#and being so alarmed

[cave-monkey]

Monkey King 2009 Episode 9

The one where Stone Monkey blows up a mountain I guess.

TIME SKIP

TIME SKIP

Old Monkey King is BACK BABY. And Stone Monkey immediately mellows out! Fancy that! Literally all Old Monkey King has to do is go, "He's not that bad, actually." at the four generals complaining and Stone Monkey is immediately chill, full of love and benevolence for the world. All the tension he's carrying just drops, basically (or at least resets him to late Episode 5/very early Episode 6 levels of frustration, basically the same thing compared to where he's been at recently), and you can practically see the relief when he realizes someone with actual weight is in his corner again. He's so happy he's even calmly accepting a pretty harsh punishment for something that was, uh...only sort of peripherally his fault at best? And even defending his deserving of it to Ginseng Fruit.

Amazing how well offering a kid just a little bit of security works, amirite. Almost like he no longer feels like every vaguely confrontational interaction is the death knell on his right to exist or something.

At least until those people go behind Old Monkey King's back to harass the kid to the point he finally gives up and leaves and they don't even try to stop him. Old Monkey King is so done with their shit, too. Between him flat-out telling them that if anything happens to Stone Monkey it's on them (and himself too, and the entire troop to a lesser extent, but the message was for them) and earlier in the episode when they came up to him and he immediately went from 😄 to "...What do you want? 😒" it's a wonder these guys even have the confidence to pull this shit. They're on such thin ice. I have the distinct impression they've been skating here since Episode 4 too, so like, there's thin ice and then there's the vaguely frosty condensation layer these guys are tapdancing on.

Six Ears's entrance was super cute, though. Him sliding in determined to cheer Stone Monkey up and the way Stone Monkey lit up at seeing him. The half-hearted "You should go rest" but knowing Six Ears won't leave him, and Six Ears laughing at him about it, and how easy they were while working together later. Six Ears appears and Stone Monkey's day is immediately 500% better. The sun has risen. It is a new dawn. They are so cute.

...Even though I am chock-full of questions about where, exactly, Six Ears was. He came "back"? So late at night? Like, come on, but this just keeps happening. He's often off somewhere by himself and this time it wasn't him taking himself off on a mission to track Stone Monkey down since Stone Monkey was actually sticking close to the troop for once. All the four generals were asleep, so who was keeping track of him? What was he out there doing?

They're not sending him out on his own, right? Because I feel like we all know why that's been proven to be a very bad idea. Not that I expect the four generals to make solid decisions there, exactly. Heck, maybe they think he's good bait (they had better not think he's good bait). Maybe they don't care as long as it keeps him and Stone Monkey separated. Maybe the timeskip means Six Ears and Stone Monkey are actually getting something approximating real responsibilities now instead of ones they just sorta give themselves, and the wonky schedules are just...actually maybe also an attempt to keep them separated. I think the likeliest possibility is he was tagging along with a patrol or something, but. Hm.

Anyway. Tangent over.

Him desperately throwing himself between Stone Monkey and the four generals trying to defend him was just...really sad, though? Who in the writer's room okay-ed this? He's trying so hard to protect Stone Monkey and his voice actor did a really good job getting across the desperation and nerves, a kid trying to talk down grown adults, and it's just. Ugh. Ow.

And Stone Monkey watching him beg for him and watching it get him nowhere, knowing that the four generals don't want to change their minds, and just. Losing it. Finally. My heart was in my boots during this scene. Stone Monkey taking off, and Six Ears turning back to the four generals and now he's nearly screaming, "You can't do this, it's not safe, what's going to happen to him?" but it still doesn't touch them at all, and Six Ears turns back around, the anxiety and fear, going in circles, but Stone Monkey's already gone. And then that sad little wave and it's all straight to the heart for me. Ugh. UGH.

*drags hands down face*

UGH.

I don't blame Ginseng Fruit for losing their temper, even if the results were like this. It was not a good way to handle it, but they beat themselves up for it so much throughout the episode already it's pointless to condemn them. They're young, and angry that their friend is being mistreated, and they lashed out. It was maybe inevitable.

Ginseng Fruit and Stone Monkey's relationship was really nice this episode, actually. The timeskip has helped them smooth out some of the rougher edges of their relationship, and they're apparently together all the time these days, for reasons sort of touched on in the episode? They exist in very similar states of loneliness, and that similarity pushes them together even if they aren't naturally very compatible. They still clash, they still fumble and don't quite succeed when trying to give each other the support they want to give, but they choose to make it work anyway, even if it's not especially smooth all the time. It's a good relationship.

I should talk more about Old White Deer, but I'll admit my entire reaction to the Stranger Danger PSA that was the latter half of the episode was primarily:

CHILDREN. CHILDREN NO. CHILDREN PLEASE.

And, honestly, I feel like that sums it up. There was not a single point past encountering Old White Deer where I wasn't screaming some variation of the above in my head. Creepy man.

Like. The tea. The fucking tea. Stone Monkey, please.

In Stone Monkey's defense, the last time he was approached by a random person in the middle of the forest and they asked him to follow them home, he met his best friend and it worked out sort of okay for him. He's also predisposed to a fondness for trickster mentors after Old Monkey King. He's learned all the wrong lessons for this encounter, okay. Some very alarming wires got crossed somewhere in his head and it did not do him any favors here.

But it's okay though, because he blows up the mountain.

!

!!!

Just! Sets that big hunk of rock on fire! He did not have to do that, but I can't blame him for feeling a little pyro-y, I suppose. He can have a bit of arson. As a treat. Make the creepy-crawlies from being drugged and left tied up on the floor of a creepy old man go away, maybe.

...This episode was so viscerally uncomfortable, though. Good job, writers. I hate it.

I hope Old Monkey King on the horizon is looking at this giant flaming mountain in the distance like, "...Well at least I know where he is."

[proteusolm]

Discussed the "would you rather a run into a bear or a man when alone in the woods" question with my friend who is a black bear technician, and I have a lot of experience working in remote areas with a high black bear population myself. She and I both were instantly in agreement that: 1. If I'm in the woods deep in bear country, the bear is simply much more expected and less startling to run into than the man. It would be something we are prepared for and fully unsurprised by. 2. Bear safety is pretty straightforward, we know and have training in their behaviour, how to avoid conflict, what a black bear that is trying to hunt you looks like, and how to maximize your chances of getting out of the situation safely in the incredibly rare case of an attack. There's no equivalent handy step by step guide to respond to a dude attack.

Most people approach the question as a feminist one, thinking more about risk of violence from a man, but neither of us really even expressed much concern about the dude beyond knowing from experience that it is startling and unsettling to run into someone when in a remote wooded area far from any trails or residences. As two animal autistics that studied wildlife management in college and have spent a lot of time in the woods of northern Ontario, we both missed the intended point of the debate, instead coming to a stance solidly rooted in "why would be I be upset to see a bear when I'm knowingly in the bear's home?"

[seedsofmordor]

Sam Hazeldine as Adar, The Rings of Power S2E7

[worstloki]

love the idea of the Avengers adding new members but being stingy about rooms so the OG Avengers each get their own but Bucky and Loki are forced to share one under the guise of it being 'healthy interaction'

[jimmyspades]

1989 | 1996 | 2017

[moeblob]

Impulsively shoving a guy's hand in your mouth after having the thought "oh just like when my little sister used to prick herself on a rose thorn" and then immediately being treated like a pet who ate something they shouldn't have? Wonderful. Thank you, Thane.

(also not pictured is Thane apparently trying to scrape your tongue with his hand BEFORE pouring the holy water down your throat because NO. BAD.)

[icantalk710]

🎶 Another Saturday, another careless move (sleeping late and waking up at 1pm after bathroom cleaning and laundry 🥱)

Tells the world that you're thinking of what to do (have a lazy Saturday 🥱) 🎶

[gremlingirlsmell]

iunno calling transfems "transvestigators" for doing egg jokes and harmless speculating about dead celebrities in search of representation that is already so rare, is a new low. they love to paint us as terfs, a hate group specifically dedicated to eradicate us, not just for standing up for ourselves and speaking up about transmisogyny. no, now they're doing it even if we seek solidarity and representation.

[elithemiar-blog]

Field Trip + Danny Fenton Bladder Alarm + Mr Lancer's Class Being Cautious + Wayne Enterprise Tour

Danny's grade goes to Gotham for a field trip, at a select number of sites. During the WE tour does Danny need to use the restroom (1st stop for his group).

The rest of the class, who are used to ghost attacks following his departure, become hyper-vigilant and cautious. It's enough to permeate to other people who also feel like they're about to be attacked, like a pack mentality.

Danny returns and everyone calms down.

It doesn't stop there. Each location he does the same thing (his bladder ended up being an alibi that he can use for school, so he has to do the same while in Gotham to keep up the ruse), and still the Gothamites also react but they don't know why.

Eventually, a rouge does attack, while Danny is in the bathroom. Mr Lancer's class is calmer than even the most veteran Gothamite. They're being cautious, but now they have a reason to be so.

Danny returns to the class, which is now a hostage situation, and gets threatened. He does absolutely the opposite of what normal people expect and just stares the rouge down not even bothered by the threat.

Maybe it's normal for Amity Parkers to carry around a basic ecto-gun, so while the main rouge is preoccupied (and pretty darn startled) with Danny, they take down the henchmen.

Then the batfam enter.

(Maybe since the tour they've been looking into these out-of-towners [they caused everyone in their vicinity to have the fight/flight reaction] when they figure out the pattern of Danny using the restroom)

Idea rambling in tags...

[arachnits]

he's still getting used to him being nice

[ledzeppelinmixtape]

wish house was a real doctor so i could be his mystery insomniac patient and after giving me horse tranquilizers and still not falling asleep he just hits me in the head with his cane and im out like a light

[communistkenobi]

do not want to start a fight but isn’t this totally normal. in middle school you’re like what 11 years old? I didn’t know any of this shit at that age and that has not made my life difficult as an adult even remotely. in particular I was shit at touch typing and remember being miserable in class because I was horrible at it and now I’m perfectly comfortable touch typing because I’m no longer 11 years old. I’ve taught several semesters of upper year undergraduates (meaning all of them were over the age of 21-22) in a similar coding/technical class setting who didn’t know anything about windows file structures and it was fine, they didn't blow up their computers or bring about the downfall of civilisation, they eventually picked it up over the 12 weeks of the semester because that’s how learning works

[wild-at-mind]

I would honestly call the left's inability to accomodate people with morality-based OCD compulsions an accessibility issue at this point.

[willowser]

hey willow since i am so in love with ur katsuki writing is it okay if i ask to pls pls pls make another argument prompt with him since i am currently in the mood for angst (WITH HAPPY ENDING PLS MY POOR HEART CANNOT TAKE IT) ILY WILLOW UR SO SWEET AND NICE AND I WANNA BE UR FRIEND 🫠🫠🫠🫠

we are friends !! 🥺 pals !!! 🥺 you're very kind, tysm !!!

idk if i have a prompt necessarily in mind rn but !! i could talk about fighting with him all the time, idk why there is such a draw to it for me aifhfjakal

the thing about bakugou is that he's not shy at all in almost every other aspect of his life, besides romantically (in my opinion). so if there's ever an issue, he's tackling it straight on; he's sure of himself, unafraid of confrontation, speaks his mind, stands up for himself and what he believes in—and if you're not like that, too, for the most part, i can see how little misunderstandings and hurt feelys could occur so easily.

he's also such a go-getter, so venting to him is probably impossible at the beginning of your relationship because he's immediately just telling you how to fix it and he doesn't understand why you're not listening to him.

like if you're having an issue with a coworker and just kind of lamenting about it to him, he's so—

"need to say somethin'," katsuki grunts, only briefly looking away from the gauntlet he's fiddling with at the dining table. there's a mess of screws and tiny pins and his hands are coated in a grease you can smell from where you're standing at the sink. "gonna walk all over you if you don't say nothin'."

and you're just—frustrated. wanting to complain in order to put words to how you're feeling, in case that will lighten the tension coiled in your shoulders.

"well, i know," you tell him quietly—and you do, you do know that, but you just want to be a crybaby for a minute. "but it's not like i can start a fight in the middle of work."

"why not?" he casts you another quick look, dark and furrowed, before leaning closer to—whatever he's looking at. there's a very small snapping sound, and he leans back with a hot huff and shakes his head. you know it's not but—it almost feels directed at you. "this is why they do it, you know that? because you don't do anything about it."

"i know, katsuki," you frown at him, but his attention is already diverted. "i'm just saying."

"saying it to me ain't gonna help you."

"okay," you huff now, too, before pushing off the counter. "i guess i just won't say it to you, then."

you catch the snap of his head in your peripheral vision, but continue on to your bedroom, not bothering to look back even when he starts stuttering.

"'m only—fuck. hang on."

i think i like writing it bc—there's so much for each of you to learn about each other every time 🥺 katsuki, how to talk to you; you, to read between his lines. and i think that's so sweet 🥺 two people that love each other working through their ugliest parts, and coming out the other side just as devoted 🥺

hope this is okay !! tysm for your sweet words 🩷

[ef-1]

🍷<3

[starflungwaddledee]

*caassssuuuaallly slides into your inbox* hey. hi hello 😎

im here for those sweet ol song asks, wanna share any you have for Starstruck and J??

do i have any, well i-- *drops a half dozen mean girlboss tracks all over the place* oh uhhh--

something in the way you're looking through my eyes don't know if i'm gonna make it out alive teeth - five seconds of summer