#elemental fanfic

[sunstone-smiles]

The Crying Game, With a Twist

Author’s note: Merry Christmas / Happy Holidays everyone! And happy holidays to @cutesmokes! I’m your Secret Squealing Santa! 🎁 It was a pleasure writing this fic for you and writing for the characters of Elemental for the first time! Naturally, I rewatched the movie for research purposes, so I hope did them justice! I hope you enjoy!

Once again, a big thank you to @hypahticklish / @squealing-santa for hosting the event! Now on to the fic!

Series: Elemental

Characters: Wade and Ember

Word count: 2,700

Provided prompt: [Elemental: Ember and Wade (More of tactics but yeah -) kisses/ raspberries/cheer up/games]

Summary: After a slight baking incident involving an attempt at making fire food, Wade becomes disappointed that he didn’t make kol-nuts properly, despite his efforts. However, Ember finds a way to cheer him up with a round of the crying game that has a few different rules than how he remembers it. 

_ _ _

A surprising wave of heat engulfs Ember as she walks through the apartment door. Smokey air, yet with a pleasant aroma like the burning logs of a fireplace, fuels her senses. She closes the door behind her and moves further into the apartment, following with her eyes an airborne trail of smoke coming from the kitchen. A familiar figure stands behind the counter.

Ember places her bag on a nearby table, her gaze fixated on the kitchen. “Wade?”

“Ember!” Wade jumps and juggles a tray between his hands to keep it from falling. He regains control of the tray and slides it on the burners of the stove. “Sorry, I didn’t see you come in.”

“You seem to be busy,” she says cheerfully. She then catches a glimpse of a second tray on the counter. Charred spheres, stacked in the shape of a small pyramid, are on the tray. On closer inspection, many of the balls are lopsided, but Ember recognizes the look of the rounded snacks anywhere.

Ember points to the tray. “Are you making kol-nuts?” a smile grows as she asks.

“Yep! Or…trying to anyway,” Wade replies with a bashful shrug. He positions himself in front of the stove, where a pile of logs awaits him. “That last batch came out a little toasty,” he says over his shoulder, “but don’t worry! This next one should be perfect.” 

Wade picks up a pair of metal tongs. He grabs both ends of a log with the tool, dips the log into the open flame of the stove’s burner, then begins the attempt of crushing the log into a rounded shape with the cooking utensil. 

Usually, kol-nuts are made with the bare hands of those that can control their own flames. However, for a water person like Wade who’s missing those elemental expertise, he needs assistance from tools that can help him handle the flames and the compression process of the logs, hence the use of the tongs. 

“I think I’ve got the technique down,” Wade mentions. Everything moves smoothly as he starts to crush the log between the grip of the tongs, but the closer he compresses the log towards the desired shape, the more difficult it becomes. His momentum begins to stall. He squeezes the handle of the utensil as far as it’ll move together, even adding his second hand to gain more force. Despite his efforts, the kol-nut does not compress into a perfect ball.

Wade nervously laughs over his shoulder and releases the lopsided kol-nut on the nearby tray. He grabs another log with the tongs, dips it into the fire, and tries again. He clearly struggles.

Ember tries to peek over at his work, “Wade-”

“All good here!” Wade reveals a second nervous laugh and misshapes another kol-nut. He places it on the tray then picks up the pace with the other logs, partially in a panic. He squeezes each of the logs one by one, distorting their shape and placing them on the tray like a well-oiled machine with a malfunction in its production.

“Wade-” 

“Everything’s fine! Totally fine!” He drops the last kol-nut on the tray, picks up the sheet, then spins around to show Ember the finished product. 

“See!” he breathes heavily, “Kol-nuts!” his face shows a false smile. His facade of an expression falters the more he looks at the charred piles of failure in front of him. The corners of his mouth finally drop in defeat. 

“Burnt…hard…and completely the wrong shape,” he slides the tray on the counter and his head droops. He shuffles his way to the sink to throw the tongs in with a metal clang. As he does this, Wade’s mouth quivers and he starts to cry. Ember quickly goes around the kitchen counter.

“Oh, Wade. Don’t cry,” she grabs his hands. She reaches up and tilts his face towards her, showing him a soft smile to say that it’s going to be alright. 

Wade sniffles. He wipes away tears with the back of his hand. “I know, I’m sorry.” Another stream of tears replaces the ones he had wiped away. “It’s just that, I wanted this to be special.” 

Ember reassures him, “Wade, you even making the effort to bake them is special.”

“But I wanted the kol-nuts to be perfect,” Wade stares at her with tear-filled eyes before another stream of his sorrows runs across both of his cheeks.

“Hey, hey, hey,” Ember takes his arm and leads him to the couch. She gently plops him down on the (fireproof) cushions and sits next to him. “Take it from me, making kol-nuts for the first time is hard, not to mention how difficult it can be to control the consistency of the flame. Sure, they might be a little lopsided, but they didn’t come out so bad.” She pauses to smile. “Plus, I don’t mind them well-done with a bit of extra char.”

Wade lets out a chuckle at that. 

“See,” Ember wipes another tear from his eye. She wraps her hands around his neck to soothingly rub across the back of it. “So there’s nothing to be upset about.” 

Wade chuckles again.

“What?” Ember giggles too, “What’s so funny?”

“Nothing,” Wade says with a third chuckle and squishes his neck to his shoulders. He gently grabs one of Ember’s wrists that was rubbing the back of his neck. “Your fingers are tickling me.”

“Oh, sorry,” Ember releases a soft laugh of her own. She pulls back her hands, but notices that Wade’s face still has a hint of a crestfallen expression. A mischievous idea pops into Ember’s thoughts.

“Hey, I know what will cheer you right up,” Ember switches the subject. “How about a round of the crying game?” 

“Really?” Wade tilts his head at her. “But I was just crying a minute ago,” he gestures to the kitchen as if to provide context to his statement. “Any mention of my attempted kol-nuts and you would easily win.” His back slumps forward.

“Ah, but I’m talking about a different version of the crying game.”

Wade straightens up a bit. “A different version?”

“Yep. Instead of trying to make someone cry tears that are sad, the other player’s goal is to make their opponent cry tears of joy.”

Wade laughs. “Where did you come up with this?”

“Just now,” Ember replies with a grin. “So what do you say? Want to play?”

Wade perks up a little more. He shows Ember a soft smile. “Okay.” His eyes scan around the room in search of something. “But don’t we still need a timer?”

“Nope!” Ember leaps for him and tackles him into the cushions.

“E-Ember!?” Wade exclaims. “This isn’t part of the ga-ahahame!” Wade’s sentence suddenly overflows with giggles when Ember starts tickling the upper half of his torso, where his ribs would be if he had them. 

“It is now,” she says with a smug look. 

“Ohoho, I see how you’re trying to win!” Wade squirms backwards to reach the arm of the couch. “Well, game ohohon!”

Ember grins. With the game in full swing, Ember darts her hands to his sides, causing Wade to bark out a laugh. He quickly slaps both of his hands over his mouth, letting out a snort. Through the clear water of his hands, Ember watches as the corners of Wade’s mouth twitch upwards the longer he attempts to contain his laughter, nearly boiling over with giggles like a tea kettle. 

“Trying to hold in your laughter, huh?” Ember smirks from above him. “Not on my watch!” She dives her hands into Wade’s underarms, resulting in him clamping his arms down with another jolt of laughter.

“Ehehehember!” He successfully eases his laughter down to a giggle, purposely controlling himself from exploding into tears of joy. 

“Yes Wade? Is there a problem?” Ember says with a smirk laced in her words.

“P-Prohohoblem? Nohohope! No problem at ahahall!” Wade snickers through his sentence. He kicks himself back further on the arm of the couch and tries to curl himself up. Any attempt to keep himself from bursting into a tsunami of laughter. He can feel the drop of a single joyful tear start to form.

“Really? Because it looks to me like you’re about to lose the crying game,” Ember teases, seeing that she’s reaching closer to victory. The playful, yet competitive spirit burns up inside her.

Wade tries his best to feign an unfazed demeanor. “Noho way! I’m nowhere close to cryi–ING!” Wade leaps like a large wave crashing into the ocean when Ember scribbles at the center of his belly. The dam containing Wade’s laughter finally crumbles and a flood of the joyous sound pours from Wade.

“Gotcha now, Wade!” Ember exclaims, clawing at his tummy with one hand while the other lies on his chest to pin him down. “Caught you by surprise didn’t I?”

“Surprihihihise is an understatement! Hahahaha!” Wade wiggles. He takes some lighthearted shoves at Ember and her hands.

“Well, I don’t see those happy tears yet! So time for a second surprise!” In less than a second, Ember takes a deep breath and presses her lips to Wade’s stomach to give him a big, tickly raspberry.

The squeal that comes from Wade is nearly high enough to shatter glass. The combination of heated air from Ember’s fire sends an extra tickly reaction across Wade’s entire stomach of water, like the bubbles of carbonation surging across his entire torso.

“Ehehehehember!!!” Wade screeches with laughter, kicking his legs in front of her. His expression lights up with a smile even wider than before, one that nearly takes up his entire face. Tears of mirth finally spill across his face like two waterfalls. Ember smiles with success, and for good measure, provides him with a few more raspberries across his tummy.

“Nohohohot ag-AIN!” Wade arcs his back and pushes at Ember’s head.

“Again?” Ember teases. “If you insist!” she says and delivers another raspberry on his stomach, making Wade squeal.

“I GIHIHIHIVE! Yohohohou win!” Wade squirms from side to side to protect his tummy, until he rolls right off the couch. 

Ember perches herself on the cushions, looking down at her partner with a giggle. “You good, Wade?”

The man of water flips himself over like a seashell being turned over in the sand. Giggles still trickle from his system, even as he sits himself up.

“That was evil,” Wade jokes as he wipes a leftover tear of joy from his eye.

“Sorry Wade, but I had to cheer you up somehow and those are the rules of the game,” she shrugs with a smile. Ember turns to lift herself off the couch, “You also got me fired up with the competition–Whoa!” Ember falls back to the couch from Wade wrapping his arms around her in a hug.

“Hold on a second,” Wade says as he pulls Ember tighter into his arms. “You had your turn at the crying game,” his voice rings with innocent mischief. “Now it’s my turn.”

Ember gasps. She tries to pull herself out of his hug, only to realize that her arms are pinned to her sides. She nervously giggles, “Uh sorry! But that version of the crying game only has one round so–Eeek!” 

Ember cuts herself off with a squeak when Wade plants tickly kisses to the back of her neck. An abundance of giggles and squeaks from Ember follow as Wade continues providing her neck with kisses.

“Wahahade!” Ember giggles and squirms in his hug. She lets out another high squeak when Wade blows a raspberry into the side of her neck, returning the favor. Ember tries to twist her head and squeeze her neck to her shoulders as squeaky laughter pours from her like melted glass. With another effective raspberry to her neck, Ember attempts to pull herself from his grasp. 

“Not so fast, Ember!” Wade tightens his hug, now changing tactics and using his hands wrapped around her to scribble at her sides. 

Ember unleashes a squeal and tugs herself forward to escape. Wade loosens his hold and the forward momentum causes Ember to plop face first into the cushions. With her arms free, Ember quickly tries to launch herself over the side of the couch, but Wade catches her by her sides and squeezes her torso. 

Ember releases another adorable squeal and sinks her head into the cushions to hide her face. Wade chuckles, skittering his fingers up and down Ember’s sides. “Aww, that squeak was so cute.”

Ember lifts up her head to throw her voice behind her. “Quiet yohohohou! It was nohohot cute!” she attempts to deny it. Feeling fingers nearing her underarms, Ember curls herself up into a ball and rolls over onto her back, now facing Wade. She grabs at Wade’s hands and flails her limbs while a bright smile lights up her already illuminated face of fire. Her eyes are squeezed shut and an eruption of laughter flows from her like lava. An amber-colored tear forms at the corner of her eye, like dew about to drip from a flower.

Wade notices the liquid gem below her eye. “Aha! A tear of joy! I win!” Wade pulls away in victory, allowing Ember the chance to relax. She lies flat on the cushions with a hand on her middle, taking heavy breaths like a train burning coal to keep pushing up a steep mountain. But instead of stream releasing from an engine, residual giggles release from Ember with each exhale. 

Wade lends her a gentle hand to help her sit up. “Are you alright?”

“Hehe, yeah,” Ember wipes away the tear of fire from her eye. “Looks like we’re both winners of the crying game this time.”

Wade giggles. His eyes catch sight of his baked snacks still sitting on the counter. “At least one thing ended in a win today,” he mentions. “What are we going to do with the kol-nuts? Throw them out? Ah, but that would be such a waste.”

Ember places a hand to her chin, thinking. An idea clicks, and she speaks up before Wade can start crying sad tears again. “I’ve got an idea. Watch this.” 

Ember lifts herself up to go to the kitchen. She grabs two mugs from the cabinet, milk from the fridge, and a box of chocolate powder from the pantry. With the same effortless speed she uses to make her glass art, Ember pours some milk into the mugs, heats them up quick by grabbing the bottom of the cup with her fiery hands to skip using the stove, drops a spoonful of cocoa powder into each, stirs, then places two of Wade’s homemade kol-nuts into both.

“Ta-da,” Ember grabs the mugs and heads to the couch to hand one to Wade. “Kol-nut hot chocolate. Try it.”

Ember passes a mug to him. Cautiously, Wade takes it. He looks at the liquid, then takes a sip. He smacks his lips together. “Hey, this is really good.”

“And it was made with your kol-nuts.” Ember soaks the kol-nut in her own drink like a cookie dunked in milk. She plucks the treat from her mug and takes a bite, now that the rock-hard form has become softer, then finishes her mouthful. “The flavor isn’t bad! Not as good as mine of course, but not bad!”

Wade bounces with an airy laugh. “Thanks Ember.”

“What are you thanking me for?” she takes a seat next to him. “You made them. So, thank you for making them.”

“No, not about that. About you cheering me up.”

“Oh,” Ember smiles as she hears his words. “Of course Wade. You’re welcome.”

Wade takes another sip of his hot chocolate. “Things are better when we work together, huh?”

“Yeah,” Ember nods. “Meaning next time, I’ll help you with making kol-nuts to get the batch just right.”

Wade chuckles. “I wouldn’t have it any other way.” He returns a softened expression and holds out his glass towards her. “Cheers.”

“Cheers,” Ember repeats and clinks her glass to his. She leans forward to give him a kiss. For the rest of the night, the two sit and enjoy their hot chocolate���made specially with the combined elements of each other's assistance.

[toonsforkicks22]

I FINALLY updated “Chemistry” 🔥💧

Chp 2 is a little longer than I thought I typed.

CHAPTER 2

Drew some scenes from said chapter, just Ripple/Lumen family wholesomeness. Brook WANTED that hug.

[mayomamasui]

Attention⚠️ Personification!I drew a cartoon of Clod from the movie Elemental.

[charmingradiobelle]

Guess who’s recovering from creative block!

Anyway, here’s a good ol’ hurt/comfort Elemental fic because I refuse to let a main character’s trauma get overlooked. Feel free to give it a read!

[abbytabbys]

The first chapter is here!! There is more to come! I love writing, probably more than drawing sometimes.

[officialrtg]

Dewey (Wade Ripple’ Dad) explaining his backstory

Hello Everyone, this writing that I’m about to show you comes directly from a scene in a story I’m currently working on called “El Tres” which is probably coming 2023 or 2024

This backstory explained by Dewey could also apply to him in the main elemental timeline and my alternative universe where Dewey lives to see his version of events of Elemental. This was written by me and the brilliant tumblr user of beyblader04, it was really fun making this.

(I have art of my version of Dewey)

Without further do, 

Let’s Begin:

"I was very alone growing up. I couldn't tell anyone how I felt about doing Waveball with the intense training. I essentially become stubborn to everyone, even to my teammates, that wasn't like me. Until I was 17." Dewey explained to Logan (A). 

"I'm guessing that this is where you met someone?" Logan (A) asked as he sat down at the campfire. Dewey smiled as he remembered the first time that he saw her.

“She was a very talented builder, she was beautiful, like crystals in the glistening ocean,” Dewey explained Brook to Logan (A).

“Ok, poet, I'm assuming she cared about you and your feelings besides caring about you because you were the best waveball player?" Logan (A) teased and then questioned.

“She did… One day, I wasn’t having a good day with my shooting, and my parents were letting me hear it. She came up to and talked to me to make sure I was alright."

Looking up from his drink, he remembered a woman who was just like the one he was describing but it was to help him during the recording session after he found out about his caretaker had terminal throat cancer. 

“Any other times like that or was that one and done?” Logan (A) asked as he nestled the mug into his hands.

"Hmm… ah- that one.” Dewey (A) thought and then remembered.

“There was one time I helped her with one of her projects. She needed a second opinion, and her partners on the project were not available." He told Logan (A), he smiled at the thought of what Dewey might of added.

“What was your second opinion, what did you add to the project?” Logan (A) questioned

"I added an area for a garden. She thought it was silly, but her teacher loved the idea." Dewey told him as he tightened the blanket around himself to keep himself from getting too hot.

“And She passed?”

"She did pass. She went looking for me to thank me for the help and then we started talking fully." Dewey confirms and tells him.

"We would talk about the things we were doing, I helped a little more with her projects and she started going to the games, right in the front row to support me." Dewey continued

“She was the loudest?”

"Yes, and um… ha-, one time I did get distracted and got piled on during one game. Worth it though."

“What did she do to get you distracted that much?” Logan (A) asked.

"She was looking really happy and as I was going to catch the ball, she called out my name in a cheer and I looked at her and the rival team dog piled me," Dewey explained

“Oooo… Ow. Hopefully, that didn’t cost you the game. How did she feel about that?” Logan (A) said and then asked.

“It did not, and she felt bad that she distracted me, but I told her that I take all kinds of hits in Waveball." Dewey (A) explained

“Did you go out after the game?” Logan (A) asked

“We went out afterward to a nearby restaurant where we started the romance of our relationship." 

“When you mean by that is… was that where your first kiss was or was that elsewhere?”

“It was after we ate and left, it was out of nowhere, and both of us were surprised."

“Who was the first, you or her?”

“Me, both of us were smitten with each other but I was the one, who was more smitten.”

“Waveball… That reminds me, Jerry told me while you were out that you got beamed in the nose, during the Waveball championship, what did she do?”

“She tried to rush over to the bench, to check if I was alright."

“What happened after the game was won between you two?”

"We went out to eat, but when we were going back to my parent’s place, I think the hit was harder than usual and I sorta passed out in the sub."

Logan (A) looked at Dewey, surprised that he got knocked out.

"A call and trip to the emergency room to check me out. Brook never left my side though. I didn't mean to scare her like that."

“I guess, she was the first thing you saw when you woke up?”

"She was right by my side, the nurses probably saw her concerned and allowed her to stay in case I woke up."

“What happened between both of you when you were awake in the hospital?”

"We talked for a while, I apologised for scaring her when I passed out. I promised her that if I ever got a hard hit again, I would get checked."

“What did she tell you?”

“She said that she loved me with all her heart. I told her that she means so much to me before she kissed me.” Dewey told the events as they happened.

“Was that the moment that you knew she was going to be your wife? Surely you proposed to her in the garden that you suggested?”

“Oh, I just knew she was the one when I saw her for the first time, I even told my teammates that too, and yes. The garden was the perfect spot to propose to her, seeing that it was the first place we made together." Dewey said confidently and confirmed the garden location.

“How did she react?”

“She was surprised, then started tearing up and said yes, she wanted to spend the rest of her life with me as her husband," Dewey said as he still remembered the aftermath with him lifting Brook up as both cried rivers of happiness, then flashed forward to the entire wedding as both cut the water cake as both kissed each other again.

Logan (A) smirked a little at that before he wanted to ask the question that plagued him since learning of his existence when he was living his secluded lifestyle.

“Umm… so, Dewey, I know you may not want to answer this question, but what happened, that week with you & #17.”

“At first, I was nervous at meeting your- well, our species as I didn’t know what they wanted but me & brook were suspicious of why they had shown up 18 years after my birth.” 

“Yeah since the last day, you potentially saw us, you were a day old.”

“Believe me when I say this, I was really nervous, but Brook helped me calm down and we decided to visit this #17 person and I assume, his wife?”

“Yeah, #17 & she weren’t… the most appealing people to talk without… some problem arising. I’m sure you had that same experience.”

“Yes, so we had the meeting with them. They were quiet for most of the time, only speaking when they wanted to, his wife was more alive and understanding than he was. Then he asked if he wanted to join them, which I wasn’t too sure about because I wasn’t willing to leave everything for people I had only known for a week.”

“Brook didn’t take the news of that well?”

"She was very mad. In fact, she got up and started to just yell at them, telling them about why now they popped back up in my life when told about a potential wife coming in and she saw my adopted parents as my real parents. She was defensive.”

“What happened after the talk?”

"Brook stormed out and I followed her out the door, I was worried that the meeting ruined everything. We went to the park to calm down and talk about everything. Brook was worried that her anger might have done something to hurt my relationship."

“And you told her that it was fine because you agreed with the points she stated?” Logan (A) questioned

“Yes, after I told her that I wouldn’t leave her for them. She just gave the hugest heartfelt hug to me, saying reassuring words to me and telling me that she loves me for who I am."

"That's good..." 

He then shifted to the next question. 

"Dewey. Did you ever ask yourself about what the infection you had?"

"I was very curious on how I caught the infection and what it was. I was usually careful with where I traveled, even during Waveball.”

"It's something that we have. We call it the tumor because it was literally that. On how we straight up didn't get alerted for 40+ years is anyone's guess."

“True, but at least it's no longer an issue.”

"When did Brook see it for the first time?"

"I was changing my shirt when she came into the room and all of a sudden, screamed. I was confused until Brook pointed it out on my chest."

"How big was it at the time?”

“It was- you know the circle at the bottom of a cup, that was the size.”

“Did she try and pull it out first?”

“She tried to, but I stopped her, we were not sure what it was and I didn't want Brook to try and toss it.”

"When did the complications start?" Logan (A) questioned as Jerry II watched on with regret for his mistake that almost cost Dewey his life.

“Maybe about two months later. I suddenly felt a pain, but thought that it was something I ate. Then I couldn't breathe."

"Was this before or after your kids?"

"After my children were born. Brook was starting to worry about me, but I told her that I would be alright."

“Was this when you started bubbling up."

"Yes, at first it was small, but as the problem worsened, the bubbles got a bit bigger."

"How long did you have left before we came to get you out of your coffin?”

“Maybe about two, three months if I took care of myself well. Brook was heartbroken thinking that I didn't have too long left over. The kids were hurt too when they found out."

“Now bro, you will live to see your grandchildren… How do you expect Brook to react when you get home, in your peak form?”

"She'll be shocked a little, but most of all... she'll be happy once she finds out the infection is gone completely and I’m back looking like this,” Dewey says as he lifts his shirt to reveal his thin but strong form.

“Yeah... Don't try anything with her yet, because you have to heal fully or you could just try either way."

“I know that! I just have to explain that I'm still healing from the surgery.”

"Yeah, Yeah. I get it. I'm just saying."

End

[demm-210]

I was remembering the moment when they get thrown out of the plane in Tournament of Elements and I thought it would look epic like this

[electricwalkman]

Oh my god Agatha became a witch killer to “survive” because she knew that the more bodies she left behind, the longer Rio would have to stay away from Nicky and the one night they don’t & Nicky says ���we can go kill more witches tomorrow” THAT was when Death caught up with Nicky and had to take him i need someone to hit me with a car-

[thedaselcor]

Arthur ran his fingers softly along the nasty scar on Merlin’s left shoulder, and tried to swallow the guilt and shame. He had done that. One of the very first days he knew Merlin, he’d attacked him with a morningstar for the terrible crime of standing up to him. It seemed like it had to be so much more than a year and a half to go, couldn’t have been so recent, and yet. 

Arthur had never been good with words, but he knew the kisses he was currently dropping along the edges of the scar could never be amends enough. He took a deep breath, then asked, “help me draft a new policy for the knights? About appropriate treatment of the non-noble citizenry of Camelot?”

Merlin turned to face him, eyes full of question and surprise.

“Not now, I mean,” he added, “after some sleep.”

Merlin nodded, and lunged in, and kissed him, as if ‘ help me draft a new policy for the knights’ was the most gallant and romantic thing he’d ever heard.

[ladyloveandjustice]

I often think about how incredibly fit Natsume must be, yokai-induced sickliness aside. He spends 75% of his life running from yokai, through forests and mountains and all kinds of shit. Every day is a marathon for him, he arguably gets too much exercise (which might contribute to collapsing from exhaustion a lot. over exercising isn't good for you).

But imagine what a fast runner he must be. He's able to sometimes lose yokai despite their supernatural speed etc. And he's been doing this since he's a child? I just want an episode where it's time for track in gym class and everyone's expecting the kid who's constantly sick and exhausted to be the slowest one, but instead he just passes them all at warp speed. WHEN did he have time to get this in shape, isn't he always inches away from keeling over, his class in chaos. Nishimura and Kitamoto are the least surprised since they've seen him running before, but even they didn't think he was THIS fast., wow, what natural talent.

Actually, there should be a running gag where one of the many stressors Natsume faced over the years is track team coaches trying to constantly recruit him in most of the schools he goes to, so he's constantly trying to hide how fast he is because he can't be a burden and have the people he's living with PAY SPORTS EXPENSES omg :(( and also he wouldn't be able to show up for most of the meetings, so. And also he doesn't like most team sports (the real reason).

He's managed to keep it mostly under wraps in Yatsuhara, but then one day it's the sports day episode and Nishimura trips while carrying the baton as they always do and starts crying so Natsume's like "siiiiiiiigh fine don't worry Nishimura I've got this" and suddenly he's at the finish line. Thus his hellish lot of being hounded by the track coach begins anew, thanks a lot Nishimura.

[mintaikk]

When I say I like reading romance, I want you to know that this is the kinda shit I'm reading.

[toonsforkicks22]

Wadember Day 13: Chaos

Slight spoiler for my fanfic Chemistry

It’s not going to be an “unwanted celeb status breaks couple apart” cliche, I promise.

[mayomamasui]

I couldn't help but anthropomorphize ELEMENTAL the movie,because it is so fascinating!

[brujahinaskirt]

It's not even about the vindication of calling a ship, okay. It's that the supposedly anti woke studio wrote about 3 million words of medieval fiction centering the relationship of the two main characters who are in most ways (or in all ways if you follow the obvious canon momentum of the story) meant for each other, as counterparts who help each other survive the great travails of their lives and who challenge/complete the other to become fuller, braver, kinder people. It's so clear these two people are soulmates, platonically or romantically, something observed consistently by the world around them and by themselves.

Except their society (feudalism, Catholicism) dictates that they are intended to be completely incompatible by nature and divine law. Not just for the obvious fact they are both men, but they are separated by what is arguably an even steeper chasm of social class. Their existence even as friends utterly spites, interrupts, and threatens feudal order right down to its theological and philosophical roots. They should not see each other as human and yet.

It's the fact that they do. The fact that the entire story has been about this--that these two protagonists fit together, undeniably, and grow to love each other fiercely (a love that deepens superbly from their knee-jerk playful puppy-friend-love in kcd1 to something selfless and mature by the end of kcd2). And they do so despite the immense opposition by their world, their social circles, their faith, and indeed their fandom.

And yes, it really does fucking matter that all of this culminates into a deep onscreen romantic love (if you get out of the way and allow it to) between two fandom-beloved male main characters (not just side characters rammed in for an optional gay romance but THE main characters of the duology; the "you" as in the player character and your erstwhile dick-jokes bro you have perhaps grudgingly at first been invited as the audience to love) in a historical fiction story that has been wrongly touted by the worst of our contemporaries as the holy grail of cultural conservatism.

Holy shit. Warhorse -- y'all. I'm sorry I doubted you. So few game writers understand how love works and indeed how people work, let alone translate it so well onto the screen.

Calling this an "optional romance" is not technically incorrect, I suppose, because it's true you can opt out and choose to remain platonic friends. But this language feels like a disservice, as if Henry & Hans's romance is a typical RPG wham-bam fanservice makeout with a minor fan fave character who never interacts meaningfully with the player again. Or as if it's a Bioware-style "give this NPC the right gift and do their side quest and you get to see a jankly ugly-bumpin' montage" situation.

Kingdom Come: Deliverance is so very much not that. The "main, optional" romance scene in question is just one consummation event of two people who have been growing up and falling in love in front of us over the course of some 200-300 (or god knows how many) hours. The fact these protagonists openly love each other is very much not optional.

This is, sincerely, groundbreaking storytelling in this medium and this genre. How fucking cool that we all got to see it now.

[camcat1320]

The Fortune-Teller does not deserve the hate it has received. It's actually a great episode that people misunderstand. Let me explain.

Kataangers love the episode for it says Katara is destined to be with Aang. Zutarians hate the episode for this reason along with forcing Katara into a pigeon hole. I stand between these warring tribes and say that they are both wrong.

To be clear, I am a Zutarian. If we would've had a Book 4 like the head writer had intended, this episode would've been integral for that book.

"But the 3-act story structure!" some may argue. A 3-act story structure is just a 4-act story structure in disguise.

Anyways, let's continue.

The destiny that Aunt Wu foretells does not give names and is vague in nature. She tells Katara that she is to be married to a powerful bender. She didn't say the most powerful nor did she say bender of all four elements. One doesn't have to be the Avatar to be a powerful bender.

Come Aang's fortune, she foretold of a great battle between good and evil that will determine the fate of the world. We immediately think of Aang battling Firelord Ozai to end the 100 year war. However, this fortune is vague and could foretell another battle after Ozai has fallen.

When Aunt Wu learns that Aang wants to learn about his future about love, she cheers him up by giving him a vague, seemingly harmless white lie to satisfy him. "Follow your heart and you will be with the one you love." Since Aang is 12, he can easily misconstrue infatuation for love.

I believe The Fortune-Teller is a giant red herring that many people in both Zutara and Kataang sectors have fallen for. But wait, what is a red herring?

In literature, a red herring is a device to throw the characters and the audience off the scent of future events. It's meant to distract and deceive.

At the end of The Fortune-Teller, Katara believes she is destined to be with Aang and Aang believes it as well. Throughout the remainder of the series, Katara's emotional bond with Aang is challenged. Then by The Ember Island Players, Katara is confused, unsure about her feelings, unsure about her destiny.

What other character struggled with his perception of his destiny?

For the majority of the series, Zuko falsely believed that his destiny was to hunt down the Avatar and regain his honor. We know that this destiny was forced upon him by his father, Ozai.

But as Iroh has said, "Destiny is a funny thing." Iroh had believed he would have been in Ba Sing Se as a conqueror but instead, he had liberated Ba Sing Se from Fire Nation occupation.

Zuko had turned against his father and his supposed destiny and set out to aid the Avatar instead. After this, Zuko's new belief is that it is his destiny to help Aang in defeating Ozai instead. Truly, destiny is funny that way.

But why is this only applied to Zuko? Why isn't this the same message given to Katara's arc? Is she truly destined to be with Aang and she cannot fight against this fate? Is this strong female character destined to be reduced to servitude?

The same girl that inspired imprisoned earthbenders to fight back? The same girl that fought against gender roles in her own culture? The same girl that didn't give into despair and led her crew out of the desert? The same girl that aided in healing a Fire Nation village? The same girl that rose above her mentor and used bloodbending to save her loved ones? The same girl that went toe to toe with Azula and won?

I SAY NAY!

Imagine, if you will, what Katara's continued arc could've been like in Book 4. Katara would've defied the destiny that was forced upon her and determined her destiny for herself. But in the end, destiny is a funny thing for this action only plays into fate. Zuko is a powerful bender after all. 👀

Now, I must depart before I give too many spoilers for my writing. Fare thee well, until we meet again!

[remarkingonit]