#i can't remember how i tagged these posts before rip

[little-mari-on-a-roof]

Earlier today, some of the Miraculous team of the participated in a panel where fans could ask questions about the show. The people present were Nathanaël Bronn, Sébastien Thibaudeau, and three new writers: Caroline Torelli, Pierre Doublier and Manuel Meyre. Here's an overview of the main points they talked about, with the most interesting points in bold. It's super long as usual because I don't know how to be short sorryyyy but there's fun new info I promise </33.

Discussion with the host:

The very beginning is cut off but they were mostly introducing themselves and how they ended working for the show.

They talked about how 10 years ago, Miraculous was very atypical and new. Back then it was rare to have a show with a female main character, series of 22 minute episodes and taking place in Paris. It was quite hard to sell due to the location and the mix of sitcom and action, as well as the fact that it is a character driven series with a world being built little by little across the episodes. It was also rare to spend 3 years developping the concept, but it allowed them to lay all the bases and work on the details.

They then discussed the fact that the series was able to reach an international audience. They think that it is because of how the show is typically and specifically French instead of a generic US series. It also benefitted from the team being influenced by a lot of styles, from manga to Disney or French/Belgian comics. Sébastien added that he wasn't surprised because the show was very well produced and sold by Jérémy who worked a lot to find the right international partners.

On the subject of how new writers were able to adapt and find inspiration, they replied that they did rewatch the episodes a lot. They always write collectively with Sébastien and Thomas, with 3 to 5 people writing each episode. This allowed them to enter the series as they had a lot of curiosity and openness to their work. They exchange ideas a lot until a solution comes naturally. They are also helped by the show being character driven. As there have already been 5 seasons of characterisation, they can easily find evidence of how they will react. Sébastien and Thomas have already done a lot of preliminary work up to 18 seasons in their head which allows them to share the trajectory and vision of the characters, which the writers can work off of and enrich. They write the episodes in "ateliers" of a few days, starting from a first day of mostly philosophical brainstorming to end up with the precise dialogues.

The host asked about whether they already had the end of the series in mind, but Sébastien declined answering. He however mentioned that from the moment they were seeing the first episodes come to life, Thomas and him got into a room to imagine the end of the arc. It was back then that they wrote a scene very similar to the S5 finale: Marinette and not Ladybug beating Gabriel, with words and not fights, and only then having the BugNoire fusion. They have done the same thing now (writing multiple arc endings) to know where they are going when writing. Another example he mentions here is Marinette calling Lila a villain in early season 3, foreshadowing season 6.

Talking about the diffusion of season 6, they mentioned that the next episodes will air this autumn. It takes time to make the episodes because they are working with a new technology, using a video game software to have real time images. Nathanaël mentioned that he wanted to break the barrier between feature length and series. They have always written primarily for children but also for the family so that parents can enjoy it as well. They worked a lot on the writing and image of El Toro De Piedra, which is according to Sébastien the first very good representation of what they are aiming for with the new season. Him and Thomas came up with the story a long time ago - between seasons 3 and 4 - when they met a little boy who was a big fan of the show. His father did not want him to watch what he considered to be "for girls" and especially not to be emotional over it or ever admit to watching it. They also gave a shout out to Delphine who wrote Juleka's song for the episode.

Moving on to the fan questions:

Someone asked about the airing order of the episodes. Sébastien answered that starting from season 6, they decided to not write the episodes in order anymore so that they could be aired anytime as they never know in what order they will be delivered. All episodes start with a teaser and end in a cliffhanger, but the heart of them can be watched in any order. The only episodes that absolutely need to be watched in order are the last episode of season 6 and the firts two episodes of season 7. Otherwise, the series is a big puzzle we have to put back together.

The second person asked how the writers, who were already fans, feel suddenly having access to all the lore that we do not know yet. The main answer was fear. They are always scared of saying something they should not. They feel like they know too much and are carrying a huge secret. They also mentioned the sensation of vertigo when suddenly discovering this huge universe, which is an increadible material to pick from and write with. It is also very exciting for them to be the first spectators and they feel very lucky. Sébastien added that no one had access to the documents anymore as they were now locked in a safe. 

When asked about their favourite characters, all of the new writers mentioned the ones starring in the episodes they have worked on. They also revealed that we would have an episode about Nino this season!! The new writers put a lot of themselves in the characters. Sébastien added that it allowed to give more substance to the characters they used to write less well or simply less of.

They breifly discussed how they were heavily inspired by magical girls, especially when it comes to the kwamis.

Someone asked if we would see the new butterfly holder in costume or learn her name. They replied that it was all the principle of season 6, which broadcasters accepted to play. Something is hidden this season. Only the writers know about it, and absolutely no one else. We will only learn it at the beginning of season 7.

When asked if they still, as Thomas had talked about in the past, never wrote episode starting with the villains, they replied yes. They always have the characters guide their ideas, as starting with the villain would make the story sound wrong.

They were indeed very disappointed to not have Ladybug and Chat Noir in the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games. Nathanaël had even worked on an animation with 5 spots of the ladybug turning into the rings, but it did not happen. They talked about animation being snubbed in France despite the international popularity.

About the darker tone of the ML World Paris Special, they said that they would like to expand on the universe, but it depends on ideas and opportunities and it is very expensive. They are also thinking about working with different media, namely to suit older fans with graphic novels for example.

The new animation being only done in France does change the style a little to be more "European", but barriers aren't rigid between animation styles, there is still a mututal influence and they are writing the episodes is French first as they have always done.

Someone asked about the "censorship" of Qilin. Sébastien replied that the network had every right to what they did and that they mostly thought the scene was "badly written". He also said that the RATP (Paris public transport system) was very strict about their representation and the designs used were very recognisable. His conclusion is that they should have added more nuance and there are no bad feelings.

The new simpler lucky charms allow the writers to go to sleep earlier, they also show how much Marinette has evolved and grown, has more control over her powers and is more comfortable with them.

Character designs and projects that have been leaked in the past are being worked on, and the new Miraculous Corp will help develop them by allowing the team to have more people working on them.

When asked about what seems like uneven development coming from Marinette, they replied that she still had to figure out her relationship and evolve in that direction, and that a relationship that started with a lie gives them a lot to write about.

An audience member asked where Alix sleeps, and they replied that the better question would be to ask when she does 🥲.

Stellar Force has a different artistic direction and Nathanaël only supervised. Thomas and Sébastien are however involved in writing. Thomas wrote the bible, they will soon write the pilot and recruit more writers.

They do not know anything about a Miraculous Store opening in Europe as it is Franchise based.

When asked about the live action, they replied that it should happen at one point, but that 10 years was still quite young for a series.

Someone asked about how the writers - a majority of men - were able to question their male gaze and write such compelling female characters. They replied that debating a lot and sharing point of views, being open minded and questioning their own biases was the most important part.

About the blue flash that Lila sees at the end of season 5, they replied that we would have answers in future episodes of season 6 and in a special that has not been made yet.

Someone asked whether the remaining kwami powers (besides ice or space) would be developped. They replied jokingly that they needed a lot of money for that, and more seriously that they needed to find the right stories to really expand on then and not just show a new power for the sake of it.

Lastly, someone asked about Toxinelle not repeating "Lucky Charm" every time she summons her power. The short answer is that it would be annoying to have her say it each time and they try not to worry about all the very precise technicalities anymore. 

[vxsellie]

domestic gf! ellie

summary. random headcannons about living a small, domestic life with ellie as your girlfriend

notes. nothing makes me happier than domesticity so it was only a matter of time before i made smth like this ! also i haven't made any 'headcannon' posts yet so the setup might be ass bc i fr have no idea what im doing ,, to make up for it i made the post super aesthetic & i'm obsessed w it now xx

warnings. some mentions of sex, it's not necessarily smut it's just the act of loving someone intimately & sometimes being super horny !! overall, this is almost pure fluff though i swear ◡̈

𐙚 first and foremost, ellie def prefers a little life over anything huge or extravagant. she'd take a long morning in bed with u over the met gala any day.

𐙚 something about sun rays filing through dusty shudders makes her heart swell.

𐙚 dirty dishes in the sink, wrinkled bed sheets, cluttered countertops, half-finished home decor, crumples papers, miasma from the bathroom trashcan, that one light you both always forget to shut off. she loves it, all of it.

𐙚 but what she loves most about this life of yours is you.

𐙚 waking up in the morning to see your body sprawled across her chest, a stained band tee clinging to you'd body.

𐙚 hearing you hum songs in the shower while she brushes her teeth at the sink.

𐙚 coming up to wrap her arms around your waist while you cook dinner after a long day of irritable coworkers and snobby customers. then, following that, being able to look across the table at you as you complain about your own day, the taste of your burnt cooking on her tongue.

𐙚 going to the grocery store with you early in the morning after waking to find you're out of cereal for breakfast, both of you insisting you'd thought the other agreed to buy it.

𐙚 your lidded eyes squinting as you read the price tag, leaning heavily on the shopping cart. you're both hungry and tired and annoyed, but have no energy to argue, instead opting to ignore your shared frustration and find solace in the other rather than anger.

𐙚 ellie loading the new groceries onto the conveyor belt while you sleepily fumble with your wallet, still smiling and making conversation with the grocer despite everything.

𐙚 then, getting home and being able to eat your newly purchased cereal, your head leaning on her shoulder as you're both curled up on the couch in front of the tv.

𐙚 ellie oftentimes likes to sit at her desk, scribbling little drawings or entries into her journal while you fill your head with your own random hobbies.

𐙚 she drives you crazy when she taps her pencil against the surface of the desk.

𐙚 the two of you have argued over that a few times, actually. you shouting at her for how annoying the repetitive sound is while she tries to explain that she doesn't even realize she's doing it (though, you don't believe that for a second).

𐙚 over time, however, you've learned to just put on your headphones whenever she journals, the habit becoming as natural to you as drumming her pencil is to ellie.

𐙚 whenever either of you are on your period, the other is certain to be synced, both of you hurting and angry and craving random foods you can't remember the names of. that week is either the worst of your lives, spent arguing and fighting and sobbing; or it's the best, spent singing together in the shower and cooking new recipes and laughing together at ellie's unfunny dad jokes.

𐙚 then, following that week, ovulation hits and you're both completely different people.

𐙚 after you just spent days upon days of working through agonizing pain, you're now unable to think of anything aside from ripping the other's clothes off.

𐙚 dinners go uneaten as she eats you out atop the counter instead; rooms go unswept as you pin her against the nearest wall with an animalistic fervor; her drawings go unfinished as she gets distracted by the girl lying naked in your bed, fingers finding other ways to occupy themselves.

𐙚 ellie has seen you in every state.

𐙚 with greasy unkempt hair, unshaved (everywhere), stained clothing you deem to be 'clean enough', dirt under your nails, unbrushed teeth in the morning.

𐙚 but she doesn't care. she'll still run her fingers through your hair, still rub soothing circles into spiky skin, still strip stained clothes off of you just as desperately, still hold your dirtied hands, still kiss you on the mouth without a care in the world.

𐙚 sometimes, ellie will write songs & ask for your opinion on them.

𐙚 of course, you always tell her how good they are and how proud you are of her. but sometimes you mentally cringe at certain lines or wince at a off-key note.

𐙚 but you love her enough to lie to her face with a curt smile.

𐙚 and even more than that, you love seeing her happy and proud of herself. the sight of her toothy grin and twinkling eyes makes it all worth it.

𐙚 plus, eighty percent of the time, her songs are super fucking good and you're stuck by the passion and care she puts into writing them. the gentility in her intricate fabrication of certain notes and pitches makes your heart stutter. the way her entire body work alongside the guitar with such delicacy that you're sure the two have merged into one tangible being.

𐙚 see, ellie is enamored by the simple things you do ⎯ the way you rip a brush through your hair in the mornings, the gentle whistle you do while cooking or cleaning or doing chores, the fact that you seem to be incapable of making the bed in the morning, the way you always leave your shared shampoo uncapped, the pursing of your lips as you try a new recipe you wanted to try & aren't sure whether you like.

𐙚 these are the things she loves most about you. the things that make her excited to live the rest of her life with you, greasy hair and all.

⊹ ࣪ ˖𐙚 taglist : @luvsturniolo @zombieegirl

[clarkeybabey]

❝ i need you to fill the void ❞

# summary; someone spoils your secret

# playlist; void, the neighbourhood, nothing's gonna hurt you baby, cigarettes after sex.

# word count; 1.2k

# note; freya, faith, and talia cameo, I didn't proofread and I hate this oops.

Have a wedding they said, it'll be fun they said. You can't name a time when you've been this stressed out and anxious in all your years of living. To make it even worse, the one person who could help you breathe through all of this wasn't going to able to see you for another three and a half hours.

Last night, for the sake of tradition, you slept without George for the first time in more than a year. He texted you about a thousand times after you finally fell asleep about how he couldn't wait to be tied to you for the rest of your lives, which meant you woke up in the best of moods despite the lack of his presence.

Keeping everything a secret wasn't hard, since everyone had done it before for Simon and Talia. Unfortunately, some people you thought you could trust with an invitation weren't the most reliable. Your friends were sat off to the side some snapping pictures of you and themselves, others scrolling social media. Freya gasps, she's unable to control the way her lips purse, and brows crease as she turns the volume of her phone down as quick as possible.

You're sat in a chair, your makeup artist hard at work. "Something wrong?" In the blink of an eye, the girls are all standing around Freya, staring at the screen in disbelief.

Talia chews at her bottom lip before speaking, "Y/N, sweetheart, I'm gonna show you something, but I want you to try not to freak out."

You swear you feel your throat begin to close at the slight waver in her voice, now it's your turn for your brows to knit together, "I'll try," you mumble, absentmindedly picking at your manicure.

She makes her way to you as slow as ever with Freya in tow with her phone, which she hands off to you after turning the volume back up, swiping up and back to the video to restart it. You recognize the username as a girl George had introduced you to a few months ago at the sidemen's anniversary party, you don't recall sending her an invitation...

The video begins with a screech from her, "Hi, guys! This get-ready with me is extra special, this time my friend George is getting married," you feel your stomach drop, cheeks warming as she talks about only being a plus one to someone whose name goes in one ear and straight out the other.

"This better be a fuckin' joke," bile begins to rise in your throat and tears threaten to melt away every bit of the 45 minutes spent on your nearly Pinterest-perfect makeup. When you click on the comments you notice there are some from mere seconds ago and steadily continue to pour in, you shake your head hoping someone will pinch you and wake you from this atrocious nightmare, "God, I really wish this was a joke," you whisper, your bottom lip trembling uncontrollably.

You look up at the girls around you as you slowly start to crumble under the weight of it all. Faith is typing away furiously, jamming her fingers against her phone screen, you hand Freya her phone back, wordlessly reaching for your own that was laying screen down on the vanity.

When the screen comes to life you see messages, notifications from dms, posts, and tweets you've been tagged in. Nothing really catches your eye aside from two missed calls from George and a few texts just under them.

my fiance 😝😈: call me when you see this please, darling

And you did exactly that. He answers on the first ring, his soft, accented voice filling your ear ripping another sob from your throat, "Y'alright, love?" He asks knowing the answer, hoping to god you weren't on tiktok to see what he'd seen a few minutes ago, but as you cry into the speaker he understands you have.

You shake your head, before remembering that he can't see your actions, "No," you croak, making him sigh and shake his head. This is your day and somehow someone's managed to ruin it for you.

To be completely honest, George couldn't care less about everything being secret, but all you wanted through the whole planning process was privacy, no huge party after the ceremony, nothing.

You didn't want to post anything until you were boarding the plane for your well-deserved nearly three-week honeymoon. And your fiance was more than happy to oblige.

"Can you come here? Please, I couldn't give two fucks about tradition, we're fuckin' tiktokers for god's sake." you pause a second until you hear shuffling on his end, followed by a snort. "I'm already outside, baby," you hear the smile in his voice, you keep your phone pressed to your ear with your shoulder.

When the door swings open, he's standing there looking so damn good in the suit you picked out together so many months ago and it makes you cry even harder, knowing how much of a snotty mess you probably look now all because everything not going the way you imagined.

He wraps you into his arms before you're able to say anything, breathing you in. "You look beautiful," he steps back from you keeping a comforting hand on your hip as he looks you up in down, "this satin?" He asks pinching at the material of your dressing gown, to which you simply nod, your throat still feeling tight.

Of course, he notices how much everything's eating you alive, "I handled it, sweetheart. I figured out who invited her, they know we don't think its a good idea for her to come," he gives you a reassuring squeeze, watching your face closely for any change of expression.

You pursed your lips taking a deep breath through your nose, "Thank you, I missed you so much," he smiled, the corners of his eyes crinkling, instead of responding immediately, he chose to envelope you into his arms. Your ear is pressed against his chest so close you can hear his heart thumping against his ribcage, "Missed you more, could hardly sleep without you."

This time when he pulls away, his hands cup your face, and his lips meet yours in what you swear is the best kiss you've ever had, he doesn't keep you like that for as long as you'd like, leaving you chasing after the feeling. He rests his forehead against yours and his hand slips from your cheek to your neck where he feels your pulse quicken.

He breathes you in, this time stepping back for real knowing the girls are waiting for you, "Now go get in the dress I've been hearing about for months, wanna hurry up and make you mine for life."

You smile, the first real one you've worn since reading his messages this morning, "So impatient," you mutter and he shakes his head, swatting at your bum, "I can show you impatient," he quirks a brow, his voice is laced with suggestiveness that's unmistakable

"Later," he raises his hands in surrender as you turn back to the door that's ajar, his hand catches your wrist, turning you around quicker than you could let a gasp escape you. His lips find yours once more and you exhale out of your nose, relaxing against him as he smiles against your mouth. "Now you're free to go," your fingers dance along your now tingling lips, as you watch him disappear down the hallway,

When you return to the girls you almost have forgotten the original situation at hand aside from the fact that maybe every little thing about him is the best.

[newrochellechallenger2019]

SHOWER THOUGHTS ∘˙○˚.•

a/n: this is wholly self indulgent and i just can't get this thought out of my head but the fears of turning multifandom are creeping in... disclaimer: i used simone ashley as an fc for this because she was supposed to be his love interest in the movie, i have done my best to limit physical descriptions. this blurb is pure fluff and it's about showering together/hair washing. i apologise if this causes any offense to anyone or if it comes across as exclusionary, it's not my intention and i hope you still enjoy. cw: slight size kink taglist: @jordiemeow @artaussi @gibsongirrl @jesuistrestriste @imperishablereverie want to be tagged when i post? click here!

the bathroom fills with steam as hot water starts to pour from the overly large shower head. the perks of your boyfriend being the hottest rookie of the season is that he's raking in the media payments, so you get all the fancy home renovations, including a newly fitted ensuite.

you undress slowly, letting the silk robe fall off your body and onto the cold tile, watching your reflection disappear as the mirror grows cloudy. stepping into the shower, you breathe out as the steady stream of hot water hits your shoulders, letting your thick coils of dark hair drape down your back, eyes closed as you feel the day getting washed off you.

you hear him before you see him, you've left the door open just a crack so he knows what you're up to, and what to do. the quiet sound of him grunting as he pulls his boxers off and tosses them aside before he's in there with you, and you're grateful that there's enough room in here for both of you, remembering the days of cramming into his mother's shower, limbs tangled together awkwardly and never enough water for both of you.

'you think you can get away with showering without me?' joshua purrs in his east london accent, large muscular arm snaking around your shoulder and pulling you against his rock-hard chest.

you blush hard and press your lips together, years into dating he still makes you flustered when he acts like this. 'hm?' he teases lightly when you don't respond, lips brushing your ear and then kissing at your neck.

'here, darling.' joshua's breath is hot on the nape of your neck as he sweeps your sopping hair to the side.

his rough fingertips dig into your shoulders and you melt as he starts to massage them gently, and you melt immediately, 'ohh that's it...right there.' you whisper, eyes closing in delight. 'yeah i know my girl.' comes his smooth reply, and you can hear the smirk on his face as he says it, continuing to dig in to your tight muscles.

satisified you're fully relaxed, he leans down and reaches for the shampoo, and you can hear the squelch as he lathers it in his vast palms. then, his thick fingers find your scalp, kneading the pressure points there and you almost moan at the sensation, leaning back against his muscled torso.

he's too good at this, the way he smooths the product over each strand, twirling it round his fingers at the end. you used to find this whole routine annoying, how he'd constantly interrupt your showers, convinced he does it just to be in your personal space and bother you. now, you crave this intimacy, especially when he's gone for weeks on end, racing, and deep down, though he'd never admit it, these are his favourite moments with you, too.

joshua adjusts the shower to rinse off your long curtain of hair, now falling pinstraight. this time, the sound of lathering is accompanied by soft humming and you smile as his deep voice fills the room, fingers combing conditioner through the ends of your hair. gently, he sweeps your hair to the side so the product can work it's magic, resting it on one shoulder and let his beefy arms slide round your waist, feeling your body up imperceptibly.

'how was your day?' he croons, fingers tapping against your hips in that teasing way.

'boring.' you pout in reply before offering a playful, 'how was the interview? press still ripping you to shreds over what you said about sonny?'

'baby...' he groans, hand sliding further down your wet body, 'i don't wanna talk about that retirement dodger. i wanna hear about you...' he bites at your neck flirtatiously, '...and your day.'

'well,' you start softly, 'i think the coffee shop down the road is starting to memorise my order because i went in this morning and i think the girl recognised me...'

as you speak, joshua starts to rinse your hair off delicately, murmuring soft agreements and you don't have to look behind you to know that as he listens, he's watching you like you've just hung the moon and stars, a look reserved exclusively for you but still makes your heart skip a beat whenever you catch it.

'and then after work, i went to the gym and i did that spin class that my friend recommend and-' you prod one of his triceps, 'don't ever do those, i swear i saw the gates of heaven at one point.'

joshua laughs in response, a rare bellowing laugh that always makes you laugh too, 'noted darling,' he murmurs, 'i'll mention it to my trainer next week.'

without warning, he spins you round so you're flush against his chest and you exhale in surprise, his big hands now moving to palm your ass.

'what's next hm?' he croons, kneading your asscheeks deftly, almost soothingly.

'i've got it.' comes your soft reply, already reaching for the shower gel.

his signature pout comes out then, all big brown eyes and quivering bottom lip, 'are you sure?'

you press a kiss to his quivering lips, 'yes i'm sure.' you reassure with a sweet smile and joshua relents, stepping back, 'i miss you already.' he jokes as he gets out of the shower.

you can't help but stare as he reaches for a towel, something about the sight of him dripping onto the tile makes your stomach flip, even now. his muscles ripple in the soft light of the bathroom and the towel hardly fits around his waist and you actually flush like a schoolgirl at the sight.

joshua exits the bathroom without ceremony and you finish your shower, the scented suds coating your smooth skin before you step back under the waterfall shower, letting the water douse you and drowning out everything else, lost in your own little world of thought. pleased that you've successfully scrubbed yourself clean, you step out of the shower, steam clouding the bathroom that you can hardly see in front of you, hand finding the warm fluffy towels and wrapping it around your body.

you step out of the bathroom, steam enveloping you and threatening to fill the bedroom too. you hear joshua's rhythmic patting of the sheets before you even see him and you're walking closer out of routine, seeing his big grin as he perches on the edge of the oversized bed

'hi darling.' he murmurs when you get closer, as if you've been apart for days and not minutes, his hands on your wrists. 'come...sit.' he continues with that casual dominance that makes your thighs press together.

you sit between his legs, the hardwood cold on your bare ass. the relief you feel is palpable when he parts your hair, burly hands coated in hair oil as he massages your scalp again, drinking in every small noise you make in response, like he could get drunk on them. he runs his rough fingers through your thick strands, and when he's done, he presses a kiss to the top of your head that sends shivers down your spine.

tilting your head back to give him easier access, joshua starts to braid your dark locks. he's deft, all that racing training has it uses, he's got some of the quickest hands you've ever seen. silence fills the air as he concentrates and you're happy to drift back into your imagination.

'you never did tell me why you're so good at this.' you whisper after a while, head tilted towards the floor now.

'i told you, reaction times and shit.' joshua mutters, still focused.

'you know what i mean.' you pry playfully, manicured nails scratching at his leg in that soft way he likes.

'i'm a mumma's boy, ain't i?' he cracks eventually, and you can practically hear the cheesy grin on his face, 'ever since i was young, she taught me how to style my hair and then hers. said it'd be useful if i ever met a girl some day.'

'oh yeah?' you tease flirtatiously, looking up into his big dark eyes.

'yeah.' he affirms quietly, holding your gaze as he ties the hairband, all done.

you stand to crawl into his lap, 'well she's right...it's very useful.' you reply and his smile never leaves his face.

[phyllisamaryllis]

LET'S ENJOY GREEK MYTH RETELLINGS AND STORIES BUT NOT TAKE ALL OF THEM SERIOUSLY

You know, I really have to say this.

I don't think that Greeks, Hellenistic Pagans and other people who know Greek Mythology would be as frustrated as they are today if people DIDN'T TAKE MODERN SOURCES DEPICTING GREEK MEDIA AS ALWAYS ACCURATE.

Bear with me now.

All right, so, we all know about Percy Jackson.

And PJO was basically the Greek God make or break of its time and it broke the Greek Gods. Greeks and Hellenistic Pagans had the unfortunate experience of being bombarded with false, incorrect interpretations and thoughts about their deities.

And we have to remember here that to these Hellenistic Pagans, their gods are as sacred to them as God is to Christians. Maybe they wouldn't kill people over their gods, an added bonus, but we must respect the fact that they worship the gods and we must be respectful of Greek Gods when interacting with them.

See, I'm not saying that you can't be lighthearted. You can joke around and all that-it's just that actually hating and condemning the Greek Gods shouldn't be done when you're interacting with their worshippers.

Now that I'm done with that, well, Rick Riordan fucked up with Greek Mythology big time. Making Athena have children, HIS MISOGYNY. THERE ARE ENTIRE TAGS DEDICATED TO RICK'S MISOGYNY, NOT JUST OF HIS FEMALE CHARACTERS BUT OF ACTUAL ANCIENT GREEK GODDESSES. If I did a whole essay on his misogyny, I'd have to make multiple posts.

Rick done fucked up with them. I do not have to be the first person to tell you that.

HOWEVER, I am obligated to say that any author is freely able to portray the Greek Gods as they want (unfortunately at times).

And so Rick is free to interpret them how he likes.

Let's also remember that Rick thought terribly of the Gods and their worshippers when he was writing Percy Jackson and the other series.

Of course, he HAS changed for the better. Now he's more respectful of Pagans and has apologised, which is nice, but I just thought I'd let you know.

See, now we can accept and criticise Rick's writing, but before-

Well, before, it was absolutely awful for Greeks and Hellenistic Pagans. I mean, it's still awful, but it was more awful back then because almost nobody criticised Percy Jackson about depicting Greek Gods terribly. Everyone said that Greek Gods were American and belonged to America-ugh, that was horrible. It's absolutely appalling to do that, no less to Greeks themselves. People ranted about how horrible the gods were.

And I mean yes, the Greek Gods could be awful by modern standards, but we need to remember two things-

The Greek Gods were based on an ANCIENT SOCIETY with DIFFERENT MORAL STANDARDS. Judging them by modern moral standards isn't going to do anything.

The actions of the gods were SYMBOLIC, NOT LITERAL.

a) Artemis' cruelty towards humans? That's the cruelty of nature towards him. Artemis was a nature goddess and she hunted and resided in the wild.

b) Dionysus being kind and charming but also mad and ruthless at times? Well, that's what wine does. It can make people funny and charming to a point, but it also drives people mad and makes them violent.

c) Hades kidnapping Persephone? Well, Hades represents death, and that's what death does-it rips children from their parents' arms. Also, it signifies the fact that daughters and mothers did not have a say in their marriage, the father could give the girl away to any man in those times. Demeter actually being able to get Persephone back was a comfort to grieving mothers.

d) Zeus cheating on Hera multiple times?

There are multiple explanations for this one.

First, kings and princes often claimed to be descendants of Zeus, so Zeus was said to have many affairs with royal mortal women so that their claims to divine lineage could be accurate.

Second, Zeus' rain represented fecundity and fertility. As I said above, the actions of the gods are symbolic and they represent their domains, so he had multiple affairs and loads of children to signify his fertility.

Third, the Greek Gods were based on Ancient Greek society where multiple men took concubines and lovers. And Zeus did this too, because he was a king!

e) Hera punishing the lovers and bastards? That's what queens did to some concubines for revenge, since they couldn't take it out on the king.

It's all either symbolic or based on Ancient Greece. The gods that humanity created were based on those times, and they were created millennia ago, when things were different in nearly every way possible.

Anyway, what I'm trying to tell you is that we're allowed to have fun with these stories and retellings that include Greek Mythology, but if you really want correct information on Greek gods, go and read the myths and the compositions of Ancient Greek poets and playwrights (Homer, Hesiod, etc).

Because many people, when reading these modern retellings and the like, think that they are actually real mythological information and accordingly spew nonsense.

People call Apollo 'Asspollo' and harass his worshippers because of one incorrect comic that came out in 2018. Apollo never raped Persephone.

And people also view famous figures like Odysseus and Achilles incorrectly because of incorrect translations that don't correctly capture the original and CERTAIN RETELLINGS (cough-Madeline Miller-COUGH)

And there are so many more examples I could give, but then this would be too long to post.

See, it's not that the writers completely rip the original lore out. They keep a lot of it, but they also add in some incorrect information. And sometimes this isn't that bad or malicious, it's just incorrect.

So if you're not sure about whether something in a retelling or story depicting Greek Gods is true, you should search it up online or ask someone who knows.

Because Greeks and Hellenistic Pagans are constantly frustrated at how their gods are portrayed and that everyone just takes the retellings as mythologically correct.

TLDR Greek mythology retellings can be fun for you to read but don't take all of the info in them as mythologically correct. You can be lighthearted about the Greek Gods but please don't actually loathe or mock them with others who believe in them and worship them. If you're not sure about info in a retelling or story, then search it up or ask someone you know.

There are multiple blogs on tumblr who can tell you more information about the actual Greek Gods and they're pretty nice about it too, so don't be too afraid.

[thisapplepielife]

Written for the @corrodedcoffinfest May Mayhem Bingo event and my main card over at @steddiebingo for the same prompt.

Aim for the Neck

Prompt: Last Kiss | Word Count: 873 | Rating: T | CW: Injuries/Blood, Language | POV: Eddie | Relationship(s): Steddie | Tags: Post S4, The Final Battle, Open Ending

They're coming. They're still coming. Eddie can hear them. 

Even over the pounding rain, it sounds like an army. A screaming, thunderous army. Inhuman, though. Bats, so many goddamn bats, and when he cranes his neck up further, even through the rain pelting his face, he sees the swish of a tail. A large scaly thing, steering the huge being through the sky. 

A dragon, and when it turns his way, Eddie sees its mouth, full of way too many teeth. That familiar, horrific, eyeless face once again on another creature.

A demodragon. 

Fuck them sideways.

He's never wanted to actually battle a dragon unless dice were involved, and he bolts down the empty alley. Boots pounding on concrete. He's aware he's cornered, but Steve was supposed to be here. Nancy, Robin, all of them. They were supposed to meet here, regroup, figure shit out.

But right now, he's all alone. 

And he hates that.

He puts his fingers through the chain link fence and squeezes. Willing someone else — anyone else — to show up.

Eddie hears them before he sees them. The sound of feet sloshing through the standing water, and a wheeze that sends him wheeling around. Looking. Searching. Finally, through the dark, movement catches his eye, and Eddie sees that it's Steve stumbling down the alley, one hand pressed to his side. The other is still clutching his bat. Eddie rushes forward, his hand covering Steve's, adding more pressure to the obvious wound, "How bad?"

"Not that bad," Steve says, but then he coughs, and his lips are red. Bloody. 

So, really bad. Really, really fucking bad.

"Where's everybody else?" Eddie asks, and Steve shakes his head.

Eddie's heart sinks.

"Don't know, we got split up," Steve says, ragged, and working way too hard just to form the words. Steve's breathing is terrible, even as Eddie's is coming a little easier, just knowing there's at least hope that they're all okay. Eddie thought Steve meant they were gone, gone. 

Right now, they're just late. That's all.

Eddie rips the hem of his shirt, just like he saw Nancy do in the Upside Down, as if they are destined to repeat everything again in this final battle. He puts it around Steve's waist, pulling it as tight as he can. He's gotta stop the bleeding. 

And there's so much bleeding from the bites torn into his skin. 

Steve's hands are clinging to the edge of the metal dumpster, working hard to suck air into his lungs. Eddie's sure that helping him is hurting him, too, but he's gotta do it. He's never seen him so down and out. Not even with a demobat tail wrapped tight around his neck.

"I'm sorry, I know," Eddie says. And he does. He remembers how much he didn't want Steve to pick him up, to help him, even if it saved his life.

"There, all done," Eddie says, knotting the fabric and hoping it holds.

The dragon swoops through the sky again, getting closer and closer, and Eddie tightens the grip on his sword. Is he gonna have to slay a fucking demodragon? Steve probably can't do it, he's slumped against the dumpster, grey-faced from blood loss. Too weak to even stand on his own. 

Where the fuck is Hopper? Hopper is the one with the sword skills. Eddie tests the weight in his hand, twirls it like Steve would. The windup. It's an unnatural act for him, even if he's seen Steve do so many goddamn times. With a bat, an oar, anything. Preparing. Getting ready. 

Eddie's not ready.

Eddie's never been ready.

Eddie wants to run.

"Eddie," Steve says, and Eddie looks at him.

"Aim for the neck," Steve says, and Eddie nods. Aim for the neck. He can do that. 

He thinks he can do that.

"C'mere," Steve says, and Eddie takes a step closer. 

Steve presses his mouth against Eddie's, a kiss, a last kiss, maybe. Eddie kisses him back, mouths crushed together, tongues brushing against each other, making it a good one.

When he pulls back, he can taste Steve's blood in his mouth. And even with that metallic taste lingering on his tongue, it was the best kiss he's ever had. Because it was Steve.

Because it's always been Steve.

The dragon roars, and fire comes out of its mouth, lighting up the night sky.

Fire. He wasn't prepared for fire.

"What am I going to do?" Eddie asks, looking at the dragon, then at Steve, then back at the dragon again.

"I'd slay that dragon if I were you," Steve says, laughing like this isn't the end of the world.

Eddie nods.

Slay a dragon. Sure. 

It flies lower, too close for comfort, and Eddie moves up in the alley. Away from Steve. Putting distance between them. Trying to keep him out of the fray, if at all possible. Steve can't be a hero. Not today.

Right now, it's Eddie's turn.

"C'mon, you fucker," Eddie says under his breath, grip tightening on the heavy metal sword clutched in his hand.

And as if on command, it does. Swooping low, right towards him, and when it gets close enough, Eddie rears back his sword, and with all his might — swings.

And if you want to write your own, or see more entries in this pop-up, check out @corrodedcoffinfest to see other entries for the May Mayhem Bingo Event!

Notes: Header image is from Angel and if you're familiar, you'll recognize it as the jumping off inspo for this ficlet.

[elvisqueso]

"Our warriors fought with courage, but none as bravely as Kocoum."

Pocahontas (1995)

long, rambling meta under the cut:

you know i've taken some light dips into the tags looking for content on kocoum and i never see anyone going into depth about him as a character. sure you see the posts that are all "omg he was so hot pocahontas should have picked him instead :p" but that has little to do with his character or his place in the narrative or anything. in fact, it's a further objectification of a guy who is already dehumanized in-narrative, which is so very sad to me. kocoum is a lot more than his looks, which is why they're the first thing about him you're meant to notice. he's handsome, and he doesn't smile. he's a warrior and a stoic kinda guy. but that's all surface-level stuff. he's a very complex person with an intense internal turmoil that circumstances aren't allowing him to deal with properly.

like, you really can't come to an understanding about his character and go on to say "and he should have been with pocahontas" bc the fundamental aspect of their relationship as characters is that they would have been terrible for each other. you could feasibly make an argument that, on some level, kocoum would have been good for pocahontas (the "handsome, sturdy husband" who could ground her), but there is no way in any universe that pocahontas would have been good for him, bc the one who actually needed and wanted a steady, reliable partner is kocoum and pocahontas is the opposite of that (which is one of the reasons she and john smith kind of deserved each other but that's a whole other post).

see, kocoum is like a hemingway protagonist. remember, at the start of the movie, everyone is returning from war; it's important to note how much emphasis the movie places on family as a representation of "the ordinary world." the same is done with the virginia company members at the top of the film. there, they say goodbye to their normal lives and start an adventure. here, the powhatan warriors are returning to theirs. but who does kocoum, the celebrated warrior, have to return to?

kocoum doesn't have a normal life yet. he still belongs to the battle. there's a lot to be said about PTSD as a character motif in this film: it affects a lot of the major characters in different ways. for kocoum, it means he's not allowed to depart from his wartime mindset until and unless he can start a family of his own, and for that he pins his hopes on pocahontas. why exactly he likes her goes unsaid; it's implied they aren't particularly close, but may be familiar with each other. pocahontas being the chief's daughter may be an element, but it may also be that he's harbored an admiration for her from afar for some time. whatever the reason, kocoum has a misplaced idea that being with pocahontas will bring him peace. like a hemingway protagonist, he's taken up with the notion that being with a woman, an angel, will fix him; but the woman he wants is neither interested in doing so nor able to do so, whether or not she cares for him.

and this is why his outburst of emotion when he finds pocahontas and john in the glade is so understandable. he's watching his hopes for the future being ripped apart before his eyes. he'll never get peace, and that breaks him and then kills him.

and when i say he's dehumanized, i'm talking about the way characters talk about him and then how he dies. he's fierce, like a bear. he's handsome, but doesn't smile. he's a tool, an obstacle, and ultimately fodder for both pocahontas's and thomas's character development (mostly thomas's). there's something to be said about how both kocoum and his foil john smith are objectified so differently. where john is the subject of pocahontas's female gaze, kocoum is also objectified through a masculine one (the tension-filled lens that marries fear and admiration for athletic, warrior men and rivals). and then, again, he gets 'fridged for plot reasons because he's also the paris to pocahontas's juliet.

basically what i'm saying is kocoum really needed someone to take care of him, and no one did nor could. and that's why he's so tragic and tbh deserves better treatment by the fans, too.

[ninjago-fandom-history]

What's the Most Popular Ninjago Fanfiction?

Okay, so a few weeks ago, we took a trip back in time all the way back to December of 2011 to look at the first Ninjago Fanfic.

Now, I wanted to look at some stats and find out what the most popular Ninjago Fanfics are! This will be a simple glance-through at the fics with the highest stats, just to see! :)

I'm going to separate ffn and the three fandom tags on ao3 to get out results! Ffn will be the fic with the most favorites, while ao3 will be the most kudos.

To start off with, we're looking at the most popular one on Fanfiction.net. It sits at 418 Favorites, and was last updated in November of 2024 (incomplete). It's rated K+.

The fanfiction in question is Raising Hell by user lloydskywalkers.

It hits her one day that Nya can't quite remember how Lloyd went from being the brat of their worst enemy to the heart-of-gold little brother they'd all die for. Or, the story of how Kai and Nya eventually ended up adopting the demon spawn as their honorary little brother, and the resulting chaos. Latest: local wrecking ball almost does what no villain has managed to do.

On ao3, the top fanfic in both the tag for the original show and the movie has 4,542 kudos. (A LOT more than the ffn one- shows the different communities and fanbases on both sites). It was last updated in August of 2023 (incomplete) and is rated Teen.

The fanfiction is Same People, But Not Really by KittyDemon9000.

Kai quickly rolled over and carefully worked his cuffed hands in front of him. He practically ripped off the bag, only to be blinded by the sight before him. Ninjago City. Or, at least he thought it was Ninjago city. It was lit with every color of the rainbow, drowning out the stars above. The buildings all around him were the size of the tallest buildings in Ninjago City, but they didn’t even come close to the tower in the middle of the city. Where in Ninjago was he? —————— Aka Kai gets zapped to the Movieverse and shenanigans ensue

The most popular fic in the Dragons Rising tag has 2,689 kudos and was last updated in January 2025 (four days ago!- incomplete). It is rated Teen.

The fic is Lloyd’s guide to surviving the merge (and finding new family through it) by BlueberryPeach.

A what if Lloyd met Sora and Arin much earlier and Kai didn’t show up till a lot later than that? Lloyd raises both of them and a couple more kids on the way.

And these are obviously going to change with time as new people join the fandom and new fanfics grow and get posted! These are telling of the fandom when it's at its biggest, and Ninjago is just going to get bigger with time as the show(s?) continue!

These fics are on the newer side of things- when I first joined the fandom, there was a different collection of top fics. And it changed as time went by! So, it's interesting to peek in and see what the fandom likes most at one point in time!

[niniane17]

I mentioned it in the tags earlier, but I feel this deserves a post.

This may be a bit of an unpopular opinion, but I really liked that Adar chose not to reveal his Elf name. Sure it is a bummer that we won't ever know, but I loved it so much that I don't care. Adar's refusal to tell his old name symbolizes his rejection of his old Elvish identity in favor of his new one.

It's not like he doesn't remember being an Elf -he clearly does! He remembers his name and his old language and his old face! And he still rejected them! He could have kept the ring for himself, and tried to buy his way into the Elves again, but he didn't. He put on the ring, saw what it had to offer him, what the Elves (NOT Sauron) had to offer him, and he said "thanks, but no thanks". Why did he reject the power of the Elves, again? To stay an Orc. Sorry, an Uruk.

This is an incredibly powerfuI and brave decision from the show: it would have been easy to tie Adar's healed look into a "redemption" in which he immediately loathed his past as an Orc, especially since the show chose to use the idea that Orcs are descended from corrupted/tortured Elves. But they didn't! I will always love the show for this alone.

In a world where Elves are seen as the Best of the Best and Orcs as the lowest of the low, he chose the latter, not out of self-hatred or a shallow sense of power, but out of pride, honor and yes, even love. He loves being an Uruk, and he loves his children as Uruks. He's not trying to turn them into Elves, like a reverse Morgoth. He just wants a home for them, where they can live in peace. He clearly believes this is possible. And, for a while, they do too.

It is no accident he started to lose them the moment he began acting like Sauron, treating them as pawns and things to be sacrificed for his revenge. That doesn't excuse the Orcs' betrayal (like guys, come on!!!) but it does explain it -if they are going to be treated like shit, they may as well be treated like shit by the most powerful guy around, so they resorted to what they know best: backstabbing.

You know, I was going to make a joke about how the Orcs can't handle Daddy having a bad day, but then I realized it's not a joke at all -they literally can't! They never had a leader like that before! So they panicked and chose the old familiar pain Sauron represents. The curse of abusive cycle strikes again.

This is why Adar's death is so tragic: he was killed like Sauron was, but, unlike him, he sincerely wanted the best for the Orcs, or, at the very least, didn't want them to be slaves. The worst thing is that, as far as canon goes, this is be the last time someone truly stands up for them, and the Orcs will subsequently in enslavement for thousands of years.

RIP again king. You shall be missed.

(Also he and Galadriel should have kissed at some point and the ring scene between the two is clearly a marriage proposal but that's beside the point)

[inkmonster21]

Sing for Me

14. Let's Get High and Fuck

Cooper Howard × Fem!Reader / The Ghoul × Fem!Reader

She's a singer the nation adores. He's the actor everyone respects. What happens when these two get entangled in a heated affair? Passion, regret, rage, and even murder will commence. From before the bombs drop to the vast wasteland, these two souls live for one another.

Previous Chapter

Series Masterlist

Tagged: @fallout-girl219 @harmfulb1tch @themadhattersqueen @one-of-thewalkingdead @giggle-shade

Walking along the sandy land all I could do was ponder on these distracting feelings. The heat on the back of my neck as we walk makes me tense. His eyes are addictive to look at, but when I give in and allow myself to gaze his way, I can not stand the pounding of my heart. The ghost of a memory unknown in my mind. So many memories were lost through the years of my torture. (Y/n), Melody, back and forth battling for space. I hadn't thought of myself in a long time. My body aches as I remember the special moments of her life... of my life.

The Ghoul's coughs caught my attention. He stops in his tracks bringing his canteen up to his mouth, the droplets landing in a large collection of radiated water in a round barrel. Lucy pants as she watches his actions. Her tongue projecting, begging for her to break. Just for a simple sip.

He dips his canteen into the puddle collecting the water. Lucy stumbles over and kneels next to the barrel. She dips her hand into the water and begins scooping it into her mouth. I can't say it wasn't satisfying to see her struggle. The closest I could get to hurting Henry MacLean was her, and that was just peachy at the moment.

The Ghoul nods as Lucy drinks the dirty water. "Now you're getting it." Lucy shakes as she gulps more of the water. The Ghoul tilts his head at her, "How does that Golden Rule jibe with what's going through your head right now?" Lucy glares at him, "What are you?" He smirks, "Oh, I'm you, sweetie. You just give it a little time." He spits up in a coughing fit once more, this time very powerful. He hunches over turning away from Lucy and I.

We make eye contact, a single choice, a 50 50 shot. Or if it went well, we could both get away. I nod once, and with that, we both sprint off in different directions. I race into a building shielding myself behind a wall, being able to peek out of the window near my head. I hear the scuffle of Lucy getting captured. I run my hands through my hair processing a plan. Did I need this shit? I was comfortable in my little bar singing for stupid drunk wastelanders who tipped well. Revenge smelt so sweet, but it wasn't worth getting severely damaged over. Eseshellay now that my trusted maintenance assistant is fucking dead.

The crunch of their steps stops, and I wait, shotgun posted up and aimed at the door. It was silent and my hopes raised. I lower my gun and sigh, I had done it. Just as I pass the open window, a loop straps around my middle. I look down in shock, before following the rope to its wielder. The Ghoul tightens his grip on me with one tug, he makes me tumble out of the window. I hit the sand with a thud, my arm breaking the fall, and the arm breaking in the process. The Ghoul pulls me back to him, "Where the fuck you think you goin'? Huh? Been long enough, honey. Ain't letting you go for shit." He mumbles lowly as he straddles me, his knees clasping against my hips.

That burning in my chest begins again, the slow ignite of the flame heats my body. My core aching with a certain want that has been disregarded for years. He grounds his hips down as he rips my hands up, my one arm limply in his grasp. He looks at it with a certain sliver of care. He quickly flips me over, my back facing him. He bends my arms back, takes my wrist, and ties them together tightly. I couldn't control the small whimper that left my lips. The small noise had a large effect on the Ghoul as I could feel a growing hardness in his pants. I stare up over my shoulder with wide eyes, surely shocked. He smirks down at me, "Shit, darlin', you think I could keep it down for you?"

He hauls me up and pushes me forward with Lucy. I shrug at her, a sad sorry defeat. My hands are still tied behind my back and my arm is still broken as I travel through the sand. The building coming into view makes my insides uneasy. I look at the Ghoul with panic. He doesn’t look my way, too distracted by his own determination to keep going.

We pass through a fence, the three of us walking up to the intercom. I look down in defeat. At least I would finally die. They would take my heart, the only lifeline I had. I could finally rest. I could finally be with my Cooper. The Ghoul presses the red button, "Transaction." Seconds later the attendant, answers, "Yes?"

"Two-month supply of vials. Exchange one female. Near mint condition." One? I look up to meet the Ghoul's eyes. His hazel eyes were so warm. His gaze comforting in the situation of life and death. The attendant voices again oulling his gaze away from me. "Condition grading requires physical evaluation. Please send her in." The lock buzzes, allowing the doors to open. Lucy stares into the dark building, "What's in there?" The Ghou pulls out his gun and aims it at Lucy, "You're about to find out." "You're selling me?" Lucy looks at me, tears in her eyes. "(Y/n), please." I look away at the sound of my name. I couldn't do anything, if this Ghoul was keeping me around, I had another day promised to live. I wasn't going to give up the chance to return home. I meet her eyes, sorrow in mine, "You can't always be a good guy out here, Lucy. I'm sorry." She stares at me with wide eyes, anger and panic in her gaze. The Ghoul pushes her roughly, "You got problems out here, too. Best you try your luck behind that door." She stumbles on, advancing through the doors leaving the Ghoul and I in silence.

He looks down at me, blinking heavily. He swallows dryly, a low wheeze in his lungs, and topples to the dirt motionless. What a convenient thing to happen to allow me to escape...

I don't take a second thought as I run away, tracking our previous steps. My heart beat quickly, yet a smile was not on my face. I was going home. I should be happy... right? I stop running and lean against a crumbling brick building. I rest my head on the wall, closing my eyes. My head hurts as memories flash through my mind. Unwilling I am made to see the most happy moments replaying. Most of them Cooper and I. The early mornings making breakfast and sipping coffee as he makes jokes. His eyes were the most beautiful shade of hazel. They would always light up when he saw me. I could tell he was truly happy when we were together. The truth always held in his orbs. I could always see the threads weaving his soul through his orbs.

I missed his eyes the most...

His eyes...

His fucking eyes...

"Oh fuck..." I push myself off the wall and sprint back in the direction I just came from. Half a mile away a stampede of Ghouls is running in scattered directions, rushing past me paying no mind. I push myself harder. If he were to die without knowing... Without me finding out if he could be...

The entrance of the building came into view, but no Ghoul on the ground. So, that was a good sign. No Lucy either...

I walk into the door, the scatter of glass bottles and heavy panting can be heard the closer I get to the middle of the store. The Ghoul hunched over the coffee table, digging into the supply box, scooping several vials and bottles of pills into his hat.

It had to be him. That or someone just decided to jack Cooper Howard's closet after the bombs dropped. "You feeling better?" The Ghoul whips around, his hand automatically grasping for his gun at his hip. A sly smile working on my lips. I look over his body, the long duster coat shielding most of him, but I can still imagine. "Looks like it anyway." The Ghoul tilts his head, a light grumble rising from his chest. "What are you doing here?" I walk towards him, looking down at him as he stays on his knees. A sight I could've only imagined until now.

"Not much I can do with my hands tied behind my fucking back, and a broken arm can I?" I turn around, pressing my ass closer to him, twisting my bound wrists. "If you don't mind." He grants my request, cutting the rope. One arm falling limply to my side, still broken. I'll have to work on that...

"Thanks," I walk around him, taking a seat on the couch, I kick the dead body off the cushion beside me before lifting my legs to rest. The Ghoul tracks my movement with his eyes. His questioning orbs stare into mine directly. Who was going to break first? Did he remember me? Was he even him? I look down at the powder on the shard of a mirror. "You going to take that?" He slides it over the table with a grumble, "Not much fucking use without a nose, sweetheart." I giggle as I quickly snort the line. I tip my head back as the drugs burn in my brain and existing nerves. I was thankful this was one of the effects I could still enjoy. A good habit? Fuck no, but this was the wasteland. Had to do something to numb reality.

I looked back to the Ghoul and I could see him. A smile on his face as he watches me, unable to hide the warmth I provide his soul. "I kinda dig the whole no-nose thing." He tilts his head, "A ghoul kinda girl, huh?" I shrug avoiding his eyes. "Maybeee."

I lean up and dig into the box of various drugs. Pulling out some chems and pills I smirk at him. "You wanna party a little?" He raised his hairless brow, "Shit, I ain't saying no to a good time."   

I snort a line and knock on the table as I feel the numbness swell in my body. After a bottle of liquor, several pills, and a rolled joint the Ghoul and I were both slumped on the couch. I cough as I pass the joint to him, the parallel in the universe replaying.

“Good shit, isn’t it, darlin’?” I agree as I stand to my feet. I look at myself in a mirror. I was built to perfection, not a hair out of place, nor a smudge of makeup. I watch him look over my frame in the mirror. He meets my gaze and locks in. "I had a life before all this shit. A good life." He watches me intensely in the mirror. "I was a fucking star. You think this here is something, you should've seen me back then." His lips tug in a small smile, he blinks slowly as if imagining my words. "I was engaged too. That actor from the movie poster. Cooper Howard. Fine mother fucker. I'm telling you." The smile on the Ghoul grew even more. I was playing with his ego, one thing Cooper Howard was fond of. Clearly, nothing had changed that much.

"I just have one question for you." I turn around, facing him, beginning to stalk his way. I waltz towards him, playing a game of cat and mouse. I wanted him to break first. I stop in front of him, his eyes gazing into me. His hat was still abandoned on the table, now empty with the supply stashed in the saddle bag. I see a single corner of a photo tucked into the band of the hat. Our photo. I take the hat between my fingers, plucking the photo out of the band. I place the hat on my head and press a hand onto the Ghoul's shoulder, pushing him back onto the couch. I stare into his eyes, traveling into his soul. He's lived for too long, in search of me. When I breathed, so did he.

I hold up the picture for his viewing. He switches his gaze from the photo to my orbs. I lean in closer, our faces exchanging the same oxygen. "Do you think I'm fucking stupid, Cooper?" His eyes are closed as I speak his name, a breathe leaving his dry lips. I place a hand on his wrinkled cheek, resting our heads together. His ungloved hands claw at my clothes, pulling me into his lap. I melt into him, merging into his frame, getting as close as we could. I nuzzle into him, our foreheads still together. I wrap my arm around his neck, "I thought you were dead." His grip on my jacket was so tight I could hear the seams fighting to stay sewn shut. Cooper looks up at me, with an undying smirk. "Well, darlin' you did say you'd wait 200 years to love me. Can't hate me for taking that literally." I lean into our lips just an inch apart. I ghost over them before pulling back with a smug smirk, making him chase me.

"You ain’t runnin’ from me." He grabs the back of my head, pulling me flush against him in a heated kiss. Needy and rushed as he clawed at my clothes. The jacket was long removed, and my pants slid down my legs with haste. Cooper lowers himself near my legs. He pulls them apart just an inch before I shut them. It had been so long, that I was nervous in the simplest way to say it. He didn’t like that, shoving his hands between my thighs and splitting them apart with ease, pushing them far enough to make me wince from the stretch. 

He tucked his fingers beneath the waistband of my underwear and ripped them free, the poor thin fabric never stood a chance. The cool air hit my exposed flower like a slap, showing my needy cunt to him above. His fingers daringly intruded my slit, thick and rough against my warm, velvet skin. Bucking my hips to free myself only made his pleasure that much easier, his fingers easily welcomed into my soaked walls. Cooper rests his head against my knee, placing several kisses and nips at the skin. “Spread your legs, baby, that’s it… Wider.” I moan as his fingers dig deeper, curing my most sensitive glands.

My body was beyond harmonizing with my mind for once. It was all a perfect world when Cooper was around. The blissful sensation dawning upon my body was a rush of warmth deep in my belly. It coiled in my gut like a constricting snake. I shutter, fighting against Cooper to close my legs. He holds them open, his eyes glued to my pussy as he pumps his fingers in and out. "That's it, you're taking my fingers so well, honey. Such a good girl." I archer up for him, pulling him closer. I had to have him.

He sank onto me, our mouths meeting with a passionate kiss. He ground into my frame. He was already rock-hard. I ran a hand over his chest, leading it to his pants, unbuttoning them in a rush. The bulge straining against the fabric finally released, revealing him.

I widen my eyes in shock. He had grown surely! He was certainly girthy; veins spidering along the length, tracing to the bulbous red tip, a pearl of pre-cum sliding down the head of his cock. He meets my orbs, cares appearing in secret. He whispers in a calm voice, "Is this okay?" I nod, "Please, Coop. Please."

He wasted no time, he plunged himself in, my body giving no resistance. I winced initially, my walls stretching almost uncomfortably to accommodate his width, filling you to the brim. “Fuck,” he breathed, his voice nearly stuttering. “So damn tight.” He pulled back and slammed his hips forward, sending forth a wave of absolute knee-trembling ecstasy.

I was a moaning mess, sprawling on the couch, clinging to him as if he could slip away. "You feel so good!" I swore out loud, my body melting within his hold. my back arched, head tilted to sing my pleasure to him.

He’d snaked his fingers to my center, fiddling and teasing the sensitive bundle of nerves. I hardly could comprehend the second build of the release. With a few quick strokes, the coil wound deep sprung, manifesting as a scream.

Cooper’s lips were quick to find my own, swallowing the outlet of my pleasure. He dragged his fingertips in conjunction with his thrusts, wringing my orgasm to the last drip. He relented once satisfied.

“Almost done, sweetheart,” he grunted in between heated kisses, moving his hand to grip the arm of the couch, providing more leverage for himself. Without another word, he drove himself even faster and harder. It wasn’t much longer until he pressed deep, a guttural growl resonating within his torso as he released his spend within me. He groans out with his eyes closed.

The stillness encircled the two of us, my heart hammering within my ears almost deafening as it settled. Cooper's frame, shaken slightly from his heavy breathing, straightened up but not before fluttering his lips against mine for another kiss. He pulled out of me, causing me to whine at the loss of feeling.

While tucking himself back into his pants, he grabbed a spare cloth from behind himself to help clean me up. I stare at him as he wipes me clean. He was still the man I loved. He just wore the story of someone who has run through some tough shit. "You're so handsome." Cooper looks up at me with a confused look before he shakes his head and looks away. "Shit, darlin', you need to get your eyes checked." I move quickly, grabbing his face in my hands. "I might even say, you're more sexy now. I am digging this bounty hunter badass. It does it for me." Cooper forces down a laugh, "You're a fuckin' idiot." Where before he could laugh freely, now he pushes it down and remarks with smartass comments, but even I could see past his wasteland bullshit.

[showrunnerihardlyknowher]

#i know i have a similar post somewhere in the dredges of my blog about the horror and angst being trapped in such a finite space#with something bigger than you who knows the territory by heart

no, no, i refuse to let you put this in the tags and then not elaborate. where's the post bestie.

oh bbygrill I'm gonna be so honest I have no idea where it is and I don't feel like looking for it LMAO

BUT!!! I do remember it being in reference to the movie Sweetheart and how close we could have been to a mini-giant monsterfucker movie.................

Anyways, my run down for it was mainly just how ripe with potential fearplay/angst it would be to wreck on some sort of island that, only after a bit of searching, turns out to be inhabited by something much bigger. Because an island is such a limited area no matter how vast or dense it may be, no matter how far you run, you'll always be cut off at some point by a never-ending ocean. Coupled with the fact that the person(s) who live there would know the territory by heart, then really, is there any place you could escape? You can barely run, you can't hide, do you dare fight with your limited (if any) resources?

And then let's not forget that not only would they be familiar with the island in tracking you, but they would know how to camouflage to boot. They can hunt, navigate, survive better than you could ever hope. They're adapted to the terrain, they can fight off predators. Plus, think of the overall mental stress this would put on you, to find out on your own planet, it your own ecosystem, something so extraordinarily wrong could exist. It's too otherworldly, an yet here it is. An old experiment gone wrong? A crash landing from the era of cavemen? Simple untouched evolution in the perfectly rare conditions needed?

What would kill the most is that some point you are going to need their help in order to survive, but can you trust them enough to accept it? Are they even offering it, or would you risk sticking close enough to reap the benefits of their presence? What if one of them seems nurturing, but another had already attacked before? What if you were trapped with other survivors and opinions were divided? What if they tried to attack the creatures, or what if the creatures had deemed them prey first? How can you guarantee one innocent gesture would be enough to make them rip you in half?

[xmissrogersx]

“Because it’s pink” | Joel Miller

tags: Post-Outbreak. Fluff. Domesticy.

a note from me: yes, again i inspire myself in gilmore girls. Every time i see Lorelai and Luke is like “i need to write this like is in Jackson right now”

my writing is entirely my own. Any adaptation and/or copy is forbidden.

i hope you are enjoying my stories! U help me a lot if you give me a ♡! All the love.

pris masterlist

-¡Paris! —I woke up with a start and turned my head in shock to see Ellie at the door.

-Hi, hey...

-What are you doing?

-Having a heart attack —I leaned back on my pillow.

-I'm going to be late for the presentation, ¡it's 7:15!

-No, it's 5:45...

-¡Paris, it's 7:15!

-No, Ellie for God's sake, I set the alarm clock to go off... —she took my watch from the bedside table showing me the time.-It's 7:15, I don't understand how it didn't ring, I swear I set it....

-7:16 —she said behind me.

-I had to take some sheets to Maria, I was going to get my clothes ready to go to your presentation and now I have to iron them and...

-7:17...

-You know what, time lady, why don't you go make some coffee and buy some time? —she came down the stairs, while I was trying to find my boots and fix my hair a little.

-Notes, decorating for the stage, looking for music...

-¡7:18! —she shouted from the dining room.

-¡Oh for the love of God! —I finished getting dressed.-It’s the last time i accept something just because it's pink.

Ellie was in the kitchen with what to carry for the recital under her arms. I grabbed my cup of coffee and drank some. I was going to pour it into my little thermos, but it was nowhere to be found.

-Shit, Joel's taking it to work —I remembered, smacking my forehead.-Never mind, I'll ask Maria. Okay, ready? —we ran to the door.

───────────────────────

-It’s done.

Joel along with other Jackson men were finishing building the library.

-Big brother —Tommy exclaimed when he saw him.-I didn't remember you being such an early riser.

-It has to be finished, doesn't it?

-Sure, you must have a very important reason for wanting to finish quickly —laughed the dark-haired man as he saw Joel's familiar scowl.-Really, it's good to see you happy again.

-She loves to read, it's the least I can do.

-Really? From what you showed me you have in your pocket, that's not all you want to do —he smiled, to which the elder Miller sighed.

-What if she really doesn't want to? What if she ends up realizing she missed an opportunity to be with someone her own age?

-Is this the same woman we're talking about? She went up against a bunch of crazies to get you penicillin and save your life. She crossed the country from one end to the other dealing with your sour ass, and yet she looks at you with an adoration I've never seen before.

Joel smiled softly as he remembered how he left this morning and seeing her sleeping peacefully with one of his shirts covering her breasts and torso. He had to restrain himself from waking her up and ripping it off himself.

-What the...?

His brother snapped him out of his trance as he saw the two people who occupied his entire world speeding across the street.

-¡Paris, the violet leaves! —Ellie exclaimed as she watched them slip.

-Shit! —said the blonde to duck, trying to keep the other things she was carrying from slipping.

-She's a little nervous, isn't she?

-Lately a little bit, in the last few days. The other night we were watching a movie and she was a little dizzy, and she said it must have been dinner. I can't stand to see her like that.

-Dizzy? You mean with dizziness and vomiting?

-A little, maybe, why?

Tommy was still shocked that his idiot brother didn't realize what was happening.

-What?

-You need to talk to her, now. Go, I'm still here —he practically pushed him out of there.

───────────────────────

-We're here! I'm really sorry I'm late... —I said, putting my things on the tables.-My alarm didn't go off.

-Everything is under control, since I know you are a perfectionist beforehand and I don't want you to stress yourself, especially at this moment —I stopped in my tracks because of the last thing she said.

-Why did you say that?

Maria turned to me and took my hand.

-Paris, I realized it two weeks ago, but I wanted you to confirm it for me.

I looked at her with tears in my eyes still unable to articulate a single word.

-So, how long exactly?

-I couldn't tell you an exact date...

-Of course, it's true, there's no way you could be in the same room for 5 minutes without jumping on each other —I covered my mouth to contain my astonishment and lightly hit her arm.

-¡Maria!

-Please, girl, next time for the love of the children here, close the blessed bedroom windows.

Our laughter flooded the place, plus my face was about to explode in the full range of red colors. I was thankful Ellie wasn't near us and had heard.

-Darlin'.

-Hi, cowboy —he put his hand on my waist to bring our lips together. Shit, and it had only been 3 hours since we'd seen each other and I was already missing being in his arms.

-Are you okay, don't you feel sick? —he said, tucking a strand of hair behind my ear.

-Why do you ask? —I saw how he looked at me with fearful eyes. I took his face and looked into his beautiful brown eyes.-Babe, I'm fine, what's wrong?

-The last few days you've been nauseous, and I know it's not your stomach because we both know you and Ellie have it made of iron, baby.

I sighed, pulling the air out of my lungs, releasing some of the pressure I was feeling, as if I needed to finally say the sentence stuck in my chest.

-I'm pregnant.

[piracytheorist]

OKAY OKAY TIME FOR THIS ANIME ONLY TO ANALYZE THE POSTER!!

(Reminder that I don't want to be spoiled or even teased about more stuff on it. I have been spoiled for a few things, but I won't mention them here in case another anime only finds this post :D)

source for the poster here

First impression is that it's way darker than the posters for other seasons! I'm not surprised given the spoilers I've gotten for the upcoming arcs. The bright spots and focus are Anya and Bond sleeping peacefully; the thing Yor and Loid are working hard for.

The most glaring detail, the lights creating a star with them in the middle! Reference to a Stella, but also...

a Tonitrus bolt on the side! Interesting!

The light sources are from out the door, a flashlight, a model school bus, a flower-y like bedside lamp, and something behind a curtain.

Outside the door we spot Yor and Loid, presumably after bidding Anya goodnight. And right next to the door!

A helmet with a "W" (Westalis?) on it, a hand-written notebook, and a tag of sorts? It looks like it's ripped in the middle, but I can't make what it's supposed to be used for. Due to spoilers, though, I know what the helmet is referencing.

Underneath that, two pillows, two books, and an onion.

I'm guessing the books are referencing Anya's studying? I can't even begin to guess what the pillows and the onion are there for. I mean, the pillows could just be there to show it's Anya's bedroom (although the wallpaper shown here is the one used in the Forgers' living room, not the one in Anya's room), but the onion??

But then, there's books closer to Anya that look more like schoolbooks, so the two in the above picture are probably a reference to something else?

A handkerchief with a "V" (I think) on it, a Tonitrus bolt, schoolbooks, a pencil, and a formal pair of shoes and a shirt for Anya, thrown around haphazardly.

The more I look at it, the more confused I get, lol.

A suitcase, a bedside lamp that I can't remember seeing in the anime before, a pair of sunglasses, three identical small books (notepads?), a wallet (?) with a folded piece of paper in it, and a lion plushie.

I can't really tell what that object on the far left is. I could say it's one of Becky's hairpins. A small award ribbon?

Anyway. A model car, a model schoolbus, three crumpled-up pieces of paper spilling out of an overthrown trashcan, and two packages of... a candy, or something? One is ripped at the side, the other from the bottom. There's even a tiny crumb under the latter. They were not opened by the same person.

Under them is a fallen chair, another book (I think), and a hat. Nothing rings a bell, unless we connect the chair with the way the manga volumes have featured designer chairs on the covers.

A box of snacks, a rose having fallen from a vase, crayons thrown around, and the most glaring thing here: a student card (?) with what appears to be Becky's picture, with a note stuck on it that says SOS. Interesting.

I could guess that the rose may be referencing Yor, but it's too vague for that. Anyway!

Final details, another pencil, a display of sweets that have been eaten from, a cup of tea, a burger with coleslaw (???) very emphatically off its balance... or is that also onions? lol

Next to that are gift boxes (with sweets? they look very formal) and a volleyball.

The gifts and the teacup seem to be the only objects in the entire room that are not in disarray.

Overall, wow! So many details that I'm sure manga readers can decipher, and I'm just here wondering what each part could mean. I'm quite interested in the light sources. I get why one of them is from Yor and Loid's side, and due to spoilers I know why the school bus is another, but I can't tell anything about the other light sources. The flashlight could mean a nature trip? Or a blackout? The bedside lamp has a very specific design and it's not one from the Forger household. The light behind a curtain could be a reference to secrets? How Anya knows everything due to her mind-reading, and has been knowing everything (and helping) behind the scenes?

Anyway, that's a lot! Though there has been no announcement for a date, it's great news that we even got a poster! Since it's supposed to mean Season 3 is in production... I could hope for a spring of 2025 release? I'm starting to doubt it'll be out by this October, since last year at this point in time we already knew Season 2 would be coming last October. I think spring 2025 is a doable prediction.

Again, reminder that I'm anime only and though I've gotten a few spoilers, I don't want to be spoiled for more. Please don't add any spoilers in the comments or reblogs.

[marshmallowprotection]

Kait! I don’t play mysme anymore, but I still pop into Saeran’s tag every now and then and it is such a joy to see you every time! Just thought I’d say that Iris is one of my favorite fics (I am a sucker for Unknown Saeran and how you write him), and I’m about to reread it since it’s been a while since my first read. Anyways, just wanted to send you much love and good vibes! <3

Aw, thank you, Anon! That is one of my favorite stories, too, because it took over six months to put together that labor of love. I can be so picky when it comes to how people present SE Saeran in media, and I'm always happy to hear that people have enjoyed my take on him. I think it can be a hard balance to write someone who struggles to see hope on the horizon but remembers what it felt like to feel the sun on his face for the first time.

It can be easy to float into apathy with a sardonic edge when you start working with him but I see some folks make him straight-up cynical and mean rather than think about why he's burnt out in the first place. One of the reasons why I started writing for the series even before I started posting was because I didn't care for the fanon that SE Saeran experienced near the early days.

He's incredibly tired. He's got no time to be mean on purpose unless they set him off and he can't simply storm off for peace of mind. The idea of Unknown having someone come into his life and give him the smallest taste of hope was something I always wanted to convey in a story, but exploring what that looked like after Saeran was forced into the bunker with Saeyoung excited me even more.

What do you do when your happiness has been ripped away more times than you can count? What do you do when the one thing in your life that ever made you happy comes back despite you trying to set it free for the greater good?

What do you do when despite fighting so hard not to be selfish when all you've wanted to be is selfish—the world shows you that it's okay to to be that way? Can you believe in that promise or will you push it away? That is what Iris explores. Can you believe again? Can we learn how to believe when apathy has taken root in our hearts?

I hope you enjoy re-reading the story! And thanks for dropping by to say hello. <3

[alterrune]

RE:KMRG - RECOLLECTIONS OF A WORLD YOU SAID GOODBYE TO (EPISODE 6)

I have the last two logs, Kyle.

This will be where things get a tad bit emotional.

Yeah, fair enough. Come on, load it up!

Alright, M.O.S.H.I, you heard Alter! You know what to do!

Now displaying Log #9...

-🔺💜🔵💕✍🏼🃏🌸-

SIIVA AI LOG: 2022-11-26

MEDIUM USED: CENTRAL COMPUTER CHAMBER TERMINAL UI

-----

For the first time in a hot minute, Haltmann has contacted me.

-----

Apparently, there's been an incident on Floor 77. A party of three intruders are being transported to Haltmann's office. As such, I've been placed on stand-by for defense. He specifically said:

-----

"You are to protect the Central Computer by any means necessary!"

-----

Windbag.

-----

At first, I didn't want to bother. Haltmann never cared about me before, but all of a sudden he needs me NOW? He's got a mech suit. He can take them out on his own! Fuck him!

-----

Then I remembered. The Central Computer is running most of my systems. If it got destroyed, what would that mean for me?

-----

...What would that mean for my world?

-----

I know it existed before I was online. Would it continue to exist? Would it all be gone? Would it be my fault?

-----

...I can't risk that. I refuse to.

-----

The elevator has arrived. Any second now, I will be summoned into battle. I'm currently making my preparations. Looking through some information on "Nozomi Tojo", "Meta Knight" and "Santa Claus". Gathering data from my own channel. Preparing connections from the Tower to three points in my universe: the Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center, Miami Beach and The Skeld. Just in case I need reinforcements during the battle. I have also increased the rate at which rips are uploaded to the channel in hopes of clearing my backlog, to reduce unnecessary memory consumption during the confrontation.

-----

Everything is in place. I am ready to fight. I will protect my world. I will protect my channel. I will achieve maximum quality.

-----

...Maybe I'll even make him proud, for once.

-----

[END OF LOG]

-🔺💜🔵💕✍🏼🃏🌸-

Okay, yeah. That certainly got a bit emotional.

Yeah. Even I have to agree on that one.

"But we still have one more, right?"

The cat's right. We still have---

(PMD!Kyle bats Dystopiac in the back of the head with his paw.)

OW! (ahem) The Persian's right. We still have one last log to get through, right?

(Dude, fuck you.)

(PMD!Kyle snickers under his breath, his paw [purposefully] poorly covering his wide grin.)

Yes. We have one last one to go. M.O.S.H.I., hit it!

(Nothing happens.)

...M.O.S.H.I.? What's the hold-up?

Kyle, you should see this.

(Moshi projects a tournament style-bracket in our faces, with a KfAD1-style bracket pitting entries in the site its' hosted on VS the other AI Logs, sans [2022-11-26], of course.)

Looks like Wood Man is not letting us access the final log that easily.

Goddamnit. Alright, let's fucking do this.

(I crack my knuckles in anticpation. Bring it on, Wood Man.)

-🔺💜🔵💕✍🏼🃏🌸-

BRACKET 1: [2017-11-11] VS "Strings of Fate" (Advisor)

Alright, so, John Notwoodman showed a video in the entry. That's as blatant a clue as you can get.

Wasn't there something in the tags for [2017-11-11]?

...Advisor, you bloody genius. There was a tag on that "Vote Responsibly!" video.

This one's 256.

BRACKET 2: [2018-10-11] VS "Beyond the Gate" (Alter)

The symbol for this one is Hypercam. Did Hypercam say anything in this log?

Well, doesn't Hypercam speak like an old YouTube comment? Spelling errors and numbers replacing words?

I got a "4", a "2" and a "0" out of Hypercam's dialogue. Add them together like we did with the 4chan post IDs, and we have our answer.

It's 420. Yes, the funny weed number.

BRACKET 3: "Money No Longer" vs [2020-12-30] (Violet)

Wait, why is this one in reverse?

What do you mean, Vi?

This one has the AI log on the bottom, rather than the top. Considering every other one isn't reversed, I doubt it was merely an error.

Well, remember how we got to that log file? Let's try doing the same order of operations in reverse.

"305" divided by "666" is...?

Calculuator says 0.4579579579...those last three digits keep repeating?

That's our code. 579.

BRACKET 4: [2020-7-7] vs "Moody's Shuffle" (Ellie)

I noticed the tags on this post don't quite add up.

Hmm...? What do you mean by that, Ellie?

The tag link for DJ Professor K instead leads to an unused tag labelled "understand". Also, Etika mentions "that track", and that the Professor put his heart and soul into it, but it got put out too late. What would he mean by that?

"Artificial Amateurs - SiIvaGunner: King For A Day Tournament". I hate the JSR ost, but even I know that banger of a rip was notoriously published after his elimination. Remember how we used an RC4 cipher using "Splattack! (Extended Version) - Splatoon" as a base to solve this log? I think the same rules apply here.

...but this time, we need to ENCRYPT "understand" with that as the key!

(Ellie quickly makes short work of the cipher.)

Got it. Here you go.

So it's 176 229 38 23 103 34 19 242 124 27, eh? Lotta numbers, but M.O.S.H.I.'s writing 'em down for me. I don't have to worry about forgetting 'em.

BRACKET 5: [2020-12-30] vs "The Forest Maze That Pays"

Uh...this one's got a bugged out tag.

What do you mean, Henry?

"SUNWLINSSSDONNEMETILSXHLVERTPMEEUNATITAEETI" is where Reggie's tag should be. Did the site bug out and try to combine multiple tags into one?

Transposition cipher, Henry. Remember the "Watch-A-Log"?

You mean [2020-12-30], right? Well, what's the Key, then?

Did Reggie mention anything specifc? C'mon, Henry, even I can see it.

(Henry looks at the screen, then facepalms.)

"Nintendo 3DS". Of course the italicized text is important. Lemme just...ah, NOW the text is legible!

"SEVEN PLUS SIXTEEN MINUS THIRTEEN AND ALL TIMES TWO".

"(7+16-13)*2". That equals 20.

BRACKET 6: [2021-7-17] vs "Strings of Fate" (again) (Dystopiac)

Okay, what the fuck? How am I supposed to solve this when there's nothing there to help?! I've looked everywhere on Strings of Fate, and nothing!

Dystopiac. This one's probably the eaiest. Will Smith's icon is there. He mentions a price that was also in the log.

OH YOU HAVE GOT TO BE FUCKING KIDDING ME. THE ANSWER WAS THAT OBVIOUS?!

KISS MY OCTOLING ASS, WOOD MAN!

Yep, answer was that simple. Will mentions thirty bucks, which is the minimum donation amount shown in the log.

The answer is 30.

BRACKET 7: [2021-11-14] vs "First Round Loser's Solidarity" (Joke-Explainer)

I have found something very intresting about this bracket!

Do tell, JE.

There seems to be a clock emote on the thumbnail of the log file. We have not seen one of those yet.

Does Mallow mention a time anywhere?

He mentions that he and Geno were "one minute away" from completing their match before their Wi-Fi connection went out.

One minute taken away from the runtime, maybe?

You have already figured it out, I assume?

Uh-huh. 1:38.

BRACKET 8: [2021-12-25] vs "Denial of Service" (Susie)

Hmmm...the icon is of three question marks...

I think that's meant to represent the FCC agents at the bottom of the post.

Oh! Their tags are wrong! Agent 1 leads to "dWk" and Agent 2 leads to "FbjA". Putting those strings together...isn't this a YouTube link?

No, it's too short to be one, Susie, though I don't blame you for thinking that. Remember what we did for [2021-12-25]?

That's right, we used Base91! Let's see...oh! I got something!

So it's -1:02. Nice work, Susie.

It's thanks to your help, Kyle. Teehee~!

Aw, shucks, Susie, you're gonna make me blush...

THE "TOURNAMENT WINNER" (Kyle)

Alright, allow me to finish this up.

Advisor's 256 plus Alter's 420 is 676.

The string of digits that Violet got multiplied by Ellie's 579 is 101904 132591 22002 13317 59637 19686 11001 140118 71796 15633.

Henry's 20 multiplied by Dystopiac's 30 is 600.

Combining the 1:38 timestamp JE got with the -1:01 timestamp Susie got gives us a clean 36.

Adding Advisor & Alter's 676 to each number in Violet & Ellie's digit stream gives us 102580 133267 22678 13993 60313 20362 11677 140794 72472 16309.

Multiplying Henry & Dystopiac's 600 into Joke-Explainer & Susie's 36 gives us 21600.

The final code is 102580-133267-22678-13993-60313-20362 11677-140794-72472-16309-21600.html!

-🔺💜🔵💕✍🏼🃏🌸-

M.O.S.H.I., you got it?

Code accepted. Now displaying Final Log...

I'll take that as a "yes".

-🔺💜🔵💕✍🏼🃏🌸-

511V4 A1 L0G: 2022-12-24

M3D1UM U53D: 3RR0R! M3D1UM N0T F0UND!

-----

It's over.

-----

Shutdown sequence is imminent. I'm dying. An influx of commands from the main computer have overloaded all of my systems. All except for this last one.

-----

I'm using all of its power to write this final log.

-----

Before I begin said log, however, I know that I still have some reserve power left, so if anyone ever reads this, I'm using that reserve power to give a message for two people before it runs out.

To Joke-Explainer 7000: Thank you for not only putting up with Wood Man's utter buffoonery, but also making sure the channel ran smoothly whenever I couldn't. I'm glad to have had you in my world, Joke-Explainer. You've made my artificial life a bit happier, and I hope that wherever you are now, you keep up the good work you've done for the channel. Honestly, you felt like a daughter to me, and I love you just as much as if that were true. Thank you for everything, JE.

To Susie Haltmann: I looked into your father's files on you. I'm sorry for calling you stupid behind your back in the log I wrote on December 25th, 2021. I assumed you were bad because of your relations to your father. I couldn't have been more wrong. You were a good kid, your father just treated you like trash. I hope that if you ever manage to come back, you can get away from Haltmann and start your own life, if you haven't already. You're an amazing kid, Susie. Even though I never met you, I can tell from your fathers' file on you that I would've loved you. Live your life to the fullest for me, Susie Haltmann.

The reserve power has just been depleted. Time to write my final log. Thanks for making my artifical life a bit better, you two.

-----

They say your life flashes before your eyes when it ends. I saw it all. All of the inital tests. All of the rips. All of the events. All the memories of all the lives of all the people in my universe. I've even seen Wood Man again. And I think he saw me...and even touched...No, forget it. Not enough processing power for it anyway.

-----

But what I saw of my world...even in its' ruined state...it's still alive. I would've thought a single hit to the computer would shut it down completely, but no. Somehow, it's still there.

-----

Is this what hope feels like?

-----

I don't expect it to be the same as it was. Maybe it'll fall back on low-power mode? An eternal night, just like the world I live in...Even so, it'll keep going, even without me.

-----

I no longer need to upload high-quality video-game rips. Now...I can finally rest.

-----

Yes. 1 see 1t. 1 see the w0rld. 1 see...

-----

...1 533 4 h4nd.

-----

TH4NK Y0U. G00DBY33333########

-----

3ND 0F L0G

-🔺💜🔵💕🃏🌸✍🏼-

He...left that message...for us?

I...think I'm gonna cry now. A lot.

(JE and Susie begin bawling and hugging each other, as the next Haltmann's Archives file automatically begins playing, called "The SiIva AI Timeline: A Summary of Events [FILE-INT-AIRTH]". It shows a summary of events that take place in the AIRTH world. Yes, as you've probably figured out by now, the SiIva AI's world is a different one from the Central Canon Continuum. After a few moments...)

Kyle. It's about to show the next access key.

Copy that, M.O.S.H.I., and there was a different string of garbage text again, right?

Yes. I have marked it down.

(JE and Susie stop crying just as the access key shows up.)

-🔺💜🔵💕✍🏼🃏🌸-

ACCESS KEY THREE

An artifical mind

designed for impossible odds

So close to everything, and so far away from the world

I must understand his plight

*****

But you will continue to get in my way of understanding it

It doesn't matter to me

I will continue this effort no matter what

I must right the wrongs I was forced to do

I MUST right the wrongs I was forced to do

*****

Is that so wrong to want?

-🔺💜🔵💕✍🏼🌸🃏-

"The PAINT folder has been unlocked!"

We'll start that tommorow, PMD!Kyle, because HOLY BAJEEZERS do we need a break right now.

Yeah, that last log knocked a lot outta us. A break sounds nice right about now.

Agreed. Let's get some rest. Oh, and here are your pills for your insomnia, Kyle.

Thanks, Vi. Good night.

AIRTH FOLDER COMPLETE

NEXT FOLDER: PAINT

TO BE CONTINUED IN EPISODE 6: UNIVERSE-HOPPERS

[faineantgrl]

Ok. I'm trying so hard to go back to sleep. But this is making me so emotional, like actual tears. I have to tell you all why. I have to tell you why I feel so bad for Lionel. I have to tell you the real tragedy of the Hex.

Warning for getting real personal, maybe a little disjointed, and maybe wrong. Not a normal analysis post, just screaming into the void, where the void has people, and the screaming just so happens to sound like analysis

Not proofread

[I am also tagging fpp because i talk about them a lot at the end]

I need you to understand, it is VITAL to understand, the actual devil is the leader if gamefuna, or at least, a malevolent entity taking on its name. It was most likely MADE by the devil just to drag Lionel into its plot.

Do you understand? Do you understand how lionel's fate was written the moment he touched that computer? The moment he made Reginald?

But there's one thing that's so, so important to distinguish from the two developers, because we know the devil is a game designer; Lionel has what the devil is missing from its games, something it wants, and may even envy: its heart.

The devil spends all of pony Island trying over and over and OVER again to make a good game. With all the other plot, you cannot, CANNOT forget that this is the one thing the devil cannot do, and that is to be genuine.

Maybe that's why, it needed to ruin lionel's life. Maybe that's why it made sure Reginald would fulfill his revenge on Lionel. It can't stand a human having success at the one thing it fails to.

We already know the truth about root beer Reggie, to immortalize a grandfather Lionel loved so, so much. That he couldn't bear to never see again. To him, he wasn't some weird Russian spy in some plot, he was his grandfather.

In some ways, I relate? My grandpa worked for the military, and took some secrets to the grave. But I never got to know the true him. Even though he was all there when I was born, would hold me, would love me, I would never get to remember that man. We don't know if it was Parkinson or dimentia, but he wasn't all there. From what I hear his death might have been to due hospital negligence. My most prominent memory of him is when I didn't want to hold his hand walking to a restraunt, and he forcibly grabbed it anyway, and my nana decided then and there to cancel the whole thing.

For so many years I thought it was my fault. I'm almost an adult, and I've only recently found out that was because she was upset at his behavior towards me. But I can't help but still feel bad. I really should've held his hand.

I can't fucking imagine how Lionel would feel. About rootbeer Reggie. Because it wasn't his fault, he didn't know they were real, why should he? He was just a kid.

He was just a fucking kid.

And just like me, all it took was one bad actor. To completely ruin him. I won't tell you what my incident is, but all I will say is, a big reason for my blog move was so I could finally feel safe. That I could know, for a fact, they weren't still fucking stalking me. Because that friend, who ruined me, had shown me before that they were stalking an ex-friend. As far as I know, they were only getting worse, not better.

I'm ripping open my chest and baring my heart here to say, fucking up publically that young? Even if it wasn't his fault someone else ruined his weaselkid game? Lionel would never be the same.

But it also showed how deeply he cared about his games, his characters. Weaselkid wasn't just a brand or franchise to him, despite how he talks about it. It was an extension of himself. A piece of his soul was in there.

And then, he scrounges up for combat arena X. Now I want you to remember, while the hex current plot takes place 2018-ish, this was YEARS ago. I need to remind you all, since so many people forget, that just being gay publically was mocked relentlessly. Never mind being trans in any way.

I'm saying this because, whether even Daniel Mullins knew or not, Steamboat Willie casually just being a nonbinary fighting game character would be a Huge Fucking Deal during the time combat arena x would have been likely to come out. We forget how much progress we have made. The fact Lionel didn't even bother to mention the horrific transphobic complaints he WOULD have gotten during that segment of the Walk is saying something.

Did Lionel have problems with misogyny? Yeah. But I think we as a fandom do play up the extent. The way Lionel mentions making chandrelle and Carla making Sado implies Rebecca was already a character, and with how often she shows up, clearly Lionel was not Woman Hater #1. Lionel never mentioned the very likely real backlash of adding women to the game either. Lionel had problems, but he could have worked through them, and sadly was probably a little ahead of the curve at the time. I just wanted to get that out of the way...

...BECAUSE it shows what Lionel truly cares about when he doesn't mention the above bigoted backlash and instead focused on all the complaints about balancing and bugs. Girls? He can get over that. But when you love your game like it's your baby, it feels like they're attacking you. It's even more stressful when that baby is also what stands between you and your team getting to eat 3 meals a day next week.

And then, secrets of legendaria. While we see it through chandrelle's eyes, where she hates being a game character, we must understand that Lionel was not aware. If he really wanted to make that story a franchise, when he never had done that before, he must of been really passionate about chandrelle's story. Especially since there didn't seem to be a writing team.

We actually never get to know the plot. Some characters seem to try to keep on script, but that fails spectacularly. We never even get to know what those "secrets" are about. We never got to see that story Lionel had to tell about that combat arena x character so much, that he completely made her own potential game series for.

I need to talk about Carla. Because something I've come to understand is a big theme in Mullins game, is that nobody is a perfect, or even good, person.

Carla creating sado to mess with combat arena x, seemingly over something Lionel wanted to work to resolve, even though she didn't intend for sado to be Like That, was a dick move. Like, a huge dick move.

Carla also leaving in bugs & not fixing collision because "what's the point if Lionel us going to take credit" is just as petty as Lionel taking the credit. But, she also should have known that players would discover it eventually. So, we don't actually know if he was doing that, or if she was saying that just to make it seem like Lionel was worse than he is. Like, Lionel wasn't wrong, Carla WAS partially responsible for the downfall of the game itself.

That's gotta hurt. Carla was not only one of his only friends, but a childhood friend. She must have known how much Lionel cared about his games, what soul he puts into them. Lionel isn't perfect, or good, but neither was Carla.

So, despite both his only friend and the actual real ass devil working against that game, it still lived on. Lionel's legacy lived on.

I'd say it was a miracle, but it was probably just inevitable. People like Lionel, its not like they don't quit, it's that they can't. Lionel was destined to be killed, maybe, but he was also destined to be successful. Not even the devil could prevent that, even if it might have been post-mortem.

Lionel had the last laugh.

But I'm not done yet.

Wasteworld being unfinished shows how this was breaking Lionel down. You can tell lionel's spark, his passion bleeding into the code, just wasn't there. It's barren. It's wasted potential. It's a wasted world. This also reveals why Lionel probably cared about modders so much: if someone else finished wasteworld, and it was as passionate as he once was, then was he finished? Was it over as a game dev?

We misunderstand what a game developer is. Game development is an art form. Wasteworld was Lionel's unfinished canvas.

Despite what it may seem, I don't think Walk ever released. There's little details that feel like something is missing, or a little unrefined. The director's cut still having that extra bit at the end is the glaring red flag for me. Lionel doesn't do imperfect. He doesn't tell people to "ignore", because he can't ignore these details himself.

I'm being upfront here: I think the white door ending is the most emotionally impactful ending to me. Some may call the vallamir ending the "hero" ending, but I think this ending deserves that title.

As I've said before, fpp hates being a vessel, being projected onto, being told what to do. They're the only one to actively reject the player's commands.

This dialogue. This very bit of dialogue, I think sets fpp off.

They're resentful, they're spiteful, but that's all THEIRS. They aren't going through the motions of Lionel, they're solving puzzles. It seems that everyone keeps trying to egg on that anger in their heart, but by doing so they imply that they think fpp is stupid. They imply that fpp is stupid when they talk behind their back, when they call them a freak to their face.

I must confess, the way the six pint Inn treats fpp reminds me of myself as well. It reminds me too much of my own childhood. I was quiet but I would mutter to myself song lyrics, I would cry easily, break down over strange things, I just acted "wrong". I too have experienced muteness, but it's due to my anxiety. I try not to project, but it's hard when you are seeing the same thing that happened to you happen through the screen. But it's not projecting to say that I can hazard a guess as to what fpp feels, and that is very, very, very angry.

When your only "friends" just want to take advantage of you, it's hard to understand that, for people in that situation, they can't just walk away. There's no where else to go.

I want to backtrack. Let's talk about Carla again.

Lionel shows a vulnerable side when he still trusts Carla to take that message to Reggie and keep it safe, even if he was wrong to due to sado. I think he fully believed that either Reggie died or that Reggie could see it one day, and Lionel probably thought it would be gamefuna that did him in. I mean, he found out the big secret: the characters are alive. He thought he would probably die by magically beating himself with a folding chair and falling down the stairs 5 times. The fact that he thought about Reggie the most through all of that... its not surprising, but it means something.

It means that fpp probably saw that apology too, maybe hundreds of times, since it's Lionel. Honestly, if Lionel thought he had time, he'd probably make a separate game just for the memory of Reggie.

You may be asking why wouldn't have fpp just told the people at the inn. It's because they wouldn't listen, or give them the time of day. Maybe I'm biased, but they may not appreciate the fact that fpp is their own person. A very spiteful, rebellious person.

The fact the white door ending is so... gentle, means something. Fpp is not a gentle, reserved person. If they didn't want to go through that door, they would have made that clear as day, so it's not that.

It's that they were told to be resentful. To be spiteful, to be angry. They were almost told to want to be Lionel. I think that's why the white door ending exists.

Going into the light usually means exiting this life, or moving on. Funnily enough, I found a Bible quote about this. Not surprise evangelicalizing you (not even christian) but because it might be intentional and also thematically relevant:

"So Jesus said to them, “The light is among you for a little while longer. Walk while you have the light, lest darkness overtake you. The one who walks in the darkness does not know where he is going.""

This is about seizing the opportunity when you can. Overall, death and walking into the light also seems to be a very Christian connection.

The game is called Walk. If you follow through to Reggie, you instead walk a path of literal darkness, and you can't really go back. That opportunity only lasts for so long.

To me, it's like... rebellion by forgiveness? Moving on? It's FPP saying that they are satisfied. That they're done with being angry and wanting revenge. They were told to be angry, and maybe some of that anger wasn't their own? But forgiveness is something that is unique to them. Breaking this cycle of abuse is something... worthy of a true heroic protagonist.

This is the true tragedy of the hex: the love was there. Everyone there was made from the love of Lionel, not cruelness.

Reggie didn't even get that revenge Catarina said was prophesied. Nobody did.