#its surprisingly big! which is awesome

[sunshineram]

it looks so polite. such a sweet little smile :)

[stellaspectral]

I just recently found your blog and to say I absolutely love your writing is definitely an understatement.

I really love your post about Dating rise Donnie headcanons, and was wondering if you could do a version of it for rise Leo? Of course, if this has already been requested or you can’t or don’t want to write it for any reason, no hard feelings!

Remember to take breaks and drink water!

A/N: Wow, thank you so much for the kind words! It truly means a lot! 😊 I can totally do a version of dating headcanons for Rise Leo! I haven’t had that specific request until now, so here they are 💖

(And I appreciate the reminder about breaks and hydration; I need to remember more often!)

Dating Rise Leo (SFW)

💙 ROTTMNT Leonardo/Gender Neutral Reader 💙

CWs: None. All characters are aged-up.

Leo is always trying to look cool to impress you. Expect unnecessary flips to grab something, leaning against walls/doorframes, etc. This is almost always accompanied by a smirk that’s trying its absolute hardest to be charming, and probably a wink or two.

He’ll find excuses to sling an arm over your shoulder, playfully nudge you, or ‘accidentally’ brush hands when reaching for the same thing. It’s his way of breaking the touch barrier under the guise of casual confidence.

Leo frames asking you out as a challenge: “Bet you can’t beat me at [video game/contest here]. If I win, you gotta go on a date with me. If you win …” He’ll pause and smirk. “… you still gotta go out on a date with me. ‘Cause winning is awesome and you should celebrate with someone equally as awesome—like me.” Then he’ll wink, hoping the bravado masks the nervousness.

Get ready for a barrage of cheesy pickup lines, usually delivered with finger guns and a hopeful smirk. “Are you a portal? ‘Cause I feel like I could just fall right into you.” or “Did it hurt? When you fell from … that moderately high ledge I just portaled you away from?” He thinks they’re hilarious and peak romance.

Playful teasing is Leo’s primary love language. He’ll gently poke fun at your quirks, engage in witty banter (or what he considers witty), and try to get a rise out of you. If you can dish it back, he’s absolutely thrilled. It becomes a friendly verbal sparring match he finds incredibly engaging.

He bestows upon you a series of increasingly ridiculous (and often pun-based) nicknames. He uses them frequently, testing them out to see which ones make you laugh, groan, or blush. It’s his way of creating an intimate inside joke between you two.

Leo will turn almost anything into a playful challenge, enjoying the lighthearted competition with you. He’s genuinely happy even if you win, though he’ll demand a rematch.

He’s not shy about showing affection. He’ll sling an arm around your shoulder, casually grab your hand, maybe even attempt a dramatic dip-kiss when the mood strikes. He wants everyone to know you’re his awesome partner.

Forget your jacket? Want snacks from the place across town? He’ll use his portal powers for you (and he definitely also uses them to make dramatic entrances when portalling to meet up with you.)

For dates, there will be rooftop picnics with breathtaking city views, some urban exploration, maybe a visit to the Coney Island Boardwalk. Back at the lair, prepare for extensive viewings of the Jupiter Jim franchise, complete with his commentary.

His gifts are … eclectic. Expect things like:

1. A t-shirt with a terrible pun: I Fell For You (Through a Portal) or You’ve Stolen a Pizza My Heart. 2. A coupon book for redeemable ‘Leo Services’: One free portal ride (destination may vary), One epic training montage soundtrack, or One distraction from boring chores. 3. Occasionally, he’ll nail it with something surprisingly thoughtful he overheard you mentioning weeks ago.

Got a big test, presentation, or event? Leo becomes your hype-man. He might leave encouraging (and pun-filled) notes via portal or send ridiculous motivational voice messages. He believes you’re amazing and wants you to succeed, even if his methods are extra.

While he loves being the center of attention, he also loves seeing you shine. If you achieve something cool or demonstrate a skill, he’s your loudest cheerleader. He’ll brag about you to his brothers and anyone else who’ll listen.

He thinks you’re the coolest person ever (besides himself, naturally) and he’ll hype up your interests, even if he doesn’t fully understand them. If you’re passionate about something, he’ll ask questions and encourage you enthusiastically.

If you’re upset or stressed, Leo’s go-to move is distraction. Feeling down? Suddenly, you’re sharing a pizza on top of the Chrysler Building and he’s cracking jokes to help you feel better. He might not always know the right words, but he excels at trying to make you laugh your worries away, even if just for a little while.

He also quickly learns your go-to comfort foods. He might not know exactly what to say, but he’ll appear with your favorite takeout, a specific type of candy, etc. Whatever you like. It’s his tangible way of trying to make things better.

The smirk drops fast if you’re in danger. One second he’s cracking a joke, the next his katanas are out, and he’s placing himself squarely between you and whatever threat dares approach. He might play it cool afterwards, but the fierce protectiveness in his eyes is unmistakable.

He’s not immune to jealousy. If someone else is clearly hitting on you, he won’t make a big scene. Instead, he subtly reasserts his presence with louder jokes, an arm over your shoulder, or suggesting you two leave for some place ‘way cooler.’

He picks up on your specific slang, your favorite obscure references, the particular way you phrase things. He’ll weave them into his own banter, just to see you smile or playfully roll your eyes. It’s his way of showing he listens and wants to connect on your level.

Just as you learn to read his moods beneath the jokes, he becomes surprisingly adept at reading yours. He notices the slight shift in your tone, the way you hold your shoulders when stressed, or the specific sigh that means you’re overwhelmed. He might not always react perfectly, but he sees it, and his attempts to cheer you up become more targeted.

While he projects effortless cool, you catch glimpses of the weight he feels as leader. He might get contemplative after a mission that didn’t go perfectly or seek your opinion on a tactical decision he’s mulling over. He values your perspective, even if he doesn’t always admit it directly.

Beneath the bravado, there are moments when the façade drops. Maybe after a tough mission or when he’s messed something up. He’ll get quieter, rest his head on your shoulder, and implicitly seek reassurance. He might not say he’s feeling insecure or scared, but you learn to read the signs, and being there for him in those moments deepens your connection immensely.

Leo’s gratitude often comes in quieter moments: a sincere “Thanks for putting up with me,” a hand squeeze after you’ve helped him through a moment of insecurity, or just a soft, genuine smile directed only at you. These subtle moments mean more from him than all the jokes and puns.

[zzthekaiju]

THE GREAT MONSTER HUNTER RANKING! Part 5

For this part, we're going to be getting our feet more than a little wet. We're looking at the monsters best suited for the water! And it turns out there are more than a few of them across separate categories. We'll start with the very first monsters with a more aquatic affinity.

The Piscine Wyverns:

"Everything seems a little flat to you, doesn't it?"

The Cephadrome (and its smaller version, the Cephalos) are a neat way to introduce our water-dwellers. Though it's more accurate to say that this one would rather be in the deserts. Yes, our swimmers don't have to be in the water exclusively. You can swim through sand in this world, too! It's a starter monster, so it's not that powerful, but I like how, of all things, they looked to the prehistoric amphibian known as Diplocaulus for inspiration. You can tell by that funny head shape it has. Just a super-charming look for a monster that sadly keeps getting tossed to the side. 7/10.

"Get hip or die!"

The face of the Piscine Wyverns is the Plesioth. And I must say, it's one of neater-looking ones! With a body full of iridescent scales and a head like a shark, it's just so striking! Plus, it can swim with a good amount of grace. However, most people remember the Plesioth for its infamously broken hit box due to its unusual size, especially regarding its hip check move. In fact, the franchise seems perfectly aware that this monster came out a bit on the glitched side of things, and has embraced that to some extent. But honestly, I think if people talk more about how broken your monster is, that should be more of a cause for alarm. Questionable gameplay issues aside, I like where they went with this monster design-wise. 8/10.

"Yip yip yip!"

The Delex are rather small Piscine Wyverns, but they've got their charm. They're big fish with the faces of gharials that swim through the sand. Heck, they kind of remind me of Ichthyosaurs as they were designed when paleontology first became a thing. Gotta love some good retrosaur action! 6/10.

"It's like a hot sauna in here!"

The last Frontier immigrant (for now, at least) is the Lavasioth, which can best be summed up as a big coelacanth on legs. And it can swim through the lava. That's really neat! Coelacanths don't get nearly the amount of love they deserve in paleo-circles, which is weird considering how they got their reputation from being literal living fossils. Now, there's a big beast shaped like one that swims through lava and FIRES lava as well! Just an awesome monster, all around. 7.5/10.

"Everyone feels filthy, and so should you."

...Jyuratodus is a waste of everyone's time and effort. It's LITERALLY the Lavasioth except it traded lava for mud and dirt. They're so alike, I dare call this a variant that didn't want to be called a variant. Or, simply put, a reskin. Plus, it's not fun to fight. It's only saved from a lower ranking because it DOES allow people to fight a giant coelacanth monster outside of volcanic areas, but they could have at least TRIED to not make it near-identical. Alas...3/10.

"Frozen fish sticks!"

AH! You see that, Jyuratodus?! THAT'S how you make a new Piscine Wyvern without copying someone's homework! Anyway, while Beotodus isn't winning any power-scaling competitions anytime soon, it wins points for standing out. It's got some surprisingly vibrant color patterns for a creature that lives in the tundra, and that huge honking horn on its head brings to mind the design philosophy for certain Japanese Kaiju. I like it! 7.5/10.

And that's that for the Piscines! Yeah, not a whole lot, but I encourage Capcom to experiment in the future. However, there's a category that's somehow even smaller, though it's steadily gaining traction with each new game. And that's good, because there's a lot of potential to be found in the reptiles' biological opposites.

The Amphibians:

"Hop Pop's gone mad!"

Tetsucabra is our first ever Amphibian, and you know what, it being just a giant frog is fair. But it's not totally "just a giant frog". It's got a club-like tail, and those monstrous tusks can be used to shovel the earth into boulders all the better to crush you with. And it fights like a sumo occasionally. But what really catapults this guy a rank up is how in Rise, though it's not fought, there's a character that rides atop a baby about the size of a large dog, and it's so adorable! Imagine raising such a cute thing into the beast you see before you! Hope that pair appears again. 6/10.

"Jaws 9: Ribbit."

Zamtrios (and its smaller brood of Zamites) could not have possibly been conceived under normal circumstances. SOMEONE was thinking on an ascended mind when the phrase "giant frog that is a shark that uses ice powers for armor" crossed their mind. Even without the armor, Zam here is intimidating. It's a big blue frog with the face of a great white. You really think you'd want to cross that? Well, then it goes from threatening to dangerously hilarious when it unveils its secret weapon...the ability to suck in air and immediately cater to inflation fans everywhere. Sure, you're going to giggle at least once seeing this thing bounce around, but then it squashes you and you're one cart less. But should it not be feeling so silly, the Zamtrios will use its deadly ice breath to cover itself in a ridiculously awesome coat of frozen armor (pictured above). What's there not to love about this amazingly creative land shark? 8.5/10.

"A frog-platypus? TERRY THE FROG-PLATYPUS?!"

One of the first new monsters unveiled for Rise was the Tetranodon, and for me, this was one of the more striking newcomers! It's a frog that fights like a sumo, has the shell of a turtle, and has the head of an armored platypus! Can you get more creative than that?! Well turns out, you can. It's primary inspiration is not just some out-there animals, but the mythological Kappa. This Yokai looks almost the same, right down to them both having a bowl-like top on their heads. But thankfully this monster doesn't lurk in bodies of water to remove a fictional organ from childrens'...um, lower ends...it just waits in the water to eat pretty much whatever it can get its gob around. And it's pretty fun to fight, too! Let's give this big beast some love, 'kay? 8.5/10.

And now, we are at the meat of our fifth chapter. The monsters that dominate the water almost more than they do the land. Most of them have the same body type, but why fix what isn't broken, eh?

The Leviathans:

"It Came from Beneath the Sink"

The Royal Ludroth has a bit of a neat concept, but it's just not my thing in execution. it's a big lizard built for the water, with a harem of smaller females at its beck and call, and there's also a huge sponge-like growth on its neck that gives it the ability to use water powers. It's weird, yes, but I don't know. Once again, this mostly boils down to a "yellow and gold aren't my color" gripe. Fine for what it is, but not necessarily a monster I look forward to hunting. 5/10.

"Good feeling's gone."

On the flipside, there's a Leviathan quite unlike any in its class. The Gobul is a neat take on a giant terrestrial deep-sea angler fish. It's got the classic lure, as well as big whiskers it can use as pretend plants as it waits below the sand for an easy meal. Also, it's got retractable spikes. But unless those spikes are out, it's as flat as a pancake. I'm not exactly clear as to why they haven't brought this intriguing monster back, but it might be because a lot of its fight back then depended on underwater combat, and it lacks the more amphibious qualities its relatives have. Sorry Gobul, you may be neat, but until Capcom figures out how to make you more viable on land, you might want to stick to waiting in the sand. 6.5/10.

"A shockingly serpentine swim."

Just as the Rathalos dominates the air and land, the Lagiacrus rules the sea. This huge Leviathan has been touted as the toughest and coolest swimmer around. And to be honest, I can see where they're coming from. Its design incorporates elements of crocodiles, cobras, and the sea serpents of old, as well as an appealing color scheme. But Lagi's greatest asset is the spikes on its back being able to help it conduct electricity. And while I have to wonder how this thing doesn't end up killing everything for a wide radius in the water with that power (its a literal living electrical device being dropped into the water, do the math), it's cool in practice. It's a pity then that, for some reason, Capcom is really hesitant when it comes to bringing it into the recent games. All of these new Leviathans and not once does their OG get invited. It's tough to be Lagiacrus. 8/10.

"Snap, snap, that's a wrap!"

Agnaktor is like the Lagiacrus, except it's right at home in volcanic biomes. Design-wise, while I don't like it nearly as much as I thought I would, it's still cool with its Spinosaurid-like head and big fins. It's kind of like if Titanosaurus from the Godzilla franchise was a Leviathan, albeit it replaced that shrill roar with some neat snap-snapping sounds it makes with its jaws. Unfortunately, despite its young, the Uroktors, getting to be in Rise, it instead got replaced by a subspecies of Almudron NOBODY ASKED FOR! It must suck for Agnaktor to have a niche clearly built for it be taken by some unwanted upstart. But here we are. I want to see it come back if only so I can form a better opinion on it. For now, 6.5/10.

"No! I'm the biggest loser on the beach! They buried me in the sand and forgot about me."

Just from the name, you can tell that no one was taking the Nibelsnarf seriously during production. And I can't do so, either. It's unique, don't get me wrong. Its armored hide conceals a rather vibrant color scheme, and I like how its eyes are directly on top of its head like a flat fish. But fighting this thing is SUCH A CHORE. At the point where most hunters are at, almost every weapon bounces off of its armor, and it absolutely refuses to let you hit it most of the time before ducking into the sand to bite at you with that big mouth. Sure, you can bait it into eating bombs, but you don't get to carry that many, and you're sometimes expected to try and fish it out of the sand instead of hunting it like a normal fight entails.

Nibelsnarf is a bad joke with a far too gimmicky fight for my comfort due to the jank of previous games. 4.5/10.

"Shall we dance?"

I may not always like when mammals get used as a design basis, but I believe they really cooked with the Mizitsune, otherwise known as the bubble fox. Yes, this monster fights prominently with bubbles. And even more surprisingly, while these bubbles are made to slow you down most of the time, some can actually give you special bonuses. And that's not even getting into how graceful this thing moves as it tries to hit you. Be warned, the Mizitsune may look beautiful with its flower-like fins and pretty colors, but it can hit hard with its burly tail and wipe you out with a beam of pressurized water. Also, its theme music is as bouncy and cool as its fight is. But more importantly, BUBBLES! 8/10.

"...I'm so lonely."

YES, I AM AWARE THAT THIS MONSTER IS IN A SEPARATE CLASS. The Snake Wyverns, more specifically. But...c'mon, that category hasn't been updated in forever, and most Leviathans have the exact same body type. And with that, I declare Najarala a honorary Leviathan. I will say, I dig the obvious inspirations this thing gets from the legendary Aztec God, Quetzalcoatl. It too is a huge serpent that almost looks like it has wings with those huge scales on its back. And speaking of scales, it can fire them from its neat paddle-like tail. Those scales hit with enough force to rattle so loudly they stun prey. And then the scales blow up on the Najarala's volition. Sounds an awful lot like a more advanced version of what the Bazelgeuse would implement. Still, I admire this monster no matter what category it goes into. Maybe someday we'll see more Snake Wyverns. But as it stands, it's sort of obvious that they're Leviathans that got lost. 7/10.

"You're getting sleepy...very sleepy."

You might think I'd be put off by the uncannily humanish face of the Somnacanth, but you'd be wrong. It's SUPPOSED to be spooky, and the rest of the body looks great! Those long claws and the flowing purple fins make for a striking design. Also, the human-like face makes sense when you consider that this monster is based on the Ningyo, a Japanese mermaid that isn't exactly easy on the eyes either. As the name of this Leviathan would imply, the Somnacanth's main strategy is to utilize a special gas that dulls the senses and make prey sleep. But should any hunter know to avoid that (I for one don't ever remember falling for it), it will switch to a tactic that I find exceptionally charming. Not only is this beast a fish-reptile, it's also got the habits of sea otters. More specifically, it'll whip out a clam from the water, and start beating on it while doing the backstrokes until it either blows up or causes some other special effect (including unintentionally healing its foe). They must have had a lot of fun making this monster! 8.5/10.

"Allow me to introduce myself, my name is MUD."

It took them a bit, but it was only a matter of time before we got a Leviathan that looks almost exactly like a traditional eastern dragon. We just couldn't ever predict how. Thus, the Almudron makes the scene. And I do like how it embraces those draconic features, ON TOP OF having a tail based on that of a lobster. That's cool! But then there's its deceptive intellect. Almudron, as you might have guessed from its name, fights mostly with mud. But not just by chucking it. It can make whole structures of mud with the intent of boxing you in and perhaps even crushing you with its signature move of making a massive mud ball with its tail. And if there's no natural mud around, it can secrete a yellow acid that makes dirt into mud. That's why people say it's based off the Dorotabo, a Yokai made of mud. But in terms of appearance and even its intro cutscene, it has the energy of a grumpy old man telling you to get off its turf. Love it! 8.5/10.

And that's that again! Next, we look at some dino-might in the form of the Brute Wyverns!

Index:

Herbivores

Neopterons, Carapaceans, Temnocerans

Bird Wyverns

Flying Wyverns

Piscine Wyverns, Amphibians, Leviathans

Brute Wyverns

Fanged Beasts, Fanged Wyverns

Elder Dragons

[tinyapplejuice]

HII !! I dont think I've requested yet but I LOVE ur writing and was hoping for some 8bit x fem reader headcanons OR VIRUS 8BIT X FEM READER HEADCANONS! THE CHOICE IS URS I JUST LOVE YOUR WORK SM !! ^.^

8-BIT DATING HEADCANONS

✧.*

•Guys I’m stepping into unknown territory, I got back into this game since like 2023 late Decembers and I’m pretty sure I missed so much stuff correlating to 8-bit or even any brawler’s lore since I used to play this game since like 2020 so if there are any key details I’ve missed about his character IM SO SORRY LIKE IM GENUINELY ASHAMED OF MYSELF TOO BECAUSE I DON'T WANT TO DISAPPOINT THE FANS WHO ARE GENUINELY HUGE NERDS ABOUT THIS BRAWLER if you have any like canon information about it or if there’s a site that contains lore about Brawl Stars and it’s characters, in general, please tell me. I’m desperate, my sister is helping me with a piece of stone and rock and using our cavemen brains together. But enough about my silly ranting, let’s begin!

•8-bit, 8-bit, 8-bit, ha, what an interesting robot to date since it’s an arcade machine. I mean imagine if you go to an arcade and just see someone being affectionate with one of these things? Pretty weird, huh? But unlike them, 8-bit is actually alive, and in Brawl Stars anything could happen since it’s fiction! Oh, wonderful!

•It has mad anger issues, do I even have to say it aloud? (Some of their things have some sort of reference that leads to being somewhat negative or aggressive like in that animation with the CCTV animation and such; even his design has some cool details with both the skull on its thing and that big X on its back but whatever!) Sometimes I like to think it can get easily annoyed and just grab out its pistols and just shoot at the thing that angered them but if it’s you, they will just warn you pretty aggressively.

•BUT!!! Don’t worry, it goes to… therapy!! I know I was pretty surprised about this too but during your relationship, it does visit a therapist to sort out its behavioral problems which is awesome! So if you notice them resisting the urge to blow up then you know they’re slowly improving out it's anger issues!

•Do you think they have a general dislike of humans in general? I think it does, the only people they can tolerate pretty well are Brock, maybe some other brawlers like Pam, and you! I just think they're neutral about robots as they don’t irritate it as much as humans do. But still, if you ever see it glaring at people especially in the age ranges of a kid to teens, just know it despises them.

•OOHH! It’s so awkward hugging this big blocky dude because of their shape and size! They’re so blocky and it will be so funny if you have to maneuver around just so you could have the perfect hug! They’re probably going to be confused too.

•I like to think it doesn’t enjoy being touched. I don’t know but I like to correlate the hating humans headcanon to the fact that the reason why it doesn’t like to be touched is because of its players! They hate it when the person’s grubby hands are on the controllers, aggressively tapping and beating up the poor dude so I could see how it would grow to dislike just the simplest touch. Obviously, it isn’t going to push and then shoot you if your fingers accidentally touch them. No, they’re surprisingly a brawler who has both great and little patience if you get me. I feel like he’s able to let his loved ones touch them even though they’re not the greatest fans. AHHH IT COULD BE SUCH A SOFTIE TO THEIR LOVER TOO WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT IT! UGHH

•8-bit’s love language is quality time. I like to imagine it enjoys spending time with their lover and doing whatever they want to do even though they suck booty! The only exception is when they have to move their legs.

•Speaking about it, They’re such a slow walker that it doesn’t even want to walk anymore for most days. They literally loathe it and you have to be such a patient person if you want to do any moving activities with them.

•Heh, another robot brawler you know what that means!!! RAHHHH ITS GOING TO BE THE FIRST CLUELESS ABOUT LOVE!! I genuinely love this headcanon and would almost apply this to every robot brawler. I don’t know. I cannot imagine a robot’s first programming to love people and that includes the arcade machine we love! I feel like they would generally get it faster though due to the lovey-dovey couple it’s been exposed to during its times of being an inanimate object.

•Can you also imagine it tried to mimic them like one time but that made both you and it uncomfortable so it doesn't do it ever again. Hehe silly billy!

•8-bit does not kiss, he literally doesn’t have lips. I could just imagine a replacement with that would be hand-holding. (If you kiss him, he gets a bit of a tingly, statiky feeling).

•OMG whenever they get flustered which is like barely like their whole face turns red and then like this some sort of pop-up appears that its system is being heated and that it needs to cool down or something and you can see smoke coming out of their body like a smoking hazard.

•The majority says that 8-bit will allow you to play their super hard, brutal game but personally it’s like a maybe especially since it lost the controller and the fact it HATES its players. It may be hesitant to let you play on it. But you know what they’re honestly fine with you playing on other arcade machines. They may be very very good at it, like they know the cheat codes and the super epic strategies that pros use or they will be dogwater. (I prefer the first one but honestly, it just depends on whatever you think it’s true!)

•Relating to its controller it lost, do you think they still mope about it once in a while? Like I could imagine it one day grumbling about the fact they lost it and you know those wasps that can clearly remember someone’s face and have photogenic memory? I could see 8-bit remembering the exact person who does it and can even accurately describe them and it would make them pay for it if they ever stumble upon them again.

•Can you imagine 8-bit easily having grudges and it’s hard to let them go? That could also be another behavioral problem that they’re fixing with his therapist. Like, imagine if you had a fight with them, and for like the aftermath of the fight it was kinda cold with you. I think they’re trying to forgive others easily, especially their loved ones.

•At first in the relationship it has the most NPC dialogue for an arcade machine. I could see them struggling to say regular words that humans would use for conversation since it’s so used to saying what it’s always programmed to say when a player wins, loses, and more but as you dated them and the months passed, their vocabulary would increase and it would have been having regular and normal conversations with you even though from time to time it would resort saying back to “Player one” and such.

• He isn’t a huge talker but that one moment where they could properly express what it has been feeling for years was so refreshing for him! That was probably the longest he ever talked and it will be so funny if he speaks about his journey of his motherboard exploding or whatever mind-blowing and crazy in a nonchalant tone of voice and you have to stare at him like WHATT??!! Could you imagine them spilling out what was on their mind for years?? CAN YOU SEE IT PLEASE??

•It can make the cutest facial expressions for someone like them. They’re actually very expressive?? (My favorites from them are UwU and 0_0) Can you imagine it being silly and wonder if someone hacked them even though it can be like that on certain days.

•Wait just as its vocabulary increases do you think its personality develops too? It will be really interesting but I don’t really know how I could see it being more relaxed and would smile often but I don’t know.

•8-bit can actually use both of its hands, I think it’s called ambidextrous. I could imagine it using both of its guns but as you know, it can’t so now it uses these magic hands to do productive things.

•You know how it can make words on its screen to make facial expressions, imagine if it ever gets grumpy it just doesn’t speak to you and instead it would write it out like [this] (Imagine the bracket keys being the screen)...

•8-bit is a geek about games and would make references about it that nobody understands except the hardcore nerds, specifically and especially the old-school games. In addition, can you imagine it being a technology nerd as well?

•I could see it as someone who’s very defensive and protective. I could just imagine them shielding you in a protective stance with their gun out…

•Also it will be super funny if they shut off randomly and then like you have to insert coins in order for them to continue “life” Otherwise they will be shut down unless someone decides to play them. So imagine just you holding spare coins just in case it ever happens or just forcing multiple coins onto their slot so they can stay alive for as long as they can.

•They are a cool. Yep, a cool arcade machine!!

GUYS I DONT KNOW IF ITS LIKE SOMEWHAT REALISTIC I GENUINELY HAVE NO IFEA ABOUT 8-BIT BUT WHOEVER REQUESTED ME THAT THANK YOU SO MUCH AND I HOPE YOU DONT HATE ME BECASUD OF THIS

ALSO I LITTERALY PUT 8-BITS PRONOUNS AS HE/HIM BEFORE I REALIZED IT WASNT LIKE THAG IN ITS STUPID DESCRIPTION SO I HAD TO CHANGE ALL OF THAT INTO IT/THEY/THEM/THEIR AND IT WAS SO ANNOYING BECUASE I WAS ALREADY AT 1200+ WORDS !! (҂` ﾛ ´)︻デ═一 ANYWAYS HOPE YOU ENJOY!!

[that1geek06]

Hello!

Could you write something with teen!reader and the Avengers where reader got in a fight with his sibling, says something he regrets, and then the Avengers encourage him to apologize and tell reader that he's not a horrible person?

That would be awesome. If you can't, no worries! I'm excited to see what your writing style is like.

Have a good day/night

-V

AHHHH OMG YESS I love this idea, I had a big fight with my sibling not to long ago so lets see how this goes, I hope I do your daydream justice, this is my first one so I'm sorry if its absolute garbago 😭 ANYWAYS enjoyy

-SIBLING RIVALRY-

Avengers X Teen! Male! Reader (Platonic)

Warnings- Angst (I'm not entirely sure how warnings go so pls lmk if I missed one)

Y/N sat at the dining room table, the sound of the ticking clock seeming to make his nerves even more on edge then they were. He grips the roots of his hair tightly as he stared at all the study guides and previous home work assignments, hoping that it will all be engraved into his brain by this coming Monday.

He sighs heavily, finals week was always the worst especially since he has his internship on the line with these scores. Now don't get it wrong Y/N wasn't like Peter Parker, using the internship as a cover for the teen hero to help and slowly join the Avengers. No, Y/N was just a normal kid, sure he was smarter than most but he wish he could just focus on training and hacking rather than why Avogadros number was still accurate when being used in modern day chemistry.

While sitting there the front door opens, and his older sister walks in. Y/N pays no attention his head not even moving up to see who entered which he knows Nat would say is an ignorant move.

"Its nice to see you too Y/N, and thanks for asking, my day was just fantastic, how about you?" Sarah said sarcastically, standing on the other side of the table and watching with a raised brow as she waited for a response.

He mumbled a fine in response, eyes never wavering from their focus on the many papers. In which his sister scoffs, "I get your stressing about these tests but you could show a bit of respect you know."

"Please stop bothering me Sarah I'm trying to focus.." Y/N says dryly, ignoring the oldest comment.

"I would just like to actually get some attention from you, I barely see you because of our schedules and your always to busy now a days-"

"Oh my god, what is so hard to understand about the words Stop. Bothering. Me. I'm trying to focus." He snaps back, finally looking up at her with an annoyed glare. To which Sarah gives one back.

"Well sorry if I come home and I want to talk to the only family I have." Y/N scoffs at her words, "Oh so now your trying to guilt trip me."

She straightens her stance and takes a deep breath, "I just want-"

"No, just shut up, SHUT UP FOR ONCE IN YOUR LIFE! GODDAMN CAN'T YOU SEE I'M TRYING TO SEE I HAVE A GOOD LIFE INSTEAD OF ENDING UP WITH SOME WAITRESS JOB AND IN A SHITTY APARTMENT! I NEVER ASK YOU TO TAKE ME IN AND HONESTLY I WISH YOU NEVER DID!" He looks up and sees his sister just staring at the ground and he scoffs, "You're not even going to listen to a word I say like normal! Whatever I'm wasting my breath. I'm going to the tower where people know how to leave me alone when I'm busy."

He quickly grabs his papers, stuffing them into his bag and storming out of the apartment, slamming the door behind him.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Y/N finally makes it to the Avenger tower and heads straight to the elevator, using his keycard to get to the upper floors.

You see, while he wasn't a hero he was still close to the team, his talent made him stand out in the lad and Tony Stark himself took an interest and introduced him to the team. Since then he's been surprisingly close the Earth's mightiest hero's.

The elevator opens to the Avengers living area, Bucky and Steve sitting on the long couch watching an old 80s movie that was still on the list of things to catch up on.

He stomps through the room, going to the empty kitchen area and taking a seat, dropping his book bag and immediately going back to studying.

Bucky and Steve share a questioning look with each other. But before they could say anything Tony and Nat walk in, both were somehow roped into the binging with the super soldiers.

"What's up with sour face over there?" Tony teases, eating a handful of freshly popped popcorn as he takes a seat on the couch.

Steve shrugs, "He just walked in like that, we aren't sure what's wrong."

The 4 of them watch as Y/N's face slowly changes from anger to guilt. His attention seeming to not even be on his work.

Bucky pauses the show and stands, walking over to the sulking teen as the others follow. They all take a seat at the table, concerned and wondering what was the matter.

"You alright kid?" Bucky asks with a worried expression.

Y/N looks away, feeling his eyes start to water as he shook his head. "I think I screwed up, big time." He says in a wobbly voice.

Natasha gives a small encouraging smile, "I'm sure it can't be that bad, why don't you tell us, maybe something can be worked out."

The rest nod in agreement but Y/N just keeps shaking his head. "No, there's no fixing this, I...I was really stressing about my studies and my sister came home. She didn't even do anything wrong she just wanted to talk."

He takes a deep breath, voice shaking as he tries to hold in his emotion, "I wasn't thinking straight and I yelled at her. I told her to shut up, how I wanted a better life than her and I wished she didn't take me in. I didn't mean it at all...I'm such a shitty brother."

Y/N's shoulders slump as he sits there, regretting everything he did.

"Listen kid, I know you think nothing will make what you did better but she's your sister for a reason, sure you made her feel bad-" Steve hits Tony's shoulder at those words, glaring at him before he goes on, "But she'll forgive you in the end, you just have to tell her your sorry."

The 4 look at Tony in surprise and he rolls his eyes, "I get I don't a lot but is me giving this advice really that unbelievable?" Y/N smiles at that, looking at them all while thinking.

"...Do you really think she won't hate me for it?"

He asks softly. Steve smiles and puts a comforting hand on the teens shoulder. "We know she won't."

With a new sense of determination, Y/N stands and grabs his things. Swinging his bag onto his shoulder, "Then I'll go do it now." He heads to the elevator and calls it up. While waiting he looks over at the 4 Avengers, a grateful look in his eyes.

"Thank you, for the advice and everything." He says, and Natasha smirks at him, "They call us hero's for a reason." Y/N laughs, and enters the elevator, the doors slowly close as he starts heading down. Ready to make things right.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Bucky looks over at Tony, an angered look on his face. "So are you going to take your own advice and apologize for turning my shampoo into pink hair dye?"

Steve and Natasha starts laughing as Tony groans, "Number one it was temporary so don't get those super soldier panties of yours in a twist, and number two, I'm not apologizing for something as funny as that."

Bucky lunges at Tony who quickly jumps out of his seat and starts running. He was determined to get that apology, even if he had to squeeze it out of the cocky bastard.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I HOPED YOU LIKED IT, I enjoyed how it came out, let me know what you goobers thoughtt,

[invinciblerodent]

Baldur's Gate 3's Potato Chowder - RECIPE

So a few days ago, I found this recipe around the start of act 3, near the kitchen of the Temple of the Open Hand in Rivington:

[Screenshot of recipe as it appears in-game. Exact steps will be transcribed below, within the recipe.]

It looked... honestly very simple and not dissimilar from a Hungarian potato főzelék/stew (which is a very cheap and homely peasant dish I love), so I just made it for lunch today, and guys....

this soup is uh. really fucking good. I tried following it as close to the letter as possible, but since it's quite vague, I did have to improvise a fair bit- but it's very cheap and easy to make, it's warm and comforting while still quite light (there are like. NO spices in there, it's a very European-feeling dish), and I'd say it's surprisingly filling, but it's. It's potatoes, so there's nothing exactly surprising about that.

I tried to write out the recipe in a very beginner-friendly way, so even if you're not super confident in the kitchen, it should be easy to follow! ❤️

Make yourself some video game soup, it's awesome.

INGREDIENTS:

(For about 6 servings)

A roughly egg-sized lump of lard (This can be subtituted with a different cooking fat if you'd like, but I recommend sticking with lard, as it adds a nice flavor, and it's kind of the staple fat for these peasant stews.)

Potatoes (I used just under two pounds)

Half of a medium leek

Small yellow onion (or half of a larger one)

2 cloves garlic

Roughly 1/2 to 1 cup white cooking wine (optional, substitute given in recipe)

Vegetable stock (or chicken- or beef stock, or water)

2-3 tbsp all purpose flour

Salt to taste

1/2 cup of sour cream/créme fraiche (optional)

Shredded cheese and/or croutons to serve (optional)

(Recipe with transcriptions and exact steps under the cut!)

(This is basically all there is in this. Honestly.)

STEPS:

"1. Put your lard in a pot- a chunky one, mind. When it stops being lard and starts being hot lard, add any good-smelling veggies (leeks, garlics, onions) that you've chopped all thin. Please salt this so it doesn't taste of nothing."

This first step is pretty self-explanatory. I sliced the white part of he leek thinly, cubed my onion, and minced my two large cloves of garlic. In the lard melted in as chunky a pot as I've got (make sure it's not non-stick!!!), I sauteed first the leek and the onion with a big pinch of salt, and once the onion was translucent, the leek soft, and they've released some liquid (around 3-5 minutes on medium-low heat), I added the garlic, and cooked it until fragrant.

"2. When it's soft and good-smelling, chuck in any flour you've got and stir the mixture so it don't burn (note for me - it's very important not to burn it, emphasize)"

"2.5. PLEASE DO NOT LET IT BURN THAT'D BE RUBBISH"

Now we make a roux by adding just enough flour to the mixture that it starts sticking together, and looks fairly dry, but no part of the flour remains powdery. (This was about 3 tbsp for me, but since this process goes quick, I did eyeball it).

It's important to keep stirring, as this can and does stick to the bottom of a pot, but it will determine the thickness of the final soup, deepen its flavor, and give it a nice, creamy consistency. I made mine fairly blonde (light tan in color, cooked just past long enough to dissipate any raw flour smell), but it can go to a fairly dark, caramel color before burning if you'd like the flavor to be a bit deeper. (This should only take a couple minutes.)

Please do be careful- it the roux burns, that flavor will be impossible to get rid of, so.... yeah, it would be rubbish.

"3. If you're fancy and have wine (or have a generously stocked temple wine cellar nearby) add a bit of it now and cook it off. When it's done, add some wedged potatoes and a lot more liquid (not wine this time or you'll have a headache in the morning)."

We now deglaze the bottom of the pot with the wine: after pouring it in, with the wooden spoon, we scrape up any stuck pieces of flour or aromatics that there might be on the bottom.

(Note: If you don't have wine, or would prefer not to use alcohol for any reason, a neat trick is to mix about 1 tbsp of white wine vinegar and 1 tsp of granulted sugar into a cup of water, and use this mixture as a substitute for 1 cup of white wine. In most recipes, the wine's main purpose is to add acidity as well as sweetness to the dish- this trick aims to replicate those qualities, and tastes very similar in the end result. I use it often in almost anything that calls for white wine if I happen to not have any at hand. But do make sure to taste beforehand, it's very easy to go too heavy on the vinegar! It should taste sour, but not so much that it's unpalatable.)

Then, I rinsed my cubed potatoes (though the text calls for wedges, those often don't cook quite evenly!) with water to get rid of the excess starch, added them to the pot, and then covered them in vegetable stock. You can use chicken- or beef stock (which would make the soup a bit richer, heavier) or water (if you want it lighter) as well- in this last case you might need to add more salt than you'd think. (Make sure to taste- it should be flavorful, but not salty! Bouillon cubes and premade stocks often have a very high salt content, so if using that, you might find you don't need to add any.)

(It sohuld look something like this.)

"4. Cook for half an hour or so til the potatoes are nice and tender, and mash some of 'em up in the liquid. If you've got any cow products - cheese, milk and the like - add them now for extra delicious results."

From when the mixture starts to boil, it should take about 25-35 minutes of simmering on low heat, covered, for the potatoes to soften- you can test doneness by sticking a fork in one of the pieces, or gently pushing one against the edge of the pot with your wooden spoon. It should give easily at light pressure with both methods.

I then put the sour cream/créme fraiche in a heat-safe container (a mug will do perfectly), and ladled a bit of the hot cooking liquid on top of it, mixing it thoroughly- both to thin it out, and bring the temperatures closer to each other, which should help avoid any curdling. Stirring constantly, I then add the cream mixture to the soup in a thin, slow stream. (Any mildly acidic, creamy dairy product should work here- though I do think yogurt might be a bit too sour, if using that I would probably omit the wine.)

Then, as everything is done cooking and the cream is distributed evenly with no curds, I turn the heat off for safety, and using a very traditional, very fantasy, not at all anachronistic immersion blender, I blitz the entire thing for roughly 30 seconds. You can of course blend it less for more chunks (or remove some cooked potato bits before blending to add them back later), or even longer for a smoother consistency, but I did like that about that much blending left only a few, small chunks of nicely cooked potato in the otherwise smooth and creamy result.

I served with shredded Port Salut cheese and croutons on top- but this is of course optional, and I think just some nice, crusty bread would also work wonderfully!

Go make yourself a video game soup!!!!!!! It's so easy and good!!!!!!!

[moldybonessmell]

So.. I've been playing genshin since 1.3 in 2021 and open world and exploration are my favorite things about the game, so...

Here's my expert opinion about best genshin locations (up to 5.6).

First of all, my receipts:

I didn't just get 100% everywhere, I VACUUMED the interactive map and got every single chest in these.

(Have ro admit I did finish exploring Sumeru just recently (today) but better late than never amirite)

So, my list:

Favorite scenic area:

Chenyu Vale. It feels serene and quiet, but also surprisingly human?? I love the fantasy vibe (and the area has it with Adepti) but it just feels like the place was actually built by people. You get little places with tea tables and few villages which are filled with people and busy with life. Its beauty is the one we can find in real life and it just makes me smitten with Chenyu Vale for some reason.

Favorite atmosphere:

Sumeru desert (Hadramavet Desert is the darkest lore-vise and you can tell from the environment). Quite difficult to navigate, especially back then when we had no underground maps lol and even now I had to get an entire natlan team just so I don't have to spend half the time running in the empty desert lol but it looks realistic.

Favorite changing location:

The Deshret Mausoleum. I refuse to finish the quest that turns the pyramid off because it's the coolest thing genshin created so far. Had to make peace with the fact I'm never getting some chests, but it's worth it.

Favorite mobs:

Sumeru eremites. They are just awesome, have pretty skill animations and cool emotes (like dancing or this one eremite who lifts his cabres asking for a fight). Whoever designed them definitely was doing it with only one hand and I respect and fully support it.

Eremite Floral Ring-Dancer & Eremite Sunfrost

Favorite exploration mechanic:

Dragonspine cold. I love that you can't just get a device to make it easier like with other areas, you have to just eat soup and hope for the best and I think it's hilarious (and I pray Shezhnaya gives us at least one super cold area with similar mechanic)

Favorite little nook place:

A tie between Albedo's camp in Dragonspine and a drug-den in the Chasm basement. I really used to use the alchemy table in Dragonspine because of how much I love the place. An only outpost of the living in the entire frosen mountain is quite romantic. The Chasm hide-out was used by this one mainer who had to eat mushrooms alone to survive and ended up being high the entire time until we saved him in a quest. He made his home in a three trunk, it's just cool.

Favorite scenery:

Had to give this one to 5.5 Natlan. Devs took scaling to a whole other level with Natlan (which is quite difficult to navigate without natlan charas mechanics but it looks cool lol). The clouds around volcano and the world inside it finally showcases how powerful was the civilisation living there (it actually shows it, instead when we just get told they were ancient)

Favorite place to explore:

Have to admit, it's probably Natlan. Puzzles are easy but interesting (I don't have the braincells to solve stuff like in Inazuma), underground stuff with levels is limited (Sumeru kinda felt like pulling teeth ngl), we got fun travel mechanics making it easier to handle big scaling of the mountains - can enjoy scenery while not having limited movement (I can't look at scenery if all I'm concerned about is how to not fall while climbing lol looking at incredible gigantic threes in Sumeru which are absolutely impossible to navigate). The places are also not too repetitive (like Fountaine underwater). All in all, I liked Natlan. I have the problem with character design and sudden lack of serious themes in quests, but its exploration is my favorite.

This is it, thank you for reading, share your favourites too!

[rascalentertainments]

Wish Granted: The Startosphere 🌙🌠🌌

Since Star will be coming in chapter 3, I thought it'd be a good time to talk about Star's home, which is The Startosphere!

In this special space, its located in a cosmic space between the the mesosphere and thermosphere. In this space, millions of stars travel across the galaxy as nomads. They go around seeing different nebula formations, constellations and other wonders of the galaxy! All of the star people have cosmic power, but its never been used to the extent of actually changing their own form, let alone turning into animals or a human.

They don't have solid forms, and since there's no gravity, the star people sort of glide across space. Their outer appearance look like human people, but they're outlined like constellations with a blue, white or yellow tint. (See this Helluva Boss GIF below as an example.) Like when a person draws an animation test for a character's movements.

It can however, be a lonely life. Especially for our Star(boy). See, Star has a family. A big one in fact, but he hasn't seen them in years. And because stars are nomadic, its hard for him to make friends. He could be pals with one, but the next day he won't find them again. So he just wanders by himself, even though there are plenty stars around.

Many of the star people can see Earth from afar, but none of them have ever visited the planet itself. The stars just admire it from afar and go on about their business. Star however, was fascinated by Earth from the start and dreamed of going down there and meet the humans who all looked fun to him. He could spend hours watching them below, go away somewhere else, but always come back to Earth as if something there pulled him in like some kind of wind.

When stars reach 18 years of age, and they can pick their own names to go by. Sometimes they get them from the humans, and other times they create their own. Our Star hasn't chosen a name for himself yet, so Asha nicknames him "Star" to make things easier. Though after the adventure is over, he just might have an idea of what to call himself...

Normally, stars can't grant wishes, that's a human belief. However, Star creates his own way to do it: Going right down to Earth and helping Asha however he can. Lastly, there are a few star nomads who heard rumors of a star with more power than any other in the galaxy. One so powerful, they could grant wishes to not only humans, but other stars. But none of them have actually seen this so called "Wishing Star".

Star nomads can hear humans, but only when they pay attention to Earth. Most of the time they're too busy looking for the next exciting thing, so Earth just doesn't hold their attention like it does for our Star. However, there is one human that ends up catching his attention the most, through beautiful singing...

In the Wishverse, Star is excited to meet other Starboys because not only have their been others who've been to Earth, but now he can make Star friends and he knows he can see them again, no matter how long it's been. Not only does he gain Earth friends, now he has star friends too. He couldn't be happier. 😁⭐ (Plus he loves to hang with Suñeo and Cielo the most, surprisingly)

Hope you enjoyed this little worldbuilding here. Like I said, this is my first fantasy story. I mostly write and watch media that are sci-fi, superhero, and action. I do like fantasy, but there usually has to be a twist on it to get me invested, and Wish's concept was one of them! So I took the sci-fi part I know and used it to create this system for the star nomads. More will be revealed as the story goes on, so I hope you continue to read Wish Granted as it unfolds!

Stay awesome! 😉

@uva124 @oh-shtars @signed-sapphire @chillwildwave @tumblingdownthefoxden

@annymation @spectator-zee @lazytitans-world @kenihewa

@mythartist21 @gracebeth3604 @flicklikesstuff @emptyblog7

[ericdeggans]

My List of the Best TV in 2023: An Abundance of Quality Even in Adversity

What’s the surest proof that there truly is too much television available these days?

The fact that, even though 2023 featured historic performers and writers strikes in Hollywood which crippled film and TV production for months, there was still enough great series and projects to fill an entire notebook page.

Way too many, in fact, for me to cover in my small part of NPR’s awesome annual listing of the best TV and film of the year, compiled among six different critics. It’s one reason the strikes went on so long in the first place – for fans of great TV, it didn’t really seem like much changed, as streaming services kept dropping cool stuff, thanks to their long production lead times.

Ironically, viewers may notice the strikes’ impact more next year – in part, because a lot of cool TV shows left us in 2023 (pour one out for Barry, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, The Crown, Reservation Dogs, Succession, and, possibly, Ted Lasso) and also because the streamers will spend some time rebuilding lineups which got depleted.

Here, where I have a lot more room is my highly subjective and surprisingly long list of the Best TV of 2024:

TOP PICK - Succession – A show which perfectly captured how the dysfunctions of wealthy families can impact the world delivered a note-perfect finale that surprised – though I did predict Tom would win out – and yet felt completely inevitable. All while the world was second-guessing and writing their own endings. Masterful.

The Last of Us – Who knew reinventing the zombie apocalypse story was simple as coming up with a new cause – fungus, eww! – and the willingness to hand big chunks of the story over to compelling, fully drawn supporting characters. Doesn’t hurt to have ultimate zaddy Pedro Pascal and precocious acting genius Bella Ramsey on the case, either.

The Bear - Speaking of compelling supporting characters…this show’s second season sparkled by giving the other employees in Carmy’s greasy spoon-becoming-a-great-restaurant lots of narrative room. But it took flight with unexpected, brilliant cameos from Jon Bernthal, Olivia Colman, Oliver Platt, Bob Odenkirk, Sarah Paulson, and the legendary Jamie Lee Curtis.

Reservation Dogs – Proof of the amazing, authentic, original stories which come from letting indigenous people tells their own stories, smashing together a crushing realism with the sense that a jarring visit from the spirit world is always around the next corner.

Fargo – Not sure I love the ultimate message on the healing power of suburban, white, upper middle class Midwestern family life (or what happens to the one major Black character). But crackling performances from Juno Temple, Jon Hamm, Jennifer Jason leigh and Dave Foley make this year’s installment the best version in many years.

Shrinking – An emotional and truly funny comedy that reminds us how hilarious Harrison Ford and Jessica Williams can be while not making us spend too much time on Jason Segel’s angsty privileged white guy shtick.

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds – The TV series which scored the most by taking the boldest swings, leaning into Trek’s original heritage as an adventure-of-the-week which told the most ambitious stories on the small screen.

(The dancing, dubstepping, boy band-style Klingons on Strange New Worlds powered my favorite TV scene of the year.)

Star Trek: Picard – Yeah, I put TWO Trek series here, because everyone else in critic-land seems to be sleeping on the fact that they made more than one excellent season of a new Trek series filled with nods to what came before, including this show, which reunited the Next Generation cast in a storyline basically about old people saving the universe from young, clueless, mind-controlled pawns.

Barry – Wasn’t thrilled about how grim this series’ finale eventually became. But respected the fact that co-creator/star Bill Hader never shied away from the fact that the show was going to be his laboratory for all the directing and storytelling tricks he ever wanted to try, and a dark comedy about a hitman-turned-actor has to be seriously dark to mean something.

Beef – A road rage incident becomes a crackling, entertaining look at everything from Asian family culture to Elon Musk-level mogul dysfunction while also proving my girl Ali Wong can act her ass off.

Still: A Michael J. Fox Story – While other celebrities are executive producing documentaries to show how legendarily cool they are, Fox helped create an up close look at his struggle with Parkinson’s disease which show how hard it is to put on socks and take a walk on a new York street without crashing to the ground right in front of a concerned fan.

Only Murders in the Building – A comedy about over-privileged crime podcasters in an Upper West side apartment building should not stay entertaining over three seasons. But this show pulls it off, tossing in against-the-grain cameos by Paul Rudd and Meryl Streep that provide the best icing on a very fine cake.

Slow Horses – This show about a department filled with failed British intelligence agents not only subverts the spy genre, it subverts the satires which originally subverted classic spy dramas, like Get Smart. Topped by mesmerizing performances from Gary Oldman and Kristin Scott Thomas, I would have subtitled this one, Get Smarter.

Happy Valley - This series about an experienced, ball-busting divorced single mom of a police sergeant in a mid-size town in Britain notched an underappreciated series finale featuring the amazing Sarah Lancashire as Catharine Cawood, finally confronting the man she blamed for her daughter’s suicide and her grandson’s emotional turmoil.

BS High – A great documentary often tells a story which keeps going deeper and better, like a descent into a spellbinding madness. This film achieved that by giving center stage to master manipulator/football coach Roy Johnson, who got ESPN to air a game featuring his Bishop Sycamore High School team; the film contends their crushing loss eventually exposed that the school didn’t really exist.

I’m a Virgo – Creator and activist Boots Riley made an urban parable where Black excellence became superpowers and the world’s exploitive class came for a 13-foot-tall Black teen played by the always compelling Jharrel Jerome. Always inspiring to see how Boots turns mainstream media’s tropes and expectations against itself.

[moonbeammist]

Find the Word

How it works: I search for the words previously assigned to me in my latest WIPs and then choose four words for you to search for in your WIPs.

^ blatant promo for feyd rautha x oc story "Doomsday Harvest" hehe. You can read it on Dune: Writing Roleplay's tumblr post: Part 1 the rest is linked at the bottom of that post on their jcink site. Protip: If using mobile for the site, go to the corner of your browser and switch to Desktop viewing mode. Follow @sandwormrp for more dune stories. You can even join their discord as a reader or writer, to collab, get updates and hangout with some awesome dune friends.

Big thanks to @sandwormrp for the tag and I loved your wildly different writing segments in your Find the Word Post . Wonderful👀Thank you for the words: Save, Breathe, Risk, Quiet

Save

You’re covered by the dark canopy of the nestled burrow underneath the stands of the large dome-like arena, filled to the brim with Harkonnen porcelain heads. You can see a partial view from here—a small peek, but enough for multiple stark heads to pop through. The hard, black metal doors were closed all the way, save for that small crack. Their starving, needy chants are ear splitting to you; you can hear them all around you in these walls beside your fellow fighters. Here you are, like a feast for them—ripe, hot-blooded, and ready for the taking.  You keep your hair cropped short just under your cheekbones for battle, falling messily over your face in a choppy cut. The length made sense under these circumstances. Last night, after filling yourself with food and beverage and thanking the Count on the ship, you pushed your way past the other passengers to the ship’s restrooms with slight impatience, a mulled over idea that has been eating at you finally coming to the forefront. Seeing your hollow, adrenalized eyes in the mirror, your hand reached to your thigh, brandishing the emerald handle of the small blade you were given as a courtesy. Unlatching it from its leather harness with a click, your arm juts out to swipe your tresses away, the ends falling like a blanket on the floor. You did not need to make yourself a target on the hairless planet, that is for certain. Not like this, not so obviously. 

Breathe [-e]

Her heartbeat returned, and it thudded loudly in her ears. Sucking in the air, it tasted stale, near salty. It did give just enough oxygen for an intake of breath, the orifices of her mouth and nostrils burning slightly from a raw, decrepit smell. Soot... and iron... and... traces of rancid fluids of unknown origin. She came to. Blinking, she saw a floor of crumbled cement, with pieces of spiky wood sticking to it. The dangerous hazard of nails littered the cement floor in small piles, spaced out in front of her. It was almost as if the previously furnished floorboards that were once there were carelessly pried apart with a crowbar, and whoever had willed the task had not even bothered to clean up the mess. Sawdust was spotted on the floor, like a fuzz. The potent smell came from outside of the walls. They were a hard stone, coated with a deep black that wrapped around the four walls, giving them a polished look, the paint job near perfect, pristine, compared to the hazardous construction of the ruined floors. What popped from the suffocating deep black, however, was a bright blue griffin, surprisingly well-detailed. A creature with the tail and hind legs of a lion and the body, head, and wings of an eagle. The blue Harkonnen symbol was blatant in its placement, placed in the very centre of the wall in front of her vision, a spike of colour against the moody, deep onyx. She cranked her neck, which pulsed in pain, seemingly irritated by the movement. Her body was sore and achy, and she soon registered it was because she was being forced to extend her limbs. Standing completely upright, she attempted to wiggle her calves, but they were shackled to the ground by heavy chains, weighing on her soft hide shoes.

Risk

“Hmm.” The sound was brief. Strange in his unique tone, like the muffled motor of a spacecraft starting up. Xenn pondered if they all sounded like that. The Harkonnens, that is. She wouldn’t know. The previous Baron, Vladimir Harkonnen, was only a thing of rumours—he was morbidly obese, levitating by way of suspension. He would have certainly fit the image of a vocal strain such as that. Perhaps if she pestered one of the guards linked firmly to Feyd-Rautha’s side, she would find out if his voice came out semi-normal or similar to his lord's. The noise could not be contemplated for long as Feyd-Rautha swiftly spun on his heel, leaving her and the few peasants who swarmed around her to stand on guard along this piece of hidden, parting in the rice fields. They were isolated from view, the crops nestling around them. The theatrics, the show that was just starting, Xenn wasn’t necessarily prepared for. Although her much too open mouth had been given free rein, telling her and everyone else otherwise. The peasants felt the tension, failing to comprehend what to expect next. Anything. They need to expect anything. I was just protecting my mother. She ruminates on this, letting it absolve her of any guilt for putting her people's lives at risk.

Quiet

He continues. “I know you do not get to leave your trusted duties among the fields very often, but consider this a gift of sorts - whoever is able, and willing to be “battle entertainment” to the Na-Baron of House Harkonnen, Feyd-Rautha, will be permitted to win your chance at freedom to travel to a new planet, a new experience.. You don’t ever have to return.” An audible chorus of gasps are heard amongst your peoples. Hushed angry whispers fill the room. You gape at the vagrant display of lack of remorse for human life. You knew little, but House Harkonnen enjoyed pleasures in gore and sadism, is what you did know. What’s in it for your Count? This has to do with spice dealings. “Freedom to die?”  a male voice questioned loudly. “You dangle freedom in the air as if House Harkonnen has any, and to dangle us in front of the Harkonnen brutes like meat!” The crowd got louder and louder in frustration and opposition. The Count’s voice bellows as his army hits their swords to the ground in a clang to signify the rice labourers to quiet their naysayers. “Enough. To those who are not interested, you may leave. You are not forced to stay. To those that are, please remain.”

Tag for a few people who I know are writers who have given me some love on my stories if they want to try it out. @mrs-hardy-hunnam-butler-pascal @littlewormgrant @houserautha

Your words are: Shiver, Hears, Utter, Time

[allthistrashtalkmakemeitchin]

Gift

I know its my birthday, but a short while ago I thought of a small scenario between Roxy and Donna which I obviously shared with ash. It felt perfect to put it out on my birthday lol.

@myloveforhergoeson ofc as always owns roxy somerset!

dividers: cafekitsune

On accident, Roxy left her jacket at home. Not at all expecting Los Angeles to be cold on a Saturday afternoon in February. Nor did she expect it to be cold in Rocque Records. She lounged on the white couch in the lobby, leather songbook in her lap as she tried to think of the next song for Big Time Rush. The collab with Orange Rust threw her off of her game, but to be honest, their presence threw her off her game too.

Typically, the only other artists in the building were Big Time Rush which meant the teens could explore on their break or mess around without bothering anyone else. But Orange Rust set up shop in studio B and it was strange to get used to. At first, the guys thought this meant they no longer could horse around or wrestle on the carpeted floor. They quickly learned the three new adults in their life weren't going to rat them out. Myron, the drummer, even egged on Carlos and James as they wrestled on the floor.

Roxy, somehow, found herself going to the lead singer for help with her music. Probably because Donna reminded her so much of her dad, but she felt comfortable around her. She also looked up to the punk-rock woman because she wanted to be like that. She wanted to be famous, she wanted her music to reach people. Thankfully, Donna was a surprisingly down to Earth woman. Usually, the internet made jokes about how lead singers were full of themselves, but that wasn't Donna.

She sighed and ran a hand through her hair. It wasn't that she was tired of writing pop ballads and love songs, but the guys needed a different sound. Roxy really liked Paralyzed and tried to recreate it, but it couldn't be recreated with such a poppy tune.

"Roxy! There you are,"

She jumped and looked around frantically. The guys were elsewhere in the building most likely goofing around. Donna smiled brightly and waved, dark roots were showing in her blonde mullet. Roxy's eyes were drawn to her burnt orange leather jacket. The silver zipper and detailing was so cool.

"To thank you for helping me with our collab, I got you something." Donna held out the small box that Roxy recognized. It was the type of box that her father would fold clothing into and wrap for Christmas.

Roxy set her songbook next to her and sat up. She was hesitant to open it. She loved gifts, but this was an utter surprise and she was at a loss for words. But carefully, she opened the box. Inside was a red leather jacket with gold detailing. The zipper was gold and the metal on the lapel and ends of the sleeves were gold. Carefully, as though she were handling a fragile ancient relic Roxy took it out of the box and held it up.

"Oh my God... How much did this cost?"

"Nah, that doesn't matter." Donna shrugged and plopped down in the white arm chair. "Try it on, I hope it fits."

Roxy stood up and eagerly slipped her arms through the sleeves. She was gentle as she put it on. The material was cool against her skin but she didn't mind. Most of the clothes were very preppy so this was a deviation from her usual wardrobe, but she loved it. Her cheeks hurt from how much she was smiling. The jacket was a bit loose, but it wasn't that bad. She'd rather it be a bit loose than too small.

"This- This is amazing."

"You like it?" Donna tried not to get her hopes up. Getting the songwriter a gift was a shot in the dark, and she had to hound James for any bit of information about what she liked. It was the least she could do for the teen putting up with her and her friends.

"I love it!" Roxy spun around. "This is awesome! thank you so much!"

"Of course! Like I said, it's a thank you gift."

"I don't- I don't know what to say..."

"You don't have to say anything, I'm just glad you like it."

Roxy giggled and raced to find a mirror to admire her new jacket in. She was over the moon. Especially because red is her favorite color. Donna chuckled, watching the girl speed down the hall.

[thefloatingstone]

Question, so far in BG3 what do you think about each companion and who is your favorite ? Personally, like many, I pick Karlach !

I like the companions but I am still figuring them out (which is funny considering I have 50 hours into the game which is longer than the entirety of Mass Effect 1).

Lae'zel - Completely out of her depth culturally but at this point unaware of it. Very black and white in her thinking regard right and wrong... and yet surprisingly VERY quick to move someone from the "wrong" side in her head over to the "right" side. I was shocked by how she instantly liked Karlach the second Karlach explained her situation to us, and had 0 problem in immediately being like "this is a good one." despite her history. Thinks she's big and tough but is actually just a tsundere. Reminds me of Worf.

Gale - shockingly quick to latch on and trust people. To a degree that suggests he's a little bit desperate for affection. However it's not manipulative or anything, it's very genuine. He just trusts too quickly and will drink up any positive interaction like a man dying of thirst. possible praise kink.

Astarion - Like I said in the other post; essentially a cat that's been mistreated its whole life and will now swat and hiss at anyone trying to be nice to him simply out of fear. Constantly afraid but is hiding it behind sass or bitching. Only member left in the team who is still stuck on neutral in terms of relationship with Tav. Is constantly annoyed with me for being nice to the broken the beaten and the damned. Almost certainly because his experiences have taught him if you're not powerful you will be abused by those who are and it's upsetting to see someone who doesn't follow this internal logic of his. Needs a hug and a hot chocolate.

Wyll - Guy of all time. But he does come with hot demon mommy so that's a plus.

Shadowheart - obviously grew up a spoiled little princess by people who are actively grooming her for some fucked up religious role and have been telling her for her whole life that it's TOTALLY awesome and TOTALLY special and that she's TOTALLY special for being trained for it when really they're just brainwashing her into thinking getting used and and forced into something without her consent is something she actually wants and she should be proud of it. She hasn't figured this out yet tho and mostly still has amnesia about it which is 100% just more grooming. For some reason unlike my friend who found her insufferable and bratty, she's been very nice to me. Sucks to use in a fight tho.

Karlach - Ray of fucking sunshine. Somehow both the mom friend AND the little sister friend. Most purehearted member of the whole lot. Has the ADHD experience of literally vibrating in place but getting told by the entire world to "calm down" and "sit still". Uncomplicated but not in a bad way. Nothing but good vibes all the time. Has never had a bad thought about anybody. Deserves the fucking world.

[marvel-starwarsfangirl]

Ep. 13 "Into the Breach" Review

This was another fantastic episode that packs so much into its 25 minute runtime. Seriously, the finale better be like an hour. I feel like there's so much we have to address, yet so little time. My faith in you doesn't waver Jennifer; you've guided us through thick and thin. I will say that Rampart is surprisingly a really fun character to revisit and I enjoy watching him interact with the Batch. This man doesn't learn, but he's funny now so I give him kudos for entertainment purposes. I loved the dark atmosphere as the finale draws nearer and near. This is the end of the Bad Batch. We know it and they know it.

As usual, spoilers below:

MAMA ECHO RETURNS!!! After so long, he graces us with his appearance and he serves. I loved everything from his action sequences to his sass. Watching him sneak around the Imperial ship, rolling off of crates and working his magic was awesome to watch. That's why he's the Arc Trooper. And boy was he funny too. If it were possible, Rampart would've definitely be set on fire. Between being told he was being demoted to being denied the title of "sir," Rampart was demolished by Echo. It's just so good to see Echo again. I love him so much for his kind heart, quips, and awesome action sequences. The writers delivered!

Rampart, Rampart, Rampart... what will we do with you? He certainly hasn't changed and probably never will. But honestly, I kinda hope he doesn't. Sometimes, people are just aholes who do the right things for the wrong reasons. Rampart provides an interesting moral perspective. And he's still hot. Seeing him cleaned up in the uniform didn't help either. I'm a simple woman guys. He's also hilarious and I love it. Rampart's ego is so big that he unintentionally comes across as whiny and comical. Going forward, I seriously wonder what they'll do with him because he's going to Tantiss. Will he get dropped off? Sell the Batch out? Die in the battle that is to come? Next week will tell. I'm glad he was brought back though. He did his job as a villain well. Now, we get to see him in different situations and it's fun.

Omega, my sweet bean, hang in there. This episode does so well in establishing just how much she's grown over the past few seasons. Omega's always been resourceful and clever. Seeing her scheme to escape the Vault was exciting. You can also see the influence her brothers, particularly Hunter, have had on her. Omega's become more confident and mature. She's a leader in every sense of the word. The other kids look to her for guidance as she plans an escape. I also want to give the other kids a huge hug; I can't imagine what it must be like for them. It's one of the darkest things we've ever seen in Star Wars. Also, Emerie and Scalder rivalry definitely is gonna end with Emerie's true motivations being discovered. Scalder's not gonna let her allow Omega to slip away.

And seeing the boys strip their armor of all their color... that was legitimately heartbreaking to watch. I see it as a symbol of finality. There is no going back once they get to Tantiss. Hunter's "negative" just cements that. The last 5 minutes of the episode were so tense as the boys hitched a ride. As a my discord friend put it, "all roads lead to Tantiss."

There were a lot of smaller moments I enjoyed too. Wrecker was pretty funny this episode. Crosshair and Hunter voicing their trust in Echo was sweet. It furthers just how much the Batch truly trust and know each other. It's that implicit trust that makes me love their dynamic so much.

Anyways, that's all for now. We're truly in the endgame guys. After so long, we've finally made it to Tantiss. All that's left is to get Omega, the children, and escape which is so much easier said than done. I'm so scared yet excited for what's to come. See y'all next week!

[licorishh]

so i'm finally caught up with andor and i have some... erm... thoughts. probably some pretty different and more atypical thoughts than what you'd usually see in reviews but it's bugging me and i wanna know if anyone else has felt this way, so spoilers below as usual.

i'll get this out of the way. i like the show. sort of. i want to love it and every time i start to something happens that knocks it back down several notches. it's... like a 6 and a half out of 10 for me. the first three episodes of season 1 are great and the last three are awesome. everything in between is mind-numbingly boring (save for mon and the imperial bits) and season 2 so far can't make up its mind as to whether it wants to be extremely entertaining and fun or shockingly dull and predictable.

some highlights: bix is a great character (bro not a single person in this show is suffering like she is let her have a BREAK), mon mothma drunk-raving because her friend is about to be assassinated was an incredible bit, the dinner scene with dedra and syril and eedy was one of the funniest things i've ever seen in star wars, all the cultural stuff with chandrila is super cool and shockingly high-quality, the appearance of the show is very nice, the production value actually looks like it used its budget for once (surprisingly; disney's been slacking off so badly with star wars' apparent production value of late but maybe that's why almost every single character in the show is a human so they can avoid disappointing us further with the most pathetically low-effort party city-purchase ahh costume designs you've ever seen in your life), kino was awesome (i was so sad when he said he couldn't swim), the prison escape was awesome, getting to see how cassian met melshi was really cool, mon mothma is awesome, dedra and syril are AMAZING (as is eedy tbh) and most of the character deaths have been meaningful. cinta's is the only one that just felt stupid and unnecessary and as a feeble attempt to shove sympathy for vel down my throat when i couldn't care less how vel feels about anything and i actually liked cinta.

some downsides: almost everyone in this show on the rebels' side is laughably incompetent save for cassian, bix, brasso (r.i.p. brasso i loved him) and mon mothma. basically everybody else is just maddeningly useless. vel and kleya are the best ones that come to mind. both of them have such big mouths and are apparently allergic to any sort of communication that doesn't include these batman one-liners (i lost my ever-loving mind when kleya said "this is what revolution looks like, vel" like oh. oh wow. i actually have not heard a line that terrible and that badly delivered since i watched some guy on youtube put the kissing booth on blast) and yet when they actually have to perform, they fail miserably, it's glaringly clear they have no idea what they're doing, and they blame everyone around them for everything they do incorrectly. vel bossed around the ragtag team in the woods (hated that arc with my entire being by the way) and then completely shut down when it was actually time to go and then she wants to act like she's a veteran at this and "you'll do as you're told" bro shut UP. she has an insane amount of screen time, 98% of which is sitting around doing absolutely nothing and 98% of that is spent with her whining because her girlfriend won't dedicate every waking second of her time to her. BUDDY YOU ARE IN A WAR YOU DO NOT HAVE TIME FOR THIS. GROW UP. cinta knows what's up!! cinta understood that personal feelings have got to come second in a time like this but nooo vel is all "but :( but :'((( but meeeee :'(((((((((((( i'm disgustingly incompetent and everything i do goes wrong and everyone i've ever worked with has gotten killed as a direct result of my gross negligence and inability to perform but stop everything you're doing and only pay attention to meeeee :(((." BRO VEL IS LITERALLY 0-2 SHE'S BEEN PUT IN CHARGE OF AN OP TWICE AND BOTH TIMES EITHER EVERYBODY GOT KILLED OR SOMETHING ELSE WENT TERRIBLY WRONG BECAUSE OF SOMETHING STUPID SHE DID. i mean vel serves. like. zero purpose in the story whatsoever. there was NO reason for her to even continue to exist in the story past the heist arc but nope! surprise! this random lady in the woods is... mon mothma's cousin...???? frickin' what??????????????????? similarly kleya is irritatingly bossy with luthen (who unfortunately is also becoming more and more incompetent by the second) and acting like he's responsible for all her stupid decisions. that whole bit where she was trying to get the mic off the piece and was trying to get lonni to help her was just cringey and hard to watch. she's a terrible liar and doesn't have the slightest idea how to operate in a clandestine manner. in reality literally everyone in that room would've noticed her messing with the piece. another big downside is the fact that cassian just... doesn't get to do anything in his own show. like yeah i know on a bigger scale it's about the setup of the rebellion or whatever but dude. he's not DOING anything. he's been on two actual missions, both of which went terribly wrong and neither of which furthered anything useful at all to the actual story.

just... it feels like the show was made by a bunch of people who have absolutely no idea how spy work actually works. everything everyone does is hilariously obvious and almost all of them should've been caught by now. it's ridiculous. it also feels like the imperial side and the rebel side of the story were written by different people. i also don't feel like it's a good thing that i'm ASTRONOMICALLY more invested in the stories about the imperials than i am in the rebels' stories (save for mon mothma's). at this point i'm just kind of neutral to what's going on with cassian and bix and liking luthen's deal less and less and am actively having to grit my teeth and power through everything with everybody else.

i don't know. maybe i'm missing something cause all i've seen is nothing but praise for this show so it's entirely possible that i'm just overlooking something, but man. normally i have issues with star wars' apparent production value and the pacing of the story, but this time it's literally just the fact that 80% of the cast is useless, boring, both, or very quickly becoming one or both.

the season's only halfway over. maybe it'll get better. idk. for now dedra and syril and mon mothma have my undivided attention and i want bix to just kill everybody because she deserves it. everything else is meh.

one last thing. another example of this show just being genuinely unbelievable at times is when in uhhh... i think episode 2 or 3 of season 2 when cassian was stuck in the woods again (again) with yet more losers with big mouths and they put down their weapons and stuff i actually jokingly said out loud "what, are they gonna play rock paper scissors?" and then. and then they did. they actually did. they actually started playing rock paper scissors i'm going to jump off a cliff. bro i was KIDDING

[thepaddock]

1/25/25

hi babies :3 I know we're on call right now but I still wanted to go ahead and write my entry for the day. today has been kind of busy but kind of not. as you know, we went home from out of town today. the couch bed we slept on was very very uncomfortable and we didn't get much sleep to begin with, but surprisingly, the hotel had good breakfast :3 we also had some apple juice and orange juice which we usually don't have, but we wanted a treat alongside our sausage gravy biscuits :3 then we went back upstairs and took another nap, but again it was not a good sleep. then, we hit the road and stopped at a restaurant to meet my moms friend, and we were there for like a solid two hours which was. kinda miserable, but the chimichanga, rice, refried beans, cheese dip, and salsa we had was very good. big lunch for us :3 but very worth it. once on the road again, we dozed off against the dash for a little bit until we were most of the way home. we stopped at this place to use the restroom, and they had big ass cookies and a bunch of home made goodies, as well as just peacocks and chickens roaming the property which was strange but cool. and we got a soda :3 then the rest of the way home >0< I took credit for making the bed earlier but we all know Kimi did it God bless him. then we got on the phone with you guys :33 which has been so amazing. we missed you guys so much and have been looking forward to this since Thursday since we knew we wouldn't be able to call yesterday. its been so nice. we love you guys, we love laughing with you guys, spending time with you guys and just doing anything, even sitting in silence doing our own separate things. anything done in you guys presence is wonderful to us. we love you guys and appreciate you guys so much. you're awesome and so loved, more than you know. you guys are wonderful people and so funny, beautiful, kind, and caring. everything is worth it for you guys. every single one of us loves every single one of you and we're so blessed and happy with you guys every single day :3 that's as much as I can remember. tell me about your day? what did you do? I wanna know everything :3 love you guys to the moon and beyond to: @bumpin-thatbeat

[scrion7]

mh wilds TU1 good

It was just. good. Nothing to write home about but still two great additions. It's way too late for me to do much more than two regular Mizu hunts and a Zoh Shia but ill probably make an addendum to this post in the morning. Also haven't seen the Grand Hub yet, saving that for when I'm more awake.

anyway mizu's fun. Though it's REALLY weird seeing Mizu have a completely different animation for his roar. I do like the new one though; it's got more motion and grace compared to the stationary one he used to have. I do like the addition of the weakspot after the big water blast to help him fit into Wilds. I'm still on the fence about the Soulseer moveset added on to regular (not even tempered!) Mizu as a phase two though. Looks amazing though, and feels great to fight. He's got the Soulseer claw rush and the terrifyingly quick backslam too, in addition to the flaming bubbles. I haven't found a Tempered one yet but I bet it'll be fun. I still haven't seen that one move in the trailer where he makes a giant bubble above him though. It's not his sleep animation as I previously predicted.

High Rank Zoh Shia... has a surprisingly bare bones explanation and reaction in story. It apparently has the Fatalis lore regeneration and can regenerate from a single scale. I wish there was a bit more lore to that but. Good enough. The fight though was AWESOME, especially now that I've figured out you can detonate his wylk crystals early with slinger ammo to both deal damage to him and create safe spots in his ultimate. That lifehack helped a lot, but I still depleted 18 megapotions and double carted (one was the palico rez). That hand push into triple hand slam is FAST. I also felt that the Fatalis standing charged fireballs and the AOE beam down was WAY faster than it was in low rank. Considering my offset focused greatsword style, I found that I had ZERO counter to either if I got caught charging an offset... which was a lot of times. I love when monsters force a change in hunter methodology, and I found myself reverting to a more traditional crit draw playstyle to bring the beast down.

its also just dawning on me that I forgor to look at Zoh Shia armor and weapons...oopsie. Mizu armor does have the classic Bubble Blight as a set bonus, but the real star might end up being the unique WEAPON skill added on, that gives you lots of affinity when bubbled and/or wet. It might be a great sidegrade to Gore for dodging weapons.