#but this fear of like. other people thinking youre weird or whatever is causing kids to grow up to fast

[the-kneesbees]

the problem with society is that middle school girls aren't painting their rooms teal anymore

[xreaderanonaccount]

Fatui Harbinger x GN!Reader Headcannon

Ships: Fatui Harbingers (minus Pucinella and Sandrone) x reader (poly)

Synopsis: What's it like being the Feared Fatui Harbingers darling?

Tags: Fluff, Crack, hugging, kissing, hand-holding

A/N: Just some random thoughts. I honestly think Sandrone would not have a S/O cause of her lore and how crazy she is. And Pucinella is just an old man.. hey not judging if that's your type. Just not mine

Divider credits: cafekitsune

Dating all the Fatui Harbingers is a full time job, not only are you being showered with Mora and gifts from some of the richest people in Teyvat you deal with all their petty drama.

Like a mother to all your boyfriends and girlfriends.

They come barging into your room ranting about what the other harbingers have done. How they “ruined” their plans. 

This mainly comes from Dottore and Pantalone. Sometimes one will come into the room and start ranting while the other is close behind. 

Pierro, Columbina, Arlecchino, and Capitano are the tamer of the bunch. If you need peace and quiet from the drama you go to them. They’ll shower you with kisses and treats to make you feel better.

But don’t get me wrong the other half would absolutely shower you with love… in their own weird twisted fates. 

Like dottore wouldn’t experiment on you but will weirdly give you a still beating heart claiming his undying love for you. 

Tartaglia would train you to fight because he wants you to fend for yourself (and to also spar with him much to Capitano’s dismay) 

During the fatui meetings they would have a special room setup for you with a little place to relax. 

And as soon as the meeting ends it’s kind of like school lunch where kids would run so fast to the lunchroom to be first in line. Like that but in a more calm manner. 

Except for Childe

He would be that kid that would run straight to the lunchroom. He would burst through the room scaring you to death yelling “BABE!” 

He would engulf you in a bear hug

It would take Capitano to take him off of you by how tight of a hold he has on you.

Dates with the Harbingers is always fun, whatever you want to do they would absolutely provide.

Want to go to an Opera? Pantalone has VIP tickets to the latest popular show.

Want to eat at a fancy restruant? Arlecchino reserved a whole restruant in Fontaine.

Want to just relax and read? Columbina would cuddle with you as she reads you a book

Want a nice stroll in the stormy winter? Capitano will walking with you, and he'll make sure you'll have his thick fluffy jacket swamping you.

Kisses are always fun, the variety of kisses you would recieve varies from mood and who is giving you the kiss.

Capitano and Pierro is always so soft and gentle, he's a big man and he doesn't want to hurt you. His lips always ghosting your skin, milimeters away from your lips. His giant bear hands gently cupping your face as he plants a gentle kiss.

The exact opposite of Dottore, that man will straight up bite you with his shark teeth.

Your lips will be bloodly and bruise when he's done with you. He's rough when he's kisses you.

He would forcefully grab your face with one hand and shove his lips on you. He wouldn't give a romantic kiss, never. But it's always one of greed and tension.

He's got some pent up anger he needs to release. And that just so happens to be your mouth.

Arlecchino is soft...ish. She would be soft but part of her would spice it up with fun.

Loves teasing you she would pretend like she was going to kiss you and but then suddenly pull away. Saying something like "oh someone needs me." Always has a shit eating grin on her face when she makes up some bull excuse.

Columbina and Childe is always a gamble, it would either be soft and tender or chaotic and rough. Really depends on what they are feeling.

Unless it's infront of his family, Childe would be all lovey dovey infront of his family. But would absolutely tease you when they're not looking

Pantalone is a no PDA guy in public except for his arm sling around your waist. Other than that kisses are only for the most intimate moments. When it's just you two, and no one else to disrupte them.

[metalotaku-da]

Dcxdp Danny phantom and klarion are friends.

Danny as the ghost king who loves to prank loves teaching a younger appearance klarion all kinds of fun gags and tricks of magical nature. It's like the younger sibling he always wanted. And is a nice break from some of his royal duties. But things have been a little busier than usual they haven't gotten to really get out and have fun. Danny is 30 looks 20. Klarion is looking 14. But in the thousands for age.

Klarion is bored and upset. He wants time with Danny to himself. No interruption from clockwork or the eternal. Other ghosts. No one. It's not fair. He needs a plan to sneak Danny out of the infinite realm, hide him and not be the fall guy when they get caught. Because it's clockwork they will be caught it's the when. He needs someone else to do the summoning work. But who and how.

He lands on John Constantine. Clockwork doesn't like him much. And Danny inherited all the old kings claims. So he be able use that if things got dicey. And klarion is not a fan either of the jerk. To buddy buddy with nabou. So he has a fall guy to blame for the summoning. Just needs to setup a prank so good that John thinks he has no choice but to summon someone who could destroy the world.

Takes him a week to land on act like I'm gonna do it so he has to first. Easy. And he can brag to a bunch of villains to really drive the urgency. Perfect.

Plan worked like a charm. Maybe to good though. John got a bunch of heroes to help. No good no good. John is lieing to his super jerk friends. Klarion can see the seal. It will make Danny weaker and lock him to the jerk like a dog on a leash. Not to the artifact he said they could lock him away with. He's gotta fix this quick. He drops in the pawns he recruited to distract. While discreetly changing the ruin on the summoning without mucking it up so it doesn't work. All while fighting zantana, and racing the circle lighting up.

The summoning is completed. But something obviously went very very wrong. Klarion has teakle distract zantana while he goes over the summoning again to see what he shifted. Oopsie. The ruin for shrinking power turned to shrinking age. But thats ok. It can be fixed later. Maybe. Probably. He didn't get the teather changed before it set. But that's an easy fix by killing Constantine. But his friend is here. And now they can really play. So it's all good. Klarion is ecstatic. So much so teakle runs to him as he shrinks causing one of the supers to over swing on an attack on his familiar.

But Danny needs a minute. As he blinks wearily on his feet. Rubbing at his face. Ugh summoning. He hates summoning. And this had to be a strong one. Because he couldn't resist like most of them. Whatever once the brain fog clears he'll be good and can really give the jerks who did a real stern talking to. Or maybe he'll scare them. That sounds better. Standing infront of him is a blonde man looking like a dirty drunk cop dective from TV. Who is gapping at him as a cigarette burns on the ground at his feet. This guy has to be like a gaint too cause Danny has to really crane his head back to look up at his face. There is a bunch of commotion going on but he's to focuses on this weird feeling he has towards this weirdo. Who seems like he's confused. Maybe it was an accident. Whatever. Danny still isn't happy. He puts his hands on his hips. "Hey jerk face! What do you think your doing?" Then Danny's eyes went wide. "Oh by the ancients is that my voice! What's wrong with my voice!" Danny now clutched his throat before waving his arms wildly at the creepy man. "What did you to me you weirdo! I sound like a baby!"

"It a bloody fucking child."

"It's bad to cuss infront of kids Constantine." Someone else says outside the circle.

Danny's head snaps their direction. Danny's eyes widen as he puts his hand into view looking at himself panic taking over and he looks around at all these tall people looking at him or fighting. He opens his mouth to scream in fear or frustration he doesn't know till he hears a voice he recognizes.

"Don't wail, don't wail!" Danny closes his mouth and looks around for the source.

"Klarion?"

"Sorry my bad. I messed up change the circle so it wouldn't weaken you. And well oopsie " klarion rushed into the circle hugging little Danny tight. "But you are here. So now we can play." Klarion gasped as he pulled back from Danny. "I can be the big brother now!"

"Noooooo, klarion I was already a little brother. I wanted to be a big brother more." Danny whined. His white hair flopping over as he rolled his head in complaint.

"To bad. I'm the big brother now. We are gonna have so much fun. You just have to get rid of this looser so we can go do our thing." Klarion gestured towards Constantine.

[junosmindpalace]

Hi, an interesting/unusual request. A body-swap AU with Dr. Stone characters and their s/o (or friend, platonically I mean)? How would they react and try to reverse it?

oooou this one's an interesting one! you didn’t specify characters, so i hope these are okay!

SENKU ISHIGAMI: 

He’s bordering on insane disgust and fear and also immense enthusiasm and curiosity to figure out how such an insane phenomenon exists and took place.

At first, he’s freaked out. Rightfully. Confused out of his mind, probably something that happens just as suddenly as the petrification.

So he has his little moment of confusion at first where he's asking all the standard questions, most likely in his mind: What’s happening? How did this happen? Why do I look like this? What happened to my body? Am I dreaming? Ow, that felt real. 

Once he runs into you wearing his body, he’s even more freaked out. Now he’s thinking some more. 

For the most part, then, he’s determined to come up with some kind of answer as to how the swap took place and how he can reverse it. 

He handles it scientifically, of course. Coming up with hypotheses, running whatever tests he can think of, monitoring your states. He might consult various sources, such as textbooks, similar experiments conducted in the past and theories on such a phenomenon, and may even head into fiction territory for ideas. 

He might make a couple of comparisons to media he likes, similarly to how he does with video games. 

But overall, he does NOT find the experience fun. The challenge, sure, the mystery, exciting. But don’t you dare try anything dumb while you’re in his body or he’ll lose it.

Will spend most of his time exhausted and yelling at you if you are the type to goof around in such a situation. If not, he’ll probably urge you to help him in his efforts to reverse such a swap and ask you to cooperate in any sort of monitoring. 

Depending on how long it takes to reverse, also, he feels SUPER uncomfortable being addressed with your name and treated as if he were someone else. And he also feels super weird watching people come up to you while meaning to talk to him. 

If it were pre petrification, he’d also probably hate going through the pain of pretending to be you in order to prevent suspicion on how weirdly supernatural this was and to avoid any other obstacles. 

But if it were post, he’d have no qualms telling people about it, and even consults them for help. 

GEN ASAGIRI:

He’s flustered about the whole ordeal to say the least. 

He’s the one the most worked up about the whole thing, never entirely relaxed the entire time he’s preoccupied in your body. 

He doesn’t really know what to do with himself. He can’t even find it within himself to be sleazy; the whole thing was another level of absurd. 

(And seeing his own face watch in disgust was also a whole other level of embarrassing)

Like Senku, he’s obviously freaked out, but unlike Senku, he spends more time being horrified than actually thinking of the cause behind the phenomenon.

You have to take a good while to actually calm him before either of you can progress to actually coming up with theories on how such a thing could have happened, but being consoled by an out of character version of himself just puts Gen even more on edge.

Once you manage to move past the initial shock, however, Gen does his best to try to think alongside you in what could have caused the swap and what could reverse it.

But then…oh, who was he kidding? He’s no medical man, no scientist, what can he do? 

So he has these moments of helplessness and panic in waves. 

(Which only end up agitating you further, causing you to cry out to “do something, magic man!” and it ends up stressing him out even further)

The two of you are truly lucky if you have the Kingdom of Science by your side at this point, because while Gen can and will hypothesise what happened, he doesn’t really have the means of testing them. So while he’s still worried, he undergoes all the questioning and experiments Senku and the others have for him about the swap. Anything to have him back in his own body. 

KOHAKU:

Before meeting Senku and getting involved with modern science shenanigans so heavily, she’d probably believe the phenomenon was some kind of ailment or sorcery. Which, can you blame her?

Also really freaked out by the event. Maybe not as expressive as Senku or Gen would be about it, but she’s definitely weirded out to see what should be herself staring back at her. 

First thing she thinks of doing to reverse the swap is to try scratching your skin off, clawing at it, or doing something physical to shed the skin and return to hers. But upon your panic (and seeing how it doesn’t really do anything), she eventually stops.

Her train of thought then leads her to believe that an evil force is at work, and is particularly hostile towards the two of you. If that’s the case, she’s doing her best to hunt a physical foe to defeat.

(She may even ask Kinro and Ginro to be on guard just in case it returns and decides to curse someone else)

If both are in vain, however, she’ll possibly try consulting Ruri or one of the village elders to see if they have any experience with the phenomenon, or if it's mentioned in any of the 100 tales to gain some further insight on how to reverse the swap.

If the Kingdom of Science has been established by this point, however, she works closely with Senku and the rest of the science team to figure out what happened. She may not be able to handle too many technicalities, but she’ll gladly cooperate with any trials to get to the bottom of what happened.

Feels weird seeing herself act so uncharacteristically, however, and so does everyone else. But there was also something strangely fun about being in someone else's body. She might joke around a little bit by playfully mocking your mannerisms, just a little bit. All in good fun. 

Overall, she has complete trust in the science team to figure it out, so she’s not too stressed. Which just leads her to be surprisingly chill about the ordeal. 

RYUSUI NANAMI: 

Arguably the most chill about such an event. Maybe even a bit too chill, similarly to Kohaku. 

Of course, he panicked about it. And surprised. Anyone would be. 

He’ll go through the same song and dance Senku did with all his questions, and when he finds you, he’ll also interrogate and bombard you with questions about what you think happened and if you felt or experienced anything strange at all.

Once the panic dies down, however, he’s getting to work trying to figure out how to reverse such an event. I can’t tell whether he’d be similar to Senku pre petrification in hiding it, or if he’s just kind of shameless. Post pre-petrification, however, he also doesn’t mind confiding in the others about the phenomenon and asks the science team to help reverse it (especially for your sake, if he notices any high anxiety on your end).

Besides not doing much else differently from the others with undergoing tests and questioning (and maybe taking on a more active part in figuring out a solution), he finds the experience also somewhat exciting with how nonsensical it was. 

He’s having some sort of fun experiencing life through your senses, your own eyes and ears and mouth. Though he undoubtedly misses his own body, and wants it back just as eagerly as you may want it. 

He reassures you in a boisterous tone that you have nothing to worry about, and the ordeal will be resolved quickly. Though in the meantime, he tells you, you should cherish the opportunity to live as such a handsome dude such as himself!

[joi-me-hoi-me-noi]

Rafayel x Reader - Blurbs

A/n: might be a bit of a hot take lmao but Rafayel isn’t my favorite character 😂.

For some reason, I feel like Rafayel would have a weird pull near creatures of the sea

Like if he ever took you to the aquarium, you’d be real surprised

As he leads you through the aquarium, you both decide to rest on the bench

“This was a great idea, Rafayel. I had no idea there was an aquarium.”

“It’s the most expensive too. They have every sea animal you could think of.”

You smile as he basks in your compliment of his choice of a date. Then you notice something. You place a hand on his shoulder and point at the aquatic critters through the glass.

“Rafayel, they are just looking at you? Is this like a Lemurian thing?”

He nods before speaking. “Yes, they recognize me as a Lemurian. Technically a Lemurian God.”

A group of school kids pass by, looking at the both of you in awe. Rafayel lightly taps your palm as if to say ‘watch this’. He raises his hand in the air and then snaps, causing the aquatic animals to scurry off. A bunch of ‘oohs’ and ‘ahhs’ and other words of amusement tumbled out the children’s mouths.

Soon their teacher gathers them and continues with their tour. Most of them continue to look at Rafayel as they are led away from the scene. A smile appears on your face as you turn to your lover.

“It’s very sweet of you to do that for those kids. They’ll be talking about it all day.”

“I know, I’ll be the talk of the school.”

You stretch and then stand from the bench. You outstretch your palm to him with an upturned lip.

“Let’s continue where we left off, I wanna see the whale sharks and manta rays.”

---Added Part---

Now we all know Rafayel's worst enemy!!

Cats...

He cannot stand or be next to cats

He's so fucking silly and weird but whatever

You want to help him grow as a man

So, you invite him over to your apartment

"Welcome in, make yourself at home." "Can do. Wanna watch a-" You heard him stop in his tracks, your cat appeared and is now right beside him. "Rafayel, it's okay. This is c/n, he's very sweet." The way the fish man looks over at you makes your heart melt. His lips are pouted, and his eyes are big but still darting between you and c/n. "Y/n, you know damn well I don't like cats." "This is a growing experience, please just try for me. I'll sit in between you and c/n." "Fine." "Cool, let's watch a movie." During the movie, he keeps side-eyeing your cat and making sure it doesn't even think about moving closer to him. "Rafayel, you can pet him y'know." "Absolutely not." "Ok but how are you supposed to get over your fear." He sighs and then reaches his pointer finger over to your cat. C/n simply sniffs his finger and Rafayel already looks like he's about to pass out. "Ok, ok. You can retract your hand. I don't need you passing out on me."

In my writer opinion as a person who loves cats and plays LADS...

Rafayel is a pussy!

Again for the people in the back:

RAFAYEL IS A PUSSY!!!!

[guardian5tiger3]

PICK A GIF

Tarot & intuitive messages from spirit.

What did /do your dream(s) mean? .

Options

1.

2. 3.

Option 1

So your dreams come off pretty fantasy like , not as based in this reality and it's probably just cause that's what you're soul is craving right now. That's super dope. I thought of dragon tales that old kids show for some reason but I can see how for someone that energy matches. So you really look at dreaming time as an opportunity to be free. But I think whatever goes on in your dreams it is real dimensions you're in. I see you seriously visiting aliens and people you want to see in your waking hours. You might fight some people sometimes. All of this just seems like you're doing things that you desire to do when you're awake so you're kind of just being more free and adventurous when you are in the sleeping state. If any of you are having nightmares it is symbolic of something you're trying to resist. But I'm not even sure if you guys remember your dreams or the ones I just read about lol. Super dope though. Like really .aliens. Damn.

Option 2

Okay the energy I'm getting so far is kind of off...you guys if the dreams are bad or good are doing a lot of healing work in your dreams ,mostly for yourself. You guys really seem like you're having nightmares or just offputting dreams like weird or creepy almost. But a lot of this is sort of like a blessing in disguise cause somehow you're using it to your advantage to heal , like I said. I think your subconscious mind uses your dreams to confront fears so it's easier on you whatever you may be scared of in your waking reality.

It seems like you guys are healers and or super deep individuals and I think the dreams you're having are making you feel significantly better and come off that way to others because of the healing you're doing in your sleep. ⭐awesome you guys. Proud of y'all.💗

Option 3

At the end of this guess what song came on the radio‼️dream on by Aerosmith. Please go listen to it.

Seems like you're dreaming of things that are helping you cope with your reality when you're awake. You might be dreaming of someone you know in this reality. It kind of seems like a crush of yours for some of you I'm sure it is or it is a desirable version of someone that was or is in your life. I'm being guided to suggest that you guys look into other readings you guys also feel free to request one from me you can message me if you want or you can also make an ask anonymous . I think spirit wants to tell you a lot bout other subjects. Spirit loves you guys so much it seems like some of you are really fighting and the song that just came on I'm just getting that they really want you to go within your heart and soul because that's where your paradise lies and I can't even explain this energy almost but it reminds me of my younger self. Not that much younger like me my whole life and I just had a breakthrough onto better things about a year ago. You are a sweet beautiful warrior soul and you don't have any clue how loved you are. I'm getting teary eyed. You guys seriously message me and I will give you a reading any one you want or general.

This isn't gonna resonate with everybody , but the next song that came on the radio is called heart and soul by t'pau.

One love 💛

[cal-daisies-and-briars]

🧟🧟🧟🧟🧟🧟🧟🧟🧟🧟🧟🧟🧟🧟🧟🧟🧟🧟🧟🧟🧟🧟🧟🧟🧟🧟🧟🧟🧟🧟🧟🧟🧟🧟🧟🧟🧟🧟🧟🧟🧟🧟🧟🧟🧟🧟🧟🧟🧟🧟🧟🧟🧟🧟🧟🧟 maybe a zombie apocalypse wouldn’t be so bad

168 or 1k to bring on that apocalypse, whatever I hit first haha:

---

“I know that!” Buck exclaims. “That’s not what I’m getting at!”

“Then what?” Karen asks. 

Buck sighs. “Okay, maybe it’s still not a great time to think about it… But, like, what do I do about me?” 

“About you?” Maddie asks. 

“Yeah!” Buck nods, eyes wide and kind of bugging. “Like, this changes a lot. And I get that we kind of need to be focused on whooping intruder ass. But I’m a little… Shaken?”

“Shaken that you had sex with a hot guy and liked it?” Maddie asks. “And want to do it again?”

“Well… Yeah?”

Maddie and Karen exchange a look. Karen doesn’t know Maddie very well. She likes her. She just doesn’t know her. But they both know Buck. And Karen is fairly certain they both know where Buck is struggling here.

“Well, uh…” Maddie says. “I haven’t been through this, but… I think anytime you learn something big about yourself, it’s a good thing, right? Even if it’s maybe sort of scary at first?”

“And,” Karen adds. “It only has to mean what you want it to mean.” 

“What I want it to mean?”” Buck asks.

Karen nods. “It’s up to you, Buck. There’s no right or wrong answer.”

Buck considers this. 

“I don’t have to figure it out? Make some sort of announcement about myself?” 

“Nope,” Karen shakes her head. “The Department of Gay Registrations was shut down during the zombie apocalypse.”

Buck gapes. “Wait, hold up… Oh. You’re joking.”

Maddie snorts. “Of course she’s joking.”

“You don’t have to do anything at all except be patient with yourself,” Karen says. 

Buck smiles softly.

“And,” she adds. “If you’d be so inclined… You can help us build a bomb?”

Buck grins. “Oh, fuck yeah.”

September 10th, 2018

Karen can hardly sleep that night. She tosses and turns and lets restless hours pass her by. Her eyes and brain are begging her for rest, but there’s an underlying buzz in her body, avoiding sleep. 

It’s not because she’s scared. 

The trap is all set. She, Maddie, and Buck worked well into the night. If the men who assailed them today have friends, and those friends try anything, they’ll be sorry. Karen is sure of that. Proud of that. This is her family. She found a way to protect them. She’s a fucking bad ass, even if she was never a firefighter and, like her wife, not fond of guns. 

So it’s not fear that keeps Karen awake. It’s anticipation.

Maybe that sounds sick. Maybe Karen is a total freak for wanting a bomb to go off sooner rather than later. It’s not like she looks forward to the explosion or the carnage. Really, she doesn’t. For no other reason than it will cause a fucking mess. But… Well, Karen just sort of wants to get it over with. See how well it works. Hopefully be rid of a threat. Maybe be able to fucking relax for a week. A lofty aspiration, she knows. 

Hen comes back from a security camera shift around four in the morning.

“Babe, you’re awake?” She whispers when she sees Karen. 

“Unfortunately,” Karen replies. 

“You need to sleep, Karen. You’re going to fry your brain.”

“Thank you. I hadn’t try that,” Karen replies tightly. 

“Sorry,” Hen sighs. She walks over and lowers herself down beside Karen on the mattress. “I get it, though. It’s been a hell of a day.”

“No kidding,” Karen replies, sitting up to match her eye-level. “Tomorrow will be weird, too.”

Even if they don’t face retaliation for what happened. There’s still a bunch of extra people in the library and everything is up in the air and… Well, Karen wants things to go back to a sense of normalcy. But she has a sense they won’t. They’ve made contact with so many people, fantastic and… Not. If zombies are less of a threat and people are coming out of the woodworks… Karen has a feeling things are going to be different in a big way. She just wants it to be positive. 

“Do you think the girl gang will leave?” Hen asks.

Karen snorts. “You’re only saying it like that because you’re jealous.”

Hen chuckles. “Maybe a little. But I’m not jumping ship."

“Me neither,” Karen says. “I like our family.”

“Me too,” Hen smiles. 

“Maybe I’d sleep better with someone to keep the bed a bit warmer,” Karen suggests with a wink.

“Oh? So I’m not a cover hog?”

“Not tonight, you better not be.”

“Well, come on,” Hen says, wriggling under the covers. “The night only has a few hours left.”

[kylesvariouslistsandstuff]

Animation-twitter, animation video essay youtube, etc. would probably be better off if they assumed every upcoming animated movie was going to be CRAP.

The director of INSIDE OUT 2, Kelsey Mann, has talked a bit about the picture recently. After all, it's out in less than two months... And immediately, so much of what he's saying is either being misread or quoted out of context. Something something Anxiety is going to be "the villain", something something they cut characters Shame and Guilt out of the movie because they felt it was too heavy, something something-

And we've got other people freaking out that Pixar showed 35 minutes of it at CinemaCon... LIKE... What's THE issue? Pixar has done that before! CinemaCon attendees were treated to half-hour chunks of Pixar movies in the past, like MONSTERS UNIVERSITY. When TOY STORY 3 was coming out, Pixar prepared a cut of the movie that ended just as the toys were escaping Sunnyside Daycare... to show to college campuses across the country a month before release.

Y'all need to calm down.

This movie isn't even out. We don't know how it'll tell its story exactly. Maybe there's more here than it seems? Maybe Anxiety will be an antagonist in the sense that she's doing what she feels is right, or is straight-up malevolent. I doubt it's the latter, that would be kind of... Not nuanced? For a sequel to INSIDE OUT? Having Anxiety just be an evil scheming bad guy just doesn't seem like it'll happen, nor is it a good idea. I think director Kelsey Mann meant that by her kicking the other emotions out of the main control room, she'll be the "big bad" of the movie. Why she kicks those emotions out could be related to how anxiety tends to work within the human brain. Taking control of your brain, thinking that it's steering you to make the right decision, making you cautious of dangers more so than "Fear" does. Pixar movies have had antagonists in the past that aren't necessarily evil, they just think what they're doing is right.

I also doubt that Pixar would let out a movie that flat-out stigmatizes people who suffer from anxiety disorders, such as myself. Maybe the Shame and Guilt characters were cut from the movie because director Mann, writer Meg LeFauve, and several others just didn't like the direction the story was going with them in it. Maybe it was too depressing for THEM, not because of any concerns for kids in the audience. People tend to associate Pixar with "tearjerking storylines", maybe it's possible that this went WAY TOO FAR at one point? I don't know, neither do you. Pixar's team isn't Disney Animation's leadership. Pete Docter is less controlling than John Lasseter based on everything I see and hear, but there are probably still some ground rules and some do's-and-don'ts. But I think it was ultimately down to the director not enjoying making the film back when it had these characters in it. As a writer/creator myself, I sometimes pull back when I feel something I'm making is causing ME lose the drive to make the thing in the first place. Maybe it hit too close to home for Mann, LeFauve, someone- Just a few variables, ya know? Not just "Pixar is too afraid to be sad", "Disney's telling them what to do", etc. etc.

Maybe animated movies shouldn't have this kind of pre-release thing... How about, just... Movie title, release date, BOOM. Nothing else. No interviews with the filmmakers and cast, no nothing... Wanna know more? You have to see it when it comes out! Put that in big letters in the teaser trailer!

But if they did that, twitter and the YouTube Animation Opinion Industrial Complex would sound the alarm: "They're not saying anything... IS THIS MOVIE IN TROUBLE???"

(sarcasm for those last two sets of sentences)

You can't win. And watch... It'll come out, and it'll be disliked for some weird reason. Probably because it isn't... PUSS IN BOOTS 2 or whatever. While the rest of the world goes, "Yeah, that's was pretty solid." And said population streams it on Disney+ a gazillion times. I'm not part of this "animation fandom" thing, quite frankly I don't even know what half of these people want most of the time. It seems like every movie is an oncoming stinker to them, and it ends up being a stinker. Sometimes the worst thing ever made, a work of evil. You know I still see people raging over that completely harmless CHIP N' DALE RESCUE RANGERS movie from two years back? The fuck is that all about?

I get that INSIDE OUT is a sequel to a beloved Pixar movie, I get that the original movie means a lot to so many people. I love it myself. At the same time, I'm not gonna be weird about a sequel I never even wanted until the day they announced it. Okay, if it isn't very good, I'll just go on with my life. But we're not even there yet... It's not out... This is the only INSIDE OUT sequel. Now if we were coming up on an INSIDE OUT 3, and INSIDE OUT 2 managed to somehow upset everybody? Then I'd somewhat understand...

Others will dole out their dislike of recent Pixar movies as their reason, but you know me... I feel each Pixar movie - for the most part - is a statement of its filmmaking team. Not a Mr. Pixar person coming up with each and every movie. (That was Lasseter in a sense, lol.) If "animation is cinema", then you oughta look at these movies as director-driven. I feel the other way around reduces the films to a brand, and not the people who actually make them. INSIDE OUT is first and foremost a Pete Docter-directed film... Made at Pixar. Not a "Pixar film". Pixar isn't a person nor is it a collective, it's a place. It should be judged on how functions as a movie and as a sequel to INSIDE OUT, not up against other movies made at the studio by other people. Like I'm not here for THE INCREDIBLES or UP, I'm here for an INSIDE OUT sequel. I know, that's a very radical opinion to have. Silly me!

I just don't get it... I'm just gonna do it the old-fashioned way... I'm going to see the movie, and hope that I like it or get something out of it.

[mjrtaurus]

Dadan isnt scared of a lot honestly. It’s most Marines…it’s mostly Vice Admirals..It’s mostly Garp. Someone she’s definitely not scared of though? Dragon. Despite what all the other kids seem to believe, he’s easily the least scary kid she’s ever met and that meant all things Dragon are, by definition, not scary either.

His monstrous levels of strength? Yeah makes sense, have you met his dad? The fact that he has snow white wings on his back? Odd sure but she shrugged it off when she first saw them (later she asked Mrs. Urpi and got told a brief history of the Shandians which she thought was so cool! She never says it out loud because that’s basically like calling Dragon cool…)

Walking into the Monkey Family residence one day and seeing a living breathing lump of feathers with red and white eyes definitely gave her pause but her legs didn’t shake and her teeth refused to chatter. It actually scared her a little how not scared she was. Whatever it was blinked up at her in surprise, why did it feel so oddly familiar? If she just squinted a little and turned her head just slightly to the left it sorta looked like…

Immediately she jumped into action, swiftly closing and locking the door behind her before scrambling to shut all the curtains to every window. She practically jumped on the couch and started stage whispering and shaking her little brother by the shoulders asking him if he was just that much of an airhead! Didn’t he know how people treated those who’ve eaten Zoan Devil Fruits? She quickly started to devise a plan, what if some snot nosed brats has been spying at the windows before she arrived? She head to town and beat them all down and make them swear to keep their mouths firmly shut by themselves or she'd shut them permanently. If worst came to worst and the secret got out, she’d say it was her they caught, no one liked her much anyways so it wouldn’t be a huge loss. And of course if they tried to run her out of town she could just resort back to Plan A.

She hopped off the couch ready to enact her plan when she felt the lightest tug on her sleeve and the shakiest tone of voice she had ever heard.

“Yo-You're not scared of me?”

Dadan slowly turned around eyebrows furrowed, nose scrunched, mouth in a frown. Her? Scared of her younger brother? The mere suggestion offended her but Dragon's watery eyes and fear stricken expression snapped her back to the reality of the situation.

She quickly tugged him close and rested her chin on his shoulder. It felt weird, fur and feathers and claws surrounded her senses but that only made her hug him tighter.

“Listen closely cause I’m only gonna say this once: I am not, have not and will not ever be scared of you. No matter what you look like or whatever you’re gonna look like later on, I’m still gonna be here. I’m your big sister and I’m not gonna let you think you’re some kind of monster. If anyone tells you anything different send them my way, I can set up a date with them and my metal pipe.”

She could feel tears hit her shoulder and a quiet repetition of “thank you”and “okay” in her ear.

Those tiny gossips would unfortunately have to live without fear a little while longer, her little brother needed her and Dadan wasn’t planning on leaving anytime soon.

I would like to imagine that little Dragon only likes being in his zoan transformation when he’s in the house or out in the forest.

I would also like to imagine little Dragon clambering up to the basin of the bathroom sink for a little bird bath, catching a glimpse of himself in the bathroom mirror, scaring himself into a ball of fluffed up feathers, and clinging to Urpi for the rest of the day.

And when she’s off to fix him a snack or something, that’s how Dadan finds him.

[cupioromantic-simp]

Jon x corruption avatar

Jon clicks the button on the tape recorder and the sound resides through out the room

“Statement of”

You state your full name and occupation

“-About entity driven events during my life time”

“Recorded direct from subject by Jonathan sims…” he looks disappointed in you maby that you didn’t tell him or maybe because you are telling him

You take a deep breath and sigh

“First things first I’m sorry for not making a statement after the Jane prentis attack I was worried you’d turn on me I’m sure you’ll see why…

My first experience with a deep internal fear was when I was six me and my mother where on a vacation at a motel near our house not really a vacation per say but it had a pool and and arcade so that’s really all that mattered to me

We had go to this one specific location multiple times but this time it was different it was about twenty years before they closed it up and they whet going through repairs changing out some stuff and adding things to make it more hip for the non-locals

We- me and my mother-where in the pool.. well I was my mother never really liked getting her hair wet and I decided to just float on my back in the pool because I was a shy kid I didn’t know how to interact with people even at six and as I was floating I looked up at the ceiling and.. one of the panels where gone and you could see pipes and wires and… so so much dust I was going to call out to my mom and tell her how dangerous I found it

B-but when I opened my mouth a string of dust fell from the open panel and.. and in to my mouth

I-I can still remember it I gagged so hard I threw up in the pool it was as thick as dryer lint and I- I think I passed out because I don’t remember most of what happened there I just remember that the blankets in our room where the deducting green-brown and that I had an allergic reaction to it ether that or a rash

The next I remember is more clusters of things like wanting to vomit every time I saw bare feet on tile, or that if you pop a pimple wrong it can get in to your blood and cause sepsis, or the fact there where always fruit flies in our house because my mom didn’t have time to clean and I was so forgetful that I whole only remember to bring my mugs down because there was a thick layer of twisting curling mold of top of whatever I was drinking ten days ago

I remember learning that penicillin was just apple mold so I left a slice out for a little over a year just to see what happened

Mold happened obviously

All things rot and decompose I’ve-

I’ve come to peace with that

Sounds like a weird thing to have to come to peace with

I’ve also come to peace with the fact that everything is dirty

Nothing is clean it’s just how it is

Everything touched by human hands is dirty and humans have the need to touch everything

Whether there supposed to or not

I think that’s why it got me the thing that’s corroding the iron in my blood, flaking my skin and molding my meat

And I mean it not in the meat in my fridge though it is in the food but the meat in my body if you can call it that

I am meat and my meat is moldy and crawling with rot and decay

That’s why I didn’t quite care about the worms I think…

Or that they didn’t care about me in the way they cared about Jane

You read her statement you know

‘I am a home for that which loves me’

No it’s not like that

‘I am consumed by that which wants and crawls in the dirt and the air and the ground and the halls and the food and the water it sinks in to my skin and in to my stomach and up my throat and in to the pool and in to the filters and in to the skin of the others who return it to me because I am it’s master and it owns me and I am so full and connected and so so scared’”

You and Jon stare at each other for al least thirty seconds

“S-… um.. s-statement ends…”

He moves his hand to the tape recorder but his hand trembles before he can touch anything

You can feel that he can feel it all around the dust, dead skin, the paper mold I mean who knows where that tape recorder has bean, how long, what kind of plastic mold crawls and hides and feasts you’ve really been touching that thing Jon? Who knows what bacteria you’ve spread with that thi-

“STOP!” Jon if visibly shaking “how-..what… why did you do that?!”

“Hmm? I’m not sure, I don’t know if it was even a conches decision, is it weird being on the receiving end of an avatar spell thing? Because i know it’s weird when you do your little statement suction thing”

“I um-“

“Oh you didn’t understand how horrific things like that are, you up set your self with the thought that you’ve been doing a similar thing to people”

You move you hand wanting to comfort him some how but quickly realize that holding his hand with your corrupted fungi filled strangely soft hands it would probably send him in to another fear fuelled panic so you just move your hand back in to your lap

“I’m.. sorry Jon, I… I think I’ll be going now, for awhile, you should um clean the apartment I think… I- I’m not sure what to say… goodbye Jon”

You click off the tape recorder for him before leaving

[ahiddenpath]

Life Talk

Discussing how I'm dealing with Things beneath the cut.

I doubt I'll be able to say anything about the US election results that you haven't seen a million times before. I wasn't sure if I should bother commenting. I'm not sure where I am in the processing stages, so... Forgive me if my tone is weird. I definitely feel weird.

First thing's first; I've anticipated this outcome since people started blaming Biden for inflation. That's a typical thing in American politics; whoever is in charge currently is blamed for everything, which often causes the presidency to swap from D to R and back, regardless of where problems began. Of course, if voters really were worried about the economy, well... The Trump tariffs are a laughably, horrifically bad solution. But... I don't think the average American voter understands tariffs. So like. Whelp. There's a very real reason why Rs want to gut public education. Well, there are several, but yeah, a less educated populace is easier to fleece.

Obviously there are a million other horrible things going on here; if I tried to get into them all, I would never finish this post. But I can't say I'm experiencing shock or betrayal. I knew many Americans hate women, POC, the queer community, and others more than they care about their own self interests. Although most, I think, are simply not educated enough to understand that their self interests are at risk, and many others were sucked into the far right cult stuff years ago. Rs always scream about the liberal media, but so much American media (and social media!) is owned by the right, or is at least paid off by them. I'm wondering, as education continues to fail, especially given the next administration, will Americans have any hope of thinking beyond whatever Facebook posts and news in the pocket of (or in fear of) the right tells them?

We're in a bad way, but this didn't happen on the day of the election. We've been living in this environment for years, now. Are things about to get worse? Yes, of course. I think it's an important time to remember who your friends and loved ones are, to lean on them and check in on them, to do stupid fun stuff with them. And I think it's time to step away from the doom scrolling and inventing horrible what-if scenarios. Obviously this is a scary time; I'm not trying to diminish that. But spiraling causes pain now, PLUS more pain later if the bad thing comes to pass.

I've seen some interesting posts with actionable ideas. Get a passport ASAP, look into moving (to blue states, out of climate change buffer areas, or internationally if you can, although obviously that is not easy nor readily available), think about if your industry will be impacted by tariffs and sweeping federal government layoffs, get sterilized if you know you don't want kids, get that medical appointment you've been pushing off. Actionable stuff is productive! Spiraling isn't. Although uhhh, that's easier said than done. I'm just trying to push myself in a better direction, here.

As for me, here are some fractured snippets of how I've been feeling:

-Mourning. Shit, I'm 35. Trump will be in office until I'm 39. My child bearing window is closing. Are we not having a family bc of orange oompah loompah and his country and world destroying policies?

-I'm aware that I will be buffered from some things, purely because of how I look, where I live, etc. And the fact that I'm married to a safe man who adores me affords some protection. I feel weird about it, but must acknowledge it, so I don't get uhh. Disconnected from people who are more vulnerable than me. I think that Democratic politicians who mean well, but don't experience what so many Democrat constituents go through/suffer with for various reasons, becoming so... Out of touch and unrelatable... Um, I think that played a role in getting us here. It's difficult for these politicians to organize or affect change when their life experience is... Just overall safer by default. And this applies to people who aren't politicians, too, just on a less official level.

Those of us who are comparatively safer for various reasons need to hear people who are less safe and acknowledge that some things impact us differently, and we need to prioritize what the most vulnerable need.

-On the day before the election, I started Googling how to become a witch and books on witchcraft. I did it with a wry grin, because I'm aware that magic/witchcraft/New Age stuff/tarot/crystals/mysticism/etc surge in popularity during times of political and economic strife. Meaning that they are SUPER FUCKING POPULAR right now, and have been for a while. You might know that I'm a Seeker (tarot practitioner), but I'm also a scientist. I'm... not the most spiritual person.

But, like, FUCK IT. Time to become a witch. Time to creep into the wild woods and make a hut and live with the bears. TIME TO CURSE SOME MF-ers!

I told my reasonable friend. Here is our conversation:

Hidden: So I'm googling witch books.

Friend: No. We don't turn to magic in the face of tragedy. We drink hot cocoa.

Hidden: FINE I GUESS (hrmph!!!!)

I told another friend the same:

Friend: How are you holding up?

Hidden: Googling how to become a witch. So... yeah.

Friend: How... how DO you become a witch?

Hidden: IDK, that's why I'm googling it.

Sigh. I might still buy that book on the history of witchcraft and paganism. What, it's history! xD

-Otherwise, I've been weirdly fortunate that work has been so demanding. I've been learning more about in silico analysis lately (using huge protein databases to predict how developable a new antibody based drug might be, which residues to change, and how immunogenic your antibody might be). I'm learning and doing so much that I come home exhausted, but like. Maybe that's the lack of sleep on Tuesday night talking.

-I've been leaning into the animal of myself these last few days. The soft, squishy, vulnerable meat of me. Sleep and work and food and relying on my partner bond with my husband. Listening to his heartbeat, feeling the low rumble of his voice when we cuddle, letting skin on skin release safe and happy hormones.

-I think I need to get off reddit and its eternal doom. Like, permanently. Tumblr and Insta are the only other social media I use, but Tumblr is all digimon and Insta is all cats and dolls. I'm hoping the political posts that aren't primarily actionable die down on Tumblr soon, so I don't need to spend less time here, but obviously people need to post what they are going to post. If I'm here less, this is likely why.

Most of all, do what you can to beat back despair. I don't really have comforting words, except that you're not alone. Other people DO think and feel the way you do now. Let's all try to be there for each other, distract one another, and maybe have some hugs and hot drinks. Or like... start a coven, idk.

You are loved. Ask for help if you need to, offer it if you can.

[kewpidity]

i keep meaning to send you this and i keep forgetting omg HERE is your formal invitation [ in fact. a plead ] to ramble about your thoughts on agilink

hmmmMMMMM okay okay okay thank you for this opportunity it took a bit for me to get to it cause i realized that Literally ive never actually talked about/explained my thoughts and feelings about them to someone else in detail??? so it took me a minute to collect my thoughts jkfds

↷↷↷

So Basically while i love it in the original canon context, there is a bit that needs to be explained first:

i have a big head canon that agitha is in fact a fairy, the child of a great fairy, that abandoned her and her father, who died when she was v v young

her father had a banker that handles her estate and gives her a little pension until she becomes an adult and can fully inherit her fortune, and thats the explanation i have for why she's so young and already living by herself

beyond that, she's a v lonely girl who doesnt really seem to get on with anybody in town, the only other npc that talks about her really is the guy thats always peering through her window, and it seems he's afraid of her, or thinks she's weird

i chalk this up to otherwordly heritage, but even just within the context of the canon its pretty clear that people either fear her or are at least uncomfortable with the way she acts, and her hobbies

and then there's link, who is open and eager to help, even if its something silly like collecting bugs (which is of course not silly to her at all), he never balks when she acts off putting

on his part of course link is used to dealing with kids, he's the village babysitter after all (which is a bit problematic to play into a ship but what can ya do lmao) but she's also not really. like the kids he would look after? even without the fairy stuff, she's one of those 'aged beyond her years' types, thats just what happens when you're taking care of yourself and living alone most of your life, you dont develop normally and it makes you simultaneously too old and too young (maybe much like being 17 or so and suddenly finding yourself with the fate of the entire world resting on your shoulders 👀)

so now let's talk about link and what the plot would do to him! something that i like about tp link is that he's one of the older versions we get to play as, and he also feels v much like he has an active, established life and a community he's a part of, he has responsibilities to and cares about the people he lives with, which makes it feel all the more heart breaking when he's ripped away from it because of being the chosen hero, cause even after everything, and During everything, his experiences because of the plot are going to make him a fundamentally different person, he Came Back Different if you will, and by the end of the game midna leaves, he has no personal connection with zelda in this specific version, and he feels a bit out of place even now when he returns home, he feels v much alone in this world now even after he starts to settle again

on top of that, when he's in his wolf form, everybody is afraid of him. and on a logical level he does understand that of Course theyd be afraid and of Course they wouldnt recognize him, but on an exhausted and traumatized level, it hurts him v deeply when people he's known his whole life are afraid of him

except for agitha, in fact she isnt phased by him being a wolf at All, and i think that must surely be a comfort to him

i think one of the most likely scenarios for them getting closer over all is that maybe he gets injured as a wolf, and doesnt have anywhere he can go where they wont be chased away, so he ends up going to agitha's house to try and rest up in a safe place, scratches at her door and all, and she does in fact let him in because she's not afraid of him (this is contingent on the fact that for whatever reason he cant turn back human at the moment, its been a while since ive played the game and i dont quite remember how it works so bear with me here lol) which leads him to trust her more in his human form as well, and they get closer over time because of it

she'll of course figure out link and the wolf she lets in sometimes are one in the same eventually but i'll have to iron out the details a little more for all that

so i guess at the end of the day, the appeal to me for agitha and link is that by the end of it all, they're both out there isolated by circumstance and can seek comfort in each other, even after the dust of the story settles

have some disjointed Thoughts™️ that have been circling in my head for years:

Thought One:

as the Agitha Expert, while everybody else is making dirty jokes about her liking the way it feels to be pinched by a beetle, i know that she's Stimming, so there is a scenario in my mind that plays out where one day while she's pinning insects as she does, she starts putting the pins in her fingers and palms, not enough to hurt or even bleed (think like acupuncture), she's not really thinking about it, she's just Feeling (in the case of her being a fairy, its not just the Autism, its a matter of like. 'i feel disconnected from the things and people around me, this is my life but this is not my body, and these pins are a grounding sensation' sorta thing (so still also the autism but with Extra Flavor ljkfds))

and link walks in to bring her a new bug and obviously is thrown off guard about it. they dont really say anything, but he comes over and takes her hand and v carefully removes the pins, and this is a big turning point for them because the thing about link is he always comes across as v brave and unshakable, but here now, while she's not in any danger or even really hurt, his hands as shaking because he's not sure how to approach this situation but he's caring for her regardless, and it really hits her that this is someone not that much older than her that is absolutely just a guy and nobody is taking care of him despite all the care he puts into everybody around him and how scary that is

Thought Two:

if we're explicitly going with the idea of fairy!agitha, she's going to live a long time, and eventually go into the woods to be a greaty fairy probably, so i imagine centuries down the line, another reincarnation of link finds her, and she recognizes him but doesnt Remember him and it fills her with an intense longing and sadness and she doesnt know why but she wants to give him anything he could possibly ask of her

Thought Three:

sometimes when i think about him turning up at her door as a wolf, i think about old myths about werewolves where the only thing that can turn them back into men is their name being called by someone who loved and trusted them and it breaks me all to pieces

one day i wanna write something for them, even if its only vaguely connected drabbles or something

[quinloki]

Welcome to today’s ’what’s been rattling around in my brain’

Bc I think I have you to thank/blame for this but I can’t remember, it’s mafia Marco tho so….. close enough…..

Ok so picture this. Bodyguard Marco right, but he’s actually from an opposing family being your bodyguard bc his actual face is relatively unknown. I’m thinking devil fruits still are a thing and he normally just shows up as the phoenix, or works on the backend healing people Izou is torturing for info (WHY IS THAT HOT I WILL UNPACK THAT IN THERAPY SOMEDAY)

Anyways! Your family is up and coming and keep getting in the way, and they find out about a bodyguard posting for the boss’ kid. Marco’s got some fake (or real) documents of some like, ex military combat doctor stuff and some letters of recommendation from like idk shanks Or something so he’s an easy pick. And he’s good at the job, not the least bit weird or overbearing. Polite. Never complains about where you wanna go or what you wanna do, just taking in any info he can.

And then dun dun dun arranged marriage for combining families but the person you’re supposed to marry is the worst. Like gross disgusting. And as the wedding approaches Marco realizes that well, he’s gonna be out of an info source anyways once you marry, so maybe the jig is up. But he’s gotten fond of you, and maybe at this point they have enough to totally sink your family. But he doesn’t want you to come to any harm! So he slips a little something into your food and out you go while he takes you back to his family.

And like damn at first it’s like red flag omg creepy you just got kidnapped but then you realize…: well now you don’t have to marry that icky guy, and Marco isn’t a bad person …. You’re given more freedom to come and go here too, without constantly being under your father’s control so maybe it’s not so bad…. And really Marco is so sweet and a much better match than that other guy anyways. And he did this for you after all, bc he couldn’t let anyone else have something he wanted

>.>

(WHERE DO I SIGN UP???)

Idk where this has come from but idc I’m enjoying it and thought you might also enjoy <33333

This sounds like something @mamaalpha needs to be held accountable for too - because it reminds me of the Marco x Reader idea we had.

I say had, but we're currently conspiring behind closed doors on a collab for it (no rush, we're both pretty swamped right now), but that said the idea is similar to this with a few differences.

So I won't get into too much.

Though >.> I like the idea of devil fruits for this (idk if it works for what we're going to do, but for this) cause yeah, uh, Marco healing people that Izou's working on. >.>

uh

I don't even think I'mma worry about unpacking that in therapy to be honest. I'mma just sit here and enjoy it XD It reminds me of the line in A Light Touch (is it arrogant to talk about my own work? whatever, I'm gonna do it anyway) - the idea being "Will you come to fear the [flames] that heal you more than the pain?"

Whew.

Just gonna chew on that for the rest of the day I think.

[emeraldart]

Fanfic of Odalia finding out Willow was technically recruited to the EC (about 1k words, takes place after Any Sport in a Storm but before Hollow Mind)

Having Willow Park over in the Blight household was always a risky decision. Fortunately, Odalia Blight won’t be home for a little while longer. Amity Blight savors the final bit of time she gets with her friend before she’ll have to shoo her home and pretend it all never happened. The two paint each others’ nails. Willow decorates Amity’s with a bright pink, a pleasant change from her usual black polish. Willow insists on choosing a soft red. Interesting, Amity notes, I didn’t know she liked red. It was really no surprise that the plant witch would gravitate toward the color green. The green continue their peaceful moment when there was a knock on the door.

Amity opens the door to find an intricate uniform and golden mask. Willow, standing behind her, runs and tackles Hunter in a hug. He removes the mask while Amity smirks, happy that her friend is finally branching out. 

“Hunter!” Willow cries, happily.

“Oh, hi, Willow. I wasn’t aware you’d be here,” he replies. Amity coughs. “Right. Hi, Amity.”

“Hi. How’re you doing?” Amity asks, genuinely curious. 

“Me? Fine,” he seems surprised she asked. “I kinda expected you to be more, uh, mad. At me.” Willow winces. 

“I was never mad at you,” Amity says, flatly. “I was-” She trails off. I was worried about you. 

“Oh, um, thanks good, I guess.”

“So,” Amity inquires, “what are you doing here, then?”

“The abomatons,” Hunter explains, “I’m supposed to check with your parents on the progress.”

“They’re not here right now,” Amity says.

“And thank Titan for that,” Willow scoffs, causing Hunter to tilt his head in confusion.

“Why’s that?” he asks.

“They don’t really like Willow,” Amity frowns, “They think she’s too weak to be my friend. A bad influence or whatever.”

“Willow?” Hunter looks confused. “As in, Willow Park. The strongest plant witch I’ve ever seen?” 

Amity laughs, noticing the small flowers sprouting in Willow’s hair. She hadn’t seen that happen since they were kids. She fiddles with her scroll, wanting to take a picture of their faces for Luz, when she notices the flyer derby photos Willow had sent her. She smirks. Amity may have an opportunity here. She starts planning her idea, while still spanning a photo of her flustered friends to show her awesome girlfriend. 

“Mom’s always saying that I only should associate with ‘witches of higher status,’” Willow and Hunter turn to look at her. “That people of ‘lower class’ would never get opportunities in the Emperor’s Coven. What if we showed her how wrong she was?”

Both her friends grin. She leans in to tell them the plan, laughing at their silly additions. Titan, she missed this. Being a silly, weird kid. Amity texts Luz to let her know what they’re doing, promising to send her a picture of Odalia’s reaction. What are girlfriends for if not to show each other your pranks, right? After today, she’s positive Willow can agree. 

Before they know it Odalia is on her way home. The girls sneak Hunter around to the corner until his cue. Amity and Willow resume chatting, laughing about when Boscha humiliated herself at school the previous day or that silly game Luz taught them a few weeks ago. The door creaks open. Odalia Blight, stern, uptight, rude, and downright awful, storms in. She looks exhausted, probably from watching Alador do all the work while she just stands there. Amity scoffs. 

“Amity Blight!” she cries, making Amity look up so fast she fears she hurt her neck. “What is the Park girl doing here?” She says it with so much disgust Willow looks equal parts angry and ashamed. Amity holds back the urge to apologize. She’s done nothing wrong. 

“We’re friends, Mom,” she says bluntly, “We’re hanging out.”

“Nonsense, Mittens,” Odalia responds, “Blights only associate with a select few. Half witches are not in that group.”

Amity sees red. “She is not half a witch! She’s my friend and you will respect her!” Amity shouts. 

“Oh, please, Mittens, this rebellious streak of yours has gotten out of hand,” Odalia says.

“Rebellious?” Willow challenges. “What’s rebellious about hanging out with a friend?”

Odalia is about to retort, stooping so low as to argue with a couple of children when there’s a pounding on the door. Odalia rolls her eyes at the girls and opens the door, completely missing their twin smirks behind her. Amity watches as she immediately drops to a knee at the sight of the Golden Guard. Seeing her mother grovel was surprisingly satisfying.

“Sir!” Odalia exclaims. Willow holds back a giggle. “To what do I owe this pleasure?”

“Mrs. Blight,” the Guard addresses her. That’s all Amity can call him because that

doesn’t feel like her friend. He sounds like the boy she’s mad at, not the one she’s worried about. “I’m here looking for Ms. Willow Park.”

“What, to arrest her? I always knew that one was trouble,” Odalia grumbles, “Please, take her away. And don’t blame my family for any of her transgressions. My daughter was merely-”

The Guard cuts her off. “I’m not here to arrest her. I was going to see if I could get her to rethink my proposal.”

“Proposal?” Odalia inquires. Willow blushes.

“I had invited her to join the coven personally, but she declined. Even if I can’t get her to join I’m trying to get Ms. Park to show the coven her remarkable powers.”

“B-but…” Odalia stutters. “She’s simply half a witch! She can hardly do magic at all!”

“Nonsense. Ms. Park’s magic took some time to appear, but it’s amazing, it’s beautiful, it’s-” he coughs. “Anyway, just call her over and I’ll be on my way.” Amity doesn’t miss how red Willow was getting.

Willow strolls up to the door. “Hello, sir,” she says with a little curtsy.

He bows to her, making stifling laughter at Odalia’s shock. “Ms. Park! Have you considered my offer?”

“I have,” Willow says, struggling not to giggle, “And I’d love to accompany you to learn more about the coven. If the Golden Guard, himself, wants to personally invite me to the castle to convince me to join the prestigious Emperor’s Coven, who am I to refuse?” Willow sighs dramatically. 

Amity winks at them as Odalia turns to face her, mouth wide open. “Have fun!” 

Amity doesn’t miss the way their hands join as the door closes. Odalia looks pale, her already light skin gone paper white. She shakes, muttering nonsensical phrases.

“But, I, she, I, what-?” Odalia gasps before passing out in shock. 

Amity finally lets herself laugh, wild and reckless and childish and stupid. She feels better than she has in a long time. She takes a picture of Odalia, sends it to Luz, and smiles, walking back up to her room. 

[audioaujom]

6: In the Woods

CHTangled Hub, <prev, next>

Hey all! Sorry for the delay, I got caught up in rewatching and working on some fics for all my favorite old DisneyXD shows with my partner and couldn’t seem to tear myself away long enough for this update. But I’m still here, and back! Really wanted to tag this chapter with TW: Brennan.

Word Count: 2062

Chapter TWs: Manipulation, Unhealthy Relationships

--

“So, you’re being… super cryptic.” Emily commented as she sat on a tree stump by the river, Zac sitting down beside her. He had barely said a word after she’d gotten out of the water, save for telling her to “sit there so he can make her feel better” after she broke camp.

Whatever the hell that meant. 

“Sorry…” Zac frowned, but didn’t elaborate further as he grabbed the hand that she’d injured during her fight with Sir Murphy. “Just don’t… Don’t freak out.”

He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, letting one hand pinch his other arm until tears welled up in his eyes, humming under his breath and leaning forward to make sure the slightly glowing tears fell onto Emily’s injured hand. In an instant they absorbed into her skin, the muscle and skin that had been cut deep enough to still be bleeding quickly knitting itself back together. Zac sniffed a little and wiped at his eyes as soon as her hand was fully healed, letting go and looking at the thief nervously.

“Please don’t freak out—!”

Emily stared at him with wide eyes, very obviously trying and failing to control her surprise and disbelief. “Whaaat? I’m not freakin’ out, are you freakin’ out? I’m just interested in your weird glowing magic tears and them healing my hand! How long have they been doing that exactly?” 

“Uh… Forever, I guess?” Zac shrugged, struggling to look Emily in the eyes. “Brennan never really explained anything, but I’ve been able to heal and stuff when I cried since I was really little. He said that if people found out they’d tried to take my eyes or worse, to get their hands on my power.” 

The whole situation finally clicked for Emily, and it made her stomach coil with nerves. Zac didn’t seem to notice, instead staring down at his slightly damp hands and trying to psych himself up to keep talking. Even though he was obviously uncomfortable, it was clear that some kind of weight had been lifted as he finally had a chance to talk to someone else about himself. Emily did her best to hide her discomfort so Zac didn’t think it was aimed at him.

“A gift like the one I have… has to be protected. That’s why he never let me…” Zac quickly cut himself off, stumbling over his words as Emily’s now concerned gaze had him unable to justify anything. 

What was wrong with him? It had always made sense before…

“Or, er, well, that’s why I never left, ‘cause… well, you know…” 

“...You’ve really never left that tower.” Emily said softly, Zac finally looking up and over at her. His eyes held a strange kind of sincere sadness, confirming all of Emily’s fears. “And knowing all this, knowing what's out here, you’re still gonna go back?”

“No! …Yes?” He sighed in frustration, running his hands back through his hair a few times. He paused, for the first time since he left realizing that he was completely unsure about what he wanted to do next. “I don’t know. It’s complicated.”

“I get it.” Emily sighed, tentatively reaching out and putting her arm over Zac’s shoulders to pull him into a side hug. “But you don't owe that guy anything.”

“But, he raised me and takes care of me and—!” Zac tried, only for Emily to cut him off with a soft shake of the head.

“I never really had a home, as a kid. Not after my parents died.” She started, Zac staying quiet as she awkwardly started spilling. “I bounced around a couple foster homes and orphanages but none of them really wanted me, for a whole list of different reasons.” 

Emily hadn't actually meant to start talking about her life, but Zac seemed so concerned and enraptured by her talking that she decided maybe it wasn't the worst way to get through to him.

“I was too reckless, too loud, too hungry… But the last house I was in before going off on my own seemed nice enough. They put up with all my shit with a smile and tucked me into bed no matter the trouble I caused.” A fond smile unwillingly made its way onto her face, but after a short pause it turned sour. “I found out a few weeks in that they were only putting up with me ‘cause the previous place paid them to take me. It was clear that as soon as the money ran out they'd be no different than the rest, since they… well, were using me.”

Zac shifted to face Emily, using the arm already across his shoulders to pull her into a full hug. “I'm… sorry to hear that.”

“Do you understand what I'm trying to say, though?” Emily chuckled a little, pulling away enough to look Zac square in the eyes. She tried to look chipper and optimistic as usual, but Zac didn't miss the flashes of longing and sadness in her eyes. “Not that our situations are or were the same, but, you know.”

“I appreciate you telling me all that.” Is what Zac opted to say, his mind swirling with the new information. He… wasn't sure what to make of it yet. “And I'm glad whatever rough life you've led caused us to meet.”

“Yeah. Me too.” Emily smiled as sweetly as she could, wanting to give Zac a moment as she pulled away, stood up, and gestured off into the woods. “Well, I should… I— I should go get some more firewood.”

Zac nodded, watching her walk off and disappear into the darkening night. He sighed as soon as he was alone, putting his head into his hands and trying to collect his thoughts. Emily had really given him a lot to think about, but before he could put anything together he heard a familiar voice speak up from behind him.

“And here I thought she’d never leave!” 

Zac shot to his feet, face paling as he nervously stumbled out, “Brennan?”

“Hello, Zac.” Brennan smiled, stepping forward and pulling him into a tight hug that wasn't reciprocated.

Zac sputtered helplessly for words, only finally managing to get out a very confused, “How did you find me?” after Brennan pulled away.

“Oh, it was pretty easy, actually.” Brennan’s continued smile had Zac’s stomach churning, something about it unusually sinister. “All I had to do was listen for the sound of complete and utter betrayal and follow that.” 

Zac's breath caught in his throat. “Brennan…”

“We’re going home. Now.” Brennan didn't even seem to hear Zac, grabbing his arm and starting to pull him away from the makeshift camp he and Emily had set up.

“W—Wait! Not yet, I—!” Zac yanked his arm out of Brennan’s grip, much to the latter’s surprise. “I’ve been on this just… amazing journey and I keep seeing and learning new things and—!” Zac took a deep breath, cutting himself off before he gushed too much. Brennan hated when he talked in circles. “I even made a friend!”

“Right! The wanted thief, I’m so proud!” Brennan looked… well, pissed. He was furious as he grabbed for Zac’s arm again, his grip bruising and glare unrelenting. “Come on, already.”

“Brennan, wait!” Zac pulled away once again, rubbing at his arm where he'd been held. He laughed nervously, Brennan’s continued anger making him deeply uncomfortable and unendingly nervous. “She’s the first person other than you that I met, and she’s been so nice and has helped me so much… and I think she also sees me as a friend.”

Brennan and Zac stared at each other for a long moment after the awkward admission, the silence ending in a sharp laugh from Brennan.

“You think she sees you as a friend? Are you kidding me?” He stared at Zac incredulously, shaking his head and laughing again. “I thought I raised you better than this, really.”

Zac shrunk in on himself, embarrassed and hurt. “What do you mean?”

“This… whole friendship thing you’ve invented, it can’t possibly be real.” Brennan placed a light hand on Zac’s nearest shoulder, gaze concerned but oddly hardened. “I mean look at you. What about you could possibly impress her? You’re so naive.” Brennan heaved a heavy sigh, his other hand going up to punch at the bridge of his nose. “Too naive to be out here, clearly. ‘Sees you as a friend’. How crazy. You? Really?”

In an instant, Zac was crestfallen. 

All the hope and wonder he'd built up on this journey with Emily was crushed to pieces, Brennan's words immediately trying to override what the thief had just tried to tell him. There really was no way someone as cool and capable as her would want to be the friend of some lame loser who'd never left the tower he was raised in.

Something in the back of his head didn't like this new train of thought, though, pushing back on it enough that he stuttered out a faint protest of, “But… but I…” 

“Don't be stupid.” Brennan shut him down again, but this time it had anger flaring up in Zac’s chest instead of defeat. “Let's go home.”

“...no.”

Completely caught off guard, Brennan stared blankly at the boy in front of him. “No?”

“No.” Zac reaffirmed, even as Brennan’s harsh tone had his mind yelling at him to backpedal and apologize.

Emily would want him to stand up for himself here, right?

“Oh, I see. You're all grown up now, is that it?” Brennan’s saturatedly sweet tone left Zac feeling sick, immediately regretting his choice to talk back. “You leave the tower on your own and suddenly you don't need my help anymore.”

“That’s not… that's not what I said.”

“Isn't it? You must be so mature and smart to have made it this far on your own.” Brennan squeezed Zac’s shoulder hard before letting go, his hand flying up to his chest to feign hurt. “After everything I've had to do for your sake, this is how you repay me?” 

Zac felt his veins turn to ice, freezing him to the spot. His thoughts all stopped, except for one loud voice that kept saying that he'd really fucked up this time.

“That's fine, then. You want to hang out with your new, very trustworthy friend and abandon the man who dedicated his life to protecting you.” Brennan put his head in his hands sorrowfully, sniffing and wiping at slightly damp eyes. 

“Brennan, wait—!” Zac tried, fearful, but was cut off by another exaggerated lament.

“No, it's okay. I just… need to go heal my broken heart. Alone.” Shaking his head, Brennan turned around to stare off into the woods away from Zac before abruptly turning back around—with Emily’s satchel clutched in a tight fist. “And since you're so confident in your new friend, why don't you give her this. See what she does.”

Zac’s stomach dropped impossibly further. “How did you—?”

“That’s not what matters.” Brennan tsked disapprovingly at him, throwing the bag over with a dismissive wave. “Since you can make good decisions without my help, go ahead. When she betrays you, don't come crying back to me.”

“Brennan, please, wait—!”

“Have fun, Zac.”

Zac watched Brennan leave, barely thinking or even breathing until the breaking of sticks and underbrush telling of Emily's return snapped him out of his daze. He quickly stashed the satchel in a nearby tree stump, putting on the most normal expression he could muster.

Emily frowned as she came back into camp, noticing Zac’s clear unease even through his poor attempt to hide it and the hefty armful of firewood she had. “Hey, you feeling okay? You look pale.” 

“Just… lost in thought, I guess.” Zac tried to smile reassuringly, but Emily once again saw right through it—even before it wobbled. “Thanks for the firewood.”

“Say, your tears don’t do anything besides healing, do they?” Emily asked to break the tension as she set the firewood down, cracking a wide smirk. “Like, this hand isn’t going to become like… super strong or something, right? ‘Cause I wouldn’t mind if it did, you know. That’d be cool.”

Zac listened along with a half-hearted smile, his mind too occupied with thoughts of the hidden satchel to really get invested in her attempts to cheer him up.

What was he supposed to do now…?

[yermes]

PAC 🛼:

Its me again unfortunately . This may be a weird flex but I freaking love my friends 🥹 I have some of the sweetest most creative friends ever. May have had to kiss a few frogs on my occult kik/ discord era but I found some really special magical friends out there in the ether. 🩷 As ur step mom I hope you have good friends too and not ones I side eye and be like uhm ya sure abt that one??? Anyways heres a reading for what to look for in a group/ coven/ circle/ whatever the fuck you kids call it these days.

Pick a meme

Pick a card

Queen of cups 🍯

Queen of the thrones of waters, Binah, Heh, watery aspect of water, 20° Gemini to 20° Cancer

Goddamn is there a lot of emotion up in your squad (not shitting on it just pointing it out) but for the most part it seems to be going well for you. This group seems mostly good natured however with mostly water and lack of everything else make sure what they’re actually talking about is concrete and its not just a flurry of ideas not based in actual practice or theory. They seem to cling on to a big flaw of the magic community and its being a dreamer with no follow through or work do do something actual instead sinking more and more into ones own delusional escape. But hey at least they seem friendly

Disappointment 🫗

Five of cups, Mars 1. Scorpio, Geburah through water

Girl if I see you coming home from school every day with tears in your eyes because your “friends” are causing an emotional crisis. THEY ARE NOT YOUR FRIENDS. This may have been an unconscious fear coming true. Maybe you didn’t know much about magic and the occult so you joined this group thinking it would be great only to cause a lot of hard lessons that didn’t really need to happen but you just kept walking and ignored all the red flags. L status rn. You lost the illusion. What you thought was true was bullshit and you are now in a emotional catastrophe. If you wanna talk just dm me kiddo u are always welcome to talk to me abt shit okay 🩵

Two of wands 🍷

Lord of dominion, Chokmah, Vehooel and Deneyal, Mars in Aries, 1°–10°

You have such a trash vibe. You and your little homies got together and said lets make each other worst forreal. If I was your ACTUAL mom I would look outside in concern clutching my pearls as you lot burned ants with magnifying glasses smh. However, a main drive is to get stronger and better which I am for and however you choose to do it I cannot judge because I was a spiteful piece of shit when I was just learning as well. However, I warn while using emotions and more primal emotions as fuel to get better do not compromise the integrity of who you are for this group it will never turn out well for ya.

Lust 🍫

Venus in leo, Chesed to Geburah, fire, Babalon, power

Usually called power in other decks this card signifies that you are REALLy into yo shit lol. Like okay Jack Parsons. I feel like since this card is very related to a primal aspect your squad mostly hangs out in the low magic category and you all just kind of fuck around and find out. Which is fine. As above so below the primal deserves as much love and the divine but maybe I would research some higher magic just to balance yourself out. I feel like you are not super satisfied with the group and you want it to be something its not but you cannot force change you can only vote w yo feet.

I know how important it is for some people to have a squad but just remember you only need yourself to practice