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shalomniscient · 12 days ago

Note

I‘M HERE I‘M HERE WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS IN ACTOR ARLE

okay so disclaimers first this is somewhat joint brainrot with @/sea-lanterns and also within the context of selfshipping instead of being a real standalone au so this is just going to be a lot of sevchino yappery dhskfjdh ok disclaimers over

like i mentioned in the masterpost arle is an actress who primarily sort of "specialises" in more dramatic roles like suspense, thriller and psychological stuff. she has this aura about her that lends itself well to playing villains or antiheroes or any role that involves really digging deep into the head of a character who might not be exactly "good". she's a very well-established figure in the film industry, with an oscar, emmy and golden globe to her name. the only one she's missing is a tony, but arle doesn't do broadway theatre.

arle was initially a child actor under hearth ent. and starred in a few horror movies as a side character, before she took a hiatus at around age 16. when she turned 17 the director of hearth ent. was arrested for an absolute laundry list of crimes which include child abuse. arle only came back to acting at around age 21 under fatui ent., landing a big role in a thriller film as the main antagonist, the enraged spirit of a murdered child seeking revenge on the perpetrators and the people who stood by and watched. the movie was an absolute runaway hit and propelled arle's career further than anyone really expected. despite the movie's success arle is the most guarded about it in interviews, not really elaborating on her thought process and feelings during filming leading many to believe it was a sort of catharsis for her following the scandal that broke out with the former director of hearth ent., but this is just pure speculation.

the movie achieved such success that arle gained somewhat of a cult following, which still follow her to this day now that she's in her early 40s. despite this, arle is still a very private individual. she doesn't have any personal social medias, only official ones managed by fatui ent, and a lot of the stuff her fans know about her only come from official interviews or comments from her colleagues. paparazzi hesitate to follow her too closely or bother her too much because she reportedly has "a very intimidating presence". there's a famous picture of arlecchino staring right into the lens of a pap from at least 20ft away, looking murderous, and ever since then her paparazzi following dramatically decreased. hence, with the exception of the hearth scandal, arle's name is very rarely mentioned or embroiled in typical celebrity drama.

at some point in the middle of her career, arle took over hearth ent., which had been languishing on the brink of bankruptcy ever since the scandal. using her influence and her own skill she rebranded the talent agency into the hearth ent. it is today, famous for producing diamonds such as the broadway duo lyney and lynette. the new hearth ent. is also well known for its strict rules when dealing with projects and directors wanting to hire their talents, and also for taking the safety and protection of their talents very seriously. as a result, hearth ent. is now one of the most desirable talent agencies on the market to join for up and coming actors and actresses.

ok now that we're done with backstory it's super self indulgent sevchino time <333 in this au sev meets arle not as a fellow actress but as a director. sev dabbles a little in acting with some side roles but overall prefers being behind the camera rather than in front of it. the movie being shot this time is a psychological thriller about a killer of killers, with arlecchino playing the main protagonist. arle and sev get close over the course of the shoot, bonding over stuff like creative vision, the movie's themes, and their own personal interests, but nothing happens in the interest of keeping things professional. it's only after the shoot that arle makes a move, and it's a very slow burn colleagues to friends to lovers type romance. it's so slow moving the tabloids don't even realise until the wedding pictures drop on arle's official instagram. after that, it's a bit of a media storm but both sev and arle are pretty private people so it's still difficult to pry any information of the relationship out of them that they're not willing to personally divulge. when the sevchino kids start popping up arle also spares no expense in hiring a team of lawyers to ensure that any unwanted photos of them on the internet get taken down almost immediately.

as a closing note, one little scenario that has been absolutely haunting me since the inception of this au is sevchino at a red carpet event. it's a pretty popular question for interviewers to ask "who are you wearing?" and for the interviewee to respond with the name of the designer who made their outfit. arle would see sev taking this question and detailing the story behind her overclothes, swing by and chime "don't forget the victoria's secret underneath" and then go a little further down the carpet to take her own interview. rip sev being exposed like that but she'll be exposed in more fun ways later after the event 🙂‍↕️🙂‍↕️🙂‍↕️ ok bye that's enough selfship delusion for this week

#sev.responses #celuere #sevchino #modern au #actor au #bonus addition but whenever arle goes on socmed on her priv and sees fan comments on posts abt sev that go “our wife looks beautiful today”#she immediately blocks them hdskfhsd

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therootsofourgarden · 27 days ago

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The Roots of our Garden Intro Post

🥀🌸 “If I could just try, could I banish all the pain in you? Give you everything you need.” 🌸🥀

Hey!! So this is a little blog for my crossover AU “The Roots of our Garden” (fandoms will be listed following the “plot/info” segment)! I’ll mostly be posting art and dumb little poems, as well as using this as an ask blog!! You won’t have to know any of the fandoms in order to understand this! I’ll try my hardest to make sure everything is clear and explained!

(Run by @thequasarwinds )

Plot/Information

Plot

A group of six individuals find a “spell/curse” has been placed upon them, forcing the group together under particular effects that allow them to be in tune with each other. Memories of an individual bleeds into the others- and ailments (whether emotional or physical) are shared across the group. Finding this rather unfavorable, they set forth on a journey to cure themselves of this curse.

Important Links (not active atm)

(Please note that this AU IS of a personal/comfort nature- and is used as a way to process my emotions- more on this in the disclaimers section)

Gardners list and roles (main cast)

Garden visitors (major cast)

Garden/plant growth lore explanation

~~~~~~~~ (will add more links in the future if needed ~~~~~~~

Fandom List

(I know this looks like a LOT; PLEASE don’t get overwhelmed or deterred!! You do NOT need to know ANY of these at all! And we (me and my twin) have worked hard to make sure the world building all comes together cohesively! And even more so on a character basis. A lot of these will only be present either through a few characters (if not one) or a location visited or mentioned)

Primary Fandoms

Little Nightmares

Hilda (Netflix)

Made in Abyss

Amanda the Adventurer

The Mandela Catalogue

Major Fandoms

Epic The Musical

Wings of Fire

Warriors

(there are more but those are the ones that feel worth mentioning)

Tags

~~~~~To be added~~~~~

DISCLAIMERS

Trigger and Content Warnings:

Suicide/Suicidal ideation, self harm, child abuse/the overall mistreatment of children, dysfunctional family dynamics, unhealthy relationships (of all kinds), fighting (of all kinds), depictions of violence, blood, and possible depictions/mentions of dissociation/derealization/depersonalization as well as, most if not all of the five major trauma responses (fight, flight, freeze, flop, fawn)

(and possibly many others which I will tag!)

As I mentioned previously. This is a comfort AU- used to process my emotions and what not. As such this does make this vaguely a vent account. But it’s still its own story outside of its relationship to me! And feel free to interpret the more vague aspects of this AU however you like! I LOVE textual analysis and interpretation of my work!

I’d like you to be at least a little bit…sensitive with how you interact with this blog. Just don’t be overly critical or rude, the whole nine yards. I may add onto this with certain boundaries in the future

This does NOT entirely reflect how I’d portray the characters outside of the context of this blog. As I mentioned, this is used for my own personal comfort- so I’m allowing myself some creative liberties in order to accomplish that. But it will remain relatively in character to the best of my abilities

the characters will be portrayed as either cats or dragons

🥀🌸”We could’ve had anything anything else. Instead, you hoarded all that’s left of me.”🌸🥀

#ask blog #au blog #crossover au #crossover art #rp blog #vent blog #the mandela catalogue #little nightmares #amanda the adventurer #made in abyss #hilda netflix #epic the musical #Spotify

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gamesception · 2 months ago

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Sception Reads Batgirl (2024) #1

writer: Tate Brombal artist: Takeshi Miyazawa colors: Mike Spicer

I guess the comics creation process has changed in the last 20 years, because there's no longer separately credited pencils and inks. Is inking just not a job anymore? If not, who does that part now? "artist" or "colors"? Lettering is still a separate job - Tom Napolitano for this issue. I haven't been listing letterers with these reviews... should I be? & should I be calling out editors, for that matter?

Just a heads up: I didn't dislike this issue overall, and I do call out the stuff I liked, but I spend a lot of this post comparing it negatively to Batgirl 2000. If you're a Cass fan who's just hyped that she has a new solo title, and don't want to read a bunch of negativity while you're still celebrating then maybe skip this one.

Anyway, Cassandra Cain finally has a proper new solo ongoing title as Batgirl again, and the Cass fans on tumblr have seemingly been pretty hype about it. I'm considerably more trepidatious going in, because my reread of Cass's original appearances (link) has mostly shown me that I'm maybe not so much a 'Cassandra Cain' fan as I am a fan specifically of the initial Puckett/Scott run of Batgirl (2000). Of the unique tone and story-telling style of those issues, of the particular relationships between Cass and her main supporting cast at the time - Bruce, David, Barbara, later Stephanie.

I recently wrote a too-long post about what I was hoping for out of the new book (link) - but to recap I DON'T want to see a return of OG Cass's character and continuity - that version of the character is too tied up in her particular relationships with other characters that either don't exist or don't exist in the same form anymore. Plus, the impulse of middle age comic creators to try to force continuity back to whatever the status quo was when they first became fans is exactly what led to original Cass getting tossed aside and trampled over in the first place. New Cass is a new character, and I don't want her fans to have to go through what I went through just because people my age are in charge of editorial now.

What I DO want is a return of original Cass's storytelling style. Self contained stories, sombre tone, focus on emotion over action, leaning into Cass's personal motivations and fraught interpersonal relationships (just those of new Cass instead of old Cass), with a heavy emphasis on the individual humanity of all parties involved, with story and emotions conveyed primarily through the art - especially the facial expressions - while minimizing the reliance on dialog and especially narration blocks wherever possible.

That's a tall order, especially the last bit. There's a reason Batgirl 2000 caught my attention and stuck in my head. It takes a special kind of artist to be able to convey all that visually, and a special kind of writer to understand that less is more, to trust the artist to convey these things and trust the reader to pick up on them without spelling it all out explicitly in text.

So that's all what I want. But what do I expect? I'm a old school Cass fan. What I expect is disappointment.

...............................

So, first two pages, and we have some positives and negatives right off the bat. The art & colors are good. I mostly like the way Miyazawa draws Cass. It's a solid take on her costume, even if I prefer the wider angle ears from the recent Birds of Prey run. I like the classic chonky yellow belt pouches, though I'm not as big a fan of the yellow outline bat symbol. Yes it's also a classic, but it's a bit fiddly and doesn't read terribly well when she's smaller in the panel, like on that second page, so I always though a solid yellow bat symbol would have been better. I like the white eyes.

Cass's proportions feel a bit off. I like the emphasis on her musculature, but the overall figure feels too hour glassy, and the head to body ratio kind of visually implies a much taller Cass that I'm used to, especially for her post-reboot incarnation. This is an issue in Birds of Prey as well, if maybe not to the same extent.

New Cass was apparently supposed to be 16 when she was first introduced in B&RE & her earlier Detective run and like 17 or 18 in later Detective, outsiders, and Batgirls appearances - through from the way she was drawn and depicted I had thought she was like three years younger than that the whole time. Now she's 18 or 19, and has apparently gone through an extremely late and extremely sudden puberty? Eh, continuity in Bat books especially regarding canon ages was never good and has been an absolute wreck ever since new 52, so that's not something to fault this book in particular for. But even so, the body type feels a bit off.

The big tragedy, is, of course, the way Cass's mask blocks her face - especially her mouth. This is another throwback to her original batgirl costume, but Damion Scott was still able to convey a full range of emotions on Cass by just ignoring physics and drawing her face straight through the mask. Miyazawa seems to be going for a slightly more... I don't know, 'realistic' maybe isn't the right word. And there is some expression still showing, but given how much more expressive Shiva's face manages to be in this issue, it really feels like breaking from tradition to go with something that keeps her face exposed, like the domino mask of the Blackbat costume, would have better served Miyazawa's style.

Speaking of Shiva...

Yup, that's post reboot Shiva there, looking basically exactly how I expect her to look. Which is to say she looks fine. Good even. Her face is very expressive throughout the comic, which I really like, and I also like that she's deliberately drawn a bit older - something about the lines on her face, the sharpness of it. This is a woman with a history, been around the world, killed a lot of people, and that experience shows on her face. This in particular I can credit Miyazawa above Scott on, because in their first few meetings in particular back in Batgirl 2000 Cass and her mom looked about the same age.

There's a deliberate choice in this first introduction to pose her away from Cass, despite the fact that in the narrative she's the one going to Cass and Cass is rejecting her. But while it doesn't fit the narrative, it does play into some of the underlying character dynamics between them. It ties into the idea that since she understands body language like Cass does, she can 'speak' that language deliberately, allowing her to deceive Cass in a way that normal people can't. Her interior emotions are closed off to Cass - not because Shiva isn't expressing emotions but because her ability to lie means Cass can't - and doesn't - trust what Shiva 'says'.

That's all good stuff. The kind of interpersonal dynamics that I want to see out of Cass stories, so in that at least I'm happy. Most of the Cass-Shiva stuff in this issue is really solid. It was a natural and imo correct choice to start the book with a narrow focus on Cass's relationship to Shiva, given how core that relationship has been to both of their characterizations since Cass's post-reboot reintroduction. But that's for both better and worse, especially in Shiva's case. I know there are fans of Shiva out there who don't like how much of her individual character and motivation has been pushed aside to just make her 'Cass's Mom'. Unfortunately, that particular problem isn't one that's going to be fixed in a Cass Cain solo title.

Less good is how much Brombal relies on blunt narration blocks to explain this dynamic between Cass and Shiva to the reader, instead of allowing the reader to pick up on the emotional undercurrent through the art the way Cass perceives it through body language.

I'm willing to cut Brombal some slack here, because where they're working with Shiva - a reserved, withdrawn, calculating, and emotionally deceptive evil parent - Puckett & Scott were working with og David Cain. He was original character they crafted specifically to fit the kind of story they were trying to tell, so they made Cain the kind of man that never had a sincere emotion that he didn't wear all over his face for the world to see. Like, here he is in Batman 567, Cass's first appearance, with the Puckett/Scott creative team.

look at this man

Look at his face! See how expressive it is!

And yeah, Shiva's just not going to be expressive in the same way. So it really is honestly impressive how good a job Miyazawa does with her face in this issue:

Those are some good & fun faces. It's a good thing Miyazawa is doing such a good job with Shiva's face, though because it's near about the only face we get to see in this issue. Which is a problem I pitch a big old fit about below regarding the antagonists, but even more than that it's kind of frustrating that we don't get to see Cass's face even one time in the first issue of her new ongoing.

And while these Shiva faces are good, they're rarely the focus of the page. We're never given the kind of close up faces that take up half a page or more to really let us drink in the characters' emotions like Batgirl 2000 used so effectively.

.....

That's about as much as I can wring out of those two pages. Unfortunately that means I have to get to the actual content of the book.

First, what the hell is Cass doing in that first panel.

Second... come on. This book wants me to believe that Shiva is worried about some random assassins killing her and Cassandra? In this continuity the League of Assassins are the worlds top evil ninja society that every other random evil ninja society is afraid of, except for the League of Shadows who are the super secret even more ultra evil ninja society that even the League of Assassins is afraid of, and Shiva and Cass are each individually established as being so far beyond even them that either of them could outfight and take down the entire League of Assassins on their own. "Faceless ninja mooks Trained killers are coming to get us" is so far beneath either of these characters as far as threats go that Shiva should feel insulted, not afraid.

And I guess that's supposed to be the point? Like the writer is saying "these guys who you've never heard of are so scarry that even Shiva is afraid! Aren't you intrigued?" And, like, no. I'm not. If Shiva isn't feeling disdainful and insulted, then I'm just kind of forced to feel insulted on her behalf. This isn't something Shiva should think Cass needs help with, and if Cass did end up needing help I'd expect Shiva to help, but also to make a big show of how disappointed she was that Cass couldn't handle it on her own the entire time.

That last panel with Cass and Shiva is cute. Again, most of the direct interactions between them in this book are good, and they're the ledge I'm desperately clinging to in order to say I don't actively dislike the whole issue altogether.

On the other hand when I say 'faceless ninja mooks' I mean it. These guys are as generic as mooks get, with no individuality at all. Store bought ninja halloween costumes, swords and bows instead of guns or anything serious. These guys aren't people, they're the putties from Power Rangers. They don't even have real dialog, just a corny mantra.

Compare to these generic thugs from Batgirl (2000) #1. Even without names and almost no dialog, each one is a completely unique individual, to the point that we easily recognize 'Merc' in the middle when he shows up later in the issue.

Mob guys, bank robbers, just random civilians on the city streets, everyone who shared a panel with Cass with under Scott's pencil had a unique face, and whenever any of these background characters stepped forward to actually take part in the story Puckett invested them with personalities and motivations and lives of their own.

And I'm not just harping on it because I like that kind of storytelling better, it was part and parcel to Cass as a character. Her unique superpower, her whole body-reading gimmick, essentially amounts to super-empathy. It's why she doesn't kill, it's why the one time she did kill as a child messed her up so bad. It, along with the guilt from that murder, forces her to connect to even the villains she interacts with, to see them as full human beings and not just enemies that need to be stopped. It's why Bruce once characterized her as 'gentle', despite all the killing skills that were trained into her. And yeah, new Cass is a new character, but these core elements are, or at least should be, shared between both versions, between every version of this character, even as the specific details of that history vary from continuity to continuity.

Emphasizing the individual humanity of all the characters in a Cass story - from Cass herself to the primary antagonists to the random mooks to the background extras - is essential to conveying that aspect of Cass as a character.

And these guys are the literal opposite of that.

Now, they're not all bad. We do get a bit of a fun fight scene out of them. Very 70s hong kong martial arts movie vibe, which Cass and Shiva can play into. And a faceless crowd of ninja mooks makes sense in that context. This isn't as fundamentally obviously a terrible decision on the creative team's part as I'm making out.

But there are any number of martial artist characters in the DC canon that can be used to do this sort of thing. IMO it just doesn't speak to what's uniquely compelling about Cassandra - old or new. Which is a problem for the first issue of her new ongoing title.

And nothing here illuminates why Shiva would be in any way worried about these guys. They're not uniquely skilled, they're not uniquely anything, and they're not portrayed as being on Cass or Shiva's level.

Cass and Shiva eventually get bored of fighting generic nobodies & make their way down to the street via window and hang-glider-cape, where we get this bit... that I actively kind of hate?

Because, see, the incident Shiva is talking about is something that happened in Batgirl (2000). This shouldn't be in continuity anymore, and it doesn't fit into current Cass timeline at all - unless there was some other shiva-worshipping temple in gotham death/revival incident with Cass post-reboot that I don't remember.

I've seen people celebrating this exact line as marking the return of pre-reboot Cass's continuity and the wholesale erasure of post-reboot Cass. Apart from the frustrating indifference of that sentiment towards any fans of post-reboot Cass, especially coming from fans who should know better, it doesn't even work. Because the Shiva we've spent this whole issue with is 100% post-reboot Shiva. This IS NOT the character that Cass fought in that temple. As out of character as it is for this Shiva to be afraid of random mooks, we can at least accept her behavior IF we suspend disbelief about those mooks representing any sort of threat to her and Cass in the first place.

But the Shiva og Cass fought in Batgirl (2000)?

Death matches, putting her own life on the line to test her skills against the deadliest martial artists in the world, was her whole deal. Batgirl (2000)'s contribution to that deal was that Shiva was such a skilled fighter because she had the same body-reading ability as Cass, and just like Cass that ability forced Shiva to experience the deaths of those she killed as they experienced it. And just like Cass had been consumed by guilt from that experience, Shiva had been consumed with... well, not guilt exactly. But a burden of karmic debt. She had killed and she deserved to die for it. But her martial pride didn't allow her to just take her own life, so she traveled the world looking for someone who could give her the warrior's death she deserved.

After Shiva "killed" and then revived Cass, she hoped that Cass would be, at least for a moment, sufficiently freed from the sense of guilt that prevented her from killing again to go all out against Shiva and finally put an end to her. Cass, recognizing how much they had in common, was then able to use her new understanding of the death wish they shared to defeat Shiva without killing her.

All this is to say that if the Shiva Cass fought in that temple had been confronted with an ancient secret order of martial artists out to kill her and so skilled that they could actually do it, she would have relished the chance to finally meet the end she had been chasing across the world for decades. This Shiva is not her, so the comic deliberately invoking that story via this temple reference is kind of jarring to me.

This is part of why I didn't want this book to try to revive pre-reboot Cass's history, whether in part or in whole. That character was founded on relationships with a bunch of other characters whose present versions are all as different from the versions og Cassandra knew as the Cass of Batman & Robin Eternal was from the Cass of Batgirl (2000).

The clock only turns the one way. You can't turn it back, you have to build forward from where you are.

If we ignore this line, and the inclusion of this temple in the story, then I'd argue the comic at least begins to do that with the relationship Cass and Shiva's have built up in Detective and Outsiders and Shiva's brief appearance in Batgirls... but are any of those events even in continuity anymore? I don't know, and that's pretty frustrating.

We do get this cute moment of Cass disappearing on Shiva and Shiva blaming 'her father's influence' - by which she obviously means Bruce. Again, mostly good character interaction between Cass and Shiva. Unfortunately this cute moment is immediately undercut by Cass just being there anyway in the next panel, but still.

....

I'm getting tired, and this has taken way too long already, what's left?

Yeah, Shiva's temple explodes, Cass & Shiva go there and meet the temple keeper from the same story back in Batgirl (2000) as he dies, the faceless ninjas attack again. There's at least one more really good bit with Cass and Shiva worth calling out:

This is good. This is a good moment, calling back to the start of the issue when Shiva was trying to convince Cassandra how much she she meant her, and Cass accused her of lying, while here she is trying to convince the putty patrol that Cass doesn't mean anything to her, and Cass can tell that that's the real lie.

This is probably my favorite Cass & Shiva bit in an issue that has a lot of good bits to point to in that regard.

Unfortunately the comic pretty much ends here, which brings me to my last big complaint about Batgirl (2024) #1: It doesn't tell a complete story. It doesn't even come close - hardly anything even happens. Cass & Shiva barely talk in a pent house, fight some random nobodies for a few panels, barely talk outside, and then end on a cliff hanger fighting the same nobodies in a burning building. That's it. We barely recap Cass's backstory at all, we don't find out who these guys are or why they want Cass & Shiva dead, we hardly interact with any characters, and they end on a cliffhanger after hardly doing anything only 20 pages in, wasting like 6 pages on an adds for wrestling comics after that.

Batgirl (2000) #1 managed to do so much more with only a few more pages - giving us flashbacks to Cass as a child beating up 'Merc' & the thugs as part of training with David, training with barbara, Barbara trying and failing to connect with her, another flashback to cass after she had left david encountering Merc again, patrolling with batman, barbara and bruce talking about her abilities and disabilities, the little wham moment of Babs being like 'No wonder she's so good at stick fighting, I just thought it was from Cain training her', and Brucy replying 'Cain never taught her stick fighting, I did, last week, took five minutes', Bruce & Cass sparring - which the comic doesn't even show because the page space was better used on close ups of their faces to convey their emotions afterwards, Cass patrolling again and starting to find herself as batgirl when she meets Merc for a third and final time, how that final meeting tied the rest of the issue together in a satisfying way, tying together the drifting life that led to her becoming Batgirl, before closing on Batman laying down the rules for Cass as a crimefighter (no costumed criminals, etc) which also served as a message to readers about what to expect from the book.

....

I get that it's not fair to compare this book to the Puckett/Scott run of Batgirl 2000, one of my favorite comic book works and probably my absolute favorite mainstream superhero comic work ever. I will stick with this book and post my reactions to it going forward, but I don't intend to do this kind of expectations-laden comparison to Batgirl 2000 again. I hadn't even intended to do it this time, except that while I was working on this post I kept seeing "Cass is so back!" style reactions from old school Cass fans at the kind of sort of maybe restoration of an unspecified amount of her pre-reboot continuity, and that's just frustrating to me.

Because to me what made og Cass special wasn't a fan-wiki style breakdown of her lore, it was the way her stories were told, and how that storytelling style brought the characters and relationships in it to life. Batgirl 2024 #1 isn't a bad book at all. In terms of modern Cass appearances, so far I like more than B&RE or Outsiders or Birds of Prey, but a bit less than Detective or Batgirls or Spirit world - though there's plenty of room for Batgirl 2024 to surpass those books in my estimation going forward.

But one thing it absolutely isn't is the second coming of Batgirl 2000.

#batgirl #cassandra cain #lady shiva #batgirl 2024 #sception reads cassandra cain #long post #overly negative

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goodboyaudios · 10 months ago

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Hello! My name is Grim, and I fancy myself a bit of a researcher. Now, this is not for anything important or extremely serious. Instead, this is mostly for my own pure enjoyment and something I have in the works that is to be posted on Tumblr. You are not obligated to answer any or all of these questions I have posed. I know it’s a bit much. Take your time, but don’t feel obligated to do anything. Feel free to add any additional input! Thanks for your consideration!

1. How different do you think your work would be, in terms of getting across a point, in a different medium thats not Audio RP?

2. How do you think your work would be different if it more reflected main stream industry forms of storytelling where you as a creator would be more separate? (ex. movies, tv shows, games, etc.)

3. How important do you find the voice acting in your work?

4. You are the primary voice of your works. Would you consider taking a step back from voice acting in your work to focus on narrative work?

5. Do you believe your own individual ability to voice characters enhances the story overall?

6. Do you enjoy the idea of a “Listener character” or would you better prefer to not have one?

7. As a writer, how does the writing of the Listener take you out of your comfort zone? (ie their effect in relationships, plot movements, etc.)

8. Is Audio RP your favored form of art?

9. How do you believe Audio RP differs from main stream forms of art/entertainment?

10. Do you believe that your work has over arching themes that relate to you personally? (very optional)

Sure! I'm happy to answer some questions!

I think with the addition of a visual medium it would most definitely be significantly easier, yes.

Well, I can't say for sure. I could explain for hours about how mainstream media forces a creative to conform their work within often-times hostile parameters. Nevertheless, I'd be blessed with the opportunity to try. That being said, I have a lot more creative freedom here on Youtube than anywhere else, at least by my standards.

I think it's very important. Conveying enough emotion without the added visuals means that it is ALL DOWN to vocal performance.

I am typically the primary voice, yes, but I must admit this is a very difficult question. I love to write stories of scifi and fantasy, I love to take concepts and ideas, pieces of dialogue and conveyed emotion and put them into an all expansive list of things to try, but I personally love bringing those emotions and ideas out myself. I find it fun! I suppose...I wouldn't! Writing is fun, don't get me wrong, but being able to perform it is part of my joy in creating what I make. If I stopped doing one, I'd have to find it elsewhere and that would take me away from doing the other thing.

I like to believe that, yes. It only makes sense that the writer knows the exact feeling to convey in a script, but you could call me vain for that if you like lol!

Listener characters are the bane of my existence lol! Okay, that was too dramatic. It's very difficult to write a character that doesn't talk, but represents...basically everyone! How do you compensate for that? And echoing dialogue is not something people do on a regular basis. No one talks like that, but we need to in order to get across what the listener is thinking at any given time, because if you don't, everyone is confused. It's quite frustrating and a hell of a dilemma in the scripting process.

Well, like I said earlier, I have to try and accommodate for everyone which is a challenge all on its own. It's VERY easy for the listener to become a talking head and I try my best to avoid it. Alas, I imagine even the greatest xlistener writer has fallen into that trap lol

No, it is not. I like 2D animation and RPGs.

Money? Budget? A lot more emphasis on visuals? When you start out as a content creator, you start with nothing and are tasked with making something, but with mainstream media, the network hands you a budget to make something. Granted those things might not be great given the parameters of the network, but hey! At least you can say you made something!

Very much so, yes. Zed is directly related to my insecurities and fears of not being enough as a person. Makkaro is related to my need for a work/life balance so that I might enjoy the little things while still giving my all. Albus is a toxic form of what I wanted to be when I grew up, a man who can fight through anything, but inside is deeply broken. Yargwynn is my running away from my problems in hopes that it'll all just go away. Mortallous is those problems always chasing me, always catching up. One day, I will tell a story of Zed realizing who he wants to be. That story will show that the man I really want to be, is myself. I will no longer be Good Boy Audios, but Good Man Audios. Yeah, it's cheesy as fuck, but hey, I like cheese.

Thank you for your questions. I really appreciate the time you took to ask me them. And I hope you enjoy my stories moving forward too!

#good boy audios #goodboyaudios #youtube #asmr roleplay #asmr boyfriend

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faulty-writes · 1 year ago

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[ Hello followers and or fans, I present to you, Chapter Three of my Tensei holiday series. You can find the first few chapters by searching this tag on Tumblr or you can find Chapter One by clicking this link. This series will probably go on into early next year, but we could all use a little more Tensei in our lives. ]

[ Nothing could get worse between discovering his letter and the broken heart you felt...or so you thought. After arriving at the Iida Estate for the scheduled dinner, Tensei’s parents finally tell you what they want to talk about. Unfortunately, it’s not what you expected and despite declining their offer, they aren’t willing to listen to reason. On the bright side, at least Tensei didn’t see it coming either. ]

On your way to the Iida Estate, you stopped by the agency, which was filled with eerie silence except for your hurried footsteps. It seemed every rational thought in your mind was absent because you couldn’t explain why you wanted the crumbled-up letter.

Despite your lack of sleep, you hoped that when you woke up, it wouldn’t be there. Maybe you just wanted to confirm if it was real or not. Unfortunately, that ache in your chest returned immediately when you spotted the torn and crinkled piece of paper.

It was tempting to tear it apart, but instead, you folded it up and tucked it inside your burgundy blazer. Although you were certain that the Iida family members would all be wearing formal attire that you could only hope to afford, you tried your best to coordinate an outfit that would at least please them.

In addition to your blazer, you also wore an ivory-colored, button-up shirt. The collar of it was adorned with a silky black bow tie which matched the black-hued trousers you wore. The finishing touch to your outfit was a pair of semi-polished black dress shoes.

Overall, you hoped that you gave the aura of a sophisticated individual while also representing the festive season. You took a deep breath, willing the ache in your chest to go away. You needed to be mindful and alert during your visit with the Iida family, which meant you couldn’t let this distract you.

It was like being on a mission or apprehending a villain. You needed to be coordinated, calculated, and ready for the unexpected, which in this case, might be the conversation Mr. and Mrs. Iida wished to have with you. Yeah, you were still dreading that. But there was little to be done about it now.

Taking another deep breath, you locked the door to your office and made your way down to the main floor of the agency before locking the entrance doors and climbing into your car. “Well here goes nothing…” you muttered before starting the engine.

The drive to the Iida Estate was short, and the only thing that made it somewhat bearable was the holiday music blasting from the radio. In a way, it was comforting. But you frowned knowing that this festive time of the year would be over soon.

At least you could take pride in knowing that it was a productive year. This was evident because the Idaten Agency had made the Top 50 list of the Best Agencies in Japan, and you knew that was partly thanks to the new team members who certainly pulled their weight and made the agency just a little better.

The thought made you smile, and you knew that Tensei was also proud of the way you were taking care of his former agency. Nobody knows what tomorrow, let alone next year will bring. All you had to do was your best. This is what you reminded yourself as you drove past the gates of the Iida Estate.

After parking and getting out of your car, you heard someone shout, “Hey!” and turned to see Tensei rolling down the ramp toward you. Before you realized it, a smile came to your face. Guess that was the power he had over you, and his handsome appearance might have had something to do with it.

Like you, he sported a blazer but colored a deep evergreen with golden trim along the cuffs of it in addition to golden cufflinks. A crisp white dress shirt lay beneath his blazer, although the collar of it was open, and a silky red tie encircled it and you noticed there were small snowflakes across its fabric.

His tie complimented the bright red pocket square located on the left side of his blazer. His trousers were a deep shade of charcoal and black oxfords were on his feet. “You look nice,” you complimented, and he smiled. “Thanks, Tenya helped pick this out for me,” he replied, and you chuckled.

Yeah, that sounded like something Tenya would do. “That figures,” you said before opening the side door of your car to take the gifts you had gotten for the Iida family out. A moment of silence filled the air before Tensei said, “You look amazing.” You cried out when your head hit the ceiling of the car and stumbled to turn around.

The gifts you had piled in your arms fell partly on Tensei’s lap and on the ground. He looked startled but immediately addressed your well-being. “Did you hit your head?” He asked, reaching out to you. “No, uh, I mean yeah but…” you rubbed the top of your head and like a ripened tomato, your cheeks turned crimson.

As you knelt to pick up the gifts, you hoped Tensei wouldn’t comment on the color of your face. “Y-you uh, just surprised me with your compliment, and uh…” You shook your head; this wasn’t how you normally act around Tensei.

Jeez, finding that letter really messed you up, but you couldn’t let him find out. ‘Right. He’s…my friend and I must be supportive. No matter how much it hurts,’ and boy did it ever. “Um, sorry for spilling those on you. I can take them,” you said, attempting to organize the gifts in your arms before reaching out to him but he rolled back.

“I can help you carry them!” He insisted with a smile. “Besides you seem a little out of it today, guess the busy holiday season caught up to you, huh?” Tensei had a way of being blunt when he wanted to be, and while that bluntness may come off as rude, most of the time he didn’t mean anything by it.

“Right…busy holiday season…” you replied before walking past him. “Thanks,” you nonchalantly said before respectfully removing your shoes and walking into the Iida Estate. The interior was bathed in a soft beige color, with white trim molding across the top.

The polished marble flooring reflected the light from the chandelier suspended from the ceiling. The center of the foyer was adorned with a grand staircase, its balusters carved with precision and created slender forms that enhanced the allure of elegance that lingered through the room.

At the bottom of the staircase stood a magnificent tree. A string of evergreen encircled it, and flickering lights of red, blue, and yellow provided it with an enchanting glow. Delicate handcrafted ornaments hung from its branches, and a sparkling star adorned the top of the tree.

Beneath the boughs was a delightful array of presents, each one wrapped in festive paper that created a vibrant hue against the marble flooring. Somehow the Iida’s always outdid themselves when it came to decorating and you looked at Tensei who too seemed hypnotized by the tree’s majestic appearance.

The sound of his mother’s voice, however, broke the hold the tree held over your mind. “Oh, I’m so glad you’re here,” both of you turned to look at her. A sumptuous crimson kimono hugged her figure, its fabric embroidered with intricate snowflakes.

A green obi with golden swirls encircled her waist and layers of silk bellowed from beneath the kimono, leaving the impression of modesty and poise. The sleeves were long and flowing, with golden trim. On her feet, she wore plain white tabi socks with zori sandals.

Overall, she represented a traditional elegance of beauty and charm. Things that made you feel somewhat subconscious about your outfit, but hey, you tried. She approached the two of you, a smile playing across her features.

“Oh, you brought gifts. Please place them under the tree,” she said, gesturing to it. “Oh right,” you replied, kneeling, and carefully placing each present underneath said tree, making sure the labels were facing the correct way.

Tensei rolled over and handed you the presents that were currently sitting on his lap. “Thank you,” once you were sure all the presents were organized, you stood up. “Dinner is still cooking, why don’t we have tea in the parlor while we wait?” She suggested motioning to the archway located to the left of the foyer.

“Oh, uh,” you glanced at Tensei who nodded. “That…sounds lovely,” you replied before bowing. “Thank you very much,” you leaned back up and made your way to the parlor. Much like the foyer, its walls were painted beige, and plush armchairs were scattered around to enhance the purpose of conversation.

The scent of fresh flowers with subtle citrus undertones mingled with the musky aroma of aged books. The large bookcase surrounding the room and the vase of fresh flowers on the ornate table that took center stage in the room were the sources of the smells.

Overall, the room conveyed a sense of comfort. However, this was short-lived because when you saw Mr. Iida seated in the furthest chair, you tensed up. The conversation he was having with Tenya, who sat next to him, halted when he noticed your presence.

A shiver ran down your spine when he locked eyes with you, and you were about to blurt out a greeting when Mrs. Iida brushed past you. “I’m so happy everyone is here,” she commented before walking over to her husband. “I’ll go make some tea, Tenya will you help me?” She asked and he immediately sprung to his feet.

“Why of course, I would be delighted to help!” He replied, chopping his hand rapidly through the air. You noticed his outfit was a little different from Tensei’s as it was slightly more casual. Instead of a suit, he was wearing a forest green vest that fit snuggly against his chest.

A white button-up shirt complimented the vest, allowing its stark color to stand out. He appeared to be wearing dark, well-fitting jeans that still somehow conveyed a hint of sophistication as did his black dress shoes. “It is wonderful to have you here, Y/n,” he said, his hand moving through the air again.

“I do hope that the festivities occurring today will not be interrupted as they were previously,” you knew he was referring to the incident that happened yesterday. “I guess we’ll see,” you replied, shrugging and Tenya offered you a smile before he left the room with his mother.

“Do you wanna sit here?” Tensei asked, gesturing to one of the open chairs. You were about to respond only to have Mr. Iida speak first. “No,” he said, his voice slightly raspy and authority coated it. You tensed up and looked at him. Like his wife, he too was sporting a kimono although a tad less colorful and more traditional.

It was a deep emerald and you noticed it was partially hidden by the haori he wore. A simple red obi complimented his kimono and was tied behind his back in an artful knot. He too was wearing white tabi socks and zori sandals. Tensei laughed.

“Do you want them to sit closer?” he joked, and Mr. Iida nodded before gesturing to the seat that Tenya was previously sitting in. ‘Oh boy…’ You grimaced and looked at Tensei for reassurance. He offered you a smile and lifted his hand to the side of his mouth.

“I’ll sit next to you,” he whispered, knowing you were still a little uneasy when in his father’s company. “Oh um,” you nodded and reluctantly sat in the requested seat. As promised, Tensei rolled over to take his spot next to you and locked his wheelchair.

“So, Dad,” he began engaging in casual conversation with his father while you sat there with your hands in your lap. It was strange to think you were a Pro Hero, and leader of Team Idaten and could talk to fans, crowds, and villains with little to no problem.

But Tensei’s father…that was an entirely different challenge. His intimidating nature constantly got to you, and it made your mind go blank, making it nearly impossible to speak to him. The minutes that ticked by felt like years, and the tension in the air grew thicker by the second.

Like a fish out of water, you felt like you were unable to get oxygen. Even as the chatter between Tensei and his father continued, you felt awkward. But like an angel descending from the heavens, Mrs. Iida broke the tension when she walked back in with Tenya who was carrying a silver tray that housed a black tea kettle.

Its glazed surface was adorned with a subtle depiction of cherry blossoms. Surrounding the kettle were five cups, each one painted with a unique pattern. You assumed this was so everyone knew for sure which cup was theirs.

As she got closer, the earthy richness and sweet undertones, somewhat reminiscent of roasted seaweed permeated the air and managed to put you at ease for the time being. “You can place it on the table Tenya,” she instructed and once that was done, she carefully poured everyone a cup.

You held yours snugly between your palms, enjoying the subtle heat that seeped through its porcelain body. The weight of the cup in addition to the overwhelming aroma acted like an anchor, grounding your troubles for the moment.

The heat intensified when you brought the cup to your lips and gently blew on it before taking a sip, enjoying the feeling of the warmth of it rushing over your tongue. “Ah,” you said, licking your lips. “This tea is delicious Mrs. Iida,” she smiled at your compliment and took a sip from her cup before looking at Tensei.

“Do you and Y/n have any special plans after dinner?” She asked, making your eyebrow raise. There was a good chance you and Tensei would be doing something after dinner, permitted work didn’t require your attention. But you couldn’t help but feel she was asking that as if she wanted to make sure there were no plans set in motion.

“Not sure,” Tensei replied, smiling when you looked at him. “I’m sure we’ll figure something out,” he said, giving you a playful wink before drinking his tea. You knit your eyebrows before Mr. Iida said, “Don’t make any solid plans.” You looked at him, watching as he drank from his cup before returning your stare.

His gaze was cold and authoritative but that could be because he didn’t want you or Tensei to argue with him. Luckily Tensei found his response just as concerning. “Oh, did you want us after dinner for something?” He asked. His parents were known for last-minute surprises.

Mr. Iida’s gaze lingered on you, making that awkward tension surround you again. ‘Why the hell is he looking at me?’ You glanced to the side and resumed drinking your tea, hoping he would get the hint that his stare was making you uncomfortable.

“Hmp,” he grumbled and rose from his seat to place his cup onto the tray. Mrs. Iida turned to Tensei, “Your father and I were hoping to celebrate something else today as well,” she explained, being as vague as possible. “Something else?” Tensei repeated before looking at his brother.

As if reading his mind, Tenya said, “I am afraid I am unaware of any premeditated plans mother and father may have contrived.” With that, he finished his tea, and placed it on the tray as his father had done. You blinked, trying to process the lack of information and make sense of it.

“Pardon,” all your heads turned to see a man wearing a toque blanche and a white double-breasted jacket. The sleeves of which were rolled up, revealing his rather dry-looking skin. In addition, he was wearing a pristine apron that cinched around his waist, a few stains were visible on the surface of it.

Underneath the apron, he was wearing dark pants. It was safe to assume that he was one of the many chefs the Iida family employed. He bowed respectfully and gestured toward the kitchen. “Dinner is served,” he said, and Mrs. Iida smiled.

“Oh wonderful,” she stood and placed her cup on the tray before instructing Tenya and Tensei to wash up for dinner, then she looked at you and your stomach twisted. Oh no, this was the part where you were going to find out just what they wanted to discuss with you.

That uneasy ache returned, spreading through your chest like wildfire and a feeling of nausea washed over you making your face appear pale. “Huh?” Tensei noticed your odd change in complexion. “Are you okay? Heh, you look like you’ve seen a ghost,” he said, placing his hand on your thigh.

You paused, ignoring the tremble that coursed through your body like a bolt of lightning. Then your lip quivered, his touch was so gentle and loving. “Y-yeah,” you replied, swallowing heavily. “I-I’m-” The sound of throat clearing interrupted you. The two of you turned your heads to see Mr. Iida.

His arms were crossed, and his facial expression was stern. “Tenya, please assist your brother to the restroom,” he stated. “Yes, father!” He immediately and enthusiastically replied. Before Tensei could say anymore, Tenya unlocked his wheelchair and quickly escorted him out of the room.

You curled your fingers so tightly in your lap that your bones began to ache, you had never been so nervous to talk to Tensei’s parents before and maybe you wouldn’t be this nervous if you hadn’t read that damn letter. ‘Whatever happens…happens,’ you reminded yourself after taking a deep breath.

“Y/n,” you looked up at Mrs. Iida who was standing proudly next to her husband. “Y-yes?” you replied, bracing for the worst. “You’ve been a part of our family for quite some time now,” she said, walking over to grab your hand, giving it a gentle tug to signal you to stand up.

Despite the frown on your face, you did as she wanted and placed your now empty cup of tea on the tray. “I still remember when Tensei introduced us to you during your first year at Yuuei, he was so happy to find a classmate who supported the idea of his future agency,” she smiled as she replayed the moment in her head.

Yes, she knew something had changed in her son shortly after he enrolled in Yuuei’s hero course. That certain spark in his eyes was nothing short of admiration and she had her suspicions that maybe, just maybe, her son had found someone to fancy.

The day Tensei brought you home confirmed her suspicions and from that moment on, she hoped that the two of you would end up together. But as the years passed, this hope dwindled. She thought for certain you’d fall in love with her son after the Hero Killer incident that rendered him paraplegic, but again, she was proven wrong.

She knew that the only person her son had eyes for was you. And as far as she knew, you didn’t have any romantic interest in anyone. Yet, Tensei and you remained inseparable. She was very grateful for all that you had done for him and likewise, she assumed that you were grateful for everything Tensei had done for you.

So, there was no reason to delay the exciting decision that she and her husband came to. “We’d like to share the plans we have for you and Tensei,” you knit your eyebrows. “I-I’m sorry?” you replied, what the hell did she mean by plans for you and Tensei?

Didn’t they know that Tensei had feelings for someone else? Or so you assumed he did. The letter was evidence enough! He wrapped an arm around his wife, pulling her closer as if sensing your conflicting aura, and firmly said, “We’d like you to marry our son.”

Your world shattered when you heard those words, and your breath was stolen away. You had joked several times that it was a surprise that they hadn’t proposed that you marry Tensei, and now that joke turned into reality, and it made your heart both race and sink like an anchor.

The war of conflict between selfishness and selflessness and your heart’s lovesick needs versus your brain’s logical reasoning hit you like a brick. “I…um,” words weren’t coming easy now, and you squeezed your hands together, making your fingers turn red.

You swallowed thickly. “I…appreciate your proposal but um…” you latched onto your lip, trying to ignore the saddened look that fell across Mrs. Iida’s face. “I need some time to think about this,” you bowed before scurrying out of the room, guilt flooding your heart like a deadly plague.

This was just too much to process at once, who knew that your greatest enemy would be love? A frown decorated her lips as she turned to look at her husband, hurt and confusion shining in her eyes. It was not an expression he favored seeing on her and he vowed to fix it.

“I believe we’ll be late for dinner,” he said and ignored her perplexed reaction as he guided the two of them out of the room. The long rectangular dining table was covered in an ivory tablecloth that pooled over the edges of said table.

Fine China decorated with subtle festive patterns laid on appropriately themed placemats in front of each chair. The silverware sparkled with a mirror-like sheen and was placed on either side of the said China plates. The glassware gleamed like freshly fallen snow and stood at attention beside the complexly folded linen napkins.

A base of evergreen branches dusted in a coating of artificial snow surrounded by rustic pinecones lay in the center of the table. Their rich brown hues created an earthy contrast that gave the feeling of the holidays with a touch of the outdoors.

Along the branches were clusters of fake cranberries, adding a pop of color and further capturing the essence of the season. Three slender candles, aglow with artificial flames stood like pillars amidst the greenery and each one of them was dressed in a delicate red bow.

At the head of the table sat Mr. Iida, and next to him on the left was his wife. Across from her sat Tenya and next to him Tensei, and finally you took your place next to Mrs. Iida. You shyly glanced at Tensei from across the table as all of you waited for the food to be brought out.

A few minutes of silence passed before the savory scent of roasted turkey, creamy mashed potatoes, green beans, carrots, cranberry sauce, and mouthwatering dinner rolls filled the air. You swallowed as the food was placed on the table, and your stomach gave an approving growl.

As the last of the food was being brought out, you followed Mrs. Iida’s lead and unfolded your linen napkin before draping it across your lap. After expressions of gratitude were complete, Mr. Iida went to work cutting the turkey and everyone filled their plates.

The sound of silverware clanking against said plates echoed, as did the gentle clink of glasses. Regardless of the lack of conversation, there was a peaceful and familial atmosphere. You had almost forgotten about the earlier incident until the repetitive sound of a spoon gently hitting the side of a glass echoed.

Everyone at the table looked at Mr. Iida, the one conducting the noise. He stood up when he was certain he had everyone’s attention. “It’s an honor for the Iida family to be together to celebrate this festive occasion,” he turned his glance on you and unlike before, you weren’t intimidated by any means.

Rather you cocked your eyebrow at him, wondering where he was going with this speech. “And it’s time to celebrate the newest member of our family,” he said. While he knew you had declined the offer, he and his wife so graciously gave you, he would make it happen regardless.

This is what his wife wanted after all. There was no better gift he could give her than watching their son get married to the one she believed would make an excellent spouse. What? You looked around, almost as if you expected someone else to spontaneously manifest out of thin air.

Naturally, you became quite concerned when you noticed that everyone’s gaze was turned on you. ‘Why is everyone looking at me?’ You thought for a moment that you had food on your face or perhaps that you spilled something on your outfit.

But you quickly realized when you looked back at Mr. Iida that he was now gesturing in your direction. “Uh...” you glanced away, feeling quite awkward. Mr. Iida lifted his glass into the air, the contents of it swirling around as he made a toast.

“I’m honored that Y/n has agreed to marry our son,” he stated causing Tenya to jolt in his seat. He blinked, and his lips parted as he looked at his brother who was equally as shocked. But Tensei’s eyes were focused on you as if you would have the answer to what had just happened.

Your mouth hung open and you shook your head slightly as if to convey to him and Tenya that you had no idea what was going on. Well, other than the fact that Mr. and Mrs. Iida didn’t respect the answer you had already given them and were now twisting it in their favor.

You frowned, understandably angry, in addition to the other confusing emotions you had been dealing with since yesterday. Even if marrying Tensei would be a dream, you couldn’t let him do that if he had feelings for someone else. “Mr. Iida I-” he ignored you.

“I propose a toast to the new couple,” he said before looking at his wife who was absolutely beaming with happiness. “We’ll start planning the wedding accordingly,” with that, he swallowed a mouthful of his drink and sat back down. “I’m so honored that you changed your mind,” Mrs. Iida said, turning to you.

Despite wanting to tell her that you, in fact, did not change your mind. You knew that was disrespectful and you didn’t want to ruin dinner. So instead, you nodded and remained quiet as you continued eating. You focused your attention on your plate, refusing to look at the members of the Iida family.

Your mind was too preoccupied to carry on a conversation anyway. It was a strange feeling, you finally got the chance to be with the one you had adored for years and yet, you couldn’t because he had feelings for someone else.

Granted, there was no name mentioned in the letter making it nearly impossible to figure out who he was referring to. Asking Tenya did cross your mind, but you felt like that was going behind Tensei’s back and the last thing you needed to do was to hurt him.

The most important thing now was not your feelings but Tensei’s. If you could have a private moment with him after dinner, then maybe you could explain how you found his letter and ended up reading it out of curiosity.

You could potentially also explain what had just happened and how you initially refused the offer his parents gave you to marry him. You wanted to sigh but instead latched onto your lip. This holiday season just turned into a Hallmark love triangle tragedy.

[ Chapter IV ]

#tensei ida x reader #tensei iida x reader #tensei ida #iida x reader #iida x y/n #bnha x reader #bnha x you #bnha x y/n #faulty writes: tensei iida: 23 #faulty writes: tensei iida: holiday series: 23

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archer3-13 · 2 months ago

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was gonna create a more in depth list, but instead heres a rapid fire bullet points on my general impression of stormbloods main story before post patch content

no specific complaints gameplay wise.

theres a good story here that wants to break out of stormbloods uneven story.

highlights included the doma portion of the story and the azim steppe, though that was in part because i was playing a xaela wol whos self imagined backstory fit the story being told.

the low point was probably the very start of things if im being honest. stormblood doesn't make a strong first impression riding off the spectacular ending of heavensward post patch content.

returning to ala mhigo from doma, things get a bit better in the land of ala mhigo story wise. ultimately though i find the overall package of stormbloods main story to be disappointing, because it feels like either one of these stories deserved an entire expansion to themselves to flesh everything out. instead they awkwardly share a single body.

lyse is the biggest casualty so to speak of stormbloods uneven writing i would say. its not hard to see what they're trying to do with her, and i would even say it has a lot of potential for a really moving character story as she matures into a leader worth following. to paraphrase the not youth however, stormblood doesn't "cook" lyses story enough for the resolution to hit in the way it needed to. we are informed about lyse having great leadership qualities, but we never really get to see them in action, where as what we see her doing is usually pretty emphatically not leadership things but rather adventurer things. at worst she comes across as a figurehead once again imitating others for lack of her own individual qualities, at best it feels like her development happened when you weren't looking. not helped by how she ironically just feels like diet yida in terms of her character traits outside of that.

speaking of informed traits though. zenos. for a supposed tactical genius master general of unorthodox strategies, we really don't get to see any of that do we. what we do get to see is a perfect exemplar of garlean colonial policy and ideology, a man so used to the power and privilege of his position that he wields his awesome might with little care or regard for the consequences. a beatstick who can power his way through any problems and takes that as intrinsic proof of his righteousness and mastery. but thats not what they're going for, they're going more for a hxh hisoka kind of character, a warrior savant of such uncontrollable bloodlust it affects everything he does and thinks, and a man who lives only for the hunt of powerful prey. thing is, with hisoka it makes sense and facilitates what happens in the plot. he acts capricious and allies with the heroes on multiple occasions well also allying with the villains only to betray everyone, because it fits with his motivations. hes out only for himself and his own amusement, and enjoys risking his life on seemingly impossible bets or against the insanely powerful. hes incredibly strong, but whats most scary is that he fights very intelligently ontop of that strength to the point that chrollos best strategy to beat hisoka boils down to "overwhelm him with random bullshit", and it still doesn't work. zenos? as i said hes a beatstick, who spends most of the plot throwing money at the problem or sitting on his throne murdering people for bringing him bad news. he can't really have an opportunity to showcase his capriciousness thats fueled by his bloodlust, because hes the main antagonist to the point of a bottleneck. at most he pisses off in doma because he's bored but thats bare scraps for what a character like that would need. and then in the end, he fuses himself to a giant dragon god thing, and rule of thumb here. a hisoka esque character would never do that unless they're backs were to the wall and they were suppose to be showing how they aren't as hot shit as they claim. zenos just kinda does it cause he insinuates it was always his plan. and that blows.

hien was cool. as said i enjoy the doma and azim steppe part of the story, and hien was a breath of fresh air by virtue of having his head on his shoulders and a sense of humor that made him genuinely quite endearing in the sense it was written in an endearing way.

nero my beloved, you got the after credits thunder and lightning introduction you always deserved. i hope you enjoy that hate make out old man yaoi relationship with cid you glorious bastard.

#ffxiv #final fantasy 14 #stormblood

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literaticat · 9 months ago

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I’ve been researching agents before I query my MG Fantasy, and after [many many hours of research] I only have SEVEN agents I feel would be a good fit ??? I thought I’d have, like, 30 on my list!! I’ve read lots of query advice about doing agent research and finding good fits so many I’m taking it toooo far? The writers I follow on socials will query 40-50 agents and I don’t even know how to find that many! I guess my question is… should I cast a broader net and if so…. How do I best figure out who to query without just spamming my book out there (not my style).

I mean listen maybe you are just *choosy* and there's nothing wrong with that. (I confess, I'm a bit of a snob myself!) -- But I am guessing there are more than 7 good agents that do MG fantasy. ;-)

Maybe you already did all this, idk, but here's how I'd personally do it, it's a three-pronged approach from broad/general to specific.

FIRST -- I'd start a spreadsheet and begin filling it out by looking up all my favorite authors (who write my kinda book) just to see who their agents are. Listen, you gotta start somewhere. This info will often be in their acknowledgments or google author name + agent. Make a note of these names because they may well come up later!

SECOND -- I'd get a (Free) QueryTracker account. With this, just the most basic thing, I narrowed down in five seconds that there are 87 agents who are open to MG Fantasy queries specifically. Now, a lot of these are multiple people at the same agency which you'd have to narrow down, some agents might have only put "Middle Grade" and not SPECIFIED fantasy but they do in fact take fantasy -- but this is a start. You're starting to familiarize yourself with names, and this is just another way to cross-reference. I WOULD NOT USE THIS AS MY MAIN RESEARCH TOOL -- but it is useful to know about!

THIRD, and most importantly/usefully, I'd get a Publishers Marketplace account. I wanna say this is $25 a month (though maybe the price has changed idk, but it's around that) -- you don't need to keep the account but getting it for a month would be incredibly useful. The thing to do, IMO, is, instead of immediately just combing through deals -- a tedious process -- start by going to Dealmakers.

Go to "Browse Top Dealmakers" and select Agency > Children's: Middle Grade Fiction > Overall. You'll get the top 100 agencies for MG Fiction sales. It looks like this:

From here, you can click each individual agency name and see an overview of all their sales and deals with TONS of info, or click "View Deals" and see all the deals in this category. You could also go in the top and switch it to "Agents" and look at the top 100 agents, but a lot of them will be at the same agencies, and you should only choose one per, so that's for later when you are narrowing it down!

With all of this info, you SHOULD have a fairly robust list of agencies that do MG fiction and have a track record of sales. (There are at least 60 or so on there that have multiple MG sales in the past 12 months!) -- note that, of course, the size of the agency has something to do with this too, though -- agencies with multiple agents doing the deals obviously will have more deals in a category - a one-person shop or an agency with only one kids specialist will obviously have lower total deals, but that doesn't make them less good. So don't be swayed by just Size of Agency, the nature of the deals are important, too.)

Anyway -- let's say that there are 40 agencies here that seem like great possibilities. They have clearly done multiple MG sales, you've heard of their books, etc.

Within those agencies, there might be one obvious "MG Fantasy" agent -- OR, there might be multiple you could choose from. So when you are whittling that down, you can go to their agency website, read their bio, read their wishlist, read their client list, etc. Maybe a couple of the agencies will get knocked out at this point because actually, it seems that none of the MG deals were fantasy and nobody seems to like fantasy in their bios -- but I'M BETTING that there will be more than 7 people on the list at the end of this process!

GOOD LUCK!

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blissents · 1 year ago

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Devlog #1

Hi hi! ෆ˙ᵕ˙ෆ I don't really post often, but I told myself that starting in 2024, I wanted to share what I've been working on! I'm a solo game dev who has been developing a game called Visionaries. It's a romance visual novel that explores grief and loss.

༺✧ STORY ✧༻

"Visionaries": Special individuals with the ability to look into the past. There are a select handful of Visionaries who can also see into the future.

"What happens after we die?" The age-old question with no definitive answer. Many have constructed their own complex theories and stories to try and explain this mystery.

~~~~~

Explore the world of Visionaries as you wake up in an unfamiliar room, unable to speak and move. You're faced with unusual people (who tend to bicker any opportunity they get) only to later discover that they are your assigned Visionaries. These Visionaries have only one task; they intend on looking into your memories.

What is the purpose of Visionaries existing, and why do they insist on looking into your mind?

If you want to read more about the progress I've made on Visionaries, please continue reading below the cut! ෆ˙ᵕ˙ෆ

༺✧ ART ✧༻

Most of my time has been spent working on the art! (I can't feel my hand) My main focus is to finish drawing all of the character sprites as well as finish rendering the backgrounds. I've already come up with all the designs and expressions for the characters, they just need to be rendered :,)

I still need to create their little character info sheets (I have no idea what the word is, haha), where you'll learn their names, ages, and all of that fun stuff ෆ˙ᵕ˙ෆ

Below are some of the sprites :-)

The first two are fully rendered, while the other three need to be finished :,)

As for backgrounds, I have 1 that is fully rendered and 3 that still need to be finished! I'll only be sharing 3/4 today since I'm unsure if I'll be including the one background in the demo.

To be honest, I struggled quite a bit when drawing the backgrounds D: There were a lot of things I envisioned, but unfortunately, I didn't know how to fully portray them. I had some trial and error while coming up with the original designs. That being said, I'm glad I was able to come up with something I felt satisfied with! I'm planning for the rest of the backgrounds to follow the red/brown colored theme as seen in the first photo ෆ˙ᵕ˙ෆ

Of course, there will be more backgrounds than the ones I'm currently showing! I already have some ideas/drafts for those, but they might change depending on the way the story plays out.

༺✧ WRITING ✧༻

So far, I've planned for the demo to have a little less than 9k words. I'm unsure if I'll keep it at 9k words, or if I'll expand it some more so that there will be more content in the demo :-) We'll see!

As for the overall game, there will be at least 2 routes. There will also be 2 romanceable options (one being he/him, the other being she/they). I'm still figuring out how I want to script all of this, so these aspects may change in the future!

The game will also have options where you can choose your pronouns and name!

Here's a small snippet of the script!

I wanted to show the dynamic between two of the characters :-)

༺✧ OTHER ✧༻

Besides writing and coding, I've been coming up with some ideas for the GUI! I don't have any current drafts of that to share, but I'll hopefully include them in a future devlog ෆ˙ᵕ˙ෆ I also have plans on creating the cover art for the game, cgs, more backgrounds, and possibly some promotional art (rip my hand, there's so much I need to draw (╥_╥))

I was thinking about composing the music for the game, but I realized I know absolutely nothing about music and wouldn't even know where to start if I had tried :,) So instead, I've compiled a list of some soundtracks and sound effects I might use! Hopefully, I can share that in the future once I've narrowed down which soundtracks I know I'll be using.

༺✧ CONCLUSION ✧༻

My overall goal is to release the demo sometime during this year! Because I'm doing everything myself (art, script, writing, etc.), it might take me a bit longer to get everything done. My apologies for that! (╥_╥)

Besides that, I really just want to start creating and sharing more of my art. Getting over the mental hurdle of being afraid to show my work is honestly pretty terrifying for me. I normally only share the things I create with close friends, but I think it's time to get over this fear of mine! ᕦ(ò_ó)ᕤ

I was able to make significant progress within these past few weeks since I'm currently on my winter break. Classes start back up soon, though, and I'm going to be internship-hunting as well as planning on a big move. I'm still going to try my best to juggle everything so that I can make even more progress on the game! ෆ˙ᵕ˙ෆ

At the end of the day, all of this is a fun little project I've always wanted to do. As a little kid, I absolutely loved playing VNs (and I still do!). Creating my own game felt like an unreachable goal, but with enough effort, I think it's something obtainable ෆ˙ᵕ˙ෆ I really just want to create something that others can enjoy!

As a side note, I have some plans to create a little blog (not even sure if it's considered a blog, haha) about the games I've played/want to play! That will be coming very soon!

Thank you to anyone who read this far! You have my eternal gratitude <3

~ bliss ෆ˙ᵕ˙ෆ

#VisionariesVN #devlog #visual novel #gamedev #game development #indie dev #developer #indie games #otome #amare #otome game #amare game #wip

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gigakoops · 1 year ago

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More About Our System!

I've made a post in the past about it, but we're a plural system, consisting of over 70 other folks! For more info on what that means, read the original post here.

Today we thought we'd introduce a few of ourselves at least, as some of whom may post here every once in a while! While we're still figuring out who all wants to post regularly (and how regularly), we've decided to talk a tiny bit about ourselves! Perhaps some of us will write more in the future.

The vast majority of us are fictives. Most of my headmates resemble fictional characters, but have their own identities, memories, morals and sense of self. We are not roleplayers. My headmates are unique individuals, separate from any work of fiction. They've also asked me to mention that they are not interested in seeking out sourcemates.

Below is a list of our names, descriptions we've each written of ourselves, and pictures I (Gigakoops) have drawn of the others. Feel free to send us any asks if you'd like to learn more about us, or want to learn more about how our system works!

🎵 Gigakoops -- The host of our system, and the main one using this account. Musician, rhythm game enthusiast and note charter for several games, and fan of very weird media. Also a supporter of human rights, and vocally supportive of all marginalized people. (She/Her) (No need to do a portrait, y'all can already see my fursona in my PFP 😛). ______________________________________________________________

📖 Tiff -- The one always offering advice to the others, and always a friendly shoulder to lean on. Also into reading and learning new things, as well as rhythm games like Rock Band! (She/Her) ______________________________________________________________

🐺 Wolfy -- I'm Tiff's sibling! I used to be a protective headmate of sorts, though nowdays I mostly just chill with everyone else. I have a no-nonsense approach to things, and can still be protective if needed. (Any pronouns, use interchangeably) ______________________________________________________________

🦇 Fidget -- I can be a bit of a goofball, but I'm also always sincere, and also like being there for others. (She/Her) ______________________________________________________________

🦊 Rita -- I'm very anti-authority, and also very prone to shitpost. I'm Danish, but speak a lot of Norwegian instead of Danish, and in fact have been helping Giga with hers. This fox bites fascists. (She/Her) ______________________________________________________________

🔧 Tails -- I'm really interested in technology, computers, and video games, and would also like to learn more about tech of all sorts. I'm overall sort of geeky, but also laid-back and chill. (She/Her) ______________________________________________________________

🍪 Chip -- A fun-loving little doofus who enjoys sweets. I'll likely post about being queer, and about my in-system husband, Phil. (He/Him) ______________________________________________________________

🦚 Phil - If there's one thing you've gotta know about me, it's that I'm here to spice things up every once in a while. Oh, also, I'm hella gay! (He/Him) ______________________________________________________________

🍎 CJ7 -- I'm relatively care-free, and like to goof off. That said, when someone's going through something, I want to be there to help them through it. (Xey/Xem) ______________________________________________________________

🌹 Roze -- I'm here to support my friend CJ7, and to assist in any way I can to others who need a philosophical point of view on things. I'm also interested in science and the cosmos! (Ze/Zem/Zer & She/Her) ______________________________________________________________

🎤 Retsuko -- I'm typically calm, cool, and collected, focusing on finding new ways to relax and help others calm down if needed. I'm also really into metal, in case you couldn't tell. :P (She/Her)

#plural #plurality #furry #fictive #fictive heavy system #multiplicity #the tumblr plural feed #anthro #cute #system intro #endo safe

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icarusavery · 1 year ago

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things i'd change about bionicle lore if i was writing g3 (WARNING: THIS LIST LONG AS BALLS AND ALSO MOSTLY ABOUT MATA NUI) (also the no gender-locked tribes thing should be obvious)

1 - Some Matoran (and most other Matoranoids, save for Skakdi) are created without an elemental affinity. Notably for the Matoran, these unaspected Matoran (Nul-Matoran/Ze-Matoran/Ro-Matoran, as in null/zero? Pro-Matoran, as in Protodermis? Na-Matoran, a pun on N/A?) are occasionally discriminated against as being "wrong", though other cultures celebrate them as being unbound by destiny.

2 - The six main elements have been rejiggered a bit. Fire is about the same, but Water now has Ice put under its purview (think waterbenders from ATLA), and Earth now has Stone put under its purview (they should've been the same thing). To replace these two elements, Ko-Matoran are now Lightning-aspected while Po-Matoran are now Air-aspected, with Le-Matoran getting Air replaced with something like Plantlife or Nature (not a big fan of "the Green" as a name, and calling it Jungle is honestly a bit dumb imho). I could do a whole post on this topic but the tl;dr is that I think it just fits better with these characters/tribes/koros and their overall vibes and well as my general view on how elements should work.

3 - The other elements would be Av-/Light, Kra-/Darkness (prefer it over Shadow), De-/Sound (prefer it over Sonics), Ba-/Gravity, Fe-/Metal (combining Iron and Magnetism), and Ce-/Psionics. All six of these tribes exist on Mata Nui, but not as distinct entities - instead, they're mostly spread around the main six koros in varying populations. Life and Death are also elements, sorta, but there are no beings who embody them - all Matoranoids are imbued with some Life energy and Death energy would instantly kill any being who attempted to tie themself to it.

4 - On that note, each koro - while it has a dominant element - is no longer homogenous. On top of having Matoran from the secondary elements, Matoran from other "primary" elements do ive in koros not associated with their element. The size of each koro varies - the largest being Ga-Koro, the smallest being Ko-Koro - but generally they have a population of anywhere between 1,000 to 5,000 Matoran. Smaller villages are spread across the island, usually having a population between 50-100. Overall, Mata Nui has a population of somewhere between 20,000 and 40,000 Matoran, compared to Metru Nui having about 1,000,000 Matoran plus members of other species such as Vortixx, Skakdi, and others.

5 - Toa and Turaga aren't a different race/species from Matoran. A Toa is just any Matoran who's unlocked deeper power within them, be it elemental or from their mask (with Matoran usually having very limited if any ability to utilize elemental or mask powers, though generally gaining more as they age). A Turaga is either a spiritual and political leader, or a term of respect given to older Matoran. Would definitely fit better with moments like, for instance, Vakama saying "we, the ones called the Matoran" in Mask of Light.

6 - On that note, Matoranoids - both Matoran proper and other Matoranoid species like Skakdi and whatnot - age. A Matoran is considered "young" when they're 10 or younger, and considered "old" when they're over 60, with the oldest being about 80. The caveat here is that Matoran don't really have a childhood, they're "born" into what would be equivalent to being between 15 to 20, depending on the individual.

7 - On that note, Matoran reproduction. When a Matoranoid dies, their body will disappear after a few days, unless it is destroyed beforehand, such as on a funeral pyre. In either event, the remains are teleported to the Red Star, where the Matoranoid's essence - their soul, in some respect - is reconstituted into a new Matoranoid - usually of the same species, but rarely of the same variant. The Red Star will then transport the new Matoranoid back down to either the MU or, now that there's a population center there Mata Nui, typically to whereever there may be a population deficit. This results in regional populations mostly staying consistent, though the process of a Matoranoid dying and being reincarnated takes a variable length of time, from several days to several years. A newborn Matoranoid is generally given basic knowledge, but otherwise lacks any memory of their old life or their surroundings. Tradition on Mata Nui is for new Matoran to be named by the Matoran who discovered them, though other regions have different traditions. Very rarely, a Matoranoid can recall their past lives, or even temporarily be taken over by an old consciousness, if either exposed to artificial stimulus (such as a mask power) or an especially strong reminder of their past life (such as someone they loved, romantically or platonically.)

8 - On that note, love is canon. Matoranoids don't experience traditional sexual attraction, but do still experience "aesthetic" attraction (not sure if there's another term for it?) and do still experience romantic love, platonic love, and - as much as a lifeform that doesn't directly reproduce can experience it - familial love. For the record, non-MU beings, such as Agori, Glatorian (who I'd retcon as being just a class of Agori as opposed to another species), and kinda-sorta Great Beings (who I'd retcon as being completely different from Agori and Glatorian) do experience sexual attraction and reproduce "normally."

9 - There are a lot fewer species in the Matoran Universe. I never liked how almost every unique being was a member of a species with like one or two members. Bara Magna can have a couple more species (namely, Great Beings being distinct from Agori and Glatorian, though as mentioned above I'd make the latter two one species) but the Matoran Universe needs a lot fewer. I'd make characters like Axonn just exceptionally powerful Toa or something, and have the Barraki each be members of a preexisting species but heavily mutated.

10 - Makuta are no longer all Shadow-aligned, instead being as diverse elementally as Matoran, with their creations often reflecting their element. They also no longer have Rahkshi powers - I'd honestly severely cull the Rahkshi power list given how many redundant ones there are. Instead, each element has one associated Rahkshi power (something thematically appropriate for it or ironic, like Fragmentation for Earth, Disintegration for Sound, Acid for Water, Illusion for Light, etc.) that Makuta of that element can grant to a Rahkshi.

11 - Makuta are immortal, unlike most Matoranoids, owing to the unique physiology (being almost entirely mechanical, and their souls being far more disconnected from their bodies and able to possess empty machines). This isn't a change, this moreso an absence of a change from lore - though I'd clarify it so they still technically have a "true form" with their original bodies, and they're also not made out of "antidermis", but can transfer their soul into another body through antidermis. Makuta can also possess other Matoranoids, though it's far harder because of all the organic bits.

12 - Notably, the Makuta are unaware of the true nature of the Great Spirit. They were created to serve the Great Spirit and maintain the internal ecosystem, and Teridax views his rebellion against it as a rebellion against a distant, tyrannical god. Were he to learn the true nature of the Great Spirit, that it was merely an AI piloting a giant robot through space, he'd likely fall into depression and resign himself to the pointlessness of the whole affair, or decide his true enemy are the creators of this so-called Spirit, or maybe he'd go into denial and act like it was some kind of trick this cruel god is playing on him.

13 - The Great Spirit AI is ironically one of the more primitive AIs the Great Beings ever built. It technically has emotions, but its primary directives weigh far more heavily on it than any personal feelings ever could, and it barely registers Matoranoids as even being alive, let alone as being worth consideration. For the GSR, protocol dictates action. This could be an interesting twist villain, with an AI that views the battle between the Toa and the Makuta not as a battle between good and evil, but moreso as its maintenance equipment breaking itself. Perhaps it's the Great Spirit that summons the Bohrok to clean things up so it can fully reboot, rebuild its "tools" from scratch, and finally get back to its mission of cataloguing the universe.

14 - The Great Beings are much more explicitly kinda assholes. They're a very alien species compared to the much more "human" Matoranoids and Agorinoids, viewing themselves much like the Great Spirit views itself: perfect, logical beings who are far above the tiny primitives that litter the surface of the world. Their actual logic can often be found lacking, however, and they're more just interesting in doing evil shit for the sake of advancing their knowledge of the universe. Great Beings are also mostly organic, unlike the Agori - who use cybernetics to enhance their ability to survive - and the Matoranoids - who are mostly robotic with some organic components.

15 - I never liked how big everything was, so now everything is much smaller, closer to the actual size of the sets. One bio is now equivalent to four centimeters (or 1.575 inches), which may seem arbitary, but in fact means one bio is equal to five "studs" - a common unit of measurement for Lego sets equal to the width of a 1x1 brick (0.8 centimeters, or 0.315 inches). Five studs is equal to a Lego minifigure in height, so you can kinda just go off the height of a minifigure for the length of a bio. The average Matoran or Turaga is three to four bio tall (12-16cm), the average Toa is four to five bio tall (16-20cm), and the absolute tallest beings in the Matoran Universe are up to nine bio tall (36cm). An Agori would be about as tall as a Toa, with most Agori in the Glatorian caste being at least five bio tall, if not six (20-24cm). The island of Mata Nui is about 1000 kio long (40km or 24.85mi, with one kio being 0.04km/4,000cm/1,000 bio, long), while the Great Spirit Robot is 7,000 kio tall (280km or 173.9mi)

16 - A bit of a continuation from the last point: Bara Magna would be larger than Earth, about three times larger, but would only have a bit more mass owing to a predominantly liquid protodermis, and thus not very dense, core. Aqua and Bota Magna would have similar gravity to, if not slightly weaker than Bara Magna despite both being smaller than Earth since their cores would have a lot more heavy metals like iron.

17 - To exacerbate their alien nature, Great Beings aren't at all scaled like Matoranoids or Agorinoids. They're on average 46 bio tall, or 184cm (a little over 6 feet for the Americans in the audience). They're utterly, impossibly giant to even the tallest Matoranoid, and were often mistaken as gods by the Agori.

18 - Destiny's not real. Or, rather, the future isn't predetermined. Some Matoranoids do have a destiny, in a sense, but it's something programmed into them by the Red Star, the Great Spirit, or the Great Beings - be it a specific reaction to a mutagen, or them taking a certain action in a specific scenario (such as a Toa betraying their comrades if their team tries to do a certain action). Some beings can sense the future, but it's always in flux.

as one last addendum, it took a lot of finagling to figure out that I should scale the in-universe size of Mata Nui and the GSR to about 1:2.8 (not the actual size, which would be closer to a 1:13 or 1:14 scale, specifically scaling the in-universe units), and I hope anyone working with that scale appreciates it because my "completely flunked Algebra" brain spent over an hour trying to figure that number out because I kept coming back with numbers that just didn't turn out right.

#bionicle #bionicle g3 #bionicle lore #lego bionicle #god i hate math #also i probably have a lot more ideas but this is just what came off the top of my head

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fangsnpaws · 8 months ago

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ALTERHUMAN INTRO POST !!

helloooo and welcome 2 my alterhuman intro page!! this post will be an in-depth introduction and explanation of my alterhumanity for those who are interested!

please read me!

list of identities: (con)therian, otherkin, otherhearted, fictionkin, musickin, videogamekin, placekin, conceptkin, nonhuman, demihuman, humanflux, and partially endel.

therian: i am a black cat therian! this is my main theriotype. i am also caninekin (cladotherian).

contherian definition: contherians do not experience distinct mental shifts. instead, they are consistently and passively in a state of both their theriotype and their human identity simultaneously.

otherkin: vampirekin and satyrkin are my main kintypes. i am also creature/cryptid/monsterkin (unspecified), ghostkin, spiritkin, and a nuanced, unlabeled, complicated combination of angelkin and demonkin.

otherhearted: bat-hearted, goat-hearted, sea otter-hearted, fox-hearted, snow-hearted, (carpathian) red stag-hearted.

fictionkin: multiple scps, spencer reid from criminal minds, sam winchester from supernatural, ethel cain, questioning others.

musickin: music in general! various genres, albums, songs, artists (not factkin, just their overall sound or whole discography), album covers, music concepts, etc, bass guitar objectkin.

videogamekin: the long dark, firewatch, skyrim elder scrolls, resident evil 7, puppet combo & chilla’s art games, fnaf 3, questioning others.

place/objectkin: carpathian mountains, snowy mountains, cabin in the woods, liminal spaces, library, castles and old churches, swamp/bayou, the moon, forests.

conceptkin: rainkin (and thunderstormkin), lovekin, creepy/weird/strangecorekin, dark academiakin, gothickin, regional/rural/southern gothickin, castlevania (tv show) kin, questioning others.

nonhuman/demihuman/humanflux: demihuman definition: individuals who identify as possessing both human and nonhuman aspects in their sense of self or identity. demihumans are understood to be partially human, retaining certain human attributes or characteristics while also incorporating nonhuman elements into their identity.

humanflux definition: individuals whose identification with humanity is not constant but undergoes changes; individuals identifying as humanflux may experience periods where their connection to humanity feels more or less pronounced.

while i am demihuman and humanflux, i do still identify as nonhuman for multiple reasons, even though i am not entirely nonhuman.

partially endel: endel definition: an individual whose nonhuman or alterhuman identity is associated with, caused by, rooted in, or significantly influenced by delusions.

i partially identify as an endel because i have psychosis, and do believe in the possibility of my alterhumanity being caused by delusions. in short, certain aspects of my alterhumanity or nonhumanity may be caused by delusions, but i don’t think that it is caused entirely by my psychosis.

note: i am very religious, and follow multiple religions. this partially influences my alterhumanity, or aspects of my alterhumanity, but not entirely. however, i am very spiritual, and this does influence all aspects of my alterhumanity.

divider. ✩ divider.

#hayden meows

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sshbpodcast · 2 years ago

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Won’t someone think of the children?! A Rok-Tahk Appreciation Post

By Ames

Last week, we covered just why your hosts here at A Star to Steer Her By largely dislike the children characters in classic Star Trek (tl;dr: it’s mostly because they’re written as props instead of people, or so I make my claim). There is one show in the franchise, however, that’s a huge outlier in how its children characters are written, acted, and treated overall as individuals who grow and develop. Obviously, it’s Star Trek: Prodigy. Since basically all of the main characters are children, the show would have failed if it couldn’t make them compelling and relatable to both a young audience and the preestablished fanbase.

And against the odds, it succeeded like whoa. There’s a reason why the fanbase is in such an uproar right now about Paramount’s avaricious cancellation of the Emmy Award–winning animated underdog (go sign the petition if you haven’t yet!), and that’s that the show is just so surprisingly good. We’re the last group of people who would laud a kid’s show so much, and we absolutely adore it.

Read on below for what Prodigy gets so right when establishing its children characters. Rok-Tahk is the prime example here because a) she’s voiced by Rylee Alazraqui, a legit child voice actress, who NAILS IT, b) she ticks all the boxes for what makes a good child character, and c) she’s just the best. Period. But let me explain anyway…

Rok is more than you expect

I think all the kids who made our favorites list in last week’s blogpost have one thing in common: they had some kind of hidden depth to explore. A character having some kind of twist or secret or hidden identity is just a staple of science fiction. We see it in Barash and Taya, who turn out not to be the children they appear to be. We see it in Mezoti, whose dual nature as both a young innocent girl and a Borg drone with the collective experiences of a whole hivemind makes her endlessly fascinating.

So when this massive rock creature whom we start off being intimidated by turns out to be the sweetest little girl, we’re immediately interested because it subverts our expectations. We’re forced to remind ourselves not to judge someone by how they look on the outside, something Star Trek has been doing since its very conception. And then when we learn even more about her and realize that her jailors put a child in a prison camp, we can’t help but root for her.

Rok is allowed to just be a kid

Sure, Rok is still smarter than your average kid, but she’s smart without being obnoxious like other naturally brainy kid characters I could name. *cough cough Wesley Crusher* As the obvious example, Wes is exhausting as a character because he’s a boy genius who is acutely aware of it and his supernatural smarts force him into situations another kid wouldn’t be in. He isn’t allowed to be a kid because he is first and foremost a child prodigy.

Rok, on the other hand, is first and foremost a child in the show Prodigy! Her excitement about new encounters is because most encounters to her are just that: new! She plays “Delta Heart Magical Veterinarian” in the holodeck, she loves ice cream, she plays with the cute little creatures on “Dream Catcher” planet, she naturally cares for Murf as though he were her puppy. Rok’s youth informs how she reacts to circumstances in the show and she acts accordingly in ways that aren’t forced, better suited for other characters, or just downright unnecessary. And seeing the universe through the eyes of someone with such a clean slate allows the audience to make their own judgements about the Protostar crew’s circumstances episode by episode.

Rok is a freakin’ alien monster

Prodigy also introduces us to the Brikar, a new alien race of rock monsters. And everyone accepts her without a single word! Now that’s the Star Trek way! From the moment we meet Rok-Tahk, she’s not physically cutified or even feminized, which is frankly refreshing. She’s less humanoid than most creatures we meet, outside of say, the Horta or Murf. It’s also a great use of the CGI-animated medium because live-action shows can’t pull stuff like this off.

I’m honestly impressed to see any female character, let alone a little girl, portrayed in a way that isn’t that cookie-cutter kind of attractive that we see everywhere. Rok is BIG. Rok is HARD. She’s not feminine or pretty or soft. Her cuteness comes from how she acts, talks, and treats people. And the crew of the Protostar and the Starfleet officers we meet later treat her like they treat everyone else: like a person. The people who run the slave show in “Preludes” pin her as a monster because they don’t/can’t know her. But our other main characters do get to know her and barely even bring up her size! And when they do, Rok subverts it by proclaiming that she doesn't want to be the muscle on the ship, and they go with it. I love that.

Rok has character flaws

Like any person, especially a well-written character in a television program, Rok isn’t perfect. Perfect people make for obscenely boring television (unless it’s a satire or something), and perfect children are just plain not believable and take you out of the story. But Prodigy writers went a few extra steps in developing someone like Rok to have credible flaws for her situation that also informs how she acts, changes, and grows. Rok overthinks and doubts herself constantly because she has anxiety. She’s suffered through traumas, like some of the orphaned boys mentioned in last week’s blog have, and that gives her something to overcome over the course of the season and [hopefully] beyond.

And, as mentioned above, she’s also really young! She doesn’t have the experience and knowledge yet to save the day every week. She knows she has limitations and when she remembers this, she panics, freezes, and languishes in self doubt. I’m thinking specifically about the turmoil she goes through in the supremely excellent “Time Amok,” in which she is forced to be alone (already terrifying) and also with so much pressure put on her (downright immobilizing!). Audiences can relate to anxiety and stress like this. It doesn’t matter that she’s a kid: we all get what she’s going through and connect with her immediately.

Rok grows throughout the season

You’d think it would be easy to create story arcs that help child characters grow since they’re going to grow up just by virtue of natural development anyway, but it’s harder than you think. Both Jake Sisko and Wesley Crusher get things to do as they get older that build on the foundations for their characters, but they also had several seasons to work with. Rok, in just one season, has her entire world opened up for her because of the nature of the story, and she runs with it!

This is a science fiction show, so of course the characters are going to love science, and watching Rok learn, try new things, occasionally fail, and try again is an excellent entry point into STEM. Just like how a lot of today’s doctors credit watching Dr. McCoy and today’s engineers got their start because they wanted to be like Scotty, and just like how many women and people of color joined the space program specifically because of Nichelle Nichols, I really hope that kids today watching Rok-Tahk and crew are captivated by science in that same way. I would be.

We love you, Rok! We love the other crew members of the Protostar too! We love Star Trek: Prodigy! Check out the other character appreciation posts for Dal R’El, Gwyndala, Jankom Pog, and Zero while you’re here. I know I can speak for not only the other hosts here at A Star to Steer Hey By but for myriad other fans when I seriously hope someone picks up this wonder of a show. We’re really looking forward to seeing more from these amazing child characters, and we’re seriously wishing we get that opportunity. #SaveStarTrekProdigy

#star trek #star trek podcast #podcast #star trek prodigy #prodigy #save prodigy #save star trek prodigy #rok-tahk #brikar

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