#general maximus is a character who can be so personal

[wildsaltair]

on my knees begging him to give me some commands and then immediately enforce them

[streets-in-paradise]

Gladiator ll crafted a rivalry for the main heroes splitting the two stages of Maximus' character, exactly like Troy did when trying to emulate the first Gladiator.

Tags: @wildsaltair

GLADIATOR ll SPOILERS BELOW

This won't have the lenght this topic requires, but is the first thing I wanted to touch because I noticed it inmediately.

Given you know I am a huge fan of Troy, Macrinus didn't have to compare Lucius to Achilles in direct callback to the " Hector reborn" comparison Maximus received for me to cook this idea in the back of my mind through my first watching. The Lucius vs Acacius fight on the arena only solidified this perception that kept growing on me as the film advanced, and is that the sequel emulated the original in the very same way Troy did when trying to copy its success twenty years ago.

Taking advantage of some superficial similarities in the original characterization of the heroes from the Iliad, Troy crafted two lead heroes from the one of Gladiator: Hector, shaped in General Maximus, and Achilles, very obviously inspired in Maximus as his gladiator persona. In this last case, the callback is so obvious that the movie has its own version of the "Are you not entertained?" moment in the " Is there no one else?" the warrior yells at the enemy crowd after he easily took down their strongest man. These two men tecnically have an enemy in common, villian that comes from the political plot of the film, but war has put them against each other when one suffers the loss of a loved one in the hands of the other. The narrative shows very explicitly that the good commander didn't feel proud of his actions, but the bloodthirsty warrior can only think of revenge untill killing his opponent.

Stopping the movie's summary here, what I find interesting to revisit is the way the rivalry was constructed. There are no good guys vs bad guys in the Achilles vs Hector fight. Brad Pitt himself, on the film commentary, said that it was presented in a way that keeps you rooting for both. Hector and Achilles are heroes, and it's tragic that they are going to fight. Their true enemy is Agamemnon, who is actually going to profit from this battle when Achilles would take down his first great obstacle to conquer Troy. In fact, it's stated before that at the beggining of the film Agamemnon trully feared Achilles could side with Troy, so he is the only winner here. Seeing all the paralels between the heroes bringing them closer and closer despite their differences, you are left to wonder " This could have worked, if Hector and Achilles would have meet differently/ had an oportunity to see they could be on the same side". They even share a connection with a woman too! Briseis is the cousin of Hector, and Achilles' love interest.

Isn't this the exact same feeling that Lucius and Acacius give you, untill the general manages to convince the prince turned gladiator that he is not his enemy? They accomplished what Achilles and Hector couldn't, but it's too late because the good general will die anyways and chaos will be unleashed from this point. In one movie, this leads to the fall of Troy, while in the other it's implied Rome was saved after all once the villians fall because Lucius continues the task Acacius started.

I find fascinating how, willingly or unwillingly, this sequel's startpoint to recycle from the original follows the same central idea in one of those movies that tried to be like the original back in the day :

Split Maximus' character journey in two characters, and put the two halves against each other for personal reasons that deviate from a political trama where otherwise they would be two potential allies.

[findher-ogg]

I have seen so many people fangirling and worrying about New Vegas and its endings in relation to the TV show (which you shouldn't be, you can simply ignore it! Your canon is cooler!) that I've been saddened to see almost nobody discuss my two favourite possibilities for season two: the fact that it may be paying homage to the first game and Tactics.

Lucy is obviously the Lone Wanderer -- she's looking for her dad and is happy go lucky and naive, etc, like many of us first playing Fallout 3. Over the course of the season, she becomes hardened, gaining more resolve after intimately discovering the horrors of war and the role her own father plays in them.

The Ghoul is, as close as you could argue, much the same except for the Sole Survivor. He is an angry, grieving parent who just wants to get his daughter back. Except, unlike the Sole Survivor, he's allowed to do some genuinely abhorrent things. He commits a bit of casual mass murder and cannibalism, but it's all good. Standard for your wonderfully contrasted evil karma character, and why he's so interesting in comparison to how he was before the war. Many people roleplay their Sole Survivor much the same.

But Maximus hasn't been obviously assigned a protagonist he clearly pays homage to, due to how original his own plotline is and how he is just generally disliked or ignored by the fandom simply because he is socially awkward and black. Max is my favourite, and I'm not going to be shy about this -- I love that awkward young man with every fibre of my being. He's funny! But, as much as I'd like to be, I am not here to defend Maximus from a certain subset of fans in the same way I do with Preston. I am instead here to propose which protagonist he is equivalent to: the Warrior, from Fallout Tactics.

I've yet to play Tactics personally, but I am familiar with the plot and how it's essentially schrodinger's canon. Aspects of it are canon, like the Brotherhood's usage of airships or their presence in Chicago fending off super mutants. Others, less so. Like Vault 0.

For those not in the know, Vault 0 is, to my understanding, a vault located in Colorado that hosts a device known as the Calculator. Calculator is an incredibly advanced supercomputer that manages all of Vault-Tec's vaults. The computer is powered by the cryogenically suspended brains of pre-war geniuses. Do you see where I'm going with this?

In Tactics, the Brotherhood move in to secure Vault 0 and take Calculator out of the picture. There's even a character named Maximus (who is a Paladin!) who aids the player's squad in the final battle against it.

I think that Maximus' mission in S2 is going to be a retelling and recanonisation of Tactics' plot, shifting its place in the timeline to post FO4. I mean, it makes sense given standards and precedence set by S1. Vault-Tec cryogenically suspended their best managers to selectively breed the best customer service people in existence, which obviously backfires as both Lucy and Norman unravel the truth in different ways. Vault 31 is even taken care of by a brain on a roomba!

So I'm not saying it's out of the question for Max's B-plot in season 2 to take us on Tactics' plot, and to potentially show us that that is where Barb and Janey have been the whole time. It'd get a bit dark depending on how deep they get into the territory, but Barbara Howard is so high up at Vault-Tec that she knows their most closely guarded secrets and speaks at investors meetings. She could likely have surrendered her brain to power whatever equivalent to Calculator they end up using.

I think they may end up dropping the Colorado plot thread, though, depending on how things play out. Even if Colorado is frequently referenced by various NPCs (especially Ulysses) in New Vegas, there's a chance they may move Vault 0 to California or Nevada. Maybe have it sub in for Area 51, who knows? I'm not a fly on the wall in that writer's room.

The Brotherhood's story in this show in general just seems to be full of homages or references to classics; I'm fully convinced that Knight Titus (you know, the guy who lost to a level 10 yao guai?) was named after Titus Interactive, the studio that bought out Interplay and subsequently bankrupted them. As a tongue in cheek reference, but one I can't ignore.

And what about Fallout 1? Well. I don't know if anyone noticed because it's a ten second gag that never gets brought up again, but Vault 33's water chip is broken! And even if they've relocated half of the Vault to 32 by this point, that still doesn't actually solve the problem. Hell, 32 may also have a broken water chip! My slightly more crackpot theory is that Chet's going to have a C plot where he ventures out to find a replacement water chip, a la the Vault Dweller. The director of the show seems to be a fan of the Interplay trilogy, after all.

I'm sorry if this sucks, I've had this rattling around since seeing the set leaks and it's 1am. Not proofreading this. Hope it makes sense, I may revise certain points in the future because I've not watched the show since it came out and thus spurred me into playing the games in the first place. But still! That's my theory! I'm moreso banking on Maximus Tactics than the latter, but still.

[theneptuneflytrap]

Rating Every G1 Quote: Headmasters

I'm starting with the headmasters because...because I want to

Fortress Maximus: "Prepare for war, but strive for peace," 9/10 literally just the autobot code, docking one point for irony.

Chromedome: "A battle plan is only as good as its programmer," 8/10 hes the leader of the headmasters... hes a programmer... I get it. kinda lame but so is he so thats fair.

Brainstorm: "The strongest tyrant cannot crush freedom of thought," 10/10 killer line, no notes

Hardhead: "Its either MY way-or No way," 5/10 booooring also I honestly cant really see him saying this.

Highbrow: "War is the playground of the ignorant," 10/10 pretentious as hell but also slay I love the energy.

Scorponok: "Kindness is no virtue...and cruelty is no vice," 8/10 you had me at the first part i'm not gonna lie. Can 100% see him saying this.

Weirdwolf: "My pleasure with my enemy's pain comes," 7/10 ok evil yoda. Kind of boring but the way he talks gives it personality.

Mindwipe: "Just one look from me and you've lost," 9/10 overconfident but totally in character. He would say this and immediately lose.

Skullcruncher: "Autobots are like bad fuel -- weak and greasy," 4/10 no comment.

Nightbeat: "Truth is revealed in the smallest detail," 6/10 I mean yea it is you're right.

Siren: "Act first, ask questions later," 5/10 BORING you and hardhead need to go back to the drawing board PLEASE.

Hosehead: "If at first you don't succeed, keep trying," 6/10 *sigh yall have got to be more creative. giving him one extra point because its cute and I know hes trying his best.

Fangry: "Leaders are for fools who need to follow," 8/10 I see the vision It would slay if he reworded it just a little bit.

Horri-bull: "Smash all that stands and trample the rest," 5/10 generic ahh Decepticon quote.

Squeezeplay: "Place brawn before brains and victory is yours," 7/10 YOURE A SABOTEUR (with an intelligence of 5 so this tracks actuallly).

[oseytorvan]

I kind of like the idea of the Big Four. Four main characters with similar problems and goals. The plot focuses on platonic relationships, not romantic ones. The characters are independent of each other and equally interesting… In general, it would be cool to write something silly about the adventures of Merida, Hiccup, Rapunzel and Jack.

But I can't get rid of the feeling that Hiccup wouldn't be a full-fledged member of this company. We have Rapunzel, who has the ability to gather people around her – she made friends with a pack of robbers, arranged dances in the city and promoted the truce of Eugene and Maximus. We have Merida, which would be nice to see in a friendly relationship – "Brave" was completely focused on family ties. We have a lonely Jack who desperately wants to be part of the group – at first, Jack was rude to the Guardians only because they tried to make him a pawn in the war with the Pitch Black; when their relationship began to warm up, Jack wanted to become his own. These three have a well-prepared ground for close friendship. But what about Hiccup?

Contrary to popular belief, Hiccup's loneliness is not negative. This is not forced loneliness, like Jack or Rapunzel. Yes, he was ostracized and wanted to be accepted, but after getting what he wanted, Hiccup did not become the soul of the company. Instead of fighting for the black sheep with other Hooligans Hiccup prefers to do what he loves. Alone. Leaving Berk for costume testing and mapping, Hiccup and Toothless do not invite anyone with them (according to Dean Deblois, Astrid often traveled with them, but she does not look like a person who needs an invitation).

The Big Four can do common business be interested in similar things. They could do internships abroad together, ride motorcycles, search the Egyptian pyramids and the like. The fact is that Hiccup would prefer to do it alone (or with Toothless). Instead of participating in motorcycle racing, he enjoys speed and solitude. In the middle of the night, he has crazy ideas, and he leaves the house on tiptoe so as not to wake the others. Because he knows that they will immediately run after him.

Someone might object that Hiccup fits in well with the Viking gang (Astrid, Snotlout, twins and Fishlegs). The fact is that they have a "team" friendship rather than a "family" one. They don't really share each other's interests. They became friends not because they are similar, but because they were brought together by the struggle with the Red Death. It's not bad, it's just what it is.

I see the Big Four more disconnected than we used to think. We have Hiccup, who decided to pull off another adventure alone. We have Jack, Rapunzel and Merida who pick up on this idea. A little rivalry, if you like.

[audreyscribes]

Random, but with neurodiversity being so built into pjo from the beginning, i always wondered what it would be like for a character to have oppositional defiant disorder. ESPECIALLY if they were a Roman demigod and got placed into camp Jupiter, a place we know thrives on authority and rigid structure.

Had to take some time to educate myself further on ODD first but it’s not comprehensive. Going to be a bit serious for this ask. DISCLAIMER: While I have been told I have neurodivergent(-like) traits, I never have been officially diagnosed. All observations will be based on my own reading, research, and personal experiences and are not law. Take my words with a grain of salt. 

Considering ODD has been said to co-occur with ADHD among other mental health illnesses, I’m surprised we didn’t see more explicit evidence of ODD; unless we count that is Percy Jackson, however mild or extreme that behaviour is. For as much as he can/does respect the gods and other adult figures when they’ve proven themselves,(i.e. his mom, Paul Blofis, Hestia, Hecate (sort of??) he does show defiant behaviour that comes out as bitterness, snarkiness, and etc, to gods that are arrogant and untrustworthy adults (No examples given because we know who they are.) 

I know Percy has an issue towards alcoholism, maybe because it reminds him of Smelly Gabe which he wasn’t too welcoming towards Mr. D in the earlier books, but it is a trigger for ODD. Doesn’t help he’s constantly stressed and tired we see from the pressure of everything in the books and is only offsetted? Lessened? Mitigated? By his strong support group of his family and friends.

And if we’re allowed to say Percy has ODD-like behaviour in the books, we’ve seen what that’s exactly like for a ODD demigod in Camp Jupiter through Percy’s entire time in The Son of Neptune book. If not, increase the intensity of such behaviour for further imagination and for the sake of this ask. 

It certainly wouldn’t help if there were individuals like Ocatavian around who pushed his authority as the legacy of Apollo and as the augur, while also arrogant self appointing himself as Pontifex Maximus. I myself got annoyed Ocatvian’s authoritative figure myself to make that observation.

I’m not sure Lupa would even let the ODD demigod go to Camp Jupiter because it wouldn’t serve them and the New Rome any benefit, and redirect them to Camp Halfblood (Shhhh let me believe Chiron and Lupa have been exchanging demigods when they can for their own good). 

Then again, Lupa might approve this behaviour because they won’t let themselves be treated lesser and known when they fight against those; as long as they can work alongside the pack, then I feel like it’s all good. If they do better with Lupa, maybe she lets them stay or work with the Wolfhouse then say Camp Jupiter. 

(I don’t know the deep dynamics of wolf behaviour and wolf pack behaviour but I’m only assuming).

However, we do see in Camp Jupiter that while structurally it is rigid and authority, it might help because the authority is usually given by their respective rank that is earned through achievements and other reasons, so it's understandable? It's just those who abuse it and run with it as a golden card like Ocatavian that it doesn’t help. 

Otherwise, there is structure and routine that Camp Jupiter and New Rome are famous for, that would help with those with ADHD. And like we see those in the Fifth Cohort and once Octavian’s presence was no longer there. 

That said, I feel like if a demigod was diagnosed with ODD, it's better in Camp Half Blood with how rigid things are and generally laxed they are in comparison to Camp Jupiter. It also helps that at Camp Halfblood, for all that Dionysus says about being disrespectful to the gods, he is lax with the ODD-like behaviour we’ve seen that were directed at him. Is this because he was once a demigod? Is this because he’s the god of Madness (which can be translated to mental illness from Ancient Greek terminology to modern English language)? 

Who knows? but Mr. D rarely (unfairly) pushes his authority onto others unless he is directly challenged in a threatening manner or in his domains, so maybe this is best. Not to mention Mr. D is there and if the behaviour is starting to lead to self-destructive behavior to the demigod, Mr. D and Chiron would intervene to help prevent that from happening.

But that’s just my opinion. Just because you have ODD or any other neurodivergent individuals, it doesn’t mean it has to be one way or another, and your own personality and experiences are also a constant factor in every changing case by case scenario, and how you interact with your environment and peers; how you also can manage and balance/offset stressors in your life with things you find enjoyable or directing negative emotions into a healthy outlet. This is also just an outside perspective to a general scenario, which can be very different then say if this were a real life scenario with interactions of various people, structures, the joys and stresses you may experience. Anyways, I tried my best and hoped this was alright. Thanks for reading and hope you all have a good day! 

LINKS: 

https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/oppositional-defiant-disorder/symptoms-causes/syc-20375831

https://www.psychologytoday.com/ca/conditions/oppositional-defiant-disorder

[flightfoot]

Okay, now I sort of want to know what Gabenath and Feligami fics you can recommend to someone who's new to those ships?

So fics that'll help to sell you on the ships...

I'll do Feligami first, there's really only one that I can think of that I think would help sell you on it. There just aren't that many fics for it yet. It's a side ship here, but a pretty prominent one, and one that gets all of its development WITHIN the fic, so I thought it was good for this. Also this is just a fantastic fic more generally.

one does not love breathing by @wackus-bonkus-maximus

All of Paris watched as Hawkmoth murdered Chat Noir, taking the Black Cat Miraculous for himself. Ladybug swears revenge, but her enemy—and every miraculous in his possession—disappear without a trace. Six years later, a new team of villains launches an attack for the last remaining Miraculous: Volpina, armed with new powers; Queen Bee, with questionable loyalty; Argos, the new holder of the Peacock Miraculous; and Cat Walker, who Ladybug hates the most. Takes place after S4 - Strike Back.

Felix is a tricky character in here, with his motives and methods concealed - you don't find out what's going on with him until later on. That's true for most of the characters in this fic though who are ostensibly on Monarque's side, things aren't always as they seem.

So then Kagami gets close to Felix, trying to figure out what's going on with him...

I just love how the two of them mentally spar with each other, challenge each other, and protect each other, though Kagami also doesn't let Felix go too far. It's an awesome relationship!

---

As for GabeNath, there's a lot more fics for it, over a thousand in fact. But there's one series in particular that I'd recommend for it.

Butterflies Don't Speak by @fallingpapillon

Nathalie gets struck with an akuma. Her mind gets sent a year into the future. She starts to live her days backwards up to the day she was akumatized. Gabriel and Nathalie fall in love with each other backwards. For doctor who fans, you know the Doctor and River Songs? It’s like that but Gabenath and ACTUALLY reversed timelines and instead of “spoilers” its “butterflies dont speak”

There's actually two main fics for this, one following Nathalie's perspective, and one following Gabriel's, as both of them go through the timeline in opposite directions. It's a fascinating set-up to read, The two fics were originally published simultaneously, with readers seeing what happens at both ends of the year and then finding out what happened in the middle later on, so you might want to alternate reading chapters. I loved seeing how their relationship developed even when they were heading in opposite directions, had to watch the person they love drift away from them as they got nearer to the end of their own timeline, and the beginning of the other person's.

[thevoicefromanotherworld]

AMICITIA ET OFFICIUM (I)

This is the first chapter of my new fic with Commodus as the main character. Since I end Panem et Circenses the other day, I had to write a fic with my beloved emperor.

I hope you like it!

Maximus had returned undefeated from his battle in Germania.

His soldiers entered the huge tent that the emperor's servants had set up for his return with a bang.

Aurora hurried to carry a tray with glasses of wine among the attendants, when suddenly the room fell completely silent. The man who had entered the tent looked at the others with a serious and stony expression.

No one dared to move as he scanned the room for the person he wanted to talk to. He approached the general of the Phoenix legions and, maintaining his indifferent attitude, said:

-It is my duty to congratulate you on your achievements, my friend –he added with a hint of irony- if it had not been for you, that territory would not have fallen and my father would no longer have land of his own

-Thank you –Maximus replied, holding his gaze- I hope that I am now allowed to return home, since I have fulfilled what I had been ordered to do

-Of course –the other smiled- you can go, your debt to my father has been settled

-I had no outstanding debt with him –Maximus corrected- my men and I have won this battle for the good of Rome and its citizens –he said- you know that I respect and admire your father more than I can express with words, that is why I trust that you will learn from him just as I did

-I will –he murmured, sketching a false smile- now it is time to celebrate

The men of the legion burst into cheers, at the same time She reached for several glasses from Aurora's tray.

As she poured the wine into new glasses to share, she allowed herself to observe the two men.

Maximus was the very embodiment of kindness, righteousness, and respect. Whereas Commodus, she remembered his name, was the complete opposite.

Everyone had heard the conversation she had had with the general, so it was no surprise that everyone had their own theories about what would happen next.

Aurora had no doubt that Commodus would try to kill her father at the first opportunity. If he did, all his power would become hers.

What she didn't know was that Marcus Aurelius had had a talk with Maximus before the festivities began, in which he told him that when he died, he wanted him to be his heir instead of Commodus, his son, his blood.

The young woman knew this information because one of her friends (also a servant) was passing by to carry out her morning chores, when she heard them talking.

Aurora told her that she had taken too much of a risk. If she had been caught… she didn't want to even think about what would have happened.

She walked between the tables with a new tray in her hands. The men approached to take the glasses, or made friendly gestures with their hands for her to come closer.

Despite being surrounded by them, Aurora felt safe. These men were not like the others, even if they were too drunk or tired, they never lost respect for women like her, and that was something worth thanking for.

She could not say the same about other situations she had found herself in.

Despite his reluctance, Commodus sat with the general at one of the tables. It was clear that neither of them enjoyed the other's company, but they both agreed that they should show some unity to their men, to make them see that, despite how they felt about the other, there was still a slight spirit of unity between them.

Aurora watched as they chatted, well, it was more like Commodus who talked and Maximus who listened. It was clear that he was not in the mood to talk, which is why she decided to approach him to bring him some fresh air.

As soon as he noticed her approach, Maximus' gaze softened and he smiled kindly.

-Aurora -he greeted- How are you?

-No better than you, of course - she observed, making him laugh - I thought I'd bring you something to drink

-I appreciate it - he said, taking one of the glasses that he had on the tray - so much talking has left my throat dry - he took a sip before leaving it on the table, he glanced at the emperor's son, who was watching her attentively - I see that you didn't know each other

-I haven't had the pleasure - she answered, sketching a false smile at the other man - my name is Aurora

-Commodus, future emperor of Rome - she added, as if she wanted to make things clear-

They both looked at each other for a moment, his bright green eyes resting firmly on hers.

A soldier approached them, breaking the tense moment that had suddenly formed.

-Sir, the Emperor wants to speak with you - he announced - if you would be so kind as to accompany me

-Of course -he murmured, pursing his lips in disgust- I wouldn't want to keep him waiting for anything in the world -he stood up and nodded towards Aurora- it was a pleasure meeting you - he said before leaving-

Maximus, who up to that moment hadn't said anything, focused on her and how she was staring at the place where Commodus had gone.

Feeling her gaze on him, she tilted her head towards the general.

-What's wrong? -she asked- Why are you looking at me like that? -she felt her cheek- Is there something on my face?

-Your face is perfect, as always -he added, giving a reassuring smile before focusing on the expression on his face- What's wrong? -he asked quietly- Whatever it is, you know you can count on me

-I know -she murmured in the same way. The general had been her friend for several years and neither had secrets from the other- It's just that I'm worried about the emperor- she confessed, under Maximus' watchful eye- I think Commodus is going to try to kill him

-That's a very serious accusation -the general said- They could crucify you just for suggesting such a thing

-I don't care -she replied decisively- the fate of Rome hangs in the balance. If Commodus kills his father, then what will become of the city and its people?

-I'll keep a close eye on him - he agreed, looking both ways - now you should get back to work. The walls have eyes and ears - he whispered, looking at the crowd -

-Of course - she replied, understanding what he meant, she stood up and made a polite gesture with her head towards him - it's always a pleasure to talk to you, general - she smiled with a smirk-

He nodded as he watched her leave again with the tray in her hands.

The party went on without incident, Aurora continued to serve wine, attentive to any suspicious movement that there might be, but she saw nothing.

Then she saw how Maximus quickly left the tent in the direction of the emperor's. He left the tray on one of the tables and slipped through the people to follow him.

She watched as he moved the cloth aside to enter the adjoining tent. She crouched behind a huge stone.

She looked through the gap in the cloth, just enough to see Maximus confronting Commodus. Three guards were stationed inside.

On the floor was a body.

Marcus Aurelius

Aurora brought her hands to her mouth, holding back the scream that rose in her throat.

She was right, she had killed him, and if she did nothing she would kill her friend too. She knew that Maximus was perfectly capable of defending himself, but a little help always came in handy.

She pulled up her dress to reach the dagger that she had tied with a rope around her thigh, ready to attack if necessary.

-By all the gods -Maximus was saying- you have killed him -he muttered, not quite believing it-

-It was the only way -Commodus answered, looking up at him, the candlelight shining in his eyes-

-The only way to what? -Maximus asked, staring at him intently- tell me

-The only way to have power! -he exclaimed angrily- we both know that he was not going to let me be the next emperor- he explained- I am not as naive as you think- he said- I know that he had told you that he wanted you to be his successor- he looked to the side, where Marcus Aurelius was lying on the ground- now he can no longer renew that proposal

-What are you talking about?- he asked- you cannot do this

-I am the emperor now- he declared- I can do whatever I want, Guards!- he called, and instantly the guards were placed around him- arrest him- he ordered-

Maximus opened his eyes wide, not believing what was happening.

As if he felt that she was there, he looked through the cloth, his blue eyes connected with hers for a few fleeting moments.

When he saw the dagger she carried in her hand, she shook her head, silently telling him to run.

But how could she leave him there, at the mercy of the praetorians? She put the dagger back in the same place she had taken it from, and hurried to get up from her hiding place and run after her horse.

She tripped over her own feet as she ran, and fell to the ground. She quickly got up and started running again, although this time she didn't get too far.

She felt a hand cover her mouth and pull her back.

-If you scream, I'll slit your throat, and you'll never see your friend again -said a voice near her ear- Is that clear?

Unable to speak, Aurora nodded, adrenaline running through her veins frantically, as well as fear. They covered her mouth with a cloth and tied her hands behind her back with a rope so rough that it made her wrists bleed as soon as they put it on.

They walked several meters until they reached the road, where there was a small cart pulled by two horses. Aurora turned her head towards her captor, colliding with a pair of familiar eyes. Commodus didn't bother to say anything, instead gesturing to the riders to move forward.

The clatter of the chariot was the only thing that kept them company until they reached a white-walled residence.

The emperor grabbed her elbow to get her out of the chariot. They entered the luxurious residence at a brisk pace. Commodus gestured for her to sit on one of the divans. Aurora gave him a challenging look and preferred to remain standing.

He approached her again, causing her to take a step forward.

She didn't want him to touch her, she didn't want him to even look at her. She just wanted to know how her friend was doing. Because if she had killed him, she would kill him, without blinking.

-I'm going to take this off you -he pointed at the bandage that covered her mouth- but you have to promise me that you won't scream. If you do, I'll put it back on

Screaming was the only thing she wanted to do, but because of the tightness of the fabric, her lips were cut and bleeding, so she nodded. He undid the knot behind her head and pushed the cloth away with his hand, letting it fall to the floor.

-You're a monster -was the first thing she said when she took it off- What kind of son kills his father, the emperor of Rome?

-The kind of son who is tired of living under his yoke -he answered, staring at her- now I am the emperor and the citizens of this city will obey me, or suffer the consequences

-Like Maximus? -she questioned, tears of rage began to run down her cheeks- Have you killed him too?

He didn't answer, instead he looked at the empty streets for a moment before turning to her again.

-Learn to control that tongue -he whispered- or I will have to cut it off

[percontaion-points]

Gate Crashers chapters 21 & 22

Click here for the rest of the series!

Click to see the rest of the snark & image descriptions

Chapter 21

He took a moment to check on Harris, whose cheek was also pressed flat against the glass like, well, a Peeping Tom. 

This is yet another moment of: when you are an author, you can write literally anything that you want. So why the fuckity fuck would you actively choose to write this?

Maximus’s smile was broader and brighter than a chrome grille. “Thank you for the question, Stan, and I’d say the only polls I care about have girls dancing on them. Next question.”

If this is the author’s attempt to write a witty and charming character… Try going back to school and learning about homophones, dipshit. 

Unable to avoid the inevitable any longer, Maximus leveled a finger at the proverbial eight-hundred-pound gorilla in the room. In this case, it was an eight-hundred-pound gorilla named Buttercup. After several generations of captive gorillas being taught sign language, they eventually organized and demanded citizenship. So the Association for the Advancement of NonHuman Persons was formed. Its membership includes several thousand gorillas and chimpanzees, sixteen herds of elephants, twenty-seven pods of dolphins, and a particularly clever African gray parrot who served as treasurer. Buttercup had recently become a correspondent for Branches & Fruit Monthly, following his award-winning essays “Zoo Employees Fragile. Do Not Wrestle” and “Why You Not Groom Human Children?”

I feel like the author is trying so, soooooo hard to emulate Douglas Adams here. 

The problem, as I keep pointing out… This comes out of left field, and I’m kind of sitting here going… ???? What????

“Oh, come on. With a crew this large, there has to be at least a couple of closet furries. C’mon, folks, raise your hands. We’re all adults here.” The crew looked back at him in muted horror. “Nobody? Well, they’re probably just shy.”

WHY. WHY THE FUCKITY FUCK WOULD YOU FUCKING WRITE THIS SHIT?!

He deftly slid out of the way just as Buttercup’s chair shattered the podium.

Chapter 21 summary: Jeffrey and Harris take a two week shuttle up to where the war ship is currently being built. When they get up there, they meet up with Felix, and some other members of the crew. Everybody else is unimportant background noise… I say knowing full well that this chapter could have been an email. 

Eventually, the crew has a press conference. The reporters ask if it’s really okay to send a ship with completely untested technology out into deep space. They also ask about the weapons on board. For some reason, there are gorillas on the ship. I don’t have answers. 

I think instead of hammering in how little that I laughed, maybe I should start up a count of how many times I wanted to die of cringe. At least that number would keep changing every time. 

Chapter 22

Vel Noric stepped cautiously through the great hallway leading to His Superiority the Kumer-Vel’s chambers.

NO. STOP IT RIGHT NOW. STOP IT. 

“The high-space portal was detected on Earth itself.” 

That did surprise Noric. “That’s not possible. There hasn’t been enough time for any signals from the ship to reach Earth. They can’t have copied the technology.”

 “That is true, yet here we are. One of our reconnaissance platforms detected the high-space portal on Earth’s surface almost half a cycle ago,” said the voice. “So either you can believe that the humans produced a highspace portal domestically or that they have some way to communicate instantly, which the best Lividite scientists ensure [sic] us is impossible.” 

My main question is… Why are they so convinced that humans are this fucking dumb? 

No, really. I want to know. Because we’ve been given absolute OODLES of page time about these aliens, yet still somehow know next to NOTHING about them. 

Jak’el clicked his teeth together. “I’m surprised at you, Grote. We need the barbarians to gin up a healthy panic. Coups are so much simpler if you wait until the population demands one.”

Chapter 22 summary: If I have one complaint about this series, is that there is so much that’s said… But not one single bit of it is spent on things that are actually important. For example, this chapter opens on more than two pages of watching these aliens interacting with one another. However, to what end? What is this accomplishing? Why should the readers even care about this? None of these questions have ever been brought forth, and I’m seriously getting so fucking fed up with it.

Eventually, one of the aliens starts to complain about how his commanding officer ordered him to not completely destroy Maggie. The other alien says that the humans have already opened up an inter-space portal on earth… Which is against all discussion about what the humans can and can’t do. 

At the end of the chapter, it’s revealed that the other alien is literally… uh… I shit you not, two smaller aliens standing on top of one another, and wearing a trenchcoat. Their goal is to goad the one alien into doing his bidding, I guess? Again, a lot of words are said. Nearly a page of this. Yet nothing is ever actually explained to the readers about this. I’ve given up on trusting the process at this point; the author has lost their chance this late into the book. 

[art-of-manliness]

10 Movies That Inspire Thumos

The ancient Greeks believed that the human soul, or psyche, was composed of three parts: reason, appetite, and thumos. While we still understand the first two elements of this triparite model, the concept of thumos has largely been forgotten in the modern day. Interestingly, there is no direct translation for this term in our language.  According to the Greeks, thumos was crucial for andreia (manliness) and was viewed as a complex and powerful energy. It can be described as a person’s life force — the force that instills a lofty spiritedness in the young and an evergreen vitality in the old. Thumos is a source of discernment. It’s related to gut feelings and intuition — what Jeffrey Barnouw calls “visceral thinking” — and also has a prophetic quality, giving you a sense of foreboding about where a decision may lead. More fundamentally, thumos is the motivation that drives a man to take action, strive for success, and fight for what he believes in. It also encompasses his courage, determination, and ability to persevere in facing challenges. It’s the “fire in the belly” that pushes someone to leave behind comfort and security, reject mediocrity, seek honor, and strive to be the best among his peers.  Thumos, in short, is heart. The ancient Greeks would listen to a poet recite the Iliad to fill them with thumos. Men living in Elizabethan times would likely feel thumos course through their veins while watching King Henry give his St. Crispin’s Day speech in Shakespeare’s Henry V.  Today, film is an artistic medium that can inspire thumos in the hearts of men. Below, we highlight ten films that show what thumos looks like when lived out, and more importantly, inspire thumos while you watch them. Whenever you need to get pumped up, queue up one of these films, and then don’t let the feelings they fill you with go to waste: put your renewed spiritedness to work in taking manly action.   Braveheart There’s so much going on in this film that stokes the thumotic fire.  The sweeping shots of Scotland. The stirring bagpipe music. Dudes in warpaint holding broadswords.  But what really sets one’s heart afire after watching Braveheart is seeing William Wallace rouse his men to battle and lead them in fighting for freedom, love, and honor even when the odds are against them. If thumos had a mantra, it would be the movie’s tagline and most famous quote: “Every man dies; not every man really lives.”  Gladiator General Maximus Decimus Meridius was a good man, and good at being a man.  He loved his family and his country, and he had the strength and skill to fight for them.  But most importantly, he was filled with thumos, a spiritedness that moved him to action and to know how to outmaneuver the morally bankrupt Commodus.  Maximus also knew how to inspire others with thumos. You can’t help but walk a little taller after hearing him yell: “What we do in life echoes in eternity!” Warrior Sports movies are prime for inspiring thumos, and perhaps no genre does it better than the boxing film, which places two men directly in the arena to battle it out mano-a-mano. Warrior is an excellent entry in this category and tells the story of two estranged brothers, Tommy and Brendan Conlon, who enter a mixed martial arts tournament for their own personal reasons. Tommy, an ex-Marine with a troubled past, seeks redemption, while Brendan, a high school physics teacher, fights to save his family from financial ruin. Thumos guides both men as they prepare for their climactic confrontation in the ring. Watching them will inspire you to tap more into your own thumos.  The Lord of the Rings  Most of the characters in the Lord of the Rings trilogy don’t have the masculine bravado of those that populate the other movies on this list. But the films still have thumotic verve, and it’s actually no surprise that they do. The author of the books on which the movies are based, J.R.R. Tolkien, was a scholar of the classics and understood the importance of thumos in helping a man do… http://dlvr.it/T2pVBq

[my-world-my-stories]

Voices i like to imagine for my OCS (in all verses)

Wild (Wy'ld) - Rosa Diaz from Brooklyn 99 (What exactly i'm looking for is a voice that sounds raspy but deep, without necessarily sounding monotone. Like if someone smoked ten packs of cigarrettes but it makes them sound badass. This is the closest thing i can think off.)

Cat - Rapunzel from Disney Tangled (A bit cliché but let's be honest, a sweetheart like her would sound like a Disney Princess just because of her singing. Rapunzel is one of my favs so It had to be her.)

Samanta (Sam'Wa) - Shenpai from Shenpai on YT (It's the laugh. Literally ever since the beginning, the one thing Sam always had is that infectious laugh that makes her sound like a kettle on the boiler mixed with a car engine that's about to die. Paired with the voice and her sense of humor, it's a perfect match)

Jully - June from Ginjaninjaowo YT (It's the peppiness and energy for me. A match made in heaven. Pretty sure Jully was also partially inspired by their persona because of the voice. He's one of my faves and i'll always end up associating them with that voice)

Savage (Sav'Kat) - Goliath from Gargoyles (Sav in general is not one to be loud or bombastic, he's more the quiet, reversed and serious type, which are all traits that fit a character like Goliath. They're both badass like that.)

Cletus - Fighlegs from How To Train Your Dragon (Nerdy, shy, may suffer from social anxiety, not one to like confrontation much but in spite of it, they are just a sweet man who love animals and studies them to understand them better. Literally the only difference between them is their body type, with one large and the other is a twink)

Patricia - Mulan from Disney Mulan (I do not have any specific reasons here for this choice other than just 'voice pretty, i like it'. Could fit in for a soft spoken person like her.)

Maximus - Hiccup from How To Train Your Dragon (Pretty sure a good chuck of his character was based around him and they're just lovable nerds that like to thinker and invent machines. Including also being the mature friend that is just so done with his everyone BS, if we include the animated series)

Eddie & Patrick - Kronk From Emperor's New Groove and Launchpad From DuckTales 2017 (Both characters are just the epitome of massive himbos with gold of hearts so there's no arguing why they could voice them. Just different enough to not be the same person, but still similar)

[doctornilayxaksoy-esfahani]

𓂀 𝙱𝙻𝚄𝙴 𝙷𝙰𝚁𝙱𝙾𝚁 𝚃𝙰𝚂𝙺 𝟶𝟶𝟷 — 𝙿𝙴𝚁𝚂𝙾𝙽𝙰𝙻𝙸𝚃𝚈.

"What we do in life, echoes in eternity." ~ Maximus Decimus Meridius, Gladiator (2000)

📜The Meyer's Briggs Personality Test: 𝙴𝙽𝙵𝙹 ~ 𝚃𝚑��� 𝙿𝚛𝚘𝚝𝚊𝚐𝚘𝚗𝚒𝚜𝚝

ENFJ (Protagonist) is a personality type with the Extraverted, Intuitive, Feeling, and Judging traits. These warm, forthright types love helping others, and they tend to have strong ideas and values. They back their perspective with the creative energy to achieve their goals.

People with the ENFJ personality type (Protagonists) feel called to serve a greater purpose in life. Thoughtful and idealistic, ENFJs strive to have a positive impact on other people and the world around them. These personalities rarely shy away from an opportunity to do the right thing, even when doing so is far from easy.

ENFJs are born leaders, which explains why these personalities can be found among many notable politicians, coaches, and teachers. Their passion and charisma allow them to inspire others not just in their careers but in every arena of their lives, including their relationships. Few things bring people with the ENFJ personality type a deeper sense of joy and fulfillment than guiding friends and loved ones to grow into their best selves.

📜The Morality Alignment Test: 𝙻𝚊𝚠𝚏𝚞𝚕 𝙶𝚘𝚘𝚍

A lawful good character acts as a good person is expected or required to act. He combines a commitment to oppose evil with the discipline to fight relentlessly. He tells the truth, keeps his word, helps those in need, and speaks out against injustice. A lawful good character hates to see the guilty go unpunished.

Lawful good is the best alignment you can be because it combines honor and compassion.

Lawful good can be a dangerous alignment when it restricts freedom and criminalizes self-interest.

📜The 5 Love Languages Test: 𝚀𝚞𝚊𝚕𝚒𝚝𝚢 𝚃𝚒𝚖𝚎

Your Love Tank overflows with Quality Time. You prize undivided attention from others. Spending meaningful and uninterrupted time together profoundly impacts your emotional world. Whether it’s in deep conversations or sharing experiences together with a loved one who is fully present and engaged, Quality Time conveys that you are a top priority and deeply loved.

📜The Four Temperaments Test: 𝚂𝚊𝚗𝚐𝚞𝚒𝚗𝚎

The sanguine personality is characterized by a cheerful disposition, lively energy, and a generally positive and optimistic outlook on life. Sanguine individuals tend to be highly social, extroverted, and enthusiastic, often possessing a contagious sense of humor that makes them the life of the party. They are usually creative, imaginative, and tend to be very entertaining.

Sanguine individuals are also spontaneous and can be seen as impulsive at times. They have a tendency to live in the moment, which often leads to them being adaptable and flexible in different situations. They tend to be more interested in the present than in future plans or consequences. This trait, however, can also lead to difficulty in maintaining focus, staying organized, and following through on tasks.

Moreover, sanguine people are often charismatic and are able to influence and inspire others with their vibrant energy and contagious enthusiasm. Their natural ability to create and maintain relationships often leads to a large network of friends and acquaintances.

On the flip side, the sanguine temperament may lack depth in the analysis of situations and can sometimes take things too lightly, even when seriousness is required. This can lead to a tendency towards forgetfulness and disorganization. Their desire for social acceptance and fear of rejection can also make them overly sensitive to criticism.

Overall, sanguine individuals are warm-hearted, buoyant, and carefree, bringing lightness and joy to their environments and interactions. Despite their potential challenges, they have a unique ability to rebound from disappointments with their resilient optimism.

📜Western Zodiac Signs: 𝙻𝚎𝚘

Element: Fire

Color: Gold, Yellow, Orange

Quality: Fixed

Day: Sunday

Ruler: Sun

Greatest Compatibility: Aquarius, Gemini

Lucky Numbers: 1, 3, 10, 19

Personality Traits

Strengths: Creative, passionate, generous, warm-hearted, cheerful, humorous

Weaknesses: Arrogant, stubborn, self-centered, lazy, inflexible

Leo likes: Theater, taking holidays, being admired, expensive things, bright colors, fun with friends

Leo dislikes: Being ignored, facing difficult reality, not being treated like a king or queen

People born under the sign of Leo are natural born leaders. They are dramatic, creative, self-confident, dominant and extremely difficult to resist, able to achieve anything they want to in any area of life they commit to. There is a specific strength to a Leo and their "king of the jungle" status. Leo often has many friends for they are generous and loyal. Self-confident and attractive, this is a Sun sign capable of uniting different groups of people and leading them as one towards a shared cause, and their healthy sense of humor makes collaboration with other people even easier.

Ruled by the Sun, Leo worships this fiery entity in the sky, quite literally as well as metaphorically. They are in search for self-awareness and in constant growth of ego. Aware of their desires and personality, they can easily ask for everything they need, but could just as easily unconsciously neglect the needs of other people in their chase for personal gain or status. When a Leo representative becomes too fond and attached to their achievements and the way other people see them, they become an easy target, ready to be taken down.

The story of the Lion always speaks of bravery. This is an animal fearless and impossible to challenge, hurt or destroy, their only weaknesses being fear and aggression towards those they confront. Living in a cave, a Lion always needs to have one, nesting and finding comfort in hard times. However, they should never stay there for long. With their head high, they have to face others with dignity and respect, never raising a voice, a hand, or a weapon, bravely walking through the forest they rule.

📜Celtic Tree Zodiac Signs: 𝙷𝚘𝚕𝚕𝚢 ~ 𝚃𝚑𝚎 𝚁𝚞𝚕𝚎𝚛

Among the Celtic tree astrology signs the Holly is one of regal status. Noble, and high-minded, those born during the Holly era easily take on positions of leadership and power. If you are a Holly sign you take on challenges easily, and you overcome obstacles with rare skill and tact. When you encounter setbacks, you simply redouble your efforts and remain ever vigilant to obtain your end goals. Very seldom are you defeated. This is why many people look up to you and follow you as their leader. You are competitive and ambitious even in the most casual settings. You can appear to be arrogant but in actuality, you’re just very confident in your abilities. Truth be known, you are quite generous, kind and affectionate (once people get to know you). Highly intelligent, you skate through academics where others may struggle. Because many things come to you so easily, you may have a tendency to rest on your laurels. In other words, if not kept active, you may slip into an unhealthy and lazy lifestyle. Holly signs may look to Ash and Elder signs for balance and partnership.

[rev-levitz]

I do not see movies at the rate I used to, I will fully admit. It's been 7 years since I've been to the art house theater I used to pay a yearly membership for. I do not even really see the big releases anymore. I find Ancient Rome incredibly fascinating, and at worst, I love shlock. So if i'm not having a good time, I can have a fun bad time. My thoughts under the break.

Gladiator II was straight up dogshit. I do not fault any actor, they were all very good. This movies pacing, its writing, its dialogue - all trash. Nothing has room to breathe, nothing feels earned. Its banking entirely on the idea that you didn't watch Gladiator yesterday but feel really fondly about it. It weirdly decides to make Lucius the son of Maximus when he spent an entire movie trying to die so he could be with his wife and son. Denzel Washington's character has so much to do and so little time to do it, to have roots and be established. Lucius is put in the same situation so it becomes fitting they end up as foils and their final encounter is so unsatisfying.

The movie is obsessed with Marcus Aurelius' "ideals" which, if you are being generous, come from a life time of reaping the benefits of Empire and realizing at the very end of his life that "actually, maybe killing people and taking their stuff makes me a bad person. Maybe living this way erodes my soul and the soul of my people." An allusion, perhaps, to real life Marcus Aurelius' reputation as a philosopher. However before he is able to meaningfully pursue abdication and the dissolution of the empire he is assassinated by his son Commodus. Not historically accurate but sure, its a set up. No one in this movie meaningfully interacts with what that desire means, it is too busy wearing the skin of the first Gladiator like a ghoul, prancing around meaningless environments playing at a showcase of culture or multiculturalism. Lucius is naturalized as a Numidian, a kingdom that had not existed in 140 years by the time the movie takes place and had long been an Imperial Province. The movie mentions the gods a lot without investigating or showcasing what they mean to Numidians nor Romans, and the death of Lucius' wife is a stepping stone to giving him a rage that Macrinus (Denzel Washington's character) is supposed to intuitively understand. Macrinus has no characterization outside of power climbing and politicking, so who knows why other than the idea that Rome wronged him. The movie brings back so many characters from the first movie who have nothing to do other than suggest continuity, the entire effort feels wasted. The other new tent pole character, General Acacius played by Pedro Pascal, feels a given rage about the years he spent conquering foreign lands and now desires to overthrow the twin Emperors who are at least fun if not insulting in their characterization. His rage is easily quelled, and he is content to sit most of the movie at the behest of his wife Lucilla from the first movie. He does nothing of note until he dies, which is only noteworthy in that he fills the Maximus shaped hole in the narrative, and that he sets up the movie's macguffin - a Legion ready to march on Rome from Ostia to give enforcing power to Lucius at the climax of the movie. The movie also seems to profess, if it believes anything at all, that femininity is inherent to wealth, power, and excess. The twin emperors, Caracalla and Geta, are effete and made up very reminiscent of Commodus from the first movie but Gladiator II spends no time explaining that Commodus' dynasty (the Nerva Antonine dynasty) has fallen and the Severan dynasty has risen in its place, making it seem as though Caracalla and Geta are extensions of Commodus rather than extensions of Empire. They reflect him in all ways, but made more ostentatious and more trite.

The film feels masturbatory, half hearted, poorly written and understood. It amounts to the sad poof of a cock so spent it has little seed left to give.

[halfawitch-willow]

Silv's Resolutions 2024

(Yes I'm using the same header twice leave me alone I worked hard on it lol)

Write your RPer Resolutions for 2024! (What are some goals for yourself as a writer? Improve descriptions? Plot with more members? Etc.)

Plan ahead a little better. I’m a very in-the-moment kind of plotter, which works for like day to day stuff, but for bigger plots it’s kind of a pain. I really loved doing Willow Shop, but it was super last minute and I would love to have more time for a plot like that to really come together.

Write at least one resolution, or “goal,” that you have as an RPer for your character(s)

Willow: Be more confident! Willow’s starting to come out of survival mode and her personality is starting to come through more, which I’m so excited to explore. I also want to fully expose her as a Magick and have her stop using her concealment stone. Enough people know and she’s slowly letting more people in that at some point keeping the secret is kind of impossible.

Clarion: Get messy. Clarion so far has been really composed and put together, and I really want to explore more of who she is underneath that. I also want her to become more active in town politically and really throw her weight around, so to speak. She came in too late to really do anything about the Eboshi situation, but I definitely want to get more involved in politics with her.

Write at least one resolution IN CHARACTER for your characters. What do THEY want to accomplish or change in the New Year?

Willow: Pass all her classes, keep working hard, don’t fuck up her friendships, figure out this whole fairy thing???

Clarion: Same as it is every year; protect the Hollow and do the best she can for her fairies. 

List one or more characters you have never interacted with that you would like to do so

Maximus - His unintentionally-hilarious-Stick-in-the-Mud personality has captivated me lol

Emira - Willow has had it too good for too long with these Boiling Isles characters lmao, make her cryyyy

Bullseye - I Just Think He’s Neat, and my next character is a Horse Girl so they have so much to bond over lol

Paul - Look he keeps liking Willow’s tweets I need them to meet she needs a mentor with the same fucked up relationship w their magic that she does

Jessie - She and Clarion need to hang out and form a Queens Who Are Too Old For This club lol

Talk a bit about your plotting style – what plots are you most drawn to? Do you prefer to come with a fully-formed idea and plot off that, or throw stuff at the wall and see what sticks?

It honestly depends? I’m a pretty flexible plotter. I do love throwing things at the wall, especially since it gives me a bit of flexibility to add and change things if I feel they’ll fit better. Most of Willow Shop was kind of off the cuff, and as stated above, very last minute. I’m trying to get better about planning out in the long term what arcs my characters are going through instead of just going off of vibes alone.

Talk a bit about character relationships – what relationships are you most drawn to? How do you prefer to approach shipping (if at all!)? What, specifically, are you looking for right now for your character relationships? 

Can I just say how delighted I am that Willow has found like her little group of people? I love the Weed Killers and her relationship with each of them is so lovely. I want her to start to branch out more from that little group she feels safe with and start to blossom into the chaotic lil extrovert she was always meant to be lol.

Clarion needs friends. Just in general. Being a 140+ year old monarch is fucking lonely, man, and there’s like one other fairy that’s even close to her age lol. All of our fairies are babieeeees. Also, she needs rivals. Serious or just for the Bit. I think that could be fun.

Oh boy, I love me a good romance. I have Plans for the coming year that I’m so excited for, especially since I haven’t had a proper RP Romance in a *while*. I’m a romantic at heart and I love the pining as much as I love the domestic stuff, and I really love AU shipping bc it just gives the opportunity to explore more beyond the realms of canon! That being said, I tend to avoid break ups when I can because they’re depressing as hell, and as much as I like to torment my characters, I really don’t want to be stuck in that headspace for too long, so I’m usually in it for keeps when it comes to ships unless we go into it together like “yeah they’re not gonna last, but it’s going to be fun!”

Plotting Exercise! Pick one of the resolutions/goals in #3 and plan a rough guideline to how you could accomplish it. Here’s an example.

Wing It Like Witches - Spring Break Edition!

The Boiling Isles comes to Swynlake! Specifically a bunch of uni students come to Swynlake for Spring Break, including the infamous Boscha. They cause General Mayhem all over town.

WILLOW and EILONWY run into Boscha and her friends in town and get into an argument when Boscha starts on Her Bullshit again, and Eilonwy challenges the visiting students to a Grudgby match to get them to back off once and for all. Stakes are if Willow’s team wins, Boscha and Co leave her alone. If Boscha’s team wins, Willow has to return to the Isles for the summer to be Boscha’s personal water girl.

WILLOW and AMITY work together to teach their friends how to play Grudgby for the match and Willow has a panic attack brought on by Boscha’s reappearance and general Grudgby Trauma

JESSICA helps calm Willow down and they talk about being out Magicks that aren’t necessarily liked or approved of in their respective homes

The Weed Killers get LILITH to act as referee for the match, as well as help them make an approximate Grudgby field near Atlantis Lake

WILLOW, AMITY, and EILONWY face off against Boscha and her team in front of the tow, with HUNTER having to sub in after Eilonwy gets injured. Boscha rips off Willow’s concealment stone, exposing her to the town, but Willow then uses her Talent to pull off the Thorn Vault and beat the opposing team.

WILLOW is now an Out Magick in town and does not wear her concealment stone anymore

[purpleandsilver]

Using StimuWrite: First Impressions

Wherein I typed up this post on the app, exported the .txt file to my OneDrive, and formatted it on Tumblr whilst laying in bed.

First I downloaded it from the official source. Then I explored the other themes. I settled on buying and downloadig one of te extra theme packs in order to have the Clear Crystal theme. I'm running into the problem that the background I want to use- Galaxy Spiral- is making it hard to read text as I type closer to the center of the spiral. I changed to the Outline theme and it seems to help but I wish there was a background that was slightly grey and transulucent. The emojis are cool but mushrooms don't go with the theme. Oh well. I think mushrooms are cute. Hm. Text is getting hard to read because the galaxy spiral is darker towards the bottom. Let me see..... Okay so I switched backgrounds. Dark works okay with Clear Crystal. I just noticed that the emojis isn't just mushrooms like I wanted. I don't like the thumbs up emote randomly showing up. Wait where'd the mushies go. 😟I like the mushies. 😟 Okay so I turned off Emoji Feedback thinking it would get rid of the thumbs up. I don't think it did but I did turn on the lots option. I don't like the hand clapping emoji either. I just want the mushies. Anways, the writing part works fine. Let's explore the fonts.

Right now I'm using Courier Prime. Let's see what else we have. Roboto Sans is basic AF but someone likes it lol. Noto Serif is very in your face serif. I understand why Open Dyslexic was added- for acessability- but omg my ADHD brain hates this font. But I'm glad it's avaible for people who need it. Short Stack is interesting in that I don't know how to describe it. It's... short and handwritingish? Ish. Marckscript are for people who cosplay William Shakespeare characters. It's cursvie so there's a huge generation that doesn't know how to write it. Illegible is definitely for people who want nothing but chaos. I don't and I hate this font with a passion lol. Okay I'm back to my favorite font of all time. Courier Prime really is the number one font ever. It is just so good and I personally believe it pairs well with the keyboard or typewriter sounds.

Speaking of sounds let's try those out. Right now I'm on Typewriter. Now I'm on Bubble. Absoulutely the fuck not. No. Omg I hate this sound. My brain is screaming. And now I'm on Bloop which sounds like a fire alarm and is giving me flashbacks from school days. NO. And here we have keyboard which is like Typewriter but lighter because it's modern. Oh there's one called Ah. OMFG I HATE IT. Just turned on Scribble and I'd rather listen to nails on a chalkboard. Plastic Rustle reminds me of my cat Maximus and how he likes to eat plastic. I see the appeal but no for me. Now I'm on Bubble Wrap. I'm having mixed feelings right now. I don't hate it but I like it. And finally, Drum. No. Just no. And I'm back to Typewriter because it's the best. Most of the sounds are a no for me, but I'm not the only one using them. They're cool but imma stick with Typewriter or Keyboard. Okay now I'm going to close and reopen the program to see if it saves me work. Gonna copy it beforehand though.

Okay it does save your work in a way. I had to change my theme again on start and recovery my session. Interesting. Anyways ratings are arbitary but I think this app is a 10/10 for what it does because I'm almost at 650 words. I wonder if I can get there just by typing mindlessly. I bet I could. This feels very stimulating. I need four more words. Oh hey I'm over 650 words. Nice.

[bee-snail]

For the ask.... I apologize but I'm here asking about crack ships only! So, Zhan Tiri x (presses random tts character generator... gives me Pascal, I'm picking another one... got Maximus, wtf, picking another one...) Captain of the Guard!

I guess Cassandra didn't have enough parent issues already.

Thank you for the ask !!

I'm really unsure of what to reply. I guess I wouldn't want them together under canon circumstances, but in an AU? As an optimist, I believe it'd be really fun to have a push and pull kinda relationship where the only way for them to stay together is either if Captain turns against Corona, or if Ziti gets redemption.

Initially, my first thought was that she'd only be using him to get to Cass, or something of the sorts (which led me to think of a Cinderella-ish AU where Ziti is the Stepmother heh). But now I have a new idea and I got very 👁️👁️

I remember reading a fic once about a Hero and a Villain falling in love; and the climax was that they ended up having to fight, because the villain was unwilling to step down for the hero, and the hero couldn't abandon their duty for the villain. The hero ends up nearly dying by the villain's hand, and that's when they break—they didn't want to lose what they had, didn't want to lose their hero. Villain then gives up their victory to ensure Hero's survival.

Hero survived! But, as they were conspiring with a villain, they had their license revoked; Villain was arrested, and was undergoing a redemption program of sorts. In the end, they both managed to reunite, after losing their roles as Hero and Villain and being able to be just... Them.

Granted, applying this logic to Captain and Zhan Tiri would be 10x more complicated granted that Cassandra exists, BUT the idea makes me very happy. The sheer concept of Ziti finding a real friend, finding she can still love even after the whole Demanitus ordeal, makes me very happy; and knowing that the friend could be Cap, who also looks like he could use a friend, makes it a lot more impactful to me!!

I can imagine Captain being relieved of his post after Ziti nearly destroys the Kingdom, but for his sake (and her general compliance), she isn't sent back to the Lost Realm nor executed. Rapunzel and Cassandra (and Eugene and Lance, really) definitely seem like the type who'd try to form a Redemption Program, and with a little bribing in the sense of ("If you're redeemed, you'll get to see him again before he..."; After all, she is immortal, and can therefore stay arrested for the 500+ years of sentence she got. Cap unfortunately has no such luxury)

Overall a very fun pairing that has the possibility of working out with a few tweaks to canon. Therefore, I ship it !!

- My favorite thing about it is probably how they'd both have to step down from their Hero/Villain dynamic in order to stay together. It sounds very interesting. Another thing I'd appreciate is if Ziti and Cass could actually bond, and if paired with my HC that Ziti used to mentor many magic students throughout the years, she could be almost (almost!) maternal to Cassandra. Plus she could teach her magic.

- An unpopular opinion is... Well, the ship as whole, again. But! I guess my unpopular opinion is that Captain isn't as loyal to Frederic as he believes he is. He may be very loyal to the Crown, but Frederic as a person? As a father, he might understand it, but as the Captain of the Guards, how could he ever be loyal to the man who willingly traded his Kingdom for his family?