#and yeah we're not the target audience

[goldenpinof]

There's also a tik tok with a segment of the interview tiktok. com/ @listentotimesradio/video/7367718272076123424?_t=8mGFG3gITpY&_r=1

thank youuu. posting it here to document :)

@listentotimesradio: “My career is an accident.”

Daniel Howell had no idea he would become internet famous, and tells #TimesRadio how he risked it all when he decided to open up about his mental health online.

#danielhowell #danandphil #britain #england #youtuber #fyp

[allthegothihopgirls]

one-stop shop oc who's been put in every universe both original and existing that the creator's ever found even remotely interesting....

sense of self so shattered and unrepairable it resembles the life is strange time travel 'left behind selves' dilemma.

[bugs-in-situations]

we were thinking about a lot of very silly parallels between characters from the paper games and the bug game and we have happened upon a very silly idea: bug fables with the plot of super paper mario

there are a lot of other important characters that haven't been casted yet but yeah this is what that post on main was about. kabbu is about to go on probably the most absurd adventure we've put him through yet

[aeide-thea]

a thing i remember from childhood that i think ought to exist in adult sizes is dresses with matching bike shorts

[danthropologie]

I've been reading anons as pointing out the "and alsos" of Daniel, so basically taking his excellent driving skills for granted! Like nothing should need to be clarified there--but anon is probably right that we should say it more cause some people (not on this blog) have short memories...

yes exactly!!! the perfect articulation of what i was trying to say!!

[mist-the-wannabe-linguist]

Hot take

Night furies are actually perfectly evolved for hunting and killing other dragons and the only reason they aren't a dragon-hunting species like the death song or deathgrippers are is because DreamWorks couldn't have their adorable main character dragon be a "cannibal"

(below I'm gonna try to summarize what we've figured out in a convo with friends on discord)

(also tw animal death via predator)

First of all yes I'm aware that pretty much every decision made about their design was with consideration of the effect it would make on human audiences but hear me out

Night furies are most iconically known as dive-bombers. They are built for speed, high maneuverability, night-time camouflage and for striking targets from above. If we remove human settlements out of the equation (which would not have existed long enough to actually influence night fury evolution, come on), what does that leave us with?

They aren't built for catching fish for sure, they aren't very hydrodynamic and their head is round, wide, and their teeth are dull. Honestly, the monstrous nightmare is much better suited for catching fish, with its long neck, almost pelican-like jaw and rhamphorhynchus teeth

Compare to

Yeah the jaws look kinda like a porpoise of some sort but for that the whole body would have to be a lot more aquatic imo. The light fury looks a lot closer to an aquatic diver, it has a sleeker body, rounded fins instead of spikes, and a long neck.

I don't really see them hunting land animals either, they just don't look like they're adapted for that minus the resemblance with large felines and even then, they're too large to effectively hunt in forests.

The one thing I can kinda imagine them hunting is large mainland megafauna, but we're working with a setting that takes place pretty much exclusively on islands. And overall, dragons are the only abundant species there with the exception of fish and human-bred sheep and chickens.

In general, night furies have duller teeth, smaller claws and are smaller than most dragons. Disregarding the movies making Toothless weirdly OP, a night fury would be disadvantaged against most dragons in a 1v1 fight and besides, it has four huge weak spots that would highly discourage it from a direct physical fight - the primary and secondary tail fins. One unlucky rip in the membrane and the night fury is fucked.

The night fury however noticeably resembles falcons, given their dive-bombing ability and high maneuverability.

Falcons too have smaller beaks and weaker claws compared to most birds of prey, and for that they compensate by simply picking up speed, balling up their talons and Punching. Really. Hard.

And they use that ability to kill other birds, even much larger ones, by knocking them right from the sky.

Here, the night fury's plasma blast works the same way as a falcon's punch. Dragons are fire-resistant, so what the plasma blast does is really just a densely packed bolt of energy that has the effect of either stunning or outright killing prey by damaging its spine. And what the plasma bolt doesn't do, rapid contact with the ground would finish. And if even that doesn't do it, the night fury's wide jaws and dull teeth are just fine for simply clamping around the unlucky dragon's neck and strangling it, like a lion or a pitbull.

The night-time camouflage allows the night fury to soar for extended periods of time perfectly unnoticed in the night sky, and by the time it strikes, the dragon wouldn't even know what's coming.

Unless

Say the hunting night fury is aware of other dragons sleeping under the trees, as most dragons probably would at night (village raids aside, most dragons seem to be diurnal), so how does the night fury get them in position where it can use its signature attack? Well, there's That Iconic Screech Of Death. Since in the movies it tends to appear not just during dive-bombings but also when charging up a blast, I imagine it's something the night fury is able to control to some degree. So by simply fake-diving in close proximity to sleeping dragons, it can effectively terrify them into leaving their hideout and fly out into the open where it can easily take them out.

I dunno, the possibility of night furies as predators to other dragons just makes so much sense to me, I really don't know what other reasons there would be for them to evolve these particular adaptations.

And one more little headcanon to add to this whole rant - since night furies are significantly smaller and less equipped for dragon vs dragon fights and are primarily speed-based predators, I imagine there is this very likely scenario:

There is one dragon who resembles a hyena, a lil bit

Ok, rant over

[muddyorbsblr]

come on, england

'one look and they'll know' collection masterlist See my full list of works here!

Placement: about a year after 'a sizing mishap'

Summary: When the video director for Tom's promo seems uncomfortable with articulating the vision that was instructed of him, you step in to help things along

Pairing: Tom Hiddleston x Reader

Word Count: 1.2k

Warnings: a tiny bit of dirty talk; little to no plot in this i just wrote it for the thirst [let me know if i missed anything!]

Things to be aware of: we're in a new era (reveal at the end author notes)

This feels familiar, you thought to yourself, watching Tom walk in front of the camera, wearing a white and blue jersey with the number 6 in the middle. He looked to the side of the camera, his eyes meeting yours for a fraction of a moment, before putting on his game face and returning his focus to the lens, looking like he was about to give a pep talk.

"Come on, England!" he exclaimed, with an enthusiasm that felt better suited for a stage performing Shakespeare. Fitting, considering how the target audience were to be sports enthusiasts that Soccer Aid wanted to attract and fill seats next Sunday.

The man behind the camera threw up his hand, scratching the back of his head as he shouted, "Cut!" It was obvious that while he had done a magnificent job, as always, this didn't quite fit with the vision they had in mind. "That was…great, Tom. Really it was. But maybe we could go again but this time a bit more…encouraging?"

"You mean like louder, yeah?"

"No actually maybe a bit…softer?"

Despite his efforts to keep his expression unchanging, you could see the questions swirling in Tom's oceanic eyes. You'd known him far too long that those minute changes no longer got past you. And long enough that you could wager a guess that the questions popping up in his head were the same as yours.

If they want encouraging, then that last take should have done it. It's the tone the sports fans respond to. It's their catnip.

But as soon as the director said, "Maybe like…soothing?", the real vision clicked into place. The target audience for this promotional video wasn't the sports fans at all.

"You mean seductive?" you spoke up from your seat, shifting your posture to cross your leg over the other and resting your arms on your knee. "Enticing?"

"That's--preposterous I would never--"

"Come on, you and I both know who you have in front of the camera. And the type of crowd you want filling in the rest of the seats of that stadium, it's okay. But see, he's not gonna give you the performance you see in your head if you keep trying to dance around the words," you explained, motioning toward both of them. "You want him to play it sexy, just say the words."

"I can't it feels weird, ma'am," he finally blurted out. "These were just the instructions relayed to me, that the feel should be--"

"Tantalizing," you finished for him, trying to hold back a chuckle at how his face reddened as he nodded. You stood up, smoothing your hands over the fabric of your navy blue jumpsuit. "Alright then, show me how to operate the camera."

You walked over to look at the instructions that he referred to, your skin prickling at the scrawled words of 'Make sure he doesn't show his left hand'.

'Bedroom voice pls', another one said in bright sky blue ink.

"I know that look, sweetheart," Tom spoke up. "Are you alright?"

You made your way to him, your shoulders immediately relaxing when he wrapped his arm around your waist, holding you to him as he pressed his lips to your forehead. "Nothing we haven't dealt with before," you answered him, taking a deep breath and smiling at the comfort you felt from his signature citrusy leathery scent. "Now for this take…how about we try you walking into the shot? And then you stare the camera down while you say the line? Forget encouraging and just…"

Identical wide smiles stretched across your faces as you whispered a scenario to him that you believed could get his voice to where the organizers' vision wanted it to be. He slid his hand down the side of your body, giving you a playful little tap on the ass right as you walked back toward the camera.

The video director showed you how to start rolling on the camera then stepped aside to let you run the shot. "Ready, sweetie?"

He threw you a look that had you fighting not to squirm where you stood, answering you in that gravelly tone you were intimately familiar with. "For you, goddess? Always."

You positioned yourself squarely behind the camera, throwing up your hand to count him down to his cue. 3…2…1…Go.

Tom walked into the shot, his eyes meeting yours behind the camera. He took a breath, adjusting his stance to have his feet shoulder-width apart and placing his hands on his hips. His eyes roamed your features with the slightest whisper of the hunger and mischief that you were accustomed to when you were within the privacy of your home. And then he spoke, his voice low and raspy that it immediately brought your thoughts to that scenario you whispered in his ear minutes before.

Imagine that it's just you and me, sneaking in a quickie on the day bed in our study and failing because you're talking me into just one more round. Talking me into making more of a mess on you so we end up in the shower. Or the bathtub.

"Come on, England," he said softly, squinting his eyes at the lens. At you. And then he pursed his lips, fighting back the smile that threatened to follow through once he clocked how your eyes had glazed over, knowing exactly where your mind had wandered.

"Cut!" the video director's voice rang through the little studio, audibly more excited over the take compared to the last. "That was perfect, Tom. I think we got everything we need for your video." He rushed over to you, holding his hand out for you to shake. "You're phenomenal."

"That she is," Tom chirped up, taking his place by your side and settling his hand comfortably on your waist. "Always a blessing whenever we find ourselves able to work together."

"Have you ever thought of directing, Miss H? I'd be more than happy to share the co-directing credit on this with--"

"Ohh absolutely not," you cut him off, laughing the suggestion away. "Too much responsibility. Always happy to assist but I don't think I'll ever want that workload on my shoulders no matter what the scope or scale. I'm more than happy letting you sign this video off as fully yours. And those higher ups that left you those instructions would probably be very happy with you, too."

You saw how Tom craned his head to see the instructions that had been left for the video director, his hand tensing for a moment before his thumb stroked at your side, the motion soothing both of you.

"I'll let them know though that it wouldn't have been possible without your input, at least. Do you prefer Y/N H. or just Miss H?"

Oh I'm sure they'll love that, you thought to yourself, already imagining the bitter sneers this poor guy was about to witness. "You know what, just tell them Mrs. Hiddleston says 'you're welcome'."

A/N: Okay so we have 2 welcomes in this chapter…First welcome back to the Soccer Aid Collection. Apparently we're gonna have 2024 chapters added because I couldn't help myself so this thirst piece happened, and the chaos is probably gonna go down where I'm writing for both 2023 Soccer Aid and 2024 Soccer Aid at the same time because I am just…slow…lol

But anyways…welcome to the married era 😳🥹 I honestly have so much planned to get these blorbos to where they are right now, and I had a different chapter in mind to reveal to y'all that this is what we're working towards, but things happen, plans change…Tomathy walks out in that jersey with the long hair, gets me struggling not to say the d-word, and effectively derails those plans in the best way possible 😅🫡

'everything' taglist: @simplyholl @loopsisloops @imalovernotahater @coldnique @loz-3 @huntress-artemiss @salempoe @vickie5446 @athalialaufeyson @lokiprompts @kats72 @kikster606 @asgards-princess-of-mischief @lokixryss @thomase1 @mischief2sarawr @lovingchoices14 @lunarnights95 @goblingirlsarah @iamlokisgloriouspurpose @creationsbyme @maple-seed @mjsthrillernp @ladyofthestayingpower @mygfloki @sititran @glitterylokislut @ozymdias @fictive-sl0th  @lokidbadguy @mochie85 @silverfire475 @joyful-enchantress @elizabethmidnight2017 @holdmytesseract @smolvenger @gigglingtiggerv2 @lokidokieokie @lunarnights95 @superficialdomina @kmc1989 @november-rayne @goddessofwonderland @buttercupcookies-blog @peaky-marvel @lokiified @tom-hlover @dryyoursaltyoceantears @herdetectivetheorist

[rtc-incorrectquotes]

Happy Halloween

Noel: Wooo~ I’m a spooky ghost~

Ocean: You don’t sound that scary.

Noel: *smacks her* You wanna say that again?

Misha: Trick or Treat! …We know you’re in there. Your lights are on… Give us candy, asshole!

: Trick or Treat!

Karnak: Alright. Got some menthol cools… Uh… A grimy metal tee. A deep fried hello kitty cupcake… And ah… Resurrection.

Noel: Just saying, Halloween is gay Christmas.

Constance: Get into the Halloween spirit and make a ghost!

Ocean: That's called "murder" and it's illegal.

Constance: Guys, we're out of candy.

Ocean: What? Already? There's only been like three kids.

Constance: Yeah, I know, but one little girl told me she loved me so I just gave her everything.

Constance: Hey Noel, what do you want to be for Halloween?

Noel: Loved and appreciated.

Constance : Oh.

Ricky: Maybe we should dress up as pizza and cheese this Halloween.

Penny: Sure- Why?

Ricky: Because we belong together.

Misha: I can't find a costume for Halloween… can I go as your boyfriend?

Talia: Only if you stay in character all year.

Ricky: It's a good thing I still have my costume from last Halloween.

Karnak: I really don't think you were the target audience for that item.

Ricky: There is nothing gendered about a sexy cat.

Misha, kicking the G off graveyard sign: Let's get this party started!

Penny: Ricky, I'm going to be a dinosaur for Halloween

Ricky: Really? Why?

Penny: So that I can roar at and bite people I don't like without getting in trouble.

Ricky: …I love you.

Penny: What is it called when you shoot someone on Halloween?

Misha: Trigger treating.

Ocean: No, it's called homicide.

Ricky: Trigger treating.

[kityana]

see, the thing about striker being cool in "the harvest moon festival" is that... yeah, we're supposed to think he's cool. because that's what blitzo thinks.

the episode works very, very hard to show us how cool striker is. i mean, look at his introduction shot!

that's badass. no question about it.

and yes, he does proceed to charm the pants off millie and blitzo, with a bit of flirtation and a lot of compliments. He even pulls the same compliment-and-wink move on both of them.

and then he follows it up by doing very badass things. killing that hell pig? badass. going toe-to-toe with blitzo in the pain games? super badass.

and sure, all the while he's relentlessly bullying moxxie- but at this point blitzo had been relentlessly bullying moxxie for 4 episodes straight. this isn't raising any alarm bells. not with us, as the audience who's used to it, and not with blitzo.

because we're supposed to see this through blitzo's eyes. we're supposed to see striker as a cool dude because that's what striker manipulates blitzo into seeing. he lays that charm on thick because he needs no one to suspect him- least of all the 3 assassins who depend on his target for a living and are the most likely to try and stop him.

but this is an act. this is not who striker really is. his facade completely drops when he's found out. He doesn't really think highly of millie or blitzo- he thinks killing millie isn't even worth it, and he calls blitzo a "rodeo clown".

and even his anti-royal creed sounds self serving when he also refers to himself as being above most imps. he literally refers to himself and blitzo as "superior". he's, as blitzo notes in "oops", a supremacist.

but while he mostly breaks after being found out, there are prior clues to his giant ego- like this pose he strikes after winning the rope pulling contest, or the song he sings about, well, winning.

this is actually really the kind of guy i'd expect to have a giant statue of himself with a huge boner at home. how did stolas put it?

[david-talks-sw]

I was watching the Clone Wars featurette about the Holocron arc and Dave talks about the scene where Bane threatens to kill Ahsoka. He says "we're seeing a dark side of Anakin, and in a very clear illustration of why Jedi should not have attachments, we see that attachment get exploited." So clearly at what point in time he understood the whole attachment thing. What happened?

Unlike Karen Traviss, I think Dave Filoni actually understands what "attachment" means, in Star Wars. Apparently, it's the Star Wars theme that he and George spoke the most about.

"The biggest area of the Force and the Jedi [that] George and I have gotten into discussing the whole deal with attachments. And, arguably, that's what Anakin whole life is hinged on, is this - like you've mentioned - he has a lot of attachments to Artoo and how how right or wrong is that? Is it that the Jedi have made themselves dispassionate, that they are actually deceived by the Sith and they fall apart?" - Dave Filoni, Rebel Force Radio, 2012

What I've noticed is that, while understanding the meaning of attachment... Filoni doesn't seem to agree that the Jedi embody the concept of compassion.

He has acknowledged sometimes that "attachment is bad" is the theme of Anakin's story (but question if it's really so bad, unlike Lucas who says it's understandable but bad) but disagrees that the Prequel Jedi represent the obvious counter-theme, "compassion is good."

If you read what Filoni says, he argues that:

The Jedi have lost their way, taken the "rid yourself of attachment" rule and pushed it to an extreme where they've rid themselves of any empathy and thus compassion. They've focused so much on being selfless that they've forgotten how to love.

All except for Qui-Gon, who is the only one that truly knows how to love without getting attached, to love selflessly.

And personally, that strikes me as a coping headcanon, a way of reconciling the theme and feeling the Jedi like Mace, Ki-Adi, even Yoda and Obi-Wan are stoic, unlikable and too different from Luke.

Sure, they're not perfect, but nowhere in the films is the Jedi's stance on love framed as "bad" by the narrative. The narrative agrees with their philosophy, and George echoes it.

In fact, among 772 collected George Lucas quotes, I've never seen him state that theme while adding the asterisk that "of course, the Jedi of the Prequels have forgotten how to be compassionate, except for Qui-Gon who was the true Jedi."

And of course he doesn't do that. Because doesn't that muddy the waters so much?

Supposing Qui-Gon truly is the only character that embodies the concept of "compassion"... doesn't killing him off in the first film confuse a targeted audience of children?

Bearing in mind that the Prequels are about how greed makes people and institutions become the very thing they swear to destroy, and Star Wars as a whole is about being selfless instead of selfish:

In one corner, we have Anakin and the Senate showing what you're not supposed to do.

In the other, you got Padmé, Shmi and the Jedi, showing you what you should do instead.

Simple. I can see a kid getting this (and I did). But according to Filoni, that second point is incorrect. Instead, it's:

In the other, we have... Qui-Gon, who is one of the first film's four protagonists that dies at the end, without openly stating anything about the trilogy's theme. Theoretically, there's the Jedi who state and address the theme, but they don't themselves embody it so they don't count. So really... in this corner we have nobody (?)

That seems overly complex, a whole lotta hoops to jump through. Doesn't make sense. But hey, good luck learning the lesson, kids.

So yeah, Dave Filoni gets what attachment means. He just doesn't think it's as bad as Lucas' films frame it as, and disagrees on the Jedi narratively embodying the concept of compassion.

And I think it's coping. It's connecting non-existent dots, Always Sunny-style, to justify not liking characters that weren't meant to be developed much, due to their calm, collected nature and secondary/tertiary role in the story.

Coping and coming up with headcanons are what any irritated Star Wars fan does when they're confronted with something they're unable to make sense of.

“I care because I passionately believe that important stories ought to make sense.” As well you should—and when a story does not, you apply that passion to finding a way to make it make sense. [...] When a rational and inquisitive mind is confronted by the engaging yet irrational, it often responds in this manner. This process is not usually appreciated by those undergoing it; the most common reaction is a deep irritation. But isn’t that always how pearls are formed?” - Don DeBrandt, Star Wars on Trial, 2006

Unless they choose to make documentaries and click-baity YouTube video where they decide to spew hate and get angry pointlessly. Which I'd argue is still worse.

[sugar-grigri]

2. Protest: between the author's cynicism and the antagonist's emergence

Fujimoto once again tests you as a reader

Why? Because this chapter requires you to pay as much attention to the foreground as to the background

Yes, hello headache, but now I need you to follow me…….

First of all, I see it as cynicism. The only thing that would make me laugh is if I thought Fujimoto was teasing us.

How and why? Because the church in Chainsaw Man is us. Victims of CSM (who belong to the work), and young people, students who don't always have the right to vote, who come out of curiosity (the fans) fighting bloody battles against the communities.

Come on, Fujimoto follows the networks

Like his OS, but especially Just listen to the song, it's about the relationship between a work, its author and its audience.

I think Fujimoto relishes the debates and arguments on Twitter and other networks.

Fujimoto follows them as much as he suffers them, acclaimed by critics and his own, adored by his fans, he is also the target of threats and hatred.

Whether it's from those who hate his work or those who adore it but can't forgive him for making them suffer.

Fujimoto is as much a figure of protest as Chainsaw Man.

And he's there in the shadows like Denji

But it's not just a wink, and then we get more serious

The protest in the background is just as important as the foreground

Denji and Yoshida are shown as much as the crowd, with the cut-out swapping places between background and foreground. As if Fujimoto were placing them in the same position of importance.

Why ?

First of all, this chapter proves that NO, Yoshida is not up to the task of being the antagonist

who could be the antagonist then?

Where ? Who ? We're a bit confused... well yeah, it was easy to understand that Makima was the antagonist

Not only do we kind of forget that it wasn't that easy to know she was the antagonist, the revelation that she was a demon came very, very late, as did what she was really capable of doing

In CSM the real antagonist is present from the start, and then appears more clearly

Fujimoto likes to use this process to make his work chilling, to encourage you to reread while seeing the chapters take shape under a different light.

SO WHO'S THE ANTAGONIST?

Chainsaw man himself or, (confirming my theory again), Fake! ChainsawMan

To put it simply, since part 2, Fujimoto has shown that Chainsaw Man is controversial, both adored and feared.

This fear would naturally give rise to a Fake!Chainsaw Man demon, whose aim would be to increase its power by maximizing people's fear of Chainsaw Man.

Now let's take a step back. Nostradamus' prophecy is about to come true. Fami's goal is to prevent this apocalypse (for pizza). But this prophecy, as Yoshida knew about it and got in touch with Fami, shows that public safety is aware of the danger.

So why do we want Chainsaw Man to disappear? Would Public Security abandon humanity? Hardly imaginable.

I've given it some thought, and here's the plan as I imagine it.

An alliance has been formed between Fami and Public Security, to take control of Chainsaw Man. Not an absolute alliance, I imagine, but the two groups have common interests.

Both groups need a champion to face this apocalypse.

The fact is, Chainsaw Man is getting weaker.

Turning a demon into a hero who is close to humans means that part of the population no longer fears him, so his power falls proportionally.

Chainsaw Man can't face the apocalypse now.

The solution is to separate Chainsaw and Man. Literally.

When Yoshida invites Denji to live quietly, it's so that he can literally retire.

To make way for whom? Bingo. Fake!CSM

So why do they want CSM to disappear? Why so much emphasis on Haruka and the worship of Chainsaw Man's church?

Nothing creates greater fear than giving people a hero and then suddenly taking him away. We're back to another of CSM's key themes: necessary evil.

If, overnight, CSM no longer appeared to fight the demons, then the world would be in disarray. And fear would increase... giving power to the secretly chosen champion.

A champion... who only appears before dawn. At the very last moment.

The existence of Chainsaw Man leads to clashes, increased tensions and dissent.

His disappearance, meanwhile, will lead to a consensus: the despair of a humanity with no so-called protection.

Nostradamus' prophecy is not simply a prophecy announcing the apocalypse, but a plan that has been in front of us all along.

To be saved, humanity must descend into chaos.

If you want to better understand my theory about Fake!CSM :

[flightfoot]

Isn't the target audience for the show little kids? Why is the heroic mc gaslighting? Why was THAT chosen to be her decision? Idk I feel like the fandom excusing this is focusing solely on the fanfiction side of things lol. I can't really see a conversation about boundaries like you've mentioned happening, for example. Marinette will cry about it for one scene, hugged by the guy she gaslighted, then the show will move on. All the implications of her actions, how toxic the love square is- those are not things that can be adressed respectfully in an episodic kids show. Especially not by these writers. We've seen the twitter takes. So just- idk, I wouldn't want a ten-year-old to watch this ngl. Especially because the kid watching might be an abuse victim themselves.

We have had some conversations about boundaries before, in Glaciator 2, when Ladybug was upset at Chat for keeping on hinting at wanting to be a couple, which means that such a conversation IS in the show's wheelhouse of what it can do.

Cat Noir: I guess I'm not your favorite cat at the moment, am I? (walks towards Ladybug) Can I take you to a movie to make up for it? Or how about a restaurant to celebrate our nomination as Couple of the Year? Ladybug: (yelling) We're not "Couple of the Year", we're not a couple at all! Cat Noir: Sorry! Sorry! I didn't mean to make you so mad. (Ladybug simply looks away from him, still mad.) I get it. You're sick of me. I might sound like a broken record expressing my affection for you over and over. I know I should stop but... I can't help it, you know? I have so many feelings welled up in this heart, and I don't know how to control them. Ladybug: (sighs) I know your heart's in the right place and that you don't mean any harm but— Cat Noir: (dejectedly) You're right. You shouldn't have to put up with this. I'll stop. I don't know how yet, but I'll figure it out. I promise. Ladybug: (smiles) I'm counting on you. Cat Noir: (frowns) I'll see you later. (vaults away, and Ladybug eventually to the other direction)

(Later)

Cat Noir: Nice to see you again, my... dear friend whom I respect and for whom I have no other feelings than true platonic friendship. Ladybug: Are you making fun of me? Cat Noir: Not at all! I'm... just getting my bearings. Ladybug: Lucky Charm! (uses her power as a car drops in front of them) Cat Noir: Oh, yeah! That lucky charm really revs my engine! (Ladybug closes her eyes, coming up with a plan to use her lucky charm. The scene zooms to the big exhaust in front of Gare du Nord.) Ladybug: Okay! Take the wheel. I got a plan. Glaciator: There you are! You think you can escape me like that? (Ladybug and Cat Noir step in the car. Cat Noir starts the car engine and drives away, escaping Glaciator as the villain comtinues to chase them.) Glaciator: (sing-song) I'm Glaciator, the mean ice-cream man, and I am your number 1 fan! Cat Noir: (while driving) That's enough! We're just friends! Ladybug: Okay. Let's go! (hurls her yo-yo, tying it around Glaciator and on her car seat) Pass me the wheel. Glaciator: You think you can escape me by attaching me to you? Cat Noir: Where are we going with this—? I mean, not the two of us. Just... where are we going, like, a direction? Ladybug: I got it. We're heading to the Gare du Nord. We'll stay in touch. (She continues to drive, escaping Glaciator.) Cat Noir, now! (Cat Noir jumps out of the car.) Ladybug: (through the ear-piece) You know what to do. I'll come back as soon as you're ready! Cat Noir: Drive safe. (He leaps to rooftop where a billboard of him and Ladybug is located. He drops it to the ground to use it as a ramp for Ladybug's car.) Ready, m'lady! Uh, do you mind me calling you "m'lady"? Ladybug: No, that's okay. (performs a drift) It's not that complicated, you know? If I tell you that something's annoying, you stop doing it, that's all!

I don't know that the show could go over all the implications of some of the things Marinette's done with Adrien, in all the identity versions, but it having Adrien lay down some boundaries and Marinette doing her best to abide by them so she doesn't accidentally hurt him is within the realm of what it can do, since it's done it before. Granted, there's more variance and a bigger scale with some of the lies Marinette's told Adrien and the secrets she's kept from him, but it's a similar idea at least.

[sanyastraightfrombrain]

Honestly I think the reason a lot of people have a problem with helluva boss (and hazbin hotel) is because the show seems to not understand its target audience

Helluva boss is SAID to be aimed at adults (young adults if we're being percise) however it's written as a kids show. Remove swears and make stuff like sex and drugs vague and boom - nice pitch for Cartoon network or smth. "But the core of HB is Blitz sleeping with Stolas!" Yeah, and? Make Stolas say "Can't wait to see you tonight~" instead of "I wanna choke on your dick" and you're golden. "But what children show will allow a main character to be a blatant homewrecker?!". "Invader Zim" had main character blatantly steal organs from children. "Regular show"'s main characters are constantly dilrinking alcohol from "soda" cans (they do even more tbh). Mandy from "Grim adventures of Billy and Mandy" or Capitain K'nuckles from "Misadventures of Flapjack" are main characters and are horrible people who are not meant to be role models for kids. Helluva boss minus "adult" stuff would feel at home next to those shows audience wise. It's more teen oriented but still.

And let's be honest. Most people who watch HB aren't even 18

The only things that makes Helluva Boss and adult show are swears and sex or drug jokes. "But the themes!" What themes? Cheating? Abusive dads? They can be explored in kids shows. "Hey, Arnold!" Is prime example of heavy subjects being explored in a cartoon. Heck, "Bluey", a cartoon for LITERAL BABIES explored hard themes.

I don't like helluva, but I'll be honest - it's still entertaining in how frustrating it is.

[wolfofcelestia]

I’ve noticed some criticism from players who played the game less then a week.

So basically complaints are :

The relationship pace is inconsistent

The mc is cringe and their dialogue choices are awful

Focuses more on fan services

Doesn’t have a good story plot

Imo I don’t get story plot complaint because we haven’t even began yet with the crazy stuff we basically in the “get to know them phase “

I feel like these really bad takes are only coming from people who don't know what otome games are. LADS has had huge exposure lately that anyone and everyone has taken a peek into the game and, if they aren't the target audience, they're gonna be loud about how this game isn't catering to them

But I feel like a big chunk of these people were drawn in by Sylus. They saw him, made their horrible takes about him, and started saying the entire game is bad due to them not understanding a single thing about Sylus's character or the game itself

>the relationship pace is inconsistent

This is just a newbie take not understanding the separation between the main story and "your" version of the boys in the cafe. Sylus's intro in the cafe was a little abrupt, I can say that, but aside from that, you'll start to see how they change when you raise their affinity levels. Of course, the people who shit on the game won't bother to play long enough to find out what the game really is about

So really, their opinions hold absolutely no weight or value here

>the MC is cringe

Honestly MC was one of the reasons why this game gave me a good first impression. It was when she threatened to leave Zayne on the road because he doubted her motorcycle driving skills. If people can't appreciate MC, they don't deserve to be in the fandom. Yeah I said it, I'm gatekeeping this game 😤

>doesn't have a good plot

This is definitely a sign of someone who tried the game out for a day or two, got stuck, then decided to yell about how shitty they think it is. The main story is time locked so it would take you about two weeks to read. But even then, the main story doesn't contain all of the story. I'm guessing people who complain about the story not being good never read any of the anecdotes or myth stories. Hell, even any of the cards

>focuses on fan service

I'm guessing that most of what they know about the game is from the fandom itself. Yes, we have a lot of thirsty fans here and we focus on what we want to do to them but... Honestly that's every fandom. And this is an otome that caters to the female gaze. If they actually learned about why we like the boys and why we thirst over them, they'll find full essays, analyses, and heartfelt love letters dedicated to the boys

But all they'll want to focus on is the boys in towels or something and complain about the game being too sexualized

Like. So we're gonna ignore all the games that cater to the male gaze huh? The moment a male character shows a bit of skin or does something suggestive, suddenly it's too sexualized? We're not in church here. God forbid women would want sexual fantasies with their romance fantasies too

If all we got was fanservice on pretty models with absolutely no personality, no lore, and no reason for us to be attached to them, this game would not be the huge success that it is today

If they don't appreciate media that's catered to the female gaze, there's literally a whole world full of other media out there for them to consume

Literally, just ignore and block all these bad takes. They're making themselves look like idiots for complaining about something they know nothing about. They'll step into a puddle and say "the ocean is shit" because they just want something to complain about

Especially when something is catered specifically to women

And especially when it's gaining huge success

[triviallytrue]

I have to disagree with the post worrying about Hbomb-style video essays becoming popular because, really, they already exist. 'Drama' channels exist solely to collect information on a person and tell their audience whats happening - pretty much only with the intent of getting views and riling people up. Hbomb isn't the start of something bad, its the good version of a thing that already exists and is generally already bad (Hbomb differs by being well researched, actually has a cohesive goal, and picked a target who has done bad acts that can meaningfully be stopped through the format of Video On Youtube).

Yeah I mean I remember when Keemstar and Drama Alert were a huge thing back in the early to mid 2010s and I'm sure his ilk still exists but I think we're seeing something meaningfully different here. hbomberguy is not a parasitic bottom feeder like Keemstar but he basically annihilated this guy's online presence, something Keemstar has never been able to do.

It's precisely the "good" version - the well-researched, methodical, extremely popular prestige callout that scares me, because it's significantly more effective.

[winxanity-ii]

⌜Know No Evil | Chapter 22 Chapter 22 | race for glory⌟

╰ ⌞🇨‌🇭‌🇦‌🇵‌🇹‌🇪‌🇷‌ 🇮‌🇳‌🇩‌🇪‌🇽

❘ prev. chapter ❘༻✦༺❘ next chapter ❘

Present Mic's voice boomed across the stadium, his energetic commentary filling the air. "[And we're off to a racing start! How 'bout some color commentary, while we give folks the play-by-play, Mummy Man?]" he shouted, his enthusiasm palpable even from where you stood.

You glanced towards the commentator's booth, spotting Aizawa draped head to toe in bandages from the injuries he sustained during the USJ villain attack days ago. His presence here, despite his condition, is a testament to his dedication.

"[First, please don't call me that. Second, again, how did you manage to talk me into this?]" Aizawa responded, his tone flat and uninterested, clearly not sharing Present Mic's enthusiasm.

"[It's called: Keeping your job! So, Eraserhead, what should we be paying attention to in the early stages of the race? The lead? The stragglers?]" Present Mic pressed on, eager to get the audience engaged.

"[The doorway.]"

"[Whoa! Look at that! Ha! Good eye. Seems that Todoroki from Class 1-A takes the lead by using his ice-Quirk to trap the competition! Smart move, but brutal!]"

The noise of the stadium and Present Mic's booming voice fades into the background as you focus on the race. A few students began catching up to you—Aoyama, Kirishima, Yaoyorozu, and Bakugo.

Bakugo doesn't spare you a glance, his eyes narrowing and nose flaring as he shouts, "I won't let you get away that easily, you Icy-Hot, bastard! You froze me in place once before, it won't happen again." Using his quirk, he propels himself forward with explosive speed, flying towards Todoroki with a fierce determination.

Behind you was Mineta, using his purple balls and bouncing off the remaining ice. "Ha! I outwitted you all! How pathetic!" He shouted at the top of his lungs, two balls in each hand, bouncing towards you all to take the lead. "So long, suckers—!"

WHAM!

Before he could overrun you all, a giant robotic arm smashed into him, throwing him in another direction.

Suddenly, large, towering mechanical giants with glowing red eyes and metallic limbs trample towards you all in several directions. "Targets acquired…Terminate them."

Present Mic's voice boomed across the stadium, filled with excitement. "[Ooh! Enemies have shown up out of nowhere! I bet we're in for a treat here! A test of strength and cunning! It's the first obstacle of the race—a 'Robo Inferno'!]"

These were the same faux-robot villains from the U.A. Entrance Exam.

A general studies student nearby exclaimed, "Seriously?"

A support course student added, "This is what they meant by 'obstacles'? So this is what the other students faced in their entrance exams. Where does the school even get the funding for these things?"

The robots stood in a blockade; their movements are slow but powerful.

Todoroki looked over his shoulder at the approaching participants before muttering to himself, "The school obviously went through a lot of trouble, but I wish they'd prepared something a little more difficult. Especially since my old man's watching." With a sigh, he swiftly used his Quirk, freezing the robots in precarious positions.

Seeing this, you cursed under your breath, crouching low as you ran before smoothly and safely sliding through an open space between a few of the frozen robots; while other students cheered in happiness.

"Hey, he stopped the robots!" "Look! Between their legs! We can get through!"

"Hell yeah, this is gonna be a breeze!"

Todoroki, with a cold and blank look in his eyes, said ominously, "Careful, now. I froze them while they were off their balance…On purpose." Just as he finished this ominous line, the frozen robots began to topple like dominos, falling onto any unfortunate student left in their path.

Present Mic's voice rang out, "[Oh~ stone cold! That's Todoroki from 1-A's own Hero Course, keeping his lead with a devastating display! Amazing! He's one we should watch. It almost seems unfair! Thoughts?]"

Aizawa, his voice calm and measured, responded, "[His attack was both offensive and defensive. Something to always be sure to efficiently display.]"

Present Mic continued, "[I'll say! No wonder he was let in on recommendations! He'd never even fought those Robo Infernos before, but they didn't stand a chance against his chart-topping moves!]"

As you continued to push through the chaos, you heard a shout from a nearby student, "Hey! There's someone trapped under that robot!"

Another voice replied, "Do you think we should try and help 'em? Are people seriously gonna die here?"

Gasps erupted from the audience as Kirishima popped up from beneath the metal robot, his body hardened like a rock. "I'm alive!" he declared, a grin on his face.

Present Mic's commentary followed, "[Kirishima from Class 1-A! What a hardcore debut for this rookie!]"

Kirishima glanced around, his expression serious. "Todoroki, I can't believe you pulled something like that. Jeez. Anyone but me woulda been killed!"

"[Kirishima Eijiro. His Quirk: Hardening! This power makes his entire body hard as a rock! That means he can be the ultimate shield, or a devastating weapon!]"

Tetsutetsu burst up from beneath the metal debris as well, looking just as determined. "Class 1-A really is full a' jerks! I'll smash that ice guy when I get my hands on him," he growled.

"[Tetsutetsu from Class 1-B was also stuck underneath! What are the odds?]"

 "Ya' know, anyone other than me woulda been killed!" Tetsutetsu added with a scowl.

Present Mic's voice continued his lively narration, "[Tetsutetsu Tetsutetsu! His Quirk: Steel! This makes his entire body hard as steel! So he can be the ultimate shield, or a devastating weapon!]"

Kirishima and Tetsutetsu locked eyes, realizing the similarity in their quirks. "Our Quirks are basically the same! How am I supposed to stand out now?" Kirishima shouted, pointing to his silver counterpart.

Tetsutetsu retorted, "You damn copycat!"

Present Mic chimed in, "[Man, how lucky are they? They don't have to worry about being crushed!]"

Kirishima, always the friendly one, suggested with a feral smile, "We're racing each other, but we can team up for now."

Tetsutetsu nodded in agreement. "Alright! Let's carve a path."

Gasps and murmurs spread among the student competitors. "We can do that?" one whispered to another, surprised by the unexpected alliance forming before their eyes.

The teamwork between Kirishima and Tetsutetsu created a ripple effect, inspiring others to strategize and cooperate.

Bakugo, scoffed, ignoring it all, muttering to himself, "No way am I letting Todoroki beat me." His determination was palpable as he used his Quirk to propel himself forward, explosions crackling around him. The blasts propelled him over the obstacles with ease, his focus laser-sharp on Todoroki ahead.

Present Mic's voice boomed across the stadium, filled with excitement. "[Class 1-A's Bakugo is rocketing over the obstacles! Clever!]"

Sero, not far behind, called out, "You seem like you'd be the type to plow straight through, but you can go around when you need to, huh? I'm going to hitch a ride! See ya!" He laughed as he used his Quirk to attach to Tokoyami, who was using his own Quirk to fly by. The tape from Sero's elbows shot out, latching onto Dark Shadow, allowing him to swing through the air with ease.

Present Mic provided the play-by-play, "[Sero Hanta. His Quirk: Tape! He can shoot tape-like material from his elbows, stick it to objects or wrap things up. You should see the traps he makes when he rips it off!]"

Tokoyami instructed Dark Shadow, "Let's land!" as he maneuvered through the air.

"Aye, aye!" The shadowy creature responded enthusiastically before shifting shape, helping Tokoyami to land smoothly on a piece of debris.

"[Tokoyami Fumikage. His Quirk: Dark Shadow! He's got a shadow-like monster inside him that can materialize and morph into any creation he wants.]"

As the competition heated up, Present Mic remarked, "[Looks like all the pack leaders are from Class 1-A. At least for now.]"

You were running at a steady pace, jumping over debris and parkouring until you gained a good bird’s eye view of the surrounding chaos. 

"[It’s not that Class 1-B and the other students are doing poorly,]" Aizawa commented, observing the race. "[It’s just… Class 1-A’s learned not to hesitate.]"

Students from all courses were trying their best to make it through this obstacle. Seeing a large robot attacking a sand-quirk user a few feet away, you raced over, landing on its shoulder. Using Control, you took control of the larger robot, manipulating its movements with precision and using it to carve a path for yourself through the obstacle.

"[They’ve seen what the real world is like. They’ve felt the fear of facing villains,]" Aizawa continued. "[Yet they fight on, trying to overcome that fear. They’ve grown. All of them. And they know that they have to act quickly if they want to stay alive.]"

You snorted, dodging a scrap piece of flying metal as the robot lumbered on. Such praises being sung about 1-A, yet you guarantee the world would crumble if it knew that you had the leader of the League of Villains at the mercy of your hands.

If anything, this entire festival should be scrapped and turned into a ceremony dedicated to you single-handedly deciding to keep the peace for now.

 Lost in your thoughts, you found yourself destroying a great deal more robots than you intended. The mechanical giants crumbled under your control, clearing a wide path and inadvertently aiding several other students who scrambled to follow in your wake.

"[Hold up, Eraser! We might have judged too quickly because it looks like Akuma from Class 1-B is coming to show the rest how it’s done!]"

You snap out of your thoughts, looking up, only to find your face plastered across the Jumbotron, another screen to the left replaying your previous maneuver.

The footage showed you commanding a large robot to tear through a swath of its comrades, the mechanical giant ripping through others with a fierce efficiency. The robots crumbled under the force of your control, creating a dramatic display of power and precision.

"[Akuma ____. Her Quirk: Marionette! This allows her the ability to control the movement of anything—both animate and inanimate—with shadow-like strings, like a puppeteer!]"

Internally, you cursed yourself as the info about your ‘Quirk’ was revealed, giving you more screen time. You were supposed to stay under the radar.

Using your power, you crashed the robot you were riding into another one, the impact causing a chain reaction of destruction. You jumped off at the last moment, parkouring off the neighboring falling debris and landing into a rolling crouch, the movement smooth and controlled.

["And the landing Mwah! Straight out of retro Marvel films! Hey! Eraser, didn’t she save your life at the USJ incident?] Present Mic continued, clearly enjoying the spectacle.

"[Yes, Akuma-san played a vital role in my recovery. Now, can we please move on to other contestants?]" Aizawa replied, his tone annoyed.

"[Right, right, my fault. Anyways, for those of you who thought the first obstacle was easy, let’s see how ya feel about the second one.]"

Ahead of you loomed a large canyon, its depths obscured by shadows. Long tightropes stretched between large stone pillars, forming a precarious path to the other side.

["If they slip and fall, they’re out! If they wanna pass this test, they’ll have to get creative. It’s 'The Fall'!]"

You stood on the edge, looking down into the abyss. It was dark, the depth seemingly endless. A small current of air burst from below, making the challenge even more difficult. Out of the corner of your eye, you saw other students standing near the edge, contemplating their next move.

Asui, with her usual calm, assessed the situation. "Ribbit! Ribbit. This is my moment. Easy peasy," she said, her voice steady and confident before flicking her tongue out and flinging herself from wire to wire like a jungle gym.

Nearby, Hatsume chuckled, her excitement barely contained. "Yes. Finally. This is my chance to show off what I can do. My support items are gonna steal the spotlight from these wannabe heroes. Everyone! Observe what my brilliant gadgets can do! Wire arrows and hover soles!" She launched into action, her gadgets activating with a series of mechanical clicks and whirs.

Mina, caught off guard, shouted after her, "You're from Support! Hey! How come you got to bring all that stuff?"

Hatsume responded without breaking stride, "Students in the hero course get all kinds of combat training for their Quirks. In order to keep things fair and give us a fighting chance, we're allowed to bring whatever gadgets and costumes we want into the games, so long as we developed them ourselves. So, sit back and enjoy the show."

She continued, her voice filled with pride and determination, "For those of us in the support course, this is the perfect obstacle to show off our ingenious ideas and creations to any companies out there who might wanna recruit us!" Hatsume’s laugh echoed across the canyon. "I hope employers are watching! My super-cute little babies are sure to make a splash." She cackled with delight as her gadgets carried her effortlessly across the obstacle.

Mina, grumbling to herself, muttered, "Talk about annoying."

Present Mic's voice cut through the noise, adding his enthusiastic commentary. "[In the world of heroes, it can be hard to get popular without a flashy Quirk. Right, Eraser Head?]"

"[I don't know what you're talking about, idiot.]"

Present Mic continued, "[Ha, ha, ha. Good one, buddy. Anywho, looks like Todoroki is still skating by easily!]" Todoroki, looking determined, gracefully skated across a frozen wire, his focus unwavering.

Nearby, random audience members voiced their thoughts:

"The dude in first place is so far ahead."

"His Quirk is really powerful, but it's his natural athletic talent and keen judgment keeping him in first place."

"I'm not surprised. Don't you know who his father is? The Flame Hero, Endeavor!"

"Wait, for real? That guy's second only to All Might himself."

"Everyone'll be fighting to have him as a sidekick for sure."

"[The leader's putting distance between him and the students stuck at 'The Fall!' It hasn't been announced how many competitors will make it through to the next round, so there's no time to relax,]" Present Mic announced as many began throwing themselves onto the obstacle at hand, immediately failing.

Taking a focusing breath, you leapt onto the first tightrope without hesitation, your movements precise and balanced. You cartwheeled, swung, and flipped across the ropes with a gymnast’s grace, each move calculated to maintain your momentum and avoid the gusts of air that threatened to knock you off balance.

Each flip felt like a breath of fresh air—of dangerous thrills as everything spun into a blur.

Present Mic’s commentary followed your every move. "[Once again, Akuma from Class 1-B wows the stands as she makes this look as easy as breathing. Watch as she moves like a professional gymnast out there! Such agility and control! Absolutely stunning!]"

Aizawa watched with a critical eye. "[She’s not just moving forward. She’s analyzing each step, anticipating the challenges. It’s a smart approach.]"

You reached the midway point of the obstacle, where the ropes became thinner and the gusts stronger. Focusing on your breathing and maintaining your center of gravity, you continued forward.

The other students around you were struggling, some slipping and barely catching themselves, while others fell into the abyss below, their screams echoing in the darkness.

You glanced back momentarily, assessing the positions of your classmates and competitors. With a determined look, you pushed forward, swinging from one rope to another with a fluidity that seemed almost effortless.

Reaching the end of the tightrope challenge, you landed gracefully on the final stone pillar. The crowd erupted into cheers at your performance, impressed by your display of skill and composure.

Present Mic’s voice boomed again. "[And she makes it! Akuma from Class 1-B has conquered 'The Fall'! What an impressive performance!]"

You didn’t have time to bask in the applause. The next and final obstacle awaited: the minefield.

"[And now, we're finally approaching the last obstacle. Everyone had better tread carefully. You're stepping onto a minefield! If you look carefully, you can see where those little bombs are buried, so keep your eyes on the ground, folks. By the way, those land mines were designed for the games, so they might be loud and flashy, but they're not all that powerful. Just enough to make you wet your pants!]"

"[Get ahold of yourself, Present Mic.]"

Faint explosions began to echo around the course, and some students screamed as they triggered the mines. You saw Todoroki near the edge of the minefield, observing an unfortunate competitor get thrown back several feet in the opposite direction. "Very clever. Those in the lead are actually at a disadvantage here. Guess it makes for good entertainment," he remarked, his tone as cold as his ice.

Bakugo, using his Quirk to shoot over the minefield, shouted back at Todoroki, "Bastard! Your declaration of war was to the wrong person!" His eyes burned with fierce determination as he propelled himself forward, explosions blasting from his palms.

Present Mic’s voice rang out, "[Just like that, a new student takes the lead! The media here is going crazy! There's nothing they love more than an upset!]"

Seeing Bakugo's rapid advance, Todoroki immediately followed, using his ice Quirk to create a slick path over the mines, freezing the ground beneath him with precision. His face remained stoic as he glided smoothly, determined to reclaim the lead.

"[Hey, hey, hey! The rest of the competitors are catching up, too! And what's this? Can our two leaders fight each other and stay in front of the competition?]"

You quickly analyzed the situation, taking in the chaos around you before taking a moment to decide to strategize your approach.

"[Looks like Akuma from 1-B has run out of fabulous attention-grabbers and is stumped! Even the best can get caught up in the heat of the moment, huh?]"

It didn't take but a second for Present Mic's harmless comment to spark up a wave of conversation in the stands.

"Come on, Akuma! Do something already!"

"You're getting left behind!"

"Don't just stand there! Everyone else is beating you!"

Up in the commentators' stand, Aizawa found himself unconsciously leaning forward, eyes zoning in on your figure. As the echoes of the audience's complaints and critiques filled his ears, his eyes flashed a light yellow for a split second before he found himself speaking into the mic. "[A good hero knows when to take time and strategize. It's not all about being flashy and hotheaded.]"

His words cooled the critiques of the audience, immediately turning the wave with many now complimenting your strategy.

"Yeah, she's smart! Look at her thinking it through!"

"That's right, don't rush it, Akuma!"

"She's got a plan, you just wait!"

In reality, Present Mic's words didn’t cause you any issues—if anything, you didn’t hear them at all—but Aizawa's rebuttal is what shook you from the task at hand.

You hissed, "Hero?" before pausing.

You took a moment to look at your surroundings, at the audience cheering at you all racing through this obstacle course—something that wasn’t even the actual sports festival but just a preliminary to weed out the useless and weak... It's almost as if you become aware of your situation: here you were, basically putting on a show for these buffoons and pests in the crowd as if you were some show pony.

"[Todoroki and Bakugo are neck and neck for the lead and knocking on the finish line!]"

You feel your breathing pick up as everything suddenly felt amplified by 100%—the sounds, the smells, everything. Just as you feel your disgust reach an inferno and about to explode, a huge explosion happens yards down from you.

"[What's with that huge explosion in the back?! That was way more powerful than it should be!]"

"What the..." Your sentence trails off as you see Midoriya skyrocket over the minefield on top of a slab of metal. Following his trajectory, you see dozens of exploded and dug-up mines. "Huh," you murmured to yourself. "What a clever boy."

"[Huh? Incredible! Well, whatever just happened, Class 1-A's Izuku Midoriya is suddenly in hot pursuit of first place!]"

As you watched Midoriya soar through the air, you couldn't help but feel a mix of irritation and begrudging respect. His unorthodox strategy had turned the tide in his favor, propelling him past numerous competitors and straight into the spotlight.

"[In a stunning move, Midoriya has blasted past his classmates from Class 1-A! I don't believe it—he cleared that minefield in an instant! Eraser Head, your students are amazing! What the heck are you teaching them?]"

"[This has nothing to do with me. Each of them is powered by their own drive to succeed.]"

"[There ya' have it, folks. Eraser Head is a terrible teacher.]"

"[I'm what?]"

"Deku! What the hell do you think you're doing, huh!?" Bakugo had a feral look on his face as he and Todoroki found themselves a bit behind the greenette.

You shook your head, berating yourself for getting lost in the thrill, reminding yourself that you weren’t here to put on a show and get first place, but to get a bird's eye view of your pet's will and determination to achieve his goal.

With a scoff and renewed focus, you devised a quick strategy to navigate the minefield, balancing caution with speed. Mixing your early gymnastic and aerobic skills with a bit of inspiration from Midoriya, you purposefully stepped on a nearby mine, using the explosion to propel yourself forward.

Carefully timing your jumps, you use the debris as stepping stones.

Whenever you touched the ground or found someone in a better mine-placement, you subtly knocked them into neighboring mines' paths, causing distractions and clearing a path for yourself.

The students around you were caught off guard, some yelping in surprise as they are thrown into the air by the blasts.

"[Whoa! Did you see that? Akuma from Class 1-B is using the explosions to her advantage! What a risky yet effective strategy!]" Present Mic’s voice boomed across the stadium, capturing the audience's attention.

Aizawa, leaning forward slightly, added, "[A calculated risk. She's using her environment and competitors to her benefit. It's not the most heroic approach, but it's undeniably effective.]"

You smirked, satisfied with your progress. You continued to leap from one debris piece to another, your movements fluid and precise. Each explosion propelled you closer to the end, while your manipulation of the other students' movements created chaos behind you.

As you neared the end of the minefield, you saw Bakugo, Midoriya, and Todoroki ahead, their fierce competition driving them forward.

"[Who would have imagined at the beginning of this race that the climax would be a non-stop mega-mix of surprises? The first to make it back into the stadium is the first-place winner! And that winner is...Izuku Midoriya. Midoriya from Class 1-A is our champion!]"

The audience erupts in cheers, a thunderous wave of applause and excitement. You keep your pace steady, ignoring the noise and focusing on your final steps through the minefield. By the time you exited into the stadium, bright flashes of cameras greet you from all sides.

"[And ...19th place! Akuma ____!]"

Though you weren't exhausted, there's was a light sheen of sweat across your forehead. You took a deep breath, feeling the cool air of the stadium wash over you.

"[The contestants are pouring in one after the other! Let's hear some applause for all our competitors as we prepare the results.]"

You look around, eyes immediately zeroing in on Bakugo. He's standing off to the side, eyes narrowed and focused on Midoriya, who is currently surrounded by his friends, Iida and Uraraka, congratulating him.

The tension in Bakugo's stance is palpable, his fists clenched at his sides. You make your way over, saying nothing as you stand beside him, observing the scene with detached interest. Eventually, you turn your head to face him, saying, "2nd place."

Bakugo's jaw tightens, his eyes briefly flicking towards you before returning to Midoriya. "This was only the preliminaries," he grunts, his voice low and simmering with frustration.

You hum thoughtfully, "I suppose it is." Then, before leaving, you send him a callous smile. "Well, I must be off. I have to congratulate Izuku on his victory." Taking a few steps away, you pause and glance over your shoulder. "Good luck in the next trial," you add, a hint of mockery in your tone.

Bakugo's eyes follow you, his expression looking defeated before hardening once more. "I got this..." he murmurs to himself before moving on.

You continue towards Midoriya, weaving through the crowd of students and spectators. It wasn’t hard to get to him, seeing as the boy already gave you his undivided attention the moment he saw you.

"H-hi, ____," Midoriya stutters, his face already taking on a pink hue, his surprise and nervousness evident. For a millisecond, your eye twitches at his use of your name, but you push the annoyance down.

Pulling your lips up into a sweet smile, you respond, "Hi, Izuku," before turning to his two friends with polite bows. "Uraraka-san, Iida-kun."

Seeing as his friend went immobile outside being able to say hello, Iida takes the initiative to speak to you. "It's a pleasure seeing you, Akuma-san. Congratulations on passing the preliminary round. What brings you here?"

You give a gracious nod. "Thank you for the congrats, Iida-kun, and the same to you as well. I was actually over here to personally congratulate Izuku on reaching first place. This was a very tense and tough obstacle course, and his performance was truly impressive."

Midoriya's face turns an even deeper shade of red. "T-thank you, ____!" he exclaims, then quickly corrects himself. "I-I mean, thank you for the congrats..."

You smile warmly, turning to include Iida and Uraraka in the conversation. "You both did exceptionally well too. Iida-kun, your speed and precision were remarkable. Uraraka-san, your quick thinking and strategy were truly admirable. You all have amazing talents."

Iida adjusts his glasses, a hint of a blush creeping up his cheeks. "Thank you, Akuma-san. Your words are most kind."

Uraraka beams, her cheeks rosy. "Thanks, Akuma-san! You were incredible out there too!"

Midoriya, still flustered, manages to stammer, "Y-yeah, you were amazing. I'm really looking forward to seeing how you do in the next round."

You give him a gracious nod, just as Midnight’s voice booms through the stadium.

"The first game for the first years is finally over, and what a game it was!" Midnight declares, her voice sultry and commanding, drawing everyone's attention to the center stage where she stands in her revealing costume. The bright lights of the stadium shine off her whip as she twirls it playfully. "Now, let's take a quick look at the standings, shall we?"

Aoyama lets out a small whimper, drawing a few chuckles from the crowd.

"Only the top 40 contestants will advance to the next round. But don't be too let down if you didn't make the cut!" Midnight continues, her tone teasing yet encouraging. "We've prepared other opportunities for you to shine."

You watch as the students around you react, some with visible relief and others with disappointment. The screen shows the rankings, and you note your position among the top 42 with a calm satisfaction.

"Now the real fun is about to begin. The chance to fully move yourselves into the limelight! Give it your best!" Midnight's eyes sparkle mischievously. "Let's see what we have in store for you next. Will your wildest fantasies come to life? Prepare yourselves... for this!"

The competitors shout out in unison, "Cavalry battle!?"

Complaints and murmurs spread through the crowd.

"I'm terrible at those."

"I should have gotten disqualified in the preliminary round."

"Ugh, it's not an individual event; we gotta work in groups?"

Mineta's eyes light up with a mischievous grin. "Oh, yes. I wonder how they'll split us up."

Midnight raises her whip, snapping it for dramatic effect. "Allow me to explain. The participants will form teams of two-to-four people as they see fit. In theory, it's basically the same as a regular playground game. But there is one difference. Each player has been assigned a point value based on the results from the obstacle course."

A random student chimes in, "I get it, a point-based system like the entrance exams. That seems pretty simple. So that means each team will have a different point value based on which students are on it."

Midnight smirks, clearly enjoying the suspense. "Uh-huh! Maybe you should shut up and let me explain things to you. Now, then. The point assignments go up by increments of five, starting from the bottom. For example, 42nd place is worth five points, and 41st is worth ten. And the point value assigned to the first place contestant is... ten million!"

The stadium erupts in shock.

"Ten million!?" the competitors exclaim, excluding you, who just raise an eyebrow.

Hatsume grins, gears already turning in her mind. "In other words, if you take down his team..."

The other students echo her sentiment. "...You'll win the Cavalry Game and take the lead yourself."

Midnight continues, "That's right. It's survival of the fittest, with a chance for those at the bottom to overthrow the top!"

You glance over at Midoriya, who looks absolutely terrified. His face pales, the only color left being his stark freckles standing out against his skin. The sheer weight of the ten million points visibly pressing down on him.

You couldn't wait to see how this play out.

The Cavalry Battle was sure to be a spectacle, and you were more than ready to observe—and manipulate—every moment.

A/N: wheeeww, cant believe it took me from 7pm--to 2am to write a 5k worded chapter out 💀💀 curse me and my perfectionism 💔 anywho, hope this was mildly interesting as we get this party started! next up: calvary battle (and if thats not too manywords, aslo the lil recreational activities/todoroki backstory bit, dont know how imma do it, but its gon get done 😤😤