#it was just a matter of time i made some bb fanart

[punskiii]

grant us eyes, grant us eyes

[rosenecklaces]

GWYNRIELS WAS CREATED BY PEOPLE EVEN BEFORE ACOSF WAS RELEASED FULLY. EVEN BEFORE THE BONUS CHAPTER WAS PUBLISHED...

I think I need to remind them this because they love to forget that shit. S*M had never planned for them being a thing at all and even now it haven't been discussed seriously by no one that matters (s*m, BB, all those articles published of what comes next for acotar)

Gwynriel have no legs to stand on, at least Elucien have an unwanted mating bond but what of y'all? You people are so desperate to keep away two characters that like and have interacted for years with eachother just because you can't read properly what had been wrote at this point

Gwyn can't look at Azriel without remembering he saw her aggressive rape and viceversa, she had never commented about wanting to either date or feel attraction to someone or, damn, not even a sign of wanting to touch or talk away from training with Az (she blushed to Rhys one time, are they endgame material now?)

Gwyn AT THE END OF ACOSF couldn't even tell nesta she would be at her mating ceremony, and she went back to the library. Away from men and around women she trust more. She doesn't have the damn necklace, she would had mentioned it on acosf or nesta might see her with it, so Elain's necklace isn't Gwyn's now and probably would keep that way

You people are so obsessed with putting that woman in extremely sexual situations in almost every damn fanarts of them, or choose to romanticize her rescue that was actually made by Mor primarly, by the way

If I liked a ship where in sexual art EVERY DAMN CAPTION of it have a disclaimer of how SA victims can have sex in a short period of time, I would be considering if I wanted to keep liking this couple at all. As a victim myself, it takes like five minutes to reason that it's not okey to be putting this shit of "well she will date some day which mean sex is on the menu, she can do it no matter the time" so casually, because it affects victims likewise. You guys can literally google how gangbang rape affects victims long term in their intimacy and sexuality, how not every single one would be affected the same way obviously, but it's way more common for them to take time out of sexual encounters and even romance. How it's more about trust and confidence on your partner, and that even with both things been present it's difficult to let them touch you.

Gwyn have no trust, knowledge nor the enough confidence in Azriel as a man to go in bed with him right after we read how she ended up in acosf. It's very unlikely to see her character change her mind about being around men, trust one, be alone and hang out with him, be sure he likes her back and then have sex in another book (that isn't even gonna be hers or about her in the first place)

I'm going to say this once, and I am not going to voice this again because the fact that it even has to be said, is absolutely crazy.

Nothing in ACOSF has shown us that Gwyn is ready for a relationship. She can't even leave the library at the end of ACOSF to attend Nessian's mating ceremony. She is probably now even more traumatized after the BR, and rightfully so.

Could she one day be in a relationship with a male/female? Sure. But that time is not now, right after ACOSF.

Right now, she is NOT ready for a relationship with anyone (including Azriel).

Do not get me wrong. If there had been ANY sign she had shown interest romantically in any character - I would not be saying this. But she has not shown that for anyone, let alone for Azriel.

Gwyn is going to eventually heal. But she does not need a man to do so. She does not need to play sidekick to Azriel and help him handle his so called "darkness" to heal.

Y'all can't just force her into a ship when she's clearly not ready for a relationship. Well, I suppose you can, but that would be disrespectful to SA victims everywhere.

Fictional character or not, SA trauma is real. Forcing this timeline of healing on Gwyn or shipping her with someone just so she can "fix him" or suit his "sexual freak" nature is just downright ignorant.

If y'all like Gwynriel because you think the aesthetic is cute or you think they'd compliment each other - that is fine. But this dialogue of Gwyn is gonna fix him and she and Azriel HAVE to be together because some half-baked statement from Azriel's POV - it's so weird.

Stop shipping women with people they have shown no interest in. Same goes for people shipping Elain with Lucien, when she loses her boldness around him and shrinks into herself.

Literally the moment SJM shows Gwyn is ready and likes Azriel or Elain suddenly gives Lucien the time of day out of her own free will, I will fully accept and understand the other ships.

But for now, I am shipping the couple that has actually shown desire and attraction and affection for each other. Just my opinion, and I'm not entertaining any arguments on this.

[go-hux-yourself]

Tethercord

I saw this fanart by @ellalba​ and I just had to write something!! Many thanks for the inspiration, just *chef’s kiss* that’s good shit.

This labeled as Tethercord. Also on my ao3 here :) My masterlist archive of bullshit i write can be found linked at the top of the blog or here.

--

He should have thought this through just a bit more, but there simply wasn’t enough time.

Shoot me in the arm, he’d told him, right after refusing to go with them.

It was a wound that wouldn’t be too serious; one he could still walk away from without impeding his own ability to protect himself. One that would provide him alibi for helping the three escape.

Hux had been shot in the leg instead, the suddenness and surprise dropping him to the floor as much as the pain itself. He was outraged in the first second, then considered the next that this would surely play better in solidifying his innocence as part of his cover.

That’s when he realized the wound was bleeding. Profusely.

They’d taken him with them for that fact, a trail of blood in their wake as he could do little to defy the pilot’s arm around his waist with the pain of the wound in his thigh.

Was this technically a kidnapping? Did it even matter? If he kept bleeding the way he was, it would no longer be a problem.

He was half in Poe Dameron’s lap on the floor of the cockpit, the man putting pressure on the wound with his hands over Hux’s own. They’d made the jump to lightspeed already, but they’d taken far too long to see to Hux’s injury. The blood-loss was severe, even with the paltry supplies from the ship’s med-kit staunching the wound.

The white bandaging and trauma-kit was really only a quick-fix, but Hux needed real medical attention.

“Rey, we gotta hurry! He’s lost too much blood!”

“We’ll be there soon.”

Hux had his eyes shut against the pain, grimacing as Dameron’s hand pressed harder into his leg. It woke him up a bit, but he was dizzy; disoriented. The way he was sort of propped up sideways in the man’s lap only made him spin more, not to mention the indignity.

He leaned back hard until he could feel durasteel behind him. It didn’t help with his sense of orientation. Confusion mixed with the surreality of his situation as the world spun around him, and Hux made a noise of pain.

The pain was real at least. Solid. It jolted through his consciousness and grounded him at the point where the other man’s hand pressed into the wound. He was cold-- or at least he was shaking- and so much was going on it was becoming harder and harder to focus. He wished he could block out the sound like he could his vision.

“Are they tracking us?”

“I don’t think so. We got out of there quick enough.”

He wished they wouldn’t talk so much. If he had to die here, he wanted it to be quiet. At least the arm around his back steadying him was warm. That was some small modicum of comfort to the reality of bleeding out on an old freighter in the enemy’s arms.

Was he the enemy still, though? Hux wasn’t sure. He was a traitor, probably. He was becoming less sure with every beat of his heart. Blood loss, his brain supplied again. Kriff.

“...I didn’t mean to hit an artery.”

The wookie growled something Hux was certain was rude. He didn’t care. At least the traitor’s voice had sounded slightly regretful of his actions. It made morbid satisfaction rise in Hux; that he’d be affected by Hux’s death in some way. Maybe Hux’s actions had helped them even more than he’d assumed.

His smile came out a grimace.

“I know.” The arm at Hux’s back shifted, and the fingers on his leg adjusted. “Shit he’s pale.” He winced and hissed as more pressure was applied to his thigh. “You hang in there, Hugs.”

Hugs. Yeah, that’s who was holding him. The pilot who’d once humiliated him, but that he was fairly sure had been his contact this whole time.

Dying on the floor with Poe Dameron’s hands on him, what a fate. That was a better death than he expected from this life, if he were being entirely honest with himself. The nickname, though, he was still prickled by, and alive enough to voice his opinion on such matters.

Hux opened his eyes with a feeling of annoyance that was quickly replaced with a sudden acute awareness of the man holding him.

He couldn’t remember anyone being this close to him that wasn’t somehow threatening in nature. The care in his body language alone was loud and obvious. Striking. And he could see Dameron’s stubble; lines at the corners of his eyes from smiling; the way the man’s brows were knit together as he concentrated on keeping Hux’s hand sealed under his own, fingers flexing.

The expression on Dameron’s face was one of genuine, open concern, which was also distracting to Hux’s nearly-drunken state of mind. It was getting harder to think. He couldn’t remember what he was annoyed about. If the damn room would stop spinning, he might be able to. The longer he looked at the other man’s face, though, the longer it didn’t matter.

Poe’s eyes locked on Hux’s, the dazed look there worrying as Hux retracted one of his hands from beneath Poe’s own. Still strong enough to move his limbs. That was minorly reassuring. Maybe he wouldn’t die. Poe gave his hand a squeeze. They were both still sticky with his blood. “You still with me buddy?” BB-8 beeped a warning about Hux’s blood-pressure. He nodded to the droid before looking from Hux to the cockpit. “I know. Rey, how far are we?”

“Ten minutes out. How are you doing back there?”

Hux’s hand began to rise of its own volition as he stared up at the other man holding him. He’d never had this, had he? Someone touching him kindly with genuine concern for his well-being. A firm hand over one of his own, skin-to-skin and warm and real.

Was it real? Was he already hallucinating?

He wasn’t so far gone that his logic was, though. It was more likely that he’d been left to bleed out in the hall, and this was all some hopeful fantasy before his brain starved of oxygen and he died. He’d definitely rejected Dameron’s offer to come with them-- the way the man’s face had fallen, that had been the source of this hallucination in a cockpit, surely- and he’d been shot in the leg instead of the arm like he’d asked. Probably some petty revenge for rejecting the offer. Only it had gone wrong.

And now he was bleeding to death, left in that corridor as they made their escape, but thinking he was in the arms of a man who’d once mocked him, being spirited to safety.

That sounded much more plausible, his brain supplied. This was war. These things happened. And if he was hallucinating this badly, then he’d probably be dead before long.

It didn’t matter if this was real or not, then, his brain also reasoned.

“...Dameron?” Hux spoke softly, looking at the pilot’s face and wondering how his stubble might feel. Would it feel real for the hallucination? Like the hand on his or the thigh at his back? His vision kept getting splotchy, questioning his own coherence and grip on reality.

The pilot was looking at him now, at least. And that opened up a whole new world of things for Hux to be distracted by.

“What is it?” Poe wasn’t going to ask if he was okay-- he obviously was not- but he was encouraged that Hux still had a voice. It was breathy, but if the general was still coherent and awake-- and knew who he was- then he was still okay. His eyes were glassy and his face was pale, but he only had to hang on a bit longer. Poe had Hux’s attention, anyways. The man’s gaze was locked on his own in focus. “Speak to me, Hugs.”

Hux’s fingers made contact with his jaw first, and Poe realized as the other man’s palm bloomed on his cheek, that he was being touched. Caressed. Poe was confused only a moment before realization took him, and he felt heat enter his cheeks at the craziness of it all.

This was hardly the time to get excited over anything, let alone the delirious touches of a man dying in his arms. Yet here the general of the First Order was-- their spy; a man Poe had secretly been fantasizing about for over a year since he’d had his suspicions on that- actually caressing his cheek.

Hux dragged the pad of his thumb over Poe’s jaw to his chin, feeling it with a sort of unrepentant grin as the pilot’s brows raised. His glassy gaze was locked with Poe’s own. “...You have beautiful eyes.”

Poe’s mouth hung open just a bit. That was certainly unexpected, and this was absolutely not the time to be super flattered by that, even if he could feel his face heating with a little more than concern. From what they knew about the general, and Poe’s own interactions and guesses, this was the last thing he expected. Being called scum by the man was normal. This?

This was… exactly out of some of his dirty fantasies where he got to play the hero and save the day. Poe was trying to save his life, doing his best to that end, but-- General fucking Hux? in his lap and stroking his cheek and saying he was beautiful?

“Shit he’s dying!”

Hux let his arm drop back to his lap, dizzy for the loudness and proximity of Dameron’s alarmed voice and how the man changed his hold on him. Hux was annoyed again, and it was hard to keep track of things. He was pretty certain that he was going to black out with the way his vision kept tunneling, and he was entirely dependent upon Dameron keeping him upright at that. The only thing he was able to focus on was keeping his hand on his thigh which was still soaked in blood.

The man above him was exchanging worried tones with the others as Hux fought to keep his consciousness. The droid beeped shrilly, and Dameron’s hands both squeezed his arm as he spoke some kind encouragement that was hard for Hux to follow in this state.

He thoroughly wished they’d all be quiet and let him die in peace.

--

my kofi | ao3 main

[cap-ironman]

Cap-IM 2020 BB: Writers Weigh In, Part 3/4

Event Guidelines | Writers' Guidelines | Artists' Guidelines | FAQ

Been writing for a year? A month? A decade? Doesn't matter, we can all do with motivation tips for how to keep going when things get rough… or how to start the going in the first place 😉

Below you'll find how some of our past Cap-IM Big Bang participants managed to finish their BB drafts in time and where they got their motivation from.

Have a read to see if there's something new you can try for your writing projects, and best of luck with your potential Big Bang fic!

What best kept your motivation going when writing your Cap-IM BB?

I think it's pretty lucky that the final creation phase includes Nanowrimo. The structure of having a goal and transparency/accountability of writing? It's pretty encouraging to my competitive spirit.

I turned to my Tumblr following and asked for someone to read through it and give me ideas. Having an audience, even just one person, was super helpful, as I wanted to give them a completed story as a thank you for taking their time to read it.

The emotion of having someone else drawing, of giving the fandom a gift, and of course, my pleasure in doing something that I love.

The deadline is what motivated me! I started working on the fic almost as soon as the Big Bang was announced, and I tried to clock in at least 500-1000 words a day. I wanted to be done with the fic before the claims.

I made a playlist to listen to and get in the mood while writing.

Something that kept me going was knowing that this fic hadn’t been written—in the sense that I was writing the fic for readers as much as for myself. It was a fic I wish I’d read, so that’s what kept me writing.

Being interested in the story you're writing is the best motivator. If you want to know how everything pans out, you'll keep writing until you find out. Mostly, though, interest in your own story is less of a motivator and more of an anti-procrastinator. It keeps you from finding excuses to put off your writing.

My second BB was very location-driven, so I spent a lot of time looking at real life places that were similar to my AU setting to get inspiration and dive into that setting.

When I struggled I would watch an episode of Avengers Assemble or reread one of my favorite comic runs - something fandom related that wasn't fic. I've also found that rewatching the episode the fic is based on or the idea spawned from helps, too.

When I got tired, I used to read comments about my works or read my favorite fics, look at my favorite fanarts or talk about my ships—the words kept me smiling and my will found its fuel.

Thank you so much to everyone who generously gave us their time and thoughtful responses!  We couldn't have created this post without you.

Please note that we've paraphrased some answers — if you feel that by doing so we've lost the essence of what you are trying to say, don't hesitate to get in touch with us at cap.im.events@gmail.com.

[vanosslirious]

About your fanfic comment. People with fans always have a persona in a sense. When there is a camera or social media, they portray themselves how they want their fans to see them. Some people, dont get me wrong, don't need to dress themselves up as much as others. I only think shipping real people crosses a line when you expect that fiction to be a reality. If it really bothered the people you were shipping, they would speak out about it. As long as we ship the online persona, no harm no foul.

Continuation… As long as your writing is harrasing people it’s fine. If people dont want to see fanficiton they dont hace tk read it. It’s your choice. Just don’t let people decide what you want to do. I love a lot of your work and it would be a shame if others made you feel what you are doing is wrong when it isn’t. Hopefully when you do decide, you do what you want to do and not what people demand of you

Yeah. I had to think about this. I mean, I’ve seen people comment about shipping real people. That it’s disgusting because it goes over a line that shouldn’t be crossed because of people’s idealism of who the irl people are and who they aren’t. I wrote this post the other day about this, and how I felt about writing real life people (I didn’t upload it because I was trying to think of where I stood.) And I do think it’s fine if the irl people never know about it, that fanfiction is a safe place, and the irl people have a choice of looking their own name up and that would be their choice of finding the fanfiction. While the person who is writing the fanfiction has the choice to keep it in a singular domain without spreading or in a way, harassing the real person to read it or whatever.

The thing is, I’ve been feeling oddly insecure because of these youtube comments on Shyan videos (Shane x Ryan from Buzzfeed Unsolved) And people on those comments were saying how disgusting or disturbing it is to write fanfiction or to ship real life people when they have girlfriends/significant others. And the comment sections full of the same thing over and over again, even though its harmless videos. 

I get that Vanoss has a girlfriend, same for the others who have gf/wives. I really respect their relationships with whoever they’re with, and I never have harassed any of them. I may follow Vanoss, SMii7y, and Delirious on Instagram, but I’ve never tried to talk to them. It’s sort of a way to just like their posts, that’s it. But the fanfiction I write is more for the fandom than for the BBS. It’s like my own contribution to their persona’s that I can write different kinds of fanfic without actually putting their personalities or life into the characters that I’m writing (besides Vanoss’ other persona as Rynx in Wires.)

I do think it’s fine to write fanfiction for them. And I do think that shaming people for writing fanfiction is wrong just because it has to do with real people. Also I’m pretty sure the BBS are aware of who they’re shipped with, and the fanfiction that is involved, and when they do bring it up in certain videos, they don’t go around telling people to stop writing about them (although they have expressed being weirded out, but I’m sure anyone would feel that way about their friends.)

Yet, they haven’t said, stop writing fanfiction, because I’m sure they also know that saying this would be negative on the fandom, or that fanfiction in an whole for the fandom is needed since fanfiction is one of the largest things in fandom culture. It’s not something to be stopped, similar to fan art. I’m also not saying they have no choice in the matter, which they either look it up or they don’t, and from what I can see, most of them ignore it, which I think is fine as well. I think it could be viewed as a mutual understanding. You (artists) write/draw fanfiction/art, but don’t show the person who is the muse. While the muse (real life people) don’t cross the line by looking up the artwork, unless they actually want too, which is also fine. As artists, we shouldn’t take their choice of looking up fanfiction or fanart away from them, even when they don’t want to look it up or read it. And we shouldn’t force a narrative on them just because we’re fans of them. 

I feel like I’m being aggressive at the end, but I assure you, I’m not. Fanfiction is fanfiction, art is art, it can be deleted or reworked, and over time, it’s not going to matter all that much (most of the art/fanfiction is time well spent, it matters to us, and the passion is there, so I don’t mean that it doesn’t matter in a wrong way, more like time well tell on how we feel about it.) 

And I would never want them to know about my fanfiction, or even this blog. This is for the fans, not particularly the real life people, and I know and I hope everyone else knows, that the line that is drawn is the line we stay behind. :)

[lucytara]

Hey Erin, I haven't seen the actual art or much discourse first hand tho I think I get the gist of it and agree mostly but I guess I'm still a little confused. From the bits I've seen, ppl are upset about nsfw fanart featuring Ruby who I guess is still about 17 at this point in the show? Possibly she was aged up in the art? But I've seen at least a few nsfw art pieces of bumbleby before the time skip or aged up, so what is different about this one? Or when ppl are aged up in M or E fics? 1/2

Just wanted to add in that I'm not trying to argue or bait you or anything like that cause you are probably getting a lot of bullshit asks rn. I'm hope I'm not coming across the wrong way! You said drop you an ask to talk about it if there were questions so I thought I'd try, even if it gets buried. 2/2

hi! no, she wasn’t aged up in the art, and either way, “aging up” a minor for the sole purpose of drawing porn of them is not...a good look.

basically, what happened is that an artist associated with the fanzine posted nsfw art featuring ruby, and about a dozen people reached out to the mods and expressed their discomfort, as some were actual minors themselves. the mods then asked the artist to just remove the art until after the zine was finished, to which the artist reacted outrageously and stepped down, but has since tried to claim she was kicked and treated unfairly and etc etc etc. it’s created a huge mess for the mods and a lot of people have quit over it. (i’m not involved with the zine at all, btw, this is just from hearing from people who have had to deal with it).

re: other fanart - there has actually always been a lot of outrage at nsfw art of any of the characters as minors (if you’re newer to the fandom you might not have been around for it, but we’ve had this discourse many times before with other artists, and with bb). like, i’m really not sure why this is controversial - don’t draw porn of minors. it’s not about what the age of consent is, it’s about the fact that 1. adults shouldn’t be sexualizing minors just to sexualize them and it’s completely fair of actual minors, and other adults, to be uncomfortable with adults doing so and 2. it’s illegal. lol.

as for fic, the difference with minors i think comes from the context. if it’s just a straight smut fic involving minors, i have a huge problem with that (unless it’s also written by minors. like, y’all explore what you’d like. i won’t consume it).  if it’s some love story in which a character is a minor but includes sexual content, like, i understand that because obviously minors do engage in sexual activity and it’s valid to highlight if it’s authentic. but as for straight smut - we don’t really run into that problem with bumbleby anymore, because they’ve aged and their content tends to focus either AU or more current in canon anyway. and aging up already legal characters usually means there’s a different lifestage that content creators are after - something experiential. not like “i’m making this character of legal age specifically so i can create porn of them.” 

i hope that clears things up a little! apparently there’s some decision that’s been made, idk what it is but i can only hope that the mods recognize that despite any personal feelings they have on the matter, real people were hurt by the artist’s actions - for good reason - and they shouldn’t allow an adult that doesn’t understand why people were hurt to take advantage of the situation by whining to their twitter followers. 

[crimsonbluemoon]

Libahunt Moodboard (26/26)

Annnnd here is the last moodboard for the story! Ah, it’s so weird to think that this is the last one I’m doing. But yeah, hope you enjoy it, because it’s obviously a little dedication to some of the people in my long journey for Libahunt that helped make it the wonderful thing it is. <3

Check out all the other moodboards: 

Delirious   Smiity   Mini   Terroriser   OhmWrecker   Marcel   Evan   Kryoz   Test Your Luck   Panda   Nogla   Wildcat   H2O Vanoss  Three Amigos    TerrorMoo   Kriity   Minicat   Lui   Scotty BID407   Cartoonz   Ohmtoonz   Species (Part 1) (Part 2)   Fanart

“In everyone’s life, at some time, our inner fire goes out. It is then burst into flame by an encounter with another human being. We should all be thankful for those people who rekindle the inner spirit.” – Albert Schweitzer

Thank you <3

@piwiskiwi So you’re the OG to my Libahunt team, and I owe you my life. You’re the reason I have the name, half the ideas, the main badass scene in the middle, and honestly one of the main reasons I started my travels down the Libahunt path. Without you, I wouldn’t have started Libahunt and I wouldn’t have been able to built the foundation of the story. You are truely the best. <3

@mssjynx I’ll admit it, I live for you yelling at me to finish chapters. Sometimes just chatting it up with you and knowing that you’ll support me no matter where I take the story is what I need to focus. I’ve been dragging so much in this most recent chapter, and you just keep making me wanna write more. You drive me crazy but it’s honestly the best thing <3

@firstaidquarters Yeah, so this is my brain. If Kiwi is the reason I started it, you’re the person who made Libahunt the phenomenon that it is today. You have put just as much blood sweat and tears into this as I have and honestly I just don’t get why you’d be so giving and wonderful to me. I don’t think I deserve you, but imma steal it every chance I get. Uh also the reason I came back to the BBS fandom, so ppl really should love you. <3

@kihorri your art makes my heart hurt. The fact that you’ve read this story, let others read you this story, drawn things for my story, I just...you don’t get how crazy that is for me. Your pictures of the ‘You smell like home’ just melts my heart every time I look at it. The fact that you stuck with my crazy ass and kept reading it and drawing it even when I banned you not to was enough to keep me going. <3

@avid-draws-stuff Uh hello wonderful amazing talented person. The first time you drew for my stories, I was so surprised at your talent and skills. Then I found out how young you were and was like ‘hold up, what?!?!’. And when you started just ...making chapter art for me without any real reason, I just...felt so overwhelmed. The comic you drew of me and Bels? I’m STILL blown away by this. You’ve brought my story to life, and I cannot thank you enough for your hard work and dedication. <3

So again, thank you five lovely people who have infected my life and harassed me with your craziness. I hope to keep you around for a long time! ^.^

[kidkytes]

thank you for calling out the KH fandom for basically gatekeeping people when it comes to Kingdom Hearts 3.

I don’t want to say in that I’m calling out, pointing fingers and saying to these people that “You’re wrong!/Shut up!/Do as I say”. I certainly don’t want to come across as some raging fanboy, but throughout the years I have noticed an ever increasing mindset amongst the KH fanbase which is sad to see. It’s why I kinda started stepping out of the fanbase, then Steven Universe came along and swallowed me whole but I already knew that fanbase was a cesspit so I stayed outta that. Anyway I’m rambling so I’ll stop that.

To the point, yes there is a problem in the KH fanbase in that they can be very intense on making sure that people are up to date with either playing all the games or having read game summaries and…I get it. I understand why. I know what they are meaning when they say that. This is an over arching storyline, naturally you want people to experience it that way so that way they will have the absolute best time playing Kingdom Hearts 3 and appreciate it even more in that they can get the best closure from the game.

There is a big problem in what Square Enix, Disney and Tetsuya Nomura have done with Kingdom Hearts as a whole. First off, this is a numbered series. When you have a numbered series it is natural to the consumer that if you stick to the main numbered games, you’ll be fine to jump from them to the next. Unfortunately due to Square Enix being Square Enix (FF15 I’m looking at you) since KH3 was delayed going into production for years we got a lot of spin offs. The natural meaning of a spin off is usually to take something that was hinted at or referenced in the original product and expand and explore on it, if you wanted to. So if you were interested by it, what it lore it might be expanding then that’s great. If you weren’t, that’s fine because just stick to the numbered games and you’ll be fine. Unfortunately due to FF15′s decade of development (that can be a whole trilogy of books on it’s own) Nomura decided to put a lot of story content in order to make these appealing to the consumer rather than just release hollow games due to Disney’s requests for more games.

So that creates the whole problem in that there is some significant story elements in these games (especially Birth By Sleep and Dream Drop Distance) that it can be very hard to understand a lot of the things that have come after KH2. Looking back on it we’ve had NINE games (I’m counting re:Chain of Memories, Re:coded, Unchained X and 0.8 in that as seperate games because they are from their original versions and 0.8 is essentially a game) before Kingdom Hearts III, that’s absolutely ridiculous and TONS of story content to go through. 

So yes, I get why people want others to know as much as possible going into KH3 so that they will have the complete experience and enjoy it like that. Unfortunately will it does not represent the KH community as a whole, there is a number of vocal people who really come down on those who haven’t played all of the games and/or haven’t read game summaries. Which sadly is an issue in that there seems to be a mindset of, “Well you don’t get to complain if the story doesn’t make sense or call it bad writing”, that’s what I really don’t like about it.

People seem to be coming at from a view of “This is the final chapter” which in a way it is but it also isn’t. I view KH3 more as the final book in a saga because each KH game has it’s own individual story that it focuses on. While yes it would be beneficial to know everything about the series before going into KH3 but that doesn’t mean it’s not okay to only know a handful or even start with KH3.

To use an example if the Marvel Cinematic Universe. That is an over arching storyline but every movie has it’s own storyline, it’s own characters and themes that are unique to it. I haven’t watched all of the Marvel movies but it’s fine for me to watch new ones without having to have seen or read summaries about the ones I haven’t seen. Because, I simply have no interest in watching them. It applies to KH as well, not everyone needs to have played or read summaries about the other games if they aren’t interested. A comment in a discord I’m a part of summarised this feeling perfectly for me (sorry I use white mode in discord and twitch):

Some people simply aren’t interested, they have read summaries of the games and are still confused or simply haven’t found them appealing. Which is fine, it doesn’t mean that they aren’t allowed to give their opinion on the story of KH3 and how it felt to them.

Also when it comes down to the “bad writing” part…maybe people just think it’s bad writing in general and it’s not bad writing because they don’t understand something? Personally I think Chain of Memories, 359/2 Days and coded is bad writing because I really didn’t like the stories and most of the characters, the bizarre dialogue didn’t help that either. Dream Drop Distance…all I have to say on that is even though I enjoyed it’s gameplay, I have no idea what the hell Nomura was smoking, snorting and eating when he was writing that haha. I don’t really like Organisation XIII, I find most of the characters to be boring, the black coat designs to be bland and uninspiring. I LOVE Xehanort as a villain though, who is essentially a scientist wanting to understand the building blocks of the past and life, that’s hella interesting to me! Oh gawd I said hella, thanks Life is Strange. But yeah, if someone says it’s bad writing then maybe they just think it’s bad.

To add on a final thing I have seen from a streaming perspective. I stream on twitch, I watch other streamers on twitch. I replayed KH1 and KH2 and did my first playthroughs of BBS and DDD on stream. Now I’m not a big streamer, I would usually have an average of 10 viewers during my stream but regularly I would have people come in and the first thing they would always ask is, “Have you played insert title?”. I haven’t finished Chain of Memories, I haven’t played coded, I have no intention of playing them because I’m simply not interested. These people would then make their viewpoint known in that I was ruining my experience of the series and that I shouldn’t even bother to play KH3. These were all indivudal people, not the same person, now can you imagine that on a bigger scale with streamers with a larger platform? Unfortunately you get this happening:

That was just with someone play Kingdom Hearts 2 and people getting visibly annoyed with the streamer for not having played Chain of Memories. I was there for all of the streams until they stopped and there was multiple people coming in being rather abrasive in it was wrong in that they hadn’t played Chain of Memories. That’s sadly where it’s becoming an ever increasing problem in that there seems to be a view of “Thou must play each game or read all of the summaries or thou shall not play Kingdom Hearts 3!”.

I’d like to add on a final thing going back to the “You’re not allowed to complain if the story doesn’t make sense.” mindset, Kingdom Hearts and Tetsuya Nomura doesn’t pay your bills. Some people just outright don’t like something, their opinion can change over time or not and that shouldn’t affect you. Kingdom Hearts 3 is going to be your own experience and you’ll have your own opinion on it once it’s finished, no matter how you’ve come to play the game. Don’t let those people get to you! I know if it’s something you love and seeing people talk about it negatively when they don’t have the full picture, but that doesn’t do anything for your journey with this bonkers and crazy series we all love.

As much as I have spoken of some of the problems the KH fanbase I would like to say that this is very much a minority. They are just very vocal, there is so much more people out there who a loving, kind, positive and beautiful. All of the cosplay, the fanart, the fanfiction, the graphic creators and editors, even the people who just display their passion for KH, you’re all so inspiring to me and others. It’s why I still love seeing everyone talk about this series, it’s inspiring!

There’s been some who have said they went into the series completely blind, started on KH2 or another game and it made them want to play the rest of the series because they fell in love with it! We’re going to get so much more people who will become KH fans because KH3 was their first game and that’s so amazing! It would be great if they had played/watched/read summaries about the rest but don’t come down on them for that. There will obviously be some people who will gain a negative view of KH3 because they don’t know what most things are but we’re going to gain so much more people who love and will want to know more about the story and characters and that’s wonderful!

So whether you’re going into KH3 knowing everything, knowing bits here and there like me or taking that deep dive in KH3 as a new player, this is going to be a fantastic and wonderful adventure that I can’t wait to tell you all about in February. Not January because I won’t have finished it until February haha. I’ve typed way too long on this and there’s probably a whole bunch of spelling mistakes and grammar errors but I’m too lazy to go back and check everything so have it worts and all. So in the words of one of my video game idols, WELL BYE Lady from Shenmue I say to you all…WELL BYE!!! 

[animatical-fandoms]

Upcoming Fanart Info!

I finished my @kwamiswaps week art a few minutes ago, and boy let me tell you, it took forever. It’s just tagged and put in my queue for each day (I think each is scheduled for like 9-10 AM or something my time? So a few things to note about each character if y’all are interested, I have basic info below the cut about each swap and my basic headcanons about it. 

If I tagged you below the cut, it means I used your existing au as inspiration for some of my designs in the coming week, and I wanted to credit you as inspiration before my queue catches up! 

Tikki

Adrien - Okay just, whatever happens in canon, all that I ask is that Adrien calls Mari “Chaton”/”Kitty” it will warm my dead, dead heart understand? 

Alya - basically my personal design for @lunian‘s Ladybird AU. It’s awesome, go read their comics and stuff! I just like Alya’s Rena cape thing, so I went for ladybug wings - Fennette will be a thing too for Trixx’s day!

Nino - The fact of the matter is in this AU, Mari was like Nino is the responsible level-headed person of this friend group he’d make the best superhero and gives him the ladybug miraculous. He and Chat!Adrien are the best of friends, and Adrien lowkey crushes on him almost as bad as Mari!Ladybug. 

Chloe - yeah, my interpretation of the wonderful @zoe-oneesama‘s Scarlet Lady AU. My version of Marigold will get featured, too :)

Luka - Plain and simple, Master Fu showed up a few years earlier, and ran into this kindhearted musician before Mari. TBH Luka is one of my faves, so he’s going to show up for the majority of the week because I loved playing around with designs for him

Felix - He doesn’t get cursed with bad luck, but with a kwami that insists he be responsible and help poor Lady Noir (Bridgette) break her curse. He’s gentler, kinder as a bug than as Felix, always happy to help others and to calm akuma victims after a fight. He’s drawn to Lady Noir, ever melancholy and mysterious, and lets himself loose with an edge against Bridgette because that’s how he’s always been. 

Plagg

Marinette - Again, based off of the canon leaked art. I just really, really hope she’ll call Adrien some version of My Lady, and make at least one cat pun, either unintentionally or specifically for Adrien’s benefit so he can squeal over it. 

Alya - Instead of Master Fu picking Adrien, he asks New Ladybug who she would like by her side. Obviously Alya is the first choice, and she’s ecstatic to be a superhero, keeping the Ladyblog focused on Ladybug because, you know, she can’t record herself. Nino and Adrien crush HARD on the new superheroes, and while that frustrates Mari, Alya is absolutely delighted. 

Nino - Adrien pulls a Marinette, afraid that he’ll get caught since he’s under so much scrutiny as a model with a ton of visibility, and though it physically pains him to not fulfill his magical girl dreams, he knows Nino would be an amazing hero. Nino takes it in stride, and he and Mari!Ladybug are the bros to end all bros. Alya, crushing on Chat!Nino, creates both the Ladyblog and another blog dedicated to Nino’s alter ego. His thought? Best girlfriend ever. 

Chloe - I don’t really know how this would happen unless Adrien did the above, but with Chloe, thinking her confidence would be an asset?  Mari as Ladybug would be irritated by Mistress Noir, but it becomes a series of growing moments for Chloe, because she gets to see what a destructive force she really can be on people’s lives and gets better at the Friend Thing. 

Luka - My boy omg this one was fun to draw. So 

Bridgette - Reverse PV like Luka’s - Bridgette thought her luck was bad enough with her being unable to speak at a normal pace and pitch in front of her crush, not to mention her clumsiness makes her look like a fool in front of him during their dance classes. Now she’s cursed with a tiny god of destruction and a Perfect Superhero Partner - well, at least her clumsiness disappears when she’s Lady Noir. A shadow to Lordbug’s light. She knows it’s as hopeless to try and break her curse with him as it is to get together with Felix, so she just stands aside as his protector. 

Trixx

Marinette - See the Ladybird AU with Alya; I couldn’t help myself!

Adrien - In the world where Alya is Chat and Mari is Ladybug, the two need help against the multiplying twins, same as before. Except Mari goes to lonely Adrien who she knows would be amazing.

Nino - The above babysitting disaster happens to be Nino’s little cousin, Chris, rather than Alya’s sisters, so Mari offers the fox miraculous to him. He and Adrien get to be bros for all sides of the mask. Alya makes an entirely new blog dedicated to the new fox. 

Chloe - I really don’t know how she would get her hands on the fox, unless she made like Queen Bee and stole it, which I suppose is plausible. Maybe I can do way better than Lila because I won’t be faking it kind of thing?

Luka - He probably would get this if another akuma was the reason they needed the Fox - maybe if Fu gave it to Ladybug while his mom was akumatized and he was worried about everyone’s safety. 

Felix - He was free of the Black Cat’s curse, and the miraculous could no longer be his. It got passed to Adrien through Fu without him knowing, and as soon as he sees his little brother vaulting across the city in a catsuit (without stripper boots, what the hell Plagg why did you make me suffer this way) he storms up to Fu’s place and says give me the fox those are children my god and becomes Mentor #1 to the new Chat and Ladybug. Naturally, no one catches on that he’s himself. He’s a professional at this secret identity thing. 

Wayzz

Marinette - In the world where Nino and Adrien are Ladybug and Chat respectively, Alya has been chosen as the fox. During Anansi, though, she’s captured - so Nino’s like omg Marinette could be the turtle and Marinette, upon receiving it, is having major panic mode set in, but you know, she does her best. Adrien takes a look at her protecting them and is like omg my Lady, a la Alya knowing exactly who Carapace was, but he keeps it to himself, and becomes more comfortable and flirty with Mari. 

Adrien - Don’t know if this fits in with any of the others . . . but probably Chat!Chloe verse, and Marinette is like please can you be my partner forever

Alya - Instead of her getting kidnapped during Anansi, it’s Nino, since Nora had a beef with him being too girly. She totally saves him and fangirls over being a superhero and he just knows. 

Chloe - How did this happen? I’m not even sure. But her being on the defensive is so out of character that I can’t even begin to rationalize it. 

Luka - Both Alya and Nino are unavailable during Anansi, so Marinette is like, Luka was super helpful on the boat and is super nice let’s do this. 

Bridgette - Fox!Felix verse - she sees her boyfriend, who was once Chat, as a fox teaching the two bb heroes the ropes. She goes to Fu, stands in the door with her eyebrow raised.  Fu had meant for her to succeed him as guardian anyway, and she takes up a job at his place so he can still hang out with Wayzz. She becomes Mentor #2 and is basically Mulan in fighting style - totally unexpected strategies. (It’s her fault that identity reveals happen, idk how, but it is)

Pollen 

Marinette - Marigold from the Lady Scarlet universe!

Adrien - From the universe where Chloe ends up as Chat, Marinette is super protective of this sunshine bee boy

Alya - Marinette actually? Gets the Bee Miraculous to Alya instead of losing it to Chloe?

Nino - Mari’s mind goes to Nino instead of Alya when the Bee is needed, and she makes it to him. 

Alix - After seeing her do so awesome with Reverser, Marinette turns to Alix for help as the Bee. 

Max - well, I don’t have too much of a headcanon for him, but kwamiswaps did a fanfic, so that’’s what this design is for! (I did little suspender stripes without meaning to omg I really do like how it turned out)

Dusuu

Marinette - I suppose in this AU, the Peacock wasn’t damaged, just disappeared - and, while visiting Adrien for a study session, she ends up with a new bird friend. 

Adrien - He inherits it from his mom okay??? Like, Fu has it and knows and is like your mother would have wanted you to have this. And this pisses off Hawkmoth to no end because he thinks whoever stole it is Definitely Not Adrien and is disgracing his wife’s name and just more angst than I expected for this Bird Boy (which, of course, makes the running gag that he’s allergic to feathers hilarious - Dusuu does make him sneeze if they get in his face, but when he transforms he doesn’t have his allergy. 

Alya - Swap the Peacock for the Fox - let’s just say Hawkmoth had a direct source to mess with Lila. Instead of illusions on the night the twins start multiplying, she creates a summoned creature to lure them all together. 

Nino - The Peacock was damaged still, but Nino was willing to risk that to save his girlfriend and the city. 

Chloe - Somehow, since the Mayor was friends with Gabriel and his wife, he ended up in possession of the Peacock before Gabriel knew what it was. Chloe gets her hands on it relatively at the same time she would have gotten the Bee and is just as Extra. 

Jagged - Who knows? It was necessary to make this once it was suggested. Let it happen. He deserves to be a flashy birb.

Nooroo

Marinette - Mayura is the main villain in this universe, and Emilie is comatose because of a damaged Ladybug Miraculous. Adrien is still Chat, but he makes “my wings” and “my little butterfly” comments rather than “My Lady”. Gabriel has Nathalie generally doing his dirty work, and he calls Emilie his lady. It’s very sad and angsty. Mari uses her friends’ best qualities to fight against the beasts Mayura creates. 

Adrien - He’s been Chat for some time, but now Gabriel has been revealed to him and Mari, and he gets really, really angry, and steals the miraculous as Adrien. This is a Problem. Plagg is concerned Adrien is getting too angry to deal with powers of destruction full-time, so Adrien brings him to Fu and alternates between Plagg and Nooroo, and he confronts Gabriel a lot as the Butterfly because betrayal reasons. Ladybug is concerned, but she trusts him and that’s what gets him through. 

Nino - He is So Supportive of his friends, okay? He gets chosen as the Butterfly holder when, say, Bridgette has the Turtle and they manage to take it from Hawkmoth but still need help getting the Peacock or some other stolen one. 

Chloe - Okay, this version of Chloe does not get a redemption arc, like, ever - she’s Hawkmoth. Straight up.  She starts every akuma purposefully, becomes a villain, etc.  Don’t ask why; I don’t know - attention? I prefer Redeemed!Chloe, but I feel like she’d totally be past saving as this particular supervillain. 

Kagami - She’s a fencer, the Butterfly has a sword/cane, it’s a match! Adrien gets to pick some new holders in my personal headcanon. Let’s say while the Mouse and Snake go to Mari and Luka, they get the Butterfly so Adrien chooses Kagami because she tried to help him and she wouldn’t let her emotions get in the way when she chooses people with her powers. (I didn’t like my original Alya design for the butterfly, so we get Kagami instead!)

Felix - Brother!AU. He was Chat Noir when he was younger, has been abroad with Bridgette, and comes home to see the canon situation. He is Not Fooled by Adrien, Mari, anyone - he’s been there, and he has distance of not knowing most of the people involved, so he gets very, very, angry. He knows his father is Hawkmoth. So he steals the butterfly and sides with Ladybug and Chat Noir, who are both thankful but confused at this new Butterfly who’s So Angry - Adrien doesn’t figure it out, but he comforts Felix without meaning to and Felix is so touched. Felix eventually reveals that he knows who the previous Hawkmoth and the current (insert villain name) is - Gabriel Agreste. Obviously disbelief and angst, but he reveals himself and is like I am the last person to want Gabriel to be a supervillain so yeah and Agreste brotherly bonding and HawkDad butt-kicking and there.