#i'm just saying phoenix refuses to talk about his feelings

[pennamepersona]

i'm actually super compelled by the concept that phoenix is the only one who thought miles actually died and that everyone else knew he went abroad but the second phoenix read the note he just refused to talk to anyone about it ever again

[valworth]

I do think that Wrightworth's popularity makes the AA fandom slightly uninhabitable. I'm by no means the first person to say this, but it sure is on my mind. This isn't to say I don't understand the appeal. I do. They have some incredibly strong moments and are an interesting, compelling couple. They are also both massive bitches, which is tremendously fun. My issue lies more so in how inescapable it is.

I think both Phoenix and Edgeworth deserve the grace to be interpreted apart from each other. They are individuals, with massive lives outside of the other. I think it's really insulting when some can't bear to think of the two apart, god forbid in other relationships, for more than five seconds before they have to make a joke about how they're the most important couple. We get it. Can people talk about something else, though?

Not only that, but I yearn for more varied and nuanced depictions of their relationship, if we're using them at all. My request will always be to make it fail. They're so compelling as a failed couple. I mean, god. You, on an obsessive whim, shape your life around chasing this guy. This guy you knew for a year in elementary school. You have other reasons, but always in your mind, there he is. This thing that's just out of reach, a goal to pursue. Then it happens. You get him, and you win, and it's everything you dreamed. And then it isn't. It just doesn't work. Plain and simple, cruel and real. You're not a good couple, and it crumbles, and every time you see him from that point forward, you have this pang of anger. This feeling of betrayal. You were not what I wanted you to be.

Then there's the inverse of that. The feelings that come from being a trophy, a conquest, an item. They both lack the emotional intelligence to talk about and navigate their own feelings, with Phoenix running head-on into everything with reckless abandon, refusing to question his own motives, and Miles having a tendency to detach himself from his issues as hard as he possibly can. It's such an interesting, flawed basis for a relationship. That's just my take, though. It's how I like them, and no one else will ever be beholden to my interpretations!

I get AA is escapism for a lot of people, and if that's how it works for you, total respect. But I crave variety, god I do. It's not about being right, it's not about being wrong, I just think there are so many ways to play with these characters and the fandom is stuck in a rut of samey-same content, both happy and sad. I'm not here to shame you for liking what you like, either. I'm pretty esoteric. I mean, Jesus. There's nothing less welcome in the AA fandom than a self shipper getting between Wrightworth. I don't mind doing my own thing, and I'm happier with fewer eyes on me anyway. If my stuff upsets you, that's okay.

That being said, I think I'd have a much easier time being around the fandom if people treated it less like there was a way to interpret the games correctly. The general fandom consensus is suffocating at times. Escapism can be dangerous if you don't know how to handle threats to your perception of a made-up world. I don't mean that to be condescending, I've just been there.

It was a breath of fresh air to leave the AA fandom for a while and focus on something built upon 18 years of fan-interpretations, with no right answers. Where every artist's version of them feels drastically different. It made me realize how silly this all is. It also made me remember how sad it was that when I joined the fandom and started trying to share my opinions on certain Phoen-ish ships, a popular AA blogger publicly ridiculed me and let their followers harass me. I just don't understand why the AA fandom compels people to feel like they have to be correct about everything. I've had to be very careful not to let feelings like that sour the whole franchise for me.

I myself have veered into that territory, and it's why I don't like writing this post. I don't want to be that person. I think everyone should be able to give each other space to do what makes them happy. If common fandom interpretations are what you like, then go with those. If you're like me, though, and you've ever been nervous to share headcanons and analyses that are unpopular, this is me telling you I think you're great. Say what you want, make what you want. It doesn't have to make sense. It doesn't have to be right. People might be mean about it, but you still deserve the right to self-actualization, even if no one else likes the things you do.

It's more important for you to post what you want than for others not to see it. If you're not hurting anyone, you can always rest assured that you've no reason to entertain their ire. From the bottom of my heart, just get silly with it.

[veiwryn]

Egypt Episode after Teams are formed pt 2. — Team Phoenix

They still do the same thing they do in canon when it comes to the goat. Eva and Noah would sit on the goat, Bridgette on Eva’s shoulder (there's some tension hinted there), and Izzy on Noah's.

Eva would make a joke about how she's surprised Noah could hold up Izzy, and be met with a snarky (but lighthearted) comment on response. Izzy ends up laughing along and pokes Noah on his cheek, which he merely rolls his eyes at.

This'll be the moment Alejandro realizes he can't just befriend Bridgette, and that maintaining a positive relationship with the rest of his team is a need. He'd notice the tension between Eva and Bridgette and make a mental note of it as he continues portraying this leadership facade. (He was so gonna confront Bridgette about this later).

When Alejandro is on top, Noah would make his "Wow, I'm impressed" followed by a confessional from Eva (after Alejandro's confessional) saying "Noah isn't impressed by Alejandro using basic weight distribution. He's surprised pretty boy is smart." (What could Team Escope say? He looked like a Justin 2.0). Someone charming and smart? That raises some flags for this trio.

Anyway, Alejandro would wish the other teams some luck before the group leaves. And they'd be the first to arrive.

(I forgot to add, but Bridgette would make a confessional saying she felt out of place, but knows she's not alone cause Alejandro was there with her. So, at least she wasn't a total outcast!)

The tricky part is when they get to the river and have to weave. With no Sierra, they'd struggle, but then again, Eva is a wildcard. We don't have much on her, but we know she's been working on her anger and she has been a stunt double. So it would be reasonable for her to know (at least) the basics or weaving, right? She may not know how to explain it, but she could show her teammates how to do it, in hopes they'd understand. She's not Sierra-level weaving, but it's better than the average person!

This is when Alejandro would take Bridgette aside to inquire about her relationship with Eva, and the surfer girl would explain what happened in season 1. He'd offer to talk things out with Eva, but Bridgette refuses, saying this is something she needs to do on her own. Alejandro backs off, he knows he shouldn't be pushy with his only ally. Especially so early in the game. However, he can use her empathy against her.

Alejandro apologized to Bridgette and explained how he wanted to help her because he was new and wanted his teams approval. Bridgette then agrees for him to help her, which Alejandro smiled "sincerely" at before Noah called them over. Alejandro immediately makes his way to Eva while Bridgette hangs by Noah.

There'd be a mini scene between Eva and Alejandro, where he's learning how to weave and would try and bring up Bridgette, only for Eva to glance at him. Effectively shutting him up. (Eva's confessional: Am I doing something wrong?) Then it goes to Noah and Bridgette, who are watching the two; the former with an amused gaze, while Bridgette looks defeated. Noah takes note and asks her about it, Bridgette confesses but stops midway remembering Eva is Noah's friend. Noah reassures her before saying Eva’s been trying to make herself seem more approachable cause she wanted Bridgette to make a move. So it didn't feel forced.

And then cut to another team! (They're on a budget, not everything can be explained on screen!!)

[wyvchard]

Expectations and Attention

John Juniper, after his rescue from the elevator, realizes that his rescuer was someone he came across at an event.

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

It was a surprise to John Juniper to remain alive after everything, and an even bigger surprise to know that the same agent he had tried to kill was the one who saved him.

He doesn't know how they did it, only that he woke up in their apartment, injuries treated for the most part. Except the pain.

Despite all that had happened, the fact that he hurt them, there they are. Nursing him when they themself was hurting.

Agent Phoenix wasn't much for conversation. They do seem busy making sure he stayed alive, so he didn't really say much, only talking about what's necessary.

"... Thanks, Agent."

They still refused to talk to him. He does know they could speak as he watched them make small talk with the airport staff in the footage Zoraxis had obtained.

Something drew him in, an itch clawing at him when he looked at the agent he was supposed to kill.

Their practiced strides, confident that they will accomplish their mission, drew attention in but simultaneously brought attention away from them. Like one of the many decorative antiques he had in his estate: enough to make people knows it belongs yet not enough to be committed to memory, its multitude of stories forgotten as it remains only as part of the setting.

Like the extra he so often claims they are.

Who was this agent before they came and ruined what was years of his life?

His musings were interrupted by the clearing of their throat.

"Sorry, Agent." He tried hard not to wince at the minor scratches as it picked at his skin. "It's fine."

"I'm sorry." Their voice was calmer than he anticipated. "I would take you to a hospital, but who knows which ones are safe. And I doubt the agency will let you off scot-free."

"So you can speak."

"It's dangerous to let your voice be known in the field, Mr. Juniper. You managed to mimic my handler with a single voice message."

He paused at the words, the memory of Phoenix glancing around with worry as soon as they saw a Zoraxis logo among the studio entering the forefront of his mind.

Back then, he almost assumed they were a lost child, frantic in their search for something familiar.

"How come you didn't say a word back then?"

"My handler wouldn't have given me that big of a piece of cake. Don't you think that was a bit too excessive?"

And with that tone, something clicked in the former actor's mind.

"Don't you think that was a bit too excessive?"

"I don't think so. Only the best for my guests here."

"I didn't think that was overkill, Agent. How was I supposed to know that what you usually have is that lacking? I gave the best effort I could."

"Uh-huh." The mysterious plus one of one of his many contacts nodded as they sipped some champagne. "But is it the best for them, the best for you? Are you satisfied?"

"… Despite your 'best', I was able to see past it. I feel satisfied with what I have. And-"

He didn't know what to say, not really expecting someone else to find his spot. The look in their eyes reflected his own, a person beaten down by the weight of expectations: like him.

"A pointed question there, don't you think?" He kept up his smile, only to pause as he saw their eyes reflecting the stars that revealed themselves in this night. His heart skipped a beat as a sense of rotting bones echoed in his mind, reminding him that he's alone.

"I just... wanted to know. Maybe it wouldn't be as lonely as I think. Just like a bunch of crabs, poppies... if you're at the top, people will try to bring you down."

"You could meet the right people at the right time. I can admit that I am quite fortunate to have met someone who wouldn't cut me down." The meeting with Dr. Zor already implied so much greatness in his future, much more that Hollywood can ever compete with.

"I just hope... if I do rise to someplace like you do, Mr. Juniper, I would have someone like that. Someone who wouldn't make me feel lonely. Someone whom I can be with as we push each other to be better. I know, it's... childish. I don't need to hear other people say it. I'm an eccentric, which is a mild way to put it."

"-I now found someone who would stay by my side. Do you really think I wouldn't care for my handler? That I wouldn't notice him when I sometimes feel lonely myself? I don't want anyone else to feel that way. That's why I'm going back to the agency."

"Anyone could reach their dreams. Maybe even you." He kept his smile, saying mere platitudes to the 'extra' before him.

" 'Think the cards are stacked against me. But that's okay. I prefer the shadows. It protects me. At least, I'm more likely to be left alone so I can pursue what truly makes me happy. I'm glad you found yours."

"I have someone waiting for me. Even if I rarely meet what is often expected as an agent, I know he sees me for who I am, not what people wish I would be."

Phoenix took a slightly deep breath before turning to fix their agency uniform. "I meant what I said back then. I really hoped you had someone like that."

"It turns out I didn't. It's difficult to remember faces, Agent. With so many coming around and leaving, do you think I'd recall every single one?" He got up from the bed, fixing their tie for them. "But... I'll choose to remember yours."

"You better remember, because I'd doubt I'll ever forget yours."

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

@phoenix-and-found-family, I know John Juniper and Agent Phoenix ship isn't really your thing but maybe you wanna read this. Part of 13-12's mindset is explored here. Still thinking about what would happen of Smitten wasn't as involved but it's probably something like this.

@the-one-and-only-043, just tagging in case you wanna see it.

[gelly-fsh]

Doing that Dr. Who scene but with Jegulus because I remembered I have hands and free will

TW: mentions of torture

___________________/////___________________

When James was suddenly captured while finishing an errand for the Order, he knew he was going to die.

It was a bitter truth, but a truth nonetheless. The Order of the Phoenix didn't do rescue missions, they did not have the enough manpower to even consider it, so even if his friends and family begged Dumbledore on their knees, he knew it would be futile, so now the only thing he could do was to wait for his demise.

It was strange, if he thinks about it. The errand was an insignificant one, he was not supposed to encounter any Death Eaters because he just needed to take some documents to the Ministry, but before he could put a foot in the building, someone stunned him from behind, and then everything went black for a while.

Now that he's awake, confused about how much time has passed, he is trying to make sense of where he was left in. It was clearly a study, but it was pulsating constantly with the dark magic that came off all the cursed objects that were neatly piled in the shelfs beside him. The body bind he was still on didn't let him see much, but he had little time to wonder about anything else as he heard multiple footsteps entering the room.

"Finally, it seems you're awake now" even if he couldn't see him, James recognized the haughty and embarrassingly nasal voice of one if his captors.

"Snivellius, I'm not glad to see you" James replied

"The sentiment is mutual Potter, believe me"

"Lets get this started Severus" a man said, and when he stood in front of James, he could identify him as Rodolphus Lestrange.

"Who are you?" Rodolphus asked

"Go fuck yourself" James replied fiercely. Rodolphus remained unfazed, but when he looked at someone behind James, he felt the hairs of his neck stand in alert, and then he felt it.

"Crucio!"

The pain was blinding. Sirius and even Regulus once told him how it felt to withstand the pain of this unforgivable, how you feel like you have been stabbed and electrocuted in all places at the same time, but no amount of descriptions would have prepared him for the real thing.

It was like that for a while. James refused to answer questions, and the crucioed him, until Rodolphus apparently grew bored of his suffering and just ordered Snape to make him chug down a clear liquid.

"Your name" Rodolphus asked again

"James Potter" he said easily, way too easily, and that when it hit him. Veritaserum.

"Where is Regulus Black now?" Now that question was weird, because Regulus? Why would they inquire specifically about his whereabouts? He is on their side no?

"I haven't the faintest idea" he gritted out, his voice a bit raw from his screaming

"Is that credible?"

"Well, it's true isn't it?" James answered plainly

"Did he leave any objects with you recently?" Snape asked next

"No he didn't" he replied easily again, did Regulus robbed these people or something?

"You're the man he loves no?" Now that question hurted a lot

"No I'm not" saying it now was not easier than saying it a year ago, when the realization was still fresh, but instead of a bleeding cut, James just feels the throbbing pain he has become accostumed between the space of his ribs, constant but familiar.

"He is lying!" Snape snarled, looking at Rodolphus, as if he was trying to wordlessly explain his mistake

"Regulus Black does not, and has never, loved me" James was almost glad for the Veritaserum, as it made all the information come out more easily, his mind unable to keep up with the truths his tongue spilled.

It doesn't mean the echoes of his truth didn't scratch the scab that was slowly covering his heart, leaving the wound bleeding and raw, just the exact same way Regulus left it the night he walked out of his life for good.

"You know I'm not lying, you know I am incapable to do so right now" James doesn't know how wise it is to talk back this much to his captors, but he knew he was getting killed anyways, so he would not give them the satisfaction of seeing him cower.

"This is some kind of trick then, there is no way"

"There is no trick" James replied

"My information is correct. I know for a fact you are the man who loves Regulus Black" Snape was getting desperate, James could see it in his eyes, but the answer he searched for would not come from James.

"Yes I am, I've never denied it" James said simply, because even after everything, that was one of the only parts James knew he would never change about himself, no matter how hard he tried "But who told you he ever loved me back Snape?" He breathed, and he loved Regulus. He would die soon, loving him still.

"He is Regulus Black" James knew he was getting overworked over this, but this would be the last chance he had to talk about this, so he decided to take it "He doesn't go around falling in love with people. And if you think he would fall so low to be swayed for something like that, you are never getting whatever he took from you back"

"Sir, I assure you he is the perfect bait! If Black finds out he is in danger, he will come to his aid" Snape started to ramble, but James was started to get tired of all this charade.

"Oh, you are but a bloody moron" James sneered "He will not come, you're wasting your time"

"I can assure you Sir, that perhaps he is inside the mansion right now, looking for an opportunity to strike" Snape added

"Well go on and scan the whole bloody mansion then!" James raged "you will find nothing because he is not here"

"Merlin knows where he is right now. But I promise you, he is doing whatever the hell he planned and not giving a single damn about me!" James words flowed out like a stream of water, it flooded his senses, his emotions, he was drowning in the love he had for Regulus that he didnt want to receive or to give back, and everything just felt too much all over again.

"He will not come for me, and I'm fine with that" he sighed, feeling exhausted and defeated, the crucios and the thought of Regulus slowly draining all the fight and bravado he had left

"When you love Regulus, it's like loving the stars themselves! You don't expect a sunset to admire you back" he growled furiously, with hot tears threatening to spill off his eyes "And if I happened to find myself in danger like now, let me tell you Regulus is not stupid enough or sentimental enough-" he needed to take a breath, or a hundred "and he is certainly not in love enough to find himself standing in it with me!"

"This has gotten utterly ridiculous. Snape, you will be punished later for waisting my time, but right now let's just put an end to this quickly, ge doesnt know anything and he admitted to being useless" James could see Rodolphus' distaste in his eyes, how they scanned James as if he were a dirty bug "Dolohov, raise him a little, let's finish this quickly"

He was easily manhandled into the correct position so his whole chest was exposed, James didn't even fight it, afraid that if he did they would not let him die peacefully otherwise.

Even with all the mental preparation, James was not ready to die. At that moment he realized how young and truly inexperienced he really was, a pawn in in a war he didn't cause that was deprived of all the things he should have rightfully lived before, all all the things he had still to live but wouldn't be able to anymore.

Even after everything, even while knowing that Regulus' lack of love for him was part of the reason his life was gonna get cut short, James did not had in within himself to regret it, to regret him.

A million years or just one second could pass, and James would never regret loving that boy.

With him mind set and his conscience at peace, he set his chin high and threw a challenging stare at Rodolphus Lestrange, not moving an inch but quickly closing his eyes afterwards.

"Im sorry" he whispered, and he didnt know to who he was apologizing at all.

His last thought would be Regulus smile.

"Avada -" Suddlenly, Rodolphus started to make a gargled sound before it stopped, and James heard a loud thud falling in the carpet that made him open his eyes in pure astonishment.

Before him was Rodolphus, and he was dead.

"What in Salazar's name-" Dolohov started, just to quickly start doing the same frantic noises Rodolphus made before dropping on the floor too. Snape had a terrified expression while he looked behind James, almost like he had seen a ghost for the first time.

"Please, spare me, Re-" Snape couldn't even finish his begging, because suddenly his head was turned in a funny angle before falling on the floor too.

James didn't want to see, even if a part of him felt a sense of vindictive justice over the fact that his captors were all dead, he didnt know who the culprit was, so James just prepared himself to be murdered by a different hand now.

Until he heard a voice

"Hello, Mon Soleil"

Mon Soleil, that was a nickname he hasn't heard in a while, more than a year if he wanted to be more precise. That nickname took him back to happier times, to happier memories, and it inevitably took him back to the boy that was the reason for it. James opened his eyes at last.

"What are you doing here?" James asked, feeling a bit breathless at the sight of Regulus crouched in front of him "You're not supposed to be here"

"You were in danger, so I came" Regulus was raising his hand, seemingly to cup James face, but even if James yearned to feel Regulus touch against his skin, the piercing pain in his heart and his whole body made him flinch away from his hand

"Why would you do that?" James was not understanding anything at the moment, everything was a blurry of emotions and Veritaserum and so so much confusion that he was sure he sounded pathetic. Nonetheless, Regulus' gaze turned into something softer, and to James surprise, something filled with regret.

"You would never do that, at least certainly not for me" James followed, his whole body was trembling between the pain of the curses and the heartbreak. "I was thinking about you before I died, so maybe I did die and youre just here to make afterlife easier" James muttered, trembling, trembling, trembling.

"James, look at me." The Regulus-thats-not-Regulus said, expression pained "It is me. I came here for you, just for you mon Soleil" it was too much, and nothing was making any sense at all

"STOP!" James screamed "don't use that name. He used to call me that. Don't use that name. Don't-"

"Jamie, I'm so sorry" Regulus said desperately "I'm so so sorry, I will answer all of your questions when we are safe, but we need to leave right now, we need to go"

James eyes tried to concentrate on this Regulus' face, on the soft curls he threaded his hands on multiple times, the eyes that he lost himself in, the freckles that marred his porcelain skin, everything he could. He knew he looked crazy, but he was trying to absorb all of Regulus that he missed the year they were apart. Even if common sense told him to not go with him, that there was no way Regulus was actually there, all sense of reason always left him whenever he was near, so he slowly reached to take Regulus extended hand, and when their palms united, James felt complete again after so long of being left half empty.

Regulus took his palm with a softness that felt familiar and foreign at the same time as he slowly rised it to him lips, kissing his knuckles softly with a heartfelt "Im sorry" to accompany it.

"Im going to need more than that" James said, his whole arm burned but his mind was clearing from the panicked fog by the second "but that shall wait, let's go"

They had a lot to talk about, Regulus had a lot to explain, but they had to get out of here first.

[carlyraejepsans]

Sans Undertale.

the funny one. blue guy. skeleton dude. if u please

favorite thing about them: god how to choose. i love how contradictory he is. i love how much he blends into the background and has a net zero relevance on the game's story, and yet he sticks out like a sore thumb, both thematically and tonally. the judgement spiel makes him the direct deliverer of a core game mechanic, and yet he's... such an outsider about it. i love how morally grey he is. a resonance hybrid between a painfully selfless good man and a self serving bastard. he's the depressed nihilistic man. he is his girlfriend's manic pixie dream girl. he is just some guy. he is the last barrier against universal annihilation. he serves cunt (but only once). he parallels flowey in his refusal to engage the narrative, but whereas the narrative starts orbiting flowey instead, sans condems himself as the audience to the player's actions. #finalgirl. also it's still a theory, but if the otherworld stuff is ever confirmed ingame that will make him the most video game character of all fucking time. hands down. no competitors.

least favorite thing about them: every morning i wake up and i stare in the mirror and i ask myself "do i wanna fuck sans undertale??" and i hesitate. and well i could do without that kind of pressure

favorite line: "that's a promise" "besides. chances are... i've already tried to steer you in the right direction. so what can i say? what can i say that will change the mind of a being like you...?"

brOTP: i like whatever he and grillby got going on. that barman/regular comradery, the mood of the bar late at night and being the only client left. the silent vulnerability of it. it's all hypothetical since grillby doesn't really Have much of a presence in the game, but they obviously get along well. alphys too, what a pair of nerds. oh my god i didn't mention papyrus. oh well, they don't feel like a brotp tbh, it's like. they're halves of the same coin. sans inevitably implies papyrus in my mind, and vice versa. do NOT separate them.

OTP: do you have to fucking ask

nOTO: you know people usually put stuff like incest or age gap ships here because they make them understandably uncomfortable, but if there's a ""ship"" that i violently HATE re:sans it's. whenever they make him and toriel a mother-son dynamic. i am not talking about platonic or qpr soriel, i love those as well, they are besties first and lovers maybe, i mean SPECIFICALLY the take that she's his mother. no the fuck she's not. infantilization of sans and mommyification of toriel aside, that's the entire point of their friendship she is NOT his mother. they're on the same level, he is literally the first person she's gone eye to eye with as an equal in her centuries of isolation and THAT is what helps her snap out of her cycle. she is not his superior, he is not her protège. it grosses me out so much.

random headcanon: half decent singer, but hates to sing in public unless he's being a clown on purpose. used to sing papyrus to sleep as a baby. that's a pretty standard hc though, uhhhh.... he hates drinking. though he's surprisingly knowledgeable about corks, for some reason.

unpopular opinion: abby i'm so sorry i know u like it & i 🤝 about it in some cases ex: specific fics we both like, but he does NOT canonically have 1HP outside of a genocide battle. and i'd really appreciate it if people stopped pushing that hc on everyone else.

song i associate with them: Pinch me by the Barenaked Ladies, and If I Ever Feel Better by Phoenix. helplessness but silly and helplessness but funky. v sans songs

favorite picture of them:

heart eyes motherfucker

[cyanide-latte]

5 6 7 FOR Cooper, Rin, Xi and the twins are PULLING on my hair demanding Talesin as well

OHOHOHOHOHOHOOOOOOOO EXCELLENT

This is going to get a bit lengthy so my apologies in advance, I'm going to be putting this under a read more cut.

Additionally! If some of you are looking at the name "Talesin" and wondering which of my OCs that is, I've not talked about them on here yet but Talesin is a nextgen OC for Kalim and my boy Copper. The biggest reason I've been mum about him on here is because, quite frankly, @blithesharem is the only person who can apparently coax Talesin into talking. He refuses to offer me anything to work with otherwise, and I only just recently figured out some things about him, again because Blithe and I had been chatting in DMs and it knocked something loose. (I did find out at least one other thing about him today thanks to a prompt from @inmateofthemind but that actually came from Copper, Talesin didn't tell me himself.) He's an elusive little scamp and I love him but boy is he hard to pin down.

5) Any animals you most associate with your OC?

Copper Benoit- ignoring the low-hanging fruit of Copper's unusual animal companions, I associate him with dogs. While you could say it's because Floyd's nickname for him is "Sea Dog", it's also due to the fact a lot of other people have said he's got the energy of a sad, lonely puppy. And I would say that's fairly accurate, especially at the start of his story. (And he probably grows up into the kind of dog that you'd love to have around but definitely don't want to get on the wrong side of.)

Wei Renqiao- Perhaps this is cheating but I associate him with phoenixes. His Signature Spell/Unique Magic, "Revenant Warlord", allows Ren to revive after he's died or been killed somehow. There are certain circumstances in which he can be perma-killed, sure, the magic has its limitations, but typically speaking it would be near-impossible to permanently kill him. And his body heals rapidly when he revives, so I've always seen him as a phoenix since I was first conceptualizing him.

Wei Xinyi- This one might seem a little odd, since Xinyi is an extrovert at heart, but I tend to see them as a tiger. Because we do tend to see more and more videos of tigers being playful or fun, and there are absolutely some endearing moments of tigers that are brothers being silly, but they're still tigers. And I think that's a fairly good rule of thumb for Xinyi: they come across as extremely playful, lighthearted, and affectionate with those close to them, but don't think for a second that's all there is to them.

Talesin- a ring-tailed lemur, apparently. It just fits.

6) Any flowers you associate with your OC?

BITCH FLOWER SYMBOLISM IS MY DAMN LIFEBLOOD

Copper- Blue iris. They symbolize hope and faith, both integral parts of where Copper's story begins, and they also symbolize mystery, which is appropriate to his heritage going unknown for so long (as well as how well he keeps his unique magic hidden.) The color fitting so well with him eventually ending up in Pomefiore is a nice little bonus!

Ren- Lotus, for its meanings of rebirth and regeneration. Emilia, for creativity. Periwinkle, for intellect and mental capability. And forget-me-nots, for fidelity, faithful love, resilience and memory.

Xinyi- it feels fitting that, as a Mulan expy, at least one of the flowers I associate with them the most is pink magnolias, for innocence, youth, joy, femininity and romance. Also sweet William for masculinity, gallantry and courage.

Talesin- Anthurium, for hospitality, and freesia, for joy and friendship. And rhododendron, for danger and a need for caution.

7) Does your OC have a favorite and least favorite food?

Copper- I don't know if he has a least favorite food, but his favorite foods are all fairly spicy. He's not the pickiest eater and I don't think he has a single favorite.

Ren- "Ants climbing a tree", if we're going for food from his culture. It's mung bean vermicelli noodles stir fried with minced meat and sprinkled with scallions. It's been his favorite since childhood and nobody makes it like his mother does! He's also extremely fond of red bean bread and he often bakes it himself! Not sure what his favorite dish is from other cultures, but I can tell you his least favorite food is anything with duck in it. Don't ask why, I don't know, he just doesn't like duck.

Xinyi- This one is interesting, because Xinyi loves cross-cultural exchange and a big, big part of that for them is other foods! They have a running list and their fave foods are subject to change, but (presently based on what they tell me) they love chocolate-covered strawberries, chili-cheese fries, and cheesy potato soup served in bread bowls. (A-Xin, did you go to a festival or something and not tell me.) Atm they don't have a least favorite food.

Talesin- His dad got him hooked on gumbo and cornbread, his baba got him hooked on lamb and rice, and Uncle Jamil got him hooked on beef curry. He also REALLY loves waffles. He immensely dislikes any dishes made with shellfish but he'll tolerate them (with a lot of dramatics) if he absolutely has to.

—————

Taglist: @ramshacklerumble @simons-twsted-children @tixdixl @elenauaurs @rainesol @distant-velleity @theleechyskrunkly @thehollowwriter (let me know if you want to be added to the taglist for my TWST OCs!)

[boasamishipper]

my personal favorite highlights from the official top gun: maverick script:

meek engineer's name is simon and is dating someone at the pentagon which is how they found out about the drone ranger coming to shut the darkstar project down

"That's...blue sky up there, Mav." "Yeah, but dark blue. Ominous."

mav also called darkstar 'angel' and 'girl' which i'm glad they cut otherwise i would have died in the theater then and there

"Hondo stares at his monitor. He knows his friend well." 🥺🥺🥺

"y'all built one hell of a plane" oh mav ❤️

"For anyone unfamiliar, it’s obvious there is story here - Glory and ghosts." g o d

admiral's aide do you MIND he's having a MOMENT

warlock is described as "an affable, brilliant two-star" hell yeah

i personally think it's hilarious that cyclone was apparently top of his class in '88 but in the script he's in his forties?? even if he's 49 the film takes place in 2019?? that would make him 18 in 1988?? mr mcquarrie sir the math ain't mathing

"Maverick has had about enough of this shit" if that doesn't just sum up both movies

as a macheresin shipper the fact that hangman and coyote were planned as besties from the get-go,,,,,,,my heart is Full

"sorry i couldn't be there" oh ice 🥺🥺🥺

mcq's love for casablanca continues to shine through

penny's dad is alive and retired and still hates mav

"Keepin’ it tight, I see, Phoenix" hangman is such an ASSHOLE i HATE him (affectionate)

bob's description is "human wallpaper" i am DYING

"shit, that's fritz" i DEMAND to know why fritz's arrival elicited that reaction from fanboy!! show me the fritz&b-team daggers cut!!

"Maverick sees a ghost. From this angle, the kid is a dead ringer for Goose, just as gawky and gangly, loving life." and what if i Bawled

MAVERICK REQUESTED HONDO SPECIFICALLY

HONDO WAS GONNA MEET UP WITH A LADY IN RENO WHO IS 'AN ACROBAT' AND 'VERY FLEXIBLE'

"I need at least one person on my side here" MAV

"I'll stand somewhere else" HONDO

mav originally ran the entire class through the contents of the F-18 NATOPS 👀👀👀

in the original script rooster gave hangman his callsign...personally gonna stick with the headcanon that phoenix (if it had to be one of the daggers) was the one who gave it to him, but Very Interesting nonetheless.

rooster calls phoenix 'fee' brb peppering this into All my fics

PHOENIX IS THE MAV OF THE MOVIE CONFIRMED

I DEMAND TO KNOW IF THERE IS FOOTAGE OF GLEN POWELL SINGING 'HOT FOR TEACHER'

genuinely cannot believe mcq wrote this. he is on galaxy tier levels of thinking i could never even hope to reach.

rooster being protective of phoenix you know that's right

theo the yellow lab was originally named "t" in the script,,,,,,,,t for tony scott,,,,,,,,,

"You're a warrior, Ice. A fighter." bury me ALIVE

"(Note: Important we include PILOT POV establishing gray-out in the lead up to G-LOCK)" this script is tighter than a snare drum

"Kinda like your ass depended on it" GET HIS ASS MAV

phoenix and bob refuse to even IMPLY that mav was in any way at fault for them having to eject,,,,,,,,they are Ride Or Die

as a warlock/hondo shipper i am also Delighted they actually got some screentime together

MAV WAS SUPPOSED TO GIVE THE EULOGY AT ICE'S FUNERAL 😭😭😭😭😭

mav and hangman were apparently supposed to talk after mav chose hangman as his wingman but i'm glad that scene got cut because a) showing vs telling and b) hangman is Not emotionally aware or mature enough to say what he says here out loud and you can't convince me otherwise

"Hondo stares at him. Maverick stares back. Something unspoken passes between the two men." and mavhondo shippers everywhere rejoiced

"HONDO squeezes his fist tightly, feeling something crack. He opens his hand to see the crystal of his stopwatch is crushed, the second hand frozen. An omen." HEY MCQ WHAT THE FUCK

"CLOSE ON Hondo, reflecting on his last moment with Mav." see above

"How we gonna get this bag’a ass in the air?" "Just hang on. Cause this bag‘a ass is about to go ballistic."

"Rough Rider, this is, uh...Ghost Rider" *cries in callbacks*

"The minute Hangman touches down, pull the trip wires and have the barricade stanchions ready." (silence) "HE DOESN'T HAVE A GODDAMN TAILHOOK." (OH SHIT FUCK OKAY RUNNING NOW)

lowkey like the parallel between cyclone nodding at mav and hangman and rooster shaking hands. they still don't like each other, but they respect each other a little more now. as the script says, that's enough.

"Among the pictures is one of Goose and Maverick in the bloom of their youth - their whole lives ahead of them." 😭😭😭😭😭

WE WERE ROBBED OF PHOENIX JOINING ROOSTER AND PENNY AND AMELIA AND MAV AT THE HANGAR I REPEAT WE WERE R O B B E D

"TIME CUT as Phoenix holds two model planes, demonstrating air to-air combat to a very interested Amelia." ooooh amelia has a cruuuuuush

"Rooster turns, looks at the make-shift family taking shape in this makeshift home…And he smiles." 😭😭😭😭😭

[fraeuleintaka]

Mind Chess (Logic Chess)

This is the 45th post in the Ace Attorney Investigations Collection Countdown: 36 days left until release!

Today's topic: Mind Chess!

I've already talked a little about Logic with another countdown post so I thought I'm also going to do a segment on Mind Chess (Logic Chess), the new mechanic introduced in Investigations 2.

To say it directly, this is by far my favourite gameplay mechanic in the entire AA series! I just love the entire concept and how it's used. While the other lawyer mechanics are fun as well they all have some kind of mystical (or near mystical) justification, a "superpower", that grants them lie-detecting abilities. I never particularly liked that because it was something they just inherently had to have (or get from someone else like Phoenix' magatama) to be able to solve their cases and it always resulted in plot holes (only the lies the plot wants them to get detected but they get lied to all the time and their abilities don't trigger). Miles' specific gameplay mechanic are both different because they don't have any mystical source, they're just his purely human abilities that he excels in. That not only makes Miles look more badass in comparison (he doesn't need any special "powers" to solve his cases) but also avoids creating unnecessary plot holes.

Mind Chess is a bit more elaborate than Logic and since they're used for completely different things they don't interfere with each other which is nice. Logic involves Miles combining pieces of information he has to reach new conclusions while Mind Chess is a way to get information from people or to convince them of something through simply talking to them. It's used when Miles has no evidence to argue with or people refuse to engage with him altogether. Mechanically, you get various conversation options and have to choose the correct ones depending on what information you have and how your opponent reacts. That means, which questions to ask, to pursue a line of questioning more relentlessly when needed or to back off a little when your opponent gets too defensive to get them to talk more. It's a simplified version to make it playable but I love how it's essentially Miles using established rhetoric methods to do "battle" on a purely verbal playing field. It's the perfect gameplay mechanic for him, to outsmart and corner people with nothing but his rhetoric skills, no evidence needed.

There is a timer running while you think about which answer to pick and it decreases significantly if you pick the wrong one. When it runs out though you only get about the same punishment as you'd get for presenting wrong evidence and have to restart the Mind Chess segment again so you'd hardly be able to go Game Over because of it. Honestly, the penalty for failing should be harsher (like an immediate Game Over when the timer runs out). Mind Chess itself is a lot of fun to play and the difficulty is balanced nicely so that you can always come to the correct answer when following the conversation and paying attention to the opponent's behaviour but it doesn't hold your hand or makes everything painfully obvious either. If you stay within the time limit even with some mistakes it feels like a nice challenge but the minuscule penalty failing the whole thing gives you makes it feel a little cheap. It's a minor issue, since the gameplay itself is still the right amount of challenging, but still. It's also a little disappointing that there's no unique failure dialogue for the various wrong answers Miles can give. Some of them are so wonderfully ridiculous that it'd be hilarious to see his opponents (and Miles himself) react to them!

The chess theming behind Mind Chess is more an aesthetic than really having much significance. It definitely has some similarities with chess in that Miles plans his moves and uses different strategies depending on what his opponent does but that's about it. It's visually stunning though! And I love how the amount of chess pieces is used to communicate how many defenses Miles must break through, that the last one is always the king and how Miles attacking with his own pieces is used as a visualisation of his verbal attacks. I really can't be mad at the chess imagery when these beautiful visuals are the result. Not to mention that it perfectly fits Miles' character to imagine intense verbal debates as chess games in his head, I totally believe he does that.

One last reason why Mind Chess is unquestionably my favourite attorney-specific gameplay mechanic is how versatile it is. It can be used as a simple "replacement testimony" when Miles has no evidence to present but it can also be used for so much more than that. As long as there's any kind of (verbal) conflict between the characters, no matter its nature, it can be turned into a Mind Chess segment. That gives it so many different and exciting ways in which it can be used. On top of that, every Mind Chess segment is new and unique depending on the opponent character because their personality shapes the way their segment works. To give some examples, Lotta's requires you to be and think quicker as her timer runs faster due to her lack of patience; Larry's mostly consists of just letting him talk as he can't help but run his mouth when you let him and Blaise' is a complete show of intimidation that you can barely get through. It works wonders to not only make the gameplay more varied and exciting but also build on the personalities of these characters. No other "gimmick" in the series manages this. After saying all of that I couldn't possibly go without mentioning Sebastian's segment in particular as it encapsulates everything I've said perfectly. It's peak Mind Chess performance and peak Ace Attorney in general. It's central to Sebastian's arc and one of the major reasons why it's so impressive. When you can say that about a new gameplay mechanic, you've done something extremely right.

[keepsmagnetoaway]

X-Men 139 (November 1980)

Chris Claremont/John Byrne

A pointless but spectacular Danger Room sequence! It feels good to be back with regular X-Men stories!

That's a double-page splash, and it's a total delight. After all the high drama of the Dark Phoenix Saga, we're now settling back into "regular" issues, with time for some fun, some character moments, and some team adjustments, including the arrival of Kitty and the return of Angel. And this single panel, with the brilliant scribble-gag, has all of that.

This is fun! It's just fun. I've missed it. Byrne's crisp art and brilliant facial expressions are so totally on point for this stuff.

There's tons of fun in this issue, indeed. Xavier tries to land a new name for Kitty, which she immediately rejects in favour of one that also won't ultimately stick, but hey.

And Storm takes Kitty to a new dance studio to let her let off some steam. If Stevie Hunter and Storm don't end up in a relationship I will scream, cry and throw things.

Anyway, as always with fun issues like this, plot intervenes, in the stupidest way possible: Canadian plot. I simply refuse to recap the whole thing: Wolverine goes back to Canada for...reasons...and takes Kurt with him, and they have a run-in with Alpha Flight and then get attacked by Wendigo (the very guy Hulk was throwing down with during Wolverine's first appearance), which is where it ends on a cliffhanger. I don't care, and I'm vaguely aware that we're getting towards the beginning of a full Alpha Flight series that I'm going to have to read and I'm shuddering at the thought. What I do like is this sequence of three panels of Kurt.

Fucking sublime. Sad to say these are John Byrne's last few issues that we're into now, so I'm going to highlight his brilliance as much as I can (and thereby avoid talking about the plot).

[stardust-in-my-mind-blog]

minesweeper

the confidence I woke up with today is spent

I don't remember spending it either

I'm blinded again and everything I've tried doing

won't lift the veil or shine any light

I trusted everything and now I'm in the dark

completely alone in a crystal room with only fears to talk to

a tarot reader told me of a vision where

my angels were literally holding me down

twisting the knife into a wound I refused to see

asking for help is so fucking hard for me

and even when I broke and begged out of

a desperation I could feel swallowing me

still they turned away and blamed me for struggling

even now I can't imagine someone looking at me

and seeing anything but a silly greedy creature

I know it's not true and I'm trying to bleed it out of me

with tears and journaling and all my tools

I don't know how to live life without coping

where my heart space should be glowing green

I just feel an ugly sort of burning hunger

maybe the little match girl died finally in winter

asking for comfort is a burden I don't want to impose

on anyone because eventually they stop seeing me

I'm a victim of the death curse again

their eyes are blank and they see right through me

I don't exist anymore and I'm so confused

you loved me yesterday and now you don't see me

why am I so easy to throw away?

why do I feel like my love is so embarrassing?

why couldn't I inspire you to stay?

I know it's not about me but shit it's so cold again

I'll burn whatever I have to to feel warm again

I'll survive but sometimes I don't want to

disappointment is a familiar sadness to me

but I'm trying to get a grip on my disgust

I was never allowed to be disgusted

I was forced to say yes even when I wanted to

rip my own skin off rather than touch them

I was told to be grateful when I said something

didn't match my preferences or desires

I want so desperately believe in something

all I ever wanted was to trust and have it stay close

I've been deceiving myself my whole life

I was never taught how to trust myself

so I numbed myself into compliance

and today I'm waking up to how tightly I have to

clench my fists when I'm in his presence

I imagine myself as dark phoenix sending cyclops to dust

the first song he wrote and sang to me

talks about tapping into my wealth

ironic, since the marriage I'm walking quietly away from

left me in utter financial ruin and the injustice

of it twists my stomach into nausea

it took him three years to take off his mask

I can't believe how fucking stupid I was

am I just going to fuck everything up like always?

I swear I care I just... feel so hopeless

I have nothing to offer and my love is glitiching

between timelines and can't find anything to grasp

you don't even have to pull me with you just

tell me my presence makes something worthwhile

my shadow confidence is melting because I don't

really need it anymore where I'm going

but right now on this hypersurface plane of the present

right now I know why it's the calling of the grave

that creates the force of gravity

I feel all my ancestors and past versions of myself

spiraling all around me and screaming their rage

as they all get sucked into some light in the center

you don't have to hold on to things to remember them

divinity please liberate me from all this deep resentment

every situation was a lesson and I learned them

I promise I learned them can I just be safe now?

just for awhile because my strength is missing feathers

the aerodynamics are off and I know likely

tomorrow will be better and I'll have something

to be grateful for and delight over and...

god it hurts tonight and nothing is working

telling people that it hurts only gives them more weaponry

to use later when they don't like my answer

I grit my teeth and communicate when I can

no songs soothing no portals to see other worlds rewarding

just me alone in the dark hugging my knees

rocking and humming in candlelight

surrender feel release

surrender feel release

what if the only thing I ever wanted

decides randomly to go away again

I can't keep myself tethered to pain

no matter how madly and desperately I love it

can you just promise not to go away

haven't I proved myself in all kinds of roles

why don't I love people right?

how do you love people right?

why am I always too much?

my intensity could be so awesome

my passion could be used in so many ways

fuck, I really am afraid of everything

just me and my cyan ghost against the world

please forgive my faithlessness

my soul is weak please forgive me

all I've ever learned from love is how

to shoot someone who outdrew you

I wrote poetry to dry the well of your memory

but then found you in every song I sang

to rivers and trees and places where everyone

could hear me but not know who glowed in my heart

I made so many mistakes and I don't know

why anyone would want to take care of me

it hurts so fucking much to heal

alone in the void again but at least I have

all the friends I made out of my favorite tears

let it all flow and pass through me

hold the agonizing symphony

between breaths I want to share

then release slowly into arms I know want to hold me

I know but I can't quite yet believe

and that could be because my physical body

knows intimately the impatience of a drumming heart

I release and I release and I release

[alienturnip]

Finished FF16 a few days ago and I do have some (long) thoughts about it, so I'm noting them down below. Reactions include the Waloed & Origin arcs.

Tagging @zadien as you requested <3 My thoughts won't be organized but I'll try my best to articulate as I go. Wall of text alert!

I think this is yet another case of "the story didn't satisfy me a lot but the characters bewitched me body and soul" so here I am at the end of the roads... with a lot of grievances toward how the story was structured & written but also impossibly attached to the cast haha, needless to say I have fanart ideas planned and incoming.

Things that I enjoyed a lot:

CliveJill's scene with the snow daisies, where she tells Clive that she wants to spread her wings after all this is over. MY GIRLFRIEND... YOU SHALL HAVE THE WORLD.

Jill being so good with acting dkfjsl <3 <3 she's so cute....

Jill being as much of a ruthless mtfk as Clive, they're soooo in tune when it comes to wrecking havoc

Everything about Joshua he brings SO SO MUCH to the table both with his personalities and the themes he represents. I would ramble if not for fear of this post's length...

Dion's contradictory demeanor hahahahaha - he insisted everyone call him "Dion" but wouldn't shut up about "Ifrit" and "Phoenix", he also refused Harpocrates' gift but then gave another to Clive 2 seconds later, then sauntered off without even checking if Clive likes it or not...

I generally bemoan the lack of discussion on Dion's relationship with his country's imperialism and his hands in that (like, everything about him was perfect to address that topic even in very brief ways?), BUT I highly enjoyed Dion's theme about the loss of personhood and to be reduced to a vessel of power and worship, his multifaceted relationship with the concepts of power & duty & hierarchy. So subtly yet powerfully done with so little screen time... I think Clive's own engagement with the theme (which is supposed to be his central theme) comes short in comparison.

Dion's side quest with Harpocrates also scratched my brain in INCREDIBLY ways, but again I won't ramble too much in this post...

(Hahaha by this point I think everyone knows who my fav is)

Dion & Joshua's dialogues are all so well-written (maybe save for Joshua's last speech...)

Everything about Mid & Gav, they're beautifully done, I love them they have such solid places within the narrative and lovely personalities too. When I watched Mid navigating the Entreprise I was just squealing and cheering for her! Her talking about the dream of flight and the danger it might entail, and her plan of turning such a weighted topic into a lighthearted treasure hunt! My gosh 💗 Gav's drinking scene with Clive is also especially touching, I felt a lot for his burdens.

Lady Isabelle may I have your hand in marriage--

Clive holding Joshua or clutching his body...... breaks me every time I love love LOVE tragic siblings

I can honestly write an essay for each of the characters (especially Jill & Dion my thoughts about them are overflowing) but they will have to be separate posts at this point, let me know @zadien (or anyone else reading this 🫣) if you'd like me to talk some more.

NOW onto the criticisms proper...

Waloed & Origin arcs were pretty underwhelming, mostly because I feel like they haven't offered anything new that wasn't already resolved in the previous arcs...? I enjoyed Barnabas' vibe but his impact on me was a big fat 0, and here comes the conundrum because, well, I'm guessing him being emotionless & devoid of a personality is supposed to be the point with his worship of Ultima, but even that was not done well... All his bedroom scenes kinda ruined all of that, not to mention the out-of-nowhere 'mother' appearances that the story doesn't even bother to explore aside from showing her naked body (Benedikta got the same treatment after her death my god I'm so sorry my beloved)...

Idk what I'm supposed to take away from the character and, in consequence, the Waloed arc? I know nothing of who he was, his dialogues didn't even match Clive's growth at that point - again, why is Clive questioning his humanity NOW of all time, when the story has been going so well? Could they have, idk, shown Clive's fear coming back to him after reuniting with Joshua & discovering Dion's descend to madness, so that they can segue into the Waloed arc more smoothly - that despite Clive's best intention he may lose all his control at the most crucial point and ruin all that he holds dear (like Dion), and that he never let go of his guilt at Phoenix Gate, and having Joshua back unwittingly brought back the nightmares he'd lived with for 13 years? Maybe that would give his identity crisis at the beach some more substance instead of "Barnabas bested me twice and now I'm wet and sat" situation he got going on... I am thankful for Mid & Dion's arc & CliveJill romance & everything about Joshua but the main villain & plot points felt so distant... MY BRAIN WAS NOT SCRATCHED

(I adore Mid & Dion & Joshua hahaha they're so colorful in 3 entirely different directions, my silly children)

I am also not really convinced by Ultima's writing. The plot reveal of him being a God who created humanity but then abandoned us all *could* have been pretty powerful and on point if it wasn't executed in such fragmented ways. If only they dig deeper into one or two specific aspects of that concept to explore...

I am especially fond of the idea of Ultima as symbolic for "the absent parent" and "the narcissistic parent" (both in the intimate familial context and the wider context of head-of-state/leader figures), which could have paralleled SO WELL with Anabella & Sylvestre & EVEN ELWIN had they not cut off Anabella's presence immediately after her death, or had they make Dion reflect deeper upon his relationship with his father beyond "I killed him I am so sad", or had they make Joshua's and Clive's memories of Elwin more complicated - maybe in how they (especially Joshua) worshipped his as their father & leader, but less so as a man, someone human & flawed? And then they can explore how the children gaining autonomy & freedom despite their parents & the circumstances that shaped their childhood as a direct mirror to them breaking away from Ultima? The frustrating thing is, I THINK they did try to do that, what with all the Inner Voice snippets and the initial buildups and all, but the execution keeps coming up short...

Ultima & the Eikons as symbols of "power that binds & enthralls" in contradiction with Clive's fight for a "free world" could've been much more relevant and poignant if maybe they allowed us to get more invested in Ultima's backstory (flashback cutscenes perhaps? more involved murals? a more multifaceted discussion around the concept of will? some attempts at humanizing Ultima's race so that when Clive says "you're just like us" we feel it a bit deeper?) instead of just having the guy monotonously narrating all the plot twists... my god. Not to mention all the on-the-nose dialogues of power of friendship & crude slavery allegories... I don't know! I think Square did NOT do it well in this one.

That's all I can pull from the top of my head at the moment! Ready to hop into replies or asks to talk some more, but yea!

[nitunio]

i keep thinking about idolish7 AUs!!!

What if Tsumugi chose three idols out of the initial seven? there's individual strengths to all, but there isn't much room for seven now is there?

EXTREMELY LONG POST ABOUT IDOLISH3 UNDER THE CUT (cw: source-typical drama and violence)

Sougo, Riku (center) and Yamato are chosen to be the IDOLiSH★TRiO

-- Mitsuki stops pursuing an idol career for a prolonged period of time, Iori is there to support him while calculating which strategies can be made to make his brother more appealing.

-- Tamaki doesn't bother with rejection, instead trying for other agencies. might do tiktok/musically to reach out to his sister

-- Nagi is upset, but is keen on staying at TakanashiPro - he's their new PR manager (and of course song provider)

i3 doesn't fumble concerts and gets to debut with an already released song (yeah trigger's songwriter steals "let's summer" in this au too)

i3 and trigger still hang out together, although its more awkward -- ryuu, sougo and yamato go drinking while riku is at tenn and gaku's (the only responsible sober adult) mercy. tenn is persistent on riku quitting.

re:vale is re:vale but momo's singing issue doesn't get resolved (yamato sincerely doesn't want to help re:vale. and so far hasn't really emotionally opened up about his feelings since all he does is drinks to blackout and neither him nor sougo remember what he was talking about. he's just an idol out of spite without anything attached)

-- somewhere at this point tamaki finds his sister and starts trailing her to see that tenn knows about her too much

momo and yuki mutually agree that they cannot continue -- banri reappears and agrees to OkazakiPro's contract, the new old re:vale is back (probably renamed too?). the zero arena opening concert gets framed as momoyuki re:vale's farewell to each other (they don't push back on ZERO's threats either, the whole thing's theme is "reminiscence" and "letting go" hence Re:vale singing Dis one and Dis banding (i'm so sorry for this pun. or should i say Dis p-), and letting new idols build on what momoyuki and ZERO made)

-- that being said yuki and banri coming back is framed as "the phoenix rising" and they probably have a song about that too.

Momo still gets spots in dramas and ads though less frequently. He prefers spending time networking and not thinking about singing. He meets Ryou at one of the events and the two share the sorrows (Momo has a tiny bit of bitterness about the Re:vale situation but their agreement to disband was mutual, his time was up, and he still loved Yuki. He confided in Ryou for the lack of a better listener and Ryou went with that bitterness and cranked it up to a 100)

-- riku actually gets better since he's always attended to by sougo and he is having fun with his time as an idol. his relationship with tenn also starts getting better, the two hang out frequently (and heavily disguised).

-- sougo and yamato have tension between each other because they keep trying to open up each other to make the group dynamics lighter but none are willing to share their emotions

Ryou tells Momo about his plan to form ZOOL. the members are -- Minami, Haruka, Touma and Mitsuki (Iori shoehorns himself in as Mitsuki's "personal manager", offers Ryou PR assistance to which he refuses and bans Iori from entering TsukumoPro)

-- momo gets more and more fueled by hate since ryou just doesn't stop generously salting his wounds while simultaneously comforting him

-- at some point here gaku confesses to tsumugi and she rejects. gaku turns his platonic love towards teammates and never pursues tsumugi again.

-- also at one of the hang outs TRG/i3 had gaku + sougo + yuki had a talk about making music and felt inspired. the motivation was to "have a great collab some time later"

ZOOL doesn't choose a target for elimination yet, Momo half-heartedly suggests Re:vale, Minami agrees, Mitsuki goes for i3 and Touma just shrugs and repeats Mitsuki, while Haruka alone vouches against TRIGGER

Mitsuki discovers his powers as MC and uses them to disrupt TRIGGER, Re:vale and i3 shows, instead turning attention to ZOOL and himself, sometimes barely dropping hints at all the dirt Ryou could dig up on idols. he is beloved on the internet as the rebel who's not afraid to talk despite how harmless he looks

- mitsuki has a falling off with his brother since iori is alarmed by the sudden personality change and keeps telling him about long-term consequences of so much negativity, while mitsuki doesn't understand why his brother just won't support him after going so long about helping him. mitsuki shares an apartment with touma. iori still attends ZOOL concerts, wishing to talk to his brother again.

-- nagi deals with bad press and all the stuff that happens to undermine i3

-- haruka teams up with tamaki to "free" aya from kujo. tamaki has a good following on tiktok/musically from his dance videos.

-- banri and yuki get married

---- ryou keeps getting momo new gigs to distract him from re:vale bc most idols are busy dealing with the allegations.

------ there's "unrequited love" thing going on between ryou (ready to ""love"" momo and idolize him) and momo (who is not interested in anyone after a heartbreak)

ZOOL distract TRIGGER, Haruka gets Tamaki backstage after B/W and he singles out / corners (while Haruka stands on lookout) Tenn who says he can't help them with anything. His smug aura gets on Tamaki's nerves and he tackles him to the ground and punches his face -> both escape the scene immediately, Tenn is put in ER, Ryou erases all the traces of ZOOL involvement in the incident, framing it as Gaku going out of control on Tenn.

Aya gets to the ER and gets spotted by media. Fans are raving about Tenn's "sister", some speculate that she looks exactly like Tamaki. Tamaki starts planning his recording to drag Kujo down.

Kujo "saves" Tenn from YaotomePro, forcing TRIGGER to disband. Tenn refuses plastic surgery to "repair the damages" and starts performing solo as the new ZERO (the costume is covering his unhealed injuries while he performs).

Tamaki gets invited to Kujo's residence and they negotiate to keep Kujo's name clean. Aya now lives with Tamaki.

Ryuu and Gaku get fired as punishment (and to save yaopro from getting bad press because oh! mitsuki is already covering the latest news about gaku not being a "cold handsome man" and ryuu being a violence enabler). They move in together and try asking for help.

-- unfortunately tenn is always forced to testify against TRG, as per kujo's order.

-- riku refuses to help TRG bc he believes what tenn says, yamato offers ryuu contacts to try for drama gigs and comforts him. sougo chooses to stay with riku since the latter has been having constant attacks after hearing the news.

Momo prepares to attack new old Re:vale by coming to the public with the "real reason he didn't want to work with Yuki anymore". Ryou writes a whole speech and "stage directions" for the sentimental video that spotlights "how much of a jerk Yuki really is".

i shall not continue. i wanted to write about

[sage-nebula]

It's been so long since I've played the original trilogy that I honestly couldn't tell you which of the three is my favorite, but at this point I'm starting to think that it might honestly be the first one, if only because the first one doesn't have a single case that makes me want to concuss myself. (Which isn't to say that T&T does, but just that I really don't remember T&T well enough to say for sure.)

The four original cases in the first Ace Attorney game are all excellent, both in terms of story / character content, but also in terms of gameplay. Although I hadn't played in so many years, I didn't pick a wrong answer even once in the first four cases, because the puzzles were laid out so masterfully that the answer became clear with only a minute or two of thinking. I want to note that this is different from hand-holding; it's not that the game told you what the answer was, but that logic allowed for puzzling out when it was time to show this or that evidence. You also didn't have to Press on every single line of testimony usually, because pressing on just the ones that it was intuitive to press on was usually enough.

Now, that's for the first four cases. The same can't really be said for "Rise From the Ashes," but that's because RftA was written after the main trilogy was already completed, and thus suffered the same issues that JFA (and I'm assuming T&T) had: extremely finicky cases which were incredibly picky about when and where they wanted you to show this or that evidence, or requiring you to backtrack to rooms because it refused to make a crucial piece of evidence appear during an investigation sequence unless you had talked to some completely unrelated character already beforehand.

This might sound like griping because I am just not good at these games, but I don't think that's the case. Again, the first four cases in the original game didn't have this problem, at least in my most recent experience. Both the trial sections and the investigation sections made sense with very little nitpicky "this must absolutely be done in This Particular Sequence" bits. It's just RftA, and so far each case in JFA, that seems to have this issue. This could be because Takumi or Capcom wanted to up the difficulty in the later games, or at least increase the length of the cases (both RftA and the cases in JFA so far have significantly more evidence than the first four cases in the original game), but either way, it's noticeable.

Having said that though, although RftA had numerous parts where I had to look up a walkthrough because I didn't interact with the exact pixel of the evidence room at the exact right moment in the investigation and thus couldn't get the evidence I knew was right there, I still forgive it because I love the story and the characters. Although there is legitimate critique to be made about it (most notably how they retconned Edgeworth having ever forged evidence because of his popularity by that point in the series timeline), I still enjoy the story and the characters so much that it doesn't matter as much to me. Plus, tbh, it explains even more why Edgeworth would make the drastic choice he made between games, even if you don't take the retcon into account. The man was really going through it for those few months. (Though having said that, Phoenix being like "all prosecutors are evil scumbags" in light of him knowing Lana is still . . . lmao. You really can tell that RftA was made post the original trilogy.)

So at least, thus far into my replay of the OG trilogy, I rank the first game (with all five cases present) as above JFA, since while JFA has what is quite possibly my favorite case in the entire series (Farewell My Turnabout), it also has Turnabout Big Top, which just . . . well, you know. I feel like TBT is probably the most universally hated case in the fandom, lol.

But we'll see how I feel when I get to T&T, since that's the game from the OG trilogy I remember the least. I do know that I loved playing as Mia and I also love Dahlia as a villain, and getting to play as Edgeworth vs. Franziska was also delightful. So it definitely has aspects I am looking forward to. We'll just have to see if I find all of its cases enjoyable like I did the original game before I can make the final determination on that.

[vazaha-tya]

he who is highly prized (teaser)

a little snippet into the barty redemption one shot i was talking about, with some character study and a lot of trauma (tw: mention of sexual abuse and grooming -nothing graphic, just implied-, touch-starvation, and a kidnapped moody in his trunk). i'm writing the canon divergence part right now but i'm posting this in case it doesn't turn out the way i want it to, since this works well as a stand-alone

“Don��t look at the mirror,” he murmurs.

His hands tap, tap, tap on the hard wood. He fidgets on his seat on the floor. Lowers his gaze. Raises it back up. Flinches and keeps his eyes away from the accursed object.

“You know why you shouldn’t look,” Barty tells himself. “Don’t do it.”

He does it anyway.

And shudders in revulsion.

He wants to run a hand through his hair to soothe himself but he knows the locks that will greet him aren’t the ones he expects and that is likely to make it worse. He bites his lip instead and tries not to think about how this face only belongs to him because he took it by force, the flesh his soul inhabits is borrowed and foreign and its very sight inspires disgust into his very being.

He tries not to think at all.

It doesn’t work.

*

He paces inside his room.

“My mind is my own. I’m free.”

He stops when he notices he’s been walking with a straight back all along. He slouches and resumes his pacing. He waits for the pressure of his father’s magic against his mind, instructing his spine to straighten, a cold and flat voice in his ear sighing that shaming the family isn’t enough, he has to act like a commoner on top of it.

It doesn’t come.

The apprehension stays.

He straightens his back. 

He doesn’t feel very free.

*

He gets down into the trunk. 

“Good evening, Auror Moody,” he says softly.

The man doesn’t answer, simply stares at him with anger. He hasn’t said a word since Barty cracked his mind open and scoured it for anything he might need to maintain his cover. 

Barty is thorough. He went through years of Alastor’s interactions with the Order of the Phoenix, the ministry, the Hogwarts staff, acquaintances, criminals he arrested and victims he saved. Anything that might give him insight into how the man acted in public, anyone who might clock his disguise and ruin his mission.

Luckily, the renowned Auror was a paranoid man who had found himself profoundly alone at the end of the first war. Even Dumbledore had distanced himself from him after a while, keeping him on the back burner like all of his useful projects, ready to be dusted off the shelf if he had need of them but ignored until then. Any misstep he makes is attributed to old age and rising paranoia. It’s very useful.

Still, Barty doesn’t relax his guard.

His Lord is counting on him and Barty is counting the days until they can meet again, the object of his devotion finally whole and him at his feet, waiting for the next order.

As he waits, he remembers. Catching Lucius Malfoy’s attention in the Slug Club, the man better at recruiting than he was at anything else Death Eaters were required to do. Rodolphus, Rabastan and Bellatrix were too intimidating for the recruits of Hogwarts.

(Too insane, he doesn’t dare to think. Because what would that make him, who led them into Longbottom manor where he spent his childhood at the knee of a godbrother he ruined, all too aware of what they wanted to do with Frank and his wife. He’d thought it was worth it at the time, to find out what happened to the only man who ever gave Barty his undivided attention. 

Now that he had to look little Neville in the eye as he cast the Cruciatus curse on a spider, he’s not so sure.

That too, he doesn’t dare think about.)

It had taken twelve OWLs and a too public disagreement with his father at a gala for Lucius to approach him. Barty had been too full of anger and hurt to refuse him. Before he knew it, he was kneeling before a man with a presence unlike anything he’d ever felt before. A god on this earth, deigning to give mortals the privilege to worship him.

His Lord had cradled Barty’s cheek in his palm and hummed appreciatively. Like he could see worth in him. The intensity of His gaze focused on his person had overcome him and he had let tears slip. He’d had to apologise for dirtying his Lord’s hand but the man had simply smiled and wiped them from his eyes indulgently, not seeming surprised at all. All too aware of the effect he had on others and accepting it as his due.

Barty hadn’t hesitated to pledge his loyalty after that. 

And His Lord had rewarded him beyond any other. Barty at fifteen had been the object of many’s jealousy but it had only made him proud as he sat on the Dark Lord’s lap and revelled in the feeling of His grip on his neck.

He grazes his neck with blunt nails at the memory, hoping to soothe an itch.

“Soon,” he murmurs, “soon, he will touch me again and my skin will feel right like it used to.”

Moody’s eyes widen at that. His expression twists from dazed anger to something Barty can’t decipher. He ignores it and murmurs cleaning and healing spells, unwilling to leave the Auror in such a deplorable condition. He doesn’t have it in him to be kind, but there is no reason to be overly cruel. 

He feeds him with methodical motions, practised in ignoring the silent communication Alastor attempts every time, as if his glares would somehow convince Barty to release him.

Then he casts the Legilimency spell and gets to work in repairing the damage he caused during his first intrusions.

He doesn’t wonder why he’s doing this for this man he will ultimately have to kill.

He doesn’t think about Alastor soothing a victim after blasting their aggressor into a wall, conjuring a blanket to drape over their shoulders.

He doesn’t remember him saying, “no adult should be touching a child like this.”

Barty gets on with his task and leaves the trunk with hands that are not shaking at all.

*

Bartemius means son of the honourable, he who is highly prized.

His grandmother chose this name for her son out of devotion for her husband. Caspar and Charis Crouch’s marriage was arranged by their parents but they achieved in their union something pureblood society rarely dared to promise their children: a match of equals who respected and learned to love each other.

His father didn’t share his own parents’ sentimentality. Barty’s mother didn’t get to make a declaration of her own and he doubted that her husband would have cared much if she had. 

Bartemius Crouch Sr chose this name with the conviction that nothing Barty could ever make of himself would be greater than the simple act of being his child. As such, nothing Barty ever did was enough for him. 

He was no one’s prize, simply an obligation to fulfil. Or rather, he was a bauble whose earning brought his father no joy. Something to look good in front of the guests but with no value on its own.

Mother might have been kinder, but even she didn’t dare touch him like something to be cherished. She fretted from a distance until father remonstrated her and she withdrew behind him, a soothing hand on his shoulder and nothing more than an apologetic look for her son.

When was the last time someone held him, he remembers wondering after the Dark Lord properly touched him for the first time? And what was he willing to do for it to happen again?

(Everything, his mind whispers. Everything and more. You would slaughter babes in their cribs for a hand to caress your face like you are something to be prized, and you would sleep soundly after as if there was no remorse to be felt.)

[ladykailolu]

Funny stories about Baby Marigold

Mia Fey was working on a scrapbook for Marigold

I plan on drawing some of these pages but there's a "Phoenix Is Not Food" compilation of pictures where Marigold keeps chewing or suckling on his clothes or hair

Mia saw a young assistant Phoenix asleep in a chair with baby Marigold sleeping on his chest. Mia takes a picture and labels it in the book with "The Kids are finally asleep" >//< A small photo taken by Phoenix is later found next to it saying "Speak for yourself, Sleepyhead" Mia is seen asleep at her desk while Marigold is asleep

The last picture Mia put in the scrapbook is "Mr Lawyer and Marigold" with a photo of Nick holding 3-year-old Marigold after his first trial.

Mia did try taking Marigold to some daycare services when she had to do trials with Nick as her assistant. One day little marigoldasks Nick out of the blue back at the office.

"Are you my daddy?" Both Mia (who's standing in the corner) and Nick look uncomfortable

Marigold explains how she sees so many other kids get picked up by their dads and another kid says everyone has a dad. she asks "Is that you?" "You pick me up from daycare sometimes and we hang out"

Nick is like... "Um... no, I'm not your father technically"

Marigold is like, ok then and then asks "Then who is? Linda says everyone has one"

Nick is like, "You should talk to your mama about that"

Mama Mia meanwhile looks like perpetually miserable in the corner

Nothing like being reminded that your boyfriend isn't here with you and the bullshit that comes with being a single mom. and now that's affecting your daughter's social life

Can you imagine what onlookers might have thought? These are people who don't know either Mia or Phoenix or those who only know a little about them and also work in Mr. Grossberg's law firm or in the court. They must think that Phoenix is Marigold's father because they see him holding the girl often. It sparks up some juicy office gossip that Mia has been seeing Phoenix. And I think Mia became aware of it. So she left Mr. Grossberg's law firm and started her own with Phoenix.

She also keeps that scrapbook in the office with her. It's an odd choice, but Mia spends the vast majority of her day in the office anyway, so she might as well have it around if she needs to look at something to cheer up.

Then Marigold blurts out "dada" when she's young and Phoenix is holding her. All of a sudden, the room gets so quiet that you could hear a pin drop. Did she say what he thought she just said? Instead, Phoenix corrects her and says, "Uncle Nick" and points to himself. Marigold doesn't seem phased, but Phoenix couldn't help but to look over at Mia, who heard the slip up. Her face is expressionless, and she's quick to dive back into paperwork as if nothing had happened and nothing is bothering her. But Phoenix knows the truth. The situation is killing her, and there's no telling what the future will hold for either Mia or Marigold.

Can you also imagine one night when Phoenix is still at his desk, frustrated and tryna figure a case out to help Mia, Marigold goes over to him and does this thing where she reaches up to the ceiling and yells "up! Up!" She wants to be held! And she'll probably fall asleep too. At first, Phoenix refuses her because he's frustrated and needs to focus, but she persists, and eventually, he decides that he needs a break too and puts her on his lap. And yes, she did fall asleep in his arms about five to ten minutes later lol

Ok but let's say that Marigold goes back to school and when Linda asks her about her father, Marigold counters that she has something BETTER than a dad--she's got an Uncle Nick! And he can do this, and he can do that, and he can do the third, etc etc etc. Who needs a dad when her Uncle Nick is right there? And she recounts all of this to Mama Mia, who laughs it off. She's glad that her daughter isn't down by the lack of her father's presence, but she feels bitter and sad for Diego who can't be with their child. What kind of father would he be? Mia would bet that he would love and cherish Marigold like she was the only girl in the world.

And I love that title of "Mama Mia" (here I go again)

Have you been working drawing this?