#characters which I didn't like because why are they even there to begin with then ya know?

[badgalsasuke]

Have people discussed why when Naruto is thinking about the bonds he eventually formed he places Sasuke on the side of the girls?

Other people noticed it but they didn't actually analyse anything out of this. And it's interesting because Kishimoto could've had Naruto placing Sasuke by Kakashi's side and that'd make the composition symmetrical and more visually appealing, but he didn't.

Some people in the post I linked above think it's related to Sasuke's heroine-type of status in the story.

Which reminds me of Hayato Date's conversation with band FLOW, Date was director of the Naruto anime from its inception until before Madara's fight against the shinobi alliance.

And it was also pointed out by Ito Go in his essay for the Kizuna: The Words that Bind Heaven Scroll book.

This is a translation published by the University of Minnesota Press for Mechademia: Second Arc which a biannual journal series designed to promote academic and professional discourse around East Asian popular cultures.

However, I noticed they skipped certain sentences (including the title of this excerpt of the entire essay where Ito Go calls Sasuke the heroine) from the original Japanese essay. So I will post another translation here

Sasuke's "heroine" status (サスケの「ヒロイン」的関係性)

The person whose "true feelings" are the least visible is Sasuke, the core of the story, who stands opposite Naruto. The deepening intimacy and repeated "denial" that unfold between the two are the axis that drives the story of this work. Sasuke leaves his friends and becomes a runaway ninja, and Naruto pursues him. Compared to Naruto, who has grown into a hero recognized by those around him, Sasuke, who has been popular from the beginning and is still wanted/sought after by many characters, is treated like a heroine, even though he is a man.

Among them, the strong feelings that Naruto has for Sasuke are like friendship and brotherly love. Let's call it "love" in a broad sense. Think of it as a higher concept that refers to intimate feelings such as friendship and familial love, rather than romantic feelings.

Sasuke's motivation for leaving the village was to take revenge on his brother, Uchiha Itachi, and to gain strong power to do so. However, he strongly asserts his reason for actively cutting off ties with his friends and the village of Konohagakure. This behavior can be interpreted as an escape from the close community with his comrades. It is due to a "denial" of acknowledging the affection directed towards him. In particular, it is a "denial" of his intimate relationship with Naruto. The psychology of this "denial" is fully depicted in the long sequence in which Sasuke tries to kill Naruto at the Valley of the End. He tries to kill Naruto, following his brother's words that he can awaken his Mangekyo Sharingan by fulfilling the condition of "killing his closest friend." However, he is unable to kill Naruto. By trying to kill Naruto, he unintentionally acknowledges that Naruto is his most important friend. The act of "killing for a purpose" itself denies friendship and love towards the other person. Can someone who is willing to kill for one's own purpose really be called "the closest friend" in the true sense of the word? However, the choice of who to kill can only be made by asking one's own heart. In the dilemma of "killing his closest friend," Sasuke chose Naruto. By denying the very existence of friendship, he acknowledged it. It's a "denial" in the literal sense of the word. Sasuke says that the reason he couldn't kill Naruto was because he resented having to get the Mangekyo Sharingan as a result of his brother's influence. But was that the truth? We readers know that it wasn't. In the middle of their fight, a "mental landscape" appears. It shows two children holding hands. The psychology of "denial" occurs without the awareness that one is "denying." In "inner speech," it is still possible to lie to oneself, that is, to lie against one's true feelings to convince oneself. But that is not the case with mental landscapes. Sasuke's "true feelings" are something that Sasuke himself cannot see. The more "invisible" something is, the more one can believe it. I think this principle is probably the idea that runs through the foundation of "Naruto." As the story progresses towards its finale, I am looking forward to seeing how this principle will be reflected in the story.

What's interesting here is that, even though Ito Go acknowledges Sasuke is in the position of a "heroine", he doesn't want to call Naruto and Sasuke's feelings for each other romantic. Makes you wonder what's the line that separates a heroine from a love interest.

But back to the images at the very top of this post, I'd love to hear what you guys think about it.

[bebeluss]

People who go so fucking hard in the name of "defending" thunderbolts are so fucking annoying. To begin with, i've never understood why there's so much hate unleashed against Sam after that stupid ass post credits scene. He wasn't even in the movie. Now, the line "it went poorly" doesn't have to mean that he was "rude" or whatever towards Bucky/thunderbolts but even if he was, well.. HE'S RIGHT! Because what do you mean Bucky (and Yelena and ava and bob!!) out of everyone, is working willingly for the government/fuckin Valentina whom he wanted to impeach through the movie and then he got amnesia, like??? The same government that wanted to put him out in civil war, the same government that didn't trust him in tfatws, the same government who tortured him and kidnapped him for over 70 years because let's not forget that hydra and shield were the same shit... LIKE???! explain to me in which world would he be working willingly for the government??? And I'm saying this as someone who loves Bucky so damn much. He's literally my favorite character, I watched thunderbolts BECAUSE OF HIM, and that's it, otherwise I wouldn't have watched it. And if I'm honest, I dislike that post credits scene, because he's just out of character. He is and if you're a real Bucky Stan, you should see that. I didn't like that he didn't defend Sam, the person who's been with him for more than a decade in the MCU's world. The person who gave him his REAL found family. The only person in all these years that he's canonically said "I love you" to, Sam wilson is Bucky's closer friend and ally. I don't like the fact that he's betraying wakandans once again by working with Valentina (even tho I'm honestly not mad at him freeing Zemo because at the end of the day it was for something justified and he ended up turning him over), and you know what? Now that I'm complaining, I also didn't like his fucking obsession with the shield in tfatws. He saw Steve dropping that shield for him TWICE, he knows that shield isn't more important than the person carrying it so I don't get why was he so obsessed with it and why was he being annoying towards Sam throughout all of tfatws (Malcolm Spellman and Joana calo, YOU WILL PAY FOR YOUR CRIMES for making him act out of character 😤 ).

I've got someone in my notifications telling me that sambucky's shippers only want Bucky to be "Sam's lapdog".. excuse me??? If there are people being like that, then it's mainly Bucky's stans believing Sam is some kind of therapist for Bucky and that Sam should be there ready to serve Bucky and nah, that's not how it works. And anyway, this same person says that Bucky wouldn't abandon the thunderbolts because he "feels responsible for them".. so.. you don't want Bucky to be Sam's "lapdog", instead you want him to be a -children trafficker (yes I watched black widow and that's what he is), a murderer and 2 women who killed because they chose to do that- baby sitter??? Mmmm.. interesting. 🤔 I can understand Bucky wanting to protect Yelena, Ava and Bob (does he even need protection? Lmao) but the other 2? Nah nah. Bucky is nobody's babysitter and in any case, if he were to feel responsibility towards someone, then it should be towards Sam. You know? The man who was willing to go to jail FOR HIM. Yeah. He owes that TO SAM and to the entire Wilson family and to the wakandans, whom literally saved his life.

My thought are all over the place and I want to say so many things and this post is messy because 1) English isn't my first language and this is the first time I write anything here, for real I don't even write tags and 2) I'm angry as hell with the behavior of most thunderbolts stans since late april. y'all are a bunch of racist bullies. You have no real reason to hate on Sam, because guess what? He's basically the same as Steve, even better, yet you dislike him? ... interesting, I wonder why that is 🤔

Now, I hated that marvel made the decision to separate Sam and Bucky. I know most Sam stans, rightfully, didn't want Bucky to be in cabnw, after the shit show that was tfatw in social media, I get it but forgetting about people's reactions, which have nothing to do with the characters dynamics, and being objective, Bucky should've been next to Sam in cap4 instead of thunderbolts. I hate that it didn't happen that way. Anthony and Sebastian literally made sambucky one of the most popular, if not THE most popular pair in marvel post endgame and you separate them??? That makes no sense to me. 🫩

However, here goes my last -messy- thoughts (because believe me, I know this post is all over the place lmao):

- Sam Wilson IS captain America and he's only doing what Steve would've done too but he's a Black man so you hate him because if it was Steve, you all would be eating it up. (Because in fact, Steve did what Sam told HIM to do many times in his trilogy and in IW and eg, go back and rewatch the movies)

- Sam is no one's therapist and he also has all the right to be mad at Bucky (even tho in the movie they don't say that, y'all made that up)

- Sam Wilson IS the avengers' leader and everybody, and I mean, EVERYBODY, will be following his lead in "doomsday", period, even the thunderbolts and I cannot wait to see that 😙

- now, because I've seen people say otherwise: James Buchanan "Bucky" Barnes IS a hero, he IS an avenger. Since the moment he decided to fight Thanos in wakanda, and anybody saying otherwise is wrong. Are we forgetting he was fighting Nazis much before most of the avengers' were born? He was there fighting with the first avenger yall... He is a hero, period. No discussion. (Also, unlike ava and Yelena, he didn't decide to keep on killing people after freeing himself from his abusers, nope, he chose to go back in cryo because he didn't trust himself EVEN THOUGH, killing people wouldn't have been his choice, because he was literally mind controlled.. again, unlike Yelena and ava (love them but yeah) 😶)

- I don't think he's suddenly a horrible character, the writers have made him do ooc actions but that doesn't mean he's a terrible character, not in my books. And actually even though this whole situation makes me mad, I do think things will be better in doomsday. Marvel would be shooting themselves in the feet if they separated sambucky for real. 🤡 What's annoying about all of this is that I cannot think of a right way to get Bucky and Sam to talk about this, I mean, I can but in a movie with so many characters, I can already see them making a quick joke and that's it, everything will be alright again.. ala Russo's style meanwhile we've been enduring a year and a half (by then) of horrible takes about Sam (seriously ask yourself why do you hate this character so much.. even more if you like Steve.. ask yourself why you don't like Sam and the answer will always be racism btw 🤷🏽‍♀️)

- and lastly: y'all have to stop bringing the real life relationship of Sebastian Stan and Anthony Mackie to the equation. They are real friends and both of them respect each other, admire each other and love each other so much and they've been saying it all these years, even this same year. Stop equating sambucky's (FICTIONAL CHARACTERS) relation to Seb and Anthony's. Y'all weird as hell for doing that. And y'all weird as hell for going against Anthony or Sebastian for what their characters do or not do in the movies. 🙄 I'm talking to the "Anthony is Sebastian's biggest fan" crowd too. Sure, he's very enthusiastic but in any case, Sebastian's the president, vice president and first member of the "Anthony Mackie fanclub". You need to watch all the interviews of that man speaking about Anthony, literally the man whow said "one of the perks of my life is knowing Anthony Mackie", the man who said "I'd walk in Anthony's shadow all the time if I had to", the man who through all of tfatws said that Mackie was THE leader of the project because he knows how to read people and that people have to give him more recognition for his work. Sebastian said that. Their relationship is based in mutual everything, mutual love, respect, admiration. Seriously, do NOT try to speak shit about them only because you disagree with what happens in the fictional world of the MCU. 🙄

- lastly FOR REAL!!: y'all really need to observe the reactions towards thunderbolts in comparison with captain america: brave new world/other bipoc projects. The hate Sam Wilson/Anthony Mackie faces is unbelievable. Remember when everybody kept saying they'd boycott cabnw because of that nasty Zionist?? Well.. where was that energy towards darevill? Margarita Levieva is a Zionist (as a Seb Stan I was still following her until a year ago when she was literally justifying the murders of children on her instagram, nasty ass woman). Where's that energy towards the upcoming spiderman? Jon bernthal is a heavy Zionist. He was even following isra-hell's accounts on Twitter. Where's the boycott energy, huh??? 🤔 Ah yes... The leads in those movies are white men, I forgot they all have several passes.

Anyway, I do think all Hollywood productions have Zionists working in them, it's almost impossible that they don't, especially in this case because Disney itself IS a Zionist company 🙄 so you can keep your stupid ass excuse of boycotting something only when the lead is a Black man (or a woman), seriously check your fucking racism. It's so tiring to see white people giving stupid takes. Stfu and CHECK YOUR RACISM. 🫩

I think that was all lol, I don't think anyone's gonna read this because it's long as fuck and all over the place and I normally don't say shit but damn, it's been 2 months, going on 3, of non stop shitty takes. Keep Sam Wilson's name out of your mouth and please, stop being weird with Bucky. he'd hate you, Sebastian would hate you. 🫩 Do not become a nasty person in the name of defending fictional shit. This is the real world and some of you say really nasty ugly things in the name of defending fictional characters (defending from what? Idk but y'all swear you're doing something lol).

And btw, you don't have to like Sam but if you don't like him then don't speak about him, because again... There is NO a single reason why you should be feeling so much hate towards him (unless you're a racist). And if Bucky was real, he'd dislike you so much for being a piece of shit towards Sam. Think about that!! 😗

Honestly I don't even know what I wanted to achieve with this long ass post lmao, I might end up deleting it if I'm honest because I suffer anxiety and that's a big reason why I never interact with anyone here but damn, having people in my notifications being so wrong about Sam (and Bucky too actually) is so annoying. 🫩🫩🫩🫩🫩

[mageknight14]

The only critique of NEO that I've seen about 'character exploration' that I understand is someone who really didn't like Rindo because he develops the most too late.

Unlike Neku, who develops rapidly over a few days in week one and then gets challenged by it over the rest of the game, Rindo is struggling with his issues well into week 3, and thus Rindo's development feels a bit more backloaded and easier for him to just slip out of (especially with the Josh warps Shoka at the end).

That doesnt matter to me because the game cooks, but Ive only seen One Person say this.

Funnily enough, I actually like that Rindo doesn’t just immediately develop to get over his issues because really, you have to take the structure of the Games in both games in order to understand this.

In the original TWEWY, Neku’s development happens as you noted because he’s immediately put into situations where the consequences of what happens if he fails are made immediately clear. Keep in mind that unlike Rindo, Fret, and Nagi, Neku is made to know what Erasure means very quickly in the beginning of the game.

Whereas in Rindo, Fret, and Nagi’s cases, they aren’t aware of what erasure means until the very end of the week, at which they become VERY aware of the stakes of what happens if they fail.

In Neku’s case, seeing first hand what happens if he doesn’t at least try to work together with Shiki (as well as having Mr. H around to slap his hand a bit such as when he prevents Neku from screwing up via falling for Uzuki’s trick) sets him on the fast track towards opening up to Shiki in the first week, especially once she makes her true self/personality known to him. And even though he gets tested repeatedly throughout the weeks, he’s still able to fall back on the words Shiki and Mr. H gave him in order to keep going and learn to see the people around him more, with people like Sota and Nao helping him to retain those lessons even when Joshua keeps testing him.

In the NEO trio’s case, Sho is there to carry them through and while he himself pushes the team forward, they still overly rely on him because he’s the one with the most experience and power out of all them, which is reflected in the party’s stats. With him around, they don’t necessarily need to try as hard as they should be doing and thus don’t connect as much throughout Week 1 since their struggles aren’t dire enough at this point and they aren’t aware of the full stakes, hence why the Groove meter caps out at 100%. However, that all changes when Week 2 rolls around and Sho up and dips from the party. Now they HAVE to put in more effort to make up for the fact that the dude who contributed the most to their overall stats and team strength/defensive capabilities is now gone.

With Sho gone, tensions are now rising between Rindo and Fret, with the stress of the situation getting them to make constant pot-shots at one another, which isn’t going to be very helpful for building team synergy and due to this, Rindo immediately tries to circumvent the issue by instead relying on yet another guy to carry them through: in this case, the legendary Neku. Only to be sorely disappointed when it turns out to be Beat instead and Rindo isn’t exactly, well, pleased.

While Beat turns out to be incredibly helpful in the long-run, none of this helps with Rindo’s core issues over all, especially when he has a magic reset button to bail him out whenever he fucks up.

And that’s the point.

The thing with Replay is that it’s a double-edged sword when it comes to Rindo’s growth. On the one hand, it does enable his indecisiveness because he can always go back and undo it, which is a mindset he falls into such as when he constantly rewinds to see what Motoi and Shoka were talking about and how he resigns himself to thinking he’ll have to rewind yet again when he gets a vision. But because he HAS to undo his previous indecisiveness, it also forces him to be decisive, because his life is on the line. He has to speak up, he has to think harder, he has to make decisions. It does initially let him get out of the consequences of being indecisive but only by giving him a chance to go back and be decisive.

And all of this comes to bite Rindo in the ass by the end.

Instead of providing an environment for growth and challenge like Joshua and Hanekoma were with Neku, the events of the Reaper’s Game in NEO exist to give Rindo more and more reason to cling to his issues. Only within the final week does he actually really start to work on himself consciously. (Unlike Neku who is directly told he needs to change from day 2).

Shiba, the Ruinbringers, Haz, and Kubo all play a part in sabotaging Rindo and forcing him to engage with powers that, for most the game, provided Rindo with this unhealthy mindset of, "if things really go wrong I'll fix it later."

And again, as we all see, that bites him in the ass. Hard. Rindo's character from the very beginning has all been centered around going along with the decisions others make for him. He's repeatedly invited strangers' words into his heart for better and for worse. It was so difficult for him to extrapolate his own thoughts into reality that he couldn't even explain what made Shibuya special to him to Shoka when it's brought up on Week 3, Day 2.

But throughout the game up until that point we've heard many characters say why they think Shibuya is special. Everyone had their own unique reason for loving this city. Even the villains took part in that, like Susukichi.

It's only when he's lost everything and is all alone, “victorious”, that he realizes the answer to that question, leading to pic related.

The reason the answer is satisfying to Haz isn't just because he's learning why Shibuya is 'special', it's because RINDO said why it was special to HIM.

In the end, Rindo had the choice of leaving things to others he deems more capable the way he always had; but through his adventure, he had come to learn that leaving things to others all the time doesn't allow you to grow. Leaving things to others all the time won't lead to the outcomes YOU as an individual want. He needed to be shown what a peaceful reality would be like and wrestle with himself if it’s worth giving it up for a chance to save the people that matter most to him and to take his life into his own hands. NEO uses the time travel to have Rindo learn how to make active decisions and be an effective leader.

The story didn't need to be written in a way where Kubo overwhelmed them to the point of Haz coming in, but that was the direction they chose because it hammered home the crossroad Rindo needed to overcome to achieve the final piece of his character growth. Haz needed to take care of the problem for Rindo to sell home the point that you gotta take life in your own hands to achieve the possibilities that only you are capable of. It’s why on the final day, he fully takes charge and leads the people around him to make sure that Operation Awakening goes perfectly. Because this time, there is no reset button. It’s do or die time.

With all of this in mind, I think it makes perfect sense that Rindo’s arc didn’t play out in the same way that Neku’s did because both characters are dealing with incredibly different issues and are very different at their core. Expecting Rindo to develop in the same way that Neku did while ignoring his own journey does a disservice to both characters.

[annebardot-sl]

🏥 Interview with Yim (Code Blue)

Good day! Thank you for agreeing to answer our questions. How are you feeling today?

I'm doing quite well today. It feels like life is slowing down enough that I have a bit more time and space to recharge.

Let’s begin!

1. Could you tell us how you came up with the idea to write a story in the medical genre? Why did you choose to set the plot specifically in an emergency department?

I pitched several ideas for stories that didn't move forward, and I was encouraged to work on a medical story focusing on an EMS team. I proposed emergency medicine as an alternative because the scope of the medicine practiced there can be shallow or broad: it offers a lot of flexibility for writing. Patients often come and go from the department quickly, and their cases can be simple or very complicated, humorous or heartbreaking. The structure of work in the emergency department also seems well suited to work for a Romance Club story.

2. What inspired the storyline? Were there any particular films, series, or books that influenced you?

The storyline is the product of sitting with the subject matter for a while and considering what would be interesting and well-suited for an RC story. For inspiration, I primarily turned to television series, documentaries, and doctors’ memoirs, and also to the city of Seattle itself, where I lived for many years. I wanted to achieve a balance between the medical and romance aspects while keeping the visuals interesting. In terms of particular films, series, and books, as unlikely a pairing as it is, I think this story falls somewhere between Scrubs (which I enjoyed watching as a teenager) and The Pitt. Adam Kay's This is Going to Hurt and numerous other sources have influenced me.

3. Why did you choose this specific title for the story? Were there any alternative options?

For this story, I proposed the title "Vitals," which I liked because it applied to more than just the medical aspect, but it was decided that it was not interesting enough, so it was given the title that it has now.

4. How much time did it take you to develop the plot?

The very basic premise and plot were developed over the course of a month. There are many minor plotlines that will develop organically over the course of the story to support the higher-level plot, though.

5. Is it possible to combine two stat paths in the story, or is it better to focus on just one?

No, it's best to focus on just one.

6. How many seasons are planned for the story?

3

7. Let’s talk about the characters! What made you decide to give players the option to choose the protagonist’s gender?

I was offered the opportunity to do so, and I jumped on it, much like including diverse body types in Hell and High Water. I think it fits very well with a story like this, where it's an aspirational story (many people are curious about what it would be like to be a doctor) and the story's plotline is not heavily influenced by the choice of gender (while sexism certainly affects modern medicine in Seattle, it has much less of an impact than it might on a historical drama about a monarch, for example).

8. How challenging is it to write branching storylines from both male and female perspectives? Do you find it difficult or rather easy?

It's somewhat challenging and rather fun. As a non-binary person, I "played" the female perspective (poorly and miserably) for more than 20 years and often wondered what it would be like to "play" the male perspective, though that didn't suit me either. So, it's certainly something I've spent a lot of time thinking about and talking to people about. And there isn't any one way to be male or female in terms of how one experiences the world, but I hope to write something that is relatable to many people.

9. What key qualities do your main characters possess as professionals in the medical field?

I think that dedication is a vital quality that they all possess, even if they show it in different ways. Medicine is a very difficult field in the USA, even for those who have ample opportunity, and it is an enormous commitment. Along with this, they possess patience in all areas: with themselves, others, situations, and systems. Not all of the characters are equally patient, but they are all probably more patient on average than most people. Also, the ability to work well under pressure and focus.

10. How did you choose their names? Why did you settle on the ones featured in the story?

This is a good opportunity to talk about Tobias and Trinh's names. I've seen a lot of comments about these in particular because these names also appear in Open Heart, which I enjoyed playing the first season and a half or so of many, many years ago.

When I originally designed Tobias, he had a distinctive nose. I thought it gave him some more personality, but it was determined that this wasn't conventionally attractive enough, and it was ultimately changed. However, when I was young, one of my favorite characters was Tobias from Animorphs, whose form is a hawk. I have always had a soft spot for the name, and when I learned it suited Tobias's origins, I decided to call him that. I felt that he was a hawk-like character, keeping an eye on the department and having his distinctive nose.

Trinh is a very common last name in Seattle. I actually chose the name because I had a wonderful doctor with that surname, and it seemed like a nice way to honor them, though the nurse in the story and the actual doctor have nothing else in common.

In general, though, the names mostly depend on the character's origin. In some cases, they are names the characters chose for themselves

11. What was most important to you when visualizing the appearance of the main characters? Did they turn out the way you had envisioned?

For me, the most important thing about a character's visual design is that it reinforces their life experience and personality. (Sometimes, this means that they don't look anything like one would expect, because people have a way of surprising us). I have learned that my idea of what is attractive doesn't match with what most people want, so for the LIs, I try to adhere to conventions for the most part, or what is seen as conventionally attractive for a given archetype. I'm very glad that Flint and Kenedi seem to be well received, because these are characters where there was less pressure to make them look a specific way and I was able to invest more in their designs (though I obviously made them very conventionally attractive within their own domains due to the extensive negative feedback I received on HHW's character designs). And with Jules, I'm also very glad that the many variations are being positively received. I was going for a very specific look with them, which will probably make more sense as the story progresses.

Given the circumstances, I'm very happy with how the characters turned out.

12. How long did it take you to create their character briefs? How old are they?

I could not easily tell you how long it took to create the briefs because it's spread out throughout the creation process. When the story is first pitched, the main cast starts to take form and their design starts, but it's not until after outlining and, in some cases, writing begins that they are fully developed and ready to be brought to life by the artists.

For ages, in order of appearance, here are a few:

Jules: 30

Flint: 26

Nahome: 33

Kenedi: 30

Tobias: 44

Gutierrez: 27

Malinowski: 28

Gail: 37

Eugen: 29

Dakota: 27

13. Will players have the chance to change the characters’ uniforms again, or will the current ones remain as final?

There will be more work clothing options as the story progresses (and some seasonal accessories), but these won't be very common.

14. We’re curious to know more about the romance options in your story! How many love interests are planned?

There are 6 full romantic routes planned. There will also be some romantic interactions with other characters, such as Gutierrez, Malinowski, and characters we haven't met yet. I have already seen many comments on Gutierrez and Malinowski, and they are intended to be developed further, but they are not "main" LIs.

15. If you could describe each love interest in one word, what would it be?

I would describe all of them as "complicated."

More seriously, though:

Flint: Chaotic

Nahome: Healing

Kenedi: Uplifting

Tobias: Harrowing

Gail: Bittersweet

Eugen and Dakota: Playful

16. Why did you choose marine creatures as pets in the story? Would you like to have one of them yourself? Or maybe you already do?

I had a pet fish, Ruvi, who was very near and dear to my heart. I've kept a few bettas over the years, so I wanted to include one. And I hope that I might keep another in the future. This happens in the story is mostly because Annette doesn't really see fish as much different from plants, which unfortunately seems to be a pretty common view. To her, they're more of an aesthetic element. Jules definitely doesn't have the motivation to care for anything demanding at this point, and I didn't want to leave players with something like a cat or dog that would suffer much more while Jules is working hard.

17. Does your workspace mean a lot to you? What items are a must-have there? We'd love to see a photo!

My workspace is incredibly important to me, but right now it is very much a work in progress, so I won't be sharing it right now. My absolute must-haves are an ergonomic keyboard and active sitting chair.

18. Do you have any rituals before you start working (if any)? Maybe you need to grab a cup of coffee or spend a few minutes in silence?

Yes! I almost always start by grinding some beans and making a cup of coffee in my French press, and I usually finish my coffee before I actually start working. Often, I'll also play focus music while I'm working: it's usually just white noise pomodoros.

19. What lessons did you take away from your previous story, “Through Storm and Fire”?

I think if I wrote them all out, it would be a few thousand words, so I'll simplify my answer: I learned a lot about the expectations of players, what works well on the platform, what I can control and what I can't, and what resonates with who and what doesn't.

20. Describe your new story in one quote or phrase (maybe from a famous person?).

I think Hippocrates has a very relevant quote for this story:

"Wherever the art of medicine is loved, there is also a love of humanity."

Thank you so much for your thoughtful answers! We're really excited to learn more about the new story and about you! Wishing you continued success

Thank you for the interview, it was fun to share a bit about the behind the scenes of the story!

[thattimdrakeguy]

Like the Great Vin Diesel Said: It's All About Family.

Family has always been an integral part of what has made Tim Drake work so well as a character--

Also hold on I'm just now realizing Tim's wearing a red shirt shirt with yellow on it, and green shorts--Oh you absolute fanboy. Even when you're Robin for 3 to 4 years now you can't stop being a dork. I love this boy.

Where was I?

Oh yeah, family.

Tim was created to have a family. It's something that made him unique among the other Robins. Even when Tim's mother died, he eventually got a step-mother, which was nice, and added another sense of relatability to the character for many kids who, unfortunately, probably had to deal with similar circumstances.

And although Tim was adopted by Bruce by this time--and I am not a fan of them killing all of Tim's original family as it takes away something that makes him unique--Adam Beechen does the best damn job he can to still make family important to Tim, from him keeping a picture of his original parents--I assume that's in the script anyways, so I'll give him the credit for that. Though these early issues by Freddie Williams III are some of the best Tim works you'll ever find.

To just...this talk he has with Bruce.

It's unfortunate this moment had to come because Beechen was made to write in the evil Cass storyline, because it shows the growth of these characters and how important they are to one another.

While I don't have the panel anymore, due to hard drive issues, Bruce from the beginning thought Tim needed a strong father figure, not having the best opinion of Jack and Janet Drake's tendency to flake on their son to go world traveling without him.

So now having Bruce be Tim's de-facto parent...

It's nice that they didn't forget that in order to make Batman edgier, or mysterious, as if that's what makes him cool.

Batman is a cynic, he doesn't fully trust the human race, he likes scaring people, and beating up bad guys.

But through and through, he is a family man. It's why he does what he does, from avenging his parents, to taking in orphans that he can relate to and sees himself in.

This is totally natural progression of Tim and Bruce's relationship, even if it came at the cost of something that made Tim more unique. And that effort is absolutely appreciated by me. Things may be different, things may have progressed in ways I do not agree with, but one of the major hearts to the character of not only Tim Drake, but Bruce Wayne as well remains.

You gotta love it.

Bruce Wayne, and Tim Drake.

Father and son, for better or worse.

[muchanmocha]

do you think that maybe, the small heart Luka was holding in Karma, was Hyunwoo's? Everyone is saying that its his own heart, not Hyunwoo. So i dont get why he is even there, to show that he is a burden to Luka? Even after his death? Thats is just.. thats just so sad. Its sees like Hyunwoo didnt matter to anyone but to Hyuna. And its kill me bc we know that Hyunwoo did care for Luka. Whats was so wrong with him that make Luka dont even care if he live or not? Sorry for this mess of a ask but Hyunwoo's character make me emotional. Its just not fair that he did care for someone who saw him like nothing more that a burden 😔

Oh man thank you for bringing this up because I love talking about them.

Was the heart Luka held in Karma Hyun Woo's?

Tbh finding out people assumed it was Luka's heart was a surprise, but I realized it could be interpreted that way if you assume the rule is one heart per character.

But my immediate assumption (and one I still stand by) is that in these scenes it's actually one heart per relationship.

The heart Luka holds represents his and Hyun Woo's relationship, while the one representing his and Hyuna's relationship had been crushed in her chest — metaphorically representing the way she both refused to let him have her and the way she chose her own death.

More to back this up:

1) As you noticed, Hyun Woo being in this scene is a very intentional choice — they had every excuse not to include him as everyone else was in pairs but he's there for a damn good reason

2) This is the only scene with 3 people and the only scene with 2 whole hearts; Till/Ivan's and Mizi/Sua's both show 1 heart per pair

3) Facing Hyun Woo's death is one of the main themes for Luka in Karma, as evidenced by his prominent presence in Luka's scenes

What's so wrong with [Hyun Woo] that Luka didn't care if he lived or not?

Good news! Everything we see in Karma confirms that Luka actually cares a LOT.

I made a full post breaking down why Luka seemingly didn't care or react to Hyun Woo's death here. Please check it out as it goes into detail about what happened!

For the sake of conversation, here's a short summary:

After reaching his breaking point at a certain moment in his childhood, Luka began to escape reality through Hyuna. Everything horrifying or upsetting was part of a reality he blocked out, and that includes Hyun Woo's death.

It's also for this reason that his light is green as he walks away from Hyun Woo's body to Hyuna, his safety blanket. Seeking safety in Hyuna meant he doesn't need to face ugly reality.

This is further evidenced by the opening scene of Karma where Luka is crying as a child.

He never grew up. He never moved forward from that place under the tree because that's the point at which he started rejecting the reality he lived in and escaped through Hyuna.

Hyuna knew this, hence why she took her revenge the way she did. Through her own death, she ripped away Luka's safety blanket and forced him to face the reality he had been running away from for over two decades.

Which is, of course, Hyun Woo.

That Luka only thought about him after Hyuna's death is no coincidence.

Luka, live with love. Embrace the pain, the frailty and the moments so unbearably shameful. Forgive yourself… again and again, endlessly. Because everything… begins from there.

Hyuna's last words were about a lot of things, but it was mostly about Hyun Woo.

Only after facing the unbearably shameful and painful reality, can you hope to ever forgive yourself.

Only after you come to terms with what happened, can you move on.

Only after you're able to move on, can you truly live.

This is easier said than done and Hyuna knew that more than anyone as it's something she herself had grappled with her entire life. But that's why it's the last puzzle she left for Luka.

It's a common opinion that Luka's billboard means a bad end to his story but I personally think it's a sign of there being hope for him.

On the billboard, Luka wears 2 black rings linked with a chain. Black is, of course, the color of mourning, and mourning is an important part of processing loss.

If these two black rings really represent Hyuna and Hyun Woo like I think they do, then Luka is well on his path of solving Hyuna's final puzzle.

Bonus!

Some of the previous evidence I found of Luka reciprocating Hyun Woo's friendship:

This is implied to be Luka's pov; the camera is low because he's looking up at them as the smallest one.

This is confirmed to be Luka's drawing. He included Hyuna, Hyun Woo, and his clones in his drawing of paradise. Luka stands between them and holds both of their hands. He also drew the space beetle Hyun Woo caught.

To top it all off, recently it's been confirmed at an Animate panel!

Q: Were Hyunwoo and Luka friends?

A: Yes, the three of them along with Hyuna were always together before his death.

[Source]

[betty-fran]

#the flagrant flirting is delightful but they get up to /so/ much more gay shit than that#occasionally i see someone complain that k/s fic depicts them as unbelievably maudlin and codependent for the professionals they are#'they're caring but not clingy and needy and possessive!!! they couldn't do their jobs if they were!!'#and it's like ... um. have you seen tos though.#but even beyond them. destroy the heartwarming vs fucked up false dichotomy!!! modern fans can have it all <3 (via @anghraine)

#maybe that’s one of the reasons why I’ve latched on so hard to Spirk#they are truly the best of both worlds with loving sappy affection and completely unhinged selfish devotion to each other#also I definitely think Kirk’s enraged rant at Miranda is severely under appreciated as far as Spirk moments go#bc seriously that’s one of the most vicious speeches I think Kirk has made that I can recall#I mean he does have a tendency to snap when Spock is in danger or hurt#like when he snapped at McCoy when Spock was supposedly blinded#for all his being an emotional man Kirk is more often than not in control of those emotions#so it’s always an departure from the norm when he ISN’T in control of his emotions as usual and I think snapping at Miranda is a notable one (via @alderaan-babe)

I'll put in my two cents too maybe a little off topic but, well, I obviously didn't expect K/S to be so freak4freak in TOS when I started watching it. But TOS became an absolute revelation for me in many aspects, to put it mildly (!).

Like, K/S is absolutely freak4freak in AOS, where I came from (though it's more of a two-angry-dogs dynamic), but it's positioned more as the opposite of what happens in TOS, and at the beginning my perception of TOS Kirk was largely based on this whole existing golden retriever/model captain/good guy from a well-off family stereotype, which is obviously not the worst part of Kirk Drift, but is still a blatant misreading of him. So, this might not be the best metaphor right now (thanks Rowling, you're trying really hard to make my favorite Hogwarts metaphors a taboo subject), but it explains it pretty well as I see it - Kirk is more often perceived as a sort of Hufflepuff/Gryffindor (esp after films), even though he is a very pronounced Slytherin for Good. (as is Spock, by the way, because he and Kirk are actually much more alike than different, but overall this whole black cat/golden retriever idea is based precisely on the fact that Spock is actually read that way, while Kirk is portrayed as the cheerful opposite.) I mean, I understand where it comes from, and he does have great kindness and impressive courage, but the most important thing that drives his actions is an almost Vulcan control, ability to adapt quickly, calculating steps ahead, and easily using cunning and deception if the situation requires it. So I'm inclined to believe that this exclusively AOS concept that Kirk is more of a pirate than a proper captain is not actually something that contradicts TOS.

I generally have a pretty obvious penchant for traumatized characters, and probably the majority of my OTPs are traumatized4traumatized, something like /I've been through hell and I'm pretty beat up, you've been through hell and you're pretty beat up, but together we can try to build something that feels like peace for both of us (even if it's obviously not something traditionally normal or understandable to others)/. It's such a weird antithesis to a toxic relationship, and yet it's also not stereotypically healthy (but it clearly is for these two people). That's why K/S is such an absolutely incredible OTP for me, and so I actually still think their relationship is really healthy, just, well, for the two of them, haha. In any case, it's the kind of relationship dynamic that really gives you a lot of different sides, and you're just like, "wow, does this really exist?"

Thinking about it, I feel like fandom can handle romantic relationships that are very sweet and respectful and intimate and loving and devoted and heartwarming. And sometimes it can handle "romantic" relationships that are intense and obsessive and fucked-up and enthralled in a sort of "these people shouldn't inflict themselves on anyone else" way; the former tends to lean into a soft, psychologically healthy tenderness and the latter towards a harsh, distinctly unsentimental edge.

But quite a few of my favorite ships are, IMO, both of these at once. They're wildly sentimental and tender and sweet and devoted with each other and genuinely think the world of each other's merits and are so intensely mutually obsessed that it seems like the welfare, presence, or sometimes mere thought of their beloved utterly eclipses the opinions and existence of every other person alive. They adore each other to a degree that can be genuinely callous to others around them, they say and do fucked-up shit either for one another or out of their feelings for each other, but so tenderly that you're like "wait, did that just happen for real- !"

Anyway, this is very much how I feel about Kirk/Spock, especially in TOS. I've seen the occasional unsentimental fucked-up take on them, and I've seen lots about their relationship as a model of psychological wellness and healthy relationship goals, and I'm like... hmm, to me their dynamic is fucked-up and tenderly sentimental and endearing! It's a false dichotomy!

I mean, they seethe with jealousy at the slightest hint of not being the center of each other's lives. They run roughshod over Bones over and over, or just ignore his and everyone's presence (except each other's) on a regular basis in just about every episode, to the point that he frequently looks like he's longing for an escape route—or he actually has one and just nopes out while they're communing across the bridge or whatever the fuck. Their pining has a body count.

Spock torches his principles for Kirk on numerous occasions (e.g. urging Kirk to murder the Horta, wiping Rayna from his memory...), while Kirk is brutally cold and menacing to anyone who looks the wrong way at Spock. Spock responds to entirely valid ethical questions about jeopardizing hundreds of people's lives for a slim chance at saving Kirk with "I need not explain my rationale to you or any other member of this crew." When told in another incident that searching for Kirk with the detail he's ordered would take literal years, he replies, "Then the sooner you begin, the better." In yet another episode, Spock avoids eating or sleeping for two months in his focus on rescuing him. Meanwhile, in the same season, when Kirk thinks Miranda Jones isn't really putting maximum effort into saving Spock, he launches into this calculated but genuinely-felt screed:

What are you doing about it? … The other half [of Spock] is human. Far more human than you, apparently … If you don’t reach him soon, he’ll die. But that’s what you want, isn’t it? … You want him to die. What did you do to him on the bridge? Did you make him forget to put the visor over his eyes? … You know your rival, don’t you? You couldn’t keep him from making a mind-link with Kollos, something you couldn’t do yourself! With my words, I’ll make you hear such ugliness as Spock saw when he looked at Kollos with his naked eyes! The ugliness is within you! … Spock saw Kollos, and for that he must die … The smell of hatred, the stench of jealousy permeates you. Why don’t you strangle him while he lies there?

Miranda quite understandably says, "You're insane."

Very very famously, there's an entire episode that involves various people telling Kirk he can't immolate his career/life for Spock and him going "watch me." A season before, he throws every procedure and regulation in the book at Starfleet to delay departure long enough to save Spock's landing party when the stakes are swaths of people dying from the plague while the cure is on the Enterprise. In S3, Spock all but tells Starfleet to go fuck themselves when they command him not to rescue Kirk and he promptly defies orders and starts nerve-pinching everyone in his path.

This isn't even exhaustive, lol. They're just like that all the time.

[jayktoralldaylong]

"MelJayVik can't work because both Jayce and Viktor are too possessive to share."

And it just might be the stupidest argument I've ever heard to be honest.

But I think what pisses me off the most is that I only see this argument being used for MelJayVik, and that is so interesting considering I adore a lot of Poly ships and I have never seen such an argument before.

Interesting isn't it.

So what's the problem? Is it because Mel is a woman? (I doubt it. Alucard X Trevor X Sypha is a popular ship).

So it's because she's black isn't it? 🙂

"That's not true. We love our Queen Mel."

Ah but you've all unanimously decided that she's not Queen enough to work in even a platonic relationship with Jayce and Viktor. 😌 Don't give me that queen shit until you treat her like the queen she actually is.

I swear y'all jump through hoops to keep them apart. If it isn't pushing the agenda that Mel and Viktor hate each other (which they don't. Having a disagreement does not mean loathing. What's wrong with you? 💀 You guys did the same thing with Jayce and the bridge scene after season one), then it's pushing the agenda that Viktor and Jayce don't share.

MIND YOU, while they are both OBSESSED with each other, Jayce kept trying to pull Viktor into the world of popularity and fame. He wanted Viktor to expand and have fun. And the second Viktor realised he was being too clingy his first instinct is always to pull away and push Jayce towards others. Don't give me shit about them not sharing. Their problem isn't that they want to own each other, it's that they think the other wants nothing to do with them. Stop pushing your fantasies on Jayce and Viktor. It annoys me.

[smile-files]

i continue to find ii3 baffling. why did they make it (this isn't to hate on the season, i'm genuinely curious)

[sskk-manifesto]

Osamu Dazai and the Depressing Era

[fragmentedblade]

Also, Ruan Mei was the one who lent the Phase Flame to Ratio, wasn't she?

[thattimdrakeguy]

The Best Way To Write Jason Todd Teaming Up With The Bat-Family

It's no secret people in the fandom love the Bat-Family members being one happy family, and having it include everyone.

I still think it's stupid, though.

Hey, like what you like, folks. I can't stop you.

But you can't stop me from having my opinions either.

I simply do not see how making Jason another one of the crowd benefits his character in any sort of way. He was popular because he was so different was he not? But like many of the other Bat-Family characters, being different seemed illegal, so they had to take some of that away. He may still use guns, but they're rubber bullets. These days it seems like he's mostly just another of the crew. Which is...I'm going to be real as real can be...that sounds so boring.

And I can't actually recall a character arc, just sort of moments that dashed to the finish line of him teaming up, and not done in any way that used any real character work. Instead it used a fascinating technique, sometimes commonly referred to as lazy and sometimes downright lousy writing. That's sort of lame.

Why waste the potential?

But I think some people may misunderstand me when I talk about this subject sometime. They may think I'm too stuck, can't accept anything different. Can't accept change.

As far as I'm concerned I just don't accept bad changes, or unearned changes, or changes that I feel are a detriment to the appeal of the character.

I just don't want anything that takes away from anything that made something so good to begin with.

All those potential stories we could've had, ran away because someone was lazy and in a rush for instant gratification. Hard to be a fan of that personally.

However, I don't think Jason Todd should NEVER be able to team up with the Bat-Family. That's also limiting, and is a bit too simple.

Didn't even remember this scene in Under the Hood in the slightest, but as I continued to read, I realized that somehow, this story from 20 years ago, and this issue I don't even have a vague memory of that much, already showed how I feel it should be done.

So that's convenient I happened to be reading it today.

And it's really good story telling and character work too. That stuff is like my crack. Instead of how it would later be done, which is total ass-crack.

It represents the complicated history and dynamic between Jason Todd and Batman. They're against each other. Jason's an antagonist, not a villain, but an antagonist. Please research the difference if you don't already know it, there is a difference there. An antagonist can simply be people with different goals in conflict with the protagonist. They don't have to necessarily be bad guys or villains or evil.

Batman and the Red Hood though...they're not exactly enemies are they?

That's his son. Can't change that. I imagine somewhere in ol' stately Wayne Manor, the adoption papers are still there to prove it.

The feelings are complicated and complex, heavy and deep. It gives you so much more to work with, so much more opportunity for good stories and character moments.

Showing that, in spite of it all, there's still a level of trust in one another they can't deny because of their conflicts.

Can't get that with Joker.

Couldn't even get THIS much out of it with Huntress.

That uniqueness I care about so much with these characters is here and present. They are THEM! Not a cheap copy. Not a badly written duplicate. They're THEM, and no body else. You can only get this WITH THESE CHARACTERS.

Gives ya a reason to check out this issue in particular because of how well their complex relationship is represented! Instead of it being another generic team-up, with no creativity to be seen like later on many times.

This all sort of goes back to a post I made about excellent character writing represented in the Adam Beechen run of Robin. Where Tim and Boomerang where working together and didn't like each other.

I know most people won't go back to find that post. I wouldn't expect you too.

So I'll summarize the basic ideas as: Ya gotta earn your moments, never lie to yourself about how these characters would ever act, and always maximize potential as much as possible, never lose a drop of it.

And that's all represented exactly here too. Just with different characters, reacting the way they would, doing the things they would. It's very different from the Tim and Boomerang issue since these are very different characters, but the same basic principals within the writing remain, because that's what good stories are made of no matter what.

They are not cheaping out on us. Giving us the easy change up, where oh, sweet dear Jason learns his lessons.

Fuck no.

And ruin the ongoing story like that, when you can do so much better?

Puh-lease.

It's all about the character work, baby. Every moment, every drink, every drop, never turns to slop. It is phenomenal, it is wonderful, it feels like it is the way it's meant to be.

Oh, the things we could've had.

Good character development doesn't come at the expense of contradicting what we know, or losing out on potential.

As I've said before.

Good character development ADDS, it doesn't take away.

It's an important thing, often forgotten, like so many others things as the years pass.

[travalerray]

fanfic writing is always like:

questionable characterisation (not really familiar yet) => oh this is actually good => questionable characterisation (projecting)

[xjulixred45x]

Imagine an adult Yuu who arrived at Twisted Wonderland PREGNANT.

This could be considered part of the Yuu! Parent variables (?). Perhaps the poor woman was returning from an early ultrasound (at 2 or 3 months old) when the black carriage hit her, scaring her to death upon her appearance in TWST. She must have thought she was about to be sacrificed to a cult.

I can definitely imagine the Squad characters being much more understanding/soft of this Yuu, especially Ace and Deuce. Ace wouldn't be so malicious at the beginning of the game (I'd like to believe that not even he would be capable of laughing in the face of a pregnant woman), and instead feels obvious guilt because Crowley has entrusted her with a mediocre job.

Deuce, my sweet boy, will set off all his alarm bells. He's the most outraged that the headmaster is forcing a pregnant woman to work ALONE, and if his dorm leader hadn't been so strict in the beginning, he definitely wouldn't let Yuu sleep in a dorm that's falling apart. Has Crowley gone crazy? Does he have no shred of decency?!

Grim probably thought at first that Yuu had eaten her baby, haha, and had to receive the wonderful "birds and the bees" lecture (much to Ace's amusement at Grim's horrified reactions). Let's just say Grim now insists on standing sentry in case Yuu decides to do anything too "dangerous for the baby" (humans are fragile even with magic; he has to take care of his minion!).

Jack, bless him, also tries to help make the ramshackle dorm safer alongside Epel, whether by removing the most rotten parts of the structure, helping clean, assisting with Yuu's errands, etc. Especially when she starts showing more of her bump.

GOD, IMAGINE THE DORM LEADERS!

Riddle was probably the only one who didn't realize Yuu was pregnant until the events of the Savanaclaw episode. And when he found out he almost seriously hurt a PREGNANT WOMAN? Trey and Cater practically had to keep him from banging his head against a wall for half an hour out of embarrassment and shame. He also drafted a LONG apology for Yuu, which was delivered with a giant strawberry cake (and one of those exaggerated bows I KNOW Riddle would do).

Thanks to his mom (for once in his life), Riddle is the most knowledgeable about useful pregnancy stuff! Whenever Yuu goes to Heartslabyul, she has access to calcium- and iron-rich meals (prepared by Trey), and teas that boost her immune system and combat morning sickness. Riddle is careful not to give her things like black tea or rosemary tea, knowing they could have negative effects (if it were up to Riddle, Yuu probably wouldn't walk unaided).

Leona is much more respectful to a female Yuu, we know that, but I don't think he has the energy to be rude, or be especially , well, Leona, to a PREGNANT woman. This ends up bringing out a side of Leona no one thought existed: an almost delicate side. Sure, he's still lazy and sarcastic, but he doesn't say no to Yuu when she asks for help with something, whether it's bringing something to her dorm or dealing with a difficult situation. he dosent even COMPLAIN. what did he do to the real Leona??

We all know Crowley doesn't give Yuu and Grim enough money to live comfortably, let alone considering they could soon have a new member on ramshakle. Yuu is now surprised to find extra money in the dorm after certain visits. Not that he'll admit it, but it makes everyone feel more at ease.

Again, I want to believe Azul wouldn't be capable of leaving a pregnant woman homeless, at the very least he offered her a place to stay in Octavinelle. It turns out the twins (especially Floyd) quickly took a liking to Yuu.

A cute scenario I came up with, when Yuu already has a prominent baby bump, is that she tries to joke with the Leechs that the nickname "shrimpy" doesn't suit her anymore, and that maybe they should change it to "whaley."

AND FLOYD IS LIKE, "Why are you saying that, Koebi-chan? :( Is someone calling you that? Come on, tell me :)"

I think the Octavinelle folks genuinely don't know how human pregnancy works, so they're surprisingly gentle and caring with Yuu (even when the baby is born, I can see Monster Lounge having a kids' menu for them).

Kalim, my god, Jamil is going to have to stop him from giving Yuu a completely equipped nursery for both her and the baby. Ironically, the one who's the most normal about pregnancy (the guy has 30 younger siblings, so he KNOWS about these things) and genuinely knows some home tricks that helped his mother when she was pregnant.

offers to organize a baby shower/gender reveal party! The bad thing is that it ends up being a whole festival with all of Scarabia participating. But hey, it's the thought that counts.

There's no way Yuu, who's already 6-7 months along, will wear the school uniform simply for comfort, so if you need help finding comfortable AND cute clothes, Vil will gladly help! Obviously, he's not as strict or harsh with Yuu due to the circumstances, but he still wants the best for her. Who knows, maybe they can pick out some clothes for the baby in advance.

Idia is afraid to get close to Yuu, not only because of social anxiety, but because of the thought that he might "ruin" the baby in some way. He needs a lot of support from Ortho and Yuu to even allow himself to have normal physical contact with Yuu, and just as he does, the baby kicks. Idia's heart is gone (everyone wants to feel the kicks now, especially Ace, Floyd, and Malleus).

They probably use some STYX or Ortho equipment for some of the baby checks, and he even gives an approximate due date, which feels bittersweet. Even if everyone does their best, Yuu still hoped to have his baby at home, but he doesn't complain when the boys do all this for them. It feels like Home.

Malleus is another who doesn't fully understand human pregnancy and is incredibly intrigued. It doesn't help that Lilia's answers to his questions are even more confusing, so he ends up going straight to the source of his intrigue, Yuu. Malleus is completely mesmerized the first time he hears the baby's heartbeat, completely fascinated by what human life is like compared to fairies/dragons.

That said, he proceeds to "scold" the baby when it kicks Yuu for "hurting its mother," not quite understanding the concept, but he has the spirit. Malleus is very scared of the idea of childbirth once he's educated on it (WHERE will the baby come out? HOW!?) and will probably try to improve his healing magic SOLELY because of that.

All I can say is that if the baby is born in Twisted Wonderland, they'll have a wide array of adoptive siblings, father figures, babysitters, and weird and eccentric uncles who will take very good care of them and its mother. So you can rest easy.

__________

(ESPAÑOL)

Imagínate una Yuu adulta que llego a Twisted Wonderland estando EMBARAZADA

Esto podría considerarse parte de las variables de Yuu! Parent(?)Talvez la pobre mujer estaba regresando de un ultrasonido de los primeros meses (2 o 3 meses) cuando el carruaje negro le paso por encima, dándole un susto de muerte cuando apareció en TWST. La pobre mujer debio pensar que estaba a punto de ser sacrificada a un culto.

Definitivamente puedo ver a los personajes del Squad mucho mas suaves con esta Yuu, especialmente Ace y Deuce. Ace no sería tan malicioso al principio del juego (digo, quiero creer que incluso el no seria capaz de reírse en la cara de una mujer embarazada) y más bien siente una obvia lastima de que Crowley le haya metido en un trabajo mediocre.

Deuce, mi dulce niño, le disparan todas las alarmas. Es el más obviamente indignado de que el director haga trabajar a una mujer embarazada SOLA, y definitivamente si su líder de dormitorio no fuera tan estricto al principio, no dejaría que Yuu durmiera en un dormitorio que se cae a pedazos ¿¡que acaso Crowley perdió la cabeza, no tiene el mínimo de decencia?!

Grim probablemente al principio pensó que Yuu se había comido a su bebe lol, y le tuvieron que dar la maravillosa charla de las “aves y las abejas” (para diversión de Ace por las reacciones horrorizadas de Grim). Solo digamos que ahora Grim insiste en actuar como centinela en caso de que Yuu se le ocurra hacer algo demasiado “peligroso para él bebe” (los humanos son frágiles aun si magia ¡tiene que cuidar a su secuaz!).

Jack, bendito sea, también trata de ayudar en hacer el dormitorio destartalado mas seguro junto a Epel, ya sea quitando las partes mas podridas de la estructura, ayudando a limpiar, ayudar con los mandados de Yuu, etc. Especialmente cuando empieza a mostrar mas la panza de embarazada.

DIOS, IMAGINENSE LOS LIDERES DE DORMITORIO.

Riddle probablemente fue el único que no llego a darse cuenta que Yuu estaba embarazada hasta los eventos del capítulo de Savanaclaw ¿y cuando se enteró que casi lastimo gravemente a una MUJER EMBARAZADA? Trey y Cater tuvieron que físicamente detenerlo de que se golpeara la cabeza contra la pared por media hora por la vergüenza, también redacto un documento LARGUISIMO de disculpa a Yuu, que fue entregado con una gran tarta de fresa (y una de esas reverencias exageradas que SE que Riddle haría).

¡Gracias a su madre (por una vez en la vida), Riddle es el que sabe más de cosas útiles para el embarazo! Cada vez que Yuu va Heartslabyul, tienen acceso a comidas nutritivas en calcio y hierro (hechas por Trey), Tés beneficiosos para el sistema inmune y para combatir las náuseas matutinas, aparte de que Riddle es cuidadoso de no dar cosas como Te negro o romero, sabiendo que podrían tener malos efectos (si fuera por Riddle, Yuu probablemente no caminaría sin ayuda).

Leona es bastante más respetuoso con una Yuu mujer, eso lo sabemos, pero no creo que tenga la energía para ser grosero o especialmente, bueno, Leona, con una mujer EMBARAZADA. Esto termina sacando un lado que nadie creía que existía de Leona, un lado casi delicado. Claro, sigue siendo perezoso y sarcástico, pero no le dice que no a Yuu cuando le pide ayuda en algo, ya sea llevar algo a su dormitorio o con una situación difícil.

Todos sabemos que Crowley no da ni de lejos el dinero suficiente para que Yuu y Grim vivan bien, mucho menos pensando que PODRIAN TENER UN NUEVO INTEGRANTE PRONTO, por lo que Yuu ahora se sorprende después de ciertas visitas, aparece algo de dinero extra en el dormitorio. No es como que lo vaya a admitir, pero todos están más tranquilos de esa forma.

De nuevo, quiero creer que Azul no sería capaz de dejar sin hogar a una mujer embarazada, aunque sea le ofrecería una estancia en Octaville, ya que, además, resulta que los gemelos (especialmente Floyd) se encariñaron con Yuu muy rápido.

Un escenario lindo que se me ocurrió, ya cuando Yuu tiene una panza de embarazada prominente, es que ella trata de bromear con los Leech de que el apodo “camarón” ya no le queda bien, y que a lo mejor tendrían que cambiarlo a “ballena”

Y FLOYD ESTA COMO “¿Por qué dices eso Koebi-chan?  ¿alguien te está diciendo asi? Vaaaamos, dímelo ”

Creo que genuinamente los de Octaville no saben muy bien cómo funciona el embarazo terrestre, por lo que son sorprendentemente gentiles y cuidadosos con Yuu (incluso cuando nace el bebe, puedo ver el Monstre Louge teniendo un menú infantil para ellos).

Kalim, dios mio, Jamil tendrá que detenerlo de regalarle a Yuu absolutamente toda una guardería completamente equipada tanto para ella como para el bebe. Irónicamente el que es el mas normal al respecto del embarazo (el man tiene 30 hermanos menores, el SABE de estas cosas) y genuinamente sabe algunos trucos caseros que le sirvieron a su madre cuando ella estaba embarazada.

¡ofrece organizar un baby shower/ fiesta de revelación de genero! Lo malo es que termina siendo todo un festival en el que participa todo Scarabia. Pero hey, la intención es lo que cuenta.

No hay forma en la que estando ya en los 6-7 meses Yuu use el uniforme de la escuela por simple cuestión de comodidad, por lo que si necesitan ayuda en encontrar ropa cómoda Y bonita ¡Vil le ayudara con gusto! Obviamente no es tan estricto ni duro con Yuu debido a las circunstancias, pero sigue queriendo lo mejor para ella. Quien sabe, talvez puedan elegir algo de ropa para él bebe de adelantado.

Idia tiene miedo de acercarse a Yuu, no solo por la ansiedad social, sino por la idea de que podría “arruinar” al bebe de alguna forma. Necesita mucho apoyo de Ortho y Yuu para siquiera permitirse tener contacto físico con Yuu de forma normal, y justo cuando lo hace, el bebe patea. A Iidia se le salió el alma del cuerpo (ahora todos quieren sentir las pataditas, sobretodo Ace, Floyd y Malleus).

Probablemente usan algo de equipo de STYX o Ortho para algunos controles del bebe, incluso el da una fecha aproximada de nacimiento, lo cual da una sensación agridulce. Aun si todos hacen su mejor esfuerzo, Yuu esperaba poder tener a su bebe en casa, pero no se queja cuando los chicos hacen todo esto por ellos.

Malleus es otro que no entiende el embarazo humano completamente y esta increíblemente intrigado, no ayuda que as respuestas de Lilia a sus preguntas son aún más confusas, por lo que termina lleno a la fuente de su intriga, Yuu. Malleus se queda completamente hipnotizado la primera vez que escucha los latidos del bebe, totalmente fascinado por cómo es la vida humana en comparación a las hadas/dragones.

Eso sí, procede a “reprender” al bebe cuando patea a Yuu por “lastimar a su madre”, no entendiendo bien el concepto, pero tiene el espíritu. A Malleus le asusta mucho la idea del parto una vez que se educa al respecto (¿Qué el bebe saldrá DE DONDE? ¡¿COMO!?) y probablemente trate de mejorar en magia curativa UNICAMENTE por eso.

Solo puedo decir que si el bebe nace en Twisted Wonderland, tendrá un vasto abanico de hermanos adoptivos, figuras paternas, niñeros, tíos raros y extravagantes que lo cuidaran muy bien a él y su madre. Así que pueden estar tranquilos.

Shares, reblogs and comments are very welcome!

[chiya-eltanin]

hm. dont usually put my own two cents for theories but somethings been kind of annoying me recently so yeah. ralsei thoughts.

i really dont like the idea that ralsei is a specific object. especially not with newer stuff from chapters 3 and 4.

For starters, most people that try to figure out what ralsei is in the real world are basing it off of this appearance

however, I feel like there's plenty of evidence to point to this not being his real form, right? People have already pointed out that his original shadowed form isn't fully consistent. It's possibly the most obvious when you compare his singing animations in both forms. His hat form makes what was later 'revealed' to be his ears look more like hair?,

Ears don't really split the same way that hair does, and theres other examples of hatsei having this kind of spikyness to his 'ears' that hatless ralsei doesnt have.

even the fangamer plush makes his ears spiky!!

its a pretty major part of how hatsei looks, and its certainly been talked about before. And then comes chapter 3+4. And we have plenty of evidence that ralsei is a shapeshifter, and I have seen literally nobody talk about it????? huh?????

Oh, and the hat casting a shadow on him makes no fucking sense because he goes onto wear SEVERAL hats in chapter 3 and he's normal????

also I know its like. A funny bit, but HE TURNS INTO A HORSE

WHY THE FUCK WOULD KRIS'S HEADBAND TURN INTO A HORSE???? WHY WOULD A GREEN CRAYON TURN INTO A HORSE???? WHY CAN HE DO THIS????? THIS ISNT A COSTUME THATS NOT HOW THEY WORK????? WHERE WOULD HIS BODY GO.

not to mention that changing shapes was literally his ability in the legend of tenna game???? he plays it off like 'oh every character has abilities i can turn into a box' but he can also turn into a dog? since ralsei was the only one who read the manual it very well could be an ability given to him since the real Ralsei is also a shapeshifter.

It would also explain why ralsei draws himself in his hat form

thats closer to what his natural form is. Dont have any screenshots on hand right now, but he's got two lines in chapter four (if you leave him lying on the ground for too long, and right before they find the first fountain) about how much longer he can 'keep this body for' that make it very obvious that he's only using a form that looks cuter to appeal to us. Him being a shapeshifter would also explain things like

His face being a deliberately made abstraction would also make this interaction make a lot more sense. Pre chapter three, I assumed Ralsei based his face on Asriel to either try appealing to Kris or as fanservice for the player/red soul, however, now that we've slowly started learning more about Ralsei, it's beginning to seem more like Ralsei just wants to have a face and more distinct appearance, like the lightners do. However, because of how dark worlds work, he can only base it off of what already exists, with that already existing 'model' being Asriel, although with modifications to make himself cuter— pink horns and eyes, and his usual glasses. It's why Kris is always quick to point out differences between them, and why Ralsei is embarrassed at being told that they look similar, he didn't have a choice other than be based off something that already exists.

Alright, so Ralsei is a shapeshifter. He still has to have some equivalent in the Light World though, since that's how Dark Worlds work. He was literally about to tell Susie what he was before getting interrupted, and Toby Fox is deliberately dancing around the topic.

However, I think the answer is actually pretty obvious. Ralsei is a being of 'pure darkness', which is why he can exist in any Dark World, unlike Lancer and Rouxls, who need to be objects that 'belong' in their respective worlds. His form is made up by the original dark fountain, and he describes himself as a 'Prince of the Dark'. Characters in the Dark World know about what happens to and around their real world equivalents, but Ralsei in particular seems to be especially aware of all of Susie and Kris's actions and movements. He doesn't need to be brought in by Kris like Lancer and Rouxls do, and he always appears in the Dark World a few moments after Susie and Kris do, while somehow almost always having pretty intimate knowledge of how the world came to be. Ralsei is also the most adamant on being depended on by Lightners, even more than people like Tenna. He talks about how a Darkners role is to be used by Lightners and to make them happy, and his character development in Chapter 3 especially goes into how he wants to be needed and how he's afraid he's slowly developing his own personality, and why he believes darkners shouldn't do that.

So, taking all of that into account, I feel like the most obvious answer for what Ralsei is is a shadow.

He's a literal prince of the dark. It explains why he can shapeshift, since shadows can be made to look like anything— I'm specifically thinking of things like shadow puppets, and why when he gets knocked out he seems to literally disappear, returning to the shadows. A shadow is also the most dependant on light, shadows literally cannot exist without light, or they'll just be darkness. It even explains his empty room.

His insistence that his only role is to help the Lightners, the way that people can never find anything notable about him (asking swatch for specials his suggestion for Ralsei is based purely on how he dresses and Queen literally forgets to get him a cage), and his ability to be in any dark world (since there's literally nowhere without shadows) all seem to point towards Ralsei being a shadow.

Ralsei being a shadow also means he's literally with you in the dark, could probably straight up not exist if the world was plunged into darkness, and also makes him a weaker version of a titan (explaining the 'prince' title. not quite king, but noble nontheless).

[wordstome]

how c.ai works and why it's unethical

Okay, since the AI discourse is happening again, I want to make this very clear, because a few weeks ago I had to explain to a (well meaning) person in the community how AI works. I'm going to be addressing people who are maybe younger or aren't familiar with the latest type of "AI", not people who purposely devalue the work of creatives and/or are shills.

The name "Artificial Intelligence" is a bit misleading when it comes to things like AI chatbots. When you think of AI, you think of a robot, and you might think that by making a chatbot you're simply programming a robot to talk about something you want them to talk about, and it's similar to an rp partner. But with current technology, that's not how AI works. For a breakdown on how AI is programmed, CGP grey made a great video about this several years ago (he updated the title and thumbnail recently)

I HIGHLY HIGHLY recommend you watch this because CGP Grey is good at explaining, but the tl;dr for this post is this: bots are made with a metric shit-ton of data. In C.AI's case, the data is writing. Stolen writing, usually scraped fanfiction.

How do we know chatbots are stealing from fanfiction writers? It knows what omegaverse is [SOURCE] (it's a Wired article, put it in incognito mode if it won't let you read it), and when a Reddit user asked a chatbot to write a story about "Steve", it automatically wrote about characters named "Bucky" and "Tony" [SOURCE].

I also said this in the tags of a previous reblog, but when you're talking to C.AI bots, it's also taking your writing and using it in its algorithm: which seems fine until you realize 1. They're using your work uncredited 2. It's not staying private, they're using your work to make their service better, a service they're trying to make money off of.

"But Bucca," you might say. "Human writers work like that too. We read books and other fanfictions and that's how we come up with material for roleplay or fanfiction."

Well, what's the difference between plagiarism and original writing? The answer is that plagiarism is taking what someone else has made and simply editing it or mixing it up to look original. You didn't do any thinking yourself. C.AI doesn't "think" because it's not a brain, it takes all the fanfiction it was taught on, mixes it up with whatever topic you've given it, and generates a response like in old-timey mysteries where somebody cuts a bunch of letters out of magazines and pastes them together to write a letter.

(And might I remind you, people can't monetize their fanfiction the way C.AI is trying to monetize itself. Authors are very lax about fanfiction nowadays: we've come a long way since the Anne Rice days of terror. But this issue is cropping back up again with BookTok complaining that they can't pay someone else for bound copies of fanfiction. Don't do that either.)

Bottom line, here are the problems with using things like C.AI:

It is using material it doesn't have permission to use and doesn't credit anybody. Not only is it ethically wrong, but AI is already beginning to contend with copyright issues.

C.AI sucks at its job anyway. It's not good at basic story structure like building tension, and can't even remember things you've told it. I've also seen many instances of bots saying triggering or disgusting things that deeply upset the user. You don't get that with properly trigger tagged fanworks.

Your work and your time put into the app can be taken away from you at any moment and used to make money for someone else. I can't tell you how many times I've seen people who use AI panic about accidentally deleting a bot that they spent hours conversing with. Your time and effort is so much more stable and well-preserved if you wrote a fanfiction or roleplayed with someone and saved the chatlogs. The company that owns and runs C.AI can not only use whatever you've written as they see fit, they can take your shit away on a whim, either on purpose or by accident due to the nature of the Internet.

DON'T USE C.AI, OR AT THE VERY BARE MINIMUM DO NOT DO THE AI'S WORK FOR IT BY STEALING OTHER PEOPLES' WORK TO PUT INTO IT. Writing fanfiction is a communal labor of love. We share it with each other for free for the love of the original work and ideas we share. Not only can AI not replicate this, but it shouldn't.

(also, this goes without saying, but this entire post also applies to ai art)