#i don't get to choose the hyperfixation

[erinmccomics]

Also I have been just incredibly autistic about fish lately, of all things to firmly hyperfixate on.

Like standing in my house Jason Vorhees style deep breathing looking at my art supplies because I NEED to paint a fish despite whatever plans I had.

So after months of this I grabbed everything and painted a rather huge and very colorful Crappie with metallic acrylic paints, on Bristol board. It's very shimmery in person.

Recently I wanted that shimmer but in 3D so I grabbed some model magic and made an arowana and a dollar sunfish, a local and very beautiful little fish I caught recently on a micro hook. Going to paint and varnish them to see how they look.

I took up microfishing just to catch things and look at them, then put them back. Turns out we have beautiful iridescent fish everywhere and the whole world is full of shimmering glittering beautiful things that live just out of view.

[levemetal]

As a true dumbass with a strong brainrot here's a random sleep deprived thought - Who's divinations are better, Madam Meiyin from SVSSS or Mei Nianqing from TGCF? Or are they equally good at it??? Is there a fic where these two interact?? Probably not but I can't get it out of my head. I might be back if more coherent thoughts to this pop up.

But like, it would be kinda funny to see them fighting about divination. Or share opinions like some sort of astrology star sign obsessed mean girls.

[ungodlysaltyinfrastructure]

As determined by the poll.

The Iris Analysis. Uncut, since I am not revising this monster word count of an analysis.

Now with A DLC111!1!1!!11!!! (I added new thoughts :p)

[Warning, this post deals with a pretty heavy and uncomfortable topic. If you don't like mentions or implications of SA or Sexual/Romantic Manipulation, heed this warning.]

“Your eyes are so pretty and unique, I don't think I've ever seen anybody with mismatched eyes like that.”

So about Iris…

Character Analysis time !!!1!1+!+1+1

Author's Note: I heavily debated making and posting this analysis because of the topic at hand, but I want to say, this analysis helped me realize how strong of a character Iris is, and can be. The more I think about her, the more she's becoming my favorite.

We are first introduced to Iris in ep 5, "Iris" (fitting)

As Alux is done talking to the Guard and is leaving, he finds Iris being berated by two people.

"What are you doing here, freak? I thought I told you to get lost."

"Sigh, I'm just here to get my stuff for my travels, so back off.”

"Or what? You'll beat us up again? You know how that ended last time."

"Yeah, poor little Oddy ( or Oddie) ended up in jail all night. Not only is she a freak, but a criminal too.”

"Just shove off and leave me alone."

"Or what? You gonna cry?"

Pause

"Or what? You'll beat us up again? You know how that ended last time."

We know Iris is a bit of a fighter as she's defensive, but, Iris beating up people?

What for?

I know we shouldn't take the bullies by their word, but the implications of Iris getting into a fight with them is... concerning, to say the least.

I'm just worried that this "fight" may have, possibly, not been of Iris' making.

Call it a hunch, but I feel like any altercation Iris would have with the bullies would've been in self-defense. (You'll see why I think that after a few paragraphs.)

The next conversation we see Iris have is with Alux after her attackers are gone.

"Are you okay, Miss?- Ouch! What- was that for?"

"I can handle myself, you know."

"I never said you couldn't."

"Look, if you're trying to get something out of saving me, then you're mistaken.”

"I don't want anything."

"Yeah, suure... wait, are you... serious?"

"Yeah, I'm serious. I just wanted to help.”

"But... why?"

"Why what?"

"Why did you help me?"

"Well, you looked like you were in trouble. You needed help, so I helped!"

"But you don't even know who I am! I could be a criminal, for all you know."

"-And I still would've helped you."

"Wow. You'd be the first one.

Pause

"Look, if you're trying to get something out of saving me, then you're mistaken."

That… is a VERY concerning thing to say to a man who just defended you, for no apparent reason as you would see it, as a woman who was just being targeted and harassed.

To put it lightly, I smell trauma.

We know AR doesn't shy away from rather uncomfortable topics like Sexual Harassment and Physical Violence.

When Alux gives this kind gesture to Iris, the first thing she does is assert that she doesn't need Alux to stand up for her. That she didn't need a man to defend her. She can get by, all on her own.

Iris even assumed that the only reason Alux would even be "saving" her is to get something from or out of her. When she realizes that Alux is being genuine, she gets... confused. It's obvious that she doesn't get this kind of kindness from strangers unless they had an ulterior motive pertaining to her. Her difference in eye colors is most likely why she was and is treated differently by many people. So when she meets someone who is unbiased and non-judgmental about a person's physical appearance, it's strange to her.

Then, we get to the second portion of the conversation

"Then I'm happy to be the first. I'm Alux by the way."

"I'm Iris."

"Pleasure to meet you. Your eyes are so pretty and unique, I don't think I've ever seen anybody with mismatched eyes like that.”

"You really think so?"

"Of course!- OUCH!”

"Stop trying to sweet talk me you jerk!"

"S-sweet Talk? What does that even mean?”

"You know? 'sweet talk', 'flirting', 'being overly nice for some reason'?"

"Uhh, I'm confused..." (this is where I got the Aro Alux headcanon from ^^^^)

"So..., you're seriously just being genuine?"

"Yeah... is that a bad thing or something...?”

"No, it's... just different, that all..."

Pause

…

*Deep inhale*

Iris taking Alux's compliment on her eyes as a sight of "sweet talking/flirting" is very alarming.

The fact that she views sweet talking akin to FLIRTING is a really bad sign for her!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The definition of "sweet talking" is

"insincerely praise (someone) in order to persuade them to do something."

The definition of flirting is

“behave as though attracted to or trying to attract someone, but for amusement rather than with serious intentions.”

Flirting can be serious and unserious depending on what the person who's flirting means.

But sweet talk under the guise of flirting is more akin to manipulation than it is flirting, as the sweet talk is used to make someone do something, while having the flirting being the reason why the person sweet talking wants you to do something. But because sweet talking is insincere praise, the flirting then becomes THE insincere praise given.

Iris thought Alux's actions of defending and complimenting her were insincere, ("stop trying to sweet talk me you jerk!") And that he was only doing it to get something from her. ("Look, if you're trying to get something out of saving me, then you're mistaken.")

Iris was so quick to assume such a thing from Alux, and was so quick to get defensive about herself and her ability to self-defend.

Remember when I said I think that the "fight" Iris had with the bullies was actually self-defense? Yea well, the reason I think that is because Iris is very vulnerable, trying to put up a tough facade. She has a target on her back and is often bullied for her uniqueness. With how snarky and vindictive the bullies act towards her, I wouldn't be surprised if one of them put their hands on her.

And here is where we get into the not so fun part of this Analysis.

Here is where I would usher you to click out of this post if you feel uncomfortable with discussions of Sexual Harassment/Assault and or Sexual/Romantic Maniputation. (When I first made this realization of Iris, it was not fun for me)

-------------------------------------------------

As I've said, AR doesn't shy away from uncomfortable topics, and is a bit of a more mature series. Fully displaying one of the many awful things some girls go through. (The Clark and Mae interaction.)

Now, I want you to understand the implications of Iris thinking sweet talking is akin to flirting, and how she thought Alux had originally wanted something out of her when he "saved" her.

…

Did you let it sit and sink in? Because when I did, I was mortified.

Iris is pretty and different and vulnerable because she's different. She may even be insecure about it. Maybe that's why she blushes when Alux compliments her on her eyes.

She's quick to snap at Alux because of her assumptions. Why would she even make the assumptions in the first place?

-----------------------------------------------

I believe that, unfortunately, at some point in her life, Iris had been taken advantage of.

She was in danger, and someone helped her. She thanked them and was about to set off until they stopped her, and started to press her. "Well, I did something for you, why don't you do something for me as repayment?"

They sweet talked her into giving in. Using her eyes as a means to make her vulnerable. Convincing her they were flirting with her. Making her believe they were interested in her. Only to leave her alone and scared.

-------------------------------------------------

It's a sad thought and realization to have. The degree of which the action was is, I feel, is for the best, to be up to interpretation. It's not nice to think about these things, but this makes Iris a very complex and deep character, and I feel that she deserves to be talked about more.

With how she persists and how confident she can be, it's clear she's grown past any harm done to her. It's just this defensiveness manifested to protect herself from any more harm similar.

(Note: This is NOT a confirmed backstory or any confirmed history about Iris. She may as well have a completely different reason for why she was so defensive and closed off at first. Maybe fake friends or a fake crush. Something a little more lighter as implications of SA or anything similar is hard to stomach.)

Ok old analysis over.

Time for thoughts.

Now that we have more Iris content, I'm actually really glad I made this. Iris’ potential abuse is very subtle and is not a focus point, and I think that was a good choice to have.

It's not a defining character trait for her. It's her light rudeness and presenting rough exterior that makes her, well, her! And that very well can be a result of her past. Another thing I didn't notice before is that she always seems to be on edge. She always has her guard up. And she's quick to act on something.

And the most interesting part about this? Later, like in this most recent ep, she doesn't know what to do with these feelings. It's like she's conflicted. She knows it's silly and nonsensical that she developed this crush so soon, but she can't help but feel this way.

And another thing is that these feelings are only seen with her.

Her possible previous experience was not ideal, and as it may have been her first or one of her first, she wouldn't have properly known what a good start to a relationship would look like. And this time with Alux, it's now her first proper time where she can fully digest these feelings.

Now, I haven't really experienced “romantic attraction” in my 15 years on this earth, but from accounts of other people, I would surmise that feelings like these are inescapable for some. Consuming you every time you look at your crush. To a point where some would go to drastic measures to satisfy any desire pertaining to the crush. (Every time girls at my school talk about relationships, it's always either about an insane guy or them doing the most out of pocket thing to get their crush to notice them) so I would assume at least that these feelings are intense, and that they're not by choice by Iris. (It's choice by the writers lol)

And it's the whole thing about the fact that the romance aspect of the series is presented through Iris. We don't see any hints of crushes or romantic endeavors from anyone else.

Ok except maybe Petro and Mark but that's doomed yaoi-

And we don't see it in Alux, we only see it in the fact that IRIS is the one who has a crush. Not Alux.

When we focus on Alux, it's more about his secret identity of being a prince, and trying to find his true self and what his past really was before returning to Cozen. Not about his love life or romantic endeavors. (He does have one or pursue any LOL)

But with the presumidly main romance arc being presented through Iris, it may be about her learning how to deal with her own feelings, others feelings, and her relationship to romantic and platonic dynamics throughout the series.

How will that turn out? I have no idea. But I doubt it will be successful with Alux. He has bigger fish to fry.

I just wanted to express my feelings and thoughts about this aspect of Iris. She is a character that is becoming more developed, like with Alux, it's just slower due to the runtime of each episode. And I found her character intriguing, so I just kept thinking about her until I couldn't. 🥴

[eddiemunsonsmum]

Well guys, it's been fun. Hubs surprised me this morning with a copy of BG3 so I guess it's finally time for me to go fall in love with the vampire guy and forget Eddie exists. 🫡

[goldenheartstudios]

I wanna think of a Xiaolin Showdown MLP AU

 Disclaimer: Despite the premise, I might go deeper than you think

  With that out of the way, I really don’t know how to explain my reason of making this post-

  I guess the only way that I can is that I’ve been rewatching some episodes from My Little Pony Friendship is Magic (because I unapologetically love that series), and then I thought to myself “Hey, how would the characters from Xiaolin Showdown be like in the My Little Pony world?”

  And then I kept on thinking

  And thinking

  And it seems that I have a lot more ideas about it than I thought

  So, as a little self indulgence (by combining two very dear shown to my heart), I made this post about how would Xiaolin Showdown characters (and story) translate to the My Little Pony world

  And who knows, maybe this would inspire someone else to think of this as well

  Okay, since I have a lot of ideas, I’ll try to present them with “chapters” and such, so that it’s more organized and you can go read the subject you’re more interested about:

1. The premise/storyline idea

  This can go in different routes: you keep it accurate to the Xiaolin Showdown story by making each of the characters being ponies with elemental magic who search for artifacts and fight the equivalent pony versions of the villains, you keep it accurate to the My Little Pony story and you see how the characters in pony version follow and affect the storyline, or you do a sort-of combination of the two shows’ stories

  And I personal went to the third option, as I find it more interesting and/or I’m more unhinged by wanting to create a new plot on a “what if” concept

  So hear me out-

  My idea of a premise would be that a long time ago, Wuya was turned to stone by Dashi using the Elements of Harmony. However, after centuries later, she was able to come back in a weaker state and she wants to rule over the world

  Omi was trained with the purpose of protecting Equestria, and after the return of Wuya, he, alongside Dojo, is given the task to find the Elements of Harmony alongside other three warriors

  Little does he know that his companions will be the key of finding those elements

  I imagine that the beginning of the episodes will be about Omi recruiting the three chosen warriors (who were chosen from a prophecy or something), and then they go on a journey of searching for the elements while also trying to stop Wuya from getting more powerful

 The Shen Gong Wus would be artifacts, which are fewer in number and some of them are either established from the MLP show, or are inspired from the Xiaolin Showdown show as well. Wuya, alongside Jack, usually searches for them in order to become more powerful. They would be more prevalent than in MLP, but not the main focus like in XS, and the showdowns are confrontations/encounters with the bad guys who got a dangerous artifact, which at the end it’s either broken by the good guys or locked away

(I’m aware how this all sounds like a lot but I’m having a great time thinking of this so shush)

  I do have more ideas for the story, but I’ll talk about it when I get to talk about the characters adaptations since the ideas are more tied to them

2. The Elements of Harmony

  Firstly, I’d like to talk about how the element storyline would look like

  Just like in MLP, the elements are the main characters

  With the premise I stated earlier, I imagine that Omi would find out that the Elements reside in him & his friends around the time Wuya takes over Equestria once she gets her powers back

  Maybe at the beginning of the story he finds the rocks, but after they get destroyed, he’s convinced that they were fake and the real elements are somewhere else, so he continues the search. But along the story, something happens that makes a character showcase their element through their actions and do a mysterious glow which gives them a power boost (yes, combining story elements from Equestria Girls as well)

  But the glow serves as an element reveal, as the elements went inside the characters once the stones were broken. And once the last one gets revealed at the end, all of them gather their powers and turn Wuya to stone once again (and then the later storyline/villains come in the play)

  Now as for element pairings, these are the ideas that I have in mind:

Kindness: Clay

  I chose this pairing mostly because it feels fitting, but I do have an explanation for it

  Out of all the monks, Clay is the one who approaches friends with kindness the most. You always see him helping out by catching someone with his lasso, giving out a hand when he can and the way he talks to others is in a friendly and careful way

  There are a lot of other things that define him, and there are exceptions to his gentle behavior (mostly when he’s made fun of), but the main instinct he has in approaching his friends is kindness, which could be another reason why he shows frustration and displeasure when his friends don’t show or reciprocate the kindness, because it doesn’t sit well with his virtues

Generosity: Kimiko

  I’d say that Kimiko’s way of approaching friendship is sometimes similar to Clay (since compassion is a strong trait of her), but there’s something particular that makes me lean to give her the element of generosity

  That is, the way she shows affection

  We’ve seen that when she’s happy for a friend, she expresses it by giving a hug or a kiss on the cheek, or if someone is in a bad mood, she gives her time and attention to them. And generosity it’s not only about giving physical things, it can also be about giving your time and care to someone, which Kimiko does plenty

  She’s the kind of friend who will ask you to play something together if you’re feeling down, she’s the kind of friend who will stay with you and help you understand something better. Of course, she does have her own principles and limits of giving, but you can feel how her generosity is shown through her compassion

Honesty: Jack

  Hear me out

  I know that he constantly lies to everyone including himself, but that’s why I’m more inclined for him to be The Element of Honesty

  Because it would be hilariously ironic

  However, I also think it would be very interesting and a good way to prevent the main cast from using the elements for any threat. Maybe they’ll be able to use their element individually, but since one of them is on the bad side and he’s barely trying to be honest, this means that the only times they can do that magic of friendship beam is when Jack allies with them without being an excuse to betray them in the process of working together

  I also think it fits him in some way. Like, sometimes he gets too honest about himself, despite trying to deny it, and many times he’s just a bad liar, like it’s not in his nature to be dishonest

  And one thing that I find interesting is that he’s the most honest in friendships. It’s not that noticeable because he barely has friends, but when he wants to form a friendship to someone he straight up shows it

  And let’s be honest, he does have a big mouth that he’s not afraid to use when he wants to criticize or insult someone he doesn’t respect

Laughter: Dojo

  Yes, I’m making the dragon a part of the elements

  Also, you better not think I’m assigning this element to Dojo because I consider him the clown of the squad or something like that. I think he fits this element because he both brings and enjoys laughter

  There are many times when his presence brightens the mood and the tone of the scene, and he chooses to go with a more relaxed and lighthearted approach on things despite living for so long and suffering losses in his life, which I find admirable. He feels like the heart of the group, the one everyone likes to have around, even if sometimes he can be too much or annoying

  He also searches for good times in relationships, where he gets anxious about losing bonds or comfort, which feels fitting to the need of fun and happiness which is what The Element of Laughter represents

Loyalty: Omi

  If you thought that I would give him The Element of Magic just because he’s the main character, then you don’t realise how much The Element of Loyalty is fitting for him

  Omi is all about loyalty in his relationships. He’d do anything to follow his words and principles, and he expects everyone else to do the same. He actually puts so much value in loyalty that he can’t even comprehend the idea of a friend not being loyal as well, example being the famous Raimundo betrayal

  He had to go through a lesson of deception and even then, he still chose to be loyal to his principles. And when he feels that he wronged a friend, he tries to compensate by showing even more loyalty to them to show that he’s there for them and to prove that he cares

  And even the show made note of his loyalty towards others in season 3, so it’s pretty much obvious that this is his element

Magic: Raimundo

  I promise you I did not give him this element just because he’s my favorite and I actually have an explanation for this-

  First, I need to give out my interpretation on what does The Element of Magic truly mean, since it’s a vague term of its own and I saw many people giving their personal take on it

  As an Element of Harmony, I see Magic as friendship itself. It’s the value of friendship as a whole, where you’d do anything to keep the friends around you. It’s the principle of forming connections and growing from them, it’s the “spark” that keeps people together

  And well, that’s him. That’s Raimundo

  He’s the one who sacrifices himself for his friends, who holds more value over the ones he cares for than himself. He’ll do anything for his friends, and realising how much they mean for him, more than anything in the world he could get, is the reason why he turned against Wuya and trapped her in the box

  Like, come on, if this was in MLP his eyes would shine Twilight Sparkle style

  He’s also the driving force of action, who will act to protect his dear ones because he cares for his bonds. It’s both simple and deep, and that’s why I find this element so fitting for him

  Now that I assigned The Elements of Harmony to the characters, I can talk about the MLP species I’d assign to them, which I have a couple of characters in mind already

3. What MLP species would they be

  I’m saying from the start that I’ll not talk about each of the characters from the show because it will make the post longer than it already is (Tho if you’re curious about my thoughts on other characters you can ask!). The characters I’ll be talking about are the main heroes and villains, where each of them will have an elaboration based on the kind of choice and my process of thinking which led to it

  Starting with an easy one:

Clay: Earth Pony

  Okay this one’s obvious I’ll admit-

  Like, it’s literally in its name, and it’s well known how tied are the earth ponies with farming culture. And many strong ponies are earth ponies and Clay’s personality fits right in with earth ponies so this was an instant choice

  However, one thing that’d be interesting to think about is how his element magic would affect him as a pony. You can go with a lot of different routes: you can keep it grounded by providing a strength boost, you can go a little more magical by giving him the ability to shift the ground or you can go all out and give him the same abilities he has in the show

  I personally like the idea that when he uses his element/has the glow, he has the ability to command the earth by moving the ground however he likes, like in the show, because it’s more tied with the series and it would be nice for him to have something magical as an earth pony

Kimiko: Kirin

  I originally thought of her being an unicorn, but then I realised that I could go on a more creative route and make her something that’s not the classic pony style, which it’s a Kirin

  For those who don’t know what a Kirin is in the show, they’re a type of ponies who are able to turn into a Nirik that can cast fire when they lose their temper (they also have a horn that gives them the ability to levitate objects)

  Aside from the obvious fit with the fire-y anger, I also think Kimiko would look nice as a Kirin, with the stylish mane and tail. And I think it would be interesting to see how she interacts with others while coming from a different culture, or how her background as a Kirin affects her, since in the show they oppressed their voice and emotions in order to not cause more destruction with their temper

  Maybe she made the potion to get her voice back, and this leads to her wanting to experiment with other things. It would be interesting to see her interest of invention be translated to making a variety of potions in this world

Omi: Unicorn

  Even if the idea of him being an earth pony who’s very talented in fighting is tempting, I feel like he fits more as a unicorn for a couple of reasons

  First, it’s personality. Since unicorns tend to see themselves more special or powerful because of their ability to use magic, Omi would fit right in with this. He could be a prodigy who got his cutie mark very early on and he’s already highly knowledgeable in using magic spells, especially the water-related ones. Him using magic could also backfire, because I would see him try to do spells that are too advanced for him out of curiosity (or because he thinks he could do them), but of course something goes wrong and now he has to fix it.

  And I also imagine he’d be like Twilight in a sense, by being unfamiliar with other races and cultures because he’s been surrounded with unicorn culture and study. So aside from getting over his ego of being stronger than everyone because he’s a unicorn, he’ll also learn that everyone is special in their own way and there’s more to being strong than having magic, which would be interesting

Raimundo: Griffon

  Okay hear me out-

  I did think of him being a pegasus, but it just didn’t feel fully fitting. Yes, a pegasus is fast, can control the weather, can be laid-back and quite of an adventurer, but it didn’t quite depict Raimundo’s issues like isolation and opening up to others

  And then I thought of the idea of him being something else than a pony and it just clicked

  Like, a griffon is so fitting for him. They’re snarky, distrusting, greedy and can be quite the pranksters, but we know they can be kind, caring and desire friendship and company like anyone else. And Rai would fit perfectly with this premise: he needs to learn how to see things beyond his griffon culture and that it’s okay to be kind and make friends

  And it could also be a reason for him and Omi not getting along that well. As Raimundo is not a pony and has a culture wayyy different from his, Omi would not know how to communicate with him and he’d sometimes unintentionally belittle him because he’s not even a pony. Because why would he be involved in a matter about friendship? Why would he be a part of a matter about ponies in the first place? (Dojo is an exception because Omi grew up with him + he was Dashi’s companion)

  Which is why it would be even more meaningful when Rai reveals his Element of Harmony, because not only Omi doubted him, he also doubted himself, and him being the element Magic only shows how anyone is deserving of friendship

  Also… I won’t deny that I had a certain character inspire me to make this choice…

Dojo: Sea Serpent & Dragon hybrid

  That’s right, we’re going more complex with our choices

  I know Dojo is a dragon and it would be simpler to just make him that, but he doesn’t look like the traditional dragon from MLP, despite them having very diverse body types. But making him as a sea serpent just because he looks like one is not quite fitting either

  So, I decided on both

  In the AU, he would be the first (and maybe only) dragon-sea serpent hybrid, who can fly despite having no wings (maybe magic/an artifact is involved if you want to make it more sense). He can also breathe fire, but because of being half sea serpent, he has issues with it most of the time

  And you can choose if he’s unable to shrink to a small size, or he can shrink with the use of an artifact

Jack: Unicorn

  Just like with Omi, I first thought of him to be a simple earth pony who’s talented in making inventions

  But then I thought of a better idea that’d fit with his character more: a unicorn who’s terrible at magic

  Like, he’s so bad at magic that any spell he does blows up in his face, and the most he can do is levitate small objects around. But, because that, he developed a skill to making inventions of advanced technology, in order to compensate on his lack of magic skills

  And I also imagine that he’d be very smug about it too, especially if he can do inventions that are artifact/high magic spell level. But since his technology is too advanced for the current area, it’s not rare for his creations to have flaws in his design, which makes them less impressive for those who don’t know the technicality of his inventions and have magic to do stuff anyway

Wuya: Alicorn

  I did have trouble thinking of Wuya’s version since most of the show she’s seen as a ghost, but eventually I came up with the compromise of choosing something that exists in this world, but with some alterations

  Firstly, I’d say that she started as a unicorn and her appearance is something closer to Mistmane, with a sharp horn and flowy mane

  But when she became an expert in magic, she started study-ing “forbidden magic”, alongside being inspired by the way some creatures use magic as well

  This led to her desire to use her powers to her benefit, making herself an alicorn with a forbidden spell as well. But when she got defeated by Dashi and turned to stone, she lost her magic abilities, being reduced to a powerless alicorn who can only fly and feel magic from things like artifacts

  However, she’s still presented as a threat, because of her knowledge in forbidden magic and various artifacts

Chase: Alicorn Umbrum

  Okay if Wuya was difficult, Chase was even more, because I went back-and-forth with what he could be. And even now I’m partially set on with this idea

  But what I have in mind is this: he’s a reversed King Sombra

  Alright, I’ll elaborate. He first started as a unicorn/earth pony, who's achievements got recognised and he became an alicorn (which is what I imagine for Dashi & Guan as well). But just like in the show, he got tempted by Hannibal to get more power and this is the result: he got turned into an umbrum who feeds on hate

  What are umbrums tho, you may ask? Well, an umbrum (also called shadow pony) is King Sombra’s race. They usually look different from Sombra because he was made to be an unicorn to fool the crystal ponies (this lore is from the comics)

  In disguise, they look like this:

  And their true form looks like this:

  Which is pretty creepy and the main reason why I chose this option

  In this AU, you are able to turn into an umbrum with a special potion. The benefit of being this is that can get more powerful by feeding on others’ hate, but the downside is that your true form looks, well, like that

  And I also imagine that the usual form Chase has is less like the disguised version and more like Sombra’s version, where he looks like his original alicorn self. But in order to unleash his true powers, he has to turn into his true form (which he’s not a fan of it because it’s ugly)

  I’ll also make it that instead of making the potion over and over again, he has to consume other people’s hate to keep his power, and the bigger/stronger the creature is, the more power he gets (which is why he’ll be interested in “eating” Dojo at the beginning). Oh, and he also keeps the ability to make other people his minions, but they need to meet the requirement of swearing their loyalty to him

Hannibal

  This guy

  This motherfucker

  Is punishing me for being my favorite villain by being the most difficult character to decide a MLP version for

  I’m so undecided on what he can be, I didn’t write his species in the title because of it

  Sure, there technically are demos in the world, but we only saw them once in My Little Pony Equestria Girls and they looked nothing like Hannibal

  Sure, I could make him a changeling since he changes his appearance the most in the show and I can see it fit, but I’m not full-on board with it because I literally cannot imagine Hannibal being something else than his tiny vegetable form

  So I’m gonna leave this with two options: he’s a special changeling who feeds on negative emotions rather than love, or he’s an exception and he’s still his vegetable demon self, who uses an artifact to change his appearance

  Choose the idea you prefer, or you can come up with a different one. Anything is good in my book

  Now that I talked about the characters’ versions in the AU, I can elaborate more on something I’ve been hinting to, which is also a relevant part of My Little Pony:

4. How are the alicorns assigned

  We know that in the MLP world someone becomes an alicorn by achieving something great, but since there are exceptions and debates on this, I thought of elaborating on an idea I have for this AU

  In this AU, Dashi, Guan & Chase were the first alicorns of Equestria, having achieved many things in their life and becoming great warriors. However, after Wuya turned herself into an alicorn & Chase betrayal, there were no other heroes predestined to raise to this rank, and Dashi retiring soon after he hid the Elements of Harmony made Guan the only good alicorn who was still around the ponies

  But with the new arrival of our young warriors, it was told that one of them will rise once again to the power of an alicorn by achieving something great and becoming the leader of the group

  And, well, it’s not hard to guess who was the one most confident in becoming an alicorn

  I imagine this also contributed to Omi’s ego in this AU. Having already been a unicorn, he’ll think that he’s the most qualified on becoming an alicorn & the leader, he just has to prove himself

  It’s not like the griffon from the group will rise to the title, he’s not even a pony

  But that’s what Omi thinks, and the griffon Raimundo does become the leader in the end

  And since he’s not a pony, he won’t become an alicorn. He’ll become something else, something new

  Something like a Golden Griffon, where he has the underside of his wings and other parts of his body decorated with golden feathers. And he’ll get the duty to guide others and bring the ponies and other creatures together, while facing the evil forces who try to get in their way

  So yeah, this is my concept of a Xiaolin Showdown MLP AU! I may or may not do something more with this concept in the future, but I thought it would be nice to share it and leave it out of my head

  If you read through all of this and have your own ideas, I’d love to hear them! But either way, I hope you had at least some entertainment reading my silly little rant haha

[sirenium]

'He treated his bloody Kaithes better than he treated me, his own executioner!'

ID: a drawing of Lodun, a character from Warframe. He wears a grey mask with a cross expression and harsh, pointed features. His headdress is lined with gold, maroon with three golden beams, one in the center and the other two mirroring each other on each side. two pieces that look like rolled up hair hang from each pointed side of the headdress, golden ringed. His outfit features more golden adornments (one of which also features the same maroon of his headdress), and is red. His skin, visible by his arms, is blue. The background is red, and features a pattern that was supposed to resemble a curtain. End ID

So yeah, Lodun, am I right. I am very normal about him (I'm lying). I'm also fucking around with shading and stuff, and quite like how this turned out so I'm posting it here. If anyone wants to provide a better image description go ahead, I just wanted to attempt to describe this since it's my own creation.

[oh-meow-swirls]

was looking through old posts and i'm surprised to see that i seemingly didn't have any commentary on anything in 3 in chapter 7, 8 or 9, the posts related to 3's story go from "my first reaction when i saw yopple-bot was 'i love you. but also you are definitely the boss for this chapter-'" to "i have been in hell all day. hell being bada-bing tower." funny to me cuz those chapters are like, the best ones sdfkljsdfjfsdkjlfsdjkl-

[randomlut]

I'm not really reading DC comic anymore and barely check Jason Todd tag, but i just check it and see this new Gotham War spoiler and... to see Jason being nerfed so bad for the angst 🥲

[crystalkitty1220]

Welcome back to tumblr! Hope you enjoyed your break

It was very stressful. Ended up failing the marking period for English, but not by as much as I was failing before. Could still pull up the overall grade by the end of the semester.

[red-jaw329]

Sometimes I feel embarrassed about reblogging certain things on here, and I gotta remind myself that it's my blog and none of my followers are paying rent here.

[xxsakuragirlxx]

RAHHHHHHH! I WANT TO ACTUALLY TAKE CHRISTIANITY SERIOUSLY, BUT THAT MEANS I HAVE TO GIVE UP EVERYTHING I INVESTED MY TIME INTO AND STOP TALKING WITH CERTAIN PEOPLE, WHICH I WAS TRYING TO AVOID HAPPENING IN THE FIRST PLACE SO IF I EVER DO CHANGE, I DON'T HAVE TO GO THROUGH SO MUCH TROUBLE!

[naura-speaks]

Anyway so I had Taylor Swift's No Body No Crime in my head this morning, which was really bad timing considering I was delivering to the funeral home lol

[twilightkitkat]

Can we talk about the dynamics of Logan "I eat anything and scarf it down immediately" Howlett and Wade "I only eat the same 10 foods in different fonts" Wilson?

Logan is used to living without. Even as a child, he had to get by when he was sick with the food his family could afford. Once he joined the military, he had to survive on the limited rations he was given. He didn't have room to be picky—he either ate what he was given or didn't eat at all. And in war, he had to eat eventually.

His preferences didn't matter. He was always treated as a soldier, a weapon, and his food reflected that. He'd get enough protein and carbohydrates to fuel his power but that was it. Food was for functional use, not to be enjoyed. It didn't matter if it tasted disgusting, he just inhaled it so the taste wouldn't linger.

He's also an extremely quick eater. He's feral and ravenous when hungry, tearing into meat with his claws and hands. He lived in the army, in the mountains, through the Great Depression, and in dangerous situations where he hunted for himself. To him, food is a scarce resource and if you don't eat it while you can, you might not have it tomorrow. So he takes gigantic bites and tears into food no matter how bland and unappealing it was because that's all he knows. His standards for food are just that it has to have nutrients and not be poisoned.

Wade, on the other hand, is more picky. If he had to choose between eating something he hates or not eating, he'd rather just starve. At first, in the army, he did eat what was given to him even if he disliked it, but it was purely for survival. He choked it down even when it made him vaguely nauseous and disgusted. But later, he'd hoard stashes of his own food that he managed to steal or barter for or bet on. It was better to be hungry most of the time than satiate his hunger temporarily only to fight to keep it down and feel sick the entire day.

The second he has the freedom to pick his own food, he sticks to things he knows he likes. That he feels comfortable with. He's picky about brands and specific types of food and how it has to be cooked or made, but he manages. He can normally find something on the menu he's OK with, even if he often has order a kid's meal. But most places have grilled cheese sandwiches and chicken tenders and macaroni, and people chalk it up to him being childish and silly, so nobody pays much attention.

Wade sees food as one of the only things he can control. He's been devoid of true choice for most of his life. He couldn't control getting cancer or being forced to turn into a horrific mutant. He couldn't save his relationship with Vanessa. When everything around him was collapsing, he hyperfixated on the little things he could control like food or clothing.

The two, together, learn to have a healthier relationship with food.

Logan was the first person to truly pay attention to Wade. To see which foods he liked and which he picked at and grimaced towards when nobody was looking. When Logan abruptly said he'd cook dinner one day, Wade was nervous, but nearly started bawling when Logan made homemade chicken tenders and macncheese. He noticed. He cared.

It was the first time Wade could be open and let someone see he was genuinely affected by food instead of him just playing it up as a lunatic. And Logan took him seriously and didn't make fun of him. He learned recipes to make the foods Wade liked but healthier and more balanced. He helped Wade finally get the nutrients he needed consistently without feeling sick to his stomach.

And Wade helped Logan too.

Logan was never allowed to have preferences. To have a sweet tooth or ask for more. To expect quality. But here Wade was, buying him some apple cinnamon-filled pastry just because he looked at it too long in the store.

Logan was never allowed to have dessert. To have sweet food just for the sake of it even after a meal. His eyes become wet as he clutches the pastry between his shaking hands and takes a bite. He's allowed this. To have the comforts in life. To eat just because it tasted good.

Someone cared about him enough to buy him what he wanted just because he'd enjoy them, not just to keep him functioning as a tool. Wade treated him as human. Like he was precious. Like he deserved the nice things in life.

And Wade reminds him of this. He stocks their kitchen with desserts that Logan likes, because he knows that Logan secretly enjoys sweet things. He sees the way he sniffs the air and wanders close to the fresh-baked goods of a bakery. He keeps snacks around the house, so Logan can eat whenever he want. Even if it isn't a "necessary meal."

And Wade learns to be more comfortable and try new variations of foods he likes that Logan makes. Because Logan knows the textures and flavors he hates and is somehow able to create a few new dishes entirely that he likes. He stops dreading mealtime or trying new foods. And Wade feels comfortable just trying the food without pressure, knowing that he can just not finish it if he doesn't want to and that someone else will.

And Logan learns to let himself enjoy eating again. To see it as less of a chore for the maintenance of his body and more as an enjoyable activity. Wade reminds him that he can eat just because he wants to and that it's OK to have preferences and ask for things. Logan feels well cared for. Pampered, almost. And he basks in the feeling of being wanted and loved and being allowed to express it through cooking and food.

[sillygoofyqueer]

Hey, morning all, before I get ready for education- Peak lords as the greek gods (mainly the twelve olympians): - Shang Qinghua = Hermes - Liu Qingge = Ares - Shen Qingqiu = Athena - Wei Qingwei <3 = Hephaestus - Mu Qingfang = Asclepius (I would choose Apollo, but it doesn't vibe well enough for me - plus, Apollo is one of those shifty wide range gods) - Qi Qingqi = either Aphrodite or Hera (maybe Artemis but, despite popular belief spawned by PJO, the Hunters of Artemis was not purely limited to girls - take Orion for example) - Yue Qingyuan = now, even though he's like the head n shit, I don't think he'd be Zeus for...obvious reasons - let me introduce you to Themis, Greek goddess of justice (kind of like his peak n shit!) - Zui Xian Peak Lord = Dionysus (giggles and kicks my feet - that's right, catch me with the most violent form of autism - Making My Two Hyperfixations Kiss And Stuff)

[poisonf0rest]

genuine question because youre one of my favorite writers, you seem to really have a thorough grasp of the characters: what do you see in rafayel that makes him appealing? i try to get past his entitled brattiness because i really want to enjoy all of the guys, but i cant see anything else. please help me understand 🥲

Oh boy, baby, darling, sweetheart, you opened a can of worms. Come do a little bit of character analysis with me~

About Rafayel:

Rafayel is a brat, yes. But that means he wears his heart on his sleeve, outright when he needs your attention or sulking when something is bothering him or faking a dramatic accident to get your attention. There's no silent guessing or fake "I'm fine's," just his overdramatic, raw emotion that's easy to read. He's has anxious attachment stemming from hundreds of years of betrayal and loss.

Rafayel is a romantic, a yearner. And yes, while I also agree his attitude was annoying at first I am very unfortunately into people who get on my nerves, especially when they are flirty and funny as well. I folded during his hospital scene.

Entitled? He is a god. He has been trying and failing to save his entire civilization for over 800 years and still simply can't because he refuses to hurt the one he loves. While all the boys have been through pain there's something about Rafayel's story that really gets me. I think it’s because if I— as mc— knew the sacrifice he was making, I would give myself up. So to have someone selfish enough to place me first is heartbreaking, devoted, and cruel. 

Also there are plenty of scenes where Rafayel is serious, especially if you read between the lines. The brattiness and sass is a playful cover to someone who's been through pain and understands it. Someone who chooses to still see joy and happiness in his life while fully understanding how cruel the world is.

Simply, I'm a sucker for doomed character archetypes. There is no version of Rafayel's and mc's story where they both end happy. Millions of people will die or if mc kills herself Rafayel will live forever as a husk of his former self. Using a sassy, filirty, bratty attitude to cover up such a genuinely depressing story is so juicy to me.

About Me:

I'm a Zayne irl. Work is honestly the most important thing to me outside my family, I'm devoted to my hobbies and leadership positions, and I have a close circle of friends I would do anything for. I'm also fucking hilarious subjective.

I'm the eldest sibling, the guard dog, the de-facto leader for almost everything. I'm the person who had to grow up fast, to parent my immigrant parents at times, who never made space for love, and who is by default independant and comfortable with it.

I prefer to listen-- I love my yapper friends. Don't get me wrong I can talk for hours about anything, but day to day I tend to get exhausted talking after a while so I surround myself with people who can do the easy talking for me.

My irl partner is a mix between Rafayel and Sylus I'd say. He's the one who pulls me out of my work spirals by nagging me until I give in, someone I'm comfortable yapping about my current hyperfixations too, someone who my inner child can come out to. But I also enjoy being a caregiver, that's always been my role and I relish in it, I like being relied upon as much as I appreciate having someone in my life that lets me take a step back. The only part that's Sylus is how his love language is bullying me and his vibe/looks lmao, but usually I am more into raf-stereotypical pretty boys.

So, overall, the appeal of Rafayel to those that choose him:

Rafayel is for the eldest daughters who needs their inner child to be free, who needs a little bit of ridiculousness and impulsiveness in their lives.

Rafayel is for those who never got praised for their effort or strength, for those who success was the only option, who had to be perfect, reliable and serious all the time. He makes it so clear how much simply being with you means to him, constantly complimenting, flirting, and reassuring you just how much he needs you. Showing you how obsessed with you he is.

Rafayel is for those who didn't think love had a place in their lives due to shit family or life circumstances. He proves time and time again that you're the only one he loves. Even though he's lived forever, you were worth the wait and that he would wait again for you, no matter how long it takes. He proves you can be loved, and that it comes easy.

Rafayel is for those who always placed others first. He's more than willing to show you again and again you will always be first in his mind. He needs you more than he does water. Sure, you can take care of him, but he wants to be with you and take care of you, too.

Rafayel is for those who need someone else to drag them out of work/school/spiralling even when they don't want to admit it, bringing in laughter, color, and a little bit of dramatics.

Rafayel is for creators who dedicate themselves to their craft, who are scared of losing this "spark," who want to get better but constantly feel that what they create isn't enough or must be more. 

Rafayel is for hopeless romantics, those that go out of their way to surprise their friends during their birthdays, those who plan platonic dates for those they care about, those who put out so much love into the world and suddenly break when they get that love back.

Rafayel is for those used to having little siblings or those to take care of in our lives. Only while Rafayel relishes in the attention, he's also ready to give it back five-fold.

Rafayel is a switch for switch (brat for brat) lmao. He's for those who like to start on top, teasing and pushing his buttons to get all those cute reactions out of him, just until he breaks. Then he can take control and finish us up. We love vocal men.

Maybe projecting, but Rafayel is the perfect bi-girl's boyfriend. He's a classic pretty boy, unafraid to be in touch with his feminine side, a little dramatic, a little artsy. But he's also super romantic, sensitive, loving, and intense. And gosh, who could say no to those big puppy eyes?

I could probably continue to talk about Rafayel for hours, but ya, hopefully this helps answer why I and others love this man. Just continue on with the main story and read between the lines with his dialogue and I'm sure you'll pick up on it too~

[kasienda]

Why I love Marinette Dupain Cheng

So, I just watched the London Special and I have feelings!!

I want to preface this by saying that I very much didn't resonate with the second half of season five for a lot of different reasons, but that the special really worked for me, gave me what I needed to get to a place to be excited about the potential of season six.

Marinette is a 14 year old superhero who is fundamentally a good person. She tries to do right by others, and when she realizes that she's done harm she genuinely tries to fix it. Now, her character is often portrayed as someone with ADHD. She is subject to tunnel vision, hyperfixating, anxiety spirals, and not always being great at taking other perspectives into account. She's never been good at anticipating how her actions and choices might hurt someone else.

And I LOVE that about her!!!

You know who else is not great about taking other people's perspectives? Fourteen year olds!! Developmentally, they're LEARNING THIS AT THIS AGE!! They're also LEARNING to make decisions and accept responsibility. And they are NOT good at it!! Take it from someone who works with fifteen years olds DAILY!! Even the most "good" well behaved teenager does and says thoughtless harmful things that hurt others sometimes in excruciating ways. And you ask them, "What were you thinking?" after it's blown up in their face and the answer is ALWAYS, "I don't know" OR "I wasn't thinking."

Developmentally, middle school is about fitting in. It is not easy for kids at this age to stand up for what is right, to make decisions that are healthy, to communicate in healthy ways. Marinette's whole character is about learning to do that! And to showcase that you have to show her making mistakes, sometimes even big ones, and learning to take responsibility for those choices.

Marinette salt hurts me so much because the salt seems to paint her at this malicious manipulative girl who wants to control Adrien and the world on whole. That she's malicious in the choices that she's made.

Meanwhile, the narrative is not framing her as in the right when she makes these choices. Kagami told her she disagreed in almost the first scene. Nathalie told her it was time to tell the truth. Throughout the whole special, it's obvious how much the choice she made is weighing on her, how much she's wondering if this was right. She seems to know on some level that it isn't.

THAT IS SO RELATABLE!!!

Have you ever lied to a friend or to your parents? And then, realized huh, I probably shouldn't have done that, but now you're in too deep and don't know how to take it back? Have you ever NOT told someone about a hard truth about themselves or about you because you didn't want to hurt their feelings, and then have to watch as they get hurt or rejected again and again because they just don't realize what the problem is??? Or confronted with someone around you who has lost a lot and just not sure at all what to do in the face of all that? And then to be given the choice to maybe ease the hurt of that loss with a lie? You think you WOULDN'T at least CONSIDER doing that for someone you love??

Do I think it will bite her in the butt? YES!! AND I AM HERE TO SEE IT!

Nathalie tells Marinette they should tell the truth. And Marinette's like, "but you'll go to jail." And Nathalie nods, accepting this. "But then Adrien will be alone." And Nathalie responds with "he'll have you."

DO YOU KNOW HOW TERRIFYING THAT WOULD BE TO HER??

If she does tell the truth, Adrien DOES lose Nathalie. That would hurt him too. Adrien DOES have to deal with the backlash of being Hawkmoth's son both inside his own head and with the world at large. And maybe in the long term, that would be the better choice. But how many of us choose what's better in the long term??? (THE ANSWER HERE IS ALMOST ZERO! I DON'T CARE HOW OLD YOU ARE!)

Bunnyx tells her there will consequences good and bad to every decision she makes. And what matters is how she faces the consequences. How she tries to take responsibility for them in the future.

Marinette is not trying to hurt Adrien here. She's not trying to manipulate or control him. It also doesn't mean she thinks what Gabriel did was right or that she condones his actions. It certainly doesn't mean she's okay with abuse. Everyone saying that she is has the benefit of the global perspective of knowing everything in the show! Marinette does NOT have that perspective.

Does that mean she isn't causing harm? No! She IS probably causing harm here. As so many of us do unintentionally, or sometimes even knowing that we're doing it because doing something else feels impossible to face in that moment.

And when the truth comes out, and I do think Gabriel's identity will come out (I'm less confident about the senti reveal, but that's more because they're literally not allowed to say the words), Adrien is going to have a LOT to work through. But the thing about Adrien, that all of his defenders seem to misunderstand, is that HE IS FORGIVING! If she explains it all to him, he will be angry and maybe hurt, but he is also going to be the first to understand. He's been the one right there next to her with a front row seat to all the pressures she had to face often completely on her own. I think she will be way more angry and hard on herself than he will be on her. That's kinda who his character is. He's NOT VENGEFUL.

This whole show from the beginning has been about characters making mistakes, sometimes learning from them, and being forgiven for them!! And it's the FORGIVENESS AND UNDERSTANDING given to each other after the fact that has brought the characters together time and time again. Watch origins and look at the class dynamic. Then watch guilt trip. The class has come together in a way they absolutely were not in the beginning! Because they have gotten to know each other and forgave each other. Watch Alya apologize to Marinette for telling Nino about still being the fox, and watch Marinette smile and say she knows what it feels like to need to share your secret with your best friend! Watch Ladybug ask Chat Noir if he understands the weight of a secret, and have him dryly agree that he is familiar with the feeling.

They are all flawed characters who make mistakes, who do things that hurt each other even when they're are trying SO HARD to do the opposite, and that's why I love them!!

I like characters making mistakes! I like there to be conflict in my stories.

And what I love about miraculous is that so far, the resolution to conflicts has always been one of listening to each other, and coming to a place of understanding and forgiveness.