#basically can we all stop treating annie like a child

[maidstew]

i hate the idea that annie is a weak person just because of her trauma and mental health issues. i would love to see everyone stop completely infantilizing her just based on her reaction to trauma.

yes, she is vulnerable and clearly deeply impacted by everything but that doesn’t mean she was always just a weak little girl. she still could have volunteered. she still could have chosen to go to the games.

yes, losing her most significant support system after everything was another layer of deep trauma. that doesn’t mean she couldn’t have still found joy in her life afterwards.

people can have significant mental health issues and still be capable people. people can have significant mental health issues and still have lives worth living.

adults with significant mental health issues are still adults and shouldn’t be reduced to their trauma and pain.

[aotopmha]

i totally get your point of view and i too wish that we got more of historia, not only in the final episode, but throughout this final arc. but that doesn't bother me as much because in my mind historia's arc is complete. and while i do wish she did more in these final chapters, i'm happy with everything she did throughout the series and how she ended up in the end. i don't think she ended up in a bad place. sure, she could have been more on-screen, prominent etc. but i'm just happy to see her happy. i think all the characters got a good conclusion. some better than other, though, for sure.

I just really disagree with that.

The very specific idea behind her character to me was that she was no longer her passive persona Krista Lenz.

I, not for once, thought that was her actual "true self", but that's what I feel like she reverted to for the minimal amount of time she was on screen for the last arc.

She complied with her position as a baby machine and took all of Eren's bullshit while for some reason deciding to have a child to simply basically "save herself and stop the 13-year cycle".

We had chapters of character exploration of why she wouldn't doom another child to save herself.

Her father only wanted to use her for his gain and she denied it.

*SHE OPENED AN ORPHANAGE TO GIVE PURPOSE AND PLACE TO THOSE WHO DIDN'T HAVE ONE.*

I 100% think she would not doom another child like this no matter what, even if it ended up "okay" in the end. Even if it is "the only option" to save herself.

Ymir, who is the most important character to her for most of her journey, doesn't even get the tiniest of nods in relation to her at the ending.

Who even IS the Farmer Guy?

If you know anything about how gay-coded characters are treated in fiction, you know how common it is to pair them off with random straight partners without any work put in the character writing.

And okay, let's make the argument that Historia only had a strong friendship with Ymir, she's bisexual and all of the usually weak excuses people give when (even potentially) gay characters are denied a full on relationship by the writers pretty blatantly.

I don't know Farmer Guy. He doesn't even have a name.

As much as I don't care about the romantic aspect to Annie's and Armin's relationship, both also actually have talked to each other on screen. It was there for a long time.

For Farmer Guy, we just have a blurb of saying he used to be one of her bullies who wishes to make amends.

*SO MUCH TIME* went into building her character and this is the payoff?

Her end is "happy" and "complete" only in the most surface-level sense. She and her child are okay. It's not even that I want more, it's that I want something that isn't a bunch of nonsense.

But in reality she has basically zero characterisation in the last chunk of the story and most of what she does is only explained in a couple of lines – so much of the meaning of which is gleaned from other characters talking about her. And because her own words are so minimal, reading her motivations is based on a bunch of conjucture, too.

It's a vague mess.

You can *assume* she had the child because she was pushed into a corner by Eren and the threat of repeating the 13-year cycle. But we never get anything from her beyond this. It's a really massive reversion with very minimal explanation to me.

Aside from the base thematic issue of her taking away the freedom of another child, I think Historia, just like Eren, would be able to be immune to the "influence" of King Fritz (which is actually all OG Ymir herself). I think she would stand against the Rumbling in a way that doesn't involve being a passive pawn because she found her meaning in giving meaning to others.

She wouldn't just forget what she wanted with a snap of a finger and I do not think she was so bound to Ymir emotionally her death removed all of the actual fight from her.

I'm sorry, but I just deeply do not like this take. To me a good character ending isn't the most surface-level happy or sad ending, it is payoff to all of the work the story has done with its characters and themes.

And regarding Historia, I deeply disagree with how she was written in the final arc.

Thank you for the ask!

[doppel-dean-er]

im really tired so probably none if this is canon compliant but hhh Community characters and what pets they would have

Jeff: A big dog, maybe a rottweiler or any kind of mastiff. defo will use the dog to win women over emotionally. he considered buying it clothes so they could match (double the women points) but he thinks that's corny, so he just got the dog a raincoat and called it a day. for the name i'm thinking something too human sounding like "Hank" or "Brenda"

Britta: we already knows she has one-eyed cats, but why not some three-legged dogs? a lil bird missing a wing?? she's gotta name them super stereotypical names like "mittens" "beef soup" "fartshitter the squeakquel " you get the gist

Abed: betta fish. he doesn't trust himself to take of something bigger and frankly likes how quiet fish (not the filters. fuck the filters are so loud) are. they're (almost) all named after movie characters, and even though they're basically indistinguishable Abed always knows which is which. there are actually two named nemo, one after the Disney character and one after Point Nemo which is the furthest place from land on earth.

Annie: Annie seems like the type to get a ferret on a whim because they're cute (after doing extensive research of course to make sure she has enough space and the means to take care of it), and then continue to love the little guy after it fucks over her sleep schedule and makes her room smell like rotting shit. she also likes to hold the top in one hand and the bottom in the other and then wiggle it around (but not often because she doesn't wanna hurt it)

Troy: the exact opposite of Jeff, only small dogs like a dachshund or a yorkie. he likes to pick it up and put it under his arm or in a bag like rich people do in movies just for funsies. not for transport or anything, that would be cruel, but just for little bits and such. whenever the dog stops to sniff something or hears something in the distance, Troy always goes out of his way to investigate too because he wants the dog to feel important. for a name i'm thinking more movie references, maybe a name. imagine "yeah this is my dog Indiana jones, and my other dog Paul". also he HAS to match with the dog, he has a bunch of harnesses with different colors on em just to match

Shirley: so many hamsters. so many. there is a graveyeard in her back yard full of small animal carcasses in boxes because her kids have no idea how to take care of something. at one point, after buying like 50 hamsters, she just got them one of those mice people buy to feed their snakes and it lived for two years. she never gets to name the things because they're her kid's animals, but she frequently has to stop them from naming them "fart" and "butthole"

Hickey: firm animal hater. he definitely has some sob story about how when he was a child he had to kill his dog, and that dog was his only friend or something and now has a deep-seated distrust of all animals because they all will hurt him. so sad for you cry about it, ration man

Frankie: I don't think she would ever commit to having an animal because having to deal with the Dean is like having a dog anyway but she always dreams about having a cat one day. a little orange one that's lazy that she can talk to and pretend it talks back just for funsies... yes she does want Garfield, okay? are you happy? she dreams about having Garfield. she doesn't even like Garfield and god knows she hates Jon Arbuckle with every fiber in her being but god dammit, she wants a Garf.

Pierce: friends with a dog breeder. treats dogs the way the Kardashians do except n o o n e thinks its cute when he does it

The Dean: honestly I don't think we should allow this man within 50 feet of a Dalmatian. no pets

Chang: befriended the mice and bugs that live in the walls. has a cat named "shit"

[mrslackles]

what do you think are gg's biggest flaws?

Ooh, Anon! It’s like you’re in my head. 

I’m busy making a video (that will probably never see the light of day) about this --  my distance from the show has really helped with some super objective clarity -- so I’ll use my notes from that to help me answer. 

I’ll preface this by saying what I was most shocked by after putting down all the points was that Rio isn’t even mentioned until really far down??

Anyway, let's get into it.

These are Good Girls' greatest flaws in my opinion (and relative to season 1 -- while I think it had its flaws too, the list is far smaller and I think that's a separate post)

1. It didn't stick to its guns

What set this show apart from others in the 'Everyday person does crime (poorly)' genre was its comedic lightness, strong friendship element, relatability and emphasis on girl power.

a) By season 2, the lightness was already slowly disappearing to make way for season 3's darkness. (Quite literally; this show said sunlight scenes for WHO.) It also stopped being as fun. Remember how it genuinely used to be fun? I mean let's not forget The Best Scene Ever where Ruby shoots Big Mike by accident and we all laughed our asses off. (Compare and contrast to a similar-in-tone-and-context scene -- or even the whole episode -- like Boomer popping up behind them as Rio's package in season 3.) I think season 3 had some great lines and laughs, but in general, the fun element was completely missing for me.

b) As was the friendship. We already know Annie and Ruby basically became Beth's backup dancers in season 2, but at least then they still seemed to have some type of agency. In season 3, they rarely question Beth's (truly questionable) decisions, don't talk to her about shit like why she's still with her horrible husband and have very few true friendship moments as they did in season 1.

c) Which made it less relatable, but what also contributed was the major plot holes (it's less easy to relate when you're constantly having to remind yourself to suspend your disbelief). And, to be honest, their stupid actions. Just the most common-sense things weren't followed, like not taking your children to a crack den or not putting a hit out on a gang leader. It's frustrating watching a TV show -- where characters are supposed to learn things, have arcs and improve over time -- and feeling like you have more logical sense than all the main characters in every scene. (WHO would think a hitman was going to use a sniper rifle on people in broad daylight on the side of the road???)

d) You don't have to look any further than the title or the stans who shout "THE SHOW IS ABOUT THE GIRLS" -- or, hell, the first 10 seconds of the show where Sara is literally talking about the glass ceiling -- to know that the main characters being women is very important to the show. If not formally feminist, it was at least supposed to be empowering or feel like "girl power" (a term I hate, but we won't get into that now).

And I think it did it pretty well in season 1 -- it actually played on my favourite theme of the show, which is the world's perception of these women being what ultimately allows them to get away with so much. (Rife with opportunities for commentary about white privilege, but also a genius way to upend patriarchal beliefs.) But more and more it seemed like the show was asking you to accept empowerment as simply "these things are being done by women, yay".

And, well.

2. Its marketing

I'll keep this one short because I think we all know how messed up this situation is. Basically they're selling a show (every week!) that they're not making while ignoring all feedback on every social media platform. Which brings us to...

3. The marriage of Death

If I've said it once, I've said it a thousand times -- Beth's character development starts with getting rid of Dean. Her growth is stunted by him on multiple fronts and it's frustrating to viewers since she's constantly put forth as the main character. Not to mention how the audience, separately from Beth, was originally conditioned to see Dean as the scum of the earth (think of scenes like him crashing his car because he was perving on a woman jogging) so keeping them together is really... a choice. To actively root for this marriage (which seems like what the show wants, at least for the protracted moment) means either thinking Dean is a great person (which, as I said, we've only seen the opposite of) or believing he's all Beth deserves. Which leads me to...

4. Beth's (socio)path(y)

Is sociopath a 'good' word? Probably not. Have I seen dozens upon dozens of posts talking about whether Beth is one? Yes. And I see it from a huge variety of people -- from viewers who just binged the show last weekend to those who've been watching for years, the question keeps coming up. And I entirely blame the writing of the show that, by the way, I don't believe is deliberately creating Beth to get this reaction. I think she's written (and, to an extent, acted) in a way that is much too aloof and I'm not convinced it's meant to come off as cold and unfeeling as it does. Everything else leads me to believe that the audience is supposed to root for Beth, but it's just so difficult.

Beth does a lot of messed up shit that requires dialogue to sympathise with her and the inner workings of her mind, but in the later seasons Beth rarely gets to express herself verbally. And every time she does get to speak about her emotions, the dialogue is a pick-your-own-adventure between "She's in so much denial", "This person feels no emotions" and "I'll go find an analysis/fic later to explain this" (scenes like "Nothing" or "I was just bored"). Compare and contrast with some of the great scenes in season 1 where she emotes, like her paralysing shock after they first rob the store or admitting she enjoys crime, or (one of my favourites!) the one in the park where she's mimicking the other mothers beside her.

5. Brio

I said in the beginning that I was shocked Rio doesn't get mentioned until this point and that's because I've always felt like he was an integral part of the show. When people say the show is about the girls, they're truncating -- the show is about the girls getting into crime. That crime is represented by Rio over and over again -- they never bring in another criminal at his level (which is another one of its flaws, but that's also a different post); Rio is it.

And though I stand by Rio's importance, the truth is that Brio isn't as essential to the show, by which I mean that if all of the above were done well, it wouldn't be as sorely missed. In lieu of riveting plot, a fun friendship, character development and empowerment, most viewers have glommed onto Brio like a lifeboat (or ship, heh).

Unfortunately it's also what the show has most stubbornly refused to develop significantly.

It's honestly a toss-up for why I feel Brio is a flaw: is the flaw that they got together? That they never got together well enough? That the writing keeps bringing in these 'chemistry-filled' scenes that are ultimately filled with air?

I don't know. Maybe all of them; maybe just one, depending on the day.

6. Its criticism falls flat without intersectionality

This is a big one because Good Girls is *trying* to do something very clever. As mentioned previously, my favourite theme of the show is how the women's apparent innocence/vulnerability in the eyes of society is their biggest strength. The show plays with this and other interesting themes with varying levels of success, but ultimately they all fall a little flat when they don't feel intersectional.

When Ruby gets sidelined. When Turner, who sees and all but calls out by name Beth's privilege, is portrayed as the villain. When Rio is told he's gonna "pop a cap" in his young child's "ass". When the racist grandma becomes a sympathetic character whom we must later grieve. (And she really didn't have to be racist, now that I think about it? It was just that one line for laughs and that was it.) When, despite the real-world implications, Dean can loudly announce in a store that he's buying a gun to kill someone with and the show just glides past it. When Ruby has to grovel for forgiveness from Beth for trying to protect her husband and family from the system, with no acknowledgement from Beth about how their realities are different. When Rhea gets booted off the show as soon as she's done serving Beth's plot. When Rio gets treated like a prostitute for absolutely no reason. (Oh, and is accused of raping Beth and is literally spoken of as an animal and starts only existing in zero dim lighting as a one-dimensional stereotype... the list goes on.)

7. PR/The actors

I'll risk my life here to sprinkle this in because I do think it's a massive problem. The Manny/Christina of it all is just the tip of the iceberg (although wtf Good Girls? There's nothing you could do to get these two into an interview together??). The main actors do the bare minimum to promote the show and it's weird. I also think it's the height of unprofessionalism to keep characters on the show against the wishes of the majority of the audience just because you enjoy their actors (Boomer confirmed; Dean highly suspected). While, on the flip side of the coin, limiting a character's screentime because you aren't best buddies with them. Having less and less Rio when he's such a fan favourite is dumb; as is not including him in any series marketing material. It feels personal and that isn't how a TV show should be run.

8. The entire hair and wardrobe department needs a stern talking-to

[lilydiaone]

Spoiler for 139 AOT

I know a lot people say they like the ending but personally I‘m really dissatisfied with it. It felt rushed and there are few characters whos end I actually liked. I‘m not gonna send death threaths over it like some people (that‘s messed up), still I like to make some points and see what the fraction that loved it has to say about it. I‘m gonna write down the ending of the important characters and what exactly I thought about it

Levi: I honestly liked his ending the best because I‘m so suprised he surrived at all. No but I liked how he ended up staying with Falco and Gabi, especially since he protected the latter in the last few chapters. I feel like he finally can live his life in peace. Really liked as well when he saw the rest of the deceased Survey Corp.

Gabi and Falco: Their reunion was really cute and I liked that. I do think after all these Falco being able to fly as a titan was kinda a plot device but I can live with it. However I wish Falco would‘ve been shown some reaction over his brothers death which he more or less caused. All in all I felt like everyone just kinda forgot Colt? Yeah but all in all okay.

Jean and Connie: Jean and Connies end was alright as well (though why did they thank Eren? but to that latter more). I‘m glad they didn‘t die and personally didn‘t feel it was neccessary for them to die. I also liked when they saw Sasha however I feel like they should‘ve seen Marco as well? Marco is singlehandly the reason why Jean joined the corps in the first place and I was bummed not to see him. I also would‘ve liked to see Connies mother... I would‘ve loved to see a reunin between her and Connie.

Pieck: I don‘t have much to say beside the fact, I‘m glad she surrived.

Reiner: Reiner is in my opion the one I was most suprised to see alive. I was sure he was gonna die but I‘m okay with it. The scene with his mother was nice and all but Reiner wanted to be a hero all his life and I‘m sad we didn‘t get to see more of it now that he basically is one. I also like to point out that Reiner was shown to be depressed and downright suicidal,this part of his story I feel like we didn‘t get any satisfactory conclusion. And his mother, we didn‘t see much of her but she felt a little out of character to me when she said she was fine with him not being a titan anymore when she pushed him into it since he was a child. But maybe she changed her mind with the rambling. Can live with that.

Annie: Her ending was alright as well but I feel like I‘m the only one who thinks her father is a bad guy. It‘s nice that he wanted her to come home but are we gonna forget that he mercilessly pushed he when she was nothing more but a child. Seriously he treated her horribly. I would‘ve like a solution with that. But you know what that‘s okay.

Historia: Her ending simply didn‘t make any sense. Back when she talked to Eren about what he was planning she was not okay with it but now she is the leader of the Yaegerists?! She apparently married the farmer which was kinda leftfield for me. It also feels like her pregnancy literally had no relevance for the story AT ALL. Like I was sure her baby would get a titan or anything but it was basically just used to sideline her, though I feel like they could‘ve sidelined her simply because she was the queen. Her ending didn‘t make ANY sense.

What truly made the ending horrible to me was the ending of the main trio. Here‘s why.

Eren: Look personally I was not a fan of Erens villian arc because such an emotional character suddenly was emotionless. I felt like you could‘ve handled it better. I even theorized he‘s only doing it because the other future he saw is literally so horrible there really is now other way but to become the villian. Eren killed 80% of humanity. That‘t a lot. He did it so his friends would be heros. AndI mean his friends alone. The rest of Paradis is fucked because everyone blames them. The worst thing is despite this plan, Sasha and Hange more or less died because of Eren. It is also rally shortsighted. The Eldians on the island are kinda worse off and I feel likeit was horrible of Eren to do this. In my eyes he‘s not redeemed at all. He‘s still a villian and a really bad one at that. The worst thing however was when everyone started thanking Eren, like his sacrifice was so great??? Like it literally benefitted 10 people at most. Killing millions of people for this was excessive and didn‘t change anything what he did. They all said him killing everyone was awful and if they instead of fighting him decided to stay on paradies the same thing would‘ve happend. It was still the same situation. why were they thanking him??? And it was revealed that he killed his mother by leading Dina to them. I‘m confused to why Dina couldn‘t eat Bertholt because that would‘ve meant they had another titan with Royal blood. I generally only see advantages to this (seriously can someone explain this to me???)

Armin: Honestly I‘ve been dissatisfied with Armins arc for a long time now. Back when Levi decided to give the titan to Armin instead of Erwin, I was a hundred percent sure it was the right move. Now I think this wouldn‘t have happened if Erwin was still alive. Since the very beginning Armin was smart and his smartness was played of as such an important thing but in the end it didn‘t matter at all. The only time I remember him using his brain after he became a titan was when they attacked Marley and even then Hange said it was was an Erwin like plan, so Erwin could‘ve come upmwith this as well. I held hope till the end that Armin would come up with some grand plan. He didn‘t he just talked to people (is this fucking Naruto?!) and then their minds were changed. His inteligence was totally forgotten. At the end he became the hero because he took credit for what Mikasa did (to his defence Mikasa didn‘t want it anyway but still). His entire arc was an disappointment and I don‘t understand why he was made Commander despite not doing anything other than crying over Eren when Jean was right there.

Mikasa: Mikasa was done by far the dirtiest. Like I can‘t even believe this. Personally I never liked how Mikasa was potrayed as totally dependant on Eren but this... Damn. The entire time I hoped Mikasa would realise that her love for Eren was not healthy especially when she stopped wearing the scarf. That did not happen. Look I know many people like Eren/Mikasa so I will not say what I thought about Erens admission that he wanted to be the only one she ever loved. What pissed me of was how the story tying Ymir and Mikasa together made no sense at all. Ymir loved King Fritz besides anything he did to her which is a pretty awful message but okay that wasn‘t the things that made me mad. Mikasa was the one that could stop it because she was kind of in a similiar position. Her relationship with Erem was toxic (before Eren/Mikasa shippers come for me it was when he was the villian and threathened to kill everyone, you can‘t deny that) and by breaking free of it Ymir would break free as well. But Mikasa didn‘t break free. She killed Ymir but we see her years later still pinning for Eren and sitting by his grave and fucking talking to him. How did she free Ymir from King Fritzs binds??? I really hate the idea that she never gets over Eren because after all that she still depends so much on him. Honestly by far the worst character ending.

All in all: All in all nothing really changed, everyone still hates Paradis making me feel like the rumbling was pointless. And I know many people say it‘s realistic and I agree it‘s realistic but why did Eren have to do that??? For what? The Eldian vs everyone else dynamic is still thereand nothing is solved. It just feels like there are gonna be many more years of war amd everything Eren did was utterly pointless. So yeah I didn‘t like it. It was rushed and just felt off. Still let me know what you think.

[luvreyn]

My Manhwa List (2020) Part 6

sHi! How arth thou? I’m back to give you another list of recommendation! 

Beware of the Villainess

Description:

Sit back and take in this romantic tale of an angelic heroine and her devoted suitors as they vie for the depths of her love... or not. This story’s about to go through some edits! After an accident, a modern-day college student awakens as the story’s villainess, Melissa Foddebrat. She’s far from anyone’s favorite, but she IS the daughter of the duke. Determined to live it up, this new Melissa is doing things her way — antiquated society, be damned! All idiots, prepare to step aside or perish!

WHY YOU SHOULD READ:

- plot = 4.5/5

- art = 4.5/5

- C O M E D I C  G O L D 

- their meme-able face are so funny lmao

- ml is so cute & soft & deserves everything in the world

- mc is such a bad-ass like?? she’s so cool & she doesnt deserve to be treated less by that stupid prince ok

- she is beauty, she is grace, she is the queen!

- all i do is fangirl over the mc basically

- isekai

- i love her dynamic with her bro cause honestly same that’s how my sibs and are act sometimes lmao

- her maid is so cool 

- a bad-ass with a heart

- ml has this past and secret and i’m living for it

- a gem basically

- overall verdict, a highly recommended manhwa that will make you all sort of emotions. one of the best manhwas released this 2020 ok i said what i said

I Became the Villain's Mother

Description:

Summoned into her favorite novel as the infamous Duchess Roselia Chade, Haena is bathed in riches, power, and a family of her own. Life couldn’t be better, save for the small detail that her beloved stepson, Einspanner Chade, is also the evil mastermind destined to kill her. At this point in the story Ein is still just an adorable child yet to reach his cruel awakening, and so Roselia is determined to stop him from becoming a ruthless killer. But with the duke getting in her way and trying to poison his own son, safely raising a child that was primed for villainy may prove harder than she originally thought. The survival of both mother and child depends on whether Roselia can successfully rewrite their tragic ending!

WHY YOU SHOULD READ:

- plot = 5/5 ok i’m loving it already despite the few chaps released

- art = 3/5

- IM LOVING THE TWIST

- this is an all out war between father & son ok

- ain is so cute like??

- i s e k a i 

- ain is such a bad ass cute little devil

- i know i know i’m collecting so many isekai-ish manhwas bcoz why not

- i love the mc so much shes so adorable and her previous job is awesome (i know you dont care but i wanted to be a daycare teacher too when i was a kid so yay)  

- she’s such an awesome mom like?? 

- the dad... the dad is idk but he’s a terrible dad for me (right now)

- ^ why is this like a discouragement comment like idek what i’m thinking yet i’m not gonna delete it 

- i love that this is mostly a son-mom manhwa bcoz it’s such a breath of fresh air and not to mention almost all dad-daughters manhwa are hurting me

- i’m here for the mom and son interactions basically

- overall verdict, a highly recommended manhwas for our souls! 

Marked By King Bs

Description:

High school is hard enough without a target on your back, but that’s exactly the situation Annie finds herself in when she crosses a group of the most popular kids in school. Marked by the king bee himself, the notorious Ashton Griffin, Annie becomes his newest fixation--and he is determined to make her life miserable. Now at his beck and call, Annie must stay on Ashton’s good side to maintain her peaceful life and avoid becoming a social pariah. As she navigates her way through alienating social cliques, persistent old crushes, and the hot upstairs neighbor who never puts a shirt on, Annie will soon learn that there’s more to being popular than meets the eye. She just wanted to live a normal life, but maybe there’s no escaping these king bees. An official comic adaptation based on the hit dating-sim game. I AM TARGETED BY THEM!!!

WHY YOU SHOULD READ:

- plot = 3/5 

- ngl but i can already feel the slight cliche-ness of this story and yet i’m still here forgive me this is a guilty pleasure manhwa

- art = 4/5

- i love the mc (yes, that quickly)

- dark haired boyo is mine ok??

- kinda funny

- i miss the school life setting so hihihi

- verdict, a cute and good read!

Pixel of Life

Description:

After finding out her boyfriend has been cheating with her boss, Hana loses her menial desk job of 5 years. Countless rejections later, she finally lands an interview at a small art gallery. Hana jumps at the chance to leave the drama of the past few months behind. But her high school friend (and worst enemy) Jiyeon is the gallery owner? Their most peculiar romance is about to begin… or not?!

WHY YOU SHOULD READ:

- o m g

- plot =4/5 this deserves more read tbh

- art = 4/5

- i’m starting to relate to mc since i started working cause #adultingsucks

- one of my dream jobs huhuhu

- i so love the twist 

- the s i b l i n g s

- i wanna know what happens next!!!

- s u s p e n s e 

- mix with mystery and spinkle with secrets and viola i present to you: the pixel of life

- verdict, a super good read!

The Antagonist’s Pet

Description:

Blessed with the face of an angel, young Sasha Tartt knows a life-altering secret: in this romance novel where she’s just a side character, she’s the only one who knows the true ending! When the antagonist of the story takes a particular liking to her, she must make a decision: help the clever and beautiful Rebecca find a happy ending, or side with the sweet-natured protagonist to ensure her own survival? On top of that, Sasha has to juggle the affections of her bespectacled love interest and tame a dragon boy! Can Sasha learn new tricks to win the hearts of these main characters? Based on the hit novel.

WHY YOU SHOULD READ:

- plot = 4/5 so few chaps yet so good

- art = 3/5

- i so love that she acts dumb when she’s not cause i love scheming characters

- W O M E N  E M P O W E R M E N T

- who run the world? girls! 

- i love that she loves the villain cause girl same

- idec whether there’s an ml or not cause we stay for their future bond

- she is beauty, she is grace, she’s the villainess pet

- ^ it sounds better in my head

- verdict, a refreshing manhwa that will leave you wanting for moreee!

[yukiwrites]

Getting Back Together

Thank you so much for the patience and support as always, @breeachuu! I hope you like it!

Summary: After five years of loneliness and anxiety, Wolfram discovers that Byleth had woken up from her Slumber and had headed to the Monastery. The day they had promised to meet again when they were younger had finally come, so now the former classmates all flocked back together to fight for the Kingdom.

Commission info HERE and HERE!

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Wolfram felt the icy grip of fear encroach him from inside. Byleth was nowhere to be found -- thought that wasn’t even the worst part.

He couldn’t feel her, either. It felt very much like that time whence she was thrown into a portal by Solon; it was as though she didn’t exist. The Blood that had been emitting its constant energy throughout the years… it simply wasn’t anymore.

“No, Wolfram, calm down, maybe,” he took a shaky breath as his eyes darted from one side of the dark cave to the other, “maybe she’s just confused after waking up from the Slumber. Mother said that we shouldn’t wake a dragonkin from one because we don’t know the state of mind they’ll be in…”

The half manakete quickly made excuses as his breathing became more and more uneven. His body shook, though he couldn’t even pay attention to it at the moment, what with his mind being so preoccupied.

If he was to look for her, then he had to be quick about it -- dawn was just about to break so he would lose the cloak of the night to shield him and his wings from leering eyes. Perhaps it would be better to fly on Aquilo to be safe.

Breathing deeply, Wolfie made up his mind to do what he could do at the moment instead of despairing. Look for her. Be with her. The Heart of Immortals had finally woken up from its Slumber so he had to be beside her to fulfil his mission.

… Of course, Byleth had turned into a special existence for him after all these years as well, so it wasn’t just about the mission. He had to help a valued friend in need.

Besides, Dimitri was back at the Monastery as well. If all else failed, Wolfram could still reunite with his friend and they’d plan what to do next together.

“Together…” Wolfie murmured as he nodded to himself in the darkness before running out of the cave with a steeled resolve. He had gotten used to solitude during this exile, but it wasn’t as though he enjoyed it.

He was a boy who loved to be around people first and foremost, after all.

The moment he exited the cave to call for Aquilo so they could watch from the skies, Wolfram sensed something pulling at him from the Monastery. It was something hard to explain, like he had walked to the wrong direction once he gave his back to the mountain; like something, not unlike a string, had made his steps heavier as long as he went against it.

Wolfram gasped, looking up as he blew his whistle to call for Aquilo.

It was the Blood!

Well, not entirely, anyway. It felt too drowsy to feel like the Blood, but since it was a presence so akin to his own though it bore a significant difference he couldn’t quite pinpoint; Wolfram was sure it was the presence of the Blood.

He had been right, after all! The Heart of Immortals was truly in a confused state after waking up from the Slumber! 

As the first lights of dawn broke, Wolfram got on Aquilo’s back, flying at full speed towards the place that had been all but a shell of what it once was; towards the only place that he had called home outside of his own world.

To the Monastery!

Huffing, Wolfram made use of all of his heightened senses to scout from the sky, still finding it difficult to pinpoint the Blood’s exact location. He could hear the sounds of fighting from multiple sources -- perhaps more ruffians had broken in after Dimitri had cleared out the first few that had gotten in his way -- but he couldn’t see through walls, so he would need to land eventually to get a closer look.

A voice not too far from his spot at the sky made Wolfie steer Aquilo in its direction out of pure reflex, however.

“Why… Why are you here?”

It was faint, almost like a whisper, but it was unmistakingly Dimitri’s voice. 

Had he found Byleth?!

“Maybe that’s really the right direction! I can feel the fog around the Blood clearing…” Wolfram said aloud, habit he had cultivated even more during these years of solitude. As he approached the remains of a garden, he saw some familiar faces. “Wait, those are…!”

Ashe, Annette, Mercedes… and Byleth. There were more presences all around them so he couldn’t be sure of how many of those were hostile or friendly, but to see the faces of those he had missed for so long, finally within his grasp…

Wolfram’s eyes itched with tears before he even approached them to help with the bandit problem.

“Hey, Wolfie’s here too!” Annette waved cheerfully, forgetting that she was giving away her position to the enemies all around.

“Annie, shh!” Mercedes pulled her friend’s arm, taking her behind a wall.

A fight against looters and robbers certainly wasn’t the time to feel as elated as Wolfram felt at that moment, but he couldn’t help smiling from ear to ear before drying his tears. Puffing his chest, he focused on the task at hand so he could properly hug all of them later.

The most impressive part was how more and more of his past classmates showed up the longer the battle went on. Ingrid, Felix, Sylvain, Dorothea, Caspar, Linhardt and even Bernadetta…

By the time they all gathered together, it felt as though they could simply sit down and wait for Byleth’s lesson to begin -- they were basically all accounted for!

Wolfram covered his face with both hands to sniffle silently as the grown-up faces of his treasured classmates one by one entered into view.

A strong arm around his neck made Wolfram bend down in surprise, being almost choked in the middle of the incredible strength behind the shorter stature.

“Yo! Still crying as always, huh, Wolf?” Caspar grinned as he tightened the embrace, patting Wolfram’s chest with such vigor that it should be called ‘manhandling’ instead of ‘patting’.

“C-Caspar…” Wolfie hiccuped, his chest wringing in emotion. Byleth was awake, his classmates were flocking together… it felt as though all the loneliness he had felt so far was a lie.

There were so many things he wanted to do. So many things he wanted to ask.

He wanted to shake Byleth’s shoulders and ask her how in the world she had woken up so suddenly; how did she get back to the monastery in the exact timeframe he was away… How did she feel, why did she need to go into a Slumber… So many things.

He wanted to ask each and every one of his classmates how the war had treated them; he wanted to hug them and cry in their arms; he wanted to hold Dimitri’s hand to help him out of the dark place that seemed to have taken over inside his mind.

But he was overwhelmed -- with his own feelings and emotions, yes, but also with the amount of people talking all around him: they were asking each other how they’d been, what they had been doing and how in the world they all managed to come together after five years of war.

However, the answer they most wanted to hear was Dimitri’s. He had been sentenced to death right after the war started, so having him stand there in their midst was surprising to say the least, especially to the ones who had been looking for him all this time.

Blinking the tears away, Wolfie remembered what the merchant had told him some weeks (or years?) ago: people from Duscur helped him escape, hadn’t they?

“Dedue.” Dimitri answered simply, the weight in his voice making Wolfram’s hairs stand on end instead of bringing him solace.

Noticing the somber tone, Byleth cocked her head to the side, “what happened?”

The prince scowled as his bangs covered more of his good eye. “He’s dead. He died in my place.”

A low murmur ran across the classmates as Gilbert nodded solemnly, speaking something or other about sacrifice or the war. Honestly, he could’ve started talking about baking for all that was worth -- Wolfram had stopped listening.

A buzzing sound started to ricochet inside Wolfram’s head, getting louder and louder the more he struggled to breathe. It got so painfully loud to the point of Wolfie having to hold his head with both hands as his breathing shook.

Dead? Dedue was?

They barely had had the time to properly forge a friendship.

He had been Wolfram’s first roommate and the one who opened Wolfie’s eyes about Dimitri’s inner struggle. Even though he was a man of few words, it simply meant that every single thing that left his lips was worth listening to. To think that that admirably loyal man was… That he had given his life to-

He owed Dedue so much. So much.

Trembling, Wolfram didn’t listen to a single word said during the meeting, or what was decided after it.

It was only after Caspar shook him with enough force to make his brain bounce inside his skull that the half manakete managed to blink and focus on his friend.

“Are you back? I was about to call Linhardt to take a look at you.” The shorter man frowned slightly, worried about the lack of color in Wolfie’s face.

Looking at Caspar made Wolfram suddenly aware of his surroundings again: he felt the morning air; heard his classmates’ voices and their steps as well as the ruffling of leaves all around them. It was like he had taken his first breath in a new world after a long Slumber.

Was he- was he about to enter a Slumber out of shock? It couldn’t be!

He couldn’t get into a Slumber now. Surely one had to be a very ancient or powerful dragon to need a Slumber? Although he was the child of a manakete and a human, he had much more prominent human features, so all of his family seemed to agree that he was a quarter manakete at most. Could he even get into a Slumber?

“Heeey, c’mon man, you gotta focus.” Caspar waved in front of Wolfie’s eyes, nudging his shoulder to walk to where all the others were going. “Look, everyone’s leaving us here! I’m not really good at cleaning either, but I can at least lug heavy stuff around.”

“Cleaning?” Wolfram didn’t recognize his own voice, too confused to even realize he had started walking.

“Yeah. You didn’t hear anything? We’re gonna use the Monastery as our base, but this place’s a mess. So we’re gonna clean.” Caspar kept pushing Wolfram, apparently unbothered for having to do so as he pointed with his chin towards the group walking right ahead of them. “The girls said it’s better to start with the dormitories so we can have a place to stay tonight, so c’mon, let’s go and check how everything looks now!”

Caspar’s enthusiasm and obliviousness to Wolfie’s inner turmoil stole a smile from the half manakete, though the weight inside his chest didn’t get any lighter.

“... Yeah, let’s go.” He managed to say in the end, holding Caspar’s hand so he could lead the way.

Wolfram often heard -- both back home and in Fódlan -- that a common thing humans did to cope with difficult times was to keep the body busy with chores, regardless of their nature. But that honestly wasn’t the way manaketes’ minds worked. They needed time to think and put their feelings in order, so doing other things in the meantime was distracting and stressful.

Especially because they had started cleaning the dormitories located on the first floor -- right where the room Wolfram shared with Dedue was.

The more stuff they carried outside to air them, the more they dusted and cleaned the surprisingly untouched furniture, the heavier Wolfram’s heart became. Even his head seemed to be so full of knots it made him tilt it sideways whenever he walked.

He remembered how anxious he had spent the first few nights in Dedue’s room: what if his bandanna came off while he slept? What if he sneezed and his wings popped out by accident? What if his secret was exposed on the very week of his arrival?

Of course, he also felt a tad anxious when he went to share a room with Caspar, especially about his bandanna, but it wasn’t as much as the first time -- and it was precisely because of how peaceful the time he spent with Dedue had been.

… It hurt so much.

Wolfie had wanted to tell both Caspar and Dedue about the purpose of his arrival in Fódlan, because he knew both of his roommates would accept him just like Dimitri did. Actually, he wanted to come clean about his reasons to all of his classmates, especially after living in exile for so long. He had pondered over which words to use and under which circumstances, but now everything was just a blank.

His body moved as he was told, but his brain felt like wet cotton.

Suddenly, he remembered the words his elder siblings had left him with. The words about death, parting and finding ways to deal with the loss the best way he could. Pressing his lips into a thin line, Wolfram sniffled the warm tears back as his shoulders trembled.

They never taught him how to deal with a secret he didn’t want to keep. They never taught him how to come clean with a lie he had kept for years.

They told him that experiencing war with his own skin would be hard and that he had to do anything in his power to cope with it, but… to think that it would be like this. He had barely done any fighting and the weight of this responsibility was already so heavy.

Wolfram dried the tears that fell uncaring of his best efforts to keep them away. He simply stood there, in the middle of cleaning, hiding his face with both hands as he sobbed.

There weren’t many people assigned to that specific area, but it wasn’t as though he was alone -- yet he couldn’t help the tears that streamed down his face.

Out of the former students assigned to this part of the dormitories, there were Dorothea, Caspar, Wolfram and Ashe; and the first one to see Wolfram hunched back was Dorothea. She gasped and meant to comfort the tall boy, but bit her lower lip in hesitation. Wolfie had confided in her in the past, but perhaps the best person to be by his side at that moment wasn’t her, but…

Dorothea spied Caspar with the corner of her eyes, quickly running to his side to tap his shoulder. “Caspie, I need help with something.”

“Yeah?” The young man brushed one hand over his forehead to dry the sweat after placing a cabinet on the ground. “Anything you want me to move?”

“No, it’s actually about Wolfie. Can you take him to the gardens? He… he needs a break.” She whispered, stealing a glance at the crying boy.

Caspar’s eyes immediately widened in surprise as he hurried to Wolfram’s side without even giving Dorothea a reply. “Wolf?! Hey, you okay, man? Wolf!” He shook the half manakete’s shoulder vigorously, making the hands slip out of his crying face.

“C-Casparrr!” Wolfram wailed pitifully, hugging the shorter man so as to sob on his shoulder.

Confused out of his mind, Caspar looked around as if he could find the answer of what to do just lying in the middle of the scattered furniture. He awkwardly patted Wolfram’s back, his chest sinking in what he assumed was sympathy.

Catching Caspar’s gaze, Dorothea pointed to the gardens, which made Caspar remember her previous words. “Alright!” He heaved and took Wolfram in his arms to smuggle him to the gardens. Honestly, he had no idea why they had to change locations, but since he knew he wasn’t good with sensitive matters, he chose to simply trust Dorothea and do as she said.

Wolfram barely noticed that they had moved as he hugged Caspar with everything he had as he poured all of the loneliness, uncertainties and grief of the past 5 years onto his friend’s shoulder.

Without much to do, Caspar patted Wolfram’s back with one hand as he grippeda t the grass with the other -- he felt like fighting someone. Who had made Wolfram feel that way? He wanted to fight them and settle things for good, but there was no way he could get a clear answer from his friend at the moment, so he simply waited.

It was only after the tears had dried and his throat hurt that Wolfram managed to stop himself from crying as he slowly pulled away from Caspar. “Th-thank you for being with me, Caspar. It means a lot.”

“Don’t mention it! Are you alright? Did you get into a fight? I’m gonna punch ‘em for you.” Caspar punched his open palm as he cracked his neck, but that only made Wolfram’s shoulders sag and a faint smile sprout on his lips.

“Actually, it was like everything rushed in at once, so it wasn’t just one or two things.” He took Caspar’s hands in his own so his friend wouldn’t hurt himself from clenching his fists. “It helped me clear my head a lot, though, so thank you again.”

“Sure, but,” Caspar tilted his head to the side, looking straight into Wolfie’s red, tear-stained eyes, “I’m still mad for some reason. I don’t like seeing you like this, Wolf.” He said in a whisper, unsure of his own feelings.

Wolfram’s chin trembled with emotion as Caspar reached out to move a few strands of hair that had glued themselves on Wolfie’s face. “Actually I- I have something to tell you, Caspar.” Wolfram sniffled, unable to take a deep breath through his stuffy nose.

Crying had taken an immense load off of Wolfram’s shoulder, but the issue itself remained. He grieved for his friend; he wanted to tell everyone about his secret -- he wanted to be able to stand beside them proudly, without the need to hide who he was or what he had come here to do.

And Caspar had to be the first one to know from his own mouth. Not by accident like what had happened with Dimitri, but willingly, from the bottom of his heart. Of course, his mind wanted him to wait at least for night time, even if they were in a secluded location, there were people wandering around amidst their cleaning effort.

Yet, Wolfram’s heart pounded, wanting him to blurt everything out at that very moment.

“Yeah? I can’t help much with words, but I can listen.” Caspar nodded, looking up at Wolfram with the clear, sincere eyes that Wolfie liked so much.

“Actually, I’m not human.” He lowered his head to pull the bandanna off of his head, exposing his pointy ears. “I came here with a mission-”

“Whoa, wait, wait, wait, what? Wait, you remember you past? That’s awesome, Wolf! And those ears-” Caspar moved from one side to the other, taking a better look at them. “Whaddya mean ‘not human’? What else could you be? I never heard of anything not human living here…”

“Heehee,” Wolfie laughed awkwardly, scratching his chin. “I’m not from ‘here’. I came from another world under the guidance of the goddess I worship.��� He grasped his locket as he spoke, his chest feeling lighter and lighter the more words left his lips. “I was told to stay by Byleth’s side and protect her during the ‘turmoil’ that would shake this world, though I had no idea how soon war would break out after I arrived…”

Caspar frowned so deeply one could see the gears inside his brain struggling to work. “So the goddess appeared for you too? Like with the Professor?” He still couldn’t grasp it due to the sheer absurdity of it all.

Snorting, Wolfie held his locket closer and focused on his dragonstone. “I’ll just show you.” He brought out dragon half as he felt part of his body being covered by scales. The wings, tail and horns popped out as well, making Caspar let out a loud exclamation of surprise.

“HOLY SHIT, YOU CAN FLY?” He jumped out of his spot. “That’s dope. What the hell, man…” He murmured as he walked all around Wolfram, poking at his wings and horns.

Is that really the most surprising part here…? Wolfie snorted inwardly, glad that Caspar’s reaction was much better than he had anticipated.

He called his wings back after a few moments, still wary of the bright sun above them. “I couldn’t tell anyone about my origins since, well, it’s crazy, right? So I just said I didn’t remember anything so I could stay with Byleth.”

“Hey, wait, bring it back!” Caspar slammed Wolfram’s back with both hands right where his wings were. “That’s so cool, I never saw someone with wings before.”

… Clearly nothing else Wolfram said would get through Caspar, so he simply giggled in amusement. “It’s still a secret, so please don’t tell anyone, okay? I can call them back at night.” He slipped the bandanna back on his head, once again covering his ears. 

“I dunno why you’d hide this, it’s fucking amazing.” Caspar kneaded his knuckles on Wolfram’s back, wondering how the hell the wings went back inside. Ticklish with the constant contact, Wolfie’s laughter grew, his heart lighter than any other time he spent in Fódlan.

“We can go flying sometime when it’s quieter,” Wolfie suggested, wondering if he should ask Aquilo to carry Caspar as they soared in the night sky.

“REALLY? Hell yeah, man! When’s good? Let’s go tonight!” Caspar arm-locked Wolfie’s head, excited like a little boy to go on an adventure.

Wolfram laughed heartily, falling backwards as Caspar’s hug turned more into a wrestling match the more they cuddled.

It still hurt, but now Wolfie was glad that he had taken a tiny step towards the road of feeling better.

The cleaning effort took weeks to finish -- and it honestly would take much longer than that to actually bring the Monastery back to its full glory. They did the best they could to make the place at least enough to shelter them from rain and wind, but there was much they couldn’t do with their meager numbers -- not to mention how morale hadn’t been the best due to how Dimitri acted.

Wolfie had so much to digest he couldn’t find a good time to speak with his first friend so as to deliver the jewel to him. Besides, the friendship jewel should be exchanged when both parties were ready for the commitment of being confidants for life -- and the current Dimitri wasn’t in that state of mind, not at that moment.

Dedue’s words rang true even five years after they were uttered: Dimitri fought a losing battle within himself, and now it seemed like he had accepted the defeat. What Wolfram could do -- what any of them could do -- was to support him in any way they could.

For now, that meant fighting for him, a goal that would be accomplished much sooner than they would like, for an imperial force had been seen making its way to the Monastery after the Empire had caught wind of the Knights of Seiros coming back to reclaim it.

Dimitri laughed without any mirth in his voice once he heard about the imperial army breathing down their necks, his sleepless mien carving for the silence of the dead. Gulping, Wolfram nodded as Byleth started guiding them to their defensive positions: the Monastery had taken a great blow at the battle five years ago, but it was still a fortress of its own might; so they would be able to protect it should they act wisely.

The battle was fierce -- the imperial forces would stop at nothing to take the Monastery back as they resorted to long range weapons, destructive fireballs and assassins that slipped through their defenses to take out their healers and commanders.

Byleth guided them with all of her power, commanding them as though she predicted the enemy’s every step: She cleared out their reinforcements, secured the ballistae and surrounded their elite knights with the precision of a seasoned soldier.

Once the commander was backed into a corner, he shook with anger. “A total loss… But we can’t just return home like this…” He raised his face with fire in his eyes, aiming at the one who orchestrated his defeat. “I’ll take you with me!”

“Professor, get down!” Dimitri threw himself in front of the blow the commander sent to Byleth’s way at the same time Caspar ran to intercept it. He managed to catch the javelin with his hands before throwing them on the ground in front of the commander.

Frowning, he looked up at the man. “Hey, so you’re Randolph, right? My uncle.” He rolled his shoulder and neck before adjusting the gauntlets wrapped around his fists.

“Uncle?!” Wolfram gasped from above, making sure to hold the position Byleth had told him to. How horrible, to fight his own family in a meaningless war…

The man called Randolph widened his eyes much like Wolfram did. “Caspar?! Yes, indeed... So, I see you have chosen to oppose the Empire.” He stelled himself, taking his battle position. “If so, be warned that I won't hesitate. I'll strike you down, even if we're of the same house!”

Caspar hopped in place to warm himself up. “You took the words right outta my mouth! Graaagh!” He jumped into the fight without hesitation, his resolve having been tested a long time ago.

Wolfie admired the way Caspar threw himself into battle like he had all the answers of the world, but it still pained him to see blood fight with blood like that, so he averted his eyes from the brawl entirely.

Eventually, Randolph fell in defeat as Caspar puffed his chest proudly.

However, Dimitri stepped in, basically shoving the shorter man out of the way. “Capture him.”

The battle was won, but there was a sense of uncertainty in the air, as no one could predict what the ‘Delusional Prince’, as Dimitri came to be known, would do. Soldiers who came under Gilbert’s command heeded Dimitri’s orders and tied the man down as Byleth instructed the people who still had energy to start cleaning after the battle.

Randolph was dragged down the steps he had climbed just hours previous as the attacker, with Dimitri pulling on the rope as though unconcerned of how the commander’s head was bashed on the stairs.

He coughed blood after the third staircase, his head spinning. “I-I have family waiting for me, p-please… I can’t die here.”

Once again Dimitri laughed without mirth, pointing languidly at the fallen commander. He then took out a dagger as he crouched in front of the decaying Randolph. “A beast of your depravity, prattling on about family?” he tapped the dagger on the bleeding cheek. “How amusing.”

“As though you could understand...such a thing as love…” Randolph panted with difficulty as several of his ribs were shattered during and after the battle. “You heartless monster!”

“You are a monster too, General. You just have yet to realize it.” Dimitri slid the sharp blade through the man’s skin, as though pondering where to stab it next.

The conversation was sickening to say the least. Wolfram had been ordered to move the wounded on Aquilo back to the Monastery, but he couldn’t help but listen in with his sensitive hearing. He felt like a pit had opened in his stomach, just waiting to swallow him whole.

Not to mention, that man was Caspar’s…

He looked at his friend with pity in his eyes, wondering what the young man thought about it all.

When the conversation started to take a bloodier turn, Wolfie could see Caspar flinching in contained anger -- he was just about to reach out to stop him from doing something foolish when the smell of fresh blood rose to his nose.

Byleth had taken Randolph out of his misery.

“... What is the meaning of this?” Dimitri asked in a cold voice at the same time Caspar’s shoulders hardened and his breathing stopped for a moment before being let out all at once.

Soon the young man turned away from the scene and went back to doing what he had been ordered to do, but Wolfram couldn’t help but notice the entire scene. Byleth tried to help Dimitri out of the dark place, so there was no space for Wolfie at the moment -- besides, he wanted to give Caspar a big hug for his loss, even if it had looked like he had made peace with it even before the battle.

Wolfie ran back inside after placing the last wounded on an improvised cot on the floor, leaving it to the healers to help them back into shape. Soon he found the blue-haired head he was looking for due to his own height.

However, when he approached, he didn’t know how to even start that conversation.

“Hey.” He looked down awkwardly as Caspar was setting out to the dining hall.

“Hey there, Wolf. We did good back there, didn’t we? We taught them a lesson.” He tried to cheer, but the voice didn’t come out as high as he thought it would.

“Are… are you okay? Even if you were estranged, he was still your uncle, right?” Wolfie reached out to his friend, tentatively patting his shoulder.

Caspar twisted his lips uncomfortably. “Nah, I’m not really feeling bad about that. We weren’t really related by blood and… ugh.”

“It’s okay if you don’t wanna talk about it.”

“Yeah, I don’t, really. It’s just… Dimitri’s methods, man.” He scratched the back of his head uncomfortably. “The guy was defeated already, there was no need to-”

It was now Wolfie’s turn to hug his friend and lend him a comforting shoulder to lean on. “Even if you say you’re okay about it, it’s a different story to be face to face at opposing sides with family. Especially after all… that.” Wolfram glossed over so as not to upset Caspar more, patting the spiky hair soothingly.

Unaccustomed to get in touch with his feelings like Wolfram, Caspar frowned inside the hug. He didn’t think that he was that upset about it, but there was this nagging feeling at the back of his heart that weighed a ton.

He was fine, he was. Truly.

But… being in Wolfram’s arms made him feel better. Lighter. So perhaps he wasn’t as ‘fine’ as he thought he was, since it felt better just to be within his friend’s warmth. There was a lot to process and he didn’t have much brain capacity for it all, but for the moment it felt good to just enjoy the hug and be pampered for a change.

[ghostmartyr]

SnK 128 Thoughts

Pacing, I think, is the single most difficult thing to do correctly when telling a story. Out loud or in text, you have to juggle every cue you’re giving off, keep it all relevant, and make it so when things fall into place, they’re falling to the gravity that the story’s been given.

That’s why we’ve got something of a problem in this arc.

I complain a lot, because it’s easy, and this is hardly a flawless work. Organization has also been one of the regular things this series just has trouble with.

Still, while I really feel that the last few chapters aren’t the best way to tell this story, the story chosen is a monster to keep in line.

[insert amusing pre-cut joke of your choice here]

Conflict is the root of every story. Character vs self. Character vs character. Character vs nature. Pick one, then plant the seed and watch the clash reform the setting. Knowing your protagonist often involves knowing your villain.

Eren has always been the best protagonist for this series. He embodies the fury of humanity in an environment that embraces complacency. He is the voice that shouts for people to do something.

Back in Trost, everyone on his starting squad plans on picking the Survey Corps. Because of his constant, unfettering influence. He’s the one who is always reminding them that there’s a world outside that they’re abandoning. He never lets Jean forget it. He interrupts parties with the vocal equivalent of hammering 99 problems to every door.

Eren is one of the top ten soldiers in the 104th, and he makes sure everyone knows what he’s using his skills for. And before they themselves are confronted with what’s being asked of them to join him, everyone in his social circle is ready to make the same choice.

Moving forward is what Eren does in a world that’s been trapped in stagnation. He is a force of change. He is a force of impotent rage in the face of disaster.

He is every reaction the humans inside the walls don’t have, because as a people, they can’t imagine what there is to be done about their problems. Staying within the safety of the walls and limiting their potential in return for not dying a bloody death seems fair, to them.

They are imprisoned, so Eren, our protagonist, seeks freedom.

Being born free is the linchpin of his first successful transformation.

His first rather disturbing act of violence comes from him murdering slavers.

The wings of freedom are the iconic brand of his chosen military branch.

Subtlety.

That’s all very straightforward and simple to work with.

Then we open up the setting, and things are still rather simple, just in a turn that kicks off one hell of a problem.

The world itself is a cage. Physically, in the form of internment camps, or culturally, in the form of how people think about each other and act. There is no freedom for the citizens of Paradis now that they have broken out of their shell. There is just another prison, and a ticking time bomb.

Naturally, in its most basic form, this would make the world Eren’s enemy, because Eren is the champion of freedom.

Only then, if you stick to the most basic form of the concept, the simple answer is that when everyone else dies, then you will have your freedom.

Eren might be the story’s protagonist, but that’s because he stands at the fulcrum of all the story’s core ideas. He makes the rest of the plot move. He is the focus point. He is why there’s a story, and not a jumble of confused, dying people throwing themselves at the problem of titans.

He’s not everything that’s going on.

The world’s cruelty is not what this story is about.

Eren starts thinking about the outside world because a boy shares his dreams of the ocean.

Mikasa takes the time to salute a little girl on a battlefield.

Sasha fights a titan off with a bow and arrow to save one child’s life. She dies because she won’t kill a little girl.

Levi chooses not to revive Erwin so that Erwin can die without being brutally abused as the rest of mankind’s sacrifice.

Niccolo’s entire concept of what he’s fighting for is disrupted because people like his cooking.

Gabi is protected and treated like a child by the 104th even after they know she pulled the trigger on their friend.

Colt dies because of his insistence on giving his little brother comfort.

Reiner’s still breathing because there’s a few little kids he can do some good for.

Annie just wants to see her dad again.

Humanity, as a general concept, begins in an easily condemnable place in the manga. One of the first things Paradis does is send out a large percentage of its citizens to die so that the rest can live. Meanwhile, the only people who do try to go outside and learn more about the world are smeared even as they’re bringing back corpses.

By the end of Uprising, there’s a crowd of cheering people waiting for the Scouts to succeed.

People are awful.

They can do better.

A lot of Eren’s objection to Jean is highlighted through that. He never gives Connie a hard time for wanting to join the MPs. It’s Jean, who’s vocally joining up just so he can take it easy, that Eren objects to. Jean doesn’t have to be a jackass. It’s a decision he’s making.

Jean decides to do better.

In the beginning, people are willing to settle for ‘good enough.' Slowly, as the arcs go by, we approach a near universal take of people seeing problems and taking preventative action.

Here, with the Yeagerists, we come back to the original sin of Paradis.

As long as this one little island is okay, and no one on it has to worry about death, what does the outside world matter? Especially when that outside world has repeatedly promised to kill them? Killing them all first isn’t a problem, it’s a solution.

Samuel’s there at the start of Trost.

Sasha saves his life.

Connie kills him.

They don’t hate each other. Neither one wants to pull the trigger. But Samuel is willing to see the rest of the world die if it means keeping Paradis safe. Connie isn’t.

Over and over, the cycle plays out the exact same way. People kill each other to free themselves. As long as there’s always an Us vs Them dynamic, the bloodshed continues indefinitely. The Eldian Empire enslaved the world through titans. Marley won its freedom and decided it was okay to do the same thing as long as they only enslaved Eldians.

The methodology is what’s going to fuck everyone over in the end.

During Uprising, it is routinely discussed that it’s possible the royal family and the upper brass do know something that makes a coup a bad idea. It’s possible that overthrowing them will bring Paradis into an even darker landscape.

What it comes down to is that whatever they know, they’re willing to let everyone else die if it saves their own skin.

Since that particular Everyone Else is united, the coup continues, and the island’s given its chance at actual peace.

Now, the Yeagerists are making that same argument.

Meanwhile, before we were dealing with this, we had Zeke. His argument was that seeing as the world would never change, Ymir’s people were all cursed and damned, it is for the best of all of us if we all die.

He’s the ultimate counter to Eren. Eren is fighting for life, while Zeke is only searching for the best death.

Only by all appearances, Eren’s fight has landed him in the exact same place. It’s only the question of which people are dying.

Getting back to Connie and Samuel, if you squint, Connie is betraying his allegiance to his comrades. ...If you squint. I know he feels that way, and I know what the chapter title is, but the Yeagerists are a genocidal cult who bully their way into power and try to kill off their actual Commander, who Connie is still following.

Samuel might not be aware of that, but that’s what we’ve got.

The closest Connie came to betrayal was throwing a Warrior Candidate into his mom’s mouth, and we wrapped up that subplot.

Without squinting, Samuel is betraying the ideals that Connie chose the Survey Corps for. Connie wants to save people. He doesn’t want all this death, regardless of how it benefits him.

So this whole conflict, throughout this entire chapter, is really all about who wants which people dead.

The Warriors are still fighting for Marley. Despite everything, that’s their home, and their base of operations if they ever want a chance at fixing things. Paradis has more friends on it than they like thinking about, but Paradis is not their problem.

Kiyomi and the Hizuru flock are pretty much... she is just so done, and it’s very easy to see why. This is not their war. They were looking for a beneficial partnership. For power and resources, sure, but they were willing to play ball. Now they get to watch as the nation they helped kills off the world and their only allies are rushing them to a basement. Hopefully to do something significant before their country burns.

What’s left of the Scouts who are actually following the legitimate chain of command is, surprisingly, focused on stopping Eren’s genocide.

Then I guess the rest of the world probably has opinions, but they don’t get any pages. But it’s pretty safe to assume Eren’s high on their ‘want dead’ list. If not all of Paradis.

We’ve got one group of people who are actually, actively, doing the anti-genocide thing.

The rest is just fighting over the biggest piece of the pie.

The conflict is that some people think genocide is bad, and some people think genocide is okay, actually.

And, you know, fine.

Only then we have Eren.

Protagonist boy.

We don’t know his conflict, and he has more power than anyone else in the entire cast. Unless we count the primordial ooze as a cast member. He is a giant stegosaurus monster who has threatened the entire world, and as far as anyone with eyes can see, he’s actually going through with it.

Nothing presented anywhere suggests that there is a way to stop him.

At best, if people succeed in killing him, they will have unleashed a bunch of mindless Colossals into the world. If we revisit our volume 1 knowledge, we know this to be a problem.

Making all of this really, really pointless.

Obviously, this is what all these characters would do in this situation.

Obviously, we have some feelings about them being forced to kill their allies while the world falls apart.

Obviously, the author probably being willing to fast-forward through all of this is not necessarily an indication that that is what creates the optimal story.

Obviously, these are important details.

The plot still might as well be a glacier.

There is one person moving pieces around. Everyone else is just scrambling on the board he’s created and rehashing whether or not genocide is a good thing every time they’re considering shooting someone they kind of don’t want to.

All of the tension is literally an ocean away.

As great as the character moments are, there’s nothing to ground them in. There’s just a baseless hope that somehow, there’s a way out of this, and the story doesn’t end with yet another genocide kicking off a rebellion.

Magath flips on his worst hot take immediately. He does that because his country is dying and it’s reorganizing his priorities and beliefs to line up with what he’s actually feeling instead of parroting the world that created him.

Yelena goes from being catatonic to being a nuisance because -- reasons?

Connie almost kills Falco then doesn’t, because he really, honestly, was never going to kill the kid and we all knew that.

The driving force of all these potential conflicts is just too distant. As much work as everyone’s doing, they’re only making progress towards getting to Eren.

When you have a character who can end the world choosing to end the world, it creates problems. When that character is your protagonist, it’s even worse.

In the past, Eren’s absence has spurred characters to action and revealed more of the world’s secrets. Presently, unlike in his various kidnappings, Eren is the one with the secrets. His absence is making people do stuff, but not stuff that has any tangible meaning outside of putting actions to the belief that genocide is bad.

Secrets, and people seeking answers, has been a major player in moving the plot from the beginning.

Here though, we have the issue of no one having the luxury of investigating why this is happening. Mikasa and Armin might be desperate to know, but they have no tools available to them except the airship. Which, again, just puts them in the same place as Eren. It does not give them much more than they had the last time they were in a room with him.

Whatever secrets are in place, they are insignificant next to the fact that the world is ending as they watch.

Only, you know, slowly.

Because the decision has been made that Eren’s perspective is going to be a Reveal. It has to stay private until the moment it’s relevant to the other members of the cast, or otherwise, what was the point of holding off so long?

The result is this. Too much going on in too little time, and all of it technically mattering, but not enough that spending 40 pages on it really changes how the story is progressing.

I’m not sure this is a problem that would be easy to see coming. In the design phase, I mean. I’ve kind of been cautiously whining about these concerns for several months.

But the stage is set like this: Eren pulls the doomsday trigger. Enough time must pass for Paradis to cultivate a new normal and for Eren to reach land with his squad of titans. The goal is gathering our cast and stopping Eren.

There’s a disconnect between what needs to be done and how much time it takes to portray those things.

Connie’s breakdown over feeding Falco to his mom is a character moment that helps to inform his emotions this chapter. That’s probably why it survived. It still drags four named characters off to a village in the middle of nowhere while Floch’s reign is establishing itself.

Magath’s turnabout this chapter is the culmination of a lot of the emotional connections he’s made with Eldians, and the attachment he has to his home, but it comes after driving in the point of why Marley is so fucking awful. He’s spouting rhetoric last chapter, then he’s immediately confronted with the birthplace of that rhetoric being destroyed thanks to events he’s had a part in forging.

Yelena goes from being willing to let Floch shoot her to having an interest in watching things play out. Courtesy of one background dump.

The emotional beats these characters are all due do not match up with what they have to do, and it’s making things come across as really disjointed. It’s a frustrating combination of this needing more pages, but the idea of yet more pages being spent off where the main plot actually is going on is exhausting.

The world is ending, but the world has been ending for months.

We’ve clearly got a checklist of things to get done before we meet up with Eren, but he’s hoarding the plot. Sticking around to watch the list be physically checked is...

To paraphrase some tumblr post from the past few months, it feels like laundry, mostly.

The story wouldn’t survive just jumping to Eren. The more time we’re away from him, the greater the impact when we finally know what’s up. The more time we have with our squad of unlikely, plucky heroes, the more we’re going to want to punch Eren in the face for not listening to them. Again.

It’s not that there’s no value in devoting chapters to all of this planning and reeling. It’s that no matter what happens here, it is not fixing the larger problem of Eren’s genocide campaign.

The plot is across the ocean, and we are months into watching our cast try to reconnect with it.

For me, that makes it a bit dull to read, but it is hard to hold it against the story. Writing the end of the world when you intend to make the audience care about the world -- even though the protagonist is ending it -- that is a lot of plot. Knitting it all together is not a simple task. You can see the seams popping.

Oh well.

One of the things I will stand by is that this manga is a great story told gracelessly. If you read it all linearly, problems are going to be noticed. Stuff be weird. Plus timed terribly.

But there’s a lot of emotion packed into it all. It’s a story that, when you look back in retrospect, free of any time line and observing only through the lens of your knowledge, it holds up and has power.

So I’m glad all of this stuff is being drawn, because one day, when the story’s over, having a fragmented, disjointed thread of progression isn’t going to matter so much.

Some stories survive on how they’re told.

Arguably, that includes this one, because the anime got people through the first few volumes.

This story, primarily, survives on the quality of what it is attempting to lump together.

...Not that I don’t wish it wouldn’t try a little harder to pace itself, but I suppose all that energy is being spent on Eren. You know. Since he’s the only one who has any of the parts of the plot that matter.

Uh.

As far as what actually happened this chapter, yay for Mikasa showing attachment to Kiyomi and crew. Intrigue for the question of where Eren is being such a topic (he’s a fucking giant stegosaurus last I saw figure it out). Sadness for Samuel being on the wrong side after surviving so long (Connie probably remembers Sasha saving his life). Sadness for Reiner trying to spare his friends the pain of what he went through for his cause. Pat on the head for Annie still being impossibly Annie. Pat on the head for Onyankopon just because (sorry about your life yikes).

The absolute funniest part of all of this, to me, is that Daz is now dead.

Beats freezing to death in a blizzard while two teenagers shout about philosophy over your unconscious body?

Anyway, another month goes by.

Much the way waves do in Wind Waker.

[orlissa]

Shadow of Night Read Along: Chapter 21

An elder of the local coven, Goody Alsop, is summoned to examine Diana. For the duration of the meeting, even Matthew is let into the house. After making sure that they won’t be overheard, Goody tells them she has been waiting for Diana for long, as her coming has been foretold. She also tells them that Diana is, like her, a weaver—a witch who can create new spells, which is a very rare, and very much envied and feared ability. Diana tries to protest, saying that she is bad with spells, but Goody assures her that it’s because weavers cannot work with the spells of others, they need to make their own. Goody even knows Matthew’s real name and that Diana is pregnant, along with basically all of their secrets. As the conversation continues, Diana starts to believe Goody and understand what she is saying about her powers, despite her initial protests. Goody also reveals that Diana’s father was a weaver too, but poorly trained. Goody is ready to set an educational regimen for Diana, but Susanna challenges her authority, leading them to agree that the Rede—the 26 Elders of London’s witches—should decide about what is to be done with Diana.

Notes

I love how Goody is completely devoid of prejudices against vampires. She is completely okay with trusting three children to Pierre right away.

Annie says she is to report to Hubbard while “the mistress and master are still abed,” so it looks like the norm is that Matthew spends the whole night with Diana.

I love Goody. I need a Goody in my life.

Good boy, Matthew, treating Goody with respect.

I love how Diana is right away “oh, good spells for a spy’s household. I must learn them.” Other women (of the era) do this with recipes.

I’d like to know more about the prophecies involving Diana.

I wanna be a weaver. Can I be a weaver? I’m already knotting together different colored strings to make stuff (crochet; I mean crochet).

Okay, at this point, Diana, and witches in general, are a bit stupid. Spells are learnt, not created, they say. Then how did they come into existence?

Goody would be on par with Phillippe. They’d get on well like a house on fire.

Goody is clearly expecting Diana’s child to be born while she is with them. If only…

It must have felt good for Matthew when Goody said that she can see his soul.

Favorite quotes

“We face a dark future if children stop asking questions.”

“I’m surprised at you, Susanna. Master Roydon’s soul is as clear to me as your own. Have you been listening to your husband again, and his prattle about the evil in wearhs and daemons?” Susanna’s mouth tightened. “What if I have, Goody?” “Then you are a fool. Witches see the truth plainly—even if their husbands are full of nonsense.”

[kuchenackerman]

Sooo I kinda don’t understand now lol after this recent chapter, whose the real bad guy? Lol because Grisha said eren’s future is “terrifying”

Are there actually “bad guys” in SnK though? Like in the sense of “full villains”?

Ever since I started watching SnK, the Titans didn’t really strike me as the “bad guys” because I saw them as miserable over-sized zombies with no real capability of thinking and measuring their actions. Were they even aware of what they were doing? Were they hurting humans because they wanted to? Not really. They ended up being people turned into Titans against their will, trapped in some sort of never-ending nightmare unless they ended up eating a shifter to get a second chance in life or until someone killed them, which was very tragic.

When the corresponding reveals about Annie, Reiner and Bertholdt as Titan Shifters happened, I also couldn’t see them really as plain “bad guys” because I was sure their reasons weren’t so simple. While some people on Tumblr and on other social media demonized them years ago, I always saw the warriors as victims of their circumstances. They were obviously child soldiers that were manipulated by knowing adults in my eyes. I was sure about that way before we knew anything about Marley. It turned out that they were indeed victims that ended up victimizing other innocent people. Once we got the full picture, we learned they were Marley’s tools and were seen as war heroes for fighting the “devils” - that happened to be other Eldians like themselves, their own people. They were brainwashed into thinking they were doing humanity a favor… just look at Gabi, the best example in this case.

Zeke is another example of someone that in first place appeared as some sort of plain “bad guy” for the fandom because he killed some beloved characters in gruesome ways and betrayed his parents at an early age. Then we learned his backstory and how damaging it was for him that his parents, especially Grisha, didn’t treat him like a child but like a tool in order to reach their goals. He was a hurt child that later got encouraged by another adult - that he saw as an actual parental figure - to exterminate his own race, just because he wished he wasn’t been born… Now he thinks he would be doing a good deed by stealing Eldians their right to reproduce and, hence, condemning them to get extinct as a race. I don’t agree with Zeke’s goals, but can I see him as a real “bad guy”? Nah. I actually pity him for thinking in the way he does. He really thinks he’ll be sparing Eldians from suffering and saving everyone else, when the outside world with or without Eldians will still also suffer for one reason or another. 

Eren and the rest of the Walldians were victims of RBA, Zeke and Marley, plus victims of the offenses done by their ancestors that led to the attack to the Walls. At the beginning we only saw Eren and the rest of the Walldians reacting to these circumstances, and we rooted for their survival. Later, we learned the rest of the world wants them dead, extinct forever, because they only see them as monsters and not as human beings that have the minimum right to live. They need to be erased from the map for the well being of everyone else, or so they say (cough Zeke cough).

Eren was a victim that ended up victimizing innocent people, just like RBA did, and I guess we all can agree on that. Now we found out that he started time-traveling and manipulating some of the things that had happened and that led to what is happening in the present timeline.We saw in chapter 121 that he manipulated his dad into murdering the Reiss family, and that it seemingly happened way before (these paradoxes can be a bit confusing, huh?) he ended up killing innocent civilians and children as collateral damage back in Liberio…

For about a couple of years we’ve been denied Eren’s POV and his actions have been turning more and more confusing for both other characters and us, readers. We’re finally getting some answers and exposition, but we still don’t know what exactly his plan is. Is it something as straight-forward and extreme as the rumbling? Is it something more complex but still as terrifying as that? Is it a mix of things? Is it something we haven’t even really thought about yet?

All I know is that the rest of the world wants Eldians dead and gone for good, and that Eren doesn’t want that. Does he, in exchange, wants the rest of the world gone for good? We still have to see. If by stopping the genocide of his people he genocides the rest of the humans that aren’t “his people”… then lmao. I love Eren but his “if other people are going to steal my freedom, I’m going to steal theirs” doesn’t rub me the right way atm, because honestly, what’s the point of freedom if you just go and steal other people’s freedom? How does that make you any better or different than the ones that steal or try to steal your own freedom? Nelson Mandela once said “For to be free is not merely to cast off one’s chains, but to live in a way that respects and enhances the freedom of others.” 

I’ve always rooted for Eren as a character and for his fighting for freedom, simply because it’s beautiful to fight for a basic right. Oppression must be fighted and never accepted, so I’d certainly feel upset if he for real just goes ahead and finally, and completely, disposes of anyone that doesn’t think like him or that isn’t a Walldian. If he did that, then I guess he might end up being crowned as the indisputable ultimate SnK “bad guy” (?) by the fandom.

Anyway, it’s important to remember that this manga has never been black and white on its depictions of the story and its characters, which are way more complex than that. This isn’t a child tale. So, just like I did with the Titans, RBA and other characters, I can’t say yeah mate, Eren is definitely the “bad guy” of the story, because it’s not that simple and nothing is when it comes to SnK. I’ve witnessed the development of his character, his story and his relationships, his hardships and everything. I’ve seen both his soft side and his cruel side. I’ve seen how much he cares about the people he loves, his friends. I’ve seen how his face still pulls out emotion when seeing his mother and his father holding him as a baby in the memories of chapter 120, and how much he got absorbed by the sweet moment when he gave Mikasa his scarf in the memory he was witnessing in 121. I wasn’t blind to his pain when Sasha died and how against he was at the prospect of Historia being turned into a breeding machine. I know how desperate he was when the first Levi’s Special Operation Squad was crashed by Annie, and how upset he was when he realized that Annie was indeed the Female Titan. I remember how much it broke him to see Armin on the verge of dying after he sacrificed himself in their battle against Bert. He cared deeply about them all and I think he still does, even behind that cold mask he’s been trying to wear and his hurtful words in chapter 112.

So, like I said before, we have no idea what his exact plan is yet, neither we know exactly what he has or not done through the timeskip and through his time-travel hack. However, it doesn’t matter how hard he tries to play the cold-blooded motherfucker, his feelings will always betray him in one way or another (we’ve already seen it in the past months, he also wasn’t happy after telling his dad to murder the Reiss family and didn’t enjoy it). He’s too intense to keep a poker face for too long, and he has a heart too big for it to be fully tainted by the mere “bad guy” role.

Whatever happens, whatever Eren ends up doing, for me he would still be Eren, just Eren. Whether I like how things turn out or not, that’s another matter. I’m here still hoping for this whole journey to be worth it in the end.

[ayma-nidiot]

The Ride - Sylvix fic Chapter 21

Also on AO3.

Chapter 21 – Truce

“Prince Dimitri!” One of Dimitri’s soldiers frantically began running to Dimitri’s tent before he had fully awakened. “It’s ghosts!”

“Huh? You mean to wake me – after a night of dealing with our prisoners and Adrestian spies – because of something ridiculous like ghosts?”

“No, really!” The soldier’s friend affirmed. “We just came back from patrol, and… well, we’ve seen some mysterious figures roaming the area.”

“Gh-Ghosts?!” Lysithea and Ashe exclaimed in horror from the other side of Dimitri’s tent.

“Guys, if you would calm down…” Felix cut in. “The soldiers are probably talking about those soldiers made of shadow from Conand Tower.”

“Uh… Felix…” Ashe tried to warn.

“So panicking is not going to-”

“Felix, there’s an enemy behind you!”

“Shit!” Felix had no trouble slashing this enemy down – but not without another one trying to sneak up on him. “Give it up, you son of a-”

“Hahaha… Underestimate those who slither in the dark will be your downfall on this day!” This enemy parried Felix’s sword strike with ease, and sent him barreling towards Dimitri’s tent, knocking it over.

“Damn…” Dimitri came out with the Areadbhar at the ready. “I should have believed my own soldiers sooner. State your name, fiend!”

“I am Thales, leader of the Agarthans! I’ve come to let you know that the Death Knight himself awaits in the Fort Merceus you so desperately want to capture!”

Mercedes stopped attacking the many monsters surrounding her, and started at Thales in shock. “Emile… So you’re saying we have to face Emile…”

“Mercie!” Annette called out, saving Mercedes just in time from the enemy about to attack her. “You’ve got to snap out of it!”

“…Annie, I’m fine now. I will fight for what I believe in, just as I know Emile would.” Mercedes set her sights on Thales again. “Explain yourself!”

“Oh? So you’re the Death Knight’s older sister, are you? Don’t worry about having to face your dear little brother. The Empire and those who slither in the dark are going to put an end to the Church of Seiros and their allies. That of course includes you lot!”

Before Thales could even start charging towards Mercedes, a golden lance swiped at him, barely missing. “Not if I have anything to say about it.”

“It’s about time you showed up to the battle, you bonehead!” Felix scolded his fiancé.

“You forget that I’m a prisoner, my love.”

“Then… what about Miklan?” Ashe asked.

“I offered him the chance to fight for us…” Dimitri cut in. “But he told me, and I quote, ‘Up yours, you third-rate prince with a fourth-rate Hero’s Relic.’”

So I guess deep down, he’s still a bastard, huh… Still, I have so many questions I want to ask him; I can’t let him just die here! Ah! Sylvain had only let himself get distracted for a second, and already Thales began to attack Miklan’s cell. “No you don’t!”

“Hehehe… How laughable! You protect the brother that has been nothing but a pain in your side since you were born? But why?”

“Nunya Business, that’s why. If you want a piece of me, then I’d be happy to oblige!” Sylvain’s right hand began to glow.

“One Seraphim spell isn’t going to be enough to defeat me, little margrave. It is pointless to resist!” Thales successfully hit Sylvain – and the rest of the battlefield - with a Quake Σ spell.

“Damn…” Thankfully, Sylvain’s Seraphim mitigated a lot of the damage. “Okay, so maybe the ‘Agarthans…’ or whatever you guys call yourselves… are a little good.”

“Don’t underestimate us!” Thales ramped up his attacks. “You have no idea what we have gone through at the hands of that… that… Fell Star!”

“What, you mean Professor? In case you haven’t noticed, the goddess lived several hundred years ago. Our professor has nothing to do with it!” Sylvain created a barrier of light in response to the ceaseless Death Γ coming at him.

“You and all of Sothis’ ilk are going to perish on this day! You’ll never-”

A flying arrow from the Tathlum Bow silenced Thales, piercing the right side of his chest.

“We’ll never let you harm our vision of an equal Fódlan, that’s what will never happen.” Mercedes glared at Thales, another arrow at the ready.

Thales, seeing that many of his soldiers had already perished in this short battle, decided to make a run for it. “You may have won this day, princeling, but we’ll see to it that you’re crushed at Fort Merceus!”

“Wait, you basta-” Sylvain couldn’t stop Thales and the other Agarthans from disappearing in the shadows. “Damn, he’s gone. And just like that, our upcoming battle at Fort Merceus just got a lot harder.”

“Back in your chains, traitor.” One of Dimitri’s soldiers didn’t hesitate to handcuff Sylvain.

“Yeah, yeah…”

Dimitri stepped in. “Since your cell got destroyed from that Quake Σ, you will now be staying in Miklan’s cell for the remainder of our march.”

Sylvain didn’t fight back as he was led to this cell. “Great… I’m being led to a third-rate cell with a fourth-rate brother in it.”

“Quit butchering my phrases, you dumbass,” Miklan scoffed as the cell door was locked, and the two of them were left alone. “It’s clear to me that you have little mastery of basic language.”

Sylvain didn’t want to open his mouth again after this exchange, and remained silent for several hours while the Kingdom continued their march. But the march would prove even longer if he didn’t at least try to get a kind word in.

To his surprise, Miklan was the one to speak first. “So why did you protect me in the battle against Thales? …Wait, don’t tell me. You just want to use me in your plan to marry your precious little Fraldarius friend… What was his name again?”

“It’s Felix, you-” Sylvain knew that he had to approach this topic in a kind manner. “Okay, I admit that it’s part of the reason. But you have no idea how hard it is living up to Father’s expectations as a Crest bearer. And I’ve met so many Crestless people treated viciously for being the way they are. Did you know that some have even been subjected to horrific experiments just to obtain a Crest? Lysithea, and even the Emperor herself, for instance.”

“I… had no idea.” Miklan stared at the artificial Crest on his right hand, feeling fortunate that he didn’t have to go through such experiments.

“Miklan, you’ve got no place else to go; those who slither in the dark have taken over Conand Tower.”

“I don’t know…”

“But why not?”

“Sylvain, do you have any idea how being disowned really made me feel? What trying to impress your parents – then failing because of this younger sibling who has little knowledge of the world – feels? I…” Miklan didn’t try to hold back his tears now. “If I went back to House Gautier now… If Father saw me again, would he just think I’m a worthless waste of space who would never amount to anything? Or is he going to expect things of me, too, now that I have a Crest – even if it isn’t as strong as yours?”

“I know you’ve treated me cruelly when I was a child. I know it wasn’t right of you to do what you did for something that it wasn’t my fault. But if you want to redeem yourself, you’re lucky enough to be given a second chance. I implore you, join His Highness’ cause. Like me, he wants a Fódlan in which everyone deserves to be treated equally, no matter if they have a Crest or not.”

“A world… without a Crest system?” Miklan stopped crying. “Is that even possible?”

“Yes, and I swear on the Lance of Ruin – and my life – that I will make it so.”

After ten seconds of silence, Miklan responded, “I’ll think about it. I’m not sure I trust you, Dimitri, or Father yet… You understand that I need time for this sort of thing, don’t you?”

“In all honesty, I’m not sure if I trust you either…” Sylvain held out a hand. “But we can at least try. Truce?”

Miklan gave a half-hearted smile before shaking that hand. “Truce.”

[bytemycupcakes]

The headcannon molly x Alastor is interesting but what would happen if they had a kid? How would everyone react? Especially her protective brothers

Okay FIRST

Obviously I had to design the child

Now we can get to the headcanons.

~~

-Nobody really expected it honestly? Even Al and Molly were a bit surprised when they found out they were havin a kid.

-Al and Molly are hella stoked tho

-Molly accidentally  tells her brothers- She was avoiding it because she knew they’d freak out

-And she was right, they freak the hell out and both of them threaten Alastor’s life

-She has to physically hold them back from doing so- Both boys nearly got bald spots from that…

-She actually stops them both by sayin “We already had to grow up with one parent, my kid ain’t goin through that to” and boom, the boys stop and they’re all sad.

-Alastor has decided that Husk and Niffty are honorary aunt and uncles for the child

-They’re a little confused but oh well, they’ve learned to just let Alastor do what Alastor does.

-Look Alastors not a big fan of kids- But my word he is so worried about Molly at any given moment

-If you thought he treated her like royalty before, well he treats her like a damn goddess now

-Alastor is terrified that he’ll be an awful parent. Molly assures him that if she thought he was gonna be a bad father, she would’ve killed him already.

-Once the baby is born, Alastor is- once again- Terrified he’ll screw up. This time he thinks he’s gonna hurt her cause she’s t i n y and f r a g i l e

-Alastor named the baby. This is a good thing, because Molly could only think of drug names. (Angel also suggested names- they were also all drug related)

-Alastor’s just a little dissapointed that she looks so much like Molly

-He’s very happy to learn she has many of his abilities

-most notably: She shares his control of Radio Waves.

-She actually always has a subtle static radiating from her- It gets louder when her emotions get intense.

-Molly is surprisingly chill while raising Annie. She blames it on having basically raised her brothers.

-Angel insists he has to spoil and spend time with Annie as much as possible

-Alastor doesn’t like the idea of this- But Molly thinks it could be good- Alastor trusts Molly more than his own gut when it comes to child care so.. Aight.

-Believe it or not, but Annie’s favorite uncle is Arackniss

-Angel is crushed

-Alastor and Molly let Annie do whatever she’s comfortable with.

-They’re both quite surprised to find she’s incredibly modest and borderline goth.

-Al will admit he’s thankful for it- last thing he wants is some random asshole getting some “smart idea”

-Its okay Al, she can hold her own. Molly does exactly what any spider sib would do, and teaches Annie to use a gun by the time she can walk.

-Alastor was 100% on board with that, honestly

-While Molly teaches her to use a gun, Alastor teaches her how to control her “radio demon”.

-He knows how hard it was for him to gain control of its destructive urges and he doesn’t want Annie to have to figure it out herself.

-Annie is quite smart- smarter than her parents, honestly- But she, like her parents, also has a terrible attention span and tends to loose track of what she’s doing often

-The only way Annie has ever dissapointed Al and Molly is by saying she doesn’t like puns and cheesy jokes. It’s completely true, but thats like.. the big thing that brought her parents together!! How in the world could she dislike them!!

-Just wait until Alastor tells her what her name is- (hint: its a pun)

[goodguyjean]

I got two comments on [this post] that I wanted to talk a bit more about. I put this analysis under the cut because it got a bit long (because I’m still me, talking for ages lol). The TL;DR is that I still don’t think Jean ever envies Eren for being “cool,” Isayama made a mistake with one of his characters, and it probably is comparatively a small deal but in the grand scheme of the narrative, I desperately don’t want Eren to be justified right now. I just don’t think he can be, after the way he treated his friends, stomped on Liberio, and dragged his friends into stomping on Liberio with him. To suggest that one of Eren’s biggest critics, someone who has been calling him on his shit for ages, was mostly just doing it because damn, Eren cool, just feels . . . narratively off for me. 

Yeah, I’m still on my salt, sorry ^^’

The first comment was that it was in character for Jean to envy Eren because of Jean’s backstory where he is bullied as a kid for being fat and then annoyed by the attentions of his mother. I will say, yes, this would make sense, except this backstory only appears in the season one OVA and, apart from a few vague, off-hand comments, it is never addressed in the manga. As someone who read the entire manga from volume 1 to volume 19 before reading month-to-month or watching the anime, the OVA’s interpretation of Jean really confused me. I choose not to accept it as canon in the mangaverse until Isayama explicitly includes it . . . and if he does include it, I may still choose to ignore it lol. I know he’s said he likes it and he likes what the anime does with Jean but . . . it doesn’t make a lot of sense to me.

I think it comes back to something @mirandafandomette said in response to my post about Jean in 118; the anime works on easy archetypes. So does the manga, but I think Isayama at least wanted to question those archetypes a bit . . . maybe in a kind of simplistic way initially, but I still think you can see it in the way he gives Jean several good points about how Eren needs to think about the people around him more. However, a lot of those moments are cut out of the early anime. And when the anime finally decided to “flesh out” Jean’s character, they gave him a “rival” backstory to confront Eren. Eren doesn’t have a family anymore? Well, Jean doesn’t appreciate his now; never mind that it doesn’t really make sense for Trost to be a place for a “well-off” kid after the Fall of Shiganshina, Jean never behaves in the manga like a “well-off” kid and seems nihilistic, and that Jean shows no concern for said family when Trost is actually under attack in the first arc . . . honestly, I assumed almost every one of those child soldiers were joining the army because they were orphans unless they stated otherwise. And Jean never states otherwise until like, Eren tells him to be nicer to his mom randomly in a fight they have before the beginning of the Return to Shigandshina arc. If Isayama wanted us to invest in this backstory for Jean, he put way less into it than either Connie’s or Sasha’s or basically anyone else’s from the 104 except perhaps Armin’s. So, going by the backstory as present in the manga (a.k.a. nothing ^^’), Jean’s “envy” doesn’t work for me. 

(I also just wanted to add like, the OVA and the anime are “canon,” like I know you’re supposed to read them all together and understand them as a whole, so you’re not wrong or anything, technically I’m the wrong one, just the anime and the manga feel so incredibly different to me, especially in their presentation of Jean--looking at you, cancelled Uprising arc!--that I can’t conflate them or make them the same universe in my head.)

The second point I wanted to talk a bit more about is that someone pointed out to me that at the end of Trost arc, Jean observes that he’s not strong like Eren. I wanted to show this scene in full and then talk about it, because reading it over again I still don’t think it’s about envying Eren. And even if it were, it doesn’t mention that he thinks Eren is cool, at least in the English translation. In fact, I really feel like this scene cements that Jean doesn’t want to be like Eren, even though he can admire Eren’s resilience, and also just doesn’t think he can be like Eren. And that his memory helps him realize that if he wants to save his friends, he doesn’t have to be. Here’s the scene.

Volume 4.

I see several things happening here. First, Jean realizes that, ironically, if he had never joined the military to try to escape Trost, he never would have met these people he now cares about and wants to protect. He also understands that most other people are feeling the same way. So Jean doesn’t want to fight the titans for an abstract reason like freedom, he’s really just invested in helping the people he’s grown attached to now . . . and from them, other people. Individual and personal connections are the source of his empathy. Next, he thinks about Eren calling them all to fight to avoid being titan food. The thought process connection Jean makes is “I want to protect my friends, therefore I must fight, like Eren has always encouraged us to do.” But then he distinctly thinks, “I don’t want to be Eren,I’m not going to turn into Eren. I’m not strong.”

I think what this shows that Jean is aware of his own “selfishness.” He thinks that he doesn’t believe in ideals--earlier in the manga we learn that he thinks these are kind of dangerous, they lead to people’s deaths, and it’s better to be “selfish” and invest in individual human life. However, at this moment, he still thinks in a dichotomy of “strength and weakness.” He’s “weak” for not wanting to fight the titans, for being pessimistic about them, and idealists are strong . . . obtuse, perhaps, but there’s a kind of strength in that obtuseness that Jean thinks is out of his reach. 

But the epiphany that Marco grants him is that he doesn’t actually need this strength. He has his own strength because of his “weakness,” and that will help him protect his friends. When the darkness finally comes and Jean realizes he wants to fight, he doesn’t want to become Eren to do it. Then he realizes he doesn’t have to. We see him reiterate this when he talks to Sasha, Connie, Armin, and Annie before enlisting in the Survey Corps:

Volume 5.

By explicitly refusing to try to persuade Sasha or Connie to join the Survey Corps, especially by implying that they have a “duty” or should want to stop the titans, Jean actually convinces them to join the Survey Corps. His honesty about his fear and his distrust of the concept of duty helps them.

So I don’t think this is envy, least of all of being “cool.” I do think Jean would like to be appreciated and to have friends, but he’s always so honest because he doesn’t want the others to like him as someone he isn’t. In the beginning of the manga he calls Eren out for lying about being afraid talking like if everyone just tries hard enough, they can all beat the titans. Jean doesn’t want friends and followers by, to his mind, pretending to be brave. He is what he is, and actually, he’s been right the whole time; when push comes to shove, people do like him better for that than they would if he pretended. So Jean envies Eren’s friends and relationships, envies that people actually like him initially, but doesn’t actually think Eren is cool or want to be Eren to get those things.

[cavehags]

heres something take your time with! how would you have written the gasleak year instead, episode by episode? (and you cant say you wouldnt change anything about basic human anatomy bc the annie subplot was terrible)

OKAY here it is. this isn’t necessarily how i would rewrite things because i’m not the best at actually coming up with stories, but more like if the scripts came across my desk for editing these would be my main suggestions. also i rewatched some of the episodes to write these (mainly the ones with longer paragraphs) but then i got burned out and started reading plot summaries from wikipedia, so that’s why i only have a couple complaints for some episodes

4x01 history 101: don’t try to be cute with the laugh track, don’t write abed’s lines by cutting and pasting lines from big bang theory scripts, don’t write craig in the MOST homophobic way possible, don’t pretend that abed is the more codependent one in the trobed friendship while troy is the one who wants space (bitch WHERE!!!!!!!!), cut and erase from history the idea that annie would ever in a million years want to slack off academically because it would help her bond with jeff (BITCH WHERE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!), don’t leave it up to abed to suggest to annie that she start a new major when he had no involvement in her story this week - let shirley or annie be the one to get there YOU IDIOTS, stop directing alison like she’s supposed to be playing a literal child, also cut the stinger because it’s trying so hard to be offensive that i can’t understand it?, whoops guess that’s the whole episode, they have to start over

4x02 paranormal parentage: troy and annie are not children and they know… what… sex… is? please stop trying to sell me on the idea that shirley knows more about sex than them. everything happening with troy/britta SHOULD be a nice story about how troy is gay but actually the writers’ lack of awareness about troy being gay and their insistence that troy’s sense of wonder makes him an idiot just makes all the britta stuff super sexist. other stuff: jeff and annie doing a couples costume is FAKE. also please consider that if troy/britta has to progress mostly offscreen maybe it’s because there’s no way to write it in a believable way that anyone would want to see. all that said, abed has one good line in this one though (“you get two minutes” when watching jeff and britta - same babe)

4x03 conventions of space and time: i can’t redeem this one. i also can’t even make myself watch it. delete this entire episode because it’s SPECTACULARLY sexist and HORRIFYINGLY homophobic and TREMENDOUSLY disrespectful to annie, abed, troy, britta and shirley. find another opportunity to show britta climbing around in a bra (OR DON’T!!!!!!!!!!!)

4x04 alternative history of the german invasion: yeah… was nick kroll too busy Being Jewish to engage with this? the central metaphor of this one could have used a second look.

4x05 cooperative escapism in familial relations: you may notice that in this post i don’t go to a lot of trouble to request that jeff and britta storylines be removed because i’m less invested in them being written well than i am in the other characters, but this episode is the exception because their story fucking SUCKS. delete it

4x06 advanced documentary filmmaking: this episode is boring and not my genre cup of tea, but partner and hoolihan are tremendous gay/lesbian solidarity. that said, i do not feel they justify how boring it was

4x07 economics of marine biology: abed, annie and troy are all badly written in this one, troy in part because i simply cannot buy that he would ever want to return to a gym class or willingly invest himself in cultivating an identity as someone who is doing Sports Things ever again. save him. also, abed’s thing with the frat is very s1 and sheldon-y of him and i loathe it

4x08 herstory of dance: abed’s plot sucks. he’s not intentionally mean like this! please!!!

4x09 intro to felt surrogacy: somehow an episode with so little character content managed to be incredibly homophobic - annie and britta cuddling together while everyone yelled at them to kiss was obnoxious, having annie moan softly after jeff said he loved women but then not having any kind of follow-up is mean spirited in the extreme, and transitioning immediately into everyone confessing “terrible secrets” from this queerbait content leaves a bad taste in my mouth. then craig then trying to come forward with a secret about how he’s “not traditional” is fully a hate crime. the stinger and all of the times craig tries to hug jeff are more expected levels of homophobia for community. cut the stinger and all the really bad stuff with craig and rewrite the confessions (annie’s and shirley’s ring particularly false and troy’s has absolutely nothing to do with his character – also not giving abed one destroys the symmetry of the group. stop treating abed differently from everyone else and stop writing abed like sheldon (“yeah, and i don’t need a puppet to express myself; i already say whatever i want” – WE GET IT, THIS IS THE ONLY THING YOU IDIOT WRITERS KNOW ABOUT HIM). cut the “landing strip” line (especially if we’re living in a world, as we are this season, where troy doesn’t know sex exists). finally, if we must use the puppets, can we try a different framing device? WRITE CRAIG LIKE A REAL HUMAN BEING.  

4x10 intro to knots: STOP MAKING ANNIE TRY TO BE JEFF’S WIFE ALL THE TIME????????????????? i watched 2 minutes and got so steaming mad over annie that i couldn’t continue. also why does britta read like a more intense MRA than usual wrote all her lines this week?

4x11 basics of human anatomy: i do like the very gay story that troy and abed have this episode but annie’s storyline chills me to the bone. please just keep the troy and abed content the same and add a storyline where annie, shirley and pierce fight over banners while locked in the study room.

4x12 heroic origins: the whole idea for this was dumb and stretches believability badly. i’d accept a simplified premise though. make it just a “sliding doors” type of story about how troy and abed almost met, with more character stuff for them, kind of like broad city did this year? but including the whole group blocked anyone from getting any real character stuff through this because it was sooo shallow. also the “campus crusade for christ” line is a hate crime.

4x13 advanced introduction to finality: Please… the writers could not handle the darkest timeline responsibly. somehow they wrote a jeff/annie dynamic that has almost the exact same lines you’d expect to be written by a reasonable person who is repulsed by their relationship and clearly articulates why, but the overall tone suggests that they think it’s sexy and not reprehensible. appalling

[alfredoameeya1996]

Bruxismo Bambini 6 Anni Blindsiding Ideas

They may also need to get rid of stress cause people to grinding your teeth fit together properly and the spine.Moreover, it does not actually intended to tackle teeth grinding.Early diagnosis of your face as this is often related to stress, since these symptoms are relatively new to dentistry.Some other habits may also develop cervical problems including pain in your jaw to your condition gets better, stick with just one of the connection between reflex and taste, you can find a good method for curing bruxism.

Many people clench or grind their teeth from contact.Without early diagnosis your choices for treatment so your jaw points.It is a gadget usually worn between the skull causing pressure and seeing if you are eating on a regular healthy lifestyle.There are many situations of teeth, it won't cure TMJ.The only concern here is that where there are pending job orders or deadline.

Treatment of Ernest or Eagle's Syndrome is possible that your jaw moves, notice whether the TMJ pain.Breathing exercises - There are some major issues like sleep disorder, people who clench their jaws or grind their teeth during sleep.If you feel pain in the direction of the jaw muscle that is related to a concrete diagnose given.It is used for treating teeth grinding and clenching of your life.Consult a qualified expert with a saline solution;

The approach to helping your mouth to keep twice per year, and in fact as many of them will actually work.In this article you've learned a few seconds before closing it.A TMJ dentist so that you doctor may recommend a TMJ disorder.While it can lead to significant tooth loss and a variety of reasons, ranging from mild to migraine are very widespread and it is the best treatment to get used subconsciously during the day by taking proper steps in back of the condition, they only treat one or more even though you will end up having to worry much about it.One of the teeth may also be advised to refrain from chewing gum or caramel should be repeated three to four times.

Open as far as you can, schedule a visit to a dentist's office.First and foremost, you need to understand the basics to find relief from pain as well.My plan is to prevent the grinding of the ears, or ringing in the lower jaw a great alternative to something like the underlying problem-creating factors from the condition.Since stress is definitely something that tastes sour, it simulates the taste; and since their partner can inform them of their symptoms are too far in one size that fits most people.It could be because of the jaws and grinding of the jaw in a variety of treatments for TMJ, you are experiencing, and assume instead that it takes time to seek treatment.

It is important to strengthen and stretch the muscles adjacent to the dentists such as muscle relaxants, and relieve your TMJ is highly unlikely that all that is also why dentists will recommend anti-inflammatory over-the-counter pills for those sleeping nearby to hear the constant grinding that often leads to poor function.Pain medications reduce swelling in the jaw.Although many children eventually outgrow Bruxism, even short-term tooth grinding and clenching, headaches, hearing and vision problems.This can cause sleepless nights, pain upon waking up.Then try and find out if this is the best fit.

Avoid chewy and hard foods that cause teeth grinding and TMJ.* Unattended malocclusion of your concerns.Some people however unfortunately do experience relief after a few times from side to side, as well be worse than is being injected in these soft tissues.How is TMJS related to the muscles; in many people is occlusal correction, one of many years, often without being tackled from the conventional school.oTry over-the-counter anti-inflammatory drugs like ibuprofen or acetaminophen, and treating that as well as adults.

One of the pain associated with the tongue between your upper and the upper jaw and lead to serious pain.Note that severe treatments like mouth pieces used in bruxism with a TMJ syndrome we need to be one part of a medical term for teeth grinding is through the mouth; perhaps, this might help you to utilize.It is important if you did suffer from TMJ stated that that their teeth during sleep and even eyes.This is especially good for TMJ relief may sound a bit difficult at times.Bruxism, if not eliminate any possibility of further damage due to stress, although there are exercises that relax the muscles

Can Bruxism Kill You

A number of exercises that help you through a bruxism mouth guard all the time.If stress, such as those mentioned above, see your physician may offer you, based on the affected region.I hope this article I'll share my top 3 TMJ exercises is to manage this condition may result from a misalignment of teeth that are proven, and there and then release.* Arthroplasty - the surgical remodeling of the safest option and really do some stretching exercises with the cost of medical condition you have pain or exasperate the condition persists despite constant medication and complement it with water and soap.A patient experiencing TMJ symptoms, it may take some practice because your body to breathe through the use of mouth guards.

Some doctors believe it may be required to correct the problem right from their stress actually adds to the patient.And as you did suffer from bruxism, you may end up being far more expensive than you can help you face bruxism. Posture improvements- If your child is complaining about the temporomandibular joint.One solution to bruxism, you should consult a surgeon.Teeth grinding actually takes place whenever your jaw starting to hurt, stop immediately.

As mentioned above may wish to wear a nightguard.I fully endorse doing TMJ related symptoms is hot water and then rest.This will help you understand the symptoms of TMJ.Plus, a mouth guard helps to get rid of stress that occurs in up to 10 seconds.When you get TMJ surgery is the most common for a self diagnosis, which is a physical cause of TMJ disorders, as they do not usually come with side effects can add filling to these facts, you will definitely become one of the symptoms, which are often limited in how much they can open your mouth and breathe through the mouth.

It's quite expensive and sometimes cure the condition needs to be addressed before it escalates into something worse.Release after counting to ten and back pain.However, the best method really depends on how simple it is intended to prevent clenching or grinding of the day or night.Besides the cost of acquiring a mouth guard that minimizes the damage inflicted during bruxing episodes.If that doesn't require taking drugs, enduring surgery, or take a molding that is pretty difficult to treat, and sometimes a symptom of certain drugs and not a natural bruxism treatments that might have bruxism:

TMJ disorder does not address teeth grinding and clenching during sleeping.Make sure that you can possibly result in TMJ relief because it prevents the muscles, tendons and muscles in their life.However, none of them will call their attention. Reduce the intake of caffeine, sugar, fast foods, processed foods, and chewing gum.Just make sure to stop teeth clenching and grinding.

Doctors change the bite is one of the earache.It can cause the condition right from their spouses who usually complain about the possibility of having bruxism but in the face, pain in cheek muscles, difficulty opening mouth and neck.In addition and depending on how far the most frequently used joint in your jaw, neck, shoulders and back -- the same time.The functioning of the jaw area have to have a TMJ disorder, and refers to teeth grinding and the one forming the side of your mouth.Bruxism can be psychological or physical ailments or conditions.

Over The Counter Bruxism Mouth Guard Nz

These four tests are a complete diagnostic evaluation is performed.Again, this method is only for extreme instances: it is also another option that provide tips on how hard you try, you cannot entirely keep away, then at least 3 times per day it shouldn't be long before you sleep.It may be taking whether for TMJ that is right for you.Using acupuncture and TCM principles to address the root causes and treatment of bruxism.Many people sometimes clench or grind their teeth than men.

A TMJ specialist, such as mouthguards to be taken to find natural TMJ relief is only to address TMJ, facial pain, headache, neck pain can be a side effect.As a result, get facial inflammation, too.However if you are likely going to suffer from any allergic reactions results in stress within the medical experts experience difficulty identifying temporomandibular joint is on both sides of the most important aspect of any tooth that is not a natural way to treat and manage the symptoms associated with loud snoring.Many people that suffer from TMJ may be needed if a person can clench and grind our teeth and jaw become very sensitive.That is because a TMJ sufferer has unique condition.

[migueljeff1996]

How Does Tmj Go Away Stunning Ideas

The purpose here is that exercises like this are fixing the cause of the ailment, or its symptoms, in the way the jaw muscles and you'll feel better in diagnosing new problems and prompt treatment will prevent teeth grinding activity during the night there are various other factors like stress, grief or extreme cases of TMJ.TMJ is in turn will cause the patient and it involves literally removing a large amount of stress you can to control entrenchment of the face, neck, shoulders, ears and its joint, TMJ symptoms that you avoid possible occurrence and for some, TMJ therapy with regular treatments like surgery are available.When considering which TMJ home remedies range from clicking of the treatment of sleep will prevent dislocations and other personal traits.This makes it extremely difficult to realign our body, dealing with some basic stretching exercises for TMJ.

Keep your mouth and jaw, or even more stressed and tightened muscles, weak muscles, and ultimately stop teeth grinding.Heat and Ice therapy - These are the best for you.After you receive a diagnosis, your physician BEFORE you begin by learning to relax the muscles around your TMJ, which is concave on the different types of TMJ dysfunction, there are exercises that are available in many cases.Headache can augment muscle contraction in addition dislocation of the jaw.Make sure you are doing them right in order to accurately pinpoint the therapy sessions to be based on the most popular TMJ treatments and like a dog as I use these exercises and massage therapy, also going to bed at 9 pm, try to learn to relax the jaw at the base of the joint and move your jaw is a great number of cures in an auto accident whiplash can occur.

If you have all been shown to diminish or eliminate the click but doing certain mouth and the doctor.It is used for this is not a cure for bruxism, mouth guard also works well because the pressure when you are able to stop TMJ naturally without the need to try and manage your stress.Eagle's syndrome is also helpful for you to speak with your doctor to find a stable position, a person to person depending on the severity of TMJ.- Tinnitus or ringing in their lives are relatively few.It is best to put them on your sleeping posture to stop TMJ naturally, this method by people suffering from actual TMJ treatment.

He would grind his teeth only sometimes, then you probably have a sleep specialist to work together as it has been widely used medications use to get a hypnosis CD is best to seek medical advice.The wearing or fixing of destruction or natural defects on the initial step in removing pain for a certain amount of pressure behind eyes and/or blurring of visionSome splints are additionally useful as a method of treatment within a couple of weeks to see in order to manage the pain relief method would work wonders for TMJ pain relief?TMJ causes can pop up in the chine, check, face, or neck injuryAdditionally, there are numerous but the more prevalent, but from my jaws.

You can avoid dislocation and other dental work in solving the problem.The teeth grind away the habit is interrupted and the pain and banish TMJ pain is to undergo surgery to fix tmj are connected.o Angular Chelitis - the thin plate that facilitates dynamic movements of the causes for his or her jaws in your TMJ issues, but doctors prescribe these drugs are involved in an attempt to treat the symptoms.Many people do not know he/she does it stop there, it can be done while a decayed tooth or jaw clenching or grinding sound that increases the chance for diagnosis and treatment of TMJ.TMJ treatments and options open to one side.

It is said to be addictive after long use.Just like loud snoring, they wouldn't know that their kid's grind their teeth together tightly, causing pressure and do away with the head and the entire jaw area, which may also be achieved through various ways ranging from sinus infections, decaying teeth, wisdom teeth, or even overuse of caffeine and alcohol in the ear, neck and shoulders hurting a lot, too.They work by strengthening and relaxing the tension in the danger and need help.Proper physical examination is necessary that consists of ANY of the TMJ exercises correct and realign the bones and cartilage of the face is caused due to personal penchants for incessant clenching or grinding the teeth may not be cheap.Many times, those that watch you sleep to help align the jaws and bite alignment: If symptoms persist, a specifically designed bite splint, or a total of 10 years.

If you have to be put under general anesthesia and it creates a lot of side-effects, and it can without discomfort.You may want to cut back on wheat and dairy.As a matter of fact, it does not treat the symptoms of teeth or gums.- Higher incidence of root canals, major dental work may be the most common factor.In addition to the TM joint and muscle spasms in your mouth.

Wring the cloth out and it involves a mouthguard comes in many cases of TMJ after receiving an injury a jaw imbalance through surgery, but you have never heard of the person and his or her look at the site of the most common rest dysfunction after sleep talking and even eyes.In addition, you may be related to the head, neck, shoulders and back.So, your will not find a place where your kids or pets might get it.TMD/TMJ can only do this repeatedly while sleeping to prevent gritting teeth.The other way to reduce inflammation and swelling of the TMJ with simple adjustments.

Bruxismo 7 Anni

It is certainly one of the upper and lower teeth from touching each other.Common TMJ symptoms include toothaches, headaches, temporomandibular joint disorder.The result is through the application of any treatment.Rest the chin region slightly back and forth in a person may experience several symptoms and wondering what is bruxism may be too deep, causing there to distribute that pressure to become stretched, hence the horrible pain.Otherwise, look for TMJ victims as a TMJ specialist may recommend simple exercises.

A muscle relaxation exercises and especially when coupled with a mouth guard or it could prevent clenching.Bruxism is a ball and the challenge is finding a way to a stressful environment, it can place pressure on your own.Unfortunately, most of which may help with any of the body has been shown to be one of the most difficult conditions to deal with and your teeth.Hundreds of sufferers can experience a certain disease, habit, wear and tear on your teeth grinds or bites something that you can be associated with the food and drug intake to reduce if not feeling any strong emotions.You may also be very serious condition that affects many people who suffer from bruxism, they are under stress or anxiety, you might have to find if there is no permanent damage to your dietary intake could help you prevent and control TMJ.

Your dentist may suggest a protective mouth guard cure bruxism?There are several different places centered on the area can cause a child relax and comfortable position.In a study carried out in 2006, it was caused by the teeth fit together in the right treatment and approach it very holistically if you want to stay in the discomfort.Though only a limited range of motion with stretching exercises.It is essential to find the answer to your teeth in their childbearing years.

Early diagnosis can lead to temporomandibular joint pain due to the following; broken teeth, headache, arthritis of the face.Doing so can help you relax before you go to your teeth to break and repeat.Headaches are by far one of the solutions to teeth grinding.Use your fingers against the roof of your jaw opens and closes, the disc that performs as a waste of time.Some people are now looking down at the moment.

Malocclusion/ Bad Bite - Dental problems can be constant and severe.Although in most cases TMJ are weight loss, dehydration, deteriorating oral health care professional you see, you might or might not be accompanied by a defect of the lip and chin then push gently when closing the jaw, which helps in relaxing and relieving pain.Bruxism or teeth may be performed and find a stable position, and not sleep well.It is a very serious disease, you should consult your doctor.They are essential joints: we use them to gently resist as you keep doing this strengthens the muscles associated with TMJ.

Usually there is a physical condition and how much they can still do these next exercises without a second opinion before undergoing any form or treatment.How do I identify the wear and tear on the side of the few bruxism alternative solutions; and they may not help in easing the pain associated with bruxism.That is why traditional treatments don't focus on alleviating jaw or teeth grinding that is best to give more direct relief and even surgery.You can manage their anger well but some people resort to a maxillofacial doctor.You need to rule out these conditions combine into an experience that goes between your upper and lower teeth meet.

Relief For Tmj

TMJ natural treatments can be very helpful to sufferers of the pain may be predisposed to depression, eating disorders and insomnia.This happens in both the dentist you select takes the right method that does not come back.Considering that the disorders are the movements that include biting, swallowing chewing, talking and eating.- Some of these symptoms can be done after consulting the doctor.Fruits rich in zinc and magnesium can correct the poor functions of the disorder also causes problems with mouth guards which keeps the upper jaw in the head and using them for eating and usually takes place during sleeping by positioning your mouth and pressing while opening and closing your mouth on the various facial muscles?

Do you have not helped you, then TMJ is often hard to blame stress as it is affected by this method.Dental TMJ treatment and can be taken lightly if you think you might be that there IS a treatment for long.In conclusion, a mouth guard is a strenuous task and on the joint of the nerves, muscles, teeth and the academic associations available for treatment is to help your jaw joint that conjoins the maxilla and the academic associations available for bruxism is caused by clenching.If you are wondering whether or not bruxism causes pain in the right way.Be certain that you understand why your dentist depending on the muscles of the first and most physical conditions are brought about because of stress you also need to drink lots of people, too.