#he loves mythology and you can pry that from my cold dead hands

[depressedhatakekakashi]

👀

College professor Au

Gai had originally wanted to study history, but when he took a course on Japanese mythology he found himself falling in love with all different kinds of mythology Japanese Chinese Greek Roman If it's mythology Gai loves it. He can retell all sorts of mythology stories off the top of his head. There's a bookshelf in his home full of books on mythology. If someone were to ask him what his favorite story is, he answers without hesitation that it's the story of Tanabanta. Of Orahime and the cow herder. He loves the star-crossed (literally) lovers and loves discussing it with his class because people have so many different thoughts on it. Tenten is confident that Orihime should be more interested in her sewing because boys are just boring. Lee loves the romance aspect and can always be seen looking Sakura's way when they're discussing Tanabanta and Neji... well he won't admit it but it's also one of his favorite stories as well.

[zemo-dancing]

@pataim, here is your matchup! I’m really sorry but my Tumblr was being weird and I have to copy and paste part of your description. I hope you like it!

Hello! Can I get The Hobbit, Harry Potter, Marvel, DC, and Riverdale ship? 💚

Appearance: She/her. 179,5cm tall, rectangle body shape. Fair skin complexion with quite a few birthmarks. Dyed brown with honey-red highlights, shoulder-length, straight hair with bangs. The left eye is a mix of two colors – a smaller portion of (darker) greyish-blue and a larger portion of hazel; while the right eye is just a (lighter) greyish-blue. Heptagon face shape with two dimples on the left cheek and one on the right cheek (only visible while smiling). A gap between the upper front teeth.

Hobbies, likes: My hobbies are cleaning, writing (re-writing song lyrics, making small notes, writing stories), listening to any type of music, catching up on my favorite films and TV shows, hanging out with friends, going to the cinema, or the club, being out in nature, reading, traveling. I like history, cooking, fashion magazines (or fashion in general), road trips, spirituality, mythology, books, orange juice, previous decades, cottage-core, dark academia.

Overall: Hufflepuff. INFP-T. Bi-sexual. Pisces-Aries cusp sign. “Looks like could kill you, but is actually a cinnamon roll.” A feminist, support LGBTQ+ community. That’s it, thank you!

For The hobbit, I ship you with: Tauriel!

•Tauriel is someone who appreciates a consistent schedule, so it’s easy for her to agree with you on that

•She could listen to you talk about mythology for hours, the stories and lore behind it all fascinates her

•She also prefers to be around her close circle of friends, strangers make her uncomfortable. I can definitely see you two sneaking off to go on nature walks when there are visitors in the kingdom

•She makes it a point to teach you archery, she wants you to be able to defend yourself in case she’s not able to so. Though whoever wanted to hurt you would first have to pry you from her cold dead hands

•Gushy displays of affection aren’t her forte either, she loves to simply braid your hair, while perhaps reading you a story or singing to you in elvish <3

For Harry Potter, I ship you with: Draco Malfoy!

•He is a sucker for matching outfits, you two are the fashion envy of every sorry sap in hogwarts

•He loves to surprise you with trips to beautiful places in the world, from Paris to Dubai, he wants you to see it all.

•He puts on a face in the morning, one that hides his insecurities and doubts with illusions of pride and grandeur. You are the only person he trusts enough at the end of the day to remove that mask

•When he gets nervous, he unknowingly begins to fiddle with the rings on his fingers, you may need to hold his hand and bring him back down to earth

•His favorite days with you are warm spring days down by the lake, the breeze rustling through the newly sprouted leaves, the beautiful creature sat next to him bringing him hope <3

For Marvel, I ship you with: Pietro Maximoff!

•He takes you on dates to the cinema all the time, you’ll have to tell him to shush and pay attention to the movie though, all he wants to look at is you

•He is secretly very domestic, and his heart flutters a little when you’re both doing something simple like cleaning. If you’re cooking he grins at you and then sweeps you towards any open floor, asks you to dance with him, and he proceeds to do a flourishing bow (such a gentleman)

•He speeds though the house often, and sometimes knocks something over, so if a vase inexplicably shatters and there’s no one in sight, just yell ‘PIETRO’ and he’ll appear .5 seconds later and plant a kiss on your forehead with a cheeky grin

•Trips to Sokovia to help rebuild are very important to him, and he wants you to be a part of it too <3

For Riverdale, I ship you with: Cheryl blossom

•You are one of the few people she feels she can have a competent conversation with

•She understands feeling other peoples emotions, and she wants to help you as much as she can. You feel uncomfortable in a certain social situation? She’ll suggest the two of you leave and go to Pops for a shake. You don’t feel up to making a public announcement? She’ll be happy to do it for you.

•She also has a love for fashion, you two will spend hours sometimes online shopping, flipping through fashion magazines, or just browsing through the mall

•She always has some sort of gift for you, whether it’s a shipment of books, gourmet orange juice, or a simple locket/ bracelet for you to wear

•She is very protective of you, she couldn’t stand losing you to anybody <3

I’m so sorry, but I’ve have no motivation or fire to write about DC lately, and I don’t want to give you a half effort ship, so I had to unfortunately cut it from my writing 😭

However, I’d be more than happy to do a substitute fandom from my list, just send me an ask and let me know if you’d like a replacement and which one! Again I’m so sorry. I hope you like your matchups! ❤️

-J

[clovis-enthusiast]

Lotsa Clovis headcanons that you can pry from my cold dead hands

Keep in mind that these are just MY HEADCANONS! None of this is canon unless specifically stated! Feel free to agree or disagree. I juts rlly love my boy and his cabin and will gush about them for hours if given the chance.

Since there is a lot, I’ll put them under the cut so as not to clutter ur feed with my rambling! So uh click ‘keep reading’ to see me babble about my all time favorite character! Hope u enjoy if u read em and always feel free to send me a message about ur own headcanons! (I’m always thinking of more, so this post might be updated every once in awhile!)

He is very French. He was born in France and lived there for a short while before he and his mother (the reason I say mother instead of parent is because it was hinted at in canon that he has a mother. my go to name for her is Camille) moved to the US due to monster related problems. (He has a French last name. Something like Valois is my go to.)

French is his first language but because he moved to the US when he was quite young, he is very fluent in English. He often switches between the two languages when he’s EXTRA sleepy without noticing leading to a lot of confusion (and you can bet that he DEFINITELY swears in French because not many people at camp can understand him when he does. Those who do have a newfound respect and fear for him.)

He was initially a longtime member of the Hermes cabin even though pretty much everyone could guess who his godly parent was.

Was DEFINITELY a part of Luke’s army at one point due to the fact that he looked up to Luke as the older demigod had always treated him like a little brother, AND his godly brother Morpheus was also on Kronos’s side of the war. However, Clovis did not stay with them for long once things began to get bad and returned to Camp Half Blood with time. (Morpheus and Clovis now have a strained relationship.)

Best friends with Lou Ellen Blackstone of the Hecate cabin. They were both temporarily on Luke’s side of the war and were held with suspicion and distrust when they returned to camp, so they tended to stick by each other while the other campers warmed back up to them. Because of this, they are now very close and are always goofing around (much to the annoyance of the other head counselors aside from the Stolls, of course.)

Definitely had a thing for Nico di Angelo in the past. As the two boys are both the sons of underworld gods, Clovis had already felt a certain tug towards him. When he heard Nico’s story from the camp’s rumor mill (thank Lacy and Mitchell for that one) he became utterly infatuated. Over time, his curiosity turned more into a little crush which then became a BIG crush, but as neither Clovis nor Nico are really all that great with normal human interaction, the son of Hypnos’s flirting techniques sort of went unnoticed. That’s why Nico seems to be the only one being pulled into Clovis’s dreams at any given time despite Clovis being a ‘very strong dreamer.’ The truth is that Clovis has full control over who enters HIS dreamscapes. He tries desperately to impress Nico and help him out wherever he can, but when Nico eventually chooses Will to be his boyfriend, Clovis, though a bit sad that his first crush in a long time didn’t share the feelings, is VERY supportive. He loves to tease Nico about how hopelessly head-over-heels the broody teenager is over his sunshiney boyfriend. And if the two were ever to break up for whatever reason in the future? Well, Clovis is definitely still up for a shot.

Clovis and Nico are still VERY close. Clovis is one of the only people that Nico feels comfortable enough to be himself around and often confides in him whenever his negative thinking gets the best of him. Clovis also plays a big part in Nico regaining the memories of his past when he’s ready which he will forever be thankful for. The two obviously spend a lot of time together in dreams and greet one another in a warm fashion whenever they come across each other by chance at camp. This confuses literally everyone because literally no one has ever seen them interact before?? How are they friends?? 

Has HISTORY with Drew. No one is really sure what kind of history (it seems as if there was a little bit of memory erasure throughout the camp on the situation... hm...) but most people speculate that the two shared a romantic relation at one point in time. Turns out, they were NOT compatible, and the whole thing went up in flames. Drew still holds a huge grudge against Clovis who acts as though he could honestly care less. He still treats her politely though there have definitely been some not-so-subtle nasty looks cast across the campfire towards her direction before.

Also very close with Lacy and Mitchell from the Aphrodite cabin. Lacy feels terrible about Drew’s trash-talking and rumor-spreading and eventually works up the courage to say hi. They became fast friends, and Lacy definitely has a bit of a puppy-dog crush on him, but she is much too young for Clovis. He sees her as a little sister and allows her to put makeup on him, do his hair, and even tries on dresses and such just to make her smile. Mitchell, on the other hand, became friends with Clovis out of spite in all honesty and ended up liking the sleepy blond a lot more than he thought he would. He might have a teeeeeny tiiiiiny crush on him. Don’t tell Lacy.

Close with Pollux of the Dionysus cabin. Pollux sees a lot of Castor when he looks at Clovis which is a huge comfort to him. The two counselors have a lot of deep talks late at night, and Clovis always makes sure that Pollux is sleeping well without being haunted by nightmares. Dionysus would never admit it, but he is very thankful that someone cares that much about his only son.

Good friends with Rachel Elizabeth Dare surprisingly! He helps her out often, and the two like to sit and chat about mythology, artwork, and prophecies in the big house and at the campfire.

Has allies and friends in high places. Due to his powerful dreaming, he’s been to quite a few strange places and met quite a few strange people... or you could call them the gods, I guess. He knows a lot of the gods and goddesses from all kinds of mythologies (though obviously more of the Greek ones than anything) and they seem to like him well enough for some reason. (Probably because he’s one of the only demigods who doesn’t want to strangle them and doesn’t mind listening to them complain about petty godly things.) He often has little chats with them where he keeps them updated with the going ons of Camp Half Blood and they keep him updated about... godly drama. He kinda lives for it tbh. It’s part of the reason why he’s so informed about the gods.(Annabeth is maybe just the tiniest bit jealous.)

He’s a year round camper because it would be much too dangerous for him to go back to living with his mother. He stays in contact with her via dreams, letters, and Iris messages though!

MUCH more powerful than he lets on. He just doesn’t like conflict. 

One of his most frightening abilities is the ability to summon terrible creatures from people’s nightmares and use them to fight. He doesn’t like to do this as it can be very traumatizing for the people he uses it against, AND it’s not always a guarantee that the nightmare creatures will obey him.

His other more battle-ready powers are the ability to put an entire battle field into a deep slumber and memory alteration/erasure. He can use his memory alteration/erasure on monsters of weaker defenses AND demigods (though he feels much more comfortable using it on monsters.) He uses these powers to alter how monsters/enemies perceive demigods. Because of this, there are quite a few friendly hellhounds and scythian dracanae wandering about the camp. All of his powers are VERY draining and take a lot of concentration in order to work as intended. He will often sleep for days after a battle because of this.

He is also capable of fighting whilst asleep. In fact, his senses are heightened, and he tends to perform better this way. He also heals much faster while he is asleep. 

It is speculated that he will either grow wings from his head or his back, but it will not happen until he grows older. It’s a rare trait that few Hypnos kids (and Thanatos kids) develop, but due to Clovis’s power level, everyone is pretty much waiting for it to happen.

He can change his appearance at will in his dreams, but his aura is still the same, so he can still be identified pretty easily by people who know him personally. (As a side note, his eyes pretty much change color on their own to reflect the mood of the dreamscape he’s currently in. Gold, emerald, and violet are the most common colors. His true eye color is blue.)

Doesn’t really care about gender all that much. He has absolutely no problem with people referring to him using any pronouns (she/he/they) and is quite comfortable with himself in general. Many demigods who are questioning their gender comes to talk to him about it, and he’s always open to hearing them out and giving them advice.

VERY bisexual. Likes girls, guys, literally anyone who can keep him awake and interested for more than five seconds.

The unofficial official camp therapist.The role used to belong to Will Solace, but the truth is that the son of Apollo is much more comfortable dealing with physical ailments and problems he can fix medically than he is with dealing with feelings and mental ailments. Clovis is a very good listener despite the popular belief that he’s too busy nodding off to actually hold a conversation with properly and has a very calming aura that helps people feel safe enough to be vulnerable with him.

The go to babysitter of camp. Due to his Hypnos kid vibes, he is able to keep even the most rambunctious demigod and satyr children under control. His nap times are legendary. 

VERY big on respecting people’s privacy and boundaries. He tries his best not to enter any dreams uninvited, and he never talks about what goes on in people’s dreams ever. He also NEVER looks into people’s memories without their permission. He makes sure his siblings follow these guidelines strictly.

He literally lets anyone come into the Hypnos cabin at any time to get a good rest. The cabin has an open door policy.

New campers are often allowed to stay with the Hypnos cabin if they’d rather not face the chaos of the Hermes cabin.

Contrary to popular belief, his cabin is actually NOT the messiest cabin. The Hermes cabin wins that one though they’re followed closely by the Ares and Hephaestus cabins.

He and his siblings are some of the closest in the camp. They meet up and hang out in each other’s dreamscapes and have family nights. Clovis is the oldest AND is a head counselor, so he is very protective and responsible when it comes to his siblings.

Gives AMAZING massages. Leo and the entirety of the Hephaestus and Ares cabins are regular customers. Fight me. 

Actually a very good strategist when it comes to battles and such given that he’s awake enough to actually communicate his ideas. If you get them on your Capture the Team game, you’re already doing good. Annabeth and the Athena cabin love the competition, and they’re nearly unstoppable when they work together with him.

Clovis suffers from TERRIBLE narcolepsy, even for a son of Hypnos. It’s gotten him into a lot of bad and dangerous situations such as falling asleep mid battle, mid conversation, and even in the bath once when he was little. He has developed a fear of heights and water due to his condition.

Holds a lot of frustrations towards himself. Frustrated that he ever turned against the camp that offered him a home, frustrated that he couldn’t help Jason restore his memories, frustrated that couldn’t help more in the war against Gaea, just... frustrated. He tries to sleep off these negative moods because he doesn’t like to bring people down.

Absolutely not opposed to cuddling with people who are okay with it (he always asks first!) It’s a surefire way to get a good night’s rest since you’re so close to him, plus he’s very soft and warm!

Has a good singing voice, but just isn’t confident enough with it. He pushes through his insecurities to sing lullabies to those who really need them though. His lullabies are unmatched. 

Adores cats with all of his heart due to their lazy and relaxed nature, but he knows that he could never be able to care for one well enough. 

ALWAYS wears pajamas. Like all the time. Chiron has given up on enforcing the dress code. He also made sure to have custom made camp bracelets instead of necklaces to be sure that none of the Hypnos kids are choked/strangled by them if they happen to fall asleep in a bad place or position.

Lives in the past. Old movies, old music, old slang, you name it. I mean, he practically sleeps for the majority of his life, so it’s not all that surprising that he’s a bit behind the times. He thinks the modern age moves much too fast for him to keep up with.

The demigods of camp take turns making sure Clovis and his siblings are taking care of themselves. Walking them to the showers and dining pavilion, making sure they get a little sunlight each day, and the bare minimum of training.

He is the best boy.That is the only FACT that I do not accept criticism on. Thank you.

[ramblings-of-a-mad-cat]

HPHM Patronus Headcanons

We all have one, and we all have ideas for what the characters would have. Let me know what you guys think too! Rakepick isn’t listed because we already know her Patronus, and I’m probably going to talk about OCs in a different post, or else I’ll add them later once I’ve finally made up my mind.

Rowan Khanna - Aardvark

I’m not the only one who sees it, right? Our wonderful Rowan is quirky and inventive and if they were a wild animal, they’d employ such brilliance and like the aardvark, devise a unique way to catch their food. On a more somber note, Aardvarks are nocturnal and they aren’t pack animals - making them a good symbol for a kid who preferred to stay inside and read rather than help with the farm, a kid who really didn’t have that many friends beyond the people they knew by association to MC. Still, aardvarks are weirdly adorable and if you tell me you wouldn’t pet one, you would be a liar.

Ben Copper - Field Mouse

A small creature that is able and hide very easily, definitely suits a character who was, for such a long time, very timid. A character who knew how to cover his tracks - whether or not he was using such abilities for shady reasons. Mice normally symbolize innocence and modesty, but they’ve also been seen as unlucky before. In more traditional times they were seen as symbols of dark magic, or even the underworld - since they could often carry disease, were hard to capture, and usually came from the ground. Mice do have that dark side, and so does Ben - we’ve seen it in Year Six, and he’s definitely still hiding something. That was never really resolved. 

Penny Haywood - Mourning Dove

This one is pretty easy. Doves have always been seen as a fundamental symbol of innocence. A messenger that comes to banish worried or troubled thoughts, and usher in goodness in their wake. Penny is nothing if not a force for good. Characters like Merula have even lamp-shaded how irritating it is. However, the Mourning Dove in particular is known for it’s melancholy call, invoking the symbolism of losing a loved one. Between Scarlett and Beatrice, Penny has demonstrated that however helpful she is to her friends, she doesn’t know how to deal with her own serious problems. She’s a hopeful, caring person...but there’s a distinct sadness blended in as well. When someone innocent is hurt, the pain is that much worse for them. 

Beatrice Haywood - Chameleon

Beatrice seems to be a person that absorbs a lot from the people she looks up to or associates with. Not just in personality, but in physical appearance too. In Year Five, by her own admission, she was a “Mini Penny” and in Year Six, she takes after Ismelda quite a bit. Chameleons are of course, known for their ability to blend in with their surroundings. It’s their claim to fame. What’s more, the Labord’s Chameleon hatches after the parents have already died, meaning they have to make it without any support from the grownups. Not that Beatrice doesn’t have support, but...the teachers/staff have failed to protect her in the past, and she’s well aware of that. 

Merula Snyde - Cat

Oh, she is such a cat. Few characters come close to being as cat-like as Merula. From her haughty and arrogant nature tying in to how people often see felines, to her actually being very lonely and desperate for love. If you’ve never had a cat, then believe me, they want your attention - it’s just that most of the time they refuse to admit it. Merula is the same way. Because of her upbringing, she seems to gravitate toward being a predator animal, or at least wanting to be one. But also the kind of predator that would play with it’s food and make a game out of it. Think of it this way - given Merula’s background, she wouldn’t know what a laser pointer is. And with her stand-offish personality, she would totally try to investigate it like a little cat. 

Bill Weasley - Koala

The Koala Totem is said to symbolize a gentle nature, and give a calming effect on people. Bill isn’t just the oldest brother to all the Weasleys - he looks out for everyone in the Cursed Vault gang. In general, Koalas are social and easy-going animals who have been known to represent kindness and family. They’re also known for being inactive - which I wouldn’t say that Bill is, but despite his Big-Bro energy, he never really tries to stop MC and their friends when they’re getting into mischief. He didn’t stop Harry from trying to make a deal with Griphook either. He just kinda lets people do their own thing most of the time, or comes along if he’s invited.

Charlie Weasley - Dragon

What can I say? I couldn’t resist. Sure, it may be unlikely that he would actually have a Dragon for a Patronus, but we do know that such a form is possible. Just very rare. Well you know what? This wonderful cinnamon roll has earned it. Doesn’t mean he would summon a full-grown dragon on his first attempt though.There’s a head-canon I’ve seen that I really like, which says that Animagus/Patronus forms can sometimes start as babies, and “grow” the better at them you get. Alternatively, his Patronus could literally just be a baby dragon. As for the breed, I’ll leave that open to interpretation, but I’m gonna say Norwegian Ridgeback. 

Skye Parkin - Hyena

Frequently scavengers, and often seen as cowardly - Hyenas are still vicious and are typically able to claim the kill. Sometimes even driving off larger predators and stealing their hard earned prey. Which is exactly the kind of dishonorable thing Skye would do. She seems to believe strongly in her “pack” or her team, and depend on them to have her back even when she’s getting into nonsense. Traditionally, the Hyena is also seen as secular, with it’s constant laugh being an act of defiance. Skye is a cheerful person most of the time...but she has shown that she has little regard for rules or authority figures that are not her Dad. 

Murphy Mcnully - Bottle-nose Dolphin

Dolphins are interesting. They have a reputation for being very sweet and excitable, but they can often be...shall we say, rude or invasive. I love Murphy to bits, but he doesn’t always know how to read a room, and he’s entirely open about his bias toward MC’s team - even more-so than Lee Jordan. That being said, Dolphins are social, playful, and intelligent creatures. With unusual abilities like echolocation, they certainly match Murphy in his quirky brilliance. They’re caring, helpful creatures that will actually aid other animals in need, including humans. Even though Murphy isn’t actually a player on MC’s Quidditch team, he might as well be. 

Orion Amari - Elephant

Orion is such a wonderful character. He might be an oddball, but he’s truly wise beyond his years. Elephants not only represent wisdom, but have been known to symbolize loyalty, sensitivity, peace, stability...all the great qualities that Orion embodies. They’re known for taking care of the herd, just as Orion looks after his team. They might be a little quirky, with their large ears and trunks that most other animals don’t have...but Orion is quirky as well. Some say that with their trunks down, Elephants are accumulating positive energy to push through their trials, which takes me back to the scene where Orion gives MC Quidditch robes. I cry every time.

Erika Rath - Lion

To be clear, a male lion. I know that a lioness can be interpreted differently, and we already have a character with that Patronus. No, Erika is a pack leader. Even if she’s not the Captain of her team, they seem to depend very heavily on her. She’s also ferocious. I mean, tell me with a straight face that you could take her in a fight, or that you’d ever want to. A full grown male lion lives by the code that ass-kicking equals authority, even if they don’t want to. Furthermore, the Lion and the Hyena tend to be natural enemies. Sure, a lion could take a hyena in a one-on-one fight...but what if the Hyena had it’s pack for backup? We’ve all seen Lion King...and we’ve seen how Skye has targeted Erika.

Barnaby Lee - Brown Bear

Barnaby is a man of brawn, not brain, and that’s totally fine because is also a man of heart. He’s already pretty much a bear in human form. Ranging from sweet and dopey in modern media, like Winnie the Pooh, to being seen as warriors and symbols of courage in mythology- the Brown Bear captures all of the very best parts of our favorite Slytherin cinnamon roll. He’s a gentle giant, but as we see in Year Three, he’ll jump into action to protect those he cares about the same way coming near a mama bear’s cubs will act as her berserk button. I would say the Bear really symbolizes his character arc in Year Three. 

Andre Egwu - Satin Bowerbird

This is still my favorite head-canon about Andre and you can pry it from my cold dead hands. The bowerbird, aside from being a bird and thus connecting to Quidditch - is a creature named for the “Bower” that the males build. A structure that can be made of anything from sticks to flowers to random human garbage, that they create specifically to show off to potential mates. It’s not a nest, and they don’t use it as one. It’s exclusively for mating. The Bowerbird has a sense of fashion, and it understands how to score a date. Tell me this isn’t Andre’s favorite animal. I mean it could also be the Peacock, but that’s just too obvious. 

Tulip Karasu - Jackal

I can’t believe I didn’t see it before, but this animal is perfect for the rebellious Ravenclaw. Let’s start with the fact that in the bible, Jackals represent isolation, loneliness, and abandonment. It’s okay Tulip, I’m sure she’ll forgive you one day. Then there’s the fact that they howl to establish territory, not unlike the way Tulip guards her findings with little padlocks. They’re usually seen as opportunistic, to the point where calling someone a jackal tends to them being collaborator with a sneaky or mischievous agenda. In folktales, they’re depicted as intelligent and cunning pranksters - which is just checkmate, if you ask me. Even the Jackal’s coloring kinda suits her.

Ismelda Murk - Anaconda

Like the Snake, and the Hogwarts House that carries it as an emblem, Ismelda is a misunderstood person - but that doesn’t mean she isn’t dangerous. Much like how there are stories of Anacondas eating people, that have never been verified...Ismelda talks a big game, but has never actually used the Dark Arts. A snake sheds it’s skin, just as Ismelda seems to have shed any connection to her sister, or even the rest of her family. In particular, the Anaconda is actually beloved by cultures in South America, and it was once common to sacrifice one in the name of a happy marriage...of course, that’s a pretty raw deal for the Anaconda, and I can’t help but see Ismelda as a sacrifice for the sake of her sister.

Liz Tuttle - Tortoise

As fun as it might have been to just choose a lizard and be done with it, I think a Tortoise represents Liz far better. In so many ways, it’s the ultimate symbol of patience, endurance, and persistence. If Ismelda meets all the criteria of the Slytherin stereotype - Liz is the opposite. She’s one of the most resilient characters, having to work against people thinking she’s odd, people not trusting her because she’s in Slytherin, and people generally being at odds with her belief that all creatures deserve protection. It’s not only the Hufflepuffs that care for magical critters, and Liz proves that. The Tortoise represents her decency, and her steadfast attitude. What’s more, Tortoises tend to have very long lifespans. And if Liz can face off against chimeras and come out of it unscathed...she’s gonna live a long, long life.

Talbott Winger - Golden Eagle

I doubt I need to explain this one. In the past, Animagi have been show to transform into the same animal as their Patronus. It hasn’t been confirmed that this is a rule or anything, but it applied to James and McGonagall. Besides, an eagle just suits Talbott. He’s a dreamer, a drifter, and he’s got his head in the clouds. But he also knows how to fight - having been forced to leave the nest far too early. Birds of prey generally represent victory, courage, and overcoming adversity. Which Talbott does - he’s learning to let his walls down. Taking the first steps toward accepting the losses that he’s suffered, and moving on.

Chiara Lobosca - Labrador

Supposedly cats, dogs, and birds are the most common animals to have as a Patronus. Which makes sense, but if anyone out there was truly a dog, it would be Chiara. Between her self-sacrificing loyalty to Remus, to her protective instincts in shielding MC from Greyback, she is the physical embodiment of the “we don’t deserve dogs” sentiment. As sweet as she is, she’s also quiet, so I figured a large dog was more appropriate, especially a Lab. What’s more, she’s interested in Healing, and that reminds me of service dogs. Or even just dogs that can sense when their human is sick, and gives them therapeutic cuddles.

Jae Kim - Raccoon

An inventive, practical animal - the Raccoon is known for having paws with defined fingers that allow them to do most things with their “hands” and that’s actually where the word “raccoon” comes from. I feel like the Racoon’s elusive ways and their nature as scavengers pretty closely reflects Jae and his business. Raccoons are frequently associated with adaptability and illusion. Their ringed tails and masked faces being seen as signs of thievery. But you know what? These animals are far more friendly then media would have you assume. I know from personal experience. So I think a character like Jae who is shady and skirts the law, but is ultimately a good guy, would fit the raccoon well.

Badeea Ali - Owl

Despite the magical community’s affinity for them, Owls are said to be highly rare as Patronuses, according to Pottermore. Most people don’t have them, but I think she would. I don’t think it would suit anyone better than the elusive, creative Badeea. They tend to represent wisdom, good judgment, and knowledge. It’s sharp vision representing insight and observational skills. Only a truly clever witch could be a spell inventor at this age. What’s more, Owls are an integral part of the Wizarding lifestyle. They’re constantly helpful. MC would not have survived the nightmare that was the Peeves Chapters in Year Five if not for their most mystical friend. 

Diego Caplan - Grebe

If you know anything about Grebes as birds, then you might not be too surprised. Then again, I hadn’t even heard of them until recently, but when I did I thought “Diego.” They’re waterfowls that are related to flamingos. But the Grebes have an entire ceremony dedicated to mating, which involves intricate dancing. They compete with each other for a female’s attention. I’m not saying Diego is jealous of Cedric cause he has a thing for Penny - all I’m saying is that Diego is jealous of Cedric because he has a thing for Penny. Beyond that, Grebes symbolize fearlessness and perseverance in Native American culture, supposedly bringing a calm, peaceful presence. 

And that’s it! I did it, I actually did it! I didn’t think I’d make it this far. And if you did as well, thanks for checking it out. I’d love to know what you think!

[magpiemorality]

I know we got Dee's name, but you can pry the nicknames and such out of my cold dead hands. (I love how it's Janus though. My mythology loving heart was so overjoyed)

I saw a post saying 'for your au, Janus is Deceit's first name and he hates it so he chose a new one' and I think that would be a neat way to carry on with your current way of doing things and including his name somehow. (you don't even have to mention it, it could just exist.) - Anonymous

With these and all the comments on my post I think the consensus is pretty clearly that keeping on track with all the varied names is more than acceptable! Some great suggestions from you all guys!!

[duckapus]

Danny Phantom Ghost Origin Categorization

First, for the sake of my sanity I’ll be limiting this to things shown or said on the show. Widely accepted fanon and wiki knowledge unfortunately do not count, and as usual Butch gets no say.

The categories are as follows: Confirmed Dead, which is self-explanatory; Presumed Dead, since most of the ghosts don’t have defined backstories; Naturally Formed, which were made from the Ghost Zone’s ectoplasm without any spirit attached; Artificial, which is also self-explanatory except for a minor detail that I’ll bring up when it becomes relevant; Concepts, which are the physical manifestation of a particular idea or natural force; and Other, for ghosts that I don’t have enough context to put in the other categories. And also Boxed Lunch. Boxed Lunch is weird.

With all that said, let’s begin.

Confirmed Dead

Desiree (died of old age, trauma of broken heart created ghost form) 

Sidney Poindexter (suicide)

The Dairy King (cause of death unknown, confirmed due to picture of his living form in Vlad’s mansion)

Cujo the Ghost Dog (euthanized, the only ghost known to have changed his obsession)

The Lunch Lady (cause of death unknown, confirmed due to her knowledge of Casper High’s cafeteria menu and room layout marking her as having either worked or learned there in the past)

The Flying Dutchman (cause unknown, likely drowning via shipwreck, yes I know he’s a Spongebob character but due to the Nicktoons games he and Danny have technically met, confirmed due to admitting it outright)

Danny Phantom (electrocuted by ghost portal, instantaneous, only half)

Vlad Plasmius (electrocuted by ghost portal, succumbed to wounds in hospital long afterwards, only half)

Half-ghost Jack Fenton (electrocuted by ghost portal, succumbed to wounds in hospital long afterwards, only half, exists in alternate timeline)

Hotep RA (cause unknown, confirmed due to originally serving Tucker’s ancestor/former self, Pharaoh Duulaman)

Presumed Dead

Ember McLain (likely burned to death, fears being forgotten)

The Box Ghost (likely crushed by rectangular containers, considers them powerful weapons)

Penelope Spectra (cause unknown, lives off the misery of others, masquerades as a living human)

Nicolai Technus (probably electrocution, might actually be the Concept Ghost of technology though it’s unlikely)

Youngblood (cause unknown, dislike of and inability to be seen by adults may imply neglect)

Walker and his men (likely law enforcement who fell in the line of duty)

Lydia (cause unknown, loyal to crime lord Freakshow the Ringmaster for reasons unknown)

Elastica (cause unknown, trapped under Freakshow’s control for an indeterminate amount of time)

Goliath (cause unknown, trapped under Freakshow’s control for an indeterminate amount of time)

Green Kid (cause unknown, trapped under Freakshow’s control for an indeterminate amount of time)

Ghost Writer (cause unknown, might actually be Concept Ghost of literature)

Jonny 13 and Kitty (cause unknown, likely a motorcycle accident)

Baby Face Boyle (cause unknown)

Klemper (cause unknown, very lonely)

Some background ghosts

The Kingdom of Aragon (specifically its people)

Naturally Formed

Ectopi

Other ghost animals

Blob Ghosts

Some background ghosts (look at the happy green ghost that shows up sometimes and tell me that he doesn’t look sort of like an advanced ectopus)

Skulker (it just seems that way)

Artificial

Ecto Food (Jack Fenton is making carnivorous green macaroni and cheese and will continue to make carnivorous green macaroni and cheese unless we stop him)

Danny Clones (created by Vlad using Danny’s ghost form DNA, unstable)

Dani Phantom (created by Vlad using Danny’s ghost and human form DNA, stabilized by failed prototype of ghost weakening serum created by Jack Fenton)

Shadow (an extension of Jonny 13’s power, has a will of its own)

Lydia’s tattoos (extensions of Lydia’s power)

Sleepwalkers (extensions of Nocturne’s power, I think)

Nightmerica, Femalien and Terminatra (created by Desiree due to Sam Manson unintentionally “wishing” to hurt Paulina Sanchez)

Sayonara Pussycat (created by Desiree due to Paulina wishing to be as popular as the character, extracted from host by Danny Phantom)

Tucker Phantom (created by Desiree due to Tucker wishing for ghost powers, extracted from host by the Fenton Ghost Catcher)

Dan Plasmius (created by combining Danny Phantom and Vlad Plasmius after splitting them from their human halves in an alternate timeline, exists in the current timeline due to complicated Time Stuff)

Freakshow (created via the Reality Gauntlet, existed for all of a few minutes)

And now we get into that other part I mentioned. Basically, if something has the ghostly aura (that white outline we all love so much) without being directly affected by a ghost, I register that as the thing having its own ectoplasmic field, and thus technically a ghost itself. The Fenton Exo-suit’s Phantom form doesn’t count, since it only has the aura if a ghost is piloting it. This is mostly just so I can add more things to the list, honestly

Red Huntress 2.0 (created via a combination of the Red Huntress 1.0 suit and Technus’s power, you can pry this idea from my cold dead ectoplasmicly charged hands) (note: this does not make Valerie a ghost, just her suit)

Skulker’s Body (created by Skulker; a robotic suit of armor infused with his ectoplasmic signature; motor functions, sensors, physical projectiles and flight system do not require ectoplasm to function)

Car-Puter (remote controlled robot created by Technus, I know it’s from Phantom Planet but it was really cool guys)

The Sphinx (I think. Maybe. It seemed that way at least)

The Flying Dutchman’s Ship (an echo of his original, currently wrecked ship)

Youngblood’s Ship (possibly an extention of his power, I’m not sure, fueled by manual labor)

Jonny’s Motorcycle (the thing can fly)

Concepts

Clockwork and the Observants (spirits of Time)

Pandora and her kingdom (spirits of Greek Mythology)

Undergrowth (spirit of Vegetation)

Vortex (spirit of Weather and Natural Disasters)

Pariah Dark (the Ghost King, not actually a Concept Ghost but very similar)

Fright Knight (spirit of Fear in general and Halloween in particular, right-hand man of whoever wields the Crown of Fire and Ring of Rage, usually Pariah Dark)

Nocturne (spirit of Dreams, far less powerful than the other concept ghosts without aid)

Other

Frostbite and the Yetis of the Far Frozen

Wulf (seriously, he’s cool, but Esperanto-speaking Wolf-man doesn’t exactly give me much to work off of)

Monster Cat

The Behemoth

Vlad’s Vulture Lackeys

Ember’s Band

Poindexter’s Classmates (are they extensions of Poindexter’s power turned inwards or just the ghost versions of themselves, just as consumed by what happened to him as he is?)

Pariah Dark’s Skeleton Army

Youngblood’s Skeleton Crew, especially the Parrot

Bertrand

Amorpho (shapeshifters in general, since I can’t fall back on my Warp Core theory during this)

Boxed Lunch (oh, very much Boxed Lunch)

Most of the background ghosts, especially the butcher with an eyeball for a head

Edit: Can’t believe I forgot the title. I should’ve just gone to bed.

[ladyofpurple]

answer all of the questions!!

holy SHIT ok bless you omg

(sorry it's a full day late i took this shit SERIOUSLY. don't ask me how many hours this took, i was in A Mood™️ last night. removed the ones already answered xoxo)

angel; have you ever been in love?

yeah. didn't end too well, but i loved him.

petal; favorite novel and author?

this is like asking me to pick a favorite child. i guess favorite author would be stephen king, if only based entirely on the sheer quantity of his books i own alone. favorite book would probably be special topics in calamity physics by marisha pessl, and i'm only saying that because it's been my go-to response for years. i have lots of favorite books. ask me again in five minutes and i'll give you another one.

honey perfume; favorite perfume/scent?

freshly made coffee. lilacs. jasmine. cut grass. the ground after it rains. chocolate chip cookies in the oven. cigarette smoke on skin. my mom's shampoo. my grandma. my dog when he's just had a bath. thanksgiving dinner. acrylic paint on canvas. sawdust. that one cologne i can't name but can smell on a guy from a mile away. mulled cranberry and apple juice. vanilla. coconut. fresh laundry. peppermint.

sweet pea; what’s your zodiac?

virgo sun, pisces moon, scorpio rising ✨

softie; talk about your sexuality.

i'm biromantic asexual, primarily attracted to men more than women (but have had too many crushes on girls to consider myself het), generally sex repulsed when it comes to the thought of having it myself. i prefer to call myself queer in passing conversation, it's easier than explaining asexuality and the differences between sexual and romantic attraction. if someone asks more specifically, i'll usually just call myself bi for simplicity's sake, even though the ace part is a much more important (to me) part of my identity. monogamous as fuck.

i'm still struggling with internalized homophobia and a lot of "am i even queer enough" thoughts, which is super fun. took me a long time to even consider the fact that i might like girls at all. i'll probably never come out to my parents. not that they'd, like, disown me or whatever, but they're juuuuust homophobic/transphobic enough that my few attempts to educate them when they say something A Little Yikes have shown me that i should probably just stay in the closet unless i absolutely have to come out. like i'm getting married to a woman or something.

sugarplum; what’s the color of your eyes and hair?

i usually say my eyes are green because it's easier, and they mostly are, but i have rings of greyish blue around the irises and sometimes they're more hazel in the middle. they always have a green tint to them though, even if the intensity of the green varies.

my natural hair is brown, a little on the darker and slightly ashy side of completely generic. currently a former blonde, although i'm hoping to bleach my fucking YEAR of growout soon, and then go some crazy color as a last hurrah before i have to go dark again. being broke fucking sucks.

wings; coffee or tea?

tea!! black tea. chai, to be specific, with an irresponsible amount of milk and sugar. chai lattes are a fucking drug okay? coffee makes me sick (not a judgement, a literal fact. last time i tried some i threw up).

fairytale; are you a cat or dog person?

cat!! but my family has a chihuahua named sonny and you can pry that little monster from my cold dead hands ok i will fight you.

snowflake; favorite time period?

okay, i wrote and rewrote my answer to this about 10 times. then i tried to divide it up into categories (aesthetics, history, fashion, vibes, geographical location, etc), but that didn't help. so basically: i don't have one, because i have too many.

i like the american 20s-60s for the aesthetic, music/movies, and the fashion. i also like the european 1600s-1800s for the interesting history and also vibe. i love the french and russian revolutions — the fashion! the art! the wars and political upheaval! I FUCKING LOVE HISTORY. then, of course, we can't forget the rennaisance. or the witch trials (pick your continent). and ancient greece? the roman empire? hello?? did i mention empires? how bout we mosy on over to south america — can i interest you in the mayans? incans? aztecs? what about china and japan? korea? vietnam? and don't even get me fucking STARTED on the black plague.

ancient egypt? sign me the FUCK UP. vikings? yes please. the celts? oh boy. the MYTHOLOGY. the ARCHITECTURE. the LANGUAGES and POLITICS and LITERATURE and REVOLUTIONS and GOD HOW AM I SUPPOSED TO CHOOSE BETWEEN ANY OF THESE

i uh. might have gotten a little excited. basically i like history a lot. and mythology. and linguistics. and cultural practices. and the politics and prejudices behind wars and stuff. and learning in general. moving on.

vanilla; do you believe in ghosts?

let's put it this way: i don't not believe in ghosts??

listen. we don't know jack shit. we don't know what happens after we die, there are constant scientific revelations that turn our understanding of the universe completely upside-down, and there is literally no way to know which religions or myths or urban legends could have some grain of truth to them. like, dude, i've literally thought i was haunted before. psychology is bananas and the universe is infinite.

demons could be real. ghosts could be real. what if we just haven't invented the necessary technology to prove it yet? what if we never do, and they just fuck around alongside us, moving furniture and making shadow puppets on the walls just for kicks until the earth explodes? what if that one tumblr post was right and ghosts are actually real people from alternate universes or timelines that we see accidentally bc some cosmic wires got crossed? who fucking knows.

i love horror movies and scary stories and ghost hunter shows just as much as the next gal. but listen. psychics? mediums? people who accept every single creepypasta retold third-hand from their neighbor's kid's classmate's second cousin who "totally knows a guy"? doubt.jpeg

i don't understand the sheer amount of assumptions made willy-nilly about the nature of ghosts and demons and things that go bump in the night. the assumption that "oh this machine that totally doesn't look like a coathanger taped to a walkman will work because ghosts have this temperature and can always communicate like this and are electromagnetic" or whatever just baffles me. to a certain degree, following a general consensus is one thing — some basic things everyone can agree on? that's cool. ghosts can walk through walls and are probably dead people or whatever. but oh my god, taking every single story as absolute, undeniable proof?? taking these stories and expanding on them to infer intentions and scientific facts to something that by it's very nature is unknowable and assuming, like, every spirit is created equal?? and yeah, ghost hunting shows are fun and campy and kinda creepy but like. you really, genuinely don't think any of them have ever faked anything at all??? even if ghosts are real, it's fucking reality tv, my dude. it's the entertainment industry. at least maintain the slightest ounce of critical thought before taking zak bagans' word as the goddamn gospel.

and sidenote, maybe it's just my limited exposure as a white woman in the western world, but of all the shows and podcasts and movies and documentaries and whatnot i've been able to find and consume, there's the constant use of christian ideology applied to every situation that just really burns my bacon. what, there's never been an atheist ghost? if you see a shadow person and you don't know the lord's prayer by heart, are you automatically fucked? why are there never stories about, i don't know, viking ghosts? does your religion in life preclude you from becoming a ghost in the first place? is that why people never mention buddhist ghosts? i don't get it, and that's why even though i'm self-admittedly the most superstitious person i've ever met, true believers make me roll my eyes so hard they almost fall out. makes me come across as more skeptical than i theoretically am. I HAVE VERY STRONG FEELINGS ABOUT THIS OK

but like, you couldn't pay me to fuck with a ouija board. i'm not stupid.

delicate; diamonds or pearls?

both have their appeal and their place, but diamonds, i guess. i like the sparkle. but fake ones!! or synthetic. diamonds are overpriced and artificial scarcity is a scam and i don't need a dumb rock that some poor person in a mine somewhere was exploited and possibly died for. no blood diamonds in this house, thank you very much.

if i ever get engaged, i don't want a diamond ring. i'd want something cool, a little unusual, like a ruby or a sapphire or some other sparkly gem that isn't literally shoved in your face every waking moment as the expected standard symbol of True Love. they're cheaper, they're cool-looking, as a ring they still hold the cultural symbolism of an engagement/wedding ring. and honestly, as long as it's well-made and durable, whatever hypothetical gem it is doesn't have to be real either. i'm a woman of simple needs and demonstrably low standards. no point in going into debt for a fucking piece of jewelry, regardless of ~tradition~.

lavender dream; favorite album?

oh lord. welcome to the black parade, i guess. or anything by panic! at the disco. there are dozens of possible options — my interests are mercurial and my memory is garbage. but i'll always be an emo little shit. black parade and vices and virtues were also the first two albums i ever listened to where i loved every single song on them, and i happened to listen to them for the first time at around the same point in my life (i got into mcr super late. like, 2012 late. rip).

silky; what’s your biggest dream?

it's cheesy but i guess i just want stability and, by extension, happiness. emotional stability, mental stability, financial stability, stable living situation, stable routines, stable relationships... you get the idea. i have ambitions and passions, of course, but my ultimate goal is happiness at this point in my life, and i'm pretty sure stabilizing all those things would go a pretty long way in achieving that goal.

a little apartment with walls i can paint because white walls make me angry. bookshelves and posters and fandom merch on every wall. a computer i can actually play games on again, and somewhere i can paint and draw and record my podcasts. someone who loves me, maybe. a cat, if i'm stable enough. space for people to come visit me, and a place for them to sleep if they need. a tiny balcony, if i really want to shoot for the stars. a job i don't hate. the spoons to hang out with my friends, and the money to not worry about buying little presents for the people i care about sometimes. i don't need much.

strawberry kiss; do you have a crush right now?

nope.

glitter; favorite fictional character?

another loaded question. like books, if you ask me again in five minutes i'll probably give you a different answer. but in this particular moment, caleb and jester from critical role (please don't make me choose between them). i won't go full shipping mode rn, but jester is so funny and silly and sweet, so much more complex than she seems, and she tries so hard to make everyone happy even when she's so sad inside. the healer who treats healing as an inconvenience in battle (she's so fucking valid and also mood), the glue that keeps the party together. and caleb learning to trust again, facing his trauma and coming out of his shell. he loves his friends so much he plays wizard as a support class and i love him so much.

i love the mighty nein in general, of course, and all the guests/honorary members they've had. pumat!! pls don't be evil reani!! keg!! shakäste and grand duchess anastasia!! cali!! kiri!!!! the brotps! empire siblings! chaos crew! nott the best detective agency! i still love molly and all his assholery to bits (fight me), and mourn his lost potential. i adore yasha, even when she's gone; fjord has grown so much; beau and nott and caduceus — i love all their flaws and disagreements and their character arcs and the excitement of watching them grow and learn. but if i had to choose, caleb, jester and molly have always been my top 3 since day 1 and, well, molly isn't really an option anymore.

but like i said, ask me again in a minute. i have a fucking list.

swan; share a quote or passage that means something to you.

a collection of things off the top of my head:

Elinor agreed to it all, for she did not think he deserved the compliment of rational opposition. — Sense and Sensibility, Jane Austen

a tired feminist Mood™️

"What I say is, a town isn't a town without a bookstore. It may call itself a town, but unless it's got a bookstore, it knows it's not foolin' a soul." — American Gods, Neil Gaiman

i got my love of books from my grandma — some of my favorites i got from her. sometimes, as a treat, she used to take my sister and i to bookstores and we'd stay there for ages, getting to pick one out, roaming the shelves, the mental torture of having to choose. the peace of being surrounded by thousands of potential worlds, so much information, so many stories just waiting to be told; being surrounded by strangers who share that same wonder. the anxious drive home so we could read them, being unable to wait that long so i inevitably start reading in the car and make myself sick. telling her in excited detail all my favorite parts. if we were lucky, maybe we got to split a bear claw, or she'd drive past starbucks and get us something there too (tall vanilla soy steamer with one pump of vanilla syrup, whipped cream on top that always melted too quickly and squirted out the hole in the lid, so hot it burned my tongue but so good i didn't care). i have never felt more at home than i do when i'm surrounded by books.

"There are a lot of different types of freedom. We talk about freedom the same way we talk about art, like it was a statement of quality rather than a description. “Art” doesn’t mean good or bad. Art just means art. It can be terrible and still be art. Freedom can be good or bad, too. There can be terrible freedom. You freed me, and I didn’t ask you to." — Alice Isn't Dead, season 1, chapter 2: Alice

as cringey as it is to admit it, this line made me cry a lot after my breakup.

"So you aren't American?" asked Shadow.

"Nobody's American," said Wednesday. "Not originally. That's my point." — American Gods, Neil Gaiman

[side-eyes white america real hard]

there's more, of course. there's always more. don't even get me started on song lyrics, we'll be here all day.

lace; what’s your favorite plant/flower?

lilacs and roses.

mermaid; do you prefer the forest or the ocean? why?

both, i guess. but in different ways, and in different circumstances.

the sea is wild. it is endless and deep and unknowable. it is beautiful and dangerous. i am terrified of the ocean, and yet my favorite place in the world is an empty beach on the oregon coast. i have picked sand from between my toes for days with hair crusted in salt, danced around bonfires and watched the stars while marshmallows burn, gotten pulled under the waves as a child and nearly swept out to sea. picked starfish and crabs from small pools in the rocks, and swum (accidentally) with wild sea lions. in a long skirt, too early in the year to be swimming, i once took off my shoes and waded fully clothed into the water to my waist and just... danced. splashed and kicked and laughed with a boy i barely knew until our throats were sore and our toes were numb, walking home hours later with our soaked clothes clinging to our legs, shoes squelching, dripping algae as we went. the ocean is freeing and overwhelming all at once. i love it and am petrified by it in equal measure.

the forest is beautiful in a different way. it is silent and dense and serene. you are surrounded by life and yet, somehow, completely alone. there is magic in the forest, and history, and even when all else dies, that will remain. the trees grow from the corpses of their ancestors, and some have lived dozens of our lifetimes — with luck, a few dozen more. it is quiet there, peaceful, even the tiniest wood in the middle of a city muffling the outside world through the trees. you can feel the ancient ways deep in your soul as you follow winding paths strewn with fallen leaves, the mystery and wonder and superstitions of your forefathers. you wonder what it would be like, to run your fingers over the moss, to take off your shoes and socks and just run, leaping and dancing over rocks and roots, hair wild and air filling your lungs in deep, pure gulps as you shed the responsibilities and struggles of modern life, for just a moment remembering what freedom tastes like. it is primal, this connection to nature, one we have nearly forgotten over time. and as the sky grows dark and the silence of night presses against you, shadows looming, every footfall deafening, perhaps you begin to understand why some believed in monsters.

honeymoon; do you keep a journal?

i used to. honestly, that's a good idea, i should start doing that again. lord knows i have enough empty journal-type books.

starlight; do you believe in love at first sight and soulmates? why/why not?

i want to. i want to believe there's someone out there for me, the love of my life, someone to whom i'll be the love of their life, and that when i meet them i'll just... know.

but when i met my ex, i didn't really look twice at him for a while — no love at first sight. and when we were together, when i loved him and he swore he loved me back, i thought he hung the stars in the sky and knew i would marry him someday. couldn't even consider the idea that that wouldn't happen. and then when he broke up with me, he ghosted me so suddenly and thoroughly that he even preemptively cut contact with every single one of our mutual friends he thought might side with me in the breakup, before anybody even knew we'd had a fight. so, not soulmates either.

i really want to believe that someday the perfect romance will just fall into place and i can have the happily ever after i've always dreamed of. but the reality is i might never even have another s.o. for the rest of my life. maybe i'll get hit by a car tomorrow, or my hypothetical soulmate moves to argentina to become an alpaca farmer on a mountain somewhere and we never even meet. maybe i'm so traumatized by the betrayal and lies that i'll never have the courage to even try again.

and even so, happily ever after doesn't have to include a fairytale romance, regardless of whether i want it or not. i still like to cling to that hope though, deep down.

princess; what do you value most in people?

i'm going to assume you mean "real people" as in people i have positive relationships with, and not random strangers on the street.

loyalty. kindness. support. humor. similar values. patience. being able to grow together and teach each other things, so we can make each other better. honesty. trust. compassion. confidence. emotional vulnerability. communication. intelligence, or at least a willingness to learn. strength.

[cookiecuttercritter]

11/11/11 Tag

Thank you for tagging, @sunshineomeara!!

1. Favorite time of day to write?

At night! Usually between 8pm - 1 am (but never 8pm to 1am straight, it varies and i am a tired smol)

2. Would you ever want to have a wip turned into a musical?

I would love to see a How to Save the World in 12 Easy Steps musical! I actually have a musical episode and a ‘the cast starts a band’ episode planned. I just think that world and cast has the right amount of whimsy and ridiculous to work as a musical.

3. Favorite time period to write in?

Is like. 2010′s an acceptable answer?? Also fantasy make-believe land where everything is made up. I’m also exploring the possibility of an anachronism stew...

4. If you could give your younger self any writing advice, what would it be?

Just give yourself permission to write. You don’t have to know what you’re doing because no one really knows what they’re doing. You’re going to get better with every piece you write and you’ll be proud of yourself no matter what.

5. Are you a computer or pen and paper kind of writer?

Computer! I have poor handwriting O O F

6. Are you a pantser or a planner (do you just write or do you plan then write? Or in between?

I plan major plot points before (like making an episode list of HTSTW) then fill in the parts in between as I go. I really tried to make a good ol outline for All Our Diversions but I think in the end I’m going to use it more like an out-of-order event checklist.

7. What the thing you hate most about writing? What do you love about it?

I write real slow. It takes me forever to find the time to write and then forever to decide how I want the sentences to be. But I love that my writing can make people smile. I like to think I have a voice that comes through and works well with the genres I work with.

8. Take a second to basically sell your writing. Aka give me at least 3 reasons why your writing is amazing and should all read your wip. Love yourself and writing!

How about lesser-known world mythologies and chimera-hybrid animals? A shapeshifting crocodile queen and her mermaid right-hand man? Color-coded ocs and more folktale allusions than you can shake a stick at?!

All Our Diversions Dipped in Gold: A fast-paced fantasy mythpunk inspired by Thai epics and folktales about duty and distraction, memory and vulnerability, the breathtaking and the breathless, and at the heart of it all, a fiery, spirited, fingersmithing half-bird spirit guide. Now that she’s gotten her wings back, who knows where she’ll go?

9. Fuck, Marry, Kill - chose your own OC’s but you have to tell us your reasoning for why you chose those characters. You can, of course, use any OC but it’s more fun to use only your main ones. You can also do both if you want!

Not sure if this is the least or the most weird possible answer I could have chosen, but Fuck Khep. They are... uniquely experienced, as essentially a lightning spirit made up of the memories of several million people.

Marry Matcha because I think I need someone kind, thoughtful and smart like her to ground me. Also, she has magic powers. Living arrangement would be tough though, she’s a mermaid and can’t survive on land... But hey, if Akirah can make it work -

Kill Jaidyn. Sometimes, he fancies the idea of dying, but his hectic neck-risking life as the Chosen One hasn’t quite managed to end him yet. What would it actually take to kill him, I wonder?

10. How many wips do you currently have?

2 main wips, How to Save the World in 12 Easy Steps, which is on hiatus between seasons, and All Our Diversions Dipped in Gold! Which is sitting at just over 60 pages and a wip intro is past overdue whoopsies

11. If your wip got super successful, would you want a tv show or movie? animated or live-action?

I actually write in script format so this is an oddly fitting question! HTSTW is designed as an animated tv show (~10 minutes an episode??) and All Our Diversions is written to be an animated movie!

Tagging: @quirky-squid @warmstarsofmysummersky @sanguinewritings @annalise-inks​ @tenacious-scripturient​ @kaatiba​ @ccwritesstuff​ @erinoddly​ @a-place-for-stellas-scribbles​ @lilquill​ @letswritefuriously​

My questions for you!

1. Top 3 bangers on your wip playlist?

2. What’s a trope we’ll have to pry from your cold, dead, hands and why?

3. If you could have any author or writer, living or dead, read your wip once it’s finished, who would you pick and why?

4. Do you imagine your ocs as Actual People or Lil Cartoon People (you know what i mean)(if the latter, in what style?)?

5. Favorite line of dialogue you’ve written recently?

6. Favorite character dynamic you’ve written recently?

7. What’s an easter egg you’ve slipped into you wips? You know, the kind of inside joke you don’t expect the average reader to notice, that’s there more for you than anything else? reveal your secrets to me

8. How would you describe your ocs’ general style of dress?

9. What’s a topic you now know uncomfortably a lot about because of ““research”” and what did you “”research”” it for?

10. What are your favorite genres to read/write in and why?

11. Hot Take on your favorite genre(s), writer(s) or trope(s), go!

[reblogthiscrapkay]

What Got Better In Hadestown on Broadway (And What Got Worse)

So I saw Hadestown in London last December and I just saw it in New York last weekend (I’m not crazy rich; my boyfriend lives in London and I live a fairly reasonable drive from New York). Here is my hopefully somewhat concise breakdown of what has changed.

For my overly long analysis of Hadestown in London, click here.

For my concise list analysis of Hadestown in London, click here.

For my favorite essay on Hades’ politics, click here.

Good Changes:

1. Hermes’ role has been reinstated. In the original Hermes very much was the intermediary between the humans and the gods and was especially friendly with Orpheus and Persephone. In London he was weirdly distrant from everyone, standing in the corner the whole time and being very detatched. Now he’s more like Orpheus’ mentor and is very clearly a friend of Persephone in addition to his role as narrator (oh, and he’s no longer an unreliable narrator too).

2. More mythology stuff. In the beginning Hermes gives a bit more mythology stuff to the beginning. I don’t like how he straight up explains the myth of Hades and Persephone (Epic I existed for this reason, guys) but I like the background about Orpheus’ mom. Persephone’s mom gets more shout outs too.

3. Overall the first act is tighter. They didn’t change much from London but everything feels smoother somehow. One of my favorite examples of this is “All I’ve Ever Known.” I hated the choreography in London but they really fixed it. Now it’s much simplier and follows a very logical progression. When Eurydice first sings, “Now I wanna hold you” she does so while gripping his arms as if she’s fighting the desire because she’s still unsure. By the music breakdown they do the simulated sex thing (although it felt less weird than in London), showing her accepting her feelings, and the last verse involves her sitting up from the floor as if she can’t sleep because she’s genuinely afraid he may leave her. It’s beautiful.

4. The costumes are more cohesive. I said that I liked the human costumes in London as clothes but they drove me nuts because they were so anachronistic with the gods costumes. Now they’re all looking more “vaguely early 20th century.” I love how Eurydice’s costume looks like she literally bought a nightgown and a vest from a thrift shop. Also, minor details but I think they added wings to Hermes’ suit (didn’t notice before if they did) and Hades’ nylon sleeve wall tattoo doesn’t look as bad as I thought it would. Although Hades’ hair is slightly different and it’s not better.

5. More humor. They’ve added in some humor and it mostly all works. There’s a moment when Hermes says to Orpheus, “Don’t come on too strong” and he responds with, “Come home with me!” Persephone before singng “Our Lady of the Underground” drunkenly stumbs out and shouts “Step into MY office.” Also after two lines of “Epic III” Hades interrupts with, “Oh, it’s about me” which made everyone laugh.

6. The Fates. I think I forget about them a lot but I was startled by how much they KILLED it in this show.

7. They brought back most of the original New York musicians. I just thought this was cute. When Persephone is naming them in “Our Lady of the Underground” I was shook.

8. Amber Gray grabs her boob. To explain, in London “Our Lady of The Underground” was performed with the workers and they raid her bag. Now it’s just her onstage, singing moreso to us. They clearly have it set up so that the chorus parts should be sung by the audience, and there was just enough audience who knew the lines to make it happen (this will probably improve over time). Instead of having her bag and wine bottles, she just has a flask on a string which she puts in her bra at the beginning of the song. At the line “I’ve got the wind right here in a jar” she grabs her boob where the flask is. Overall, I don’t know if this staging is an improvement, but this moment amused me.

Bad Things:

A lot of the bad things can be broken down by the phrase, “Why does she love him.” Also unfortunately, the bad things had really profund consequences.

1. Orpheus is an idiot now. He is a deer in headlights the whole dang show. I’ve thought it over and even with the lines that seemingly make him look stupid, if they were simply acted more sincerely and less awkwardly there wouldn’t be a problem. Because he is so dumb now, it makes no sense why Eurydice falls for him aside from the fact that he’s vaguely magic. The guy sitting to my right HATED him and blamed Reeve. I don’t know who’s responsible for this change but it really undermines the quality of the show and all the decent things I said about Reeve in London.

2. Hades is meaner. In London Hades and Persephone’s relationship was easily one of the strongest parts of the show. Now what used to be a lot of genuine sadness on Hades’ part seems to have turned into anger. “The girl means nothing to me” used to be a line that kind of hurt but it was said a bit too maliciously here. They’ve also added in other bits where they snip at each other and it makes me uncomfortable. Persephone is now present when Orpheus shows up in Hadestown and tries to speak for him and Hades tells her to be quiet. He also, very condescendingly, tells her, “Oh, go have another drink” before “How Long.” If this line had been said sadly, this would have read so differently. Persephone snips back at him in “Epic III” when she demands that he let Orpheus finish. They also cut the bit where Persephone is present when you find out the Eurydice didn’t sleep with Hades and her crying when Hades takes Eurydice to his office is WAY more subtle. They also cut her verse in “Chant II” which really affects their relationship. I didn’t even cry at any of their parts and I usually cry at all of them. I am worried.

3. Lots of the songs in Act II has been shortened. I thought something like this might happen but I’m still sad about it. First they came for “Promises.” Now they also cut down “Chant II” (Persephone doesn’t even have a part in it anymore, why), “His Kiss, The Riot” “If It’s True” “Epic III” and “Way Down Hadestown II” and “Doubt Comes In” felt shorter too but I could be wrong. “Lover’s Desire” didn’t even sound like the same song which majorly messed me up because that song usually makes me bawl like a baby. Also, all the “Epic” s are now the same song over and over. I hate this because the “Epic”s before showed this nice progression of Orpheus writing about the gods in general to realizing that he needs to tell the story of their love. Now he realizes this in “Chant I” but at least they made it seem like he realized this on his own and didn’t tell Eurydice so her leaving has gone back to being a reasonable solution. In London she seemed like she didn’t care he was trying to fix the world, but now she doesn’t know about it.

4. They still haven’t really integrated the worker subplot. And they probably won’t. I think you’d have to pry this out of someone’s cold dead hands at this point, which sucks because it still feels like a hastily slapped on “We have been left behind by the system” concept. Perhaps even worse, Persephone is now frequently positioned on the side of the workers instead of being an intermediary between them and Hades, which further weakens her relationship with Hades. Hades isn’t supposed to be the bad guy! Doubt is!

So anyway, Anais Mitchell walked past me during intermission and my friend Alex was like, “Are you going to talk to her” and I, a person who can’t ever talk to people if I think I may be bothering them, said, “Hell no, What would I even say.” “Just ‘thank you for the show.’” “I would definitely fuck up and say ‘Thank you for the show but please stop messing with it.’”

The joke later became me sidling up to her and saying, “One socialist to another, how much corporate nonsense is making you change things that didn’t need fixing.” I don’t think that would go over well though.

Anyway, they gave me a flower before I left and the shows not locked in until April 16th so I can dream for the next few days that they might fix it.

[tatteredsmiles]

[ ♛ ] my url for the thing

[ ♛ ] send me your url and i’ll tell you the following;

my opinion on;

character in general: Sigyn is perhaps one of the most insteresting and greatest women of mythology! Despite only having been mentioned just twice in all of the mythos she’s perhaps one of the most strongest and most amazing of the Norse Goddesses. I mean SHE’S MARRIED TO LOKI! Loki! Anyone who voluntarily chose to love and marry this guy deserves a fuckin medal! He’s not an easy guy to love you know. 

how they play them: PERFECTLY!!! Omg so like Elle has given Sigyn a realistic everything. From her mannerisms to her thoughts to all the HC’s she has like she’s made Sigyn REAL! Like you can feel for her and laugh with her and cry with her like it’s just like she’s REAL! And the amount of love put into her you can just TELL! Like I’ve never seen a more perfect Sigyn ever! 

the mun: Look, I don’t think I need to say it because I had a daily screamathon over how much I love Elle. You guys don’t even KNOW!! She’s the most kindest sweetest person ever. Like I love her so much I would gladly sacrafice everything for her. I wifed her after like our first conversation practically. I’d creeped her blog for a long time and when I was finally free to do what I wanted you bet your shiny metal asses that I hopped on the chance to write with her! I have never been more grateful for fate putting someone in my life then I have with her. Like she means the WORLD to me there is nothing I won’t do for her… NOTHING

do i;

follow them: YES!!! Funny thing we’ve followed each other before a while back. 

rp with them:  ABSOFUCKINGLUTELY!!! LIKE GIVE ME ALL THE THINGS

want to rp with them: ALWAYS OMFG ARE YOU KIDDING ME I WANT ALL THE THINGS I WILL HOG HER UP TO MYSELF BECAUSE I CAN BECAUSE SHE’S AMAZING!!! 

ship their character with mine: OTP 5EVA!!! There is no one I ship Loki with more than his wife Sigyn and THIS SIGYN is perfect

what is my;

overall opinion: The best Sigyn blog on tumblr hands down in all my 10 years of writing both Marvel and Myth version of Loki this blog here is the best version I’ve ever had the honor of writing with like I’ve written with a good handful of Sigyn’s and they all pale in comparison to this blog here. Like if there were like an academy awards for blogs she’d win EVERYTHING!! Like omfg I cry sometimes because I can’t believe how fucking lucky I am to know Elle and to have her as my wifey and like if I could irl wife her I would because like I’ve never connected with anyone as closely as I have her she’s just a beautiful person inside and out and so fucking talented in writing and her grasp of her muse is astounding its like she just does the typing while Sigyn does all the talking. Like you gonna have to pry her away from my cold dead hands cause I won’t ever let her go. EVER!!! I’LL COME BACK AS A ZOMBIE AND CLING TO HER! BABE I LOVE YOU SO MUCH!!

**Note: Mun’s answer are all to be completely honest. Don’t send url if you don’t want brutal honesty.

[katarinahime]

Day 2 - Worlds - Greek Mythology

Sasuke didn’t particularly care for the “You stole her” sentiment that everyone seemed to form around his relationship. Not that he tended to bother himself with what mortals thought in the first place.

But when Naruto was coming down into his domain, interrupting his work, his personal time, with these foolish rumors. He was forced to confront them.

“I didn’t steal her.” He scoffed.

“Locals say she found an ‘narcissus’,” Naruto looked at him pointedly. “That doesn’t normally grow in the area. When she went to pick it, a hole opened up in the ground and she disappeared.”

Sasuke didn’t even blink. “Locals say lots of things.”

Naruto rubbed down his face exasperatedly. “Sasuke,”

It wasn’t exactly not ‘not’ true...

Sasuke had watched Hinata for a long time. A diety, like himself, though nowhere near as powerful. Few were. She was weak, even for her family. The Hyuga had been tasked with an important job, cultivating the fields, bringing life to the people.

Hinata was weaker, more gentle than that. But she was sweet, and kind. She loved flowers. He had seen that.

...so he might’ve baited her with a narcissus.

So, he might’ve grabbed her without expressly asking permission.

But she was happier, here, now, with him.

He had watched her in the human world long enough to know that she wouldn’t miss it.

Hinata’s life had been full of nothing but sadness and heartache and disappointment from the people that were supposed to care the most about her.

Sasuke didn’t know when he started watching her. But she caught his eye once when she was much younger. Not in some perverted way, but he did notice her. She looked awkward next to her family of prestige and greatness. Her hair was chopped short in adolescence, and the only thing she could muster was a few daisies, while her younger sister could till a whole field.

Sasuke could remember what it was like, to be overshadowed by a sibling. Hinata too had seemed determined to better herself, like he had. She too had faced the disappointment and dismissal of her father. The difference between Hinata and Sasuke though, was she never seemed to quite catch up.

She didn’t need to worry about that anymore. He had seen to it.

He found her deeper in his domain, in one of the rooms that she had thought fit to make hers.

“What are you doing?”

She turned around and smiled openly at him, gesturing for him to join her. She was wearing white, contrast to Sasuke’s black. Her hair was beautiful, thick and dark and twisted around, out of her face and down her back, braided with white narcissus.

His flower.

She was looking over a larger bowl, full of water with mud and rocks at the bottom.

“Is that one of the salad bowls?” He asked, mildly perturbed.

“Shh.”

Sasuke side eyed her. He had never heard someone hush him before, at least in adulthood, especially in his own domain.

“Look closer.” She coaxed.

“A lotus.”

She nodded, smiling happy at her little flower. “I finally got one to grow.”

Hinata herself could make flowers bloom anywhere, even in the Land of the Dead. But to grow one organically -

Sasuke smiled, letting his arm wrap around her waist, pulling her against his chest. She settled into him easily, her hand covering over his, her soft skin brushing against him. He leaned his head down into her hair, breathing her in.

“They’re going to try and take you back.”

Hinata went rigid in his hold. This was the first time he had ever spoken about the circumstances surrounding her stay there. He wasn’t sure if she was holding her breath from excitement or dread.

“My family?” She asked, quietly.

“And Naruto.”

She turned to look up at him, her eyes searching his face. “Are you going to let them?”

Sasuke let go of her, in favor of looking down back into the lotus bowl.

Hinata was his wife now. Just on principle, he couldn’t sit back and let someone else tell him what to do with his wife in his own kingdom.

But, if he had misjudged her... If they came and she wanted to leave...

“Sasuke?”

Her soft voice tore him away from the small blossom in the murky salad bowl.

He had let go of her, but she was still clutching onto him. Her small hands, fisted in the fabric of clothing.

Sasuke tried not to smirk. Really, he did.

She wanted to stay. He had known it all along, but seeing the desperation of it on her face had settled him.

He grabbed her hand, prying off his chest and cupping it in his own. “There are... ways... of making it impossible for them to take you.”

“Okay.” She whispered, her fingers lacing with his as he tugged her even closer.

They were now flushed together. She didn’t want to leave him. She was willing to stay. With him. Forever.

Sasuke held his free hand up, a pomegranate appearing in his palm. Hinata’s eyes sparkled as she side eyed him. Sasuke could do unimaginable feats of power, and producing a single pomegranate was enough to enchant her.

“Just this?” She asked quietly.

“Just this.”

He left her to decide on her own.

When the did come for her, as Sasuke knew they would, it was actually much later than he expected.

The Hyūga had turned the above world into cold, unforgiving winter, flooding the Under World with the dead. He was sure they did this on purpose, making Sasuke work overtime to compensate.

Hinata had taken to helping Sasuke, perched upon the días next to him for hours on end, quiet if not for her ocasional inputs. Sasuke was just happy to have her there, to brush his hand against hers, look over and see her beautiful face when the job got tedious.

When they came, that’s where she was, her place at his side.

Sasuke didn’t know if it was unconscious or intentional, but Hinata had started dressing like him. She was clad in thick, black shinny fabric that bared much more skin than she had before coming here. He had memorialized the narcissus into a sliver cleaning crown upon her head.

She was sight to behold when her family came. Her looking down upon them. Her regality, her power, her beauty, and their insignificance.

“Naruto.” Sasuke only extended the respect to his “brother”.

“Sasuke.” Naruto smiled beside himself, but sobered when he remembered why he had come. “The humans are dying.”

“I’m aware. Because I, for one, am doing my job.” Sasuke sneered straight at Hiashi.

“Cut it out Uchiha. Return my daughter.”

Sasuke raised an eyebrow, ready to retort but Hinata’s hand reached for his, her pale fingers interlacing with his own.

“My duty is to my husband. My new home.” Hinata affirmed.

The Hyūga gaped up at Sasuke’s wife. His Queen. He could only smirk in victory. She had only been with him for six months but it was enough to see her truly blossom into what she had always meant to become.

Hiashi recovered quickly. “Stop being a brat Hinata. Come down.”

“Sasuke,” Naruto cut in before the family feud could make anything worse. “I think that we can come to an agreement.”

“She has already eaten the pomegranate.” Sasuke’s said, dismissive.

“You think you’re so clever.” Hiashi sneered. “No simple fruit could bind her here. Not a Hyūga. At least not forever.”

Not forever?

“That’s what were here to talk about.” Naruto scratched the back of his head nervously.

“Sasuke,”

She had turned to him, looking horrified. “I-I-I did what you said. Sasuke, please I’m sorry.”

He didn’t know what she was apologizing for. He didn’t blame her.

This situation wasn’t even considered a technicality. They were bending the rules, to still the pride of the Hyuga. They couldn’t undo what had already been done.

Hinata was his.

Sasuke begrudgingly understood where Naruto was coming from. The humans were dying. If there were no humans, there were no gods.

He had grossly underestimated Hiashi’s pride.

“I’ll see you soon.” He parted with her stiffly.

Hiashi moved up to the días upon Sasuke’s verbal agreement.

He was not a man to let the room see who he truly was.

Hinata was different.

“Sasuke, please.”

Tears flooded her opal eyes and she cling to him.

Sasuke saw her as he had always seen her, truly and deeply.

As much as she didn’t want to let him go, she didn’t want to let her power go.

She was finally something more. Something dark and powerful and dangerous and she meant something. She was filled with purpose, not only to Sasuke but his world as a whole. Her world too now.

And it was being stripped from her by the people that had always tried to stifle her.

She was terrified

He kissed her, opened mouthed in front of everyone, not that he had given that half a thought.

She tasted sad and sweet and of pomegranates.

“I’ll see you soon.” He promised.

[jakey-beefed-it]

i have seen some takes in the past couple days with regard to people who criticize The Last Jedi that are... well, maybe they’re not bad, maybe they do apply to some of the most toxic parts of the Star Wars fandom. But they wildly miss why I found it somewhat jarring. I’m gonna do this as calmly and reasonably and diplomatically as I know how, because I know tempers are high on this one.

A short summary of my problems with TLJ:

1.) Not enough Finn. I can be charitable and not speculate as to why they sidelined him, but as a critical part of the first movie in the trilogy, his role felt greatly reduced in this movie and I feel like it hurt the film overall and was disappointing to everyone who, like me, have a lot invested in Finn and his story. Biggest issue: when will Finn’s agency return from war.

2.) Character regression for Luke. The man who threw away his lightsaber rather than continue to fight his father, rather than give in to the (righteous!) anger within and ‘strike [the Empreor] down’. We can argue all day about whether the extremely pacifistic morality implied there is what the Light Side should be, but it’s certainly what Luke decided was the correct moral path. At the beginning of RotJ, Luke’s force-choking gammoreans and dressing like his dad, okay, sure. But by the end? He’s come around entirely.

While people in real life regularly take two steps forward and one step back in their moral development (and that’s if they’re trying to be better), these films are not real life. They’re mythology; practically allegory. To have Luke regress so far to even consider striking down an unarmed student while he’s asleep is huge whiplash for me. Ostensibly somebody could make a big long series set in Luke’s Jedi school and that might somewhat rehabilitate my opinion if it showed Luke struggling to find his way- in much the way that the Clone Wars show gave me lots of Feels(TM) about the prequels that I hadn’t previously had -but for now, there’s just this huge gulf between point A- Luke would rather die than kill his father, or even strike down the biggest cackling madman in the entire fuckening galaxy -and Point B -Luke strongly considering killing his own nephew in his sleep. Whiplash.

3.) Poe’s arc felt like it was written for a different character. Is there a need to show the typical hotshot macho braggart character taken down a peg in sci-fi stories? You bet. Is Poe any of those things besides hotshot? He really isn’t. You could show him becoming a better leader without resorting to having his effectively mother figure literally slap him. If nothing else, guys, I know that humans in a galaxy far far away are ostensibly not racist, but your audience has to deal with the cultural baggage from our society. Watching him get slapped felt like a punch right in my half-Mexican guts, and I love the hell out of Leia and Carrie Fisher. 

4.) Laura Dern’s character had no reason to keep her big secret. A fucking handwave would’ve satisfied me- a line like ‘I was concerned we were being monitored and so actually saying the plan out loud would’ve been disastrous; sorry Captain Dameron.” As-is, the story makes it seem like she kept her plan to herself out of... whimsy? Because she felt like Poe needed a lesson in trusting officers he’s not worked with closely? You’re a resistance leader, not a five-star admiral in the Republic navy- you can’t just expect the ‘ragtag band of rebels’ to follow you because of military hierarchy. People need reasons to trust, dammit.

5.) The ‘btw the real villain of the series is arms dealers’ side-plot was, imo, misplaced in a major film. These films are, as I said above, mythology. Could a Star Wars series tackle the issues of war profiteering? Absolutely. It could be great! I’d watch it. Should a tentpole Star Wars movie dip into that stuff when there’s Epic Tales of Good versus Evil Both in the Galaxy and in Ourselves to be told? Not in my opinion. Whatever your opinion about the entire arc on Canto Bight, (I’m not a big fan, but you might be) and how it was handled, I feel like it shouldn’t have been in the movie at all. Any major Star Wars movie.

6.) Misuse of the Tico sisters. Either let us have a little longer to get attached to Paige so that her heroic sacrifice carries more punch, or at least let Rose focus on her emotional trauma a bit more. I’d have been a lot happier with the romance subplot if it had made more sense for Rose, but she went from ‘oh god my sister is dead’ to ‘ooh wow a hero’ to ‘oh no; never meet your heroes’ to ‘i like this boy and want to kiss him’ in entirely too short a time. Have the film start off after a time skip; Finn has been working with the mechanics a bit since he’s a highly-trained soldier who knows all the technical details of First Order stuff, he and Rose are friends and Rose maybe has a crush to begin with, then Paige dies and that becomes her emotional arc for the movie- dealing with that loss. By the time she has the wherewithal to realize she loves him, he can either return her feelings or not depending on where they want to go in Episode IX. 

7.) Given that their relationship (platonic or romantic as you interpret it) was the entire heart of TFA, having Finn and Rey separated for the entire movie was just hard to deal with, and not in a good way. More in the ‘where’s the heart of this movie?’ sort of way. Still trying to answer that question.

Also, you will pry Force-Sensitive Finn from my cold dead hands and as a result I would have done unspeakable things to see him get trained alongside Rey. But that’s less a legit beef with the movie and more something I fervently would like to have seen. 

I have other personal taste complaints as well (why the boob-monster? why so much focus on Kylo only to double down on what an irredeemable jerk he is at the end? why completely abandon all the interesting plot threads from TFA? I liked those plot threads! I had fun speculating! why make them all irrelevant? sheesh!) but they’re pretty clearly matters of personal taste and so I will refrain from going on and on about them.

Anyhow yeah; I even enjoyed the film and have seen it twice now, but my initial misgivings have only grown. Especially the Luke business By no means am I of the opinion that it’s the worst character assassination in Star Wars canon (*cough* Padme *cough*) but I still find it really jarring. 

Blargh. No doubt I’ll get people jumping into my inbox to tell me that I’m dead wrong in that I dare not entirely love it because it’s the Best Thing, or that I’m entirely too easy on it because it’s the Worst Thing. So I’m gonna take a shower and then head out to the Warhammer store rather than sit around reading messages all day. 

[pocket-luv101]

The Forest of Ash || Chapter 18

Fandom: Servamp Characters: Mahiru, Kuro, Licht, Hyde Pairings: KuroMahi (main), LawLicht (side)

Summary: To stop the never ending winter the gods created, Mahiru entered the Forest of Ash to steal fire and gift it to the humans. When he was caught, he thought that he would be put to death. But Kuro was far from the God of the Dead that he heard stories about. He decided to stay in the Forest of Ash with him. {KuroMahi//Greek Mythology AU}

FFNet || AO3

Ch.1 || Ch.2 || Ch.3 || Ch.4 || Ch.5 || Ch.6 || Ch.7 || Ch.8 || Ch.9 || Ch.10 || Ch.11 || Ch.12 || Ch.13 || Ch.14 || Ch.15 || Ch.16 || Ch.17 || (Ch.18) || Ch.19 || Ch.20

“Where did that angel go?” Hyde muttered to himself as he ran through the market place. He scanned the street, searching for Licht. He only took his eyes off him for a second but he suddenly disappeared in that moment. At least he would be easy to spot because of his unique appearance. Iolcus was a peaceful city under Lily’s protection so it wasn’t dangerous for Licht to explore alone but Hyde still worried for him.

A large crowd was gathered in the plaza and Hyde approached it, instinctively knowing that Licht would be there. He couldn’t name anything more spellbinding than his angel. People would often stop and watch whenever Licht played a song. He didn’t hear music but something told him that Licht was in the middle of that circle of people. As he pushed his way through the crowd, he sensed a familiar presence.

“Damnit, Sleepy Ash!” He swore when he recognized who it was. Hyde shoved the spectators aside and rushed to Licht. Fear gripped him with the thought of Licht fighting Sleepy Ash. He didn’t doubt that he would fight the Olympian despite knowing how dangerous he was. The thought of Licht being hurt made his actions frantic. He reached the center and screamed, “Don’t you dare touch my angel, Sleepy Ash!”

Hyde was expecting to see a fight. However, the sight he was met with was anything but. He didn’t know how to make sense of the scene before him. Licht and Sleepy Ash were there yet they were facing a god he didn’t recognize. The two had their heads bowed as the deity lectured them. “What were you two thinking starting a fight in the plaza? You two caused a scene and likely frightened these poor humans.”

“Mahiru, you’re the one causing a scene right now.” Licht pointed out. A single, stern look from the deity silenced any further argument he had. Hyde was left speechless that Licht would give in so easily to someone. More perplexing, Sleepy Ash was acting like a docile cat being chastised. He didn’t sense anything strange from the deity so he couldn’t be using his powers on them.

“Do you know how dangerous it is to use your powers in a place full of humans? Someone could’ve gotten hurt! I know you two only wanted to protect me but I wasn’t in any danger.” Mahiru huffed and crossed his arms. His anger faded and he realized that people were staring at them. He turned to the humans and said, “I’m sorry for my husband and my friend. Please go about your day.”

The crowd dispersed but Mahiru noticed that one person stayed. Kuro’s back suddenly blocked his view when he stepped in front of him. Mahiru placed his hand on his shoulder and he could feel how stiff he was. A thick silence suddenly fell around them and the air became tense. He leaned out from behind Kuro to see who the man was. He didn’t recognize him but it was obvious that Kuro did.

“What are you doing here, Lawless?” Kuro asked in a calm voice. While his brother wasn’t as violent as Tsubaki, he knew that Lawless was still angry with him. In a blink, Hyde was in front of him. Kuro didn’t flinch even as Hyde aimed a glare at him. He refused to move when Mahiru was behind him. He kept Lawless from seeing him and he prayed that Mahiru would stay behind him.

“What am I doing here?” Hyde laughed bitterly. The wind picked up and Licht could sense that he was barely containing his anger. “I should ask you that question! Do you intend to damn the soul of every human in this city? Just like before! I won’t let that happen again. Lily loves this city and its people. Then again, your brother’s feelings didn’t stop you from destroying the town I made for Ophelia. You haven’t changed at all, Sleepy Ash.”

Mahiru recognized the name Lawless and realized that he was the God of the Sky and Kuro’s brother. He wanted to step between them but something told him that it wasn’t his place. The things Lawless said suggested that the strain between them was caused by far more than the war. He never heard of Ophelia before and he wondered what could’ve happen.

“It’s time to go, Mahiru. While Hyde has Sleepy Ash occupied, we can run.” Licht tried to pry Mahiru away from the Kuro. He knew that the tiniest thing could snap the tension around them and cause things to escalate to a fight. A part of Licht wanted to stay and learn about Ophelia’s fate. A hint of jealousy entered his heart. He ignored it and forced himself to focus on saving Mahiru. “Let’s go.”

“I can’t leave Kuro.” Mahiru shook off his hand and hugged Kuro’s arm. In turn, Kuro placed a loving hand over his. He gripped his hand protectively and Mahiru thought he felt the same.

So his next words confused him. “Go with your friend, Mahiru.”

“Tsubaki forced us apart just a few days ago. Do you honestly think I’m going to let another brother do that to us again?” Mahiru readjusted their hands so their fingers threaded together to keep Kuro by his side. He continued to hold Kuro’s hand when he turned to face Hyde. “I’m Mahiru, the Deity of Noon, and I recently married Kuro. We’re a family now and I want to help mend whatever rift occurred between you two. With Tsubaki’s war, it’s best if we stay together.”

There was a pause and he hoped that Lawless would listen to reason. Mahiru saw something change in his demeanour after a long silence. His red eyes narrowed as he peered closely at Mahiru. He stepped closer to Kuro in fear but he didn’t leave his side. Hyde frowned and said, “You have fire inside you. Lichtan said that you were planning to steal—”

“I gave Mahiru my fire as a gift.” Kuro interrupted him quickly. If Licht told Lawless that Mahiru originally planned to steal fire, he needed to keep him from telling the other Olympians. They might try to take his fire back and the process could kill him. He held onto Mahiru’s hand firmly and begged. “Please, Lawless, do whatever you want to me but don’t hurt Mahiru. I love him.”

“Didn’t I say something similar once? I loved her. Should I give you the same answer you gave me? Then again, you didn’t give me an answer at all and forced me out of your forest. You can’t avoid me now.” His words stung Kuro because it reminded him of his many past mistakes. He wished he knew what to do at the moment. He didn’t want to tell Lawless the truth but he wanted to protect Mahiru as well.

Licht kicked Hyde to the ground and broke the tension around them. “Be straightforward with your brother, Shit Rat! Don’t threaten my friend because of your petty war when he never did anything to you or Ophelia! This is getting us nowhere, Stupid Olympian.”

“Whatever you want, Lichtan.” Hyde stood up and rubbed the spot he kicked him. It wasn’t the threat of violence that made him stop though. He knew that Mahiru was his friend and Hyde couldn’t hurt someone important to Licht. He faced Kuro and said, “I won’t do anything to your little husband but I want the answers you didn’t give me a thousand years ago.”

“I’ll tell you everything as long as you don’t hurt Mahiru.” Kuro nodded reluctantly. Even though he could see the anger and fight leave his brother’s eyes, Kuro kept an arm around Mahiru’s waist protectively. “We should go back to Misono’s palace to talk. This isn’t the best place to discuss what happened. When we get back, please don’t tell Lily about Mahiru and his fire. Please, Lawless.”

“The God of the Dead is actually begging for someone else’s sake. I guess you have changed, at least a little.” Hyde decided. “I won’t tell Lily.”

“I’m sorry for worrying you, Licht.” Mahiru apologized. They were the only two people in the kitchen because he asked the cooks to leave. He wanted to speak to Licht alone as he made sideritis tea. The drink was simple but it was a nice treat to have on such a cold day. He also hoped that it would help the brothers relax. There was still a thick tension between them when he left the two in the library alone.

While Mahiru wanted to be there to support Kuro, he also knew that he had to talk to Licht and explain everything to him. Before he left to steal fire, he told Licht about his plan and asked him to protect their friends if he never came back. He should’ve expected that he would try to save him even if he sent him reassuring letters because Licht was wary of the Olympians.

“Licht, I know what you must think of Kuro but he’s a great person. I got to know him and I fell in love with him. It might be hard for you to believe. I did send letters to everyone so they’ll know that I’m happy and safe with Kuro. The only letter I lied in was the first one I sent that said I fell in love with him at first sight. Everything else I wrote about were true though.” Mahiru said as he took the kettle off the stove.

“That was the only letter I received. I knew it was a lie the moment I read it.” He leaned against the counter. Black Cat delivered the letters to his home but Licht had already left to save him so he never read them. “It was a rather outlandish story. Who would simply go to the God of the Dead and ask him to give his fire to humans?”

“Kuro is a kind god and I’m certain he would’ve listen to my plea if I did. If only I knew that from the start. I wouldn’t have gone through with my complicated plan of stealing fire.” Mahiru closed his eyes and remember the first time he met Kuro. “When I look back on everything though, I wouldn’t change a thing. I cherish every moment I shared with Kuro because it helped me fall in love with him. I hope you can understand and accept us.”

Mahiru worried his lower lip as he tried to think of how to reassure Licht that Kuro was a good person. Then an idea came to him. He patted his knee and Black Cat trotted obediently to him. It rubbed its head affectionately against his leg. The moment Licht saw the cat, his eyes lit up like stars. Mahiru knew how much Licht loved animals. He knelt and petted the cat. “Hello, Mr. Cat. Do you have an owner?”

“This is Black Cat and he belongs to me and Kuro. He is a very talented cat. Can you show him, Black Cat?” After Mahiru’s light prompting, Black Cat transformed into a bunny. As it hopped around Licht, it would transform into various animals. Awe filled his eyes and he reached out towards Black Cat so he could play with the small creature. Black Cat became a hedgehog and crawled onto his lap.

“Can I have him?” He exclaimed and tightly hugged the hedgehog despite its quills pricking him slightly. Fearing that someone was going to take him away from his family, Black Cat turned into shadows and disappeared. It reformed as a cat on Mahiru’s shoulder and hissed at Licht.

“Don’t worry, Black Cat, no one’s going to take you away. Licht is a friend and he only wants to play with you.” Mahiru petted it reassuringly and the cat relaxed. He faced Licht and told him, “Kuro created Black Cat with his shadow. If Kuro was like people say, he wouldn’t have made Black Cat so sweet and playful. There is good in Kuro.”

Licht was silent and he stared into the teacup for a response. He looked at his friend and found his answer. Mahiru’s feelings were clear in his eyes. He truly loved Kuro. He remembered seeing the same feelings in his parents’ eyes. He never thought he would see a love so strong again. “If you believe in him, I’ll have to trust your judgement. An Olympian isn’t the kind of person I would spend my life with though.”

“Once you get to know Kuro, I’m sure you’ll see what I do! Thank you for giving him a chance. His powers can seem scary but he uses them for good. He created Elysium where the souls of heroes reside and are rewarded. He also allows people to visit the souls of their loved ones.” He added honey into a teacup and smiled softly, “Kuro has a sweet tooth. Surprising for the God of the Dead, isn’t it? You and Kuro have that in common. Should I add honey to Lawless’s teacup as well?”

“That rat likes bitter drinks like coffee. I say we dump that whole jar of honey in there.” Mahiru giggled at how Licht wanted to do something so childish to the Olympian just to mess with him. He knew Licht loathed most of the gods but there was something different about how he acted with Lawless. If he truly hated him, he wouldn’t have asked for his help no matter how desperate he was.

“You and Lawless seem very close.” He commented but Licht was quick to disagree.

“Us? That man has been nothing but an annoyance since I dragged him out of that storm! The first thing he does after I save him is lie and trick me into believing he was a human.” Licht went on to tell him about their time together. He finished his rant after a while and crossed his arms. “That Olympian is like every other god I know. No, he’s worse than them. He’s selfish and he doesn’t care about anyone else.”

“I can tell he cares for you though. When you told him not to threaten me, he listened. Lawless also gave you those wings as a gift. He helped you travel to the Forest of Ash despite how dangerous the journey is.” Mahiru reminded him. He thought his remarks would reassure Licht about Hyde’s intentions but they only made Licht’s frown deepen.

“He didn’t travel to the Forest of Ash to protect me or anything like that. He only went with me because he wanted to find Ophelia’s soul. I just gave him a good opportunity to do so. The Shit Rat hasn’t told me directly but I know that’s his reasoning. You like to see the best in everything but you’re wrong about us.” Licht sighed and absentmindedly stirred his tea. “A demigod doesn’t mean a thing to him.”

Licht didn’t know why saying that last sentence hurt him so much.

Kuro watched the library door and waited anxiously for Mahiru to walk through it. He needed him. He understood Mahiru’s wish to talk to his friend alone so he didn’t want to stop him selfishly. Nevertheless, he hoped he would return soon. The library was huge but it felt stifling because he was facing Lawless after so long. His brother wanted to know where Ophelia was yet the truth could devastate him.

He promised to tell him everything to protect Mahiru. It was still difficult though. He didn’t want Mahiru or his brother to be hurt because he cared for both of them. Also, he would rather keep Mahiru from learning the truth even though he needed his support to bring himself to give his brother the answers he wanted. “Lawless…”

“I go by the name Hyde while I’m on Earth. It feels a little strange to have people call me Lawless again. Hyde was the false name I gave Licht when we first met and it kinda stuck since then. I like the way Licht says it.” Hyde told him and leaned back in his chair. The anger he felt when he saw Kuro again had faded but the tension in the room remained.

“I understand, Law— Hyde. Mahiru gave me the name Kuro. It’s a lot better than God of the Dead or Sleepy Ash. I’m grateful for everything he has given me.” He smiled slightly as he talked about Mahiru. Hyde was a little surprise by the tender love that entered his red eyes. He thought that Kuro married Mahiru to punish him for stealing fire like Licht told him.

“You really love him, don’t you? Earlier, Mahiru mentioned that you two were separated. That must’ve been difficult for you. Not knowing where the person you care so much about is. You probably tortured yourself by imagining a thousand horrible scenarios. I know what that’s like from experience.” Hyde’s voice was barely a whisper but it made the atmosphere heavier.

“When you came to me centuries ago and asked where Ophelia was, I thought I was sparing your feelings by hiding the truth. I couldn’t have known how worried you must’ve felt for her. I understand now.” Kuro sighed. “I’m sorry I never told you earlier. Sensei—”

“We’re back.” They both turned to the door when Mahiru and Licht returned. Kuro felt the tension leave his body as their eyes met. He always seemed to appear whenever he needed him and Kuro couldn’t be more grateful for his presence. Mahiru sat next to him and wrapped both of his hands around Kuro’s left hand. Even without exchanging words, Mahiru was able to comfort him.

Licht looked around the room for a place to sit. He didn’t even know if he should stay. The Olympians’ quarrel didn’t concern him after all. With Kuro present, he didn’t need to worry about Hyde hurting his friend either. There wasn’t a reason for him to stay by Hyde’s side anymore. His hands shook slightly as he set the tray of tea on the table. “Mahiru, can I play with Black Cat while you three talk?”

“Wait, don’t leave me.” Hyde caught his cloak and pulled Licht back towards him. His eyes begged him to stay even before he spoke. “Can you just sit here with me?”

“I can’t see why you need me here, Shit Rat.” Licht said but he sank onto the couch. He placed a safe distance between them. Still, Hyde smiled weakly because he didn’t expect him to actually stay. Mahiru noticed how tense his friend was and whispered to Black Cat. It trotted to Licht and settled itself on his lap. Licht petted the cat to distract himself from Hyde and his feelings.

Hyde took a deep breath and asked, “Where is Ophelia and the people of her town?”

The room became quiet as everyone in the room waited for Kuro’s reply. From the corner of his eyes, Mahiru watched Kuro. He knew that telling his brother the secrets he held for so long must be difficult for him. His hand trembled in his so Mahiru raised their tangled fingers to his lips. He kissed Kuro’s fingertips lightly. Then he slowly lowered their hands onto his lap and stroked his thumb over his palm.

“I’m so sorry, Hyde.” Kuro held onto Mahiru’s hand a little tighter before he answered. He manipulated the shadows to coat the walls so people outside the library couldn’t hear them. “I intended to send Ophelia’s soul to Elysium but, when it came time for her trial, I discovered her soul was gone. It was the same with everyone else from her town.”

“She’s gone? Do you expect me to believe her soul has simply disappeared from this world? Not even an Olympian can erase a soul. A human’s life can be taken but their soul is immortal like we are. The most we can do to a soul is manipulate it.” Hyde stood and slammed his hands on the table. “It’s your job to watch over souls in the Forest of Ash. You must know what happened to her soul.”

“I told you the truth. I wish there was something I could do. Her soul is gone and I can’t bring her back for you. The only one who can is Sensei and I refuse to release him. He’s too dangerous. I don’t have the power to imprison him a second time.” Kuro shook his head. It wasn’t that he didn’t have the ability to seal away his soul again but he knew his guilt would make him hesitate.

“You’re not telling me everything. I know you’re hiding something else from me.” Hyde stood in front of Kuro and glared down at him. His hands clenched into fists but he kept them at his side. “We’ve known each other long before the Earth was created. I can tell when you’re keeping something from me, Brother. You said that her soul disappeared but how?”

Kuro turned towards Mahiru briefly and knew he couldn’t relinquish that secret. It would put Mahiru in danger. “I told you that her soul is gone so what’s the point of learning how? It will only be more painful for you, Hyde. She chose her fate and she didn’t feel any pain.”

“So, you’re still keeping secrets.” Hyde scowled and books went flying from the bookcase in reaction to his anger. Kuro instinctively protected Mahiru from the storm and covered his head with his arm. But his wind storm didn’t last long before Hyde stepped away from him. “I thought you changed but you haven’t. I don’t know why I thought talking with you would give me any answers.”

“Wait!” Mahiru rushed to stop Hyde from leaving. He could see that there was a rift between the brothers and he wanted to help Kuro mend it. He stood in front of the door to prevent him from leaving. “You said that Kuro hasn’t changed since then and you’re right. He was trying to protect your feelings then and he’s doing the same thing now. He’s your older brother and I know he doesn’t want to hurt you.”

“If he wants to keep me from being hurt, he’s doing a piss poor job of that.” Hyde pushed him aside and strode out the door. Kuro quickly caught Mahiru before he could fall to the ground. He watched his brother leave but he didn’t know if he had any right to stop him.

Hyde sat at the top of the large arch gate and gazed at the horizon. Dusk was setting on the town and his darkening mood matched the fading sky. He tried to keep his emotions from spilling over into the sky. The clashing feelings within him could easily make Tsubaki’s winter worse. He was angry with Kuro but he couldn’t hurt the town Lily loved.

A light breeze washed over him briefly and Hyde looked over his shoulder. Behind him was Licht and he was a little shocked to see him. He assumed that he would be talking with Mahiru after reuniting with his friend. He certainly didn’t think he would approach an Olympian considering his disdain for them. Licht landed on the rail and sat beside him. He didn’t look at Hyde and kept his eyes on the sunset in front of them. Hyde rested his head on his hand and sighed.

“If you’re here to punish me because I pushed your friend, can you wait until tomorrow? I’m not really in the mood to have one of our little play fights right now.” He tried to brush him off. He was taken aback when Licht hit his face with his wing. Hyde cursed lightly and fumbled against the feathers. He stopped when Licht wrapped his wing over him. It protected him from the falling snow and kept him warm.

Despite the tender gesture, Licht neither turn to face him nor spoke a word. Hyde reached up and gently brushed his hand over the soft feathers. In the vast sky he ruled over, he knew there was nothing more beautiful than the angel next to him. He swung his legs languidly. “You found your friend again. I still can’t believe those two are married. What are you going to do now?”

“Support Mahiru.” Licht shrugged. “It might be difficult now that he lives in the Forest of Ash. Kuro gave me and Mahiru a pair of books to help us stay in contact. Anything I write in mine will appear in Mahiru’s book so we can talk easily. I can visit occasionally as well but I wish there was more I could do.”

“Don’t ask me to build you a town near the forest so people can easily visit that damn forest easier.” Hyde said. His tone was sarcastic but a shadow crossed his face. He felt something brush against his hand and he looked down to see that it was Licht. He didn’t hold his hand and merely rested his hand as closely as he dared to Hyde’s.

“You said you gave me these wings because I saved your life. Well, you helped me find Mahiru with your servants and I owe you a favour now. Like you said, it’s embarrassing for an Angel to be in debt to an Olympian. So, I’ll help you get the entire story out of your brother. I can be rather persuasive.” Licht held up his pan flute. He played a short note and birds circled around them.

“Mahiru will be mad if you use your music on him.” Hyde chuckled. He finally smiled again after frowning for the entire day and the sight was a relief to Licht. He was used to Hyde having a goofy smile and a carefree attitude. Licht found that he liked his smile.

“I know what Kuro told you wasn’t the answer you were hoping for. But it was a lot more than you got from him in the last thousand years. If you persist, you might get the whole truth. As long as you don’t give up, you’ll get what you want.” Licht said and changed his song to something more soothing. He told himself that he was playing for the birds around them.

Hyde leaned against Licht’s arm, lulled by his song. As expected, Licht hit him lightly. “I can’t play when you’re leaning on me and messing up my posture. If you’re going to fall asleep on me, lie on my lap so I can still play. Olympians are truly short sighted and stupid.”

“I think that’s the nicest thing you’ve called me so far.” Hyde shifted until he could rest his head on his lap. He looked up at Licht. While he wanted to know what happened to Ophelia’s soul, he found that there was something else he wanted more. He hoped that he could continue to be with Licht.

This is a large LawLicht chapter but more kuromahi to come.

[maychorian]

Weekly Voltron Fic Recs #53

I am THIS close to actually and totally being caught up on reccing everything I want to rec. Two days behind now. Next week maybe I’ll actually be there.

Rules: You can find past weekly rec lists here, and non-list recs in my general fic rec tag. Also follow @maychorianrecs for individually tagged posts, the easier to search and reblog. This is stuff I like, and I have a huge bias toward Lance, hurt/comfort, and general fluff, in that order. Gen unless otherwise noted. Please comment on the fics if you read and enjoy them!

flambe by againstmygreeleaf Words: 2,527 Author’s Summary: Generally soup does not warrant a fruit’s presence, but this is a space fruit and it has a suitable savory tang. My Comments: What a great Hunk-centric sickfic. There just aren’t enough of them. Not even close.

Cookies are Best When Shared with Friends by Mikiri for MoonlitWaterSunnyRiver Words: 1,459 Author’s Summary: Hunk was used to dealing with Lance, and he was getting used to dealing with Keith. Either way, Hunk was just glad to have fun with his friends. My Comments: Daw, so adorable. I love these three becoming friends.

A Little Voice by ihaveacleverfandomurl Words: 1,983 Author’s Summary: Shiro’s hesitant to touch the kid, to scare him, but he’s even more hesitant to leave him here to shiver in his sleep, cuddled up with nothing next to long-dead blackened logs. So gently, he places a hand on the kid’s head. Not expecting a near-instantaneous squeak and jump and roll away, across the ground. The kid lands in a defensive posture, and his eyes are darting between the two men, now some feet away from his landing spot.Shiro and Matt find a kid on their camping trip to get away from the pressures of being seniors in high school. Keith may be twitchy and scared, but Shiro is ready to help him in any way he can. But Keith might not stick around forever. My Comments: Aw man, poor tiny Keith, but I love how Shiro and Matt just drop everything to help him and pour their hearts and souls into it.

I’m Only a Crack by Anonymous Words: 6,033 Author’s Summary: There’s not much he knows. He doesn’t know where he is, or who put him here. He doesn’t know how long he’s been here, or why he was put here at all. He doesn’t know who he is. He doesn’t even know his own name. The one thing that he does know is that he has to survive. And to do that he needs to escape, before it’s too late. My Comments: Poor Shiro, getting his mind almost completely wiped like that, but I adored how protective everyone was, and cuddly Hunk was so cute. The team protectiveness and eventual solution were great.

Get Down with the Sickness by BossToaster (ChaoticReactions) Words: 10,856 Author’s Summary: Catching space colds is nothing new to Shiro. But this particular bug is nasty and especially contagious. The answer: Quarantine My Comments: So indulgent and satisfying, going through all the stages of the prototypical sickfic, from delirium to recovery. Reading this was like sinking into a hot bath.

Late Nights by Sohotthateveryonedied Words: 2,376 Author’s Summary: Shiro is awoken one night to find a bruised and bloodied Keith at his door after yet another fight. My Comments: Aw, poor kids. It would have been very frustrating to be Keith’s friend, I think. But he very much needs one. Good job Shiro for being there.

The Erebrean Period by Mira_Jade Words: 4,752 Author’s Summary: The Erebrean Period: A span of the cosmic timescale stretching from the formation of the proto-sun, to the emission of its first light. Or: A glimpse of a family, as it once was, long ago. My Comments: This is a gorgeous, lyrical fic, beautiful to read, but with an undercurrent of absolute dread and inevitability. It feels like the last step off a cliff. Highly recommended.

The (Not-So-)Necessary Rescue by A_Zap Words: 4,864 Author’s Summary: Lance has been captured by the Galra, and Shiro and the rest of the team rush to save him. Due to a bit of luck, they manage to get there to rescue him but… Well, it turns out that it may not have been as necessary as Shiro thought. In which Shiro learns that he has severely underestimated Lance and Lance is freaking awesome. My Comments: This was a fun break from all those angsty fics where Lance gets captured, much as I love those. Granted, he had a healthy dose of luck assisting him, but he has skills too. It was fun to see everyone’s reactions.

Wings of a Lion by Eastofthemoon Words: 6,120 Author’s Summary: Shiro wanted to strengthen his bond with the Black Lion, but he never dreamed it would go this far. My Comments: Really fun fic in which Shiro gets wings and everyone, including him, has to adjust.

Back in Black by ptw30 Words: 5,584 Author’s Summary: In honor of Shiro Week 2017 - here is a helping of gen fics to celebrate my favorite paladin, Shiro! All prompts, save day 7, are written sometime in season 5 after Shiro escapes his time in Galra captivity. All fics are gen.Day 1: Space/Time (both!) - “Burritos and What They Mean in Space" Day 2: Original - “The Greatest Gift" Day 3: Break/Mend (both!) - "Lullaby" Day 4: The Black Bayard - "The Black Bayard’s True Form" Day 5: Companion - "Things to Do in the Astral Plane When You’re Bored" Day 6: Duty - "A Paladin’s Sacred Duty" Day 7: Free Day/AU - Blade!Shiro Story - "Not Ready” My Comments: Great collection of Shiro-centric ficlets. I think day five is my favorite, but they’re all worth reading.

Mind Games by Rangergirl3 Words: 6,392 Author’s Summary: There’s more than one way to break a person. My Comments: Some really brutal torture scenes here, with Keith as victim. Great job to the rest of the team rallying around him, though.

Worthless by The_Angst_Chronicles for Tidalstep Words: 15,939 Author’s Summary: Lance breaks down after a mission, not knowing that his comm was on. The rest of the team overhears. My Comments: Hecks yeah, Lance having a breakdown and everyone else pulling him back together. I freaking love these fics, and this is a good one. Lots of good cuddling, lots of good reassurance. Maybe a wee bit over the top, but hey, sometimes I like that. I enjoyed this one thoroughly.

Like a Good Pair of Headphones by yet_intrepid for Agapostemon Words: 958 Author’s Summary: Hey,” says Matt, “are those my headphones?” Pidge looks up from flying the wacky green lion ship that she apparently flies, and frowns at him. “What?” “My headphones,” Matt repeats, waving them at her. They weren’t in her bag so much as on top of it, so he wasn’t prying. “Come on, Pidge. The limited edition ones I bought? There’s like fifty pair of these in the entire world, so don’t try and tell me this isn’t the one that was already in our house.” My Comments: This author is absolutely amazing with sibling relationships. They feel so perfectly realistic, antagonistic and comforting by turns, exactly like real life. Pidge and Matt have been through a lot, and they need to reconnect.

Drift Away by BossToaster (ChaoticReactions) Words: 2,737 Author’s Summary: After a long series of missions and forming Voltron, the bond sticks as the team goes to bed. Shiro tries to stay awake. My Comments: This is so soft and peaceful and warm, despite the brief moments of fear. It just really made me feel good.

Be Ready and Be Brave by yet_intrepid Words: 4,370 Author’s Summary: “Yeah,” says Shiro. “Your mom seems chill.” “She’s really chill,” Hunk says. “She gets stressed a lot, though. Or she did. She was working two jobs before. But she’s great; I love her.” And then he looks at Shiro expectantly, like he’s expecting Shiro to praise his dad in turn. And Shiro wants to. He does. But he can’t get words out of his throat. My Comments: Mind the tags. This is an extremely tense and disturbing portrayal of an abusive situation, though no abuse in shown on screen, just for Shiro’s mindset and the undercurrent of fear in the fic. But it’s really, really good, I mean amazing, so if you don’t have triggers you should definitely read it. Background Shallura, Shatt, and Hance.

Afraid to Get Close by Cocopops1995 Words: 1,274 Author’s Summary: Keith’s pretty sure it started when his mother left him, but he thinks it was after the fourth or fifth foster family gave up on him he really stopped allowing people to get close to him. My Comments: Aw man, poor Keith. I’m so glad he finally got a good hug. He needs it.

And Still the Stars by Bubblekilt Words: 2,279 Author’s Summary: Shiro has a bad night. Black helps, in her way. Written for Shiro Week 2017, Day 1: Space. My Comments: Aww, Black is a good kitty mama. <3

If I Could Melt Your Heart by Cocopops1995 Words: 2,291 Author’s Summary: Keith is missing. Shiro and the team do their best to find him. My Comments: Alternate perspective on a previously recced fic. This version was even better for those achy hc feels. Love the protectiveness, as always.

What goes unseen by kafeicappuccino Words: 2,184 Author’s Summary: ‘They’re everywhere, Takashi.’ His grandfather had promised, a warm smile on his lips, as though he were sharing something precious. ‘No matter where you go, they’re there, but don’t worry. They’re not all bad.’ — He remembered those eyes from almost fifteen years ago, ones that belonged to a youthful and pale face, and that was exactly the problem.Neither hadn’t changed in the slightest. My Comments: What a cool little fantasy AU. I like the use of Japanese mythology, and Shiro’s POV both as a child and as an adult was completely believable. I would read more of this concept.

Home Is Far; Your Arms Are Here by seekingsquake Words: 1,162 Author’s Summary: Maybe… maybe if they have a sleepover, thinking about home won’t hurt so much. Maybe if Lance keeps him wrapped up, Hunk will have the courage to look out the window. My Comments: Aw, poor boys. Hunk and Lance are both homesick and hurting, but at least they have each other.

I’m Your Captain by EagleInFlight Words: 8,045 (3/?) Author’s Summary: **SEQUEL TO WORDS FAIL** Summary: It’d been four years since Lance has last been home. Four years of war, of pain, of home-sickness, of fighting. Today is the day he’ll see the shores of Varadero Beach, he’ll receive his mother’s bone-crushing hug, he’ll see his big family of aunts, uncles, and cousins, and he’ll see his brother who he left on bad terms with. Only…they can’t know he’s a Paladin of Voltron. This was not the family reunion Lance expected.But it was everything he needed. My Comments: Sequel to a previously recced fic, this is a bittersweet and heartwarming homecoming for Lance. I’m glad Keith is there for moral support, with all the complicated family issues going on. I’ll be following this one avidly.

Under the Weight of Belief by yet_intrepid Words: 3,801 Author’s Summary: Before all this, Shiro used to be somebody. One of the best pilots in the Rebel Alliance. He loved his x-wing and he trained new recruits and he flew missions, so many missions, until one went wrong. A Star Wars Original Trilogy AU for Shiro Week 2017! Day 1 - Time/Space and Day 2 - Original/Divergent. My Comments: Man, the beginning of this is so brutal, but the comfort at the end is so good. It really really hurts to see Shiro as a literal slave, but the rescue and the hug at the end almost made it worth it.

Pride And Joy by prettyshiroic (AnalystProductions) Words: 5,850 Author’s Summary: Keith wears the colour red with pride. Sometimes, he wears it with joy. My Comments: Daww, this is the CUTEST. Happy Keith is so sweet and adorable, and singing to mice? Man, I’ve been there.

Children of the Lion Goddess by RukiaG Words: 5,471 Author’s Summary: Altean mythology claims that the Lion Goddess created the Universe, and that her four children protect Altea of all evil. However, Altea and its solar system is long gone, its people hunted down and slaughtered by order of Emperor Zarkon, its culture eradicated and its gods forgotten. Forgotten, but not dead, and soon the Voltron Paladins will find out that some traces of Altea still remain. Or: Team Voltron finds an Altean temple and somehow Shiro is adopted by a magical space lioness. My Comments: I did not read the summary for this very carefully before I started reading, so at first I thought it was just a fun exploration fic, like an episode of Star Trek or Stargate. Partway through, though, it takes a turn for the AMAZING and ADORABLE. Try it out. I’m pretty sure you’ll like it.

Calls Me On and On by BossToaster (ChaoticReactions) Words: 7,614 Author’s Summary: Shiro: Then and now My Comments: This fic is absolutely brilliant, one of bosstoaster’s best works ever, and she’s done some amazing, amazing stuff. I loved the way past and present were interwoven, and the contrast between Shiro then and now and how that eventually flipped on its head. A really, really good read, felt like a whole universe in a tiny fic.

i spy with my little eye, something beginning with squeak by prettyshiroic (AnalystProductions) Words: 5,694 Author’s Summary: “Look it doesn’t - it doesn’t matter just, it’s - what are you doing here?!” The mouse looks up at Keith. It understands what he’s saying, it absolutely does. But it’s purposefully choosing to ignore his question. The audacity. Keith grits his teeth, running a hand through his hair. It’s not like they can go all the way back to the castle now. The planning for the mission is underway and they’ll be taking off soon. Probably as soon as tomorrow, even. The war won’t wait for them. They have to keep going. Mice and all. “You can’t be here. It’s too dangerous it -” the mouse is tiny, comfortably fitting in his hand. “You’re a mouse?!” Keith exclaims, voice low. It’s ridiculous. This cannot be real, but it is. The yellow mouse flexes its arms with gusto, pulling all kinds of poses as if to say it’s strong and perfectly capable of fighting in this war. Keith seriously doubts that. —- Keith leaves for the Blade of Marmora, and soon discovers - in more ways than expected - he’s not alone… My Comments: This is SUPER sweet. Platt’s mannerisms felt very mouselike, and I loved the reason he was there. Keith also has a lovely roommate in a not-dead Regris, which is bonus.

Back from the Edge by Emerald_Ashes Words: 2,603 (1/?) Author’s Summary: The paladins are still recuperating after the events that transpired between them and the Galra. Yet the war continues. They’ve been lucky to avoid battle for as long as they have, but soon enough they will be summoned into the fray once more. And while Lance is healing, he has to learn to deal with his new demons. My Comments: I am VERY excited for this sequel to one of my favorite hurt!Lance fics by one of my favorite hurt!Lance authors. It’s such a good aftermath, and already it’s pushing a lot of my buttons, like a LOT of them, with Lance feeling weak and tired and lonely in recovery and just needing attention but also feeling bad for needing attention. Like I just wanna coo at him and wrap him in blankets and give him tea and cookies. Fortunately he has a loving team to do that for me, but I can’t help the way I feel. Can’t wait for more.

Try to Try Hard by yet_intrepid Words: 4,874 Author’s Summary: “Shiro,” Keith says, and he tries to be calm. “Are you…okay?” Shiro lifts his head a little. Keith has never seen him so pale. The blood is still pumping out and Keith can’t stop staring at it. He should fix it. He should fix it. He doesn’t know how. [Shiro loses his hand, Aladdin AU edition. Written for Shiro Week Day 3: Break/Mend and Day 5: Isolation/Companion.] My Comments: The fic this is prequel to is mostly fluffy and cute, but this fic is very much not those things. It’s brutal and sad, but the second chapter has some very nice comforting and a very cute baby Lance to kinda sorta maybe make up a little bit for Shiro getting his hand chopped off with an axe. Somewhat.

Fear Itself by BossToaster (ChaoticReactions) Words: 7,277 Author’s Summary: After an assassination attempt, Slav demands asks that the paladins come to protect him. With seven pilots, five lions, and one castle, they end up able to send along one person. Ryou volunteers himself. Kind of. He may not have thought this through very well. Shiro Week 2017, Day 2: Original/Divergent My Comments: I love this fic SO much. Ryou is wonderful, and the Slav characterization is perfect, somehow annoying and endearing at the same time, just like he is in the show. I love how hard Ryou worked to try to understand Slav and meet him on an emotional level, even while he had to hold back his irritation. He did a great job. I’m proud of him.

Through Adversity to the Stars by Sylindara Words: 8,225 Author’s Summary: Hunk bonds with his teammates and learns to fly. My Comments: This is soooo good, and feels so very canon. In fact I’m just gonna take it as canon. Something like this absolutely happened in between the scenes in the first season. I loved Hunk bonding with everyone, especially in the lessons with Shiro. Wonderful fic.

parallel by buttered_onions Words: 5,656 Author’s Summary: The failure of the Kerberos mission changes everything. Posted as a chaptered fill for vldplatonicweek: Day Two: Inside/Outside. Keith and his daemon…adjust. Day Three: Trick/Treat. Pidge and her daemon keep their promise. Day Five: Change/Growth. Keith and Tarryn learn to wait, and to react. Day Six: Distance/Proximity. Shiro returns home. My Comments: My only complaint about this is that it’s just too short. The worldbuilding is lovely and the characterization is spot on and the plot is fun. And I just want way, way more.

Care by bookwormgir1LH Words: 6,840 Author’s Summary: Five times Coran looked after his team when they were sick, and the one time they took care of him.Cuddle number 8: Reluctantly My Comments: This is so very sweet and hearfelt and genuine. I love Coran taking care of all his kids, and I love his kids taking care of him.

[lazaefair]

To the anti-TFA people

I love The Force Awakens.

I have been a Star Wars fan since childhood.

I’m perfectly well educated on literature and mythology.

I still love The Force Awakens.

(Because your ~*~perfect~*~ Original Trilogy mythological space operas systematically exclude people like me, and frankly? You can pry my Star Wars LEAD CHARACTERS of color from my cold, dead hands. Wank off over as many essays about the mythology of the OT as you want, but acknowledge that that this much-vaunted mythology WAS NOT UNIVERSAL TO EVERYBODY. The Star Wars mythology is firmly Western (except for the bits that George Lucas appropriated and butchered from East Asian culture, but did any Asians actually show up in Star Wars? Not until FORTY YEARS LATER. Unless you count the Neimoidians, who were thinly veiled stereotypes that were offensive as FUCK.)

(Oh, Lucas did research, did he? He was so careful to get the Greek myth structure right, was he? Well, evidently he didn’t care enough to get anything Taoist or Buddhist remotely right, or any of the costumes ripped straight from China and Mongolia, and instead felt that he was entitled to carelessly appropriate them as aesthetic set dressing and put them on white actors because...well, we know why.)

So anyway. Those movies are still a product of their times, and those times were white and male.

And yeah, I love Princess Leia and I love Carrie Fisher and I love the step forward it was for Princess Leia to be there. But no commentary from you OT stans about how women of color have been systematically excluded from lead roles or even roles with any depth or agency whatsoever, eh? People of color have been Star Wars fans this whole time, and it still took THIRTY-EIGHT FUCKING YEARS for a male character of color to get the lead. It’s going to be FORTY-ONE FUCKING YEARS for a woman of color to get more than a couple lines and a background scene.

I mean you can go masturbate over your oh-so-white Han/Leia/Luke OT3 as much as you want - in my non-ranty moments, I do like that ship too - but fucking hell. Fuck off and let us enjoy our movies - the movies that actually include us and acknowledge our existence in a futuristic space galaxy - in peace.)

Edit to add: I would die for Lando Calrissian and Mace Windu. But 100% of Mace’s characterization came from EU novels and TV shows, not the movies. And Lando’s supporting role is simply not sufficient representation anymore. I will NOT roll over and be appeased by token representation in the year 2017.

(Part 2 and Part 3, because my brain kept thinking thoughts.)

[sharingthesamesky]

Here’s the Kingdom Hearts 0.2: Fragmentary Passage and Kingdom Hearts Back Cover reactions thread I promised you

Back Cover:

THIS MOVIE IS SO PRETTY HOLY SHIT

Also, the cinematography is incredible. Like. From someone who studied film, this shit is really good. There was like. That one moment when it was a little on the nose with the flower petals, but this is a Kingdom Hearts game so comparatively it was downright subtle.

If the Master of Masters isn’t somehow connected with Braig I’d be surprised at this point. (Master of Masters, here after known as Mr. MoM). Plot says it should be Xehanort, but mannerism SCREAM Braig. (They also share the whole one-eyed thing.)

Is Kingdom Hearts using Norse mythology symbolism now too? Because Mr. MoM’s whole “takes one eye out and casts it into [the future] to know ultimate truth” thing is just Odin.

How on earth did Mr. MoM convince these 6 super serious people to listen to him. He doesn’t seem like someone any of them would agree to train under AT ALL. Maybe Gula? But Aced and Ira? I guess there just weren’t any other Mr. MoMs to pick from?

The fucker wrote the book of prophecy in vague rhyme because he’s terrible

I swear this time travel thing is so dumb. “Don’t want you to cause any temporal paradoxes” MY ASS. you can’t just make shit up because its sounds cool. How does this work? If you “can’t change the future” then like. What is even the point of anything? Are there some events that are fixed but the specifics are still in flux?

The real reason Luxu doesn’t get a book of prophesy is that Mr. MoM hand copied the thing five times already and didn’t feel like doing it again.

Alternatively he hand copied it six times but that foreteller moogle that gives you your medals got Luxu’s copy.

I mean clearly Mr. MoM saw the keyblade war and was like “what’s the best, most fun way I can cause this? Oh! I know! I’ll tell Gula to find a “traitor” and make them all fight each other. I mean if there was really a traitor, I could just tell Gula who it was, because I can SEE THE FUTURE, but that wouldn’t be fun at all!”

Seriously if Gula hadn’t preempted that speech what would he have said.

“Oh, I know. I’ll make Aced feel jealous and make him attack the leader because I’m totally a champion of light. TOTALLY.”

Why is Ira so sure that this event would have been in the book? What kind of events make it into the book? Clearly not everything or Ira wouldn’t need Invi’s reports at all, right? Seriously did I mention this time travel stuff is terrible?

“I might vanish or I might not - anyone’s guess” says the man whose entire shtick is knowing the future. Everyone: Sounds legit.

If Mr. MoM’s keyblade makes it all the way to the present, why the fuck do their books end with the keyblade war? I mean probably because they all die in it and telling them that is a sure way to cause those supposed temporal paradoxes, (or because Mr. MoM is just a conniving ass) but I swear none of them thought to ask why his vision of the future stops there? Well, I suppose “and then the world ends” is a good enough place as any to claim you can’t see past. Even if you’re lying liar about it.

We all know Luxu’s the traitor right? Let’s just get this out of the way. Not that he necessarily betrayed anyone or anything, but Gula’s magic paper says “bears the sigil” so it’s gotta be LuXu. Unless of course its one of our key kids who went all edgy and put an X in their names.

Okay, even not knowing that, why in the hell did no one mention Luxu as a possibility for the traitor in the first place?

I mean they know about Luxu even though he’s sort of implied to be a latecomer to the group. Did they all start out wearing those black cloaks before they got their fancy foreteller gear?

Okay who designed the fancy foreteller gear who made those masks and how did Mr. MoM convince them to go with that? I mean - scratch that last part these idiot’s will do anything he says apparently.

(You’ll pry my guilt bonuses from my cold dead, darkness ridden hands, KHuX)

Mr. MoM engineered this entire thing and use everyones unquestioning loyalty and sense of his own perfection to do it. No one bothered to question any of the details and that’s why it worked.

“Hey, Master, why to all the chirithy look the same? Wouldn’t it be easier to tell which one turned into a nightmare if they were like. Numbered or something?”

“Hey Master, you want us to… collect Lux? What are we collecting it for? Shouldn’t we… not do that?”

“Wait you want us to… take Lux from… the future?”

Seriously this movie answers zero of the questions about how time works in KHuX. None of them at all. Well, maybe Season Two will address it.

“Hey Master, why is it called a Nightmare if this isn’t the world of dreams because obviously it isn’t right? RIGHT?”

Ava tells her dandelions they are gonna practice leaving the world by going into the realm of dreams though so.

I’m sorry I couldn’t take that scene seriously with all the key kids in their default starter outfits. No keyblader that’s the “best of the best” is gonna be wearing a starter outfit with no perks.

Okay, I get that Gula couldn’t tell anyone his role, and that Aced’s “true role” aka the failsafe powder keg fuse makes sense to keep secret, but why didn’t Ava tell anyone her role?

The foretellers have different VA’s than the characters they obviously correspond to, but they’re similar (well, accept Aced) and they speak in a very similar way. Care to comment? (Mr. MoM giggling in the distance)

Ava, how does Ephemer even know about the book? Did you tell all the keykids about it or what? I kind of doubt that. Ephemer you clever little sneak.

The Foretellers have a secret castle no one is allowed to enter and yet they have their meeting in the warehouse that literally everyone goes into all the time.

"coolheaded Gula?" More like flips the fuck out when he can't figure something out and tries to SUMMON KINGDOM HEARTS Gula.

Too bad Spongebob can never know what’s inside my secret box.

Seriously, why does ANYONE trust this guy.

Luxu’s reaction to “it’s my eye” is amazing.

No Name. Really. You don’t say.

The NA rankings are pretty spot on though. Good on us.

Fragmentary Passage:

Holy shit I’m so sold on the “technical demo” aspects of this game. Next Gen I love you.

You have to understand the last gen I had was a PS2. Why is everything so reflective and responsive its amazing.

Aqua’s VA is better than she was in BBS, but it still definitely limited my enjoyment of the game.

I did not realize the top of Aqua’s outfit was supposed to be see-through mesh other than the boob pads. Not sure how I feel about that.

I hope that the FFXIII style “hallways simulator” thing was because of time constraints and not because it’s how KH3 is gonna go.

The whole “There’s no time in the realm of Darkness” thing is really interesting, especially given all this time travel nonsense in the Realm of Light. But. Things still clearly progress in a linear fashion in there. Aqua doesn’t see Riku running through the darkness and then walk for a long while and then see Mickey. People enter and leave the place in an order that seems to be shared. Which means there is time. I think the word you are looking for is vague, arbitrary, or inconsistent.

Goddammit Nomura, take a second to read about time between your Latin lessons and your comparative mythology classes.

The new Heartless look really cool. I like them. And the elemental effects are fantastic. I could watch those heartless throw water at me all day.

The world design, apart from the linearness of some of the levels, was amazing. The suspended structures and twisted landscapes were really compelling.

I can’t be the only one who got strong “American McGee’s Alice” series vibes though, right? In a good way.

The mirror puzzle was neat. Not sure how long it would have taken me to figure out had I been playing and not watching a walkthrough so I’m calling it neat entirely by concept and visuals.

Phantom Aqua attacks in a pattern pretty similar to Xehanort’s fight with Terra in BBS, but with a mix of Aqua’s moves thrown in.

Aqua’s attack style is… kind of Extra. That twirl where she sticks her leggy straight up vertically in the air is like… Was that necessary? It certainly isn’t physically possible. Ask figure skaters.

The Terra/Xehanort scene was surprisingly good despite Terra’s VA. It was nice to get some insight into how that relationship is going. Because the rest of time seems pretty linear, we know that scene takes place, for Terra, at some point AFTER the worlds start vanishing. But if we take the claim that time is - if not absent - weird in the Realm of Darkness, then we don’t have any sense other than that. Maleficent gathered the princesses from the worlds we saw before she met Riku so that isn’t any indication, really.

Did I start crying when I saw Destiny Islands? Almost. Did I take a million screenshots of HD Destiny Islands? You bet your ass I did.

I did kinda cry when I saw Riku in his dumb KH1 puffy pants, though.

So behind the door in the Realm of Light is the heart of the world, but when it’s in the realm of darkness, it’s a magic keyblade shrine? I’m not really gonna argue. It seems to be a symbolic thing. Whatever. Good to know it’s a “push” door I suppose.

I’m not looking forward to that Demon Tide boss showing up again.

Mickey says he’s been “working with” Sora and Riku and he’s a fucking liar you didn’t do shit for them during KH1, Your Majesty, I WAS THERE.

“Kingdom hearts.. well okay not really kingdom hearts but. It’s sorta like a mini kingdom hearts? look we didn’t have the lore finalized at this point so just. pretend for me, Aqua.”

I can’t believe the Darkness ate King Mickey’s shirt.

(I know it was for the sake of consistency, and if it hadn’t happened you’d have people saying Mickey took his shirt off to be all macho mouse for that scene but still. Did anyone remember going in what Mickey was or wasn’t wearing during that scene?)

Kairi gets 3 seconds of screen time, and they are THE BEST. She’s super on point and I love her and hope she beats Lea up repeatedly and that we get to watch. Or do it.

I’m so thankful that Yensid didn’t pull a “no, Kairi you’re a princess of heart you can’t do both.” I didn’t think he would but it wasn’t NOT a fear of mine.

RIKU AND KAIRI INTERACTION. I PRAYED SO HARD. FOR SO MANY YEARS.

Riku’s whole “I tried to hard too be a role model” thing had me in tears. My son. My beautiful darling son. I am so proud of you. So proud

Sora-esque.

Yen Sid’s “No, see you would have done some stupid brave shit and fucked it all up” was. Amazing. Surpassed only by his “Sora, you fool, you complete and utter fuckup.”

“HAPPENS ALL THE TIME”

So… was Yensid actually talking about Hercules or did Sora just… guess wrong. Because Yensid never explicitly says to go to Olympus Coliseum. Sora’s just…. really literal minded.

Goddammit I take back what I said about Next Gen the canon Disney characters look TERRIBLE. I really hope they work on that before KH3 because I really don’t want to deal with plastic model Donald and Goofy the whole time. Please.

I did NOT miss Donald Ducks voice.

That Gummi ship scene was incredible? HD Sora is so expressive and adorable and precious.

I like watching the dynamic between those three. It’s weird as fuck to watch with these graphics, and Donald and Goofy’s voices make it near impossible to take seriously, but it was fun to see.

“May your heart be your guiding key” DID YOU ALL FORGET WHY SORA FUCKED UP SO BAD IN THE MARK OF MASTERY? GOD DIDN’T YOU HEAR WHAT XIGBAR SAID? “Aren’t hearts great? Lead us wrong every time.” GODDAMMIT.

(I suspect that Mr. MoM knew that too, and was counting on it, hard. Even if he isn’t Braig.)

Special Credits:

I don’t have much to say other than HOLY SHIT NOSTALGIA and that i’m such a sucker for parallels in fiction that I was kind of rolling around with glee.

I actually didn’t realize just how much hugging and touching there is in this series?

Everyone’s all “KH doesn’t have explicit Romantic Parings” But they DID just do a giant romance montage (which included Namine and Roxas?) just to lead up to Sora and Kairi so. Not all that subtle.

As much as I’m :/ about that last bit, it was nice to see this game remember that other parts of the Destiny Islands trio exist besides Sora and Riku’s dynamic. We got some Riku and Kairi in 0.2 and we got this little bit in the credits so at least they haven’t forgotten Kairi exists.