#i guess? its just the challenge quest

[iateyourparents]

hello! could you write johnnie guilbert fluff? maybe a scenario where him and fem!reader are spending a day together (filming a video, doing random stuff) just being two people in love and jake and tara tease them and call them a married couple

deaf, mute and blind | j.g.

pairing: johnnie guilbert x fem!reader

summary: you, johnnie and jake are recording a new challenge video.

warnings: use of y/n, bad writing and grammar(i’m sorry but english isn’t my first language)

an: hi, thank you <33 hope you like it!

pictures are from pinterest :)

“Hi guys, it’s me, Tara, and today I’m here with Jake, y/n and Johnnie.” Tara introduced you and you all waved to the camera.

“Hi!” you greeted her viewers.

“Today I’m gonna torture my guests… No, but I wish.” she pouted and you all laughed “Today, my guests will be playing into deaf, mute and blind but…they will have many challenges and quests to do throughout the day. But they main goal is to do shopping and bake me cookies! Any words guys?”

“I hope I get deaf, cause I don’t think I can go much longer with them talking.” you rolled your eyes looking at Jake and your boyfriend.

“Hey!” Johnnie gasped pretending to be offended, placing hand on his chest “That hurt love.”

You only rolled your eyes but couldn’t hide the smile that was forcing its way onto your face.

“Alright, so now they will draw sticks and get to know what senses will be taken from them!” Tara showed her viewers three sticks and then she turned to you “Ladies first.”

You took the one in the middle and immediately looked at written words.

“Yeah! I’m deaf today!” You did a little winning dance. Next one choosing stick was Johnnie and he got mute.

“Oh, so I will be blind.” Jake stated “That’s good actually, at least I don’t have to look at your ugly faces.” he smirked and you laughed.

Tara handed you all your things - blindfold for Jake, duck tape for Johnnie and earphones for you.

“Let me also add, that the person who won’t do the most of their mini challenges, has to take a cold shower on the street!” Tara smiled mischievously.

“Is this enough to charge her with domestic abuse?” Jake asked kind of scared.

When everyone was ready Tara started talking to the camera and you could only guess she was explaining to people what you gonna do and not long later Johnnie took your hand to let you know you were going out. You both helped blindfolded Jake to the car and Tara drove you to the nearest store.

She turned on the camera and pointed it at you and Johnnie. You didn’t see anyone talking so you decided to speak “I think Tara already told you guys but we’re making cookies so now we have to find all of the needed ingredients.” you informed and Tara pointed the camera to Johnnie who was gesturing towards some alley. He took your hand and started dragging you there with Tara going behind you but you suddenly stopped, remembering something.

You quickly turned around and jogged to Jake to walk him to Johnnie and Tara. He said something that made Tara laugh and Johnnie’s arms shudder in a silent laugh.

You really started to regret wanting to be deaf one, because not hearing anything yet seeing it, made you frustrated. Also, not hearing Johnnie made you kinda sad. But atleast you listened to your favorite songs.

You all went to grocery alley where Jake gave you his phone so you and Johnnie could find all ingredients for cookies.

Tara was pointing the camera on you all the time and you decided to speak from time to time in case she and Jake weren’t saying anything.

“So we will be doing chocolate chip cookies. Or rather we will be trying to instruct Jake to do it without hurting himself or poisoning us.” you felt a light push on your shoulder and you laughed seeing how Jake was struggling with trying to not miss your form while hitting.

Johnnie swatted Jake’s hand when he tried to hit your shoulder again and side hugged you while looking for flour.

“Johnnie, we need flour for cakes, this one is for bread.” you told him and he gave you a ‘what the hell’ face and you knew that if he could talk and you hear, he would be asking about the difference.

“Alright, I think we got everything.” you stated when you found everything and you all went to cashier’s stands where everyone was looking at you like at idiots, but that wasn’t anything new with Johnnie and Jake.

Tara quickly paid when it was yours turn and you and Johnnie walked Jake to the car.

When you were at home you quickly started to prepare kitchen for your baking.

Suddenly, you felt someone tugging gently at your arm and you saw Johnnie pointing ahead of you. You saw Tara pointing the camera at you all and you took it as a clue to start talking.

“Alright, so now we will be trying to instruct Jake how to make cookie dough, wish us luck!” you smiled sarcastically.

You somehow were cooperating well, Johnnie was showing you the recipe and you were reading it for Jake who then with your and yours boyfriend help were making most of the work.

When cookies were in the oven you didn’t have anything better to do so you sat on the floor in front of the oven and you were just looking at the cookies.

Some time later Johnnie joined you, sitting next to you and placing his head on your shoulder. You hugged him into your side and he gladly snuggled into you, kissing your shoulder.

You sat there for a few minutes, when Tara came to you with a camera and some bowl and told something to Johnnie and then showed you her phone, where she wrote in the notes that now you will be doing random challenges before you could take the cookies out from the oven. It would decide who is the loser of the video.

You all stood in the living room and Tara came to you with the bowl and you took one piece of paper.

“I’ve got ‘activity without your sense’” you read it for them and viewers out loud and then showed the piece of paper to the camera.

Moment later Tara gave you another paper, which turned out to be an instruction what your activity was.

“So I have to call a random contact and try to have normal conversation with that person. That will be hard.” you sighed “Can Johnnie and Jake help me? Like by gesturing?” You looked at Tara and she only nodded.

You looked at the camera and smiled “I’m actually kinda scared that they will gesturing wrong things and I will make a fool of myself.” you laughed and you could see Tara snorting.

Your challenges were done, it wasn’t that bad or at least you were hoping so.

Then you took the cookies out of the oven and tried them when they weren’t hot. They were really good.

“Teamwork makes a dream work, i guess.” you smiled at the camera.

Then you could finally take off the earphones and you were never as grateful for hearing Jake and Johnnie as now.

“God, it’s so good to hear people again. I missed your voice.” you told Johnnie who smiled widely at you and kissed your cheek.

“I’m glad to see again, but I’m scared of how many bruises I’ve got today.” Jake laughed while still trying to get use to the light in the room.

“Alright guys, they made it.” Tara smiled at the camera “I can’t with how cute y/n and Johnnie were today. Literally goals. You were like and old married couple.” she giggled and you smiled.

“So, who’s the loser?” Jake asked after few minutes.

“You Jake.” You laughed “You didn’t do any of your challenges correctly.”

“That’s true.” Tara smirked “You will do your punishment later.”

You stopped recording for some time so Tara could get all of the needed things for Jake’s punishment, so you and Johnnie went to sit on the couch while hugging.

“I really missed your voice today.” you admitted again quietly.

“And I missed talking to you.” he smiled “And kissing you.” he kissed you.

[dindjarindiaries]

When a House Becomes a Home

summary: A new home brings new responsibilities, and there’s only one person who can teach Din how to cook a proper meal: you.

pairing: din djarin (the mandalorian) x reader

contains: food, domesticity, fluff

rating: T

word count: 3.833k

main masterlist • din djarin masterlist

Din sighs as he looks over your shoulder at the datapad in your hand. “I didn’t realize cooking would take as much effort as a job,” he confesses, his modulated voice laced with amusement. He points at the vidscreen. “That’s a long list.”

“What you put into it is what you get out of it,” you insist. You gesture to the cabin from where you stand in the threshold. “I’m not letting our first meal in this home be mediocre.” You give his armored shoulder a playful nudge. “And I know you love a good side quest.”

Din tilts his helmet at you. “Only with a good partner by my side.” He sets a gloved hand upon your back. “Come on, riduur. The sooner we leave, the sooner we can get back.”

Grogu’s pod floats at Din’s other side as he starts to lead the way into town. You glance at him with an eyebrow raised. “Are you becoming a homebody already?”

Din shrugs, his fingers giving your back a thoughtful tap. “We’ve been traveling the galaxy for many years.” He swings his helmet to look at you. “A night of rest sounds pretty tempting after that.”

“Well, this shouldn’t take too long.” You look over the list of ingredients on your datapad again. “You’re a bounty hunter, after all. Just pretend everything on this list is a quarry you have to find.”

Din huffs at your words. “Like I said before.” He gestures with his helmet to your datapad. “It’s a job.”

You lean close to his visor. “With a delicious payout.” You tuck your datapad on your belt and take his hand from your back, lacing his gloved fingers with yours. “If you cook as well as you make an argument, this will be the best meal of your life.”

Din chuckles at that and gives your arms an embarrassed swing. You laugh and bring yourself closer to his side as you continue closing the distance towards the heart of Nevarro.

It’s easy for Din to navigate the bazaar, even after all this time. He’d spent many years on planet before your travels together began, and despite how much it’s changed since then, Din seems confident in the way he strides towards the merchant’s booths. You release his hand to take the empty knapsack off your shoulder and hold it towards him. “Do you mind helping me collect our items?”

“Sure.” Din nods and takes the knapsack from you, holding it between his gloved hands as you reach for your datapad and reference your list. “Where are we headed first?”

You show him the list and let him glance over it. “We’ll need to find a butcher, a flora stand, and…” you hesitate as you see more of the random ingredients, “I guess we just need to look everywhere.”

“Sounds like a challenge.” Din tightens his grasp on the knapsack and gives his helmet a quick tilt. “I like it.” He pats your shoulder and looks to the way ahead. “Let’s do it.”

You and Din work together to make your way through the booths and collect the freshest versions of everything you need. The hardest challenge is keeping Grogu from eating both your product and the merchants’, one that Din handles for the most part while he lets you make the selections. For once, credits are easy to come by, thanks to Greef Karga’s generosity. The gratitude of the Nevarro citizens helps when they recognize Din and the role he had to play in saving their city.

The walk back to your cabin is even quicker than before. Din keeps the knapsack slung over one of his shoulders and his hand has found its way into yours again. There’s almost a skip in his step that you can’t help smiling at.

“Someone’s excited to get in the kitchen,” you observe, your fond grin only growing.

“I’m holding on to a bag full of food.” Din lifts his elbow to lightly jostle the knapsack. “I’m just ready to have something other than rations.”

You chuckle and wait for Din to take the keycard from his belt. He unlocks the cabin door and pushes the button to open it for you. With a nod, you thank him and walk inside first, taking a deep breath as you look around the space that’s set to become your home. The door slides closed after Din enters with Grogu’s pod and he stands just behind your shoulder, as if he’s also taking in your surroundings. You look at him and watch as he lifts both hands to remove his helmet, his brown gaze shining as the corners of his lips gently tug up in a small smile.

“I’m… still not used to it,” Din confesses, his natural voice always a welcome surprise. “It’s much different than the tunnels and the Crest.”

You turn to face him and ease the knapsack from his shoulder. “Then let’s start to make it feel more like home.” You press a hand upon Din’s cuirass. “Make yourself comfortable and I’ll get everything prepped. Okay?”

Din nods, his gaze full of wonder as his eyes search yours for a long moment. Your hand rises to the side of his face as you press a kiss upon his cheek, sending him off with a gentle tap against his skin. You hoist the knapsack onto your shoulder and take Grogu out of the pod, setting him down in the living area with the shift knob from the Crest to keep him busy. He coos with delight and begins to entertain himself, allowing you to focus on preparing the kitchen.

Greef had been kind enough to make sure the cabin was fully furnished, and that included supplies for cooking. You smile to yourself in gratitude as you set the recipe on the datapad in front of you and take out whatever you need. The ingredients are arranged in a way that makes sense, especially for someone as organizational as Din. You pause to check on Grogu every once in a while, watching as he plays catch with himself using his powers.

Din catches you in the midst of one of these moments, his presence adding an even warmer glow to the room as you turn your head to look at him. He’s reduced himself to his pants and the black tunic he wears underneath his flight suit, his suspenders hanging loosely at his sides. His attention is focused on Grogu’s play even as he continues making his way towards you.

“It’s good that he knows how to keep himself busy,” Din states, setting his weight on one hip as he reaches your side. You nod, unable to speak thanks to the overwhelming flutters within your chest. He turns to look at you and raises an eyebrow at your silence. “What is it?”

You beam and shake your head. “Nothing.” You focus back on the preparations in front of you. “Okay, the first thing we should do is roast the flora.” You take the bunches of the flora and offer a few to Din. “Can you help me cut these?”

Din nods, though he hesitates before he accepts them. “Wait.” He goes to the water pump and washes off his hands, making you bite back a smile. Din’s always been adamant about his cleanliness, that of himself as well as his weapons and armor. He returns and gently takes the flora from you. Once he sets it down, you offer him a small knife. “How should I cut it?”

“Into small pieces.” You demonstrate a few for him, pausing to make sure he’s gotten it.

Din copies your work and lifts the small piece in his hand for you to see. “Like this?”

You grin and nod at him. “Perfect.” You turn your focus back to the flora and speak as you work. “You’re well on your way to becoming an expert.”

Din scoffs. “This is just the first step, cyar’ika.” He adds his pieces to the place where you’ve been setting your own. “You’re being too kind.”

You release a soft laugh. “All I’m saying is that a lot of cooking is cutting things.” You gesture with your knife to his work. “And you’ve got that down pat.”

“With all of my vibroblade training, you’d hope I would.”

You give his shoulder a gentle nudge and giggle when he gives you one in return. You finish right before Din does, though he takes his last piece and walks away with it. Your brow furrows as you watch Din bring it over to Grogu, offering it to the little one with a small smile. Grogu coos in gratitude and eats it as if he’s never had a meal before. Din stands from where he’d been kneeling and returns to you.

“The flora has been Grogu approved.” Din brushes his hands together and sets them on his hips. “What’s next?”

You turn to the datapad with an amused smile. “An efficient and eager learner.” You steal a quick look at him. “Your metrics in the kitchen are panning out to be quite high.”

Din’s face turns the slightest shade of pink and he shrugs. You take a vial of oil and offer it to him. He accepts it, though his gaze never leaves you as he awaits his instructions.

“Drizzle this over the flora.” Din nods and opens the vial. “It’ll be ready to roast once we toss it.”

Din pours some of the oil out and stops abruptly. He turns to look at you. “Was that too much?”

You shake your head. “No, no. That’s fine.”

Din closes the vial and sets it down. “It came out faster than I expected.”

“That can tend to happen.” You reach your hands forward to toss the flora in the oil. Once it’s all covered, you gesture to the fireplace and spit. “Can you get a fire going so we can roast it while I wash my hands off?”

Din nods and disappears from the kitchen for a moment. You watch in confusion until he returns with his vambrace on. You can’t help chuckling when he bends down to the tinder and gently engages his flamethrower, getting the small fire started in no time. He stops as he walks by you washing your hands off. “Is ‘use what you’ve got’ a rule of the kitchen?” He gestures to the vambrace on his arm.

You grin at him. “It absolutely is.”

Din returns your smile before he leaves to set his vambrace back in the bedroom. He comes back and exhales, rolling up his sleeves. “The warmth of that fire works quickly.”

“That’s why we’ve got to do the same.” You take a protective glove and use it to set the flora and its container on top of the spit. “The flora will roast fast, and when it’s halfway done, we’ve got to add this tip-yip.”

“Understood.” Din gestures to the meat you’ve already set out. “What can I do?”

You take one of the two pieces of tip-yip and hand it to him. “Can you guess?”

Din chuckles and raises his knife. “Cut it into small pieces?”

You nod and lean closer to him. “You’re catching on.” You give his cheek a kiss and watch as it burns a deeper red this time. “They don’t have to be too small, though.” You demonstrate one strip for him. “Like this.”

Din nods and once again tries to mirror your work. “Is there something else to do with it after?” Din steals a quick glance at you. “At the covert, we just used to throw it on a spit and call it a day.”

“I figured as much, and that’s okay, too.” You point with your knife to a collection of herbs. “Your covert eats for health and nourishment, but we’re cooking mostly for flavor. We’re gonna use that to season it.”

“That sounds nice.” Din’s voice is only slightly strained as he goes on. “I think… my parents used to do that, too.”

You stop what you’re doing and set your full attention on him. His brow is slightly knit as he continues cutting the tip-yip, though he’s quick to finish and return your gaze. He catches your concern and offers a reassuring nod as he sits his hand over one of yours.

“Don’t worry. It’s a good thing.”

You smile and return his nod, exhaling a soft breath as you finish with your piece. You reach for the herbs and other seasonings and set them between you and Din. “All it needs is a few sprinkles of all of these.”

As you finish each one, you hand it off to Din, letting him do the same to his share. Once it’s all distributed, you toss it just as you had with the flora. You take a moment to look at Grogu as you work, though he’s still busying himself with the shifter knob that he tosses into the air over and over again.

“Now that it’s all combined,” you start, taking both your share as well as Din’s and adding it to a transfer plate, “we can add it to the flora. But first…” You trail off, lifting your season-covered hands for Din to see.

“I was hoping you’d say that.” Din smiles and races you to the water pump. You laugh as you try to push him aside and he chuckles as he does the same to you. He ends up taking your hands and washing them for you, letting you dry them off while he does the same for himself. Din takes the initiative under your lead in wearing the protective glove and transferring the tip-yip over to the roasting flora. “It already smells good.”

You raise your brow as he sets down the plate and the glove. “How good?”

Din tilts his head at you as if he’s still wearing his helmet. “Really good.”

“Well, you know what?” You step towards him and set your hand on his chest. “It’s gonna taste even better.” You keep your hand where it is as the other reaches around Din and finds the long, metal tongs. “We ought it to keep it from burning, though.” Din huffs and nods in agreement. “Would you like to do the honors?”

Din takes the tongs from you. “I’d be honored.”

You walk with him over to the fire and watch as he gently tosses the roasting food around. “That makes sense for a man as honorable as yourself.”

Din looks at you with an eyebrow raised. “That’s a lot of ‘honors.’”

You chuckle and shrug at him before you cross your arms over your chest. “I mean, I did ask if that was what you wanted.”

Din’s lips start to curl up in a smile as his gaze returns to the food. “I’m trying to focus, cyar’ika.”

“That’s just another rule of cooking.” You come closer to him, hooking a finger on the collar of his tunic to press a soft kiss to the side of his neck. “Multitasking.”

Din’s head whips around to face you, his brown gaze a sweet warning. “I can multitask.” He gives you a once-over. “What you’re trying to do is kill me.”

You laugh, not expecting him to say such a thing. “Din!” You brace yourself against his shoulder. “That’s a bit dramatic, don’t you think?”

Din gestures with his head to the roasting food. “I’m tending to food on an open fire and you’re over here doing…” he hesitates, glancing in Grogu’s direction, “that.” He turns his attention back to the tip-yip and flora. “You know you’re my biggest threat.”

You smile at him. “Sure.” You step away to begin setting the table while Din finishes cooking the food. Grogu jumps up from where he’s been playing and coos with interest. You give his head a gentle pat. “Would you like to help, Grogu?”

Grogu nods and babbles. You hand him three utensils.

“Set one of these next to every plate.” Grogu nods and follows you around the table. You’ll set down a plate and he’ll put a utensil next to it. Once you’ve both finished, you brush your hand over his head. “Very good. You made it look so nice.”

Grogu lifts his ears in joy at your praise. You leave him to return to Din in the kitchen. He gives you a quick glance. “I think it’s ready,” he informs you.

You observe the tray and nod. “I think you’re right.” You hand him the protective glove. “Can you distribute it to the plates?”

Din nods and slides the glove on. “I’ve got it.” He gestures with his head to the table. “You and Grogu just lay low.”

You beam at him before you obey his soft request. When you reach the table, Grogu points to a specific plate, making you giggle as you sit there. “Thanks for helping me choose.”

Grogu nods and sits by another plate. He leaves one in between you two for Din, a thought that only makes your smile grow. Din remains careful when he joins you and distributes the meal as evenly as he can, knowing full well that Grogu can eat just as much as the two of you—if not more. Once he’s finished, Din sets his supplies down in the kitchen and joins you and Grogu at the table. He glances at his plate in hunger, yet he still nods at you. “It’s time for you to do the honors,” Din insists.

You know better than to argue with him. You take the first bite and smile in pure content. From the flavors to the memory of its preparation, everything about this first meal in your new home is perfect. “I think you’re gonna like it,” you say, gesturing to Din’s plate with your utensil.

Both he and Grogu try it for themselves. Grogu’s ears rise on his head as he goes on to start devouring it while Din gives you an impressed raise of his brow. “Riduur.” He points at his plate. “You were on to something with this.”

“I told you,” you remind him with a smile. “What you put into it is what you get out of it.”

Din takes another bite and returns your smile. “Then this was a job well done.” He enjoys more of his meal before he goes on. “You were right. The payout is delicious.” Din turns his attention to Grogu. “Isn’t it, buddy?”

Grogu offers a sleepy coo from where he sits with his plate already empty. You laugh as you and Din take your time finishing up your own meals. By the time you’re all set, Grogu’s completely asleep, satisfied with a full stomach and the warmth of the cabin. “I’ll get him to bed,” you assure him as you stand from your seat. “We’ll clean up when I’m done.”

Din nods, giving Grogu’s sleeping head a gentle tap before you carry the little one away to his own room. You tuck him into his pod and give his wrinkly head a soft kiss, imagining the day when you’ve finally gotten him a more comfortable bed of his own to have apart from his pod. You close his door and heave a soft breath as you make your way back to the living area and the kitchen.

You stop short when you see Din’s already cleared the table and is cleaning up on his own.

“Din Djarin,” you scold him, though your lips have already started curling up into yet another grin. Din’s brow furrows as he watches you approach. “I thought I said we’d clean up when I was done!”

“I’ve got it,” Din insists, stepping between you and the dirty dishes. “You planned all of this out and did most of the heavy lifting.” He nods at you. “Let me clean it.”

You narrow your eyes at him. “Fine.” Din slowly turns back to what he was doing, giving you the window to reach for a cloth and try to make a dash for the table. Din’s Mandalorian reflexes are too quick and he captures your waist before you can get anywhere. You squeal with laughter and shock as he pulls you away.

“Come on, Din!” you plead, still laughing as he wrestles with you. “Just let me wipe down the table!”

“No.” Din lifts you and sets you upon the nearest countertop. He lifts a finger to point at you like he often does with Grogu. “Stay here and rest until I’m done.” Still, his chivalry can’t allow him to stop there. “Please.”

You let out a dramatic exhale, despite the way you’re beaming at him. “All right.” You take the cloth and set it over his shoulder. “But only just this once.”

Din starts to smile as he nods at you. “Understood.” He goes back to the washing he was doing and you watch him with fond eyes. He’s already put out the fire, but the ghost of its warm glow remains. This night is just the first of many, whenever you and Din aren’t on a job. It’s a safe place where you can come back to time and time again instead of finding whatever’s available. There’s no need for blasters, armor, or any kind of self-defense. It’s something of your own creation, and tonight, you’ve already started a perfect ritual.

This house has finally become a home.

You wrap your arms around yourself as you keep watching Din move around your home. He takes the cloth from his shoulder and wipes down the table. It’s so inefficient for you to be sitting here, but that’s not the point. Things don’t have to be rushed anymore. They can be comfortable and caring, which is exactly what Din is doing for you.

You lose yourself in these thoughts until Din finishes and approaches you again. His brow is slightly furrowed as he unravels your arms and sets his hands upon your waist. “Are you okay?”

You rest your arms on his shoulders, letting your fingers hang loosely behind his neck. “I’m the best I’ve ever been.”

Din starts to smile at that. “Good.” He leans his forehead against yours, taking a moment to breathe in the moment before he goes on. “Well, we’ve made our meal and we’ve enjoyed it.” He circles his jaw with a raise of his eyebrow. “Do you know what that means?”

You don’t speak, instead letting Din answer his question for himself.

“It’s time for dessert.”

You laugh and Din absorbs it with a long-awaited kiss, one that prepares you for something much more sweet and indulgent than anything you could’ve ever dreamed of whipping up in the kitchen.

main masterlist • din djarin masterlist

all star wars characters: @hugmekenobi​​​ @themarvelousbee​​​ @nembees​​​ @amneris21​​​@wildmoonflower​ @bombshe77​ @harriedandharassed​ @againstacecilia​ @ladykatakuri​ @bludyl​ @erin-is-sky​ @tanzthompson​ @murdertoothpick​ @mandoloriancookie​​ @prettysbliss​​ @lavendernlemons​​

din djarin: @swol-bear​ @notagamersdey​ @les-ingenue​ @booksaremyyoga​ @hp-hogwartsexpress​ @dheet​ @mccn-bcys​ @alwaysdjarin​ @reader-without-a-story​ @cyaredindjarin​ @toobsessedsstuff​ @unofficialavenger90​ @tizylish​ @your-slutty-gf​ @untitledarea​ @pedropascalmyloveee​ @mildlyhopeless​ @lexloon​ @jellybeanstacey0519​ @uwiuwi​ @lake-145​ @burningcoffeetimetravel​ @hello-th3r3​ @jackiereadsfics​ @dindadjarin​​ @srim01997​​ @avidreader73​​ @trek-and-wars-are-equal-stars​​ @evangeliamerryll​

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[enden-k]

4.0 livestream summary

codes:

3BRLL59ZCZKD WA845MQHUHKH ZT8MLL8GCYKM

banners:

1st half: Lyney (5star pyro bow) + Yelan rerun + Lynette (4star anemo sword) 2nd half: Zhongli rerun + Childe rerun + Freminet (4star cryo claymore)

(both lyney and lynette have a skill (object) to taunt enemies with, its kinda cool)

story:

archon quest chapter IV act I + II

felis fuscus chapter: act I - lyneys story quest

events:

mega meka melee - event with 3 experiments (minigames: underwater parkour, battle, music) to build a toy again or smth, get a free bennett

relic records: creations of the hydro nation - collect fontaine mats and defeat monsters

studies in light and shadow - photography event

verdict of blades - combat challenge

other:

(obv) new region: fontaine

diving feature (also meaning new animations for all chars) - doesnt require stamina (oxygen) unless you swim faster (like sprinting)

fontainian characters have their own system (arkhe) next to the regular elemental system in the game bc of fontaine running on this system since its so highly advanced in technology - only applies to fontaine and its characters

new players get a chance to reach fontaine faster if they want to (since the way through sumeru and its desert is too long)

new bosses

free lynette at AR25!! (comes with enough mats for an ascension)

the forgeable fontaine weapons

NEW BP WEAPONS FINALLYYYYYYY jfc

weapon you can get from fishing vendors

new artifacts

multi layered map

party setup screen update (what i already talked about with kaveh and haitham some time ago - every character has their own entrance and exit animation, have unique poses and animations when you switch positions and the background changes too depending on your location)

look at this loser just standing there

genius invokation tcg spectator mode

new cards i guess?? (look at lisa omg !!!!! beautiful)

[thewertsearch]

[ there was more to this ask, but some was spoilers 😆 - C ]

Ooh, that is a fun challenge! I might make this a bigger Title post, actually, because it's been a good while since we've had one of those.

...alright, I just finished, and this one kind of got away from me. I hope it's ok that I sort of hijacked your post to talk about Aspects as a whole - but rest assured, I did answer the original question. Let's get into it!

Unfortunately, it might be kind of difficult to make Class guesses. My theory is that they're Sburb's take on RPG party roles - and for obvious reasons, we haven't seen how any of the non-Player characters would fit into a Sburb party. A full analysis of the hypothetical Midnight Crew, Exile and Guardian sessions would be fun, but it's a little out of scope for this question.

Personality certainly seems to be a factor. I don't think it's a coincidence, for example, that the Seers are the most inquisitive members of their respective parties. Dave and Karkat both hide their true emotions behind a persona - but then again, so do Feferi and Jade, two happy-go-lucky Witches with incredibly dark backstories. Dave may be the worst offender, but half the cast is hiding behind some sort of facade.

John, for his part, doesn't seem to have anything in common with Equius - at least, nothing I can see. I might dig a little deeper for human/troll Class parallels once we've seen more of Equius and Feferi, but our sample sizes are so small that it's going to be hard to tell which shared traits are intentional.

Anyway, none of the other classes feature a pair of Players that I could toss into a Venn diagram, so we're at a bit of a dead end.

I suppose I could approach this from another angle, and try to extrapolate a Class from each character's life circumstances - for example, by speculating that Grandpa's inheritance of the Betty Crocker brand makes him a potential Heir - but that's clearly not an accurate method, given that literal heiress Feferi is a Witch.

See, Classes are a tough nut to crack! The main issue here is that the comic has given us very little to work with - it's been tight-lipped on Titles in general, and there's been almost no exposition on Classes specifically.

It might be easier just to try and assign Aspects to each of the non-Players - so that's what I'm going to do. I'll also take the opportunity to put forward my best guess for what each Aspect means.

Without further ado:

Time means time.

This one seems extremely straightforward. Not all the Aspects are quite so literal - Breath, for example, seems more closely related to wind than the body function it's named after - but Time is about engaging directly with its namesake. It may have other meanings as well, but we haven't seen any yet.

If you wield Time, then you're the session's designated time traveler - which is a lot less cool than it sounds, because it means you're on Doomed Timeline cleanup duty. Enjoy the corpse disposal!

Both of the comic's Time Players have fashioned their own personal time machines out of musical instruments. Music seems to have some connection to Time - which makes sense, since it's an art form of pitch, rhythm and beat. Music is time.

We can also talk for a second about Dave's Quest. As we'll see, each Land Quest seems to directly concern the Player's Aspect. Dave's Quest is to...

...um.

Well, one of these is Dave's Quest. The LOHACse is the only one of the two which is directly related to Time, but I've speculated that Dave's sword-in-the-stone quest will involve him rewinding Caledfwlch to an earlier point in its timeline. Plus, the Caledfwlch quest also speaks to Dave's Class as a Knight, so I think it's the real one.

For the sake of completeness, let's also talk about the Time Lands. Each Land always seems to feature one trait which either directly or obliquely references its Player's Aspect. LOHAC is self-explanatory, but Aradia's Land of Quartz and Melody is an interesting case, as its 'Aspect trait' could be either of its two descriptors. Quartz could reference the quartz in a modern clock, and Melody could reference the musical connection I mentioned above.

I can't think of any non-Players with particularly strong ties to Time - aside from the Felt and Lord English, who we know very little about. Let's say they're all Time Players, and English rules over them as a Prince of Time. As a mob boss and destroyer of worlds, he undoubtedly shares some of Eridan's megalomania.

Space... well, we actually don't have much for Space. We haven't seen Jade or Kanaya do anything with their Aspect, nor do we know anything about their Quests.

We do know that both Space Lands contain the Forge, so maybe there's something to that. Presumably it's going to forge something, and I think it's probably where you're supposed to create the universe. If your task is literally to create Space, it makes sense that a Space Player would take point - but that begs the question of what would happen in a session without a Space Player.

Maybe the game prefers a Space Forge, but it can spawn on another Land in lieu of one - or maybe Space is the 'default' Aspect, and it's actually mandatory in every session.

As far as Space's symbolism is concerned, my assumption is that it's as straightforward as Time, but we'll need to see more.

While I'm here, I guess I should dip my toe into this hot mess.

Yes, LOFAF's Space Word does appear to be Frogs. Yes, that does imply that Kanaya's was also Frogs, or something equally mysterious. No, I do not know what this could possibly mean.

These frogs are apparently heralds for their god, Bilious Slick, whose shadow has been looming over the comic for months now. I guess their appearance on the Space Lands implies that Slick is Space themed, which is at least consistent with my theory that he's the final obstacle between the Players and their universe.

Moving on, because I give up.

(Oh, and if anyone's a Space Player, it's Bec. You could also make an argument for Mom Lalonde, since her home was fitted with an observatory, but that's very tenuous. We don't know much about Space, so I don't know how else to tie a character to the Aspect.)

There's a lot going on with Light.

All Quests so far have had ties to the Player's Aspect, so whatever Jaspers thinks he's talking about here should have something to do with Light.

Jaspers... seems to be talking about different ways to represent information, and instructing Rose to find a particular DNA sequence. (I have to assume this isn't the MEOW sequence, because I don't think Sburb wants Rose to fill LOLAR's oceans with First Guardians.) So, it sort of looks like Light is information, doesn't it?

Well... maybe. See, things are are complicated by the fact that Dave's Quest above was also Knight-themed, so this spiel from Jaspers could be partially Seer-themed. How can we tell which is the Seer stuff, and which is the Light?

Recently, Rose said this, seemingly confirming that her Title is about information ('knowing shit'), and also implying that the 'knowing' is a Seer thing.

This allow us to compare her to Terezi, the other Seer. As we'll see below, she specializes in discerning people's personalities and motivations - literally, seeing into their minds - so it sounds like being a Seer is about perceiving or 'seeing' things that relate to your Aspect.

Rose, the Seer of Light, should therefore have an advanced perception of Light - but just what is Light? What can Rose see?

Well, she says she can see 'the big picture'.

I think Rose's powers allow her to zoom out, understand the broad strokes of a situation, and see how it all ties together - and I think that is the essence of Light.

Dave wonders how he's going to navigate the Furthest Ring's twisted-up space, so she scans the overall situation with her Light powers, and vaguely understands that it won't be a problem. Dave will be able to play his part.

However, if he asked why, exactly, it won't be a problem, or how he's going to do it, she'd be stumped. That's not her department.

I think I sort of understand what Light means now, but I can't think of a succinct way to describe it. The zooming-out Aspect, maybe? The everything-is-connected Aspect? The don't-sweat-the-details Aspect?

Guys, I think I'm starting to understand Homestuck!

Ah, shit.

Yeah, I don't know how Vriska or her powers slot into this interpretation. As the Thief of Light, I guess she'd be stealing... the bigger picture... from other people? And that lets her take their luck, somehow?

I guess when you give yourself 'good luck', you are sort of improving your situation in the general sense, rather than the specific. You don't know the details of how your luck will manifest, but you don't really need to - all you need to know is that it'll be good for you.

I don't know. This is getting messy, and more than a little abstract. I'm sure Vriska will be doing a lot of luck-stealing, so we'll hopefully learn more as we go.

At least the Land of Maps and Treasure fits Light-as-the-big-picture. A map is, literally, a big picture.

A flurry of disquieting happenstance is related to the ADORED SOVEREIGN. With no other options, her counsel is all that is left to be sought. Abdication is never ideal. But in the face of inevitable conquest, conceding ground can supply the only remaining advantage.

WQ, then, seems like a good fit for a Light Player. After listening to PM's full report, she seems to understand how the pieces fit together.

The Queen knows that Jack wants her dead, and clearly understands how dangerous a Player item can be, in the wrong hands. She doesn't know what's in the package, or what Jack will do with it - but she doesn't need to. She can see the writing on the wall, so she retreats.

I did a bit of Breath research for this post, and landed on the above quote. I think Breath is about direction and destination.

TT: John? TT: Are you there? -- tentacleTherapist [TT] is now an idle chum! -- EB: hey, yeah i'm here! EB: and not dead i think. TT: I know. TT: I've been watching you scramble through the house like a lunatic. TT: You should have answered me sooner.

John's a meandering kind of guy. He's wandered haphazardly around the session for three thousand pages, but he always seems to reach his goal. Despite not knowing where to go, he always seems to be where he needs to be.

John's Quest as the Heir of Breath has been explained in detail. He needs to unclog the pipes of LOWAS and defeat Typheus, freeing his Land's fireflies from their cloudy prison. In essence, John's Quest is to give these bugs a new direction, allowing them their full axis of movement once again.

There might also be some Heir stuff in this Quest, but its ultimate goal seems to align pretty well with that Breeze quote above, so I'm willing to accept it as Breath evidence.

AG: Have you ever tried to fly? I 8et you haven't! AG: How a8out we take to the skies, Pupa! AG: Hahahaha, oh you like that idea, Pupa? Yes, you do. I can feel it in your simple, mallea8le 8rain. AG: You want to fly so 8ad!

Breath might also have something to do with agency - or at least, the ability to choose your own actions. John's freedom-themed Quest isn't the only example of this - Tavros's entire arc is about how Vriska keeps denying him agency, while pretending she's doing the opposite.

(I'm going to avoid comparing Homestuck to other works, because this post is long enough as it is, so you're just going to have to imagine the twelve paragraphs of Deltarune meta that would otherwise be placed here.)

AT: bECAUSE THE ONLY TIME i EVER HAD FUN PLAYING THIS GAME WAS WHEN i WAS ASLEEP,

Tavros just wanted to do his own thing. He wanted to ignore the game and float around Prospit, away from everyone's expectations - but he was denied this opportunity, again and again. It's no wonder that he's on a bit of a high right now, after being granted the freedom of his new robo-legs.

As for potential Breath Players - well, CD reminds me of John a little, but he seems a lot more likely to stay on task. I don't know what Aspect he'd be assigned.

Now - we're onto the Aspects we've only seen in trolls. We don't have as much for most of these, since we haven't seen any troll Quests, nor any Aspect powers sans Vriska and Terezi.

Terezi, the Seer of Mind, deals in personality - or maybe, more generally, vibes.

CG: WE'RE NOT EXILING JACK, HE'S COOL. [...] GC: [...] 1 DO NOT G3T 4 GOOD F33L1NG FROM H1M! GC: H3 K1ND OF CG: STINKS? [...] GC: W3LL GC: SORT OF GC: H3 DO3SNT SM3LL B4D 4CTU4LLY GC: H3 SM3LLS R34LLY CL34N 4ND SH1NY 4ND D4RK D4RK D444RK L1K3 4N O1L SL1CK 4ND TH3R3 1S 4 T1NY H1NT OF L1COR1C3 TH3R3 TOO GC: 1TS MOR3 L1K3 GC: TH3 W4Y H3 MOV3S GC: 1 SM3LL H1S SMOOTH MOT1ONS 4ND TH3 W4Y H3 SQU1NTS H1S 3Y3S 4ND 1T G1V3S M3 TH1S R34LLY N3RVOUS F33L1NG

When she smells someone, her Mind-enhanced perception doesn't just tell her what they look like - it also seems to communicate that person's essence. Terezi can see the idea of Jack Noir, here. She's smelling what it feels like to be inside his head.

GC: TH3 D4Y 1T H4PP3N3D W4S TH3 F1RST T1M3 1 3V3R H34RD FROM MY LUSUS GC: SH3 WOK3 M3 UP, 4ND 3V3R S1NC3 H4S B33N T34CH1NG M3 4 D1FF3R3NT W4Y TO S33 GC: 4 D1FF3R3NT W4Y TO P3RC31V3 3V3RYTH1NG 1 GU3SS, NOT JUST 1N 4 S3NSORY W4Y

Terezi is also a naturally perceptive person, so it's sometimes unclear whether her reads are due to Seer clairvoyance or her own deductive abilities. As a general rule, I'll only treat her insight as a Mind power if she explicitly refers to her sense of smell as its source, since that's the avenue for her supernatural perception.

GC: T3LL M3 YOUR R34L N4M3!!! >:[ TG: ok lets say its TG: dave why not GC: D4V3! GC: TH4T SM3LLS L1K3 TRUTH GC: 1 W1LL D3C1D3 TO B3L13V3 1T >:] TG: fuck

Therefore, I'm pretty sure her powers do, in fact, allow her to detect lies. Mind, then, might be related to the concept of truth - as in, your Mind is the truth of who you are, stripped of all illusions.

I was initially going to place Droog here, since he seems to be the only Crew member with his head screwed on, but I no longer think Mind is about being rational or analytical.

Blood is the first Aspect I don't really have a guess for. Maybe it's got something to do with genetics - Karkat is a carcinoGeneticist, after all, and a mutant to boot.

Spades Slick is blood brothers with a Knight of Blood, and he's got a lot in common with Karkat, commanding his party with a moderately annoying leadership style. I'll put him here on the strength of those parallels, and I can revisit it when Blood is explained.

We don't know much about Nepeta, so we don't know much about Heart. Shipping is all about drawing them, though, so maybe Heart is about romance - or, more broadly, relationships and connections.

Nepeta's Land of Little Cubes and Tea is a lolcat joke, so it might not conform to the Aspect Word pattern. I guess, since the cubes are sugar cubes, it might be a pun on 'sweetheart'? Who knows.

I'll put Hearts Boxcars here, and not just because of his name. He's the only member of the Midnight Crew with any interest in shipping.

Feferi revived Sollux with a kiss, so Life is probably healing, as it is in many other element systems.

How her Land of Dew and Glass relates to Life is a mystery. While dew can refer to condensation on any surface, it's often used to describe the water droplets which accrete on grass and other flora. That's kind of a connection to a living thing, but feels like a stretch and a half.

Let's also put Nanna here, since she's the only true healer in the cast. I don't know why the other sprites don't use the healing beam.

Our Void Player is in a Land of Caves and Silence - a hole in the earth, and an absence of sound. Void seems to represent negation, or a lack of something.

Also - this might be a reach, but Scratch describes the gaps in his clairvoyance as 'pockets of void', so perhaps Void also has something to do with uncertainty - aka, a lack of information.

Most of the Guardians could go here, really. Bro seems the best fit, since he's constantly hiding from Dave, and completely vanishes for most of the session.

When a timeline is marked for destruction, we say that it's doomed.

Doom seems to represent death, obliteration and entropy. Sollux Entered into the Land of Brains and Fire, and I think it's pretty clear that Fire is the trait which is tapping his Aspect.

Doom may also be the Aspect of prophecy. After all, Sollux is a prophet of Doom - so maybe he's a prophet because of Doom. It could also be related to his nature as a Mage, but Mages haven't been explained, so I can't speculate.

I originally thought that Sollux might be a Seer - but the Seer Class seems to be about gathering information related to a particular Aspect, rather than directly divining the future. Maybe a Seer of Time could see future events, but it's certainly not a default ability of the class.

Grandpa seems to have some ties to Doom. He prophesized Jade's death to her when he told her about her dead Dream Self - plus, he's a hunter, with a house full of corpses. Also, his entire presence in the session is overshadowed by the spectre of his future death. This is probably the Aspect guess I'm most confident in.

I guess there's also Hope, a brand-new Aspect with no lore. Eridan's 'hope' would seem to be expressed in the fact that he constantly hits on people, hoping in vain for a yes. Thankfully, we're not aware of any non-Players like that....

The mail is the one final hope for resurrecting a dead planet from its ashes, and the letter carriers are the brave soldiers of God in this righteous crusade. They are the defenders of the light of knowledge, free communication, and the exchange of ideas. They are the bold toters of all those little papery conduits of freedom, the white postmarked angels that whisper a message on their deliverance, a promise to the yearning: "There is hope yet."

...but PM is pretty much screaming about hope in her mail monologue, so we'll put her here.

ORDER IN THE COURT. YOU WILL HAVE ORDER IN THIS COURTROOM. IF EVERYONE DOES NOT SETTLE DOWN YOU WILL CLEAR OUT THIS COURTROOM, YOU SWEAR TO GOD.

It's hard to classify the Aimless Renegade. He's all about crime and punishment - which is certainly a Terezi trait, but I don't think it's a Mind trait.

As for Dad, he has a well-established gentlemanly personality, but I don't know what Aspect is the most 'gentlemanly'.

I could try and classify more obscure characters like FedoraFreak, the Pen-pal, Jaspersprite or the Hussie self-insert, but I'll tell you right now I don't have any guesses. Still, that was fun, and it was a good opportunity for me to update my thoughts surrounding the Aspects!

[juniperwoodwell]

Exhausted

Welcome to the first post of my Keanuverse writings! This was a request from @scarlettspectra! I gave myself the goal of 1k words for each character since I'm still learning how to write for them(which I achieved), it's not my best work but I had a ton of fun writing! I hope you enjoy!

Pairing(s): Neo (Thomas Anderson) x F!Reader. Aged up!Ted Theodore Logan x F!Reader. Tom Ludlow x F!Reader

Word count: 3,383k

WARNINGS: use of Y/n, Cursing, suggestive flirting, fluff, a bit of angst, minor references to death, aged up Ted (18-19), most likey OOC for all three.

Notices: For Tom's story it is written in first person. Not sure if they even count as fluff. And I'm not sure why all of them end with sleep... I'm just that exhausted I guess.

-

"Neo" Thomas Anderson.

“Where’s Y/n?” Neo’s voice cut through the hum of conversation in the rec room of their ship. Trinity's shrug was almost imperceptible, but Neo caught it.

“Where do you think?” She didn’t need to elaborate; they all knew Y/n's penchant for losing herself in her work. Neo nodded, understanding, and made his way to find her.

Y/n lay in a chair, her brow smoothed out in sleep, her breaths soft and even. Neo stood beside her, the dim lights casting shadows across her face. He reached out, his fingers brushing against the strands of her hair, a stark contrast to the constant chaos of their reality.

“What does she even do there?” Neo asked Morpheus, who had been waiting nearby.

The older man’s laugh rumbled low. “Whatever she wants. It’s her construct, her rules.”

Neo observed her for a moment longer before making his decision. “Want to join her?” Morpheus asked, knowing the answer already.

When Neo entered Y/n's construct, he was greeted by a world unlike anything he had seen in the Matrix. Towering skyscrapers were replaced by lush trees, the cacophony of the city silenced by the gentle rustle of leaves and the distant chirping of birds.

“Neo, what a surprise.” Y/n's voice reached him before he spotted her, nestled beneath a tree, bathed in the warm glow of simulated sunlight. He approached, the soft grass yielding beneath his boots. She patted the spot beside her, and Neo couldn't refuse. As he settled next to her, Y/n leaned against him, their connection tangible in the serene stillness.

“What are you working on?” Neo gestured towards the notebook nestled in her lap, his eyes lingering on the sketches and notes scrawled within its pages.

“Her,” Y/n replied softly, nodding towards a figure seated at a nearby picnic table, engrossed in a book.

“Your mother?” Neo asked, understanding dawning in his eyes.

Y/n nodded, her gaze distant. “Trying to capture her essence, her spirit. It’s proving more challenging than I anticipated.”

Neo pulled her closer, a silent understanding passing between them. He admired her resilience, her determination to resurrect a piece of her past.

“Tell me what you've achieved,” Neo encouraged, eager to share in her triumphs.

“Well, her physical appearance is mostly accurate, but...” Y/n trailed off, a shadow crossing her features. “But her presence, her aura... that’s proving elusive.”

Neo listened, his heart aching for her. Despite their reality, Y/n persisted in her quest for connection, for closure.

“I feel like I'm at my wit's end,” Y/n admitted, her frustration palpable.

Neo stood, offering his hand. “Let's walk,” he suggested, a small smile tugging at his lips.

Hand in hand, they wandered through the idyllic landscape, the sun casting long shadows across the grass.

“Wits end, huh?” Neo teased gently, the corners of his mouth quirking up.

Y/n rolled her eyes, her laughter echoing in the tranquil surroundings. “A bit dramatic, I suppose.”

As they walked, Neo couldn’t help but admire Y/n's simplicity, her authenticity in a world built on deceit.

“What made you finally decide to join me?” Y/n asked, breaking the comfortable silence between them.

Neo glanced down at her, his gaze softening. “Curiosity, I suppose. And maybe a bit of... admiration.”

They paused, the world around them shimmering with an ethereal beauty. Neo pulled Y/n close, her warmth seeping into his bones.

As their lips drew near, a jarring ring cut through the peaceful scene. Reality beckoned, but for a moment longer, they lingered in their shared sanctuary.

A few hours after departing the simulation, Y/n navigated the ship's corridor, her steps weary but determined. As she reached her room, she found Neo leaning casually against the doorframe, his presence both comforting and electrifying. “Neo…” she breathed his name, a mixture of longing and anticipation hanging in the air. “Got a moment?” he asked, his voice a low murmur in the dimly lit hallway. She nodded, her resolve wavering in the face of his magnetic pull. “For you? Always,” she replied, her voice a whisper carried on the currents of their shared reality.

Once inside her quarters, Y/n settled onto her bed, the weight of the day settling around her like a heavy shroud. Neo joined her, his presence a grounding force amidst the chaos of their world.

As she removed her shoes, his eyes traced her movements, a silent acknowledgment of the strength she carried within her. When she turned to face him, his touch was urgent, his lips meeting hers with a fierce intensity that ignited a fire within her soul.

In that fleeting moment, time seemed to stand still, the boundaries of their reality blurring as they became lost in the ecstasy of their connection. It was a sanctuary, a brief respite from the trials that awaited them beyond the confines of their shared embrace.

As they pulled away, breathless and exhilarated, Y/n's heart soared, her desire for him consuming her entirely. Neo's laughter echoed in the quiet of the room as he trailed kisses along her jaw, his touch a balm to her restless soul.

Reluctantly, he pulled away, a hint of regret in his eyes. Y/n protested, her need for him palpable in the air between them. “If we continue, you'll never rest,” he cautioned, his voice a gentle reminder of the responsibilities that awaited them.

Y/n met his gaze with defiance, her determination unwavering in the face of his gentle admonishment. “That's not for you to decide,” she countered, her voice a whisper against the backdrop of their shared intimacy.

Neo's smirk was both infuriating and endearing as he regarded her, his gaze lingering on her with a mixture of admiration and desire. “Very well,” he conceded, his fingers trailing along her cheek. “Let's rest, for now.”

Y/n smiled, her eyes alight with mischief as she draped her arms around his neck. “Agreed,” she murmured, pulling him close for one final kiss before surrendering to the call of sleep.

As Neo guided her beneath the covers, Y/n felt a sense of peace wash over her, his touch a soothing balm against the chaos of their days. “Will you stay?” she asked, her voice a soft plea in the darkness.

Neo nodded, his gaze unwavering as he ran his fingers along her back. “Of course,” he replied, his voice a whisper against the silence of the night.

As Y/n drifted into sleep, Neo remained by her side, his presence a steadfast reminder of the love they shared amidst the tumult of their existence. In the warmth of their embrace, they found solace, a sanctuary amidst the storm.

And as the world faded into darkness, they surrendered to the sweet embrace of sleep, their dreams intertwined in the tapestry of their shared existence.

Ted Theodore Logan

-

Ted’s joyful greeting interrupted Y/n’s intense focus, her eyes reluctantly leaving the dense textbook pages. With a weary smile, she raised her gaze to meet his, her exhaustion evident.

"How’s it going, babe!" Ted’s tone brimmed with joy as he slid into the seat beside her, his presence a welcome distraction.

Y/n couldn’t help but smile at his infectious enthusiasm, though she couldn’t hide her weariness. "Very... Very slowly," she sighed, running her hands down her face in exhaustion.

Ted's mischievous grin widened as he settled beside her, his excitement palpable.

As she looked at him, a mix of concern and curiosity flickered in her eyes. "What are you planning?" she asked cautiously, bracing herself for one of Ted’s wild ideas. His grin grew wider, a glint of mischief dancing in his eyes. "I’ve just had the most excellent idea, dudette. Let’s go!" With a swift motion, he grabbed her hand, pulling her up from her seat, his enthusiasm contagious.

Y/n hesitated, her responsibilities tugging at her conscience. "Ted Theodore Logan! I can’t just leave; I’ve got a paper due in the morning," she protested weakly, knowing deep down that Ted’s persuasion was hard to resist. But his determination was unwavering, and before she knew it, she found herself grabbing her jacket as Ted dragged her along to the Circle-K.

Standing before the familiar store, Y/n couldn't help but voice her skepticism. "Really, Ted? The Circle-K again?" Her hands found their way to her hips, her gaze fixed on the unassuming sign above.

Ted shrugged, undeterred by her doubt. "I know, I know. But tonight, we embark on a daring quest: to conquer every slushie flavor they possess!" Y/n couldn’t suppress a laugh at his infectious enthusiasm. "Alright, dude. But this time, you’re footing the bill... with your pretzel money," she teased, a playful grin tugging at her lips.

With a theatrical flourish, Ted swung the door open, bowing as Y/n entered with a mock curtsy, their banter echoing through the aisles as they filled their cups with an array of vibrant colors. But by the time they added the cola flavor, the mix turned a dark purple—not a very appetizing color. Y/n handed Ted her slushie and told him she’d go get some snacks. They met at the counter and pulled out all their loose money. Ted refused to let Y/n spend a dime on anything tonight, so she negotiated a penny, which he agreed to because he couldn’t argue with her logic.

Exiting the store, they embarked on their customary leisurely stroll home, tongues stained and spirits high. Ted's tongue became the subject of Y/n's laughter, prompting a playful exchange as they walked hand in hand. Ted stuck out his tongue, and Y/n laughed loudly. "Your tongue is so purple!"

"You should see yours!" he countered as he nudged her shoulder. She nudged him back a little harder, then bolted ahead. Ted followed after her, catching her with his free hand and pulling her into him. "You’re mine now, babe!"

Their journey led them to Y/n's backyard and her cherished treehouse, adorned with twinkling lights. It was her sanctuary, a haven away from the chaos of the world.

Ted sat down on one of the three beanbag chairs on the floor of the treehouse. They hadn’t had much time together lately. Y/n had been sent to an all-girls high school after getting into trouble too many times, being the third member of a certain-rockin'-duo. Ted and Bill had blamed themselves for a while, but now, they all had their own paths. Y/n was an A-student, and the boys were still very passionate about their band.

Y/n sat on the floor beside the window, next to where Ted was sitting. She looked out toward her house; her parents were in the dining room building a puzzle. 'How boring' she thought.

"Y/n," Ted’s usually bouncy, aloof demeanor wasn’t present in his voice. When she looked over at him, she saw the vulnerability she saw in him when he was around his father. "Yeah, Teddy?" The rare use of that nickname caused his heart to race. Only she could call him that, only Y/n. He looked away and shook his head, finishing off his slushie. Y/n sat up and placed her hand on his knee. "What’s wrong?" she asked, suddenly concerned.

"I- It’s nothing. Don’t worry about it," he quickly smiled to cover up his sullen attitude. "That won’t cut it. Tell me, or I’m kicking you out." He laughed. "Again!? But I just got pardoned!" he exclaimed gleefully.

Y/n stood up, her hands on her hips. "Teddy, I’m going to sit down." She spoke but didn’t give him a chance to respond. She straddled his hips, causing them to sink further into the beanbag. Ted’s face erupted in red, his ears, cheeks, and neck red as a tomato.

"Talk." She crossed her arms, knowing this was like Wonder Woman's lasso of truth to him.

Ted groaned, a mix of surprise and irritation. "Fine. I was gonna tell you anyway! You didn’t need to..." He motioned to her hips. She raised a curious brow, and his head fell back. "You’re acting like I don’t do this all the time." His head snapped back up, and he glared at her playfully, his hair looking wilder than usual. Y/n reached forward to thread her fingers through it. Ted’s eyes fluttered shut at the feeling.

"I miss you," he admitted softly, his hands finding their places on her hips. Y/n’s face softened in understanding. "Oh- I see… I have been really busy, haven’t I?" Ted nodded. Y/n continued to play with his hair. "You haven’t been around; even Bill misses you."

Y/n hummed. "Yes, I bet he does. But my sweet boyfriend misses me more, doesn’t he?"

"More than anything," his words were slow and mumbled. He was exhausted; this was probably weighing on him more than he realized.

Y/n removed herself from his lap; his hands reached for her as he groaned in protest. "Hold on for a sec, babe." Y/n spoke sweetly as she moved to open the trunk in the corner of the treehouse.

She pulled out a thick, fuzzy blanket and then moved back over to Ted. She sat down in his lap, her legs draped over his, and her head rested on his shoulder as she put the blanket over them. "Teddy, I’ll try and make more time for you and Bill. I’m sorry I didn’t realize sooner that I was neglecting you." He shrugged tiredly, a goofy, tired smile on his lips, his eyes still shut as he struggled to keep his head up. "It’s totally cool, babe, no worries," she smiled at his words, allowing sleep to consume her.

Tom Ludlow

-

The sun was setting over LA, casting a warm glow that enveloped the balcony of my apartment. The fading daylight's gentle warmth kept me company as I lounged outside. A cold glass of iced tea sat on the table beside me, the ice cubes clinking softly as they melted. It was 7 o’clock, and I waited patiently, soaking in the tranquility of the evening.

Thirty minutes passed, and finally, the door to my apartment swung open and then slammed shut. "I’m home," my boyfriend's rough, tired voice echoed through the space. I rose from my chair on the balcony and made my way inside. "Green, Yellow, or Red?" I inquired, our signal for the mood we were in after work: Green for great, Yellow for moderate, Red for really shitty. I found him by the front door, shrugging off his coat. I crossed my arms and leaned against the doorway.

"Red. Bright fucking red," he grumbled. I nodded silently, understanding that it was my cue to let him set the pace. When he turned to face me, his shoulders visibly softened. "Look at you. Did you dress up for me, or?" he teased, a smirk playing on his lips. Even on Red days, we didn't bring our troubles home; they stayed on the doorstep. But we would address them eventually.

I smiled and shrugged, playfully turning away and heading towards the kitchen, with his heavy footsteps trailing behind me. His favorite meal awaited him on the table, along with a beer at his usual spot. He chuckled as he took in the spread. "You're amazing," he said, wrapping an arm around my waist and kissing the top of my head. I leaned into him, and he embraced me tightly, seeking solace.

"Don’t tiptoe around me tonight; I’ll be alright," he confessed, turning me to face him. His eyes scanned me from head to toe. I wore his favorite outfit—not too flashy, just the right mix of sweet and sexy. "Shall we eat?" I nodded, kissing the corner of his mouth, feeling his hands softly gripping my hips. I could tell he needed to unwind, and I was determined to help him relax.

So we sat down to dinner. I held a glass of wine in my hand while he nursed his first beer. Across from each other at the dining table, he turned the attention to me. "How was your day, sweetheart?" he inquired. I hummed, "Boring. Forced leave is stupid." He rolled his eyes. "You fell down a flight of stairs and had a mild concussion. I think it’s justified," he remarked. I scoffed, "I wouldn’t be here if I had just bought those new shoes you told me to." Tom chuckled, taking a long sip from his bottle. My wine remained barely touched.

"You're worried," he stated, knowing me like the back of his hand. He could read me like a book, even from the day we met. "Yes... I mean, you rarely have Red days anymore, so of course I’m worried," I confessed. He nodded, understanding, placing the bottle on the table before standing up from his seat. Standing beside me, he lifted my chin and kissed me tenderly. I melted into his embrace; I was supposed to be the one to relax him, not the other way around.

He pulled me up from my seat, guiding me to the living room as he peppered kisses along my jawline. His warmth enveloped me as his body pressed against mine. Sitting me on the couch, he knelt in front of me, and I tilted my head, curious. He smirked, "I can’t let my girl get stressed over me," he declared, his knuckles brushing against my ankles as he slipped off my heels. My eyes brimmed with affection as I watched him. What a sap. I chuckled at the thought, and his gaze met mine, his smile genuine.

"What’s so funny?" he inquired. I shook my head, smiling. His eyes darkened, locking onto mine like a predator eyeing its prey. Tossing my shoes aside, he stood up, maintaining his intense gaze. "I won’t ask again," he asserted with feigned authority. "You're a sap," I teased. He laughed, a genuine, happy sound. Surprised, he smiled. "A sap, huh? Why don’t you slip into something comfy, and I’ll come find you in the bedroom."

I nodded and stood, grabbing his hand and giving him a brief kiss before darting off to our shared bedroom. "Comfy" meant wearing his shirt and a pair of PJ shorts. I sat on the bed, organizing my bedside table, removing empty pill bottles and water bottles. This room had become my sanctuary during my leave, but I had let it become cluttered. As I threw away the last bottle, Tom entered the room. His expression was soft, and I noticed his hands were damp.

"Did you wash the dishes?" I asked. He nodded. "Oh, Tommy, you didn’t have to," I said, touched. He shrugged, "It gave me some time to think. Ready for bed?" I nodded wearily, then crawled under the covers. I watched him as he shut the bedroom door and began undressing, but he disappeared into the bathroom to change. "Tease!" I exclaimed, hearing his deep chuckle from the other side of the door. "Nothing you haven’t seen before, baby," he quipped.

When he emerged, he wore a pair of low-waisted black sweatpants. Nothing else. It was warm, and I didn't blame him. He climbed into bed, and we leaned against the headboard, me nestled against him with a book in hand. He turned on the TV, the volume low, quickly finding a rerun of an old TV show. This was our routine. If we weren’t tired, I would read while he watched something.

Tucked against his chest, I read my book. "How many is this?" he asked. "Four. Hopefully, next weekend I’ll have finished the fifth one," I replied. He hummed, kissing my head. "We lost an officer today. He was just a kid. It really hit me hard, and I’m not sure why," he confessed. I placed my book face down, looking up at him. "Oh, baby…" I caressed his face, kissing his cheek. He held my hand, kissing my palm.

"I’ll be alright. I’m taking the day off tomorrow. It’ll be just us," he assured me. I smiled, nuzzling back into him. "I like the sound of that. A day of infinite possibilities." We relaxed into each other, my book untouched, and the TV left on. A peaceful slumber enveloped us in its warmth.

[caligvlasaqvarivm]

I have to ask where to fefeta and Erisol fit into your theories. Obviously fefeta exploding due to to two different people trying to apologize to her then arguing caused her to explode, and probably hint that the two halves are pitch for each other. But what about Erisol, why out of all alpha sprites, he is the most stable? What does it say about Eridan and Sollux? And a possible relationship of theirs or lack of one

Is Erisol the troll-sprite embodiement of Terezi’s and Gamzee’s shitty relationship. Absolute fucking disgusting codependence that allows them to wallow in their self pity. If that’s the case Eridan would be like a comfortable blanket for sollux, but not a good relationship

Why did Skaia give Eridan a quest that is knew Eridan would royally fuck up due to being raised as the next orphaner and thus have a trigger finger on anything big and white. Is Skaia stupid? Could Eridan come back to it at a later date and find that his quest is now to help the angels rebuild? Is it because Skaia accidentally made Satan and tried to set its most powerful aspect to beat it, overriding character development for hope players?

Answering these one by one:

For my thoughts on Erisol and Fefeta, see this essay and this essay.

It's hard to say why Gamzee brought the trolls back; I have an ask in my inbox positing that he's trying to set up pitch relationships (which I like the thought of) - I'm still rereading this part of the comic, so it's not super clear to me, either. I don't want to speculate when I can't be sure of my opinion.

Lastly, we don't actually know what quest Skaia gave to Eridan. We know that Eridan received prophesies from the angels of their lord, whom he believes he was meant to defeat, but it's unclear if this was his planetary quest, or some side thing he had to deal with, similar to how Feferi has an overhanging prophecy to "unite the two races" and Karkat has his to "bring equality and forgiveness between all bloodlines."

However, what we do know is that free will > predestination within this setting (predestination only exists insofar as characters paint themselves into corners with their own choices, but it was still their CHOICES that created those corners, and not the machinations of fate and destiny), and Eridan is the one who chose to give up his destiny of defeating LE:

GG: im pretty sure hes from the future! CA: wwhy GG: because he said hes my grandson … CA: that gun i just gavve you is somethin of a hatchright to the kid CA: happy i could play a role in your dirty stinkin lineage GG: like an heirloom? i guess it could be … CA: i kinda think thats wwhy i found the gun in the first place CA: but noww im forsakin it because fuck i just found a better destiny than my old crappy one wwhich i nevver got any appreciation for anywway

It wasn't an insurmountable challenge for him and his team, it was just one that they failed because they couldn't/wouldn't address their personal problems in time, and that he voluntarily abandoned. Moreover, if we assume that, indeed, Eridan's classpect quest WAS to defeat LE, then we can still see a fairly clear character arc set out for him: Eridan's main emotional conflict stems from his inner hope being in anguished conflict with the despair and anxiety he feels toward the future that Alternia laid out for him - orphaner, empress's sea dweller, nobility. As a hope player, his struggle lies in believing in things. It's encapsulated in the way he decries magic as stupid and fake and dumb and bullshit, but he FUCKING LOVES MAGIC, since he collects shitty wands and has no less than 6 wizard statues in his respiteblock.

That anxiety and despair won in the comic, and he went on a killing spree because he felt he had nothing left to live for; in a hypothetical scenario where he DOES manage to grasp his powers and destroy WITH Hope rather than destroying Hope itself, then the opposite would be true: he defeats his anxiety and despair, asserting a new belief for a better and brighter future, shooting a beam of "make impossible things possible" through LE's otherwise unconditionally immortal heart.

[contentloadingandstuff]

Fluff Headcanons - Spooky gaming with the genshin characters!

A/N: The fluff version of the Halloween special, and a bit of a new format. I hope you enjoy!

C/W: Modern AU, swearing, game-typical violence.

Alhaitham

This year, Alhaitham wanted something less conventional. Something that would really engage his mind with interesting commentary about society and the world at large, but still retain some of that spooky vibe. 

Cruelty Squad easily caught his attention with its assaulting graphics and interesting premise. It clearly begged for attention, and he was willing to humor it. 

It was precisely what he was looking for, and what an answer it was. Alhaitham had no trouble adjusting to a more corporate mindset.

Alhaitham: The super AI emerges from an extremely pornographic ultra hyper suck and fuck…

Kaveh: Um… What? What are you talking about?

Alhaitham: You don't understand, Kaveh. Everything that surrounds us? It's Gorbino's Quest. The Gorbino's Quest... of life.

Ganyu

The poor little cinnamon roll isn't that much of a horror fan. Violence and death generally unsettles her, but Ganyu still wants to feel some of that holiday spirit. 

After a lengthy deliberation, Ganyu chose Little Nightmares. The graphics are quite pleasing to the eye, it is horror, but not so horrible and violent. At least that's what she heard.

Ganyu: Oh, look! It's a Nome, right? And it's offering me food… How nice of it! Um… Oh n-no! Why would you d-do that?!

Amber

The great outdoors with a horror theme? Count her in!

Amber made sure to avoid spoilers to have the full, unprecedented The Forest experience. The landscape is so serene and peaceful… The freedom of movement, the sounds of nature and the survival elements are so fun and relaxing!

True, there are some hostile people on the island, but they seem harmless enough.

Until the night falls…

Amber: Wait… What's that? That doesn't look human… Did it just birth out… Ew… Yikes! It's coming at me! 

Suffice to say, Amber stuck around until more or less the moment when you have to chop up bodies and make effigies out of the parts.

Beidou

Alcohol, hard rock and murdering demons with big guns is how Beidou plays on Halloween, so she'll gladly hop on Doom Eternal.

There's nothing better than impaling a snake demon's head with its own broken arm, right as the beat drops. 

Beidou: Life has enough undefeatable horrors. Let's just have some fun tonight!

Ningguang

The old ones are the good ones! Ningguang doesn't play a lot of video games, but she did like a few titles back in her younger days. 

On this special occasion, Ningguang got a box of her old possessions to dig through, and found the original Dungeon Keeper on CD. 

Everything is just as she remembered it was. 

Ningguang: Oh, these imps… They are the perfect workers, aren't they? They don't eat, sleep, need vacation, have a social life, and they work harder when you slap them. Ah, if only I had them as my subordinates…

Keqing: *narrows eyes*

Kokomi

Another fan of the retro side of games, Kokomi enjoys a good tactical challenge - developing the ability to conjure small scale plans is as important as improving the grand ones.

Her pick is Myth II: Soulblighter. It’s a brutal, unforgiving RTS with a distinctively dark atmosphere - just perfect for the season at hand.

Even when Halloween comes to a close, Kokomi will find it hard to drop the game. The insanity that is Legendary is quite addictive indeed…

Kokomi: You here… You here… And now the crescendo!

Game: “Move here move there…”

Game: “Catch!”

Game: *explosion*

Game: “Casualty.”

Kokomi: Oh. Change of plans, I guess…

Yae Miko

Upon hearing of the wonderful possibilities for tormenting the other party, Miko didn't hesitate to bring out the Mora for Dead By Daylight and all of its DLC. 

Though it was quite fun at first, the ugly nature of the game soon surfaced. As none of her friends were brave enough to delve into this swamp, she was forced to join up with random people, who frequently threw the games. 

Such a combination was enough to make even such an ancient and wise kitsune lose her absolute cool.

Ei: Why are you crouching behind that tree, Miko?

Miko: The killer has caught one of my teammates, and I will release them by ambushing them with a flashlight! 

Miko: Come on… Now! You didn't expect that, did y- What?? Lightborn?! Again?! Who even plays it nowadays?! Oh, you daft, blind motherf-

Ei: Miko!

Miko: Oh… Hm. Sorry. I got a little carried away. But that's sooo unfair, isn't it? Why would they add a perk that cancels a whole mechanic? I can't believeitthegameissokillersided…

Xiangling

Xiangling absolutely didn't look forward to Halloween, especially with Hu Tao around. She just can't take horror, at all, of any kind, ever. Especially jumpscares.

She still couldn't believe that she agreed to play a horror game, let alone one suggested by the director. The one and only Five Nights At Freddy's at that.

Much to Hu Tao's amusement, she didn't even make it past Night 1. Xiangling was thoroughly spooked, and after being jumpscared once she completely refused to keep playing. 

Seeing Xiangling so terrified made Guoba very upset, and Hu Tao quickly apologized to avoid being roasted by the angry god. 

Hu Tao: So he killed the kids, but then! Their souls escaped their robot prisons and made an old spring lock suit crush him to death! WoOoo~

Xiangling: Ah! Hu Tao! No more! 

Guoba: Nane na! Grr…

Hu Tao: Oh, don't fret little Guoba! I'm just joking!

Zhongli

Morax always had trouble catching up with the latest cultural and technological trends of the humans. Sure, he can use a computer more than well enough, but he finds third and first person video games confusing. The gameplay is most often too fast and rapidly changing for him to be up to speed with it, let alone enjoy it. 

Throughout all of his exponentially long life, nobody was as persistent in including him in the festivities as Hu Tao. She tried to convince Zhongli to play something horror-related, but he was assertive. So, the director decided to find a game that would suit his liking - an indie title. 

Her pick fell on Water Womb World - it's simple mechanically, is quite disturbing and has an interesting concept. 

Much to her surprise, Zhongli thoroughly enjoyed his fifteen minutes with the game, even if he didn't find it very scary.

Zhongli: Ah, I agree with the message of this title. The blind belief in deities can lead to fanaticism, which breeds regress rather than progress. I do think that a more healthy and critical approach to Rex Lapis' rule would be beneficial to our current day society. Especially that the age of gods draws to an end…

Hu Tao: Aiya! Do you have to turn everything into a lecture, Zhongli? You're not my grandpa, are you?

Hu Tao

An avid enjoyer of the spookfest, Hu Tao decided to pick something hitting closer to home this year - Mortuary Assistant.

The gameplay loop feels great! Just like in her line of work, just without the smell. She's having the time of her life preparing the corpse for burial. And hunting the demon. That's also quite cool!

Hu Tao: *hums while wheeling the corpse into the crematory* 

Game: "Are you sure?"

Hu Tao: Yup! I know your tricks more than well. Aiyaya, you could try something more interesting next round! Furnace time~

Game: *sounds of fire and demonic screaming*

Hu Tao: Toodle-oo~

Bennet, Noelle, Fischl, Razor

A few weeks before Halloween, Bennett mentioned a game night, since he couldn't be there in person. Noelle, diligent as ever, picked this up as a cue to start looking for something. 

Luckily for her, Phasmophobia was on a large and affordable discount, so after proposing the idea and organizing a money pool, they all got to proving the existence of ghosts.

Lisa lent Razor her personal computer for the night, on condition that she could take a little peek every now and then at their session without interrupting - and what an amusement it was, as none of them are especially acquainted with horror.

Noelle: "The ghost responds only to people who are alone." Somebody has to go in to talk to it… 

Razor: Razor won't go! Ghost scary!

Bennett: I would go, but with my luck, the ghost will eat me right away…

Fischl: Hmph! Although yes, I, Fischl, The Prinzessin Der Verurteilung and the founder of The Immernatchreich possess the courage to face demons and spawns of darkness alike, I…

Everyone: So you'll go then?

Amy: Um… N-no! You m-misunderstood!

Furina

The Great-And-Grand Archon of Fontaine played and saw every horror game and movie, and never once got scared. Or that's what she claims, at least.

That's why Focalors decided to prove her excellence with a true, dark challenge she could easily overcome, thus proving her gaming capabilities for all to see!

In hindsight, Darkest Dungeon wasn't the best of choices she could have made… It did amuse Monsieur Neuvilette, however. 

Neuvillette: I think you should retreat. Your heroes are close to dying. 

Furina: I appreciate your advice, my dear Iudex, but your worries are misplaced! My Crusader will deal a critical hit, thus ending the pig-man's miserable opposition, and granting us treasure galore! Watch and marvel at my skill!

Game: "A singular strike!"

Furina: Ahaha, see? I told you it would be fine~ Wait… It's not dead yet…?

Game: "Mortality - clarified in a single strike!"

Furina: Um…

Game: "There can be no hope in this hell, no hope at all…"

Game: "And now the true test - hold fast, or expire."

Game: "Those who cover injury find it in no short supply."

Game: "As life ebbs, terrible vistas of emptiness reveal themselves."

Furina: Ret- T-tactical withdrawal! 

Game: "Cornered, trapped, forced to fight on!"

Game: "This is no place for the weak, or the foolhardy."

Game: "More blood soaks the soil, feeding the evil therein."

Game: "Perched at the very precipice of oblivion."

Game: "More dust, more ashes, more disappointment."

Game: "Another life wasted in the pursuit of glory and gold."

Game: "Wounds to be tended. Lessons to be learned."

Neuvillette: Lady Furina, if only you had-

Furina: Silence.

Shenhe

Shenhe never gets scared. The most terrible of monsters or existential terrors are no match for her training and resolve, no matter how unexpected they might be. She might not get scared, but she can get startled, right?

Who else would pose that question but Hu Tao, the mistress of horrors herself? It was always her objective to get some sort of reaction out of the adepti disciple, no matter how insignificant and small it might be. Many things were attempted - scary movies, troubling situations, body horror, cosmic horror, existential horror… But none of them ever worked. Shenhe remained stalwart.

Out of desperation, Hu Tao was forced to reach for the ultimate weapon. The bane of those unprepared. The myth. The legend. The game.

The Scary Maze Game. 

After plugging in an old spare monitor, she invited Shenhe to “test her precision”, and stepped a few safe meters back. 

The monitor ended up skewered with her polearm, but Shenhe did yelp - much to her delight. 

Not all was fun and games though, as Hu Tao got the mother of all lectures from Cloud Retainer. Something about Shenhe’s red ropes breaking, but the director didn’t pay much attention, and just nodded along.

Hu Tao: Heya, Shenhe… You don’t mind the little scare I gave you back on Halloween night, do you…?

Shenhe: Oh? Well, as much as I was upset during the moment, I must admit it was quite… cathartic. I never experienced anything like that. I do not hold any grudge towards you. Actually… Thank you for that, director Hu Tao.

Hu Tao: Phew! And I was here thinking I’ll share the fate of that display!

🎃Happy Halloween!🎃

[chongoblog]

sorry, ive been missing your recent streams. are you allowed to use ascend in your no-zonai-devices-no-clothes-no-fuse run of totk?

No problem, a lot of people have been missin em lol

And yes, Ascend is allowed. Only thing thats not allowed is

-Any interaction with Zonai Devices (with the limited exception of removing them from existing contraptions or the quest-necessary autobuild segments, since you’re not using them for anything in those)

-Any use of the Fuse Ability with weapons/shields/arrows (picking up pre-fused weapons is okay)

-Wearing clothes (I was gonna be lenient here since it was added last and I figured it would be necessary for some parts but so far I’ve found workarounds)

The only parts of this challenge I’ve been worried about is (minor totk spoilers) the miniboss I just cleared (which was hype as hell), the part leading up to the water temple where you have to fire an arrow with the kings scale (since that counts as fuse ability, but we miiiiiight make an exception just for that? We’ll see…), and the lightning temple, just…all of it. And I guess without BIG spoilers theres an entire later Thing (if you know you know) that I will technically be counting as a Zonai device unless its proven to be 1000% necessary

[reides]

leaving alola behind him, reides the kingdra headed for generation 8 of the pokemon games in his quest for more ribbons! gen8 of these games feature the galar region (via pokemon sword and shield) as well as the sinnoh region (via pokemon brilliant diamond and shining pearl)! this leap to gen8 was super alarming, as my beloved kingdra moved from the 3ds to the current nintendo console - namely, the nintendo switch! it's crazy to think about how this whole journey began on my copy of emerald version, slotted into my pleasantly clunky brick of a grey ds.

reides' journey through the generations has been filled with its highs and its lows, but once he arrived safely in pokemon home, it meant that i could be a bit flexible with my approach to the ribbons available in swsh and bdsp! (it also meant bidding farewell to my shoddy photos of my (3)ds screen for these posts... they will be missed...)

anyway, before i get into the story of reides' gen8 journey, i gotta do my customary shoutout to all the other parts of his ribbon master quest. it's really easy this time around, as i finally put together an index for these posts on my personal site! you can find it here! that page also has a lot of information about the challenge itself, along with some helpful resources if you'd like to take it on. as always, you can also peek in my ribbon master tag on this blog, too.

if you're all caught up with the story so far, it's time to get started on a brand new chapter.

transferring reides into my copy of pokemon shield was a really emotional experience. kingdra looks absolutely gorgeous on the switch, and i was blown away by how awesome the shiny form looks, too. this moment on the beach at sunset - with a galarian slowpoke and a kingler lurking close by - felt pretty cinematic. it was also really nice to see my trainer character again! i absolutely love all of the different fashion items available in swsh. immediately, i knew that i had to make my ribbon mastery team a big ol' pot of curry for all of their hard work thus far.

we also played together while we camped out. i was really glad that i was already in shield's post-game, as it saved a whole lot of time on this ribbon master journey AND meant that i'd have tons of toys for my pokemon at my disposal.

after goofing around for hours, i finally decided to take on the first ribbon available in galar. this ribbon was the galar champion ribbon, which your pokemon receive upon entering the galarian hall of fame. i ended up needing to play through the galarian star tournament first, though, as i had procrastinated on doing that for the longest time... so reides ended up taking part in a few more battles than one would think!

it was absolutely awesome to see dynamax in action with reides! it made me wish that kingdra got a gigantamax form, but i guess that would be a bit too amazing for anyone to handle, huh? while taking on this ribbon, i also realized just how much i missed the vibes of the gym challenge in the galar region. the wide stadiums, the cheering crowds, the MUSIC... all of it is so incredibly top-tier and it really got me pumped up! not to mention seeing the absolutely INCREDIBLE cast in action. shoutout to everyone but especially piers. all hail the reigning king of the pokemon punks.

anyway, reides was eventually able to sweep his way to victory in both the galarian star tournament as well as the league battles. he joined the hall of fame and got the galar champion ribbon!

with that handled, it was time to take on galar's battle tower. according to most, this battle tower is an absolute cake-walk, as you can dynamax while most of your opponents (barring leon) can't. it was just a matter of buckling down and spending the time required to amass your wins. as a result, i ended up abandoning the tried and true durant strat and instead took the og trio of albatross, origin and reides, himself, along for the ride.

hilariously enough, i ran into ONE road-block in this tower in the form of a shedinja which i could literally not attack. i had NO moves that could get past its guard... sobs. but another nice thing about the galarian battle tower is that it isn't streak-dependent, instead swapping over to a system relying on ranking up or ranking down. so i brushed off this shedinja encounter without letting it get to me all that much, haha! i also taught albatross shadow ball... just in case.

ribbons also got a bit of an upgrade in the switch games of pokemon. no longer limited to just being pretty graphics on the ribbon screen, you can now equip one ribbon on your pokemon and give it a little title every time you send it out in battle. i equipped the ribbon that reides got for mastering all of the contests in omega ruby, which granted him the title of 'shining star'!

it was so nice to see it every time i sent him out, but i can definitely see myself swapping between all the various titles at reides' disposal!

my climb to the master ball rank was fairy uneventful, though i really understood this child's plight. it's how i felt many times while in various battle towers during this ribbon master journey.

eventually, i made it through the rank itself and got to the final battle against leon. though i had faced him at the end of each rank prior to this moment, it still felt very intense to encounter him knowing that this was my very last battle tower match for the forseeable future. also, his battle tower outfit is SO DRIPPY. love him so much.

not gonna lie, it was pretty funny seeing him say something so inspiring while looking so sad (and the snowscape from one of dynamax-form reides' attacks really added to it). leon is an absolutely amazing character and one of my fav champions ever, though, so i was thrilled that he got to be the final match in my battle tower saga!

even though the swsh battle tower was WAY easier than the others that i faced, i was still so happy to be done with it. my goodness. i really went from ignoring the battle towers in the series to gaining streaks of ~50 in each and every one... it's kind of unreal. reides truly earned the title of 'tower master'!

upon getting the tower master ribbon, we were done with galar. i was sure to make my pokemon team some more curry before they set off for sinnoh! but i honestly wasn't too torn up about leaving galar, as pokemon home lets us shift pokemon between the switch games however we'd like. after so many one-way transfers out of prior generations, it felt kind of surreal - and was also a huge relief.

this cute curry wasn't the only treat that got eaten, either! i made some pokemon cookies in Real Life to celebrate, as well. i used cookie cutters from the official pokemon store to make these pikachu and munchlax cookies!

i then set my sights on the remake of diamond version... pokemon: brilliant diamond!

the last time reides visited sinnoh, he did so via my childhood copy of diamond version. as i wrote in my post about the gen4 part of reides' journey, this copy of the game was already in the post-game, so i didn't have to play through any of diamond's plot whatsoever when he arrived. however... for this sinnoh visit, i actually didn't have a post-game available! despite owning brilliant diamond since the day it released, i had barely played it. (fun fact: in my first run of the game, i ran into a shiny bidoof on my very first night playing it. i ended up transferring all of the pokemon in it - bidoof included - to pokemon home and restarting it, though, as i was toying with the idea of doing a shiny starter hunt... and then i simply never touched it. so i guess restarting it was actually a waste of time. weeps.) i knew that i'd need to play through its plot to get the ribbon that reides needed, so... you know what that meant.

it was time for a whole other adventure to begin.

i decided to keep reides in the pc for the storyline part of this playthrough. i wanted to raise a team of pokemon from the sinnoh region, and i knew that reides' status as a fully ev and iv trained pokemon at level 100 meant that he would absolutely STEAMROLL the plot. we still went on walks together very often though, and he had his pal hammer the garchomp in the pc for company! (i usually raise a garchomp for my sinnoh teams, as it's one of my fav pokemon in the sinnoh region, but i decided to try to resist this time around and limit myself to pokemon that i had never raised before!)

i absolutely loved my brilliant diamond playthrough. the art direction is a point of contention in the pokemon fandom, but i'm a big fan of it! it seems like people either love it or hate it, and, thankfully, i'm definitely in the 'love' camp! the chibi style is endlessly charming, and the environments were just gorgeous. something about the lighting in brilliant diamond is just SUPER pleasing to me, and re-visiting sinnoh like this allowed me to really appreciate it. since my diamond file was in the post-game, i guess needing to play through this one in its entirety actually kinda worked out in my favour, huh?

i was super delighted to see that the ribbons screen is absolutely gorgeous in this game, too! i really like the status screen featured in bdsp. it's so nice and colourful.

this simple little screenshot is also really important to me. you see, when i was a kid, i got diamond version as a gift from a family friend. he'd gone abroad and generously brought back it back as a present for me. back then, the country that i live in didn't get pokemon games in a timely manner at all (we'd get them in video game stores months after they released in the u.s.), and i actually had no idea that diamond version even existed. (not knowing that a new pkmn generation dropped was a recurring experience in my childhood, LOL.) so playing this game for the first time made for a really magical experience. i have a very, very clear memory of playing it for hours and hours on the night that i started it up... until i could barely keep my eyes open. i trained my team a whole lot and was exploring this route right outside of jubilife, and i thought that the small island on the water was very pretty. i saved there for the night, imagining my trainer setting up a little camp for herself and her pokemon... and now, every time i'm on that route, i can't help but smile at the memory. so you can imagine just how happy i was to take a photo with reides there, with the updated graphics and everything!

furthermore, on the course of my sinnoh journey, i ran into lots of old friends... including none other than riley!

thanks to the way he helped me out in the gen4 battle tower, riley is a really special character to me now. so i was really happy to see him and play through iron island with him! after thwarting team galactic, he surprised me with a little gift.

i actually wasn't planning on raising a riolu - much less a lucario - on my main team AT ALL... but, upon receiving this egg from riley, i knew i had to. as silly as it may sound, i thought it would be a great nod to our time in the battle tower all those generations ago! and so, on that note, here is the storyline team that i journeyed through sinnoh with, and who helped reides get to where he needed to be:

as you can see, there's a bit of a theme going on with their nicknames! i decided to name each member of my brilliant diamond team after in-universe berries. i thought it'd be cute!

anyway, the berry bunch and i had a fantastic time exploring sinnoh. days passed, and, eventually, we faced what i believe to be the most difficult league in any of the pokemon games... including the most daunting champion battle ever.

cynthia lived up to her status as the most skilled champion in the pkmn franchise thus far. we had a battle for the ages, knocking 5 of each other's pokemon out. i actually almost lost to her - she had me completely backed into a corner. but my team pulled through, as kelpsy the glaceon MIRACULOUSLY toughed out an attack that should have knocked him out (via the affection system - namely, if your pokemon really loves you, they can occasionally 'survive' attacks that'd knock them out with 1hp instead) and managed to land a single ice beam on her garchomp. this clutched out the win, and my team was added to the sinnoh hall of fame.

now that i had access to the post-game, i could focus on reides once more. to get his ribbon in brilliant diamond, we'd have to foray into the brilliant contest scene.

brilliant contests are a calibre above the typical condition contests and are linked to all of your contest stats rather than just one. you actually don't gain access to this category unless you've achieved a master rank win in all of the solo-stat categories. luckily, ribbons from oras are recognized in bdsp, so reides didn't have to prove his worth to the judges and could instead get right to competing in the brilliant contests.

in addition to this category, bdsp also introduced some new contest mechanics, too. your final contest score can be split into three parts: 'visual', 'dance', and 'move'. these all seem pretty self-explanatory; the visual part is linked to your pokemon's contest condition/sheen, the dance part is linked to how well you perform in the rhythm game, and the move is linked to your timing in executing the one contest move that you're allowed to take in with you during the contests. but the visual part actually has an element of added complexity in bdsp, as it also involves a new mechanic of placing stickers on your pokemon's pokeball so that cool effects play when you send them out. (this feature was also in the gen4 sinnoh games, albeit not incorporated into those games' contests.)

the effects which these stickers play have a direct impact on your pokemon's visual score. however, for brilliant contests, normal stickers don't really cut it. instead, people recommend grinding out champion stickers (from taking on cynthia's rematch team post-heatran plotline) and showstopper stickers (from beating the other master rank contests) in order to get a decent appeal score. since reides didn't need to take on the master rank contests, i didn't have any of those - and i wasn't all too interested in grinding for more. i figured that grinding out champion stickers would work out better, since they give more points in the visual portion of the contest, anyway.

before starting that grind, i decided to give the brilliant master contest a try with nothing but the base-game stickers. given reides' perfect contest stats from omega ruby, i wondered if his contest skills would be enough to scrape through and secure a win.

as it turned out...

...they were not. people are NOT exaggerating when they talk about the difficulty of the brilliant master rank contest!! i was pretty shocked that my lovely kingdra was getting absolutely terrible visual ratings. (LIKE, LOOK AT HIM!! LOOK AT HIM!!!!!!! HE'S SO CUTE!!!!!!! AND PERFECT!!! AND SWEET, TOO!!!!!!!!) anyway, my outrage aside, it turns out that using those two types of stickers to boost your pokemon's visual rating is pretty much a necessity. the rhythm game portion of it is also not to be underestimated and typically requires a bit of practice. luckily, i'm fairly decent at rhythm games, but i knew that i would have to get those stickers from cynthia after all. i played through the pre-requisite bit of the post-game - catching heatran in a premier ball! - and made my way back to the league. with my storyline team vibing in the pc and my ribbon mastery team ready to FIGHT, i got settled and began grinding out the battles.

initially, i intended to get 20 champion stickers on the ball so as to fill it up entirely with them. after getting 8 stickers in one night, though, i was kind of worn down and decided to give the contest another try. i also taught giga impact to reides, as it's SUPER good in the bdsp contests (your pokemon gains a big boost to its score when you use it while you have a positive 'jam' score in the dance game) and can be easily bought in the veilstone department store. i was delighted to see that my protag's mother - johanna - was there for this contest, as well as gym leader fantina. both johanna and fantina are great at contests in-universe, so i was excited at the prospect of at least succeeding on this contest round, even if reides didn't manage to clutch out the win.

...however, by some miracle, reides managed to do just that!! not only did i finally manage to succeed in the brilliant master rank contest, but reides also secured the win. at this point, it was, like, 4 in the morning for me. i was absolutely astounded; i actually wondered if i was somehow hallucinating. the twinkling star ribbon was the one and only ribbon that i needed in brilliant diamond, and after so much work to get to this point...

...it was finally granted to reides!!!

upon recieving this ribbon, reides acquired all of the ribbons that he needs in order to be a ribbon master... save for ONE. one (1) single ribbon stands in his way... and that ribbon is the one that's granted to a pokemon for emerging victorious in a master ball ranked online battle. now, i can technically get this ribbon by putting reides back in pokemon shield and trying to climb the ladder in gen8... but, as you likely know, the current gen (as of me writing this post) is gen9. that means that the gen8 battle servers are... well...

empty.

okay, no. they're not entirely empty. but people have stories of waiting for hours to get into one single match, and i'm not sure if i want to put myself through that unless i absolutely must. and i might just have to, as kingdra hasn't been officially announced as part of the generation 9 pokedex... however, with indigo disk on the horizon (3 more days!!!), i figured i'd wait to see if kingdra would be included in its national dex before subjecting myself to gen8's very delayed match-making times. if it isn't, i'll just devote another post to my competitive climb in lieu of a gen9 one. (tbh, i'm considering making a totally seperate blog post for my very first foray in the vgc realm regardless - but we'll see how it goes!)

either way, i really, really enjoyed my time with reides in gen8. it has been so awesome to see him in games that i can play with the most up-to-date nintendo console, and kingdra's models across the switch games have just been so incredibly snazzy. i said this at the start of the post, but it truly is crazy to see just how far my little shiny horsea from emerald version has journeyed. i love reides so very much and i couldn't possibly be more proud of him!!!

so let's keep our fingers crossed that reides will be allowed into gen9 so that he can explore the paldea, kitakami, and unova regions! thanks again for cheering him on, and i'm looking forward to writing another update soon!!! that update may very well include reides finally achieving full ribbon master status at long last, so i'm already excited for it! :D

[helmscurse]

I got The Light Beneath reviewed. I'm going to ignore the part where the reviewer called me "she". They had no way of knowing anything but my name, and I'm just sensitive because I'm trans :') Aside from that, I'm thankful for the nice review!

"In The Light Beneath, October Grae crafts a haunting tale set on Viridis Island, a place steeped in perpetual rain and whispered legends of curses. Duncan Ray, a newcomer drawn to mysteries akin to those in his beloved books, finds himself entangled in the island’s enigmatic past and its wary inhabitants.

"The narrative gets more interesting between Duncan’s exploration and Rowan Hasson’s poignant journey of loss and discovery. Rowan, grappling with the aftermath of a devastating fire that claimed her family, becomes consumed by the island’s secrets and the possibility of a sinister curse lurking within its shadows. The author masterfully builds suspense, layering clues and revelations that keep readers guessing until the final pages. The exploration of folklore and superstition adds depth, blurring the lines between reality and myth and enhancing the eerie atmosphere that permeates the story.

"One of the best parts of the book is its character development. Duncan and Rowan are compelling protagonists, each driven by their own quests for truth and redemption. Their journeys intertwine seamlessly, leading to a climactic confrontation that challenges their perceptions and forces them to confront the darkness within themselves and the island.

"Overall, this is a gripping exploration of secrets, loss, and the potent allure of the unknown. October Grae’s debut novel marks her as a promising voice in contemporary fiction, offering a tale that lingers long after the final chapter. Fans of atmospheric mysteries will be captivated by the haunting landscapes and haunting characters of Viridis Island. I found no negative aspects in the book. Also, the book is professionally edited with no spelling or grammar errors.

"I would rate this book five out of five stars for giving such an adventurous tale. This book is recommended for readers who enjoy atmospheric storytelling, intricate mysteries, and a touch of the supernatural blended seamlessly into a compelling narrative."

You can still download a free PDF of the book in my pinned post! My only request is that if you read it for free, please leave a rating on my Goodreads page (the one that's linked in my pinned post, not any other version of the book on Goodreads please!)

[vikenticomeshome]

Cyberchase - An Interview With The Hacker by Reporter CyBob from "Cyborg Life!"

Sometime in 2003, the "Meet the Cybersquad" section of the Cyberchase section of the pbskids.org website was updated with more Hacker lore. This is an interview between the reporter CyBob from a publication called "Cyborg Life!"

I will transcribe the interview and give my thoughts at the end.

Foreward: He's the rascally cyborg about town, the virtual man with a a plan to rule Cyberspace. CYBORG LIFE! is proud to present the first and only interview with The Hacker, the wily villain of CYBERCHASE! Our intrepid report CyBob, met up with The Hacker in a scluded chat room over lattes to learn more about this ambitious rising star in the Internet firmament.

Cyborg Life!: Your exploits are the buzz of Cyberspace. You threw the symmetrical world of Symmetria into chaos, pilfered pods in Poddleville and nabbed an irregular area in the Sensible Flats land grab. You're a true man of mystery -- a celebrity. And our readers want to know more. Can I call you Hacker?

The Hacker: That's "THE Hacker" to you!

Cyborg Life!: THE Hacker, OK. How about just "The." But seriously, people everywhere want to know more about your outrageous quest to take over Cyberspace. What inspired you to take on this fascinating challenge?

The Hacker: Well, I'm glad you asked. As you know I have an extraordinary mind. My designs and prodigious programs helped build Cyberspace. Yet, Motherboard always took the credit. -- Would you mind taking your feet off the table when I speak? -- She lacked the villainous vision to bring my fantastic plot to its final fruition. I could see the potential in her operation. But, oh, how she squandered her power.

Cyborg Life!: It's not easy being in middle management I guess. But isn't Cyberspace Motherboard's domain? And isn't the renowned scientist Dr. Marbles the great innovative mind behind its most outstanding inventions? It says here that Dr. Marbles built you as an assistant to Motherboard, sort of a glorified techie. And that he later banished you to the Northern Frontier when you tried to stage a coup?

The Hacker: I was laid off! Marbles knew that with my considerable cranial talents I would soon be running all of Cyberspace. That's why he tried to get rid of me. But I would not be ignored.

Cyborg Life!: So you hatched a plan.

The Hacker: Yesssss, a plan. I created a nasty little virus to disable Motherboard causing her to lose much of her memory and functions. Now the virtual universe is in jeopardy! And I intend to step in to claim my predestined place as the rightful ruler. hen it will be all chaos and caviar for me!

Cyborg Life!: But something keeps getting in your way. Three things actually -- those three Earth kids -- Jackie, Matt, and Inez. You know, the Cyber Squad. Some people are calling them heroes.

The Hacker: heroes? Those insignificant insects can't stop me. Those diminutive gremlins are just a trio of white hats. They think they can hack THE HACKER?

Cyborg Life!: So, how does one get into a career as a supervillain?

The Hacker: Once I left Motherboard's operation, I began my own sinister start-up. There in the icy north, I built my awesome ship -- The Grim Wreaker -- as my vehicle to bring chaos to all of Cyberspace. Finally, I created my humble assistants, Buzz and Delete, a pair of tin plated duncebuckets though they may be. But together, they are almost competent enough to carry-out my most dastardly deeds. Of course, there's that cyber-stool pigeon Digit.

Cyborg Life!: Digit, isn't he with the Cyber Squad?

The Hacker: Yes, that supercilious cyber-turkey didn't have the stuff to make it as one of my henchman, so he flew the coop. Now he helps those three pre-teen terrestrial termites in their attempts to thwart my victories. That disloyal dodo will rue the day he ditched me and ran back to Motherboard. But let's talk about me. From the moment I first felt current flow through my circuits, I have craved power. Yes, power, power and more power. Dr. Marbles thought I would be content punching keyboard like some hackneyed pawn. Look at me, I am regal personage with a fine purple cloak and an elegant pocket protector. I am the one and only true leader of the virtual realm. I am THE HACKER!

Cyborg Life!: So, what are some of the highlights of your solo career?

The Hacker: Ah, yes, There was the time I set my sights on the Sunisphere of Solaria. With the Sunisphere in my grasp, Solaria was transformed from a sunny resort into a doomed winter wonderland and an unlimited source of energy was mine.

Cyborg Life!: Well, that's just fascinating. Here it is in my notes. But it seems those Earth kids and Digit managed to return the Sunisphere and restore Solaria to the tropical paradise it once was. and, let's see -- I know it's in my notes. Yes, they did it by -- er -- estimating? Is that right, they got the Sunisphere back on its perch by estimating?

The Hacker: Come on, it was a lucky shot. Then there was the time I joined forces with the Wicked Witch to capture the kindly king of Happily Ever After. An odious little site where fairy tale creatures amuse themselves with their annoying rhymes and songs. We were to capture the kingdom's stash of golden eggs, but Witchie tried to double-cross me. She case a spell on the sorry citizens of Happily fracturing their ability to count this preventing them from paying the king's ransom. But I was ultimately paid in full, enough goald to finance my hostile takeover of Cyberspace.

Cyborg Life!: Well, once again my notes seem to indicate that it was the Cyber Squad that taught the fairy tale folk how to count by tens and hundreds to meet your demand. And then they coaxed the Witch back to their side, and she took back the entire stash of golden eggs. is that true?

The Hacker: Excuse me. I have come here to tell you about my wondrous personage. Not for you to fawn over those thorns in my glorious side.

Cyborg Life!: Wow, what a story, brainpower wins the day. I have to make a note to my editor to do a piece on them.

The Hacker: That's enough! This interview is over. Goodbye!

Cyborg Life!: Wait Hack! Can't you tell me more about these smart kids and their friend Digit and all the clever ways that they one-up you all the time. Hackie, come back! Does this mean the press junket on the Grim Wreaker is out?

That is the end of the interview.

So, what do I think of it. I admire the balls on this reporter to meet The Hacker, the biggest villain in Cyberspace, in a secluded place for the interview. I also admire the balls on this reporter to setup the interview in a way that asks the important questions, even if it takes the interview in a direction that he Hacker doesn't want to go. Remember, that this is 2003 Hacker. His villain decay, and his plans centering on rehabilitating his image, largely hasn't happened yet.

It's interesting to see The Hacker's attempts at historical revision regarding the creation of Cyberspace. I think there is fan-fiction potential, which some people have already noticed, with the idea that The Hacker wasn't lying about doing the lion's share of the work to bring Cyberspace online.

I'm not sure what the "press junket on the Grim Wreaker" was supposed to be. They may just be using the term loosely here. A press junket is a term that is normally used in the film industry to refer to a period of interviews used to advertise the product, such as an upcoming film. I assume The Hacker isn't selling the Grim Wreaker himself, but then, what is he selling?

[roxannarambles]

Finally finished playing Legends: Arceus-- the main storyline, at least, I have not completed the full Dex, but I did everything else. Some thoughts below.

So, there's a lot this game has going for it. There are lots of lovely natural environments to run around in and explore, and the pokemon really do feel integrated into a complete world, full of personality and ways of interacting with them you just don't get in other games. The controls feel good, the mounts are very fun to use, the aesthetic is on point, and the story's pretty fun. Crafting is a neat addition to the game, there's plenty of side-quests, and there's some interesting new battle mechanics. Overall, they switch things up from the mainline games and try a lot of new things, which I do commend them for.

But, um. Here's the thing. I really hate the gameplay, for the most part. Which is why I bought the game and really, really wanted to enjoy it, and I tried several times to play through, but each time I got so intensely bored I just couldn't go through with it. Don't get me wrong, catching pokemon and using berries and stun items and other stuff feels good, and it feels fun. For like, the first hour. But you have to keep doing it.

Over and over and over.

I just don't enjoy catching a billion pokemon and grinding out other research tasks, like beating up on wild pokemon in various ways, using a specific move a certain number of times, etc. It's so mindless and dull and grindy and boring. You know how PokemonGo is mostly just . . . catching pokemon? Yeah. That gets old, I hate that. I can see how it's just chill and relaxing for some people, but it just isn't for me. I did my damned best to get into it, I promise, but I never did. It was a slog the whole way.

I tried to make it more interesting to me by doing a "bug only challenge." I was only allowed to catch and use bug types, the whole game. (The exceptions are plot-required catches: namely, the Tutorial pokemon and a Dusknoir at some point in the main storyline) And it . . . was sorta nice, I guess? But it didn't do much to make it more fun to me. In some ways it made it even more of a slog since it's harder to earn Star Ranks when you're severely limiting the species you catch. Still, I'm kinda proud I was able to do it, I guess?

Trainer battles in the game are frustrating, too, due to their rarity. You do have battles in the game, and new battle mechanics to try out, too, which gives you a desire to have battles-- especially since it can break up the monotonous research tasks. However, battles are so incredibly rare, and typically incredibly, incredibly easy and are over in almost an instant. You never get to really use the pokemon you've trained. And I get it, the emphasis of the game is research, not battling, since battling is still in its infancy in this era. It still feels frustrating though. I craved battles.

I didn't get to ever feel attached to my team, either. Since most of the game involves research tasks, a lot of those tasks involve battling against wild pokemon. If I used my main team for all that, they'd get way overlevelled in a hurry. So I was always using different individuals. I hardly ever saw my main team, so I did not get the chance to bond with them emotionally-- especially since we rarely had trainer battles anyway.

I didn't feel attached to most of the characters in the game either, to be frank. This isn't any fault of the writing, I actually think the writing was very strong in this game, this is more of just a personal preference. The Pokemon Professor is fine enough, but I never got over the disgusting pube-hair look he has going on his face (I am allowed to dislike characters for shallow reasons, okay). Rei was okay, but I certainly didn't feel fond over him. The leaders of the Pearl and Diamond clans were okay I guess, but the 'arguments' about time and space were so fucking stupid and took up most their screen time, so it kind of ruins them. I just, I dunno, I didn't feel strongly about any of them.

Except for Volo. I always liked him. (The moment I saw him I hoped he was a butch lesbian and got all excited. When I found out he was a dude I was a bit disappointed but oh well, he's still pretty) He was friendly and charismatic and I appreciated his curiosity and his wanderer's spirit.

It's a shame I didn't play and finish the game when I first bought it, because then I might not have been spoiled to Volo's little twist at the end. But, finding out Volo's heavy involvement in the game and the twist at the end was what motivated me to bother finishing the game, so. There's that. I really don't think anything else would have motivated me, because the gameplay was just such a slog for me.

I am glad I bothered to finish the main story, though. It was interesting. I do love the premise of people being very wary and frightened of pokemon and exploring that kind of world. Portraying pokemon in a scarier role was a bold move for the franchise and I love them exploring that side. I LOVE pokemon chasing after you and attacking you directly and the 'alpha' pokemon mechanic and the spookiness of it all. And the story is honestly a neat one. The idea of MC being displaced in time and space and having to work for their room and board has a cozy-survival feel to it, and the deep mistrust of everyone and slowly earning their respect was interesting. Although I did feel actively annoyed that no matter how much work I did, and how many requests I fulfilled, people still often treated me with mistrust. But I think that was the point, to be honest!

When you quell the final Noble and the sky goes boom, that's when things get truly fun, though. I love that Kamado turns on you, which was not too surprising since he'd been one of the ones who really banged on and on about mistrusting you the most. I LOVE the short scene of showing you being walked out of the village as you're banned. I LOVED the feeling of being suddenly on your own, and I LOVE that both Pearl and Diamond clans turned their backs on you so that they wouldn't risk war with Galaxy. And who is there when you have no one else to turn to, alone in the wilderness, when you need a friend the most?

Volo.

He brings you to Cogita, where she fulfills the heavy burden of Exposition Lady. The years of bearing that burden of Exposition have turned her tired and a little snippy, apparently (in truth she's only snippy with Volo, and I think it's because she senses a bad aura, but from an innocent standpoint it seems needlessly snippy, since Volo's Mask is a genuinely nice guy and he's given a nearly flawless performance). I don't know if Cogita was even needed for the story, since Volo's specialty is myth research and he could have easily given us that exposition and also given us a neutral ground to shelter at while the other clans turned their backs on us. But whatever, they wanted a Cynthia ancestor, I can understand that. Dang her house was pretty to look at, and the music there was great. They really put effort into that part.

And then you go and forge the red chain and climb the mountain and . . . potato guy? Why are you here? Oh, he's randomly a ninja. Actually, that part was hilarious and I loved it, I had a grudge against Beni the ENTIRE game because he didn't want to serve me his stupid mochi, so I was so excited to kick his ass. And the extra lore was nice, not to mention the extremely rare chance to have a battle. Anyway, after that, you battle the boss and then take care of the scary Legendary pokemon and all that jazz, and the story . . . ends. Rather abruptly, to be honest. It felt a bit sudden, as if Act 2 was cut a little short. I think it's because the post-game is still what you'd call the main story. Post-game content normally is extra, bonus stuff, but man, if you skip the post-game plot in Arceus, you'll be missing a whole chunk of actual story. Tbh I think they shouldn't have rolled credits 'til the end of the Volo battle, but that's nitpicking. Besides, it amuses me to think some people stopped after the credits and never learned the truth about Volo, which is just a hilarious thought.

Act 3 takes place after a festival celebrating the fact MC saved the world and the Diamond and Pearl clans no longer need to fight (sadly, we don't get to see the festival though!! other than a tiny photo in the credits!) It's pretty short and mostly running around doing errands involving facing off against legendaries and mythicals; the most satisfying errand was a rematch with Kamado because it was a trainer battle aaaaaa!! So few of those. And then we climb the mountain again because Volo, um, really wants to meet the creator's 'unwanted child' for some reason . . . sounds like a good idea right??

The battle with him was fun. Having Cynthia's banger theme was hype, didn't expect it. I was doing the bug challenge run, my team was levels ~60-65, and I beat him on my first go, down to my last pokemon, Heracross on full health.

And then he brings out Giratina without letting me heal. Ahaha, uhhm.

Thankfully I had a lot of Max Revives stuffed in my bag which I FINALLY had a use for. The second phase for Giratina was not expected, so that was a fun surprise, but I scraped by on a few more max revives and careful juggling, and we won. (I dunno what happens once you meet Arceus itself, because I think I need to 100% the Dex for that to happen, but presumably our character can finally return home.)

Was it a good game? Yes, objectively speaking, definitely. I think Legends: Arceus was a very strong game. The writing was very good, and that's a precious rarity in Pokemon games. The world itself was carefully designed, polished, pretty, and felt like truly exploring nature and encountering pokemon, in a unique and refreshing way. The gameplay tried something very new and it generally implemented its intentions very well-- it felt fun to control the character, to throw pokeballs, to craft and collect items, to use mounts, and go up against the Nobles. The story and the universe cast pokemon in an exciting new perspective.

It's just a shame that a million grindy research tasks are so utterly boring to carry out, because the main thrust of the game and what you spend the most time on just plain sucked for me to do. So much so, that I did not enjoy most of my experience playing this game. But oh well, what can you do?

[theorbess540]

Was bored and mentally assigning Pokémon to Spy x Family characters, so I figured I'd write it down here instead of leaving it to rot inside my brain :D.

Probably not going to do anything else with this, but it was fun to comb through Pokédex entries to find the best matches. I even limited myself to one Pokémon per person (with a sort-of exception for Twilight/Loid) to make it a challenge.

This post is also helping me combat anxiety about posting stuff lol. It ended up longer then expected, since I ended up doing a sort of deep-dive for each, so you have been notified.

Text: Reasonings behind choice.

tl;dr: of my explanation included.

Small Text: Backstory/In-Universe Lore.

Twilight (Loid Forger)- Mew (Audino)

Understandably, Twilight's Pokémon seems overpowered, but there was more thought behind it then just "protag has powerful legendary" cliché. Let me explain.

First priority for the partner of Twilight, Master of Thousand Faces, was a Pokémon that could match his talent. The classic shapeshifters, Zoroark and Ditto were immediately considered. After some thought, however, neither felt up to the standards expected of Twilight. Zoroark illusions are incorporeal; one touch and the gig could be up. This is a world filled with Pokémon capable of creating illusions, so anti-illusion measures will be available to anyone with the money. Twilight needed something solid to make his disguises authentic. A Ditto could provide physical solidness, but its shapeshifting abilities are not the best. Its capabilities are limited to simply copying, which not only requires a secondary Pokémon to copy from, but it does not adapt to rapidly changing scenarios very well. Twilight is known for his improvision, smoothly adapting to overcome obstacles, so a partner who cannot do the same would drag him down.

Mew, on the other hand, can know practically every single Pokémon move. Combined with how Twilight picks up new skills like a sticky-fingered thief in a crowd of oblivious rich folk, this makes them a powerful duo that can prevail over the impossible. Mew literately becomes invisible to avoid others, Twilight can become unnoticeable, and therefore invisible, to the enemy eye. And since we would have a more somber Mew, then there is symbolism of both Twilight and Mew losing their child-like innocence to war and being forced to become personalities opposite of their initial natures.

Another note. Zoroark and Ditto felt too predictable in-universe wise. Anyone who knew of Twilight would immediately guess either one as the partner and create countermeasures for those Pokémon specifically. But no one would expect a Mew, Mythical Pokémon long believed extinct. And secretly, it was also a little bit of "protag has powerful legendary" fun.

The quest for Loid Forger's partner Pokémon, a.k.a a disguise for Mew, sent me through multiple Pokémon. He needed something average as to not stand out, so I scrolled through both Normal and Flying Types. Settled on an Audino because they sense the emotions of others and are associated with healing, which is perfect for Loid's cover as a psychiatrist. Chansey/Blissey could have also worked, but their happiness eggs seem more like temporary methods better used for emergency scenarios. An Audino could help a psychiatrist get to the root of a patient's problem for more permanent healing.

tl;dr: Twilight needed a Pokémon that could match his disguising skill and adaptability, and Mew was the only one up to par. With a somber Mew, there is a symbolism of losing child-like innocence to war. Loid has an Audino because therapy.

SORRY, BUT THIS IS SPOILERS FOR ANIME ONLYS AND PRE-CHAPTER 62 READERS. SKIP THIS PARAGRAPH!!!: Twilight and his beloved Pokémon partner met in the immediate aftereffects of the destruction of Kielburg and the death of [Redacted]'s mother. [Redacted] was bawling in the streets after finding the body when he was approached by similarly distraught Mew. Born and raised in the forest surrounding the town, Mew was the last of its kind. It had clung to the few remaining reminders of its family and was devastated when its home was blown up by the same bombs that wiped out Kielberg. Mew was drawn in by [Redacted]'s crying, hoping to find solidarity in shared sorrow. The two bonded as they struggled to survive the wreckage of their war-torn country. Once [Redacted] looked old enough, they decided to fight by taking on fake identities and joining the military. Mew pretended to be Roland Spoofy's partner, a snappish Bisharp. They rose ranks quickly, rage over their losses powering them through the war. It wasn't until an eye-opening interaction with an odd Ostanian deserter that their anger stuttered and slowed. With the second loss of [Redacted]'s friends, they accepted the "invitation" to join WISE in order to bring and maintain peace in the world. After years of intense training and mastering multiple skills, the two quickly became WISE's best agents. :END OF SPOILERS, YOU CAN LOOK NOW.

Officially, Agent Twilight's partner Pokémon is unknown, often suspected to be an especially talented Zoroark or a well-trained Ditto. Or perhaps he uses new Pokémon each mission, discarding each one afterwards. Ritualistic hazing of WISE and SSS newbies involves spreading rumors of the legendary agent having a Mew, and only the most gullible believe the whispers that he is a Mew in human form. The agents are quickly reprimanded by their superiors for spreading false information. (Unofficially, and off any records, Handler still is in shock over the accidental reveal, and often encourages both of the Mew allegations with vague implications subtly dropped to new members, to Twilight's eternal annoyance).

While Twilight does occasionally work with other Pokémon, Mew is his only partner. Its ability to transform supports Twilight's disguises by pretending to be the identity's Pokémon, and that it can use every Pokémon move has eliminated many challenges that he might face. After an incident launched Twilight into international fame, Mew has been banned from transforming into other Legendary/Mythical Pokémon unless specifically required by a mission.

Loid Forger's Pokémon is an Audino, one of two types of Pokémon given to Ostanian medical students upon achieving their Masters Degree. It is actually the transformed Mew. Mew approves of the changes that having a family brings upon Twilight, often encouraging him to be softer and play house more sincerely. Twilight disagrees, retaining that they are spies who should not become attached, but often falls into genuinely caring anyways (It's for the mission!). Yuri's Pokémon partner attempts to intimidate Audino constantly whenever they meet, but Mew is more amused then anything and never plays along.

Yor Forger (Thorn Princess)- Roserade

Wish there was a need to write multiple paragraphs of explanation like Twilight's, but the choice behind Yor's Pokémon was so simple that more then one paragraph would be unnecessary. I even resisted the idea at first because it seemed too obvious, but the conclusion was inevitable. Thorn Princess' aesthetic is roses. Roserade. They are both wielders of poison and thorns. A Roserade's right hand is red roses, the left hand of its shiny has black roses. With some funky genetics, we can have a Roserade with red and black rose hands. It also has a cape similar to bottom of Thorn Princess' dress. They are both elegant and merciless, sweetly attracting prey before striking without hesitation. Literately perfect for each other. Meant to be.

tl;dr: Matching rose aesthetics and poison.

When she was thirteen, Yor befriended a Budew from the forest around her house. The Pokémon was recently outcasted from the rest of her kind due to her strange coloration, the little bib underneath her face being half green and half purple. Understanding Budew's sorrow since she'd recently lost her parents herself, Yor took her home and raised Budew alongside Yuri. While Budew loved both of the Briar siblings dearly, Yor was her partner, and the two stuck together through thick-and-thin over the following years.

Yor and Budew trained to be assassins. The Garden based Thorn Princess' outfit off her partner once they reached a high status. In the beginning, they relied more on Yor's incredible strength, but after careful dietary restrictions they were able to coax a deadly and nearly undetectable poison out of Roselia. The Garden also informed Yor that Roselia is a pigment chimera, a mixture of shiny and non-shiny colorations. Once gifted a Shiny Stone, Roserade was fiercesome with her bouquet hands of red and black, a body of two shades of green, and blood red eyes.

After Yuri grew up and left the house, Yor and Roserade moved to the city to be closer to their jobs. Without Yuri for an anchor, they floated through life, mechanically going through the motions until the Garden or Yuri phoned. The introduction of Yuri's adorable Pokémon partner made the floating worse as they realized their little brother didn't need them as much. They were only broken out of the numbness when Yor's coworkers mentioned she could been seen as suspicious for being unmarried.

Worried about imprisonment by SSS, Yor noticed a handsome man who couldn't keep his eyes off of her in the tailors and asked him to be her pretend boyfriend for a party, and when the time came, was the one to bring up the idea of marriage. Roserade wholeheartedly supported the decision. She immediately settled into the family dynamic and forged an easy friendship with Audino. They like to watch and gossip about their human's interactions to each other. Anya had her adoration from the beginning. Roserade has immense control over her poison in order to prevent any accidents. In the beginning, this is partly done by being physically stand-offish and only touching the immune Yor. But after a couple months of practice, Roserade is willing to lend a helping bouquet when needed.

Anya Forger- Bond (Furfrou)

tl;dr: Bond is basically a Pokémon in the series, so its official in this. Furfrou is white and fluffy with black paws, similar to Bond. He has Xatu genes for the future-seeing ability.

I really wanted Anya to have a Psychic buddy for psychic-to-Psychic solidarity. Several Pokémon were considered and discarded. The Hatterene line (too violent for little kid with Big Emotions™), Indeedee (didn't want a second babysitter), Slowpoke (too lethargic. good nap buddy though), the Spoink line (opposite problem, too much energy), and the Ralts line (can sense emotion, but didn't want a repeat gimmick with Audino/Mew). I was going to pick Wynaut due to personality similarities and have a Cleffa as another friend, but I reread the manga and realized that Bond basically acts like a Pokémon and he is incredibly jealous of competitors for Anya's attention (R.I.P Agent Penguinman, at least your battle scars are cool), so it would be good to prevent any future conflicts by only having Bond. Maybe Anya can have a Cleffa after she earns all her Stella Stars.

Pokémon-wise, Bond only gave me slight trouble, but I knew I needed white and I needed fluffy. Wooloo was a contender because of the extremely fluffy wool and black legs, but then I remembered that Furfrou has those characteristics while also being a dog, so it won. He's even got a very large mask across his face like Bondman. And since Bond was also experimented on, I could technically make him Psychic-Type too! Just mix a little Xatu genes in there, and we've got a Normal/Psychic fluffy white dog who can see the future.

A survivor of unethical scientific experiments, Bond found that added Xatu genes gave him the ability to see into the future. The story of how he came to be part of the Forger family has already been told, a frightful tale of terrorist, bombs, and ketchup sketches. He now lives a content life where the only thing he truly fears is Yor's cooking. Now if only a pair of scissors could conquer his extremely fluffy fur.

Bond gets along with all the members of the Forger family, though he is particularly close to Anya and is often regarded as her Pokémon partner. He tries to keep Anya out of trouble, though he has a habit of getting into trouble himself because of attempts to prevent his visions from coming true. Bond has immense respect for Audino, able to sense the powerful Psychic-Type underneath the disguise. Roserade, though sweet, scares him in the same way that Yor does.

Yuri Briar- Riolu

(In honor of chapter 85, the pokéball is a conclusion, any conclusion, and the blank face is Yuri missing it.)

This was a rough one. It was hard to even pick a Type, because his partner would come from the SSS, and most Types could be used to fit the their needs. The SSS seem like a Dark-type society, but all the Types could be used for interrogation/torture tactics. In the end, I think the SSS would have a healthy mix. But for Yuri's Pokémon, I decided that it would be chosen around other Pokémon's Weakness; more specifically, Twilight's assumed Pokémon's Weakness. Yuri seems to have made Twilight's capture one of his major goals, so he'd build his team around that. As a newbie, he's allowed one Pokémon, so he picked Fighting. Since Twilight is thought to have a Dark-Type or a Normal-Type, Fighting would be Super Effective against both.

That decision really helped to narrow down the options. Yuri's Pokémon needed to be tough yet a first-stage evolution to reflect his own amazing stamina and inexperience. After a discarding a few (Mankey was super close, but is constantly angry), it was between Kubfu and Riolu. I liked Kubfu's grit, sort-of babyface, and dedication to becoming stronger. It could potentially evolve into One-Strike Urshifu, a Fighting/Dark that could seriously harm Twilight's Mew, like how Yuri has the potential to become a serious threat to Twilight.

However, the references to stamina and sensing emotion in Riolu's Pokédex entries caught my attention. A Riolu could easily keep up with Yuri's intense work ethic because it has boundless energy. It would also support his job by reading targets emotions through aura. And while that repeat gimmick is the reason why I rejected Ralts for Anya, Yuri is detached enough from the main family unit that it doesn't feel overlapping, and it adds to the challenge of convincing Yuri that Loid and Yor are happily married. Riolu's evolution line are seen as noble Pokémon used by honorable and important people, which fits into Yuri's idea that he is doing noble and important work for his country.

tl;dr: The SSS uses all the Types of Pokémon. Yuri chose his Pokémon to counteract Twilight, since Fighting-types are super effective to Twilight's predicted Pokémon. Riolu can keep up with Yuri's intense stamina by having a lot of energy and can read the emotions of his targets. This ability also increases the difficulty of keeping Yuri convinced of the Forger marriage.

In the beginning, the Briar siblings were too poor to support another Pokémon. In order to reduce the stress on his sister, Yuri made the choice to go without a Pokémon partner. He would get his own partner when he was capable of supporting himself. The decision set, Yuri easily pushed aside his dream for Yor's sake. He was satisfied that Yor had Budew to bring her happiness. Even after Yor picked up her job and earned enough money to support another Pokémon in the house, he refused to find one. Yuri vowed to support his sister in anyway he could as he grew older, throwing himself into his studies until he made it through school and into the watchful eyes of the government.

The SSS granted Yuri his choice of a partner Pokémon six months into his employment. Confident that he could support himself, he accepted the offer and chose the Fighting-type Riolu to counteract the infamous Westalis spy Twilight's possible Pokémon. Riolu was born, raised, and trained to serve the SSS, and he was beyond ecstatic to be chosen and vowed to give Yuri his all. Unfortunately, his enthusiasm caused some trouble, getting in the way of a chase and accidently let the traitor slip away. Angered, Yuri yelled, and a distraught Riolu accepted the reprimand while beating himself up about it. Riolu retreated into himself, moping and doubting his every decision. It took Yuri three days to notice something was wrong and another day to diagnose the problem. On the fifth day, Yuri apologized and awkwardly patched up their relationship by sharing his determination to catch Twilight and keep his sister safe. Accepting the olive branch, Riolu vowed to help his partner accomplish his goal. Yuri and Riolu were in tip-top shape, even catching the traitor they accidently let escape. Riolu likes to copy Yuri, physically and emotionally. Though still in the beginning of their partnership, the two are a formidable team that could give a careless spy trouble.

Riolu, Yor, and Roserade absolutely adore each other. Yor and Roserade treat Riolu the same as Yuri, and the little Pokémon is absolutely blinded by it. Both Yuri and Riolu hold the same regard for logic about Yor, which is to say they have none, and neither one of them were pleased with Yor's surprise family. Yuri is still icy, but Riolu warmed up to Anya quickly but still isn't sure about Loid, mostly just following his partner's lead. Riolu can't sense any false emotions from the adults, so it believes the relationship to be real. He takes pride in having Type advantage over Loid's Audino and tries to intimidate the older Pokémon, but Audino ignores the bluster to kindly pat him on the head every time, much to his annoyance.

Franky Franklin- Granbull

Originally, I'd picked Morgrem as Franky's partner because of their shared tendency to be opportunistic attackers. But upon reading the Pokédex entries and realizing that Morgrem were generally more cruel and prefer gloomy people, I realized that Franky wouldn't match all that well. However, the Fairy-Typing stuck with me. Franky can be whimsical, a bit of a prankster, and serious when needs be, which fits with the fairies of the real world. So I scrolled through the Fairy-Type list, trying to remember which ones were known tricksters.

But that ideal ended up being useless since I ended up picking Snubbull/Granbull because of its popularity with women. Outside of being an informant for another country and providing comedic relief, Franky's attempted skirt-chasing is one of his main characteristics. The Pokédex consistently states that Snubbull are loved by people, particularly women in the earlier entries, and Franky would be the kind of guy to completely depend on that information. He would swagger up to women, fully expecting them to be swept off their feet by his Snubbull, only to be absolutely stunned when they turn him down. It makes his failed attempts to get dates even funnier.

Upon evolution into a Granbull, both human and Pokémon would be unconventionally attractive/cute. They have matching square faces. Franky and Granbull are sensitive and reluctant to fight, usually backing down when in disputes. But when cornered and left with no other options, they are capable of doing damage, either with giant fangs and powerful jaws or inventions that pack a mighty punch.

tl;dr: Franky is whimsical yet serious, while also a prankster, so it was a Fairy-Type for him. Franky would unsuccessfully try to use Snubbull's popularity to get dates and he holds a lot of similarities to Granbull, such as sensitive personality and unconventional attractiveness.

SORRY, BUT THIS IS SPOILERS FOR ANIME ONLYS AND PRE-CHAPTER 62 READERS. SKIP THIS PARAGRAGH!!!: Franky met Snubbull days into his desertion. He was running from his hunters when he tripped on something and faceplanted into the bushes. It turned out to be a wild Snubbull. High on adrenaline, and not willing to leave Snubbull to the metaphorical hounds on his heels, he snatched her up and kept running. Confused and terrified, Snubbull tried to fight out of his arms, but Franky wouldn't let her down. The next person Franky met was a young Westalis soldier and his Bisharp. The soldier didn't immediately shoot, and he even shared cigarettes and conversation up until the soldier got riled up and they were attacked by Franky's hunters. Once again, Franky snatched the reluctant Snubbull and ran. They escaped and would continue to escape until his pursuers gave up. By the time that happened, the two had grown attached after many harrowing incidents and decided to stick together. :END OF SPOILERS, YOU CAN LOOK NOW.

Together, they scrounged a reasonable life from the rubble of the war. When given the opportunity to become an informant for WISE, Franky snatched the job to stick it to the Ostalian government. He and Granbull operate the cigarette stand together. Granbull loves to fetch things for him, whether its an item from the back of the stand or classified information from a trusted source. She knows the streets and alleys of Berlint, including their residents, like the back of her paw. While Franky gathers information from the humans, Granbull asks the local Pokémon. They've set up a system to share information with each other. If they are ever scared, Granbull jumps into Franky's arms and they both cower (Scooby-Doo and Shaggy style).

Franky has tried to rely on Snubbull's reputation to get dates for years. It started after he saw some women cooing over Snubbull when he had to step away for a moment. He immediately sidled over to ask them out. They all scattered, except for one. That following date ended ten minutes in. Optimistic of his chances, Franky tried this tactic again and again. Even though Snubbull loves the extra attention, she is tired of Franky's horrible flirting. She thought they would stop when she evolved, and while Franky was discouraged for a short time, he returned to his usual attitude two days later. After years to get used to it, Granbull just rolls her eyes when Franky starts to talk and just soaks in the extra compliments before the women are driven off.

Becky Blackbell- Aron

When it comes to the Elite, I think their Pokémon are like their family crests. They pick one species to represent them and stick to it. Considering that Becky's family manufactures weapons, which are generally made of metal, it made sense that theirs would be a Steel-Type. It had to be an impressive Pokémon that is rarer because the Blackbells are a Big Deal™. The Corviknight, Aegislash, Bisharp, and Bronzong lines were all considered but eventually turned down.

I settled on Aron for a couple reasons. First is because of the Pokédex entries about its evolution line. Lairon's search for iron could form a symbiotic relationship that helped a local smith grow and expand over many decades into a country's largest manufacturer weapons. Second, its first-stage is cute enough to seem less dangerous but is capable of biting back, reflective of Becky herself. I imagine Becky gives it cute little outfits with matching accessories. And once fully evolved, it turns into a fierce creature with the ability to smash through bedrock, who will continue to rock the cute accessories as it rips and tears.

tl;dr: It had to be a Steel-Type because Becky's family manufacture weapons. The Pokédex entry of Aron/Lairon/Aggron could have created a situation where one helped out Becky's smithing ancestors, so each member of the Blackbell family have had the evolution line for several generations. Aron is cute and feisty like Becky.

One hundred and four years ago, Edmund Blackbell was a simple village smith trying to support his family. He lacked the resources to perform his craft, as the rival smith bought all the iron from the mines. Edmund was forced to traverse the nearby mountain to look for iron on his own. He constantly competed with a local Lairon for the iron, cursing the brutish creature fiercely as he limped home, either empty-handed or victorious with bruises. One rainy night, one contender dangerously desperate for iron, both rivals forgot to pay attention to their environment and ended up ruining the nests of seven mighty Salamence, and were driven into a in a cave by the furious Pokémon. After an endless night of fear and terror, Edmund and Lairon pushed aside their previous rivalry and worked together to escape. Once their lives were no longer in danger, man and Pokémon struck a deal. Lairon would lead Edmund to iron deposits and Edmund would protect and feed his new partner. Edmund's business boomed once he had material to work with. In honor of his dearest friend, Edmund vowed to have Aggron's descendants partnered with his own. After several generations of clever business deals and the economic boon of a war, the Blackbells now stood at the top of society, far from their humble beginnings. They never forgot about their Pokémon promise, and every Blackbell to ever been born has had an Aggron evo-line by their side.

Becky could hardly wait to receive her own Pokémon partner. She was a bit surprised to be given a Pokémon egg instead of an actual Pokémon, but she was determined to give it the best care. Becky did it on her own (mostly), not wanting any help from Martha or any of the family employees. After two months of immaculate care, the egg hatched into a healthy Aron. The new baby Pokémon proved to be a happy, if clumsy, little fellow, though he was quick to bite rude people/Pokémon and quite stubborn. Martha had to hide her smile whenever Becky complained about these traits, since Aron copied them from Becky herself. They were quite a fearsome pair in kindergarten.

They were quick to befriend Anya once they got to Eden. Aron almost started a fight with Damien's Pokémon, but Anya stepped in first and socked Damien in the face. Becky and Aron were instant fans and stuck with Anya like glue. Anya and Aron constantly bump into each other, knocking Anya off her feet. Aron feels terrible for it, but it keeps accidently happening. It's to the point that Becky automatically supports Anya whenever she starts to go down.

Damien Desmond- Deino

The Desmond's are also Elite, which means they would have a family Pokémon as well. Right away, I kind of knew what I wanted. The Hydreigon line. Since the Desmond family seems to be looked up to and feared, their family Pokémon would have to match that reputation, to which Dragon-Types usually fits nicely into. And the mysterious lure of Dark-Types goes well with the uncertainty of the Desmond's moral alignment. Are they good? Misunderstood? We cannot say for certain yet, even with the clues we have received. Donovan certainly likes his solitude, which could fit either Types. And the griffon on the Desmond family crest could be replaced with a Hydreigon in the same position.

Reading the Pokédex entries for Deino reminded me of Damien. They are both blinded, one by fur and one by the need to please a father. It stops them from seeing past what holds them back. Deino is constantly injured because it bumps into things due to this blindness. Damien's perfectionism causes self-afflicted wounds because he sets himself up for failure. He throws himself into anything that will get approval head first, trying his hardest to earn his father's attention and only ends up hurt when he bumps into Donovan's apparent disinterest. Zweilous is always covered in bites because the two heads are biting itself, which could represent Damien excessive self-reproach for not achieving the top scores and earning his father's love.

Both boy and Pokémon harm others to learn about their place in life. Both of them are uncertain, so they must act out to feel like they have a place. Deino bites physically, Damien bites with harsh words. He was pretty open about being a bully, and can be cruel to those he doesn't care about (even if its unintentional). Approaching either carelessly is dangerous and it takes a lot for him to warm up to others. Entries state that Deino bite to learn, and new trainers will be bitten constantly. He first had to 'bite' Anya before realizing he liked her, and even then he is still rude to her as he slowly starts to get used to her. But after time, Damien relaxes and stops being harsh, like a Deino getting accustomed to its company.

But those who earn his trust have it, just like Dragon and Dark-Types. He's still learning to completely trust new people in Eden, which is why he is in a rough state with his other classmates.

tl;dr: Dragon/Dark-Typing fit the vibes of the Desmond family, fierce, mysterious, and lonely. Deino's Pokédex entries matched with Damien's attitude. Also, bonus alliteration.

Damien was introduced to Deino only a year before Eden. The meeting was abrupt and empty, as per Desmond tradition. Damien was called into a meeting the Estate's Pokémon Caretaker. Melinda and Demetrius were there. Donovan was not. He made sure to keep his chin high and face stoic anyways. The Pokéball was shoved into his hands after some ceremonious words and he was escorted out of the room. Neither mother or brother stayed long.

He released Deino for the first time, alone, in his room. The first thing she did was bite him. He yelled back. Their relationship started out rocky, to say the least. But Damien was determined to prove himself. Day after day, bite after bite, he pushed through the pain until Deino softened and accepted his presence in her life. The first time she let him pet her, her fur was incredibly soft under his bandaged hands.

The two butt heads constantly. Deino is never afraid to snap at his fingers or arms. If he turns away for a second, she will snatch food off of his plate. For revenge, he fluffs up her properly groomed fur so she can't see, his annoyance correlating to how viciously its tussled. But at the end of every day, she will cuddle on his lap as he carefully brushes her fur silky-smooth.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Ta-da! This is the end! Congrats, you made it! Thank you for reading! (Apologies for any gross mischaracterization in my little deep dive parts. Y'know how it goes, 'got too focused, forgot other aspects', it happens. I tried to look out for it, but things slip through.) I have a couple more combinations bouncing around, like Ewen with a Indigo Core Minior, so we'll see if I ever do a second part. Hope you enjoyed!

[noisytenant]

"hot allostatic load" is very much a work worth reading and discussing, and it's shameful how the harrowing experiences described can be found unchanged these 9 years later. it highlights so many intersecting dynamics and consequences of the transmisogyny, ableism, and racism that are perpetuated within ostensibly "inclusive" spaces.

that being said, i feel like it still kind of reifies the victim/aggressor dichotomy and maintains "abuser" as a meaningful ontological class of malicious actors, and i'm skeptical of that part of the argument.

mostly i feel like messaging is mixed; between nominal challenges to the moral hierarchy and innocence/guilt paradigm, there are a number of lines that assert the innocence and good intent of victims, while taking as fact the malice and wanton destruction of aggressors.

lines like "abusers don't spend years disabled by those thoughts [of being sociopathic, crazy, or abusive] because they don't care if they hurt other people" have me raising my eyebrows. i feel that this line of thinking leaps over all of the little social and mental tricks that enable abuse--the minimization of consequences, the willful and selective ignorance of power dynamics, the magical thinking of intent trumping impact.

it has been my experience that a great deal of abusive individuals think they care deeply about hurting others, and do at times ruminate about the morality of their actions, but inevitably fall back on various justifications to maintain their behavior. i worry that the reassurance, essentially, "an abusive person wouldn't worry about being abusive" can terminate necessary reflection and growth.

it is an important part of the healing process to first realize that it wasn't all your fault, and that you are not uniquely evil or irredeemable. but i think it's an important part of being a political actor to challenge framing issues in terms of blame and ontological badness entirely. sometimes you are the one who fucked up, badly, and the question of handling that situation is fundamental to anticarceral politics.

the essay seems to believe in a type of genuinely "bad person", but it offers little in the way of how to identify them and what to do about them. how does one distinguish confused and righteous people from "pathological liars"? how does one distinguish the airing of personal grievances privately and without a major callout from the weaponization of whisper networks and silent ostracization? what punishments would be appropriate for the "bad people" who avoid them through privilege? if someone fucks up, what does it look like for them to actually atone and change things for the better?

i agree with the concluding sentiment that "there is no kind of justice that resembles hundreds of people ganging up on one person, or tangible lifelong damage being inflicted on someone for failing the rituals of purification that have no connection to real life". we should carefully consider what tools and methods we use in a quest for a more just world, because some of them have grave consequences. but this alone feels imprecise when paired with the whole of the article's wobbly stance on victimhood and abuse, and general lack of suggestions for how marginalized people can be heard and believed.

i guess my feeling is that i'd like to view the piece as a snapshot of this kind of abuse and its effects on all levels, but i personally think many of the core arguments are better discussed elsewhere. it just isn't very precise and honed, and i think a sharp argument is required to cut through the muck of cognitive dissonance and self-justification that perpetuate the abuses we're trying to stop.

anyways, that's just my two cents. hope it resonates with others; if you see the article differently, i'd love to hear a different perspective on it too. i worry if i'm misreading somehow, or overly critical due to unexamined bias. but i can't really know if that's the case if i don't share my thoughts with anyone else. so, here i am with my thoughts. Heart

[papakhan]

Hey I was wondering, do you hate Boone due to his writing or his character? What I mean is do you hate the quality of the writing for Boone or do you like the writing and think it contributes to your read of the character? I guess what I'm asking is if you think Boone is poorly written. Sorry if this is rude in any way! I don't like Boone either I just wanted clarification

in all honesty it's a mixture. i've said so many times I even tho I think Boone is a terrible person, I do actually think he's is a really interesting character who you can do a lot with but that doesn't take away from the fact that there's a lot of poor writing choices involved with him. also I think his stans/people who genuinely believe any of his choices were remotely justified are ANNOYING

you asked about the writing so that's what I'll talk about. Boone's backstory is effectively "poor soldier forced to murder innocents and feels sooo bad about it" which is a bad premise anyway but is executed very poorly IMO. First of all, the Bitter Springs Massacre in its entirety feels like a set dressing to this NPC's tragic backstory because it is just SO badly written. The game wants the NCR to look morally good/neutral SO bad that it's willing to make Bitter Springs look "justified" or "accidental" and I'm not even sure if it happened on purpose. There's like so much wrong with it I don't think I can even explain everything and it's not even just me whining because I'm a fan of the Khans (tho it is some of that) like it's just badly written

This affects Boone's writing because it's a huge part of his backstory but the game never challenges you or tries to make you feel for the Khans in the situation. All those dozens of Khan children and elderly and sick he murdered, you don't get a single name or living relative you can talk to or ANYTHING compared to what you get for the NCR's side of the story like Dhatri and Bitter Root and Gilles and Manny. All you get for the Khans is Oscar Velasco who, by the way, if you visit while Boone is your companion, Boone will execute immediately. so like? you can't even watch a heated exchange between two snipers on opposing sides? Can you imagine how much more interesting and empathetic and grey the situation could have been if you had to convince Oscar and Boone not to kill each other? but no! Oscar is marked as EVIL!!! HE HAS TO DIE!!1!!

every bad thing to NCR did at bitter springs has a shitty silver lining that makes it "justified" like "the person on the other end of the radio didn't understand that there were children fleeing" or "we gave them medical aid! and allowed them to settle at red rock!" or "all the Khans are actually shitty and abusive! I'm a Khan and I'm happy they're all dead!" or "it's hard not to shoot your own guys in the heat of battle" and all of this is why WHY I think so many Redditors fully believe that the Khans deserved because even Manny and Bitter Root say they think it was justified!

all of that really takes the bite out of "Craig Boone did a horrible terrible thing" because the game Lets you. no actually Encourages you to make the argument that what he did was okay. At no point are you allowed to call him out or call him a shitty person or force him to face Khan justice all you can do is tell him "actually what you did was justified" or "there there boone its okay we'll work through it <3" and I'm sorry but those are just. weak choices. especially in comparison to how rich other choices in the game are. yes I know all the companion quests come down to two very cut and dry black and white options at the end but cmon VULPES is offered more depth then this. And also Cass and Arcade can be handed over to their enemy factions why can't I do the same with Boone???

So not only does Craig have a fridged wife (I know people Love to say that Carla's not an underwritten fridged woman but tell me one thing about her other than she was mean and pregnant. one thing.) but he also has piles of unwritten dead civilians in his backstory too and they're all just kinda there and the only thing the story tries to tell you about them is "maybe they did deserve it" and I think that sucks. Carla is her own special problem in the writing by virtue of being a fridged wife because she was invented and murdered just to punish Boone, which still doesn't work if Boone thinks it's divine punishment that he decided to pull the trigger on his wifes head.

TLDR: You're meant to feel bad for Boone, not any of his victims. Not any of the Khan children he killed, not even Carla is afforded any empathy. The game wants you to feel sad about Boone and that's it. that's why I don't like his writing.

[bullshits-smut]

So I finally saw TMNT mutant mayhem on the weekend (yay Australian release dates) and it's fuckin amazing. But there's one nagging issue I've had with it and it's the music choices for the needle drops.

The movie is so focused on making the brothers feel like actual modern kids, the slang, the use of phones, the anime Donnie watches, the pop culture they reference and its great. It genuinely grounds them as like actual kids. It's one of the strongest aspects of the film.

Then all the music choices are like, music from my generation? Like tribe called quest , ol dirty bastard and shit. And like don't get me wrong I popped when shimmy shimmy ya started playing but I'm 36, it just feels like it was kneecapping something the movie had spent so much effort building up.

We know that these kids aren't old school hip hop heads. Donnie is into BTS, if they wanted to focus on new York hip hop they could have at least picked something from like, the last decade? (I don't know what music kids listen to today to pick examples, like I said I'm 36) but like, drop Butter playing when Splinter comes to save em or something.

They could even use it as an emphasis to the story telling, by having the different eras of music emphasise the different characters. Superfly represented by the old school hip hop (wich I guess he'd still be too young for but it would at least fit thematically and be a cool shout out to his voice actor) with the more modern music representing the turtles and their growing challenge to the set in their ways older generation.

Anyway overall its an incredibly minor complaint and a sign of how fucking good the movie is that this is the only negative I have to say, the rest of it was just fucking amazing.