#i only put it on to get this stupid achievement that i think is impossible unless i find someone who's playing without headphones because-

[renthewerecatboi]

i don't get why people like the dead ringer, i have never felt more vulnerable

[dark-konohagakure2]

Helloooo! This is my first time requesting something like this so im super nervous .. but do you think you could write something along the lines of madara niece getting married of to him and them consummating (getting freaky deaky) the wedding? Its okay if not, i love your work! ^_^

tw: incest, uncle/niece, noncon, forced marriage, age difference, misogyny, breeding, size difference, cumflation

All characters depicted are 18+

Madara doesn't care about romance in the slightest, much less marriage. He can appreciate taking a woman's body as a spoil of war, but other than that he couldn't care less about such tedious distractions such as women. But as little thought as he puts into the matter, the fact remains that Madara will need an heir soon as head of the Uchiha Clan, and there is only one suitable candidate for birthing his sons.

Madara isn't incredibly close with his niece, he doesn't hate her, but he isn't exactly a doting uncle either. Most of his memories of his niece are of her as a small and meek thing, hiding behind her father Izuna's leg and clinging to her mother's skirt, but now that she's grown older, she has become an attractive young woman, the spitting image of her late father, his precious younger brother, so Madara decides to kill two birds with one stone.

Forcing her hand in marriage is almost top easy, the girl's mother has been in disarray since her husband's death, so the woman sees her only daughter getting married as a good thing for the clan. Even if Madara is the girl's uncle, he is without a doubt the most suitable male for her out of every man in the Uchiha clan, or at least that's the point he'll hammer in.

His niece isn't terribly happy when she receives the news that she'll be getting married, what's worse is that she gets this shocking news at the very last minute, as Madara doesn't even think to tell her about their unconventional 'engagement' until the very day right before their so-called wedding, and he definitely won't be sympathetic to her hysterical woman tears.

"Enough or your shrieking, girl. I've already made my decision and it is final. If you can't even do something as simple as rearing a few children for our clan, then you don't deserve to be called an Uchiha."

The wedding isn't exactly a large one, it'd just the two of them, not even the mother is allowed to attend her own daughter's 'wedding', Madara doesn't need two crying women ruining his special day. The wedding kimono suits his adorably homely niece rather well, but Madara thinks it would suit her much better on his bed, so suffice to say that the marriage ceremony will be rather quick.

Once it's finally done, Madara will practically drag her to his chambers, his cock unbearably hard beneath his wedding robe, he never thought he'd ever be so excited about sinking his cock into a wet cunt, but his niece's tight little Uchiha pussy is just too much of a tempting forbidden fruit for him to resist sinking his teeth into. While his main goal is reproduction, Madara will also be after his own pleasure during this act of consummation.

Madara's cock is long and thick, stretching her virgin walls before he then gets it halfway inside, and when he finally rams his thick meat into her, his leaking tip will immediately and mercilessly bash into her cervix like a battering ram, it would be next to impossible for her to get thoroughly knocked up due to how deeply Madara is penetrating her fertile cunt.

Madara doesn't take any half measures, he wants her swollen with his seed, with his offspring, and he's not going to achieve that by just one measly orgasm inside of her, he's going to cum inside of her as much as possible, fucking his superior seed into her until her flat tummy becomes bloated with the sheer amount of cum that Madara has dumped into her, and even then he's not going to stop enjoying his niece-wife for quite some time.

"Stupid girl, don't pass out on me just yet, weakling. It's only been four rounds and you're already whining and leaking? Pathetic. How did I get burdened with such a weak niece..?"

Madara's opinion on sex won't change too much even after having his way with his new 'wife', but now he's able reach a conclusion; he doesn't have any need for other women and their holes now, since his niece is the only set of holes Madara can imagine himself using for the foreseeable future.

[sturn3]

inspired by wednesday's video! matt in his slutty glasses.

nerdy! matt x experienced! reader

warnings: male receiving (oral) ,kissing, making out ,curse words, 18+ !!!!!

˚˖𓍢ִ໋🦢˚ sitting across from matt at his kitchen table trying to focus on your school work was almost impossible. his unbuttoned shirt with his silver chain peeking underneath teasing you in the worst way possible, his glasses accentuate his blue eyes even more ,making his gaze intimidating. safe to say, you couldn't help but clench your thighs at the sight.

him being so smart and kind to offer to help you with your math homework didn't help. it made you want him even more. his whole good boy persona was really turning you on. unlike anyone else you've been with. lost in your thoughts of what you'd let him do to you or what you'd do to him, you didn't initially hear what he was saying.

"y/n? did you get it? i can explain it again if you'd like." he said, and your heart truly melted at his kindness. only if he knew what you were thinking about instead. you retreated your eyes at him and hummed in agreement.

as he went on to explain further, you got an idea. lifting your foot to reach his leg under the table you began to make your way up to his crotch. suddenly, as he felt you his eyes widened and he completely started butchering up his words. you couldn't help but continue rub against him as you listened to his quiet whimpering. something that spurred you further to continue your actions.

"aw poor baby, you just need some relief yea? ever been touched like this?" ,you truly hope he'd say he'd never been touched like that. feeling some kind of posessiveness over him. wanting to teach him everything you can. "n-no. n-never." he said, a stuttering mess truly. that statement made you smile wickedly, you halted your movements and all you could hear was a whiny matt. aw. poor baby.

you got up and made your way to him, pulling him up by his collar, "your room was this way ,right?" you said as you dragged him along with you. you could feel his burning stare on your body. which made the sleek between your legs grow more. as soon as you reached his room ,you shut the door as he made his way onto his bed. you walked up to him and stood between his spread legs putting your hands gently on his shoulder and smoothing the material of his shirt. "what do you say i teach you something else in return ,huh?". you made him so shy. all he could do was nod. he wanted you to teach him everything. his hands dropping from your waist to your ass ,as you slowly started to straddle him.

all that could be heard in matt's room was your panting and heavy breathing. "tell me whenever you want to stop." you said. funny, he thought. he never wanted to stop with you. he didn't say anything, though. he just closed the gap in between you two and kissed you like he's never kissed anyone before in his life. well, he hasn't, but even if he had, he'd still give you his all as he's doing right now. lips smacking, hair pulling ,lip biting. everything got gradually rougher, as you got more and more desperate for each other. you had been both waiting for it since you started these stupid math tutoring sessions.

you were becoming more and more needy every second. grinding onto him, trying to achieve some kind of relief. you could feel everything in this position. him growing harder and harder as you continued your actions. "y/n ,i can't take it anymore. do something. please" that was music to your ears! a man so whiny and begging to be touched. how could you not comply. you slowly got off of him, and dropped to your knees. his blown out pupils looking hungrily at you, made you want to take him right then and there. so ,that's what you did.

you started slowly stroking him above his pants before fully unzipping his pants. he lifted up his hips to assist you from taking his pants off. then, he was left in his underwear. you smirked as you saw a wet patch on them from his dripping pre-cum. you wasted no time taking those off too. the sight before you almost made you gasp. it was truly the biggest dick you've ever seen. you could actually drool right now. as you were in a trance looking at it, matt brought you back on earth by begging to do something.

so, you took matters into your hands. you started slowly stroking him up and down ,breaking eye contact when he had to throw his head back in pleasure. you watched him fall apart before you. you decided it was time to finally take him in your mouth. so, you leaned in, taking all of it gradually, tears spilling out of your eyes and ruining your mascara. you could already feel him in the back of your throat. you managed to get used to it and started bopping your head up and down, bringing him closer to his high. his moans and few curse words that fell off his lips egged you on to continue your actions.

you pulled every trick you knew to make his first experience the best he could have. "fuck. fuck. fuck. i'm close." he said, which made you suck harder,faster, and twirl your tongue around it. suddenly, you felt his warm seed spilling inside your mouth. you swallowed every bit of it. he looked at you in awe. he had the best head he'll probably ever get in his life. all he wanted to do was to return the favor. but firstly, he pulled you close to him so he could kiss you a bit more. that was his new favorite thing to do. his addiction, if you will. both of you smiling into the kiss. "you're mine, now. you know that, right?" he said and you couldn't be happier as you hummed and replied "and you're mine." you couldn't help but kiss him again and again and again.

"okay, now get on the bed and spread your legs for me baby, yeah?" ˚˖𓍢ִ໋🦢˚

first time writing suggestive content ,let me know how i did !!!

[vivmaek]

MARS SIGN OBSERVATIONS

♂ Pisces Mars - I think Lennie Small from “Of Mice and Men,” would have this placement. This is a person who is seemingly harmless, and yet they still managed to cause harm and destruction through indirect action. When looking at someone with a Pisces Mars, their innocence and an assumed lack of strength is noticed first. These are kind people. They would rather harm themselves over another person. Their first instinct isn’t to attack, but to defend. When angry, they appear to be caught up within a panic. A Pisces Mars is driven by their big dreams. They might not always know what they want out of life, and their goals and ambitions may change frequently. This does not mean that they are incapable of finding success. If anything, their unwavering belief in themselves and their ability to achieve the impossible is what takes them to great heights. Hope is everything for someone with this placement, it’s what gets them out of bed in the morning. 

♂ Aquarius Mars - It's hard to pin someone with this placement down. Their actions don’t make sense to other people. Aquarius does a good job showing its eccentricity through Mars. The rules of society and the opinions of others do not dictate their actions. These types are constantly surprising people, and they like this. The public will often speculate about those with an Aquarius Mars. Theories are formed about them, no one can guess what they’re going to do next. In my opinion, this is the most rebellious Aquarius placement. They live their life in a manner that is truly unconventional. People with this placement are not aggressive, but they are clever. They like outsmarting people. A sense of superiority can sometimes act as a driving force. They go out of their way to make the people around them feel stupid if they’re in a foul mood. Their need for independence will never be forsaken. 

♂ Capricorn Mars - Hard work doesn’t scare these people off. They’ll put in whatever energy is needed to complete a project or endeavor. A strong sense of ambition and an excellent sense of focus are traits commonly seen with this placement. They’re quite secure in themselves and exercise self control through all their actions. Discipline motivates them. They take their responsibilities seriously and expect others to do the same. A Capricorn Mars goes above and beyond what is expected of them. They do this through a step-by-step process and practical planning. Cutting corners or taking the easy way out is something you’d never catch them doing. These types want to maintain control over every aspect of their life. They become angry when plans are thrown into a disarray through unexpected events. “Going with the flow,” is not a strong suit of theirs. Their need for security is what motivates them. 

♂ Sagittarius Mars - People with this placement are incredibly restless. They lack patience and need many different outlets to pour their energy into. They are easy going but are also quickly overtaken by passion. Crossing their moral beliefs is a good way to get them riled up. They like to believe that their opinions are more intellectual than they are emotional. When angry they like to get up on a soap box to lecture people. When people don’t agree with them, it can sometimes feel like criticism. They also don’t consider how their tendency to dish out brutal honesty may actually be more hurtful than it is impactful. They often act as a spark that ignites fire, in both a positive and a negative way.

♂ Scorpio Mars - The definition of “moving in silence.” Lots of people claim to do this, but a Scorpio Mars wouldn’t be caught making such a claim. They’re smarter than that. They know that hardship and struggle are inevitable. This does not scare them, but they also don’t fight against the natural currents of life. During certain points, their sense of ambition is so relentless that it becomes obsessive. But, this can only last so long. Rest and recuperation is a process they embrace. After acting on an immense level of concentration for a long period of time, they will need to take a step back to reassess goals. Rather than just accepting things for the way they are, a Scorpio Mars would rather make changes. If they feel that a path is ill-suited for them, they’re not afraid to change directions. Starting from zero is not discouraging and it is something that motivates these types. They have the power to turn nothing into something great. 

♂ Libra Mars - Mars is uncomfortable being in Libra. People with this placement often struggle with taking action and are as indecisive as they come. They get caught up in what's fair and what isn’t. They have a strong need to strike equality and want every situation to be as balanced as possible. Some might be surprised to know that the ultimate desire for these types is to garner a sense of peace. They might unintentionally stir the pot through their inability to take a strong stance on something. They want to weigh all the options possible and can become stressed trying to do so. Being passive-aggressive is also something that's frequently seen with this placement. These types think they’re being nice when in reality they’re making people uncomfortable through their fear of being direct. They’re sneaky when faced with conflict but also good at leading people into a resolution. 

[aebinspa]

there's a great big beautiful tomorrow!

PAIRING: ningning x y/n reader

GENRES: fluff, dancer!ningning, salesgirl!reader, reader is shy and insecure, ningning loves physical touch, hao (zb1) appears for a little while but he is still iconic!

WORD COUNT: 1.6k

AUTHOR'S NOTE: english is not my first language! so i’m practicing my writing hoping it can get better and better (tired)

The life you had lived up to now had been revealed as what was in the eyes of all: a deadly boredom. If you could color it to make it take life you would have accepted it without thinking. Yet everything you had done was boring, uncluttered, and calculated, so much so that watching others achieve goals that were not your own with a smile made you happier than anything else. You missed the spark, or perhaps it was the longing for life that made you miss it entirely?

In front of the shop where you worked as a clerk and put some lip balm on your lips while trying to hold keys, the university book, and the clutch in your hands, you were about to lock the door with a frown. "Why won't you close?" You needed another kick worthy of the name to close the huge iron front door of the biggest clothing store in the city center where you lived. After skillfully putting your hair up into a ponytail with a swift movement of your fingers, you proceeded to walk in your customary manner. However, your usual path was interrupted by a door adorned with a radiant sign that had previously escaped your notice.

Curiosity was too much and you decided to stop and read the poster hanging on the right of the small door adorned with a very stupid sign with "Enter!". The poster, likely created by a graphic designer with no formal training, featured a photo of a beautiful girl with black hair in a short dress and a boy in a tuxedo at the center; below it was written in big letters "Join us!" and high, almost wanting to hide in embarrassment, an inscription appeared that seemed to whisper timidly "Dance is life. Discover your passion". "What a stupid thing" was the only thing that came into your mind. For someone like you who had never found anything exciting in life, encountering such enthusiastic people made you feel nauseous. As you made your way back home, the captivating image of the beautiful female dancer lingered in your mind, refusing to fade.

The following day, deliberately ignoring the sign that grabbed your attention from a block away, you confidently approached to analyze the poster featuring the two dancers carefully. You were totally into figuring out if those two young, good-looking athletes were a couple or just buddies, and you didn't even realize that someone behind you was watching you with an amused look.

"Well, I look good in this picture, don’t I?" The blow that took you stole ten years of your life. The girl who you had been watching for two days in that poorly studied mess of graphic design had just appeared before you. You couldn’t answer; you were so surprised. Hi, I’m Ningning. It seems like you can't help but admire how beautiful my Hao and I look in this picture! "You’re not bad…" which, coming from an insecure person like yourself, sounded more like a joke. The loud laughter that rang in the driveway made you comfortable, until Ningning - as friends called her - decided to take your hand and force you to come in the place downstairs.

"I don’t- I have no idea how you can dance on those things that you wear to your feet!" "Don’t worry. Find your number and I’ll help you." After Ningning had pulled you down the stairs, you finally got to see that underneath all the LED lights was a small but cozy ballroom. Hao and I come here to practice when there are no lessons. The teachers care so much about us that they even put us on the course poster! Another laugh came out of the young woman’s mouth. Her enchanting presence was impossible to ignore. The way her long, flowing black hair framed her round face and delicate features captivated everyone who caught a glimpse of her. Not only was she beautiful, but she also possessed long, toned legs that added to her allure.

"Those things in your legs could kill me all at once." "Are you admitting that you imagined my legs around your neck?" "Nobody mentioned the neck." The embarrassment forced you to turn your eyes to the ground and concentrate on choosing the right size of heels.

"You didn’t tell me your name" Ningning turned to you and chained her eyes to yours. "Y/N. Friends use this. I have no nicknames of any kind. Quite boring, I know" The increasing unease of being alone in a room with the woman you had secretly observed in photos was becoming more palpable. You began to fiddle with your hands. It was Ningning who stopped you, taking both of your hands in her.

"So what about the Grinch?" "What do you mean?" "You’re always sulking and pretty." "The Grinch is not cute." Ningning who until now had her hands in your hands decided to leave them abruptly. "Oh yes, it is Y/N. I don’t want to fight, but if that’s what you think then turn around and don’t look at me anymore." It seemed absurd to you to have to discuss in a ballroom how ugly (or beautiful, depending on the point of view) the Grinch was; you unconsciously laughed. Ningning seemed to look at you with different eyes for a few seconds before gently touching your hands. "Then you can smile!"

You and Ningning spent the next few hours trying to master the first steps of the slow waltz but without any success. It was dark outside, and after a couple of hours, you were alarmed to see that it was almost eleven thirty in the evening. But you didn’t want to leave that place. You didn’t want to leave Ningning, not even those high heels that made your feet swell.

A thought began to haunt you: for the first time you wanted to do something but couldn’t; your work would not be enough to cover the expenses of the house, your interests, and dance lessons. And then Ningning… not only was she beautiful, but before you, she didn’t give up after you couldn’t say the first words to her.

Ningning noticed your lost expression and approached you. She sat down nearby and, based on the few hours you had spent together, it was clear that Ningning couldn't stand silence. Without many compliments or flowery words, she immediately broke the silence. "I don-” For the first time, Ningning seemed reluctant and this prompted you to show yourself for once in front of his eyes as a woman capable of taking matters into her own hands. "Tell me" As you gazed into Ningning's eyes, you noticed a subtle shift as her gaze briefly flickered down to your lips before she began to speak. However, her words were abruptly cut off by the sound of a door swinging open with ease.

"I'm back and I can't take it anymore! Ningning, today we won't train. Try the steps of the waltz alone. I hate this life. Why did I give it to dance?" You and Ningning simultaneously turned to the man who had just descended the stairs.

"Hao," Ningning exclaimed, trying to convey the message, "We have guests, calm down." Confused, Hao asked, "Who is this?" Just as you were about to respond, you were cut off and shouted, "Y/N. I was just leaving!" You quickly removed your high heels and placed them gently in the designated space. "I’m going and… Thank you for everything."

As you walked slowly along the main street of the city, you didn't feel like running, so you took your time. The bright lights of the city made your eyes burn, or maybe it was the bitter tears that were streaming down your face. "Why do I have to be such a coward?" you thought to yourself. Your heart was pounding in your chest, and the tears were falling without stopping. You tightly clutched the keys in your right hand, feeling their jagged edges pressing into your palm.

"Y/N, my God, wait! Walk a little slower!" Ningning collapsed to the ground, exhausted. Maybe it was a hallucination or maybe the stupidity had given you to the head but Ningning was running towards you and nothing could have shown you anything else.

You started running towards her. Only when you could reach her, you took her hand to help her get up. "And you," you mumbled, "would be… an athlete?" "A ballroom dancer, precisely"

Taking a deep breath, Ningning looked directly into your eyes and smiled before speaking to break the silence, just as you had expected. "Let’s just say I didn’t dare to say it before so I’m telling you now." "I have something to tell you too" you replied without showing off. "Alright, let's say it together on the count of three!" Ningning replied with lots of enthusiasm. "What a stupid idea" You laugh.

Ningning counted to three, very slowly, never taking her eyes off you. Her eyes seemed to shine even more under the brightly lit room. You saw her smile before yelling "Three!" and saying what she wanted to tell you.

"I want to see you again," she said. "Ningning, let's meet again." The silence that followed made you both laugh. "So we were thinking the same thing? How stupid," she said with that cheeky smile that didn’t seem to leave her face.

"Then I won't feel sorry for you." "Wait, what?" "I'm telling you that starting tomorrow, I'm going to try to make you fall in love with me." The slight blush on your cheeks gave Ningning hope. The kiss she planted on your cheek right after made you turn as red as a tomato.

As you said goodbye to Ningning and made preparations to alter your routine and return home, the words "So tomorrow, princess, get ready!" echoed in your mind. For the first time, you found yourself contemplating the notion that living might not be as unbearable as you had previously believed.

[lightlycareless]

I keep thinking of naoya making a fool of himself around y/n and y/n just being confused (idk) like he tries to get her to like him but it doesn’t turn out well😭 , idk if that made sense sorry!!😔

Hello!!

Awww this was really sweet to think about, however I got confused in the end and made it somewhat of a happy ending lmao.

Well, I still hope you like it!! (If anyone wants angst tho, I do recommend reading my valentine's day special. But I too been wanting to write something heart clenching for a while, might get onto it....)

warnings: highschool au. naoya likes you but he doesn't know how to approach you. he is ridiculous.

Happy reading!!

A silly Naoya is more like an overconfident Naoya, the type of guy that will never stop bragging about ANYTHING just to make you look his way.

It's certainly worse when he's barely starting to acknowledge his feelings, getting to that point where he finally says "I think I like her."

To stand out and get your attention is something Naoya never thought he'd need to do, simply believing that his title as heir of the Zen'in and his outstanding achievements as sorcerer would've done the trick—but they didn't, and now, he had to put in the work.

Thus, the borderline ridiculous demonstrations of his persona, courtesy of Ranta's advice; though if it’s worth anything, this is not what he envisioned.

"Can you believe he didn't want to accept my assignment only because I didn't hand it over in a folder? That's so stupid, can't wait to get him fired as soon as I—"

"Wait, Naoya, Y/N's coming!"

"ANYWAYS I WENT TO THE MALL THE OTHER DAY TO THIS LUXURIOUS STORE AND BOUGHT JUST ABOUT EVERYTHING THERE AND STILL HAD MONEY TO SPARE, GEE WHY IS EVERYTHING SO CHEAP NOWADAYS??? AND PEOPLE STILL COMPLAIN ABOUT THE ECONOMY!! I JUST WISH I HAD SOMEONE TO SHARE ALL MY MONEY WITH—did she look??? Did she turn around to see me??"

Ranta sighs.

"No."

"Ughghhhhhhh what do I need to do to make her see me?!"

Though frustrated, he does not give up.

"—yeah, I think we're going to this super expensive resort for the weekend. I personally preferred to travel out of the country, but you know how my father is, lazy as always. If it were up to that old man we’d never leave the—and now??? Did that work?? Is she looking??"

But the results are the same.

Naoya would keep on trying, loudly proclaiming things that in his mind would eventually earn him your interest, or at least a simple glance….

Until he, eventually of course, tires himself out. Sorrowfully finding that his endeavors had been nothing but fruitless as you continue living your own life, without Naoya in your consideration.

You’re slowly becoming someone unreachable to his grasp, and while he doesn’t plan on giving up just yet, he does intend to take a break, maybe reconsider his possibilities… before coming to a conclusion where you might not be involved anymore.

And what better way to clear his mind than indulging in one of his favorite activities—secluding himself at the rooftop of the school building to read the newest release of his favorite manga.

Unaware that someone else might be there, coincidentally… the person he wished nothing more than to be with.

"What are you reading?" You'd ask upon noticing the intense stare of the young, somewhat handsome man, he’s giving his magazine.

"Do you mind? I'm bus—o-oh!" He freezes upon realizing it was the girl of his dreams talking to him, cheeks burning red as he closes the manga and looks away. “Don’t—Don't you know it's rude to sneak up on someone like that?!"

"Ah, sorry!" You chuckle, slightly embarrassed. "I didn't mean to startle you, it's just that you looked so concentrated, I couldn’t help but to be intrigued! Is your story really interesting?"

"...it is" Naoya murmurs, gaze returning to you—he almost glances away yet again at your closeness, but your beauty makes it almost impossible to do so. "It's the latest chapter, I waited a whole month to read it."

“A whole month…?” you repeat. “Wow.”

“Yeah, it was a long time—"

“Hmmm, not quite.” You teased. “I’ve waited years just to see the continuation of my favorite series! Talk about dedication.”

“Huh, well, I don’t think it’s the same—this felt worse because of how good it is.”

“Really? I don’t know, I can’t believe you—I have to see what you’re reading for that. You grin, he smirks.

“Is that so? Then don’t let me stop you from finding the truth.”

And Naoya happily obliges, both excited to share one of the things he enjoys the most with the person he adores most, as well as the fact that you’re finally setting your eyes on him! After all this time!

He considered it to be incredibly unexpected, and perhaps a bit silly how it came to be, unable to believe that it took so little to impress you.

But as soppy as it sounds, there is truth in admitting that there is no better way to get someone to like you, than by being yourself.

omg that was so fluffy agkjasjghasjkghjsa cheesy too ahahahahah damn I surprised myself for sure!!

Rest assured, you heard Naoya do all of those things and consistently thought "Is he ok? Why is he yelling?"

After the two begin to date you'll tell him how weird it was of him to do all that hahahah though... "You didn't have to do that, I already liked you." Naoya feels even sillier :^)

Anyways, I hope you liked it!! I'm sorry this didn't end up in a sad note, I read the request very quickly and ended up understanding you only wanted an interpretation of Naoya being silly—though I do want to write something sad between the two, him messing up and all that. Luckily, I have the perfect excuse for that through other asks hehehehehe

Thank you so much for sending in this ask and for your patience!! Take care, and hope to see you soon ❤️❤️❤️❤️

[weirdestcountryhumans]

Nazi Germany: What the fuck is happening with this shit.

Before I begin, I'm just going to say that I will not be referring to Nazi Germany as the Third Reich. I feel like that name gets used to distance what people do with the fact that it is the Nazi country, and I think using Nazi Germany in this post will kinda drive home the fact to some people that this is not some cute fun little guy, he's a fucking Nazi, and you need to remember that, because some people here aren't.

This one I am also not going to be playing nice in. I will be pissed off about this all, because this fandom playing nice to the personification of Nazi Germany is something that some of you people should be fucking ashamed of.

ThirdUnion and the reason why this ship makes no fucking sense

This is singlehandedly the worst ship in this entire fandom, and someone decided that Sunshine Harem was a good idea. For some reason, people take the Molotov–Ribbentrop Pact as a sign that these two were in love with each other. However, this is the furthest thing from the truth. The Nazis always planned to betray the USSR, and in Nazi ideology, Slavs, the majority ethnic group in the USSR, were considered subhuman. The Nazis also hated socialists and communists, and they were imprisoned and sent to concentration camps. The Nazis hated what one could argue were the two most important/powerful traits of the USSR. They were communists, and they were Slavs. This pact was not made because they "loved each other" or whatever stupid explanation people have for it, but because the Nazis didn't want a two-front war like in WWI, so they signed a back with the USSR so they could wipe out Western Europe before attacking the USSR. It was a matter of politics and trying to achieve the quickest and safest victory they could. The other thing about this ship that is distasteful is that it is often portrayed as a homosexual ship. The Nazis killed queer people during the Holocaust. There is no way on earth that Nazi Germany would be gay or openly/acknowledge that he is gay. Not only that, but if the USSR was openly gay that would only make Nazi Germany hate him more, as not only was he Slavic and therefore inhuman, but queer, a minority group that Nazis hated and declared an "enemy of the state." They wouldn't be in a gay relationship. Nazi Germany would kill him. The USSR hated the Nazis just as much. During the end of WW2, and after WW2, in the Soviet Satellite states and their occupied half of Germany, the Soviets committed many atrocities against the Germans. The German people, whether they lived in Germany or not. There was no love on either side. There never was. Not before the war, not during, and certainly not after.

Guilt Over The Holocaust

There is nothing that makes me more mad with the fandom's characterization of Nazi Germany than this. Nazi Germany is a personification of Nazi Germany. You cannot argue that someone who might have been equal to Hitler in terms of power didn't know about the Holocaust or hated that it was happening. The Nazis created that personification, and in a way, they would have raised Nazi Germany. You think he wasn't indoctrinated into their beliefs? "But they were his people," some might argue. But the victims of the Holocaust might have lived in Germany, but the Nazis stripped away their rights and, in the cases of some, their citizenship. The Holocaust was the genocide of the Jewish people, but prisoners in those death camps included political prisoners, homosexuals, Romani, Freemasons, Slavic peoples (including Poles, USSR citizens, and POWs, Serbs, Slovenes), disabled people, Jehovah's Witnesses, other religious groups and leaders, Spanish Republicans, academics from any of these groups, and many others. It is impossible to put into words the amount of cognitive dissonance it must take to look at the personification of Nazi power and ideology and say he had no knowledge of, or even regretted the Holocaust. The personification of Nazism would support the ideas and goals of Nazism. There is no avoiding that. All the pretending he feels guilt for the Holocaust is a cheap tactic used by writers to include Nazi Germany in stories and include him as a character that is not related to the crimes and history of Nazism and Nazi Germany. It is a cheap tactic to allow someone to write Nazi Germany as sympathetic and deny the consequences of his crimes and ideology.

Nazi Germany living after the dissolution of his government

It is fucking laughable to me that some people seem to think that the Allies wouldn't murder Nazi Germany for all that he did to them, especially France and the USSR. You think they would let him live after the entire point of the Allied Occupation was to de-nazify Germany and rebuild the country. They would absolutely ensure he died, whether they had to do it themselves or not. Wikipedia can tell you this. And if you argue that "Oh, it's just a matter of headcanon, he doesn't have to die after WW2; the Allied powers would never do that," then I need you to take a fucking seat and think about what you are saying. The USSR, as said before, committed war crimes and ethnic cleansing against Germans, not just Nazis, but anyone who was German wouldn't kill Nazi Germany? You are defending a Nazi who would have been complicit in genocide and in causing one of the bloodiest wars in human history. You are defending a Nazi. You are defending a character whose identity is linked to Nazism. You cannot remove this character from the context of Nazism. You cannot sit there with a character whose flag is that of FUCKING NAZI GERMANY and say that they are not linked with Nazi ideology in any way. You cannot say that in a period in which the Allies were removing all traces of Nazism in Germany, that they would let someone like that live. The Nazi Germany will always die because Nazi Germany no longer exists. Fucking deal with it.

The Issues With A Nazi being a popular character

"But Ailbhe," you say, "It's just a few people doing that. It's not that big of a deal." But the problem is, it is a big deal. It is a problem when people on the internet romanticize, water down, or god-forbid glorify Nazism through a character that represents Nazism. Sometimes, that water downed version can be someone's first real introduction to Nazism, or it can make people think that perhaps the Holocaust was not as bad as it was. By trying to make Nazi Germany sympathetic, you are presenting a false portrayal of the true horror and scale of Nazi crimes. I am not trying to accuse anyone of being a Nazi or supporting Nazism. I am simply trying to explain why watering down Nazism is a dangerous thing to do. I know that this is a fiction fandom, and it is not the real world, but by providing a platform for sympathy towards Nazism, one allows dangerous and harmful views to be seen as "not as bad," and those who do call them out on it are said to be "overreacting." I think the fandom, and especially those that feature a watered-down version of Nazi Germany in their content, need to sit back and think through what they are doing and what opinion and portrayal of Nazism they are presenting to the world.

[aruanimess]

Χαῖρε, Myrtle! (I hope it's the right form of a greeting in Ancient Greek.) Nice to see you out there. Just noticed a great AruAni blog (with a pinch of genuine feeling towards ASOIAF), and here you are with your new subscriber. Wanna ask you: what brought you into AruAni - is it about their cuteness, their near perfect compatibility, their development, or is it about something I failed to notice?.. Ofc, there are some more great pairings out there, but you seem to really cherish the blondies, so my first (and stupid) question to you regards them. Moreover (I hope you'd forgive me for it), I have a question for you as to a writer from a writer. What drives you to write - muses or discipline? Both ways have their ups and downs, yet I think it's near impossible to make an actually great combo of both. I wish you everything best, and good (timezone), Myrtle! You're great.

Hello Clover! (I hope it’s okay to call you this) 

Yes, I do believe it’s the right form, at least as far as I remember from high school, hehehe 

I’m glad to see you here! I recall seeing you in Cigarette Duet’s comment section, and well a fellow @darcycrow admirer is always welcome in my book! 

I am indeed a huge ASOIAF fan. I’m currently in the middle of a reread of the main series actually! These books hold a special place in my heart for many reasons.

Now onto your questions.

The reasons you listed are definitely a big part of what drew me to these silly blonds, but what really cemented them as THE AoT ship for me is the way they both embody the themes of the story. Through these two we get a larger picture of what the story is trying to say. Both to their core are sensitive people thrown in situations where they have to disregard this part of themselves, and they both deal with it differently. Annie, who was raised in a less forgiving society, embraces compliance and indifference, while Armin, who had a sliver of leeway by virtue of living in the outskirts of a largely feudal society, takes the path to idealism and quiet (and not so quiet) resistance. 

Here’s the thing though: both aspire to what the other is doing. Aside from their sensitivity and intuition they both carry a strong sense of practicality. They’re smart cookies with great observational skills, so they *know* that neither approach quite cuts it. Idealism takes a blow when confronted with the horrors of the world, and surprisingly so does indifference. There’s only so much a person who cares can turn a blind eye to, and the more you do it the more it hurts you. So Annie looks up to Armin’s resistance and idealism, while Armin looks up to Annie’s ruthlessness and decisiveness. 

The answer lies in the balance of it all, which is not necessarily the middle point between these two ideologies, but a new third option that combines the two. A synthesis, as a commenter of mine put it. You can’t lead a life based on indifference as it is largely unproductive, but you have to armor yourself as well. Naïveté will get you eaten by wolves, but principles guide us to a better future. 

Honestly, I love these two, and I can talk about possible interpretations of what they represent for hours on end, so let’s move on to your second question. 

I think of writing approaches as a spectrum with pure inspiration on one end and pure discipline on the other. As writers we fall somewhere in this binary, usually closer to one pole or the other. I’m mostly a muse-driven author, although I’ve been trying to work on my discipline for the past couple of years. 

At this point in my life, writing is very much my hobby, so I find it’s fruitless to drain all the fun out of it and treat it like a chore that needs to be done no matter what. However it is also a craft that I want to hone as much as possible, so I try to engage it in a manner that challenges me constantly. As you said, I’m not sure if a perfect combo can be achieved, but at the same time I think we can learn from each other and improve our skills. 

So yeah, that’s all I have! Have a great [timezone]!

[jingyuanswallet]

satosugu breakup

Satoru: “huh?”

Yaga: “Don’t make me repeat myself..Suguru killed everyone in the village, and..”

Satoru: “I heard you the first time. That’s why I said huh to what you said.”

Yaga: “Suguru’s old home was already an empty husk as well..though, from the blood stains and residuals he most likely killed his parents.”

Satoru: “Like hell he did!”

Yaga: “Satoru..calm down, i don’t understand what's going on either.”

To Shoko and Suguru.

Shoko was looking for a lighter for her cigarette.

Suguru: “Hey, need a light?”

Suguru: “Hi.”

Shoko: “If it isn’t the criminal. Trolling girls who smoke?”

Suguru: “Just testing my luck i guess..”

Shoko: “Mhmm, well I'll go ahead and ask. Any chance the charges are fake?”

Suguru: “Nope, unfortunately not.”

Shoko: “Then I’ll ask another question. Why?”

Suguru: “To create a world of only jujutsu sorcerers”

Shoko laughed.

Shoko: “Don’t joke around, please.”

Suguru: “I’m actually not joking, i’m not holding out hope everyone will understand what i’m trying to do.”

Shoko pulled her phone out of her pocket and dialed Satoru.

Shoko: “You’re sulking over the idea that no one will understand you? That sounds pretty childish to me.”

Satoru had answered.

Shoko: “Hey, Gojo? I found Geto.”

Satoru had said something, She agreed.

Shoko: “Yeah. Shinjuku.”

Once more Satoru had said something to her.

Shoko: “No way, I don't wanna get killed.”

Now Satoru has found Suguru, confronting him.

Satoru: “Suguru. Explain yourself.”

Suguru had stopped walking and replied to what Satoru had asked.

Suguru: “You already heard it from Shoko, that’s all there is to it, Satoru.”

Satoru: “So you’re just going to kill every non sorcerer, and your parents?!”

Suguru: “I can’t allow my parents to be a special exception. Besides, I don't consider those people my family anymore.

Satoru: “That’s not what I was asking you. I thought we weren’t allowed to kill if there was no point to it!”

Suguru: “There is a point and a cause, and significance too.”

Satoru: “No there’s not! You’re really going to kill all non jujutsu sorcerers now?! You know that's impossible! There’s no point in chipping away at something you can’t possibly achieve!”

Suguru: “You’re so arrogant.”

Satoru: “Huh?!”

Suguru: “You can do it yourself Satoru, couldn’t you? Yet you would try to convince someone else that it’s impossible to do something, which is possible for you.”

Suguru fully turned around and faced Satoru.

Suguru: “Do you think you’re the strongest because you’re Satoru Gojo, or are you Satoru Gojo because you’re the strongest?”

Satoru: “Just what are you trying to say?”

Suguru: “If i were able to become you for a moment, this foolish idea would become a lot more grounded and real, don’t you think? I’ve made my decision, now It's just the matter of doing the best I can to achieve it.

Satoru had put his hand up for an attack, only to realize he would never be able to kill his best friend.

Suguru: “If you want to kill me then kill me, there would be a point to that.”

Forward to Yaga and Satoru.

Yaga: “Why didn’t you pursue him?”

Satoru: “Are you actually asking me that?”

Yaga: “No, it’s fine. It was a stupid question.”

Satoru: “Yaga, you think that I'm strong?”

Yaga: “Yeah, brazenly so.”

Satoru: “Yeah, but. Apparently being strong isn’t enough. The only ones that I can save are those already waiting to be saved by someone.”

Fast forward all the way to the time Satoru had said his final words to Suguru before killing him.

Suguru: “You’re late again as usual. Satoru to think you’d be the one here at my end, are you going to make sure my family is safe?”

Satoru: “Every last one of them managed to escape to safety. The ones in Kyoto, they were under your command?”

Suguru: “Yes, they all were. I’m a kind person, unlike you Satoru. You sent those two assuming that i’d defeat them didn’t you? To set Okkotsu off.”

Satoru: “I trusted you’d be yourself, trusted that a man as principled as you wouldn’t kill off young sorcerers without a reason.”

Suguru: “Tch, you wanna talk about trust?”

Flash backs had started coming back to them.

Suguru: “I didn’t think i had any of that left in me, after everything i’ve been through. Return this for me will you?”

Suguru had thrown Yuta’s student ID to Satoru.

Satoru: “Was the elementary school your doing too?”

Suguru: “It was.”

Satoru: “I can’t believe you.”

He paused for a few seconds

Satoru: “Tell me. Do you have any last words?”

Suguru: “No matter what anyone tells you. I hate those monkeys, but I never held any hatred for those in jujutsu highschool. I just couldn’t hold a heartfelt smile while living in this world.”

Satoru: “Suguru..”

Satoru had walked over to Suguru and sat down, looking at him. He muttered something, which couldn’t be heard by the audience.

Suguru: “The least you could do is hit me with some curses.”

Fast forward to when Satoru gave Yuta his student ID back.

Satoru: “It’s a bit late to tell you, but you weren’t at fault for the incident with Geto. He would’ve attacked Jujutsu Highschool whether you were here or not.”

Yuta: “You think so?”

Satoru had grabbed the ID out of his pocket and handed it towards Yuta

Satoru: “I believe this is yours.”

Yuta: “Oh, my student ID, thanks for finding it for me Gojo!”

Satoru: “No, it wasn’t me. My best friend found it, my only friend really.”

[vivithefolle]

What are your thoughts on the bad future in Cursed Child where Hermione basically becomes Snape as a teacher just because she didn't get with Ron?

Oh, I'd written a Quora answer about that! Let me get it-

In the alternated universe in Cursed Child, Hermione became a Snape-like professor because she lost Ron. Is it just bad writing because she'd never be like that? Why?

Au contraire, I think it’s the only bit of characterization in this garbage play that makes sense.

And I’m not saying that because I love Ron, I’m saying that because I know Hermione rather well - I’ve been a very Hermioneish person in my life.

I’ve been that girl who wanted to answer every question I knew the answer to, because I liked to show off what I knew, I liked it when the teacher validated me, I liked to be seen as clever by the adults. The adults were the most important people, after all they were the ones who handed out the punishments. Therefore it was important that I endear myself to the adults considering that they were the only people who could protect me from the other kids’ bullying.

I was bullied. A lot. As a result, I hated my schoolmates. I despised them with all my being. I only trusted the adults and a select few fellow kids who didn’t bully me. My philosophy? “The adults are always right. I’m always right, unless the adults say otherwise. My friends are always right, unless the adults or I say otherwise. Everyone else is stupid and useless.”

Notice a pattern?

It’s quite easy really. The more I was bullied, the tighter I shut myself out. Every new act of bullying was only vindicating me. The world is made of idiots, idiots and more idiots. There’s nothing out there but idiots, and they prey on the smart people like me.

When Hermione made friends with Harry and Ron, thankfully, they stopped her from leaping into misanthropy entirely. They grounded her, gave her something to look forward to other than school. They made her realize that people who don’t care for school aren’t necessarily complete dumbasses who’ll never achieve anything with their lives. They brought some humanity to her. Some much-needed emotion and empathy.

They got her away from her feeling of superiority and made her accept that she wasn’t perfect, something that is incredibly important considering that being perfect is impossible.

[…] Harry headed straight back to the Gryffindor common room, where he found Ron and Hermione playing chess. Chess was the only thing Hermione ever lost at, something Harry and Ron thought was very good for her.

(Lookit those two Dads parenting their perfectionnist daughter. Iconic.)

Okay, so, we know how Hermione reacted when Ron dated Lavender Brown, right?

No, I’m not talking about the birds, I’m talking about after that. After she threw her hissy fit, she went on to bully Ron for months on end.

“Hi, Parvati!” said Hermione, ignoring Ron and Lavender completely. “Are you going to Slughorn’s party tonight?” “No invite,” said Parvati gloomily. “I’d love to go, though, it sounds like it’s going to be really good… You’re going, aren’t you?” “Yes, I’m meeting Cormac at eight, and we’re -” There was a noise like a plunger being withdrawn from a blocked sink and Ron surfaced. Hermione acted as though she had not seen or heard anything. “- we’re going up to the party together.” “Cormac?” said Parvati. “Cormac McLaggen, you mean?” “That’s right,” said Hermione sweetly. “The one who almost” - she put a great deal of emphasis on the word - “became Gryffindor Keeper.” “Are you going out with him, then?” asked Parvati, wide-eyed. “Oh - yes - didn’t you know?” said Hermione, with a most un-Hermione-ish giggle. “No!” said Parvati, looking positively agog at this piece of gossip. “Wow, you like your Quidditch players, don’t you? First Krum, then McLaggen…” “I like really good Quidditch players,” Hermione corrected her, still smiling. “Well, see you… Got to go and get ready for the party…”

And

“How did you do?” asked Ron, hurrying toward Harry. “I think I felt something the last time I tried - a kind of tingling in my feet.” “I expect your trainers are too small, Won-Won,” said a voice behind them, and Hermione stalked past, smirking.

You know how many pages there are between these two happenings? Seventy. 70!! In-universe, it goes from December to freaking March!

And by being away from Ron, Hermione also reduces the time she spends with Harry. Because Harry won’t seek Hermione out, it’s always Hermione who will come see him - and only if she has something to tell him.

So, without Ron, Hermione would consequentially drift away from Harry. Without Ron to bicker with, without Ron to act as a buffer between her controlling tendencies and Harry’s rebellious nature, Hermione would close herself off and ignore other people.

Now, as for why she’s a She-Snape when it comes to students?

Well duh! Have you seen Hermione?

Ron, at the next table, wasn’t having much more luck. “Wingardium Leviosa!” he shouted, waving his long arms like a windmill. “You’re saying it wrong.” Harry heard Hermione snap. “It’s Wing-gar-dium Levi-o-sa, make the ‘gar’ nice and long.”

She loudly points out Ron’s failure, getting everyone’s attention and making him feel humiliated, because she was so sure she knew better than him. That she happens to perform better than him right afterwards just makes Ron feel even worse.

She wasn’t nice, she wasn’t friendly, she wasn’t helpful. She shot him down by snapping at him and only then did she try to help him, but she was already “the aggressor” in Ron’s mind. Of course he wasn’t going to react nicely to anything she’d have to say afterwards!

“All right – I only came in here because people outside are behaving very childishly, racing up and down the corridors,” said Hermione in a sniffly voice. “And you’ve got dirt on your nose, by the way, did you know?”

Note that here, this is Harry’s narration. Harry thinks of Hermione’s voice as “sniffly”. It’s about on par with Draco’s “sneering” in terms of positive first impressions.

And look at that! “people outside are behaving very childishly”, that’s an 11 years old speaking! She’s just as much of a kid as her peers yet she already has an overinflated sense of her own maturity. *sighs* Believe me, I know from experience that this can only end in tears.

And it’s what would make her miserable should she become a teacher.

Without Harry and Ron with her to remind her that she’s human and faillible, Hermione would ignore other people’s needs as well as her own.

We already see that she can be somewhat gentle to people like Neville, maybe because Neville is kind of the equivalent of a “special needs” kid in the Wizarding World, but with other students like Harry and Ron, whom she assumes are just dumb or not trying hard enough? She’s harsh. Snappish. She can’t understand how they don’t understand stuff that to her is so easy!

Now take Harry and Ron and multiply them by 10. And put Hermione in charge of them all.

She’s gonna go insane in a couple weeks.

A few years and she’ll have lost any sort of enjoyment she may have gotten from passing on her knowledge.

Hermione is not a good pedagogue, like the books show us multiple times - she has an easy time learning because she can memorize her books, but not all students are like this. When someone doesn’t understand what she understands, she makes a snippy remark, act as though they should know and make them feel dumb and in the process snuff out their interest for what she had to say.

Hermione Granger would be a complete nightmare of a teacher, because she has no patience and has a very “if I can do it, so can you” mentality, and she also tends to assume the worst in others. She’s not suited to a role that requires her to interact with people on a daily basis (also why she would make a terrible Minister for Magic).

[itzandromeda]

Frank Grimes, from The Simpsons, is such a tragic character to me. He desperately wants a better life but no matter what he does, he is stuck in his one room apartment above and below two bowling alleys. The man's life story tells a tale of a boy who had nothing but hardship. He had to work from the ground up to get where he was and yet he still wasn't in the best life he should've been in. It's actually ironic that he lives between two bowling alleys. The whole point of bowling is to knock down as many pins in one turn each round, with strikes (knocking every pin in the lane down in one go) being the best way. Grimes has never "hit a strike" in his life, yet Homer has consistently hit a strike and occasionally a spare every single day. Also, he is literally good at bowling going so far as to hit a perfect bowling scare of 300 that briefly made him a local celebrity.

Honestly, Frank's crash out against the Simpson family was justified. Why is it that Homer gets a 4 bed 2 story house with 2 cars, 3 loving children, a beautiful, smart, loving wife, family pets, and plenty of friends when he is a dope who does nothing but eat and drink all day.

I haven't even mentioned the numerous accolades, memorabilia, and experiences he was able to achieve. Homer has achieved so much in his lifetime that it's impossible for anyone else to achieve these things in 5 lifetimes. The man went to the moon, met the president, met aliens, etc and yet Frank Grimes has nothing to show for his years of hard work and dedication, not even a wife. The closet he's ever had to love is a hired prostitute. I know the answer and it's one that reflects a harsh light on the real world we live in.

Hardwork and dedication get you no where.

I don't mean that in the way you think. We know that Homer Simpson has never truly shown dedication or hardwork in the show except for those times where he has to do a bit of leg work which then becomes nullified as he learns nothing from the experience. By the next episode Homer Simpson is back to his usual lazy self and yet he still has all the best parts of life for someone in his lifestyle.

The reason is because Homer is likeable. Frank Grimes doesn't have time to goof around or make friends which was why he had no girlfriend or friends. He doesn't have time to be charismatic like Homer Simpson. The man has no social life because all did was study or work. Homer Simpson does nothing but crack jokes, be unapologetically himself, and he's also stupid. Homer's stupidity makes others around him feel better about themselves. They also feel less intimidated by him as opposed to Frank.

If this is the case then why is it when Frank started acting like Homer nothing went right.

Simply put once someone has an image of you in their head it's hard to change it. Frank's image was that of an uptight workaholic who never cared for interactions. That's why many never really bothered to befriend him. Then, the moment he switched to Homer's mentality his new actions felt unnatural. The very uptight workaholic man mooning his boss isn't the same as the lazy dope who barely gets his work done mooning his boss. It was unbecoming for Frank to suddenly start this behavior after his years of being the only person who actually did their job at the plant. Not only was it unnatural but the way he executed this behavior made him look batshit crazy. Not to mention how he did it all to mock Homer and how he acted put people off because Homer was very likeable to them. Homer is essentially a personality hire in his workplace.

Frank's situation mirrors that of the real world and how we treat people we see as "likeable" or "popular." We often let the likable people get away with more deplorable acts than we would for someone who is less likeable. There are many ways to be likeable with some being good and some being bad. From the outside looking in, Homer's "likeablility" is bad because he is essentially a "lolcow" in his reallife, but for Homer it's good because he either doesn't care or is to dumb to care/know.

To be likeable you have to make people feel comfortable. Pretty people are often at the top of the likability billboard as the majority of our celebrities are very attractive. You can also be funny, or entertaining in any way to be likeable. Homer fits this category because he is able to turn his often childish and crude humor in a bright light through his stupidity.

Alot of likeable people are often rich or just not poor. Our society is conditioned to see poor people as scum of the earth due to the whole "pull yourself up by your bootstraps" mentality. This is Ironic because all Frank has ever done in his life IS pull himself up by him bootstraps and yet he still isn't considered likeable. While yes, a hardworking person is seen as admirable, he still didn't make others feel comfortable in his presence. His antisocial appearance intimidated those around him.

Many traits can make you SEEM likeable, but you have to have an approachable appearance. If people feel intimidated by you they are more likely to avoid you. This can be how you style your hair and dress, how you look as far as attractiveness, and even how your "vibe" or "aura" feels. Homer rocked his comeover with no shame and wore a plain but relaxed looking outfit. His look isn't to hard to digest. The bright colors make him look brighter and more happier in appearance. Frank, on the other hand, was usually spotted in a fully buttoned buttondown collared shirt with a black neck tie, a packed briefcase that had it's material hanging out and his badge clearly displayed. This outfit is reminiscent of a ruler follower as it seems he follows the dresscode religiously. His colors are muted/desaturated when compared to Homer's bright colors which makes him look dull and boring. He also sports an unremarkable box haircut that screams he isn't spontaneous or is very serious. Even his boxy glasses scream uptight. Nothing about Frank's wardrobe is fun or interesting.

His attractiveness is pretty standard as he doesn't really stand out. (pun intended haha) I would like to point out his thick boxy eyebrows that makes him look rigid and unfriendly. The vibe frank gives off is strict, unfun, and unfriendly. Everything about him is too perfect. Homer's entire life is accident prone, spontaneous, and generally silly. Frank's is a rule follower who probably does cross word puzzels as his only fun activity.

Lastly, I'd like to mention how Frank's story of a poor abandoned orphan who spent his life hustling and studying under hard conditions makes people feel bad about their lives. His image of hard work and dedication makes others around him feel that they aren't good enough or are unimportant. When someone is too virtuous or too good it's makes others around them dislike them due to feeling inferior.

Overall Frank has been unlucky in life and love and unfortunately there was nothing he could do about it. Even flipping 180 in the other direction of life wasn't enough. If anything, it was too much and led to his early demise. Poor Grimes only ever wanted to be comfortable in life, yet he would never achieve that due to people like Homer Simpson. To be happy is to be loved, and if you're never loved you've never truly lived.

RIP Frank Grimes.

Ps — if anyone read this to the end, thank you! I'm sorry about the typos and bad grammar! I'm to lazy to fix it😭🤚🏼 Maybe let me know what you think? Was this interesting? I certainly thought it was. I would love to know how others feel about certain characters in the show. I like to watch it when I gts on those sketchy 6 hour long youtube videos 😭 So far, my favorite character is Sideshow bob, maybe I'll make a post about him some day or maybe I'll finally upload that poem I'd been promising. Who knows 🤷🏼‍♀️ Until then I'll be here thinking to hard about silly things, because I like it!

[starkstruck27]

I graduated tonight, so here's a tidbit for you in celebration!! 🎓💚

It's Billy's graduation day, and he can feel daggers being stared into him from all sides. He was named Valedictorian (he has no clue how he achieved that), so Nancy Wheeler is glaring from across the stage in the chair reserved for the Saluditorian. His dad was off somewhere in the stands glaring at him, and he was actually surprised he came to see him walk the stage at all. All the kids he beat up or messed with, even if he apologized, were glaring, pissed off that they had to follow his every move to know when to stand and sit on his command. All in all, it seemed like everyone there hated him.

But there was two people that were there rooting for him, even if no one else was. He could still see them, smiling and shouting his name and waving around these embarrassing homemade signs they made to make sure he'd see them. Max was wearing a homemade shirt with a picture of his face printed on it, and it was the least flattering picture ever, from his freshman year where he was mid-sneeze when the flash went off, but he couldn't help but smile when he saw it. Steve was standing next to her and screaming loudly, unashamed of anyone watching him. He had a shirt that said "I ❤ BH", like those stupid tourist t-shirts from New York, only with his initials instead. He was waving around a giant shark plushie that had a little graduation cap sewn on it, the stitching job no doubt having been done by either Joyce Byers or Claudia Henderson.

He didn't know it yet, but both ladies were also in the audience, along with Will, El, Hopper, Dustin, and Lucas, all there to cheer on Billy and Jonathan as they both walked the stage. Mike was sitting somewhere else with his parents and little sister to cheer on Nancy, but his mother eventually let him go off with his friends once Nancy finished giving her speech.

She was the first one to do it, getting the honor of speaking first, followed by the class president and the class historian. Billy was the last one to give his speech, and as the historian sat down, his heart began to race a little as he walked up to the podium. He had his speech written on a few note cards, but he'd been sleep deprived from finals and entirely too nervous when he wrote them, so they were near incomprehensible. So he didn't even bother to get them out, deciding instead to just wing it. He'd bullshitted his way through it anyway. And nothing could be worse than the class president's speech, which the poor kid had stuttered through and barely spoke into the mic at all, so he was impossible to hear. At least Billy would be able to be heard if his speech was awful.

"Friends, family, teachers, staff and guests," he started, trying to keep his tassel out of his face, "You're probably all thinking that I'm feeling so honored to be standing here as the vedictorian of the class of 1986. I know that you probably think that this is the highlight of my high school career. Hell, our saluditorian would probably kill to be standing where I am right now."

At this, a little laughter bubbled up from the crowd, and Billy allowed himself a second to enjoy the way Nancy's face went bright red before he continued.

"But you'd all be wrong. True, I did get here halfway through my junior year and still managed to build myself up to this point with little to no support, but that’s precisely the reason I don't feel honored to be making this speech right now. It's not that I think I don't deserve it, because I do. I've worked myself half to death to get here right now, to prove to myself that I was not a complete failure and that I was good for something. So I took the hard classes, I turned in all the work, and I did the best I could to put myself where I'm standing right now. But I'm still not honored to be here, because I didn't do it for recognition. I didn't do it for praise or to prove that I'm the best or anything shallow like that. I also didn't do it out of love for school or my classes. I did it out of survival. I did it because if I didn't, I might not be accepting a diploma at all today. I did it because I had no other choice."

As Billy continued speaking, a confused murmur went through the crowd. The audience was wondering where he was going with all this, and the rest of his classmates and the staff were all wondering what happened to the other speech they'd had to listen to him reciting for the past two days at practice. All in all, everyone seemed lost, but Billy didn't care. He took a second as they recollected themselves to look up and see if his dad was still in his spot on the stands. He wasn't, so Billy kept going.

"Most of you here know that I'm not a perfect person. I'm a dick, really. If someone gets in my way, I have no qualms about punching them in the nose or making them cry as they run home to their mommies to have them make the boo-boos feel better. I'm not proud of this. It's just a part of who I am and I'm trying to work on changing it. As I'm getting older and getting closer and closer to leaving this town, it's getting easier to do that. But so far it's been a slow process, because I didn't have any reason to change. That's another reason I never quit and threw myself into my studies, because as I get closer to getting out of here, I'm finding more and more reasons to change. For one, my little sister Maxine deserves a brother that she can be proud of, not one that she dreads admitting relation to. For another, as soon as I get my diploma and decide where I'm going to college, I'm gone. Out of this town, out of this state, and especially out of my father's house. Believe it or not, there are actually people worse to others than me, and if you want an example, well, my father is the best one you'd ever find. As soon as I get my diploma, I get to be rid of him forever if I want to be, and that's exactly what I want. And finally, I met somebody. None of you probably want or need to hear about my love life, and I'll spare you the dirty details, but just know that this person is my reason for everything. For living, for working so hard, and for wanting to change. It's for these reasons, and there are probably more if I put my mind to it, I want to change out of the jerk I was and into a person that would be honored to be the best student in their class. It's for these reasons that I'm even here in the first place, why I pushed so hard to make myself survive and earn it. I'm not the best Valedictorian that this school will ever have, I'm far from it. But hopefully, now that you understand why I'm here, you won't think I'm the worst one, either. You'll understand why I'm here, what I had to do to make it happen, and why, even though I'm not feeling honored by being here, I'm more proud of myself than I ever have been in my life."

Billy had been nervous about giving a speech he didn't practice, but so far he seemed to be fine. He could see Steve on the verge of tears off to the side of him, and it made him remember that even if he was a total flop and didn't make any sense, at least a few people would be proud of him. So he decided to finish strong.

"And to my classmates, the graduating seniors of 1986, I want to say this: I didn't get here on my own. I had help, from a lot of you. I'd like to address some people who really helped on my journey here at Hawkins High, short as it may have been, and helped either directly or indirectly in my success. Heather Holloway, you've taught me to be confident and given me your friendship, which is an invaluable gift that I truly treasure every day. I love you, forever and always you'll be my best friend. Robin Buckley, you've shown me that it doesn't matter who I am or what I'm like, that there will always be people like me in the world and that if I find those people, I don't have to be afraid of what they'll bring out in me. Eddie Munson, you've taught me to be confident in all things, that it doesn't matter if the world is watching, as long as I believe in what I'm saying and doing that someday, I'll make it through and make it out, even if it takes a few tries. Chrissy Cunningham, you taught me to be sweet and kind. Jonathan Byers, you taught me that sometimes I need to see life through the lens of someone else's camera. Nancy Wheeler, you've taught me that you don't have to like a person to be proud of their accomplishments. And finally, Steve Harrington, even though you're already graduated, you know why I'm thanking you, and you know what you taught me. As we move forward throughout our lives, myself and the rest of the class of '86, I implore all of you to take these lessons with you and actually practice them. You'll be successful in whatever you choose to do with your time if you do so. Learn from these people, you don't have to like them, but learn from them. And if you do, I promise you, you'll beat the odds that are seemingly stacked against you."

After Billy finished his speech, he went back to his seat and sat down, waiting for whoever was speaking next to say whatever they needed to. He wasn't paying attention, rather looking over to Steve and Max again, who were both crying and clapping for him.

When the principal finally stood up and read out the names of all the seniors and handed them their diplomas, Billy stood up to receive his first. A shy smile on his face as he listened.

"William Felix Hargrove, class of 1986 Valedictorian," the principal read out like a robot, already tired of having to read out the names of the 236 graduating seniors after the first one. Billy stood and walked over to him, taking his diploma and shaking the man's hand as he smiled for a picture. He was sure he'd have to fake smile when he was told ther would be a photographer there, but because of the screams and shrieks he could hear coming from Steve and Max's direction, he found he didn't have to fake it. As he turned to walk back to his seat he saw them still crying and cheering, making such a scene that Billy was almost afraid the audience wouldn't hear it when Nancy's name was called, but then they quieted down.

They stayed quiet through the rest of the ceremony, except when they needed to make noise, and as soon as Billy was allowed to go and find them, they were on the field with him, both wrapping him in the tightest hugs they could manage. Max was practically squeezing the air out of him, sobbing into his graduation gown that she was already proud of him and she always would be, drawing a few tears from his eyes in the process as he muttered a "thanks, shitbird" into her hair. Steve had let them have their moment, having gone off to talk to Robin and to give her her present and a hug, but now he was walking back over, holding out the shark plushie and smiling from ear to ear.

"I got you this," he said as Billy took the animal, his own grin creeping onto his face. "I figured flowers would just die and you could eat chocolates. I wanted to get you something that would last."

"Thanks, pretty boy. I love her." He said, his face heating up as Max went to talk to her friends and Steve began to back them up until they were hidden from sight behind the bleachers.

"I'm really fucking proud of you, you know that?" He asked as they walked, keeping an eye out to make sure no one was looking as they slipped away. "And I was so surprised when you mentioned me in your speech. You didn't plan that thing at all, did you?"

"Was it that obvious?" Billy asked, but he laughed.

"No, but I just know you. You only get that look on your face when you're determined to do something completely on the fly. It was still fantastic though." Steve replied, finally finding them a quiet, dim little nook to hide away in.

"Thank you. For everything, and I really mean that, Stevie. I wouldn't have made it without you. You're everything to me, you're the main reason I did all that stuff like I said in the speech." Billy said, his voice weighed down with emotion. Steve could hear it, too, and his smile only grew wider as he leaned in real close.

"You saying you love me, Hargrove?" He asked, and the question honestly surprised Billy. Neither of them had ever said it before, even if they had felt it, so it just seemed too casual. But Billy had meant the things he'd said in his speech, about confidence and being himself and all that, and he wasn't giving up on those lessons now. He lunged forward and kissed Steve with all his might, wanting to tell him not only with words, but actions too.

"Yeah, I am. I love you, Steve." He said as they parted, his heart racing as he went in for another searing kiss. He really did mean it when he said it, too. He loved Steve, and he always would.

When this kiss was broken, it was like everything and nothing had changed. Billy was still afraid to hold Steve's hand once they left the cover of the bleachers, but until they stepped back out into the setting sun, he did it. He let Steve adjust his cap and gown before they went out to take pictures, and he let him insist on as many as he wanted to commemorate the occasion. They still couldn't do much in terms of physical contact, but every brush of fingers or press of a side that managed to take place as they snapped picture after picture was like a tiny little press of sunshine to their skin. It was different, but that was okay by them.

"Oh, and by the way," Steve asked as Joyce geared up to snap the next shot, "Since when is your middle name Felix?" And when the flash went off, all you could see what Steve looking puzzled as Billy cracked up laughing.

[haggishlyhagging]

We have to face the fact that pieces have been cut out of us to make us fit into this society. We have to try to imagine what we could have been if we hadn't been taught from birth that we are stupid, unable to analyze anything, "intuitive," passive, physically weak, hysterical, overemotional, dependent by nature, incapable of defending ourselves against any attack, fit only to be the housekeeper, sex object, and emotional service center for some man, or men, and children. And that only if we're lucky—otherwise we must act out a commercial mockery of even these roles as someone's secretary!

We didn't get this way by heredity or by accident. We have been molded into these deformed postures, pushed into these service jobs, made to apologize for existing, taught to be unable to do anything requiring any strength at all, like opening doors or bottles. We have been told to be stupid, to be silly. We have had our mental and emotional feet bound for thousands of years. And the fact that some of the pieces that have been cut out of us are ones we can never replace or reconstruct—an ego, self-confidence, an ability to make choices—is the most difficult of all to deal with.

All of the women I know who have done things, jumped hurdles, and stepped even a pace outside of the charmed circle of the bourgeois family, have had to face the damage that has been done to them, and struggle with the rules they have internalized. To some of us, this process has taken the form of a "nervous breakdown"; for others, a long period of sheer personal horror; to others, a more drawn-out process of repeatedly sinking under despair, and rising again. I think that for some of my generation, caught in the kind of double binds we have all been caught in, it is impossible to achieve revolutionary consciousness without some sort of confrontation with the self. Politically, this is both a weakness and a strength. It is an asset to come to political understanding through personal pain: it makes possible a gut understanding of how society works as a system dependent on the personal suffering and deprivation of each of us. Such understanding is a help in building a revolutionary movement. Only by realizing what we might have been, can we imagine how different women in a post-revolutionary society might be able to be. But knowing that we cannot achieve this ourselves, that no matter how we struggle we are still in some part of ourselves "damaged goods" (to use the appropriate capitalist terminology), that we can see what has gone wrong within ourselves, and still be unable to put it permanently right—this is very painful and discouraging. But it is necessary: it is this realization that makes it evident that there really are no individual solutions to woman's oppression, no way that one can float free of our society and its conditioning. The pain of it is what makes us search so urgently for new forms of social organization that can help us, and others, change and transcend our limitations. This pain is what makes us realize, in our everyday lives, that social change is absolutely necessary. As Lucy Stone put it almost a century ago:

“In education, in marriage, in everything, disappointment is the lot of women. It shall be the business of my life to deepen this disappointment in every woman's heart until she bows down to it no longer.”

The things that mess us up are so built into the structure of society that only the most radical of social changes—one far more radical in its attack on the basic institutions of this society that traps us, and far more drastic in the changes it effects on human consciousness, than previous revolutions—has a chance of doing the job, of freeing us and freeing those who will be born out of our lives.

-Meredith Tax, ‘Woman and Her Mind: The Story of Everyday Life’ in Radical Feminism, Koedt et al (eds.)

[libbee]

Self development series: It is almost impossible to know how others perceive you.

For a trauma survivor, social circle can be a tough nut to crack. Whether they are in classroom or with family or on a date or on social media, they are always worrying what others think about them. They would not consciously know but their behaviour shows they are trying to impress others/mould their opinion/desperate for likes dislikes views. What happened in offline world before is now visible on social media clearly. When their self esteem is terribly low, no achievement or external validation is ever enough. They are always unsure of themselves. Even for a non trauma survivor, people's perception is impossible to find out. Some might think that this post and blog are thoughtful or deep, while others might think that I am a complete dumbass and a noise. Even my choice of words, language, tone of writing and your own life stage, experience, perception will affect your judgment - it is that multidimensional how mind works.

While it is important to trust your own perception about the world, it is, at the same time, very hard, or even impossible, to know how others perceive you. You might think in your mind that others look down upon you/think you are boring/think you are ugly/think you are lazy, but do you actually know what they really think of you? A tyrannical parent is someone who controls their children, tells them lies about the world, tells them lies about themselves. "You are not that good", "You could have done better, there is nothing to celebrate", "Yeah, I see you got that degree, you must be too proud now". The parent does not even know they are downright invalidating their child, they just think that they are normal. A low self esteem girl is hungry for male approval. She will put down other women, compete with other women, but live in complete denial of her deep seated insecurity.

I have read through many resources but could not find one legitimate answer for "how to know others' perception of me?" The only answer was "ask them". Well, how would you ask others what they think about you? They might lie. And how many people in the world will you approach? You are barely around 100 people in daily life. You are only left with assumptions about YOURSELF.

Different people have different priority. Scorpios want deep intimate partner so they might think fwb situation is risky and stupid. Gemini want fast intellectual stimulation so they might think that quiet people are boring and uninteresting. Aries are leaderly and dominating so they might think that spiritual ones are lazy and unambitious. How many people will you "prove" yourself to? If your self esteem is low enough, you might as well overcompensate for it by really getting out of your way to flaunt, show off, sneakily post that shiny car in your story.

When we act out of low self esteem, we think that we have actually done something - while we may have just made a fool of ourselves in reality. For example, when I was in school and was the queen of gutter-land-self-esteem, I would be class clown, sarcastic, quick, witty (I am gemini moon). I made others laugh and that gave me massive validation... for 2 minutes. Then I would again wait for the next opportunity to tell jokes and feed on laughter for validation. So on, everyday. Validation seeking at school took so much of my energy that when I came back home I would be exhausted, tired and had mood swings.

If scientists invent a mirror in future that somehow answers "tell me, mirror on the wall, what does xyz think of me?" I think this gadget will break the market. Until then, we just have to live with self development and inner work. Recent example is Andrew Tate. All of us who are self aware would know how insecure this man was. His self improvement talks were just not enough when his complete philosophy was so self destructive. He might appear rich, give confident facial expressions, do podcast by citing biological instincts of men, but we can see how hard he was trying to manipulate other people's opinions about him. This is a case of unevolved person, someone who is unaware and in complete denial.

I can see insecurities in Andrew Tate because I have been there, done that. Same for any other celebrity who appear wise on social front - but are terribly insecure on personal front, when they are alone by themselves.

This underatanding will set you free and give you more time and energy to focus on your inner life. You might as well break the intergenerational cycle. Knowing the limitations of your brain will set you free. I believe that active imagination might help one to see how their character appears to others. You are, after all, collective unconscious, but that would require years of inner work.

[dialovers-translations]

Diabolik Lovers LOST EDEN ー Shin Maniac [Epilogue]

ー The scene starts in the dungeon

*Drip drip*

Shin: Nn...

Where am I...?

*Rustle rustle* 

Shin: ( A prison cell...!? )

ー Kino approaches his cell

Kino: Hey there... Finally awake?

Shin: Kino...Did you put me in here!?

Fuck...

Kino: Okay, stop right there! No point in trying to use your magic.

This prison cell is a bit special, you see. It seals all magic. 

Shin: Wah...!? 

Kino: Or rather, you must be pretty stupid to sleep out there in the open while you are being pursued. 

Shin: Che...You put something into the spring’s water, didn’t you...!? 

*CLATTER*

Shin: ...And what are you hoping to achieve by capturing me? 

Kino: The options are endless? For example, I could force Carla to bow his head to me...For example. 

Back then Carla was just standing in for his Father...But right now, he is the one and only official Founder King.

Shin: You piece of trash...!

Kino: Also...The Founders’ powers are a force to be reckoned with in the eyes of the Vibora Clan, no? 

So I figured it’d be a big win for me if I could keep them away from me by capturing you.

Shin: ...I thought you were looking for a place to settle in the human world? 

So you were lying to us after all!?

Kino: That wasn’t a lie. Back then, that was the plan, but I just changed my mind.

Shin: ...Sounds like something I’ve heard before.

Kino: Oh come on, don’t be like that.

ー Somebody approaches the cell

Kino: ...Oh. Seems like your next visitor is here.

Zweig: ーー It has been a while, Founder.

Shin: ...The Vibora King.

Kino: See. I’ll step away then. See you later!

ー Kino leaves

Shin: ...! Hold up, Kino!

Zweig: Hahaha. Seems like the two of us are bound by fate, huh...?

Shin: Shut up. Who do you think you’re talking to!? Stay away from me, you drunkard. 

Zweig: Haha...I’m surprised you can tell I’ve had a couple of drinks. I suppose it’s true that Founders have an excellent sense of smell. 

Shin: ...

Zweig: No need to get so mad. The Vibora Clan and the Founders have a past together which cannot be erased...

Shin: ( This way...What is he saying all of a sudden...? )

Zweig: I doubt you are aware but...There was once a time where your Mother would visit our Castle quite frequently. 

Shin: Mother did...? What do you mean?

Zweig: This happened even before your Mother got married to Giesbach...

Krone was actually supposed to wed my successor, the Demon Lord Burai.

That is why she came here.

Shin: Haha...Don’t lie. A Founder woman wasn’t allowed to formally leave the Castle. 

It’d be impossible for Mother to have come here before her engagement. 

Zweig: Yes. It would have probably been impossible for her to achieve that on her own.

Shin: ...Don’t tell me.

Zweig: ーー But if somebody arranged it...Then it’s a whole other story, no?

Shin: ...!

I’ve never...heard about something like that.

Zweig: It is quite famous amongst the Vibora Clan.

Because this took place before the Founders were locked up inside Banmadenーー

Even before the current King, Carla, was born. So I honestly cannot blame you for not knowing.

Besides...I can only assume it would be a taboo topic amongst Founders.

Shin: ...Why?

Zweig: After all...It is rumored that Krone shared mutuals feelings with a Wolf Prince who worked as a servant under Burai. 

Shin: ーー !

Zweig: Apparently it was a Founder by the name of Ferzen who mediated their relationship. 

Shin: ( Ferzen...Our Uncle!? )

Zweig: ...Good grief. I suppose I’ve said too much.

I’ve fallen into a bad habit of drinking too much as of late...

ー Zweig leaves

Shin: Kuh...

( What if Mother continued to have connections with the Wolf Clan...Even after getting married to Father? )

( If Father was completely unaware of this, and she managed to keep the whole thing hidden as well...It would explain everything. )

( Why they were so kind to me, and why they treasured me... )

It can’t be...No, no, no!

*CLATTER*

Shin: I’m a Founder...I’m...

( A tall and proud Founder...Those whose bloodline is more sacred than anyone else’s in the whole wide world... )

( But...Then, why? How come I won’t get infected with Endzeit? )

( I’m still alive and well even after Nii-san’s blood entered my body? )

It has to be a lie...There’s no way...I’m a Founder, a Founder...!

*CLATTER*

Shin: ( If I’m not, then what has my life been up till now!? )

Uu...Ah...Uwaaaaaah!!!!!

ー The scene shifts to the guest room at Eden

*Flap flap flap* 

Yui: Ah...He’s back!

ー Yui runs up to the Familiar

Yui: Thank you for delivering my leーー ...Wait, huh...?

( This letter...It’s not a response from Shin-kun. It’s my letter... )

Eh...? Shin-kun hasn’t returned to Banmaden...?

( What does that mean...? He should have made it there by now... )

( I suppose I’ll try consulting with Ruki-kun... )

*TIMESKIP*

Yui: ...And that’s what happened.

Ruki: I see...I understand the situation. 

ーー Kou, Yuma, Azusa.

ー The others approach

Kou: What’s wrong?

Yuma: Yes? 

Azusa: Did something...happen...?

Ruki: Go check up on those two. ...Okay?

Yuma: Ah? Why? 

Kou: I mean, if that’s what you want, sure...

Azusa: Yeah...

ー They leave

Ruki: I’ll go have a look as well. ...You stay here.

Yui: But...

Ruki: ーー Understood?

Yui: Okay...

ー Ruki leaves as well

Monologue

All I could do was watch over them,

as the others left Eden. 

I became painfully aware of my own powerlessness. 

ーー Deep down.

I want nothing more than to find Shin-kun myself,

and to save him with my very own hands. 

I’m just so unreliable for being unable to do that,

as I simply found myself to be so utterly pathetic.

May he please be safe. 

While clutching my Cross in my hands,

I continued to pray for a while. 

ーー TO BE CONTINUED ーー

[crystalelemental]

Going on anon because I’ll get flamed for my opinions but replaying Gen 5 sucks

The story drags, pokemon locations are stupid (seriously why is deino only in VICTORY ROAD), you’ll be underleveled for the most part unless you want to Audino grind, and (my most controversial take) I really don’t like BW Bianca and Cheren. N’s alright but since everyone goes “we have different viewpoints :)” anytime N tries to challenge the status quo it’s grating after a while

Somehow I had more fun replaying X than Black, and I’m sure if I said that on Twitter I’d be killed on sight

Also why did the shadow triad walk us across that straight line bridge in chargestone cave and not instead walk us towards the exit, I was so lost and on low hp trying to get out

It's alright anon, you're safe here.

On the point of Cheren and Bianca...I liked them well enough because of when I first played, but replaying they are a lot less compelling. A lot of their dialogue is repetitive and focused on the same beats. Cheren is just "What is the meaning of my strength?" over and over, while Bianca does absolutely nothing but hang back wondering about what she should be doing. It takes the second game for them to truly complete their arc. I can't say they're my favorite. My hot take is I don't think N is that compelling. My wife and I talk a lot about modern games (Galar and Paldea) doing this annoying thing where you're a special person who just shitstomps everyone else's dreams for your personal whims (Hop, Marnie, Kieran), and I feel like Gen 5 is where that really started happening thanks to N. The player is instantly imbued with a sense of being special and superior, because only your Pokemon seems to be super happy enough for N to question what he believes. His response to this is then to seek you out but also act like any refusal you have to his call is a personal affront. He gets kinda nasty about you saying No to any of his questions and probes. And again, the whole situation could be an interesting ethical dilemma, but the game doesn't want to contend with it so anyone who believes the system could have a flaw is just completely out of their minds.

That said, I actually want to talk about the Deino thing because that touches on a fun mechanical thing within the games.

Deino, as a pseudo-legend, is interesting to the point of being downright unique. Its appearance isn't atypical; fully half of pseudo-legends are post-game exclusive. Larvitar is supremely late game, and Beldum only shows up in time for the superboss fight with Steven in Emerald, otherwise it has nothing to do. Bagon shows up only after you've cleared the gyms, it's later than your Legendary. Dratini and Gible are the odd ones out. Dratini can be found halfway through your gym challenge in the Safari Zone if you know where to look and are willing to deal with Safari Zone catch rates. It's earlier access, but harder to complete. Gible can be found after only two gyms, but in a missable location that is visually impossible to identify, but comes with Gabite in Victory Road as compensation if you missed it.

Deino continues the general trend of being just a late availability Pokemon, but loses Gible's early access opportunity. This in itself isn't too atypical. No, what makes Deino fascinating is that it sucks.

Take a look at the performance of the prior pseudo-legends. The the early RBY days, if you found Dratini, you had access to a Pokemon that gets its first evolution kinda early, and can learn Fire, Water, Ice, and Electric coverage, giving it tools that let it handle the majority of the League just fine. In GSC, Larvitar shows up super late, but if you get one and put in the work to evolve (and better, learn Crunch and Earthquake as Larvitar first), Tyranitar blanks fully half of Red's team. In RSE, Bagon shows up late, but if you stall evolution a bit for Crunch and teach it Brick Break, a level 50 final stage is perfectly achievable, and has options to beat the entire E4. With Earthquake you beat Steven, although Wallace is a lot more of a problem. Metagross only shows up post-game, but in Emerald its Steel typing does make it a good response to much of Steven's own team, because he can't really hurt it. In DPPt, Gible's early access room comes with the Earthquake TM, allowing you to set up a monster right away that never really slows down, and with Flamethrower and access to Crunch, answers 3 members of the League independently.

Then there's Hydreigon. As Deino, it offers only Crunch. Dragon Rush is too inaccurate with Hustle to hit anything, and Body Slam offers nothing for coverage. Reusable TMs mean all the cool options aren't available, not that Zweilous can learn any of it. And Zweilous evolves at 50, a level where it wouldn't be unexpected that your team can already beat the League before it evolves once. If you do put in that work, Zweilous...actually goes through the best part of its life, because it can take down Caitlin and Shauntal, provided attacks actually connect. Then you have the long haul of postgame level scaling, trying to get it to beat things way bigger than it through low speed, poor bulk, and Hustle, to arrive at Hydreigon. Who doesn't even learn Dark Pulse naturally, and whose coverage options do not substantially change its matchups. And also because Caitlin and Shauntal are bulky it can't OHKO anything and their coverage is actually good (Golurk will one-shot with Hammer Arm, Musharna has Reflect and Reuniclus can obliterate with Focus Blast). Hydreigon, uniquely, does not contribute much.

I find this interesting as a pivot in game structure. I do think the games are designed with intent for the most part, and Gen 5 feels like a step away from the idea that the big statistical monsters are the most important. I assume this was intentional because Volcarona suffers the same fate, getting a useful Quiver Dance and Heat Wave by 60, but having the same "pre-evo is functionally useless all its life, and doesn't get the other good moves it wants until way later if at all." Bug Buzz at 70 is like GSC Heracross: yeah it's a great move, too bad I'll never reach that level to get it. And despite having Psychic, Marshal has so much Rock coverage it won't get anywhere. Caitlin and Shauntal were handled better by Beheeyem's bulky Calm Mind set, and Marshal was handled best by a +Def nature Rocky Helmet Durant. Which is weird compared to the usual pseudo-legend approach. It makes them feel like a lot more work for a lot less reward.