#it doesn't matter to be impressive in theory and to fit in

[waluijoe]

all my life ive been inspired by the punk scene and its values or what it represents for me at least,,, and like, gaying up i went full circle around many other styles i found inspiring, in art, in cinema, in clothing, etc but i always come back to punk in my own way

lately i keep coming back to 90s movies and series and it’s so inspiring to me, i feel like there was so much personnality in a lot of things and choices back then, especially in cinema, in series, in music, so much creativity but without the need to make it all look “plastic” and perfect and polished. it’s smthg thats bothering me these days,,, all this “clean” things we wanna buy and represent. the designs ? minimaListic ! our skin ? perfectly blemish free ! actors ? perfectly muscled skinny models without pores ! singers ? must all look like the genre of music they wanna blend in, edit out the eye circle and make the skin glowy and don’t forget the perfect lewks or die in a ditch. so much plastic surgery, so many perfect bodies and noses, and most movies are just blockbusters were literally every main actor has looked the same since 20years and shit. there’s sm promotion for blandness and normativity. wednesday addams was supposed to be punk goth and like,, her aesthetic was so simple that it spread around like wildfire in tiktoks and shit and it’s been copied ever since cause it was just some black prints and a sheer black dress and like. im not saying everything’s bad, there’s sm creativity now too thanks to technology and access to MORE all the time but - i miss personnality. i miss it sm. i miss the Soul Eater type of weirdo shit and styles. industries and corporations and selling and brands and becoming a brand yourself and being closely shaved and properly dressed or else you’re ugly and weird and god forbid those are the two Worst things to be nowadays.

i wanna be ugly and weird, i want the art i see to be ugly and weird and i want fun, and pores, and acnea on actors, bad teeth cause that’s how it is sometimes, and wonky noses cause that’s what makes you you sometimes, and like, personnality that doesn’t feel the need to exist in a tiny labelled box for it to be bearable. why do we care sm about mediocrity and palatable media and “targetting the most audiences we can” like,,, why do we give a fuck except for money and brainwashing,,, why. 

[anonymouscheeses]

Hazbin hotel theory (not circus related 🙄)

So we all know Charlie and Vaggie resemble alot of Lucifer and Lillith right?

Lucifer is a fallen angel and Vaggie is a fallen angel. Both sacrificing so much for their lovers. Both having different ideals and beliefs aside from the majority of heaven, because of that they both end up in hell. Also literal head over heels for their wives. Lucifer still wears his ring and Vaggie has very few scenes outside of Charlie.

Charlie and Lillith are both demons, although I guess Lillith is more human I think. But, they both fit in the other category. They both have fallen angel lovers. It's said in the opening cutscene that Lillith was an activist who sang as a way to influence. Charlie is an activist who sings in "ready for this" to persuade the cannibals to join her fight against heaven.

Personality and design wise though, Charlie and Lucifer are the most similar. Lillith and Vaggie? From what we've seen Lillith seemed loving in her pictures but calm and serious at the majority, if that doesn't describe Vaggie I don't know what does. Also Lillith wears purple and Vaggie is at this point purple coded 💀

It's implied that Lucifer had romantic or at the least smeggsual 🤭 relations to Eve. Sure it could have been a joke/lie, but clearly Adam gets pissed and doesn't say that he's wrong. I'd like to think Lillith and Eve also had romantic ties but there's not enough shown of them to make even an evidential guess. It's obvious tho that Lucifer at least was with the both of them at some point. (Maybe even Eve gave birth to Charlie since Lillith was cursed with miscarriages. At least if Viv still wants to keep that. No. No... Lucifer did NOT give birth to Charlie... youre jst weird... /j)

So... if Lucifer, Lillith, and Eve were once all in a polycule or at least a vee(two date one)....

who would be the one that stands in as Eve since Charlie and Vaggie are Lillith and Lucifer?

Plot twist. I'm a two and half halo shipper. It's Emily yall... 😨

HEAR MEE OUTTT!!!

In this image below, Vaggie is jealous that Charlie is holding Emily's hands(YES. CHARLIE IS HOLDING HER HANDS, NOT THE OTHER WAY AROUND. Charlie is very touchy sshh) which is kind of weird they would include that tiny scene. Sure, it could just be comedic but what's comedy except a person who looks too much into a small 1 millisecond scene. It still puts in a dynamic that at first isn't implied to be romantic but! But, having this one scene still creates a slightly romantic undertone dynamic. Even if it's not heavily implied, Vaggie sees Emily as someone who's taking moves on her girlfriend. (Which could also imply Lillith and Eve's first impression before they got in a polycule.)

What I'm about to say is pure speculation, there still isn't much to go off of in the show at the moment with these six. But I think I have some points that maayyy just be smart for an idiot like me :3. Emily is an angel yes, but we aren't sure what Eve's fate was, where she went or what happened to her after. Maybe she stayed with Adam(after the creation of sin), and if Adam could go to heaven, a man who also ate the apple, then I believe Eve could too, it doesn't matter who started(assuming Adam did eat the apple in the show. Most likely.) What I like to speculate is that Eve went to heaven with Adam, although she didn't feel happy in their marriage and decided to make herself a fallen angel to be with Lucifer and Lillith, her true lovers.

Now the similarities with Eve and Emily? They both are against the ideas of those higher than them in heaven. Emily is against the idea of extermination in hell because she feels its unnecessary genocide. Eve went against heavens orders and ate the apple from Lucifer for knowledge. Oh also look haha their hair is kinda similar in the images below(not actual evidence but still its kinda cool) That's where the current canon similarities end. But ofc the big well known theory is that Emily will become a fallen angel because she goes against Sera's wishes. I HOPE she doesn't but in this show? Yeah, most likely. Currently Emily hasn't taken action, but maybe one day she will, which is the most likely situation. And if I'm right that Eve was a fallen angel then that would also be ANOTHER similarity. (Also. Ya'll.... the woman who picked up baby Charlie in "more than anything" was NOT Lillith. Like okay, maybe she is, but that didn't look like her AT ALL. She didn't have the same slick back mullet. But, in the image below, Eve and the woman who picked up baby Charlie have the exact same hair. Jst another thing I wanted to throw in to further evident that Lucifer Lillith and Eve were in a polycule/vee)

I LOVE TWO AND A HALF HALOS SO MUCH GUYSS. PLEASE FEED INTO MY NAIVETY. LUCIFER'S STOLEN WIVES AND CHARLIE'S ANGELS ARE LITERALLY CANON AND NO ONE CAN SAY OTHERWISE TO ME 😭😭

BONUS!! Adam is Lillith's ex rightt??? Well Lute is basically Vaggie's ex. Sure, you could argue that- no. No girl, they was exes, I know, Viv told me herself smhhh..... not only are both Lucifer and Vaggie fallen angels because they had different ideals from heaven, Lillith and Charlie are both activists who use their voice as powers, Eve and Emily go against heaven, BUT LILLITH AND VAGGIE BOTH HAVE EXES??

Bro, Adam and Lute are also besties like? The polycules kicked them out and then they were like, "nuh uh, now we're gonna date eachother since yall don't want us" 😭

Basically what I'm saying is that Lucifer's stolen wives and Charlie's angels are Canon and no one can say otherwise because I'm so smart. If anyone says they aren't just link them to here and BOOM we got another one added to the small ship. Also. This is so underrated. Ya'll.. the potential is so crazy. And since Charlie and Vaggie are already established it would be so intense and adorable to watch Emily try to impress and date them both. Uggghh so.... hyperfixated..... I hope this isn't my special interest now 😭

[mermazing-art]

The real name of the Furious Five 

After the Kung Fu Panda 4 movie I started thinking about what Zhen's first conversations with the Furious Five would be like. I imagined her nervous about making a good impression but fitting quite well with her group dynamic given her mischievous attitude and enjoying their adventures with her, establishing a relationship of trust. Which led me to a thought "Would she, wanting to know them more, ask them what their real names are?"

This theory has been circulating in the fandom for years since it is said that their names actually refer to their fighting styles or their species (as well as Master Ox, Crocodile or Rhino) since those who retain their own name within this discipline are those who have a superior role such as Oogway, Shifu or Po and those who do not have a title such as Zhen or Tai Lung.

Well, I decided to look for a suitable name for each one, one that fit their physique or personality, that was easy to remember and that would distinguish one another, let's go!

Mantis: Xun Yu ( fast jade )

With Mantis I was clear that I didn't want to look for anything that had to do with his size but I did want to highlight his most powerful abilities such as his speed.  That's where his first name, Xun, comes from.  His middle name, Yu (Jade), is because of his green color although this can also mean ''insect'' depending on the kanji with which it is written.  My idea is that Mantis calls himself ''the green lightning'' referring to his real name.

Crane: Zimo ( refined ink )

At first I wanted his name to be related to the sky or the air due to his avian species or his techniques, but it made me think that one of the things that catches my attention about this character is his interest in Chinese calligraphy.  Therefore, I decided to name him Zimo (ink or writing) to reflect his beloved hobby in his name.

Monkey: Wong Sang ( yellow mulberry )

For Monkey, I researched his voice actor, the one and only Jackie Chan, born Chan Kong-Sang. I wanted to take it as a reference by changing the name Kong since it is the name of the Monkey's brother to Wong (yellow), relating it to the color of his fur. I wanted to make a reference to his comic side but I couldn't find a suitable name for the guidelines I had assigned to it.

Viper: Jia Ling ( beautiful tinkle )

As with Monkey, I researched on her voice actress, Lucy Liu, whose full name is Lucy Alexis Liu Yu Ling. I wanted to reflect her charming and sweet personality, so I took the name Ling (tinkerbell) as a reference of the hiss' snake she produces, as well as her happy attitude.  But her first name would be Jia to emphasize the beauty of this character.

Tigress: Xia ( sunrise )

For her, I thought I would delve deeper into her story and her development as a character in order to give her the appropriate name.  This is her story:

When Tigress lived in the orphanage, she received the name Xian ("who lives in seclusion") from the other children perpetuating their contempt and fear of her. When Shifu finally decided to adopt her, after He heard that name many times, almost always accompanied by the word "monster", he asked her what new name she would like. She simply accepted Tigress because she didn't believe she could deserve a name. Shifu pondered and decided to call him Xia. Tigress at first didn't like this idea because it sounded similar to the previous one, but Shifu explained his choice to her. Both names, although similar, did not have the same meaning because now she would no longer be in the darkness, secluded and alone, but rather she had the opportunity for a new life, a path marked by the light that emanated from her, a new sunrise.

So yes, Zhen would ask the furious five their names, giving the situation that Po would find out right then and there about this. Everyone except Tigress would answer this question since for her it is still a very personal matter related to her past and Shifu and she still doesn't feel comfortable sharing it with everyone. Could Tigress talk to a certain panda about this?

[demonslayedher]

do you have any headcanons for the reincarnations/chapter 205? :D

First off, when I read that chapter I was like... "I can't believe it's over... what a ride... BUT WHAT DID I JUST READ????"

Also, since canon only describes them as "descendants" and "a person who..." and never says "reincarnation" I don't technically think of them that way... although that is hard to do after the Obamitsu promise. My main issue with this is looking backwards; it's simply a matter of preference that I don't like thinking of Tanjiro and Nezuko as reincarnations of Sumiyoshi and Suyako (and I especially prefer to keep Yoriichi and Tanjuro as separate people), because I like the straightforward interpretation of inherited memories as something unique to this world.

So that being said!!

The modern day kids have really grown on me. : D Touko is my favorite. I have written some headcanons for them which I have tucked into fanworks that I'll link below.

--The Kamado family house was given to the Hashibira family, so Aoba still has ties there (although he doesn't live there). This is also why the Kamado boys live in the city. Theory expanded on here.

--If they are indeed reincarnations, then Kotoha was reincarnated as Aoba's mom, but she's a divorcee. Aoba's canonical younger brother has a wilder personality. I had a really nice time playing with Aoba interacting with his mom in this short fic, which also refers to the above theory and has interactions with other characters in the fallout of the blue spider lily failure.

--The Kamado family is so removed from their old charcoal past that they just FORGOT to give the oldest son a charcoal related name

--Touko inherited Zenitsu's wide range of strong emotions and expression. Although the women in their family are known for being nice and sweet, there is always what is called the "Agatsuma Demon Gene." However, it's unclear which great-grandparent this came from. There is no mention of Nezuko as a demon in any of "The Legend of Zenitsu" so Yoshiteru is convinced she was a demure girl who needed to stay out of the sunlight for health reasons. These are referred to in this collection of fanart/doodles of the Chapter 205 cast, as well as in this comic that was drawn before Volume 23 came out, so we were still under the impression that Kanata considered Touko his girlfriend (canonically, he does not, that evil flirt).

--More fun doodles of Touko with Zenitsu's expressions and Yoshiteru with Nezuko's expressions here

--Yoshiteru has Marfan Syndrome.

--This isn't so much a headcanon as an observation, but I love what Iguro being a chef and having a good luck snake emblem says about how he's been freed some his past. So I said that all at the end of this post about snake analysis as it relates to Iguro.

--I just kind love that Kiriya and Yushiro are friends???

--I don't know how I feel about the "they get together every year to do Kagura in the Breath styles" thing that was added later. It just doesn't seem to fit well with everything. First, the need for Breath technique is gone, so if Tanjiro decided to simply not teach the next generation, that would have been a fine statement. After all, they just keep the earrings in a framed box now. Second, it would imply that they all might recognize each other from having met every year. Touko would happily anticipate meeting her favorite gymnast every year, and she and Yoshiteru would both already have met Aoba plenty of times, as would Sumiyoshi, who supposedly only meets him when they are both sulking about being in trouble. Maybe they wouldn't recognize each other out of the context of being in the shrine for Kagura once a year, but those kinds of events usually take all day to set up, conduct, and then have a party afterward with lots of interaction. Plus, who was even around to pass on some of those Breaths??? And what kind of move is Thunderclap and Flash for a full Kagura dance???????? So my headcanon is that Touko has stayed home from it for the last few years, Yoshiteru has mostly just hung out with his distant cousins, Aoba's little brother is the one who has been doing it lately while Aoba has been busy as a student and then career botanist, and the dances are staged throughout the day at different times, so Flower Breath and Insect Breath are never around the same time as Thunder Breath so Yoshiteru never even encountered the girls. Also, the Corp had other survivors!! Maybe they're the ones who have been retaining most of these traditions in place of characters who did not survive to leave descendants!

Well that one turned into a rant. Anywayyyy.

--Reincarnated!?Shinobu is Giichi's babysitter and she finds him overly talkative, because irony is fun. (Also in fanart)

--Reincarnated!?Makomo is Reincarnated!?Urokodaki's granddaughter (also in the same fanart collection)

--Toujurou's dad has trouble keeping students in the kendo dojo, because bringing in KimeGaku elements is fun

--The cops take their coffee really, really sweet; it's totally loaded with sugar

Enjoy the things I linked!! They have more of my thoughts and fun with them!! : D

[seaescapologist]

Since I've been waiting for Year 4 of the story for so long, kind of wanted to ramble for a bit, both about my impressions and theories. So, spoilers below the cut.

So now that it's confirmed that it was Elliot who was watching MC. I am even more convinced, that Elliot's sixth former associate (the only one that hadn't been caught by the Ministry) is probably why Ollivander noted that there is something familiar about MC. It also all better explains an actual reason why Elliot needed Daniel, since even if he simply wanted an ally at Hogwarts, a third year no matter how talented at potions is a bit of an odd choice (especially if they are the only one).

Also I feel like it also adds fuel to the fact that Hagrid was sent with a letter to MC intentionally, and not because they now do that for all muggleborns. But not as certain about it.

Still wonder about Winifred's warning though. Since it wasn't just about him watching. But that he will try to pose as a friend, which Elliot did both with Daniel. But also now with his 'friend of all' speech. At this point I am more inclined to believe it's less of a kind of 'seer-like' prediction, and more likely a warning from that Sixth Associate using Winifred as a conduit. After all if it was someone who knew Elliot well enough, they might predict what he'd try to do just based on their experience, especially if something like that happened with NOTME. And it'd make sense that it's down in a roundabout way, if that person doesn't want Elliot to find them, approaching MC directly isn't an option.

Also been thinking about Elliot's true motives and what caused his falling out with original NOTME. Admittedly it's all more of a conjecture. I have a feeling that NOTME (and more specifically that Sixth person), found some way. To give/amplify magic. Though I obviously don't think it would be that simple, there likely is a price and some limitations. And there was a conflict as to how to use it, maybe even if they should at all, depending on the price of the power (or maybe Elliot straight up wanted the power to himself). But something like that fits with the name of the game 'Magic Awakened', right? It would fit why Winny abilities (I'd say it's fair to say legilimency), became so much stronger if that sixth person indeed used her as a way to warn MC, so they likely had a contact with her. So I do wonder if MC's magic was 'awakened' in this way.

Anyway, mostly done with theories, so more of a general thoughts about Y4! Originally Y4 felt a lot weaker than previous years, but it definitely picked up at the end, I enjoyed those final parts. Even if in part we are roughly back where we ended Y3. Well, aside from Cass being set up as a friend of course. And part of me hopes that Kenji was set up to transfer to Hogwarts (he has motives - finding a cure for his curse AND he clearly seems to be more welcome there at this point), but that might just be wishful thinking on my parts. But it would be a nice way for the game to add another Forbidden Forest and dance companion, without it feeling like they came out of nowhere.

I hope Y5 finally gives focus to MC. They finally got a chance to shine in Y4 (but mostly everyone did). But it'd be nice if they finally started feeling as a protagonist. Also kind of wish they weren't just framed as an all-rounder. I'd prefer if MC had their 'own thing' too, like all companions do (ideally based on our choice of course. but either way something would be better than nothing). Magizoology and transfiguration still seemingly not tied to anyone right (like Ivy's expertice at charms, Daniel's potions etc)? Would be neat if in Y5 MC got a chance to become an animagus. Especially with Abigail and maybe/hopefully Kenji transferring, it especially could come in handy.

What else? Ngl, I was a bit disappointed about Winny's character, maybe because it's so completely different from how she spoke/acted in both Y1 (flashback) and in Y3, so maybe I built up some expectations in my head? Or maybe because I wasn't expecting to get a clarification about her warning so late, so i felt robbed. But I am still curious about Warrington family. Even back in Y1 it felt odd how Ivy's grandmother chose to handle it. But now, despite previously apologizing for hiding things from her, once again we learn things were hidden thanks to her instructions. Idk, there is something there. Recently stumbled upon a concept of Ivy's and Winny's mother, so maybe it all somehow ties back to whatever happened to her.

On a final note. MC punching Viggo had no business of being so funny, one of the highlights of the year for me! So yeah, don't know if anyone read all this. But it was nice to put my thoughts in writing even if they are all over place.

[breelandwalker]

hello! I am very new to witchcraft and your blog has been very helpful to me as someone who does not have anyone i know to look to in real life :)

I have a question, is it okay to just,,, try things out in your craft sometimes because they make sense to you or it feels right? i dont mean saying that this herb means this because i say so, but like lighting a certain type of incense while you do spells not because its supposed to help with the intention but because it calms you. Today I enchanted a necklace for the first time after doing research and reading a lot about what other people do in their craft and did just that along with lighting some candles and opening windows despite no one mentioning that. i know this example is small, but there are a lot of things that i want to do because they make sense to me, but at the same time I don't want to make things up. i see people saying that its about intention and good to write your own spells and all that, but is that something i should be doing when im new to witchcraft? it's just really hard to tell if I'm doing things right sometimes.

sorry for such the long ask, thank you for your helpful posts :)

This is a good question and a good object lesson.

When you're first starting out with witchcraft, and even later as you go on, there are plenty of pre-written spells to try out and lots of correspondences to learn and tips to follow. However, it's important to remember that your craft is still your own. It's not going to be an exact match to anyone else's, and that includes using things in ways that make sense to you but may not match generally agreed-upon usage or correspondences.

This isn't to say that we should ignore common sense or cultural boundaries or safety measures, of course. (And good on you for including that from the start.) But part of learning magic and developing your craft is figuring out what works for you and what doesn't. Sometimes that means adapting a spell you found online or in a book to suit your needs and purpose. Sometimes it means using unconventional materials or using different correspondences than you'll find in a volume of Cunningham.

It may also mean creating your own spells, which is a fantastic exercise that I recommend to any witch of any experience level, including complete beginners. Even if they're clunky, even if they don't work, even you just write them as a creative exercise and never cast them, spellwriting is a great way to learn how magic works and how magical workings are put together.

It's not so much a matter of doing things the right way or the correct way as finding out how and why things are done at all, and from there, deciding which bits you want to do and what you're good at. So unless you're part of a dedicated tradition that has Rules about how these things should be done and is giving you formal instruction on the process, experimentation and experience are going to a big part of your education.

Dabbling is encouraged. Test things out to see what fits. If it works and you like it, learn more. If not, there's always another topic to explore. Making things up, testing theories, and seeing if they work a time-honored part of Finding Shit Out.

We don't learn to paint by expecting to produce a masterpiece overnight. Sketch. Practice. Make a mess. Try again. Find your style and don't worry about how it looks to someone else. The only person you have to impress is yourself.

I'm glad the blog is helping. Hopefully it will continue to do so. If you have more questions, my inbox is always open.

Best of luck to you, witchling!

[the-night-writer1]

A simple nap

A random one shot involving a pregnant Mony.

It was a Saturday afternoon as Mony laid on his sofa and watched TV. His mattress just made his back hurt and the cub incredibly fussy. He really preferred that his cub wasn't kicking up a massive storm so the sofa it was. He really did have to look into a new mattress after the cub was born.

He didn't have the energy right now and as much as he wanted to nap he didn't trust Macaque wouldn't take over and try to finish the nursery again. He still had to prepare for his fathers coming over next month which meant cleaning. Which he also lacked energy for.

However he at least had stuff setup for when Mk and he assumed Mei be here in half an hour. Mk did say he was bringing a friend and usually that meant Mei.

"remember to keep a distance he hugs too tight"a ghost voice gently reminded.

"Yes I am aware. Kid is just a tight hugger he doesn't mean any harm" Mony stated a bit annoyed as he sipped some ginger tea from his mug. The blend was a gift from Sandy. The gentle giant was his go to for anti-nausea tea.

Macaque knew he was just tired as well, cubs could be so draining on the body. Especially a powerful cub like this one, Macaque could just sense the little one's power. He was concerned about it, how could this cub have so much power already? Mony didn't get any of his abilities until he was seven so the cub having power already didn't make sense. It had Mac worried who the father might be. Though he knew better than to nudge himself in matters like that as it make Mony upset. Mony was tired as it was and he wasn't being the best roommate trying to finish the nursery while Mony asleep last week.

There was a knock at the door that caused Mony to get up from his cozy spot on the sofa. Was Mk early? Probably or someone ordered food and gave the wrong address.

"WUKONG?!" Macaque hissed in panic as Mony opened the door.

"Hi... Kid's on his way I'm Wukong nice to meet you" the monkey king said softly as he saw the tired white monkey at the door. He couldn't see Macaque's spirit throwing a hissy fit yet but he could see why Mk asked for his help. Poor monkey looked exhausted. Mony was currently blocking out the screaming spirit as he lead Wukong inside. So mk had new friend that was nice.

"Hi I'm Mony, I have some charcoal and sketchpads setup over here if you want start before Mk gets here if not I made some tea"Mony said with a soft yawn as he lead Wukong over to the sketch center as he called it. Macaque trying to get him to kick the guy out.

"Oh uh what about we wait for the kid?" Wukong timidly asked as he looked around the place. There wasn't a lot to nest with here. Art supplies definitely but nesting supplies? Nope no wonder guy was exhausted. There was no way the poor guy instinctually felt safe to sleep by himself and he didn't have a comfort nest to sleep in. However Wukong couldn't just bring that up in conversation with out being rude.

"alright I was actually watching a monkey cop movie if you want join me" Mony stated softly as he walked back to the sofa in the living room. Wukong nodded and followed him to the living room,"little one likes monkey cop's voice"

"well I do an excellent monkey cop impression" Wukong stated playfully as he sat next to Mony on the sofa. The white monkey softly chuckled as he leaned back in to the sofa. Wukong felt so bad for the guy, he clearly needed at least a nap.

"I can tell" Mony said as he closed his eyes. He could feel the ghostly arms wrapped his waist tightly yet at the same time there was nothing there. He wanted to take over but Mony wouldn't let him. Mony didn't want to deal with it right now thus he couldn't nap. Even worse Mac just ruined the sofa by waking up the cub who in theory unlike their baba had been napping.

Wukong noticed rather quickly Mony's discomfort and the light swatting at something away from his abdomen. Worried an evil spirit attached itself to the guy he activated his golden vision to check. His heart stopped spotting his old friend's spirit there. Macaque glared at him and he glared at Macaque. This clearly wasn't a normal possession, Mac's spiritual form was different from normal.

"You stop harassing this guy he's exhausted" Wukong mouthed to Macaque with a stern finger. A disappointed look on his face at the fact Mac was hugging Mony's stomach like his life depended on it.

" I am not harassing him Wukong. I've been trying to warn him about YOU" Macaque signed back, at least Wukong understood this needed to be a two person conversation. Mony didn't need to be in the middle.

"I was asked to help him out and he's never tried to steal my identity Macaque" Wukong mouthed back before gesturing to Mony," He is exhausted and has nothing to nest with if you were helping him he'd have nesting material!"

"He's a new world demon Wukong they don't nest the same way" Macaque tried to protest as he loosened his grip on Mony's stomach. He never really connected that Mony not having a nest be a reason for his poor sleeping. Fuck did Wukong have an actual point.

"New world demon or not he still needs a nest. His body clearly doesn't feel safe without one" Wukong mouthed before returning his attention to Mony. He felt the other monkey's forehead with some slight concern.

"hey Mony you feel a little hot mind if I get you a compress?" Wukong asked softly," or at least something to make you a little more comfortable?"

"the clean wash clothes are in the basket near the sink on the left... The ones on the right are dirty and for paint" Mony huffed softly as he readjusted himself and hoped the cub settled down.

"alright I'll be back okay" Wukong said as he got up and left to the kitchen. Macaque's spirit following him. Gesturing to which faucet was cold as Wukong got a clean wash cloth. It probably be best he leave Mony be for a bit to keep an eye on Wukong. Who surprisingly to Macaque was being very nice to Mony . Wukong quickly made a cold compress and returned to Mony's side gently placing it on the white monkey's forehead.

"thank you" Mony mumbled softly he hadn't even realized he was hot. Poor guy was very tired.

"what about you take a nap I'll make sure when bud gets here he's quiet okay?" Wukong said reassuringly. He could probably keep Mac and Mk distracted for bit. Mony would have tried to argue but he just gave in to the thought of a nap unaware Mk showed five minutes later.

---

"so he needs pillows and stuff?" Mk asked trying to read the list Wukong wrote down on a piece of paper. It was written down quickly so Wukong didn't translate it into modern Chinese.

"exactly nesting supplies" Wukong said as they were walking through the market," and some other things like a new mattress"

"I don't think he has the money for this monkey king " mk said as they walked through the market district.

"oh I'm paying for it kid" Wukong reassured.

[maris-stellar]

Excerpt:

Name: Yue "Yulia" Xiao

Age: 19 -> 22

Gender: Female

Species: Human

Ethnicity: Chinese

Weapon: Shotgun ; Parasol

Skills/Strengths: Strategems, Theories, Philosophy, Psychology

Position: Commandant of Gray Raven ; Founder/Leader of [Celebration]

Affiliation: Gray Raven / Babylonia

FC: Yumiella Dolkness from Villainess lvl99

Appearance

A young woman with black eyes and black hair. The bangs are styled in a manner reminiscent of the Golden Age's "hime-cut", but otherwise grown long enough to reach her waist; she usually ties her hair into a high ponytail while on duty, however.

Her features are fairly appealing to the average onlooker, but are accompanied by a frequent tendency to seem scarily sharp for the unacquainted - especially her eyes, which isn't helped by the fact that she has an inexplicable habit of wearing a silvery pair of non-prescription, half-moon glasses. Adding to this, she rarely shows emotion on her face, usually opting to wear a diplomatically neutral expression instead.

In terms of attire, she is usually seen wearing some manner of military attire, be it her grayscale uniform for missions or sleek outfits for the office. She might even be seen in the same outside of work. Beyond that, she hardly wears anything colorful unless it's a special occasion, dressing in nice but simple dresses in black or white.

Personality

A quiet, deeply no-nonsense personality, but to the point that she doesn't even seem to spare her sight, words, memory or attention to anything she deems unnecessary to even acknowledge. This can easily create the impression that she's a cold and distant person with little to nothing to say, carrying an unintentional air of haughtiness borne of dismissiveness.

And to some extent... that isn't completely wrong either. If she's not interested, then she's simply not interested - if she's not interested in someone, then why bother? Trite words of consideration are still trite at the end of the day. To pretend to care is still pretending. Isn't that the more cruel thing to do?

What does it even mean to be cruel? What does it mean to be kind? What does it mean to care? What does it mean to be warm? What does it mean to be bad? What does it mean to be good?

What does it mean to be human?

In a world of Constructs born from flesh and blood humans, a science-defying virus evolving into intelligent creatures, and humans themselves -

Yulia has a clear understanding of all these things. After all, there have been people before her who pondered these things too, albeit not all of them and not all at once. Dictionaries have clear-cut definitions of all these things. And if something is "unknown" or "uncertain", that too is a definition and answer of its own.

...What does it even mean, to "understand" all of this?

Is it "human" to understand this? Accept this? Should she? Is there supposed to be a "reason"? A "cause"? Why or why not?

—No, it's far too confusing to proceed so arbitrarily. Let's start from a simpler foundation. The basics. Clean-cut, all pieces laid out, then branch forward—

This is why she's decided as such - to approach the world like the pieces of a puzzle or a more elaborate chessboard full of moves to make and manipulate. Everything can be cut up into the many moving parts of a clockwork plan, and it's all a matter of understand the parts and rules inside-out, fiddling with them as necessary, seeing how they fit together into a whole. And because she's only human, without the processing power of machines multiplied, she can only keep in mind the crucial parts.

As it turns out, some of these parts are very easy to dissect. But every strategist knows that there will always be some unpredictable variables in a plan - uncertainty itself is one of the many cogs of the clockwork. And so, there are some things that she fails to grasp.

In particular - the human nature.

"Self" and personhood are among her most frustrating subjects - because she knows. And doesn't know. There are hundreds of papers studying the nature of people, dissecting the concept of personality itself, mapping out the various correlations between behaviour and attitude and ideology. People are easy to break down and analyze.

People also have a great ability and tendency to surpass expectations. To go beyond the predictable, to harness the unimaginable, to demonstrate the impossible, to be and become and are—

If uncertainty is a fundamental aspect of the world, of all things, then what does it mean for her-self?

If she, too, is capable of anything and everything imaginable and implausible, then what exactly is she supposed to be? Likes and dislikes, thoughts and choices, even love and dreams and principles - all so, so mutable with the right triggers. What are the limits of her selfhood?

Who is she?

Can she... even grasp it? That certainty of self? Where? How?

Why should she, even? It's not like it hinders her day-to-day existence to be without the answer.

...And what is the right answer to that, in this situation? What is even the point of a "right" answer—?!

Ah, let's just focus on today's paperwork. Letting it pile up unattended will undoubtedly be a practical hindrance in comparison.

...

(Once upon a time, Yulia learned that she could indeed find herself. She was no outlier to the phenomenon of existence, able to fathom the many other qualia that eluded her logic.

And for the promise of having that experience for as long as she lives and breathes - she's willing to do near anything, no matter how long it takes. With her single-minded focus and a trying determination for what she does in fact care for, wielding a sharp scrutiny for even the tiniest detail, she will not rest till her grand plans find fulfillment somewhere.

Even if that meaning turns out to be meaningless in the very end... at least, that is an answer, isn't it?)

Backstory

The sole child of a pair of Babylonian researchers descended from Kowloong scientists onboard the colony ship in the early days of the Punishing outbreak.

From a young age, she demonstrated a high level of intelligence and independence, but also an unusual contradiction of obedience and rebellion - she would pacify an authority figure with humble words and actions, yet in the next breath, turn around and constantly avoid school and every attempt to stop her as she, quote, "wanted to use my time better".

Said time would be spent on what seemed to be her only hobbies - people-watching, writing programs, and reading.

Day after day, from the moment she could walk and wander the ship unattended (and that, in fact, was quite easy, considering how busy—and as such, neglectful—her parents were), she would sit in complete silence, just watching the public go about their lives.

And when her eyes tired of that, she would read whatever she could get her hands on - fairytales, textbooks, scientific papers, blueprints, anything that could be converted into facts and knowledge and wisdom.

Otherwise, she would dabble in code, writing random programs to fulfill random goals.

That said, her own goal for doing all of this was far from random.

The reason she strove to act so?

To find a friend.

See, Yulia had a very, very specific image of what a friend of hers ought to be. And to locate that friend, she spent a good chunk of her childhood combing Babylonia from top to bottom - scanning the crowds, analyzing records, writing programs that could (illegally) obtain and filter citizen databases—

But the years passed, empty-handed. Though she saw many people, encountered dozens, acquainted herself with more - she couldn't find a single person that matched that images in her head. Babylonia, for the moment, lacked the specific friends she was looking for.

But this spaceship wasn't the only place where humans could be found... There was one last place, one last avenue to undertake. And even through a planet's area surface far exceeded the square feet of Babylonia's own dimensions, and there were no handy databases recording every single life born on this blue, burning planet - it would be less a sunk-cost fallacy than simply a logical fallacy to stop here, after spending more than a decade on this mad-looking ambition of hers.

And so, at the tender age of fifteen, she ignored her parents' hopes of following in their footsteps and enrolled herself into F.O.S - becoming its youngest graduate with the highest honours and the privilege of choosing the squad she would command for the foreseeable rest of her career.

All for the sake of saving (reaching) Earth. All for the sake of humanity (her friends).

Though maybe, the friends she's looking for are already here, fighting by her side.

Extras / Notes

Seems to have no specific likes or dislikes - or rather, she will not reject anything, saying that everything has its place, use or meaning. That said, she seems to have a slightly more positive view or inclination to anything along the lines of the following: bunnies, strawberries, sweets, "cute things", art and botany.

However, her positive views may simply be that - as she has a habit of being interested in whatever anyone else is interested in, if she cares about the person. For example, if someone is interested in engineering, she similarly tries to learn the subject to the best that she can. This is not because she herself has come to like it, but just because the other person likes it.

In fact, she has an unconscious habit of either supporting or mirroring others in some way when engaging with them - essentially either complementing the other person or integrating into their circle.

Nonetheless, she seems to prefer practicality and efficiency in general, if only because it just makes everything run smoothly.

Thankfully, she also takes work-life balance very, very strictly. If she's off-duty, she's off-duty. Unless it's an emergency, do not talk to her about work during this time. She will not respond. She might even act like she has no fucking clue what you're talking about, as though she were an ordinary civilian versus a military commander.

This doesn't mean that her acting skills are poor though. On the contrary, she can be a very convincing actor of almost any role. But unless that skillset is necessary, she does not see the use of wearing masks; what you get from her these days is her first reaction and behaviour. (It doesn't mean, however, that you're seeing the entirety of her.)

With her skills as a tactician, she excels in anything strategy-related. This includes games like chess and go, but also things like tic-tac-toe and card games that aren't completely luck-based. Naturally, even civilization simulators aren't exempt.

She's quite knowledgeable in regards to the history and culture of the eastern regions, such as Kowloong. Her reasoning, if questioned, is from a passing curiosity into her family's ethnic history when she was younger. (But mere curiosity does not quite explain her ability to do cultural dances with paper parasols or her hidden preference for Kowloong-styled attire and designs.)

Similarly, she seems fairly learned in regards to the Golden Age, from its history to its trends and technologies.

She will often tell people to just call her "Yulia" if they have any concerns or issues with addressing her in some manner. It is unknown where this nickname comes from, as her citizen records list her name as simply "Xiao, Yue" - though one can reason that it sounds similar enough to her given name. This is not so much the case for the rarer occasion where she needs an alias, strangely defaulting to "Maria" out of all the possible pseudonyms she could choose.

(Bonus Backstory - Origin)

History is written by the victor, but even a chessboard will have up to sixteen pieces on the winning side.

Similarly, the turns and twists of time range into the hundreds and thousands - a small butterfly leading a hurricane elsewhere, a single change spiraling into a whole other future.

One history is as such - the advent of the Punishing Virus never occurred in this alternate timeline. Instead, a different devastation occurred, forcing humanity into floating cities above the earth's toxic surface. They too struggled to continue and create a new era under these circumstances, and as the decades passed, they achieved a stable yet stagnant prosperity—filled with the miracles of the sciences explored to the fullest, but meaning that no further innovation could be imagined.

A Golden Age of peace, for nothing—nothing—could shake the world, bar the end of all existence itself.

It's in this sort of history that a young girl is born. Gifted with a sharp mind even for her advanced time, her intelligence is both talent and hindrance. Everything can be understood. Possibility and impossibility are easy concepts. If she wanted, she could leverage the entire world, manipulating minds, steering events to a desired vision. She could desire and detest anything.

But—humans don't really do that. Even with the broadness of their own existence, humans seem to... defy even the odds of their defiance.

She is, admittedly, not a very social person. She only has her single mother to care about, which she does, but that's the hard extent of it. Her own data of experiences on humanity are limited by sample and time. But humans are supposed to be social creatures, so - clearly, she's lacking in this department. And the best means to rectify it is to not just study others, but to engage with them.

But her usual personality won't do, probably. Too straightforward. Too factful. It might be a bit extreme of her to craft an entirely different identity for what amounts to a social experiment - but she has the time and the energy and the interest.

Eleven years old, friendless, and having too much time after school because even homework takes trivial amounts of time - the child becomes a loud, cheerful, impulsive girl named Maria, constantly whipping up random and wacky plans while on the hunt for fun and adventure, and is more than willing to drag the first people she sees into her experiments disguised as nonsense.

...Somehow, this does work out.

She makes some friends. Genuine friends, the words bearing a deep weight when she utters them. Her little friend group, whimsically dubbed [Celebration], bears the motto of exploring and enjoying the myriad aspects of life itself - its joys and its sorrows, its conflicts and its questions.

She connects with dozens, picks up a variety of tricks and skills, discovers that there might actually be things she's just bad at without recourse. She learns about people as much as she learns about herself. Some parts of the mask become real, other parts are discarded, truth and act and lines all blurring till what is, is her—and the people surrounding her glimpse the person who they will unfalteringly call their friend in her.

Thus, Yulia thinks - this is it. With her dear friends, her life feels fulfilled, defined with worthwhile meaning.

...

On a higher dimension, the Watchers look upon a history that failed to flourish into ascension. Their earlier attempts at meddling in its course have only ruined the surface of the planet and lead to humanity becoming indolent after scrambling for security, no longer feeling comfortable with change small or drastic. This avenue has no prospects and no value at this point.

And so, like the mere push of a reset button, it all ends.

...

For a girl like Yulia, who can believe whatever she wants, express whatever seems appropriate - it means that when she decidedly chooses to feel something, she will feel it with the force of a thousand suns burning into supernovas.

One day, the world comes to an end. Logically, this doesn't just mean the end of her existence - it means the end of everything else too. Her life, her future, her family, her friends—

There are plenty of things she can give up in the name of pragmatism, or simply because the situation demands it. Efficiency is the smoothest course of most choices. Her loved ones are not a part of that, ever.

And so, even as the world ends, to the very end, to the last breath and the last moment and the last thought, Yulia thinks -

That she refuses this.

To her, one of the universal truths is that unpredictability is as much a law of the universe as the actual, scientific laws of it. This can apply to the fundamentals like physics, to the manmade systems of the world around her, to the myriad people that fill this dot in space.

Humans have a strong tendency to follow certain patterns. They also have a strong tendency to diverge from all predictions.

As much as she doesn't quite understand them sometimes - she's just as human as everyone else.

And so, she chooses to refuse the end, illogically and wholeheartedly. Not like this, not in this way.

She has to live, to persist, for her friends, her mother, at least just the small percentage of things she cares about in this vast world of millions—

If she must defy even the laws of time and space, consciousness and existence, to find some means of returning to her loved ones - then so be it.

(In execution, this has the result of what can only be colloquially termed "reincarnation". Huh. Interesting to discover. She'll file this in the back of her head as a neat tidbit to share with her friends, once she finds them.

And she will. Surely, she'll have friends again.)

[meowmeowchapel]

the west wing, 20 hours in america, sentence starter meme.

You know the story about the guy whose cars gets stuck in a muddy hole. A farmer comes along and says he'll pull the car out of the mud but he's going to have to charge 50 bucks 'cause this is the tenth time he's had to pull it out of the mud today. The driver says, "God, when to you have time to plow your land, at night?" The farmer says, "No, no. Nighttimeis when I fill the whole with water."

Why aren't you there?

It's tough to explain.

[name] has trouble concealing his displeasure.

Stepped on it.

You seem pissed that I brought it up.

When somebody can give me an answer to that question, I'll let you know.

I am lightened up. This is me lightened up. You're saying lighter?

You want to lighten up a little?

Speaking of health and fitness...

I had half a grapefruit.

You think I'm lying?

You've been up the past two nights and I don't want a zombie.

Go to sleep.

I'm kidding. that was a joke. I kid because I love.

No kidding, it feels good out here.

You sure i'm not taking you away from something you need to be doing?

You have a second job?

This is fun. We're roughing it.

Remember some of that stuff I said, okay?

Yeah. Doesn't sound quite right, though, does it?

Just out of curiosity, what do you think would happen?

I'm not very easily impressed.

Yeah, you know what? Sue me.

It's a-a common mistake.

How did...? I don't understand.

What is this, a joke?!

Okay, this is a whole new thing now. My guys are going to need to walk this off a bit before they can regroup.

No, I'm sorry buddy. I know you're supposed to be sleeping today.

I don't know what it is you do in there.

Welcome to the club, partner. We got jackets.

You ever love so much it hurts? Like, physically hurts?

It's not intellect, it's memory. It's a different gift. A wonderful one. I've never had it.

I make fun of the French as much as anybody and I don't even know what that meant.

Elitist, feminist-- you can't do that to the English language.

Several of the men I've dated haven't yet gotten over their fear of frogs.

Option one is we make a joke out of it.

We make a joke out of it? What would we have to do to it to make...?

What's your specialty?

No, I mean I can't believe you're considering doing it.

I didn't know you were superstitious.

How long have we been talking about this now?

Okay, let's not tell anybody that.

Whatcha' doin' on the floor?

I'm sitting here listening, already I've turned to a life of crime.

And they're using Act V scene from Hamlet? Are these Batman villians?

300 IQ points between them-- they can't find their way home.

I swear to God, if [name] wasn't there, they'd have to buy a house.

I don't know. I'm a puzzle.

We'd rather people didn't exercise common sense but I agree with what you're saying.

You know I can hear you, right?

I'm in your corner.

You call me a liar to my face?

Well, I'm afraid we're at a classic impasse, [name].

You were strange the first time I met you, and you're strange now.

Hey, the first time you met me there was a good reason.

My powers of deduction are not to be mocked.

That come with tights and a cap?

I'm going to figure it out anyway. What I lack in memory, I more than make up for with exceptional powers of deductive reasoning.

By the way, my powers of ordering are a joke.

Ah, you pulled the switcheroo.

You are so heartbreakingly easy at the end of the day.

You deceived me.

You played upon my love for you.

I'm going to make fun of you while you do, okay?

Did you have other plans?

As a matter of fact, I did. I was planning a quiet night...

If you ask me, it's soft porn. No one needs to massage garlic oil into a leg of lamb that much, on top of which...

You know anything about chaos theory?

Let me get you home. I don't think you're going to make it.

Good writers borrow from other writers. Great writers steal from them outright.

[desultory-novice]

I've been reading your various theories/analysis on the Nightmare Wizard and I was impressed what you came up with, given how HAL has given us virtually nothing on Mr. chin man.

It's a somewhat popular headcanon that Meta Knight was created by or at the very least connected to Nightmare, but this came from evidence in the anime canon. I was wondering what are your thoughts on this theory based on game lore?

Hrgh! I LOVE Nightmare! I have so much fun writing him and speculating on him! I mean, whether he's an actual physical, incarnation of the concept of bad dreams or just a once-upon-a-time power hungry Wizard who decided to name himself after the concept... that's so cool?!? It doesn't even bother me that he gets jobbed all the time. It's the POTENTIAL!!

I love his VA, Banjo Ginga, too. This wizard might have a chin the length of a galaxy but he's got a VOICE to back it up!

Now, you said game lore, but I'm going to go ahead and talk HC because, like you said, we know almost nothing canonical about Mr Chin Man, but the chance of a Halcandra connection seems GOOD at least. (Actually, even better now with a parallel version of him showing up in the same game with the Gem Apple Tree?)

So, I strongly HC him as being responsible for Marx (in several ways) but anime-originating or no, I think making him Meta's creator/corruptor is a fun little theory.

It's common to assume Kirby's species just gains wings as a matter of fact (I'm undecided, despite the fact that we have three winged... err, four if you count Zero Two - then again, those are apparently veins?? // why did this never click for me despite the fact that they show it in the END CREDITS?! // so maybe three - members of the "species") but if you start the whole line at Galacta, as a progenitor being or even god, with their unsullied angel wings, there is something "monstrous" about Meta Knight's devil/bat wings. He LOOKS like the "evil clone" despite being more the hero on every level.

(...Once we forget the military coup. Silly tangent, but I saw someone on Twitter make a joke about Elfilis and the Beast Pack forcing the captured Waddle Dees to work the generators and how cruel that's portrayed, when Meta Knight's own ship uses Wheelies for the same purpose! ...Of course, maybe that's just exercise for Wheelies? We don't know if it was mean... necessarily...)

Speaking of Meta Knight and a questionable past, I was thinking the other day about DMK and Marx and since they're the last two of the "You jerks don't deserve to be Dream Friends!" trio - Magolor having proven himself a true friend and worthy ally after an extended trip through hell - and trying to think just what Dark Meta Knight and Marx could possibly have in common. (Outside of Salty French Bread canon (?) where they get along surprisingly well. Then again, everyone in that group is a secret maniac, except Adeleine) This is especially when I step back and remember that DMK is still BASED ON Meta Knight. Meta Knight's thoughts and feelings exist somewhere within Dark Meta Knight, they're just twisted. (And under what grounds would META KNIGHT ever have to get along with/sympathize with/feel camaraderie with Marx??)

.That's a long way to get around to saying I'm actually REALLY fond of Nightmare Knight (...is that a badass name or what?! Also love that his independent play modes are called "Meta Knightmare" Too bad that's a localization only thing, as it would be GREAT fort this theory...) as a splinter HC! I actually have a lot of room for this to fit in my personal/main HC too!

(:cough: since I liked to imagine Nightmare as a former Halcandran Geneticist, this would not even be hard for him, especially if he managed to get ahold of Galacta Knight's DNA. And my Nightmare, who absolutely has a twisted sense of "humor"...

"You COULD have given the Noddies arms, you know." "Ha! They're literally engineered to sleep all day! What possible use would they have for arms? Grabbing a pillow??" :later, Marx, trying and failing to grab a pillow: "...Grrrr...!!!"

...would absolutely see Meta Knight as a consummate warrior and thus, as the "cherry on top" program him with an insatiable lust for battle, "...just like his stabbity-happy genetic predecessor!" Something Meta Knight is constantly trying to combat w/ copious amounts of book reading and fancy sweets... :cough:)

You know, it would be kind of fun, too, if that played into the reason Meta acted so unusual in Adventure. He's on-board with Dedede's plan to stop Nightmare, but he also knows well enough that the stall won't STOP Nightmare and thus, he supports Kirby throughout the puff's adventure.

Or maybe Meta Knight was even fighting his genetic programming/monster nature during that campaign? (Does that happen in the anime, too? Generally decent critters who are monster-fied try to fight the evil inside??) The potential story ideas are endless!

I was told at one point that Marx pulling his MWW stunt out of hunger from the "Spring Breeze" famine was the only way to explain how his game fit in the "plot" of Super Star. But when I think about Nightmare reaching out his long claws to manipulate both Marx and Meta Knight (one last tangent: but Noddies are pink just like Kirby. Both Marx and Meta Night look like them but with a distinct blue(ish, in Marx's case) palette. And who else is those colors??) the fact that you unlock Milky Way Wishes after Revenge of Meta Knight (I lied/another tangent: What IS Meta Knight "revenging" anyway? His defeat? The one he basically engineered in Kirby's Adventure? Weird thing to get upset about...) could also give you a slightly different take on that "storyline." Maybe?

The only thing I DON'T like about this theory is it would potentially make Meta Knight realllllllly old. Centuries, even. And that doesn't matter so much if you throw out the concept of realistic human-esque aging in Kirby altogether (which I sometimes do, because I'd easily take "Kirby is hundreds of years old but STILL maintains a young, optimistic, innocent point of view" over "Kirby is an almighty battle toddler" - We don't know Kirby's actual age, but I've seen some numbers thrown out by fans, and the idea of non-chalantly sending a literal 6-10 year old to do the stuff Kirby puts up with in game makes me uneasy) but in a lot of cases, I think i prefer Meta Knight to be closer to a contemporary with the main gang?

Chalk me up as one of those people that thinks Meta Knight tries his hardest to act mature, to always be seen as the "smartest and the eldest" but is actually a big, huge dork on the inside. Like he decided he would have the role of "group adult" only because he wanted it, not because he did anything to earn it.

[lilacsupernova]

'Thou shall not suffer a witch to live': ageism, misogyny and TERF panic

The language is necessarily extreme because the 'sins' of TERFs can only be understood with reference to the misogynistic fantasies of which they are subject. Without these, one might otherwise think TERFs are ordinary women with a basic theory of patriarchy and/or understanding of the political salience of human reproduction (which is just what TERFs want you to think). 'You get these young women who start using [TERF] because they see the response first and they think, these people must be horrible,' says [Anna-Louise] Adams. 'And there's always such hyperbolic language surrounding women who are TERFs, like "literally killing trans people", "literally enacting violence" [...] And it's just this cycle of dismissing someone's views, legitimising violence against them, thinking that they're bad, then somebody else comes in and sees you doing that, then they add to it.'

...I've suggested older women become a receptacle for other people's prejudices, symbolic figures who it's okay to hate because of all the villainy projected onto them, and who purify everyone else by representing bad, regressive things - mortal bodies, dirt, boundaries - which will soon no longer matter. In the summer of 202, following her blog post on sex and gender, protestors threw red paint, intended to look like blood, onto an impression of J. K. Rowling's handprints on an Edinburgh street. The message - that she had blood on her hands - was utterly ridiculous, but it didn't matter. The point wasn't to respond to the fact that Rowling was already a monster, but to turn her into one by treating her as such. The sheer magnitude of misogynist aggression directed at Rowling the form of vandalism, book burnings, rape and death threats were what damned her, not anything she has written. As one anonymous academic tweeted, 'When you're on the outside of the fray on gender issues looking in, it's tempting to say: If someone is hounded for her speech, she must have said or done something horrible':

The crime and the punishment must match, working backwards from the severity of the punishment. For example, if the response to what @jk_rowling said is that intense, she must have said something truly terrible - otherwise, no one would be making death threats. Because that would be insane.

Ritual witch burnings themselves, writes [Llewellyn] Barstow, 'taught people that "the woman's crime" deserved the most severe punishment possible, that women, who up to that time had seldom been marked publicly as criminals, were capable of doing the ultimate evil.' The punishment doesn't fit so much as define the crime.

– Victoria Smith (2023), Hags: The demonisation of middle-aged women, pp. 284-5.

And we must denounce and punish loudly, for:

Them as protect proved witches is just as bad as the witches themselves.

– Sybil Marshall (eds. 2016), The Book of English Folk Tales, p.211.

[dicenote]

I really want to know what song you would pick for Ide :> (or if that's possible for the Matsuda/Ide ship)

And maybe for Namikawa too. He’s quite an interesting character!

Of course, and thanks for the ask! I'll admit I had a lot of trouble with picking stuff out, but I'm pretty happy with the songs I found. I've got one for Ide, one for MatsuIde, and one for Namikawa.

Ide: "Hiding" by Modern Baseball

Ide's difficult! He seems like such a simple guy, I'd bet he wouldn't even listen to music all that often, lol XD I wanted to find something that reflected his more reserved personality but also nodded to his complicated feelings about the Kira case. This song is quiet and kinda comforting in some places, but loud (and almost violent) in others.

Overall, it feels like "Hiding" is a song about the past, about happy memories that are long behind you. And for Ide, who spends a good chunk of the plot unsure about what's going to happen next, it feels fitting, in a weird way.

Some of the lyrics that I think fit him the best from this are:

"Entertain the cancer, we all answer upwards either way The waiting game is tied again. Backs of hands and phrases, misplaced gazes Things we still deny to selves and hesitate to talk about"

Those second 2 lines could definitely be interpreted in a more shippy context, but I like the "things we still deny" line referring to Kira's identity. Ide's stance on things is... kinda weird, isn't it? Like, he seems to hope that Light isn't Kira, but also he kinda sees it coming in the end. I dunno, he's such an interesting guy.

MatsuIde: "This Side of Paradise" by Coyote Theory

I was originally gonna look for something much angsty-er, but this one works just fine. Yes, it sounds kinda sad, but also happy at the same time? Something about it just screams MatsuIde to me.

I think part of it is the fact that the Task Force after the time skip (and particularly after Soichiro's death) is... kinda tragic. Like, we as the audience know that nothing they do is going to matter as far as finding Kira goes, but they still keep ongoing anyways. And since they're spending so much time on the case, they all pretty much isolate themselves from the rest of the world, especially Matsuda and Ide.

I can't remember who it was (I think @/tinycrescent?) but someone had the headcanon that Matsuda was, despite how social and bubbly he appears, a lonely person when it comes down to it. Honestly, I can see it- especially after Light is revealed to be Kira all along. He'd probably have a hard time trusting people after all that, with a few exceptions. And Ide is definitely one of those exceptions.

Ide doesn't seem like a social person to begin with, but I think Matsuda joking around with him gets him out of his shell a little bit. I think that the two of them get to be more comfortable around each other, like it "feels right" to exist together, if that makes sense.

"If you're lonely, come be lonely with me"

Namikawa: "Machine" by Regina Spektor

Gahh I really wish I knew Namikawa better, or this would've been easier 😅

(I was originally gonna go with "One-Winged Angel" from Final Fantasy 7, since Sephiroth was my little bro's nickname for Namikawa. But I figured that Namikawa deserved something a little better. So I went with "Machine".)

I picked this one because of the instrumentals. Namikawa strikes me as a methodical, intellectual kind of guy, and the piano in this song makes me think of that. At the same time, the pounding drums give off the impression that there's a lot going on beneath the surface, something darker that needs to be explored. This instrumental version sounds like something that would play when he's onscreen to me.

As for the lyrics... eh. They kind of fit him? Maybe if you squint. I dunno if it's accurate to say that Namikawa is "hooked into [a] machine", but there is something that's just a touch messed up about the whole Yotsuba thing. Like, the group is stuck cooperating with Kira during these meetings, no matter what- if they leave or disagree with Kira too much, they risk dying. It's kind of like they're stuck going along with Kira, not that Namikawa minds. As long as he stays on top, which he will.

[darkfictionjude]

Hi there, etymology anon here!

I think it's really funny I have written a lot about language, the RO's and the Crown family (both present and past); and yet I had not said a word about the mystery, when this is a mystery IF first and foremost.

I realized this because I began to wonder what season 2 could be about. And then I noticed I had not theorized much about what's going on season 1 yet, and, therefore, it's impossible for me to think about what's going to happen in season 2. While I'm sure the main mystery is going to be different, or is going to have a major twist that basically makes the mystery into something greater, I also suspect there is going to be some minor mysteries storylines that could continue into season 2.

That said, what's the mystery in season 1? The identity of who is the one killing the girls. As well as why.

Well, is common knowledge that mysteries present us with the culprit early in the story, even if they are not a major presence. But they must have a role of enough importance the reader is able to think of them as a suspect. Therefore, so far, we must have confronted the person/entity/thing that is responsible for the murders. This, however, is not set in stone. When the supernatural is involved, mystery writing is a bit more flexible in this regard, since the supernatural required explanation. Yet, for the purposes of this ask, I will just going to go with the possible suspects we know of so far.

1. The Crown Family:

While they are not my main group of suspects (based on the fact Orla was murdered), they are not exempt from suspicion. On the contrary, it seems possible some are, unwittingly or not, involved in the matter.

Victor and Prudence: They are, in my opinion, the least likely to be the culprits. Or, more correctly, the least likely to be the only culprits. After all, the only possible motive they may have is the trauma of losing Orla, and that's assuming Orla was the first girl who was murdered. Of which I have the impression she wasn't, but I may be wrong. Other than that, while they are very reserved, they have not made a major act of presence. Prudence seems almost incapable of leaving her room most days, not to say the house. And Victor, for what we are concerned, may be secretly dead. He is simply to absent to be considered a real suspect, at least so far.

Salvatore: Actually, they have a higher level of suspicion than I would have guessed. Not only they have a major role in the story, they are also someone who appears to have good intentions and be mostly put together, but has cracks that have slowly been showing. It does not help he is so secretive, and so alone. The problem is the motive. So, for me, Sally only can be guilty if he is doing this because of someone else. Or, that is, for him to be really viable we have to assume there is more than one killer.

Percy: Actually, I think he is the most likely to be innocent of the whole family. While he is less principled, at a glance, than Sally, he is mostly centered on his own pleasure and desperate for his family attention. The murders are being mostly ignored by the household, so they are not useful as a call for attention. And it doesn't fit Percy's character anyway. I think that he assumed immediately that MC was accusing him was more of a red herring than an actual reason to suspect him.

MC (I'm going to go with a male MC because I default to that, apologies): MC is only possibly guilty if we go for the theory there is more than one killer. After all, at least one murder was done when MC was in the hospital. That said, MC can very easily be a culprit of at least two murders: Orla, and the girl that was found during the welcoming party (whose name I forgor 💀). I'm not going to focus on Orla's murder because we know too little as of yet. But the other murder is plausible if we assume that MC blacked out how it happened. Now, there is a space of time between his arrival and the party that is not narrated, so it's possible to assume that he committed the murder while he wasn't in control of his body, and forgot about the whole thing. We have evidence MC forgets, or says he forgets, about this violent episodes. As well as Jude's declarations that MC is an unreliable narrator. That said, MC does count with obvious alibis, mostly the fact he was inside the Crown mansion and was never seen covered by blood by anyone. Or, at least, no one has mentioned it. Of course, there is a murder that MC simply wasn't present to be able to commit. In most circumstances, this would mean MC is innocent. However, is also possible there is more than one murderer. In fact, if MC is guilty, of at least one of the murders, I see the possibility of Sally also being guilty going higher, specifically.

2. The Staff:

So far, there is only one member of the staff of the Crown family who is named: Arthur.

Arthur: He is surprisingly suspicious, although he also doesn't have a clear motive, except perhaps being loyal to the Crown family to a fault (or the contrary). That is, to assume Arthur is guilty, we have to assume either that one of the Crowns (probably MC, or MC/Sally) is guilty, and Arthur acts to clean their name; or, we have to assume Arthur wants to bring down the family. So far, both can be true (although there is a possibility he does have another motive we don't know anything about, as of yet). After all, Arthur is a chauffeur. And, other than MC, he doesn't seem to be someone who is required much to actually drive, but more to take care of the cars. Sally never let's Arthur drive him. The same goes for Percy. And given than the Crowns are not very wealthy as of now... Well, is a little suspicious. It does not help he was present at one of the murders.

3. The RO's:

They obviously are a suspect. However, because of season 2, we know they either are most likely to be innocent. Or, that they are able to go without a punishment. Unless, of course, a reason for the time jump was that they (or MC) got imprisoned. I'm just saying we cannot say yet. Also, I'm not entirely sure when the murders properly began, so it's possible most of the people here are too young, or that there had been multiple killers one after the other.

Imre: He is suspicious because he is a master manipulator, is obviously planning something they are not sharing, and they benefit from making himself appear a hero by playing as the detective. Yet, being a detective allows him also to be able to deflect suspicion from him, since he knows where to look at and what to manipulate and erase. On the other hand, what's the motive? We don't know for sure. (I'm saying this as an Imre devotee, so I truly don't want him to be murderer, but he is suspicious as hell).

Nia: She is less suspicious than Imre. But not by much. On one hand, not wanting to get involved in the investigation may be a way to deflect her own guilt. Obviously a girl that fits the victims' profile doesn't want to make herself a target. But she decided to distance herself from MC, who she believed committed murder. So it's possible she truly doesn't want to be involved, and is innocent. However, she has access to the morgue, and, perhaps, enough medical knowledge to make herself to appear more innocent than she is. That said, I don't think she is truly guilty. She doesn't have a clear and logical motive, unless she wanted to clear MC's name. Which she doesn't, because why would she of she believes MC to be guilty?

Lorcan: I don't think he is guilty. While I believe he is capable of murder, I only see it as something personal and passional. Something more emotional, and yet significantly less savage than what the murders have been. Also, if Lorcan is guilty, we have to assume he is crazy and killed Orla, and is in denial about it. Or, that someone else (like MC) killed Orla and he is so traumatized by her death he began killing teenage girls. But that doesn't fit his personality, in my opinion. He wouldn't go for girls, he would go, rather, for people he deems responsible for Orla's death. And even then, I don't think he would go to murder as a first choice.

4. The town:

Not the town as a whole, but some inhabitants of it. Like someone who went to the party, or someone who assists the school (either as a student or as teacher). However, no one other than the ones mentioned above are given enough importance (so far) to be considered good suspects. We simply don't know enough.

Also, there is the theory of multiple murderers. Not necessarily in a "everyone is involved" way. But following the idea I put above of multiple murderers following each other. For example, it's not just Imre, but the Durans through generations (this is just an example, I'm not saying I believe they are the culprits).

5. The supernatural:

Is possible something supernatural is involved. Either related to the Crowns (as the Prologue and the possible second identity inside of MC seem to point at), or not (as the entity in the morgue, that is not identified entirely as of yet).

Conclusion:

I have no idea who may be responsible yet. But, so far, I like the following ideas:

1. MC is guilty, alongside a member of the Family (most likely Sally).

2. Arthur is guilty, and MC probably is too.

3. There is more than one murderer (this is necessary if MC is guilty, otherwise, it can be debated).

4. Depending on how early the murders began, there may have been multiple generations of the same family or of unrelated murderers going for the same kind of victims. If that's the case, there must be a tradition, either purely of a ritual nature, or of some supernatural kind.

5. The most boring possibility (at least for now), but very likely, is that something supernatural is going on that we don't understand yet. That may or not be related to MC, or the Crowns.

After all of this, however. I know you cannot say who is the guilty one, or what you think of my theories. Except maybe point out a very obvious mistake that came from me forgetting an important detail (which is possible and likely, since I did this all by memory and without consulting the game).

Also, sorry for the length.

Speaking of use of language, I find it so interesting how for Sally you go back and forth between using they pronouns and then him 😉

So the the thing is girls have been disappearing for decades (the wall at the police station). The problem is are they are gone due to the same thing? The scooby gang kind of assumes they are, because it just seems so odd that only young girls en masse have been going missing for a very long time. With the belief that Orla might’ve of been the first of her kind to have ever been found. That between two years more disappeared but were never found either and lately two were found close together

I like the multiple killers theory that just means that you can’t ever trust your own shadow.

Very nice breakdown 😌

[leonawriter]

i know im late but

Kogoro Mouri?

First impression

That was a long, long time ago, but probably "deadbeat who can't be bothered to deduce his way out of a paper bag hat." A lot of frustration, or just dismissing him outright at times, probably.

Impression now

I still feel the frustration, but I feel like a lot of it is more on Gosho shoehorning him into the role of "needs to be a dumbass" rather than Kogoro actually being a dumbass. He's had so many times when he's shown how smart he is that there are some times when he acts stupid that just... don't make sense.

Favorite moment

I think it's the Fourteenth Target movie, where he shoots Eri with perfect aim in order to get the guy holding her to let go?

More recently, I can still remember the moment from the Stradivarius case where he does exactly what Conan says without even asking or complaining and only then does he ask himself why he just... followed the orders of a seven year old.

Basically, any moment that lets him be a badass.

Idea for a story

Anything where he puts things together.

Kogoro having a one to one with "Conan" and getting a few ground rules down, talking things over, so they end up collaborators and the whole "Sleeping Kogoro" thing is a joint effort.

Shinichi at one point saying "Sure, sure. But if you start derailing an investigation, I WILL knock you out and take over."

"Deal."

Unpopular opinion

What are the unpopular Kogoro opinions? I mean, part of me sometimes wonders if it'd be better if he and Eri split up properly and just let themselves be friends, at times. Gosho wants to show that they're still in love, but unless Kogoro's womanising is a bluff, that's... hm. She could do better.

Favorite relationship

Funnily enough, I love seeing how he is with Conan/Shinichi! Kogoro is basically like Shinichi's second dad (fitting, considering how Yuusaku is absent so much), and it shows. They'll mirror each other and not even realise it. Kogoro will also, in spite of how he complains about "the brat," protect him just as much as he protects Ran.

Favorite headcanon

That he's put things together, no matter what Gosho says.

Just now I was even thinking that he could easily have come up with a "deduction" that is scarily accurate, but he convinces himself that it "can't" be true because it's just the sort of thing that those around him usually laugh at him for coming up with. It doesn't leave his head, but it's just like a conspiracy theory that refuses to not make sense.

There've been times he should have been looking straight at Conan when he shot his dart, or should have woken up before the deduction is over. It fits.

[vestigialpersonality]

100-Question Durge Ask Game: Answered

The words weren't flowing today and my focus was too jittery to read, so I filled out Durge Ask Game 10th Edition instead. I know it's not the proper way to do things, but it was this or watching my in-laws play sportsball videogames and this was significantly more entertaining.

@daemon-in-my-head I had already finished when I sent that ask...but I was fucking mortified by what I had done and saved it in my drafts instead of posting. It took about two hours including intermittent breaks for doom scrolling. 😅

For clarity I'm referring to pre-tadpole as just Durge because he had five different names for every day of the week, whereas post-tadpole is Rune.

1) Any major physical changes? Any impairments? What are they and when did it happen?

As a whole Durge is basically a fancy flesh golem. He's not a shapeshifter like Orin, but pre-tadpole he practically lived behind the disguise-self spell. For the few people who got to see his actual face, he looks like an elf, or at least a half-elf, provided they don't too hard. Skin the color of a decaying corpse, black eyes, teeth that came from at least four different creatures. He's covered in scars in all shapes and sizes and kind of looks like he was pieced together like a cheap leather coat. Much like a tiefling, he's an obligate carnivore.

2) Post-Tadpole Durge is pretty messed up, what does past Durge think of these changes? Do they think it won't matter as they'll still be daddy's favourite assassin even with a head injury?

Pre-tadpole Durge would probably kill Rune out of ableist pity. Rune is suffering from speech aphasia, migraines, chronic pain, dissociative episodes, and damaged bones/musculature in his hands. The memory loss has also exacerbated some pre-existing conditions, like dietary restrictions not being met. Anxiety and depression have been cranked to eleven, self-worth is at rock bottom, self-control is all but gone.

3) Out of all the companions, which one would've been an easy victim for past Durge and why?

Gale, probably. Soft, friendly, easy to get in his good graces, but powerful enough that Durge wouldn't want to try to take him in an even fight. And Gale is probably the least inclined of the party to just straight up kill someone.

4) Would any companions have had any chances with past Durge? Who and why?

Astarion, full stop. They knew each other and Durge felt like Astarion would be a welcome addition to his stabby family.

5) What sort of 'real world' clothingstyle would past durge have loved? Are they the type to join a subculture like punk, goth, etc. (Aesthetically at least)?

Durge is a social chameleon, so really all of them. But given the choice he'd be wearing a three-piece suit. Rune is less picky and would probably wear whatever he could find in dark colors at goodwill. Jeans that mostly fit and a t-shirt with the sleeves cut off.

6) Speaking of clothes, streetwear or formal clothes?

Durge prefers formal all the way. He wants to make an impression. Rune doesn't care as long as it is comfortable.

7) Durge is old money incarnate, but what do they think of new money? Did their view change after their homemade lobotomy or meeting a young man with a quick and easy smile?

Durge thought the concept of social climbing was fascinating and watched Gortash's evolution like an experiment. Rune has little concept of money or wealth.

8) What's their aesthetic like? Describe it to me. Or better yet, hand over the link to that Pinterest mood board we all know exists (at least in theory, go do it).

Vulture culture at its finest. Bones and shiny things.

9) Any favourite flower? Did they actually decorate things with it or was it a secret hidden pleasure? Do they maybe just like the symbolism, smell, what have you?

Durge had a garden where he grew useful flowers and plants. He liked foxgloves in particular, though there was no special reasoning behind it. Rune has no feelings one way or the other.

10) Did they ever get to enjoy receiving gifts? From whom and which one was their favourite?

Not really. Gifts always come with strings attached and those that don't aren't actually meant for him, they're meant for someone's fictionalized view of him. Even Stillmaker was mostly unwanted and only accepted, strings and all, because it was useful. He did, however, collect trinkets brought to him by crows.

11) Hot or cold foods?

Hot.

12) Do they drink? Which is their favourite liquor? In what situation would they prefer a nice glass of a little something?

They drink, but don't feel any particular way about it. Alcohol is useful for social posturing.

13) How entitled is Durge on a scale of 1 to 'gods favourite little gorebaby deserves the world (or its end)'?

Probably at the lower end of the scale. Too much internalized guilt.

14) Favourite body part? And of whom?

He likes teeth in all shapes and sizes. Hyoid bones. 

15) Can durge ride a horse? Did they sneak around the cities rules pertaining the ownership of horses?

Yes. He grew up on a farm, but he doesn't own a horse of his own. He rode on most occasions when he had to leave Baldur's Gate. Rune may or may not remember.

16) Bribing or threats, which is their preferred method? (Murder excluded)

Depends on the day, though he leans more towards bribery. You catch more flies with honey than vinegar.

17) Bhaal, of course, has his favourite colours, but which colour is your Durges absolute favourite? Did it change after their brain was messed with? Can they even see colours?

He prefers a relatively monochromatic colors. Grays, dark reds, midnight blues, deep plums. His favorite color is similar to hex code #2a4d6b (dark steel-blue)

18) Their love language? Did anyone ever experience it in the past? Did they survive it?

Murder. Acts of service. Gortash and Astarion are both still alive-ish at the start of the game, so it wasn't always deadly.

19) Did they ever consider leaving the gate? What for and where would they go?

He has no particular desire to leave until his work is done. It's not home, exactly, but it's easier form a stronghold when not roving the countryside like a bandit.

20) Did they maybe even leave the Gate in the past? Why or why not? What kept them there or drove them away?

He's traveled a bit. He's been to Waterdeep and Elturel at least once, though had no desire to stay.

21) Bhaal despises hope, but what does Durge think of it? Is it fun to play with? A lil bit of sadism never hurt somebody or do they despise it too?

He won't give them the hope that they'll survive, but he will give them the hope that it will be painless. Durge doesn't play with his food unless someone has particularly stoked his ire. He feels he's acting out of kindness, that whatever horrific acts he's committing are for the greater good. In his twisted little psyche he's not evil and people should be thanking him for their deaths. 

22) What's their favourite crime? Excluding murder of course, pick another one beside that.

It's relatively minor, especially in the grand scheme of Durges, but busking without a permit.

23) Did they carry money around with them or was their name enough to pay for anything they'd desire (or the explicit death threats they'd mumble)?

They carried money. It was easier to buy silence.

24) The temple has a lending library. Did Durge use it too? What was their favourite genre or did they stay far, far away from books?

Durge loved to read and had a particular fascination with the rites and histories of other gods. Rune can read if he tries really really hard, but it's extremely slow going and gives him a headache.

25) City or village? What would they choose if they were given the choice?

Durge prefers the city. Rune wants a hovel in the woods with no one around for miles.

26) Durge is well spoken and presumably well read as well. Who taught them? Did they attend an academy?

Learned a bit at home before the incident, just enough to help handle inventories and read recipes. All the rest was learned at the temple and through determination.

27) At one point or another Durge had friends. What were they like? What was Durge's position in the friend group?

Durge was a social chameleon who was a lot of things to a lot of people, but there were very, very few he considered friends. Thomas was loveable if weird and would befriend just about anyone who spoke with him. Sterling was gruff and ran his band of thieves and cutthroats with an iron fist. Lily was a kind, grandmotherly figure who knew all of the neighborhood gossip. But he could count on one hand the number of people who knew him and he kept them all carefully separate.

28) Did they ever attend a street fair or similar city festivities? Did they enjoy it? What was their favourite part?

Durge loved festivals. So many people, so many emotions. Plus it was an excuse to be a bit goofy. Rune would hate them.

29) Did they ever attend a ball or banquet? Run me through their typical evening at one of these 'parties' and tell me whether they hated or reveled in it.

Durge hated them. He hated them with a fiery, burning passion. It was always a congregation of the worst of the worst and very rarely was he allowed to let his control slip. Rune would also hate them.

30) Which of the seven deadly sins would represent them best? Also pride is banned from the list, pick a 2nd one that would fit instead (listen I know y'alls Durges)

Envy, pride barely even factors into it.

31) Gambling? Yes, no, are they good at it?

Occasionally. He isn't great, but will absolutely cheat like a motherfucker. Rune is even worse, but may have a better poker face

32) Cigarette baron lord Enver Gortash would like to know if Durge would indulge themselves in his business or if they prefer not to? Did they try before or quit already?

Social smoker. Never buys his own, but will absolutely mooch.

33) What's one unique trait that you think really sets them apart from other Durges? It may be physical, mental, a worldview or a part of their backstory.

He genuinely doesn't believe he's evil. If you take away the murder and cannibalism he'd probably be chaotic good.

34) Flowery, sweet or spicy scents? Not to say, perhaps, musky?

He's fascinated by smells and tends to equate them to emotions and abstract concepts. His favorites are sharp and angry. Teak, cedar, steel, clove, etc. 

35) Melee or ranged? Arcane? Sketchy deals in a dark ally? (Fighting style, I mean fighting styles.)

Dual wield daggers or bare hands. He likes being close. But he's also flexible. Magic? Sure. Poison? Why not. Big fuck-off axe? Great. Whatever it takes to get the job done.

36) About the author; do you love them in a 'oh my precious baby' sort of way or rather 'I'm so sorry for what I'm about to do to you' way?

I'm sorry for what I'm about to do to you.

37) Do they like fish? Baldur's Gate is a port city, I'd imagine they've tried it at least.

He'll eat it, but they don't particularly care for it.

38) Also can they swim? How did they even learn it?

Yes. He lives in a port city at the mouth of a giant river. There were a few incidents that were literally sink or swim so he learned which.

39) Heat. How do they deal with it? Do they deal with it? What's their body temperature like, as in warmer, colder, perfect average? His body temperature runs unnervingly low. If given the option he'd nap on a rock in the sun like a lizard.

40) If you have any other ocs, do they exist in the same universe and did they ever meet Durge? What was it like and if they didn't, what would it be like? Would anyone survive?

Tav exists in this version of the universe. They've met. Larian made a browser-game about it. It didn't end well for either of them. They're still causing trouble for each other post-tadpole, Tav has just assumed a new name.

41) Dragons, Bhaal, Bane and Gortash love em. How about Durge? Are they somehow incorporated in their design?

Nothing particularly dragony, no. Maybe some teeth or a bone here or there. Bhaal just picked his favorite bits and pieces and slapped them together like a weird sculpture when making him.

42) What's a trait they have that you could never, ever guess from the way they look?

He really, really likes animals. Not just to eat. Rune collects animal friends like a Disney princess. Durge just had a murder of crows that he fed at the park.

43) Children, yes, no, how many, what's the best way to prepare them?

There is a lot to unpack in this one, though most is going to be answered in fic-format eventually. Want kids? No absolutely not. Full stop. He's meant to end life not create it. Have kids? None living. Like kids? Indifferent, but typically friendly toward them. Favorite Recipe? There is this apple-based glaze……… 

44) Abdirak my baby girl, what would their interactions have looked like? Did they ever meet pre tadpole? What is the gore baby thinking about the lady of pain's priest?

Still not sure if they've ever met before, but Durge would have absolutely LOVED to have an in depth discussion about religion with him. Maybe find some meditations on pain that helped with self-control.

45) Can Durge drive a carriage? Are they good at it? Would anybody survive if they were in control?

Nobody would survive. Do not pass go. Do not collect $200.

46) Night owl or early bird?

They sleep so little that the answer is both. But it's easier to work at night.

47) Also, open book or mysterious stranger?

Yes to both. Durge is an open book that is easy to read in the beginning, but the pages get harder to turn the further you get. The last pages are glued together. Rune wears his heart on his sleeve.

48) Pants or skirts/robes? And I mean this for every durge regardless of gender.

Given a choice, always pants. But choices aren't always available.

49) Top 3 favourite past times, cannibalism and vivisections excluded.

Music, reading, and people-watching (in the park, in the street, in their home at night while they are sleeping). Rune just seems to stare into the middle distance and snarl like a feral dog.

50) Do they do their own laundry or is it Scels job? How many shirts have been ruined by Scels hands already?

He is very possessive and doesn't like people handling his belongings, even something as trivial as laundry.

51) What do they prefer to be addressed as? Their name, title, nickname, pronouns or just as 'you'?

Another complicated answer. They prefer to not be addressed at all, but usually just nod and say "yup that's my name now". There are certain names and titles he hates less than others. If he had to choose The Inevitable would probably be his favorite. Chance and Rune are special. He actively hates Keres and denies Asphodel ever existed. Crane, Lily, Sterling, Thomas, etc are all masks he wears. He doesn't feel any particular way about them, though it makes him uneasy when certain people use them.

52) Open and honest duels, or back handed trickery? What do they prefer?

Surprise attack, roll with advantage.

53) Art gallery, opera or hunting tournament? Let's just play pretend those exist.

Art gallery.

54) Are they more of a sweet tooth, do they love it savoury or do they prefer their mouth burning from the hot spice? Perhaps they just prefer a neutral taste?

Savory. He's got dietary restrictions that prevent him from branching too far.

55) Did the gazette ever print an article about them (or their deeds), what's the headline and what did they feel about it?

Amusement. Typically it was a page-six type of article filled rumors or gossip. He's the embodiment of the black-eyed children urban legend.

56) Outdoors or stay at home kinda person?

Durge typically wants to be out with a crowd. Rune doesn't much care as long as it's quiet.

57) Did they ever hear about the great Wizard of Waterdeep, Mystra's Chosen and if they did, how? What do they think of him then vs now.

Probably, but it was discarded as currently irrelevant information.

58) Was it them who came up with the cipher or Gortash?

Gortash. Who likely also didn't come up with it and just stole it from somewhere.

59) Story behind their name? Is there any story?

Originally he was named after the flowers that were blooming where he was found. Astarion has now named him twice. Gortash named him once. He dislikes the name Gortash gave him, but can't quite explain why and has never mentioned it.

60) Their most treasured memory with Orin? Why do they treasure it? Love, spite, sibling rivalry win?

He got to teach her how to properly use blades. Taught her sword forms, how to properly clean a carcass, how to maintain her weapons, and he was proud of how quickly she took to most of it. She hated cleaning and sharpening her tools, though.

61) Dear creators, would you like for your own Durge to meet the Durge of another creator? How would that look like? Who would survive?

I can't pick. There are so many cool ones. Most would probably snap Rune in half like a twig, though. 

62) Hats. Yes, no, why? Took too long styling their hair? Everyday is bad hair day?

Preferably not, but a lot of times it can't be avoided. It's a sensory nightmare.

63) The sweet sweet smell of gore, we've all heard about it. But is it really sweet to them? Or does it just smell like metal and rot?

It smells like metal and rot. But it also smells like dinner.

64) Did they debate stealing anything else from Mephistopheles vault while already down there? If so, what item was it and what can it do? (Maks up some stuff)

There were a lot of sharp and shiny things, but it all went tits up about half way through and there was no time for detours.

65) Their sign(s)?

66) Jealousy, is it a problem, could they care any less?

Jealous? Not really. Possessive? Like a dog peeing on a fire hydrant. You can borrow his things, but never forget that they are his.

67) Speaking off, did they have any partners before the whole tadpole in their brain bit? If not was there a reason?

Durgetash is already canon in this version of the universe. He was also desperately fascinated with Astarion and his siblings. 

68) Pretty much 99% of the nobility and political leaders in Baldur's Gate is corrupt. What did they think of it? Did they enjoy the infighting and maybe took advantage of it?

Absolutely took advantage to make an obscene amount of money. Though only half of the jobs paid in coin. Anything conducted on Gortash's behalf was paid in weapons.

69) Worgs or Gnolls, which species is their favourite?

Gnolls.

70) Have they ever been imprisoned? Why, by whom, how fast did they escape?

Yes. Though usually it just served as a time-out when he couldn't play nice with Gortash. Made a scene at a nice event? Time out. Killed a person Gortash was trying to make a deal with? Time out. Light stabbing over dinner? Time out. It got worse as time went on, Durge got meaner with age.

71) Would they survive in modern times? Could they adapt easily or would they be desperate to return home?

It's a coin toss as to whether Durge would blend in perfectly or be incarcerated in the first ten minutes. Alone and without medical intervention Rune would sleep in subway stations until he snapped and ate someone's face. With assistance he'd probably become a semi-functional member if society.

72) They don't exist in Faerûn, but hypothetically speaking, which TV show/series would be their absolute favourite?

Durge would really love documentaries of all shapes and sizes. Rune would like trivia-based gameshows even though he'd never have the right answers.

73) What's their usual mood/state of mind like? Happy, focused, grim, about to snap someone's neck from irritation?

Happy on the surface, constant inner guilt and turmoil.

74) Graveyards, a nice place to hang out or a crime scene to be avoided? Did post tadpole Durge ever discover a gravestone dedicated to them?

There's at least six of them. Hell, there's a statue in The Wide, though it has a face that makes his skin crawl.

75) Would they prefer a small and cute pet or a large and scary beast? Besides Gnolls and Worgs that is. Just as a vibe.

The smaller they are the more he can have. Durge really likes birds. Rune doesn't care as long as they're soft

76) Did they ever tell the other Chosen about their own plans to rid the world of all life in father's name?

Gortash knows, Kethric doesn't as far as me knows.

77) Also, did they know that the others would probably betray them? Did they perhaps even prepare for it already, or were they oddly naive enough to trust them?

He had a feeling Orin's betrayal was coming, but he had a feeling that Gortash would be more agreeable once there was nothing left to rule over.

78) Do they wear accessories (earrings count)? Which one is their favourite?

Durge loved jewelry. He typically leaned towards silver. His favorite was a pair of earrings made of Orin's baby teeth. Rune adores his Ring of Resistance to Ants and he's going to turn Timber's skull into a necklace. 

79) What languages does Durge speak? Is there any interesting story as to how they've learned them?

He knows common and abyssal. He learned Abyssal thanks to his father (in Minsc and Boo's Journal of Villainy, The Slayer's statblock has abyssal as a known language). He also casts speak with animals without thinking.

80) What went through your head when you crafted these little Durge doll, dear creator? Are they a self inserted of sorts or as far removed from you as possible?

He has become the projection of my traumas and insecurities, just cranked up to eleven and with an extra dose of malice.

81) What do they think of bugs and arachnids? Annoying, gross, fun little creatures? How do they treat one of these things when they see them?

Bugs are fun. He'll clean up empty cobwebs and move living spiders to more prime locations. Rune is about to become the father of four phase spiders.

82) Sleeping. Do they do that? Do they avoid it? Are they generally unable to for one reason or another?

Avoid at all costs, both pre and post tadpole. Durge would stay awake until he was hallucinating and couldn't properly hold a weapon because there was too much to do. Rune is afraid to sleep because he horrified by the things lurking in the dark corners of his mind.

83) Coffee or tea and why?

It's a rare day that he says no to a hot beverage of any kind. He prefers tea because there is so much variety.

84) Realistically speaking, would Durge be able to sit down long and still enough for a portrait or would they move within 5 minutes tops? Any reason for that?

There have been at least two portraits. He burned one. Last he knew the other was locked in a vault he couldn't access in the counting house.

85) Would your durge like you? Why or why not? Would it depend on whether it's pre or post tadpole and would it change if they knew you're the reason for what happened to them?

Durge would probably leave me alone. Rune would almost certainly kill me if no one else was around. If they knew I was the author of their discontent they would both absolutely kill me.

86) Most Durges have piercings, tattoos or both. What's the story behind them? What's the story behind the lack thereof?

Two piercings in the lobe of each ear. No tattoos, but scars everywhere. Most of the scars are a running tally of murder. The rest are accidents, surgery, Kressa's delightful vivisection and, underneath it all, are a faint patchwork like his skin is made from different scraps and pieces.

87) Durge needs to spend a day with someone and they aren't allowed to simply murder their companion. What would they do instead? How would they spend that day?

Durge would go somewhere fun, preferably with music and dancing. Rune would go for a long, silent walk in the woods.

88) How do they wear their hair? What's their preferred style? Did their hair go thru any kind of changes, whether length or texture, at any point during their story?

Durge's hair is short, black, and impeccably groomed, though the color, length, texture and style vary wildly depending on his face. Rune's hair is black, unkempt, and looks like he cut it with a dull knife and no mirror because that's exactly what he did.

89) What's the easiest way to piss them off? Interrupt them when they're focused, wake them from a nap, ignore them?

Touching. Do not touch him if you want to keep your hands. Rune is only marginally less stabby about it.

90) Old blood gets crusty, a feeling most don't particularly enjoy. How do they deal with the plethora of blood and viscera they often face?

Durge spent an inordinate amount of time and money in bathhouses under many different names and faces. It was a good place to pick up useful gossip and bathing was practically a second religion. 

91) Does Durge have a loud voice or are they always asked to repeat what they said because nobody audibly understood em?

Durge typically wasn't particularly loud, but he was well spoken and liked using five dollar words. Rune has trouble stringing two words together.

92) Nail Polish. Yes, no, what colour, do they get someone else to do it for them? Do they even take care of their nails are they crusty and each one has a different length?

No nail polish. Despite looking (mostly) like an elf he has claws closer to a tiefling. Durge took rather meticulous care of them, Rune's are shattered and broken.

94) Dried fish/meat and jerky, apparently a really hot debate, but where does Durge fall? Do they like it, do they detest it, do they have a secret stash hidden somewhere?

Jerky is fine. It's better than fish, but only just.

95) Hyperfixation. Yes, no, what topic has their mind in a chokehold and how much do they enjoy info dumping?

As I mentioned above, he's fascinated by other religions. Specifically their funerary rites.

96) What's their personality type? Talking about the '16 Personalities' test.

Not doing this one. These personality tests give me anxiety.

97) How many blankets and pillows are in their bed at any given moment? Just one set for them to catch a bit of rest or is it more akin to a fabric fortress with comfy things galore? Any teddies?

Small bed with about thirty million blankets. All mismatched, nothing particularly fancy.

98) What's their sexual/romantic orientation? Do they themselves know? Do they simply not care as they're too busy being gods favourite little flesh baby?

Gender and physical appearance play no part in their attraction to someone. Durge likes them sharp and angry and willing to not touch him goddamned ever. Rune just wants someone who doesn't flinch when he looks at them, who will maybe pat him on the head and tell him that they can see he's trying.

98) Their favourite piece of clothing? Any story behind it or is it just too darn comfortable?

Durge will never admit it, even on pain of death, but he stole a nightshirt from Gortash once. Rune really likes the tattered blanket he's turned into a cloak, mostly because it's warmish.

99) Wild card - tell us a story, fact, idea you'd like to share about Durge or their creation.

Rune only happened because of a co-op playthrough with my spouse. It was a double-Tav party but their Tav was malicious. The initial spark for the whole thing was when I was talking to Timber and they came over and just punted her into a tree. As Tav. I really, really wanted to see what it would be like if an objectively evil Tav recruited a Resist-Durge, especially if they had history together.

100) Wild card 2

Every installment of my Durgetash series is going to be based off of a song from this album because it crawled into my brain nearly 25 years ago, hid in the walls, and died before I could get it out.

[prowerprojects]

The Amy thing is how often feel about Tails being a "secret baby kitsune" theory. I don't mind the idea being played AROUND with; but with how some fans have a tendency to put characters who have 'broken' abilities on pedestals. (I have a strong feeling that if Sega gave him the innate ability to blow up stuff with his mind or shapeshift, fans would get on him for not using those more often than "hiding behind machines".)

People having their hcs and conclusions on how stuff works is totally fine, but not every in-universe needs an elaborate explanation. (Amy can be strong in own her right and perseverance without her being part of a different species. It feels more inspiring that way, similar to Tails working on being more self-sufficient or Cream not wanting to be seen as a helpless little girl. That said: Just like with Sonic inspiring her to break out of her shell, Amy being inspired by Knuckles and his ancestors' history when they hang out, gaining new techniques to apply in her personal training in honor of her friend? All for it. )

I agree on the Tails thing. I love it when people give him kitsune imagery, but to me it's kind of like Sonic being associated with the wind? It's cool to have the association and everything that comes with it, but Sonic isn't literally the wind, you know? So it's cool to have Tails being compared to a powerful mythical being because of his skills or intelligence, but for him to actually be one? Eh. It's kinda like Amy super strength thing.

People like cool superpowers! I think if we got a good Tails gameplay that utilizes various gadgets it might make people think "hey, it's actually cool". The problem with the gadgets though is that anyone could use them. If you give a gadget to someone who can blow things up with their mind, they would have it, and then still be able to blow things up with their mind. So obviously it's cooler to play as them instead of Tails. It doesn't really matter for the gameplay whether he was the one who made the gadget or not. (And also people don't really consider hyperintellect to be a real superpower, probably since irl intellect is something that you can't really measure in a real way, unlike speed or strength) I fear I'm not making a clear point here, but I think I kinda get why people subconsciously would gravitate to characters with more impressive natural powers, as disheartening it might be to those of us who like the characters who don't have them. (But Tails specifically just needs to have more badass moments in general because he had developed... a reputation at this point)

Oh, the idea of Knuckles teaching some of his clan's techniques to Amy is sooo sweet. (Where did he learn those? Well probably the same place he learned how to talk, don't think too hard about it) It kinda fits with the whole found family narrative too. (I don't really see Amy and Knuckles as siblings, it's more of a general "my friends are my family" thing)