#feel free to tell me your thoughts on the Dragon designs!

[ellephantseals]

Rating The Nine Realms original dragons

I’m going to rate the designs of the original dragons from the Nine realms. And by Original i mean the dragons first seen in this series.

1. Thunder

I know Toothless was a loveable character and the thing that probably bought in alot of money… but what gave them the right to do this?

Firstly, they do know that the Nightfuries are extinct right? Unless they had some kinda super dominant genes i really don’t think Thunder should be mostly black, why not more white like his mother?

Also the fucking trident tail, and the back/spine posture, this dragon mustbe inbred or something because this is atrocious.

Also why the name Thunder? He shoots lightning for Thor’s sake why not… lightning? Or even Thor itself.

Horrible, i hate them 0/10

2. Wu and Wei

Okay…. I know what they were going for…. But really?

I know it’s inspired by the chinse mythology of dragons, but is this the way to go about it? I feel like the whispering death reaches that goal better than this? And omg the colours, the gold?! Why, it totally clashes with the bright blue and red.

Also the two headed dragon thing…. The thing about Barf and Belch is that one expels the gas they need to create fire, and the other one lights it. Fire and what is it…. Ice? Water? I don’t even remember but those don’t work together.

And the stiff wing? That thing should not be able to fly.

0/10

3. Plowhorn

I think this is a slightly better design, but i still don’t like it all too much. I feel like it’s mostly the literal crystals growing from it’s body…. Why? Doesn’t that hurt? I feel like if you replaced the crystals with something else it would look better, otherwise i suppose Plowhorn gets the pass… except for the name wtf D’Angelo?

4/10

4. Feathers

This is my favourite design out of the riders, although i know other people don’t like it. I just wish…. They conveyed that she actually has feathers?! Instead of just stiff succulent plant things at the top of its head. Also the posture once again.

I know it’s supposed to be inspired by the quetzacoatl, but i feel like that didn’t work out how they wanted it to.

I admit i wasn’t a fan at first, but after the episode where the find the “zombie” Feathers i liked her design a bit more, i’m impressed the team actually put effort into worldbuilding for once.

5/10

[anaugust]

Lae'zel is here!

I'm making redesigns for the main bg3 characters - not because I dislike their designs, but because I like putting characters I like in cute clothing inspired by historical fashion.

I don't like when non-human characters look too human, but also when I was trying to change her proportions my brain was screaming at me that proportions are wrong.

That being said I was thinking about taking her hair away but I didn't want to make her too unrecognizable. So I stopped at making her chest smaller. Listen, she is not a mammal, she doesn't need it anyway. I don't know who first came up with this idea, wasn't me, but I love it.

I also wanted to give her more scars but decided not to - she is young, she still has time to gain more lol. Unless you killed her in your game. I'm leaving extra scars for Karlach then.

HER ARMOR. I wanted to make her feel alien to Faerun, but not too much. So:

💚 I made her armor black. I usually try to make only some small elements black and maybe hair. I did gave Shadowheart and Wyll grey armor so I thought that making Lae'zel's armor pure black will give her this odd feeling.

💚 But I did not design her armor after any historical one. To make her feel more alien.

💚 I did keep the red accents just not as gem stones.

💚 Her armor has zigzags as her ears 🤗

💚 With the designs for the rest of the characters I was looking for inspirations mostly from the Wester Europe and mostly from the 14th and 15th century. But for Lae'zel I wanted something different. So I went for this wide pants (In Polish they are called "szarawary" and google is telling me that correct translation is "galligaskins" but that's the first time I see this word lol). Anyway, I decided to give her this wide pants to give her more Eastern European (16th-18th century) vibe. Still historical inspiration - just different this time.

Shadowheart is here!

Wyll is here!

Gale is here!

Astarion is here!

Karlach is here!

4/6

I finish the lineart for Bae'zel three days ago, but I just discovered Dragon Age: Inquisition for the first time in my life and that's where I put all of my spare energy and free time lmao

Ater I'll finish redesigns I will either draw DA fan art or draw Shadowzel kiss in their new outfits.

[svnluns]

⋆ tattoo shop

i’ve always wanted to get a tattoos, but my parents always refused, even if my dad have some, because i was too young.

Now that i’m finally “old” enough and that i have my own money i can finally get what i want.

I’ve always wanted a tattoo on my thigh and i thought that maybe a dragon could look good on me.

I walked into the same shop my dad went to get his first one’s. But the person that i wanted to do my tattoo wasn’t there.

“We normally don’t do walk-ins but i can look at the schedules to see if anyone can take you” The man, who seemed to be the owner of the place, said, looking at the computer.

I nodded and sat on one of the chairs that was next to the door.

“I can take her, my client canceled on me so i’m free.” a woman’s voice said, walking out of one of the door. “Come with me.”

I followed her to a room. It was dark, there was mirror on the wall and some rock music playing from a speaker.

“My name is Billie, nice to meet you” She says, putting on her gloves.

“Hi, i’m y/n, nice to meet you”

“So what do you want?” She asked, taking her pen and ipad so she could start drawing.

“I want a dragon on my left thigh”

“Alright, im going to draw the design, show it to you and then we could start” She say, trying to make this feel less scary.

She then went into another room and came back 15min later. She showed me the result and i approved.

“Alright well, you can take off ur short” She say, waiting for me to do so, so she could put some cream and taking the tattoo gun and the ink.

“Tell me if you need a break, okay” Billie said, while shaving the area.

She started to tattoo ur thigh, and you were starting to get a bit nervous.

“You look tense, do you want me to help you relax?” She said, keeping her eyes on what she’s doing.

“Yeah sure but how?” You ask, unsure if you want to trust her or not.

“Are you ok with me touching you?” She ask, now looking at you.

“Hm yes i am”

“Great” She say with a little smile.

U noticed that Billie’s is approaching her right hand to your panties. She start to tease it a little, hoping that you will feel better.

“How are you feeling now?” She whispers to you.

“Hm better, please don’t stop” You say, closing ur eyes and trying not to make any sounds.

“Alright love”

She keep going with her work until she’s telling you that you will have to continue next week because those kind of tattoos takes time.

“You can open ur eyes now angel, we are done for this session, we will continue next me, i will wrap it and then you could go, you can pay me when it’s all down” Billie says calmly, getting up from her seat.

She puts down the tattoo gun and take of her gloves.

She took out some paper to wrap ur thighs so the tattoo doesn’t get messy.

“Ok we are ready to go now, do you have any requests?” Billie says while opening the door.

“Actually yes” You say, suddenly regretting it.

“What is it?”

“Can you keep doing what you did? I know that the session is over but yk” You says, without trying to make eyes contact with her.

She closes the door, locking it and walks towards you.

“Sure love”

She decided to seat on you so she could have a better look at you and how she makes you feel.

She put her hand on ur pantie and rub ur pussy back and forth.

She kisses you, stopping you from moaning, and she takes off ur pantie and throw it on the floor.

She insert two fingers into it, pushing them deeper as you are moaning more and more.

Your body start shaking, and you can’t stop yourself from crying of pleasure.

“Please keep going Billie, don’t stop” You says, opening ur legs wider.

“I’m not planning on stopping y/n” She says, kissing you passionately.

“Oh fuck” You says, cumming all over her fingers.

You’re out of breath, talking some tissues to wipe yourself, ur hair and makeup messy, but a wild smile on your face.

U get up and grab ur panties and short, putting them on, trying not to move the paper that is wrapped around ur thigh.

“It’s time to go now babe” Bille says to you, grabbing ur hand into hers and heading you towards the front door of the tattoo shop.

“I see you next week” She says with a smirk, as she’s watching you walk always.

[fontasticcrablettes]

On the Eating of Entelexeia

I recently began thinking about a very important question: are entelexeia made of meat?

Honestly... probably not. Given the way their bodies disappear and turn into apatheia, they are probably not made of physical stuff the same way other living things are.

But that answer is boring! So let's ignore practical things like, "You cannot slaughter and eat an entelexeia because there would be no body left over," or, "Since entelexeia are sapient people, eating them is inherently unethical."

If entelexeia were physically made of meat and if they were animals able to be slaughtered according to religious dietary rules, which entelexeia would be permissible to eat?

I have done my best to analyze each entelexeia in the game and conclude whether it would be kosher, halal, or permissible for Catholics to eat on fast days.

Reasoning below the cut. Catholic, Jewish, or Muslim followers please feel free to offer your interpretations and details I may have missed.

Ba'ul was analyzed as a whale. As a sea creature, whales are permissible during lent and are halal, but because he does not have scales, he is not kosher.

Phaeroh was analyzed as a turkey. I debated whether he was a bird of prey of not, but he's got a turkey-esque fan of feathers at the back and also I really wanted him to be kosher. Specifically I think Phaeroh should be eaten during Passover, akin to hamantaschen at Purim.

Belius was analyzed as a fox. As a carnivorous land mammal, she is neither halal nor permissible during lent, and she has horse-like, un-split hooves, furthering her status as treif.

Gusios was analyzed as a rock. If you can look at that guy and tell me an animal he resembles, be my guest. But what is the only edible mineral? Salt. Salt is permissible to all three religions, so they can come together and enjoy crushed-up gusios seasoning.

Khroma was analyzed as a bird, given the front half of her design. And don't think about her Krityan appearance, shhh. Anyway, given the shape her her beak and talons, she resembled a bird of prey, making her bother haram and treif. And bird meat in general is not allowed for fast days.

Astal was analyzed as a..... I have no idea. But he appears to have clawed paws, so he isn't kosher. He's got deer-like antlers, though, so I don't know if he'd be a carnivore, so I'm not sure if he'd be halal. Muslim followers expand on this if you have any thoughts. He definitely is mammalian, though, and not aquatic, so the Catholics are out of luck on Fridays.

Krones was analyzed as a jellyfish. Seafood is halal, and fine for Catholics, but he does not have scales or fins, so he is not kosher.

Elucifur is seen only briefly in the Raven manga, but appears to look the same as Khroma. So, I gave him the same rating.

Spiral Draco was analyzed as a dragon. Reptiles are fine for lent, but not kosher. He definitely looks like a carnivorous dragon, though, so probably not halal.

[virtue-and-beneviolence]

Matching tattoos with the tokrev cast

Ft. Draken, Hanma, Mitsuya, Baji

Matching rings - Draken

Draken is nothing if not practical and loyal. Being pragmatic, and realizing he works with his hands in a messy, oily profession, he hardly wears even his wedding band. It bothers him more than it bothers you, but one day he decides enough is enough and opts to just tattoo a permanent band on his finger, with your initials on the palm side of his hand. He insists you don't have to follow suit but little does he know, you love the idea of his dragon tattoo on the scale of jewelery for your matching tattoo.

Bite marks - Hamna

He is cringe but he is free; never a slave to the fear of a goofy trend aging poorly. He takes you to the studio for moral support that you're well aware he doesn't need. He hasn't told you his idea. When his usual artist cuts to the chase and asks his chaotic friend what the plan is, Shuji only rolls up his sleeve and tells you to bite him as hard as you can. Of course. You laugh. You bite him and it's inked into permeance in his skin.

On the last few passes before he wipes shuji clean and wraps him up you catch the artist off guard and ask if he has time for another. So what if the world saw that some pair of idiots' love language was biting?

Each other's handwriting - Mitsuya

Mitsuya isn't shy about it. You're his favorite model and muse, the figure he sketches when he designs. To you, nothing feels more apropos than the thought of him signing your body the way he signs his sketches. For his, your habit of leaving him sneaky encouraging notes during stressful buyer weeks or fashion shows leave him awestruck by his luck to have nabbed you. He asks your permission to get your little letter sign-off tattooed near his wrist on his forearm. You agree on the condition that he agree to sign your skin.

Coordinating images - Baji

A dumpster, and a fire. A match box and a lighter. A possom and raccoon. A fork and a spoon. Bread and butter. If it's goofy and nonsensical, he's proposed it. Baji is the certified kind of silly bullshit tattoos and you won't convince me otherwise. Baji too, is cringe but free when it comes to his ink. I hope you are too bc one day he will wear you down and you will end up with some funny coordinating tattoo(s).

There may well be more parts

[roseapov]

In the tower

Obsessed Malleus x GN!Kidnapped Darling

Tw: Mentions of obsession, Dub/Non con, twisted thoughts, mentions of being Kidnapped

Povtober 2023, Day 2 [Masterlist]

The sound of the heels clicking on the black marble floor echoed through the corridor, as the king walked towards the highest tower in his castle.

The frown on his face slowly disappears, the closer he got to this particular, massive black doors with golden designs and several locks.

He took his sweet time, unlocking each of the locks, searching for sounds from the other side of the door. With his enchanted hearing he easily picked up on some ragged breaths inside the room along with panicked footsteps, he laughed in his mind.

The Fae King smirked to himself giving his 'lover' extra time to hide, after all if he were to find them after they hide, it would crush them even more than it already did, and if they got no will to leave, they will stay with him forever.

Malleus let out a dreamy sigh at the thought, eyes becoming cloudy from even more lovesick thoughts.

The door opened easily and the game of 'hide and seek' began. His slitted eyes roamed around the room briefly, already knowing where their darling went, hearing their fast heartbeat.

He pretended to pounder on their whereabouts for a moment and going into the opposite direction, when his darling thought they were safe and breathed a breath of relief, after seconds of holding it, he in a few quick strides stood right in front of them, with that smile of his.

He didn't wasted any time, enveloping his darling with his arms, pulling them as close as possible, their scent overwhelming his senses as he growled into their neck with delight.

It was such a long and tiring day without them by his side. The darling shivered under this action, halfheartedly trying to get away, knowing they won't be able to escape from his hold no matter how hard they try.

They were slowly giving in, giving up and Malleus couldn't be happier about it.

All these years of pursuing you, courting you, in his own twisted ways, finally paid off. His efforts haven't gone to waste. As more thoughts of this type started flooding his mind, his tail unconciously started quickly wagging and smacking the floor, as he snuggled even closer to your warmth.

His hands roaming through your body, his bright green eyes staring sharply into your own, making you squirm under their intensity as he laughed at your reaction, taking in all of you.

Your eyes, your face, your sounds, your reactions. Everything he had ever wanted was standing right before him, in his arms.

He wanted it all, and he will get it, after all dragons are really possessive over the things they own. There was no escaping this greedy dragon, as you were already in his shackles.

Your person, becoming his most important treasure, hidden safely in his tower.

Writing for yandere, obsessed Malleus felt so easy and right?? I can't explain it well enough, but it was one of the most pleasant things to write. Please feel free to give your opinions on my works and tell me where I can improve.

I hope all of you enjoyed it, See you soon!💚

~roseapov

[scurvgirl]

Learning about my Rook through banter. Just a little self-indulgent writing.

-

Bellara: So...you're Dalish, right?

Rook: Yep.

Bellara: But...you don't have Vallaslin.

Rook: I don't.

Bellara: Did you leave before you could get it?

Rook: No. My father isn't Dalish, and I was born in a city - I joined my mother's clan later. Didn't feel like the Vallaslin would suit me at the time.

Bellara: Oh.

-

Lucanis: Rook, what foods would you like prepared?

Rook: Anything really. Dalish, Free Marches, Tevinter, any kind of sea food.

Lucanis: Good to know.

-

Rook: You know, Taash, you don't have to choose to be Qunari or Rivaini.

Taash: What, you think I don't know that?

Rook: Hold your dragons. I'm saying - I'm Dalish and from a city. I respect the Vhenadahl and the halla. I sang prayers to Andraste and to the creators...before, you know, we knew shit.

Taash: Okay.

Rook: It's all important, and...you're all of it, put together into a unique experience of yourself.

Taash: I'll think about it.

-

Neve: Alright, your accent is not Tevinter, Antivan, Fereldan, or Orlesian. You're a Marcher.

Rook: She's found me out!

Neve: Now to figure out where.

Rook: Do you want me to tell you or is it more fun for you to put the clues together?

Neve: Don't tell me.

-

Rook: Fucking Venatori!

Harding: You really hate them.

Rook: Assholes kill people and use my gods as a fucking excuse.

Harding: You made that one explode.

Rook: Yeah, well, sometimes we deal with personal shit by exploding an evil shithead.

-

Neve: I've got it.

Rook: Oh do tell!

Neve: Kirkwall - Varric recruited you, told you to keep where you're from a secret.

Rook: Good thought but nope. Not from Kirkwall, and thank goodness for that.

Neve: Dammit.

-

Lucanis: You're quite good with that blade Rook. Who taught you?

Rook: My mother. She's a very skilled swordswoman. All of her kids are mages but she insisted we all learn how to defend ourselves with weaponry against Templars.

Lucanis: Smart woman. You have siblings?

Rook: Yeah, two older brothers.

Lucanis: Why am I not surprised you're the baby?

Rook: Because I am baby.

-

Bellara: I don't understand. Why not get the Vallaslin?

Rook: My clan was informed of its true meaning. My keeper started offering everyone a choice.

Bellara: True meaning?

Rook: Slave markings, apparently. Makes sense now with what we know of the gods.

Bellara: That's horrible!

Rook: My brother decided to get his despite that. He said "Whatever they were, they are now how we find each other. How we take pride in who we are." I didn't feel ready. I don't know if I will ever feel ready.

Bellara: That...makes a lot of sense, actually. Thank you.

-

Davrin: You saw the Inquisitor, right?

Rook: Yeah. For someone who has been fighting for so long, she looked great.

Davrin: She's like you - Dalish but no Vallaslin.

Rook: There's a few of us out there.

Davrin: I wonder how she got rid of it.

Rook: Ah. Don't like Ghilan'nain's design upon you?

Davrin: Most days it doesn't bother me, but some days...it makes my skin crawl.

Rook: I'll try to ask her next time I see her.

-

Neve: Alright. You don't have Vallaslin because your clan found out information about them from ancient times. You showed an odd familiarity with the inquisitor. You said you are both Dalish and from a city. You hate the Venatori. You're from Wycome.

Rook: Huzzah! You discovered it!

Neve: You were there when the Venatori tried to take over.

Rook: They poisoned our wells. Blamed the elves in the alienage. They killed so many.

Neve: That means your mother was from clan Lavellan - the same clan the Inquisitor was from.

Rook: That would be my clan.

Neve: No wonder Varric gave you a code name and made it so hard to find anything out about you.

Rook: I was twelve when Miriel, I mean, the Inquisitor, left the clan. We were so proud of her, and so worried for her. When she came back...without her Vallaslin...there was a lot of heartbreak that day.

-

Solas: You knew the Inquisitor.

Rook: I did. And you broke her heart.

Solas: I didn't have a choice.

Rook: From what she's said - you did. You just chose wrong.

[raymantogether]

Rayman Together Community Spotlight #1 - Rayman Collectibles & Merchandise

This exciting new series hopes to introduce you to Rayman Fans across the World on a more personal level and make you the reader feel more connected to the community. I look forward in the months ahead to showing you the many faces of the Rayman community and some of the exciting projects and accounts they are working behind. If you are interested in becoming a part of the Rayman Together Community Spotlight in the future please feel free to reach out through Twitter. 

Rayman was published by French video game publisher Ubisoft in 1995. Since Rayman debuted on PlayStation and Sega Saturn, the series flourished after receiving outstanding reviews from critics and multiple publications. Rayman went onto spanning decades of videogame releases. Rayman was a Ubisoft Mascot until later years, when its various franchises such as Assassin's Creed, Far Cry, Tom Clancy, and the Rabbids stole the spotlight.

After almost a decade, Rayman has slowly begun to creep back into the spotlight thanks to his return in Rayman in the Phantom Show. Ubisoft has begun to drip feed the loyal and patient Rayman community with various releases with collaborations from its multiple partners, such as Flyos, YouTooz, and Netflix. Rayman has made a major appearance in the Ubisoft Netflix series Captain Laser Hawk: A Blood Dragon Remix, Flyos is publishing the eagerly anticipated Rayman: The Board Game, and Youtooz has created Rayman figures and pin sets. YouTooz are even working on more figures, including an upcoming plush toy, collaborating with someone within the Rayman community. 

Although it may seem Ubisoft never supported the franchise outside of digital releases until now, a lot of you may be unaware that during the "Golden Era" of Rayman, Ubisoft released often rather obscure and bizarre merchandise that was exclusive in Europe or often released without public knowledge. 

I recently discovered the TikTok page RaymanCollectibles&Merch, which is managed by the extremely passionate Rayman fan Natasha Quinn from the United Kingdom. Natasha has collected various collectibles and merchandise throughout Rayman's history. I am delighted today to take an opportunity to showcase the Rayman Collectibles & Merchandise account as part of the very first Rayman Together Community Spotlight.

Please Introduce Yourself: "Hi I'm Natasha Quinn I live in Hertfordshire Stevenage in the United Kingdom."

Tell us something fun or interesting about yourself? "I have been collecting Rayman merch since 2016 but sadly lost most of it due to moving so restarting again in April 2023 where i have acquired a lot more then my childhood collection."

What do you enjoy doing in your spare time? "I have two small dogs called dexter and Bailey which compete in fun dog shows. I also love to spend time drawing and making crafts in my spare time."

4. What are three things that make you smile? "The three things that make me smile are anything animal-related, cute videos, etc. I'm a huge animal lover. 2 Rayman (of course) 3 playing retro games from my childhood, reliving the memories mostly the PS1, PS2, and Game Boy handhold"

5. How did you get into the Rayman series? "I first got into Rayman when my dad got me an atomic purple GBC, which he called the game Rayman to go aside. I fell in love with the adventure and the colorful levels as well as the character Rayman himself, which I thought the fist throwing was a cool design! I remember getting excited about completing a level I would show my dad."

6. What is your favorite Rayman game and who is your favorite Rayman character? "Choosing a favorite Rayman game is hard, but I would have to say for memories and nostalgia alone, it would be the GBC version, although I realize it isn't a popular opinion, but closely following would be Rayman 2 & 3, as they are great games too! My favorite Rayman character is Rayman himself or Ly the fairy."

7. What is your favorite piece of Rayman merchandise you own, and why? "I think my favorite piece I own the last plush. I was lucky and won it in an auction, and weirdly enough, the smaller version went up for sale the same week, so I was lucky to own the pair!"

8. What is the rarest piece of Rayman merchandise you own? "The rarest piece I own is the Rayman Grimace mushroom figure given to staff members working on the Rayman 3 game, and only 100 were made. It's a beautiful statue, and I had to get it shipped from another country. I feel very lucky to have one."

9. Is there something in your Rayman collection that you don’t own? "I would love to own the 25th anniversary coin. I have been searching each day, and I still have hope."

Thank you, Natasha, for participating in the very first Rayman Together community spotlight. It has been a pleasure getting to know you. I am a huge fan of your account. I look forward in the future to seeing what else you can collect. Hopefully, in the future, Ubisoft will help you get a Rayman 25th Anniversary Medallion. Who knows, maybe next year there will be a 30th Anniversary Medallion. If you enjoyed this spotlight and would like to follow and support Rayman Collectibles & merchandise, I have included links to her social media platform below. 

Thank you for reading everyone and I look forward to seeing you in future Rayman Together Community Spotlights.

[malwarechips]

tell me about uhhhh. Your creature isat designs

uhmm uhmmm well theyre all assigned off of total vibes. it started with siffrin and loop having dragon vibes and originally they were likely going to be the only mythical animals. but then i thought of jackalope for bonnie. and . my bestest idea ever (griffin for isa) and i decided to go with all mythical animals .

siffrin, loop, and the king are all dragons (surprisingly, entirely coincidentally, and actually completely unrelated to any other similarities. they just all have dragon vibes. /silly), mirabelle is a kitsune, isabeau is a griffin (fun little side fact; the bird part is specifically a red-tailed hawk!!), odile is a cockatrice (although a kirin was my backup choice!), bonnie and nille are jackalopes, and euphrasie is some sort of deer unicorn.

for the most part clothing is completely ignored but sometimes they get little trinkets and accessories (mirabelle still has her little pendant thingies, everyone still has earrings if they have them, and ofc siffrin has their hat and cloak still (and their gloves!). and also in our post-canon shenanigans loop gets a cloak too) . as a treat.

hm i am not sure if i can think of any other General stuff to say . also its really late rn . feel free to dump more asks in my inbox we'll answer them in the morning /silly

[fancyrat4cotl]

The temple was dark in the night. The moon's light made the white marble gleam with a silvery sheen. A tall figure was alone at the altar with hands pressed together and head bowed before a regal statue of a dragon-like form of a sheep.

Something manifested in the walkway, the shadows peeled back as if afraid, or perhaps bowing with reverence to the God of Death.

On silent hooves, they glided over to their worshiping disciple. The feline at the altar chanted an ancient language in a deep, rugged voice. He donned a shredded veil. It is the same veil he had when he wore when he was still a God. Thin strips of black fabric partially covered his face, hardly hiding it, but succeeded in concealing his third eye.

"Narinder, it is late, surely you're tired by now. Come meet me, I have to tell you something." Lamani whispered. Narinder turned, his third eye closed, and threw the hood on his cloak over his head.

"What is it, Lamb?" Narinder sighed, stoic and unemotional as ever. His stride was graceful. With sleek, dark fur and faithful red eyes, Lamani was always fascinated with the cat. So much so, they had forgotten what they wanted to say to him, so their mind spoke for them.

"I… love you-" It was an accident, a slip of the tongue. Lamani immediately realized what they had said out loud and clamped their mouth shut, gritting their teeth. That was not what they had meant to say at all, where had it come from?

To say Narinder was taken aback would be an understatement. His body went rigid as he lept backwards. All three crimson eyes were wide and disbelieving. His golden crescent moon earrings swayed back and forth as his ears swung back.

"Love?" the cat scoffed, his tone harsh with scorn. "You, who took everything from me, dare even suggest I might be something more than you already forced me to be?" The Lamb loved to torture him, he felt, unaware of Lamani's true feelings.

"I am your disciple. I am the head of your faith. I am a witness to your rise to divinity. You keep me alive only to torment me, using me as a puppet in your grand design."

But even as the words left his lips, he felt a twinge of something unfamiliar stirring within him—a flicker of doubt, perhaps? The memories of Lamani visiting him during his imprisonment lingered in the back of his mind.

He could almost see the truth reflected in the depths of the young God's eyes—a truth too potent to be denied. Then again, the lamb had always had a gift for manipulating followers. It was needed to be a sufficient cult leader, after all.

Before Lamani dethroned him, the little lamb had formed a connection with him, or so he thought. Lamani's betrayal was the catalyst to shutting out any and all affection from then on. For a moment, he had felt a feeling unlike any other every time he gazed upon the soft, blood stained wool each time Lamani perished in combat.

When they first started their crusades, Lamani was not yet used to the pain from each demise. The image of the poor, shaking creature standing before him had died over and over in his name. And, sometimes, after a particularly violent end, Narinder would lift the delicate Lamb in his skeletal hand, cradling them in his palm until their shivering ceased.

But now, their positions had swapped. Narinder may be immortal and have been given some powers by the lamb, but he still had a fragile mortal body.

The first death was the worst. The Lamb had revived them in their realm, away from the prying eyes of their followers. He had awoken in the palm of a massive hand with a forest of sharp teeth and horns glistening from above.

They mocked him, he truly believed that Lamani was punishing him, or at least taking out his anger on him for the elimination of their kin or the centuries of servitude to him.

A thousand years and multitudes of betrayals from those he cared for had caused him to subconsciously build a wall around his heart, a heart that truly longed to be loved. His body was free of chains, but not his mind.

It didn't matter now, and he felt nothing now, or, until the night Lamani accidentally confessed their love. There was something deep down in his chest that had been absent for centuries.

As he stood glaring and motionless, Lamani's ears pinned against their head and cheeks flushed. They hid their snout in their cloak. The sudden movements softly jingled their bell.

"I will leave now. Do as you please." Unable to remain any longer, Lamani vanished into the darkness from whence they came, leaving Narinder alone in the cathedral.

He dragged his feet back to the draconid sheep statue and fell to his knees, his chest was aching and he couldn't understand why. The moon was dipping into the horizon now, and the faint luminance glittered through the red stained glass.

He lifted his chin and spread his arms out, as if waiting for an embrace. Blood rushed through his skull and ears as his lungs burned. He felt faint, and it was hard to breathe. The agony of it all constricted his very soul.

Bathing in the moonlit sanctuary, his mind kept repeating God's words. Love him? Did they? There was a faint echo, the longing of a connection that he had sworn to himself to never make again.

He would continue his quiet worship for the rest of the night. Narinder closed all his eyes in silent prayer, his desires a battleground. But in that moment of quiet surrender, he felt the wall around his heart crumble down.

This is Part 1.

Next →

[quenthel]

My experience with Dragon's Dogma 2 and my thoughts about the true ending (spoilers!)

So first of all I never finished the first game. It just did not captivate me, and I got annoyed by the respawning low level enemies and lack of fast travel. I loved the monster designs and the pawns a lot tho.

Then the second game got announced n I vacillated between getting it and not getting it, while like 90% of my friends were hyping me up. I ended up pre-ordering. I made my pawn after my beloved kittycat Lara.

Dragon's Dogma 2 is very similar to the first game but it feels more polished. The vocations are more fun, the pawns are chattier and cuter, the vibe of the world is a bit more whimsical and sillier than it was. I ended up not minding the low level enemies at all because the combat is just that fun. The npcs are also more charming this time around but the more I played the more I just fell in love with the pawns. The rest of the npcs colored the world, and the game's big quest (aside from continuing the cycle n killing the dragon) is specifically to learn about this world. The pathfinder specifically tells you this the game itself grapes you by the shoulder and invites you to have fun in this light hearted theme park. Kill cool monsters! Meet lovely people! It's very comfy.

BUT THEN the game occasionally has moments that made me feel emotional. And many times these moments were connected to my pawn. When my dear Lara was in danger or dying or in pain in a cutscene it felt meaningful because she is my main pawn. My main traveling companion, my little heal bot. I even presented her to the Sphinx when she asked who I love the most because she is the one always by my side chatting in my ear.

Then I got to the end. And the victory over the dragon felt hollow. Like ok great I did it I saved the world but it's just the same shit right? And where is my pawn? So I triggered the true ending or the beginning of the true ending that breaks the cycle. At first I found this very cool bc I love when games about grand cycles allow you to just upset the order of things... (It was very dark souls like) After I found my pawn sweet Lara again I started taking on the rest of the post game, which was preparing the denizens of the world that it is ending. Lara said she always felt my Arisen's presence like a heartbeat, even while separated.

And as I was facing down the last thing available for me (aside from another quest that glitched out) something very cool happened. The last challenge was killing another of these weird brine dragons, by powering the Gigantus you fight earlier. And it was LARA doing it not my Arisen. And SHE killed the dragon. Like pawns in this game have no free will at all, it's acknowledged many times by the setting. They are mysterious and they exist to help you. They have emotions, and they chitter cutely, but you make them. They are even more doll like than your own player character or all npcs and yet by the end my own pawn was the character I cared for the most. And she started acting without me prompting.

And then it was the end of my journey and I summoned a new proper dragon. And Lara turned into one too (like when pawns get the disease n turn into dragons) but this time she remained aware. And she helped me kill the new dragon. Like the last moment with your poor struggling pawn deciding to help you not because it's their role in this world but because it WANTS to help out of it's free will? That moment will stuck with me for a long time.

And it's such a smart decision too bc your Arisen steps out of the cycle and your pawn your precious companion does too. While the spirit of the game talks about pawns being hollow nothings, your own pawn replies to that that it's not true and it became something because of the player. And this is a game where pawns learn things from you all the time.

Like it just made me think about a lot of things. Fantasy stories and the people in these stories are there to serve a purpose usually (the pathfinder says this exact same thing too). Dragon's Dogma 2 analyzes what it means to exist in one such a story on a level I think. Like it presents you with a beautiful world and with lovely people you can escape to. It's idillyc and you are a hero and you can kill monsters and dragons and you can be so cool. And at first wanting to see the true ending feels like a punishment. Like oh really? You wanted to see this world unravel? Well it's all shit now. All those lovely people are in danger the world is no longer beautiful and everyone is DOOMED. Do you care to struggle? Why do you care to struggle? Do you care for this little doll you made so many hours ago to aid you? Why does it feel meaningful when it gains free will?

I think it's very impactful on a level because I did end up caring a lot. Especially about my pawn transforming into something new. The two of us together remaking the lovely world in which neither of us have a place in...

[iconicanemone]

Two things I wanna know! (feel free to ignore obviously ^^ )

What are your top 5 favorite characters and why are they your favorite? Could be current favorites, favorites over the years that you still like, favorites in general, etc. Also any media

And/or gimme 1-5 of your ocs - whether they're your favorite, most recent, the one you've been having fun with recently, etc. Tell me some fun facts about them, and why you picked them!

Hope you're having a great day/night - and remember to stay hydrated!

Okay let’s try to do this

Favorite Characters:

GoodTimesWithScar from Mcyt - A cartoon character in the best of ways. He’s a conman who can and will get you to hand your pants over, and will die 2 seconds later attempting to fly away. The artist behind Scar is also a big reason why I love him, with his artistry and determination in the face of hardness.

Papyrus from Undertale - A boisterous man with a love of puzzles and good puns, who is determined to make the best of his situation with the people around him. I’d say he was my first friendship crush that i thought was romantic before I realized I was aromantic.

Stan Pines from Gravity Falls - Another conman, an old geezer, with a heart of gold. He made many mistakes in his past, and tried for decades to fix them.

Bucky Barnes from the MCU - His life was torturous as the Winter Soldier. And while I love his life of recovery afterwards, I’m fascinated with the man before he fell from the train, and how he reacted to the war, and his first reprieve from Zola. I’m more in love with Bucky’s story tbh

Tobias from Animorphs - I’d say he was one of my first favorite characters. A boy trapped, but learned to make the most of it, even through extreme difficulty and strain. The way he learns of his heritage is one of my favorites. His books in the series are the ones I keep coming back and rereading. And he’s who I point to when people ask me about the characters I’m drawn to.

My Own Characters:

Annabelle - Set in the Pokémon world, Annabelle’s story is one about grief. She’s unambitious, but ends up on a gym challenge with her partner Jacob the Furret. On her path, Annabelle makes friends, both Pokémon and human, and learn more about herself, and of the land she lives in. No current publication of her story is out yet.

Eliza - Set in the world of Minecraft, Eliza’s story is about escaping. She, along with a large group of other Users, are under the watch of the Operators. The Operators set tasks for the Users to do, with rewards. But these tasks aren’t innocent, with some pointed at giving grief to other Users. Eliza played their games at first, but no more. Now she’s trying to escape, to hide herself from the Operators. This has a Story in the works

Murray - one of my oldest OCs, Murray is from the world of Wings of Fire. Son to an icewing and a seawing/nightwing, he is second youngest of 6, and twin to his sister Mil. Mil is an animus, and loves Murray very much. But they never had any boundaries growing up, so Mil had been enchanting both of them with no input from Murray. After an accident that crippled Murray, he had enough of Mil, and refused to let her heal him with her magic. They ended up being separated on Murray’s request, and he ended up thriving afterwards, finding his passion in the mechanicals. I really enjoy his design, especially his wheelchair aspect.

DragonSona Anemone - You ask me what my favorite animal is, I’ll reply with “Flamingos and Dragons.” This is the combination of the two. A pink feathery bird-like dragon, with chimes that hang from its horns. It loves to sing and dance, and I’m planning on making some sort of costume of it!

Jee - You ask me which of my oc I’d love trinkets of in real life, Id say my jerboa oc Jee. In fact, I do have a trinket! A plushie. I love its simple design, its color palette, and it’s cuteness!

Thanks so much for sending this ask!

[zedecksiew]

BLOGGIES 2023 REVIEW WINNERS

Week four of BLOGGIES month has ended. Soon there will be a four-way free-for-all, where GOLD winners in each of the four category brackets will vie for BEST BLOG POST OF 2023!!!

But first: your winners of the REVIEW category, their medals, and acceptance speeches!

(I asked these designer-critics for some thoughts about their winning entries, and where they think we in TTRPGs are going.)

+++

BRONZE BLOGGIE FOR REVIEW POST:

🥉MICROBLOG: CHILDREN’S BOOKS AND TABLETOP GAMES🥉 from FAIL FORWARD

Sandro:

Firstly I'd like to thank anyone who thought it was a good idea to give me an award of any kind. It's humbling and bewildering and y'all are the best. This was a just-for-funsies lunch time blog post that almost didn't happen. It was inspired by carefully listening to folks much wiser than me talk about what makes them tick. (Often times I think people's aspirations can tell us a lot about what their origins and inspirations might be) Yet here we are, an award winning post! Let this be a testament that it's always better to put yourself out there because you never know what people will resonate with! I'd like dedicate this award to children big and small, in and out of homes of all shapes and sizes. The suffering so many kids endure is heartbreaking, so if you take anything from this little speech let it be this: Be kind to the next generation. What we pass down to the young readers of today shapes the writers of tomorrow. No pressure ~

+++

SILVER BLOGGIE FOR REVIEW POST:

🥈Plagiarism in Unconquered (2022)🥈 from Traverse Fantasy

Marcia:

I am so happy that Ènziramire’s excellent critique of The Mwangi Expanse won first place for reviews this year, for three reasons. First, because he is a wonderful friend and I am so excited to celebrate his successes. Second, because his critique is such an insightful application of historical materialist and anti-colonial theory to the realm of tabletop game literature, above all the rest deserving first place. Third, I’m upset that my “review” was nominated and voted for to such a degree over other bloggers’ more deserving work as well as over my own actual reviews and critiques. Being nominated for a long-form call-out post, and it being treated as a significant accomplishment on my part, feels gross. Someone had to write it, but all it had to be was over and done with. It did not, and should not, need to be celebrated. I’m very glad that an actual review, especially one so cohesive and incisive, won in the end. Congratulations, Ènziramire!! As for the content of the post itself, here's my final word on it: if you're going to commercialize your work, commercialize YOUR work. My constant emphasis on the distinction between copyright infringement and plagiarism is more than pedantic: it's the difference between disrespecting intellectual property (about which, who cares!) versus privatizing the work of others. Going forward, sure, we should work towards a better culture of creative attribution, but we should also work towards non-commercial interactions with our hobby. Pseudo-Paul says, "The love of money is the root of all evil", and it's difficult not to see the constant grind of commercial publishing and social engagement as responsible for this incident. Isn't an ideal creative culture not just an attributive one, but a free and accessible one disentangled from the demands of capital (even if expressed through our particular needs)? We should attribute generously, but we should also share freely as well. From each according to their ability, to each according to their need!

+++

(In lieu of a medal, Gold winners will get a linocut print; here’s a design inspired by Ènziramire's post & Christina Sharpe's In The Wake: On Blackness and Being---a dragon and her wake. )

GOLD BLOGGIE FOR REVIEW POST:

🥇An Empty Africa - PF2E's The Mwangi Expanse and the strange career of Black Atlanticism🥇 from A Most Majestic Fly Whisk

Ènziramire:

"An Empty Africa" was, if you’ll forgive the joke, written in a spirit of homecoming. Pathfinder was my first tabletop RPG and the frustrations with bourgeois Afrodiasporic creative spaces expressed in the post are the same exact ones that compelled me to make a blog in the first place. The post’s reception in those same Black spaces has been varied but the most important conversations about it that I’ve participated in have been characterized by a kind of low level nervousness. What does trans-Atlantic intimacy and community look like if many of the ‘natural’ connections between Black folks we take for granted are actually expressions of Afrodiasporic supremacy? Is the desire to feel wounds together (with the Middle Passage as the ur-wound) inherently imperial? There's nothing wrong with a bit of healthy concern, but a perspective on diaspora that includes and inscribes Africa as a constitutive locus (as opposed to a static source for diasporic self-invention) is one that opens up passages. It’s trendy to say that the politics of Afrodiasporic relation, real capital-P Pan-Africanism, ‘dies’ in the 20th century bc a solidarity of shared suffering is somehow false or limited. Fuck that. Solidarity between people going through it is just one basis for affiliation, but it’s a basis that continues to demonstrate its power and relevance. South Africa and Palestine, average Chadians rescuing Darfuris targeted by genocidal militias in Sudan, Rwandan activists risking prison or worse to protest their government’s role in the bloodletting in the Kivus, mutual support networks linking queer Ugandans and Namibians together, and so much more. My father, himself a stubborn old pan-Africanist from Somalia's "born-free" generation, is fond of saying that the experiences with racial capitalism which make immigrant Africans Black are blessings if you read them backward; mourning together gives you new kinfolk. My advice for people with similar fears: don’t let liberal constructions of identity constrain your love. The part of you that wants to be caught up in the emotional worlds of cultural Others—what Glissant might call the entangled co-creation of selves, “unities whose interdependent variances jointly piece together the interactive totality”—is something to be cherished and scholars of Black music have noted that serious play allows us to explore forms of diasporic belonging that respond to difference with joy instead of masking it behind strategic essentialism. Africa should be more than an object of retrospective rediscovery, yes, but genuine familiarity is the most potent weapon we have to combat that tendency. Anyone insisting that this work, learning to reflect each other more honestly, must be restricted to (nebulously defined) 'people of African descent' for it to matter is an idiot or a huckster. We’ll fuck up, but that's family, yeah? Thanks for reading, y'all.

+++

Thank you, TTRPG family!

(Special thanks to Martin / Sharkbomb for his assistance tidying up the medal graphics.)

[scrollsfromarebornrealm]

connection

(in which Riven and Estinien have done a thing)

----------

Augustine frowned. He walked over, extending a hand so that he could pinch the leather in-between his fingers.

“You’re sure you want to go with this?” He asked. “I’m not doubting that the Bozjans make good armor, just that we never really field-tested what they had to offer. It was whatever they could loot from the Garleans and what parts of their home weren’t destroyed.” 

“It’s not finished yet.” Riven replied. “I’m getting the armor-spelled reinforced leather. What I’ve got on is just for fitting.”

“I’d feel better if you had something covering your arms.” Augustine continued his inspection of the gear, rubbing the surface of the leather cuirass with his fingertips. “Unless you’re going to aetherically shield those?”

“I’m getting new gauntlets crafted that’ll have the array.” Riven held up her arms as the paladin tugged at the cuirass, then knelt to inspect the boots she was wearing.

“This needs to be secured better.” Augustine tugged at the knife-sheath that was on the outside of Riven’s left thigh. “Steel or spell-silver?” 

“Steel. I figured spell-silver might be a bad idea.”  Riven watched as Augustine withdrew the small blade, testing it against his thumb. Satisfied with the sharpness, he slipped it back into the sheath.

“How are you feeling with the new tattoos?”

“My back and arms still hurt a bit, but my chest and shoulders seem to be healed up now.”  Riven replied. “It still feels strange only having part of my body glamoured, though.” Augustine stood up, moving away as Riven turned around to face the mirrors, tugging at the leather chestpiece and pants.

“Your special tattoo isn’t giving you any problems?” He asked, crossing his arms and making sure to put a teasing emphasis on ‘special’. A shit-eating grin flashed across his features as Riven glared at him in the mirror, sticking out her tongue.

“It’s just fine, thank you!”

“I’m not the one who decided to put Nidhogg-infused blood into the spell-ink.”

“It was one drop!” Riven countered. “And he got the same. A drop of my blood in his ink.”  With a blush, she lifted her left arm—looking at the modified summon-binding arcanima that had been inscribed on the inside. On the design’s edges lurked a stylized dragon in azure ink. Estinien had a matching one on the inside of his left arm—only the dragon that he had was sun-orange. The tattoos themselves had been his idea…

I want to make a promise to you. And I want…something tangible to serve as proof of my word. Something that marks me as yours. Something that one day…that will become permanent.

Both arrays had a path that the dragon could enter and leave of their own free will.

“Do not hesitate to call me upon your enemies.” Estinien had whispered, his fingers interlocking with her own. Riven lifted her free hand to his cheek, gazing deep into his storm-grey eyes.

“Do not hesitate to call me upon your own.”  She whispered back in return.

“Riven?!” Augustine’s voice broke into Riven’s thoughts. She started, lifting a hand to her cheek, feeling moisture there. It had been a month and a half since that night in Limsa. Estinien had left for parts unknown shortly after. Riven swallowed, feeling emotion swell up inside her.

“Sorry.”  She got out, lifting her right hand to dash at her eyes. “Sorry. I still—I miss him. Which is stupid. We talked, he told me what he was up to..." Augustine came over, reaching into his pocket for a handkerchief, offering the cloth square.

"Right..." Riven murmured. Inhaling, she squared her shoulders and looked at herself in the mirror again. Then a faint smile crossed her lips as Augustine reached out to hug her from the side, pressing a kiss to her forehead.

"Hey." He said, his voice soft. "It's okay. That's normal." Riven sniffled, accepting the fabric. She lifted it to her face, wiping her eyes. "This is something new for the both of you."

"Are you going to leave him a message telling him where we are if he shows up?"

"I figured I'd leave one in three places. One here in Sunward, one with Vrtra, and one with Orn Khai." Riven answered. "Anything else would depend on when we get to Tural." Exhaling, she lifted her hands to her chest, fiddling with the chestpiece's fit.

"Perhaps you could speak to Wuk Lamat about extending him an invite?" Augustine offered. He moved behind Riven, reaching out to make his own adjustments to the armor.

"I don't know." Riven admitted. "With us, the twins and Krile, there's going to be enough outsiders participating in this contest as is." She sighed, fiddling with the waistband of her pants.

"Adding one more might...possibly be a problem." Her eyes lifted, meeting Augustine's mismatched own in the mirror. The paladin nodded, understanding.

"Speak with Wuk." He said. "I know the politics are a problem, but we have to consider our safety." Riven didn't reply, turning her arm to look at the tattoo again as Augustine continued adjusting the armor's backing. Her fingers gently grazed the surface, tracing the azure dragon.

-----

a big thank you to @saesama for the idea of the matching tattoos! <3

[eralisse]

Brothers Conflict: Season 1 LN - Ch16, Sec6 & Sec7

This is the penultimate major scene in the Iori/Kaname conflict, taking place at the festival hosted by Club Buddha.

Brothers Conflict Translations Index

???: “Hey, are you by yourself?”

I was sitting on a bench outside the main temple, waiting for Yuusuke-kun and Wataru-chan to come back, when a voice suddenly called out from beside me.

(...... Eh?!)

When I looked over, an extremely flashy man was standing there.

He was in a yukata with a dragon design, and gaudily designed rings, watch, and necklace.

Although he was quite young and beautiful, he also had a bit of a dangerous feel to him.

(Whoa…… Amazing.)

???: “Why haven’t you nominated anyone? Is there not a man you’re interested in?”

(...... N-nominate?)

The person very casually sat down next to me.

???: “Or are you waiting for a good man to come by? …...Heh. If that’s the case, how about me?”

(......?)

At first, I thought he was a pickup artist or something, but his appearance wasn’t quite right for that. 

At that moment, I saw the fan that the man had in his hand.

(Ah!)

“Club Buddha” was written on it.

???: “Won’t you try listening to my prayers? If you wish, you can listen all night long. I’ll fill it with love. … But I’m quite expensive, so be prepared.”

Ema: “Uh, um…”

I said.

Ema: “Excuse me, are you Kaname-san’s colleague, by any chance?”

???: “Kaname?”

Kaname: “Chi-chan.”

I heard a voice call out from behind me. When I turned around, Kaname-san was standing there.

(... Why did Kaname-san call me “Chi”?)

The only ones who called me “Chi” were Juli and Rui-san. Outside of them, no one else called me that.

Not to mention, Kaname-san has not once called me that way.

(Then why…?)

But right after that, Kaname-san said something unexpected.

Kaname: “Oh, Imouto-chan, you’ve come.”

(Eh?)

Meaning that, the one Kaname-san called “Chi”... wasn’t me?!

(B-but, the one here now is…)

???: “Kana-san.”

The flashy man next to us said.

???: “What, you know her? Don’t tell me, is she one of your clients?”

Kaname: “Nah, Chi-chan.”

Kaname-san smiled wryly.

(“Chi-chan” is… this person?!)

Kaname: “Sister. She’s my younger sister.”

???: “Younger sister?”

Ema: “Um, Kaname–san, this person is…”

Kaname: “Ahh, this is Senshuu. Written as ‘chi’ (thousand) and ‘aki’ (autumn). His real name is read as Chiaki, but here it’s Senshuu.”

Ema: “Chiaki… san?”

Chiaki: “What’s this, she’s not a client?...”

Having quickly lost his interest, Chiaki-san got up from the bench.

Chiaki: “I’ve wasted time… Hah…”

Chiaki-san turned to leave.

Kaname: “Ah, hold on, Chi-chan. You should go to the reception hall soon.”

Chiaki: “Eh?”

Kaname: “Looks like you’re up to bat. The parishioners are arguing.”

Chiaki: “Huh?!”

Kaname: “Chi-chan, could it be that this was on purpose?”

Chiaki: “No way. I came here on my own.”

Kaname: “In the meantime, you have to do something. It’s bothering the other parishioners.”

Chiaki: “... Got it. Thanks, Kana-san.”

Chiaki-san walked off towards the reception hall to the main temple. After watching him leave, Kaname-san turned to me.

Kaname: “Imouto-chan, I’m glad you came.”

Ema: “Ah, no, I’m just here by mere chance…”

Kaname: “If it’s by chance, then I’m even more happy. Because something beyond human ken is blessing us.”

Ema: “...... That’s such a convenient interpretation.”

Kaname: “Sorry that you came all this way, though.”

Kaname-san blithely continued as if I hadn’t said anything.

Kaname: “I’ve still got a nomination after this. But I’m free after that. Do you mind waiting a little bit?”

Ema: “Ah, no, please take your time…”

Kaname: “Oh, oh no. I’ve got to go. Stay here. I’ll be back soon.”

As if chasing after Chiaki-san, Kaname-san headed toward the reception hall.

There were a lot of female guests in the area, and as Kaname-san went by, calls of “Younin-san~!” rose up from all around.

(Hmm, that was Kaname-san’s professional, no, priest name. Speaking of which, the flyer was… not here!)

When I dug around for it, once again, a voice called out behind me.

???: “... Oh? Are you alone?”

I couldn’t help sighing.

This temple really had some pushy monks.

Ema: “Um, no thank you!”

I said immediately upon turning around.

(Huh?!)

However, it was not one of the temple’s monks like I’d thought.

Iori: “Um? No thank you for what?”

The person standing there was Iori-san.

—

Ema: “Ah… Iori-san.”

Iori: “Good evening.”

Iori-san looked slightly surprised.

Iori: “That was pretty aggressive just now. What happened?”

Ema: “Ah, pardon me! You see, Kaname-san had…”

Iori: “Kaname-niisan?”

I explained to Iori-san about the monk from Club Buddha.

Iori: “Ahh, so that’s what happened. As expected of the temple that Kaname-niisan serves.”

Iori-san smiled wryly.

Iori: “Anyway, did you come by yourself?”

Ema: “Ah, Yuusuke-kun was here until just earlier…”

Then, I told him about Yuusuke-kun and Wataru-chan.

Iori: “That is such a pitiful story for Yuusuke.”

Iori-san’s wry smile grew larger.

(......Oh?)

Iori-san’s mood changed from what it was previously.

Since his hospitalization on the day of the entrance exam, I had been worrying, and although the atmosphere had been that I could not say anything careless, that feeling was different today.

Ema: “Iori-san is by himself?”

Iori: “Yes. I came here on a walk. …Hey, is it alright if I sit?”

Ema: “Ah, yes, please.”

He lowered himself down onto the bench.

Iori-san sat right beside me.

Iori: “The truth is, I was sleeping until just earlier. Last night, I was writing a report and didn’t get much sleep. And when I woke, the house was empty. Ukyo-niisan let me know that everyone had gone to the festival, so I came too.

Ema: “Ahh.”

(Ukyo-san didn’t come after all. He really didn’t like the atmosphere that much, I guess.)

Iori: “Even so, I didn’t think I’d see you here.”

Ema: “...?”

Iori: “You see, since a little while ago, I’ve been thinking about talking to you. But, things happened, and there wasn’t much of a chance.”

Ema: “What did you want to speak with me about?”

Iori: “Right. How should I say this… Mm, an apology, I think.”

Iori-san said regretfully.

Iori: “Earlier, I said something strange about the entrance exam, and it’s been bothering me since.”

Ema: “The entrance exam?”

Iori: “Yes, see, I once told you I wanted you to come to Jouchi, remember?”

I remember that, about the time I became a 3rd year in high school, Iori-san strongly encouraged me to go to Jouchi University.

Iori: “At that time, I was speaking completely unilaterally. I’ve been extremely concerned about it.”

Iori-san lowered his head.

Iori: “I’m sorry.”

Ema: “Iori-san?”

I was a bit surprised at the sudden apology.

Iori: “I think I spoke too rudely towards you. Could you forgive me?”

Ema: “W-what, please stop.”

I said frantically.

Ema: “It’s not such a problem that you need to apologize…”

Iori: “I just wanted to convey that clearly.”

Iori-san said.

Iori: “I was super excited for if you could come to Jouchi. That’s undeniable.”

Ema: “...”

Iori: “But, no matter which college you go to, I won’t raise objections.”

Iori-san nodded once then, as if in confirmation of his own words.

Iori: “I will respect your decision. I will absolutely not distort that.”

(Iori-san…)

Iori: “That’s all that I wanted you to understand.”

At that moment, a loud voice came over the PA system from the main temple.

PA System: “Thank you for waiting, now it’s time for the main event!”

A great cheer rose up from the female customers around us at the announcement.

Iori: “... Hey, shall we move someplace else?”

Iori-san’s face contorted slightly.

Iori: “It’s a bit noisy here. Let’s go somewhere quieter.”

Ema: “Ah, alright.”

Behind the main temple, at one corner lined with trees, a path had been built that you could walk on.

We walked in that direction.

Iori: “Mm… It’s quieter now, isn’t it?”

Iori-san said with a relieved sigh.

The area was at the outskirts of the temple grounds, without any stalls, so it was quiet.

Iori: “By the way, about the entrance exam topic earlier.”

Iori-san said while walking.

Iori: “Have you decided where you’re going?”

Ema: “I’m not entirely sure yet… but there are some things I’m thinking I want to take.”

Iori: “I see.”

A little while passed.

Iori: “Hey, you’re definitely not coming to Jouchi?”

Ema: “Eh?”

Iori: “Ah, don’t misunderstand me. I’m not trying to force you. No, it’s just that…”

There, Iori-san paused, trying to pick out his words.

Iori: “I want you to listen for a moment.”

Ema: “Uh-huh…”

Iori: “The truth is, after I heard of that matter recently, I’ve been thinking that I could be by your side.”

Ema: “That matter?”

Iori-san’s expression became gloomy.

Iori: “The matter of your birth.”

Ema: “... Ah.”

Iori-san stopped walking.

Iori: “I was surprised, you know.”

Ema: “...”

Iori: “It must have been quite a shock. To have something that you had trusted without a doubt, suddenly taken away from you.”

Iori-san looked up at the dark sky.

Iori: “At that time, I thought this.”

Then, Iori-san’s gaze returned to me.

Iori: “That you were the same as me.”

Ema: “Eh?”

Iori: “Although it wasn’t about blood relation, I had a similar experience… on that winter day.”

Ema: “Iori-san…”

Iori: “So I thought.”

Iori-san closed his eyes.

Iori: “I can understand the pain in your heart. So I thought I could do something to help ease that pain.”

Ema: “...”

Iori: “To do that, it would be necessary to spend a lot of time with you. That’s why I wanted you to come to the same university as me.”

Iori-san looked at me.

Looking into his eyes, I could tell that his concern was truly from the heart.

Iori: “The pain you feel, no one else can understand. But I… I can share and ease it.”

Then, Iori-san said.

Iori: “Right now, I think you’re struggling alone in the dark. I know that pain well.”

(... Eh?)

At that moment, I felt uneasy at Iori-san’s words.

It is true that I was shocked when I learned that Papa wasn’t my real father. But thanks to my conversations with Papa, Natsume-san, and Rui-san, that shock has mostly abated.

Which is to say, I was not struggling in the dark.

(Could it be… that Iori-san thinks that I’m still in shock…?)

Iori: “What is it?”

Iori-san’s face became doubtful.

Iori: “Have I spoken too bluntly? I suppose my manner of speaking was a bit strong. I apologize if I’ve offended you.”

(Indeed, that’s the case. Iori-san thinks I’m hurting…)

– He’s wrong.

I may have been at the time, but I’m okay now.

(I have to let Iori-san know this.)

For a moment, I didn’t know what I should say. Since Iori-san was speaking out of concern, I didn’t want to dismiss his kindness.

But, right after I thought that, Natsume-san and Ukyo-san’s words arose in my mind.

(The things you need to say… you must say.)

I made up my mind to speak.

Ema: “Iori-san, you’re wrong.”

Iori-san’s face clouded.

Ema: “I am not hurting to that extent. Of course, I was shocked when I first heard it. But I’m alright now.”

Iori-san looked at me without saying anything.

Iori: “You’re… okay?”

A while passed before he asked this.

Ema: “Yes.”

I said this as clearly as possible. 

Then, Iori-san’s face appeared to change.

Iori: “... Is that so.”

Iori-san’s gaze fell to the ground.

Iori: “I was… deceiving myself.”

Ema: “Iori-san?”

Iori-san raised his head slowly.

Iori: “Sorry, I am a coward.”

It was in a flat voice.

Iori: “I deceived myself, and tried to win you over. I know that now. What on earth was I thinking...”

No words came out after that.

Iori-san stayed silent, and after a little while, spoke again.

Iori: “As I thought, I have not yet recovered.”

(Eh?)

Iori: “Just, I stopped remembering, and pretended I didn’t see anything… and assumed I had recovered.”

Iori-san’s eyes turned towards me a second time.

Iori: “The one needing help isn’t you… It’s me.”

Iori-san’s expression tightened.

Iori: “Hey, listen…”

Iori-san stepped forward. The space between us narrowed.

Iori: “I’m not rejecting my past feelings. And I will not forget them, either.”

Iori-san placed his hands on my shoulders.

Iori: “Regardless, I must move forward. I cannot stay frozen in time forever.”

His hands left my shoulders, and then circled around my back.

Iori: “I am still living in the past. I want to stop that and live in the future. But right now, I don’t have that strength.”

I felt a strong pull on my back. I could hear the sound of my yukata brushing against Iori-san’s clothes.

Iori: “I want you to give me that strength.”

Iori-san held my face with both hands.

Iori: “I can’t do this alone… But, if there’s 2 of us…”

His hands tightened on my cheeks.

Iori: “I can endure.”

Iori-san’s lips pressed onto my lips. 

Iori: “... Hm?”

His eyes moved to something behind me.

Iori: “Kaname-niisan…”

When I turned around, a grim-faced Kaname-san was standing there.

(... Ah.)

Kaname-san had his fist pressed up against a nearby tree.

And his face grew grimmer and grimmer.

-----

Comments:

I had noticed this before, but I need to mention this again-- Iori is really really pushy. I understand now a bit of why Kaname explains about Iori in ch17 (link to translation) the way he does. Iori wasn't paying attention/listening to Ema at all! (As in, he was super selfish.) He just steamrolled straight over her and pulled her into a hug and a kiss.

[minijenn]

Jen Tortures Herself With Every Dreamworks Animated Movie Ever: Antz

So as I mentioned earlier, I'm watching every Dreamworks animated movie (and special) ever because... I don't know, I fucking hate myself, I guess. But for reals, this studio is so weird because sometimes they'll make the greatest movies literally ever crafted (Prince of Egypt, How to Train Your Dragon, Puss in Boots the Last Wish) and other times they'll make absolute shit like what I had to fucking watch to kick this marathon off. Goddamn fucking Antz.

I plan on doing drive by reviews of each of these movies on here because well, what's the point of watching all these films if I'm not gonna share what I think. So yeah, let's start with 1998's Antz, the first Dreamworks animated film and by god its one of their worst.

If you asked me to tell you what Antz is about, I'm honestly not sure I'd be able to give you a coherent answer because I'm not sure Antz itself knows what Antz is about. Like I think its about individuality? About breaking free from opressive systems?? About thinking for yourself? I guess? But like its annoyingly heavy handed with that message to the point that it doesn't let its audience think for itself. It does a lot of telling instead of showing and as such creates a viewing experience as dull as the dirt these ants call home.

Also lets talk about these Antz. They are Ugly as Sin like seriously who looked at these character designs and thought this was ok???

Most stompable ants of all fucking time if you ask me and the non ants aren't much better. Behold, my new sleep paralysis demons:

As for how the characters act... yeah they're not much better than how they look. The main character, Z, is an annoying asshole who just spends most of the film bitching (and yes they actually use that word, this movie is weirdly littered with swears and cussing and sexual innuendos? More on that later) about his shitty lot in life and even once he breaks free he's still agressively uninteresting. His love interest Bala is just as uninteresting, an arrogant bitch who flip flops about how she feels about him with almost no development whatsoever. The side characters are all forgettable, and the villain, General Mandible is just your generic "wants to rule everyone and get rid of anyone who opposes him" bad guy. The world they inhabit isn't really that creative tbh, they hype up this place called Insectopia but its just a trash heap where a bunch of stoner bugs live and its really not that important to the plot at all really so why do we care???

Blatant product placement what what

Also yeah that plot. It starts out as Z being incontent with his lot in life as a simple worker ant and so he switches places with his friend Weaver so he can be a soldier ant, only to be the lone survivor of a battle against a group of opposing termites. This somehow leads to him and Bala winding up outside of the colony and they go on a lame ass adventure that seems incredibly rushed while Mandible is planning to wipe out all of the "lesser" ants and take Bala as his queen i guess? idk i kinda zoned out toward the end bc i was so soul-crushingly board with this movie.

The animation can be impressive for the time I suppose, that's really the only good thing I have to say about it but even then, the colors are dirty and unappealing, the characters are, like I said, all incredibly hard to look at, the music is bland and forgettable, the set pieces are garish and boring, and the writing oh god the writing.

Ok so I have no idea who this movie is meant to be for??? Like its rated PG right but they're constantly throwing out swears like bitch and ass and anus and making sex jokes and I'm just like??? What??? Is this a kids movie? Because what kid would enjoy this thoroughly unpleasant kinda dark movie? Is it for adults? Why would adults want to watch a movie about wisecracking ants??? Who is this for? Why did they make this? Ok well I know why because Pixar was making a very similar film at the very same time as this and Jeffery Katzenburg is a Petty Bitch

Really, at the end of the day, all I can say about this movie is just... don't bother with it? It really sucks, its agressively unappealing and unpleasant to sit through, and when its not assulting you with you how gross it is, its assualting you with how painfully boring it is. I don't think I even cracked a smile once while watching it. What a fucking way to start a Dreamworks marathon off on. Jesus.

Overall rating: 1/10

Verdict: Step on these damn Antz already

Next Review (Prince of Egypt)