#feel free to assume anything !!

[midncghts]

❛    you    really    expect    me    to    believe    a    word    you’re    saying   ?    ❜

[charmtale]

sailor moon episode 200 .. revolutionary girl utena episode 39

[feroluce]

On Sampo's name (ALL of his names!)

I feel like everyone who's a fan knows the meaning of Sampo's full name by now- the sampo was a legendary item that could magically make endless supplies of gold, flour, and salt, all priceless items at the time! So it works perfectly for a scammer businessman like Sampo. ☆

"Koski" is the Finnish word for "water rapids" which might seem kinda random but actually makes sense for him, since Aha and the Masked Fools are also referred to with water terms:

This kind of analogy isn't specific to only Aha and the Masked Fools, but it does still tie them together. So water rapids fits perfectly! Sampo wants to stir the pot! He likes to shake things around and spice things up! He's taking that stagnant pool and turning it into water rapids! It would actually explain his ridiculous hair color, too; a dark blue wave tipped with white foam haha

EDIT: an amazing contribution from @ricochetlovebombs, who heard it from hoyolab user Rattaboy. If you interpret his first and last name together, instead of separately like I did, you would get something like "money river."

In other words, Sampo's name literally means CASH FLOW SKXJMDMDMD

What I really wanted to talk about is his drag alias name, though, Brughel Poisson, because to me that's where it gets really interesting.

So like in the English version, Sampo goes by Brughel Poisson when he's in disguise. Searching for just "Brughel" itself doesn't seem to get you much at first: a Flemish and Dutch Renaissance painter named Pieter Brueghel the Elder, who was famous for his landscapes and peasant scenery, especially Hunters in the Snow and The Blue Cloak.

He's referred to as "the Elder" because he had a son also named Pieter Brueghel (the Younger), and he began a long line of painters, all named Brueghel. Some of them did original work, and many of them created reproductions of the Elder's art to sell. The Elder was also famous as a printmaker. All of this is hilarious when you remember that Sampo is an infamous counterfeiter and has sold a relic called the Parallel Universe Printer JSKZJSMD

There is also something called Brueghel's Syndrome, named after one of Brueghel's paintings called De Gaper, which pictured a man yawning widely. It's a condition that causes the mouth to open and gape uncontrollably, twisting a person's countenance into a distorted mask of their usual face.

Tumblr doesn't have a way of censoring pics like twitter, so for the sake of the medically squeamish, I'm just showing De Gaper here. But if you look up Brueghel's Syndrome, you can find pictures of actual patients, some of whom really do make faces resembling Aha's comedy and tragedy masks!

In the Chinese and Japanese versions, his alias last name is a lot more silly- In those, "Sampo" is phonetically written as "san-bo" and "san-po." And in disguise, his last names are phonetically written as... "Bo-san" and "Po-san." The Chinese version uses different tones, but still. This smug asshole seriously just decided to write his own name backwards and called it a day NDMKXMDMD

In the English version, Poisson itself is kind of a reused Hoyo asset- it's also the name of Navia's fishing village in Genshin Impact. Which is a really silly name for a village, because it literally just means "fish" in French smzjxkdkdk but!

Again, more water imagery. And in English, if something is suspicious, we say that it's "fishy," which is perhaps the most fitting association yet for someone as shady as Sampo ☆

And for a good while I thought that was the only connection. But then. My beloved @hydrachea, who is an actual native French speaker, dropped this on me right after April Fool's Day:

Poisson is literally the word you use to pull an April Fool's prank.

[anneapocalypse]

At the end of the day you can use "Varric is an unreliable narrator" to overwrite literally any part of DA2 that you don't like. Like you can say, "Oh of COURSE Varric isn't actually against mage freedom! He just said that he objected to Hawke freeing the mages because Cassandra was interrogating him." And sure, I can't prove to you that he isn't lying about that. I can't prove to you that Varric isn't lying about anything. I can't prove to you that the entirety of Inquisition isn't also Varric making things up because he did also write a book about that and we hear Cassandra reading it in the end credits. At the end of the day if you want to you can basically wipe out Varric's entire character as presented to us and say, "Actually he was lying! He's really this."

But at a certain point you do also have to acknowledge that the frame narrative is a storytelling device that's meant to enhance the story, not like... erase it. Or at least I prefer to acknowledge that, because going too far the other way basically guts the story of all meaning. If Varric is a character we are meant to engage with on any level--and I think it's clear from his prominence in the franchise that he is!--then at least some of what we see him say and do needs to be able to meaningfully interpreted, even if we second-guess him, even if we can pick out half-truths here and there, even if we cross-check our interpretations against how he behaves in other parts of canon.

Like at least some of what we're given about Varric has to be meaningful to his character, or why even bother, I guess is what I'm saying.

[charitycastillo]

for: @bluestarters

location: waterway diner.

“You know, I hate to be the barer of bad news ..” the waitress begins, smile on her lips as she gestures to the menu rested on the table, “But the menu ain't gonna change no matter how long you stare at it. ”

[hollisjones]

Who: Open. Where: On the boardwalk.

Hollis was crouched on the sidewalk under a streetlight, picking at a half-eaten portion of french fries he'd found, still wrapped in a greasy paper bag. He glanced up suddenly, practically feeling someone's eyes boring into the back of his head. His chewing slowed and he raised an eyebrow, his mouth still full. "What?" He called out, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand. "It's better than lettin' it go to waste, right?" He scanned over the stranger with a nervous, borderline skeptical look. "What is it? You want some? It's not so bad if you ignore the ones that hit the dirt." He chuckled, half-joking, but left the offer hanging, wondering how they'd react. Not that he truly wanted to share.

[nostalgia-tblr]

"are people not into that?" i ask, after posting my weird niche shit to the internet, despite knowing it to be weird niche shit.

[themeixhuang]

open - @aurorabaystarter

where - the carnival

Mei always loved these events the town put on, especially as her daughter got older and couple experience more of things. So after an afternoon of riding rides and playing games, it was time to eat something. Or so she thought, because as Mei was heading towards some of the food vendors, Luna was suddenly tugging on her arm, emphatically talking about seeing a game stall with plushie unicorns and she just needed one. "Luna, not right now--!" Her daughter's tugging resulted in Mei smacking right into someone and she stumbled a bit, wincing at the impact. "Geez..sorry."

[pey-up]

So ive been thinkin.. and...

Is this something cool?? Would?? Ppl join?? Yknow those tumblr community thingys, itd take 4ever to get approved but yknow, i think itd be cool!

[uncanny-tranny]

Hi! would you by any chance have tips on how to get a binder when your parents refuse to buy you one? ☹️

That's definitely a sensitive and complex answer, and while I might not know of the best option for your unique situation, there are some ways you can go about this.

If it's a foregone conclusion that you cannot convince them of this, what I used to do is DIY my binder. The ways I primarily did this were:

Option One: Wearing a camisole that was one size smaller than I actually was (so, wearing a small instead of a medium, for instance), then folding it up over my chest. As a disclaimer, this may only work well if you are smaller in the chest

Option Two: Layering two sports bras in my size over each other. Some of the DIY tips I found before I got a traditional binder advised to wear one sports bra in your size, then wear another sports bra backwards in a size smaller. I would advise against this for potential safety reasons, but also because (at least personally), it can be ineffective and a waste of resources.

Some people have also had friends or other family members order their binder for them, but this can be risky, depending on your situation. While I don't know the ins and outs of your specific circumstances, risk management is important to me, so I would recommend this if it is a risk that is acceptable to make.

I understand what it's like to not have access to this resource, so what I will do is advise you against:

Binding with ace bandages (I did this before (multiple times, in fact, because of dysphoria), and believe me, not only did it hurt like hell, but it constricted my body so heavily that I may have done long-term harm)

Wearing a DIY binder (or any kind, for that matter) for longer than your body can handle

Doing DIY in such a way that even mimics binding with ace bandages. This means that your binder shouldn't constrict your ribs, breathing, or range of movement

Here are some general good practices that you should use to guide you for any type of binding, whether traditional or DIY:

When you start binding, only do so in very short sessions to begin with. While binding shouldn't outright hurt, it can be a weird transition while your body is getting used to that new sensation

Minimize heavy lifting or exercise while binding. If it is unavoidable, drink plenty of water and take plenty of breaks

Stretch after binding

Don't bind while sick or have inflammation in your lungs or chest

If you DIY, treat your binder like it is a traditional binder. Don't make the mistake of assuming you don't need to listen to your body because you aren't using a "traditional" binding method

Ultimately, listen to your body. If it is telling you that it needs a break, honour that. Your body isn't punishing you, it is trying to keep you (and it) safe, even if it doesn't feel like it

In the end, this isn't perfect. Sometimes, parents do come around, even in their own ways, even if little by little, they come around. When I first came out officially around 2016, I was convinced that my transition would be completely forbade by my family; I concealed a lot of it in the worst instances of this. However, now, I think most of my family has come through their own journey with the understanding of the reality of what and who I am. I tell you this, anon, because I want you to know that this, too , shall pass. You can make it. I know this might be devastating to you, and believe me, I know what that's like. But it won't be forever. These bridges aren't burnt forever, and I hope you can find your happiness and contentment wherever it may be.

[suddencolds]

.~

[midncghts]

❛    i’m    not    sober    enough    to    talk    about    this .    ❜

[diwatafms]

LOCATION: atlas tap house FOR: everyone @helltownhqstarters

it was a thursday night, diwata knew they've got things to take care of tomorrow but they aren't needed until the early evening. so she was by the bar, nursing her....third? fourth? mug of bavarian lager. she would do the drinking at home but she couldn't stand how quiet it gets sometimes, given she had been living by herself for the past couple of years now. she downs the rest of her drink and gestures the bartender for another when a familiar someone from distance catching their attention. “are you just gonna stand there for the whole time or are you going to join me?" diwata says without looking up, as she takes a sip of her drink.

[saltbcrne]

🦑 — can be on any of the days in whichever public setting most fits your character.

"you've a group of admirers, you know." harlon's voice was quiet, carried over their shoulder by the breeze and only just audible. he aimed for conspiratorial, with his wine - stained lips curled up at the corners, countenance kept light and open, and the mischief in his eyes tempered to a glint. really, he was on his best behavior. "they huddle together just to your left over there, and turn away every time you so much as glance in their general direction, so as to not get caught gawking, i presume." i saw them, though, harlon thought. just as i saw you. he canted his head to the side then, ignoring the few dark strands that fell loose from behind his ear, and gestured at them with the small flower he'd been twirling — one he'd plucked from a display. "have you noticed?"

[antoinettefms]

LOCATION: the jersey devil, hours after the chaos FOR: everyone @helltownhqstarters

"here, looks like you need it more than i do." there's really no solid news yet of what really had went down at the summer solstice, but it seemed enough for antoinette to conclude to herself that whatever may have happened, it was a sight nobody deserved to see. she knew that there was always something strange in this town, a place she grew up in, but as of late, the dancer knew it was more than just the feeling that engulfed this place. she moved close, cautiously to sit beside the other person. "anything i can do? keep the drinks coming, or something else? just tell me what you need, babe. i got you."

[astrorahi]

open to: all setting: the bar + close to the smoking area

Had anyone seen Rahi at the last city event, they would hardly recognize him now. An entirely good thing. Where melancholy had filled him previously, now there's a weight dropped off of strong shoulders. Much to Rahi's dislike, it's not an exact science — but little by little, he'd started to feel like himself again.

"I don't have a light," Rahi laughs, predicting a question that hadn't yet hit the air. It's a classic. The lights bathe him in alternating schemes of violets and blues. "I haven't smoked in — not that long, but long enough to feel superior about it." Honesty reframed into a harmless quip. "But the bartender really likes me, if you wanna order up."