#at some point they aren't even afraid of the war to come they just enjoy finally being reunited in the same fortress under one roof again

[chat-dank]

If you’re not into Angbang for the "In a world where I hate everyone and everything, against all odds, I found acceptance / love in you” dynamic and the ancient, poetic intimacy of order and chaos, of creation and destruction, I’m not really sure what you’re here for.

[the-power-of-stuff]

The Live-Action Sukka Manifesto that I Just Couldn't Keep in My Head

So I've been marinating in my live-action Sukka thoughts for the past three days, and when someone sent me an anon asking if I had any thoughts about the changes, at first I went, "DO I EVER?!" and proceeded to dump my entire brain on the page.

But then I worried maybe the anon wouldn't want to see my entire brain and figured I'd make my own post with my Many, Many Thoughts, and reel it in a bit when I answer the ask. And then link here if they're interested in the dissertation.

I'll put all the excessive details and spoilery stuff under a cut, but I'll start by saying, I didn't hate it! And I was afraid that I would.

There were things that I was bummed or had mixed feelings about, but there was also a lot that I genuinely enjoyed. All the Sukka interactions were cute and still had some decent character development, and I had fun with the episode overall (I've watched it thrice mind you, and definitely have not given the rest of the series that kind of attention). And I didn't necessarily dislike the differences from the original; I think I've just taken more of a "that was an interesting interpretation" approach.

But I better start that cut now, because I'm about to go on and on about this. I'd love to know what others think, though!! Even if the opinions aren't the same as mine! Please feel free to comment, reblog, shoot me an ask. If nothing else, I'm excited that the LA has gotten people talking about ATLA again.

So, I want to start with Suki’s characterization, which overall I found to be delightful, even if it was a bit of a watered-down version of her animated self.

In the original show, Suki is confident, sassy, and doesn’t take shit from anybody. She’s proud to the point of almost being arrogant, and even a little mean. What we get in the LA is someone who’s still confident in terms of her status and her skills, and still proud of her heritage and her role in her community, but with significantly less sass. And while LA Suki still seems like someone who wouldn’t take anyone’s shit, we don’t actually see LA Suki deal with that much shit from anyone (because Sokka isn’t really giving her any). 

There is one moment in the show where her interaction with Sokka is a little contentious, which is when he tries to relate to her as a fellow guardian of his people. I think Suki’s question to Sokka about how is he protecting his village if he’s not there is meant to be a challenge to his swagger. However, the line is delivered with a softness that makes it seem as though Suki is, at least in part, genuinely curious. (This curiosity makes even more sense when we consider the fact that Suki’s eventually going to leave Kyoshi Island so she and her Warriors can take part in the war effort, and that she will have to contend with the question of “how do you do that without abandoning your people?” when coming to that decision. The LA lays a lot more of this groundwork than the animated show did: Suki outwardly expressing her desire to see the world, her mother’s secretive looks every time Suki gazes longingly at Sokka the possibilities…)

Compare these two moments, for example. These are both scenes where Suki expresses disbelief at Sokka's claims about his warrior-hood. But in the LA, Suki speaks rather quietly and mildly, in contrast to the brash sarcasm of her animated counterpart. LA Suki is also tilting her head down and away, looking at Sokka indirectly. OG Suki is leaning in close, getting in his face, smirking derisively with her hands on her hips.  

I think there’s something to be said about the LA in general smoothing away certain personality traits that could be seen as negatives but that are actually strengths that are so narratively well-developed they occasionally show up as flaws (for instance, Katara’s fury, or lack thereof). Animated Suki is prideful and stubborn; she berates Sokka until he gives her sad puppy-dog eyes and has zero hesitation about making an example of him in front of her whole class. It’s a little ruthless, but these traits are also 1) what gets through Sokka’s thick skull (he, too, is prideful and stubborn), and 2) what makes her such a dedicated ambassador of Kyoshi and such a strong leader of the island’s Warriors at such a young age. I feel like the LA writers were afraid of making any of the protagonists seem too abrasive—everyone in the LA has had their edges sanded down, including Zuko, including Aang—and in general this tends to lead to less realistic representations of humanity and conflict, less satisfying character development arcs, and fewer opportunities for reflection and learning. 

That being said! I went into watching the LA with negative expectations about what we would see in terms of character development, and thus was pleasantly surprised. 

The LA removed the need for Suki to be as ruthlessly stubborn as she is in the animated show because LA Sokka’s skull is not so thick (and I'll get into that a bit more later). So what we get instead is a sheltered Suki with a helicopter mom who is so hilariously awkward that she has no idea how to interact with other humans. And, to be honest, I enjoyed this version of her so much that I even thought to myself, “I wish I’d thought of that!”

Suki is a straight-up weirdo in the LA and I love that for her. The way she puts Sokka in a chokehold and then looks at him after she sets him free like, “That was good flirting, yes? Would you like to be my boyfriend now?” And then her disappointment when Sokka walks away as if she’s thinking, “Why didn’t that go well, I thought boys loved getting put in chokeholds?” She is so precious, I just want to put her in my pocket. And this characterization might even be more broadly relatable than a super-confident Suki brimming with sass. Who among us hasn’t made a complete fool of ourselves in front of a crush by coming on way too strong and having no idea how to flirt? I mean…real. 

And because Sokka is also mostly just making a fool of himself trying to impress a pretty and talented peer (instead of covering up his insecurities by wrapping himself in misogyny) this leaves room for the two of them to be attracted to each other right off the bat and for their interactions to be more overtly romantic throughout the entire episode. Which, avid shipper that I am, I have to admit I have been gobbling up for the past three days straight. This episode was an IV drip of romantic tropes hooked straight to every Sukka shipper’s veins. 

Shy glances from across the room? Check.

Walking in on the other person half-naked? Check. (Y’all, Suki looks Sokka up and down for a FULL TWENTY SECONDS yes I timed it from the moment she appears in the background, yes you should count it to see how long that really is. Talk about awkward.) 

Tripping so they end up falling into each other’s arms? Check.

Wide-eyed shock that turns into surprise thirst after being pinned to the ground? Check.

Shooting each other satisfied smirks as they kick ass side-by-side? Check.

Jumping in front of literal fire for each other? Check and check!

Like, I could live off this for the rest of the year. 

But look, there’s a lot that I love about the way Sokka and Suki’s relationship is portrayed in this episode besides those romantically indulgent tension-creating moments, and it has to do with Suki’s admiration and validation of Sokka. 

Suki really looked at this boy with his mouth stuffed half-full of steamed bun and went, “Must have.”

With the removal of overt sexism from this episode (for better or worse), the story focused much more heavily on Sokka’s development as a leader. He still has that sort of posturing display of self-confidence that comes from inexperience and trying too hard to prove oneself (“Ferociously…deadly tiger whales…”), and while at first Suki seems put off by this and his attempts to liken himself to her (“I’m not just a warrior, I’m a Kyoshi warrior”) it doesn’t take her long to decide (*cough*after seeing him shirtless*cough*) that she doesn’t actually mind this behavior (and in fact maybe she kind of likes it because maybe it means he likes her and maybe it means she can show him how much she likes him by slicing the tops off all those melons with her fan). She seems genuinely interested in his boomerang and impressed that he hunts, and then later, she immediately takes interest in training him in the Kyoshi Warrior style. 

After they spar, she casually refers back to the fact that he’s his village’s protector, and this time, she does it without the disbelief and defensiveness. Because he’s finally stopped posturing. He opened himself up and gave himself over to Suki’s expertise, and in that way he proved that he has the will and desire—the heart—of a warrior. And Suki tells him so while touching him gently and gazing at him longingly in the soft golden glow of the late-afternoon sun. And as a die-hard Sokka stan, I love seeing him loved and appreciated like this. Adamantly. Ardently. The Sokka cheerleader in my head is going wild. “YEESSSS!! Our boy deserves this!!” Because we know that, in the animated show, he goes through a lot more struggle and self-doubt before he receives this kind of external validation. And while we also know that this makes for an incredibly satisfying growth arc, I gotta admit that it’s a fun bit of indulgence to watch Suki talk Sokka up directly to his face and then want to kiss him really bad. Y’know. As a treat.

That said, I'm very attached to and appreciative of the way their relationship is framed in the animated series. I love that their respect and affection for each other grows even after the disaster that is their first few interactions. In the LA, they are drawn to each other immediately, and the only barrier seems to be a bit of awkward stepping-in-it-ness. In the original, they have legitimate conflict, and they both have to give a little—Sokka becomes more humble, Suki becomes more tender—before they get to that point of potential romantic interest. And I think it says a lot about Sokka’s character and his desire to learn and grow that he is willing to humble himself in front of someone who, as far as he’s seen, has very little regard for him (slash has a good deal of animosity towards him). Giving himself over to Suki’s expertise costs him more in the animated show. But once he does, he and Suki learn and grow together. He shows Suki who he really is, shows her how dedicated and determined (and fun and a quick learner) he is, to the point that, by the end of the episode, she can allow herself to be vulnerable with him. And she does validate him in the original Kyoshi Warriors episode, just less directly than the LA. Her kiss on his cheek and “...but I’m a girl, too” is about forgiveness and acceptance and acknowledgement and respect, as much as or even more than it is about affection. There’s a little bit of romance, too, but it’s just little baby seeds of it, and it feels very natural to let those seeds germinate over time until we see Suki again later in the series. 

Which brings me to the live-action kiss. 

I’ll be honest, I was a little on the fence about the kiss. I want Sokka and Suki to kiss as much as possible in every conceivable universe. So there’s a part of me that was banging on the table and whistling with obscene joy. But the other part of me thought it was too much too soon. However, my hesitance pre-supposes some things about the second season (not least of which that there will be one), namely that it will handle the reunion with Suki and crossing the Serpent’s Pass anything like how it was done in the original. (Of course, one thing we now know for certain can't happen in a hypothetical LA season 2 is Suki pranking Sokka at the ferry station because he doesn't recognize her without her makeup. Do I love the expression on LA Sokka's face the first time he sees Suki's? Yes. Am I sad that this completely ruins their whole "You don't remember me? Maybe you'll remember this!" game? Also yes. But truthfully, I don't know if LA Suki would've been up to the prank, anyway. Not sassy enough. ;))

The Serpent’s Pass is one of my favorite episodes of all time, and that moment on the bluffs when Sokka and Suki are talking around Sokka’s loss, with the moon shining down on them all the while, and they almost kiss with the moon hanging between them in the background, and then Sokka pulls away without any other explanation besides, “I can’t”? That scene is so absurdly powerful and beautiful and an amazing moment of character development for them both, and I feel like it loses a lot of impact if they’ve already made out once. The fact that they kiss for the first time after that moonlit moment, when Sokka realizes that Suki doesn’t need protecting the way he thought she did, and in fact she was there to protect him, and he can finally just let go of this burden that he’s been carrying with him since Suki first mentioned she was joining them (slash since his dad put him in charge of an entire village at 13), and then and only then can he open his heart to what he feels for Suki, and in fact opens it so wide that he just cannot help but jam his mouth onto hers before she’s even finished talking…? I mean. C’mon. That’s poetry. But, again…loses impact if they’ve already had a first kiss.

But who knows what, if anything, they’ll actually do with that storyline. So for now, I’ll just enjoy my live-action Sukka kiss because, honestly, dream come true.    

Or almost a dream come true. Because there's a huge camelephant in the room that I haven't addressed yet, isn't there? The lack of Sokka in the Kyoshi Warrior uniform...

And I don’t think we can talk about the omission of Sokka’s Kyoshi Warrior uniform without talking about the omission of Sokka’s sexism. Because if Sokka isn’t sexist, then why do you have to put him in the dress and makeup of traditionally female warriors to make a point about how women are strong and capable, too? So here’s what I’ll say about that (and I know there’s a lot that people have said already, so I’ll try not to belabor the point.) I don’t think leaving out Sokka’s sexism was necessarily a detriment to his character arc. I do think, however, that leaving out Sokka’s sexism was a detriment to the message the show was trying to convey about sexism. 

Now, in the Northern Water Tribe episodes, the LA still gives us a message about fighting against the kind of systemic, institutionalized sexism that you might not be surprised to encounter within a very old-fashioned society or from a very old-fashioned gray-haired man. But what about the off-the-cuff, everyday kind of sexism that you might experience from an otherwise good person who is close to you? A person who loves you and would do anything for you but who gets carried away teasing you about “girly” things because of intrinsically-held biases that they’re not even that conscious of having? 

I think it’s important and meaningful for male and female audiences alike, and everyone in between, to see these different forms of sexism and misogyny—to see them, to recognize those behaviors in others and in ourselves, to be able to name them, and to have examples of fighting against them. We see the former kind—institutionalized, systemic—in Pakku. And we did see the latter kind—familiar, personal—in Sokka. And now that’s lost.

Not only that, but there’s the form of sexism that says boys aren’t allowed to do feminine things lest they relinquish their maleness. And in the animated show, we got to see Sokka combating this form of sexism, too. Not only does Suki show him that girls can be fierce warriors as well as boys, but he learns that wearing makeup and a dress does not make him any less of a young man.  

So, yes, I think the lack of Sokka in Kyoshi Warrior garb was a missed opportunity. And not just because Sokka looked really good in uniform and we all should have had the chance to see that, including and especially Suki. 

Alright, this is more than long enough, so I'll leave off with a moment from the LA that gave me great pleasure.

I needed this moment, y'all. And I was so afraid it wouldn't happen. I needed Sokka being protective, I needed him using his newfound Kyoshi Warrior skills to fight, and I needed him jumping in front of fire for the girl who'd taught him. If we couldn't have Sokka in the Kyoshi Warrior uniform, at least we had this.

[minthara]

i extracted files and searched for Minthara's name, some snippets (I sadly cant see who says them AND its really hard to tell one line from another) and it shows the romance is either bugged or they cut it out of the game

its all jumbled up, so theres 100 % more i cant find, but it doesnt mention her name. i did not add lines i personally encountered in game

SPOILERS

pregnancy

So, Minthara has one in the proverbial oven?

I hope we're not finished with our current labours before Minthara drops her egg. War is the perfect nursery for a child.

Minthara with child… Somehow I can't picture her sitting around the campfire, knitting baby booties…

Minthara's pregnant. A new life, a little one, sprung from all this fuckin' chaos.

companions about/to minthara (GUESSED BY ME!! IT DOESNT SAY WHO!!)

It's funny seeing you so smitten, Minthara. Didn't think you were able.

How curious - I've only ever known Minthara to moan with pleasure when somebody's losing a limb.

So, you and Minthara, is it? I suppose that little spark we shared has been snuffed out then. I don't blame you though - she is a… compelling prospect.

And you're carousing with Minthara.

Not interested in Minthara's leftovers, I'm afraid.

Any doubts about falling for a foe, Minthara? Or does that just add spice to things?

Minthara's something of a closed book, but I suspect a heart of gold lurks beneath that stern countenance.

So. You and Minthara. Wow. Impressive.

I bet Minthara is fun.

To choose Minthara over, well, anyone… It's certainly a brave decision. One might hazard to say reckless. Stupid. Fatal…

I hope you and Minthara are very happy together. Or miserable. Whatever she prefers.

Right. Well, far be it for me to stand in the way of true love. Or anything else Minthara wants, for that matter.

What about Minthara? Weren't you guys in some kind of horrific power play masquerading as romance?

Hey, so, what's romance like in the Underdark, Minthara?

And you favour Minthara, no less. I thought you valued yourself. Minthara certainly doesn't.

pc to/about minthara (GUESSED BY ME!! IT DOESNT SAY WHO!!)

Amorous passions usually make people more considerate, Minthara. Kinder. Sympathetic. Better at cooperating.

Even my people know the value of a carefully crafted coalition, Minthara. Is our own alliance not a case in point?

Who do you love, Minthara?

I'm yours, Minthara.

I've decided to pursue a relationship with Minthara. I thought you should know.

You've judged my affections wrongly - I am much closer to Minthara!

It was only sex, Minthara. Do you have to be so dramatic?

I'll do it. Just please - don't hurt Minthara.

Yes. I'm yours, Minthara.

She comes in here, into our camp, and lays hands on my Minthara?!

We'll find your family, Minthara. And slaughter them. Would you enjoy that?

You think I'm beautiful? Oh, Minthara.

narrator (GUESSED BY ME!! IT DOESNT SAY WHO!!)

You slept with the drow Minthara. You pleased her.

The guard is happy to let you pass - Minthara is rather less happy about your choice of words.

You slip into Minthara's mind while all her attention is focused on saving her own skin. You can feel her guilt everywhere, writhing and churning. All it takes is one little push…

idk

Who knows how long the real Minthara has been strapped to Orin's altar? We owe it to her to bring her back safely. She would do no less for you or I.

You're that True Soul that's been chumming around with Minthara, aren't you?

Care to share any of Minthara's weaknesses? Or would it take too long to go through them all?

And Minthara is - eh. A friend of yours, I am sure.

Distract her with thoughts of your night with Minthara.

Orin, masquerading as Minthara… That certainly explains her vociferous antipathy towards me.

And what more beautiful terror can there be than that wrought by Minthara and her love?

Why so surprised? Minthara murdered her way out of the womb.

I'm glad to know you have a softer side, Minthara. I was beginning to think you rather heartless.

Minthara Baenre. It is fair to say her intimacy is not easily won. Nevertheless, I did. Tried. (ORIN??)

My good friend Minthara is the funniest person I know.

Orin thinks Minthara's abduction is an ultimatum to kill Gortash.

status

Partnered with Minthara

Orin abducted Minthara. She told us that she'll release her if we kill Gortash.

Minthara is in Orin's clutches.

searching for "baenre"

It is true. Surface food lacks flavour. House Baenre banquets were legendary.

[dynared]

I wanted to like EarthSpark. I think it does some interesting things. I really like Twitch, they somehow got me to enjoy Good Guy Megatron and I love Bumblebee’s almost meta characterization. But it just felt like a very weak show which never explored its concepts with any depth. That and the finale was a garbage fire. Oof.

Though I think one of my biggest problems is the weird disdain for humanity as a whole. Where you’re either part of the absurdly kind and accepting main family or stupid and/or evil. Where even the slightest discomfort with the people who dragged humans into a massive war they had no business with makes you despicable while the robots deserve to be treated well no matter how awful they are. I get it’s meant to be a bigotry allegory, but if I’m honest I just think it’s a really bad one. I’m not even a person who generally likes the human characters in Transformers stories, bar a few exceptions, but it really grinds my gears.

I also just get the really weird feeling from it that the writers aren’t comfortable writing for kids. So everything just feels dumbed down to an at times condescending level and feels weirdly afraid of interpersonal conflict beyond the first batch of episodes. Though I could be exaggerating. I’m kind of glad it got a second season since I think it can improve but I somehow doubt it will last long.

I don't want to hate Earthspark, or come off as a contrarian just because I like super robot stuff and don't like IDW stuff. I mean, there are things to like in Earthspark, but as I've discussed with a friend of mine, Earthspark feels like it's a bunch of characters in search of a plot. For better or for worse, I associated Twitch with Suletta Mercury because the two had that similar wide-eyed innocent energy and red motif, which endeared me to her almost immediately. I can take or leave Megatron as a more sorrowful/heroic figure, but at least he felt like he was genuine about wanting the kids to avoid the mistakes he made.

The problem is as characters, they don't really do anything. GHOST and Mandroid, as much as I adore Diedrich Bader's usually (he is the guy you want when you want a more Silver Age Batman) were not interesting villains because they weren't allowed to really do much besides be a blunt bigotry allegory, while at the same time, not really fitting the allegory. Readers of the recent Skybound comics know the kind of damage out-of-control Decepticons can pull, and humans aren't exactly being unreasonable in not wanting to deal with giant killer robots whom Earth's military has no reliable way of stopping, besides the goodwill of other giant killer robots, and a population that feels powerless. Considering Skybound has been implying such a situation horrifies the government into founding Codename: GI Joe specifically to combat the Decepticons, people are well within their rights to be scared. It's not a good allegory because most oppressed people don't have built-in chainguns!

The IDW era of Transformers stories, I presume as a reaction to the Michael Bay movies and the Unicron trilogy, did have a significant and notable hatred of the human characters. I mean, Cyberverse has a human in one scene. One. I think it's just using that framework to make your bigotry allegory, except the allegory doesn't work, and people have resoundingly rejected shows like Cyberverse.

As for your last point, I don't know if it's a case of the writers not understanding how to write to a children/family audience (if there's one thing kids hate, anyone hates, it's being spoken down to) or if they're just that adamant about hammering the life lessons to the detriment of everything else, hence the low stakes, flat villains, and blunt allegories.

I feel like most of my negative comparisons ultimately are based on the fact that the Skybound comics have proven that there's a better way to do this since those comics seem to be the first time since Animated that people writing Transformers stories get why people like mecha/super robot stories. And while I have no idea how the second season will turn out, I'm admittedly not expecting them to have learned their lesson. Then again, with the rumors that they want to get the live-action TV show going again, I imagine we're going to be in this weird sort of "leftover IDW" style writing malaise for a while since it will likely be years before enough Skybound comics are ready for a proper adaptation.

[some-pers0n]

Dragon Business

Fandom: WoF

Characters: Glory, Deathrbringer

CW: None, really (unless you consider Glorybringer/Deathbringer to be a content warning)

Summary: Oh, great! Out of all of the dragons for Glory to ambush, she just so happened to pick the most annoying dragon on this entire blasted continent.

Word Count: 1.8k

A/N: I know I am God's strongest Glorybringer hater, but I wanted to try and rewrite this scene in THK. Add some more cheesy banter and gently tweak it a little bit. I'll first and foremost add that now Deathbringer is Glory's age. Not older or anything. Same age. I also tried to keep Glory as in character as one possibly can with this scene (very hard, she's very OOC).

Glory took a deep breath, letting it sink in what she was about to do, then pounced. She landed beside the NightWing. "If you value your life, leave this kingdom."

"Moons above-" He recoiled. Even when startled, he jumped with finesse and grace. Compared to Starflight, this dragonet seemed to have some skills when it came to being stealthy. "Where did you come from?"

"I'm not here to answer questions," she snapped. "You strayed too close to the Ice Kingdom."

"By all means, this is still technically the Sand Kingdom," he rebutted. "Look, that big wall over there? I'm not behind it. Still here. Shouldn't you of all dragons know that?"

Glory's eye twitched, but her menacing expression never faltered. "You're close enough. Besides, when Blaze wins the war, it'll be ours. So, you're stepping on soon-to-be IceWing territory."

"Wow, bit cocky aren't you frost-face?" He grinned confidently. "Or maybe you're dealing with losing the war in a different way than most."

"I'm the cocky one?" she scoffed, pointing the spear right at him. "You have a lot of guts to say that to the one with the spear."

"Oh please, I'm not scared of your frostbreath, much less your little spear here..." He ran his talon along the tip of the spear.

For a moment, panic shot through Glory. It was only now that she just realized she was talking to a NightWing. This dragon could've been reading her mind this entire time. He could've found out she was a RainWing. He may know she was just doing this to scare him off and was playing around. That'd explain his demeanour. It would be idiotic to be this bold.

But, she pressed on. She repressed those thoughts to the best of her ability. She was an IceWing. She should be thinking IceWing thoughts, like how this NightWing was in her tribe's territory.

"What are you doing here? Rather suspicious of you to be spying on Princess Blaze's fortress. Long ways from...wherever you come from, isn't it?"

"Just a little bit of sightseeing, that's all."

"There's nothing here to really look at though."

"Mhh, I'd beg to differ. You're quite the sight yourself." He shot her a look, one that she was unfamiliar with. Never in her life did she see a dragon stare at her in that way. Glory was used to glares and scowls, but also the kind and thoughtful eyes of her fellow Dragonets of Destiny.

This was different. It showed spirit and tenacity, but also respect and genuine meaning. It was playful and bubbly. The more she thought about it, the more confused she was. A feeling rose within her, one that was just as perplexing as this dragon before her.

She shook her head. "Answer the question, or I'm afraid I'll have to bring you to Queen Glacier."

"Afraid? Why would you be afraid? Are you perhaps enjoying our little conversation?"

"N- no?!" she barked at him. "What? Do you want to be locked up in some dungeon until you rot away?"

"Not particularly, no. Doesn't sound all too pleasant. It's already pretty chilly just being here." He dramatically shivered.

"So then tell me why you're here. You give me a quick answer and we can both go on with our lives. What a bargain, mh?"

"Except it's about whether I live or you taking a couple minutes out of your night to drag me to my death. Doesn't sound all too balanced."

"Do you want to die? Yes or no?" she said bluntly.

"Not really, no."

"Then answer the question. Why are you here?"

The NightWing shrugged. "Fine. I'm here to meet someone. Well...maybe a few someones."

"And who would these 'someones' be, exactly?" Glory asked.

"Can't say. It's a bit secretive. NightWing business and all."

"I didn't know NightWings had 'business'," she said. "I was led to believe your entire tribe just sat around in the dark, whispering and conspiring with one another about the current events, doing nothing to warn the other tribes and stop them. Very time-consuming, I'm sure."

The other dragon snickered. "Is that what you think of us? The NightWings? Where's your sense of fear? That tone of respect for our grand powers? Honestly, do you really believe that I'm not this heroic prophet that history will repeat the name of for eons to come?" He raised his wings to the moons, but his eyes held only sarcastic teasing.

"No. Not really," Glory said harshly.

"Oh. That's a shame then." He folded his wings back in.

"If your tribe was so 'grand', you'd do something about the war, would you not? Instead of spewing some dumb prophecy, couldn't you, oh I don't know, tell the tribes which princess would be the best? Or simply which one is going to win?"

"Do you not have faith in the prophecy?" he snorted. "That'd explain why you're so grumpy."

"I'm not grumpy. I'm trying to do my job here," she growled. "I'm the one with the freezing death breath over here anyways. Watch your tongue if you want to live."

"Three moons, you just love to flaunt how you can breathe snow, don't you?" He titled his head. "Either way, prophecies don't work that way. We can't just get a straight answer. It has to be through the most convoluted and contrived way possible."

"And that would explain why you can't seem to give me a short answer for why you're here."

"That's my line!" he said.

"And now it's mine." Glory smirked back. "Still, that's a lot of blood on your tribe's talons. Could've ended the war YEARS ago had it not been for your little prophecy. Now every dragon on this blasted continent is hoping that five dragonets who've lived in a cave their whole lives are ready enough to say which one of these terrible candidates is good enough to rule as queen." She spat, her voice becoming more strained.

"Holy mother of lava," he said. "Sounds like you've been keeping that in you for a while."

Glory bobbed her head a bit. "Yeah, pretty much."

"You feel sorry for them though, that's a surprise."

"Who?"

"The dragonets. I've been all across Pyrrhia and I've seen a lot of reactions to the prophecy. Some are hopeful that it's going to bring peace. Others believe it's nonsense and an excuse to drag out the war for longer than it needs to. Yet, I often see dragons show sympathy for them. It is a lot for a dragon my age, I'd say."

"Mh-hm. Imagine like...just barely being an adult and having to do that. You've been living under a rock for quite literally your entire life up to this point and you're expected to...know everything."

He laughed, but then quieted down. "Yeah..." He looked thoughtful for a moment before then yawning. "Speaking of those dragonets, you've seen them around?"

She paused. "No, why?"

"Rumor has it they're coming to visit Princess Blaze. I would've thought they'd be here already." He looked over at her. "You didn't hear of them being captured, have you?"

"No. Not a word." She tried her absolute hardest to think like an IceWing. This dragon could be probing around in her mind as she spoke. Pretty obviously too, as he was ogling right at her. She thought of blizzards and fields of ice, something rather difficult considering she never once seen either.

"Right..." he eventually said. "Well, I suppose that's not all too unbelievable. It's quite a journey from the Sea Kingdom, no?"

"How did you know they were there?" Glory asked. "Oh wait, is it because you're all-knowing and have infinite power?"

"Well, that and how the Summer Palace exploded because of Burn wanting to kill them. Word travels fast when it comes to literal palaces burning to the ground in attacks."

"Oh. Right." She bit her lip. "That still doesn't answer my question. You're here to meet a couple 'someones', correct?"

"Mh-hm. Though, they don't seem to be here right now. Guess I've got all night to sit and do nothing." He glanced at her. "Say, you seem like an alright dragon. Well, aside from the whole threatening to murder me repeatedly part, that is. You know any good IceWing taverns I can stop by?"

Glory squinted. "Aren't you a little young for that? Why are you asking me either?"

"I thought you dragons didn't care about age when it came to that."

"No?! We most certainly do." She shook her head. "And besides, you really think I'm going to let you into the Ice Kingdom? A NightWing who won't even give me a simple answer? Come on..."

"I mean, you got to give me some points. Besides, what if I buy you a drink? It's all good then, right?"

"Ah yes, I'm sure Queen Glacier will be completely understanding then. She hates when other dragons are in her kingdom except when it's about buying her fellow guards a drink."

The NightWing giggled. "You do have a point there." He sighed. "Well then, sad to hear that's a bit of a bust. Can't say it wasn't worth a try." He spread his wings once more.

"Wh- where are you going?" she inquired.

"Oh, just somewhere."

"You're going somewhere to meet your someones, mh?"

"Pretty much, yes," he answered. "But, if you ever get bored, you could probably find me. Been a pleasure talking with you, RainWing."

Glory froze up. "What? What are you saying?"

"Did you really think I couldn't see through your disguise?" he asked. "Come on. I'm pretty sure not too many IceWings have that weird looking of horns and spikes. You're too lean, too smooth. You don't give off a cold feeling either. It's quite warm if I do say."

She couldn't help but feel her scales shift in colour at this revelation. She tried her hardest to keep them that pale white, but it was obvious that she was slipping. "And you didn't say a word?"

"Nope."

"And you didn't question why I'm here?"

"Not really, no." He shrugged. "I'm here for a reason and you're probably here for another reason as well. I didn't think I needed to know anyways."

She was dumbfounded. It made sense, of course. It was a stupid idea to begin with. It's mind-boggling how she even thought that her disguise was even remotely close to what an IceWing actually looked like. But, still. This NightWing talked to her and treated her like...a normal dragon. No talking down to her. No treating her like she's some brainless lizard.

It was new. It was nice.

"Oh, and I didn't get your name," he said as he took a step back. "I'd love to know."

"Afraid I can't, it's RainWing business." She mocked him.

He grinned back. "Well, will you tell yours if I say mine?"

"Nope. Not interested in knowing."

"Well, fine. I'll still say my name then since that seems to bother you." He smiled at her. "You can call me Deathbringer."

With that, he took to the skies, becoming one with the night.

[anfie-in-the-box]

Dreamtale_Not_Found & Aftermare Week

Notes

I'm having a very difficult day, but here it is!

Feel free to skip this work if you want to read Dreamtale_Not_Found chronologically!

。。。

Spring

"I can't believe you out of all people are hiking," Nightmare teases playfully. Geno huffs, "we're not hiking! there is a very decent road here now, and it's not like i'm doing it for fun. they say there's a spring on the mountain that begins in the Underground and therefore has magical properties. i want a sample or ten."

Nightmare smiles widely, "What, not even a skele-ton? Then why bother?" Geno laughs in response, and the sound warms Nightmare's entire being.

Geno's backpack is carried by a Gaster blaster, naturally. It's a wonder he doesn't have a second one carrying himself. He still climbs the mountain unhurriedly, almost leisurely. "So what are we looking for?" Nightmare asks, looking around curiously. "a path from the main road we're using now. there's a few, humans aren't afraid to go here anymore, but i know for sure there is one that leads to the spring," Geno explains.

"So we're checking every single one of them?" Nightmare clarifies. "so we're checking every single one of them," Geno repeats in a calm voice, then adds. "and it isn't even a nightmare, because my Nightmare is here with me." Nightmare tries to reply but all that comes from his mouth is incoherent noises. Well, he was the one who started with the puns… And Geno has far more experience. Nightmare's not upset to lose, though. It's not a war, it's love, and in love, everything's a little bit better.

"Here's one," Nightmare points at a barely visible path on the right side of the road.

"i'm so glad you're with me," Geno admits.

"Because with your poor eyesight you wouldn't find anything?" Nightmare teases. "because i love you and enjoy your presence," geno responds easily. "but also because of that, yeah." They smile at each other and turn right, eventually disappearing in the woods.

It's sunset when they find the spring. At some point, Geno actually summons a second Gaster blaster to carry him, exactly like Nightmare half-jokingly predicted. Is it really easier than walking, Nightmare's not sure, but regardless, he walks by Geno's floating side, drinking in the sights and smells of the deciduous forest. It's peaceful but lively — the wind rustles the branches, the birds are singing, the flowers are blooming. It's a nice day to be outside, and no one deserves to burn in hell.

"do you also hear the sound of water or am i hearing things?" geno asks.

"Look, right there!" Nightmare exclaims.

Geno quickly and deftly gets down from the blaster, like he'd done it before, and hurries to the spring. Even the air around it feels different, and Nightmare steps closer and slowly breathes in, savouring it. Geno gets his backpack from the other blaster and makes both skulls disappear.

Nightmare watches curiously as Geno gets his samples of water, then collects some in a plastic cup, then takes a sip. "mm, definitely magical. so clear and cool, too…" Geno turns his head, looking at Nightmare, "wish you could try it as well…"

"It's okay," Nightmare reassures with a smile. "I don't need to drink anyway."

Geno puts his samples away and gets… a blanket. What?.. "how about we sit for a bit?"

"So it is a date, you sly, sly creature," Nightmare shakes his head fondly.

"you once said anything can become a date with the right attitude, so you decide," Geno smiles. "so you tell me: is it a date?"

"Of course it is!" Nightmare laughs happily. "Spread out the blanket already!"

。。。

Credits

Undertale © Toby Fox

Nightmare!Sans © jokublog

Aftertale © loverofpiggies

Aftermare Week © @bluepallilworld

。。。

Notes

The question is, is it late spring or early fall (or maybe even summer)? You decide (; I love playing with words and their meanings, I just couldn't resist.

Take care 🌻

[crystallinestars]

OMG I almost completed my response to you on my phone... then the Tumblr app refreshed and nuked it all. So sad 😿 No such thing as a too long response from you tho ! Your thoughts are always really interesting to read.

For real though, same with wanting to celebrate hahaha. Actually tomorrow I might go get myself milk tea🧋to mark the occasion hahaha. Let's celebrate this banner and Pride Month 😼

I figured that the lack of Kaveh in the banner was due to the whole Destroyer of Worlds thing, but to be over a year, it feels like overkill at this point. 😭 I guess I'll keep an eye out for any Nilou-related banner leaks, as that might signal Kaveh's return...

I'm so shook about those localization issues 😭 The masculine pronouns thing, that's a REALLY big mess up on the part of the translators!! I don't want to go full dunking on them or anything but it's really weird that such errors were made... And pushing the whole personal beliefs thing is really wrong... Like translating CN, JP to EN in a way that conveys the original nuance is definitely challenging, whyyy would they just toss in their own agenda as well...?

I wonder if CN->JP and CN->KR deals with any similar issues... I've heard that for some non-English, non-CJK localizations, the translation is first run through a second language and then the target language, which I feel really makes things even more murky. 🫠

Yeah when such fans make sexuality HCs, they fixate most on either exclusively gay or exclusively lesbian. Probably it's cos if they chose anything else, they feel that the possibility of their fave (or the characters in their fave ship) being shipped with the opposite gender is too threatening. Ofc they could have fun with these HCs and enjoy making them with their friends, but these days it seems like they aren't even having fun anymore and they're just using these HCs as a reason to get mad at + harass those who disagree with them...

And now that you mention it, indeed I don't think I've ever seen a straight HC ! It's as if they are too afraid to do this hahaha. Or like, they use the most stereotypical criteria to determine what is "straight" and what is not. Flashback to the Kaveh rant from before hahahah. Like these people are all about bringing down the binary+gender roles til it comes to BL stuffs then they are suddenly OK with the heteronormativity that they are supposedly against. 💀 But it is pretty weird that they try to grasp at anything to prove "not straight, not straight!" Like how come they can't just make their HC in peace without needing to aggressively prove things, without going sicko mode on people with different HCs? 🤨 As far as I know, I haven't seen people from our lil corner of Kavehnation the fandom attempt to storm some rando's post with the intention of going "no!!!! ___ should be with a [man/woman/etc]!!!!" Like we definitely have strong words about the state of things, but overall we're minding our own business without having to bug people who think differently from us.

Oh Mihoyo, look what you've created... I guess that in fandom, BL/GL stuffs tend to be most appealing for some reason. So they're able to keep around the most unhinged, rabid parts of the fandom because of the massive BL/GL ship pandering that they do... haizz.

The thing about toxicity in Chinese fandom is interesting!!! 😲 When you say that there are the fans who fight over BL and NL ships, is it like those old-school ship wars? Like "my ship is better than yours!!! 😡" thing minus the 2020s homophobia accusations...?

And you mention the Russian fandom!! This makes me remember when last year, I corresponded with a Russian Genshin enjoyer. She was pretty much exclusively into BL ahahah. But I think I've seen Russian Genshin artists who make NL stuff !

I've witnessed a bit of Vietnamese fandom, only on Twitter though and it seems that NL is decently popular. ScaraLumi in particular seems to be a hit with many VN fans, popular enough to warrant the creation of a zine (which I wanted to preorder but was too late for!! but I digress again)

It was a pleasant surprise to see that Aventurine has two popular NL ships ^^ I could def see AvenStelle becoming the next ChiLumi hahaha, I know that there was even an artist who iirc even drew a ChiLumi + AvenStelle thing cos to her they have such similar vibes/dynamics. And yeah I'm hoping that they don't try to tie Aventurine to Ratio and do the same pandering stuff that they did in Genshin...

And it's so unfortunate for Kaveh. 😞 It's the reason why people think of him as just "ship bait," cos of the way Mihoyo treats him, and then how the fandom treats him in turn...

I'm surprised by the number of NL ships for him though! I only knew about KavehLumi, Kavelou, Kaveh+Faruzan, and then from your previous responses Kaveh+Candace ! I didn't know that he's been paired with Layla too :o (Speaking of Layla, I've been getting into Alhaitham+Layla recently which is apparently rarepair 😪)

And OMG KavehLumi week!!!! I looked at the prompts, I could feel the gears turning and the inspiration cooking hahahah. I will see if I could do some writing stuffs for this (I wish I could do art too, but alas I have no art skill).

For Kaveh food, I'd like to do mostly writing stuff, be it just solo focus, with Lumine/Nilou, or with OC ! I would like to fully understand his personality tho, as I feel that I don't fully have a grasp of like... his POV I guess? I don't want to mischaracterize him. 😅 Like I guess for me, writing Kaveh would be easier compared to more brooding types like Scara, Xiao, etc. but still... And I'd also like to read more books so that I could find ways to improve my writing quality. I guess whatever food I end up cooking, it'll mostly be for the sake of writing exercise, although I'm hoping it would be at least sufficiently readable.

Big thanks for your kind words!!! So 4th member is Bennett. My lineup is now Layla, Faruzan, Scara, Benny. I'm a lot more satisfied with this team compared to my previous one because it feels like everyone serves a purpose and gets the job done hahahah. Like my previous team was just smashing and bashing everything with elemental reactions, but this new team utilizes mechanics like shields, supports, etc... I feel good hahahah.

Big thank you always for the interesting discussions and kind responses!!!! Hope you have a warm and peaceful day 🙌🏻

Welcome back 🍓Anon! So sorry to hear about tumblr deleting your text 😢 Maybe next time you could try typing it out on the notes app on your phone, and then copy-pasting it? I don’t think you have the luxury of saving your ask as a draft like I do.

lol go get that milk tea and get me a cup too! There’s a lot to celebrate this month already 😎

Yeah, the pronoun thing was a huge error on the translators’ part, but I don’t fault them for it too heavily. I don't speak or understand Chinese so feel free to correct me if what I say is wrong, but as far as I know, Chinese as a language is not as gendered as English is. A lot of the time you can only determine the gender of people based on context, and they often use gender-neutral terms.

This is something I saw someone else point out, so I can’t prove if this is correct, but in Chinese, they have a special gender-neutral term when referring to deities (that's why all the Aeons in HSR are referred to as 'they'). Going off of this, I can see how the translators could have gotten mixed up, or not have known the gender of some of the characters (mind you, this mistake was made long before Nahida and Arlecchino were revealed), so they defaulted to masculine pronouns.

I’ve seen English localizers push their political agendas in the anime and games they translated (ex: miss kobayashi's dragon maid), but I don’t think Hoyoverse’s translators fall into that category. Considering how popular Genshin is, I would imagine people would have pointed out long ago if there were huge discrepancies between English and Chinese dialogue. That doesn't mean the translators aren't including biases in their translations, we just don't know for sure. But if they are, then it's not as egregious/obvious as with Kobayashi, for example.

And you’re right, the translation for other languages all comes from a single language, which happens to be English. The gender mistake wasn’t found in CN, KR, and JP, but EN and all other languages had it. So it’s safe to say they use English as the baseline for the other translations (maybe there are some exceptions, but I'm not aware of them).

lol you are absolutely right about the hypocrisy of certain BL/GL shippers! They want to dismantle the binary and gender roles, and get upset at straight pairings for promoting traditional gender roles, but then use these exact stereotypes for their queer ships. If you call them out on their hypocrisy, they’ll claim it’s “better/more interesting” when it’s done with a gay pairing vs a straight one.

Heck, even in real life I’ve seen a male celebrity post an innocent photo of him and his wife online, and some comments were saying how seeing a straight couple is boring, and that gay couples are more interesting. Like damn, do queer people only exist as pure entertainment for them?

Mihoyo is definitely to blame for feeding into the delusions of toxic shippers, but I also have to wonder why BL and GL is so popular in the first place. BL has a huge market, and it predominantly consists of women. I did some research into why women in particular like BL, but to be honest, I still don’t get it. It’s not a mindset I can ever understand or relate to. Similarly, a lot of fujoshi can’t understand the mindset of women who like NL or self-insert, and so we get a lot of conflict regarding shipping.

There are as many outlooks on shipping as there are people in the world, and there will always be conflict. Ever since the invention of the internet, it became harder to avoid conflicting opinions since it's so much easier to find them now.

Regarding toxicity in the Chinese fandom. My friend never divulged any details, so I can’t say for sure, but I imagine ship wars there are as you described them. I have also seen some Chinese fanartists have similar grievances as us regarding BL baiting and delusional behaviors of fujoshi. It seems to be a universal thing.

VN fandom sounds heavenly 😭 omg.

Alhaitham x Layla is definitely cute! There’s an artist I follow that made some really good fanart of them (https://mobile.x.com/luckylalal/media). I also like Alhaitham x Lisa haha. I feel like every NL ship is a rarepair, barring certain MC ships. It’s just so dry in this fandom 😭 But whenever someone expresses how NL shippers have it rough in fandom, the toxic people come out of the woodwork to mock us, saying “The straights like to act so oppressed, but if they just go outside, they’ll see a ton of straight couples 🙄” and I just 🤦‍♀���. Because first of all, fictional ships and real life are completely different things! Second of all, not only straight people like NL ships. And third, bi and pan people in different-sex relationships exist too😩 But not in their eyes, clearly :/ But I digress.

If you write anything for Kavehlumi week, I will be over the moon! I would love to have a lot of content to share on my Twitter to spread the love! No pressure, though.

If you’re looking to get a better grasp on Kaveh’s character, I recommend his hangout if you haven’t done it already. I sometimes replayed it to remind myself of how Kaveh actually is, because the fandom's portrayal of him does him so dirty. The interdarshan event was also pretty good at showing his personality and values, so if you can find a youtube video of it, it might help.

As a word of advice from a fellow writer, the stuff you write is better than you think. You might write something and think it’s cringy or not good, but there are people out there who will love it and say it’s amazing. We are our own worst critic, but that doesn't mean others think the same of our work the way we do. So don’t be afraid to share your writing!

Your Scara has everything he needs, honestly. Two of the best buffers in the game, and the best 4 star shielder plus a healer. Congrats on having built your first proper team!

I'm glad you enjoy reading my thoughts because I enjoy reading yours too! You're very sweet, 🍓 Anon ☺️ I hope you have a great day yourself (no more sleeping for only 3 hours)!

[imissthembutitwasntadisaster]

Helloooo my love, I've been thinking about you and idk when you're gonna answer this BUT I have many many things to talk to you about!!!!

I believe you're almost done Doom, congratulations!! It really is a fun drama, I enjoyed it and I hope you aren't disappointed by the last episode <3 how is Goblin coming along? Or did you drop that one?

One thing I absolutely love about you is that whenever you consume media, you pick it apart and see the good themes and see the narratives and I love it when you do that!! I don't believe you are looking for recommendations but I do have a few to give you if you're ever bored <3

vincenzo (kdrama), extraordinary you (kdrama), just between lovers (kdrama), hometown cha cha cha (kdrama), first love hatsukoi (jdrama), alice in borderland (jdrama), tune in for love (kmovie), your eyes tell (jmovie), better days (cmovie)

all of these I would LOVE to hear your analysis on and most of them offer the MOST brain rot potential, however if I have to choose one to shove at you it is alice in borderland because I just finished the second season (8 eps per season) and like the THEMES are there and you won't get it till you watch it but I WANT TO SCREAM TO YOU ABOUT IT ITS SO GOOD!!!!

So idk if me coming here and suggesting it will do anything, but please please please watch alice in borderland it is soooo worth it one of the best asian dramas I have EVER seen I cannot speak about it enough THE ENDING!!!! (It is pretty violent/gory just fyi)

anyways merry Christmas <3

Hellooooo Lindsay dearest! It's always good to see you and hear from you! How are you doing? I hope you're well and also have a very Merry Christmas!!! (It's like two minutes past midnight here it's technically Christmas now).

I am almost finished with Doom!!! It really was fun, I honestly doubt I'll be disappointed if the quality is the same as the rest of it. I am technically also still watching Goblin but I got distracted watching Arcane (which I ADORE) and then also the 2007 War and Peace miniseries and now I'm home with my family so I have less time etc etc so I may not get back to Goblin for a while, but it's SO GOOD I'm definitely going to finish it at some point I promise you.

I'm very glad my analysis is fun to read, even when a lot of it is just me going AAAHHHHHHHH a lot about things 😂😂, and I am ALWAYS looking for recs even if it'll take me years to get to them. All of those sound very interesting, I was already looking at Vincenzo and hometown cha cha cha but I haven't looked at the others! I love a bit of brain rot, and I do need a bit of brain rot in my life at all times, keeps me unstable enough to be funny, so I'll definitely think about looking at Alice in Borderland next!!! And I'm fine with gore so it sounds perfect!

I'm afraid I don't have many TV recs right now for you because you've watched The Bear, although if you haven't seen Arcane I would absolutely recommend it (ignore the fact it's based on League of Legends I do not see it I am looking away). OH and also I want to read the locked tomb series but I haven't yet, so take this with a pinch of salt but I DID read the first two chapters on Tor and it's so funny and the writing style is so good, so idk I'll let you know but it's shaping up to be good.

Love ya and merry Christmas again! 💖💖💖💖💖💖

[museenkuss]

I hope you don't mind me asking...but do I feel less guilt/judgement about liking things in media that are 'dark' or not 'morally correct'. I want to let go and just have fun and not worry so much, but it feels really hard these days (especially with fandom). People who are very hardcore about morals or "purists" scare me a lot. There are people out there who will ruin other people's lives (doxxing people!) because they don't like the way they engage with works or famdom, and especially with darker material. This rise of moral police have me afraid of engaging with fandom at all these days (especially the constant war between the pros and antis. Why are there even labels for this...). I hate being labeled an awful or corrupt person simply because I like 'wrong' or 'gross' things that aren't even real. I know who I actually am and hearing people who don't know me decide that I'm scumbag who is on par with actually evil people hurts...

Its not real guys, its fiction. Why all this hostility?

I suppose what I am asking is how to let go and let live? I miss engaging with fandom. I miss the fun of messing around with fiction in any way. I want to be ok with the judgement and still have fun. I want to enjoy fandom again with worrying if I am being 'morally' enough for these people. Any advice?

Darling, I know exactly what you mean. I used to have a lot more fun with fandom and writing in general before coming in contact with those types of people, too. It’s really sad imo, but I've also decided to actively work against internalising the hateful atmosphere those groups cultivate

Firstly, what might help is making a sideblog. Separate it from your main, don't link it on main etc and just treat it as your personal corner. It helps with the fear of being attacked - especially if you get personal on main and fear that random weirdos will get nasty on there. It also helps because if you're active, you WILL find likeminded people and they will find you, so you can build your community and have fun in this secluded and safe environment.

Apart from that, what I try to keep in mind is that, as you said, it's fiction. You're not an immoral person for being intrigued by thoughts and concepts - that's the most important part. You said it yourself: You know yourself, they don't know you. Them attacking you has very little weight if all they base it on is "you enjoy trope x, therefore you're bad". In fact, it's plain laughable at times. The puritanism of it all. Of course there are very interesting and nuanced conversations to be had ("Can you enjoy Balthus art?" being a non-fandom example that intrigues me, for one), but I find it very difficult to have this kind of conversation with people who say that liking Hannigram is problematic because they have an age gap. And frankly, I don't see the point of trying to constantly have nuanced discussions about what I do and don't find intriguing about "problematic ships" with people who've made their mind up that fiction = reality = morality.

- But I also have to say that to me personally, aggressively taking the counter stance is draining as well. There are people that get very vicious and venemous towards the purity people (making fun of them, belittling them, writing essays in their bios about fiction and reality etc), but I distance myself from those as well. "Why all this hostility?" extends to this side as well, I think. I'd rather just ignore that whole mess and do my own thing in my corner.

So, in short, I get where you're coming from and I'm afraid as well, which sucks. So my recipe for enjoying ~problematic content~ is: I keep to myself, I create and interact for and with people who enjoy the same things I enjoy and I don't take myself or the counter side too seriously.

I really hope this helped in some way and I hope you can find your joy in engaging in a fun hobby again, unafraid of weird bullies on the internet 🌹

[witchybitchness]

Note to self: prepare for a massive upheaval and time of extreme uncertainty.

Not everything will be what it seems and that will cause chaos that everyone intuitive and sensitive to any and all energies should be prepared for.

This chaos and mayhem is necessary so a bright new world as glorious and as pure as the Sun will be born from the ashes of this upcoming chaos.

This chaos will cause a rupture that will show both what some perceive as good or bad because morality depends on individuals. (Personally to me, the new world looks beautiful and even though there's a split, the unity among the broken parts, the sense of family and community is breathtaking to the point I feel like crying, not of sadness but of happiness at feeling it)

The colors jumping out at me are vibrant and celestial gold and blue. Like a cloudless midday sky after many, seemingly, endless days of storm.

Prepare myself and my family financially for this temporary chaos and also be prepared to help others and show solidarity for those that I see need help.

To enjoy the sense of beautiful community, gather people who know the gravity of the situation but aren't afraid of the rebirth necessary and step forward anew, enlightened, together.

There will be wars happening in other areas, silent wars, in other countries that may affect us.

Through our unity and learned lessons we've gained empathy for the plight of others and will become a more giving and loving congregation that had once fallen but had risen again.

We will be an example that no matter who or what we once were, we can still care even for those we think we hate and don't understand.

This is just simmering now but when the chaos strikes be prepared. Save up as much money as possible before next year comes, be more frugal because a collective financial difficulty will come upon us.... and although it's only a temporary hardship it'll still be so brutal that we need to be ready with funds for our necessities.

During this time is when the chaos rises out of collective discontent that will create both the rupture and the unity.

While some will forever be set in their ways in all sides not wanting unity to survive, others will see the benefits, leave behind their differences and will learn and enjoy working with who they once saw as enemies.

Energies in this channeling session for people that feel a resonance with my energy since everyone will have something different depending the side they choose...

Sadness

Frozen

Uncertainty/Limbo

Caution

Betrayal

Chaos

Fire

Shock

Tears

Warmth

Aid

Understanding

Confusion

Revenge

Split

Purpose

Love

Family

Friends

Solidarity

Tears

Happiness

Respect

Anew

Equality

Humanity

Rebirth

Beauty

Controversial opinion... The deities working with us aren't angry about the elections. They're heavily connected to us in a sense that they feel angry for us and will protect us like their children if we let them in when we feel ourselves hurt or in danger.

We build relationships with our deities and the stronger it is, of course it will affect them in a way when you're upset.

Let them in, let each other's energies flow through each other, feel their comfort and strength go through you.

Let them show you what they see and what they council to you. If you're not good at channeling, as cliche as it sounds, you can also go by the emotions you feel during this encounter with your closest deity.

Through this you can even get predictions through your empathic connection through them.

My deities are many. Although I work with Lord Lucifer mainly, I have many deities due to being more of an eclectic witch.

Each one of my deities is handling the current situation differently but effectively because, as I said before, this is what the connection and working with such deities does.

One of my deities literally had brought 4 more deities with her to surround me when I asked for help in a stressful moment a couple of days ago while channeling.

Then I was calm.

This is the kind of thing that happens when you have a strong connection.

I was afraid of being a downer but while some people might feel the deities are angry about a particular thing, they're more likely angry for us than anything else.

I also know why they're protecting us at their fullest capacity based on our emotions but this post is too long as is....

Tgere's a downright logical reason for them to prepare but...... its a frightening reason which is what is holding me back especially with how many people are understandably feeling at this current time.

[swinging-stars-from-satellites]

Season 3? And I’ll give you a choice of word—“raincoat” or “shoulder”—whichever feeds the plot bunnies fastest!

[insert "both is good" meme here] set directly after War of the Coprophages (my beloved)!!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The coat Scully threw on before driving up to meet Mulder is decidedly not a raincoat — it's a wool blend, in fact, and a very nice one, which means that not only is it sopping wet, but she's also dreading the dry cleaning bill to get the manure out of the material. The one upside is that the rest of her clothes underneath are still salvageable, though it's too cold and wet to take the overcoat off. She wonders, idly, how one gets manure out of carseats.

(She makes sure not to think the stronger word for it, because she's not quite so frustrated that it's called for — mostly, she's exasperated and tired. She hasn't been sleeping as well as normal, lately, and as much as she enjoys being with Mulder, she also enjoys evenings at home. The cockroaches and cow crap aren't helping her mood. She feels a headache coming on, buzzing behind her eyes like dehydration, and reminds herself to drink more water.)

It's a short ride back to the hotel Mulder was staying at, and prior to that they agree to get her a room and sleep for a few hours, at least, before driving back to D.C. They've both been up all night, and it's gotten later in the afternoon than either of them expected before they managed to extricate themselves from the scene at the now-decimated (and dirty) methane plant.

Scully tries to check into a separate room, but according to the receptionist, they're all full — likely due to the mass panic and people leaving their homes yesterday at the slightest sign of a roach. She sighs, yawns, turns to look over her shoulder at Mulder.

"We can share," he shrugs. "If that's something you're okay with, I mean."

Scully nods, too tired to care. Really, sharing a hotel room with Mulder is the last thing that would ever bother her. He unlocks the door and scrounges up a laundry bag from the small coat closet before slipping off his jacket and dropping it in. Scully hands hers over, as well, and toes off her boots.

"You shower first," Mulder says, "I'll call in some takeout, if I can. Want anything in particular?"

"Egg drop soup," she says over her shoulder as she walks into the bathroom. She's still a little chilly, beginning to get over her exasperation at Mulder (and Bambi the entomologist, who are likely both entirely innocent aside from a lack of forethought that she should be used to by now), and the prelude-to-a-headache feeling has only gotten stronger. Soup sounds like the greatest thing in the world right now, closely followed by an aspirin and sleep, no matter how restless.

When she emerges from the bathroom, a cloud of steam following her, Mulder is standing in the middle of the room, looking like he's afraid to get anything dirty by touching it. Scully tries not to laugh, but he looks so sheepish that she snorts a little despite herself. She suddenly wonders if this is how he would have looked as a little boy, penitent after causing a mess.

"You got yourself into this mess," she points out when he pouts at her.

His sheepish look is exchanged for one of genuine guilt, and Scully wonders if she's said something wrong. "I'm sorry I dragged you into this," he says, and mumbles something else under his breath that sounds like again as he grabs his duffel bag and shuffles toward the bathroom.

Scully shakes her head. She doesn't know what it will take to make him realize that she's "dragged along" entirely willingly, that no matter how ill-advised or far-fetched, she'd follow him just about anywhere, but it's not a battle she has time or energy to fight tonight. "Mulder, I didn't think I'd ever say this to you," she says, recalling his teasing from earlier, "But you stink." She points at the bathroom and he chuckles.

"My wallet is in the drawer," he calls on his way in. "For when the takeout guy comes."

By the time Mulder is finished in the shower, dressed now in clean sweatpants and a t-shirt, and the delivery of Chinese takeout has arrived, Scully is nearly asleep sitting up. She only has one change of clothes, the emergency set she keeps in her car. Leggings, a t-shirt — which is, amusingly, nearly the same color as the one Mulder is wearing — an extra coat. Traveling clothes, essentially, what she might wear on an especially long plane ride, but convenient because it all suffices as pajamas, as well. Mulder ties their very full, very unpleasant laundry bag closed and shoves it into the corner of the closet behind the door.

They sit cross-legged on the bed and eat mostly in silence. Scully sips warm soup from a plastic container while Mulder seemingly zones out over his fried rice. With anyone else, it might be awkward — the whole situation would be, honestly. But they eat in comfortable quiet, like they've done a hundred times before in a hundred different hotel rooms. This might take the cake for the most comical circumstances, though.

"I can take the floor for the night," Mulder says finally, directly following a tremendous yawn from Scully. She blinks at him over the top of her soup container.

"Mulder, no." She's been saying that a lot lately. She thinks of him jumping on a train a few weeks ago and nearly dying for it. "We can share the bed."

He just stares at her for a few seconds, before very quietly asking, "Are you sure?" She nods. He nods. Something in the air between them shifts.

Mulder starts clearing takeout boxes off the bed, holding a hand out to take the now-empty container Scully had been holding. "Which, uh." He pauses. "Which side do you want?"

"Of the bed?" Scully tips her head to the side, which only reminds her she should take something for her headache before trying to sleep. She hasn't shared a bed with anyone in a very long time. "Right," she says finally, because when she shared a room — and on occasions, a bed — with Melissa, they always had the agreement that she took right and Missy took left. Mulder nods again.

"Do you have any aspirin with you?" She asks a minute later, unfolding her legs and wondering if she should grab the extra hotel blanket. Probably not, she decides, considering there's two of them. A small bottle lands on the bed beside her and she smiles her gratitude before popping two pills and sliding her legs under the covers.

She falls asleep quickly after being awake for nearly two full days, with only a few hours sleep in between, and wakes up just as fast. Her eyes fly open to the dark of the hotel room, not the inescapable white light of her nightmares, and she can hear Mulder's breathing on the bed behind her.

The dreams aren't really memories, except the white light and absolute terror. She almost wishes they were, so she could have some justifiable reason they terrify her so much, but no matter how hard she tries, and even after meeting the group of abductees in Allentown, she has nothing real to hold onto. In fact, a part of her thinks meeting those women has only made it worse. She reaches up and runs her fingertips over the almost imperceptible scar where she'd had the chip removed from her neck. Her pulse is racing — that she can diagnose, and she can gradually slow down her accelerated breathing and tamp back down the fear in her gut.

"Scully?" Mulder whispers from beside her, and she holds her breath momentarily. "You okay?"

She wishes she could say yes, but she can't. She stays quiet for a while, then rolls over to face him. "No," she replies. She's glad they're whispering, because she thinks if she tried to speak louder than that, her voice would be shaking.

Mulder is on his back, head turned toward her. His eyes catch the bits of light from the alarm clock on the bedside table, and he looks surprisingly awake. "What's-" he hesitates, probably realizing exactly what's wrong. He knows by now that she has nightmares — it's hard to sleep in hotel rooms with thin walls and connecting doors for long without sharing that kind of thing. "Is there any way I can help?" He asks instead, rolling onto his side to face her better.

In this close proximity, in the dark, in the quiet, Scully stops fighting. She stops trying to make it all make sense, stops trying to be strong. This is not how she planned for her weekend to go; she's not sure if it's better or worse than what she was expecting. She wouldn't sleep any better alone at home with only Queequeg for company than she does in this crowded motel with Mulder trying to help her be okay.

She hesitates again, squeezing her hands into fists to keep them from shaking. She thinks of reaching for Mulder after Pfaster kidnapped her; of him carefully asking if he could give her a hug after her father died. She shifts a little closer. "Would you hold me?" She whispers, sounding just as small as she feels in this moment. She hates feeling small, but more than that, she hates feeling alone.

Mulder slowly, tentatively slips his arms around her. Scully closes her eyes and presses her forehead against his shoulder, her hands coming unclenched as she eventually relaxes. The mild headache from earlier is still there, only dulled a little by the painkillers she'd taken. She startles a little when she feels him reach up to touch the same spot on the back of her neck that she had earlier, where the chip had been.

His fingers brush against the little scar and she feels as much as she hears him say, very softly, like he thinks she might already be back asleep, "I'm sorry."

[juniperhillpatient]

"Imprisoned" re-watch takeaways :)

KATARA MY BELOVED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! <3 (that's the most important takeaway)

This episode is....dark. It feels very bleak & hopeless for the majority of the episode. That old man turning on Haru after Haru saves his life is pretty damn dark & the majority of the episode seems to be about how hopeless everything is in this war, & how the Fire Nation has already won. This just makes the hopeful ending all that much more powerful. The gaang really are spreading tiny seeds of hope along their journey <3

Haru is one of those characters I can't find anything to latch onto about him per se but I do enjoy him when he's onscreen. Hopefully, that makes sense. Sidenote, I'm always saying the only valid guy to ship Katara with is Jet, & I mostly stand by that but I guess Katru can have some rights. As a treat. Also, I've been informed the ship's name is Harutara, but I like the sound of Katru better.

Also, we got "that lemur, he's earth bending!" this episode, which is notable :)

Aang is a little annoying when they're making the plan to fake Katara's earth bending, it's definitely an odd time to not pay attention. But I forgive him because later he makes that nifty tornado that shoots coal :D

Seriously though, Katara immediately going to GET HERSELF imprisoned when she realizes Haru has been taken is SO badass. Also just - the way she refuses to leave the prisoners behind - this episode is where we're introduced to Katara's best trait - she never gives up on people. She is dangerously idealistic but unlike a lot of idealistic people, she's not afraid to back her arguments up, no matter how dark shit gets. She says at the beginning that Haru should fight back, & that might come across shitty & tone-deaf from someone else. But not Katara. This bitch straight up chooses to get imprisoned & then REFUSES to escape without helping the other prisoners, putting herself in direct danger to help.

I just love Katara so much

The prison break itself is SO good & I loved Haru throwing that first little rock. Earth benders fighting fire benders with COAL is just a great way to fuck shit up. Also, I am gonna be a little annoying about this throughout my entire rewatch but uh, some of those Fire Nation guards definitely died in that battle. There's even the line at the end where the warden goes "I can't swim" & Haru's dad responds "that's okay, I hear cowards float" before dropping him in the ocean. Annnnnd Aang doesn't bat an eye? I'm not actually on team "Aang should've killed Ozai," like, at all, to be clear. BUT I can't help but get nitpicky when shows aren't consistent about no-kill rules. I'm just as annoying about all the humans who die in the crossfire in Buffy the Vampire Slayer when I re-watch knowing how annoying she is about Faith committing one little accidental murder. I just feel like if you're gonna get upset about murder, you should be consistent about it, that's all.

Side rant aside, I think this was a really good episode. Every episode where Katara gets to put her foot down & be slightly insane but also incredibly badass is SO good.

Also, if I were doing a jerk point competition of my own, Zuko would get 800 for picking up Katara's necklace. No, he doesn't know that it was her mother's. Yes, he's just tracking the Avatar like a good antagonist. But because it's personal to Katara & I'm not obligated to be fair, I'm gonna say he needs to get his Fire Nation hands off her necklace >:(

Alright, that's all for that episode :)

TLDR: I'm a Katara stan first & a human second

[sinfulwrites]

S/O who can't cook

My mother just served steak tonight and told me she used a half cup of salt for the seasoning.

She inspired this and is also banned from ever touching salt again.

This is just in good fun, cause some of us fuck up a dish now and then. No shame in it. But if any of you put half a cup of salt in like my mother I'm judging, sorry, that's a war crime.

also Asa is finally making his debut, in a joke post, very fitting for this blog.

Jason Voorhees

Now, Jason isn't a picky eater. He's survived off wild animals alone, he didn't have anything like salt and pepper until you came along. He'll eat something, even if it doesn't taste good, because he has to eat to live. He eats because he has too, not because he enjoys it.

But he… Definitely knows what bad food tastes like. Thanks to you.

He would never tell you that it's bad, he will swallow it down and not even flinch, even though it is way over salted. He will nod his head and give a thumbs up when you ask if he likes it, because his mother raised him better than to chastise you for your cooking, especially since you didn't have to cook for him.

But, if you admit you might have over-seasoned, he is going to agree, but only since you brought it up first.

You might burn his marshmallows a little too much, but he is still going to eat them regardless. After a while, he starts to like the burnt taste a little, but he still definitely prefers when it's golden brown.

If he peeks into the kitchen and sees you adding too much powder into the bowl, he will simply swallow his pride before coming in to help you cook, though he won't mention the flour.

He's a gentleman about it.

OG Michael Myers

In a similar boat as Jason, he's not a picky eater. He's eaten raw dogs.

But he definitely knows cupcakes aren't supposed to taste like cornbread.

He won't say anything, but he's definitely going to take a pause after his first before continuing to eat.

That's his moment of, "oh, this is gross.", but again, he's not picky. At least he's getting food, it's an upgrade from raw dogs.

But if it gets to a certain point, he won't eat it. If he can't swallow the steak because it's so tough, he's just putting his fork down. If the chicken is so dry it won't go down, he's spitting it out. He can't even eat it at this point.

That's his silent, "this sucks," to you. He's not afraid to lock eyes with you as he spits out the food either, cause he wants the message to get across.

Yes, he will be sleeping on the couch tonight.

2018 Michael Myers

Michael has gotten pickier in his old age, but he still eats about anything.

But he has gotten picky. He can't eat really tough food anymore, his teeth aren't as strong as they used to be, to his dismay. His steak needs to be soft, the chicken needs to be moist, the ham can't be dry. He's not even doing it to be an ass, he just can't eat it.

But how do you mess up so badly with pancakes? They're still liquid on the plate!

Oh he's going to speak up if it's bad. You better be able to be able to take criticism, cause when you ask him if he likes it, he's going to be honest.

He would try to help you improve, but he doesn't know how to cook either.

He steals some cookbooks for you and hopes that is enough.

RZ Michael Myers

"How's it taste, Michael?" "................"

He will just eat in silence.

He's guilty of dog consumption, but the sheer amount of salt on this meat almost made his eyes water.

He will finish his plate, but very obviously doesn't like it. He will agree with you if you say it was bad, but he won't say it if you don't. His body language kind of says it all though.

Brahms Heelshire

Will spit it straight out if he doesn't like it.

"It's too salty, Y/N!"

He already hates his veggies, but they're practically black, they've been so burnt!

He is a brat, and will throw a fit about it if you make him eat it.

He will stand proudly in the corner for his punishment if it means he doesn't have to eat the food, he's that stubborn.

Bo Sinclair

"You are banned from the kitchen." He says, after clearing his plate.

He's another one who will swallow his pride and eat it, but he's definitely critiquing it.

Three strikes and you're out. He's always been the cook in the house, if you can't cook, he's got no problem taking up that position in the kitchen, especially if you keep making rubbery eggs.

Bo will offer to teach you how to cook if you ask him too. He won't tease you for it, he'll genuinely teach you.

And if you want to cook with him, you're more than welcome to help.

If you actually manage to improve your cooking skills, he will give you control of the kitchen, and praise you with each dish that gets better and better.

It's a rare moment of genuine Bo care.

Vincent Sinclair

He's not saying he prefers Bo's cooking over yours, but he's definitely encouraging you to rest if you express not wanting to cook that night.

He also cleans his plate, but he's grateful for his mask because he always grimaces when he tastes over-seasoned food. Especially if it's too much garlic.

He silently mourns every dry cake that he eats, hoping the next one will be moist, but will swallow down the dry one regardless. With a large glass of milk on his side.

"I'm telling them, man." Bo says to him one day, after a steak even you had to admit you over salted.

"Don't you dare." Vincent immediately signed back. The steak was bad, but he wasn't going to let Bo make you feel bad about it. Vincent never wanted to hurt your feelings.

But you heard. "Tell me what?"

"That your steak su-"

Vincent elbows his twin in the stomach before he can finish that sentence before coming over to help you with the dishes, signing to you to ignore his brother.

Bubba Sawyer

Y/N, he can't help you here, you got Drayton and the twins against you.

Bubba would never tell you that your cooking is bad, he would always praise you and encourage you, even if he didn't like it. Because he really doesn't want to hurt your feelings, and he knows you worked really hard on it.

His hands are tied, he can only shrug and look away in shame as Drayton scolds you.

And really, Y/N, you only need a teaspoon of chili pepper, not a quarter of the shaker…

Bubba would also teach you how to cook, and he's a great teacher, so it won't be long before Drayton stops critiquing your cooking. Too much. He's always going to have a snide comment here or there, because he's Drayton.

Bubba loves to cook with you, and even if you don't improve your cooking skills, he absolutely lets you chop some stuff for him or grab bowls for him, or another spoon if he needs it. He loves to spend time with you in the kitchen, even if he's doing all the work, he's just happy you're there.

Thomas Hewitt

Oh, Y/N… No…

Thomas is never going to let anyone say anything too harsh to you, not even his mother, he will always stick up for you. But at the same time, he will pull you aside some days and show you how to season properly.

He's very gentle in his approach, never demeaning and always praising when you improve, and rubs your back when you make a mistake here and there.

Luda Mae is the same, she will teach you if you ask. You're also free to help her by grabbing utensils when she's cooking or fetching something from the pantry for her.

If you want to stick to dish duty, no one will try to stop you.

Just please, for the love of all that is holy, add milk to your cake batter.

Asa Emory

Can only watch in awe as you dump half a cup of salt onto a steak and see no problem with it.

He's looking between you, the steak, you, and the steak again to make sure he's seeing this right.

Eventually he can only cover his mouth and watch as this steak is seasoned.

Yeah, no, you're done. Time for cooking lessons.

He is a very good teacher, though he will make you swallow every bite of your failed dishes until you start improving.

You'll start to pick up adding the correct amount of water to your pancake batter in no time.

You're not going back into that kitchen on your own ever again, he is always going to keep an eye on you as you cook from now on. Though his judgmental stares will turn into praise the more you improve.

"You made it perfect this time." "You got it to the perfect temperature." "Those were your best brownies yet." Things along those lines.

[bestruction]

Falling in love with a marleyan pt.2

N/A: It was really hard to write for Eren because of all of his background. That’s why I’m insecure about this one. I hope you can enjoy 

You can read the part 1 here 

- Eren Jaeger 

After the war that started in Marley because of the failure of the founding titan's mission, the government sent marleyan nurses to the hospital of the Liberio District. Since many people had died on the battlefield, it would take some time for the eldian medical unit to fully recover.

You were one of them.

It wasn't your first time taking care of war survivors, but putting your feet inside the district's central hospital and seeing all those poor souls made your heart sink in your chest. The atmosphere was heavy, especially since the other nurses who were with you saw no reason to care for and treat eldians.

What was the purpose of the war? This? More blood and hatred?

You were in charge of caring for the patients in ward B. After a long day cleaning your patients' psychological and physical wounds, you felt relief when you reached the last one.

"Mr. Kruger" was what the chart said and notes below about his amnesia, left eye, and leg.

"Good night, Mr. Kruger"

"Good night, nurse"

"You can call me by my name," You said, pointing to the badge on your chest. "We're going to see each other a lot from now on"

He looked at your face and then at your arm, noticing the lack of the armband.

"You are marleyan" he stated

"Yes, I am" You pulled up a stool to sit "Have you had any pain in your left eye or in your leg?"

"No, nurs-" he interrupted himself and looked at your badge before completing the sentence with your name.

"That's good. Please look at my index finger"

You moved your finger from side to side to test his reflexes.

“I'll need to change the bandages on your leg to make sure it is healing well, and the next week, we will look at your eye ”

He nodded, and you bent down to undo the bandages wrapped around the man's leg. To your surprise, there were no scars or even stitch marks.

"You must have an incredible body, Mr. Kruger" you exclaimed, touching his knee looking for any signs of injury "It's almost as if it's regenerating"

"It would be incredible if that were possible"

"Yes of course! It's just my imagination"

Carefully, you bandaged his leg again. Since he said that he would feel better even if he didn't need to. Of all your patients that day, the man with the long brown hair seemed to have something different about him. He was not in paranoia or outlined any kind of stress, but probably thanks to his amnesia.

You helped him sit down, undress for the bath, sit in the wheelchair, and waited at the door until he was finished to help him get dressed again.

That was your first night with Eren Kruger, one very similar to that of the other patients.

The week dragged on at the Central Hospital of Liberio. In the afternoon, it was time to take the most mentally stable patients for a walk around, and as the days passed and repeated, the more you watched Kruger.

Even during the afternoon hours, he did not walk around like the rest. Unlike other patients with amnesia, he didn't even try to search for a loved one or recover some memory. He was unusual, and you were curious.

Every day, you went to his room to perform the same procedure.

"Good night, Mr. Kruger" You greeted him after entering his room, and he responded by saying your name.

"You look tired"

"Is that your way of telling me that I've been prettier?"

You placed his dinner tray on the small, simple table there and sat next to him on the bed.

"No, just tired, but still beautiful"

You smiled at him more than you would like.

"I will test your reflexes as usual and then I will assist you in the shower as usual"

He was always your last patience. He was the best in health and with whom you talked the most.

"Aren't you going to let me see your eye yet?" You asked, helping him to take off his coat.

"You said it wasn’t necessary since I didn’t feel pain"

You shrugged. He probably didn't want to show it because of vanity.

"It is a pity. I really like the color ”

"Why you say that?"

"What do you mean?"

"I'm an eldian, but unlike other nurses, you don't seem to be disgusted by your work"

"Why would I, Mr. Kruger?" You asked, unbuttoning the last button on his shirt "I'm sure the blood runs here" You said, placing a hand on his chest "It's the same one that runs here"  and completed placing his hand on your chest "We are the same ”

You didn't notice, but Eren Kruger frowned before pulling your hand away abruptly. At that moment, you thought you were over the line. A silence fell over the two of you after such a simple sentence. That was how the night ended, with you two in silence.

Honestly, Eren Kruger had not been offended by your words but intimidated. The last thing he expected to hear from a marleyan was something like that. Eren was intimidated by your kindness.

Kruger was not just your patient. After that few months, he was your friend as well. It was not easy for you to establish a relationship with the other nurses. The marleyan who came with you avoided you because they saw the way you treated the eldians. The eldian nurses did not know what to expect from you, so they kept their distance. He was the only person you could talk to. After what happened, you were afraid that you had ruined things between you. So in an attempt to apologize, the next day, you took a chessboard to entertain him. It was a simple thing, but it was what the hospital protocol allowed.

When Eren saw you enter the bedroom door carrying the dinner as usual and a box, he thanked you for the poor lighting, or maybe you'd have noticed the blush that appeared on his cheeks when he heard you saying "Good night"

He answered you, but he did not look you in the eye. You left the tray of food on the bed and dragged the wooden table in the room to the front of him.

"I thought we could play a little bit" You suggested showing the box.

"It would be a great idea"

You set up the board on the table after dinner, and in silence, you started playing. You were surprised at how strategist the man in front of you proved to be and even more when he won the game.

“I bet you were a great soldier in the war. Why no one comes after you?"

He remained silent, and you sighed.

“I know I made you uncomfortable yesterday, but it was not my intention, Mr. Kruger. I hope you can forgive me ”

Eren looked at you and blinked a few times.

"You didn't ... You didn't do anything wrong" He ran a hand through his hair "I didn't expect to find someone like you in a place like this"

"Well, I didn't expect to find someone like you either"

The silence fell over you two again, but this time in a cozy way.

"Let me prepare you for your bath"

You took off his coat, unbuttoned his shirt, helped him remove his pants, and sit in the wheelchair before taking you to the bathroom.

Everything as on other days, just like with the other patients. So why did your heartbeat so fast against your chest?

"Good night, Mr. Kruger," You said about to leave the room.

"Eren"

"Hm?"

"Please call me Eren"

"Yes...Good night, Eren"

Your foolish heart was beating so fast that you could barely sleep through the night. The blood hit the walls, reverberating his name in your head, and the same happened with the eldian lying in his bed meters from you.

Time passed quietly, with the two of you talking during the afternoon outings and his daily checks. Eren loved those moments. Being with you brought back a part of him that he thought he lost some time ago.

You made that place without colors, the closest thing he could call home.

You liked how things were between you, but you were afraid.

Nothing good would come from a relationship that shouldn't exist, and you would be sent back to your city soon. So there was nothing to do about it. You thought Eren Kruger would become a good memory, and maybe he would have if you hadn't noticed him handing a letter to Falco.

The moment you saw him hand the paper over to the boy, it all made sense. So he didn't try to find out who he was because he already knew, but why stay in the hospital? Why pretend amnesia? Why send a letter if he didn't seem to want to come back?

When you went to take his dinner that night, you were nervous. How to start a conversation like this? Should you even bring it up?

"Are you okay?" He asked, taking you out of your daydreams

"Yes, just thinking about something"

"About what?" He asked, taking a tablespoon to his mouth

You swallowed hard and, without further ado, asked:

"You don't really have amnesia, do you?" Eren stopped the spoon in his mouth and waited for you to continue. “I saw you handing a letter to that boy, Falco. You wouldn’t send letters if you didn’t remember who you are ”

He put the silverware on a plate and stared at you.

"And what are you going to do about it?"

"What I'm going to do…? What do you think I'm going to do? Tell the hospital board? ” You sat next to him “It hurts me that you lose faith in our friendship for so little. I would never do that, Eren. If you don't want to go back… ”You took his hand in yours“ You must have your reasons. I just don't want you to have to lie to me ”

"I wish I didn't have to lie to you, too"

He intertwined your fingers with his own and patted the back of your hand briefly. You were close enough for your legs to touch each other.

Eren raised his free hand to your chin and lifted it towards his face. The months of tension between the two of you succumbed to a calm, slow, almost frightened kiss.

"Sorry. I shouldn't… ”

Eren stumbled over the words. He didn't want to force himself on you.

You knew how wrong it was. Ethically and logically, but none of that seemed to matter. So, you kissed him back.

"I want to kiss you too, Eren" You whispered between the kiss

Eren smiled without breaking the contact. How long had he been since he smiled like that?

The kiss started a spark that turned into a fire of desire. None of you dared to stop or even wanted to. Eren kissed you as if it were the first and last time as if he was afraid to let you go. His hands went down to your back, undoing the apron knot, and yours did the same with the shirt buttons. You removed the usual coat he was wearing and right after the shirt. He pulled you into his lap, squeezing your waist. You had to hold back a groan as you felt his erection against your clothed core.

Eren put his hands on the front buttons of your dress and looked at your eyes carefully. Those jade eyes were looking for your permission. You kissed him again, touched by his concern, and got up from his lap.

You undid the buttons on your dress and took off your underwear, leaving you naked. That was the consent he was looking for.

"You're..." He searched for words looking at your face, at your body "Beautiful"

This time, you saw him blush. Eren had never seen a naked woman, more than that, he was sure he had never met a woman like you.

He undid his belt, and you helped him take off his pants before accepting the invitation to return to his lap. To be honest, he didn't quite know what to do, and if you think he was flushed before, you should have seen his face lying on your shoulder when he said:

"I don't know what to do exactly ..."

So you took one of his hands and guided it to the middle of your legs.

"Here" He pressed his finger above your clit "Move your finger in circles"

He did as you said, and he had to restrain himself not to cum at the exact moment you moaned.

"Keep...Agh...Doing it, Eren"

Eren felt an adrenaline rush up his spine and his cock throb when he heard you say his name like that. He wanted more. See more, learn your reactions, and listen to you say his name like this more often.

That night left a mark on you two forever. There was no turning back. Not because of sex, but because you fell in love with Eren, and he fell in love with you long before that.

Thinking about the afterward was something you avoided, but when your period didn't come a second time. You knew it was necessary.

You planned to apply for permanent leave to work as a nurse in the Liberio District and somehow get Eren out of the hospital. You could live in a more remote part of the district without attracting attention and, if necessary, would use one of the eldian armbands. That way, you would only be more of a couple among many. After all, the government would not bother to investigate the life of a nurse.

You were happy despite everything, but that was until you told him.

"Are you ... What?"

"I’m pregnant"

"Is it mine?"

You opened your eyes wide when you heard the question.

"Excuse me? What are you trying to say? ” You controlled yourself not to raise the voice “Of course it’s yours” You completed feeling a lump forming in your throat.

“That wasn’t part of the plan,” He said more to himself than you“You were not part of the plan” Eren rested his hands on his knees and lowered his head.

You wanted to cry. Not for him, but for trusting him, for making plans for the two of you.

“So this is how it will be? God ... I'm such an idiot ”

Eren looked at your figure with slumped shoulders and closed countenance. He hated himself for causing your smile to end. He hated himself for being not the man you deserved and needed, but he wouldn't leave you by yourself.

Even though he couldn't be that man.

"Don’t go out of hospital tonight" He said breaking the silence. "Under no circumstances go to the speech today"

"What? Why?"

"Promise me you won't, please"

"Eren, you are not making sense"

"Please" He begged you seriously

"Okay"

He told you to wait on the hospital terrace. He would come to pick you up, and once again, you trusted him.

It was difficult to watch the confusion that happened in the hospital. Countless wounded and killed. You never forgot the horror stuck in those people's eyes, and doing nothing to help make you feel guilty.

Is that why he told you not to go? If so, how did he know what was going to happen? Why did he know?

You were about to come down to help when a short-haired woman appeared on the terrace saying your name. If you were confused before by not knowing what was going on, now even more.

"Who are you?"

"Eren asked me to pick you up"

"He told me he would come"

She held out her hand with a tender face that you couldn't decipher.

“You will understand everything. Now come on, we don’t have much time to reach others ”

The wind was blowing hard on the terrace. You thought about refusing, going down, and helping the patients. At that time, you were no longer sure if you knew who Eren Kruger, the father of your child, was. You wouldn't know if it was for fear of what could happen if you stayed or for the love you felt for Eren, but you accepted her hand.

You climbed on the airship with that woman.  The pairs of eyes there were looking at you with as much curiosity as you to them. You hated the feeling of being the only one in the dark, the only one not knowing what was going on.

"We'd better keep an eye on her"

"She doesn't know anything" You heard Eren say without looking at you "She wasn't part of the plan"

"No? So why did you ask to pick her up? ” Asked the man without taking his eyes off you

"She’s pregnant with my child"

All the heads in the room turned to you.

"It seems that conspiring was not the only thing he did during that time"

You had so many questions, but there was no time for any of them right now.

Finding out that Eren Kruger was actually Eren Jaeger was like a punch in the gut. The army agreed to accommodate you, and in return, Eren would be imprisoned since he could leave if he wanted to. The woman who came to pick you up on the terrace answered all your questions and explained the current situation. You didn't know what to say, just that you needed to talk to him.

It took a while, but after so much insisting, the survey corps commander agreed to let the two of you talk under her supervision.

Eren was sitting on the bed when you stopped in front of the cell with Hange at your side. He didn't look at you, and he didn't think he could do it too.

"Eren?" You called him, putting your face between the bars "What does all this mean?" You asked even though he knew the answer "You lied to me"

You didn't want to cry, but how could you not? Especially being more sensitive because of the pregnancy.

"Eren ... why?" A sob cut you off “Now I don't know who you are, I can't go home, and is that all you have to say? Nothing? Eren! ” You hit the bars causing a loud bang.

“Try to stay calm. You can't be exasperated because of the baby, ”said Hange, touching your shoulder.

Eren got up from the bed and went to you. You looked deep into his green eyes, now understanding why he never let you take off the bandages, why he didn't have scars.

“I didn't lie about everything” He rested his forehead over yours on the bars “I know this is hard to believe right now, but I'm not going to leave you by yourself. That’s why I asked Mikasa to pick you up ”

For an instant, you saw the Eren who spent his days in the hospital there in front of you. He wiped away your tears and whispered an apology accompanied by your name before kissing your forehead and apologizing again.

It was unfair how your heart sped at the mere touch of him. Foolish heart.

Falling in love and having a child never crossed Eren's mind when he went to Marley. He didn't feel like he deserved you and even less your love. Several times he wanted to tell you everything, but how?

Hange looked at her watch and said that the time was over. Eren took your cheeks in his hands and whispered looking into your eyes.

“I wasn't lying when I said I loved you. I love you"

Hange took you back to your room and asked if you would accept that she questioned you about your time with Eren. She had waited until the moment she judged it right due to your pregnancy.  As a way to repay all her kindness you accepted.

Eren could have said he wouldn't leave you alone, but while you were telling what happened during that time in a country you didn't know, in a room that wasn't yours and pregnant with a man you weren't sure you knew more about, you felt more alone than ever.

[starry-nights12]

This was inspired by a post about Katara being a Sifu of the Northern Water Tribe.

But I cant find the original post; if you know of the post and/or are the op of the post, let me know, so i can credit them properly!

~~

After the war, Katara, Sokka, and their friends helped rebuild SWT.

She spends a year with her family, then she moves to the Northern Water Tribe to teach girls how to fight!

💙Katara teaches little girls beginner moves.

She teaches the older girls (pre-teens and teens) about more violent self-defense techniques.

The girls learn about healing in the side but with Katara it's mostly combats, self-defense, gender equality, and consent

They get taught about red flags in a toxic friendship and older girls on unhealthy relationships while dating.

Before she starts her class, she has them say,

“What do you say when boys say you can't do that because you're a girl?”

“Heck no!”

“We're?”

“Just as capable as you and even better!”

“And?”

“I'm not afraid to show you!”

Katara beamed proudly at them, “Good job, girls!”

🩸The girls of the Northern Tribe have only seen waterbending used for healing.

Her students get really impassioned when she demonstrates it for combat and cheer her on whenever she asks her friends to spar.

⚔(@a-hams-art ): Sokka does some sword-training/warrior training.

He makes it a point to inter-mingle boys with girls, to make the point that they can fight side by side.

🍉Whenever Zuko visits, he likes to bring exotic food like pineapples, mangoes, strawberries and other Fire Nation cuisine for Katara and her students to enjoy.

🕊☮Having her friends come visit and help her students had her come up with Culture Day! An event where her friends talk about their culture:

🌬Aang teaches them about the Air Nomads

🔥 Zuko about his Nation(of course)

🌏Toph talks about earthbending

🤺Suki and Sokka talks to them about how being non-benders isn't a bad thing, and they're capable fighters like benders.

At the end of culture week the GAang gather around the class and says:

“We maybe different, but that's what makes us unique; It makes us whole. No nation is better than the other. We're all equal."

--

When she becomes Ambassador she talks about bringing back schools and implementing culture week into them.

Instead of 5 days she turns it into weeks even because: “There's so much culture of each nation that it can't be taught within a few days.”

Week 1-Air

(After the war, the airbender survivors came out of hiding)

Week 2-Water

Week 3-Earth

Week  4-Fire

(the kids learn that Firebenders aren't destructive monsters and that the Fire Nation as a whole isn't. )

Week 5-Non benders

[ndconceptarchive]

New York Times Article About MHM - Nov 2000

This article isn't amazing or anything, but it's notable that by the third game they made, HER ended up in the New York Times (!) which is kind of a big deal considering what a small company they were. It also has a couple of funny criticisms of both MHM and STFD. I really liked the comparison to marionettes, to be honest.

By Charles Herold Nov. 23, 2000

WHILE it's common for computer games to hold sway over boys all through adolescence and into adulthood, it seems that girls tend to lose interest much earlier, preferring such low-tech activities as playing with their friends or reading. That has produced a male population comfortable with and knowledgeable about computers and a female population that is popularly thought to be a little behind the technological curve. For the most part, game companies do little to attract girls. They believe girls just don't like computer games, much in the way it was believed girls didn't enjoy playing sports until equal financing of girls' sports in schools put girls on an even playing field. It is easier to create action games for boys than to answer a question Freud would most likely pose were he still alive: What kind of computer games do little girls want? The best answer the game industry has come up with is Barbie. Boys get shooters, sports games, war games, and role-playing games, and girls get Barbie. It hardly seems equitable. That makes Nancy Drew: Message in a Haunted Mansion, from HerInteractive, more than just a computer game aimed at girls ages 10 and up. With a motto of ''For girls who aren't afraid of a mouse,'' HerInteractive wants to have girls sitting at their computers in slack-jawed concentration just like the boys, paving the way for a future female Bill Gates.

Mansion is the third in a series of adventure games based on the fictional young sleuth Nancy Drew. HerInteractive used focus groups to find out what girls would want in a game. The conclusions were that girls like a reason for what they're doing, they like a story, they like character interaction. HerInteractive created games to fulfill these criteria. Much to its surprise, the company found that the girls' mothers were as enthusiastic as the girls themselves, and Mansion HerInteractive added adult focus groups, aiming to create a game for all ages. In Mansion, Nancy is in San Francisco to help with the renovation of a Victorian house that is to be turned into a bed and breakfast.

Once there, Nancy finds that a series of mysterious accidents are impeding work on the house. Are these just a series of mistakes by the inexperienced handyman, Charlie? Is the house's co-owner, Rose Green, planning to wreck the place for the insurance? What about that seemingly innocuous historian giving advice on period details? Could it be, as Rose's partner, Abby Sideris, suggests, that the house is haunted?

Everyone loves a haunted house, and the one in Mansion is nicely done. There are no skeletons, no demons jumping out at you. Instead, a shadow disappears down the hall, a light flickers, doors slam shut by themselves. Mansion does not have a state-of-the-art game engine yet is surprisingly atmospheric. Like the underrated horror film ''Poltergeist 3,'' it compensates for its low budget with imaginative effects. While Nancy's previous adventure, Stay Tuned for Danger, had a certain voyeuristic charm as you prowled about looking for clues and spying on people, it suffered from some of the most contrived puzzles ever put in an adventure game.

At one point you can't enter a prop room until you correctly answer three riddles posed by the prop lady. Clues are strewn about randomly and senselessly. Now HerInteractive has gotten the puzzles right. These are not just puzzles that are good for a game aimed at young girls; the puzzle design is as good or better than most adult-oriented adventure games. These logical puzzles are perfectly integrated into the game; the house itself is an old hotel built by a puzzle enthusiast. Problems are quite challenging but ultimately solvable; the last major puzzle involving opening a Chinese safe is particularly ingenious. If you're stuck, Nancy has the option of phoning her friends for advice.

Much of the fun of Mansion comes from sneaking around learning about the suspects by reading their mail and spying on them. Mansion goes a step further by allowing you to also learn the history of the house, a story involving a famous actress and an unsolved theft over 100 years ago. You learn the tale a little at a time from a variety of old books, letters, and newspapers.

The weakest element of the game is its conversations. Characters look and move like marionettes. And the people doing the voices sound as though they normally make their living doing voice-overs for educational films. Nancy is especially unfortunate, sounding less like an adventuresome girl than like a woman speaking patronizingly to a small child she is pretending to like. But most of the game involves exploration rather than conversation. While I can say Mansion was tremendous fun for this middle-aged man, I cannot say whether it's enjoyable for young girls, having never been one.

To make up for this shortcoming, I asked my precocious 9-year-old second cousin, Kelsey, to play the game. Kelsey had gotten about halfway through when we spoke and she deemed it 'cool,' an estimation endorsed by her mother, Beth. One reason Kelsey likes the game, she says, is because she likes mysteries.

Everybody loves a mystery. While girls read Nancy Drew stories, boys are just as immersed in the adventures of the Hardy Boys. Scooby Doo's comedy-mystery cartoons seem to fascinate both children and their nostalgic parents. A mystery in a haunted house is not just an experience for girls; everyone wants the pleasure of hearing the bad guy say, ''I would have gotten away with it, if not for you meddling kids!'' Boys who believe there is more to life than visceral violence might find they enjoy Mansion as much as the girls. Kelsey says she enjoys computer games, although she doesn't play them that much, preferring to ''go outside and stuff.''

Games like Message in a Haunted Mansion might help keep her interested in the computer past her 10th birthday. Soon Nancy Drew will solve the mystery of sex differences and girls will be as at home in cyberspace as they are at the Olympics. And all the patriarchy will be able to say is, ''Damn those meddling computer games.'' Nancy Drew: Message in a Haunted Mansion, developed by HerInteractive, distributed by Dreamcatcher; for Windows 95 and 98; $29.95; for all ages.