#blasphemous is always a plus

[porlovistoeinmasochist]

[freaky-flawless]

My birthday's in 4 days, and I still haven't narrowed down which doll(s) I wanna buy for myself.

[beneath-the-willow-tree]

That last post is extra amusing to me because I have been considering changing my Discord icon to Armand lately... I just can't find a picture of him that fits with my light blue color scheme.

[rubys-domain]

so in theory... if i were to build a physical chong... i would go 2pc bloodstained 2pc pale flame

[slamminslamminmcgill]

breeding kink joel is infecting my mind he won’t leave me alone. imagining him slowly rocking into me after filling me up to keep it inside and then we just go to sleep like that. wrruf wrufruf arf:3

BARKBARKBARKBARK i gotchu :3

warning: breeding kink, daddy kink, squirting, overstimulation

anatomical terms: cunt/pussy

“Nghhh, shit… So fuckin’ tight, kiddo… Gon’ milk me fuckin’ dry… Yeah, c'mon, boy, give that pussy to your Daddy...”

Joel’s breath was hot against your ear as he rutted into you with all his body weight. He had his arms around your back, keeping your limp body squished up against his in a tight bear hug. You appreciated the extra support, since you’d squirted out about half your brain cells by now. For an old man with self-proclaimed shitty knees, his stamina was impressive. At this rate, you weren’t sure which was coming first: him, or all your bones turning into goo. Your arms and legs were flaccid, barely sticking to his back with all the sweat and body heat between you both. Insightful conversation was long gone for you, and in its place was incoherent babbling. “Oh, fu-u-ahhh, my gah… my god, fuck… D-Daddyyy…”

“That’s right, baby, Daddy’s here… Daddy’s—mmm—Daddy’s right fuckin’ here… All the way deep inside you, boy… Such a good boy… Makin’ Daddy feel so good, pretty boy…” Joel’s softly-spoken, sugary sweet words were the icing on the cake, a cake that you’d overstuffed yourself on, and were now in the midst of a sugar crash.

Even through the onslaught of overstimulation, your hoarse vocal cords croaked out a quiet appreciation. “A-Ah, hah… Tha-... Thank you, Daddy…”

“You’re welcome, baby boy…” Joel speckled kisses on your temple, down your jaw, and along your neck. You felt his hips stutter, a telltale sign of impending climax, and he inhaled sharply. “Ooh, fuck, Daddy’s gonna cum, baby… Got a big load for my special boy… Gon’ fill you up so good—shit! Shit!”

Joel squeezed your body like he was trying to pop you, and came with a feral growl that resonated deep in his chest. His cock throbbed and spilled inside you, his cum filling what little space there was between your skin and his. No matter how smart and self-assured you were in your day-to-day life, Joel Miller could wreck you, leaving you nothing more than a well-used sex doll plugged with his seed.

But he’d never leave you like that. Pulling out of such a nice, warm, not to mention filled-up hole? Blasphemous. He wouldn’t dream of it. Plus, he had to check in on you. “Still with me, baby boy?”

The rush of post-sex endorphins always left you a giggly mess. Smiley and loopy, your limbs flopped onto the mattress below. “Hehehe... yeah! Yeah, I’m—ah!”

You were cut off when Joel thrust his hips just an inch or two forward, just enough to make you squeal like that. It made him laugh. "What? Gotta keep it all in, baby." His scratchy beard nuzzled against your cheek and he sighed. "Comfy?"

“Mhm.”

“Yeah? I’m not too heavy for ya?”

“Mm-mm…” You yawned. “I like it… Feels like a weighted—" He thrust his hips again, making you squirm and whimper beneath him. "Mm! W-weight... weighted blanket…”

Joel chuckled, "Good. Cause I'm not pullin' out til morning." He swept some of your sweat-drenched hair out of your face, and smooched your glistening forehead.

"G'night, kiddo."

[angel-of-the-moons]

Please, I am begging you, a scrap more of Naga!Leto, a crumb, a TASTE.

(Please know I am just being dramatic, I know your requests are closed, I'm not actually asking or expecting anything, I just wanted to know I have naga!leto brainrot right now and I love you <3)

Hehehehhe I am so glad you liked it! So here's a couple lil headcanons about Naga!Leto!

Headcanons about Naga!Leto.

TW/CW: Fluffy stuff, Smut, NSFW Headcanons, Leto is a tad possessive but most nagas are, egg stuff!

MINORS DNI I AM NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR CONTENT YOU CONSUME

A/N: Lmao would you believe I am actually writing this shit at a church rn. I am so blasphemous. Forgive me sky daddy, I've been bad uwu

Divider by @/plum98

SFW:

Leto, as a naga, is very very into physical affection. Be it public or private. Your body as a human runs warmer than his does, so you can often find him holding your hand--or, if he catches you lounging in the sun--laying on you, his arms wrapped firmly around your waist as he begins to drift off for a blissful nap.

He will always make sure you're fed. Nagas don't typically eat much. They always will eat large meals once to three times a month. It isn't unheard of for them to skip meals for one or two months. But Leto knows humans aren't like that. So catch him sneaking you snacks, or bringing you dinner to enjoy privately in your bedchambers.

His bed is massive. If he were human, it could fit the two of you plus five other people at least. It has to be large, for him not only to share with you, but to make room for his long serpentine lower half to coil up.

Speaking of coils, Leto will sometimes sleep at the foot of the bed, his upper body straight up with his head tipped back against the soft cushions of his bed, his coils wrapped loosely on the floor. During days that are too hot for you, he will let you sleep in the mass of cool scales, his lower temperature being almost like an ice-pack for you--whilst your body heat is wonderful for him. A win-win.

Swimming. Deep beneath his palace, there is a deep reservoir of water. It is the only way they have survived all these centuries, tapping into the underground rivers and bathing in the mineral-rich water. Leto is an avid swimmer, moving like lightning when he is in the water.

If you are swimming with him, Leto will take the pace slower, letting you drift alongside him or hold on to him to let him pull you along like some sort of gorgeous missile.

Loves your laughter, any joyous sound coming from you is music to his ears.

The only thing that could rival your voice; is the voice of his children. The babies that came from the eggs you so dutifully carried within you.

When you "clutch" the eggs, as the Naga call it, Leto is by your side alone. Laying a clutch is something deeply personal, deeply intimate. Shared typically between mates, or even their older children if they are comfortable with it. He will rub your back, cradle you in his coils and catch every egg that comes from you, placing it carefully within the small creche he himself built for you.

Is insanely territorial around you and the eggs/babies. The moment he was positive the eggs were fertile, Leto hovered around you like flies around fruit. He didn't mean to hover, not at all, but it was simply his instincts telling him to be ready to defend his mate as you carried his future offspring.

When the eggs are snug perfectly in their little creche, kept safe and warm, Leto is constantly on the verge of lunging towards them if he senses anything's amiss.

Oh, Naga eggs squeak, when they're about to hatch by the way. The moment he heard them begin to shake and squeak in the dead of night, he awoke you excitedly and you both shared the quiet, loving moment of your firstborn together poking a tiny chubby hand or tail through the shell of their egg.

When the babies hatch? Oh, the man is over the moon. He adores them, as much as you. Immediately brings his older children to see their new siblings; coo'ing and letting them slither all over them as they investigate these new people and form their familial bonds.

Nagas tend to carry their children around with them in slings; warm and cosy so they can nap during important affairs in the event he believes you need a break.

If you have the babies, however, Leto will gladly come straight to the five of you, scooping all of you up in his arms to deliver kisses.

Loves your body; even in the aftermath of the babies. Will kiss every stretch mark and apply body oil to ease and dryness or cracks in your delicate skin; so much softer and delicate than his own.

(NSFW UNDER THE CUT)

NSFW:

Leto prefers to have sex with you cradled against him, safely propped in his coils for him to move you as he wishes.

Will not object if you wish to be on top, he loves watching you bounce and ride his cock as though it were the only thing keeping you alive.

Adores your breasts. Naga females usually tend not to have them; only those with a little but of human ancestry will have them as a result of a genetic throwback (yes, if a human carries Naga eggs some of their genetic material is absorbed by the soft squishy eggs while they develop and harden!); so he loves to hold them squish them, or just play with them in general.

And when you are carrying his eggs? Ohhh boy. The man is smitten for sure. The way your body changes, swells with new life... It's like a potent drug to him.

While you are carrying Naga eggs, your body produces the same hormones that you would as if it were a normal human pregnancy. Which means you produce milk. Baby nagas are about as developed as maybe a 7-month-old at best, and they have most of their teeth. So they are prepared already fresh out of the egg to eat solid food. But what does that leave you with, when you are producing milk for babies that don't need it?

Well, more for Leto, that's what. He adored your breasts before, but the man enjoys greatly when he can wrap his lips around your nipples, suckling every sweet drop he can, the arousal almost too much for him to bear as you moan and writhe as he relieves the built-up pressure in your breasts.

As a result of that... Well. It takes a while for your milk supply to go away. If at all, because of how often Leto will pin you somewhere private, rip your bodice down and drink his fill.

Sometimes, Leto will take you down to his private pool, and make love to you on the smooth stone shore, washing you off with the life-giving restorative waters afterwards, massaging your sore muscles.

Almost always prefers to finish inside of you. That primal instinct again demanding he fill you up as many times over as he can, whether you are carrying eggs or not.

Oral? He definitely prefers to give rather than receive. Nagas have fangs, female nagas tend to have the larger sets than the males do, so orale for them is almost always restricted to their very long, forked tongues.

The first time you went down on him, he thought he died and went to heaven. He never thought he would enjoy the blunt teeth in your mouth scraping his length as your fingers massaged the silky interior of his sheathe, teasing the tip of his ovipositor as you sucked him off.

After that, Leto will very awkwardly come to you if he has an urge. If you don't have time for a quickie, or if the children are asleep and you are trying to be intimate in a hurry, Leto will cradle you, pull your panties aside and hold you so you both can race to see who makes who cum first.

Loves to mark you. Be it with claws or teeth (dry bites of course), he will do so. Another instinct Naga have to let others know their mate belongs to them and to stay away. As if carrying his children and his family crest was not enough of a deterrent. He has to make sure, you know. Just a precaution...

Loves to feel your nails and blunt teeth dig into his skin as you try to do the same, relishes the bruises you leave on him and wears them proudly like badges, despite your embarrassment when your family comes to visit. Why is your face red? Why are you looking around and not making eye contact? Don't humans mark their mates, too?

[slavonicrhapsody]

hey, i was wondering if you had an opinion on why the carian children’s alliance fell apart during the shattering. between rykard having invented the abductor virgins that both ranni and radahn employ, and jerren stating that iji forged weapons for radahn’s army (if you talk to him about iji before the radahn festival while working for ranni), it seems the carians were helping each other out at the start. i have a few theories already, but i love your elden ring meta

first of all thank you!!

yeah I have a lot of thoughts about this. I think it ultimately comes down to the fact that their personal goals are entirely different and really don’t have anything to do with each other.

Radahn seems the most disconnected of the siblings in terms of his actions — judging by what we know, it doesn’t seem like a total upheaval of the current order was a priority for him as it was for his siblings. His specific motivations remain pretty opaque, but I believe, based on his obsession with Godfrey and all the references to honor and combat, that at his core he made the choices he did in order to prove his own strength and heroism.

I suspect this is why his halting of the stars hindered Ranni’s plans — he was never acting with her interests in mind. I doubt he was intentionally sabotaging her though, because there is no evidence of he and Ranni ever feuding. I’ve said this before, but the idea that Radahn’s halting of the stars is specifically holding Ranni back is a total afterthought to Iji… if Ranni were convinced Radahn bore her ill-will, killing him wouldve been her team’s objective years ago. Plus, Iji and Jerren are still amicable as you said. I think the situation is simply that, as Iji says, he and Jerren serve different masters with different priorities. The same goes for Radahn’s relationship with Rykard — I believe it’s implied Rykard tried to protect Radahn, but I don’t think this protection necessarily meant the two were working towards the same goals.

Rykard and Ranni are more complicated… I believe the Blasphemous Claw description implies that before the Night of the Black Knives, the two talked of a wider plan to “trespass” against the current world order: “Should the coming trespass one day transpire, they would serve as a last-resort foil, allowing Rykard to challenge Maliketh the Black Blade, the black beast of Destined Death.” Since there is evidence that these two did share plans with each other, it’s significant that they don’t really have anything to do with each other anymore.

I think this is due to the fact that though their goals were the same on paper — remove and usurp the current world order — their motivations and personalities are quite different.

Ranni is motivated by a desire to rid the world of godly influence because, as I believe, she owes her life’s misery to the gods’ meddling. She has no interest in ruling the Lands Between as a god-queen; rather, she intends for herself and her order to be “at great remove” from the goings on of the world. As god, she will be completely non-present.

Rykard very specifically does want to rule. He had great ambitions; his followers planned to serve him as their “worthy sovereign.” He despises being treated as a servant under the gods and having to fight for “miserly scraps” of power… he dedicated his life to destroying an order he believes is “suffocating,” asserting his own strength and authority in retaliation, operating under the philosophy of “the strong take.” At his core, Rykard’s goal was always the acquisition of power for his own benefit… and I believe this is why he ended up entangled with the Great Serpent, devouring and growing eternally, never satisfied… a caricature of greed and gluttony. Rykard’s personal goals essentially have nothing to do with Ranni’s far-reaching plans for a new order, and I think that’s why the two ended up on very different paths instead of working together.

I also think it’s interesting that Ranni and Rykard go about their plans in very different ways: Ranni prefers to work in the shadows and strike when the moment is right, keeping a cool head and a clear mind, trying to stay detached. She is said to have “cast aside” her great rune, probably because she distrusted its “mad taint.” Rykard on the other hand is rash and volatile, carrying out his treason in spectacularly public fashion. He is ruled by his ambition and hubris, clinging to the power afforded to him by his great rune.

In conclusion I don’t think there was ever a chance of the siblings all being on the same page — they’re each too different from one another with their own lofty goals and priorities, despite the love they might have for each other.

[builtbybrokenbells]

22 jake 🫶🏻

Doing each others hair

w/c: 1.7k

pairing: jake x reader

warnings: one innuendo, fluff 🫶🏻

sorry this took so long!! i hope you enjoy it, thank you so much for requesting ♥️

Prompt list here

“Hold still,” you whispered, collecting the strands of hair that had fallen from your hand.

“I am.” Jake argued, finally realizing what he’d gotten himself into. You gently raked your fingers through his hair, combing out any knots that had formed. He was sitting on the floor, nestled between your legs as you sat on the edge of the couch cushion.

“You are not.” You scolded, parting his hair into three sections.

“Stop complaining.”

“Me?” You asked, incredulously. “I just started and you haven’t stopped arguing with me.” He let out a chuckle, knowing you were right but hating to admit it. You took to the top of his head, holding his hair by the roots and beginning to braid it.

“You were the one who wanted to do this.” He reminded, unable to keep his thoughts to himself.

“And you agreed.”

“I can change my mind.”

“You won’t, because you love me too much.” You hummed, pulling new sections of his hair into the braid. “Plus, you’ll look so pretty.” You realized after the words left your mouth that it didn’t matter what you did to his hair; he was already gorgeous, and nothing could change that.

“I do love you,” he agreed, fighting the urge to nod his head. “But you’re being a pain in the ass.”

“You say that like you aren’t one, too.” Just as you said so, his head began to tilt downwards again. You peeked over his shoulder, noticing his phone turned on and his attention now focused on it. You held the braid in place with one hand and leaned forward. You reached your other hand over him, grabbing the device and tossing it on the couch cushion. He turned back to look at you, ready to protest your actions. “Just for ten minutes. Please?” He caught your eye, softening at the sight of your expression.

“Fine, but when you’re finished, I get to do yours.” His request was not blasphemous, but you did feel a flash of unease at the idea. Although you trusted him, you were not totally confident in his hairstyling abilities. He raised an eyebrow, waiting for an answer. After a moment, you gave a nod, wondering if you would regret your decision. A smile graced his lips, happy at your agreement. He strained his neck back a little further, silently begging you to kiss him. You leaned down a bit more, pressing your lips to his. Once you did so, both of you seemed to forget the lighthearted arguments.

“It won’t take too long. Just relax.” You promised. He gave you another kiss in place of a verbal answer. You smiled against him, knowing as annoyed as you could be with him, it was never really genuine. You had been pestering him to let you style his hair for months, but he always refused to give in. When you asked this time, you were fully expecting a rejection. When he said yes, you wasted no time getting to work before he could back out of the agreement, leading to the current situation. You couldn’t be too upset with him and his protests, because you were just happy he allowed you to do it.

You straightened up, gently guiding his head to the right position, and worked as fast as you could. Although he made a promise to comply, you knew it wouldn’t last long. Trying to get Jake to stay still was on par with trying to contain a toddler. He was much more calm than his brothers, but that was still far from ideal. Once you’d braided all the way to the ends of his hair, you slipped the elastic off your wrist and looped it around the tuft of hair at the bottom. You smoothed out the few stray hairs on the top of his head, giving a smile of triumph.

“Are you done?” He asked, noticing the lack of touch on his head.

“Almost.” You said, looking frantically around the room. Your eyes landed on the vase of flowers you had set out the night previously. You stood, making your way over to them and grabbed a few smaller blooms. As you returned to him, you shortened and cleaned up the stems. Instead of sitting behind him again, you kneeled beside him and carefully slipped one behind his ear. You took the other two and weaved them into the braid, delighted at the outcome. “Now I’m done.” He looked up to you, unimpressed at your accessories, but the look on your face made it hard for him to be anything other than happy, too. The small act had given you an overwhelming sense of joy, and it was rubbing off on him as well.

“You’re lucky you’re cute.” He smiled as he spoke. He snaked his arm around you and pulled you into his lap in a swift motion. You adjusted your position, placing your legs on either side of him to make it more comfortable for both of you. He took your cheek in his hand and brought you in to another kiss.

“Can I take a picture?” You asked once you parted with him. He watched you, unresponsive for a moment, but eventually gave an eye roll along with a nod.

“Only one. And you can’t show anyone, ever.”

“M’gonna get it framed, actually. I’ll hang it above the T.V. so everyone can see it.” You teased, reaching behind him to grab your phone. He elected not to reply, already plotting his revenge. You pulled up your camera, angling it just right, and snapped a few pictures. At the sound of the third camera shutter, he reached up and grabbed your phone from your hand and tossed it back on the couch, similar to what you had done to him. “Hey!” You exclaimed.

“That sounded like more than one.” In retaliation, you moved to grab it again. Before you could, he sprung to action and leaned forward, limiting your movement and leaving the couch just out of reach. “I don’t think so.” He had his arms wrapped around you, ensuring you wouldn’t fall amidst the struggle. You did your best to wiggle out of his grip, but he was a bit too strong for you to compete with.

“You suck!” You shot the insult through bouts of laughter. He payed no mind to it, instead peppering kisses over your cheeks in attempt to distract you from your mission.

“You don’t mean that.” He said, pulling back just enough to look over your face. The eye contact caused your breath to catch in your throat and your heart to speed in your chest. No matter how many times you found yourself in the position, he never failed to make you swoon. To you, he was the most beautiful thing the world had ever created.

“Of course I don’t.” You breathed, unable to keep up the facade. Now that the energy had died down, he leaned forward again and placed a kiss to your forehead.

“That’s what I thought.” He mumbled, lips still pressed to your skin. “Now, it’s my turn.” You were hesitant to move, still nervous about what exactly he might do to you. He gave you a pointed look, impatience spreading across his features. “You promised.”

“Okay, fine.” You sighed, wiggling out of the position he was holding you in. You turned and settled yourself between his legs, giving him full access to your hair. “Don’t make me regret it.” You warned. He wrapped his arms around your torso, pulling you back into him a little further. He placed a kiss on the top of your head, assuring you that you would be alright. You handed him the elastics you were collecting around your wrist so he could get started.

At first, he gently massaged your scalp with his fingers. You let your eyes flutter closed, an appreciative hum sounding from your chest. Then, he combed his fingers through your hair, smoothing it out and ridding it of any knots. He stopped for a moment, seeming like he was debating his next move, then he gathered all of your hair in his hand. He carefully pulled it all back, ensuring he didn’t miss any stray strands. He tightened his hold just before the top of your head, and slipped an elastic around it. He tightened it and gave you a little pat on the shoulder, letting you know he was finished.

“That’s it?” You asked, reaching to feel what he had done. The only thing he’d done was place a high ponytail, and he didn’t seem to have any intentions of doing anything more.

“Yep.” He confirmed.

“That’s no fun,” you turned, a frown encased on your lips.

“Sure it is.” He gave you a smirk.

“How so?” You raised an eyebrow. He looked incredibly happy you asked.

“I have a few ideas,” he hummed, reaching up and brushing his thumb over your cheek. You didn’t quite catch on to his insinuation until he gently grabbed the ponytail in his fist, holding your head in place with a bit of force. Your eyes widened at the familiarity of the hold, shocked at the vulgarity.

“Jacob!” You scolded. He let out a laugh, finding your shock quite humorous.

“I’m just kidding,” he said, dropping his hand from your head. Instead, he used it to pull your upper half towards him into a hug. It was short-lived, but genuine. When you parted, he took the flower you’d placed behind his ear and put it behind yours, instead. “There.” He smiled. “Absolutely beautiful.”

“I love you.” You whispered.

“I love you, baby.” He brought you into a kiss, both of you savouring the feeling of the intimacy. “But, if you did want to go upstairs-“ you cut him off with a playful shove, knocking him off balance and into the couch. Both of you dissolved into a fit of laughter, attempting to play fight with each other and failing miserably. Eventually, he caught your wrists in his hands, stopping your movement completely. You were a bit breathless, your grin never once leaving your lips. He leaned forward and placed a kiss to the tip of your nose, settling the score and causing a blush to dust across your cheeks.

“It wasn’t so bad, was it?” You asked, finally calming down from the excitement.

“No, it wasn’t.” He conceded.

“You gonna let me do it again, sometime?”

“Never.” He laughed. You only smiled, knowing that he was lying. You were both well aware that if it meant it would make you happy, Jake would go to the ends of the earth, even if he had to sit through the torture of you braiding his hair.

[emanation-aura]

can i ask for your rant on Genshin regional specialities? your meta on the bosses was very entertaining, and i largely agree–although i do have to argue that the ruin serpent is worse than the wenut in the spiral abyss

(Meta on boss drop bloat in Genshin)

Ok, well don't say I didn't warn you, anon.

Regional specialties suffer from the same problem as the boss drops as we always need to have at least one or two per expansion, and that as the expansions have gone on, the drops have become more and more mismatched. I mean, I have problems with some of the Liyue characters' regional specialty assignments too, but I'll deal with them too.

I'm gonna address them region by region.

(Highlights: Chongyun why do you use Cor Lapis, Dendrobium Chiori but she doesn't seem to be killing people?!, Thoma you poor soul on Fluorescent Fungus, Navia using Primordial Water, the thing she nearly died to—)

Liyue

Here is the current canonical list of who ascends with what in Liyue. Besides the obvious paradigm of why Gaming, a Pyro Vision user, is ascending with the Starconch (which has, for literal years, been a Childe and then Childe + Yelan exclusive, making it pretty much "Hydro Liyue ascender" for everyone released after 1.0, plus it's also literally a conch from the ocean, the theming—), I actually have more issues.

Chongyun using Cor Lapis, for instance. Like, let's look at the other two characters that use Cor Lapis: ah right, Zhongli aka Rex Lapis the (former) Geo Archon, whom this ore is named after, and Keqing, relentless driver of an ideal of change for Liyue Harbour, who is so dedicated to the idea of Liyue she is willing to blaspheme its Archon to do so. Both of these people, in very different ways, hold a great love for Liyue and wish to see it prosper.

Chongyun doesn't have this. It's not like he's disloyal or hates Liyue Harbour, but it's not a focal point of his character. He's more along the lines of Xiangling and Xinqiu as passively treating and treasuring Liyue as his home, but he doesn't carry the strong convictions that the Cor Lapis (lit. "Stone Heart") implies, at least not in the direction of Liyue Harbour. His character is all about his yang spirit and exorcism,

Honestly, I know it's not a regional specialty, but Chongyun would theoretically make the most sense ascending on Mist Flowers. Beyond that, my opinion is that he suits Qingxin more— like, come on, Qingxin (清心) means "pure heart" (or "mind cleansing"), and what's Chongyun's most famous motto? That's right, "Heart be pure, evil be erased. Mind be purged..." (and, via Shenhe, "world be saved").

Note: Ok, now the Chinese version of the motto is obviously very different, which might affect my argument. Combining what Shenhe completes for us, the motto is:

驅邪縛魅，內外澄清，回向正道，保身護命。 To expel evil and restrain demons, inside and outside pure and clear, turn back towards the upright Way, protect life-destiny and guard the body.

Translation courtesy of this site, since these mottos are based on the Eight Great Incantations in Daoism, specifically the "purifying the heart incantation" and "pacifying the earth incantation".

But I'd argue this makes the Qingxin argument even stronger. First of all, it straight up uses 澄清 chengqing "pure and clear", the same as the 清 qing in Qingxin. Second of all, the Daoist chant this comes from is the 淨心 jingxin "purifying the heart" mantra, like come on, I don't have the energy to explain even further how this suits him. Plus, the Qingxin description says "It eschews the warmth and moisture of the plains to gaze out afar from the solitary mountaintops." Apart from applying to the three (pseudo-) Adepti very well, doesn't this perfectly describe Chongyun's character struggle? Having to deny the warmth of life and keep himself cold (physically, mostly) and under control so that his yang spirit doesn't lose control??

Like, I know Qingxin is somehow the 'adepti' ascension material (excluding Xianyun and Yanfei, because Qingxin only applies to adepti/adjacent who don't really fit into the mortal world), but Chongyun fits this too well, and he can join his aunt Shenhe in using it too.

Other sins of Liyue ascension materials: ok, this one is less egregious, but I feel like Xinyan deserves Jueyun Chilli and not Violetgrass. Like, I get that the description of Violetgrass says it has a "strong vitality" and that its "downward-blooming flower keeps its fragrance from dissipating", both traits that reflect Xinyan's rock'n'roll persistence and her character, but Violetgrass is also a medicinal herb both factually and given that Baizhu and Qiqi both use it, so it's sending out mixed messages here. If anything, Xinyan suits Jueyun Chilli as well for being the "kick up the ass" for Liyue traditionalists (paraphrased but the sentiment is there). I'm not as sure on this one, since Jueyun Chilli also doubles as "Madam Ping's disciples' ascension material" with Yaoyao and Xiangling, but it doesn't even make sense for Yaoyao, swap her with Xinyan since Yaoyao is a healer and takes care of people and would make more sense ascending on a medicinal herb.

There's also, glaringly, the issue with Clearwater Jade and Xianyun being its only user. This has an easy hotfix: remember my problem with Gaming? Let him use Clearwater Jade instead for Chenyu connections, therefore fixing the 'there's literally only one user of this ascension material' problem. I know it's Clearwater Jade and Gaming is Pyro, but at least he has a lore connection to Chenyu Vale.

Speaking of the 'only one user of this ascension material' problem...

Inazuma

Q: Thoma, why the fuck are you the only one to use Fluorescent Fungus??

A: Because Thoma released in 2.2, just like Tsurumi Island.

There are two ways we can go about hits. First, we scrap the Fluorescent Fungus entirely and move Thoma to a different ascension material. The question is, which one? None of the others really have an MO that fits Thoma...

at least, in Inazuma.

Remember, Thoma is half-Mondstadtian. And if we wanna bend the rules a bit (or, in fact, actually give this half of his heritage some weight rather than just ignore it), why don't we give him a Mondstadt regional specialty?

Let's take Fluorescent Fungus' description. "A mushroom that glows like a night-light... [and] can help to light the way." Great, so we're dealing with only one theme here: bioluminescence and 'lighting the way in the dark'. Thoma has a Pyro Vision and works as a retainer for the Kamisato Clan, this isn't too strange. Hey, wait, isn't there also a bioluminescent plant from Mondstadt?

Small Lamp Grass: "A wild grass that emits light at night. Used in cooking to enhance other flavors. Just as the subtle fragrance of wild flowers will not distract a focused person, Small Lamp Grass' delicate glow will not attract their attention either, even at night."

Thoma could use Small Lamp Grass as a substitute, which three other characters already use, therefore reducing the amount of regional specialty bloat and making farming him not contingent on completing the Tsurumi Island questline, (which can be a good or a bad thing depending on what type of player you are), but as his """intended""" playstyle was a Hu Tao shielder at his release, the Lamp Grass choice also makes strategic sense since a Hu Tao owner will have likely already gotten a lot of Lamp grass by being in Mondstadt already, versus having to explore all of Inazuma. Plus, the Lamp Grass has an even better theming boon: "used in cooking to enhance other flavors" (like as a retainer, Thoma enhances the Kamisato Clan by his dedicated service).

If you wanted to play up Thoma's nostalgia for his homeland, you could make him use Windwheel Asters, which cannot grow in places with no wind or plagued by strong storms, only where the wind is gentle and nourishing. Inazuma, literally surrounded by a strong storm due to the Sakoku Decree and ravaged by the storms of war (metaphorically), would not be able to grow the Windwheel Aster until after the events of the Inazuma AQ and Raiden SQ II (assuming, for the sake of it, that Windwheel Asters can theoretically grow outside Mondstadt), reflecting how Thoma is stuck in a 'windless land' antithetical to his very nature. Big sad. I wish this was touched on more often, but that's an Inazuma critique, not just regional specialty reorganisation. And believe me, if I got into the Inazuma problems (as I have done in the past) we would be here all week.

The other option is not to scrap the Fluorescent Fungus, which in that case, someone else should use it. The only obvious candidate are our two new Inazuma releases: Kirara and Chiori. Out of the two of them, I think Chiori doesn't deserve Dendrobium, because it's such a reference to the red spider lily and death that even Chiori, who has her 'dark side' (being a blunt communicator??) doesn't exactly fit its MO. I mean, Sara is a war general. Of course she gets Dendrobium the flower that grows where blood was spilled. If Kokomi were a more competent character she would get Dendrobium too— *gets shot*

but it's hard to make a case for Chiori using Fluorescent Fungus unless you lean really hard into it being the "Inazuma outcast ascender", i.e. Thoma, a non-(full)-Inazuman living in Inazuma (everyone treats him considers him a 'naturalised' foreigner despite being half-Inazuman because that's the inevitable consequence of not being the picture of conformity in a society like this, trust me, I know the feeling), and Chiori, an Inazuman not living in Inazuma. The bioluminescence angle could also reflect Chiori's aspirations to become a fashion industry leader, like "the light shining in the dark", something like that. Alternatively, Chiori could use Amakumo Fruit, which fits her MO far better: "as if showing its defiance, it will bear fruit while facing the peals of thunder from the sky." Chiori is determined and defiant of the odds to achieve her dream, a "bold spirit" (quote from the desc.) for someone who emigrated and is struggling to make her life out there.

Kirara doesn't suit Amakumo Fruit either, given what I've described of it. She's neither 'defiant' (in the way that the description implies) nor strongly Electro-tied, she's just an international cat courier. That's why Fluorescent Fungus could suit her more— like, the luminescent angle lighting the way (through the fog of Tsurumi Island), just like her traveling self. It's not a deeply strong connection, but it tracks better than Amakumo Fruit does.

(Moving Chiori and Kirara away from Dendrobium and Amakumo Fruit respectively means that we're only moving the 'one character one material' problem, but given how well those two suit Sara and Raiden respectively, I'm loath to move or delete one of them. The ideal balancing factor would be moving Kirara to Fluorescent Fungus and Chiori to Amakumo Fruit, leaving Dendrobium with a single but extremely fitting user, which is more than Thoma + Fungus can be.)

Also, Yae Miko not ascending on Sakura Blooms is a sin. Swap Miko and Ayato (like, Ganoderma lore is literally the souls of dead children, what better way to imply further darkness in Ayato raising child soldiers in the Shuumatsuban especially given this is a criminally overlooked aspect in his character). Hell, if this aspect was further emphasised in Sayu's character, we could move Sayu to Dendrobium too, move Aloy literally anywhere else don't you think the Subdetection Unit, Trishiraite, or any other ore/mechanical thing would suit her more, time of release be damned??, and scrap Crystal Marrow. But that's getting dangerously close to talking about an Inazuma rewrite again, so I'll leave it there.

Hey, wouldn't it be really fucked up if Kokomi used Crystal Marrow to ascend? HYV, you cowards—

Sumeru

(Warning! I am going to be factoring the ascension material of Sethos, who was recently drip-marketed for 4.7 and hails from Sumeru. This is minor leak territory, but if you don't wish to see it, skip the section double-labeled Sethos at start and end.)

Sumeru is an interesting case because a lot of the regional specialties do clearly fit well, but at the same time are organised weirdly. I won't get into Collei and Wanderer using Rukkhashava Mushrooms because those, while weird on the surface, there is an interesting explanation behind it (ft. Ashikai's video on Eucharist lore) that coheres well. Nor will I take issue with Kaveh and Mourning Flower, since it's so clearly themed around the Iranian cultural significance of the Kaiser's Crown and dovetails with Kaveh so well, so we can let his single usage of it slide.

My first issue is with Sand Grease Pupa on Alhaitham and Dehya. Alhaitham does not really fit Sand Grease Pupa. Like, I will hear the argument that the description "the hardened shell is meant to protect the Quicksand Eels' larval bodies until they finally acclimate to the conditions of the dry desert" is a subtle reference to Alhaitham's character and temperament, where his """"callousness""" and blunt personality are a method to enforce boundaries and keep the personal peace he strives for in life amidst the sea of uncertainty. But the thing is that doesn't hold for Dehya, who also uses Sand Grease Pupa and doesn't have this kind of thing unless you count her being a hardened mercenary? Which is incredibly strange.

But things are complicated by the fact that there is no satisfactory place to move Alhaitham, unlike previous occasions where we found better places for Chiori and Kirara, etc. Like, I've tried my best, but against all odds the quote I mentioned from Sand Grease Pupa is the only one that remotely seems to work for him, and that's even if I ignore release order and consider Trishiraite or Mourning Flower.

So I feel compelled to keep Sand Grease Pupa. In that case, let's eject Dehya from using it, because it clearly doesn't fit her apart from the desert origin, which isn't even consistent because of Alhaitham. I'll talk about where Dehya should go in a moment, but now we have the problem that Alhaitham is the only user of the Pupa, which is something we try to avoid unless the theming is strong enough (like Kujou Sara - Dendrobium). So, taking into account "a hardened shell" theming, who else fits this?

"I must make a lot of Mora." "With enough Mora, my family will never have to smile at me while swallowing their pain, and I will never have to lose anything due to lacking Mora..."

Ding ding ding! It's Dori. In fact, I want to make the case that she fits Sand Grease Pupa better than Kalpalata Lotus, which she currently uses. The motif of Kalpalata Lotus is about "it looks like a lotus, but it isn't", which... works with Dori, I suppose, but isn't particularly compelling. Meanwhile, the Pupa is a 'hardened shell'— like Alhaitham's own boundary-setting unique personality, Dori's shell is her love of Mora, something she uses to face the outer world after the pain of losing her sister to a disease that could have been cured had they had enough money to purchase the herbs needed. Dori's obsessive love of Mora is real, of course, but it's the "hardened shell" that protects her from disappointment after the trauma of losing her sister. It's almost too perfect! (And, Alhaitham and Dori are some of the only rainforest-origin characters to have a slightly strong enough connection to the desert to justify this, not that we really need to.)

This, obviously, ignores release order. My previous comments on reordering regional specialties in Liyue and Inazuma just so happened to be compliant with the order in which they released the items. However, from Sumeru onward, I no longer care.

Ok, but that leaves Nahida high and dry on Kalpalata Lotus, another single case user. Again, the theming works for her, but it isn't really perfect— of course Nahida represents the "looks weak, is a lot more" archetype pretty well, but it isn't exactly congruent with "looks like a lotus, but isn't", because that's more of a question of identity than of power. I mean, I guess our meeting her in the AQ is kind of like that, but that's also a weak argument.

I think, therefore, we should move Nahida to use the Padisarah, which has hitherto only been used by Nilou, fixing another one of our single-character-material problems and allowing us to delete Kalpalata Lotus (or make it a quest exclusive item to Caribert, that would be cool). Like, I hope I don't need to elaborate why the Padisarah is suitable for Nahida, being a "holy and noble" plant descended from GoF and the era of the Three God-Kings of Sumeru, plus it being a calque (more explicitly in CN) of Padishah, the sovereign title used in Persia and beyond, which of course suits Nahida as she is, like it or not, sovereign ruler of Sumeru (would be a nice fuck you to the Sages too).

Sethos

At this juncture, we need to talk about the elephant in the room. Before Sethos was drip-marketed for version 4.7, I would've completely discounted Trishiraite as useless and said to dump it. However, I now have to reconsider, since Sethos has been leaked to use Trishiraite (wow, were they setting this up more than 9 patches ago?).

We don't know much about Sethos, admittedly, but we know he's a desert native and seems to be affiliated with the Temple of Silence and has connections to Cyno (I have not fully played through Cyno SQ II at the time of writing. If you have a more compelling case based on its events, please give spoiler warnings). Given this, Trishiraite seems perfectly reasonable for him, although there is the question of if he's a Temple of Silence member (albeit seemingly opposed to Cyno, given implications in the trailer), why he isn't just using the Scarab, because just read the Scarab lore:

Legend has it that when the desert king ruled this land, the souls of those vanquished by him would be sealed within these insects by the magically-skilled priests at great triumphs held in the City of the Pillars. The scarabs would then be charged with defending the sacred temples and palaces for all eternity in the name of Al-Ahmar. In the end, the temples would collapse and the palaces would fall, and only these golden insects would remain, fulfilling their ancient, forgotten oaths.

Like, even if we don't know Sethos' true role, his Temple of Silence affiliations (?) would make this far more fitting.

But, as you may have noticed, I've been delaying assigning Dehya anywhere. That's because I think if Sethos does use Trishiraite, Dehya should too. Read the description:

During the sun-swallowing battles of that bygone age, even the hardest of stones were set aflame. As the flames of war died out, all that remained from the calamity were these deep-red ores.

Trishiraite is ore born (allegedly) from the flames of the Cataclysm setting fire to stone. Like, it's a very warlike thing, and it's something that might be ok with Sethos but definitely suits Dehya more than Sand Grease Pupa. The thing is, nobody wins here because if I think Sethos suits Scarab more, that leaves Dehya alone on Trishiraite; if I don't, then Sethos + Dehya use Trishiraite while Cyno stays alone on Scarab, which is fine but ugh....

...unless, of course, we put Dehya on Henna Berry, which is very definitely the "female desert ascension material" and annoying stereotypical (fits with Dehya's love of makeup, though). Then we could make Sethos use Scarab alongside Cyno and just delete Trishiraite anyway, but this is a problem I don't want to propose a definitive solution for. I just think that Dehya shouldn't use Sand Grease Pupa, and Sethos seems weirdly better with Scarab, at least for now.

Sethos

Fontaine

(Warning! I am going to be factoring the ascension material of Clorinde and Sigewinne, who were recently drip-marketed for Version 4.7. This is minor leak territory, but if you don't wish to see it, skip the sections labeled Clorinde and Sigewinne.)

Fontaine is obviously still a nation-in-progress, so I'll cut it some slack, however:

Why does Navia use Spring of the First Dewdrop. Please. For the love of god.

Spring of the First Dewdrop is heavily implied to be somewhat related to Primordial Water, which is just—? Can I say how cruel this is for being Navia's ascension material? Like? Navia, who almost dissolved in the Primordial Water??

Although, the description calls it Ichor, which according to Wine Goblet of the Pristine Sea is the 'essence' extracted from Primordial Water, but then we have the question of why Dewdrop's description calls it "a final gift from Egeria" even though it was Remus who isolated and created Ichor, like we know Egeria was the substitute Heart of the Primordial Sea created by the Shade of Life to replace the Hydro Dragon, so technically the creation of Primordial Water is her domain, but this shouldn't even be her "final gift" anyway because logically that would've been literally anything else she did, because she abandoned that Heart role when she ascended to become the Hydro Archon and then died in sacrifice at Tunigi Hollow to repel the Cataclysm—

But this isn't a rant about Genshin lore, this is about the regional specialty. So.

Navia should not be using this. So, what should she be using? I'd suggest Lumidouce (French: soft-light) Bell, given the variety of people with whom Navia has parted and wishes to be reunited with ("Lumidouce Bell is said to represent parting and the wish for reunion"), but given that this is already being used by Chevreuse and Lynette and is absolutely slated for Emilie, the perfumer, whenever she releases ("...is often used for making rare perfumes"), that would be a bit of a crowd when Fontaine still doesn't have many characters.

Chevreuse doesn't really seem to fit Lumidouce Bell, though. Like, every attribute and theming doesn't seem to relate to her, unless you count the events of Roses and Muskets, which is about her personal feelings on justice, not the actual events that happened which could, possibly, fit the parting and reunion theme. So maybe we can boot Chevreuse off to Subdetection Unit, which actually suits her better— it's a detection unit, which gathers data, and it being used by Wriothesley seems like a not-so-subtle indicator that it's used to gather intelligence and for lack of a better word, spy. Which is something that Chevreuse's job involves, as once again demonstrated by Roses and Muskets.

So, with the Chevreuse tangent out of the way, Navia and Lynette can use the Lumidouce Bell. But what about Dewdrop? Should anyone use that?

Well, the obvious argument for Dewdrop as a Primordial Water thing is that Neuvillette should use it. Like, he's the reborn Hydro Dragon— thematically it makes more sense than Lumitoile (French: light-star). Let's again set aside the problem of time (Neuvillette released Version 4.1, Dewdrop came with the Tower of Ipsissimus in Version 4.2) because it makes things boring...

that being said, it's not entirely unreasonable to have Neuvillette use the Lumitoile, and simply delete the Dewdrop instead. Let's examine that below.

Clorinde and Sigewinne

So, what should we do about Lumitoile? If we move Neuvillette to the Dewdrop, that leaves Clorinde the sole user of the Lumitoile, and it's pretty justified in her case given the unsubtle implication of the Lumitoile as an environmental cleaner/digester and Clorinde's job as a Champion Duellist but with the Marechaussee Hunt techniques she inherits. After all, remember it's Clorinde who starts the plan to 'hunt' Furina in the AQ, to entrap her. She's good at hunting and cleaning up, so that makes the Lumitoile quite suited for her...

...Although, there is a scheme I'm cooking up. See, Sigewinne uses the Romaritime Flower, which fits fine with the Hydro stuff just fine, but I was reading the description of the Romaritime Flower, and it said: "Romaritime Flower is said to represent loyalty and unswerving oaths." And what, apart from being a strong hunter, is Clorinde known for?

Clorinde: Mr. Callas' last wish was for me to ensure your safety, and I will not betray his trust.  Like the Faint Moonlight of Yesteryear, in As Light Rain Falls Without Reason, after Clorinde saves Navia and Traveler from the Gardemek attack

It highly depends on what you think her character hinges more heavily on: hunting, or her loyalty/oath-swearing.

As for Sigewinne, using the Lumitoile would also work, because apart from the obvious Hydro theming, the Lumitoile is also about 'underestimation'— "though the weak light they give off is often ignored by divers, these small soft-bodied animals have the remarkable ability to consume and degrade industrial waste." Sigewinne's surprise gun attack in the AQ earns her this, in my opinion.

This is quite a complicated web to unravel. If Neuvillette no longer uses Lumitoile, then either both Clorinde and Sigewinne should use Lumitoile, or neither. Therefore, let's examine two cases.

1: Neuvillette uses Dewdrop. Therefore, nobody else uses Lumitoile, ergo, Clorinde should use Romaritime Flower alongside Sigewinne to avoid the 'single-user' issue.

2: Neuvillette does not use Dewdrop, and that material is deleted from existence. Therefore, Clorinde and Sigewinne can stay with their current specialty materials: Lumitoile and Romaritime Flower respectively.

I like case 2, personally.

But maybe I'm getting ahead of myself by analysing the ascension materials of characters that haven't released yet. Let's get back to normal.

Clorinde and Sigewinne

Quick recap: Neuvillette uses Dewdrop instead of Navia, and Navia uses Lumidouce Bell in place of Chevreuse, whom we boot off to use the Subdetection Unit. Therefore, we have solved the problem of Navia and Wriothesley being the only user of one ascension material, and realistically we have to leave Neuvillette alone with the Dewdrop because no one else actually makes sense ascending via Primordial Water, what the fuck.

Ahem.

We also leave Furina alone, being the Lakelight Lily dovetails with Erinnyes and the lore of her weapon, Splendour of Tranquil Waters.

So that leaves Charlotte with the Beryl Conch. Hey, Charlotte, what the fuck? Like, the Beryl Conch doesn't have anything visibly in common with her. It glows, and it's not actually a shell but something condensed from elemental energy. It's theorised to have connections to "ancient civilisations". What else? If you take this from Charlotte's 'investigative journalism' angle, perhaps the Conch can symbolise Charlotte digging for the truth, but the "oh perhaps the Conch has marks left by the Hydro Lord or is related to ancient civilisations" is such a weak connection to that kind of "what is the truth" ethos that Charlotte represents.

So, get rid of the Beryl Conch. Then what should Charlotte use? There's an obvious option here: what ascension material have we just talked about that applies to information-gathering, spying, and mechanical parts? What boss did I assign Charlotte to in this post about boss material bloat that also fits her mechanical companion, Monsieur Verite?

That's right.

The former two, as justified above, also share the Subdetection Unit. So why not Charlotte? It's the 'mechanical' ascension material of Fontaine, just like Prototype Cal. Breguet is the corresponding 'mechanical' boss material. Last time, I justified this with the mechanical focus of the three characters: Wriothesley's gauntlets and his rule of the steampunk-themed Fortress of Meropide, Chevreuse's gun and rifle focus, and Charlotte's entire kit and lore revolving around Monsieur Verite in her pursuit of journalism. This applies here, but it gets better because they also share the theming of the Subdetection Unit's 'spying/detection/information-gathering'.

It's so perfect that it feels a bit too perfect, actually, but who am I to complain? This would cut down on another ill-fitting regional specialty and make farming easier for all of us.

***

Thanks for reading! And letting me rant about this. I have problems with how Genshin treats boss and ascension materials with some degree of lore relevancy, only to also throw some of that relevancy out the window when it suits them. It's inconsistent and bothers me, lol.

[abromelon34105]

Snippet from Chapter 3 of my ADA!Chūya AU!!

“I was wondering,” Atsushi said quietly, “what were the two of you doing before you joined the agency?” Both of us pause and look over at the white-haired teen, taking in his curious eyes. His face pales a little when he realizes we’re both staring at him. “N-No big deal, I was just curious, is all-”

“Three guesses,” I say with a shrug as I step away from Kunikida before sitting back down, this time actively facing him. He blinks, tilting his head a little. “It’s a game we play,” I explain as I motion to the group that’s sitting in the cafe, “at the agency. It’s kind of an initiation thing. Newcomers try to guess their coworkers’ former occupations. It’s kind of a fun game, actually.”

Atsushi hums as he turns to the Tanizaki siblings. “I want to say that Naomi-san and Jun’ichirō-san were students.”

“Woah,” Jun’ichirō says, clearly impressed. “You got it. Nice one.” Naomi sits up from her brother as she looks at Atsushi. “How did you figure that one out?”

“I was told you work at the agency part-time,” Atsushi explains. “And you’re wearing a uniform, so there was a good chance you were still in school. Plus Jun’ichirō-san and I seem to be similar in age. It just made sense.”

“Not bad, kid,” I say from the bar, leaning my cheek on my hand as I watch him with a faint smile. “Now, what about Kunikida?” I point over at my blonde partner, and he ends up spitting his coffee out at me. Thankfully, I’m able to control liquids to some degree and just send it back into his mug. “NOBODY CARES ABOUT WHAT I USED TO BE, ALRIGHT?!”

Atsushi is already narrowing his eyes at Kunikida, clearly trying to think things through. “An official…?” he mutters. He opens his eyes, struck with an idea of some sort. “Did he hold a government job?”

“Almost,” I say slyly. “He was a public school teacher. And he taught math.” I glance over at him, and he’s half pouting in his seat, his mug sitting next to him on the bar. He’s refusing to even look at me, his eyes closed. “I can totally picture that,” Atsushi mumbles to himself.

“It was another life,” Kunikida says sternly, clearly still mad at me for bringing it up. “I don’t even want to think about it.” He takes a long sip from his mug and then puts it down. “And don’t even try doing Nakahara. His former profession is a mystery to everyone.”

“Aw, Kunikida~” I pout at him, giving him playful puppy eyes. “You took my fun away!”

“No one has guessed it yet, so leave it be.”

“The first person who finally figures it out collects a reward, isn’t that right?” Jun’ichirō says from the booth and I can practically see the gears in Atsushi’s head start to turn. “A rEwArD?!”

“Yeah, I suppose that’s true,” I say with a shrug, seeming disinterested in the events happening. “And because no one’s guessed right, it’s just skyrocketed.”

“So…just out of curiosity…just how much is this reward right now?”

“Seven hundred thousand yen.”

“Seven…hundred… grand?!” I swear Atsushi is about to explode with the way he stares at me. “So if I guess correctly, it’s mine?! This isn’t some kind of prank?!”

“Trust me, I’m always a man of my word.” Liar.

“I gotta say,” Jun’ichirō says, sounding a little upset. “He looks really fired up.” Naomi seems just as upset. “There’s no way he’ll ever guess it.”

“That reward will be mine. Stockbroker!”

“No.”

“Writer!”

“Uh-huh.”

“Office worker!”

“Incorrect!”

“Researcher!”

“Wrong!”

“Lawyer?”

“No!”

“Journalist!”

“Eeeeeh-!”

“Carpenter!”

“Try again!”

“Fourtune Teller!”

“Nah.”

“Pilot?”

“Wrong again!”

“Japanese chef!”

“No!”

“Doctor?”

“No way!”

“Priest!”

“Blasphemous!”

“Model!”

“No, but thank you~”

“I bet you were just wandering around doing nothing at all,” Kunikida cuts in with an exasperated sigh. “Not true,” I say quietly, staring down at the ground in front of me. He puts his mug down and turns to face me, eyes wide a little. “I would never lie about something like this.”

[amelee23]

Special | Lee Know Fluff

Pairing: Lee Know x Gender neutral reader

Genre: Romance, poetic prose, first person

Word count: 1k

Warnings: this is disgustingly romantic, reader is worshiping their love for lino basically, talks about mythology and gods

A/n: Please let me know if you liked this, since I do know this is a kind of writing that isn't really done around here (?) but I am a hopeless romantic so here goes nothing lmao

Synopsis: One day, you began to wonder: what makes your love story with Minho so special? As you struggle to find an answer, you only find more love.

Millions of people fall in love every single day, but what makes my story special?

My story, by all normal means, is not in any way special. I'm sure history has heard of stories like mine countless of times.

What could I say to make it sound special? That it was love at first sight?

Well, it was. But that's also cliche. I don't believe it to be as rare as it sounds.

That he thawed my cold heart and made it beat again? Even though he did - my ex made me feel oh so special, and when he walked out of my life, every wall he had knocked down were built right back up.

But then I met another boy, and he spoke to me with a sparkle in his eye, with hidden kindness and sensitivity beyond every word. And I fell in love hopelessly, on the spot.

What else could I say -? That he has a heart of gold? He does, this boy of mine has helped countless animals find shelter, fed starving children across the world and offered every little ounce of him towards the happiness of those around him. But does that make our story special enough?

He's not a king of ancient kingdoms, although secretly, when he sits down at his desk I imagine he could be. A heavy crown on his head, the garments of nobility, an aura around him that demands respect. Plus, he's never taken a selfish decision in his life, he's always looked after me and stirred me in the right direction.

He's not a knight in shining armor, although when we're together I feel so powerful - that we could indeed be slaying dragons! Both of us, clad in armor, standing back to back with wide swords ready to charge into battle, the background forgotten in a mist of smoke and ashes. There is no foe that could stand in our way.

Perhaps you could say, this story is special because he is special. But he would kill me if he heard me say that, that he's special and I'm not.

Because if you ask him, I've got it all backwards. He's just Minho, and I'm the star.

The star of his world.

He swears I must be famous, because although I don't see it (or refuse to admit it) everyone around me adores me. Or so he says. He always says I'm loved, oh so loved, and not just by him. He's merely my biggest fan, and sometimes-! Sometimes he acts like my manager. Marketing me to others, telling stories of how great I am. How cute.

But let's get back to talking about him. Since he's my favorite topic to talk about.

So he's not a king, nor a knight. Perhaps he's a seer, since he does seem to posses the ability to foresee the future! He always talks about such distant destinies, the names of our children, the color of our shared bedroom, the furniture of our kitchen, all these memories we're yet to have... Hmm, maybe he can predict the future. I doubt it's all wishful thinking!

Or maybe he's a magician? A healer, a witch, a mage - he must be able to perform some sort of healing magic, because once, when I had a headache, he kissed my forehead and the pain went away. That couldn't have been a coincidence-!

What else could I compare him to, to make this seem more magical? An Egyptian deity...? No, let's not do that, it sounds somewhat blasphemous to compare a mere mortal to an ancient God... although he should definitely try dressing as one for Halloween! Gold would look great on his honey-like skin, surrounded by his tightly protected kittens... From what I have read he'd fit Anubis the most, for he's such a good listener, so supportive, it's like he has the ability to bring people back to life, breathe motivation back into them when they feel they're at the end of their road - just like Anubis used to help in the process of reincarnation. It doesn't even have to be Egyptian, I could say he reminds me of Prometheus, the man who stole fire from the gods, to give it to humanity in an absolute tragic and noble sacrifice... (I did compare him to gods even though I said I wouldn't, right?)

Maybe he's a forest fairy? No, this one I am a certain about. He blends into nature, it's the place where he most belongs. What else could he be, other than a magical sprite of nature? Animals adore him, I'm sure he can communicate with them in languages only they can understand. And whenever we go camping, and he lies down on the grass, on our old and stained picnic blanket, it seems as though the grass grows; flowers sprout around his body and the sun seeps into his skin, making him glow. And then he smiles and beckons me over, to share with him of his fruit, and I'm sure it's actually ambrosia.

Yes, this should be the one. Being a human, being my lover, it's all just a cover for something so deeply mysterious, ancient and magical, living inside of him, running through his veins... I hope he doesn't lose his magic by settling for someone as simple as me, who could only admire, but barely comprehend the history of his existence...

If he were to read this, he would think I'm very funny. And probably check my temperature for a fever. But one thing's for sure - we could be anything if we tried to be, a supernatural story, a Greek tragedy, a new York besteller... But we don't need to. Because what we have is enough.

There's a million people who fall in love every single day. But there's a million reasons why my lover is made out of pure magic - and while this might not be the most special love story of all time, it is the most special story of my life.

A/n: Just a thousand words my game weak this time around I am sTRugGLINg

If you like my work, consider donating so I can continue writing!

©amelee23 do not copy or repost

[lovelyladyabsinthewrites]

Moon River

Pairing: Luke Castellan x Demigod!Reader

Warnings: siblingxsibling, do not read if you don’t like it

Words: 1757

Summary: Wherever Luke went, you wanted to go too. Even if that meant foresaking Olympus. You loved Luke more than you loved the gods.

“One of the Apollo girls taught me how to play it! I only know one song, but it’s one of my favorites.” You happily tell Luke amidst the chaos that was the Hermes cabin. Flipping open the metal latches of your guitar case. You didn’t have to worry about putting a lock on it. Even though notorious for being a cabin full of thieves, none of your half siblings would dare try to steal it. You were second oldest among them besides Luke, well respected and even slightly feared. When a newcomer tried to steal your ipod that you had snuck in, you were quick to beat their ass with the closest item by you.

Luke sat across from you, legs crossed as he watched you remove a beautifully crafted acoustic guitar. “Did they give you that too?”

“No. It used to be my mom’s. One other gift Hermes gave to her besides me.”

That was enough to make him grow quiet. He always felt a little jealousy at your relationship with your mom. Far different from the one he had with his own mom. “I’m not much of a music lover.”

“Oof, why are you breaking my heart?” Feigning the wounded tone, you situate the guitar in your arms like the Apollo girl had showed you. “Indulge in me. I practiced hard. Plus this is the song that my mom was playing when Hermes met her.”

“You sure you’re not secretly Apollo’s kid?” He smiles into his palm and leans forward. You knew he would rather be practicing his swordplay instead of listening to you play music. Truth be told, that was what you would be doing too on a normal day. But you were feeling nostalgic and couldn’t help yourself.

“Well, Hermes did claim me. But he could just be covering for Apollo.” You giggle and wink at him playfully. Always worth it when it made Luke’s smile grow larger. He might not have liked music, but you knew that Luke would tolerate anything for you. Perhaps you were a bit cocky in thinking this, but you were probably his favorite sibling out of everyone. And that was saying a lot considering how many kids were crammed into the Hermes cabin. Many were your siblings, the rest were poor kids who hadn’t been claimed by their godly parent. Kids who might never know. The gods were a busy bunch and couldn’t be bothered to lay claim to each and everyone. They were cruel in that way.

You settled in and began finger-picking along steel strings a soft melody that was near heartbreaking. Calmly you let your voice take control of you. “Oh, dream maker” Quickly you flick your eyes up at Luke “You heart breaker. Wherever you’re going I’m going your way.” You kept your eyes trained on Luke, highly aware of your other cabinmates watching you play guitar. It must have looked like you were serenading him which inwardly caused you to blush. It wasn’t your fault that those were the lyrics to the song. Just a coincidence.

Remembering your mother playing the exact song for you years ago made your voice tender. As she was putting you to bed, she would open up the window to let the moon filter in and pull your blankets over you. Next to your bed was a stool that your mother always used nightly to play guitar for you. She’d pull it up to the side of your bed and play until you fell asleep. Riding into sleep with a chariot filled with music. Life wasn’t always easy for you and your mom, but she made up for it with the joy of song. Apollo should have been your father in this regard. Maybe if you were Apollo’s child, then the feelings you felt for Luke would be less blasphemous. No one dated within their cabins since in each cabin everyone was half-siblings.

A spell cast upon everyone, your other siblings listened comfortably as you continued the song you had practiced for so long. You wanted it to be perfect. This was the only song you bothered to learn. It was all you needed.

“(y/n).”

You let out a whine in complaint when someone shakes your shoulder, waking you up from your pleasant slumber. Again a soft nudge jars you.

Crusted slightly with sleep, you grudgingly open your eyes to meet the darkness of Cabin 11. The victim of your deadly glare was Luke, wearing a red sleeveless shirt and black shorts. Those definitely weren’t his pajamas.

“What are you doing up?” Grumbling, you run your hands over your eyes to scrub away the crystallized gunk.

“Get up. I have something to show you.” Luke whispers.

He must be crazy. Like hell you were going to forsake the comfort of your bed to go outside in the middle of the night. Plus you didn’t want to risk the wrath of the Cleaner Harpies who lurked the grounds of Camp Half-Blood, patrolling for wayward campers who should be in bed.

“Can’t this wait until morning?”

“In your song, you sang that wherever I go, you go too.”

“It was just part of the song.”

“Yet you looked at me.”

Sighing in defeat, you lift yourself up. “Alright, fine. Give me a second to put shoes on.”

When you accomplished putting your shoes on, you grab an orange Camp Half-Blood jacket and throw it on; following Luke as he led you quietly outside while everyone else slept. You didn’t dare speak in fear of the Harpies. Obediently you went wherever Luke led you. Staring at his broad shoulders, you think about how much he had changed since the quest that Hermes sent him on not too long ago. The scar wasn’t the only thing that changed him, his eyes just seemed darker to reflect his thoughts. He spoke of the scorn he felt about the failed quest and his resentment toward Olympus. All of this he told you in secret when it was just the two of you. This worried you quite a bit. There was nothing you could say to soothe the hurt that Luke was dealing with. He felt cheated by Hermes, unacknowledged.

It didn’t take you too long to arrive at the Combat Arena, the Greek styled arena where you had trained many times throughout your summers earning scars and bruises that you took pride in. What you were doing there, you had no idea. Luke passed under the archway entrance inside. There in the center of the sand pit, Luke turned to you.

Extra cautious, you look around the stone ledges that served as seats for onlookers.

“So, why’d you drag me out of bed?” You grimace when you feel sand leak into your shoes. You weren’t exactly in proper attire and most likely will have sand particles clinging to your pajama pants.

“Did you mean it? That you would follow wherever I go?”

“Of course.” It was an easy reply. You knew if you asked the same thing of Luke, he would follow you to the Underworld if you asked him. The two of you had that ride or die bond. You were an extension of each other. “Where did you have in mind?”

Luke appeared hesitant before taking steps toward you. The moon bounced on his hair, making it look brighter. In one of his hands was a knife. He slid the sharp edge of the blade across his palm making you flinch. “I need you to make a promise that whatever I say next, you will not tell a soul.”

In the night, the small beads of blood that were beginning to rise on his skin looked black. “A bit extreme, Luke. You’re starting to freak me out.”

He hands you the handle of the knife and you reluctantly take it. Taking a deep breath, you quickly draw the blade across your palm and hold in the his that was the product of the sting. You place your slowly bleeding palm against his, weaving your fingers so that your hands were clasped. You trusted Luke.

It makes Luke smile, the scar on his face softening with relief. And that's when he told you of his dreams. More specifically, who was speaking with him in these dreams.

Your stomach dropped when you learned that it was Kronos who spoke to him. Even if it was simply a dream, it never bode well for anyone if the former King of Titans was speaking with you.

“The gods don’t deserve to be in power. Look how full Cabin 11 is. They don’t care about us. Kronos. . . Kronos has a plan to rise again.”

Fear made you feel colder. “No. . .”

Luke nods. “I’ve pledged my allegiance to him. I’m going to help him with his rise back to power.”

“Luke you can’t! There’s a reason Kronos was cast down. Why he is imprisoned in Tartarus! Whatever problem you have with the gods, Kronos is not the answer. What he represents. . . it’s nothing good.”

He held onto your hand tighter, unwilling to let you go now. “He’s offering us freedom, (y/n).” Voice soft as a feather, Luke pulls you closer and you find yourself lost in his eyes. Tentatively, his free hand lifts and cups your cheek. His hand wasn’t soft by any means. Callused and hard from hours of training each day. You wouldn’t have them any other way. “We could finally be together. Noone telling us it’s wrong. Noone stopping us.”

What he was proposing was indeed crazy. To forsake Olympus and the gods all together for Kronos- no, not for Kronos. For Luke. You couldn’t easily accept his proposition though. What he spoke of was blasphemous. You agreed with his views of the gods. They weren’t perfect. They were neglectful when it came to their demigod children. You felt sorry for the many kids in your cabin. Most of them were there because their godly parent never bothered to claim them.

A life of a demigod meant you were on your own. Expected to fend off monsters that wanted to feast on your flesh. That wasn’t a life you wanted to live.

“I want you to be by my side, (y/n).”

You close your eyes. Luke had been the one constant in your life. You loved him more than you loved the gods. “Okay. Tell me what I need to do.”

You open your eyes just in time to see Luke lean in, capturing your unsuspecting lips in a demanding kiss.

[bimboficationblues]

Top 5 elden ring bosses

not going to include the DLC bosses because I know people are trying to avoid spoilers, though Messmer would probably be up there (and I'm fine with mentioning him since he's in the trailer). I will say that going back to base game bosses after playing the DLC was wild, most of the DLC's bosses have traits that are so needlessly difficult like every single one of them launching themselves at you like a rocket as soon as you step through the fog wall.

Honorable Mentions are Margit/Morgott (great initial skill check and satisfying to go toe-to-toe with him again later on more equal footing) and Dragonlord Placidusax (my fave dragon fight in the game)

5. Mohg, Lord of Blood - really enjoy the way Mohg demands you to maneuver, his vibes are rancid and I love them, I think it has some real clever busted mechanics that will reward the exploration the game relies on like being able to shackle him (fucked up) or negate the nihil blast

4. Rykard, Lord of Blasphemy - I think they really perfected their "spectacle" fight with this one, particularly the heritage from Storm King and Yhorm, by giving the weapon a full moveset. A lot of the huge monster fights can feel sort of awkward but this one just feels excellently balanced. And he acts as one of the more interesting antagonist characters in the game

3. Godfrey / Hoarah Loux - raw aggression, first phase is the culmination of the delayed-tell "knight" fights that characterize most of the demigod battles, then second phase is incredibly unique since normally humanoid enemies are using some form of weapon or magic. some of those tracking grabs in the second phase have frustratingly deceptive dodge timings but they're also so wacked out as a spectacle that I kind of appreciate them.

2. Malenia, Blade of Miquella / Goddess of Rot - masochistic of me, but I think Malenia is great. a lot of this is carried by her aesthetic and place in the narrative but overall I like the push and pull between her various strengths and weaknesses. beating her is always satisfying and while occasionally frustrating to get there, it always feels worth it at the end. (not something I can say about all bosses that take a bajillion tries, cough cough, the final DLC boss.) the Waterfowl Dance move is a fine idea that was poorly executed because it feels so luck-based in getting around it, but I've gotten more used to it. Also, I think she's a boss that really rewards a diversity of build designs, which I think is great for these games - her susceptibility to status buildups and poise breaks, for instance

Maliketh, the Black Blade - super fun glass cannon design, varied moveset, has a nice little nostalgia value via the similarities to Artorias while not feeling like an imitation or repetition. maybe a bit *too* easy to shred through if you know what you're doing but I always get a thrill doing this fight, especially dodging some of his ranged blasts or gap-closing swings. I really love his design and think the Shadow/Empyrean relationship is one of the most interesting details in ER lore as well, and his VA really sells the character. DESTINED DEATH. Plus I think the battle rewards a bit of exploration in going to Volcano Manor and then fighting Bernahl to get the Blasphemous Claw, if you're into that.

[monkey-network]

Good Stuff: Best Movies of 2023

This was NOT a great year for blockbusters, huh? This was probably Disney's worst in years, multiple flops including what was meant to be their centennial anniversary film. It looked remarkably by the numbers, but think of the conglomerate's losses... Anyway, this to me was a pretty great year for films. Like 2022, I'm amazed at the variety we got that says more about the shifting tides of people's interest in movies. It was the most times I've been to the theater. We got a big worker's strike over the summer, especially large push back against degenerates trying to push AI to do more than just shitposting. And it was enough for me to know Adam Sandler, Godzilla, and Hayao Miyazaki could get the better of Disney. With this said, let this be a first for Good Stuff and count down my favorites of this year.

12. Renfield

My suspicions were on the money and I'm glad I gave this a shot in the theaters. Cage was the best Dracula I could've asked for in what you might say was an Adult Swim-esque dark comedy. It definitely has that style of gruesomeness and humor given Robert Kirkman and the Writer/Director behind Moral Orel made this. Unfortunately, Ben Schwartz stuck out like a sore thumb even if he fulfills his purpose in this, reminding me of Christopher Mintz-Plasse in KickAss; I feel he or Jason Schwartzman would've been better suited. Plus it can feel all over the place, an identity crisis that you can't even grasp after it finishes. Then again, I just had fun watching and would gladly rewatch for Cage and Hoult who are the highlights of this.

11. Migration

Call it blasphemous, but I enjoyed this more than the Mario movie. It's essentially Rio mixed with National Lampoon's Vacation, with a lovable cast, solid animation, and an eazy breezy road trip story. I've always looked to Illumination for simple enjoyable romps and I got what I expected here. Gave me Amphibia vibes in a way, replace frogs with birds. Everything surrounding the villain is my only real issue, he was an obvious and very nothing bad guy, but it's overall better paced than Super Mario Bros where it felt like you watched an eternity in 3 minutes. Still don't get the air of folk looking down on this for just being serviceable when it's honestly become my favorite Illumination movie next to the first Despicable Me.

10. Killers of the Flower Moon

Sad to say this is the weakest Scorsese movie for me, mainly because it felt like we're following the wrong main character. Lily Gladstone is incredible in this, among the other great performers, but she felt sidelined in favor of DeCaprio and De Niro's perspectives. It's like if in 1995's Casino, we just follow Ginger throughout the moment Sam introduces her. I liked the turmoil Leo's character goes through, but it paled in comparison to Mollie who was more affected by his and Hale's actions. That does not mean it's all bad. This can be a beautiful, dynamic, and ruthless movie that just made me feel bad for watching it; running with the words "harsh reality" throughout the 3 and a half hour runtime.

9. Good Burger 2

I watched Good Burger 1 & 2 this Thanksgiving weekend, and just had a blast. These are the kind of movies that are charmingly stupid but not insultingly so. Kel Mitchell's Ed is emblematic of how much dumb fun this duology is where he's actively comical but not smoothbrained to ruin your time. This I say is like Home Alone 2 where it is just beat for beat the 1st movie with minor developments but that doesn't really matter when it's just as well put together. It never feels like Kenan nor Kel missed a beat and the drama not overstaying its welcome. It is just "Good Burger Again" without it feeling like diminishing returns compared to other rehashing sequels.

8. Leo

Can you believe this got better publicity than Disney's Wish? Even YMS could appreciate this movie, that's how you know Sandler has his recognizable game when you least expect it. But Leo is a surprisingly good comedy that has actually sincere moments. Being Happy Madison's 2nd ever animation, it's like Adam waited to refine the production as opposed to putting a cash grab together like one would expect. It's not all good, especially trying to be a musical, but seeing it once you'd be impressed how much good it does with the risks it takes.

7. Nimona

Like Migration, everything surrounding the villain is the one big issue I have with this, especially when it comes to affecting the film's message. At the same time, she pales in comparison to the dynamic pairing of Ballister Blackheart and the titular shapeshifter. Nimona is my favorite character of 2023, her energy and confidence matched by the struggle she bears existing alone and the facade made to band-aid it. Her and Ballister's journey alone made me glad this got out of development hell, being Blue Sky's final production posthumous. To me it wasn't about being a take that to Disney, it was about the fact a movie like Nimona got to exist as great as it did. Hoping Stevenson is satisfied with their adaptation, because it definitely earned its flowers.

6. Emesis Blue

Offhand, it openly sucks that Letterboxd refuses to let this stay on the site to log, but it can't be overstated how much of a marvel this was. Repurposing not just the characters, but the lore and mechanics of Team Fortress 2 into a feature length horror thriller. The animation's top notch where it can have godly framing that was on par with the known legends of horror film making. SFM animations can be beautiful on their own, shitpost or otherwise, but Emesis Blue goes a step beyond by having a compelling story fitting for the universe on top of, again, every frame being a painting.

5. Shin Kamen Rider

I've never really saw any Tokusatsu shows. Not that I hate the genre, just could never get into it while recognizing the glorious looking chaos found in clips. Knowing Hideaki Anno directed was what got me into seeing this film and it opened my mind quite a bit. This was the legacy film that definitely had Anno's touch in both the action and drama. While the climax can notably drag, you never feel left out of what was essentially the original Kamen Rider's origin story. It doesn't have the complex VFX of stuff like Marvel, but the costumes and fight scenes makes me wish we got more of this in America beyond Power Rangers.

4. TMNT Mutant Mayhem

Advertising before release really didn't make this appear like a promising film. If there's anything I learned from this year though, appearances can be deceiving. Like Nimona was for her movie, the creative choices for this made it the TMNT movie I never knew I wanted. To me this felt akin to the Lego Batman movie where it's not only a good love letter of the franchise for more than its fanservice, but this spin on the characters is able to have a new sincere view of them without overhauling everything about the TMNT. That and it has the greatest needle drops I've had in a long while like how do insert He-Man Fabulous Secret Powers and expect me to hate this?

3. Godzilla Minus One

I call this a great year for films because it marks the first time I got to see a Toho produced Godzilla, with subtitles, in an real movie theater. Needless to say, it felt like I got to enjoy the 1954 film again anew. Not a remake mind you, but the parallels were uncanny and this spins here work just as well, if not more here than with the original in a couple places. Both are still strong movies nonetheless. Minus One is a refurbish that dishes out what people always wanted and uniquely giving a little more while never sacrificing why the OG is that timeless. With it getting more than a limited release, I'm glad this got to be more than a niche celebration of the kaijuu king.

2. Oppenheimer

This film's been meme'd to heaven, hell you could say it got meme'd to success thanks to its dual release with Barbie, but it didn't undermine getting hooked to watching this anyways. This really has become my favorite Nolan film, a compelling biopic that doesn't exactly herald its titular lead in the best light thanks to the paradoxical storytelling. Oppenheimer gives us the largest ensemble I know, and delivers in the most breathtaking moments I never knew I could get. Cillian killed it among the many who made the three hours of people sitting and talking in rooms actually tense and intriguing to thread. Plus it gave us the beauty of Josh Peck being the guy to detonate the test bomb like cherry on top of this cinematic cake.

1. The Holdovers

I remember watching Alexander Payne's Sideways with Paul Giamatti as a high schooler but couldn't appreciate it until rewatching this year. It's one of the best mid-life crisis comedies you could see, still fresh in its easy going presentation and music. The same can be said for this film, made to feel like it came from the late 70s or 80s with the old opening logos that I didn't think you could do in these times. Out the gate, this was the holiday story I was shocked would be as relatable as it was, with the trio of Giamatti, Randolph, and Sessa each having their story that resonated with me strongly. With the right amount of time, Payne offers an remarkably cozy, down to earth movie where from reserved to outgoing, it did a lot for me emotionally. Like Netflix's Klaus, I kinda want this to be a traditional rewatch for the holiday seasons. One that everyone should try at least once, especially if they feel the disillusionment of the season where this might lift their spirits one way or another.

If there's anything to learn from this year, it's that the meta has definitely shifted. Even when the many on my list didn't make billions like the Avatar films, the variety and risks made spoke more than the big dogs like Disney and WB putting out unprofitable blockbusters that ranged from very by the numbers to you don't need to see The Flash to know how god awful it just was. More people are & should branch out beyond the major mainstream names. Not that the big dogs aren't ever gonna make great films in the coming years, but we should appreciate more than the big budget features you can tell are playing it safe. Time can be patient for great cinema, sleeper hits or not, so take advantage while you're young.

[waffleweirdo]

I finished tbf season 2! It was all around great, and I'd say overall it has been my favorite season by far!

All of the new characters were great, even if I do think Xiao Kuang Juan maybe overstayed his welcome a little bit.

Out of the new cast Lang Wu Yao and Xie Ying Luo were definitely the highlights. Lang is really cool, but also very interesting alongside Shang as his partner. Specifically their different beliefs in violence in service of the greater good. I can totally see how they'd get along and they have interesting differing opinions! Plus I'll be honest I'm a sucker for bard characters, seriously when Lang started singing the theme song it was just really cool.

Xie Ying Luo started off as a fairly simple villain, which there's nothing wrong with. Her plotting nature, and somewhat playful interactions with Shang made her enjoyable right off the bat, and in managing to steal part of the index she really proves herself as being a genuine threat. But what makes her really stand out is her overcoming the Seven Blasphemous Deaths and her search for purpose. I'm not even quite sure how to describe it, but her determination to defy it was just really impressive, and even if she was a villain her resolution with Shang felt really satisfying and was great.

Honestly I don't have a ton to say about Shang other than that he continues to be just so awesome because there are genuinely too many great moments! But the fact that he was so powerful he made crossing the wasteland of spirits easier for everyone on accident only causing himself more trouble is really funny. And my biggest takeaway from this season is his talk with Xie Ying Luo and his definition of strength. The idea that the strongest person out there is someone who can spare all their opponents and never be worried about them seeking revenge is just wonderful.

Lin Xue Ya was about the same for me this season. Getting to see his frenemies relationship with Shang cemented was nice, and seeing his usual antics is always fun (though its a bit funny that two times out of two he's sort of failed in the end when manipulating the villains, and seeing him pout is pretty funny).

The season as a whole really gave a greater focus on the sorcerous sword index which I thought was cool. Now that we've seen first hand the trouble it can cause the whole premise is really interesting to me. Essentially in a world filled with all the legendary swords and magical items that you hear about in stories there's just an insane amount of dangerous artifacts everywhere, and someone needs to make sure they don't destroy the world. Which I think is just really neat. This season did tone down the typical pulp adventure elements a bit, which I did admittedly miss at times, but overall I still really enjoy where the narrative went, and I'm excited for more!

[skymaiden32]

Tit for Tat

Read on AO3 here

Fandom: Thunderbirds

Tagging: @dragonoffantasyandreality @thundergeek59 @janetm74 @katblu42 @liseylou @amistrio @uniwolfcorn @idontknowreallywhy (Please ask if you would like to get alerts when I update or post new stories.)

Thundertober Day 7: Alive

Scott was just happy his brother was alive. Months later, the roles are reversed. Missing scenes from Terror in New York City and The Uninvited.

Continuity: TOS

A/N: A little longer than usual for these prompts, but here you go! ^^

------

“A few weeks?!” Virgil was outraged at the news his father and brother had just delivered. “But that’s terrible! Suppose she’s needed on call?”

“Well let’s hope she’s not,” was the patriarch’s answer. He really hoped the world would just hold off on major disasters for a while, but the world always had different ideas. And with Thunderbird 2 being as vital to operations as she was, chances were she would’ve been needed in the next few weeks or so. The hope that she wouldn’t just wasn’t realistic. “Now, you relax. You need a lot of rest.” Virgil opened his mouth, about to interrupt, but Jeff quickly stopped him. “You take care of yourself, and we’ll take care of Thunderbird 2.”

Virgil huffed, but relented, laying back in bed. Jeff, satisfied that his son wouldn’t try to get up anytime soon, at least with Scott in the room, left to supervise progress on the repairs. Once he was out of earshot, Scott moved to sit next to Virgil on the bed, finding his brother’s hand and squeezing it. “You’ll be back on your feet and behind the wheel again before you know it, Virg.” Virgil squeezed back, looking up sadly at his older brother.

“What if I’m not though?” Virgil mumbled, breaking Scott’s heart into a million pieces. It hurt to see his brother like this. “What if the damage is too big to fix?”

Scott frowned. “Hey, let’s not have any of that. Thunderbird 2 just needs a bit of R+R. Brains reckons it’ll take some time and a lot of work, but it’ll happen.”

“And if Brains is wrong?” A blasphemous question. Brains was hardly ever wrong. But Virgil asked all the same.

The older of the two brothers held back a sigh. “Then we’ll build a new one from scratch. One way or another, you will fly again, Virgil. I know you will…”

Virgil hummed. “What’s wrong with me then?” He chuckled, before wincing, holding a hand against his head. “Actually, don’t answer that. I’m guessing a whopper of a concussion, a bruised rib, and damaged pride.”

“There’s the Virgil I know and love…” Scott smirked at the pride comment. Virgil grinned right back. A little more seriously, he confirmed his brother’s suspicions. “Got it in one, plus a couple of extra superficial burns from the crash. Me and the others will come in to check on you every hour or so. Gordon mentioned wanting to watch something with you.”

Virgil frowned. “Knowing Gordon, that could range from an absolute masterpiece to straight up torture.”

“True.” Scott agreed. “He did swear to me that it was a good one this time though.”

“We’ll see.” Virgil commented. Either way, it would be good to spend some time with their ocean loving brother. A few short moments passed in silence before the bedridden man broke it again. “Hey, Scooter?” His brother’s eyes were on him in a second. “I must’ve given you quite a scare when I went down like that.”

Scott scoffed, although not unkindly. “More like many, many miniature heart-attacks. Not just me either. We were all scared out of our wits! I’m pretty sure you took decades off of Dad’s lifespan.” 

Virgil’s eyes were downcast once again. “I’m sorry I worried all of you.”

“Virg…” Scott sighed. “You aren’t the one who should be apologising.” He reassured him. “And trust me, the Sentinel did. A lot.” He hummed. “In fact, I’m pretty sure Washington is trying to find out where we’re based just so the Commander can send you a gift basket.” That got a laugh out of his brother. “You’re okay now, that’s all that matters at the end of the day. Just don’t do it again. I’ll leave you in peace for now.” He stood up, about to make his way to the door. “I’ve gotta meet up with Dad in the hangar, but I’ll be back with Alan in an hour to check on you.”

Just before he left the room, Virgil’s voice called him back. “Hey, Scott?” He whirled around so fast it was amazing he didn’t give himself whiplash. “Same goes for you.” Virgil smirked. “Don’t go getting attacked mid-flight and almost dying.”

“I’ll try not to, Virgil. I’ll try not to…”

------

In the vast, blazing sands of the Sahara, two men worked tirelessly on a third’s head wound in the shade provided by the silver rocket plane behind them. Scott winced when Wilson dabbed a healthy amount of cleaning solution on the gash. Wilson apologised quickly, before focussing once again on the injury. Lindsey grabbed a roll of bandages from the first aid kit, and after getting the all clear from Wilson, wrapped them carefully and snugly around Scott’s head.

The two archaeologists stepped back, giving the International Rescue operative a thumbs up. “You’re good to go!” Lindsey stated.

“At least until your teammates get here to check our handiwork is sound.” Wilson huffed.

“Well, it feels just fine.” Scott smiled gratefully. “Thanks, fellas. I really appreciate it.”

Lindsey and Wilson both grinned. “No problem.” The bearded man brushed it off. “If you’d been on your own it probably would’ve taken them a while to find you in this wasteland. From the sounds of it, those fighters were shooting to kill. If they’d realised you were still out here…” He didn’t want to finish the thought. The mere idea that anyone would shoot down a Thunderbird was impossible, at least on purpose. Both he and Lindsey had heard about the whole Sentinel scandal. For the International Rescue crew, this must feel like a scary case of deja-vu. 

“Just glad we were able to do something to help, no matter how small.” Lindsey cut in, breaking Wilson out of his train-of-thought.

Scott smirked, raising an eyebrow. “Trust me, you’ve helped a lot more than you realise. Thanks to you two, the guys back at base know where I am, and that I’m okay.” Just as he finished his sentence, the distant sound of engines was heard throughout what the trio on the ground thought must’ve been a good chunk of the desert. “That’ll be them now…” He commented, shielding his eyes against the sun as he stepped out from his Thunderbird’s shadow to see if he could spot the familiar green.

Lindsey frowned, concerned. “You sure it’s not those fighters again?” Scott shook his head.

“Once you know what a certain craft sounds like, with enough training you can pretty much distinguish it from any other aircraft out there.” He explained, getting back into the shade at Wilson’s insistence. “Definitely not the fighters. It’s Thunderbird 2.”

“Oh.” Lindsey simply said in understanding. Just then, Thunderbird 2’s shadow rolled over the body of her fallen sister, and landed as close as she dared. The three men next to the rocket plane watched as the main body rose from the pod and the door swung open, revealing the other International Rescue operatives. Scott recognised Brains and Tin-Tin, as well as his immediate younger brother. They all looked worried out of their minds, and Virgil was just that little bit furious.

“I’m dead… I’m so dead…” Scott gulped, causing both of his companions to look at him, puzzled. Virgil came bounding up to them at top speed, carrying his medical supplies with him. Brains and Tin-Tin trailed behind him with camping gear, taking in the sight of Thunderbird 1 buried nose-first in the sand.

“Do you have any idea,” Virgil’s voice was dangerously low, “how worried we all were, Scott?” Looking between the two archaeologists next to his brother, he breathed in deeply. “Thank you for everything you’ve done, gentlemen.”

Wilson replied. “As we said to your buddy here, it was our pleasure.”

Virgil hummed, checking the bandage that was already on Scott’s head. “Did they just finish this?”

“Yeah, they did.” Scott confirmed.

“Then I see no reason to change it right now. It’s sound. They must’ve had some sort of first aid training.” Wilson and Lindsey nodded. Virgil looked over at them again. “Well, from the looks of things, it’s going to get dark soon. No use moving on, so you’re both welcome to set up camp with us for the night.”

The men exchanged looks, and nodded in thanks. Afterwards, they moved to their jeep to get their camping supplies, letting the two operatives talk. “Sorry, Virgil.” Were Scott’s first words once they were sure the archaeologists couldn’t hear them. 

His brother simply shrugged. “Well, like you told me three months ago, I really hope this doesn’t happen again.”

Scott sighed. “It might though. This wasn’t a case of mistaken identity this time; they knew fully well I was with IR.”

“And so long as we’re IR, there will always be people out to get us. It’s quite the occupational hazard.” Virgil grabbed a small flashlight from his medical kit. “Let me check for a concussion real quick.” The younger man took his time. “Yep, that’s a concussion alright. Guess we’re sharing a tent tonight.”

“Like I’ll pass up a chance to spend time with my favourite brother…” Scott did his best puppy dog expression.

Virgil snorted. “Brotherly affection isn’t gonna get you off the hook after giving everyone a repeat scare of the Sentinel incident…”

“Worth a shot.” Scott shrugged. “How’re Dad and the others?”

“Coping.” Came Virgil’s short reply as he shut his kit. “But you can hear for yourself in a couple of seconds.” He gestured his head toward the open cockpit of Thunderbird 1. “Brains just finished fixing the radio.”

Scott frowned. “Didn’t even notice he was in there.”

“That’s how you know you have a head injury.” Virgil gave him a look.

Brains stepped out of the silver plane. “R-Radio’s all fixed up, S-Scott.”

“Thanks, Brains. I’ll call Dad and let him know what’s going on.”

Virgil watched as his brother disappeared into the ship, keeping an eye and an ear out in case anything happened. His face morphed from worried but happy, to straight up concerned. There was something niggling at him. 

“P-Penny for your th-thoughts, Virgil?” Brains asked in an attempt to draw out the other man’s concerns. 

Thunderbird 2’s pilot sighed. “I was lucky, Brains.” He began. “Extremely lucky when I got shot down by the navy. At least then, it had been a mistake on the Sentinel’s part, and we’d been fairly close to base.” He looked at his friend. “Scott didn’t have either of those luxuries. He’s even luckier to be alive than I am! If those men hadn’t found him…”

“We p-probably would’ve lost him.” Brains finished. “I’m s-sure he knows that t-too, Virgil. Y-You of all p-people know what he’s like w-when people he loves could g-get hurt. He’s probably downplaying j-just how serious h-he thinks this is. A-At least for now…” 

Virgil frowned, but didn’t argue. Of course, out of all their family, Scott was the most likely to hide certain details. “I know. That’s what worries me…” 

“Do you th-think those fighters will come b-back?” Brains asked. He hated to think about what could happen if they returned to finish the job as much as anyone else.

“I don’t know.” Virgil admitted, watching as Scott finished his conversation with their Dad. “Whatever happens though, I know that we won’t ever fall as long as we have each other…”