#choices may challange

[carlyraejepsans]

with toriel and asgore it's like. they're both flawed and their flaws parallel one another, but they're not EQUALLY flawed... like..... come on......

[themainspoon]

While I agree that Spongebob is a show that begs for Marxist analysis, we need to get two things clear:

1. Mr Crabs is a member of the petit bourgeois, and he as a character should only be analysed with reguards to this position. Mr Crabs is not simply a stand in for the bourgeois as a whole. While he does exploit the proletariat (in the form of Spongebob, Squidward, and possibly the individual who was mistaken as the Hash Slingling Slasher [however this is uncertain, we know he was applying for a job, but it is uncertain whether or not he got it as he isn't seen again, however he may work the night shift]), he himself does not appear to be overly wealthy, we even see him refused care at a hospital for lacking insurance. He represents the specific anxieties and obsessions of his class, from his intense frugality and the sentiment value he attaches to money (he even has his first dollar framed and on display), to the specific way he relates to and interacts with the other characters in the series, and even how protective he is of his secret formula due to his fear of losing his status through the faliure of his buisness (likely also commentary on how competiton in the "free market" actually prevents innovation through disinsentivising the sharing of information for the sake of maintaining a competitive edge).

2. Any good analysis must meaningfully account for Spongebob and his literary foil, Squidward. Specifically, what must be accounted for is the way that Spongebob subverts our expectations of how a show so obsessed with class relations would depict a proletarian working in his position. Despite being a proletarian in a capitalist system, Spongebob does not at all seem to be affected by the way capitalism alienates him from his labour. He is exploited, the value of his labour stolen by Mr Crabs, and yet he is joyous and seems to truly enjoy his life. A meaningful analysis of Spongebob and Squidward as characters may require cross-diciplinary analysis. Perhaps Squidward as a figure may represent both Maxist thinker Gramsci's theory of Hegemony, specifically in relation to Social Theorist Pierre Bourdieu's concept of "cultrual capital". Or perhaps we must look in another direction; at least one scholar and cultural critic has already claimed that through a Nietzschian lens, Squidward and Spongebob can be seen to represent Master-Slave morality and an Übermensch figure respectively. There is even an opportunity for the inclusion of some Anarchist ideas through this analysis of Spongebob, especially through how figures like Bookchin used Nietzschian ideas. We could see Spongebob as an example of what happens when workers heed Bookchin's call to view their reconstruction of society as a Nietzschian project. Perhaps Spongebob is able to find joy despite his position as a member of the proletariat by viewing himself as a self-actualising individual, as opposed to viewing himself as a purely classed being like Squidward. Perhaps Spongebob has already undergone a transvaluation of values in how he views and performs labour, while Squidward has not. I leave the previous points vague for the sake of anybody who wishes to analyse using these lenses with greater depth and clarity, I am sharing ideas, not myself doing the deep analysis. However, even if one does not choose to utilise any of these lenses, understanding Spongebob and his joy is a significant analytical challange, and not one to be taken lightly. Spongebob and his literary foil Squidward require that one go beyond orthodox analysis and possibly even incorporate other ideas from those with differing analytical lenses and from different diciplines. Spongebob's disposition is not a mistake or a strange quirk, he and how he challanges our expectations of how workers feel and behave within capitalism are the result of an extremely deliberate choice on the part of the shows creators, and the subject must be approached accordingly.

If your analysis does not account for these factors, it sucks and I hate you. Everything you just read was a complete asspull.

Goodbye.

[thevampirearchive]

I blog for the black girls who want to learn multiple languages, but after a consistant 15 days or so of portoguese, we just fall off and somehow still wonder why we arent fluent in Mandarin, Zulu, Spanish, Japanese, Portogese, Lingala, Greek or Twi.

I blog for the black girls who use sims as a form of therapy, whether it is building for therapeutic properties, making our sims live perfect lives as chef-interiordesigner-leader of the free world-scientic-doctor influencer or simply placing characters in the pool with no ladder. I blog for the black girls who

I blog for the black girls who were super into anime, and forwhatever reason (shame, bullying, internalized misoganoir, lonliness or life being too stressfull) stopped wacthing it, but as life calmed down and we started to find ourselves again, we started to return back to shows and movies we've missed or never finished. Shoutout to Megan!

I blog for the black girls who are on one hand super artistic, expressive and multifacited - and somehow still find ourselves overwhelmed, stressed and feeling uncapable when starting new projects, wanting to finish projects or simply existing in a world where our 101% may still not cut it. I am always rooting for us, at our best, mediocer or even worst! Because we too deserve to be humanized, not just celebrated when we've reached hights so great nobody can ignore us (even though some try to)

I blog for the black girls who love Lana Del Rey

I blog for the black girls who are super into hermatic teaching, esoteric's, spirituality and such, and sometimes don't have community to truly talk about these things outside of maybe a few selct spaces.

I blog for the black girls who watch horror movies alone, still love watching Scooby Doo and will also watch Baddies West or Married to Medicin when the urge kicks in.

I blog for the black girls who still are on Tumblr, tweet and enjoy our own company alone in our rooms. We aren't actual loners, just realized this is a better way for us then others. We have friends, few, and are learning to come to terms with the fact that quality is better then quantity, even if that means being alone for a season or two till we find our people (online or offline)

I blog for the black girls who are trying to heal from their motherwounds, relations with black woman and their own black feminity because the world tried so hard to teach us to hate it and eachother.

I blog for the black girls who don't feel like we were understood, always surrounded by people who were like us but didnt look like us (which came with it's own set of challanges and psycological damage). But as time goes by, we learn that there are more of us.

I blog for the black girls who were told they were weird, agressive, not ptetty enough, while also being sexualized, hypermasculanized and tone-policed. Our versitility confused people, and it is first now as adult we realize that isn't our problem lol. Keep up or piss off.

I blog for the black girls who make powerpoint slides for nobody, lol, just organizing life, putting together visual moodboards of dreams, goals and ideas.

I blog for the black girls who wish to become so many things yet are paralized by choice. Even with 10 degrees, we know itll still be an uphill battle to get to where we wanna be, even if we do deserve it and are the best for said roles. So pls, get that PHD, MD, and whatever else your heart desires, the world will hate it and push regardless, might as well be happy.

I blog for the black girls who don't think therapy would work for us, because as much as it has evolved throughout time, we do not truly belive that our complex identities and who we are as individuals can be understood by others but ourseves (especially if we have had astranged fathers, grew up in PWI, dark skinned, eldest daughter or only daughter)

I blog for the black girls who were overachivers, super smart, creative and articulate!

I blog for the black girls who are Twilight stans, #TeamEdward

I blog for the black girls who loved supernatural shows, medieval shows and movies! Even when there were little to no black representation!

I blog for the black girls who makes everybody black in our minds when reaidng, because why not (unless specifically said to be POC, they black lol)

I blog for the black girls who are shy, but are lowkey ambiverts but have realized being their versitiled full ranged-of-emotions-having (aka human) means they'll be expected to always perform, be happy and there will be no room for the "I am just existing, not mad, not upset, this is just my face when I am chilling". So to avoid having to explain that we too are human, we just say little and keep it pushing. Sigh I see us!

I blog for the black girls who have absent fathers but it's okay because those fathers lowkey suck so it's probably for the best.

I blog for the black girls who are aspiring authors!

I blog for the black girls who talk to themselves, outloud, laugh and dance alone in their bedroom - YES, GIVE THAT CROWED THE BEST CONCERT EXPERIENCE!

I blog for the black girls who's first anime was DBZ so now we have infinite patience for most plots (probably not One Piece tho lol)

I blog for the black girls who cannot go to sleep without a full cup of water knowing theyll need to pee in the middle of the night!

I blog for the black girls who have anemia. pls take your time queen, don't rush that getting up!

I blog for the black girls who love studio ghibli! And have been in love with Howl since a very very very very very young age. Wow, can't believ we are sister-wives. Love yall.

LOVE A BLACK WOMAN FROM INFINITY TO INFINITY

[princessofmerchants]

HOFAS and why it's hard to rate

Spoilers for HOFAS and all three SJM series below!

@lucienarcheron asked me how I rate HOFAS (like how many stars out of 5).

I don't track and rate books I read because I've literally lived in the SJM trash can for years. Just rereading her stuff because it's comforting bibliotherapy for me. I don't read enough other stuff to get into the practice of rating and reviews.

But, my take on HOFAS is complicated because this book, and it's extra material (that I've read so far) are making me SO HAPPY because, for a person with a deep abiding love of the ACOTAR series, its characters and setting and mythos, HOFAS and the bonus chaps are an embarrassment of riches for us for a book not even in that series.

But the actual self contained HOFAS story, it's internal logic, the beats of its larger single book story arc? Not every decision SJM made landed with me (Sigrid??! come on now). And a lot of the magical logic in the final conflict I found to be held together with vibes more than anything (but then, I felt that way with the 3 book magical plot arc of ACOTAR / ACOMAF / ACOWAR too; ACOSF, with the mental/emotional challanges posed by the Trove, leveled up in regards to this complaint for me a bit).

So I'm not sure how to rate HOFAS!

As an expansion of the multiverse? 10/5 - I'm obsessed.

When considering all of the threads of the stories in THIS universe (Midgard)? Maybe 3.5/5 for me (though that may go up when I reread it - a first read has my own hopes and expectations coloring the choices she made - later reads tend to be more open to story directions I wasn't looking for on the first read).

But that embarrassment of riches? About the multi-verse?

I'm floored (and damned grateful) for the way she fed us ACOTAR stans with this CC release even while keeping it very much a CC book.

(And I can only imagine the feral happiness the ToG stans must also be feeling...)

[kingmagnificoofrosas]

H-hey king Magnifico Could you please bless me? Today is the day I graduate.👉👈✨

Come to me dear! No need to be shy. Come! I'd be honored to do you that favor!

Graduation you say? What an exciting event! I'm sure you'll do great!

*places both hands on your shoulders* You've come quite a long way. You've filled your soul with wisdom and you did your best. Sucess doesn't always come easy but if you keep having hope and faith, everything is possible! There's a bright future ahead for you, things to achieve, dreams to make come true! I hope your dreams do come true! This graduation is only one milestone on the journey of your life and you can be very proud of yourself! *smiles*

Now, to your blessing - May the great father bless you and keep you safe. May his almighty hand rest upon you and may he fill your soul with peace, joy and contentment! May he enable you to use your gifts and talents to the fullest and give you wisdom to make wise choices. May he show you how to use your gained knowledge in the best ways possible. May his light always light your paths and may you always find a way back to it, never lose hope and find strengh when faced with challanges and difficulties. May you grow further in wisdom and may you face the future with an open heart, brave confidence and determination. May you be blessed now, tomorrow and for all days to come. Amen!

There! Now show me your winner smile! Yes! Wonderful! That's a champion! *pats your back* Have lots of fun and let your family and friends celebrate you!

Myrah and I will give a toast to you tonight! 🥂

|| @puiwp || I send you my blessings as well dear! Have a wonderful day. I wish you all the best for your future! ||

[zwolfgames]

Hi, I humbly request. MHA a oneshot.

Bakugo gets his first job working at Mcdonalds, he has the shittest attitude but doesn't get fired cause of his romantic relationship with his manager who has a huge degradation fetish. Pure chaos co workers love him because when there is a difficult customer they call him. He has been guilty of beating people up in the parking lot and pissing in their coke.

(I seriously doubt this was a 100 procent serious request and I could not write this in a serious way for the life of me but I found this too good of a challange not to do. Also sorry for it being late, I saw this request and had to rethink my life's choices up till now <3)

Requested: latee20s

Warnings; Cursing, bakugo

(3rd person POV)

Finally.

He finally did it, Katsuki Bakugo has gotten himself a job even with his shitty attitude!...

Mostly because he made out with the manager... But hey, a job is a job!

And that manager was in the bag! It was insanely easy, as the loser loved degrading...

And Katsuki was a master at that!So here he stands, at the cash register. Stopping his eye from twitching as some fuckwad before him can't make up their mind.

"Can i have a... uh... a coke? No... a fanta. No nevermind that, id rather have a Sprite. No no wait-" The customer has her eyes narrowed at the menu above.

"Can you make up your mind already?" Katsuki growl out, clenching the screen of the register too hard, making a small crack appear in the screen.

"Excuse me?" The woman gasps in offense.

"You're excused. Next!" He huffs and shoves the woman asside to serve the next customer.

A little giggle is heard from in the kitchen by two of his coworkers, after seeing Bakugo handle things harshly again. But they honestly couldn't care. It wasn't their job to regulate him. The manager didn't even do that.

The day goes on way too slowly, Bakugo may hate his life right now, but it gets even worse when his coworker comes ask him to handle a customer again.

Ah, drunk man again.

Lovely.

"Hey- no i don't want to speak to this twat! Het lady! Come back, we weren't done- don't ignore me you slut!" The drunken creep calls to Bakugo's coworker thar just sped away from there.

"You are to be removed, asshole." Bakugo snarls in annoynace and starts to lead the weirdo outside.

He doesnt get far trough the parking before the drunken loser wants to catch hands."I'll show you what a silver fox like me can-"

The man didn't get to finish his cringey threath as Bakugo had kicked him into his unfertile nuts.

The man sinks to the floor with a weeze and gets kicked over again.

Bakugo spits on him, sticks his middle finger up and power walks back inside like the badass he thinks he is.

Now there's only... 5 hours left of his shift. Amazing...

Bakugo takes a kitchen shift now but it doesn't last long as the manager angrilly storms up to him.

"Katsuki, we've gotten another complaint about you beating up a customer! To my office, right now." The manager huffs. Bakugo scoffs and follows along. When the door closes behind the two the manager gets more timid.

"A-After so many complaints.. i think its better if we let you go." The man says bravely. Bakugo isn't taking this shit and pins him to the desk.

"You'd like to fire me, huh? Pathetic excuse of a man. Why don't you go cower in the corner a bit more like the crybaby you are. Its not as if you can fire me, you wouldn't want to miss this, right?" Bakugo raised a brow before roughly making out with his manager.

Leaving the man on his desk as a flustered mess.

"R-Right... you can keep... working..." The man giggles like a drunken school girl and Bakugo huffs. Stuffing his hands back in his pockets.

Tough when he comes back out of the office, he's met with a wall of foam.

"What. The. Fuck?!" Katsuki yells angrily.

One of his coworkers responds from somewhere in the foam."

A kid spread soap everywhere and pulled down the fire alarm..."

"You've got to be kidding me..." Bakugo regrets all his life's descicions and starts wacking at the foam to get atleast somewhere.

He makes a tunnel to the exit and his coworkers do the same.Just as they all think they're fine. One of the people thats usually in the kitchen gasps and yells that he left the fire on.

Some other worker pales and says she left the gas on.

Moments later, the McDonalds explodes.

Bakugo lets a single tear fall as his manager hadb't gotten out yet, so the single tear represents his new relation status.

That was the end of Bakugo's first- and most likely last job at a fast food place.

No more pissing in rude people's drinks.

No more adding crack to milkshakes.

No more beating up weirdos.

And worst of all, no more degration kink manager.

Maybe he schould get back into the hero buisiness.

[purple-link]

Alisaie and Purple Link

FFXIV Write 2024 Story Entry

Spoiler: Story takes place after WoL reaches Garlemald in Endwalker, but but before the Tower of Babil dungeon. Story will be largely sfw, but will adhere to FFXIV's level of mature storytelling.

Chapter 27: Memory

Back in the days of the warring states, the Lupin who had traveled from the west had settled for a while in Othard. By the time their participation had run its course, they had lost a lot of their population, the wolves pushed to the brink of their lives.

One wolf, in particular, simply named Garo, had been running himself ragged, trying to collect as many people as he could, trying to build a foundation. Every conflict he had been in had pretty much reduced his numbers.

With the Rijin Clan taking most of Othard, everyone had basically started to pal around with Ganen, and it was amazing to him how such a ruthless campaigner could be uniting so many people under his flag.

Well, not if Garo had anything to say about it.

That day, however, it was hard to prove. He wasn’t having a very good day. He was trying to get his people around a cavern, to try to cut off one the enemy's armies from their camp. He’d forgotten which one.

One small problem: he was very bad with directions. He was one of the strongest Lupin his race had ever known, and he won every challange to be alpha of his soldiers, but give him a map without help, and he may as well have led his whole race into the ocean.

He wasn’t very proud of this. Today was another one of those days. One part of his army was holding defenses against enemy lines, the other part was seeking to break though them.

Another one of his bright ideas led a squadron his army into a cavern with no end in sight, and his soldiers were starting to get on his wick.

“Boss Garo, this is madness!” said one of the Lupin, “We’ve been here for hours, there is no way out of this mountain.”

Garo turned sharply and growled at his soldiers, silencing them all. While he was much bigger than they were, it only about a difference of a foot. It was still enough to make them step back by the sheer surprise of it.

“I am not going to let a mountain defeat me!” said Garo, “We have sacrificed too much, and gave too many lives just for the last of us to suddenly die in a mountain somewhere! I will not let that happen!”

“Pardon my saying, sir,” said another Lupin, “but as lost as we are, we currently don’t have much of a choice.”

“It’s this ruddy nose of mine,” said Garo, “I should have known better than to fight while sick with a cold.”

He leant back against the wall. He felt his pack for something he could light. Maybe if he didn’t feel like he was freezing.

“I think we should make camp for the night,” said Garo, “We’ll pick this up again in the morning.”

But his argument wasn’t convincing. Even sick with a cold, they believed he could power his way through anything, but getting lost was a whole other matter.

Conversations of dissent were already spreading through the squadron.

“I don’t think Garo’s got the barrier he thinks he has, to defend our people,” said a campfire, off to his left, “If he can’t get this route performed, we may be signing our death warrants.”

“Oh, gods, that’s all I need,” said Garo, to his favorite lieutenant, Yuki, a female, “I have spent a lifetime gathering all my Lupin, and getting them united against our enemies, and now that we have a solid chance, I go and catch a ruddy cold.

"Thal’s balls, of all the rotten luck.”

“If they challenge you, it’s all over,” said Yuki, “You sure you can take the pressure?”

“Of course I can!” said Garo, arguing, “It’s my race or my life! There’s no way in the seven hells that…”

He stopped midway through. He sneezed terribly. Yuki sighed impatiently, and whipped out another handkerchief. He took it appreciatively.

“Thanks for that,” said Garo, “Now, if I had my nose, I’d probably be able to get us out of here like a shot.”

“Yes, curious how inconvient that is,” said Yuki, “And yet, my nose is working just fine, and I still can’t sniff the outside. I think we’re well and truly lost, my friend.”

“Yuki,” said Garo, blowing his nose noisily, “You are, once again, a fount of optimism.”

He put his paw on his forehead, feeling it throb. He was getting sicker.

“Screw it,” said Garo, “We sleep here tonight, ladies and gentlemen. Grab a partner, share the body heat. I want two watches at both ends, at all times.”

But he couldn’t sleep. Part of it was because he was stuffed to all hells, but it was also because this wasn’t the first time his alpha male status was challenged.

If he couldn’t survive now, a new Lupin was going to take charge, and he’d already sacrificed a ton of his time to make sure they were not only defendable but sustainable. Most of southern Yanxia was all theirs.

Meanwhile, the Rijin clan, thinking them hoity-toity, all lived up on the cliffs, their opulent community allowed them to look down at beastmen and try to put them in their place.

He hated that feeling. Not that he couldn’t deal with a beneficial agreement between clans, but no one had offered one to him yet. Every person he’d fought was basically the first time he’d fought them.

He was tired of the fighting, tired of wondering if his race was going to extinguish, like a flame upon a candle. The very thought made his legs restless.

Trying not to wake Yuki, lying next to him, he silently stepped out.

Bugger, he thought, the watch. How can a leader of wild Lupin get a silent and brooding walk to himself if he couldn’t sneak past his own people? He was just going to have to busk it.

“I am going to look around for a spring, or a well,” said Garo, whispering to his watch, “I will not go far.”

“Keep yourself safe,” said one of his watchmen, “I’d recommend taking someone with you.”

“No, I am not going that far,” said Garo, hoping that was true, “Keep an eye on the party. If anything should happen to me, help them get out of this blasted mountain.”

“Thy will be done,” said the watchman, saluting. Garo groaned.

“Oh, stop talking fancy,” said Garo, “We’re not hyur or Roegadyn, and we don’t need to illuminate our speech. We’re just creatures.”

“Sorry, sir, but I don’t believe that,” said the watchman, “The day I believe us lesser than the other races is the day that I get a spear from your own blade.”

Garo smirked agreeably.

“That’s a good way to see it,” said Garo, “Normally, I’d have you spitting my authority around the camp to fire up the lads. I know that all the respect I’ve earned is not going to be in vain.”

He put a paw up to his head. He felt like he was getting worse.

“But please, just give me a minute,” said Garo, exhaustedly, “I’m more than happy to spread my doctrine, right now, I just wanna be me and be sick.”

“Suit yourself sir,” said the watchman, “Again, be careful. I know you’re one of the strongest Lupin in the army, but even you have your weaknesses.”

“That’s smart of you to mention,” said Garo, “Give me a salute, and maybe I’ll feel better.”

He did. And he did not.

“At ease, soldier,” said Garo, waving goodbye as he moved, “I will be back before the dawn.”

Yet another smart move, idiot, he thought to himself, You just left your squadron alone in a labyrinth they’re hopelessly lost in, and it was your idea. Now you’re all by yourself.

He tried listening for running water, but he was picking up nothing. He could smell nothing but ash and dust. And that was when he could breathe.

Eventually, he ran into a cavern, and here, he could feel, much less see the water. He trundled along, looking for a pool deep enough he could just plunge his head in.

Unfortunately, that was when the fever hit. He fell like a bag of bricks down one side of the wall. It was hanging over another level of the cave.

The Lupin felt his body slide down the wall, going unconscious right when he landed in the arms of someone else…

…

The Lupin stared up into the ceiling. He was feeling a bit better, but he wasn’t sure why. His head still throbbed.

Maybe it had been a couple of hours. Maybe it had been a couple of days. He was hoping that there was enough rations for his men to get out of the cave. Without his nose, he was doing bugger-all to help.

“Pray, do not move or speak,” said an unfamiliar voice outside of his range, “You will only make yourself worse.”

The figure stepped above him, his blade fastened to his belt.

It was a hyur, he noticed, and one he recognized very well. His blood would boil, if the rest of him wasn’t boiling along with it. He coughed and coughed again.

The hyur had his hair pulled back. The young man had a wispy little mustache to accompany his wispy little beard. He seemed a little anxious, and mollycoddled over the Lupin as he got sicker.

You wouldn’t have guessed at first glance that this man was a vicious warlord who ruled in Othard over all the races who swore loyalty to him.

“Ganen,” said Garo, his voice creaky, “Ganen Rijin.”

“I have half a mind to call you a simpleton” said Ganen, the Lupin too sick to react to this, “I know you’re this aggressive Lupin leader, but you’d think you’d be able to notice when a cold was coming during an assault.”

“There is no other way,” said Garo, “Enemy forces are assembling at my border, along with yours. This was the only way that I could cut them off.”

He then coughed again, realizing that Ganen was hovering over the Lupin with a wet cloth.

“What are you doing here?” said Garo, “I thought men like you slept in tents, with riches and swords surrounding your bed, and nothing but bodyguards to protect you.”

“First of all, that’s other leaders, not me,” said Ganen, "and secondly…"

He faltered slightly, starting to become defensive.

“I dont’t want to talk about it.”

The Lupin looked at Ganen putting the cloth on the Lupin’s forehead. He smiled and started to laugh.

“H-Hey, don’t laugh!” said Ganen, “It’s not the coldest water.”

“You’re lost too, huh, little boy?” said Garo. Ganen blushed deeply.

“That’s not…” said Ganen, “I’m exploring the caves, alright? I haven't been down the stratum.”

“That sounds like a lie,” said Garo, “I appreciate the kind gestures, but if you weren’t ready to slash a throat-”

“Are you kidding?!” said Ganen, the warlord, who looked grossly offended, “I don’t want to kill anybody!”

“How foolish of you, then,” said Garo, “Killing is an inevitable part of war–”

“No, you don’t understand,��� said Ganen, “It’s not just a matter of principle.”

Garo looked at the young hyur curiously, and then he shook his head.

“Fine,” said Garo, “Tell me, what do you think is the most important part of war?”

He coughed.

“I am sick, I am weak. Take my life,” said Garo, “I am at your mercy. You kill me, you have my army. You could get rid of years of conflict–”

“What a waste,” said Ganen, sadly. Garo’s ears perked up.

“What’s that?” said Garo, suddenly feeling irritated, “If you’re not going to kill me, then you’re a lousy warrior.”

Ganen stood up and sighed.

“I don’t want to kill you, period,” said Ganen, “I want to see you live.”

"That’s kind of you,” said Garo, feeling himself shiver, cautiously taking the canteen of water from Ganen’s hands to drink, “But you do realize that, even without a weapon, I could kill you with one swipe of my claws.”

“First of all, good luck, I’ve got great reflexes,” said Ganen, “Secondly, I don’t care whether you kill me or not. I’m not going to let another soul suffer.”

Garo was too tired and too sick for these games. It was his decisions that got him into this mess, and he didn’t need to complicate it by playing political sport.

“Fine, you win,” said Garo, “Heal me. I don’t care anymore. I am a bit curious why a savage warlord is working to cure one of his most bitter enemies.”

Ganen sat next to the wolf. He was waiting for a moment to change his forehead cloth. His eyes moved from side-to-side, visibly trying to make a decision, before he finally made one.

“...I am a bit lost,” said Ganen, “These walls all look similar after a while.”

Garo chuckled, even if it made his body hurt. Ganen shook his head.

“What’s the matter?” asked Garo.

“Such self-deprecation. You can't be serious,” said Ganen. Garo frowned at this.

“Impudent fool,” said Garo, “Just because I’m sick doesn’t mean I’m stupid. I know what position I’m in right now, I’m not about to lie to myself. But don’t think for a minute this diminishes my stature.

“The minute I am well enough to walk on my own,” said Garo, “I will cut through you.”

“Can you really do that?” asked Ganen. Garo rolled his eyes.

“Do what?” said Garo.

“It’s just,” said Ganen, “It’s stuff like that. Your claws, your tail.”

“...Yeah?” said Garo, getting more impatient.

“I quite admire them,” said Ganen. Garo blushed a little too deeply. He turned his head away.

“You’re just a boy,” said Garo, “You’d think carriages with doors are admirable.”

“And they are,” said Ganen, “The really ornate ones are the ones you could tell they spent a lot of time and equations on getting just right. I only have a bland, simple one.”

“Not that you need much, do you, warmonger?” said Garo. Ganen frowned.

“Why do you keep calling me that?” said Ganen.

“Your people,” said Garo, leaning on his elbows, trying to look the young man in the eye, “have been responsible for the deaths of my people since my grandfather’s time. Why should I be in your debt?”

“Y’know, you can act as arrogant as you like,” said Ganen, “I really don’t care. I’m here, on my own, trying to gather as much data as I can about these tunnels. I stumble into you, I notice you’re Garo, the leader of the Lupin armies.”

Garo’s fur stood on end. He already knew who he was, even as he was falling to his death.

“Now, I know you don’t believe me, but I don’t care,” said Ganen, blushing lightly, “Lupin are such glorious creatures. I think all beastmen are glorious.

"Call me selfish, call me what you will, but even if it was my worst enemy, I would still nurse them back to health. I have enough knowledge from what I learned from the White Mages to be able to give my possible best.

“I don’t expect you to be grateful,” said Ganen, “I don’t expect you to thank me. I just want to see you healthy.”

Garo looked on in wonder, not really believing what he was hearing.

“Those are the words of a child!” said Garo, “How could you be so naive? There are soldiers that are out for our blood, right now, clans you haven’t swayed with your impossible swagger–”

“You have a very fluffed up opinion of me,” said Ganen, “All I did was ask people if they wanted to stop fighting, and they said yes. It’s really not more complicated than that.”

“What about ceremonies, treaties, diplomacy,” said Garo, “That takes time. We can’t all just get along.”

“If you think I’m taking this lightly, then you are the fool,” said Ganen, and here, Garo started to hear the man of legend through his words, “I have men, whom I trust, that are responsible for the big words, the massive logistics that it takes to rally together all that had separated us for years, just because we were in a war for supremacy.

"I wanted out the minute I became the leader.

“My father died, and I had to learn, very quickly, what it took to lead the people” said Ganen, “I have to make a lot of quick decisions, not all of them good.

"Every time a person dies by my hands, a little part of me dies. I’m trying very hard to keep that from happening.”

“So, what, you’re just exploring the tunnels as a hobby?” said Garo, frankly, “You, who are in charge of a whole nation…of…”

His eyes widened. Tears were forming at the end of the young man’s eyes.

“By the beard of Ramuh,” said Garo, suddenly very fearful, “You’re serious, aren’t you? You really don’t want to be here.”

“I’ve tried everything,” said Ganen, “I’ve even tried to get Gyosei to explore any tunnels underwater, but–”

“You hired an astrologer?” said Garo, suddenly hopeful, “You hired a fortune teller?”

“No,” said Ganen, “I’ve got support from a friend.”

He heard the bell before he saw it. Garo’s hopefulness died the moment he saw the whiskers.

Coming up the other end of the cavern was a small little guy. He was basically those walking catfish, wearing nothing but a red apron and a dream. In fact, the only thing that was different about him was that he was wearing an astrologian’s planisphere on his back.

“Oh, good gods,” said Garo, leaning back down, “Please don’t tell me you were the one who taught that thing a healer’s trade.”

Gyosei, because that’s what the Namazu’s name is, put his fin up to his mouth in curiosity.

“Oh, my, yes yes,” said the Namazu, “I see we have visitors, Ganen.”

Several hours had passed, during which Garo eventually got well enough to start moving around on his feet.

The little astrologian tried his darndest to use magic to heal him, but it seemed the Namazu barely had the skill. Enough had gotten through, however, that he was able to cure most of the illness from the Lupin’s body.

All he really had to deal with was a runny nose and the tiniest bit of fatigue.

The problem was that the little catfish could only do bits of it at a time, and then rested until he got his strength back to come back and heal again.

Finally, after getting his gear together, he went up to the young lad, who was ready to set off himself.

“Thanks for the help, but I’m afraid I must away with me,” said Garo, “I owe you one, but believe me, the next time we see one another, I fear it must be on the field of battle.”

Ganen looked at Garo curiously, and then saw the big wolf set off on his own again. He looked quickly at the Namazu, who merely shrugged and shook his head, until the young man caught up with the Lupin again.

“Wait a minute!” said Ganen, “I need your help if we’re going to get out of these tunnels.”

“You’re a surprisingly deeply-layered young man,” said Garo, “And I do appreciate the kindness, but my soldiers are in these tunnels, and if they’re still here, I need to find them.”

He sniffed noisily.

“If my nose wasn’t stuffed up right now…” said Garo, upset.

“You need help,” said Ganen, “You need my help. There is no other way.”

Garo looked at Ganen irritably.

“...Fine,” said Garo, finally, “But I move pretty fast. I’m going to leave you behind, if you can’t keep up.”

“Don’t worry about me,” said Ganen, “While I can’t profess I know these tunnels enough, like the back of my hand, so to say, I can get around here just fine on my own two feet.”

Garo had an idea of what that was like. The moment that Garo picked up speed, moving along the tunnels at a clip, Ganen was somehow moving faster, and that was with a little Namazu in his arms.

“I have tiny little legs, yes yes,” said Gyosei, who seemed somehow proud of this statement.

At one point, there was a huge scorpion, his huge tail striking out at the two as they fought it. Garo couldn't dig his claws into its skin.

"Blast it," said Garo, "I feel like scratching stone!"

"You are injured, yes yes?" said the namazu, "I will heal!"

The namazu brought his arms around, making the planisphere float in his fin. As the cards spun around, he plucked one card out of the air.

"Behold, the power of Malefic!"

Poof! The magic puttered out like a barely sufficient rainstorm.

"Odd," said Gyosei, "I was assured I was making progress on my efficacy..."

"Oh, for the love of-" said Ganen, and he brought his hands to the ground.

After a severe shaking of the ground, a huge rock dislodged from the ceiling, falling and crushing the scorpion with its weight. After the dust had fallen, Garo shrieked at the top of his lungs.

"Imbecile!" said Garo, "You could have brought the whole mountain on top of us!"

"Impossible," said Ganen, "I can read the rock. I'm a geomancer."

"...Fine, I'll bite," said Garo, putting his head in his paws.

"I was taught the craft," said Ganen, flexing his arms, "It's not exactly helpful for getting out of dark tunnels, but it does give me control over the earth.

"You'd be surprised how much easier it is to route armies if you can hear their hoofbeats through the ground."

Garo folded his arms, watching the young man take the lead again.

"...That is genuinely impressive," said Garo.

Eventually, Garo started to make a game of escaping the caves.

They ran into a cavern with deep water, with only thin pillars of rock that led to a level higher in the caves. Garo smiled evilly, and started moving from rock to rock, leaping like a leopard from one pillar to another…except that he was a wolf.

Ganen was able to do it, amazingly, without a tail, and with far more grace than he did. Eventually, it turned into a race. Garo smiled enthusiastically at Ganen, who smiled back.

Garo’s footpaws eventually got the best of him, and he mistimed the jump to the ledge at the last second. As he began to fall from a large height, onto pillars that weren’t so dull, Ganen held out his hand for Garo to grasp.

Jumping on any chance to not die, Garo whipped out his paw and clasped as tightly as he could onto Ganen’s arm, his claws digging into the young lord’s arm out of pure anxiety. He was dangling over the ledge.

Garo looked into Ganen’s eyes, and he saw, within the lad, a genuine eagerness for the Lupin to live. A small feeling of gratitude grew in Garo then, one that increased in size into sincere respect.

…He really didn’t want him to die, thought Garo. He eventually climbed up the ledge, in front of Ganen. He was so scared, he grasped Ganen in a hug. They both peeked over the edge.

“Thal’s balls,” said Garo, “I thought I was going to die.”

“It’s a good thing you have me here,” said Ganen, who was half-joking. Garo knew he was half-joking, but he stood up and tried to restore what little dignity he had.

“I…Certainly,” said Garo, “But I’m sure I would have thought of something.”

“Would you?”

“No, actually, I was going to get skewered by those rocks,” said Garo, turning around with exhaustion, admitting he was bluffing, “I would have legitimately died if it weren’t for you. I want to thank you.”

“Let’s get your fellows out of this cave, first,” said Ganen, pointing a finger up, “Then you can thank me.”

It took a little bit longer than he liked, but he eventually found his soldiers, still lost in the tunnels. Thankfully, he hadn’t lost a single one.

“Garo, thank goodness!” said Yuki, brightness in her eyes, “We eventually had to press on, after you had been gone for so long. We thought you had died.”

“You made the right choice,” said Garo, “Better that the army lives on and protects its citizens than have to answer for an absent leader.”

They had still become defensive. Apparently, they either didn’t appreciate Ganen being there, or they really hated catfish.

“Who is this…man?” said one of the Lupin, “Why do you have one of the Rijin Clan with you?”

“Ganen is, he’s…” said the Lupin, turning to the hyur, curious about this himself. Ganen shrugged, as if to say, “my fate is in your hands.”

That’s funny, thought Garo, that sounds like something that he himself would have said.

“He’s a very good friend of mine,” answered Garo, eventually. This was mostly to get all of them out of the cave, including the Namazu.

Garo was so grateful, he hugged Ganen much more genuinely.

This open expression of affection from a Lupin gave rise to those who would splinter off into their own groups, but it was so moving, a lot of people weren’t surprised decades later, when Garo also swore fealty to the young man.

What followed was a series of adventures, mostly towards protecting Doma and all of its citizen, which included the Lupin, who were able to proliferate and multiply, and also the Namazu, who were just ebullient to be there.

Several years into their employment, with a generous pension plan added as well, Garo eventually learned that Ganen was planning a celebration. When he pressed the man, Ganen chuckled lightly.

“I thought it would be nice,” said Ganen, his beard a little longer these days, “When we signed the documents to unify Othard, it was all very cold and procedural.

"I thought it would be a lot more fun to include some of my people’s festival booths and some food and–”

“Say no more,” said Garo, his lips smacking, “Just the idea of a feast has my lips salivating.”

Of course, the memory of the garo yasumi, or the Festival of the Fanged-Wolf, lives on today, and for almost 800 years, they celebrated the union of Lupin and Doman cultures, living for generations in harmony and security.

For most, these memories would twist and fray, suddenly becoming less and less dependable after a time, to the veracity of the events that happened between Ganen Rijin and Garo, the Lupin leader who would become his friend.

Who knows if even this story is really what happened…

To be continued…

[lullabyalikpoptarot]

Stray Kids Career Energy Check In (August)

Bangchan (Disruption)-There could be a lot of changes happening for him, unexpecting things going on. Things may not be going the way he wants it right now. There could be changes happening last minute, or him not like certain changes. But he is trying to manage it and bare through it all.

Lee Know (Universe)-This is similar to the World card in Tarot. It seems he has completed and accomplished something in his career. It is a time for him to revel in all that he has accomplished. Things are complete in this aspect, and now it is time for him to venture into new things. He has gained lots of perspective through this as well.

Changbin (Obstacles &Challanges)- There could be some things in his way of getting to his desired outcomes. There are some hiccups here and there, but nothing he can't handle. This is a minor arcana card, so it isn't anything that major. It just shows things not moving as smoothly as he may want.

Hyujin (Mental Conflict)-This is similar to the two of swords in Tarot. He may be indecisive about things right now. He isn't sure, which direction to take. He could be confused on which path to choose; does he have some sort of choice here? Anyway, this gives me he is a bit conflicted about things in his career.

Han (Balance)-Seems like things are pretty stable in his career. He got all the tool he needs to get what needs to be done. It seems he utilizes the skills he has to create the life he wants out of his career. He may be able to balance his work life with other things as well.

Felix (Truth)-He is gaining clarity and wisdom when it comes to his career. There could be some truths he is becoming aware about. He is learning more about himself as he grows in his career.

Seungmin (Discontent &Boredom)- He may not be completely satisfied with what is going on his career right now. He might want some more exciting opportunities coming his way. There doesn't seem to be much going on with him pertaining his career right now. I just hear, I need more excitement.

I.N (Crown Chakra)-He seems to be very knowledgeable and self-aware when it comes to his career. There is just a sense of knowing for him. He knows what is right for him and which direction he should go in. He has lots of insights and clarity when it comes to his career. People connected with the crown chakra are capable of connecting with the spiritual consciousness or the collective consciousness, so he has access, as we all do, to a vast amount of knowledge. I am not sure if he is aware of it or not though.

[destinyc1020]

Yes, that’s right. Zendaya and her team were the smartest in the game. She actually deserves all she does JUST for making such amazing decisions. Having her cook her career slowly but surely was the way to go. Agents actually don’t want to put their clients in the spotlight too soon, not when you can have them in ensamble films and doing a little of prestige TV here and there. Euphoria was a wonderful medium for Z. Being able to dip her toes in movies without pressure while doing Euphoria (and those two Emmy’s was great).

But like I said, sooner or later, actors have to jump and go all in. Challangers will be her time to shine. She got 10M for it too. She’s not above proving herself.

As for Timmy, while Dune is very much his movie, it’s remake from a movie from the 80s based on a book. I don’t think the people that went to the movies to watch it went solely for him. But I’ll give him the credit. I think Wonka will be a big moment for him because that’s all him, new(ish) material, singing, dancing, aimed for kids. The leaked trailer gave me Harry Potter vibes. That’s all him. No more hiding behind an existing property or an ensamble cast. It’s also premiering right after Dune. I think they are going for the “Uncharted” effect like Tom, who released it right after Spider-Man made 1B dollars. They hit while the pan was hot. It’s a great tactic.

I do agree that there’s w a place for all of them: Timmy, Tom, Z, Florence, Sairose, Austin.. let’s celebrate young Hollywood!!

I agree Anon 👏🏾

So far, Z has made excellent choices in her career as far as I'm concerned. She probably also knew that she wasn't yet ready at the time to lead a film on the big screen, and I think that was wise!

I think ppl forget that Zendaya really only JUST started doing big motion picture films since Spider-man HOCO, which came out in 2017. That's only 6 years ago. 👀

She needed time to improve and perfect her acting skills before leading a major film imo.... 🤷🏾‍♀️

She'll be fine, and I def think "Challengers" will give ppl a lot to think about. It might even be their first time seeing Zendaya in a role that's not a teenager lol. 😅 I feel many will be shocked by her acting range, especially those who may not watch Euphoria.

Re: Timmy...

The trailer for "Wonka" came out already? 🥴 How did I miss that?

Anyway, I definitely think that movie will showcase Timmy's acting AND his ability to bring butts in seats, especially since I'm assuming it will have a PG-13 rating (which usually makes more money anyway), and the movie focuses solely on him without a huge ensemble cast.

Re: Dune

I kinda disagree w/you about Dune 1984 though. 🤔 Dune 1984 was supposedly considered a BOMB, and it didn't even make enough money to cover their budget lol 😆

I don't really think ppl were flocking to the theaters to see "Dune" (2021) because they had seen the original old film, or even because they had read the books (most have said the book is a tough, LONG read 🥴).

I do agree that there’s w a place for all of them: Timmy, Tom, Z, Florence, Sairose, Austin.. let’s celebrate young Hollywood!!

👏🏾

[thealmightyemprex]

Fairy Tale Movie challange

So I plan on covering some fairy tale films in either April, May or June and I wanna revisit my challange idea

This is the fairy tale movie challange ,where each participant puts forward four fairy tale movies ,and each person involved picks one movie from each participapint choices .However you do not have to watch the movie until I begin Fairy Tale month

1.It HAS to be based on an existing fairy tale ,nothing like Legend or Princess Bride

2.When you pick your movies to watch ,they must be ones you havent seen

3.Have to be movies

4.If you reccomend 4 movies,you have to pick a movie to watch

5.You must share your thoughts on the films you picked to watch in a post

Now usually I pick favorites .....But this time ,I know I have a fairy tale loving set of mutuals ,so you guys have most likely seen La Belle Et La Bete or Disneys Snow White ,so my picks are all ones I have seen but arent talked about

Tom Thumb :George Pals fairy tale musical starring Russ Tamblyn,Terry-Thomas ,Peter Sellers and Alan Young .Theres some stuff that has aged poorly but its pretty fun

Daydreamer :Collection of Hans Christain Anderson tales ,mixing live action and stop motion,with an all star cast ,with that nostalgic Rankin/BAss animation....Its also not good ,but for me its an enjoyable not good

Pana a Natvor :BEauty and the beast but the villain is the Beasts inner turmoil at his desire to consume Belle .....Also he is a bird

Rumplestiltskin-PArt of the Canon Movie Tales ,I am recoomending this cause of a great performance by the legend himself Billy Barty

So whos in ?

@ariel-seagull-wings @themousefromfantasyland @princesssarisa@the-blue-fairie @theancientvaleofsoulmaking

[orlissa]

Unsaid-Verse Masterpost

Because it’s been a while since I updated it. Because there might be new people around who would like to read it. Because my mind won’t cooperate with me today, so I’m trying to distract it.

So, the Unsaid-Verse: my little coming-back-to-fanfic, post-fete-surprise-baby story that by now has grown into a nearly 140K words long massive AU verse. Romance, fluff, humor, occassional angs galore.

The following list has the stories in chronological order, with early fall of 1879 being the date when Alina arrives at the Little Palace.

Socks Fall 1879 Rated: G Wordcount: 3086 After a chance meeting in the middle of the night in the hallway of the Little Palace, Aleksander invites Alina to the stables to oversee the birth of a foal with him.

Violent Delights February 1880 Rated: E Wordcount: 9767 Aleksander and Alina get intterupted a little later, so they have a nice, passionate lovemaking session before everything goes shit.

Terrible, Beautiful, Unsaid Things February-November 1880 Rated: T Wordcount: 11064 Alina still runs after the fete, and she is still caught, only, in this universe, she is pregnant. Spanning from her escape to the birth of their child, the story chronicles how she and Aleksander find their way back to each other

Thicker Than Water February-November 1880 Rated: M Wordcount: 3585 Alina’s suprise pregnancy brings up bitter memories in Genya, who is determined to help her through it–including giving her the freedom of choice.

Poker Face April-November 1880 Rated: M Wordcount: 11060 (WIP) Aleksander is fighting a war on several fronts: the actual war against Fjerda and Shu Han; to win back Alina’s affections; and to keep the Tsar in line. This last one might be the hardest. Or: Aleksander is showing considerable restraint in not unleashing The Cut on Pyotr Lantsov.

Secret Ingredient July 1880 Rated: G Wordcount: 2735 Alina is missing her mother’s cooking, which at least give Aleksander an opportunity to do a Grand Gesture.

A Person to Call Home Early November, 1880 Rated: T Wordcount: 3439 A few days before Nadya’s birth, Aleksander wakes from a nightmare and seeks out Alina just to reassure himself that she is alright.

The First Star in the Black Velvet Night November 6, 1880 Rated: T Wordcount: 8099 The day Nadya, their child is born, from Aleksander’s point of view.

A Little Star in the Night November 6, 1880 Rated: G Wordcount: 3156 Due to ALina’s weakened state after the labor, a wet nurse is summoned to the Little Palace

Sleepless November 7, 1880 Rated: G Wordcount: 1233 The day after the birth, Alina finds it hard to fall asleep without her daughter nearby

Tales from the Palace November 1880/1882/1887 Rated: T Wordcount: 3685 Collection of one-shots featuring characters peripheral to Alina and Aleksander’s story: a chambermaid, a dressmaker, and a governess.

To Cherish and to Hold October and December, 1880 Rated: E Wordcount: 14429 In Part I, with their relationship slowly blooming again, Alina decides it’s time for her to be intimate with Aleksander again. In Part II, they return to their marital bed after Nadya’s birth.

The Heartrender and the Baby February 1880 - May 1882 Rated: G Wordcount: 5771 Ivan is definitely not a baby person. Then a little Princess has him wrapped around her little finger

Life Unfolds in Chapters Summer of 1882 Rated: E Wordcount: 21463 (so far) The summer after Aleksander and Alina took the throne of Ravka, they go on a royal tour in West Ravka, while facing political and personal challanges

Sister, Sister September 1882 - December 1884 Rated: G Wordcount: 2297 Nadya is a happy little girl who loves her Mama and Papa very much. However, her life turns upside down when she learns that she is going to be a big sister.

The Sweetest Dreams I have of You October 1882 Rated: G Wordcount: 1355 Aleksander catches Alina, pregnant with their second child, taking an afternoon nap.

Infinite Fall 1882 Rated: T Wordcount: 1461 Preparing for the birth of their second child, Alina and Aleksander share their fears and insecurities with each other.

Solstice Eve December 1882 Rated: G Wordcount: 3621 Aleksander has a surprise for his girls for the holiday, starting a new tradition.

Modern Times November 1883 Rated: G Wordcount: 2423 When expresses reluctance towards one of David’s newest inventions, Aleksander is accused of being “set in his ways,” so he goes to desperate lenghts to prove that he can, in fact, handle change.

Private Meeting in the Tsar’s Study November 1884 Rated: E Wordcount: 2992 Aleksander and Alina work on expanding their family–in his office, in the middle of the day.

Witches! 1885 Rated: G Wordcount: 922 After a bad dream, little Nadya seeks her parents’ comfort

Grishenka April 1885 Rated: G Wordcount: 1300 Nadya summons for the first time, and Sasha is conflicted.

David and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day Fall of 1885 Rated: G Wordcount: 2101 David is not good with children, that’s a fact. And yet he is tasked to look after Nadya–who is too clever and mischievous for her own good–for a couple of hours. Let’s just say it doesn’t go well.

Just a Tiny Prickle 1886 Rated: T Wordcount: 1819 Nadya wants to have her ears pierced. Her Papa is not thrilled about the idea.

Conquering the Foul Beast Summer of 1889 Rated: G Wordcount: 1920 Being the father of girls means sometimes playing the role of the “foul beast” and being hit on the head with cushions.

A Longing Deep and Profound December 1887 - February 1891 Rated: M Wordcount: 6074 After the birth of their fourth daughter, Aleksander thinks they should not have any more children. Alina is not that convinced.

In a Mirror, Brightly November 1896 Rated: G Wordcount: 1543 Nadya is about to turn sixteen. Aleksander does not handle it well.

[deadgiants]

I'll hand it to "the Hound," it gave me a lot to think about.

This has been bouncing around my skull for a few days, though it's not really something that I mentioned in the posts while reading it.

Connla's conception and death are all told in the Hound, but they're also very much changed. I do want to preface that this post is more musing than argument against the book, though I do think it shows a kinda gross through line of a very modern sexism in the story.

So in this, the moment when Connla is conceived is depicted in two tiny panels following Eva (Aife, the angicizations are awful) invading Scáthach's school because... she thinks she could teach better than Scáthach? But then she's welcomed back, so everything is cool, and her and Cú have barely implied sex. Cú leaves to go home from exile early on the next page I think (not sure that's how exile works) with the knowledge that Eva (Aife) is pregnant. Importantly though, when he leaves, all he does is give her a ring for Connla to be identified by, and instruction to send him to Ireland at some point.

The key difference here is that in the original telling (or oldest we have) CúChulainn gives these full instructions, framed as geassa;

Connla cannot turn back once he starts his journey, he must not refuse a challenge, and must never tell anyone his name.

I dont Know Bogan's mind, but it's here that I can see where he may have thought "well that makes no sense, why would he do that?" Which is fair if you don't think too long, it is a mythological telling from a culture we don'thave the full context for, but the solution he settles on is to make Eva (Aife) be the one who insists that Connla not tell his name, and that he should come to Ireland and act as aggressor, rather than simply not be able to turn down a challange. The framing makes this read as some malicious act on her part, as though making CúChulainn kill his own son is an act of vengeance for his unceremonious departure unrelated to her.

It also serves again to remove agency from CúChulainn while I think trying to humanize him. In the original he: willingly couples with her, instructs her to send Connla to him in the future, and puts these geassa on him. It gives Aife in the original test less agency for him to make these choices, but to only give women characters agency to make them temptresses, or malicious and calloused feels like a zero sum at best.

This was supposed to be a shorter post, but I haven't gotten to the thing I even really meant to yet because any analysis of this comic cascades into a half-dozen other things.

The thing I wanted to get to is, in a nutshell, CúChulainn needs to know who he's killing when he fights Connla. It may be my interpretation of the story, but from my repeated readings I think CúChulainn and Emer know who Connla is basically from the moment they arrive on the scene, and are trapped by their own laws and mores to play out the scene as if written ahead of time. This created a much more tragic scene of people who know what they are doing, and must continue to do it anyway. It also createds a much more poignant foreshadowing for CúChulainn's battle at the ford with Ferdiad where CúChulainn is in some ways put in Connla's place, knowing that he must move forward, but knowing ahead of time what it means, while Ferdiad is trapped by his society to try to kill one of his greatest loves.

If CúChulainn doesn't know at all who this random 10 year old is, then it's still a setup for the battle, but only in a thematic framing, without as much emotion.

I said before this post isn't as much about the Comic being bad as the others. And while there is something I'm going to say i. Another post following this that IS. The reason this one isn't is that I totally get these choices, or the motivation for them, I still think theyre badly thought out, because the internal logic of the story is damaged by having these characters do the same actions for different reasons, both internal and external. I can see the problem here especially of "how do you adapt this narrative for a modern audience?"

I think the answer is, don't.

Adapting the characters and changing the reasons for events that need to happen in the story in the way they did here, full of (I don't like that I keep saying modern, because it implies a fundamental difference between then and now in people hearts that I don't think exists) contemporary sensibilities, stemming from a neo-liberal society, started in the late 90's, makes the story flow naturally only if you dont think at all about how events connect. It's building a lego set but the top hald are mega bloks.

All adaptations have an element of authorship and will by their nature be personal to the time and place they are made, adaptations that try to be the exact thing are almost without fail boring and somewhat sterile. This seems to be an intentional overwrite of the original, like they were going to "fix" parts if it, and honestly if you feel like you need to fix something like folklore and mythology in order to make it good, maybe you're not the person to do that adaptation.

[beatrixdabaffoon]

☆ANNOUCMENT TIME!!☆

Helloooo there beautiful! How are ya?

So im posting this to give you all an annoucment about my tumblr. For the month of October, I will be doing Inktober!!

But not just any october...

~♡A COOKIE RUN KINGDOM COSTUMETOBER! ♡~

What is a crk costumetober you may ask?

Well this is an inktober challange that has been thought out by yours truly!

Since Inktober's regular prompts can get veeeery mediocre I decided to attempt making my own to satisfy and the other's Crk obsession- So all of my lovely Crk fans:

💕you are eating well this month!💕

How will this challange work?

Well as it is said in the Title, For 31 days I will be drawing one costume from cookie run kingdom. That game is notorious for incredibly scrumptious costume designs.

Mwah dilectable🤌✨💕

But don't think im just gonna be a silly little goober drawing any costume I want- Because come on, the choices are endless, I wanted to ground myself to rules:

1.You must draw at least 2 costumes from each rarity-This includes the special ones and YES BTS COUNTS TOO

2. A cookie must be drawn only once- We cannot have repeats, that would be kindaaaaa...eh just to see all the madeilines, parfaits or espressos fill my sketchbooks. Only once can they be feature in the Inktober

3.Recolors do not count- Come on, I gotta be a little mean, no shortcuts here im afraid darling! Unless the cookie has a notable difference than they CANNOT be featured! 💫Make it lively!💫

4.Last week of october (or the last 7 days) will be the more stricter- The first 5 days will be dedicated to the halloween costumes released in Crk! Because ya know- ✨S p o o k y m o n t h ✨ The 6th day is gonna dedicated to your all time favourite costume (again, it cannot be a repeated one, save it for that day) and Last day is going to be about your Crk oc/persona in a costume or if you don't have one you are allowed to create a costume for a cookie that doesn't have one!

(I can already sense the frost Queen fans- Oh god qwq)

Aaaand that's it! Those are the rules for my inktober prompt!

If you are up for more sugar, spice and everything nice in your october of ink than you are welcome to try put my crk costumetober!

If you do participate, please make sure to Credit me! Can't wait to see your creations lovelies^^

Have a beeeeeautiful day!🤍💙

(Sorry for a weeeird twist in writting- I just discovered the color tool hehehehe/silly)

[amazingsphelon]

RULES & THINGS TO KNOW!! DTIYS CHALLENGE ~ ONLINE, MEDIA & COMMUNICATION FRUSTRATIONS!

Howdy ry'alls! Tis the Sphelon here inviting you to my very 1st DTIYS CHALLANGE!

I posted this one earlier on TWITTER  & DEVIANTART lately but for those who want to join in please hear me out below for the remaining details!

Your final entry will somewhat be like these samples below: (you can draw 1 & up to 4 characters per single entry)

================================================

GENERAL INFORMATION: 

You may draw 1 or UP to 4: of my OCs or used your own OCs ( heck even fanart is allowed! could be from another franchise of your choice~Imagine your favorite characters doing the same theme as my ladies here like Mario, Sonic, your fav League of Legends character, etc....now don't get silly! )

-If you're planning to draw my OCs check my tumblr page here for information or DM me for more references:

https://amazingsphelon.tumblr.com/tagged/sphelon%20original%20splice%20of%20life%20OCs

or check my tag: #sphelon original splice of life OCs

RULES & THINGS TO KNOW

use #sphelonsworldDTIYS as your entry! (All from Twitter, Instagram, Deviantart, TUMBLR & other social media posts) ~ you can tag me on twitter so I could recognized it.

◦ you can make as many entries as you'd like.

◦ Feel free to make adjustments ~ you have a big scope of liberties on this challenge (Be sure the character you are drawing are recognizable)

◦ Any different poses / expressions are okay ~ as long as your character feels the same concept as sampled above by the 4 girls (could be because of an internet article/ social media ruckus/ or a trolled message)

◦ NO DEADLINES! So enjoy drawing & have fun!

WHAT YOU SHOULD AVOID 

AI ART & don't bother using your work entry as an NFT

Tracing

Copying / Stealing

Using any dress up apps / websites (piccrew, gacha, etc)

Hateful, Controversial or discourage messages on your art ~ Also KEEP IT SAFE FOR WORK BTW….don't get me into trouble

OTHER REMINDERS 

There are no PRIZES or WINNERS, so pls be sure to check the rules! this all just for FUN feel free to draw whenever you can folks!

Anymore questions, just feel free to ask!

Drawing phone/objects are opt on their hands but recommended ~ unless you want to convey something different as long as your entry shares the same theme!

FINAL OPTIONAL RULE BEFORE YOU SUBMIT YOUR ENTRY 

and lastly not the least, but one final optional rule~  

add this preferred music to your finished art as sampled below:

**The Jap Rick Roll song.

-------------------------

WELP that's pretty much it folks!

~ I'm doing this challenge because due to the scope of the internet landscape we are living in and all of sudden we got ourselves disappointed from many, many turmoils happening around all social media platforms and your favorite websites! not just webstes ~ it could also be because someone else trolled you, some one betrayed you somewhere, scammed you online and all other things that feel you put ya down.

Also I originally planned this elsewhere during the times of 2021 like some of silly animated short...but lack of execution made me not do it and had to prioritize other important things....

GOOD LUCK HAVE FUN EVERYONE!

[ikatakoirl]

How To Write A Comic Relief Character That Doesn’t Suck

So. We all know the comic-relief character trope. The one who doesn’t do much but tags along because of their “loyalty” and falls on their face every now and then for us to laugh at whenever the tension gets too high. But then at the end they have their heroic moment and prove wrong everyone who ever doubted them! Only for them to go back to exactly how they were before in the resolution. Right?

NO! WRONG! THROW IT IN THE GARBAGE! In this post I’m going to give some ideas of how to add comic relief elements to a story without devaluing any of the characters! First of all, let’s start with some examples! I'll explain most of my choices throughout the post. I'm hoping I provided enough examples that everyone can recognize at least one in each category! I’ve also done my best to make direct comparisons.

Comic Relief Characters Done Poorly

Ronald Weasley (Harry Potter)

Neville Longbottom (Harry Potter)

Haymitch Abernathy (The Hunger Games)

Lance McClain (Voltron: Legendary Defender)

Loki (MCU, before the Disney+ series)

Marinette Dupain-Cheng (Miraculous Ladybug)

Luigi (Super Mario)

Goggles (Coroika)

Comic Relief Characters Done Well

Fred and George Weasley (Harry Potter)

Percy Jackson (Percy Jackson and the Olympians)

Peeta Mellark (The Hunger Games)

Sokka (Avatar: the Last Airbender)

Peter Parker/Spider-Man (MCU)

Chat Noir (Miraculous Ladybug)

Sonic the Hedgehog [depends on which show/game ofc]

Skull (Coroika)

Reki Kyan (Sk8 the Infinity)

Kai (The Hollow)

No Laughing Matter

It’s great to have a character who struggles with clumsiness or feeling incompetent! But what if you tried actually taking those concerns seriously? Instead of the divert-with-comedy-and-never-readdress approach, make your character turn angry or sensitive. (Or the best of both worlds, tsundere!) Really get into their head and explore how that incompetence is affecting them. Bonus points if they actually fail something of consequence! How do they react to this failure? Do they have people supporting them, and if so, how? And if instead the character is on the outs and constantly the butt of jokes, how does that affect their psyche? Maybe they’ll throw themselves into training or practicing to become better, but maybe all they need is a reminder of where their strengths do lie so that they can use them better to their advantage next time! I actually challange you to separate the klutz character from the comic relief character! It may be funny to watch people falling down on Reddit, but it doesn’t make for a compelling character that people will remember! I love Marinette, I really do, but I have to admit that she could be written better because she falls right into this sort of trap.

Himbos Are People, Too

Okay, okay. I know we all need to have our himbos sometimes. And that’s great! A character who’s a bit out of their element can be endearing for a lot of readers! But in order to get there, the character needs other personality traits, too! Comic relief is not a personality. It’s something you can stack onto a personality, but you need to create a whole character first, complete with hobbies and interests! Which means that, yes, you have to let your character be good at something. It doesn’t have to be the same as their interests, though! This is a great opportunity for a reminder that you can still find joy in something even if you’re not very good at it, and just because you're good at something doesn't mean it makes you happy.

And it should really be more than one thing they’re good at! Don’t write the Ron who’s only good at chess or the Lance who’s only (somewhat) good at flirting!

Tell Me What You Want

This also goes for character motivations! Each character needs to have either a clear motive or a clear lack of motive! Bonus points if it’s multiple complex but identifiable motives! Sokka is a perfect example of this! He wants to live up to the legacy of his father, find his place in the Gaang, and maybe pick up a girl (or a guy) along the way. And most importantly, he uses his humor not as a selfish way to avoid his feelings or for plot convenience but rather to lighten the mood as part of the duty he feels to keeping his sister safe and happy! His Voltron doppelgänger, Lance, has no clear motivation… ever, pretty much. He's implied to like Allura, but it's treated as more of a joke. Same with Ron, or Neville, or Luigi, or even Loki. What do they even want? You could say that Ron saw his greatest desire in the Mirror of Erised (to be recognized and respected), but does he ever take steps toward this? Does it ever even get brought up again? Or was it just meant to contrast with Harry’s greatest desire? After all, Ron ends up as some Auror as an adult but doesn’t show any regret or longing for a higher status.

(Another hint: Not dying is not a character motivation!)

However, I did give another option, which was a clear lack of motivation. We see this in Percy, Reki, and Kai at certain points, and they all express that they don’t understand exactly what they want. And that’s perfectly okay, too! I actually really love writing characters like this! That being said, this is typically a temporary thing, and you should have something in mind for the character’s endgame. I want to stress that this is actually the harder one to pull off correctly, so you can’t just use it as a cop-out.

So yeah, there’s your crash course in character creation and development! Maybe I’ll do a separate post for that in more detail!

According to my Calculations…

Yes, I know that can all feel like a lot. But it's no excuse to fall into stereotypes. Especially this one, which is often done as an Asian-American caricature. Going the other route with a conventionally unattractive, glasses-wearing, acne-having white kid is bad, too. It's cringe. It's harmful. Don't do it.

And this goes not just for the stupid-nerd caricature, but also for any other stereotype out there. This one is just the most annoying one I can think of.

The Loyal Lapdog

Another sort of random trope is justifying a bland character by claiming that their virtue is their "loyalty." If you're going to use loyalty as a personality trait, be very careful about it. You have to be committed to upholding that personality trait even if it messes with your plot. You don't want to end up like Ron, who is actually arguably one of the least loyal characters in the series, abandoning his best friends in an apocalyptic situation just because he was jealous and constantly getting in fights with Harry over things out of his control. It is good to test and even break the limits of your character’s loyalty, but if they give up at the slightest inconvenience they’re clearly not actually loyal at all. (I’m sorry I bash Ron so much. It’s not what it sounds like, I actually hate him much more than I’m letting on.)

Comedy Communism

Guess what? You can have more than one character be funny! In fact, why not make all of them funny? Even your dark, serious character can be accidentally hilarious, and Skull is a pristine example of this. And giving a brooding loner character a surprise one-liner can be a great way to mark character development as they become more comfortable in their environment.

Overall, spreading out the role of comic relief across multiple characters is just a plain good idea because it forces you to fully develop each character and makes your comedy less predictable.

Or here’s another idea: make the comic relief character the protagonist! It’s an unexpected move that Percy Jackson pulls off immaculately! It’s also another strategy to help you avoid writing flat comedic relief characters because your protagonist should be the easiest character to fully flesh out.

Don’t Ruin the Moment

Using comedy to lighten the mood can be a good thing, but it has a time and a place. I've seen so many truly moving, deeply emotional moments completely gutted by a stupid joke. It's so devastating to see a writer put in all this effort to build up to a big moment, only to ruin it. It’s up to you to decide what counts as a “big moment,” but once you decide, fully commit to it. If you really feel like it’s too much for the reader, you can use a scene break, which will provide relief to the readers with less bleeding over of the lighthearted mood into the serious part.

But it can also be hard to maintain that tension, especially if a comic relief character is involved. Having them tell a joke that falls flat can actually be a great way to further increase the tension while staying in character!

~

With that, thank you for reading! Go forth my friends and make people laugh with complex and memorable characters! And look out for my next post about How to Write a Truly Bone-Chilling Villain!

[julygirl67]

SOMETHING TO CONSIDER

Each day as we rise from a slumber to greet the day, we all have an opportuity. This opportunity is that we have a chance to navigate how we may transition into the challanges that unfold in our day. We have a chance to embrace the day with gratitude calmness and patience. Self affirmations are whispers to ourselves that reach our brain our cells our body. Use these lines each day to embark on positive evolution I am thankful for this day Gratitude brings us more to be grateful for. It enforces positivity and joy. I embrace impermenance Everything changes, nothing stays the same or lasts for ever. I think the concept of impermeneace is a reminder to not recognize change and embrace it and to be flexbble, we can let go of attachments. I cultivate compassion for myself and others. Rooted in the heart, compassion emerges as value it serves as a gentle reminder to be empathetic and understanding. We contribute to our well being. Kindness brings bliss and serenity. Its not passive its intentional. true joy is intertwined with joy of others. I walk a path of wisdom. This statement can guide us towards clarity and focus aligned with our genuine selves. This invites us to be deliberate in cultivating insite which challange preconceptions and seek a deeper understanding of complexities of our exsistence. Its self discovery and growth. I am at peace with myself. Affirming this becomes intentional and allows us to pursue a state of calm and serenity, an absence of conflict and chaos. You become gentle with yourself ,its a daily touch stone. Affirming peace with one self is an active choice to create a stillness that aligns with a paceful heart. Well being arises from eace with one selves. A minded peace radiates a calming positive energy contributing peace with all around us as well as with ourselves. It is an acknolwedgement that you are happy and love yourself. Your mind and cells LOVE hearing this they react with this joyfully and can place you in perfect health. We find a sancuay within ourselves a light to genuine well being.