#i think there should be a time and place for us to discuss the model minority hat jrob has to wear so well for the nhl okayyy

[starscelly]

aren’t you tired of being nice?? don’t you wanna go crazy???

or, jason robertson set to “all-american bitch”

[sillyhanako]

╭╯﹒pipo pipo electric sound ！！﹕

🍮﹒⪩⪨ ﹕dates scenarios with the bluck lock boys!

🍮﹒⪩⪨ ﹕STARRING : yukimiya kenyu, bachira meguru and alexis ness ♡ fluff!

🍮꒱﹒a/n﹒one of my best works! Im really proud of this one. Lmk if you want a second part >< contains smau in kenyu and bachira parts and contains soft launches in them all

ー﹕m.list﹐

୨୧ ㆍ  yukimiya kenyu

Today was one of Yukimiya's rare days off. He had just finished modeling for a big hit magazine, and his manager insisted that he take a day off to reward his hard work.

and how would he spend it? With his lover, of course! Lately, you both have been struggling to make time for each other, each busy with work or school. But today was conveniently a beautiful sunny day where everything just felt right—the breeze was gentle and the air fragrant with spring flowers. Yukimiya decided that this was the perfect moment for a sweet date.

At three thirty he knocked on your door with a bouquet of your favorite flowers and a heart-shaped box of chocolates. You were surprised, and Yukimiya could barely see your face, not because of his blindness, but because of how big the bouquet was.

"You didn't have to..! ," you said with joy, unable to contain your excitement and gratitude. "I missed you," he replied softly, placing his gifts on the table and embracing you tightly, as if trying to merge your bodies.

You helped him take off his jacket and handed him a cup of water, engaging in casual conversation to relax after the ride.

"speaking of TikTok, I saw this cute little trend. Look!" You exclaimed, showing him a video of two couples painting each other's t-shirts and a blank dinosaur clay figure.

"I think we should definitely do that. I have spare t-shirts, and instead of clay figures, we can order tote bags. Are you in?" You looked at him with anticipation.

"Yeah sure why not? Should we make matching ones?" "Oh good idea! Ill get the fabric paint hold on-"

after digging for a good 30 minutes in house you finally got what you needed on your living room's table. You laid out your plain canvas bags and soft, white t-shirts like a blank canvas ready to receive your wildest ideas. As you started painting, yukimiya leaned over, his shoulder brushing against yours. “What do you think we should make first?” he asked, his voice playful, and your heart did that little flip it always did around him. You suggested matching sanrio designs— you chose Kiki and LaLa . “Perfect-!” he replied, already splattering some paint onto his shirt in excitement, totally unbothered by the mess you were about to create. You recommended using a starting sketch, so you pulled out your phones getting a clear picture of your character.

Time flew by as you discussed everything varrying from your favorite sanrio products to your dream travel destinations, each topic punctuated by bursts of laughter and playful shoving and thus losing sense of time and making way too many 'masterpieces' . You both decided that every little imperfection you painted was just part of the charm.

As the sun began to set, painting the sky with soft hues of pink and orange, you stepped back to admire your creations. They weren’t just tote bags and t-shirts; they were memories smeared with laughter and love. You felt so grateful to have Yuki by your side—someone to share these memories with and made everyone one of them memorable.

“Okay, you know what we should do next? we should to model them!” you declared, striking a silly pose, and it was impossible not to giggle at how silly you looked. You put your new creations on, proudly showcasing your masterpieces, and snapped a few selfies, capturing the essence of the day.

kenyuki our beautiful mess <3 @.ynthediva

bachicha BRO ACTUALLY PULLS?????➜kenyuki Shut yo skin tone chicken bone google chrome no flip phone disowned ice cream cone garden gnome extra chromosome metronome dimmadome genome full nlown monochrome student loan indiana jones overgrown flintstone x and y hormone friend zoned sylvester stallone fsierra leone autozone professionally seen silver patrone headass tf up ➜ynthediva CLOCKED. ➜ryu__shid GAGGED.

slursagi yall look lowk cute 😕 ➜ynthediva thanks 😙 ➜ynthediva WHAT IS THAT USERNAME ➜slursagi STOP IT WAS A DARE ➜ynthediva by who 😭 ➜slursagi that bitchless kurona.

karasuhq one slip up is all i need.. ➜kenyuki blocked. ➜hiyo_yo bro is like a dragon guarding his treasure 😭 pipe down ➜ninin._ninja talking like you pull any 💀😰 ➜hiyo_yo you failed 5th grade. ➜ninin._ninja im sorry sir

୨୧ ㆍ  bachira meguru

The sun was just beginning to dip behind the buildings as you stood outside the cinema, glancing at your watch, waiting for someone to show up. The flickering neon lights of the theater were a perfect backdrop for one of your favorite dates with your boyfriend bachira. Your heart raced with excitement as you wished for him to speed up just a little bit.

Just as you were about to check your phone, you heard his signature laugh—bright and infectious. Turning around, there he was, a ball of energy with his messy bee coloured hair and those big brown eyes that youve grown to love.

He zoomed toward you like he’d just spotted a prize in a carnival game, and before you knew it, he had looped an arm around your shoulders squeezing you in a hug.

“Hey! Ready for the movie?” he beamed, his enthusiasm almost tangible.

“Absolutely!” you replied, bouncing slightly on your toes trying to match his seemingly endless energy, seriously where does he get it from?

You approached the entrance, the lively crowd enhancing the thrill of the moment. Chatter filled the waiting room and after grabbing your tickets—he insisted on paying because the date was his idea—you headed to the concession stand.

“Okay, we need the largest popcorn they have. And candy! Which one should we get?” he declared as you stood before the colorful assortment of sweets.

“Hmm, gummy bears?” you suggested, but he shot you a look like you'd just suggested swimming in jelly.

“No way, we need chocolate! It’s a movie must-have!” He patted his chest as if making a proclamation.

You chuckled, and after a quick playful banter about whos the better movie must-have you settled on a massive bucket of honey popcorn and a couple of chocolate bars, and he practically wore a victorious grin as you made your way into the screening room.

Once inside, you found your seats—perfectly positioned in the middle of the theater. The dim lights illuminated the previews casting shadows across the room. Bachira flopped down beside you, as you couldn’t help but snicker watching his exaggerated excitement for the snacks, He lunged for the popcorn, shoving a handful into his mouth, claiming he couldnt wait to devour them, and thats probably going to make the both of you watch the rest of the movie without snacks. Fun.

“mhmff! 'his ish tha befsh parsh of tha 'ovie!"  he laughed with his mouth full and a buttery grin "wanth sum?" He offered you a handful of perfectly honeyed popcorn and you could resist the urge to say yes.

You settled in as the previews began to roll, the buzz of the theater fading into the background. He leaned close, whispering comments about the upcoming films, and you found yourself leaning into him, soaking up every moment of this somewhat messy date.

As the lights dimmed fully and the film began, you felt utterly content and couldnt ask for more. I mean your silly boyfriend AND a movie date?, surely you have the capability to muffle some giggles throughout the movie, right?

bachichan me and my skibidi rizzler yall vould NEVER 🤑🤑

leo._.reo how did bachira pull before me 😭 unbelievable ➜kingbarou the real question is how did he find someone that matched his freak bachichan yall just jealous 🤑🤑

➜redprincessa @ynthediva please reconsider and thank you 😊 ➜bachichan solve whatever shit you have between you and that ichigo wannabe 🤑🤑 ➜ku_.niga_.mi im gonna gorge your eyes out. ➜bachichan @redprincessa come get yo dog bih 😭😭

ynthediva the date was so fun 😊 exited for more! ➜bachichan glad to heart dat :DD hihuihihh ➜slurisagi why r u down bad bro ➜redprincessa that brotha gooone

➜aikou20 yoo my number xxx-xxx-xxx if u ever get tired from that schizo <33 ➜ynthediva arent you like 30 ➜aikou20 WHAT. ➜bachichan CLOCKEDDDD

୨୧ ㆍ  alexis ness

The sun streamed through the kitchen window, casting playful shadows across the flour-dusted countertop. You stood there, and besides you ness, apron tied snugly around your waists.

He carefully put the ingredients needed on the countertop and fetched the necessary kitchen tools . "Alright, we have everything ready, we can start now sweetheart ♡” Ness’s sweet voice and dimpled smile broke through the quiet atmosphere.

at ness's announcement you pressed the play button on your phone that started a relaxing melody. You rolled up your sleeves, and together you began measuring ingredients, flour flying, and playful banters. As you poured and stirred, he leaned in closer than necessary, your shoulders brushing.

"It hasnt even been long and i already made a mess.." you said defeatedly, apron full of flour and chocolate stains.

“but youre my mess.” he replied, his gaze softening as he caught your eye. You could feel your cheeks heat up, but you just shrugged it off with a smile. "I swear youre such a tease."

Before long, the oven was preheating and the dough was chilling. “Okay, next step — the bake,” you said, wiping your hands on your apron, feeling quite smug.

He looked at you with a sad puppy-dog expression. “i hope i wont be the cause that messed up the cookies... like the last time.. "

You couldn’t help but feel pity for him, remembering the charred remnants of what was supposed to be a masterful treat. “Hey, that just shows how dedicated you are to your art,” you teased, nudging him playfully. "And i still ate them, didnt i?"

As the sweet aroma began to fill the kitchen, you felt a warmth in your chest that had nothing to do with the oven. It was the way he wanted to be the perfect boyfriend for you, the way he didnt want to dissapoint you again. it was honestly admirable.

“Just wait until they come out of the oven. They’re going to be amazing just wait till you see!” you said, stealing a quick glance at him, trying to hype him up from his wet-cat mood.

“Not as amazing as you.."  he muttered quietly, but you fortunately catched it and you noticed the hint of a blush creeping up his cheeks.

“Okay, flattery will get you everywhere,” you grinned, finally pulling the oven tray that contains now fresh and delicious looking cookies. you didnt miss the chance to shove a hot one to him.

"See? They look appetizing. And i bet theyre tasty too —" You tried one, forgeting it hasnt been even 5 minutes theyre out from the oven. yeah you got burned and got a panicked ness worrying.

alexisn3ss memories with my favourite person 😊💗

anriiiii looks delicious 😮 mind if i get a taste? 🎀 ➜ynthediva yess!! Of course!!! ➜alexisn3ss no go make your own 😊

charliesthebaddie NOOOO who wants to make heart shaped cookies w me 😔😔😔 ➜shidoxox dw i gotchu bro ➜charliesthebaddie bro... 😢

redprincessa i smell wife material 👃 ➜slurisagi from who tho ➜redprincessa alex ➜alexisn3ss call me that again and your acls r gone ➜redprincessa YOU DID NTO ➜ynthediva what do i even say to this 😭 ate or be nice 💔 ➜redprincessa so now ur doubting wether to back me up or not 😒 i thought we had sum smh ➜ynthediva NO PLS I STILL NEED TO KNOW YOUR HAIR CARE ROUTINE

© 2025 sillyhanako ━ do not copy, steal, or reupload my works. Thanks!

[sweetbunpura]

After stepping out of Potential.

Kalim: It was nice seeing Jahzi again.

Jamil: Right “nice”

Kalim: We really should all hangout together again.

Jamil: 😠

Round 6!

Start - Daydreamers (Ch. 2) - Junglehearts (Ch.3) - Aqualetta (Ch. 4) - Potential (Ch.5)

Nevemela

"Are you mad, Jamil?" Kalim asks with a tilt of his head. "Jahzi seemed fine with you-"

"This time, he was fine with me, this time." Jamil sighs. "You remember that he used to throw Amur at me constantly, right?"

"I was unaware you had a cousin, Kalim." Rollo voices before the heir could add onto what Jamil said. "I know you had little siblings, but cousins?"

"Yeah!" He beams and places his hands on his hips. "He and his family used to live on the estate until they moved away! It was really nice to see him again!"

Jamil shakes his head and lowers his voice. "Now which one of us is going to tell Vil where he has to go?"

Kalim flinched. "Um...."

Rollo raised an eyebrow. "Is there something wrong with Nevemela that Vil has an issue with?"

"My, my." They jolted and turned to see Vil towering over them. "Talking about me while I'm in the room? How shameless."

"H-hey, Vil!" Kalim rubbed the back of his head and gave a laugh.

"Apologies, Vil." Rollo gave a small bow. "We were discussing Neve-mmph!"

Kalim and Jamil shoved their hands over Rollo's mouth and the Scarabian duo slowly turned to see a dark look appear on Vil's face with a twitch of his eye.

"Nevemela?" He whispered. "Potato is in Nevemela?"

"R-Riley hinted at her being in there.... with Neige..." Kalim muttered.

Vil took a deep breath, cleared his face, casually pulled Rollo free of the pair, and made his way towards the archway with the image of a bird on the emblem. Rollo let himself being confusingly dragged along while the model waved Epel and Rook to his side. They entered the portal and the sound of chirping birds filled the air. A chill breeze blew through the air and rustled the trees. In front of them lay a series of small cottage houses encased around the area, creating what looked like a border separating the cottages from the woods.

It was very quiet as it seems like everyone had retired to their homes for the remainder of the day... all apart from a deer beastman coming towards them.

"V-Vil Schoenheit and co!" He stood straight up. "I am Julies Roan, vice leader of Nevemela!" Julies' ears fell. "Forgive us for having no one to greet you as you came in, but Neige was on the phone with his producer."

Vil took a breath. "It's fine. We're actually visiting the dorm to see if Pot-" He corrects him self with a small cough. "Apologies, if Yuu Homura happened to still be here."

"Queen Homura?" Juiles tilts his head as Rollo has to have the back of his shirt tugged by Rook before he can even think of jumping the poor beastman. "I recall her getting frustrated with Neige and the lack of ability to access her phone. She asked who could fix it and I pointed her towards Nimbus. Had I known you were coming, I would've asked her to stay for a few moments longer."

Rook comments. "I'm sure Madam Trickster wouldn't have stayed here for long anyway."

"Right, she ain't too fond of Neige." Epel mutters behind them.

Vil turns to glare at Epel, making his straighten up and apologize, before returning to Juiles. "Then we'll be leaving-"

"Vil-san!"

Vil closes his eyes and sighed through his nose as Neige came bounding up to them.

"....Hello, Neige...."

The youthful looking boy smiled and hugged the model, unaware of the flinch that went through his body.

"It's so nice to see you again!"

"Mmhm."

Neige looks over at Rollo and he feels himself backing up as he spots the boy's bright shining eyes staring right at him.

"You must be Rollo-san!" Neige hugs him next and Rollo feels the wind get knocked out of him. "You're much cuter and prettier in person than Mademoiselle Yuu's picture!" He grabs his face. "Oh wow! And your eyes are beautiful!"

"U-um." Rollo looks to someone for help as Vil steps forward and pulls Neige off of him.

He quickly moves away and places his handkerchief over his mouth.

"If that's all, Neige, we really must be going." Vil hands him off to Julies. "Sorry for troubling you."

"Oh, it's okay! You're always welcome here, Vil-san!"

They head toward back towards the entrance, Rollo's started to get more haggard over this whole "Journey". Vil pulls him aside and motions for Rook and Epel to continue on without them.

"I should've warned you about Neige's eccentric side." He fixes Rollo's hair and adjusts his clothing. "I know how much you value your personal space and he has no knowledge of what that word even means. I'm sorry."

Rollo sighs and nods his head. "Thank you for pulling him away at least. How many blasted dorms must we visit before she's returned to us?"

Vil gives a small chuckle. "You and Potato really are a pair, aren't you? She keeps you in check, while we can not." He moves towards the portal. "Just try not to burn anything out of frustration, Yam."

He follows after him. "I wouldn't have to if they just returned what they stole...."

[utilitycaster]

Do you think fan reaction to Laura characters (most sharply seen with Imogen and Jester), is because a large portion of those problem fans see those characters as, rather than actual characters with agency and interiority, but vessels for their wish-fufillment? Especially when it comes to things like romantic relationships, power, being girly-pop/a girl-fail/girl-boss (to put it reductively), and, with Jester specifically, almost universally adored.

This would go some way to explaining why they seem to disregard Laura, Laura's intent, and any criticism of said character. Because it goes beyond "you can't criticize that character because they are my favorite" to sometimes "you can't criticize that character because they are ME."

Perhaps I am just (I suppose this is petty to say) too comfortable with my self as a person to ever wish to base my enjoyment of a story on whether, not even that I can relate to the characters, but that I can effectively use a singular character as a vehicle for my own wants and needs. Certainly, there is a place for those sorts of characters and wish-fufillment stories. Whole sub-genres of Romance are based around this. Yet, it boggles my mind when people try to apply this to works in genres that do not actually support it and then get angry when it doesn't meet their expectations. Sure, there are no rules about being a fan, do as you wish, but when this sort of behavior seems tied to some of the worst behavior exhibited in the fandom, it does beg some discussion.

(This is not a condemnation of the characters themselves, or Laura, Vex and Jester are wonderful, and while I have problems with Imogen tied to the larger structural issues of C3, as a concept and on paper, she had potential for being a great study in power and powers corruption....which I'm now realizing could have been an amazing throughline theme for C3 as a whole, if anyone had seized the reigns and drove it along that path intentionally, but, world of pudding, oh well. This is purely a criticism of a certain fandom trend.)

So here's what's interesting - the way fans saw Jester (and to a lesser extent, Vex, at least post-c1 since I was not around for C1) and the way fans saw Imogen, at least after a while, are very different in my opinion!

The Vex, Jester, and early Imogen view was very much, yes, wish fulfillment, but it was also especially tied to shipping (for multiple different potential partners, ie, this was pretty common for ships with both Beau and Caleb in C2), and yeah, much of it was projection. That does fit into, as you say, the romance novel wish fulfillment model. I remember that my shipping/multishipping philosophy throughout C2 was "whomever Jester chooses," and I was pretty vocal about that and a lot of people who have since rage quit the fandom over this ship had no issue with that for a long time. The thing is, then when she chose, suddenly to many of those people she was a stupid little girl who didn't know what she was doing and who should be miserable and punished for her transgression of not doing the romance they wanted her to do. Vex is actually kind of interesting in that I'm sure someone is out there who treats her as a shipping doll for Percy; but more frequently I saw the same Marisha and Liam stan problem, of Vex only in the context of "person Keyleth looks up to but also who should date Keyleth and be second to the Tempest, a thing which would make Vex miserable if you have even the slightest idea of her character" or only in the context of Vax's sister (the vessel of grief problem I ran into when I joined the fandom as someone who liked Vex as a character more than Vax and saw that half the content was just Vex Is So Sad Forever.)

Imogen started out this way - the oh my god she's a widdle baby girl with headaches and nightmares that the more worldly Laudna kisses better - but that quickly failed to be supported by the text, and Laudna as a character failed to fit the Keyleth or Beau model of Most Cool And Powerful and so actually, as I've observed before, a lot of the Marisha Stans of yore left because Laudna didn't support their idea. And similarly, a lot of the people who'd claimed to like Jester were gone over C2 shipping bullshit, and that vacuum was filled by the Campaign 3 fans, many of whom were overall new to the show.

Now, Imogen is unavoidably a central character of Campaign 3, with particular narrative importance compared to other PCs - it would be ridiculous to say otherwise. But here's the twist (and god i gotta finish my post about this): a lot of the C3 fans who came in to fill the vacuum that Marisha Character Stan With Laura Character As Wish Fulfillment were not the "um, actually, Beau and Keyleth are the leaders and the best characters" sort of person, even though, hilariously, Imogen is closer to that than either of them were (and I say this as someone who enjoys Beau and Keyleth very much, I just don't subscribe to the They Are Leaders Who Are Always Right mentality).

A lot of C3 fans were much more enamored of a new model of blorbo: not the coolest hottest most powerful badass (though occasionally they'll dip into that, especially when they shift into mindless bean counter mode), but rather, the most perfect spotless sacrificial lamb, who is eternally wronged and eternally gracious and when they're not gracious it's because they've had so much trauma and you can't expect them to be gracious all the time but they're always so good and you can't criticize them because they've had such a hard life, and also they belong to at least one oppressed group so if you criticize them you aren't just mean to someone who should never be criticized, you are also probably a bigot and a bad and ontologically evil person.

So Imogen is that. She's not wish fulfillment as the coolest person ever; nor is she wish fulfillment as "person banging the character they think is the coolest person ever"; she is, in their minds, wish fulfillment for "person who can never be criticized." Which is closer to what you said.

Unfortunately for them, this sort of person doesn't really exist, like, at all. I think there's cases where one should be judicial about one's criticism, but actually talking shit about fictional characters is, as a rule, morally neutral. There are things you can say about individual fictional characters that are bigoted, and there's patterns of behavior towards fictional characters that show a more subtle bias rooted in bigotry, and there's far more things you can say about fictional characters that are simply in poor taste or indicate the person doing the criticism is a fucking idiot, but you are always allowed to not like a character because of their actions and behaviors within a narrative, and vocalize or write this sentiment.

This did not sit well with many people, who thought they'd found an ironclad way to never be criticized again, probably because they are stupid as fuck because what kind of idiot thinks this is a possibility.

Now I would be remiss in saying this was unique to Laura; this was a C3 problem generally and spread to Laudna/Marisha and Ashton/Taliesin (the "she literally was traumatized? they're literally punk?????" defenses) as well, and infects discourse about Campaign 3 still because at the core of it, a lot of Bells Hells fans, in their fragility, want that wish fulfillment and are really mad that people are like "oh, you don't like that I'm criticizing you or the thing you like? sounds like a you problem" even though it literally is. While the treating Laura's character like a self-insert issue was a problem in past campaigns (and I think the fact that Vex and Jester had those more slow-burn, background arcs made them appealing targets) I don't think that particular segment of Imogen's fans want to be her; they just want the nonexistent immunity they made up for her to be true for them.

[carionto]

C'mon, Really? Look, Just, Let Me Help You!

Humans: We need to have a talk about your secret war plans against us.

Aliens: W-what? No, that's not it, how-

H: Our intelligence operative are very good. Don't pretend these [throws folder on the table that scatters hundreds of pages of classified documents all over] aren't yours.

A: F-Fine! Yes! We made plans about how we should fight you if we ever got into a war. We admit it! What do you want?

H: Huh? No, what I'm trying to say is, why do your plans suck?

A: Err... what?

H: Yeah, compared to our plans and war games, you don't seem to utilize all the advantages you have against us. There's not as much coordination and specialization of forces as we expect in our simulations. What gives?

A: You've lost me.

H: Look, every civilization should run military simulations against EVERY existing party, not just the ones you're natural competitors, or ones you see as antagonistic. Hell, while we were "vanished" our military literally had nothing else to do and spent a solid 200 years making up every kind of scenario against every single potential power we might end up encountering once we "reappeared".

Honestly, there are so many things we are shocked about once we got our hands on your plans, I legitimately don't know where is the best place to begin.

Okay, for starters, why don't any of your plans include making use of our superior technology? It would work, we tested it as well. We built a scale model of one of your capital ships, plopped one of our fusion reactors in and BAM, shields and weapons instantly became on par with our Destroyers, and could even do some serious damage to our Dreadnoughts (for a few seconds before our counterattack vaporizes it, but that's besides the point), so we know your technology is fully capable of handling us.

A: For the millionth time, we are not using unstable power sources that could totally blow us up at any point!

H: It is safe! Those things only have a 0.002 percent chance to fail, and a one in six hundred thousand chance of THAT resulting in an explosion. We've only had twelve incidents the entire time we've been using them.

A: No.

H: Well you ain't winning a war against us with that attitude.

But anyway, one other thing your plans never do is blow up Earth and irradiate the shipyard orbits, what gives?

A: That's an abominable crime against, well, EVERYTHING!

H: Weak. But okay. One other thing though, and this one is just baffling, your deployments and gathering locations are always in the most obvious and convenient places. Those are, no joke, where we would place recon units and prepare ambushes the moment we even got a hint of a whiff of hostility from you. How come you never seem to account for us expecting you to do the obvious and pre-emptively counter that. And inversely, you never expect us to not be in the logical places where we should be.

A: I think my head is spinning from that. What?

H: Reverse psychology? Predictive behavior, or whatever it's called, not a psychologist. If you want to win against your enemy, you have to think like your enemy first.

You look dizzy. I know it's a lot to take in, but we'll guide you through this. Think of it as homework. After we have a more thorough meeting on this subject, we'll wait and let you figure things out back in your secret HQ's. But, if the plans we acquire later still won't account for the things we discussed, we'll be very disappointed.

[mintharabaenrelore]

Today we're analyzing Minthara's appearance.

(This post contains a lot of screenshots. Thank you so much to all the people who took them!)

Height

Drow, on average, are smaller than other elves, shorter and thinner, with "wiry", "athletic" bodies.

"Reports varied on the physical differences between the drow sexes. Some purported that females were generally bigger and stronger than males, while others claimed that males had superior strength. Both sexes varied in height from 4 feet and 7 inches to 5 feet and 5 inches (140 to 170 centimeters), averaging at 5 feet (150 centimeters). Males weighed between 87 to 157 pounds (39 to 71.2 kilograms), averaging 109.5 pounds (49.67 kilograms), while females were a bit lighter, weighing between 82 to 152 pounds (37 to 68.9 kilograms) and averaging 104.5 pounds (47.4 kilograms)."- Forgotten Realms Wiki.

@krembruleed made a lovely height comparison between of the companions based off in-game models.

Astarion is a good reference, as he is canonically aproximately 5'11. Larian has confirmed he is only 5'9.

I'm just speculating here, as (I think) Shadowheart, Jaheira, and Minthara share the same heights and the same body model.

According to lore, though, Minthara is quite small, and this is backed up by the scene directly after Act II, when the whole group is gathered. She looked significantly shorter than the others there, in my game.

It also makes sense genetically- take Triel Baenre, who was less than 5 feet tall, or Jarlaxle Baenre, who is rather slender.

Hair Length

Her hair has to be long. Have you seen the size of that bun?

(Picture above by @northernolddragon!)

(Picture above by @swordopera!)

Drow generally keep their hair long, often decorating it with pins and webbing made of precious medals. Also take note of the color of her hair, as drow women's hair turns pale yellow with age, and this is a useful clue. (Canonically, she is quite young, Emma Gregory says this herself, so I personally think it's white and just looks yellow in certain lights.)

When you click on a mirror as Minthara, she says, "Not a hair out of place," so I assume she has a reason for keeping her hair as it is- that reason being practicality. If her hair is anywhere near as long as I think it is, fighting with it down would be a hassle!

I think there is also some psychology to be found in her hair, though. Her choosing to keep it as a messy bun could be seen as an act of rebellion, when compared to elaborate Menzoberranzan hairstyles such as Triel Baenre's... or it could be seen as her holding onto her past.

(I can't get enough of seeing pictures of her with it down, though.)

Scars

Before we discuss her scars, I just have to mention that she has freckles. I love her freckles.

The wonderful @mogruith checked out Minthara's unmodded face and did not see any noteworthy markings.

It's hard to tell what are sunspots/freckles and what may be scars, but I did my best.

I looked at a screenshot by @missgamerin and circled what seem, to me, like scars.

That potential scar on her cheek can also be seen in a screenshot by @ilikedetectives.

Eyes

Drow eyes could be of any color, with bright red being the most common. [...] The color of a drow's eyes could also be indicative of their current mental or physical state; drow eyes reddened when they were angry, and turned yellow when they were sick, poisoned, or under some negative magical influence."- Forgotten Realms Wiki

This information suggests Minthara's eyes should have been yellow while under the Absolute's control, and perhaps even all the time, as she doses herself with poison. I haven't noticed her eyes changing color during the game, but perhaps you have?

Tattoo

We've reached what I deem the most fascinating part of Minthara's appearance- the tattoo on the right side of her neck.

(The picture above is by @exehtml!)

(The picture above is the same one you saw earlier, by @ilikedetectives!)

Her tattoo, as I assume you know, is the seal of House Baenre, her family and the First House of Menzoberranzan.

"A drow house insignia was often crafted as a brooch with a sculpted image on it. This image was the glyph of the noble house the drow was attached to. [...] A drow house insignia's powers could only be safely employed by someone who received an attunementspell, which was part of the attunementritual, which was a well-known fact among priestesses of Lolth. The powers of an insignia were activated by touch with bare flesh while concentrating on which power was to be activated or with a command word. [...] A drow house insignia was a reliable way to locate an individual, provided the diviner was taught how to trace it—usually by the Matron Mother, High Priestess, or House Wizard. This was because each insignia was slightly different, even those from the same noble house] The wizards, who were also the insignia's creators, were capable of protecting themselves from such tracing."- Forgotten Realms Wiki.

A drow house insignia is a magical item, and I have never seen a mention of a tattoo functioning as one. Uthegentel Del'Armgo, as @lunastrophe says in a post on Minthara's tattoo, which I highly recommend, wore his house emblem pinned to his bare neck. That still isn't the same as it being part of his bare neck, though.

In Menzoberranzan, is it truly safe to flaunt your family's status on your neck?

"Drow took special care to keep their drow house insignia safe. Only the nobles from the First House wore them openly while all others wore them in ways known only to their households."

Minthara is a noble from the First House; this could explain it. I personally think it is a mark of pride, as- based on how often Minthara quotes her family's saying and discusses how powerful they are- Minthara is, or used to be, very proud of her heritage. Is it the wisest decision? No, but Minthara herself has said she is aware of her flaws, and knows pride is certainly among them.

What are your theories? I hope you enjoyed this post!

[tamayula-hl]

Plagiarism allegations currently levelled against me and evidence of my innocence

I'm sorry for posting so many times on this hard topic. But yesterday @freewld (https://www.tumblr.com/freewld) asked me, "You reversed, traced and plagiarised my drawing, didn't you?" I received a DM saying. After discussion, I was given permission to publish a verified image of me and her drawing by overlapping them. Below is her art, all of which I have permission to publish.

The picture on the left is my illustration that is allegedly being used in this case. And the picture on the right is the one she claims was plagiarised by me.

She says: " When my drawing is inverted, angled and overlapped, there are a number of places where the lines overlap. I believe you must have traced my drawing because there are too many places where the lines match for it to be a coincidence".

See the verified image she created by overlapping our drawings on her Twitter feed. (another)

To be fair, I also made a verification image and video.

When two pictures are overlapped with respect to the line of Seb's right eyelash.

When two pictures are superimposed on the basis of the lines on both cheeks of Seb.

I draw every time using the screenshots I have taken of Sebastian as a reference, and probably she does too. I would argue that if I draw a picture with reference to a 3D model of the same 'Sebastian Sallow' character, it is only natural that the two pictures should be similar. If one tries to express his individuality - the distance between his eyes and eyebrows, the length of his nose and philtrum - in a drawing, it is natural that some of the lines will overlap.

In the first place, to claim 'plagiarism by tracing', most of the lines need to match, but there are not many places where the lines of the two pictures overlap completely. It is my contention that this cannot be evidence of 'plagiarism by tracing'.

I believe I have proven my innocence to the world with these two superimposed verified images and videos.

However, @freewld is using Twitter's survey feature to solicit third-party impartial opinions on the allegations.

This is the current voting result.

Incredibly, the majority of votes went to 'I think Tamayula plagiarised'.

I think this voting system might not be fair because as you know, X(Twitter) allows a single user have multiple accounts and actually I currently have eight accounts on X(Twitter). Therefore, I wonder if it can work properly as the third-party impartial opinions because some users might vote this multiple times by using their own multiple accounts.

And I've only been back on Twitter for about a week and have only about 200 followers. In contrast, @freewld has been running her account for 10 months since March 2023 and has more than three times as many followers as me. It is a voting system that overwhelmingly favours her.

With such a voting system, there is no way she can prove that I have plagiarised. It remains to be seen what the outcome of this poll will be, but even if the result is more votes for 'I think Tamayula plagiarised', I will continue to maintain my innocence and I will not apologise to her.

Finally. I have tried to be as honest as possible over the past few days and have continued to assert my legitimacy in Japanese HL fandom, but it is no longer possible for me to deal with this matter any more. I feel ridiculous about everything now. I hope everyone can understand my disappointment a little.

Thank you so much for reading this long sentence so far. I am taking a short break for just a few moments.

[glitternightingale]

Happy Progress Day!

"Jayce and his Fumbled Speech"

This meta is inspired by this discussion between @iwillmissourtalks and @mercutio-the-velaryon about Mel's intentionally ambiguous framing when she leaves during the Progress Day speech.

For fun, I tried to retrace the events leading up to it and piece together Mel's possible perspective and involvement. This isn't completely Mel-focused since many other characters appear which caused me to raise some questions surrounding the timeline and the characters' motivations (as well as add a few anecdotes).

For consistency's sake, let's start with the first Progress Day scene.

Jayce and Heimerdinger talk in his lab about Stanwick Padidly and the Progress Day speech. H: "The Council has recommended you give the Progress Day speech this year." J: "What... But you always give that speech. I... I could never take your place." H: "I agree with them. Your Hexgates have done wonders for our city."

Then Heimerdinger acknowledges that Jayce giving the speech was a very recent decision. From what we later learn of Mel's softly-worded political proposals, we can infer that this recommendation was most likely her doing (and backed by Cassandra due to how much she also profits from Jayce and Hextech). The speech holds incredible symbolic weight since it's Piltover's bicentennial which also explains why Jayce hadn't been encouraged to hold it before despite already being an established celebrity who has revolutionized science and the arts (directly and indirectly).

In short: Mel was in the previously mentioned Council meeting and suggested Heimerdinger let Jayce take charge of the speech (which is apparently such a break in tradition that Caitlyn doesn't believe Jayce at first when he tells her). Heimerdinger probably ruminated over this for some time until he ultimately told Jayce the very morning of Progress Day. It is unknown at what point Mel knew for sure if Jayce would hold the speech but at the very least, she was sure enough of it that she "already spoke to several potential investors" throughout the day (while Jayce was at the Kiramman tent in the morning/noon and in the lab with Viktor in the afternoon).

Speaking of the lab scene:

V: "You think he will approve?" J: "Heimerdinger believes science should be used to improve lives as much as we do. We just need to show him it's safe." V: "And what about the Council?" J: "We stabilized the crystal like they asked. Built the Hexgates like they asked. It's our turn to decide the future of Hextech."

They demonstrate to Heimerdinger that they have, in fact, finally managed to stabilize the crystal, and Heimerdinger's reaction shows he's impressed, which implies that they haven't officially notified the Council of their project's completion yet. A smart move, because they plan on breaking the news together with immediate practical applications, applications Jayce and Viktor can steer in their preferred direction before the Council can distort Hextech again by, let's say, inserting the Gems into obsolete luxury machinery that would never, ever trickle down to benefit lower social classes.

However, Heimerdinger's ethical criticism sows doubt in Jayce's mind. He doesn't want to cause harm but he certainly notices how upset Viktor is. (It is likely they vented to each other a bit after this.)

Then a few hours pass, Jayce gets dressed (while Viktor probably arranges the equipment to be brought to where the speech will be held). But instead of actually writing his speech, Jayce goes to the "Fundraiser" soirée, hosted by Mel herself (due to the Noxian-inspired architecture, the miniature Hexgates model on the desk where Mel picked up the puzzles before the time skip, and the familiarity with which she holds herself combined with Elora's comments), to specifically get her advice (would he even have attended it otherwise? He's zeroing in on her the moment he steps into the room). Jayce is looking for reassurance from someone who has proven level-headed and rational (which excludes Viktor in this case, whose opinion is already obvious to Jayce and tainted by personal affront).

Mel and Jayce walk into her office for privacy. M: "To what do I owe the pleasure?" J: "It's Heimerdinger." M: "When is it not?" (...) M: "Piltover needs a leader who looks forward. Someone like you." J: "You really believe that?" (...) M: "It's your speech. Give the people a glimpse of the future."

This exchange tells us that:

This is far from the first time that Jayce has complained to Mel about Heimerdinger and his restrictions.

Mel is honest about her belief in Jayce and the ways she supports Hextech (she has procured a stage for Jayce, invited representatives from all over the world to a Fundraiser as well as the other Councilors --safe for Heimerdinger, it appears--, and probably convinced them with the Hexgates model paired with only the future notion of a stabilized Hexgem in the back of her mind). She is amassing money and influence without a goal that goes beyond Jayce because she trusts him.

She reassures him that she wants him to take the reins and see his dream through in any way he sees fit. She is not micromanaging him and his decisions. The Council gives the Hextech team broad directions and sees what comes of it, while Mel encourages Jayce as a person to become The Man of Progress and realize his potential. She leaves its definition entirely up to him.

We cut away from a contemplative Jayce until we see him again backstage in the evening/at night, seemingly upbeat and confident, with a Man of Progress cup of coffee in hand while Sky is following him with a clipboard (she likely helped him with the speech on their time crunch, which looks hastily constructed with scribbles and crossed-out words, as to not upset Viktor further, who is clearly stressed either way. Jayce knows this, hence his false bravado.).

Jayce is called to the stage by Cassandra and doesn't shy away from the light. People who had mocked and looked down on him only years prior are now sitting in the front rows, cheering for him and his inventions. The camera swerves over them, capturing their expressions of pride and awe. Mel has the same expression as all the others. The only reason why she is alienated from the crowd is due to how she (and Elora) are given a whole shot. This is to remind us that she has personal stakes in Jayce's decision. She has put time, thought, energy, money, and emotional availability into this man. For seven years.

Jayce starts his speech, lighthearted but nervous with how he grasps the clipboard. Then he picks up, speaking from the heart and of his story, humbling himself and his origins. He doesn't frame his personal achievements, he underlines Hextech's success; a project multiple people are involved in. He doesn't speak of "I", he uses "we", acknowledging everyone's efforts. Then Jayce praises the Hexgates that Mel funded, and who does the camera cut back to?

The Vastaya whistling surprises Mel, but her gaze lingers on the Hexgates that have been running for "a few years".

Their achievement.

Can we take a quick detour and appreciate how they brought a huge Talis anvil to the stage (it's probably not the one from their lab for logistical reasons, although they look identical)? Jayce and Viktor really wanted to show off just how stable the Gem is. They appear to have agreed on this, at least.

Unfortunately, we can't say for sure if the Atlas Gauntlets or the Hex Claw were there too. I assume Jayce and Viktor stored them away safely since Jinx would have either stolen or at least scribbled all over them when she broke into the lab. Maybe they were in the boxes backstage (a box Viktor was sitting on, perhaps)? Did they abort the plan of presenting them beforehand and was keeping them from Jinx simply a happy accident?

Anyway, Jayce continues with his speech but swallows with uncertainty. His words become more deliberate and cautious.

J: "This year, we've created something new for you."

Mel smiles unexpectedly wide with pride and excitement that Elora looks at her with a smirk while Heimerdinger raises a warning eyebrow at Jayce (and Salo looks bored, haha).

J: "Something that... um..."

As Jayce falters, Mel's expression falls as well and she looks troubled. She is worried about the speech, but more appropriately Jayce's sudden blunder. She likely wonders why he's suddenly stuttering. Is he feeling unwell?

J: "That we will share with you... when the time is right."

Mel's eyes flicker away from the stage and she pouts when reality sets in, causing Elora to once again check in on her. It's interesting how Elora always gauges Mel's reaction to what Jayce does. She has known Mel for years and can feel that Mel's interest in Jayce goes far beyond her typical pursuit of material and reputational gains. Jayce is a personal investment.

This makes it more frustrating that Jayce didn't even announce the Hexgem, a project Hextech developed on official order of the Council, with permission. (Would Jayce have pulled through if Viktor had gone up with him, I wonder?) Even the Enforcers stationed outside remark on this later: "That it, then? I thought the Talis boy was some kind of genius."

Jayce continues to give the audience an emotionally appealing nothing burger as Mel stands up and walks out together with Elora without looking back.

Understandably, Mel has feelings about this. She is angry or at the very least annoyed. Who wouldn't be if someone you trust tells you one thing and then does the complete opposite the next time you see them? (A parallel to the aftermath of the... Sextech scene where she wakes up alone and takes her frustrations out on a canvas, instead of Jayce.) Mel quickly leaves to save what can be saved and salvaged.

However, I believe the real crux of the issue isn't Jayce's decision to hide Hextech's progress from the public but that Mel didn't know at what point Jayce decided to not heed her advice. He brought a prepared speech to the speaker's stand. He had papers in front of him that he read out loud. When Mel holds a speech (see the memorial in season 2) she has crafted every single line well in advance. Who's to say Jayce hadn't planned on making her appear like a fool in front of all the investors she charmed, investors she told him about? Jayce (accidentally) humiliated her. He undermined her integrity and influence while also presenting Hextech, the company, as a fragmented assortment of goals and ideas (something investors consider massive uncertainties).

However, Mel is aware that she knowingly took this gamble, and she lost. She miscalculated. No perfectionist who wants to prove herself worthy of Medarda standards and who tries to grab power where she can to impress her family would ever feel good after this. It scratches at her ego as her way of diplomacy seems to have failed, and we all know how stubborn Mel can be when her principles are challenged by circumstance.

Anyway, Jinx sets the Kiramman tent on fire in the square, breaks into the lab (at which point the Gem had been returned to the anvil? Whose idea was it to store it right there smack in the middle of the lab? Why not store it among the other two that were visible in the lab scene when Heimerdinger visited? But I digress), and demolishes it, while Jayce and Viktor are probably at the "cocktail party" Caitlyn was supposed to attend before Marcus punished her with the "graveyard shift", or they went home, I suppose.

Then we see the fallout of Jinx's attack: an empty anvil = "The Gemstone is gone"

(Makes me wonder if Jinx would have still managed to pocket it if Jayce had actually presented it to the world. The fortified Gemstone would have surely been the talk of the town and definitely not been let out of sight, right? Ah, what could have been... This would have changed the course of the entire story.)

An emergency Council meeting is held the morning after. It's unclear if Mel and Jayce have spoken before this (perhaps at the "cocktail party"). The point is that Mel realizes that Jayce didn't have any malicious intent. He takes responsibility for the incident and recommends shutting down all Hextech operations (laboratories, the refinery, and the Hexgates). The Council members disagree for various reasons.

J: "But shouldn't the safety of Piltover be our first priority?"

Mel knows this is Heimerdinger-talk and she becomes aware of the sheer magnitude of the ancient being's influence over Jayce. To move forward, Jayce needs to be freed from such outdated concerns (who knows when Noxus will come knocking at Piltover's walls, after all?).

As an investor and Council member, it would have been so easy for Mel to seize complete control of Hextech right then and there. She could have been petty and wrathful and pounced on the ludicrous recommendation Jayce just made to frame him as a foolhardy hothead, or a threat to the other Councilors' interests (especially the ones that are dealt with behind closed doors), embarrassing him for his misguided mistake and getting her revenge.

But what does she do instead? Mel shows she is "merciful" as she puts him on equal playing ground with Heimerdinger and herself as Councilor, all the while avoiding eye contact with Jayce. This is one, if not the only decision she wrangles him into, one she will be called out for later on. Mel does what she thinks is best for Jayce, Hextech, and Piltover at this point in time, and that is to give Jayce a little push and yet another opportunity to finally outgrow his mentor's shadow.

She even pits them directly against each other to reinforce to Jayce that he is in no way less fit to lead than Heimerdinger himself:

B: "Does the boy have any experience?" M: "Only that of a scientist. Like Heimerdinger."

It's nothing new from what she already told him. "It's your speech." What did change, however, is the way she goes about teaching Jayce from then on. She starts to spell out cause and effect to him in a more hands-on approach (see the opera scene).

She still supports Jayce, who

was very confused by what she was gathering investors for

messed up the most impactful speech in the city's history and disappointed those whose opinions he cherishes most

couldn't fathom the broader economic and social consequences of an immediate shutdown of Hextech operations

She still believes in Jayce, who then goes on to use every tool Mel provided to ultimately outgrow her, too, in the later episodes.

Jayce, the monster she created and still loves.

[bwoahtastic]

tw for somewhat in depth needle talk

thinking about polyamory in the tattoo shop au again. specifically I think max should use lando as a model for play piercing/temporary piercings show showcases and promotions like max will pierce like a corset down Lando’s back for a photoshoot or angel wings across his shoulders for a specific event.

Oscar used to be Max’s model (need Charles to be feral about the pictures max has on like his website or in the shop display when he finds out it’s Oscar) but when he finished his sleeves and back piece he was no longer an option for fear of messing up the ink.

Charles would love to do it. Charles is hypothetically and hornily jumping at the chance to be maxes model but max knows the trouble of getting one needle through Charles let alone enough to make an intricate design so despite Charles whining max will not let him model.

Maybe the first time it comes up max has got some sort of piercing convention coming up and the model he booked to sit for him fell sick last minute so he’s scrambling around mkaing phone calls (ignoring Charles) trying to find a replacement with less than 24 hours notice and lando (who has zero piercings) his just like “hey I could do it”

At first max refuses and Oscar makes lando sit down and write a pros and cons list or something responsible. In the end they work out that max will simplify his design and take photos in the studio rather than a live demonstration.

Lando ends up laying down on Oscar’s tattoo bench holding his boyfriends hand while max very carefully pierces a love heart onto his back and take photos.

Max banished Charles to the corner (the cuck chair) because he knows Charles cannot be normal about anything.

Maybe there’s been the lestapiastri tension for a little while but half way through max working on his design as lando lets out little huffs and grunts every time max places a new piercing he realises that he’s half hard and thag hasn’t happened with any model since Oscar.

Oh plss!! Okay but am a little feral about the backstory of Oscar and Max, like they have the shop together nad work together and pls, Oscar always modelled for Max until he got too inked up, and all the tattoos Max has are done by Oscar cos ofcourse they are! Like they are the same kind of quiet which will yap uncontrollably around people they like (each other) and Maxnjust trusts Oscar with his life and vice versa!

And pls Max is a little lost after Oscar stops being able to be the model for the play piercing displays hr creates for showcases and sure, by that time Charles is literally quivering like a chihuahua with rabies to be the next model but Max vetoed the idea cos he adores Charles, loves him, but 1 piercing takes them approximately 4 hours and Max doesn't have weeks to do this. Plus his Charlie will not enjoy it no matter how much he wants to help Max!

Lando then offering and both Max and Oscar instinctively go "no" but then Lando just huffs and calls them idiots because yeah he doesn't have piercings, but so far he has sat well foe tattoos and has a pretty good pain tolerance. They take their time to discuss it all but in the end both Max and Lando are confident about it so it's fine!

Lando on his tummy on Oscar's chair as its more comfortable and Oscar is sitting next to his head holding his hand. Max makes Charles sit far away cos he has 0 chill and also sits blindfolded for most of it after the one time Charles fainted head first into the counter seeing someone else get pierced. (They pretend not to notice Charles blindly and slowly scooting his wheelie chair closer, he just really wants to hold Lando's other hand)

There having been some tension between lestappen en Oscar for a while (also max and Oscar definitely slept together pre- Charles and lando) and Charles just loves everyone but pls Max realising he is equally not normal about Lando as about the other two idiots. He is half hard by the time is done and Oscar definitely notices and takes over taking photos of Lando's back as Max is distracted.

Also pls Lando getting so much praise by all of them and he preens a bit with all the care and cuddles! Max taking his work out again and keeping an eye on how it heals and Lando loves being fussed over!

Charles a few days later going "you know, it's stupid how the four of us all love each other but don't act on it because we are afraid of hurting each other, but by keeping back we are only hurting each other more" and everyone is stunned into silence because charles has never said anything remotely profound before, and also, it's very fucking true lol

[underground-archives]

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Bbymutha via Instagram

Special Artist Spotlight: In Conversation with Bbymutha (Part 2/2)

Where we last left off, the Chattanooga-born rapper discussed some of the difficulties of being in the industry, like being boxed in by fans and dealing with all the nonsense that comes with social media.

Continuing down this train of thought, I ask Bbymutha to tell us what it was like for her during “the come up,” and whether things have changed.

The rapper says she started rapping “for fake” (her words) during the blog era - a sweet spot in the early digital era before the big labels were able to swoop in and claim authority. For a moment in time, what was “in” was dictated by ordinary people on the internet. Some big names got their renown from this era - think A$AP Rocky, Gucci Mane, Joey Bada$$, even Drake. This era took place before the time period covered on Underground-Archives, but it definitely deserves mentioning as a precursor to the modern internet era of music.

Mutha details the struggles of coming up as a female rapper at that time, reminiscing how producers wouldn’t want to give you a beat because you were a girl. However, she looks back on this era fondly too, because at the time, it was cool to be different. It seemed like that was the “thing” - everybody was trying to be different. Now, she feels female rap has become oversaturated and more “cookie cutter” since those days.

She is concerned that too many people get famous too quickly, and artists are looked at like trend cycles. It is dehumanizing and unsustainable.

“This person might not wanna be a rapper in 10 years” she states, to which I respond “they might not even wanna be a rapper now,” thinking about all the examples of people catapulted into accidental stardom through memes and viral moments.

“Right,” the rapper agrees, “they just wanna get some bread or get famous, or like…I don’t know.” 

Mutha also notes how the standards for female rappers specifically have increased since the days of her early career. She says it's refreshing to see artists like Doechii and Doja Cat giving it their all, stating that “When I was coming up the rap bitches was not giving RnB, Beyonce 8 counts and shit. The playing field has leveled up but at the same time the shit has also been watered down.” She notes that she gives it 100%, “but I’m not about to get up there and do choreography though” she laughs.

Somehow we have circled back to the idea of that perpetual obsession with chasing a moment. The rapper criticizes how readily listeners, who she astutely describes as “consumers,” dispose of artists once they outgrow that moment.

“They don’t even outgrow you as a artist, they just outgrow that moment”

“You outgrew that one thirty second snippet now you don’t like the s- now I’m washed up,” she continues. She admits that this model of consuming music is daunting to her, and that she’s not always sure of where she’s supposed to be “because everything’s on 10 now.” 

She states that she is too “lazy” to compete, and tries to be satisfied with where she is now, but it’s hard not to internalize other people’s ideas of where she should be in her career or the idea that her time has passed.

“The internet and the ‘microwaveization’ of hip hop rn makes you feel like you're missing out on so much and like the world is moving so fast around you...” 

She states that when she was coming up, yeah, people were getting famous - but not every other week! It is intimidating and overstimulating enough, and then she’ll have family in her ear saying things like “oh, you should put your songs on TikTok!” It’s not hard to imagine the toll this can take on artists. If this anxiety reaches even a seasoned artist like Bbymutha, who has over a decade in the game and has certainly earned her stripes by now, it must be madness for the new up and coming artists of today.

But Mutha admits that the pressure she feels is mostly external. She may feel like she’s not doing enough, but then she will go on tour and remember she’s exactly where she needs to be.

“Its fucked up to watch people build people up so fast and then tear them down…y'all don't know these people!” 

“It’s an icky time to put yourself out there” Mutha says, “especially as a woman.” She describes the trade off artists are forced to face - gaining that unhealthy level of fame and visibility in order to survive off their art (would you choose to stay at that 9-5 if you had the chance?) - as selling your soul. A person becomes a moment, a trend, an idol even, until they are forgotten about or discarded. Where can we find the balance? Is fame the only option for musicians? Mutha admits that she doesn’t know what the answer is, but she does know that her dream is “not to be harassed by strangers!”

I pivot the conversation back to “Rules,” since we’ve circled back to that topic of fans placing artists into their own box. I ask Mutha if there is a song she would choose to take its place, and she audibly groans (LOL). Let’s be clear - Mutha doesn’t want any song to become what “Rules” has for her fanbase, and dreads the possibility of having to perform yet another song over and over again like that. So we decide to compromise on a song to replace “Rules” for a year. The rapper takes a second to think, and settles on “Ghostface” off her Sleep Paralysis album (2024).

The song is so simple - the rapper says she got the beat, and got it done in “like five minutes” - but so Mutha. The beat’s drums are minimal on this one, very Plugg; the haunting melody taking center stage to provide the type of hype required for Mutha’s rage-adelic lyrics. If you close your eyes, you can almost picture yourself in one of her iconic twerk-pits (the rapper’s take on a mosh pit) while she raps the hook: 

Bitches want my life

Come and get it

Bring a knife! 

But the rapper also wants to shout out some other underrated tracks, stating that her more straight-rap, non hook having songs don’t necessarily get as much love at her shows, so she tends to keep those on the shelf in favor of ones she knows will get the crowd hype. The honorable mentions in question are “Dragon” (listen here), in which the rapper spits two minutes of straight verse over a more experimental, dance inspired type of beat featuring elements from hard techno and ambient music; and “Urban Legend” (listen here ), a track specifically tagged “#storytelling” on Soundcloud with a more traditional trap beat that, combined with Mutha’s braggadocious lyrics, feels like something a boxer would listen to as they step into the ring. That’s one of the things Mutha seems to do best - hype. Confidence. Swagger! 

It’s almost time for the interview to come to a close (sadly), and I only have one last question for Bbymutha. 

What are the seasoned rapper’s thoughts on the future of alternative hip-hop? 

She clarifies that she doesn’t want to come off as shady, but she admits that she is skeptical. Having witnessed the ways in which the industry chews artists up and spits them out, as well as that “microwave-ization” she spoke of earlier, the rapper has her doubts.

“You take these people from TikTok and chew ‘em up and spit em out…”

The oversaturation - and also, let’s be real - the co-optation of the “underground” is daunting. She recalls a time she saw some post about “the underground iceberg” that featured about a million names she did not recognize, and lo and behold, she went to look some of these names up, and about half of them were “little white boys.”

The rapper doesn’t want to be totally pessimistic, but she is definitely unsure - “it’s all up in the air” to her.

Sure, “what’s meant to last is gone stay,” as she so aptly put it earlier, but it’s evident that those of us who care have to work to make that happen and find a way to take care of the artists putting genuine stuff out there in order to protect the integrity of the art, despite all the business-minded forces working against that. All we can say for sure is that Bbymutha is not going anywhere any time soon.

[sporesgalaxy]

Scrangle PLA postgame quest script edits with 1 major facet of canon changing: Volo seems more open to the idea of Scrangle maybe actually being an otherworldly being.

Of course, he quickly decides he hates Scrangle anyways for a variety of other reasons

•••

Volo "See these patterns modeled after Pokemon? I've come to think that they might be letters-- rather like hieroglyphs, if you will."

Volo "I've inspected ruins across the region and have concluded that they all seem to tell the same tale. The tale of a brave soul who, together with the Pokemon at his side, went on a journey to search for the fragments of an all-encompassing deity."

Scrangle [eyes widen] "Deity?"

Volo "Yes. An all-encompassing deity-- the creator of this very universe. And its name is..."

Volo "Arceus."

[Scrangle's eyes shine with recognition and excitement. Volo notices. He expected this.]

Volo "Perhaps you've already heard this name?"

Scrangle [darkly, sneering a little] "I know it."

Volo "Of course! What else could I have expected from the hero who saved the Hisui region! But now, let us discuss the fragments."

-- ... --

Volo "So what do you say, Scrangle? I think we should gather all the plates!"

[a huge, hungry grin splits across Scrangle's face and they nod enthusiastically]

--

Volo "Have a look at this, Scrangle."

[crushed statue]

Volo "This statue has been kept here, far from the statues of Dialga and Palkia...Broken and shattered, and yet it remains..."

Volo "Do you know what it is?"

Scrangle "...No."

Volo "Oh? You're the greatest wielder of Pokemon this land knows. The one who could bring low even Dialga and Palkia. But it seems certain things are beyond even your grasp..."

[Scrangle shoots him an irritated look, feeling patronized. Volo tries not to be too amused.]

Volo "This crumbling statue once was the figure of a Pokémon–one that was equal to both Dialga and Palkia, yet banished from our world...The great Pokémon Giratina! It was banished for its violence, left to dwell in a world on the reverse side of our own. It is a being that has lain in wait for the chance to bare its fangs in defiance and tear down Arceus itself."

[Scrangle reaches out and gently touches the leg of the statue, wonder in their eyes.]

Scrangle "...Could I meet it?"

Volo [eyes widen] "You want to meet it? Well then..."

Volo "If this Giratina desires more than anything else to challenge almighty Arceus... where do you think it might appear?"

Scrangle "The temple?"

Volo "Exactly! Where one is closer to the heavens than any other place in Hisui! ...And where the space-time rift first opened!"

Volo "Huhuhuh... HAHAHAHAHA! I can feel it... We are getting closer to uncovering the secrets of this world! I daresay the excitement is loosening my lips more than it should, but..."

Volo "You see, ever since I was young, whenever I met with something painful or heartbreaking... I couldn't help but wonder why life was so unfair. Why I was cursed to live through such things. [very pointedly glancing at Scrangle] Of course, I imagine we all go through something like that.

Scrangle looks at him, difficult to read

Volo "Eventually, I chose to direct all my energy into my own natural curiosity and ambition. And what tickled my curiosity more strongly than anything were the mysteries to be found in legends, in history, in ruins... You see, I fancied that by unraveling these mysteries, I could find out how the world itself came to be–and with that knowledge, maybe even forge a new, better world!"

Scrangle [squints, doesn't really get it] "..."

Volo "Now, if we can find the realm that exists on the reverse side of our world...and meet the creator's unwanted child banished therein... perhaps then we'll be able to understand the nature of almighty Sinnoh itself!"

[Scrangle's eyes light up, questions forgotten at the promise of a chance at revenge]

Volo "Don't you want to see it with your own eyes?!"

Scrangle [manic] "Yes!!!"

Volo "We must make for the Temple of Sinnoh at Mount Coronet's peak! Dialga and Palkia both appeared from within the rift that once gaped open there, didn't they? If these plates can call anything at all, it seems likely that is where it would appear!"

Scrangle "YES!!! YES, WE SHALL MEET GIRATINA!!!"

Coronet Highlands - Temple of Sinnoh

• Before battle

Volo "The temple lies in ruins now... Columns cracked and broken... Like pillars now turned into spears, stabbing into the heavens..."

Volo [suddenly less gravitas] "Well, I detect a distinct lack of Giratina."

[Scrangle stops walking, and looks at him, perplexed.]

Volo "Hmm? Is something bothering you?"

Scrangle [frowning hard] "We haven't looked yet."

Volo "Ah, I do beg your pardon. I suppose I must seem to be behaving strangely!"

Volo "I daresay you deserve to know what I'm really after by now."

[Scrangle just looks more confused]

Volo "Ever since I became convinced that Arceus really does exist, there has been one question that consumed my thoughts... How can I meet such a being myself?"

[Scrangle looks confused again.]

Volo "It was in an attempt to answer this question that I originally sought out Giratina and had it tear open that rift in space and time--"

[Scrangle's eyes widen with angry recognition. Volo opened to portal that brought Scrangle here!]

Scrangle "You--!"

Volo "--because it was Giratina who wished to stand against Arceus. But that didn't do the trick..."

[Scrangle clenches their fists]

Volo "So then I had you gather the fragments of the all-encompassing deity, just as the murals of the ruins directed."

Volo "Eighteen plates said to be the fragments of the all-encompassing deity... You hold in your hands seventeen of them."

[Scrangle possessively touches their pouch]

Volo: "So, you must be wondering: Where is the last one?"

Volo [pulls the plate out] "Why, it's right here!"

Scrangle [furious] "GIVE IT TO ME!"

Volo [shocked blink] "...Pardon?"

Scrangle "GIVE IT TO ME NOW, YOU PEON!! YOU RUINED EVERYTHING!!"

Volo "Huhuhahaha!! Now, now! You're the one who scared Kamado with all that talk about monsters and tyrants."

Scrangle [REALLY pissed] "I wouldn't be in this awful place to BEGIN with if it weren't for you!!"

Volo "Ah, now I see...It is awful, isn't it?"

Volo: "But even from within this wretched place, we can sometimes catch glimpses of something greater. I know you've seen it-- the rift, the frenzied nobles, the Great Sinnoh, even artifacts like the red chain!"

Volo: "I'm not sure what you are or where you came from, but clearly you can see this world for what it is."

Volo "Those plates are our key to understanding what lies beyond everything that confines us here! The path to a better future depends on us! Now, give me the plates!"

[Volo takes a step forward. Scrangle takes a step back.]

Volo "Why are you holding us back?! Don't you understand the significance of this moment??!"

[Scrangle doesn't instantly respond, and Volo is clearly out of patience.]

V: "My desire to meet Arceus cannot be contained any longer! I need to know what it is! I MUST know what it is!"

Volo "If I can meet Arceus myself, then I may also be able to subjugate its power... And using that, I will attempt to create a new, better world--!"

Scrangle [snarling] "YOU STUPID WORM!! THAT TYRANT MUST BE ANNIHILATED!!"

Volo [eyes widen] "...Oh."

Volo [blank with shock] "The 'Tyrant' you hate so much...is Arceus itself?"

Volo "Huhu...You keep finding ways to surprise me, Scrangle."

Scrangle [gritted teeth] "YES! I will destroy Arceus at any cost!"

Volo "Hah!! As if I would ever let that happen, you ungrateful little squirt!! I'm not above taking those plates from you by force."

• Upon being defeated

Volo "Why? Why would Arceus favor a disrespectful wretch like you?!"

• After being defeated

Volo "Why? How?!"

Volo "I've devoted myself to Arceus beyond any other! I worshiped it as the creator of our entire world! I bent all of my passion and interest to its study! All the time I've spent poring over the legends... Everything that I've done—!"

Volo "You rotten brat!! It's almost as if you were spat out of the space-time rift just to get in my way!"

Scrangle [sneering] "You are the most annoying punishment the Tyrant has forced me to endure."

Scrangle "But now, Arceus has abandoned you!" [holds out their hand] "Give me the plate!"

Volo "No, this isn't finished yet!"

Volo "Can't you feel it? The chill creeping through your veins—the eldritch presence icing your heart?"

Volo "Giratina! Strike her down!"

• After Giratina is defeated

Volo "Turning tail and running? From this puny HUMAN? Pathetic--!"

Scrangle "NOT human!"

Volo [ignoring them] "--I was the one to feed you the power you needed so that you could take on Arceus! I was the one who gave you the chance to claw open that space-time rift, driving the deity of space and time mad so that you could drag the creator out from hiding!"

[Scrangle, furious at being ignored, starts approaching Volo]

Volo "How? How could this happen?! Almighty Arceus, if you have any heart within you, then--!!"

Scrangle "SHUT UP ALREADY!!"

[Scrangle begins grappling with Volo, trying to nab the last plate from him by force]

Volo "You--! You--!! Grr! You little MONSTER! Do you even understand what you're trying to do?!!"

Scrangle "I'm taking my revenge!"

Volo "No, you moron!! Without Arceus, the world will be destroyed with nothing to take its place!"

Scrangle "Liar!!!! Destroying Arceus will destroy my prison!!! I'll finally-- grr! -- get my old body back!!!"

Volo [a little genuinely distressed] "You're insane!!!"

[Volo and Scrangle have shuffled dangerously close to the cliff. Scrangle is infuriated by what Volo just said, and jumps to try and grab the final plate out of his hands. They manage to get a hand on it, but lose their footing when they land, and end up hanging over the ledge. Volo only just manages not to be dragged over with them.]

[Scrangle breathes heavily, barely hanging on to the smooth plate and beginning to slip. Volo stares at her.]

Scrangle [looking down] "Does...falling from this high...kill humans?"

[As they finish asking, Scrangle makes eye contact with Volo, and in that moment truly looks like a desperate, scared child.]

[Volo lets go of the plate.]

[He watches Scrangle fall, and then reflexively flinches away and squeezes his eyes shut when they would have hit the ground. But instead of a thud, he hears the distinctive cry of Giratina. He snaps his eyes open just in time to see a spacetime vortex closing.]

[ohnomausey]

Okay, so I was asked (thank you @schafpudel for allowing me to talk about my favorite academic research field LMAO) to post my elaboration on how Mytho is a combination of and commentary on two hero archetypes, namely two opposing pre-existing Siegfried-characterizations and how that is referenced in the show (mainly through the music).

Sooo in the first half of the show Mytho is mostly characterized by being the prince that stands between the black swan and the white swan, Odile and Odette, Krähe and Tutu. The according scenes are accompanied by the music from the ballet „Swan Lake“. The prince of the ballet (he is called Siegfried) is notorious in the world of ballet for being extremely passive in his role as a prince, having his decisions made for him. All influence he has on the story itself is also by him NOT doing something (for example while hunting he chooses NOT to shoot the swan etc.). He’s kind of infamous for that and created the archetype of THE *ballet*-prince many others were modeled after.

Officially Mytho's character theme is from another Tchaikovsky ballet suite: the Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy from „The Nutcracker“. The reference falls kinda flat and i am not 100% sure what it means but the Sugar Plum Fairy is not much more than a kind, soft, benevolent princess-fairy. It sounds the part too and i think the softness fits season one Mytho regardless.

The Siegfried-references that are a lot more interesting however come from the Wagner operas being referenced. WHENEVER (and by this I really mean every single scene) where the main focus of discussion is Mytho’s identity of the prince from Prinz und Rabe, or his returning emotions and agency, the music that plays in the background is Richard Wagner’s “Siegfried Idyll” which isn’t directly from any of Wagner’s „Ring of the Nibelungen“ Operas, but stands in close relation to them! It plays when he is waiting for Rue in the „On the Evening of the Fire Festival“ episode and dances with Duck instead and she notes how “this must be the real prince” and also „he danced with me because HE chose to do so!“, it also plays in a lot of scenes in between, e.g. one where Mytho himself talks about wanting his heart back in episode 14 and then most importantly during his transformation into Prinz Siegfried in episode 25, shortly after which he calls himself “Siegfried”.

Wagner’s Siegfried is the hero of the composers biggest work. He is also the “ideal man of the future” as coined by Wagner in his more sociological, revolutionary writings. He stands for heroism, revolution, standing up to the gods and bringing with him literally a new era of time (Wagner literally named his SON „Siegfried“ and wrote the „Siegfried Idyll“ for him when he was born. That is how much faith he had in the idea of this very masculine hero figure that will lead us all to peace and the future…). Wagner’s Siegfried is the ideal hero archetype as we still reference in stories today. He is fearless, strong, intuitive and reckless as he slays the dragon and gets the girl but also oblivious and easy to manipulate. He is also not much of an empath…

Raven!Mytho is characterized by „Siegfried's Death March“ from the last opera in Wagner's cycle („Götterdämmerung“) — the work that plays when Siegfried dies in the opera. Raven!Mytho is the subversion of the ideal hero, the prince that is confused by his ideals and twists them around: "If i am supposed to love the entire world, then everyone should love me in return". So the second season is Mytho being super close to reaching this ideal state of himself, but being corrupted before he can which as some kind of silver lining leads to him questioning the expectations that come with being a hero, or a prince and why he even wants this for himself in the first place. At least, that is what I think.

At the end, we look back on Mytho having grown from a passive, emotionless puppet that still held an almost intuitive protectiveness over those weaker than him (jumping out of windows and running into burning houses to save birds…) into the hero he is supposed to be: He becomes strong, assertive, forges the sword and slays the dragon (the Raven) like Siegfried does in Wagner's operas. But he is not fearless, or brash or wild like Wagner's Siegfried. He keeps the emotional, compassionate, even tormented ("feminine") side that the swan lake prince Siegfried carried. He cries when he finds out that a small, fragile bird was the one who brought him his heart back all this time and kneels in front of Duck RIGHT before he transforms in episode 25. And he also knows that there is a part of himself that will differ from the hero he is supposed to be, the selfish Raven-blood side that makes him more human than his existence as a sort of archetype would usually suggest.

So, long story short: Mytho is a wandering hero-subversion and commentary on the archetype and, in true Princess Tutu fashion, challenges traditional roles and gender norms while he is at it. The music has A LOT to do with this but it becomes evident even just in the story itself. Understanding the Wagner references just makes it evident beyond ANY doubt. It‘s a shame that a lot of it gets pushed back if you do not get the Wagner references (and to be fair, they are even more extensive than they should be — not everyone is going to understand them because they are so. goddamn. obscure.). It makes Mytho seem like a lot more of wasted potential than he really is. He should have had more time to develop in the series, directly. But giving him that would have led to other characters being pushed back. I think an additional one or two episodes to kind of stretch the second half of the series would have done the narrative a service, but that is critique on a really high level. I still think Princess Tutu is one of the best pieces of narrative media ever created.

[weirdmarioenemies]

Name: Magikoopa (Evoker)

Debut: Minecraft: Wii U Edition

The Super Mario Mash-up pack in Minecraft is truly a wonderful thing! I haven't played Minecraft in quite a long time, but it is still exciting when a new update releases, because it means I get to check what everything was reskinned as in the Mario pack! Creatures and items from all corners of the Mario series in one place. We get Uproot from Super Mario Odyssey, Goat from Mario Kart 7, Raccoon from Super Mario Sunshine, and more united in the same game! And then there are the "original" creations.

We've discussed this topic before! Sometimes they just can't think of a good idea for a reskin, and would rather reuse an idea they already had. But they can't JUST use the same design for a different mob. That would be silly, and I mean this in a rare, detrimental way! It would be confusing, and bad game design. So they ultimately decide to just tweak it enough to be distinct, while still recognizable.

If you need to reskin a Witch, especially a classic pointy-hat style one, there is no better choice of Mario character than Magikoopa! You could argue Kammy Koopa or perhaps Kamella would fit more, being more typically "witchy", but I think standard Magikoopa is ideal here, as the most iconic option.

And then there is the Evoker, whose behavior of magically summoning monsters and obstacles is even more Magikoopa-like than the Witch! I think Magikoopa is also a good idea for an Evoker reskin. But gee! I don't think we needed them BOTH to be!

Rather than using a different character or even just an existing color variant of Magikoopa, they gave Evokoopa uniquely aquamarine robes, and, best of all, sunglasses. Magikoopas have never worn sunglasses! IS this some kind of MagiKOOLpa?

I edited an existing Magikoopa render into this new version to see what it might look like! It sure looks aquamarine, I can tell you that! I wonder if the sunglasses are meant to evoke those worn by the enemy Koopas in early Paper Mario. Evokers and Witches are both hostile, but Evokers feel more Evil, with their entire trap-filled lairs, compared to a Witch's little hut with maybe a cat in it. Also, before you bring it up, the Evoker model just doesn't have a pointy hat! It is not intentionally lacking a Magikoopa's signature hat shape.

Do I think they should have used a different, existing character for the evoker? Yes! Am I happy they did this instead? Also yes! I love when new Weird Mario Enemy variants get to appear in the strangest of places! This Magikoopa design has no reason to ever be used in an actual Mario game, and it only exists because of a non-Mario game. Best of all, it debuted on the Wii U! Everyone say thank you, Wii U!

[moonsaver]

sunday... celebrating valentines day... I beg

Ask and you shall receive. Unfortunately i am very unaccustomed to valentines traditions, so please forgive me if this writing is more words strung together than actual content.

---

Sunday isnt exactly fond of PDA, mainly because of the risks.

But it is technically for one day, despite the fact there are many things that are calculated and take place in one day, he knows its an endearing celebration that means more in action than in name.

Thus, he decides with a good minute of thinking – he shall make room in his schedule of daily affairs for you.. as long as you don't mind the fact its for barely 3 system hours.

Don't get him wrong. Unfortunately, Sunday would like to keep you out of prying eyes, so one system hour is dedicated and well planned into checking out clothing stores of all kinds. Even if it draws a bit of attention, he strategically places a few Bloodhound guards around the centres and plazas.

And the other 2 (system) hours are well spent in private behind closed doors. His schedule for the next few days is quite thoroughly packed, so he makes sure to satisfy you enough before he has to busy himself. Lovingly peppers kisses all over you. Brushes his lips against your knuckles, inciting a soft chuckle from you. He brushes through your hair, watches you model every piece of clothing you brought, suggests certain combinations, and discusses all sorts of things with you. For this moment, you have his full attention, not a single thought is spared for any other business official or representative he has to speak to. Only you.

You didn't realise how.. intense his gaze can be, as you accidentally make eye contact with him while speaking and suddenly get thrown into a trance. He asks you what's wrong and you snap out of it, laughing awkwardly and looking somewhere else, trying to hastily get back on track. Suddenly.. your legs feel like jelly under his gaze.. your palms are sweaty.. was his gaze always this.. mesmerizing? You feel almost selfish for wanting it on you for longer. You look to see if he's still staring at you, and it seems like he hasn't moved a single inch, despite the fact you've been talking for 15 minutes straight about who-knows-what, and he hasn't said a single word. You should probably go back in and try another piece of clothing for him.

And he stops you before you go in, and asks to see what you're about to try on. He stands near the door, almost expectantly as you put it on and come out. He knows you'll need help. The strings on your back won't tie themselves, after all. Especially since he requested to do it for you. You almost squeak at the feeling of his gloved hands making quick work of the string on your back, gently feeling the curve of your spine after he's done. Trailing up to the bottom of your neck, dancing across your shoulders. You can practically feel his gaze scan your body underneath the clothing. He retracts his fingers and asks you to turn around. You hope he doesn't notice your heated face.

And it might feel overwhelming and awkward at first (for the lack of a better word), not being used to his full 100% attention. He knows it, and tries to smoothly make up for it by initiating most of the conversation, but deep down does feel a tinge of guilt at not being able to do it often.

He is very adept with his fingers. Take that as you will, but for now, lets focus on the more sfw side.

He probably knows origami quite well. Makes a few small, mini figures and guides you on how to make them, praising you softly in a slightly professional tone. It may seem awkward at first, but he's trying to praise you genuinely. He makes more conversation and jokes along the way, and kisses the side of your head every time you make a successful paper figure, even if it's just as simple as a mashed up paper star. Efforts are well appreciated by Sunday.

At the end of the day, once you are thoroughly exhausted, he lays you down anywhere soft – usually the couch (as unromantic as it sounds), and sits beside you. He talks in a very soft, gentle voice, which surprisingly lulls you to sleep very well. If you focus on his sweet-nothings, you realise his casual conversation has turned into sweet, heart-melting appreciation of you. He recounts every detail – when he met you, where it was, conversations between you two that constantly spin in his head. Before you know it – you're asleep. He kisses your forehead, drapes a blanket on you, leaves your Valentine's day handwritten card on the desk with an elegant box of chocolates right beside it. Who knew Sunday was so adept at making chocolate? It's quite rich in flavor, too. Perhaps.. these are meant to be shared at night?

[olderthannetfic]

More on LJ

That post is already long af, so here are my thoughts on replies:

Also, a feature that a lot of people liked and miss on tumblr are the communities. You could argue the tags kind of serve as the same but… idk.

olderthannetfic well, tumblr is apparently about to introduce a community feature. Do you have any interest in trying it out?

Yup! I wasn't as into communities as a typical LJ user, so I often forget to talk about them, but having a central place that isn't a site-wide tag makes a big difference. You can't kick bad actors out of a tumblr tag. The mod of a com can.

I'm intrigued by Tumblr's new feature. We'll see how it works in practice.

I submitted a fandom history/meta community. I have no idea what their moderation process looks like.

i miss anon kinkmemes :(

Yeah, tumblr isn't great for those. Dreamwidth is where they live these days.

The threaded comments aren't essential for fandom meta discussions, no matter what people used to think...

But they are more or less essential for certain other functions, like kinkmemes.

I do also think some of the change came about from the devices primarily used to access the platforms. Back in the day, monitoring software wasn't an issue, so you got away with using work or school computers. LJ and its threaded format was easy to navigate on a computer. On a phone, the UI didn't quite translate (without a good understanding of mobile CSS). So, image heavy and scroll-based UIs became the norm.

Agreed. DW comments are a pain to expand on mobile. Or at least they were. I haven't been on DW much in a few years, and I know they were working on their mobile

And I think it was just a better time for the Internet in general, before world governments starting running psy op campaigns at scale and before everything was an addiction based ad revenue model and before venture capitalists had their hands in every big site

I'm not quoting all of your comments (people should go read them on the other post), but yes, yes, and yes! LJ had an older internet vibe in a good way, and it not being a cash grab originally is a big part of why.

[justmeinadaze]

I Have Nothing (If I Don't Have You) Part 6 (Steddie X You)

Warnings: Security Dom Steddie X Sub (slightly bratty) Singer Fem Reader, SMUT, spanking, dirty talk, slight rough play (they show her a bit more of what they are into), FLUFF, they go on a date through Paris and she shows them around, they do discuss being more exclusive (as if she or they would want anyone else🙄 ), ANGST, slightly so with her talking briefly about being sober and her fears of being in a relationship again.

Word Count: 4812

“Obviously, you’re taking us to the Eiffel Tower, right?”, Steve grinned in your direction as you three walked the streets of Paris. 

“Yes but tonight when it’s all lit up.”

The day couldn’t be any more perfect for you and you were the happiest you had been in a long time. You took them around to each place you could think of that didn’t have a long line, stopping at bakeries and little shops to have them taste everything while looking for little trinkets to bring back home. 

They seemed to really be enjoying themselves which made you smile. Eddie had befriended a street musician who handed him an acoustic guitar and he sat beside him as they played a couple of songs. You took them to a vintage store where they had a blast looking at the clothes. Steve keeping trying on different hats asking you how he looked. One had a brim that three sizes too big causing you to spit out your water as you laughed at him. 

After grabbing lunch, you took them to a park nearby and had a picnic. 

“Seriously, I’m going to gain like thirty pounds off of this bread but so worth it.”, Steve chuckles as he takes another bite of his sandwich. 

“Oh, yeah. The food is phenomenal but you have to watch out for the butter and the sauces. Don’t even get me started on the chocolate.” Eddie smiles when your eyes playfully roll back.

“Did you parents show you all these places or did you find them yourself?”, he asked.

“A bit of both. The first few years I came here I basically recreated that vacation but as I wondered the streets I found more places and things to enjoy.”

“Excusez-moi.” A little girl shyly comes up to your blanket holding out a pen and paper. “May I have your…”

“Autographe?”, you smile up at her comfortingly as she grins. “Of course. Um… Quel est… ton nom?”

“Chloe.” She beams in your direction.

“I’m sorry, Chloe. My French isn’t great.” 

“It’s…okay.” Her grin grows as you give the paper back to her and lean up on your knees to give her a hug. 

“Merci, Miss Y/L/N!”

“Merci, Chloe.”

The three of you watch her as she runs back to her parents. 

“That was adorable.”, Steve smirks.

“It was. I didn’t know you had fans that were so small.”, Eddie adds. 

“Yeah, that’s another reason I want to be better. I’m supposed to be a role model for them you know?”

“And you are, honey. You’re already doing so much better and we are extremely proud of you.”

***

“Why do I have to wear a suit?!”, Eddie shouts from the bedroom as he adjusts his tie.

“Because we’re taking her to dinner, you idiot.”

“I’m just asking!”

“Plus, this will technically be our first date with her so we should look nice.”

Both men turn when they hear you exit the bathroom and their mouths fall open in shock as their eyes drink you in. Your hair was pulled up into a neat bun displaying a pair of earrings that shimmered when you moved your head. The thin spaghetti straps held up a gorgeous, black, V-neck style dress that just barely touched your ankles. When you nervously shifted your weight, the slit in the fabric exposed your leg up to your mid-thigh showing off some fancy, matching black high heeled shoes. 

“What, um, what do you think?”

“You…you…Jesus, I may be underdressed.”, Steve breathily chuckled.

“Eddie?”

“You look beautiful, princess.”

Blushing, you loop your arms into theirs as they escort you out of the hotel. When you three arrive at the restaurant, they watch you in amazement as you talk to the people in charge and an antsy gentleman leads you to a table. Steve pulls out your chair and you thank him as you take a seat. 

Both boys straighten up when a man comes out from the kitchen and heads towards you but immediately calm when you smile, assuring them that this is someone you know.

“Miss Y/L/N! It’s been so long, my love! How are things?”

“Things have been rough but they are getting better. Julien, these are my friends AND security, Eddie Munson and Steve Harrington.”

They grin as they shake his hand and he returns their smiles with a bright one of his own. 

“Who better to watch your back than a friend that loves you, ah? Now, mon amour, should we start with the usual champagne?”

“Oh, no. Um, do you have something without alcohol?”

“Hmm? Oh! How about citron pressé?”

“Sure, I trust you.”, you giggle as you shrug, watching him disappear without asking the guys if that was ok with them. “I have no idea what that is but—what? Why are you looking at me like that?”

Both men had been starring at you with a cute, goofy smile plastered on their face. 

“Nothing. You’re just adorable.”

“It’s nice seeing this side of you to. You really needed a break, sweetheart.”

The rest of the meal couldn’t be described in any other way beside perfect. They talked to you more about some positive things in their lives trying to keep the mood uplifted. Eddie told you about his love for fantasy related things like D&D which made you laugh when the other man rolled his eyes. Steve surprised you by telling you of some movies he actually really liked.

“Ok you can’t sigh aggressively when I talk about sci-fi fantasy shit but then tell her that one of your favorite movies is Star Wars!”

“It’s completely different, Munson.”

“How!?”

“It’s actually not that different.”

“Thank you, princess!”

“But to be fair, George Lucas said he made Star Wars kind of like a western so Steve may drift more towards that then regular sci-fi.”

“Ok, you’re not on my side anymore. Hush.”, Eddie responds playfully.

You did your best to tell them more happy memories with you and your family but you struggled because it hurt. Every time you stuttered through a story, though, one or both of them would reach for your hand and urge you to continue. 

After you were done eating, you kept your word and took them to the Eiffel Tower as it was all lit up. The people in charge cut off a section so you three wouldn’t be noticed or bothered which you greatly appreciated. 

“Wow, check out that view.” Steve exhaled as he took a few pictures pausing when he noticed your face as you leaned against the railing. “You alright, honey?”

“Yeah. I just wish I could stay here in this moment. I’m having a lot of fun with you two and I think this is the first time in a long time I’ve actually been…happy.”

Eddie’s palm gently reaches out to run down your back before bringing you to his chest to wrap you up in his embrace. 

“I know what you mean. Stop me if I’m wrong Harrington but we’ve never felt like this about anyone before. We really like you, Y/N.”

“We’re all in if you are.”

“You barely know me. What if I fuck up again? What if I hurt you? What if…I’m not what you thought I am?”

“She’s doing that thing again.”, Eddie murmurs to Steve as he releases you and leans against the railing. “It’s like her own brand of self-harm…or maybe self-protection?” He raises his eyebrows inquisitively and you quickly shift your gaze. “Ah yes. There it is. She keeps says ‘What if I’ but what she really means if ‘What if you’.”

“Baby, we’re not asking you to marry us or anything. What we’re asking for is MORE nights like tonight. To be able to take you out more and get to know you better and vice versa. We know you’ve been through a lot and still are. We would never push you like they do.”

“And quite frankly, sweetheart, I don’t think there could be any more surprises because you’ve already showed us you’re not who we thought you were originally.”

“Spoiled, washed up singer.”, Steve explains when you look at them in confusion. 

“When it comes to the I’s, babe, we got you covered. You slip again and want to run all over Vegas, we’ll come get you. You have one of those moments where you try to verbally hurt us, don’t worry, we got you. We have ropes and handcuffs for situations like that.” You can’t help but giggle when he winks. 

“When it comes to the you’s, you can ask us anything and we’ll answer. If there’s something you need or need to know just let us know and we can talk about it.”

Glancing out towards the city, you feel everything run through your brain at once. You knew from the moment you met them that they were different. You trust them with your life so why were you so scared to trust them with your heart?

Because everyone who’s supposed to love you, hurts you…

Do they even love you? They can’t possibly…like you said they barely even know you. I guess it couldn’t hurt to jump in with both feet.

“Ok. Can we…we keep it between us?”

“We honestly assumed you would because of the press and everything.”, Eddie answers with a small smile. 

“I think that’s another reason Simon was with me. He liked the attention from the press.”

“Hm. Well, coming from a small town where everyone was in everyone’s business, trust me, we don’t want that kind of attention.”, Steve retorts as he leans over the railing like you had. 

Looping your arm through his, you lean your head against his shoulder as Eddie holds your hand and looks out into the city.

##############

“I have a request.”

“Oh lord.”, the metalhead playfully sighs making you smile.

“Calm down, Mr. Munson.”, you giggle. “The other night I asked you two to show me how much you care about me…” They nod when you pause, urging you silently to continue. “Can you show me how to take care of you?”

Both men, who were now sitting on the couch in the hotel room looked up at you now with slight confusion. 

“When we first got together, you said you liked it rough. The other night you implied there was more to what you both were into. I want to give you what you want.”

“You do, honey.”

“You really do.”, Eddie follows almost too eagerly. 

“I still don’t think your ready.”, Steve sighs as he takes off his jacket and starts rolling up his sleeves. 

“Isn’t this all about trust? Not only do I trust you two but you should trust me to know my limits. Well…in this regard.”

The other man takes off his jacket as well, removing his button up shirt underneath along with it now donning a white tank that displayed his muscles and tattoos in a way that had you salivating. 

“Oh, come on, Stevie. We can start slow. Maybe we can show her what a punishment would look like. Something small for running away and having us worried.”

Steve sighs playfully as he motions with his fingers for you come closer. As you sit beside him on the sofa, he gently pets the back of your head while they both continue to look at you with nothing but care. 

“If you feel uncomfortable at any point, just say the safe word, ok?”

“Ok, Steve. I promise.”

He grins as his hand slides down to your back and guides your body till you’re laying across his lap on your tummy. While he flips up the underside of your dress Eddie runs his fingers through your hair, moving any lingering strands away from your face. 

“How many you think, Ed? 10?”

“10 sounds good. I think she can handle that.”

As your stomach tightens into knots with nerves, Steve’s palm soothes you as it runs down your spine and over the meat of your ass. Abruptly, it lifted and came down spanking your behind eliciting a shocked gasp from your lips. He didn’t hit you hard as it was meant to test.

“How did that feel, babe?”

“Um, odd but g-good.”

“Has anyone ever spanked you before?”, Eddie asked.

“No. Not like this.”

“Honey, I want you to count for me, ok?”

“O-O-Okay. One.”

His hand come down much harder and this time you let out a little moan especially after Steve soothes you by running his fingers along the reddening skin. 

“Two.”

“Good girl, sweetheart.”

He spanks you twice in quick secession and they both let out a groan of their own as you breathily count them off. Steve tugs down your panties, his hand coming back to travel a bit between your legs as your mouth falls open when his thumb slides between your sex. 

“Oh, Eddie. Little baby is so wet right now. I think the spanking doesn’t feel so odd anymore, huh?”

When you didn’t answer, ringed fingers gripped your hair tightly and tugged you back. 

“He asked you something, your highness.”

“Feels…good…AH! Five!”, you moaned as Steve spanked you again.

Eddie held a tight grip on you as the other boy began steadily rubbing your clit while occasionally delivering a harsh smack to your ass. 

“What number are we on, baby? Wouldn’t want Stevie to lose count and have to start all over again.”

“Mmm—Nine—Please, Steve. I’m gonna…”

You didn’t see it but they smirked at each other as he slide two fingers into your core and rapidly pumped them inside of you. Your eyes rolled as the coil snapped and as you moaned his name his hand came down one final time while you panted out that final number. 

“Good girl, honey.”, he cooed as he delicately lifted your dress over your head. “Let’s get this off here.” You keened into his neck as he sat you up and placed you in his lap while Eddie ran his palm along your legs. “Did you like it, baby?”, Steve whispered.

“Yeah, I liked it a lot. Did you like it? Spanking me?”

He chuckles under his breath, trying to stifle the moan that wants to come out at the sound of your little voice. Reaching for your hand, he places it directly on the bulge in his slacks. 

“I loved it.” Your eyes flutter closed as his lips tenderly trail up your cheek to your ear. “You like that, pretty girl? You like making us feel good?”

“M-More. Please. I can handle more. I swear.”

They glanced at each other mischievously knowing you were all riled up. 

“No.”

“Please! I can handle it!” As you begin to whine they smile and you can’t help but laugh. “You’re messing with me?”

“A little. We’re kind of curious in this headspace how far your brat can go.” Eddie’s grin grows as you climb on to his lap and wrap your arms around his neck. 

“Do you want me to be more bratty?”

“I think you’re capable of it. I work with you remember?”

“You didn’t answer my question.”

“Hey. In here, honey, you answer us, not the other way around.”, Steve scolded. 

The metalhead tries to keep the upper hand as you grind your hips against his own. His eyes remain heavily on yours as he licks his lips to keep any other sounds from escaping. 

“In here, sweetheart, we have control.”

“You do out there to!”, you whine as you point absently outside. “Where do I have control?”

“Stop moving.”, he says sternly.

“Make me.”

His eyes grow dark as the smile he was adorning falls from his face. 

“Stop. Moving.”

You falter for a second as his voice and demeanor throw you off guard but you remain steadfast as you continue. Steve laughs from your side before Eddie lifts you up with one arm and carries you to the bedroom. 

Throwing you on to the mattress, he holds your down with his palm on your chest as he uses his other to unbuckle his belt and free his cock from its confinement. 

“If you want to stop, just tap twice, ok?” When you nod, his fingers grip your hair as he hovers his face above yours. “Ok?!”

“Ok! Yes, sir! Tap twice!”

Steve nonchalantly throws himself beside you as he watches Eddie slide his cock into your mouth. 

“She’s so fucking stubborn sometimes. I swear.”

While the metalhead takes over thrusting his length down your throat, Steve is always alert, watching you to make sure you really were ok. They genuinely did trust you would say the safe word if you needed but neither boy wanted to push you that far. 

“Fuck, princess your mouth feels so fucking good. With all that fucking sass, I’m not sure she deserves our dicks in her pussy tonight, Harrington.”

Eddie tried to control his eyes from rolling back when he felt you groan around him. 

“Did you have something you wanted to say?”

“Please. I’m sorry, Eddie. I’ll do whatever you want. I promise I’ll behave.”, you beg as you shift up to your knees and continue stroking him with your hand. “Please. I need you inside me. I need to feel you.”

Pinching your cheeks between his fingers, he brings your lips to his before firmly pushing you backwards onto the bed. 

“Go show Steve how much you’ll behave.”

As you crawl over to the now naked man, you tenderly kiss his stomach making him smile as he strokes your hair. Delicately running your tongue along his slit, he moans as he pulls your hair into a ponytail with his hands and watches you fully take him into your awaiting mouth. 

Eddie jostled you around a bit till your ass was fully on display for him and you both whimpered as he guided his cock into your entrance. The warmth of his chest encases you as he leans against your back and kisses your shoulder. 

“Come on, sweetheart. I know you can take him better than that especially with the way you run that sassy mouth.” Taking over Steve’s hold of your hair, he guides your movements making you gag and drool as the man mewls with pleasure. “Atta girl. There you go.”

Eddie rolls his hips hard, roughly nudging against that tender spot inside of you that has your eyes rolling back. 

“Is that the spot, pretty girl?” Pulling your head, he forces you to look at him. “Is it? Right there?” You struggle to form words as he continues to grind against you. “Answer me, Y/N.”

“Ah! Y-Yes, there. D-don’t stop. Please…”

The metalhead grins as he pushes you back down on Steve’s cock before releasing his hold on your hair to grip your waist as he leans back on his knees and pounds his hips into yours. 

“G-Good girl, honey. Fuck. You take us both so well.”, Steve coos as he pets your head.

Eddie’s fingers slide underneath you, rubbing fast circles into your little bundle of nerves, driving you crazy in the best way as you throw you head back in pleasure. 

“FUCK! Eddie please!”

Ringed fingers wrap around your throat and pull you up to your knees as you lean against his shoulder. 

“That’s right, baby. Say my name again. Who’s making you feel this good?”, he murmurs into your ear as he slams into you harder. 

“Eddie! I’m…Eddie, please…”

Your hand takes hold of his wrist as your other clings his hair while your arm wraps around his neck. His fingers move faster to match his pace while you continue chanting his name until the ball drops and your body trembles against him as you cum. 

“Fuck me.”, Eddie groans, shoving you back down against the mattress and holding your wrists behind your back as he chases his high. 

Grunting above you, his rhythm becomes sloppier and you mewl as you feel him release his seed inside of you. 

“Good girl, princess.”, he praised as he gradually pulled out of you and kissed any part of your skin his lips could reach. “It’s Steve’s turn, sweet girl. Whenever you’re ready.”

Your head shot up in search for him and as your eyes met his soft ones, his fingers reached out to caress your sweaty face. When you nod, he motions for you to come closer, taking hold of you under your arms and scooting you both up closer towards the pillows. 

“Come here, honey. No, the other way.”, he instructs as you started straddling his waist. After turning away from him, he guides you down till your back his against his chest. One of his strong palms holds on to your chest as his other holds the base of his cock and runs to along your dripping lips between your legs. “Jesus. Eddie made you feel real good, didn’t he, baby?”

Nodding, you turn your head to kiss his cheek and he moans as he breaches your entrance, sheathing himself inside of you with minimal resistance. As he thrusts his hips up against you, his fingers move around to massage your nub as the hand on your chest takes hold of tit making you growl in ecstasy.

“Steve! So…so deep…oh god.”

“Yeah? Does that feel good, Y/N?” Picking up his pace, the bed begins to move underneath you as he clings to your sweaty, messy frame. “Fuck, that’s it. That’s our girl. Your pussy is just fucking clinging to me, pretty girl, God damn.”

 Pushing up, you balance on your hands as your hips push down to meet his. 

“Can you see it? My cock disappearing inside of you?”

“Steve, please. Please!”

Tugging on your hair, he pulls you back against him, hugging your tightly as he thrusts into you harder. The sound of skin hitting skin fills the room and your eyes roll back as you drag your nails against his flesh.

“I’m…I’m…”

Without warning, he shoves against your back pushing you up and pulling himself out of you, yanking your hips backwards till your pussy was hovering over his face. Roughly, his hands pushed you back down, urging your lips over his cock as he wrapped his arms around your waist, holding you still as he his tongue devoured you. 

Your hips grinded against him as his head moved quickly from side to side causing you to lift your head and scream as you came. As he continued to lick your clean, you bobbed your head around his length wanting him to feel as good as he had just made you feel. 

His grunts reverberated in your cunt as he pumped his hips upwards till you felt rope after rope of his spend hit the back of your throat.

Falling to the side, you both panted till Eddie’s voice broke the silence. 

“Yeah, that’s cool. Just put your feet by my face.” You giggled as you lifted your leg and touched his nose with your big toe. “Ew, gross. With these beautiful pedicured, toes. Still purple, I see.”

“I like purple and no one is looking at my feet that closely in an arena style concert.”

“Do you want to take a bath, Y/N, or a shower?”, Steve asks.

“I want to curl up into a cocoon and sleep for 100 years.”

“Ok, bath it is.”, he grinned as he rolled over the side and lifted you into his arms. 

While he got everything ready, Eddie’s hands lightly gripped your shoulders and tilted you forward. When your eyes shifted to the mirror, you realized he was looking at your behind.

“It doesn’t hurt. I mean, it’s sore but…”

“I figured. I just need to take a look and make sure you don’t need any ice or anything. I’m sure you’ve noticed but Steve Harrington has big hands so sometimes he unintentionally leaves marks that last for a couple of days.”

“Part of the reason I ask questions.”, he winks as he guides you into the water.

“No one has ever asked me questions before or even done any kind of aftercare. I like it. It makes me feel cared for. 

“We do care… a lot.”, Eddie smiles as he holds up your hair while Steve continues to clean you. 

“Is this normal for you two? The shared partner thing?”

“I wouldn’t say ‘normal’ but we’ve done it before. Never with a client, however.”, Steve sighs. 

“So…this could look bad for everyone if people found out?”

Both men stopped moving as they gave you their full attention. 

“Yes. And not just because of the press.”

“People may not hire us anymore if they thought our judgment could be altered when it came to protecting them.”, Eddie followed in a serious tone.

“Are you implying Mr. Munson, that your judgment in keeping me safe has now changed?”

“I’m saying, Y/N, I would take a bullet for you but, for example, us keeping you sober isn’t a part of the security job description. If…If you wanted to get drunk right now we shouldn’t have any say in that…”

“Unless it leads to you roaming Paris in your underwear or makes someone want to hurt you.” Steve glances over your serious face. “What are you thinking, honey?”

“I just…I see what you mean. I wouldn’t want either of you to take a bullet or get hurt because of me. I’d rather it be me…”

It had been a while since you saw their eyes shift into this particular authoritative glow. Steve almost too roughly cupped your cheeks in his hands as he forced you to look at him. 

“Don’t ever think or let us hear you say that again. It’s our job to keep you safe not the other way around. Do I make myself clear?”

“Yes, I understand.”, you whisper as your hands takes hold of his wrists. 

“Y/N, like I said, we care about you but if your safety is on the line BECAUSE of us then we would end this right here right now.”

You pushed down the urge to cry at the thought of them leaving you. They had done so much for you in the short time they had been a part of your team. 

“I promise I won’t interfere. I trust you both to take care of me.”

Steve’s eyes flick to Eddie’s for a moment before he kisses your forehead and lets you go. 

##########

The following Monday, the three of you were sitting in your manager’s office waiting for him as he burst through with Sarah in tow. 

“Well, look who decided to finally grace us with her presence. How was the vacation, Y/N?”, Jack sassed. “I don’t know why you two are even here. You’re fired.”, he gestures towards the boys. 

“No they aren’t.”

“Excuse me?!”

“I said no they aren’t and you lower your voice when you speak to me!” Sarah smiled from her seat as the men on either side of you contained their excitement for you. “Jack, I’m tired. You were one of the ones that kept pushing me to get sober and now that I’m trying…I shouldn’t be on tour right now especially not with people like Mark shouting at me every 10 seconds. I need time to really have go at this.”

“Y/N…”, he sighed. “We’ve had this tour set up for months. Now I’ve put up with a lot from you but—”

“But nothing. I’m telling you no. I need a break. I can do interviews and keep working on the album. I can do little shows here but I can’t do a country wide tour right now.”

“Y/N, listen to me. Hear me. If you do this, if you cancel this tour, I will be forced to drop you as a client.”

You straighten up as you exhale, tapping into that sassy girl that resides within you. 

“So be it. Sarah? Have you thought about being an agent?”

“Me? Oh, um, I mean…”

“You’re honestly the only person I trust who has always had my well-being in mind. I’ll pay you what I pay Jack and then some.”

She smiles as she glances towards your now former agent. 

“I guess I just got a promotion.” You both stand, giving her a big hug before she pulls back to cup your face. “I’m really proud of you. I’ll come by later today and we can talk about a statement for the tour.”

“Y/N, please! Don’t do this! Look, why don’t you sit down and we can talk about this rationally.”, Jack begs. As he reaches for your arm to stop you from leaving, Eddie swats it away. 

“I’m sorry, sir. You aren’t allowed to touch Miss Y/L/N.”

“But if you would like to speak with her, feel free to call her agent Sarah to set up an appointment.”, Steve grins as they both follow you out of the office. 

#############

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