#but i can still take a different path than what is voted here

[midnightmah07]

Ok so,,,, lemme explain: I've been feeling super unsatisfied with not only Jeanne's design, but her backstory and her dorm as well. I'm not sure her backstory makes sense for the character she's supposed to be based of, I don't like how she looks (despite me having changed her designs like 3 or 4 times idk) and now I'm starting to wonder if her being in Savanaclaw even makes sense anymore.

If I were to revamp her, I'd delete her current character post and the posts she's pinned on my TikTok, and completely restart her character, keeping only a few things like her relationship with Kalim, her personality and her sister. I'll list what I'd change in her and how she is currently under the cut so you guys can give me your opinions bc I'm super indecisive

How she currently is:

- Changed dorms from Octavinelle to Savanaclaw because she idolizes Leona and calls him "captain"

- Savanaclaw student

- half fae with physical fae traits

- current design can be found here

- grew up with parents who put way too much responsibility on her shoulders, took care of her younger sister; all of these made her grow up too fast

- Pierre (my Peter pan oc) is a fae who irritated Jeanne because he was always getting everything that she wanted and always tormented her, he's the reason she lost her hand

What I'd change:

- Octavinelle student

- probably beef with Azul because she doesn't want to be bossed around by him

- still idolizes Leona, but probably similarly like Epel, it's more tame

- I'd change her design specially because I'd change her dorm

- maybe grew up poor having to take care of her sister? Kinda like Ruggie, but idk maybe some pirates took her in or whatever

- Pierre might suffer changes too, but I feel like the whole thing of him having what Jeanne always wanted and the reason she lost her hand would stay the same

Fyi her relationship with Kalim would not suffer any changes, as I'm pretty happy with how they are currently! The only thing I'd change is how their first met probably

[mari-writes]

🦉🐈‍⬛

“Are you sure about this? You know I’ll support you not matter what. But dude, you’re definitely good enough to go pro!”

Kuroo glances at Bokuto, seated next to him at the bar. His friend is looking down into his drink, brow furrowed, shoulders drooping slightly. He sighs. “Yes, I’m sure. I have other things I want to do.”

Bokuto nods silently, still looking a bit dejected. And Kuroo understands. He really does. Their final university tournament is fast approaching. After that series of games, they’ll be focused on exams, job interviews, and preparing to move out.

The two of them had shared a university, including a bunch of classes, a volleyball team, and even a living space for the past few years. Their lives had intertwined so much so that Bokuto became more than just a “second best friend.”

He’s more like a brother now.

But their futures are finally heading in opposite directions, and Kuroo can admit—it’s a bit daunting. Emotions are running high. “It’s not like I won’t be involved in volleyball,” he adds. “I couldn’t stay away even if I tried. But I think I want to work from behind the scenes from now on.”

Bokuto’s mouth twitches into a smile. “You DO have a lot of options, don’t you?” Kuroo had double majored in Biology and Marketing & Communications, all while maintaining his spot on the team. He had been unanimously voted captain in his final year, of course choosing Bokuto as his vice. College had been crazy, but a good kind of crazy, for the most part.

“I want to keep ‘lowering the net,’” Kuroo says. “I want to get as many people interested in volleyball as I can.”

Bokuto’s grin turns toothy. He leans in to clank their glasses together. “Now THAT’S what I’m talking about!" They both take a long swig. The liquor burns Kuroo’s throat briefly before a warm, fuzzy feeling settles into his chest.

“You know, I’m really glad we were here together.” Bokuto’s voice is lowered, just loud enough to be heard over the din. Kuroo shifts on his stool, but stays silent, allowing his friend to continue. “It was… hard to accept that Keiji wouldn’t be continuing volleyball after high school. And even harder when he chose a different college.”

Kuroo nods in understanding. While it hadn’t been a surprise that Kenma announced he’d be choosing another path, it was still difficult to accept.

“I don’t think I could’ve done it without you here, Kuroo!”

Frowning, Kuroo reaches to punch his friend lightly in the arm. “Oi!” He tuts. “Stop that. Or else I’m gonna tell on you to your boyfriend. I know for a fact that Akaashi hates when you cut yourself down!” Bokuto just shrugs. “C’mon, Bo. You would’ve been fine. Great, even. I mean, aside from maybe Chibi-chan, you’re the best at making friends. You make your biggest rivals want to cheer for you!”

“Hey, Hinata’s not so ‘Chibi’ anymore!” Bokuto chuckles. “Have you seen his latest photos from Brazil? My disciple is turning into an absolute beast!”

They both laugh, and Kuroo relaxes. He’d been pretty worried about telling Bokuto about his plans. But now that it’s done, he finally feels at peace. “You’re going to go far with volleyball,” he declares, raising his glass once again. “I just know it. But someday you might want to put that Education degree to use, too. Hit me up when that happens, okay?”

Bokuto’s smile is blinding. “Yeah!” He nods enthusiastically. “We could coach at a school, or put a volleyball camp together or something!”

Kuroo winks. “Now THAT sounds like a solid plan.”

//

I’ve been thinking about Kuroo and Bo’s friendship a lot lately, especially since I saw that leaked sketch of them leading a kids' volleyball camp together. It’s just so special to me. 🥺❤️ Thanks for reading! If you enjoyed, please comment and share!

[zombeebunnie]

Trembling Essence:💙Ending progress + poll results💙

Hi again and welcome new followers, here's another progress update about the game! >;]

But before I write that out I just want to say a very big thank you to everyone that participated in the poll I did so far, The results and responses have been helping me for the final version. :,] If you still want to give your vote/opinion on the start of the game here's the poll from my tumblr! There's less than 24 hours to vote!

I took a small break to gather my thoughts before continuing from where I left off. I was brainstorming a lot about this because I didn't want the beginning of the game to be too long when it comes to figuring out how to get to Noah, but I do want the explorative side to give some lore.

Suddenly, an idea came to mind that'll help me solve this issue I've been having. :,]

Last week I mentioned the two endings you could get that are from the [Extended Demo]. I don't count this as spoilers but these endings will have their own separate choice to go down instead of it being in the same path. This replaces a section from the [Extended Demo] and lowers the amount of time it takes to figure out how to get to Noah, especially for those that are new to the game. Consider this a healthy quality of life change, only one ending has been put on the shelf that I didn't have a connection with so far! :] This also gave me a chance to go through both endings individually and give a deeper exploration into these areas as they do play a part in the game. I added a few choices to show the differences in the terrain and how the player(Y/N) reacts to it. You can get an alternate situation but it will still end the same. I also fixed up some errors I found through the alternate choices that I almost missed too. For right now I'd say this ending will be finished once my play testers look through them! They've given me pointers on the CG's and dialog but not everything else yet. x] Speaking of quality changes I also went back and adjusted some of the new CG's I've drawn. I had a habit of drawing the landscape too low so you couldn't see anything unless you toggled the text box away. :,,,] Luckily this was a quick and easy fix.

Here's the results:

Before:

After:

I'm very happy with how far I've come when I draw backgrounds now! It's been a interesting journey but overall I enjoy knowing everything is coming together no matter how long it might take. There was another one I wanted to share but this the second CG I tried posting gave me an error. Luckily I had everything saved so I don't have to rewrite anything! :,,]

It took some time but I went back and fixed one of the effects that happen when you lose HP. The old version lights up the edges of your screen but sometimes it can be hard to see if there's another effect happening. I went back and gave a small hue effect every time you lose HP instead.

Lastly in other news, I finally started work on Noah's reference sheets! >:]

There will be a total of three(?) which will have specific details for each one! It's took some time to create since I'm still learning how to do angled faces/poses but I've gotten time to practice so I'm ready. >:] I also want to state that Noah's sprites/side sprites in the [Extended Demo] are accurate to how he's suppose to look too. Since I've improved my style certain specifics of his appearance might be slightly different! :]

Almost there to the cabin section, yay! I just have a few more things to fix up. >:]

If you like what I create, please consider supporting what I do on kofi! All donations and tips help tremendously while I work on the game. Also a very huge thank you to those that have optionally bought the [Extended Demo] and the March 2023 demo on itch.io too, it really means a lot. :,]

Q&A / Ask box is open:

If you have any questions about Trembling Essence/Noah feel free to ask here or on itch.io please. This makes it easier for me to see and answer accordingly! I would really like to hear from you guys!

There were some other things I wanted to discuss but this post is getting too long so I'll save it for next week, thank you guys for all of the support, I appreciate it! :,,]

[raayllum]

Already touched on this scene regarding the differences to the brothers, so I'm not going to repeat myself too much here, but I am thinking about the like... Purpose of this scene from a narrative/characterization standpoint in line with that. Because like, think about it... This scene would hit so different, as a debate, if we didn't know how far along Claudia and co. were in their quest to free Aaravos; then we could lean one way or another operating with the exact same information the characters have.

But we the audience Know that Aaravos isn't out, which is the primary reason Callum gives regarding incentive to get the Nova Blade. Nor is this the first time that Callum has a perspective we know isn't necessarily, well, necessary because we know more than the characters do. So we're already inclined to be more on Ezran's side because we know his line of thinking - that Aaravos isn't out and it's worth trying to just stop his release - is worth following.

It is likewise worth noting though, that Callum thinks the Novablade plan is good whether Aaravos is out or not. While he brings up that Claudia and Viren might've already released the Startouch elf, when Callum initially proposes the plan (shown above) he says, "Then we wait for Aaravos to get out." Even though if Aaravos gets out, that would kind of put him in the best possible place to possess Callum again, given how it operated last time. Even though if Aaravos gets out, he'll be even more powerful and likely to do real harm and even harder to defeat.

All of which to say this scene has approximately three purposes

To reinforce the differences between the brothers and possible seeds of conflict for the future, in both Ezran's pacifism (possibly to set up contrast with his latter choices) as well as Callum's more pragmatic side

To reinforce, by giving Rayla the deciding vote and having her side with Ezran, that Callum's morality and inclinations is different than both his brother and his partner

And on that note, characterization wise, to start highlighting what Callum is willing to do and that he's always had this streak in him (cue both he and Viren watching dark magic corrupted enemies die by their own hand at the Storm Spire while Ezran and Harrow feel somewhat conflicted about it, at least) / can often be more solution oriented ("How does this solve anything?" from 1x02) and willing to take the path he perceives as easier/more efficient

Sarai: You said you want to make a difference, to build a better world. But that's going to take decades of hard work. There's no monster you can slay to solve all of your problems. There's no shortcut.

Some other interesting notes:

Shows the different in the trio's dynamic regarding decision making, since previously it had normally been Callum and Rayla having the final call with Ezran going along with it (2x03, 3x08). Now, the brothers discuss first with each other, highlighting that they've spent the last two years without her and that Ezran has become more assertive, but that they still fully include her in the decision and have it be one they made as a group, signifying their heightened unity upon reunion and healing, and the way they all trust/look to each other.

It also demonstrates growth from Rayla, as last time she thought there was a potential threat to the world, she went the more violent route in wanting to track Viren down (alone) and kill him. But now that she's come back and reintegrated herself into the group, she's taking the more level headed, preventative route in some ways.

[dandylovesturtles]

TMNT AU Propaganda whooo

Hello, I'm back again. With fic this time.

I bingeread all of Call Me Here (I Will Appear) by @callmehere-iwillappear a little while back and it's so good! So heartbreaking but so heartwarming at the same time! And with both IMBI and CMH both being in the @tmntaucompetition we decided they are ghost buddies, and then they drew this adorable artwork and I had to write a little something because listen I need good things to happen to both of these boys.

So here you go! And please vote for both I May Be Invisible and Call Me Here in the TMNT AU polls tomorrow!

(And also 2 Arms Left, those boys aren't really in this fic but listen if you vote for both IMBI and 2AL then Ell and I will face off in the next round please it's so funny-)

cough ANYWAY HERE'S THE DRABBLE OK BYE (spoilers for both fics within)

Was getting abruptly kidnapped to an interdimensional sports tournament the weirdest thing that had ever happened to them? Hard to say, but it was certainly a surprise anyway. Right in the middle of Leo's very dramatic catatonia arc, too...

The place is a madhouse. There's so many different versions of himself and his brothers, some of them older, some of them missing limbs, and some of them from different universes entirely. There's cheerleading. There's fighting. There's an older Michelangelo giving all the visible Leos bats for some reason.

Leo guesses he shouldn't be too disappointed that even in this crowd, only his own specific brothers can interact with him; he hasn't had dramatic life-saving encounters with any of these other people, after all. He keeps getting walked through, talked over, and he can't very well take part in the actual basketball playing.

But it's fine! He can vibe! He's so cool with vibing. His brothers seem to be enjoying themselves, after all, and Pizza Supreme knows after the weeks they've been having they deserve something fun and... probably not life-threatening (he's still eying those bats, though). So he can just... watch. Spectate.

So fun.

He's standing by while Raph chats with a whole group of assorted Raphs, surveying the diverse crowd when it happens.

His eyes lock with another Leo's.

The other Leo seems just as startled as he is to be seen - his mouth pops open in surprise, posture going stiff in a mirror of Leo's own reaction. Other than that, there's no immediate signs; he's not see-through, or floating, or anything else one might expect. The only immediate difference he can see is that the three clones of his brothers standing near the other Leo are all wearing their own version of Donnie's goggles.

And yet, he still knows.

"Hey, I'm going over there for a sec," he says over his shoulder to Raph.

"What? Hey, don't wander off!"

"It's fine, big guy, I'll stay in range."

He trots off across the court, not bothering to dodge anyone who steps in his path. The other Leo and his group aren't too far away, and once he gets there, the two of them look each other up and down, like wary dogs unsure about entering another's space.

He gives the other Leo a very serious look, which is mirrored back to him.

And the other Leo starts them off.

"What's a ghost's favorite fruit?"

"Booberries. What's a ghost's favorite car?"

"A Boo-gatti. Why don't ghosts go out in the rain?"

It dampens their spirits. What-"

"Who are you talking to?" the other Donnie asks, turning their way. He has his goggles pulled down. Leo gives him a wave, but he doesn't seem to notice.

"Just another Leo," says the other Leo, before turning back to him. "You can't be seen by the goggles?"

"Nope. That hasn't worked for us."

"But I saw you say something to your Raph."

"Yeah! Raph can hear me, Mikey can see me, and Donnie can touch me."

"Huh. Sounds inconvenient!"

"Oh, it is." Leo shrugs. "Curses, man, what can you do?"

Something quick passes over the other Leo's face; he only notices because it's so like his own. "You were cursed?"

"Yep! Some bad guy thought it would be a good way to get rid of me. You?"

The other Leo's smile droops only slightly. "...Do you know about the Prison Dimension?"

Leo's own smile drops, and he hunches in on himself, which just makes the other Leo's grin slip further. It hurts; he was there, for real, and again too recently in his mind, and now he can say this with certainty, with clarity:

No Leo deserved that.

But this Leo, who has persisted after death, who's with his family now... even if it's a tragedy, Leo can admire that. And they can see him - they can apparently hear him, and Leo knows from experience that that's everything.

(And still not quite enough.)

"...That sucks," he says, because what else do you say?

The other Leo shrugs, looking a little self-conscious. "It's not too bad. Donnie's making me a body."

"Oh, that'll be sweet." Leo picks his grin back up. "Wait, can you actually touch stuff? Are you going to haunt a robot?"

"I can if I focus." He looks smug. "It takes practice, but I'm getting better."

"Whoa, nice. I can't touch anything other than Donnie. Can't float or anything, either."

"Me either!" The other Leo throws his arms up dramatically. "What a ripoff, right?"

Leo matches the movement. "That's what I've been saying!"

"Man. It's nice to finally talk to someone who understands."

"Heh, same here," says Leo. He reaches out to give the other Leo a friendly pat on the shoulder.

He expects his hand to just pass through. He doesn't expect it to connect.

It's not really feeling, not like when he touches Donnie. It's more like when he touches his own body - his hand stops moving through the air, but he's not getting any tactile sensation from it.

He doubts the other Leo can really feel it either, but the way his eyes latch on the point of contact tells Leo everything he needs to know.

He doesn't hesitate, just wraps his arm around the other Leo and pulls him in for a hug. He doesn't resist, just puts his own arms around Leo, and he can't feel it but he's pretty sure he's holding tight.

He doesn't ask how long it's been since he's been hugged; he feels like he doesn't have to.

They stay that way almost a minute (and he's glad for their reputation as Leos that no one can see them), before the other Leo pulls back. His eyes are glassy and his smile wavering, but it's real and it's there, and Leo can't help but smile back.

He decides to save them before this gets too mushy.

"Hey, you said you can touch things, right?"

"If I focus."

"Well!" Leo moves so his arm is draped around the other Leo's shoulders, walking him toward one of the goals. "Get ready to focus on making sick dunks."

Instantly, the other Leo's eyes light up with delight. "Ooooh ho ho ho yes. We are going to freak some people out!"

He offers his fist, and Leo gleefully bumps it.

[morvith]

I stumbled on this post by @velvet4510 : "If Míriel had lived, would Fëanor still have followed the same dark path?"

I voted "no" because so much of Fëanor was shaped by his abandonment issues.

...pause for a moment as I contemplate Fëanor growing up well-adjusted.

But, let us imagine for a moment a perfect word.

A world where Miriel doesn't die after giving birth to Fëanor and Finwë still gets his large family (The other children of Finwë will maintain their original name for clarity’s sake)

So Miriel does not die, but the birth still leaves her fragile. It takes her a long time to recover and decide that she wants to try again, so much that there is a big age difference between Fëanor and Fingolfin

Which, not that unusual among Elves, I bet it's not uncommon for siblings to have about a century between them.

However, when Fingolfin comes along, Fëanor isn't just of age, he is fully established: he has found his craft, maybe he is not a master yet but at the very least he is well on his way to it.

He definitely panics at the idea of his mother being pregnant again, since he remembers his early years when mother was recovering - how weak and wan she looked, how easily she tired. There are arguments about it, but eventually Miriel puts her foot down and points out that this is her decision, she wouldn’t do it if she did not want to or feel up to it, and that's final.

But, perfect word: Miriel's second pregnancy is much, much, much easier than her first one.

Same for the pregnancies that follow. Her difficult first pregnancy becomes something to tease Fëanor about - within the family only, of course, but still. Imagine that.

Fëanor does not go down the same dark path. That  does not mean that there is no dark path, or that it's not somebody else who takes it.

Maybe in this universe Melkor can't get his claws into Fëanor because he simply feels zero resentment for his younger siblings. Why would he?

It's not like his parents do not give him attention and if one of them is busy, he can always count on the other. 

Did he get some jealousy pangs? Yes, sure. He is not perfect. But he probably kept them to himself and thoroughly regretted them once he had his own children and got to see parenting from the other side.

But what about Fingolfin, the second son? The one who grows up in the shadow of his oldest brother?

The one who is still doing all the paperwork because Fëanor is off creating and can't be bothered. The one who is taken for granted, the one who will never be considered for Crown Prince because....well, why would he? He is the second born, after all. 

And he is Not Fëanor.

But perhaps that doesn’t work, either. 

Perhaps in this world, because Fëanor and Fingolfin are similar, they end up being close. Perhaps Fëanor here does appreciate all of Fingolfin's hard work, and since this is Fëanor we are talking about, you know he would not be quiet about it.

Imagine Fëanor taking Maitimo to meet Baby Makalaurë and whispering, "I hope you will grow up to be great friends, like me and your Uncle Nolofinwë."

So Fingolfin is out. What about Finarfin? The third son, the last child, the one overshadowed by both his older brothers? 

What about Findis? Or Irimë?

Maybe it's Fëanor who dies trying to defend his masterpieces. 

Maybe it's Finwë who, mad with grief, stands before the Valar and swears a terrible oath.

(with many thanks to @wings-of-indigo)

[unforth]

I'm glad your KS problem got solved. Can you please use some time to post about Palestine? People are being killed in your name. Use your platform please. Thank you

Hey anon! So...no, I won't be doing that. What the fuck do you even mean "people are being killed in my name"? Absolutely no one is killing in my name, and I owe talking about it more to no one.

First, I trigger pretty severely to harm to children, which automatically means that a great deal of the coverage of Palestine is very triggering for me.

Second, I think there are plenty of people already blogging about this, that not every single blog needs to become wall-to-wall discussion of Palestine, and that mass-blogging about the conflict is entirely performative.

Third, in general I rarely blog about political events, and when I do it's virtually always US election (FOR FUCK'S SAKE YOU HAVE TO VOTE) and/or things about censorship, because those are the areas that interest me and that I personally feel strongly about.

Fourth, I think the demand that a stranger blog about that one specific event, ignoring all the other ongoing tragedies in the world (the war in Ukraine and the genocide in the Congo, to name two that spring immediately to mind) is honestly heckin' weird.

Fifth, I own and run a business, and it's entirely within my rights to decide to keep that business apart from incredibly divisive current events. The business account (which is entirely separate from my personal account - it's not a side blog, it's a separate log in) - when it interacts with political topics at all - primarily blogs about recent happenings in publishing and related fields (so, legislation about free speech, ongoing strikes, etc.) and about recent happenings related to queer things (positive legislation and negative legislation being proposed or passed). I intentionally do not blog about other political topics, because they have nothing to do with the business. The most political the Press has gotten about the conflict in the Middle East is that we've quietly removed a couple books from rec lists that were written by authors or released by publishers who have managed, by publicizing their OWN views, to become especially controversial (especially on Tiktok) and even that I did extremely reluctantly, I just don't want to get Tiktok cancelled because we spent 5 seconds saying we liked a book by someone they currently hate, because Tiktok is Like That.

As to my own personal views on the conflict, which you are in absolutely no way entitled to know but which I have previously shared publicly so don't mind sharing again, I am a Jew and I was raised to believe that when all the rest of the world turned on us, Israel would always be the one place where we'd be safe, and I clung to that belief over 40 years of watching Israel become increasingly right wing and jingoistic, continuing to believe that the surest path to safety and security for everyone involved was a two-state solution.

As I previously wrote here, in the face of Israel's current actions against Palestine, I no longer believe that. If this is how Israel behaves, I no longer think Israel has a right to exist. I do still think that the best outcome right now is a two-state solution, but one that involves the complete abolition of the current Israeli government and army, to be replaced with a system that isn't, ya know, disgustingly fascist - and that if that can't be done, we need a one-state solution, and that one state shouldn't be Israel. This is my personal opinion.

However, I also acknowledge that for many Jews, this is an incredibly loaded, difficult topic, and I would never align my business to an official position like this because I have no desire to alienate people who I know feel as conflicted and complicated about this as I do myself. I take it as a matter of simple real fact that I respect my friends and colleagues enough to accept that they may reach different conclusions than I have about this, and I don't want them to feel unwelcome in a space that I've created because I on an individual level have reached a different conclusions about what I believe to be the best ending for this conflict than they have. We also do not allow political conversations of this stripe in our server for the same reason.

No matter how much people on both sides keep trying to paint this conflict as black and white, right and wrong, with one-and-done magic single-switch solutions, it's not that simple, never has been, and never will be, and the reality on the ground of ways to resolve this are also not that simple. Now, to be clear, I think it IS simple and accurate to say: the killing needs to stop i.m.m.e.d.i.a.t.e.l.y. That's a given and I think I'd be hard-pressed to find anyone in the circles I travel in who'd disagree. But what should happen AFTER that? That's where I think reasonable people can still disagree about what should happen next to that land and the people living on it.

Anyway.

I should probably stop talking before, in my effort to be nuanced and balanced, I say something that leads someone to think I should be canceled. I am against the genocide 100% and this conflict has turned me from reluctantly vaguely okay with zionism to anti-zionist, but I also am tired of seeing people act like big problems have easy solutions, and I'm tired of the suggestion that anyone who isn't performatively outraged about this specific situation 24/7 is a bad person with wrong opinions.

Like, I think you need to take a look in the mirror and ask yourself why you thought this was an appropriate ask to send a stranger. I'm genuinely disgusted that you'd try to turn a conflict that has nothing to do with me into something I'm personally responsible for because it's being done "in my name." Honestly, what the fuck is wrong with you? Antisemitic much? I'm a Jew, but that doesn't and never will mean that the Israeli government speaks for me or in my name. Fuck you.

[eriexplosion]

REUNION! MY BOY IS COMING BACK HOME IN THE WORST WAY POSSIBLE!

It's the way that we start with Crosshair talking about his own squad and showing zero real interest in it, just the completely calm assessment that a scout team won't be enough to take them out. Later he's going to actually care that it's His Squad, right now he really does not. No reaction to orders to terminate them. Knowing how much Crosshair gives a shit in every other aspect despite trying SO HARD NOT TO, it just really stands out.

Wrecker's teaching skills.... TEN SECONDS TILL WE"RE BOTH GONERS. HONEY WHY WOULD YOU DO THAT? What if we just do all our training by traumatizing the child forever with the possibility of imminent death. But he didn't let her train with a live explosive. He's not crazy!

"I failed my first disarming test too" great was that a smoke bomb or not because knowing the kaminoans and the state of your head I am considering that it was a live explosive.

I love their casual awareness that they're being watched, it's just very attractive when the batch is extremely competent.

"Wrecker says he has it under control" "That's not comforting" THANKS FOR THE VOTE OF CONFIDENCE TECH

This is one of my favorite shots of Echo I just think they look very attractive perched up there. Now on the question of HOW are they perched up there? We just don't know.

Echo still losing it over the mere concept of anything that might make them money because all of it is Crime.

Also I'm keeping a count on how long it takes for Tech's hair to spontaneously reappear, so far he still has his bald patch.

WRECKER CRAVES THE PROTON TORPEDO MORE THAN LIFE.

"Hunter, we're soldiers. What other path is there?" I feel like the ultimate conclusion for the show is going to be a mix of these two's extremes. Hunter wants a path that is fully out of the danger, away from all of it, and that's clearly not going to be allowed to happen. Echo wants a path that they understand, and the soldier's life is safe and comfortable to them. Ultimately, they don't need to just be soldiers, but they also can't just walk away from it all, no one can. The Empire doesn't only come for soldiers.

STILL CANNOT BELIEVE THEY GAVE US THIS SHOT.

"It's most likely a short circuit" right before several ships fly overhead. It is DEFINITELY NOT A SHORT CIRCUIT.

Hunter basically saying 'Tech you know Crosshair's too stubborn to be put off by a blocked scanner'

GOD I AM ALL CAUGHT UP ON THIS ACTUALLY. It's Crosshair, it's his stubbornness, it's his ruthless battle tactics, it's his knowledge, he just doesn't Care about anything but the mission and his orders, when those were always down near the bottom of his priority list before. Now they're all that registers. It's all the things that make him dangerous and none of the things that make him belong with them.

Stop throwing your goddamn toothpicks you filthy littering bitch (affectionate)

Crosshair knowing they'd cut into the comms so he redirected them away from the hangar by saying to push them to the hangar... GENUINELY CHIPPED CROSSHAIR REMAINS THE MOST TERRIFYING THING IN THE SHOW. Cannot outsmart him he knows all the Moves. No wonder they couldn't keep him chipped outside of this, he'd have won eventually if he was still trying this hard.

"Why come after us" honey he doesn't have an OPTION. Hunter and Omega trying to talk him down is sweet but absolutely useless. But then, what other options do they have? The thing is even if they stunned him here, what then, the place is crawling with Imperials and it was the only place they had to remove their chips. If they HADN'T been found here, maybe things would have been different but...

Also I was right, Crosshair didn't learn about the chips until episode eight and it was just Hunter and Omega telling him they existed. Nothing about how they worked, nothing about how powerful they are, and he has no reason to believe them right off. And with only finding out MAYBE half an hour before it gets annihilated with radiation, of course he doesn't believe them. He doesn't really have a reference point to notice he's being controlled on any level.

Still amazed at the sheer coldness of 'aim for the kid though' like Brutal

I think this guy here might be Omega's first kill? She uses her bow several times in Decommissioned, but all of those were droids. I wonder if she's really realized the weight of that yet. Also that her first kill was another clone, which, Ow.

All of that and she's still so small that Tech has to help her jump off a step.

WRECKER I CARE ABOUT TECH'S ION ENGINE INFODUMP DON'T INTERRUPT HIM.

Tech nearly getting sniped here - I stand by my headcanon that the reason Crosshair misses them so often in particular is because the chip has major control but sniping requires SUCH PRECISION that the tiny little muscle twitches that might sneak through, small enough that they wouldn't change anything for any other weapon, are enough to throw his aim off.

TRY AGAIN HUNTER babe I don't know that he can hear you.

"Crosshair wouldn't do that, would he" Omega I cannot emphasize enough that it does not MATTER what Crosshair would do just like it didn't matter what WRECKER would do last episode.

I do really want to know what Plan 7 is

The ion engine coming on and the ring of explosions looks SO good, that's some good fucking animation.

And CROSSHAIR RUNS TOWARDS IT LIKE WHATTTT DO YOU THINK YOU'RE GOING TO DO HERE?

I mean at least blasting him with radiation will take out the chip but goddamn. The burn scar is SO MUCH and then he fucking falls on that side of his face.

Do you think that the smell of his own flesh burning reminded him at all of the civilians he had killed?

Sorry I'm normal again, Crosshair carries the dark thoughts with him like a cloud.

The reveal of all the dead clones around their ship is so good for Bane's reveal. And this is still so much better having watched TCW because the first time I watched I LITERALLY HAD NO IDEA WHO THE HELL THIS WAS.

The way that he just drops Hunter and the music completely cuts out and then gets really fucking intense no wonder a few people thought for a hot second that they killed Hunter off just like that.

This is also why you can't take the musical cues for if a death is real or not because they WILL go intense whether they're dead or alive if the moment calls for it.

"Get me on the shuttle" what the fuck did the radiation do to the chip that it turned Crosshair completely feral for a hot second because he is barely breathing and he's like I AM GOING TO COMMIT MURDER RIGHT NOW.

GOD I LOVE THE POV SHOT FROM HUNTER'S HELMET. The way they do this with Omega too later (and honestly it would be amazing setup for doing the same thing with Tech's goggle recordings come on it is RIGHT THERE)

[forgotteneilionora]

OOC | Coronations

ok so first of all i haven't run any of this by @thelongforgottenrealm -- this is 100% hc'ing and therefore may or may not be in any way accurate, but id mentioned i was thinking abt this vs @forgottenroderick's coronation which i think was quite different (tho tbf he's had multiple crownings so they're probs pr old hat for him atp alkdjsflksdfj) eilia has only had the one

anyway! ok so i have this hc that maybe astaira, given its value system, maybe used some of the ancient anglo-saxon forms of government, so this is highly inspired by the witan's and its election of rulers, etc!

ASTAIRAN SELECTION OF THE FUTURE RULER

so my thought was that maybe you aren't just ~born to rule in astaira and that you are, in fact, chosen and must accept this choice given that its v much a role of service in their culture etc!! so, like the anglo-saxon aethelings, im thinking that there was a pool of candidates, so before her election, eilia was only the heiress presumptive rather than the heiress apparent bc it has to be voted and ratified by the witan/great council of astaira, a council made up of all the other leaders and magnates of astaira, each in turn repping the interests of their own ppl to the best of their ability etc

anyway! aethelings in early anglo-saxon culture are anyone born to a noble family (eventually it became just sons of the king, and that's usually how its translated now, but initially it was more!), but im thinking maybe for astaira its a slightly different qualification -- you have to have completed a trial of sortsans well as having having displayed your abilities by performing charitable acts and such on a big scale etc as well as having submitted your name to a list for consideration etc, that sort of thing! -- that way anyone no matter the rank of their family, can apply, but it also means you're not automatically in the pool even if you don't wanna be since its a srs responsibility etc! now, no question it'd def be easier to do this if you're already backed wealth and power etc but yeah!! here we are!!

so anyway! eilia's been trained for this her whole life, she wants it, she's good at it, she gets chosen. a representative is sent to her to invite her to take the crown for astaira's sake, and she of course accepts. this would def also have a public ceremony of her formally accepting the crown etc.

CROWNING

ok so i def picture her coronation as having taken place during the spring. everything is beautiful and green! t he and i do feel like there's a humility sort of aspect like they used to do so!! i also feel like they brought live, flowering frees into the palace and into whatever shrine in which she was crowned in the sight of the guardians/symbolically BY the guardians, etc and that everyone who came to witness was wearing like...flower and ivy crowns and such and there were garlands of flowers strung everywhere and babbling brook ran along the path from the castle to the shrine and birds were singing and it was all v lovely and v natural and v astairan etc

eilia's purification in which she is taken by the hand by a seeress who brings her to the brook in question which, having its mouth at the shrine, is considered a holy spring, and wearing just her shift w her hair unbound etc she is sort of dunked/bathed and lets all the old run away from her so she can paproach her new role as queen w a pure heart. the seeress then drapes her own cloak around eilia and, however poor it may be, it is a gift from astaira, and a mantel of state

next, still led by the seeress, eilia goes on foot without any shoes, cloaked in her new mantel of state and processes from the brook by her castle to the shrine. singers and musicians accompany her and those all around her may offer her any goods they like, all of which become artifacts of state and her reign and is is thus clothed rarhter than in any guady ornaments of gold and such -- woool and cotton and such things are what she wears, handmade by her ppl for her to wear as their leader

lots of these items are traditionally bracelets of flowers and vines, gloves to keep her warm on her walk, shoes, etc -- all of these meant to be the sort of thing ur common astairan would wear so that, no matter how guady her lifestyle might become, she will know what iis to spend a day clothed as an ordinary astairan is, and noen of it is intended to be rich or fine etc tho special care is often given to crafting such objects as a thank you to the new ruler etc. ba sically, the theme of the day is simplicity, and everything she is given must be white

throughout the day, she is obliged to ask for anything she might want. if she wishes to eat, if she wishes to sleep at the end of the day, whatever! she will spend the rest of her life giving orders, so today is for receiving them

when she reaches the shrine, which is totally open so everyone can see, etc, a humble bench is carried and she is obliged to sit there and hear the wishes of anyone who wishes to speak for her new reign. this can be literally anything! a tiny child can stand up and say they love kittnes! an old man can tell her that his crops are dead but his sheep are still fairing well! a student can wax poetical about philosophy!!! needless to say, this takes hours and hours and in some cases this part has gone on for days w the new ruler sleeping on the wooden bench only to wake the next morning to hear more, still obliged to beg for food from the ppl around etc until ppl stop coming up w things to say! it p robs does tend to be longer the worse the previous reign was bc there are more needs etc and, since i hc that eilia's dad was a pr good ruler, i imagine eilia's was relatively short

anyway, once that's finished, the seeress sends someone, called the herald of the seer, to the new ruler to take them by the hand and ask once again if they are still willing to take all this on!!!! if they decline after all that, there's no shame and they can return to their life etc.

if they still accept the charge -- which obv eilia did! -- the herald of the seer takes eilia by the hand and leads her into the shrine. there, she first asks the ppl to pray for her, then prays herself, and finally presents the gifts which the ppl of astaira have given her to the guardians as a symbolic gesture of the mutual relationship between ppl/ruler/guardians etc

now dressed only in her shift, again, eilia is clothed in the heavy robe of state which is, by design, quite physically hefty to represent the burden of rule

the bench is then carried into the shrine and, in the sight of all w the doors still flung open etc, eilia is crowed by the seer. the crown is also quite heavy for the same reason

now crowned queen, eilia processes back to the palace and is feted all the way w dancers and singers and poets

all are welcome to the palace, where live blooming trees reach towards the star-painted ceiling and a living stream has been brought inside, w the doors and windows all open and anyone who wishes to enter free to do so

anyway yeah obv none of this is canon! these were just some idea i had!!!

also def hc that the seeress who crowned eilia was ~also aine whom arthur later beheaded at kil-kennar so! that's fun!!

[sapphicscribbles2222]

Latin significance in THG that nobody asked for

Went to Rome on a school trip and realised exactly how much of THG relates to latin and roman stuff so I decided to make a post so I can rant about some of the instances. Also, please be aware that my knowledge isn't perfect, so there might be some mistakes, but this is just a bit of fun really anyway.

Also spoilers for all of the hunger games books

Panem- probably the one everyone knows about, it's the name of the country, and means "bread" in latin, which I find ridiculous. That's like me calling my country "Victoria Sponge" or something (I'm British :) )

The Capitol- Probably less well known, it's named after the Capitoline Hill, considered one of the most important places in Rome. It was where there was a temple to all their gods (I think). There's a museum there now. So, sort of narcissistic to name your capital city after that? Idk.

Caesar Flickerman- Pretty self explanatory, Roman dictator, got stabbed. This man should under no circumstances do TV appearances on the 15th March

Seneca Crane- Ok, this one's kind of ironic, because in the books, Seneca is head gamemaker and close to Snow, right? But Seneca (roman) was a philosopher who wrote a satire and criticised roman habits (one prescribed source for the course I'm taking is literally him being annoyed at roman gladiator fights), so the character and historical figure are pretty different here

Plutarch Heavensbee- Another head gamemaker, also kind of ironic. And based off another philosopher. Plutarch (roman) wrote a load of letters and things commenting on stuff like who got voted in for things, who did what. He, unlike Seneca, didn't write satire though (to my knowledge). So I guess the whole thing with them is giving the name of the satirist to the law abiding citizen and the average philosopher to the rebel, which I find kind of amusing.

Coriolanus Snow- It fits tbh. Coriolanus (not Snow) might have been a real historical figure, idk enough about it, maybe not. He appears in the works of this guy called Livy, who wrote stories for model romans, but his is more of a cautionary tale. Essentially, Coriolanus was a great roman military general, but then decided to betray Rome and go work with the guys they were fighting, who were called the Etruscans, and now they're sieging the city. The roman woman figure out he's betrayed them, and go beg for help from his wife and mother. They agree to help, and the roman women, Coriolanus's mother, his wife and their two sons go to the Etruscan's camp to try and persuade him to stop sieging the city. They get there, and his mum proceeds to yell at him for betraying her and Rome. Coriolanus hears this, and is like, "ok, I'll stop sieging your city. But you, mother, will never see me again." So he gets the Etruscans to leave, then proceeds to get killed by them for backing out. Honestly? I can see it.

Sejanus Plinth- Don't know of any Sejanus specifically, but it may be a reference to Janus, god of doorways and paths (kind of fits, given that he comes from D2 but lives in the Capitol, so that's sort of like a doorway between livelihoods). That's the best I've got, but I think it fits.

Arachne Crane- This one works as well, in my opinion. Basically, Arachne was a weaver, but she was kind of prideful, so she starts boasting that her work is better than Athena/Minerva's (y'know, the literal goddess of weaving?). Anyway, Athena/Minerva challenges her to a competition, where the loser can't weave on a loom anymore. Athena/Minerva wins (obviously) but she sees how upset Arachne is and takes pity on her, turning her into a spider so she can still weave. Honestly, the whole thing kind of fits, since they both basically have the same fatal flaw of superiority, which leads to Arachne getting killed in tbosas, and Arachne getting turned into a spider in the myth.

That's all I've got for now, folks (also congratulations for reading this far). There's probably way more references to myth and roman society in the series, but these are all I can think of at the moment. Anyways, hope you have a good day, thanks for stopping by :)

[outsidereveries]

ningning's personality

what she's faking: related to her individual path, ningning feels she has less options than what she personally wished for. she tries to be chill about it, but deep inside, she's frustrated. she doesn't feel she "can escape" from sme. i personally won't be suprised if there happens to be plot twist that's similar to the former (chinese) exo members. (specifically suing sme)

what's also fake but tries not to be: ningning might've been a loner for quite some time (i don't mean that she's introverted or similar thing). she really tries to depend on the æspa members when it's needed but it's just not her actual personality. ningning might've been used to do everything alone, without anyone's help, so her trying to rely on someone else whether if it's personal issue or it's something else is a big thing for her. just.. she's very stubborn.

what's genuine: her individuality, stage presence.. basically how she does her work. she would love to sing live more often though.

what we don't see: ningning's intuition appears from time to time very strong and also not only for her own good but for her environment's own good. she might've been aware for some actions before they were revealed just because she dreamt of them or she felt them for example.

political views: personally, ningning would like to see china voting for different party.. just for them to experiment themselves. it feels like for her everything was and is still the same there her whole life. she might dislike how ccp decide the things, related to china and not only. ningning is somehow aware of the recent changes in the international politics (like, it becoming multipolar) but not fully. she'd like to be active back home but she is personally worried how she'll be there from the side of the popularity and how much she earns.

what's mixing between her morals and the fame: how much she gives to the celebrity life. for some reason, she feels the glory takes her soul and she's already tired of it.

would she choose the fame over her standarts: stritcly no, she'd leave this industry if it's needed.

controversial things she agrees with: either someone has the talent to be an idol or they shouldn't be an one. she understands many people (asians?) dream of that but if they are just pretty, just become influencer, smh..

addictions (either more prone to has them or might have them): she's more prone to overwork. nothing else!

destruction traits: related to her industry, ningning has to learn more business strategies. she puts her happiness first, which is good thing, of course BUT her stubborness appears here again. she would love to experiment with gigs.. and it seems that's just not it. it can apply to her personal life too, whether in dating or just in general. ningning seems to put her environment first (the people around it) too, so in this case she should be more egoistic than she usually is, whether she likes it or not.

qualities she's proud to have: that she does what she loves to do. she loves how honest she is and that she lives well when working what she loves. she feels in control of her life and she loves it.

intentions for the future: she won't do something specific or significant but will try to have solo gigs nonetheless as it makes her more free.

[sentenceme-leni]

Thursday. Minimum 4 sentences.

---

Belle sipped at her tea, drawing the blanket tighter around her bare legs. Despite the fireplace glowing bright on one end of the room, the cabin was colder than the mansion.

Central heating was a feature she would miss when they returned to the Dark Castle.

"This world has spoiled me," she told Rumple. "It's always warm inside."

"I'll keep you warm," he promised, joining actions to word and threading his arms around her.

Belle giggled, happy to accept the extra body heat under the circumstances. Before the temptation of his touch could distract her, Belle persevered. "But really, Rumple. How many candles would it take to make my library as cozy as the bookstore is here?"

"A hundred and twenty-two," he answered promptly.

Belle turned a skeptical look on him.

"Alright. I am kidding. But why the concern?" He waved a hand in that particular way that meant magic to him. "You can handle it yourself."

Belle was touched by his vote of confidence, but in truth heating spells drained her after a couple of hours. She had never liked to be dependant on Rumple's power for something so mundane, so she'd complemented the magic with thick shawls and an early bedtime in the worst of winter.

Perhaps someone would figure out how to apply some of this world's technology to their land?

"Did we ever meet any inventors back home?"

Rumple glanced at her with curiousity at the non-sequitor, but gave the matter some thought anyway. "Not that I remember," he said with a shake of his head. Then he smirked. "What about your father?"

Belle laughed at the thought.

Ruby had made her watch the movie once, and the next day Belle had sat Rumple in front of his TV set and played the video, just to make sure she wasn't reading too much into it.

Most of it was nonsense, like her father's vocation and jovial mood. She also couldn't remember Gaston with a close friend, though admittedly she hadn't cared to meet anyone important to her former fiancé.

To her surprise, the cartoon residents at the castle had tugged at her memory.

"Well, sweetheart," Rumple had said after listening to her. "You visited so many of the nearby towns, so often, that I'd find it unlikely if you hadn't met a nosy widow with a gaggle of young kids. As for friends who bicker over everything, there was probably a pair in every town!"

Belle saw the sense in his words.

Still the feeling persisted.

Rumpelstiltskin, however, took their conversation down a different path. "Have you changed your mind, then? Do you wish to stay in Storybrooke with all its comforts?"

Belle was quick to shake her head.

The miscommunication on that regard had lasted long enough.

"Of course not," she told Rumple. "After our wedding, we're going back home. You're the only comfort I'll need."

The End

09/05/24

[givehimthemedicine]

a few more bloodstain thoughts: Brenner / Test Room 2 edition

(this is an easier one and there's no crime scene pics, fear not)

TLDR; main takeaways: 1) the blood on Brenner is screwy and 2) there's possible evidence of two unknown players entering Test Room 2 while Brenner was unconscious

I don't get Brenner's shirt blood any more than I get One's shirt blood

sir, why and how are wounds on the right side of your face bleeding onto your left collar? you don't appear to be injured there. like at all.

"maybe it dripped when his head was turned-" he hasn't bled enough for it to even run down to his chin. also, he woke up like that.

he would've had to be vertical when these drips happened. but the door knocked him right down, and he hasn't stood up yet, and the blood is already there.

"what if those aren't drips, but transfer?"

ok sure. could be. he does hug Ten's bloody face, after all. that's a great way to transfer blood.

but he hugs Ten into his right shoulder. and, we see it doesn't transfer any blood.

but those stains are sooo transferry. suspiciously like he already did hug Ten on his left side when the blood was fresher. blood tracks down his face and dripped onto his chest would line up decently with the Brenner shirt blood.

no matter how you explain it, the events that put that blood on Brenner's shirt are missing.

and something about them both having blood on their left collar is. idk. I mean One's is spatter and Brenner's is either passive or transfer so they def happened differently but still. I'm itchy

whose blood is on the EEG machine?

obviously, somebody fell and hit the sharp metal corner of this EEG machine.

but we saw Brenner get hit straight on by the door. his face wounds should just be from the door. he didn't spin around and hit his face on this thing too.

arrow pointing to the corner that winds up with blood on it. just to understand its position in the room.

it's possible the door knocked Brenner back and the cart spun a little and he hit his head on that corner of that thing. but the back of his head isn't bleeding. his hair is white enough that we'd see it easily.

could be Ten's blood I guess, although he wasn't very directly in the blast path. I suppose the blood puddle under the EEG net is a vote for that - OOPS no, wait, we get a very good look at Ten's head and it's not bloody, nor is the back of his gown.

can that EEG tell us anything else?

the paper feeds out continuously, in fact it's still on and feeding out a flat line reading when Brenner wakes up.

we know it flatlines when you take the thing off your head.

I'll bet some smart person could take the rate at which that paper comes out and approximate how much paper is coiled up on the floor and do the monster math about how much time has elapsed. not me tho

I'd like to know another means of measuring how much time has elapsed. because according to the RR clock, 45 minutes pass between Brenner taking Ten for lessons and Brenner coming into the RR to say "what have you done". but that clock doesn't always tell the truth. so idk.

Test Room 2 and the cat room

there is that cage in the background.

and that is the same EEG as El's in the cat scene. like the exact same one, you can tell by these dings in the paint:

@henrysglock you've just been all over Test Room 2 - what do you think about this being the same room?

I mean, It's Not. the hallways outside these two rooms aren't remotely the same, and the whole s1 and s4 labs are wholly different. but I mean like, in a timelines way...? is there anything here?

(no point really, I'm just throwing things at the wall. I don't know why but I want this to be the room El drew)

Test Room 2 doorway blood stain

in pondering james' creature attack theory I was wondering whether I could blame the same impact that blew the door in for leaving that blood stain. in other words, could a creature have physically busted that door with a swipe of a bloody hand.

I'm gonna say no, separate event, because

the door looks bent in the middle (looks at the sparks fly off that center hinge), not so low to the ground. if force at the bottom blew the door off it wouldn't have flown in top-first when it hit Brenner

if the blood goes as far in as the stop moulding, it would have touched the door too, had the door been closed when that happened. I don't see any blood on the door

so this blood got transferred after the door was off.

I wanna know who or what was bouncing from wall to wall all down these halls sooooo bloody but not bloody enough to leave blood trails on the floor.

say you're mortally wounded and dragging yourself aaaggh down the hallway, leaning against the wall because you can't stand upright, and you pass across an open doorway - wouldn't you tend to kinda fall into it?

maybe no one slid across it. maybe it fits better with someone getting dragged into it, kinda like this:

of course then we're missing other evidence that should go along with that idea though (you'd think there might be bloody hand streaks on the floor; Ten's and Brenner's hands aren't bloody) (can I blame this on El's bloody hands?)

this other doorway-oriented bloodstain also looks like someone with bloody hands being dragged towards the doorway/into the room, but once again the dead occupant's hands are clean:

we know SOMEBODY entered Test Room 2 and killed Ten while Brenner was knocked out. but the killer wouldn't be the bloody hands person, because the bloody hands person was dragged in there against their will. the killer would enter freely, voluntarily.

so if those are hand-grab-smears on those doorways, that gives us TWO unknown entities entering those rooms.

why are there no footprints?

boy they really wanted me to see what it looks like for a demodog to bust down a metal door. and granted the prison door is probably a lot heavier than the lab door, but it took him a few tries and the door didn't seem to dent.

anyway going to get that gif to compare to the Test Room 2 door caused me to notice this demodog leaving its bloody footprints on the floor. Russian demogorgon also has very bloody hands and face after killing.

we can conclude from the massacre stains that at least one person, somewhere, is VERY injured and catastrophically bleeding. if I blame this on a creature, that means said creature is also very bloody. which made me realize I don't see any creature tracks in the lab.

this is not anti-creature-theory though, because there are other creatures besides demodogs, and because whatever dragged Billy didn't leave tracks, and because I also don't see bloody shoeprints even though we know there were many people present.

like, especially this splatter in the RR for which the easiest explanation is that somebody stomped in it. where did that person's next step land?

(lol 007 please come to a full and complete stop. you are dead.)

NOBODY stepped in ANYTHING? this feels staged. I mean, it is. but staged-by-the-lab or something too.

[everybody-loves-purdy]

I haven’t read the books in a hot minute, would you tell me the clif notes of what’s happened sense River? Even if it’s super short

I’ll go by POV rather than recount the entire book

Overall important events: the warrior code is changed so it allows cats to move clans, but they have to take a test to prove their loyalty to their new clan. Also leaders can now be voted out of power if 3/4 of their clan, the medicine cats, the other leaders, and StarClan all agree (in that order).

Flamepaw: Fails his warrior assessment twice, hates being named Flamepaw because he isn’t ginger so he feels it’s a blatant attempt to name him after Firestar. His relationship with his mother Sparkpelt is a bit estranged, and Flamepaw blames her for leaving him when she went into exile. At the end of the book he finally passes his warrior assessment and Bramblestar names him Flameheart. Flameheart interrupts his ceremony and asks for a different name that reflects him, and not Firestar. Bramblestar named him Nightheart.

Edit: Also Bramblestar is quite distant and unfocused throughout the book.

Sunbeam: Her best friend is Lightleap and she wants to be mates with Blazefire. Lightleap causes Sunbeam and Blazefire to get into separate accidents. Blazefire lets Sunbeam know he’s not interested in her romantically but would still like to be friends. Sunbeam’s brother, Spireclaw, is in love with Fringewhisker from SkyClan, so using the new code changes, Fringewhisker moves to ShadowClan. At one point Sunbeam hears a commotion near the RiverClan border and Lightleap comes limping from that direction, but claims nothing of note happened. Sunbeam’s mother, Berryheart, is certainly not happy about this, and starts rallying other cats to share her view that clanswapping shouldn’t be this easy and clanswappers can’t be trusted.

Frostpaw: oh boy Frostpaw, saving the best until last here. Frostpaw is Mothwing’s apprentice because since kithood, her mother Curlfeather has told her that her dreams are special. She had a dream about a storm, the storm happened. She also had a dream about her father Jayclaw disappearing, a short time later Jayclaw died (we don’t know how). Anyway while Reedwhisker is on patrol, Mistystar has a heart attack and dies at a clan meeting. The patrol comes back, they claim to have lost track of Reedwhisker. They launch a manhunt for Reedwhisker, and go to the other clans asking if they have seen him, no one has. Frostpaw at this point is left as the only StarClan connecting cat in the clan. Frostpaw sees a vague vision of a cat with green eyes telling her to bury Mistystar’s body, and finds a star shaped leaf in her nest. Frostpaw is left trying to communicate with StarClan. RiverClan go on pretending that nothings wrong at the gathering and Mistystar is just sick and so is Reedwhisker. Frostpaw has a dream where a cat she presumed to be Leopardstar tells her to go towards the twolegplace to find Reedwhisker. She goes with a patrol, Splashtail, who was on the patrol Reedwhisker went missing on, tries to turn the patrol back. Eventually they come across a gorge and find Reedwhisker’s body at the bottom. Frostpaw sees scratches on Reedwhisker’s body, but Curlfeather dismisses them when Frostpaw tries to point them out. Frostpaw goes to the Moonpool with Splashtail to try and ask StarClan who the leader should be. She sees nothing at the pool but on the path on the way back she finds a curled feather and takes it as a sign her mother Curlfeather has been chosen to be the next leader. She sleeps on it on Mothwing’s advice and dreams of lots of curled feathers, and believes this confirms her omen. Curlfeather and Frostpaw start going to the Moonpool when dogs come and attack, Frostpaw manages to get up a tree to safety but Curlfeather screams “Trust no cat” as she gets mauled to death by the dogs.

And I believe that’s basically the main points of the book? If anyone thinks I’ve missed anything significant out or misremembered anything please let me know.

[thequeenofthewinter]

(Sort of) Fic Friday

It pains me a lot to not post this week, but delicate political matters require a lot of attention, and this chapter is getting long. (As of right now, I have 6,000 words, and I'm only half done.) It is far better for me to take my time and not rush than to post something half-finished or not up to my standards. So, instead of posting a chapter, have a second snippet of some delicious Moot drama.

“As is the tradition of our people since Ysgramor brought the first 500 Companions from Atmora, we have come here together for the selection of a new leader just as our fathers and forefathers.” The Jarl of Whiterun scans the room, eyes finding each and every participant in the room. “Today is no different. We will fulfill our duty to our people, our nation, and to our ancestors in choosing our next High King and Queen with dignity and honor.”

Polite clapping erupts from the room, and Vignar raises his arms to indicate quiet.

“First, we will hear opening arguments from both Jarl Ulfric and Jarl Elisif as to why they are the best choice for Skyrim’s future. Following this, lunch will be served, and there will be an opportunity for all of you to converse with and ask questions to the candidates and mingle with the other Jarls. This will bring the day to a close, and you will be asked to go home and make careful considerations as to whom you will cast your vote for. 

The following day we will make our decisions known. Votes will be cast aloud by each of the Jarls, saving Jarl Ulfric and Jarl Elisif, as they are our candidates.” He nods to each of them in turn. “It is very important to note that as dictated by the rules for the Moot, all votes are final, and cannot be changed once a name is spoken.” 

Vignar then motions to the warriors around the room. “By now, all should have noted our guests. The Companions have been invited here as neutral participants for the security and safety of all here in attendance. That is to say that violence will not be tolerated in any form. Respect and fairness are prized above all in order to bring about a new era for Skyrim.”

“That’s rich.”

All eyes turn to the voice which has cut into Vignar’s speech.

“Is there something you’d like to say, Jarl Elisif?” 

“We once put our trust in one of the Jarls here today thinking that he would be fair and accepting of this tradition, yet he took it upon himself to answer it with violence. How do we know that he or his wife will respect anything we decide here?” Elisif’s eyes burn with bitter grief as they find Dahlia’s, and for one singular moment, the Dragonborn is taken aback by the raw emotion she sees there. Never before has she seen her show more than cool indifference or frivolous selfishness.

“This whole thing is a farce, anyway,” she continues, her eyes still holding Dahlia’s. “Why hold a Moot at all when they just take what they want by force?  They care not for those they ravage in their wake. Their path is one of lies and deceit and their only concern for what power they can grab. So tell me, Vignar, how am I supposed to feel safe here with my young child when—let’s face it—none of us are any match for either of them?”

“We are all bound by the sacred tradition of the Moot and the Divines’ eyes upon us as we carry out their will. Surely, Jarl Ulfric and the Lady Stormcloak have no intention of spitting in their faces and incurring their disfavor, especially since Dahlia is Akatosh’s chosen.” Vignar waves an imploring hand towards Elisif. “And I will remind you that the challenging of Kings is also a long accepted tradition. All who take the position implicitly accept that risk.”

“It’s barbaric, and he’s a murderer.” Elisif points an accusatory finger across the table towards Ulfric. "As far as I am concerned, he is not fit to rule and neither is the Dragonborn. She is apologetic of his war crimes and therefore complicit in them."

Outraged yelling erupts from all seated at the table, as any previous control Vignar held of the event is lost. One voice yells over the other as insults are thrown every which way across the room and many limbs point furiously in various directions—a descent into chaos, pure and simple. 

All the while, Elisif remains seated primly in her chair across from Dahlia, her arms folded over her chest daintily as one of her lips quirks into a smug smirk.

Slowly, the realization sinks in as Dahlia’s teeth work their way into her tongue, biting down hard to keep the look of disbelief off of her face: She did all of this on purpose, and no one can dare to accuse her of it, least of all them.

Stinging anger prickles under Dahlia’s skin as heat blooms through her face—almost as if Elisif had reached across the table and slapped her herself. Her hands curl on themselves, fingernails digging deep into the palms of her hands as she struggles to keep a hold on rational thoughts. Any previous sympathy she felt for the woman is squashed therein, dispersing like smoke between her fingers. She was a fool to feel anything for her at all. 

She’ll not make that mistake twice.

[wrenhavenriver]

top 5 books for you too! also, top 5 video games and top 5 movies, if you would like :3c

heeell yeah! top 5 books:

Salvage The Bones by Jesmyn Ward - an incredibly lyrical and deeply sad story of a family in the days leading up to Hurricane Katrina. i read it for the first time at a very shitty time in my life and the sibling relationships especially punched me directly in the heart. a tough read on many fronts (definitely look up/mind the content warnings if you have any "hard no" topics in your books) but the power and beauty of jesmyn ward's writing is something else.

Catch-22 by Joseph Heller - one of those rare high school assigned books that actually made an incredibly lasting impression. i'm glad 17-year-old me got all those reality checks about *checks notes* the horrors of war, the hollow uselessness of nationalism and being convinced to die for it, the absurdly circular reasoning that props up systems of power and the incompetence of the people at the top of them, the ability of bureaucracy to drive you to sheer sobbing madness, financial systems being wildly arbitrary at best and a fucking scam at worst, *takes breath*,

The Long Walk by Stephen King - look, I find most of Stephen King's work deeply annoying, but this one fucking hits. A Hunger Games-esque premise that's about self-destructive urges and toxic masculinity as much as it as about the actual, you know, ritualized dystopian death march. also the camaraderie that forms between these teenagers even in the most hideous of circumstances is so charming and funny and sweet. also also it's just, like, really gay (peter mcvries you mad bisexual disaster).

The Secret History by Donna Tartt. Sorry.

Anything by Octavia Butler really, but Dawn has a special place in my heart. The detail Butler put into all the different ways an alien species would be, well, alien to us--biological, linguistic, the makeup of family units, understandings of gender and sex, etc--and her description of humans as intelligent but highly hierarchical, and how these conflicting qualities could very well lead to our destruction...the hugely messy power dynamics not only between aliens and humans but among humans themselves...there's just so much to sink your teeth into, and it's only the first fucking book in the trilogy!

much more briefly because i'm giving myself eye strain, top 5 video games:

this is another one of those things that seems to shift every time i'm asked it but there are two (2) that will very likely never be budged from the list and those would be: have i mentioned this game called dishonored 2012 dev. arkane studios maybe one or eighteen hundred times over the last ten years; and bloodborne babey!!!

feeling like i need a zelda entry on here rn but i can't decide between majora's mask or twilight princess

fire emblem: awakening set me on the terrible path of anime chess obsession and i'm much less mad about it than i should be

also need a sengoku jidai media entry on here but i can't decide (x2) between sengoku basara or nioh which is hilarious because they are WILDLY different in tone. the duality of man

oh shit that's at least five? ask me again in a week and i'll have at least three different substitutions lmao

favorite movies:

the handmaiden. adapting fingersmith to 1930s korea is galaxy brain levels of genius and hideko and sook-hee are peak romance

saw pan's labyrinth for the first time at like. age 14? and it chemically altered my brain and introduced me to guillermo del toro's work and made me feel a lot of horrifying things. 10/10

need a ghibli entry on here but can't decide (x3) between princess mononoke and howl's moving castle, vote now on your phones

lord of the rings: the two towers. saw it six times in theaters when it originally came out and it's still my favorite of the series. can pretty much watch it by just closing my eyes at this point.

favorite disney/pixar is tangled. "i see the light" is also peak romance. wait what if hideko and sook-hee sang i see the light to each other