#and it's about my choice at the end of Links awakening

[nbclover]

hehehe

[cosmerelists]

If the "Chicken Dinner" Tradition Existed in the Cosmere...

"Chicken dinner" post requested by anon. :)

If you're not familiar with it, this is the "chicken dinner post." Basically, it's a tradition that Someone on the Internet has created, where you and a friend tear apart and eat an entire rotisserie chicken with your bare hands, fighting over it the whole time. Look, the post I linked explains it better.

Anyway, let's say this tradition (and also rotisserie chickens) existed throughout the Cosmere...

1. Sadeas & Dalinar: Firsthand Observations by Jasnah

--There was but a moment of sizing each other up from the edges of the tarp before both men charged directly at the chicken

--Dalinar kept his feet but Sadeas dove and so got the chicken first. He was able to get a few bites in before Dalinar dove onto him from above.

--There is now intense wrestling over the chicken.

--I observe that while Sadeas appears focused on getting as much chicken into his mouth as possible, Dalinar appears to be more focused on pinning his opponent to the mat--I mean, the tarp

--How did both men lose their shirts?

--Dalinar does now have Sadeas pinned, but the chicken is directly in front of Sadeas' head and he is STILL biting at it. I am not convinced that Dalinar has actually consumed any chicken at all.

--Sadeas has at length grown still. Dalinar has picked up the remains of the chicken carcass and is now holding it in both hands while he consumes it over Sadeas' prone form. However, I do observe that the most choice bits of the chicken do appear to have been consumed already--by Sadeas

--If this is a game with a winner, I do not know how to declare it in this case.

2. Tress & Huck: A Post-Chicken-Dinner Conversation

Tress: A-Again, I'm REALLY sorry. Huck: You don't have anything to be sorry about! Tress: Going in, I thought: well, it's just food, and Huck and I are friends, and I don't see why we can't just share the chicken peacefully. Tress: ... Tress: I don't know WHAT came over me! I ripped that chicken apart! I think I was growling at some point! Huck: Can confirm. Tress: A-And, worst of all... Tress: ... Tress: I can't believe I HELD you in one hand and ate the chicken with my other w-while LAUGHING that you were just a tiny helpless rat! Huck: Yeah, I sure hope that didn't awaken anything in me. Tress: ...what? Huck: A-Anyway, I think it was good for you to let go! Be wild and feral! It's probably healthy! Tress: It was...oddly freeing. Huck: That's the spirit!

3. Steris Rates People's Greatest Strength in Chicken Dinner Combat

--Wax: Airtime. Is able to fling himself and the chicken into the air and eat a great deal of it before they both land again

--Wayne: Hand-to-hand technique, lack of fear. Not afraid to get in close and literally eat chicken out of his opponent's hands

--Marasi: Surprising levels of savagry

--MeLaan: Stuck the entire chicken into her body, through her ribs. May be considered cheating

--Myself: No particular strengths. Did create a Chicken Eating Suit out of the same material as a tarp, and did replace the Central Chicken with a Fake Decoy while hiding the Actual Chicken in a place only I knew, thus securing my victory

4. A Series of Drawings by Shallan, Commemorating the 4 v. 1 Chicken Duel

[Adolin running toward the central chicken, alone, while four figures in Shardplate charge in from the opposite side]

[Abrobadar eating a chicken wing in triumph in front of Renarin, who is kneeling on the tarp]

[Kaladin Stormblessed, gloryspen swirling around him, holding up an entire chicken thigh on the end of his spear]

[Adolin sitting on a shouting Jakamov while he, Kaladin, and Renarin share the last of the chicken]

5. An Apology Letter Penned by Valette, To Elend

Dear Elend,

Sazed says that an apology letter is traditional after "something like yesterday." He is helping me write this.

I am sorry that I strangled your fiancée during our chicken dinner bout yesterday. When Shan Elariel grabbed that chicken thigh, I was overcome by an uncontrollable desire to take it from her by any means possible. And though I did win, strangling her while shouting that I was the Queen of Chicken was impolite.

I am also sorry that I punched your brother so many times. Zane was not even supposed to be there, but when he showed up and tried to take a bit out of the chicken while I was holding it, well, something came over me. But when he collapsed next to your still-unconscious fiancée, I did feel a moment of guilt...but only a moment, as I was soon overcome by the delicious Victory Chicken I was enjoying.

Finally, I am sorry that I also attacked your father. He wasn't even trying to get the chicken. But he was there. And he was looking at it. And I feel like the Zane thing was his fault. But I understand that it was probably disconcerting when a small woman covered in chicken juices launched at him suddenly while screaming.

I hope we can still be friends.

Sincerely,

Valette

6. Hoid & Kelsier: A Pre-Chicken-Dinner Conversation

Kelsier: I thought you couldn't eat meat. Hoid: Not if it's from a dead animal, no. Kelsier: And you can't perform violence. Hoid: Nope. Kelsier: ... Kelsier: So what are we even doing here? Hoid: Did you know that I was once challenged to a duel? Kelsier: Why would I know that? Hoid: Do you know what I did? Kelsier: [Looks to the side where Jasnah stands, wearing a giant apron that says "It's Chicken Eatin' Time", eyes glinting] Kelsier: [grins] I do love a fight I can't win...

[vashtijoy]

what is the link between Akechi and the story of Robin Hood?

*pulls on my green British person hat and grabs a bow*

I'm not a huge expert on Persona links but they do tend to be a bit tenuous; Akechi's Robin Hood is no more like the legendary Robin Hood than Loki is like Loki or Arsene is like Lupin. That said:

Robin Hood is a thief, of course. Chalk that one up in the "Akechi is a Phantom Thief" column;

Robin Hood is a master of disguise, like both Akechi's other personas;

Robin Hood is often depicted as being of noble birth and having been unjustly dispossessed—Akechi's "prince" regalia is often interpreted that way, as a claim on a denied birthright;

Wikipedia defines "a Robin Hood" as "a heroic outlaw or a rebel against tyranny", which, well;

He's most known for having robbed from the rich to give to the poor, and I don't quite get that one. Akechi himself could be "the poor", but "robbed from the rich to give to himself" lacks a certain cachet.

The most notable thing about Robin Hood, to me, is that Superman motif that contrasts with Hereward's Batman motif, with Loki in the middle as the second awakening—hero to villain to antihero. Because, even if he awakened to both Robin and Loki at the same time, it's like Protect and Endure—there must still have been an order.

We see it during his third awakening to Hereward—the historical figure Robin Hood was allegedly based on. Hereward resembles Robin Hood, and Robin is on the left—which makes him the first awakening. Even if it maybe didn't work the same as the others we saw.

But yeah, one argument in favour of Akechi awakening to both Robin Hood and Loki at the same time is that Akechi did not randomly awaken. Like Joker, Akechi was awakened—to serve a purpose, to be Yaldabaoth's agent spreading fear among the masses.

That makes it very hard for me to picture Akechi starting out as a good guy, as the hero he dreamed of being. Akechi was chosen for his role because he was already full of hate—because he was the sort who, given power, would inevitably twist it to a bad end that he was already fixated on. Akechi is already the kid with the perfect outward image who's twisted and broken on the inside; he essentially tells us in the engine room that he lived his whole life that way. I have a feeling he was already becoming like that when his mother was alive.

The thing is, there's no reason that kid can't still believe in justice; of course he does. He believes in it the way people who've been hurt by religion often still believe in God. He believes in it as something that should exist, but doesn't; as an ideal, with the hate that's the flip side of love and belief. There are no heroes. Nobody will save him. Friends and family aren't real; love and trust are lies people tell themselves, tricks used to manipulate you. The system isn't on his side; no matter what he does, the world just finds new ways to hurt him, and what can he do about it?

And that guy he can't stop thinking about, who symbolises all of this injustice, whose shadow Akechi has lived in for so long? As well wish for the moon as hope to get back at him.

Except, one day, he finds the app on his phone. He goes from being bitter and powerless to having power, to having choices, to being able to hurt others like he's been hurt. But that part of him that aspired to justice, to being a hero, never really goes away. He does his utmost to give his life for it.

[gallus-rising]

mp100 horror fic recs 👻🎃

For a while now I've been thinking about mp100's amazing horror potential and how it really doesn't get enough attention. SO! For the spooky season why don't you settle down with a nice scary story ;D

All of these fics are complete and have no shipping. I've only linked 1 fic per author so this list doesn't get bloated, but all of these wonderful authors have other fics just waiting for you to read them ❤ Some definitely freaked me out more than others, but I'm not gonna give any particular ratings since "scary" is so subjective. All fics are properly tagged and you know your own limits better than I do.

Also feel free to add on your own recs!! My general reading preferences and parameters when making this list is only a small sampling, so please share any and all of your favs ❤ Hope you enjoy!

If you see an "N/A" instead of a Tumblr UN that means there wasn't one linked in either the fics' notes or author's bio. If you know the author or are the author yourself feel free to let me know so I can edit the post :] And now in no particular order I present:

The Immeasurable Dark: @tinkertoysdamn Immediately breaking my own "no ships" rule just this once because I can't resist a good House of Leaves inspired story! If you've read HoL is you know what's up. If not expect a fucked-up house and impossibly large spaces, funky text formatting and footnotes, maybe a minotaur. Ship featured is background established serirei.

a pilgrimage: @tooomuchtofu Divine Tree arc bad ending. Told from the PoV of an unnamed worshiper on their first visit to "the capital" aka an overgrown Seasoning City. Uses second person pov wonderfully to build the dread.

And Who Is Killing Me?: @sammisafetypin Koyama beats the shit outta Mob a little harder than in canon, hospitalizing him and delaying the 7th Division rescue arc by [TIME NOT FOUND]. The Awakening Lab kids are so minor I tend to forget they even exist, but oh my god does this author make you care about them! This fic is written with great suddenly swapping PoVs that keep you feeling off kilter without making you lose track of the story. It's the longest fic on this list by far but 100% worth every second of it. A real gut punch.

Adoration: (N/A) The Divine Tree takes a particular interest in Reigen. I don't think I've ever seen anyone properly touch on how creepy the Psycho Helm constructs themselves are like this fic has. God, those things freak me out so much. Features "shipping" in the sense of a sentient broccoli becoming fixated on a guy. Keep in mind that the Psycho Helms look like Mob if you think that'll squick you out, but for me personally it added to the horror.

Similarities: (N/A) Reigen receives a fucked up email. Ends on the sillier side, but BOY is that email fucked up!

The Water Ran Clean: @bandtrees A Mogami-mentors-Mob AU and a damn fine one at that. Love the sort of fragmented style it's written in, and the exploration of Mogami's fucked up moral code is great. There's some Choice viscerally described imagery here 👌👌 Features a drawing of Mob covered in blood just in case that freaks you out; but worry, it's not his :]

An Outlier Among a Sea of Common Denominators: @hebezunet A rewrite of the early Divine Tree arc that asks the question we've all been too scared to consider: What if the brainwashing was like cordyceps? In particular I want to highlight the opening scene where after eating the broccoli powder cookies Teru has to physically rip florets out of his body to resist being brainwashed. Very gnarly stuff.

Prison Surveillance: (N/A) Touichirou was a very bad boss so Hatori pulls a The Ring to torment him in Psychic Supermax Prison. Was written pre-season 3 so Hatori doesn't work for the government.

Stairs: (N/A) Reigen and Mob have a job in the woods. There are some stairs. Inspired by an r/nosleep story which the author links to if you'd like to check that out as well.

Fight, Flight, or Fraud: @cowardlybean So everyone's got a really specific supernatural fear, right? Something that could absolutely never happen in real life but when you see it in media it freaks you the fuck out? Mine is someone I know being killed and replaced by an evil doppelganger and I'm the only one who knows. I've not seen anything since The Magnus Archives that's properly captured that fear like this fic, which is some of the highest praise I can bestow.

In Quicksand: @ghoststrawberries Reigen catches a nasty cold and by that I mean he gets possessed. Very fun the way Reigen's train of thought and feeling shifts around as the evil spirit tries to influence him while he's unconsciously resisting it. The scene where the gang realizes Reigen's been possessed is a real "OOOOOH, SHIT!!!" moment, but I won't spoil ;D

Playing Human: (N/A) Espers and psychic powers might not be real but spirits are. Poor baby Mob is a ghost possessing his own dead body. Features Dimple as the bad guy.

Mithridatism: If I may be so self-indulgent to list one of my own fics here :3 Absorbing evil spirits while still alive was actively killing Mogami and I wanted to dig into that! Features my Signature™ (lol) "HEY, DON'T EAT THAT!!" style of body horror.

[thedarkdisgrace]

Thread analysis from my twitter about soukoku & Dazai specific stuff in this DA art since people were interested in my thoughts on it lol reminder it’s my personal interpretations on it.

This is part 2 essentially of the original post. This focuses just on Dazai and Chuuya.

Alright, so I’ll just start by readdressing a point from my other post just for convenience for people who didn’t see the other post. You can reread this or skip down to my newer points. Red thread typically symbolizes those who are destined to be together.

Dazai has the red thread of fate wrapped around his neck. Chuuya has one end & it's wrapped around his wrist, that seems to symbolize he's holding Dazai's life in his hands. It’s also wrapped around the wrist where Chuuya has his childhood scar, the one proving he’s human.

An obvious link to their shared humanity to me, despite they, themselves, not believing in their own. But it’s no surprise Chuuya holds one side of Dazai’s life, we all know they're inexplicably linked & fated. Chuuya is always there to save Dazai & Asagiri said he's the only one who understands Dazai always.

But it's interesting the other half of Dazai's string is first wrapped around his own wrist before continuing to Aku. This essentially saying Dazai holds his own life in his hands. Which obviously seems super accurate since we know his biggest enemy is often his own mind & the hole inside his chest that he has a hard time filling. It's where his suicidal tendencies come from. But essentially, Dazai's life is held only by Chuuya & then himself and I love that detail.

Moving on. Another thing I found interesting about Dazai in this art (& in DA in general) is that he is wearing an all white suit with a black inner shirt. While Chuuya is in his typical black outer coat & white inner shirt.

I believe this choice serves to emphasize the “yin/yang” of their relationship. The red thread bounds them together while their individual natures complement/complete each other, making them whole. Dazai seems to often see himself/his soul as truly dark by nature even as he lives in the light now, so it seems fitting.

He utilizes his darker nature to *protect* the light now, as he understands the darkness (the villains) that come for those in the light. I touched on that above as well.

Chuuya is the opposite but also similar. Chuuya having a “lighter” soul/heart by nature despite being shrouded in darkness. This is showcased in his fierce protective nature of those he cares for as well as the city he protects. His intense, unyielding belief that, despite all he has been through, people are *worth* suffering for, they’re *worth* protecting.

This in contrast to Dazai when they first met who believed “nothing he could pursue is worth the cost of prolonging this life”.

Chuuya believes people are worth it even while still living in the darkness (which it’s important to note dark doesn’t equal evil, everyone is grey and everyone has a role to play).

But even while living in it, *despite* it, he still holds onto his light. His humanity. Humanity is a consistent theme between Dazai & Chuuya.

They both end up making the other feel human, feel alive. Even their abilities are almost named *for* each other.

Chuuya’s ‘no longer human’ when corruption takes over, until Dazai brings him back to it. (Just to be clear, Chuuya is human. That was confirmed).

Dazai is ‘the tainted sorrow’ that Chuuya is able to awaken from that sorrow with his very nature, his vibrant showcase of humanity. I believe it’s his relationship he was able to form with Chuuya that not only kept him alive (“Chuuya convinced me not to die yet”) but also opened Dazai to the possibility that there *are* people worth it out there. It’s why he was open enough to form his relationships with Oda and Ango.

But despite their struggles, despite their methods even, they both are trying to protect what they can. Both have the capability of acting in the light & dark in equal measure.

Essentially, they’re both made up of different light & darknesses but they end up completing each other.

It’s also interesting they put Chuuya on Dazai’s “good” side. The side Dazai’s see the light with. Kinda shows you how Dazai views Chuuya.

—

Something else about Dazai’s clothes, he seems to be wearing a yellow ribbon on his “darker” side. Which I find very interesting given the yellow wrapped ribbon normally represents suicide *prevention*.

Yellow in Japanese culture also tends to represent courage, which is also fitting, it even used to represent role models.

(This next part I’m definitely reading too much into it but I still found it fun and interesting!)

But moving to the next interesting pieces, Dazai is holding an apple in his hand on his “darker” side. Given Dazai talks about apple suicide (+ being called dead apple) it seems these 2 pieces are at odds with each other.

The apple in this context representing death/suicide while the ribbon represents life/prevention.

But Dazai is holding an apple in his hand on his “darker” side. Given Dazai talks about apple suicide (+ being called dead apple) it seems these 2 pieces are at odds with each other.

The apple in this context representing death/suicide while the ribbon represents life/prevention.

So in this art, is the idea of apple suicide representing a dark irony? Dazai seeing death as good fortune? Or is the apple only representing the more surface level contrast of death with the ribbon being life? I think that’s up to interpretation.

Small side note, Chuuya’s hat being placed over his heart is definitely deliberate. The hat that helps protect his humanity, the hat that helps offer Chuuya some control, sitting atop of & covering his heart makes sense. It’s almost as armor, protecting his “light” as it were.

Now to talk about Dazai being the only one “awake” as it were & the specific eye that’s uncovered.

The fact it's the eye that used to be covered in the PM is an important choice. Especially given the eye that was open with the PM is closed.

Dazai seems to be seeing more of the good now, maybe even is starting to see the true value in light.

However, it's only because of his dark past he's been able to survive & help save the ada multiple times. I believe that's why it's *that* wrist, the wrist helping covering that eye that was open while in the mafia, that is bound by the red thread of fate.

That wrist being wrapped up symbolizing how he partly holds his own life in his hands (along side Chuuya holding the other part). His fate is bound by *both* his sides, the light & dark in equal measure.

Dazai holds one side for his own life because not only is he his own worse enemy but he ironically (sadly) can't live completely without that dark side of him.

It's the part that wants him to end his life but it's also thanks to that side & what he went through that he can survive so well now & help others. It’s allowed him to understand the villains they face. Of course his past is a tragedy, but what we go through makes us who we are. At least he can use it to save people now.

Another point, (this more of a stretch) the overall theme here seems to be fate, since the thread of fate is predominately featured.

Dazai being the only one with his eye open, the only one awake, could also mean he knows something about their fates that no one else does.

Maybe since his “light” eye is open it’s a good thing. But it could possibly even be linked to the book, either that he knows more about the book & what it contains more than everyone else or (& this is a much bigger stretch) that he may even have read/seen briefly a piece of the book

Maybe whatever the reason is part of the real reason he picked up both Atsushi & Akutagawa & formed shin soukoku. Because for all his & Chuuya’s might, they need something *specific* for what’s coming. Something only shin soukoku has & we already know Atsushi is connected to the book.

Plus the thread of fate is linking them *all* together here. Some more connected to each other obviously, soukoku together & then sskk + kyoka. But again, this last part is very much a stretch but it’s just something fun to think about.

I hope all this made sense. Like i said, this is all just my interpretations so take it as you will. Everyone is free to have their own interpretations & opinions. I definitely went a little overboard & went deeper than just the art itself but oh well lol

If you made it this far, I hope you enjoyed my interpretations! Again some are deeper than originally intended & some are much more a stretch but thanks for coming to my ted talk lol

[twig-tea]

Top 5 Couple Fights

Oooooooh this is fun! Thank you for a relatively easy category because so often the fights in these shows are unearned and it is very frustrating. I'm still limiting myself to 2023!

Wen and Alan, Moonlight Chicken

This fight felt real, it felt lived in, and it felt heartbreaking even though we only saw some of it. These two men love each other, but love isn't enough to keep them together, and that realization is as heartbreaking as the fight itself.

My Personal Weatherman

I am obsessed with the fights in My Personal Weatherman because the characters often don't know they're in one, or are in two different fights at the same time. This is all tied to how much I love how well the miscommunication is done in this show. These fights are legible based on what we know about these characters and what they've seen, even when they're completely unnecessary, and I adore that. Of course the best one is the ending fight and not just because Segasaki ties up Yo's wrists in his shirt.

Jack O'Frost

[Not enough gifs of this actual fight and I need to finish this list so this is what you get]. The fight at the very start of this show escalated so quickly, at first I wasn't sure about it even while I appreciated the performances and the intimate way it was shot. But when we get the backstory and we finally understand how much has been withheld and said vs. not said between them, and where their anxieties were rooted and the source of these big feelings, this fight makes so much more sense. This is a show that really benefits from being watched more than once.

La Pluie

[for some reason tumblr is giving me this link to Shan's blog rather than @liyazaki so tagging you, friend!]

Patts was pushed and pushed and pushed, and he lashed out in his insecurity, and when he asked for reassurance (this lineeee) Saengtai refused to give it to him and instead lashed out out of his own insecurity. This was a painful fight that was fully earned; all of the characters and their choices were legible even as they were infuriating. And it led to a critical awakening of Saengtai who was so caught up in his own sad boy narrative he hadn't realized how much he was hurting everyone around him.

My Beautiful Man S2

Kiyoi and Hira's communication issues continuing past S1 is very believable. I said elsewhere that Hira's work on his self-worth is more like a spiral than a straight line and that's very relatable and realistic. Kiyoi being hurt by Hira not valuing Kiyoi's feelings was such an important lesson for Hira to get more than once. Again, so earned, and resulted in the characters self-reflecting and moving a little closer to whatever a healthy relationship means for these two lol

Laws of Attraction

How much do I Love Tinn seeing right through Charn and Charn being big mad at him for Perceiving him so well? All of their fights are so good because they're about boundaries and mutual respect at their core, and they actually listen to one another and are based on how well they know one another (rather than what so often happens, when the characters seem to forget who the person they're in love with actually is). This barely counts as fight but I love it and it's my list so it stays.

Bonus entry that's only for me (shh stop counting the above):

Mr. Cinderella S2

Nobody but me and like 2 other people watched this show, but I'm actually obsessed with the couple fight in Mr. Cinderella s2 so thank you for the chance to rant about it on main some more. I need to start by saying: this plot is ridiculous and the ending sucks. But within this show, Dung and Khoa have an established relationship that has been tested in S1 and is being tested harder in S2, and to a point, they actually stand together and weather the storm, and it was rewarding to watch. And then slowly everything happening ("everything" here being an ABSURD amount of melodrama) starts to wear on Khoa, who sees himself as the one solely responsible for everything, and he unlearns some of what he learned in s1, he stops relying on Dung as his support, stops telling Dung what's going on because he doesn't want to burden him, and stops trusting Dung's word about what is happening. And so, when the jealousy plot hits, it's actually believable that Dung would be mad at Khoa, not for cheating, but for not respecting Dung as a partner in their relationship. It's well done, I wish so much that it were in a better show so that I could actually recommend anyone watching (I don't). I've seen this trope (assumed cheating) done so badly and so unearned in so many shows, this was so refreshing.

Extra bonus: Best couple fight scene of all time?

Gameboys S2

[I give up on gifs of this scene; have them upset for other reasons instead!]

What I love about the way they fight in this show is that, beyond it being earned etc. etc., the dialogue is so raw. They repeat themselves, they just yell over one another, they get rude, they try saying something to de-escalate and it gets worse instead. This is not a carefully crafted speech, or a single perfectly delivered devastating line; this is raw emotion. I recognize this fight, I've been in this fight, this is what I sound like when I fight lol And we see them really fight at least twice, and the way they fight in ep8 has changed as a result of the earlier fight is also SO good.

[oceanmusings]

shipuary 4 | emmaline nielson x arthur morgan

Masterlist : link

Summary : the worst thing about sharing a bed with a man who wakes up at the crack ass of dawn.

Warning : super fluffy, my apology for what I wrote for them last time, based around the time at Shady Bell! No spoilers

One thing that everyone knows about Arthur is that he always wakes up with the sun. When the sun rises, no doubt Arthur Morgan would rise too. This becomes unfortunate for Emmaline when he invites her to share his bedroom at Shady Belle. Emmaline was a light sleeper, and has been since she was a little girl. The littlest movement or sound could wake her up. It was worse when she was getting used to sleeping outdoors, but eventually she got used to it. This was not the case when she moved into Arthur’s bedroom.

His cot was already very small and it was cramped to fit the two of them, but they were able to do it with Emmaline basically draped over Arthur. But he didn’t mind the pressure and just would pull her closer to him instead. Emmaline was pretty sure even if they got a bigger cot to fit them both, they would still cuddle up together like this.

Like every morning, she feels Arthur try and move out from under her as stealthy as he could. But the minute he moves her head off his chest is when her consciousness awakens. She opened her eyes groggily, it takes a second for her to register everything around her. She lifts her eyes to where Arthur was sitting on the cot, stretching his arms above his head as he tries to suppress a large yawn. He reaches for his boots but pauses as he feels a hand lazily grasp his wrist.

“Stay.”

Arthur turned his gaze to the half-asleep woman on his bed, a slight pout on her lips that was too adorable. “Darling, I got to get up. Got some jobs from Dutch.”

“Damn Dutch, stay with me.” Emmaline whines, pulling on his hand to join her back in bed. “It’s too early to do anything.”

“Don’t let Miss Grimshaw hear you say that.” The cowboy laughs, letting the woman tug on his arm.

“Don’t care what that old crone says.” Emmaline mumbles sleepily, but both knew that wasn’t true. Miss Grimshaw wasn’t a woman to cross or argue with. “Now c’mon, it’s barely early enough to do anything. Come back to bed.”

Arthur stared down at the woman, a glint in his eyes that Emmaline’s mind couldn’t place. But her eyelids were heavy and it was hard to keep them open long enough to focus on it. He smiled at her gently and toed off his boots again.

“I’d be a fool to deny the woman.”

The sleepy grin on her face brightened the old cowboy’s whole day. Emmaline adjusted herself so Arthur could slide back into bed next to her, facing her this time instead of laying on his bed. Emmaline immediately wrapped her arm around his waist and pressed close to her cowboy, humming in delight at his warmth enveloping around her.

“Good choice.”

Arthur let out a soft laugh and pressed a kiss to her forehead, placing his hand on her hip to pull her closer to him that every inch of their bodies were pressed up against each other. The scratch of his beard against her skin was a nice sting, she realized it was getting a bit long now. Maybe she’ll offer to shave it sometime.

Her thoughts drifted off as she felt him begin to press kisses down her face. From her forehead, eyebrows, under her eyes, and the tip of her nose. Her eyelids fell closed as she felt his breath brush against her lips, waiting for him to kiss her where she wanted it most. Frowning as he pressed a kiss to the corner of her mouth instead.

He laughed once more as he felt her frown. “You are too easy.”

“Kiss me, you idiot.”

He didn’t deny her and pressed his lips lazily against her own. The two share a kiss and many more in the privacy in his bedroom without any watching eyes that could interrupt the tranquil moment they have created together, other than the rising sun peeking in through the windows.

Every morning Arthur wakes Emmaline up, but if it always ended up like this, Emmaline doesn’t mind rising with the sun anymore.

[letsplaydcttrpg]

Strangers in Paradise pt 13 - The End (? Again?)

Start this module here!

Previous part here!

Links to all posts for this module in the pinned post!

Lasso Jamal I: "Yes," you say, raising your lasso over your head. "He will tell us all we need to know." Suddenly Maurice Diawara interjects. "Are you going to use some form of persuasion to get him to speak?" he asks. "Yes," Hellene says. "But Jamal is an ambassador, as are we all," Maurice says. "He must be treated with the utmost of respect." "Ridiculous," says Kwa. "If he has nothing to hide, let him submit." "We cannot allow him to spread poison among our sisters," Hellene says. You step forward and put an end to the discussion by gently lowering the rope over Jamal's head. He trembles as the power of Gaea flows through his body. A golden glow bathes his face; the room goes silent. "Why do you want to harm the mission to Themyscira?" you ask. "To prove that women cannot properly rule themselves without men. Such ideas threaten all my beliefs." "Who told you to distribute the amulets?" you ask. "No one," he replies. "You work entirely on your own?" you ask. "I never saw the amulets before that stranger ran through my room tonight and awakened me," Jamal continues. "My plan to ruin this mission was to find the negative side of everything and generally cause tension." You stare at Hellene in horror. "I have made a terrible mistake," you say, slowly taking the rope off Jamal. "This is an outrage!" Jamal bellows, returning to control of his own body. "Making me reveal such things! They are my own private thoughts! I demand to return home at once!" You attempt to reason with Jamal, but he is vehemently insistent. The other ambassadors, appalled at such a manipulative display, have lost most of their desire for staying and much of their respect of Amazon culture. The decision to leave quickly grows into a unanimous one. The return trip is uneventful, as are the ambassadors' respective reports on their experience in Themyscira. THE ADVENTURE HAS ENDED

Whoops! Turns out they did not appreciate the whole lasso thing.

So we reach another point where our decisions have ended the module. That said, I was just earlier today talking about being the kid who stuck a million bookmarks in the choose your own adventure book to try and find all the endings, so I'm gonna throw out the "Reload Previous Save" option again if people want to see what could have happened! Or this is the end and we've made our bed and have to lie in it. As always, it is up to you!

[bluesdesk]

People. 50.6% of 87 votes are exactly 44 votes. And 49.4% is 43 votes. Tears of the Kingdom lost to Alttp for ONE VOTE

Anyway, I decided to yeet both off the poll! Let the 9th round begin! There are 8 games left, and these are really the best. I still have one game I want to vote but then the choice will be harder!

As I've written many things about totk but I don't want to give unwanted spoilers, this time the rankings are here and my opinions on the games are under the cut!

<< Previous round

The CDIs

Triforce Heroes

Zelda 2

Hyrule Warriors / Legends / Definitive

Cadence of Hyrule

Zelda 1

Four Swords Adventures

Four Swords

Oracle of Seasons/Ages

Age of Calamity

Phantom Hourglass

Link's awakening/LANS

Spirit Tracks

Tears of the Kingdom

A link to the Past

Soo! TotK and AlttP. I played AlttP shortly after BotW on nso, when TotK still wasn't out. I liked it a lot at first, but I have to say I didn't complete it. It was technologically advanced for that time for sure, but I don't think it aged well. The dungeons didn't leave me anything valuable to remember, like other games did, the items weren't equipped easily and the story was too simple and banal.

As for TotK. Oh TotK. I got to play botw another bit before returning it (I had borrowed it from a friend), after quitting alttp. And I still liked it! Then I bought TotK and at the beginning I was extremely surprised, it looked so great. I thought Rauru was the same first sage from OoT and he had a "goat disguise" to not be recognized, like his owl form. Of course I was wrong and then I was so disappointed, i left it almost one year ago and don't have any urge to play it again, I probably will though and give it another chance because something was really good like seeing grown up characters or finding those "Zeldas" or building things or finding amiibo costumes. - the story is great for a standalone game, but for zelda? The zonai make no sense to me and contradicted everything we knew. In the past right after sksw the gerudo weren't known, the zora and rito didn't exist, the gorons weren't on death mountain. They should have made another antagonist and not Ganondorf. Zelda's sacrifice was honestly a so great part, but the ending was awful. - the "dungeons" were copies of each other. And short and banal as heck, and the dialogues after each one were always the same. - People didn't remember Link. Only some of the major characters did but the majority of the npcs didn't know him. And Link didn't have the majority of his clothes. I know the outfits weren't mandatory to get in botw (nothing was mandatory tho) but at least the most known could have been left. The gerudo outfit, the climber set, the hylian set, the luminous stone set! They made up a story for the zora tunic and that's a good thing. - The depths were empty and too dark, even after the light roots were lighted. It was too easy to get lost. - the ultrahand and fuse mechanics are amazing as well as the ascend, but they should have made them mandatory at least for some parts of the game, to give them more spotlight. - I would have loved to have way more sksw references, this isn't a flaw of course but a personal preference! Also I would have loved to have Wolf Link as an ally again, instead of the spirits of the sages. - personal experience: the game crashed after I defeated Ganondorf for the last time. I was about to see the final cutscene when the screen went black and it never played (I saw it on youtube). Everything else on the swotch worked perfectly so it was just the game. Of course it doesn't autosave or let people save the game after entering the zone before the first fight with Ganondorf so I'm back there. I hated it.

[telemna-hyelle]

SO

Uh 

Gonna put this one under the line real quick for peeps who don’t know the plot of Link’s Awakening

*coughs nervously*

I know this may not be the most popular take, and I want to state that this is me stating my own opinion/trying to hammer out my thought process for myself, but I was thinking about Legend and the Windfish, and the bottom line is... I don’t think Legend hates the Windfish? 

Nor do I think the Windfish is a jerk. 

Now, to be fair, I have not played either version of LA and therefore was not emotionally gutted by the reveal so I have less of a stake in the discussion. 

But i do know the plot, and I’ve given it a bunch of thought. 

First, Jojo has gone on record to state that they don’t think that Link could really, truly intently hate any person with the sole exception of Ganon--hence Time’s bitterness towards the Master Sword, as he sees it as a soulless, unfeeling tool that stripped seven years of his life away. But by definition that dismisses the possibility that Link would truly hate the Windfish. 

Secondly, I, uh... I don’t see why what the Windfish did was wrong?

Not saying it was all roses and daisies for Legend, he’s definitely got some trauma to deal with. 

But the Windfish was a victim. He was under siege, being attacked in his own mind! Can you imagine how terrible an ordeal that must be for him? And he fought back the only way he could--by creating a dream to protect his mind. But the dream could only shore up so much. Bit by bit, the nightmares were beginning to break through the wall.

And then Link almost drowns. And the Windfish saves his life. He was knocked unconcious, but was somehow floating on a barrel when eventually he wakes up back in the real world. That feels like giant flying skyfish magic to me. 

Also--and this part I’m not certain about--but it’s not like Link was forced to wake the Windfish. He could have just stayed, right? But if he wanted to leave the island, he needs to wake the Windfish. That’s Link’s choice. But Link is a good person, and he can’t just ignore the monsters--but again, that’s his choice. The Windfish didn’t trap him for the purpose of killing the monsters. As far as I can tell, at the very most, when he realizes the poor boy he’s saved is a hero, he’s like ‘would you mind helping? i’m in a bit of a fix. Also I saved you from drowning, but unfortunately i’m trapped in your own mind so you’re trapped too unless you wake me’. Which, yknow, would you rather he just left Link to drown? 

Perhaps he could have saved Link without pulling him into the dream--but we don’t know that. And again... if you’re in danger, if you’re dying, is it bad to cry out for help? 

And it’s not like the Windfish lied to Link--he leaves a message and tells Link the truth of what’s going on. Maybe not right away, but he does. He didn’t have to do that. He could have just kept it a secret. 

And, well...

Koholint is a dream. Dreams end. It was a lovely dream, but it wasn’t real. What would have wanted--Link to drift asleep on the ocean forever, perhaps sustained by magic, perhaps until he dies in his sleep of dehydration or something. All his friends in Labrynna and Holodrum and Hyrule--they would never know what happened to him. 

The Windfish needed to wake--but Link needed to, too.

And it was sad. We can see it’s affect on Legend. He was falling in love with Marin, after all, and even if she wasn’t really real, his feelings for her were. You don’t just bounce back from that.

But I just don’t think he would blame the Windfish for that. If he blames anything besides himself it’d be the Nightmares that caused the situation in the first place by attacking an innocent sky-whale-fish-thing. 

And for my final thought...

at the end of the game, Link sees the Windfish, and looks so happy to realize the Windfish is alive and well

These just don’t seem like the face a boy would make if he hates or even resents the Windfish

He just seems... glad the Windfish made it out okay

Course, I wanna make it clear that I don’t think it’s wrong or bad to think that Legend hates the Windfish. A lot of y’all have made really great fics with that good angsty stuff, and I’ve enjoyed all those that I have read! It’s an interesting way to explore the game and the affect on Legend’s emotional state post-koholint.

This is simply me wanting to write out my own character/game analysis for Legend, and to present an alternate view than the general fanon. 

[onyx-archer]

Open World, Shallow Structure: A Look at Zelda and It's Future

Originally, I was going to make my next post about another Life is Strange game, but I've been in a bit of a Zelda mood thanks to playing around with the Ocarina of TIme/Majora's Mask Combo Randomizer, so I wanted to talk about the Zelda series for a minute. As the title would suggest, I wanted to talk about Zelda's current open world direction, why I'm not a fan, and where I think it could improve.

As this is more about game design and less about story, spoilers will be minimal, but present. Just assume that I'm expecting you to be familiar with most Zelda games and their stories, and that I'll mention things from them when I think it's relevant. I'm going to be citing things from the 3D Zelda titles especially, because 2D Zelda is a different beast, but I'll mention things about them when necessary to illustrate a point. I'll put this under the cut cause it's gonna be long, but I have a lot of thoughts.

I also want to say up front that if you like the modern style of Zelda seen in Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom, that's great! You saw something in those games that I didn't, and I don't want to take that away from you! I just want to talk shop about Zelda's current struggle with game design as a fan who's been playing these games since they were like, 6.

With that, you know the drill, go under the cut if you wanna keep reading.

When I first played Breath of the Wild, I want to be real with y'all for a minute: I put it down after a few hours. I had basically gotten to the point where I was on my way to Zora's Domain, got side-tracked by some Shrines and other stuff, and got bored. What a lot of people see as an adventure full of wonder just felt like I was being side tracked by things that ultimately didn't matter. I've since beaten the game, and even 100%'d it, which is something I'd never recommend anyone sane do more than once.

Cards on the table: I haven't really touched Tears of the Kingdom in any real capacity yet. I watched some people play it, and asked a friend who is a diehard Zelda fan what he thought, and both things lead to the same conclusion: it's just Breath of the Wild 2.0. Which, I mean, duh, of course it was, that's a game that a lot of people liked, and so Nintendo would have to be pretty freaking dumb to not capitalize on that. Even I was initially positive about the choice, because I had thought that since they were going to be building off of the base of a game as beloved as BotW, that we'd see something like a "Majora's Mask" to BotW's "Ocarina of Time" in a lot of ways. In some ways, we got that, but in most ways where I think it mattered, we didn't.

So how can I judge a game I really haven't played? Well, it's built off of one I have played, so I can look at it through that lens. I can also take what I've heard from friends who have played it into consideration. With those things in mind, I've come up with a few core problems that I have with the current direction of Zelda that I hope are righted when the next game comes out in like, 7 years (cause let's be real, it's gonna be a long while before the next big game hits).

The Dungeons:

A big sticking point for a lot of more classic fans of the Zelda series that has yet to actually be remedied is the dungeons. More specifically, how the two most recent titles (not counting the Link's Awakening remake and the Skyward Sword remaster) don't really have tightly designed dungeons. I believe this is a consequence of the open-ended design, and the fact that the developers have leaned too hard into "solve the puzzles in any number of different ways" to allow for that tight design.

Zelda dungeons in the past, for the most part, are a combination of combat encounters and puzzle rooms, with a sense of exploration as you move through them. While I feel as though the combat aspect has been preserved to a degree, everything else is just lacking.

The combat in Zelda pre-Skyward Sword was pretty basic for the most part (just whacking guys with glorified sticks), and this is something that Breath of the Wild has objectively improved in a lot of ways. Combat just feels better, even if there's objectively a lot of jank when managing the inventory to swap between weapons. The only part of combat that is outright trash is the weapon degradation, which I'll cover later.

However, there is one thing that has been lost in this, and it ties into the puzzle element: boss fights.

Bosses in Zelda's past are basic in certain respects, but have layers that lean into the puzzle solving component of the game design. Usually, the bosses require you to play into the dungeon gimmick, which usually involves the tool you get in said dungeon, or in the lead up to the dungeon, which is the case for something like Bongo Bongo in Ocarina of Time. While sure, a lot of this leads to pretty obvious design quirks that make the bosses less challenging overall for some, and lead to mixed results as the series went on, the bosses did more than test your mettle, they tested you on the tools you have.

For every item that has limited use like the Spinner in Twilight Princess, there are items that have utility in ways beyond their dungeon of acquisition. This is typically for staples like the Bow, the Bombs, the Hookshot, etc, but it can also be for things like the Gust Jar or the Beetle from Skyward Sword. Yeah, they aren't as universally useful, but they are still useful, and can be used to add puzzle variety. Beyond just using the tool to exploit a weakness in the boss, they had other uses, and while some were definitely more limited than others, it was still some use.

Modern Zelda has decided that puzzles should be solvable in ways tied to the tools you get during the tutorial for the most part, and I think this has lead to the degradation of feeling of solving a puzzle. While sure, there are times when open-ended solutions to puzzles feels satisfying, it also leads to situations where the player can just cheese an answer, and while that may satisfy some in a creative sense, it leaves the people who want to solve head scratchers feeling like they wasted their time trying to think how the developers wanted the puzzle to be solved.

The fact that BotW and TotK puzzles can be solved in a number of ways, but also really only expect the player to have the tools they got during the tutorial area makes the puzzles feel... flat, for the lack of a better term.

This, in tern, makes the design of dungeons feel less satisfying to explore, because it has lead to the designers basically making all of the dungeon "find X number of keys to open the door to the boss." Yeah, classic Zelda was that at it's core, but the puzzles, while certainly not super complex because of their target audience, often had variety in ways that the modern ones just don't. That variety masked the blatant "find keys" part of the journey, which I feel is so obvious in the modern games that it sucks the sense of wonder exploring the dungeons used to bring. From what I've seen of TotK, this problem is made worse because the game just tells you that you need to find 5 things to unlock a door up front, and that's just kinda lame.

I'm not going to pretend the puzzles in OoT are complete brain ticklers, but they had some fun solutions. Opening the door to the boss of Dodongo's Cavern involved a simple riddle about dropping bombs into the eyes of a giant Dodongo Skull to open it's mouth. It was a fun concept that was really only used once in that game, and it sticks out in my memory to this day. Most of the puzzles in BotW, by contrast, are less interesting outside of the moment you're doing them because they mix the same assets together so much that it all bleeds into one amorphas blob.

Shrines only further make this a problem, because the Shrines have you do these sorts of puzzles outside of dungeons, making them less creative overall over the course of the game. There's only so many times you can have me use Magnesis or Statis Launches to solve similar set ups before I get bored. I do like the idea of Shrines, but there are too damn many of them!

Also of note is the lack of meaningful rewards for doing the Shrines or the Dungeons. Sure, the Shrines give you a resource that lets you increase your Health and Stamina, but that's really it. The chests are largely worthless because they hold weapons that break (at least in BotW), or other things you can just farm from enemies, or just buy. I don't feel rewarded for using my brain, I feel like I'm going down a checklist for some more health. Heart Pieces often had some kind of puzzle or series of things you needed to do to get them, but they felt so much more rewarding because the feeling of getting 4 of them (or however many you need in other games) gave you a satisfying little jingle that hit you with some dopamine like "Look at you! You got a little stronger by using your skull spaghetti!"

My Proposed Solution:

Simply put, my solution is to cut the Shrine number down by half, and make only half of them doable out of the gate. Then I'd use those resources to make unique, tightly design dungeons that give you a unique tool that you can use to solve puzzles with that won't break, and allow those items to be woven into puzzle solutions.

This way, you get some puzzle elements that are open-ended that you can logic out however you want, and then you get some puzzles that have more specific, guided solutions that test your knowledge of the tools you have. You can walk into a Shrine, see a thing that you can't do, and go "okay, there's a tool I need to be able to do this, but I don't have it yet," and know that you'll be able to come back to it later for a puzzle that tests your knowledge as you acquire more tools.

Dungeons could then have more time dedicated to giving them a unique theme and vibe. Unique assets, and a proper sense of wonder that makes them feel worthwhile. Dungeons, I feel, should be guided experiences that progressively introduce new ideas to test the player, rather than just be open ended boxes that have like 5 puzzles that are solved in similar ways to previous puzzles you've likely solved to open a door. They should have a sense of place and spectacle.

Personally, if we were to use the world of BotW/TotK as the basis, I'd have each dungeon reflect the ancient versions of the races civilizations and cultures. Basically, double down on the whole Ancient Sheikah idea, and apply it to the other races of Hyrule. I'd love to see something like an ancient mine of the Gorons teaming with gems and Dodongos, or the dilapidated sunken remains of an ancient Zora city, just to name a few basic things. Pull from the series past and history to create places oozing with cultural atmosphere that stimulates a sense of wonder, but also filled with dangers that excite those seeking the thrill of adventure.

2. The Story

While I am aware that TotK vastly improved the story being told compared to BotW, I think it can't be denied that the open-ended approach to the story is hurting the pacing of things immensely, and leads to a lot of awkward scenarios. The fact that you can view the memories out of order in both BotW and TotK is insane to me, but that's not the only issue.

While open-ended open worlds are good for gameplay stuff, it has taken a toll on having the story of Zelda feel like it has much substance. Sure, you can sit there and say TotK story is good if you sit down and focus on it, but that's the problem: because you can do things in any order, the story loses a lot of traction. I've seen the cutscenes for completing the dungeons in TotK, and the fact that you basically see slightly different versions of the same thing, but with a different narrator, is what I'm talking about.

I personally think that the story is too loosely strung together in these titles because they feel they have to be for the sake of immersion or something, but that is silly to me. You can have an open-ended game that has structure to a plot that is less open, because other devs have been doing it for years. Older Zeldas have done it, to a degree.

Older Zelda titles often did expect you to follow a path the designers laid out for you, but that's because stories often need that kind of structure to be told in any sort of cohesive way. It's like playing a tight game of D&D, where the DM is allowing the players some flexibility, but is still going to guide the players down a path toward some sort of conclusion. The path to that ending may be slightly different, but there are still plot beats that get to that conclusion that occur in a certain order. It's a lot of work, but often leads to satisfying campaigns. And I'm speaking as someone who doesn't care much for D&D.

I think Zelda needs to have a loose, but still very much guided structure. Part of the reason I get so bored playing BotW when I do play it is that the game gives me so much freedom to do whatever, and no real sense of direction outside of a few map markers for the areas you need to go for the main quest. Yeah, that can feel liberating, but it makes it feel more like I'm wandering around in the dark, and less like I'm on a grand adventure, y'know?

I don't want things to go full blown Skyward Sword, where you're effectively on rails, have have to do basically everything in the order the designers wanted you to, cause that feels bad in Zelda too. I think the story should set itself up in such a way where the player is limited to a small pool of possible events that can be seen in any order, but all need to be completed to access the next pool of things, which could be larger. Much like how both Link to the Past divides the game between the 3 Light World dungeons and 6 Dark World dungeons with a trip to Hyrule Castle, or how Ocarina of Time requires you to get the Three Sacred Stones before you can do the Temples for the Medallions.

Events in the stories, as they are, feel like they expect that any dungeon should be your first, and there are only a small handful of dungeons. This, in theory, would be fine, but because each dungeon has to act as though you've never seen things before, it leads to very stale narrative presentation long term.

There's also another small issue that's eating away at the story of the games: the reliance on Ganon.

Don't get me wrong, I enjoy Ganon/Ganondorf when he's done well, and he was several times in the past. I understand he's the big bad of the series, and he'll always be around, but he's been something of a stain on the series' ability to tell unique stories for a while. This was highlighted in Twilight Princess first, where he sort of just comes in and kicks Zant, a villain who was super imposing and interesting, to the curb for the sake of a lame twist. This was lame, sure, but I really don't like their reliance on Ganon in these recent games.

I could put up with it in BotW, because the game is ultimately about dealing with the Calamity, which is Ganon's essence of corruption given shape. It was dumb and basic, but BotW was sort of basic on purpose in a lot of ways with it's story, so I didn't mind. But with TotK? I feel like they just brought him back because it was easy, and because there are a lot of thirsty Ganondorf fans out there. I just see his inclusion after dealing with Calamity Ganon as a blight on what could have been a much cooler narrative.

My Proposed Solution:

As I mentioned above, I think the goal should be to apply a degree of limitation to the player in how much they can accomplish as they progress. This means there are only so many scenarios the game has to account for. If we, say, limit the player to the classic 3 "starter" dungeons before letting them go into the next batch, then it makes things easier to write around. Have each dungeon be tied to a thing going on in the area that is connected to the main plot, but serve as a piece of a larger puzzle.

Then, I'd establish a simple check: if the Player is visiting, say, the Goron Mines first, then they'll get a slightly different cutscene than if they did the Goron Mines after the Lost Zora City, to account for the idea that the player has already seen some of the set up already. Basically, have the stuff the player experiences be told in a set order in slightly different ways, depending on when the player experiences it sequentially, and adjust in accordance to the order to avoid unnecessary repetition of ideas being conveyed. That way, when Link gets insight into the broader narrative, it feels like a puzzle being solved, but the stuff surrounding that insight is focused on the area.

As for Ganon, it's a pretty simple thing: just don't use him for a little while. Again, I get he's the big bad of the franchise, but we've seen other villains in the series work. Even having a devout follower of Ganon take over and try to resurrect him for a game would be fine, if a bit cliche at this point. Let's see Vaati come back maybe? Or another interesting original villain like Majora/Skull Kid? I still want to learn more about lands besides Hyrule, and a unique villain from Ganon gives us plenty of opportunity to explore those lands.

Speaking of...

3. Hyrule

I don't think it's at all controversial to suggest that Hyrule's map in TotK makes it less satisfying to explore for a lot of people. Sure, there are new areas to check out in a post-Calamity Ganon world, and the added the Depths and the Sky Islands... but I mean, it still kind of sucks that 90% of the map is just a copy/paste job.

Beyond that, I've developed a bit of a pet peeve with the Zelda series and it's use of Hyrule. While I completely understand that it's the primary setting, and that's not really something I'm looking to change or anything, I just miss when we got other places to explore, y'know?

Majora's Mask has Termina, the Oracle games have their own countries, and even Tri Force Heroes has it's own unique setting, and that's just scratching the surface. I love when a Zelda game takes us outside of Hyrule to see other parts of the world, even if it just has a bunch of things that make it feel like a remixed version of Hyrule at it's core. Termina is like this, but I still want to go back there and explore how things have changed since then, y'know?

I don't really have a solution for this issue, I just really think they need to be willing to go outside of Hyrule more often... especially with the next game, just to have things feel fresh again.

4. Weapon Degradation and UI

I don't know about y'all, but I hate the weapons I'm using breaking, but having no real way to repair them. Sure, I know you can often find duplicates or, in the case of TotK, you can just build a new copy of the thing you like, but I still hate it.

A lot of this is compounded by the fact that a lot of chests just contain weapons that will break after a few uses, and it just makes the act of fighting things feel more tedious. I know some would say it adds a degree of tension, but I and many, many others don't like it. It says a lot about the system that when you disable it via cheats, BotW becomes more fun.

The UI doesn't make this any better. Cycling weapons and shields feels clunky as hell, and selecting which arrows you are shooting from the bow is just... why is it so bad!? And how did TotK make that WORSE!? Crafting in TotK is neat, sure, but when you have to individually combine the item you want to each nocked arrow, and the menu is that bad, you have to ask how that got out of beta. I dunno if it's been fixed since then, and I don't really care.

My Proposed Solution:

Here's the thing, all I want is to have 2 things in the case of the weapons breaking.

Thing 1: A permanent set of things you can upgrade over time that never breaks, and only needs to be sharpened or something, but lacks special attributes that make the breakable stuff worth a damn to use.

Thing 2: The ability to use materials to repair/maintain the weapons you like.

The simple thing to fix the UI is actually just to have a weapon wheel that you save the things you like onto in the positions you want them, and to have a tab button to cycle to less used stuff. Basically, just do what Ratchet and Clank did 20 years ago.

As far as arrows are concerned, just let the player craft them in the inventory, and have the Bow weapon wheel have a way to cycle which type of arrows you want to use. Easy. It'd still be a touch clunky, but you'd not have to deal with scrolling through a list, and that's just objectively better.

The wheel would also apply to Tools/Abilities like Runes. Just hold hold the button, and then use one of the sticks to cycle around the wheel. Simple.

Honestly, this post got a little long, but hopefully people see where I'm coming from. I don't really have much of a point beyond what's stated above, but I'll try to end this off with something to think on.

Zelda's current direction has been a bit contentious with some of the older fans, and while I think BotW and TotK are respectable games, and they offer new life to a series that was admittedly losing a fair bit of it's steam, it's frustrating how there are some things that just feel like simple, elegant fixes to the new formula that'd bring it more inline with what classic fans like myself would like more. I don't think what I'm asking for is that much (especially with the UI stuff). I'm not really out here demanding that they bring back something like the transformation masks (though if there was a game like BotW and TotK, but they replaced Runes with Transformations like those of the masks from Majora's Mask, I'd probably give the game a 20/10 out of pure bias for Majora's Mask), I just want the game to feel more like the Zelda I grew up with, rather than this sort of bland open world with a Zelda skin that it's become.

As it stands, modern Zelda is starting to feel less like a grand adventure, and more like I'm wandering through the woods without a map or a compass while it's super foggy out, and finding table scraps rather than neat treasure. I might make a post about what I'd do with a hypothetical Zelda game in the future. I've got a handful of ideas, but this post is too long as it is... so... yeah, that will be done later. Maybe.

[weidaoduzun3]

Greek Magical Papyri-esque Holy Water.

A little continuation from an earlier post I made about how I frame the Preces Templi E-book to my own praxis. I couldn’t include everything in that one post. Somethings just slip the mind, especially with this this old rusty noggin.

As the title suggests, I’d like to share with you all how I prepare Holy Water from a Greco-Egyptian standpoint that is really straight forward, using incantations as provided by @polyphanes Preces Templi E-book which I will link the E-book and his ko-fi shop at the end of this post.

Step 1) simply prepare a Tupperware or your designated container for holy water with clean, cold filtered water (any water will typically do).

Step 2) add a dash of salt used specifically for religious/spiritual/occult means. For the way I consecrate my salt: simply meditate over a container of your salt of choice (pink Himalayan for me) for 5-10 minutes. Clear the mind with the intention that power and sanctity will be infused into the salt. Then, after gently become aware and present after meditating, recite this incantation from 5.4 from the Preces Templi:

Hail to you, holy and great NN.! By your blessing and by this offering I make to you, be gracious to me, be merciful to me, and be propitious to me! (Repeat this 3 times).

For the NN here, for specifically consecrating salt, I simply add Netjeru and Theoi. So: “Hail to you, holy and great Netjeru and Theoi!”

Simple. This is a general “Dedication of Offerings” prayer and can be used for when presenting specific offerings for a deity. Here, I just use it to consecrate my salt!

Step 3) after you have added a dash of concentrated salt to your soon to be holy water, not it’s time to add a dash of natron. Just a little will do.

Step 4) now that all your ingredients have been mixed into the water, you’re going to want to meditate again for another 5-10 minutes. This is to further clear the mind with the intention of power and sanctity will enter forth via the salt and natron, and thus spread all throughout the water.

Step 5) after gently awakening from the second meditation with your salt and natron added into the water, you’re going to want to repeat this incantation from the Preces Templi 5.1 titled, “Prayer of Water.” Polyphanes bases this off of PGM IV.225ff, PGM IV.2967—3006, and PGM XIII.610ff. It goes as follows:

O sweet water, cool water, cool water that purifies the gods, you are a gift to the world and to me from the gods! The heavenly gods give the rain; the earthly gods give the seas; the beloved kings give the rivers; the beloved dead give the springs. As water from dew, you adorn the Earth and permit things to grow; as water from clouds, you adorn the Sky and permit things to be nourished. O water, for the sake of purity and becoming pure, be purified!You are pure, o water, and being pure, you wash the gods and all the world; you who wash the gods and all the world, so too wash me! You who are a gift to me, purify me, adorn me, and nourish me! (Repeat this 3 times).

Then boom, that’s how I make PGM-esque Holy Water! Enjoy :)

TO CONSECRATE STATUES WITH THIS HOLY WATER:

Simply lay the idols in the Tupperware of holy water, or if your container is too small, simply use your hands to scoop the water and shower it over the idol. Either way, for the way I do it, you’ll want to recite that “Prayer of Water” incantation as your idols are either submerged, or pouring the holy water over the idol till your heart is content. In between reciting the “Prayer of Water” I also recite:

Come to this statue, NN [deity]! Come forth and reside here In this statue I, NN [here I enter a magical pseudonym or you can simply just say your birth/chosen name of choice] , have prepared for you, NN [deity]! Abide in this statue, Abide in my shrine, Abide in my life o beautiful NN [deity]!

That’s pretty much it folks. Enjoy (again) :)

https://ko-fi.com/s/751c99dfa9

https://ko-fi.com/polyphanes/

[emstargazer]

Not sure if these will turn out to be just recurring OCs with a brief backstory or a full-on written fanfic centered around these two or some other format, but either way... Berserker Armor inspired Titan whose Pilot mimics the arsenal Guts uses throughout the manga when paired together with the Titan's loadout and whose relationship with them has an ominous side reminiscent of Guts and the Beast of Darkness.

Does anyone on planet Earth see the vision?

For which audience is this post supposed to cater, you ask?

Me, I am the audience.

Don't worry, I'll be reasonable and put my self-indulgent rambling under a readmore. Beware of some minor spoilers for Berserk.

Considering Vanguard-class Titans are "almost as well armored as a Legion, with the dash capacity of a Ronin" I feel like it fits best class-wise, but it would be a heavily modified Vanguard-based that sacrifices a lot of its defensive capabilities for an incredibly aggressive self-destructive approach to combat. It would also take some design inspiration from Ronin Prime, specifically the concept art (inheriting similar legs and the plates on its sides that remind me of air vents, which I may repurpose to introduce a cooling system) while still preserving the overall structure of a Vanguard. So think of Ronin Prime(Concept) +BT(or FS-1014 or SDV) +The Armor.

They utilize a unique Sword Core that would at first be identical to the regular until it one day develops to have the same, yet way amplified benefits with one additional being the ability to "keep itself together". What I mean by that is while the core's active it's able to keep most of its components functional despite sustaining damage that would otherwise prove to be fatal by using technology similar to the Gravity Star ordnance which upon activation would bend space so that said components can still work in unison, albeit semi-efficiently. It doesn't necessarily repair, but it does let you keep on going for longer even after your Doomed State health bar has completely depleted(yeah, I'm also trying to look at this from a gameplay perspective).

Hmm, sounds familiar.

But the real fun lies in its major drawbacks. First of all, if it does get to a certain point of no return, you won't be able to eject and once the Titan Core ability ends an explosion is imminent. Basically making every instance you use the core into a likely suicide mission. A risky last resort rather than an ultimate ability.

Secondly‚ after every usage the neural link gnaws at your psyche, leaving you with a mental scar, meaning your mind(notably your judgement and self-control) gradually deteriorates over time.

This issue derives from the very nature of the Titan, because its AI is designed to have such a strong link that it inadvertently has access to something which can only be detrimental in the long run and that is the deeper unconscious layer of the Pilot's Mind.

Initially, Titan's AI will have its own set of characteristics, but the better the link becomes, the Titan's control over filtering those unconscious thoughts will falter. Until eventually, the AI splits into 2:

The seemingly original, true self(I know, one may argue that's not the right choice of words, but I disagree considering we've seen how far the Titan's AI can evolve with BT)

An independent personification of the Pilot's Jungian Shadow(I wonder what kind of dynamic will they and the Pilot have, image below definitely unrelated c;)

Now, about the Pilot. Anything relating to their backstory before being assigned with [insert Titan's designated name](been researching military alphabet and code words for ideas, still haven't thought of something that sticks) is currently undetermined.

What is set in stone is they don't have any idea either due to being revived as an advanced simulacrum, until they achieve a complete awakening(like Ash or Revenant) by the unique link they've established as such. The Titan could give insight into the inner workings of their mind that they couldn't fathom as a human, let alone a digital backup of human consciousness with restrictions(ego retention system).

Once awakened, their main objective is to uncover lost memories through the use of said link. The catch is in the drawbacks and the eventual separation of the Titan's AI.

First one is mostly self-explanatory, even in the case that the Pilot's mind component remains intact and gets miraculously brought back into a spare robotic body, it would certainly be a limited resource(same with the Titan) and there would always be a high chance of data corruption.

Second one turns their journey into a ticking time bomb, making every subsequent combat encounter push the Pilot closer to inescapable insanity.

Birth of the second AI inside the datacore causes the Titan's original self to fight for control and question whether the other one is a part of who they are despite originating from someone else, while the Pilot can only bring words of encouragement from inside the chassis.

A story about a Titan and Pilot who both struggle with their identity leading them to form a connection that goes beyond the neural link itself. Exploring how in the journey of self-discovery what one might find to be a part of who they are may in fact be working against them and despite that one should learn to accept it and acknowledge its existence in order to have any control over it. All while affirming interpersonal connection as one of the necessary steps in learning such a lesson.

With hopefully a lot of emotional damage sprinkled along the road.

c:

To the arsenal we go, Titan's loadout would consist of:

an energy-based weapon with a repeating crossbow-like mechanism visually resembling the Ballista from Doom Eternal.

And, you guessed it, The Giant Ass Sword which is preferably going to be unnecessarily longer and thicker than Ronin's canon broadsword to the point where it should theoretically be ineffective, but as a consequence of their unique fighting style and years of accumulated battle experience they'd be able to find unconventional ways to use such attributes to their advantage. Why not use a standard edition broadsword like all the others? Both of them got too attached to their sweet heap of metal^_^. Another significant distinction from it is that instead of using electric charge to produce the Arc Wave, it would harness it to send a shockwave through both the "phase dimension"(one used by Ronin, Simulacra Pilots and others) and our own making it able to damage even those currently occupying the alternate dimension.

Again, one might guess where the general idea comes from.

When it comes to the Pilot's design, I'm keeping it mostly unknown for now. They will be using Pulse Blade since it's the closest thing to Guts' throwing knives and one of their arms will have a use as an Anti-Titan weapon. As ordnance, a large amount of miniature frag grenades.

Ok, I think going into deeper intricacies would be overkill, so I'll put my foot on the brake here.

If you've read this far, I'm beyond grateful you took your time to go through the amalgam of my sporadic unorganized ideas.

Here's a treat!

[attackfish]

Hi! Do you have any atla fic recs?

Here are the seventeen best fics in the Avatar fandom, and I swear this list is totally not just the favorites of one person whose choices are completely subjective and entirely based on personal preference. Yeah so these are my personal faves, your milage may vary.

"Who by Fire" by Kaberett: [Link]

There was precedent, of course, for succession in the event of the untimely demise of the incumbent ruler. Between political intrigue, ambition and necessity - and these qualities have never been in short supply within the ruling classes of the Fire Nation - history contains no shortage of examples. Deposal in the absence of bloodshed, however, is another matter entirely: and more so when the Heir Apparent is the banished prince, who has, contrary to every expectation, found the Avatar and brought him home.

"Enslaved" by Sharkflip: [Link]

A triumphant war party returns with an exotic slave, a gift for the ruling house. Multi-chapter, Katara/Zuko

"Eight Principles of Yong" by Psocoptera: [Link]

The pen is mightier than the sword, or how Zuko saves the day via the power of good penmanship.

"Five Ways Toph Created Her Own Family (Whether She Liked It or Not)" by Lady Ganesh [Link]

The title is the summary.

"Tea with Destiny" by @awesomeavocadolove [Link]

After the shock of Lu Ten's death, Iroh makes a fateful journey into the Spirit World. The tea there is exquisite, but the company may give Iroh a run for his money.

"Without a Fight" and "Never Give Up" by @suzukiblu [Link] and [Link]

Thirteen years old and alone in the Earth Kingdom, thrown out of his life and family and destiny with the burn on his face still raw and new, Zuko does not want to go on. Song/Zuko

"Gilded Green" by @caelum-blue [Link]

At the end of Iroh's Siege, the Dai Li decide to test their brainwashing abilities on a Fire Nation soldier. They don't know that their guinea pig-rat happens to be a supposedly-dead prince. Multi-chapter and multi-part

"Til Death Do Us Start" by @loopy777 [Link]

Mai's parents arrange a marriage for her. The first problem is that she's been dead for fifteen years, and the second problem is that her husband isn't who anyone is expecting. Mai/Sokka

"The Airbending Master" by @liz-squids [Link]

Teaching airbenders is not the same as restoring the Air Nomads

"In Which Mai and Toph Are Not Remotely Ladylike" by @liz-squids [Link]

Mai and Toph drink too much, talk too much, engage in petty vandalism. Their mothers would be horrified.

"Drink Some Fucking Tea" by @unjapanologist [Link]

A parody of 'Go the Fuck to Sleep'. During season one, Iroh unloads some frustrations about his beloved nephew that he can't very well voice out loud.

"Red is the Color of the End of the World" by @sholiofic [Link]

Post-series, Katara is adjusting to the new shape of the world. They all are.

"Chromatism" by @glamaphonic [Link]

Ty Lee is soiled and unclean and bursting with color.

"Life Began With Waking Up" by @glamaphonic [Link]

It was a simple truth that Mai had never really thought about her children. Mai/Zuko

"His and Her Circumstances" by Lavanya Six: [Link]

AU. Two years ago, it's believed the Fire Lord exiled Prince Zuko to distance himself from responsibility for his son's subsequent assassination. Five months from now, a boy in an iceberg will awaken. Tonight, Mai runs across a masked criminal. Mai/Zuko

"Escapee" by @liz-squids [Link]

So you're a traitor. Now what? AU from "The Boiling Rock" where Mai and Ty Lee escape with the others. Mai/Zuko

Unnamed ficlet #4 by @liz-squids [Link]

The AU where Azula never found out Zuko and Iroh were in Ba Sing Se, and 16 years later, the Fire Nation has won the war, and Mai is the governor of Ba Sing Se, and she and Zuko have an awkward 30-something reunion. Mai/Zuko, past Jin/Zuko.

[imaginethezeldaverse]

What if Yunobos s/o was unable to return to goron city between when the upheaval happened to when Yunobo awoke as a sage of fire? How would he explain what had happened in the time in-between their last meeting to them?

Some spoilers for Tears of the Kingdom below, just fyi:

I feel like at first it would just be general curiosity as to what he was wearing around his waist. Let's say you venture back home after the upheaval to make sure your folks are okay. You don't know about the mask that plagued poor Yunobo and caused Goron City to fall into a spellbound ruin, or the monsters that lay beneath Death Mountain. All that's changed when you return is that your darling Goron boyfriend is sporting a new, golden sash.

Transparency is key with him. Yunobo doesn't like hiding things from you, so he'll be honest! He'll explain to you that something farfetched is going in with Princess Zelda, and that just after you had left he went to go investigate Death Mountain. You definitely recall him being wary about it, so that all made sense to you. Then came the portion where he recants being given a mask, which put Goron City in such a bad way until Link, Zelda's trusted knight and a dear friend of you both, came and destroyed it. Your eyes turned up in concern when Yunobo shifts into a posture of guilt, and you can tell right away he feels responsible for what happened at that time. To try and ease his hurt, you ask him to continue.

Thankfully he perks up when you're told of his exploits taking down a marbled rock monster that lay dormant in Death Mountain and then ultimately destroying the evil being of Ganondorf's gloom that's been creating all the rock roast from the beginning.

---

"That's how I ended up with this sash, goro" Yunobo beams with pride as he adjusts it at his waist, "I've um...Well, I've awakened as the Sage of Fire."

Your eyes widen at his words. "A sage..." you whisper as you process the events that have gone on since your departure. Slowly you crouch down, eye level with the stone that garnered the belt. It glows with a blazing mysticism, a strange symbol carved into the center alight with what you can just tell is pure power. Looking up at Yunobo, he grins awkwardly down back at you before taking your hand to help you upright. Taking in his features, he seems different. Sure of himself - even more so after the years of boosting his confidence. There's a steadiness in his hands that was unfamiliar, but not unwelcome. Somehow...it was a feeling you knew was coming. With your hand still in his, you rest your opposite palm over the top of his.

"That's huge, Yunobo...and you're sure you're ready for such a large responsibility?" You ask him not because you don't think he's capable, but to give him the freedom of choice, even if it is a necessary aid. It's grandiose - bigger than being the president of a company or a future city chief could ever hope to compare to. But your train of thought is interrupted when his other hand joins in to take both of yours in his large fingers.

"Never more sure in my life," his voice is gentle, reflective almost, and his eyes are trained on your joined hands, "I always knew there had to be more I could do to help the world - I'm just glad now I have the chance, goro."

You close your eyes, heart full from how truly heroic Yunobo sounds right now. On your tiptoes you lean, pressing a quick kiss to the Goron's nose. He flushes at the soft contact and you giggle at his cheeks taking on an even rosier hue than normal.

"You're already a hero. But you'll make an incredible sage."

His returned laughter is light, smile matching yours. Your belief in him fills him with determination. You know he can do this.

And he knows he can too.

[onomatopagu-et-cie]

Again some other personal notes on D. Gray-Man (Link, part. 1)

First impressions after re-reading DGM Some theories and observations

And here's the part 2: Notes on Link, part 2!

A thought led to another, then another and then questions brought no answers and more questions… So here I am again, writing kilometers of notes hahaha!

I wrote A LOT so I tried regrouping some notes thematically, this post will be Link-centric along with another one!

Note: I’m sorry for the awkward lengthy english and name localizations!!

Have a nice week!

(SPOILERS UP TO CH247!!!!)

▶ Link, Mana & Cross

MANA AND LINK I’ll quote what I wrote in the previous post.

« Funny how Link and Mana can be associated in the manga: -> ch137, « Orphan and Clown », introduces Link to Allen when he’s still trying to figure out why the Ark’s partition uses the signs Mana taught him and is questioned by Link about it. It is later revealed in the manga Link was an orphan before joining the Crow. -> in ch183, Allen inadvertently voices his memories of Mana to Link. -> in ch212, « Searching for A.W.: Calling You », as Allen loses consciousness, fighting Neah’s awakening, he calls out to Link but instead is greeted by a vision of a young Mana, calling out to Neah. This chapter also introduces the importance of Allen’s name to save him from Neah’s dreams. The original version for ‘Calling You’ is ‘’君を呼ぶ ‘ (kimi wo yobu). ‘Kimi’ is the pronoun both Mana and Link use in the manga ; past!Allen also seemed to use it with Neah. Johnny and Kanda both use omae for Allen. EDIT: Allen also uses ‘kimi’ so the chapter’s title works both ways (in French, the title was translated as « Écoute ma voix » which is « Listen to my voice », I like the way the calling works interchangeably!)! -> in ch213, Link faces a mirror shirtless like Mana does later in volume 25.

-> in ch220, « Searching for A.W.: He Closes His Eyes Tighter in a Vortex », Neah recalls the Earl he’s Mana but remains in denial and Link admits being conflicted over Allen and Neah. »

I also missed this when I was looking at this beautiful illustration of Mana and Red in Lost Fragment of Snow:

CROSS AND LINK The original title for ch234 (« Observer »), in which we learn more on Cross’s protection and monitoring of Mana, is 監視者 (‘kanshisha’). Link is introduced by Luberrier as Allen’s observer in volume 14 when he’s being investigated, and ‘kanshi’ is also used.

His role of an observer is reaffirmed by Luberrier in ch220. He also uses ‘kanshisha’, but gives a whole new meaning to this observation: Link is meant to protect the Fourteenth from everyone because he's the key to end this war. This strongly parallels Cross’s part of the promise to Neah: when Neah died, he was to protect Mana, observing him to that end so that Neah would return to Mana’s side one day. The verb ‘守る’ (mamoru, to protect) is used in both cases.

Their observing behavior was ridiculed in the same manner by Kanda and Red (my handwriting is terrible i’m sorry):

Link and Cross both have a morally ambiguous role they had no choice but to accept (in the CharaGray! fanbook, Hoshino said Cross got involved with Neah "unwillingly") but despite it all, Allen still cares for them:

*in the bottom right panel it would be more « Perhaps that’s how it should be [Allen merging with Apocryphos to get rid of Neah] but [Apocryphos] destroyed what was dear to me. »

When Allen leaves the Order and thinks in anguish of what he’s about to lose, Cross and Link are grouped in the same panel.

When Allen learnt Cross and Link’s ‘death’ (and the two of them are revealed alive chapters later), a similar framing is used, focusing on his blank expression and his eyes especially, highlighted in the shadow:

Just as Link’s profile is separated from the Central Administration from volume 25, I didn’t notice Cross’s is too in the same volume:

This could be explained by the fact both characters are shown conflicted over the path they’ve taken and still root for Allen in volume 25.

Their character designs (with the rosary and all the equipments and straps on their legs, hidden by their robe/coat) share similar aspects:

(Also bonus point, Timcampy is shown caring about them a lot and both are owners of out of ordinary golems)

▶ Future developments for Link

Apocryphos got from Kanda’s memories that Link was still alive… ? Hope he won’t escape the Noah and ambush Johnny, Allen and Link at the mansion (especially since the Saying Farewell to A.W. Arc has been going on for 21 chapters)!

Allen was able to remember, with a long delay, Johnny calling his name when it was Neah that was dreaming about Mana and Katerina and awakened: will he somehow catch fragments of Neah’s meeting with Link?

Will he find out about Cross and Luberrier’s secret agreement and Atuuda this way? He knows Atuuda heals with the life force since Zuu used it on him once, but he doesn't know 1) Zuu gave Link Atuuda & 2) it irremediably is fatal to the user's life. Kanda is hiding from Allen and Johnny that he’s becoming a Fallen One (not to burden them further, as he hid the fact that Link was alive until now), so it’s not that unlikely that Link also hides the toll Atuuda is taking on his life.

Why would Luberrier be hell-bent on needing Link, and nobody else, to ‘save’ (read: use lol) Neah?

Ever since Luberrier met Cross in secret after the Level 4 attack, he did everything to isolate Allen from the Order:

1) Around the same time, he pushed the 3rd generation project in secret for it to be conveniently blown away by the Noah, resulting in Allen also conveniently being confined for rebellion. This leaves him even more alone to fight against the Fourteenth’s memory, which falls right into his plan.

2) He made Allen’s identity as the Fourteenth’s host public to the exorcists, HQ executives and the Central, to officially ‘antagonize’ him. By leaving his exorcist title intact, this clears him from any suspicion of the real plan he carries on behind the scenes.

3) He reorganized the scientists sections and transferred a lot of Central scientists to the HQ to supposedly gain more control. I guess that’s how Reever and others were not granted permission to examine Allen’s state ever since the attack on the North-American branch.

Not to mention the story Cross told Allen was incomplete or even false (eg. Neah and Mana being biological brothers while he knew about the truth): he never told Allen the extent of Neah’s powers and role, that Luberrier, on the other hand, is aware of. I guess it was more to give the Order an official story without going into the real details: he must have reserved the truth to Luberrier.

And in volume 22, Luberrier asks Zuu to save Link because he seems indispensable to his plan.

How special is Link in Luberrier’s pov?

1) His infallible devotion to him: he is aware of it and exploits it, ch213 shows it fairly enough.

2) He would lay down his life for the sake of his mission/Luberrier without questioning it (eg. he was determined to use Apocryphos’ arm to pierce through his chest if it meant leaving a clue to identify the culprit). This could come from the extreme training to become a Crow and how he became Luberrier's 'personal Crow'.

3) His skills: based on Allen’s memories, Neah remembers he’s one of the most powerful of the Crows elite (eg. he’s strong enough to immobilize the Earl, face a Noah alone and hold his own against Level 4) even though he doesn’t have an Innocence

4) His mission to keep watch over Allen ; we don’t really know if he’s aware that Link wants Allen to overcome his fate as the host

« With Malcolm’s plans I thought I saw a ray of light for humanity’s dark future. The light of victory. But (…) I made you the Fourteenth’s— » This suggests that Link was vital for Luberrier’s plan to work: its success was made possible at the cost of Link’s involvement in it. In the original version, Zuu uses the adverb まんまと (manmato), ‘successfully, completely, thoroughly, nicely, fairly, artfully’ (‘I’ve successfully made you the Fourteenth’s—‘).

And the only thing we know he has done to Link was to leave him Atuuda: entrusting Atuuda to Link made him special enough to the Fourteenth somehow, other than simply aiding him. And this suggests that Zuu was himself aware of what was required to qualify as this special role at least.

Luberrier swiftly cut him off before he could finish his sentence, so in addition to the fatal burden of Atuuda, there must be something even crueler in line for him in how he and Atuuda could work with Neah.

Becoming the final host for Neah would be logical: Allen synchronizing with an Innocence, which was something neither Cross nor Neah expected (and they never wanted it), is an obstacle to Neah. When Apocryphos attacked, only Luberrier was aware that he was targeting Allen at that time and seemed to be pretty much aware of his nature. So of course « saving Neah » could mean securing him, his memory, in somebody else.

And if Luberrier knew Link’s conflict, I can totally picture him using that to his advantage eg. persuading Link to become the new host because 1) it’s Luberrier’s order and it’s helping him and 2) Allen would be free. (Could the Phantom Thief G arc possessed!Link vs. Allen and Kanda be a silly little foreshadowing for what’s to come?? haha)

He must’ve had at least an inkling, especially if he’s known to obey every single order without batting an eye:

1)

(I expect this moment to be paralleled later in the manga, since trust and devotion is one of Link’s main themes, it’d be interesting!)

2)

3)

Before learning anything from Jerry, Luberrier was probably unaware that Link asked for a meal that Allen would finally eat and brought it to him.

▶ The rosary and Atuuda

I find it interesting that Luberrier’s rosary overlaps the scar left on Link’s torso after Atuuda was passed on to him. The scar is also cross-shaped.

While Luberrier loathes ‘God’/the Innocence, he deeply believes in Neah’s powers: he could bring an end to this war and Luberrier is determined to make it happen, no matter the atrocities.

It is strongly motivated by his desire to regain agency over his fate, controlled all this time by 'greater' entities: Innocence, God, the Pope, the Earl, Noah, as his confrontation with Hevlaska and the Destruction of the Black Order imply.

Interestingly, in ch221, Link is genuflecting on his right knee in front of Allen/Neah:

Genuflection on the right knee is strongly associated to God, signifying worship (eg. before the Blessed Sacrament as you pass a tabernacle), while genuflection on the left knee used to be to honor political authorities, kings, emperors.

He trusts Link with this crucial mission and reiterates Link’s devotion to him.

Putting on Link his own rosary, what you usually can say prayers with, he entrusts his ‘faith’ and set of beliefs to him. He places in words and act his trust in Link, sealed with the rosary.

It’s also a display of the power he holds over him: when Luberrier says Neah is now isolated (meaning it’s now time to help him), the reader’s eye path is also directed at the rosary he’s just given to Link.

The screentones highlight like a halo the rosary handled by Luberrier: he ardently wishes to have Neah’s power that he covets literally as ‘his’, and in doing so, the fate of the world in the palm of his hand, claiming it is for the sake of humanity.

(If it wasn’t already a projection of his own hidden desire for power since he seemed to keep close tabs on the subject without even Cross knowing in volume 14, this was at least a foreshadowing of Luberrier’s future plan!)

And just like Allen before regrouping with Johnny and Kanda, Link is completely alone: he’s lost his official position as a Crow as he’s been publically declared dead. Now more than ever, Luberrier stands as his sole figure of authority and devotion.

The rosary falls over the scar Link got from his fight against Apocryphos. It would’ve been fatal if he wasn’t given Atuuda at that time: if cross shapes can be associated to salvation, it’s a poisoned gift here that eats away at his life, defining his new special role he has no choice but to accept.

His soul, body and life are all sacrificed to Luberrier and by extension to Neah, Luberrier's personal ‘God’:

(If anyone has the answer, I wonder if there’s a tradition for members of the church to gift their rosary to another member, I’m really curious!)

Also in this panel in ch213 Kanda uses ご主人様 (goshujinsama) for Luberrier:

In French it was translated as « husband »: you can use ご主人様 as ‘husband’ if you talk about sb else’s husband and in polite situations. (I did a double take when I first read the French version haha)

Kanda is far from being polite here so this could be read with biting sarcasm, since he specifically calls him out on his obsessive devotion (that even Apocryphos picks on after damn). The ambivalence of this word was probably a very deliberate choice haha