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twistedtranslations · 4 years ago

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Animage 2020-09 - Translation of Twisted Wonderland’s corner

So the latest Animage featured 6 pages (3 spreads) of information on Riddle and Ortho (+ the other members of their dorm) and their respective dorms in general because their birthday was in August.

Huge thanks to @time-phoenix for proofreading!

I won’t share the magazine scans here, but rest assured you can buy these on amazon and find them on tumblr as well. They do not feature new illustrations.

Translation under the cut

Page 1

Happy Birthday Riddle and Ortho!

Riddle and Ortho's birthdays are in August! To celebrate their birthday, we have a special feature on their affiliated dorms. Let's take a secret peek at the student life in the Heartslabyul and Ignihyde dorm!

Riddle Rosehearts/VA: Hanae Natsuki

He is the dorm leader of Heartslabyul. He fervently protects the laws of the Queen of Hearts and harshly punishes those who break them, making him feared by the students.

The Heartslabyul dorm is inspired by the worldview of "Alice in Wonderland." They are guided by the rules of the Queen of Hearts, the dorm leader decides to hold an "Unbirthday party" on the days when it's no one's birthday according to his mood, so at a first glimpse, they seem to be a dorm with a showy and peaceful atmosphere. However, it's an imperative rule to strictly follow the strange laws made by the Queen of Hearts. Riddle, whose birthday was on 24/08, is a powerful person who became the dorm leader in his first week of entering the college. Compared to the past dorm leaders, he is particularly respectful of the laws of the Queen of Hearts, and thoroughly enforces the rules on the students, cracking down harshly on the lawbreakers.

There are few students who know all 810 laws exactly, and even for those students who break the laws unintentionally, Riddle is unforgiving. Ever since Riddle became the dorm leader, there have been no students dropping out or staying back a year in the dorm, all thanks to his strictness. Even though the vice dorm leader Trey Clover and Cater follow up, the results-focused Riddle undoubtedly guides the dorm students. However, it can’t be disputed that there's a considerable number of people who are displeased. It would be fine if that displeasure never erupted but…. If you are interested in Heartslabyul's future, please check out chapter 1 of the main story, The Crimson Tyrant!

Page 2

A blessing that will envelop the heart!

Riddle's unique magic

Riddle's unique magic, Off with your head, puts a collar on the victim so they can't use magic. Someone who cannot use magic at a magic school like NRC, cannot go to classes normally…

His growth period is still going on!?

He's the smallest of the 2nd years introduced thus far, with a length of 160 cm. He is bothered by his height, and gets angry when Floyd makes fun of it. During the limited June event "Ghost Marriage, Destiny's proposal", he was one of the first people to "rush" for Eliza, but his height excluded him.

Dissecting Riddle

Eye: Because he's so serious, he's unfamiliar with trends, and it’s quite obvious he doesn't understand street topics. The person himself insists on saying that "It isn’t an inconvenience to be unaware of such things," though…

Heart: At Riddle's strict personality lies a peaceful base, however there are many things that can press his buttons. One can often see his face grow red in anger.

Hand: Riddle can also cook if there's a recipe, even though it isn't his speciality. However, he's aware that his sense of proportion when it comes to measuring ingredients is lacking.

Brain: Because of his diligence, he gets amazing grades and is ranked 1st in his year. On tests he gets full marks in every subject. He can also accurately remember the 810 laws of the Queen of Hearts.

Mouth: Riddle actually has a sweet tooth and loves the strawberry tarts of his childhood friend, the vice dorm leader Trey. He especially favors the latest pie slice (TN: A slice of an unspecified cake). Adversely, he dislikes foods with a strong taste and that are bad for your health, which explains his dislike of junk food. It seems he prefers mild flavours.

Leg and waist: Because he has few muscles, he's below average when it comes to physical measurements, but his reflexes aren't bad. One can see him skilfully manoeuvring a horse with high techniques in the equestrian club.

Absolutely adhere to the rules!

This is a dorm based on the strict attitude of the Queen of Hearts. Students have to live their lives accordingly, adhering to strict laws such as "Do not eat the tarts without being given permission by the Queen" and "Stand up from your seat within 15 minutes after eating lunch".

Page 3

4 patriots of the redness of Heartslabyul!

Ace Trappola/VA: Yamashita Seiichirou

He's a 1st year student like the main character. He knows how to swim with the tides and has a bright personality, but he can also be a bit malicious. He's rivals with Deuce, a fellow 1st year from Heartslabyul.

He's afraid of nothing!?

Ace says exactly what he thinks without fear. He always makes his statements without any hint of cowardice. He doesn't hold back against the dorm leader Riddle, and says the things he wants to say without reading the atmosphere, and makes slightly malicious remarks.

Deuce Spade/VA: Kobayashi Chiaki

He's a 1st year student like the main character. He enrolled in NRC to become a splendid magician. He's serious but he's bad at swimming with the tide.

He gets full marks on seriousness

Deuce cannot remember all the laws of the Queen of Hearts, but fundamentally he's an honest and exemplary student.It seems Riddle approves of his serious personality if only "He was a little bit more thoughtful"…

Page 4

Trey Clover/VA: Suzuki Ryouta

He is a 3rd year and the vice dorm leader of Heartslabyul. He has a gentle personality and has a guardian-like presence for all the dorm’s students. He also backs up the overbearing Riddle.

(TN: lit. Riddle, who is too strict on his surroundings)

He's good at backing up but…

As Riddle's childhood friend, he frequently backs up the overbearing Riddle. He plays the role of lubricating oil towards Heartslabyul and he's indispensable. However, he almost never rebukes Riddle.

Cater Diamond/VA: Kobayashi Tatsuyuki

He is a 3rd year of Heartslabyul. He's a communicator who can read the mood. He's well informed of things like popularity rankings, food and crazes. However, sometimes he shows his heartless side…

A cheery moodmaker

Cater is the moodmaker of Heartslabyul who is good at communicating. He has built a good friendship with the feared Riddle. Together with Trey he deals with Riddle and his environment and backs him up.

Page 5

The high-tech younger brother's birthday!

The Ignihyde dorm is inspired by the worldview of the world of Hercules. There are many students who are good at magical energy engineering and digital related things, so both the lounge rooms and the corridors have many monitors installed. The main story picturing Ignihyde hasn't been distributed yet, and there have not been many appearances of the general Ignihyde students until chapter 4, so even now, many parts of the dorm remain shrouded in mystery. In the midst of that, there's one person with a lot of mysteries to him, the dorm leader Idia's "younger brother", Ortho. He's always lightly floating, because he's a robot. Furthermore, Idia made his body himself, with the latest and newest features, and is packed with maniacal functions that Idia even forgot he equipped him with. The nature of Ortho’s existence hasn’t been revealed, but his relationship with Idia is genuine. While they might be awkward, the feelings they have for each other aren't lies. The next 14th of August, Idia will surely celebrate Ortho's birthday from his heart!

Ortho Shroud/VA: Aoi Shouta

Idia's "younger brother". He's always seen with Idia, and he cares a lot about his brother. In contrast to Idia, he's lively and honest, and brimming with curiosity.

Dissecting Ortho

Flame: He can shoot a beam with strong fire power from his chest by charging magical energy. He's not good at regulating his strength, and sometimes overdoes it, and sometimes has to be stopped by the principal.

Body: His feet have anti gravity apparatus installed, so he's always floating. His sports body grants him the wish of "Wanting to walk on the earth" and has springs installed in his feet so he can run.

Brain: Recollecting his brother, all his thoughts and actions center around Idia. He can even hack into a GPS to search for him!

Eye: He's equipped with the cutting edge of medical tools, and can also read the vital signs of his subject. He can also do things like see through lies by sensing the variation in their pulse.

Mouth: He differs from Idia who is bad with social dispositions in a way that he can talk to anyone without care. He's one of the few people Idia can talk to face to face.

Is he too coddling?

Ortho loves his older brother Idia, who is a shut in and attends the dorm leader meetings by tablet, while Ortho carries out preparations for assemblies and ceremonies in his stead. If he keeps getting coddled by Ortho like that, he might never get cured from his bashfulness!?

Unusual means

During the Ghost Marriage event, he was about to annihilate the school building in order to save his older brother from the ghost bride who fell in love with Idia at first sight. He was by no means careless and it's terrifying how he chose that method by thinking calmly about it, but that's all because his brother is dear to him.

Page 6

Idia Shroud/VA: Uchiyama Kouki

The dorm leader of Ignihyde. He's shy and gloomy, and is a shut in that doesn't like being in contact with people. However, it seems that's not the case online.

Both the dorm leader and the students are reserved and quiet

It is a dorm based on the diligent spirit of the ruler of the underworld. There are many docile students, who don't appear often before others. According to Cater they're the total opposite of the cheery people from Heartslabyul.

Older brother and "younger brother"

One would think that Idia and Ortho are siblings based on their blue flamed hair and golden eyes. However, Ortho's whole body is a robot, and it hasn't been revealed yet if they're real siblings or if he was originally a human to begin with.

#twisted wonderland #riddle rosehearts #ace trappola #deuce spade #trey clover #cater diamond #idia shroud #magazine #translation #ortho shroud #heartslabyul #ignihyde

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kitkatopinions · 4 years ago

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Accidentally deleted my Tyrian and Watts asks while I was trying to fix a mistake so... Sorry about that, everyone! Here they are! Tyrian and Watts for the RWBY character asks!

Let’s do Tyrian first, because I have less to say about him, I feel like.

My top three ships for the character

Tyrian/Watts. Dysfunctional villainous romance of the century, no one knows how they’ve managed to make it to their tenth anniversary without killing each other, including them. Tyrian/Salem is my second top ship for him. Major Bellatrix/Voldy vibes with this one, but I could see it. Tyrian/Hazel is my third ship for lack of options. Does this one make sense? No. But I can at least see Tyrian being super flirty and Hazel being endlessly tired, but never really stopping it. (Also I hate Hazel so much lol.)

My three least favorite ships for the character

Tyrian/Qrow sucks for me. Like... I kinda feel like two people fighting each other just gets shippers, which is fine and totally understandable. But for me, Tyrian poisoning Qrow and almost killing him and calling his beloved niece a bitch and then killing Clover is a big no from me, dog. On that note! Tyrian/Clover is also one big no from me, since Clover murdered him. And Tyrian/Ozpin is another really big no from me. Tyrian and his crazy Salem worship can stay five hundred and fifty feet away from my son.

My biggest criticism for the character

They went a little too much on the crazy in the fourth and fifth season and it made him feel annoying. Like, I don’t mind the Bellatrix vibes, but I do mind the movie version Bellatrix vibes, sometimes. It just got kinda annoying. I wish his crazy was always more on the dangerous side and less on the kooky side, but that’s just personal opinions.

My favorite thing about the character

The way people are so uncomfortable around him. Whenever Tyrian talks to Emerald or Mercury, he’s honestly freaky. Like both me and the characters are waiting for him to snap. That’s a great quality in a villain that we’re meant to hate or love to hate. He has a real presence and it’s enjoyable.

A headcanon I have about them

Tyrian doesn’t often try to act normal, but he can, and he’s got a great ‘respectable, cool guy’ act that’s actually a little reminiscent of Qrow or Clover. He’s even passed himself as a Huntsman here and there.

What I would change about them if I was making a re-write

More involvement in volumes 4 and 5, and I’d treat him a bit more seriously and make him a bit more dangerous. Maybe I’d have him wound a member of Team RNJR in his attack as well as poison Qrow (maybe give Jaune a reason to unlock his semblance in season 4 and in response to the pain of a member of his team. Also, his ‘Tyrian purple’ color should be more than just the color of his eyes. Like, how come so many RWBY characters season 4 and onward have such boring colors? I’d give Tyrian some strong purple and pink.

What I I think of their character allusion and what (if anything) I would change about it

Tyrian alludes to the animal fable ‘the Scorpion and the Frog,’ and that’s... really in name only, I think. A part of me wants to give them some kind of points for having Qrow work with him against Clover, only for Tyrian to kill Clover, which lines up with his ‘its just my nature’ scorpion stinging the frog so that they’ll both drown and die. But they didn’t mean for Qrow to really be wrong! They didn’t mean for the lesson to be ‘Qrow shouldn’t have trusted the poisonous villain’ it was ‘wowza does Qrow’s semblance hurt him. :( Too bad Clover got himself killed.’ Which makes the whole allusion kind of suck.

Now for Watts, the single best villain in my opinion.

My top three ships for the character

Tyrian/Watts. See above. This ship would be a dysfunctional mess, but it’d be a wild ride. Watts/Villain!Ironwood. I kind of hate this ship when it’s ‘fallen hero turned villain’ Ironwood. But if he actually had been written as a secret villain or obviously headed that way from the start, I can see him and Watts also being a dysfunctional mess of a wild ride ship, only with way more ‘evil power couple’ vibes than Tyrian and Watts would have. Also my favorite version of this features Watts having been the one to build Penny (maybe by stealing the plans from Pietro) and him and Ironwood raising a still bright and cheerful, still innocent and trusting, villain Penny who will attack to kill with a smile on her face and a ‘it was nice meeting you!’ And this is very weird and niche but Watts/Evil Stepsister (specifically the one with the sharp bangs and highlights.) Someone sent me an ask saying the Evil Stepmother and stepsisters should’ve been connected to Salem and gotten Cinder involved and I totally agree with this. I then started envisioning a world where the step sisters competed with Cinder and all three of them were raised in Salem’s circle. In this version of things, I could totally picture one of the step sisters having a romantic tension driven connection with Watts and the two of them subtly flirting sometimes (and bonding over their mutual hatred of Cinder.) I picked the sister with bangs for no real reason except that I like her look more.

My three least favorite ships for the character

Watts/Cinder. Watts thinks of her like a bratty little girl, and Cinder kills him. Watts/Lionheart. Kinda really hate this one because of how clearly Lionheart was terrified of him. Just a bit uncomfortable for me to see that in a relationship. Watts/Hero!Ironwood or Watts/HeroTurnedVillain/Ironwood. Sorry, but Ironwood in canon got such a bad, bad portrayal in season 8 and the end of season 7, and I just can’t help but blame Watts for quite a bit of it. I only like them as a ship if Ironwood is an antagonist from the start.

My biggest criticism for the character

They shouldn’t have killed him! He was one of Salem’s best followers and one of the best villains and it was such a big mistake to kill literally one of the only actual loyal followers. It threw off any character development for Cinder and it was a big mistake. I really wanted the Cinder / Watts / Neo team up to keep going! I’m so disappointed it got thrown away.

My favorite thing about the character

Watts is an entitled, petty bastard, and I think that’s so good for a villain that isn’t meant to be social commentary (because tbh, RWBY never should’ve tried to be social commentary.) Watts isn’t sympathetic, he’s an Atlas born and raised guy in a three piece suit, he’s posh, he’s upset because he wasn’t given exactly what he wanted. Most of the villains in RWBY are either victims of abuse, systemic oppression, or poverty, and that’s... Not fun in a show that’s never handled social commentary well and is about magical girls destroying Voldemort/Satan with the power of friendship (Ruby literally never says anything about Faunus rights iirc.) Watts is refreshing because he’s exactly the type of villain that you can expect in a show like what RWBY should’ve been, and he flourishes as that. Why would we be sympathetic to Watts when he’s just doing this all because he wasn’t picked first for his tech? Why would we feel soured towards conflicts with Watts and Team RWBY? He’s just a petty bastard being evil because he was snubbed. Why would we be frustrated that incredibly significant problems are being shoved to the side with Watts? He’s a fun villain, he’s not meant to be more, he’s not meant to make you emotionally invested only to then be gutted for it. You can hate to love him without it feeling bad. Maybe that’s why he’s just my favorite non-kid villain (other than Roman.)

A headcanon I have about them

Watts has been trying to build his own AI robot like Penny, in his spare time. He wanted it to be done in time to become a Maiden, but it wasn’t, and Salem gave that slot to Cinder and got after Watts for not contributing enough. He of course thought this was deeply unfair (especially after being made to contribute a lot to Cinder’s Beacon success without getting any credit for it.) And this just fueled his hatred of Cinder, his hatred of Pietro and Ironwood, and by extension, his hatred of Penny.

What I would change about them if I was making a re-write

I would keep him freaking alive and keep up the pair up he had going on with Cinder and Neo! But also I’d increase his relationships with Emerald, Mercury, Tyrian, Hazel... Just some more Salem’s Inner Circle moments to flesh out their characters. Other than that, I wouldn’t change much. He’s a pretty good character.

What I I think of their character allusion and what (if anything) I would change about it

Okay, I’ve talked about his character allusion in a very long post awhile ago, but I’m not scrolling down that far to tag it. To sum it up... I hate his allusion. XD I loved the Sherlock Holmes books and read most of them, and I didn’t realize he was supposed to allude to John Watson until I read someone else’s post saying so, and I started freaking out about how awful it was. Watts has so little in common with Watson, he’s essentially the anti-Watson. Which basically means he’s Sherlock Holmes, the opposite of Watson in almost every way, up to and including freaking faking his death which is one of the most iconic Sherlock Holmes thing ever. Watts is everything Sherlock Holmes is on his worst days, arrogant, callous, consumed with his projects, petty, smug, over the top - as well as being hyper intelligent and a genius who often just gets passed over. He has rivalries with his colleagues like Holmes did. And like I said, he faked his death, only to reveal himself to an old friend later on the cusp of carrying out a scheme. He’s evil Holmes! He has nothing to do with John Watson - caring, humble, down to earth, not brilliant like his friend but content to be ordinary and special because of his emotional depth and devoted heart, medical former doctor who spends quite a lot of time chronicling the successes of someone else because he’s content to live in the background. Don’t get me wrong, a ‘Watson’ character who is evil could work - Watson himself indulged in crime for the sake of Holmes sometimes in the original works and if he worshipped Salem or one of her followers and did everything for her while still being a more humble, more friendly, not brilliant person he could be good - but Watts is not that person. Even the gimmicks Watts is given are stupid and don’t make it obvious he’s Watson. Boy’s got a moustache and a revolver and they thought that’d be enough. Idk why they thought 'we’ll make him Watson’ when he’s clearly a Holmes! Also, he’s supposed to be ‘Watson if he’d met Moriarty instead of Holmes,’ and to that I say boo! Watson wouldn’t turn into a super genius just because he meets a different mastermind!

...That’s summing up my feelings, yeah. Because I have so many feelings about his warped, weird character allusion. If I was changing it, I’d just make him Holmes like I think he was clearly supposed to be.

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rwby-redux · 4 years ago

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Deconstruction

Worldbuilding: Semblances II

Last time in Part I, we analyzed the failings of Semblances from a meta perspective. Now we’re going to look at them within the context of the actual show. Before we begin, let’s revisit that list of basic traits that are universally shared by Semblances.

A Semblance draws upon Aura as its source of power. When this fuel is depleted, a person can no longer use their Semblance, and must wait for their Aura to regenerate before it can be used again.

The specific ability or nature of one’s Semblance is alleged to be an expression of the user’s personality/character/soul.

Overuse of a Semblance can adversely affect a person and cause physical side effects, such as fatigue, headaches, or fainting.

Semblances can interact with Dust in such a way that their skills are augmented, resulting in the temporary acquisition of new subskills or secondary characteristics.

Through training and regular usage, Semblances can gradually become stronger or more advanced.

The intensity of certain emotions, such as stress, panic, despair, or rage, can cause a person to subconsciously activate their Semblance.

This refresher will be important as we go more in-depth. At the very least, it’ll save you the hassle of having to jump back and forth between tabs.

Limitations of Semblances

Recall point one. If your first instinct is to say, surely having a limited amount of Aura is a good limitation for Semblances, then you’d be forgiven for thinking that. In theory, it makes sense: a power based on a finite energy source does seem like a pretty significant drawback. My main issue with this being a credible limitation for Semblances is that we, the audience, have no way to gauge Aura depletion over time. And by extension, neither do our characters. In the first three Volumes, students used specialized monitors (usually on their scrolls) to keep tabs on Aura over the course of a sparring match. Not only do I like this because it’s a clever visual aid for relaying information to the audience, but also because it conveys clear worldbuilding information: characters don’t seem to have a way of innately sensing when their Aura is low. This idea seems to be reinforced again in V7.E3 - “Ace Operatives.” In the opening scene, Clover reminds RWBY and JN_R that their scrolls have been upgraded with Atlas tech, and they shouldn’t forget to use them. That line of dialogue is accompanied by Blake consulting her scroll for her teammates’ Aura levels. To my knowledge, there’s nothing in the canon that suggests characters can sense or feel when their Aura level drops, or how far away it is from depletion.

Having to rely on scrolls to monitor their Aura would be an excellent limitation to impose on an otherwise limitless superpower. Not only would it require the characters to constantly monitor their Aura, but it could introduce realistic problems. Like what would happen if a character’s scroll was lost, or destroyed, or its batteries died? How would that affect the character’s behavior in regards to Aura-related tasks? Great idea, right?

Now here comes the kicker: we don’t see any evidence of this in the show. When Team RNJR was traveling through Anima, none of them discussed having to find a village to recharge their scrolls. It’s not as if the trees have outlets that they can conveniently plug their scrolls into. Similarly, none of the characters from Volume 3 onward consult their scroll during fights to see where their Aura levels are at. You don’t see characters changing fighting styles midway through a fight in order to conserve what little Aura they have left. You don’t see characters minimizing the use of their Semblance in favor of more efficient tactics.

That’s why limited Aura doesn’t seem like a believable limitation for Semblances—not for a lack of possibility, but for a lack of execution. If characters made more of a fuss about it on-screen, I could buy it. But apart from one or two throw-away lines, characters don’t seem to pay attention to how Aura depletion affects Semblance usage, and by extension, they don’t adjust or change their tactics during combat to compensate for it.

Bear in mind that this discussion has only touched upon general limitations. We haven’t even addressed Semblance-specific limitations yet. Can Marcus Black only steal one Semblance at a time? Can Sun only make a certain number of clones at once? If Yang doesn’t eventually release the energy that she’s stored up, does it backfire on her? Is Pyrrha limited to only one type of magnetism, like ferromagnetism, or can she use more than one type? If Robyn uses her Semblance on someone who’s stating an incorrect fact, but they believe that fact to be true, then does it indicate that the person is lying? Does Hazel’s Semblance allow him to bypass/negate his Aura’s healing factor in order to stab Dust into his body?

And on and on it goes. A combination of vague or poorly-established mechanics for Semblances, coupled with the wide variety of Semblances, makes it impossible to predict what could be a hindrance for our characters down the road. This in turn creates a lack of stakes—how can we, the audience, be invested in the dangers that the cast faces, when we don’t know if those dangers are credible in the first place?

Active versus Passive Semblances

Usually when a character reveals information, it’s meant to answer questions, not create more of them. Such was the case when Qrow revealed his Semblance to Team RNJR for the first time—he brings misfortune, or rather, causes people (and objects in the nearby vicinity) to be blighted by bad luck via the manipulation of probability. Qrow is our introduction to passive Semblances, a term which, if I’m being honest, I’m not even entirely sure is canon. Someone’ll need to correct me on that, but for now “passive Semblance” will do. Because we have precious little information on the topic, I’m going to be relying on direct quotes.

Qrow: My Semblance isn't like most—it's not exactly something I do. It's always there, whether I like it or not. I bring misfortune. [1]

This passage tells us two different things: (1) passive Semblances are always active, and (2) passive Semblances can’t be controlled.

You can already see the problems with introducing a new concept this late in the game, because this new information clashes with what (few) previously-established rules we already have: Do passive Semblances require Aura? If Qrow’s Aura is depleted, will his Semblance continue to run, or will it become unusable like everyone else’s?

This ambiguity becomes even more frustrating when we acquire more information a little over a year later:

“It's not necessarily constantly running, it's more that it randomly spikes to cause unfortunate situations. If he chooses to amplify it in a fight, then yes, it does cost him.” [2]

Now we’re being told that that his Semblance isn’t “always there,” that Qrow can control it to an extent, and that his Semblance only depletes his Aura when he chooses to amplify it. Here we have an example of the character in the show being directly contradicted by one of the show’s creators. This implies that either they didn’t do a good enough job explaining passive Semblances the first time around, or they changed things after the episode aired. It isn’t just a he said/she said issue, either—Semblances requiring Aura is one of RWBY’s core mechanics for its pseudo-magic system, and by having a character whose Semblance breaks that cardinal rule, it makes the writing more difficult to believe or trust in terms of what’s canon versus what’s a retcon; what’s a subplot versus what’s a plothole. It doesn’t help when we get even more contradictory information from later episodes:

Qrow: I wouldn’t thank me. My Semblance brings misfortune. Sometimes I can’t keep it under control. [3]

I’m sorry, I thought we just established that Qrow can only amplify his Semblance. Now you’re telling us that he can partially suppress it too? Either he can’t control it at all, he can amplify it, or he can sometimes suppress its effects. Make up your damn mind.

The effects of his Semblance can be as minor as a coffee spill or as dire as a collapsing building… [4]

No! Stop it! Knocking over a Starbucks latte is not the same thing as demolishing a fucking building.

How is Qrow’s Semblance able to do something as insanely energy-demanding as toppling infrastructure without expending any Aura? How does his Semblance locate or prioritize variables in the environment to exploit/sabotage? Like, if there’s a mouse hanging out near some sort of Dust-powered generator in the building, does his Semblance send out subliminal messaging that convinces the mouse to chew through an electrical wire and cause the generator to explode?

Look, I refuse to believe that spilling a cup of coffee is somehow equal to setting off a stick of TNT or taking a wrecking ball to the side of a skyscraper. It doesn’t make any sense, which means that you have to provide a proper explanation for how it works. Because otherwise you’re going to be left with an audience that assumes Qrow’s Semblance is powered by (a) plot convenience, or (b) rats.

This—all of this, right here—is my issue with passive Semblances. (And don’t even get me started on Clover’s.)

Semblance Discovery, Auratic Plasticity

Did you notice the fancy scientific-sounding term in the heading?

Ooh. Auratic plasticity. That sounds official. You’re probably wondering where that term came from. A scene from Volume 5 you haven’t re-watched in a while (not that I can blame you). A World of Remnant episode, perhaps? Maybe it’s from one of the comics, or the director’s commentary on a DVD, or even an AMA on Reddit?

To answer your question: it didn’t come from any of those. Auratic plasticity is a term I coined exclusively for the Redux. Specifically, for talking about what goes behind discovering a person’s Semblance, and what factors are at play when that Semblance takes on its unique form.

Before we can talk about Auratic plasticity, however, we need to talk about all the ways someone discovers their Semblance. It can vary wildly from person to person. For some, their Semblance unlocks randomly while doing everyday run-of-the-mill things. As alluded to by Taiyang in V4.E9 - “Two Steps Forward, Two Steps Back,” Yang’s Semblance activated while she was getting a haircut. For others, it can be the byproduct of training, extreme stress, or an otherwise fatal encounter. [5] In rare instances, Semblances can be hereditary, thus removing any ambiguity of what that person’s Semblance will be when it first activates.

The reason why I bring any of this up is because RWBY’s official stance is that Semblances “generally reflect the wielder’s personality.” [6] If Semblances were generally tied to the personality of the wielder, then it would fail to account for the correlation between the circumstance that triggered the Semblance to manifest, and the resulting Semblance expression.

Let me give you a few examples.

Adaptive Semblance: Nora’s Semblance was unlocked when she was struck by lightning. Consider the fact that her Semblance allows her to absorb electricity without taking any damage from the electric current. Rather than her Semblance being tied to her personality, Nora’s is likely a case of an adaptive Semblance—as in, her circumstances required a very specific Semblance in order to survive the 10,000 amperes running through her body. Instead of her soul generating a Semblance tied to her personality, it prioritized generating a Semblance that would help her survive an immediate and life-threatening scenario.

Innate Semblance: Ruby’s Semblance was discovered one day while training. If we’re to assume that there weren’t any dangerous circumstances factoring into that training session, it’s likely that her soul generated a Semblance that was in fact tied to an aspect of her personality. In this case, her superspeed is a projection of her enthusiasm and hyperactive zeal, and her tendency to prioritize others’ wellbeing over her own, trying to figuratively (and in this case, literally) reach them before they’re harmed.

Hereditary Semblance: Weiss and Winter, and (presumably) Whitley, Willow, and Nicholas all share the glyph-based Semblance unique to the Schnee lineage. The confirmation of their Semblance being explicitly hereditary contradicts the idea that Semblances are an expression of one’s personality. If we go by that logic, it implies that—what, their personalities are all the same? They have no individuality? I’m sorry, but that’s just dumb.

This is why Semblance discovery is important, and why the canon should have paid more attention to developing it. There’s pretty compelling evidence for a person’s Semblance being tied to multiple factors apart from their “personality.” I know that I’m digressing here a bit, but the main reason why I bring up this correlation isn’t just because it clarifies inconsistencies with the canon. It also presents an opportunity to enrich the lore of the show.

In the Redux, Auratic plasticity is the ability of the soul to generate a Semblance based on either an immutable personality trait (innate), a scenario-specific survival method (adaptive), or a “genetic” trait that’s repeatedly selected for due to its inherent fitness (inherited). These three categories are determined by a value called hierarchical prioritization—basically, it’s the soul’s ability to decide what Semblance-trigger gets precedence. I’ll get into more detail when I start the Amendment, but it felt important to clarify my intentions early, so I could justify writing 700 words on why Semblance discovery is important.

Adverse Effects of Using Semblances

Unlike Limitations, which focuses on what a Semblance can or can’t do, Adverse Effects deals with the negative repercussions/consequences of using a Semblance.

Or in RWBY’s case, a lack thereof.

(For the moment, let’s set aside the magic/not magic discourse and acknowledge that yes, in the traditional sense, Aura, Semblances, and Dust are part of RWBY’s magic system, the same way bending is part of A:TLA’s.)

When designing a magic system, you’ve got to balance it. Otherwise, the system contains powers that are vaguely-defined, OP, and bereft of any costs.

One way to implement a system of checks and balances is by giving that system a cost for using it. In RWBY’s case, the only “cost” experienced by characters is physical fatigue whenever they overextend themselves. But in the grand scheme of things it’s not really a detrimental consequence, in part because of how infrequently exhaustion is viewed as a legitimate threat. Seriously. When was the last time you saw the main cast fail because they overdid it while using their Semblances? It just doesn’t happen.

One way you could implement a cost is by tying Semblance usage to a physical demand. According an article by Julia Belluz, Winter Olympic athletes consume anywhere between 1,300 - 2,500 and 4,000 - 7,000 calories on average per day.

It wouldn’t be that much of a stretch to apply this to RWBY. Given the high-intensity acrobatics the characters perform on the regular, it would make sense that strenuous physical activity, coupled with Semblance usage, would create costs in the form of caloric needs. Maybe that’s an issue Team RNJR needs to deal with while backpacking across Anima. Is food a top priority for them? Do they have to restrict Semblance usage when running low on rations? Does the group ever have to hunt or forage for food to meet the energy demands of fighting Grimm?

Not only does this balance out Semblances, but it opens the door for potential worldbuilding. Is “Huntsman” ever used as a euphemism for “glutton”? Do all-you-can-eat buffets ban Huntsmen from their establishments? Do Huntsmen have a reputation for being less picky about food options? In places that use trade-and-barter systems, are Huntsmen willing to accept food as payment instead of lien?

I think that’s more or less everything I wanted to say about Semblances. I have a few unrelated nitpicks, but I can save those for another time. This post is already longer than I intended it to be.

[1] Volume 4, Episode 8: “A Much Needed Talk.”

[2] Shawcross, Kerry. “CRWBY AMA.” Reddit interview. February 12, 2018. [https://www.reddit.com/r/RWBY/comments/7x3w4s/crwby_ama_w_miles_luna_kerry_shawcross_and_paula/du5bpdm/?context=3]

[3] Volume 7, Episode 3: “Ace Operatives.”

[4] Wallace, Daniel. The World of RWBY: The Official Companion. VIZ Media LLC, 2019, page 94.

[5] Volume 5, Episode 4: “Lighting the Fire.”

[6] Wallace, Daniel. The World of RWBY: The Official Companion. VIZ Media LLC, 2019, page 39.

#deconstruction #worldbuilding #writing #semblances

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mysurveys · 7 years ago

Text

Random Qs

Survey #7 on the Countdown to 2019!

Since my last survey I’ve been sick, busy, lazy... It’s been a long time, but I felt up to doing another right now. I’m not promising any more as a follow up to this tonight, though. I’ve been too into anime lately.

Air Conditioning - At what level or temperature is it on today?

I don't know exactly. It's usually on 68-70, though.

Pet - Where does your pet sleep at night?

Our dog Chloe sleeps on my parents' bed and my cats will be in the house or outside at night.

Laptop - Is it in your lap, on the table, or somewhere else and is it charging?

It's on a table in our living room and it's charging.

Smartphone - Who do you only use your smartphone to talk to without texting or otherwise?

I still don't own or want a smartphone. It’s not something I require because I hate talking on the phone and I'm not interested in texting.

If I go out then I like being unplugged so I can live my life. Being obsessed with some kind of tech is a codependency I really don't need.

Pillows - How many pillows do you actually use while sleeping, not just on your bed?

I'll use two for sleeping every night.

Candles - What's your favorite scent that you own and how often do you light it?

I prefer LED tealights, especially since I have cats. Scented items usually bother me too. I'm allergic to a lot of things.

Cigarettes - Who in your house smokes?

My father used to smoke off our property when he was stressed, but he hasn't done that in years to my knowledge.

My mother and I would never tolerate someone smoking in our house. That shit can kill you, including secondhand smoke.

Couch - How many people could sit comfortably on it?

We only have a love-seat in our living room. My parents and I only have recliners in the den. Mine is extra-spacious.

Glasses - Who wears glasses in your house and are they near or farsighted?

I wear glasses daily because I'm nearsighted and I can't wear contacts. Both of my parents will sometimes use cheap reading glasses, though. They're over 65 now, so their vision isn't as good as it used to be.

Toothpaste - What brand do you like best?

I have to use Sensodyne. My teeth are sensitive to hot, cold and sweet items. My whole body is hypersensitive.

Pencils - Do you prefer using regular or mechanical pencils?

I'd rather just use a pen, but I'll use either of those if they're available.

Coffee Mug - What kind of hot beverage do you drink the most?

I’ll mostly drink coffees that I make at home, although I'll drink ryokucha (green tea) too.

Television - What's your favorite television channel and what're the best shows on it?

My go-to channels are Investigation Discovery and The Weather Channel lately. I'm partial to A Crime To Remember and Evil Lives Here on ID right now, but TWC is something I watch no matter what's on.

The actual weather reports in the morning during AMHQ are really soothing to me and I like So You Think You’d Survive? and SOS: How To Survive.

Chap-stick - Do you get chapped lips a lot, and when was the last time you had them?

I don't often get chapped lips, but it occasionally happens in the winter. It happened sometime during the winter, probably before the new year.

Musical Instrument - What instrument is your favorite and what's your favorite song on it?

If I'm going to listen to only one instrument then I'd choose the ocarina. I like the drums, guitar, piano, harp. It's still better for music to be played with multiple instruments, though.

Trashcan - Whose responsibility is it to take out the trash at your house?

My father often does it, but sometimes I'll do it for him.

Plants - What kind of plants do you have in your house and how often are they watered?

We don't keep any plants.

Hair Dryer - Who in your family has the longest hair and how long is it?

My parents have very short hair, so mine is the longest. It's a bit passed my shoulders right now.

Chocolate - What kind is better, milk, dark or white?

I prefer white, but I'll also eat dark chocolate sometimes. My faves are Hershey's Cookies & Creme Drops if I'm having a real treat, or just the sugar-free Russell Stover Dark Chocolate Medallions.

Shoes - The last time you went out, what shoes did you wear?

My Wolverine hiking shoes. They're the best I've ever owned. I like sturdy footwear that encompasses my feet.

DVD Player - What do you have more of, VHS tapes or DVDs?

I think I tossed out all my personal VHS tapes years ago. I mostly have DVDS, but I’ve got some Blu-Ray discs too

Insects - When you find an unwanted insect inside of your house, do you kill it, take it outside, or leave it alone?

If it's just an insect then I prefer to put it outside if it doesn't have a stinger. If I find a lizard then I'm the same way.

But if I spot a spider, I'm going to try killing it because those can be dangerous. I can't really spot the difference, so it's better to just be safe.

Spiders are specifically arachnids and not insects, though. I'm not lumping them together, but some people call them "bugs" just because the word evokes the image of a pest that bugs them.

Obviously lizards are reptiles, but they're common here. That's why I had to mention them too. They often get into our house through the garage.

Razor - What are all the areas of your body that you shave?

I don't constantly shave, but I'll take the hair off my legs, arms and armpits if I feel like it. I won’t use razors, though.

Webcam - When you go on webcam, who do you chat with the most and do you use any specific sites or programs?

I don't use my webcam.

Refrigerator & Freezer - Does yours have an automatic ice cube maker, and do you prefer cubed or crushed ice?

We don't need one of those and we only use cubed ice. It's just that we rarely use ice at all.

Sunscreen - What SPF do you use?

I haven't used sunscreen in a long time, but if I do go outside for a while then I tend to stay in the shade. I burn so easily and I'm pretty allergic to a lot of things outside too.

It's been a big problem up until recently, but I've finally found a good allergy doctor now. Maybe I can go outside more soon.

Sibling - Do you get along with your siblings, and if you have more than one then which are you closest to?

I'm an only child.

Cereal - What kind of cereal is in your house right now, is it your favorite and if not then what is?

I think there's just some corn flakes. My fave is Cinnamon Toast Crunch even though I rarely eat that or any cereal.

Pain Relievers - What kind of pain reliever do you use when you have a headache?

We have some off-brand Tylenol with pain reliever. It's the only thing that really works, but if it's an allergy headache then I'll take one of those and a sinus pill of some kind as a decongestant.

Monopoly - When you play Monopoly, what game piece do you choose?

I haven't played in so long, but I used to pick the thimble or the dog the most. It’s been ages and I want to play again.

Now I’ve bought the Mario version since I’ve been having game nights with my mother, Miss Cindy and cousin Julie. We haven’t played it yet, though.

It’s got Mario, Peach, Yoshi and Donkey Kong. My preference would be Peach out of those followed closely by Yoshi, although you can buy others.

I would certainly love a Bowser, but my other faves from what’s available right now are the Boo, Tanooki Mario and Luigi figures. I’d say my number one is really the Boo figure, though. It’s my fave Mario baddie!

Bookshelf - What books, if any, have you read more than once?

I tend not to revisit books. I'm also much more fond of nonfiction.

Card Deck - What's your favorite card game?

The only one I really enjoy is Uno and I've got the Mario edition too.

Umbrella - Do you mind walking in the rain without one?

I really don't mind getting wet most of the time.

Mood Ring - What mood are you in right now?

I'm mostly good despite being pretty stiff since I woke up that way.

Hoodie - Do you prefer the kind with or without the zipper?

I'm good with zips and I like them more than pullovers.

Calendar - What's the picture on your calendar for this month?

The one in our kitchen is a Thomas Kinkade calendar. It's just some spring scene for May right now.

Pajamas - What do you usually wear to sleep in and are you comfortable falling asleep in jeans?

I would hate sleeping in jeans. My usual outfits are PJs, nightgowns or just a tee if it's hot out.

Backpack - Are you in school this year and if so, what grade are you in?

I'm turning 32 later this month, thanks.

Alarm Clock - What time do you have to get up tomorrow morning?

I don't have a specific time to be up, especially since it’s Saturday, and it's currently 12:55 AM too. I might go to bed in the morning.

Jewelry Box - What's your most expensive piece of jewelry, and if it was a gift then who got it for you?

It might be a heart charm necklace I got in a shop on the Kemah Boardwalk here in Texas near Galveston. I’m not really sure, though. It was something I wanted for my birthday from my parents.

Game Console - What's your favorite video game to play by yourself?

Animal Crossing! Any of the main ones, but not the offshoots.

I didn’t care to try out Happy Home Designer and Amiibo Festival. In fact, I never purchased the shitty Wii U system at all. I could’ve played HHD, but it looked lame too. No one I know liked it either.

Mirror - How many times a day do you tend to look in the mirror?

I don't look in mirrors all that often, but I'm not averse to them.

Basement - Is your basement used just for storage, or is it used as another room?

We don't have basements here.

Sports Jersey - What professional teams do you and your family root for?

No one in my immediate family is a big sports fan these days.

Dictionary - What was the last new word you learned and what does it mean?

I kind of rediscovered the word "grimoire" because of the Black Clover anime along with a lot of words based on the character names.

I think the last brand-new one was the name for Licht which means "light" even though there are several I've learned about now.

#surveys #survey #personal #questions #randomqs

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polarishpd · 7 years ago

Text

A Month Of Truth: Narrated by Lance and Pidge (Chapter 2)

(art by @mclanchez-dictionary)

Chapter 1

VOICEOVER #3:

Yanno, I did try to find the cure. And then Allura just goes 'Pidge, go study diplomatic Galaxorian law and culture, you're not going to a ball without knowing anything about them'. I dunno, I think she asked Coran to research, but he couldn't find the cure, apparently?

She asked Coran. Yeah. But like, you barely told him anything about the poem.

I think I actually didn't tell him.

Yeah, yeah whatever, get on with the story. I was especially handsome around here.

You're always handsome.

Wow, I'm surprised you said that.

I know, I am too.

~~~

DAY 8:

"I hope you Paladins are prepared for the ball tomorrow," Allura tactfully reminds. Pidge's mind isn't on the ball, or the dress part of it, hand lazily swirling her spoon in her food goo, because her mind has been stuck on the poem for days.

Recipe for a truth spell. Could it be the spell they were currently being tormented by? Probably. But why would the Galran Lotor have access to an Altean potion?.

Why four leaf clover, why tears? Pidge may as well be able to make that on her own. Well, maybe except for the fact that she had no idea where to get four leaf clovers other than Earth, and no idea how to find the tears of a fraught lover.

If only the poem had included a cure.

"Pidge? Earth to Pidge!" Lance waves his hand unceremoniously in Pidge's face, immediately grabbing her attention.

"Huh?"

"Allura was asking if you wanted to wear a dress for tomorrow's ball," Lance reports. Pidge curiously tilts her head to look at Allura, cocking one eyebrow.

"That would be nice," she says, stupidly unable to help herself. If she weren't under the influence of the spell, she would definitely have not replied as such, more likely to roll her eyes and deny the very notion. But alas, the truth spell was actually in existence, and Pidge had actually replied positively. Goddamnit.

"Really? You're not running away this time?" Allura squawks, surprised.

"I don't think I am." Not a very confident reply, strange considering the spell, but there nonetheless. Lance raises an eyebrow.

"Not to be a party pooper, but don't the aliens think Pidge is male? Like I know all of us, even Keith somehow, would look stonkin' hot in a ballgown, but what will the Galaxorians think?"

So Lance thought Keith would look good in a ballgown? Shiro? Hunk?

Herself?

Thankfully, the spell doesn't compel her to ask questions, only to answer them, so Pidge stays quiet and tries not to show even a semblance of reaction.

Allura laughs, the sound tinkling like little birds fluttering down from trees. So goddamn ethereal. You would never guess that a laugh like that belonged to a fierce and powerful warrior princess.

"Lance, do you really think our very, very diverse colonies of people care about femininity and masculinity?"

Lance reddens.

"Earth culture," is all he answers. Allura raises an eyebrow questioningly, letting it fall back down and continue her talking, prompted by all the interested looks around the table.

"Basically, you people can wear whatever you want, as long appropriate to the culture. Pidge can wear a dress and still be a 'guy'" Allura states.

Then, her eyes glint wickedly to everyone around the table, immediately making everyone very, very nervous.

"Hey, does everyone want a ballgown?"

Pidge watches with amusement as four terrified men stampede away.

As he runs, Lance hollers:

"I DON'T MIND WEARING ONE, JUST NOT TONIGHT!!!"

Allura and Pidge glance at each other, pinching their mouths in, attempting to hide their laughter.

"BAHAHAHAHAHA!"

---

Allura puts Pidge on her dressing pedestal, surrounded by full length mirrors, Allura running back and forth between her closet and Pidge, who is ordered to stay still.

How exactly does one have fifty thousand different dresses of different colour, material, style and make?

Ask Allura.

"What do you think of Lance, Pidge?" Allura cleverly asks as she ducks behind Pidge, holding up a plethora of dresses on her back to see if it would fit, hands swapping them in and out. Even Allura, barely touching Pidge, can feel the sudden rush of tension that floods her petite body from the question.

Pidge already dreads the word vomit that's going to happen from a simple question. God, the answer to that question deserved a four page, PEEL paragraph analytical essay. Maybe even a goddamn thesis.

"Well, I don't know. I used to find him really annoying, especially in the Garrison. I mean, he would never do his schoolwork, and sometimes ditch us to chase pretty girls, and he always pissed off or annoyed me, but-but he was kind of okay." Pidge's hard, angry-looking exterior falls, replaced with something altogether more soft, fond...nostalgic, perhaps?

"He would always try to befriend me, make sure I wasn't too antisocial, that he treated me well." Pidge suddenly chuckles, looking as if she were remembering the past. "He even tried to set me up on dates. That was probably the funniest one," she admits, grinning. Allura laughs with her, nodding approvingly of something she was holding up.

Pidge doesn't want to mention that none of those prospective dates actually wanted to date her. Looks like she was undateable even in male disguise.

Pidge alsd oesn't want to say anything in hear of spoiling what seems like her imagination.

Allura clutches a silky dress that would gently clutch at one's figure as it cascades down, the colour an intricate and shifting blend of greens and blues, cut sweetheart at the bosom. It seems sleeveless, if not for a gentle mesh covering the chest and arms, draping down over the wrists. And even more fitting for her Green Paladin theme are the little four-leaved clovers, dotting the skirt and mesh portions of the gorgeous dress.

Somehow, it even looks like it would suit Pidge.

"What do you think?"

Pidge doesn't know whether to put it on. Hell yes she wants to, but putting on a dress again is like revisiting a memory she can't yet stomach.

She hadn't willingly worn a dress since after Matt disappeared.

Wearing one again, seeing herself back in the image of femininity would both confuse and maybe scare her..

She loves being girly with her hairbands and swishy skirts, but she also loves being tomboyish with the mud in her hair and boy cargo shorts.

"Allura, it's beautiful, it's perfect," Pidge starts, Allura immediately brightening and gesturing to the changing room, "but i can't wear it."

"Why not?"

For once, the princess is annoying Pidge. Yes, thank you for helping. Thank you for taking the time to dress her up.

But asking so many questions, especially private ones while she was under a truth spell, was something she preferred to never happen again. Never again did she want Keith, Hunk or Allura manipulating her into actually complimenting Lance. Yuck.

"A multitude of reasons. I love the dress, it's really so pretty, but I don't know. Wearing it won't make Lance realise that I'm not just a boy tech-genius that he met in the Garrison, I'm a girl." Pidge claps her hands over her mouth. Why had that particular gem of truth decided to drop out of her mouth instead of the one she was willing to share about her brother?!

Nope, she didn't care what Lance thought. Lance is someone who looks merely on the outside, at the skin and everything that lies above it. Hell, he doesn't look at what's inside, Pidge thinks bitterly. He sees it, but he doesn't look at it as if it were truly important.

"Pidge," Allura sighs, pursing her lips. "You don't need Lance's opinion. You don't need a dress to be beautiful or for Lance to see. You wear a dress to feel a bit like-like a princess, isn't that the phrase?"

Pidge looks at the dress.

"Hmm."

Allura grins.

---

"I swear, I'd rather be fighting the Blade again than be thrown into a monkey suit," Keith groans, reclining on the sofa.

"Maybe a ball would be fun?" Hunk, his always cheerful self, offers to Keith.

"The last time there was a ball, we were invaded and nearly killed, in case you can't remember," Keith bitterly reminds.

"Just because you're a fun hating guy doesn't mean all of us has to be," Lance rolls his eyes sarcastically. "A ball might brighten up your spirits a little."

The door clicks at the same time Lance laughs at Keith's sullen scowl.

Allura practically floats in, beaming.

Pidge follows closely behind her. At first, all Lance can see is a little, stubbly ponytail, Pidge's grown-out hair, poking out from behind Allura. Then, a shimmer of green, the little swish of a dress.

Is Pidge...is Pidge actually dressed up?

Lance tries to stop himself from gaping, but as normal, he has almost no self-constraint whatsoever.

"Geez, Lance, no need to stare," Keith and Pidge both groan at the same time, screaming 'Jinx!" soon after.

Lance feels the blood flood his face, turning him a pretty shade of pink.

Lance couldn't help but look, honestly If that was what Pidge wanted (unlikely though). How could he not?

Pidge had always been beautiful, behind the traditionally 'geeky' and boyish appearance she favoured. She couldn't stop that from shining through. But somehow, the way this dress hugs the legs, swirls as she moves, even the little details captivate him more than he anticipated.

"So? Thoughts? Am I wearing this tomorrow or not?" Pidge internally cringes at how rude, crass she sounds, but chooses to try and ignore it.

"You better be," Lance blurts out. "Like, you didn't need the dress to look beautiful because you always are, maybe except for when you drool on me-wait scratch that, that's beautiful too but like in a really cool way, and the dress really suits you I mean look at the bo-"

Keith lunges at Lance, quickly putting him in a silencing chokehold.

"Don't say anything you're going to regret later," he whispers. Lance groans rebelliously, rolling his eyes and snapping Keith's hands off his neck.

"Okay, daaaaaaad, and for the record, I was going to say bodice," he drags out, huffing and sassily sashaying away from Keith and towards Pidge. Keith steams, mouth down turned and face stunned.

"Toootally."

"It's not like I can lie!"

Lance pushes past Keith, eyes still fixating on a stunned, wordless Pidge who looks like she isn't comprehending what's going on.

Shiro, Keith, Hunk and Allura look ready to jump in front of Pidge and protect their (proclaimed) 'small one' from a Lance who looks ready to drop his pick-up lines on Pidge.

He stops, looking at her curiously.

"No need to look," she says, hoping it comes off more teasing and less flustered like she really is. Allura raises her eyebrows, the rest of the team leaving.

"You keep the dress with you, Pidge!" Allura hollers as she leaves, arm tugged by Shiro and Keith.

Pidge awkwardly stands by Lance.

"So...?"

"You really do look beautiful."

Pidge, usually an observant and judgmental person, doesn't pick up on the little things she normally would; this includes Lance's unusually shy glance, reddened face, fidgety hands.

The only thing that Pidge comprehends is that Lance isn't acting how he normally would with a pretty girl. Flash a smile, raise an eyebrow with half-lidded eyes, likely move closer and lean an elbow on a parallel wall. None of that.

Well, thank god?

No.

He just said that she's beautiful? Is it a lie? (Yes, Pidge knows there's a truth spell, but by this point she knows that it's only when a question is asked that the truth is given. Not in a willing statement, not always at least). Pidge looks down at her shoes, little green flats with layers of leaves creating a hypnotic pattern.

He probably doesn't think she's beautiful. Where's the flirtatious smiles, the smirks, the winks, the eyebrow raises, the leaning and moving in, the godawful pickup lines that make her cringe? The ones that come into painful existence when a pretty alien girl appears?

"Thank you."

Pidge has to storm out and leave Lance alone before she tells her too many of her truths too.

---

VOICEOVER #4:

I don't recall much of that day. Dunno why. Maybe it's because I was-

Shh, don't spoil it for them

-totally fine, then

Insert eye roll emoji here

Stop stealing my reaction emojis!

Insert raised eyebrow emoji here

I'm going to strangle you!!

Kinkyyyyy

We are NOT there yet, okay.

Pity.

Sorry, what?

Nothing.

Allura is going to kill us when she hears the voice-overs, i swear.

DAY 9:

"How does Allura do all this diplomatic stuff while looking so goddamn happy?" Pidge questions, gently tugging at her sleeve. Hunk shrugs in reply, unknowing.

"How do I know? I'm only excited because I hear the Galaxorians are bringing food," Hunk chirps in reply. "I'm going to go to get the food, it's over there."

Pidge huffs out a breath she didn't know she was holding, watching as Hunk disappears through the crowd of people.

"Thanks for ditching me, Hunk!" she tries to call out, but Hunk has already started making casual conversation with the chefs. Something about how exotic the flavours were, and how precise their technique appeared to be. Hunk really does blend in very well with the squad, who seem very interested in every word from Hunk.

The Galaxorians are all gorgeous, each one looking so different. Apparently it's the gene; not even those directly related bear any resemblance due to some weird gene thing that Pidge really wants to study more.

The best part about them probably was the ambiguity. Galaxorians seemed to not have genders because of that mutating gene, ridding them of gender stereotypes. Pidge remembers the people back home, oppressed, and wishes that maybe her home could be a little more like space.

Soundlessly, Pidge floats through the mob of people, searching and scanning for her answers. Where are her friends?

"Hello Ma'am," one of the Galaxorians say, holding up a tray beside them. They smile, offering one of the thin-stemmed and slim glasses to Pidge. "Would you like a drink? It's the best Galaxorian drink around."

If only to be polite, Pidge plucks one off, giving them her best smile.

"Thank you."

In this getup, Pidge feels both extremely confident and extremely self-conscious, somehow at the same time. Hell yeah she was a freaking princess, but hell no to the whole 'diplomacy' thing. People look at her differently now. More like Allura, less like Lance. Hunk would be so much be better for this job, she thinks.

Well, you know what?

Even Matt would be better than her at being diplomatic in a party dress. And she doesn't even have Matt.

God, if only Matt could see her (and Shiro) now...

Pidge takes a swig of the drink, tasting the sweetness, smacking her lips on her teeth. Kind of tarty, like berry drinks. What the hell. Pidge shrugs, just gulping down the whole flute in one go.

Delicious! So good that Pidge almost forgets about Matt for a moment!

"Hey, Pidge."

Pidge whirls around, nearly slamming into Shiro.

"Oh, hey."

Shiro frowns, seeing Pidge staring at her shoes.

"Someone looks down. Literally."

"Oh, ha ha ha, very funny..." Pidge curls her upper lip rebelliously. "You're already our Space Dad, no need to re-establish that."

Why is the music so loud? This Altean music sounds freakishly like Earth pop music that she despises but Lance worships...something about whipping and dabbing? Pidge would never know.

"But I am re-establishing the statement that someone looks down. What's up?"

Oh goody, Shiro finally phrases himself in question form. Looks like the truth is about to spill like a waterfall, friends! Buckle up and get ready for the word vomit!

"A lot of things, really. For one, Hunk decided to just ditch me for a bunch of Galaxorian chefs that I think don't even know who Hunk is. And then, I just keep on staring at how amazing the citizens are, to still be like this even after their planet's being used as a battleground, and how they still gave me this delicious drink, oh my god-"

"Pidge? Calm down," Shiro tries to interject. But the truth spell has already taken hold, stabbing its hooks into Pidge and forcefully pulling the truth out from her.

"And worse, Lance isn't even paying attention to me, even when I'm wearing this, but I don't really know if want him to, Allura's stupid but awesome dress is making me seem more mature than I really am, and I just keep thinking of how much better it would be if Matt were here-"

Pidge chokes, eyes bulging out a little. The truth spell releases its hooks, finally setting Pidge free.

Shit.

"Your brother would be very proud of you if he could see you now, Pidge. You've grown up a lot, you've learnt so much, done so much for the coalition," Shiro reminds, putting his hand on Pidge's shoulder reassuringly. "Very proud. And about Lance...I have a feeling he's not avoiding you because he doesn't want to hang around you."

Pidge flips around, nearly whacking Shiro in the face. Her face looks like some really funny mix of confused, terrified and judgemental all in one, directed to Shiro.

"What does that even mean?"

"Shiro!"

Keith waves, beckoning Shiro to him.

"I'm sorry, I've got to go Pidge, duty calls!"

Keith, in a friendly manner, sticks out the middle finger to Pidge. Pidge quickly flashes one back, sending him an insolent look as Shiro walks away with him.

Two out of five friends have ditched. Forty percent. That's a bit much, don't you think?

Pidge spots Lance, Hunk, Keith and Shiro chatting somewhere at the other side of the ballroom, her view rapidly changing with the heads bobbing in front of her.

So they all ditched her for Lance? Yep-totally not offended. At all.

Doesn't matter.

Pidge ignores them, trying to gracefully walk her way to the other side of the ballroom where the dinner was supposed to take place. How many more hours of this? How many hours before she can become antisocial Pidge Gunderson again?

Allura stands close by, seeming to be making amiable conversation with a Galaxorian. Didn't look like diplomatic business, because both were giggling their heads off. Allura chokes on air, grinning as she regains composure, as does the Galaxorian. Wait, is that the Galaxorian princess? And holy hell, she is gorgeous. The opposite of Allura, round and short (pretty much Pidge's height), and freaking gorgeous.

"Pidge!"

Crap.

Shyly, Pidge tiptoes to Allura and the princess. Wait, is she supposed to curtsey?

Before Pidge can decide, the princess envelops her in a tight hug, squeezing the air out of Pidge.

"Hi! Allura, did I say it right?" she squeaks. Allura smiles, nodding slightly. Adorable and hot? Pidge was only surprised that Lance hadn't tried to hit on her yet.

"Hi!" Pidge greets back, trying to imitate the pure enthusiasm.

"I'm Princess Eejin of Galaxor, but you can just call me Jin. My dad's over there, he's the scary purple one, but I love him a lot anyway. And he loves me a lot too. " Eejin points a stubby finger to the head of the table where her father, Andreas if Pidge is not wrong, currently sits. Pidge is quite sure that Allura is supposed to sit opposite.

It's kind of cute, how she describes her fucking intimidating father.

"Oh Pidge, sit with me at dinner?" she chirrups.

Shit, a question.

"Sorry, I was planning to sit with Lance. I kind of want to sit with him and all," Pidge blurts out. Eejin raises a curious eyebrow at the hesitant Pidge, suddenly 'oh'-ing in surprise and snapping her fingers.

"Truth spell! Haven't come across one of those in a while. If I'm not wrong, Alteans had the best ones around!" Eejin recalls. Allura nods.

"I have Coran searching out libraries. If my fath-" Allura coughs, looking down, "if my father, a renowned alchemist, were alive, I'm sure this job would be easier."

"Princess!"

A servant catches Allura as a tear nearly slips her eye, startling them.

"Are you okay, miss?"

"I'm fine," Allura clearly tries to lessen what would have been sharp. "Is dinner ready?"

"Yes, ma'am, I was about to tell you that."

Eejin grabs Pidge's arm, grinning cheekily.

"I want to meet this Lance fellow who has so obviously stolen your heart. Let me sit next to you with him by your other side," she cooes, giving her the Galaxorian equivalent of puppy eyes. Pidge nods slowly, gently tugging on her lacey sleeve, almost to the point of breaking.

"I haven't exactly asked to sit next to him."

"Nonsense! A pretty thing like you, he'll have to say yes!" Eejin smacks her playfully, and harder than Pidge expected. "So which one is he?"

With most of the crowd filtered to the food and the important guests to the front long table, Pidge clearly sees Lance, trying some Galaxorian food.

Suddenly, Lance chokes after biting off maybe half, spitting it out in Keith's face.

"AHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"

Eejin looks at Pidge, who nearly facepalms.

"Do not tell me that it's that one."

"Uh..."

~~~

On the table was King Andreas, Princess Eejin, the Paladins, the Galaxorian Prime Minister, Coran, and Allura.

"Now why exactly do you want to sit next to me?" Lance asks, uncomfortably sitting in his seat. Pidge tries to not look at how damn cute he is in the Altean-style suit that he and the others wear. It grips his lean frame almost perfectly, decorated with blue silks and meshes, very different from the classical Earth style. And a hell lot nicer too.

"Because I like your company," Pidge says casually. "And your suit, for the record, it's really nice." Suddenly, she realises what she said, bursting out into embarrased laughter with Eejin. For once, Pidge didn't mind being loud. Giggly. More like the young teenage girl she was supposed to be. Lance seems to suddenly take notice of the princess.

"Well hello there," he greets, tone switching and mouth arching upwards in preparation for disgusting flirting.

Jesus, here it comes, and Pidge braces for a slew of pick up lines to come. But it never comes.

"Hello, Lance! I must say, you are a very lucky person!" Eejin chirrups, eyes shut amicably and purple-lined mouth grinning. Lance balks.

"Huuuh?"

"I mean, you have the wonderful Pidge in lo-"

Shit-Pidge jumps, waving her hands in Eejin's face. She doesn't notice Allura facepalming in the back, mostly because Eejin's father was giving them very apprehensive looks. Eejin takes the hint, blushing and halting her speech.

"Pidge does-"

"JIN!"

"So that's your name?" Lance questions, lazily twirling a fork on his finger. Pidge represses the want to try that too.

"Actually, it's Princess Eejin, but Jin will do," Eejn corrects. Lance blanches, much to Pidge's amusement.

"You're the princess?!"

"Someone did their studying," Pidge sneers.

"Well I'm sorry, I was too busy watching you study to actually study," he defends. Eejin and Pidge side-glance, bursting out into girlish, voracious laughter.

"What?!-"

Lance is cut off (with furiously red face and tight lips) by Allura clinking her glass of drink, who shoots an abashed Lance and Pidge looks, King Andreas shooting a grinning Eejin similar looks.

"Good members of the Galaxorian Nation, my Paladins of Voltron, it is an honour to host this first diplomatic dinner between our two nations," she speaks out, the members of the table clapping politely. "Of course, perhaps this meeting need not be completely formal, but we do come together to discuss an alliance between Galaxor and the Voltron Coalition."

Dinner passes quickly. The food, having been closely scrunitized by Hunk, is actually pretty good; Most foods beat the repetitive texture of the food goo, and this is one of them.

Eejin sticks strangely close to Pidge, maybe just attached.

King Andreas is surprisingly friendly. Honestly, for a guy who looks like he is perennially frowning, Andreas even cracks friendly jokes about how Voltron is a need of a good paint job. Especially the red lion, much to both Lance and Keith's annoyance. And he too seems very fond of Eejin, often making jokes alluding to her brilliance and humor, and Pidge tries not to notice how Allura's reacting to it.

"Galaxor needs Voltron, and Voltron needs Galaxor. We have skilled fighters in number but near to no Air Force. I think we would make a good pair," he reasons, appealing to Allura. They need numbers. Badly. The Blade was only so much.

"I think we can strike a deal." Allura extends her hand out, which Andreas returns from across the table. A symbol of agreement, even without the handshake.

The table, and the rest of the people, stand up and cheer, clinking glasses and screaming in joy. Hope. Hope that Galaxor may not be defeated by the Galra, that Voltron could restore the universe. A scene that Pidge had seen multiple times before with a multitude of different nations. And yet Zarkon and Lotor still rode their reign of terror. What would make the change?

Suddenly, right after everyone sits down, Pidge polishing off possibly her third glass of the drink, her brain stings, make her crouch and clutch her head.

It stabs at her.

"Pidge? Pidge!" Eejin exclaims, gripping Pidge and pulling her up with a strength Pidge didn't know she possessed. Luckily, the rest of the table has either left or made their own conversations, so the trio go unnoticed.

Suddenly, again, all feels alright. Better, if possible. She spots Lance right beside her, holding her arm.

"Why are you smiling like that?" Eejin questions, making a face both confused and surprised. Pidge tries to wipe the goopy grin, directed to Lance, off her face, but it refuses to go.

Jesus, why is she getting spelled every three seconds?!

"Heya, Laaaaaance," Pidge drags out, in a voice that is definitely not meant for friends only, eyes going half lidded. Lance, taken aback, goes bright red.

"...hi?"

Eejin gasps, also frowning, looking between the glass and Pidge.

"Pidge, what did you drink?"

Pidge looks at Eejin, appearing either stoned or dazed. Maybe both.

"I dunno, but do you know what I really want to drink?" she slurs, turning back to Lance with a look that definitely meant something else altogether. Eejin quickly grabs her and flips her around.

"Dammit, Pidge, what did you drink?" Eejin asks again, more commanding this time to the point that Pidge listens. Lance jumps back at the tone that turned the cute Eejin into...Allura?

"I dunno, someone kept serving me some purple-red drink because I said I liked it? Now, can I get back to-mmph! "

Eejin smacks her hand over Pidge's mouth, grabbing a glass of water and forcing it down Pidge's throat.

"What are you doing?!" Lance smacks Eejin's hand away, spilling a little water on both girls. Eejin disregards his disrespect, waving a hand.

"She's drunk-well, she's drunken our Galaxorian equivalent of your human alcohol. And she's drunken way too much of it, as it seems," Eejin glares disapprovingly. "And Allura and I even planned something..."

"Alcohol? Not that I care, but Pidge is underage."

Eejin tilts her head.

"What's underage?"

"You know what-nevermind," Lance dismisses his thoughts. "How do we cure her, and why is she so...flirty?"

Golden eyes dancing with amusement, Eejin giggles.

"It's the truth spell combined with alcohol. Doesn't sound like a very good combination, doesn't it?" she explains, shooting Lance a myriad of looks that make him uneasy.

"Eejin, what did you plan?"

She sighs resignedly, looking out to the dance floor in the middle, and around the room.

"Allura volunteered you two to perform our Galaxorian traditional couples dance as a show of friendship between our nations. So now, I'm shoving water into our dear friend to make her sober again. Yeah?"

Too much information.

Pidge dizzily grabs for the water, Eejin passing a large bottle to Lance.

"I'm going to go for a moment, you try to get her to drink. I'll tell Allura to postpone it for a bit."

And just like that, Eejin is gone.

And Lance is stuck with a drunk Pidge crawling closer to him. Not that he really minds it, how she seems to finally be paying attention to him.

One knee between his legs, her hand on his shoulder, she seductively leans in close to Lance, who freezes in shock.

"Pidge, come on, you need to drink this water-"

"Don't you like this?" Suddenly, Pidge appears almost cute, making her eyes grow wide and pouting, puppy eyes sending an arrow deep into Lance's heart.

"Sure, sure-"

Pidge giggles in a very un-Pidge manner, the mesh of her dress tickling Lance.

"Then stop talking, silly, and come here!"

Pidge doesn't pull at him aggressively, but Lance nearly finds himself leaning in to Pidge, a version of Pidge never before seen.

Can he have his Pidge back, please?

"Pidge-"

Noses centimetres apart, she smiles, her breath hot on his face. Hot and sweet-smelling. Must be the damn alcohol.

"What?"

She's shifted completely off her chair now, migrating to his. Lance mentally thanks whatever gods that existed that everyone was preoccupied and not noticing the small scandal going on.

His eyes flicker back to Pidge, her own eyes burning, traces of purple decorating hazel.

He hasn't always liked Pidge. In that way, he means. After all, there was Allura, someone who stole the spotlight every time. But Lance had realised that Pidge, down-to-earth and so different to his usual 'type', was the person that he kept gravitating towards, even if he hadn't really realised it.

And then, from there, Lance thinks it became an actual crush. Crush on the Green Paladin.

Whoops.

Lance comes back to reality, the reality where a drunk Pidge is leaned on him and ready to pounce.

"So?"

Lance slides his hand to the left.

"Sorry."

Lance thrusts the glass into Pidge's partly opened mouth, tipping the water in, Pidge forced to swallow it. She gulps, and gulps, until the water in finished and Lance moves the glass away.

He bounds up, placing Pidge with feet on ground.

"I've really got to go now."

Lance, before he regrets it, pecks Pidge on the cheek, speeding off to the bathrooms away from her.

Thank god no one saw that massive boner, he thinks.

~~~

Eejin stands above a keeled over Pidge, just finished vomiting rather unceremoniously.

Seriously, it wasn't enough to word vomit everywhere, now she also had to actually vomit, a sour Pidge thinks.

"Come on, Pidge, you actually have to do the dance now," Eejin complains, helping Pidge up. God, what happened to the bubbly and girlish persona Eejin seemed to possess? It's like she's done a complete 360!

"Must I...?"

Pidge feels like shit. Half of it is her physical pain and headaches, stomach still clenching, the other being the shame that she had gotten drunk and pain from not knowing what she had done during that drunken spiel.

"Yes, kind of. Allura already managed to postpone for you. You see..." Eejin rubs the back of her head, giggling, "...Lance volunteered to give a rather interesting acrobatics performance."

Pidge's mind flashes to Lance practicing some routine where he does weird things while holding onto cloth.

"No..."

"Yes! Now, Pidge, are you feeling better?" Eejin darts around her, dabbing at her dress. Luckily, it seemed in near-pristine condition, or Pidge would have stabbed herself in the gut if she ruined a borrowed item. "Allura's calling."

"But I don't know the dance." Ah, at last, some logic and intelligence returns back to Pidge, who pushes herself towards the door to run off. Eejin tuts, holding her arm and guiding her out to the dance floor.

The surrounding is loud, cheering, as hundreds of people twirl and jump and dance, celebrating. Celebrating.

It's too loud.

"Let's just say...Galaxorians have some technology even your civilisation hasn't figured out yet."

And with that, Pidge is trapped, thrust into the arms of Lance McClain (yet again). She can't say that she doesn't enjoy that, but shoots Eejin (at the back behind Lance, flashing slightly crooked thumbs up) an annoyed glare.

"So...?" she mutters, looking up confusedly. Lance blushes, looking down as if remembering something embarrasing. "Wait, what is it?"

"Nothing," he answers. "So, King Andreas said that we'll just know-"

"-hold up, you got King Andreas."

Lance puffs out his chest proudly.

"I'm a charmer, what did you think?"

"I don't really question that," she responds. Shit, the truth makes a reappearance.

"Did anything happen while I was gone?" she asks. Suddenly, Pidge feels awkward, her and Lance the only stationary beings in a sea of hyper, charged-up dancers.

"Nah, I just did some stuff...on a pole and with a dangling cloth," he drags, unable to hide the truth. Again.

"Kinky."

"I know, right?"

"Ladies and gentleman, the moment you've been waiting for, the Galaxorian High Dance begins!"

Music sounds, going slow from the quick beat it possessed earlier. The floor clears of everyone except for Lance and Pidge.

Cheers fill her ears, too much. Too painful for the ears of a newly-sobered girl.

"Well?"

Lance bows, one hand behind his back and his right extended to her. Pidge curses King Andreas for being so goddamned smooth.

"Hmm?" Pidge pretends to ignore him.

"Would you like to dance?"

Ignoring the palpations in her heart, the sniggers from Allura and Eejin at the side, Pidge offers a gentle nod.

"Sure, I guess."

Her hand goes in his, he straightens up, and she is swept away.

Freaking hell, Lance can move, and somehow Pidge knows what to do too. Maybe this is what Eejin means by technology?

"You can dance," Pidge breathes in a questioning tone, her hands clutching him more tightly than she would like to admit.

"It's probably more of the music's magic then me, but I'll go with that. I've always been footloose." Lance twirls her, hands aloft, skirt spiralling around her in a fabulous green sheen.

God, the music is really good, though. Slow paced but not boring, the instrumentation literally out of this world.

Something resembling a box-step, cross-foot, waltz step, and her prince in Altean suit of armour picks her up by the waist and spins her around, both laughing in excitement. They could do what they never could before tonight. An excuse to flirt, have fun, just celebrate the alliance for once.

And Pidge looks into his eyes, really does for a moment, and she never wants to look away again.

Pidge steps to the side, playing with Lance.

"Lance..." she begins. He looks down, smiling, smiling in his friendly manner. The selfish her was annoyed by that. She wants more.

"Yeah, princess?"

Princess? Shit, Pidge really has to make an effort not to go red. Then, she whispers in his ear.

"What do you think of me?"

Pidge feels him tense up, freeze like he wants to stop, but he can't. The music, the magic won't let him. He frowns, eyes darting around like he's thinking (for once).

For once, he doesn't wear his emotions on his sleeve, and Pidge can't figure out what's going on I'm his brain.

"I think you're amazing, I mean, I never understood how you were able to be strong and crazy smart and sarcastic and witty and kind all at the same time. And more recently, I've-" Lance coughs out, blurts out. Perplexed (and more than a little flattered), Pidge blinks rapidly, mouth slowly arching into a smile.

"That's nice, but you were saying?" There's an unfinished sentence there.

"I-I don't know. But I'd rather be dancing with you than thinking about it."

For the first time, Pidge doesn't question him, letting him take her away into a fantasy, just for a night. For one night, she can pretend.

And the music echoes,

And echoes,

And echoes...

~~~

It's so quiet, you know?

The Castle.

Pidge sits in the center of the ballroom, now empty of people, still not changed out of her gown, just sitting in the middle.

She's not used to everything being so loud, so boisterous. War is different. War is straightforward, win and win and win until you can't anymore, until the day you die.

Honestly, as terrifying as the prospect of death and the victory of the Galra empire is, it still doesn't terrify Pidge as much as emotion. Emotion.

1) Pidge still doesn't want to admit that yes, she cares a lot for Lance. Maybe that's what happens after spending the school semesters together, fighting an intergalactic war together, figuring out goddamn truth-roofies together. All in a teenager's day's work.

2) But in the back of her mind, she's thinking about how her father never got to see her first real dance. He would tease her about it, say that Lance better be a good boy. Matt would probably join in.

Her first ball. How her dad and her brother didn't see her at a party, dancing with princesses and princes, like the stories she used to love before robotics and science took first place. Her mother didn't see her dolled up, dressed up, growing up and falling for the boy in blue beside her.

She's missing her family so much.

It's more painful than she expected. She chose this, right? She chose to leave her mother, to stay with Voltron and fight for the universe. She chose to stop looking for her family.

If Pidge is being honest, which she is kind of forced to be right now, she just wants to leave.

Run away to find her family again.

@voltronrarepairbang

11 notes · View notes

hivyn · 7 years ago

Note

all of them!

oh jeez, why omg

1: Talk about the first time you watched your favorite movie.

i was sitting in the theater and was so amazed by everything. I hyped myself up for it by reading the book and it was so worth it. I still love httyd.

2: Talk about your first kiss.

OOOH boi. It was bad. We just finished watching zootopia, the dude kept staring at me, but I was so into the animation and the end credits and wanted to see who did what because I am a nerd like that. Dude had to tap me on the shoulder and just went for it. I felt nothing. Just that i was kissed and mentally just went “okay that happened, but I wanted to finish watching the credits…”

3: Talk about the person you’ve had the most intense romantic feelings for.

yeeeeee,not really sure anymore, romantically because of a relationship would be my ex, romantically as in a crush, well, I am a pining dork who never follows through with things so, that would be a long list…

4: Talk about the thing you regret most so far.

Not following through on said feelings towards people. Probably would be a lot better off in that department.

5: Talk about the best birthday you’ve had.

It was a snow storm on my b-day again and we were trapped in my friend’s house for a week and we made the catch from scratch with the old oven they had. It was pretty neat.

6: Talk about the worst birthday you’ve had.

the superbowl and painting the house took priority.

7: Talk about your biggest insecurity.

I am really insecure about my body, and if whoever likes me is okay with it. I don’t have flawless skin. It is scarred and it is ever changing with certain things and I have been trying really hard to care for it, but I don’t think that will be much help. I want to be as pretty and I think I could be, but there are just some days where I don’t think that is possible.

8: Talk about the thing you are most proud of.

My family and friends (cheesy I know). They have done so many cool things and are still changing the world and growing and it makes me so happy to see them progress.

9: Talk about little things on your body that you like the most.

I have a lot of dimples when I smile. My eye lashes are really long. I have a bunch of teeny moles. I got a scar on my thumb that I like to rub.

10: Talk about the biggest fight you’ve ever had.

Me and my mom I think over my grades back in high school. I can’t even remember the details of it other than being upset.

11: Talk about the best dream you’ve ever had.

Pink vader pollypocket shows up as me and my friends and parading this mall/airport/smoothieshop/homedepot hybrid which led to a telekinetic fighting ring where my bestie at the time macked out with the dude who was winning for info as we escaped pollypocket-vader

12: Talk about the worst dream you’ve ever had.

A tornado took everything away that I loved while I was chained down. Then i was scared and alone on a glacier in a circus, but it was water instead of sand, as an orca bumped it a bunch to get me to fall in the waters.

13: Talk about the first time you had sex/how you imagine your first time.

awkward af I imagine. I know a lot of stuff for it, but that isn’t going to help. My hair will probably be colorful or long though.

14: Talk about a vacation.

I went with my family to Puerto Rico. We saw the entire island and even some smaller outcropping ones. We went to the rainforest again. We saw all the varying shades of the ocean. Ate/drank coconuts. Enjoyed family time too.

15: Talk about the time you were most content in life.

I was just sitting in the living room with my family. I was on break, my siblings and I were just playing fantasy life, eating home made chex mix, watching horrible christmas romcom’s with our mom. Our dad was going to be home later. My cat was cuddled up into me. I really felt at home and safe.

16: Talk about the best party you’ve ever been to.

So I don’t go out much so I can’t recall.

17: Talk about someone you want to be friends with.

They are really cute and sweet. I am so curious about them too. I want to talk to them, but when I get the courage they leave early or I get interrupted. I just want to know them better.

18: Talk about something that happened in elementary school.

We always went to the country fair as a class to see the firetrucks, some class activities. Holding chicks. Milking a cow. Pulling up potatoes. Go to the petting zoo. Etc.

19: Talk about something that happened in middle school.

I was friends with the science teacher’s granddaughter and was frequently bullied. So when one of my bullies went to the bathroom, while we were all sort of distracted, he put a fake piece of poop in her seat. She came back and flipped out. He said “You left us a gift in the toilets and on the seat? How generous”

20: Talk about something that happened in high school.

My computer tech teacher got out a blow torch and a screw driver and roasted some s’mores for us.

21: Talk about a time you had to turn someone down.

I was not feeling this one guy. He was sweet, but was not my type. He asked me out on a date and I said no. Then I saw him at a class reunion and thankfully my classmate sat next to me because dude would not stop staring and trying to change my mind.

22: Talk about your worst fear.

... I am scared of dying (? on the list really) I want to do so many things and love and cherish people and to just have that suddenly stop, I don’t know how I feel about it.

23: Talk about a time someone turned you down.

I don’t go out much, or date so it was pretty much, “want to get a coffee together” “not really, no” “okay see you”

24: Talk about something someone told you that meant a lot.

My sister told me she was proud of my progress in my art.

25: Talk about an ex-best friend.

We just don’t talk anymore. I moved away and we stopped talking. I think about them a lot. I wonder if they are okay.

26: Talk about things you do when you’re sick.

Cuddle my cat. Drink tea or soda. crackers and soup are my diet for the day. sleep for ages. stay in bed.

27: Talk about your favorite part of someone else’s body.

I love when people smile. Their whole face lights up or crinkles and it is really amazing to see people happy.

28: Talk about your fetishes.

I wouldn’t know? Probably something vanilla??

29: Talk about what turns you on.

I am still figuring this out about myself tbh, and is super rare for me. Sometimes I just see a person and the rest of me is like “yes, that is good.”

30: Talk about what turns you off.

easy, noncon stuff.

31: Talk about what you think death is like.

Absence. Just a sudden hum in your ears. Everything is both light and dark. You feel weightless, as if you don’t remember what the rest of your existence was like. You are just there.

32: Talk about a place you remember from your childhood.

My yard from Oklahoma. We had an acre of land. Lots of exploring. We had several trees close to the house and a hill in the back that had a fence with horses. (May have shocked myself feeding said horses) We had a pretty little garden box surrounding the front door that lead to the driveway with clovers and various other flowers.

33: Talk about what you do when you are sad.

I hide away. I close myself off, I get quiet. I put on layers of clothes or at least conceal my face. I listen to sad music or something with a lull to it. I make sure no one is around so I can cry in peace.

34: Talk about the worst physical pain you’ve endured.

I bruised my hip or tailbone. Black bruising to the bone. I couldn’t walk. It hurt to sit down. I had to waddle everywhere, and even then I had pain shooting up my spine with each step. I couldn’t lean down or shift my hips to get comfy. Sleeping was impossible to do. I was shaking a bunch the first day with just moving.

35: Talk about things you wish you could stop doing.

Picking my face and scratching my neck. Nervous/bored habits die hard.

36: Talk about your guilty pleasures.

I love ghost adventures and spooky things, but I get so scared afterwards. I also love horribly cliche romcom’s. I also love to watch syfy cheesy movies or medical shows.

37: Talk about someone you thought you were in love with.

We were doing great too. We talked about the future. I had felt comfortable with them at the time. And then it changed, I didn’t feel comfortable anymore. It felt off, like a lie. I was hoping to feel something, but nothing happened. And I felt horrible about it.

38: Talk about songs that remind you of certain people.

Cheap Thrills reminds me of my friend Sparrow. Girl of Fire is my friend Tim. My sister is Here Comes a Thought.

39: Talk about things you wish you’d known earlier.

That I was going to be in school longer because of my major, or that my credits were worthless at this new university.

40: Talk about the end of something in your life.

My dog Highfive died back when I was in highschool. We had him for ten years and loved him so much, then he was gone. He got sick and it was just a matter of time, but it still hurt. I was the only one out of my siblings to go see him while he was not doing so hot. It was scary, but I am glad I got to say goodbye.

#coffeekina #asks #sorry this took long I have been busy

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