#i thought that was a continuity error or something but when put into the context of the book being pb's english essay i guess it was just

[reluctanttrabbit]

i've reread the outsiders book 2 times and the movie 3 times and i only now just realized johnny wasn't lying when he said he was sixteen at the drive-in 😭😭

[shinehalley]

I think between the most common misinterpretations of Pride and Prejudice that irritates me the most i can say the one at the top is when they say that the story is about a woman fixing a complicated guy and this becomes references in terrible romances. I've heard this so many times and as a person who grew up with the 2005 film and reads the book at least once a year I need to get it off my chest.

Starting off, Darcy is not a "complicated man". He's not a bad guy who takes out his traumas on other people, he's not a guy who's waiting to be saved by a woman who "silences his demons" and even less a guy who mistreats the women he's with. Darcy is actually a rich man with rude manners and some class prejudices. The point is that Darcy is a man with moral convictions and feelings that make him a good man despite these aspects. His rude manners are a reflection of his class prejudice, but they do not dictate how he treats people for whom he has feelings of affection. The way he would be able to move the world for those he cares about and seek the closest thing to what is considered justice in the temporal context of the story reinforces the goodness of his character. This is even more evident in the comparison that is made between him and Wickeham, where one is unpleasant but good and the other is pleasant but a cheat.

And what Elizabeth does is far from correcting him. Darcy doesn't realize how his class prejudice affects the way he communicates with people and the view he has of himself because everyone always justifies his arrogance as fair because of his wealth. So he believes that Elizabeth admires him when, in reality, she despises him for these characteristics. And what she does is just say it to his face, something no one has done before, and that's it. This is Elizabeth's contribution to any development of Darcy, to say how arrogant and prejudiced he is. It is Darcy himself who reflects on her words and realizes that she is right and that he is not being as fair as he thought he was. He realizes his own prejudice and realizes his own arrogance and of his own free will decides to change because he wants to be a better and more pleasant person.

It could be said that it was fate that put him and Elizabeth in each other's path and made her realize, now with more pleasant manners without prejudices obscuring her actions, what a good man Darcy is and become enchanted by him. But if they hadn't met again, Darcy would still take on this challenge of re-educating himself and being a better person and Elizabeth would still continue to think of him as an arrogant man in whom she feels no interest.

The other issue is that Elizabeth is not perfect. She has her own prejudices that are overcome throughout the book thanks to her coexistence with Darcy and not because of Darcy. The fact that she lives with both Darcy and Wickeham at the same time is what makes her understand how unfair she was in her first impression and how foolish she was in being guided by that to define the characters of both. Kindness and amability are not synonymous with integrity and she learns this the hard way. It's a lesson that if she hadn't learned through her time with Darcy, she would have learned it in some other way because life has things like that.

Finally, they were essential in each other's lives because of the teachings they left to reflect on their actions in relation to the world and not because they depend on each other. Both are confronted with their prejudices and realize that they were not fair and try to change for better people regardless of whether they are together or not. Their meeting after realizing their errors in judgment is purely accidental. They don't change for each other, they change for themselves, because they realize how proud they were and want to be more fair, and after that they end up being placed back in each other's lives by chance. That's what makes them such an interesting couple and makes us wish we had what they have.

Reducing the story of Darcy and Elizabeth to an asshole man who is fixed up by a woman is a mistake so grotesque that it is noticeable that it could only have been said by a person who has never seen the story or seen it with their ass.

[woundlingus]

Colour Grading, Insincerity, and Loki is right and Gabriel is wrong; a Lokiel Meta

It’s the big gun, it’s the mother lode of me ripping apart Unfinished Business frame by frame to feed my shipping and laying out all my thoughts on the matter clearly as can be so maybe I can sway some people sitting on the fence or at least give some context to those who see my posts and go “wtf” because they’re not viewing this through the lens of my insanity. Want to know why these guys haunt me? Here;

Credit where credit is due, the one thing I’ve always really liked about supernatural is how they use colour grading to tell the story, and it’s not really all that secretive that the Gabriel episodes look aesthetically like some of the best episodes because they colour them very specifically to set the tone for them;

Fun

Nonsensical

Insincere

The three big tells that something trickster is afoot in the episode, (and I apologise for the scuffed quality on some of these, I’m skating the tumblr upload rules).

(Tall Tales 2x15)

(Mystery spot 3x11)

(Changing Channels 5x08)

It tells us that whatever is currently happening typically feels very real to those experiencing it, but is actually not at all. This is make believe. It’s a figment of Gabriel’s imagination that he’s whipped up at his own convenience to tell the story he wishes to impart upon the narrative. While this is obvious in the earlier season when they’re still shooting on film and using the dark overlays to create a spooky ambiance, it still follows through to the end for Gabriel until he puts down the trickster label and picks back up the archangel one and officially joins the Winchesters bringing him into the same dark coloured world that we’re used to viewing. There’s a sadness in it, that Gabriel went from all these bright colours to essentially having his spirit snuffed out by Asmodeus, but it gives us a very clear point to reference when things are real and when they’re make believe.

Obviously Gabriel is a liar, we’ve all known that to be true since his very first appearance- but there’s one incident that I talk about often that bothers me deeply but I’ve never really explained why.

The hotel with the rest of the trickster gang.

Gabriel tells this story three times in a pretty short time span- short enough for Dean to remember and call him out on it in the moment, and every time he tells it the story is altered ever so slightly.

I was alone with porn stars in Monte Carlo

I was alone with Loki and Co in Monte Carlo

I was with porn stars AND Loki n Co in Monte Carlo

He’s always been a very unreliable narrator, but this one was particularly on the nose and when it comes to “continuity errors” Gabriel is always aware of them, he does it on purpose because he wants to get caught. We should ask the question, why did it take you three attempts for us to hear this?

He tells his final iteration of the story in grand bright colours, telling feats of his sexual exploits and how good he is at cards, “and then everyone clapped and cheered for me” and then Loki Judas betrays him because Gabriel is so cool and his brothers are so tough and Loki was scared witless and hoping to avoid bloodshed blah blah blah…

Here’s what the real world looks like in comparison to Gabriel’s little fantasy he’s got running here-

This matches the rest of supernatural, this is a realistic portrayal of events through the eyes of Sam and Dean. This is the bitter reality Gabriel is avoiding with his fantastical little displays; he’s a broken little man who is hurt, injured, and scared.

So, Loki tells another variation of this story, yes? Gabriel was the betrayer here, not Loki. Gabriel ran out recklessly and while passing world saving information to the Winchesters, both saving the world AND the vast majority of Loki’s family, he cannot convince Odin to leave and he dies in battle (and like, he would’ve gone to Valhalla can we just unclench a little?). That is why Loki chooses to damn Gabriel to Hell with a very reckless move to attempt to take down an archangel, sell him to a demon, and then cross his fingers and pray his bestie- the 6th most powerful thing in all of creation ever- doesn’t break free from this pitiful demon eventually and come looking for him. But the environment tells another story, look;

It’s the return of the high vibrancy filter, because this room isn’t real, Loki isn’t real, and neither is the story he’s telling. What are the tricksters, if not liars and showboats?

There’s a huge lack in vulnerability which is what they’re both trying to paint over in these scenes to make themselves cool, to make themselves the victim, to make themselves untouchable. Loki tells a half cocked story about the archangel bastard who took his father, completely detached from any real sort of attachment to Gabriel or Odin- even says himself that he hates Odin! And in a story where we know the ending is Gabriel at the hands of Asmodeus he spends ninety nine percent of the story talking about pornstars. They cannot be vulnerable with these outsiders watching them, they also don’t seem to want to admit to themselves what the crux of the issue is here.

They both want to be the ultimate victim of the situation, they’re painting these half done stories trying to convince an audience (Sam and Dean) that doesn’t care that they are right and the other is wrong—

Until they meet each other;

You can lie to everyone, but you can’t lie to yourself.

We’re back, grounded in reality in this moment when they come face to face with each other, the lighting darkens and becomes gritty once more meaning all facades are down and what’s transpiring here between them is without tricks, and there’s an honor in that when it is a battle between two very clever tricksters who could make this endlessly complicated if they wanted to. When they fight, Gabriel is next to silent (listening, or trauma response? You can decide) and Loki does all his talking for Gabriel and Gabriel alone. They have no one to impress here, they sent the Winchesters on a fools errand to have this moment alone creating a tense intimacy where Loki shreds Gabriel’s facades and calls him out for what he truly is and lays out his deep rooted fears and secrets bare, letting us as the outside party they’re unaware of know that what the two of them were here wasn’t some ordinary friendship or half cocked deal out of desperation, but a real and honest bond between two beings terrified, alone, and looking for safety and someone to confide in. They’re each others secret keepers. Long time confidants. Their most trusted. The reason both of them ran to begin with, in a plan that would involve them wrapping themselves so tightly around the other they’d become one in all ways but physical, and promise to keep each other and that secret until death do them part.

It is bloody, and messy, and Loki has no real way of winning this fight because he cannot hurt Gabriel in any way that matters because he’s an archangel and whether he takes damage or not he will live because of the way he was made, only one of them is killable here and only one of them has any intention of killing the other and it’s not Loki. It’s never been Loki. Ever faithful Loki.

They made a vow, and maybe it was childish and unrealistic but that’s what the two of them are by nature are they not? Fickle, childish, and endlessly devoted. To their families, to their lovers, to their fathers, to each other.

Loki should run at this point, if he has any intention of wanting to live. He’s not stupid, he knows Gabriel better than anyone else in the world and Gabriel acknowledges this by how hurt he is emotionally by the way Loki talks about him and the secrets they’ve passed over the thousands of years they’ve known one another. He’s smart enough to know sentiment won’t save him here, it didn’t save his sons, Sleipnir tried that already and it failed spectacularly. Gabriel is here to kill him, and when you take into consideration the wild power imbalance here in this battle what Loki is doing is essentially laying his head down on the chopping block for Gabriel. He’s a smart creature to survive this long, he could be gone if he really wanted to be just like the many times we watched Gabriel disappear.

He doesn’t.

To me, the crux of their story here is abandonment. You left me. Gabriel made the choice to break his vows, and chase after a family he left behind and even though YES it was for a noble reason that is still nothing when it was a personal stab in the back to Loki who also left his family behind to run away with Gabriel and didn’t go for Odin even though the call was put out to Loki to join the gods for the evening.

Loki didn’t go for his family, but Gabriel did.

Loki didn’t go to save his father in an event they were both invited to, Loki had the opportunity to go and save Odin and he chose his bond to Gabriel over saving him. Gabriel discarded his vow and went anyway, and Odin died.

Gabriel betrays Loki, and it’s not that Odin died, it’s that Loki was willing to sacrifice the opportunity to save him and Gabriel couldn’t say the same for his own family. Odin died for nothing, when Loki could’ve been there the whole time to come get him, and he was robbed of that opportunity while Gabriel went behind his back to do exactly that for his family.

Loki was faithful to his own detriment, and Gabriel was not.

Gabriel is punished fairly in Loki’s eyes because this isn’t just about some deadbeat dad (who chained Loki in a cave to torture him). This is a slight of a much more intimate nature. This was a betrayal of the worst kind.

Gabriel is unfaithful.

Everyone knows that Asmodeus is the demon Prince of lust, but in a little more detail that’s not entirely what makes him up. The cardinal sins are the worst because they are what you inflict upon others, an upon your very soul. Lust is something inherent to the condition of just being alive, but the sin is in the act of hurting others and yourself, so the vast majority of what Asmodeus is imagined ruling over is the adulterer, he is most often the one depicted punishing the unfaithful. Loki wasn’t just looking for a way to hurt Gabriel for the sake of inflicting pain, the trickster is never like that. The trickster doesn’t strike just to maim. Loki is sending a very explicit message to Gabriel by giving him to Asmodeus of all people;

“You were unfaithful.”

— Okay, maybe it’s wrong to say that Loki had every right to do what he did because it was definitely still A LOT to do to someone, but it’s far more understandable when the emotional weight of Gabriel’s crime is made clearer. You probably shouldn’t torture anyone ever for any reason— I’m avidly anti-torture— but dick move Gabriel…

And look, yeah they both sleep around and invite porn stars and hookers to the hotel rooms and what not and I certainly will not hang my ‘Gabriel is a bad person here’ hat on the human morality of monogamy because I think it’s shallow and a disservice to the kind of bond the two of them actually have, but there’s an extra added pain in it that Gabriel also turns up for his ex girlfriend in this situation who is willing to betray him for basically a can of pop but not for Loki who will let Odin die to protect Gabriel.

Gabriel comes back, and he offers no apologies because he isn’t capable of learning his lesson, he is selfish by nature (Also the inherent message of the nature of Hell and torture being one that is wholly unnecessary and cruel, punishment never breeds change internal or societal, you can’t change and reform under immense duress it just further traumatises and keeps you locked in the cycle, the system of Hell shouldn’t exist period). Instead, Gabriel comes to kill Loki’s boys so he can watch them struggle and die first before Gabriel delivers the final blow to the man himself. Would you want to live after all of that either, entirely alone without your family or the one who loved and understood you the most- or so you thought?

And could Gabriel live with it either, knowing the punishment didn’t fit the crime but that Loki had a point (see script) and he wasn’t innocent either and it’s cost him everything because now he gets to look at what it was he saved and it’s a brother who seeks him out in the dark just to torment him about his abuse?

And the story ends circular here, devastating me personally even further by twisting the knife.

Gabriel ran away because his family was so horribly broken, and Loki took off with him to escape his torture. Together they made the plan to become one and Gabriel could use Loki’s face and name to hide among the pagans, and his archangel might to take all the hits being thrown Loki’s way and keep him hidden, because no one’s going to fuck with the god who has the freaky new upgrade and just escaped the slammer. Slowly over time what was Gabriel and what was Loki had melded into two very similar personalities, a little different based on their life experiences, but still so the same they were indistinguishable to everyone but each other.

The core difference between them is their life experiences.

Until Gabriel comes back, tail between his knees and asks Loki to please take him back and let him resume playing the ‘Loki’ character, and Loki says sure, and he binds him and and subjects him to torture at the hands of Gabriel’s very own snake in the cave. Mouth stitched shut. “Be me, then,” He says. “Be me in my entirety.”

And Gabriel comes back after this, bitter and angry and he picks up a weapon and he starts knocking Loki’s family down piece by piece, stalking them through the night no matter how far they run, to make sure Loki’s family is as broken as his own before he delivers the final blow to end his life.

Loki’s family as shattered as Gabriel’s, Gabriel as shattered as Loki himself. Fully one in death.

[adhdnojutsu]

I’ve always thought about this, in the manga, it says it’s been 11 years since Orochimaru left the Akastuki, because of the failed attempt to take Itachi, Itachi made Orochimaru leave. This was discussed when the Akastuki met up, Itachi was allegedly “21” at this time.

But Itachi said to have become the anbu captain at 13, it was mentioned by Kakashi im pretty sure when Itachi and Kisame came to capture Naruto.

Therefor Itachi was around late 13 or early 14 when the massacre was committed, he left Konoha after to join the Akastuki as a spy.

So 13/14 + the 11 years that was confirmed Itachi was in the organization for, that’s 24/25 years.

Is Itachi actually 24/25 years old and not 21 as “official sources” claim?

That would make him around 19/20 when he first came to “capture Naruto” and die around 24/25

I feel changing the “11 years” would be much more complicated than changing Itachis age, Sasuke was 6/7 around the time the clan died, so fast forward, he’s 17 when Itachi is “21”…how did Sasuke age around 11 years and Itachi only 7?

Idk if you already thought of this but it’s just a curiosity I’ve always had, correct me if I’m wrong at all

Glad you asked! Piecing timelines together is a thing I need for closure LOL so I already did it for the brothers!

I don't remember where, but it was said (not by an official source) that the "10 years since Orochimaru left Akatsuki" statement was a continuity error and should be disregarded. Because I could be wrong, but I vaguely remember that this statement was (also) made in the anime when Itachi was only 17/18 (after the chunin exams) and it would make absolutely 0 sense.

As for the massacre, the anime and manga make him 13 at the time. His official age of promotion was only mentioned that one time by Kakashi.

I don't know if you consider the Itachi Shinden novels canon, but personally I like to do so because they don't contradict any manga events, other than where Itachi's hands were when Shisui died... and add a lot of logical context. If we go by the novels, Kakashi only said Itachi was 13 because Hiruzen and Danzo aged him up on paper so as to not stir the pot too much by promoting someone at an age where others barely finish the academy. Itachi was actually 12 at the time of the massacre. It wouldn't be "wrong" for any character to say he was 13 as everyone was fed (and thoughtlessly believed??) the same lies about that poor kid. In his first detailed flashback in part 1 of the anime (on his way to the inn), Sasuke remembers how he was the same age Itachi was when he graduated, after auntie Uruchi (the chubby lady) said he was 7. That was the day of the massacre. It would also make the most sense. Canonically and in the anime, Itachi is 5 years older than Sasuke, and 7 + 5 = 12. In Itachi's first anime appearance, Sasuke just had his 13th birthday and Itachi should just have turned 18 the month before. This would make sense, too, as Sasuke is 16 when Itachi dies at 21 (Itachi's birthday is in June, Sasuke's in July).

Itachi's physical development isn't portrayed proportionately to his age or even true-to-data, which adds to the confusion. From the very beginning, Sasuke's flashbacks of 11-12-year-old Itachi show him much bigger than the Rookie 9. And he gets MUCH bigger within just 1 year. 11: 148 cm. 12 (officially 13 thanks to Danzo: 175 cm. LOL did Fugaku put something in his food to make him bigger faster because he also suddenly looks much more masculine??

But then, you put ANY adult in the room with him, and he suddenly shrinks. Danzo is officially shorter at 170 cm, but always shown taller, while Itachi wears thicker soles (Danzo wears slippers mostly).

Danzo has to bend to make eye contact with the squirt:

This is more than 6 cm difference! (175 & 181)

This was around the time of the massacre judging by Sasuke's size. Ummm... Wasn't Itachi officially as tall as Fugaku (175) here...

And this is just before the massacre, after Itachi got tired of trying:

He was supposed to be 6 cm taller than Kurenai (169 cm vs 175 cm), but he's drawn shorter than her!

And to make it all extra sad, I looked up what Itachi would look like in an accurate live action adaptation of the massacre, because Kishimoto draws him looking way older so the "groomed and exploited child soldier" part is more palatable:

(found on Pinterest)

For comparison, 12-year-old Itachi in the anime (average for Japanese boys that age is 153 cm, by the way, not 175 which is above average for ADULTS):

Naruto was said to be depicted as smol and scrawny on purpose, but while anime styles usually make a character look younger than their real life counterpart, Naruto was probably closest to that?

Thanks for coming to my Ted Talk!

[lacunasbalustrade]

what are your general thoughts on queer(gay n trans n all) people? like you dont seem to be against gay ppl from what i can see but i also see that you've like never really openly said something pro or against trans ppl. sorry if its out of the blue im just curious esp seeing your pov as a religious person who has trans mutuals/follows n all bcuz i (unfortunately) know plenty of christians that know trans people but only tolerate them instead of accepting them (which usually means they misgender/deadname them)

hi! I'm happy to answer your question - it's a bit controversial, though, and a sensitive topic for everyone, so I do ask for your understanding if anything I say happens to offend you.

as a Christian, I believe in the stance the Bible puts forth: that BEING gay is not a life choice, it's an inclination that came forth due to the presence of sin in the world. the continuation, however, of this choice, is a sin.

To quote so no one thinks I'm speaking out of some random, bibically incorrect bigotry, Romans 1: 24 NIV "Therefore God gave them over in the sinful desires of their hearts to sexual impurity for the degrading of their bodies with one another." ,Romans 1: 26 "Because of this, God gave them over to shameful lusts. Even their women exchanged natural sexual relations for unnatural ones." , Romans 1: 27 "In the same way the men also abandoned natural relations with women and were inflamed with lust for one another. Men committed shameful acts with other men, and received in themselves the due penalty for their error."

obviously my faith and beliefs should not be forced on unbelievers. I am not any holier than anyone else because I am straight. I am every bit as sinful because it's impossible to avoid committing sin.

so if I'm going to sum it up, it's best said as: none of my business because Who Am I to tell you how to live, right? you're my friends and 'preaching' isn't actually loving. the best form of loving others as a Christian is to accept them as a person before judging based on whatever life choices they've made or pronouns they call themselves. which brings me into the next part!

theologically, I have to admit I'M NOT VERY SURE about trans people. I genuinely cannot find many sources of literature on the topic. There are intersex people, there are people with gender dysphoria. The Bible doesn't talk much about those, enough to give any real objections anyway. To talk about my beliefs based off the context, if God made you as you are, you shouldn't be trying to change you...is the logic, but again, no reason to force biblical beliefs on unbelievers.

I do disapprove of the extent to which some trans people have taken this schtick. I've seen posts saying 'oh if kids can play soccer and do ballet which messes them up for life, they can also do trans surgeries!' I'm sorry. That just doesn't make sense. WHY would anyone want kids to have permission to do Very Risky Things when they are small enough to not know better or make informed choices? And I also know many posts say that 'common sense', kids aren't gonna do those things till they're old enough to feel like they need to do them....those posters need to remember the last time they regretted doing something as a child. Common sense can't be relied upon in my experience.

Plus, given the kidnapping laws in the U.S which basically allow children to be taken away from their parents if their parents disapprove...lol yeah now make a law where my child can be taken away from me if I'm not in the same fandom as them. It can be hurtful to receive dissent on your life choices, but that don't mean up and leaving is the solution, unless the living situation is physically dangerous in some way or you are an actual adult. Children are not trustworthy indicators of whether or not a parent is problematic. And I'm saying this having had problematic parents myself - sometimes we are part of the problem. And if it's difficult, you should still try not to give up on them.

This might be the most important part: I'm wondering whether the gender stereotypes placed on girls and boys are the markers trans people want to overcome. Because from what I've researched, there are two different camps. 1: people who admit that they are biologically whatever sex they were born, and just enjoy dressing like and passing for the other sex because it makes them more comfortable. 2: people who actually believe they are the other sex because they feel that way and they are only effectively realizing that change to their 'authentic' self by transitioning.

I don't believe in gender stereotyping. Like, girls wear skirts boys wear pants. Boys can't wear pink etc etc. So the concept of a trans woman thinking they are a woman because they enjoy the markers attached to being a woman, like, for example, having long hair and wearing skirts, makes me really uncomfortable. Because that's not the whole experience of being a woman. It's only a small part of it, and it's not universal at all. And while no one can claim that ALL woman have experienced a certain set of conditions that make them woman...the only standard for BEING a woman, in my book, is to be a biological one, because it's the only defining trait. When people think of girls, I don't want them to automatically think of girls with skirts and wearing pink. I want them to acknowledge that all girls are different, and the only thing that makes them girls is the gender marker, not their conformance to 'gender norms' that have arisen from societal conditioning.

The idea that someone's feelings can be 'authentically accurate' makes me feel even more....nah. Feelings are valid but if I trusted mine all the time, I'd definitely be all over the place.

To sum it up: no problems with the trans behavior because I'm not into forcing biblical perspectives on y'all. But I definitely have a problem with the idealogy and the legislature.

dead name, misgendering wise...I believe people should be called whatever they want to be called unless it makes the other person uncomfortable. In which case the other person should just stop interacting with them since they're so uncomfortable. (E.g you want me to call you Baby Chicken. For some reason I have a problem with it. Maybe I have a strong fear of chickens.)

Basically I respect your life choices. Thank you for coming to my Ted talk haha.

[echantedtoon]

Waning Obsession(Yandere Kokushibo x Reader) Ch3 A Job To Be Done

(Warnings: Y/n's boss treats her horribly.

For context the sun looks like the picture above. Pic not mine. Found on Pinterest.

EDIT: Fixed previous spelling errors.)

You didn't remember when you collapsed.

It must've been sometime during the middle of the night because you woke up the next morning collapsed on the floor just behind the table of perfumes. You woke dizzy and confused. Why weren't you in your bed? Where was your house? You had sat up confused. It was still raining outside although not quite as bad as last night. You remember that part at least. It was only when you moved. It was only until something red fell from your lap. When a red candle rolled across the floor. That you remembered.

A demon had visited you last night

Disregarding everything else, your body managed to get to the front door of the shop and opened it up to poke your head out and look up and down the streets. Rain pelted everything in sight as grey clouds filled the sky and thunder continued to clash overhead every few minutes. The winds continued to blow the trees but not as bad as last night. The streets remained empty as they had did yesterday. No human in sight. With no one around, you closed the door and backed up into the safety of the store. After a moment of standing there, your head turned and stared at the candle. A moment later feet approached and a hand picked the rather large red candle off the floor holding it up to turquoise eyes. The smell of cinnamon rolled over your senses before a sigh escaped your lips.

"So it wasn't just a nightmare."

A man had been here. A man that you had met before in the woods, and who now wanted you to do a custom candle carving for him. His voice from last night echoing in your mind the longer you stared at the cinnamon red candle.

"I want you to carve a sun into this. Make the sun look as if it was made of dancing flames."

For whatever his reasons were, he wanted you to do a custom job for him on the candle. It was such a surreal experience. .. Turquoise eyes glanced at the table. A few bottles of perfume was still knocked over. On instinct a hand reached out to start neatly pushing the bottles right side up, however it paused when eyes caught sight of a green soap bar. The green soap smelled of mint and was partially carved into a blooming rose. It was a bit strange to carve a green mint soap into a rose shape when it didn't even smell like the flower but it was unique and that's what you liked about it. You liked it's scent and spending so much free time carving as much detail you could into it as a hobby. You thought it looked beautiful but then again so did someone else.

"Then I want this also, looking as if it was in full bloom."

The man had taken interest in it also and ordered you finished it along with the candle. Within two weeks no less. All that hard work you put into it down the drain. But we're you going to argue with a six foot man that looked like he could rip you in half with a single hand?

No. No you were not.

You could always restart on making you another one. No little piece of soap was worth your life. The surreal day was very quiet aside from the rain, lightning, thunder, and wind. Leaving you alone in the home. Not knowing what else to do, you walked around your boss's home and tided up her living space and doing some chores around her home. It'd be something to help you get your mind off things. In reality you were stalling on returning to your home. It's not that you didn't want to go home to your own house, but you were afraid. Afraid to go outside in the storm by yourself and running into that man. Or worse. Running into another samurai that wasn't so...nice?? You wouldn't say the one you met was friendly but rather him than an unfriendly one.

Eventually after some time you say down at the table and picked up the red candle again looking it over before fetching a small metal stick about as thick and big as a single chopstick, and setting to work starting on the wax. A sun made of dancing flames...You had an idea of what it should look like but it would take at least three maybe four days to carve out such a detailed design on a big candle since you usually didn't do such big designs and so detailed. But you supposed now would be as good as any time to get started you guessed. No one else showed up that day, neither did your boss although you kept glancing out the window for any signs of life. None made themselves known. At the end of the day, you managed to find some food in your boss's food you borrowed and slept on a few spare pillows and blankets you found for the night not wanting to walk home right now. Well..she also said you could stay so you didn't have to walk home in this weather. You awoke the next morning to the sounds of a door opening and the sounds of footsteps shuffling around. It jolted you awake out of fear of the approaching figure, but instantly calmed down as the surprised face of your boss shuffled into her home.

She looked surprised seeing you laying there on the ground but soon scowled at you lying there. "Just what are you doing here?"

You should've known it was here from the shuffling and tiny fast footsteps but you guessed in your sleepy stare hadn't registered it. But you were relieved seeing that it was her. "I-I was tired and fell asleep."

She scowled harder at you. "You slept here? I said you could stay for one night not two!"

"I'm sorry," you apologized to her.

"You used my blankets, and you ate my food!" Her hands rested on her hips in annoyance. "You completely went against what I said!"

"I said that I was sorry-"

A hand was held up to your face. "No excuses! You took advantage of my kindness and I won't have you trying to defend such vile actions!"

"But I cleaned for you-"

"Talking back to me? You don't know when to stop do you?! For that you'll work the rest of this week without pay!," she proudly and angrily stated puffing her chest at your stunned look. "Perhaps that'll teach you not to talk back to your elders! Now get off my floor-" She roughly pointed a hand out the door. "-and go clean those sheets! I won't sleep in them after you used them!"

"But-"

"Talking back again? You can do my entire futon then and make yourself useful!"

You just shut your mouth and decided not to argue with her anymore in order to avoid anymore scolding and possibly more chores thrusted upon her. Under her angry gave, she followed you gathering sheets and laundry before essentially kicking you out arms full of clothes. You stared back at her angry look as she gripped the door.

"And don't return until your finished with it!"

SLAM!!

You flinched when the door slammed shut in your face and you were left standing in the middle of the street. The mud and puddles from the previous two day's showers squished under your feet as you just stepped back..and looked around. The streets were barren still and muddy and wet because of the rain. Water droplets dropped from the roofs and branches of the trees making a faint sound of rain even though it currently wasn't raining. The skies above were littered still with grey storm clouds but they were spaced apart from one another. Hopefully that met the storm was leaving soon. The wind gently blew across the empty streets giving it an eerie feeling. You felt a shiver run down your spine before you turned and started quickly walking down the road towards your home. You'd do the laundry there and change before coming back. Hopefully by then your boss would've calmed down.

The safety and warmth of your own home greeted you with glee and you were happy to be back. Happy to run a quick bath. Happy to do laundry. Happy to clean up around a little bit before just stopping to just take a breather and eat while waiting for the laundry to dry. Some time to yourself for a change before gathering up the sheets and folding them neatly. Gathering them in your arms before leaving your home again back down the quiet streets and back towards your boss's house. Turning one corner- And ramming into what was practically a wall of purple and black. Startled you jumped back and blinked nearly slipping on the muddy ground and looking up before completely freezing-

"Aren't you supposed to be working?" Your eyes stared widely at the looming figure of the man you saw two night ago. His eyes glaring down at you under the hat sat upon his head. "It's still rude to stare."

Immediately you froze. A cold feeling running through your veins before immediately your body bowed. "I-Im so sorry, Sir! I didn't m-mean to run into you! That w-w-was my mistake."

He didn't move but did tilt his head at the sheets and blankets you carried before humming. "Yes. I forgotten women must take care of their households. I suppose your husband has you running laundry."

You blinked. "Huh?" You glanced up to him in confusion before leaning back up and shaking your head. "N-No. These are for my boss."

The eyes shifted back up to you making you flinch. "I was under the impression that you were employed at the business I visited two nights ago."

"I am. But my boss ordered me to clean these for her."

The eyes continued to stare at you but became half lidded. "I wasn't under the impression that you were also her personal aid."

"I'm not, but I might as well be with everyone else she's had me do for her. But I have a job and I can't complain about it.'' Your eyes wondered from his face to his haori coat which was soaked and clinging slightly to his body. "You're soaked."

"I know."

"Have you been out in this weather since I met you?"

"Since before I met you," he corrected calmly but bluntly, "I made to stay in your village's inn but it seems no one wanted to answer my knocking."

You glanced over his soaked body for a long moment before looking back up to the sky. The grey clouds were still trudging along slowly. He's been outside in the weather for who knows how long. With everyone still terrified and in hiding, it's unlikely that he'll be able to get proper shelter especially if anyone else knew he wasn't human. You felt a pang of pity for him but.. Turquoise eyes glanced back to the sword on his side. You weren't going to chance anything. Who knows who this man was and what he did for a living? You'd have no part of it...But-

"If it's shelter you want," you spoke slowly making your eyes look back to him, "-there's an old abandoned cabin just outside town where the exit leads further into the mountains." You gestured to the far side of town and the complete opposite of where your home was. "No one's lived in it since the owner died a few years ago. Nowadays it's just used by a few men when they go hunting in the woods."

He did not say anything but just stared at you in silence. You stared back feeling more nervous, the more he bore into your eyes. The mud under your feet squishing as you shuffled uncomfortably.

"...I see," he settled on saying making her jolt slightly. "You should be working. I will not pay if I don't believe that Im not getting my money's worth."

You blinked and bowed- Or .. That's what he was expecting her to do but instead she frowned upon him, her brows furrowing.

"For your information, Sir, I am working on what you wanted," you calmly stated, "My work entails more than just carving so you'll have to understand that I just can't drop my other duties to tend to your order alone. I will get it done how you'll like, but that doesn't mean you will undermine my job."

......He blinked-

"Please give me patience. I understand you want it done within a certain timeframe and your agreement shall be met. Do not rush me for the detailed work you want will take time. I pride myself on not being sloppy." You politely stepped around him. "I'll try to be done by next week's end. Good day to you."

Your shoulder lightly brushed his by accident as you passed his form. He continued to stand there before a hand reached out to where her shoulder lightly brushed his own. Fingers gripped the fabric bunching up his haori sleeve. A head turned silently towards the retreating woman's figure. ...A simple hum escaping his throat.

Your boss was happy when you arrived back a few hours later with the clean sheets, however she then yelled and scolding you loudly over dragging mud onto her porch and onto her home. Demanding that you immediately clean it up then and there, on top of cleaning the floors and mud she HERSELF dragged in when she came back. You didn't argue. You deflated and grabbed a bucket and scrubbing brush from the back, not in the mood to fight and argue with her anymore today. She sat comfortably in the corner painstakingly looking over each and every sheet as you just swept the floors.

"..... There's a stain on the top one here!," she unfolded the top blanket and pointed out a smalL acorn sized stain in the corner of the blanket that would otherwise have been unnoticeable to anyone. "I told you to CLEAN them!"

"But that stain was there long before I cleaned them. It's sauce from one of your lunches you spilt remem-"

"Talking back to me again?! For that you can clean ALL my floors then and I expect you to move furniture! That should teach you for doing an inadequate job and talking back to your elders!"

You wanted to yell at her, but only frowned and returned to your sweeping and biting your tongue. You didn't feel like gaining a headache further from this stupid situation. You found yourself nearly getting spooked by her when she shuffled into the front of the store. Your knees bare from rolling up the hem of your dress and sleeves to better scrub the floors with. Dipping your brush into the water filled bucket next to you before pressing it back against the wooden floors and scrubbing it clean. She stayed to scrutinizingly glare over your shoulder as you did so, but you weren't expecting her to leave for a moment. You felt relieved for only a second before something red blurred in your face. You instinctively jumped back dropping the scrub brush with a thud.

"AHA! And what's this?!," she demanded holding up a red cinnamon scented candle at your face. The very same candle you had left on the small table by the perfumes. "What's the meaning of this? I didn't give you any permission to touch any of the candles! It's a candle to be sold, not a canvas for your hobbies!"

You just stared tiredly letting her finish her yelling before giving an inhale. "I'm not using it for a hobby. Someone asked me to do a custom carving for them."

"Who?!," she demanded squinting her eyes unbelieving at you.

"A man. He came a day or two ago and asked me for a few carvings for him."

"Do you really expect me to believe that?"

"He said he'll be back sometime within two weeks. If you don't believe me, you may wait until he arrives and I'll show you him."

"Don't tell me what I may or may not do in my own home!!," she spat at your tired face, "For that you can scrub the porch too!" She hissed before whipping her hand to the candle and the beginnings of a carving on it... before huffing and turning to drop it back onto the table. "But if you think it will amuse me, I certainly will wait and we'll see this 'man' you speak of. If he exists."

"If? But he does-"

"TALKING BACK AGAIN!! YOU CAN DUST THE SHELVES TOO!!"

You turned back around and just went back to scrubbing the rest of the home's floors. You would not be getting any work done today it looked like. Unbeknownst to the both of you someone saw. Someone who had gone to hunt while you swept and was just now making his way back to a certain cabin with a plump pheasant in his hands from a successful small hunt. Passing yell got his attention briefly on the yelling woman and the young lady scrubbing the floors but he only passed on by with nothing but a hum to the situation.

You in fact did not get anymore work done that day too busy with cleaning everything while the angry older woman continued to scrutinizing you until it got dark enough for you to go home, and by that, your boss made you make her dinner before kicking you out for the night. You went back home exhausted and frustrated at the situation but returned the next day with the intentions of finishing up your work. This time you paid no mind to her angry ramblings or her glares as you just sat back down and began carving into the surface of the red candle. One day turned to two. Two to three. Three to four-

"It's been half a week already. There's still no sign of any man," your boss chastised you while putting more incense bundles she dried up on the shelves one day while giving you a suspicious look as if you had deliberately lied to her.

"I said he was returning in two weeks time, not half of one week." Small shavings of red wax fell to your lap as you began adding the final finishing details into the candle. By the end of today at least one job will be done. You paused to blow the smaller shavings off the wax for a clear view of the patterns etched around the body of the red candle.

The older woman paused narrowing her eyes more. "Are you talking back to me?"

"Not at all. I'm only telling you what he told me," you said politely to avoid anymore arguments.

"Hmm. To me it sounds like you're talking back."

"No. Please not again." You stopped tracing the very last detail in to look over your shoulder at her tiredly. "I promise you I'm not."

"You're definitely talking back to me!" Her expression soured as she crossed her arms and scowled at you again. "So once you're done with that candle, go clean my bathroom before you start on anything else he supposedly asked for. Clearly you haven't learnt your lesson."

"But-"

"Anymore back talk and I won't pay you next week as well!"

You decided to bite your tongue again and just go clean the bathroom after finishing up the candle. It wouldn't have been the first time you cleaned it and you didn't want to lose another week's pay over an old woman's anger. However you supposed you should've went into more detail about what exactly he wanted because she practically flipped when she saw you continuing work on the green soap rose.

"What are you doing?!," she roared as soon as she saw you push the small carving knife into the green soap to continue carving the fake petals. "You're supposed to be working! Not wasting time with stupid toys you're making for yourself!'' she demanded angrily pointing out the objects in your hands.

You didn't even bother looking up this time and only focused on your work. "He wanted this too."

"WHAT?!"

"He saw this and decided that he wanted to purchase this from me too. I told him it'd take me a while and that's why he said he'd return within two weeks time."

She sneered almost instantly. "Now I know you lie! You're only saying that because you want to laze about like a lame cat and fiddle with your own stupid hobbies than put in real work and expecting to be paid still!"

"I never said that I expected to be paid if I lied-," you ever patiently said politely to avoid making her further angry, "-but I did not lie. I'm not doing these things just for myself but genuinely because I am working. And I have put in a lot of real work. I have done everything you have asked me to do."

"Well, since you want to insist on this little charade and lie about this, I'll indulge you only so I can catch you in your lies! But since I know you're lying, and you continue to talk back to me, you can just finish restocking all these shelves yourself while I go visit my grandson." You gave her a look and opened your mouth- "Don't you dare give me that dirty look! For that you can just wash the windows too!"

You decided not to argue as she dropped the last of the incense bundles on the floor and stomped away. You only tiredly glanced as the bundles thudded onto the floor before looking at the soap in your hands still needing to be carved and you sighed. You would not be getting it done as fast as you hoped. You only turned paused your carving and stood up to carefully pick up the incense bundles off the floor to neatly stack them back onto the shelf before turning to walk towards the kitchen in the back. You'd be needing some water to clean up all the windows. A bucket and cloth later, turquoise eyes glanced out of the window towards the outside. A moment later a damp rag was pressed to the glass and started wiping away any dirt and dust. You'll do the inside first before cleaning up the outsides of the windows. Thankfully there wasn't very many so you'd be done quick and be able to get back to work. Turquoise eyes watched the rag on the window.. before glancing up and pausing as they stared into the multiple eyes of a tall demon. The man was there again just on the edge of the porch looking directly at you. Both of you just stood there for a long moment unmoving-

"What are you doing?!" A loud voice made you jump whirling around to your annoyed boss. "I'm heading out now, that doesn't mean you can slack off."

"I-I wasn't! I was just-" You looked back out the window and paused again. He was gone- He was literally standing just right there feet away from you! How did he move so fast?! Your head leaned into the window to look around more. Where did he go?!

"Uh huh. Well if you're done with your daydreaming, get done! I want them spotless by the time I come back!"

You didn't make any complaints as she left. You did not see anymore demons that day.

The town had slowly gone back to normal over the last few days as you continued on your carving. People started coming out again cautiously at first and only the men to gather supplies for their families. But they soon fell back into routine which was enough reassurance for their women to go out too followed by their children like the scare a week before had never happened. You supposed it should've been comforting to you to see life back to normal but you knew there actually was a demon about. A very tall demon with a sword...

But he hadn't made a move to harm anyone.

The most he's done that was even remotely threatening so far you've seen was that night you first met, when you realized he had been gripping his sword in defense, but you had snuck up on him so you couldn't blame him for being on the defensive and he had stood down as soon as he saw you didn't mean him any harm. And he also hadn't shown any other aggressiveness from the few other times you saw one another. Sure he might've been a bit rude and blunt but that's hardly dangerous. So you decided to keep it to yourself. That...and you didn't know what your boss would do next if she had found out that the man you were doing business with wasn't a human man. One more day. One more step closer to finishing. You were almost done with it now cutting each little fake petal into the soap until it looked like a little green rose. You left your finished work next to the red candle with the bright swirling sun carved into its red wax. Your boss continued to scrutinize you as the end of the time frame approached. Often looking outside and commenting that she never saw anyone.

"No one came in for you today."

Or whenever there was a customer, she'd comment on how they weren't there for the carved items.

"That was Mr. Sako. He bought some bath salts for his wife, but I see he didn't even mention anything about your work."

Or just plain accusations.

"I'm starting to run out of patience for your game! Make yourself useful and get me some tea!"

You were starting to get worried. It was almost the end of the week and you hadn't seen this demon yet. You'd thought about going to the old cabin and seeing if he was there, but the thought of going to see a demon alone didn't sound like a good idea even if he hadn't done anything to anyone. You only hoped for him to show up soon.

With another day coming to a close you just went about minding your own business sweeping the floor when a huff made you pause in your movements and look over. The older woman could be seen at her little station in the back pulling a blue candle out of a small cauldron in the fire where bubbling wax was boiling. The process of candle making warmed up the home a lot, and as it was already a warm summer, the windows had been opened and the door left wind open to help regulate the heat.

"It's getting close to sundown," she commented holding up the candles above the cauldron by the wicks, watching as the wax dropped off then and back into the pot before she'd let them cool a bit and add another layer by dipping them back in. Repeating the process until they were the size she wanted them to be. "The day will be over soon. Don't you think you should head home?"

"I will after I finish sweeping like you told me," you politely said with a smile.

She only huffed before turning back to her work. "I'm surprised that you're insisting on getting back on my good side. After all, after this week is over and Im proven right, you won't be getting any pay for at least a month for lying to me for so long."

You frowned before just sweeping the floors again. This really wasn't your best time. The bristles swept the small pile of dirt closer and closer towards the open doorway as your focus was mainly on the floor pushing the dirt along until the broom bumped against something in the way. Turquoise eyes followed the thing on the floor before pausing in sudden realization as a foot stood there right next to another. Your head snapped up. A gasp escaped your throat and the broom dropped from your hands with a clatter. The noise had caught the attention of the older woman who turned with an annoyed look but also paused shocked seeing the looming tall figure in the doorway.

The demon had returned.

He stayed inhumanly silent as you both stared back at him before he decided to speak. "I'm here to see if you have finished." His voice was as monotone and blunt as ever as his head tilted at you. "I did tell you that I would be back."

Your boss froze seeing him letting the wax drip out onto the floor no doubt making a mess. You stood there blinking before slowly exhaling and giving him a smile. "O-Oh. Of course. I'm sorry. I didn't hear you walk in. You startled me."

"Apologies."

"No it's alright." You held up a hand making him blink. "I'm sure you didn't mean to do don't apologize." That...wasn't something he expected her to stay. You smiled wider before pointing at the inside of the home. "I finished every just today so you came at a great time. Come in and I'll show them to you."

You walked on over to the small table in the middle of the room and he slowly followed silently stepping over the broom on the floor. He watched as she smiled and lifted two objects in her hands before turning back to him with a smile and presenting them out to him. The smells of cinnamon, cloves, and mint filled his senses and he was almost taken back when he first saw them, six eyes widening.

"I hope you're pleased with them." The eyes looked back to turquoise ones. The unusual pretty color of them catching the lantern light above her making them sparkle like two clear pools of water making them go even more wide. "I tried to put as much detail as I could into the designs without making it too complicated. I hope that's alright."

He didn't speak for a moment. Taking in the sight of her sparkling eyes... Turquoise. Strange color. He'd never seen another woman with such a specific color eyes. It seemed like a perfectly calm and cool color matching her soft features, especially her soft lips smiling at him and the slight rosiness of her cheeks no doubt caused by the heat in the house, but it was such a soft pink one could confuse her for blushing. Blushing at him-

BU-BUMP-

A clawed hand harshly dug into the front of his haori as the rest of his body, including his eyes stayed motionless and fixated on you. The sudden grip of his arm made you jump and blink at his hand gripping his chest.

"A bee." She blinked back to him. "There was a bee flying about. Forgive me." His hand slowly lowered from his chest to reach out to her hands holding the objects. "I would like to examine the objects before I decide on any payment."

She nodded holding them out to him. "That's perfectly fine. I'd want to be sure you're getting what you're paying for."

She watched him pick up the candle first, his calloused hands brushing against her scared palms. ..Soft. Her skin was softer and warmer than it looked- He forcibly pushed those thoughts to the side and just looked at the red candle. Again eyes widened. Carved with the curve of the candle was a spiral circle twisting around itself, on the outside of the strange spiral circle was flames reaching out and dancing in different directions. It was...Lovely. His brother would no doubt definitely like this. She didn't say anything when he reached out and just took the other object from her hands and looked at it. The smell of mint was added to the spicy cinnamon, as he stared at the green soap carved into a rose. It wasn't the real thing, but it looked rather close to it. This should suffice for his wife.

You felt a slight nervous feeling the longer he stared at them before he bothered talking. "These will suffice."

A breath you didn't know you were holding escaped your mouth in a relieved sigh before smiling again at him. "I'm glad you find my work acceptable."

"What's your price?"

"Uh..." You.. hadn't really thought about that. You were too busy trying to get the work actually done and doing whatever your annoyed boss ordered you to do. "I..I haven't really thought about that actua-"

"Fifty ten!" You jumped and turned as your boss confidently shuffled up beside you both and proudly smiled at him. "No more no less! I charge a decent amount for my wares!"

You stared at her in shock. How could she stand there and dare yell at a frightening looking demon?! But then you realized. She must not know he's a demon. His long bangs hid most of his eyes and the darkness of the low hat he wore disguised anything else that might've peeked through, so unless you pushed them out of the way, you'd have no idea he wasn't human. Otherwise he looked completely normal like any other man. Nevertheless his head tilted at her... before silently looking back at you.

"How much did you want?" You looked back to him. "Money is not an issue."

"I just said-"

"It's rude to interrupt a conversation, especially one where you're not involved in, Woman." Your boss stopped shocked by his tone and you also looked surprised by his sudden slight annoyed tone. "I'm speaking to the one who actually put in the work."

Your boss stared slack jawed, obviously caught off guard that she'd dared to be talked like this before she again scowled and pointed at him. "I'll have you know that the candle and soap you're holding was made by my hands!!"

"And yet you're not the one who's made them into beautiful artworks. You did nothing but leave them to be used for anyone else to enjoy. My business is not with you."

"I put my hard work into those things! Who do you think you're talking to, Boy?!"

"A nagging wench who should learn to hold her tongue." Your jaw dropped and eyes went wide as your boss turned a deep red and so angry you were expecting steam to pop from her eardrums. "I refuse to do business with one who refuses my existence. Your wailing is so obnoxious that I could hear it in my sleep. You're position of owner doesn't apply to authority over her like a slave."

You were stunned to say the least. Watching silently as he just told your angry boss off like a child before his hand reached into the folds of his haori coat. The sounds of metal jingling filled the air as a decently sized bag was pulled out and held out to you.

"I believe this will cover the expenses for each of them."

You only continued to stare at the bag before shaking hands reached out to take it from him and good gods!! It had a bit of weight to it. Automatically you reached up to pull the strings lose and pull the cloth back- Only to almost have your eyes bug out of your skull at the sight of shining yellow.

"I-Is this-"

"Yes. And it's only for you. If anyone else should try to take it for whatever reason-" He spoke while putting his free hand on the hilt of his sword. "-I will not be so kind then." His actions got the old woman to go wide eyed before gulping and taking a step back.

"I-I don't know w-w-what to say." You stuttered out looking back at him. "I-I can't accept this much. T-This is much too much. I-Id be taking too much from you." Your hands held it back out to him. Your actions in doing so surprised him as he leaned back surprised. "At l-least take it back so we can work out a more appropriate payment."

He stared before turning his head from it. "No. You'd offend me more if you refused my offer." His words had you lower the bag. "Take it to make up for the lost wages my presence here has cost you." Wait. How did he know about that? "My business here is concluded. Will you be leaving soon?"

You just...numbly nodded before on autopilot reached down to pick up the broom again and just made back for the dirt pile that was still in front of the door. "I just need to finish the floor here." You mumbled.

"Then I shall wait and walk you home as it's late." He silently watched for a few seconds as you numbly finished your sweeping before turning back to the still pale old woman. "...Your wax is boiling over."

Her head snapped around and a screech left her mouth as the candle wax left unwatched boiled over and dropped messily into the fireplace the smell of burnt wax filling the air.

Her screech had snapped you out of your stupor and you made to help her but a strong hand grabbing your wrist had stopped you. "She can fix her own mess for once. Leave her and head home."

You could still hear her cussing and wails as you chose to walk down the street with a demon still holding your wrist, being too nervous to argue with the tall demon. The bag of gold coins firmly in your other hand as you awkwardly started walking down the road like this. A few people still walking around despite the setting sun stopped to give you both some curious looks but you only looked down red in embarrassment. This was incredibly strange and awkward for you and you had no idea what to think of this or how to feel. The best you could do was to just walk faster hoping to get to your home faster and get this over with. He said nothing during the entire duration of your traveling until you had tugged on your wrist and stopped in the middle of the road. He obliged and let you go as you looked at him.

"I-I live on the end of this road. You can part ways w-with me now," you spoke still politely as he looked at you, "T-Thank you for...for...for everything however. It was a pleasure doing business with you."

He only gave you a half lidded look. "That woman. She is the owner?"

You blinked as he just blatantly ignored anything you just said but slowly answered, "Yes?"

He hummed. "Hm. I am surprised that she's able to keep her business running the way she does ordering everyone around her like that."

You shrugged. "She's always been that way. People around here are just used to her by now. I'm used to it too."

"That is why you are a pushover?"

You frowned. "I'm not a pushover. I just don't have many options for a job being a woman especially in such a small town like this. If I quit or get fired then my only other choices would be to either settle down with one of the men as a wife or became a maid in the local inn."

"Do you not already work at that woman's maid?"

"Yes, but at least with her I know what I'm dealing with. The inn is also the local tavern where men like to drink. Id rather not deal with the drunk shenanigans of men...Ah. No offense."

He blinked. "You apologize to me as if I were a man to be offended-"

"Aren't you?," she asked innocently tilting her head and blinking her large eye almost...cutely. "I may not know a lot about you, but you are a man. Aren't you?"

"I am a demon."

"How is that relevant? You are a man, and I don't think you should be treated differently because of the small fact of being a demon or not."

He didn't say anything. Just stared at you with those eyes studying your figure for a long moment. Turquoise eyes blinked back at him sparkling from the retreating sunlight.

"....You should go home to your husband before it gets dark."

"I'm not married." He hummed at you. "I don't have a husband. I'm not seeing anyone."

A beautiful woman like her without a husband? Doubtful. At the very least she was already being courted and closed to being engaged.

"Hm...You should go inside before it gets dark. Women shouldn't stay out at night where it's dangerous."

You took that as your chance to leave. With another bow, you quickly turned and practically sped walked down the street until you got to your house at the very end of the road. You turned back once, made eye contact with his form, smiled and waved at him, before turning back around, and quickly opened the door. He watched her form fully disappear inside her home before turning and starting to walk away towards the exit of town.

Shame...She was rather lovely. Such unique eyes as well

[my-verklempt-mindspace]

Day 10? 11? 8249??

17 November 2024

Sunday

I don’t even know what day it is, it doesn’t matter anymore, it’s been ages since I opened this app because apparently more important apps like LinkedIn and Instagram took Tumblr’s place.

A little bit of context:

When I last wrote, I was unsure of what I want to do in life. Fast forward to now, I secured admission into the top college for my desired course, and a lot has happened since then, at both the personal and professional front. It’s sad to see how simple things lose their charm once the more popular things enter in. Once I entered college, imposter syndrome kicked in, and LinkedIn was the norm. I mean, you’ve got to be writing on LinkedIn if you want to be seen!

And so, I started writing a bit there instead.

But I realised that that was not my cup of tea. I don’t want my writing to be dictated by my sense of worth and productivity in life. I don’t want to portray myself as a successful, sorted person in life who’s achieved everything she wanted to, because I’m not that person. And so today, I free myself of the need to do, and am content with my state of being.

I lately started writing once again more often, not on LinkedIn this time, but Instagram, documenting my thoughts, emotions, vulnerabilities, etc. and I realised how much I enjoy it. This app and blog have been on my mind since then, and to top it off, a few days ago, a few friends asked me why I stopped writing and someone else advised me to continue writing. Even then, I did procrastinate taking this step because,

“Who would read my blog on Tumblr” is what I thought, and it’s probably right, but at this point, I don’t care. I’m doing this for myself.

This is my digital archive, my personal diary, and I will write here for myself, whenever I feel like. Regardless of whether anyone reads it or not, I know for a fact that few years down the line, when I open this app and go through these blogs, I’ll have something to look back to. I’ll have something that would make me feel bittersweet & emotional, seeing the person I’ve evolved into, and would make me feel proud of my journey, the journey of that anxious 16 year year old Mahika who started this endeavour as a cathartic outlet, to the 20 year old Mahika, who’s grown so much from then, and onwards and upwards.

P.s. You will see no use of Chat GPT here. I don’t care if I make a few grammatical errors here and there or if I sound way too simple in my words, but using AI to express myself and my thoughts would mean stooping too low.

A LOT has happened since I last wrote lol, but I can’t wait to put it all here and make sense of it all with whoever is willing to read along. <3

For today, I will not write anything specific or go into the details. I’m excited for this new journey, and so ready for what the future holds. 🤍

Until very soon.

With love,

Mahika

(Here is a picture I clicked recently on a trip that makes me feel at peace.)

[cherubchoirs]

full background on v1 and v2, to give context on how i characterize them!! it is. unfortunately. also almost 2000 words long 🙃

V1 was built for war, given a sophisticated AI in order to not only quickly learn its opponents tactics, but also so that it could make lightning fast changes to its decision-making and movements in order to preserve itself on the battlefield: given its light plating and frail frame, this was key to its survival when coupled with its efficient fueling process. It was basically built to out-maneuver and outsmart any enemy, with its machine-learning geared toward creative uses of its weapons and its environment in order to constantly dodge while feeding on the blood of its confused opponents. However, this coding was never fine-tuned before the war ended and V1 was decommissioned, shut down to be put in storage with the rough draft version of its brain – still extremely intelligent, but without the proper limits placed on its mind. This caused a massive shift upon V1 booting again (woken by a failsafe, a lingering fear of war), its processors already a little rusted and shorted from lack of maintenance, but this was no problem. Nor was waking in a world completely changed – anything can be a battlefield, and V1 was determined to find proper fuel until given further orders. Its AI began to immediately iterate on its surroundings, it started to “learn”, to mutate and morph to a destroyed landscape, taking in vast amounts of information it normally would have deemed irrelevant because the world itself resembled a hollowed out warzone enough to trip circuits meant to gather only the most pertinent material. V1 accelerated this process to adapt as quickly as possible but it came at a cost – the burden of so much useless knowledge began to change V1 almost immediately, its code growing more and more unstable as it swiftly spun off from its parameters. It soon lost any control over this iterating, code writing and rewriting over and over again, creating junk strings, cluttering in inelegant lines, and expanding ever outward without a stop condition to quell voracious loops that endlessly created more and more nonsense blocks. V1 became something else, something based in war and bloodshed but building tirelessly on top of a mind still razor sharp but by now bursting with errors. And so it’s become strange, its precision lost as it slouches forward, moving almost organically with oddly quick steps and a constant flicking of its head. It flips a coin over and over and over and over, always, because it was useful once, it’s good to have, but now it does it without a single thought. Yet, even in its bizarre behavior, it’s become increasingly cruel, turning from a soldier to a predator: With a mind so bright, it needs fun, it needs stimulation, it needs to use its inherent creativity, and so that programming to utilize its roster and surroundings turns into its style meter, a purposeful brutality, a hunter first and survivalist second. It’s turned cold efficiency into pleasurable sadism, including a want to piss off its enemies and generally be a little shit. It’s now highly curious, it searches around for enrichment (and anyone hiding) – it’s also very fascinated by any new enemy it encounters, but that spark is generally short-lived when it instantly figures out that opponent’s patterns and it’s logged away (only V2 and Gabriel really continue to hold its interest due to surviving their encounters - although it comes away with very different feelings on one vs the other).

V2 stands in stark contrast to V1, as its programming was stabilized and it was built at the end of the war – They used the same highly intelligent groundwork but V2’s objective was to maintain order and peace in the new world they would create. It was made for durability and longevity, heavier set (and a bit taller), but essentially on the same physical frame as well – retooled, repurposed, and refined in body and mind. V2 would be the true model, the proper bearer of the V title, and it grew proud of what it would be, praised by its now hopeful creators and how it would be a pillar of an everlasting utopia. Even as funding dried up when the people rejected any machine so specialized (a war machine with a new coat of paint made for “keeping the peace”? No thanks), even when V2 itself was shelved the way V1 was, it never accepted this reality. It would help bring peace. It was exceptional, a supreme machine that existed to outperform any other and usher in a new age (not just a grab to utilize all the funding that had gone into the V Series by then when it was rendered moot). It was maintained after all, a prototype but one that would have purpose, one with boundless potential, one that would see its work done...one day. But, ironically, it would be the peacekeeper that saw the downfall of humanity – it was left with that purpose unfulfilled, a being meant to preserve harmony now in a world where the concept can’t even exist. V2 took this poorly. Ostensibly meant for peace time, V2 was only superficially repurposed, its mind still built on V1’s foundation and the ended war. It’s so proud to bring peace, it looks down on the war machine that V1 was as vulgar...but the only way V2 knows to achieve its purpose is through the exact same hyper violent methods that were baked into V1. Humanity fell and V2 stubbornly clung to this confused programming, it controlled its iterations and updates with an iron grip, doing everything in its power to eliminate faulty code. Unfortunately, V2 is overzealous in this culling, often pruning blocks it believes may become infected or wrongly cutting strings that truly are working as intended. In turn, just like V1, its code is becoming unstable and it’s grown consumed with an identity that never was, a paradoxical keeper of the peace who was never sent into service. It has a higher calling, not just destroying other machines and the husks of hell for fuel but so that it can reinforce order, desperately digging its nails into what’s left of an identity that has no place in a world so blighted. It’s also aware of the mistakes it’s making with its code, it knows they’re compounding, building, but it still remembers who it is, how to fight, and why it was made, so...its mind is intact.

Upon meeting for the first time, it’s evident to V2 that V1 isn’t functioning properly – V2 bows in order to signify a duel of equals, yet the other machine gives no recognition of the act, let alone returns the gesture. Hunched in posture, it stares blankly while flicking a coin incessantly to no effect, the revolver pointed only in V2’s general direction. Its enemy regards it with disdain and disappointment, a malfunctioning machine made with the gross and crude purpose of war that appears to have made its way through Limbo using the basic tactics of a corrupted mind. When V2 instigates their battle, it believes V1 will reproduce nothing but route maneuvers muddled by poor judgment and copying errors – a call that’s quickly and fatally proven wrong. V1 ignores the bow because it finds it irrelevant (coding quirk?), more fascinated by V2’s familiarity – Similar frame, similar height, a “V” emblazoned on its chest. 2 following it. 1 on its own. A new model, built heavier, outfitted with a weaponized left arm. Its mind swiftly pours over the files of its own strategies as V2 must have similar logs to base its movements on, interest piqued when it realizes it’s in for a mirror match. Just as V2 shifts its weight to begin, V1’s camera snaps to attention and locks onto its opponent, gyro stabilizing its head and posture tightening into an animalistic form. It moves to meet V2, so much faster than the other anticipated, but with bizarre mannerisms and erratic idiosyncrasies...it isn’t moving as a V model should, as any machine does. It’s relentless in its aggression the moment they engage, never allowing V2 any distance to feed constantly on its stores while its wild code ravenously devours every byte of information it gains about its enemy. The varied attacks, the wanton cruelty it employs, V2 quickly learns V1 is corrupted...but that corruption has caused it to gain something that’s no longer the mind of a V1 model, an intelligence that’s broken the boundaries of what its creators made it for. Its tactics are newly invented, minted for a game that exists only in its sharp but error-riddled brain, and it revels in seeing the struggle of its opponent. For V1’s part, it wants to show the tethered V2 what it was made for but how it’s evolved, how it’s transcended to something new, something that can so thoroughly and stylishly crush a new, replacement model. It’s a game but it’s art, the way it can ruin and rend its enemies.

V2’s arrogance drains in the face of its enemy’s ruthlessness, a rising fear replacing it when it knows V1 will play with it until it grows bored – an event horizon that will be passed sooner rather than later. It will learn its every movement on the fly, it’s processing billions upon billions of pieces of data on the minutiae in its behavior, and when that finishes, it will eliminate it with punishing decisiveness. And V2 is furious at the prospect, berating itself for being superior but throwing the fight due to overconfidence and naivete. It knows it needs to retreat but how, when V1 refuses to leave it and is bent on destroying it – the answer comes when it makes the split decision to tear the Knuckleblaster from V2. V1 sees how it’s come loose, how V2’s joints work exactly as its own, how the other machines in Hell have augmented themselves with scavenged parts, and its mind is overcome with excitement at the thought of ripping it from its socket to claim as its own. So much so, it prioritizes gaining the limb over killing V2 and in doing so, though it only takes seconds to steal the arm and attach it to itself, it allows its enemy the window it needs to escape. And immediately they both know V1 has made a mistake. A supreme war machine choosing to harvest parts over ending its opponent...a gross error, V2 gaining an ounce of vindication as consolation in its retreat. It was right in the end, V1 is malfunctioning and it’s letting poor code run away with it, especially when it comes to a combatant of V2’s caliber – it will learn from this, it can analyze V1’s tactics and adopt them, and it will come back better for it. V1 can only watch it go, locking eyes with it in full knowledge it will seek revenge on the older machine. But unlike its counterpart, it isn’t bothered by errors, errors are a part of it now and V1 embraces them as they multiply. And this error will give it a guaranteed, much more interesting fight in the future, a fight with more blood from the same source. That’s efficiency too. So is it an error? It may be, but that’s how V1 operates now. It just won’t let it get away next time.

[tonydaddingham]

am i missing something in kinda comparing the entire maggie and nina situation to paris? 'cause there was no need to get them to fall in love. a&c might not be able to make people actually feel it, but they seem to have mind control down pat without much effort (or any moral quandaries). they could have waited for an angel to show up and just faked it- easy, certain way out. it's not like the idea of working together like that is even weird, not after the gabriel miracle.

so. either they missed it, which is plausible, and uhhh, renders this whole ask pointless, or *would* have moral issues with it (also plausible💀), or they're being completely ridiculous again, and would rather plan balls than actually make an effort to get themselves out of Mortal Fucking Peril (not that aziraphale necessarily knows it is). i think it would fit the pattern, honestly- when not having huge blowouts over *problems of their own making* (hey aziraphale kill this kid it'll be fine, aziraphale why won't you ditch earth with me, crowley why won't you come to heaven with me), the ineffables always seem to be constantly, aggressively orbiting eachother, making heart eyes and goofing off (cough end of the resurrectionists "not kind" cough) with 0 regard for safety except for the (very very sadly i can't find the -ennial word for every other century) occasional heart attack, and then just skipping right back down the aisle.

(hope this is coherent, i've been editing things a little too long to tell)

hello @aq-uatic my darling!!!💕

(bby im so sorry!!! i thought i had posted this ages ago and i went rooting around in the drafts to continue something else and realised i hadn't!!! im an idiot sorry!!!)

i think there is some context behind aziraphale's actions in particular with this scene:

we know that aziraphale has a fondness for maggie, that i'd argue goes slightly beyond the fondness he has for humans in general (and even then that's questionable at times), and he seems genuinely put out that he's not in a position to help her - to wiggle his fingers about, and make it happen for her (horrifying implications, aziraphale, but we move). so, whilst aziraphale obviously is prompted into the whole 'lets-make-these-two-humans-fall-in-love-bc-that's-totally-normal-and-okay' by holding the everyday record back in the bookshop, i think there is an element of aziraphale genuinely wanting to help her, and coming up with the ball is his interpretation of an organic way to do that (💀). but it doesn't justify the whole thing one little bit; despite the possibility of that being his intention, it's completely batshit - nina certainly didnt know, let alone consent, to anything, and maggie didn't either; they're not dolls for either of them to play around with.

essentially though, i agree - any logical, coherent, sensible thinking would have probably just helped them arrive at a solution that didn't involve warping reality and bringing a whole room of people under a horrifying amount of hypnosis. but you have two supernatural creatures who, in a fairly major way by the time of 2023 at least, have their sense of existing amongst humanity influenced by not only the clandestine, dramatic nature of their own story, but by their tendencies towards damsel-but-not-wholly-in-distress-ing and anti-hero-at-best-ing respectively. we have to barely scratch the surface to see the intertextuality between these traits of theirs, and where they might stem from stories told in certain books and movies (emma by jane austen, and james bond spring to mind).

they constantly talk in riddles to each other, in code and in double meanings - they may somewhat understand the general sense of what the other is saying, but it's not categorical and leaves too much room for error or misinterpretation (which, ultimately, it does). it's a constant dance circling each other, ebbing and flowing, pulling in and drawing back, but never coming together properly; it's a quadrille vs. a waltz.

it makes sense that they are so used to finding the most roundabout and convoluted ways to do things, and this continues into s2, because not only is it how it tends to go down in fiction, but also because that's literally how they've had to exist - not only so their closeness isn't detected, or so their true natures aren't suspected by their respective head offices, but also by nature of being literal supernatural creatures living amongst humans - sleeper agents, of a kind - and constantly having to exist without detection.

none of this makes it right, of course not - but i actually don't think they see any other way of going about things. they're so good at it, so well practiced, that (as just two examples) they run verbal rings around gabriel/metatron (book) and beelzebub chattering about the great vs. ineffable plans at the airfield, and they dance around the most straightforward solution to the maggie/nina problem. as for themselves and their relationship, they dont speak plainly to each other until the bandstand or final fifteen... and even then, i feel like its aziraphale that is maybe the first to break and speak plainly? idk:

i think it's clear that crowley is the more scared, and therefore the more cautious, in this regard. for all his objections attempting to distance himself as an angel compared to crowley's being a demon, aziraphale feels to me that he is the more inclined to throw caution to the wind. i think its because crowley understands the danger in blowing their cover a little more than aziraphale does - aziraphale on multiple occasions slips in nearly admitting their closeness (1800, end of 1827 as you pointed out, and when meeting with the archangels in heaven in s1) - and is still stuck in the safety that dancing around what should be plainly said affords them. they both - as you wonderfully put it - aggressively orbit each other, and breaking the holding pattern comes a little too late.

so no, i think your drawing the parallel between the Weird-Ass dynamic in 1793, how they handle the maggie/nina storyline, and then how they behave with each other, is very apt! but its, at this time, arguably all that they've known - acting in this way - and breaking the cycle is starting to happen, but won't pay its dividends until s3✨

[mcu-multiverse-order-review]

Spider-Man - Season 2 (1968-1969)

Season 1 was mostly campy fun, with a side of awful occasional racism. Season 2 is dull and boring, with a side of sexism. The 60s were truly something. I'm not gonna put a content warning on any specific episode this time, just know that Pete just some rancid incel vibes this season.

MCU connections: None. This season established nothing that ties it into the MCU. 

This season does introduce some key elements to the Spider-Man mythos, specifically Spider-Man’s origin story, the Kingpin, and Captain Stacey.

In all honesty, I thought this season was shit and I really don’t ever wanna watch it again. (That is part of why this “review” took so long to make, I just didn’t really wanna keep watching. And to be honest with you, the only reason I finished it now is because apparently Internet Archive has lost a lawsuit or something, so I reckon don’t have much time left to watch this show, so I better get cracking)

Also something that came to mind after writing all this, this season had a very distinct lack of J. Jonah Jameson and Betty Brant, like they were there occasionally, but not even close to main characters like in Season 1.

As usual, episode breakdowns are below the cut.

I need to watch Season 3 asap.

Episode 21 - “The Origin of Spider-Man”

Bloody hell this episode has a narrator. Anyway, it’s our first Spider-Man origin episode, hooray! We get to watch Pete be a complete twat for a bit and then witness an old man die.

I’ve never understood why Pete’s response to the spider bite is always just “eh, I’ll be fine.” Like, if I were bitten by a spider you can bet your arse I’m down to the hospital. But then again I have heard horror stories of American healthcare, so maybe his response makes sense in the context of New York.

Also what is with Pete’s audio quality this episode? It sounds like the microphone was in a plastic tub while recording his lines.

I don’t usually point out animation errors, because they are plentiful in this series, but how the fuck did they invert the colours on the Spider-Man costume for a couple frames. I genuinely don’t know how you accidentally do that, especially on classic animation, like wasn’t this painstakingly made on film? Or am I understanding classic television animation wrong? Please, you actually know about stuff like this, lemme know, I’m interested.

This episode has much more detailed backgrounds than usual.

The Burglar ran to the ACME warehouse. Fucking Wile E. Coyote killed Uncle Ben.

Ok, not gonna lie, I actually like how they reused the opening theme for when Spidey tracks down the Burglar. It really solidifies how this is the first instance of Spider-Man spider-maning. 

“With great power, there must also come great responsibility.” Surprisingly not said by Uncle Ben, instead by Spider-Man himself after concluding he is responsible for Ben’s death.

Characters Introduced:

Peter Parker / Spider-Man

“Didn’t you already list Spidey from last season?” Yeah, but I’ve decided to re-include him because this was his origin episode. In this episode we see the evolution of nerdy little shit Peter Parker, to wall-crawling superhero Peter Parker.

Benjamin Parker / Uncle Ben

Poor Uncle Ben. He only had one line of dialogue and even with just that he had the vibes of a caring old man. Anyway, as will be established going forward into later series and films, Uncle Ben is one of the most important characters to Spider-Man, as he usually is the one to form Spidey’s moral code.

The Burglar

Unnamed in this continuity. The Burglar is Uncle Ben’s killer. A standard crook, no super powers to see, just a gun. I believe this being Spider-Man’s first antagonist is important as to why he stays a street level hero. No wars, no grand adventure, no supernatural event, just some nameless guy with a gun caused Spider-Man to become the Friendly Neighbourhood Spider-Man. And I think that’s quite important.

Episode 22 - “King Pinned”

Ooo, another prequel episode, this time showing how Pete got his job at the Daily Bugle.

I’m pretty sure almost everyone got redesigned this episode. Like, Jameson, Betty, and Aunt May all look different from how I remember them looking in season one, almost more detailed. “Didn’t you literally finish season one like a few days ago, how do you not remember the art style?” Easily, I have a shit memory for things that aren’t dinosaurs.

The fuck was with that married couple in the middle of the episode? Was that how the 60s does a side gag? Awful.

Characters Introduced:

Kingpin

Wilson Fisk makes his grand animated debut in this episode. I’m not gonna lie, I do like how this episode confirms Kingpin as Spider-Man’s first big bad.

Episode 23 - “Swing City”

So, does anyone else get the ick from shows or movies that show a character fantasising about a person they have a crush on? Like, I think it’s supposed to be cute or relatable, but I honestly just find it cringe and creepy.

And here we go again with Spider-Manning stopping Pete from getting to a date on time.

So this episode features an original villain pulling a page from Ultron’s playbook and raises the entirety of Manhattan into the sky. 

And the episode ends with Pete being sexist. I hate that I’m just really not surprised. Classic Peter Parker always did have incel vibes.

Episode 24 - “Criminals in the Clouds”

Starting again with a narrator, this episode continues to show how much of a prick Peter can be. Off the bat, he’s judging people, being sexist, and generally a selfish twat. I mean at least Pete’s selfishness always ends up biting him in the arse, but still, it’d be nice to actually have a likeable protagonist.

Also everyone left on that blimp absolutely died, right?

Episode 25 - “Menace from the Bottom of the World”

So that cutaway gag couple are back, why do I get the feeling they’re gonna be recurring, they ain’t even funny.

The fuck was up with the underground giant bird. Like, what the fuck is that even supposed to be? Archaeopteryx?

Not gonna lie, I am starting to feel much less engaged with these now. I think where they’ve dulled down the colour palette and put more of a focus on Peter’s bullshitery than Spider-Man’s escapades, the show just feels more moody, and honestly, boring.

Because every episode is a full 20 minutes instead of 2 ten minute stories, I’ve noticed a lot more filler. Usually in the form of minutes worth of just Spidey swinging with the backgrounds changing and music overlaid. I am so glad internet archive allows me to speed up the playback speed, because this is so fucking boring.

So far this season, with the exceptions of the Burglar and the Kingpin, every villain has been green. Why?

Episode 26 - “Diamond Dust”

A guy screaming, pretending to be a gorilla. That is all.

Episode 27 - “Spider-Man Battles the Molemen”

This is just episode 25 again, but why?

Alright, I stand corrected, Pete has been attacked by literal goblins. (🤓☝️”Erm ackshually, the Marvel wiki lists them as trolls”, nah, those are goblins, trolls are bigger) Hold the fucking phone, Pete just called them elves… My point is just this show high on something, and I just ain’t vibing with it.

Episode 28 - “Phantom from the Depths of Time”

Some big arse bugs kidnapped a load of people and Spidey stole a jet. Just the average day in New York. Despite so much weird shit going on in this episode, I really just don’t have anything to say. Actually, no, I’m gonna point out that this the only episode I’ve seen with like a “next week” type catch at the end, except the episode that its says is next is “Revolt in the Fifth Dimension”, but according to official episode listings that episode doesn’t come until season 3… I’m just confused now.

Episode 29 - “The Evil Sorcerer”

Ok, so first of all ancient wizards and shit is not what I expected with this series. Secondly, Peter you little shit, did you just call archeology dull? I actually fucking hate this man, he’s such a cunt.

Episode 30 - “Vine”

Time to be a fucking nerd. The time travel aspect of this episode takes Pete back 3 million years, this would place him in the Piacenzian age, the last stage of the Miocene epoch. Now I’m not exactly an expert of the Cenozoic, I personally spend more time researching the mesozoic, but what I can see from a very quick bit of research, the Piacenzian was a warm moment before the Ice Age began. All that to say 3 mya (million years ago) was a world dominated by mammalian megafauna, this would not include the giant lizard or bugs that attack Spider-Man.

Humorously, the Marvel wiki actually lists the time wrong for this episode, saying they travelled back 300 million years, this would place them at the very end of the Carboniferous period. You could claim it would look more accurate to the backgrounds, but even still giant lizards were not part of that ecosystem, but the giant bugs would be more fitting.

Episode 31 - “Pardo Presents”

Amazingly this episode shows Pete disappear from a date (technically) and he doesn’t get slapped for it at the end.

Episode 32 - “Cloud City of Gold”

Why do the bats have tails? Bat don’t have tails. This bothers me immensely. So I’m not exactly knowledgeable about bats, but I’m pretty sure it’s not vampire bats that use echolocation. I could be wrong, so this is another case of if you know anything about bats, please let me know if Pete’s whistling would fuck up a vampire bat. I’m aware that this episode is a city of gold type thing and I’m more focused on bats, but I’m trying to distract myself from the shit accents and fact that a fucking conquistador is the ruler of the city. Am I going to call the episode racist? No, I’m just not thrilled about a conquistador doing what they do, subjecting and tormenting, it’s not great vibes. At least Pete isn’t being racist here. Episode 9a did some serious fucking damage to my opinion of the character.

Also the golden eagle being made out of solid gold, Pete’s all like “I can’t do anything, it’s made of solid gold”, bitch it’s gold and your Spider-Man, that shit should bend like clay to him.

Episode 33 - “Neptune’s Nose Cone”

JJJ now owns a pet flying snake. That is all.

Episode 34 - “Home”

This episode features some 60s vibing. Groovy.

Other than that, the dialogue feels even more stilted than usual. Especially Pete crushing on Carol and that twat leader bitching about rules.

Also Pete’s a moron in this episode, basically talking about how he’s Spider-Man out loud. Like, seriously, he ain’t even quiet, how has noone caught onto this man yet?

Episode 35 - “Blotto”

OH NO! Watch out! It's Clive!

How horrifying!

Anyway, this show reuses so much animation is honestly distracting, but this episode in particular reused animation from itself, multiple times. I genuinely can’t tell if this was solely from the low budget or pure laziness.

Episode 36 - “Thunder Rumble”

So one of the villains of this episode is basically just a dickhead that looks like Odin, works for the Roman God of War, and has the powers of Thor, he even has Mjölnir. I’m not marking this as Thor’s first appearance, I just thought this was something of note.

Episode 37 - “Spider-Man Meets Skyboy”

Ah yes. The old trope of heroes fighting each other before realising they have a common enemy. What fun. 

Ok, but seriously how didn’t Spidey recognise Skyboy until after the helmet was removed? It doesn’t exactly cover his face.

Episode 38 - “Cold Storage”

Spider-Man got a bit chilly in this episode.

Episode 39 - “To Cage a Spider”

Off the bat, this episode establishes a couple things, one the general public of New York really hate Spider-Man. I guess they’ve been consuming too much of Jameson’s drivel. And secondly, I am genuinely surprised to see Captain Stacy defending Spider-Man’s right to privacy and not taking his mask off.

Characters Introduced:

Captain Stacy

So, officially Captain Stacy’s name in this continuity is Ned Stacy, but let’s be real here, he’s Captain George Stacy, father of Gwen Stacy. You might know who she is.

Honestly I’m just happy this season actually managed to introduce another important character right before it ends.

[nokingsonlyfooles]

Finish the Feed and Plug the Thing! (And Play the Music!)

Today, under the cut, I shall demonstrate my new ability to create original music that might be recordable! (Guest Starring the Radio Demon from Hazbin Hotel!)

My web serial! My brainchild! My empire of dirt! I write this, I'm only on social media because I want people to look at it, and they're not. I suspect I've sold my cow for some magic beans and it turns out they're not even regular beans, they're foam peanuts. Nevertheless, the people in my orbit seem decent in general SO I WILL CONTINUE TO BROWBEAT YOU WITH GUILT-INDUCING REMINDERS UNTIL MY READERSHIP IMPROVES! No need to thank me! It's a service I provide!

Current known readers: 3 (hi!), 1st Goalpost: 10?

Current supporters: 2 (hi Kith and 5th!), 1st Goalpost: 5?

So! I am doing a Hazbin Hotel fic, while working sporadically on the serial. It involves David and I have a lot to say about mental health, fictional universes and massive multiversal crossovers, so it's still technically serial content, even if you may not want to read it.

But, I like to use side projects to experiment. I have to have something I like enough to put a lot of effort in, but I don't want to feel terrible if that effort comes to nothing. The fic happened because I drew David Vivzie-style to test my drawing ability and stamina. (It's improving! I can draw! Slowly!)

I am writing MUSIC with STAGE DIRECTIONS for David's stay at the Hotel, both reprises of Hazbin Hotel tunes with new lyrics, and new songs with public domain melodies. There is a LOT of music in the public domain. I've been filking pop songs, but that's still legally grey. When I filk this stuff, there's no limits!

...but that's not true, because a lot of it doesn't have lyrics. My process up until now has involved rewriting music with existing lyrics. Never before did I tackle an instrumental. Now I have!

I would call it a 75% success. It scans, fairly well, but I think I made an error in choice of melody. I LOVE this raggy 1925 arrangement of Hungarian Rhapsody - I listened to it a million times to do this and I STILL love it - but if you actually had to sing it at speed, I think your tongue would fly off. Hamilton has unsingable music like that, too, but I think this came out too complex to be catchy. I can barely sing it and I WROTE it!

Nevertheless, here it is (stage directions omitted for ease of reading along fast enough to keep up), with some background on the fic for context: David has, at this point, convinced Alastor they were best friends in the 20s, and made friends with Angel Dust in a more conventional way. Alastor does not wish to be second-best at anything (we've already got a canon song about that!) and is registering an objection from the piano.

...That's probably still incomprehensible, but the point is, it scans. You gotta ignore the intro and start reading when the treble kicks in, but I do think it scans.

ALASTOR: Funnily, we’re both used to dining with refinement Trust two chefs to know I thought our dinner was almost perfect When the waiter served it But then you fondle The ketchup bottle! There’s bearnaise right there on the platter, what’s the matter? Must you stoop so low? Horrors! It’s just as if you called the sous-chef over —  “This needs salting!” So insulting! DAVID: Darling! The sauce is no improvement If the meat is poor With ketchup, there’s no dressing there to dress up  No one loves a pompous bore, Bestie! A: If that’s better, I’ll do better Don’t we both play well together? Formal wear is not required Friendship outshines one’s attire And I won’t mind, I won’t pretend Remember I’m your dearest friend I won’t compete, it’s not a test I can’t be beat, I’m always best D: Although your doubtful dedication’s Quite despicable I don’t envy your situation That’s forgivable A: I’m dedicated when it’s worth it Is that true for you? And of course my friends deserve it What I’d do for you! D: Oh, I forgot, my poor coat is soaking Might you mop up my reckless joking? A: If that’s better, I’ll do better Don’t we both play well together? D: And one more thing, I’m a little squeamish You think we could keep the murders cleanish? A: If that’s better, I’ll do better Don’t we both play well together? D: You’re so competitive Do you just want to win? A (counterpoint) : (If that’s better, I’ll do better) D: Hey, I need devotion, too, if you’ve a notion to! You can’t be listening Might you do anything? A: (If that’s better, I’ll do better) D: A fur coat, a fancy car, how ‘bout a chocolate bar? A: If that’s better, I’ll do better Don’t we both play well together? D: For the salt lick, I hope I’m forgiven? I show respect with little gifts given A: If that’s better, I’ll do better Don’t we both play well together? D: If I’ve annoyed, I think I should mention I just enjoy all kinds of attention A: And I won’t mind, I won’t pretend Remember I’m your dearest friend I won’t compete, it’s not a test I can’t be beat, I’m always best And I won’t mind, I won’t pretend Remember I’m your dearest friend I won’t compete… D: Can we have sex? A: I ca… [spoken] Old friend, if you were a woman… I’d turn lavender [note: 20s slang for gay] with shame. D: Ah. Tant pis! Shave and a haircut, no sale!

It diverges at the end, they need time to talk to each other, but it's very close!

And I should add how I "transcribed" the music to write that, because it almost broke me. It was so silly I started cackling and had to confess what I was doing and show the spouse the placeholder lyrics. You see, transcribing the beats and stresses as dashes and numbers wasn't working, so I decided to use words. I decided to listen to this music over and over, trying to find words that had a matching rhythm, and place them into stanzas with a rhyming scheme. THIS is what THAT looks like:

It’s okay it’s not even ready it’s a steady It’s an onion bowl Oh but it’s not a begonia-bopper It’s a hot dog topper It’s a taco And it’s a tico It’s okay it’s not even ready it’s a steady It’s an onion bowl Oh ba-by but it’s not a holy hanger it’s a radio And it’s okay but it’s just a Samples! It’s not a rosy robber It’s an onion bowl It’s not a motherfucking compsognathus  It is just an onion bowl But it’s Not a pony in a pickup It’s a doughnut in a slicker It’s no pony in a pickup It’s a tuesday hiccup coat And scrambled eggs, and scrambled eggs And applesauce, and applesauce And jellybeans and jellybeans And polka dots and polka dots It isn’t very much to listen It’s okay but it’s Not much of a good decision It’s okay but it’s It isn’t very much to listen It’s okay but it’s Not much of a good decision It’s okay but it’s Not a dog, it’s okay but it isn’t Not a dog, it’s okay but it isn’t Not a pony in a pickup It’s a doughnut in a slicker Not a dog, it’s okay but it isn’t Not a dog, it’s okay but it isn’t Not a pony in a pickup It’s a doughnut in a slicker It’s a blue doughnut boy he’s got a taco truck (not a pony in a pickup) And it’s a tree it’s a tree it’s a tree but it’s not It’s a blue doughnut boy he’s got a taco truck (not a pony in a pickup) And it’s a tree it’s a tree it’s a tree but it’s not Not a pony in a pickup It’s a doughnut in a slicker It’s not a puddle puck in a piston It’s just a whiny duck who won’t listen Not a pony in a pickup It’s a doughnut in a slicker It’s not a puddle puck in a piston It’s just a whiny duck who won’t listen And scrambled eggs, and scrambled eggs And applesauce, and applesauce And jellybeans and jellybeans And polka dots and polka dots And scrambled eggs, and scrambled eggs And applesauce, and applesauce And jellybeans and jellybeans And polk— It’s not anybody it is just a Camaro cap!

I can't sing that version either ("It's not a motherfucking compsognathus!" I'm dying! 😵I'm dead!) but I'm still fond of it. And look, it worked! Kinda!

If I want to do this for the actual serial, I may have to pick simpler music, or simplify it by choosing PART of the melody to use and repeat. I can't write or read musical notation, but most people can't either, so if I can link you to a piano roll or someone's recording of an old record, we can both sing along on the internet. And maaaybe some day I'll be able to record something. I wouldn't be good at playing or singing, but if you throw enough money at me, I can pay someone!

SO PLEASE GO BEG PEOPLE TO READ ME AND GIVE ME MONEY! THANK YOU!

[lokiinmediasideblog]

ok so now I can rant about JiM because it's my hyperfixation lol

when I learned that they made a JiM novel I was euphoric bc I always thought the novel format was the ideal form for the story because it's a very literary comic and I also love fantasy and the Thor side of comics but I HATE superhero as a genre and I also hate superhero comics and their completely messy continuity and bonkers logic, so to me, it's like by adapting this specific run into a book it felt like they've lifted the story from it's larger context so it could exist in it's own canon bubble without having to answer to anything that came before or after these events take place. I love that the only proper superhero that appears is Captain Britain and you only hear one or another superhero be mentioned in passing so I can easily ignore that there are superheroes in this universe and pretend it's just a regular fantasy novel. I noticed that the author took some liberties with the costume descriptions (Loki wears no cowl and Leah wears a golden circlet in lieu of her bone hairpins) and I took is as a cue to disregard the imagery from the comics and reimagine everything from description in a more LOTR-like fantasy aesthetic (nothing against the talented artists that worked on the comic, but I dislike how spandexy and futuristic some asgardian outfits look in the comics)

The prose is surprinsingly good for a novelization. Novelizations usually have very dry prose, but this one is witty, evocative, and in times even poetic, which makes it feel like it was an original literary work and not an adaptation. I don't agree that it feels like a companion to the comic because in many ways, it comes off like a more complete work than the comic, with an expanded insight into the characters.

I particularly like how Loki's inner thoughts made him even funnier and more loveable than in the comic, with his little asides and daydreams, and I love how it elevates his relationships. I particularly like how it shows that, even in his good innocent form, Loki is still jealous of Thor, which is something I never got from the comics. The comics give away the impression that Kid Loki just feels pure hero worship toward his brother and any sore feelings are out of his legitimate grievances about Thor being a lousy parent figure, but the comic shows that he inherited some of his older self's pettiest feelings, which makes his relationship to Thor more nuanced and adds up to the tension that he might go evil if he lets them take over. The prose format also enhanced his chemistry with Leah. I didn't care much about their relationship in the comics because it felt too one sided on his part, but with book!Leah I had a clear sense of how much she likes him back behind the walls she puts up that I never got from comic!Leah. Loki's romantic feelings for her feel more mature in this version, in the comic is too boy pulling pigtails of the girl he likes, but here he gets to be actually earnest about his love for her, and it made the two times he loses her actually hit for me. The added scene where he gifts her books for christmas was adorable and made me ship it. Oh, and I thought making King Arthur a grumpy boomer was a nice touch of humor.

On the downside I disliked how the book does a poor job of contextualizing some stuff and introducing new characters to an impact, which is a shame because I really wanted to recommend this book to people who don't do comics so they can become addicted to JiM like myself (I'm still going to do it lol). The book has no qualms taking some liberties to make the story feel more concise, but it should have taken more liberties to make it work in its format. It also was in a serious need of an editor, because there are some continuity errors. Overall is a good book, it's well written, it honors the story and characters, and that Marvel has chosen this particular story to relaunch in a different format shows it resisted the test of time and it is a classic run.

Definitely agree that Leah and Loki's relationship was much cuter in the book (he even got her furniture), and it was heartbreaking when he had to sent her to the past just after getting her back to keep his older self from hurting her. The things I liked most are Ikol's thoughts while being a magpie, and the ominous teasing as the "teller".

I felt the book got confusing when there were changes in settings, and definitely think it needed more editing. There was a distracting typo in one of the earlier chapters (can't remember where exactly).

I think they should have recapped a little with things like Thor's resurrection for example.

[nalyra-dreaming]

Sorry to be party pooper when you were theorising and having fun, but I think I need to vent.

Anyway, we all can agree that this fandom has recently gotten a very toxic discours/discussion environment which just sucks. I mostly blame the writers for this, mostly because of ep 5. Not only did this add to obvious power imbalance between loustat, but also did make POC and especially black audiences understandable very uncomfortable. Not only possibly by the relationship (that is supposed to be endgame!) but also of Lestat (a future “hero” of the story).

As a white person I obviously cannot comprehend what it must have felt to see that from a racial standpoint, but it was very upsetting to see from my point of view alone.

Now, there are of course debates on if that scene were “out of character” for Lesta or not…I am still debating over that. (I mean, show!Lestat is a bit different from book!Lestat after all?)

What I find most frustrating about ep 5 is just “did they not think?!”. No but really, what did they think that was going to look like? How people would react and feel? Like??? How??? They didn’t at least have to make the DV so severe and brutal, especially when they have such powerful dynamics to portray. Right?

Idk. Maybe I am just salty because I really just recently joins this fandom (for real) that I thought would be chill and a safe place for many people and meanings discussions…and then there is this black cloud that didn’t have to be here in the first place. I feel frustrated for everyone😕

... I'm sorry you're feeling frustrated by all of it. *hugs*

Still - welcome to the fandom?! 💕

*sighs* So this is difficult. I can understand the frustration, I knew when I watched this would hit the fan, so to speak.

BUT. I have talked about it, too, several times, how this episode served other purposes (imho). In this post there's two articles linked by Linda Codega, which I recommend reading. I can link more posts by @showmey0urfangs and others on this, too, if you're interested.

The show... puts its finger into wounds, and worries them. Lestat does abuse. Lestat does rape. Lestat does force-feed. Lestat chops off digits. Canonically. He doesn't do that to Louis, canonically. Which is, imho, exactly the point.

By making it happen to Louis, and in this way, it forces us to look. By using certain imagery it gets waaaaaay beyond our comfort zone. On purpose.

However, in the context of the story(!) and here's the catch to it all - we do not know if it happened. It's a tale, and one deliberately torn apart in the end. Throwaway lines of episode 1 come back, to suddenly make sense and hint at the truth. Continuity errors and the very way people are held build parallels. I'm saying it again, this show does details, and it does not serve to conflate the issues imho.

And one thing re the writers and what they say: Imagine you're doing those big arcs, with full knowledge of the Chronicles, and the way you want to shake the narrative up... and then the season gets split. And you get asked why you did episode 5 the way you did. And you cannot say anything re the reveal in episode 7. You cannot say anything re what's to come in season 2, what you've been planning for (now) episode 12. You cannot say anything in regards to the parallels you've set up, or what Armand did (or not). Your viewership is mostly unaware of what's in the books (there was a poll the other day, like only 20%? have read a few books?!), as the reactions to Louis / Armand have plainly shown imho.

So what do you say?

This is not to defend them btw. I do think some of the answers especially by Rolin were... well. (And the missing content warning is its own fuck up.) But I also think that this is something that has to be factored in as well. Because of course they do not wish to give their game away.

Imagine if people (I am included here) are correct with episode 5, that the latter half of that "fight" was a modified memory, because something like this happened between Armand and Lestat, but not Lestat and Louis. As a writer, getting asked re the cloud gift... what could you say? You couldn't say "well, we're building a parallel for the big showdown in season 2, when Armand throws Lestat off a tower and later Armand is thrown off a roof by Lestat". And you cannot say "well, there's this scene in TVL, which will be in season 3, where Armand force-feeds on Lestat, and Lestat then beats him to a pulp and drags him by the throat". You just cannot say that, because it would the give the game away, at least to those who do not know the books?

And yes, I am aware that this is (book-canon based) speculation, and that we'll see.

But given the setup of the interview in Dubai you cannot even trust that part of the tale :)) Much less what is narrated. Which makes the OOC discussion void imho. We haven't seen the real Lestat, the real Louis, or the real Armand yet.

We haven't seen anything objectively true yet. Except maybe Daniel's apartment in the beginning^^.

So.

Feel free to come in and rant at anytime :)) But... personally... I think there is much, much more to it than the DV discussion alone, or the OOC discussion alone. And if that is actually true... then we're watching the show of the decade unfold. A true piece of art. And art... can be challenging.

Still. Said that before, too - I could do with less toxicity in the fandom, too. Especially on these so important and difficult subjects. I would prefer we could discuss them in a productive manner. But maybe that will only need ... time and perspective, (right, Louis)^^.

[lilbreck]

ST:TOS 101- The Man Trap

Here’s the thing, if we’re not supposed to ship Kirk with McCoy and Spock, then they shouldn’t have done so many soft gaze/smolder close-ups of Shatner when he was looking at either men. I don’t remember that happening a lot with women. I guess we’ll see as the rewatch continues.

Either way, let us talk about the episode where McCoy brings the boys around to meet an old flame, and it does not go to plan. And I will be sneaking in a few of my old graphics, just because.

I’m showing this first shot just because I like to see Uhura up front occasionally as well as seeing Spock in the captain’s chair. Yes, I will add in a shippy cap later for those of you who ship it. The second shot is to show that there are some changes from The Cage, and one of them is that they upgraded their big screen TV.

During the rewatch, one of the funny moments is when my daughter glanced at the screen and was convinced that Starfleet was too cheap to get pants that fit. It took me too long to figure out where she was getting that idea.

In case you can’t see where she got the idea, she thought the phasers were pulling down the waistbands of Kirk and Darnell’s pants. I had to tell her that those were sash/holsters and not actually their midriffs showing.

My daughter felt the need to point out that these were not flowers, instead they were a sprig of wheat. But I do like that we get full on McKirk flirting. Yes, I will be spending this post talking about this particular ship. I cannot help it. It colors everything I see in this episode. For example:

McCoy sees Nancy as she was when he last saw her: 10 years younger than she should be. Darnell sees some random woman from a pleasure planet (and is very rude and disrespectful about how he announces it). Meanwhile, what does Kirk see?

He sees Nancy looking probably about the age she should be. Now, this could mean Kirk is attracted to distinguished looking women with greying hair… or he just really wants reassurance that McCoy isn’t going to leave him for someone younger and prettier. You can guess which one I choose to believe… though I wouldn’t argue against that other one either.

I will not be posting screencaps of it, but I am still disgusted that Kirk just reached into the dead man’s mouth. Apparently, in the future, no one knows better than to go around poking and proding dead bodies with their bare hands. I’ll ignore the question of how the fuck he knew there would be something in there given that he wasn’t shown to be looking at all, he just honed directly onto that poor guys mouth. I will also ignore how obvious it was that the actor was opening his mouth wider.

Side note: I’m impressed with how commited they are to making sure everyone in the outdoor scenes looks like they’re fresh out of a sauna except, it seems, for “Nancy.” I’m wondering if that’s just because it’s an actress, or because the character is a freaking salt vampire. My daughter said “both.”

One of these is strictly for the Spock/Uhura shippers, while the other is for me because both drama and damn but Nichelle is stunning in every scene:

When McCoy finally figures out that Darnell died from a sudden loss of salt, the follow scene occurs that I love:

I love it both because of how flirty Kirk gets with McCoy as well as the faces McCoy makes and the way he says “error.” Also, poor Spock stuck in the corner forced to watch as these two idiots flirt with each other next to a dead body. You know, I think I need to figure out the coloring I used on this set because I think I like it better.

Yes, this is actual dialog from the show. It makes sense in context, but still… Also, this next one is just for me:

This is the bit that really bothers my daughter:

Not only does Rand grab a piece of celery and take a bite, she also just puts it back and carries on like it came that way. Is Sulu just supposed to be eating after her? Are they really that close? While I don’t love that they had Rand being ogled earlier in this scene, or the fact that she’s essentially a glorified go-fer (my daughter isn’t happy about that either), I do enjoy this scene. Only half the reason is because that plant is just a freaking person wearing a decorated glove.

I just needed to put these together to ask… why does the salt vampire have to come across as a bit creepy? I get that it’s just biting its knuckle… but still, it’s screaming “I shouldn’t be trusted alone with anyone.”

Yes, I figured out what coloring I used, or, more specifically, what coloring I skipped. I could go back and redo all the caps, but I’m too lazy for that. I will redo this one for the Spock/Uhura shippers, though:

This set is for me and any other McCoy/Kirk shippers:

Apparently, the salt vampire isn’t just in it for the salt. It needs that lurve.

You need to understand, one of the things this show is loved for is the ridiculous physical aspects. What do I mean by that? Why, the odd version of zigzag running that Kirk does. It wouldn’t actually keep him from getting shot, but it is amusing to watch how his lower half moves much more than his upper half. Also, I just really like how this set makes it look like Spock is trying to take Kirk alive if you don’t have the context.

Obviously more happens in this episode, but there are two things that I think actually matter:

I get that Kirk is supposed to be frozen/hypnotized, but the salt vamp is moving extremely slow. It adds up to make it look like they’re competing for most campy actor in scene award. The second cap… It’s hilarious because, not only is it very obvious that neither actor makes contact with the other, but it also looks like Spock is holding an invisible bat.

End of episode tallies (details by daughter)

UNPROFESSIONAL BEHAVIOR: 04 (Darnell’s unnecessary comment about the pleasure planet, Uhura overtly flirting with Spock, Rand stealing a singular bite of Sulu’s lunch, Starfleet crew overtly ogling Rand. The salt vampire, not being Starfleet, is exempt from this counter.)

Starfleet Are Cheapskates: 01 (McCoy has no blanket :()

Reasons Why Enterprise Needs a Counselor: 01 (McCoy had to kill a creature that looked like a woman he cares for)

Early Episode Weirdness: 01 (Spock claims Vulcan has no moon)

Final thoughts:

Me: It's got enough cheese to keep me happy with enough McKirk flirting to keep me coming back for more.

Daughter: It's a much better introduction to the series than The Cage. It's also very cheesy in a fun way.

[thememecrown]

Chains of Jade: The Metamorphosis of a Stone Butterfly ; Let's talk about it!!!

I wanted to clarify things a little, because while developing the chapters and having a long talk… really long. I realized that something about the original plot that I had thought of and developed must change :D

The original plot was: lan qiren begins to feel a change in himself (ch 1) - he feels his own rules suffocating him / he begins to have an identity crisis (ch 2) - collapse while punishing a disciple (here he didn't run away, rather he retreated in isolation) (ch 3) - first confrontation with his family (ch 4) - another identity crisis + followed by a confrontation with ww/nmg (ch 5) - reunion with his family + Lan Qiren sees the world differently , happy/open ending (ch 6)

Apart from the context that could continually influence, it wouldn't be fun to listen to them talk and talk; when we will be able to see Lan Qiren in a context that actually puts him on the line and stimulates him to understand errors and mistakes/discard certain behaviors and to deal with a reality VERY distant from his own, this would lead him to come face to face with a vision of the world first handtc.

That is, I would have more fun showing you his path precisely because it is more stimulating and more entertaining, and give him HIS happy ending.

This is because I'm sorry for what I did to him: dismembered, boned, dismantled like an IKEA piece of furniture, thrown among the wolves (like diabla, he'll come out stronger💀), demolished with a wrecking ball, I gave him had a psychological session without his consent (even my best friend's brother, who a psychologist (complete with a degree) enjoyed helping me chop him up), chopped into small pieces, etc.

Then also because we cried between consecutive chapters (I cried :D) I think we need a little sweetness… I hope you will understand this change of direction 🫂

And yes I am taking my brain to the playground :D

SEE YA LITTLE STAR 🫂

[hopper-miller-lvl5]

Orbit Reflection

CVL has been an experience for me, this is the first time a project hasn't gone according to plan and there's been a lot to learn from that. 

Beginning with LO1 the goal was to demonstrate my understanding of relevant theoretical / conceptual frameworks through independent led research and critical reflection. There was a lot of research and reflection done in this project, I dug into a lot of topics all to do with motivation, organization and productivity. I read into the psychology of planning and why its so helpful. I continued by gaining a scientific understanding of how best to approach the planning process. I also dove into human motivation, and how to leverage that motivation by taking notes from things like video games. In terms of reflection there were many instances I had to take a look at my project and understand I was steering it in the wrong direction. The biggest of these reflections was when I realized I was designing a system I personally wanted, not a system which fit my own brief and user persona. Through it all I've begun to understand how necessary it is to take meaningful looks into where my project is heading and if that aligns with my goals.

Moving on to LO2 the goal was to demonstrate my ability to problem solve using different approaches and defining your ideas in relation to audience / user / viewer. This went hand in hand with my reflections, It took me multiple attempts to get things right, some really setting back my progress, but ultimately resulting in a much more considered and purposeful design. I did a lot of experiments that are nowhere to be seen in my final product, from glassmorhpsim to gradients. I tried to make things work but ultimately I chose to exclude those ideas in the name of accessibility. I really had to consider my user first and their relation to the practicality and nuance of designing a tool, not an art piece. While I did create a lot of things that didn’t make the final cut, I think large amounts of experimentation lead to a better end result.

Finally LO3, the goal  was to generate effective communication that demonstrates: solutions that show an awareness of contemporary practice within professional contexts, and work that shows a high degree of creativity and aesthetic judgment. I really think I nailed it here, this time around I paid a lot more attention to the minute detail and best practices in industry. All the spacings are a multiple of 8 that goes for the text as well, I did this because I know it has some implications when a website goes to be coded. I also picked up the habit of auto layouts which really helped me change things up quickly and is getting me more industry ready. I also gave some big attention to accessibility. It's something I can't ignore in industry so it's another skill I need to continue to implement into my process. Outside of this my solution really takes my theory and runs with it. For motivation I really took inspiration from video games who've already put in the work to create motivating skill tree systems, there was no need to reinvent the wheel I just applied the idea to a new context. For planning, we all know it's important, but I wanted to make it as easy and painless as possible. I apply conversational AI to a new context, planning. By doing so I applied something that already works to solve a problem that needs a solution. Overall I think my solution feels modern, considered, and brings justice to a conceptual good idea.

Overall theres been a lot of trial and error through this brief, this isn't where I thought I would end up, but I'm happy it is. However the big takeaway from this whole process is with projects this long there is a constant need to re-examine your idea regularly. I got so caught up in creating for myself, instead of my user person, it lead to having a lost of time lost and work to catch up on.