#i hope the grammar is all good

[whispereons]

Oracle!Reader Part 6

Masterlist - Part 1, Part 5, Part 7

Walking blindly you were surrounded by darkness. The inky color put you off and attracted you at the same time. Anything before this moment faded away from your mind and any thought of the future was erased.

Step by step you walked further into the void that chilled you to your core. What were you looking for? What were you hoping for? Where were you?

The sounds of a city started to come to you and streetlamps came into view. Black concrete roads paved the way as the sidewalk was formed under your feet.

The night sky was littered with stars and you stopped as memories came to mind. You knew this area, you knew what was about to happen.

Despite urging your body to stop, to not go there, to not witness it again. It didn't listen as it made you run down the streets yelling.

"Ashtray! Ashtray where are you!"

The ragged and tattered clothes you were wearing let the cold air nip your skin. The shoes a size too big with holes let rocks scratch your feet as you stopped and turned back.

You had already gave up trying to stop this scene. This was a nightmare you were going to relive no matter what.

The colors blurred as time was sped up until a series of loud bangs crystalized the scene. Gunshots that still, and currently are haunting your dreams.

The sight of an old, ragged man and a cat laying on the ground stabs your heart. The blood pooling around leads your eyes to the injuries.

Eyes glazed over, a jaw barely hanging on by blood stained muscles, and a bloody hole in his forehead that went all the way through. His clothes did very little to hide the gunshot wounds in his torso.

A lean gray cat with black and white patches was in the man's arms. The dried blood and singular bullet hole in the unmoving cat's side made it clear that Ashtray had died earlier.

You took shaky steps towards the old man and Ashtray. The night sky and urban city washed away into the shadows.

With every step you took they only got further and further. The contradicting thoughts between running away and getting closer rattled you.

You loved them. You loved that old man despite the short time you knew him. You loved Ashtray despite his smell and diseases. It's not like you were any different at that time.

You watched as Ashtray and the old man changed into a treasure hoarder. The first treasure hoarder that you saw die by the nobushi.

The small whisper, "Why?…" was all you heard from the wide eyed treasure hoarder before he turned into a stake. The stake suddenly went ablaze as a man's voice screamed.

"WHY? WHY ME?! OH HOLY CREATOR SAVE ME! HELP ME!"

The last scream he let out jogged your memory of the Watatsumi Island sacrifice. The burning stake exploded as wind blew them together to form a Anemoboxer.

The Anemoboxer that you killed.

He took slow steps toward you as the wounds you left on him bled heavily. The ground shook as he came closer and you can only back up until you no longer felt ground under you.

Your breath was stolen as you fell off the cliff. The Anemoboxers form got smaller and smaller as you continued falling. Your hair whipped in the air as your stomach dropped. At last when you could tell the ground was about to meet you, you screamed.

Nothing but a broken gasp left you as you fell off the bed. The flash of pain from hitting the boat floor was a small price to pay for the relief the cold floor gave your sweaty skin.

You laid there tangled with the blanket on the floor struggling to breathe. The waves slowly rocked the boat as the moon shined through the small circular window.

Your breathing slowed down back to normal as you focused on the sound of Beidou and her crew walking around. The boat must have already left and the majority of the crew must be back from drinking.

The sound of their rowdy footsteps and drunken yelling helped ground you. After escaping the blanket you walked to the small door on the side. As you suspected, it lead to a small bathroom.

After cleaning yourself up from the sweat and grime from traveling to Ritou, you felt a little better. The nightmare lingered in your mind but you were more rational.

That treasure hoarder's death wasn't your doing, That man on the stake may have died for you as the creator but you never ask for it. It was really more of his punishment for his crime then something you caused. Now the Anemoboxer...

He may have been doing his 'job' but that doesn't excuse the fact they were kidnapping children for whatever reason. Many times in Genshin Fatui agents were seen taking advantage and/or trying to harm them. A world quest in Sumeru's Kimara village came to mind concerning the Fatui, children and the Aranara's.

Besides did you hold the other two Fatui skirmishers death against Heizou? No, he did it for a good reason therefore you killed for a good reason too. It sounds brutal but that's the truth. Teyvat has it's own laws after all.

With a lighter heart you examined yourself in the mirror. The bathroom was pretty clean for a pirate crew. Druggie dens and frat party bathrooms couldn't even compare. The mask you wore was still barely hanging on.

The mask Yae got you came to mind. After taking it out of the box you turn back to the mirror and remove your old mask. The sight of your full face left you surprised and bitter.

All the statues and artwork pictured you with a healthy glow, clear skin, and a peaceful or loving expression. It's nothing like the face that looks back at you with eyebags, unkempt eyebrows and tired eyes.

The fact that the 'creator' version of you has become more familiar to you then your real face was depressing. You were starting to seriously doubt your belief in whether Teyvat is better than Earth. Your life is shitty in both… maybe you're the actual problem.

Dismissing the weird end your thoughts turned to, you put on the new mask and left your room. You didn't want to go back to sleep but the thought of staying in that cramped room wasn't appealing either.

Contrary to how loud it was earlier, the boat was quiet. You walked past many passed out sailors and were careful not to step on them. After wandering around the lower decks you finally found the steps leading to the main deck.

The salty and crisp air hit your face like a slap. You grabbed a hold of the railing and cringed as the air woke you up. This was your first time on a boat and the waves could be felt way stronger higher up.

Carefully you walked to the railing and saw Inazuma in the distance. It felt unbelievable that you actually escaped with your life. That you were actually going to explore the rest of Teyvat. As long as you live of course.

The boat must have left not too long ago since you can still see the general shape of Ritou. Inazuma was much more pretty from far away. Maybe whenever you come back you can properly enjoy the sights.

Turning back to see the rest of the main deck, you spot another person. White hair with a red streak, red maple leave patterned clothing, and a Iron Sting sword on his hip was Kazuha.

Kaedehara fucking Kazuha was on the opposite side of the deck. The first acolyte you can talk to without fear of Ei or Yae finding out. No chance of your identity being exposed!

That's what you thought until you remembered the wind that he talked to so much.

You were careful not to stare at him as you began a debate with yourself.

You wanted to live a quiet life to avoid drawing attention and potentially exposing your lie. But you also needed to interact with people to build up creditability in the case that you are caught. Yet the only way to talk to them and not have them dub you as suspicious due to the sensation they feel from when you pulled them is to be clear in your oracle identity.

No matter how you slice it, you have to talk and make connections. Then try to keep things only surface level from then on to avoid spinning too many lies. It was hard enough keeping track of everything, you didn't need to throw in unnecessary lies.

A tightrope you will unfortunately walk as long as you want to live.

You walk to Kazuha and get a better look at him as you approach him. His elbow was resting on the railing with his face in his palm. Eyes closed as the moon illuminated him. Truly the picture perfect of serene.

If you ignore his flushed cheeks and soft snores.

Maybe it would be better to just say hello tomorrow-

Kazuha's crimson eyes open slowly and lock onto you immediately. A giggle leaves him as he stares at you in a daze.

"Hello there… I'm-I'm Kaedehara Kazooha."

He ends his sentence with another giggle. He was drunk. Very fucking drunk. You remember the second Golden Apple Archipelago, Kazuha only drank a few cocktails and couldn't even stand. How did he not fall off the ship like this?!

He moves to take a step towards you and he sways dangerously near the edge. Worried you move forward and steady him by letting his arm hang around your shoulder.

This was now the second time a short anemo guy was leaning on you in this position. Maybe it'll become a pattern with them?

Half lidded red eyes stare at your face and it makes you nervous with the close proximity. What if he remembers this incorrectly and thinks you did something bad to him? You help him stand straighter and speak with a worried tone.

"Hello, I'm Y/N but that isn't important right now. Are you okay? You almost fell off the ship."

"Oh, really? It-It's because Beidou didn't-n't give me the rest of the wine." He slurs his words and pouts at you.

Were you supposed to feel bad for him? Because you only wanted to laugh at seeing the calm and poetic Kazuha pout at you. Was this really the same guy that threatened to brand a treasure hoarders forehead?

Well that sobered you up quickly.

"I'm sure Beidou did that with your well-being in mind. Why don't I help you to your room?"

"I cannot agree… not when the wind is… is sweetly crooning to me of… your brilliance." He giggles drunkenly and finishes. "So please… let me stay with… youUU-"

"Okay, okay! Just please quiet down."

You look around and spot a few sturdy looking barrels. You drag the giggling man to the barrels and sit on the ground with your backs resting against the barrels.

Not the most comfortable position but there were no chairs and you didn't want him near the ledge. Now with more space between you both, he seemed to take in your features better.

"You feel very familiar... just like my friend. When I remember himmm melanch-choly consumes me. But you… you feel like a sweeeet dream that-t I'm returning to."

His words are scattered and hard to understand but the meaning is clear.

"I'm an oracle for the creator. Many acolytes that have met me say the same thing."

"Then why does... the wind sing to meee about you?" The pauses and slurring are starting to decrease but the red in his cheeks stay strong.

"Why does th-the sight of you make me, make me want to spout every bit of poetry in my soulll."

His glazed eyes are now intensely staring at you. If it wasn't for his sleepy blinking and fumbling words you would think he was sober. Kazuha starts scooting closer to you.

"The wind? I'm not sure but it must be my connection to the creator. As for the other part, it may be because you drank too much."

The wind must be anemo, some people theorize that Venti is who he talks to but that's not the most concrete theory. Elements and archons must be different entities seeing as you wielded electro to protect yourself. If Ei and electro were the same, surely she would have the electro harm yourself. Ugh that topic requires more attention then you can give it right now.

"Drank too much? No, no, no. I drank far too lit-little. I just need the taste of something stronger..."

You didn't realize just how close Kazuha was now. He was now boxing you against the barrel with his legs on either side of yours. His hands were pressed on the barrel with his face inching closer.

Holy shit, holy shit. Your first instinct is to freeze when you can feel his breath lightly graze you. His eyes stare at you in slight wonder as he speaks softly.

"You must be my new muse. That is why the wind calls me to you. Having you in my vision makes my heart race. It makes me wish I hadn't drank a single drop of sake, for I am getting drunk on your presence alone. The wind speaks of the glory and happiness you bring to anyone lucky enough to meet you. There is no greater muse that I could long for. The haikus and poems I can create in your presence are-"

Okay so he's still shitfaced, the cold wind only improved his speaking. But he was veering dangerously close to doing something that sober him will hold against you.

"Kazuha, I am extremely flattered to be called your muse. And I truly do wish you luck in your writing but it's best you go to bed now."

He giggles and closes his eyes seemingly not realizing you cut him off.

"Y/N, ah what a sweet name, I understand that you may have some reservations about my words but-"

With no time to lose you move his hand off the barrel so you can move out the way and stand up. You pull him up and wrap his arm around your shoulder to not let him fall.

Ignoring your flushed cheeks and rapidly beating heart you speak softly to Kazuha in case the alcohol makes him react strongly.

"Kazuha, if I am your muse then you must know just how heartbreaking it is to lose your muse. The alcohol impairs you and makes you see me in a foggy state of mind. Your drunkenness' is hindering your vision of me."

He pouts and rests his head on your shoulder. Defiantly he retorts.

"I am not drunk, I drank very little." It feels like you're talking to a cranky kid rather than a full grown man.

"My mistake then, I'm sorry Kazuha. Now which way is your room? To make up for my mistake I should escort you back. Not because you're drunk but so that you could draw more inspiration from me as we walk together."

"Oh I see, it's just down those stairs and then a right till we get to the end of the hallway."

Guiding drunk people into telling you what you need to know is one of the easiest things. You spent a lot of time on Earth surrounded by drunkards and tricking them into spilling information.

With a smile you help Kazuha to his room. With each step the sleepy swordsman became heavier and heavier. You're basically carrying all of Kasha's weight when you finally arrive at his room.

He must be pure muscle from how much weight you were carrying. You push the door open with your shoulder and sigh in relief once you drop him on his bed.

Kazuha sleepily moves to rest his head on the pillow as you catch your breath.

"Well Kazuha I'll see you in the morning." You move to leave but Kazuha grabs your wrist and looks up at you.

"Nooo... Don't leave yet. Stay with me, just for a little while. I'll tell you the haiku I made with the inspiration I got from you."

It wouldn't hurt to stay right? No one could deny that Kazuha was a very cute drunk. You could totally afford to give in for once. You sat on the bed and smiled at him.

"It would be my pleasure Kazuha. The creator has always praised your flowery language so I've always wanted to hear it myself."

Kazuha smiles brighter at the mention of the creator. "Then I'm confident that you will enjoy it Y/N."

"Winds whisper sweet sounds,

In my sight, the brightest star,

Gold masks and bright smiles."

Kazuha finishes the haiku before passing out on the bed. Shoes and all. You try to get up and leave again but his grip on your wrist is tight. You tug your wrist but he's just not letting go.

Is it because he's a skilled swordsman that it's this hard to escape his grasp? After bracing yourself and pulling a few time you finally got your wrist free.

You leave Kazuha's room feeling a lot better then when you first boarded the ship. Although you know Kazuha will be horribly embarrassed when or if he remembers what happened, it's more than okay with you.

Not only will Kazuha automatically have a good impression of you for dealing with his drunken self but also feel indebted to forgiving any mistakes you might make. Plus it was fun not having to worry about any lies to tell or upkeep.

It's futile to hope but you still want to entertain the idea of the rest of your journey being this peaceful. Seeing your favorite characters in passing and admiring the scenery of the different nations. It's what you dreamed of while on Earth and now you'll also dream of it while being on Teyvat. Ironic isn't it?

You remember something and head to the main deck. After walking to and from it, you've figured out the general route. The drunk crew members were still sprawled, passed out on the floor. Which was really annoying to pass over so you took the liberty to move them to sit against the wall.

Once outside you looked towards the direction of Inazuma. It was a lot smaller now but you could still see Narukami Island. It was close enough for what you wanted to test. The lack of witnesses was a nice bonus.

Pulling up the game screen, you went straight for the Wish system. One look at your primogems made you wanna cry. How in the world did you get 15,546?! You only had 46 when you were on Earth! Another mystery that you were not going to spend precious time thinking about.

There was no banner either, instead it had a handprint. Errily similair to the boat you used when you first arrived here. You placed your hand on it and say.

"Show me Kamisato Ayaka's banner."

It starts to glow and you yank your hand away. The glowing stops showing Ayaka's banner with the fours stars from her most recent banner. This could be really helpful and seriously exploited.

The increase of primogems, the banner disappearing, choosing any banner, it must all be due to your power as the creator. Although the game screen is weird and mysterious, it has always helped you. Best not to question it.

You had no pity and only had enough primogems for 97 pulls, would it be enough? Putting trust into whatever luck you had, whether good or bad, you start wishing.

You press the 10 pull option and watch the night sky above you glimmer as a purple shooting star is surrounded by smaller blue shooting stars.

No wonder they believed you were some holy creator who was going to descend on Teyvat with gold blood. The sight was breathtaking.

Maybe Hoyoverse or rather Mihoyo was the true creator and you were just deluding yourself into thinking you were the creator?

Nah too far of a stretch. Plus they knew what was your favorite food, so you were most definitely still the creator.

The game screen displayed all the character constellations and weapons you won. So you kept pulling and pulling with still no Ayaka in sight.

At the 90th pull you finally saw the gold shooting star. It was the sky lighting up with a gold glow that really caught your attention. Unlike the blue stars that fizzled out quickly or the purple stars that joined others to form constellations, the gold star went farther.

It shot across Inazuma until it seemed to be over the Kamisato Estate. It gave one last bright gold glow before disappearing. Looking back at the screen, you saw Ayaka's splash art.

Satisfied, you exit the Wish system and close the screen. Hopefully her life would be easier now that she was a awakened acolyte. That she can feel loved by the creator she treasures so dearly even though you will probably never build her.

You go back to your room and lay on the bed. You fall asleep to the sounds of the waves and creaking of the boats. Completely unaware of the joyful crying from Ayaka and the celebrating Kamisato Clan.

Wanted to keep this a happy(ish) chapter. Plus I wanted a short one after the monster that was part 5. Kazu's haiku was made by me, yes I followed the rules. Like the 5, 7, 5 syllable rule. I'm pretty sure I did it correctly but idk it was my first time doing poetry. I'm just lucky it didn't need to rhyme. The next chapter will be purely boat stuff with Beidou and Kazu. For now at least, may add more as I write the draft. Also going to be counting the Liyue characters to see how many I can fit. Along with locations since Y/N is going to the Adventures guild. Perhaps as I write I'll figure out if Y/N should go to Sumeru or Mondstadt. Taglist: @vvyeislazzy, @nikqi, @the-dumber-scaramouche, @etherisy, @yourlocalstranger123, @ra404, @iruiji, @goldenglow149, @haru-tofuu, @lsleepysimpl, @bebobeboben, @yuyuzi-ling, @amidst-the-tempest, @resident-cryptid, @mxd1zzy, @mochicurls21, @nervouseaglelover, @thedevioussmirk, @yumuramma, @kwqsla, @undecidingfate, @ehjane, @game-savvy, @akiramirae, @sielt, @fluffy-koalala, @formacoon, @sxftiebee, @khxii-i, @ursinaw, @chuuya-brainrot, @sweetbills, @kazuchaos, @snowfoxnix, @bluebelony, @conspicuous-mayonnaise, @pencil-of-ashes, @ghostlyintervention, @taiformaifoe, @sielt, @goaudduck, @carminerin, @maddysflowers, @zenith-of-all-zeniths, @crazydreamcat, @leafanonsforest

[jessiescock]

ok i got another one

i can’t seem to find a comprehensive list of dub languages online rn, these are the audio options i can select on my netflix account – not included in the poll but also available to me are hindi, indonesian, thai and a japanese audio description. idk tho if those are all that were produced or if there’s more options that are just not available in my region, lmk if there’s something else i missed here! also if you’ve listened to/watched multiple of these options do kindly tell which one(s) you like best!

[lapinposts]

how it feels to read people on this site criticize death of the outsider

[marihem]

Let me be the one to ask. How did you come up with this Queerplatonic Frans concept? What drew you into making this?

Aww thank you for asking such a delicious question, pal! Hope you're ready to listen to my 1 am rambles XD

Alright so, to be completely honest...I actually don't truly know how Romance works to execute it myself 😬

Haha yup, sadly, the concept of Romance and Romantic Attraction didn't naturally come to me my whole life and I had a hard time understanding them. (Skill issue, amiright?) So I learned about them through fiction. And even then, my understanding of Romance was a little bit different from what it's usually is (spoiler: it wasn't actually Romance, the word I needed was "Queerplatonic").

I've drawn ship arts before I started drawing Frans and let me tell you, almost all of them were 2 characters just standing next to each other, no hugs, no kisses. Maybe they'll look at each other with fondness. And I was like "hell yeah, I've achieved Romance 😌" pfft.

My 2020 Frans works were where my ship art skills got improved. But you can still see that they aren't explicitly romantic (like, the first time I drew a Frans forehead kiss was for a request). Whatever, I was drawing stuffs about my fav lil guys and I was happy... and yet a tiny part of me wasn't feeling it, like it felt...odd to call them romantic. All these shippy art and I still felt uncomfortable to draw something extremely Romantic. (...this kinda sounds similar to a comphet kind of situation, you get what I'm saying?)

2 years later, I learned about the term "queerplatonic" and just like that, everything made sense =o Now THAT'S the kind of relationship I've been thinking about all these years and it felt magical. Suddenly, with this new knowledge, drawing shippy art felt more comfortable for me, cozy even. Cuz now, the "romance" I'm making is like something a little special for me.

And then I thought "what if I...👀" I grabbed Frisk and Sans like figurines and used them to make my own little ideas of a queerplatonic relationship as they were the perfect materials to work with for me.

I've actually been busying myself with thinking up ideas for them a year before I revealed it to my mutuals, even long before I revealed it publicly 😅

Still, my Roommate Banter AU Frans is still classic romantic. I've only been making funny lil contents of them but I swear! They're secretly crushing on each other, there's romance underneath! I just suck at Romance 😭

So yeah, TL:DR, I don't completely understand romance so I did what I felt comfortable and did actually get the most, approach a ship with a queerplatonic lens.

Tho I'm still learning about Romance cuz there're other ships I'd love to draw shippy art for XD

Anyways, yeah thank you to anyone who read all of this and thank you dear anon for indulging me with your ask <3 Have a lovely day/night ^^

[pockykierra]

Sneak Peek for Saying The Quiet Part Aloud Chapter Four

Thank you all for your patience while I write this chapter! I've had a lot of Stuff™ happening recently - nothing bad, just a lot of life taking up my writing time! I do have a good portion of the chapter written, but it still might be just a bit before it is released.

In the meantime, I do have a one-shot I should be posting soon, and I also have this small little sneak peek under the cut! I hope you all enjoy!

“She is,” Crowley said, a hint of pride creating an upward inflection in his tone. 

Almost as beautiful as you.

Aziraphale blushed, turning quickly from Crowley and nervously smoothing at his clothes. How incredibly hard it still was for Aziraphale to believe it was him who Crowley thought about. A man as handsome, wealthy, and well connected as him surely had equally handsome, wealthy, and well connected people to surround himself with. Entrepreneurs, business owners, models, royalty, for Heaven's sake - the elite of the elite.

And yet-

It was Aziraphale who Crowley thought about. Aziraphale who lived comfortably but was by no stretch of the imagination wealthy. Aziraphale who wore button-up pants, outdated waistcoats, and occasionally sweaters if he was feeling particularly adventurous. Aziraphale who abhorred meeting new people.

Aziraphale who was plain. 

Aziraphale who did nothing exciting - nothing, ever - because he was scared. 

But still, Crowley thought of Aziraphale. Not just thought of, but fantasized about - he imagined doing things that stirred desires seated deep within Aziraphale, ones he would have never thought himself to have. The scenes he envisioned made Aziraphale’s legs shake and his cock twitch with needy, pathetic interest. They were fiction, not reality - but they were about Aziraphale. And that made it all the better (or perhaps, all the worst).

[good-beans]

Me: Woo I'm taking a copyediting class! I've done tons of writing/communications courses but editing has always just been something embedded in it -- it'll be really nice to get a focused look at the craft, take time to learn it, and really master it :D

Professor: Yeah so here are 5 novel manuscripts by other students in the program, start proofing these simultaneously on tight deadlines okay? Remember, these are your peers, they're counting on you 👍

Me:

[the-trans-dragon]

Two robots doing their jobs exactly as programmed by humans :3

[yet-another-haven-of-dollya]

Horishito I just done drawing some most beautiful art pieces that I had ever done in a while I'm so proud of myself.

I was right to take time and practice I AM getting better✨

[astranauticus]

a handful of chinese songs that give me big robit energy

translating cpop songs is like my second favourite hobby so it's frankly surprising I haven't made this post sooner

Him - Floruitshow (马 - 福禄寿)

I've talked about this song on here before but this is the 3.7 song for me

the second chorus is definitely MR-SN but i like to think of the first chorus (Let me take a good look at your visage as we count down the time till the curtains’ close. Forgive me for holding back my voice so soon, do you know, in your graceful escape, all I see around me is disaster?) as VR-LA during the flashback sequence

specifically 'all I see around me is disaster' because yeah not wrong

'This time I’m not here to bring you home' just kills me like the please please take care of yourself because I can't be there with you anymore of it all

'Oh spring, oh warm sun, please come sooner, grant him a smooth and safe journey' same point, just the desperate plea for the universe to protect VR-LA because he can't do it himself anymore

How can I make you stay - Floruitshow (我用什么把你留住 - 福禄寿)

(conveniently I have actually done a full translation of this song!)

definitely one of the Maxim songs of all time

"You’ve believed that you can let your life pass in numbness, but [...] why do your tears fall in the moment of letting go?' YEAH because we've seen so many times how Maxim keeps trying to convince himself that he can stop just caring but it never works

'You say don’t fall in love, yet you’re unwilling to let go' same point, this man is in such denial about how he just can't stop caring

specifically the second verse feels a lot like Maxim waiting for VR-LA to return from Tu'narath

'You stay silent, holding onto starlight as you wait through your darkest hour. Your mind is struck, when familiar murmurs pierce your ears once more' aaaAAAAHH

the bridge (?) as a conversation between VR-LA and Maxim, VR-LA inviting Maxim to see the beauty and wonders of the world ('Do you want to see the sea of flowers blooming?', very 4.5 wedding invite honestly) but Maxim's trauma just would not allow him to take that risk ('If none of them come back, then who should I live for?')

fun fact the second version of the bridge in my translation ('You must stay to see the flowers bloom' onwards) is exclusive to that live performance of the song so it's not in the spotify version i linked here. as for which version you think fits Maxim more.. well.

Borrow - Mao Buyi (借 - 毛不易)

finally banging out a translation for this song was kinda the inspiration for me to make this post actually

the tldr of this song is that it's an unnamed/unidentified speaker asking to borrow various small things for the sake of somebody else (like 'an inch of frozen sunlight' to provide warmth in a cold world) so you can probably see where i'm going with this

'A simple ‘we have plenty of time’ etched into the soul to prepare for the chance of forced separation' ouch ow okay

'Those blown apart by these winds will say that they never loved deeply' / 'There is a sincerity that cannot be blown apart by this wind' DX-TR betraying the old crew vs VR-LA fighting through so much just to get them back

'There are tears that cannot be washed away by this rain' this line just haunts me. like in general

'An acre of land for him to call home, an ordinary life for him to live' as MR-SN watching over the old crew like I can't be there for you but I hope you will find peace and a home...

[gurenmonster]

Btw I say Damien and Angela are cute but not in a couple way... like no matter how I look at it I can't see them as a romantic couple 😔 they're just two silly little guys to me... (more in the tags)

[mersei47]

I wish I have more confident about writing fanfics but Im still insecure about my grammar. yeah I can make it understandable but some probably find it.....irritating when they read it. Im not sure

how do you guys feel about reading fanfic that doesn't have great grammar tho

[etchedstars]

i was going to make a post but i couldnt figure out the grammar so i just gave up. it was a banger post tho

[strooples]

Some reviews on a handful of popular anime

This won’t be too in-depth, so basically a thoughts dump. But thinking about it, in terms of more popular anime + anime movies, I felt a bit let down seeing a few awhile back. My memories on each will vary in range, though it’s worth a shot to get down the mental notes I took.

In terms of anime, I wanted to talk about parts of “Komi Can’t Communicate” (which I was told beforehand was a story exploring a character with social anxiety) and “Horimiya”. Both did some funny things, both had new/refreshing takes. But likewise, both stories had other issues that made it a bit hard to generally enjoy. So, I’ll start with those 2.

1) Komi Can’t Communicate

In “Komi Can’t Communicate,” I felt kinda bugged how the MC was treated while Komi sort of rebounds on the impossibly-pretty-therefore-everyone-is-obsessed-with-her situation. Some of the classmates start off cold to Tadano (the MC) and very generously nice to Komi on very superficial standards. I guess I expected social anxiety to generally be explored in its alienating aspect over reverence. Though you could say that many of the classmates initially didn’t see Komi as an equal human being genuinely. The random instances of meanness towards the MC and superficial treatment towards Komi threw me off heavily because not being able to communicate to anyone and struggling to fit into a new, very judgmental schooling environment are some serious issues.

Komi and Tadano, the 2 main characters.

It was still pretty hard to see people so angry at the main character for existing, even some of the later friends of Komi. My SO who enjoyed the show more than me did tell me of Komi’s group of friends, only 1 has gone extremely far (like, beyond the brink of acceptable comedy) and even they have seen repercussions for harmful actions. But it feels weird to have things bounce back so lightly bc the ML ended up being the butt of jokes. At the same time, it’s hard to deny how the concept of a socially-phobic girl who struggles to talk and speak to those around her — yet being idolized by those same people as almost a status symbol over a human being — was still interesting overall. Also just the desire to make genuine friends, despite struggling with your anxieties around others.

Minus the yandere girl who takes things too far, there’s genuinely nice moments — Komi opening up, Komi’s wholesome family (+ etc.). And some genuinely funny characters/situations, like the blond guy (I forgot there names; it’s been awhile) who looks scary on the outside but is also nervous inwardly. Overall, it wasn’t my cup of tea even though it wasn’t bad??

2) Horimiya

*Okay, so technically I didn’t start with the anime. I read the manga but I admittedly do really like the author’s art style!

“Horimiya” also starts with a concept that could’ve been elaborated on and lead to interesting scenarios — mainly the 2 MC’s living somewhat of a different life outside of school than their schoolmates would expect. In that category, it’s sort of like a more recent rendition of a “Switch Girl”-esque romcom story. It starts with a refreshing confession that happens basically the beginning. No mishaps or drawn out tensions & dramas beforehand (which could be done well too in other stories but also super super common). However, after that the original concept of a double life gets thrown away and the story gets super super slice-of-lifey. Which isn’t bad in general (a lot of times the humor was fun). Though TBH it generally felt directionless after, and not in a relaxing way I expected from SOL but sorta just… hard to continue? I got a bit bored and struggled to keep reading.

I also had issues with some of the gags (like the girl-beating-up-the guy/basically-abusing-him-played-off-as-a-joke trope) and the relationship norms (just in general how jealousy and possessiveness seemed normalized/expected). The violence was a bit… much? The LGBT jokes like on same-sex relationships was too much also. And it was generally a bit buggy to see Miyamura constantly get physically punished by Hori for situations he didn’t understand/couldn’t have, or situations he was even right in.

The main focus/relationship was what stagnated the work. And already, it was unfortunately the relationship we were supposed to pay attention to most wasn’t ideal for Miyamura, had little chemistry (my subjective opinion here though), and sorta just dredged out. I’d much prefer a lot of the duller moments to be exchanged for other things. Some of my suggestions being on how they could’ve elaborated on characters like Shu’s sister, Sakura, Yanagi etc.

But I do feel one of the best strongpoints of the story was when Hori and Miyamura were at the Hori’s residence. The scenes were comforting and happy, seeing how the entire family and Miyamura spent time together and had dinners. I also ended up rooting for Sakura because of how grounded and down-to-earth she was. So the SOL moments in this wasn’t too bad of a thing, and there were decent aspects and a few likeable characters. It just wasn’t enough to make it great in particular.

Now, in terms of movies…..

…it’s got to be 2 that I watched awhile ago. A handful of things left me leaning towards feeling indifferent at the end of the day, and those were “A Silent Voice” and “Your Name.” Both had massive debates in online circles over which was the best anime movie of the year, but both fell a bit flat for me personally despite all the build-up. For “A Silent Voice” though, I do think the discussions it generated were pretty important because it resonated with a lot of people’s personal experiences (so it isn’t something I mean to discount & the themes it touched upon made it a bit more interesting).

3) A Silent Voice

I think “A Silent Voice” had a lot more that could be said of it, both good + unhelpful towards its prime topic of bullying. IMO, it’s interesting to have the main character be a former perpetrator-turned victim. I think we’re able to see a lot of nuance, namely how even the formerly-unsympathetic side can feel remorse, can grow up with low self-esteem, can even be a victim themselves. We see the situation flip, people change, and people with the capacity to want to be better. And we also see how fast a society/group of people are, in terms of ignoring the main problem to ostracize a scapegoat — while trying to shirk facing consequences or guilt of their own. It’s especially interesting & heart-wrenching that we go to see the life-long trauma inflicted to both Shoya and Shouko. All the while their other perpetrators are ignored (like Kazuki, who bullied both). We also see terrible people being terrible in different ways, from the more visibly terrible Ueno to the self-victimizing Kawai who will put on an innocent face — even tears — all while pretending she has no idea of horrible things she enabled/even partook in.

But where it goes very, very wrong is structuring it out to be a love story of a victim with her former bully. Though I liked the concept of the former bully try to make amends — genuinely feeling guilt and wanting to do better — writing it in that direction had very Stockholm Syndromey-vibes. They could’ve eventually become friends; they didn’t need to develop romantically and the situation honestly didn’t requisite such a relationship. You could argue that people do get Stockholm Syndrome and start feeling that way when given decent treatment by those who’ve formerly hurt them, but then it would’ve been written a bit differently. Like not really emphasizing romantic feelings, but rather a mix of situations and confusing problems, where a crush wasn’t centric to the themes presented.

The aforementioned friend group, strung together by the end of the movie. I think there was a few more but I don’t remember quite clearly?

The ending especially was very uncomfortable where Kawai was presented as a good person trying to pep-talk Shouko and all the main characters are in a now-formed friend group, sort of just mashing together. Ueno’s issues and callousness towards Shouko were never resolved, yet they were in there together. It was presented as a happy ending, but I think a lot of the characters fundamentally had issues (like did Shoya honestly feel good around all these people??? Did Kawai basically BS to look/feel like a good person while never owning up?? Is Shouko going to be re-traumatized around a horrible person like Ueno??).

All of the above combined made me leave the movie with general discomfort. Though at the time, I couldn’t put into words what was wrong? It took awhile for me to think the situation wasn’t that great for Shoya and Shouko, still.

Onto our last review dumping!

4) Your Name

“Your Name” is the last anime franchise I wanted to talk about, and I don’t deny the animation and art were pretty amazing! Like you could see the gruesome and tedious effort put into every little scene.

Seriously though, the picturesque backgrounds are where most Makoto Shinkai works shine! Though I didn’t love this movie as much as others did, it does really make me curious of his past & future works.

But as a story? I don’t think it had much depth. Which doesn’t mean it wasn’t enjoyable, because it was still fun watching. It was just lackluster for a movie that wanted to build up the emotional aspects.

Of course, it has some good build-up and somewhat of an atmosphere for the deeper emotions in the world. There was also an underlying thread about traditions vs. the modern world, what is lost vs. what we must preserve. Personally, those messages don’t resonate with me but they are things can could be worked with and built up pretty well. We see it in how Mitsuha wants to move away from her slow, mostly-rural hometown to pursue a life in the more bustling, modern city of Tokyo. Her background? Living with her primary caretaker — her grandma, the main female figure of Mitsuha’s life. Her grandma wants her to partake in the spiritual traditions of their Shinto shrine, from shrine maiden rituals to watching the grandma sew on an old loom that’s now nothing more but a loss art. And then we get the strained family relationships: How her dad abandoned his duties to the shrine for a career in politics after their mother died, while Mitsuha (now older) generally resents/dislikes his presence as an uptight bureaucrat vying for his image. Deep down, she doesn’t feel either of their lifestyles are ideal. But like her father, wants to shed aside traditions for something more modern (such as a big city life). We end up with that dichotomy, which is a strong basis to begin with.

The Shinto shrine maiden ceremony.

So with all of that, we generally expect to have insight into the family life and background of Taki (the ML). But instead, besides his school friends and work crush, we don’t even hear or see much of his dad. His home life is left an absolute blank sheet, with his character staying incomplete. He’s a blank slate with nothing but a spot for the viewers to project themselves into. He has a job. He has an oddly specific hobby of drawing detailed pictures of lots of landscapes and structures. That second one is especially interesting — like wtf, he can draw complex structures by memory?? Yet it doesn’t get elaborated upon at all. Nothing does.

So the love story follows. There’s a lot of emotional scenes, body switches, disastrous current events, memories forgotten at the end of the day before they all meet up again. But nothing quite tied me to the ML nor even Mitsuha. I did feel invested in them meeting each other. Yet as people, I wasn’t quite invested in Taki nor fond of either. Which for a love story, is bad because you’d hope to see the other half being built up with solid background and characterizations. Leaving his life stories empty felt like it meant he was someone we could project ourselves into (and perhaps that was the purpose as is in many romance genre stories?) but it made it a lot weaker and less elaborated. Being a core, fundamental detail and all.

On my end conclusions:

I really thought each of these stories had more potential. Either to be in-depth, nuanced, interesting, or better-structured (and/or needing a few character reforms). Also, I fully see why someone would enjoy a large chunk of them or feel inspired by them. Sadly, each fell flat for me.

Though of the 4, I often think of “A Silent Voice” because regardless of its flaws, such a work is important at beginning a lot of discussions — such as the hardcore school bullying in Japan or bullying in general. And for “You Name,” it really introduced me to Makoto Shinkai works and a few of his other movies, so I don’t deny the talent behind his skills and creativity in a lot of instances. It was mainly those that stuck with me?

At the end of the day, I hope I elaborated my thoughts on what I found good in each and what made me not feel as invested in them! And of course, if you felt other things were done better or ended up liking them more, that’s valid too and up for discussion!!

[thevegetablewhichnoonedaresname]

Does anyone know whether the content on sites like therebellion.space (I feel like I remember one or two others being mentioned but don't remember what they were off the top of my head) was ever archived? The main page is on the Wayback Machine, but a lot of the others aren't.

[impossibleheartflower]

Stained glass windows are made out of broken pieces of glass, technically they're glass pieces that were purposely cut to be that way but I always think that stained glass windows are even more beautiful when it's just broken glass that needs a little of repurposing. Y'know just taking a bunch of random broken glass with their own little story that just needs to not disappear but kinda just needs to be rearrange to be made into something gorgeous.

Stained glass windows by their nature find beauty in the broken, that's why I love them so much, when comparing people to stained glass windows the person typically has a lot of scars and their mental state kinda changes to try to adapt to scars but overall they are beautiful. They are perfect because of their flaws, because of scars, and because of their beautiful mind that had to change in order to survive, do you know why? It's because they are what makes them *them*. I want to know every part of them, the good the bad and the ugly, I want to get to know every scar, every bruise, I want to trace the map of scars and help them paint over the broken pieces but not to make it seem like the scars (both mental and physical) are not there but to make the pain just a little more bearable. I want to see how even after their mind falls apart that they still are able to put themselves back together because that kind of strength is amazing, resilience is amazing and I'll always admire it.

Scars are just a reminder of what we've been through. Scars might fade but they'll never go away and I don't like the fact that people had to go through that much pain in order to get those scars but the fact that they survived and decided to stay here in this is what I find beautiful. I like the little bit of lead that keeps the glass together because it's like when a person decides to heal and work on themselves, it's like say "hey! I'm still here regardless of the tragedies that has happened to me! All the broken pieces are still here but I've made them into something different, not good or bad but just different because I'm different" and I think that's remarkable.

The lead is what finalizes the transformation of just a pile of broken glass to a work of art and when comparing someone to stain glassed art the lead strips is them healing and chosing to not hurt anyone else the same way the have been hurt. Comparing someone to stained glass art is like saying "hey I might not know what's going on in your life or if your a good person or not but I would very much like to know because I think that your scars represent hope and strength, not destruction and pain, I just want to know you all of you"

You can help people with with broken bits and make them all pretty by helping them with the colors and whatnot but at the end of the day they have to put the lead strips to make the piece of art, when it comes down to it the other person has make the choice of forgiving or healing or whatever it is for them to change for the better because there is only so little that we can do. A part of making stained glass art is that it's a long (and expensive) process much like healing from trauma but in the end it's still breathtaking and peaceful

I mean when you look at a stained glass window don't you just have a sudden urge to admire it? To study every inch? Or at the very least just be able to see what the final product is? It's amazing and I love them

[bestfluteninja]

guys i think i might be good at this for real