#for those 5 people who will appreciate it xD

[alyona11]

Small watercolor pic

[a-doubleh-x]

Why I like Charlastor

The other day I noticed there was some negativity in the Charlastor tag, including antis and people feeling the need to defend against antis, so I thought I might as well take a step back and just write candidly about why I like the ship.

I only got into Hazbin in October of last year, but already it has inspired me a lot to write and fantazise about it. Like most people, I started with the classic "they look cute together", but as I kept looking I couldn't help but think there was something else to these two than first met the eye.

For starters, I love Pollyanas! I think they get a bad rep for being naive, but I just appreciate an optimist like Charlie who just wants to make people around her happy because it makes her happy. I also like bad boys 😳 I'm a pretty heteronormative guy, so I haven't had a big chance to explore that part of myself yet, but I do like the danger and excitement someone like Alastor brings to the table.

I will admit when I started writing Charlastor I felt like I was handling dynomite. It's a lil scary to ship a boundless altruist with a manipulative sociopath, but bear with me.

I think each of them has something the other needs. I think Charlie needs someone to challenge her, someone to steer her in the right direction while she's mostly isolated. At the start of the series, practically nobody but Vaggie takes her seriously, and Alastor is no exception. He mocks her, teases her, but she still listens and I think it's because somewhere deep down she understands there's something he's trting to communicate in his annoying, but curious way.

Of course, I also love the fanon Charlie who's down bad for Alastor, and even if that Charlie is a little naive, I think it's also sweet and she can use some indulgence while most people treat her like a child.

On the other hand, when it comes to Alastor, this is a bit of a theory on my part, but I think he's secretely lonely. He has friends, certainly, like Rosie and Mimzy, but they're not good enough friends to live together with him. They don't seem to be able to save him from "pure, absolute boredom". But Charlie, for some reason can, even though she's a stranger at the beginning when Alastor chooses to move into the Hotel.

Alastor is not as much of a cynic as someone who chooses to see things in a perspective that benefits him. He doesn't think redeeming sinner is "hopeless", but "hilarious" instead, which has interesting implications to me. That's why he chooses to hover around Charlie, not because he thinks she's lame, rather because he thinks she's silly. She makes him laugh. Which I think is kind of how Alastor sees "love".

And then you have fanon Alastor who, depending on the writer, is either a horny animal, a wisecrack edgelord or a soft boy who's mean to everyone but Charlie XD I like several of those interpretations, but I kinda prefer mine just out of personal taste. I think the best part about Alastor is that he doesn't *care* what anyone thinks of him and always does what he wants, even at the expense of other people, which I find pretty enviable.

They're kinda both outcasts in their own ways. Charlie by being unable to fit in and Alastor being unwilling to compromise. But they don't judge each other. He supports her in his own weird way and she houses him and is delighted of him in general, which is tasty food for his ego. I do wonder why Alastor is interested in Charlie, both in canon and in a fandom vacuum.

There's some cool potential for drama there, but also growth and healing, in my opinion. Personally, I think Alastor doesn't want to actually *hurt* Charlie, but he may hurt those around her, which will be a moment to start settling compromises if Charlie puts her foot down.

That haz bin my review so far! I'm honestly pretty grateful for Vivziepop for all of the work she's done so far, I know directing, animating and writing two shows over the course of 5 year or so ain't easy. I'm also grateful to the fandom who shares their thoughts and vision, which calms the terrible voices I started hearing in my head since I bought this weird old radio.

I'm in the middle of a break, but if you're interested in my fanfics I'll get back to writing very soon. Cheers! 🌈❤🦌

[fabuloustrash05]

Why I Love 2012 Raphael

A TMNT 2012 Character Appreciation/Character Analysis Post

If you know me or follow me here or on Instagram then you know that my favorite Ninja Turtle is Raphael. More specifically, Raphael from the TMNT 2012 series. Nowadays, this version of Raph gets a lot of unfair hate from fans (new and old), which I find to be ridiculous. So I decided to show this turtle in red some love and express my reasons as to why I love 2012 Raphael. 

To start, I wanna give some love and appreciation to Raphael’s voice actor, Sean Astin. His voice was perfect for the role. I feel so many other Raphael voices try too hard to make him sound manly and more of a giant muscular brute, often forgetting that he is just a teenage boy. Sean does a good job making Raph sound tough when needed, but still making him sound like he is a teenager. He does a great job balancing Raph’s rude attitude but also his gentle and sweet side as well. Also he nailed those girlish screams! XD I feel voice actors nowadays don’t get a lot of recognition, so I wanted to show my appreciation here.

The biggest thing I love about Raphael is his development in the show. I’d argue he had the most/best character development among the four Turtles. We all know how he is in the beginning of the series, being rude, hotheaded, constantly picking fights with Leo and other characters. The show makes it obvious that Raph in S1-2 is scared of his own emotions and feelings, the only time he truly opens up and expresses himself is when he talks to his pet turtle, Spike. The best way I can describe Raph’s character is that he is the “tough guy with a heart of gold” trope. I believe one of the show’s producers, Ciro Neili, even confirmed that was their intention when creating Raph’s character for the show. Raph is a brute, a hothead, but deep down he's a big softie. A lot of Raphael haters seem to forget or ignore that fact about his character. Yes, he is mostly known throughout the fandom to be the hothead, he is the muscle of the group, but he is also the protector. Raph knows that, so if he comes off as weak, then he loses that title. Deep down Raph, and the people around him, know that he is a big softy who loves and cares for others, but he keeps up this tough guy persona in order to protect and seem strong for the ones he loves most. 

As the series goes on Raph learns to open up to others, he grows to respect Leo as a leader and seems to control his temper way more by Season 5. On rewatch I notice in S4-5, Raph only ever gets mad for valid/understandable reasons, mainly when someone is hurting/threatening his loved ones. How did this happen? I believe Raph’s development started when he lost Spike in season 2.

Slash and Destroy is one of my favorite Raphael focused episodes and I will stand by and say that this episode was the beginning of Raph’s character development. In the episode, Raph’s pet Spike gets mutated and becomes Slash, targeting and attacking Raph’s brothers. As a reminder, up to this episode, the only person Raph could express his true feelings to was Spike. Everytime Raph ranted negatively about his brothers, Spike was there to hear it, causing him to have a negative view on Leo, Donnie and Mikey. Slash shows pure hatred for the brothers, especially Leo. After brutally attacking Leo, Slash smiles and says “Been looking forward to that for a long time.” The mutagen warped Slash’s brain, making him go crazy and viciously attack Raph’s brothers because like Raph said earlier in the episode, he doesn’t need them. Raph gets a visual representation of his words and negative thoughts towards his brothers in action through Slash. Slash’s purpose in this episode is to represent all of Raph’s anger and frustration he’s had for his brothers over the years based on what he told Spike. By the end of the episode, Splinter comforts Raph and suggests that he should “focus on the friends he has in the present''. For all of Raph’s life, he trusted and relied only on Spike, but Spike is now gone, so Splinter indirectly advises his son that it is time to trust and rely on others, to not bottle up his emotions, advice that Raph takes.

As the show goes on, Raph slowly progresses, opening up more to others, which will eventually lead to him having two great things in his life come season 4 (but we’ll talk about them later).

Casey was another part of Raph’s development that some fans don’t notice. Donnie makes a comment that Casey being around is like having two Raphaels. While Raph and Casey become best friends because of their similar personalities, Casey is also a reflection of Raph. When around Casey, Raph has to be the level headed one, the responsible one. He criticizes Casey for not being stealthy like a ninja in the S2 episode Newtralized and not planning ahead in the fight (remind you of anyone? *cough* Leo *cough*). When they first meet, Raph gives Casey the same exact advice his father gave him earlier in the episode that “anger is a dangerous alley”. Casey is a more reckless version of Raph, something Raph unknowingly sees and tries to help and protect, he has to be the mature one in their dynamic, opposite to when he’s teamed up with Leo and gets to be the rebel again. It’s like he’s getting a taste of his own medicine.

Not to mention, Raph met Casey after he lost Spike, having a new friend he can rely on. Later on in the episode Newtralized, after meeting Slash, Casey says, “Is that your old pet turtle? The one who got mutated?”. This little piece of dialogue is so important to Raph’s character but it sadly goes over a lot of people’s heads. It indirectly tells us that off screen, Raph has opened up to Casey and told him about a traumatic and hard time in his life. Progress that we will continue to see as the show goes on.

Season 3 Raph at the Farmhouse was the peak of his character development! Raphael took charge in that arc. He became the temporary leader of the group when Leo was out of commission due to his injury. After losing their father (reminder they thought Splinter was dead by this point), being chased out of their home and the city, and losing to one of their greatest enemies, Raph stepped up. He took care of everyone. He made sure that Donnie, Mikey and even April kept up with their ninja training, he was the one who is always prepared during an attack or new threat (ex: when he and the others were trapped in the geyser in the episode Eyes of The Chimera and he was the only one with a grappling hook to help them get out, criticizing his brothers for not being true ninjas and how they should be prepared for anything). April even states that for months, Raph stayed by Leo’s side when he was in his coma, refusing to eat or sleep, and when Leo did wake up, Raph was the first to help him get back on his feet, taking him out on walks to help get his strength back. 

Raph not only was there for Leo, but he was there for Donnie. After Donnie gets heartbroken when April rejects his music box gift in the episode A Foot Too Big, Mikey is sympathetic, but Raph hits Donnie with a much needed reality check. He tells him bluntly “It's never gonna happen, Donnie. We're mutants. She's a girl. You're a giant talking turtle. The sooner you get used to it, the better.” Even with that though, Raph acknowledges his brother’s broken heart and quickly tries to cheer Donnie up and get his mind off April with some training. Then later in the episode, when Donnie expresses how uncomfortable he is with Big Foot’s romantic gestures, Raph once again nails it perfectly by telling him, “Now you know how April feels.” Some may say what Raph said was mean and how he should’ve put him down more gently, but in truth this was something Donnie needed to hear and no one else was gonna do it any time soon! Someone had to open his eyes to the situation, and Raph was the perfect candidate. 

The final brother dynamic in the farmhouse arc with Mikey and Raph was little when it came to screen time, but Raph still shows how much he loves his little brother after Mikey gets captured by the Punk Frogs in the episode The Croaking. As soon as he sees Mikey, Raph drops everything mid fight to hug his brother, relieved for his safety, though the hug abruptly ends after Raph and Mikey find the situation to be “weird”, a very brotherly response if you ask me XD 

With this, we know full well how much Raph loves his brothers. Despite his “lone wolf” attitude in season 1, Raph makes it clear from the very beginning that he does care about his brothers more than anything else in the world. He's loyal, he stays by his brothers' side and has admitted countless times that he would rather die than see them get hurt. "I have no problem risking my own life, but risking my brothers?" (S1 ep14) and he states this again in the next season, “Sorry, Slash. My brothers come first, no matter what.” (S2 ep7). Raph makes it clear (to the audience) that his brothers and his family always come first (so I don’t know why fans keep saying he hates them).

Also, anyone that says that he abuses and is a bully to Mikey needs to go touch some grass because that is a big fat lie and you obviously didn't watch the show (or you're an only child). Brothers are going to fight and pick on each other. That is normal! As someone with an older brother (who is much like Raph btw), I can confirm that siblings to this and in the end we still love each other and have each other’s backs. Out of all the brothers Raph is the most protective of Mikey. The second he learns that Mikey is hurt or someone wants to harm him he is the first going in for the attack or the first one to take action to protect Mikey and bring him to safety.

I mentioned this earlier, but I love how Raph grows/learns to respect Leo as a leader, though he still questions his brother’s judgment from time to time. By season 5, in the episode The Forgotten Swordsman, Raph and Mikey are out on patrol and start talking about Leo. Mikey expresses concern for Leo to which Raph says “He just misses Master Splinter. Being sensei's hard on him. I just wish we knew-”. Raph gets cut off, so we never know what he was going to say, but I headcanon he was going to say “I just wish we knew how to help him.” Raph acknowledges Leo’s growing stress and pressure of being the new sensei after Splinter’s death and he wants to help out anyway he can, but he (and everyone else) just don’t know how. He looks up to and respects Leo and cares about him a lot more than fans and even he himself believe.

Though we see very little moments of them, my overall favorite brother dynamic is Raph with Donnie. I like how Raph is the only brother who is direct and tries to help Donnie move on from his crush on April because he worries and cares for Donnie and knows he’s sensitive when it comes to his feelings. Even when Raph shows disapproval of Donnie’s crush on April, Raph will still be a wingman for Donnie. In the episode Operation: Break Out, after rescuing April’s dad from the Kraang prison, Raph starts hyping Donnie up in front of April to make him look good. Also Donnie refers to him and Raph as “The New A Team” in the episode Arena of Carnage (Mikey does too at one point in another episode, but later he calls him and Raph “Team Awesome”). I just think Donnie and Raph are a fun team and a very underrated sibling duo of “brains and brawn” in the series. It deserves more love and attention from fans.

I’ve talked about how much Raph cares for and is loyal to his brothers, but he is the same towards his friends too. He's protective of April, being the one to go rescue her from the Kraang in the episode The Kraang Conspiracy. He’s even the one who’s words get to April when she was possessed by the alien Za-Naron in the episode The Power Inside Her, reminding April about how much she cares for Donnie which gives her the strength she needed to free herself from Za-Naron’s control. Raph shows he cares for Casey's safety when they do dangerous missions that are out of Casey’s element and was the one who made sure Casey was safe when he was cursed by Alopex’s blade in season 4, and despite their past, Raph is always worried and shows concern for Slash.

Raph shows throughout season 2 that he has faith in Slash to turn to the side of good (something Raph gets proven right about later on). Raph is even one of the first people to trust Slash when he returns with his new team The Mighty Mutanimals in season 3, despite Leo's harsh judgements and suspicion.

The strange thing is, it is usually the other way around, with Leo wanting to make allies and Raph being the distrusting one, a dynamic switch we will see again in season 4…

I can’t make a 2012 Raphael appreciation post/character analysis without talking about the queen herself, Mona Lisa! As mentioned previously, Raph is a softie, and one of the biggest examples of that is when it comes to his relationship with his love interest, later girlfriend, Y’gythgba aka Mona Lisa. When trying to survive on the ice planet, Raph is the only one to suggest that he and the others should team up with the Salamandrians to find the metal they need to fix their ships and get off the planet. Though Raph’s plan is highly motivated by his newfound feelings for Mona, he knows that it is the best option that can help save his family and friends, and despite Leo dismissing the idea, Raph sneaks off alone to convince the Salamandrians himself. 

Raph’s feelings for Mona Lisa have always interested me, specifically how he fell for her. Unlike his brothers with their love interests being the cliche “love at first sight”, Raph’s was “love at first fight”. We all know how Raph fell for Mona, they fought each other after a misunderstanding and after one good punch to the face Raph was smitten. He quickly began admiring her strength, acknowledging what a power punch she gave him, and amazed by her skills and spirit as a warrior. Raph admits right from the start that he loves Mona because she's “bigger, stronger and a better fighter than” him. He never once feels that his masculinity is being threatened when around her, and throughout their relationship never told her to not be herself. He loves that she's better than him as a warrior and can beat his shell! He shows excitement at the suggestion of him and her sparring together someday in the episode The War for Dimension X. He adores her, and never cares about others' judgment regarding his relationship with her. When Casey laughs at him after discovering his crush on her, instead of denying his feelings or getting angry at Casey and later the others for mocking him (something we would expect Raph to do), Raph instead continues expressing his romantic interest in her to everyone. He opened up about his feelings to others! If S1 Raph met and fell in love with Mona, I’m convinced he would’ve been a tsundere and just be in denial about it the entire time, not wanting to look soft because he has a crush. Raph met Mona at the perfect time in his life. He has emotionally mature. In truth, I think Mona made Raph a better man and was the key to help him continue his character growth throughout the rest of the series.

A good example of how much Raph has changed and matured is when Mona betrayed him in the episode The Evil of Dregg. Discovering that his first love, the one person he trusted “more than anyone in the galaxy” betrayed him, broke Raph’s heart and his fighting spirit. When Mona pleads for forgiveness, you can understand Raph’s anger and now he’s not quick to forgive her, but even when he’s mad at her he still loves her. Look at Raph right before Mona goes off into battle:

If he was truly mad at her, he wouldn’t be looking back, his back would be fully turned, refusing to have his eyes meet with her’s. He looks back at her but he’s not looking at her with anger or hatred, it’s sorrow. Raph still cares, he’s just hurt at the moment. Because of the betrayal, Raph believes that everything he and Mona have been through meant nothing to her, but then Mona assures him that his doubts are wrong when she tells him that she loves him for the first time, and that’s all Raph needed to hear to bring back his fighting spirit and run into battle to join her. Raph even snaps and tries to kill Lord Dregg after he harmed Mona and shows just how far he’ll go for her if someone ever tries to harm her (he does it again in S5 when Bishop insults Mona, he quickly jumps in to defend “his woman”). By the end of the episode, Raph and Mona reconcile. Him forgiving her shows how much Raph has grown as a character. S1 Raph would never have forgiven her, he would’ve held the grudge and not let go of it, but this Raph knows what Mona did was out of her control, she was blackmailed, so Raph did the mature thing, understood her situation, and forgave her. Him forgiving her shows how strong their love for each other is, and they keep on showing how much they love one another throughout the rest of the series. 

Some other little details about Raph’s character that I like is that he's an animal guy. With his first pet Spike and the rooftop pigeons, we see a side of him that everyone else rarely gets to see. This minor trait about his character speaks a thousand words. It shows that he is gentle and caring at heart despite his tough persona he gives out to everyone else. We see this not only with Spike in seasons 1-2, but also later in seasons 4-5 with his new pet, Chompy Picasso.

By the time Chompy enters Raph’s life, he has matured. The purpose for Spike was for Raph to have someone to talk to about his feelings and express himself without judgment. Spike was like a therapy dog. Chompy however is not that. Raph has learned to open up by this point in the story, so he doesn’t need Chompy to talk about his personal problems and frustration as much as he had with Spike. Yes, Chompy is there to listen to Raph but at this point in the story Raph is open and expressive and not afraid to show his feelings to others. Raph has probably mention things to Chompy he still wouldn’t say to others (like in The Tale of Tiger Claw, he talks about Mona Lisa to Chompy, seeming that this isn’t the first time he’s done this), but Chompy isn’t a pet for Raph to vent to, instead he was a way for Raph to learn a new responsibility. Chompy is just a baby who just needs someone to love him, to look after and care for him, and Raph is that someone. He took a big responsibility to take care of Chompy after it was believed that his mother, Tokka, was killed. Raph doesn’t need another therapy dog, no, Chompy needs a caregiver, and when Tokka returns to take back her baby, she sees how much Chompy loves Raph and decides that it is better for him to stay on Earth with Raph where she knows he will be safe. I will always stand by this: Raph needed Spike, Chompy needed Raph.

This is probably an unpopular opinion, but I think Raphael is more similar and a parallel to Splinter than Leonardo is. Leo may be Splinter’s “best pupil” and next in line to be sensei for the Hamato Clan, but Splinter and Raph have a lot more in common than the show’s canon or even the fandom acknowledge and it hurts to think of the wasted potential. Raph obviously inherited Splinter's temper. We see in flashbacks that when Splinter was a young man he had an uncontrollable temper that Shredder could easily manipulate, and we still sometimes see that temper blow up in the show when Splinter is upset and disciplining his sons. There’s more similarities though than just them both being hotheaded. They both have a love and appreciation for art. Splinter mentions in Lone Rat and Cubs that he always wanted to be an artist, and it’s well known he loves the renaissance artists. Raph being an artist is a cute and fun little detail about his character that I really like and you see many times in the show, but fans barely acknowledge. He’s the one who painted the Venus pin up girl on the Party Wagon, he gives his girlfriend the nickname “Mona Lisa” (which he indirectly tells her that every time he calls her Mona Lisa he is reminding her that she is a beautiful work of art), and names his pet "Chompy Picasso" after the artist Pablo Picasso. Not to mention that both men know the pain and fear of the woman you love dying in your arms. I love Raph’s relationship with Splinter in the show, and it’s honestly way more interesting than Leo and Splinter’s.

I love their little “Spike, chew on your leaf…” bit in season 1 and how they bond over the Japanese mantra to help Raph overcome his fear of insects in season 4 (btw Raph being scared of bugs was so fun, I like the trope of the big strong dude being scared of something so small and harmless). The episode ends on a fun note, Splinter tells Raph to not tell the others of the mantra cause he “might use that trick on them one day”, showing that Splinter has a devious fun side to him similar to Raph’s.

Is 2012 Raphael perfect? Not at all. No character is. He still has flaws, but I feel that’s what makes him such a fun character still. I feel he had the best and most character development in the series. I love his voice actor, I love his character development, I love his relationship with his brothers, friends and girlfriend, I love all the little character details about him from his love of animals to his passion in art. It’s just my personal opinion, but I think 2012 Raph is the best version of Raphael. He has faced injustice in this day and age with fans misrepresenting his character and hating him for the wrong reasons. You don’t have to like him, everyone has their own opinions on certain characters and I respect that, but there’s a time when not liking him goes too far with saying he’s a bully and abuses his family. The haters can go argue with a wall, 2012 Raphael is the best and I love him, and I hope this post made you appreciate him a little bit more too <3

[moonspirit]

Pieck selling her artworks and stuff and Jean be like, "support small business....(Literally, because the owner is small)"

EgHIODGdgoidafiahad I CAN'T DRAW BUT I WISH i COULD BECAUSE THIS IS GOLD PWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA XD

Pieck would run one of those cute online stores where when you buy an artwork, you also get a surprise box which could basically mean ANYTHING. A live crab? A boxing glove? A preserved fossil? A badly printed photo of a t-rex? ANYTHING.

And Jean does NOT appreciate this business model because he thinks it's all very gaudy and scammy but... Pieck's website also has this "real-time viewers" tracking thing, which shows how many people are viewing her store at any given point of time and... guess who's ALWAYS there...

(she finds out)

Jean doesn't like her webpage design or her eccentric surprise boxes or her packing paper, but he IS the No. 1 Supporter and by god is he gonna be strangely adorable about it.

"Support my Small Girlfriend's SMall Business! But please, don't choose surprise box no. 5... please... if you value your safety..."

[hyog-blog]

The Story of Pearl Girl (ep. 35 - ep. 40) [end of series][spoilers]

Out of all the show's tropes, this one did it for me - knowing that you will die soon, for sure, and spending your last days with the person you love the most, cherishing each and every bit of it. This was just heart-wrenching to watch, mostly due to Liu Yuning's and Zhao Lusi's stellar acting. I mean the TORMENT is not just real, it's almost unbearable, but also, somehow, you can feel so much love and appreciation and, actually, light during those last days of Yan Zijin.

Probably because of his attitude. Like, it hurts, more than anything, but there's also one more hour you can spend with the woman you love, and then a whole day, and maybe one day more. Isn't that all that we could really ask for? The most precious moments line up like pearls to form a beautiful necklace. But then, eventually, everything fades away, both good and bad.

Of course, she knew he was poisoned. With her level of intelligence, I'd be surprised if she didn't. The fall of the bad guys was a bit meh, I mean, yes, that's what Yan Zijing was killing himself for, but in the end, that was not what truly mattered. But his family's name did get cleared, so he achieved his life's mission. Alas, he didn't have the time to enjoy the ordinary, simple pleasure of a life surrounded by the people you love and care about. it's kind of a happy ending for Yan Zijing, but with a very dramatic twist, which was obvious from the start, no one even tried to hide it. The poison was there, I just hoped for some ridiculous miraculous last-minute saving. Which didn't happen, but like with most things in life - we get some good stuff, we get some bad stuff, it's a mix.

I can see how ep. 40 could inspire a few depressions out there, but the message is still surprisingly hopeful. Justice prevailed, the bad guys got what they deserved, and the good guys, well, they took whatever happiness came their way, just like we do in real life. Su Muzhe did become the free-spirited trader she always dreamed of being, traveling far and wide just like Yan Zijing did. Cui Shijiu rose from the ashes and finally got her shit together XD Becoming a smart and cool girl we knew she could be, but for some reason, it just wasn't happening.

I have to admit there was a moment between Su Muzhe and Cui Shijiu, when our girl called the other one zhiji and all that wine-drinking was happening. I mean, I could totally see things going more than a little bit queer if the show wanted to go there. With all those powerful female characters, it would have totally worked. It was a lovely hint, though, which I enjoyed immensely :D

I need to go and watch some kittens now XD And remember there's more to life than torturous romance and people in love who can't be with each other. Still, I appreciate this show very, very much. I ended up loving every bit of it, surprisingly. It's very realistic in many aspects, maybe less so in others, but when put together, everything works great. Zhao Lusi's and Liu Yuning's acting is just 5 stars, they are both seriously amazing actors and their chemistry in both happiness and suffering and everything in between is truly top-notch.

I can see how this show might not be everyone's cup of tea, but we're all different, so it's okay. But I'm happy I watched it and that it was made, and I wish ZL and LYN much happiness and more great roles in the future.

Yep, he doesn't know it yet, but she knows already. And you can see it by the way she treats him, just playing along to keep the illusion of happiness going. They're such a bittersweet couple.

And not Kang Ju working as a model for female jewelry))) That moment just made me giggle, he's such a cutie))

Everyone posing for a family portrait. I almost thought they were foreshadowing another one of Li Kui's attacks that would kill half of the cast, but I was wrong. It was just a sweet happy moment shared between friends and co-workers.

And not Kang Ju asking whether he's actually so pretty in real life, too XD

More heartbreaking moments hide behind the seemingly happy surface. You can literally see it in her eyes that she already knows everything.

Some girl-to-girl romance, happily celebrating the fall of the Zheng family. All smiles and cutesy talk. Effortlessly qeer-ish.

Then back to the emotional torment of being unable to say goodbye to each other. YZJ cooking for her continuously to show his love. And Su Muzhe asking Yan Zijing not to leave, finally showing her true feelings. Pure 100% heartbreak.

It's been a nice, although a bit hectic ride 💖

[monsterofmyown]

Reese Kelly: 6, 7, 25, 26

Tabitha scarlet: 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 26?

I completely forgot this was in my asks, I'm sorry!

6. What's something you have in common with this character?

Being an artist and enjoying horror media! I would be more than happy to have a bunch of movie nights so he could show off some of his fave movies!

7. What's something the fandom does when it comes to this character that you like?

I appreciate when people still treat him like he's a person and don't just reduce him to a monster. He's still the same guy!

25. What was your first impression of this character? How about now?

My first impression was "not what I was expecting him to look like." I don't actually know what I was expecting him to look like though so I have no idea why I thought that xD. Now my impression is "I am so very normal about this character."

26. What's something the character has done you can't get over? Be it something funny, bad, good, serious, whatever?

I'm obsessed with with the fact he can say "I hope it's not too late for me to learn how to be friends with a cat" if you picked the 'difficult roommate' option for your living situation and then offer to let Reese stay with you. He doesn't say he hopes he can still learn to live with a cat, no no, he hopes he can still learn to be friends with a cat. So Reese enjoys horror media, he's an artist, he's a badass monster, and he also likes cats?? Literally the perfect man.

----

2. Favorite canon thing about this character?

How protective she can be of the MC! It's so freaking sweet and one of the reason I love her relationship with Clementine so much.

3. Least favorite canon thing about this character?

As of right now, the fact that she can kill Reese. I can definitely understand her point of view, but that doesn't mean I have to like it. Also, how she kills him is particularly upsetting.

5. What's the first song that comes to mind when you think about them?

Curses by The Crane Wives! I think it also fits as a song for Tabitha and MC's relationship.

6. What's something you have in common with this character?

The fact that she eats the same food over and over, haha. I'm pretty much the same way, I have foods that I really like and I barely stray from them.

7. What's something the fandom does when it comes to this character that you like?

Letting her live out her "beach episode" she so desperately needs. I'm gonna get Tabitha to the Outer Banks if it kills me! Also, shipping her with Stella. I'm gonna get them back together, also if it kills me.

26. What's something the character has done you can't get over? Be it something funny, bad, good, serious, whatever?

The fact that she seems to be more okay with you dating a monster than she is with you dating an emo lol (for those who haven't played Scarlet Hollow, they're the same person).

[adelarsims]

Hi XD

I actually do wanna learn more ab them! And I have a few specific questions if you don't mind!

How old are they really?

They seem a bit obsessed with looking young, is there a reason for that?

Why don't they use a wand if it helps keep their hands looking younger?

What changed them from a snob to a slightly more uhm personable person?

What do they teach?

Also here is your excuse to ramble about world building and magic cus I love this stuff

Another more vague one, you mentioned their childhood was rough, can you talk more ab that?

Finally because I feel like I'm overstaying my welcome, how did they discover they have feelings for Caleb?

1. let’s just say over a hundred. caleb once told cassie that 100+ years old feels better than 97 or something, because there's something romantic about being 'over a hundred', like straight out of a fairy tale, while 97 is just a really old grandpa :D

2. when they imagine looking in the mirror and seeing their hair grey and face wrinkled, they're terrified. it’s not a simple vanity - many spellcasters share this fear, when you don't see the constant flow of time when you look in the mirror, your image of yourself freezes like a fly in the amber - and going back into that flow gets more and more terrifying because it feels like suddenly the end nears faster. not all spellcasters choose to prolong their life, but those who do find it hard to stop. as for the youthful look... i think Morgyn just craves to feel at their peak, being the perfect image of themselves in everything. they were deprived of feeling worthy in their early years, so they keep proving and proving otherwise. especially after some discoveries about themselves that upended their understanding of who they are and thrown them into a deep identity crisis – they would grasp at all perfection that is still within their power to maintain. well... maybe it's also a bit of vanity, too.

3. it’s just more natural for them to cast with their hands and gives them access to much stronger magic. a wand doesn’t hold any magic itself, it’s like a laser pointer for magical energy, helps you focus and direct it. spellcasters need wands, innate mages don’t, though they of course can use them too. hand magic is raw, it’s more powerful but requires mastery and precision, and allows to weave spells that aren’t accessible to wand users, because wand is a single-channel magic focus, so to speak, and hand magic allows multi-channeling it (so basically, there's a limit that former humans who learned magic can do, and for innate mages this limit is very far, if existing at all)

4. oh no, don’t mistake a snob for an insufferable asshole. they were always personable. they’re likeable, cheeky, warm and affectionate to those they’re close with, especially those who appreciate and accept them, even though their position as a grand sage and academia headmaster naturally made them more reserved. and they’re still snobbish about magic, they know no one will do it better than them when it comes to spells, tend to nitpick mistakes in others' spellcasting, and get annoyed when someone is being lazy or unreasonably cocky with their magic. they just were hot-headed about people doubting their prowess as a student, but they have matured a lot and have good self control now.

5. mostly advanced elemental magic, and a few arcane disciplines i’ve yet to find names for. magic schools in my morgynverse are quite different from what they are in the game, for example, practical school isn’t about cleaning dishes. it covers healing, herbalism and potions, enchanting equipment, crafting amulets, like that. the new jewery creating pack will work so damn good for my story, i can’t wait!

6. i already gave bits and pieces here and there on this post. i can tell you a couple minor things if you want. there’s a plant that is used in potions, it’s called cyclop’s brain, it has huge leaves and massive seed pods, and tiny tiny seeds. also, every four years, on 29th of february, “the day that does not exist”, the academia holds a huge event called Masquerade of Mysteries, it’s grand and magical and everyone is allowed to go all out with enchantments and costumes, every student and teacher is looking forward to it.

7. i’m not sure how much i should say considering that i hope to start telling my story one day and it’s a spoiler, but let’s just say they weren’t really accepted for who they are and were considered dangerous even though they never gave anyone any reason to be afraid of their magic (it’s not simply about them being a mage, that wouldn’t be as much of a problem as their origin)

8. slowly. eventually. they were physically attracted to Caleb from the beginning, but it’s doing right by one another that truly brings people together. Caleb was there for Morgyn when they needed it most.

[swaps55]

Ao3 mememe

Tagged eons ago by @moosemonstrous. Thank you!

Tagging @cr-noble-writes, @mallaidhsomo, @urrone, @screwyouflightlieutenant, @stormikins and anyone else who wants to play.

I love end of the year memes, but I wrote very little this year in comparison to the last 4 years or so. So I appreciate that this meme in particular is a little more comprehensive. It's nice to look back on a full body of work and take a moment to be proud of it, vs fret over what did or didn't get written in the last 365 days.

How many works do you have on ao3? 52

What’s your total word count? 1,043,782 words (!!!!!!) over 11 years.

What are your top 5 fics by kudos?

Sonata (mshenko, longfic set between the end of ME1 and beginning of ME1)

Cantata (mshenko longfic, pre-ME1)

Celestial Navigation (mshenko smut, but not Sam)

Fugue (mshenko, Alchera and the 2 years before Lazarus)

Pieces Form the Whole (collection of mshenko prompts and one shots).

Do you respond to comments? Why/why not?

Yes. Someone took the time to tell me my story meant something to them, and I will thank them/flail with them/take pleasure in their pain/etc. Fandom is community. To build a community, you need to engage with the people who love the characters and worlds you love. If my spoons are low I may not respond right away, but I will respond.

What's the fic you've written with the angstiest ending?

There is one fic of mine that hates happiness and also puppies, but it’s not even 1k words long, so I don’t feel it counts. Fugue probably has the angstiest ending for what is the angstiest thing I have ever written, because it ends with Kaidan still believing he’s lost Sam forever. But I also like to think it’s a hopeful ending. At the end, you know that whatever happens next, he’ll be ok.

What's the fic you've written with the happiest ending?

I’m a happy endings kinda person, so most of them? The first kiss AUs in the Opus Multiverse probably have the edge over something like Sonata, because they exist within their own little bubble free of things like consequences and Alchera.

Do you write crossovers?

I have daydreamed about something like a Mass Effect/Stargate crossover, because it would practically write itself, but I doubt I’ll ever actually do it. A Mass Effect/Dragon Age crossover could be fun, but others who would do it better already have, and I wouldn’t be committed enough to it.

Have you ever received hate on a fic?

Eons ago on ff.net, by someone who was probably very young and very convinced it was their sacred duty to tell internet strangers they sucked. I only remember it because it’s the only time I’ve ever encountered something like that. I’ve received some insensitive comments, but not hate.

Do you write smut? If so, what kind?

I do write it on occasion, though it’s not a mainstay. I stick to very emotionally-driven smut because I don’t have the slightest idea how to write actual sexual attraction. XD  

Have you ever had a fic stolen?

Not that I know of.

Have you ever had a fic translated?

No one has asked me about doing a translation, but I have had others podfic a couple of stories, which is REALLY cool.

Have you ever co-written a fic before?

Once, and it went very poorly. I am not built for collabs, unfortunately.

What's your all-time favourite ship?

The SSV Normandy, which beats out the NCC-1701-D by a nose hair. JK. Sort of.

It’s hard not to say Commander Shepard/Kaidan Alenko. I’ve written well over 500k words about them specifically, and I certainly haven’t done that for any other ship. I’m actually not that shippy when you get down to it. A romantic element isn’t usually what compels me. I am drawn to powerful connections, be it between two people or a group of people.  

So really, my original answer isn’t far off the mark. The group of people on both those ships are my favorite.

What's a WIP that you want to finish but don't think you ever will?

I don’t have a stack of WIPs, because really I can only focus on one thing at a time. I have an unposted multiverse AU that I’ve scribbled close to 10k words on that likely won’t go anywhere until Opus is finished, which won’t be for a while. But I don’t have any real reason to think I’ll never go back to it. That fic has a host of challenges I need to figure out a way around, so that might be its undoing, but some of the writing in it is stellar and I am patient.

What are your writing strengths?

I’ll say working with multiple POVs. It’s something I love doing to the point I can’t really imagine not doing it. I like seeing the same series of events through the eyes of different people, how it creates a whole only the reader gets to see. I like the challenge of sitting between an unfamiliar set of ears and figuring out what goes on there. It’s a lot of fun.

What are your writing weaknesses?

I am absolute shit at scene setting. I am terrible at visualizing, and I forget what words are when it comes to describing architecture of any kind, people, or clothing. If you are at all surprised to read this, it is because I work VERY HARD at scene setting. Because I’m bad at it. “Where are these characters, Swaps?” “Uh. They’re in a room. With stuff. Don’t worry about it.”

When it comes to a character's appearance, I cheat and instead describe what their clothing/appearance evokes, rather than what they look like, because fuck if I know what they look like.

What are your thoughts on writing dialogue in other languages in a fic?

If I could do it, I would, but another thing I am quite bad at is languages and dialect.

What was the first fandom you wrote for?

Technically, I put Alec Ramsey and the Black Stallion on a spaceship when I was maybe ten. But that aside, I had reams of Star Trek fanfic scribbled in notebooks before there was an internet to post them on.

What's a fandom/ship you haven't written for yet but want to?

I have had ideas for Horizon and Warframe, and occasionally think it would be fun to try my hand at Stargate, or even go back to Star Trek. But in the end, Mass Effect is where I live and I still have stories to tell there, so here I stay.

What's your favourite fic you've written?

That is such a hard question to answer because I wrote them all with an intended audience of me and I know me really well, lol.

The long fic I have gone back to the most is Cantata, and the one shot I have reread the most is probably The Words That Change Us.

[amethystina]

Fanfic Tag Thingie

I am choosing to be tagged by @miss-ingno because this sounded like fun and I need an escape from the realisation that I am literally on the edge of burnout and my life is a mess. So here we go! :D

How many works do you have on AO3?

76

What's your total AO3 word count?

2 237 636

... and I have around 200k more just sitting in my WIP folders. I can't write short things x'D

What fandoms do you write for?

Right now it's mainly various Kdramas (The Devil Judge, Black Knight, plus my bold venture into Strangers From Hell) but, before that, it was mostly The Losers, Marvel, Pacific Rim, and Teen Wolf. With the occasional detour here and there.

What are your top 5 fics by kudos?

Who Holds the Devil (The Devil Judge, Gahan) at 3 390

Tech Support (MCU, Winteriron) at 3 217

Autonomy (MCU, Winteriron) at 3 137

I Won't Hold My Breath (MCU, Winteriron) at 2 914

Conflict of Interest (MCU, Winteriron) at 2 173

It's honestly a little wild to me that Who Holds the Devil has somehow managed to race to the top despite the other fics being at least four years older (sometimes more). And for a much bigger fandom, at that. You guys are not fucking around.

Do you respond to comments? Why or why not?

I do! Every single one if I can, though it can sometimes take a while before I get to all of them. And I just can't help it, I guess? Partly because I want to show that I've read the comment and appreciate the time and effort that went into writing it, but also because it often gives me an opportunity to talk about my writing and the choices I made in the fic.

And, apparently, the fact that I reply to all comments has become a bit of a thing at least when it comes to Who Holds the Devil, where readers will search through my replies looking for tidbits and extra information about the fic, characters etc.

(you guys are so weird and so dedicated and I love all of you xD)

What is a fic you wrote with the angstiest ending?

Grief (The Losers (Comics)). Because it is, predictably, about grief and how to keep living after someone you love has died. Though I would argue that the ending has a hint of hopefulness to it since it's also about moving on from said grief?

But yeah. Definitely that one since it's Major Character Death that I choose not to fix.

What's the fic you wrote with the happiest ending?

Literally every single fic except for the one above xD I LOVE my happy endings, okay? And it's kind of difficult to rank them since it depends a lot on the setting, characters, and the personal preference of the reader.

Heck, I even managed to give my Strangers From Hell fanfic a sugary sweet happy ending! That's dedication right there!

Do you get hate on fics?

Yeah, from time to time. I've gotten everything from childish insults calling me a bad writer to backhanded comments questioning my choices, writing style, grammar, spelling, dedication, intelligence, etc. I've even received more targeted, personal hate where people I thought I could trust were making fun of me behind my back in private chat rooms.

Most recently, though, it's less hate and more the "I simply must tell you that you're not writing this fic as I want you to write it" type of deal. Often paired with "It's my personal opinion and I have every right to express it." Which, fair enough. But that means I get to do the same, which I've noticed is something those kinds of commenters kind of hate. Especially when I point out that they've now made me a lot less keen to write the fanfic they're supposedly so fond of.

Turns out people don't like being reminded that their actions have consequences.

All in all, though, I've learned to just delete the comments I find too offensive or hateful.

Do you write smut? If so, what kind?

Oh god no. Sex scenes are the bane of my existence and I spend the entire time writing them looking like this: ლ(ಥ益ಥლ)

I've been told I'm not bad at writing them (the ones in Until Death Do Us Unite were quite appreciated) but anything involving sex or sexual tension is just a nightmare for me. Even more so when it's supposed to be kinky or extra spicy.

So why is one of the main ships I write for right now clearly a Dom/sub ship, you ask?

Because I'm an idiot. That's why.

Do you write crossovers? What’s the craziest one you've written?

I rarely do. The only crossover I've written is Resurrection where Derek Hale ends up in Purgatory together with Dean Winchester and they fight their way back to the world of the living (so Derek replaces Benny, basically).

I also have this one random fic (yet unposted) where Tony Stark and Eddie Brock are a couple (from the MCU and Venom movies, that is). But they're technically both in the Marvel universe so I'm not sure if that counts?

Long story short, crossovers aren't really my thing. I rarely write or read them.

Have you ever had a fic stolen?

Not that I know of, no.

Have you ever had a fic translated?

I have! Several, in fact, from various fandoms. Mostly into Russian, Spanish, or Mandarin. And I am honestly so flattered every time someone asks me if they can translate one of my fics 💜

Have you ever co-written a fic before?

I have not, no. I made plans to write a fic with a friend once, but we never got to the point of actually writing it. And, in all honesty, I think that might be just as well. I'm a perfectionist and writing a fic with me would probably be very exhausting for the other party xD

What's your all-time favourite ship?

I really don't know. Like, I'm tempted to say Jensen and Cougar from The Losers, or maybe Destiel or Stony, but I think that's partly founded in comfort and nostalgia. My ships change as I do and I really can't pinpoint an all-time favourite.

But CURRENT favourite? Definitely Kang Yo Han and Kim Ga On because they present such a wonderful challenge to someone like me, who loves to go real deep into character motivations, behaviour etc. They're a delight.

What's a WIP you want to finish, but doubt you ever will?

I'm not sure. I plan to finish all the ones I've started posting but there might be some in my folders that I'll decide to abandon if I truly can't revive my interest in them. But, usually, I can.

And, speaking of that, to all my MCU peeps (if there are any of you still out there): I know you've waited six years for the Tech Support sequel but it's finally been written and just needs to be edited. It's coming, my darlings. I promise.

Basically, when I say I'll do something, I will do it — even if it takes me six goddamn years, apparently x'D

What are your writing strengths?

Characters, tone, and emotions. I'm good at capturing the essence of the characters and write them in a way that feels believable and close to canon. I'm also really good at making people feel things with my writing, I've been told. According to testimonials, my readers can often see what's happening play out inside their heads like a movie, and feel the characters' emotions as they're living through them.

What are your writing weaknesses?

Aside from the aforementioned sex scenes? I think it's my inability to keep things short. I use a lot of unnecessary words and could definitely get better at being more concise. In a similar vein, I sometimes focus so much on the details with lengthy, wordy descriptions that I accidentally forget about the big picture, which is understandably confusing to my readers.

Thoughts on writing dialogue in another language for a fic?

I've done it from time to time (since my man Cougar speaks Spanish) but I'm pretty careful with it. And if it's longer sentences I always make sure to double-check with a native speaker.

First fandom you wrote for?

Teen Wolf! Which, admittedly, was because I didn't care if I fucked it up x'D I enjoyed the first two seasons of Teen Wolf, make no mistake! But I chose it mainly because it wasn't the ship I was the most emotionally invested in and so I figured it wouldn't feel as bad if it turned out that I sucked. Luckily enough for me, I didn't xD

Favourite fic you've written?

Just like with the all-time favourite ship, I'm not sure if I can answer this one. Because I like all of my fics but in different ways.

I'll always have a fondness for that first huge Teen Wolf series I wrote, for example, and had a lot of fun with Autonomy because of the world-building. Same goes with Hyperborean. But Who Holds the Devil is definitely my favourite when it comes to character work. While Allies is my favourite when it comes to tone, since it ended up just the way I wanted it to. And Until Death Do Us Unite was an absolute BLAST because I got to write horror and some really weirdass shit, which I've never done before.

So, truly, I can't say. Each one I've written has something I cherish and while some definitely stand out more than others, I wouldn't be able to just pick one.

___

And that's that! I tag whoever wants to do it! :D

[fillinforlater]

Monday of Appreciation: Part 80

Hello everyone, Smite here!

(Listen to Kitsch) I hope you all had a good weekend and to those of you who have to deal with the unnecessary, stupid movement of the clock---I'm with you. I want to punch whoever invented daylight saving. Anyways (Listen to Kitsch) I hope you all have fun with these fics and a great week.

Update: I'm on pace to finish a couple of fics next week. Get ready!

-1-

@midnightdancingsol: Her Sisters Pet ft. futa!Yeji, Yuna

Sol's ideas are surreal, you just have to read them. At this point, I'm not even skipping a fic written by them. Masterpieces left and right, creativity dripping from above like Yuna's pus---you get me.

-2-

@iznsfw: Adult Happy Meal ft. Xiaoting

It's weird, it's funny, it's one of a kind. A sincere warning, it's everything you would suspect from a fic like this. What else can I say except: You Rule, IZ ;)

-3-

@tinyidle: You like this? ft. Minnie, Miyeon (TW)

This might not be perfect, but holy cow, it was an amazing wild ride. Like a short rollercoaster that has everything you can imagine. Kinks upon kinks and two mistresses that can abuse me anytime, fuck.

-4-

@leafostuff: Nana Potter ft. Nana (woo!ah!)

Apart from the cute title and this fic needing a bit of editing, I found it very enjoyable and am super happy to see more woo!ah! stuff. Especially Nana is deeply engrained in my heart. Also, F, I still haven't watched past Part 1 of the Harry Potter Saga xD

-5-

@idyllicidols: Transformation ft. Chaewon

I know people who have this plot as a wet dream---and I am now part of these people. Nothing can go wrong if you mix Chaewon, anal, cheating and degradation. My mind is still fuzzy, fuck.

-6-

@chunksworld: Moth to a Flame ft. Wonyoung

Cheating on Yujin? Couldn't happen to me (congrats to 1k btw, amazing achievement, well deserved, fantastic fic!)

Listen to Kitsch, oh fuck, Yujin, please spare me ahhhhhhh

[quinloki]

💫, 🕯(there were two candle questions, I want to know about the creating healthy fandom experiences one)

Love seeing your posts on my dash ❤️

💫what is your favorite kind of comment/feedback?

Honestly, all of it. I love all of it, because more than anything else I love to see all the different ways people react to the same thing. I love when they react similar, I love when they react different.

I DELIGHT in reading paragraphs of nearly unintelligible gushing - and paragraphs of completely organized breakdowns of themes and moments that just struck them so completely.

I love unhinged comments - I love the "I need a cold shower" or "Oh fuck that's hot." or "I'll be in my bunk" XD

I'll admit I don't need to know that *I* have made someon horny, but hells I'm okay knowing my story has turned their crank. turns mine too, let's be fair.

🕯️how do you think engaging with each other through tumblr, twitter, comments, kudos, creates healthy fandom experiences? How do you deal with that if you're not a social person/experience social anxiety?

Ah.

I'm going to start this with some perspective.

I have anxiety so bad, I WFH, get my groceries delivered, and have to have my spouse with me if I got anywhere that isn't, say, my mom's or my dad's. I have to. I'll break down at the doctor's office if I'm alone. My anxiety is bad. I've gone from perfectly functional, to hyperventilating under my desk because something got too close to the window.

All that said, I love tumblr, and Ao3 and twitter can probably DIAF honestly, but I can appreciate how it works for some folks.

Interactions are a part of humanity. We're social creatures, even if that socializing aspect isn't always face to face.

Knowing we're not alone - be it in parts of our identity, or the things we enjoy, provides immense joy. For some people the boundaries of that disappear on the horizon, and for others those boundaries are about 5 or so feet.

Interacting with different people, however, helps expands everyone's horizons. You learn so much about people, and yourself, especially if you're open and willing to learn.

It can hard, and ugly, and some people are going to be mean and unreasonable and awful no matter how kind you are. There's just too many people - no space, no place is perfect, because none of the people in those spaces are perfect.

But that's the healthy part. Learning those imperfections are okay. Learning that differences don't have to be your vibe to be okay. Learning that the lens from which you perceive the world is far from the only kind.

And finding people who click with you. People who are delighted to talk to you, to send you pixelated hugs, to send you sweet animals and funny videos when you have a hard day - find those people is worth it.

It's worth the unreasonable anons. It's worth the risk of useless hate. It's worth the risk of being under the desk hyperventilating and sobbing because one ping was a ping too many.

Times change. Good times, and bad times. Don't hold on to the good ones so hard they break, and don't let the bad times grip you so tightly that you break.

And when that's hard, there's pet pictures, and fan fic, and dark content, and fluffy content, and an entire network of people who are saying "I made this" "I support this" "I love this"

"I needed this."

... ah, I'm getting a bit misty-eyed. Sorry ^^;

Let's Get ((REAL))

[scorching-passion]

Rebirth Spoilers under the cut.

I haven't completed the game yet, but I've passed the battle you have with Roche in that wall of death style arena. I completed that mission with all 5 of my infantry friends still alive and the speech Roche delivers after Cloud had cleaved his bike in half actually made me a little misty eyed.

And the reason for that is mostly for the fact that it becomes apparent here that the Remake may have lead us to believe that Roche doesn't play well with others. Well that entire crowd seemed to adore him, in their own way maybe, perhaps they were just following his orders (let's not forget, he may only be a Third Class SOLDIER, but he is still SOLDIER and therefor out ranks the infantry) but they all seemed to be having a blast watching this battle take place.

And at the end, I'm shown that Roche has a sensitive side.

He loves people. He loves the aspect of being social. Of caring for those around you, for those beneath your lead.

And he KNOWS what Cloud is, he KNOWS he isn't a member of ShinRa, at least, not any more. He KNOWS he's affiliated with AVALANCHE and he literally commended him for taking care of the infantrymen who followed him into that arena. Roche showed a tremendous amount of respect for Cloud in that moment; no bitterness for losing to him, he took that as graciously as he always has. Just... adoration for doing the right thing.

Because yes, they are ShinRa employees, and Cloud could have just left them to their fate, or even killed them himself. But he didn't, he looked after them, saw them through to the end of that road, because they are just people. People with lives of their own outside of all that, with families and hopes and ambitions, and Roche could see that and commends Cloud for it before literally helping with his escape.

Even if Cloud didn't really appreciate it at the time and calls Roche a jackass xD

But I love him, you guys. I love him so so much, because I honestly feel like he hates his situation and just does his best, in his own chaotic and ramshackle way, to do right by the people who surround him, not because it's his duty, but because they are just people.

[paladin-of-nerd-fandom65]

I’m glad you like the rewrite for Superman & Lois! :D I’ll think some more down the road ;)

1: what’s the duo’s opinion on the whole goku vs Superman & Superman vs Batman debate?

2: in-universe, what’s the most misconception the public have of the duo? Like Nightwing Chris being the son of the Nightwing of bludhaven for example.

3: do they have a “what’s the password” entry to the starcave?

4: do you have a group name when titans of tomorrow & starknights team up all together? I recommend young titans or Star Titans

5: don’t know if I said this but what’s their tickle areas?

6: is there any honorable members on the team? Like I can see Jon & the super twins on the starknights group if gained permission.

7: who’s the leader in both groups.

Happy New Year’s Eve to you friend @pin-crusher2000

I’m looking forward to those S&L ideas you’d have XD

Anyways, on with the show

1) Those debates can be fun to watch and consider but the Duo know that it’s better to appreciate the heroes involved in said debates for what they are as people/characters rather than take it all too seriously and to the point of zealotry and fanaticism as they’ve seen online too many times.

2) The public mistaking Chris as a junior Nightwing and a literal son of the Dick Grayson one via the two splitting the mantle evenly is one common misconception the two have seen time and time again. Also, being called biological brothers, Jake getting confused as a de aged Dick Grayson and being mixed up with Robin and Superboy from YJ just smaller and with differing colors are all also commonplace on newspaper tabloids and magazines.

3) I bet they would, mainly used for special occasions including parties for their friends and relatives taking place at their base. Jake is the one answering the door and The password would be ‘Crusader-Landing-Azule’

4) Star Titans is ideal and common enough to work well with them. It’s short, sweet and to the point. Though in full it’ll be The StarBurst Titans of Tomorrow, as a nice combination of their respective names.

5) On a scale of 1 - 10, with 1 being barely any sort of tingle and 10 being guaranteed of very loud laughter and thrashing around if not being held still….

Chris;

- Sides of the Neck: 6

- Ribcage Sides: 4

- Back of his Knees: 9

- Abdomen: 5

- Tops of his Feet: 7

- Heels and Soles: 7

- Toes: 8

Jake;

- Sides of the Neck: 5

- Ribcage Sides: 7

- Back of the Knees: 5

- Abdomen: 7

- Tops of his Feet: 10

- Heels and Soles: 10

- Toes: 10

6) In particular Green Lantern Tai Pham, Baby Wildebeest, Flamebird (Thara), in a later point in time both Osul and Otho, Jarro the Starro and from alternate Earths both Johnny Grayson aka Firepattern from Earth 2 and Matt McGinnis aka Robin Beyond from Earth 12

Maybe at a later point in time, the Duo would also have an ally and friend from outside the DC multiverse or even it’s dimension….like maybe from a completely different dimension (coded for franchise) in a future crossover *hint**hint*

And oh yeah, Jon too is a frequent help for both teams whenever the help is needed, akin to how Supergirl is a big help to the Legion of Superheroes if need be

7) Both teams have de facto as opposed to officially stated leadership but often times Mar’i and Bobby share having control of the Titans of Tomorrow. The both of them inherited their respective parents’ leadership skills but Bobby a tad bit moreso from Donna and even his Grand Aunt Diana

As for the StarKnights, Chris more or less makes the most prominent decisions of them all, with both Jake and Cerdian being second in commands to him.

[annabtg]

20 questions for Fic Writers

Thanks for tagging me @theresthesnitch, I love seeing everyone's answers on this!

1. How many works do you have on AO3?

40.

2. What's your total AO3 word count?

177,784. (A couple of thousand of those are actually by @eemolu, my partner in writing taller than the trees).

3. What fandoms do you write for?

These days, almost exclusively HP, though I've written a few little oneshots for Lois & Clark.

4. What are your top 5 fics by kudos?

1. The Great James Potter (167 kudos). Jily, canon, 7th year Lily POV "enemies"-to-lovers, 8.7k.

2. AO3 Is Down (149 kudos). Jily Muggle AU where they work for AO3. As cracky as it sounds. XD 1.4k.

3. As If By Magic (139 kudos). Jily, canon, 7th year slow burn, 34k.

4. Inescapable (138 kudos). Jily, soulmates, Hogwarts across the years, 4.2k.

5. Are You Experienced? (135 kudos). Hogwarts Jily go to a Muggle concert for their first date. 12.6k.

5. Do you respond to comments? Why or why not?

Absolutely!! Comments make my day and I always want people to know I appreciate them!!

6. What's the fic you wrote with the angstiest ending?

Probably Trapped - Emmeline Vance's last fight with the Death Eaters, told from her POV.

7. What's the fic you wrote with the happiest ending?

Are You Experienced? is definitely one of the fluffiest!

8. Do you get hate on fics?

I wouldn't say I've ever got full-blown hate, but I've got a few negative comments, most of them for writing Sirius/Lily. Stuff like 'Sirius would never do that to James' - even when it's a story where the Sirius/Lily part is fake dating and James is actually aware of it and endorsing it. xD The mind boggles.

9. Do you write smut. If so, what kind?

I write some smut, yes! M/F, mostly vanilla stuff. :p

10. Do you write crossovers? What's the craziest one you've written?

Not really! Though one day I want to finish that fic where Lily is a L&C fan. xD

11. Have you ever had a fic stolen?

Not that I know of! Who would be interested in stealing my fics? Lol. xD

12. Have you ever had a fic translated?

I have! My old Remadora story Over Spilt Coffee (FF.net link here - I should put it up on AO3) was translated to Russian, from my own Greek translation. And there was also a translation of Birthday in Spanish but the link doesn't seem to be working.

13. Have you ever cowritten a fic before?

A couple! Apart from taller than the trees which I've already mentioned, I'd cowritten a fic for L&C with my friend Raquel.

14. What's your all-time favorite ship?

JILY!!!

15. What's a WIP you want to finish, but doubt you ever will?

My old WIP Through Times Of War. It was my attempt to write Book 7 before DH came out. I still remember my plans for it, I had an ending and everything, but I'm just not interested in that era anymore.

16. What are your writing strengths?

A good grasp of grammar, vocabulary, flow - the technical aspects. My writing always looks very polished.

17. What are your writing weaknesses?

Coming up with a good plot/what happens next.

18. Thoughts on writing dialogue in another language for a fic?

I've done it once - had Fleur and her family fight in French about Bill, in listening range of the Weasleys. I think that, if you're going to write dialogue in another language for a fic, it has to serve a narrative purpose. I don't like it when characters speak in another language or drop random words/endearments just to show off the writer's headcanons about where they're from.

19. First Fandom you wrote for?

Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman.

20. Favorite fic you've ever written?

Depends on your definition of favourite, but the one I'm proudest of is probably Are You Experienced?

Tagging @athenasparrow, @charmsandtealeaves, @kay-elle-cee, @jamesunderwater (if you haven't been tagged already!)

[tarisilmarwen]

Rebels Rewatch: "The Forgotten Droid"

Chopper goes on an adventure and makes a friend!

Already putting our Quasar to good use I see.

And Hera's using the map data from the ritual in "Legends of the Lasat", nice nice, love that that little element came back.

Hi Ketsu, not that it's not nice to see you but again I am sorely missing the legwork behind why you're buddy-buddy with the actual legit Rebellion this time. And NO the Forces of Destiny shorts do not count, you can't rely on outside material to fill in the gaps for you in a story that you're supposed to be telling in the main work.

The Sequel Trilogy was really bad about this and frankly some of the live action shows suffer a bit from this as well *coughbookofbobafett*.

Rebellion immediately running into the logistics problem that their carrier needs a lot of fuel, lol.

You know what I'm going to say, this is a really pretty location.

-squint- Do we revisit this station in "In The Name Of The Rebellion" or did we just reuse these assets?

Sabine patting Chopper on the dome. <3

Lol Chopper just full-body yanking on Ezra's leg to get his attention. And then Zeb and Ezra roasting Chopper. Such a sibling thing to do. XD

Chopper shows a remarkable array of emotion for an orange box.

Oh hey a fanfare! Haven't had one of those in a while.

Subtle animation appreciation moment: Leftover smoke from Chopper's rocket following his wake.

Offscreen blaster shots immediately after the scene where Kanan cautions them to do things quietly lololol.

I love this gag. This episode is hysterical.

The little "arm movements" with Chopper's manipulators is really good, like right here it's a very clear, "Uhhhhhhh-oh." gesture.

Lol the Stormtroopers immediately assuming that the leg strut theft and the fuel theft are related.

I mean they are but still.

I really like this location.

These background Stormtroopers sound so tired at the constant Rebel activity lol.

Right, at this rate I'm just going to be laughing at everything I guess.

AP-5! I love him, he's so deadpan and anal-retentive about everything.

People are so mean to the droids in this universe sometimes.

And thus begins a beautiful friendship. <3

You can absolutely make out Chopper's dialogue in this episode.

Chopper and AP-5 bonding about being in the Ryloth campaign. <3

Oh hey, more examples of the Empire as the bloated state wasting useful valuable resources on menial tasks. (Applicable!)

Awww AP-5 telling his first lie.

I love the sheer Looney Tunes silliness of how Chopper "fights" the officer.

"Still a terrible plan." AP-5 how I love you.

Chopper's triumphant dome twirl when they jettison the cargo and troopers. <3

"No, the first one to the bridge is not the captain!" Chopper is an actual child lololol.

Ooooh that pissed look on Hera's face, ha ha.

Ezra still not enjoying leaving people behind.

They don't have time to debate it further as the Empire found Phoenix cell in the middle of its wandering through open space. (How it's not revealed but I don't blame people back when this first aired for thinking there was a mole and it was Ketsu, since she's the one who suggested the Yost system which we later find out was already compromised.)

AP-5 pettily dropping the leg so he can cheat and take the captain spot LOLOLOLOL.

Chopper calling AP his friend awwwwwwwww.

Ketsu's assistance gets the TIEs off their back long enough to dock with the stolen fuel.

"You owe me one." I mean... she really doesn't.

Hera just looooves her exciting landings huh?

Hera fullnaming Chopper lol.

AP-5 already being super useful to the Rebellion by relaying that Yost is Imperial-occupied and finding them a new planet on the fly.

LOL Chopper just whapping the officer with the leg.

Awwwwwwww AP-5! Choosing to help Chopper and calling himself Chopper's friend in return. <3

Ooof, ah yep, he dead. With a blunt force hit like that to the chest and head that officer is definitely 100% dead.

:((((((((

ATOLLON, YAY!

AP-5's okay! :D

Lol the confused looks on Kanan, Zeb, and Ezra as the droids immediately fall to bickering.

Droid shenanigan episodes can be hit or miss (see TCW fandom's hatred of the droid arc) but this is all win material for me, Chopper making a nuisance of himself is hilarious and adorable and his budding friendship with AP-5 makes the episode unexpectedly heartwarming in places.

Plus! We resolve that pesky season-long problem of needing a safe base and collect another ally. AP-5 doesn't get to come to Lothal alas, but I'm sure the Alliance put him to very good use doing inventory on Yavin. :)

Gonna see if I can knock out "Mystery of Chopper Base" today too.

[cilil]

20 Questions for Fic Writers

Tagged by @verecunda. Many thanks! ^^

1. How many works do you have on AO3?

Currently 91.

2. What’s your total AO3 word count?

257,032.

3. What fandoms do you write for?

At the moment Tolkien only.

4. What are your top 5 fics by kudos?

Bedtime, Little Flame (Angbang)

Through a Thousand Dreams (Angbang)

5 Times They Gave Gifts & 1 Time They Gave Themselves (Angbang - hey look @verecunda a familiar one XD)

My Beautiful Servant (Angbang)

Through Ice and Fire (Angbang)

Hmm. Interesting. I think people like the Angbang :D

5. Do you respond to comments? Why or why not?

I respond to all comments... sooner or later. Or at least try to. Sometimes I lack either time or social battery, but I always see the comments as they come in and appreciate them (regardless of how long it takes me to express that)🤍

6. What is the fic you wrote with the angstiest ending?

I think that would be ... and in the darkness bind them. It's not too angsty for Olórin/Gandalf who is the POV character in this, but for Melkor and Mairon it's very tragic (we all know what happened).

7. What’s the fic you wrote with the happiest ending?

Hard to say. I think most of my fics either have a happy ending or are just PWP... I'm going to go with The Rogue Royal Wedding which ends on a high note with wedding and all (who would've guessed :P).

8. Do you get hate on fics?

Not really. I don't think anything I do is relevant enough for that... all I had so far was some random homophobia in my Tumblr inbox.

9. Do you write smut? If so, what kind?

Oh yes. Oh yes I do. A lot. Soft sex, dead dove, anything in-between, you name it.

10. Do you write crossovers? What’s the craziest one you’ve written?

I had an idea a while ago, but ended up not writing it.

11. Have you ever had a fic stolen?

Not that I know.

12. Have you ever had a fic translated?

I've had offers, but I had to decline because I wasn't comfortable with the way I was approached.

13. Have you ever co-written a fic before?

I'm doing it as we speak! Stay tuned for that ;)

14. What’s your all time favourite ship?

You're going to be shocked, but it's Angbang.

15. What’s a WIP you want to finish but doubt you ever will?

The one WIP I know is dead for sure is the long fic for a different fandom that I no longer want to write for. A shame really. I have some 5+ years old Silmarillion WIPs too, but I do plan on rewriting those.

16. What are your writing strengths?

I think I'm good at coming up with and exploring all sorts of different dynamics.

17. What are your writing weaknesses?

I lack some practice with long/longer fics. I think I could pull it off, at least once I work on that, but the other issue is that I need something new and fresh regularly so it's also hard for me to stay motivated.

18. Thoughts on writing dialogue in another language in fic?

It could be neat for atmosphere or flavor, but shouldn't come at the reader's expense, as in the author needs to make sure a translation is provided or some sort of other way to understand what's going on - unless, of course, the entire purpose was that something is being said that the POV character doesn't understand.

19. First fandom you wrote for?

Hmmm... my first writings were technically fandom stuff, but also not because it quickly evolved into my own work so...

20. Favourite fic you’ve written?

Genuinely no idea. There are always new projects I end up loving. Tags: @maironite @i-did-not-mean-to @curufiin @fraeuleinfriedhof @demonscantgothere @a-world-of-whimsy-5 and everyone else who wants to! Tell me something about yourself, beloved friends and mutuals!