#and i dont think ill travel very much in my life

[uygfiug]

hiiii <333 dont worry about it :) ive probably said this before (?) but im really just happy to talk to you <3 & i get it! im exhausted rn as well, though for me that usually means i reply to some things instantly while others might take a whole month or more

:) i get that, you change your pfp just enough that i dont really get that with you though :)

dont move here just for the beaches, we barely have any & bc of that theyre all pretty commercial & busy :( you on the other hand are on an ISLAND!! lots of good beaches there!!

i think the amount of jellyfish is increasing? bc i had never even seen one before this summer & then suddenly i can barely go anywhere near the water without seeing one so i think youll probably get to see one at some point :)

yeah i think i did say that at some point! my family situation is mostly fine as long as my father doesnt come along, but its just a lot more stressful when there 4 of you, someone always needs a toilet or something & its a lot harder to actually leave on time bc someone always forgets something yknow?

!!! bioluminescent beaches are so so cool !!! i want to go to one so bad. apparently if you get really lucky & go for evening walks at the beach a lot in spring you might come across an area with lots of sea sparkle thatll have the water glowing but alas :( i have no time for that

thank you! i hope you have a lovely week as well <333

hi :) i went to the beach today & saw an incredible amount of jellyfish!! it was so cool!! reminded me of you (bc jellyfish are your favourite animals), so here i am saying hi :)

have a lovely day <33

hiiiii!!!! <333 sorry ive gone AWOL ilysm im just. ouurhhhh

thats so cool 😭😭 actually crying thank you for thinking of me skgbsng. on a somewhat unrelated note, i have a vague understanding of what you look like based on picrew challenges but i still see that specific image of DANC holmes and go omg...anna....

going to a beach and seeing jellyfish would cure me, i think (maybe i need to move to belgium...tho im pretty sure we have some biolum beaches heree??). i hope you had a good day!! i saw your tags a while back and i feel you with sometimes feeling better going and exploring by yourself rather than w family (iirc? bad memory gang sorry). idk what ur situation is like but sometimes its just so much more fun/relaxing. i think going to a bioluminescent beach is on my bucket list - ive done my epq project on biolum, i adore it, i adore jellyfish. i need to go to one sooo fucking badly shaking you i need to shake my hand in the water and watch it glow back

i also saw your bio energy level and i hope you feel better <33 have a nice week :]

[spikeyjo]

also uh im kind of not thinking about it much because its insane. but if everything goes right (and i mean a considerable amount of things that probably wont go as planned) but if they DO... i will have a major surgery in like two weeks

[toestalucia]

what if i took back everything ive ever said for 2024 and made it into the year where i solely write farming sim charas instead

[wszczebrzyszynie]

i’ve been reading through the space miner au posts and the rancher essay just sent me over the moon (haha). i MUST know more about imp and skizz when you have the time thank you <3

Unseparable since childhood, they know each other better than anyone. Both went into space mining (which is how they met Tango) very early in their life, probably as teenagers, which would make them basically veterans now, and therefore very experienced in all things mining related. After their last mine and base collapsed, leaving Impulse without an arm, they both left and settled for something different; not entirely sure what they do now, other than harboring a wanted terrorist every now and then, but its something radio and communication related. Quite a jump from their last job, but after the collapse space mining left them with less than positive feelings

(More more or less related things to explain some things below, so that it wont be a giant wall of text on the dash. Fixed because tumblr ruined formatting)

i feel like this is a good moment to mention a bit more about what space mining even is, other than being just... mining in space. there are a few different layers to space mining as a profession, depending on the ore and place (its stability, temperature and everything else needed to be taken into account with human workers); it doesnt really target asteroids (which is why i dont call it asteroid mining), only planets and moons. Despite being assumed to be a more presigious job, it really isnt, at least most of the time; Jimmys experience, for example, is very much comparable to mining on earth, and payed as such. Impulse and Skizz, on the other hand, got to do the cool sci fi idea of space mining, much more dangerous (in places that arent in any way friendly to humans that the miners cant really leave easily before the end of their work season, i guess. not sure how to call it), but also more fun, as it includes the use of mobile suits. This is how sculk is mined, as it tends to exist in places humans shouldve never been in.

(Jimmy also has a mobile suit license, as it just... comes with doing that job, but never had to use one on any of the mining sites. When i talk mobile suits think less Eva and more... chunky and grey. something like the demi series from gwitch. I wanted to include mechs because i like mechs 👍 and i think using giant robots for mining is really cool)

the idea itself is not based on any real-ish possibilities or whatever of asteroid mining; i would much rather it be read in a way youd read a space sci fi from the space race era. specifically from the side of the eastern bloc... its where the retro part of retrofuturistic comes in this au. If i had to introduce the world more, id say that space colonisation started more than century and a half ago (for the time of the au, that is) and durning space race itself. Even though the cold war has been over way before all characters were even born, there still is a clear space divide influenced by it; not all places are avilable for everyone with a spaceship, but it slowly starts opening up and mixing with itself. It very much goes into alternative history but its not the focus of the au so ill just leave it at that. Bit of a worldbuilding thing. I say all that because i find the idea of what esentially is space juma (travelling to germany from poland specifically to steal and traffic small high value items and also cars durning the 80s and 90s and still today sometimes) and all things similar stupidly fun. Thats why Tango has to hotwire his spaceship. Theres a chance im the only person who likes this kind of story atmosphere and its ok its my au. Sorry for going off topic from the ask it just kind of happened. Bless

[marimayscarlett]

It’s cold outside. Our heating is still off, I am desperately trying to get warm.

Do you happen to have some Richard pictures/stories that might warm my insides?

Thank you for your service, m’am🖤

Hi 👋

First of all, I truly hope that your heating will soon be working! Sending warmth and hugs your way 🤲🏼

Now, regarding some stories - not sure if these will do the trick, but I always feel warm/smile/sigh and look into the distance dreamily when I think about the following (sadly, I can't find sources for every story here - so some might just be cute "urban legends", but I just choose the believe them ☝😌):

A story of a fan about meeting Richard after a concert: "The hug I got was bone crushing. I was right in front of him. Cried my way through Frühling [...]. He checked on me and asked me if I was ok. Said i was fine and even the amount of times I'd seen them play, i got so caught up in the emotion. Richard told me they were the most moving moments for him at least and pulled me into a huge hug that if i think about it, i can still feel. Sounds weird but when you get a hug like that you dont forget it." (X)

It's incredibly nice to see how much he seems to care about his kids. Of course, that's the job of a dad, and yet it's not always the case. This situation warms my heart and makes it aching for him at the same time: “When my daughter, Khira, was 3 years old, she became very ill. There was nothing to worry about, a typical advanced tonsillitis. She was admitted to hospital. As always there were no seats in the wards I faced a choice: either pay for the ward or stay in the corridor. Only very wealthy people could afford the paid hospital ward. I was at that point that still could not afford it. We needed expensive medication, and I did not earn much. And she was put in the hallway. I slept with her in the hallway at night and her mother at daytime. And so the weeks passed until a free place appeared in the ward." (X)

Richard once mentioned (I think it was one of the festival interviews in 2017, yet I can't find the source anymore, so I might be wrong), that he was present during the birth of both of his daughters, and that the birth of a child is one of, if not the most, impressive things he has experienced in life. He seemed truly positively enthusiastic and sincere in that moment, which I found very beautiful, since not every man/father thinks like this.

Just this moment from this interview:

I find it rather endearing that he seems to love fantasy and would have liked to play a role in "Game of Thrones" or "Westworld", to let certain characters in him come to life. Richard seems to find enjoyment in movie worlds like these and I love that he speaks so openly about it 🥰 (X)

A long time ago, I read about an anecdote of the time when he lived with Till in the early 90's - they had little to no money, let alone food, so they apparently stole all the necessary ingredients, so Richard could make donuts for Till, who has a major sweet tooth. No idea if this is true, but it's really sweet.

In this interview, Richard expressed that he would drop everything to play a benefit for abused children.

He once gifted his guitar to the Hard Rock café in Berlin and signed it with "Rammstein!! RZK YeaH" which is kind of cringy, yet very cute?? (X)

Some pictures which just warm my heart - his comfy travel outfit, product free hair, him being soft and smiling, meeting a fan this year and being seemingly quite open, or just downright adorable on stage...

Weird assortment, I know and I'm sorry, but maybe it helps a bit 🤍

[thelureking]

I had this idea to make a list of all the games I played in 2022, half as a recommendation list, and half because I struggle to remember when I played what. I have a really bad time ranking stuff, so I'll just list them chronologically (or, as chronologically as I can remember).

Note: Sometimes I dont have a lot to say about a game, but that doesnt mean I didn't like it or that it isn't good.

So, with that being said:

1) Our Life: Beginnings and Always

This game has put visual novels on another level entirely. How must I go on knowing that I will never be treated like royalty by any other game like this did. Our Life tells the story of your friendship and/or romance with Cove Holden, your new neighbor. This Visual Novel remembers an insane amount of stuff you choose, and it can put you in the state of mentioning something you did as a kid that you completely forgot about. I actually really liked how you can go the entire game as just friends, or choose when your character develops romantic feelings. I cannot overstate how well made this entire thing is. Can't wait to play the DLCs and for the sequel to be released.

Absolute recommend.

2) Iron Lung

If you have a computer, you can play it. It is not an option.

Claustrophobic above all, this game captures the pure dread of the unknown, building tension and atmosphere as you travel through this unknown planet's red sea. Highly recommended.

3) An Outcry

Amazing game that I don't see enough people talking about. The first game that made me actually physically ill while playing an alternative route. I don't know what hit me the most, the subject matter or the type of person I played in that route, a person I know exists and maybe I've met, a person I hope I never become. I knew what the game was specifically referencing, but I found it good that it was able to trigger that response on someone who lives in an entirely different place, with different historical events, but with enough similarities that made the feeling of dread and disgust that much real. Its message is clear and loud as it should be, and one that I think maybe now more than ever needs to be heard. I cannot recommend this game enough.

4) Stillwater

Now this is a Visual Novel that I really liked and would have loved for it to be longer, but I love it as it is. It left me wanting more about the world and its characters, and I think that's a good thing. It feels unfair that this is the one I typed the least about, knowing how much I liked it. It's really worth the read/play.

5) The Caribbean Sail

Have you ever wanted to be a sailor or a pirate? Have you ever wanted to grab a ship, sail into unknown destinations, encounter supernatural phenomenons and watch as your fellow crew members die of disentry five seconds after leaving your first port? Because if so, I have the perfect game for you. It's inspired by the Oregon Trail game, and that's literally what the gameplay is like, except on the sea. Which was enough of a selling point for me.

6) Carrion

My child, it has every disease. Loved the concept when I saw the trailer, forgot I can actually buy games now, and then proceeded to do that. Being able to live my fantasies of being a flesh creature that destroys and eats everything in its path was a delight. The creature is my child and I love it very much.

We need more games that let you play as the monster, I'm serious.

7) The Life and Suffering of Sir Brante

This game is both my beloved and the thorn on my side. Who would have thought that in a game like this you would proceed to suffer through life? I said to myself as if I hadn't known what I was getting into. You'll experience loss, you'll struggle to make a name for yourself, your family will fall apart, and you may never kiss your best friend Tommas who gave you a totally platonic ring to commemorate your friendship because the game doesn't want you to.

Or you'll have a different experience than me on my first playthrough.

You follow the titular Sir Brante from the moment of his birth to his last breath, exploring the world he lives in, full of injustices that at times made me go "I do not care about the lots, give me a fucking gun so I can take you to the fucking Twins". There are many branches regarding life paths, the fate of your family and that of the entire city you live in. But don't worry about it now, keep looking at those toy soldiers at the store as a little kid, I'm sure nothing will happen in the future.

8) Princess Maker 2 Refine

And apparently I didn't get enough of walking a kid through life.

Who looks at a game about raising a little girl by managing her monthly schedule and balancing her stats, health and money and says "yes, this is the game I'll play to destress"?

I do that. Don't ask why.

I have only reached two endings, in one my beautiful daughter became the royal painter, her art held as the most beautiful and inspiring in the entire world. In another, my girl made a name for herself by exploring the lands surrounding the kingdom, so fast on her feet nobody could even scratch her; she married a dragon prince and became the teacher of her own fighting school.

And even with all of that, her goddess mother was not happy.

So yes, this is the "divorced dad who got custody" experience.

9) Planescape: Torment

What can change the nature of a man? That is a question posed by one Ravel Puzzlewell, night hag of the Gray Wastes. It is one of the many questions that this game asks, intertwined by the many philosophies it presents. Planescape Torment does not stick to one question, it asks many, and it lets you answer.

It is a beautifully written game, one of the best I have ever read. There is one moment that I do not wish to spoil, but it still sticks to my head months after I experienced it. As a writer, I found myself fascinated by how a certain event was told, all because of the way it was presented.

It feels like an injustice to not talk in length about Planescape: Torment, but I seriously don't want to spoil anyone who hasn't played it yet. A blind experience is fully worth it. All you need to know is that this is the game that made me post for the first time here, two dumb memes for myself and one short analysis that sometimes reminds me that yes, people can interact with it. Shameless link to it here

10) Growing my Grandpa!

If I had to describe this game without saying too much, I would say it's "heartwarming horror". Two words that don't usually go together, but that they perfectly fit here. The story is, like the title says, about growing your grandpa, more like helping a girl grow her grandpa, but still. Strangely sweet and unnerving, I was tense the entire time, and even when I had to replay it to get the second ending (this was entirely my fault, since I could have gotten it way easier) that tension never left.

11) FAITH: The Unholy Trinity

I don't remember how I found out about this game, but I remember waiting patiently for it to get a steam release so I could buy it and play its three chapters all together. The day finally came, and all that waiting was worth it.

The gameplay is simple, yet the developers found a way to have me both crying in fear and frothing by the mouth out of anger every time I saw the game over screen (affectionately). In terms of difficulty, I would say the game is easy until it isn't, looking at you Chapter 2 and 3 Final Bosses, you bastards. Then again, I saw people say they struggled in places I didn't, so I would say it depends on the player.

The story is so interesting and it's still marinating in my brain please I need people to talk about how the prologue of chapter 2 and the one note in chapter 3 relate please. The cutscenes are also so well done, and I had to restrain myself from using one as a second picture because I didn't want to spoil any of them.

All in all, a must play, fully recommend it.

And remember:

GARY LOVES YOU

12) Inmortal Mantis

This is a tricky one. On one hand, the game starts off by basically spelling out every action you have to do, and suddenly it goes full on "fuck around and find out" mode. On the other, the game implements some interesting mechanics that I would love to see developed on a longer game, but I am not going to put the length against it while knowing how hard it is to make a game. And maybe being short plays in its favor.

13) Who's Lila?

This game is my King in Yellow. I cannot stop thinking about it. I finished it with all endings and achievements in a day, and it wont leave me alone. It is always there, forever crawling at the back of my head, stretching itself over my brain and weaving my thoughts into a spiral as easily as a spider weaves its thread. It made itself a home in my mind and I won't kick it out any time soon. I played it because the concept of controlling a character's face in place of a dialogue wheel was interesting, and the story and the way it's presented (hand in hand with the gameplay) lured me deeper and deeper. I cannot even describe it without giving it the praise it deserves. It takes full advantage of its medium. Playing this game is an experience that I can't recommend enough, and I'm surprised it hasn't gotten the recognition it deserves.

14) Someone stole MY LUNCH!

This visual novel is pure fun. The humor is so good I found myself reading the entire thing out loud while wheezing. I actually found out recently that it's made by the same people that made Stillwater, which, looking at it now I should have known. It's good and I'm not still over not seeing that one joke coming; well played.

15) MILK INSIDE OF A BAG OF MILK INSIDE OF A BAG OF MILK INSIDE OF A BAG OF MILK INSIDE OF A BAG OF-

... INSIDE A BAG OF MILK is a short visual novel about a girl going to the grocery to buy milk, and the challenge this seemingly small action can be. It is your responsibility to help her through this.

The steam page description perfectly summarizes it: "This is an artistic manipulation with word and form, only then - a game."

Reblog with more games

Or, you can jump to the 2023 list!

[jazzy-art-time]

Paprika - Jarble AU

[ Paprika belongs to @skoodledoodledoo ] [ I had permission to Jarble Paprika / Skoodle sacrificed her to me for me to practice on ]

diagnosis and information below the cut

DIAGNOSIS RESULTS --

Paprika

Job: Boutique (either owns her own or works at one)

Rather lackadaisical at her job, Paprika does still do good work, or maybe it's just that intimidating stare that pressures people into purchasing?

A very stern woman, very to the point and short with her answers most of the time. She probably doesn't find you that interesting to begin with, so why waste her words on you? Good luck chipping through that stone.

She is very much a perfectionist despite how she doesnt want to admit it. "i dont care about my job or you or anything" but is still found being extremely meticulous about every little thing. How dare you not face all the coat hangers the same way. That shade of blue may be the same but it has more green undertones, idiot! How did you not notice that! Oh whatever hand it to me ILL do it and ILL do it RIGHT.

She lives well as she is able to live within the inner city, most would be rather satisfied with her life.

But deep down there is a insecurity to her life choices. Did she make the right choices? Is she actually happy? She stares out the windows of the boutique often, glancing at the travel advertisements that flicker on the large ad screens outside. Does she long for more? To travel? To go on adventures?… No.. That's not her.. It couldn't be her. So she sighs and continues to sort her fabrics.

DEFAULT WEAPON:

Brass Knuckles with fist spikes and a side knife.

Is conjured by snapping a specific claw on one of her hands. The nail used to conjure is usually painted a different color than the rest. Originally used to identify which nail but now is just for pure aesthetic and more of a power move to show off which one does it.

The entire set can be charged with electricity, causing a blunt force Stab/Shock/Punch combo. But this can only happen within a certain percentage of her power.

The side knife on the side can retract in and out depending on the scenario. Great for sudden right hooks on others.

Regularly a bright yellow color but during sunrise it will glow a faint red.

EXTRA DESIGN NOTES:

-> Her dress is supposed to resemble the cherish ball. I thought it would be a cute nod to her OG design. But also designed to have a more vampire red goth look? It looked more intimidating in my head. I think it would be neat if she had various dresses based on each pokeball.

-> BIG hair, like absolutely massive head of hair. I know Luxray is known for their mane anyways but like good god. The hair on this woman. She has to be rich to afford all that hair care.

-> She has the more Right Ring Circle sparkle effects on her body, that naturally fade when leaving that ring. In HER case, the sparkles appear near the tail tip and as extra freckles on her face. One primary one being on her cheek. However, her sparkles seem to fade quicker than most when leaving the limits... could be a sign of her desire to change? Or nothing at all.

[unaloid]

what are ur woy ships,,

CRACKS KNUCKLES ^_^ i answered this forever ago but i have more to say now. big shipping thoughts

skeletondance is my everything they make me ill. i am constantly putting out psychic beams into the universe trying to manifest more images of them. it hurts me so bad hater literally likes hanging out with wander so many times i am 95% sure hater would have been wanderized in s3. they are so weird tho seriouslyyyy

wander is not going to get married, he is very free and easy with affection, and relationships are kind of temporary for him but he values each one in his heart forever. but hater is very set in the way of like "find The One get married live happily forever" very limited view, so for wander to be so casual and, in his eyes, dismissive of romance, would freak him tf out LOL he would definitely get a complex about it. so i wonder how long their relationship would last, if wander just moves onto the next villain after so long and hater is fucked up about it forever, or if hater ends up being special and will follow wander to the ends of the earth. IDK thats where im at right now, i love hater being shy/nervous, and wander being sweet with him, it kills me hes so cute.

love sylava too, i think its easy to depict dominator being a flirt to sylvia, but to me dom is all talk LOL i think sylvia could put her in her place easily. syl called her "friend" and she got all flustered i know it... she was ready to rule a planet together with sylvia, which is like, dom you dont even rule planets what are you doing <3 you just met her and you're already planning your life together.... jk. crazy lesbian moment. so theres a lot of back and forth kind of fighting for dominance between them, i'd like if people put sylvia in charge more!!!!

i love to imagine tumblesquid, like if they were travelling partners to the extent of wander and sylvia now, it was probably so cute. since they are both so peaceful they probably had picnics in fields of flowers all day, and napped in sunbeams, they are so sweeties to me i wish they got to interact properly in the series. jeff is just really interesting. in my mind they broke up amicably cuz wander wanted to keep moving along to the next galaxy to help more ppl but jeff stayed and continued charity in the old galaxy (idk if jeff is supposed to be from a different galaxy or the same one idk but u get the idea..)

so those are the big favs, i also still like wansome as a crackship i realllyy wish they got to have a conversation in the series, i watched the party animal so many times just grasping for something lol. eyesome is crack too. i have fun

as much as i drew wandering eye before, im really neutral to them, just fun to draw cuz i kept having good ideas. to me its wander being like "peepers needs this, this will help him", wander knows what peepers is fucked up about and is trying to help him but it doesnt work. deathglare i cannot imagine reciprocated sorryyyy but i love the onesided obsession and peepers being crazy lol. it adds a lot of seasoning.

[rubrumacai]

the style of time loop is probably going to have to be somewhat different than in isat. nine sols doesnt have a confirmed in universe length i dont think but its definitely at least in the realm of a couple of weeks. ill go with a month for the typical loop length nine stars would get.

the way isat handles the puzzle of its loops is very much built for the 1.5-2 days length. itll definitely need some workshopping but my instinct is to first have an act 2 equivalent pretty isat standard, get to the end, win. but then after that its more of a save-scumming style loop puzzle, for lack of a better term. one where siffrin focuses on one section at a time, to get towards the end of the loops, as opposed to isat where its a lot of hopping around. the chunks of time each 'puzzle' exists within are larger than nine sols save points and involve more than getting through the enemies, regular nine sols gameplay is covered in act 2

for loop though all bets are off, in saap they arent in control of where they loop to, so in their nine stars loops, they have no hope of being able to coordinate their time travel advantage to be able to get the ending they want!! doomed by the narrative :) (its me im the narrative)

[also i dont want to pester you again if youre just pondering it but i do want to make sure the ask i sent about mira a few days ago(?) did in fact function because i know that tumblr can be weird sometimes]

Excited to see more of the loopening! Ngl with the larger scope nine sols's world has it'd be interesting if you life is strange-d it and had options to focus on certain AREAS in certain parts of the loops(that is if the whole of kunlun isn't alr frozen at the point they are working thru)

And yeah ths asks sent but I can't think of responses for them other than just agreeing (I may make a tag for just soft posting asks w/o full answers at this point)

[estrophore]

Signalis Post (barely coherent thought vomit)

So I finished signalis on Monday and i think ive just about recovered enough for me to make a gush post about it on tumblr dot com, which i think i have to do cause i dont think any other game has really hit me as hard as this one. Spoilers obvs.

Being pre-transion, with that associated depression and closing off from oneself, ive always found it difficult to get out my feelings, even in private with just myself, and yet signalis has filled me throughout with its beautiful romantic melancholy and left me genuinely sobbing for the gay robot and her space girlfriend (almost worried that if id played this game on estrogen it might actually have just killed me on the spot). the only other times i can think of where i really cried were playing We Know The Devil near the beginning of the year, which really fkin hit the part of me that struggles to accept myself, and that time i rewatched the last episode of she-ra after reading the ‘Word War Etheria’ fanfic, which brings the characters so much more to life i fell for them all over again.

Signalis is a game that calls back to a lot of classic horror like resident evil and silent hill, which i havent got round to playing any of yet, but i think nostalgia works both ways sometimes and i’ll be playing them sooner now. sometimes horror gets stereotyped as all death and violence, some games fill themselves with skulls and corpses, and big ugly monsters and basically shout ‘DEATH!’ in your face repeatedly and it all just comes off as a bit garish and ridiculous and not actually very scary really. Signalis sits at the other end of that scale (with some of my other fav horror games like soma, cry of fear) where its environs are most usually just… quiet. Still. Muffled. Sad. just as often as theres tension or creeping fear because of this i find theres a strange kind of comfort too. Maybe its just that in most other genres of games theres so much of music, UI elements, pickups and interactibles with vibrant design. Here, theres room for your mind to just occupy the space. A soft fog. A dimly lit room. An empty train. Snow out a window. Liminal spaces that dont expect anything from you.

Signalis is a game thats just simply, unapologetically gay, and i dont think i would have been quite so invested in Elster and Ariane’s relationship if they were a straight couple. Its why representation is important, if art’s way for us to explore our emotions then its important to have media that we can relate to. Even Adler’s role isnt typically masculine. Our replika characters are manufactured, designed for certain roles in the base. Notes from the tough Stars and Storchs in the shooting range, the dollish Eules with the fairy lights and music player in the dorm. I couldnt help but think of groups of Eules sat around chatting, together, and im yearning for that feeling of togetherness, of understanding a friend that closely. I somehow missed the couple in the mineshaft (next playthough, ill find you v_v ). Despite the harshness of life in the Eusan nation (especially for the gestalts) the characters in it are defined by their feelings of belonging and hope. With the obvious parallels to east germany, i think of posters of cosmonauts and space travel from the time. Propaganda, sure but also made with the genuine belief in something greater. When the events of the game take this away, well, we find the last Kolibri, whod rather lose herself than lose her [ah. Im not sure theres a word here to properly describe the relationship they embody]. Its a game defined by loneliness.

We dont lie up at night scared by some corrupted android. We arent stuck with horror at the flesh everywhere, not on its own. We lie awake thinking about Elster and Ariane’s love for each other, the horror of their decline, the futility of trying to hold on forever. Its existential horror done perfectly. It shows an ending postponed and stretched far beyond its limits, and so squarely reminds you that you do, in fact, have to die one day. You’ll break down. One day you’ll say your last words to the people you love and you wont even know you have. Ariane’s final few diaries arrive with the full force of the narrative behind it, like a spear through my heart. For the record, I got the promise ending. Im still sad. It's a game about raging desperately against an unfair ending. I might think about this game for the rest of my life. I would sincerely say its an artistic masterpiece, by the sure definition of video games as art.

I like that the story leaves a lot open and abstract. I think it makes the emotional themes takes centre stage more. And i havent had nearly enough time to sift through it and come up with my own takes, we’ll need a few more playthroughs for that. And theres so much more to say that cant go in just these few paragraphs! Signalis is a game about two girls who had to run away from everything to find someone they belonged with. The universe may be cold and bleak, but you have to try, you might just find something beautiful, even if it doesnt last forever. I think if anything, we should all have the chance to find love and happiness like that, and we shouldnt have abandon a world that doesnt work for us to do it.

[blazethecheeto]

ATLAS PARADOX RAMBLING

dude this book. i need to talk. about it. im going insane.

everyone who hasn't read it, PLEASE DO!!! it's a dark academia book about a bunch of gay silly magic people that join a society and try to kill each other. there's time travel, a big ass polycule, aesthetic scenes, the prettiest writing style in the world, science, philosophy, and fucked family. (opposite of found family).

(extremely chaotic unorganized long rant below, with spoilers. click at your own risk)

FIRST OF ALL WHY WAS THIS SO MUCH BETTER THAN THE FIRST ONE?!!?!?

i had to power through the first one, it felt long, and unnecessary and like trekking through a JUNGLE with the thickest and most intricate ecosystem that i had to peel back and unravel for hours and hours. only to like move the plot by an inch.

BUT THIS. olivie blake found her footing because this was so good. i am aware the reviews hate on this book and some people don't like it, but personally i adore it and it's really well written.

CHARACTERS

bro they all had such wonderful voices, like they were distinct and unique from each other but not drastically, noticeably different I NEED TO LEARN FROM THIS. six of crows and the atlas six do multi povs so well <3 its like this book was made for me, each character was perfect and incredible and gay and silly and-

reina. love of my life. i look forward to all her povs because the plants are so silly and she's the best character. i said it. she's canon asexual now too YEES. i needed more of her because she was barely in the first one, and they DELIVERED. the juicy plot with her 'god complex' (ily callum) and her feelings getting hurt and learning she actually is lonely and wants friends? she's so wanda maximoff. next book better have her opening up and learning to love people or i riot (and also her killing people and being the badass she is)

parisa always my fave too, i do wish her character wasn't always talking about sex or romance, there were some great moments in this book where she showed off her telepathy powers (the prince in the tower!!) it was awesome. i'm glad they acknowledged that side of her with reina, (oh my god i ship them so much wait till i rant about them-) but dude i still HATE DALTON. SO MUCH. OH MY GOD. every time it's her pov i dread seeing dalton, i wish she could give that up. generic white men should die.

CALLUM. whatever turned him from complex, daunting, and a psychopath last book to janus from sanders sides this book- beautiful choice. he's literally the one sassy wine-sipping gay aunt that feels nothing and everything at once, also extremely mentally ill and depressed. he's SO FUNNY. his povs are fucking hilarious to read, and he quickly became one of my faves bc of how complex he is. i'm not smart enough to decipher and psychoanalyze him but god i LOVE CHARACTERS LIKE THIS.

i don't know what happened but nico is literally one of my faves now too, he's so silly and sweet and kind and i loved his relationships with everyone this book. like him trying to murder tristan in multiple different ways oml. he's my bbg. tristan was hit or miss for me, i did find him interesting but he's not my favourite. doesn't mean i hate him, he's so very british, i feel it radiating off the page. libby my queen my icon, her dream povs were so trippy i loved it- so so realistic to a real dream, that was the most surprising and unique part. also my bisexual queen seducing belen??

i did not like ezra and atlas was a little iffy here and there but tbh the cast was so well rounded and interesting and unique but paralleled each other so well?? THE RELATIONSHIPS. I DONT THINK ANY BOOK HAS THIS INTRICATE WEB-LIKE RELATIONSHIPS WITH EACH OTHER. they're one big polycule.

RELATIONSHIPS

nico and libby <3 i love them so much as siblings/queerplatonic partners. i don't ship them romantically, because i LOVE how they subverted the eye-rolling predictable ' YA academic rivals enemies to lovers' trope. when i started TAS, i immediately thought they were gonna get together and assumed the worst. but no, they still had the banter and importance in their relationship but without the romance? instead both of them were gay af. it's beautiful. i love subverting tropes so much. they're each other's 'other half' and they're hilarious together.

NICO AND TRISTAN. they were such a highlight this book, it was unexpected but so funny. nico trying to murder tristan and their little talks because 'they're not friends...just coworkers' yeah right, the best friendships start with creatively murdering each other. tristan being droll and chill af, and then nico bouncing off the walls my adhd king.

reina and nico broke me?? like that one chapter where they sparred and caught up with each other and reina was guarding her hurt feelings. DUDE THAT KILLED ME. made me stare at the ceiling for a good minute. their friendship is everything to me, they contrast each other so well. she deserves to be treated better- when they had that projection chapter and she saw that nico downplayed her skills...like she was good, but not good enough for him to care about her. AGGHGH.

REINA AND PARISA. NOW THIS. THIS HOOKED ME INTO THE BOOK. i ship them so bad guys. they parallel each other and are both hot and enemies to lovers and wlw slow burn and- look. reina is asexual, therefore the only person to truly see and understand parisa for who she is, and not be influenced by her body. like that one projection. she can help parisa understand HERSELF and who she is past her sexual desirability. how to love someone again. romantically. then, on the flip side, parisa can help reina see and understand OTHERS. reina only sees people as one trait, cut and dry- without any of the complex feelings. parisa is a telepath, she knows how to read others. THEY CAN BOTH HELP EACH OTHER AND LOVE EACH OTHER IN WAYS THEY NEVER COULD HAVE OMFDADJFLSKJADFL- also reina pinned her against a wall and they want to kill each other and every time they interact i scream into my pillow-

-

'You can't love anyone right?"

"I've met very few people worth loving."

-

*throws myself off a building*

now we just gotta play the familiar game "IS IT DELUSION OR IS IT JUST SLOW BURN" and find out whether their insane chemistry pays off in book 3.

the nico parisa scene was actually sweet ngl, even though i don't ship them. the whole callum and tristan thing was so bitter exes situationship coded and i ate every second up. especially that last conversation. AND OFC. GIDEON AND NICO?!!! AAAAA THEY WERE SO CUTE THEY'RE ENDGAME I SCREAMED WHEN THEY KISSED DUDE THEYRE SO-

PLOT

now for the actual plot. this book has so many interesting subjects and philosophies and debates i'm not smart enough for this. but past all the aesthetic glamour, it's science, time travel, dreams, multiverses, fate, reality, and the complexities of the human mind. and my god it's fascinating as fuck.

do i have any idea what they do in this society?? NO. am i entertained? YES. especially that whole explosion paradox to bring libby back to the future. the whole powering the connections via aurora borealis? the whole debate about being gods? i love it. i love it.

alright im so sorry for that rant, i gotta go now but DUDE I LOVE THIS BOOK NO MATTER HOW WEIRD IT WAS

[puppet-purgatory]

you won't post 1 headcanon for every puppet. you wont

i WILL. AND i'll do it in chronological order from appearance (more or less). but it will be under a readmore after the first season so i dont interrupt anyones scrollin

The Professor: i think in addition to growing a bit from Dino DNA(tm) he also has feathers now. just some feathers in there with his fur. maybe even molts and is miserable about it

Death: he plays guitar And piano, but just as a hobby. he's like a salaryman who had a garage band as a teenager and never fully gave up on the dream

Propeller: propeller SADSTUCK: i think he legitimately had to go to therapy for the britannica shit that happened. PH feels like it would be that realistic about mental health tbh

Big Pile of Diamonds: his mustache is fake. his greatest secret. his greatest shame.

God: he actually really likes to dance! unfortunately next 2 no one will do it since... The Incident

Train: does he not have a better name... maybe put a mr. in front of there... anyway he feels betrayed by the U.S. since they gave up the train model for highways/interstates and the motorcar industry. gets REALLY heated about it

Mt. Vesuvius: has a bunch of speeches given by famous latin authors and orators memorized, but sometimes he mashes them up without realizing/misattributes which one was written by whom. old man moments

Hatshepsut's Goose: can't remember what their gender was in life. that's fine, they love being a nonbinary icon. AMAB (Assigned Mummy at (em)Balming)

Clipped Coin: dodges the spool's wrath by being unflappable and so down to earth despite his apparent success. truly the king of staying in his own lane

Olympic Torch: hes a cranky piece of shit and only really enjoys sporting competition. he was complaining about being in the group puzzle photo so god just picked him up and he went ffffffffffine. okay. ill smile for 2 seconds

Gay Oars: i think they Also went to therapy, mostly relationship counseling, and now they are back and better than Ever. unbreakable bond. im abt to pen a whole ass comic series about them getting married in purgatory

Policarpa's Spool: still thinks of himself as a spy type, but there's only so much spying he can do in... purgatory. of course, his primary nemesis is the treasure chest.

Lake Donner Snowman: idk if this counts as a headcanon per se but in my very short list where i recast the puppets as famous singers, he is ABSOLUTELY voiced by Weird Al Yankovic.

St. Nick's Wet Bones: sort of taking the whole purgatory thing in stride. he kinda feels like he's in retirement! now he's a minor agent of chaos who's looked after by his darling Pickle Boys

Beast of Gevaudan: i was so sad when the infinitiger wasn't real, i wanted them to have a cooking show together so badly and destroy the horse's self-esteem. i love him. hes so abominably french

Stool of Gold: well-traveled, well-read, literally just as sensible as the Book or the Oars, but finds the chaos entertaining to spectate.

Ziryab's Oud: I think that the puppets have divvied up the whole Wondrium Arena and all have designated Living Areas, and he has a whole dressing room filled with shitty costumes he can't even wear. every time someone knocks he answers like hes on MTV's Cribs.

Bye Bye Brothers: they live in the orchestral pit and treat it like a secret lair. only other Murderer Puppets are allowed in. EXCLUSIVE club

Flower Boat: GNC Icon. this is a flower boat stan account. jenuinely a wholesome, emotional vessel doing their best to pitch in.

Molasses Horse: you can wash him as much as you want, that shit always just comes back somehow. the book theorizes it's psychosomatic at this point, since they're technically only souls at this point.

Tiny Piece of Wheat: bro i bet they went through SUCH phases after finding out about the professor's death. like all five stages of grief and then four more that have not yet been discovered by humans. dw kiddo, u got Grandparents incoming

Emu: the type of guy to fistfight you and then help you up. laid back but ready to throw down at a MOMENT'S notice. has no beef with the Wheat, but generally avoids them to keep from any Upsets.

Treasure Chest: has a little list of get-rick-quick schemes he wants to test, but has no way to in purgatory. he has one braincell bouncing around in his head like the DVD logo

Scabs & Pus: they get to hang out with the Bye Bye Brothers in their little club :) they're gross dudes to look at and be around. but they are ultimately harmless and friendly and just happy to be included.

Book: i love da book. I think he lives in the music library backstage and finds librettos for stageplays/musicals to pitch to the group to put on, as well as produces their little TV shows.

Birch Trees: since they share a root system, they have a telepathic link and communicate without even speaking, which is fucking creepy as hell when one or both of them just start laughing out of nowhere. they probably enjoy acting sinister

Asmodeus: he worked HARD on his song for the show!!!!! i think he's a bit of a ham sometimes when he gets the chance. also his goat head bites literally anything that comes close on reflex.

The Devil: while everything he does is to get souls, it also feels like he wants for positive and is less an Enemy of God and more an Irritating Coworker. in my brain they have a whole Tom and Jerry thing going on.

I don't have anything for the Fake Puppets the Substitute impersonated, but im planning on drawing some infinitiger soon bc he was my fave for sure

The Substitute: this is PURELY crack but i think it would be hilarious if he had voice commands like some tech does. i want him to climb back in the window and ryan just yells XBOX TURN OFF and he vanishes.

Dino Dad/Dinosir: i think even after he gets to the present and learns about all kinds of rocks and gems and crystals he Still just loves a big old rock he can lay on and sun himself with. like a dad and his armchair. doesnt gotta be fancy, just has to be comfy.

Dino Mom/Dinosara: i think she would be REALLY into the fake tv shows the puppets in the Wondrium Arena make. and they'd probably Love to have her as a fan. i think both the professor's parents are Hella popular.

[fictionfixations]

dick (nightwing) with aventurine's memories

(i dont know if this makes sense at all im tired)

ive been thinking of one of the batbros with memories of aventurine because. okay so yknow birdwatchers the discord server. i took a word cause its my birthday word (which is starting to be soon) but the original idea i had for it isnt getting the brainworks going so i wanted to mix it with my recent fixation which is aventurine (well actually hes starting to get a little old since ive been sitting on this idea for awhile but hHH)

but THEN i felt like i actually had a decent idea so now im sharing it to you because. i dunno. i dont really feel like i can do it justice? write it well??? (itd be my first hsr work LMFAO)

so uh. spoilers for dick's backstory, as well as 2.1 penacony. ALSO Danganronpa 2 because comparisons (also that anime with dr2 cast i dont remember the name)

aventurine as dick (slowly getting memories over time) (like child. kakavasha. teen/adult, aventurine.)

his luck has him notice the tampering of the wire whatever it was called that led to his parents death. he tries to tell them, they dont believe him. hes lucky enough to be the survivor. (think… you know that one oracle i think apollo blessed/cursed?? cant remember if it was first blessed but then something happened and then cursed or if it was at the same time. she could tell the future except no one would ever believe her.)

he has memories of space travel. of people outside in space. hes shocked to find theres no interaction of the IPC here, theres been no sign of life outside of this planet 'Earth' (..and was it really such a strange thought to imagine that 'aliens' could look just the same as them..? he wrinkled his nose at the ugly green thing with wide eyes. it was unnerving.)

he finds signs of a 'space enjoyers!' or whatever club and he goes and they're just like 'what are you talking about? its all just. fiction.. even we know that.'

i cant remember what year it takes place in and if the moon landing has happened yet (or what year hsr is in but i imagine far far in the future)

I dont really know how aventurine's luck works. and. i. honestly have not been paying too much attention throughout the story. my one exception was penacony, aventurine was the SOLE reason i paid attention in penacony ive only played up to 2.1 (thats not because he faked his death, its more that my recent-est fixation now is fanfiction because penacony has so much stuff going on it hurt my brain that i took a break) cause hes lucky but he gets. branded.. maybe its like nagito's but his is confusing too? (nagito is the ultimate lucky student in danganronpa 2, which is basically a talent that person has)

remember in the anime i think he got hit by a truck or something. or maybe that was after. he got hurt, went to like the vending machine, it dropped all of its drinks for him (so good luck), and then maybe it was after he got hit by a truck. uh

no it was a car (sorry im too used to truck-kun LMFAO) actually wait it was a truck somehow i only saw the head and thought 'huh thats a normal car' my dumbass

... truck.

ALSO i cant remember if he was trying to intentionally do something. but. i. remember he was trying to get like a medicine(???) something something. i dont remember why. but it was either he grabbed the wrong one or he grabbed the right one, EXCEPT he bumped into someone so their bags switched. so that meant

i REMEMBER NOW. OKAY OKAY. i think he grabbed the one that was meant to i think cause you. to. maybe. poop more? IDFK i forgot it was something that made someone ill probably. (cant remember his intention and if his luck turned him to the wrong one)

but so he bumped into someone and they switched bags accidentally. so she added what he got into the food mixture (which was meant to make them big and poofy) which made the judges not happy

meanwhile i think there was an enlarged animal...

dont ask me what happens after i have no clue if that was accurate since this is very edited but i couldn't find a better video but so he was trying to make his classmates ill i guess. but he got the wrong thing

to be fair the girl he bumped into and caused to fail was also kind of a bitch i think so i mean... (YEAH she is i went through the wiki)

so i kind of went off topic (i havent talked about danganronpa in so long)

maybe its like a set meter. like. experience a certain amount of bad luck and then get tremendously good luck (but you dont get to choose when probably)

which wouldnt be the same if aventurine had never lost? unless its like his big loss and trauma and er slavery (i feel like i should be using lighter words but i dont know lighter words for this kind of thing)

and for every win of a bet its using up very small amounts of luck (and thus his winning streak). (although probably not. i havent been able to see why hes fortunate in some places and unfortunate in others but that might be because i also haven't been thinking about it too hard)

in which case. i wonder. what was his intention in his 'death'? to permanently die, or to fake his death? cause it could drastically change the meaning.

cause yknow how nagito kermit sewer slide-d because he wanted the 'traitor' i think to win? (by basically making one of the other students be the one to have killed him so they wouldnt be able to win guessing who did it unless by pure chance) except his luck backfired on him and the one who ended up having killed him was the traitor, which WAS able to be figured out and thats how they survived

so was it something like that? where he wanted to die but his luck decided at that moment to just not? i wonder.

i havent even MADE it to penacony in game though (ive watched other ppl play) im like to the quest to where youre about to go to it but im too anxious to start. on the other hand i did the quest with topaz in jarilo(? Im SO BAD with names)

but i dont really know what the ipc does and if theyre well known. but im basing it off what topaz said (with a lot of skepticism cause aventurine)

so anyway thats my half-baked idea.

[night-dark-woods]

15, 21, 23, 24!!

THANK U ECHO this got so long oops.

15. that one thing you see in fanart all the time

hmmm not destiny-specific (i dont have any d2 specific gripes i dont think) & i mostly follow cool gay & trans ppl so this is much less of an issue than in the wider fandom (every so often some Main Fandom Art makes its way to me and i do a full double take) but like. i knowww they are almost all the same character model in-game but can we please get some characters who arent super skinny supermodels in here. please.

21. part of canon you think is overhyped

not to sound like an edgelord but. the traveler. if we can acknowledge that the Darkness isnt ontologically Evil, i think we can (PLEASE) acknowledge that the Light isnt inherently good. and im not talking about the superpowers we get, they've (narrative team) made it quite clear that individuals choose to do what they will with based on their own morals. but the traveler is, imo, positioned as a Morally Good Agent Of The Light far more than the witness is Of The Darkness, and i think we need to talk more about the traveler's agenda!!! again, this complexity isnt completely absent from the narrative, but it doesnt feel like those interpretations are... metatextually supported igss? like zavala's frustration with the traveler leaving feels more like a very christian (as someone who was not raised religious) test of faith that zavala (and the canonical YW) have Passed and will be Rewarded.

where's tevis my best friend tevis. we need more characters with that pov. god is real god resurrected you god gave you a second chance at life with no memories of your past and a guardian angel (a "chattering oversoul," to quote toland) to tell you where to go and who deserves to die and raise you every time you fail just to throw you back into the divine crusade. like. lets talk about that a little more!!!

23. ship you've unwillingly come around to

this is hard bc i am in general very willing to "yes-and" ANYTHING with a hint of chemistry or a fun dynamic. it may not compell me but if you can point out a narrative similarity btwn characters i will almost always be down. unless its one i hate ("hate" being a strong word. really its just the strongest possible apathy) bc i contain multiudes :thumbsup:.

i can't think of a pairing i started out disliking and then changed my mind about due to fandom unfortunately. the closest would be igss that i hate crow/amanda as its written in the text BUT my perhaps controversial opinion is i think transitioning could fix crow specifically the version of crow i have in my head who did not get uldren's memories back. SotL was so good for the overarching plot of d2 but so so so bad for the type of awoken-enjoyer i am & imo the like... thesis statement of what a guardian is lol!

so unfortunately i dont have an answer for this one (i dont think "i like the pretend version i made up in my head" counts as coming around on a ship lmfao), bc you can pair any two destiny women and ill be like yeah for sure! and i have curated my online space well enough that i rarely see any other kind of ship, and when i do its gay men (o14, uldren/jolyon, someone i follow is cooking something with saladin/drifter which is inspired. i love whatever is happening there) which is like cheering absently for a sports team idc about but support on principle.

24. topic that brings up the most rancid discourse

mara. its always fucking mara. literally spent an hour and a half last night rehashing d1 mara-course in a server with someone who has not read any lore. which is fine! thats a fine way to engage with the game! its a valuable perspective! but use i-statements and accept that you are coming to the table with 10% of the facts about the character.

honorable mention goes to anything about redemption arcs (and savathun specifically)- most recently that fuuucking saint killing sav repeatedly lore tab. and if you (general) cant be assed to care about evil women (skill issue, but whatever), thats also backsliding YEARS on saints characterization and i dont even care about saint!!!

so really the answer is misogyny lmfao.

[sheasshovel]

gotta ask, tbh can't believe someone hasn't done this, BUT-

lifers as genshin characters, who's who

omg WAITTTT this is so hard cuz so few genshin characters have actual writing and like each life series has wildly different vibes for each character BUT ILL DO MY BEST (fanon save me) ((and im doing majority sl since I remember it the most)) ((((ill do it based on vibes i think))))

Etho -> weirdly… im thinking Cyno. “Did you jump?” And him trying to mimic the aha jokes and being “pathetic and quirky” in sl matches cynos nerdy energy OH WAIR I SHOULDVE SAID KAZUHA CUZ OF CANADA UM

Cleo-> beidou.. “I WILL FRONT STAB MY FRIENDS THANK YOU VERY MUCH.” Pirate slay lady and has a big cool ship in s6 hc

Grian -> erm like. traveller💀 IM SORRY HES AETHER TO ME AND GRIAN ISNT EVEN THE MAIN CHARACTER but yeah he FR just goes with everything happening around him

Lizzie -> pink haired lady with underwater empire u say…….. kokomi (I haven’t watched empires) but like kokomi if she was written well and emphasizing the war general girl failure parts of her

Scar -> itto cuz I love him next question. also ITTO is an immortal and scar never died in sl imagine the angst potential “the last one standing”

Martyn -> he’s so self aware so this is super hard but like. Maybe uh um HEIZOU cuz he’s always like thinking ahead but sometimes silly but he’s also like smart and a detective too! or maybe HEIZOU is Grian u choose

Jimmy -> BENNETS luck and Mika’s everything else I JUST THINK ITS SO FUNNY

Skizz -> whos a funny father figure in genshin. Ill get back to u on tha oh my god he’s dionas npc father HELP IDK I CANT ANIME GAME HIM HES TOO STRONG

Tango -> THOMA IS HE THOMA? blond nice team player kind of dense AND THOMAS PET DOG IS LIKE TORCHY TO ME or is he childe cuz of the rage. I dont know!

BigB -> AYATO he’s secretive but also :3 and ayato would probably gaslight people for fun. and ayato is related to ayaka the most :3 girl ever. they are insane and wildly charismatic and also silly. Like imagine of ayato presented himself as more wholesome on the outside. Or if bigb became royalty do u see the vision

Scott -> Self sacrificial… trustworthy…. “I still might kill myself but now its less likely”…. team player… blue hair? idk I think it has to be like IDK IM DRAWING A BLANK IM GETTING KAEYA FROM HIM IF KAEYA WAS MORE LOYAL? IDK

Impulse -> Erm uh uh uh uh let’s say uh let’s say uh uh uh uh uh bro who’s a smart dad in the genshin lineup someone help me NUEVILETTE??? WTF IS HE NUEVI WHAT NO NUEVI ISNT SILLY idk what to do here

Gem -> Navia SHES A BUBBLY GIRLBOSS with so many emotions and omg when gem killed Scott and was like shocked. I thought of how navia would react to silver and Meluse dissolving in front of her eyes and having to ignore it. In both of their cases, having to ignore it to focus on the task (haha) at hand. Also both should join the mafia anyways

Pearl -> ERM Hu Tao. insane. SUPER STRONG and heavily misunderstood “sorry i think I gotta little bit crazy” from dl is so perfect but honestly I CANT see hu tao as the self sacrificial type, or forgiving type like in sl so idk

Bdubs -> tiny. Easy to enrage. segond in command….let’s make him UGH HOW DO I MAKE BDUBS A ONE NOTE GENSHIN CHARACTER WITHOUT TAKING ANOTHER MONTH okay errmmmmmmm let’s put him as xiao but if xiao was less traumatized and sillier

Joel tiny heinz-> Childe… blood lust and trauma but he also kind of gives ALHAITHAM cuz of his sarcasm

Mumbolio -> thoma he’s so sweettttt but also kind of cray cray like is thoma not insane for protecting the TRAVELLER in front of RAIDEN hello?¿ 0 self preservation skills

RENDIGGITY DAWG -> theatre kid furry. he’s Lyney next question

if I missed any lifers pls lmk I am stupid and this is driving me crazy

[spitblaze]

hi! I would be VERY interested in hearing the symbolism in therion’s pokemon team!

So the FIRST member of Therion's team is Hisuian Zoroark. This is non-negotiable for me if you dont give him one of these im blocking you on sight (lying)

So there is of course the obvious symbolism of HZoroark's lore, which is that a unovan zorua/zoroark died while consumed by anger or hatred, for humans, for pokemon, or both. This is very much something that Therion went through BUT in my mind his relationship with Ember (her name) goes deeper. He's known this Zorua since he was a child, probably found it alone and scared in the forest. Might've been each other's only friends. Either way, he and Ember are practically inseparable. They travel together, thieve together, eat together, whatever. They're still inseparable during Therion's time with Darius, as much as Darius tries to keep Therion's social circle to him alone. When the betrayal happens, she's there for it too. She tries to defend Therion, uses her illusions and tries to hurt Darius, but she's no match for his Arbok and is sent falling after her human.

Therion probably wouldn't have survived that fall if it wasn't for Ember.

She wasn't as lucky as he was, dying on impact. But it didn't last long. Therion didn't even regain consciousness before she had reincarnated into Hisuian Zoroark, filled with hatred towards humans, who only ever hurt her and her best friend. She probably took care of Therion while he recovered, used her illusions to keep the scavengers at bay and brought him water, berries, help, if she could find it. She accompanies him all over Orsterra, and even though she's very wary of the other travelers at first, she listens to Therion, who says they're okay and won't hurt them. By the end (but sooner than Therion) she's warmed up to them enough that she'd start making pleasant illusions for them (she is like her human in that she puts up a tough exterior but is a big softie with a 'giving gifts' love language).

Until the end of Therion's story, she's the only pokemon he ever has that he has ever given a proper name (he will name a Meowth Linde later). He believes - and was likely taught by Darius - that giving them names will get you attached to them, make you think of them as more than tools. Make you rely on them. And you can't let yourself do that, think that anything in the life of a thief is more than temporary. Not that it's worked - he says he doesn't care about his pokemon, but he's a dedicated trainer who cares deeply about all of them.

And the one who illustrates this best is Crobat, the second-oldest member of his party.

The thing about Crobat is that it's a high-friendship evolution pokemon. They can be found in the wild in theory, but in practice, that trainer will probably have put it a lot of time and care for it to evolve into this. A lot of time and care and affection for a pokemon like Zubat, which is a common annoyance. How many jokes in the world where we DONT have pokemon flying around exist about how annoying zubat are? He caught this pokemon that's considered a pest- maybe on accident, maybe out of desperation for more firepower, maybe fully on purpose - and raised it with the care and attention that let it become Crobat. i dont want to say the same thing three times so ill just leave it at that. I think Therion has a habit of befriending pokemon that he sees some of himself in.

Third member of the party is Mimikyu!

Am I perhaps already personally biased towards ghost types? yes. Do I think Therion would be mostly ghost and dark types regardless? also yes.

The thing with Mimikyu is like...god I could probably just copy the bulbapedia entry for its biology word for word and you'd get why I added it. This is a pokemon that only ever wears a mask. You do not see it outside of its facade. If you try to see it under the mask, it will lash out to stop you. It takes great care to maintain its facade, spend time and energy and effort, as if its very life depended on nobody being able to know it. It's hard to keep up the facade. It's so, so hard, and it's even harder to do it right. So it cries, on the inside. But to show the world that you might be weak is tantamount to suicide, so it stays strong outside.

anyway. I like the mental image of Therion patching up Mimikyu's mask for it. Lets it borrow his scarf while he sews it back up. Taking the time and attention to detail for his little friend, who he insists he does not care about. Darius probably mocked Therion for catching such a pathetic-looking pokemon. and then he found out Mimikyu knew wood hammer and Darius shut his stupid mouth about it forever.

Runerigus is Therion's fourth pokemon.

I know that Unovan Yamask is maybe slightly more relevant to Therion thematically (death mask ghost who longs for a time before), but it's very hard to overlook the evolutionary conditions for Runerigus- Traveling to a certain spot in a desert/canyon area after taking at least 49 HP worth of damage. I'd still argue that there's thematic relevance with Galarian Yamask being a vengeful spirit. Maybe. Therion isn't so much looking for revenge as he is looking to rebuild his life. Still, I think it's all relevant enough to warrant a spot in his party.

Number five is Ceruledge!

Ceruledge is a pokemon that's more representative of Therion in terms of combat and mechanics than it is narratively (i mean. all ghost types are thematically relevant to him but you get it).

I'm just gonna quote bulbapedia here:

"Ceruledge is merciless and will do anything to win a battle. It prefers to do close-quarters combat, with a mix of sneak and surprise attacks. By using its quick speed to locate a foe's blind spots, it will then move closer before slashing them with its large swords. Any cuts from Ceruledge's swords will cause wounds that leak life energy, which the swords then absorb."

Idk man. Sounds like Therion to me

Aaaaand last up is Honchkrow!

Like. The initial thought here really was just 'haha funny crime bird' but like. what are the two thief animals. cats and crows. and what is therion if not either or both of those. i dont have any deeper thoughts on honchkrow lol

That! Is all I have for now i might redo some other ones like olberics but right now therions the one i have Mega Brainworms about so. thank u for asking ilu :)