#im also admittedly incredibly biased

[crystallizsch]

Hi...I'm new to the twst fandom, and i saw you help out someone else with recommendations so i was hoping you could help me tooo? 🥺 I'm worried about bothering people with asks and stuff, so i was wondering if you had any recommendations for blogs of nice/welcoming people in the fandom? 👉👈 It would be nice to make some friends...

You seem really friendly and welcoming, which is why I managed to send this...I just don't want to annoy anyone...💔💀 Thanks!!!!!!!!

AWHH HELLO HI WHAT THANK YOU SO MUCH??

i sometimes worry that i may be too overwhelming (if that’s the right word for it???) to even approach so that means so much to hear 😭💖💕

also i MAY have rambled too much,,, i ended up giving (unsolicited) advice as well im so sorry but i just wanted to say some additional things too about making friends in the fandom in general 🤧

anyways anon it’s all right under the cut 💖

AAGH FIRSTLY welcome to the twst fandom!! so glad to see you joining in!

i’ve only been in the fandom since the beginning of this year actually! and so far as my experience goes it’s been so fun!! people create amazing things and share amazing ideas with one another so i hope you enjoy your stay!

ALSO it makes me happy that you even think i’m approachable enough for recs 😭💖

i'm admittedly very biased though because a lot of the blogs i consider nice/welcoming are already mutuals/friends of mine 🤧

and i’m lowkey highkey kind of shy mentioning them again ahglsjdlsalk so i’d like to point you back to that original post here even though im assuming that you literally just came from there 😭

im so sorry i couldnt be more helpful with recs 😭💔 but all of them i do consider pretty nice blogs!!

ANYWAYS PLEASE DONT WORRY ABOUT “ANNOYING” ANYONE YOU ARE NOT A BOTHER most people love receiving asks/interactions!!

i really understand the feeling though!! it’s hard making that first move sometimes,,, and honestly (i know it sounds incredibly cliche but) you’ll never really know if you’ll click with someone here until you try!!

and i'm not sure if you post or not but! it's definitely how I've met the people i’m mutuals/friends with here!

i’ve made friends with others who regularly/every now and then reblog with nice tags or comments on my posts ;;; and i do the same on my main blog! i tend to leave a lot of tags when i reblog posts that i like

and sometimes it just,,, happens??? especially if you and the other person have a shared interest in the fandom!

anyways,,,

send people asks!! reblog with nice tags!! comment!! just let other people that you're there!! the right people for you will reciprocate 💖💖💖 (also this is in no way being against people who just prefer to silently lurk/interact btw i still appreciate you guys 🫶 this is just for if you want to interact more and make friends in the process!!)

but that's just me!!

similar to what i said on the original post i encourage you to find and interact with other people that you think you would vibe with!!

there's a lot of different corners in this fandom that are into way different things about the game than me. and the people that i vibe with might not necessarily vibe with you which is not anyone's fault!! it’s just the way it is 💖

(also i forgot to mention this in my original post --- i'm not sure if you're a minor or not so make sure if you decide to check out some blogs allow minors to interact 🙏 ) (and a lot of blogs outline their boundaries and rules on their intro posts that are pinned so keep that in mind!)

i have no idea how to end this hsjshsjs but generally just find others who like the same twst things as you and interact with them!! it’s okay to do little by little until you’re comfortable, there is never any rush 🫶

AGAIN i hope you have fun here and i wish you the best!! 💖💖💕

[compacflt]

Do you have any nonfiction that you would recommend if someone was interested in the US Navy/military?

im probably not the right person to ask this bc most of my military knowledge hyperfixation is centered on the ARMY in the American Revolutionary War & World War II. It’s only pretty recently that i got into modern warfare as a topic, so let me just give some indiscriminate recs

Can’t go wrong with David McCullough‘s 1776, which is a great overview of the first year of the revolutionary war + the extremely fraught politics of trying to start a new nation’s military—really illustrates where a bunch of lingering schools of thought in our military originated from.

Another David McCullough shout-out: his The Wright Brothers is an excellent book about the origins of flight, AND it was the book right next to the picture of Ice and Maverick shaking hands on Ice’s bookshelf in TGM. So we know ice has read that one. I think you can’t go wrong at all with any David McCullough. I own like 5-6 of his books and he hasn’t missed once. (His best is John Adams but that’s not mil related)

Ron chernows biography of Washington goes into his military background (7 years' war) a whole bunch, and kind of elucidates how truly fortunate we were to have our nation’s first leader be a military man who really kinda didn’t want to be there. Some really good takes on leadership. Just beware that chernow does have a reputation in the history community for just makin shit up sometimes. If it sounds too cute/quaint to be true, it really might be.

u may be tempted: DO NOT read Brian kilmeade's Thomas Jefferson & the Tripoli Pirates, one of the few navy NF books I've read. I read it b4 I even knew who kilmeade was--didn't matter. it fucking sucks. he uses like 7 sources in the whole book.

Stephen E. Ambrose's Citizen Soldiers is a great WWII NF book about that generation of infantrymen.

The one big Navy NF book I've read recently is (not to brag but my personally signed copy of) Craig symonds' new biography of admiral Chester Nimitz, who was COMPACFLT during WWII's war in the pacific. I got a SHIT ton of professional characterization for Ice from Nimitz' life and this book--Nimitz also worked 18 hour days, was also separated from the love of his life for long periods of time in Hawaii, was also probably acutely depressed, etc.

okay: THOMAS E. RICKS. The Generals is SUCH a good book. Army leadership from WWII up through Iraq and Afghanistan. Focusing on how the Army used to relieve (fire) commissioned officers who couldn't hack it, and that's a huge part of why we won WWII, but somewhere between WWII and Korea, being fired started being super shameful (macarthur's fault if I'm reading it correctly) so mediocre officers didn't get fired and that's why the army has suffered shit leadership in every war since WWII. It's a HUGE thesis that he backs up so well. Would so recommend. I'm also currently reading his FIASCO about the fuck-up of Iraq. Also incredible so far.

Michael O'Hanlon's Military History for the Modern Strategist-- a post Civil War survey of military strategy on the campaign/operational level. Might be a good introduction to US military history, just giving a pretty broad overview of post-CW warfare, so that way you don't pick up a random book about the Korean War and go "wait what was the Chosin campaign again?" Interestingly written and I got to meet him and he wrote "wishing you the best" in my book after I told him I wanted to steal his job at Brookings someday, so admittedly I'm biased.

Lawrence Wright's The Terror Years: From Al-Qaeda to the Islamic State is not strictly military related, but it is one of the best-written and most illuminating nonfiction books I've ever read and I cannot recommend it enough.

For war fiction, my taste is v mainstream: Pat Barker's Regeneration trilogy, Tim O'Brien's Going After Cacciato (imo better than the things they carried), Ahmed Saadawi's Frankenstein in Baghdad, Kevin Powers' The Yellow Birds, Cannot Miss Erich Maria Remarque's All Quiet on the Western Front if you haven't read it, Hassan Blasim's The Corpse Exhibition: And Other Stories of Iraq... For specifically Naval lit: Run Silent, Run Deep is a pretty good classic, and this summer I read the 600-page behemoth The Caine Mutiny, which is about specifically WWII-era naval law... it's a brick. But it won a pulitzer and it's...passable. Kind of interesting at least.

[zecoritheweirdone]

SO. UNDERHERO.

When i first heard you talking about this game, i was still kinda in undertale recovery so i thought jt was an undertale fangame but in a more fantasy classic rpg-style

Very clearly i was dead wrong lmao

I genuinely like the premise of a young mook killing the hero and taking their place, and the artstyle made it REALLY appealing to me! Then once i learned it was adjacent to the mario and luigi rpgs i was pretty excited!

The world is such a fun place, with the villain hq being like an office building and the other worlds are cool in their own way, especially the ghost world but I'm incredibly biased lmao. The characters are fun, too! Cereza especially was great, and of course i too love puzzleman lol

The gameplay is fun! The battle system is unique and interesting while still having a good ol rpg kick to it, and i love that! Though admittedly it feels weird that the game is so low level-oriented, i feel super weird about beating the final boss at level 16 lol

The music... had its ups and downs for me. Some songs were genuinely amazing, but others just kinda felt boring

Of course, the game itself isnt perfect. Sometimes it can feel kinda bland, they really didn't try with the pause screen and im not the biggest fan of the ui (the mask kid's mask staring at me in the upper left corner is... unsettling, imo), and i never really got over how floaty and mildly sluggish the game could be. Also the physics were weird. Also i don't really like world 3 all that much lol

But overall this feels like that game that you look at the box art of while at toys r us, beg your parents to get it for you, they oblige, and you adore it and wanna talk about it to your friends and they have no idea what you're talking about, and you feel alone in loving it until you go online and either find a bustling fan community or find out a big youtuber made a video on it and new fans are entering the series nonstop

....was that a long winded analogy? Lol

Anyways i can totally see why you love this game and while i don't think it'll effect my brain as much as it did yours, i had a great time with it and definitely wanna reccomend it to friends and stuff!

YEAHHHH !!! tho it may have had some ups and downs,, i’m glad that you ended up enjoying it overall!!!!

also: yeah, i get that 😔,,, i also ended up trying to reload my save to see if there was anything else, but- alas.

apparently the devs are thinkin ‘bout making a sequel some time in the future, though! after they finish the current game they’re now workin on, that is,,,

[akaikami-cherryblossom]

HII IM SENDING THE QUESTION BACK TO YOU: your top 5 a3 plays? 👀

AAAAAAA FRIEND IN THE ASKBOX<33333 I didn’t even rb the ask game but I’ll take it because I need to get my thoughts out!!!! Btw this list took me hours because I am so indecisive but it was worth it🫶

5. Romeo and Julius

Even though it’s the first play introduced, it’s still one of my favorites and it has a special place in my heart. The only reason it’s so low is because it’s the first one newborn Mankai put on, so there are some pacing issues and I honestly just wish there was more. I’ve also been using it to lure some of my irl friends into A3! because who doesn’t like a million totally-not-gay plays? Aside from that Bokura no Kizuna is the song ever.

4. Harugaoka Quartet

This one doesn’t have the best plot in my opinion, but I still love it. I enjoy a simple plot with really well-written characters, so it works! That and the event story is one of my favorites of all time. I’m also biased because I finally found a recording of the Mankai Stage version and it is WONDERFUL. There’s this one part I really like towards the end where it’s just Ennis on stage and it’s completely dark except for a spotlight. He continues to practice the first part of “Spring”, getting frustrated each time. There is no dialogue. It’s all in his expressions. The last time he starts playing, the rest of the quartet joins him as the lights come up and aaaaaaa ;-;. It’s sososo beautiful I think it was adapted excellently!!! And the final scene with “Hajimari wa Quartet” is incredible I love the added harmonies oughhhhh…

3. The Floral Prince and Sympathy for the Angel

I couldn’t decide. Floral Prince is up here because it’s got SUCH a pretty fairytale aesthetic and the story is so fun and sweet. I always like a good fairytale so this is right up my alley. Sympathy for the Angel is really important to me hehe it was the first Mankai play I subbed and I ended up loving it the first time I read it.(And I’m biased because Sakuya’s Uriel>>>>>)

2. The Wonderful Charlatan of Oz

Another one of my absolute favorites. The second I read it I was already imagining how it would look on stage and it’s so incredibly well-done and fun to watch and aaaaaaa!!!! Also Rick is just genuinely one of my favorite characters of all time no matter how bad I feel for him. Oswald is such a compelling character as well, I think the way Someya portrayed him made him fun to watch, both annoying but still likable. Same with Yokota’s Rick. He’s loud and gullible, a little stupid, but really offsets Oswald nicely. Not to mention the FINAL BATTLE UGH!!! Incredible. Admittedly, I don’t love that the rest of the Spring Troupe has smaller roles, but I don’t think this is the kind of story you can tell with this many people. It’s just good overall.

Honorable Mentions:

SSR Family(The costumes are lovely and I like a lot of the characters and plot, especially Blanc and Nero, I think they’re interesting and well-written. And my wife is there)

A Clockwork Heart(Yeah I cried so what)

The Great Sardine Search(CLASSIC. Though I’ll admit I can only watch it once in a while because Shiro’s voice is super obnoxious to me)

Wonder Rush(It has the same vibes as Sardine Search but it’s got more of a modern vibe to it, plus the plot and costumes are adorable)

Welcome to Akebono-so!(My favorite Autumn play, especially given that I don’t typically like Autumn’s plays. I like the elements of both a fantasy world and reality, plus the characters are a huge selling point for me)

Fallen Blood(I don’t remember much of the plot, but I remember being emotionally smacked in the face once I finished reading it)

Nocturnality(Gay)

Die by the Sword(Gay again but this time it’s me for Orin)

Luminous Circus(The plot is meh but I live for the aesthetic and the event story mentally fucked me up)

Oh, Exquisite Gaia!(Not a mainline play, I know, but it was going on in A3EN the same time I was auditioning for a play about Greek gods and was really nervous. I ended up getting a lead role and I’m blaming this event because that play was also what solidified my place in more plays with that director. Plus I ended up basing my character’s movements and stuff on Azuma because I liked the way he did Gaia ajsjdbfj)

1: Le Fantôme de l’Opéra and Magician’s Pure Love

I couldn’t choose just one. Yeah. Phantom is one that I only really fell in love with because of the stage version. I remember it was late at night when I watched it, but once it finished my jaw was on the floor and I had to pause and process what I just watched. That good. Hang on I have a note in my phone with a bunch of notes on the stageplays I’ll copy paste some stuff from there:

-the English language does not contain the words I need to express how I feel about the Phantom performance

-it just does not have. Enough.

-I’m gonna try anyway

-THE OPENING

-THE MIRROR EFFECT

-GUY

-TSUMUGI

-THEIR VOCALS

-WHO TF WILL LIVE UP TO THAT WHEN MACKEY LEAVES

-THEIR VOCALS x2

-THE EFFECTS BEING SURPRISINGLY GOOD

-THE SCENE WHERE CHRIS PERFORMS WITH THE PHANTOM’S VOICE

-GAY. but also PHENOMENAL

-THE UNMASK PERFORMANCE

-I liked that they didn’t just leave it and decided to use it for a conclusion/bows

-the fact that it’s ACAPELLA

-CRIED

-thank you for coming to my TED talk

As for Magician’s Pure Love, I honestly loved it from the moment I read it. It reminds me of the ballet Copelia, but less dark. I also love the event story because, and I know some people disagree, it is peak Masumi. This is the closest we’ve gotten to the Secret Good Masumi That Lives in my Head. And I love it. Not even that, the play’s plot is a lot of fun and had me guessing over and over again. Also Koma is there<3

Augh that was a lot but hehe thank you for the ask<333

[tomwaterbabies]

I hope this isn't a weird question, but why do you hate Disney's Lampwick, I'm admittedly biased in his favor, I think he's neat, but I just want to know what there is to hate from his four minutes screen time. I'm genuinely curious.

ZING! you've enabled one of my trademark 'Neurodivergent Rants' ! lets begin

to be clear this comes from someone who watched over 50 Pinocchio Things so i have a lot of thoughts surrounding the subject

generally speaking lampwick's character in MOST adaptions isnt one i care for either way (including the og book). he's really just there as a troublemaker to lead pinocchio astray. fine, i dont really mind i just dont really think much of the character past that

now disney's lampwick is a whole different thing to me. and TO BE CLEAR i like his inclusion in the story from a narrative standpoint and wouldnt want to remove him, but he's a character who is there to piss me off nonetheless. i do get wanting to sympathize with a troublemaker from time to time (i do), i just think in this case he was meant to be repulsive and, well, i think they did a good job LOL

because pinocchio in this adaption is so incredibly sweet and innocent, i think it helps add to lampwick being so cruel. i think in a lot of ways this contrast makes him one of the nastier versions of lampwick/candlewick/lucignolo. disney's take has pinocchio have no malicious intent- but his naivety leads to being easily manipulated. lampwick messes around with pinoke like he were a toy (a puppet if u will) and doesn't seem to care about anything pinocchio does aside from whatever entertainment he gets from it. the only time he is /close/ to calling him a legitimate friend is during his transformation where he tell pinocchio to "be a pal" and help him out one of my mutuals once described him as, like, that friend in elementary school you had that clearly wasnt very nice but you were so small, naive, and desperate to make a friend that you didnt realize it. i have thought about that constantly since then because i was in a very similar place when i was young (from having no friends to following some dickhead just because i didnt understand and wanted to appeal to someone LOL) and because a child like pinocchio literally does not know what's wrong, he has no way of knowing he's being taken advantage of and is doing bad things for the sake of a pretty selfish friend

i think if there was 1.) a reason for him to be acting the way he is and/or 2.) displaying/developing some sort of care for pinocchio, then i wouldn't be nearly as hateful towards him. i mean- my absolute favorite depiction of the character is in del toro's pinocchio. candlewick in that is wonderfully written and had me in tears i love him SO much- and he covers both those points. im also fond of the depiction in the 2019 pinocchio. he ended up being pretty sweet and his reasons for bringing pinocchio along with him to the land of toys was understandable

also disney's lampwick is ugly and i dont like looking at him. that's not really super important but it IS funny to mention. but because he's a caricature of his animator i suppose that was the point, to make him look goofy at least

i also have to live with the fact that without him i wouldnt be enjoying my latest hyperfixation since one of the characters of said hyperfixation (hugo) is inspired by his dynamic with pinoke. so that's. well that's something innit

[fishareglorious]

i wonder if they're gonna elaborate on semmelweis' friendship with hofmann once she's playable. did they— [LOUD FOGHORN NOISE]

SEMMELWEIS SENMELWEIS SEMMWELSI

she’s on a first-name basis with her.

yuri...?

yeah she did kinda have to fight figuring out what is real and what's the product of the steadily frequent hallucinations caused by her chronic condition that also will kill her in several months time also while fighting the manus and all assorted arcane creatures in echoes in the mountain

ah heinrich....

wait wuh i thought we were in 1914. i think this exchange happened on jan 7 so new year has already passed so...???? im confused

also the storm can pass through the same area and timeline twice. hm. interesting.

she’s so incredibly sarcastic i love her

thats the last thing marcus ever wants to do

where is sonetto’s two star commandment v debuff when you need it...

it was probably bkornblume's two-target attack ngl

hearing her more fascinated and excited than anything angry is so silly of her

marcus: FUCK THIS SHIT IM OUT

if greta is the funniest person in vienna rn then kakania takes the place of the silliest billy here. shes such an incredibly fun character i feel sad remembering bluepoch's gonna put her through the emotional and mental wringer later on and into the angst meatgrinder next chapter

admittedly, marcus is very small (5'0 more or less from what i remember?) but you're only two years older than her, lmao. granted, i do treat people younger than me kind of like that so

her udimo is a parrot of course she’s as chatty as one lmfao

the fathersonisms between greta and marcus cannot be understated.

everything hurts in hindsight

aperion’s just a bunch of greek philosophical math weirdo nerds you’re not really missing alot. well except for the whole storm immunity thing ig

ohhhh so thats why aperion was bombed

greta is going to pop a vein she left marcus for almost an hour and now she’s broken like. two rules already

huh. are you sure marcus is of legal drinking age? granted, this is another country in another time so. wait hold on let me look

okay its perfectly fine for marcus to drink wine since the legal drinking age for non-spirit bevarages in austria is sixteen. im assuming that this law goes the same for 1914 austria.

this game makes me search the weirdest questions sometimes

on another line of thought, since her birthday actually happens later on in the story, is marcus sixteen here and turns seventeen on jan 12, or is she currently seventeen and turns eighteen on her birthday? probably the latter case. anyway, moving on.

WHITE WOMAN JUMPSCARE

literally she’s all in white and she’s white

kinda fruity summary

mmmmmmmmm i dont like this. i feel like this is setting itself up for a shitshow.

don't think marcus would ever be ready to actually lose you on her first ever mission.

chapter 4 is the epitome of the foundation politicking getting in the way of the better treatment of arcanists so yeah.

on another thought greta was quite biased negatively against arcanists in her report so i wonder when and how she had a change of heart. or was it just because the whole business of 77 and the manus arcanists raked on her badly that her frustration and prejudices bled through the report

finally playing chapter 6. i'm putting everything under cut for the sake of not spoiling people and because i might go off the shits.

anyways: i'll be bringing up the events that'll happen in the later stages constantly. also will mention chapter 7 (patch 1.9) spoilers in detail so watch out.

isolde on the torture chair once again.

since i like reading up on medical history i am curious a little bit on the actual historical accounts of EST. while im mainly more interested in the realm of epidemiology instead of neurosciences and general psychology stuff i might fall into a deep dive of this topic later lol. who knows.

.... eee. a sad truth.

ehm. not really.

ah were back for the regularly scheduled arcanist discrimination i guess

SLAYYYYY KAKANIA'S HERE

oh. yeah i forgot kakania's a med school dropout with a practice that's definitely not legal.

can't. hold schwartz against that sigmund freud was a... weird guy. especially with his oedipus complex thing

we back on laplace. also what the fuck is up with these guys. didn't matilda and sotheby run into one of of them covered in weird slime in The Star

MANUS MASKS????!!! WHAT THE FUCK STOP EXPERIMENTING WITH MANUS GOOP!??!?!!!

FUCK. IS THAT WHY PEOPLE STARTED TURNING INTO MANUS MONSTERS IN CHAP 7.

STOP THAT SHIT RIGHT NOW.

the forehead slap i just did can be heard all the way down the marinara ocean. like fuck offffffffffffff. luc's such a funny bastard she has the most serious robotic voice yet she does stupid comedic shit like this. i love you you funny tin woman

... at the expense of the majority of your staff? god with my knowledge on chapter 7 im constantly going 😬 here not going to lie.

!!!????? HE SHOVED A BALLPOINT INTO HIS EYE???? OH MY FUCKING GOD?

i kindave feel for medpoc if I was them i would be biting the shit out of lucy right now in utter frustration of her callousness

an unfortunate nickname for them, but that's semmelweis' team!

all we know from echoes in the mountain's story has set up quite some of the happenings for this chapter.

[a-passing-storm]

I started watching the Terminator movies, and I... meh. Terminator 1 was Not That Interesting to me, and Terminator 2 had a better premise (imo), but it just... none of it Sits Well with me. (My issue is I’m comparing it to the Matrix.) (I typed this all in the tags but I think I passed the tag limit so that sucks.)

[bl00dh0rs3]

more monkey thoughts. Dont look at me im just trying to explain/figure out More reasons why they (moreso LEMH) make me go crazy (again)

OKAY Full disclosure. this was spurred by some posts ive seen floating around and they are Objectively correct and i agree with them, but the wordage they use is what bothers me and makes me think--its about the general and growing frustration and dismay over LEMH's portrayal and like... increased Importance in LMK, at the expense of like, literally all the other characters new and old.

Again, objectively that is INCREDIBLY true and i feel it 200%!!!! Its frustrating because they just yoinked aspects of SWK's relationships with characters like DBK from the original JTTW and Shoved them on LEMH like theyre Tropes that can be shifted around without consequence--it seems fine and interesting when you first watch LMK with no context or background knowledge, but after knowing what his ACTUAL deal was in the book, looking back on LMK makes what they are doing with LEMH feel lazy and Genuinely poorly researched, rather than an intentional divergence from the original story--because as a general rule of thumb, even if the fans dont Like what you changed, you still want the things in your story to be done On Purpose, like you at least Tried to put effort into it! Its about showing the audience that you think they deserve a narrative that was crafted with Care, not just slapped together and thrown out for a quick Hype/Cash grab, yk???

Anyway So THATS the thing, and thats all cool!!! My issue (and i cannot stress this enough this is Me being Silly and Obsessed with the Six Eared Macaque im a chronic blorbo haver there is no Cure) is that those posts Also tend to talk about LEMH as though... he is a boring character. As though he's just kind of "eh". Or at least thats how my Admittedly biased eyes read them--no beef! Its just gotten me to thinking and now i want to try to write out What im thinking and Why, bc thats a helpful thing to do when you're struggling to figure in your head, obvs obvs

And im of course willing to admit that Yes, in the original text, he is just kind of There! He serves his purpose (aiding in SWK's character development) and then he dies and he doesn't come back again! Hes kind of a metaphor but hes also just an annoying guy! Hes not presented as anything special! I get that that is what is Canon, and thats theres no way to really like... read anything deep into it. Bc theres literally nothing there.

But my problem is that i cannot let characters like that just Be. Especially if the premise of said character could be absolutely FASCINATING if you take it all Completely seriously and At face value--if you try to see whatever is going on for them through their eyes, their minds. Its like.... You can buy a shirt from the store as is, and some might be fine Wearing it as is--while other's might see that shirt and decide it needs a bit of hemming and perhaps some embroidery on the sleeves. Altering it does not change the fact that the original design is what it is--thats just One altered shirt that one person is wearing and perhaps lending to a friend or two, yk???

I love metaphors l. Sorry that dragged on, back to monkey--

To me? LEMH exists in a nebulous state of inevitable connection with SWK--because i like to take the "LEMH is SWK's ~dark side~" thing seriously. In my eyes, they are literally the same person, the same qi, split into two bodies.

There are stories that exist today that explore this idea, characters with this kind of relationship--and i find them incredibly compelling! Because i adore stories that play with the question of what makes a person a person. What seperates you from your maker/origins? What is your purpose in life when you are intrinsically connected to another person, at your very core? Does that mean you exist For them? Do they exist for you? How does thinking that way affect a person, mentally and emotionally? How does it affect these characters, specifically, in conjunction with their personalities and the lives theyd led up until the point they knew about this connection? Have they always known about this connection? Only one of them?

How much more drastic would it affect you if you were essentially a nobody--and the person you are connected to is a public figure? Like Sun Wukong?

Id go crazy. Id go fucking insane? Can you imagine. Its about the potential!!!!! The potential of what knowing something like that would do to someone!!! Im losing the words im apologize i need to calm down--im Not done yet.

What i am getting at here.... is that LEMH would likely work Best as a character who's metaphorical aspects are taken Very Literally--especially so if the story also decides to lean into the idea of his hearing reaching through to the past and future, in any way. He is a character that would thrive on being portrayed in a way that allows him to be a bit Meta, if that makes sense

Yes, you Could just let him be a silly monkey who decided to start shit with SWK for giggles one day--that can absolutely have its merits! But that does not satisfy me, and that is why i am so passionate about him. I want to take my little guy so so fucking seriously because i think it would be SO fucking cool. And a very useful and convenient way to explore ideas about relationships with The Self--since in my eyes, that is what his relationship would be with SWK.

AND ALL THIS STUFF ABSOLUTELY HAS ANOTHER SIDE TO IT, HOW IT ALL COULD AFFECT SWK ON HIS SIDE??? LIKE HOLY SHIT. HOLY SHIT i dont know if i want this post to be That long so i might stop here and come back later to talk abt it from SWKs side in a rb or something--

anyway point is. I thank LMK for introducing me to the Six Eared Macaque, but upon further analysis the way they did him is actually pretty garbo, and im biding my time for till someone introduces me to or Makes a version of him that takes him to his full potential. thats all thanks for coming to my TED talk, get out of my house please

[nyctolovian]

I'm just gonna ramble a bit because holy frick I've a lot of thoughts about Tiger & Bunny right now and where else am I supposed to just spill my random thoughts?

Under the cut because it's accidentally a wall of text.

I'm so glad I gave Tiger & Bunny a second chance. And I say this because a long time ago, while Tiger & Bunny was still sort of popular, I tried to check it out but I started with the manga instead of the anime, which was a big mistake tbh. I didn't realise that it was an anime original lmao so naturally I was left incredibly confused while reading the manga and gave up. And THANK GOD I gave it a second chance because I fricking love it.

First of all, I fricking love the world built for it. It's sort of a cynical setting considering how much marketing is inherent in heroics and how everything is basically reality TV. And it really could have gone the dark, gritty, negative route with it but instead all the heroes are so??? Bright and genuine??? Especially the MC, Kotetsu, since he's a veteran and usually older characters are portrayed as jaded and what not.

I was worried about Fire Emblem at first tbh and,,,, admittedly some of my fears were kind of proven. Like the whole uncomfortable groping and scattered jokes of 'no you're not part of the girl team'. But i was still pleasantly surprised by the portrayal of their steuggles in the movie. It was... quite realistic? The part where their parents tell them "did we not love you enough? Why are u like this?", and that whole split between feminine and masculine presentation hit me pretty hard. And the self-love at the end was really validating. So while they weren't the best queer rep, I... still immensely love them. (Am i too easy to trick?)

Also, oh my gosh. Kotetsu is a bloody gift. He just... works so hard in spite of external pressures and criticism, but also so goofy and clumsy. And the way he's such a pillar of support and pal to all his fellow heroes. The way he jokes around with all of them but also gives some pretty solid advice. I'd also like to add that I'm super biased towards characters that cry tbh. (Not like,,, comedic crying or ugly wailing ofc.) And this man tears up A LOT. Also, I genuinely love the portrayal of him and his family + the way he struggles to keep up with both his responsibilities as a hero and as a father. Ngl, i have a massive soft spot for Kotetsu Dad moments. And i'm also very weak to when he talks about his deceased wife... the way he still wears the ring though im crying and that scene during the movie of them getting married is so precious ;-; This character was built to become my favourite.

Of course, there is Tiger AND Bunny. I wasn't really watching this with shipping lenses on since it's easier to watch hero anime without that, but holy frickkkk. That "I believed that you'd believe me" line sold this pairing for me ;-; Dude... that mutual trust... Then, of course, their trust is tested again and the angstiest bloody trope of "one of them forgot the other". (I was yelling at Kotetsu though because my god, you can't possibly punch a guy till he remembers you.) Also, lmao is it gay to have your memories reawakened upon being called "bunny" by your hero partner? Thing is they both have the same problem of not talking about things that genuinely bother them though. I'm a bit like: hmmmm probably should work on your communication skills.

Also, with S2 apparently coming soon, I'm so so excited. Im wondering how the animation will change (the choreography were pretty good tbh but im not a big fan of the way they used cgi). I also wonder if there will be a change in how they deal with queer themes/characters considering anime has changed drastically in their portrayal of this in recent years. I hope it's handled with more care. Story-wise, I especially want to see more Lunatic though. He's so interesting??? I also want to see Mr Legend's bad history be revealed to Kotetsu. Like, the whole 'he lost his powers too' thing was already such a shock to Kotetsu, i wonder how he'll react to this piece of news. ALSO! I want to see how the whole losing powers thing is gonna be dealt with. How is Kotetsu dealing with only having a minute on his clock? Is it gonna be lost entirely by the end? What is he gonna do then?

Thank god I only watched this year and not when I was way younger because wow. 11 years for a second season is no joke.

[chaoticpanenergy]

things i loved about the new sanders aside

-thomas: oh yeah the sanders asides will be really short lil mini-episodes sanders aside #1: *is fully 20 minutes long* fanders: *are blessed*

-all the fanfic writers are now canonically correct about logan being really good at helping virgil calm down when he’s panicking and i adore it

-vIRGILS REACTION TO DECEIT WAS GREAT AND ALSO HEARTBREAKING LEAVE VIRGIL ALONE PLEASE 

-remus no 

-tHOMAS WRITING FROZEN FANFIC

-rOMAN EGGING THOMAS INTO WRITING FROZEN FANFIC

-rOMAN’S ONESIE

-VIRGIL’S ONESIE

-LOGAN’S LOVE FOR HIS SECRET ONESIE

-the weird viking bit at the start?????? incredible.“rEEXAMINE YOUR CULTURAL BIASES!!!!”

-roman BLATANTLY rigging the vote and everyone letting him get away with it anyway bc they love him <3

-baby Anna: I lOVE YOU, Olaf!!!!!! Patton, tearing up: i aLSO LOVE YOU, OLAF!!!!!!!!!!!

-the genuine UTTER JOY in each Side’s voice when they all chorus “JOAN!!!!!!” ????? they love thomas’s friends so much????????? i cannot Handle this???????????

-Logan having iced coffee and then making a face every time he sips it (and also it still being almost entirely full at the end of the whole movie) which like Definitely implies that he hates coffee but thinks he should drink it for the Aesthetic (also Logan why are you intaking caffeine in the evening you should know better stop that ur doing the “self care for everyone else and not me” thing u deserve love)

-“Nope nope I’m an adult that’s not funny” -remus no

-“The ONLY explanation for it is that that’s just his Evil Plotting Face™️” side note dOES THIS MEAN ROMAN HASNT SEEN THAT ONE TUMBLR POST SAYING THE TROLLS ARE EVIL???????

-“AW MAN YEEEAAAAAHHHH IM SO F*CKED UP ON CHOCOLATE FONDUE I DONT EVEN KNOW WHAT IM SAYING ANYMORE” -also Roman cursed so much in this episode omg

-i love that roman is now canonically That Person who makes snarky comments throughout the entire film while everyone else is trying to enjoy it but will also wax poetic about its virtues at you for 8 hours if you make the slightest critique, it’s so annoying and extra and relatable and very him

-Roman pointing out the footprints behind Elsa as she sings that there’s “not a footprint to be seen” and Logan’s shock and horror and agreement as he realizes roman’s point (also SAME HA IM SO GLAD THEY POINTED THAT OUT IT’S ALWAYS BUGGED ME)

-vague Angsty Patton Hints as he sings along to “don’t let them in, don’t let them see”??????

-“she really shouldn’t let go of any more of her clothing, that’s for sure..... she’ll,, freeze to death” Logan your Gay is showing that was a hastily constructed excuse of a reason, you of all people would definitely have immediately recognized that her ice powers in all likelihood make her completely immune to cold 

-the WAY TOO EXTENDED metaphor about the bridge that at the end of a solid like 2 minutes or however long we learn Logan has been taking literally this whole time 😂😂😂

-Roman: “We need to make like Elsa and—“ Patton: “Let it go!” Roman: “—Lie low in our kingdom of isolation, come ON Patton, don’t go for the low-hanging fruit!!” what a drama queen i love him

-Remus NO

-Logan being SO IRRITATED with Roman’s admittedly annoying movie-watching style 😂

-“Oh, sweet frank iero—“

-virgil: “Just think about it—“ thomas: “Like I have a choice!”

-the small detail of Logan not letting Virgil’s worried comments count for the “5 things you can see” etc and only counting the serious ones that he says <3 <3 <3

-roman: “Yeah, just take it from frozen’s most inspirational song: Fixer Upper!!! [weird metaphor]” thomas: “Thank you Roman, that’s.......barely applicable”

-Logan at the end revealing he was keeping a list of elsa’s powers -“creating fabric from....... ice, I guess??????” -patton’s “yeah, all checks out!!” -logan’s further, incredibly detailed, analysis of what she could theoretically do with those powers

-Virgil’s “what if your soulmate was at the party” comment sending Roman into instant flustered gay panic

-Roman: WE’RE GONNA REWRITE FROZEN ONE!!!!!! Logan: Oh!!!!! Are we gonna [fix it but in loganese]???? Roman: “no! .......yes. ........I don’t know what you’re asking?? WE’RE GONNA MAKE IT BETTER!!!”

-Roman, scoffing at the idea that anyone but him could create perfection: ‘Instant classic’ doesn’t mean ‘flawless flick!’ Logan, SO EAGER to be helpful and back roman up, what an adorable lil underappreciated nerd, i adore him: oH!!! It’s true!!!! Those two phrases are not synonymous!!!!!!1!

-“hans gets a PROPER Disney villain song” Roman r u sure u don’t have just a tiny crush on hans lol

-everything????? this was incredible i loved it send tweet

[brittlebutch]

any tips when an appointment goes like shit? ive been having chronic pain for years, worst in my hips, with joint popping and hypermobility, bad enough that i was having trouble walking and used a cane and could barely get out of bed... but just saw a rheumatologist and all labs were fine, all xrays were normal, she doesn't think anything is wrong and i just need to exercise more, joints popping is probably nothing. im just so lost as to what to do now. i hate living like this

i always feel like the worst person to answer questions like these just because my usual ‘coping’ method for this shit is just like.. fucking. suffer through it lmao; but it really do want to give you like a Good Answer because BRO this shit sucks so fucking much it’s unreal. even tho i’ve actually got like a tentative dx now i Still have the same chucklefuck experiences at the doctors’ offices (and only Partly due to the fact that my dx exp was basically ‘hm you’ve been looking for an answer for the past 8 years and haven’t had any luck? could just be These Things; let’s not bother doing any more tests to try and confirm, try these meds [that don’t work] and we’ll see you in a few months! don’t call me, we’ll call you haha!!”)

So, like, first off I’m gonna say that you should absolutely let yourself be angry and frustrated. IDK how much of a ‘universal’ experience this is, but for me, appointments like this usually send me into a doubt spiral; like “What if this IS just normal body stuff everyone deals with and i’m just a pussy who can’t handle it? after all, they’re A Doctor, right? so they’d know???” but they Don’t always know. Yeah they’re a doctor with a theoretically good education, but they’re still people with biases and also a sometimes lazy inclination. YOU know your body and your experiences Are real and do matter. Let yourself be angry at your doctors, and tell anyone who tries to give you the whole like “doctors are Incredible people you can’t ever talk shit about” spiel to fuck off lol

Next i think it can be important to remember that you don’t like, Need a doctor’s permission to do certain things? Again, might just be a Me Thing, but I put off using mobility aids for years just because doctor’s told me my bones were fine and whatever, and the few times I asked about them specifically, got told to not use them because they’re just [insert any number of allusions to laziness]. Finally went ahead and just bought myself a cane last december and dude, Great purchase. I’ve even recently got smart crutches; because the cane was kind of hell on my whole hand and arm joints (again, this was something i asked a doctor about and was refused an actual answer for lmao), which i don’t quite regret even tho the ‘rest’ working from home during quarantine has granted me means my joints are feeling better than they have in literal years. You’ve already mentioned that you use a cane, so maybe this won’t necessarily apply to you, but like, for me i spent a really long time focused on the idea of getting a DX because in my head, that basically just meant getting permission to have a body; in the sense that like, yeah a dx can maybe get you treatment/more specific coping methods, but for me it also gave me Permission to feel bad (especially where other people could see/know about) which we Don’t Need! you are allowed to validate your own pain and experiences, basically, no one else needs to do that to make it ‘real’

This might be the only semi-helpful point in this post lmfao, but also think about like, why you’re going to doctor’s and whether it’s worth continuing. I started like, back in my sophomore year of HS, and then went On and Off trying new doctors for a while; this shit is exhausting; even once i was on my own and didn’t need my parent’s approval/help in getting to doctors, i still put a lot of stuff off because i didn’t have the energy for it. and that’s okay! but if you do really want to keep pushing, then make sure you keep pushing (which, admittedly, is something i still have trouble putting into practice lol). it’s always been like, dummy easy for me to feel somehow guilty for ‘inconveniencing’ doctors by showing up with problems and shit, but you really have to remember that you are Paying Them to provide you with a service. as long as you’re not unreasonably treating someone like shit, you have every right to push and argue and disagree with them. And if things with your current doctor aren’t working out, find a new one. you don’t need to stick with someone who isn’t working to help you or who you don’t feel comfortable with!

also wrt the whole ‘exercise’ schlock dude, fuck taking that at face value. i’m sure that more exercise really Does help some people, but if you’re in so much pain that getting out of bed and walking around is nearly impossible then tell them so, and then tell them to fuck off. i’ve had doctor’s giving me that spiel for nearly a decade, every one of them lovingly disregarding the fact that i Was exercising at the times (be it through swim teams, gym classes, the fact that most of my commutes are entirely walking, etc), and even my most recent one hearing me say that I was pretty sure the quarantines meaning that i was walking less to get to classes and shit was literally Decimating my pain levels and then still telling me to make sure I try walking around/exercising more. i can’t help but feel that like 9/10 that advice is complete horse shit lmao. same with diet recommendations

i hope literally ANY of this is helpful, lol. if it isn’t, then at the Very least i can offer you an open invitation to come vent in my inbox lmao, because i Get how shitty this is and the fact that like ‘healthy’ people tend to have the “no answer is a good answer! :)“ mentality can wear on u just as much as the actual appointments, so feel free to complain as much as your heart desires dude!

[incorrect-pokespe-quotes]

I read every single Emerald fic on FFN so you don’t have to

There are 66 fics with Emerald listed in the tags. 

First, I took out any fic that was either not in English or actually gameverse, leaving me with 38 fics-- though I will say, the Spanish fics look like they slap

After filtering out “everyone appears” fics (I skimmed them to make sure) I was left with 26 fics. (While I would like to include “everyone appers” fics, I do not have the time nor motivation to read 30,000 words of derring-do and melodramatic heroics seventeen times in a row for Emerald to show up, deliver 2 lines, shoot something, and leave)

From there, I sorted them into various categories based on whether Emerald was a BG character or not, whether the fic had romance, whether Emerald was actually PART of that romance, etc. Then, finally, I was ready. 

Below the cut are the reviews of all twenty six fanfictions!

Category 1: BG Emerald      Every fic needs side characters, whether to provide extra voices or comedic relief or just a foil for the MCs. These fics don’t feature Emerald in a huge capacity, but he’s there and that’s what matters to me. I came into this site expecting anything: third wheel Rald, wingman Rald, Im-only-here-to-complain-about-your-flirting-Rald... I found everything but! It seems the most cliche writers among us don’t like using the Emerald tag, bc the few Frantic-with-BG-Emerald fics with I did find turned out to be spectacular! I’m pleasantly surprised and impressed. 

1. That Special Someone - Team Cap      Cap is on this list like 30 times so get used to it. This fic is mostly about Ruby refusing to shut up about Sapphire and how much he loves her (and how Emerald finds it infuriating). The details of this fic are super cute and the way Ruby and Emerald interact added 3 years to my lifespan, so I highly recommend this one if you want a nice, relaxing read involving the Hoenn boys (dare I say best boys?). In short, read this fic and all of Cap’s other fics while you’re at it.

2. A Picnic - Team Cap      Oh look. It’s Cap again. This fic, surprise surprise, is also good, and while it’s a little more basic than the others (Emerald runs into Ruby/Sapphire at a park and they mess around), it’s still cute and I still love it! Not really much else to say here... but the fic is good and I recommend if you’re in for some light domestic reads. 

3. High Hopes and Checkered Skies - aromatisse      I’ll be honest: my general opinion of frantic fics with BG Emerald is... low. A lot of them shoehorn my poor boy into whatever the plot requires at the cost of his characterization but this fic really surprised me in the best way! This one features Sapphire bringing Ruby to a “special place” the two of them arguing, and Emerald having to patch things up (mature Emerald? I don’t believe it!!). I found this fic while making this list and immediately bookmarked it bc THIS SHIT GOOD FAM. Please read this. 

4. Alpha and Omega- Ruby and Sapphire's Thoughts - Shadoweevee70     Not much to say about this to be honest. It’s exactly what it says on the tin. No plot, no development, not even 500 words. Emerald has a line. I think two. 

5. Boundaries - Team Cap     This fic hurt my heart. Though it focuses on Wally’s one-sided crush on Sapphire, there’s a touch of Emerald in there acting as Wally’s emotional support buddy, which tells me that either Emerald has matured or Hoenn is just devoid of emotionally stable individuals. Regardless, this fic is heartbreaking and beautiful but contains very little Emerald, so therefore I have very little to review. In short... not a lot of Rald, but you should read it anyway. 

6. Summer Days - eonentity      Crystal and Silver go on a “date” and Gold + Emerald try and stop them. It’s cute, it’s honestly kind of creepy if you think about it, and it involves Emerald. While the premise is kind of sketch, the banter between Gold and Emerald is incredible and I really like the general progression of the plot (especially the ending!) This is a very cute fic if you’re looking for something simple to read. Highly recommend, utilizes Emerald as a character really well!

Category 3: MC Emerald (gen)       This... this is my bread and butter baby. These fics run the gamut from friendship to domestic to drabbles to angst and everything in between, but the gist of it is that it includes Emerald as a focus without pairing him off. Not to say this is my favorite category... but it is. I’m biased, sue me. 

1. Family Inclusion - Team Cap      They say to leave the best for last, but I disagree. You’ll realize pretty quickly that Cap is one of my favorite authors to appear in this tag, and this fic is one of her best! I’m focusing on Chapter 3 (that’s the part with Emerald) where he has to entertain a shiny baby Ralts while Ruby and Sapphire are away (everybody say awwww). The fic is stupid cute, and while it doesn’t really offer much in terms of character development or stakes, it’s the type of domestic fluff you can read over and over and still find just precious each and every time. Also... Emerald takes care of a baby pokemon how can you NOT love that. Seriously. Look at this. 

2. At the Amusement Park - Team Cap       Oh wow, another Cap fic I really like. What a surprise. I’m astounded /s. This fic focuses on Emerald’s dilemma of being short at a place where height restrictions mercilessly mock the vertically challenged and how he deals with it with the “help” of Ruby and Sapphire. Though there is background Frantic (which shouldn’t really come as a surprise), this fic mostly focuses on Emerald’s insecurities and his relationship with the trio. It’s introspective, it’s wholesome, I’ve read it six or seven times (I lost count). Regardless, it’s good, and like every other Cap fic on this list, I demand you read it. That is a threat. 

3. Frantic Fight - Puph17      Any fic that drops a line like “margarine is in vogue” within the first three lines is immediately propelled to my top ten fics of all time list and this is clearly no exception. Despite the name, this isn’t franticshipping, just Ruby and Sapphire bickering and Emerald / Wally being annoyed about it. This fic, hands down, is one of the funniest pieces of fanfiction I’ve ever read on this godforsaken site. I am begging you to read this fic, if not for Emerald with a megaphone for the sheet amount of laughter it will cause. This fic may not be deep but it sure as hell is hysterical. ... Well, what are you waiting for? Why are you still here? Go read the fic, we’re wasting daylight. 

4. Weird War - storm-aurora      This is another fic I think I’ve probably read a dozen times and refuse to get tired of. Emerald and Sapphire are having a paintball fight in Slateport market, and I literally could not ask for a better friendship fic. The writing is high quality, the characters are very accurate (altho bc this is fanfic it doesn’t matter all that much), the friendships feel real, they’re having a paintball war.... everything about this is ideal. This is the quality content I live for. Please PLEASE read this fic, you’ll be happy you did. Close this tab and go read it immediately for your sake and mine. 

5. Skydrop - ayasato      Not a lot of people write about Emerald. The ones that do, for whatever reason, seem to do it very, VERY well. This fic, which is so long it might as well be considered an epic, is probably the piece de resistance of Emerald friendship fics. While not as snappy or funny or domestic as some of the other fics in this list, it more than makes up for it with a beautifully built slowburn friendship between Emerald and Sapphire, my favorite take on his living situation I’ve ever seen, and enough introspection to make your high school English teacher swoon. This fic is a must for any Emerald fan, even if it takes like an hour to read in full. It may be long but it’s magnificent.

6. Croissant Kings - ayasato      The fact that this fic is discontinued is irrefutable proof that this is the timeline god abandoned. Emerald and Pearl running a croissant stand is quite possibly the single most absurd fic concept I’ve ever heard but... it works. Somehow? It works. This fic is perhaps, hands down, one of the most ridiculously entertaining concepts and executions I have ever seen in my life. Everything about it, from the setup to the writing to just Emerald being Emerald is so raw and so ridiculous that I smile fondly when I think of it. I wish there were more than 3 chapters, however...

7. Perfect - Micah Debrink      I’m gonna be straight with y’all: I don’t like this fic. I’m not too sure what the plot is, and it was certainly an interesting read, but not my cup of tea. It’s good, don’t get me wrong; the writing is mature, very well paced, and overall well-written, but something about the characterizations is just not vibing with me. Thus, I’m not gonna pretend I thought this fic was perfect (har har) but I will say it’s something you should give a try. I’m admittedly a very biased party, so maybe you’ll enjoy this fic more than I did. For sure give it a shot, because maybe you’ll like it more than I did. This ain’t my jam, but it’s quality preserves nonetheless.

8. Roost - ayasato      This is short and sweet and may have some Sapphire/Emerald crushing if you squint, but overall a fun read. Very short, very good, give it a shot. This author is very high quality and that’s that on that. 

9. One Day - Jian-Kenkoku      This is short yet again but has a super interesting (if poorly explained) premise: Emerald gets adopted by Gold / his mom! This short oneshot details his first day, and while it is a tad rushed, it gives me the Emerald family content I have been sorely lacking. Not sure if this is one of my “reread until my eyes bleed” fics, but it’s certainly worth the trouble of reading through! It’s very cute and I recommend!

10. Emerald: Lying to Himself - reminiscent-afterthought        Very poetic and extremely well-written, but less than 200 words. This fic took me thirty seconds to read and it feels like time well spent. Please read it, even if for the sole reason that it’s super short. It’s also a super poetic way to talk about the Emerald arc. 

11. Go Away Gold! - jayfeatherelle      Ah yes, the “little brother enlists the help of a prankster to keep apart his sister and her boyfriend” trope... This may be cliche, but it sure as hell was enjoyable! Emerald enlists the help of Meddler Blue (side note: where did this trope come from bc she never does anything in canon that would be qualified as meddling other than just messing with Red at any given opportunity). Anyway, this fic is adorable, has a lesson at the end (that surprised me), had a really mature conclusion, and gave me Blue / Emerald friendship I really didn’t know I needed. In short? This is a cliche done well. It’s predictable, sure, but that’s not a bad thing! If anything, it’s a great nostalgic read. 

12. What if: Emerald never met Crystal - LetEveryoneOveraRip        This fic stole the last little bit of hope I didn’t even know I still had. You thought it couldn’t get more violent or sad? You were wrong. Everyone dies. This fic made me sad for like 45 minutes and I feel emotionally manipulated. I guess I should have seen this coming. Not much else to say except that this fic made me really sad, which, of course it did, but I still feel cheated out of a happy ending regardless. 

13. Emerald Owner’s Guidance and Maintenance Manual - Pokerescue18    Nothing happens in this fic. It’s literally an instruction manual and it’s well written and all but also has no plot. It is quite literally what it says in the title, so perhaps this should have been obvious but even still, I was left confused after reading this. I think I need a nap. 

14. Through My Eyes - Kaith1    Relationship angst that hurt my heart. This is less than 400 words so again, took me only around a minute to leave but the emotional impact scarred me for life. Very well done! This fic details Emerald’s inner turmoil as Gold and Crystal get together and Emerald worries he’ll be abandoned again. While I do feel like Emerald hating the two of them for getting together is a little ehhh, this fic does a great job of showing why Emerald would be so upset about it and his inner motivations for being so hurt by it. While I don’t agree, the author made me “get it” a little more, and for that I say bravo! 

15. At the Fair - IanDonyer      This one is short and focuses on Emerald meeting a security guard at a Halloween fair kinda deal. It’s also one of the first Emerald fics on FFN, released far before the remakes even came out! While obviously it doesn’t contain much in terms of character development, it also was written with only the Emerald arc to go off of-- so I can easily overlook any character inconsistencies. That being said, this fic is really cute and uses the OC pov really well! If you’re looking for a blast from the past, check this fic out! 

Category 4: Emerald shipping fics      On the rare occasion where the blue moon hangs melancholy in the sky, the planets align, and starlight rains down from the heavens... someone ships Emerald with another character. Romantically. Not sure where the aversion to shipping him came from, but for whatever reason everyone prefers him single. These authors, these brave knights, they’re changing that. Hell yeah for romance. 

1. Left Out - RedCharmeleon       Not to be like “this fic is painfully straight...” but yknow. Emerald is upset at Gold/Crystal’s wedding because he’s the only single one and needs a girlfriend. There’s also a “what are you, gay?” joke in here, which soured my mood for the rest of the fic. I’ll be honest, I never really liked the “all male protag / female protag ships and then taking Silver, Pearl, and Emerald and pairing them off with OCs” deal, so I’m heavily biased against this fic, but the writing is decent and the plot is fine. If you enjoy this style of plot (everyone needs to be paired up, blushing galore, love at first sight, everyone acts like they stumbled out of a hallmark movie script) then this is the fic for you!

2. Glances - Diemerald      A collection of drabbles about Emerald and Wally becoming friends and falling in love. I’ve read it seven times now. While the plot is a tad disjointed because of the format, this author really NAILS Emerald’s character. Emerald (and Wally) show a lot of growth between the snippets and god it’s so beautiful I need more of it. Please read this fic. Tell your neighbors about this fic. This fic is fantastic. 

2. Revolvershipping Cuddles - Charmerruby     You’re never gonna guess what this one is about. It’s very cute but it’s literally just fluff. Very cute, like marshmallows. This is kinda short so there isn’t really much to say, but I will am starving for Emeruby content, so though this be but little, it be fierce. And fluffy. Did I mention cute? This fic is so filled with love my heart grew three sizes after reading it. I could keep calling it adorable, but I don’t think that’s productive. Spend the time reading this fic instead. 

3. Misunderstandings - Pokeluv101      Reading this was very weird because I know the person who made the OC the story is centered around. Reading even the names thrust me so violently back into my middle school days I can almost taste the edge. It’s very good, and I suggest giving it a read even if you’re not a huge dexholder/OC fan. Also tsun Emerald is good Emerald. 

4. Unexpected - Diemerald     A fic about Emerald and Yellow falling in love. Not exactly my cup of tea so I skimmed it but this author is really good so it’s a great fic, even if it’s not to my tastes. I suggest giving it at least a once over because this author worked hard and I respect them, even if this isn’t really... my thing. Check it out!

5. Big Changes - Aquatales     You know how I said I would read every Emerald fic? I lied. This one is about Emerald getting genderbent and immediately shipped with Wally against his will by his friends. Reading the summary gave me hives and I could not bring myself to read it in full.

Final Thoughts      While I’ll be honest and say that I did find some of the the cliche fics I was expecting, I was incredibly and happily surprised to discover that more often than not, the people who bother to publish Emerald fics really care about his character and publish some pretty high quality stuff, and that’s pretty damn cool. There are shipping fics, BG Emerald fics, MC Emerald fics, and most of them are pretty fantastic! Way to go spe fandom writers, you did my boy justice, all..... 10 of you.

[miharus]

1/2 shigure is more interesting than akito because it's implied that the very reason he even fell for her in that dream in the first place was because he always felt empty/dead inside and has been simply using her all along to fill the void because he's always been in a long-term existential crisis. he's trying to find a reason his own reason to live because he can't "just live" for some reason, when he says he's the most cursed of them all i think he means it literally too

2/3 instead of just metaphorically. shigure is the most cursed cause in a way he's the one most tied to the zodiac bond and is allowing it to dictate every aspect of his life, even his feelings, when everyone else, even akito didn't go that far. even though he's the one most actively seeking the breaking of the curse, in reality he's actually the most chained to it and the past and that's an incredibly interesting dichotomy!

3/3 is he a problematic character? yes. is he a bad man and trash person? undoubtedly. i don't know about you but that's still a much more interesting and unique conflict for a character than the stock "i've been brainwashed and abused my whole life so now i'm just gonna perpetuate that cycle of abuse myself"

yeah i REALLY disagree. i know that maybe takaya intended shigure to be Deep like these messages try to imply but when you use your critical thinking skills as you read the manga he is not that deep

he was not having an existential crisis i feel like that implies he was like... having an actual crisis with how he dgaf about how he lives which he never was. like he doesnt care. just cos he felt something for once after having a dream doesn’t mean he was having a crisis w/ how “empty” he was previously.

like you said tho, all along shigure was using akito to fill a “void.” that’s all there is to his character. he had no actual backstory that Didn’t have to do with his obsession w/ akito, there was no implication that he was in a crisis about the way he lived/lives, all he cared about was using akito and making sure she became his. all his character was, was someone who wanted akito to belong to him. this is not interesting in comparison to an antagonist who was abused, neglected, then abused, then recovered, atoned for abuse etc. 

akito was practically brainwashed by her (admittedly well-intentioned) father and neglected and abused by her mother. her mother who used shigure to manipulate akito, and shigure himself sexually manipulated akito (using her abusive mom... WHAT!!!) akito struggled the whole manga with needing to hold onto the bonds of the zodiac even tho in the back of her mind she knew it was falling apart, bc she didnt want to lose to her mother, and as a result of that lashed out and abused the zodiacs, acting out in a way she never had before to try and keep things from changing. after hitting rock bottom multiple times she recovered and still atones for what she’s done. shigure just wanted to possess akito, got what he wanted and all is well for him i guess. 

im simplifying akito’s arc, clearly, but it’s not my problem if you read her story and still came out of it thinking that shigure was somehow more interesting than her. i also always hated how shigure, and his fans, genuinely view him to be the most cursed. did we forget about yuki, kyo and rin? they were the ones actually most harmed by the curse, by akito. 

at the end of the day, though, i also just find that characters who are predators/pedophiles are just not that interesting. so i may be biased.

so ya idk. also from the words of @yukikeru​

[sparkly-angell]

Stuckony Fic Rec because why not

*= series

ATTENTION! LOST ARM (If found please contact:) by Fakesheep-luna Teen, 8k Bucky doesn't understand why everyone is so worked up. He just went out for a few drinks, made some new friends and passed out in a dumpster. No big deal! "No big deal??" Steve squeaks, throwing his hands up in the air "You lost your arm! And you don't even remember how!" "Well, at least it wasn't the good one."

Guys!! This fic is comedy approved! its really good, made me laugh a lot, and the plot? amazing. Go read!

Break In by Tenspencerriedplease 7k Scott Lang, at least, understood why Tony hated this stupid job so damn much. He had a Masters degree in engineering but Tony was working on a PhD. Unfortunately for him even with his previous experience and schooling- good schooling- he was stuck working in a knockoff version of McDonald’s meets Subway. At least he works there until he meets Steve and Bucky.

askfjnsfdjsn aaaaaaaa I love gang AU and this one is Great. Highly recomend!

Brooklyn Boys - Bakey Au* by Quicksylver28 Teen/Mature 27k Tony is a bachelor college professor who walks into Steve and Bucky's Bakery/ Cafe. Awkward Flirting ensues.... and fluff, we wont forget the fluff.

ITS SO SWEET! Pun intended. Gosh, I wish I could eat all those baked goods. Sounds delicious. Anyways, the fic is sweet. Peter is a good friend.

Bruises and Drunken Heart Tattoos by Akira_of_the_twilight Teen, 6k An older man in his thirties was standing over Bucky with a bottle of aspirin in one hand, and the fingers of his other hand still gripping the rim of the cup he’d set down on the nightstand. Amber eyes blinked at Bucky in mild surprise. The man’s lips curved into a teasing smirk. “I hope I'm not interrupting anything."

I wanna hug Tony so hard over the course of this fic. It’s cute the way they fall in love. And it’s also funny. 

Canvas, Ink & Paint* by Ficlicious Teen, 11k Bucky's got one goal: to rescue a captured SHIELD agent and get out before the guards realize he's not one of them. Unfortunately, apparently he's also got soulmates, and when their messages and sketches start appearing on his skin, his mission becomes a complicated mess of trying not to get caught covered in their ink.

!!!!!! I love soulmate aus and this fic is one of my favorites!! Poor Bucky, tho, he was just trying to do his work. Go read!! 

Carrier by Just_another_tinker Explicit, 49k Steve and Bucky gift Tony with their jacket that survived from the 1940's. Turns out that wasn't the only thing that survived.

YALL. SO. MUCH. ANGST. and with a happy ending? someone said Pining? PERFECTION. I love the group dimensions in this fic. 

Comic Books and Kings by Ashes0909 Explicit, 10k Tony Stark read Captain America comics and everyone knew it, but it was only ever about Bucky Barnes.

Freacking great! Tony having a crush on Bucky before his crush on Steve? Godsent. 

Coffee Love* by Syriala Good, 8k Tony thought his best day was when Steve walked into the coffee shop he was working in. That was until Bucky came in a few days later.

The fluff!! The flirting!! Their kind of pining! *heart eyes*

Cried For Love (Can’t Stand It) by Potrix Explicit, 7k Bucky braces his hands on his hips, and tilts his head to the side, expression caught somewhere between anxious, confused, and nervous. “Well, shit.” “Yeah,” Steve agrees, worrying at his bottom lip, and rubbing at the back of his neck. “That can’t be good.”

Steve and Bucky become spirits and Tony blames himself (which he shouldn’t but thats Tony for you). I love this fic a loooot! (and i wanna hug tony a loooot too)

Difficult Conversations by Yumekiumono Mature, 34k HYDRA had brainwashed their Asset into silence, and then muzzled him to boot. It's not that surprising that Bucky no longer considers talking to be one of his strong suits. So why does he keep having to have difficult conversations? Or, the road to loving Tony Stark is never an easy one.

!!! Man! Tony/Bucky is strong in this fic, but also Steve is there and he is cute. Ive read some WinterIron fics with a similar plot, but the fact that this is Stuckony makes it 100% better. 

Don’t Say It by Bibliomaniac Teen, 35k Tony Stark is autistic and nonverbal. Which is fine, obviously, except for it means that Steve and Bucky don't have his words, and it only takes him a few minutes to decide they don't need to know he has theirs. That's also totally and definitely fine, until he goes and falls in love with them.

So. Fuckin. Good! Soulmate au. Its a must read fanfic. For real. The pining and the angst. Gosh, Tony is the best fuckin person. He doesn’t deserve all this pain.

Eagles by Spqr Teen, 6k Natasha presses her hand over her heart, and – Tony has heard rumors, that her skin is blank, or that she killed her other half, but he doesn’t believe them. “They deserve to know, don’t you think?” “They’ve been together for ninety years, Nat,” he says. “They’re practically married. There’s no room for me.”

Gosh!! Another soulmate au. Me addicted in them? yes. This one hurts more. I think i really cried while reading it. But has a happy ending so its worth it! 

From Winter’s Cold by 27dragons Explicit, 64 Thanks to one of Thor's crazy stalkers, Tony finds himself stranded in the past. If he significantly changes the course of history, he might never get home again. The choice, when it appears, turns out to be not nearly as difficult as he might have expected.

I simply love this fic. One of my personal favorites! Tony is taken back to 1945 and he finds no one other than.... Bucky. Go read! 

Liebestraum No.3 in A Flat by Daecyan_Shikoba Teen, 10k I humbly request to the pianist: Liebestraum No.3 in A flat

Im actually just doing this rec because of this fic. sfdjnsdkjfsn i love it SO much. Pianist Tony has a crush on his neighbours and has anonymous requests to play the piano. Its great. This fic is so relaxing to read.  

Long Distance by Notevenclosetostraight Explicit, 44k At the end of a bad day, Tony gets drunk and texts Rhodey all his woes. Except he typed the wrong number, and has been texting someone named Steve– who is blond, 28, teaches art and somehow charmed by Tonys drunk rambles.

Go read!!!!!!!! Its cute, full of sexy times and fluff. 

Hands by ezazahaz Teen, 1k He pushed harder, feeling the suit start to crack under his metal hand, the arc reactor giving way. Just a bit more force, and it might push through the grafted skin and false sternum that had replaced the device that had once been a part of the man. This time, instead of saving the man's heart, it would crush it, and he could never hurt Bucky again, never hurt Steve again. Bucky has a nightmare.

I know this one is smoll. But! it’s full of emotion and hurt/comfort. It’s cute. Mostly Bucky/Tony

Hollowness by amobisan Explicit, 63k It feels like a hollowness, when Tony first realizes. First sees. And the first thought, the first thought his useless, traitorous, genius brain can come up with was "At least this time when he leaves, it wasn't your fault."

So. Many. Feels. Tony is so selfless and sad it’s painful. But there’s also so much fluff!!! And a Lot of sexy times. 

How Good You’ve Got It by Orphan Account Mature, 2k Tony was only trying to work on deciphering Loki's power signature, which admittedly what Steve would call 'poking an angry brown bear with a pointy stick'. But if he could just- Shit. It wasn't supposed to do that.

Goddamn. One of my favorite fics!! I’ve already reread this like, three times. It’s small, I know, but the plot? Incredible.

Me through Him to You* by sahiya Teen/Explicit, 71k “You’re sick, you need someone to look after you. This mission could take a couple of days, and I want you in one piece when I get home.” Tony sighed. “Why do you care?” Steve’s mouth twisted unhappily. “I hope that’s the fever talking.” He stepped closer. “When I get home,” he said, so quietly that Tony didn’t think even the nosiest of their nosy friends could hear it, “we’re going to talk, all right? Until then, please let Bucky look after you. Consider it me looking after you, through him.”

First fic: sick fic, sick fic, sick fic!! Fluff!!! Love! Second fic: all. the. angst. you never knew you needed, with ahappy ending, tho. 

Not Like That At All by Catchclaw Explicit, 8k One last gig. That’s what Steve tells himself this'll be.

Hilarious! I s w e a r it’s so funny. I mean- theres a lot of smut that happens but the end? comical. And sweet. Go read!

One Date Wonder by Arukou Explicit, 20k Every week, the same guy comes into Steve and Bucky's diner and every week, he's got a new date on his arm. Guy just can't seem to catch a break, and after a particularly bad date, Steve and Bucky start taking matters into their own hands to help him out.

Sweet, cute, fluffy! Poor Tony I want to hug him :’( Amazing Diner!Au, a must read.

Pretend You Don’t Know Me!  by Aknightofagoodking Teen, 16k Peter forgets that his class is taking a field trip to Stark Tower. Tomorrow. ["So you want us to pretend we don't know you that well?" Mister Stark asks, looking somewhat unhappy. "Yes! Exactly! Pretend I'm actually just an intern. Can you do that for me, please?"]

Ok, so this focus more on Peter. But Stuckony as Peter’s dad? Isn’t that just the best thing in the world? 

Scientific Heresy by Antigrav_vector Mature, 34k In the process of running the particle accelerator in his basement and fixing the arc reactor, Tony finds himself flung into the past where he has to take on a fight not his own if he wants to get home to stop Vanko. At least he had a chance to replace the old rector that had been killing him with the new one before everything went sideways... But now he has no choice but to face off with family, friends, and old heroes, and none of that sounds remotely appealing. Well, okay, getting to meet them all during their glory days kinda does.

AAAA Ok, I love time travel stories, so i might be biased a little, but this is the best!! There’s a lot of action scenes which are great and engaging. It’s a must read. 

That Damn Flight Suit by Orphan Account Explicit, 2k James and Steve make a very interesting discovery about what really is under the Iron Man suit. Cue awkward boners, oblivious Tony, and slightly possessive super-soldiers who really don't want to share his...assets... with the world.

I mean- It’s smut. 

The Sex Shop Around the Corner by sadieb798 Mature, 16k Tony really hates his job. When he tries to figure out what he wants to do next, Tony decides that instead of making weapons for war, he should make things for pleasure. So he decides he's going to open his own sex shop.

cmon, tell me this isn’t the best au out there. skdjfsdkfsn but for real tho, the fic is full of fluff, some pining and kind of a mis communication? perfect. 

The Shirt by Sailorchibi Explicit, 3k How an impulsive decision that Tony made at sixteen and an equally impulsive decision that Tony made at forty-three combined to have the best outcome ever.

Smut. Again. But its damn good as well.

The Stories We Write by Notevenclosetostraight Mature, 33k A question at an interview leads to Steve and Bucky discovering fan fiction, and after piles of coffeeshop au's and fake dating tropes (and screaming over ABO fics) they find an author that writes some of the best fics they've ever read-- reader inserts starring a dark haired, dark eyed male reader as their shared love interest.

This fic is so freacking amazing!! Steve and Bucky are such nerds. Tony is mostly unaware until--

Thats it!!! Hope you enjoy reading them all :) If you want more, you know where to find me ;)

[oury-boros]

15, 23, 42!!!!

15. Is there an obscure ship which you love? 

If you’ve seen my ao3 recently, you probably know I’m gonna say louis litt and harvey specter for the tv show suits (akalarvey, though I’m still not a fan of that ship name). It’s a really sweet ship when done sweetly, and a really unhealthy, depressing ship when done sadly. ofc, as a writer I’m there for the fluffy stuff.

aside from larvey... ok, this is a super crack ship, but uh... lady templar and antigonefunn from wooden overcoats? idk, I just think it’s fun to explore! for some bizarre reason I’ve imprinted on lady templar and require more content for my own well being

23. Name a fic you’ve written that you’re especially fond of & explain why you like it.

...buuuut I am very fond of my wooden overcoats fic “Thirty Minute Tranquilizer.” I know it isn’t canon that Chapman’s is open at basically all hours, nor that Eric is almost omnipresent within it, but I think it’d be very funny if it were. also its one of few things I managed to write in one day, so it holds a special place in my heart for that too.

42. List and link to 5 fanfiction authors who are amazing:

OKAY HERE WE GO!

1. I’m super biased, but I adore @viscrael‘s writing. Highly recommended if you like good omens (the fandom he’s written for most recently) and damn good prose & poetry. (also check out his original work he has a poetry book coming out soon and it is goodddddd)

2. I’ve just recently fallen in love with @beeblebitch‘sfics, so if you like Hitchhiker’s Guide definitely check his stuff out

3. on the other hand, I’ve long loved @agentquinn‘s fics. came for her wonderful gravity falls fics, stayed the rest of her also wonderful fics, still including the gravity falls ones bcdamn.

4. there’s only 4 fics on @kiittenteeth‘s ao3, but those 4 ficsare absolutely worth reading. admittedly, ive only read the two Sam & Max fics as im not familiar with the other fandom, but those two fics are two of my absolute favorites.

5. this is kind of a risky rec, as I’ve only read one of @f-imaginings‘fics, but dang is it an incredible fic! it's a long one, ongoing, and named after ABBA’s classic song Knowing Me, Knowing You, so you know it’s good! so, if you like (angsty) billford go read that, and if you like good writing scope out the other fics!

thank you for the ask, anon! I love your energy!

Send me a number and I’ll answer

[wildernessuntothemselves]

Omg to the anon that was talking about feeling less interested in Beomgyu as a bias - Me too. But like not at the same time? Like i don't think I'll ever change my bias in txt, and I think it's going to be set in stone for like the next two years at least LMAO. I'm like totally the complete opposite to the anon though, like I never had a bias in a kpop group..or like if i had one, i never had an emotional tie to them (which arguably would be a GOOD THING. parasocial relationships fucking SUCK) but then beomgyu came along and im totally starstruck (like everyone, the wolfcut got me..)

But also, this year, different to how you guys feel, I think the beginning of 2022 made me love Beomgyu even more! I LOVED his cherry hair and the lost weight made me actually think he was incredibly MORE attractive. And in terms of txt content, I was like wow, beomgyu is like...even more beomgyu now. I know we shouldn't tie a specific trait to a person, but I admittedly do when it comes to Beomgyu. I like when hes funny but also up front about how he does a lot of things to keep txt's videos not too boring - like hes dubbed a variety genius for a reason. And I like when he's loud and opinionated, it just makes me like him even more!

But then the middle of the year - to now, he basically went back to being really quiet again. I think its a pattern, he gets loud during comebacks but then dies down the rest of the year. I feel like thats why my interest keeps dimming - but nevertheless, beomgyu will always be my bias in txt. Like, idk if you relate, but after consuming so much content, i definitely noticed how similar i am in terms of personality to him and I think that's the main reason i'm so tied down to him in txt.

And also, hes a fucking good guy - no one can be sure of that when it comes to idols (especially MEN...) but, he really seems like a genuine person to me. I'm in general a very skeptical person, especially when consuming celebrity shit, but beomgyu man...

Also, another reference to anon, i'm a bit shocked that Yeonjun's the pick for the bias switch? I find that yeonjun stans and beomgyu stans are so different i never see people switching between them, soobin/taehyuns usually the popular 2nd pick 😂

it's so funny how people gravitate to completely opposing things and have contrasting ideas about the same thing lmao differences really make the world go round

for me i actually dislike loud, over the top characters so i actually don't enjoy when gyu is being loud/chaotic but i greatly appreciate how he's bringing the mood of the over all group up. i know it's a conscious effort on his part as he's said before that it's tiring being the moodmaker. it's why he calms down when they're not promoting because apparently he's actually an introvert and quieter than he appears on camera. i like that about him more (though i love his humor and his laugh) but i hope he's feeling well. like i said before i can't help but draw parallels between him and V and how the latter used to be so loud before but got quieter due to stress and/or maturing. i hope gyu is feeling good.

i actually like taehyun's character the most. he's smart and well spoken and witty but also warm and sweet. if i ever change biases it would be to him lol

yeah it's hard to gauge who really is a good person and isn't putting a front for the camera but i feel like generally, bighit boys are genuine. i'd be shocked if any of them turned out to be a bad person.