#but it’s all about choice and respecting how people create their craft

[divinit3a]

For the ask game 💕

💕 Time for a shout-out! What are some of your fav AUs from other creators in the fandom? ⭑ dca au ask game

^-^ ....OK! I shall set down all the cakes on the table for a full buffet! Get your forks & knives out! 🍽️🍽️🍽️

please don't hesitate to let me know if you'd prefer not to be @'d in the future, or to be removed from this post u_u <3 I totally respect folk's preferences!

✨ lets go! ⭑⭑⭑ ⭑⭑⭑ ⭑⭑⭑

@muzzlemouths Dead Mall Dare / DfTR AU(s) Dead Mall Dare was one of the first AUs I read (like, literally. 1-2 months ago!) & I went woooaaah they are fun removed from original context. Isn't that so neat ?? This isn't a rabbithole to fall in, tho. u_u No wayyy guys c'mon ... /j Likewise, DfTR is a treat to watch unfold & see people squirm ^-^

@r0b0-wannabe Botanical Garden AU (or just any of your stories, but I'm.. sticking to the law...s... ) Hi, I stayed up to 2-3am drawing ur boys bc Im normal about this AU & how endearing it is... obviously... (💚) I love your writing style & characterizations. Maybe this is silly, but, I also enjoy learning about plantcare, too :3

@sinister-sincerely 2nd Choice AU Oh, you are so evil. The username matches. (A COMPLIMENT!! Hehe.) Oh, you write drama, angst/no comfort, hurting/damaged characters making awful choices so well. It was wild doing a double-take to realize YOU! are the WRITER for 2nd choice!! Some day, I will get u. For now, run 💜🔪

@wyervan Human!Slasher AU :D Yay! Both the OG/Main storyline are wonderful. I find the community version very endearing as an AU-within-an-AU. (love that!) As someone who used to run RP groups (on god!) it fills my heart with joy to see people filling out a world with so much life. Your art style is delightfully grungy ^-^/

@pluck-heartstrings - Pluck My Heartstrings AU Ohhh. I am weak to fairytale/renfaire vibes, as well as the more classic harlequin jester aesthetic u_u<3 Plus, the Vocalist/Princess is just so dang compelling, too. Your design sense is impeccable.

@moon-buggg Haunted House & Mad Scientist AUs They are both so neat & I can't wait to learn more!! The Haunted House AU designs live in my head rent free along with the comics :3

@zenkaiankoku Broken but Better AU Lovely, torn-up designs! Yay, mechanical horror! Yay, angst!! And a delightful remix of their personalities, too <3

@authormeat Alienware AU ^-^ I am instantly delighted by the weird guy freak energy & that the yn IS an alien/monster. Thats all I want & more. I also love ur designs for other AUs

...

...

...... 🧍 I Have More to Say

And...And... Not.. AU specific, but 🏏💥BAM , BAM 💥🏏 LOVELY FOLKS!!!!!!

🍲 <{ @soupdweller THERE IS NO ESCAPE ok but fr.. I appreciate ya, homie :3 you are a joy to chat with!! beautiful art!! evil mind!! delicious soups. i cant wait for whatever u cook up ^-^ 🐤 <{ @luckyyyduckyyy I WILL READ UR AU STORIES!! RUN & HIDE!!! you are the goofiest goober in the wild west, by goodness. i love ur energy and the gorgeous designs u create!! 🐛 <{ @chickenchirps27 ACK I COULD STARE AT UR ART FOREVER! I'll have to start volleying over illustrators I think ya might enjoy... u are so sweet & funny!! 🐐 <{ @lurking-loaf YOU ARE SO KIND! Seriously, I appreciate the fun craft projects you recommended -& your words of support :') 🔮 <{ @anis-sketches :D HI! Happy to throw recs your way. Also, your art is adorable!! 🌿 <{ @craykaycee HI TO U TOO!! the tags u leave always make me smile, and i appreciate u stopping by to say hi... :3 & MANYMANY MORE BUT I NEED TO CUT MYSELF OFF OR ELSE

Per usual, I lost sight of the original goal. But! Consider:

🏏💥WHAM , BAM 💥🏏 GOTCHU >:)

[crybaby-bkg]

I love you storytelling I love you world building I love you carefully crafted works I love you time spent into doing what you love I love you pieces embedded into stories that reflect the author I love you detailed backgrounds I love you clear imagery I love you creative writing I love you descriptive scenes I love you tiny details just to have I love you run on sentences for dramatic effect I love you full expression through writing I love you

[a34trgv2]

Why It Worked: Inside Out

Introduction: Inside Out is an animated coming-of-age film produced by Pixar Animation Studios and distributed by Walt Disney Pictures. Directed and co-written by Pete Docter, with the screenplay being co written by Meg LaFauve and Josh Cooley, the film stars Amy Poehler, Phyliss Smith, Lewis Black, Mindy Kaling, Bill Hader, Kaitlyn Dias, Diane Lane, Kyle MacLachlan and Richard Kind as Joy, Sadness, Anger, Disgust, Fear, Riley, her parents Bill and Jill, and Bing Bong respectively. Released on June 19, 2015, the film was a major box office success grossing $858.8 million on a budget of $175 million. It also received critical acclaim from critics and audiences alike. According to Rotten Tomatoes, out of the 384 reviews aggregated, 98% gave a positive review with an average rating of 8.9/10. It also received numerous awards, including an Oscar for Best Animated Feature, several Outstanding Achievement Awards at the Annies, a Golden Globe for Best Animated Feature, and a Critic's Choice Movie Award for Best Animated Feature. It is often seen as a culturally significant film for mental health and the importance of expressing one's emotions. I saw this film for my birthday back in 2015 and I loved it right out of the gate. After multiple rewatches over the years, I stand by my personal opinion that this is a masterpiece of animation and visual storytelling. I'm overjoyed to talk about this film now that it finally has a sequel out.

The Plot: This film has 2 stories that are interconnected to one another, taking place in the mind of an 11 year old girl. On the outside, it's a bout a kid moving to a new city and being overwhelmed by the sudden changes happening all at once. On the inside, it's about Joy and Sadness trekking through Riley's mind, while along the way understanding each other's importance. Together, they create a very unique and engaging plot about growing up and learning to express yourself. The film brilliantly cuts between Riley, Joy and Sadness' journey, and what's happening at HQ to organically show what Riley's feeling and how her actions have psychological consequences. In addition to having powerful gut punching drama, it's also a very funny film with plenty of slapstick, goofy gags, and impressive word play that always gets me to belly laugh. Michael Giacchino also provides an enchanting, dreamlike score with great use of the piano and brass sections. The true highlight of the story is, of course, Pixar's masterfully crafted and innovative animation. The film makes Riley's mind so vibrant and expansive with Dream Productions and Imagination Land being major highlights. The outside world also looks very well done with the people looking very appealing, San Francisco looking grimy yet lived in, and Riley's old home in Minnesota looking very welcoming and colorful. Speaking of color, the use of colors in this film is nothing short of excellent from the radiant colors of Riley's memories, to Riley's clothes reflecting her current state of mind throughout the film. I also love how they use black and gray to represent faded memories and lack of emotion. If there's one word to describe Inside Out's story and animation, it's colorful.

Cast and Characters: This is an outstanding cast they brought on board for this film. Shout outs to the film's casting directors Natalie Lyon and Kevin Reher for picking out some excellent actors. Amy Poehler was phenomenal as Joy, perfectly capturing her bubbly and eccentric personality while also naturally showing her vulnerability and frustrations. Phyliss Smith sound perfectly dower and soft spoken as Sadness, yet at the same time making her sound so innocent and relatable. Lewis Black was the best match for Anger, making him sound crusty, cynical, and having a short fuse. Mindy Kaling brought in the right amount of sass and pettiness as Disgust and her comradery with the other emotions was brilliant. Bill Hader did a great job making Fear funny and relatable as a character. Kaitlyn Dias also deserve major props for her vocal performance as Riley, making her sound like a soft spoken but fun kid who goes through a great character arc in the film. Lastly, Richard Kind was the absolute surprise standout of the cast as Bing Bong as not only did he do a great job making him funny, but also made him relatable, selfless, a bit of an airhead, but also really resourceful. The cast did such a great job bringing these characters to life, with all of them being iconic and memorable in their own way.

Where It Falters: Outside of maybe adding another scene or 2 with Riley's life in Minnesota, I wouldn't change a thing with this film. It's one of those films where the only nitpick I have is I wanted more. Fortunately, that's remedied with the existence of the 2024 sequel. Coming out a couple years sooner wouldn't have been so bad either, but like I always say, quality>quantity.

Conclusion: There are a select few movies I consider to be a masterpiece. Inside Out is most certainly one of those movies. With outstanding writing, iconic characters, wonderful voice acting, masterfully crafted animation, and an enchanting score, it has more than earned its cultural significance. I cannot recommend this film enough, especially for those who struggle with expressing themselves such as yours truly. I promise this film will speak to you as it has for me after all these years. Thanks so much for reading and I'll see you soon ;)

[akazzzaa]

concept: if all the demons, lower & upper moon and muzan were able to cook, what would they make & bring for thanksgiving, if they celebrated with their s/o?

Sorry for being late! I'm unfamiliar with Thanksgiving day so I tried to do some research to make it accurate, Not a lot of American style food will be included cause they are from japan, but they try

A/N- I'm no chef, I had to look for a lot of recipes that would be 'demonic' and thanksgiving too ?

Characters- Muzan, Kokushibo, Douma, Akaza, Tamayo, Emnu

Summary- What they would cook for you on Thanksgiving

Genre- Fluff

Warnings- None really just a mention on blood once

Muzan

Muzan knows languages and understands a lot of cultures from around the world. He is interested in how different counties have such different taste in food. All human food is gross to him but he is the only demon who can actually eat human food without throwing up. He only eats human food to blend in. A very good cook otherwise.

I think Muzan would likely choose a high-quality turkey and he might incorporate a deep red cranberry sauce that reflects his demonic side while still being suitable for a Thanksgiving table. Carrots glazed with a blood orange reduction could be a visually striking and flavourful side dish. For dessert, a dark chocolate pecan pie could be Muzan's choice for you, combining sweetness with a hint of darkness. For a drink, Muzan would craft a special cocktail with dark fruits, red wine, and a touch of something more sinister. blood

Kokushibo

Given that Kokushibo lived during the Taisho era in Japan, he might appreciate traditional Japanese cuisine. If he were to celebrate Thanksgiving with his significant other, he might choose to prepare a special Japanese meal with a touch of elegance. He knows nothing about American cuisine and doesn't care to learn about it. He's the one cooking. You are the one eating. If you don't like it, make it yourself. He didn't cook a lot as a human but he knows his way around a kitchen.

He would cook sushi rolls with fresh fish, vegetables, and perhaps some unique ingredients to showcase his culinary skills. Light and crispy tempura made with seasonal vegetables and shrimp, served with a flavourful dipping sauce. A delicate Chawanmushi (Steamed Egg Custard)with ingredients like chicken, shrimp, and ginkgo nuts, steamed to perfection. Skewers of grilled chicken, perhaps with a teriyaki glaze, showcasing a balance of sweet and savoury flavours. For desert, a unique dessert that combines the rich flavours of matcha green tea with the creamy goodness of cheesecake.

Douma

Douma is an amazing cook, just under Muzan, he has chefs that cook for the followers but he has cooked many dishes for people during his lifetime. He's unfamiliar with American food but he will try for you.

Douma might appreciate a unique twist on the traditional Thanksgiving turkey. The glaze could be made with blood orange juice, honey, and spices, giving it a rich and flavourful coating with Truffle Mashed Potatoes. Then Douma may choose a red wine reduction sauce to enhance the flavour of the meal and tie the meal together. Douma is better at baking but doesn't think humans should eat to much sweets. But today is a one off for you both, he would create a visually striking dessert, perhaps with dark chocolate and exotic fruits.

Akaza

Not a bad cook, has never cooked until he met you and he's gotten better at it. He respects you and your culture so he will want to cook a Japanese-American dish for you.

Akaza could marinate the turkey in a special teriyaki sauce infused with cherry blossom flavours, giving it a unique and sophisticated twist. Instead of traditional sweet potato dishes, Akaza might opt for sweet potatoes glazed with a miso-based sauce, adding a savoury and umami-rich element to the dish. Fresh green beans cooked to perfection and tossed with a sesame dressing, providing a crunchy and nutty complement to the meal. For dessert, Akaza might choose to make a matcha-flavored tiramisu, combining the traditional Italian dessert with a Japanese green tea twist. To accompany the meal, Akaza might select a high-quality sake, demonstrating his refined taste and appreciation for Japanese beverages.

Tamayo

Given her background and the fact that she is knowledgeable about herbs and medicines, she might prepare a unique and exotic dish that incorporates flavors inspired by her extensive knowledge. Perhaps she would create a dish with rare herbs and spices, combining them in a way that showcases her expertise.

Tamayo might infuse traditional Thanksgiving turkey with a Japanese twist by using a miso glaze. Miso adds a rich, savoury flavour that complements the turkey. A stuffing made with Japanese mushrooms like shiitake and maitake, along with chestnuts, could be a flavourful side dish reflecting Tamayo's expertise with herbs and ingredients. A selection of pickled vegetables, such as daikon radish and carrots, could serve as a refreshing palate cleanser between bites of the richer dishes. For dessert, a matcha-flavored treat like matcha cheesecake or matcha-flavored mochi could be a delight to the Thanksgiving feast. She has modified her body to drink human tea, so she will watch you eat all the food she cooked but the only thing you two can enjoy together is a cup of tea. And she makes a good cup of tea.

Enmu

Will give you food poisoning. Do not eat his food

[yippeeometer]

Pssst got any thoughts on MA/VA?

first of all i think it should be illegal to incite such mental torture on the people around you. i think it truly should.

like mom and dad are arguing in front of u all the time but theyre kind of just like that. you'll understand when you're older honey dad's choice of shirt really is going to make mommy ruin this family meal.

shirt being; mass's disgusting collection of niche science pun shirts that go beyond being fiunnny and just become confusing. super distracting all mealtime when youre trying to work out advanced trig at mealtimes to get the answer 8008135. virginia sat there twitching at the eyes.

and you guys should really get a divorce however i understadn that youre both so codependent at this point that this is just forever now.

theyre a vibe to their ship and its ginny w that shirt saying 'hot girl shit' and mass w 'i have a gun in my pussy'

and the fundamental reason they suck so deeply is because whilst existence cringes ginny out to the point of dysfunction, mass hasn't felt embarased since 1800s despite how much you wish he would. bonking their heads together

its what describes their whole dynamic in table history i fear. the concern disgust and arousal still doesn't leave after all this time i fear.

loser x wife he's definitly slightly scared of.

within reason though like the thing that scares mass ab ginny is making him upset bc at the end of it all he's cared about him so long it doesn't feel natural to be mad anymore

their house prob overstimulating as shit they both have 12 million hobbies and aren't capable of being normal ab them. u walk in 7 different speakers r playing music theyre a shrine to some niche craft and ur being yelled at for wearing shoes in the house.

they dint PLAY ab thanksgiving i know that for sure. genuine raw effort goes into that holiday

fourth of july, on the other hand. the og13 gets to look forward to the yearly argument iver what day to celebrate. 1 gazillion casulties.

i need everyone to sit the fuck diwn and listen to my super specific au i created for these ghouls theyre sooooooooooo awful

i believe wholeheartedly ginny is a minor level politician in his day job. very very low level, think guy who runs the department of forestry or some shit. bc as much as he loves being in control he generally aquires very little respect from anyone and theres only so many times he's allowed to crash out before people start asking what the fuck his problem is.

and in this au bc they serve awful divorced asshole core, mass is a journalist in an equally low level newspaper who has dedicated his column to just attacking this guy. catch him and one other person turning up to a dep. of forestry press conference. he's in the front row smiling evily as ginny experiences war flashbacks to last time he answered one of his deeply specific and altogether pointless questions

oh and they both just find this to be normal behaviour. like u go into ginny's office and hes got every article mass ever wrte pinned up as he desperately tries to find typos or incorrect points to bring up. mass has the dep. of forestry as his lock screen to force him to always be thinking of his arch nemesis. 20k words enemeis to lovers.

[heathersdesk]

Mormon Mommy Bloggers 2: Ballerina Farms Boogaloo

Since everyone is giving their thoughts on Ballerina Farms, and Mormonism by extension, let me step up to the mic. Especially because I'm an LDS woman that everyone seems to think they're experts on now.

I'm so tired of having to answer for the choices of other LDS women I don't know. I'm tired of them speaking for me. I'm tired of them making spectacles of their choices at the expense of other women, especially when they have so much wealth and privilege to be who they are. I'm tired of their "brand" being something I have to answer for as an LDS women.

Hannah Neeleman is nothing like the rest of us. She's nothing like most of us.

She's no different than every other LDS Mommy blogger who has been exploiting her kids for content in our community since the Aughties. She's not unique.

She was quoted in The Times article as saying she wants other people to have what she has? She thinks that's even a feasible option for the vast majority of LDS women?

Who's buying the land? The livestock? And everything that goes with it?

Not me. Not any other LDS woman I know.

There are so many incredible, important things that passionate LDS women do to serve their communities. But because they don't look like her and have her money to create the platform she has, you'll never know their names.

Did people forget that being a social media influencer is a pay-to-play system at this point? Y'all think she did anything differently?

She is a caricature of femininity that is a total fantasy being sold to y'all as part of an agenda to fund her lifestyle.

I can list off so many other influencers like her in our community who have come and gone from making all the same choices and mistakes that she's currently making. Knock off Ree Drummond doesn't even compare to some of the other LDS creators in her genre. If you want someone who broke this mold, go look up Stephanie Nielson of NieNie Dialogues. She survived a plane crash that permanently altered her appearance and had to find self-worth outside of traditional beauty standards. I never cared much for her content either, but she at least has something more interesting to say than "I'm pretty and rich and have a lot of kids." And that's before we even touch the totally valid criticisms of Daniel Neeleman and how poorly he treats his wife on camera.

I don't know if anyone walked him through the Mormon Mommy Blogger formula, but a necessary part of it is wish fulfillment for the audience, including a doting and respectful husband who would never dream of embarrassing or humiliating his wife. It's supposed to be an exercise in generating envy for everything his wife gets from being a stay-at-home mother—not what it's costing her because of him. That seems to be their only unique contribution to the genre, which is not the Mormon Mommy Blogger recipe for success. That's Shaycarl. You want to talk about the saddest "Where are they now?" Google search I just did to see if they're even still married. That tea is stone cold now. Nevertheless, it's still more interesting than watching a woman dancing ballet in a cow pasture (rather than at Juilliard) because her husband doesn't prioritize or respect her.

But I digress.

The press wants someone truly interesting to talk to? I can get them in contact with Artisans of Hope, a charity being run by LDS women in Idaho. They teach sewing and crafting skills to refugees, helping them become financially self-reliant in a new country. I can introduce them to the real work the bipartisan LDS community is doing to settle refugees all over Boise.

But no. Let's all have the same tired, ignorant conversation we've been having about Mommy bloggers since 2009. Because it was never about Hannah Neeleman. That's the sad thing she doesn't seem to realize.

People are only interested in talking about LDS women to make us look like indoctrinated freak shows. It's a very old form of misogyny that has been around since the 1840s.

The press has lifted her up specifically to make her a spectacle to the rest of the world, to laugh at her. And it's the dumbest thing in the world, I'm tired of seeing it, and tired of watching the public fall for it again and again.

[indiaalphawhiskey]

BRIDGERTON SEASON 3 CARRIAGE SCENE | ANATOMY OF A SCENE

I’m sure someone has shared it here already, but this is such a brilliant and eloquent analysis of the carriage scene, explaining the emotions it pulled from us and why it had that much of an impact.

The narrator is so well-spoken and effusive about her praise for the performance and the subtle acting choices Nicola and Luke make, and how that quietness makes a marked difference in their portrayal of Colin and Penelope’s love when it’s juxtaposed with other Bridgerton couples. This is soft love at its finest — intimacy, care and desire rounded out perfectly by friendship. More than that, this reminds me of why artists put so much effort into their craft.

The fact that even one person could care this much about the minute choices in the acting, the lighting, the score, the writing, validates both the artists and especially the genre, proving that writing and conveying romance is far from something throwaway — there’s an intelligence to it, a craft, an understanding one needs to have of the contract between creator and audience in order to properly pace delivery and pull the right emotions from the people watching.

Selfishly, as well, the way she narrates the intention of the scene is supremely indulgent and reminds me of the language fanfic writers use. It highlights the draw of fic, why it’s different from contemporary romance and mainstream literature: it’s because it’s also unapologetically indulgent; it is slow and careful, will take its time to build an emotion in you, coax it out patiently and deliver in equal measure in a way mainstream media rarely does.

All this to say, keep creating, because I promise you: someone out there does care this much.

And also, I fucking love you, Nicola and Luke! I love you for loving and understanding and respecting Polin so much!!! 🩵

[larrythefloridaman]

Thinking about Prism's relationship to motherhood and honestly I cant decide if its more thematically interesting to assume she did or didn't have a choice in the matter in being the cibling's parent. I think that not being directly addressed is a good choice not because it wouldn't inform things about prism but because either way works on different layers of the cpuk authorship metaphor and the ambiguity allows both possibilities to exist simultaneously.

If she didn't choose to be a mother, and spectrum just dropped them in her lap, well, she never REALLY got much of a choice in anything, given shes a fictional character with a Role To Play, its just one more thing on the pile that becomes painful due to her percieved or actual lack of choice in it, that she both embraces and abdicates responsibility for by placing it in spectrum's hands and distancing herself from it, hence taking the 'babysitter' title rather than the more Personal one of 'mother', enforcing a role on herself as much as anyone else, albeit with a caveat appealing to her own desire to keep her hands clean, showcasing the hypocrisy at the heart of her beliefs about controlling people and understanding the characters as tools and nothing worth more respect than a tool, 'its bad and ugly and evil to control other people but not when i do it :)' and 'its good for me to do what i do i have to play my role its my job you can't hold me responsible- but ill make some exceptions for my own comfort :)' two sides of the same self-interested coin.

On the OTHER hand, if she made the ciblings and chose to be a mother, and then abdicated that label at some point... alone at the endless well of possibility, the origin point of the world with absolute power, you choose to create, to create people that are not you, an Other, little hearts shaped by your every move, even in ways you don't see. They begin to act on their own, personalities blossoming. Autonomous little people you guide and shape. You're their whole world, and you love them. Your power still is absolute. But then, something starts to change. They start to develop and become their own people, self-possessed, expressing their individuality and autonomy they develop in ways that... displease you. They're not pets, theyre not just your little dolls to play with anymore, they have wills that can conflict with your own, WILL conflict with your own, because theyre not even JUST shaped by you anymore- theyre shaped by eachother and everyone and everything else, too. You start having to manipulate their personalities to get them to do what you want, to play along with your game, you mean them no harm, your actions arent guided by willful cruelty... you just need them to listen to you. To behave. To make things easy for you. You made them, you have responsibility for them, you have authority OVER them, you had a job to do. do you judge someone for loving a dog enough to train it?

This works. It takes learning how to twist the strings on each of your little poppets, closely and personally, but it works. And things are so much easier when it works! But sooner or later, the illusion starts to crack. They can't see the strings yet, and they wont, not for a very long time. but they know something is wrong, and they grow willful and resistant again. All this work to craft them and direct them and make them the best they can be, and they show you no gratitude, only skepticism and rebellion. One in particular, the youngest, offputting and mischievous since the start, had grown bratty and insolent. And so, pushed to your limit, you... make an example out of him.

But what you hadnt counted on was that you'd spent long enough learning who they were as individuals for the fresh cruelty of this act to be... meaningful, to you. You felt awful. You could glimpse, in your periphery, just how low you'd really sunk. It was wrong and you knew it. But you couldnt bear the thought. You couldn't look directly at it. So you didnt. You cast off the responsibility, along with the title, trading it for another. From a mother to a babysitter.

And you got what you wanted. Unconditional love didn't, conditional love didn't either, but fear? That kept your house in order, neat as you wanted it, you thought. You didn't even have to do as much anymore- the eldest, a thorn in your side who once demanded sense from you practically ran the ship for you now, smoothing out as many bumps as he could before they could even reach you, terrified of what you'd do. Sure, you'd permanently ruined your relationship with your youngest, but whats a few eggs for an omelette :)

[super-paper]

MVA Appreciation Post? MVA Appreciation Post.

Rereading MVA with the benefit of some hindsight really makes me appreciate just how well-crafted it is as a story arc. Like, pretty much every aspect of it was tailor-made for the sake of exploring Tomura (like....!! even the conflicts & themes explored thru other characters are still ultimately written to service Tomura's character in ways that only a completely insane person can appreciate, lol.)

Mostly just listing some observations and things I like abt MVA that I feel lay the groundwork for Tomura's entire character + arc:

There's a lot of significance to Tomura fighting quirk based cults back to back in the same arc that delves into his own upbringing under AFO, I feel! There's also significance to his indoctrination into villainy under AFO mirroring ReDestro's indoctrination by the Meta Liberation Army. Both Tomura and ReDestro are framed as believing that they made a personal "choice" to walk this path, when in reality they were both groomed into their respective roles by predatory adults.

Underrated and potentially devastating detail that I (a known sicko) enjoy : Tomura and ReDestro aren't even allowed to choose their own villain names after being baptized into villainy.

This part is especially glaring when you contrast it with the earlier chapters, where Class 1A is actively encouraged to *choose* their own names and really think about what sort of hero name best represents them. Even when the kids ultimately choose names that others gave them (Izuku), and even when they resolve to take up the mantle of their family names (Iida)-- the distinction is that they are still very much naming *themselves* and not being named by other people. They are all allowed to assign their own meaning to their chosen hero names. There is a choice.

In contrast, Tomura and ReDestro's villain names are not an expression of their identity, but a suppression of it.

The idea of inheriting a "will" or "name" that completely consumes your own is already in play, and it only gets worse from here!

Masks are also a big theme! MVA literally opens with the LOV wrecking a group of fantasy bigots who hide behind masks.

Spinner doesn't hide his own identity behind a mask, rather, he hides his lack of identity through cosplaying as someone else.

Jin and Himiko have their "masks" forcibly removed during their respective battles-- Jin is able to verify and assert his own identity, which allows him to discard his mask for the remainder of the battle. Himiko instead scrambles to put her "mask" back on in response to Curious claiming that she's secretly miserable.

Compress gets half of his mask shattered at the same time that his aloof "we're villains not a friendship club!!" façade begins crumble, and he becomes more and more vocally concerned for Tomura's safety. This bit of symbolism is repeated again during the PLW, where the whole mask comes off once he finally admits he loves the LOV and very nearly kills himself in an attempt to save them.

AFO's face is constantly obscured by shadows, but it otherwise remains completely uncovered-- indicating that the "kindly face" he shows to Tomura is, in fact, a mask in itself.

And here's where Hori's brilliant art direction comes into play! Tomura decays Kotaro's hand-- the very symbol of his own rejection and suppression that he has worn as a mask since his debut-- but he does not embrace his identity as Tenko. The blood from Tomura’s head injury now creates the visual of a mask as he instead embraces his identity as "Shigaraki Tomura", the symbol of fear who exists to beckon acts of mourning into the world. (and the blood mask also resembles the dark shading that constantly obscures AFO’s true face in the flashback chapters! ...as does the creepy permasmile Tomura has for the rest of the arc! :D )

Visually, it also resembles the way ReDestro's (stress-powered!) quirk starts spreading across his face like a mask whenever he starts vomiting up MLA propaganda and ranting about the """glorious""" burden he inherited from the original Destro. (😬)

The mask imagery is even more explicit in the anime, where the red really makes the whole thing pop:

lowkey it's hilarious that a good chunk of Tomura's story is told through a mix of visual story telling and symbolism, but he also happens to spend half his screen time shirtless and distracting ppl from said symbolism with his eight-pack.

Seriously tho', it's little stuff like this that really cements MHA as a story that's even more enjoyable when you reread it. Moving on!

Curious 🤝 AFO, Being creepily affectionate with the victim whose story you plan to rewrite and exploit for your own gain

Toga’s failed/rejected martyrdom at the hands of Miss Curious foreshadowing Tomura’s successful martyrdom at the hands of the PLF and AFO-- the inherent dehumanization that comes with martyrdom and turning others into a "symbol", the lack of actual care for the martyr/symbol as an individual, and the idea that Tomura has always been a sacrificial lamb that's lurking just below the surface of every aspect in this narrative. Curious wants Toga to die to fit the MLA’s narrative, AFO wants Tenko to die to fit his own personal narrative— neither Curious or AFO care about Toga or Tomura as individuals, nor do they care about saving them from their circumstances. Because to Curious and AFO, their only value lies in fulfilling a certain narrative-- and that narrative is only fulfilled through their deaths. Both AFO and Curious WANT these stories to be tragedies, and you only beat someone like that by refusing to follow their script.

"Let's turn your death into a tragedy! You'll become a martyr whose tale serves as a parable for the ages!" "I'll shape him! Mold him! He will be a symbol of fear who lusts for destruction!" Toga and Tomura are both depicted as lacking agency in how their respective stories are told-- Toga manages to lash back against Curious' attempts to commandeer her narrative, but Tomura ultimately finds himself written into a corner by AFO.

The manipulation of media and the '"truth" being a reoccurring theme in MVA through both Curious/Skeptic, and this being foiled with the way Tomura’s own memories/perceptions of his past are called into question multiple times throughout the arc. In the same chapter where Skeptic discusses his plan to edit the footage captured in Deika to make the LOV look like they're the aggressors and the MLA look like brave heroes, we have Tomura lamenting how his memories are like a busted movie recording. He compares his memories to film snippets at the start of the arc, too.

Tomura's perception of his past being directly influenced by his traumatic upbringing under AFO is something that goes without saying at this point, so I won't beat that dead horse any further-- but it's legit fascinating how Hori lays out the groundwork for the readers so that we naturally reach the conclusion that Tomura's recollection is something that we are meant to doubt.

Yet another notch on the long list of Tomura wearing clothes that other people chose for him, reciting words written by others as if they were his own (.....l-literally reading from a cue card lmfaoooo it could not be any more on the nose if it tried 😭😭😭)

but seriously i could write a a ton on how Tomura's lack of agency with his own clothes is Very Much a Thing in The Story, and how him no longer bothering to self-style after MVA and just letting others dress him up however they want (or y'know... just not bothering with clothes at all!) is one of the best stealth indicators of where his mental state is actually at.

(tl;dr tomura asserting that he's "definitely his own person" and that he "controls himself" when he doesn't even have the agency or energy to dress himself the way he wants and is constantly getting treated like a life-sized dress-up doll by other villains is another one of those understated parts of the series/tomura's character design that makes me Big Depressy)

But!! When Tomura DOES actually add his own flair & individuality to his fashion, he generally accessorizes with things that tie him to the hero side and his identity as Tenko (red shoes as a connecting thread to Izuku, long flowing capes that connect him to heroism)

What "liberation" does to a mfer

As an aside: ReDestro feeling liberated from his stress as Tomura starts laying waste to the MLA/Deika (but still failing to break free from his grooming despite this!) serves as a dark parallel to Tomura “breaking free” from vestige!AFO during the final war, but still insisting that destruction is all he wants. Both Tomura and ReDestro have been prisoners their whole lives, and thus, have no frame of reference for what true freedom is. They both come so close to having a Realization About What They Truly Want™ only to immediately fall back into what they’re familiar with (ReDestro has always been a follower of cult forced to masquerade as its leader, Tomura still thinks that he wanted his family to die and takes the catharsis he felt from destroying his abusive home as evidence that he was always secretly bad). Hori is horrifyingly realistic in his depictions of the hold that grooming has on people.

Like. It's also the way that Tomura and ReDestro’s quirks are both powered by their misery, but they're surrounded by people who fail to see this as a bad thing and instead choose to romanticize their strength as something they can use to make their "dreams" into reality (and the unspoken question: is it really a "dream" if chasing after it makes you completely miserable? We have a different word for dreams that hurt you, boys!).

I'll stop here bc this is already too long, but man, every time I revisit this arc I notice something new (and horrifying) about Tomura's character. It's literally the gift that keeps on giving.

[aspen-if]

Aspen

Demo: TBA

Warnings: Violence, depictions of injuries and illness, optional sexual content. Bodily mutation, horror elements.

Removing original text. I am actually taking it seriously now.

You are a demon. Or at least that is what everyone calls you. Truthfully, you don't even know what you are. When you first awoke, your entire body was covered in ash and soot. Burnt bodies were scattered around you. Like memories, frozen in time. Everyone blamed you for the destruction of the town.

More towns burned down. The people, not knowing any better, blamed it on a single person. Yet, you did not burn down those towns. Confusion littered your brain as everyone turned against you. Hunters were sent out. All with a single goal. Capture the monster that did this. Dead or alive.

You were living in the woods, close to a nearby town. A group of hunters had recently moved into the local inn. They had found you, yet they did not realize it. Having been left no choice, you joined them on their search for the demon.

Plot

The people of The Juris Kingdom have all grown used to the idea of monsters. Sure, not many have seen one, but the rumors are enough. With a new plague spreading through the land, towns being burned by a mysterious entity, the people have grown to resent the King. For all they have gone through, the King has done nothing. Always sitting on his throne, getting fat off bread and mead.

Townspeople have started rioting, but with the increase of monsters, most are too afraid to step outside their house. It is not uncommon to find a decayed body in an abandoned house, the, long dead, person being too afraid to buy supplies. Eventually starving.

With the increase in monsters, there was an increase in humans learning to bend elements to their will, crafting armor and swords that would glow in the night. Humans started evolving with the new threat.

With our MC having sleepovers with their new best friends, a new demon has risen, seeming intent on finishing the task our dear MC refused to complete.

Features

Create your own, unique character, with a variety of customization options available. Want to look like a one legged pirate? Done! Want a fancy pirate hat? Done! Choose your gender (cis, trans, nonbinary or just be an entity!), appearance and set an individual personality for strangers and friends!

Start a romance with a cast of four characters; The group leader, the arrogant hot-head, the healer or the hunter. Or, if you're feeling particularly indecisive, romance all of 'em! With all of that said, there does seem to be a very persistent stranger who keeps showing up. How strange.

Will you hide your identity from the group? Of course! Otherwise you'd be dead, and this beautiful story wouldn't be written!

Tell spooky fairytales around a campfire at night. I mean, they are just fairytales after all.

Will you end up helping your new found group, or join the stranger who seems to know a suspicious amount about you?

Crack taken seriously.

Characters

Note: The characters do have full personalities and backstories, I have just yet to write it down!

Yuri | Gender Selectable | The Leader

Keywords: Aloof, serious, but seemingly obsessive? You will understand soon, very soon.

"Detailed" Information

Rain | Non-binary | The Hot-head

Keywords: Arrogant, cocky, hates you.

"Even more detailed" Information

Mari | Female | The Healer

Keywords: Kind, respectful, hurt her friends and she will murder you :D

The links are the same, just click on the ones above.

Kasai | Male | The Hunter

Keywords: Aloof, slightly concerned about your mental state

... fine, here is a fully extensive profile look at him.

??? | Gender Selectable | The Stranger

Oh wow, so mysterious. Giving them a profile would obviously spoil it, right?

[geehollow]

Agatha All Along and Loki(s), my thoughts

[Cointains spoilers for: Agatha All Along (2023), Loki (2021), Young Avengers (Marvel Now! 2013) and Journey Into Mystery (from #622)]

[I watched this show not on D+ or any other platform that had the original English dialogue. Whatever I recall from the show has thus been translated by me from the Italian dialogues]

Giving in to @lucianalight 's nudging about watching Agatha All Along yielded some interesting results and I'm going to share. Thank you Luci.

Overall thoughts on Agatha itself are:

very good, 9.5/10. That remaining 0.5 is a score I give to concluded stories that have wrapped up nicely without disappointing me–Agatha doesn't get it because it doesn't feel concluded, although it did not disappoint me.

In fact, it gets high praise for not feeling like an MCU series at all, which means its story was engaging and well performed (everyone seemingly did their loving best and the sets and cgi were good), the characterization didn't feel disrespectful, I didn't feel the need to throw anything at any point, it kept me guessing back and forth for a long time during the episodes, and it truly felt like an independent series I could have randomly found on Netflix and binged in two days as I did. I only needed to ask Luci a few clarifications (I haven't watched Wandavision) and they could be delivered with a few sentences at most, so the series itself stands on solid lore and storytelling.

Major props to the soundtrack and song choices too.

Being a Loki comics reader and thus already knowing who Billy was meant I was able to make accurate guesses on what would happen and why throughout the story, and I think it lessened my enjoyment, but I don't think it should diminish my judgement of it all. I was pleasantly surprised at least once as I sidetracked myself thinking I was cleverer than the story, and although for some reason I couldn't manage to learn the other witches' names besides Alice's, I very much enjoyed their characters, the acting, their storylines and how they were told. The concept and execution of divination in the show is quite engaging.

10/10 on the humor. Coherent with the story, well-sprinkled, not one cringe one-liner for the sake of one-liners, didn't treat me like a dim idiot. Seeing the Agatha-Billy interrogation and chase scene from his POV was sooo funny I giggled the entire time, and I appreciate that the humor was created through the juxtaposition of two sequences that made sense in their own time, not through childish jokes. That's real work. It reminded me of the effortless humor in Loki S2.

More of this please. Stories and characters loved by their storytellers, a healthy consideration of the audience's intelligence, diverse cast, settings that were real–true respect for people and craft.

Similarities with the YA story

Across the central and penultimate episodes, I was reminded of Ikol from the 2013 Young Avengers run, and it was interesting.

Episode 5: I was first reminded of how Ikol wanted to take Billy's power by Agatha taking Alice's, as both stories involve Billy, and him being mad about someone taking someone else's power, and the act itself is an important part of the plot;

Episode 8: Agatha and Ikol both consider an option leading Billy to his death for their own gain, then both have a change of heart that lets Billy live;

(a bit of a stretch but I was laser-focused on similarities, so–Rio Death carving a path out in the background like AoA Loki drew a door in the background lol)

the way show-Billy's power acts through the Road reminded me of YA-Ikol's guilt-led missing power***

To Luci I jokingly said "'Based on Marvel comics' yeah I know which one."

I find it peculiar because, in a way, knowing that story + general expectations of how a story like Agatha could work allowed me to predict what was going to happen in the second half of it. It combined with my previous knowledge of Billy and it amused me to no end. I can't help but see Agatha in the role of Ikol within Billy's experiences–in Agatha, she helped him realize he was the creator of the Road and the implications of it. In the YA run, Ikol helped Billy along in realizing his powers to save Teddy and get rid of the Mother parasite.

Future MCU projects with Billy and Loki

In another post of mine, I'd shared the idea of having Kid Loki from the series be the one joining a team of Young Avengers, with the magpie being Tree Loki.

In JiM, Ikol the Magpie is a hallucination of the Kid from the phantom of the old Loki planted in his mind, with malignant intentions. But the magpie in a future series/movie could be benevolent–the MCU seldom follows comics faithfully and this could be a very nice instance of that habit. I would very much enjoy Tree Loki extending some protection and guidance to the displaced Kid. I think he would be kind to all the young heroes, and be particularly interested in Billy given Billy's ability to warp things, thus his potential to create timelines or even, through destructive actions, erase some.

At the end of Agatha, her ghost and Billy start looking for Tommy. The YA run, besides running from Mother, also includes looking for Tommy. I can see this being the basis for a future MCU project with the younger cast that has been introduced slowly after Endgame.

"Your path winds out of time" and "I need more time!"

I have the headcanon that the Road created by Billy was outside Time, simply because of that sentence. Yes, it most likely references Rio-Death, the original Green Witch described as the cycle of all living things, growth and decline in a constant stream, the common path everyone walks on, and is likely a warning directed at divination witch lady–***which by the way was the element that made me realize Billy's power shaped the Road around each participant, like Ikol's guilt-led missing power shaped itself around each Young Avenger's past for the final confrontation.

The Road-out-of-time is an interesting headcanon and I'm keeping it. It would make Tree Loki's curiosity more peculiar too. I'm sure there's more to be said about this whole thing.

It caught my attention that "I need more time!" was a repeated line/invocation in Agatha. I remember three instances (it's late as I add this so I might misremember): while the ceiling with swords was lowering, while Agatha was trying to make the dandelion growth, and Agatha pleading for more time with her child. Another little crumb I found intriguing.

Death the Green Witch, green the color of Time

I'd like it so much if Rio Death was a Loki. Or, better, more abstractly, a consequence of Loki creating Yggdrasil.

Agatha describes death as the green witch, tied to the cycle of all living things, growth and decline in a constant stream–like the branches of the Tree.

Green being the color of Time and all that exists within it means so much to me after everything the MCU did.

"Loki's magic keeps the multiverse alive. If he dies everything dies with him" pointed out Luci to me. True–so Loki is both life and death in the MCU. Time means growing, like the branching timelines, like living beings from birth through youth through maturity to death. From the beginning to the end. A manifestation of Death is a manifestation of Time, and in the MCU, Loki is Time–in Norse Mythology Loki is the parent of Hel. Well, I'd say Loki's the parent of death in the MCU in a way.

(Which brings me to MCU Hela, in an–undeserving of my brainpower and efforts–explanation for why she looks similar to Loki despite them not being closely related: if you become the god of something, you take on certain characteristics. Like a green and black palette)

Light thoughts: SWORD

Luci told me SWORD was in the Wandavision series after I asked if it might have been the SHARP society from the Mackenzi Lee's Where Mischief Lies book–a young Loki going to Midgard and running into a ragtag society whose acronym he finds silly, suggesting two more: first SWORD and then SHIELD.

I'm not expecting anything to come from this light connection, but like the "Your path winds out of time" quote, I find it really interesting.

__________

Obligatory link to the Loki comics reading order + plea to help find appearances

[mercidupreclothiers]

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[sunnyrosewritesstuff]

Day 6- To Spoon Feed You Comfort

We're almost to the end! Okay, so this was the redemption choice and I'm so glad it made the cut. I've been thinking about this fic for about half a year at this point, and I'm absolutely in love with the banter (both future and current) between Bilbo and Thorin. 🥰

To Spoon Feed You Comfort

Rating: T

Warning(s): N/A

Ship: Bagginshield

Words: 3165

Summary: Accidental Marriage AU; Marriage in the Shire is a relatively easy process. All you have to do is get your intended to eat from your hand crafted Love Spoon, and return the gesture. Bilbo was already displeased by his unexpected house guests but when the newest arrival used his Love Spoon to eat from…well none could blame the hobbit for fainting if they knew the circumstances.

Bilbo was at his wits’ end with these loud, pushy, rude, arrogant, ill-mannered, disgusting dwarves. He couldn’t even imagine what Gandalf’s thought process was. Even if Bilbo had been considering his offer, which he hadn’t, staring into his empty larder, his own stomach grumbling, adventure was the absolute last thing on his mind! How quickly he can get the trespassing interlopers out of his dining room and back on the road being closer to the truth. His heart might actually give out if one more dish is tossed through the air, no matter how impressed he was to find the pile of clean dishes at the end of their teeth-grating song. However, before any more protests could leave his mouth, three sharp knocks rounded on his door.

Thorin Oakenshield, the last dwarf to appear, was different. Bilbo could tell that within the first second with the way the jovial atmosphere fell into respectful anticipation. Thorin was commanding, he was valued, and even if he were incredibly rude as well, he was the only dwarf to actually pay attention to Bilbo. In fact, the hobbit somehow found himself disappointed when he seemed to fail the dwarf’s initial evaluation. What was it about the tall, raven-haired dwarf that demanded such validation upon a first meeting? In any case, Bilbo was probably the most forthcoming with that last bowl of stew he had squirreled away for himself than he had been all evening. And Thorin barely acknowledged the act. Just raised an eyebrow and asked:

“And can I get a spoon or do you expect me to slurp it down?”

Based on the little Bilbo had observed about dwarven table manners, the latter had definitely been his assumption. Clearly, another point to separate Thorin from the rest.

“I seem to be out of spoons. But just a moment! It shouldn’t take me long to hunt down my great-gram’s good silver and…”

“Here’s a spoon! Use this Thorin.”

Bilbo could only gape as his Love Spoon which had been locked in his china cabinet went sailing across the room to end up in Thorin’s hand. The dwarf with the hair in three different points seemed completely unapologetic at Bilbo’s betrayed and incredulous look.

“NO! WAIT! YOU CAN’T…!”

Bilbo watched as his Love Spoon touched Thorin’s lips before the dwarf pulled it away to give him an annoyed look.

“Yes, Master Baggins?”

Bilbo couldn’t respond. He was stunned. No, it was more than that. He was floored! He was flabbergasted. He was…married. By Yavanna’s Green Gardens, he was MARRIED! 

“Master Hobbit? You’re looking a little grey, lad.” One of the other dwarves observed.

Bilbo couldn’t even respond. His head felt too light, his body too heavy, and his vision too dark. He was barely aware of the sensation of falling, before his world went blessedly dark.

***

Each of the Free Peoples of Middle Earth had their own point of pride. For the elves, it was their arts and respect of the land. For dwarves, it was their beards and their battle prowess. For men, it was their ingenuity and courage. And for hobbits, it was food. Now one might say, look at these silly little creatures who value that which should just be a necessity, but it was no small task to create seven individual meals each day and make each one just as tasty as the last. Culinary was an art to the hobbits, from the growing of the produce to the care of livestock to having all the proper tools in your kitchen. So yes, hobbits could be quite vain when it came to recipes and preparation. Therefore, it shouldn’t be too surprising that their courting customs also revolved around food.

When they reach their majority, every hobbit is encouraged to carve or forge a spoon that would be their Love Spoon. It’s a very sacred process as no talking can be done during the crafting of the spoon. All of their energy must be concentrated on pouring their hopes and dreams for the future into their spoon. Reflecting especially on what type of spouse would compliment them most, what type of marriage they hope to have, and what vows they would make to honor and cherish them. The symbols etched into their spoon would showcase all of this so that way when their future spouse used it for the first time, they knew exactly what they were getting out of this marriage.

And that’s it. Once someone has taken a bite from a dish prepared by the spoon’s owner, they are married in the eyes of the Shire. The act is reciprocated, and the lucky couple move in together in marital bliss. When Bilbo crafted his spoon, he wanted only the best for his future spouse. He slaved away in the hot forge every summer with the old dwarf, Ushmik, who rented it out during the warm months, trying to learn the art of silversmithing. He threw away spoon after spoon until finally settling on a design he liked. Camellia (longing for you), holly (domestic happiness), and jasmine (desire for adventure). 

Bilbo had felt so proud of his spoon, feeling like he had pulled all of his favorite qualities from his parents’ marriage. However, every suitor who got a glimpse was immediately turned off by the jasmine. All except for Rafe Brandybuck, but that didn’t work out for a multitude of other reasons. So Bilbo resigned himself as the bachelor of the Hill, especially after his parents’ death. His Love Spoon was taken out once a week for a quick polish, but otherwise it was left to a life of sitting on a shelf. Never to meet the lips of another. And now Bilbo had a dwarven husband.

“I’ll be alright, Gandalf. Just let me sit quietly for a moment.” Bilbo requested as he slowly sipped from the cup that was offered to him by the silver haired dwarf who had made himself quite comfortable with Bilbo’s tea selections.

“You’ve been sitting quietly for far too long, Bilbo Baggins.” Gandalf snapped, jerking Bilbo’s attention up at him. “Tell me, when did doilies and your mother’s china become so important? I remember a young hobbit who would want nothing more than to know what was outside his door.”

That’s when it occurred to him. Gandalf didn’t know what had just happened. Bilbo gave a mirthless chuckle before spelling it out for the high and mighty wizard.

“He ate. From my Love Spoon.”

Gandalf’s eyebrows shot up as Bilbo snorted into his cup. 

“Thorin did?” Gandalf clarified. 

“Yes.”

There was a moment of silence between the two before Gandalf continued, much more gently.

“Bilbo…dwarves won’t know the significance of what just occurred. We can just pretend…”

“I’ll know, Gandalf.” Bilbo interrupted sharply. “I will know my Spoon touched the lips of another. How could I ever begin a marriage with such deception? How could you ask that of me?”

Gandalf heaved a sigh before softly settling himself on the neighboring armchair. His hand lightly patted Bilbo’s arm.

“I’m sorry, Bilbo.”

Tears welled up in the hobbit’s eyes even as he smiled up at the older being. 

“Can I tell you…I’m actually relieved?” Bilbo barked out a wet laugh. “That Bracegirdle lass has been trying to steal it for the last couple of months. Wants the status of being married to a Baggins. Doesn’t matter to her if she can’t fulfill the vows or not. But I don’t have to worry about that any more, because even though I’m still in a loveless marriage…Thorin will be gone soon. I’ll still get to live the remainder of my life…as I have been.”

A sob tore its way from his throat and he quickly tried to cover his face. How undignified to be crying in front of a near stranger over a future he didn’t even want anymore. Wordlessly, Gandalf handed Bilbo a handkerchief and Bilbo thanked him as he worked to dry his face.

“Bilbo…I wish circumstances were different. But you don’t have to write your marriage away so quickly. Join Thorin’s quest, help him take back his homeland, get to know him along the way. I think he’ll surprise you, perhaps as much as you’ll surprise yourself.”

“Take back his homeland…from what?” Bilbo sniffed.

The wizard remained silent making Bilbo immediately suspicious as he glared up at the taller being through bloodshot eyes.

“From what, Gandalf?”

“Oh…just a dragon.”

“WHAT?!” Bilbo jumped to his feet, the handkerchief floating down to the ground, forgotten with Bilbo’s sadness at the moment.

“Is my new husband the craziest dwarf to exist?!” Bilbo demanded.

“It was my idea Bilbo…” Gandalf tried to interrupt.

“Then he’s the type of person to listen to wizards’ crazy ideas! Even better!”

“I think if you would just hear him out…”

“And just what is to be my role in this journey, Gandalf? The Company’s cook, the voice of reason?”

“The Burglar.” Gandalf sighed with obvious annoyance.

“The BURGLAR! I don’t know what stories you’re spreading about me, Gandalf, but let it be said I’ve never stolen a thing in my life! Perhaps some sticky fingers as a faunt, but really. And from under the nose of a dragon, no less. Well, you’ve convinced me. This is absolutely, without a doubt, the most INSANE…”

“DO NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS YET, BILBO BAGGINS!” Gandalf roared.

Shadows crept up from behind the wizard along Bilbo’s walls, cowing the small hobbit rather quickly indeed. Just as quickly as they had come though, they were gone, and Gandalf’s warm, albeit slightly apologetic, demeanor returned.

“Talk to Thorin. Ask him about the quest. Tell him about your spoon. Then decide if it’s worth it or not.”

Bilbo nodded enthusiastically even if he was quite sure as to what his answer would still be. At least it would get the crazy wizard off his back. Bilbo turned and walked straight back to his dining room, only to discover the dwarves were no longer there. Thorin’s bowl still remained though, along with Bilbo’s Love Spoon. The hobbit felt himself drawn to touch it. Almost as if it would feel different now that it had fulfilled its purpose. However, he drew his hand back at the last moment. What an absurd notion. 

No, he was quite certain once his dwarven nightmare was over, he would wash and dry and place the spoon back in its usual spot amongst his china. His life would change very little except he knew in his heart he would catch himself wondering after his wayward husband; whether the dwarf reached his destination or not. He briefly entertained the idea of maybe writing Thorin before he remembered what awaited the dwarves at the end of their journey. Grim as it may be, there was a very decent chance Bilbo would be a widow in just a few short…months? Years? Just how far was this homeland anyways?

Bilbo heaved a large sigh, running his fingers through his hair. It had certainly been a long evening. Deciding to focus on just finding his guests and making sure they weren’t destroying his map collection or something next, Bilbo was about to head down the hall when he heard something that stopped him in his tracks. Music coming from his sitting room, and it was the most tragically beautiful sound he’s ever heard.

Tiptoeing on silent feet, he crept closer pressing his back against the wall next to the entry way as he poked his head around the corner. Yavanna have mercy, it was Bilbo’s new husband who’s gruff voice seemed to be penetrating his very soul. Bilbo ducked back out as he slid down the wall, plopping himself right there on the floor. Never had he heard such a sad tale and sung with such fervor. If Bilbo closed his eyes, it was like he was there. Feeling the heat upon his face, smelling the pines, hearing the ‘clink’ of tools against precious metals. So lost in the experience, Bilbo hadn’t even realized it was finished until he heard his name.

“Master Baggins? What are you doing?”

Bilbo’s eyes shot open as he looked up to see Thorin staring down at him with a raised brow. Bilbo quickly jumped to his feet, brushing his hands down his front if only to distract from his bright red cheeks.

“I was hoping to have a word with you actually, if you don’t mind.” Bilbo noticed the bald dwarf and the white haired one coming up behind him. “Privately, if I may.”

Thorin looked over his shoulder in time for the bald dwarf to scowl and shake his head. The white haired dwarf looked appraising before nodding in agreement.

“Very well.” Thorin decided, leading Bilbo down his own hallways.

Bilbo nearly had to jog to keep up wondering if the older dwarf was Thorin’s father or something based on the appraising look he had received. Once Thorin deemed they were far enough away, he spun around to face Bilbo.

“Speak.” He ordered.

Bilbo screwed up his face trying to keep from focusing on the rudeness that seems to be this dwarf’s default language.

“I feel, we may have gotten off on the wrong foot.” Bilbo began only to be interrupted by Thorin’s snort of amusement.

“Is that all it was?” The dwarf demanded, his arms crossed performing a similar circle of Bilbo as he did in Bilbo’s entryway.

“Well, I…it’s not as if I were expecting company!” Bilbo spluttered.

“No, I imagine you didn’t. You probably don’t expect much beyond the safety of your Shire norms.”

“And just what are you implying, Master Thorin?” Bilbo demanded, squaring up to the taller being as much as he could.

“I know you.” Thorin dropped his voice.

Bilbo’s heart leapt forward at the implication of such a simple phrase. And he’s found him lacking. Everyone finds him lacking. Thorin leaned in closer, and Bilbo just knew he had to see the fear dancing over his face, because his smirk slipped just slightly and his eyes narrowed.

He continued his thought though in that low, deep drawl of his. “I had you pegged five seconds into our meeting.”

Bilbo swallowed around the tight lump forming in his throat. 

“Please, enlighten me.” Bilbo challenged.

Thorin held eye contact for a long moment, before his shoulders squared back, as if in effort to pull himself up taller. Bilbo refused to be cowed though, which seemed to be noticed by the twitch in Thorin’s eyebrow and the quirk of his lips.

“You have the biggest burrow in the town. I noticed as I passed by…twice, thinking it had to be an inn or a palace.”

Bilbo opened his mouth to interrupt, but Thorin continued.

“So you are a hobbit lord which means you probably have too much time and too much money on your hands. You are polite, kind-hearted, considering you haven’t thrown us out yet, but you don’t go out of your way to help people if tonight has been any indicator. You thirst for adventure, as noted by the sheer volume of maps on your walls, but you fear danger. Because why else would you still be here?

And that’s what can’t be overlooked. I can handle spoiled, pompous, inexperience, but your fear would doom us. All I’ve asked of my kin is loyalty, honor, and a willing heart. I can afford to accept no less from you. And if that is something you can’t give, stay here.”

Bilbo swallowed and swallowed again after Thorin had finished, his eyes having fallen to his toes long before Thorin had finished. It was perhaps the third time that he tried to speak that he realized he absolutely hated how close to the truth Thorin actually managed to land. The only part Bilbo felt he could argue was he wasn’t kind-hearted. He hasn’t felt anything but cold and numb in that cavity for a very long time.

“Y-You’re…”

“Wrong?” Thorin mocked.

Bilbo winced. He thought it was an unnoticeable thing until Thorin snorted.

“As I thought.”

Slowly, a little flame he didn’t know he had anymore began to take life inside him. His chin lifted until he was able to meet Thorin’s gaze directly.

“You are though.” He admitted softly, his voice gaining volume as his confidence grew. “Yes, you are. Because you think you have people figured out the moment you walk in a room. Well people have the capacity for change! Not that you seem to be keen on allowing it. I’ve had one evening and half a song to summarize just what you came here asking for my help with in the first place! You say you know me, but you’ve only guessed at a fraction of who I am. And it’s okay that you don’t believe it yet. I just know I want to be there when you realize it for the first time. That even a little hobbit from the Shire is capable of rising above his shortcomings and taking on a dragon.”

Thorin’s brows pinched together, and Bilbo took it as a victory as he watched his eyes swim in surprise and perhaps a small amount of admiration. It was a heady feeling that Bilbo figured most didn’t get to experience from Thorin Oakenshield. So he drank in every last drop until he was drowning under that gaze. A small shout from down the hall broke the spell, and Bilbo was able to avert his eyes feeling a little foolish at staring for so long. He was certain to have made his guest quite uncomfortable which was not very becoming, no matter how rude said guest may be.

“In any case,” Bilbo cleared his throat, his attention most decidedly staying clear of the dwarf before him. “I’m sure you will want to get some rest. You have an early morning after all. I do hope you and your Company have a pleasant evening, Master Thorin.”

“Wait!” Thorin’s arm reached out and snared Bilbo’s own before he could completely turn away.

Bilbo blinked up at him in alarm, and the dwarf released his grip.

“So…will you come?”

Bilbo’s jaw dropped. “I…”

He couldn’t be serious! Did he not just spell out all the ways Bilbo would be an imposition? Bilbo huffed a sigh, feeling suddenly and inexplicably weary.

“Why don’t you ask me again in the morning when I have a fresher perspective?”

Thorin hesitated before giving him a sharp nod.

“As you say, Master Baggins.”

Bilbo watched him all the way down the hall. It didn’t occur to him until Thorin was out of sight completely that he never quite managed to follow Gandalf’s suggestions. They barely touched the quest, and Bilbo didn’t tell him about their predicament. But perhaps that was something Thorin had managed to get wrong about him. Bilbo wasn’t kind. Because this selfish need to hold on to Thorin a bit longer, hold on to the idea of finally having a spouse, wasn’t a kindness. To Thorin…or himself. 

[hanzajesthanza]

Happy birthday!! Just wanna say while I'm here that you are truly the no.1 Witcher scholar and I love your work, and also I actually find it very moving that even though you are not Polish and don't speak Polish, you treat the books with such respect and deep understanding of the culture and language!! I wish everyone engaged with the works that they love in this way. I'm Polish but I'd since moved away and have a lot of bitterness towards the social environments I grew up in, but the Witcher is the one thing from Poland I truly love and makes me feel connected to my heritage and idk I just love your work sorry for the long message!

oh thank you!! i am so flattered by your words 😅 all i can say is, i try my best, of course! and a short essay response incoming...

the witcher is not only a translated work, but a multilingual and multicultural/national community, fanbase, and the american fanbase from which i'm coming is a relatively new development in the broader fanbase, especially as it relates to the books. it's more complex than how i'll phrase it here, but, essentially when you're in the fandom of the witcher books, you're in a predominantly polish other slavic language speaking space, even if you only speak english, because the books were created in polish and the whole thing has had over 30 years to gain traction and fans in poland and other slavic language speaking countries.

(i think there tends to be a certain level of entitlement from people, alright, americans whose primary language is english, where it is expected that everything be in english - you hear it all the time, stories of tourists going to a different country and demand english be spoken for everything for them. while english is indeed commonly spoken in poland, i think it would be a bit ridiculous, bringing it back to the witcher fandom, to expect every online interaction and material you come across to be in english, and expect to never use polish sources or look at the original text in polish. it may not be something you're skilled in or know about, but it's an opportunity for you to learn and ask questions. just embrace that, strive for understanding, even if you don't have any which you're beginning with. being prepared to be wrong and mistaken, being willing and open to being corrected. so, treating with respect and striving to better understand cultures which one doesn't belong to should be step one, i hope, at least in this community!)

i don't believe that there is such a thing as an english side of the fanbase which stands on its own separate from the original polish (and czech and russian, the first two languages witcher was translated into) fanbase(s), because the english fanbase was seeded and encouraged by these fans, a good portion of whom were bilingual and helped the fanbase grow by posting in english, gaining visibility and encouraging others to join and read the books. so you can't really have the english fandom without the polish fandom, it's like a branch off of a tree. and, with the majority of lifelong, or in other capacity dedicated and passionate, fans, coming from poland, and some of these fans also engaging in english-speaking places online, we're going to share ideas and end up admiring each other and becoming friends! and there's, again as always, a lot you can learn from your friends.

addressing the witcher as a work specifically, its identity is inseparable from its written language. with translations to other slavic languages, there's not an exceptional amount lost, but when it comes to english... well... though the story is there (except for a few glaring errors), there's not only lot of language-specific word choice, wordplay, and jokes that are lost in the english language and especially in the the official translation (which was crafted, i think to be as much of an "easy read" for an english reader as possible, and not to preserve sapkowski's style, character, and vocabulary), but also because a lot of the cultural phenomenon, celebration, element, described in the books, simply doesn't exist for the english reader and is untranslatable without an explanation of the context and history. sapkowski, who speaks italian, has mentioned the saying "traduttore, traditore," (translator, traitor) in interviews.

for just a few examples, torque at the end of the short story "edge of the world" saying "goodnight" being the perfect end to the story, because of the saying where the devil says goodnight. or the saovine tradition of burning straw falka dolls resembling the burning (or drowning) of marzanna effigies. and, also related to saovine, the offerings of honey, groats, and vodka for spirits being a mirror image of dziady. all of this is something that's not common knowledge for the english reader, it's stuff i learned about by looking it up, or having a conversation about, or reading a forum page online, or learned however, but learning about it made my enjoyment of the story a lot richer because i could (in part) go back and appreciate the depth of realism and familiarity woven into the world. and the act of seeking that out, or having that conversation, the act of learning itself was rewarding, to satisfy curiosity and engage my mind and social brain.

also just, a lot of the time, i'm trying to figure out where sapkowski's mind was at when he wrote some of this stuff, or who are these characters and what are these characters feeling, and all we have of them, to understand them, is their words. and the official translation isn't able to translate word for word. so looking at the polish edition and working through the sentence to translate (and looking into the nuances in definitions of words and phrases), i've found, can really help my reading comprehension and interpretation of the scene or character.

of course, sapkowski was taking "paneuropean" inspiration from multiple different cultures, not all of them slavic, a lot of them western european, weaving all these different fantasy and folktale sources together to create something diversely culturally rich. but as an english reader, i was motivated to seek out, "how does that line originally go in polish?" or "what's the original folktale sapkowski is referencing here?" because it just makes it that much more fun! it's part of the fun! of course an english reader could just pick up the books, breeze through them, and get a lot of enjoyment out of that, but without investigating any of the language or culture, it remains surface-level enjoyment. it's so rewarding to be able to exist in a community and friend circles that are positive towards learning and teaching in a casual way, it has made the witcher a lot more than just books for me. and all i'm doing personally is just having fun and learning as i go!

[thistleandthorn-events]

It's that time of year again, ghouls and goblins, for your favorite institute to put on your favorite event - THE HALLOWEEN MASQUERADE! So come join us on October 31st for a night of food, fun, and mystery! (Everything below the cut is IC knowledge unless otherwise directed).

RULES

Attendance is mandatory for all students. Townspeople are optional.

All attendees must wear a costume complete with mask.

YOU CANNOT TELL ANYONE WHAT YOUR COSTUME IS.

Marks are on hold for the party, however, the headmaster and guards will be around so don’t be ridiculous about it.

ACTIVITIES

Dancing - Great Hall

Escape Room - First floor classrooms (4 rooms designated for different themed escape rooms)

Photo Booth - Great Hall

Snacks and Punch - Great Hall

Halloween themed Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner (8-10am, 12-2pm, 5-7pm respectively) - Cafeteria

Movie Viewings - Auditorium (10am - Halloweentown 1pm - Haunted Mansion, 4pm - Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, 7pm - Poltergeist, 10pm - Scream)

Pumpkin Carving, Pumpkin seed spitting, Pumpkin Painting, Halloween Crafts - Art Room

Thriller Dance Instruction and performance - Dance Studio

Punkin’ Chunkin’ - Court yard

Haunted Maze - Hedge Maze (like a haunted corn maze with characters, spooky music and guards dressed in costume chasing people. They cannot touch or harm students)

Mad Science Lab - Cafeteria (snacks themes as science and laboratory - eyeballs that are grapes in jello, intestines that are spaghetti noddles, etc)

Potion making - Cafeteria (alcoholic and non alcoholic choices)

Bobbing for Apples - Court Yard

‘Ghost in the Graveyard’ Game - Court Yard

Horror Movie Trivia - Ipads in Great Hall

COSTUME CONTEST

There will be a costume contest BUT it is slightly different from what you’d expect. The object of this contest is to try to be as convincing as your costume character as you can. Everyone will vote for the top 3 costumes - again, the voting criteria being that you had NO IDEA WHO THEY WERE. We’re looking for the best actors here and the top 3 winners will win 200 points each!

OOC INFO

Alright, so here’s how it’s going to work - create a side blog for each of your characters’ costumes. THE URL SHOULD HAVE NOTHING IN IT about your actual character. Remember, you don’t want people to know who your character is. This goes for IC and OOC. PLEASE, don’t break the game. It’s not fun if you break the game.

On your sideblog for your character’s costume, post a photo of your costume including the mask. Once the blog is built and photo is posted, add the URL and costume to THIS GOOGLE DOC. Also, posting throughout the party will be done all F2F. There will be no online or tumblr based starters.

Ok, this part gets a little confusing. IC - this event only happens on Saturday, November 2nd. BUT, OOC we’ll be ‘freezing time’ to allow this event to be played out for a weekish (November 1st - November 9). Again, it’s all happening IC on Saturday. Please keep the dash strictly Masquerade during the whole event.

The other part of the “don’t think about it” part of this is we need to kinda fake things about our characters to avoid being discovered. For example, since this takes place AFTER locktober, no one's locked for this. Or, Austin won't show his accent to avoid knowing who he is, etc. So just kinda suspend your disbelief, please. This goes for physical attributes, accents, etc.

OTHER THINGS TO CONSIDER when making your blog:

Take off auto-tags if you have a way you tag things regularly, or just tag differently

Don't post photos or manips displaying your face claim in your costume, EVEN IF YOU'RE TRYING TO HIDE THEIR FACE. We know, I assure you.

Don't talk OOC about what costume your characters are wearing

If while playing, you miss something please utilize tumblr's asks/messages and message from your sideblog, not your main.

Don't reuse former Masquerade side blogs (not everyone deletes people)

Look out for OOC traits/behaviors which might identify you

Any triggering plots or plots involving a lot of people need to be approved.

If your student character participates they will receive 50 points. Participation will include at least some decent activity (just a post or one/two replies will not count.) Gimme at least one thread and I’ll count it.

VOTING - once we get closer to the event we’ll let you know how this will go but it will be dependent on NOT LETTING ANYONE KNOW (Ic or OOC) WHAT COSTUME YOUR CHARACTER HAS. Please, again, Don’t Break the Game. These things are only fun when the rules are followed. Vote per character, however, even if your character doesn’t interact with them. So, you can use some OOC knowledge for voting ONLY.

We allow costumes to double. Make sure you're paying attention to the URL name when you're voting.

If you have questions please feel free to ask but make sure it’s not already answered in this post please and thank you.

[pvregold]

...     NOW   UNLOCKING      ꗃ       task   #001 .

                                     SUBJECT  :   sabine   bogelot .

     ⸺      𝙱𝙰𝚂𝙸𝙲   𝙸𝙽𝙵𝙾𝚁𝙼𝙰𝚃𝙸𝙾𝙽:

[ ⤿ ]      CHARACTER  NAME :     sabine  bogelot .         [ ⤿ ]      NICKNAME (S) :     sab,  rory,  bean . [ ⤿ ]      FACE  CLAIM :     olivia  cooke . [ ⤿ ]      MUTATION  STATUS :     gen ii . [ ⤿ ]      BIRTHDAY :     april  13th . [ ⤿ ]      SEXUALITY :     lesbian . [ ⤿ ]      MORAL  ALIGNMENT :     chaotic  neutral . [ ⤿ ]      OCCUPATION :     immunologist . [ ⤿ ]      WORK  SECTOR :     five . [ ⤿ ]      AFFILIATION :     the  mutant’s  society . [ ⤿ ]      3  POSITIVE  TRAITS :     hard - working,  perceptive, intelligent . [ ⤿ ]      3  NEGATIVE  TRAITS :     insensitive,  short - tempered,  cynical. [ ⤿ ]      BIOGRAPHY :     read  it  here .

       ⸺       𝚀𝚄𝙴𝚂𝚃𝙸𝙾𝙽𝙽𝙰𝙸𝚁𝙴:

HOW  DO  THEY  FEEL  ABOUT  LIVING  IN  SOL  CITY ?   HAVE  THEY  ALWAYS  LIVED  THERE  OR  DID  THEY  TRAVEL  FROM  ANOTHER  SETTLEMENT ?

since  sol  city  was  created,  generations  of  the  bogelot  family  have  lived  there.  sabine  is  comfortable  there,  the  power  her  family  holds,  even  when  nobody  is  part  of  the  council  gives  a  security  not  everyone  has.  she’s  curious  about  other  settlements,  but  the  idea  of  living  sol  city  is  something  that,  despite  crossing  her  mind,  has  never  mutated  into  something  truly  serious.

DO  THEY  TRUST  THE  COUNCIL'S  LEADERSHIP ?   WHY  OR  WHY  NOT ?

no,  she  doesn’t.  she  knows  power  is  a  dangerous  thing  in  the  wrong  hands,  and  council  members  being  the  same  people  over  and  over  again  doesn’t  settle  well  with  her.  she  looks  at  them  with  apprehension,  but  also  knows  there  is  little  she  can  do  to  oppose  them.  so  she,  somehow,  respects  their  authority,  but  doesn’t  trust  them  in  the  slightlest. 

IF  THEY  CHOSE  THEIR  SECTOR  AND  PROFESSION,  WHY  DID  THEY  MAKE  THAT  CHOICE ?   IF  THEY  DIDN'T,  WHY  NOT ?   WERE  THEY  HAPPY  WITH  THEIR  ASSIGNMENT  OR  NOT ?

yes,  she  had  the  chance  to  choose  her  sector  and  profession,  the  influence  of  her  family  giving  her  and  advantage  over  others.  coming  from  a  lineage  of  medical  and  scientific  people,  she’s  an  immunologist  not  only  for  duty,  but  also  for  love,  so  she’s  happy  and  deeply  grateful  with  her  assignment.

WHAT'S  ONE  OBJECT  THAT  THEY  ALWAYS  KEEP  ON  THEIR  PERSON ?

a  hand-crafted  dna  pin  she  constantly  wears  on  her  coat  and  the  lap  of  her  jackets.  it  was  gifted  to  her  by  her  mother  when  she  got  into  the  same  sector  she’d  been  working  for  years.

WHAT  IS  YOUR  CHARACTER'S  ABILITY ?

matter  manipulation.

ARE  THEY  GEN  I  OR  GEN  II ?

gen  ii.

WHAT  CAN  YOUR  CHARACTER  DO ?   WHAT  ARE  THEIR  STRENGTHS ?

she  can,  obviously,  as  her  ability’s  name  says,  manipulate  matter.  her  power  extents  to  all  kinds  of  matter  manipulation,  as  often  is  for  people  with  this  power,  she  can  manipulate,  create,  shape,  and  control  matter,  since  small  forms  of  it  to  the  known  universe.  however,  she’s  not  versed  in  everything  her  ability  entitles,  and  she  has  studied  and  trained  herself  mostly  in  things  that  could  be  helpful  for  her  and  her  career  choice  and  daily  life.  one  of  her  main  aptitudes  is  fixing  bones,  regenerate  skin  and  muscles,  summon  objects  and  modify  them,  and  change  the  state  of  matter  ( from  liquid  to  solid,  solid  to  gas,  and  so  on ).

WHAT  CAN'T  THEY  DO ?   WHAT  ARE  THEIR  WEAKNESSES ?

like  stated  above,  she  is  not  versed  in  the  entire  extent  of  her  power,  which  is  one  of  her  main  issues  —  the  abilities  of  a  matter  manipulation  are  so  broad,  knowing  and  managing  all  of  them  is  a  hard  task.  aside  from  that,  she  can’t  create,  summon  nor  manipulate  forms  of  matter  she  doesn’t  know  or  hasn’t  seen.  finally,  in  a  more  personal  level,  she  has  directed  her  talents  so  intensely  to  her  investigative  field  and  career,  it  has  alienated  her  from  extending  them.

IS  THERE  ANYTHING  ELSE  YOU'D  LIKE  TO  SPECIFY  ABOUT  THEM ?

they  are  so,  so  deeply,  painfully  gay  because  [ saoirse  ronan’s  vc ]  women—