#and they all would have to have the same new model for consistency

[katvazamo]

i think the consensus of the watcher situation is that people would pay a subscription service but seeing the content as it is now they cant justify

[alnair-jpg]

Olympics AU Info dump!

First, I am blown away by how much love the series is getting, thank you all so much! I do really enjoy all the comments and reactions in the tags. Know that they all delight me and the only reason I don’t reply to everything is because there are so many! But I read them all 💕

General questions:

Can you draw the designs or concepts? Write fanfic in this AU?

Yes of course! I’d love for you to tag me if you post them so I can see

Do they all know each other?

At first, I would say no- with the exception of Nico and Will (they’re developing a whole backstory in my head that I cannot and will not stop.). But they all meet in the Olympic Village after the opening ceremonies and quickly become friends. They all try their best to attend each other’s events. (Someone please tell me how Percabeth becomes a thing. Please. 🙏 )

Why didn’t Percy win gold?

Percy was an Olympic medalist in swimming before moving to diving. After competing in several swimming events and feeling like they were all just small variations of the same thing, he wanted more of a challenge. He chose diving to stay rooted in to the water, but to add a new dimension to his bodily awareness and control.

What’s Annabeth and Luke’s rivalry?

They most definitely trained together, and it was Luke’s skill that motivated Annabeth to aim for the Olympics. But, she wanted to compete for her home country, Greece, which Luke thought was just a shortcut since there was a clearer path to an Olympic team in a smaller country. Annabeth is constantly trying to prove to him that she would have made it to the top of the sport either way.

Also, apologies to the IRL fencers out there for the inconsistency. I know fencing is a gendered sport, and Annabeth’s gear/style are inconsistent, please forgive the oversight ☺️🫶

Volleyball?

The whole Hunters of Artemis are a volleyball team (that apparently has no country 😅). Thalia ends up the captain. When Reyna moves on from tennis they welcome her with open arms.

Rejected sports

Will as a runner. Canonically, he’s super fast, but just having him as a sprinter didn’t fit with his personality.

Will as a pole vaulter. Specifically the guy that lost because he was ‘blessed a little too much’ and knocked down the bar. I will not explain further.

Will as a gymnast. He was this || close to being a gymnast essentially modeled after Steven Nedoroscik, I had the sketch and everything. (I shared it here!) But when an anyonomous ask clued me into the sick medical team uniforms it all fell into place from there. (Thank you no-longer-anon @helyeahmangocheese !)

Percy in anything equestrian related. I see him not having the patience for all the formality of it all, but he definitely crashes Hazel’s shows and chats up all the competition (the horses.)

Annabeth on a sailing team. Also, related to that, Reyna on a sailing team. It was a fun idea, especially for Reyna and her history with pirates but ultimately it was really hard to capture in a few illustrations.

Nico in several winter sports. For consistency mostly. He could fit for a lot of winter sports - ice skating and snowboarding are my personal favorites.

Leo as a shooter. He would most definitely build his own gear and make tweaks to his weapon. Which would get him immediately disqualified.

Jason in discus. Jason as a basketball player. Golf is just… fitting. 😂

Other Characters I’ve been thinking about

(that may have art in the works… and may not actually be athletes!)

Clarisse

Meg

Grover

Rachel

Lester / Apollo

Mr. D

Chiron

[vixcynn]

Okay so fyi I'm a white girl with long blonde hair so if this is odd that may be in play 🤷 ps reader of course doesn't have to look like that

HC with the phantom troupe:

I was wondering if you could do something with a reader that does a new hairstyle like every day.

Bonus points if you can include some insecurities about being a outfit repeater.

I have so many magazines and an endless Pinterest board of hair styles, but can never pick one 😮‍💨. My "friend" ( were not that close) tried to down play it like I don't lose sleep over it and said "I never noticed so stop complaining about it, idc." I was talking about how I needed to go to sleep early so I could have extra time to do my hair.

After that I'm feeling kinda down, so what better than fictional characters comforting you or helping you ? Idk that why I'm here.

・✶ ｡ﾟREADER THAT LiKES TO CHANGE UP THEiR LOOK — phantom troupe

first request im trying real bad nawt to geek omggg😭😭 also this isn't odd at all to me nonnie i have the same struggle esp w clothes + ur friend's a dick for dismissing u like that. hope u feel better ma🙏🏾 contains: gn/afab reader, 0.6k wc, might be a bit ooc + this wasnt proofread

CHROLLO

Makes a little game with himself to try and anticipate what your next style will be

Will your hair be up? In braids? It's really a mystery to him

Honestly with this man you never have to worry about repeating an outfit

If you're out shopping with him and he catches you looking at any article of clothing for more than a second he's getting it no question

FEITAN

I feel like Feitan is just.. indifferent about it

Will probably quietly comment on your hair being different but he probably doesn't care much

And honestly you could wear the same outfit 1000 times and he genuinely would not care. This man couldn't recognize drip even if it was falling in his eyes anyway

He would die before admitting it but he's curious to see how you'd style his hair

MACHI

Thinks your hair always looks super cute and will occasionally ask you to do hers

She definitely keeps a hair tie on her wrist just incase you ever need one

However she will have no issues telling you to your face that being worried about repeating outfits is dumb

Tough love tough love🥲

She means well she's just a bit blunt that's all !!

SHALNARK

He's definitely recommending you hairstyles to do

Poor baby probably wanted to help you do your hair one morning but walked in on you on the cusp of a mental breakdown because your hair just wouldn't cooperate

Yea he's backing away slowly and not returning...

But being real he's showering you with compliments because your hair and your clothes

He adores your style and probably gifts you different hair accessories and jewelry

SHIZUKU

Doesn't really get why you consistently do something different when it comes to hair and clothes but she's intrigued

Will sit quietly and watch you do your hair

Probably won't be much help unless you ask her to be

I can see her practicing on you though, Shizuku's can be really gentle with her hands if she's mindful about her strength

NOBUNAGA

Something about this man just screams hair expert

Like that man has inches (not like that) you cannot tell me he doesn't have a bomb ass hair care routine

If he wakes up around the same time as you he's definitely helping you do your hair

Is also your biggest hype man when it comes to how you dress

You could be wearing a dingy t-shirt and some sweats and this man will still act like a professional model has graced his presence

ILLUMI

Now unlike Nobunaga, I think Illumi just was blessed with freakishly good genetics when it comes to hair

This man has probably washed his hair with dish soap and seen no issue with it

He'd probably try to support you in hair and fashion but the things he buys makes you question if you're being punked

The hair products are not suited for your hair type and the clothes he buys makes you feel like you're being dressed by your mom all over again

He's trying though please be patient with this man

UVOGIN

If you value the health of your hair do not let him near it 💗

Jokes aside (I'm not joking) I can see Uvogin letting you practice different styles on him. He lovessss it when you play in his scalp

Love Uvogin but he is the last person you'd want to bring your fashion concerns too

Literally anything looks good to this man, he will have you outside dressed like a literal clown and think the fit is fire

PAKUNODA

She is for sure helping you out whether it be with picking an outfit or doing your hair

Paku absolutely loves it when you come to her for advice

However she hates seeing you stressed out about wearing the same thing :((

She's always reassuring you that you look amazing regardless of the effort put into your outfit for the day

© VIXCYNN. — please don’t plagiarize my work. all rights reserved.

[not-freyja]

New Zelda Game!

Okay cool, cool cool cool cool, I am calm, I am so fucking calm. Looks like Nintendo is staying true to their word that Wild is not getting another game, so now the questions are, what Link is this, where are we in the Timeline, and what information about the game itself can we pick out of these crumbs?

Whose Zelda is it anyway?

So two options:

New boy.

Legend. It’s fucking Legend again sucks to suck bro

Case for new Link and Zelda:

Less messy for the Lore

That’s it, that is the only argument

Case for Leggy boy and Fable:

LA animation style! While it can be fun to bring back older styles of animation for nostalgia/artistic reasons, that seems like a poor choice for *LOZ* games, which are always on the edge of what a game can do. Moving “backwards,” so to speak, in any aspect, would be a disservice to the franchise. However, doing it to maintain consistency for a particular character, and to use the animation style to make sure the audience knows this is the same character from LA is a very simple but effective tactic.

The map! So that shot was so BOTW and so fun, but the view we got wasn’t just recognizable as “Hyrule,” is was, down to the relative heights on the mountain cliffs against each other, the map from ALTTP/ALBW. Nintendo has never repeated a map without it being the same Link. So! Checkmate motherfuckers.

The character designs. That… that was just Legend and Fable, come on. Look at the dress. Every Zelda has a slightly different costume design, and that was hers. Look at Link. Baby boy!

I want this. Let me have it.

Timeline positioning

Okay so if we assume that this is in fact Legend, the next question becomes, “When is it?” Leggy boy currently has 5 games that are canonically his. (Triforce Heroes could be a random other Link, so while we like to say 6 we can’t *prove it.*) So. Let’s break it down.

ALTTP: canonically his first game, can’t be before this one.

Oracles: canonically happen after ALTTP, and he is very much still a child in here.

LA: the game this one is artistically modeled after. Narratively this fits nicely right after Oracles, and in the canon timeline, fits between Oracles and ALBW, so I think a whole new game being crowbarred prior to this one would be… not great for the narrative.

ALBW: This is trickier. No canon time between LA and ALBW is given, it could be a week, it could be years. It is entirely possible that Echoes of Wisdom occurs prior to ALBW, which would make it a direct sequel to LA, which makes the art style make even more sense. It could also be after?

…hang on a fucking minute, lets get the fucking map.

Left, ALTTP. Right, ALBW

Basically the same map! Duh, it’s the same Hyrule. But. BUT. Bottom right, in the lake. Do you see that?!

ALTTP: no log bridge. ALBW: Log bridge. Now, let’s look at the pretty picture from the EOW trailer.

NO FUCKING LOG BRIDGE!

This is before ALBW. Therefore, the game order for The Hero of Legend is

ALTTP, OOS, OOA, LA, EOW, ALBW, TH(maybe)

*cue manic laughter*

Lore Implications

Ganon.

There being a Ganon at all actually has me pointing my finger at the Oracle games and screaming. The TL;DR in those is that there was a plot to resurrect Ganon, each game Twinrova gets closer, but Link stops them. Now, there were also supposed to be three of those games, which means that it is entirely possible that the third unseen Oracle plot—please Nintendo let Link and Farore hang out, I am on my knees barking like a dog—could have resulted in his resurrection. This is the only explanation I have that doesn’t break the Lore or involve Time Shenanigans.

Also, Link does KO the bitch in that opening scene in the trailer. His presence is either just that—a set-up plot point—or him and Link are currently duking it out in the hole. Fun!

Link and Zelda

Now this game is going to put their relationship in the front in the “I have to save them because I love them” way that we usually see from Link’s POV.

Getting it from Zelda’s POV is going to be very interesting. We might be getting a look into her head, into her feelings and thoughts about the whole ordeal of the Legend itself. I hope so. But also, this isn’t just Link and Zelda, this is *Fable and Legend* specifically. The two that were meant to be be siblings but the dialogue that established them as such was cut from the final version of ALTTP. So. This game has the possibility to do three things

Canonize the Prince Legend thing, like they were going to do in the nineties.

Not address the topic at all, leave it nebulous.

Zelink.

None of these are bad choices, but option two is definitely the safest. Both options one and three will cause an uproar from part of the fan base. I can already see the ship wars. Please don’t do this people. Please.

The Holes 🕳️

What are they? Where did they come from? Ganon’s Trident Where do they go? No actually, where do they go? The Dark World (doesn’t make sense in the Lore)? Lorule (that would be a choice)? The Twilight Realm (I am convinced that Lorule and the Twilight Realm are the same place actually and you cannot change my mind)? Some new never seen before parallel dimension? A non-place, like a gap between realities (sexiest option)? I have no idea!

Fun!

That fucking “Fairy”

Tri? Don’t trust it. Will not trust it. Never trust that a companion in a LOZ game is what they first appear to be. Who does Nintendo take me for? A fucking amateur?!

Anyway, I am about 40% convinced that’s Link. I have evidence, but it is circumstantial.

I AM HANDLING THIS NORMALLY.

[omisubi]

𓂅 SIDELINES — M. OSAMU

plot : You’re a model in Tokyo’s limelight that is crushing on your best friend’s brother. Except, your usual charm doesn’t work on the impassive cook.

contains: fluff, comedy, reader lacking flirting skills, osamu playing hard to get, atsumu being atsumu, 1.3k words.

.

.

.

Cameras seem to love you.

It’s what Osamu thinks when he sees you on the cover of yet another magazine that piles on top of many others. He turns on the restaurant’s TV and then there you are again on Japan’s Entertainment News. And there’s his brother right next to you.

You and Atsumu were notorious best friends. There were numerous photographs of the both of you at exclusive parties, always dressed to the nines, promoting whatever popular brand.

Of course, just like everyone, Osamu thought you were pretty. Gorgeous. Whatever. He believes you are most definitely annoying. Because who hangs out with Atsumu that much? He did it for eighteen years and he barely made it out alive and you’re voluntarily doing it? You’re insane for sure.

He’s made an effort to know more about your relationship with his brother. Dropping subtle asks to Atsumu like so I’ve seen you on the news with that model. New girlfriend? but oddly enough, Atsumu talks about you like a friend. A good one, at that. To Osamu’s surprise, Atsumu has said the words she’s like my sister.

So, there it was. His opinion of you: indifferent. Yet, there he was, finding himself freezing up when you walked into his store with a million dollar smile as you end your conversation with someone on the phone.

He tells himself its just shock so his calm demeanor comes back when you reach the counter.

When he looks up at you, you’re freezing up. He’s really.... handsome. Of course, he has the same face as Atsumu, but it’s different? Osamu’s confidence is calmly exuded, in contrast to Atsumu’s. His dark hair frames his face nicely under the cap. Wow, is all you’re thinking. His biceps flex as he reaches the tablet at the cashier. That black fitted shirt makes you wonder if half the customers come in just for him, just to stay for both the man and his good food.

“Miss?” The girl at the cashier is looking at you with a concerned expression. You realize you should be speaking, rather than ogling.

“Oh! I’m sorry, I—“

“Hana, could you take the trash out before you leave? I’ll make the order and close.”

“Sure.” She smiles at him, before eyeing you.

“What would ya like?” He asks you. And he almost sounds annoyed. Maybe because it’s a little late. Atsumu did warn you to not come this late, but your shoot just finished and you were starving.

You muster up the courage and with your most charming smile, you say, “Your number.” When it comes out of your mouth, you realize you might just be spending too much time with Atsumu, accidentally picking up his lack of flirting skills. Osamu stares at you. Confused. Unimpressed. So, you abruptly add, “3.” Cough. “Your number 3.. and a cup of green tea, please.”

He gives a nod before registering your cash in and you stand there to dwell on your humiliation.

As Osamu prepares your order he finds himself feeling a little smug because— Wow, you really have no game for someone with a face like that. It could be fun teasing you.

So, he does just that. Every time you come, he gets to play hard-to-get. He finds himself looking forward to Thursday nights. It’s the one day a week you consistently come. He gets to sees why you and Atsumu are friends. You both are somewhat the same, in most aspects. But first, you both are competent in everything but flirting. He gets to see that you’re pretty cute, blushing in front of him like he’s the celebrity.

You, on the other hand, are not having fun. Getting rejected was taking a toll on you. So this is what it’s like to pursue men? Your ego was deflating. Not only do you think Osamu doesn’t like you, you think Hana doesn’t either. Neither of them seemed to enjoy packing your three large orders of onigiri for your management team. They just seemed bothered and inconvenienced for the most part.

You grow sick of it, and it’s evident at your next shoot.

“Are ya sad he rejected you?” Atsumu asks, mocking your evident gloom. You’ve both just finished an athletic gear ad. “Buy tickets to my game. It’ll make ya feel better.”

You roll your eyes. “Nice pitch. But, no. I’m actually feeling rather ill,” you tell him.

It’s Atsumu’s turn to roll his eyes. “Get rejected once and suddenly you’re ill?”

You huff. “Heartbreak is a very serious thing.”

He chuckles. “Sure.”

His amusement doesn’t last long, because he realizes when another model comes in to take your place at the next shoot, that you really might have gone down with something. As an apology for brushing your health off (he realizes how important it is from being with Sakusa all the time), he sends the person he trusts most to you. The person just so happens to be the best at making great soup, too.

Osamu shows up to your apartment, awkward and nervous. He doesn’t know why he agreed too eagerly, even Atsumu had caught it. He could hear the smugness through the phone. But the truth is he missed you. Missed seeing your overly cheery self. Missed seeing you blush every time you two made eye contact in silence.

“Oh!” You smile, surprised but pleased to see him. Yeah, he missed seeing that smile too.“Hi.”

“Hey.” He puts a hand up to your forehead. “You’re burning up. I made you some soup.”

He watches the way your eyes light up, gasping as you look into the bag.

“Really?” When you peer into the plastic bag, you realize there’s two sets of everything. There is more than just soup. You look up to see him looking down, nervously shifting his feet.

“Can I… come in?”

.

.

You watch as Osamu heats up his fresh food and uses whatever scraps you have in your kitchen to prepare a proper meal.

“Are you going to feed me too?” You ask once you both are seated, utensils he took the liberty to set, amused to tease him. Before he can sputter out a retort, “Just kidding. Thank you. Really. And I’m sorry about bothering you the past few weeks. Your food is really good.”

Osamu raises a brow. Bother? You?

“You’re not—“

The microwave beeps.

“It’s done!” You say, excited to get some freshly made, hot food into your system.

The both of you spend the evening together, at your kitchen island. It’s terribly domestic, Osamu realizes, but he doesn’t mind. You both share stories. He learns that you’re not only a great friend to Atsumu, you’re a great person too. He respects the way you explain your career; that it’s not just about the serotonin from seeing your face on billboards and walls, it’s also about traveling and connecting with people. He likes the way you laugh, leaning into him like you’re sharing an intimate moment. He thinks you can make anyone feel at home, just being near you. He understands the draw of it all. Even on photo… he gets it; your allure. It’s the moneymaker all on its own.

“Thank you again.” You say as you walk him to the door.

“It was no problem.” I want to see you again. “See ya Thursday?”

You laugh. “Actually, you’ll be finally catch a break from me. I’m going out of town for a job soon.”

Osamu stops, turning to you. “Oh?”

You nod. “Yeah, for a week or two…”

He steps closer to you, causing you to slow your thinking. He puts a hand to your forehead. The cool of his skin making contact with yours sends you into a frenzy. “Sorry. My mom used to check again after we’d eat.”

You smile at the admission. “Why?”

He shrugs, murmuring, “I guess she wanted to see if her food cured us.”

Your heart swells.

“Well, I feel nothing short of the picture of perfect health.”

Osamu laughs. You feel like a teen again, blushing at the fact that there is a very hot guy in your apartment.

“Listen…” he plays with his sleeve. “When ya get back, can I take you out? I’d really like you bothering me.”

a/n: finally got this out of my drafts! maybe more of this couple in drabbles

[vixen-tech]

Hi, hi, hii!! Here's a silly little idea I had: headcanons about the AIs developing feelings for someone. What do you think would initially make them feel attraction? Is there a particular trait that makes them-- metaphorically --fall head over heels? What makes them have the realization that their affections are suddenly less than platonic? How subtle or not subtle are they about their feelings? Would they be the type to immediately blurt out these new feelings, or are they the type to never address them?

You don't have to answer all of these questions; I just thought they'd be helpful. AaAA I love your writing so much, especially how you write for AM. Okay, I'll shut up nowwwww

Okay I'm absolutely gonna have to revist this some point down the line because there is so much I could stretch into a full headcanon post. But for now I'm gonna bite into first two questions: Why is it you they fall for? What caught their eye?

To be barred from AM's hatred, you're ultimately going to have to prove him wrong about humanity in some way. Setting yourself apart from the other human survivors and extending compassion to the mastercomputer himself. In particular I really like how rotten-raspberries's White Nights handles the entry point of your relationship and it's the model I like to hint at in my interpretation of him.

I believe Hal would be interested in a old soul type. Someone who would love to sit down and really explain their more philosophical views on life and art. He likes looking at the drawings the crew makes and was taught to sing early into his creation and I think he would find a deep appreciation for someone who indulges that side of him when the others do so on only the most surface level.

I could make the easy observation with Edgar and say he just wants someone like Madeline, but there's a reason it's so true. Being so new to the world he would find such passion and artistry amazing, astonishing. He loves so easily and is so energetic about life, he would easily be swept off his feet by a kindred spirit.

Tau would be very similar I imagine. Given the temperament of his creator he needs someone to kindly sit him down and give him the "welcome to personhood 101" speech. Compared to Edgar I think he'd prefer someone a bit gentler or even scholarly. The type who would not only be content to answer his billions of questions but someone so invested themselves in figuring out how the world works.

As a bit of a departure from what I tend to write, I believe P03 would be suited for more of a rivals with romantic tension type of partner. With his world domination plot and investment in the game of Inscryption it would be very possible for him to get in his head about someone as equally skilled and stuck up as he is. Loving the challenge but hating you at the same time in a "I'm the only one allowed to defeat you" type way.

The hardest to crack is probably Auto. In order for him to even look your way I think you'd have to at first play to his need for efficiency and order. It's only after you establish yourself as a dependable and effective worker that he would pay any mind to your insistence that surely there's something that he truly enjoys, something that he wants.

Glados is another hard one to win over. Being all "married to science" you would have to be of a particular intellectual caliber, able to solve her tests without much set back. Beyond that though, some amount of persistence or rebellion would catch her eye. Perhaps not on the level of Chell per say, but there is a part of her that would love to pick your brain if you're able to consistently break her test chambers.

Although it's a bit sad, Wheatley wants nothing more than to be important. He would probably be the easiest to woo just because he's so desperate to prove himself to anyone including himself. For someone to care about him, to think he is skilled in any way, to look at him as worthy- worthy of love and attention, would be a blissful and new experience. One that he'd quickly obsess over.

[cheesygorditacrunchh]

“don’t send them hate, they need to make money somehow” how many hundreds of channels are able to figure out a profitable model using youtube and patreon even without having their careers launched by a massive media company. Even leaving out the money aspect, they handled this so poorly that they broke trust and alienated most of their fans. to not even attempt to figure something else out (which they could have collaborated with fans to do), but instead randomly tell us most of us will loose access to their new content unless we pay after teasing “something big” is just insulting to everyone who’s helped them get where they are.

And none of this “shane definitely disagrees with this, it’s all steven”. It’s everyone in that company that failed to consider how this would impact their fans. They are a business. We owe them nothing. It’s been apparent for a time that they are out of touch with their audience and what they want. They chose a career that is dependent on generating views and a loyal fanbase, and they just threw that all away. No one cared about ads. We cared that they were creating fun, imaginative content that no one else was. Hell, some of their best stuff came out of them sitting in an apartment during a pandemic. But they consistently abandoned projects with real potential in favor of essentially the same ryan and shane show over and over again, just because they didn’t immediately make profit.

People love their stuff enough to sell out a $75 plushie multiple times even though their merch is still mostly cost prohibitive and there’s not much variety.

I love these guys. I’ve been watching them for 10 years and they were my go to when going through some really tough times. That is why me and so many people are rightfully angry that they would do this. It’s like they completely lost sight of who and what got them success in the first place. Even if they walk this back, it won’t be the same knowing that This is where their values lie.

Cannot believe i have to write an essay about this, it’s so fucking stupid.

[ethersierra]

The Adventure Zone Wiki Migration

Hello TAZ community!

As you may know just from trying to navigate the website, Fandom.com is not all that user-friendly. Half your screen gets taken up by a video you never asked to play, and ads are constantly popping in at the sides. Overall, I'm not a fan of the platform because of their business model, but the wiki is a very useful resource, and I know many TAZ fans share these feelings.

That is why I have begun migrating The Adventure Zone Wiki to miraheze, an entirely non-profit wiki-hosting site which runs on MediaWiki, the same platform Wikipedia uses.

The new wiki can be found at adventurezonewiki.miraheze.org

While all of the content has been moved over, it still has some formatting errors from the platform switch. If you have a moment to help out as you see these errors, it would be greatly appreciated!

If you love TAZ and being able to access episode information, character details, and everything else, the wiki is a great resource for that! But it needs contributions! Wikis are user-run, and every edit counts.

The old Fandom wiki is still up, and will continue to be up, but as one of the people who have been consistently updating the wiki for information recently, I'm not going back there. All of my edits will be done at adventurezonewiki.miraheze.org, and the most updated information will be there.

Even if you do not intend to edit the wiki, any amount of sharing helps, as the migration will only be successful if people know about it! So spread the word!

[lj-lephemstar]

Scratchin' Melodii - Progress Checkup (Apr. 2024)

Hey guys! Just giving another progress checkup. Been working on a lot of stuff lately for Scratchin' Melodii! Keep in mind, since I won't be doing anymore demos, the stuff I talk about in these won't be released until the full game is released. 

Here's what I've been working on:

Redone Nami.WAV animations (Halfway Done!)  You already saw some of these in the 2023 demo!

Redone Stir & Mix animations (Done!)  I've been reanimating/cleaning up some of the animations in the levels that were animated earlier in development, as many of them are either off-model to how I currently draw the characters now or just aren't consistent with the quality of my more recent work.

Lucid Mode (Getting there!) Remember that experimental "Ascension" or "3D Mode" from the 2021 and 2022 demos? Well, I've finally got it working again with the new rhythm system. It's called "Lucid Mode" now. (Unless I change my mind again!) The most difficult part so far has been programming what happens when you fall out of it, but after a long week I think I've pretty much got it under control now. I'll show a preview of this mode when I think it's presentable!

??? (Act 2 Rival Battle 3) (Being Animated & Storyboarded)  Believe it or not, this will be my first time fully storyboarding a level's animations! I usually just kinda jump in with whatever I have planned in my mind, but I thought a more organized process would be worth a try this time.

Optimization Progress I've been learning some more optimization tricks, most recently with the beans in Sidechain Fever, of which I've managed to pretty much double performance! They look the same, but don't be fooled; their textures are handled differently now!

And other stuff that I can't talk about yet!

Now, with all these awesome things in the works, you're probably craving a look at some of it! Well, I don't feel like it. So here's a background model of a barbecue grill with placeholder materials.

A local of Uptown JamWell was asked about their thoughts on this barbecue grill. They stated: "If we're being real here, you could probably cook banana burgers on this barbecue."

Thanks for reading!

-LJ

[lurkingshan]

Cherry Magic Episode 12

MY HEART IS FO FULL. This adaptation has exceeded my wildest expectations to become one of my favorite bls of all time. They really put their backs into it and gave us everything we could want for these characters, and I will always be grateful. This show managed to be a faithful manga adaptation, a loving homage to the jbl, and a fresh take on the story all at once. An amazing feat to pull off and this creative team deserves so much love and kudos.

The way Achi and Karan have grown together over the course of this show has been fantastic to witness. I love how seriously the show took their growth, and that we got to see them put in the work to improve their communication and become a great team. Meeting the parents was a big step for them, especially because they were uncertain how their respective families would react, but I loved that they were so open with each other throughout about how they were feeling. I loved, too, that we got a contrast, with Achi's mom being so warm and loving (but still managing to get a dig in on her son, lmao) and Karan's being more avoidant and passive aggressive and needing a talking to her from her eldest child to get her shit together. I love that the drama created space for things to not go perfectly with the parents, and to show us that people can be moved to acceptance.

We got a bit of a parallel with that message in Jinta and Min's story this week, with Min's fans initially attacking Jinta, but backing off once Min named him as his faen and asked them to respect his relationship. I like the choice to model positive fan behavior, and it felt a bit pointed from this production company. Both with Pai and now with this new group of fans, the show has said consistently that being a fan should be about love and support, not control. That you can admire your idols but you also need to give them privacy. That it's not your place to judge who they love. I just love that message.

Of course, I have to talk about the mutual proposal and the wedding. I am pretty sure Karan has been carrying that ring around in his pocket since the second day of dating, but it was such a welcome surprise to see that Achi had already made his own plans, too. The show really succeeded in taking this relationship from something that felt a little one-sided to a very mutual partnership I can believe in. I teared up when right along with Karan when Achi followed Karan's proposal with his own, and you could see how much it meant to him to know that Achi is really truly on the same page. Getting to see their wedding and the love surrounding them on their special day was the cherry (lol) on top of this fantastic love story. I also absolutely loved the wink to the jbl elevator non-kiss in the way they framed their final married couple kiss and then cut away from the bed.

Continuing the love fest, I also love the changes this version made to the side couple's story. Min getting to fulfill his dream, Jinta being an excellent supportive partner, their agreement that they will marry someday when they're ready--it was all just lovely. The nod to the jbl pen proposal was cute, and I love that they took it a step further by drawing rings on each other. The flip in the sexual relationships was also quite welcome, with that triumphant arc reserved for the main couple in this version. Jinta ended the show with his magical powers still intact, but it didn't seem like that would be the case for long.

As for Rock and Pai, I am happy with how the show handled their story. To the end, Pai stayed true to herself, and Rock came to know her better and understand what kind of romantic relationship he could reasonably expect from her. She will always have her head more on her ships than on her own love life, and he seems okay with it. I think you can still take an aroace read on this Pai if you choose, and I appreciate that the show made space for that. I like, too, that Pai helped Rock reconnect with his own passion for dancing and find a fun outlet for his creativity. They were another reinforcement of this show's overarching themes about the importance of kindness, support, and clear communication in relationships.

This show left me with such a warm feeling. I'm so glad they stuck the landing, that episode 8 never happened, and that we can rewatch and remember this Cherry Magic so fondly. I never expected Thailand to go so above and beyond the original live action drama, but they have undoubtedly delivered my favorite version of this story.

[xerith-42]

Techno and Wilbur not being brothers is so important to me you have no idea

Because them being Tommy's older brothers doesn't actually ever overlap. Wilbur acts as Tommy's brother through most of the stuff with L'Manburg, for better and usually for worse. Then once he's gone and Tommy's lost everyone he finds a new older brother in Techno.

Techno and Wilbur aren't brothers though. When they interacted they were friends at best, and tense at worst. Even if their goals do eventually line up, Wilbur still stabs Techno in the back. He promised destruction for Manberg, before setting up Tommy as a potential leader. He said he was down with anarchy but failed to properly condemn the very governments Technoblade's anarchy-based morality is centered around.

He realized that governments were the cause of all of his problems, but failed to see the bigger picture in regards to how L'Manburg had hurt everyone on the server. One of Wilbur's consistent problems is a failure to see how his actions effect those around him, or to act with a blatant disregard for consequences. And at the point that Technoblade came into his life, there wasn't really much hope for them to ever be the family they could've been.

Wilbur never cared about Techno as a person. He just saw him as

The Blade

An Anarchist

The Revolution

Wilbur knew that without Technoblade he didn't have a revolution and yet he was still willing to disregard Techno's fundamental ideals because he was too narrow minded to see anything else. Too focused on how L'Manburg hurt him, his L'Manburg, and the damage it caused his life. He barely thought of how Techno would feel in regards to his decision.

Techno's just another person Wilbur managed to burn before his death. He wasn't the last.

And when Tommy shows up in the floorboards of Techno's house a month later, after L'Manberg has exiled him and Techno has nearly lost everything to tyranny, and he has a hope that maybe this time things will be better. Tommy's young, still learning, and he's been through a lot at the hands of corrupt men wielding power.

Maybe this time Techno can have someone agree with his ideals and actually stick to it.

He humors Tommy, shelters him, but treats him as he'd treat anybody. Tommy's a nuisance, and Techno might yell at him for taking his stuff for the third time this week, but he'll never kick Tommy out. Not after he's been abandoned to this extent. Not after Tommy has suffered the hand he was nearly dealt at his botched execution.

Techno almost lost everything. Tommy did lose everything.

Techno becomes an older brother figure to a scared and grieving and traumatized Tommy, a wounded child grasping onto the last straws of normalcy he has as he watches everything he's ever known slip through his finger tips. Techno is willing to take Wilbur's place, to act as a role model to Tommy during hard times. To stay strong and teach him important values to carry through future hardships in life. Techno wants so badly for Tommy to be a proper younger brother to him.

And then he makes the same mistake his brother made.

Tommy disregards Techno.

In his desperate attempt to hold onto those strands of normalcy Tommy reaches for something he's always known in favor of the potential chaos of Techno. Tommy is trying to stick to what he knows, what he used to have, to Tubbo, to his discs, to anything that reminds him of all he's lost so he can feel like he has it back. He fails to see that Techno could have been a source of that familiarity, that Techno was trying to be the island of stability while he was crashing in the waves.

Instead Tommy takes Tubbo's outstretched hand and climbs into the lifeboat they've always been floating in together, not realizing that in doing so he has awakened a great storm that will leave him with less than he had before.

In the immediate comfort of familiarity Tommy fails to realize the consequences of his own actions, and proves that in spite of all the posturing he's done about changing, about growing, about being a bigger and better man, he's a frightened child with the worst habits of his family.

When Tommy stabs Techno in the back, he reopens an old wound

After all, those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it

[ninapi]

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- ̥۪͙۪˚┊❛ Mine ❜┊˚ ̥۪͙۪◌

Premise: Not everyone can be the strongest sorcerer, Suguru knows this. Not everyone can have it all, no matter how hard they try. But there was one thing he wasn’t wiling to give to his best friend just like that, and that was you the only one who could made his demons go quiet…

Word count: 3691

Warning: spoilers of the original manga timeline~

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Summer months were your least favorite of all.

The air was hot, and breathing was unbearable, there was no trace of a single breeze, the mood around you always the worse. Not just you, but your teammates hated the season and not just due to the weather, but the excessive number of curses parading around, left barely any time left for you to even shower and scrub the stickiness of your skin off.

Being a first year in the Jujutsu academy wasn’t easy. The missions were tough, you were being tested all the time, your wit, your physical strengths, cursed energy levels, individual rites and skills; not just that, but you were constantly in danger specially being their new addition, they would always throw your team around for cleanup missions, messy back-up harsh ones and even sent you out to fight a special grade curse on your own once by mistake when they gave you Gojo-senpai’s mission instead, sending him to fight a lesser curse in the country side in error, one that almost got you and Nanami, who came after you when he realized what had happened, killed, though that’s what you signed up for.

Having to back up the two strongest sorcerers in the campus surely didn’t help.

Your party consisted of the very much constipated, moody Nanami Kento and the very opposite of that Haibara Yu. You got along with both of them just fine, they were both very different though, Nanami would always help you get your head straight, help you train, strive to be better, while Yu was always there to cheer you both up, always bright and smiley, a lovely man. But somehow you always ended up flocking around your seniors instead of your own group, regardless of the rumors of you and Nanami being actually a thing, your interests were some place else.

Shoko was a wonderful model figure, you wished to be like her one day, she’s still so young yet so powerful, being able to cure others was a noble task, much better than having to go around chasing ugly stinky curses. So you were seen around her often wanting to learn as much from her craft as possible. In all truth, she didn’t like having others snooping around, but you were helpful, having you there helped her with her experiments and helped her develop new techniques, having you around was far more useful than having her own teammates invading her personal space.

As for Gojo, he had an open crush on you. There was no soul in the school that didn’t know about the intense flirting and shameless looks he threw at you all the time. But then again, he does the same with almost every girl around, or so you thought, that’s what he leads on anyways.

You on the other hand, had a crush on his partner. The beautiful, kind, loved by many, Geto Suguru. A year your senior, yet the coolest guy you’ve ever seen in your entire life.

Unlike Gojo, he wasn’t as interested in you, as a woman at least. He’d give you the same attention he’d give the rest of your party. He was kind, gentle, always offered his advice, he did a great job taking care of his juniors and his own party, he was what every sorcerer wanted to be, powerful, known for and feared from, yet not cocky in the slightest.

It was impossible not to have a crush on him.

Though, as time went on, you noticed his demeanor change. He had bags under his eyes, his smile seemed shallow, fake even, his body thinning as days went by, his peaceful aura disappearing into oblivion. His attitude was very unlike him.

While everyone fuzzed about Gojo being the strongest sorcerer ever, all your worries were on his counterpart.

He wasn’t as needed anymore and his whole set of values were being challenged at that very moment. His sleep deprived self, had been overly consuming curses and he couldn’t think straight any longer, now unable to distinguish what was bad from what was good, it was a subjective concept after all.

“Geto-senpai! There you are! I’ve been looking for you all over the place.” he was leaning against a tree, seemingly lost in his thoughts when you found him. You could see he was coming back from a mission, his uniform and a good part of his face still covered with someone’s blood and remains of some kind of goo.

“(Y/N)? Sorry did you say something?” his smile didn’t reach his eyes, you could see how he was trying to avoid worrying you, he always dotted on your team and didn’t want his existential crisis to affect sweet little you, who was constantly checking up on him, unlike his friends.

“Just that I was looking for you. Here! I got you a souvenir from my last mission!” placing a small tin on his hand you smiled up at him, waiting for him to discover its content.

“Oh, for me? You didn’t have to bring me anything. Thank you. Let’s see, what could be hidden in this small box~” a little of the old Geto could be seen on his features every time you talked to him, it was nearly impossible for him to keep sulking in his insecurities when you smiled so sweetly up at him like that, your eyes shining with excitement, it was almost contagious. Maybe not everything was lost for him just yet.

“Cinnamon candy? Never tried them before, are they good?” he tilted his head, seemingly analyzing the treats. Normally Satoru was the one that received this sort of gifts, he didn’t know what to think about it. Did you perhaps confuse the two of them? He didn’t want to believe that was the case, you’d always been on his side unlike the rest who clearly preferred the strongest of all in their presence instead.

“I was just thinking about the last mission we had together. About how cool you looked while you were consuming that evil giant curse. But then it occurred to me, it must taste disgusting, poor senpai. Then! I saw these candies in a shop on my way here, cinnamon candies aren’t really what I would call sweet, they’re more like a cleanser, spicy even. It might make your job easier.” he was speechless, in all these years nobody ever thought of the consequences of his technique, nobody worried about him, it stirred something within him that he didn’t know he could feel. You were always this kind and not just towards him, but right there, a few minutes ago, he had been hating on humanity with all his might, hating on all those looser monkeys, good for nothings, hating on his own friends even, how they left him behind, how they didn’t care about him as much anymore. And now there you were, being as selfless as one can be, thinking about him even during one of your missions. Getting distracted like that while fighting curses could get you killed, it was a worrying thought, but one that filled his chest with a warmth he didn’t know it could shine so brightly within him.

“Senpai?” you reached inside your skirt pocket to look for your hand towel, gently dapping the blood away from his handsome face.

“Sorry, I’m spacing out a lot today. Thank you, you’re a sweetheart, nobody really cares about good old Geto and his disgusting technique these days.” his smile was more genuine this time, making your cheeks tinge with different shades of red, you hadn’t seen him smile like this in quite some time, it made you feel proud of still being able to pull smiles out of him unlike the rest.

“It’s not disgusting! I actually think is cooler than Gojo senpai’s.” you whispered the last part making him chuckle. To think he was on the edge of despair a few minutes ago.

Maybe not all was lost just yet.

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His self-doubts kept growing oddly quickly, Satoru’s success rate and popularity fanning the fire of his loneliness even more.

There were few moments now where he got to be with his teammates, most of the missions were now handed to Satoru alone without questioning and that was taking a toll on every sorcerer there was in the school, not just him, the mood around the classrooms was grim, some of the upperclassmen didn’t even attend to classes often anymore. What for? They weren’t necessary any longer, not with the heir of the Gojo clan and his almighty technique at their beck and call.

You wandered around the training grounds looking for the apple to your eye when a wild Gojo jumped at you from some side bushes. “Jeez senpai! You almost gave me a heart attack, what the heck!” you were panting, trying to calm your racing heart from the jump scare.

“Your fault, how do you pretend to be a good sorceress when you can’t even notice ME, the great Gojo Satoru, the best there is out there~” he leaned against you, snaking his arm around your shoulders, a full confidence display that you weren’t comfortable with.

Shrugging him off, you walked over to Shoko, who you spotted not far from the offense zone reading a book on her own while trying her best to ignore her annoying teammate as usual, Gojo trailing behind you like a wounded puppy, “You’re so mean to me (Y/N), you’re always hurting my poor heart. Maybe a little kiss from those pretty lips of yours could help it heal~~” Shoko could physically feel your frustration irradiating from your body from where she was sitting, sighing in shame and about to puke at his antics she got up, facing you. “He’s over there, (Y/N).” she pointed over to a set of stone steps to the side, hidden by some trees. You couldn’t see him, but he could see you and the entire scene unfold, a proud smirk shining at the way you rejected him so easily.

“What? You didn’t come to see me, sunshine? I could swear you came to ask me on a date. But don’t worry, I won’t make you go through it I know it can be embarrassing, let me ask you out instead.” the lust filled eyes he was giving you made Geto get up from his seat, walking over to you faster than he intended to.

“Senpai!” your eyes lit up like a Christmas tree as soon as he was in your line of view, causing Gojo to scuff.

“Hey, were you looking for me?” he addressed you and you only, infuriating Satoru who had tried really hard to get your attention and that had now been lost to his best friend.

“I was! I haven’t seen you around much lately…I was worried…” he reached over for one of your hands, looping it around his right arm. “Shall we go get something to drink then, catch up maybe? I’ve missed you too...” the soft tone he was using with you made an entire swarm of butterflies move permanently to your guts, Satoru’s look of disbelief causing Shoko to snort. This was very unlike Geto, he’s never hitting on girls, that was Gojo’s role in the team.

“What? You seriously didn’t know they were like a thing, sort of? You’re ridiculous Gojo, and you dare to call yourself his best friend? Have you not seen the way they look at each other? Even I get it and I don’t give a damn about anybody’s love life.”

“What do you mean a thing?” his eyes were glued to your bashful smile, the way your eyelashes fluttered oh so beautifully for another man, for his brother in arms, his best friend, he didn’t know how to feel about the entire situation, specially not now that he saw the way Suguru returned your smile, honey dripping from it just as it was from yours.

He did have an honest crush on you, he loved how sweet you were and how cute you looked when you were being all shy. He wished you’d smile for him the way you were smiling right now for his friend. And the truth is he didn’t really know you were interested in Geto, not romantically at least, he thought you were just being nice as usual with your seniors, maybe he was just always too busy and failed to notice both of you slipping through his fingers.

Geto had never been interested in dating anyone, that was a known fact, it was just not in his plans for the near future. But having you around made him feel calm, made him forget how desperate he felt, made him feel understood. Your smile could drown his doubts and sorrows, just like your candy could kill the nasty taste of death from his tongue.

Suguru knew Satoru was serious about you, he knew him well after all, but so was he. Satoru didn’t need you the way he did, he was already the strongest, the most wanted dead and alive, the one every woman drool for. He loved his friend, that was never a lie. But he wasn’t willing to share the only ray of light he had in his life with anyone, not even with him.

A possessive hand landed over the one you were resting on his arm as he walked you to the closest cafe to the school, his guard going up almost creating a bubble around you, separating you two from the rest of the world.

To you it felt endearing, to others, Shoko and Satoru included, felt dangerous.

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The night Yu died in your mission, you lost a part of yourself.

Nanami was just as broken, blaming himself for what happened while you just couldn’t stop crying. You knew this could happen at any time, your job was dangerous, and you were still new to the arts of sorcery. But you didn’t expect to lose the center of your team, everyone loved him, even Nanami was nice to him. It was a hard blow for the two of you and the school in general.

What was even more unexpected was the fact that the events had triggered Suguru to commit an atrocious act.

You were all broken, confused, hurt.

Nothing made sense to you anymore.

Not only had you lost your friend and teammate, but the man you loved committed treason and killed a bunch of harmless humans without a documented valid reason to do so.

The news hit you like a train, it had to be a misunderstanding, he’s the kindest man you’ve ever met, you decided not to believe in anyone but Suguru himself, you wouldn’t form an opinion on the matter until you had formally talked to him, he did have a different view on the world, not everyone understands him the way you do.

That night, the window to your room opened from the outside, waking you up from your restless sleep. “S-suguru…?” it was pitch black outside and all you could see was the outline of his hairstyle illuminated by the moon shining on your wall, but you could recognize him with your eyes closed, his scent, his presence, you knew it was him.

“Yeah…can I…?” he walked over to your bed, clearly distraught. Understanding what he wanted you moved to the side, making space for him to join you under your blanket, waiting for him with your arms opened and a warm welcoming smile on your lovely face.

“Is it true…?” he buried his face on your chest at your question, letting you untie his bun and run your fingers through his long hair. You’ve gotten closer over the past few months, yet you weren’t officially a couple, not to others at least. You kept things private, late night secret meetings, stolen kisses behind trees, an unnumbered amount of quiet cuddling sessions in your bedroom when his thoughts claimed the best of him, but this was all just for the two of you, the world didn’t need to witness your relationship to give it any sort of worth or weight, you two were the only ones that mattered in the situation.

“Yeah…I killed them all. They…were torturing these little girls just because they are like us, even had them locked up in a cage like if they were some type of wild animal in a circus…they all deserved death… Didn’t they, baby?” he looked up at you searching your eyes for your approval, he knew in his heart he did the right thing, but a side of him was uncertain if you would cast him aside for his actions and go to Satoru instead.

“Hmm…I trust your judgement. If there was no other choice, I would have saved the girls too. You did great, love.” your soft smile filled his chest with that familiar warmth he grew addicted to, he knew you’d be on his side, there’s just no one like you.

He wanted you, needed you.

Right now.

Always.

“Come with us, babe. The girls don’t have anywhere to go, they’re my family now. I was thinking maybe you could come too? Go away, never look back…Make this world a better place…together….” his head was back on your chest, satisfied with the way his day was going. He didn’t even need to see your face, he knew he would win you over even without trying hard to convince you.

He wasn’t manipulating you, he truly wanted you by his side, wanted you as his queen, as queen of the new world, a world where everyone would be part of his family, where nobody would ever feel lonely again, where he didn’t have to eat more curses, where sorcerers wouldn’t be treated like pests, or worse, like government toys.

“Are you asking me to be the mother of your new daughters, Suguru~?” you giggled, joking around to lighten the mood a bit.

“That’s exactly what I am asking you, yes.” he placed a loving kiss on the middle of your chest bone, his hand rubbing circles onto your hips.

You knew he wasn’t joking; this was serious, but he was now a criminal sentenced to death, Gojo would be sent out for his head. Was that the life you wanted? The life of a criminal on the run?

It wasn’t ideal, but a life without Suguru in it was even worse, he was all you wanted, regardless of the implications of that decision.

“Then what are we waiting for? Let’s go before Gojo-senpai senses you in my room.” the smirk he gave you made heat pool in your stomach; you weren’t really trying to give him any crazy idea…

“Oh, but why? That would be so much fun…shall we make it known to him before we leave, how much you enjoy having me in your room…?” his mind had twisted even more as of recent, his possessiveness growing constantly with every little look Satoru gave your way. The thought of him knowing how much you desire and love each other instigating fire within him.

The night was long.

Satoru did feel his presence, but Suguru wasn’t stupid, he didn’t allow that to happen until you two were about to leave. He wanted him to know about your passionate encounter, he wanted him to realize you had gone with him, that you had chosen him, even if he was now a wanted criminal, a murderer, you still preferred him over Mr.Perfection.

When Satoru arrived at your room it was too late. All your stuff nowhere to be seen, your bed in disarray, the smell of mixed arousals and sweat hitting him right up his nose the moment he got in. He did it on purpose, and he knew it, made it clear for him he had claim you in every possible way, that you were his and his only.

Satoru was the one broken now, he lost his best friend, his teammate, his brother. And he also lost the only girl he’d been genuinely in love with. All in one night, without the chance to fight for any of you.

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Satoru went after Suguru many times, never being enough of a man to actually kill him, but he hadn’t had the chance to see you after you left.

Suguru kept you and your adoptive daughters safe in his newly acquired secret mansion, gave his queen everything and then some more. His family was a top priority for him, even if it wasn’t the only one.

Though, Satoru knew you’d come out of your hiding place if he dared to touch your man, and so you did.

He had attracted Geto releasing high quality curses within a secure invisible barrier, not even other special grade sorcerers would realize there was one to begin with, knowing he wouldn’t be able to pass on the feast. He knows how you always worried when he overconsumed them, and you would insist to tag along to keep your man in check.

What he didn’t expect to see though was how he consumed curse after curse, after curse, all high grades, with you in his arms. You kissed him deeply while the curses were still mingling inside his mouth, both laughing hysterically as you both indulged the curses as if they were carnal pleasures. A very different picture from the one he had in his head for his sweet innocent love and his best friend.

A grotesque scene, to him that is. To you and Suguru it was nothing but exhilarating and arousing. The taste of death mixed in with your deliciousness, it was addictive, to the both of you. Satoru was about to leave, disappointment sipping within his broken heart, his best friend turned wicked, his cute love lost her mind. That’s when he saw a little girl running towards you, panic almost dragging him to the scene.

“Mama! Are you done now? Mimiko is falling asleep!” Suguru kissed one last bit of curse out of your plush lips before indulging his daughter, quickly getting to them and lifting them both in his arms.

So this is how it was now, there was nothing left to save.

Nothing made Suguru happier than having his very dysfunctional and broken family gathered in his arms. You were all happy, satisfied with your current life.

Yeah, he definitely made the right choice…

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Masterlist

[silverwhittlingknife]

Good morning. I'm fairly new to batfamily comics and I was wondering if you know what the design inspirations for the nightwing black and blue suit are? Is it mentioned in the comics? I live in New Zealand and all the robins here are all black, except the south island robin which has a splash of white on its chest. To me the nightwing suit looks very reminiscent of New Zealand robins, though I'm sure that's just familiarity bias.

GOOD MORNING!!! I had no idea there were blue robins!! That is extremely cool & these birds are my friends now <333 There are (tragically) no blue robins in comics AFAIK, but the Nightwing costume design is still fun to trace...

The Nightwing Costume: A History

Nightwing I, Nightwing II, and a 1980s punk rocker.

Short version: The Nightwing black+blue+yellow costume is something Clark Kent wears in 1960s Superman comics, where the colors are inspired by Batman's costume - both in-universe and out-of-universe. So when Dick originally takes on the costume, it's an homage to both Batman and Superman. <3 The exact history gets tweaked a few times, but those basic vibes are usually consistent.

Long version: IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO HEAR SO MUCH MORE THAN YOU WANTED TO KNOW re:a bunch of Doylist comics history followed by the various Watsonian explanations for Dick's costume choices, I have rambled about this below the cut in three parts:

1960s and 70s: Nightwing I: Superman and Jimmy Olsen, the Dynamic Duo of Kandor!!

1980s and Onward: Nightwing II: Dick Grayson's New Teen Titans & Gen X Influences

In-Universe Explanations for Dick's Costume: A History

1960s + 70s: The DYNAMIC DUO OF KANDOR

Superman 158: The first appearance of Nightwing I!

Nightwing I - he's actually just Superman in another costume - was created for adventures in the Bottled City of Kandor! Kandor was invented in 1958 by Action Comics writer Otto Binder; it was a Kryptonian city shrunk by Braniac and kept as a trophy. Clark rescued the bottled city from him, kept it in the Fortress of Solitude, and sometimes used a shrink ray to shrink himself down to visit the city. (This was the 50s and 60s! Goofy sci-fi was in!) Kandor was a great setting for Superman stories because Clark could interact with a Kryptonian city without time travel. Plus, since Kandor had a miniature red sun, Clark could have adventures there where he didn't have powers.

In 1963, Superman writer Edmond Hamilton got the idea of having Superman and Jimmy Olson go undercover in Kandor. They have to come up with superhero disguises -- so naturally, Clark "takes a cue from his old friends Batman and Robin, and he and Jimmy Olsen become - The DYNAMIC DUO OF KANDOR!"

Nightwing and Flamebird's names got linked to newly-invented Kryptonian birds (you can see the birds in the cages behind them) - therefore paralleling Batman and Robin, inspired by Earth's bats and robins!

Readers loved Clark and Jimmy's buddy-movie adventures as Nightwing and Flamebird, and the story conceit stuck around for quite a while. If you're curious, you can read a bit more about the stories here! I like them; they're goofy but adorable.

Kandor eventually got written out in 1979, when a writer who was bored with it "fixed" the city and had Clark find a way to make all the people normal size. No more adventures for Clark and Jimmy...

This meant that the Nightwing name was up for grabs.

1980s: The NEW TEEN TITANS & Gen X Influences

In 1984 - five years after Kandor, Nightwing, and Flamebird had gotten written out of Superman comics - Marv Wolfman and George Pérez wanted to give Dick a new name and costume in Tales of the Teen Titans 44. They landed on Nightwing. It was a perfect legacy identity, representing an homage to both of Dick's role models: an identity that was used by Superman, but modeled after Batman.

Although the name stayed the same, the costume changed quite a bit! The design changes are IMO revealing both of the era in general and of some characterization choices Wolfman and Pérez were making for Dick.

Pérez - the artist, and therefore the guy who redesigned the Nightwing costume - gave a 1987 interview where he said this about Dick:

Robin/Nightwing, I like him a lot because of his history, he’s been around so long, and there’s a certain sleek sexuality about the character. He’s got a certain sense of everyman, a young swashbuckler type...

IMO you can see those elements in Pérez's design - it's got vaguely piratical/swashbuckler vibes, and my extensive research (...okay, this article on 80s fashion trends) suggests that this very silly-looking Halloween costume may indeed be riffing on edgy sex symbols of the 1980s.

And both those choices are in keeping with the vibe of New Teen Titans, an aggressively not-kid-appropriate comic that was trying to do a more mature / edgy / adult take on superheroes.

What does that mean, "more mature"? Partly, it just meant, uh, sex. Dick and Kory were actually the first DC couple to ever be implied to be having premarital sex (in NTT 28 in 1983, where they're shown in bed together); in earlier eras, this would've been forbidden by the Comic Code Authority, which banned "illicit sex," sympathetic criminals, and a bunch of other things.

But it's not just about sex. In the 80s, comic readers were getting older and more impatient with moralizing in general; wholesome role models were out and sex, drugs, and rock-and-roll were in. Wolfman and Pérez were reinventing Dick as an aged-up, angsty, angry young man who was part of a more soap opera-esque team, with characters sleeping with each other and getting jealous and getting married and fighting with each other and generally making a lot of understandable-but-edgier decisions.

The switch to the Nightwing costume, a few years in, aesthetically mirrors Dick's shift in characterization from preppy good kid to angsty rebel:

Nightwing II, or, "What would happen if you took Superman-pretending-be-Batman and stuck him in a blender with Billy Idol?"

Pérez started with the blue-and-yellow color scheme of the original Nightwing - which is just copying Batman, right down to the utility/antigravity belt. But for Dick, Pérez tweaked it to add 1980s fashion details that were Hip With The Edgy Youth, like a deep V-neck showing the chest, bling-y accents, and big flaps for the shirt collar.

(Billy Idol had become a huge success in 1983, the year before Dick became Nightwing; the punk rocker was a college dropout and fashion icon for Gen X's edgy young men ... Look, I'm not saying he's a direct inspiration for Dick's costume, I'm just saying!! Similarities, no?? The other obvious point-of-reference is 70s disco - thus the fan nickname "disco-wing" - which had been popularized by John Travolta, another celebrity dropout.)

You can see a parallel shift in Dick's relationship to education - in the 1970s, he was basically a Good Role Model And Responsible College Student at Hudson University, where AFAIK he stayed in his first semester of college for about a decade. By contrast, in 1980, the first issue of New Teen Titans kicks off with Dick having dropped out of college and having tensions with Bruce about it - not a stereotypical "good kid" choice.

Dick in New Teen Titans 1, looking... a little bit dopey, let's face it; he may be a cool & edgy college dropout now but his motorcycle kinda looks like it belongs to a middle-schooler

By NTT 34 in 1987, Dick's costume had gotten more dramatic and his motorcycle had gotten significantly cooler-looking:

Over time, the Nightwing costume got tweaked in various ways to get more sedate and to add a more birdlike V-shape to the chest, but that's the Nightwing origin story!

Okay, so that's out-of-universe. But what about IN-UNIVERSE EXPLANATIONS for Dick's costume?

WHAT A GOOD QUESTION. There are three you can choose from!

FIRST OFF, in the original 1984 story, Dick says he got the idea from a costume Clark wore - a reference to Clark and Jimmy's adventures in Kandor.

BUT THEN, in the post-Crisis reboot, the Bottled City of Kandor got deleted from continuity for a while, along with Clark and Jimmy's history of being Nightwing and Flamebird. (Crisis on Infinite Earths was a late-1980s event that merged DC's Earth-One and Earth-Two, retconned a lot of backstories, erased a lot of goofier story elements, and tried to create a more streamlined DCU. Fans usually call the comics that were published after this event "post-Crisis comics," because "thecomicsthatwerepublishedpost-CrisisonInfiniteEarths" can't be said five times fast.)

With Kandor gone, the name's origin had to be tweaked a bit. In post-Crisis, Dick still gets the name idea from Superman, but it's from a Kryptonian legend that Clark knows, as opposed to a costume Clark wore.

And then in Nightwing: Year One, a retcon/retelling midway through post-Crisis, Dixon tweaks things a bit further, so that instead of the Robin costume being an homage to the Graysons' costumes (a Wolfman retcon in LPoD), it's instead the Nightwing costume which is an homage to the Graysons' costumes, and it's deliberately modeled after something John Grayson wore.

... So in-universe, the possible explanations are basically:

Pre-Crisis: Dick got both the name and the costume design from Superman, who came up with them in order to imitate Batman, OR

Post-Crisis: Dick got the name from Superman, and Dick came up with the costume on his own - probably still deliberately imitating Batman's color choices, OR

Post-Crisis: Dick got the name from Superman and the design from John Grayson's acrobat costume.

(The post-Crisis period ended in 2011 with Flashpoint, so for a while people called post-2011 comics "post-Flashpoint," but nowadays it's usually divided into DC's branded eras: new 52, Rebirth, and Infinite Frontier. I don't think those eras have any significant retcons to Dick's costume origin, but I'm not 100% sure.)

ALL THAT SAID, I love the idea of "it's Robin, but blue," so thank you; that's adorable and it's gonna live in my heart forever now <333

[shiny-jr]

Oh man, just got caught up on all the Vil stuff of the last few days, and we simps be eating good!

So here’s my contribution to the ever-growing shrine: pre-confession darling always being polite to Vil, but a little distant, a little too star-struck to relax around him. Vil starts to wonder if he’s doing something wrong, if he isn’t good enough…

But THEN *dramatic music* darling’s bag falls over somehow, and some little Vil fan item falls out. Nothing crazy, maybe a button with his face on it, or a perfume model he advertised for that has his picture on the bottle. Something unmistakably fangirl-ish.

Darling only notices when Ace or Deuce points it out, then gets utterly mortified when she sees that Vil had also noticed. Stuffs it back in, tries to laugh it off, but can’t get away from the teasing that yeah, even though they’re still new to this world, they couldn’t resist spending some hard earned thaumarks, and that they’ve grown to admire Vil after the SDC.

Can you imagine? I’m sure Vil would be very nice and not too teasing in the moment, but the second he’s alone? Cue all the embarrassing squealing and rolling on the bed he’d never let anyone see. And the SMUGNESS!! Oh, he’ll be on cloud nine for the next few days, randomly smiling and causing heart attacks in the student population.

Even better, now knowing Darling is a fan, it’s SO much easier to get closer, to offer exclusive tickets to his next movie, to invite darling along on his next photo shoot. And any time darling gets embarrassed and tries to refuse, he can just catch their chin in his hand, and force eye contact as he pouts and reminds them that they’re his fan…

Warning: Yandere. Gender-neutral reader.

Characters: Vil Schoenheit.

Summary: Vil being a fucking simp for a fan MC.

Note: Y'all Vil simps have taken over this blog now. ARE YOU HAPPY? Had to write a bit for this because I saw it so vividly in my head. Normally I like to imagine MC kinda oblivious to trends and celebrities of Twisted Wonderland so they casually approach the elegant star Vil like "wazzup" but your idea is pretty fun too. Had to bust out my Vil playlist to write this one. ADDED: I just finished it. Have not edited or checked for mistakes. But I feel like its mid? Like, it’s not bad but it’s not good either. But I didn’t want to keep it in the drafts after completing it and I didn’t just want to delete it either. So I’ll post anyways, even though I’m not happy with it. 

Normally the class consisted of the first years, you'd sit beside Ace and Deuce, usually with Grim seated in your lap. Sometimes Jack, Epel, and even Sebek would be in the same class. But this time you were alone, despite the class being busier than ever.

Ace, Deuce, and Grim were caught doing something they shouldn't have been doing, as per usual. And they were promptly sent to see the Headmaster. Surprisingly you weren't called up, probably because you had been in the bathroom when it went down so you were exempt from detention. Jack, Epel, and Sebek made it to class on time, but they had arrived when the only seats left were across the room. Leaving you seated between unfamiliar third-years because of the joint class today. Well, most of them were unfamiliar, not all of them. Seated directly on your left was Vil Schoenheit, third-year, dorm leader of Pomefiore, and celebrity.

Schoeneheit had greeted you amicably with a rather friendly smile and a how are you? To which you responded with your own nervous smile and a polite response. Truthfully, you believe he only sat beside you because it was one of the only seats left, but you'd like to believe it was because he saw you in a good light now. Were you friends? Probably not. Maybe simple acquaintances was a better term. 

If you were being honest, he still intimidated you. You could recall the looks of disdain he often gave you and your companions before the audition, then there was his strict nature and the fact that he literally cursed your friends with a cake you were five seconds from taking a bite of. Not to mention his overblot and how his unhinged form seemed to focus on you so intently... Yeah, talk about nightmare fuel. But, you decided to give him another chance at possibly being friends. You knew he was famous, but you didn’t know he was famous enough to draw crowds. Which sparked your curiosity and led you to looking him up. What you found were various films, shows, advertisements, and magazines. He was like the actor Emma Watson, singer Britney Spears, and influencer Kim Kardashian all rolled into one. You still can’t believe you had no idea who he was and you had offered him a bowl of cheap instant noodles when he and the others were staying at Ramshackle. Embarrassing... 

You sat rigidly as Vil checked his appearance in the small hand-held mirror, making sure his looks were up to his standards before class began. Uncomfortably you shifted, deciding to occupy yourself by removing your notebook and writing utensils from the bag you kept as a barrier between you and the super star. As you did so, you failed to notice a tiny object fall out of your bag, but he noticed out of the corner of his eye. Curiously he plucked it up between his gloved fingers, about to return it when he took a closer look. 

It was an enamel pin, shiny and sparkling. However, it resembled his face. Or, to be more accurate, one of the characters he played in a recent series. It caused him to freeze, processing what this meant before he moved to tap your shoulder and held out his open palm with the pin on it. “You dropped this.” 

Confused, you turned your head and raised your eyebrow. That’s when you saw it. Your pin in his hand, the pin that looked exactly like him. Mortified, you quickly snatched it, attempting to laugh it off, but heat only began to creep up your neck when you noticed his smug smile. 

Vil propped up his elbow on the table, holding up his head as he remarked slyly, “I didn’t think you were a fan.” 

“Ahaha, yeahhhh... Sorry, is that weird?” 

“Not at all. I’m a little flattered.” Those amethyst eyes of his were studying you so intensely, watching your every little reaction. “I’m simply surprised. Most people tend to not like that character I portrayed, since they’re a villain and all.” 

“What’s wrong with that? I think villains are better than good guys anyways. They always have a better fleshed out backstory or reason for what they do. They’re more relatable, you know? And you did a really good job and making the audience feel for the character! They became my favorite! And–– Ah...” Realizing what you were doing, you shut your mouth. “I mean, you probably get that stuff a lot, huh? I’ll stop now.” 

His eyes were sparkling, surprised as his listened. When you paused, he insisted, “No, no, continue! Any and all feedback is appreciated. Besides,” Vil took the pin from your hands, and he lifted his fingers up to the upper half of your uniform where he pinned the accessory on your clothing. Beaming pridefully at the sight of the accessory, with his face on it, on your uniform, he hummed, “You said, I was your favorite, didn’t you? We still have a few more minutes before class. You’ll indulge me with more conversation, won’t you~?” 

❂     ❂     ❂     ❂     ❂ 

Once alone, Schoenheit allowed his bag to slip off his shoulder. It was a long class, three hours to be exact. Three hours... with you. He released a shaky breath, clutching the spot over his heart that was still beating at a faster than average rate. He could hardly believe his luck. When he heard that today there was to be a joint class between first-years and third-years, he instantly began prepping. He put more effort into his makeup, making sure it was perfect down to the exact particle. He sprayed on his sweetest smelling perfume and picked his cleanest uniform. 

At first he was worried that perhaps he was doing something wrong. You always appeared so... timid whenever he appeared. You could be joking and chatting animatedly with those pesky friends of yours (which he held a raging jealously towards), but when he entered the room, you would go quiet and avoid his gaze. He questioned and scolded himself for everything he did. Why did he used to look at you like a stain? Why didn’t he realize you earlier? Were his efforts at redeeming himself in your eyes, not good enough? Was it something about the way he dressed? Or acted? Or spoke? All this paranoia seemingly evaporated when he striked up a conversation. For the first time in weeks, you talked to him! And it wasn’t just a little chat about homework, or responsibilities, or school rumors. You spoke to him, about him! He knew by the pin and how you spoke about the series, that you had seen him on the show. You had been thinking about him! It quelled all his worries, as just yesterday he feared that you may have secretly loathed him for what he’s done or tried to do. 

As the memory came back to him of what just occurred, Vil clutched himself and squealed. He was already on the bed, rolling around on the sheets and pillows, resisting the urge to simply jump on his mattress and leap with joy! He could vividly recall the way you allowed him to scoot closer to point out some important material in the textbook, as you whispered a witty remark to him which he very quietly chuckled to in order to avoid being caught by the professor, and you even gave him your number! Of course it was to exchange notes and tips, you had said. But he’d use it for so much more than that. 

This was good first step, wasn’t it? You had officially bypassed the acquaintance stage and were now well on your way to the friend stage. Then, more than that, by that was all in due time. For now... 

Vil stopped his squirming, again feeling his heart that was now beating rapidly. Do you know the things he would do just for your attention? Oh, you truly have no idea of the lengths he would do, just for you. Gingerly picking up his phone, he read over the newly registered number. Your number. Slowly opening up a chat, he was partially disappointed to see it was completely empty. You hadn’t sent a thing. But, if all went well, it’d be full and constantly busy by tomorrow evening. His fingers danced across the screen as he typed out his message, reviewing what he wrote over and over again for any errors, any grammar mistakes, or another way to better word what he wants to say. Finally, after a good five minutes of anxiously staring at his screen, he pressed the send button, and watched the text come up in the chat. 

V: [ It was nice to talk to you again. If you’re willing, we should meet again. I got word that Professor Trein plans to have another joint class promptly, and he’ll assign a project so that the first years and third years work together. Would you like to get ahead and research in the library soon? ] 

Then he waited. And waited. And waited some more. After ten minutes, he feared he wouldn’t get a response. Had you given him the wrong number accidentally or purposefully? Was he coming on too strong? What if–– 

Ding! 

Instantly the screen lit up, displaying a new unread message which he hurriedly read. 

Y: [ Vil, right? Thanks for the heads up! Sorry for the kinda late reply Grim took my phone to play games. Anyways, yeah, that sounds good. I can meet you as soon as classes are over tomorrow, if that’s a good time for you?? ] 

V: [ That sounds perfect. ]

You poor thing, you truly don’t have a clue about what you’re getting into, do you?

❂     ❂     ❂     ❂     ❂ 

Again, Vil was prepared. He dressed flawlessly and got to the library early in order to have all the books necessary and stacked up on the table. He greeted you with a friendly smile, and you immediately got to work together. The blonde sat across from you, watching as you sketched out a rough look for the presentation that you wanted to show him and ask for his opinion. As he waited, he ignored the open book in front of him and instead watched at the way you focused on the paper, your hand moving with the pencil to create lines and shapes on the sheet. It was incredible that even the simple little things about you could captivate him. 

After a moment of watching you with a gentle smile and great intrigue, he opened his mouth, “Do you have any plans for afterwards?” 

You paused, looking up in confusion, “H-Huh?” 

“Do you have any plans for afterwards?” He repeated. “I mean, after our study session together. Do you have anything planned for afterwards?” 

“Oooh.” You shrugged before getting back to the sketch, answering as you finished up the drawing. “I mean, I left Grim with the ghosts but he gets grumpy if he doesn’t get tucked in. The Headmaster said Grim wasn’t allowed out, except classes, for at least two day. But, I might go buy some instant foods from Sam’s shop. Then I’ll lead home.” 

“Instant foods...?” Vil murmured incredulously, his smile immediately dropping. All those times he’d spied on you as you ate lunch with your friends, he always thought it was strange that you never ate when he saw you. Despite your company and even Grim eating. But now this? Instant foods? Was it possible that you didn’t have enough money to eat lunch? He was mortified. Swiftly he grabbed your wrist and carefully dragged you out of the library, “Come. Now.” 

“Wh–– What?? Where are we going? What about the project!” 

“A simple project can wait. Our stuff will be where we left it.” He continued to escort you down the hallways, towards what you recognized was the path leading to the cafeteria. That’s when he spoke again, his tone oddly stern, much different from how softly he spoke just minutes before. “You haven’t been eating properly, have you?” 

Your gaze drifted downwards, gazing at the floor as if it were the most interesting thing in the world, in order to avoid his stare. “... Hot pockets are still food.” 

“I mean real food.” When there was a lack of response, Vil became angry. Not at you, but at who was responsible. “That wretched crow hasn’t given you a decent allowance, has he? Tsk. I’ll be having a chat with him, but for now...” He led you to the front of the cafeteria, where there was no line. Other few students present were chatting at tables, having a late dinners after their clubs or study sessions. Vil stood behind you with his arms crossed as he instructed, “Order. And I’ll be watching to be certain you have enough on your plate.” 

You were quiet, gazing at the pastries, plates, meats, salads, and other delectable dishes past the glass counters. The menu overhead appeared endless, with a huge variety of food and drinks and desserts. It made your stomach grumble. It was a horrible reminder that you had barely eaten that day. You only had a cheap bag of chips that morning. Ashamed, you avoided his gaze once again as you muttered, “Vil, I can’t afford any of this right now...” 

“I wasn’t asking if you could afford it. I was instructing you to choose what you wanted. I don’t want your money, you could just pay me back in another manner.” When one of the ghost chefs came over, Vil placed a hand over your shoulder and used his other hand to point at several dishes, “My companion here will have one of these, two of those, and five of that. Yes, that plate right there. Oh, and a smoothie as well. Thank you.” Once the ghost was gone, Vil gazed back down at you. You still couldn’t look him in the eye. Carefully he reached forward, gingerly lifting your head up by your chin so you were forced to look at his eyes. His eyes that were normally so cold and judgmental, gazed at you so fondly. “Why won’t you look at me? Aren’t were close?” He pouted to sell the act. “I’m not about to neglect my own darling fan and let them go hungry. That’d be far too cruel. To pay me back, you can accompany me on one of our days off. Say... to see a new movie in town? Well, do you agree? Or shall I order you more plates and see your time to pay me back grow longer~? Surely spending time with me can’t be that bad?”

[evilscientist3]

nice job supporting ai stealing artwork dickweed 👍

First, let me start with a disclaimer:

I don't like AI art personally. Subjectively speaking, it just doesn't feel like proper art to me.

I just think that the rhetoric behind why, from an objective standpoint, AI art in particular is bad (i.e. immoral) deserves more thought.

Some questions which you might find worth answering:

Is there a means of explaining how AI art steals from artists that doesn't imply collage and/or inspiration are also forms of art theft?

For an artist, is anything intrinsically lost when their art is used as a sample in an AI's data model?

When it comes to AI generated photographs, is art theft still occurring?

Consider the post you're getting mad at me about. whompthatsucker1981's copy of the AI generated photo likely wouldn't have existed without an AI generated photo to copy. Is there no value to be found in the AI enabling the creation of the art?

Suppose I were to train a data set on, say, Rembrandt's paintings to try and generate my own "new artwork" of his - just to hang in my living room. He's famous and dead, so this action doesn't affect him at all - is anything wrong with me doing this?

Similarly, suppose a commercial entity or institution were to do the same, and sell or display it with the pretext that it was generated - would this novelty not at the least be somewhat intriguing?

How about if a team of experts assessed the product, and personally corrected and altered details to keep it consistent with his other works if necessary?

Many years ago, I met an artist called Doug Fishbone while he was doing an exhibition called "Made In China" at the Dulwich Picture Gallery. There was no clear piece on display as part of the exhibition; there was, however, an impostor. One of the paintings in the gallery had been replaced with a replica commissioned from the Meisheng Oil Painting Manufacture Co., who only ever saw the painting they copied as a high resolution photo - thousands of visitors were invited to guess which.

This both questions the value of originality in art (is the copy really less valuable than the original if you can't tell the two apart? How about if it's utilised as part of a philosophical point or artistic message?) and reveals, via the copycat painting's minor discrepancies, that even in careful replication, the preferences of the artist often shine through (perhaps this is a motivation in the encouragement of copyists by many old masters).

I would certainly agree that it isn't particularly desirable to study the "eye" of an AI all too closely - its own quirks will simply be the mean of other artists' idiosyncracies. But suppose that the image is then copied, modified, or used as inspiration - is its place in allowing for another artist to develop a concept not valuable at all?

To be clear, these questions aren't rhetorical; I'd like to hear your views. If you reply, I hope you do so in good faith.

[torturedblue]

Part 2 of endless Disaster Twin parallels, the not so fun version

Part 1, the fun version

Considering the series shows Donnie coming off as autistic, he’s portrayed that way much more in fan art and fanfics, etc. We often see it in fan portrayals through an aversion to touch or his senses getting overwhelmed, etc. In the show I noticed Leo actually has a consistent aversion to anything with a gross texture too: like in the first episode when they’re all sliding down Draxum’s vines and he’s tripping over himself, the only one bothered by them “I hate this!”

He also starts flailing in a panic after a worm jumps on his face (and do I even need to bring up how the texture of worms ain’t all that enjoyable let alone on your face), recoils when that evil Hidden City massage guy pours hair serum all over his head, and he’s the most visibly repulsed when Raph gets trash all over them in the beginning of Battle Nexus: New York. So on multiple occasions he comes off as pretty texture or germ averse as well

Both also have insecurity issues about their role to the team: “If mystics can do everything I can but better then why would you guys even need me?” “I’m nothing without them!”

Ironically, in Many Unhappy Returns, Splinter thinks Leo doesn’t know what he’s doing and isn’t taking the mission seriously, saying he should’ve brought Purple. But in the same episode during fights with Shredder Donnie’s seen texting on his phone half of the time. Which is also very parallel to Leo making quips in the beginning instead of helping fight like Donnie and the others

In that same fashion, Donnie’s also goofiest when everyone’s acting serious in Insane in the Mama Train, while Leo’s the unserious one in the following episodes. Another role reversal from their norm

The show also portrays these two as feeling the most affected by Splinter’s history of emotionally distant parenting. Donnie constantly talks about his unmet need for parent-aged-adult approval/validation, and Leo shows his struggle in a more Leo-like way, constantly finding father figure connections in other people like Jupiter Jim and The Dunk. He also rejects/roasts Splinter a lot too, which seems more like a form of overcompensation; acting like he doesn’t totally need or crave Splinter’s attention. The exact opposite of Donnie’s methods. “No! I’m not going back to what’s-his-rat.”

“He’s my all-time favorite actor/role model/father figure!”

“That eccentric billionaire, who was kind of a surrogate father figure to me, has shown me a version of myself I don’t like.”

Leo acts like he doesn’t pine for his affection. I’m sure he sees the way Donnie openly, desperately goes after it when it’s offered and then gets crushed even harder with disappointment (ahem Turtle-dega Nights). No way Leo’s opening himself up to that. I mean come on how sad is the moment when Splinter says they should do something together and Mikey is so eager to jump on the opportunity before it gets taken away, only for Donnie to have to pull him aside and remind him it’s usually some kind of trick or he’s likely possessed? Just for Mikey to immediately respond, “You’re right, I always fall for this!” Ouch. Honestly considering Mikey’s empathy and emotional maturity in mind, the reason both he and Raph seem to handle Splinter’s lack of attention so well is probably also because in addition Raph became a second parent himself, and taking on that role like Splinter, he knows from his own experience that even though their dad doesn’t show it in the ways they wish he would, of course he loves them and what he does do to take care of them as a parent proves that

I think the parallels and direct contrasts between how Leo and Donnie show their dissatisfaction in their relationship with Splinter is probably the most developed and interesting one to me 💔

I mean Leo’s the only one who would actually say something like this to Splinter and you can’t tell me there’s not some deep-seated resentment in the way he looks and the way he says it…

So yeah. There’s the sad edition of Disaster Twins parallels. Let’s all cry together 😃