#i don't think i am very good at it but i am having a great time

[poohsources]

🐝  *  ―  𝑬𝑷𝑰𝑪: 𝑻𝑯𝑬 𝑴𝑼𝑺𝑰𝑪𝑨𝑳 𝑺𝑬𝑵𝑻𝑬𝑵𝑪𝑬 𝑺𝑻𝑨𝑹𝑻𝑬𝑹𝑺.

Troy Saga ❛  do what i say and you'll see them again.  ❜ ❛  what do you live for? what do you try for?  ❜ ❛  say no more, i know tat i'm ready.  ❜ ❛  the blood on your hands is something you won't lose.  ❜ ❛  is the price i pay endless pain?  ❜ ❛  something feels off here, i see fire but there's no smoke.  ❜ ❛  we should try to find a way no one ends up dead.  ❜ ❛  why should we take when we could give?  ❜ ❛  i see in your face, there's so much guilt inside your heart.  ❜ ❛  have you forgotten the lessons i taught you?  ❜

The Cyclops Saga ❛  it's almost too perfect, too god to be true.  ❜ ❛  what gives you the right to deal a pain so deep?  ❜ ❛  your life now is in my hand.  ❜ ❛  remember them, we're the ones who carry on.  ❜ ❛  what good would killing do when mercy is a skill more of this world could learn to use?  ❜ ❛  i am your darkest moment.  ❜ ❛  i don't know where i went wrong but i warned ya', and you failed the test.  ❜ ❛  that's just like you, why should i be surprised?  ❜ ❛  unlike you, every time someone dies i'm left to deal with the strain.  ❜ ❛  i'll remind you i saw you as a friend but now we're done.  ❜

The Ocean Saga ❛  at this rate, we won't make it out alive.  ❜ ❛  please don't tell me you're about to do what i think you'll do.  ❜ ❛  yes, but how much longer til your luck runs out?  ❜ ❛  you rely on wit, and people die on it.  ❜ ❛  you're like the brother i could never do without.  ❜ ❛  and suddenly you doubt that i could figure this out?  ❜ ❛  keep your friends close and your enemies closer, never really know who you can trust.  ❜ ❛  'cause the end always justifies the means.  ❜ ❛  do you know who i am?  ❜ ❛  you are the worst kind of good 'cause you're not even great.  ❜

The Circe Saga ❛  whatever you need to say can wait some more.  ❜ ❛  there's no length i wouldn't go if it was you i had to save.  ❜ ❛  wouldn't you like a taste of the power?  ❜ ❛  don't thank me friend, you very well may die.  ❜ ❛  did you do something to them?  ❜ ❛  if you make one wrong move, then you're done for.  ❜ ❛  you and i are now evenly matched.  ❜ ❛  you've given me no reason to bestow you with my trust.  ❜ ❛  who's to say, with the mistakes i've made that they will be the last mistakes i ever make?  ❜ ❛  this is the price we pay to love.  ❜

The Underworld Saga ❛  all i hear are screams, every time i dare to close my eyes.  ❜ ❛  i no longer dream, only nigtmares of those who've died.  ❜ ❛  when does a man become a monster?  ❜ ❛  now you tell us our effort's are for nothing?  ❜ ❛  how has everything been turned against us?  ❜ ❛  do i need to change?  ❜ ❛  i'm the only one whose line i haven't crossed.  ❜ ❛  what if i'm the problem that's been hiding all along?  ❜ ❛  what if i've been far too kind to foes but a monster to ourselves?  ❜ ❛  if i became the monster and threw that guilt away would that make us stronger?  ❜

The Thunder Saga ❛  you wouldn't have spared me. i made a mistake like this, it almost cost my life.  ❜ ❛  i've got a secret i can no longer keep.  ❜ ❛  you know that we are the same.  ❜ ❛  we must do what it takes to survive.  ❜ ❛  tell me you did not know that would happen.  ❜ ❛  if you want all the power, you must carry all the blame.  ❜ ❛  how are we supposed to trust you now?  ❜ ❛  how much longer must i suffer now?  ❜ ❛  someone's gotta die today and you have got the final say.  ❜ ❛  please don't make me do this.  ❜

The Wisdom Saga ❛  you've made your worst mistake here.  ❜ ❛  this cruel world doesn't give out presents just for being good.  ❜ ❛  you're my friend, i couldn't ask for more.  ❜ ❛  did you know you talk in your sleep?  ❜ ❛  i'm what you want here, i'm what you need here.  ❜ ❛  you don't know what i've gone through.  ❜ ❛  i know your life's been hard, i'll stay inside your heart.  ❜ ❛  life would be so much worse if you had died.  ❜ ❛  you dare to defy me, to make me feel shame?  ❜ ❛  no one beats me, no one wins my game.  ❜

[gffa]

I'm enjoying Padawan's Pride a lot so far! I am this close to making the effort to clip out some of the book's moments to shove them at you all because the Obi-Wan & Anakin banter is delightful and the author has so far done a really good job of showing the awkwardness and stiffness between them but with an undercurrent of genuine affection and care and the glimmers of the pillars of each others' lives they're starting to grow into. I'm really enjoying the gentle hints of their deeper dynamic, the way Obi-Wan and Anakin don't fully understand each other, the meta conflict of their individual points of view that view a given scene differently, that Anakin thinks of Obi-Wan as distant and unfeeling at times, but then you see Obi-Wan's internal dialogue and you understand just how hard he's working to guide this young kid, and he constantly surprises Anakin with moments of warm humor or opening up about his own emotions. But it's also good on the front of how Anakin is having trouble as a Jedi and it's making me feel a lot of heartwrenching feelings for him, because yeah I see how these can be red flags (the craving of adventure, the misunderstanding of those around him, the way he doesn't really seem to want to control his feelings) but the author presents it in a way that's very sweet and sympathetic to the character, that it's not about fault or pointing fingers (and I think it would be a severe misreading of the story to frame it that way in either direction) but instead about presenting characters as they are, that they're a great fit in some ways and not in others. That Anakin just. Is who he is, in a lot of ways. He misses his mother, he misses the excitement of podracing, he feels trapped as a Jedi--and it's not that the Jedi way is wrong, but that maybe it's not fitting Anakin very well and that's not wrong either. It just is. Mostly the story seems to be focused on the mission--a podracing mission! I'm enjoying how much fun this is--and I'm a little disappointed that Obi-Wan and Anakin are separated about a third of the way into the book, but up until now we've gotten delightful banter--I've laughed out loud at least three times--moments of characterization worth chewing on, and a fun experience. It's a short story, just under four hours long, but one I would cautiously say is worth it so far.

[idkyetxoxo]

Davos Blackwood - Cost of a Kiss

Summary - During a tourney, a rivalry plays out both on the field and in the heated exchange between a sister and a cocky knight. When a wager ends in a kiss, lines blur between anger, pride, and attraction, leaving both tangled in a battle far more personal than any clash of steel.

Pairing - Davos Blackwood x Bracken reader

Warnings - Violence (brief tourney description)

Word count - 2222

Masterlist for Davos • House of the Dragon General Masterlist

A tourney at King's Landing was always a spectacle of grandeur, filled with banners fluttering in the wind, the clash of steel, and the thunderous applause of the crowd. To participate was a matter of great pride, and the excitement was evident. 

Today, I found myself amidst the sea of spectators, seated comfortably in a private box reserved for the family and friends of the competitors, giving me a prime view of the arena.

My brother, Aeron Bracken, was one of those competing, and at the moment, he stood before me on the opposite side of the railing. I leaned forward, adjusting his armour with a careful hand, fulfilling my role as the dutiful sister. 

His nervousness was evident, his eyes darting to the crowd, but I met his gaze with a reassuring smile.

"You'll do great, Aeron. Don't worry," I said softly, trying to ease the tension that weighed on his shoulders. "Fight like you always do. Do not let the crowd rattle you." 

I brushed a loose strand of hair from his face, and with a final nod, he stepped back, slipping on his helmet before joining the throng of knights waiting to compete.

"Poor lad looks like he needs some consoling," came a voice from beside me, laced with a mocking tone. I turned to see a knight with a smirk plastered on his face, the distinctive Blackwood sigil emblazoned on his armour. 

The sight of it alone set my blood to simmer.

"Mind your own affairs," I snapped, irritation flaring as he sauntered closer, his expression amused.

"Quite the mouth on a lady—how unseemly," he remarked, leaning casually on the rail. His eyes roved over me, a slow, deliberate gaze that finally settled on my face. 

"Davos Blackwood," he introduced himself, hand over his heart, extending his palm in a display of chivalry.

I flashed a wicked smile. "I couldn't care less," I retorted, leaving his hand hanging awkwardly. His smirk faltered into a frown, but he quickly recovered.

"You Brackens are a cruel lot," he said, licking his lips slowly as if savouring the moment.

"Is that so?" I shrugged, dismissively turning my attention back to the arena where Aeron was preparing for his match.

Davos followed my gaze. "He's not going to win," he said, his tone smug and assured.

"And you are?" I shot back, narrowing my eyes.

He nodded confidently, puffing his chest. "Naturally. The realm loves a good story, and they won't pass up the chance to pit a Blackwood against a Bracken. Our houses have been at each other's throats for generations."

"There's nothing I'd enjoy more than watching my brother knock you on your pretty little ass," I shot back, my voice dripping with venom. Davos's eyebrows arched in amusement, clearly entertained by my fiery defiance.

"You sound very sure of yourself," he observed, studying me with that infuriating grin still plastered on his face.

"I am," I replied, my lips curling into a tight, unyielding smile. There was no doubt in my mind—Aeron was capable of more than handling the likes of him.

Davos leaned in slightly, mischief flickering in his eyes. "If you're so certain, then let's make a deal," he proposed, his tone casual, yet daring. 

I rolled my eyes, uninterested in whatever nonsense he was about to spew, but he continued, unfazed by my disinterest.

"If I beat your brother, then I get to..." He paused dramatically, pretending to think, dragging out the silence until I finally shot him an impatient glare. "...kiss you."

The audacity of his words hit me like a splash of cold water. I scoffed, astonishment and irritation boiling within me. 

"Absolutely not," I snapped, my voice tinged with disbelief. "You must be out of your mind."

"What's the matter?" he taunted, leaning even closer, his eyes dancing with challenge. "Afraid he'll lose? You sounded pretty sure a moment ago." 

I turned my head, fighting the heat that crept up my neck, betraying me with a blush.

I hated that he could make me second-guess myself, even for a moment. But backing down now would mean letting him win without even stepping into the arena. I couldn't let him have that satisfaction.

"Fine," I huffed, more out of spite than anything else. His grin broadened, satisfaction dripping from every line of his face as though he'd already won.

"I look forward to our kiss," he said, his voice a low, teasing drawl as he finally stepped away, sauntering off toward the other knights with a swagger that grated on my nerves.

I watched him go, biting back a retort. "I'm sure you do," I muttered under my breath, sinking back into my seat, my eyes trailing after him. 

He moved with the easy confidence of someone who thought the world belonged to him, slipping his helmet on as he strutted across the field like it was his personal stage.

The moment I had been waiting for had finally arrived. 

The crowd hushed to a tense silence as Davos and Aeron took their positions at opposite ends of the jousting field. The air was thick with anticipation, the weight of the age-old rivalry between our houses hanging over the arena like a storm cloud. 

I could feel it in my bones, the expectation, the fear, and the fierce hope that my brother would emerge victorious.

Davos sat tall in his saddle, exuding an irritating confidence that made me want to scream. 

Aeron, by contrast, looked focused, his grip on the lance steady and firm. I watched him intently, my heart pounding as he lowered his visor, the gleam of his armour catching the sunlight. 

The signal was given, and both knights charged, their horses kicking up clouds of dust as they hurtled toward each other.

The first clash was a deafening explosion of steel against steel, the sound reverberating through the arena. Aeron held his ground, his lance striking Davos's shield with enough force to make the crowd gasp. 

I gripped the edge of my seat, a surge of pride swelling within me. 

For a moment, it seemed as if Aeron had the upper hand he was relentless, pushing Davos back with every charge, his movements quick and precise. Each impact sent shockwaves through the stands, and I could feel the tension shifting. 

Aeron was winning.

But then, in the blink of an eye, everything changed. Davos, with a calculated manoeuvre, twisted his body at the last second, avoiding Aeron's strike and driving his lance into my brother's shield with brutal precision. 

Aeron wobbled, his balance faltering, and before I could even register what was happening, Davos struck again, this time with a force that sent Aeron sprawling to the ground, his armour clattering against the dirt.

My breath caught in my throat. Aeron struggled to rise, but it was too late. The crowd erupted as Davos rode past, his lance raised in triumph. 

The announcer's voice boomed across the field, declaring Davos Blackwood the victor. 

My stomach twisted painfully, the cheers that filled the air were a bitter contrast to the sinking feeling of defeat.

Davos dismounted with the ease of someone who had done this a hundred times, pulling off his helmet to reveal a face lit with smug satisfaction. He looked directly at me, his expression brimming with the confidence of someone who knew he'd just won more than the match. 

Every line of his face was painted with triumph, his eyes gleaming with that insufferable arrogance.

I could feel the heat rising in my cheeks, a mix of anger, embarrassment, and something I refused to acknowledge.

The tourney continued around me, knights clashing with renewed ferocity as cheers and gasps erupted from the crowd. Yet, I couldn't care less about the ongoing matches. My mind was consumed with one thought, finding Aeron. 

I pushed my way through the bustling throng, weaving between spectators and banners. The small tent set up for treating injuries loomed ahead, and I hurried toward it, desperate to see my brother.

Just as I reached the entrance, a familiar, taunting voice cut through the noise behind me. 

"I believe you have a debt to pay," Davos called out, his voice booming with the confidence of someone who always got what he wanted. 

I turned to see him standing there, still in his armour, his expression infuriatingly smug.

"Luck," I muttered dismissively, turning my back on him and continuing toward the tent, but he was relentless, matching my stride as he followed after me.

"Not luck. I won fair and square," he insisted, his voice chasing me like a persistent shadow. 

I could feel my temper rising, frustration bubbling over as I pinched the bridge of my nose, trying to keep my composure.

I spun around to face him, ready to snap, but Davos was still rambling, savouring his victory and rubbing it in my face with every word. His arrogance was unbearable, and in a sudden, reckless moment, I decided to shut him up the only way I knew how. 

Without another thought, I grabbed him by the collar and leaned in, pressing my lips to his.

For a brief, electric second, everything fell silent. Davos stiffened in surprise, but his response was immediate his hands moved to cradle my face, pulling me closer as if he intended to deepen the kiss. But I was already pulling away, my breath ragged, cheeks flushed from more than just anger.

"There," I said sharply, stepping back and wiping my lips with the back of my hand, fighting the smile that threatened to break free. "You got your kiss. Now we're done."

Davos blinked, momentarily stunned, but his smirk quickly returned, though there was something softer in his eyes now, something almost playful. 

"I barely got to enjoy it," he teased, falling into step beside me as I resumed my search for Aeron.

"Well, tough," I shot back, crossing my arms over my chest, refusing to look at him. "Maybe you should've stopped rambling if you wanted it to last."

I scanned the tent, searching for any sign of my brother, but all I found were bruised knights and the smell of herbs thick in the air. Aeron was nowhere to be seen, and anxiety gnawed at me. 

Davos, however, was still at my side, his presence impossible to ignore.

"Your brother fought well," he said, his voice losing some of its mocking edge as if he sensed my growing concern. "He'll be alright."

I shot him a sideways glance, momentarily thrown by the sincerity in his tone. It was almost as if he was trying to comfort me, and that only made me more irritated. 

I didn't need sympathy from a Blackwood, least of all from the one who had just put my brother in the dirt.

"Save it," I said, swallowing the knot in my throat. "I don't need your reassurances, and neither does he." 

I turned away, forcing myself to stay focused on finding Aeron but as much as I tried to ignore him, Davos's presence lingered, persistent and maddening, like the kiss we had just shared, brief, impulsive, and impossible to forget.

Finally, I spotted Aeron in the distance, talking quietly with another knight near the edge of the tents. Relief flooded me, and I lifted my skirts, rushing toward him, weaving through the crowd with determined urgency.

"Aeron!" I called out, breathless as I reached him. He turned, and though his eyes met mine with a flicker of warmth, they were overshadowed by the unmistakable weight of disappointment. 

Still, I tried to lift his spirits, offering him a bright smile. "You fought so well," I said, hoping to chase away the sadness that clung to him.

He shook his head, a faint, rueful smile tugging at his lips. "But I still lost," he replied, his voice heavy with frustration and self-doubt.

"Three out of four opponents is nothing to scoff at," I said, my voice firm and encouraging. "Those are impressive numbers, Aeron. You made us all proud." 

I watched as a reluctant smile finally broke through his solemn expression, the edges of his lips curving up despite himself.

Aeron's smile faded as he looked closer, narrowing his eyes as he examined my face. 

"You've got sand on your chin," he said, a touch of amusement lacing his tone as he reached out, wiping a smudge away with his thumb.

My heart skipped a beat, my mind immediately flashed back to Davos, and I realized what had happened. The sand on Aeron's fingers had come from my face, transferred from Davos during that kiss. 

My cheeks flushed at the realization, a mix of embarrassment and a strange, unbidden thrill.

I glanced over my shoulder, and there he was, Davos, leaning casually against a post, watching me with that maddeningly self-assured grin. His face, too, bore streaks of sand, a telltale sign of our impulsive encounter. 

When our eyes met, he winked, an infuriatingly bold and knowing gesture that sent my thoughts spiralling. I bit my lip, fighting the urge to smile as I turned back to Aeron, pretending not to notice the triumphant gleam in Davos's eyes.

My mind drifted back to that stolen kiss, to the infuriating knight who had somehow managed to rattle me in ways I never expected. 

I couldn't decide what angered me more, Davos's arrogance, my own impulsiveness, or the undeniable truth that, despite it all, I was already looking forward to the next time our paths would cross.

A/n - Set out to a match and somehow ending up jousting with Davos Blackwood's lips 🫦

[theheightofdishonor]

GL Recs Masterlist

I've watched a couple hundred gls now and so I thought i'd put it to good use and help other people find some. There's not enough gl rec lists anyway

First things first, I'll like to direct you to https://mydramalist.com/list/1xrpwdW3 which is a gl rec list on mdl with more than 200+ titles + links. It's an EXCELLENT resource, kept up to date and even tracks upcoming titles.

Now for stuff that I've watched and thought are decent. I'll link all of these to their mdl page and the links to watch the show can usually be found in the comments. If you're new to gl, be warned that a lot of these are pretty short, ranging from 1-30 minutes.

1 in 10,000 (2018) Korea. This is a soulmates piece told in 3 parts following two girls through different parts of their lives. I think this got more confusing as it went on but I really liked Act I and I think it's worth watching. It's beautiful and angsty and a bit artsy. I'm pretty sure it has a happy ending but don't quote me on that.

Afraid of (2019) Korea. A short film about a girl struggling with her sexuality. Yeah, I know, there's a THOUSAND of these but I do like this one. It's beautifully shot and there's a lot of heart.

Am I the only one with butterflies? (2018) Korea. A girl blogs about falling in love with the manager at her new job. I like part ii better than part one but it's just cute and the pining is very similar to het kdramas.

Anonymous high school girl (2022) Korea. A low stakes love triangle. Good chemistry, low budget, awful kisses.

The Beauty of the Law (2023) China- If you're not familar with chinese gls, I think it's certainly something to get used to. This is like in the top 1% of the category. It's an ad for Adolph Shampoo and i'm going to let you know that they're going to appear often on this list because they make excellent gls. It's a historical about a female unlicensed lawyer trying to help a woman escape her abusive marriage. Makes great points about gender imbalances and women's historical lack of legal rights in China. (f you like this one, Sheng Wei, one of the actresses stars in 50%+ of all chinese gls, check her out)

Beguine (2018) Thailand - It's if the school dancing scene in My School President was a 30 minute sequence with two girls. No plot but adorable.

Cat in the eastern palace (2020) China - Watch this just to have the surreal experience of seeing like 3 whole cdrama arcs which normally take 20ish eps executed in a 7 minute timeframe. Also because it stars laoji who's in the other 50% of chinese gls. As for plot, it's about a cat spirit and a girl pretending to be the crown prince.

Clasper (2021) Thailand - And they were roommates! I liked the production, the dialogue and the acting was pretty decent.

Couple of Mirrors*** (2021) China- Wait to watch this because it will ruin you for everything else. This is like typical thai bl length, like 12 45~min episodes. It's a historical mystery about a wealthy woman who finds out about her husband's affair with her bff and the photographer she enlists to help her. If you watch one thing out of China, watch this.

Dear My Girlfriend (2021) Korea - A group project ft love triangle. It´s pretty classic. A girl starts dating someone who likes her only to realize she might instead be in love with her best friend. The editing is cute. It's a touch angsty as love triangles are and pretty well done.

Dear Uranus (2021) Taiwan. Another school love triangle. Does feature an adorkable female character, you know a bit awkward, a bit cutesy, if you hate this archetype, ignore this one. Personally I think the chemistry for the lead couple was lacking (genuinely shocking considering taiwan tends to be great at this) but both the love interests are hot and I am not immune to hot women

The Demonic lord and the virtuous cultivator (2021) China - Avoid this if you don't like toxic yuri. I personally love it so this is 10/10 for me. Orphan gets taken in by a benevolent benefactor who turns out to be her parents' killer and eventually....you know what go watch it.

Encore Martha (2021) Taiwan. One of the few gls about older women. A tomboy reunites with her first love. This one's only available on gagaoolala so you'll either need a subscription or sometimes they promote it for free. If you can find it though, it's worth a watch.

Family Plan (2016) Korea. This is a bit of an odd one to describe. The first half is two high school girls who are dating. And then the second half is their relationship as adults where they marry guys and use it to have a kid that they raise as theirs. I liked how this examined how two gay people would go about their relationship in in a world where they can't freely be with each other.

Favorite Girl (2022) Thailand. Very standard plot about a girl suffering from a breakup and her roommate but something about it stuck out to me.

Five steps to accept farewell (2016) Korea. Warning for unhappy ending. This is all pure angst, a 9 minute snapshot into a breakup. I like how it's done and the messiness of the situation.

Fragrance of the first flower (2021) Taiwan. A beautifully shot, beautifully acted, slightly too short show about two ex-lovers reuniting ft. all the angst about living in a homophobic society. It stayed in my head for weeks after I first watched it.

Girls Blood** (2014) Japan. A movie about 4 "girls" in an underground fight club. warnings for rape, trauma, domestic assault. One of the main characters is a trans man. There are sex scenes. It's very queer and I highly recommend.

Girls Love** (2016) China. Pre-censorship China had some very wonderful queer work and one of them was this movie It's about a girl who falls in love with her hot butch roommate ft all the tropes AND we get to see them function in a relationship instead of the movie ending when they get together. Warning for both characters being forcibly outed at the end. (nothing bad really happens to them after though). Also do NOT watch the sequel. If you go to mdl, everyone else will also tell you not to watch the sequel and I foolishly did not listen to those people because I liked these girls so much and I suffered for my mistake.

The Girls on Rela (2016) China. It's an anthology of short, I wouldn't say stories, more like moments, sponsored by a lesbian dating app. Each one's really short but the acting and scripts are all pretty good.

The Girls on Rela Season 2** (2016) China. This is sponsored by the same company but it's a totally different format. It's one long show about two girls cohabiting. Pretty well executed if a bit slow.

Graduation, Present + Propose (2021) Korea. A short about a high school girl giving a graduation present to her crush. What it does it does well. It's pretty.

The Handmaiden (2016) Korea. Historical set movie about a conman and thief girl who plot to steal a heiress’s fortune. I make it sound boring but that's only because it's a pretty popular movie and everything to be said about it has already been said.

Happy to have you here (2021) Thailand. Two friends have a sleepover and figure out their feelings. This is definitely in the top 20% for this trope, even though they rushed just a tad into the kiss.

Hello, spring is coming (2019) Korea. I'll let you read the synopsis for this one. What you need to know is that it's pretty, well acted, has good chemistry and is as brightly colored as a lollipop. It's a bit disorienting, parts of it doesn't make a lot of sense but it's a fun time.

I broke up because of you (2023) Korea- A bartender and their client catches feelings for each other. The dynamic is nice, the kiss less so but it can be forgiven.

I’m her weapon (2022) China- It's kinky, it's angsty, it's 3 minutes long and still fits in a separation arc. I would pay money for an extended version.

Kanojo no Kuchidzuke Kansensuru Libido (2022) Japan - two girls fall in love in a hospital. I like the tone of this one.

The L Bang** (2015) China- Another Rela production. It's a 4 episode comedy about a bunch of lesbians + (1) gay man who live in the same apartment complex. It's got queer friendship, queer acceptance and queer love. It's just wonderful. It feels like 2000s American sitcoms but queer and Chinese.

Led Astray by Love (2022) China- Fairly long for a cgl. A girl gets transported to a manhwa and falls in love with the ruler. Sunshine/grumpy. This baby is 52 minutes long and covers like the same amount of plot as word of honor does in 30 something episodes.

Legend of Yunze (2021) China - A human and a half demon vanquish demons from a village. It has a second season and a special that I haven't watched yet.

The Lost World** [Xia Ye Zhi Dao Feng De Tian] (2023) China - After watching as much cgl as I have, I was shocked to see Laoji in a modern piece. This is a college setting running-into-a-childhood-friend trope. The pacing and chemistry are both pretty good. It's one of my favorites from her.

Love in the Tinder Age** (2019) Korea- A black comedy about a bullied lesbian's failed suicide attempt ft psychics, ghosts and a teacher/student relationship. It's not really a gl because the main character doesn't get a romance BUT it's really fun so you should watch it anyway.

Love of Secret** (2022) Thailand- More of a slice of life than a love story but it's cute and fluffy and the main character very much is in a relationship. The actual plot is about a med student who's hiding both her relationship with her best friend and her dreams to be an idol. I found it positively charming.

Lover’s Concerto** (2002) Korea- Calling this a gl is a stretch. It's more just queer? The girls were most likely in love but they don't end up together and the movie itself doesn't really have a happy ending. I did find it beautiful though.

Mayfly angel (2024) Korea- Classic discovers-feelings-for-bestie-after-a-breakup plot. Warning that this is angsty and they don't end up together. But I found it realistic and I liked that they felt like two real people. Take that how you will.

Miss shen and the woman warlord (2023) China- a woman cross-dresses as another young woman's fiance and they fall in love. Despite how i describe it, there's a decent amount of plot and some political commentary.

More or less than 75 celsius (2019) Korea- A tea master and her supervisor fall in love. It's sparse and short but cute.

My Dear (2021) Thailand. A drunk girl confesses to her friend and luckily for her, it's mutual. It's 5 minutes long but it uses its time well and the acting is nice. It feels a bit like gmmtv's confessions. If you like it, the production company ShakeShoulder makes TONS of gl shorts and i'd recommend checking them out.

No distance left to run  (2022) Hong Kong. a 15 minute short film about how fame causes issues in a pop star's relationship. Unhappy ending. The song's a bop though and it's well done.

Nü er hong** (2023) China. I forgot to mention but this one, the legend of yunze and the lost world are all produced by the same studio. They do a lot of fairly long chinese gls. The story is about these two beings from an alien world who crash land on earth and are hunted. One is a healer and the other is a killer, they're in love, the killer goes insane so her lover kills her. Unbeknownst to them, they're immortal so the killer wakes up with no memories 200 years later. The pacing is better than some of their earlier stuff but it's not quite perfect here yet. It is one of my favorites from the studio though and it ends happily.

Our relationship ended before it began (2022) Korea. A barista falls in love with her manager at a coffee shop ft gender roles, miscommunication and the classic "cool one picks on the nice one to show affection" trope.

Pyramid Game** (2024) Korea. This is more gl adjacent like Devil Judge and Beyond Evil. There is a secondary gl couple that's more explicitly canon though. If you've watched other kdramas about school bullying, this is pretty similar except it's an all-girls school and everyone is so gay. It's got so much heart and is one of my favorite shows of the year.

Really, Lily? (2019) Korea. A 6 minute short about two girls who visit a cafe and beats up two men who were making homophobic remarks about them. It's surprisingly comedic and the coloring is bright to match. Features a pretty decent kiss. Watching it, I wished it was longer but what's there is still good.

Secret of us (2024) Thailand. The only longform thai gl that i've liked enough to finish. It's about an idol who comes back to win over her doctor ex. It falters from ep 6 onwards but until then, the show is really good at showing the emotional thought processes of the characters and the way they construct the story is compelling, even though I don't even like second chance romances.

Shackles (2023) China. Another one from the Chinese shampoo ad. The pairing itself is not my favorite but it's so cool that this is basically a warning against nuclear pollution AND features chinese mythology that's used in the brand's marketing. Like a 3 in 1. It's so interesting.

She Makes My heart flutter (2022) Korea. Baby lesbian finds out her aunt runs a lesbian bar and starts working there. It's so goddamn cute but it has this weird relationship with homophobia where everyone in the show is apparently 100% ok with queerness but a lot of the aunt's actions is so driven by her being a queer person in an unaccepting society. A bit like how Moonlight Chicken deals with Jin and Li Ming's different attitudes towards being queer except they don't dwell on why the aunt is the way she is or what she's been through. Anyways, it's worth a watch.

Sleep with me (2022) Philippines. A 6 episode series about two girls who are disabled in different ways fall in love. One of them can only sleep during the day and the other is in a wheelchair and the show does a pretty decent job at showing how these disabilities affect their lives and their relationship

Soshite, Yuriko wa Hitori ni Natta** (2020) Japan. If you follow me, you may have seen me talk about this show earlier this year because I found it and promptly fell in love. It's not quite gl but Mizuki's actions are all driven by the fact that she's in love with Yuriko. It's queerer than you would expect, less queer than you might want. It's a supernatural-adjacent school horror about a girl who's new school has a weird thing where every year, a girl named Yuriko becomes "Yuriko sama" and rules the school while everyone else in that year with the same name mysteriously dies. Yuriko's best friend Mizuki plots to make the sweet innocent Yuriko the newest Yuriko-sama to save her life. It's weird, there's plot holes everywhere by the end, it definitely vilifies it's gays and the ending is weak but it's such a compelling watch.

Stand-in love (2023) Philippines. 2 best friends have a ‘stand in’ relationship where the straight one helps the lesbian one learn how to court someone but they end up falling in love with each other. Like 20 min long and I love it.

Ti Shen** [The substitute] (2017) Taiwan. The mdl synopsis can describe the plot better than I can but it's a romance between an idol and a normal girl that's split into two parts. The first half is about them meeting in high school, the second is when they reunite later on a movie set where one of them is the other's stunt double. I think the first part could've been a bit longer but it's a great movie.

Transit Girls (2015) Japan. Stepsisters. Happy ending though and it's fairly long. I liked this mostly because I like Japan's moody stuff. I also liked how they handled the male love interest.

Truth or Dare (2022) Korea. A 10 minute short about two girls who like each other playing truth or dare. It does a great job at building tension and revealing things without saying it.

Tsukuritai Onna to Tabetai Onna** (2022) Japan. A woman who loves to cook comes to an arrangement with her neighbor who loves to eat. Japan does food-centered dramas better than everyone else and this is no exception. The romance itself is slow and you watch how their dynamic changes through this and the season two that came out this year.

The Twelve flower gods: Camelia (2020) China. A xianxia romance about a girl falling in love with a flower but it's a minute twenty so I promise you're not watching for the plot. You're watching to witness the ridiculous amount of innuendos that they manage to fit in under two minutes.

Twin souls of destiny (2023) China. Xianxia romance between two elves, one who is made from the memories of the other's past life. I want someone else to watch this so we can discuss whether or not this is selfcest. The color combination is interesting because I very rarely see lovers in red and purple. The time travel is confusing but it's a good time and laoji is in it.

Until Rainbow Dawn** (2018) Japan. Movie about two deaf girls falling in love ft homophobic parents. The director is a deaf lesbian herself so the movie does a wonderful job in how it depicts deafness and their relationship. It's really well done

When the light pours (2022) Korea. A girl's boyfriend wants her to sing him a song so she enrolls in guitar lessons and ends up falling in love with her teacher. The girls don't get together and I really wish they had! So if you watch this, don't watch the ending and pretend that they did end up together.

[howlingday]

Ruby's Handlers Pt. 4

Pt. 1 / Pt. 2 / Pt. 3 /

Ruby: It's pretty cold up here.

Jaune: Do you want my hoodie?

Ruby: Wh- Then you wouldn't have a jacket.

Velvet: She won't fit! It's too big for her!

Ruby: Yeah, and I have more blubber than you!

Jaune: (Takes off his hoodie) No, it's okay, here. (Hands over hoodie)

Audience: AAAW~!

Ren: Will it fit you?

Ruby: (Putting on the hoodie) Oh, it smells like you, too~!

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

Video Game Girl: Hm... Could you let me think about it~?

Jaune: OOOOOOOOOH! OH MY GOD!

Ruby: COME! ON! I GAVE YOU! A LACE PARASOL! A TEASET! A BRACELET!

Jaune: She's just not that into you, bro.

Ruby: I! AM! IN! LOVE! WITH! YOU!

Jaune: You just gotta let it go.

Ruby: I WANNA PUT MY FACE BETWEEN YOUR BOOBS!

Jaune: Er, well, I mean... I think that goes without saying.

Jaune: Here. Come on, dude. Bring it in. Bring it in. Bring it in. C'mon, bring it in. C'mo- There you go! (Hugs, Pats) There's my special girl~! It'll be okay. It'll be okay, Ruby. It's gonna be okay~.

Ruby: (Sobbing into his lap)

Jaune: C'mon. Let's check out one of the other islands. (Sniffs) Your hair smells great.

Ruby: (Quietly) Thank you~. (Loudly sobs)

Jaune: I know! I know! (Laughing)

Ruby: SHE SAID SHE'D THINK ABOUT IT!

Jaune: D-Don't nestle into my lap like that!

Ruby: SHE SAID SHE'D THINK ABOUT IT AND SHE DIDN'T THINK ABOUT IT! SHE JUST WENT ON AND TOOK HER SHOWER! "OOH, IT'S TOO HOT~!"

Jaune: Weiss?! WEISS?!

Ruby: IT'S NOT HOT AT ALL! (Sobbing)

Jaune: WEISS?! COME GET YOUR GIRL!

Ruby: (Babbles) A parasol! So she wouldn't get hot anymore!

Jaune: Okay, next time on Lancaster- (Laughing)

Ruby: A teaset so she could drink with her friends! NOT ME OBVIOUSLY!

Jaune: ...C'mon. Let's play some Hokor, okay? C'mon, buddy. It's alright. Velvet and Yang are gonna come over and we're all gonna hang out and have a good time, okay? I'll get you ice cream. You want some ice cream? I can craft it into that video game girl's boobs.

Ruby: ...

Jaune: ...AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGH!

Ruby: (Cackling with Jaune)

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

Ruby: Where'd my controller go?!

Jaune: I dunno.

Ruby: Where's mine?!

Jaune: That's weird...

Ruby: JAAAUNE~!

Jaune: It's up there, on the- on the thing.

Ruby: Where?! Oh, there it is.

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

Ruby: What's this?

Jaune: That's a Monsieur Marcel.

Ruby: What's in his hands? Taxes?

Jaune: No, kids don't really play with taxes. But if you put all the papers in his hand, and they stay, then we're all living in a reality~! But if you can't then-

Ruby: (Grabs paper) ZHEE~!

Jaune: Okay, and- Oh, that is "zhee"! Very good, Ruby-

Ruby: (Raises hand for high five)

Jaune: No, wait, that's something else... It's, uh, the one that's backwards of that...

Ruby: (Lowers hand) Verbert?

Jaune: That's... not a letter.

Ruby: (Grabs papers) Look, there's zhee, there's verbert-

Jaune: Doo-blah-veh.

Ruby: Macaron-

Jaune: That's a dessert.

Ruby: And there's... delicious onions~.

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

Ruby: And they're all, "HEY, KIDS, COME LICK THE SPOON~!"

Ruby: (Licks spoon)

Jaune: RUBY, THAT HAS RAW EGGS ON IT!

Ruby: (Retches, Spits away) Mm~! De- Delicious~!

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

Jaune: Ruby, Weiss brought you TWO oven mitts! For BOTH of your hands!

Ruby: (Mockingly grubmbles)

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

Ruby: I AM... THE NIGHT!

Weiss: I am the night, and you got that Ru-booty~.

Ruby: No, Batman has that booty. I have an old lady's booty.

Weiss: Oh, will you stop? No one wants to hear you say you're ugly because you are clearly not!

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

Jaune: "Find the right colored ball and be showered in kisses."

Ruby: I play this game with Weiss all the time~.

Jaune: (Laughs) "Find the right colored ball, Weiss~. They're blue. AGAIN!"

[biggie-chcese]

ranking rain code lets plays on how much i enjoy/would recommend them

hi did you know i am incredibly autistic about this game and have watched, in full, several lets plays of it? and im still going? haha yeah im normal. anyway here goes... all lets plays ive watched from best to worst:

#1 Highest recommendation: JustOneGamr. ESPECIALLY for people who are going in blind. im so serious. it's the best way to experience as much of the game as possible without playing it yourself. They go through all of the content, side quests, gumshoe gabs, profiles, DLC, and even most of the flavor text. it's also a no commentary run, which i personally see as a massive boon because they aren't influencing your opinions of the game

#2: Pixel Partners. they've got real good vibes and they actually do the side quests. it's also fun to listen to their theories and see their reactions. they're one of the few who dont spend their time complaining and give more valid constructive criticisms than others. they also have the funniest reaction to the chapter 5 reveal

#3: JohnAwesome. his humor sometimes isn't particularly for me but boy is his lets play enjoyable. also has lots of positive vibes and is generally pretty entertaining. i dont remember if he does side quests but im pretty sure he does. he will easily make chapter 4 even more gut wrenching thanks to a very specific kind of incompetence on his part, which in hindsight is really funny

#4: NyanCave. they're pretty fun and also have great vibes! i like their chemistry a lot. they have some pretty good theories and good jokes, but they will spend a lot of time on responding to chat donations. this is fine like get that bag kings but if you're impatient like me it might get annoying after a while lol. it's especially bad in chapter 5, where the tension dies because of their waifu fight donations

#5: NicoB. I was never really a NicoB fan because he's a bit too loud and high energy for me, but his rain code lets play is still pretty good! he seems to have fun playing the game and even has a few good jokes. i think he does the side quests which is a plus but i could be misremembering. i still quote "and now back to yuma crackhead" to this day so there's that

#6: Faz Faz. This another no commentary run but for people who are in a rush. they go through the game as quickly as possible. frankly, i think these kinds of lets plays are not as good as the ones that go through the sidequests, but hey, it's there if you just want the main plot and gumshoe gabs

#7: Save Data. I don't recommend this one to people experiencing rain code for the first time because they will talk over the cutscenes and dialogue and that will get annoying. they also complain quite a bit about the same things over and over which can also get tiresome (im sorry guys i do Not care about graphics as much as you do). however, they're really funny and it's good for a second or third experience of the game. "this city..." is a highly prevalent vocal stim for me thanks to them. they will shit on on the game often though, so if you really love rain code and dont want to hear that, then avoid this one lol. but you do get to see my art at the end of their vids! that's pretty cool!

#8: Rat Attack. i straight up don't recommend this one. it's easily the worst one i've seen and that's sad because i really love their pngtuber avatars. they're not finished with the game yet and that's probably because they spend so much time ranting and yapping about everything else, or just concocting the most baffling theories known to man and spending wayyy too much time on them. you will also hear a lot of unfunny halara gender jokes sorry. sometimes they are funny in other ways but it's honestly not worth it unless you're like me and keep watching out of obsession for the game.

that's all the ones ive watched in full (so far)! here's a couple others i haven't seen in full but have seen small parts of:

Weeby Newz - she's got some fun reactions from what ive seen and is pretty funny too. i have only really watched her play chapters 4 and 5 though, so i cant give a full opinion. i dont care for yakou fathero as a concept though and she seems pretty heavy on that, but if you like that you may enjoy her let's play. i may go back and finish it soon!

CurtStreamy - genuinely very funny from what ive seen though in chapter 5 his whole crew has a pretty fundamental misunderstanding of makoto's character, which can be a little irritating. either way, most of it is great but his live chat sucks. i still need to watch the rest in full to form a full opinion

CrystAAHHL - ohhh she did Not like this game lmao. she is a based makoto enjoyer though. i only watched the highlight reel though i think watching her full streams would just make me tired. i personally dont like watching lets plays if the person playing isnt having any fun

JazzyGuns - unfinished but she is really funny and has good vibes. if you can cope with her probably never finishing the game then go for it

khee chu - im still in the process of watching this one in full but it's fun so far. i will say CHECK OUT KHEE'S MERCH AND SHINIGAMI X JUNKO ART!!! THE ART IS RLY CUTE!!!!

and that's everything! there's other lesser known ones out there but im just one guy i cant watch em all despite how determined i am to do so </3 above all else i want people to get the game but like, yknow, some folks dont got $60 to spend on a game lol. anyway have fun and happy watching!

[meimi-haneoka]

༻✦༺ Welcome! ༻✦༺

Last update Sept. 26th, 2024

Hello and welcome to my main blog, my little home where I share my love for Cardcaptor Sakura and CLAMP works to the world! ✨

I'm Cinzia, she/her, Italian. Aged in a barrel of hyperfixations and daydreams. You might wonder, why this blog url if this is mainly a CCS blog? Well, when I opened this blog more than 10 years ago I was heavily focused on Kaitou Saint Tail, but when I started posting more and more about CCS, at some point I realized it was too late to change url or all the links to the posts I had shared around would become broken.

Regardless! I have closely followed the serialization of Cardcaptor Sakura Clear Card ever since it began and my monthly commentary became something more when I realized the official English translation wasn't doing justice (to use an euphemism) to the original Japanese version. My friends and other fans in general were left confused and misguided by the countless translation mistakes (some to the point of changing the plot), so I started pointing them out in my monthly posts.

I also post other kind of stuff, like reports of CLAMP Spaces when they talk about CCS, or long time ago I posted summaries of interviews with the staff of the Clear Card anime. I plan to eventually translate those fully, considering my skills with Japanese language improved since then. But please remember that "English is not my first language" etc etc., so if some sentences sound weird, you already know why. Now that the manga is over, I post with irregular schedule some in-depth analysis and trivia about the story, examining one topic at a time. Despite being a CLAMP fan and loving other stories as well, I chose to focus on and dedicate myself to CCS in particular, due to time and limited mental resources. Thinking about following me? That's great, thank you! ✨ But if there's an idiom I love, it's "good fences make good neighbours", so please make sure to understand what kind of blog you're about to follow. I consider this my fandom home so additionally to those posts I mentioned above, I also unapologetically post about the ships I love. I love to analyze, I like to theorize. I don't disguise, I don't tiptoe.

I am a CCS fan born in SyaoSaku, and reborn with YunaAki, with currently a preference for the latter ones. If you're curious to know what my POV on this pairing is, you can get a very clear idea looking at my #yunaaki and #cosmos & crystals hashtags . If for any reason that's not ok with you, you're absolutely free to unfollow or even block me. In fact, I encourage you to do so. I'm here on this site to enjoy what I like, not to make anyone miserable. Unkind asks will be ignored; attempts to "lecture me" about what is acceptable and what not, what I can like and what not will probably be laughed at (I'm old for this stuff, it doesn't work with me). On the contrary, if you like YunaAki too, you'll be more than welcome here! Send me a message to share our headcanons! ✨

Now that we've cleared that up, here you can find the real reason why I wanted to make this new introductory pinned post: a convenient list with links to all my relevant posts, organized by category! I will update this list as I add new posts, so always check the date at the top for new additions! 👍

Cardcaptor Sakura Clear Card: commentary + translation differences

(started at chapter 41 because that's when I got access to ENG scans) Collected under the hashtag #translation differences . The first posts might be a bit overzealous, as I was getting the hang of it. TBA: I have a bigger project for this in the works, an easier way to browse through all the relevant translation differences, divided by chapters and volumes, starting by chapter 1 (even marked by severity).

41 || 42 || 43 || 44 || 45 || 46 || 47 || 48 || 49 || 50 || 51 || 52 || 53 || 54 || 55 || 56 || 57 || 58 || 59 || 60 || 61 || 62 || 63 || 64 || 65 || 66 || 67 || 68 || 69 || 70 || 71 || 72 || 73 || 74 || 75 || 76 || 77 || 78 || 79 || 80 || Epilogue || Short stories 01 || 02 || 03 || 04 || 05 ||

Cardcaptor Sakura Clear Card Trivia series

All about Clear Card, from the most mundane trivia to the deepest thematics presented in it. Collected under the hashtag #clear card trivia .

Clear Card Trivia 1 ~ Literary and musical references/mentions in Cardcaptor Sakura Clear Card

Clear Card Trivia 2 ~ Alice in Clockland and its meaning in Cardcaptor Sakura Clear Card

Clear Card Trivia 3 ~ Sakura's journey of growth and self-understanding throughout Cardcaptor Sakura Clear Card

Clear Card Trivia 4 ~ The most ancient Magicians of Europe, the Magic Association and their role in Clear Card

Clear Card Trivia 5 ~ Real life models of buildings featured in Cardcaptor Sakura Clear Card 🆕

Cardcaptor Sakura Clear Card Timeline

An easy-to-read timeline of the events and facts depicted in Clear Card, placed correctly in chronological order inside the bigger Cardcaptor Sakura story.

Cardcaptor Sakura Clear Card Timeline

English translations of short stories and Drama CDs

Cardcaptor Sakura Clear Card BD vol. 8 one shot

Card Captor Sakura Clear Card Arc - Drama CD part 1

Card Captor Sakura Clear Card Arc - Drama CD part 2

Clear Card manga volume 10 Special Edition bonus - Mini Book

Sakura & Syaoran parallels in CCS and TRC

Discontinued, even though I know there are more. Who knows, maybe one day I'll continue it! Collected under the hashtag #syaosaku parallels .

1 ~Hands~ || 2 ~Pinky Promises~ || 3 ~Hugs~ || 4 ~”Tell me”~ || 5 ~Desperate hug~ || 6 ~Scream and shout~

CLAMP Space reports

Reports and in some cases translation of entire chunks of conversation from CLAMP Spaces on Twitter.

July 30th, 2021 || September 5th, 2021 || March 27th, 2022 || April 4th, 2022 || August 7th, 2022 || October 24th, 2022 || November 8th, 2022 || December 28th, 2022 || January 4th, 2023 || May 5th, 2023 || January 8th, 2024 || April 1st, 2024 ||

Interviews with the Clear Card anime staff and cast

Highlights and recaps of the interviews released during the period of broadcasting of the Clear Card anime. If you want to know what kind of feelings and ideas Clear Card was made with, as well as the origin of the 25th anniversary project (which turned into Clear Card), check these out. I plan to translate these entirely, so this list is only temporary, waiting for the complete interviews.

Interview with CCS Clear Card producer Chiyo Kawazoe in Animage 12/2017

Morio Asaka x Sakura Tange interview in Newtype 05/2018

Highlights of Morio Asaka’s interview in the Starter Book

Interview with Yukana (Meiling’s VA) in Animage 06/2018

Interview with Sakura Tange and Motoko Kumai in Animage 07/2018

Interview with Sho Saito (Nakayoshi editor) and Nozomi Matsuura (CCS copyrights manager) in Animedia 07/2023 (full interview)

Other random stuff collected under hashtags:

My fanarts

My fics for YunaAki (to be moved soon)

Enjoy your stay! ✨

[eri-pl]

You are a great believer of the only Eru can create true life theory it seems from your posts- what origins of dragons do you subscribe to then in how they were made from something else? How much personhood do you ascribe to individuals among them with variation/free will?

Thank you for the ask! I love asks!

First, maybe I am pedantic on words, but I like to be on the same page, so:

I don't fully agree with the word "believer" in context of a fictional setting, especially given that they are people (I've seen one on YT) who genuinely seem to believe in the Legendarium as mythology/religion/I'm not sure what word to use. I don't.

I respect (or sometimes hype about maybe too much) some of Tolkien's ideas on hot his legendarium ties to the real world, can't internalize some others, but at the end of the day, it is fiction, so the question is less "what is true" and more "what makes sense with the story and world", "what Tolkien intended".

And I do believe (based on things I read and watched on YT) that Tolkien did intend to "evil cannot create true life" and "only Eru can create souls". Does "true life" mean "sentient", or "alive in general"? If "sentient", how is that different from "having a soul"? I have no idea. But anyway yea, "Morgoth can't make things that have free will" is a very safe bet about what tolkien thought of it. And does make sense with the story.

(Still, I will take this wording as a compliment. thank you.)

I don't have a single strong HC about how dragons were made. Made from lizards? From big snakes? From dinosaurs which he somehow stole from Valinor (unlikely because siege)? Probably mutated some big lizards.

Personhood? Hmm. the text is tricky there (even a bit contradictory), but I would go with the "they have bits of Morgoth's will in them, a bit like the Ring had Sauron's". No personhood.

My default assumption about various types of more-or-less monsters is:

deeply corrupted Elves/Men: full personhood, but extreme mental issues due to trauma / generational trauma and probably their free will is, how to say it, imprisoned deep inside their minds, so very unlikely to behave in a good way (think: very strong addiction, some extreme mental ilnesses): all variants of Orcs. (Yes, it makes killing them complicated, I can live with that) (Also I did a post on Orcs and how would I try to make them more metaphysically coherent. TLDR they revert after some generations of not being moderated)

fallen spirits: full personhood, self-inflicted (+ some help from evil superiors) trauma, more effective free will, could get over their bs, yes it is hard but also they aren't willing: Morgoth, Sauron, the Balrogs, some various "demons", I'm not sure about some beings. I like to see Thuringwethil here, even though it's probably not canon.

Elven ghosts who agreed to be bound by Sauron (with coercion!) or Morgoth (if he bothers to do necromancy at all), put into various (animal or engineered from parts) bodies: free will fully bound inside, because of the magic. they can regret but they can't escape: werewolves, vampires, stuff like that, also Thuringwethil

bits of Morgoth's will/mind/whatever put into modies of mutated animals: dragons, I'm not sure what else. As they are various bits, they do have some indyvidual character, something like personality, but they aren't persons. Think: OCs. The dragons are Morgoth's OCs. ;D

They (dragons) could be type 3, but from what I remember the text more suggests 4. Or was it just the musical?

And yes, dragons being active after Morgoth was thrown out doesn't contradict this. Ending of the Quenta Silmarillion says that bits of his will still circulate in the world.

I hope this answers your question.

[nekohime19]

Heart behind the lie # 29 : Sworn brother

Wukong is still jelly

There was a tense silence veiling the room, only broken by Mei's uncontrollable laughter. MK awkwardly patted her back (to help her, or to stop her was still questionable), sheepishly looking at everyone that watched her as if she was struck by madness, she might as well be, this wasn't a very laughable situation, thought the sage. 

Sun Wukong tapped deep within himself to not let anger overwhelm him, breathing like his master showed him long ago, trying to not tear the peacock to shreds. He could feel the fearful gazes of the lord's servant, all willing to protect him (something that spoke of a good lord) but ultimately afraid of the great sage, too afraid to step forward. 

“I think I might have misheard.” Muttered Macaque, an obvious lie for a being like himself, he cleared his throat and straightened himself. “It's rare for me to misheard, so I'm giving you another chance to repeat yourself.” This was a clear warning, a chance for the foolish peacock to correct his words, to avoid the bloodbath Sun Wukong would unleash upon him. 

“I think I was clear? The deal is simple, I give you the lantern piece, and in exchange you marry me.” Repeated Cheng, hands on his hips, expression amused, as if he was looking at unfocused children. Sun Wukong gritted his teeth, tail lashing on the floor. 

“This is ridiculous!” Yelled the sage, he threw his arms in the air, appalled by the very existence of such a deal, and glared at the peacock. “You can't force someone to marry you because nobody wants to!”

“First of all, I am a very eligible suitor, mind you.” Huffed the peacock as he showed off his trail, the jade-green feathers long and perfectly groomed, the eyes shining like jewelry. “Second, who are you to decide for the Six-eared Macaque? Are you his mate? One of his suitor?”

“I-I'm…” The sage stuttered, face reddening. 

“He's my friend.” Replied the warrior as he glared at the peacock, fangs showing a bit.

“So he's just a friend. He doesn't have a say in this matter then.” Chuckled Cheng, Sun Wukong was trying very hard to not murder him. 

“He's… he’s special.” Weakly muttered the macaque, his own face reddening. The sage's tail swished happily at that, and he restrained the smitten coo tickling his lips. He also ignored the kids’ awing. Yes, he was special. He was the friend that Macaque could kiss, that had to be special. 

“Special? Dear, I do not mind if you're sleeping with the Monkey King, you can even take him as your lover if you want. I am very open minded.” Sun Wukong's face bursted in a furious red, he opened his mouth, but only gibberish came out. Mei's laughter became even louder. Macaque was dumbfounded once again, not any better than the King, his own face rivaling strawberries. 

“Lord Cheng, sir ?” Tentatively cut the scholar once he regained his footing. “I don't think Macaque's relationship with Monkey King is the problem. If I may ask-”

“You may.” Cut the peacock while he turned towards the fumbling scholar. 

“Why do you wish to marry Macaque?” Carefully asked Tang. 

“I need a partner.” Replied Cheng in a huff, as if it was an incredibly obvious answer. 

“Why?”Insisted the scholar. 

“... I guess you people did not come for the festival. Very well, I will explain. The former King of this city, the venerable Thousands-Winged Owl, passed away without siring any children, and without any close family. In his will, he designed the three lords that were in his service, the Stone-eyed Peacock, the Golden-clawed Crow, and the Serpent-tongued Dove, as heirs. For the throne they will compete in what the King called the dawning festival. It is basically a huge party he organized for his death, inviting everyone he knew, and everyone that wished to come. The rules for us lords are simple, we will not be the one competing against each other, it will be our partners. They will compete in three trials, one involving loyalty, the other wit, and the last one strength, nobody except the King advisor knows anything beyond that. The winner will be given the throne.”

“The guy organized a wife battle.” Snorted the dragon girl. 

“In short, yes.” Laughed Cheng. 

“In this case Macaque is not the most suitable candidate for your situation. He is weakened, he will not do well in the strength trial.” Explained the Bull's son. 

“Are you? Now, that is unfortunate, especially for someone as precious as you. I can accommodate you for your stay here if you wish.” Sun Wukong did not like how precious sounded on the peacock’s lips. 

“I… thanks?” Whispered the warrior, unsure of how to take the lord's kindness. 

“Maybe you can marry someone else?”Tentatively proposed his mentee. 

“Hm, do state all of your names and clans.” Ordered the peacock. 

“Hm, I'm Tang? I'm human.”

“Pigsy. I don't have a clan, I'm a chef.”

“Red Son of the terrific Bull clan. Heir to the Demon Bull King, son of Princess Iron Fan.”

“Mei, part of the dragon of the east clan!”

“I'm MK, I'm not sure what a clan is?”

“My successor.” Clarified Sun Wukong with a growl. 

“In that case, I cannot marry any of you. The mortal will be too weak, the chef too. Even if we ignore the fact that you three are kids, I don't want to anger any of your families. And I cannot marry Sun Wukong, he's a King, more powerful than me, if I marry him I'll have to follow him in his kingdom. Furthermore, I can feel his murderous intent.” 

“At least you're aware of it.” Huffed the sage as he crossed his arms. 

“Is it really specified that your partner must be your wife?” Asked Tang with furrowed eyebrows. 

“The will says exactly : the one bound to you by an oath. Marriage is the easiest oath to make.” 

Tang lit up at that. 

“Well maybe sworn-brotherhood can do then!” Exclaimed the scholar. “Normally, sworn-brotherhood does not need any formal oath, but we can do one for this occasion.”

“Maybe, it could work. Who will be my sworn-brother then?” They all turned towards the sage, Sun Wukong stuttered, caught off guard, and turned away. 

“No way!” Shouted the King. 

“Don't make this difficult, King.” Groaned the pig. 

“You are the strongest, the most likely to win.” Retorted the Bull's son. 

“You don't have to if you don't want to.” Calmly replied the macaque, resolution blooming in his gaze. The sage sighed when he caught sight of this unrelenting gaze. He really didn't want to be associated in any way to this bastard of a peacock, but he didn't want Macaque to be associated with him either. 

“Okay, okay, I'll do it. I'll be the peacock sworn-brother.” Grumbled the sage, his voice becoming more poisonous at the word peacock. 

“Wonderful, Sun Wukong is certainly powerful enough to seal my victory!”Cheered the peacock, he turned towards the King and asked : “What are you wearing?”

“Hm, hoodie and sweatpants? With shades?”

“Prosperous! What are you, rat man? Servants ! Give this monkey proper clothing, take him to Bolin, I refuse to let my sworn-brother be anything less than beautiful! We will do the oath when he's ready!” The lord turned away. “Mui!”

“Yes, my lord!” Replied the parrot. 

“Take the rest of them to their rooms, give them anything they ask for, especially our dearest shadow!”

“Of course, my lord.” The parrot, or Mui, bowed to her lord and walked towards the group. 

“Ah Lam! Take the lantern piece! We will trade when the deal is sealed!” One of the tallest guards approached MK and softly reached out, his mentee hesitated a little, but finally relented the piece. The peacock disappeared in his bathroom, aided by a few of his guards to reach it.

Sun Wukong was taken away by the guards, he pushed them away when they tried to touch him, and followed them with a whipping tail. He saw, from the corners of his eyes, Mui guide the group in another direction. 

The guards guided him to a huge wardrobe, filled to the brim with clothes. They bowed before the lavishly clothed demon swan pacing in the room, the man seemingly high ranked here. 

“The lord asked us to properly clothe this man. He is to be the lord's sworn brother.” Informed the guards. 

“Sworn brother? I see… this could work for the will as well.” Muttered the swan as he let his gaze swept over the sage. “He definitely needs a change of clothes. Our Cheng is picky with appearances. Thanks for guiding him here, you can resume your duties.” The guards bowed and left the room, leaving the sage alone with the demon swan. “You are the Monkey King, aren't you?”

“I am.” Replied the King, daring the other demon to do something with his tone. 

“I am Bolin, our lord's tailor. They call you the Handsome Monkey King, let's see if we can bring that out.” The sage gasped, greatly offended, but he didn't have time to complain, Bolin was already pushing him in an adjoining room, one filled with baths. “Girls!” Immediately a flock of four swan younglings rushed towards them, each dressed in white, elegant gowns. “This is Sun Wukong, the Monkey King. He is to be our lord sworn brother, so let's make him shine like a diamond!”

“Yes, father!” Replied the swan younglings, each with utmost seriousness. 

“Monkey King, sir, what type of fur do you have?” Asked one of the younglings as she intently eyed his sun colored fur, she was a bit skinnier than the others. 

“Short type? I don't have a thick underfur.” Mumbled the sage, a bit caught off guard by their seriousness. 

“I think monkeys are more used to grooming. Can a bath damage your fur?” Asked another, a bit shorter than her sisters. 

“Grooming is for the twigs and bugs. I can take a bath.”

“Perfect !” 

They ushered him to one of the steaming baths, one with lukewarm water according to Bolin (to not damage his fur, they said). Fortunately, they gave him the privacy to change behind a folding screen. He awkwardly removed his clothing and hid his manhood with a white towel he tied on his hips. When he stepped out of the folding screen, they waved him over and made him sit before the bath. They groomed him with a soft brush, untangling all of his knots while Bolin was looking over products and asking some questions about his coat. When his fur was well-groomed (from the tip of his tail to the edge of his toes, they always asked if he was comfortable with touch before grooming a particular area, something the King appreciated), he lowered himself in the bath. 

They added some good-scented products in it, and perhaps some oil that made his coat shinier. The younglings massaged him while he was bathing, delicately treating each of his strands of fur as if it were a treasure in itself. He learned their names while they treated him. The one massaging his shoulders, and doing a wonderful job at it, was Bo, she was seemingly stronger than any of her sisters, and on the brasher side. The skinnier one was named Hua, she was the most knowledgeable when it came to fur care, she did most of the grooming earlier. The shorter one was named Ping, she was the most leveled of the flock, and the most respectful, always asking for his boundaries and reminding her sisters to ask as well. The last one, the rounder one, was named Shu, she was quieter than any of them, and from what he gathered she was the most skilled when it came to make-up. She did ask him what colors he liked, and what he was comfortable with, which he appreciated. 

Once washed and oiled, they dried him with fluffy towels, asking now and then if everything was alright. He was then sitted in a comfortable chair, before a silver mirror. They sharpened his claws, whitened his fangs, oiled his lips and delicately cut his fur to make it even. His eyebrows were brushed and straightened, and the heart-shaped patch of fur on his chest more defined. Once they stepped back, he blinked at his reflection. The glamors he applied on a daily basis were certainly at play, but he looked good. His fur had never been shinier and softer, it looked like the sun itself blessed him. Sun Wukong admired the man in the mirror for a bit, before following Bolin out of the bathroom. 

The swan talked with one of her daughters, Ping, to know what sort of colors would suit him better while the others asked what he was comfortable with, according to them one could only truly shine when they liked what they were wearing. They settled on a peach colored hanfu embroidered with lotus flowers, one he found particularly pretty, with a red slashes. After they dressed him, Shu took care of his make-up while Bo picked jewelry to adorn him. 

Once he was ready, he looked at the man in the mirror and had to restrain his purr. Those swans certainly knew how to dress someone, he almost felt like some sort of deity blessed with heavenly beauty. 

“You look good, Monkey King, sir.” Praised Ping as she softly adjusted his slashes. 

“As expected of the Handsome Monkey King.” Chuckled Bo as she puffed out her chest. 

“You all did a good job.” Muttered the King with reddening cheeks. 

“Alright, girls. I will escort the Monkey King to our lord, clean the room.” Cut Bolin, the swan younglings all sung “Yes, father!” before disappearing in the bathroom. 

Sun Wukong followed Bolin out of the room, they walked in a peaceful silence towards the dining room (when Bolin asked a passing guard, they told him the group was there), their steps echoing in the corridors. The servants that passed by them always made an effort to bow at Bolin, Sun Wukong could see the deep settled respect in their eyes when the swan returned their greeting with a short nod. 

“Are you really just a tailor?” Asked the sage after a bit, his curiosity getting the better of him. 

“I am. Our lord value apparences a lot.”

“He's vain.” Grumbled the sage, his anger sparking anew at the mention of the lord. Bolin looked at him with a raised eyebrow, before letting out a soft chuckle. 

“I know our lord can seem…particular. But he's not bad.”

“I have trouble believing that! He was ready to force someone to marry him.”

“Hm, for the will.” Mumbled the swan. 

“If he wants the throne so badly, he can take it for all I care, but he can't involve others in this.” Huffed the King. 

“... The marriage would have been temporary.” Explained the swan, his tone a little harsher than before.

“Still.” Bolin stopped walking, he turned towards the sage, a storm brewing in his eyes. 

“I know Cheng doesn't seem like the most caring, and mayhaps he offended you in some way. But I will ask you to not talk about our lord in this manner. He is to be your sworn brother, you will see then what kind of person he is.”

“Yeah, I'll see.” Replied the King, tone a little bit softer. He didn't want to offend Bolin, but the feeling brewing inside of him, the ugly beast called jealousy, pushed him to be spiteful towards Cheng. The sage wasn't used to this feeling, thus he had troubles to reign it. 

The rest of the walk was more tense, both decided that silence was better if they didn't want to argue. The dining room was filled with watering smells, all kinds of plates and food, some the sage never even knew existed. The whole group was eating leisurely around a lavish mahogany table, they all turned towards him when he arrived. Bolin bowed to Mui, who was at Macaque's side, and left the room with elegance. 

“Wow, you look good Mister King!” Chuckled the dragon girl. 

“Thanks. I feel good.” The sage turned towards the warrior, who was gaping at him with a flaming face, eyes wide, hands frozen before his plate of mangoes. Sun Wukong felt a pleasant tingle skim above his kin, he walked, deliberately slowly, towards the macaque and sat on the unoccupied chair on his right. He relished in the way Macaque's eyes roamed over him, stuttering for a moment on his hips. “You have something to say, Mac?” Asked the King. 

“What? I, hm, I-I, what ?” Stammered the warrior, his tail trashing the chair's legs. The kids were choking on their own laughter, while the adults were either rolling their eyes or smirking openly. 

“You lost your tongue?” Purred the sage as he leaned over the other, Macaque almost fell out of his chair, his hands tightly gripping the table. Sun Wukong wanted to keep teasing him, but he had to stop once the peacock arrived. 

Cheng was dressed in red, the cloth flowing around his figure like a river of blood, striking against his jade feathers. He had an ebony cane in his right hand, something he used with ease to navigate. He sat in the tallest chair, the one made of pure gold.

“I hope everything was alright for you. I will accommodate you to the best of my ability until the end of the festival.” Started the peacock. “Now, I cannot see you, Monkey King, but I trust Bolin did a wonderful job.” Cackled the lord, Sun Wukong wanted to retort, but unfortunately Bolin did, in fact, a good job. “Concerning this deal of ours, I want it to be clear. Sun Wukong is to aid me as my sworn brother during the dawning festival, of course he will try his best to win, but even in case of defeat, I will give you in exchange the lantern piece you desire.” The sage was quite surprised by the terms, particularly because he wasn't even obliged to win the festival, it almost felt like a trap. “Of course, I will not give you the lanterne piece if I feel that the Monkey King is insincere, and does not do his best to give me victory.”

“... I accept the terms.” Sighed Sun Wukong, he groaned when he caught sight of the blooming smirk on the peacock's lips. 

“Wonderful! Now, for this oath of ours… Normally I believe sworn brotherhood is only made with a promise, but we will need a formal oath that binds us.” The lord sat up and walked towards the sage, his hand tracing the edges of the table to guide himself. Sun Wukong raised himself once Cheng stopped before him, they stood in a tense silence for a second, thoughtful, and then the lord offered his hand. The sage grimaced, and reluctantly took the bird's hand. “I, the Stone-eyed Peacock, Cheng, will take Sun Wukong, the Handsome Monkey King, Great Sage Equal to Heaven, as my brother. As long as he wishes, I will treat him as my blood and flesh, as my friend. I swore on my name and my honor, that I will see in him my own.”

An oath, for demons, was a matter of honor. It was one of the ultimate promises, made with witnesses. Losing honor was a fate no demons wanted, it was worse than death itself. 

“I, the Intelligent Stone Monkey, Sun Wukong, will take Cheng, the Stone-eyed Peacock, as my brother. Until we both gain what we want, I will honor him as my friend. I swore on my name and honor, that I will see in him my brother.” They shook hands before the eyes of Cheng's servants and Sun Wukong's friends, sealing their promises. In the end, an oath was nothing but words, what mattered was what those words meant for the two parties involved. 

“Well, now that this is sealed. If you ever need something, Mui, there, will serve you.” The parrot demon nodded to them, her colorful feathers shaking with her nod. “The festival starts in one week, we do not know the kind of trials that await us. I will not force you to do anything, brother (Wukong cringed at the word) as I know your abilities. But it will be better for us if you follow me to the library. I want you to know what kind of opponent you will go against.” The sage was ready to refuse, not wanting to go anywhere with the other, but Macaque cut him before he could even open his lips. 

“Mui told me you had a lot of books regarding shadows in this library of yours.” Cheng turned towards the macaque (or at least his general direction) and his smile widened, Sun Wukong did not like this look. 

“Yes! I do! Shadows are fascinating. You can accompany me, and Sun Wukong if he accepts to follow, to the library ! I'm quite curious about you, after all.” Macaque rose from his seat, perhaps ready to follow the peacock, but Sun Wukong immediately went in-between them, tail lashing. 

“Let's go to this damn library.” Grumbled the sage, Macaque looked at him with a raised eyebrow, while Cheng tried to hide his chuckle in the crook of his claws. They nodded towards the other (Cheng took back his cane) and they walked away, the sage made a point of walking in-between the two, allowing absolutely no contact. 

“Jealousy does not suit you, brother.” Snorted the peacock. 

“I think you better shut your mouth right now if you value yourself, brother.” Spat the King, a growl echoing in his tone. 

“Can't you both be civil? We're gonna be here for more than a week.” Sighed his moon as he rubbed his forehead. 

“I'll try, but he's really fun to tease, dearest.” Snickered Cheng. 

“Do not call him like that!”

“See, he's fun.” Cackled the peacock, Sun Wukong wanted to bite his head off for daring laughing at him, for daring even breathing in his direction.

“This is gonna be a hellish week.” Grumbled the warrior, and Sun Wukong couldn't agree more. 

[bi-hanslefttittie]

KHAOS REIGNS

Okay so I just finished playing the whole thing and finished the three towers for Sektor, Cyrax and Bi-Han (justice 4 him).

Spoilers Below:

My Thoughts (And prayers).

I'll confess that I cannot completely process what happened in the gameplay, my mind is still processing the fact that they killed Bi-Han and the fade to black. Uhhh so this will be mostly scattered points. I didnt feel like replaying for more screenshots but i will do my best with i could screencap.

OKAY FIRST I WAS JUMPSCARED BY HAVIK AS SOON AS I OPENED THE GAME AND THE INTRO PLAYED, WHICH IS PRETTY COOL ACTUALLY. I liked the change of pace we had and the overview is beutiful. The menu is pretty and the incorporation of the towers of Time was great. The new roster obviously is something I like. Also I really liked getting so many skins when I finished playing and the fact that there's new brutalities makes me very happy.

Kharacters.

Cyrax:

Apart from her design being gorgeous, I have a mostly positive opinion on her jugability. Her character was easy to pick up and play with, which made her very enjoyable. She is a noble person with determination and a personality. She is reluctant to follow orders she doesn't agree with and apologizes when she makes a mistake. I think her ending was nice. Her selflessness makes her very endearing and while I felt a bit awkward seeing her scenes with Kuai Liang, the rest was fine.

I came to realize that my issue with her scenes with Kuai Liang weren't so much about her, but the way Kuai Liang was behaving towards her and his brother. Weirdly unforgiving Kuai Liang made me cringe slightly when the scenes became corny and elongated. I think Cyrax as a character has a lot more potential and strength. Not only is she extremely talented and she was deemed honorable of an armor, but she's a confident woman that can throw shade when neccesary. I like that she never bites down an answer and speaks her mind. She has a kind nature but I PLEASE HOPE PEOPLE DON'T UWUfy her.

Another thing I would like to Pin point is how Cyrax prevented Harumi's death. Which I think is curious because Bi-Han was ALMOST responsible for her death. ALMOST.

the fact that she is so willing to die because of what happened is crazy. She's truly remarkable.

I just remembered the I am a human scene and it kinda tugged at my heartstrings considering the history of the character and I really hope she lives a long happy live as a human being... pretty please?

Also can I say how pretty she is????? Like she's gorgeous.

Her tower ending was nice, I like to see her accomodating to the Shirai Ryu and that it wasn't easy for her but Cyrax earned their respect in the end. Good for her!

im afraid of bugs so I can't say much of her Animality...

HER FATALITY IS KINDA CUTE NGL

SEKTOR:

Man, I said it once and I'll say it again. I really don't care if she's good, bad, neutral, i would die for this woman. The sentiment hasnt really changed for me, and I actually grew more endeared to this cocky confident warrior. She is very proud of her heritage and what her family has built. I'm sad we didn't see Madame Bo in this one though, I feel bringing up that Bo is her mom and then not making it important is a bit of a waste? But, yeah, the story wasn't really about her so...

For the most part I really liked her personality, the way her convictions don't waver although she is willing to relent if it is for the greater good (according to her). Sektor comes to me as a bit hypocritical but then again I realize that she saw more to the story than we as an audience do and we don't really know the nature of her relationship with Kuai Liang was before this whole ordeal. Like we know Cyrax and Kuai Liang liked each other once (platonically or romantically I don't really care. But I would love to see a bit of the dynamic before all of this happened).

She is a mentor and is dedicated to keep her promises. I feel that the fact that she wants Cyrax to be the best version of herself (according to Sektor's vision) has a lot to say about her as a character. Specially considering her mom is a mentor too, although in a different way and in a different manner. Bo's training of Raiden and Kung Lao might differ from Sektor's training of Cyrax, but I think she is as dedicated to her craft and her students as Madame Bo. Which is why it pisses her off so much that Cyrax can't fulfill her objectives.

... Yeah I'm living for her making Bi-Han smile. CALLED IT. He is happy around her and she knows it.

I wish I could see more of Khameleon and her though,

Her moments with Empress Tanya were nice, I liked their little banter I wish I could have seen more but then again these characters were sorta... IDK. I mean ignoring the main roster and reintroducing variants from the other universe is kinda awkward.

She is slightly less easy to play than Cyrax on my perspective, but she's fun to use and you can build pretty good kombos with her. Khameleon as a kameo really helped me with her actually.

Her design is really pretty. (im sad that my hc design doesnt match her completely though 😭😭) As for her tower ending I should probably make it a separate posed tied to Bi-Han's ending.

It is a big missed opportunity on making her take charge and not depending on Bi-Han (sure, I love them together, but like, girl) Like it was the perfect chance to get her to advance with the cyber innitiative and take route to what makes her character. She truly has a lot of vision and MK writers have sinned by only telling us about it and not showing us. I WANT TO SEE A SEKTOR WITH GREASE ON HER FACE, MOTOR OIL ON HER CLOTHES, EYEBAGS AND MELTING METAL, WORKING WIRES AND GETTING EXCITED WHEN SOMETHING WORKS.

NOOB SAIBOT:

Man, i want to say a lot about him and at the same time i don't want to say anything at all. I'm conflicted on this dude. Should I separate him from Sub Zero to analyze him or should I simply treat it as a unit?

Well, let's start on the fact that this dude was built, both metaphorically and literally on character assasination. That's it. That's my take on him. Baby I love you and everything but they really said "We have to bring Noob Saibot back somehow -cuz money- so let's make Sub-Zero cartoonishly villanous and let's make him LOSE TO CYRAX, then he will jump into a closing portal where a Titan and his crew are thriving". I literally cackled when he faced Havik and his goons because is like that latino meme "yo contra todos ustedes" (Translation: me vs all of you. Derived from the situation in which a small child decides to have a soccer match agaisnt all the big kids on his own) Yeah, im not amused by a Grandmaster being beat by his subordinate, nothing against Cyrax but this has happened literally more than once. Your character is either a powerful warrior or he isn't. And I'm saddened to say that Bi-Han, both in history mode and playability hasn't been up to the task. (Look at me critique a character I'm so attached to)

As a positive thing. I like that he smiles more in the DLC. I dont think we ever saw him smiling on the base game outside his tower ending which BTW was when Sektor was mentioned which makes me happy. I like that at least we don't have him completely dettached of humanity and see friendship, allyship and a shared vision. (I CAN WORK WITH THIS, ACTUALLY. people often wondered how supportive Bi-Han is of their s/o on fanfics. Y'all got ur answers)

ughhhhhh. Alright I know this is the "Die like my father" dude, but the way Kuai Liang and him speak about the late Grandmaster is weird. AND I WISHED THAT TOMAS WAS MORE INVOLVED IN THIS. LIKE, IT WAS HIS FATHER TOO. We may not share blood but we're still brothers left... where???? Like, at least bring him into the mission instead of introducing comic-relief Johnny Cage (I love him, he is adorable. I smiled every time he appeared onscreen. I don't find him useful at all)

Again im so weirded out by Kuai's attitude but at the same time I get it. Like, on the end pf the story you could really tell these are brothers fighting and part of it is their weakness. which is cute.

Props to the voice actor, he delivers his lines excellenty, and his screams really made me stop laughing and wince. Like, man. What a terrible way to go.

UHHHHHHH onto Noob. I really thought he wouldnt get uncorrupted, like, I saw the way he spoke to Scorpion and said, ah well, this is how it's gonna play out from now on. I'm kinda glad it isn't. I'm not a fan of Noob being Havik's creation... also again. Tomas is needed here. PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE A NOOB SMOKE DUO.

Again he lost and uhhh... idk. the whole Liu Kang restoring his mind thing and expecting that the man that was presumably violently tortured to death would act cool headed was kinda stupid to me, but whatever. That's Liu Kang for you.

As for him Killing every person he crosses (good for him!!!) and making it about his ego is funny to me because we are side to side with someone who's rightfully angry because his brother let his dad pass away (And we are supposed to sympathize. Which I do, to some extent), and someone who, again, just got killed in a horrible way and his BODY was used to craft a henchman of chaos and is pissed off because of it (and we are supposed to deem this as wrong because... he is making it about himself?)

Thats the thing for me, actually. The fact that Kuai Liang essentially made it about him throughout the journey (while obeying orders, he still refused to collaborate when it came to Bi-Han, and mentioned A LOT of times about what Bi-Han did, which, fair but it takes from the argument that Bi-Han is wrong for being angry for personal motives)

This IS his fight. Because they did him wrong and for once he wants to escape all expectations and do things on his own terms. Specially considering the level of helplessness he could have felt when yet again someone used him for their cause. This time more literally.

Liu Kang is becoming kinda insufferable to me, tbh but thats only on me I don't have objective grounds for this (Still i find the Invasion's season kinda ironic considering his emphasis on control and the power he holds over individuals to the point of ethem, keeping them dormant)

WHICH BRINGS ME TOOOO

His tower ending. Fuck. Uhhh

Good for him I guess??? I'm glad you found your life's purpose boo, but like it kinda contradicts some of the points i've been making and my argument is now crumbling. Like, if it was so horrible...

also this truly makes me wonder how much does Bi-Han values his own body and if it isnt over the Lin Kuei, if he would perharps considering replacing his body with something more resourceful...

like Machinery.

I kinda like this concept, maybe seeing him mix up ice powers and shadows soon??? As long as they don't fuck it up (They will)

His design is ok. Not a fan but it isn't terrible. It will take me a few more rounds to get accostumed to him as a character.

Havik:

UHHHHHHHHHHHH. I liked the theatrics. He's very dramatic and I love that. His design is gorgeous I really loved the color palettes

He kinda looks like Drahmin ngl. He's a funny character, made me laugh a lot. Which prompted to me making a cock joke in the middle of his monologue to Bi-Han before killing him.

I thought for a moment we was getting Meat back. But one can only dream about things.

I'm sad we didn't get a chapter to play him. I would have gotten more attached.

Yeah, that's it about him. He started imposing but my mind sorta went elsewhere midway through and I think that might be a pacing issue??

OVERALL:

Uh. Yeah, it was a DLC alright. It had a smaller cast of characters, more emotionally charged although clumsier. Didn't have test your mights on it which I kinda missed, I was hoping for something more dynamic like a survive challenge on it or something.

I think it was awkwardly placed and some jokes didn't land correctly, or they did land on the wrong time making the scene lose their intended tension and adding nothing to the story (Looking at you, JC Red Wedding joke)

the animation was gorgeous and some Scenes were beutifully composed like Empress Tanya facing a dragon which, was simply stunning.

Speaking of Tanya. Marrying her to Rain was a choice. Not that I didn't appreciate their dynamic but, you know... Mileena. And stuff.

ALSO TEASING US WITH EMPRESS MILEENA AND GIVING US LIKE TWO SCENES IS A ROBBERY. We need to see said changes in Edenia, like, okay so Shao and Reiko are up to some busines and there's revolts. That sounds interesting, why am I not watching this instead? Idk the continuity on the tower endings concerns me because of it. I hope all those endings finally get a continuation on MK2. PLEASE. There's so much interesting shit there. Including ONAGA.

It was a cute ending. Although I wasn't very satisfied with the resolution of it all. It was fine I guess.

[eight-pointed-star]

[queerofthedagger]

i mean this in the like... nicest way possible, but there is no way to post your writing and/or art on the internet without running the very high risk of it getting scraped, whether you post it on tumblr, pillowfort, or ao3. sites being 'anti ai' does not mean your art cannot be scraped. it is simply almost impossible to prevent, much less guarantee that. I'm not saying this to be a pessimist or to stop people from being rightfully pissed about this. it sucks. massively so! but if the idea does in fact bother you that much, you should know that moving sites won't fix the issue. ao3, as far as we know, has been scraped/is getting scraped. you can set your fics so that only logged in users can access them, but it only makes scraping one step more difficult, and by no means impossible and the otw has stated this clearly.

which, again, this sucks! i don't have a great solution either!! but tumblr is relatively honest, at least, when it tells you that it cannot prevent, only discourage it. ao3 said the same thing. any site promising you otherwise is, to the best of my knowledge, lying to you.

[beanghostprincess]

Sanji has a thing for hands and at this point, everybody knows they turn him on, but I think we don't talk enough about the thousands of Sanuso possibilities it gives us.

Usopp works with his hands. In every way. When he is building stuff or when he is taking care of his plants. His whole fighting style is using his hands. And Usopp casually just happens to canonically be around the kitchen sometimes to do his little experiments. So I'm just saying here that Sanji gets no work done. Like. At all. He just stares at Usopp's hands constantly to the point of being worrisome.

He has already fainted more than fifteen times. Chopper is amazed at how much blood he has been losing lately. Usopp has absolutely no fucking idea this is because of his hands specifically and so whenever he tries to help Sanji get up after fainting (quite obviously grabbing him by the hips or shoulders or whatever) Sanji just. Starts bleeding more. He is dying. But he dies really happy.

[alternautxyz]

yeah ok lmk s5 is pretty great

[concert-bflat]

Thinks about how. Gloreth only starts looking at Nimona differently/strangely when her parents call her a "monster". Just throws that label with such a negative connotation on her. Gloreth fucking fights for Nimona immediately in the beginning saying that she's her friend and never once looks at her with ridicule until her mom just holds her by the shoulders and tells her she's a monster, straight in the eye, straight in the face. And just the word is enough to cause the change.

Nimona's getting fucking attacked and prodded and Gloreth doesn't even feel sorry for her just because she's now re-contextualizing everything around her but with that word. I'm so sick. She looks not in hesitance but at disbelief before she runs away. She sees Nimona trying to defend herself from literal Danger in any way she can (she's just a kid and she's fighting with people who won't listen, never will, people that she can't get through) but just sees that as more proof of her being violent, monstrous. She sees her friend all alone, with the odds and the world stacked against her despite them being. so similar but just tells her to go back to the shadows.

And like. Of course she believes those words calling Nimona a monster and takes them to heart. Her parents, the ones she would probably trust most are the ones that told her that. And she's young, she doesn't know much about the world or much better. And of course, her parents and the whole village don't know any better. They didn't see what she saw. They don't know or feel the need to know much more than the definition of the word "monster". But it hurts. God it hurts. It's wrong. It's not fair. It's really not fair.

And it causes this whole legend that will stay with Nimona to ridicule her for generations and generations and birth this system that she's trapped by and causes everyone to be so brainwashed. The one that makes people scared and build walls. That births unecessary distrust.

God. Even in the scroll illustrating Nimona and Gloreth, Nimona is portrayed as such a bigger and scarier threat than she ever could be or would be, until Nimona internalized and gave into those images and despair of course. It's not fucking fair.

Thinking about how when the villagers saw Nimona as a "normal" person they were happy for her just living her life and playing with her friend, she was just another kid being happy like she and every ("normal", apparently) person deserves to be, and they were allowing her to be happy then when they find out what she really is they hate her. They call her a monster and drive her out immediately. They don't look into the details that contradict the stigma, they just feel betrayal when they weren't even the ones who were betrayed (Nimona couldn't fucking help being who or what she was. And she was her own person. She was still. A someone. Why do things have to be different now?). I'm so sickkk.

Thinks about how Nimona feels so hopeless as to just. Accept and yield to that label. That label that was passed down to Gloreth. To the whole world. Such simple but awful words. Aughhhhhhhhhhh

Another post I saw talks about how this is a movie about how hate is taught. And oh my god it is. Hate it taught. It's done so simply yet so, painfully effectively. So devastatingly. And that hate teaches people to hate the world back. God I fucking loooove this movie

Also Nimona's such a Creature /pos /affectionate she's so relatable I fucking love her and I'm insane okay that's the post bye

[rimouskis]

can I be so open and vulnerable with you guys. the card I was given from people at my old office was sincerely so nice and really validating but also I feel like the main impression I left other people with was "she's really nice" WHICH IS GOOD, I DO WANT TO BE KNOWN AS NICE but also part of me is like... should I maybe strive for "innovative" or "creative" or "a go-getter" because being The Nice One just feels a little mealy-mouthed of me y'know?