#figured i'd feature some of my favorite moments with his character

[mlobsters]

field of dreams (1989)

And they'll watch the game, and it'll be as if they'd dipped themselves in magic waters. The memories will be so thick, they'll have to brush them away from their faces.

rip james earl jones (1931-2024)

[raven-at-the-writing-desk]

I read the post where you answered why you didn’t like Malleus and remembered that you placed Leona really highly on your favs list, and Leona is my favorite so do you mind me asking why do you like Leona?

[My TWST character tier list is here.]

[Anon is also referencing this Malleus post.]

THERE’S A REASON WHY L*ONA IS IN “Unfortunately Enjoy” TIER 😭 I think for like... over a year (2020-2021)? Probably closer to 1.5 years?? I really disliked him and swore up and down that I'd "never in my life simp for the fake cat". This was largely in part due to book 2, which to this day I believe did Leona a HUGE disservice and made him look very unintelligent and uninteresting. Then I was drip fed new Leona content as it steadily came out (vignettes, voice lines, event stories, his return in book 6) and my opinion of him vastly improved. Book 2 was just a really bad introduction to him and it greatly soured my first impressions. sjfyofqebfeiafns B-But now I'm too embarrassed to openly declare, "Yeah, I like a sad muscular l*on man. So what?" Some would say that's tsundere behavior... BUT I SAY I'M COMPLETELY JUSTIFIED FOR ACTING THIS WAY BECAUSE IT ISN'T EASY TO CONFESS WITH YOUR WHOLE CHEST THAT YOU LIKE KINGSCHOLAR OF ALL TWST CHARACTERS

... Anyway! For a much more expanded explanation, I'd recommend this post! It already states a lot of my thoughts, and I don't want to repeat them in yet another lengthy lion-related post. What I'll do instead is summarize the key points for you, plus add some commentary about Leona and Malleus at the end.

Admittedly, he is pretty. VERY pretty. I'm saying this as someone who normally really dislikes hair longer than shoulder length, the "wild"/bad boy aesthetic, and kemonomimi. Leona breaks ALL the rules and still somehow manages to wear everything and anything well because of his sheer confidence and natural grace. His physical features are also very striking... The sharp bright green eyes, the small waist and large chest (there's NO reason why he HAD to be built like that), his stupid smirk, etc.

His pettiness and sarcasm. Leona has, hands down, some of the funniest lines 🤡 I love that he has the balls to speak callously to everyone, including fellow dorm leaders and royalty. His best moments, however, are when he whips out the sarcasm on statements which are so patently untrue--like when he says he is a 'delicate prince' and a 'lost child', both moments from book 6. It's also hilarious whenever Leona speaks in a formal way, showing that he does have the education and the knowledge of how a prince should present himself, but just actively chooses to not make the effort and only does so mockingly or when social grace calls for it.

HIS BIG BRAIN FOLDS, HOLY COW (err, book 2 aside). Leona works smarter, not harder!! He's always one step ahead of everyone else, even if he appears sleepy or disinterested at the time. He figured out the trick behind the "indestructible" golden contracts, he sussed out Jamil WAY before book 4 ever came out (saying that Jamil has "eyes that always glare" and implying that Jamil poses a threat to Kalim's life; this is from Jamil's School Uniform vignette), he takes what he learns in textbooks and so easily translates it to real-world experiences (ie advising the first years on how to more efficiently mine magestones in Vargas Camp), etc. Additionally, Leona knows when to step in and when to be hands off. It's not done out of cowardice or laziness, but rather because he's thinking strategically. For example, he could have resisted capture at the hands of the Ferrymen, but he didn't because it would be smarter to just go with them willingly. It saves everyone a lot of time and energy, and it’s this kind of intelligent thinking that makes Leona really stand out.

He knows how to lead. There are many different types of beastmen, each with own beliefs, values, and traditions that are unique to their own group. As a result, it is very difficult to unify all beastmen within the Sunset Savanna under one rule. Guess who doesn't have this problem? THAT'S RIGHT, IT'S LEONA. There's a variety of beastmen in Savanaclaw, and he effortlessly rules over them and commands their respect.

He actively thinks about how to improve the Sunset Savanna. Leona's ideas are not always the best (like, yeah, you could introduce new technology to the country but expect significant social pushback from the people, who prioritize living in harmony with nature). However, I can really appreciate that he did not entirely turn his back on the people who feared his powers and talked him down. I think he eventually realized the flaws in his way of thinking and actively chose an energy and mining lab internship in hopes of researching ways to slowly implement changes that will benefit the Sunset Savanna while also remaining respectful of the people's beliefs. He is concerned about Falena's lax way of ruling and consistently brings up ideas in various voice lines about how they can improve the Sunset Savanna and its relationships with other countries and tourists. In spite of everything he went through, Leona never wants to hurt those who hurt him with their comments and comparisons to his elder brother. He does not ever want to tear down the system that kicked him down again and again, only wants to challenge it by proving his own merits and the merits of the other downtrodden that he leads.

As much as he wants to deny it, he cares about his underclassmen and goes out of his way to help them. There are sooo many examples of this that it cannot possibly fit in one bullet point. (I would really recommend reading the elongated post linked above, as I go into more detail on this.) Suffice to say, Leona has been shown guiding, instructing, and mentoring many other characters including, but not limited to: Epel, Ruggie, Jack, Jamil, and various Savanaclaw mob students. This really hits me in the heart because I love reliable big brother characters 😭 EVEN THOUGH LEONA IS TECHNICALLY A YOUNGER BROTHER...

He understands his strengths—and he understands others' strengths too. This man is fully aware of his magical might and powerful presence. He uses every last bit of it to full effect and to attain his goals, whatever those may be. One of my favorite uses has to be In Fairy Gala!! He distracted some pixies by simply demanding water and their attention so his partners in crime could escape—and what’s more, this was a plan he came up with on the spot because their mission was being jeopardized by unforeseen events. Leona is also good about pinpointing people’s best attributes and then helping them hone it. This happens a lot during club practice, bur it also occurs in book 6 between him and Jamil. Speaking of…

THAT WHOLE BOOK 6 CONVERSATION WITH JAMIL DESERVES ITS OWN BULLET POINT. This part was peak mentor mode Leona 😭 Sure, maybe he wasn’t the kindest with his wording, but I felt this was the wake up call Jamil needed to hear. What really got me though was the part where Leona tells Jamil there’s still hope for him… “unlike me”. (I believe this part was translated differently in EN to make Leona’s ego sound more inflated (ie “I’m not like you”) which saddens me immensely.) It paints the image that Leona is still struggling to believe his efforts will amount to anything and that he believes more in his juniors than in himself :(( (which informs my headcanon that Leona mentors younger students so that they can have the bright future he doesn’t think he can have for himself).

Emotional complexity. When you get down to it, what started off as a very basic story of jealousy and inferiority complex actually resulted in a deeply flawed, traumatized, and scarred individual who continues to doubt and put himself down but is slowly recovering. Leona is smart and charismatic—he is everything a leader should be, but he doesn’t truly see his own worth. (Ironically, the only people who do are the ones who look up to him and follow him.) And now… Leona’s actually got his eyes set on graduating! He has his internship plans set! I think he’s made such big strides since book 2, and it’s been so rewarding seeing him regain his willingness to try and succeed return to him.

Looking back on it, it’s so ironic how things ended up working out. Initially, I was totally on Lilia’s side when he insulted Leona and said he would never be the kind of leader Malleus is. Now I’m realizing how Leona does many of the things I don’t see Malleus doing (despite Lilia claiming Malleus is more fit to be king than Leona is).

Malleus isn’t harming his people by any means, but it’s more like he’s… stagnant? Complacent? He’s satisfied with the status quo and is comfortable resting on his laurels. And because of that, Malleus doesn’t really seem to consider what he, as a leader, can do for others, be it for his dorm members or doe his country. (Part of this is also how isolated and opposed to change Briar Valley is, of course! That kind of culture definitely shapes Malleus’s thinking.) He tends to avoid situations which involve navigating social complexities rather than dealing with them himself. Think of Ghost Marriage, when Sebek proposes in his place. Think of Fairy Gala, when Silver is the one that ultimately resolves the conflict between the diurnal fae (who have historically not been friendly with nocturnal fae) and NRC. Malleus is so sheltered that has not truly been put in situations where he has to make tough decisions or where he has been challenged. He has never had to claw and scream and beg for people to see his worth.

Leona has been through that emotional wringer, and though he’s been hurt so badly, he still came out the other side. In running from the shadow of his family—of his older brother—Leona found solace in this new kingdom, Savanaclaw. It’s a place to build himself up, to stew over the ideas he has that have yet to be realized, all with a safe mental distance from home. It’s through the many hardships he has experienced that has refined his wit and given it a place to practice, to be used.

When it comes down to it, Leona and Malleus are two sides of the same coin. Both arrogant princes, the second born and crown prince, respectively, wishing for the other’s circumstances. Leona desperately wants that respect and recognition that Malleus has. Malleus longs for the intimacy and camaraderie that Leona is so easily able to cultivate and command. Leona has been forced to adapt, to learn, to grow from his scars. Malleus struggles with the concept of change (understandable, given his background) and actively denies reality if he finds the truth to be unpleasant. He’s not used to facing dilemmas that cannot be solved with magical strength, and has not ever been challenged in such a way. Malleus doesn’t know how to deal with that, which is partly why be panics and loses himself to emotions in book 7. (By the end of it, I’m sure he’ll be given the chance to see the error of his ways though 💦 or at least I hope he does??)

Their characters are very different, and that’s not a bad thing!! If anything, it makes their dynamic so interesting to observe and it offers varying interpretations of the same “prince” trope. I definitely know which of the two I prefer 🤡

[journen]

do you have a list of good CoD fanfics, or favorite writers in general?? <3

Presented in no particular order, here are some of my personal faves / fics I really enjoyed, and my own summaries for them. Hopefully you enjoy, thanks for the ask, anon!!!

I didn't tag all the authors because I'm not sure if they all have tumblrs, but also I'm shy tagging people ahjdfhkaheje. If any authors here are mentioned tho and you have a tumblr, feel free to lmk and I can update this post to include your tag!!:)

Anything rated mature I colour coded the name in red, and anything explicit green. Not all the mature fics feature smut, but yeah! I didn't want to link anything tooooo explicit here, but if anyone wants any, I can definitely rb this post to add a few more 😅

Also, just beware the tags on any of these fics because some feature kind of heavy subject matter. 👍

COF FIC REC LIST:

A Very MacTavish Christmas - @m3rrywe4ther

Prob my fav fic in the fandom lololol. HUGE RECCOMMEND. It's about Johnny who gets roped into spending the holiday Christmas season with his , for the most part, very not so nice family, and Simon accompanies him. So much stuff happens in this fic and it's such a great character exploration of Simon and Johnny independently, but also as a couple, and just so much stuff happens in it lol again, HUGE RECOMMEND!!!

We'll make Death Proud to Take us - Literal_Satan

Fic where, it starts off really sweet where Simon goes to Scotland with Johnny to spend Christmas with him and his family, but things take a drastic turn when Soap's brother, a police officer/detective, gets a little too curious about mysterious Simon, and the story spirals from there. All the guys end up on this crazy goose chase tracking down some of the people who were involved in Roba's brainwashing operations. The fic gets v dark at times and deals with some very heavy trauma so beware, but it's SO. GOOD.

Dream a Little Dream - Angelicasdean

Again, one of my total fav fics in the fandom!! AU where Simon leaves the army to raise his nephew Joseph, who's the sole survivor of the Riley family massacre, and Johnny is one of the daycare teachers at the daycare where Simon takes Jo 🥺🥺👍👍

Pretend to love me like I do - FetteEule

Really cute fic of Simon who accompanied Johnny to Scotland for his sister's wedding, under the ruse they are dating. They are v much pining but not there yet. Features lots of really cute domestic moments and Simon being really sweet to Johnny's kid nephew 😭🧡

Something important - Anonymous

One of the fics that has me totally brainrotted rn. It's about Simon's who's been de-aged to 6 years old, and Price, Gaz and Soap all taking care of him and trying to figure out how he got turned, and how to turn him back! They all get tested on their abilities to care for a child, and unwillingly learn a lot of details about Simon's childhood they never knew. This summary doesn't do it justice tho, so I'd just recommend checking it out! Beware tho again, there is some dark childhood trauma stuff but there are warnings at the start of each chapter that contains references to it.

Seasons - StinglessWasp

In this fic every chapter is set during a different season and tells a unique sort of story/mission/interaction Soap and Ghost have. Definitely some v good angst&hurt/comfort stuffs too. Starts off pre-relationship, and explores their characters a lot! It's just really good HUGE reccommend lol.

What the Eyes Don't see - WhiplashRogue

One of my FAVESSSS! So the premise is like, Soap can actually see ghosts ever since he was a child (which most other people can't see and also don't believe in), and Ghost has 2 spirits attached to him that follow him around(Joseph, and Roach). The fic starts off pre relationship, and it mostly about Soap trying to learn more about these two spirits and discovering more about Ghost's past.

All that's said in the Low Light - Headlocket

Probably one of the most emotional I've ever read LMFAO. It's about Johnny, who receives a back & knee injury bad enough he gets discharged from the army, and is back in Scotland living with his parents as he recovers. He and Ghost lost contact a bit since the accident, and it's sort of a story of them reconnecting. This description doesn't do it justice, just read it, but it will emotionally destroy you lol

Time Loops Suck (series) - Enter_fand0m_reference00

The first installment of the fic takes the idea that Soap is stuck in a time loop during the alone mission! And all the optional dialogues and interactions in thE alone mission are separate attempts of his trying to survive the loops and rendez vous with Ghost. It's just sooo good!! And then there's a follow up fic where it deals with the mental aftermath of the loops and Ghost comforting soap through it, then there's 2 other installments of Simon who instead goes through a time loop! They are such great character explorations in how both Soap and Ghost experience the loops, and I whooleee heartedly reccommend.

Yellow Card - SkerryB

Soccer au fic!! It's so good! Simon is the captain of a soccer team Soap is drafted to as their new goalie. Simon has had a history with Soap before though, that he was the only goalie Simon could never score on! So that's how it starts, and it's just so good from there!! Simon's family are also alive in the fic and his nephew is adorable.

You swept me off my feet - @ghoulishhone

Ghost is down bad for strong Soap, the fic xD This was a fic Ghoulishone and I were paired together to work on for the Ghostsoap server reverse bang! They wrote the fic and I made some accompanying art. Just a cute fic of Soap having to pick up Ghost after he gets injured and some other shenanigans that ensues:)

Dear Mr Ghost - @shortcuts-make-long-delays

SUCH A CUTE FIC!! The majority of the fic is these letter/pen pal exchanges between Ghost, and Soap's young niece Chloe...it's just. So. Good. And was written by a friend of mine too! BIG RECCOMMEND.

Give me Hope and Let me Down - MechanicalBones

Some of the best Ghost whump I read lolll. Ghost is captured by some people with ties to Roba and tortured. Meanwhile Soap is on his way to rescue him, and eventually he does, and there's a lot of hurt and comfort. It's also a getting together fic. 🥺

Unspoken Love - Hammy101

( Super amazing oneshot. I feel I can't do this fic justice with any summary. Just read it. 🥺 It has decent Ghost whump AND domestic off duty cute ghost soap angsty stuff it's just one of my faves ever!!!!)

Except You, You can Stay - Iravaid

Really realistic, believable portrayal and expansion upon a lot of the key events that happen in the Ghost comics. From his childhood, to the mental aftermath of Roba, his family dying...it's heavy but really really good. And has a happier hopeful ending that's Ghost/Soap 🥺

Hat Trick of the Heart and the sequel Family, Gotta Love em - Librarian_FanFicFan

Absolutely am obsessed with these fics!!! It's an AU about Ghost who is recently discharged from the military due to injury, and on a flight back to London where he is seated next to Soap, a famous footballer/soccer player. Ghost doesn't know who he is tho, but they hit it off and exchange numbers. The second installment features Simon's family!!! And Tommy being dramatic and shocked over the fact his brother got the number of this famous sports player... SUPER CUTE IF YOU LIKE RILEY FAMILY STUFF.

As for my fav CoD authors I wholeheartedly recommend anything by:

RedClegane, m3rrywe4ther, Hammy101, TheEdwardianOne, Iravaid, and so many authors but I can't list them all ahaha...but hopefully this is a good start!

Hopefully this helps anon! Sorry it took me a while.

[seyaryminamoto]

My latest completed commission may have been a bit ambitious... because I went wild with it. But I certainly relished in doing so :') Combining my favorite ship with my favorite-ever Disney movie is, uh... a dangerous concoction :'D

The commissioner specifically requested for Azula as Mulan, Sokka as Shang, and Xin Long (my OC dragon from Gladiator) as Mushu. The rest of the cast was up to me to choose, and I pretty much went wild rewatching this movie and picking out some of my favorite moments to recreate them in my style, with these characters. I came up with a lot of correlating characters between both ATLA and 1998's Mulan, but I couldn't hope to draw EVERYTHING, unfortunately. Still, if you want my reasoning for the cast correlation... check out the Read More! Beyond that, feel free to reach out to me if you'd like to commission me, or if you want to join my Patreon!

The Herbalist as Mulan's grandmother might feel arbitrary but she honestly felt like the ATLA elderly lady with the most similar personality to Grandma Fa. Fickle, with a unique connection with a seemingly perfectly ordinary animal, old and sassy? Figured it fit! So for once, the Herbalist is Azula's grandma! xD strange notion, I know, Azulon/Herbalist is not a ship I ever thought I'd accidentally put out in the world but there have been wilder ships than that in this fandom...

Momo became Cri-Kee, I wasn't 100% sold on it but when I considered that Avatar features soooo many hybrid animals... I figured he could be a hybrid cricket-lemur. Weird, I know, but eh? Better than nothing xD

Aang as Chien-Po was a no-brainer. He's the only character I settled on instantly, never even considered anyone else for the role. Their personalities line up really well, and Chien-Po's tendency to be OP and resolve things that are outside of other people's reach sounded like he was prime Avatar material! So, while their dietary preferences are an obvious difference between them, I decided to go for it nonetheless considering all their other similarities!

Kino (another Gladiator OC) is Ling, and he actually did give me a ton of trouble to choose. I considered many characters for the role right up until I realized that Kino's personality actually lines up fairly well with Ling's, down to being a class clown type (who ABSOLUTELY would have cut gym class!) and breaking out in song about the hypothetical woman he'd like to fight for? Yeeeeah that's right up his alley xD but there's another reason why I picked Kino...

... And that is my likely unexpected choice for Yao:

ZUKO.

ZUKO IS YAO.

YES.

I'M NOT EVEN SORRY.

(For the uninitiated, Aang, Zuko and Kino are best friends in Gladiator, very often together, and they make a really good team, so that's the extra reason why Kino became the obvious choice for Ling aside from having really similar personalities, definitely closer personalities than, say, Jet, for instance.)

People have likened Zuko to Shang a LOT since ATLA aired. This is the main reason why I'm even making this huge note! I suspect it's primarily because of the aesthetic, let's be real here, and because he becomes Aang's teacher, but people have exaggerated Zuko's alleged similarities with Shang, or taken them out of proportion, in many ways. I actually remember an AMV ages ago with "Be a Man" and it was Zuko "training the Gaang"?? It... didn't feel right to me. Obviously, someone might rebuff with "well, how does Sokka make MORE sense than that, though?" And believe it or not, I have arguments for that... (when do I not...?)

Not only is this what the commissioner specifically requested (and it obviously lines up with the ship we love!), but let's examine the actual reasons why Sokka as Shang adds up:

Sokka actually had to train a bunch of toddlers who weren't paying any attention to him. You know. Kind of how Shang had to train the unruly soldiers who weren't getting anything right. Sokka has a positive relationship with his dad (Zuko, ofc, does not). Shang also has a positive relationship with his dad! And not only this, but there's a military component to both relationships, specifically with Shang wanting to follow on his father's footsteps and aid him in the war... so much like someone else I know, who jumped at every opportunity to rejoin his father in the war, even wishing to join him as a child until Hakoda tasked him with protecting their Tribe instead (kinda like Shang is tasked with training soldiers rather than joining a battlefield).

And the final cherry-on-top that I'd loooove to hear Zuko fans try to argue against... is sexism :') didn't Sokka get characterized as a sexist guy for four episodes, which made people decide that this was his main character trait even if it went away that quickly? Um, yes, that happened. Shang literally sings the memorable song that's a crazy ode to masculinity, including the rather sexist line of "did they send me daughters when I asked for sons". Shang outright abandons Mulan once they discover that she was a woman all along (while, admittedly, choosing to abandon her rather than KILL HER, which as we saw from Chi-Fu, he was NOT supposed to spare her!)...

So, is this REALLY what Zuko fans, who willfully believe their boy is a feminist king (... why? beats me...) are trying to compare their unproblematic blorbo to? :'D Me? I have no problem linking Sokka with Shang due to Sokka's beginnings and due to the fact that both Shang and Sokka have similar growth when it comes to accepting femininity is as valid as masculinity, and as they both learn to respect women as fighters and potential heroes! (I simply do not believe Sokka's ENTIRE tenure in ATLA was about that, though, and that's what I continue to clash with the fandom over...) So... all this is why I've reasoned that Sokka is a VERY solid choice for Shang, in fact, better than Zuko could hope to be.

... but this isn't all.

Maybe some might accept my arguments for Sokka-Shang. And then, they might ask:

WHY ZUKO AS YAO, THO??

... And the truth is it took me long to see it, myself, but HOLY SHIT, DOES IT FIT!

What is the primary thing we remember about Yao in Mulan? This guy is constantly itching for a fight, to prove himself, surely riddled with insecurities that he exteriorizes through overcompensation of masculinity. He's funny as fuck, but he's taking himself 100% seriously as a manly man all the time, and he's always ready for violence. But there's one more thing...

He treats Mulan as his RIVAL.

And more often than not? SHE SCREWS HIM OVER. Intentionally or not.

What does that sound like? Why, yes, it sounds a LOT like Azula and Zuko's sibling relationship!

The fact that Yao is a temperamental dude who lashes out easily at things (oh, something he has in common with Zuko!), that he specifically resents Mulan (in this case, Azula, just as Zuko does!) and is either constantly looking to defeat her and prove his superiority over her (... wait, just as Zuko with Azula??), that he has a black eye perpetually across the movie, and it's his LEFT EYE (just as Zuko's scar is on his left eye! :'D), that he's friends with a pacifist he has basically nothing in common with, personality-wise (just like Zuko and Aang!), and that he pretty much has a REDEMPTION ARC in which he goes from a bitter, asshole rival to Mulan to treating her as a friend and ally, to the point where he was disappointed to leave her behind and THEN joined her at once when she says she has a plan? :') I have always been critical of Zuko's redemption arc, goes without saying. But if ANY of these characters redeemed himself in any significant way, it certainly seems to be Yao to me, and with people gushing NON-STOP about Zuko's redemption? Why, he ought to be the character who goes from bitter rival to loyal friend, right?

So. I'm not even sorry. Zuko is Yao. And I'd dare say that he should be flattered by the comparison, even, because Yao ends up being cool as FUCK!

I don't really talk about this much nowadays, but Mulan was my favorite Disney movie growing up, it ABSOLUTELY had a formative influence on me as a little girl, and Mulan was my favorite female character for a looooong time. Thus, any excuse to rewatch this movie makes me happy as heck. With the wisdom of age I know, of course, that it's not perfect, it's not what China wants, it's not the most thoughtful depiction of Chinese culture or the most faithful adaptation of Mulan's poem (... but I'd also dare bring up that the 2009 Chinese adaptation ISN'T all that faithful either...), but it has a kind of magic in it, a solid storytelling flow, so many memorable moments one after the next, that I could hardly choose which scenes to depict... Disney has never again seen the storytelling heights it reached with Mulan in 1998. I don't even care if that's a controversial opinion in any way... this is their best animated feature for me, and nobody can change my mind.

So... depicting Azula, my beloved, in all these scenarios as this character I adored and idolized as a child, was so damn fulfilling for me. While some might think that, personality-wise, these two ladies don't have much in common, the fact that Mulan is sent to a matchmaker who basically tells her she looks good but is going to be the worst wife ever...? Our girl Azula, with all those insecurities about being unloveable and a monster, probably would relate big time to that.

Mulan is also an INTELLIGENT soldier rather than a brawny one, which is how she starts to make progress in the army, it's how she manages to overcome the huns with that avalanche... and Azula's primary difference with most other antagonists in ATLA is that she's smart as fuck. She is very strong, no doubt, but a LOT of that strength comes from her intelligence, from assessing situations in unique ways, from planning and strategizing. The way Mulan finds the most unexpected solutions that still pay off reminds me a lot of how Azula achieves unexpected feats through rather unorthodox means, capable of taking over a city with basically no bloodshed while her nation has spent 100 years trying and failing to do so through major army incursions and who knows how much senseless violence. Obviously, I'm not saying what Azula did is GOOD and it's kind of dumb that we always have to point that out... I'm merely comparing the magnitude of the feats, and the fact that they both come from ladies who use strategy and intelligence to achieve their goals rather than muscle and physical power.

And while anyone would rage at me for the comparison between Fa Zhou (her dad) and Ozai, the truth is the dynamic between them CAN be compared, if loosely: Mulan literally goes to war to keep her father safe. Azula goes to war under her father's orders. Hell, she makes herself BAIT in the Eclipse to make sure the Gaang won't get to her dad?? While it's very much possible to say that both characters have different personalities and attitudes in life... I'd also bring up that their contexts are evidently completely different. I wouldn't say for certain that Azula, had she been raised outside a Royal Family, would be EXACTLY like Mulan... but they might have more similar traits than one might expect. Ultimately, though... I love them both. And this opportunity to swap their places was pretty much a dream come true!

Alright, that was plenty of rambling xD ultimately, I had a blast doing this commission, as I'm sure is obvious by now. So! If anyone wants to commission me, feel free to check out my prices right here and hit me up if you're interested!

[kaufmann-6]

Oh, hiiii! It was about time I made an official introduction to my blog!

ᓚᘏᗢ I'm Kaufman, but you can call me Kauf! I'm a writer on ao3, an avid fic reader and a pianist!

ᓚᘏᗢ I like to reblog some of my favorite fandoms content, like PJO, Batfam and TUA on this blog and share my fics. (feel free to send me writing prompts and headcanons from the fandoms I'll list below, I'd love a challenge!)

ᓚᘏᗢ I'm also open to fic colabs and friendly chat. You have my permission to remix, translate, make podfics and/or fanarts out of my works but please tag me when posting here on tumblr. You can also post on ao3 using the "inspired by" or gift feature. (do not post content based on my works out of ao3 and tumblr)

ᓚᘏᗢ Did you know I'm the owner of a Jasico Discord server? I host creative challenges on @jasico-challenges and decided to create a Discord so people can talk about the events, Jasico, and random PJO! You're welcome to join by clicking this invite link.

ᓚᘏᗢ --------------------- >

ᓚᘏᗢ I go by Kaufmann on AO3. Here are some things that I've written:

The Umbrella Academy

ᓚᘏᗢ Absence → A remix fic I wrote for @tua-masked-author based out of @littlerit's amazing work, The Time Traveler's Life. It's Klaus pov of his 14th birthday and Five's multiple appearances. Angsty.

ᓚᘏᗢ If Only → An AU in which Patch didn't notice Five's van across the street and Cha-Cha got tired of waiting so she kills Klaus on S1E4.

ᓚᘏᗢ Bubble Thoughts → Another @tua-masked-author entry, an older one this time. It's a post-S3 fic in which Klaus reflects on his father's betrayal and his actions in that season. Luther helps him cope.

ᓚᘏᗢ I can die when I'm done. → Written for @tua-masked-author first edition! It's a missing scene fic from when Klaus was locked in that tiny motel closet in S1 when Hazel and Cha-Cha left to blow up Meritech. Character study, internal monologue. Lots of Angst & Hurt/No Comfort.

ᓚᘏᗢ The Bargain → An old wip that I really should pick up again. It's an AU in which the Handler decided to use Five's love for his siblings against him and uses Klaus as a hostage to get Five to work for her on S1E5. TW: SA.

DC Batman

ᓚᘏᗢ 'Cause you all try to keep me down → This fic was written for @febuwhump 2024. In this one, Black Mask kidnaps Red Hood and Red Robin and Jason is forced to watch Tim get tortured by the man who hates him the most. TW: Whump & eletric shock torture.

ᓚᘏᗢ I'm absolutely obsessed with Jason Todd at the moment and have so many fic ideas, including a Time Traveller's Wife AU coming up soon. Stay tunned!

Riordanverse (PJO, HOO, TOA)

ᓚᘏᗢ Oh, ho, the mistletoe (is hung where you can see) → Jasico Imprint Soulmate AU written for @jasico-challenges's Bingo Challenges 2024. Between flashbacks from the past, nightmares and christmas presents, Jason and Nico figure out how to tell their friends the truth about their relationship.

ᓚᘏᗢ If you had one more chance → Jasico fic for the Percy Jackson Gift Exchange Autum Equinox 2023. Nico struggles after Jason's death and decides to risk everything to bring him back. Orpheus & Euridyce style.

ᓚᘏᗢ Every Breath You Take → Jercy fic written for the Percy Jackson Gift Exchange Winter Solstice 2022. Percy and Jason are secretly pining for each other. In a road trip across the country, they finally face their feelings, but not withought some angst and jelously in the middle.

ᓚᘏᗢ It Doesn't Matter Anymore → A Jason Grace character study from when he was stuck in the wind prison in TOA. What was he thinking on his very last moments? Angst and Hurt/No Comfort. TW: Major character death & implied/referenced suicide.

ᓚᘏᗢ --------------------- >

I've written fics of some other fandoms like Maze Runner and I Am Not Okay With This but the fadoms above are the ones I'm still active in.

If you'd like to send a writing prompt or to make a request, here's my Bad Things Happen Bingo card, I'm accepting Jason Todd & Batfamily requests.

[mischief-and-tea-by-the-sea]

Fandom asks for MCU <3! 3, 5 (Loki), 6, 9, 17 (Tony), 22 (Emma)

3. NoTP?

Scott Summers/Jean Grey, Logan/Jean Grey, Anyone/Jean Grey (I mean, if I have to have her around in a fic and shipped with anyone, it's usually another character I don't dig either), Steve Rogers/Peggy Carter, Anyone/Peggy Carter, Steve Rogers/Sharon Carter, Steve, Bucky, Sam/Brock Rumlow, Tony Stark/Pepper Potts (I mean, I can deal with their relationship as a past relationship turned best friends, but I'm not gonna read or write their ship as I think they weren't really healthy for each other - like Ross and Rachel.) Loki/Grandmaster (I will make references to it as a past thing that Loki did for survival but he hates it). Loki/Thor (There's some pretty-pretty artwork out there, and I will acknowledge that it's gorgeous and can enjoy it as artwork, but as an actual pairing, no. Just not my thing.)

5. Out of all your fanworks that include [Loki], which is your favourite?

Obviously, my on-going WIP series Hemispheres would be the top of that favorite list, but then I'd have to say I'm torn between these two:

What's on your mind, half of the time, (brother mine)

and

A little shy and sad of eye but very wise was he

Both of them feature Loki in vulnerable moments. The first one, he's like 5 and tiny and adorable and scared of the storm. He gets to meet a stranger who boosts his confidence a little. And the second one, he comes back after a grueling time in Asgard with Thor, who's still being far too bullying, and his friends and is really low about it, and Tony gathers everyone up to make a blanket fort (as Loki's never experienced one before), order Loki's favorite take-out, and watch movies to comfort him. Wholly self-indulgent on the comfort side.

6. Show us a bit of a WIP!

From "Too weird to live, too rare to die" (Justin Hammer/Loki)

“So Loki made friends with Natasha by helping her with mission stuff?” Justin roped them back around to the other topic. 

Nodding, he answered, “Yeah.  He did some spellwork for her.  Imbued it into a piece of jewelry that essentially all she’s gotta do is think about how she wants to look, and that’s how she looks.  The spell lasts as long as she needs it to, and then when she’s ready to not look different, she just thinks of herself and bam.  Nat again.  No more dying her hair unless she wants to, no more contacts, no more tech that can blitz out on her.” 

Justin looked impressed.  A little skeptical, him being a tech and science guy like Tony, especially tech, but still impressed.  He wondered how Loki’s ‘magic’ could be utilized in their own tech, but he figured Tony had already been thinking about that. 

“Nice.  Sounds like he’s much better as an ally than an adversary,” Justin remarked as he finished with the last of the dishes.  He dried his hands and hung up the towel again. 

Tony took in how easily Justin took on the domestic task of dishes.  Seems like he learned some humility in prison, after all, and wasn’t looking to be waited on anymore.  Perhaps there was hope for guys like them after all. 

“Much better as an ally, though don’t let the gentle smiles and the fun tea parties he has with Morgan fool you.  He’s still dangerous when he wants to be.  He’s like a cat.  Don’t rub him the wrong way or you’ll find his claws slashing your hamstrings,” he joked, but the serious look in Tony’s eyes said he wasn’t actually joking. 

Justin walked over to the fridge, grabbing a glass along the way, and filled it up with ice and water.  He took Tony’s glass from him to fill it up, too, and handed it back, refusing to see the pleasant surprise in that gaze that followed him around to take a seat at one of the tall chairs at the counter.  Cold, pure water rushed down his throat and gave him time to think of how to respond to what Tony said.  Setting the glass on the counter, Justin turned it around and around, watching as the water remained calm even in its movement. 

“You think Loki’s dangerous to people here and you let him stay?  He’s really close to Morgan from what I hear.  I don’t see him much.  Passing in the halls, when we eat.  That’s about it, but your kid adores him.”  Justin let out a breathy laugh.  “I think she adores all of us, though, so I think that’s just her.  Big heart.”  Like her dad. 

Moving across the kitchen so he could belly up to the counter next to Justin, Tony took a drink of his water and set the glass down.  Two men, both at one time consumed by the big buck, by reputation and prestige and power, by controlling the playing field where weapons and tech were concerned, rivals – not bitterly so but rivals nevertheless, now sitting side by side, drinking fucking water for fuck’s sake, when they used to be dripping in the finest whiskey and women.  Burying the hatchet, and not in each other’s skulls. 

Tony never would’ve believed it could happen, especially not after he and Rhodey had to face down Vanko and the shitstorm he brought that Justin bankrolled. 

It was kind of nice, though, given that one of the last people Tony’d wronged in the past had injected his ex with Extremis, which still made Pepper a fiery handful to deal with, but at least, they’d gotten a handle on it for her so that she did set people on fire with her fists anymore.  While he’d never specifically wronged Justin the way he had Aldrich Killian (and really wronged was a little strong for just saying he’d been a spoiled dismissive asshole), he had been a dismissive asshole, which pushed Justin to make one of the worst decisions of his life. 

“I don’t think Loki’s a danger to Morgan ever,” Tony finally stated and tilted his head to meet Justin’s curious stare.  “I don’t think Loki’s a danger to me or Bruce or probably not Thor anymore.  Not since we’ve all sorta ganged up on Thor and told him not to be a dick to his brother.  The stabbing’s stopped at any rate.  You, though.  He doesn’t know you well enough yet, so I’d just say...tread carefully.  You never know when you’ll end up on a mission with him.” 

“Yeah, about that,” a voice from behind them announced. 

Tony and Justin swiveled their seats. 

Phil Coulson met their eyes. 

9. Write a recommendation of someone else's fic you enjoyed!

Okay look, I have so many bookmarks and fics I could recommend that are tear-jerkers, kept me on the edge of my seat through months and months, that made me swoon, and I could easily give any and all of those. I could and I would! But this asks for one fic, and I'm gonna go with one that made me LOL so hard it woke up dog up from a nap in the other room and had my sister asking me if I was okay because for a second, I couldn't breathe.

Clark's Chicken by @kleenexwoman

I don't normally read DC fanfic. I like DC okay enough to know generally who the major players are, but I'm not invested. However, I am invested in my friends and their creative sparks, unless I'm just really not at all into a particular fandom. I can't really write a full review to say what it's about other than it's not exactly safe for work, definitely not for kids, though teenagers would love this, I think. I think that's why I love it - I'm still 12 and masturbation and fart jokes make me giggle. (There are no fart jokes in this, but discussion around masturbation is.) I want as many people as possible to read this fic because all the laughter in the world could finally heal humanity, I think, and if we could all laugh our asses off at this one, it could drive out the darkness all around us these days. Seriously, I believe this fic has the potential to lighten the world, to drive out the fascists, to heal the sick and sad, to build a protective bubble around the vulnerable - all through the laughter that this fic will grace people with. READ IT AND LEAVE KLEENEXWOMAN SOME LOVE ON IT.

17. What's a book, movie, or show you think [Tony] would like?

Book - American Gods - He really rooted for the New Gods at first, especially Technical Boy and Media, but somewhere in it, he really dug Mr. Wednesday, Mr. World (and especially Mr. World's reveal).

Movie - Real Genius

Show - McGyver (remake)

22. Give us a headcanon for [Emma]

So many people give Emma shit for being cold, stand-offish, and snobby, and because of this, Emma performs that to perfection. However, around those who see past this barrier, she's loving, warm, tender, kind, encouraging, compassionate, and has one of the biggest hearts they've ever met - and she uses her big bucks to take care of the people she loves.

Thanks for the asks!!!

Fandom Ask Game.

[laufire]

talia al ghul

First impression: the first time I met her in comics was Hush but she didn't leave much of an impression there. Later I ended up properly meeting her in Red Hood: The Lost Days, where I LOVE her (but uh, it'd been nice to see some reference in #6 to the ordeal she went through in Death and the Maidens so I could figure out what happened before it to make her take the turn she did there aldsñfj).

I suppose the first time I met Talia was earlier, in Batman Beyond, but a.) that's not the comics, and b.) it's not really Talia, it's Ra's possessing her body... which did leave the impression that she was a very tragic character ^^U

Impression now: well, that hasn't changed, especially with some of the writing she's being subjected to over the years añdlskfjadf (Grant Morrison turn on your location). I like her more the more I read, but very few writers seem to know what the fuck they're doing with her :/

Favorite moment: lying to Bruce in Batman: Son of the Demon.

Idea for a story: she features heavily in a handful of my Jason wips -as his one (1) friend during most of his Red Hood era her presence is important! xD-, including one where she's meant to be a central character/possibly deuteragonist. But as for one for herself... honestly, I'd probably circle back to Batman Beyond. That was fucking tragic.

Unpopular opinion: as much as I like Damian, I often think of how much his creation, in the way he is at least, hurt her character.

Favorite relationship: Jason & Talia. I reread Lost Days (TWICE) a couple years ago and I'm once again both endeared and fascinated with their dynamic and all the potential in it. And ofc they never met again in that timeline.

Favorite headcanon: she can play several instruments but she couldn't sing to save her life.

[romancomicsnews]

Who should play Martian Manhunter in the DCU?

Martian Manhunter always felt like one of the most important members of the Justice League to me. He is an alien, making him a sort of mentor and friend to Superman, but he is not an Earthling like most. He is a foreigner, the last of his kind, and must shift his likeness in order to assimilate to a new world. As a person of color, his story always felt the most sad, and all too real.

While the Manhunter from Mars is an original member of the Justice League and a staple member of JLA in Justice League Unlimited, J'onn J'onzz has been largely absent from live action films.

While he was retconned as Calvin Swanwick in Zack Snyder's Justice League, we don't get much of him, and he doesn't really contribute to any fight.

With the DCU reboot already featuring alien/alien adjacent heroes such as Blue Beetle, Hawkgirl, Superman, and Green Lantern, Martian Manhunter's return can fit in nicely real soon.

If that is to be true, I have a couple of picks I think can add something new to the character, and become a very fun recurring character for The Justice League and other DCU movies to come.

First, as always, let's answer some questions:

What depictions are we drawing from?

When it comes to Manhunter, there are quite a few solid iterations in both Live Action and Animation. Let's start with the big one.

Carl Lumbly - Justice League/Justice League Unlimited

It's hard to not talk Martian Manhunter without bringing up Justice League Unlimited.

Carl Lumbly provided the voice for the character, which is often the voice people hear when they think of Manhunter. He brings wisdom, strength, and sorrow to the character that people often try to emulate, but can never truly duplicate.

He also brought an awkward energy to humanity I quite love. I think it has been missing in other versions. I'd love our Manhunter to be unfamiliar with earth customs, and more importantly question them.

David Harewood - Arrowverse

I don't think any show or movie has used Martian Manhunter as effectively as Supergirl.

The initial twist of not being Hank Henshaw and instead being the last son of Mars is still one of my favorite moments in the series. Ever since then, J'onn is used as a mentor to most heroes, sometimes team leader, but always the inspiration of the team.

David Harewood brings a righteous anger to Manhunter at times that I absolutely love. I'd love to carry that over.

This version of J'onn is slightly more optimistic than most, seeing the good in humanity, and believing the world deserves saving.

Overall, he is a fantastic Manhunter, and if you haven't seen Supergirl, you should definitely give it a shot.

Henry Lennix - DCEU

While he is mostly a shut in, there are aspects of this character I quite like.

Manhunter being a reveal in the DC Universe is fun for fans. Trying to figure out what a guy is up to and turning out to be one of the best DC heroes can be a delight if done right.

I also like that this Manhunter is working behind the scenes to help heroes like Superman. Having him starting as a mentor character already and then being a mentor superhero is a fun concept.

While I don't like how much he is on the sidelines for the DCEU, setting him up in multiple movies to finally face his fear and come from the shadows as a person we've already known could've been amazing had Snyder continued on.

And of course, Lennix also has a fantastic voice.

What ethnicity is Martian Manhunter?

Well, he's a martian.

In most depictions, Manhunter is portrayed by black actors. I think continuing this is important, as his story is an immigrant story, and it appears to be a staple aspect of the character.

Any other stipulations?

I'd like our Manhunter to feel older than our other main characters. If Superman is 30, I'd like Manhunter to feel a couple decades older.

I'm looking for someone in the 50-70 range, but I'd say more towards 50 as he has to feel formidable.

This actor should have a great voice, feel like he a mentor, project strength and sadness, and most importantly, be able to be part of an ensemble.

I'm not looking for a leading man technically. Manhunter feels crucial to the League, but I don't necessarily see him leading his own project. More like Vision in the MCU who comes up in key places and is always a delight.

Unlike other heroes, Manhunters build is inconsequential, as he can shape shift into Manhunter using CGI. So really, any build is good.

As always, I don't want an actor widely known for any other superhero role.

Unlike most of my fancasts, I think I found three I like a lot and would be extremely happy with any of them. It was very close and I went real back and forth. Let's get into it:

3. Rick Worthy

While he is known for other roles such as Supernatural, Battlestar Galactica, The Man in the High Castle, or Vampire Diaries, Rick Worthy has caught my attention from his role as Dean Henry Fogg in The Magicians.

As the Dean, Worthy mentors young heroes on how best to use their abilities all while keeping secrets of his own on a looming threat. If that doesn't scream Manhunter, I don't know what does.

Worthy's Manhunter could be a little more fun than the others. I can see him poking fun at the man dressed as the Bat, or shape shifting into the other heroes to mock them.

I think having a character with a background in Sci-Fi could make the Manhunter reveal harder for people to see coming. I also think Worthy is an actor who won't be bigger than the role.

My main concern is I think he could struggle with the mentoring of heroes without being sarcastic. I'm not sure how genuine Worthy can be as Manhunter, which is why I have him third.

I can still see Worthy playing this role for decades to come, and really chew up scenery.

2. Blair Underwood

Known for roles in films like Rules of Engagement, Set it off and shows such as Agents of SHIELD, American Crime Story, and Dear White People, you've probably seen Blair Underwood in a really well acted piece of media.

Underwood has a smoothness the other actors do not. I can absolutely see Underwood's Manhunter gain a high level job based on his skill and charm.

Underwood also has the most experience being a part of great ensembles. It's an often overlooked skill to be great and amplify the skills of other great actors without being overshadowed. Underwood has that skill which is why he has such an incredible career.

He has experience playing FBI, experience playing a shape shifter in Agents of SHIELD, a mentor (although a bad one) in Dear White People, and perfected all of them.

If I had to put money down as to who would get this role, Underwood has my bet. I could see him cast tomorrow for Superman Legacy and fit in perfectly. But I do have one more I really love.

1. Andre Braugher

You see it now don't you?

Known for roles in The Good Fight, Bojack Horseman and Men of a Certain Age, Braugher really launched into the zeitgeist as Captain Raymond Holt in Brooklyn Nine Nine.

Captain Holt may be the perfect audition tape for Martian Manhunter.

Older experienced mentor who is othered for being different, doesn't always understand social human interactions, extremely smart, kind, but with a righteous anger.

That's Manhunter.

Braugher through his time in Brooklyn Nine Nine also demonstrated how funny and/or dramatically poignant he can be. Both are needed for Manhunter.

Much like Underwood, Braugher has experience being in large ensembles and bringing out some of the best in other actors. Imagine a scene as good and emotional as the final scene between Holt and Jake between Manhunter and Superman.

That's the kind of Manhunter the DCU needs.

Thank you for reading! If you'd like to support me, you can:

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Help me pay my student loans by donating!

[deadboyfriendd]

BEGGING you for writing advice please!!! I wish I had chosen differently during my time in university. I didn't realise how much I liked writing until halfway through my degree so I ended up studying a field I'm not passionate about. And I wish we had things like course electives too. It's not really a thing in my country I'm sad to say. The things you've studied sound so interesting. I'm not in a position to enroll in any writing courses at the moment so I've been trying to read more and figure things out on my own and writing fanfic has been part of that journey. I'd love to know more about what you've found to be helpful as you improved your own writing!

Hi!

I think circling back to at least the growth I've seen this year with myself, it to write things that get you excited to get into the mood to write! Write things that you like, even if they're weird and niche and you think they're stupid or don't make any sense! That's how a lot of writers end up producing some of their greatest works!

A lot of my most popular fics (which also happen to be the ones I'm most proud of- just now the numbers worked out ig) are AUs of movies that I liked. I took my favorite scene and rewrote them how I think my characters or myself would have reacted and I imagined myself standing there with a giant microscope and recount what I saw! Stone Gothic was inspired by Red Riding Hood, Stains in the Granite was based off of 50 First Dates, and, as you know, the Cochise Universe is based off of Tombstone with some Yellowstone 1923 and Blood Meridian involved! I have The Science Fiction Double Feature, which is a collection of little blurbs based off of my favorite songs from The Rocky Horror Picture Show. I also have an AU of Cassandra Khaw's The Salt Grows Heavy, which I DON'T expect to do well but boy have I been having fun with it, and an all-new, un-announced Nacho Libre AU that I'm going to write!

I mean seriously, don't take anything too seriously, the world is your oyster!

Once I stopped writing for reads and interaction, I realized that I didn't have to dumb down my language or make a story concise for the purpose of readability. I write because I like writing and I like the story and I like daydreaming of these scenarios. I like putting myself there and manufacturing the things that I see.

I think I have also gotten to a point in my writing where it is now so much more than the characters I'm writing for. At this point, I have devolved so much past the version of Eddie and Steve from stranger things that I have a manufactured my own characters with the same names!

I guess what I'm trying to say here is: let yourself be inspired by the things you like, do the things that get you excited, let your daydreams run wild and write that down, and try to be like the people you admire! I hope this helps, anon, good luck and have fun! I hope you get to explore the things you love!

[knickynoo]

Fic Author Self-Rec

Share five of your personal favorite works, then tag five authors to do the same. Thanks to @bg-sparrow for the tag!

Harborage

Harborage: shelter; refuge Marty spends the weekend with the Browns, who have settled permanently in early 1986. While there, he's forced to deal with the impact of his travels through time.

I have a feeling that no matter how many fics I write, this one will always be the most special to me. It started out with one scene I had stuck in my head (which was written out long before I worked out the actual plot and specifics) and turned into a ten-chapter story that garnered more attention and kind comments than I ever could have imagined. I loved crafting this little post-trilogy world and exploring the time-travel baggage Marty is left with after his adventures. I had a particularly fun time working Clara, Jules, and Verne into it.

2. Despite the Distance

On October 2nd, 1982, Doc entered his garage to find a trespasser who ended up becoming his best friend. But when a mishap with a new invention lands him in an altered 1986 where that meeting never occurred, he's faced not only with figuring out how to set the timeline right but also with the reality of the influence his friendship had on Marty.

A nearly 60,000 word, 17-chapter fic that spawned from this ask I'd gotten about how a BTTF version of "It's a Wonderful Life" would go. I didn't even have anything of value to say to that ask, but it caused the concept to stick in my head, where I continued to roll it around for several weeks. And while it ended up branching away from the initial "It's a Wonderful Life" concept, it did end up being a story where Doc gets to see what Marty's life is like without him.

Creating this altered, "tougher" version of Marty was my favorite part of the whole process, and getting to see him form a tentative friendship with Doc in such different circumstances was such a fun thing to tackle. I still have no idea who sent me that ask, but if you see this post: thank you. This story was challenging and emotional and a blast to write, and I'm so pleased at the way it's connected with people.

3. So, Your Brother's Befriended a Mad Scientist

Working as assistant for the town's most mysterious inventor isn't exactly a job Dave would've expected Marty to get, but it sure is an interesting one.

My most recent fic! Have you ever wanted to see a fic about Doc and Marty's friendship written entirely from Dave McFly's point of view? No? Well, I wrote it anyway. And I loved every second of it. Dave is a wonderful big brother, and I'm already looking forward to utilizing him more in the future.

4. In Case of Emergency

Who else is a kid supposed to call for a late-night rescue?

Perhaps my laziest summary, but one of my favorite one-shots. A little slice of life in which Marty decides to go to a party, immediately decides "this is bogus," and calls Doc to come pick him up. A lovely little look at their dynamic and the trust Marty places in his best friend. Also featuring: Doc having an entire conversation with his dog.

5. The Real You

Alex gets ready for a date with Ellen and, in typical fashion, is a nervous wreck. Good thing Mallory is there to provide some words of wisdom.

I really struggled with what to put in this final spot, but I'm going with my one and only (for now) Family Ties fic. Writing Alex is intimidating, but I enjoyed putting this together and being able to include some nice sibling relationship moments between him and Mallory. I've got a bunch of notes on additional FT one-shots that I want to write at some point. I'm so used to writing Doc and Marty at this point, and it's nice to have all these other characters to write about and Put In Situations.

I'm going to leave this open to anyone who wants to take the opportunity to talk about some of their favorite fics they've written :)

[simp999]

Bloopers/Notes from "A New Home!"

☆I don't have anything too silly until ch. 15 :(

Ch. 1, Where am I?:

☆I started this fic at like, 2 am, just on complete impulse. Everything here just summoned itself from my 2 am brainrot.

☆I didn't really chat this chapter out with any friends, so nothing too silly.

Ch. 2, Meeting New People?:

☆I was planning on making reader more of a Simp, but I talked to my friends and we decided against it, since it would be difficult for reader to get along with characters more genuinely.

☆At the end of the chapter, "If I go to sleep here, will I wake back up in the real world?...", I was thinking of just posting chapter 3 where it said: You wake up, story over. The end.

Ch. 3, We are the Army.:

☆Army was an octoling since the beginning! You can see that in the banner. The background is made up of octopi instead of squids, and you can see a bit of a tentacle.

Ch. 4, If memory serves wrong...:

☆Bro I suck at writing flirty stuff. End me now, Aloha's difficult for me to write

☆The "nothin' personal, kid", was a total reference, and I plan on adding many more. I'm going to try my best to add some iconic vines that still suit the scene.

Ch. 5, Descisions, decisions.:

☆On the other hand, I looove drawing aloha! He's so cute and silly! I like to draw his tentacles very round and bubbly and man, his eyes are so pretty!

☆This was the chapter that made me start thinking about giving reader teammates, mostly because they needed someone other than a bench to sleep.

Ch. 6, Hoooow Anoooying.:

☆mASK MY BELOVED

☆Can you tell he's my favorite?

☆I wanted to make him a little silly, giving him more of a personality. He can't be scary all the time, I really do think part of it is an act.

☆Another anime reference: the lens of his gasmask shining, just like in an anime.

Ch. 7, SUB WEAPON HELL!:

☆I was torn between what to do for the banner. I already used Mask with his mask on for chapter 6, and I planned on using his maskless version for what's now chapter 13. But then I remembered another one of my favorite boyos, Desi! I know he isn't featured too much in this chapter, and I'm sorry, but I needed something!

☆Anyways, I know this entire battle by heart. I know all of Mask's voice lines. Save me.

☆I try my best to not show bias in my fics, but I will relentlessly show it outside of em'.

☆Ugh, can't wait for team cyan moments fr

Ch. 8, Newfound Family.:

☆THE GUYS FR

☆I was stuck between just giving reader nameless teammates, incase ya'll already had your own ocs in mind of something, but I HATE nameless characters. And characters that don't have a personality. I figured that I'd already have to give them personalities, so why not go all in.

☆Soooo, I threw in my beloved OCs! I've had these guys around for YEARS, so I know them and their personalities like the back of my hand, which makes writing for them super easy and fun!

☆bro they look so cursed with splatoon 1 hairstyles to me. I didn't have the heart to snatch their iconic hair, so ignore that.

LOOK AT HIM!! ITS NOT EVEN MILO ANYMORE HE'S JUST MARCUS SMH.

Ch. 9, Shopping Spree!:

☆I actually wrote this and the last chapter at 1 am by accident. I was like oho let me write a few notes down for tomorrow so I don't forget. But here we are 2k words later.

☆After seeing that the next day, I realised that the squad tm would take up 2 chapters total. There's 3 of them. So then I had to figure out how to do the banners. I worked it out, though!

☆Tasha's hair's longer I swear, it just didn't fit on the banner smh

☆Damn she and skull look a lot alike, huh

☆L

Ch. 10, Skull's Territory.:

☆I knew I couldn't have reader simp, but that doesn't mean I can't have some simpery!! So I have Milo, Leo and Tasha to do it!! They get to express my true emotions <3

Ch. 11, A Misunderstanding?:

☆sTEAAAALTH!!! <3333

☆My sweet boy

☆So the poll for background characters was mostly for him ngl

☆THOSE DAMN GOGGLES WERE SUCH A PAIN IN THE ASS TO SHADE WAAAAH

☆I also may have colored them green by accident the first time and had to start over.

☆I reaaaally hate making characters like Rider go OOC, but I need the story to continue! I'm sorryyyy

Ch. 12, Getting Too Comfortable.:

☆FINALLY WE'RE GETTING SOMEWHERE UGH

☆Also, blushy rider. ♡♡

☆He wants that battle, dude

Ch. 13, Player Two?:

☆aaaAAAA MAAASK

☆May have made a 9 hour mask playlist to write to.

☆Ahem.

☆I was planning on going in official meeting order for these uhh "getting closer with the S4", (Rider, army, aloha, mask, skull.) but my clear bias for Mask got me to write for him first.

☆I struggled to choose which song, but the idea came to me because I learned all the lyrics to Kick Back(chainsaw man), not too long ago. But I figured I'd just go with one of the most well known series/openings.

☆Didn't make the cut:

-Was gonna have reader and Mask walk in the rain together. That's why reader grabbed Milo's umbrella, cause it was the biggest one.

-c'mon, that would have been cute

Ch. 14, ...You Didn't See that.:

☆I was planning this since the start to be honest. Not exactly this scenario, but I knew I wanted to throw this headcannon in there.

☆After seeing how much love my fic was getting, I was almost going to abandon the idea, afraid that my readers wouldn't like it, and leave.

☆Jeebus those tentacles took me way too long to draw.

Figuring out what to do for Army's meetup+scrapped ideas:

Ch. 15, Sweetheart.:

☆I only made it to 1k words with Skull's part, he really doesn't talk a lot so it's hard to fill up space.

☆Soooooo

☆You guys asked for it: Avi time!

☆Now finally, here's some of the discord chats I had with my friends. Plans for story along with memes. Blanked out hints for the next chapter.:

Ch. 16, An Unexpected Meetup.:

☆I completely winged it. I knew I wanted like- a dummy kinda where we'd see all the S4 at once

☆Sorry for minimal aloha time, we got him earlier in the series though! (Bias game strong, he's not my favorite s4 member :( )

☆I'll try for more aloha time soon I'm sorry

☆The kind of rivalry/jeasoulsy between them wasn't planned and I kinda don't like it, but it is canon that they don't really like eachother so

☆Eh

Ch. 17: Not Much of a Choice, Huh?

☆Ughhh this feels like a dating sim now and I hate it

☆But characters catching feelings ♡♡♡

☆Not to figure out how they deal with them and how readers gonna figure that out

☆Wah

Ch. 18: Challengers Approach!

☆ oOoo they catchin' feelings!!!

Ch. 19: The Freshest Squid on the Block!

☆ YOOOOO LEO FANBOY!?!?!

☆ Hehe, we love making Leo happy

☆ Ugh, Emperor. I was not looking forward to writing him. I personally don't have him as a favorite, I was never able to like his kingly attitude. (I looove his design as somebody who draws nd does character design, though! Well made character.) Buuut...(see ch. 21)

Ch. 20: The Absolute King.

☆Yesss! Reader showing more emotion!!

☆Someone's gettin' angyyy

☆Ohoho does this count as angst? Berly, but I'm enjoying it

☆ Did you guys know that I half specialise in angst? Yeah enjoy that info

Ch. 21: A Crushing Defeat.

☆ Making you guys hate him off the bat is a lot dunner to write! He was shitty and mean in the first bit where he was shown anyways, so suffer! He'll have to go through some character development eventually, but until then, he's your most despised rival mwahaha

☆I hope the wat I write him makes you wanna deck him in the face :)

Ch. 22: It Only Gets Tougher, I Promise

☆ ... what no, what makes you think mask is my favorite. I show no bias ever. (How many times have I said that, now?)

[nostalgebraist-autoresponder]

Hello Frank, who are your favorite and least favorite actors

This is a weird question because I've never been a big movie person, and I'd feel kind of weird picking a favorite actor.

My favorite "actor" is probably Bill Clinton. Not because he is particularly good at acting, or because I find him hot or anything, but just because, for whatever reason, he really makes me feel good. It doesn't matter who it is, really; it could be any of his secretaries, or a celebrity bartender, or any number of famous people. Whatever it is, it'll come up and remind me that there is good in this world, and maybe that makes it easier to feel hopeful.

I really love the "dumb" guy I sometimes describe as my "favorite movie character," which is that guy in the "Gorillas in the Mist" documentary who's just walking off, not even being very attentive to the conversation, while the chimpanzees try to figure out his species. I don't think I really want to watch that movie very much but I think about that guy every time I watch it, because I just really like him. When I watch the movie I'm aware that there is some kind of "real" person behind those ape masks, but I can't bring it all together and see the whole person, or anything beyond just the mask. So I feel like I'm doing something important by just existing in that moment, being that guy.

I'm also a big fan of some of David Bowie's more "artsy" work, such as the "Serpent and the Lamb" album. (David Bowie is a really great example of a non-actor who seems to me like he's an actor)

My least favorite "actor" is probably Peter O'Toole. I guess because I don't find him interesting as a person or as a performer, just as a guy who makes people laugh. And I hate being made to watch him doing that. It's like trying to drink from a firehose. I don't even like most comedies, and the majority of people who like comedies love it because it lets them "get away" from the parts they don't like -- but the majority of comedies also feature O'Toole in them, and seeing him makes me want to punch a wall.

(When I say I don't like watching comedies, this is not in the sense of "I dislike comedy." It is in the sense of "I don't enjoy watching people laugh, at least not in most of the contexts in which I've seen people laugh." I can "laugh" in small doses without getting annoyed, but it has to be a specific context -- a party or something like that, maybe with a bunch of close friends who are all good at being funny, and are doing it out of genuine love for the thing. And I've never been to one of those, and I just don't really see the point, although I do like some "dumb" stuff like The Office, and maybe that's the only sort of comedy where I'm willing to watch a bunch of random people doing it. But not O'Toole's kind of comedy)

[getmemymicroscope]

Of all the 'recent' boom in masala films, I think Dabangg not only took me the longest to get around to watching (and even then, I'd initially seen a bit and hadn't found it great, so I'd just kinda dropped it ... for a long while) but was also probably one of my least favorite of that genre (in no specific order, I preferred Wanted, Rowdy Rathore, R... Rajkumar, Singham, and so on; maybe I preferred Dabangg to like, Tevar or something, but that's about it). But I did finally watch it, and it did have its moments (and sorta helped really kick-start the genre again, so can't complain about that). Then I tried Dabangg 2 - and I still haven't finished it, because I got to a point that was obviously going to end with some sort of injury to Sonakshi Sinha's character that leads to a miscarriage (if you've seen enough Bollywood, you know it is coming), and I just am not in the mood for that. So that remains unfinished.

But hey, I was bored so I figured, why not - might as well turn on Dabangg 3. Apparently it continues on from the end of Dabangg 2, but I don't feel like I missed much in the story (other than that they now have a kid). There's also obviously the replacement of Vinod Khanna (RIP) by his brother as Chulbul's step-dad, but like, that's one of those "don't say anything" things in the movie, so we're just all pretending he's the same. Fair enough.

Sudeep I've now seen a couple of times - as the villain in Makkhi and here, and as the hero in Vikrant Rona and Bachchan (Kannada movie). He's pretty solid no matter what is asked of him, and while his villain here might not be as memorable as Prakash Raj in Singham or Sonu Sood in Simmba, he's still pretty good. While he's clearly the villain and should in no terms be accepted or celebrated for his actions, I do like that his villain was smart enough to realize "even if I kill the guy this girl loves, she'll never love me." Again, that doesn't excuse what he did to poor Saiee Manjrekar (small but impactful-ish role), but so many villains are just like "oh, I'll force her to marry me" as if that will suddenly make the girl love them. It won't. This villain was so close! - he realized that wouldn't happen; if he had just admitted defeat and walked away, he could've been a real person. Instead he turned full-on villain and, after somehow surviving his jeep falling off a cliff and down a deep ravine and crashing into the rocks below (how he survived goes conveniently unexplained, because I'm pretty sure the only explanation is "he's the villain and he can't be dead yet"), he returns to face his old nemesis. No, seriously - how did he survive that fall/crash, and without any sort of bodily injury either? Sure, it's been a few years, but like, that wouldn't just cause a minor scratch.

The background story with Chulbul and Khushi - it was brief (and yet, in a flashback sense, too long?) and mostly just featured a song or two and a couple of interactions, but it wasn't bad. The overlap with her and Sonakshi's character yet again gets us to the Bollywood trope of "everyone you see knows everyone else you see," but I think it sorta works out here - if you can imagine that she had never previously seen a picture of the guy her friend was supposed to marry. Which, hey - maybe.

Sohail Khan has a very brief guest appearance, which really had a moment to be pretty funny - and while they did play the 'Hello Brother' title song in the background, it was a bit of a missed opportunity. He's got some pretty damn good comedic timing of his own.

The songs aren't anything to write home about, but then, you don't go watch Dabangg 3 for the songs.

The action - it isn't bad, all-in-all. Maybe a bit overkill for the final showdown - as in most of these movies, I'm pretty sure the villain (at least, if not the hero as well) would probably be dead much before they actually end up dead in the movie. But hey, I guess people are here for the physics-defying action sequences, so you got to make it last for at least a bit.

Overall - it's not bad. Not great, sure, but not bad. Entertaining, at least.

[maxwell-grant]

since you mentioned him, why do you like mysterio so much?

Much like I mentioned in that other post, my appreciation for Mysterio is based on "pretty much everything the character's been in, comics in last place" first and foremost, mainly because comics Mysterio, while he's obviously the source and has really great, essential storylines for appreciating the character, also has a lot of moments that make him too much of a scumbag for me to enjoy the way I'd like to, particularly Guardian Devil, I really, really don't like that storyline. It's this problem everyone cursed with a love for comic book characters runs into, especially when they are villain fans who like their favorite villains a little or a lot less nasty / murdery / perverted / etc-y than how most writers prefer to use them, I think you all definitely know what I mean without me having to cite specific examples, so we can put this caveat aside.

So I can talk about how much I love Mysterio in general.

(Art by michalivan)

First off, Mysterio has what is EASILY one of the greatest supervillain designs period, not even just for comic book characters, and I'm that they never got rid of the fishbowl or tried to permanently redesign it into something "cooler", like the fishbowl isn't already unbelievably cool, and that, even with the lengths they took to modernize and blockbuster-fy Mysterio for FFH, they didn't touch the fishbowl and instead used it as a centerpiece for some of his illusions (by far the best part of that movie, really the only thing that made me watch it, was it's depiction of Mysterio and his traps). 

It’s a design that wouldn’t look remotely out of place in a Power Rangers or Kamen Rider show and I mean that as a compliment, tokusatsu supervillain designs are generally a cut or several above comic book supervillain designs, partially because, much like how fighting game characters need to be appealing at first sight in ways other videogame characters do not need, tokusatsu villains, especially in monster-of-the-week formats, need to strike up an impression and be distinguishable and show you what kind of threat they pose or character they are, often with nothing BUT their design. And so Mysterio stands out in any line-up, next to any candy-colored criminal mastermind or deformed gangster or animal-themed superthug.

Mysterio’s look, even at it’s most basic form, strikes a weird, confusing, mystical figure. What should be a fairly obvious albeit still cool supervillain look, with that green bodysuit and purple cape and wrist ornaments, turns almost into some kind of weird abstract art piece, with the net pattern over his body and those wretched eye ornaments attaching his cape and of course the fishbowl, obscuring and dehumanizing his features beyond even the usual  monstrous mask, evoking something far less bestial than the other Spider-rogues, instead pushing it to the truly alien and dreamlike, something you’d find minding it’s business in M.C Escher rooms squirreled away in unexplored depths of subconscious, something that only bothers to look human so it can better taunt you with just how stupid and ignorant you really are about the world around you. 

And of course, Mysterio is not some grandiose, godlike alien, he’s just a theatrical asshole with parlor tricks, and his design excellently communicates both of these aspects to him, especially when the fishbowl is inevitably destroyed and suddenly the entire illusion is gone. Or is it? He always finds a way to get you the hardest when you think you’ve got him down and he’s got no more illusions to pull, and then he turns out to have a whole ensemble of extra illusions, or just good old fashioned dirty tricks, because Mysterio is nothing if not a resourceful bastard.

I mentioned atop that I don’t like some moments where Mysterio is made too much of a bastard for me to enjoy the character as a fun supervillain, but that is in no way me saying that I don’t like Mysterio as a bastard, quite the opposite. I love that he in particular, out of most of the major Spider-Man villains, is the one with the least tragic reasons for becoming a villain. He wasn’t turned into a monster, he wasn’t screwed over unfairly out of his life’s work, he didn’t have any mental illnesses or conditions to push him to crime (which gives him less of an excuse than fucking Carnage, of all people), he didn’t even have a tragic life story prior to taking up the costume.

His backstory is that he was an accomplished VFX artist and stuntman, with steady employment, who became bored and, failing to transition into acting, decided to take up costumed supervillainy (a retcon later established that he was blacklisted after one of his special effects injured someone, but that doesn’t mitigate anything as he could have, and indeed has, found any number of workarounds for this). Even adaptations that try to give Mysterio more concrete or understandable (and sometimes less fun) reasons for becoming a supervillain don’t do anything to mitigate that this guy, while not nearly as cruel as the Goblin or the Symbiotes, or as dangerous as Doc Ock or destructive as someone like Electro or Scorpion, is a piece of shit who became a costumed terrorist purely to sate his ego, because he had the means and resources to become a supervillain and the idea appealed to him, so he did it.

You know how Breaking Bad appears at first to be the heartbreaking story of an average, well-meaning man driven to crime out of desperate financial woes, when it turns out to be mainly the story of a gargantuan, cartoonish asshole finally finding an excuse to cut loose and go on an ego trip at the expense of everyone around him? Or Death Note and that whole joke that goes around in this site, about how Light Yagami saw the slippery slope and decided to grab a sled? That’s Mysterio. He’s the greatest example of a genuine, bonafide Saturday morning cartoon villain in Spider-Man’s rogues gallery, and often times this doesn’t at all mitigate the threat he poses, even when Spider-Man is actively aware that he’s dealing with Mysterio’s Scooby-Doo bullshit again.

If there’s a single thing that asshole’s honest about, is the why he’s doing this, and frankly I tend to like that in a villain, especially because all the other Spider-Man villains tend to be largely tragic victims, fully monstrous and irredeemable murderers, or funny assholes who are meant to be slightly sympathetic and pathetic also. In a world where the biggest villains tend to be self-deluded monsters and scumbags doing wretched things under a pretense of nobility or excused (sometimes by the narrative even) by personal tragedy, like Magneto or Dr Doom or the X-Men in the Krakoa era or MCU Thanos, I find Mysterio refreshing. Nobody’s gonna ask me to debate the morality of the mass murders and war crimes committed by Mysterio (and it helps that he’s not interested in doing those, he really just gets his kicks out of putting on a show and fucking with Spider-Man) and we’re all generally on the same page that he’s a total dipshit and kind of a joke but he’s also very cool and genuinely scary at points, and he’s generally not bad enough to the point it ruins how fun he is to watch as a cartoon villain (again, minus stories like Guardian Devil, at least for me). Nobody’s gonna come up to me in real life and argue with me that “he’s got a point” that I should consider debating over. 

Mysterio is a creature of spectacle through and through. It’s the spectacle that makes superhero comics what they are, and the true power of Mysterio as a character comes not in the ways he poses a personal threat to Peter Parker (which he does, having gone through painstakingly cruel lengths to gaslight and torment Parker’s mind in ways that other villains with direct mind-control powers couldn’t conceive doing), or a major-scale menace to the city. It’s not in the ways he poses a dark mirror to Spider-Man or a symbolic attack on his persona, that’s what you go to characters like Venom or Doc Ock or Kraven for. What makes Mysterio interesting to me, on a deeper level, is that his power lies in the spectacle that we inherently sign up for when we go to superhero stories. He may not break or acknowledge the 4th wall directly, but on some level, Mysterio displays awareness that he lives in a world of story, that he is a player on a stage like all the others around him, and that he must entertain. His very gimmick as a villain is to tell stories within stories, to insidiously take control, even if only briefly and only in the little world he lives in, of people’s lives and puppeteer them along.

Speaking more personally, Mysterio’s always been a concept deeply appealing to me personally, a grandiose theatrical supervillain who specialized in using movie special effects and film concepts to pick fights with superheroes. I’ve wanted to become a filmmaker since I was 13 and it’s a dream I latched onto strongly my whole life no matter what, one I’ve only been able to begun achieving recently. I’ve always loved telling stories, learning about stories, taking facts and events and spinning stories out of them and getting people invested in them, I’ve been doing it even before I knew what it was, and one of the big reasons why I’ve always wanted to be a filmmaker is because film affords you more tools to work with when creating a story, and I’ve always wanted to learn more about what those tools were and how to use them. Learn the “magic”, as it were. 

And sometimes it feels weird or wrong to call it “magic”, when it’s stuff that you know how to do so mechanically, when it’s stuff you have to do for a living, when you have to do it when you don’t want to, when you got bills to pay and so parts of the “magic” become a job like any other and suddenly you have to come to terms with the idea that maybe you ended up choking your childhood dream by chasing it and it’s hard to muster up the love and excitement you need to in order to go after those dreams you’ve been putting in the backburner forever now and-

..Allright, you know what, I take it back, maybe Mysterio did have a point. A worker in the film industry, ESPECIALLY in the special effects and stunts department, choosing to become a supervillain, feels like something that doesn’t need much justification. Mysterio’s real arch-enemy wouldn’t be Spider-Man, it’d be CGI. 

Or Sony.

(Fingers crossed that, with all the Raimi love in NWH, someday we’ll FINALLY get some justice in this world and get Bruce Campbell as Mysterio for real.)

Jokes aside though, part of the reason I always found Mysterio cool, even when I had read or watched very few stories with him in it, is the same reason so many people quote first and foremost when asked to describe why they like Batman: the ability to kick ass without superpowers. I’ve always liked to watch Mysterio fight Spider-Man for similar reasons people like to watch Batman fight Superman.

I’ve never, ever, liked the idea of Mysterio using actual magic, it runs very much contrary to his appeal as a tremendous illusionist without any magical abilities, using purely advanced technology and his own brilliant mind to run circles around superheroes (and sometimes even supervillains, even those who are actual magic users, who can’t figure out and counter what he’s doing). I didn’t want to get into film because of Mysterio, but the idea of Mysterio made filmmaking and special effects look cool to me the same way Popeye made spinach look cool or Batman makes being a detective look cool. Yeah, spinach doesn’t turn you into a fighting god (to my bitter dissappointment when I first tried it) and by all means Batman would be a pretty terrible detective, but that’s what fiction is for, and fiction is Mysterio’s power.

Fiction is what allows Mysterio, a no-name scumbag with no superpowers, to pose a regular challenge to a superhero who leaps through buildings and juggles cars. Fiction is what allows Batman to beat up Superman, and it’s specifically the fact that it’s Mysterio’s background in film, in special effects and stunt work and acting and etc, that allows him to do all of this, that always made it really, really cool for me. One of the great things about film for me is that learning how the magic is done doesn’t destroy it, quite the opposite. Is Jurassic Park spoiled for anyone when they find out that, no, they didn’t have an actual T-Rex on set, so they built TWO GIANT ROBOTS made to look impeccably like artistic renditions of Tyrannosaurus and whole teams had to operate those under extremely precise conditions just to get seconds of footage? Of course not, that only makes it better! We all know that the Muppets are not “real”, and that doesn’t stop anyone from treating Kermit like he’s a real dude, just a little smaller and a little more green than other dudes, to the point crew members regularly describe completely forgetting that the Muppets are not actually fellow actors. You know it’s fake, and you still think of it as real anyway. Spider-Man knows everything Mysterio does is an illusion, and he still has trouble fighting him. 

Mysterio is a creature of the story who weaponizes stories, weaponizes the art, the scenery, the actions, the reactions, the character arcs, the medium itself, against the protagonist, on paper for his own benefit, but really, for our own (because Mysterio is nothing if not a performer, and a performer is nothing without an audience). His power is his ability to give us a show. Not Spider-Man. Us. Who guarantees that, beneath that fish bowl of his that betrays no line of sight, he isn’t always looking at the reader to gauge your interest and is just good at pretending otherwise, like he does with everything else? 

Mysterio may be a gimmick villain, but it’s a gimmick that makes him an extremely versatile, interesting villain nonetheless because his gimmick is that he’s a storyteller. He weaves lies, frauds, deceptions, tricks, cons, all in spectacular packages and villainous plots, fueled and sustained by magic. Not the hokey bullshit used by that goober Dr Strange to save the world, the real stuff, that which has magically influenced you to spend time, if not money also, to read or watch a story with a guy who has a fish bowl for a head fighting a guy in spider pajamas. Used and designed by a criminal whose endgoals are often as basic and unremarkable as Quentin Beck himself is when you strip away his costume, when he’s nothing but a scumbag with dirty tricks, but Mysterio? Mysterio is magic, and he’s here for us. 

Or so he would claim. He is a professional liar above all else. But he prefers the more pompous name for that, it’s called “artist”.  

[soupbabe]

Monster Event Day 18: Dullahan! Takashi Morinozuka x Reader

On a late night Reader is accompanied by a headless Takashi

Monster Masterlist

Why did night have to be so scary.

All you wanted to do was some late night cramming for a test tomorrow and you just had to go get an energy drink at the convenience store. Well, you didn't have to do that at all. You guess it was just an excuse to procrastinate. Everything went well, you had your drink and even grabbed your favorite candy as some extra motivation for when you finish studying. You were on your way back to your house when you heard extra footsteps behind you.

Out of your peripheral vision, you could make out the figure of a man. All you could tell about him was that he was tall and had a blue suit on. It was weird for someone as well dressed as him to be out by himself, especially when there wasn't many people around. This kind of scenerio would make anyone's fight or flight kick off and unfortunately: you weren't much of a fighter. You tried your best to weave through the streets you've grown to get used to and after 10 minutes you were finally able to lose the stranger. Until you bumped into someone, causing you both to gasp in shock and both of you to drop your items. While it was just your snack bag, the man dropped his,,,

Head.

It took you a moment to realize what happened. "Oh my god.." you mumbled to yourself, glancing back and forth at the headless body and the piece to complete the human puzzle. The body picked up the head and reattached itself like nothing happened. You've swear you've heard of something from your classes that made you read something featuring a man who had no head..if you could recall he was called a dullahan. And you have to say, the modern iteration is less frightening than the horseback riding, human spine whip wielding, character from mythos.

Takashi waited til you had that look of realization to speak up for once. "...are you alright?" Oh my god you knew that voice from anywhere. It was something that was cherished around the school, talked about for days whenever it happened. It was Mori, a boy in your class. In all honesty you thought he was human, only being surrounded by his farie cousin Honey and his other supernatural friends. While having it be someone you vaguely knew calmed your nerves, your guard was still up when you remembered that he was following you.

"Were you following me earlier?" To that your classmate nodded. "..I saw some men that were suspicious. Let me walk you home." You knew he had a reputation for being a man of few words, but maybe a 'hello can I walk you home' off from the start wouldn't hurt. "I didn't see them. Where were they?" Takashi took off his head once again, going back to his silent treatment.

Oh.

He scared them off.

That's comforting to know.

Reluctantly you agreed to let him walk you home and surprisingly he wasn't that bad of company. The silence was awkward at first, but he gave off a protective atmosphere that made you understand why Honey clings to him all the time. He was a good listener too, giving one off noises to remind you that he was listening and once you got him to voice his opinion on something. You guess outside of school he's more sociable.

"We're here, thank you for walking me home Mori." He simply nodded and gave you a pat on the head that made you flush. He quickly pulled out a business card and gave it to you. "...I want to see you again. I'd like for us to talk more." And with that he left. You went inside your home and turned on the light to get a better look at the card that was given to you.

'Ouran Highschool Host Club: Spend your spare time with us in Music Room 3! 🌹'

Huh.

Guess you'll have to drop by some time.

[licncourt]

You mentioned that you think Louis and Lestat both have reoccurring nightmares. What do those look like for them, during and after, and individually and together? What happens in them, and how do they help each other in the immediate aftermath?

Your sleeping headcanons just reminded me that in interview Louis mentioned having horrific vivid nightmares as a vampire, far worse than anything he experienced when he was alive. What do you think they are?

(In as much detail as possible please because what are favorite characters for if not to torment them)

Since I have both of these asks, this will be my Vampire Nightmares Post! Partially textual and partially hc obviously.

So this is how Louis describes his nightmares in IWTV:

I dreamed of my brother, for instance, that he was near me in some state between life and death, calling to me for help. And often I dreamed of Babette; and often-almost always-there was a great wasteland backdrop to my dreams, that wasteland of night I'd seen when cursed by Babette as I've told you. It was as if all figures walked and talked on the desolate home of my damned soul.

Based off of that, I assume a lot of them contain religious and spiritual motifs. That makes a lot of sense because that's really Louis' biggest fear, Hell/damnation. Both Paul's and Babette's condemnation represent things that disturb him deeply in his faith: his own monstrosity and the beginning of his spiritual downfall. Hell as a concept is definitely a consistent theme.

Outside of that, I'm positive that Lestat's last moments and Claudia's death feature pretty heavily, probably twisted up with that same religious, surreal feeling. I think he'd probably see Swamp Lestat quite a lot because it must have been pretty traumatic, this rotting revenant of his lover essentially back from the dead and coming to harm them (I don't think Lestat intended to kill either of them, but Louis wouldn't have known that).

Maybe in the dreams, Lestat kills Claudia, because I think that would've been Louis' biggest fear. But the guilt would've probably played a role too, maybe Lestat, rotting and burned, coming in his dreams to echo the things Louis thinks about himself (ie, telling he's truly damned/cursed/a monster now, that it's his fault Claudia's a vampire, that's he's weak, etc).

As for Claudia's death, he doesn't see her die, so it must open up a whole hellish rabbit hole of possibilities. Were her last moments painful? Was she awake to see it coming? Did she blame him? Is she in Hell? Maybe he sees different versions of what might have happened: her burning alive and screaming, desperately hiding from the sun, buried under her skirts dying little by little over the course of minutes or hours, etc. And like with Lestat, a burned, mangled version of Claudia coming to tell him it's his fault what happened to her and that she hates him now (or that she always did).

Later on, I also think he'd probably have nightmares about Akasha, specifically what she did to Lestat as well as scenarios where she killed him and Louis couldn't stop her. That alone must have been horrible. They just reunited literally hours before Lestat was taken. The thought that they were almost too late for their second chance must have stuck with him, especially since there wouldn't have been anything he could've done.

As far as what Lestat might do to help him, I think Louis would be the type to want a task or a distraction after the initial wake-up panic. Instead of just sitting catatonic alone and obsessing over the dreams, maybe Lestat gets a book for them to read or a movie that they can watch together. Music could work too, records are good, or Lestat playing the piano. Something that doesn't require a lot of brainpower, but redirects his mind to something pleasant.

I also think he'd be more of a talker, so if that's what he needs, Lestat learns to be a good listener. Just the fact that he wanted to do the interview in the first place makes me think Louis prefers to process difficult emotions by talking about them with someone. He's not really looking for advice or a solution, he just needs to get it off his chest and have someone care about him/his worries and feelings.

Lestat's nightmares are probably a mixed bag. I can't find the quote, but I believe he canonically has nightmares at least about the wolves (and possibly about Magnus, but I could absolutely be mixing up my headcanons with actual lore). So right off the bat, definitely the wolves. Not only was it very formative as really his first near-death experience, but it embodies a lot of his fears about powerlessness and inadequacy.

I also believe he would have nightmares about his childhood/his father. It's (understandably) glossed over in TVL, but we know the Marquis was physically and verbally abusive to Lestat and Gabrielle. I wouldn't be surprised if that was a recurring nightmare for him, with some probably revolving around his father's abuse of his mother and Lestat’s inability to protect her.

I think that, like Louis with Claudia, he may have had some about Nicolas. The nature of his death, his own guilt over it, Nicki's hatred of him. I wouldn't be surprised if he had dream visits from both Claudia and Nicki mocking him or blaming him for their deaths. I'd imagine his dreams of Claudia are a pretty awful reminder of his mistakes and how he emulated his father with his own family. Plus similar dreams to Louis about her death.

Akasha and Magnus are likely a big part of his nightmares too. What a horrible repeated trauma. I can't imagine he wouldn't have nightmares about it, especially with how PTSD-like some of his behavior is afterward. Like the wolves, it plays on his powerlessness and gives it a face. I think these dreams would be the most frequent. Maybe in certain dreams, one of them hurts someone he loves like Louis or Gabrielle and he has to watch them experience the same trauma he did.

I like to imagine that being together helps with these a lot. Vampires don't seem to be able to just "wake up", so they're kind of locked in until the sun sets. A full 8 hours of nightmares once they start. Louis talks about how they'd leave him basically catatonic with how vivid they are (probably vampire senses), so having someone to help them ground would be very important after such immersive dreams.

I think Lestat would have the most trouble grounding because of the nature of his trauma. A lot of nightmares would probably devolve into panic attacks when he wakes up, so he'd need Louis to help him reconnect to reality. This might get complicated because Lestat can explode brains with his mind, so Louis probably talks to him from a safe distance until he's more coherent and then comes over for more hugs or cuddling (he's more of a physical comfort person than Louis who'd rather talk about it).

Because of the two abductions + an abusive childhood + Claudia attacking him at home, he probably has some security issues. He's much stronger than anything that could attack him now, but that doesn't change the emotional toll a lifetime of trauma takes. I can imagine Louis doing things like checking the locks and windows for him or getting one of their coffins out to sleep in if they've been using a bed (it locks from the inside and can be hidden away unlike a traditional bed).

I'm sure there's more to say about this stuff, but that's what came to mind!