#and so they stay feeling fresh imo

[crehador]

the new reverse 1999 event story is SO good!! i'm still blown away by the storytelling in this game, it's rare for me to keep reading everything after the first few... days (lol) of picking up a gacha but from day one to now i've been reading all the things

i think while the stories aren't necessarily super special/original/revolutionary or anything like that, they're nice and comfortable executions of familiar tropes (especially well done in this event where it's clearly deliberately tropey) that i really enjoy

and imo the translation has improved again, especially in the early chapters of the story. the first i think... two chapters? were like nearly perfect and a pleasure to read

there were still typos and errors littered throughout, but i feel like they've grown much more scarce. so really kudos to the team for making improvements on that front, and hopefully they keep it up!

(eta: unfortunately the tooth fairy side story still seems quite bad in terms of translation... fingers crossed these don't get neglected in the future because they seem pretty important for character lore)

[bonefall]

will gorse and lizard stay in thunderclan in BB?

(Magic 8Ball Voice) It seems likely

This is with caveats though-- I'm committed to two major changes;

Gorseclaw was previously cut from the LakexLizard litter, because the Dapple/Hare/Soft survivor drama works a lot better with only three very relevant siblings

Lizardtail and Hollowflight were merged into Hallowflight, a Dark Forest trainee who swam across the lake to warn the Clans that the DF was planning to attack kittens

Hallowflight is going to be the one who goes down in a fight with Splashstar, Harelight is staying alive in BB. Whether his dad sacrificed himself for him, or he's just watched another family member get bled dry by a tyrant, Harelight's done with RiverClan. In BB!TBC, he went into the Dark Forest to fight Ashfur as a Light in the Mist. So this is the loss of a very significant warrior.

Gorseclaw... for one, if they come back, they are going to get a Conflict Rename. There's a much more significant historical figure named Gorseclaw (adopted brother of Ripplestar), so this Gorseclaw needs a new one. There's also enough Gorse suffixes, imo.

For two, I don't want to put them back into HallowxLake's litter. I just don't need him there when Harelight being the last survivor of his family works so well, both for bloodline diversity and for the drama.

SO I'm thinking of aging Gorseclaw down to kitten or apprentice during BB!ASC, and having them be the child of Harelight. Part of the choice of moving Clans being, "I will not have my only child become a warrior for the Clan that killed its whole family."

If so, then I might change Gorseclaw to Coarseclaw, a reference to their fur texture and an indirect naming for their dead auncles. The litter all had matching hair names before Harelight got an Honor Title-- Dappletuft, Softpelt, Harefur.

There will also probably be further population shuffles, both for RiverClan and elsewhere. ThunderClan does NOT need Wafflepaw. They barely even use Stormcloud and they JUST got Sunbeam too. Finish what's on your plate before you get second helpings of fresh outsider cats

At the end of BB!ASC, I want an exodus from RiverClan. Some from other Clans will join, but many will leave. There needs to be lasting consequences from this arc, right now it honestly feels like the writing team has set it up so there won't be, and that's frustrating.

[raes-writing-space]

Tadashi Hamada x Reader *Academic Burnout Comfort*

Warnings: Academic burnout, mentions of self-doubt and stress. Not beta read.

Summary: After doing your best in your academics, you still feel like you're falling behind or just on the wrong academic path in general. Tadashi helps comfort reader that if they want to take a break and rethink things, it's totally okay.

Word Count: 1, 729

A/N: I haven't written for Tadashi in so long, but this was very therapeutic for me. Also Oz Pizza is an actual pizza place in San Francisco, I don't own the rights to the name or anything. However, they do have great pizza imo. Since this one was a bit longer I put it under the "keep reading" line below.

You were only a year away from graduation, that's what you kept trying to tell yourself. All you needed was to get through two more semesters after this one, and you were already half way through this semester. Still, as you're trying to study for one of your class midterms for this semester, you couldn't help but start to psych yourself out by your own motivative words. You only had one more year, and yet this semester has already felt like it's been a year already. You finally got to the heart of what your major was all about, and while you enjoyed it at first, now it's been giving you nothing but stress. The things you were learning about for your major weren't exactly what you had imagined when you first wanted to go into this major. Still, you decided to keep with it, hoping that your passion that you had for it before would simply come back. But now, you were looking towards your midterm, and felt as if you didn't know anything. Were your grades going to survive this exam? Or even this semester? This was a prerequisite class after all, if you couldn't pass this class, you wouldn't be able to go onto the next class you actually wanted to do. You'd end up staying here for longer than the year if that was the case, or would have to take on more classes next semester to catch up… Was this what you even wanted to do with your life? That question really started to get to you, if you were this stressed out now, what would it be like when you started a job that would be doing exactly this? You finally pushed your notes and textbooks away from you, as you leaned back against your chair. You were lucky that you at least had a window in your office space. You always thought that San Fransokyo was gorgeous at night. The Sakura trees they planted right outside of the San Fransokyo Institute of Technology were finally starting to bloom, coating the campus in soft pink petals. Maybe a walk would help you to think, or at least the fresh air might help. Just as the thought came to you, your door was suddenly opened. You looked to see Tadashi Hamada, your long time friend. He also happened to be a long time crush of yours too, but as time went by, you two feel into a comfortable dynamic with each other that made you too worried to even ask him out on a date.

"Oh! I saw the light was still on, but I didn't know of you were here or not." Tadashi spoke up, explaining why he had suddenly opened the door.

"It's alright, I don't know if I want to be here right now anyway…" You let out a breath, standing up and grabbing your personal belongings.

"Hey, are you okay? Is there something I can do to help?" Tadashi asked, noticing how stressed out to looked.

You shrugged, not even sure what to say at first. He stayed just in the doorway, always being patient enough to wait until you were ready to speak your mind. He could tell that the thing on your mind this time must have been really important, you eyes seemed downcast, shoulders slumped, as if you were ready to give up on something.

"I was going to take a walk… Do you want to come with? I kinda feel like crying into a pizza…" You half-joked towards the end, you hadn't eaten much yet, too consumed with studying and time constraints.

"Uh oh, I've been there before… Yeah, of course I'll come with." Tadashi tried to sympathize with you, making you smile as he quickly went back to his own workspace to grab his things.

When the two of you make it outside, your gaze couldn't help but be brought up to the trees again, something about focusing on the way the branches swayed and moved with the wind helping ground you into the present moment. It was better than losing yourself in the "what if's" that seemed to be plaguing you. The fresh air did seem to help a bit, you assumed that at some point the air in your room became a bit stale, which only added to your fatigue. Beside you, Tadashi still waited patiently, as he at least recognized that you were at least taking the first steps to clearing your thoughts.

"There's this great pizza place called Oz Pizza just a block down from here, they give some pretty big slices, great for catching tears." Tadashi joked, making you let out a small chuckle.

"That sounds like a plan then." You spoke, as he lead the way to the pizza place.

It took a couple of deep breaths, and a minute in comfortable silence for you to finally feel comfortable enough to speak about what's been on your mind.

"I don't think I'm cut out for all of this, Tadashi…" You trailed off at first, convinced that there wasn't exactly an easy way to lead into the conversation.

"What do you mean?" Tadashi asked, not wanting to make assumptions and say the wrong thing.

"My major… School… Just, I don't know… I have a mid term in two days, and I keep looking at my textbook and notes and just can't help but think… this isn't what I wanna do." You started to vent at first, further explaining your mindset.

You told him about how things started off really good, but within this year you just suddenly can't help but feel as if you had a change of heart somewhere along the way. How that you feel so close to the finish line that you just want to get it done with, but also hate the idea of having to go for another year just to even do that. How you've spent so much time on this major and your classes already, that you don't want it to all be for nothing, but what's the point if it's not even what makes you happy? Tadashi simply took all of this in at first, letting you get it off of your chest before you both went inside the little pizza joint. He considered your words for a moment, and when you finally felt as if you were done saying all that you needed to say, he lead you inside to order. The two of you ordered, and went back outside, since the place was really only big enough for the ordering counter and the kitchen in the back, most of the seating was outside.

"Do you want my advice, to distract you and think about thing else, or do you want me to just listen?" Tadashi then asked you once you two were in a more private setting again.

"I think it would be nice to know what you think… see it from a different perspective maybe." You answered, as he simply nodded with a smile at first. He always did encourage others to see things in a different way.

"I think after this semester, you could take a break. You've been working hard for a long time now, and it can be a lot on your brain to process. If you don't want to take a semester off, you could always see what classes you've finished and if there's another major that brings you closer to graduation, or just something that just makes you happy again." Tadashi advised, trying to cover all of the "what if's" and "But's" that could be brought up.

"I can help you look up the different majors the school offers. You're at least almost done with all the general education classes, right?" Tadashi asked, trying not to stress you out more, but genuinely curious.

"Yeah, I'll actually finish my last class for it this semester… Then it's just more major requirements…" You answered, trying not to linger on the idea too much.

"Okay, when we back I could help you look into it, and study, if you want it. It might just be good to at least not feel alone while you're studying." Tadashi reached across to gently put his hand on yours in encouragement.

You tried not to think about the gesture too much, but you failed to hide the smile on your face when he did it, giving you away a bit. Soon enough, the man who took your order placed the slices of pizza in front of the two of you.

"Are you still planning on crying into a pizza?" Tadashi asked, changing the subject away from school, but his hand never left yours.

"Maybe. You're always welcome to join me, if you want." You joked in return, making him laugh a bit.

The two of you ate and decided to talk about things that didn't involve school for the moment. Instead the two of you decided to talk about any movies that were coming out soon, or plans over the weekend, or how Tadashi's family was doing. When the two of you finally finished up your respective pizza slices, you weren't feeling a 100% but at least you were a bit better than you were before. You had started to think about your major again when the two of you began your walk back to the school.

"Hey, (Y/N)?" Tadashi called out to you, snapping you out of your thoughts before they could get worse.

"Yeah, Tadashi?" You asked, taking a deep breath to try and calm you.

"If you do decide that school isn't for you anymore, that's okay. I just wanted you to know that I'll still be here for you no matter what you decide on." Tadashi reassured you with a warm smile, as you couldn't help but nod and feel yourself start to tear up a little bit.

He was always the type of encouragement you needed, that even if you decided to change your path, or not go to school at all, that he'd always still be there. The last thing you wanted was to somehow lose him in the process.

"Come on, we'll figure this all out. We're in this together." He further reassured you.

You were starting to feel a bit more confident that the two of you would figure it out together.

[notmyprey]

Annon sent me an ask with a lot of Ninjagº sfw vore prompts, and this one caught my eye specifically, and I want to dedicate a post to it.

I dont have time to draw much, but yall can have a short story-

(Also, wanna preface this with: no, I dont ship Lloyd and Kai. They have a sibling bond imo, and idk it'd be kinda weird with the age gap for a lot of the show. But I'm not gonna send hate to those who do see it like that. Just know this is written with a sibling bond in mind.

Also, this is written abt Lloyd after he grew up and matured a bit. So like- season 5+ Lloyd)

Click

The sound was faint, yet Lloyd knew exactly what it meant. Drop, cover, and prey to the gods it wasn't aimed towards you. Not even a moment after he dove behind the nearest bolder did he hear the thundering boom followed by the bright flash. Wind rushed past him, throwing ash and debris his way. The deafening sound echoed through his very core. It never seemed to end, his body left still shaking minutes after it was done. The cavern bounced the noise, rolling it off one wall and onto the next. It felt like it lasted ages within the few minutes it actually occurred.

The fighting, the punching, the swords, and the guns, all of these never fazed him. But explosions? Those were his weaknesses. His mind would always race back to his past and, consequently, his father. Lloyd didnt know exactly why it reminded him of his dad, but the fact that, like his father, an explosion would hurt anyone, even those on its own side, seemed to be a part of it.

The cavern soon quieted down, but his fear did not. The images of his father still fresh in his mind. He shook his head, trying to snap himself out of the haze he was in.

Him and Kai had gone into a cavern alone since there were 3 diverging paths. Up until now, we had only encountered arrow traps and small pits. But this? This was a new threat.

Was it over, the blast? He wondered, slowly inching towards the edge of the rock. He turned his head, looking for the brightness that would signal it was not over, yet all he was met with was dark.

He peered his head around the bolder, scanning for any sight of Kai. The smoke and ash coated his vision, making it ever more difficult to locate him. After a moment, though, he spotted Kai's fiery red suit. No matter how quickly he wanted to rush over to him, he needed to keep low as to breathe in the least amount of smoke, and he needed to scan for any more explosive traps. So, as such, he slowly inched his way along the cave floor.

By the time he made it to Kai, he could see Kai was in bad condition. His breathing was uneven, meaning he probably breathed in a lot of smoke and ash, and although he didn't seem to have any burns, he still had a lot of cuts and bruises from flying rocks.

Lloyd turned his gaze upward once more, showing the smoke had mostly cleared now. Normally, he would call Cole, Zane, or even Kai over, and one of them would be able to swallow whoever was hurt down. But now, there was no one else but him and the now injured Kai.

He forced his head back towards Kai, who had now opened his eyes. "Hey," Lloyd started, unsure of how to even approach this, "uh... how are you feeling."

A small smile tugged at Kai's lips, even through the pain. "I-", he devolved into a short coughing fit but slowly gained his ability to speak once more, "I have been better." He had to stop to take a breath after every word, something that worried Lloyd further.

Lloyd nodded and continued to fumble over his words. "I... I think it's maybe best... maybe if I..."

"It's ok, do what you have to do, kid." Kai gave a weak but reassuring smile, which gave Lloyd that little extra confidence he needed to continue. Kai knew what had to happen, and Lloyd did too. Kai couldn't stay on the ground here, and Lloyd couldn't carry him either for fear of hurting him further.

Taking a deep breath in, Lloyd stretched his arms out above Kai, holding his palms down, and his fingers stretched out as well. He softly recited the words taught to him. He himself had only done this twice before, but both times were in a controlled setting, and neither times had he actually been the one to eat the person that was shrunken down. Green light fluttered down from his palms, brushing downward with grace. As he finished, he saw Kai quickly start to shrink down.

Soon, Kai was a bit shorter than Lloyds hand from top to bottom. It was strange, seeing Kai so small and fragile. In his mind, Kai was his stronger older brother, the one who had always taken care of him. And now, Lloyd had to be the one to take care of Kai.

He pried Kai off the ground, gently rolling him into his hands and carefully curling his fingers a bit to create a barrier so Kai wouldn't roll immediately off his hands. He lifted Kai to his face, prompting a small groan to come from Kai, who was probably in a lot of pain now that the adrenaline was wearing off.

Now that he was face to face with Kai, Lloyd felt the need to say something. Cole and Jay normally said some sort of joke before eating someone, and Zane normally comforted them, but Kai, he would say something motivational. Perhaps that's why Lloyd always gave so many motivational speeches before missions.

Right now, though, as he thought on what to say, he found that he couldn't really say anything. He was speechless. He couldn't find the words to say to make Kai more comfortable. So he didn't. Instead, he gently brought Kai to his chest, giving him a sort of hug, and held him there for a moment. Kai's breathing slowed, and just for a moment, it felt as though everything was alright again.

Lloyd brought Kai back up to his face, smiling once more before gathering up the courage to open his mouth.

He maneuvered his hands, allowing him to slowly slide Kai onto his tongue. Immediately, Lloyd tasted blood and ashes on Kai's suit. He had to stop himself from gagging. Fighting every instinct that told Lloyd not to eat Kai, he slid him further into his mouth. Finally, only Kai's feet remained outside his lips, but due to how small his mouth is, he couldn't slip them inside without beginning to swallow Kai first. No matter what he did, Lloyd couldn't seem to get any saliva on Kai, his mouth joining in on telling him not to eat what his body must think is poison.

Regaurdless, he took a loud, thick swallow. Although it didn't do much, it did succeed in sending Kai's head into his throat and Kai's feet into his mouth. He promptly clamped his mouth shut behind him and desperately tried to get any amount of saliva in his dry mouth to coat Kai with.

It was horriblely uncomfortable having just a small portion of Kai in his throat. It kept triggering his need to swallow, but he couldn't yet. He knew he needed Kai to be at least lightly coated in drool to get him down, as learned from Jay not doing that once and nearly choking. Finally, after what seemed like too long, his mouth decided to cooperate, drenching Kai in thick goopy saliva.

He gave in to the instinct to swallow, almost happy to get rid of the unpleasant feeling of having someone on the edge of his throat. Kai slipped deeper into Lloyds throat, his muscles idly helping him along. With each gulp, Kai slipped further out of his mouth until finally he was gone. Now, a great lump sat in the middle of his throat. As he continued swallowing, Kai drifted deeper and deeper within him. When Kai went past his heart, he couldn't help but stop breathing for a moment.

After a bit longer, Kai drifted even further down and now was nearing his stomach. Lloyd braced himself. All of his brothers had told him this was the strangest part, but what he felt no amount of his brothers describing could ever replicate. At first, the feeling was sickening. A sudden bout of pressure built up inside his stomach, and it wasn't exactly pleasant. But after that initial sickness came the feeling similar to a hug.

He could feel Kai pressing against his stomach much more than he had originally thought he would have been able to feel. His stomach stretched a bit to accommodate for Kai's presence, and it didn't feel unnatural. As the last of Kai finally slipped into his stomach, Lloyd brought his hand up to his middle.

Gently, he pressed where he felt Kai, and to his surprise, Kai, although weakly, pressed back. This small pressure sent a strange shiver up his spine. He was able to keep Kai safe, ever so so safe. Nothing could get to Kai without going through him first. All those years of Kai helping him, he was finally able to start to pay him back.

Not being able to help the small smile that tugged at his lips, Lloyd got up, continuing on down the cave in search of their mission.

So yah, sorry I kinda took the turn of, whether Lloyd wants to or not- but yeah I still loved this prompt and idk I may make more stories based off of this prompt alone lol.

[destinyc1020]

I still think that there was some miscommunication during the start of their breakup in 2019 with Tom thinking that it was permanent and Z thinking it was just hiccup. Tom and Z talk about Tom being impulsive and dramatic and she may have thought he was just in one of his moods and would get over it. Zs people were following Harry, Sam and Haz after the FFH premiere. Claire followed Harry on July 16! That's not something done after a fresh breakup from a long term relationship. And then July 17 came and Z finally understood that it was just not a hiccup. That's when we saw her stuck at her home with friends staying over, her wearing the MJ sweater, playing the Spidey game. That's also when we get Darnell's then bf unfollowing Tom. And we have Tom himself saying that his heart was broken and that it was his fault and that his superpower is apologizing

Hmm.... 🤔

Idk if I would put TOO much weight into the fact that their people didn't immediately unfollow each other, because there are tons of celebs now that I know of that still follow their exes, and still follow even their exes family members and their family members still follow their exes family.

People put way too much emphasis on social media imo.

Claire could have followed Harry because maybe they had already really nice conversation at the premiere, or it was her first time really getting to know him and he's a nice guy?

Not every breakup is full of death and destruction rofl. 😂🤣 JMHO!!!

I think we all agree that it was Tom who broke things off. So yea, maybe he meant it to be permanent (hence, him getting spotted with Olivia), and maybe Z didn't really think it was permanent.

I always say that breakups aren't usually black and white. He was still going to set with her on euphoria, remember? That was the last sighting before he left on the plane to go back to London.

They could have been having issues and then broke up, or, they could have broken up quietly around April/May (like Tomdaya Lore states), but being around each other during the FFH press tour brought up unresolved feelings, yet still wanted to be friends for the sake of the press tour, but they ended up just giving up completely before Tom flew back home.

I think he flew to Japan or smthg first (right?) for press, and then flew to London, and then that's when we saw him and Olivia. I'll have to look at the timeline again to make sure I gave the facts straight lol but yea. 😅

I don't think breakups are ever cut and dry, especially when you've been dating someone for over a year. I think there are a lot of nuances there sometimes, especially if there was a deep love and friendship there.

[slugg4rd]

Brain rot so bad I’m posting on Tumblr💔

Haymitch x gn reader rambling ig?!?!

Word count: 1.2k

He’s a stubborn alcoholic with depression who copes by being rude or otherwise sarcastic, you test his patience SO MUCH. He knows he hates you, that’s about it, but also he finds a good deal of fun in goading you and bantering with you whenever you’re around. This man is a handful, and he’s mean, and he has literally no patience for bs.

Idk how you win him over, the logistics don’t matter rn I’m going nutty thinking about him. Imo I love the whole co-mentor thingy, anything that forces him to be around you bc otherwise he’s off hiding somewhere moping. Like imagine being depressed together, fighting over your different tastes in drinks or coping. He’s hugging a whole bottle of liquor or maybe wine if it’s fancy enough and he’s scrutinizing your fruity cocktail like it’s any of his business.

Especially love the thought of getting drunk with him, at this point he just falls asleep when he’s buzzed but he’s trying to stay awake just to bicker and get as much of a reaction from you as he can. The only time he shuts up is if you roast tf out of him, he’d slump down into a chair or on the couch mumbling something barely coherent and then he’s out like a light.

Or, even better, you’re both sleepy drunks and start nodding off at the bar. You barely remember the walk to bed, all you know is somehow you’re still arguing with Haymitch. He throws himself onto the mattress, your mattress, both to piss you off and because he’s too burnt out to bother walking to his own bed across the hall. You flop down next to him and then all of a sudden you’re waking up hungover and half hugging that fool. The both of you freak out to find you’re in bed with one another, fearing the worst, and eventually having to accept the harsh reality that you spent the whole night cuddling and nothing more.

He doesn’t just refuse to admit he likes you, he’s literally oblivious to even the idea of it. No he definitely doesn’t enjoy your company, and he definitely doesn’t seek you out, and there’s no way he would ever think about you outside of your brief and unfortunate interactions. But then you start joking around talking about some pretty celebrity or a handsome victor from another district and suddenly he’s so defensive.

“Her? She’s two faced.”

“Him? He’s not even average.”

“Them? They’re frugal.”

He can’t even begin to realize he’s getting jealous, he’s too busy trying to shoot down all your compliments to these half baked crushes.

But if you compliment him he thinks you’re joking. You say he looks handsome and he’s all “Haha, very funny, y’know you look good too- with your mouth shut.” He’s gonna go for the jugular, but also he finds it getting harder and harder to insult you. Since when did your annoying smile become something he could tolerate? He must still be drunk..

You’ve wormed your way into his life and his head and suddenly you’re over at his house in the Victor’s Village, cleaning up for him while talking about self care and how he deserves it. You’re infuriating, and yet his lawn is trimmed and his walkway is clear of weeds and even his bookshelves are free of dust- and maybe he should go outside for a bit today and get some fresh air.

You’re tidying everything up and then he’s bringing you some old Knick Knacks, keeping track of your hobbies so he can leave you gifts, forcing you to sit down and relax for a minute between daily stressors. You call him an enabler and the laughter that follows makes your heart all fuzzy in the worst way. Every time you do something for him he thanks you in a way that makes it clear he didn’t think anyone would ever do this for him. And when you thank him for his gifts, his occasional reality checks, and his unwilling hospitality, he can’t help but feel more proud than he should that something he did held even an ounce of substance in your life.

How do you even confess??? Do you??? It’s like one second nothing was there and the next you both just agreed that you were a thing, end of discussion. He’s yours, you’re his. You’ve basically moved in at this point, and you’ve been egging him on and showing him he’s worth the effort, and it’s starting to get through his thick skull that maybe there’s worth in improvement. You don’t fix him, as I said before, he’s stubborn, but he finds his own rationale getting weaker and weaker each time he tries to argue why he should go out for drinks tonight. And then when things break and you’re telling him just what he means to you, he’s finding himself falling into you like a damn safety net.

And once he’s got you he is not letting go.

Protective is one thing, this man is clingy. Like Velcro. But he’s a brat and he’s not going to let you tell him how needy he is, it’s just a coincidence that he’s always by your side. He’ll say he’s “keeping you in line” its “your fault” because you’re in his way, but you both know he’s been following you around on his own fruition. He’s attached to your hip at this point, literally. He has a particular affinity though, and that’s hugging you from behind. He just comes up like he owns the place and wraps his arms around your midsection, shoving his face into the back of your neck with the biggest sigh he can muster. And if you reach up to play with his hair that’s it, he’s going to drag you to whatever couch is closest and have an impromptu nap session.

Also did I mention he’s petty? Because he is. And he’s annoying unlike anything. You go to sit down in a chair? He’s already seated in it, patting for you to come into his lap. You want to try a bite of his food? He’s making you take it from his mouth. You need to shower? He’s asking to come so he can keep you company. And if you let him join you, he’s 100% sitting there watching while going on about how “you missed a spot” just to see how irritated you can get.

Letting him come into the bathroom with you when you shower is like making a deal with the devil. This man is going above and beyond for your attention while you’re trying to focus on the task at hand. He’s definitely offering to help you out, saying he can scrub your back for you and all that, it’s up to you whether you let him join or kick him out.

Either way after you’re done he’s so soft and tender, wrapping you in a towel and drying your face off, saying you look like a drowned rat while also telling you that you’re the prettiest thing he’s ever seen. He ruffles your hair with the towel just to squeeze it around you and grab you by your waist, pulling you until you kiss him. But if you’re still mad at him he’ll keep drying you off and messing with you until he can get you to crack a smile, and then he’s peppering kisses all over your cheeks as you push his face away.

He’s a nuisance, but he’s your nuisance, and you wouldn’t have it any other way.

Ummm anywho that’s all I got 🙏

[tenpintsof-sundrop]

Speaking of the fundamental differences between Lori and Michonne and why it makes it intensely difficult to compare the two and their actions -

(This was something I was thinking about when writing my last post, but it turned into a rant about Shane and I got distracted)

Lori and Michonne represent two very different types of women in society pre-apocalypse.

Given, the information that we have about Michonne's backstory is very limited, and I am mostly going off the information given in the dream sequence in 4x09 (which I just watched, reminding me about this train of thought) - and even though it is a dream sequence, it seems deeply rooted in her real life and we get a lot of information about what her life was actually like before the apocalypse.

Michonne represents someone who is academically and seemingly very financially privileged, incredibly independent, and Lori represents someone who has been dependent on men her whole life - financially and for protection (which is a very important part of her character), and it seems incredibly likely that she never finished anything more than a high school education because as she stated it herself "she and Rick got married young" - and it was probably an expectation that she would be a stay at home mother and wife right out of high school or shortly afterwards.

Something that also fascinates me is the age difference between Carl and Andre. Carl was about ten or eleven years old at the start of the outbreak, and if Lori is in her early or mid 30s, that means that she had Carl when was in her early or mid 20s - and lets assume that Lori and Rick were married for at least a year before they had Carl.

But that means Lori has been financially dependent on Rick for at least ten whole years because she's been staying at home and taking care of Carl - in the flashback, it is shown that she always shows up early to make sure she's on time to greet him coming out of school, and there is several other moms there - so clearly this is a community where women are expected to be stay at home moms.

So when the apocalypse hits and Rick is in the hospital, and Lori can't depend on him for the usual protection she has come to expect - which, in the last ten years, has been steady finances that keeps a roof over their head, probably even the emotional stability of sleeping beside a cop and knowing he could protect her if someone broke into their home and tried to hurt their family - now all that is gone in a time when she needs it most. (Given, money wouldn't keep Walkers away, but she clearly has always looked to the man in her life to provide stability while she focuses her attention on caring for her child.)

So it's no wonder that she shifted that role onto Shane (especially when he was so eager to step up and take that role, almost as if he had been waiting for it - imo, he had been waiting for it with some other woman and it didn't matter to him which woman it was, Lori just fit his perfect idea of a submissive housewife) instead of shifting her entire world view and picking up a weapon and making plans for herself, especially in a time of grief and intense panic.

On the other hand, Michonne had Andre later in life. He was a year old when he died, and for argument's sake, let's say he was any where from 6 months old to 11 months old when the apocalypse started. Motherhood was very fresh to her.

I 100% get the vibe that Michonne intentionally waited until she was ready to have children - especially because (as far as I remember) she never refers to Andre's father as her husband, only calling him her "boyfriend" (which means she didn't feel the need to get married right out of high school for financial stability), and the flashback/dream sequence specifically high lights her talking about an art exhibit using highly educated wording while preparing fancy food and wearing luxurious clothing. All of it reads as someone who is very well off and educated - someone who went to college (likely for a degree in the arts, especially with the way she seems obsessed with sculptures, especially cat sculptures throughout the show) and took time to grow her mind before making the decision to have a child, rather than doing it because it was expected of her.

And this is what makes her more apt to being a fighter in the beginning - she is already independent and used to making plans for herself. And though she never had any formal training, her instinct is to fight and defend herself rather than depending on the men in her life to make plans for her and protect her. This is also why her character survived alone for so long, where as Lori had to depend on the safety of a group.

I just think they are fundamentally different people, and going "Lori sucks because she didn't do this awesome badass thing that Michonne did!" is playing right into the sexism that the show wants to overlook and erase.

[nnuanana]

What's the vibe of your Home? based on the Numbers

Ever walked into a home and instantly felt something? Maybe a cozy warmth, an unshakable sense of peace, or even a restless energy? Numerology teaches us that your address carries a frequency that influences the space and those who live in it. Let’s break down what your house or apartment number reveals!

How to Calculate Your House Number's Energy:

Add up all the digits of your house or apartment number until you get a single digit (1-9).

For example: 1234 → 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 = 10 → 1 + 0 = 1

If you live in an apartment, use just your unit number!

House Number Meanings & Interesting Facts

🔴 1 – The Independent Home - I lived under this number at one point and boy oh boy.. So, for me, it was very motivating. I felt like I was first everywhere! The energy was impacting my life outside as well. I recommend, very good if paired with social energy like 6.

Energy: Leadership, innovation, and new beginnings.

Great for: Entrepreneurs, singles, and those seeking a fresh start. Watch out for: A feeling of isolation or self-centeredness.

Fun fact: Many famous pioneers and inventors have lived in homes that reduce to 1, as this number fuels self-motivation and ambition.

🟠 2 – The Harmonious Home - I noticed this number makes the whole building invisible or hidden, it's just so easy to overlook this part of the street imo, and it's very easy to get lost in it? if it makes sense it's just like a hole lmao

I could really compare the energy here to the "high priestess" in Tarot. Very intuitive number and therefore, home?

Energy: Balance, peace, and intuition.

Great for: Those who work from home.

Watch out for: Over-sensitivity and passive energy that may invite indecisiveness.

🔎 Fun fact: 2 is the number of the moon, so this home often has a nurturing and protective feel, making it ideal for families.

🟡 3 – The Creative Home - I live under this number. It's my family home. I'd say it's good for women and kids in general since creativity and fun and various skills are at the forefront. Nice for social gatherings as well. Very nurturing space fr. However, pay attention to other numbers that accompany 3rd energy, it tends to get messy very quickly so it should be paired with a stabilizing number xoxo

Energy: Joy, expression, and social vibes.

Great for: Artists, musicians, and extroverts who love hosting events.

Watch out for: Scattered energy—this home can feel messy or unfocused.

🔎 Fun fact: Homes with the energy of 3 often attract guests effortlessly, radiating an inviting and inspiring energy.

🟢 4 – The Grounded Home - my neighbours that live under 4 are VERY organised and strive for success in every sphere of their lives. Caring as well and focused on long-term status; which is quite a contrast to the 3 energy. Therefore masculine energy for sure is present here ⚡

Energy: Stability, discipline, and security.

Great for: Hardworking families, long-term investments, and those seeking structure.

Watch out for: Feeling too rigid or stuck in routines.

🔎 Fun fact: 4 is deeply connected to nature (four seasons, four directions), making homes with this number ideal for gardens and grounding practices.

🔵 5 – The Free-Spirited Home - from my observations it is a very stable home. Feeling safe&sound it works stabilizing and freeing 🧸 perfect for a family home if you ask me

Energy: Adventure, movement, and excitement.

Great for: Travelers, freelancers, and those who thrive on change.

Watch out for: Chaotic energy—things might break more often or feel unstable.

🔎 Fun fact: Many Airbnb or rental homes have a 5 energy because this number attracts short stays, excitement, and new experiences.

🟣 6 – The Nurturing Home - the number of people I had under this one.. (I had a blast living under 6th energy since I'm compatible) it's inviting. I hosted my friends there and it was just the VIBE. Generally, 6 is SOCIAL to the max. Romantic as well 💕

Energy: Love, family, healing, and responsibility.

Great for: Parents, caregivers, and those who love homey spaces.

Watch out for: Over-sacrificing or feeling burdened by responsibility.

🔎 Fun fact: Many healers and therapists live in 6-energy homes because this number enhances compassion and emotional connection.

⚫ 7 – The Mystical Home - It felt like going back to your own mind which can be really helpful when you're a tired overthinker, it gives a good amount of direction and mental focus.

I recommend it for those deep and not-so-deep thinkers, it helps with mental distress. You will get clarity and a sense of owning your power under such a roof.

Paired with a 5 could be more grounding and social

Energy: Solitude, wisdom, spirituality, and deep thinking.

Great for: Writers, spiritual seekers, and introverts.

Watch out for: Feeling lonely or disconnected from the outside world.

🔎 Fun fact: Many monasteries and sacred places resonate with the number 7 because it aligns with deep introspection and higher wisdom.

🟤 8 – The Abundant Home - VERY much stable and serious energy. Materialism is a thing here. Money motivation/focus is strong. I've observed that even for a couple that is naturally warm to each other, living under such a number could come down to money/work. That being said I don't know how a family would find themselves there. I'd be careful with love here since it's such an individualistic energy; not really homely or warm in itself. Good opportunity to solve karmic stuff.

8 is good paired with a social, family friendly or/and stable energy - depending on the circumstances/ actual needs.

Energy: Success, wealth, power, and ambition.

Great for: Business owners, ambitious professionals, and those focused on financial growth !!!

Watch out for: Workaholism or feeling pressure to “keep up.”

🔎 Fun fact: 8 is the number of infinity (♾️), symbolizing a flow of abundance—either wealth or karmic lessons, depending on how energy is managed.

⚪ 9 – The Wise Home - It gives a round sense of wholeness to a person upon entering. The feeling of inner knowing is just immaculate.

Even tho some describe it as "isolating" and tends to be.. and it gotta be! It's 9. If you have a library somewhere close by with 9 energy or number in the address GO THERE. Whatever you want to learn and actually GET IT? no matter what it is? The enlightenment that happens under this number is just something to experience. Thank me later xoxo

Living however, feels like your own private library/space - where you remain focused but also something else that is just hard to describe.

I do recommend living under such a roof since it's good paired with other social numbers ;)

Energy: Wisdom, humanitarianism, and completion.

Great for: Old souls, travelers, teachers, and those in transition, singles.

Watch out for: A sense of impermanence—this house may feel like a stepping stone to something new. It gives a strong sense of direction

🔎 Fun fact: Many historical and spiritual leaders have lived in homes with a 9 energy, as this number is tied to universal compassion and enlightenment.

Nonetheless, any new energy of a home will allow you to explore parts of yourself you didn't know about or you'd rediscover it again. Maybe it would awake your inner child? Making you feel safe again to flourish? That and other things 💫

So this might sound controversial or it might not but I know for a fact that some energies keep you young. Whether that's good or bad; or should I say fir better or for worst?

Some would definitely make you more mature mentally.

I'd recommend changing locations so that the flow of energy is present.. or ⬇️

How to Shift the Energy of Your Home if you're not vibing with your house number’s energy?

You can balance it by:

Adding a numbered plaque outside that equals your desired number. Who's saying you can't?

Use specific colours (e.g., earthy tones or wooden doors to ground and increase stability in a 5/3 home).

Placing symbols like plants, crystals, or decor that match your preferred vibe could helps with the overall energy balancing.

Does your home number match your experience? Let me know!

[funhouse-mirror-barbie]

So I actually really enjoyed the little HB short with Millie and Sallie Mae.

I thought it was cute and it was breath of fresh spring air to get some scenes with JUST woman characters interacting and talking about their relationship.

That said, after watching, it just made me realize how much I want an ACTUAL episode exploring Millie and her background.

At the end of the short we get that brief conversation about Sallie Mae seeming to feel left behind when Millie moved to the city, and that honestly should have been the plot of the harvest moon festival imo.

Little reimagining of how Harvest Moon Festival could have used the basic premise/conflict in Hell’s Belles to develope Millie more and give us a better insight into her character. (Also after typing all of this out I realized I misspelled Sallie May’s name, and I’m too tired to go back and fix it please do not bully me rip 😭🪦)

So, Instead of having Moxxie compete with striker, what if we’d learned that Millie left home because she had an inferiority complex due to constantly being compared to Sally Mae, who could be the “golden child” of the family.

Maybe Sally Mae and Millie have always had a really fierce sibling rivalry, and Millie has struggled a lot with measuring up to her sister.

Striker could be not only the new farmhand, but Sally Mae’s new boyfriend. Instead of the conflict being Moxxie’s feelings of inferiority to Striker, further tension could come from Millie being upset that her parents are so accepting of Sally Mae’s partner while not approving of her’s.

Millie could be the one to find Striker’s assassin gear, and Striker manages to knock her out like he did Moxxie. Instead of Moxxie stabbing Striker like Millie did in the actual episode, it’s Sally Mae who catches Striker and stabs him to try and save her sister. The way this could be set up could also be a nice establishing character moment for Sally Mae—she’s dating Striker, but the moment she sees her sister in danger she doesn’t hesitate to try and save her sister.

Striker throws Sallie Mae and Millie into the basement, and Sallie Mae is the one to get her leg in the bear trap.

They have a sister heart to heart, where Millie expresses her frustration for not being able to take Striker out on her own and feeling like she’s always been in Sallie Mae’s shadow.

Sallie Mae could then reveal that she’s always been jealous of Millie for being her own person and going against their parent’s wishes by striking out on her own moving to Imp City. Maybe Sally Mae has always been afraid of disappointing their parents, but wishes she could also leave the farm. Or Idk, maybe she’s always been the “golden child” because she’s been trying to impress Millie, and not their parents, because she admires her sister. There’s a lot of different sibling rivalry/insecurity conflicts and dynamics that could be used here.

The main point is that they come to an understanding in the basement, Sallie Mae gives Millie a pep talk and lets her know that she can do this and take down Striker.

Millie escapes the basement and the episode plays out like it does in the actual show. Instead of Millie getting talked down to her parents at the end, it’s Sally Mae, and when they criticize Sally Mae for getting hurt and try to praise Millie for getting out of the basement and chasing Striker away with Blitzø, Millie stands up for herself and her sister, stopping her parents from pitting the siblings against each other like they did in the past.

The sisters leave on good terms and the day is saved or whatever. They hug goodbye, and promise to stay in touch more and visit soon.

This could potentially help set up the idea of Millie having an inferiority complex and struggling with not believing she’s important that, in my opinion, comes out of absolutely nowhere in “Unhappy Campers”. If it’s established early that Millie has always struggled with feeling less-than in comparison to Sallie Mae and her siblings, it makes a lot more sense that she’d be so excited with the attention she receives in Unhappy Campers. And that she’d be extra upset by Moxxie’s lack of support.

Also for anyone asking “what about moxxie” idk. helluva boss loves their b and c plots so maybe there could be a slapstick bit where Millie’s brothers keep trying to wrestle Moxxie, so Moxxie is always hiding from them or getting tackled by them. Or maybe Moxxie could be really excited to try and bond with Millie’s family and get to know them more, so he keeps trying to connect with them in different awkward ways. Whatever. This is Millie’s episode now, I don’t care what moxxie does.

This is a very very basic re-imagining, and it’s definitely been done before and can be cliche. I want to make it really really clear that I’m NOT writing this out as a “fix-it”.

More of just a “what-if” and wishing about what may have been in terms of Millie getting more character development in the show proper, instead of getting a tiny bit of development and background info in a 5 minute short.

It’s just a shame because I’d love to have more concrete development for Millie. The short gave us a LITTLE insight into her and Sallie May’s characters, but it feels like we’re still being given crumbs about who Millie is as a character after a season and a half.

We should know more about her by now other than “likes violence/is good at fighting” and “is cheerful”. And also feels unimportant sometimes even thought she’d never given any indication that she’d ever struggled with that before.

Also I don’t think the voice direction for Sally Mae was done well. I liked her voice in “Harvest Moon” but it felt like the voice actress was struggling with keeping the southern accent in tact + sounding natural.

Overall, I did really like the short, but it also made me kind of sad for what could have been in terms of giving Millie more of the spotlight.

[katzkinder]

Ramen time! The quintessential weeb favorite and savior of broke college students everywhere. I’ve also been eating a lot lately as the weather’s gotten cooler, since it’s cheap, filling, and easy to customize, and it made me start thinking about what various Servamp characters might like, whether it’s the broth base or toppings. Food can say a lot about a character imo, so let’s go!

Mahiru: As usual, he likes to keep it simple. Prefers tonkotsu, which uses a pork bone based broth, chasshu (braised pork belly with a high fat content that melts in your mouth. It’s delicious!) a soft boiled egg (ajitama), halved, scallions, and, much to Kuro’s dismay, a heaping spoonful of chili oil. Kuro’s not great with spicy stuff so it makes it harder to steal from Mahiru’s bowl. Little thief.

Kuro: He’ll try most any if and when he can, but what he always comes back to is his favorite cup noodle in beef flavor. Eating out, though, he’s much the same as Mahiru, substituting chili oil for garlic, and adding kikurage, or wood ear mushroom. He’s really not picky though. Mahiru scolds him about not ordering too much pork when Tooru takes them out.

Tetsu: he likes a lot of veggies in his. Tempura especially, like kabocha squash, lotus root, and sweet potato, sliced and fried crispy. To him, that kind of ramen, with a rich and sweet broth (preferably vegetarian) is his absolute favorite. Misono eyes his bowl and wonders if there’s merit to the idea that eating vegetables makes you grow. Hmm…

Hugh: miso miso miso! He loves it. Slightly sweet and homey, the taste of miso will always remind him of the hospitality of his dear Tetsu and his family. Nobody tell him that garlic is a main ingredient. For toppings, he likes corn, ajitama, and various small mushrooms. He’s still struggles with chopsticks a little but refuses to use a fork. Since he looks five and foreign, people compliment him on his efforts lol. Such a big boy!

Mikuni: surprisingly for a rich boy like him, he prefers Shio. But you see, there’s the catch. Shio is deceptively simple, a clear-ish broth where the main form of seasoning is salt (Shio). It’s one of those dishes where anyone can make it, but only a pro can make it well. As a result, the flavors are more delicate. Top it with sea bream and a squeeze of lemon for him, along with some bamboo shoots (menma).

Jeje: just give him the broth please. Noodles are too difficult to eat with his bags. Okay actually give him some of those eggs too. They’re delicious. Mikuni does neither and eats on his own. Jerk.

Iduna: I feel like the only time she really eats it is either when Freya makes it or the instant stuff. That said, she likes trying all those weird and wonderful (and sometimes scary) limited edition cup ramen you’ll find if you pilfer the instant food aisle at a 7/11. Did you guys know they have a spaghetti all'assassina flavor. I didn’t. I do now. Her favorite so far has been the BIG karaage with lemon from Nissin Cup Noodle. Add a fried egg for some extra protein and spring onion and it’s ALMOST healthy! (it’s not)

Freya: She knows how to make her own shoyu broth and absolutely will. Chasshu chicken, seasonal vegetables, and a fresh raw egg, cracked directly into the bowl. Her husband showed her how he liked to eat it, and that’s how she’s also done it ever since. It’s a nice thing to treat herself and some of her subclass to when the weather is gross and rainy. Stay inside, eat some of big sis’s food that’s made with love, get a fire going if it’s cold. To them, that warm feeling of a full belly and good company… that is “happiness”

Licht: Lawless got him that awful limited edition s’mores ramen before to do a review on, and the significantly better pumpkin spice one (both from Cup Noodles US) because he knows Licht is a sugar fiend and would be brave (read: stupid) enough to try it and save him from subjecting himself to more atrocities than he already does. He’s so glad these are both limited edition. He’s less glad that Licht really enjoyed the pumpkin spice one. His followers are also not glad Licht liked that one, but he’s an eccentric pianist so people are more likely to just move past it as another quirk. On the more normal side of things (sort of. I promise it’s delicious. I got really curious so made my own of this at home, though definitely not up to a professional standard lol) Licht also REALLY liked the sweet and spicy miso ramen from Franken in Osaka when he got to try it. Much to Lawless’s surprise, so did he. Poor Licht, though. It was so delicious he kept eating, even though his nose was running a lot.

Lawless: This guy loooves savory and salty. Give him a bowl of tonkotsu with a mountain of pork and fried garlic and he’ll be your best friend. Add cheese on top and he’s yours forever. —At least until he finds another restaurant with a fun gimmick. But this is what he always comes back to. He’s actually worked in a ramen bar before so he’s more familiar than most on what he wants to look for to guarantee something good. His number one rule: if you want good food, don’t go to a place that allows smoking. His number two rule: if the kitchen is too clean, it’s gonna be mediocre at best. Some of the best and worst bowls he’s had came from places that were a little bit hectic, a little bit dirty. He’s got a threshold on how much funk he’ll allow, of course. Food poisoning isn’t fun for anyone, least of all him.

Nicco: he hasn’t really eaten enough to have a preference, but he does enjoy the atmosphere of it. What he doesn’t enjoy, however, is how fast you’re expected to eat it?! Take some time, enjoy your food! A case of clashing cultural values (also, the longer you let ramen sit, the soggier the noodles become, so it’s just best to eat it while it’s fresh and hot and not waste time, especially since ramen bars don’t tend to have a lot of seating available)

Ildio: same as Nicco, though for different reasons. He finds it kinda hard not to splash the people around him when he slurps the noodles, so uses the spoon a lot. He really isn’t picky, though, but his favorite topping are the little fish cakes. Y’know, the white things with the pink swirls Naruto is named after (this is a joke, but only by halves). He likes the texture of them. Eating fast is no stranger to him but he does sometimes burn his mouth. Can easily and readily eat multiple bowls in one sitting but is trying to curb the habit. Lawless loves to take him out for meals in general, even if his wallet tends to hate him after. But it’s fine. It’s worth it to see Wor-kun learn what he does and doesn’t like.

Misono: ramen is fast food (yes, really!) Misono doesn’t typically eat fast food. Misono barely even goes out to eat in general. Misono, bless his heart, is still struggling with the idea that he’s allowed to not know things and that his friends will help him. As such, he really doesn’t know what he likes lol. His food sensitivities don’t help in this matter. But… He really liked the ramen Mahiru made at home. So, if he had to say… He supposes. Shirota’s ramen is his favorite. For that alone, Mahiru feels like all the hard word to make it is way worth it. Maybe the Alicein will let him use their kitchens for more labor intensive stuff like that since Misono likes it… there’s only so much room in their fridge after all.

Lily: Shoyu broth. The lighter flavor suits him well, and the irony is not lost on him that this is also the broth Freya likes to make. It really is a guilty pleasure for him. For one, he stands out a bunch, being such a beautiful man. For two, he likes to go in the evenings after Misono has gone to bed. The image of a lonely beauty at a ramen bar… Somebody smack him before this goes even more off course. Anyway. He doesn’t prefer anything particularly special for topping. Nori, ajitama, menma, narutomaki, and chili oil. Really, the simplicity of it is what makes it truly delicious <- Guy who doesn’t want to spend too much of his allowance on fast food even when the mood strikes him because then he has less for overpriced fancy cafe coffee

[sparring-spirals]

I got to say I really liked the episode (despite only having watched exu calamity of the exu series) and I think maybe Matt needed a breather after so many fast paced, lore filled episodes.

however, I am kinda bummed that the fcg processing has been put on hold for (at least) two weeks now and that means that, despite them being great actors that truly merge with their characters at the table, their reactions will be much less raw and there’s a chance some of them will forget tidbits of information, emotions they felt when it happened because they (as role players) will have had time to process it out of the game and it might create a dissonance in the game. tbf I kind of felt the difference even between the end of ep 91 and the beginning of 92 but it made sense because technically they were still running and couldn’t afford to process. idk. I have hope that we’ll still see that raw emotion, but I fear it won’t be as impactful as it could’ve been, especially if they’ll have to put the “reporting for duty” hat on immediately when they get to the camp

I think being a little bummed about the sort of unexpected hiatus on the Bell's Hells/Post F.C.G processing is super understandable! As someone who also really did enjoy the Crownskeepers return (hello im still yelling about Opal internally), I'm kind of in the same camp of being kind of thrown/disappointed about not getting to really dig into/sit with the Bell's Hells post-F.C.G loss. Like, LOVED the Crownkeepers, fascinating second half, kind of meh on the specific timing.

I'm holding my reservations about whether they're going to have to keep running/moving once we return to their portion of the story, since hey, until it happens (or doesn't!), we don't know, so I don't feel like getting too in my head about it until then.

That said! I do think that in general the cast puts characterization and staying true to the emotions of the character/story as a very high priority within the campaign. I think you're right that it won't be the exact same as if they had done a big emotional blowup/goodbye/processing scene in the same ep where they lost F.C.G, or immediately after. I don't think that means it has to be less impactful, just that- yeah, they'll have had more time to actually think/process it.

But they're also all professional voice actors who have, IMO, thus far shown how much they think about the inner lives of their characters and enjoy really digging deep into the emotional/interpersonal aspects of roleplay.

My assumption (my hope?) is that with additional time to think about + process a devastating/deeply emotional loss for their character(s), they'd choose to lean into that more, and not less. It wont be the same as the immediate raw reactions, thats true! But i dont think that means it has to be less impactful, even if they (as people) have had more time to process, and will be choosing how their characters, fresh off the loss, react. I dont think thats a guarantee it will be less impactful/emotional (maybe the additional thinking would actually enhance the reactions being true/insightful to the characters vs gut reactions from cast), but it will be different.

But if the cast chooses to lean into the heartbreak/emotions, and the circumstances of the BH in the upcoming ep enable it, I'm sure they can still kick my ass (emotionally), timeskip or not.

In general, I'm cautiously optimistic about what could happen next! Even if I don't love the timing thus far. I think there's still plenty of ways for me to get what I'm hoping for wrt F.C.G/BH. :] There are plenty of ways for me to get let down too, probably, but until it happens, or doesn't, I'm opting to not get too doomery about it. We'll see.

I uh. Hope that helps? A bit? Being bummed about specific things you were hoping for being off the table is totally reasonable. just hoping to lend an alternate way of viewing it, if desired.

(i wrote the sentence: "don't be lamenting your chickens before they hatch" and then went "what the fuck" out loud. i spent 4 hours at work today just doing systems diagramming and my brain is fried. clearly. keeping this here for my own entertainment.)

[juniette13]

Can you explain your reasons for not liking Scaramouche's redemption? I'm also not a huge fan of how he was written.

Of course!

One of my biggest reasons is it comes off to me as if Genshin is too scared to make characters who are blatantly evil and against the traveler playable

Which to me…honestly I don’t understand their mentality with it

IMO I think it’s perfectly fine to have characters who are evil and/or against the traveler to be playable! It brings a contrast, a flavor of sorts to the playable cast of characters

I was hesitant at first to say Genshin was too scared to make morally questionable/wrong characters playable, but considering La Signora’s dead, Ei’s EGREGIOUS redemption arc, and Scara’s redemption arc, I’m seeing a very blatant trend here, one I’m not a fan of

Now I know Arlecchino got released and is playable, I, however, stopped playing the game awhile back, I honestly don’t even feel like returning to it because all the content is wearing me out, along with the writing decisions and how I personally think the writing is just getting extremely convoluted, so I can’t really speak on Arlecchino’s matter because honestly I don’t know if her personality was watered down or not

My biggest issue is I feel like the redemption arc not only butchers what could’ve been a great character, I remember the days of when Scaramouche was just an asshole and that’s all he was, just an evil person, and not when he was some uwu little guy who does nothing wrong, but the arc also honestly ignores all the things Scaramouche has done and would rather pin the blame on other characters Like traveler why on Earth are you teaming up with the guy who killed Teppei??? You know, the NPC that died in the Inazuma arc, the NPC who’s death enraged the traveler so much that the traveler just ran headfirst into a dangerous situation without a second thoug-Ohhhhh right his death was just for shock value and doesn’t really hold any weight on the traveler! Right!

Scaramouche was also responsible for getting La Signora killed, however this is never addressed and just swept under the rug It’s writing decisions like that that just makes me so frustrated

I think it would’ve been fun if Scaramouche was just some blatantly evil guy, not every character needs some sob story, a whole plot point where they just whine and whine, and then some half-baked redemption arc where now he’s completely woobified and just an entirely diff character, minus the sass

Like he’s just sassy now, he’s not even mean anymore 💀

It disappoints me because there was so much potential to him and I would’ve been perfectly fine with him just being plain evil, I’m at that point where Dottore, a character who is just straight up evil, has no reason behind it, has no remorse for his actions, is a breath of fresh air and the only harbinger I enjoy because of that I do hope Pantalone also just ends up being a blatantly evil character, albeit not as extra as Dottore, and it would be fun if he monologued like Bedman from Guilty Gear XRD (I might even draw him to some of the monologues LOL)

But anyway yeah, just to sum everything all up in short bullet points

-Characters doing heinous things and then turning around, spewing a sob story, and becoming completely watered down woobified versions of themselves is overdone and tired in Genshin

-Scaramouche would’ve been great if he just stayed as an evil character, not every character needs to be morally in the right or on the traveler’s side, let the traveler have more significant enemies instead of nameless NPC #928291 ISTG 😭

-Scaramouche’s redemption was not earned

I know people are going to disagree with me, that’s fine, just make sure to keep it civil if/when interacting with my post

Anyways thanks for the ask! I can also do a post on Ei’s botched arc if needed or anything of the sorts, I like ranting about this stuff!

[mochi-kitty]

Alright now that I’ve finished Yj 98.. and what an abrupt ending it was… (another post for another time) I gotta admit a hot take here.

I did not like how the girls were handled in #38 with robin and barts departure.

I understand they were upset and dealing with what happened on apokolips in their own way but arguably I’m peeved at their shitty attitudes. No one trusted robins judgement, fought him every step of the way even though he’s team leader until it actually became a physical fight, leading to their split, which led to their capture. Imo he had every right to leave. What’s the point in being team leader if this is how they treat him in a disaster? And even if he hadn’t up and quit, if he stayed team leader or even let someone else take the role earlier than canon… how could he stay on this team knowing they wouldn’t listen to him no matter his position? Or stay knowing that this same fight will absolutely start again if he rolled over and they didn’t talk about it? Then there was the “guilt by his association to Batman..” Was it shitty to break his promise to Greta? Yeah sure, but her bringing up her one sided delusional cat fight with spoiler like some jealous ex even though robin had no idea how she really felt? Shitty. As if spoiler had anything to do with this AT ALL. And don’t get me started on Cassie’s “apology.” That was downright disrespectful. Downplaying the situation and his feelings about it just so she can get him to stay for their own gain… Shitty.

Then there’s Bart. Fresh off losing Carol and his mom again, watches AND feels his scout get obliterated, falls into shock and then is immediately captured and put in a VR nightmare illusion by granny where he relives the same moment of death over and over on a loop. When they break him out he’s still in shock and goes comatose for an entire week and even with his speed healing, “takes a few weeks to get back on his feet.” After that he can’t even get himself to put on his costume, much less run even casually with Max. So he quits and the girls reactions are pretty much: “you’re being a coward after 1 bad event and we won’t have it.” Like??? Cissie quit when she nearly killed a man and yeah they fought that decision too but they didn’t question her judgement or god forbid make her feel bad for it and let her go while still keeping in the loop with her. HELL BY THIS POINT SHE’S STILL RETIRED!? But no it’s “you’re leaving because you’re a coward. We’re not afraid of dying so you quitting because you ACTUALLY saw and felt yourself die, a trauma explained by max to be more than the word could be defined, is unsupported.” AND THEN LITTLE LOBO, WHO CAN’T ACTUALLY QUIT THIS TEAM BECAUSE HE’D HAVE NOWHERE TO GO BEING THE WEAK END OF THE GENE POOL,,, HIS OUTBURST AND WANTING TO BE LEFT ALONE IS SUPPORTED BY ANITA EVEN THOUGH ITS FOR LITERALLY THE SAME REASON AS BART?? They both want to be left alone because they both died and now are scared of their own mortality but only 1 is supported because….why?? Is it Anita’s crush on lil lobo or what? Bart “can’t quit” because being impulse is “who he is,” COMPLETELY contradicting the years (by this point) of lessons Max has been trying to teach Bart about enjoying some normality outside of his hero life. I am 100% sure that when he said “I’m trying out a new lifestyle” he was thinking of Max. Implying that he can’t be ANYTHING other than Impulse, erasing Bart and his feelings as a whole person, is so shitty.

Idk I usually love the girls but this issue man. They had me wanting to jump the screen.

[annimator]

I’m at a loss for words

(This is a lie, this episode was so fucking good and devastating at the same time holy shit-)

• Damn Ivy’s cooking. Thx for reminding me recap

• poor Logan ;-;

• Byeeeee Ted

• Intro still never gets old :>

• FAWK, EVERYONE IN BLUE TEAM’S FUCKED UP AFTER TED LEFT

• NATALIA FEELS BAD FOR LOGAN

• Lynda, I swear to god-

• Richard carried this entire episode fr

• As someone that’s also a swimmer, I related a lot to Logan talking about his skills & swimmers coming up for air. GOD THESE CHARACTERS ARE SO GOOD

• Ngl, Anastasia, Marissa, Isabel, & Natalia would be a great final 4 imo. It’s probably not gonna happen, but an enby can dream :>

• Ofc Anastasia’s still upset towards Lynda. Still understandable tho

• Awwww, Nat still wants to include Logan in their alliance :D

• Marissa’s sad ;-;

• WAIT OMG ANASTASIA WAS GONNA GRASP HER SHOULDER- HOLD UP, WHAT’S WITH ISABEL & NATALIA SMIRKING AT EACH OTHER AFTER THAT

• ok now that I think about it, they probably ship Anarissa as much as me lol

• OKAY THIS CONVERSATION IS GENUINELY MY FAVOURITE SCENE FROM THE ENTIRE EPISODE. IT’S PROBABLY TIED WITH TRISTAN TELLING ZAID THEY’RE NON-BINARY AS MY FAVOURITE SCENE FROM THE ENTIRE SEASON SO FAR

• Marissa’s so hard on herself fml ;-;

• “I won’t betray my morals to win… on or off the battlefield” Good for her

• SHE CALLED HER ANA AGAIN OH MY GOD

• She was gonna enlist in the military because of expectations, I felt that so hard

• MARISSA’S ENTIRE MONOLOGUE IN THIS SCENE WAS AMAZING. HATS OFF TO HER VA

• THE HAND HOLDINGGGGGG

• “Oh, Marissa, you could never become that. From day one you’ve seen me as an actual person, not a Barbie doll. Seeing you take charge, not once underestimating me, makes me want to follow you into any battle.” Girl, you could’ve just told her that you love her /j

• “Whatever your decision, I’ll stand by you.” “Really?” “I mean it.” HOW DID THEY NOT KISS AFTER THIS. THEY HAD FUCKING SPARKLES IN THEIR EYES

• Also love that Anastasia said those last words in Russian. I love seeing characters implement other languages besides English in this show :>

• I LOVE THAT THEY CONTINUED TO SHOW HANNAH & DIEGO’S BOND AFTER LAST EPISODE. YIPPEEEEEE

• Hannah’s acting like a little shit, I love it lol

• “Diego is such a breath of fresh air. I feel like he’s the first person in the game to truly get me!” Oh no, I don’t like where this is going

• Ohhhhh, Benji was making an idol! It looks like shit dude, I’m so sorry

• “I know I’m not the poker player, but there’s a reason he’s still in, right?” Benji, I’m gonna hold your hand when I say this

• ZAID & IVY CLOCKED HIM SO HARD LMAOOOOO

• MORE ZAIVY CRUMBS >:DDDDDD

• Did anyone notice that Ivy’s been acting kinda… off? She said she wants to prove that Hollywood doesn’t turn you into an asshole, but she’s been poking fun at Benji a lot…

• They’re acting’s pretty cute, they’re totally canon :>

• “So, it’s Benji if we lose.” “Then Hannah, we got two shields.” OKAY EVEN IF I LIKE BENJI A LOT, I’M FINE IF HE GETS OUT, BUT WDYM HANNAH

• DIEGO DOESN’T WANT HANNAH TO GET OUT. THANK YOU BRO

• “Spencer, a word?” I KNOW WHERE THIS IS GOING

• “Hmm, you guys think they’re making out?” LMAOOO IVY

• “Ah, oh young love.” ngl I thought Ivy said this when I saw the trailer, but the fact that is was Tristan makes the line EVEN BETTER >:DDDDD

• THEY’RE STILL TAUNTING ZAID ABOUT HIS CRUSH ON IVY, NOBODY COULD EVER MAKE ME HATE YOU TRISTAN

• “He made it clear he’s not interested in Diego. Well, he is, and he isn’t. I dunno, but he’s smart enough to not pursue it.” I uh… I still don’t like where this is going

• IM SO EXCITED TO SEE HOW THIS PLAYS OUT

• HE REALLY WANTS HANNAH TO STAY IN. OMGGGG

• AAAAAA HE’S HOLDING SPENCER’S HANDS

• ONC FUCKING BAITED US. I THOUGHT HE WAS CONFESSING HIS FEELINGS WHEN I SAW THIS IN THE TRAILER

• “Diego…” “Spence?” AAAAPNFIPQWFQEIFPNEWNGPIEWBGPIQEHGIPQEBG

• HE WENT IN FOR THE KISS- aw man it didnt happen ;-;

• OH MY GOD NO, THEY’RE IN A FUCKING MISUNDERSTANDING

• Spencer’s gay pancaking so hard lmao

• “Is it, um… Is it bad that I want it to happen again?” NO. NO IT ISN’T

• “What was that?! What was that?! I was tryin to save Hannah, and my emotions got in the way again, and… Oh, no… Maybe Jade is right! Maybe falling for someone in this game… isn’t a good idea.” I need to shoot somebody

• IM CRYING, BENJI JUST MUTTERED “FUCK” AFTER HE REALIZED TED GOT ELIMINATED

• Challenge sounds interesting. Richard’s gonna have a blast with this one

• “This is the once-flourishing corn maze, where we would see plenty of kids get lost and forgotten. Hehe!” Trevor?????

• Ofc Anarissa’s holding onto the blue team’s hoop together after THAT scene

• Logan’s still hurt after what happened last elimination during the challenge ;-;

• Oooooo, Nat & Isa are getting into a small arguement. Isabel’s having too much fun with gaslighting when it comes to the idol

• uh oh, animation error- WAIT OMG SPENCER & DIEGO FEEL SO AWKWARD ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED, FAWK

• “Hell yeah!” Isabel, what was that

• IM CRYING, DIEGO FORGOT HE WAS IN A CHALLENGE WHEN SPENCER SHOWED UP

• “I don’t think Diego… is an ally anymore. He’s… he’s my liability.” OH GOD NO, NOT THE ANGSTY DOOMED[?] YAOI.

• Tristan’s teasing Ivy now lol.

•”Hmm, I think he might be into you :D!” I guess he’s kinda cute. I like that he’s tall, and he can cook, and the bead isn’t hurting any eyes.” YAYAYAYAYAYY

• “But it won’t work out.” WDYM

• GIRL HAVE YOU NOT HEARD OF OPPOSITES ATTRACT. WHO GIVES A FUCK IF YA HAVE DIFFERENT VALUES. STOP THE “BETTER OFF AS FRIENDS” BULLSHIT

• BENJI GOT HIT IN THE BALLS AGAIN LMAO

• MORE ANARISSA CRUMBS WOOOOO

• “Thanks for earlier, by the way, really.” AWWWWWWWW

• YEAAAA HANNAH >:D

• oh yeah that’s right, Richard’s a basketball player turned coach. He’s gonna hard carry this for the blue team.

• “Is everything OK, homie?” I’d honestly say smth like this tbh lol :>

• DAMN DIEGO’S FUCKING STRONG

• Trevek keeps glancing at each other throughout this episode (GAYYYYYYYY)

• “As a matter of fact, no. I wanted to extend an olive branch””I’m not buying that. I voted for Anastasia!” Fuck you Lynda (tbh my opinions on her are pretty love/hate-ish as of recently)

• Marissa did it :D Lynda’s on good terms with her :D Lynda’s gonna abuse this isn’t she?

• RICHARD YOU SHOW OFF

• “How couldn’t I, looking into his big beautiful, lens-covered eyes? I came here to experience how beautiful the world could be, and it found it— him. I had to seize my opportunity.” GODDDDDD

• “You need to talk to Spencer honestly. No more flirting games.” “You’re right” y’all

• RICHARD CLUTCH

• WAIT OMG, ANASTASIA & MARISSA HUGGED EACH OTHER. THOSE FUCKIN SPARKLES IN THEIR EYES ARE BACK

• WAIT THAT SCENE FROM THE THUMBNAIL DIDN’T EVEN HAPPEN. DID JARED & ROBERT JUST MAKE IT TO PISS OF HOMOPHOBES AND MAKE YAOI BAIT???

• Silly Billy’s having too much fun voicing Trevor & I love it

• Hannah, I was thinking the same thing about Benji’s “idol” lol

• “I might’ve gotten Zaid & Ivy to see it. They could have bought it.” They didn’t Benji. They didn’t

• SPENCER WANTS TO VOTE OUT DIEGO BECAUSE HE’S A MENTAL/EMOTIONAL LIABILITY. GOD

• Spencer & Jade’s alliance is getting testy? I LIKE WHERE THIS IS GOING DOUBLE CROSS HIS GAY BRITISH ASS JADE-

• wait what, who said that

• WAIT HOLY SHIT TRISTANNAH CRUMBS. LOOK AT HOW HAPPY THEY LOOKED WHEN HANNAH SAID THAT THEY & ZAIVY HAVE THE ABILITY TO THROW OFF SPENCER & JADE

• IVY?????? YOU DID NOT HAVE TO BE THAT RUDE TO HIM, BUT THAT “FUCKING STICK” LINE WAS HILARIOUS

• OH MY GOD. OH MY GODDDDD

• “Spence!” “Y-yeah?” “I want to apologize. About earlier, I-” “It’s fine. I’m sure it was an honest mistake.” “No, no it wasn’t. I like you, Spencer. I like you quite a lot. You’re driven, funny, and you hide such a big heart. I’d didn’t expect to meet someone so wonderful here. And I… was… hoping… you felt the same.” I NEED TO BE SEDATED, PLEASE

• “My heart tells me we can keep playing this game and go far! Together. Do you trust me?” “…We’re voting Benji tonight.” SPENCER.

• “Fuck! I- I can’t do this.” YEAH, YOU SHOULD FEEL CONFLICTED FOR DOING THAT. GO SIT IN THE CORNER AND THINK ABOUT WHAT YOU SAID

• Spencer going to Ivy for a favour? This is gonna screw him over in the future, trust me guys

• OH GOD. THERE’S SO MUCH GODAMN ANGST

• DIEGO STILL DOESN’T WANT TO VOTE SPENCER MY FUCKING GODDD

• HANNAH MENTIONED TRISTAN, THIS COUNTS AS A TRISTANNAH CRUMB TO ME YALL

• I love Hannah & Diego’s friendship sm. Rlly grew on me!

• HELP WHY IS DEREK READING OFF A SCRIPT. ALSO YEA, WHO TF WROTE THAT

• EVERYONE BESIDES BENJI DIDN’T HAVE A HAPPY FACE WHEN THEY WERE VOTING. FAWK

• im scared for this y’all

• Oh god.

• OH GODDDDDDD

• FUCK FUCKFUCK FUKC

• IM GONNA SHOOT SOMEBODY

• “Yes! I’m saved! I mean- Sorry, Diego.” BENJI, PART OF ME’S ALSO GLAD YOU AREN’T OUT, BUT READ THE ROOM MY GUY

• JADE’S PISSED AT SPENCER OH FUCK

• “Hey, remember what I told you, okay?” “No goodbye. Only see you later.” DUDE.

• HE DIDN’T EVEN HAVE ANY HARD FEELINGS, AND ZAID & TRISTAN FELT BAD ABOUT SEEING HIM GO. DIEGO JUST WANTS HIS TEAM TO BOUNCE BACK. THEY REALLY CAN NEVER MAKE ME HATE YOU DIEGO

• “You know… after everything… I still didn’t vote for you.” WHO. THE FUCK. DECIDED TO PUT THIS LINE INTO THE SCRIPT. I NEED TO PERSONALLY TALK TO THEM

• Someone on twt said Diego played the game with his heart, and wounded up getting his heart broken and it DOESN’T MAKE HIS ELIMINATION EASIER TO HANDLE, WHAT THE FUCK-

• “Even for a million dollars, Spencer couldn’t control his true emotions. Now he’s MY liability.” YEA GET HIS ASS JADE

• IVY HAVING A STRATEGIC/VILLAIN ARC? THAT WASN’T ON MY BINGO CARD

• I CAN SEE THROUGH YOUR BULLSHIT SPENCER, YOU FEEL BAD ABOUT VOTING HIM OUT. YOU WEREN’T SMILING LIKE A LITTLE SHIT WHEN YA SAID THIS GAME’S JUST GETTING STARTED

• OKAY, DESPITE ALL THE ANGST, THIS WAS A FUCKING AMAZING EPISODE. PROBABLY MY FAVOURITE SO FAR THANKS TO ALL THE SHIPPING CONTENT AND STUFF

• Also friendly reminder… WE’RE ONLY ON EPISODE FUCKING 5. AND NEXT EPISODE’S SUPPOSEDLY GONNA BE ANOTHER MUSICAL ONE FROM WHAT JARED SAID ON TWT. GOD I AM SO EXCITEDDDD

• aight, new Elimination Devastation ranking

4th - Amelie

3rd - Ted

2nd - Alessio

1st - Diego (YEAH, IT WAS THAT FUCKING SAD FOR ME. RUNNING ME OVER WITH A TRUCK WOULD’VE HURT LESS)

• Anyways, I have a comment to make on Spencer’s audition vid

[theonlyendersgamefan]

No spoilers

SHADOWS IN FLIGHT IS ACTUALLY GOOD??

I genuinely forgot that Orson Scott Card is a competent sci-fi author. Every other shadow book has me like “please let this be a normal feild trip” and then you get 100k words of the slowest Mormon manifesto disguised as political thriller. (Except for shadow of the giant (they could never make me hate you, shadow of the giant))

Shadows in flight is classic 80s sci-fi and relative to the rest of OSC’s library it only has a little bit of sudo-incest. But even outside of that I’m also just really engaged with the story and junk. And even if the story was entirely non existent Cards distinct writing style from Enders game and speaker for the dead, which was lacking in the first half of the shadow saga imo, returns here which is a breath of fresh air.

I feel I should mention this early on just for transparency sake but, a positive book review by me is entirely useless because I will rate a book 5 starts purely based on my own ability to creat fun mental visualization out of it.

Let me explain. Delving truely a tiny bit into spoiler territory.

At some point a group is in a hallway in 0g and they’re all geard up. My own interpretation of this scene has this group, who is not usually especially discreet, be as disciplined as a highly trained swat team. In reality, text on paper, their gear is no more then rudimentary. Just as a consequence of not needing anything more. They are probably moving as instinct guides them. In my mind, however, they are fully bravo 6 going dark. No wasted movement, swift and efficient. The entire atmosphere of the story changes, they are having conversations through coms and I will mentally add in radio chatter even if it doesn’t make sense. Or I’ll make up a whole dramatic sequence for them opening a hatch or turning a corner. It’s fun as a little brain exercise but it’s not black on white text so my review of the book, which is based partly on the above, is biased because I imagined it in a way that I would like best.

What I can say is that this book is much less intrusive than the rest of the shadow saga. Orson Scott Card still can’t help but tell us directly what we’re supposed to think and HIS interpretation but in this book I feel that he’s taking a similar approach as speaker for the dead. Each character is written strongly enough that they can disagree on a conclusion based on the same information and neither is pitted to be explicitly wrong by the book (like a couple other shadow books I could name (I HATE SHADOW PUPPETS (Why waste such a goo name on such a boring book))).

Overall the book does give you more space to breath and more time in between receiving information and the characters declaring their own opinions. I actually several times got to the conclusion of one of the characters before they did because they all think their conclusions out. Instead of starting with the answer and condescending to everyone about how obvious the reasoning is later.

I’m also a big fan of the tech in this book. It’s much more grounded then in say xenocide. Advanced but based in concepts of physics and chemistry and biology that are common enough knowledge. You don’t feel overwhelmed or like you just have to accept that this is true and not gibberish.

Anyway SHADOWS IN PEAK.

I definitely didn’t write out all my thoughts here partially because I’m trying to stay as far from spoilers as I can and partially because I’m just writing down ideas as they come to me (is that obvious. I’ll write more about this book for the foreseeable future actually, it’s becoming my favourite shadow book (shadow of the giant in a close second but it’s becoming a more distant second which each page of shadows in flight)

I also haven’t actually finished the book.. I’m half way through and had to talk about it, soz.

[officersnickers]

I noticed that we only see the backstories of the demon lord who are directly linked to Mr Priest's trauma. Mammon and Beelzebub felt more like the villain of the week, whereas Asmodeus, Leviathan and Belphegor had more depth (well Leviathan wasn't that fleshed out but at least we see how she relates to Mr Priest)

True, true, but honestly, I don‘t mind. Having both Asmodeus and Belphegor‘s arc directly linked to Mr. Priest one after another does feel kinda stressful, though I know why it did happen and why it made sense for the main characters personal growth – or downfall, we shall still see.

I also think not every villain has to have a „tragic“ backstory with the main character. Beelzebub for example was already Mr. Priest's enemy, but also linked with Leah, which made the whole arc more interesting to me. Leviathan‘s arc is something I wasn‘t too fond of, but mostly because I wasn‘t into the story yet and didn‘t really like some routes it did take. But I appreciate how Leviathan and Mr. Priest came to an understanding, which was later on important for his acceptance of Belphegor‘s influence.

With Mammon – I know the first arc and fight with him was rather short due the manga still having to gain enough readers to not be axed and also focusing more on Mr. Priest and Imuri‘s developing friendship. It was okay, but indeed not as grande as for example the battle against Beelzebub (still the best final fight imo). Mammon coming back and immidiatly being shut down by Belphegor and Mr. Priest having a normal one again™ was kinda sad and comedic to see, but the crisis is still not over – I can‘t say I‘m too interested in him, but let him have a reaction the Mr. Priest having better things to do than him lol.

In the end, Mr. Priest may be the main character, but straying away with this formula and actually giving the side characters an agenda too works wonders for me. Leah and Beelzebub, Dante and Vir, and probably Mikhail and Baba Yaga – we always say Mr. Priest needs a minute to rest and it‘s true. Don‘t overdo a main character, so he stays fresh and well for the real fight – having a satisfying ending and conclusion to the manga ;)

Or, in short: