#anyway the actual use of the game is good here too

[in-a-bucket]

Project Eden's Garden CH 1 thoughts

hey so this probably isn't gonna be coherent at all cause i just finished the chapter and it took my like 12 hours to finish it so i have not slept but i just need to get my thoughts out lol

uh anyway major spoilers for the whole chapter you have been warned

so for the chapter as a whole i had a great time playing it! you can really see all the love and care put into this project. that being said, this chapter was CARRIED by it's deadly life/trial section, at least in my opinion. the daily life wasn't like terrible by any means it just didn't feel like a whole lot happened? the days felt really short, like the day you explore the new area is literally, wake up, meet in the dining hall briefly, explore the new area, and then go to bed. i was like ????? how is the day already done what. and then when the motive was introduced it was a bit lackluster, the concept was really cool with the pictures and the vague messages for the blackmail, but then we barely find out what anyone's information and the few people we do find out isn't super bad (expect for wolfgang kind of, maybe?), hell damon is not once concerned about the motive and none of the other characters seem all that concerned about it either which i think kinda brings the tension and stakes down. it's pretty evident when you find out the killer's motive as nothing to do with the blackmail and they weren't even concerned over their own blackmail so they have to create an entirely separate motive with the whole traitor perk thing, and it's not like that came out of thin air cause you're told about the secret prize from the get go i just don't get why they didn't use the motive they already made instead of revealing it all at the end of the trial from tozu.

ok whoops getting kind of off topic there but yeah daily life, it just felt like there could have been more, maybe it just has to do with the kind of guy damon is, but it kind of felt like we were dragging our feet from time to time idk maybe im just insane.

as for deadly life, holy shit they made some ballsy decisions here. can't really say whether they were good ones yet or not since we still have 5(?) more chapters but i have to respect the devs for who the first victim and killer ended up being (i'll get to them later). i remember thinking (man this is a pretty long investigation lol), although it probably didn't help that it took me forever to find the blood in the hallway i was genuinely so confused as to what i was missing I went back into all of the storage closets and like triple checked i had exgauhsted all dialogue, and then i was trying the move my mouse all over the place to see if there was anything else to search and then i finally found it.

the trial was so fucking fun, as devastated as i was due to who the victim was it was a ton of fun figuring out the crime and i genuinelly thought it was gonna be diana and i was gonna be done with the trial in about 2 hours and only to hit and intermission and realize i hadn't used like half my evidence yet. the mechanism of the crime was really cool too and i had a lot of fun solving it, even if i did start to lose the plot when it came to the stuff of the cord and the vent but that might've just been me being tired. I will say i did not enjoy the bullet hell argument whatever it's called at the very end, the artwork was really cool but it took me FOREVER to beat it, and myabe that's just cause i'm bad at video games but ti was so frustrating getting to stage 3 multiple times then loosing all of my health and having the start all over again. i think it would have been better if you run of of health you have to start from the beginning of whatever stage you died on but hey maybe i just suck at the game idk.

okay now on to some more character specific stuff, first of all WOLFGANG AKIRE YOUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU GAHHHH

ugh i'll admit it, i'm actually devastated he died first like seriously thank god the trial was as good as it was cause i might have stopped playing if it wasn't lol. in all seriousness though i was so excited for how he'd handle someone killing and all of the reprecussions with that only for him to die first lol. i really hope that this isn't the last we get to hear about him though, like i hope he's not just like a passing thought in ch 2 and then never mentioned again kind of a thing like hopefully he'll be plot relevant in the future or something idk i just want more wolfgang he's my fav BRING HIM BACKKKK. maybe we'll get to learn more about him through grace cause i'm now like 99% sure they knew each other before this whole mess lmao i mean come on grace wanted to be roomies with him and she was so fucking devastated by him dying and didn't want people poking around his room like come on.

and just everything you find out about his situation in the trial is just devastating oh my godddd. i was really worried they were gonna pull the whole "omg guys wolfgang was killed in self-defense and he was actually terrible this whole time and you all should have believed me(damon) cause i was right all along memememememe" and they didn't thank god. just that whole scene where diana reveals their confrontation was just so good like that is one of my top fangan scenes of all time now. just all the stuff he was saying revealing stuff about his character that might NEVER BE ELABORATED ON CAUSE HES FUCKING DEAD NOW WTFFFF WHY WOULD YOU DO THIS. and the voice acting was fucking incredible holy shit NAD THE FUCKING SPRITE WORK OH MY GOD THAT SHIT WAS AMAZING. the sprites for wolfgang and eva (i'll get to her later) were so fucking good i mean just look at this shit

LIKE THIS IS DEVESTATING TO ME LIKE HOLY FUCK BRO I NEED TO KNOW WHAT IS GOING ON IN UR HEAD AND NOW I NEVER WILL CAUSE UR DEAD UGHHHHHH

it's really funny cause i actually ended up doing all of his FTEs not knowing he was gonna die

now let's talk about eva cause holy fuck girl. i remember after the prologue she was one of my least favorite characters, cause it felt like her whole personality was "ooooo look at how mysterious and cool I am ooooooooo", but then you get the reveal that she lied about being the ultimate liar and you get her normal talent and she actually shows an actual personality and is a video game nerd i was like "omg yes i'm loving the p:eg team's take on this!" and she was moving up my character tier list ranking very quickly, and then she was revealed as the killer and she tried to pin everything on damon and then her reasons for killing wolfgang in the first place and she went right back down to the bottom LMAO. not because i thought she had bad writing or something but at the end of the day her motivations for taking the perk were pretty selfish and while i agree that wolfgang shouldn't have been trying to isolate her like that she kind of put a target on herself for no reason by lying about her talent like girl what did you think was going to happen lol. also her execution was fucking brutal, it looked incredible but damn was it brutal, she didn't need to go out like that omg.

as for some other characters, always gonna love my girls grace and cassidy they were a delight as always and i look forward to seeing more of them, diana went up on my tier list and i'm looking forward to seeing where her character goes from here, i'm also really loving jean a lot but he feels a little too helpful so i fear he might die next chapter lol.

i feel like there's more i have to say but im so tried lol so yeah have whatever this is lol. overall i had a great time playing and everyone did an amazing job working on it (even if i am really upset you killed my fav), i look forward to whatever the next chapter brings!

[d33pwithinmys0ul]

for the one shot request: give us sexy basketball jean (i actually hate basketball but i love jean so...idk what came over me)

EB, thank you for the prompt!! :D I'm not too into basketball either, but I gave it my best shot anyway. I did write this stoned. I hope this satisfies your basketball Jean itch :)

this song fueled my inspo and is the namesake, and here’s the ao3 link :p

NSFW, 18+ ONLY

Jean Kirstein x Female Reader wc: 3.1k, Ch. 1/1

"Grins"

Dating team captain Jean Kirstein meant occasional bouts of loneliness during late night practices. He always planned to come straight to yours after though, as you were both shamelessly clingy.

Being around Jean made you feel like a giddy schoolgirl, or a crazy fan meeting her idol. He was admirable in every way, and he carried himself like a fuckin’ jerk. He was tall and grew his hair longer at the nape of his neck. His shoulders were wide and his hands were big—he’d grab the ball with one hand to show off when he knew you were looking. 

You met when you accompanied your roommate Hitch to a weekly pilates session at the campus gym and rec center. 

In her seemingly expert planning, Hitch timed your walk to the class with the end of the men’s basketball team practice. 

“There’s the blond that’s gonna marry me one day,” she quipped in a low voice, and you nearly choked with laughter.

The sweaty, shirtless players would share the short stretch of hallway with the two of you before diverging away to the showers. It was hard not to ogle.

Hitch had given you the rundown about who was who and who was hot in between reps at pilates. You never gave much thought to the sports at EU, but it turned out the varsity basketball team had a reputation. 

Over time, you understood her fascination, and had picked out your own pretty boy from the lot, just for laughs. Jean was eye candy and you had an embarrassing sweet tooth. 

You didn’t think much of the sightings, just enjoying the times you’d walk past each other at the gym and occasionally on campus, and wonder hopelessly if he had really locked eyes with you, or if you’d made it up. 

Sometimes you happened to arrive early enough to watch some of their practice—seeing the boys banter and puff up their chests, dunking on each other and arguing.

By some miracle or twist of fate, one day Jean began to lag behind his friends, catching your stride, with a cocky smile that made your stomach drop. 

“You know, you’ve got pretty eyes,” he said politely, hushed low and so restrained, yet something about his tone made you nervous. His headphones dangled from his neck and his shirt had a dark ring of sweat at the collar. He was looking at you like he’d decided on something. “What’s your name?”

“Oh, me or her?” You jerked a thumb at Hitch. She was a catch, and more likely to be approached between the two of you—but your friend stifled a laugh and said nothing. 

Jean shook his head. 

“You.” As if it were obvious. 

Jean rotated his shoulders lightly as you chatted with him—he asked about your major and where you were from, and you wondered if he was flexing on purpose.

From then on, Jean seemed to be everywhere. He’d catch you in the student parking lot, walking you to your car and leaning a hand on the door just to watch you squirm. He’d be across the study room at the library, and you’d catch each other’s unsubtle stares until you eventually asked him to join you.

After weeks of torturous flirting and late night phone calls, he convinced—practically begged— you to come to one of his games. 

Hitch was thrilled to get such good seats and cheer Reiner on from the stands, and you couldn’t help but smile when you saw Jean point right at you and wink.

You weren’t really into basketball, but god, you were into him. 

You couldn’t take your eyes off him as the game went on, and he couldn’t stop flirting your way in between plays. He was still carrying out his duties as a captain though, and his determination and set jaw entertained you just as much.

After that first game, Jean offered to take you home. He didn’t tell you until later that he skipped out on a team dinner to spend time with you instead. 

He had let you wear his Eldia University sweater as you settled into his passenger seat, and later when you arrived at your apartment, he let you wear his jersey as you settled into his lap.

You both had some beers–some peach flavored shit that was forgotten in the fridge. You had no idea how Hitch hadn’t finished it all. You had knocked so many back that you were unabashedly straddling his hips and rubbing his biceps in a drunken haze.

“So, Y/n’s first game with the Devils,” Jean takes a swig. He was shirtless after giving you his jersey, lounging in his boxers on your comforter. “What did you think? Feeling the school pride?”

“A little,” you laughed. Watching him play was a delight. “What happened towards the end there, though?”

“Lack of discipline.” Jean rolled his eyes. He’d lost his temper just a bit when Eren had fouled out . “Otherwise—did you have fun? Because y’know, that three in the last quarter was for you.” 

“Oh thank you!” You laughed. “I’m honored. You’re so intimidating on the court.”

“Yeah, really?” He asked, his voice level and nonchalant. “I didn’t know I intimidated you. I’d hate for that to cause a problem.” He pulled you a bit closer. 

Your faces are only inches apart all too suddenly and you blush hard. Asshole. He wasn’t subtle about what he wanted.

“I didn’t say that,” you averted your eyes and gave him a little shove, creating a few more inches of distance. You adored the curve of his chin, and the soft color in his lips.

Fuck, he’s pretty.

Jean was a sight to have in your bedroom, so handsome and ripped like he’d walked off a movie set. You almost couldn’t handle it. You never dated “popular” guys. The sentiment was a little high school, but it was a fact. Jean was charismatic. He was sure of himself. You don’t know if you could ever admit to him that you were still completely starstruck.

“I can’t imagine how you do it,” you said with a small smile. 

“What?” Jean said softly.  You could smell the alcohol on his breath. He moves a strand of hair gently away from your face and watches you with his intense gaze, pupils blown. 

You chug the rest of your beer for a bit of bravery and toss it off the bed.

“Being EU’s golden boy,” you say dryly. “Being under those bright lights, all those people counting on you. You’re so damn good at it.” You moved your hands to his shoulders, inevitably sliding down to his biceps again. You can tell that he’s staring at your lips now too. 

 It was hard to focus in the dim light, against the warmth of Jean’s bare chest. You were all too aware of how he circled his thumb gently against one spot of your leg, torturing you. He smells so good. 

“Well, I like being good at things,” he said simply, running his palms against your thighs. He watched your face as he rubbed your legs slowly, inching higher up a little bit every time. “And I like coming home after a game and feeling exhausted. The full body burning from working so hard. The muscles aches are proof I’m living to my fullest potential, and I think that’s what my life on the court is all about.”

You were trying not to shake from his touch. Jean was practically massaging you, full contact with both his palms, warm and rough as they ran right above your knees and every inch up to the smallest part of your waist. He’d trace lines and shapes, squeezing your flesh. Your breathing was uneven and light. 

“Um,” you swallow quietly. “That sounds.. Interesting.” 

Jean slipped his hands under the jersey, pawing at your tits before lowering his head and kissing your neck, trailing up to your jaw. Your breath catches at the sudden sensation.

“That’s right.” He said, reassuring and stern.

You were shaking now. One of his hands supported you while the other kept rubbing your thighs. He was manhandling you as you were limp in his grip, dazed and drunk, simmering in pleasure. His breath was tingly and hot against your neck. Longing grew in your core and you ached for him. 

“Jean, kiss me..” You whine and grab at his face with desperation. 

He laughed softly, amused at your neediness. Your heart was pounding when your lips met, and he sighed softly at the contact. 

Jean tasted so good. He pushed against you, probing your lips gently, the friction was perfect and you couldn’t stop yourself from going back for more. He ran his tongue over your bottom lip and you shuddered. You loved how warm he felt against you, how comfortable he seemed. Thrill and lust surged in your veins, humming inside you. 

“Please..” You murmured against his lips. 

You fold so easily for him. You were thrilled to have the honor of folding for him, becoming undone by Jean was heaven.

“You’re too cute.” He said breathlessly. He unhooked your bra and tossed it aside, and returned to rubbing your thighs and groping you. 

God, fuck him. 

He was glistening in sweat, breathing deep and heavy. Your thighs rub together in his lap and he cradles your ass with one hand. He kissed you deeper, biting your lips and sucking on them. 

“Oh my god..” You’re grinding against him, kissing him like you were deprived. “Fuck off..”

Jean rolls his eyes at your faux defiance and curls a hand around your throat. He kisses you harshly, urgently, his hands rough against your stomach, your thighs. Your neck is in his one hand, and he grazed your skin with his teeth. 

Fuck him for looking at you like this, like he was starving. Fuck him for how big and hard his cock feels through these boxers. He preoccupied you with one kiss after another and you drowned in the burning pleasure that was growing in between your legs.

Jean pulled away for a brief moment and jerked his head to the opposite wall. 

“Is that a mirror?” He said, a crooked smile forming with delight.

Your cheap mirror was small and thin, glinting in the dark, leaning against your closet door.

You nod and blush, realizing his idea.

“Come here,” he pulls you onto his lap again, your back against his chest. 

You swallow nervously and try to look away, but he holds your chin.

“What’s wrong?”

“It’s just..annoying, how impressive you are,” you mumbled. 

“Oh, sweetheart,” Jean breathed. He had the perfect view of your shaking legs as he took the waistband of your panties, pulling them off. “You’re easy, you know that? You get groped by big, strong hands and now you’re fucking soaked.”

His boner was pressed up against your ass, and he hooked his hands under your knees and spread your legs apart.

You’re flushed and dazed, and let out a soft sigh as he cups your cunt, tapping it gently. You were so wet.

“I’m.. not..” You grip his wrist, not to stop him, but for support. 

“Yeah?” Jean challenged. He dipped the pad of his middle finger against your pussy and spread the wetness around the folds, barely brushing your clit. “What’s this?” He said, his voice dark and rough. “You love this, don’t you?”

Jean takes his time playing with you. He rubs your puffy clit with care, achingly slow. Your sighs fueled his dexterous movements, rubbing circles and making lines. He traced the folds of your pussy, spreading your wetness all over and making you twitch with pleasure.

“Yeah, good girl…” He said softly, and your hips buck at his filthy encouragement.

“Fuck…” Your breathing grows heavy. You whimper as he pets you in the dim light of your bedroom. You were both watching him violate your cunt. “Jean, please.. Fuck me..”

“My pace, sweetheart.” He used your slick to slide his middle and ring fingers inside you. He guides them in and out, soft and slow. 

The room is filled with your pathetic moans and the soft squishing of your cunt gripping his fingers.

Jean can’t stop sucking at your neck, biting you, leaving marks all over your skin. You buck your hips against him, fighting the overstimulation and losing poorly as you lose track of how many times you cum. 

Your clit is throbbing. It’s soft to his touch, and he adores the flush on your cheeks, and how pretty you look lost in pleasure. He gropes your tits, squeezing them, and running his thumbs over your nipples. You buck your hips again, it was too much. 

“You ready?” Jean’s voice is strained. It was hard to hold back now, he wanted his turn with you.

“Yes please,” you whispered. 

He pulls his cock out, precum oozing from the tip. It was flushed pink, and veiny, and you wanted nothing more than to kiss it. 

Jean grabbed your hips. He positioned his cock at your opening, tapping it against your clit and relishing the sight. 

“Look at me, pretty girl,” he whispered roughly. 

You were so hypnotized by the sight of your reflection—legs in the air, your hole perfectly aligned with his member. He teases you with the tip, pumping his shaft with his hands and rubbing it against your cunt. You met Jean’s eyes in the mirror, the desperation and lust in his expression made you quiver. 

After the agonizing wait, he finally thrusts into you. 

Jean sighs at how your cunt flexes around him, hungry for more friction. He holds your waist with both hands and bounces you. You feel him go deeper and gasp. It was so big, and he was so strong—you loved how he gripped you, how he fucked you. 

You were so lost in pleasure that you were completely unaware of soaking his sheets. He pumped you up and down on his cock, and you bounced eagerly on top of him, moaning obscenely.

“Come on baby. Drain this fucking dick, come on.” He growled, watching cream dribble down your pussy. 

You were squeezing him tight, so wet and messy. “M-more, Jean... please..”

“Here,” Jean gently disconnects himself and drags you by the ankles to the edge of the bed. 

You giggle at his strength, and he shoves you lightly and you fall onto the mattress with your ass in the air. 

“Perfect fucking view.” He smacks your ass with a moderate sting.

“Yeah?” You say coyly, grabbing a pillow to stuff your face into. 

“Of course. You look good in my jersey,” Jean smiles wistfully as he winds your hair around his knuckles. He puts a hand on your back and you barely have time to take a breath before he sheathes himself inside you again. 

“Oh, shit,” you whine as Jean drills you from behind. He fucks you mercilessly, spanking your ass with resounding smacks. The pain was wonderful and fleeting, and you prayed he wouldn’t stop. 

You felt your cum paint your inner thighs, your clit was throbbing and you tried to rub yourself while he moved behind you. It felt so good to surrender to Jean, to let him split you open. You whine into the pillow and buck your hips. You adore the sound of his ragged breaths as he fucks you. 

Jean’s moans are so tender, his pleasure is so real. He loves watching you coat his cock in your juices, the cute little flourish of your lips around him. 

“Spread it,” he pants. “Spread it for me, baby.” 

Your shaky fingers reach for your cunt, and you try your best to spread yourself open while he fucks you. Jean groaned at the display, he wanted to remember the way you look bent over forever.

He fit perfectly inside you, and you felt every vein and every inch of him in your walls. You were dizzy and seeing spots as you drifted in pleasure. You were a little tired, but you didn’t want him to stop. It was heaven, the way he thrusted into you, cradling your body and using it. 

Your eyelids flutter as you fight the weight of them.

Jean pulls out slowly and gently rolls you onto your back. You almost tip over until he supports you again, petting your hair. 

“You okay?” He’s breathing heavily, covered in sweat. His hair is drenched, and he holds your jaw in one hand.

All you could give was a nod as you caught your breath too. 

“You’re so cute,” he mumbled, and slipped his thumb into your mouth. You close your eyes and swirl your tongue around it, tasting yourself. “You wanna keep going?” 

You nod again.

“Can I eat your pussy?” He pants desperately, taking his thumb away. 

“Oh,” the surprise escaped you quicker than you could stop it. “If you want to.”

“Y/n,” Jean laughed. “It’ll make my fucking night.”

You shed his jersey and he guided you onto your back again. 

Jean wedged a pillow under your neck and kissed you on the forehead, on both cheeks, on your nose. He kissed down your neck and in between your tits, down your stomach, until his face was positioned in between your legs. 

You reached down to spread yourself out for him, teasing yourself. The sight drove Jean crazy. He was stroking his cock desperately while you showed him how wet you were, and he leaned forward, resting his nose at the soft valley above your clit.

Jean moaned softly at the perfect taste.

He made out with your pussy like his life depended on it. Jean adored the way the flat of his tongue would make you shudder, how flicking it against your bud would make you cry out.

You pulled at his hair, knuckles white as you rocked back and forth. You tried to keep from crushing him, but Jean practically encouraged it as he darted his tongue in and out of your cunt. The motion made your hips buck and he had to pin you down to keep you from writhing away. 

Jean bent your knees back till your ass was on full display, round and still red from earlier. He smacked your pussy as he left kisses over his handprints. 

Your legs were shaking uncontrollably, the heat was overwhelming as your head pounded, and you gave in. Your body spasms as you cum all over Jean’s mouth. He worshiped your sensitive folds, licking you clean, and wouldn’t stop until you came again. 

[nopainnowhump]

Cracks in the Glass Pt.5

(TW): forced medication, food control and refusal, power dynamics, manipulation, physical restraint, gaslighting, feeding tubes, and emotional distress.

“Do you want something else? Because if you have a preference, I’m sure I can find something else.”

I look at the tray and then at Thomas through the glass. He’s taking a seat after bringing me a dinner tray. I’m not hungry. Actually, that’s a lie. I’m starving, but I won’t eat. I can’t. How dare he? How dare he come here and act like he didn’t just hold me down and force pills down my throat?

I crawl over to the tray and roughly shove it back through the slot in the door, causing the contents to spill on the floor. Thomas takes a deep breath and sighs, keeping his composure as he moves closer to the glass.

"I know you’re upset, and I’m sorry we had to do that, but I need you to understand that we have your best interests at heart. I know it doesn’t seem like it, and I haven’t done anything to earn your trust, but I’m here to help you."

I scoff. I hate this game. What does he want? I turn my back to him and walk toward the bed. Hunger rolls through my stomach.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"I don’t know why you’re getting so upset with us," Kyle sneers, his voice thick with mockery. "You should be upset with yourself for not doing what I told you. Three fucking days, I told you for three days that If you didn't eat you were gonna get tubed."

Strong arms lift me off the floor, and I’m too weak to fight back. The sedative is already dulling my senses, leaving my limbs sluggish and unresponsive. My shirt is soaked with tears and snot as I gasp in shallow, rapid breaths. Even as they drag me down the hall, I feebly try to kick at the floor, my movements pathetic and futile.

Kyle leads the way, his smug grin only making me feel smaller. "I gotta say, you’re my favorite patient," he taunts. "You always make my shift more exciting. A little bit of chaos to break up the monotony."

We pass through the double doors of a sterile bed bay. Without ceremony, the guards shove me into a chair, their hands like vices on my arms. I try to slide off, desperation giving me one last burst of energy, but it’s useless. Thick straps tighten across my arms and legs, pinning me down.

My stomach churns violently, but not from fear. The nausea has been unrelenting for days, a cruel aftermath of the experiments. Every bite of food twists in my gut, forcing me to relive the humiliation of throwing up in front of them, helpless and exposed. The mere thought of eating again makes bile rise in my throat.

I let out a weak yelp as Kyle approaches, a feeding tube in his hand. The sight of it makes my nausea worse, and I instinctively turn my head away.

"Now, now," he says mockingly, his voice dripping with condescension. He grabs my jaw roughly, his fingers digging into my skin like claws. I try to pull away, shaking my head weakly, but he holds firm.

"Stay still and be a good girl," he says, his tone turning dark. "Or maybe I’ll let my friends in security have some fun with you. Actually..." He leans in close, his breath hot and sour against my face, his sick grin spreading wider. "I might let them have you anyway, just for making my job harder."

Tears stream down my face as I glare at him, my body trembling. The nausea rises again, my stomach twisting painfully, but I’m too terrified to move.

The grin disappears from his face, replaced by cold fury. His hand cracks across my cheek with a resounding slap, the force jerking my head to the side.

"AGH!" I cry out, my cheek stinging and burning.

"Don’t. Fucking. Move," he growls, his voice icy and full of venom.

He roughly forces the tube down my hitting the back of my throat forcing me to gag. Bile rises at the throat nausea rolling through me.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I hear the faint scrape of something against the floor—the tray. I don’t look up, but the soft clinks and rustles tell me he’s cleaning up the mess I made. He doesn’t speak, doesn’t lecture, just quietly gathers the spilled food. Then his footsteps retreat, the heavy door clicking shut behind him.

Good. Let him leave.

Time drags on, the hunger gnawing at me, sharp and insistent. It’s been days. My stomach twists painfully, but I shove the feeling down, clutching the one shred of control I still have. I won’t eat. I can’t.

The door opens again. I stiffen, curling tighter on the bed. This time, there’s no tray. No demands. Just the faint rustle of fabric as he sits down outside the glass, followed by the rhythmic clatter of keys.

Curiosity pulls at me, and I glance over my shoulder. Thomas is sitting with his back against the wall, legs stretched out, his laptop balanced on his knees. He doesn’t look at me, doesn’t speak. He’s just…there. The silence between us stretches, punctuated only by the soft tapping of his keyboard.

Then I hear it—a sharp, crisp crunch that snaps through the quiet. My head turns automatically, catching sight of him mid-bite. He’s eating something, sliding a thin, golden shape from a crinkly bag and popping it into his mouth. Each crunch is loud, almost exaggerated, as he chews.

I narrow my eyes at the bag. I don’t know what it is, but the thought of food, of eating, tightens something in my chest. Not out of hunger—though the ache in my stomach hasn’t gone away—but because of what it means.

If I don’t eat, they’ll force me.

The memory of being strapped down, Kyle’s cruel grin as he shoved the feeding tube in, flashes behind my eyes. My breath quickens, and I shake my head, trying to banish the image. I can’t go through that again.

Thomas notices me watching. He pauses, holding the bag up slightly, as if offering it to me. "You want one?"

I hesitate, staring at him through the glass. My pride screams at me to ignore him, but the pounding of my heart is louder. If I eat—if I prove I’m capable—they won’t have an excuse to strap me down.

Slowly, I crawl toward the slot in the door, my body tense and uncertain. I don’t trust him, but the alternative looms too large in my mind.

Thomas pulls one of the golden shapes from the bag and slides it through the slot. I stare at it for a moment, suspicious and wary, before finally picking it up. It’s thin and rough against my fingers, unlike anything I’ve eaten before.

I glance at him through the glass. He doesn’t move, doesn’t push. He just watches, his expression unreadable.

I bite down cautiously, the loud crunch surprising me. Then the taste hits—salty, rich, and completely unexpected. My eyes widen involuntarily as I chew. I swallow, and the hollow ache in my stomach shifts slightly, the smallest hint of relief breaking through. But it’s not enough.

I slam my fist against the glass, a sharp bang that reverberates through the room. My eyes lock onto the bag in his hand, my demand clear.

Thomas raises an eyebrow. "You want another?"

I pound the glass again, harder this time. A growl escapes my throat, low and frustrated.

"Okay, okay," he says, sliding another chip through the slot.

I snatch it immediately, shoving it into my mouth without hesitation. I barely finish chewing before I slam my fists against the glass again, harder, more insistent.

"Alright, alright!" Thomas raises his hands in surrender, grabbing another chip and passing it through.

The cycle repeats—chip after chip—my demands growing more aggressive each time. I pound the glass with both fists now, my anger and hunger merging into a single, desperate need.

"Easy," he says softly, sliding another chip through. His voice is calm, steady, but his eyes watch me closely, gauging my every move.

Then the bag finally crinkles empty, I let out a scream of frustration, slamming my fists one last time against the glass. Thomas holds up the empty bag, shaking it lightly.

"That’s all I’ve got," he says, his tone light, almost teasing.

My breathing is ragged, my body trembling from the outburst. Frustration boils over, and I collapse onto the floor, screaming and kicking, my fists pounding against the cold concrete.

He doesn’t react right away, just sits back against the wall, watching me with that same infuriating calm. Then, after a moment, he speaks. "Hey, I’ve got an idea." His voice cuts through my screams, steady but not pushy.

I stop kicking for a moment, glaring at him through tear-streaked eyes.

"How about this," he continues. "When I bring you breakfast tomorrow morning, if you eat a couple of bites, I’ll bring you your own bag of chips at lunch."

I freeze, my chest heaving as I process his words. He could be lying. They’ve lied to me before, after all. But…what if he’s not? My gaze flickers toward the empty bag in his hand. The chips were good. Really good. And if he does lie, I’ll just refuse to eat again.

I sniff, wiping my nose roughly on my sleeve, and glance at him. He meets my eyes, his expression open, almost challenging.

"Deal?" he asks, raising an eyebrow.

I hesitate for a long moment before rolling away from him, turning my back to the glass. "Fine," I mutter, my voice muffled.

I hear the faint snap of his laptop closing, followed by the soft rustle of him standing. "It’s been a pleasure doing business with you," he says, a hint of amusement in his voice.

I don’t respond, but I hear him knock lightly on the glass. "I’ll see you tomorrow. Try to get some sleep, okay?"

The sound of his footsteps fades as he walks away, leaving me alone in the silence. I curl up tighter, still unsure if I’ve made the right choice.

I wipe my face. I am kinda tired. I crawl into bed and pull the covers up. The room is quiet now, and my body feels heavy with exhaustion. As I close my eyes, the faint taste of salt still lingers on my tongue.

Chips: the universal peacemaker. Who knew the crunch could be so persuasive? Stay tuned for more!

[rin-solo]

ALRIGHT, I AM FINALLY REBLOGGING THIS<3

Amazing post! I really enjoyed reading it. Now, I don't think I'm going to go too deep into my own theories because I want to do my own (more story- than music-based, though) analysis (will probably do it saga by saga so as to avoid the word count problems ...)

Overall really thorough, so I'm going to add just a few things here and there:

I strongly believe Just a Man is a prophecy in some way, or at least heavy foreshadowing (deliberately picking imagery for each saga in Act 1): comet/meteor -> TROY; candle/blaze -> CYCLOPS; ripple/tidal wave -> OCEAN; reason/blame -> CIRCE; man/monster -> UNDERWORLD (I'm not going into detail on why I believe this for now because I will be in my post eventually.)

Fun (?) parallel that came to mind: Odysseus claims to be the "man who, unlike you, has mercy" to Polyphemus (which is an at least partially inaccurate claim spoken out of resentment) and later does the same with Poseidon in Get in the Water (my beloved 🫶), except there it's much more genuine and much more presented through other words/actions rather than outright stated (making it a lot more authentic and accurate.)

Odysseus was 100% correct in going to Aeolus, and I am tired of people criticizing him for this, sorry. I mean, Hermes later tells us literally that "no mortal can pass Poseidon's storm," meaning that they couldn't have gotten past that storm without divine intervention. The few animatics for Storm that exist probably massively undersell how bad it actually was (I'm actually currently making my own one because I think this song is underrated.) And then it's also not Odysseus' fault that the wind bag was opened; apart from not trusting anyone with the wind bag, he actually didn't do anything wrong in the Ocean saga. Going to Aeolus is really the more responsible thing, in my opinion, rather than trying to survive with a fleet of ancient, very sinkable ships in an impenetrable storm. They would've all drowned had he not decided to do something about it.

I wager Aeolus' "Keep your friends close" was trying to give Odysseus a hint at how to beat her game. I don't think she was setting him up for failure, as some believe. If he had actually kept his friends close, he would've probably won. I am convinced that Eurylochus wouldn't have opened that bag if Odysseus had actually entrusted him with it.

THANK YOU for everything that you said about Ruthlessness. The amount of people who misunderstand that song .... sigh. And yes, I believe the ripple/tidal wave reprisal was deliberate, not just because this is the tidal wave to Remember Me's ripple, but also because this is Poseidon's own ripple to 600 Strike's tidal wave.

I've actually always interpreted the ending of There Are Other Ways as Circe "opening her heart" somewhat, as she has now been shown that she is potentially hurting good/innocent men by striking first. Odysseus proved to her that such a thing exists, and she might actually be rethinking her approach now (I hope so; as understandable as her actions are, they're still harmful.)

Thank you also for pointing out how "No longer you" only means "not the man you are right now" as opposed to "a monster," as I've seen so many claim.

And, last but certainly not least:

If the (heart)beat signifies looming/imminent/perceived danger by at least one involved party, I am eyeing very, very interestedly the fact that it disappears as Odysseus finishes his "... just go home" speech in Get in the Water (my beloved 🫶) and is present neither during the 3-second pause nor "Maybe you could learn to forgive?" Hm, yes, very, VERY fascinating indeed...

... Of course, I was going to close off with this one 😂

Anyway, that was really fun to read and I hope you enjoy my additions :) I'm very curious what you think, actually!

Epic Analysis - Act I

So I made a joke a while back about analyzing the themes of the musical and that'd be ten pages long and it turns out I'm not that far off considering just act I has ~checks mark ~ 8 pages and over 4K words lmao.

I want to preface this by saying I'm pointing out things that I have noticed while listening to it - I'm no way claiming to be right about anything, and there things I may have missed or may have misundertood.I don't have a degree in music nor am I a professional writer/songwriter, so you can interpret the points bellow however you wish.

And to follow along with.

Red - Song titles

Orange - repeated sentences that appear later on.

Blue - motifs

I hope you all enjoy and please do me a favor and like and reblog this with your thoughts because I lost a good amount of brain cells doing this.

Also, please share your thoughts and theories, too <3

And if you kindly could like and reblog so this can reach new people I'd be greatly appreciated.

The Horse And The Infant

We get our first introduction to Odysseus' electric guitar with his motif.

We also learn a bit about Odysseus himself - he can operate well under pressure, he is a good captain who knows the strength of his men and he also says: "Neo, avenge your father (Achilles) kill the brothers of Hector"

We hear a heartbeat when he's thinking about Penelope and Telemachus. (This will be important later on, trust lmao).

Zeus appears and we can hear his synth base.

We hear the music box that will later be heard again.

Odysseus begs Zeus to not make him kill the infant.

"Please, don't make me do this"

"The blood on your hands is something you won't lose, all you can choose is whose".

Just A Man

We get our first introduction to Odysseus' acoustic guitar.

But when does a comet become a meteor?

When does a candlе become a blaze?

When does a man become a monster?

When does a ripple become a tidal wave?

When does the reason become the blame?

When does a man become a monster?

Is important to note that the acoustic guitar disappears completely as soon as Odysseus decides that he has to kill the infant to ensure the lives of all of those he loves. It's also important to note that despite providing Zeus with alternatives, he still does what it takes as he said he would not long ago.

Here we also learn of Odysseus' hunger - And his is vastly different from pretty much any other character - because his hunger is about seeing his wife and his child - is not literal, but rather metaphorical.

And another interesting fact - we hear a choir singing back Odysseus' words back to him and that won't be the first time that it happens.

There's a possibility that's the crew doing so - but if he's in the wall and they're bellow, how exactly do they know what's happening there? And how can they hear what's he's saying?

I point this out because Jay himself has claimed that only gods can summon their own choir, so - what exactly is happening here?

Full Speed Ahead

We are introduced to other character and one foe that arguably poses more threat than the gods - hunger.

And Odysseus has enough hindsight - at that moment - to know that there was something was off because he could see fire but no smoke, which is an interesting thing in and on itself considering that we often say that "where there's fire, there's smoke".

He also stops Eyrulochus from barging in the island and states that he should go ahead with Polites, because they could find a way of no one ending up dead.

But when Eyrulochus states that they don't know what's ahead, Odysseus says that if they don't return six hundred men can make the whole place burn. (This is interesting, and quite telling if I say so myself).

Full Speed Ahead serves to drive the plot forward, but also gives us insight into Odysseus' mindset prior to Polites' death.We close the song with Ody's eletric guitar again.

Open Arms

We are presented with Polites' philosophy about kindness and greeting the word with open arms.

"You can relax my friend"

"Greet the world with open arms"

We can hear a (heart)beat - not to be confused with the heartbeat we hear in the name of Penelope - as soon as the minions ented the sound space with "welcome" and the beat remains there until we hear Polite's say: "See".

I said not to be confused with Penelope's because this beat does sound like a heartbeat - it picks up the pace and slows down but is not present in every song nor is it present in every section of the songs it shows up in - which leads me to believe it might mean something (unless it's a random beat, but I'm being honest I have a hard time believing that).

So our first theoretical introduction to this sound happens when they are near perceived danger - but we all know what the danger motif sounds like at this point (which I won't tackle because is everywhere and it doesn't feel necessary as off now).But the beat disappears as soon as the situation is resolved and it does not appear again.

And again, Odysseus is warning the winions that if they don't make it back safely, his men will burn the island down. And here, Odysseus presents Polites with the idea that Open Arms with no discernment can sometimes lead them down a path they do not wish to go - "that's what you get with open arms".

But when they manage to "succeed" living by what Polites' said, Odysseus begins to ponder which is why Athena shows up.

Warrior of The Mind

We are introduced to Athena as a character and we hear her motif for the first time.

We hear the heart(beat) again as soon as Odysseus asks Athena to show herself. So here it seems to be present again near perceived danger, or at the very leas near the unknown.

And we hear his electric guitar motif right before she asks what his name is.

Polyphemus

Again, we hear the electric guitar and his motif but on a different scale than what we usually get (I'm pretty sure)

And not for the first time, we have Odysseus having enough awareness to notice that something is off, because everything is too perfect.We hear the heart(beat) again once Polyphemus asks "who are you?"

Here is the first time where said beat can be perceived at different metric sections than they'd normally be for a normal beat, here they are present in certain words.

At first, we hear it constantly until Odysseus says they come in peace, and they stop and come back in the word "sheep". It appears between that and favorite, and appears again in "favorite", again in "right" and "deep", and then in "know" and then the beat is gone.

But is important to note that in this first section, we only hear one beat per minute.

It stays gone for a good portion of the song and it shows up again as soon as he stops saying: "A gift for you and a gift from me" and it sounds a little bit more stuttery in this part but is gone again before Odysseus says his name is "nobody".

And we hear the electric guitar again in this section. And then the beat again - this time two beats per minute.

This is the first instance in which we hear the beat associated with actual danger, but not only danger but also presented in a context of someone claiming they come in peace right after they kill a sheep that was there just minding its own business and then in a context where one of the parts is being manipulated but has also made up their mind about things will end.

As for the song itself, there are some things I find interesting in it because I don't think we talk enough about how the themes are connected, or about this particular theme that I'll touch on again.

But Polyphemus asks Odysseus what gives him the right to deal that kind of pain - i.e: the pain of losing his friend sheep, and asks him if he doesn't know that pain he sows is pain that he'll reap and proceeds to warn him that he'll learn that is not so fun to take."A trade you see, take from you like you took from me".

Everyone talks about how this line is foreshadowing to him taking Odysseus favorite person from him - and it is! But it also shows us something else: Consequence (which isn't the first we see off and won't be the last). Odysseus himself will later say he didn't lose any of his men in the war - because up to that point - he was a brilliant commander that thought up an idea to bring a horse into a city so that they could win, but before Astyanax - which is a point I'll make later on -, Odysseus was never presented with the consequences of his own actions.

This isn't an argument about who was right or who was wrong - but objectively, about the principle that every action has an reaction, and that's when Odysseus will learn this the hard way. So the song and the character are telling him (and us by extension) that Odysseus entered the cave, killed the sheep and that actions will have consequences. He obviously didn't know that he was killing something important to someone, especially someone that could kill him - but that's the thing, whether he knew or not doesn't matter to Polyphemus. He still felt the pain of losing the sheep, and because he felt that pain, he had to make Odysseus feel the same.

There was an action, that action caused someone pain, and so because of it, that pain must be felt in the same way to be understood.

And then again we see Ody's mind at work - with him tricking Polyphemus with the lotus wine -. Odysseus is trying to fix the situation with a gift - as a way of saying, I may have taken something from you, but here I am giving you something back -.

"A trade you see, a gift for you and a gift from me"

I also find it interesting that Odysseus talks about the power that's in his hand when referring to the wine. I understand that apparently it was Dionysus' wine, but if we think about another possible meaning, it could also refer to Polyphemus own thirst (and his father's, by extension) which is the thirst for power, not on the traditional sense but rather on the sense that he felt his power over the island and the sheep was taken away, so in order to gain it back, he must kill the people that took it from him.

Survive

We hear Zeus' reprisal of The Horse and The Infant but I'm pretty sure the tempo is a little bit faster than what it is in the previous use of it.It could be because the same way Zeus ordered Odysseus to kill Astyanax, he's ordering his men to kill Polyphemus who also happens to be a child Cyclops - but I think there's more to it than that.

We hear the guitar again.

Odysseus explicitly states he's ready to kill. "Is just one life to take".

"When we kill him then our journey is over"

We don't hear the heart(beat) here at all.

And then Polyphemus takes over the song and the motif as well, and kills Polites.

And then he says "You've hurt me enough".

"Six hundred lives I'll take, six hundred lives I'll break, and when I kill you then my pain is over" (Sidenote, I was looking at Spotify and the lyrics there were "then my deed is over" and it make me question everything because I always heard it as pain and everywhere else has as pain so yeah, Spotify sucks).

Going back to the point, I always found it interesting that Polyphemus would say that when he kills the men his pain will be over. Because it made me wonder - does he mean his literal pain or the psychological one? Is not like he didn't care about the sheep - he did - quite a lot. So is it possible that he's not referring to just the physical pain but a different one too? Because here he sounds more vulnerable than he did in the previous song when he says "enough, you've hurt me enough". He doesn't even sound angry, but rather quite vulnerable.

So if my interpration is correct - this is also the first time that Odysseus sees the emotional pain he caused on one of his foes, but is also the first time we have another character stating that for said pain to be over, the thing that caused it has to be dead.

Remember Them

This is Odysseus "coming to terms with his losses" (I'll touch on why this is on quotes later). But we again get his eletric guitar and Odysseus resilience being brought to the forefront.

He goes back to his military mindsight quite fast considering what just happened, and he delivers his orders very fast at that moment.

And after a whole song without the (heart)beat - it appears again when the other cyclops appear in the soundspace and ask "Who hurt you" and it disappears as soon as Athena appears.

So here the beat appears again in perceived danger - but also when someone is actually hurt.

And this is when Polyphemus is presented with the consequence of his own actions as well. He killed some of Odysseus pain out of retribution because Odysseus killed his sheep - so now Odysseus stabs him in the eye so that they can get out of the cave -.

And now, instead of killing the Cyclops, he decides to let him live, which will have consequences. As I said before, one song ago Odysseus was ready to kill him, but he had no qualms about doing so either; however, as soon as Polites dies Odysseus' whole mindset changes.

He decides to spare him like his friend would have wanted, but he also gives his own name away due to what I can only surmise to be resentment. Is almost like he's saying: "This is the man, that unlike you, has mercy".

Also, this is what Odysseus says:

"Remember me. I'm the reigning king of Ithaca"

"I am neither man nor mythical"

"I am your darkest moment"

"I am the infamous Odysseus"

And again we hear a choir in the background as he says all of this. Could the choir be the crew? Maybe - but if that's the case, why would they enter when this is singularly about Odysseus himself?

My Goodbye

We get Athena's motif again.

This song does a great job of recontextualizing Warrior of The Mind.

We hear Odysseus' guitar again - and I believe we get both of them although I'm not entirely sure if I'm being honest. I touched on this before, but I find it interesting that Athena tells Odysseus that he needs to put his emotions aside while actively being emotional herself. She's the one that's berating him, calling him a waste of effort, she's the one that sings a whole break-up song about it while Odysseus just wants her to be gone.

The lyrics and the musicality show us that Athena does care about him - we can feel that especially after Odysseus tells her that she's alone because of the notes on the piano, is almost like his words have a physical effect on her -.

Storm

The trumpets!

And we have Aeolus' motif.

Luck Runs Out

"How much longer 'till your luck runs out? How much longer 'till the show goes south?"

You rely on wit and people die on it"

Here we have Odysseus blindly deciding to ask a god for help. When we consider the fact that he just lost his best friend because he decided to barge in some place he shouldn't have, his choice to just climb to the top and ask for help makes even less sense, unless, you consider the fact that he took Polites' advice about "just asking for help" to heart.

Then Odysseus states that he still believes in goodness and that people can be kind - and we'll later learn that remains to be true even after everything - but he doesn't seem to grasp, yet, that blind goodness/kindness can have consequences - is no wonder we always say that no good deed goes unpunished.

Now, remember when I said that before Odysseus could both grasp when something was off because of the lack of smoke or because something was too good to be true? Why does that change? And it does, because he should've known how gods are - hell, he just had a huge blowout with one a few songs ago -, so why does he lose this hindsight all of a sudden?

Eurylochus' concerns are very valid - he has a point about Odysseus' relying too much on his wit to get people out of situations. He shouldn't have questioned him in front of the entire crew, but that doesn't mean he doesn't have a point.

Here, we also get a glimpse of Odysseus' current state - he says that he took six hundred men to war and that none of them died there -, which is true, but why isn't he addressing those who died after?And get the (heart)beat all over this song too.

Keep Your Friends Close

We have the (heart)beat again.

Is interesting that Aeolus' remark about keeping friends close and enemies closer led Odysseus to be distrustful of his crew, and yet, the god didn't say not to trust the crew, she just said: "Keep your friends close".

But because of what just happened one song ago, Odysseus doesn't feel like he can trust the bag to anyone else, which means he doesn't switch shifts with anyone and ends up falling asleep.

"So much has changed, but I'm the same".

Storm motif.

Full Speed Ahead motif.

Poseidon shows up.

Ruthlessness

Oh, this song!

First of all, the lyrics do a great job of presenting us with Poseidon philosophy and character

"Guess the pack of wolves is swimming with the shark now" This line here, oh is beautiful. Because Poseidon acknowledges that Odysseus and his men are dangerous (the pack of wolves) and that they can be brutal in their own right - he's not taking away their merit like many would in this circumstance -, but he's saying they're swimming with the shark (him). Meaning: They are under his domain now, under his control, and he now has the upper hand because he's not only distant from them but also has more power. (Credit to Mortius for the amazing analysis of this line)

"Ruthlessness is mercy upon ourselves"

I touched on this before, but I needed to highlight how I have seen far too many people completely miss the point of this song - not only on YouTube but also here, for some reason -. People argue that Poseidon asked for an apology which Odysseus didn't give and that's why he killed most of his fleet.

No.

The entire song is an exposition of Poseidon's philosophy - it's a way of showing us that he doesn't believe in mercy or kindness, that he believes that in order to survive one must be ruthless at all times. He's literally saying: "If you had been ruthless and killed my child, I wouldn't be here right now because I wouldn't know who did it".Or even then - I don't think he'd have sought Odysseus out. The reason he does is precisely because Ody decided to be merciful instead.

So is not like he's looking for a genuine apology - there was nothing Ody could've said that would've made Poseidon spare him -, he's just toying with Odysseus at that point.

Odysseus' apology (which he gave, in the ancient Greek way) wouldn't amount to anything.

We hear the (heart)beat again as soon as Poseidon tells Odysseus is time to say goodbye but it gets faster as soon as Odysseus enters the sound space and it stops completely on the word "scape".

"Captain, captain, captain"

When does a ripple become a tidal wave?

"When does a man become a monster?

"I am your darkest moment"

"The monster that always draws near"

We actually get Odysseus' acoustic guitar here too. Now, I'm still debating why Jay decided to reprise Just A Man here, especially with the ripple and the tidal wave (obviously, because they are at sea and all that, but I believe there's more to it than that).

If we follow the idea of consequence, it could suggest that this is the ripple effect of Odysseus choosing to spare the Cyclops, but it could also imply more about the Vengence Saga.

And as I said before, is interesting that Poseidon states that he's a monster and I wonder - did he mean it literally or figuratively? And I also wonder, how does Jay mean it? Because the whole concept of the man and the monster - besides reminding me of The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde and how in said book the allegory presents the duality of human nature, and how the balance between darkness and light is what makes one truly human - makes me believe that we might have an allegory at play here.

If - and that's a huge if - Jay is going for a similar allegory with Odysseus' arc it makes sense that he'd choose two disparate symbols of it (the man and the monster).So share your thoughts on this topic because I'd like to know.

Puppeteer

Full Speed Ahead motif.

There's a debate about whether or not Ody knew Eyrulochus was the one who opened the bag but we can talk about this later.

Circe's motif.

Here - we are once again presented with the theme of hunger - for food and for a woman/ for sex (let's be real) - and the "a woman" line always takes me out. We also get some context into Circe's character - a woman turning men into pigs once she feeds them -.

At first, we aren't clued in on the reason why she's doing. All she says is "think of your past, and your mistakes. They'll be the last mistakes you make".

And we again are presented with someone who has power and seeks to maintain it. This is our first introduction to her - she simply states that she has all the power and that she's not playing with people, but rather manipulating them like a puppeteer does.

She has the strings and she controls the outcome because she can twist and bend people to her will. The closest we get to something deeper is with the line "the world does not tend to forgive".

Wouldn't You Like

Hermes! I love him but there's not to say about this song, except that Hermes tells Odysseus that Circe can make him fall in love with her - so the fact that she tries and fails tells us exactly how much he loves Penelope.

Done For

Odysseus' guitar and motif.

The heart(beat) is very present here.

Here we are presented with more information about Circe's motivation. She states that she has people she needs to protect, nymphs she can't neglect. So in order to maintain control and power over the situation, Circe preemptively strikes before any harm can be done to her or the people she cares about.

Odysseus here tries to trick Circe but she doesn't fall for it. And the thing, Circe and Odysseus' reason isn't different at all - both want to protect the people they care for, but they're going at it in different ways.

She does tell him that the last time they allowed people to live, they faced a heavy loss. We don't know exactly what happened, but once can only assume that it wasn't pretty, so Circe learned from it and decided to use of her art of persuasion to get what she wanted.

There Are Other Ways

Here, Odysseus starts to repeat back what Circe said in her own song, almost as if he's slowly following her lead, until he thinks about Penelope and we hear her motif and her viola.

Here Odysseus vulnerability and the proof of his love for his wife is what convinces Circe to help them. She must've come across countless men before and I think is safe to assume none of them denied her before.

And that's the thing about Circe - when presented with a good reason to help, once she realizes that Odysseus just wants to go home, that he loves his wife so much that even after twelve years (lol) he remains faithful to her, and is desperate to see her, and that's a good enough reason to help him.

Circe already knows who she is, already knows what she's capable of and what she's fighting for.

Odysseus is on the way to figuring that out.

The Underworld

Full Speed Ahead motif.

"All I hear are screams"

The bells we hear are ringing the same notes that we hear in The Horse And The Infant as soon as Odysseus finds Astyanax.

"Captain, captain, captain"

"This life is amazing when you greet with open arms, whatever we face we'll be fine if we lead from the heart... Greet the world with open arms".

"Waiting" with Odysseus' motif on a different scale on the piano.This is the first time Odysseus truly addresses what has happened and what he's gone through.

Here he is, looking for the prophet to help him get home, and yet he's being haunted by the voices of those he lost and their last thoughts before they died. Yes - he's hearing their literal screams as they pass the river Styx, but is more than that. For the first time, he can actually see the consequences of his own choices and his actions.

No Longer You

Tiresias' motif.

"There is a world where I help you get home, but that's not a world I know" - This line here is brilliant, because not only addresses the fact that in the original poem Tiresias does tell Odysseus what to do and what to avoid, but it also further solidifies that this is very different from the original epic.

I see a song of past romance (Siren's song)

I see the sacrifice of men (Scylla's throat)

I see portrayals of betrayal (Mutiny)

And a brother's final stand (Lightning bolt)

I see you on the brink of death

I see you draw your final breath

I see a man who gets to make it home alive but it's no longer you

No Longer You is a great way of setting the stage for the next act, by providing Odysseus with a vague warning about a man who is hunting and a man with a trail of bodies behind it, it allows his mind to wonder and the ponder who that man can be. The interesting thing is - Tiresias is telling that the man that makes it back home is no longer him - as in no longer Odysseus, as in no longer the current Odysseus -.

At that moment Odysseus already has a trail of bodies behind him. Whether or not the deaths in the cave were his fault isn't the argument here, but rather that they happened and happened under his command. But here Odysseus is presented with a future and a past he can't change or can't control.

Monster

Odysseus' guitar motif that gets pulled away.As discussed by my amazing mutual @rin-solo in her Monster essay, Odysseus is non-judgmental by nature.

Monster is Odysseus debating if mercy is not the thing that has been killing his men all along, if him caving to guilt is the reason they're not making it home. He's not justifying the actions of his foes, he's not saying they're morally right in doing what they're doing.

Is the Cyclops struck with guilt when he kills? Is he up in the middle of the night? Or does he end my men to avenge his friend And then sleep knowing he has done him right?

When the witch turns men to pigs to protect her nymphs Is she going insane? Or did she learn to be colder when she got older and now she saves them the pain?

He's simply questioning if these people are allowing themselves to be stopped by guilt or by mercy, he acknowledges their perspective, he acknowledges that them doing the things they way they're doing them is what keeps them alive.

"Ruthleness is mercy upon ourselves"

Here Odysseus addresses those he lost again, and is the first moment where it feels like he's really allowing the grief and the hurt to set in.

I said it before and I'll say it again, Monster doesn't seem to about Odysseus choosing to become a monster because he wants to, but rather because he feels is the only thing he can do under the circumstances. With the context we get from songs that will come, Monster seems to become more and more about Odysseus not wanting to feel guilt about the choices he knows he'll have to make to make it back home.

He wants to throw the guilt he feels away:

"Does a soldier use a wooden horse to kill sleeping Trojans cause he's vile? Or those he throw his remorse away and saves more lives with guile?"

Monster also seems to be Odysseus' way of starting to understand his own morals, of coming to terms with them, of accepting things about himself that he didn't seem willing to do up until this point.And once again, we hear a choir in the background singing the words back to Odysseus.

[butchlifeguard]

primrose's ch3 is GOOD btw

[dreildream]

"Awesome, super cool, and like, totally awesome. Like really awesome."

[thrucrax]

the veilguard curse.....i just want to play older bioware games; ALSO small rant where i really started losing hope in the story

I HATE GAMES....that make you go through a dialogue tree only to leave you with only ONE option to choose. i am thinking of one conversation with solas where rook's final and only option of dialogue is "I will do whatever it takes" or whatever and UGHHHH

I HATE THAT especially when i'm trying to run a character that would NEVER say that???

ugh i love roleplay games that make you play a character you didn't at all make /sarcasm

this is just an excuse to make a post about how rambert would never "do whatever it takes", he won't lie even to save face or earn trust.

[hallowclave]

What a whimsical looking young man I wonder if he has received any job offers recently

Original photo

[moeblob]

Anyway they can change between being tiny and human sized. And when they're tinier they can only be seen by the other fae or their selected humans. So if you just passed Noll on the street while Shavuli was perched on his shoulder chatting away you wouldn't see or hear her.

[chrisbangs]

i finished thesis, won an award, and have graduated.. hello 👋🥸

[icewindandboringhorror]

Hrmm... put together a roommates quiz finally after years of thinking it would be an interesting idea lol.. Though obviously not meant to be taken super seriously, I just like thinking about this aspect of personality compatibility. Like yeah, maybe you could get along with someone just chatting with them, but living together is such a different thing. .. curiouse...

[waywardsalt]

was going through my blog trying to track down an old post i made talking abt my feelings on jolene and it was. much longer than i remembered it being. and haha yeah i still agree with it. i need to fucking. sort out my feelings on that character and that subplot

[the-casbah-way]

FINALLY finished my outline for prodigal son it’s going to end up way longer than i planned </3

[astrxealis]

sorry to ffxivlovepost always anyway Man the way the devs & game did so good in making an mc that is Basically a blank-slate for the players, and there's so many opportunities to make your oc However you like but. the game itself adds so much story and character to that blank-slate guy. amazing

[arklay]

WIP DAY.

tagged by @girlbosselrond @morvaris @aartyom @risingsh0t @phillipsgraves @leviiackrman @indorilnerevarine & @denerims over the past month! sorry it's taken me so long to get to anything at all, i'm sure you guys have heard me address it enough, but thank you all so much for continuing to tag me in things while i've been inactive ♡

tagging @aelyosos @brujah @calenhads @florbelles @jendoe @lightwardens @liurnia @nokstella @nuclearstorms @shadowsofrose @shellibisshe @steelport @swordcoasts @wrymbloods @voerman & all of those who tagged me again cause i'm so behind + anyone else who'd like to share anything they're working on, not just writing! ♡

i haven't written anything since the last wip game i did, but i started trying to put diana's timeline together at the start of january, so i mean... i'll show that instead. as you can see, fatigue hasn't let me do much with it even though i've got all of her timeline already done and strewn about all over the place.

started with 1995 onwards cause it was originally going to be an ewskers timeline situation, but then wanted to include all of her backstory so i went back to the start and still have the late 80s and early 90s to get through before then, but yeah :]

it's going to include like all little moments i've thought of between the ewskers just for me and placing them on the timeline, so you can imagine how long this is going to get if i have to go to 2021 for village... like just 1996-1998 is going to be so much... she's very special to me if you couldn't tell already lmaoo

never sharing this though, it's just for me, and like will help for when i do her timeline page (more in-depth version of what's on her oc page) to just run through canon events and brief descriptions and whatnot. you understand.

everything is blurred out besides 1995 ewskers momence and the years, just cause like idk her i feel weird sharing her in-depth backstory unless it's in dms or something, just cause there's lots going on there and yeah. things. idk

i also made a carrd for twt if you wanna have a look at that :] there's some cheeky subtle things with the two resi items i used as pics hehe

actually, you know what, i'll give a lil bit from where i left of with that rewrite anyways, even though it's been months since i wrote it. but why not

Wesker left a fleeting kiss behind her ear then reached around her and hooked his fingers beneath her coat, prompting Diana to glance back at him. But all he did was gently pull it from her shoulders. She watched him from out of the corner of her eye as he hung it up on the rack by the door, his movements careful and almost calculated, until he turned back towards her, and the warmth of his body returned once more. He pressed up against her side this time, as opposed to her back, and one of his hands found a home on her waist. The way the arm it belonged to was resting firmly against her as he began leading her towards the kitchen was comforting, secure, yet unmistakably possessive. And she revelled in it. He had quite the knack for handling her just the way she wanted.

[designernishiki]

I wanna flesh out a yakuza oc but every time I think about it I end up thinking about an oc of mine who already Exists who’s not a yakuza oc. but is, in fact, an oc who is a yakuza. and that fact is genuinely completely unrelated