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felixcloud6288 · 2 months ago

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Dungeon Meshi Chapter 10

Hey it's that guy!

Dungeon Meshi says "Drink water".

The first half of this chapter shows us what an ordinary adventuring party would do to prepare for a trip through the dungeon. Specifically, the issue of food supply gets brought up. The half-foot brings up how one week's rations are heavy so that would mean longer treks are going to be more exhausting on account of them having to carry more supplies. They also might not have room for other goods because they have to make room for food. And there is the risk like in chapter 1 that they can just be lost.

For a moment, I thought bringing a wagon might help, but I don't think that would fit in a dungeon.

Is this what everyone thinks happened?

Last chapter, kobolds were mentioned and we were given an image of one. So we already have the info needed to figure that one dog party member is a kobold. Still, Chilchuck and Laios's speculations about who Senshi would trade with in a dungeon makes me think that having a kobold party member is unusual.

Their miscellaneous discussions about the dungeon is for us. Something about the dungeon has been changing lately. I can't comment on the dungeon layout changing, but maybe the monster thing is because of the red dragon roaming about or maybe it's because adventurers are overkilling the monster populations and other monsters are trying to move in on the emptier areas.

And then they get wiped by bugs. This kinda reminds me of that one party from chapter 3, the one that got wiped by plants. This instance isn't being played for comedy this time. We're following an ordinary party's experience through the dungeon and it ends with them getting killed. Laios's party doing so well is not normal.

Adventurers can turn into zombies, huh? So if the corpse retrievers don't find you, you'll just rise as a zombie? I don't know the full details about how resurrection works, but I'm getting the feeling that if you're left alone for long enough, the dungeon just takes your body and soul and turns them into spirits and zombies. Is the magician some sort of lich and the entire premise was just a trap to lure people in so it could harvest souls?

The box of treasure insects was on a zombie. So that was probably some poor adventurer who fell for their deceptions just like the last party did. Or maybe it was someone from before the golden kingdom was taken over by the magician. It's outfit had the poofy shoulder pads you'd see on a stereotypical noble's outfit.

Did Laios's sword react to the treasure insects specifically because they're treasure insects or because it realized there was danger that the others didn't notice? If it's the former, then there are implications. Like, maybe treasure insects prey on Living Armor or certain ones like the pearl centipede can parasitize a Living Armor colony and take it over.

I love the little detail that a few locks of Marcille's hair braid popped loose when she saw the pearl centipede.

And she realized exactly what was going to happen when Senshi started sorting them.

I've never eaten bugs before, but I'm willing to try. I bet crickets taste pretty good if you fry them. I don't think I'd like centipedes though.

Mimicry in nature is wild. There are so many different types. And mimicry of other species is particularly crazy. I went looking into what type of mimicry treasure insects might employ and I learned about emsleyan mimicry in the process. It's where a dangerous animal mimics a slightly less dangerous animal. The goal is that if an animal is deadly to the point any potential predator is likely to die in an encounter with it, the animal doesn't actually benefit from its warning signs because nothing will get the chance to survive and learn that its dangerous. So it mimics something that is not nearly as dangerous and benefits from potential predators learning to not mess with the less dangerous animal.

An example I found of emsleyan mimicry is coral snakes. They are some of the most toxic snakes in the world and there's another species called a king snake which uses the same color patterns. Originally, it was thought that King snakes mimicked coral snakes. But it turns out there's another species of snake called the false coral snake that also has the same color patterns but is not as deadly as the coral snake. So one hypothesis is the false coral snake had the color pattern first and coral and king snakes are both mimicking it.

Anyway, the mimicry type that seems most similar to what treasure insects are doing is called wicklerian or aggressive mimicry. Parasites using this method attempt to mimic something their target host would find appealing. Usually, the parasite would mimic prey, but in this case they're mimicking coins and jewelry.

The end of the chapter reveals that some of the items were actual coins and jewels so maybe treasure insects can actively change their appearance to mimic specific types of coins and jewelry.

The anatomy of most of the insects are easy to figure out with a little creative thought, but the ring one is way out there.

The tiara being a giant nest is pretty cool. Are the treasure insects all living communally with each other and build and guard the tiara together?

Jam? How does that work?

Look at Marcille being so brave.

Senshi was about to tell Chilchuck that the inedible pile was actual jewels, but Chilchuck threw them away before he got the chance.

Laios named his sword "Sword boy".

back

#dungeon meshi #delicious in dungeon #dungeon meshi readthrough

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bibibbon · 3 months ago

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It's just infuriating seeing media after media doing the same mistake! All because the folks in charge of creating these medias keep favoring these horrible characters so much, that they rather make EVERYBODY suffer than to hold them accountable! It's turning into propaganda at this point! Enable the abusers/jerk*sses/monsters, but condemn/lash out/hate the victims, kind people, and people who fight back! Ps, Transformers Earthspark had a MHA Easter egg in one of the human kid's room, making how the show handle abuse and racism/immigration themes feel like they took a book from MHA but watered it down. 5/5

Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 part 4 part 5

There are many shows and pieces of media that handle and present the topic of abuse differently.

Abuse comes in many forms and can effect others in different ways meaning that there are a lot of different ways it can be explored in shows.

A lot of the shows can ineffectively explore abuse in a horrible way and make their shows messaging sound awful and while ONE of the reasons is character favouritism there are many other reasons like simply not giving the issue enough screentime to develop or not narratively highlighting the issue of abuse and more

I think a great example of a show that has some trouble dealing effectively with abuse (but it's not because the author favours the abuser character) is tokyo revengers

The way tokyo revengers handles abuse is well interesting (I do have some critiques that are mainly surrounding the akashi family and Shiba family)

I understand that due to the manga publishers cancelling the manga and making Ken wakui wrap it up at chapter 278 combined with wakui's own health issues that he wasn't able to delve deeper into the unhealthy and dysfunctional dynamic of the akashi family. The unequal treatment of sanzu and senju by takemoi or the neglect that they all went through or the straight up hate that sanzu has for senju and takemoi ETC ETC. However, I still feel like it's important to bring this up since it seemed like there was potential for them to be developed and portrayed in an interesting light.

Moving on to the Shiba family. I think that the Shiba family and their arc was written well! My problem lies with the friendship that mitusya and taiju fromed and more specifically the lack of screentime when it came to the aftermath of the black dragon for the Shiba family. We are told that taiju changes his ways but it's not shown specifically with the way he Interacts with his siblings. I also have a problem with how yuhza an important character in all of this isn't actively present here at all especially when it comes to her brothers 'change'.

Now the Shiba family dynamic is interesting to me. You have taiju the older brother who is viewed and introduced as the primary caregiver of yuhza and hakai since neither their mother or father is in the picture. We never learn much about their parents since the story is told from hakai and yuhza's prespectives. It can be argued that the eldest sibling taiju maybe aware of what happend to his parents and that they may have influenced his behaviour well we know that their absence within the family definitely did since there was no one to correct taiju's aggressive behaviour and it maybe from the absence of his parents within his life that he started to develop such a twisted idea of family and using it to manipulate his siblings.

We actively see the consequences of taiju's actions whether that be hakkai and yuhaza growing afraid and distant towards taiju because of his manipulative and abusive behaviour or hakkai developing a twisted idea of love and saying that he always though that "love was supposed to be painful" until he met mitsuya. We even see a young hakkai start to mimic taiju's aggressive behaviour in beating kids up but all of that changed when hakkai met mitsuya.

The narrative goes out of its way to clearly contrast mitsuya and taiju. They are direct foils to each other and show two vastly different ideas. This is best shown during their fight when we see their beliefs clash with mitsuya making a grand entrance and saying that to be a big brother you need to forgive and be kind to your family whereas in taiju's case we see him try to murder and belittle his siblings.

The narrative (thankfully) frames mitsuya in the right. Going on a tangent, but the way mitsuya and taiju are framed is interesting to me. We clearly see that taiju is depicted as the much more muscular and stronger looking one whereas mitsuya is the shorter and less muscular character. I think its interesting that this view can be framed in a way where we see that mitsuya is the little tiny sliver of hope within the black dragon arc and this specific fight.

Mitsuya represents both his belief of family and becomes the embodiment of hope and courage for hakkai, taking hits and matching taiju's strength punch for punch (kind of reminds me of the interpretation of hope. Hope isn't some strong dude or girl but just an incredibly resilient being whose covered in mud and blood and would still get up and shine because that's them:hope).

Mitsuya influences hakkai and both him and takemichi end up influencing him to stand up for himself and him sister. Mitsuya influences hakkai to stand up and tell the truth while takemichi and his actions help hakkai come to an understanding that even with his fear and cowardice towards his older brother he needs to and will stand up to taiju. The fight ultimately ends with taiju defeated by Mikey and the siblings leaving taiju behind.

Now I do like this ending of the fight as I think it showed:

Hakkai and yuhaza are no longer connected or associate with taiju

They have both developed and managed to overcome taiju (their abuser)

Hakkai has overcome his cowardice and his inferiority of not being able to be a man and be the one to take the hits for yuhaza

Yuhaza finally receives acknowledgement for what she sacrificed and is no longer bound to be taiju's punching bag, neither is she bound to protect hakkai from taiju

Taiju is the one that loses everything that ranges from his family, to his gang, power and even money (that he used koko to gain)

There's a hint of hypocrisy and irony in Taiju's arc here as he is a religious Christian who went to pray in a church during Christmas eve. Taiju went to pray which is seen as a form if religious practice yet he doesn't follow his religion properly, I am not Christian but iam pretty sure that abusing, manipulating and beating your siblings is a sin. Ultimately, taiju ends up losing everything and his family on Christmas eve which in Japan is am incredibly important day as its spent with your loved ones to share and spread joy yet the complete opposite occurs.

My main problem with taiju's arc is how wakui involves him in the story later on. We see fromba tiny flashback that mitsuya and taiju are in contact and they seem to be friendly. We also are shown and somewhat told that taiju has changed but the thing that annoys me is that we don't see that change, we don't see or get to know why and how it happend. Finally, we don't even get to truly see hakkai's and yuhaza's reactions to all of this (at least with hakkai we got to see a shocked face but even that is too little and they robbed yuhaza of screentime)

The fascinating thing is that while abusive, unhealthy and toxic family dynamics within tokyo revengers play a big role in the story, there is also focus on individual characters who have been abused.

What I mean is that tokyo revengers also focuses on characters personal abuse without the families of those characters being active fleshed our characters. The two primary characters of this are takemichi and kazutora.

Takemichi's experience from the first timeline specifically his life experience between middle school to his adult life are what shaped him as a character. The reason why takemichi is so weak willed and such a bad fighter in the beginning of the manga all adds up to what happend to him with kiyomasa and him running away. Takemichi is in a sense a haunted character because even after creating and altering the timelines so much that they aren't recognisable he still is very much effected by kiyomasa and the manga takes it time dealing with the effects of that (while kiyomasa's name is never directly stated to be the cause its kind of obvious it is) however, more focus on kiyomasa and takemichi specifically would of been interesting and needed in my opinion. While kiyomasa and takemichi do interact and takemichi does try and fight against kiyomasa just to fail and return to square one remembering just how much kiyomasa and his abuse truly effected and haunted him. Overall, I do think that later on in the series we should of gotten a chapter where takemichi meets kiyomasa again and contrast chapter 1 takemichi with the now developed, stronger and currently healing takemichi.

During his time under kiyomasa takemichi was used as a tool. He and his friends had to become perfect bidding tools using their bodies fighting, winning and losing to entertain a crowd all while getting beat by kiyomasa if they didn't achieve the desired goal or effect. This continued on for approximately 3 years of takemichi's life being physically and emotionally beaten by kiyomasa to such a degree that the second he graduated from middle school he ran and never looked back. Kiyomasa's mistreatment was so bad and horrendous that takemichi thought his only escape was to move far away even if it meant sacrificing everything else like his friends, girlfriend, education and home. Ultimately, even though takemichi ran foolishly trying to achieve a sense of autonomy and agency he ends up having it robbed again by another thing: capitalism.

Due to the lack of education takemichi receives and the direction his life choices took him in, he ends up being a slave to the modern cooperate system (japan is also known for their work culture). In the end, takemichi can only bow down to others and ask for forgiveness if he ever did anything wrong. Due to the damage kiyomasa's abuse caused and the slowly pileling reasons of him accidently doing something wrong and peoples reactions start to all eat at him and effect him. Being told that you're incompetent and useless so many times that you also start to think so and become the embodiment of that as well. Takemichi's life was never free and so he couldn't run away from a job meaning that all he could do is apologise and mentally try and escape his miserable life devoid of loved ones.

In all of this running and avoidance takemichi forgets who he really is and forgets himself. This is exactly why we see him shocked to hear his ex girlfriends name or how he believed that middle school was his peak but when he sees himself he realises that he is wrong. This can also explain why takemichi physically forgot how he acted at that age or how he forgot how to fight. Takemichi was trained and toughened (forced to for survival) during the 3 years kiyomasa made him fight like a lab rat. In all of those years michi would of learnt the basics and even more so it makes sense he would of left that all behind and tired to forget everything in the end.

Even through out the series Takemichi's behaviour reflects this. He is always effected by that incident and it haunts him. Takemichi feels, acknowledges and even sobs that he is inferior that if he was a bit more like Mikey in terms of strength or a bit more like draken in terms of kindness or a bit more like baji in terms of courage he would of already solved everything, he would of already saved everyone and had the perfect life. Whenever anything goes wrong he blames himself and his flaws. This is mainly seen in chapter 134 and 135 when takemichi contemplates if he should just die since he believes that it was due to his incompetence that naoto died.

Evidently, through his own experiences loneliness and fear takemichi is able to understand and help other characters like hakkai and mikey even if it cost his life because takemichi has experienced loneliness, how painful it is, how haunting and scaring it is and he wouldn't wish it on anyone else especially people he cares about.

As the series progresses takemichi comes to terms with these aspects of himself and even if he beats himself up for it he comes to the understanding that these things are apart of him and that he can live surrounded with loved ones. He would do anything to achieve that goal even if it meant sacrificing his original ideal world the bonten arc because he understood and hated what mikey was going through.

In the end I definitely enjoy the way tokyo revengers handles abuse however, some of the cases wakui tries to tackle like the akashi family and South end up falling apart due to the lack of focus and development. There are good cases of how the story handles abuse like the Shiba family, takemichi and kazutora but they do end up being quite flawed and in my opinion need more development

#asks #tokyo revengers #TR #tr critical #tokyo revengers critical #thanks for the ask #thanks for the ask!#thanks anon #thanks anon!#ask series #media #meta #tokyo revengers meta #the way TR presents abuse is interesting #you have characters like takemichi and kazutora whose stories centering abuse is integral to their characters #michi never truly got over what kyomasa did #its literally infulenced him so much whether that be his cowardice or 'crybaby' behavior #its all began due to kiyomasa #kazutora and his homelife has also infulenced him #whether that be his hatred towards gis father lookinh down on him and making him feel inferior #or his mothers helplessness and negelctful behavior #all of that went into shaping who kazutora became #the akashi family and the shiba family have their flaws within writing but inly need time to be fully delved into and developed #mikey beating up takemichi and kazutoras abusers then adopting them into his group #parallels they have

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tiffyfoundsomething · 9 months ago

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I haven't had much to talk about lately as far as dolls or doll repair tools go because I've been busy with other things.

My S.O. has been playing Yakuza: Like a Dragon Infinite Wealth, though, and I have some thoughts.

Which is on sale right now for $40 on Amazon:

He's been playing on PS5. Since he's the one playing, I can't give much of an opinion on the combat system or item storage, etc.

I can say there are a ton of mini- and sub- games that he's enjoyed like a bottomless dungeon, an Animal Crossing-like island resort to take care of, baseball, card games, a Pokemon spoof, a dating game, and more.

The game references and mimics many other classic video game genres.

Like a Dragon Infinite Wealth is the first in the Yakuza series that he's played (he didn't even know about the series; I did but only from other people), and it was also conveniently a perfect place to hop into the franchise because you get a quick rundown of the games that lead up to this point. Even having not played Like a Dragon, the first in the Yakuza series to feature Ichiban Kasuga as the lead and a whole new battle system (it's now turn-based RPG style) and most of the characters already being established, Infinite Wealth makes sure you know who everyone is and how they're tied to Kasuga and Kiryu.

The Yakuza series is well known and well loved, and despite some heavy, emotional story the series doesn't take itself too seriously.

LaDIW looks really great. There is some disparity in quality between cinemas, cut scenes, and game play but that's normal.

Characters have individual facial hairs. There is texture in the clothing. For the most part the movements are fluid and natural, though at times they are stiff and weird. In-game animation has gotten worse as the game has gone on but the cinemas are consistently high-quality. I wonder if they were in a crunch for some segments, or if they used a different, lower quality studio for those parts.

The opening chapter is tedious. Cinema after cinema, they're long, they're awkwardly written, they go on and on and on long after the points has been made much like this sentence. If you can get through that, the rest is much more enjoyable.

I have noticed the ending cinemas are similar to the beginning in that they are awkward, keep going past the point being made, etc. That is a bit frustrating.

The English voice acting is..... I wouldn't say it's great, but it's ok. Sometimes it's really obvious when one V.A. is doing multiple voices and that can disrupt immersion. Seunhee likes to hiss her S's at the end of sentences and that gets under my skin. That's just a me, thing, though.

The characters are dynamic, flawed, and very lovable. It's easy to feel like you're hanging out with a bunch of your friends, experiencing the same things they are, together.

There is a lot of melancholy in their individual stories. Illness, unrequited love (tons of unrequited love), taking responsibility, letting go of the things they want in order to help the people they love.

They are also mostly in their 40's which makes them a little easier for me to relate to.

I am old.

There is a bit of misogyny in the game.

The male characters have skin texture, scruff, wrinkles, eyebags, and flaws while the female characters are all flawless, smooth, and generally younger.

There are 3 playable women and 7 playable men.

Male characters get jobs like cowboy, chef, breakdancer, and surfer, while the female characters get jobs like maid, dominatrix, and idol singer. There is no overlap, men don't get to be maids and women don't get to be chefs, for example. The men also get a lot more jobs than the women do.

There is a lot of ~younger woman interested in oblivious older man~ going on, too.

Everyone is equally capable, though, and all of the characters are treated as equals by the other characters.

Without spoiling anything, some features and activities do become redundant due to how the game is set up (you'll see). Like you'll go to Location A and do something, then go to Location B and.... do it again.

All in all we've both really enjoyed it, and I'm dreading the game ending because we've enjoyed the experience so much.

#yakuza #yakuza like a dragon #yakuza like a dragon infinite wealth #game review #ps5 #affiliate links

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vampiremeerkat · 2 years ago

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Your opinion on ''Turning Red''? I didn't see you express any thought on the film. I like this is one of the Pixar movies with most female characters, and the puberty and adolescence insecurities were quite bold and relatable to a kid movie.

My Rottentomatoes account has become inaccessible, the site delinked my profile from my e-mail address for no given reason and refuses to fix it, but this movie I barely managed to review before that happened. There's no point in giving the link to an account I can never continue to grow, so here are the many horrible things I said: "Holy hairy panda. I can't stand self-important, twerking preteens -see my Cuties review that has probably been unlisted by Rottentomatoes for the 80th time- and after watching the entirety of the movie, I don't understand why the child characters had to be like this. It added nothing to the story and the movie's intro alone was a chore to get through. Sure, these kind of children are aplenty in today's age, but why make a kid's movie that children will watch and likely mimic. Now we're going to have even more shitty kids, I hate this existence! The uncomfortable puberty bit(s) that transpired before Mei's transformation was unnecessary as well. Her transformation isn't a representation of puberty at all, no matter what some people or the ham-fisted "we all have a monster inside of us"-line at the end of the movie said. She's literally a descendant of a fairy tale character who begged to the gods to become her favourite animal, as to help protect her family. Not sure why a red panda was chosen, and not, for example, a tiger or a dragon. You know, something inherently large and dangerous. Having that said, the panda design was silly-looking. I'm not sure how it helped the lady from the legend protect anything, as apparently these things aren't even that large. Now (spoilers), Mei's mother was awesomely large, and when I saw her red glowing eyes stomping through the city, I got excited to see this disfigured beast from Hell.. until the light hit her face and I saw it was just another dumb-faced panda. With a Karen hairdo this time. Jesus. And really, the main thing that's to blame here is the art style, which is, as pointed out before, very "Steven Universe". It works for Steven Universe, since that's 2D animation, but I personally can't stand seeing 2D art styles and animation movements in 3D movies. It looks off and lazy. Didn't like it in Hotel Transylvania, either. You have computers that are capable of anything, and you end up doing what you could've done with pencil and paper. Which also would've given the movie more charm. Bring back 2D animated features already, we need a new Disney renaissance. Turning Red is a messy story starring a messy character. Mei would've been much more bearable if she started out timid and overly obedient, whereafter she starts deviating because her first beastly transformation awakens emotions you could describe as "puberty". A different animal would've helped, too. You can't insert a disturbing nightmare sequence in your movie and have the conclusion be a marketable Teddy bear. A Teddy bear so marketable, the police won't even show up to look for this potentially dangerous creature roaming about. I'm also a bit tired of these movies starring girl characters who's powers -or the conflict itself- revolve around their emotions. It's always the same story: their surroundings forbid them to express themselves, or else havoc, but then the solution is expressing themselves. Wowie. Mei was already expressing herself, annoyingly so. The overused plot doesn't even suit the character. Now I'm tired of writing, bye bye."

#turning red #review

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maigo-san · 2 years ago

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hi zig!! can i ask ❤️💭 and 💣 for the ask game? (((o(*°▽°*)o)))

hi leafie!!! Sorry for the late reply, I just got on my tumblr tonight since my touch screen is a bit of a mess lol

I've answered ❤️ and 💣 here, so I'm gonna repost the answers here, answer 💭 and one that I haven't answered which is ☀️!

❤️ - what are your favorite kind of RenTan stories? (Canon, Rengoku lives, modern… etc)

definitely, Rengoku Lives stories since it's just the default. It's so fun to fiddle with it. Maybe it's because of the time period or the fact that it's directly from gtg's ideas, it just hits harder. But I've been really liking stories where one or both of them are mystical beings, whether it's the konpon au, dragon tan, fox scholar kyou~ I can't choose, they're all so gooood

💣 - share your most controversial RenTan take. Set your thoughts ablaze!!

BHAHAHA WHYYYYY

Kyoujurou has a fat ass!

jk.

I honestly don't know~ maybe one of the reasons I'm die-hard for rntn out of all of my ships is because I tolerate most headcanon lmfao even the darkest or dead dovey... idk. I wrote and made some questionable stuff myself so usually, if there's an au or trope I can't get behind, it's just how the author/artist executes it and if I have the energy, I'll try it with my own version. I get to make something I like and rntn gets more content

Like for example, I think Kyoujurou is not as experienced as Tanjirou just because he's older. There's barely anything he accomplished romantically or sexually around those five years gap. He's as young and awkward as Tan. But I can see why people would think that. He's adored by so many people. But so was Tanjirou and I feel, if Tanjirou becomes a charcoal burner for a bit longer, it could be the other way around since Kyoujurou is a bit intimidating.

Hey, maybe he learned everything just from three volumes of shunga and erotic novels!

💭 - In a world where the train ride lasted longer, what do Rengoku and Tanjiro dream of?

this is a very interesting question tbh. To make the train longer, that means Nezuko had to get out of her box way later so she didn't knock Tanjirou's forehead and cried when it bled. As for Kyoujurou, his dream did last the longest out of all of them and I know it was for the kamabokos' screen time, but I still love to speculate on what takes him so long to wake up.

I like the idea of Tanjirou noticing the uncanniness of the dream. Maybe Nezuko finally came down from picking veggies and he asked things like, "where are your nozzles?" or wondered why Nezuko's eyes looked weird (since he got used to her demon eyes). I imagine he had to live till the next day and had to go down to sell charcoal and heard whispers of villagers about a missing person and started sniffing the air for a trace of something he didn't know but he had a bad feeling about. I wanted to see him realize that he had been living with demons all his life and that slow and damning realization is enough to wake him up.

But as for Kyoujurou, I like to think that he succumbs further and deeper into his dream instead. And I feel he'll just dream about waiting.

Like somehow time stretches and no crow called him for a mission until the sky turns dark and he had to eat dinner with his family which is just filled with silence and awkwardness with Kyoujurou occasionally trying to strike up a conversation with Senjurou about school or something. His father don't usually eat with them but maybe in that particular day, Shinjurou got out of his room to join them and when Kyoujurou tried to strike up a conversation, which sadly only revolves around demon slaying, it pissed Shinjurou off and he went on ranting about Kyoujurou taking this too seriously or wondering why Kyoujurou didn't have anything else to talk about.

Someone told me Kyoujurou is the only one who has a shitty dream lol and I get it but it's more like it purposely mimics his real life not only because Enmnu won't blow his cover but aEnmu's blood demon art probably also deems it the life he "wanted". Like, to Kyoujurou it's impossible to accept a different reality. It'll be too uncanny for him and he'll wake up sooner.

But then, I'm gonna twist canon a bit, during the last scene of Mugen Train he said he remembered to tell Tanjirou to visit his family home. So as the dream continues, he started to daydream. How he wished he had a tsuguko. He wished in his bleak world, he met someone new that could maybe give a bit of color. He's grateful for his family but he said so himself, he's constantly worried about Senjurou and that he had it worse than Kyou, he really felt the family fell apart after Ruka died, and he never smiled whenever talking to Shinjurou.

Somehow he saw flashes of checkered haori like when Tan saw flashes of Nezuko's box. After dinner, he chased after that mysterious back around the very quiet and maze-like neighborhood and he still didn't see it coming. Like he still didn't realize he was under BDA attack. Cuz I think, in Enmu's logic, Tanjirou could be the "dream that he wanted". Like, maybe at first it seemed he wanted life to be the way it is, but apparently, he also has his own desire which is to meet someone new.

He might not remember Tanjirou's name or face but he had this strong feeling when he saw dream-Tanjirou and it pushes him further and further away from reality.

Maybe by the time he catches Tanjirou's shadow, the whole world crumbles because the girl finally pierced his spiritual core OR when he catches Tanjirou's shadow, he could hear Tanjirou's voice around him but not from dream Tanjirou, but from real Tanjirou who was trying to wake him up, screaming his name.

☀️ - How did you watch Mugen train for the first time? (In theaters, at home…)

Watched it at home on some illegal streaming site (I haven't installed netflix at that time yet), I don't remember much but I think I watched Mugen Train first before finishing season 1 LMAO like I literally didn't know Tanjirou that well but I respect him for the down-badness.

Anyway, that's all! Thank you for the ask, leafie!!

#zig replied #rntnvillage

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bonetickler · 2 months ago

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Underfallout, a concept because I love analog horror and fallout, and undertale…. I am having too much fun….

I kinda got distracted by dragons and still am having a blast with that, heheheeh

Wrote out a braindump of what I have for it so far, also have been making some new characters for it to help fill some stuff out :)

For the most part it follows the basic plot of fallout 4, china bombs America, an America that’s far as hell into the future and pretty fucking advanced. Several hundred years later you as the character are introduced, basically current time of the plot but like idc about the vault weirdo because that’s just an npc to me and holds no real meaning. Instead we follow Asher around.

Bro doesn’t like his au, not really fun either, more a mesh between fallout, undertale, and analog horror type shit.

There are the classical mutations, ghouls, mutants, super mutants, yadda yadda, just a lot of varieties, but with the introduction of monsters in the mix brings magic and magic as we all know makes things so much more fun and better. Mutated monsters are more common due to their inability to ‘die’ and then be brought back as humans can be, when they change, there’s nothing left. Only a husk that could either end up acting out bare minimal thought or they are just constantly hungry and hunting.

Toriel and Theo’s mutations feel like good examples, Toriel stayed put, held onto her kids during the bombing and while the youth hadn’t lived, she as a high HOPE monster did, her and her husband, he’s dead tho because she killed him, a violent reaction caused by him getting too close while she listlessly sat there, groaning and growling, she’s crying over her children. Holding onto them and keeping them close. She’s passive, not out to get anything less it come too close and aggregate her, she’s just a sad old woman. Now Theo, the biggest asshole one will ever know, mutated much later on into the aftermath of the bombs being dropped his already aggressive personality played into him growing even worse, an intelligent predator, quite willing to do anything to get what it’s after, very quickly did he learn that he could mimic some sounds, an ability he developed after a while. Either the voice of one of its victims or mimicking something less dangerous than himself, to elude.

Most places and groups tend to be in all actuality racist towards monsters. Monsters and humans who have experienced mutation. Something built on fears, monsters are more likely to mutate due to their souls trying to leach magic from the air when they are ill, recovery is a dangerous thing with them, either resulting in them falling down or quite well losing themselves. There are very few places that are open to letting monsters in due to the fear. Even places that would accept ghouls of all things tend to be weary. The minutemen, GoodNeighbor, and a few settlement camps are open, not a lot of places considering how much is out in the Boston area.

Diamond City rejects all monsters, ghouls, and synths, The Hidden Railroad shows apprehension towards them being very strict in who they let in. And The Brotherhood of Steel kills them whenever they see them. Eradicating the commonwealth of them. ‘Dangerous filth.’

The issue brought onto the two parties that do welcome them is that The Minutemen are a very small group, practically dying out at this point and most settlements look towards them for aid. And GoodNeighbor is riddled with horrible people, drug addicts, gunners, conmen, just horrible people who tend to not care for others, there are even gangs of sorts living within the area, murder happens in the middle of the street then and there when the player enters and no one bats an eye, I am just gonna leave it at that if you go there unless you can defend yourself well who knows what's going to happen to you. Especially so if you are drunk or high within the walls.

The gunners are out, they buy people, monsters, humans, ghouls, synths, it doesn’t matter and you are never bound to know what they are going to do with them. Raiders, also a party that owns the entirety of Nuka World, have brought back in mass slavery to the country. Collars are placed upon people there and bound to die if they do something out of line, ransacking and shredding through the normal people, tyrants in the most physical sense. The Brotherhood is out to clean the commonwealth, even if it means killing innocents because they aren’t human. They are the most military esk group and they have no clue what they are doing, literally just took up the name and are using prewar gear that was well-preserved. Overall going for the utmost control they can have.

#undertale au #undertale #fallout #oc stuff

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kiiingsnake · 3 years ago

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i know this isn’t particularly interesting or unique buut i DID have a good time doing it so its time to talk about DRAGON DESIGNING

so here are images+inspirations and i’ll give some explanations too- although most of this is about personal preference- more so a look into my arrogant hubris brain more than anything else :>

here’s the thing about this guy. for some reason there was like some sort of. massive issue with conceptualizing him which was that they had to make a fury that didn’t milk toothless’ design for once and to make it look unique they made some. very odd choices.

i just decided to have some fun with this one and based him off some seabirds (florida kite, tern, kingfishers which i KNOW are freshwater birds but still) while trying to keep the catlike elements, especially with the double-layered wings meant to mimic rows of feathers. he also has a more airplane-like tail- one big fin with smaller ones at the sides. most of this was just looking at him and going “how do i make this different but with the same appeal”. as for the actual genetic trail of this guy, hes evidently a night fury+light fury, but with some stormcutter influence too- the extra wing layering and three-way tail give better steering.

i still can’t seem to find the post about effectively combining animals to make a new one but- the original for this gal just felt so slapped together. it was a good concept (i love beetles) but it had some poor execution.

this is honestly just an example of me combining a lot of what i love about beetles to make a more put-together design- including that they have little hairs that sometimes get thick enough to resemble fur. These specific beetles are rainbow dung beetles/scarabs and rainbow stags- although i wanted her less green bc for some reason they just dont make magenta dragons like they used to. i am a huge sucker for blue but it just… didn’t feel right to me? idk man. i also love making those stacked wings. this is a rumblehorn/deathgripper hybrid, with a bit of gronkle too, as it possesses their ability to do the hummingbird hover :>

this one wasnt bad to start out with!! most of the problems i had ran pretty personal, such as the attempt at bright coloration and the just. plainness of the overall design. to me it just didnt embody the tropical bird inspiration enough.

honestly i just went off on my own thing with this, but i did have the resplendent quetzal in mind- one of my favorite birds and what i would guess to be the original inspiration for her. her original colors were somehow just too dull to me- and she felt too bulky and not like a stealthy camouflaging dragon- i thought that those sorta “stalker legs” would fit much better on her design than large paws would. as for her lineage, i like to think shes a nadder/changewing hybrid but with a good chunk of thunderdrum- the frills on her chest cover vents that she uses to rapidly intake air in order to do her sonic scream thing.

there are. many issues with the original of this one that other people have very good in depth explanations of so ill keep this short and technical. from my perspective, it felt… forced? almost like they were trying to cram too much into it. it did have good colors, though, i guess ill give credit for that?

for this one i just sort of started scribbling, but wanted to incorporate some more fishlike elements, given that this is a tidal class dragon, so this one references longear (and other species of) sunfish, both with the split red/blue coloration on a yellow base, and their tall and spiny fins. I also wanted to give the heads each a more definitive aspect to them instead of just “parts are different sizes”- but that was a personal thing, more than anything i was trying to have fun with these. This one is a zippleback and shockjaw hybrid, and also has scauldron in there too, especially with the boiling/freezing water shots

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redwinterroses · 3 years ago

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it is time! to talk about Void Walkers, End Cities, and to spice it up a little, Watchers as well!

Voidwalkers: Status: Very Rare Classification: Player Void Walkers have become incredibly rare after the fall of the great end civilizations, presumably even fewer still live in the End to this day. The Void Walkers of the Overworld rarely reveal themself either, rather disguising as other species to avoid unwanted attention. As their naming suggests, Void Walkers are the only known species to have developed a resistance to the Void, capable of surviving in it for a significant amount of time. Their original habitat was on the underside of bigger End islands, along with wild shulkers.

Void Walkers are one of the few player species capable of (limited) shapeshifting. Their base shape are tall humanoids covered in "void marks" which differ from individual to individual, with supposedly no two Void Walkers looking the same. These dark colorations spread the more time a Void Walker spends close to or in the Void, with those who have never left the Overworld only sporting freckles. Their wings remind of elytra, being of a similar insectoid shape and chitinous material, though colors differ. A more detailed description is near impossible, as they subconsciously shapeshift their appearance at all times. Void Walkers who grew up around other players for example usually mimic those they grew up with or whoever they currently feel a close familial bond to, while stories suggest native End Void Walkers mimic Endermen or the Void itself, with black-stained limbs and sharper claws and teeth. Their intentional shapeshifting is limited to a general humanoid shape and their actual size, along with imagination and practice in holding a form. Adding or hiding limbs is said to be incredibly hard, but Void Walkers hiding their true nature still often choose to shift their wings away.

The evolution of Void Walkers is a complex web of other, older End species, with the most accepted theory being them originating from hybrids of Lesser End Avians, early Endermen and Mirage Ray (Phantom ancestor) Hybrids*. Like Endermen, a diet of chorus fruit gives them the ability to teleport.

Void Walkers are so adapted to the harsh environment of the lower End and Void that they cannot survive in any of the other dimensions without at least masks to filter excess oxygen out of the air. Thermoregulating armor is also recommended, as the lower End and Void are incredibly cold.

End Cities:

Before the End was turned into the empty wasteland we know today by power-hungry dragons, raiders and greedy elytra hunters, End Cities were busy settlements in all shapes and sizes, spread out across the dimension with busy trade routes between them. The not-quite-Endermen of the past were their main inhabitants, along with End Hybrids, Void Walkers and the occasional Avian. Trade happened not only between the cities, but also with the Overworld, as the End has neither wood nor ores (though chorus plant stems, if prepared right by skilled craftsmen, were quite sturdy building material similar enough to wood, or alternatively quite soft fibre for cloth). Around the cities were carefully tended to forests of chorus plants for their useful stems and fruit alike, shulker farms to harvest their bullets to keep the end ships flying and their meat to feed the people and finally roosts for Mirage Rays for simpler transport or once again, meat. The farmed goods were sold in markets inside the endstone towers of each city, the tall buildings being clear landmarks and docks for the flying ships alike. A shame that chorus stem crafts do not preserve well over time, leaving only purpur and endstone behind.

The fall of the End Cities began with the Endermen, their minds stolen by the dragon, their cities left abandoned. The remaining Hybrids, Void Walkers and Avians tried to stay afloat, but raiders from the other dimensions arrived as soon as word of the Endermen's fate got around, looting all unprepared settlements they could find. The elytra hunters were the final nail in the coffin, raiders who were only after the legendary wings finally resorting to hunting down anything in the End capable of flight.

Finally, the portals were closed, by who is unknown, but for most inhabitants of the End it was far too late. Void Walkers hid below the bigger islands, basically within the Void, while some Avians may have flown far enough out to survive as well. And the empty cities remained, silent monuments to a fading past.

bonus Watchers: Status: ??? Classification: ??? All that is known for sure about the Watchers is that they came from the End. Some speculate they are the last truly free Endermen, warped beyond recognition by the Void. It is unknown where exactly they reside, how they acquired their powerful magic and wings, or what motivates their seemingly random actions. All players know is that the presence of a Watcher, no matter their intentions, is never a good sign.

* mob hybrids and actual hybrids of two different species aren't the same thing. "mob hybrids" are actually a mix of standard player data and the data of a mob and spawn into the world like that, counting as full players with some interesting additions. actual hybrids tend to get really weird because different species codes can clash and glitch something fierce

And thats it for the End headcanons! Just to be clear these are completely free for anyone to use (i sure aint doing anything with all these ideas) just nobody go and copy them word for word and say they're their own. For more fun overly detailed headcanons about all things minecraft do not hesitate to ask, send a pigeon or just think really hard in my general direction

you have put so much work and imagination into these and _I love them._ This kind of worldbuilding takes Minecraft lore out of game mechanic territory and into epic fantasy lands and I am HERE for it.

#dunno if I'll ever write anything that needs heavy end lore but MAN am I glad to have it if I need it #or at least a starting point for whatever I might need to do #headcanon accepted #minecraft #minecraft headcanons #redwinteranswers #also thanks for your patience with my replying to these pineappleoracle #long post

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nikomedes · 3 years ago

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saw this in a tag and decided to give it a whirl. consider urself tagged for it if u want to make a version. i don't think i have any hot takes here, but details below the cut:

fav game of all time: basic bitch hours, it's new vegas. this shit is bugged to hell, crash constantly, and every year gets less accessible to play on pc. and yet. and yet...

favorite series: i love stealth action and immersive sims so much, and the world of dishonored just whips. don't think i rly need to justify lol

best soundtrack: ive been addicted to the soundtrack for paradise killer since i played it. it's got range but also, vaporwave music beats ass? if thats the right genre? love it

favorite protagonist: okay so mass effect is kind of a cop-out bc you can customize the protag visually and through moral choices, BUT. the voice work on femshep is iconic and i loved the story i told with her. its a lifelong treasured memory

favorite "villain": im not rly a villain fucker so this was a tough one. glados would be a gimme, but thinking about it, i really enjoyed fighting the darkness in alan wake a lot. the way it possesses people, animals, and objects is still very cool. also, i wanted to get alan wake on the board. cool dude stephen king sim my beloved

best story: if you've played outer wilds you know, if you haven't go play it. if you can't (it rly fucks with the motion sick), im so sorry. it was so cool unraveling the mystery of this game and the ending rly got me

have not played but want to: don't drag me please. i want disco elysium very badly but i have a lot going on rn and can't give it any time sdlkfjdljf

you love but everyone hates: i can't speak to vocal hatred, but ive found over the years people don't care for bioshock 2 as much as others in the series. i love it. i love the endings, even the bad ones. big sisters are for lesbians, etc

you hate but everyone loves: again, "everyone loves" is a wild exaggeration given the drama around c/yberpunk, but i think it does have its devotees and people who stuck with it after the patches. i couldve put d/etroit become racist here too, but i wanted to stick to games i actually played. i put 15 hours into this game and loved parts of it, but ultimately had to stop playing bc the extreme fixation on sex and trivializing exploitation started to... actually trigger me! oops! my bff made me uninstall my pirated copy lmfao

best art style: sable is so simple yet so beautifully rendered. i played it to 100% completion and loved every minute. i had this game in several categories as i made this, including relaxing game, but it's maybe my favorite example of "less is more" in game art.

favorite ending: now i wasnt on the 10 year long ride for kentucky route zero some people were, which i can't blame anyone for affecting their opinion of the ending. i played this game over three days once it was finished and open-mouth sobbed my way through the ending, though. so. you should get hurt too!

favorite boss fight: can we talk about the esseJ fight in control. please god im dying to talk about the esseJ fight in control. accessing the optional boss, her outfit, and the fight itself are all just... so choice

childhood game: my first video game ever was armored core for the ps1! could this be why im obsessed with robots? who could say! my mom played it with me, too, which makes it very special for me

relaxing game: listen, the actual story of eliza isn't especially relaxing, given it grapples with mental illness, therapy, and implementation of machine-learning ai. but kabufuda solitaire. catch me on my virtual phone inside this video game playing hours of kabufuda solitaire.

stressful game: i love prey conceptually so much! so much! and at every turn i am terrorized by mimics

game you always come back to: fallout 4 couldve fit here too, because for me they occupy the same space of "ive put too many hours of my life into this long video game, i have GOT to stop starting new saves," but i think the story of dragon age: inquisition is fundamentally better, so. every few years im back to get a weird green hand vagina again

guilty pleasure: i hate the story of fallout 4. i just do. i also dont like other choices they made with the world and lore for it, and nick valentine isn't even romanceable. cringe. but also im addicted to the base building mechanics and i have probably 500+ hours in it between xbox and steam

tons of hours played: just edging out fallout 4 for hours of my life spent making virtual buildings nicer, its stardew valley! top tier depression gaming. maru is the best wife

i will put an honorable mention for pokemon sword, which i dont think fits any of these categories for me particularly well, but which has been keeping me alive the last two months lmfao

#hello fellow gamers #who else will join me in mlg kabufuda solitaire play #long post #< just in case the read more doesnt work on mobile or smth #picspam #dot txt

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squishmallow36 · 3 years ago

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Keeper of the Lost Prepositions - Ten

Word count: 1.7k

Tw: Fitz is a mess, once again

Note: This one is in Fitzy's PoV

Taglist (lmk if you want to be added / removed): @stellar-lune @ichor-on-my-hands @kamikothe1and0lny @nyxpixels @snowflakewolves @poppinspop @crystallinewalker @uni-seahorse-572 @tiergan-andrin-alenefar @books-over-boys @florida-llama-46 @when-wax-wings-melt @k00laidcrush @bowlcut-boyfriends @good-old-fashioned-lover-boy7 @dexter-dizznee

On Ao3 or below the cut! Other chapters can be found here

I tear my hands through my hair, irritated with Biana because she just won’t leave me alone.

I want to get angry about Alvar, Keefe, my failing dating life, and every single other thing, but for some stupid reason I can’t.

Anger makes everything easier to process. Well, except for when the world makes sense again, and you have to make sense of the aftermath. That you caused.

Because you yelled at the only people who actually care about you.

I guess part of me isn’t willing to get angry at Sophie because I remember what always happens when I calm down. Prime example: I think we all remember when Dad’s mind broke.

Biana leaves me alone for a total of seven minutes before knocking on my door again.

I call, “Go away, Biana!”

“Since when am I Biana?” she replies, mimicking Dex’s voice. She learned how a little while back because she knew it would annoy me to no end.

Exasperated, I say, “I know you can mimic, so drop the act.”

I hear a little bit of metal scratching against metal, and then the lock on my door pops open. I see Dex picking the lock, and I fling Mr. Snuggles at his head.

Unfortunately, he’s harder to throw than the average goblin throwing star, so he hits the door and reflects back toward my bed.

“What did he do to deserve that?” Dex asks, picking up the red dragon and brushing him off.

I answer with nothing more than a glare. Dex gives Mr. Snuggles a quick squeeze and hands him back to me before sitting on the edge of my bed.

“So Biana recruited you now, too.”

He replies, “I could give you the answer you so obviously want to hear but...yeah.”

“I’m fine. You don’t have to be dragged over here to check on me. Go back to whatever you were doing.” I snap, flipping onto my other side, so he wouldn’t keep bothering me.

“We have one problem with that. Well, actually two. First, Biana scares me and if I don’t come in here and fix you, her verb, not mine, then I have to face her wrath, and I know from experience with my siblings that you don’t want that to happen. Second, the phrase—actually it’s a clause but whatever—‘I’m fine’ usually means anything except for that. It’s like sarcasm but easier because it’s true most of the time instead of the guesswork involved with my brain and sarcasm. That was a lot of words.”

He’s okay at making mini-speeches, I guess, and he does make a point about Biana. It’d be nice if he was still speaking to me after this whole thing with…everything.

“So there’s nothing you should be doing right now that I’m interrupting?” I ask—Biana can deal with it if he’s busy and I refuse to go anywhere.

“I was visiting Foster and Hunkyhair at the Healing Centre but there was nothing I could do other than threaten him to wake up, so yeah. And my gadget stuff is better on which to work at night. Somehow I’m more productive when it’s dark out. I don’t know why. So, you can’t get rid of me that easily!”

I smile slightly at the combination of his grammar-conscious syntax and the joke at the end reminiscent of Keefe. When everything was simple. And we were still friends…

I mean, nothing has ever been simple—I’ve been searching for Sophie since I was six, and Keefe had to deal with his parents, but knowing I could go to my best friend for anything was comforting. I mean, as long as it wasn’t classified, but still sometimes then. Don’t tell Dad.

That train of thought made the small smile drop off my face faster than a gremlin disassembles everything in its vicinity.

I roll onto my back, staring at my ceiling, something I seem to do more and more often these days.

I sigh, and Dex says, “Okay, so where, exactly do we want to start? More specifically, where do we start so that I can escape perfect Vackerland faster?” He smiles, flashing his dimples for a second, and it lightens the tension in the room slightly.

“One sec,” I say, picking my head up and yelling, “Biana I know you’re in here!”

She becomes visible in the darkest corner, asking, “How’d you know I was here? I’ve been practising staying still and everything…”

“Easy. But I’m not going to tell you all my secrets, now am I?”

As soon as she walks out of the door, I relock it so that she can’t manage to slip back in. Oh, come on, Dizznee. Now you made me think about ending a sentence in a preposition.

Dex immediately asks, “So how did you know that she was here?”

I keep my voice low, knowing Biana is probably standing outside my door listening, and I don’t have Keefe’s skill at ramming the door into eavesdroppers, unfortunately.

“Pro tip: just say it to any room that appears to be empty, especially if you know she isn’t supposed to be there. Best case scenario, she’s there and has no idea how you found her, worst case scenario, you look a little crazy talking to yourself.”

Dex nods like he understands completely, which he probably does, considering he has to deal with three siblings on a daily basis. And they haven’t even manifested yet, which isn’t surprising considering they’re twelve, but I’m scared for the world if—no, when—that happens.

I’ve got to remember to not be the privileged jerk I was unintentionally raised to be.

“So I’m guessing fixing things with Foster would probably be the best course of action to get you functioning again, and, as an added bonus, I’ll find a way to convince the Forklenator that I should be let back into Watchward Heath to look for Alvar, Godzilla, or anyone else relevant,” Dex says, getting the conversation back on track.

“Somebody sounds like the Keefster today,” I note.

“That somebody has been spending way too much time with Lord Hunkyhair, and also is a bit disappointed that you didn’t get their human reference. Gonna have to tell Foster about that one.”

There’s something in that sentence that sounds weird, and it took me a second to realise he said ‘about’ slightly off. I hadn’t noticed it before for some reason, or I had and not cared enough to ask. Anyway, I figured now was as good of a time as any.

“Dex,” I begin, not quite sure how to phrase it, “the way you pronounced ‘about’ was different from most other elves, so is that like a human thing, or a Dizznee thing, or just a Dex thing? Explain yourself.”

He burst into laughter at my question, and says, “Sorry” when he found me glaring.

“Sorry, it’s not a dumb question or anything like that, but coming from the guy with the most recognizable accent in the Elvin world it’s funny because you say everything weirdly. I guess it’s a combination of the former two—my house is located near the human country of Canada, so I guess my voice might have been influenced by the surroundings even though I’ve never met any humans around there, and I haven’t noticed anything weird with my parents’ or siblings’ pronunciations of anything so it’s probably a Dizznee thing.”

A bit of silence that was less awkward than expected stretched before Dex says, “Enough about my sort of history, geography, and weird accent lesson—“ He stops when he sees me smiling, “—What now?”

“You said ‘about’ again…” I begrudgingly admit.

He sighs and continues, “Back to the reason that I’m here. At least half the reason you’ve destroyed your room over the past few days is because of Foster, yes? And you’re regretting breaking up with her, yes?” He waits for me to nod.

“So do you think you would be willing to go down to the Healing Centre and lay your heart on the line? I mean, even if you get rejected, which is highly unlikely—take it from her best friend,” he adds when I give him a look, “at least you’ll know that you tried.”

“I don’t think it’s that simple. She’s unmatchable.” I can tell as soon as the words leave my mouth that it’s a bad decision on my part.

“Being a Bad Match isn’t the worst thing in the world, Fitz. Yes, we all know you’re a Vacker, whoop de doo, and there’s never been a Vacker Bad Match, but, you know, if it’s truly what you want, then there’s no need for a stupid piece of paper to tell you who you’re allowed to marry—and I know I sound like Ro but she’s right.”

I can tell he’s pretty proud of that little speech there. I decide to give him a little something for his efforts.

“Fine. But you don’t get to be there. And neither do you, Biana. I know you’re listening.” I raise my voice towards the end, even though I know she will be able to hear me even if I whisper. She has the ears of a Goblin.

We walk over to the Leapmaster—note to self: carry a crystal to the Healing Centre. We go there often enough.

I call, “Foxfire,” and the crystal makes its path of light.

But, before he lets me go, he says, “If at all possible, get Sophie to take a break. She’s been there since Loamnore, and I doubt she’s slept since either. Or before, for that matter, but get her to go home and relax for a few hours. Maybe take a shower and eat a pan or two of Mallowmelt while she’s at it.”

“I can do that as long as you don’t tell Biana about any of this. I will find out.”

The last thing I hear before the light carries me away is Dex saying, to Biana I assume, “I’m not even an Empath and I can feel the disappointment radiating from you.”

#kotlc #detz #i oscillate very quickly between liking and hating this chapter

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dangermousie · 3 years ago

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All the thinky thoughts I have about He Yu

God, this novel is gonna get me to write a thesis by the end. Oh, Meatbun!

I’ve talked a lot about XQC recently, because he’s my fave and Can! Do! No! Wrong! for me, but I find myself very interested in He Yu as well.

I think this novel is equal parts XQC rejoining humanity and He Yu joining it for the first time. Because both of them are separated by invisible glass from living and living properly and feeling, but XQC used to be fine - trauma and whatever else had him voluntarily lock himself away. So he has some normal state to get back to.

But He Yu? He Yu does not. Meatbun keeps making dragon comparisons and if this was xianxia, you could see He Yu being some sort inhuman entity enticed by the human world but not understanding it and not being of it.

He Yu has never been part of humanity. He doesn’t get normal human behaviors - oh, he knows what they are but he doesn’t feel them. He is very smart and so he can mimic human traits and emotions but he’s never truly felt them, never truly belonged. Other people and their emotions are not truly real to him. When he thinks of his parents as basically internet avatars - yes they have neglected him and are utterly distant - but his perception of them goes further - it’s not just distance, it’s unreality. I don’t think other people or the world are fully real to him - he himself is not real to himself.

He has no friends except XX (who is largely made up in terms of their interactions) and whatever relationship he had with XQC (and it says volumes both about how important the Xie siblings were to be able to get into his heart and how removed he is from humanity that even those interactions are what they are.) Add in the fact that his parents are utterly absent and nobody has ever tried to love him or to teach him interpersonal things beyond “behave in X way not to embarrass me,” it’s no wonder he’s emotionally lost. All he knows is the facade. When in chapter 62, he realizes that he’s lonely, that his actions have driven the Xies away, he has a revelation one normally associates with a four year old - if you are not nice to people, they will leave, so you should be nice to people if you want friends. It’s both in character and tragic that this is a genuine revelation to 19 year old He Yu, but then how would he have ever learned that? Empathy is both innate and learned. Nobody taught him, he didn’t have any to see by example, and due to his condition, he’s the opposite of highly empathetic and probably would have had to have been additionally taught anyway but as is...

I think this is where his non-reaction to his act of rape comes in. I don’t mean to excuse him because what he’s done is inexcusable. But his “eh, got my revenge, the end nbd” reaction (until “am I gay?” which is still not “OMG what have I done!” sets in) is in keeping with not getting other people’s bodily autonomy or what a horrific violation it is. I mean, he knows it intellectually yes, but he doesn’t FEEL it. He doesn’t know KNOW it. To him, XQC lied to him/kept him in the dark, and thus hurt him. So he raped XQC and hurt him back. They are now even. He does not get the concept of proportionality at all once again because he only has learned automatic knowledge “rape is bad” (or in general “x is bad, y is good, people feel z when you do w” etc) so it’s all equal in his head. To him this is not much different from if he punched XQC or even screamed at him - it’s all the same sort of thing - a means of getting revenge or getting a reaction, an escalation sure, but not completely different in nature.

It makes me think of the scene in much earlier chapter where he says something that makes XQC genuinely mad and so He Yu apologizes. But he apologizes because he sees XQC is mad - he once again abstractly knows he said something “bad” but he doesn’t emotionally get it, he only says it because he doesn’t want XQC angry, not because he feels innately he was wrong.

All that stuff about HY fantasizing about XQC in bondage wedding gear or even now literally having x-rated fantasies/flashbacks and still insisting he doesn’t like men is a little amusing but it’s also an example of how disconnected He Yu from connections between physical reactions and emotional ones.

I think his awful parents and his condition basically combined to do a perfect storm; one of the reasons he thinks of bodily violation as NBD is not just his lack of empathy or understanding of boundaries, it’s because since he could remember, his body was not his own - not just in terms of when he may have a fit but because whether he wanted or not, he was held down and injected or had other treatment. None of it was counteracted by any love or care or explanation. Hell, nobody until XQC cared he was cutting his wrists as a method of trying to contain his fits - He Yu views his own body in a horrifically dispassionate and disconnected way - so what would he think of a body of someone else, when you add in his lack of empathy?

I do see He Yu making first baby steps on the road to humanity in the sense of learning genuinely and not just by rote that other people are real, that their emotions are real, that their boundaries are real. Desire is actually a good part of it, but so is his learning bad actions have consequences for him, learning the meaning of missing someone etc. It’s a double edged sword (as it is for XQC, for whom rediscovering emotions would bring a lot of pain) because if he does join humanity, he then has to confront and process what he’s done (to XQC) and what has been done to him (by his parents’ lack of care; despite his anger he really hasn’t) but I trust MB to make it good!

#cnovel #meatbun doesn't eat meat #case file compendium

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umblebumble · 4 years ago

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Dragon Age: Inquisition Daemons

So here’s another group daemon selection. I make my choices based off of a mix of analysis (The Daemon Forum is my favourite spot, link) and general vibe as well as plot/thematic things. For this, a lot of inspiration has come from fanfiction I’ve read where the daemon choice just makes sense. There will be minor spoilers for these characters personal plot arcs. Please let me know what you think, and share your own headcannons!

*As a note I tend to pick more mammals than anything else and I am working on widening my selections, but I still run very mammal-centric.

Solas - Common Raven. Raven’s are very clever birds and are great problem solvers and strategists. They go after what they want, and while they can roam in groups, they can work on their own as well. They are also mischievous and cocky; they will pull the tail feathers of larger birds to distract them from food or just for fun. This clever, cocky, proud bird is a very good match for our not-so-humble apostate. Thematically, ravens can be seen as death omens since they often eat carrion. However, they are also called ‘wolf birds’ because they have been known to have working relationships with wolves for hunting. Therefore a raven on the shoulder of a wolf would just make sense thematically to me.

Dorian - Scarlet Macaw. Parrots are far too clever for their own good and boredom is their worst enemy. Along with being bright and flashy to match the sparkly mage, their also very loud and opinionated and dramatic about everything just for the hell of it. I think a Macaw would be bold and striking on Dorian’s shoulder, and would have a razor tongue like the mage. However macaws can also be easily stressed and fall into self-destructive behaviour in bad environments. Thematically I think this parrot would have little bald patches hidden under its wings from where it would stress pluck. An interesting healing arc would be the bald patches growing back in as Dorian is accepted for who he is and doesn’t have to hide himself anymore.

Vivienne - Mute Swan. It can be said of water fowl that they appear graceful and serene on the surface but that’s because you can’t see the intricate paddling going on underneath. I feel that summarizes Vivienne well; she is serene and powerful and graceful at first glance, but behind the scenes there’s a lot of work and whispers and gathering of information. Swans are also very strong and assured. They could break bone with the strength of their wings, and they are confident and assured in their place and their power and status. Furthermore, they’re dedicated to their goals and will put in the work to reach them. However, I also like a swan for Vivienne because they mate for life. They are devoted to a single partner, and when that partner dies they mourn heavily. Vivienne appears unruffled and absolutely pristine to everyone around her and that’s because very few are allowed past her mask to see the softer heart inside that loves and then mourns her loved ones.

Iron Bull - Wild hog/Boar. Pigs are very underestimated animals - they appear big and slow, but they are vicious and incredibly intelligent. Pigs are seriously violent and I think this matches Bulls blood-thirsty battle-lust. But like Bull, his daemon would be underestimated; a war machine on the outside but the mind of a great spy on the inside. They’re social animals, and highly adaptable to a range of environments, and they can be very defensive and protective of themselves and those they care about. Overall I think a boar just suits every aspect of Bull visually and thematically.

Cassandra - Ram. *I initially said Mountain Goat but I had meant a Ram/Big Horned Sheep. Usually I headcanon Cassandra with a dog, a hound of some sort, but this was just very interesting and I quite liked it. When looking at a description of a Ram*, I just felt like it spoke for itself: “ Thick-skinned, competitive, and proud... Assertive and quick to put others in their place when they're crossed, definitely the confrontational sort. Highly defensive of their personal projects and themselves. Highly confident, not ones to doubt their abilities... Likely stubborn and highly straightforward, possibly blunt. Possibly planners, probably quite determined and persistent.” Cassandra is a hard-worker, determined and stubborn. She’s definitely the kind to attack a problem head-first, but she does have the capability to be quick, light on her feet and strategic about her approach. Rams are of the sheep family, and thus are very loyal and close to the people that belong in their circle.

Blackwall - Milksnake. Snakes are generally non-confrontational. They don’t pick fights but they will finish them, which is something I can see reflected in Blackwall’s more laid back attitude towards battle than the other warrior companions. Milksnakes are also very adaptable and will do well wherever they are. They’re a mix of solitary and social, they like being around others but also need their own space. They’re also rather internal and have a lot going on inside they don’t let show, not the kind to wear their heart on their sleeve. Mainly I enjoy the thematic meaning of a milksnake. Milksnakes are adapted to mimic a poisonous snake. Their colour pattern is close to that of a much more dangerous snake, and as such they often trick predators into thinking they are something they’re not. I like this thematically for the not-Warden who is pretending to be something much more fearsome than he is.

Sera - Rat. The common rat is an incredibly adaptable, resourceful, hardy creature. They will find a way in whatever circumstances and use whatever they have to their advantage. They are highly social beings and are made to work in groups, in teams and with others - a network much like the Red Jennies or little people. They’re bold, assertive, and even a little aggressive at times. A rat is seen as vermin and unwanted, but they’re everywhere and are clever and have their little hands in everything. Also, rats are thought of to be tricksters in mythos - the Chinese zodiac being an example of a rat tricking its way to the top. Sera uses her tricky playfulness mainly to pull pranks and cause mayhem, but she also uses it to stick up for others and assert her place in the world.

Varric - Vampire bat. Now I like the headcanon that dwarves don’t have daemons due to Fade-connection stuff and instead have weapons/armour like Armored Bears, but for the sake of argument I wanted to find what his daemon could be. A vampire bat is an unusual animal, and I think it, like Varric, would be the kind of person you don’t easily forget encountering. They are very sensitive, aware animals and are very in-tune with their surroundings and whats going on. They’re very social animals and thrive in groups. They have great communication skills and form close bonds with those they’re close to. Varric would do anything for the people he is closest to, and his natural environment is surrounded by people spinning tales and connecting with others. I think it’s an unusual daemon choice but I also like the idea that its a fun parallel to a surface dwarf - an underground animal, i.e. a rat, but in the sky with wings.

Cole - Unsettled. I think that if Cole did have a daemon, it would be unsettled. He is a spirit and he is in constant state of flux, despite having a central purpose of compassion. And even if he becomes more human, he is very reminiscent of a child learning the world and as such I do not think he would be settled until he becomes more settled in himself. (I do have further headcanon ideas about this spirit-daemon stuff but that may be another post, or a later addition to this one. Let me know if you’re interested)

Leliana - Mongoose. Leliana was harder for me because I don’t know her as well. I didn’t play Origins, but from what I know she was a much younger, more playful, less burdened and jaded person back then. I think this suits a mongoose very well. They can be very inquisitive and open and playful in their youth, unfearful of the wide world and ready to investigate anything to learn more. But as an adult they are more cautious and guarded. Mongoose are incredible predators and are very adaptive, able to take on even snakes that others don’t dare attack. They are more solitary and secretive, and I think an elusive, mysterious mongoose would be a wonderful hint at the fierce power hidden behind the cooler facade of her everyday persona. Brutal, subtle, and unexpected, a mongoose fits the spymaster well as far as I know her.

Cullen - Border Collie. I always knew Cullen would have a dog daemon, it was just a matter of which. He’s loyal and extremely hardworking, and so I decided on herding dogs. I chose Border Collie specifically because of their intelligence, independence and ability to think strategically. This is the kind of dog that will happily take orders and follow command, but will also work on its own to get a job done. Of herding dogs, Border Collies also have the ability to be a bit more ruthless, I feel. They aren’t timid dogs and if left to their own devices could become destructive and rough due to boredom and lack of stimulation. Also, they are predisposed to listen and obey and thus could fall prey to poor leadership (as seen in Kirkwall). Any dog I think could fit for our loyal, hardworking Commander, but I think Border Collie is a good fit. A bit of a farm-boy turned soldier, follower turned commander aesthetic fits thematically with his overall arc.

Josephine - Zebra Longwing. This kind of butterfly is beautiful and poisonous, a perfect combination for our ambassador. Butterfly’s are social creatures and do well around others. Furthermore this kind of butterfly works in groups to achieve its goal, suggesting a calm, diplomatic mind that is good at working with others towards a goal. Furthermore, butterflies are very sensitive and aware creatures; they pay attention to their surroundings and are very intuitive about the environment and others. Lastly, with a slightly toxic nature, these insects warn off predators with their flashy pattern that advertise them as dangerous. I like this because I think Josephine’s daemon would be a great hint at how not-helpless she is, a bit of a giveaway to her power and abilities. Plus I think a pretty butterfly perched like a beautiful broach suits her aesthetic.

#dai #dragon age inquisition #daemons #daemon headcanons #wow that was long #daemon au

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violethowler · 5 years ago

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The Heroine’s Journey of Sora

I’ve spent the last couple of weeks writing out my thoughts on Kingdom Hearts and the way the series follows the framework of the Heroine’s Journey. Rather than a bunch of drabbles or a single long-winded post, I’ve decided to break up my explanations of the Heroine’s Journey and the way Kingdom Hearts fits into it as a series of ten essays posted weekly. I will put up a masterpost once all of them are finished, and in the meantime I will have all of them on my blog under the tag ‘Kingdom Hearts and the Heroine’s Journey.’

Due to the length of this essay, I will be putting the full thing under a cut.

What many Kingdom Hearts fans do not realize is that while Tetsuya Nomura does sometimes make up the details as he goes when it comes to the writing of Kingdom Hearts, he does do things with a plan.

In the KH3 Ultimania [1], he talked about how he’d had the conclusion of the Dark Seeker Saga outlined by the end of Kingdom Hearts II’s development. In an April 2012 interview [2] with Nintendo President Satoru Iwata, he indicated that he’d had a general framework up to Kingdom Hearts II planned out when the original game was first announced. And in a 2004 interview after the original Chain of Memories was released on GameBoy Advance, he mentioned that he’d already come up with the “last scene” that would serve as the definitive ending of the entire series[3].

So while some details may be hard to predict because Nomura comes up with lore and backstory details as he goes, he does have a plan in mind where the overall story is going. And the central arc of the series is entirely predictable once you understand the framework that the story fits into.

Since the late 1800s, scholars have been studying the common patterns that repeat in stories, legends, and myths across different cultures around the world. One of the most well known templates developed from such research is the Hero’s Journey. In his 1949 book The Hero with a Thousand Faces, literature professor Joseph Campbell published a 17 step formula of storytelling. Campbell held up this framework as the monomyth, an ultimate narrative archetype from which all other stories are derived, and in discussion of his work expressed his view of The Hero’s Journey as a universal framework that showed how people grow from youth into adulthood.

However in the 1980s, Maureen Murdock began work on her own narrative framework. Believing that Campbell’s view on the universality of the Hero’s Journey did not encompass the experiences of every identity like he claimed, Murdock developed what she called The Heroine’s Journey as a critique and response to Campbell’s monomyth. Other authors have shared their own variations of the Heroine’s Journey, but for the purposes of this analysis, I will be focusing on Murdock’s model. Hers is both the oldest one I know of, and the one that I personally have the most familiarity with. Though originally conceived as a therapy tool, the core concepts of Murdock’s template have resulted in its use in storytelling for narratives about protagonists overcoming the ingrained biases and preconceptions of society.

Some notable examples of stories that follow the Heroine’s Journey template, albeit most with different formulas, include

Beauty and the Beast

The Hunger Games trilogy

The Princess and the Frog

Tangled

Howl’s Moving Castle

Labyrinth

Star Wars Sequel Trilogy*

Voltron: Legendary Defender*

*Note: Voltron: Legendary Defender and the Star Wars Sequel Trilogy are examples of 3-act narratives that followed the Heroine’s Journey framework in the first 2 acts only for behind-the-scenes conflicts to result in the formula being abandoned in the final act.

Despite the name, it is possible in theory to have a male protagonist follow the Heroine’s Journey, much like how you can have a female protagonist in a Hero’s Journey. While nearly every story I know that follows the Heroine’s Journey template has a female protagonist in the lead role, Kingdom Hearts is the first example that I’ve discovered of a male protagonist following this formula. Sora’s arc across the series follows Murdock’s framework so precisely that I was able to correctly predict the broad strokes of how Re:Mind would go three months before the DLC was released.

Part I: The Beginning

While the Heroine’s Journey mimics the Hero’s Journey in its early stages, it ultimately goes in its own direction. I plan to go into further detail about the differences between the two in a later essay, but for now I will say that while Campbell’s monomyth describes physical plot points and the themes they represent, the Heroine’s Journey formula focuses on the emotional conflict of the narrative and the psychological development of its main characters. The pattern of the Hero’s Journey is fluid and doesn’t have a fixed central theme, while the core element of the Heroine’s Journey is a protagonist coming of age in a society that consciously or not regards them as lesser because they do not fit in with the expectations of the dominant social group.

I know that some people who decide to read further will be put off by the fact that the names and descriptions of the Heroine’s Journey feature gendered language and focus on discussions of masculinity and femininity, so allow me to explain. The reason for this is that in a Heroine’s Journey, the protagonist is attempting to conform to a set of traits that the audience’s culture values. In pursuing this external validation, the main character has to suppress a vital part of who they are, cutting themselves off from achieving their full potential. The traits they are suppressing are the ones which are often regarded as feminine, while the ones they are trying to conform to are typically associated with masculinity. We see this pattern frequently in movies where the female lead tries to succeed in a male-dominated career field, only to feel lonely and unfulfilled when she finally gets what she wants because she sacrificed the parts of herself that made her who she is along the way.

Now that I’ve given you a relatively brief summary of the Heroine’s Journey, I can get down to business and walk people through the steps to this template and how it fits with the story of Kingdom Hearts. Note that this is only a basic rundown of the steps of the Heroine’s Journey and how it relates to these games, and I will be posting additional essays shortly which go into greater detail on the themes, character archetypes, and other different layers of the framework that are present in the series.

Murdock’s version of the Heroine’s Journey begins with the “Separation from the Feminine”. This is the stage where, as mentioned, the protagonist suppresses a core part of themselves in pursuit of external validation. It often takes the form of the protagonist sacrificing their emotional strengths and focuses exclusively on proving themselves in the physical sphere. Sora has demonstrated again and again that his greatest strength is his empathy and his willingness to make connections with others. It makes him a strong unifying force because of how well it complements the people around him. But because this isn’t something tangible in the same way that physical strength is, he doesn’t see the value of it, believing that without the strength of his friends he’s nothing.

From the way the other kids on Destiny Islands talk about their competitions, Sora’s focus is on trying to prove that he’s just as strong and capable as Riku is. But he’s so focused on proving himself in physical challenges that he doesn’t notice the signs of Riku’s jealousy that lead his friend into the arms of Maleficent. And we see through Anti Form and Rage Form that Sora is still repressing his own negative emotions in Kingdom Hearts III. His narrow focus on external skills has cut him off from achieving the full potential of his internal ones.

When Sora awakens in Traverse Town after the destruction of Destiny Islands, we come to the second stage of the Heroine’s Journey, “Identification with the Masculine and Gathering of Allies”. This is where the main character chooses to align with the traits and roles that the dominant social group sees as desirable in order to achieve their goal, and where they acquire the allies who will help them in their quest. With the adults around him focusing on his ability to destroy the Heartless, Sora latches onto the Chosen One status that implicitly comes with having a Keyblade. His interactions with Phil and his disappointment with the status of Junior Hero in subsequent games paint Sora as being focused on heroism in the sense of overcoming obstacles with force. Even Donald and Goofy, in the beginning, are focused on Sora’s value as a Keyblade Wielder in terms of how their fight against the Heartless can lead them to King Mickey’s location.

By setting off with Donald, and Goofy, Sora embarks on the “Road of Trials” stage of the Heroine’s Journey. This is one of the few points of similarity between the Heroine’s Journey and the Hero’s, corresponding to Campbell’s “Tests, Allies, and Enemies” stage. This is where the main character faces the initial obstacles and challenges of their quest. In the first few Kingdom Hearts games we have Sora face off against Maleficent, Ansem, and the Organization, before reuniting with Riku and Kairi in The World That Never Was. The final stages of Kingdom Hearts II correspond to the “Finding the Boon of Success” stage of both the Hero and Heroine’s Journeys.

Part II: Interlude

In a Hero’s Journey, the Boon of Success is the end of the story. They slay the dragon, save the princess, and go home to live happily ever after. I suspect this is one reason why a lot of gamers in the KH fanbase tend to think of Kingdom Hearts 2 as the best game of the series - because in their minds Sora’s quest had been completed now that he had found Riku and Kairi like he set out to do in the first game. His journey, as far as they were concerned, was done.

(This may also have an affect on how some fans reacted to Kingdom Hearts III, expecting it to be a grand epic finale that wrapped everything up with a bow and left a completely blank slate for the future of the series)

But in a Heroine’s Journey, the Boon of Success is not the end of the main character’s story. They have achieved their external goal, but they have not addressed their internal motivations for seeking that goal in the first place. And as their story continues, they find themselves facing challenges that their attitude thus far has failed to prepare them for. Finding The Boon of Success typically occurs early during the second act of the story. Usually it is achieved in the second half of Act II, but can sometimes happen as early as the end of the first act. For Sora, this was of course finding Riku and Kairi so that they could all go home to the Destiny Islands together.

But because the protagonist of a Heroine’s Journey has not addressed the underlying insecurities which set them on their current path, they “Awaken to Feelings of Spiritual Aridity”.

They begin to learn that the conflict they find themselves involved in is not as clear cut as they previously believed, and the challenges that come with this new knowledge are ones that their current way of doing things has failed to prepare them for. They may have found their boon of success, but things quickly begin to go wrong until they are ultimately forced to sacrifice their reward.

The first game already showed through Riku and Mickey that Sora was not the only person able to wield a Keyblade, but because of his heroic deeds the story still framed him as the Keyblade Master and treated him as having a more significant role to play in important events than anyone else. It’s only after he hears from Mickey of the Keyblade Wielders who came before him that it begins to sink in for him that being a Keyblade Master is not a special Chosen One status. He thinks that because of all that he’s accomplished, he doesn’t need the recognition that comes with the official title, and because of that he’s careless and almost gets himself Norted at the end of DDD.

His failure in the exam is a blow to his self confidence and shows that despite what he had said at the start of the test, deep down he really does want that kind of external validation. His insecurities and doubts continue to eat at him over the course of KH3, culminating in his breakdown at the Keyblade Graveyard. Outside of battle, we see him bottle up his doubts and other negative emotions because his friends (Except for Riku. More on him later) brush his concerns and problems aside. It is very much like Joy from Inside Out doing everything to keep Rylee happy and refusing to let Sadness take the controls.

When their current way of doing things ultimately costs them their boon, the protagonist tries to go back to the way things used to be. To return to a simpler time and avoid the pain of the present. When literally going back to where their journey began isn’t possible, a Heroine’s Journey story will use this stage symbolically. The main character will cling to a person, object, or relationship that they associate with a simpler time. But as comfortable as the sense of familiarity they get from that is, it ultimately cannot truly address their inner pain in the long run.

This is reflected in the Re:Mind DLC, where Sora goes back in time in order to find the pieces of Kairi’s heart and bring her back. One of Kairi’s most consistent character traits is her fear of change and desire for things to remain the way they were.

At the end of the DLC, Sora compares his connection with Kairi to the bond between Ventus and Chirithy, a friendship explicitly strained by distance, time, and Ven’s amnesia. In an interview at E3 2018 [4], Nomura commented about Kingdom Hearts III tying into a theme of childhood friendships changing as one gets older, a plotline that Merlin calls attention to after Sora’s visit to the 100 Acre Wood. And in a 2006 book titled Character’s Report Vol. 1, Nomura specifically calls attention to Kairi’s anxiety about growing apart from Sora and Riku as they get older. [5] All of these details combined frame Sora’s quest to save Kairi as an attempt to symbolically recover the innocence he lost when he began his journey.

But while he is able to find a way to renew his connection to Kairi, it can never be the same as it was before, and attempting to go back to how things used to be is ultimately doomed to failure. By the time he brings her to The Final World at the end of Re:Mind, Sora has realized that he and Kairi cannot stay on the same plan of existence anymore as a consequence of his actions. So he takes her on a tour of the worlds to re-establish their connection before fading away at the end of KH3. Thus, we come to the final act of the Kingdom Hearts narrative.

Part III: The Future Story

It is at this point that the protagonist of a Heroine’s Journey begins the “Initiation and Descent to the Goddess” stage. Having failed to achieve meaningful success through their old way of doing things, they must look inward and examine the cause of their insecurities and accept that in order to move forward they need to heal themselves. In this step, the main character travels to either a dream world or a physical location that is closed off and forbidden to them, like the West Wing of Beast’s Castle in Beauty and the Beast. In Jungian psychology, this metaphorical dark cave represents the main character’s subconscious, and entering it triggers a dark night of the soul for our protagonist as they are forced to confront the parts of themselves they’ve been keeping locked away.

While Sora knows in his head that darkness is not inherently bad, he continues to rely entirely exclusively on light, on his connections to others, and has not properly accepted it in his heart. In order to truly finish his coming of age narrative, Sora must learn to balance his inner light and darkness the same way that Riku has. And to do that, he needs to look inside himself and figure out why he feels so badly that he needs his connections to others in order to be strong. And in order to achieve that level of understanding of himself, he needs to understand his Animus.

Derived from the psychological theories of Carl Jung, the Animus in a Heroine’s Journey is an external representation of the protagonist’s masculine-coded traits in physical form. While not every Heroine’s Journey features an Animus, many of the stories I’ve seen that follow the formula do. Usually the Animus appears in the form of a deuteragonist who often functions as the protagonist’s Shadow, an archetypal character that embodies the aspects of the main character’s personality that due to their immaturity they either aren’t aware or don’t want to acknowledge that they have.

In order to complete their character arc, the protagonist must symbolically integrate with their Shadow by learning to embrace the parts of their psyche that the Shadow represents. In many stories the protagonist has more than one Shadow figure, all of whom challenge the protagonist by forcing them to become faster or smarter to stay one step ahead, giving their interactions with the main character a push-and-pull dynamic as they drive the main character to grow. Shadow figures who fill the role of the Animus also challenge the protagonist to look inside themselves and examine their own emotional needs. With an Animus, the push to grow runs in both directions, with the main character motivating their Animus’ growth just as much as the other way around.

In these types of stories, every aspect of the character is tailored to make the Animus and the protagonist fit together like Yin and Yang. In visual stories such as film, television, and video games, the Animus’ entire look is designed to complement the main character and they are framed in the narrative as the protagonist’s equal physically, intellectually, and spiritually. This serves to emphasize that despite their surface differences, much of the conflict between the protagonist and their Animus comes from the ways in which they are fundamentally similar. While their circumstances may have led them to drastically different lives, the characters are ultimately two sides of the same coin, and their character development is driven by learning to balance their contrasting traits.

And within the structure of the Kingdom Hearts series, there is only one character who fulfills all of these qualities in relation to Sora’s journey.

The same character who Testuya Nomura said in the KH1 Ultimania was designed to balance Sora; [6]

Who series producer Shinji Hasimoto said was part of the core of the series alongside Sora [7], as has been repeatedly emphasized by the number of games where he is given a major focus and is a playable character alongside Sora.

[Image Description: Riku walking towards a door to light in the opening of Kingdom Hearts III. End Description]

While Sora and Riku have addressed some of the latter’s behavior in the first game during their conversation on the dark beach at the end of Kingdom Hearts II, they have yet to truly dig deep into why Riku felt the way he did in the first game. Riku has not told Sora about how he felt like he was being left behind and forgotten. And since that conversation, Riku has gone to the opposite extreme, dealing with his emotional problems on his own instead of lashing out at others like he had done at the start. Likewise while Sora has accepted that darkness is not inherently evil he has yet to apply this to his own negative emotions, as seen in Kingdom Hearts III. Neither character has truly achieved an ideal balance yet, and they cannot until Sora completes his journey.

After the protagonist returns from their spiritual journey, they experience an “Urgent Yearning to Reconnect with the Feminine.” As the main character recovers from their period of soul searching, they embrace the parts of themselves that they had neglected in their pursuit of outside approval. Their Descent allowed them to recognize their value as a person and an individual outside of their ability to fulfill the role that they were expected to fill. Following this realization, they go about “Healing the Mother/Daughter split”. Reclaiming the aspects of their personality they’ve been repressing gives the protagonist the clarity necessary to gain a different perspective on their old way of thinking. This new understanding is what will allow them to find the inner balance needed to truly complete their journey.

The Japanese version of the “My friends are my power” mantra often repeated across the series is “Connected hearts are my power.” For Sora, who has long relied on his connections to others as a source of strength, he should come to realize that these connections go both ways: that his friends draw strength from him just as much as he draws strength from them. This should help him come to accept that he is still strong and worthy all by himself. Ven’s version of the mantra from the English version of BBS summarizes it best: “My friends are my power. And I am theirs.” After he accepts this, Sora will finally be able to use the full extent of his emotional abilities.

After achieving that new perspective, the protagonist’s next step is “Healing the Wounded Masculine Within”. This is the stage of the Heroine’s Journey where the main character, having come to understand themselves, reconciles with their Animus, thereby symbolically integrating the aspects of their psyche that the Animus represents and permanently healing the rift between the two characters. This will be where Sora and Riku need to have a longer, more in-depth conversation than the one they had on the Dark Magin at the end of KH2. Where they talk about why Riku acted the way he did and finally address the underlying reason for why he was so jealous of Sora in the original game.

The final stage of the Heroine’s Journey is the “Integration of Masculine and Feminine”. This is the point at which the main character and their Animus finally achieve a perfect balance between them. They are united both internally and externally. There are no more secrets between them, and they are now free to move forward and overcome the main antagonist together.

Part IV: Conclusion:

While there’s too many different possibilities to completely predict every twist and turn of the series’ lore in future games, once you understand how Kingdom Hearts fits into the framework of the Heroine’s Journey, the broad strokes of how the story will go in terms of Sora’s growth and character development are entirely predictable. When Re:Mind first released and the rest of the fandom was reacting on Twitter, I was sitting back with a smug smile on my face thinking:

[Image Description: Emperor Palpatine in Star Wars: Episode VI: Return of the Jedi sitting aboard the Death Star II with the caption ‘Good, Good. Everything is going according to plan.’ End Description.]

While I didn’t expect the precise mechanics of how Sora went about saving Kairi, Re:Mind was exactly what I expected it to be in terms of themes and its place in the Heroine’s Journey framework, and then the Secret Episode came along to reinforce that the next game is going to be Sora’s Descent.

While there isn’t a complete guarantee that the series will continue to follow the formula, I find it extremely unlikely that it won’t. Kingdom Hearts follows the stages of this framework too precisely for me to ever believe it happened by accident. So as long as there is no corporate interference from Disney like what happened to Voltron, I’m confident that Nomura’s plan for the finale of the series will be exactly what the Heroine’s Journey predicts it should be, no matter how unexpected future additions to the lore may be.

Special thanks to @dragonofyang and the rest of Team Purple Lion for everything I know about the Heroine’s Journey. I wouldn’t be as enthusiastic about analyzing the story of Kingdom Hearts if they hadn’t taught me the vocabulary to realize the kind of story that Nomura has been telling right under my nose for the last 18 years.

Sources:

[1] “Kingdom Hearts III Ultimania interview with Tetsuya Nomura”; March 12, 2019

https://www.khinsider.com/news/Kingdom-Hearts-3-Ultimania-Main-Nomura-Interview-Translated-14763

[2] “Iwata Asks: Nintendo 3DS: Third Party Game Developers, Volume 12: Kingdom Hearts 3D [Dream Drop Distance], Part 3: Square’s Intentions”; April 2012.

https://iwataasks.nintendo.com/interviews/#/3ds/creators/11/2

[3] “2004 GMR Nomura Interview 2004!”; Translation by Kingdom Hearts Insider posted May 5, 2012.

https://www.khinsider.com/news/GMR-Nomura-Interview-2004-2563

[4] “E3 2018: Tetsuya Nomura on If Kingdom Hearts 3 Is the End of Sora's Story”; June 14, 2018.

https://www.ign.com/articles/2018/06/14/e3-2018-tetsuya-nomura-on-if-kingdom-hearts-3-is-the-end-of-soras-story

[5] “Character’s Report Vol. 1 Translations”; Jul 16, 2014

https://www.khinsider.com/forums/index.php?threads/characters-report-vol-1-translations.195560/\

[6] “A Look Back: Kingdom Hearts Ultimania Gallery Comments Part 1″; August 30, 2019;

https://www.khinsider.com/news/A-Look-Back-KINGDOM-HEARTS-Ultimania-Gallery-Comments-Part-1-15519

[7] “How Kingdom Hearts III Will Grow Up With Its Players.” September 24, 2013

https://www.ign.com/articles/2013/09/25/how-kingdom-hearts-iii-will-grow-up-with-its-players

[X] “The Heroine with a Thousand Faces”; June 13, 2019;

https://www.teampurplelion.com/heroine-with-a-thousand-faces/

[X] Murdock, Maureen. The Heroine’s Journey. 1990.

[X] “Maureen Murdock’s Heroine’s Journey Arc”. The Heroine Journeys Project. https://heroinejourneys.com/heroines-journey/

#kingdom hearts meta #kh analysis #meta analysis #kh sora #kingdom hearts and the heroine's journey

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omgkalyppso · 4 years ago

Note

Number 4 for the romance lyric prompt for any variation of the ot4!

4. ‘Cause girls like you run 'round with guys like me 'til sun down.

The lyric is from Girls Like You by Maroon 5 (idk how obvious this is without me saying it), and was added to the playlist specifically for Claude x Hilda though a lot of the lyrics have to be taken at face value because it could be interpret extremely negatively, though not that line, and not my intent. I'll try writing a few words of the stage-production au.

I didn't read over this when I finished.

Here's the first post of the stage-production au: [HERE]

Most of the cast were gone for the day, though the actors who had agreed to go out afterwards had lounged in the audience. Dimitri and Edelgard stood on opposite step ladders, as crewmen held them in place, going over the lines of their final battle with a choreographer and the director.

Dimitri would be atop a large dragon puppet someday, and Edelgard would be in her Hegemon construction, but for now, they were in t-shirts and jeans and trying their best to imagine what the final product might look like.

Hubert and Dedue stood by their sides, and had stopped crouching after the fourth recitation of their lines. By now had been brought chairs to sit upon, from which they each spoke their one line, to be shouted in production, as they supported the song shared by The Rightful King and The Flame Emperor in their epic moment.

From the orchestral pit, the production's vocal coach, Yuri, played an upright piano to guide their tune and tempo.

Hilda sat between Claude and Ferdinand in the audience. Each man whispering along with the song with a bounce of his head while she sunk into her seat, amused, and embarrassed by the prospect of joining them.

It was the most genial cast Hilda had ever worked with, and when Ferdinand, Edelgard, Manuela, Seteth and Lorenz had spoken of not drinking for seven weeks before a show, the bulk of the cast had agreed to go sober for the duration; though when they'd spoken of different dietary restrictions in the week leading up to production, there'd been very little consensus. Regardless, tonight would be the last hurrah for those who drank, as Hilda didn't anyway, and they were waiting to take their friends out for the night.

It was still relatively early as far as nights went, barely seven o'clock, but that was still late enough that people were missing dinner. Hilda could hear the crinkling of a paper bag from behind her, where Mercedes and Dorothea snacked on sweet and sour chicken balls.

After three more runs of the scene, Sweetpea, their stoic mint-haired director, declared, "I think that's it." They did their best to turn to address the rest of their team, in the wings and in the audience. "I'll see most of you in four days when we join Yuri for a, hopefully less chaotic, rendition of The Storm of Myrddin. Great work."

Hilda whistled loudly in support of her castmates, while her friends applauded and hollered. Dimitri bowed to their audience, and Hubert bowed to Edelgard who rolled her eyes and laughed as she exaggerated with one hand thrown skyward as she and Dimitri made their way down their respective stepladders.

"Thank you, Yuri," called Edelgard.

"Yes, thank you, Yuri," Dimitri agreed.

"We'll practice those low notes next time," Yuri answered, before waving up out of the pit to soften his implied criticisms. "You're welcome! We're getting there. There's a lot of range to cover."

Dimitri was still insecure by the time he joined his castmates in the aisles as they marched to the exit, "Did it sound that bad?"

"No," Claude snickered.

"It's Yuri's job to strive for perfection," Dedue observed.

Hilda held her hand in front of her lips for a moment, considering her contribution. Once they were outside, she jut her elbow into Dimitri's stomach so he grunted in surprise, stumbling back into Felix.

"Eugh!"

"Hey, watch it!"

Hilda shrugged. "Just remember that sensation?"

"Don't be mean," Sylvain exaggerated with a whine, giving Dimitri his sweater he'd been holding onto.

"No, I—" Dimitri tried to mimic the same position his mouth had been in, tongue drooping forward in his mouth as he sought the pitch of his exclamation.

"You broke him," Hubert declared, his brow furrowed, at the same time that Claude, Edelgard and Dedue were following Dimitri's example and carrying a deep monotonous tone.

Edelgard even turned it into a line that Yuri had probably been concerned with, that she would sing below The Rightful King's pleas, "So that none will suffer I must forfend—"

Dorothea answered her with The Rightful King's following line, "Living and dead, I will not forget those whom I defend."

"We're not doing that," Felix said, flat.

"Right," Annette agreed, which seemed to surprise him. "Resting voices."

"Resting voices," several people echoed.

They followed Dedue to a Duscur place for dinner, and wolfed down their wraps as they waited in line at a club that might be large enough to accommodate their large group.

"You didn't bring your date?" Lorenz asked Felix.

"We're not dating," Felix said, as if on instinct. He thought a moment. "Wasn't this just for cast?"

Lorenz shared a frown with Hilda before he assured Felix, "I doubt anyone would have complained even if you'd brought someone unrelated to the production. We'd have been happy to—"

"Don't listen to him," Claude said, turning from Leonie so he could wrap an arm around Lorenz. "Or I mean, do, because you could have brought anyone you'd wanted, but also don't because Lorenz just chickened out of asking the other make up artist to join us and hoped they'd have tagged along with Mia."

Felix snorted.

"That's not what happened," Lorenz objected.

"Oh, sweetie," Hilda contributed with a pout. "That's exactly what happened."

"We just got to talking, and I got distracted," Lorenz contributed.

"You forgot?" Felix asked, aghast. Hilda brought her hands to her lips, failing to hide her amusement.

"It didn't come up," Lorenz countered.

"That's not better," Claude said, shaking his head. Lorenz shrugged him off and flicked his chest with all four fingers.

"Fat lot of good friends like you are."

The second floor of the club was open to the elements, archways acting as windows to the brisk wind of evening, and the bright shine of sunset. The breeze and drinks were welcome, Mercedes, Dorothea and Hilda taking turns sitting with their pitchers, yellow with alcohol and pink without, to protect them just in case.

Hilda found herself distracted throughout the night, watching Claude as he dipped Lorenz, and nearly dropped Dimitri, and joined Dorothea in a samba that she and Annette were soundly better at.

They danced together only twice, the first time early in the evening before the dancers and the night had hit their stride, when there was more laughter and embarrassment in their fun than indulgence. The second time had been later in the evening, when he was flush and tipsy, to a ballad that had them swaying slowly with his hand politely between her shoulders. She'd thought about stepping closer into his space, resting her head on his chest, facing the brunt of his sweat and his cologne, but hesitated — partially because of their working relationship, but mostly because Sylvain and Mercedes had whistled about the way Hubert had held the small of Edelgard's back and she'd stretched back in a smooth, flowing dip.

It was maybe an hour later that Claude found Hilda seated at a table by a south-facing archway, the dim red of the western horizon a memory of the now fallen sun, the deep blue to the east twinkling with a few visible stars over a small lake and parkland.

"You having a good time?" Claude seemed more sober now than earlier, unlike some of their friends, and Hilda smiled softly, glad of his attention.

She nodded and ran her fingers under her eyes. "Just tired. Worked early before practice, and will again tomorrow."

"I'm glad you made it," Claude said sweetly, and Hilda rolled her eyes as she sucked on a straw from a cup that was mostly ice.

"No one would have missed me," she contributed, her gaze darting to where most of their colleagues were gathered, some of their friendships spanning years and others only as long as auditions, but generally they seemed to feel closer to each other than she really felt to them. So far, anyway.

She felt slower at forming these deep friendships that others seemed instinctually born with. She wondered if she'd know any of these people long enough for that to matter.

"I just said I would've," Claude insisted, crossing his arms as he leaned into the table. His hair was wilting around his face, framing thick eyebrows and dark lashes that half-hid his green eyes. He needed to curl them, Hilda thought idly.

She blushed and pushed at the ice in her glass with her straw. "You just owed me a few drinks for improvising with you in your audition."

Claude chuckled and hid his smile in his elbow for a moment. "That was kind of you," he allowed. He looked at her directly, and promised, "But it's not just that."

"No?" she peeped, half teasing, waiting on the joke or the reveal.

"No," he said at a whisper. "Would you want to come over to my place on one of our free nights? I could make you dinner? We could just run lines, or...?"

"Or?"

Claude blushed and they both snickered softly. He shifted back and forth against the table, forcing himself to sit up, running a hand over his chin, clean shaven for his part in their production.

"Or whatever you like."

His smile widened as she considered it, and she wondered if it was because he wasn't facing instinctual rejection or because he could tell that she was interested. When she nodded, his shoulders fell, as if suddenly relaxed. A lot of people had rules about not dating people they worked with, the risk of rejection and the pain of a breakup always had a chance of hurting a production, but she could see the value of taking a few moments of flattery too far. Even if Claude tucked his heart away from something more, even if they only ran lines, she was looking forward to it.

#hilclaude #claude von riegan #hilda valentine goneril #fire emblem three houses #fire emblem #claude. hilda. mc. lorenz #faedolyn #mia cecile #only my original art was tagged for mia and i need to go through my posts and fix that later #the original intent of this au was for claude to ask fae out after the last showing of their performance but now that's lorenz's job i gues #i'm still ot4 obsessed. they'd all hook up #mia isn't even really in this but asdjfhgasdjm #if YOU (mutual) have an oc you want thrown in this au. let me know. it is a crack au #my writing #long post #i made this #the fanfiction i mean

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