#indirections verse

[lizardrosen]

i believe heart and soul that MULTIPLE TIMES laertes has listened to the Mary Ellen Carter and started sobbing to osric/rey/ophelia/some-fellow-commuter because "they love their ship!! they made her rise again! it's so beautiful" because he's a sentimental young man

and in the laertes survives verses, eventually he gets to a point where whoever's keeping him alive feels confident in playing it for him, and tells him "you did it, it was hard but you rose again" and then he's sobbing some more and realizing how in love he is

[cherrywhite]

Paige and hayward dynamic makes me sooooooo [smashes my fist against a brick wall]. My prophet and me. The prophet and her paladin. Do you trust him? Strangely enough..more than anyone. That a wedding band? You thought I was married? Maybe divorced. Why divorced??? And I wanted you to know, when we looked back on today, that we waited for him as long as we possibly could. If I never failed, I wouldn't be here. Winning at skimming stones. I'll put my faith in Paige, if I have to put it in anyone. Give me the gift of watching you walk away.

[spiderman2-99]

Here's a question. What if a spiderperson technically... wasn't a spiderperson?

... then they wouldn't be a Spider-Person?

[unbloodiedmartyr]

damn,,, faulkner kill count up to six. rip sibling raine, you were a real one

[hellguarded-moved]

≥ INCOMING TRANSMISSION FROM: @tximidity_ dated 23012023

"Ig!" Excited, he was running himself out of breath to reach him, getting a bit wheezy with only lung. But it did nothing to curb his excitement. Reaching for his hand, he was giving it a happy tug. "I-i found a really warm spot. It's this sunbathing rock and I know you like warmer, drier areas! So I thought--"wow he was really out of breath. Oh well. "--I thought we could have a picnic there. Together. Anything you want to eat!" //he don't know it your birthday but happy birthday sweetie!

" what, what? " he was a little worried at first that something had happened— it was why sullivan ran to him so hastily any other time. worried that he'd gotten himself in some trouble again, touched something poisonous... but he inhaled, with eyes wide as his hand was tugged, practically forcing him to bend down a little ( the boy was tall, he'd noticed... more than most mortals, but still couldn't compare to the deity ).

he tilted his head in a very much canine-like manner, he seemed to perk up at the prospect of a warm, sunny place— was there one they haven't discovered yet? he would have claimed he knew these lands intimately, but sullivan tended to bring him forth even to the more faraway lands. " is... is it far? " the only worry he had was straying too far from his volcano— it was bound to him, after all ( or he, to it? ).

" slow down, silly... " he muttered, half kneeling in front of the other the more he needed to pause to catch his breath. free clawed hand was put gently around sully's shoulders, meant to comfort and placate. " it sounds lovely... " he hummed out with a small smile, nodding at the prospect of a picnic. but... anything? well.

" fresh venison sounds nice. i'll even cook it for you, what do you say? "

[lasplaga]

“Such attention.. I never realised I was so popular.” -excella

「𝔖」 " 𝔇𝔬𝔫'𝔱 𝔣𝔩𝔞𝔱𝔱𝔢𝔯 𝔶𝔬𝔲𝔯𝔰𝔢𝔩𝔣. 𝔜𝔬𝔲 𝔤𝔞𝔯𝔫𝔢𝔯 𝔩𝔢𝔢𝔯𝔰 𝔣𝔯𝔬𝔪 𝔪𝔶 𝔟𝔯𝔢𝔱𝔥𝔯𝔢𝔫 𝔣𝔬𝔯 𝔶𝔬𝔲 𝔞𝔯𝔢 𝔞𝔰 𝔰𝔠𝔞𝔫𝔱𝔦𝔩𝔶 𝔠𝔩𝔞𝔡 𝔞𝔰 𝔪𝔶 𝔠𝔬𝔫𝔰𝔬𝔯𝔱𝔰. " Which was FAIR OBSERVATION, despite missing a silk bondage hood or mesh facial veil. White, & so revealing, was reserved solely for Osmund's chosen servants, witnessed solely in the depths of this Hellhole, not wandering freely. " 𝔉𝔬𝔯𝔱𝔲𝔫𝔞𝔱𝔢𝔩𝔶 𝔣𝔬𝔯 𝔶𝔬𝔲, ℑ 𝔥𝔞𝔳𝔢 𝔫𝔬 𝔦𝔫𝔱𝔢𝔯𝔢𝔰𝔱 𝔦𝔫 𝔱𝔞𝔨𝔦𝔫𝔤 𝔶𝔬𝔲 𝔞𝔰 𝔪𝔶 𝔰𝔩𝔞𝔳𝔢. "

The notion itself brought bile to the back of his throat. Not that Excella was unattractive to him in beauty ; But that The Plague Lord PREFERRED the company of rot & disease --- whereas she was as clean as a porcelain doll. Whatever interest he harbored in her was related solely to businesses negotiations, parasitic assimilation, or ritualistic cannibalism.

" 𝔅𝔲𝔱, 𝔶𝔬𝔲 𝔪𝔞𝔶 𝔟𝔢 '𝔭𝔬𝔭𝔲𝔩𝔞𝔯' 𝔞𝔪𝔬𝔫𝔤 𝔪𝔶 𝔴𝔦𝔳𝔢𝔰 𝔴𝔥𝔬 𝔪𝔦𝔤𝔥𝔱 𝔰𝔩𝔞𝔲𝔤𝔥𝔱𝔢𝔯 𝔶𝔬𝔲 𝔬𝔲𝔱 𝔬𝔣 𝔧𝔢𝔞𝔩𝔬𝔲𝔰𝔶. "

[leatherbookmark]

god and speaking of rap songs and production behinds i thought shinogi was like, officially and properly an homage to kendrick lamar's swimming pools given how THE SAME it is. like i thought oh it's so nice they did it! but it's... not... credited properly at all...? like they only credited one japanese guy for composition arrangement and lyrics. huh? eh? wh

[visionkept]

plucks the straw piece outta their mouth and puts it in hers.

The straw of hay dangled loosely on their mouth, a well known habit of theirs. By the ronin's side stood the blond, watching their every move from up close. Tomoya knows Tem's there, they had acknowledged it with a low hum before diving back to their thoughts.

The two had met in a similar scenario before. But at the time they were nothing more than mere strangers and the bond they shared was non existent, fissured by a wrong first impression and an eventual fight. But since then, things have changed drastically and she, who had once hated their whole presence, found her way hopefully enjoying their company. From her SCOLDING to a shared peaceful silence.

They get to be an idiot standing in the middle of nowhere again, too caught up on their thoughts to notice her scheming. When her hand reaches to pluck the piece, their concentration breaks and their gazes finally meet.

Her new stolen acquisition, nothing to see here.

❝ . . . . is this your new SUBTLE way to ask for a KISS ? ❞

[bravewolfvesperia]

"Yeah, more or less. Sometimes we split up to do solo work where we can. More jobs at the same time is more money to help sustain the guild." Also meant more jobs done, which helped their reputation. Even if Yuri was back and forth between Dahngrest, Aurnion and Zaphias, as long as the jobs got done under their guild name, it didn't matter what location they were completed in.

Hearing about malevolence was pretty new to him though, so even if this too was a guild job, he was more thankful he took this one. Dahngrest had been plagued by infighting once Don died, and while it was getting better, some guilds were still far too loose with their actions. Governing such things was difficult without a definite central leader. Harry was getting there, but many people still looked at him... and didn't see "Don Whitehorse". Didn't see a man capable of intimidating them to behave.

Heck, maybe it was good that they came here. Yuri couldn't help thinking that as he watched them flee in terror at nature turning on them. If the "danger" of the area made them second guess themselves, maybe they would rethink coming back, or trying to mess around in another territory just because it wasn't theirs. The cave was going to block out his view for a little bit if nobody else was in here, but hopefully most of the inner area wouldn't have many people if any. Last time he'd been to a mountain it was pretty desolate too.

"Ladylake, you say... I think I've heard of it, but I don't think I've been there yet. Not much time to explore while on the job, but... well, maybe after. I've heard something about that name and it being a beautiful place or something. Maybe once I head home I can plan to visit it sometime. There's someone I'd like to take with me if I can, depending on our work schedules."

She seemed a bit distant if nothing else, but maybe that was just because Yuri, too, was human. It didn't sound like she was keen on human friends or associations. The princess in question must have been a special sort of person for Edna not seem worried about malevolence around her. "Well, it's nice to hear you have a human friend though. I know a lot of us are whackjobs, but there are some good ones out there. I know a good bunch myself. Grew up around a community that sorta made me what I am now."

The last member's description does strike her as odd. A woman wearing a psuedo-shirt... Edna is not crass enough to ask, but Yuri seems fine with that person, so she's not going to ask anyway. ( Just hopes it's not another pervert because Zaveid is like five perverts in one. ) ❛  She's too busy to help you here, I'm assuming?  ❜

She remembers how the malevolence back at Goddodin was murky and depressing until Sorey found them a Lord of the Land to purify it. It would only affect Edna in a terrible way if she was surrounded by it. She still doesn't know how it happened to her brother, but she had her suspicions... ❛  I'm fine with that. Perhaps you didn't know, but it's easy for a seraph to be suspectable to malevolence that humans make from their negative emotions. If exposed to it for too long... It wouldn't be good for us seraphim. It wasn't a risk I wanted to take. That, and because of the curse Onii-chan had.  ❜

Yet, he still left all the same, she bitterly thinks, but is surprised to see Yuri suddenly excusing himself. She watches him work; it looks like they're discussing something, but the other man seemed very... vexed? His mood seems foul as he starts walking away, Yuri coming back to accompany her. Edna won't ask about what was said, but she is thankful that he got the man to leave without destroying anything from the mountain. At his suggestions, she curiously tilts her head.

Looking at two small figures with pickaxes in the distance, she figures they are the second and third looters, affiliated with the man who just left, and so: she stomps once on the floor, pouring some of her powers into the earth, then she says, ❛  Oops,  ❜ leisurely watching the giant rock spike on the ground suddenly breaking in half, the sharp top portion conveniently falling tip-down towards the spooked intruders. At the same time, a boulder comes rolling down the path, both of them desperately backtracking after scarcely evading the spike. Finally, a great idea that she likes! Edna resumes leading the way, more pleased now. The halfway point is just over there with its circular platform leading into a short tunnel. It contrasts the thin path they're on; although, there are more thin paths and forks beyond the tunnel's exit. 

❛  I don't want to handle so many thickheads at once. I've got my hands full here anyway.  ❜ A beat passes when she remembers the dream Sorey and Mikleo always wanted. They're a step closer to it if she's still talking with Yuri. Surely, this is proof that it isn't an impossible dream; that it will someday make true progress. ❛  But I do visit a town sometimes, though: Ladylake. A few friends live there. One of them is a human—more precisely, a princess.  ❜

[lizardrosen]

inspired by @cleverclove 's multiverse of laerteses, here's mine, with relevant playlists by myself and the incomparable kylee @all-mimsy !

default laertes: when i don't have a specific production/verse in mind. unless stated otherwise, laertes is assumed to have dated or hooked up with hamlet at some point. this laertes wears his heart on his sleeve and lives his best life in france, fencing and smoking and going to protests. and then his life falls apart and he's an unstoppable force of nature, but he can be redirected. it's absolutely essential that he dies asking for forgiveness and not saying "the king's to blame". General Laertes: Youth To Itself Rebels (kylee)

luke thompson laertes: from the 2017 andrew scott hamlet, he's the brightest cutest ball of sunshine, and he scrunches up his eyes when he's embarrassed. gertrude was like a second mother to him and really helped him cope with his anger and grief when his own mother died. he and hamlet broke up because they each assumed that’s what the other one wanted. currently dating reynaldo but only when they're in france and they don't call it dating because they're both ridiculous. when he comes back to denmark his whole body trembles and he So Clearly wants to be doing anything else, so he shuts his eyes because it's all too painful. Reynaldo: By Indirections Find Directions Out (kylee) Laertes/Rey: Let Him Ply His Music (me)

edward bennett laertes: from the 2009 david tennant hamlet, he looks a little scowly and imposing but he’s really just a shy nerd goofball under the surface, and is absolutely terrible at being clandestine when he doesn’t want to be spied on. this is also the verse where I get most of my osric headcanons and characterization, and both of them have had a thing with hamlet at various points in the past. best universe is when they somehow figure out how to be a proper triad with actual communication skills. when he comes back to denmark he’s so cold and determined, but he’s also an open wound and claudius is completely willing to throw him under the bus. Osric: Bubbles Are Out (me) Hamlet/Osric breakup: All's Golden Words (kylee)

blc laertes: from the 2013 bethany lutheran college production, which also has my absolute favorite claudius (this is important). laertes starts out very soft and earnest, wearing soft nerd sweaters. when his father dies he has a total glow up and comes raging into the castle with a very hot determination. the chemistry between him and claudius is electric and claudius offers to sleep with him just to help him unwind and get out of his head for a bit, and later trusts him enough to tell him he killed his abusive brother. they both have way more feelings than they’re willing to admit, and after ophelia dies things get messy and sad. he says “the king’s to blame” hoping that claudius will run and save himself, but knowing that he won’t. your honor, I love them. Claudius: Bosom Black As Death (me) Gertrude: Imperial Jointress; Sometime Sister; Wretched Queen (me) Claudius/Gertrude: Delight & Dole (kylee) Fic Series: Put Me In Your Heart For Friend (me and kylee)

more specific AUs and canon divergences under the cut!

d&d au: an offshoot of bethany lutheran college, in which everyone multiclasses, and hamlet is the warlock of the Forbidden Graveyard which messes with the dead of all denmark. laertes makes his paladin oath identifying hamlet as his greatest foe and actually Kills Him Dead in the duel. he and gertrude both get poisoned but claudius doesn’t and stays by their bedsides healing them. meanwhile horatio has gone to wittenberg to resurrect hamlet, which messes with laertes’s paladin powers. he and claudius spend the first half of the campaign hunting hamlet down and fighting him, and the second half reconciled with him and fighting the far greater evils in the land. everyone gets to have a long domestic life, with claudius/laertes/gertrude all married and in love, and they have dogs and gardens and children!! D&D verse: When Churchyards Yawn (kylee) Claudius/Laertes: My Acquaintance Seal (me)

indirections verse: offshoot of luke thompson in which hamlet never returns to denmark. laertes is deeply, catatonicly depressed because he’s been robbed of his chance for vengeance and his whole family is dead. laertes believes he’s a poison who destroys the lives of everyone around him and tries to push rey away “for his own good” and says some incredibly cruel things but reynaldo is endlessly kind and patient with him and makes sure he stays alive — he finds the poison that laertes brought to kill claudius, and quietly gets rid of it so he won’t do anything stupid. it gets very dark and cuts very close to the bone, but eventually laertes starts to crawl out of the hole he’s in and relearns how to love himself and how to love reynaldo, and he proposes to him in a park! Playlist: Both Worlds To Negligence (me)

to this point I stand: offshoot of edward bennett in which hamlet never returns to denmark. if indirections is a slow drowning, then to this point is a flash flood. laertes throws himself into every bad decision he can find just so he won’t have to stay still or think about anything he’s lost. this laertes doesn’t think he’s a poison, he thinks the world is a poison and it’s taking things away from him to punish him specifically, but the truth is that he’s doing a lot of this to himself. osric provides him a temporary escape from the world, and finally challenges laertes to get it together. this laertes is also deeply depressed, but it doesn’t look like depression in the overwhelmingly apparent way luke thompson is depressed, but because he’s such an active disaster zone things escalate very fast and the catalyst to start recovery happens relatively sooner. Playlist: To This Point I Stand (me)

orphic journey au: offshoot of luke thompson in which reynaldo travels to the underworld and makes a deal to save laertes, and oops the terms of the deal mean laertes is in a three year long timeloop and isn’t allowed to talk about it to anyone! so he gets to try to fix things but he also has to experience many variations of the Tragedy of Hamlet. I’m keeping the details of this one very secret for now! Playlist: Orphic Journey AU (me)

roger guenveur smith laertes: from the 2000 campbell scott hamlet, he and his family are the only black characters in an elsinore that’s aggressively appearance-focused, with manners being everything. his father’s drilled into his head that he has to work twice as hard to get half as much and can’t afford to make any mistakes, so he’s incredibly restrained in a way that looks like he doesn’t have strong emotions, but he’s really just tamping them all down. I don’t really write or talk about this one that often but he’s very distinct from any other laertes so he deserves a mention. he and hamlet likely didn’t hook up but did share some reserved but intense kisses.

[stormgardenscurse]

guys don't like me...

Summary: They’re your best friends! But some of the people (NPCs) crushing on you beg to differ, and are starting to hate seeing the guys flaunt their closeness with you.

Characters: Ace, Epel, Deuce, Cater, Leona

Ace

He’s someone that does this on purpose. It started with dropping in randomly while you were hanging out with other people. Ace picked up on their jealous stares whenever he stood a bit too close to you or laughed at his jokes.

It’s the way you visibly look more comfortable once he’s arrived, because with Ace there you feel less of a need to uphold politeness or conversation-carrying; his personality draws eyes to him instead. And then the one he’s talking to and looking at is you, but despite how that should make you feel put on the spot, it doesn’t. 

Ace dances between aggravating them on purpose and feigning ignorance. He glances at the others when you’re not looking before sporting a smile to ask if you’d go to his basketball match next week. You sigh and say of course you will, ruffling his hair so as to get rid of his smug grin. If Ace doesn’t win, then dinner’s on him. He agrees, happy to leave the room now that he’s left a mark on the conversation. The other students’ moods have dropped, but you don’t know why.

Ace is also the type to be casually touchy, to the point where strangers ask if you’re together - to which he offhandedly says ‘nope!’ only to share your drink (indirect kiss) and receive odd (and some frustrated) looks in the next minute. 

What, is this not normal? Color him flattered that you’re so lenient with him then! (Big faker, horrible horrible)

Epel

Another one that knows exactly what he’s doing, but what else should Epel do when people are eyeing you when he’s also hoping to confess as well? It’s only natural for him to take advantage of his circumstances - he’s already closer to you than they are, and frankly, while he feels bad at the way they deflate when he enters the room and your eyes immediately catch his, Epel feels a sense of pride from how charmed you are by him. It’s like seeing a garden of flowers lean towards the Sun for its attention, only to find that the sunlight has a favorite.

As jealous people sometimes do, his competitors try to subtly mention that Epel is quite cute for a boy, only for him to drop in (he wasn’t eavesdropping, just passing by) and invite you on a magic-wheel joyride. Your evident familiarity with this side of him only throws the others into confusion, and if they challenge Epel to a race, then… he can only accept it and beat them fair and square, no? 

Slightly reckless but also very well-versed (to your worry) with going at high speeds, Epel wipes the floor with them. As to why you’re not a fan of this, it’s because he suggested you sit behind him to ensure he doesn’t cheat! (He’s doing this on purpose of course, but despite your comments of “you’re trying to kill me” you comply, which only strengthens his resolve as you wrap your arms around him to hold on for dear life.)

Deuce

(the NPCs are your friends from outside of school/your hometown! Implied that you and Deuce live fairly close to one-another)

He’s just a nice guy! A guy you think to rely on when you’re in trouble because there’s no one else as genuine and willing to help, in your book. And also the person you dare to open up about your struggles too, if only because Deuce Spade is no stranger to goals that seem unreachable at the moment - like every time you try to climb higher, the earth loosens and slips from beneath your feet and tests your strength.

If he ever hears the other students telling you that he’s a magnet for trouble, Deuce almost slips into self doubt before seeing the look on your face; the obvious disagreement, the hint of offense taken just at the idea. It makes him happy that you have his back even when he’s not around, but a part of Deuce didn’t want to be a wedge between you and your other friends either.

Their complaints soon die however when Deuce’s goodness manifests in a way no one can deny (not anyone with a conscience, at least). When you texted him and mentioned you forgot some ingredients for hotpot when your friends were over at your house, half an hour later there’s a knock on your door because Deuce has run over from his place with said ingredients, saying he had extra at home (“it’s going to expire soon, just take it, don’t worry”), and in a swell of emotion you almost burst into tears at the gesture (Deuce is the only one ever).

Cater

Who’s that guy that always tags you on Magicam? Cater likes being able to see his presence on your profile - it makes him feel more supported on the vast social media sites and quick-moving trends. Whenever you comment on his posts, a smile reaches his face at the sight of a comment that actually knows the context behind the pictures.

So of course, his jealous competitors are quick to ask you about your relationship with Cater. Were you dating? If not, why was he so clingy to you?

You never thought of Cater as clingy per se. Sure, he likes to throw his arm around your shoulder and give you celebratory hugs when something good happens, and texts you a lot - but that’s just how he shows affection in general, you tell them. He’s just a really good friend, and in your head you think that a part of you also relies on his cheeriness to keep your mood up. He always seems to be keeping the energy fun for the sake of others, that you wonder if he gets bored when you both just do nothing at his dorm, flipping through your feeds and doing meaningless quizzes about your personality type.

And then you recall how Cater always asks you for your results, comparing it to his as he leans his shoulder against yours to get a better look at your screen. 

Does he know he treats you different? Maybe. But that’s for him to cling to as long as he can, before Cater has to fess up to his own emotions.

Leona

A mix of intimidation and annoyance is what your admirers tend to feel, whenever you’re with Leona.

You’re one of the only people that can approach him with a smile and ask the randomest things without fear of being shut down, and Leona simply regards you with a sway of his tail and comments here and there. If you’re feeling talkative, you strike a back and forth with him, engrossed in a conversation that onlookers can’t particularly intercept.

More annoying however, is when Leona knows they’re seething inside and just annoys them more by asking you if you could do something for him, like getting him food from the cafeteria. The goal wasn’t to make you run an errand, but have you ask him to go with you instead and buy it together. And with a purposeful act, Leona ‘reluctantly’ leaves his napping spot to be dragged away by you, hand pulling him lightly by the wrist or end of his sleeve.

Sometimes, you’re seen picking up an extra lunch while in the cafeteria line, thinking that you could save Ruggie some trouble by visiting Leona at the greenhouse yourself. Did you realize how much you were spoiling him? Leona says yes, though this awareness might be buried under several layers of him just being ‘a good senpai’ to hang out with. With time, he’ll make his stance clear though. No amount of daftness can ignore Leona when he wants to tell you something, after all.

[literaryvein-reblogs]

Some Poetry Vocabulary

alliteration: The repetition of consonant sounds.

allusion: An indirect reference in art or writing to another visual or literary work or a historical personage or event.

antithesis: The contrast of ideas through the use of terms with opposite meanings.

appropriation: The practice of incorporating elements from a preexisting literary or visual work to create a new work.

assonance: The repetition of vowel sounds.

calligram: A type of poem, such as that created by the French poet Guillaume Apollinaire in his book Caligrammes, made up of words that are placed in such a way that they visually represent the subject of the poem.

coined words: Invented words.

concrete poem: A poetic work that calls a reader’s attention to the visual appearance or shape of the letters, words, or lines comprising the poem.

ekphrastic [ek-FRAS-tic] poem: A poetic work written about a work of art.

epic poem: A long, rhymed, narrative poem, usually about heroic characters and their actions.

epic verse: Text written in a rhythm traditionally used for an epic poem.

epistolary [eh-PIS-toh-lehr-ee] poem: A poetic work written like a letter, with one person addressing another, often including conventions typical of letters, such as a heading, greeting, body, closing, and signature.

form: The structure of a poem, whether standard (like a sonnet) or without a regular pattern.

hyperbole: A figure of speech in which exaggeration is used to convey a particular effect.

imagery: In literature, mental pictures of a feeling, sensation, or idea that are suggested by language; also, actual pictures.

list poem: A poetic work composed of a list of items.

metaphor: A type of figurative language in which a term for one thing serves as a symbol for another thing.

onomatopoeia: A word, such as swish, zoom, or whiz, whose name describes a sound.

pattern poem: A poetic work in which the words are artfully placed in the shape of a picture or symbol.

plastic poem: Term used by the Japanese Surrealists to describe a poetic work that utilizes photography, in addition to or in place of text, to evoke complex and symbolic meanings.

rhyme: The repetition of the sounds of words in a poem.

rhythm: In poetry, a pattern of stressed and unstressed syllables.

simile: A type of figurative language in which two different things are compared using “like” or “as.”

sonnet: A poem traditionally comprised of 14 lines written in a set rhyme scheme.

surrealism: A 20th-century artistic and literary movement that emphasized the role of the unconscious mind in creating visual and textual works.

symbolism: The process of using an object or idea to represent or suggest something else.

tableaux: Scenes depicted through posing without talking or moving, usually with costumes.

typographic poem: A poetic work in which the way words and letters look on the page is more important than what the words say.

visual poem: A general term for a poetic work, such as a calligram, concrete poem, pattern poem, or plastic poem, that uses an arrangement of text and/or images to visually convey meaning.

a list of poetic terms ⚜ More: Word Lists

[more-than-a-princess]

"Would you ever want to go back?" Sonia blurted out before she could reconsider. If Yaguchi was going to be this candid with her, then she would reciprocate in kind. To the best she could, at least. It was easier to talk about someone else's home than her own, even if hers was the one of the few still standing. Barely and crumbling and at the precipice of monarchists and anti-royalists turning on each other, but still standing. The latter was why she was urged to return with such haste: more people didn't need to die on her account, but Sonia doubted her own inner strength to face it all. A lifetime of being shut away in a castle: maybe if she grew her hair long enough, someone would climb up the side, not be entirely repulsed by her appearance and her past, and free her from a life of solitude.

Fairytales, she reminded herself, didn't suit her. Unless they were the most morbid sorts: where families perished and no one found happiness, fulfillment, or love at the end: those were far more accurate to her family than the sanitized cartoon versions.

"E-even if there is no dojo standing," She continued carefully, realizing the reason why Yaguchi had lost her home, and everything else, was due to her and her friends. No matter whose hands were directly responsible, they were all guilty: Sonia couldn't forget that. "That is quite a legacy to leave behind. Considering you work for the Future Foundation, I cannot imagine them objecting you to claiming your family's land and heritage once more for a new, post-Tragedy world."

She fluffed the towels around Miss Kitty, waiting for the first of likely many new arrivals as Yaguchi countered her suggestion. About leaving if she was too tired for the evening, but Sonia's head snapped up to look at her as if she were being scolded for merely suggesting she leave in general. The cats, her care of them, and Jabberwock Island as a whole: even if it hadn't been Yaguchi's intention, her tone was firm and unwavering, and with the severity of her expression behind her glasses...well, there was no deterring her. Sonia swallowed: why was she so intimidating? There had been a time when, in the midst of her madness, she wouldn't have second-guessed torturing her to establish control before finally killing her. Finding what would break Yaguchi bit by bit until she could no longer withstand living would have brought great pleasure to the Bloody Queen of Novoselic.

And now, Sonia Nevermind flinched at the woman's sharp tone and fierce expression. The simulation had made her meek and sad and insecure, the reality of her actions fully sinking in after her friends had died one by one around her. "You did," She confirmed, her cheeks turning pink with shame as she turned her attention back to the cat and how she was on the brink of birthing her first kitten. "I just did not want to be a burden, me or my choices." She reached to gently scratch Miss Kitty under the chin, who paused mid-yowl to lean into Sonia's fingers. Even at the most painful and distressing time of her life, she would accept any affection from her. Sonia sighed, unable to hide her smile towards the cat. Miss Kitty didn't care who she used to be, only who she was now, something she couldn't hope to find anywhere else.

The first kitten had come without complications and the second was clearly on the way as Yaguchi started the movie, the one about high school students in a Shakespearean retelling. "It looks like their school is in a castle, how fitting," She remarked, gently patting Miss Kitty's head as she began to pant again. She couldn't be exhausted yet, not with presumably so many more kittens to go, and Sonia would encourage her for as long as the cat would allow it. The introductory credits played, revealing two very different sisters: one who smiled and the sun shone upon favorably, and the other who frowned, criticized the school curriculum, and was sent to the school counselor.

"I think I used to be like her, years ago," Sonia remarked, nodding to the younger sister, who smiled and laughed and befriended seemingly everyone except her sister. "Blissfully happy and unaware of the real evils of the world. Which turned out to be me, but nevertheless. Thank you, by the way."

She reached for the bottle when offered, her lips softly enveloping the top as if she were giving it a light kiss before drinking down a good amount of its contents. The film was rounding out the rest of its cast: the awkward newcomer in love with the cheerful sister and his unpopular best friend, the mean, vain boy obsessed with charming her, and the recluse who, by just his first words alone, intended to charm both the older sister and the viewer alike.

"They seem so content," Sonia said, just as the older sister turned down the recluse for a date and stalked off the football field. "When all they need to worry about is who is in love with them and if they will attend the university of their choice. I cannot remember much about such things, barring the...erm, obvious." The scar on the bottom of her foot being the painful reminder. Sonia stuck her bare feet beneath a blanket to hide it, but she was otherwise unmoving at the mother cat's side. "I wonder what life would have been like, if I had stayed on that path."

"Mm," Shinobu hummed. "The family story goes that my ancestor in the 17th century was the talented, orphaned son of a disgraced samurai, who eventually traveled to a great archery tournament and soundly defeated every more distinguished competitor." How much Shinobu believed the story, she wasn't sure. Something had been embellished or other, surely, and it wasn't as though it mattered now. The estate was gone - the plaques, the ledgers, the dojo, so many of her bows. Hadn't she wanted to be free, some small part of her, from being the Yaguchi Dojo's vessel?

She shrugged with a soft sigh. "As an upstart with a disgraced pedigree, the other competitors wanted him executed, but it's said his performance charmed the shogun, who offered to grant him a new name, and a plot of land in Tokyo, upon which a dojo was to be built." Four hundred years or so, up in smoke. Perhaps it should have bothered her more than it did. "The estate shrunk over time, particularly after World War II, but, my family lived upon that gifted plot up until I left it behind."

Well, it was just a story, anyway. Perhaps one that was better forgotten. Rather than some ancient history, what was more important in the moment was Sonia, and the cat, and taking as much care of both of them as allowed. No, she wasn't nurturing, not naturally. Shinobu knew that they didn't have those sorts of instincts. Instead, it was something to work for - to consciously choose, in an attempt to be useful to the person she cared for.

"I already said that I'd be here, didn't I?" It was kind of Sonia to present them with some sort of out if they wanted, but they wouldn't take it. "Please believe me when I make promises to you, Miss Nevermind." She twisted the top from the bottled water and took a drink, before setting it down on table space away from the bed. "I have no intention of offering my assistance, and then pulling away when you might need it most." Absolutely not. It was the least she could do to be reliable for Sonia, whenever she might need it.

As Sonia rushed over towards the bed, Shinobu took the cue to move back to the stack of films, so as not to crowd mother and baby more than was necessary. Of course, as soon as Sonia was speaking, she couldn't ignore her. Her surprise, her fawning excitement - if anything in the room was cute, it was Sonia herself. When last had she looked like this, Shinobu wondered. Surely she didn't know how much comfort it gave Shinobu to see her experiencing even some brief moment of happiness, so much so that the archer had to disguise the smile that threatened to overtake their lips.

She nodded, both at Sonia's request, and her assertion that the kitten was cute. "Very cute," she agreed, though, truthfully, Shinobu was talking about Sonia herself rather than the cat, "and alright." Sonia's explanations hadn't been too much to go off of. There was a black cat on the cover of the animated film, which perhaps made it an appropriate choice, but then again, that also could make it more suited to the end of the evening, when things had slowed down, and all the cats were safely at their mother's side.

As such, she instead opened the other film, the high school romance based on that old play. There was something nostalgic about these high school films, even if American high schools seemed so radically different from her own experience as to belong to another species, rather than simply another country. As usual, she configured the film for the proper subtitles, loaded in the disk, and then sat near enough to Sonia, such that she could join her when she was finished looking at the cats.

"Well if the night will be as long as you say, I imagine we'll have time enough to get through a number of things," she murmured, watching Sonia rather than the advertisements and studio credits that played at the start. Peering past her, she looked at the small kitten, and its mother, with a soft, appraising nod. "And, don't forget that you should rest, drink water, eat, and relax as you can, as well, Miss Nevermind." To that point, she offered Sonia her water bottle. "You can rely on me to fill in the gaps where necessary, so don't think you need to do everything on your own."

[vanillablankcanvas]

Part 1 Trolls Headcanons/ Theories/ Thoughts/ Ideas

Part2 Part3 Part4 Part5 Part6 Part7 Part8 Part9 Part10

Trolls - in general Trolls are pretty rare outside their usual kingdoms and it's considered good luck to meet one.

Brozone - drastically changed their looks coz they hate that they used to dress the same.

Bruce - one of those dads who would get a new barbeque and show off all the cool features to the other local dads.

Bruce - "No kids, we're not keeping that stray animal, end of story, no way..." - 1 week later and he's giving it kisses and building it an over the top kennel with a heated blanket and a water fountain.

Bruce - (canon?) carried all their eggs, indirect reason why his hair is so big. (Side note - I read somewhere someone called all their kids 'The Bakers Dozen' and I frigging love that)

Floyd - solo career after he left Brozone - all his songs were PINK FLOYD SONGS! (Maybe that could've been his stage name?)

Floyd - his hair is naturally pink but JD made him make it redder because 'we're a boyband and pink is a girls colour'

John Dory - has embarrassing baby pictures of his brothers as leverage

John Dory - over-exaggerates his retellings of stories "I fought off 30 no no no 40 snakes with one hand behind my back."

John Dory - always casually asking Poppy, Brandy and Viva to marry him, over small things too "Brandy, these pancakes are delicious, marry me."

Clay - writes long and very detailed critical reviews of restaurants

Clay - has reading glasses. Probably the ones that attach magnetically at the nose ridge.

Clay - labels everything (labelmaker is to Clay as Gary is to Branch)

Clay - very into color coded itineraries and always know everyone's business "Poppy is currently at Smidge's pod doing her hair" "How could you possibly know that?" "I have my sources."

Clay - also a notary and registered marriage celebrant

Clay - hair was always naturally green but JDs hair was already green. JD said he had to be yellow for the band, they needed that color coordinated group vibe.

Clay - has drafts for his own book series

Clay - actually plays golf

Clay - gets clumsy when trying to impress someone he admires (imagine him meeting King Peppy and he just knocks things over)

Clay - competitive af - brothers know better than to verse him at anything - has an over the top victory dance

Viva - that concept art of tiny Viva is the age she was when they escaped the Troll Tree. So like 15 maybe?

Viva - wants to make up for all the missed holidays/birthdays/parties with Poppy so she is constantly popping out from places with gifts yelling SURPRISE!

Branch - for Pop Trolls - being in a famous singing group is the equivalent of being a recognized expert in your field. So the fact that Branch is in TWO famous boy bands is like he has several PhDs.

Branch - Kismet formed inside a group home for Trollings

Poppy and Vivas mother - my theory is that they managed to keep princess Viva a secret from the Bergens. They chose the Queen for Trollstice when they discovered what they thought was her first egg. The Troll Tree escape plan came about when Chef promised the new royal trolling for the young Bergen prince.

[thesummerstorms]

So the other thing is, in my headcanon verse, Dick and Jason (Todd) both definitely think Annabeth is dead.

She was a seven year old run away in the streets of Gotham. Neither Batman nor Jim Gordon were ever able to discover a single lead. Just from their mutual experience, the most likely options were death or trafficking that took her out of Gotham.

And at some point, after Tim became Robin (so Bruce and Dick were very tentatively starting to reconcile) but before Jason came back as Red Hood, GPD does finally find something.

Something is a damaged silver bracelet with Anna Elizabeth Wayne's initials engraved on one of the charms and a snapped link where a different charm (the elephant representing Dick Grayson) broke away.

It's an exact match for the gift Dick Grayson gave his baby sister the year she turned six, full of guilt about how little time he spent with her now that he and Bruce were barely speaking.

A hummingbird charm, in part as an indirect reference to Robin, in part because Anna reminded him of a hummingbird with her inability to sit still. A hummingbird in a flock of Robins and Bats.

A star and moon charm, for Kory who Anna idolized and who suggested the gift to begin with. Or for Bruce "I am the night" Wayne. Or as a reference to NIGHTwing. Dick's explanation changed based on his mood and the audience.

A tiny silver disk, engraved A.E.W.

A dog, just because Annabeth so badly wanted one of her own.

The bracelet is found in a crime scene full of teenage skeletons. There isn't a body that can be identified as Anna Wayne's- none are quite the right age, and none match Bruce's DNA sample- but some of the other victims are identified as run away children.

The conclusion seems pretty obvious to Jim Gordon.

Dick accepts it, grieves, and withdraws again, freezing Bruce out while he tries to come to terms with what happened.

Tim knows what's going on, but it all seems somewhat... detached somehow. As if he's watching a blurry bit of film. Like most of Gotham PD, his brain has glazed over most of the other details within the year. He doesn't have enough of a personal connection to see through Athena's manipulation of the Mist.

Bruce Wayne isn't accepting anything as fact until they actually find a body. Some gut instinct, the part of him that hold on to his subconscious impressions of Athena, tells him it isn't that simple.

He's right. The crime scene is actually a monster's nest, and one that Annabeth successfully escaped. But he doesn't know that. And he also isn't convincing anyone, including himself, that his denial doesn't stem purely from his guilt.

And then, with all of this context, a resurrected Jason Todd returns to Gotham in secret.

And, look, it's hard to imagine how his initial reunion with Bruce could have gone much worse...

But finding out that his baby sister, who despite all the other family bullshit he loved deeply, ran away from Bruce and was seemingly murdered in the same year as his own death?

Well... That's definitely not going to help.

[3hks]

Key Components in Creating THAT Character

If you read a lot or enjoy television and interact with the fandoms, you quickly realize that there are certain characters that have fans COMPLETELY wrapped around their finger! And furthermore, they usually end up pretty iconic even though they aren't the main character! (People like Gojo Satoru, Levi Ackerman, Killua Zoldyck--I watch too much anime but hopefully you get the point) So how do they become so popular? Do YOU want to create a character along those lines?

Perfect! Because this guide will have literally everything you need! (Keep in mind that some things will get very specific and there's no need to follow absolutely everything!)

1. Confidence

It doesn't matter if the confidence is a facade or if your character is genuinely confident--readers LOVE a confident character! This is because confidence can establish reliability, easily capturing the audience.

2. Status

Following confidence, it's important that your character has status. I'm not necessarily talking about royalty and whatnot, but if you look at my first three examples (assuming that you know who they are), they all carry a title and are known.

Gojo Satoru: The Strongest Sorcerer

Levi Ackerman: Humanity's Strongest Soldier

Killua Zoldyck: He's a Zoldyck

Again, this creates a sense of reliability and that awareness that your character is someone important.

3. Reputation

Alright, so this character now has confidence and status, so therefore, they also need some kind of a reputation! Consider some of the following questions: Does the public have an opinion on them? If so, what is the general viewpoint? What about the people close your character? Are their opinions accurate to your character's actual personality?

The truth is their reputation doesn't have to reliably reflect them. What the readers see in your character versus the others in the story can be vastly different. So, with these types of characters, it's important to establish a perspective of them that's separate from the audience's!

Now, what does this even do? A reputation builds onto status because it shows that, again, this character is someone who genuinely matters not just to the story itself, but to the actual verse. It also offers a lot of indirect characterization because it demonstrates how they are seen!

I would consider the first three to be the surface level traits, which is not a bad thing at all! However, with these next few points, we're going to dig deeper!

4. Empathy/Sympathy

Yes, yes, I'm well aware that empathy and sympathy are completely separate concepts, but either one will work for what I'm about to talk about next!

Vulnerabilities and flaws are critical to any realistic and quality character.

However, it's important to keep in mind that for THIS type of character, specifically, is meant to be established as someone with status and thus, won't easily show their weaknesses.

When boiled down, treat your readers like all another character.

Don't shove your character's fragilities into your audience's face because that can ruin everything you built up in steps one through three. Instead, leave their weaknesses (not necessarily flaws, they can be revealed however you like) slightly vaguer than you might normally. Let it be up for interpretation!

A simple way to achieve this is to dive into their past and let their old selves speak for themselves!

5. Situation

Great, so now you have the flaws and rough imperfections of your character down! What do you do with them?

Put your character in a situation with something on the line that exposes their vulnerabilities and forces them to confront their issues. Allow your readers to see their flaws physically in action because that's one of the best ways to fully elaborate on their character.

Additionally, if you're looking to flesh them out or generate more emotion, this will achieve that! With these characters, they NEED their time in your story.

6. Development

Just like all characters, the fundamentals still apply, and this character is no exception to development! If you're not too sure about what changes to make, start with step 5 and continue from there! There is no need to make a drastic difference, a simple realization or small alteration will do!

CONCLUSION

Alright, let's wrap this up! Steps 1-3 are the basis to creating your character's personality! It gives the impression that they are important and have a reputation. Steps 4-6 are mainly for development and to create a more dimensional character; but the main takeaway is that any weaknesses should not be downright stated but instead hinted at!

Happy September and happy writing~

3hks <3