes to Nessa to be more respectful to her agency. The ableism she faces, which is still plentiful, is framed as such instead of just casually brushed off & baked into the narrative. By making these small changes, Nessa is not just an unfortunate stereotype of a disabled woman, but a real and fleshed-out person who is dealing with the consequences of those exact stereotypes in the society she lives in. I really liked that! I don't know how others feel about it, but I thought it was very well-shifted.

All that said, 'curing' your disabled character is obviously, like, the biggest no-no of writing a disabled character. And that plot beat is a huge one in every version of Wicked... so far. But here's the thing. We have a shot of Dorothy wearing the slippers. And they... are silver.

Why. Are they silver.

And they are silver in all of Dorothy's small little cameos. Every single one. Even though this shot, which was used primarily for promotional material to draw people in like "Hey! Wizord of Oz! This is What The Refrance!" did not make the choice to even suggest that they should ever be red. One of the most important pieces of iconography, consciously and notably absent.

I genuinely don't think Nessa's going to have her disability taken away in part 2. With how much love to this part of her has been done to the retooling of her character, I do not think it is a stretch to assume that they will find a way to advance the plot without removing her disability. I believe this because that is the right thing to do for Nessa, to ascend her character, however you feel about it--she should stay in her chair. She deserves to continue on the way she is.

I realize this little change effects a lot. But after seeing part one, I am confident they can do it and do it well and replace what the change takes away with something just as good. I have so much faith in the direction of these movies. I really, truly believe it will happen and it will be good and satisfying and perfect.

It might still happen, sure--Marissa might get a stunt double, or CGI, or some other brand of movie magic. The shoes may still get enchanted and stay silver to pay homage to the original Oz books. But I can't help but consider that idea and keep asking myself... why. That makes so much less sense. Why not give movie audiences the red slippers, draw them in with the imagery, give them one more lion cub in the bike basket or Boq talking about how much he cries or poppies putting the whole class to sleep. Why not give us the ruby slippers when you... could.

I think because this is going to be a big, long awaited improvement. And I think it is hiding there in plain sight.

#wicked #wicked movie #wicked 2024 #nessa thropp #nessarose thropp #wendy rambles #wordy wendy #and your little dog too #wendy meta

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the-100-days-of-junkan · 1 day ago

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Day 60

Wow we really made it 60 days huh?

Okay so i’m not gonna yap long for this part. You saw the image, you see the read under. This is a small comic adaptation of @vanadisvalentine’s “Everything You’ve Ever Dreamed” fanfic. And it adapts the end of Chapter 4 which is pretty fuckin pivotal in that story. So if you haven’t read that fic yet I’m actually begging you, please read it and don’t let this comic be your first experience.

Second warning, this is going to be a long one. How long? Who knows. I haven’t written it yet, but this Day represents one of the biggest turning points in the whole project for me.

When you click the read under you’re gonna get just the comic, and then you're gonna get hit with a gigantic fucking wall of text. I apologize in advance for the amount of rambling I’m about to do but I got a lot to say here.

Okay so you read the comic, you ready? Cause not only am I gonna yap about making that comic along with all the behind the scenes stuff, (amidst other tangents), but I’m also going to talk about the fic this is based on. This is probably going to feel a bit disorganized but i’ll try my best to keep this legible. Apologies in advance.

So your first thought is probably “Jem why the fuck did you do that?” and you’re correct for thinking that way. Rest assured, you’re going to ask that question again later but significantly louder and more exasperated in the future.

Answer is simple though. I wanted to do something big for Number 60, cause every 10 images I wanna do something Big. For Number 50 I came out of retirement and wrote a fanfic and some art to go with it. So I wanted to go up. How do i go up? Well I am a comic artist, and making a webcomic is my general goal in life and what directs me forward. Sooo, why not a comic?

Okay but a comic of what? Well, why not a fanfic? And at the time the real answer was obvious.

There are Three Fanfics made for Junkan that are pivotal to this entire event. Without all three of them combined ya’ll would not be having Junkan art pop up in your feed every day, questioning what the hell is in my bloodstream to make me draw all this. The answer is Junkan, junkan is in my bloodstream.

I plan to talk about all three of those fics in this event, in as much detail as I can muster. That said not only are we going in reverse order, as todays fic “Everything You’ve Ever Dreamed” is the last piece of the puzzle for why I went off the deep end and drew this much Junkan. But also the other two fics aren’t gonna be discussed for a long time due to their placement in the event order. I’m talking within the last ten days. Oops.

But at the time it was, pretty fucking easy to choose this one to adapt. The other two either wouldn’t really fit my style that I had been working with up to that point, or were just not made to be a comic without way more energy.

And as a reminder this was before I had actually gotten to know some of ya’ll. Within the realm of Junkan Val was the only friend I had. I did have other people who liked DR and were on board with Junkan after I showed them my supply and stated my case, but Val was the only person I knew at the time who was as brainrotted for this ship as I am, granted I think she has like, a normal amount of brainrot. I think by the end of the project I’ve fully snapped and now I can’t stop thinking about these two, like I have actually tried to stop thinking about them but they keep popping up. What was I talking about- Right! Point is, you can consider Day 60, or as I would call it in casual conversation “The 22 Page Junkan Comic,” my most excessive thankyou to her for helping me stay motivated throughout the project and playing a massive part in its inspiration.

As for making the comic.

It was a very bold mix of “I’m having the time of my life” and “Hell,” that's the shortest way I could put it. The longest way? Wellll

So by this point I wasn’t just showing these pics to Val alone. I had a few friends even before Val who I showed the art too. I’d get compliments and feedback and all that nice stuff that keeps me going.

As I’ve stated in the past (i think) one of the hardest parts of this project for me was the lack of validation for my efforts. I do not make art purely to be complimented, I make art in order to hopefully bring a smile to someones face. However I do still take a lot of joy when I see my art being positively received, it shows that my efforts were worth it. Seeing peoples reactions helps me remember why I’m doing this and that I’m doing a good job at it. So if I don’t get a lot of that, especially on something i put a lot of effort into, it can be a little demoralizing. It’s something I’ve tried to work past during this year, but at the time it was a big issue. Day 60 took around 2 weeks to finish, as I was managing other projects and commission work at the time. The whole time I barely showed anyone, Val was obvious because this was a surprise gift for her, however the rest is because I was very adamant about not spoiling the Fic it was based on, and say for a single person amidst the people I would show these pics to none of them had read the fic. So I went from showing a small handful of people these to showing one guy (admittedly one of my best friends) for the span of 2 weeks while grinding away at the comic. It wasn’t until the very tail end that my girlfriend surprised me by reading the fic, meaning I could show her as well finally.

Was it worth starving myself of a majority of positive feedback for 2 weeks when I haven’t had to do something like that for years? Oh god yes but we’re not there yet I still need to talk about the actual comic.

So when you compare the fic to the comic you’ll notice I skipped a decent portion of this scene, this is mostly just for the sake of not making this take too long, I think I picked a pretty solid starting point but also I won’t lie and say there isn’t a part of me that wishes I took like an extra week or two to adapt the whole scene sometimes. Sometimes.

Mukuro acted as the pseudo cover for the comic, both because it was a small detail noted in the scene that she was watching the door, and because I could call back to the “Mukuro Notes” bit I did on the Vampire Junkan comic, which seemed like a cute call back. I also used this as a way to skip past some of the initial dialogue of the scene in terms of adaptation. I’m really happy with how this page turned out visually, I remember having to fiddle with Mukuro’s anatomy and smaller details for awhile.

As you can probably tell, like usual the art for this was still being done as a sketch which I colored rather than what I do in my usual comic stuff, that being Sketch > Lines > Colors > Shading. I did shade a few of these pages cause I think the extra effort was warranted for some pages. I wouldn’t know this without like, actually time traveling to check but I think there was even a time this would be just uncolored sketches. Clearly that didn’t last because yeah, the chick who’s drawing 100 days worth of junkan art is going to make a 22 page comic and NOT color the whole thing, keep telling yourself that Jem.

Once again since I was directly adapting this fic like with Day 20, I tried to be semi accurate in what I assume Junko’s appearance would be, giving her the bunny and bow clips in her hair. I didn’t go all the way since honestly I think i would have gone a little crazy if I drew both characters in their actual Hope’s Peak uniforms for the whole thing, so I mostly stuck to their killing game designs with that small change to Junko. And yes, I did have to edit Junko’s hair to remove the bear clips multiple times throughout the first few pages because I kept forgetting not to draw them. For the first time having these two memorized was a hindrance.

If you’ve ever seen me draw a Question Mark with a cross instead of a dot when drawing Mikan, it’s cause of this comic. Val said it was a cute detail so I decided to stick with it when applicable.

I think I have read the segment of the story this is based on like, 30 times bare minimum. Now some of those times were just because I often reread this fic to help me relax before sleeping, but the majority are because I kept looking at this scene over and over again so I could try and get every detail of this perfect. The posing, expressions, and other visuals, while a little rough around the edges were all possible after going over every paragraph to get the vibe as close as possible.

The dialogue is word for word, punctuation for punctuation ripped from the fic itself. Mildly difficult to pull off without having to extend certain pages, but in the end I managed to pull it off.

Page 7 is one of my favorite pages from the experience. Originally the visual was supposed to be Junko in literal chains of despair with Mikan coming in with a key to unlock them, however chains are agonizing to draw. Not drawing them was a form of self care, even if I think it would have been a bit of a stronger metaphor.

Mikan’s expressions were very difficult to get just right in this, which was half the fun. Do you know how fucking satisfying it was to draw her happy crying??? Very.

Page 10 is another one I’m really happy with. I don’t know exactly what the original plan was beyond the fact that I wanted the shot of Mikan reacting to that being a lot more visually extreme for the colors and amount of space it takes up to make it as overwhelming as possible. But I went in reverse and made the initial heart stop moment of her realizing that Junko just said that more prominent than the rush of emotion hitting her right after.

There were going to be more visuals of Mikan being cute in the following page, however not only was I struggling for ideas but also my energy was fluctuating to hell and back by this point in the comic.

It took awhile to get the initial kiss to look good because by this point I was still really figuring out how the fuck to do that. I can’t remember if I mentioned it but the kiss in the Vampire Comic is one I actually edited after the fact before the post was scheduled because it looked really weird and pissed me off. Luckily this one doesn’t bother me at all. I remember being super paranoid i made the posing look too sexual, I don’t know what the fuck past me was on about but I’m not here to question I’m here to curse you all with knowledge and funfacts.

On page 15 Junko’s blush and smile are a bit more intense compared to the other panels on this page while she wipes away Mikan’s tears. This is because in future stories by Val it is confirmed a few times that Junko has dacryphilia, meaning she thinks Mikan looks really hot when she’s crying. Yes I’m really working in details from other fics into this comic, you should not be surprised this isn’t even the weirdest thing i’ve put in this whole event.

Peak comedy that I mentioned the question mark with the cross dot earlier and on Page 16 I didn’t do that, immersion broken, back to square one Past Jem!

Junko with no contacts!!! I mentioned during one of the Vampire AU days that while I don’t feature it in that AU alone I like the idea of Junko’s real eye color being red. Something I can never remember whether it’s actually canon or just strongly implied. I think this is the page I put the most amount of effort into, both to make it look well lit, and also to make sure her god damn eyes look as pretty as humanly possible. The end result may or may not be my favorite page of the whole comic? I dunno

I said Mikan’s expressions were hard to draw for this since I wanted to get them just right, she requires a lot more work on the smaller details to make everything feel right. Junko however? Oh no I was thriving by this point, her more lowkey expressions do need a bit more thought and effort, but by this point in the comic I was in my element with her.

But speaking of expressions, Page 19.

That smile on Mikan in the middle panel took 20 fuckin’ minutes because I had never drawn Mikan looking that happy and I had no fucking idea what I was doing. I did actually edit the page last night (as of the writing of this post), however it wasn’t for the expression. In the original version of the page, Junko looked really fuckin weird in the last panel, like I don’t know how I let that slide but her whole face and neck looked way off. These pages aren’t like, perfect quality but that one was just egregious. Also edited Mikan’s blush in that panel just cause I was already there.

Junko’s surprised face was very fun.

And I think if I were gonna ever redo any page in full for this comic it’d be the last one. I don’t think this one looks bad I just know that I could I could do way better nowadays even if I stuck to just coloring a sketch. Maybe sometime down the line.

And that’s the comic itself! I can’t think of any other fun facts or thoughts on the art itself at this point. Uhhhh, I guess the cover I made last minute for this post is technically a reference to a future day? What does that mean? Oh you’ll fuckin’ see.

So 2 weeks of effort with little feedback and rereading the same scene over and over again, was it worth it?

God yes it was.

When I sent Val the Google Drive folder with the comic I was jittery for hours as if I had too much coffee. I was nervous as shit over whether she would like it or not, since this was when I still was a perpetual nervous wreck with very little self respect who was viewing her as “Coolest Person Ever” rather than “That’s bestie.” I was also nervous because it was the first time I actually asked for a more detailed response rather than just letting her respond in whatever way she wanted.

But when she responded?

I have lived the past several years doing weed, I’ve recently quit (i think by the time this posts it’ll be close to 3 months since I went clean), but that’s besides the point. I’ve had mild highs, crazy highs, bad highs, good highs, sad highs, and highs where I don’t feel anything.

I severely doubt that any drug or vice on this planet will ever match the feeling of reading that response. I was shaking, I bit my knuckles until it left indents for like a full hour minimum, an adrenaline rush doesn’t even begin to describe what I was experiencing. I rode out the happiness from this moment for an entire week, I worked on comm jobs that would normally leave me feeling aggravated as hell and did so with a smile because I was just that fuckin excited over it. This probably sounds embarrassing as shit but there have been times where I go back to read that response when I just need a pick me up.

I had a fuckin epiphany at that moment. Who fuckin cares?

24 fucking years (25 starting tomorrow) I’ve lived my life as a people pleaser perfectionist with extreme paranoia problems with absolutely no self esteem and a whole wealth of other mental health issues. I would feel like dogshit if I halfassed a comm even if it was a really bad one. My whole goal in life was to make a webcomic that would make EVERYONE happy, be a positive part of their week. I was paranoid about pissing off the wrong people, starting shit, how people perceive me, about what ideas for my comic would be problematic or not. But after this? Who gives a shit?

It ain’t about making People Happy it’s about making Yourself Happy and the People you can reach happy. My goal is still to make a webcomic that people will come across, and look forward to every week as an escape to give them some positive vibes every week, but I ain’t gonna do that if I’m desperately trying to appeal to every single person on the planet while trying to stay as uncontroversial as possible. I wanna make art that makes people happy, and if I make it the way I wanna make it then it will eventually reach the people that it can make happy.

But enough of that shit, the actual big thing that happened because of my complete reassessment of my personal values and entire goal for life is that I fucking finally stopped giving a shit about whether people were gonna throw me in a woodchipper because I shipped Junkan. And it will continue to get funnier and funnier that after all the time I spent scared out of my fuckin’ mind over what people would think, that absolutely fucking nothing happened. It is day 49 at the time of writing this and STILL I have not had anyone give me grief or issues over this whole project, nothing but support and even some new friends over it. You cannot write something funnier than that.

I think if I went back in time and told myself at the beginning of the year that her fears were completely unfounded she would bleed out the eyes and pass out, and I would laugh. I’d laugh so fuckin’ hard.

So yeah, this Comic and the reaction it elicited changed my entire perspective on life and being an artist, I can’t say It’s been perfect or that I haven’t faltered on certain things, but I think to an extent I have been a lot happier as a result. Is it a little weird that this niche version of a niche ship is now directly tied to a drastic change in my mind? Is it any weirder than the fact that I transitioned into a woman because I binge read like, all of the Tokomaru I possibly could on AO3 and it made me think that wearing a skirt might be cool?

Alright so how’re ya'll holdin up? Drink some water we ain’t done. This is already getting up to 7 pages on the google doc that I prepare these posts on and now I have to like, talk about Everything You’ve Ever Dreamed properly. So bare witness to me trying to figure out how the hell to format talking about what might just be my favorite fic of all time.

But first lemme go reread the entire thing, I know the passage of time doesn’t exist in the context of these text walls but i’ll be back in like, a few hours to a day.

Okay i’m back-

I’m honestly not sure where to start here. Normally with my biggest obsessions I could probably go on lengthy rambles about why I love them so much, but this? I struggle to find a proper place to start, or even how to format this. I don’t want to just give a beat for beat plot synopsis while talking about the things I like, but also how do I talk about something this good otherwise.

So fair warning this might be completely incoherent at points, sorry??

This was not like, the third Junkan fic I ever read despite it being one of the three fics vital to me becoming the inhuman machine of pure Junkan brainrot that I’ve become today. A lot of things are blurred but if I remember right the exact timeline of events was Read a cute Junkan fic which made me think “Wait this ship can be soft and cute???” and then I read Smile by Kayleen, which is funny in hindsight because I really went to tooth rotting fluff to one of the darkest Non-Abusive Junkan fics out there (dark by my standards at least and I think my frame of reference is out of sorts). I think after that I just stopped for awhile, partially because Smile wasn’t finished at the time, partially because I still wasn’t sure how to navigate the Junkan tag to find what I was looking for in the ship.

Smile comes to a thrilling conclusion and I think to myself “maybe this author has more?” which is how I found Kayleen’s series of One-Shots for these two (along with separate three other pieces), I read through those in a day and would continue to check the tag to see if it updated, like, every day. Eventually after a couple months (possibly way longer), something came over me and I finally started seriously looking over the tag to try and find more Soft Junkan, whether there were others I read before it or not, I honestly can’t remember.

What I do remember is I came across “The Marvelous Makeover of Mikan Tsumiki” by VanadisValentine. I don’t know how I found that before the fic of today’s subject, if I had to guess I wasn’t reading the tags first on this run through. I was likely reading the name of the fic, and THEN i read the tags to see if it has what I was looking for (I wasn’t a starving animal for the ship by this point so I was a lot more picky with what I was willing to risk my time on). And this fic’s name was slightly more eye catching for me at the time I guess??

Fun fact when I first read this fic I wasn’t even sure if it actually was a shipping piece at first, not until finishing it at least. How? Poor reading comprehension is my only guess lol. Anyway, I finish that, loved it, and made my usual move of checking to see if the author had written anything else like this fic, and oh boy did she.

This finally brings us to me finally reading “Everything You’ve Ever Dreamed.” Took us fucking long enough.

It was perfect, it was everything. I fucking loved reading it the entire time. It had everything I could have wanted out of this ship without me even realizing what I wanted at the time. The weirdest part that my immediate response after wasn’t to go on an adrenaline fueled binge of the tag like I did for Tokomaru way back when I first got into Danganronpa. The most I did was read the other Junkan fics in Val’s library at the time. Otherwise I just stopped again.

It was then that I drew the first three days of this event, the original sketches. I kept them a secret between myself and a small few friends, too paranoid to let anyone find out. And things just kinda stayed like that, for awhile. And then sometime in December, of last year I decided to give that same fic another read, and something just kinda, fucking snapped?

I went up and down the Junkan Tag on AO3, reading whatever I could, I was reading stuff I wouldn’t have ever risked reading with variable amounts of success. I only skipped a small handful of fics, including one that we’ll come back to way later in the project. Everything else I was scraping even the smallest crumb of fic to read at times. After that I scoured the tumblr tags, taking in whatever soft art or headcanons that I could, I went to Fanfiction.net, a website I still barely know how to fuckin’ navigate to try and find ANYTHING. I went to Deviantart to try and find any art or fics, no results not helped by the fact that it would include results that were slightly related. And not to sound like a Youtuber with no personality who’s built their career on punching down at whoever they can because otherwise their audience would see they’re a complete shell of a human being, but it being deviantart you can imagine what I was finding more often on that search.

I even went to Wattpad, and that ones it’s own mini story that I’m saving for Tomorrow because the art for Tomorrow doesn’t have a lot of talking points on it’s own like this one does. But Wattpad had no fuckin results either.

I cannot remember the last time I had ever been this obsessed with a ship, this desperate. So, 100 Days of Junkan began, even if it wasn’t planned to be this big project. All cause of this fic turning a switch in my brain with a hammer.

Hey look we’re talking about the fic again, I told you this was gonna incoherent.

Anyway so the fic is just, perfect? To me at least? Before I had even realized why I liked the ship in the first place it did everything that I love about it at it’s core. It practically set the standard for the ship in my brain, at bare minimum within the context of a Non-Despair AU. And overtime as Val’s continued to write for these two her portrayals of the character are practically just how I view them at this point.

It’s not 1 to 1 but you can likely trace every aspect of how I portray Junko and Mikan whether through art or writing back to Val’s writing, down to even using certain pet names for the characters because of their usage in her work. I’d worry that I’m being way too much, heaping an overbearing amount of praise and respect. But also this fic unintentionally sent me careening into the direction of drawing 150+ Junkan pictures, learning various new skills and techniques as an artist, rekindled my love of writing (despite the horrors of actually having to write), making new friends both in and out of this community including some who I consider close, coping with mental health issues, and then performing this gigantic project at the tail end of the year. So I might actually be underselling this a bit in actuality. And don’t worry when I get to talking about a few other fics later in the project I’ll be doing my best to give equal praise to them as well, it’s just gonna be a bit sdlahfljasdfhas.

I’ve already said it but the fic has everything, at least of the core reasons I love this ship from the non-abusive perspective that this blog has built its foundation on.

To me I love Junkan because it’s two people that could not be anymore different from one another, who arguably should despise one another finding happiness in each other. It adds a new layer of depth to Junko to ponder how someone like her, whether in canon or in a non-despair AU like this could fall in genuine love with a total wreck like Mikan and how that would affect her character. It’s fluffy moments of Mikan getting to be genuinely happy for what might be the first time in her life while Junko showers her with affection. It’s Junko being fucking hilarious while Mikan can barely keep up with her humor and teasing because she’s so flustered. It’s Junko grappling with newfound emotions. It’s Junko and Mikan bringing out the best in each other and inciting positive change through their influence. It’s that perfect blend of hurt/comfort. And so much more beyond that, all contained in this one god damn fic. I might even be forgetting things I like about the ship too, there’s just so much that goes into this!

Obviously this is all specifically in a Non-Despair context, the Evil Girlfriends angle has a myriad of other reasons to enjoy the ship which I’ve become fond of. Especially in some of the parallels it can have with a non-Toxic Yuri angle of things. But that doesn’t really apply for today’s subject and I’m not someone who’s deeply knowledgeable or equipped to sing its praises at the moment. Maybe in the future though?

Is there anything else I can yammer on about with this fic? Uhhhh- Oh. I love how it uses the supporting cast. I think Val has a really excellent grasp on how to write Mukuro and Junko’s dynamic without dipping into the territory of DR3 where it just gets a bit uncomfortable. I think that’s better exemplified in one of her other fics rather than this story, but I still do love Mukuro’s portrayal and role in the story. This was my first time learning who Yasuke was, I hadn’t properly heard of Danganronpa Zero by this point so I was really confused as to who the hell he was. Certainly left a strong impression in the story though. I think Kaede’s sudden appearance and role in the plot progressing towards the stunning climax of Chapter 4 was really good!

I very often go back to Chapter 1, 4, and 5 whenever I need to go to relax before bed. I’ve reread this fic multiple times as a whole but an absolute fuck ton of times as separated pieces, they’re so god damn soothing on my mind.

The fact that I haven’t left giant fuckin’ comments on any chapter of that fic is quite frankly one of my deepest sins, but one of these days I’m gonna buckle down and write up on those because they deserve every ounce of praise in my scrawny lil whitegirl body.

I think I’ve said everything I can for now but even now I feel like I haven’t gotten across how much I love this fic. It genuinely is my favorite fanfiction out there both just for the quality of it’s writing and the comically massive influence it had on my life this year. If you somehow haven’t read it by now, please do, if you like the art I’ve drawn of this ship over the past 60 days I can almost 100% guarantee that you’ll like this story. And read the rest of Val’s fics too! Please!

As always, Reblogs, Comments, and Little Notes in the Tags are appreciated!~ They always make my day!~

#danganronpa #junkan #junko enoshima #mikan tsumiki #enomiki #junkomikan #junko x mikan #enoshima junko #tsumiki mikan #shipping

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misc-obeyme · 2 days ago

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Tbh I feel so defeated, I barely started to form part of the fandom and got to know about obey me 5 months ago at my lowest point. I started using tumblr more also because as an artist the obey me fandom started having my back and I felt so good on a fandom for the first time in forever even when we are few

I am neurodivergent and change is scary, I had alredy got used to the comfort of whatever wrong thing and traumatic stuff I’m living rn happens it was okay because at least I had OM to comfort me. But now I feel a little too lost. I never even got to the latest lessons :( it just feels off. I want to believe their word when they say this isn’t them putting an end altogether but the wording is even more off “this isn’t the last of the devildom” could open up to spin offs??? But how about the main story? The Simeon arc? Everything BKDHKDHD 😞

I totally understand how you feel, anon. While I don't think this came out of nowhere, it feels like it did. And I've always felt that our fandom has such a nice and welcoming community. Sure there are some toxic peeps, those exist in every fandom. But I've encountered far more kind people here. And people get excited when a new artist or writer joins the fandom because we're happy to see more content of our faves!

I know it's scary, but I don't think the fan content part of things will change any time soon. All I've seen is people saying they plan to continue creating for the characters and story they love. They aren't shutting down the app immediately, so you can still play the lessons you haven't gotten through, too.

I wish I could say I knew more about where they're headed next, but the way they said it was vague enough that I just have no idea. Some people are speculating that a third app is in the future. I've seen people talking about an anime, too. It's hard to say what will come next.

However, I will say there is still quite a lot of fan content out here. The apps have been around since 2019 and there is a lot of fan art and fics that are from the last four-five years. I know I'm always finding stuff from 2020 and 2021 that I never saw because I didn't join right at the start. Fandoms often last much longer than their source material.

#let yourself grieve #we are all losing something because of this #but the fandom is still here #we still have each other #obey me #anon asks #misc answers

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funsizedkola · 23 hours ago

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She's A Maniac [part 1]

So I got REAL INSPIRED by @keferon 's Mecha Pilot AU (and got me liking JazzProwl overall thanks to it despite me being a Recent Transformers fan) and what really got my interest piqued was the fact that due to Quintessons, the Autobots and Deceptions joined forces in this AU. So! That inspired me a bit with this!

Though as you will see, what really took over here was the idea of what Elita One would be in a setting like this so, pardon my indulgence in this post. (And I like megoplita so sue me~)

They want her retired.

It's not outright said, but Swindle's grin and flattering words can't conceal what he's trying to encourage. Boardroom executives, sponsors, spokespeople, they're all the same to her at this point in her life. Ever since she was a fresh young recruit she never lost the feeling that she can only could rely on fellow pilots to be honest with her. If you're not going through the same agonizing road of misery all recruits live through (if they survive, even) then you can't understand her life.

And certainly don't have the right to direct where she should go.

"Our wonderful, exemplary Ariel-"

"Captain," calmly and yet with no spared patience is what emits with her narrowed eyes. The poster behind her in her office shows the girl that used to still respond to that name. Hopeful, radiant maybe, eyes gleaming like the polish of the mech she pilots in distant view. Ponytail bouncy with the abundant energy she once had as her smile expressed faith in the future. Everyone's future.

You wouldn’t recognize that girl at first glance in the woman glaring holes at this man's head. A few noticeable streaks of white now run through her strawberry blonde hair as the fire before is searing hot coals serving as her eyes. The way Swindle rubbed his hands shows he's maybe second guessing this conversation. Especially with what else he thought was also necessary to discuss.

"You understand, don't you? Progress must march on if we want to see results-"

"And you think sending Rumble and Frenzy to follow where Jazz was last heard is the way to do it?" Venomous, her fist fell on her desk as she soon stood up. "The children, next on the chopping block after the fully grown man failed to respond back? Who shouldn't have been put in that program in the first place you son of a-"

"W-Well, the decision has already been made so really you're only being informed as a formality-"

Oh, why bother with words anymore? The same snarl Elita would give to the enemy kaiju is what sends the suited man running out the door. By the way he scurried down the hall as she yells obscenities his way she knows there's nothing more she can do. He's at times just the glorified messenger boy with decisions like these in hopes that by the time she's found a proper suit or sponser or whatever to shake around she won't be as mad. But no, this weathered soul isn't so keen on lying down on this matter.

"Wooow~ They're going to definitely find a way to fire you if you keep that up."

Blurr isn't perturbed by the look thrown his way, cool and composed as he was leaning against the wall like he overheard quite the show to stop by. With how it's the longest he's initiated any conversation with her, he must of been very amused by what was said in there. Casual smile paired by serious eyes as he leans in, poster boy for the masses advising to former poster girl for new recruits. "Unfortunately he is right. No matter what you do, you can't change their minds on this. Whatever suggestion was offered is already a done deal."

Any non pilot saying this would have their throat grabbed. But as much as she yearns to disagree she can't throw away the reality he's delivering to her. With how prized a pilot Jazz is, the chance that they have gone and lost one of their best assets have backpedaled the hopes the higher ups have of gaining an advantage in this war. Now, anyone else they will consider sending will be those they consider to be... significantly expendable.

And maybe.

Perhaps also those they wish to be rid of.

"... Okay I don't know if I like that look in your eyes."

"Oh, really? I'll take that as a good sign then," is all the senior pilot says as she then starts heading to where the boardroom is.

Bemused, Blurr watches at the faded burgundy from her jacket leaves his line of sight before he looks back at her office. For a second he wondered if he saw just a hint of that spunky pilot in that framed poster in her eyes. Though he mainly is looking at said artwork to remember what exactly was her name.

Elita One: "I'll see you on the battlefield!"

Ah right, that's what she goes by.

- - -

"You're going too?!"

Ah, she knew she forgot something. Tiredly drinking the rest of her coffee, Elita just let Hot Rod rage on and get some of this indignation out of his system. Though when his angry tirade turns to him accusing certain people of using this as a chance to cowardly do away with her she then raised a finger and shook her head. "I volunteered," she corrected.

"WHAT?!"

"Told you," Wheeljack adds unhelpfully as Hot Rod just looks to him striding in with a stack of reports about her currently reconstructing mech, then to her, and for a moment looks almost hurt dare she say.

She gives a rare apologetic smile. "I was meaning to tell you all, but I had my hands full by all this preparation for me and the twins."

"But. But. You don't have to. Just say the word and I'll step in. I'll find Jazz and keep those two safe as well-" Oh how earnest he sounds. She doesn't doubt his conviction with how he's been arguably the most affected pilot since they heard that one of their own may for all they know be lost in space with no hope of return. "Captain, we need you here!"

"One way or another I can't ignore the risk that they will find a way to get rid of me once and for all. So at least through this it would be by my decision," Elita points out before patting his arm. He's not as visibly worn with burden like she is, but he looked even younger once. A prodigy in spirit and strength as she one time carried him after an excruciating round of tests left him unable to walk. He didn't ask for her help but she told him what he needs to do if he wishes to keep going and be one of the blazing warriors of history instead of the tragic burnt matches sent for cremation. "And I appreciate the offer. But no, you're needed more than me. You know I only got so much time left till it's time for me to meet my sisters."

It's not like she doesn't see why he remains unconvinced. And she gets a feeling he won't be the only pilot attempting to in some way convey refusal of her decision as word will now spread. The main reason she evaded the path of high office promotions other pilots ventured off to was so there's as least one more person there for the new recruits to turn to. To say for them the things they are afraid to voice till they've grown wise enough to walk on their own. But she knew one day she will have to let go and just hope for the best, as she taps Hot Rod on the chest.

"If you ask me, it's time for you to see if Captain is a right fit for you as well."

- - -

There's two reasons Elita can guess why Rumble and Frenzy were picked for this 'retrieval mission'.

One. They are a PR disaster waiting to happen. That's due to their controversial background of orphans being picked for the program. A convenient lack of parents unable to refuse rights to them made them easy pickings to be handed over from whatever foster care organization was receptive to bribes. But the longer the war wanes the more the public is willing to start aiming criticisms to the mech program and where there is smoke, there will be a fire to inevitably be posted to all news and media outlets.

Two. They are a PR disaster waiting to happen. The experiments they had to go through were far from gentle but it did nothing to tame their already wild personalities. If anything, it only made them worse. If you were a pilot they might listen to you, and even then depending on their mood it's a maybe. Jazz was one of the few that handled those troublemakers with ease and since his departure from Earth they've made their worries for him everyone's problem. His easygoing attitude and way of entertaining them was how he unintentionally got them to listen to him.

But. Elita can't say why the twins listen to her in her case. Intimidation, one may say. Perhaps being the closest they will get to a maternal figure despite her stern demeanor, another may comment. Or maybe the terror twins know to fall in line when the scarier pilot is in the room, another will add in. Whatever reason, she can't complain as they follow her lead in preparing for their mission. They delight in the new shiny suits they get to try on before attempting to look serious in her presence. It breaks her heart how they slowly try acting less their age in little ways and so she comments her approval for her own new attire so they can relax and get back to being eager. Any moment they can have to laugh between difficult rounds of training cannot be swept away.

As they tell each other how they definitely will show off to the others how much cooler they look, she glances at her reflection from the leg of her upgraded mech. Maybe one of the designers was feeling nostalgic as the shade of pink reflected more the hues she had in her early days. A contrast to the darker tones of magenta and wine red she preferred to adorn herself with when she no longer had the energy to smile for the camera. A sendoff to her once envious legacy, she morbidly thinks before seeing that some of the pilots have arrived in the hangar.

For some, it's the last chance their comrades will get to say goodbye and wish them luck before they are called away for combat. Elita appreciates the thought as she sees the twins gang up on a nervous First Aid, hoping that this isn't it for them. Or at the very least, the children will get to return to earth again.

"A badge?" She comments as she's handed a vibrant piece of metal that can magnetize to her suit. "You shouldn't have."

Hot Rod grins as he shows two smaller ones he's no doubt readied for Rumble and Frenzy. Before handing her another regular sized badge that has her raise a brow before she realizes.

"Give this to Jazz when you find him."

When. Not if. She's glad at least he is stubbornly having faith in their perilous pilgrimage. Clasping his hand she gives a nod before she lets herself be pulled in a hug. "I will," she promises him, knowing he needs to hear her resolve. "And I'll remind him that you still owe him money from your last bet."

The waver in his laugh has her close her eyes. Steeling herself as she knows the ones they'll leave behind will cry enough for her.

- - -

"Rumble, Frenzy, report! Report!"

Way to soon after their send off, they have somehow managed to end up in a swarm of enemies. Blasting away at the eyes of one of them, Elita frantically searched around for any sign of the stealth mechs she had ended up separated from. Is it damaged comms? Are they too occupied with fighting or running? Or maybe, they're already- no. No she won't guess till she's seen them herself. Wherever they are on this rock of a planet, she'll be there.

"Elita! You'll never guess what I found!!!" The joyful voice of a girl still way too young for active service is now calling her.

"Frenzy? Where are you and your brother?!" Alerts blaring have her picking up her last kaiju victim by the tentacles as she whips it around to stun it's comrades attempting to surround her.

"Hey I was the one to find him first!" Rumble, he's alive too oh thank-

"Well he patted me first so there!"

"Nu-uh!"

"Yu-huh!"

"Nu-uh!!!"

"Yu-huh!!!"

"STATUS. REPORT."

The pair of "Yes ma'am"s have her heaving a sigh as she looks down on one of her toes feebly attempting to grab her armored leg. "Kids, am I right?" She says dryly before stomping on its head, green muck now staining her. So much for a pristine paint job.

"Contact with good guys have been made, ma'am!"

"There's this really cool one we wanna keep, ma'am!"

"Can we, please? Ma'am!"

"Alright enough with the- wait what are you saying...?" She trails off, not liking the implication that there's something else out there that's not one of identifiable tentacle monsters she's been fighting for most of her life. Whatever chatter the twins are having to scheme to her agreeing is no longer her focus as she's got a larger tentacle wrapping itself around the head of her mech. Immediately kicking away, she growled as she sees this big guy is smart and is keeping her at enough distance from his weak points. Just what she needs, one of the tankier enforcers to show up.

Quickly she's attempting to take aim to wherever she can hit first, limb, neck(?), maybe the eyes-

Blade.

There's a glowing blade going through the alien's torso.

Feeling her captor's balance careen, Elita readies herself to roll on the rocky ground. Immediately getting to untangling the now limp tentacle from herself. And also getting ready for another fight because whatever just saved her has yet to earn her ease with how she now sees an imposing figure attached to said glowing axe. Monster wriggling away in halves, the more metal being steps over it to her direction.

Eyes.

Bright blue eyes is what she sees, vibrant on this planet only lit by distant stars and moons. Nothing like anything she's ever seen on any mech like construct as it's like she's actually being perceived.

The axe it wields is now shrinking before somehow it's replaced with a hand, the sight feeling more mythical rather than engineered. Now both hands are held up as if to convey peace as he pauses in front of her.

A voice is what she's hearing, but it's not one she can understand. It certainly doesn't sound human either which has her hackles raised once more, stepping back.

The way this red and blue mech tilts it's head as if in thought has her nearly laugh as something so mighty and tall somehow looks a tad approachable. But no, she can't be wasting time here as she drags her eyes away.

"I. Appreciate the help but I have to go and look for my own now," she manages to say as she wonders if it would be too rude to run off. But her sensors indicating forms heading her way have her looking to see the young pilots running to her. Sheer relief waves over her as she hurries forth to bend down and let them crash into her open arms, their chatter and barely even dented mechs assuring her that they're okay, for now they're alright.

Though she draws back with a frown. "You two. Need to improve your communication on the field," she stated.

"Really? I thought we did great," Frenzy says, her brother nodding as she internally sighs. "And look, it's our new friends!"

The relief of finding these two distraction her from the full scale of approaching mass their way is what soon is realized to Elita, looking up to see two more mechs walking their way.

They. Do not look as approachable as the first one. One is darker blue with a gleaming red visor that has her feel like she's being scanned, and the other one has red eyes pinpointed on them.

And a face. It has a proper face.

Somehow, it has a mouth. That moves. That can't be made by metal, no way does such material deliver such a menacing scowl with ease like that. Abruptly standing to place herself between those two and the kids, she could of sworn silver head is now smirking but she's not wanting to waste time on chances that could lead to bodily harm now that she has the twins.

"Rumble, Frenzy, go. Now!" She ordered, but she just gets vehement shaking heads as they tug at her hands.

"No, they're the good guys! Like we said!"

"Yeah, they saved us! Well, more like the blue one was doing that as the grey guy just killed aliens."

Judging from the amount of green splatters on said stranger she is inclined to believe that.

"So, can we keep him? That guy is so cool!" Rumble pleads as he waves at Red Visor who gives a little wave back. "I promise we'll do whatever you say Captain!"

"Yeah! We'll be perfect soldiers!"

They no doubt will be pleading from within their cockpits which, while cute to imagine, does not dissuade said Captain from tapping them on the heads. "No."

"Pleaaaaase! Please please please! We'll name him and everything!"

"Take him on walks!"

"Won't use him in our pranks!"

"You already should be following my orders to stay safe," The tired woman stressed, feeling tempted to remove her helmet to rub her forehead. "And besides, I'm pretty sure they can't talk to us so what's the use in keep them around? Chances are they already have their own designations but not like we'll know what they are!"

The static she keeps getting when trying to contact home base is also not helping her stress here. Improved communications her foot, she should of known they would of been stuck going no contact with any one human being this far away from Earth. As the twins keep pleading as they cling to her legs, she feels too worn out to even think about how undignified she must look to these other mech users.

"Optimus Prime."

Pausing, she slowly turns to where she hears that voice from. Sure enough, Axe Guy has stepped forth and the tone she just heard somehow just. Fits. Deep, and yet rich with humble gravitas...?

"That would be my designation. May I have the honor of learning yours?"

#Transformers #Elita One #TF Mecha Universe #maccadam #Optimus Prime #Rumble #Frenzy

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adrixivy · 1 day ago

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PeteI definitely does Insta live. Like we know he did a vlog during the deleted scenes and it was him partying with random people on a rooftop. And he taped his phone to his chest because he’s a highschooler who loves to D.I.Y and makes his own stuff (mainly because he’s broke) and he can’t swing with one arm so taped to the chest it is

He definitely has an Instagram account (ThatFunnyFriendlyNeighbourhoodWebslinger) where he goes live for a while as he swings through New York and basically talks to himself cuz he can’t see the comments. People who usually tune in simply listen to him ramble about basically anything because he makes it sound hilarious or he’ll talk about something that happened off camera and complain in the most unserious way people find him funny.

Peter after being run over by a flock of birds and he was blinded and slammed against a signboard: Like damn, no ‘sorry’?? I was minding my own business too!

Peter rambling about something he thought about randomly in class earlier: Guys, if I stole a helmet from one of Mr Stark’s suits, do you think he would notice it? I don’t know if I can say this but he has plenty of suits. I feel like if I took one of his helmets and change the protocol, hell maybe even add a mustache, his sleep deprived ass wouldn’t notice. Oh my god, imagine what I can do with his nano tech suit! I could change-

Peter gets a call from Tony and an “Oh snap!” was last heard from the live before it ended. He picks up the face time call to see an offended Tony deflecting everything he said on his live because he was also listening in and Tony was pointing at the camera as he kept going on and on about Peter not allowed anywhere near his suits anymore and maybe even the lab which Tony was obviously joking and Peter took it seriously that even with the mask on, Tony could see his upset face with his moving lenses and sad puppy noises. Tony obviously makes up for it by letting him input his own stuff into one of his old suits

There are times also where his live suddenly cuts off with a yelp or a scream because he just encountered thugs and they started coming at him that he has to immediately hide his phone as he does not need a broken phone right now, therefore ending the stream.

Peter halfway through a complaint: Then they were like, you should bring your own paper if you can bring a pen. Woman, I simply wanted to leave a note so that-*gunshots sounds in the background* OH SHOOT! *live ends*

Other than simply listening into his live, some of his fans makes compilation of certain moments in his lives.

‘Spidey’s complaints compilation’

‘Spidey’s funny rambles’

‘Spidey’s perfect cut-off screams’

And Peter watches every single one of them, always laughing his ass off as he recalls the day. He always liked the videos and sometimes leave comments too. He watches them with the team sometimes and they all have fun watching him, especially the parts where he plans to do his own adjustments to Tony’s stuff which makes the older man raise a brow at his kid who was claiming that he was joking then(He was not joking)

Oh and I forget to add, he always has a few hundred thousand people listening in because at most, he does lives two times a week only. His highest view count was a million people and he honestly panicked

#peter may have adjusted some of the suits #tony did not notice till weeks later #like he expected #he went crazy and peter cackled as he ran away #marvel cinematic universe #marvel #marvel universe #the avengers #marvel headcanons #mcu #peter parker #spiderman #tony stark #iron man #irondad and spiderson

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dolls-self-ships · 1 day ago

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related to my last post (on Ford's sexuality/romantic orientation)

ok, this is going to sound really stupid so please, bare in mind that I am aware that this is a fictional character and he isn't real and even alex hirsch himself said that anyway a fan might resonate with a character can be true to them. With that being said, I personally don't love the headcanon that Ford is gay. I myself am aroace, and a lot of what he seems to experience in terms of romantic relationships and his feelings on them seem to align more with my own and lots of other aroace people that I know. And idk why but fandoms and esp just the lgbtq community in general seem to be really dismissive of aroace people (some don't even consider us queer but thats another post), and idk why but it just bothers me that anytime a character in canon expresses little to no intrest in romance it becomes almost automatically fanon that said character must be gay and not know it, as if being aroace just isn't an option. Because, I feel like those are two different experiences, not completely but, different enough since one can still feel romantic attraction and one feels little to none of it. I also think it's over looked/never discussed how much of Ford's struggles with romance can also come from trauma (being ostrochized, bullied, dont even get me STARTED on it post Bill, etc.) which I also relate to, as someone who for mental health related reasons hasn't dated in years. And I've met lots of people, including men, who have struggled with the same thing. I've had my best friend suggest to me multiple times that I might be a lesbian since men seem to scare me (I've tried, I am not one) and idk I just wish there was more space in fandom to discuss how trauma and being nd or even just being on the aroace spectrum (or all 3) might affect someone's dating life instead of just coming to the conclusion of "oh he struggles with women so poor guy must not know he's gay". Not saying if you headcanon Ford as gay that you're wrong, he can literally be whatever, he's not real. I just wish I had more people that shared this point of veiw on his character with me because I resonate with those parts of his character just in different ways.

I also want to preface that it gives me the personal ick that whenever a male character is more effeminate/eccentric people think that it's an automatic precursor to them not liking women. Like, idk I really hate that it's 2024 and people still base their hcs off of that. There are (very few but they exist) straight drag queens. Femininity is not inherently connected to being attracted to men.

#idk. I have a lot of thoughts about hin #also ofc I am guilty of wanting him to like women bc.. I ship with him lol. so thats even more of a personal bias #but my main reasons are in the post #again not hating on the ford is gay truthers!! you do you I just want to find more #ford is bi/aroace truthers to hang out with #ford pines #stanford pines #gravity falls #gravity falls stanford #gravity falls stanford pines #gravity falls ford #grunkle ford #headcanons #sexuality #lgbtqia #aroace #being neurodivergent

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white-wolf-buckaroo · 2 days ago

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The last drop in The Last Drop: Part 2

A dad!Vander fic (with my og character, Luna, Vander's fifth adopted child)

Masterlist: there you go

Disclaimer: english ain't my first language folks

The Last Drop was louder than anywhere Luna had ever been before. The nights were the worst—crowds of people shouting over music, chairs scraping against the floor, and the occasional crash of glass breaking. It was overwhelming at first. Her small hands often clutched Vander’s shirt as she hid behind him as he stood behind the counter, her wide eyes darting toward every unfamiliar noise.

“It’s alright, Lu,” he’d say, his big hand resting on her shoulder. “Nothing to be scared of.”

When he said it, she tried to believe him.

But it wasn’t just the noise. The other kids—Vi, Mylo, Claggor, and Powder—were a whirlwind of energy that made her head spin. Vander wouldn’t let them go out alone at night (yet, when they were older they could, he always said), so they hung around in the evening sitting on a table by the wall, or messing around a little bit. Not that anyone minded, really. Vi was the loudest, always climbing something or chasing Mylo through the bar. Mylo talked a mile a minute, sometimes teasing Powder and now also Luna in a way that made her unsure if he was joking or not. Claggor was quieter but still intimidating with how easily he kept up with the chaos, kind of like Vander in that way.

And then there was Powder. Powder was closer to her size and age, with a wide grin and a streak of curiosity that seemed boundless; she was undoubtedly excited at having someone younger around, as the older kids tended to baby her from time to time. She was the first to approach Luna.

“Do you like dolls?” Powder had asked one afternoon, holding up a patched-together figure with button eyes.

Luna blinked, unsure how to answer. “I… don’t have one.”

Powder’s eyes lit up. “I can make you one!”

The blue haired girl hovered around her, asking endless questions. “Do you like colours? I love to draw! What’s your favourite food? Are you scared of spiders? I’m not. Well, okay, maybe sometimes.”

It was a lot, but Powder’s excitement was easier to handle than Mylo’s teasing or Vi’s confident energy. Vi, on the other hand, took her time warming up to Luna.

“She’s so quiet,” Vi had whispered to Vander one evening, looking at Luna sitting at the table, swinging her legs idly as Powder braided her hair (insisting that she had to wear it like herself). Mylo and Claggor were bickering over a game of cards nearby, their voices blending into the general hum of the bar. “Is she scared of us?”

“She’s just getting used to everything,” Vander replied, while cleaning the inside of a mug. “Give her time.”

“So… she’s going to stay with us? Permanently?” Vi asked, her tone uncertain. She wasn’t really sure how she felt about it. Not that she minded having someone else around, but it was another change. Another person to get used to.

Vander glanced at her, his expression softening. “She doesn’t have anywhere to go or anyone else to take care of her.”

Vi frowned, crossing her arms. She leaned her arms on the counter, her face scrunching in thought. “It’s just… we don’t even know her. What if she doesn’t fit in?”

Vander chuckled softly, the sound rumbling in his chest. “And what exactly does ‘fitting in’ look like around here, huh?” He gestured toward Mylo and Claggor, who were now arguing loudly over whether Claggor had cheated in their game. Powder, meanwhile, was carefully arranging Luna’s hair into a lopsided braid, ignoring the two boys excellently as she chatted about her favourite toys she wanted to show Luna later.

Vi’s lips twitched into a reluctant smile. “Fair point.”

“Look,” Vander continued, his voice quieter now. “When I found you and Powder, it wasn’t any different. You already knew me, yes, but you were also scared and you had gone through a lot, just like her.”

Vi looked down, her expression softening as she remembered. “Yeah, I guess.”

“And now look at you,” Vander said with a grin, ruffling her hair. “You’re the one making this place feel like home for the others. You’ll do the same for her. Just give it time. She’s going to be one of us, just like you, Powder, and the boys.”

Vi huffed but didn’t protest. “Fine. But she’s not gonna cry all the time, is she?”

Vander chuckled again, shaking his head. “You’d be surprised. That kid’s tougher than she looks, I’m sure of it. She’ll be okay,” he said, almost to himself. His voice had turned low, filled with quiet determination, the kind that always made Vi believe he could do anything. “She’s got us now.”

Vi watched him for a moment, the way his gaze softened as he looked at Luna, the way he crossed his arms over his chest and let out a deep, thoughtful breath. He wasn’t just saying it—he really believed it.

And if Vander believed it, maybe Vi could too.

Vi glanced over at Luna as well, watching her laugh quietly at something Powder had said, her small hands clutching the edge of the table as if she was still anchoring herself to this new world. Maybe Vander was right. Maybe she just needed time.

So, Vi tried in her own way. She offered Luna the better seat when they ate dinner and slowed down when explaining the rules of the games they played to include her.

“Tag’s easy,” Vi said one day, crouching down to Luna’s level. “If you don’t wanna play, that’s fine too.”

Luna hesitated but nodded. Vi grinned, grabbing her hand to pull her into the game.

“You just gotta run fast, okay?” Luna nodded. “Hide so that they don’t find you. If they don’t, you win!”

“But what if you never find me?” she asked, eyes wide showing her frighten.

“We will, don’t worry about that,” Vi laughed a bit, crouching down again to her level to look her into the eyes when she noticed Luna still didn’t seem at ease. “Hey, I promise. I’ll find you. Always. And if not me, then Vander, okay?”

That seemed to do the trick; it certainly did, when Luna would end up winning a lot of times because she would hide in the smallest of places. She would always wait for Vi or one of the others to find her in order leave her hiding spot, though, always making sure they found her.

Claggor was the first to win her over completely. Unlike Mylo’s teasing or Powder’s chatter, Claggor was steady, with a calmness that made him approachable even when Luna was feeling shy or overwhelmed. He was the one who helped Luna feel less lost in the chaos of the Last Drop.

The first time she followed him around the Last Drop, it wasn’t because he’d asked her to—it was because he was working on fixing something at one of the tables, and she was curious. She hovered nearby, not saying anything, just watching as he tightened a loose screw on a wobbly chair leg.

“You want to help?” he asked after a while, glancing up at her with a small smile.

Luna froze, startled. “I don’t know how.”

“That’s okay,” he said. “I’ll show you.” He handed her a screwdriver, holding her small hand in his for a moment to guide it into position. “Now turn it, like this. Slowly.”

She followed his instructions, her brow furrowing in concentration as she twisted the screwdriver. When the screw was snug in its place, she glanced up at him, uncertain.

“Perfect,” Claggor said, grinning. “Good job, Lu.”

From then on, she seemed to follow him around whenever he worked on repairs. He never complained, even when she slowed him down by asking too many questions or accidentally dropping tools. When she accidentally tipped over his toolbox, scattering screws and nails across the floor, she was afraid he’d be mad, and immediately scrambled to pick everything up, but he was calm about it.

“It’s okay,” Claggor said, crouching down beside her to help. “Happens to me all the time.”

“Really?” she asked, her wide eyes sceptical.

“Sure,” he said with a wink. “Once, I spilled everything right in the middle of the bar when it was full. Vander nearly tripped over me.”

That made her giggle, and Claggor grinned, satisfied.

When they weren’t fixing things, Claggor had a way of looking out for her without making a big deal out of it. If she was struggling to reach something on the counter, he’d quietly grab it for her. If Mylo’s teasing got a little too much, Claggor would step in with a simple “Knock it off, Mylo” that usually did the trick.

And when she was too nervous to speak up during one of their mealtimes, it was Claggor who noticed and slid the bread basket closer to her with an encouraging nod.

“You don’t have to ask,” he said softly. “Just take what you want. Nobody’s gonna mind.”

Even Mylo softened after a while. Though he still teased her (like most older brothers did to their younger sisters), his jokes became less sharp and more playful. One night, when they were all sitting at the table for dinner, Mylo leaned back in his chair, tossing a pickle from his plate to hers.

“Trade you,” he said.

“For what?” Luna asked cautiously, looking down at the pickle as though it might bite her.

“Nothing. I just don’t like pickles.” He grinned and added, “And you look like you do.”

She wrinkled her nose but took the pickle anyway, nibbling at the edge. Mylo smirked, satisfied, and went back to his meal. It wasn’t a grand gesture, but it made her giggle—the first time she’d done so around him.

He remembered his first weeks after Vander had taken him in; he hadn’t been used to having a roof, a bed, food on the table… He had been unsure about everything at first, masking it with roughness and sharp bites whenever someone spoke up to him about it. And although he had grown into a teaser and he thought it was funny to annoy others from time to time, he also wanted to help Luna feel more at ease. He didn’t stop teasing her completely, but the edge in his voice softened. He’d say things like, “Careful, squirt, don’t trip over your own feet,” when she hesitated on the stairs, only to add, “Here, hold the rail like this,” as he showed her how to climb them more confidently.

When she joined the group to watch him and Claggor play cards, he scooted over to give her a better view of the game, though he kept up a running commentary that made her giggle.

“See, Lu, Claggor’s terrible at this. Don’t ever take advice from him about cards,” Mylo said, leaning close as though sharing a great secret.

“Hey!” Claggor protested.

“It’s true,” Mylo shot back, grinning.

“Don’t listen to him Lu, he cheats all the time!”

“I do not!”

“Yes you do!”

Luna only giggled.

One night, as the bar quieted down and they all sat around in the warm, dim light, Mylo noticed her watching him and Powder play a game with a set of battered dice.

“Wanna play?” he asked suddenly, holding up the dice.

Luna blinked. “I don’t know how.”

“It’s easy,” he said, shrugging. “I’ll teach you.” He scooted over to make room for her on the bench, motioning for her to sit beside him. “Okay, so here’s how it works...” For the first few rounds, Luna struggled to keep up, biting her lip in concentration as she tried to understand the rules. Mylo teased her lightly when she made mistakes, but he always followed it up with a quick explanation or a playful grin to show he wasn’t serious.

“See? You’re getting it,” he said after she won her first round. “You might even be better than Powder soon.” Powder protested, glaring at him. “What? Just saying.”

Luna smiled, her confidence growing. It kind of broke the ice. By the end of her first week, she started to feel less like an outsider and more like she belonged, giggling and smiling more often.

By the end of her first week, Luna started to feel less like an outsider and more like she belonged.

It wasn’t sudden, and it wasn’t always easy, but every little moment helped her feel a bit more at home. The way Powder had smiled at her the first time she handed her a piece of bread. How Mylo had tried to teach her how to throw a rock just right in the alley, despite her clumsy attempts. Claggor’s quiet approval when she helped wash the dishes, and even the rare chuckles from Vi when she managed to get something just right in the makeshift kitchen.

But more than anything, it was Vander’s presence that made her feel like she was becoming part of something.

Every night, when the bar quieted down, and the sounds of the busy day faded into a quiet hum, Vander would make time for the kids. Late in the evening, when the others would be settling into their cots, murmuring amongst themselves or falling asleep with their heads buried under old blankets, Luna always waited for the moment when Vander would sit beside her bed, asking her about her day.

It was something she had come to look forward to, the time when the world outside faded away, and she could focus on something—someone—who made her feel like she wasn’t alone in this strange new world.

Luna hugged her blanket tight against her chest, the edges worn and soft. It was a gift from Powder, who had insisted she take it when Luna had no blankets of her own one of the first nights she had spent with them.

“They’re loud,” Luna said quietly, her voice unsure, her eyes still darting over to where the others were gathering nearby, talking and laughing in their own chaotic way. “But… they’re nice.”

Vander’s gaze softened as he watched her, his expression full of quiet understanding. He leaned a little closer, his large frame casting a comforting shadow over her bed. “They are,” he said with a small smile. “They’re your family now, Lu. You’ll see. They’ve got your back.”

Family.

The word seemed so big, so final. Luna didn’t fully understand it. She thought of the people she had met before, the ones who had taken her in for a night or two, fed her scraps, and then sent her away when their patience ran out. But there was something different about Vander’s words. They felt warm, like the sun on a cool day. Not demanding, not overwhelming, but steady.

Luna tucked herself deeper into the blanket Powder had given her, the edges soft against her skin. She glanced over at the others, who were talking about something she didn’t fully understand, but they weren’t laughing at her, or ignoring her. Powder was saying something about a machine she wanted to make with some metal scraps Claggor had given her, her voice animated as she waved her hands explaining it excitedly while Mylo told her to shut up and let him sleep.

Vander’s voice, calm and reassuring, pulled her back to the present. “We’re your family now,” he repeated, his hand gently brushing her hair back from her face. “There’s nothing to be afraid of, not anymore.”

The word didn’t seem as strange anymore. Family.

It felt safe. It felt like belonging. It felt right.

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fictional-reylin · 2 days ago

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This is a headcanon for various bnha characters in regard to crushes, attraction, dating, etc… I still want to add three characters to this part. Also, this is not an x reader, that's why I didn't tag it as one, it's basically a post saying "here is the reason I write the character or the reader a certain way" in my previous or future fics.

Please note that these are my headcanons, so obviously it’s not the same as yours. And I will make headcanons for characters that I care about.

Also, one of them is purely me projecting my preferences onto the character💀, I dare you to guess which one.

You are welcome to send requests/asks. Just make sure to read my rules.

Midoriya Izuku

He probably had a decent amount of crushes, maybe like five or so from childhood to adolescence.

I think he's the type to be more attracted to personality than physique, so his crushes looked nothing alike, but their personalities were the same.

Speaking of personalities: bubbly, free spirited, maybe a little bratty and definitely the optimist type or maybe realist.

His idea of a nice date would be going to the arcade or on a picnic. If dating long enough then dates at home are added to the mix.

At the start of dating since Izuku is the polite type I think he wouldn't drop the formalities immediately and still call his partner by last name.

When dating I think Izuku is a real gentleman, opening the door, buying flowers/gifts regardless of the occasion, very wary of boundaries.

If I had to think of a negative when dating him is probably that he will try to fix the problem that his partner has instead of just listening. But if called out on it he is going to ask beforehand what he needs to do or not do when his partner vents.

Bakugō Katsuki

I'm sorry but this guy cannot possibly develop a crush, I don't see him that way. He probably can tell if someone is pretty, but developing romantic feelings is not on the table.

But, in the case he does develop a crush, he will ignore it. He will avoid the person at all costs to the point that he forgets about it and moves on with his life.

But to what kind of person, he will be attracted ? 100% the quiet type, the introvert. Not shy, but introvert. Sarcastic, confident, a realist type. In short, him but way less aggressive.

Dates ? Being with his partner is a date. But if you ask him about it, he will say going to the gym. Purely because he wants to annoy his partner.

He already is rude so he will not bother being polite to his partner. Anything that they don't voice out as a no is a yes to him, because he knows that they would have said something if they're uncomfortable.

His love language is definitely physical contact. So, a lot of hand holding, hugging, and just in general a lot of physical contact.

Negative trait. Well, he treats his partner like his friend. The only reason everyone knows they're a couple is because they had told them and even then people are convinced they’re not.

Kirishima Eijirō

I think he does develop crushes but doesn't really pay attention to it. Like he will develop a crush and then just act the same with them as everyone else, maybe a tiny bit more friendly.

But if it's more serious than a crush he will confess his feelings and try to get closer to the person.

He's the opposite of Izuku when it comes to attraction. All of his crushes look alike or at least have some key features in common. So, for him as long as the personality is okay, and the looks align with his preferences.

Speaking of preferences. Definitely someone who is muscular. Like very muscular. I know in bnha everyone has non-natural coloured hair, but I feel like in the real world he would be attracted to non-natural hair (blue, pink, red, etc...). Someone tall, maybe even taller than him.

He isn't picky with dates. Anything that his partner wants to do he'll do it, he's very flexible in that area. So he went from dates like the typical movies to extreme sports.

He is a gentleman. Carrying his partner's bag, complimenting them, being really into his partner's hobby.

Negative trait ? I think it depends on the partner that he has.

Kaminari Denki

Tons of crushes. Each time (if) he gets rejected he waits like three months to get another one.

When he develops a crush, he is not the type to be shy about it, immediately makes it clear that he is interested because he doesn't have anything to lose anyway.

When it comes to appearance and personality, I think it is 50/50 for him. And he doesn’t really have a type, so his crushes can vary in appearance and/or personality.

And I think when it comes to his preference in personality, it’s two completely opposites. Let’s say quiet, keeps to themselves, or complete burst of energy. Nothing in the middle.

I’d say when it comes to dates he likes something active, that will give him adrenaline. So skateboarding, arcade, escape game, etc…

I would guess he’s very clingy. Holding his partner’s hand is not enough, he needs to cuddle them 24/7, be near them every time. He will complain if they go to the bathroom.

Negative trait: He’s kind of childish. Doesn’t really know how to dissolve conflict because he doesn’t really know how to ? But he tries obviously.

Todoroki Shōto

For obvious reasons, he didn't really get the chance to have crushes, but as he starts to open up and be more social, I think he will have that love at first sight kind of thing. Idk I think it's of fitting.

That first and only love when he knows he wants to marry that person the moment he lays eyes on them, even if he doesn't really know how to express it.

He's more the type to prioritize personality over looks, but not because he doesn't care about them, but because he finds everyone pretty in their own way.

His partner will definitely be someone shy, but really extroverted and friendly. Who's always polite and just a people person in general.

At first, he would probably let his partner pick their dates, since he doesn't really know what would be appropriate in terms of it. But as he gets more comfortable in this area, he will start to voice out his opinions more.

His love language is probably telling his partner how much he loves them and cherishes them. Always being vocal about how much they mean to him and that his life wouldn't be complete without them.

As for a negative trait, he's passive. He doesn't want to make his partner feel like they don't have a choice in the matter so it's always "What do you want ?" "What do you prefer ?" "I don't really have a preference"

Īda Ten'ya

He’s the type to kind of ignore his crushes but not act on them because he’s treating it like a rational thing: he’s too young for that, it will be uncomfortable if the other person doesn’t reciprocate.

But once he's out of UA and finally an adult, he would be up to dating because he's more relaxed as a person and because "both parties aren't influenced by teenage hormones" (you can fight me on this but I'm 100% that sentence would have left his mouth)

He cares about personality more than looks, but he's also not too picky, I guess. As long as the person is on the more serious side of things.

While dating it's he definitely is the romantic type, so dates in the cinema, picnics, high class restaurants, etc... If his partner is uncomfortable with that, he'll try to still be his romantic self but accommodating his partner's boundaries.

His love language is acts of service so every time his partner wants something or wants to do something, that's his top priority and nothing gets in the way, even his hero work.

He probably gets into a relationship only if he sees a future with that person, so the second he knows their taste in jewellery he gets the ring. Though he probably won't propose until he's sure it's the right time.

Negative trait. I feel like he sees the world in black and white so that would definitely take a toll on his partner because obviously things aren't like that.

Thank you so much for reading ! If you want to join in my daydream, consider checking out my navigation.

#bnha headcanons #mha headcanons #my hero academia headcanons #boku no hero academia #my hero academia #midoriya izuku #bakugo katsuki #kirishima eijirou #kaminari denki #todoroki shōto #ida tenya #bnha #mha

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noel-levine-fan · 2 days ago

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HI IM SORRY IM REPLYING TO YOUR TAGS AGAIN LMAO

wilardo's conclusion spoilers...

Ok several things!

During the massacre, which Sirius overheard, Nicholas does mention "Patricia" and Dorothy, confused, asks what Nicholas's relationship to "her" is, to which Nicholas says Noel is "his wife" and then Dorothy, again more confused, just calls him crazy. So it's quite possible that, at one point, Sirius may have had the context to know that Nicholas knew Noel in some way, and had the context that Nicholas was.... uh... yeah... claiming a child as his wife... even if he wouldn't really understood how exactly that... worked. However. Sirius doesn't actually seem to remember the events of the massacre very well, as Nicholas also goes on a rant about how he wants Dorothy's Witch's Heart, yes Sirius still thinks the Witch's Heart is only a storybook. This is kind of addressed during a scene in... I don't remember which game, but it's some game, where Sirius is suddenly stricken with a memory of Nicholas's speech, specifically the part about the Witch's Heart. This is after a while after finding out about the Witch's Heart as a treasure iirc, so it seems his memories of that part of the massacre are buried. Meaning he also probably doesn't remember the part where Nicholas starts talking about "Patricia" being "his wife." Besides that, i highly doubt Noel ever talked about his family, so he probably never said his family name.

I think Sirius would be capable of concluding that Noel is related to Nicholas due to the shared last name/apparent facial similarity/context, but I would presume he might have only ever realized that in like... a few timelines because he just wouldn't connect those dots unless something forced him to think about that connection, which probably doesn't happen often.

(tl;dr I agree with you I just wanted to expand on some things)

every day i think about like. the fact that noel would probably be famous in most contexts

worldwide celebrity mom

local beloved extremely powerful politician dad

looks a lot like his mom

both parents died "tragically" under somewhat mysterious circumstances which people can speculate about endlessly, so you bet their deaths are hot topics

the interest in nicholas as his father would probably mainly be local since i doubt he was well known outside of that town. but no matter where he went the interest in patricia as his mother would follow him. he'd be constantly asked why she died etc etc

noel might try to hide this fact, it really does depend on the context of the AU and why and how he's out in society but i imagine he'd avoid talking about his last name, try to erase his family history etc etc but there might be contexts in which he just can't hide it, say people already know and it's too late, and there might be contexts in which it gets dug up anyway

i have extensive noel family headcanons somebody needs to save me

also imagine like a modern AU (where music is played in stores). noel couldnt go like 2 minutes without hearing songs sung by his dead mother if he went to a store he would hate it

#witch's heart spoilers #noel levine #textposts #replies #apeironstella

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mariemariemaria · 10 months ago

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The new channel 4 documentary on the miners strike is fantastic. It covers different points of view, from the striking miners, to working miners, to the women in striking communities, to the police. It also shows how the Battle of Orgreave on 18th June 1984 was planned and initiated by the police, and how the media (BBC and ITV) covered this up and showed only the police's side, while positioning them as being the victims of miners' violence (which was very minimal to non existent in reality), who simply retaliated because the "restrained...traditional British policing way" (I have to laugh) didn't work.

I also didn't know until watching this that Gareth Peirce, who represented the Guildford Four and the Birmingham Six, also defended mineworkers who were victims of police brutality at Orgreave. What a woman!

#british history #working class history #miners strike #acab #im so interested in this period of history + chose this topic specifically as part of a british history module last year #so im really glad that this docuseries was made for the 40th anniversary and i hope it is never forgotten #and i often think about how miscarriages of justice against working class british people are exactly the same as #british miscarriages of justice against irish people. i was thinking this when watching #at one point an interviewee even says something like 'obviously i'd seen this happen in northern ireland but i never expected it to #happen in england!' and the way the police acted obviously made me think of what they did in the north of ireland #and the gareth peirce connection just confirmed it. but how many people saw those connections?#how many of the miners who were beaten by police saw the same things happen to irish people but didnt care? or thought they deserved it?#this isnt to blame them..they were fed lies that the irish were terrorists...but it suggests to me that this oppression is connected #also similar is how RE the post office scandal a lot of people were shocked that british justice had failed #a man in the drama even said that it was britain and he was british and that british justice wouldnt let them down #and you just think like...do you not know what british 'justice' did to innocent irish people? do you think they deserved it?#did you think you were immune because you were british? in ireland we know there is no such thing as british justice.#but british people never seem to learn this history lesson #what a better world it would be if working class british (and irish) people could recognise our similarities and joint sufferings as a #result of the british state. its quite frustrating to watch british people constantly put faith in their gov/justice system #learn from your own history!! they dont care about you!!

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starlooove · 24 days ago

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And on another note despite what I’m focusing on I do think it’s abhorrent to assume everyone who voted for or supported Harris is chill with genocide like yeah that’s like. What blew up online that tori maya shit was stupid as fuck but due to the disorganization and lateness of this campaign there was REAL misinformation being spread especially to our elders by ppl misconstruing info and a large number of ppl genuinely RIGHT NOW believe she’s pro Palestine called for a ceasefire etc. Like that’s a big chunk of the issue happening rn - where ppl literally made up policies for her or suddenly fell for “neutral” talking points bc it’s on someone they like and spread that. Like idk I feel like until everyone can be honest and humble nobody’s getting anywhere

#I lost my point at the end damn #guess I’m just bringing it to ppls attention #ig Im very against ‘this chunk of ppl are exactly like this’ which is why I overly specify #guys if I’m talking about someone I promise I just say exactly what i mean #when I say ppl who voted with XYZ in mind that’s exactly who I’m talking about there’s no strays to be caught #anyways I’m thinking of this bc I’m seeing so many ppl saying vile things about Palestine and saying ‘well this is what you wanted’#like no and that attitude is part of what lost that election bfr #this is what I meant yesterday by terrible timing #bc black women are rightfully exhausted and saying we’re not showing up for everyone else.#and it’s just masking a complicity in a genocide some of you already has #Some of you ALREADY said fuck Palestine so pretending it’s bc Harris lost is so #like I’m sorry this is still about that tori girl #not even her the fanbase she curated #of ppl who genuinely think democracy would save us Harris had our best interests at heart and that genocide is smth to breeze over #and that Maya girl is a weirdo too don’t get me wrong #like it’s that thing where they’re both dead wrong but one person was a biiit more wrong than the other #that didn’t make the other person right at alll #And that Madeline person #I unfollowed bc despite what they were saying #some of which I agreed with #a lot of the FANS got racist fast #guys deleting comments is an option stop letting ur fans be bigots and pretending you can’t control it #y know it’s follow the leader delete the first signs of racism and they can’t fuel eachother hello #anyways that’s a collection of thoughts on ppl ig my point is.#genocide is bad and the way ppl react to that along with other circumstances and factors is never gonna be palatable #especially to ppl calling a politican auntie and BIG SIS GENERAL #fucking crazy btw that last one #and also a lot of ppl were desperate to see a black woman take care of everything so they ignored any flaw she and her campaign had #when these flaws were huge contributors to the loss #and also. with the big ass gap atp I think it is kind of useless to argue amongst ourselves

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apolloagain · 2 days ago

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Chapter 40.

Damn. Okay. I have thoughts and feelings. Was glad the other day to see the author thanking someone for a comment that "gets it" because my hubris makes me think that I Get It and would so prove that if I had an ao4 account yet (and yeah it was a good comment lol). But this one has challenged me!

I felt my "indignant" levels go through the ROOF this chapter. We all knew that Sarah's suffocation plan wasn't going to work, but that made it quite easy to root for her attempt. So seeing that fail - and I don't know about anyone else, but that was my last stab at a suicide plan for her - and then the doctor's "Lucky you don't have a choice" after her very sincere but pragmatic speech that could not make her wishes clearer... damn, I mean, I felt the frustration. I really really did. Like some fucked up cousin of Kafka where the system is completely built to circumvent yourself despite your best efforts, except everyone won't STOP caring and "loving" you. Notice how I put loving in quotes? I've been enjoying living through Sarah vicariously, feeling her rage and humiliation but also enjoying it, being a step above as the horny dream-god-reader I am. But this time... well, sure, still doing that a little, maybe. But feeling Sarah's nightmare quiteeee a lot this time! I FELT felt that trapped rage and humiliation and it DIDNT feel good!

First of all, like said, the lead up really has made this a claustrophobic and aggravating place. But then the punishment... okay, damn, look, the spanking before was hot, but somewhat subdued. Even the degradation seemed to end very quickly. But this... wow, jesus fucking christ. Way beyond that. I mean, whipping her BACK???? That's fucked up! That's really visceral! Jesus!!! I'm not at all surprised to hear that every other instance has been under that threshold, but wow, yeah, this one... double the threshold... I can believe that too! Sure, sure, making her say "Yes Mistress" is hot and dommy and whatever, except honestly, the actual content of the punishment is such an upsetting change of pace that I can barely take that in.

This sounds a little like a criticism - it's nothing more than my honest reaction. In reading all of these chapters, I guess I make meta-fantasies. So here's the one I realised I was having for this one: I really wanted Sarah to not back down. The glorious human spirit, I don't care what you call it. I want her to keep saying how until she's been abused to a shocking point. I want Rose to realise what she's done in a savage-hypocrisy- in claiming to love her, instead inflicted real physical damage and torture and really, really hurt Sarah. I wanted the guilt to come crashing down on her, for her to try and say sorry but know nothing can help, for to realise that she took a massive gambit and it FAILED, Sarah WON, the bluff was called and Rose went above it and is a monster for it and Sarah still didn't back down even though she's asking to die and part of Rose really now can see why, which makes her want to as well.

This sounds like a pretty morbid and sadistic fantasy. It IS morbid, but it's not sadistic- again, Sarah being whipped on the back was honestly not nice for me. It's more a fantasy of childish self-pity, like a "They'll all be sorry about how I treated me" catharsis. I don't think I'm the only one who wants it, as you can see in the comments confidently projecting their "predictions" (see: not so subtle wants) saying that Rose will soon find out that torture doesn't work. Sorry guys, but I don't think it's going to NOT not work!

Most of my fantasies have been, sans Sarah submitting and loving the affini, kind of from Rose's desires- that is to say, it's taken delight in the adored cooing and embarassment of watching Sarah play pretend on screen, even though I think that I've experienced a lot of that fantasy THROUGH the placed-perspective of Sarah (urgh, there are literary terms for what I'm trying to distinguish here, but even if I could remember them it would be muddled by me being a messy switch lol). But what happens right after Rose's eyes are glowing then? Sarah poops the party with Facts and Logic, putting what she's doing both matter of factly - Hab wouldn't make her feel "self-conscious" - and presenting it as a bad thing Rose is doing that further proves that her narrative of "love" is self-serving and illegitimate. When she does this, Sarah has to fight holding back a smirk. That's HER bratty ol' fantasy, a self-satisfied rage against the machine that's not just calling them klats and being violent to herself/rude to them, but undermining their control, shaping the narrative her way, no, fuck you, I can condescend right back because this is a disgrace, I'm indignant, I'm RIGHT, this is NOT the story you think it is, fuck you, I hate you, die. That's a cathartic fantasy in and of itself. And I've indulged in that meta before reading this... but not much. Firstly, because from the title alone we know that it's a foregone conclusion. Secondly, because the other one is hotter lol. But thirdly... well, look at how I'm feeling indulging heavily in those emotions and narrative right now. I wanted Sarah's suicide to work! Beyond that, I wanted Rose to go overboard and harm Sarah ONLY so that she can feel bad about having done so. Undermining Rose's system by undermining Sarah. It's self harm, ultimately. Sorry Sarah, but the horrible truth is that your way of life leads to harm. It's too destructive a fantasy, ultimately helping no one.

And yet... and yet this chapter did still make my indignation levels go critical. And I think that despite looking forward very much to the next few chapters, I found this one less enjoyable than maybe I was meant to. Ifelt bad for Sarah man, I just did! Am I taking it too seriously? Am I getting too wrapped up? And YET And Yet... that comment that had the author saying they "definitely get it"? Well, I take comfort from it, because I think I really DO get it- because here's part of it:

Sarah has made a lot of really good points. It does make me hope that Sarah will be able to win some sort of victory. It won’t be a total win - a total win against the Affini is impossible. But some sort of concession or something. You know?

I do know. Apparently we'll be heading to the C Chapters soon, so I have little faith in Sarah holding out for some melodramatic shadow of what my righteous justice wants here- she'll be saying Yes Mistress eventually, progress will be achieved, and I imagine the next few chapters of her Actual Punishment are going to be a lot of fun again, hopefully in a more attractive way than how genuinely shocking the back whip thing was. But overall.... well. Like I said, there are two fantasies at play here, and I believe they both need satisfaction, and I believe Ms Floss (feel like that's a good way to distinguish between character and writer lol) knows that too. I think that by the end of this story, Sarah will be sprouting by some of her own terms as well. It wouldn't be right to have her whole heartedly become a Winston Smith without any rebellion meaning anything, because I wouldn't be able to love Big Brother myself. Sarah's fire will burn, the Affini leaves will catch it somewhat, and there'll be a small mutual respect and understanding for the girl who stoked it. Even if most of said relationship is built on her being the most adorable floret the world's ever seen, who can't believe they were ever so nasty and allergic to happiness and are sure to get teased and reminded by Rose for it.

A spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down.

"Every Sophont is a Seed" is a really good HDG fic. Sarah rages like a force of nature, her resistance to the Affini is incredibly strong-willed and really feels like a proper fight (despite, you know, the inevitable). There's good reason for it too- to be THAT much of a fighter, you can't just be intelligent and stubborn, but genuinely, well, mentally unwell and destructive. The arc is going to be a long and richly deserved one.

Also it's hot, also it's regularly updated.

#hdg #human domestication guide #tw suicide mention #tw self harm mention #also ill be fair to Rose sarah has been v trying lately #every sophont is a seed

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