#it was adapted to fit their own style and just. it was so genius it really opened my mind to it not having to be the exact thing

[cozyjo]

hey cosplayers i want you to know as someone who asks for pictures of your cosplay i love looking back at them and the fond memories i made at the con it was at and how you inspired me in some way and brought me immense joy by just showing up in something you made or got just cause you love the character or thought it was cool

[roxannepolice]

A little bit of GOS2 criticism crossed my dash, mostly of the not like the book variety (not plot-wise, obviously, only in the sense that it went away from the spirit of the book). Leaving aside the fact as a Stanley Kubrick* fan I don't find this a compelling argument at all, I'm really not raging against the fact that there are people who dislike the things I like, not even blocking anyone, that's for politics, filtering serves just perfectly. But I think I see a pattern in the criticisms original/classic material fans levy against adaptations/continuations in Good Omens (that sometimes includes the first season too), Doctor Who and Sherlock Holmes fandoms. If you bite your way through the overgrow of whatever social policy is on the menu it boils down to overfocusing on characters, and in the case of GO overfocusing on characters that aren't even strictly protagonists. And if you've followed me for a while you may have noticed that this sometimes annoys me, too. Sometimes I dress it in fancy wording of precession of simulacrae, sometimes I just bitch about TTC. So I started thinking about why it doesn't bother me, and in fact is a thing that fills me with insane feuertrunkenness** when done right - by which I mostly mean 2nd season of Sherlock, RTD/early Moffat era of Doctor Who, and the 2nd season of Good Omens. So, obviously, I started thinking of Francisco de Goya y Lucientes.

Say hello to my icon and one of most favourite works of visual arts. The simple truth about Goya is that he was an absolute genius in realistic painting. He was flexing away his way across the Spanish court with his compositions, and fabrics, and wrinkles, and light work. He was straight up academically and technically brilliant. He was a product of the European fashion of the time. And yet he could also, especially as his own health and political situation in the country deteriorated, he could also do so. much. drama. So much vision, so much phantasmagoric nightmares. So much introspection. Without even for a moment falling down the chute of sentimentalist navel gazing that the romantic era so often went down.

I don't really like periodization, good art is good art, but paradigmatic shifts are definitely a thing. And there are those amazing artists who bring the older, more established, more as Jung would put it, externalized paradigm to perfection and push it further without losing the sight of it. This is Goya, this is Botticelli, this is Goethe, this is very late Mozart, this is Beethoven. Wagner is a great example because there's this definite moment around the Flying Dutchman and Lohengrin when he finds his style without overpompousing it. And this is an extremely difficult rope to walk! Falling down the rabbit hole of overthinking your own work, and especially overthinking pop cultural phenomena is way way wayyyy too easy for anyone to walk it. The temptation to overpower them is way too strong for mere mortals to resist it.

But it is possible. RTD showed it is possible to do so for over 50 hours of material. The point be that the drama, the sturm und drung and lebenschmertz and whatnot emerge naturally from the story, rather than fitting the story specifically to make it dramatic and navel gazy. It'll be a bit mean now, but it's the difference between the self made tragedy of the last of the time lords and a literal species ready to change reality to find out the Doctor's true name, which matters, but not, but does.

And I think Neilman did hit that sweet spot in the second season. Yes, people are complaining about Aziraphale and Crowley coming off as "too important", especially Crowley***, which is completely contrary to the book, but this remains elegantly within the realms of interpretation. It's introspective and dramatic without navel gazing and tragedy for tragedy's sake. And knowing his other works I feel fairly confident he won't be falling off that rope.

And I wouldn't be a McLuhanist if I didn't mention that television is a medium naturally more likely to focus on characters because of its episodic character (stories end, banter is forever) and the fact it was the first medium where characters were literally at people's homes.

* Don't inform me that he wasn't the nicest person but was a veritable nightmare to work with, I mean his FILMS.

** Sorry for the German vocab, but what can I say, they really made a point when they started splashing words together.

*** My three cents on pre-fall Crowley's archangelic status is that I still like the inversion and irony, but I liked it better when the theory was getting excommunicated as *checks notes* too classist, rather than sth you vagued Neilman about on Tumblr.

[crusherthedoctor]

Eggman having legit moral standards is one of those character decisions that I’m inherently opposed to, in the same way that I’m immediately opposed to Rouge being portrayed as being on the evil side for real, or Tails being useless in a fight. But a big reason why I’m perhaps overly dismissive of it is because in the two decades that I’ve been a Sonic fan, I’ve never read a single fanfic that uses it in a way that doesn’t play it up at the cost of his villainous edge, and fans who vouch for it have a remarkable tendency to confirm my exact fears about it rather than put them to rest.

In such works...

They always add a “but” every time they acknowledge that Eggman is in fact a villain.

They always dedicate entire scenes to how Eggman isn’t all that bad when you get to know him.

They always weaponize mental gymnastics for the sake of downplaying or retconning every single act of cruelty or callousness that Eggman commits, like using his manchild nature to paint him as not being mentally fit to understand the consequences of his destructive actions... only to pull a 180 and have him be hyper-aware of the concept when it’s time for him to wag the finger at someone else’s actions.

If Eggman Nega makes an appearance, they always play up how so much worse Nega is by comparison. “This is what Dr. Eggman would be if he was REALLY evil :O”

And most tellingly of all, there’s always another villain with no moral restraints who comes along to steal the role of final antagonist from Eggman; the common choices being Mephiles, Scourge, the aforementioned Eggman Nega, or a traitorous Metal Sonic. That last one is particularly interesting, because Metal Sonic’s plans to usurp the doctor are often born specifically out of a belief that his creator has gone soft. And this is rarely portrayed as an incorrect assumption on Metal’s part.

So by the end of it all, you have an Ian Flynn effect where they’ll say one thing, but the work will say the opposite. They may not realise the implications of how they use the concept, but I do. And suffice to say, it hasn’t succeeded at winning me over.

When taking everything about Eggman’s character and history in the game canon into account (emphasis on the games, NOT Sonic X or any other adaptation), I feel it subtracts instead of adds. Other villains can work with a good side, such as those who are already meant to be anti-villains anyway, but not every shape is going to fit in a round hole, and the notion that a villain can only be fleshed out if they have standards is like saying a hero can only be grounded or mature if they’re like the Punisher. You have to look at every character as them, and think of what works for them.

Not to mention that you can give a villain admirable qualities that have nothing to do with their morals or lack thereof. In fact, Eggman already has a lot of them; he’s a hard worker, he’s a fast worker, he’s got a knack for creativity, he’s not a coward, his genius is completely legit despite the occasional oversight, he’s an effective planner... Sure, they may be used as effective tools for his villainy, but you can still admire and envy those traits on their own.

And yes, I know that SA2 and ShtH are often pointed to for examples on Eggman being moral, but I don’t think you can count those since in a funny coincidence, he is part of the humanity that Gerald betrayed, and he is from the planet that the A.R.K came close to destroying. It’s all to feed his own ego, just like everything else he does; if he actually cared on a sincere level about the state of the planet or its population - aside from how they can serve himself - he wouldn’t do half the stuff that he does in all the other games without a shred of remorse or hesitance.

(Granted, I’m bitter about the SA2/ShtH moments anyway because the way fans have commonly interpreted them has ended up creating an ouroboros-style effect in many a fanwork, which in turn spreads the misconception further.)

[weirdtrashpanda]

Hazbin Hotel Songs Analysis

Aka Rei has a new hyperfixation and has to talk about it or he will explode

Since I basically grew up on Musicals (it's in my blood) and I do appreciate a hell centered cartoon/animation, of course my new fav is Hazbin Hotel.

Since the first episode I can't stop listening to the songs and well... my theorist brain is doing overtime. So here's a layman analysis of the music.

I will get to my theories about the story and such at some later point.

Let's go! Spoilers ahead, duh.

First of all: Sam Haft is a genius. Alex Brightman is amazing. And every character has a genre or at least signature instrument. And obviously a lot of my own opinions.

Happy Day in Hell

We basically get hit in the face with a classical Musical Number and get to know Charlie's dream and her musical style. Plus some small hints at Vaggie's background.

The music and the style is very reminiscent of Overtures from modern Musicals, which is very fitting.

Hell Is Forever

Already a callback to previous songs, but fast. Once Adam starts the genre switch to rock, which is Adam's signature style.

Before his guitar solo is a pretty nice reference.

The message is basically "Fuck you, I do what I want bitch"

Stayed Gone

Ah yes, the sexual tension /hj

The beginning is very rhythmical, controlled and straight (ha). Once Vox gets going it gets more swingy with repeated patterns. The quick parts show what a talker he is.

Alastor slides in and slowly takes the song over like in Hells Greatest Dad. Also the piano gets a bit more present once Alastor joins.

In the end Alastor completely took over.

It Starts With Sorry

At first this song seemed so random, but well. Now it makes sense.

When Sir Pentious starts singing, in the background there's a guitar mimicking snake Rattles.

Again a very Broadway song. I cannot get over that this again is Alex Brightman!

Respectless

I love it.

Carmilla's theme is obviously Latin with a Spanish guitar. And Velvet's Hip Hop or at least something similar, not sure because not my type of music.

Zestials small part shows how adaptable he is.

Whatever It takes

Hopefully we get more songs with Zestial.

Again it starts with guitar, and turns into a amazing power ballad. It shows Carmillas passion and devotion to her family.

Veggies part on the other hand is so "weak". Which totally makes sense, since she is still so scared. We also get some hints again. In the background you can hear a kind of glockenspiel.

The duet makes now more sense. Daphne Rubin-Vega is crushing it, amazing voice.

Poison

Ah yes, the controversial song. Tbh stop, listen again and start thinking. Chill.

EDM seems to be Angel's genre which is so fitting.

The lyrics are heartbreaking. No, he is not glorifying his abuse, he doesn't know another way. Angel has given up, he is trapped. So the least he can do is have fun. He's already in Hell, so fuck it.

The last chorus. Ah! This is not Angel Dust, this is Anthony breaking down.

Loser, Baby

No one was prepared for this. Keith David could fuck me just with his voice, respectfully.

Husk's style is kinda idk, brass ig. But don't quote me on that.

The lyrics are perfect and so relatable.

Fun Fact someone on TikTok pointed out: Husk offers Angel his hand and only pulls him along when Angel takes his hand. We stan a gentleman.

Hell's Greatest Dad

Electro Swing! The title alone shows Lucifers Pride. And how much he cares about Charlie.

Again Alastor butting in to take control. God, he loves being that guy.

The violin solo, such a nice reference.

Headcanon: Mimzy waited for the perfect time to bust in.

More Than Anything

Ah yes, the midpoint dramatic ballad duet.

It's so boring but sweet. They harmonize so nicely. Who doesn't love a good healthy bonding song.

Also harmonies in this song a peak.

Welcome To Heaven

I know this voice! Blaine from Glee went to Heaven!

The style is so clean and fake, perfect. Also organ.

The lyrics are low-key petty. Also Molly?!

You Didn't know

Such a dramatic song, very musical end of act 1.

Love the switch when Lute starts singing, again with rock but much more controlled than with Adam.

Emily's theme is also very mousy in the beginning.

The callback to Hell Is Forever is so nice, the harmonies though...

Big reveal at the end. Adam is a Dick. (Hehe)

Out For Love

Heck yea! Carmilla centered song.

Very Latin and passionate, love it, still with a modern flair.

Tbh Carmilla is underrated.

Ready For This

You go girl! Again very Broadway.

Once the cannibals join in it gets more old-timey, which fits the period the Town is in. Really sounds like a cheery war song.

Rosie and Alastors dynamic is amazing, just two queer besties being their true self.

This song also gets us excited for the final battle and stills shows Charlie's anxiety.

More Than Anything (Reprise)

This was torture. Normally a Reprise is very telling, example Hamilton.

I was so scared for Vaggie. Still amazing song, good representation.

Finale

What an ending! I was in tears.

The little callbacks amazing, Lucifer being there for his daughter. Everyone supporting her now. It's really a perfect Finale song.

Vox and Valentino being gay and their usual self.

Alastor's part reaks of foreshadowing. No, Alturist is probably not his surname. And no, he doesn't really care about Charlie and Co, he is there for power.

Conclusion

Amazing music and storytelling. Perfect for the mental ill 18+ theater nerds.

The Living Tombstone are amazing! Listen to their music.

Looking forward to the next season.

[jeanjauthor]

...You guys don't know just HOW BIG a deal it is to keep the comic online.

Getting your comic published is where you--guaranteed--get actual money flowing in.

HOWEVER...

The webcomic is where you--guaranteed--get the most new readers.

Drop that access for new readers...and the cash stops coming in.

Girl Genius can tell you that. Schlock Mercenary can tell you that. A lot of webcomics that also produce books can tell you that. The Foglios (creators of Girl Genius; also, Foglio is pronounced FOE-lee-oh) rely on their graphic novel book sales to live. That's their family's livelihood. Howard Tayler (Schlock Mercenary) did have the income from his wife's career to help pay the way, but they, too, relied heavily upon producing and selling his story in paper format (and still do), and they rely upon those book sales.

But they both know that they wouldn't have anything like what they do now without posting their stories online for all to see.

...Okay, I must amend that Girl Genius actually started as a quarterly newsletter, a black-and-white printed format that was mailed out to fans of Phil's other works (he did the comic book adaptation of Robert Asprin's hit comedic fantasy, Another Fine Myth, produced in the mid 1980s).

After publishing 3 volumes' worth of these quarterly stories, Phil and his wife Kaja (pronounced k-EYE-yah, wonderful woman) decided in the early days of 2005 that they would take their story online. They were one of the early pioneers of graphic novels to do that, and they're still going strong to this day...and yes, they openly admit they still have monetary worries about whether or not they'll sell enough books to make ends meet and cover various unexpected costs. (They also pay Cheyenne Wright a full-time salary to be their colorist, etc, so it's not just the Foglios with their two kids that need to be supported with folks buying their stuff.)

Both of the Foglios have also talked at various conventions about how immensely greater their readership became after they put their serial comic online. They know very well that this is where they get--and keep!!!--their readership.

...I will also point out that I own a vast majority of the physical books that both of these fine webcomics have produced. Why do I own them, when I could just go online to read? Because I love the additional content the books provide. In the Girl Genius books, they present various short stories, some of which are posted as "filler stories" while the Foglios are on vacation or dealing with life crises.

As for Schlock Mercenary (produced since 2000, before all storylines came to a close after 20 years--but you cna still read them online & buy the books!!)...since these were single-strip newspaper comic styles, with every seventh one being more of a Sunday Comcis sized presentation, there was often no way to fit this extra-large multi-line panel onto the same page. GG started out as full-book-sized pages, but SM was more of a newspaper comic strip in its original presentation.

That meant that for any paper book printed format, there was always going to be empty space every so many pages...which got filled with artwork and tidbits from the universe in which SM is set. That, and the webcomic already has many of these tidbit or "author's note" segments. However, the books add even more info...and usually also offer extra short stories at the backs of the books.

This is why putting the webcomic online for free doesn't have to kill the sales of the book versions. Self-publishing webcomic artists have learned over twenty-plus years that happy readers are very happy to shell out for these extra bits.

.Hell, I even have an "annotated" copy of Tayler's in-universe-mentioned book: 70 Maxims for Maximally Effective Mercenaries ...AND the challenge coin for Maxim #70, which I carry in my wallet.

(i even got asked by a fan of both my works and the first two milSF novels in my Theirs Not To Reason Why series if the TUPSF had challenge coins, and if so, where is my main character Ia's? I had to point out that she's constantly on a space ship, and thus unsecured coins can become lethal projectiles under sudden vector changes. Planetary-based troops--mostly the TUPSF-Army--can have all the challenge coins they want, but they're forbidden in the TUPSF-Navy...but hey, I'm a land-bound civilian, so I can have one, and the one I chose was the SM Maxim #70: "Maxim 70: Failure is not an option. It is mandatory. The option is whether or not to let failure be the last thing you do.")

Anyway...long story short?

Thanks to pioneers like Girl Genius and Schlock Mercenary, major publishing companies have decades of examples PROVING that this seemingly contradictory two-facet business model actually works very well.

Spangler and Presser getting to keep the rights to post their story online for free WILL drive their book sales higher.

It's announcement day!

Our YA fantasy webcomic SIDE QUESTED has been picked up in a two-book deal by Andrews McMeel Publishing!

You can read about the announcement here.

This deal has been a process, woo boy howdy. The above link answers all of the usual questions, but if you're worried that SIDE QUESTED might be pulled from the internet...don't be! During negotiations, @alepresser and I were sure to put readers first and made sure that the comic will remain online.

Andrews McMeel Publishing has worked with many other webcomics and they understand these issues. They've been wonderful and have gone to great lengths to make sure that we can keep telling the story free online, while also making sure that we will have incredible bonus content exclusive to the print edition.

We'll have more later, but this has been a project that has eaten up so much time and brainpower that now we are squirmy little lizards in need of warm rocks

We'll post updates here and on our other social media, and of course at SIDE QUESTED's website and Patreon.

[sg-marshall]

sims 4 trait legacy challenge

Overview:

This is a ten generation legacy challenge based on some characteristics people can possess. Each generation will be based upon a new trait. The style and gender of the generation is completely up to you (I usually play as women but gender does not matter in this challenge)! Complete all goals before focusing on the next generation. Some may play onto each other, so be sure to look ahead before moving forward! I created an adapted version for people who do not have the packs I used listed below the challenge. I wanted to make sure everyone could play and not feel left out!

Rules:

No cheats or mods!

Start off with $20,000 and a build a house wherever you want one.

Complete all six goals for every generation before moving onto the next one.

Complete the full aspiration and reach level 10 in the set career.

There is no rules when it comes to aging up but I suggest waiting until it is their set birthday.

Play on normal life span.

Packs Used: Base Game, Discovery University, Seasons, City Living, Get to Work, Cats and Dogs, Parenthood, Spa Day, and Knifty Knitting

Generation One: Responsibility

You are a very old fashioned person who believes things have a certain way of being done. Every object in your house has a set place, the person you marry you are supposed to stay with forever, and the world should be a clean place to live in. Never once have you strayed away from your beliefs and you’ve always lived your life by the book. Even once your partner dies and you are left with a child who cannot handle their passing, you stay true to your morals. (EDIT: I have been playing this challenge myself and found that the final level of the aspiration said “have a child master a career”. I do not know if you have to be in the household for that, but if you do, just add this generation to the household of the next one before they master it. It is also okay if you want to ignore/cheat this part.)

Traits: Neat, Good, Green Fiend

Aspiration: Successful Lineage

Career: Education (Administrator Branch)

Goals:

Max charisma skill.

Max research and debate skill.

Be married as a young adult, but have your partner die (do not tell your child how) once they reach adult hood. Never remarry.

Have only one child with your partner.

Complete the snowglobes collection and have them set up in a specific room in your house.

Make your neighborhood green and keep it that way.

Generation Two: Determined

You’ve always struggled to cope with the death of your father/mother ever. Maybe that's because you never really knew why they died in the first place. Left with too many questions to handle, you destroy your relationship with your friends and family and run away to find some answers. This entails a trip to Sixam, where you can finally wrap ahead around the passing of you mom/dad. You decide to come home just in time to see your mom/dad just before they too pass away. After a heart-breaking conversation, you realize that all the secrecy was for the best.

Traits: Gloomy, Ambitious, Loner

Aspiration: Nerd Brain

Career: Astronaut (Interstellar Smuggler Branch)

Goals:

Max rocket science skill.

Max mischief skill.

Build a rocket ship and fly to Sixam.

Run away and live on your own as a teenager. 

Have a horrible relationship with your mom/dad as a young adult, but become best friends with them before they pass away.

Complete the microscope prints collection.

Generation Three: Loving

Your mother/father was extremely distant growing up, which caused you to rely on friends as your family. Your childhood best friend has been with you every step of the way, and you ended up fell in love with them. All you wanted to do was be a mother/father, but found out you could never have children. You adopt a child as a baby and raise them as your own, teaching them everything you wish your parents did for you.

Traits: Romantic, Family - Oriented, Foodie

Aspiration: Soulmate

Career: Babysitter (Teenager), None (Young Adult and older)

Goals:

Max parenting skill.

Max wellness skill.

Marry your childhood best friend.

Adopt a baby after you get married.

Teach your toddler to max all skills.

Have a side passion of knitting.

Generation Four: Intelligence

You grew up incredibly smart with no knowledge of who your real parents were. However, that never mattered to you. Your adoptive parents have made it their life goal to advance your gifts in every way they know how. Late nights of helping you with homework, early mornings of finishing projects, and spending their fortunes to enroll you into the college of your dreams. All you wanted to do was repay them by becoming a world renowned journalist. You dedicate your best-sellers to them because, after all, they’ll always be your biggest fan.

Traits: Genius, Bookworm, Unflirty

Aspiration: Academic

Career: Writer (Journalist Branch)

Goals:

Max logic skill.

Max writing skill. 

Reach level eight in five other skills of your choice.

Go to the University of  Britechester and study Language and Literature (distinguished).

Join the Debate Guild and reach the highest rank.

Write five novels.

Generation Five: Hard - Working

Fashion has been your passion since you were a little girl/boy. You even asked your parents to stop dressing you as a toddler because the clothes they picked were “not stylish enough.” As a self-proclaimed style icon, you knew you had to make your biggest dream come true: to create your own fashion line. So, as soon as you graduated high school, you packed your bags and moved to the big city - San-Myshuno. There you created your social media platform and blew up! A normal life was never your style, and you made sure to put in as many hours as it would take to achieve all you ever wanted.

Traits: Perfectionist, Self - Assured, Materialistic

Aspiration: City Native

Career: Style Influencer (Stylist Branch)

Goals:

Max photography skill.

Max painting skill.

Must live in San-Myshuno.

Complete the crystals collection.

Hire a nanny for your child and do not spend much time with them.

Gain 10,000 followers on Simstagram.

Generation Six: Resilience

After being known as “the child of the most famous fashion designer” all your life, the city became a toxic place for you. You hated the loud noises, constant stream of people, and just wanted to live a quiet life. You loved visiting your grandmother/father’s house and hearing one of her/his famous stories. You decided to pull inspiration from one of their novels and live off by the coast in the adorable Brindleton Bay. Your passion for crafting and living off the land inspired you to start a small business selling your candles and juice - all locally grown of course. 

Traits: Loves Outdoors, Maker, Creative

Aspiration: Master Maker

Career: Freelancer (Simply Crafted)

Goals:

Max fabrication skill.

Reach level eight in both candle making and juice fizzing.

Move to Brindleton Bay as a young adult.

Have four or more kids.

Complete the frog collection.

Never go to an event in the city or visit the city once you are a young adult.

Generation Seven: Carefree

Being in a big family is can be hectic at times. So, you decided to be the happy jokester in the middle just trying to get people to crack a smile. And you got really good at it. As a major people person, you made sure to get to know everyone you meet. You even started a tradition of taking a picture with them so you could never forget that moment. Your friends will always invite you to go out because you are known for being the life of the party. However, the parties you host, are even better. You decide to live life as if it was one big stage, and you’re the star performer.

Traits: Goofball, Clumsy, Outgoing

Aspiration: Party Animal

Career: Entertainer (Comedian Branch)

Goals:

Max comedy skill.

Max singing skill.

Host a party every week.

Take a photo of every person who visits you.

Marry someone you met just two days before.

Attend every festival or event you are asked to attend.

Generation Eight: Kind

Expected to be just like your mother/father, no one ever assumed you would be the quiet kid who preferred reading over partied. However, that is exactly who you were. When it was that time of the week for a new social event, you either left for the library or locked yourself in your room, praying it ended soon. Your parents noticed you struggled talking to people, so they allowed you to adopt a puppy once you became a teenager. You and your dog instantly became best friends and you took them everywhere. Even though you may not be great with people, being compassionate was a skill you ranked high in. You always looked out for the less fortunate and wanted to provide in anyway you could.

Traits: Vegetarian, Loner, Good

Aspiration: Friend of the Animals

Career: Gardner (Floral Designer Branch)

Goals:

Max gardening skill.

Max flower arranging skill.

Keep up a garden of just flowers.

Adopt strays: one dog, and two cats.

Marry an ambitious sim.

Donate $100 to charity weekly.

Generation Nine: Impulsive

You grew up hearing stories of your grandmother/father’s so called “wild days” and fell in love with the energy it brought. However, your mom/dad raised you better than to go out spending life as if there was no consequences. Finding a balance started off to be very challenging for you. You could never hold down relationships and even got pregnant/got someone pregnant twice. It wasn't until you became a secret agent and learned how to live two lifestyles: one full of fun and adventure; the other more stable and structured.

Traits: Active, Non-Committal, Bro

Aspiration: Bodybuilder

Career: Secret Agent (Diamond Agent Branch)

Goals:

Max fitness skill.

Max handiness skill.

Go to either college for Psychology and play soccer.

Have four failed relationships and never get married.

Have two children from two different relationships.

Move three times once you become a young adult.

Generation 10: Passionate

Because your mother/father’s job required you to move around so much, making real life friends was a lot harder than it seemed. So, you built your relationships within the online community. Every day, you and your closest friends would hop online and compete in tournaments or even play for fun. As the years went on, you became really good at coding and even started working on your own apps. You looked up to the players from ESports Gaming - only the best gamers in the world - and longed to be sitting in one of their spots. And sure enough, after years of perfecting your strategies and game plays, your dreams came true!

Traits: Geek, Hot-Headed, Outgoing

Aspiration: Computer Whiz

Career: Tech Guru (ESport Gamer Branch)

Goals:

Max programming skill.

Max video gaming skill.

Complete the MySims Trophies collection.

Attend and compete in every Geek Con convention.

Make five video games or apps.

Mentor your child/ren for five hours each.

Adaptations:

Gen 1:

If you do not have Discover University, go into the Business career (Management Branch).

Max cooking skill if you do not have Discover University.

If you do not have City Living, complete the postcards collection.

Gen 2:

Unlock the secret world in Oasis Springs if you do not have Get to Work.

Gen 3:

If you do not have Parenthood but do have Get to Work, max the baking skill.

If you do not have both Parenthood and Get to Work, max the gourmet cooking skill.

If you do not have Spa Day but do have Knifty Knitting, max the knitting skill.

If you do not have both Spa Day or Knifty Knitting, max the photography skill.

If you do not have Knifty Knitting, have a side passion of photography.

Gen 4:

If you do not have Discover University, read a new skill book every week instead of attending university.

Gen 5:

If you do not have City Living, have the  Fabulously Wealthy aspiration.

If you do not have City Living, live in Oasis Springs.

Gen 6:

Do not have a career if you do not have Eco-Lifestyle. Instead, craft item on the woodworking for money.

If you do not have Eco-Lifestyle, max the fishing skill instead of reaching level eight in candle making and juice fizzing.

If you do not have Cats and Dogs, move to Evergreen Harbor.

If you do not have both Cats and Dogs or Eco-Lifestyle, live in Willow Creek

If you do not have Eco-Lifestyle, have the self-assured trait instead.

If you do not have Eco-Lifestyle, have the Angling Ace aspiration.

Gen 7:

If you do not have City Living but do have Get Together, max the dancing skill.

If you do not have both City Living or Get Together, max the mixology skill.

Gen 8:

If you do not have Dogs and Cats, have the Freelance Botanist aspiration.

Do not have a career if you do not have Seasons. Instead, sell your plants for money.

If you do not have Seasons but have Get to Work, max the baking skill.

If you do not have both Seasons or Get to Work, max the violin skill.

If you do not have Dogs and Cats, but have Seasons, own three bees nests and two insect nests instead of owning pets.

If you do not have both Dogs and Cats or Seasons, have three children instead of having three pets.

If you do not have City Living, have the cheerful trait.

Gen 9:

If you do have Strangerville, go into the Military Career (I do not have it, so I played as a Secret Agent)

If you do have Snowy Escape, have the adventurous trait instead of the active trait (I do not have it but believe they would be adventurous).

If you do not have Discover University, read five skill books over different topics, instead of going to college.

Gen 10:

If you do not have City Living, compete in an online tournament weekly instead of going to Geek Con.

[amphibious-entity]

TMBS Book 1 Brain Dump

~An Embarrassingly Long Post~

I don’t know why I’m writing this or why I’m so determined to do it. Maybe to finally assume my true form and become a mega dork on main, or maybe just for fun!

This is basically a compilation of all the main points running through my head after reading The Mysterious Benedict Society (2007) for the first time. Rather than posting a ton and spamming the tag, everything’s here in one neat package! (hopefully this gets it all out of my system rip)

Contents:

The Book Itself

The Book Itself, for real this time

The Characters

A Funny Parallel

The S.Q. Section

Lines & Scenes I Liked

Spoilers abound!

The Book Itself

Upon acquiring the first three books (don’t judge me pls), I was surprised at just how long they are. Like, they’re still pretty light being paperbacks and all, but these books are hefty lads.

The first book has this Disney+ Original Series circle thing printed on it, which is kind of unfortunate. Regardless, I love the cover illustration and yellow is actually my favorite color :D It made me weirdly quite happy whenever I saw the book lying around in my room

Also, it’s really cute how there’s a letter from Mr. Benedict at the end! (It only reveals that you can find out his first name if you “know the code”, meaning the bit of Morse printed below the summary on the back.) Shock and horror, though, as I realized I’m starting to recognize some of the letters

The Book Itself, for real this time

It’s wonderful how the tone of the book really shone through to the show adaptation. Something about the deliberateness of the aesthetic, from the set designs to the fashion to scene compositions, that really sells that particular style— like it’s very clear that this story is being told to us, rather than one we’re seeing unfold, if that makes sense.

Where that narration style stood out to me the most was the first chapter. We are told (rather than shown) how Reynie gets himself to the point of the second test, and there’s this whole twisty time maneuver for that whole sequence of events that’s really interesting

A super secret fun fact about me is that I wanted to be a writer when I was younger! So this particular balance of show vs. tell is really neat, since it runs counter to my own tendencies. The sheer amount of commas in every sentence is also kind of comforting, since Ahah, I Do That in those few serious-ish attempts at writing lol

Overall this book’s style reminds me a lot of Roald Dahl’s books, which are very nostalgic for me :D The whole “kids are more competent than adults” angle helps a lot too haha

The Characters

Oh boy here’s where I get a little bit critical! Overall I did really like this book!! it’s just that that expresses itself in all this weird “”analysis”” lol

Reynie - much better in the books than in the show

It’s sort of a lukewarm take but I feel like show!Reynie is kind of boring? He doesn’t have a lot going on flaw-wise, and obviously since he’s the protagonist he can’t have too many weird traits or else the kids watching can’t project themselves onto him as easily

(I call it the difference between an aspirational protagonist and a vessel protagonist. Going off of the Roald Dahl vibes, think Matilda vs Charlie. show!Reynie is more of a Charlie)

Thus when we get to see him really struggle with the Whisperer and doubt himself it gives him a lot more dimension, at least in my opinion

It is a federal crime that the white knight scenes were not adapted into the show

Sticky - my son

I’ve long held to no one besides myself and my long suffering sister that Sticky is The Best Member of the Society

He happened to hit a lot of the Bingo squares of Stuff I Like In Characters: glasses, anxious, nice :), kind of a coward but ultimately is there for his friends, etc

For some reason I don’t talk about him nearly as much as you-know-who, but I love him just as dearly

Kate & Constance - I don’t have much to say

Kate is really interesting in this book! I like how we get to see more of her depths, in particular that one passage about her belief that she is invincible being the only thing that keeps her from falling apart? :c

Also her constant fidgeting is relatable lol

Constance is somehow a lot more tolerable in the book. I think I’m just one of those people with no patience for small children, unfortunately lol

(Some of) The Adults

It’s interesting that they had such an offscreen presence for most of the book. Giving them more time was probably one of the stronger changes of the show

However if that decision was made at the expense of the white knight scenes I think the choice should have been clear

I like the way Rhonda and Number Two are written

Milligan always on sad boy hours 😔✊

The “mill again” passage is touching but kind of messes up the pacing of the getaway, at least for me. Maybe I should read it again to make sure I didn’t miss something

Miss Perumal is much better in the show. We see so little of her in the book she doesn’t function well as an emotional anchor for Reynie, imo

The Institute Gang

Jackson and Jillson serve their purpose well, and Martina was surprising to say the least. I like the direction they took her in the show! I can’t imagine how funny it must have been to watch the tetherball subplot come out of nowhere lolol

These sections were written out of sequence, so random tidbit I couldn’t fit in The S.Q. Section: I like how he stumbles over his words. relatable

Mr. Curtain

While I think I know why they decided to not give Curtain the wheelchair in the show, we were totally robbed of Actor Tony Hale’s performance for the reveal during the final confrontation

Speaking of the wheelchair, it’s such a powerful symbol of his need for control or rather, his fear of losing it

The Contrast between him and Mr. Benedict. This point is expanded on in A Funny Parallel

Mr. Benedict

Oh boy, Mr. Benedict… How do I say this

I find it hard to trust Mr. Benedict, unfortunately

I mean to say, I do in the sense that I know he would never hurt the kids, thanks to knowing that a) this is a children’s book series and b) the meta (tumblr) states that he is really nice and lovable and stuff, but seriously. Why do the kids trust him at first?? I probably missed something somewhere

I like to think I’m an optimistic person, but unfortunately I’m also super paranoid. The premise of “a bunch of vulnerable orphans team up with a strange old man” is just so odd to me I don’t know how to explain it

I don’t know!!! I really want to trust Mr. Benedict

One of the strengths of the show is that we get to see him more often, and thus he gets to acknowledge more often that the plan is weird and that he feels really badly for putting the kids in danger and that he’s trustworthy and genuine

But his lack of presence for most of the book just makes him into something of a specter, invisible and unknowable, speaking only in riddles from across the bay

Which is why the white knight scene is so important!! I loved that scene ;-;

Because here’s an actual emotional connection! We can actually see it happening, rather than only being told that it exists

Reynie asking for advice and receiving encouragement, in words that demonstrate that Mr. Benedict actually cares about him and worries about him and agghh

It is a federal crime that the white knight scenes were not adapted into the show

But overall this whole issue didn’t ruin my enjoyment of the book at all! It’s just ->

A Funny Parallel

Okay, ready for my biggest brain, hottest take ever??

Mr. Benedict and Mr. Curtain…. are… the same

I mean obviously not entirely, given that one is benevolent and kind and the other is… Mr. Curtain

But seriously. Genius old man seeks out children (mainly orphans) to enact a plan. Said children often end up incredibly devoted to his cause and deeply admire him this is a little flimsy

Undoubtedly that’s intentional and is supposed to show the difference between them, like some kind of cautionary tale? “Let yourself be vulnerable and let others help you, lest you turn eeeeviiillll”

I guess that’s where the aforementioned epic contrast comes in. You get Mr. Curtain, strapped into his wheelchair and hiding behind those mirrored sunglasses, terrified (but unwilling to admit it) of ever showing the tiniest hint of vulnerability, vs. Mr. Benedict, who can let himself fall knowing that someone will catch him :’)

Anyhow I have nothing against the parallels, I just think it’s funny

The S.Q. Section

The S.Q. Quarantine Thread so it doesn’t leak out everywhere else <3

I’d like to meet the emo angstlord genius who read this book and decided to make SQ into Dr. Curtain’s son. What in the world

Okay I should probably preface this by saying that I absolutely adore both book!S.Q. and show!SQ with all my heart. Somehow, despite being a completely different character in both mediums, he has managed to be one of the best characters in either and certainly one of my favorites (besides Sticky of course) in the entire franchise, despite the fact that I’ve only read the first book/watched the show so far. I am confident in this statement.

But seriously! How?? Why?? I could probably write a whole other essay about why show!SQ is such an interesting character, and the change works so incredibly well. I’m just. Baffled

Okay, focus. book!S.Q. is such a sweetheart, oh my goodness. Like, 100% one of the most endearing characters in the book. Poor guy. I don’t even know where to start!!

He just seems to be a genuinely good guy at heart, despite being technically one of the bad guys. He’s genuinely happy for Reynie and Sticky when they became Messengers and helped Kate when she “fell” and was concerned about Constance when she looked sick and how he was in that meeting with Mr. Curtain and Martina?!!? aaahhhhghgh ;-; he just wants people to be happy TT-TT

Comparing him against literally every character at the Institute is probably what makes him so endearing tbh. When everyone else is so awful to the kids, it really makes him stand out. Like a cheerful little nightlight in the worst, most humid and rank bathroom you’ve ever been in

It’s kind of pointless to theorize about a book series that’s already concluded (I think?) but. Is the implication of S.Q.’s forgetfulness supposed to be that Mr. Curtain used him in brainsweeping experiments somehow? The timeline probably definitely absolutely doesn’t line up but like. How did he get to being a Messenger being the way he is now, given how cutthroat the process is? And then of course Mr. Curtain keeps him around as an Executive because he’s fun to mess with and presumably his loyalty. I’m very curious as to how their relationship develops in the other books, if at all. Those are probably where the seeds of the “let’s make them family” logic were planted

But wouldn’t it be hilarious if the reason we don’t know what “S.Q.” stands for in the books is that he just. Forgot

Another thing that occurred to me. Given that he and the other Executives were Messengers at some point, what were their worst fears? What is S.Q.’s worst fear?? Inquiring minds need to know

One last horrible little anecdote: I was thinking about book!S.Q. while eating breakfast, as one does, and suddenly it hit me.

I want to believe The Author Trenton Lee Stewart had the name for a character, S.Q. Pedalian, and was like, “Hm! What sort of quirky trait should this young fellow have?” Because, of course, in this style of fiction every character has to have at least one cartoonish or otherwise distinguishing trait to stand out in the minds of children. (For instance, Kate has her bucket, Sticky has his glasses, Constance is angry, and Reynie is Emmett from the Lego Movie)

Anyhow, he looks around the room, searching for inspiration. Suddenly he comes across a jumbo box of plastic wrap. Completely innocuous in design, save for one line of text. 300 SQ FT.

“…large… S.Q. …feet? THAT’S IT!” i’m sorry

Lines & Scenes I Liked

In no particular order!

Sticky quotes Sun Tzu, The Art of War

Evil combination aerobics/square dancing in the gym with the Executives

Everyone being happy at the end :’)

Everyone partying after Sticky reunites with his parents, and later finding Mr. Benedict asleep at his desk from the moment they shook hands :’’)

Literally any scene with Sticky in it

Any time Kate says “you boys” or “gosh”

[“Um, sir?” S.Q. said timidly, raising his hand. “A thought just occurred to me.” / Mr. Curtain raised his eyebrows. “That’s remarkable, S.Q. What is it?”] clown prince of my heart </3

S.Q.’s determined monologue about searching for clues after he bungled up the first time

Literally any scene with S.Q. in it (please refer to The S.Q. Section)

Reynie trying to resist the Whisperer.

[Let us begin. / First let me polish my spectacles, Reynie thought. / Let us begin. / Not without my bucket, Reynie insisted. He heard Mr. Curtain muttering behind him. / Let us begin, let us begin, let us begin. / Rules and schools are tools for fools, Reynie thought.]

NO MORE HURTIN’ WITH CURTAIN

Milligan showing up on the island!!

Remember the white knight hhhhhh

“controle”

A Super Secret Bonus Section

I would be extremely surprised if anyone read through all the way down here lol. Regardless, here’s a little acknowledgements section :D not tagging anyone since I don’t want to bother all of these people

Special shoutout to tumblr blog stonetowns for unknowingly yet singlehandedly demolishing my reluctance to read the books by posting a ton of cute quotes. Thank you for your service o7

Thanks to the two OGs that liked the post I made right before this one, for being my unwitting enablers and for sticking around despite being a) technically an internet stranger (hello!) and b) someone I haven’t spoken to irl in literal years (hey!!)

Last but not least thankz 2 my sister for putting up with me ranting about the book when I first got it and for asking about “CQ” sometimes lol. (i desperately hope you’re not reading this orz)

[thekingofwinterblog]

Getter Robo Retospective - Getter Robo Part 1 -Ryoma Nagare

So, Iv’e been wanting to do an overall retrospective of the Getter Robo manga franchise for a while now, and since the Getter Robo Arc is nearing it’s finale as of the time of this writing, and will either give it a definite ending, or be the final nail in the coffin that the series will never be finished before Getter Robo falls into public domain, I thought now might as well be the time to do it.

As such, I’ll be doing an overall analysis over the entire collection of Ken Ishikawa’s Getter Robo manga series, it’s plots, themes, characters, and covers the various ideas this crazy and amazing sci-fi series covers.

Also, this retrospective will NOT cover the various anime adaptations, or the behind the scenes stuff that has gone on with Getter Robo over the years, such as Go Nagai being credited as the writer of the original manga despite only having come up with the overall concept and designs for it(the rest was by Ken Ishikawa), or the way that Ken went back and added in some extra chapters in the original two manga to explain some things and to tie the early manga more closely into what came after.

For the purposes of this retorspective, I will be focusing exclusively on the manga itself, and what it has to offer, without going into anything else.

And of course there is no place better to start, than the beginning.

So, what is the story of the original Getter Robo Manga?

Well, the overall plot of the original manga is about the conflict between two sides of a conflict, as laid out rather well in it’s prologue chapter.

The first is our protagonists, the Saotome Institute of Japan, who’s leader and namesake has invented the titular giant mecha, the Getter Robo.

Powered by a revolutionary newly discovered form of energy called “Getter Energy”, this enormous metal behemoth is a fighting machine unlike any other.

This war machine was originally supposed to be used for space exploration, but due to necessity, it has instead been reworked into a fighting machine.

It’s only weakness is that it requires 3 different living pilots to operate it to draw upon its full strength.

Opposing the Saotome Institute, is the forces of the Dinosaur Empire

An empire of humanoid Sentient Dinosaurs that long ago was forced to flee the Earth’s surface after it was bombarded with a strange kind of energy from space that was deadly to their kind, their only way to survive being to use their incredible technology to hide on the only place on Earth where the rays couldn’t reach them. The Earth’s very core.

Now, after millions of years underground, and the rays that forced them beneath the earth to begin with having seemingly ceased, they have finally returned to reclaim the earth’s surface for their own. At it’s disposal, it has incredible technology, and giant cyborg dinosaur monster in it’s quest to wipe out the newcomers, the human race, to achieve total dominance over the Earth.

If you think this premise sounds very generic, and you’ve seen it in some form or another in countless other Mecha series, you are not wrong. Ancient evil group attacking the protagonists, and only the new giant robot can stop it, probably the biggest stock plot in mecha overall, having been done in everything from Neon Genesis Evangelion to Megas XLR in some form or another. The set pieces and details are different, but the overall plot is the same.

However, where Getter Robo fits into this, is that it was one of the first giant robot manga there was, and many, many of the tropes and ideas it pioneered would be used and imitated by its successors.

In fact, I would argue that Getter is the second most influential mecha series in history, only second after it’s big cousin, Mazinger Z.

However, we are not here to detail how it influenced the manga industry, but how Getter holds up on it’s own, and in this regard, despite having a plot that has been overused time, and time again by it’s successors, this isn’t really that much of a problem for Getter Robo. Because like any good Mecha series, Getter’s biggest strength is it’s cast of characters.

Starting off in chapter 1, we are introduced to the first of the Robot’s giant pilots.

Ryoma Nagare.

Each of the pilots of Getter Robo is given an introductory mini-arc to set them up, and Ryoma’s is easily the best of the 3.

We are introduced to the main character of most of the franchise at a very unusual spot to open a main character, especially for a Shonen protagonist.

At the end of a revenge story.

To put it bluntly, Ryoma does not start off this series as a particularly likeable, nor good person, as his introductory scene is him crashing a perfectly legal martial arts tournament and beating the everloving shit out of it’s referee, it’s participants, and the judges who arranged it.

His reasons for doing all of this?

Revenge for his old man.

As it turns out, Ryoma had a massive beef with the arrangers for this contest, as his father, Ichigan Nagare was a pro karate champion back in the day, whose reputation was purposely destroyed by those arrangers.

Now he’s come to take revenge by utterly crushing their disciples on national television, to hammer in the point that his father’s martial arts was superior to theirs for all the world to see.

During this whole thing, we also get a very good look into how Ryoma thinks at this point in time.

When the arranger tries to appeal to the ��Sacredness” of the Sport to get him to stand down, Ryoma laughs in his face, proclaiming that there is nothing sacred about combat at all. The only thing that matters is who emerges as the victor.

This is backed up by how he doesn’t show the least bit of compassion or honor to the first of the contestants he defeats, easily smashing him to the ground then gloating over him after having demonstrated the sheer difference in the combat prowess between the two of them.

He is very blunt about the fact that he believes that one should pursue strength for strenght’s sake alone, and never stop until you have crushed anyone who stands before you. Always train to get stronger, and always seek out those who can challenge you and beat them too.

Might makes right.

This is a REALLY good introduction for showcasing Ryoma as a character. How he thinks, his immense near superhuman strength, his ruthlessness, his pride in his own strength.

It also ties in directly into the themes of this series, as this kind of thinking is essentially Evolution itself boiled down to it’s bare core. The survival of the strongest. What is the point of Evolution after all, if not this? Those with the traits to survive and thrive will do so, while those who cannot, will be crushed by those who can, who in turn will pass down what made them successful to begin with.

Of course that is not what the actual message of this series is, but it is a concept that this series is rather blunt about, and it’s not a coincidence that the most prominent of all the main characters of this series began his journey while believing wholeheartedly into that ideal.

All in all this scene is just great, and it sets up Ryoma really well, as well as making it clear that this is a boy who has a lot of growing to do as a person.

And so, having achieved his life’s work that he’s trained for for years and years, Ryoma nagare quietly leaves the arena, leaving behind a dozen bruised, battered and broken men on the ground.

Of course this display of power has not gone unnoticed, as in the audience were two men from the Saotome Institute who came here hoping to find someone strong enough to pilot their giant robot.

As it happened, they just found one that fit the bill rather spectacularly.

Then in the next scene we are showcased Ryoma’s home.

Ryoma Nagare, a fighting genius that at the tender age of 16-17 smashed the greatest karate practitioners in Japan with ease while being outnumbered a dozen to one, lives in a ramshackle part of town, in a rundown old building that has broken windows, a leaking roof, and can at best be called a ramshackle cottage.

It’s a rather brutal contrast to the sight of the prestigious, well made and maintained karate tournament building we were just in.

Inside we find the sight of something else rather unusual for a Shonen protagonist. Having now achieved his goals, and avenged his father’s memory, Ryoma is slowly starting to come to the realization that this has all been one giant waste of time. He hasn’t actually earned anything on this journey. His father is dead, he’s still poor, and his only belongings is this shitty building and the clothes on his back.

As we learn here, Ryoma has spent his entire life being trained in martial arts, to insane degrees even for an adult man, much less for a child. All for the purpose of one day doing what he did today, and avenging his father’s memory.

This scene really hammers in the fact that for all his ridiculous strength, Ryoma is a child, and he has a child’s way of looking at things.

He thinks back fondly on being pitted against stray dogs in death matches, and he reveals here that in his mind, this was all about “Redeeming” martial arts somehow, as if this display would really change anything in the grand scheme of things within the sport.

It wasn’t of course. This was all about revenge. Everything Ryoma ever trained for was for this moment, this moment of what should have been absolute and total triumph as he achieved a truly spectacular victory and proved his father’s fighting style the best in all the land and he has proven that he himself is the strongest fighter in all Japan.

Instead he is coming to the realization that so many people that wasted their lives on vengeance have come to over the years. That it was all a giant waste of time.

Revenge is a suckers game.

Having achieved his goals, Ryoma has found them to be completely empty, and has nowhere to go. This is a really fascinating way to open up a character arc, as usually a character that learns the lesson that David Xanatos knew so well, happens either at the end, or somewhere later down their line. Ryoma however, learns it in the very first chapter, and now has to find something else to live for.

However, his soul searching is then interrupted by a few gentlemen from the Saotome institute.

Who immediately tries to kill him.

Now before I discuss the next part, I wanna praise this overall scene, because it really works great within the context of this chapter.

Ryoma has been introduced as a massive asshole, who firmly believes in the mantra of Might makes right, and he doesn’t feel any regret at having brutalized a dozen of innocent people, just the fact that he realizes that there was no real satisfaction to be had from it. Now the other shoe drops, and HE is attacked in his own home, completely unprovoked for reasons that frankly he has no personal involvement in on his own side. While this attack does have an in universe reason behind it, it main purpose is that it serves as a nice cathartic moment for the reader, as while he’s never going to legally punished for what just happened at the tournament, he is punished by the narrative for his actions, which is something i’ve seen far, far too many stories do over the years fail to do with asshole protagonists.

It also serves to put Ryoma’s current belief in Might Makes Right to the test. After all, aren’t these men doing exactly what he said that those who practice martial arts should do? Seek out those stronger than them, then crush them.

All of this makes it a shame that it is horribly undercut by the one, genuine stain on the original manga. Namely that one of the attackers is this guy.

And it’s at this moment you realise, oh yeah, this was made in 1970’s Japan. The unfortunate fact is that Mangaka of this period generally based their depiction of black people on early American comics(Which had plenty of this kind of artwork), and Ken Ishikawa was unfortunately not an exception to this rule.

He would THANKFULLY not repeat anything like this later down the line(his depiction of black people is far more natural and realistic in later manga), but hot damn is it both uncomfortable and distracting to read the pages with this guy. And it’s a real shame too, because frankly, not only is the following fight scene very good as a narrative punishment for Ryoma, but it’s just a good fight scene in general.

Unlike the Tournament fight, which was mainly a beatdown to establish Ryoma’s ridiculous strength, this is an actual fight, which showcases Ishikawa’s ability to draw energetic, exciting fight scenes where action flows very naturally.

It also shows that for the kind of ridiculous strength Ryoma possess, he isn’t some superhuman, as early in the brawls he’s heavily wounded by the rather mundanity of taking a throwing knife to the shoulder. This is in general something that makes action if Getter Robo stand out from other shonen series too. When characters, or Robots for that matter, takes hits, they rarely shrug them off with no problem, instead taking real, genuine damage that doesn't just instantly go away. They might power through them, but that isn’t the same as them disappearing into the ether.

In any case, the battle ends up outside the house when Ryoma is thrown through the wall.

He’s then forced to do the classic, catch the blade between the palms of his hands trope, which is depicted much more believable than most cases I’ve seen, as despite succeeding, it still left him bleeding from those palms.

Ryoma then redirects the blade into the big guy who is attacking him from behind, killing him. I really love how the artwork sells that this is a desperate move on Ryoma’s part. He is genuinely fighting for his life here, and he’s pulling out every trick he has to to win despite his wounds.

He then follows that up by ripping the blade out, and throwing it at the knife thrower guy. I also like that after doing so, he immediately falls flat on his ass, in a rather realistic manner(he is fighting in the rain after all, so the ground is undoubtedly pretty slippery.), while also showcasing the force of the throw. My only main complaint is that for this one panel Ken forgot to include the wound and the knife on his shoulder, as I think it would really sell just how desperate Ryoma is here if we’re visually reminded in the moment that, oh yeah, he’s powering through and using the arm whose shoulder has a knife in it to to throw this thing.

Thankfully, that missed opportunity for visual grittiness is more than made up for by the next part.

Having now effectively won the battle(I think the swordsman broke his foot in the fall, at least that’s how it looks), Ryoma suddenly realises that, holy shit, he just killed someone. The contrast between here and how he looked as he challenged the tournament fighters couldn’t be more different. The cooky, arrogant youth is completely gone, and you're reminded that Ryoma is just a kid. A kid who just had to kill someone. The bravado is completely gone, leaving only a kid who is tired, confused, in pain, and probably pretty scared.

He is then approached by the man who just had 3 grown ass men jump and attack him, Dr. Saotome.

Wounded, and mentally exchausted as he is, he is in no position to argue as Saotome declares that Ryoma is what he’s been looking for, and as one of his men rips the knife out of his shoulder, Ryoma screams before losing consciousness from the pain. Afterwards he is dragged into a car, and bandaged up.

Then as they're driving, the’re attacked by a giant flying dinosaur that grabs unto the car and flies away with it, Ryoma and Saotome barely managing to get out in time, alongside one of Saotome’s unlucky goons who breaks his neck in the fall.

And so ends Chapter one of Getter Robo.

All in all, other than the horribly racist black guy, this is a really good first chapter, that sets up Ryoma Nagare really, really well, showcasing his way of thinking, his origin, and where he needs to grow, while also showcasing his ludicrous strength, and that he is fully capable of going balls to the wall to win a fight, which will be showcased many, many times in this series. It also ends on a reminder of the fact that oh yeah, this is a series about one side vs dinosaurs, as Ryoma gets his first introduction into the enemy he will be fighting time, and again in this manga. It also gives a distinct first impression of just how ruthless Saotome is, as he is perfectly willing to send 3 dangerous goons on a teenager just to test his prowess in battle, which is absolutely going to come into play in future chapters.

All in all, it’s a good start. Not an amazing beginning, but certainly a good introduction to our first main character.

[notyetbulletproof]

Talked my friend’s ear off about Kaz Brekker and Inej Ghafa.

Then when she asked why wasn’t Kaz in school and where his family was (I hadn’t gotten to what had happened to him yet. I was just telling her the characters), I launched into this whole spiel about the school of life and this self-taught genius of a boy.

And that got me thinking. About how Kaz taught himself everything. How he read and understood documents most people had to go to school to learn how to work with. How his mind works 10 steps ahead of everyone else. How quickly he thinks and formulates plans upon plans. How he can read people. His observation skills. The fact that he values information and the ways in which he has taught himself to find it. The way he watches and assesses and then strikes. The way he can look at anything and work our weaknesses and sure some things prove to be more complicated than at first glance but he finds ways to improvise and work a problem. How Kaz adapted.

And honestly? I would read a whole book on Kaz telling us how he taught himself everything he needed to survive. Did he steal books too? Dictionaries? Translated things for himself?? Snuck into university classes just to see what they were teaching so he could challenge himself on those fronts too? He might not know everything but he can understand a great deal and that’s just brilliant??? How he learns best by modelling and taking things apart?? Looking at how different parts impact the whole?? Watching. Waiting. Observing. Adapting. That attitude, a survivor’s attitude would allow him to thrive anywhere. That keen mind to not just learn something but to understand it, to master it—- I love him.

I also thought about Inej. How she trained herself to adapt the skills she learned as a child, that focus and drive into something else entirely. How she had to picked up a language that wasn’t her own is the cruelest way possible but found a way to use that to her advantage. How quickly her mind moves in assessing what she needs to in any space— physical/emotional. How she too is able to read people. The wisdom she possesses at 16! My god. How in addition to that, she displays a great deal of Kinesthetic and emotional intelligence and how it impacts her dealings and interactions with both friend and foe. How she learned to survive and keep surviving. How she never lost her beliefs, how her faith is the one thing they could never take from her. God, I just love her.

I’d read a whole book on Inej sharing more of the Suli wisdom that shaped so much of her life. That will continue to do so. About how she first started with the dregs and the things she picked up quickly and the things that took more time. I’d read about how her combined experiences and her quick mind helps her on the high seas. I’d basically read more about these two crazy kids and how they adapted and learned the skills they needed to to survive.

Yes yes, the books share that but I’m talking about the little things. The knowledge behind the skills we see/read about. The actual learning of them. I’d read that happily.

I’m digressing here but it’s the fact that all the crows are celebrated for their different intelligences and skills that I enjoy. That while “going to school” might have been great and less painful for most of them, it wasn’t an option. Not in the traditional sense and yet they still learned and became who they needed to in the moment we find them. They adapted. They’re knowledgeable about the world as they know it, as they knew it and as they hope it can one day be. They don’t know everything but it’s the implied inclination that they could (about the things that interest them) if they so chose to. That promise of seeking out an education that fits whatever interests them and in all the places it is available. The truth that “going to school” is not the only way to be educated about the world and it’s dealings. That there isn’t just one approach to education or learning. That different learning needs require different forms of teaching.

The fact that under-stimulation is a big issue for so many of them and they cope with that in different ways. The fact that their minds move so fast because of how they have had to adapt. It’s also this trust in the fact that they’ll each do their job. Their skill set isn’t doubted. Not as much as the occasional doubt of their WILL to do something.

It’s the respect given to each other for how they have come by this knowledge, what they learned, how they learned it. What they can do and why. And the fact that the book has characters that openly mock the different learning needs and styles of characters (Van eck you asshole) but the crows themselves reinforce the fact that just because you learn differently doesn’t make you less just makes me very emotional.

Look I don’t know what I am saying anymore. This post was actually meant to say I would love to learn more about how they learned the things they learned/know. Read about their day to day. As usual, I’ve talked in a circle. I’m sure someone more eloquent will say this better.

[bigskydreaming]

I’d say the thing about some characters lending themselves better to some stories than others actually can apply to the Batfam as well, and is a sign of how well-developed they actually are. I know I’ve ranted in the past about the tendency to try and fit the Batkids into niches like the smart one and the angry one and all of that, but in terms of story TYPES, I think they do have certain niche-like feels that mean some of them are better suited to certain GENRES of story than others.

For instance....I didn’t love Grayson, but that was more due to the overshadowing circumstances and the fact that I just think King and his writing suck. A lot. But the basic premise was not at all out of Dick’s wheelhouse. He IS well predisposed to kinda globe-trotting, spy versus spy, switching disguises like they’re outfits, making the most out of his ability to make friends everywhere he goes and turn enemies into allies.....those types of stories. Not saying these should be his only stories, by any means, or that he can’t center in all kinds of other types of stories, but I’m just saying, these kinds of stories do have more of a Dick Grayson feel than they do various other Batkids.

Similarly, Jason is better suited to gothic horror types of stories than the others, just in general. His history with the Lazarus Pit, his general disposition, his THEMES, like....they speak to the same kind of aims and tones that gothic horror both births from and embodies.

This might just be me, but to me, Tim is best suited to kinda oddball, off the wall sorta stories, and that’s part of why I’m so meh on him just being shelved into the uber-genius, mini-Bruce, heir to the best detective mantle kinda thing. I’ve spoken before about how much I miss 90s Tim, but to me, Tim was always at his best, and at his best-defined, most feeling like uniquely HIM, when he was playing the underdog. When he was just this well-intentioned kid who plunged into this world that was so much larger than viewing it through his camera lens had prepared him for, but he had spunk and determination and he wasn’t about to back down or let anyone think he was in over his head so he was gonna make it through whatever the superhero life threw at him even if flying by the seat of his pants the whole way. So to that end, I mean, I think Tim is at his best when just dealing with totally WTF kinds of stories. The cross-dimensional capers, the time travel mishaps, the ‘great, I was abducted by aliens on my lunch break and now apparently I have to save planet FUBAR with nothing but my pocket knife and scathing dry wit.’

I would fucking kill for Cass at the center of noir type stories where its like, idk, the Maltese Falcon and she’s the jaded but still optimistic-at-her-core PI when trouble walks into her derelict office wrapped up in an eggplant shawl and the name Stephanie. Maybe its just that I don’t think there’s enough focus on the fact that Cass is SMART and she’s as much a detective as any of the family, does plenty of investigative work and if she’s heir to the cowl she’d be just as good at the mystery side of things as Bruce is, but just......noir stories just FEEL like dappled shadows and eerie shades of blue and black with hints of moonlight spilling through slatted blinds and all of that just screams Cass to me, faint notes of jazz in the background, a wry smile on her lips as she plays her informant like a fiddle when chasing down clues.

Duke is another globe-trotter in feel to me, like his backstory and his family and his stories with the Outsiders, like, I really want to see Duke on more superhero teams than just the Outsiders now that that’s over, because he’s better suited to stories not confined just to Gotham, I think? Like, Duke fits the conspiracy theory chasing niche to me, like, his character really comes to life when pursuing leads all across the world, digging into his past, his family’s past, seeing how it all connects to various mysteries of the DC Earth that are generations old but still affect the present....like I don’t know how many people have read Planetary, but that to me is a PERFECT fit for Duke, and I would love to see him with his own Planetary style team or even just part of one.

Damian is best suited to coming of age stories, which sounds vague, but the thing is, it really is its own genre. So much of Damian’s character, the best parts I think, are about Damian FINDING himself, DEFINING himself......he more than any of the others, debuted so clearly defined by his origins, his parents, who he was CREATED to be.....and so he more than anyone else is perfectly poised to star in stories that are all about him breaking away from that mold, from parental expectations or preplanned destinies, or even just searching for things to define him on his own terms rather than through the eyes of others. Stories that are about choosing your own path, making a self-realization or having an epiphany about who you truly are or what you want to do with your life....that to me, is Damian’s best niche. Again, doesn’t mean that other characters can’t be great in these kinds of stories as well, just that if I’m pairing one character to one genre they lean into best, this is what’s that for Damian, IMO.

Steph is a bit of an oddball for me, and I don’t quite know how to describe this, but she’s best suited IMO to those kinds of stories that like......there’s not really a specific NAME for this type, but you know them when you see them. The best comparison I can think to make is like.....the kinds of stories Harley Quinn stars in? To be clear, I’m not drawing parallels between Steph or Harley or saying they’re the same kind of character at ALL, I’m just saying like.....Harley is another character who overall is very hard to pin down in specific concrete terms, but nevertheless is centered in various stories and adaptations that are nevertheless very clearly HER.....and that’s the kind of thing I picture for Steph. She fits that niche that isn’t really a niche for anyone BUT her, because nobody else can summon that type of feel for it......the kind of story that you can’t switch anybody else in for her because the story only works with her specific kinda....energy. Bleh. I really wish I could describe it better, like its very clear in my brain, but its a story that’s more of a kind of FEEL than it is a specific description? If that makes sense like at all? LOLOL. Whatevs.

And Babs, like, I would love love love to see her centered in a proper cyberthriller. I mean, they’ve done stories kinda like that with her as Oracle, but not to the extent I’m thinking. I mean just full on cyberpunk dialed up to 11. Give me Babs enlisted by the JLA because Brainiac is loose in the internet and she has to go into cyberspace utilizing different avatars of herself and calling in allies as needed as she relentlessly hunts a villain through landscapes of data she maps and molds and turns into traps. Babs hyper-fixating on her task, her hunt, to the degree that she has to be reminded to pull herself out at times and take care of her physical needs, has people grounding her so she doesn’t get lost in cyberspace and the lure of it all, this place that’s her domain and where she shines the brightest. And so it balances that razor edge that makes for the best cyberthrillers IMO. The ones where all the possibilities of the future as embodied in technology and cyberspace are balanced with the necessity of remaining human, of being human and with roots and history embedded outside of it, in the real world. And with there being a clear juxtaposition between the two even as the protagonist goes back and forth between the two extremes of their existence, the physical and the ephemeral.

Anyway. Like I said, you can mix and match and its not like Dick can’t star in gothic horror and Jason can’t do off-the-wall dimensional hijinks or noir detective stories and Tim and Cass can’t do coming of age, etc.....its just in terms of what I was talking about, how some characters lend themselves MORE easily to certain kinds of stories than others.....this is how I perceive the various Batkids.

[gofancyninjaworld]

Learning styles, but not as we know them

I really want to get to is just admiring how differently different characters learn.   Somehow, without confusing himself, ONE is managing to bring across not just that characters have their own experiences and ways of understanding them, but their individual ways of processing and learning from those experiences.   I thought I’d look at a few that have jumped out at me.    Lots under the cut!

Like the way Atomic says he's not a thinker.  And he isn't!  But he works out how to make a really big sword slash by trying it out kinetically -- he does things by feel and it's so awesome. It fits in so well with his sensitivity to auras, he just feels what’s right.  And then he practices and practices until he’s codified those things.  That’s why he’s a swordsmaster without equal.

Atomic has never pretended to be the sharpest tool in the shed

Unfortunately, everybody knows it

His ways may seem vague, almost touchy-feely, but the way he works, goddamn, it works.  I cannot explain to you how I got chills watching him feel his way to that one, good, devastating slash

Hooo.

Almost his polar opposite, you have Genos, who has his notebook and thinks by writing, tends to make breakthroughs after ruminating on things overnight and even run virtual models for particularly knotty problems.  It's fun that you never know what he'll pull out next time, what insights and connections he’ll have made but it's also not that spontaneous.

It’s surprising how often Genos prefers to stand back and just observe situations. As long as no one’s about to die... might as well collect data.

You never quite know what mix of thoughts and tech he’ll pull out in the name of progress

If you take his notebook, you’ve done more than inconvenience him: you’ve stolen part of his mind.  That’s why they’re acid-proof nowadays.

If he seems impatient, forgive him. He has somewhere he needs to be, and the journey is long

ONE must be sad that he’s had to dispense with most of Puri Puri’s discoveries in the interest of space, but the child-like joy with which Puri Puri Prisoner tests out new abilities as he gets them and then puts them together just to see what happens is just something else. 

a bit of ballet...

...a bit of love...

...a bit of pain... and a swimming lesson

... and you get ANGEL CRAWL!

I should hate this guy, but honestly he makes me laugh too much.

And then finally, Garou.  He’s got a bit of everything -- his body learns things and adapts at a frightening rate, but he's also very analytical and then adds some pretty wacky creativity to it all. Added to his formidable talent, natural strength and grounding in pure hard work and there's a reason he's called a genius.

Right now, he looks unstoppable.

[arrozaurus]

Hiya, I really love your thoughts about Rose and I esspecially love your descriptions of her characterisation. I was wondering if you had an similar thoughts on White Diamond? Since she is the antithesis and the antagonist of the series I would love to hear your thoughts about her. It's cool if you don't have any, I am just curious.

im glad you enjoy my writing and thank you so much for the question. im sorry i took so long, i really want to talk about this but i was trying to gather up material. i hope its apt

white diamond is an incredibly fascinating character from a psychological perspective. but i think you can only start to understand her if you dive into the psychology of the narcissistic adaptations. the more i read about it, the more i am convinced the scaffolding of her character relies heavily and intentionally on this description.

elinor greenberg, who is known for having an extensive research and experience working with people with these adaptations, states that all narcissists have a couple of characteristics in common:

lack of whole object relations: when we are young, we learn to recognize that people that can be bad sometimes, can also be good. we develop the understanding that people are painted in greys. but a narcissistic person lives eternally in that inmature mindset of blacks and whites. they cant see the greys, the shades of color, so for them people are either all good or all bad at a time.

lack of emotional empathy: because of this distorted view, they find it impossible to relate to them. they don't care about people themselves or their feelings and accomplishments unless they can make it about them, and therefore they lend no compassion when manipulating and humiliating others.

a hierarchical view of the world: because of this distorted view, a narcissist idea of the world is structurally like a very narrow ladder where only one person can fit in each flight of stairs: a "status totem pole" where people they consider beneath them will be absolutely worthless and people that they consider above them will be either idolized or threats to their own status.

a fragile sense of self: they have an atrocious lack of respect for other people's boundaries because of that failure at emotional empathy, and this is especially relevant for their "children" in the fact that they will ever be seen as an extension of the n-parent's self. the n-parent's self however... well, the narcissist is too busy fighting to stay up in that ladder to reflect upon what it actually means. a person dealing with a narcissist will find that it is impossible to discuss feelings, even if it's the n-persons feelings, because the truth is, there is nothing inside them that doesn't depend on others.

i can't even begin to express how genius the narcissistic portrayal in white diamond is, how well they were able to translate the real world descriptions into an alien context with metaphors taken literally. her color white is both at the same time a facsimile of how she doesn’t take anything in, and a hint of how she literally sees the world in extremes. or how she can physically and in a very real sense project her self into others and turn them into extensions of herself for her to “improve” according to her own ideals.

it is no coincidence homeworlds power structure is also scaled like the totem pole we mentioned before, with every gem lined up in their place going from expendable to insanely powerful, all of them working, sacrificing and supressing everything they are under a senseless preassigned purpose in order to please a mechanism that will never be satiated with their accomplishments. colonies after colonies, that will never be enough, never mind appreciated, by the narcissistic parent that is white diamond.

all of this doesn't deny the fact that gem society is a network of oppression. there are still privileged gems that help to perpetuate the system of power of the diamond. that happens at a smaller scale in these real families as well, which is why the trauma and the parenting style are often inherited by the next generation: you won't know how to unconditionally love, or even at all, if no guardian ever told you how to.

in the case for white, all of these narcissistic maladaptations must also come from the absence of a nurturing role model. and i think this makes so much sense when you look into her history: she was the first to emerge (implied) and she probably was alone for quite a while, which resulted in that she never learned to socialize, and that there was no one really there to watch her behavior. added to the fact that she was born very powerful with the almost godly ability to sprout life out of nothing, that is pretty much the recipe for the concoction of what pete walker calls a "fight type".

Many fight types avoid real intimacy by alienating others with their angry and controlling demands for unconditional love. This unrealistic demand to have their unmet childhood needs met destroys the possibility of intimacy. Moreover, some fight types delude themselves into believing that they are perfect. They see the other as the one who needs to be perfected. This defensive belief then entitles them to totally blame their partners for relationship problems. From Surviving to Thriving

you cannot even imagine how lucky white was to realize that her whole mindset was strangling everyone and sabotaging her chances to connect with other people. greenberg distinguishes a little fraction of narcissists that are "self-aware" enough to recognize they may have a problem and seek help to improve their ways, and it's usually because something they value is at risk to be lost or that they didn't expect to happen at all—such as an ultimatum, a divorce, or in white's case, the shocking confirmation that steven wasn't pink after all.

[sombreboy]

Mused obsession (1)

Written by @sombreboy​ as Jungkook & @chimoona​​ as Jimin Banner by @carly-bean-blog​​

[ masterlist ]

⇢Explicit (18+) ⇢Pairing: Jungkook & Jimin ⇢Genre: yandere, smut, mxm ⇢Word count: 7.4k ⇢Ch.warnings: (Does sexual tension count?) None.

Industry famous Jeon Jungkook of GJK photography takes an interest in a model and up-and-coming fashion designer, Park Jimin. After an opportunity to study the man behind his trusty lens, he thinks he may have just found his new muse.

Jimin shifts in his chair to find a comfortable position. He’s about half an hour into hair and makeup and already itching to get in front of the camera. It’s day one of promo shots for a clothing line he’s actually passionate about—his own. He’d come far in his career, gaining traction for his unique look and alluring personality. Now it was time to get the recognition he deserved, as a model and a visionary. He powered through a couple solid years of being a nobody, doing whatever gig got his foot in the right door. Today is the beginning of his new chapter, a rebranding milestone. He only hopes he has the right crew to make his vision a reality. 

Jungkook is a famous photographer, widely known for his brand name ‘GJK’ within the industry. Having a photoshoot with him was rare to come by, not because he is difficult to reach, but because he is extremely picky with whom he works with. Only the best of the best gets his lens pointed at them, and it just so happens, Jungkook found Jimin among many possible clients to work with.

The fashion itself wasn’t exactly what Jungkook cared for, but he had to admit that it was eye catching, fresh, and modern. However, what truly caught JK’s eye was the man behind it all, Park Jimin. He looked deeper into who this man was, and was impressed with how he’d worked his way up from nothing to where he’s at now, Jungkook himself being a large stepping stone for the young man.

Kook could see himself in him in a way, having worked his way up by being dedicated to his hard work, and at his young age—being known as the highest profile photographer in the industry.

He’s busy, setting up the studio lighting, making sure his camera is in place before roaming the room, one hand held out as his staff brought him his banana milk. A guilty pleasure. He hates coffee—but loves overly sweet drinks.

‘‘Where’s Jimin? Shouldn’t he be here by now?’‘ JK glances at his staff, who bows in apology and makes their way to call for the model that it was time.

Jimin’s heart pounds in his chest at the shaky sound of his name being called by a spooked PA. 

“Showtime, Sir,” she mutters. “Mr. Jeon doesn’t like to be left waiting.” 

The makeup artist snaps to attention and gives a final spot-check for imperfections while the hairstylist fluffs his soft hair for a “just woke up” look. 

“Who’s running the show here?” Jimin asks quietly, feeling a little cocky, but not enough to ever say it in front of the high-profile photographer. The man makes him nervous, he hates to admit. He’s still trying to wrap his mind around how he scored Jungkook for his promo shoot, but didn’t think to ask out of fear he would back out. Jimin admires Jungkook’s tenacity and work ethic, despite being the younger of the two. He had to make sure everything was perfect, knowing very well how he liked his subjects to be of visual perfection and grace. “Please tell him I’m on my way.”

Jungkook sighs when the PA comes back with the news, sipping his artificial drink with one hand firmly placed on his hip. His eyes roam the room, making sure everything is the way he wants it. Normally, the staff would do the work, but being picky as he is, he prefers to set everything up himself. That way, if something wasn’t up to par, it was all on him.

‘‘Alright everyone, when he arrives, you know the rules. I want utter privacy.’‘

Jimin steps into the studio, dressed in his first look—a clean form-fitted blazer and tight black jeans, paired with genuine leather ankle boots. He didn’t want gaudy accessories but couldn’t resist slipping slim silver rings over his delicate fingers to match his signature silver hoops. His public persona until this point has been very bubbly and light—the typical boy next door. Now he wants to flip the industry on its head and feature an aesthetic of dark neutrals with metallic accents.

He was too busy smoothing over his blazer as he approached Jungkook to realize it was just the two of them. When he looks up, he notices just one set of eyes staring back. No PAs, no stylists. Just the undivided attention of Jungkook as he sipped his sugary milk. 

“Oh—uh...hello, Jeon. I appreciate you taking on this project at such short notice,” he nods politely, reaching out a hand to shake. “Is the staff off for lunch? Will they be returning?” 

Jungkook glances down at Jimin’s delicate hands, observing the small rings adorning them. He was a man of detail, taking notice of every single piece the elder was wearing, the colours, even how every strand of his hair was placed. Letting his gaze dissect the man for a moment, still sipping his drink, he finally releases the straw with a pop as he reaches out to take the smaller hand in his. Call him rude, or maybe socially awkward, but instead of a normal handshake, he simply pulls the hand closer to his face to inspect the jewelry.

‘‘No, I asked them to leave.’‘ Jungkook simply states before releasing Jimin’s hand, ‘‘I prefer to work with my clients in privacy.’‘

Jimin swallows audibly, watching the photographer as he inspects his hand. He didn’t find it odd that he was engrossed in his appearance, however, a shiver ran down his spine at Jungkook’s reply. A new wave of anxiety washes over him at the revelation they were alone and would remain that way for the duration of the shoot. 

“I, uh, I see,” he says, eyes roaming over the younger’s meticulous setup. “You never cease to amaze me, Jeon. You think you can handle this all on your own?”

With one eyebrow raised, Jungkook tilts his head as his eyes travel back up to meet Jimin’s.

‘‘Do I think I can handle this on my own?’‘ He repeats softly, a smile pulling on the corners of his lips. He brings the straw back into his mouth before motioning with his hand for Jimin to follow him onto the set, pointing towards the spot which he wants the elder to stand on. He turns around, waiting for Jimin to follow his silent instructions.

In the back of Jimin’s mind he couldn’t help worrying how it would all turn out. He has a lot riding on this, yet he knows Jungkook is a man of his word. His portfolio is anything but defamatory and unprofessional. He truly is an artist of taste. On top of that, Jungkook’s calm and nonchalant attitude was surprisingly alluring, easy to follow. 

“I hired you for a reason,” Jimin replies, belated, “I trust your judgement.” After stepping on his marker, Jimin takes in the ironed backdrop and pristine lighting structure. Jungkook seems to be more than prepared without assistance, which puts him at ease. 

Jimin falls into his role of model, standing in contrapposto with his shoulders held back proudly. “How would you like me?” he asks, staring into the photographer’s dark umber eyes. They caught him by surprise, how focused they were on his every movement.

Jungkook’s eyes never wavered from him, observing every single movement of his. He would be lying if he said he wasn’t entranced by the elegance that oozed off of the elder. His movements were so delicate, as if every step had purpose. It made him smile.

‘‘Just stay like that.’‘ Kook threw his finished drink to the side before getting behind the camera, able to properly focus on every detail through the lense as he adjusts his angle. The man in front of him is photogenic, that’s for sure. He’s gorgeous. Before Jimin was even ready for the shoot to begin, the sound of the camera going off a couple times echoed; JK withdrew a bit to check how the first series of photos turned out with a content expression.

This is one way that he likes to do it to warm up, to see how the model would react to his sudden actions. Would they be anxious? Would they get mad? Or something completely different?

Jimin pushes his hair back with his ring-clad hand, getting lost in the moment. It’s flattering to see just how eager Jungkook is to begin. Granted, his rapid test shots are more than he’s used to. He’s always ready to adapt to a new situation. 

He runs through his series of standard poses, leaning into them harder because it seems to please the younger man. If he’s enthusiastic about the process, Jimin is positive it will shine through in the final product. 

“How is it turning out?” 

Jungkook removes the camera from the tripod stand he originally intended to use, staring down at the screen on his camera while flipping through the images,

‘‘It’s okay.’‘ He nods to confirm his own words, checking before bringing the camera back up in front of his face and snapping another photo of Jimin while he was speaking. He went back into his own world of checking his latest photograph, a nodding hum in thought as he stared at it. 

‘‘The camera loves you.’‘ 

As Jungkook thought, this man truly was photogenic, and the fact that he knew how to be on camera only made the photos more beautiful. Even if he wasn’t prepared for his latest shot, it turned out to be his favourite photo of them all. His eyes fell back on the elder before he spoke. 

‘‘Grab that chair and sit on it, please.’‘

The flash of Jungkook’s camera caught Jimin off guard while he was mid-speak, but it must have turned out well. It brought a smile to Jungkook’s face as he stared down at his display screen, endearing bunny teeth peeking out from his rosy lips. He must be going for a specific style, trying to capture the feel of his clothing in a candid moment. 

God, he really is a genius. 

At Jungkook’s command, Jimin pulls over a chair and sits on it, draping his arm over the back casually.

Jungkook approaches by a few steps, crouching on the floor as he points his camera towards Jimin. This time he gives him an opportunity to be ready for the photo. However, before snapping the photo, he whispers out a few words with his sweet voice.

‘’You’re a beauty,’’ –To trigger a reaction, whether it might be a smile, a face of shock, or a pair of furrowed eyebrows, he loves to spur expressions that weren’t simply a model’s pout. Of course, he would need a few photos like that, but this part of his session was his favourite. It was like a little game, and Jimin was fun to play with so far.

Jimin’s nerves skyrocket as Jungkook compliments him. He’s used to photographers giving praise, but this felt very intimate as the younger’s voice was sweet and seductive. Then again, he probably just read the gesture incorrectly. Jimin is beautiful and he knows it well. It shouldn’t feel odd to hear those words pass Jungkook’s lips. Jimin stares back at him wide-eyed, mouth parted, trying to calm his nerves. 

Why is Jeon making him so nervous?

“Uh, t-thank you,” Jimin replies weakly. He looks around the room to read the crew’s expressions but is quickly reminded that he’s all alone, aside from the man on his knees, just a short distance away now. “That’s kind of you to say,” he confesses, cheeks warming. He swivels one of the silver rings around his finger until he can focus again. He’s probably reading too far into it.

Jungkook takes note of every little detail of Jimin’s expressions, movements, even the small stutter rolling off his plushy lips. It’s cute, he was definitely worth his time. He inches closer, getting a nice low angle of the beauty. The way the light bounces off the apples of the elders cheeks truly come into view, along with his small hoop earrings shining.

‘‘I bet there’s not a single angle you can’t pull off, Jimin.” He uses the model’s name casually, as he normally would any other client. But this time it felt a little more intimate, the way ‘Jimin’ felt on his tongue as he worded it out. He never wanted to stop saying it. However, there’s a job that needs to be done, whether he wants to play or not, so he continues to find various angles before standing back up. ‘‘Good job, now, let’s move on to the next look. Your stylists are waiting.”

Jimin hurriedly walks to the back room to change, a sigh of relief escaping his chest to see that the next outfit was laid out and ready. On his lean frame, it looked devastating. Head-to-toe worn black leather with silver trim and sparkling crystal accents, pulled together by a thin raw leather choker. “I almost want to steal it off your body,” the makeup artist comments, “it’s not fair you look this good!”

Jimin smiles back, fluffing his hair. “Maybe after the shoot. We need to get it on camera first.” 

The artist dabs a pretty red stain on his plushy lips and gives it a little gloss to shine under the lights. “He’s perfect,” the lead stylist confirms, waving off the others. She prompts him to enter the studio alone, which he does with confidence. 

His boots click on the hard floor, announcing his presence. He found himself expectant of how Jungkook would react.

Jungkook changed up the lighting a bit, dimming it ever so slightly to get a darker effect, knowing Jimin’s next theme would be something a little sexier. What he wasn’t prepared for, however, was just how well Jimin would pull off the look. But then again, he really should’ve been.

Kook’s eyes widen momentarily as he sees the elder stride in; the echoing sound of his boots giving his aura an amplified effect of power. It’s such a contrast to the previous outfit.

“Wooow,” Jungkook can’t help but let his jaw fall open with a smile, not hiding how impressed he is with the look, clapping his hands together in a childish manner, “I like it, I like it!..” His hands remain clasped, approaching Jimin to circle around him, inspecting everything from the diamonds to the small choker on his neck. Without hesitation, he reaches out to brush his fingers against the material.

Jimin hadn’t put much thought towards the banana milk, but the animated way Jungkook clapped at his arrival just added to the photographer’s rare childlike mannerisms. It counterbalances his stern professional side and warms Jimin to see. 

“My photographer approves?” Seems so, especially by the way the younger’s long fingers graze his choker, tickling his neck with goosebumps. “I’m pleased I could deliver.” His eyes scan the dim room to find his mark. “Where would you like me for this portion?”

Jungkook’s eyes subtly fall on Jimin’s lips—the glossy red looks really, really pretty on him. He was pretty sure Jimin could be a doll, prettier than every single male and female he’s ever worked with. A joy for his camera lens. 

Withdrawing his hand from the choker, he delicately grasps onto Jimin’s wrist with one hand and his camera in the other before he guides him towards the second area of the studio, prepared for the darker theme. It was prepared by a large window ledge, painted in black like the walls around that specific area to give it a gothic vibe. This was also the very reason he’d chosen for the shoot to be done late in the evening, as he did not want any sun from the outside while doing this certain photo. Call him meticulous, but he just wanted things to be done his way.

“Sit on the ledge.”

Jimin allows Jungkook to guide him by the wrist, gradually becoming comfortable with the tactile way he likes to work. Jimin does as he’s told and sits, crossing his legs to rest an elbow to his knee. 

“This really goes beyond what I expected, Jeon,” he says, neck craning to take in the entire scene. “Do you put this much detail into all your projects or am I just a special case?” He smiles at the younger, trying to lighten the mood before he transitions to his dark persona.

Jungkook brushes his dark locks away from his eyes, bringing the camera up to check the scene through his lens.

“If you’ve seen any of my work, you’d know.” He says with a low voice, aiming to keep the elder on his toes with his comments. Kook knows he’s of a higher profile, and sometimes that makes people act cautiously around him—he finds it hilarious. 

He snaps a few shots of Jimin, satisfied with how effortless his beauty is. These photos are almost erotic, and that was just by looking at his face.

“Slide the leather jacket down your shoulders and keep it that way,” Jungkook instructs once more. He had simple requests, but they changed the entire photo.

Jimin smirks at Jungkook’s comment. 

Cocky, isn’t he? 

Of course he’s familiar with his work—he’d be living under a rock if he wasn’t aware of Jungkook’s tastes. His change in attitude catches Jimin’s interest and pushes him to deliver facial expressions and casual poses he’s recognized as the photographer’s preference, using his knowledge to his advantage. When he’s asked to bare his shoulders, he does it seamlessly, letting the fragrant material rest against his biceps. 

There’s something about this outfit that brings out his confidence tenfold. He hasn’t even seen the photos but he can already hear the positive reviews from competing fashion critics. In this setting he feels now more than ever that it’s his time to shine. 

“Is this edgy enough?” He asks, knowing Jungkook would be the right one to judge. With affirmation shining in his eyes, Jimin is ready to show the world what he’s capable of.

“Bite your lip.” He instructs again, a smile on his lips as he manages to get some really, really, gorgeous shots. 

This guy is ethereal. 

As the elder did as instructed, it sort of did give Kook a sense of…power. He’d never actually admit it though, it would be unprofessional… But, he likes this. He hasn’t enjoyed a photoshoot as much as he’s enjoyed this one—probably ever. He really doesn’t want the session to end.

But like any other, it was bound to happen. 

It’s late. So, Jungkook finishes off his last closeup of the choker part of his outfit before letting his camera fall, caught by the band attached around his neck. His eyes are glued to Jimin, a content sigh pushing through his lips, 

“That’s a wrap. We’re done for today.”

~~~

Back in the dressing room, Jimin peels himself out of his clothing, reflecting on the day. He’s positively elated by the way everything turned out, desperate to get on to the next set and see what Jungkook prepared for him. After experiencing the younger’s 5-star treatment, he knows he made the right decision in hiring him. A seasoned photographer like Jungkook was exactly what his team needed. He only hopes the feeling is mutual, and gets a sense that perhaps it was. 

“You’re a beauty”— Jungkook’s own words repeat in his mind over and over, making his heart throb at the memory. The praise meant a lot coming from his lips, not only because of his prestige but because he too was incredibly beautiful. It probably wasn’t the wisest thing to think of his photographer, but he couldn’t help noticing. Tonight, he doesn’t think he’ll get much sleep, too excited for the next round.

The feeling is indeed mutual, Jungkook feels so satisfied with how his photos turned out, unable to contain the way his body almost vibrated with excitement while he was seated in the studio. 

The staff slowly came back, breaking his previous privacy to ask how the photoshoot went. All Kook gives them is a wide grin, which definitely serves as more than enough of a response—considering the way he’s always been quite the odd guy.

Everyone slowly starts to wrap up and go home for the night, however Jungkook remains at the studio, already preparing for the morning by taking down the current setup. Everything is done with Jimin in mind. He won’t be able to sleep anyway, rarely does—if the dark circles adorning his eyes are anything to go by. 

Some would say it suits his look.

~~~

The next morning, Jimin started his day like any other, but with more urgency. He took a brisk shower and awakened his smooth skin with a coffee mask and soothing cream. There really was no room for error, and Jimin felt the pressure mounting, knowing that the studio was already set and waiting for his arrival. It didn’t help that his morning copy of Fashion Times magazine had the largest photo of Industry Genius Jeon Jungkook staring deadpan into the lens as if to say “My time is money. I’m waiting.”

~~~

Having a session during the evening and continuing the following morning could be seen as hectic, but to Jungkook, it’s perfect. He can’t imagine having to wait longer than necessary to work with Jimin again.

Slowly, staff came early to help with the rest of the preparations—not that it needed much, Kook had done it all by himself during the night. 

He starts his routine with a drink—the sugary mixture—his favourite way to start off the morning as the PA places it in his hand.

“Jeon, did you even get any sleep? Your eyes…” The PA hesitantly asks, worried for his health more than anything.

“I’m great,” Jungkook ignores the question, a content smile on his face as he brings the straw to his mouth. He gives a thumbs up towards the PA, “Thank you for the drink… Also, when is Jimin coming?” He glances down at the expensive clock adorning his wrist. He was getting impatient, even if Jimin technically had time left to get ready.

Jimin appeared at the makeup artist’s station fresh-faced with an iced Americano and fluffy hair. He sat and let her work her magic as he caffeine reinvigorated his muscles. 

His first look was going to be on the soft yet sultry side—eyes framed with a slightly smudged layer of eyeliner and wisps of peachy pink eyeshadow. It would compliment the lighter spectrum of his collection, with touches of stark white juxtaposing the reoccurring dark neutrals and metallics.

In his mind it represents his old self and the self he hopes to be. The patterns and shades don’t clash—they create depth to his character. He can hear the wardrobe stylists fawn over his first outfit as they steam the fabric to perfection, giving him the boost of confidence he needs to approach Jungkook’s set. If yesterday was any indication of the photographer’s commitment to the project, Jimin was in for a shock. 

Jungkook is on his second drink by now; the sugar is very much needed after all the hard work he spent figuring out the set for the first outfit. To start, he wanted to keep it plain and simple, a metallic background to put the focus on Jimin entirely. But– no, it wasn’t good enough. Now, the idea he went for wasn’t revolutionary per se, but the way he set it up could be. He prepared a separate, smaller room by decorating every single inch with mirrors in different angles. Ceiling? Mirrors. Walls? Mirrors. Floor? You got the jist of it. Mirrors.

Kook had an additional idea, but he wasn’t sure whether or not to go for it yet. He wanted Jimin to shatter the glass– but he wouldn’t make the elder do it if it was deemed too much.

The younger was excited, anxious to see how Jimin would pull off his next look. It was almost unhealthy, the way the JK already felt like there was nothing else he could think of than Park Jimin and his beauty.

‘‘Noona!’‘ Jungkook whined as he strolled out of his mirrored room to find the staff, ‘‘Time?’‘

The way he whines is almost childish, however, the PA used to it. She knows this means his patience is running low, but merely out of excitement. His dark circles indicate hard work, and he wants to finish what he started.

“He’s on his way, Jeon.”

Just then, Jimin’s familiar footfalls echo off the studio walls. 

“Just this way,” another PA instructs him, bringing him into Jungkook’s view. “Follow him into the mirrored room. That’s where you’ll begin.” Jimin nods and follows him into the small room, intrigued by her words. He wasn’t sure what she meant, but it really was a mirrored room—top to bottom, mirrored fragments, deliberately placed. 

“Oh my—“ It was all he could muster, overcome with wonderment, seeing every angle of himself in the blink of an eye. “H-how did you—“ He turns to face his photographer and instantly notices his sleep-deprived state. His shining doe eyes narrow under dark lids, still alert despite his lack of rest, but visibly affected. Did he sleep for even a minute last night? 

“Jeon, I’m breath-taken, honestly. This is just absolutely stunning.” He can’t stop looking at Jungkook as he inspects the room and can’t decide whether to comment on his appearance or carry on. He decides the latter, respecting his process.

Jungkook’s smile widens at the praise, his bunny-like front teeth on full display, nose scrunched up, “Thank you.”

He moves to shut the door behind Jimin before placing his hand on the small of his back, guiding him towards the wall. Kook’s eyes wander over the puzzled pieces of glass, doe eyes sparkling at the sight. He turns his attention towards Jimin, his smile falling back into a more neutral expression.

“This is a very special shoot, Jimin. This will be the breakthrough concept. But you have to trust me…” Kook pauses to sip the last of his drink, shaking it lightly to confirm that it was indeed empty. “Do you trust me?”

Jimin nods. The words ‘breakthrough concept’ is exactly what he wanted to hear. He’s dying to know what the visionary has in mind, and almost thinks to order a banana milk for himself to keep up with his pace. 

“I trust you,” he confirms. “Whatever it is, I’ll do it.”

Jungkook’s hand reaches to brush a stray hair away from Jimin’s forehead, putting it properly in place before grabbing the camera that was hanging around his neck.

“Okay. First, I need you to look at the ceiling, at yourself, with sadness and frustration.” He takes a few steps back, angling the camera to his liking. “Then, you can improvise if you’d like… A few of these shots are needed. When we’re done, we will move on to the climax of the concept.” He peeks over his camera to make sure Jimin is keeping up with his instructions—a smile on his lips growing when, of course, Jimin kept up. He was made for this and followed Kook’s orders perfectly.

There’s not a moment of hesitance from Jimin as he falls into a rhythm. It was odd at first, looking at himself, seeing his own expressions as they formed on his face. Sadness, frustration, shock, anger—it was all for the climax he patiently awaited. 

He caught Jungkook’s pleased smile in his peripheral and knew his plan was falling into place. As odd as the photographer seemed, he exuded a sense of comfort and understanding that Jimin hadn’t felt in any of his other partnerships. 

He discovered exactly what Jimin wanted with very little direction, almost expounding upon a base concept and unfurling it like a flower. Jimin got on his knees, arched his back, contorted his body to discover disjointed versions of himself that made the clothing pop. When he was finished, he looked up at Jungkook with tiny droplets of sweat gliding down his bare neck. 

“How did I do?”

Jungkook almost had a dumb look on his face. He was in such deep focus, observing the small droplets of sweat glistening on Jimin’s flawless skin. His grip tightened around his camera without realizing, veins popping underneath his tattooed skin.

“Beyond expectations,” He finally replies. His tone might’ve seemed too neutral, but he meant it. Slowly, he starts walking towards the door to leave the room, but before he does so, he glances over his shoulder at the elder.

“Short breather. I’m gonna grab what we need for the next part. ...Want something to drink?”

Now was his chance—“Banana milk,” he replies, breathlessly. He had never tried the stuff. Never had the desire. However, the way the younger sucked it down made him more than curious to try. “I’m parched.”

Jungkook nods, a little surprised that Jimin would want banana milk. It’s a very sweet drink, and every single one of his staff often questioned how he could drink such ‘pure artificial sugary crap’—of course, not to his face.

He left the room, leaving Jimin by himself for a few minutes as he approached the mini fridge placed in the middle of the mess of his things, filled with his favourite beverage. He grabs two, whistling casually while grabbing the prop he needed for the next step in his photoshoot...A sledgehammer.

This was going to be the best part of it all.

Jimin stands to his feet and walks over to one of the mirrored walls. He dabs at his glistening sweat, readying himself for the grand finale. He almost stepped away to ask for a touch up from the makeup artist but heard Jungkook approach the doorway. A chill of excitement cooled his burning blood at the sound of a metallic clang.

Jungkook waltzes in with a smile, the two beverages in his hand and a sledgehammer in the other. His muscles strain, veins popping on his lower arm as the muscles flex. He carefully places the tool on the floor, letting it lean against the wall before approaching Jimin, handing him the banana milk.

“I’m surprised you asked for this drink, anybody else would simply ask for an iced americano.” But he was pleasantly surprised, nonetheless, curious as to what the elder would think of his favourite thirst quencher. He didn’t pay attention to how it probably looked when he walked in with a...hammer, but he surely will be anticipating the response when he finally asks him what to do with it.

Jimin swallows his first sip and shivers when the artificial flavour hits his taste buds. 

“It’s great,” he lies, “love this stuff.” 

He took another sip and let the creamy liquid pool in his mouth, beginning to savour the sweetness. It would take some getting used to, but he was already beginning to feel the effects. Just like the photographer, it grew on him. 

He’d become so engrossed in the beverage that he didn’t even process the sledgehammer Jungkook heaved into the room. In fact, he was a little too distracted by the younger’s strength to notice what he was carrying. The way his muscles flexed did not go unnoticed by the model. Not at all. 

“Wha—,” He chokes, swallowing another mouthful. “What’s the hammer for?”

Jungkook was emptying his drink at an inhuman speed, the slurpy noise of him sucking the straw until every last drop is gone serving as a childish reply until he puts it to the side with a lopsided smile,

“That depends if you’re willing to do it,” He counters, keeping the mystery for a mere moment. He’s intrigued, excited to see what Jimin would do about it. He seems strong enough to handle it, but just in case he’d picked a slightly less heavy version of the tool. Kook approaches the hammer once more, picking it up with one hand before bringing it over to the elder,

“I want you to hold it up, like this,” He grabs the hammer with both hands, demonstrating the motions of swinging the tool, ‘‘And shatter the mirrors!’‘

He turns back to Jimin, offering the sledgehammer for him to take.

“It will be extraordinary. What do you say?’’

Jimin takes the tool into his hands, feels the weight of it, turns it over and inspects it closely. His upper body strength isn’t matched to Jungkook’s but the hammer is light enough to swing, even for him. It seems a little dangerous, but what kind of impact would this project have if it didn’t involve a bit of danger? Jimin took a couple practice swings to make sure he was capable. Once he’s comfortable with the motion, he smiles at the photographer for confirmation—“Get ready, Jeon.”

He’s almost vibrating with sugar-fueled energy, harnessing it to throw the first blow. He jumps back and watches the mirrored shards fly across the room. It’s…liberating. He starts to feel weightless, drunk on power as he swings the hammer, posing between blows. Down to the floor, against the wall and back down to the floor. He demolishes the room until he’s completely exhausted, on his knees, sweat gleaming off his angelic face.

Jungkook didn’t utter a single word throughout, merely fixated on the moment, snapping image after image of the scene unfolding in front of him. He was in complete awe, as if in a trance. Jimin was absolutely perfect for this, and it went beyond his expectations, above anything he could’ve ever imagined. The glass flying as it shattered, surrounding Jimin like glitter—sparkling due to the flash of Kook’s camera.

As Jimin sank down to the floor, this was the absolute perfect ending to the collection, the elder shining in sweat, cheeks glistening with his eyes closed, a complete divine angel captured on camera. Jungkook had to put his camera down when he was finished and adore the scenery with his bare eyes, roaming the room with his gaze until they fell back on Jimin with a lopsided smile.

“Felt good, didn’t it?”

It felt...he feels... Jimin can’t put it into words. His hands shake from the adrenaline coursing through his veins; heart beating in his ears. He wants to feel like this every day—high on endorphins, full of courage. He nods in agreement, eyes still closed. 

“You’re a fucking genius, Jeon Jungkook.” That’s how he felt. Every bit of effort the younger put into this project only made Jimin more drawn to him. 

When he pushed him out of his comfort zone, it only solidified an inseparable bond Jimin began to feel forming. He opens his eyes and looks up at the photographer, matching his smile with a dazzling one of his own. 

“May I see the photos?” If they turned out as well as he imagined they would, there’s no way he’s letting him go.

Jungkook smirks at the praise, approaching the elder as he towers above him, eyes still just as fixated on the blonde. From this angle…Jimin is almost delicious…no, he definitely is. Shrugging his thoughts away, he offers a hand to help the man below him to get back up on his feet.

“Follow me then, we can sit outside of this room, because—well, glass.” He smiles, guiding Jimin with him with one hand, camera in the other to guide them towards the couch that had served as a prop. He slouches down on the soft cushion without second thought and pulls the camera up, flipping all the way back to the very beginning where Jimin had just walked into the room—photos that weren’t part of the shoot. Just, the look of wonder and awe in the elders' eyes was too good not to capture. “Come sit.”

Stick tacky with sweat, Jimin pulls off his jacket and slings it over the couch arm. He takes a seat next to Jungkook and leans in close to see the screen. His heart rate maintains a strong pace as he’s a little distracted by their proximity. He focuses his attention as the younger begins flipping through the camera and gasps, gawking at the shots of him walking onto the set. 

“I didn’t even think of doing a behind-the-scenes!” Even off-set, the photo composition is pure art—light illuminating his face and clothing stunningly. He leans in closer to see the fine details, balancing his hand on the younger’s firm thigh. 

Jungkook presses his lips together tightly—Jimin wasn’t supposed to see those photos. Honestly, they were more for him than the actual shoot. He just really likes the way Jimin looks when he’s not aware of the camera...

“Yeah,” He breathes out, pretending that they were indeed for the shoot, relieved that the elder did see them as behind-the-scenes.

Once Jimin got closer, feeling his petite ring-clad hand on his muscular thigh, Jungkook’s breath stopped. He let Jimin look through the photos, mindlessly flipping through them for him. Kook’s focus was somewhere else entirely—fixated on how beautiful Jimin was this up close. 

Jungkook inhaled deeply through his nose, catching the scent of the elder; sweet, with a hint of the musk of a tiring session. It was stirring something inside of the younger that he knew was already there, an interest...A very intense interest.

“Jeon?” Jimin grips his thigh to get his attention, pressing his rings into the taut muscle. “Hey,” he laughs, eyes narrowing to focus on the screen, “Slow down, yeah?” 

Jungkook was cycling through the photos a little too quick for him to keep up. All Jimin could see was the first flash of his garment or a close-up of his face before they were onto the next set.

Jimin looks up at Jungkook and notices he’s barely even looking at the screen. His eyes keep wandering to Jimin, looking him up and down. Jimin’s eyes flick to his, then down to his lips which are bitten raw and parted. Jimin wets his lips at the sight, becoming all too aware of how close he is and how hot he feels under the photographer’s gaze. 

“Jungkook…what’s wrong?”

Jungkook’s dark eyes quiver as they meet Jimin’s, blinking hard once, then twice until he’s brought back down to reality. 

How is it that he is so enchanted by this man? It’s ridiculous. 

Kook bit the inside of his cheek, feeling the blonde’s rings digging into his thigh did nothing but feed into his growing infatuation with the man. Because that’s what this is, right? Infatuation? It must be.

“N-nothing, nothing’s wrong…” He stutters out his words, gripping onto his camera as he skips to the last scene, trying to avert the question any further. The images are of the mirrors surrounding the angelic model just moments before he shattered them. Kook leans in closer to Jimin to show him properly, his own smile growing at the perfect visuals. “What do you think of these?”

Even in their raw format, Jimin falls in love with the photos. The multi-dimensional element that the mirrors provided made it look as if he was appearing and disappearing at the same time. It wasn’t until he began smashing the mirrors that Jimin came into focus as one complete person, surrounded by fallen shards. 

“They’re absolutely perfect,” he breathes, catching a glimpse of Jungkook’s shimmering eyes. His lithe body presses against Jungkook as he studies the final shot. He feels him inhale sharply at the contact, tensing even more. 

Based on how intimately the photographer captured him in those last moments of their set and how he stuttered earlier, Jimin gets the sense he may be teasing the kid. It wasn’t his intention; he can’t help the way he looks. He also can’t help the way Jungkook looks—childlike innocence, masked by deep lust. 

“Do I make you nervous?” Jimin asks, plump lips curling to a timid smile.

The grasp around his camera tightens, and he’s sure that if the material wasn’t of such quality, it would burst like an apple in his hands. A short breath pushes through his lips; a breath he wasn’t even aware of holding until Jimin’s smile forced it out of him,

“No…” Jungkook isn’t nervous, but he won’t easily admit his growing attraction to the elder. Flustered, perhaps? Or, something like it...

To continue to avoid the question, he turns off the camera and shuffles away a bit, giving himself the much needed space between their bodies. It’s too much, he isn’t used to feeling this gravitation towards somebody else.

“Good,” Jimin replies, smiling wider and straightening his damp white shirt. “You’ll need to have nerves of steel if you’re going to accompany me to my mini fashion show tomorrow.” He nips his bottom lip at how cute the photographer is being, shying away so quickly after his question. “I do hope you’ll come, it wouldn’t be the same without the infamous Jeon Jungkook.”

Jungkook straightens his posture, head turning to look at Jimin with raised eyebrows. Oh, right—he was informed about this, but he had almost forgotten. But only because he was informed about this before even meeting the angelic man next to him. Now, he definitely wouldn’t miss the chance of seeing this show,

“I’ll be there,” He simply confirms with a small smile. Before he’s able to say anything else, his PA approaches, telling the two of them that it’s time to wrap up. 

It was done, their partnership was done. Now, it was fine for the real work, Jungkook had to perfect the photos before sending them in. Even if, in his own opinion, they could be used in their raw state, he knows there are pieces that need to be polished into his perfection. 

He turns to Jimin once more as he stands. “You did great...It was a pleasure working with you.” 

And he hopes—no, he knows he has to do it again.

~~~

Later that evening, Jimin fusses over prep for the following day, moisturizing his flawless skin and pressing his suit for perfectly clean lines. It was going to be a short show, but the turnout was predicted to be A-class. The industry’s most trusted brand ambassadors secured seats to the event, not to mention a handful of fellow celebrities. He had to be fully prepared to present his line with passion and charisma—practicing in front of the mirror until he couldn’t keep his eyes open.

When his body couldn’t keep up with his mind, he flopped onto his bed half-clothed, drifting to sleep. Running the promo shoot and fashion show back-to-back was a tiring and somewhat unrealistic undertaking, but so was the rest of it. 

He wonders as he drifts to sleep, if perhaps the photographer would like to finish what they started. Maybe then he’d get to know the man behind the lens. 

Meanwhile, Jungkook was finally able to go home for the first time in days. It’s just the way he is, completely indulged and tunnel-visioned on work until it was finished. There’s nothing else that can possibly exist in his world until he feels satisfied. Now that this part of the job is over, he feels...empty, in a way. 

He wants to work with Park Jimin again. Just the thought of any other client seemed dull in comparison. 

After a long, well needed shower, he lays down in his grand bed and stretches his body out like a starfish with a content groan. 

The next morning he stood by his closet, humming in thought. He was definitely not going to miss out on Jimin’s fashion show, especially not when he was a big part of the upcoming collection. Not to mention, Jungkook knew that his presence would draw attention, and he wanted that. He wanted Jimin to get more recognition, and what better way to support this by simply showing up?

Jungkook figured he wanted to bring his camera. He surely could get some fantastic shots of Jimin—and the show! He took a long time of considering what to wear, almost texting his PA for help, but opting to simply do it himself. He ended up with...well, the obvious if Jungkook were the one picking his own outfit: Black dress shirt, black dress pants, black shoes—topped with a black suit jacket, embroidered with patterns of sparkling threads to give it a little dazzle.

He nodded, satisfied with what he saw, ruffling his mess of a hairstyle—dark curls flowing freely as he received the call that his car had arrived.

He couldn’t wait to see Jimin...

...and Jimin couldn’t wait to see him either. 

© sombreboy 2020. Do not repost, edit or translate.

[sinceileftyoublog]

Philippe Cohen Solal & Mike Lindsay: A Pop Tribute to Outsider Art

From Left: Mike Linsday, Hannah Peel, Philippe Cohen Solal, Adam Glover; Artwork by Gabriel Jacquel

BY JORDAN MAINZER

Outsider visual artist and writer Henry Darger’s fame was essentially happenstance, so it’s fitting that Philippe Cohen Solal’s decades-long obsession with Darger is chock full of coincidence. In 2003, the member of longtime neotango group Gotan Project found himself with a day off on tour in New York City and decided to venture over to the American Folk Art Museum, a choice that would change his life and culminate in Outsider (¡Ya Basta!), April’s collaborative album with Tunng’s Mike Linsday, the first adaptation of Darger’s words in music. 

At the museum, Solal, unaware not only of Darger but of outsider art in general, saw a Darger work, and, as he told me over the phone earlier this year, “fell in love.” Looking closer at the details of the work, he saw something he recognized: the name Kiyoko Lerner, who had lent the work to the museum. The very same name of a woman he was set to meet the next day in Chicago as recommended by a mutual friend back in Paris. The friend suggested they meet due to their love of tango. “We met and talked a bit about tango,” he said, “but quickly, I asked her about Henry Darger.” She began to tell him exactly who she was, the story that’s become increasingly well-known in the annals of Chicago cultural history.

Lerner and her late husband Nathan (himself a prominent Chicago photographer) were Darger’s landlords; Nathan discovered Darger’s work in his “very messy room” shortly before Darger’s death in 1973, most notably his 15,000+ page novel In The Realms of the Unreal as well as his magazine-traced illustrations and watercolors accompanying the book. (The book, a fantastical epic about child slave rebellions, would go on to inspire visual artists and musicians for decades; indie rock band Vivian Girls took their name from characters in the book, and Darger would even be referenced in The Venture Bros.) Nathan immediately knew he had something special, and he and his wife took control of Darger’s estate. Darger would start to become formally recognized by the art world, his work prominently featured in museums and documentaries. Nathan died in 1997, and Kiyoko would continue to operate as head of the estate and donate her collection to various museums across the world.

In 2006, Kiyoko flew to Paris and met up with Solal at the first Darger exhibition in the city, at La Maison Rouge. It was immediately when he left the show that Solal had the idea to make music inspired by Darger’s art. “At the time, I didn’t [even] know that [Darger] wrote lyrics,” Solal said. “I had no clue.” In reference to Darger’s war between children and adults, Solal had the idea to write “adult music for children,” or vice versa, and wrote a track that wouldn’t even end up 15 years later on Outsider. He visited Kiyoko at her Chicago apartment. “I spent a few days immersed in his art. I didn’t know precisely what I wanted to do, and then I discovered he wrote lyrics. It very much changed the project.” Nobody had thought to put Darger’s lyrics to music, and Solal wanted to put his stamp on the increasingly large pool of reinterpretations of or references to Darger in the arts and culture world at large. Kiyoko put him in touch with art historian Michael Bonesteel, who led Solal to more lyrics.

Not wanting to go at it alone, Solal got the idea to do a collective project adapting Darger’s lyrics to music with various friends. He reached out to the likes of Calexico’s Joey Burns and Lambchop’s Kurt Wagner, but Lindsay was the one who really stuck. Solal and Lindsay were fans of each other’s bands, and the latter visited the American Folk Art Museum while on tour at Solal’s recommendation, he himself rediscovering Darger’s work. In 2015, there was another Darger retrospective at the Paris Museum of Modern Art, and Kiyoko, who attended, suggested to Solal that he reveal his song adaptations of Darger. “I didn’t tell her I only had one song at the time,” he laughed. That was his inspiration to reach out to Lindsay. “I thought maybe I’d do a 5-track EP. I called Mike and reminded him of my project and asked him, ‘Are you ready to work on that with me?’”

Solal and Lindsay separately wrote the melodies and basic arrangements of the songs that would end up on Outsider, and they recorded and produced the record together. Lindsay introduced Solal to Northern Irish musician/singer/multi-instrumentalist Hannah Peel, who would voice the Vivian Girls. Solal asked Adam Glover, a singer he knew through his manager, to be the voice of Darger himself. (“He was very young...but he can sing like Sinatra or Dean Martin,” Solal said.) The four created an album with Darger’s words using traditional pop instrumentation and song structures but also children’s instruments; Peel even created her own music box to play some of the melodies. Sometimes, the words were spoken, as on “Hark Hark, My Friend, Cannon Thunders Are Swelling”, while other times the vocals are isolated in harmony, as on “We Sigh For The Child Slaves”. “We know more about Darger as a painter and visual artist, so it was important to have Darger as a storyteller,” Solal said. Furthermore, the group wanted to capture the raw spirit of Darger’s art by rendering the voices distorted, shifting their pitch to make them sound almost out of tune. The instrumentation, meanwhile, ranges from slinky electric guitars to strings, and even barroom-style piano on the penultimate “We’ll Never Say Goodby” [sic]. “With our small team, it was lean and simple to do this music,” said Solal. While most of the titles and words were taken directly from Darger, down to the spelling of “Goodby”, the album touches on Solal’s story, too. Instrumental interlude “851 Webster Avenue” is named after the address of Lerner’s apartment Solal visited for the first time, when his fascination with Darger really took off.

Solal can’t exactly pinpoint what ever fascinated him about Darger, both in general and as the world changes, but he has some clues. “At the time, what was interesting to me was it was clear [Darger] was a self-taught artist, and maybe I felt a bit moved by that because I’m a self-taught musician,” Solal said. “I never went to music school, but I understood that without any specific art education or practice at an art school, you can create something...Henry Darger is an amazing example of someone who created his own world.” Darger’s style of illustration, his drawings traced from magazines, made up for the fact that he wasn’t a technically great drawer, and it complemented his heightened sense of color. Moreover, Solal feels kinship with some aspects of Darger’s childhood. Part of the inspiration for In The Realms of the Unreal was that Darger himself was sent to an asylum that put children to work. “When he was a kid, everybody called him crazy,” said Solal, “But I’m sure he didn’t think he was crazy. I remember when I was 9 or 10, I thought I was crazy. Nobody called me crazy, but I thought I was.” He found commonalities in, simply, being misunderstood.

Solal also questions what it means to be an “outsider” artist; in reality, Darger spent most of his time inside, confined in a room creating fictional worlds. Funny enough, according to his diaries, he was fascinated with the weather, tracking the accuracy of the predicted versus actual weather, but that’s about all for the outside world. On the day JFK was killed, for instance, Darger had nothing about it in his diary entry. He chose to interact with the world through the magazines he would trace, and through collections of items like Pepto Bismol bottles, National Geographic issues, and broken glasses. He wasn’t much for interpersonal relationships. Not only was Nathan Lerner unaware of Darger’s artistic enterprises, but neither were the young artist couple with whom Darger actually shared his apartment. Solal thinks that Darger’s resistance to presenting himself as an artist was as a result of his childhood experiences. “If the outside world was not so mean to him, maybe he’d be less scared to show who he was to the rest of the world, even just to his neighbors,” he said. “It’s funny that we call him an outsider. He was more an insider but was protecting himself from the outside world.”

Perhaps, subconsciously, the more that creative folks learn to look through Darger’s eyes, the less likely his, or any genius goes unnoticed. Solal remarked that many of the folks involved in Outsider almost had to “unlearn” their craft. Andrew Scheps, who mixed the album, at first didn’t know the context and gave Solal and Lindsay a product that was “too clean;” Lindsay explained Darger’s story and the importance of having strange-sounding narrative effects in the records. “When he worked [after that] on the mix, we found Henry was back in our songs,” said Solal. The individuals involved in coming up with animated videos for each of these songs, French animator Gabriel Jacquel with art direction by Pascal Gary (aka Phormazero), also had to abandon their fundamentals and learn to draw like Darger. Overall, exploring his work provides admirers like Solal the opportunity to dig deeper, from figuring out how to bring Outsider on stage to “finding new ways to tell the story,” like podcasts, interactive maps, short films, and Spotify playlists of Darger’s favorite music. “This man is full of mysteries,” he said. “I hope my future is Outsider for a while.”

[oasisspringstownie]

FAME: A Legacy Challenge

Sul sul simmers!

Like many of you, one of my favorite things to do in The Sims is play Legacy Challenges. They lead you to explore new aspects of gameplay, give you new imaginative ideas, and facilitate storytelling. So, a couple of nights ago I got the idea to create a new kind of legacy challenge revolving around different aspects of fame.

The goal isn’t exactly to become the most famous using said career/ skill, but to play around with different elements of the fame system in the game. You by no means need all the packs to play through this legacy. While the experience would be more complete and you will be missing careers and skills and stuff you can obviously adapt it to your need. Also, you are more than welcomed to use mods to enrich your gameplay. I myself can’t play without mods and look forward to see what kind of chaos mods can add to this challenge.

So without further a do below are the 10 generations I concocted like a fever dream at 2 am on a Saturday evening:

Gen 1: A Shaky Foundation

Traits: Cheerful, Ambitious, Self-Absorbed

Career: Acting, Style Influencer (Trendsetter Branch)

You move to a new city full of hopes and dreams. You initially pursue your dream of becoming an actor. However, your career is cut short by the unexpected arrival of your first child. You retreat from the spotlight in order to raise your baby and put all of your energy into making sure they have the best future possible. The rest of the time you spend either working or trying to unwind from your demanding life. What will fate bring you and your descendants?

Goals:

Move into an empty lot with 1600 simoleons for the bare minimum.

Start in the Acting Career, but abandon it for the Style Influencer career once your first child is born. Remain in the Style Influencer Career and eventually choose the Trendsetter Branch.

Max out the Style Influencer Career.

Reach level 10 of the Parenting and Wellness Skills.

Be close friends with all of your children and make sure they each age up with at least 2 positive character attributes.

Gen 2: Get Your Head in the Game

Traits: Active, Music Lover, Outgoing

Career: Athlete, Entertainment (Musician Branch)

Your parent might have seemed very overbearing at the time, but they instilled a work ethic in you like no other. Your entire life you were split between your two passions: basketball and singing. Okay, fine, you're Troy Bolton. After succeeding in the sports world you still find yourself feeling somewhat unfulfilled. You enter the entertainment career later on in life to live out your dreams. Will this be the start of something new?

Goals:

Max out the Athlete Career and then switch to the Entertainment Career (Musician Branch).

Max out the Fitness and Singing Skills.

Be in the drama club in high school.

Gen 3: Going for the Stars

Traits: Clumsy, Loner, Genius

Career: Astronaut

Your parent always told you to shoot for the stars, you just took it a bit too seriously. This world was always a bit too pedestrian for you and you yearn to finally lay your eyes on the astronomical craters of Sixam. There's just one problem: you're terrible at it. It's not your fault, you're just a bit clumsy; but will your two left feet keep you from reaching your dreams?

Goals:

Work in the Astronaut Career your entire life. Get demoted and fired at least once in your lifetime.

Destroy and repair a rocket 3 times.

Live in a tiny home for your young adulthood and adulthood.

Have at least one set of twins. *You can cheat for this!*

Gen 4: The Finer Things in Life

Traits: Materialistic, Hates Children, Lazy

Career: None

You've seen all the generations before you work their little pixelated butts off for every simoleon, but you're not about that life. You were destined for the finer things in life.

Goals

Reach level 10 of the Charisma and Mixology Skills.

Marry and survive 5 spouses. Take that wording however you want. Divorce is not allowed. You must be the last once standing. After all, spouses are like infinity stones. Meaningless.

Never have a job. Only make money from spouses, family, or children. If you get desperate enough you can ask a friend for a loan or steal, but no working of any kind.

Each child you decide to have with one of your rich spouses comes with a 20k trust fund. If they get taken away or die before coming of age, all the money has to be returned to the evil capitalist overlords. You can't get rid of them that easily.

Own at least 1 restaurant/ retail/ business with one of your spouses. Decorate it, assign the uniform, and hire everyone, but you never run it. Why would you go through the trouble?

Gen 5: My Precious

Traits: Art Lover, Kleptomaniac, Self-Assured

Career: Criminal

Your childhood was pretty hectic and you felt like you barely knew your parents. Who needs them? You've never needed anyone else anyway. On your 18th birthday, you receive your inheritance and use it to buy yourself an unfurnished apartment in the nicest building you can find and that's when your money runs out... literally. However, will a new job as a tough guy be the first of many great ideas or will it only be the beginning of the end for this famed family?

Goals

Once you become a young adult give yourself enough money to buy one of the apartments in the Uptown Neighborhood in San Myshuno. It must be unfurnished. After moving in set your money to 0 simoleons.

Complete the Criminal Career.

Reach level 10 of the Mischief and Dancing Skills.

Gain an atrocious reputation and spend the rest of your life trying to cover it up.

Steal 10 paintings from a museum and exhibit them proudly in your home. You are never allowed to sell them. As an adult, hide them in a secret attic nobody else has access to or knows about. They are your precious.

Gen 6: The Muses

Traits: Creative, Family Oriented, Insider

Career: Painter

You could have anything you wanted in the world thanks to your family's empire so you pursued your passion: painting. While you were never close to your other family members you were always very close to your art teacher. This led you to have very close ties to your friends, co-workers, and eventual children. Will your legacy remain for longer in the memory of strangers or your loved ones?

Goals

Complete the Painter Career

Reach level 10 of the Painting, Cooking and Baking Skills

Have a better relationship with your art teacher than anyone else in your family until you're a teen.

Move to a new world once you become a young adult and cut ties with your family.

Be the leader of one club for all your young adulthood and adulthood.

Be close friends with 3 co-workers and all of your children.

Prepare a meal at least once a week with the help of your children. *I know we don't have this in the game yet technically, but I'm hoping to have Cottage Living by the time I play with this generation*

Hang 5 paintings in a museum.

Retire from Painting Career to help care for your grandchildren.

Gen 7: Mole

Traits: Good, Perfectionist, Paranoid

Career: None

You always had a good relationship with your parents. You told each other everything... well, almost everything. You never understood why but one of your parents never talked about the rest of your family members. They explained that they simply never had a good relationship and would rather not talk about it. You respect this until their death when you return to their seemingly abandoned childhood home. While exploring the house you find a not-so-subtle bookcase door and a long forgotten attic filled with paintings. You take them in hopes of returning them but unbeknownst to you, you are being watched.

After an unfortunately unavailable nail-biting car chase, you shake off your attackers. You can't just lead them home to the rest of your family and what would the police do? They don't even arrest Vlad when he's trying to bite all of your sims!

Sorry, different rant.

So you do the only logical thing: you sell the paintings you just stole for some cash to buy an empty lot and skip town. A new life awaits you... just a bit underground.

Goals

Reach level 10 of the Writing, Logic, and Handiness Skills.

Complete the Best Selling Author Aspiration.

After your parent dies, you visit Gen 5's main home and retrieve the paintings hidden in the attic generations ago. Sell them and use the money to buy an empty lot in a completely different world.

Use your remaining money to build a small underground bunker. You can now never leave your bunker or risk immediate death.

You make your income by writing books under your new name. Oh, didn't I mention that? You changed your name to avoid detection. Your children may carry this new fake last name or your partner's.

Gen 8: Part of Your World

Traits: Loves Outdoors, Outgoing, Geek

Career: Social Media

All you knew was the bunker and it's not that you hated it, you just wanted a bit more. You're basically the little mermaid, except you don't get to be a mermaid. You just get a bunker you can never leave and a desperate yearning to explore the outside world.

Your outlet is the internet. From a young age you loved using it to play video games and make friends. As a teen you began to make videos and fostered a community online. Will you finally take your place in the world or remain hidden underground?

Goals

Reach level 10 of the Media Production and Video Gaming Skills

Complete the Social Media Career.

You're never allowed to leave the underground bunker until you're a teen.

You aren't allowed to go to school. Instead you play video games and use your computer for outside interaction.

As a teen you start developing your online presence by posting on social media and making videos on the video station.

You are only allowed to move out of the household once your parent dies and you have enough money in reserves to buy a furnished home.

Gen 9: Natural Born Performer

Traits: Gloomy, Unflirty, Adventurous

Career: Entertainment (Comedy Branch)

Due to your parent's fame, it was always expected you would follow in their footsteps. While a bit more gloomy than most, you are happiest when you make others laugh. So you join the Entertainer Career where you flourish as a comedian. You're also a bit unlucky in love. Will the family name's fame and your own notoriety keep you from finding true love or are you destined to a lifetime of gold diggers and one night stands?

Goals

Complete the Entertainer Career (Comedy Branch).

Reach level 10 of the Comedy and Rock Climbing skills.

Complete Serial Romantic Aspiration

Have four children.

Die suddenly and *mysteriously* in your adulthood.

Gen 10: A Grand Finale

Traits: Kleptomaniac, Ambitious, Perfectionist

Career: Actor

After losing your parents at a very young age, you and your siblings were sent to live with some distant relatives you didn't even know about. While you and your siblings are all very different and you bicker plenty, you always stick together.

After learning you are a descendant of some of the most famous and infamous sims in history, you are determined to meet and surpass their achievements. Will you come out on top or have you flown too close to the sun?

Goals

Complete the Actor Career

Achieve level 10 of 10 skills of your choosing.

Become a Global Superstar.

Get a star on Starlight Boulevard.

Throughout your lifetime you must go on vacation to every house you lived in throughout all previous 9 generations. Oh, and your three other siblings need to come along too. Think of it as Narnia meets It. Also make sure to steal something from each of the houses as a souvenir and display it proudly in your own home.

After you've completed all the things above, get turned into a vampire and choose to end your mortal legacy here... or start a whole new type all together.

Thank you so much for indulging me in this insanity. While I haven't played through any of these generations myself as of yet, I look forward to see the chaos and cuteness possible in The Sims.

Happy simming!

V

[thecottageinthedark]

Sorting Glass-Maker’s Dragon

I’ve been working on this for a looooong time, and finally it’s complete enough to post. I’m using the Sorting Hat Chats system, basics of which are explained here by its inventors and here by @wisteria-lodge.

A lot of GMD is flexpoints and inferred stuff, but this is, at least, the way I read the main eight.

Chuubo: Snake Primary, Badger Secondary. His Snake ambition isn't immediately obvious because it's backwards to us; he's an Imperator and a god of dream and probably the Spirit of the Age, but those were just things that happened upon him. He doesn't want fame or fortune; he wants a peaceful human life, or at least a human-style one, and his drive to achieve this has literally reshaped the world itself while still being, at its core, all about him.

His Badger Secondary is hard to see because of the one big gimmick in the way; the Wish-Granting Engine, that supposedly allows instant results with no work, and the way he uses it whenever possible. But the thing is, the WGE is both dependent on his Secondary and in some senses what he uses when he can't draw on that Secondary itself.

Badger Secondaries have to mean what they do; they put in hard work when and where they are motivated to do so. For Chuubo, that's not schoolwork, which is where he as a high schooler is socially expected to, and so he gets a rep for being lazy. Where he does put the effort in, is with his friendships, and in 'learning the ways of Fortitude'. With those, he doesn't cut corners. He doesn't pull out schemes. He patiently and consistently puts in the work. His Secondary is on full display in the way he persists in trying to be friends with Leo, even in the face of Leo's hostility. Chuubo doesn't try to win Leo over with subtlety or with grand gestures; he just doggedly carries on offering support, company, and good-natured teasing.

So where does the Engine come in? Think of the Wishing Map. It's the friendships and connections he's worked at creating and maintaining that help Chuubo's wishes to succeed. Wishes based on whim are almost certain to go wrong.

The wish for a best friend is maybe the most telling part of all. Or rather, what happened after it. Because despite having acquired Seizhi through unnatural means, it never once occurs to Chuubo to continue their association by those-to lean on miraculous or mundane coercion and create a relationship that all goes one way. Having acquired someone to love him, he just proceeds to love them back, with a generosity of spirit that is entirely genuine.

Like a lot of Snake Primaries, Chuubo has a Primary model that he uses to fill in the gaps where his ambitions and his loyalties aren't relevant. His is a kindly and expansive Badger Primary. He lives in this model most of the time-until there's a threat to his inner circle or to his hard-won quiet life. Then he'll set the model aside and act from his real Primary to keep hold of what's his. (Being a snake sometimes helps.)

Seizhi Schwan: Snake Primary, Burnt Snake Secondary. Like Chuubo, their huge ambition is for something that most people just get handed on a platter; to be real, to matter, and to be loved. Their Primary and his instinctively understand each other about this-and also understand each other perfectly about the importance of treasuring and being treasured. (They're all but making big eyes at each other and swooning, in fact.)

Seizhi's Primary is somewhat wobbly in one regard; they're the sort of Snake who has kicked themself out of their own inner circle. After all, they reason, they're not real-not yet, at least-so why should they value themself? There's nothing there to value. This is linked to the burning of their Secondary; their supreme and miraculously-enhanced ability to fit into any social context is something that gives them pain, because it's just more unreality. Over and over they reach out, hoping that this time they've found a destiny; over and over, they stop sustaining an Intention, and the whole thing fades away. Even mundane uses of the Snake Secondary toolkit feel tainted-deceit and lies-and that's a problem, because this is the best and most practiced skillset they've got. They're trying to cover up this lack with a Badger Secondary model, because that's what they feel like they should have, what a Real Person would have-the slow grinding authenticity of method. (Possibly this decision is linked to Chuubo being a Badger Secondary.) But they don't like it. It feels like crap. It doesn't even work that well. And when they're in trouble, they drop the attempt to  Do Things The Real Way and start shifting and adapting and reacting like the Snake they are.

As of the start of GMD they're still hoping for the magic to happen, to wake up transformed into a Real Person who bears little to no resemblance to the 'fake self' they despise-for the Badger model to smother the Snake to death. The situation's in flux. Under pressure, they might begin to find ways to accept themself for what they are, and realise they are loved already; but it's just as likely that they will crack and fall into despair. If that happens, they'll probably Burn their Primary too, cutting themself off from Chuubo and from anyone else in their inner circle. This they'll frame not as a way to protect themself, but to protect the inner circle. A fake person has nothing real to give. How can they inflict such a horrible creature on the people they love? Might as well feed them fairy food and watch them starve, as do something like that.

That unpleasant possibility aside...unlike Chuubo they haven't yet created a Primary Model when the game starts. They might do so during the course of it, though-they will, after all, need to make a lot of decisions, and they won't always be able to relate those back to 'will it help me become real' or 'will it help Chuubo'. I don't think they're likely to copy Chuubo's Badger for this; it fits him fine, as an inherently peaceful Serpent, but Seizhi is an Actual who has had to fight just to exist, and isn't prepared to lay down arms just because things are now somewhat better. What'd work better for them would be a valorous and fierce Lion Model based on that of their brother Laodemus, or a wider Snake Model with an inner circle encompassing 'everyone I know' or 'the whole of Town'.

Leonardo de Montreal: Lion Primary, Lion Secondary. This poor man.

Oh, he'd love you to believe he's a Double Bird, or a Snake/Bird mix of some kind. He'd probably pick one of those Houses out if he had the choice! But that's...actually for pretty superficial reasons. He likes science so he figures he's a shoo-in for the 'smart person house', he's snappy and standoffish so equally he thinks he's in the 'mean asshole house'. But in the SHC system neither of those really fit.

Let's look at his Primary first. He's not a Snake, right away-because he doesn't have an inner circle and he's okay with that. There's no 'my people, who are most important' and 'everyone else'-even when he's not leaning on his Friendless wound, when he's prepared to concede that he cares about Chuubo or Jasper. If he were a Snake, those two would be the most likely inner circle candidates-but they're not in there. Not because he doesn't care, but because he doesn't do the Snake style caring where his people are the centre of his world and the place he gets his morality.

Where his morality does come from is the Song of Hell, his 'love for the wicked'. It's intuitive, not constructed, and centred in himself, not reliant on others. (When he loses his heart, he doesn't draw up a systematic list of ethical principles to live by instead; he creates the Mechanism of Original Sin, which emulates the feeling of having an internal conscience as well as the function.) And the fact that he's a fallen angel means that at some point in his past he gave up Heaven on ideological grounds. The Song of Hell is just right, and therefore he follows it. Any justifications he makes for that decision come after the fact. And so he follows his Song, and becomes heroic-it's not just Jasper he saves, he's got a whole Thing about helping people. That's Lion Primary.

And though he's smart, he doesn't act Bird under pressure; he charges. He responded to Jade's death by first ripping out his own heart to save her daughter, then marching down to the BA to throw down with its Headmaster. He probably has a Bird Secondary model to help with Science, though-and he uses this model to back up his real secondary. Charge in throwing nightmare devices at the problem.

Natalia Koutolika: Bird primary, burnt secondary that's probably Bird or Lion.

Natalia's frozen heart sounds like a Petrified Snake thing, but it's not any specific person that makes her realise thawing is a possibility-it's Fortitude. And that's not because Fortitude is nice, the way a Badger might un-Burn on being accepted into a welcoming community, but because it's magical. The rules of the universe work differently here...so maybe that means things can be possible for her now that weren't possible back on Earth.

I thought at first her primary was burnt, but...freezing her heart made her lose faith in human goodness, and in her capacity for being happy, not in her ability to discern truth. She trusts her cynical System; actually, I think her looking like a Petrified Snake is down to that thing Birds do where their systems often come out looking like the other Primaries. Natalia has decided that the Petrified Snake morality is the true one...but when she arrives in Town, she reconsiders, and begins to edit.

Her Secondary is where she's burnt. Because part of the cynicism of her Primary System is the idea that there's no point trying. Use whatever methods are available, who cares? They won't work, because you can't do anything that matters-the world doesn't work like that. Most of the time she'll use Bird or Lion methods because those come easily to her, given she's a genius and a martial artist, so it's probably one of those. But then again...she doesn't seem to get any joy from them. I think her Arcs will (hopefully) involve healing the burning-and that could look like learning to trust in her charging or her knowledge base, or like finding that what she really feels Right about is putting in the work like a Badger or thinking on her feet like a Snake. (Burnt Badger secondary would be especially poignant, as it'd be her learning to rely on community as a source of strength.)

Jasper Irinka: Bird primary, Bird secondary.

She starts out with her system based on her mom's Heaven-style Lion primary; it doesn't work, and leaves 'a hole in the world' for her. So she starts looking for ways to make it work by picking up ideas from all sorts of people-her dad, her friends, the Moon Prince and assorted other NPCs-and either adjusting it by adding these in or making a new system entirely. And her matching secondary helps her to do this very effectively. Her Primordial ability to shape herself as she likes by growing limbs that she can then use and discard as she pleases is really Bird Secondary-and the fact that those limbs manifest from other people's Hopes? 'I know a guy' Bird.

Sure, she inspires people. But it’s not a Lion inspiration-being so completely and ferociously her own glorious self that others are attracted to her radiance. Jade probably worked like that, from what we know of her, but Jasper inspires because she deliberately does things to inspire Hope in people, using a toolkit of stuff she’s picked up.

(And of course Leo is fascinated with her-not just because she's 'Jade Irinka's daughter', the shine on that would wear off fast-it's that she's a Double Bird like what he wants to be! And she in turn is loving Leo's double Lion because that's what she thinks she's supposed to be like!)

Rinley Yatskaya: Badger Primary, Lion Secondary. Of course the Storyteller Arc kid gets the 'protagonist sorting'.

Rinley's stated purpose in their playbook is to be the social glue of the party, and their powerset makes them really good at it. They first save then make friends with Prince Eduard despite their family's feud with the Rats, and when they see Iolithae in the Titov shrine, they go to rescue her, because Eduard and Iolithae are people and that matters more than Eduard being a Rat or Iolithae being a dangerous sacred horror. In other words, they're a beautiful Universal Badger. As far as Rinley's concerned, you don't just see someone who's injured or imprisoned and then not help them, even if they're meant to be an enemy on ideological grounds or even grounds of prudence. And to help people, they jump right in and Do Something. That's textbook Badger/Lion.

Principal Entropy II: Exploded Badger primary, Badger secondary.

This guy is just community-building and caretaking all over the place. He shows up, he does the work-as the Angel of Fortitude he's literally fixing potholes and curing peoples' ailments! And he's doing that by going to the people and creatures of his Gardens, calling in favours.

And he's doing it because people are important. The denizens of the Evil Island, the people of Fortitude. 'All things can earn their recompense through love'.

The problem is, though-he's doing the dehumanisation thing that Badgers are so infamous for. He's not going 'some people are Enemies Who Must Die, and therefore are not really People', though, which is the usual form of the trope in fiction. That's the mode of a Badger at war, and E2 isn't fighting a war. He's going 'some people need to be Sacrificed for the Greater Good of the Community'. And that's not an easy thing for a Badger to believe. If he was an Idealist, or Snake who is comfy prioritising an inner circle, he could just hold that belief without problems. But being a Badger, he can't. If he sacrifices people, he has to either feel horribly guilty about it...or stop thinking of them as people.

One big group he tends to dehumanise are School students. School exists to create tools to fix the world. It's okay if he makes students into cursed Hall Monitors, it's okay if he turns SEED students into prototype world-trees and weirding walls. That's what they're for.

He also dehumanises himself. He's Other Than Human, Set Apart. He refuses to acknowledge his needs, and overworks himself-he's even, at game start, nullified two Divine Health Levels to make his Code Novae binding on the Evil Island, meaning that if you can get past his Immortality power he's actually the squishiest PC of the lot. So he's an Exploded Badger, sacrificing both himself and others to his community.

Miramie Mesmer: Bird Primary, Badger Secondary. She shares this sorting with her former self, Melanie Malakh.

Melanie's Bird Primary used the Bleak Methodology as her truth system. Coupled with her persistent, hard-working Secondary, this combination made her a star student at the Bleak Academy-a 'prodigy of hatred and despair'. However, when she left the Academy, things fell apart for her.

At the Bleak Academy she'd been sheltered from experiences or ideas that could provide any real challenge to the Bleak worldview. Because of that, her system wasn't as robust as she thought-and she didn't know how to shore it up or how to cope if it shattered. Which-along with the glass dragon-it did; her time in Town, the things she had seen and done, had led her to doubt the truth of ultimate futility. The last straw was the dragon itself. Melanie, through the work of her hands and mind, had created something that was not futile; a master-weapon that could destroy Town, just as she had intended. The very fact that she was able to do that gave the lie to the Bleak Methodology. Unable to deny this truth but just as unable to live with it, Melanie Fell so hard that-as Strategists sometimes do-she lost her identity and became a new person.

Unable and unwilling to use Melanie's system, Miramie has begun to construct her own, drawing on various sources-the communal and peaceful mores of Fortitude, Hideo Hayashi's belief that even unlikeable misfits do not deserve to be left alone without support systems, the other Archive kids' idea that outcasts should stick together, and Chuubo's Snake prioritising of personal ambitions and loves. Since she's not had much time to do this, it's nowhere near finished-but it looks likely to be robust. It also seems to me that she's likely to be able to edit it as she needs rather than Falling-or, if worst comes to worst, to Fall but get back up as herself, rather than shattering again or reverting into Melanie Malakh.

Her Badger Secondary is a contrast to Chuubo's, as where his is socially based and linked to personal relationships (Courtier Badger), hers is more focused on the more usual definition of 'work', and on community in the sense of history and tradition (Bookkeeper Badger). It's her Secondary she brings to bear on the tasks of setting up a cafe from scratch and helping maintain the Archives. It's also what she uses to keep herself going under the weight of the world's wrongness, to keep making art even though it's doing so that activates her Curse. She just keeps slogging away.

I can also see the Badger Secondary in Melanie's construction of the glass dragon. She sat herself down with Hideo Hayashi and learnt glasswork from scratch, putting in the time and effort to both master this new skill and to bring Hideo himself fully under her control. Simple, honest work, even though used for deeply destructive ends.

IN CONCLUSION:

Chuubo: Snake primary, Badger secondary, Badger primary model Seizhi: Snake primary, Burnt Snake secondary, unhealthy Badger Secondary model Leonardo: Lion primary, Lion secondary. Bird secondary model Natalia: Bird primary (with a system that starts out looking a lot like Petrified Snake), very burnt Secondary that is likely Bird or Lion Jasper: Bird primary, Bird secondary Rinley: Badger primary, Lion secondary Entropy II: Exploded Badger primary, Badger secondary Miramie: Bird primary, Badger secondary