#i actually have no idea why people are freaking out so bad about the season 2 ending cuz they broke up during s1 and got back together | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

giveafike · 1 month ago

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Starlit Season - B.T.S

TLDR: Christmas Market time! This is part 3/12 of Azzie's Advent Calendar 2024!

Word count + info: 4.7k. including dialogue.

Warnings + Content Ahead: SFW! No warnings : )

Azzie Notes ✚: Day 3/12! Can you believe we're already 25% through it? Don't worry though, we still have the other 75% to get through ;) Lmk how you feel about the series so far after you're done reading!

This comes out the day after the Garden Cup so I'll add my thoughts here ab it: HE PLAYED SO GOOD WTF? Exho's always bring out the best in him smh. He looked so happy so I'm happy. ALSO...i said "last night was a movie" in a twt...why was that his caption im kinda freaking out.

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As the sun descended early in the lazy winter sky, you, Ben and Emma found yourselves getting ready for a quick drive to Gainesville's Winter Wonderland Christmas Market. The drive to the Christmas market had all the easy comfort of time spent with people you loved; the faint hum of the car’s heater mingled with a soft holiday playlist Ben had set before they pulled out of the driveway, a mix of classics and pop covers. Emma was sprawled across the backseat, her legs tucked up as she lazily scrolled through her phone, chiming in now and then with observations about the playlist or comments on the sights outside. Ben’s hand rested casually on the wheel, the other draped over your thigh, mindlessly tracing shapes against your jeans. His fingers occasionally drummed to the beat of the music as you conversed.

Emma leaned forward in her seat, resting her chin on the headrest between you and Ben. “So,” she started, stretching her words out with a smile, “what’re you gettin’ Benny for Christmas? Any genius ideas yet?”

You groaned, letting your head fall back against the seat. “Em, I’m completely out of ideas. It’s bad. Like, I’m about to panic-buy socks bad.”

Ben chuckled, softly, shooting you a sweet side glance. “Socks are underrated, babe. Functional. Timeless. I’m into it!”

Emma rolled her eyes, swatting his shoulder. “Yeah, no, you’re too high maintenance for that. Remember when Mom tried to buy those cheap crayons for school, and you threw a hissy fit ‘cause the colours weren’t bright enough?”

Ben huffed, glancing at her in the rearview mirror. “That’s called having standards, Emma. You wouldn’t understand.”

“Right,” Emma drawled, clearly unimpressed. Then, her attention swung back to you. “Didn’t y’all write Santa letters the other day? Mom mentioned she caught you at the table, covered in glitter and actin’ like five-year-olds. That’s gotta have some ideas in it, no?”

“Oh, don’t,” Ben groaned, already sensing where this was headed.

“What?” Emma teased, her grin wicked. “Benny pours his little heart and soul out in a letter to Santa, and you’re tellin’ me there’s nothin’ in there gift-worthy?”

Your voice softens as you decide to playfully tease Ben and pull out your phone, giggling. “It’s actually pretty sweet. Here, hold on.”

You scrolled through your photos until you found the picture you’d snapped of Ben’s messy, glitter-covered letter. “Knock yourself out.” You handed it over your shoulder.

Emma snatched the phone eagerly, her grin widening as she took in the chaotic page. Her eyes skimmed over the letter, and her smirk softened. “You really wrote all this? No help this time?” she asked, glancing at Ben.

He shrugged, ears turning a little pink. “What about it?”

Emma grinned, shaking her head. “Gotta admit, it’s sweet.”

She mimicked a dramatic sniffle, mocking her little brother but pressed her hand to her chest as she jutted out her bottom lip, smiling a bit. “ ‘A hug for my family’? ‘More chances to make people smile’? Oh, Ben... you’re gonna make Santa cry!”

Ben groaned again, but this time he was smiling, his hand giving your thigh a playful squeeze. “Emma, if you don’t stop, I swear you’ll be walkin’ to the market.”

Emma cackled, tossing your phone back to you. “Relax, man I’m not hatin’. It’s sweet, really. You’re just lucky Mom didn’t frame this and hang it on the fridge.”

You smiled gently, brushing your fingers lightly over Ben’s hand. “I thought it was perfect.”

Ben muttered something under his breath about it being private, but his smile lingered, soft and sheepish. Emma, of course, leaned back with a triumphant look.

“Y’all are disgustingly cute, by the way,” she added. “Now, can we please get to this market before I die of secondhand sap?”

As if on cue, the glowing palm trees of the Christmas market came into view, their lights twinkling against the dark sky. Ben adjusted the radio, and 'Feliz Navidad' played softly as he turned into the lot, grinning ear to ear like a kid himself.

“You ready for some holiday magic?” he asked, taking your hand in his, and squeezing it softly.

“I think I already got it,” you smiled back.

The Christmas market unfolded before you, a sprawling patchwork of lights, music, and festivity. The breeze carried the faint scent of pine and cinnamon, mingling with the sound of carolers harmonising near the entrance. Palm trees were strung with twinkling lights, their fronds swaying slightly, a reminder that even in Florida, Christmas had its own brand of magic.

Ben parked the car, and Emma was out almost instantly, her phone buzzing. “Alex’s here,” she said, pulling her bag over her shoulder. “I’ll catch up with y��all later.”

“You ditchin' us already?” Ben teased as he climbed out of the car, grabbing your hand as you stepped down.

“Not ditchin’, just… prioritisin’!” Emma shot back, beaming. “Y’all don’t need me third-wheeling all night.”

“You mean to say your boyfriend doesn’t wanna hang with his future brother-in-law?” Ben quipped, earning a laugh from Emma as she waved him off and disappeared into the crowd.

With Emma gone, it was just the two of you, your hands laced together as you stepped into the bustling market. “Well,” Ben said, his voice tinged with a playful challenge, “where to first, Captain?”

You tilted your head, scanning the stalls. “Somewhere with food,” you decided. “I’m starving.”

“Food it is,” he agreed, tugging you toward a row of food vendors. Each stall seemed to offer something better than the last, hot cocoa piled high with whipped cream and homemade marshmallows, candied goods glistening in the light, and the unmistakable sizzle of fresh churros frying.

Ben nudged you toward a cart with a small crowd gathered around it. “What about this?” he asked, pointing to a sign boasting fresh kettle corn.

The vendor handed over a bag the size of your torso, and Ben immediately snagged a handful, tossing a piece into his mouth. “Oh, yeah,” he said, nodding in approval. “This is the good stuff.”

“Let me try, I'll be a harsher judge” as you stole a handful from the bag. The sweet and salty crunch of the popcorn melted on your tongue, and you sighed. “Okay, fine, you're right.”

Ben looked down at you, gummy smile in full force. “You’re gettin’ better at admitting that.”

Rolling your eyes, you tugged him along, weaving through rows of stalls. The sound of music and conversations filled the area as vendors called out, offering samples and showing off their wares, handmade candles, intricate wooden ornaments, and shelves of baked goods that left you tempted at every turn.

At one stall, you paused to admire a display of tiny, hand-painted nutcrackers. “Look at these,” you said, picking up one with a red and gold uniform.

“Cute,” Ben said, though his attention was clearly on the stall selling mini doughnuts just a few feet away.

“Yeah, aren't they- Oh. You’re impossible,” you gushed before you followed his gaze, setting the nutcracker down and letting him lead you toward his next snack.

The two of you found a small bench under a string of lights and shared the warm, sugary treats, laughing as Ben somehow managed to get powdered sugar on his nose. “You’re a mess,” you said, wiping it away with your thumb.

“Comes with the territory,” he replied with a wink, leaning in to steal a quick kiss before pulling you back to your feet. “C’mon, there’s still so much to see.”

The market stretched endlessly, alive with light and movement. Every turn revealed another burst of colour or warmth, strands of golden fairy lights zigzagged overhead, framing the bustling rows of stalls. Palm trees wrapped in garlands stood proudly alongside traditional evergreens, their sparkling lights blinking cheerfully against the clear, starry sky.

Ben’s hand was warm and steady as it laced with yours, grounding you in the sea of activity. A couple walked past with steaming cups of cider, the spicy scent drifting your way, and you made a mental note to find some before the night ended. Ben seemed relaxed, his free hand swinging the bag of kettle corn he insisted on buying first thing.

“You know,” he began, his tone softer now, “I used to come here every year with my family. Me, Emma, Mom, Dad… sometimes a few friends would tag along. It was always this big thing.”

You glanced up at him, catching the faint nostalgia in his smile. “Bet you were the kid trying to climb the Santa statue or grab way too many samples.”

“Oh, absolutely,” he admitted, grinning now. “Emma and I had a contest one year to see who could make a better snow angel, on the fake snow, of course. I won, but she still claims the judges were biased.”

“Who were the judges?” you asked, laughing.

“Mom and Dad.”

You snorted. “Oh yeah, definitely biased.”

His smile softened, and he squeezed your hand. “It’s nice, though… coming back. And with you this time.” His voice dropped, quieter now, almost drowned out by the noise around you. “Makes it even better.”

A flutter of warmth rose in your chest. “You’re getting sappy, Shelton.”

“Don’t let it go to your head,” he teased, but his hand slipped from yours only to wind around your waist, pulling you closer. The gentle kiss he pressed to your temple sent a wave of calm through you, even in the lively chaos of the market.

“C’mon,” you said, nudging him. “Let’s see if there's anything exciting.”

The next stall you stopped at displayed rows of hand-poured candles in every scent imaginable. A cheerful woman greeted you, gesturing toward her neatly labelled jars.

“Christmas tree,” you mumbled as you read off one, uncapping it to take a sniff. The sharp, woodsy aroma filled your nose, instantly conjuring images of decorated evergreens.

“Good, huh?” Ben asked, leaning over your shoulder to smell it too. His arms stayed snug around your torso as he did, and you couldn’t help but laugh.

“Too much pine,” you decided, setting it down and picking up another.

“Ooh, peppermint hot chocolate. That’s festive.”

“Smells like dessert,” Ben said, then leaned closer, his lips brushing your ear. “Maybe I’ll get it so you think about me every time you light it.”

You rolled your eyes but couldn’t suppress a grin. “Smooth.”

“That’s me,” he winked, clearly pleased with himself as he added the candle to your growing collection of finds.

The two of you wandered further, pausing at a table of hand-crafted perfumes. Glass bottles in soft, pastel hues lined the display, each promising something unique.

“Pick one,” Ben said, nudging you toward the table.

“For me?” you asked.

“Well sorta, but more for me,” he corrected, a mischievous glint in his eye. “So every time you wear it, I remember this night.”

You reached for a bottle labelled “Winter Bloom,” its description promising hints of jasmine and frosted cedar. The soft, delicate scent won you over immediately, and you handed it to Ben, who promptly handed over cash to the vendor in a heartbeat without even sniffing it or giving you time to protest.

“You’re impossible,” you said, shaking your head.

“And yet you’re still here,” he shot back, pulling you into another kiss, this one deeper and lingering.

The warmth of the moment carried you to the next row of stalls, where a small crowd gathered around an artisan baking display. Cookbooks with ornate covers were stacked neatly beside racks of cookie cutters and colourful frosting tubes.

“Hey, look at this one,” you said, picking up a book titled Holiday Baking Delights. Its whimsical illustrations of gingerbread houses and festive cakes made it impossible to resist. “We should have a baking day.”

Ben quirked a brow. “You’re planning a whole day just to bake?”

“Absolutely. Cakes, gingerbread men...maybe even a pie if we’re ambitious!”

He smirked, pulling you closer by the waist. “You mean you're baking while I supervise.”

“I’m an excellent baker. You can do the dishes too if you'd like” you shot back.

“Hm, I think I'll assign myself as a taste tester and entertainment,” he countered, nuzzling into your hair. “Can’t wait. Just promise not to kick me out of the kitchen when I eat all the cookie dough.”

“Only if you leave enough for the actual cookies,” you said, laughing as you handed the book to the vendor.

Ben shook his head, his grin softening as he looked at you. “You know you’re cute when you get all excited like this, planning days ahead together.”

You looked into his eyes and leaned into him, letting his warmth anchor you as the two of you moved along.

You stopped at a display of delicate glass ornaments shaped like snowflakes and reindeer, their edges catching the light in a way that made them seem almost magical. Ben held up a particularly goofy one shaped like a Christmas pickle, declaring it “too iconic to pass up.”

“Ben,” you groaned through a laugh, nudging his side. “That's so ugly.”

“Come on,” he argued, holding it up to the light dramatically. “This little guy has character. Look deeper.”

You shook your head, moving down the display while Ben trailed after you. Among the whimsical designs, your eyes landed on an angel ornament. It was breathtaking; soft glass handmade and shaped into an angel soaring upward, offering a dove in its hands. Gold and silver flecks were delicately mixed into its flowing form, catching the glow of nearby lights. Its weight felt solid, important, as you picked it up carefully.

Ben leaned over your shoulder, his hand cupping yours as he reached to steady the ornament.

“Wow,” he murmured. “This one’s something else.”

“It’s so beautiful,” you gasped, turning it slightly to admire the details.

“It’s more than beautiful,” Ben replied, his voice quieter now. “Feels special, huh?”

He reached into his pocket for his wallet without hesitation. “We’re getting it.”

“Are you sure?” you asked, though you couldn’t bring yourself to put it back, your eyes stuck onto the delicate figure.

“Of course,” he said, his eyes lingering on the angel. “It deserves to be on the tree.”

For a moment, the two of you just stood there, holding the ornament between you. Your brain slowly processed Ben's words; deserves to be on the tree. Your mind wandered to Lisa’s earlier comments about the ornament she and Bryan had from their first Christmas together. Somehow, this angel felt like a continuation of that story, a chapter for you and Ben, one that hadn't even been set yet by you intentionally. It was almost as though it were God or fate itself and whatever it was, it seemed to fall into place for Ben too as his hand shifted, his thumb brushing lightly against yours as he looked from the ornament to you.

“When we’re married,” he began softly, almost as if the words escaped him without thought, “we’ll buy another ornament like this… for our first Christmas together.”

Your heart caught in your chest at the quiet sincerity in his tone, his words hitting the reality you had barely processed internally. It wasn’t a grand declaration, just a gentle truth spoken as if he was seeing it unfold in his mind.

You turned your head to meet him, your eyes searching his face. He wasn’t grinning like he usually would after a smooth line or quick remark. Instead, he was looking at you like you were the only thing in the world that mattered.

“Ben…” you started, but the words trailed off, your emotions tangling in your throat.

He blinked, and a faint blush rose on his cheeks and the bridge of his nose as if he just realised he’d spoken out loud. “Uh...unless you hate the idea,” he added quickly, scratching the back of his neck. “In which case, forget I said anything. I didn't! Total brain slip.”

You shook your head, a soft laugh breaking through your lips. “I don’t hate the idea, silly,” you said, your voice barely above a whisper.

His shoulders relaxed, and he let out a sigh and a chuckle, leaning forward to press a lingering kiss to your temple. “Good. Because I really meant it.”

The moment felt suspended, glowing like the lights around you. Finally, he handed the ornament to the vendor, carefully ensuring it was wrapped and protected before tucking it safely into the bag with the other small market finds. The angel seemed to hold more than just glass and flecks of gold and silver, it held a promise. One you were both content to wait for but knew in your hearts was already as real as the warmth of his hand in yours.

The moment settled as you continued your exploration, soon followed by more jokes and terribly smooth lines. By the time you reached the cider stand, your hands were full of bags, and your cheeks ached from smiling so much. Sipping on the warm, spiced drink, you leaned into Ben, who wrapped an arm around your shoulders.

“This might be one of my favourite Christmas traditions now,” you admitted.

He glanced down at you, his expression unreadable for a moment before he leaned in, his lips brushing yours softly. “Mine too,” he said, his voice just above a whisper. Then, with a grin, he added, “Even if I’m carrying all these tiny paper bags.”

You laughed, letting the sound blend with the cheerful buzz of the market, knowing this was a moment you’d carry with you long after the lights were packed away for the season.

As you sat and talked, debriefing the stalls and resting up, the crowd shifted, and Ben was suddenly hailed by a familiar voice from behind.

“Shelton! No way, man!”

Ben turned, a grin breaking across his face as a group of guys his age closed in. Dressed casually but with a distinctly college sports vibe, they greeted him with a mix of backslaps and playful shoves, the kind of camaraderie that spoke of long hours spent on courts and fields.

“Look who it is,” one of them teased, crossing his arms with mock indignation. “Thought you were too busy being famous to hang out in Gainesville anymore.”

Ben laughed, throwing his hands up. “What can I say? I heard you guys were still here and couldn’t resist.”

“Oh yeah? We figured you forgot all about us. Moved on to bigger fish.”

“Nah, same ol’ me,” Ben replied, his grin widening. “What’s new with you guys? Still running the intramural circuit, or have you retired?”

“Please, we could still crush you,” another chimed in, jabbing a finger at Ben’s chest. “You might have the serve, but we’ve got stamina.”

Ben raised his eyebrows, leaning casually against you as he broke into that gummy smile and loud, boisterous voice. “The kind of stamina that left you gasping during our last match? I think we're rememberin' it differently, man.”

The group roared with laughter, clapping Ben on the shoulder as they bantered back and forth.

As the guys exchanged rapid-fire jokes, Ben slipped his arm more securely around your waist, drawing you slightly forward. “Guys, this is my girl,” he said, his voice warm and proud. “She’s just been introduced to the chaos that is the Sheltons' Christmas.”

“Ah, so you’re the one putting up with him now,” one of them said with a grin, extending a hand to dap up yours. “Condolences.”

Ben rolled his eyes but tightened his arm around you. “Yeah, yeah, laugh it up. She’s got better taste than all of you combined.”

You chuckled, dapping a few hands as introductions and jokes circled loosely, and before long, they were back to ribbing Ben about everything from his college game to his inability to blend into a crowd anymore.

“Seriously, though,” one of them said, crossing his arms with a mock-serious expression. “How does it feel to be the golden child of Gainesville? We're gettin' griefed over your whole legacy.”

Ben shook his head, his laughter easy and genuine. “Man, I’m just here for the fried Oreos. Gator pride doesn’t stand a chance against those.”

The group dissolved into more laughter, the energy infectious. For a while, you stood beside Ben, enjoying the warmth of the moment. He was clearly in his element, his laughter brighter and his jokes sharper as he fell back into the rhythm of old friendships.

But as their conversation turned to recounting games and road trips that you weren’t a part of, your attention started to drift. That’s when your eyes landed on a quieter corner of the market, where a small, unassuming booth caught your attention. The sign above it read Silver & Steel, and something about its simplicity called to you.

Leaning into Ben, you tugged his sleeve lightly, quiet not to interrupt the current conversation. “I’m going to wander for a bit, okay?”

Ben’s laughter softened as he looked down at you, his expression shifting to something more tender as he cupped your face softly, tucking hair behind your ear. “You sure? I can come with you in a second.”

You shook your head, smiling. “No, no. Stay and catch up. I’ll be right back.”

His eyes lingered on you, warm and steady. “Don’t get lost,” he teased, pecking your cheek before letting you go. “I’ll come find you if you do.”

You laughed softly, slipping through the crowd toward the silver stall, while behind you, Ben’s laughter picked up again, blending seamlessly with the lively hum of the market.

The silver stall was tucked away from the main thoroughfare, its quiet contrast drawing you in. The old man running it looked up from polishing a bracelet as you approached, his weathered face breaking into a kind smile.

“Evening, miss,” he greeted, his voice gravelly but warm. “Looking for something special tonight?”

You glanced over the display, captivated by the understated elegance of the pieces. Rings, bracelets, cufflinks, and keychains, each item was crafted with a simplicity that was masculine and timeless. The soft glow of the polished silver under the warm lights was mesmerising.

“These are amazing! All made locally?” you said, running a finger lightly over a sleek keychain engraved with Roman numerals.

“Mhm, yep thank you,” the man replied, setting down his polishing cloth. “Been doing this for over forty years. Every piece’s got a story waiting to be written.”

You smiled at the sentiment and glanced over your shoulder. Ben was still deep in conversation with his friends, his head tipped back in laughter. He looked so at ease, his hands gesturing animatedly as he spoke. A pang of warmth spread through you, and you turned back to the display with a clearer purpose.

“I think I’d like to write one of those stories,” you said softly, your eyes settling on a ring, a simple band, smooth with some ridges and unadorned except for the possibility of engraving. “Could you engrave initials on this?”

The old man nodded. “Absolutely. What initials are we putting on it?”

“B and-” You paused, your cheeks heating as you whispered the rest of your initials to him.

He chuckled knowingly as he shot up a glance over to where you were just looking. “Young love. Nothing quite like it.”

You giggled shyly, glancing again at the stall’s offerings. Another item caught your eye: a small, rectangular keychain plate, its surface just wide enough for something simple. The thought of engraving your anniversary in Roman numerals struck you, an intimate, subtle way for Ben to carry a piece of you wherever he went.

“And this,” you added, picking it up. “Can we do Roman numerals? For a date.”

“Of course,” he said. “Got the date in mind?”

You told him your anniversary date, watching as he carefully jotted it down. He took both items and began his work with a diode laser cutter, his movements deliberate and practised.

As he engraved, you struck up a quiet conversation. He shared stories about how he’d started the shop back in the seventies, and how Gainesville’s Christmas market had always been his favorite event of the year. You told him a little about yourself too, skimming the surface but enough to let him know why these pieces were so important. When he finished, he held them out to you with a smile. The ring gleamed under the lights in its soft blue velvet box, your initials etched delicately on the inside of the band. The keychain plate, meanwhile, sat in a red velvet box, slightly larger as it bore the Roman numerals of your anniversary, its clean lines perfect and understated.

“These turned out beautifully,” you said, your voice filled with quiet awe.

“They’re for someone special,” the man said simply, packing them carefully into a small velvet pouch. “That kind of love deserves something lasting.”

You paid and thanked him, clutching the small bag in your hand and hiding it in your jacket pocket as you turned to head back toward Ben. He was still with his friends, but his eyes caught yours immediately as you approached, lighting up in that way that always made your heart skip.

“Everything good?” he asked, breaking from his conversation to reach for you instinctively, his hand settling at your waist.

“Perfect,” you said, slipping the pouch discreetly into your pocket. His hand tightened slightly on your hip, his lips brushing your temple as if he couldn’t help himself.

Ben turned back to his friends with a content smile, but you couldn’t stop glancing at the pouch in your pocket, already imagining the look on his face when he saw what you’d chosen.

The evening wound down with the two of you making your way back to the car. Emma had waved goodbye at the market entrance, letting you both know she was staying a bit longer as she rejoined her friends. Now it was just you and Ben under the soft glow of string lights, the buzz of the market fading behind you.

Once inside the car, Ben started the engine, the faint hum filling the space. His hand found its way to your thigh again, a familiar gesture that made you smile.

“So you went explorin' without me?” he teased, his thumb drawing lazy circles through the fabric. “You didn’t get lost, did you?”

“Not at all,” you said with a smirk, leaning back in your seat. “But if I had, I’m sure my knight in shining tennis gear would’ve come to rescue me.”

“Damn right I would’ve,” he replied, shooting you a grin, his confidence tinged with playfulness. "If you hadn’t come back when you did, I was this close to pulling a market-wide search party. ‘Has anyone seen my girlfriend? She’s the cute one, probably holding something sparkly.’”

You laughed, nudging his shoulder. “You’re silly.”

“Yeah, but you love me for it,” he shot back, his grin widening.

“Mm, debatable,” you teased, biting back a grin of your own.

As the streets of Gainesville stretched out before you, dotted with houses wrapped in holiday lights, Ben glanced over. “Thanks for coming tonight. I know it wasn’t exactly Wimbledon-level excitement, but…”

“Ben,” you interrupted softly, looking at him with a smile that you knew reached your eyes. “It was perfect. I wouldn’t have wanted to be anywhere else.”

“Yeah?” he asked, his voice dipping into something quieter, more sincere.

“Yeah,” you confirmed. “Besides, I got to watch you charm half the market and run into old friends. Pretty much a hometown hero, aren’t you?”

“Oh, totally,” he said, the playful edge returning to his tone. “They’re probably erecting a statue of me as we speak.’”

You shook your head, laughing again.

When you finally pulled into the driveway, the house glowed warmly, the Christmas tree twinkling in the window like it had been waiting just for you. Ben killed the engine but didn’t move to get out right away. Instead, he turned toward you, his gaze soft in the dim light.

“Tonight was really good,” he said quietly, his hand brushing against yours. “Thanks for making it better.”

“You’re welcome,” you replied, leaning toward him. “But I’m pretty sure you’re the one who made it better.”

His lips found yours in a kiss that was slow and deliberate as if he wanted to savour every moment. When he finally pulled back, his forehead rested against yours, his grin lazy and content.

“Let’s get inside,” he murmured. “I’ve got a date with those goodies we bought. I also bought some candied pecans!”

Laughing, you grabbed your bag of goodies and followed him up the steps. The scent of pine and freshly baked sugar cookies greeted you, promising warmth, laughter, and more unforgettable holiday memories.

#Azzie's Advent Calendar #azzie asks #ben shelton #benshelton #ben shelton x reader #atp tennis

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sobx9 · 1 month ago

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My (unpopular) opinion on the scenes where they go to Morocco

We can all agree that the whole part of the Pogues going to Morocco was a little off, right? Pope not caring JJ is sui*dal, Kie playing cards while her boyfriend is having a break down, JJ getting over his drunken pity party seemingly out of nowhere. It was so out of character for all of them.

But one thing I disagree with is the notion that JJ’s outburst to John B about him being a bad dad was out of character for him.

Here you have this character, who, after having a shitty life, is finally happy, has a home, a family, a loving girlfriend and a business of his own. And not even two years in, it’s being taken away from him. And what’s worse, it’s all his fault. If that’s not enough, he finds out some pretty devastating news about his origin. His abusive dad is not actually his dad and his real dad just left him for dead. Not to mention the woman he thought was his mother that abandoned him was just some random lady, his real mother is actually dead, killed by her husband and he was forced to open her casket. That’s some heavy stuff.

So he’s spiralling, drinking, having an existential crisis in a way. That’s when his best friend, his brother more like, comes out with another news. He, at the age of 19, is having a baby. That’s just another life altering news to top it all off. Because in JJ’s eyes that means his brother is moving on from the life they’ve been living and leaving him behind. He’s growing up without him. Having a kid is not an easy thing. John B is going to have to be more responsible. Impulsive partying, treasure hunting, surfing during the storm and all of the other shenanigans they did when they were younger? Hard to do with a baby around. And with everything else that’s been happening? It’s understandable JJ is freaking out about it. Do I think what he said was out of line? Absolutely. But JJ has always been rash and impulsive, lashing out at the people he loves when stressed. So i think his response made sense. Also he later apologises the only way he knows how, not with words but with saving Sarah from drowning.

I was actually more pissed at John B, that he thought this news was going to cheer JJ up. You’d think that your best friend would be well aware of how you act during stressful situations and how you respond to changes. I understand why he told him, but maybe he should have taken a step back and think “hey, he’s having a meltdown, maybe throwing another life altering news at him right now is actually not the best idea.”

A little unrelated but while I am here. It pissed me off so much that they just let him drink on that boat! You want to give him space or he’s pushing you away? Fine, but take that damn bottle away from him! You know it’s not helping. And it’s not like his drinking came out of nowhere, he used it as a clutch in season 2 as well. You are on a boat so it’s not like he can just go out and get more booze. While JJ and John B are talking, there’s a moment, when John B actually has the bottle in his hand and I kept thinking, surely he’s not going to give back, right? But he does!

What I wanted to see was John B chucking the bottle in the ocean and Kie being like “thank you, good move but maybe next time try not dumping trash in the middle of the ocean? Just emptying the bottle was an option John B!” That would be more in character for all of them.

I would love to hear your thoughts on this ❤️

#outer banks #obx #obx season 4 #obx4 #jiara #jj maybank #john b routledge

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wizardsnorlax · 2 months ago

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Ok so update on the Spiral Jon fic I'm writing: I'm getting it onto Ao3 bit by bit because it's super difficult to write on mobile, but I need to take a break and get ideas for the season three events out before they get lost, here's a link to the season 2 notes

Ok here we go

Melanie does not join the Archives, this is for the best

At one point in season 2 Jon gave Sasha Georgie's contact info for "in case of emergency" use so Sasha is gonna be (mostly) ok she just needs to pop an allergy pill every once in a while

Sasha might be good with the hardware of a computer but the software might as well be a completely different language so she's very little help with Georgie's show

Jon takes to reading Statements like I took to weed gummies

Sasha follows about the same trail of clues as Jon did in Canon but Daisy's grip on Sasha is a bit harder to hold so Sasha gets claw slashes on her arms instead of a knife at the throat

Things that have changed about Jon while Sasha was gone: his hair now has ringlet curls, the extra flexibility in his joints has progressed but not to the point anyone has noticed let alone would consider a problem and his eyes are twitchy from the stress of filling her position to the point he looks like he's constantly ODed on caffeine

Sasha gets back in the office and when everyone learns they can't quit or be fired Jon makes it his personal mission to be as much of a menace to Elias as possible

but he'd never do that to Sasha, she gets doodles of her hanging out with Cecil from Nightvale because she's a good boss:)

Martin scolds Tim for how he's been treating Jon and Sasha because of the changes caused by first and secondhand paranormal bullshit exposure

Jon gets to go out for drinks with people who actually like him

Everyone learns why Jon has a shirt that says "the difference between me and Superman is Superman has Super Vision, I need constant supervision

A discussion about who takes Jon home with them is had because at some point the poor goober lost his shoes and started trying to wrap around Martin like a belt

Sasha gets kidnapped on her way home

Michael helps her because some part remembers being an archival assistant and she's treated hers so much better than Gertrude did

Helen doesn't take Michael's place but the door still rejects him and the corridor collapses as both Sasha and Michael crash into Jon's new flat

Michael is freed but is in such bad shape he needs to be in the hospital for several weeks on recovery

Things attempt to be normal

Tim and Jon are menaces to Elias in very different ways

Jon doesn't want anyone traveling alone

Elias doesn't care but can't STAND the idea of Jon being there without a buffer so Sasha gets to have company on her trip, Tim goes to India and gets the ghost bullet, cue Mystery Mousketool meme

Martin, Basira and Daisy are handling the workload as best they can but since none of them are particularly suited to the task things go badly because Martin is terrible at direct leadership

When Sasha and Jon get kidnapped by Trevor and Julia, Sasha decides that the best way to clear some of the air is through lore dumping her backstory (still to be determined)

Jon is deemed suspicious by the false cop cause he does NOT look sober

Insert attempted police brutality interrupted by a shotgun

While the false cop is regenerating Jon gets the "how did you two meet" Statement from Julia

They get to the cabin and Jon freaks out a little at the idea of reading ANOTHER cursed book

Big relief when nobody gets eaten this time

Nobody ever believes him but Jon has kept every promise he's made (not that he's made many before but it's the principle of it)

Yoinks the page

Our duo finishes the assignment

Back home

Sasha learns about the storage unit

JON STOP REACHING FOR THE EXPLOSIVES YOU ABSOLUTE GREMLIN

Tim is EXTRA motivated to wreck shop at the Unknowing

Jon and Martin stay behind to be distractions

Big boom happens, Tim makes it out because the guy's literally too angry to die, Sasha is in the coma, Daisy is in the Coffin and Basira is just having a time of it

Jon gets mind fondled by Elias and it makes Martin want to rip the bastard's throat out but the best he can do is have the cops rough him up as much as possible

Jon is temporary head of the Archives and the pressure swallows him whole and he crashes like a meteorite because he desperately doesn't want to be the one giving orders

Martin's "assistance" has been leaving cobwebs in places nobody checks

And thus we enter season 4

#tma #the magnus archives #jonathan sims #sasha james #tim stoker #martin blackwood #au fic

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cleverthylacine · 7 months ago

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Just watched Ep 1 of Earthspark S2. And I'm furious.

Don't read this if you don't want spoilers. Or if you think the showrunners can still do no wrong, and are unprepared for the level of Incandescent Fury of which I am capable. But if you DO have spoilers for the whole season and understand my particular vibe, PLEASE read this and reblog with answers (but use the cut for the sake of my followers)...

Reasons why I'm mad:

A year goes by in which all of the stuff I was actually interested in presumably happened: dealing with GHOST, the Decepticons and Autobots cooperating, and also, Mo and Robby getting cool mech suits.

Then for no reason other than "Decepticons huh" the Decepticons apparently forgot their alliance, turned on Our Designated Good Guys (tm) and just randomly started trying to conquer and/or kill everything again. Or were they screwed over, yet again? I really hope so, not because I want them to suffer but because there needs to be a freaking reason why they turn on other Cybertronians when they are stuck on Earth. But I don't have a good feeling about it given the contemptuous attitudes displayed by Bee (as usual, because ES Bee is a fucking asshole) and Robby (disappointing, he wasn't like that before).

And we never did get to find out what the fuck was up with GHOST or why the Decepticons were all in jail (and no, "Decepticons huh" is not an acceptable reason--they have every reason to hate us.)

Breakdown is a terrible parent for no reason? BREAKDOWN?

The Chaos Terrans thing gives me the same willies that the Orcs in Tolkien (I am not a Tolkien fan) used to do. I am not comfortable with the eugenicist/ableist notion that people can be born corrupt and innately evil, especially not if it has something to do with HOW they were born.

Soooo... if you've finished the season (I know you've been posting a bit about it) is there any reason for me to continue?

Reasons I would continue:

Ravage continues to be basically the same Ravage I write, only much smaller.

RavWave (as a ship, not just platonic interaction, mostly because I would watch anything for that no matter how messed up)

Explanation that there actually is a reason why the Cons turned on everyone, and what that reason is. Did they want to put them back in jail? Did they want them to do forced labour? Did Megatron start whaling on Starscream again? I note Tara isn't around Con HQ, what does Tara know?

Quints are interesting and not just scary (the Quints in Cyberverse scared me more than many adult horror movie villains did, BUT they are also just kinda evil and mean and we have no idea why, which would not have been particularly interesting at all except for the fun of watching Hot Rod and Soundwave become the faction leaders while OP and Megatron were unable to be)

Chaos Terrans are not innately bad or do not need some mystical power of nuclear heteronormative family to make them good

The Decepticons get something out of the ending other than screwed

We find out more about Dot and Megs

Some Cons are good parents

More Tarantulas and Nightshade content

Hashtag continues to have a relationship with Starscream that affects the plot as it develops

We are actually told what happened during the year they missed

Reasons I would not continue:

Cons are just bad because cons are bad.

Ravage is Soundwave's daughter or pet or in some other way not actually a grown-ass adult Decepticon officer, making Soundwave a father who raises child soldiers or a guy who runs dogfights, which is not cute even if he is snatched af

(they don't have to be lovers though my shipping heart was pleased when their PDA in the deleted scenes embarrassed Starscream, but she has to be a Real Independent Person who could be someone's partner if not his)

Chaos Terrans are innately bad until "saved" by the Power of Love And the Nuclear Family (or just innately bad)

Emberstone continues to be Allspark Mark II so why even change the name?

Bee's incredible assholery is never called out (it's not funny when a starving person accidentally kills their starving teammate due to a mistake they made because they were starving)

Only Autobots and people who form nuclear families can be good parents

Everyone being friends with the cows goes to the PETA place

Cons get nothing but screwed

Please tell me this series hasn't gone where I was afraid it would. Or let me know that it has so I can decide if it's going to be so bad I'll be mad the whole time like I was in Ep 1.

Warning: anyone who clowns on this post to be a RavWave anti or say "The Decepticons are supposed to be pure evil, duh!" will get blocked.

#transformers earthspark #earthspark #earthspark spoilers #this is not a post of positivity #don't read it if you think ES is perfect and are unwilling to hear another opinion #I loved ES Season 1 and this is not what I was expecting from S2 #in any way at all whatsoever

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lacerta123 · 3 months ago

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The way I look at filler is so different because of Gintama, I think. Right now I’m watching One Piece and I’m seeing people recommend skipping all the filler and that’s just so strange to me. I watched Gintama when I was still somewhat new to anime. I learned what filler was from Gintama- when the cast explained the purpose of filler in their own filler episode. So my reaction wasn’t to feel cheated that what I was watching wasn’t the canon story. I felt empathy. Yeah, the anime’s gotta give the manga time to get ahead. It helps that Gintama’s filler was so charming. It’ll be like, “The animators don’t want to animate so here’s the outside of the Odd Jobs place for five minutes while the characters do commentary.” Perfectly acceptable. Amusingly self aware. “The seasons ratings were low so now the whole cast is gonna make recommendations for how to revitalize it in self serving ways.” Brilliant. Couldn’t have asked for more. Gintama filler was always up front about what it was and why. It took advantage of the anime medium to tell jokes the original manga couldn’t tell. Those episodes were charming and eclectic, and were part of the gintama experience for me. And outside of whole filler episodes, what about anime original jokes? One episode Gintoki demands the opening should play midway through the episode because he’s worried the Shinsengumi will become the stars of the show, and he needs to remind people whose names on the title screen. Should I disregard that joke because it couldn’t have been told in the manga? It was funny, and good, and in character for Gintoki. But somebody else wrote it so I should just ignore it? For me, somebody wrote those filler episodes, with a love for the main series. And those episodes are a part of the show- they changed the experience. The Gintama I fell in love with wasn’t just Hideaki Sorachi’s work, but the work of a lot of people, trying to bring the original Gintama to life.

In one piece, there’s filler where Nami and Franky get frozen in a sub together, and Franky offers to breathe fire to get them out. Nami freaks out that he’s gonna melt the ship. It’s a good character interaction and I really enjoyed it. I’m glad I didn’t skip this filler. I think you would lose something if you skipped it. Sure, sometimes filler makes mistakes. A filler arc shows Zoro cutting steel before he’s actually able to in Alabasta. But that filler arc also had a really cool naval battle when up till that point most battles had been on islands rather than between ships. Watching that naval battle made the world feel bigger to me. Maybe I’ll disregard Zoro cutting steel, but maybe there are things I want to incorporate into my own personal one piece.

I’m also a big fan of Marvel comics. These stories really make you throw out the idea that the story you’re reading can only come from one author. Writers and artists change. Different people take turns writing for a character, and all bring different things to the table. But they all strive to write with the spirit of the character. And it’s up to me to decide what the spirit of the character is for myself. If one author adds two things, one I like and the other I don’t, then I take the first thing and disregard the second. I don’t throw the whole thing in the past. And maybe you might think filler is different, because it exists to pad time. It’s not a purely creative endeavor. But it was still made by artists. Maybe it will be bad, but maybe it will have a gem in there that only you could have found. An idea you liked. And I think, that’s enough to give filler a chance.

#anime #filler #gintama #no spoilers #one piece #marvel comics #my thoughts on filler #maybe it’s just because I’m a completionist idk #pro filler

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kerubimcrepin · 5 months ago

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Wakfu Season 3, Episodes 1-6

//tw mentions of SA

Episode 1 - Fallen Heroes

I had a very long discussion with a friend of mine, who is a fan of medical settings, about how cool the existence of IV within the lore of Krosmoz is.

We didn't come to any conclusion. It was just us fanboying about this. Because my friend loves medical things and I love putting character into situations (some of which would not be survivable, if them being put on IV wasn't possible) (big fan of the concept of Joris getting poisoned and very sick and Kerubim and Atcham freaking the fuck out).

Funnily enough, during the making of my YouTube series, I discovered that there are two Sram-venerating women named Toxine in this franchise.

youtube

Adamai harbouring feelings of violence towards the members of the brotherhood is a good idea, (<- obviously the guy that wants Joris to beat the shit out of Kerubim would say this), but man, it could have been so cool if someone competent was working with this idea.

Episode 3 - Oropo's Tower

I should admit, this moment was probably a big win for Tristepin Mental Illness fans. Also, this is sadly the most explicit they can get with the reasons why Tristepin might hate being the Iop god in a cartoon.

He has plenty of reasons. Not only had Iop had 394824 demigods who hated him and felt abandoned by him while suffering fates worse than death (all gods have those) and just as many mortals he took advantage of using the power imbalance of godhood and promises of love (all gods have done that), he also canonically sexually assaulted a woman.

Ngl, if I was Tristepin, I would be considering killing myself — however, the kids and the wife would be sad.

They shuoild do this to Yugo too. He also had other wives. Albeit in an infinitely less insane way than Tristepin. Ankama.., please stop ignoring how existentially horrifying the Eliatrope demigods are.

In the Dofus MMO Kerubim pretty much calls the brotherhood of the forgotten an emo club of people with too much free time on their hands doing nothing but whining about their daddy issues.

And he was so real for that.

Btw canonically, Mishelle/Coqueline makes him feel intimidated (due to her grand age) while she herself doesn't really care about him (besides liking his good attitude towards animals), and is actually besties with Otomai.

Episode 4 - Beastly Girl

I like to headcanon that Joris's relationship with Coqueline is that he projects onto her ("oh god.... being 7 forever would make me kill myself.... even being 3ft tall is already horrible and makes me want to die..... the poor woman must be suffering") while she's like,, 1. probably doesn't think of herself as a "woman". I think she would describe herself as a creature, maybe a girlcreature, and 2. is literally chilling and doesn't give a single shit about anything but animal welfare and direct anti-god action.

I think talking to her would kill Joris because he'd realize that not every immortal person is as insecure about Literally Everything as he is.

She literally says, "the only good gods are ex-gods". We stan a leftist girlcreature?

This screenshot can be used as a reaction image for so many different shows. More fictional parents should say "my child is NOT ascending to godhood and shedding their mortality, becoming something beyond my comprehension, before they're of age. Fuck you."

Episode 5 - A Iop Hides Himself to Cry

You want to read @bitter-panacea's analysis posts about Goultard so bad.

Despite my negative feeling on s3, this is a WIN for Goultard fans, as far as I'm aware. (and Goultard enjoyers, since I kinda consider myself one)

I;'m going to walk into the sea.

Episode 6 - The Ecaflip's Scratching Post

YEAH BABY, A FULL ON IN-SHOW CONFIRMATION OF MY "USH HAS A DIFFERENT MOM THAN KERUBIM AND ATCHAM" HYPOTHESIS.

This might not seem like a contentious issue to normal people. Gods have... a lot of different lovers, so it seems normal to assume that Ush has one mom, while Kerubim and Atcham are twins like Eleley and Flopin, and have a different mom...

But a cancelled game that Tot really liked and still considers canon had really weird "there's an Ecaflip priestess who is the CEO of Giving Birth" lore, and was planned to be the mysterious mom of Kerubim and Atcham (and many other demigods), which contradicts a lot of previously established lore (ankama LOVES retcons. sadly).

I am quite open about thinking this is stupid and not considering this canon until they show her to me in an actual released media (and even then I will find a way to headcanon a better reality). Seeing the series itself acknowledge that Ush is not Atcham and Kerubim's full brother makes me feel quite better.

Hi Ush were you doing [SEXUAL ACTS REDACTED] upon cats again.

Cute...

A normal thing for a Bontarian to do. Blue-clad (metaphorically, he isn't wearing blue but white. Still very Bontarian though) man over here protecting kids and women. While also beating them up.

But unironically, I think it's cute that he has this gap moe of being an evil man who also saves people and cares about honour (because that's a proper thing to do) despite cheating constantly.

Somehow, his shallowness and "I mostly care about appearances, even if I do have a moral code" sort of behaviour is just as Extremely Bontarian as Joris's.... 30 mental illnesses.

youtube

THE OST IN THIS EP IS SO GOOD. ECAFLIP FANS WINNING ONCE AGAIN.

Hey past me! Maybe he really does pay these cats to put up with his insane behaviours. 🤨

Yugo, I'm gonna be real with you:

he's probably heard Joris and Kerubim say these exact words at least twice before,

He is reallllllly weird about cats and I am unsure if that's illegal in your setting,

He lured in people to kill in his tower for sport serial killer style.

He's bontarian. -20 morality and honor points immediately.

#ro liveblogs dofus #krosmoz #dofus #wakfu #wak3 #Youtube

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the-chessboard-is-personal · 3 months ago

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season 2 time wahoo another damn liveblog am I right??

(liveblogging ii season 2, for if it's not obvious. same style as last ii liveblog)

1 - woahh! okay I love the style tbh. wait. Super Mario 3D World/Initial release date: November 21, 2013. this episode: Apr 2, 2013. INANIMATE INSANITY PREDICTED THE DOUBLE CHERRY???? ...huh. weird. why does MePhone have an app for that? y'know, RESURRECTION?

2 - MePad ? can teleport? ?? yeah that egg is gonna be relevant again isn't it

3 - BOW INATOR?? holy shit holy shit ohhg waow,,there is something in this episode that I want so much. lmao. "umm huh, lmhuehyahahuh.." (<- me attempting to spell what test tube said at the end of the ep)

4 - I didn't think the elimination song sucked.. hey wait why does it sound like they get killed or something when they go through the portal. also where does the portal lead

5 - SEVEN?? MeOS SEVEN??? oh huh. is that why someone who dies in space can't come back? OH THE NO SERVICE COMMENT WAS FORESHADOWING!!? wait why is that how it works. why does MePhone specifically get notifications about people dying. wh- okay?? that was ominous ?MePhone what does that rnean. ..chESS MENTIONED

6 - aaand there's another one. ANOTHER TWO??? .oh :| ...what the entire fuck. and yep this episode makes me uncomfortable. who would've FUCKING GUESSED

7 - oh so THAT'S where the portal lead. ..as down as the WHAT- ouhjghhu nooo... not a song

8 - ah yes, MePhone got The Common Code- oh. also idc what the objects say, ftrEwy7u9iop8oaTE7gI is a wonderful name for a challenge. or a password. each new MePhone gets less understandable because of the "techy" voice effec- oh he's dead. [sees Steve Cobs's reaction to the egg] ohh okay. one moment [walks away from the computer]please don't be like dsmp please don't be like dsmp please don't be like dsmp please don't be like dsmp plehokay. oh I don't like him

9 - ...I'm not crying you're crying.,, uohg this is the second time a show like this has had something that felt like it was directed at me. and the other time was Gothi talking to Xanu in Fool's Gold,.,. which was also about moving on.. is.. is that wh- oh hey a gravity falls reference. haha lol :) ...oh this is the depression eppisode. BITCH -> 🌮 <- BITCH

10 - aha! I've figured it out! the secret is MPABZCEAS!! holy fucking shit my joke was immediately kind of relevant. wha..suitcase?? y'know that voice kinda sounded like MePhone

11 - wHUH SMG4 SOUND?! oh wait that sound probably isn't from SMG4, that's just the first time I heard it. still though, neat. ...wild theory. I'm gonna sound like Fan here, but. "Is anything on this show real?" seems.hmm idk. sus. I call foreshadowing. hokay something's definitely going on with Suitcase. oH FOR FUCK'S SAKE yep don't like this episode either

12 - oh fuck they're in episode 1. oh fuck they're in HWUH ?? ..ohh MePhone hates Cobs too. hey if anyone's read this far, I want to know who's your favorite character from the alternate timeline, because why not! mine is Traffic Light

13 - woahhh MePhone backstory! oh. oh I do Not trust that "screen protector". HEY HEY WHAT WAS THAT WHISPER [turns on captions] oh. oh REALLY. HMM. ...wh. what. what what what what what ROBOT ADAM?? MEPHONE 3???? WHAT WHAT WHAT AAAAAAAA UH OH! UH OH OH NO UH OH!! ohkay this is the panic time, the time in every show tumblr freaks out about where things go CRAZY. OKAY OKAY I'M READY AAAAAA

14 - so the person who told me I should watch ii said I need to watch all of season 3 after this episode. I have no idea why! oh fuck! but anyway. that rneans I'll be splitting this section into actual paragraphs since this is the last episode of this liveblog. (<- said that before starting the episode). anyway.

okay. okay Fan just got abducted. ..hhhow did he know that. how did he know that MePad let Marshmallow leave. .hey hey what's with the shot of that panel with the hole in it. maybe I'm just tired but that doesn't seem..right. and not in the bad writing way.

uhm. hey 17:36 isn't supposed to be hitting me too whY IS IT HITTING ME TOO WAUGH.

"is that what you said to Pickle" OHH DAMN MY HEART DROPPED LIKE THE SCENE HOLY SHIT. wait IS FAN DEAD FOREVER??

wait didn't test Tube get eliminated? why did Microphone go through the portal??

looking at the comments for. tbh I forgot what reason when i saw this one

uh knew what KNEW WHAT OH FU-

anyway. so Fan glitching is. gonna be foreshadowing? oh boy let me guess... uhh.. wait why would Fan glitch. other things that glitch are..the tree MePhone made for Cobs? MePhone himself when Tissue Box sneezed on him?? that MePhone 3?? but none of that has anything to do with Fan..

unless.. AHA!

FAN IS A PROJECTION MADE BY ONE OF THE NEWER MEPHONES

COBS IS GOING TO KNOW WHERE THEY ARE AS LONG AS FAN IS THERE!!

although with Fan eliminated, th- oh there's an after credits scene?

UH. UM. WHAT THE FUCK IS THAT

AND THE OMINOUS OUTRO THEME. UH OH

okokokokokokayokayokayokay. that's obviously some kind of MePhone. the Meeple logo is there and it's phone shaped, so. that's pretty obvious. but not one that's been seen before, right? like not even a model that's been seen before, because none of them have the grabby hands.

because of the red X imagery I'm gonna guess this one is called MePhone X. and if not, well I'm gonna refer to it as that until I find out otherwise

with how scary that moment was clearly intended to be, we can all agree that Toilet just got permakilled, right? like. despite not being in space? that was definitely. not anything good that happened to Toilet there. I'm just gonna assume Toilet's dead, yep that just happened. aaand now there's a seemingly murderous (although maybe it had a grudge against Toilet for some reason, but I find that unlikely) MePhone roaming around. n e a t .

thiiiiinking that thing is the exception to the "each MePhone we see is dumber than the last" rule that seems to be present. hm. wonder who the Big Villain is going to be

welp it's too late to binge s3 rn so uh. yeap. okay. sure. that's a thing

#the fuck up won't shut up!#ii #ii s2 #inanimate insanity #liveblog #heading over to a certain someone-who-said-I-should-watch-this's askbox now. what the F U C K /positive

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rachelsshowerthoughts · 8 months ago

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Not Aware AU exactly but kinda tangential. I always toyed with this idea of "Kagami was transferred into Adrien's class when she joined the school."

This could be in S2, or be because Tomoe saw Adrien was attending school and she's got those later season machinations & sends Kagami to make sure he's not snagged by a gold digger.

(In the former case its just in S2, while in the latter it starts after Princess Fragrance.)

This was fine and fun at first, but Kagami is more willing to start shit with Chloe & much less patient with Adrien's continued softness.

Plus, Adrien can't really explain why he's fond of Chloe cos its a mixture between he can't imagine his life without her (Sibling coded) & stuff like, "She was there for me when mom disappeared & got me into school".

This leads to her at some point losing her patience and dragging both off to a classroom and basically saying "Either she needs to improve or you need to drop her, because this cannot go on."

You'd expect it to be a two on one but Adrien's efforts to play peacemaker lead to Kagami arguing with him as well.

Then when one of Chloe's major blows lands hard against Adrien, "Our parents harm more people every day than I do in a year and you still love them, hypocrites!"

It does nothing to Kagami, because she doesn't love her mother, she respects her, obeys her and fears her wrath but she doesn't love her even a little and she assumed Adrien was the same.

He is not the same & is in fact kind of defensive of his father at such a blatant rejection of one's own family and how uncomfortable it makes him.

It basically descends from there, cos I love slow burns but sometimes its just like, "Hmm what if they all started screaming their issues that they do not realize are issues at the top of their lungs?"

None of these kids know therapy talk so their languages on it is already going to be shit even before we remember literally not a one of them has much in the way of healthy communication or good social skills outside of formal events so:

So you have Chloe defending stuff like destroying Roses' letter because "That's how Mama handles it when I give her bad gifts, she's telling me to do better and one day I'll get it right!" As well as "Why would Papa want to see me when he doesn't need me for something? He's not a lunatic control freak like your parents."

Then you have Adrien defending stuff like, "I know my dads cold and has impossible standards and barely lets me do anything I want but he is protective and just wants what's best for me!" & "My mom was always kind to me, she was perfect even if she never let me go out or have a birthday either!"

& Kagami defending Tomoe with, "It doesn't matter how I feel about Adrien, or my instructions, I act as I do because it is for the good of my family. My emotions, my life don't matter at all before that duty!"

So its just three incredibly fucked up abused kids steadily airing each others and their own families laundry list of abusive traits and experiences under the pretext of saying "No my family is normal & OK yours is the bad one" and "How dare you call 'that' bad, when your parent does this!"

(Also Chloe may think Gabriel killed Emilie or otherwise would rather have Adrien sealed in amber forever than as an actual living boy,)

With this continuing until it either gets physical or they basically collapse.

Meanwhile the class is just watching in mounting horror and disgust and discomfort. (Nino is likely especially pissed) Like even with Chloe it may not justify her behavior but it puts so much of it in a new deeply messed up context where it kind of makes sense she doesn't even know how to be nice.

To quote a friend of mine:

The rich kids have taken knives to each other. They've cut open their festering wounds. The rot is exposed, scrubbed raw. While they lie angry, bleeding, crying, and dying [inside], they have the opportunity to look upon themselves once more and apply new dressings.

I can see it, but unless Gabriel is ACTUALLY out of the country, all three get Akumatized. My thoughts are a weird mix Grimm Brothers Fairytales - Cinderella, Snow White, Hansel & Gretel, etc. Not in specific, but like. More fairytale tropes?

Adrien is the "Cinderella"-style. Rapunzel, Snow White-style, "One Day My Prince Will Come"-style. The type of character that has to sacrifice and sacrifice, and will eventually be rewarded. If he does one more photo shoot, one more public appearance, *scrubs one more floor*, his father will finally love him. He'll finally have the happy ending he wants. He just has to stick it out - cause his dad DOES love him, right? (As a possession, if at all.)

Chloé is more of the "Trials"-style. Complete this mission-style. Knit twelve sweaters from nettles, and your brothers will become human again. Find the right goose, and get set free. Defeat the evil witch, and the spell is broken. If Chloé tries hard enough, does and says the right things, her parents will love her, show her affection. She'll finally be worth something. (All of it performative and shallow, until they raise the bar to another impossible height. Always keeping her dependant on them.)

Kagami, weirdly, I see as more endurance, or contract style - like a flipped version of Adrien. She isn’t really trying to "change" her situation the way Chloé or Adrien are, (for value of "trying to change it", ie, playing along with their parents games because that’s all they know to do) she's accepted this is the way it is, and is simply trying to endure it. Go through the motions. Hold up your end of the bargain. Work within the bonds of your deal, to do as little harm as you can, while still fulfilling your end. One day, you'll be out. You'll be free. (As if her mother will ever set her free.)

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cocktailjjrs · 1 year ago

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Why does everyone hate Mori soo much!!!!

The show would be soo bland without his sorry ass interfering every now and then.

I actually like the way his character is presented!

(No hate please, if you don't like mori feel free to skip)

So I've been doing a bit research and kinda a character study for a fic i'm writing. And ofc Mori has a part in it.

And so, i go on and look through all his scenes. Read through a few fics to see his interactions with other characters. And do a bit on character analysis as a whole.

It baffles me how people just downright hate him or plain misunderstand his Character as whole.

Like, i don't usually try to defend characters online because everyone has their reasons and rationale, but the whole thing with Mori seems so absurd to me, because we've seen the villains do soo much worse!

Canonically speaking, while he has done some bad shit, he's not the worst in the series either!!!

BSD has always taken the 'it can't get any worse than this' phase and proved it wrong. Mori was supposed to be 1st/2nd season's antagonist.

And no, i don't mean to say that he is not evil. He is downright evil, a mastermind through and through. He's the Port Mafia's boss for gods sake, the most dangerous underground organization, he has a reputation to live up to!

Yes, he is a calculating bastard. He measures each and every move and knows about warfare in depth, and he wields his knowledge as a weapon very well.

Is he a paedophile? Maybe. It's been implied once or twice (if i'm not wrong)

Was his treatment of yosano wrong? Definitely! and he is an ass for that!

But he is SUPPOSED to be an ASS!!! That's the whole point of that character! And i believe those are the character that bring sooo much excitement to the storyline!

But everyone seem to have misunderstood his character soo much or just doesn't want to see the whole picture. And I used to think Chuuya was misunderstood!!!

You remember, when in 15, Dazai was given his first mission as a PM member and that time Mori said 15!Dazai reminded him of himself?

Now think back to what 15!Dazai was -

a teen

suicide maniac

a genius who has never been surprised

manipulative freak

acting carefree and harmless but having a killing intent hidden in plain sight

Now put it in this perspective,

Mori had a life before war that we have no idea about. He was a doctor. He was desperate to win the war by any means, even if it included bringing a child in the military camp, even if it meant keeping a death loop going on and on, even if it meant permanently traumatizing the soldiers.

But WHY?

Mori, as it has been stated multiple times, is someone who is always calculating and rational. He does not let his emotions overtake his decision making, thus making him cold towards others. But there must be a reason why he turned out to be so.

After war, he started working underground, creating a neutral zone for criminals. He knew Natsume sensei before that time. I always wounder why would Natsume entrust his vision to someone like Mori (along with Fukuzawa), if he was really a lost case.

After the whole fight with Fukuzawa over Yosano; he turned to take control of Port Mafia. Maybe he wanted to take Yosano with him then, to create an army of unstoppable ability users.

But the war was over. Then why would he need to do that?

Mori is one of those few characters whose backstory is not at all known to us. I can only think of Dazai and Fyodor other than him with no clear backstory. This makes him a dangerous wild card in a lot of situations. We saw that with Tachihara and Verlaine (completely different circumstances but instead of killing them he kept them close)

But then i read fics that depict him as feral and unhinged, portraying him as a predator who took advantage of poor poor Chuuya and/or Dazai, making them do horrible stuff without their consent.

Like, DID WE EVEN WATCH THE SAME SHOW?

Dazai and Chuuya have been unhinged wayyyy BEFORE they met each other or Mori.

Dazai is not some soft kid, who was physically and sexually assaulted, he was not made to behave tough with Akutagawa. And he certainly was not afraid of Mori. Does Dazai have PTSD related to Mori? Maybe, but in regards to Oda's death. That's it.

Chuuya is not someone who would sit still and take punishment from scalpels and whatnot because he fucked up a mission. Mori is not a fool to send Chuuya on a death mission just because he is afraid he'll take his place or to spite Dazai.

Does this bring a rather angst narrative to Soukoku? Yes it does. Does it make sense? if it's cannon compliant, no it does not!

Soukoku does not need Mori to be the bad guy to come together!

(i think he is no 1 Soukoku shipper himself)

He is not soft but he is not unhinged either. He knows how the ways of war work and he knows there can be no emotions involved if you have to win the war.

You don't always get such characters who are so morally grey, they do everything bad, they are supposed to be evil but still, the plot will be lost without them. Mori is such a great example of that.

Wanting to have peace and staying by the rightful path is all well and good. But where there is light, there will be darkness (because it's definition itself says its absence of light, so you can't exactly have one without the other). And without anyone to keep a check on that darkness, it will consume all.

Without Mori taking over Port Mafia, if we recollect how the previous boss had lead, Yokohama would have been way too bloodier and chaotic than it is now.

Plus, i don't think if Mori was such a bad boss, all of Port Mafia would jump in to protect him against agency during the Cannibalism arc. Hell, even if the grunts did not have a say in it, the executives and commanders did. And we saw them all - Chuuya, Kouyou, Kajii, Black Lizards; hell even Akutagawa and Higuchi were there! And that fight was after he had insisted no altercations with the agency.

My point is, can i have a normal representation of such a great character?

#thank you for coming to my ted talk #i feel so bad when i see ppl hating him for things he have not done #like hate him for killing Oda #or for traumatizing Yosano #but thats it #what else did he do?#And then on other hand everyone just forgave Fukuchi like he did nothing wrong 😭#not fair #bungou stray dogs #ougai mori #bsd mori #port mafia #bsd #chuuya nakahara #dazai osamu

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infinitelystrangemachinex · 5 months ago

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streaming tv is like the fantasy/fiction need for a mid list. big money thrown at projects expecting that big money can make anything too big to fail, when the reality is that there’s only so much profit to make in an oversaturated market and only so many properties that can be the number one most popular thing at a time, but no matter how many projects fail or how variable the quality of the art is, it’s never going to be acceptable again to shore up most of your projects with only SOME money and letting that “mid list” find longlasting audiences that provide your baseline business

i wish both streaming tv and the publishing industry would spend less money on more projects that cultivate good writing. i want good writing and long projects to get invested in so bad that i'm caring less and less for production

my thesis statement is that tv shows are being canceled because they cost too much money. a mid list would have saved most canceled shows. higher production costs don't mean better writing, and lower production costs don't mean worse writing

the publishing industry is asking for shorter fantasy books and is canceling series and leaving authors behind because it is throwing all its money at shiny new things that are not actually new and don't stick

all of this without investment in a "mid list" to keep baseline profits coming or to keep a foundation of writers paid and busy

if companies spent less money on shows, would they last longer? would they hone writers' skills more? does this extend to animation where the budgets are so much smaller? or is there no world where i could get multiple 25-episode seasons of arcane and i'm just deluding myself

fantasy books especially have had an oversaturation problem for years, but the biggest problem is an over-reliance on debuts without investment in originality or in authors’ futures. what this looks like is big money thrown at marketing shiny debuts or at a subset of the old familiar faces in fantasy that established themselves before the shift in industry mindset. everyone else either gets scraps or can’t find their footing after their debut. you either go viral somehow or you go home. to make money, the only acceptable projects are generic or are recognizable rehashes of previously popular but specific ideas. fantasy is considered a popular genre now, but in my opinion, fantasy has never stopped being niche, but the need to find bigger audiences and bigger investment has resulted in pushing fantasy series that don't do anything new or interesting and actively spurn good prose, but can appeal to as many people as possible (instead of weird fantasy freaks, aka me, i'm freaks, now most of the freaky fantasy i can find is in video games and a single tear is rolling down my face)

now tv. buffy the vampire slayer cost about 1-2 million per episode. star trek tng cost 1 million per episode

look where we’re at with streaming services. tv shows that cost millions and tens of millions of dollars per episode. the sopranos redefined what prestige tv meant and it cost 2-6 million per episode. chasing the new prestige mindset, game of thrones started out at 6 million per episode. today, early game of thrones’ budget from about 2011-2013 is joked about like it’s chump change, especially for game of thrones or hbo. but prestige tv reeled in that subscriber money. the streaming model today is the continuation of the prestige tv model, except that every show needs to be prestige, no matter the audience or genre or story structure. because prestige tv made money

now that the baseline model for helping your subscription/channel make money is to throw 6 million+ per episode, it's no longer a mystery why seasons are getting shorter and shorter. and the demand for higher and higher production will only mean that shows take longer and longer to make

netflix shelled out 6 million per episode - what an oddly familiar number, huh? - for stranger things season 1. season 4 cost 30 million per episode

wheel of time season 1: 10 million per episode. rings of power season 1: 58 million per episode. these are adaptations btw, not original IPs, but this is SEASON ONE money you’re looking at. i liked both rings of power and wheel of time decently, but my hot take is that both of these shows are under-written and over-produced. why so much money thrown at projects with writers at the helm who are inexperienced in the fantasy genre? rings of power in particular is bank-breaking and it was originally planned to run for several seasons

the mandalorian season 1: 15 million per episode. andor season 1: 20 million per episode. the acolyte season 1: 22 million per episode

remember that the subscription model requires subscribers to make money and requires NEW subscribers to satisfy the hunger for growth, and star wars is a single IP with established fans. the mandalorian, andor, and the acolyte all took major risks in different ways. the mandalorian actually fell back on star wars fundamentals (rather than being something net new in my opinion) and its risk was in being a show, not a movie, and the first of its kind on streaming for star wars

andor could be the riskiest fantasy/sci-fi show to hit streaming, ever. 12 episodes for season 1 that cost 250 million overall, not 6-8, explores marxist themes, and did not pull in new subscribers. what popularity it does have is purely due to word-of-mouth and plain old good writing, rather than marketing or by simply being part of star wars. it was originally going to be 5 seasons but is now going to be 2 because... 250 million dollars is a lot to spend on one season of television that didn't make you a lot of money. simple as that, even if andor is the best live-action thing disney has produced in decades in my opinion

the acolyte season 1 was 8 episodes and cost 22 million per episode, which armchair critics on social media are stating is the reason why the show has been canceled. haters will just say it was canceled because of bad writing, and fans are saying it was because of review-bombing and the diversity of the cast and crew

i disagree on some level that the acolyte is the first star wars show to be canceled, because again, andor was going to be 5 seasons and is now going to be 2, losing over 50% of the original story. even fans of the acolyte will agree that its writing wasn't the best. most fans who have seen andor will agree that it is the best-written star wars media ever on par with the best episodes of clone wars. both shows brought me over to disney plus when no other show or movie did

but in effect, both shows have been canceled

my take is that if a mid list existed, both shows should have been on it. they are part of an established IP with established fans who were going to watch the shows no matter what. most people with star wars fatigue would not have heard about the uniqueness of these shows until later and would have probably picked them up by their finales or by their season 2s

if they were not star wars properties and were original stories instead, both of these shows were still fairly unique doing things that appeal to "weird" subsets of sci-fi/fantasy fans. the mid list would have been perfect either way

i firmly believe that a mid list would have saved both of these shows. 6 million per episode MAXIMUM. ideally less. not because i dislike either show, but because i care about writing above all else. pay 1 writers room a fair wage and let them go fucking nuts for a few seasons. as long as everyone else in the production is being paid a fair and living wage, i don't care how little is spent on the show

stranger things should have been a mid-list anthology series that ran forever, wheel of time should have been a mid-list tv fantasy with at least 12 episodes per season to do any justice to those massive books but also to pay homage to the book series' roots as high fantasy that goes on and on without much of a plan and with often mid and sometimes junky writing but with appeal in that it was long-running, made readers familiar with the same characters every book for many hundreds of pages each, and is something of a comfort read now for many fans

i think that reality is catching up to streaming services and things are going to get worse before they get better

but i also think that the next "evolution" of tv should be the return of the mid list

#it’s 4 AM and I have a stomach bug and I wanna watch a show that’s longer than 8 eps per season but noooo #anime still understands this and comedy shows still understand this #their budgets are bigger than they used to be but don’t cost a small country's gdp to produce lol #i would actually be more willing to invest in a show if it was ADVERTISED as being on the mid list #like - we are literally going to spend less per episode on this show but it will have 12-25 episodes per season #writers are gonna write no matter what - some writers are good and some are bad #but spending more on your show does not guarantee that your writers are going to be magically better #spend what's appropriate for the show's content and your risk tolerance and then hire a mix of writers - experience and cultivation #as for the publishing industry just bring back the mid list in general and stop fucking canceling book series #and stop fucking firing editors and working the ones you don't fire to the bone as if being an editor also magically makes you #a marketer and a publicist somehow #the acolyte #andor #publishing #books #tv shows

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saltyr3mix · 2 months ago

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Damien headcanons Damien headcanons ! !

I saw the user name and new exactly what you were going to ask lol.

I'm agian under the assumption your looking for the same thing I did with Winnie and Sara? If you guys want like cannon head cannons. Let me know! But for now I like that format of just comparison.

so. Damiens not my favorite guy. I have said some maybe regrettable things about him in fits if anger because I struggle with writing him. But there are a few au's, not many unfortunately, where I don't mind him as much. This list will likely be shorter than the other two.

to learn from the tragedies : he's gonna show up at some point. Haven't decided if it's in book one or two yet. But the vision here right? Oliver has like, imprints of memories. Damien doesn't have any memories of the previous timeline. Lewis and the Twins no everything. Oliver starts gushing about this guy he saw and they immediately know who it is and encourages Oliver to go reach out to him. Mean while Oliver is like, "what the hell all I did was see him in the store I don't even know his name! How am I supposed to contact him!? How do you all know who is!??"

"Not many people have a singular purple eye, dude."

"that was real?..... I thought it was like cosplay or something."

"nope he can see ghosts."

"I'm suddenly a lot less interested-"

"no no no you haveeeee to talk to him! Just....trust us. We'd never lie to you!"<------ has active lied to his face 6 times today about how bad the future actually was too experience.

So yeah! Television is an end game ship for tlfft. Hopefully it will get introduced soon.

Shattered Dreams: I mean he had some cool moments. But wasn't really thought out like at all. I thought giving him a prosthetic arm was cool! I don't know why I did but I did that. This fic was written before season two and so a lot of Damiens character had yet to be explained so I took him in my own very poor direction and had no idea what u was doing with him the entire time.

I will make them create my world: ooooo this ones fun. How do I explain this with out spoilers. He's a very background character in the twins centered chapter. But I've tossed around the idea of making him more prominent as a sort of antagonist? But I'm not sure if it would work. I have so so so many ideas for this chapter and I haven't finalized an ending for it but it could be anywhere from Damien and Oliver getting married happily with nothing wrong and them being completely ok and the horror focusing more on how the world moves on and is completely fine in your absence. Or we could mess everything up and have them die or twisted into toys in the horror of another world taking over and contortioning your loved ones into freaks of nature with out you being able to stop it. Either way Damiens safety is entirely dependent on which brand of eldritch existential horror I feel like giving the twins that day.

This happens in a lot of my fics actually-

Buried masks: ok. This is going to be hard to hear for some people. Damien. Never gets taken my Sara. She actually hates him. She goes out of her way not to interact or associate with him. The only time she acknowledges his existence is if Oliver is talking about him or like hes unavoidably right in front of her. She's crazy buts she's not a jerk. Anyway she hates him because he stepped in and took her job as Oliver's support system. She doesn't like sharing. She has this whole concept with saving people and wanting to be their angel and their light and their support. To the point she will force people into a position to rely on her so she can feel like she's helping them. When her best friend turns to someone else for that help? She is not happy about it. She traits with the same way, but needs him to help keep lewis under her control.

Oliver, as much as she loves him and hates that Damien also cares for him. Still feels confident that he would turn to her first. And thats all she needs. To be his savior.

So she doesn't drag him into it. He and Damien actually get to go out and enjoy the rest of their lives together. As long as Oliver keeps looking to Sara for guidance he won't be affected. She can help him with out all the added psychological torture!

That is unless. In the same vein wiatt is dragged down to control lewis.....she needs his help in calming and swaying over some....other members.

This was supposed to be about Damien. uh oh. Can you tell I like this au a lot?

On a less cryptic lore heavy note. Yeah Damien is our main outside the basement perspective. He's running all the cases trying to find the evidence and he actually does solve something that saves a lot of people!!! He followed all the clues and cracked open a terrible terrible story. But the victims in that story weren't his friends.

Steven universe au: I kind of made a post earlier explaining all of his lore today. But! If your looking for more I'd very happy send you over to Danger/Theater who loves Su!Damien very very much and could probably come up with some more head cannons or content for you.

Superhero au: where to fucking start. He was speficly designed to be the main character of this au. It was supposed to center around him.

And then they're were other opportunities involving human experimentation and angst and twins and like- come on those are my favorite tropes I had to indulge a little bit!..... Although maybe I did just actually completely switch the angle of the spot light-

STILL!!!! if consider him the core of the au. Maybe not the main character at times but everything comes back and ties back to his actions. He sort of has a lot of control over everything and so when he makes a decision the entire plot shifts with that. Even when not in focus when he decides he's going to start bothering Error on patrols that caused a whole chain of reactions that lead to Errors eventual spiral and breakdown and him finding out all the shit that's been happening and it's Ghost that comes back and takes him out of it.

And all that yapping barely actually talks about his character ok- so. I want to see HLTBM!Sara and Superhero! Damien get in a moral debate with one amoy. Cause they stand for a lot of the same things. Character was out through something very very traumatic and that manifested in ways that hurt a lot of people with out them really wanting it to. But of course there's the gray area with Sara knowing full well shocking and kidnapping people isnt very nice. And Ghost being just a straight up serial killer, homicidal, villain for the first half of the fic. Unlike Sara though Damien does get improvement. Although I personally won't call it redemption on my own morals. But he stops killing people pretty quickly once Oliver brings it up.

L to Hayden west who got in Damiens way before Oliver could bring that up.

But yeah superhero au Damien is very special to me. He's the only version of Damien i don't Loath writing, in fact I look forward to it! He's so fun!!!

this was still all very vague but I've said do much- shoot me another ask if you want more about just him because I could write essays on that man.

One shots/you will live until I die: die die die die die die . I'm sure Danger has screen shots some where of the things I've said about this man. Do you know? Do you know how fast I could have gotten any of these types of fics done. If I wrote him out?! Do you know how many times I had to go through and re-write singular lines for him!? Have I beef with this fictional character you can't even comprehend.

Buttttttttt in the end. I guess he turned out....... Ok-ish? i still want to light every scene with him in it on fire but it's not because of how he's written. UTS BECAUSE IF HIW LONG IT TOOK TO WRITE-

deep breaths. I really hope you enjoy them because when I say I dedicated an entire week to a single scene with him in it. I'm not kidding. It killed me.

For the most part I do what I always do with those fics and stick to cannon, which was the mistake, I only like Damien when he's evil and deranged. Cannon Damien does not match my writings level of freak.

maze au: he doesn't get to be cool. Sorry. Your man gets to be a sleep deprived, paid, stalker of Oliver while he's in the maze. Damien works for the maze and helps give reports on his assigned constant, Oliver! Who's actually really endearing and kind of cute .

Thinking about having him a vaguely similar role to ash and me like THE watcher, the clearing has to keep dealing with. Norman is already a Plant but like Starr doesn't actually trust him. So yeah Damien is the wall man. People just see him around on the walls and pretend that they didn't!

Maybe he'll come down and say hello today! Probably not.

The more I think about it I want to make him a half demon to. But not like full half demon. Like he has shaper nails and teeth and is scary good at seeing in the dark and can hear any whisper. But has absolutely no strength or speed or physical traits. He's a loser.

Oc au: umghhhhhfrgcadg so i play Damien. And I do really really bad at it. Cause I try to follow cannon and we've addressed that issue. Currently he's dealing with a ton of survivors guilt because he and Oliver were the only ones to make it out of the facility collapse alive. Both the kids he brought with him died, both to his own advice.

He told Shroud to stay put. And he told hunter to run. Not great for either of them.

There was a point he beat the shit out of Sara! That was fun! Their.....siblings in this au? Or at least very heavily implied that they are. And so they just started scraping.

Poor Vianca though. God if I was better at playing him maybe they could have had a cool sibling dynamic. But alas it just came of as very very awkward because for most of her lore I was playing her, Sara and damien, who all would have been siblings but I did it so bad at yeah- there are some reasons why this au is called the secret au. It's the silly one where I don't think about it like a writer just a Creator and im not supposed to care how pretty the final result is if I had fun. And I did have fun! But when it comes to Damien things just get messy.

THATS IT. IM DONE!!! THIS SHOULD NOT BE THIS LONG!!!! I DID UT BECAUSE I THOUGHT IT WOULD BE SHORTER!!! ITS NOT!!!! BUT I DID IT ANYWAY SO HA! I WIN!!!

#salt answers!#welcome to dreamworld #wtdw #salts stories #damien klein

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spinjitsuburst · 11 months ago

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prime empire thoughts yes please

1- the world of prime empire overall. what are your ideas about it?

I personally they should've played with the ideas of invisible walls or show us how far the game actually expended. idk maybe that's just me but like the world of prime empire in its whole looks overlooked jgsjgl like there's so much you can do.

I also wanted so bad someone from the outside to interfere with the coding or something as well idk WHY DID WE GET SO LITTLE WITH A SEASON AROUND VIDEO GAMES

2- what are you thoughts about scott? (also does he play a big role in cabinet man? (since you also requested asks about cabinet man))

Cuz I think he is greatly underrated in prime empire (but yknow maybe that's just me)

3- jay's skin. I want all your thoughts about jay's skin. Superstar Rockin Jay should've lasted for much longer or at least become a gag in the future (or yknow the fact that there was a cult created out of it)

anyway yeah I like this season a normal amount. Toootally fine with how they handled it.

Can't wait to read your thoughts about it all ( ouo)

GJHJSHFJKGHJKFDSGH HOOOOO BOY

Ideas about the world of Prime Empire as a whole

OHOHO I HAVE SOOOO MANY MY FRIEND

first of all, most if not all the NPCs have some degree of sentience. That's an idea that I think should've been driven more home by the show itself but Blazey and Okino are not the only characters in the game that have free will and the ability to think for themselves. I believe this so wholeheartedly.

Prime Empire was split into different areas that I wish were explored more (honestly a lot of this season boils down to "I wish it were explored more"): Terra Technica, Terra Karana, and Terra Domina. Terra Technica obviously is the biggest area, with the entry point for players entering the game, the Speedway Five-Billion, Scott's Garage and Jay's Club, and at least one other area for the Dance Competition mini-game. I also think this would be where most of the shops run by NPCs in the game would be.

I think most NPCs reside in this area. To really hammer home the fact that they are PEOPLE, not just assets in the game, I think they have homes within the city. Y'know how in Pokemon games (except ScarVi rip) you can just walk into people's houses and there's NPCs inside? Yea it's like that. Except the NPCs leave the houses and explore as well because they have their own thoughts and lives.

Maybe it's just cuz I've been playing Tears of the Kingdom non-stop and it's taken over my brain but I think about the open-worldness of Prime Empire in a similar manner. You can pretty much go anywhere and do anything within the world of Prime Empire. You can scale buildings (if you have the skills unlocked for it) and find secrets everywhere. And most things respawn at certain intervals so players have the chance to pick them up. Kind of like a MMOPRG sorta vibe

BUT there is a sort of thing like you mentioned above - invisible points that you just can't pass. Like the place is enclosed by some giant wall you can't see, and doesn't let you pass through. If you TRIED you would just be running in place basically, never actually getting anywhere. You can see things beyond where stuck at, but they're just for show - there's nothing actually there to interact with, it just gives the guise of depth.

Basically Prime Empire is meant to feel endless, expansive, big, real, until the reality crashes in that it definitely isn't. And sure most people wouldn't care and would have fun playing anyways, but for those who aren't interested after this illusion is broken for them, discover that hey. How do you get out of here again?

Oh right.

They can't.

And that's when people start kinda freaking out. Which I imagine then Jay or the League of Jays step in to try and calm them down and get them to relax and have fun anyways while Jay waits for the rest of the ninja to arrive.

2. Thoughts about Scott and his role in the Cabinet Man AU!

OHHH MAN I LOVE SCOTT DUDE YOU'RE RIGHT HE'S SO UNDERRATED i think he's a super fascinating character to consider in Prime Empire. Given that Unagami clearly had a plan to cube a bunch of players for his portal, he definitely would've come after Scott first. When did Scott figure this out? Did Scott and Unagami interact in-person before this? How was Scott able to evade Unagami long enough to set up his garage's stealth barrier? He's so so so interesting to me

He's clearly a kind person who wants to help people to some degree (sneaking Jay into the garage with him in the shorts, letting Jay run his club from his garage, inevitably sacrificing himself so the ninja can get away, etc.) but he's also very wary and unwilling to risk himself in a lot of ways. He and Jay clearly come to care about each other to some degree in canon, given Jay seems fairly protective of him

and Scott trusts Jay enough to let him into his personal and secret place

LIKE I DON'T THINK THAT GETS TALKED ABOUT ENOUGH. NOT ONLY DID SCOTT AGREE TO HELP JAY HIDE OUT FROM UNAGAMI BUT HE LET HIM RUN AN ENTIRE CLUB OUT OF A SECRET TUNNEL CONNECTED TO HIS GARAGE

there was no reason for Scott to have done either of these things. Was it desperation because Jay's the first person Scott's seen in 30 years? Maybe. But clearly they care about each other to some degree

as for in the cabinet man AU! Jay considers Scott an older brother type figure. He, Scott, and Unagami actually got along well when Scott first got sucked into the game (the game is a lot newer than it is in the actual show given that Jay was 8 when he entered and there is no way he was in there for 30 years lmao, Jay would've been around 16 when Scott entered the game, Scott being 18 or 19, and Jay was around 21-22 when the ninja enter the picture). Unagami was excited to prove himself and give Scott a fun game experience, after all. But y'know, once Milton Dyer realized what happened.... things soured.

Jay and Scott were pretty much on the run together from then on. They care a lot about each other and Jay's extra devastated when Scott gets cubed. Once Jay and Scott leave the game, Scott takes time to rediscover life and reunite with family, but the two stay in close contact and see each other on a weekly basis for a while. Scott's still one of the first people Jay will reach out to if he needs help or advice with something not-ninja related

3. SUPERSTAR ROCKIN' JAY AAAAAAA

okay okay okay okay so obviously you and i met through skybound content so just in case you don't know yet

i'm. a little. unhinged. about superstar rockin' jay

i have so many thoughts about jay's avatar ranging from "this is my Gender and i want to look like a fucking lego" to "WHY DIDN'T NINJAGO LET HIM KEEP ASPECTS OF THIS" to just white noise in my brain and in the center of that white noise is me rotating his minifigure in my mind

HE'S SO COOL!!! HE'S SO COOL AND I LOVE HIM AND HIS DESIGN IS INCREDIBLE LIKE OKAY okay okay okay okay blue and yellow are contrasting colors that mesh REALLY well together and I think the glamrock persona with stars and triangles and shit looks super incredible and it's just a really nice and appealing design and I think that Jay would have like a v-tuber avatar of SSR Jay after the game cuz like LOOK AT HIM. THIS IS PEAK HEGHHAGJFHKGJKJHKJFHGKJFG god im so normal

this is why people call me the ceo of superstar rockin' jay. that design is every aesthetic of mine mashed into one. i'm so obsessed with this design it consumes my core being.

at the end of the day i too. am superstar rockin' jay

i lost track of the point of this question uhhhhhhhh OH YEA I WISH THEY'D LIKE. BRING IT UP MORE OFTEN LIKE JAY WAS AN IN-GAME IDOL!! HE WAS A PERFORMER!! DID HE HAVE FANS??? IS THERE SUPERSTAR ROCKIN' JAY MERCH???????? he should exist outside of prime empire screams

anyways this was a lot of words i love prime empire i love prime empire so much it's so good and more people need to talk about it please please lpease

#HAT BLESS YOU FOR THIS ASK EHHEHE I LOVE INFODUMPING ABOUT THIS SEASON AAAAAAAAAAAA #runs around in circles #this season is everything to me #jay #jay walker #prime empire #ninjago #superstar rockin' jay #spinjitsu screams #ask #cabinet man au #lego ninjago

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