#but I also think he had some reasons for acting as he did

[takashi0]

This is only true if you're one of those people who think that a DnD campaign where Orcs are the primary villain is some sort of coded message saying that being racist to black people is good, aka a fucking psychopath who is projecting their own bigotry onto fantasy media.

Literally the entire point of the Hearth's warming special with the Windigos and Zecora's introduction episode was "hey being racist is BAD!" Or more accurately mostly the first one since the second one is also a "Don't judge a book by its cover" aesop that also had smatterings of "racism is bad" with it thanks to Zecora being a Zebra. I can't fucking stand this notion of "If you ever had bigoted tendencies ever at all you're irredeemably evil and we will never, ever acknowledge the fact that you changed for the better."

That is some fucking Lily Orchard tier "Straight up lying about the show", there's like FOUR episodes out of Nine seasons!

I'll concede that the buffalo thing wasn't the best thought out idea, but you're talking about a tv show meant for seven year olds and the moral of the episode is "Learn to compromise", you are out of your goddamn mind if you think they're going to touch on things like the Trail of Tears, let alone do it in a fantasy world where you can just say that shit didn't happen.

I'm pretty sure the actual thing they said was "G5 being a distant sequel where the ponies are racist to each other like the Hearths Warming Origin episode completely undermines everything Twilight and co did through the show", but hey acknowledging that means you can't make the show look bad or the fandom look irrational for no reason, and God knows we can't have that!

Oh wow the main protagonists aren't perfect people, I thought that's what you fucking yahoos wanted.

Also didn't Yona give up trying to act like a pony and the ponies gave up on trying to make her act like one too?

Again, real "Orcs are totally black people you guys" vibes

Dragon culture was made up of Fratboy douchebags who tormented each other and other races for fun, to the point where they tried to get Spike to smash Phoenix eggs for shits and giggles. Another dragon straight up tried to KILL SPIKE just for entering his cave.

The Griffons were rude assholes who only cared about themselves and money.

My memory is hazy but I wouldn't blame anyone for not being super stoked about Yak culture since the most I remember of the Yaks outside of Yona is "Screaming loudly and breaking everything in sight."

And I swear to God if you use THE CHANGELINGS as an excuse to slander the ponies you are a complete goddamn idiot. Their first introduction on the show is them INVADING A CITY and attempting to harvest the population for love! Which is exactly what they did in their next appearance to Ponyville! Yes, Thorax exists! Yes, they all eventually did a face turn and Chrysalis left because she's a bitch! That's great! That's wonderful! But that doesn't change the fact that Thorax's whole challenge was proving to the ponies that he wanted to peacefully coexist! The ponies not trusting him were obviously in the wrong to do so, BUT THEY HAD GOOD FUCKING REASON TO NOT IMMEDIATELY TRUST HIM.

If you're going to give the mane six shit for thinking the Zebra they've never seen before who hangs out in THE DANGEROUS FOREST OF MAGICAL PLANTS AND ANIMALS THAT CAN KILL YOU could MAYBE be dangerous, but act like the Changelings did nothing wrong, you need to sort out your priorities!

The Seaponies/Hippogriffs were the only culture aside from maybe the Zebras (who we didn't see until the season 10 comics which I haven't read so idk) and I guess the Kirin (who had like one problem that one of their own already understood how to solve anyway) that you could say "nah they don't need to learn friendship from the ponies." And see the buffalo thing above for "These aren't missionaries you fucking morons, this is a little girl show about friendship."

Yeah! And the board were the ANTAGONISTS! The main villain of the season was the head of the Board's DAUGHTER who worked with the closest thing the show had to SATAN to try and sabotage it! Again, why the fuck are you guys acting like Calvinists?

They fucking didn't, you should know better than to blindly trust tumblr users on anything.

i'm gonna be honest i don't get why they say everypony instead of everybody in mlp. it's not like the word everybody is human-specific. the ponies have bodies. the word everypony, however, is pony-specific in a world where ponies are not the only people in their society, which means it would be more accurate and inclusive to use everybody instead of everypony. it all makes no sense to me

[thewertsearch]

@hussianphilosopher submitted: Sally - longtime lurker, first time poster, big fan. I'm perpetually amazed by how thoughtful you are about Homestuck and how well you understand it for a first-time reader (you might be surprised how many people watch Cascade and don't actually understand that the Green Sun was just created, much less immediately put together everything Doc Scratch said and did that led up to it!). The high point of the liveblog for me was the whole arc of you being confused about how predestination in Homestuck worked, because, essentially, you had already figured out that the alpha timeline existed before the alpha timeline was introduced. You were confused about the story for a while because you understood it too well, too quickly! As someone who engages with the story similarly to you, on both the character level and the deep story/analysis level, I want to make what is a pretty contrarian argument these days: that the Epilogues are A. good, and B. canon. They're a tough read for sure, but I think someone who reads the story as deeply and pays as much attention as you do will really appreciate what they're trying to do. The Epilogues were also the last time that Hussie was directly involved with the story, and I think if you read them now it's very clear that the story is the culmination of ideas he was thinking about from very early in Homestuck (He said for years before the comic finished that he planned some kind of epilogue). The whole "dubiously canon" concept was part of a failed experiment on his part to try to step away and empower the fandom - the people who actually worked on the comic in that era always treated it as canon and referred to it as such. I consider the Epilogues the final canonical chapter of Homestuck - at a bare minimum I think it should be thought of as Hussie's take on a post-Homestuck fanfic, and I think it deserves attention. Of course I also think the story is good and interesting, which a lot of people don't, so, it's all a matter of opinion, but, as someone who's been following your liveblog and respects your reading of the comic a lot, I wanted to at least throw my hat into the ring on the subject. Incredibly excited to see what you make of act 6!

I really appreciate this honest, impassioned, genuine defense of the Epilogues. It's not the only one I've been sent, either - and quite a few of the others have also cited my analytical style as a reason why I might get more out of them than I realize. I can't pretend I'm not at least a little intrigued.

I've been thinking a lot about Homestuck's tie-in material while drafting my response to this message, and after some serious consideration, I've decided that I'm going to change my planned approach to the Epilogues.

I originally planned to read it in a more casual, less analytical manner, and potentially transition to a full liveblog if and only if I'm sufficiently engaged. Instead, however, I'm going to do the opposite, respecting the faith its defenders have in it by giving it the complete liveblogger's treatment from the very beginning.

I reserve the right to transition back to a casual read if I'm not enjoying myself, of course! But, rest assured, I'll only do that after giving the Epilogues a real, good-faith college try.

[miwiheroes]

Hii

I am a mileven shipper comoletely open to byler, so I watched the lawyer vid

And all the things are pretty convincing but...I don't think Mike was jealous in the airport scene, because then he would have known the painting Will was doing was for him, but instead, even Finn confirmed Mike was clueless about it, so maybe Mike was just...idk....distant from Will and only was trying to rebuild their friendship, remember that he tried to call Will and Will never called him, so maybe he thought Will was mad at him and that's the reason he acts that way, plus Cara said thah you only see a friendship evolving so uhm- idk, ty for reading this and I hope you can adress this "doubt" I have

Hi!

El said in her letter 'I think there is someone he likes, because he has been acting 'weird'", which is for the benefit of the audience's view of Mike's emotions later on.

That's the first mention of the painting, and it's already established that it's an object with romantic intentions (but it's to the audience). So when the viewer sees Will holding the painting in the airport, they get the inkling that Will likes Mike, because it's for him, and he's been acting weird about it.

As for Mike's feelings about the painting.... you're not supposed to know.

Let's lay out the facts of the painting storyline here:

He doesn't want to hug Will at the airport.

He panics when he sees a painting that he has been told is is maybe for a girl.

He pretends to ignore Will all day and is overly affectionate with El (but then the viewer finds out he has actually taken notice of everything he's done).

He is annoyed when Will accuses him of not reaching out.

He feels like he lost Will.

When Will has more confidence in his relationship with Mike he takes the painting with him in his bag.

When Mike finds out the painting is for him he is amazed.

When he finds out that 'el commissioned it' he's confused.

From the Rink o Mania fight, we find out that Mike has been paying attention to Will all day and claims that it ruined the whole day. We also see him offended that Will's annoyed he didn't call, and he's offended that Will didn't call. He asks 'why am I the bad guy?' as if to accuse Will of doing the same thing that he's being accused of.

So, back to the original point about him being jealous. Yes, he is. He saw that Will had made a painting, and then he asks nervously what the painting is (the tone of his voice makes it sound like he already has some idea, but just wants confirmation). Will then brushes it off.

I don't think his non-hug and the painting are linked, I think the reason he didn't hug him is because he didn't want to feel something yknow. He romanticises any sort of interaction with Will, and he doesn't want to show his true feelings in front of everyone.

When Will brushes it off, he is instantly no longer interested. Miscommunication occurs, because while Will never said 'it's not for you', Mike assumes it's not for him because of the way that Will doesn't bring any attention to it, and makes it seem unimportant. The reason he's jealous is because yeah, he did just get confirmation that El could be right.

SOOOO when Will attacks Mike for not calling, Mike gets angry because he's like 'well you did the same thing by moving on with someone else' aka painting for someone else . (Will giving Mike his drawings has always been their thing as well, so it hurts even more that its not for him this time). That is why he later apologises by saying 'I feel like I lost you'. It is his explanation for why he got annoyed at him in Rink o Mania. The 'I feel like I lost you' basically means he was jealous and a self-pitying idiot (his words lmao), and has decided to own up to things and say that Will didn't deserve that. That was why he got angry in the first place. Because he felt like he had lost Will to someone else. So yes he was jealous.

To make this romantic.... is easy. El in the beginning could have easily said he's painting it for someone, maybe he's painting it for a friend, but Mike heard that it's specifically for someone Will likes, so the fact he feels like he lost Will to someone in a romantic sense, means that he also wants him romantically. He never gets this possessive when Dustin or Lucas get girlfriends.

Now, when the painting gets given to Mike again: He realises it is for him and gets super excited. Will doesn't need to tell him explicitly it's for him, because it's a painting of their DND characters.

But when Will said that El commissioned it, we can see the weirdness and the uneasiness on his face, because he's having an internal conflict that the audience cannot see. And again, WE ARENT SUPPOSED TO OKAY

Finn Wolfhard was also confused about this interaction, asking the Duffer Brothers why Mike's so clueless here. (he said this at a con or interview or something) He's also said in the past that Mike does not know about Will loving him. When asked, the Duffer Brothers responded with: "Don't worry, it'll pay off in the end". Meaning we will eventually know what Mike was thinking/ Mike will find out the truth. And the fact it's being dragged over 2 seasons and left for the final one, means it's important.

oof okay sorry that was such a RANTTT AHH but seriously, he was definitely sad about Will making the painting possibly for someone else, shown in his anger in the Rink o Mania fight, and the fact he said he thought he had lost him as a reason for his anger.

As for your comment about Cara? That is not what she said. You're saying that she said 'You only see a friendship evolving', which is not what she said.

She says "Mike goes on his own journey... and Will is not ready to grow up and leave that friendship." then she says, "So I think in season 5....' which Noah looks at her very suspiciously about, so she says something else.

She then says (keeping in mind the Season 5 comment), "Cause I know that as an actor, you're thinking about things as you're approaching it from an actor's perspective" THEN SHE SAYS "But i think from a story perspective, you just see like a friendship evolving" "People come apart and they come together"

Then Noah begins to say "And I will say that..." and then goes "No im not gonna say anything."

What does this mean? Well, she's saying that as actors, they know what is going to happen to Mike and Will in season 5. But from the audience's perspective, they may only see a friendship evolving. In season 5 that might change. She's not saying 'oh they only have a friendship' no no, she's describing the fact they're changing, and describing what the audience likely sees and what the audience may be confused about. Also this is a FRIENDS TO LOVERS ARC,,,,, of course they are sometimes going to be described as having a friendship.

and dont take the actors words as gospel! they were put on the spot anyways and dont have time to figure out everything they wanna say

[dammit-tazmuir]

It's also coming from a Pyrrha who knew Wake died with a baby that Pyrrha believed for two decades was hers.

Hers or G1deon's, I guess, but honestly? G1deon was "legendarily unamorous", and coupled with Wake's "later I kissed him before I knew what you were", I personally get the impression G1deon was aroace-spec of a recipro-variety, where the sheer intensity of Wake's attraction and confidence with which she acted like they were already intimate sparked something in him. (Even then, I have to wonder if he might have been more chaste than Pyrrha?) Point is though, from Pyrrha's perspective, there'd be a solid case to see any conceived kid as still hers regardless of who was fronting, even if the body sharing wasn't already enough to nullify any distinction.

Pyrrha spent nineteen years grieving a child she thought was hers only to find out the kid was alive (and now isn't, but kind of is, but it's complicated) but not hers, but she's still Wake's child and that still means something. And also, far more than Pyrrha realized, this kid is the thing Wake died for. The thing she and G1deon were ordered to kill Wake for. The Bomb with which she'd wanted to damn near literally rig the universe to explode, that she was so determined to procure she grew it with her own body for nine grueling months. Gideon is the single most Landmine People thing Wake ever did incarnate.

And then when Pyrrha does meet her (but she's not who she thought, but also not as dead as she thought, but also holy shit she's WHAT now? and JOHN'S?) they get all of a few minutes to actually talk as they're trying not to die (again for real this time, or maybe worse in the River), and THEN, for all Pyrrha knows, she might have lost her AGAIN, IMMEDIATELY. And she spends six months "playing mother and father" to a kid who does not look like Wake and is not the young woman she so briefly met but may or may not have part of the same soul? And it turns out she doesn't (unless), and she loves Nona as Nona even when she grows to understand she's Alecto, but Gideon is still around and once again sporting that fiery red hair.

AND FROM GIDEON'S PERSPECTIVE...

:/ Some dead chick who apparently could hijack her necro's body used that to bang her mom (who was not only apparently a huge dick but managed to betray Gideon's trust beyond anything she could have ever imagined despite having been dead for all but one day of Gideon's entire life) and for some reason thinks that gives her any kind of connection to Gideon. Like, okay??? Even her mom didn't see her as a daughter, why the fuck is this bitch trying to all of a sudden? Plus she just got one new parent and frankly he kinda sucks but he's God and he actually makes her feel special and important. At least he didn't know she existed! Pyrrha can't say the same! Hell, Pyrrha basically killed Gideon once already (or might literally have but ya know, Jesus). And she wants to, what, just be buddy-buddy now? Because she had the hots for Gideon's mom? Shut the fuck up.

As we the audience sit recognizing how insanely good and healing for each other they could be if they really got the chance and not knowing for sure if they ever will. I hate it here.

the miscommunication between Pyrrha and Gideon is killing me. when Pyrrha brings up Wake, she is saying "your mother was important to me, I wanted to be someone important to you too. I still do". but Wake is a sore spot for Gideon! the very first thing we learn about her is that she loves her mother, she goes down to talk to her bones one last time. Gideon survived the Ninth believing that at least her mother loved her

and then she is proven wrong! Wake had her just to kill her, didn't even name her, instead calling her Bomb! she is mourning the idea of a mother and every time Pyrrha brings up fucking Wake, an awkward way to show she cares, it's just another reminder that her mother never loved her. I need to hug her so bad

[11queensupreme11]

Hey Queen, I know you’ve talked about the PJO vs. ROR power scale multiple times, but I have a question.

If Percy were to recreate her fight with PJO Ares, except with ROR Ares, could she win? (I mean current Percy, not 12-year-old Percy.) Or would she lose?

If she did win, would it be because Ares let her or because another god (*cough* *cough* the Yanderes, Zeus, Shiva, Adam, and Adamas *cough* *cough*) interfered? Would they stop the fight, take down Ares for her, or team up with her?

Also, if one of the yanderes saw her fight Ares, which ones would join her, stop the match, or fight/kill Ares for her?

this fight would never happen for two reasons: one, percy knows that the yans would lose their shit and actually KILL POOR ARES and she actually really likes ror!ares so she doesn't want him dead 😭 and two, ARES ISN'T SUICIDAL, HE KNOWS FIGHTING PERCY IS A DEATH SENTENCE VIA THE YANS 😭😭😭😭😭😭

(and also, heracles would be disappointed in him 🥺 he'd be like "brother.... why would you attack a child? that's our baby cousin! 😔")

BUT if they, for some reason, had to fight ares would let her win solely because he doesn't wanna get killed by the yans 😂 he'd see it as a play-battle tbh like "oh my baby cousin wants to fight me?? okay, i'll let her stab me and fall to the floor dramatically, that should entertain her without her dad killing me right???". basically, think of those cute vides with the little kids pretending to be heroes and their parent is acting as the villain who gets "slain" by them.

realistically tho, percy isn't winning 💀 ares is a god, she's not winning against a god. and yes, i know i knowwwwww percy beat pjo!ares before but that was a physical sword-fight under the "whoever draws blood first wins" rule. if it was an actual to the death fight, percy would've died in an instant in literally soooo many ways. he could just smite her, he could've just shifted to his true form and incinerate her, turn her into a rat and stomp on her, etc.

rick found creative ways to nerf any deity percy (and tbh, other main demigods) went against in the books; ares wasn't taking him seriously and they had a physical fight with a "blood draw" rule, hyperion had the satyrs helping him, artemis and the hunters helped him with atlas, kronos was stuck in luke's body and wasn't in full power yet, even in his fight against hades he admits to himself that he KNOWS he can't really permanently hurt hades... you get what i mean. percy is awesome and op, but if he was going up against a god in a REAL fight, realistically he is not winning he'd be curb-stomped soooo bad. excuse the power-scaling reddit language 💀 but these are almighty GODS that could kill him with just a thought. poseidon even almost did so on accident 💀

speaking of reddit, i once saw a reddit post saying that percy could've beat full-powered KRONOS and that poor dude got flamed so bad lmao 💀💀 and then another saying he could beat zeus, and even one that mentioned him beating CHAOS????????

[acourtofthought]

After the Az bonus chapter came out, people were floored with his POV because it didn’t match the character they had created in their head. They said SJM destroyed his character. He was out of character blah blah blah. How was he out of character if SJM wrote that. He was always that way but hid it so well.

Now we have Elaine… again we have fans already saying she is easy to read and we already know who she is. According to some- she’s oh so in love with Az and happy with her sisters and hates Lucien.

I cannot tell you how excited I am for her pov to come out and her inner thoughts do not match the sweet gardener vibes on the outside. How she wants out of the NC and to explore the world. When she confesses she cannot look at Lucien because he’s too damn beautiful and everyone will smell her arousal.

What will people say then hahaha

YUP. Az wasn't out of character in his own POV, he's exactly who he's always been and Sarah was simply reminding us of the duality of how he's been written. Az has the potential for humor, he has the potential for kindness and patience, he has the potential for being a decent a likeable guy. But he also has the potential for some pretty intense rage, to show irrational and immature reactions, for his habitual behavior of placing certain women on an unsustainable pedestal while he drives himself deeper into a place of low self esteem and lack of self worth as he obsesses over them. That contrast in him was a bit shocking while in his own POV and I think it made many people feel uneasy with him but again, that is him. We witnessed it in how he acted with Mor in ACOWAR and the novella and it was continued throughout SF. I think it was just easier for people to ignore when he wasn't the main focus. And with Elain? Same. I don't doubt that Elain is still going to be sweet and loving but that doesn't mean she can't also be sassy and ready to clap back when someone sets off her temper. We've just rarely seen her in an environment (at least not until SF) where others don't treat her like she needs to be handled with kid gloves but when things got real (like we saw with her fight with Nesta) she was very real too. If Elain is happy in the NC, if it's obvious to Nesta and Feyre that Az and Elain are meant to be together and that it's clear Elain has feelings for him, if her best friends forever are Nuala and Cerridwen and that she truly has zero interest / attraction to Lucien, then why haven't we had Elain's POV? That seems a bit odd, right? If we already know everything we need to know about Elain's current state of mind then why all the secrecy? The only reason an author hides a characters inner thoughts is because their thoughts don't necessarily line up with their actions and that's exactly why Sarah left out Rhys's POV in ACOMAF. She wanted the knowledge of his feelings for Feyre and their bond (and that everything he did was for the good of Velaris / Prythian) to be a secret so that when it all came out in chapters 54 / 55, we were shocked in the best of ways. If Elain doesn't have anything to hide and we know all we need to know about her happiness and who she wants, then why has every other character who's speculated to have a book or novella received a POV but her? Lucien, Mor, Cassian, Rhys, Az, Nesta. No Elain though.

[littlesparklight]

I in general do kind of headcanon that Tithonos being taken by Eos is part of why Laomedon was so monumentally stupid in his treatment of Poseidon and Apollo.

BUT IMAGINE the additional anger if one goes with Euripides' implied parentage in the Trojan Women, where Ganymede is a son of Laomedon as well. First one son is taken, then the other, and then he has to deal with these gods?

Like sure, divinely built wall, awesome, and yes, he did get compensation when it comes to Ganymede but - still.

And then.

And THEN

some fucking Achaean barbarian has the STOMACH to demand that same compensation he was given for his son, as payment for his aid and not something more reasonable. I mean. I'd tell Herakles to get packing when he tries to cash in on the horses too, then.

(Like, again, I headcanon that Herakles asking for the horses even in the regular situation where Tros is the father is still highly rude and far too much to ask/demand for his help. But it gains extra verve if Laomedon is the bereaved father, no matter that Ganymede becoming Zeus' cupbearer is an honour. You've still lost a son.)

[ropebunnykant]

#liz im gonna be so real. as interesting as this is i think this is the first time i actually disagree w u#not even necessarily on the religious stuff but more on the bison stuff. bc i get a completely different read on him tbh#like i just don't think i would ever describe him as someone who enjoys killing ppl. 100% he has a violent streak in him#but imo that's not bc he has some inherent penchant towards violence that brings him joy but rather as a result of his upbringing#under lilly's roof. and also bc he's unstable as hell but i think that's also bc of lilly and probably what happened to his parents too#but i don't at all think he enjoys killing ppl. like one of the first things we're told abt him is that he wants out! he's so vocal abt it!#like he always wants to get things over and done with and get out asap! it's fadel who's meticulous and concerned! bison has always seemed#completely detached from the killing to me. the only time we saw emotion that kinda leans that way was in that first honeypot scene#but that imo that was a power thing and not a violence thing. and i think the fact that he FANTASIZES abt doing all these violent things#but in actuality does none of them proves that. he was angry and hurt and defaulted to extreme violence bc that's all he knows atp#but the reality is he did none of it. he easily could have. but he didn't bc he's NOT inherently violent in that way. he just doesn't know#how else to process his hurt. violence is all he HAS. like i don't think he was delighting in it at all i think he's just fucked up lmao#and while i agree that fadel is suspicious of lilly imo bison has always been presented as the thorn in her side#he's the one who questions her. who gets annoyed w her. who doesn't seem to give much of a fuck if the job gets done or not#he's the one who wants to get away and VOICES it. to her face. and while i do think that fadel probably KNOWS more#he's lowkey completely under her thumb in a way bison isn't. he doesn't wanna question her or doubt her and he doesn't want bison to either#now that could be bc he KNOWS she's crazy but either way i just completely disagree w the implication that bison is closer w lilly!#i think she KEEPS him close and butters him up more precisely BECAUSE she knows if she doesn't keep him docile he could be#a v big problem for her. fadel can be trusted to stay in line. bison can't be. so she HAS to give him extra attention. does that make sense#so while i do agree that bison believes what she says and takes what she tells them abt these 'bad people' at face value#imo that's more of a symptom of him just. not caring enough to question it than it is him wholeheartedly believing she's 100% honest#i'm so sorry 😞 u know i love u but this post was just not it for me </3

tags by @sunsetsover

first of all NEVER apologize for disagreeing with me, we're allowed to have varying opinions as long as we can be respectful about it which you very much were and i appreciate and adore the additions because i think you bring up some good points, even if we do clearly disagree. i'm gonna explain my personal reasoning for thinking the way i do, but my intention isn't necessarily to change your mind, just to back up my own thoughts on this because obviously i have reasons for viewing bison the way i do.

first of all, i absolutely agree that bison's violent streak is a result of his upbringing - and i actually would argue that his upbringing is also what led him to have a delight in it, which i do still stand by. because while i agree the instance we see in the first episode is very much also about power, i think it is also about the act of killing. to me, he has always seemed to be in a pretty positive state of mind when they're on the job, and while maybe that is just his way of detaching from it, i don't think he would involve himself so heavily in certain instances if that was the case. i've had this belief about him since episode one tbh, but i think what truly cemented it for me that bison enjoys it, was strangely enough, this gif that antania @riggerbison made from episode six.

to me, this gif is a PERFECT representation of how both fadel and bison cope with the killing and violence they enact (and yes, i know they don't actually kill these guys, but the point stands!). because on the one hand we have fadel, standing straight up, detaching himself from it, not looking at the guy at all. and then we have bison, cradling his guy to his chest, looking right at him, even looking like he's making those soft, sarcastic "hey it's okay" noises you see so often in this kind of media. and to your point, i think you can totally view this as bison also enjoying the power in it as well, but i also think the two are linked in a lot of ways. especially because canonically, bison is a sadist! we know, in great detail, the fact that he gets off on hurting someone else. and while obviously there's a difference between hurting someone in a safe and controlled environment and hurting them to kill them or inflict real damage, i don't think (SPECIFICALLY IN BISON'S CASE!) that the two are entirely divorced from one another, either.

i also don't think this is negated by the fact that bison wants to get out, either. antania and i actually talked about this back just after episode two, but bison's desire to get out is less about not finding enjoyment in the violence and the killing, it's the fact that he has no freedom. bison is someone that has never had control and he desperately, desperately craves it, so of course he wants to get out from under the thumb of someone who forces him into a life of isolation. because that has ALWAYS been bison's main complaint. if memory serves me correctly, he actually only directly states he doesn't want to kill people anymore once, and that's in his outburst to fadel in episode three. and i'm not saying that he's lying there, but i think the fact that the sentence is almost immediately followed "i want a boyfriend!" tells us that it's not actually because he doesn't like the killing aspect, and far more about the fact that he wants a social life. he wants friends, he wants a boyfriend, he wants to be open and honest with those people in his life. but those two things directly contradict each other and while maybe bison does enjoy the killing aspect, it's certainly not enough to rid him of his desire to have a community.

and i do agree bison is the thorn in lilly's side! but i don't think that comes from suspicion, i think it comes from again, a desire for freedom. i don't think bison views lilly as evil or doesn't believe the things she tells him, i think it again comes from his desire for control. i also think he's ALLOWED to be the thorn in her side because again, he's portrayed (at least from the limited scenes we've seen) as her favorite. like she has a soft spot for him. and i actually agree, like you said, i think it likely comes off that way BECAUSE she knows she has to butter him up so he won't make the wrong moves. but i also think it gives him more leeway than say, fadel, who while more visibly obedient, is also the one that will openly lie to her, will make sure bison keeps things from her, and he's the one that we suspect has already disobeyed her once before. i think the difference isn't so much who's more under her thumb so much as it is who is more strategic about her. and i think the fact that fadel is more strategic about his approach, while bison is willing to be vocal, does show which one of them actually trusts her more. if bison didn't have some level of respect and trust for her, he wouldn't be willing to speak up at all - he'd go behind her back more readily in the same way fadel does. because fadel is the one going behind her back and around her - and that's infinitely more dangerous than the person letting her know upfront what he thinks.

obviously i don't expect you to suddenly change your opinion, but i do hope this explains my thoughts on it all better :)

just woke up in a cold sweat because i think i’ve realized exactly what all the fucking religious symbolism is actually pointing out and like hoooooly shit. holy shit.

the fact that bison wears a jesus shirt in his fantasies of killing kant has been nagging me since the moment i realized it and i think i’ve realized why it is - and the reason for all of the things pointing towards and symbolizing bison as jesus.

it’s because that’s how bison views himself. not as actually jesus and the second coming, no, but he views himself as righteous, as a reckoning for all these people that they kill. he believes their mother when he says they only kill bad people, and that’s why he gets so much enjoyment out of it, why he involves himself far more in it than fadel, who always detaches himself. it’s why he delights in the idea of killing kant now, fantasizes about it, because he thinks that’s what’s right. kant betrayed him, and he’s a good person. he’s righteous. so that means kant deserves to die for it.

and that’s why kant is judas the betrayer AND john the beloved. because when bison knows it’s coming and turns a blind eye, he views himself the same way as jesus turning a blind eye to judas’s betrayal. and he’s the one the makes kant into john the beloved finding the tomb empty first because he hides from him (notably after kant had confessed to not wanting to lie to bison anymore)!

bison views himself as righteous. as jesus.

but he’s not. because jesus would never take joy in killing anyone. jesus would never have fun with it, in the same way bison does. and even if he did, jesus wouldn’t want to stop to date.

but you know who doesn’t take joy in any of it? who detaches himself from it? who seems, in the very least, suspicious of their mother?

you know who’s birthday is on christmas?

fadel. and if fadel is jesus… then bison can’t be. actually, i think that might make bison far closer to judas the betrayer. and that’s just awfully poetic, isn’t it? because didn’t judas think he was doing the right thing, too, when he sold jesus out? when he took money in exchange for telling the soldiers which one jesus was? just like bison thought he was doing the right thing when he told kant to get fadel off his back. just like he exchanged his brother for a lover and took them both down in the process.

[dykedvonte]

Its really interesting that Jimmy’s chair is the one tilted away from the screen in this shot:

It’s indicative of how his and Jimmy’s dynamic was. He’s not staring ahead at the screen, he’s not paying attention to what they are doing. Curly is the only one looking forward. Jimmy quite literally couldn’t see the responsibility Curly had or was doing. Jimmy likely slacked off and avoided most of his duties. I mean the one time we know he pilots the Tulpar he steers it wrong and loses the team 4000 credits. Even in the positions they held objectively, Curly was always taking responsibility for Jimmy. Not to mention the “We can fix this” and only one chair at attention. Jimmy never had intentions to fix anything, throughout the game, throughout his entire relationship with Curly. Curly always fixed it? Why would it be any different here?

If he even took the slightest bit of responsibility, he would’ve stayed in the cockpit to see his plan through. In the end Curly did what Jimmy always expected him to do for him and took responsibility. Did what he always did and took responsibility at the wrong time…

[whereispearlescentmoon]

@solidwater05 @tinapaysmp I felt like I had to add to this in a reblog rather than a reply.

I had no idea that she was supposed to be evil in his POV originally because I hadn’t watched it (Pearl’s double life pov was the first life series thing I ever saw). So I was legit baffled when he came out swinging with “She’s been corrupting you this entire time!” Because to me it’s just baffling that anyone could think that. In Pearl’s pov is very clear that she is a deeply sad individual who is going a little cooky in isolation. I’m not going to comment on whether or not it’s proper RP etiquette to put that kind of storyline on someone, but I think Martyn may have made a bit of a blunder there definitely. We do have to remember that the players generally don’t watch each others POVs. It’s entirely possible Martyn has never seen Pearl’s double life POV and doesn’t know how events went down from her eyes.

In Martyn’s defense, the whole server kind of wrote her off as evil and deranged, hence why she kind of descended into full bloodthirsty when she was red. She ended up playing into what other people thought of her because she couldnt disprove it.

It also helps that part of her whole “going insane” arc is genuinely Martyn’s fault. He didn’t have to ditch her and blame her for the whole divorce thing in the first episode when going to the nether was his idea. He chose to not team up with her and to instead say it was her fault and try to chase after Cleo. So you could almost see it as him trying to deflect blame by blaming something supernatural rather than himself.

I also think that Martyn and Ren are maybe even larger contributors to the whole Scarlet Pearl thing than even Scott or Cleo. Ren called her a demon and said she had wickedness within her and brought death wherever she went after she did something admittedly reckless, but completely standard for the Life Series. And then Martyn played into it with the whole dog log thing, acting like Pearl was some evil spirit to be summoned via ritual. I think the only reason Pearl even entertained Martyn and Ren’s team up idea (however briefly) was out of sheer loneliness. But ultimately would that team up have even been worth it if it’s with two people who saw her as somehow supernaturally evil for literally no reason? She wasn’t even red at that point, no one had a real reason to fear her.

The Tilly being evil thing is, like you said, Martyn fully misunderstanding a situation and rashly deciding he knows the solution to a problem that doesn’t exist. I’ve said it before but Martyn plays extremely impulsively. Of course he tried to kill something he didn’t understand.

Listen I love Martyn’s watcher lore and his narratives as much as the next guy but there’s two instances of his lore straight up failing that I find extremely funny, and that you would would only really know if you’ve watched these two povs. Again, cannot emphasize enough, I love Martyn’s lore and he can do whatever he wants and it’s fun when other creators play into it (Jimmy being the best example) but it’s also very funny when they just don’t.

The first example is when he created that little story that actually Tilly was evil and corrupting Pearl into becoming Scarlet/Red/5 AM Pearl. This of course failed because he had no way of knowing that Tilly had already died when he went to fight Pearl in the finale, as only the owner of a wolf sees their death message. Also, the fandom at large rejected it because from Pearl’s POV, Tilly is her soulmate and her best friend, and is absolutely not evil.

The second is that Gem has her own Life Series lore, which again is only in her POV, that goes directly against his. Gem’s lore, which exists through her Empires and Hermitcraft series as well, is that she remembers literally everything and is willingly traveling across worlds to do things. So the whole “people are made to play the games and also don’t have emotions tied to the previous ones” doesn’t apply to her because she is just willingly participating and still feels exactly the same. Hence her intense beef with Pearl in Wild Life because she remembers Secret Life and the emotions connected to it. You could try to fit this into Martyn’s lore by making her a watcher or a listener, but it’s funnier to me if she’s just a special exception.

Honorable mention to ZombieCleo, Smajor, and Pearl who have also disproven the whole “no emotional ties to previous games” thing multiple times by being deeply emotional towards each other and towards other players about things that have happened in previous games. Cleo literally still felt bitter at Impulse for 3rd Life at the beginning of Wild Life and that’s beautiful.

[skeletalheartattack]

[aroaessidhe]

2024 reads / storygraph

The Sword of Kaigen

standalone fantasy set in a rural mountain village at the edge of an empire that still holds traditional values, with families of powerful water/ice magic warriors

follows a powerful young heir who begins to question his beliefs about the empire when a new boy comes to his village from the city

and his mother, a housewife who has tried to forget her youth as a warrior and vigilante in the city since she moved back home to a loveless marriage

when there’s a violent attack on their village that they’re unprepared for, everything changes, and she has to embrace her old skills to protect her family and people

[spotaus]

Okay okay, rb time!!

For context (I was going to reply I'm the comments but it got too long lmao-)

You are such a genius in motivations, I swear! And the way you wrote in each situation was so so tasty too. Like, Fresh being in the woods so often that he wasn't sure what Error liked to do to relax that first weekend? And then the next one. Ough. Error trying to reach out, reassure himself that Fresh doesn't hate him (because at that point he was obviously looking for comfort in the absence of Geno + the awkward previous weekend) and Fresh, not noticing that end of things, continuously pulling away?? Ofc it's to protect him, but Error doesn't know that!!

And the letter was such a good touch as well! Fresh acting as soon as he possibly could (Also the shade thrown at Fresh by the academy lmao-) but it still being too late, almost exactly paralleling the situation between him and Error? His pause before he read the rest of it? Revealing Monday??

(Side note: Fresh looking for Error was heartbreaking. Like, not even the town search, just inside the house. It gave me the vibes of being a lil kid and going to look for my parents in the house w/o realizing they went to the store or were out in the yard. Progressively getting more anxious the more rooms you search? The quieter it is? Ough poor Fresh... (and probably poor Error, because I have to imagine he did the same thing...) Oh and the fact that the three of them shared a room makes so much sense for the story, but is also so sweet! Do you think when Fresh is camping he lets his beasts curl up near him because he misses his brothers? That Error likes the tower because he's finally alone in his own space, but sometimes still naps in his hammocks in occupied rooms because the tower feels empty? That Geno sometimes wakes up at Reaper's glancing around, doing that tired check-in on his brothers? That he panicked for a split second when they're not there, just to remember that they're not living together anymore, and instead he finds himself alone or by Reaper's side? Do you think he checks on Reaper like that sometimes, or when he's particularly feeling worried he rolls out of bed to check on Fresh in his room? Consult the crystal ball to see Error? Okay I'll stop-)

Anyways, yes, Error had plenty of reason to convince himself to leave after Fresh's odd behavior!

And his travel path too! Fresh searching through town was a treat! Long Furby inclusion, him searching the alleyways (and the encounter with the guy who tried to mug him, draining some of his natural magic unintentionally, proof to the reader that it *is* actually dangerous, tasty!!!), the dangerous hill with the hungry beasts (and Fresh slipping felt like a perfect little addition. Even in his own element, he's tripping and stumbling just trying to find answers-), the wrapper that seems super old and is still the newest scent marker?? Fun!! And Fresh's magic manifestation, is awesome too, the trail he could faintly see, track, and follow. His concern about the entertainment distract too, gut-wrenching!

And ofc tye bit about Orchard again!! I didn't mention it initially but the bit about Whistling being so close was fun and gave me the chills (smth about how you wrote it, even if I wasn't the one who made them I think I'd still be spooked!). And Fresh being able to recognize the damage as sonething Error was capable of. Of smth he little brother had definitely done. (I skipped it but the mention of Fresh only being gone a few days and finding a parasite l, Error being gone for a week in comparison, it's so tasty...) And asking about it, only for Orchard's natural hatred of other kingdoms to shine through? Between that and slight linguistics differences? All of it? Fresh believing Error had been killed feels SO right!!!

Oh, and, slight side-note? I think the other reason the scent trail ends there, aside from Error having gotten into the carriage and no longer traveling on foot, might have to do with the fact that Nightmare's magic just Does Things sometimes. Like, if he wanted Error to go unnoticed by the crowd (ex. Anyone seeking him out)? His magic might've done something subconsciously. The handshake masking Error in some way. Like, next time they meet, Fresh notices Error's scent is different. Just ever so slightly, and not because he's been living in the castle. But idk about that haha! Just another fun idea to play with- (Like, Horror notices it once he starts working with Night that his own scent is slightly different too. And it matches, somehow, with Killer and Dust's-)

And ohhhhh, Fresh searching?? I think you're right that he's really really in denial. He's expecting, in his soul, to pick up the trail again when passing a guard or some peasant cemetery, but he's hoping he'll stumble into his little brother as he keeps looking. Alive. And when he finally admits it to Geno? Yeag, I don't think he'd be able to bring himself to say it, that Error was dead. He knows that Geno was always looking out for the both of them, but Error was both of their pride and joy. (Geno genuinely doesn't have favorites between his brothers, but Fresh knows that and would still willingly let Error be the favorite sibling haha-) It would break Geno's heart to know Error was dead. Fresh knows Geno is strong, but he doesn't want his brother to fall down, so he 'lies'. Besides. Geno was always the better older brother. If anyone could make a miracle happen, find Error after months missing? It'd be him. He found Fresh, after all.

And!!! Bonus thought!! Because I just realized it. Fresh isn't actively doing harm in his searching, aside from, y'know, scrumptious meals from passerby. But he'd be around Orchard, probably wouldn't leave until he finally has to tell Geno what happened, and then he moves to Sanctuary when Geno says Reaper will help them. So, in the meantime? All the Knights have been recruited (even if Cross is still a trainee) and Error is comfy cozy up in his tower. The Knights still have missions. All the time. Do. Do you think Fresh ever got a slight whiff of Error's scent again? Wafting off a location the Knights had been in? Like, it wouldn't be often, but it'd be something to tell Geno, right? Hotspot? Signs of their brother, no matter how faint? He wasn't there, but someone who'd been near him, or his things, had been. And ofc that leads Reaper to assume the worst (trafficking rings) but the spies report their contacts are missing, the black market seems to have either hidden deeper into the darkness, or it was entirely missing. And they can't find out what happened there. Just, little things. Fresh rationalizes it as Error's belongings (backpack, clothes, etc) being toted around by new owners perhaps. Geno is sure there's something up. In reality, it's just Dust, who was chilling in the study around Night and Error, wafting off some of Error's residue magic/scent during his missions lmao-

Okay I'm done now!!! This was so so nice Ancha, thank you????

Gifted Drabble - NewAgeAU - Gone

So. This idea just came to me! And I got cooking! @spotaus I hope you are happy! Because this time?

I am actually AIMING to make this a gutpunch >:D

Enjoy. The middle brother. Fresh :) (Also spot!! I couldn't find the art you did on Fresh so i had to wing it a litle bit lmao!)

Also warning. Unbetad and unedited :D

*-----------------------*

Fresh is running through the streets.

He is an idiot and a horrible brother.

He just thought!

Fresh groans as he taps his foot. Very impatiently waiting for the bridge to lower to pass the canal. Heck!! The night before he had been convinced it was still Wednesday! He had been planning on leaving towards home on Thursday morning so he would be home before the evening to do some grocery shopping.

To make sure he was prepared for when Error came home for the weekend from school.

Only! To realise when the morning actualyl hit! That it was Friday already! He was late! So very late!

The bridge is finally down and he rushes over it, pushing other people aside to make room as he runs down the streets.

Fresh is an idiot!!

He promised Error that he would be there when Error came home! That they would do the home chores on the Friday he got home and to get some nice pick up to eat! Then the whole Saturday would be for them to enjoy and hang out with before Fresh would have to walk his little brother to the ride back to his school!

Fresh had just... He had been so nervous. The first weekend that Geno had been gone. That it had just been Fresh and Error... Fresh hadn't known what to do. Fresh is so used to being out and about and now he had to step up as older brother instead of just letting Geno do it.

In his defence! Geno is really good at it. and Fresh is very unsave. Which is very unrad of an older brother to be.

Fresh jsut... can't help but see his little brother. His baby brother! As a source of energy and food thanks to that rude thing in his skull.

Fresh had been jealous of his own brothers and messed around with something too strong and now he can't even hold his little brother or older brother without fearing he will end up eating their magic and hurting them.

Fresh wanted magic so badly... Well... he got it... and he hates it.

Fresh turns another corner as he rushes home. Making sure not to nudge or touch anyone as he goes. A glance at a passing clock and he winces. It is already past eleven. Error should have gotten home at ten in the morning. meaning his little baby brother had been home alone for the last thirteen hours.

Fresh really is the worst brother...

He promised!! He promised after the disasterous first weekend he would be there for Error the next one! But well, the second weekend Fresh just hadn't known waht to do with Error. They just did chores together and that was it. Fresh just couldn't deal with Error being near. With that thing in his skull just wanting to use Error as a source of food. Error would sit down next to him and Fresh would have to think of another excuse to move away! He didn't even know what to say or what to talk about with Error.

Fresh hadn't wanted this weekend to be the same. He wanted to do better this time. So when Error had been picked up for school Fresh had set out, even if Geno specifically asked Fresh to remain home. Fresh needed to do this! He had been planning to camp deep in the forest to let the parasite thing feed on natural magic. Then by the time it was Wednesday he would be safe to be around! Go home on Thursday and do the chores needed. Then when Error got home on Friday he would have gotten groceries already and be able to at least make him some breakfast to eat while he got his stuff washed. They could check Error's school supplies and make sure his homework was done. Then Friday night they would relax and play some games and eat nice take out food.

The Saterday would have been something fun! Some outing or something and Fresh could give Error the surprise he promised last weekend-

Fresh freezes. He forgot the surprise!! He forgot to get anything!!

Okay. it is fine! Maybe. Maybe they can go get some nice ice cream and go star gazing!! Wait... did Error still enjoy star gazing? Fresh glances up and frowns. Right... rain and cloudy.

Not that either of those matters as stars were hard to see around here... Something about the smoke from the many facturies and the magical and fake lights ruining the nightsky view...

Maybe... Maybe Fresh can take Error out to the forest with him? Go camping! Oh that can still work- Except it can't as Error needs to be home early on Sunday to make sure he is packed for school and on time for his ride.

Why is this so hard?! How did Geno do this so easily?!

He finally gets home and pushes the door open "Error I am so sorry-" the room is dark?

Fresh frowns as he looks around. He doesn't spot Error anywhere and doesn't spot any candles lit. The fireplace isn't even lit. Did... Did Error go to bed- wait he didn't do groceries yet. His little brother went to bed hungry? Not only did Fresh fail with being here he didn't even make sure that Error had stuff to eat!

Fresh groans as he rubs his face. He wnats to smash his own skull against the wall. This is so stupid! He should have!!

Maybe he should have just stayed home. Like Geno asked him to do. To be here in case Error needed him while Geno got their new home ready. But... Fresh had just wanted to do this weekend better. To actually be able to be a brother for once. He had wanted the parasite pacified and...

Fresh goes towards side of the room as he rubs his hands together. It is really cold in here... Why didn't Error start a fire?

Fresh gets to the cabinet holding their firemaking supplies and checks it. Only to find it empty.

Fresh groans as he just lays his face in his hands. Great. Not only did he let his brother come home to an empty house when he promised he would be there. He also left the house bare of both food and fire supplies. Meaning his little brother was not just alone and hurt by Fresh breaking his promise, again. But also was hungry and cold.

He is the worst. He is the worst brother ever.

Fresh looks at the door towards their small shared bedroom. He pushes himself up and inches over. He wants to rush in and apologise. Promise he will be better. But what if Error is asleep? Maybe it is better to let him rest as Fresh tries to fix what he can? Get some groceries and stuff? Maybe he can find Error's bag and clean his things still! Maybe they can still have the whole Saturday at least!

Fresh nods and slowly opens the door. He glances around and frowns. Three empty beds. That... That isn't what he expected. Fresh glances up towards the small string made hammock near the ceiling. Error did enjoy being up high... Fresh inches closer and slowly climbs on top of the bed "Error? are you awake?" barely above a whisper.

Fresh slowly rises to full height as he gathers his nerves to look at his little brother "I am so sorry. I swear i will do better and make it up to you.".

Fresh half expects Error to speak up and remind him that he already promised that twice and failed at it. That Fresh should jsut leave.

But no answer comes.

Fresh finally dares to look into the string nest to meet Error's rage or see his brother sleep peacefully. Only to see no one is there.

Fresh stares at the empty nest. He checks all three beds again. Finding no one. Fresh checks the closet to see if Error hid in there. No one again.

Fresh feels panic start to overtake his soul as he rushes out of the room. Looking around desperately for Error "Error!? Where are you hiding broski!" Fresh looks around and can't help but notice that he doesn't see Error's jacket on the coat hanger. He doesn't see Error's backpack anywhere.

No. No no no no. Maybe... Maybe he jsut got hungry! Maybe he is just getting some food from somewhere!

Fresh rushes towards the kitchen and checks their emergency jar. All the gold that had been in there is gone. Good. Good!! That. That means that Error took the gold to get some food! That is great!

Fresh leans against the counter and sighs in relieve. He can just use the time now to clean some stuff up then. Maybe he can still make this weekend right.

Fresh grins as he looks back to the door to get his bag when he sees it. Some kind of letter on the table. Fresh frowns as he walks over. There is a very thin layer of house dust on it and Fresh brushes it off.

Huh. the seal keeping it close is from the academy. Fresh shrugs as he uses his clawed finger to open the letter. He grabs the paper and with the light from his eye lights reads it.

To Error's Caretaker.

Huh. Right. as they don't have a family name Fresh supposes they would do it like this. Though Fresh is very sure they used to just address Geno directly. Seems like this was their go to when Geno told them Fresh would be serving as main caretaker for Error.

We are regretful to inform you that we have been forced to make the hard decision to expel Error from our esteemed Academy and curriculum.

It was a hard decision but after all that has happened and the past problems Error has had with the easier classes it seems best to not continue Error's education at our establishment.

We understand that this is a shock and for this reason we will allow a grace period where you are able to apply for us to reconsider our decision. If you want to appeal to us make sure to write us a letter before Friday to ensure we have enough time to process your request and prepare a response.

Fresh doesn't even wait. His hands shake as he searches the room for things to write with and finds the smaller magical envelope to send his reply in. He finds some paper and writes the letter as quickly as possible. His soul pounding wildly. He quickly writes how it is a stupid decision as Error is amazing with magic and complex spellwork. That he just doesn't feel challenged in the easier classes and needs something more challenging to keep him engaged in the classes. Fresh makes sure to remind them that Geno is Error's brother and Geno was their best stupid they had ever had with perfect marks for his classes and having been able to craft complex spells beyond even the level of the professors. That Geno reassured them that Error was just as talented in magic and would make unbelieveable things.

Fresh checks his letter quickly. it isn't the best handwriting but that had always been terrible and Fresh doesn't have the time to reconsider. He isn't sure what time it is but he refuses to be too late for this. He puts the letter into the envelope and closes it up by alligning the seal on it. The letter starts to float and twirls around before disappearing.

Fresh quickly grabs the letter and keeps reading.

We understand this is a huge shock but we request you to rememebr that this was not an easy decision for us either.

Fresh glares "Yeah that is just a lie! You guys were always mean and rude and uncool to Error." Just because Error's magic is different and Error uses it differently. He had heard enough talks between Geno and Error this. Maybe Error is hiding soemwhere in the house? Worried Fresh won't get it and will get mad at him?

Which is stupid. Fresh could never be mad at him.

Fresh looks around "Error? I promise and swear I am not mad. These guys are just stupid and unrad for not seeing how amazing and talented and skilled you are!" No answer.

Fresh looks back at the letter and finds where he left off.

We also understand that it will be a shock to have this happen at the start of the week.

His soul feels like it stupid pulsing. No... No...

But we made sure he was brought home safely even if it is much earlier. He will have all of his supplies with him and we have enclosed a list of all of these items. If anything is missing please send a copy of the list included back with a letter to explain the missing item.

Thank you for your understanding Yours truthfully,

Afterwards it is just the principles name but that isn't what catches Fresh's attention. Becuase the date that is next to the signature. To signal this was writen and send with Error to him. Dates back to Monday... Four full days ago.

Error... Error had gotten home on Monday...

Fresh drops the letter as he looks around in a panic. The house doesn't feel lived in. There is some dirt and dust already gathering because nothing was used and it hadn't been aired out. Error's jacket and shoes aren't near the door. Error's bag is gone as well. He took some money.

Fresh runs outside as he whistles loudly.

A rumble from the ground and moments later his beast frees itself from the ground. It doesn't look like any normal animal. It is a strange large worm thing with fur and bright colours. The eyes are strange and it has a beak.

Fresh stares at it "Find Error. Find his scent or trace or trail or anything! As soon as you find it come back to me and lead me there." His large creature tilts its head all the way in a circle much like an owl before disappearing into the ground again.

Fresh meanwhile starts running. He prays Error is by the shops in main street. Maybe he is just hanging aorund the stores to steal things and hide nearby. Fresh knows all three of them have gone that before. Fresh just also knows that gangs tend to hang around there and Fresh does not want one of those heathens to hurt his brother!

He gets there and checks the stores first. Ntohign looks broken into but Error can also do magic to make himself invisible as easy as breathing. Fresh makes sure to be obvious about being there and searching. If Error is watching he may see that Fresh is looking for him and come out? hopefully?

No Error however and Fresh rushes into the alleyways around the stores. Checking every single one carefully. Making sure to grab some guy waiting in said sidestreet. Seeing as the other tried to stab Fresh.

The guy sputters and looks terrified.

Fresh just glares "Who else have you attacked this week?"

The guy sputters and tries to breka free from his hold but Fresh just holds on tighter "Tell. me."

The guy shudders and tries to shrink in on himself "Jsut some humans! Rich folk that had no right to be here! Just stole some money but didn't hurt anyone! I swear!" Fresh can smell the scent of fear. It reeks but a tiny part of himself, the part of his soul that is now directly connected to that parasite, purrs at the scent of fear. Like he is hunting.

Fresh drops the other. Barely taking note of the fact the other looks exhausted and is a lot paler. Fresh leaves the sidepath and looks around. Error isn't here.

Fresh gorans as he rubs his sockets. Trying to think. Where could he have gone. Maybe he went to the hill just out of city limits? On the edge of the forest?

Fresh doesn't like that idea as there are some wild animals and beasts in those forests that can and will try to hunt his brother. Fresh knows that Geno told Error to stay away from there. Fresh still turns and starts running. it is best he checks. just in case.

Getting out of the city always takes a while but getting up the hill is just annoying. It is slippery thanks to the rain and Fresh loses his footing quite a few times.

But he gets there with only a bit of mud on his jacket. It doens't matter however as Fresh searches the area. He doesn't see or smell anything that could suggest Error has been here. Fresh still walks afew steps into the forest to check those just in case.

The amgic had done a lot to him. It had changed him. First and foremost was his connections to animals and his beasts. his new magic affecting the animals that become close to him and turning them into one of his beasts. He has a special connection to them.

But he himself had changed. He was stronger, faster. His senses had improved tenfold if not more. His phalanges having turned sharper and clawlike. The way he could now feed on the magic and energy of others. Steal it like a leech.

There is a good reason Fresh tries to stay away from the city. to stay at a distance from his brothers.

Fresh manages to get back to the city when he hears the sound of digging. Fresh turns and waits with held breath as his worm beast comes out of the ground. It stares at him and Fresh knows it. It has found a trace of Error.

Fresh doesn't even need to give the order. It already knows what Fresh wants and leads him back into the tunnel. The tail at the end closing the hole behind them as Fresh remains on its back.

It is dark and everything smells of dirt and garbage. The city really needs to spend more time on keeping the streets clean.

The worm stops and digs up and Fresh is back on the streets. He ignores the few shouts of fear and running steps as he lands on the ground. He looks around as the fur covered worm raises this small wrapper. Fresh takes it with care and takes adeep breath. It smells of greasy food. a burger. Seems like they used the off brand cheese. But he can also small it. Something that almost smells like strings nad wool of materials Error always carries and his jacket. a very tiny bit of wood which should be his knitting needle. the scent of bones of course. The potent magic that he is so used to smelling and being near.

Fresh frowns. It is old. This is an old trace. He looks back at his worm "This is old." the worm looks a thim and then at the warper and then back at him.

Fresh frowns. This... this is the newest? Fine. Fresh will work with it then. He takes a deep breatha nd concentrates. Trying to filter all the other scents out and just focus on the scnet of his brother.

He opens his eyes and is happy to note his magic is active. The way there is this swirling misty trail int he air. it is weak and barely there but still there. THe scent trail. Fresh looks back at his beast "Keep searching." THe worm digs back into the ground as Fresh runs after the trail.

He rushes through the streets and ignores anyone shouting at him for bumping into them. Fresh looks around as he keeps shouting error's name in the hope of getting his attention.

As he runs it becomes more and more obvious that error had been making his way towards the outskirts. Which. No?! Fresh knows that the... entertainment district is over there! And Fresh does not trust those kind of sick pervs anywhere near his little brother!

Sure Error had been starting to start his growspurt and shoot up in height but he is only twelve! Fresh does not trust anyone with him!

Fresh is so relieved when it becomes obvious that Error hadn't been aiming to that direction after all. Instead the trail seems to lead towards an old abandoned factury. Why would he go here?

Fresh shakes his skull. He doesn't want to think about it. It doens't matter. He will ask Error when he dragged his younger brother home and got him comfortable in about five blankets.

Fresh gets to the building and frowns as the scent trail keeps getting thinner. At least it seems like error didn't actually went into the old building becuase it is close to falling apart and Fresh does not want to think about how hurt he could have gotten if his magic got explosive again and the building came down on him.

Fresh continues moving and reaches the edge of the city. Realising that... Error left... He left the city.

Fresh stands at the edge. staring into the distance. the open road with nothing there. Fresh pants as he stares ahead. His skull spinning. That does he do now? What does he do?! Fresh puts his face into his hands. Error... Error ran away? He left?

Then again... What did he expect? Fresh hasn't exactly been a good brother at all. In matter of fact. Fresh had been a terrible brother. He wouldn't even show affection to Error. He didn't even make sure things were taken care of for when error got him.

Geno ASKED HIM! Geno BEGGED him to remain home. To just skip the far away feeding and feed the parasite by going into the city. Geno had told him so many times that Error would need Fresh. That Geno is so sorry to place this on Fresh but Geno needs to go to Sanctuary to get everything ready for them.

This was suposed to be their break!! Geno had already pulled the strings he could to make sure bother Fresha dn Error could move with him. Geno told them he was going to get their new home ready and look for the best tutors for Error with his magic and for the best healers for Fresh. Sanctuary is a very magical country with many many skilled individuals. Geno had high hopes to finally get them settled somewhere good. Somewhere where they could be happy!

And... and Fresh ruined it. Because Fresh decided he knew better than Geno. Because Fresh couldn't deal with being near his little brother and he is just the worst. Error had been so sad to see Geno go and Fresh ahdn't even tried to comfort him.

Fresh shakes rubs his sockets harshly. a strange singlike grumble from beside him and Fresh realises his beast is back to his side.

He needs to fix this. Fresh sint'sure if he can but he needs to try. He owns it to Error. He owns it to Geno.

Geno had found him wihtin an hour and Fresh had managed to get hismelf infected with a parasite.

Fresh doesn't want to know all the trouble Error could run into in the four, by now almost five days he had been on his own.

Fresh takes a deep sigh and nods. He is going back to the house and pack lightly for another trip. Leave one of his beasts at the house and then get traveling.

He can track. He can follow trails. He will use everything he can to find his brother.

No matter what it takes.

----

Fresh wants to cry. Though he had been crying for the last three hours already.

He had followed Error's trail all the way from Ironfields to Orchard over the course of a full week. And that had scared him more than anything. Wiht how close Orchard lays to no-mans land around the Whistlers territory. Not to forget Fresh thinks there was this whole thing about some crazy king in this kingdom? He isn't sure he isn't big on politics.

Fresh had searched. He had searched the whole city the trail had lead to. But nothing.

The trail just... ended at a dead end.

He had ended in some kind of arena. The scent of Error's magic had been so strong there and he had felt so hopeful. He had searched the whole area but nothing.

Aside from the very obvious blasted top of the arena. Fresh asked around and while most people jsut looked at him disgusted by his accent some people mentioned how there were wizard try outs.

Fresh asked specificially about a young skeleton. black bones. powerful magic.

Some people looked thoughtful before mentioning how they think they heard something about it but that the guards took care of it.

Took. Care. Of. It.

Fresh had tried to find other stories but it came down to the same thing over and over. Some young skeleton did a too large spell. A lot of damage got down before the guards got to them and stopped them before they could hurt anyone.

Fresh was shaking. Error wouldn't hurt anyone unless they gave him a reason.

Fresh sobs as he srubs his sockets. He was too late. He messed up and now... Now...

How is he going to tell Geno this? How is he going to tell him that he failed in every single aspect of being a brother and got their baby brother killed?

Fresh sobs as he jjust throws his stupid glasses away. it shatters somewhere. He doens't care.

He doesn't want this stupid power. He wants to go back to being weak and boring and normal.

He doesn't want to be special anymore.

He just wants his brother back.

Please. Please give him back.

He is sorry.

So sorry.

[youngyoo-apologist]

OG Choi Han they could never make me hate you cause if some random rich boy was yelling at me and telling me my family deserved to die like a day after it happened and all I wanted was to know how I could get help I’d beat him up too

This plus the added fact that the Harris Village people were the first people to take Choi Han in and take care of him after years and years in the dark forest. Like he’s obviously not going to be mentally stable after all that, and he was so young when everything happened to him like I cannot blame him at all. I don’t think I can ever hate OG Choi Han like ever, he’s flawed, he has problems, but I love him dearly. He deserves the world. This kid who had to fight for his life, was taken away from his family, and in the process had to give up parts of his own humanity to survive, and like went to war two years later, they could never make me hate u OG Choi Han…

Like yeah violence is bad I guess but OG Cale had it coming(saying this as an OG Cale fan, I love him, but he was mean as hell when he was younger!)

If I’m honest, I think they were both in the wrong to an extent. Like OG Cale shouldn’t have said all that no matter the circumstances, and OG Choi Han shouldn’t have beaten him up so much. But u say mean shit and you get hit, that is how it will work when you’re talking to the guy who just saw his entire village get murdered like idkkkk man

I understand where OG Cale was coming from, but he had many issues and while he wasn’t an awful person, he was capable of doing bad things because of his own internalized pain and emotions that he never got to properly process because of his emotionally distant childhood and relationship with his father who should have been there for him more when he was younger.

Okay speaking of his childhood, Deruth isn’t the WORST father in the world but there are a lot of things he could have done better. I think a lot of Deruth’s flaws come from his fear of failure and messing up. He’s scared of doing the wrong thing, and so he sticks to doing what he knows and using what he knows best. That’s why he uses his money, that’s why gift giving is his way of showing affection, he knows that it is one thing he cannot mess up.

The problem is that money and gifts is NOT what OG Cale needed. I think what that guy needed the most was a parent who wasn’t afraid to talk to him, to ask him questions. Not to say that Deruth gave up on OG Cale, but I think in a way he gave up on OG Cale by giving up on himself. Deruth didn’t trust himself to have the capabilities to talk to OG Cale, which is why he never did. It’s because that Deruth was scared, and didn’t trust himself, that he could never face OG Cale

If Deruth was able to trust himself a little more, and pull himself together, I don’t think OG Cale would have turned out the way he did. As a kid, he probably thought the only way he could help his family without relying on anyone(no doubt this whole ‘I have to do it myself’ thing came from the fact that he couldn’t rely on his father when his mom died, and instead was acting as a pillar of support for his father when it should have been the other way around) was to sabotage himself, the only heir. If he was shown to be unfit to be heir, then everyone else would have no choice but to direct their hatred towards him instead of his family.

If Deruth had talked to his son at least ONCE when he was a kid, asking him why he was upset or why he did the things he did, I think OG Cale would have told him. Why? Because he’s a kid!! A kid will obviously want to rely on his father, if he just had one sign telling him that he didn’t have to do it alone I’m 90% sure OG Cale would have said something.

Basically, while Deruth isn’t the worst father, he’s not really a great father either. I think he does do his best, but he has issues with communication lol

OG Cale and OG Choi Han are both complex characters and had their own reasons to behave the way they did. The thing is with people is that they’re complicated and have layers, so the situation with them would have layers behind it as well with multiple co-existing truths and stuff

[deus-ex-mona]

i miss her…

[maddieandangel]

Had a weird Hollow Knight-related dream a couple days ago, so I decided to draw a major scene I remembered from it dgsgshf

More context will be in the tags, for those interested!