#just… need to overcome the difficulty lol

[onceuponaladye]

Do it

Do it do it do it

So it for the pretty boy I pulled tonight

Alfjkajfksjfksjfa

Do you SEE this list of video games I’m committing to myself this time?

(/lh)

[vaguely-concerned]

This might be due to the fact that on my first playthrough I ended up creating a Rook more emotionally guarded than any of the companions except Minrathous-route Lucanis and perhaps Neve, so I was primed to look for it, but I never got the sense that the companions don’t care for Rook (the thought never even occurred to me until I saw other people post about it) — to me it seems much more like it’s Rook who keeps the last bit of distance, Rook who pulls away when the companions try to extend their care or worry too directly, who keeps themselves slightly apart. (Rook who is so full of grief they cannot know as grief and thus process that there’s no room inside them to let anything else all the way in, perhaps.) They deflect and flinch back when someone gets too close or approaches them too overtly about their feelings — especially when it brushes up against the theme of grief. They can offer care to all the companions who are grieving, come along to any number of funerals as emotional support, but the moment someone turns that towards them they shut that shit down Immediately, like when Taash almost gives the whole game away with ‘Like you’d know? You act like you haven’t lost anyone!’ and Rook just blandly responds ‘We’re talking about you’ and doesn’t engage. But they can also admit that they struggle with accepting compliments, or knowing what to say, or having confidence in themselves without Varric’s help.

Despite all their determination and even in their most stoic no-nonsense incarnation, Rook is awkward, with the struggles that entails. Someone who is eager and happy to be the helper wherever they can, and helplessly unequipped to know how to be the helpee, as it were. It’s not that the companions don’t return Rook’s attachment to them, there’s MUCH more of a ‘okay so what are the ways you will allow me to be good to you??’ desperation of care vibe behind all their invitations to conversations and hangouts together, to my mind. They bring Rook to their favourite places and share the things they love with them, they ask to spend time together (many times just to have their company, not because they have a problem they need help with! Sometimes the problem arises anyway b/c video game quest narrative of course), they bring them out for some direly needed grass touching, they introduce them to their families. Everyone is clearly getting the sense that Rook does Not want to talk about Varric especially (this is in fact what Harding says in banter, if she’s still alive after the reveal :’( ), but they are absolutely SCRAMBLING to find ways to show that they’re there for them even so. AND from the companions’ perspective, with the situation as they have the means to understand it, accepting that Rook isn’t ready to have that conversation and backing off is also a kind thing to do. (tl;dr: To Me Rook is that weirdly socialized friend who is a great hang once they’re actually there but you have to directly invite them or they don’t quite know how to initiate the contact themselves lol) 

Just as a crushing sense of responsibility for their family is a trait that is built into Hawke no matter how you play them or how you make them respond to that, I feel like Rook — however helpful and earnest, warm, charming, jocular, stoic or straightforward they seem at a surface glance — is always someone who struggles deeply with connecting to themselves and other people. (Emotional Intimacy, the Final Frontier.) As, indeed, is the case with all of the Veilguard companions too! It’s clearly a deliberate theme. These are all lonely people struggling with their sense of identity and belonging in some sort of way. AND having, working on and eventually starting to overcome these difficulties also makes Rook a direct foil for Solas, who doesn’t learn that lesson unless you corner him at the end of the world to force feed him his medicine lmao. They don’t manage to break out of the regret prison under their own steam, it’s because even struggling and grieving they have managed to create mutual bonds with other people who show up for them in turn now — and with all the protective walls of denial around what happened to Varric crumbling and making them less of a stranger to themselves, Rook is finally able to let them. An outcome Solas seemingly didn’t even consider to guard against, because he’s become that deeply entrenched in his loneliness, the utter isolation of the self — he can no longer truly imagine an alternative. (It’s not that he can’t form these bonds, obviously, it’s that he resolutely refuses to value them. Whether it’s because he feels like he doesn’t deserve it or out of a need for control or the martyr complex where he must sacrifice everything he loves on the sacrificial pyre of fixing his mistakes, all of the above and more, the result is the same. Mind!Varric, who I think is mostly Solas speaking, even calls this out directly. So yet again a situation where he has some self awareness about it and it doesn’t help At All haha. Solas falls to the temptation of making people into tools again and again and again, no matter how many times it comes back to bite him in the ass and the eternal solitude it traps him in.) 

And that deep deep loneliness… There but for the grace of… well the theological state of thedas being what it is right now, let’s just go with the grace of Something, Presumably go you as well, Rook. The same capacity/tendency to pull away from connection clearly lives in them as well in some form (again, for whatever reason and with whatever motivations and instincts behind it for any individual Rook). Solas and Rook coming together to create a blood magic paper doll of the mind Varric in response to acute loss and loneliness is one of the most deep , deeply fucked up and invasive acts of intimacy I’ve ever contemplated. I don’t think that’s accidental, there’s something There’s Something Wrong With You (there’s something wrong with you that’s also wrong with me (derogatory)) here that resonates no matter how both parties would hate to hear it. (A fitting legacy for Varric and his wild ‘I made my best friend into a story because it’s the only way I know how to love with this desperation of sincerity’ brain to leave in the narrative, methinks. I feel he’d appreciate it on a craft level, if nothing else.)

If you read through all of Rook’s potential backstories, one of the common threads through all of them, along with a certain maverick ‘I’ll do whatever it takes’ streak, is a sense of profound alienation. They did something or have some sort of quality that made it hard for them to fit in with the group they’re from, causing a conflict that cuts them off from parts of their identity as it’s been up until now. All of which also adds to how important Varric is to them — he was clearly able to break/see through some of that and be closer with them, even in the relatively short time they spent together. No matter what else goes to shit, they can trust that a) Varric sees them, b) he genuinely likes them and believes in them not despite who they are, but for it, and c) he’s got their back, we’re in this together kid. And then he is gone, and it takes them the whole game to be able to bring themselves to accept that and know themselves again, be able to let new relationships in fully. The very understandable ‘the last time I let someone in, they got stabbed before my eyes and the world ended’ flinch away, even if they’re not consciously aware that’s what it is. Anyway I love Rook. So much space to play around in here as to WHY they might feel or react like this, even when the framework is more defined.

[aceofpatience]

🌟Your Next Significant One -> Pick-a-Pile reading🌟

I'm looking into both your and their energy, your first impressions of each other as well as the relationship itself.🤍 It's VERY specific. And kina long. Heh.💀 Tell if anything resonated! Take a deep breath, meditate and dive right into your reading! Shall we SEA?🐚

PILE 1 -> Lapis lazuli

Energy of pile 1: Hurricane. You managed win despite everything. You overcome any difficulties thanks to your own inner strength and healing energy. I’m thinking that others may have given up on you or at least didn’t truly believe that you would succeed on your own. They might have show support but only after you won in this situation, did they feel actual respect for you. You are or you soon will be in the position of power. You have the ability to help others, but your biggest strength is how you can soothe yourself in any circumstances. It’s like you have your own inner healer/therapist, ha.

Energy of your person: You knew they were the one the moment you saw them. It’s like you’re connected by some spiritual link. There is no other option for you. You will just know. They may be hurting even if they don’t acknowledge that - it’s like they’re constantly in a hurry, always busy with something. A bit of a workaholic maybe? I think they might not even know what exactly they are lacking in life, so that’s why they are always chasing (after another win). Somebody hurt them in the past (I’m getting the vibe of a childhood friend), yet they still decide to put their trust in people. So loyal. And very down to earth. They are rational - there is a lot of on their mind all the time. Also they may have a loud inner child, who needs some attention.

Who are they -> Work/study/responsibilities: I think it’s something sport-related. For sure it’s providing them with some public recognition or prestige. More so than the material gains, it brings them satisfaction. They want to show the world how strong and capable they are. Sometimes it’s like they are their own harshest critic, aiming to prove themselves to the world.

Goals: They want to show their victory was the result of their own hard work, not just a fluke. They wish for a sense of security that they cannot really find in their work/study-related environment - it’s like they cannot rest, they must keep fighting all over again in order to prove something, maybe their own capability or resilience.

Looks: Ravenclaw vibe. People might see them as a bit of a robot, but they just prefer to keep their distance from others. Strong features (nose, chin, jaw, cheek bones), yet very subtle facial expressions at the same time. It might be difficult to decipher what they’re thinking based on their body language. Their hands are important - maybe you will pay special attention to them. Rigid figure, always keeping their back straight (I’m feeling that what’s they were taught to do in youth). They have this natural pride about them (seen also in their posture), that some might mistake for arrogance, but it’s just them and how they carry themself.

Meeting -> Your POV: "Another love". You may meet them at a time when somebody extends an offer to you, some kind of helping hand. This will result in you gaining new independence (either financial or outside of your parents’ influence). It will be a time of new prosperity and abundance for you.

Their POV: They are ready to give their heart to you right away. You will meet at a moment, when they are discovering that their previous relationship (platonic or romantic) was kind of toxic - definitely not serving them, it doesn’t seem like they got any support in it. Now they want to move on, even if their heart is still healing. But what I can say for sure is that, it quickly becomes yours.

Romance -> How you see them: At first a bit like a sad robot (but a sexy one lol). They seem intimidating, closed off, cold and calculating; you might be a bit hesitant to talk to them. They appear to be very strict (maybe it will happen in a work environment or sth official). Because of how quickly you will feel this attraction and the feeling of vulnerability it brings, you will be afraid of them hurting you. However it’s certain there won’t be any problems in the „professional” sphere - you may make a good team. Only you can see through their armor, and discover the hidden warmth and a kind of a childlike innocence to them. This unseen side of them is what is intuitively pulling you towards them, in spite of other people’s reservations about this connection. But their true feelings are obvious, you see them beyond the walls that they’ve build.

How they see you: They like a moth that is enchanted by your light. Your harmony and  stability (and for some also self-confidence). You for sure don’t pretend who you are, and they love it. You’re kindred spirits - you are the definition of a family for them.

Relationship -> White bull (it might be your symbol idk). Also the number 3. The Cupid arrow. Your feelings are evolving quickly, there is no control over them. You change their worldview - and maybe they change yours. Since the first conversation it’s over - you know they are the one for you and vice versa. The strength of you bond might frighten you for a minute, but it will eventually lead you to your greatest victory. You both are perfectly balanced together and I think your inner children will understand each other greatly (trauma bonding hue hue). And one of you will be great at dirty talk or just super smooth.

PILE 2 -> Green Aventurine

Energy of pile 2: You are trying to find yourselves - either by trying out new hobbies and activities or by constantly seeking change. You are mastering your abilities, honing them to perfection. You might have a lot of different talents, and I have a feeling that no matter what you touch it somehow always ends in success. You lucky bastards heh. For some of you - you might have left your family house behind or cut contact with your relatives, but I’m feeling you will eventually reconnect with them. You give off strong fire and air placement energy. Or those signs might be important to you in some way.

Energy of your person: Consciously or not, they feel responsible for others. This constantly evolving energy of yours is what’s really alluring to them. They themself have a sort of fluid energy, experiencing transformations of their own. But despite all that, they are quite stable and somebody that people can rely on. All their changes might be mostly superficial, like changing up their appearance or style from time to time. They might have a tendency to mirror those around them, but inside they remain the same. Grounded, Earth placement energy. Also BIG romantic vibes off of them, but I will elaborate on this later. For some of you, you might have known them before, but haven’t thought of this person in years before this meeting. And all the memories attached to them suddenly resurfaced.

Who are they -> Work/education: Rather stable line of work, that has a lot to do with them sitting by the desk. It’s a routine, but a rather pleasing one. They work or study alone, maybe sth with a computer. It might not be something they dreamed of spending a majority of their time doing, but it keeps the „money” coming lol. It’s just something that they recognize as a normal responsibility for themself. They can’t really see any other options, so for now it’s the most suitable alternative for them.

Goals: They wish to have more time for themselves, so that they could finally focus on all the small everyday pleasures - ones that usually had to stay in the background. They  truly yearn for a true romantic love, but deep inside they might fear they will never find it.

Looks: Really pretty/handsome overall. They take good care of themselves, both in term of health and looks. So they may have a daily skin-care routine. PEARLS. This is either an important symbol for them, or it can mean that they like to wear jewelry, have some significant tattoos or wear makeup? I feel they might often change their appearance, for example by dying their hair or mixing up their outfits. For some of you, and take it as it resonates, they might wear a green scarf or some other piece of clothing in that clothing lol. And their shoulders are hot.

Meeting -> Your POV: „Devil Doesn’t Bargain". A lot is going to be happening in your life at the moment  of your meeting. You may have just ended a relationship of your own but idk. You are trying to get out of some situation you don’t like. It’s not even necessary a bad or a difficult situation, but one that you intuitively feel isn’t right for you (work/love/study idk). For some of you it might entail some sort of sacrifice, that you may „use” people around you to get your way? But it sounds more dire than it will actually be lol. I also see that during this transition period, you again will be perfecting some skill. You chose to leave behind that former stagnant situation, and on your way out you completely destroyed the status quo. Maybe it was some kind of a group project, that might have ended in conflict. Bottom line is, you will be pretty occupied with all that „drama”, you won’t really be looking for any romance at the moment. So at first, you won’t recognize THAT person as someone significant to you.

Their POV: „Cardigan”!! They will be lonely. Very much so, but out of their own choosing - they are waiting for love, for the right person. Maybe it will be work that brings you two together, teamwork maybe? Or you both will be leaving your studies/job environments at a similar time when you meet.

Romance -> How you see them: At first you might see them as a rival, a competition to your authority in the group. I have a feeling you like to be in the centre, therefore this person stealing your spotlight might unconsciously trigger you. You may have seen some quality in them, that you yourself wished you had. But this irritation will last only for a short moment. You will quickly realize that you both can benefit out of having a good professional relationship with each other and them quickly discover that you actually make a good team. Then comes the chemistry of course, and the rest you can probably figure out, heh.

How they see you: Instant attraction, they feel something pulling them towards you. It like they recognize an old friend in you, someone familiar. They admire you, seriously. There are no slimy intentions on their part, they genuinely respect your position in the group, as well as YOU yourself. They are givers, they just wish to show you how devoted they are to you. And they might commit quite quickly to this relationship. Before they were looking for a place to belong and with you they finally feel like they found it. Seriously, they are really sweet. They are putting your connection first and foremost. They are probably not very vocal about that, but the feelings are very much real and intense xd.

Relationship -> 22. Intimacy. At first you might be hiding that you two are a couple, so maybe some workplace romance?I also feel that before making things „official” you two might fantasize about each other a LOT. But you will get together pretty quickly. The attraction and sexual tension is HIGHH. I feel that you guys might change up who the „dominant” party is often, as in interchanging who leads the other. You will encourage and inspire each other equally, true power couple vibes (world domination!!). When one of you experiences change, the other is able to keep up with them. Some of your friends might view your relationship as slightly „toxic” or „codependent”, but it’s only because you are stronger and more powerful together than you are by yourselves. You both have this kind of wildness in your hearts, full of ambition and hunger - one that you acknowledge, accept and love about each other.

PILE 3 -> Tiger Eye

Energy of pile 3: Hats. You have ambition and energy that is hard to focus or direct in one particular way. You are a family person, I think you might have a lot of relatives - and you can rely on them. For some of you, I see some kind of heritage coming into your surroundings. It looks like your life is put together pretty well, you have things that occupy your time(your work/studies/passion projects) and you seem to always expect quite a lot form yourselves. You may be feeling overworked, but there is still something bright and joyful about your energy. There might be something charming about your attitude, that makes people enjoy being in your presence. I have a strong feeling that you got some  really special quirks (for some of you, I repeat: collecting hats!), but people around you might perceive it as something cute or funny. (Little they know how deep your weirdness goes). I’m getting the earth and fire energy (Aries or Sagittarius). Othala rune.

Energy of your person: It’s giving strong female vibes - the energy of creation, fluidity - you can never tell what is underneath. Artistic soul (music or sketching, but signing also may be significant here). I’m getting an Ophelia vibe - but without all the tragedy lol. They have a lot of possibilities before them. They are true dreamers and heave a strong, spiritual personality. They might seem less organized than you, they don’t really do plans, but still - everything is going smoothly for them.  It’s like someone is watching over their chaotic asses lol. The energy of cats - your person is  a very independent and unconventional creature, that’s why others may either love or hate them. For some of you: the sakura blossom flower may be their signature scent or symbol (a tattoo probably?). Algiz and laguz rune.

Who are they -> Work/study/anything more official: „Go your own way”. I think they are starting a new project or something like that. And they know they will succeed - their confidence may be slightly excessive given the situation, but still. They’re right. They are just great. Maybe singing is their hobby and something they’re pursuing.

Goals: They would like to be more rational, more down to earth (I think it’s something they are always repeating as their new year resolutions, while holding their new journal or calendar. Spoiler: it never works out, heh).

Looks: Longer hair, strong eyebrows. Something about them seems untamed and wild - for example hair, pointy ears or longer canines). Powerful, enchanting voice or laugh. For some of you: icy shades of hair or, on the contrary, burning fire red.

Meeting -> Your POV: You might find yourself in the situation in which your hobby, quirks will be in the foreground (…The second-hand shop with hats?? Just thing about it…) When you get to meet your person, you will be far from home, your family and friends - new town, moving houses or simply a vacation? It will be your me-time, for sure. You both will meet either by some dating app or your mutual colleagues will set you up for some kind of a blind date. I feel you will have many options in the realm of dating, and your person will be one of them - but from the very second you know them, everyone else will fade in comparison.

Their POV: „Sky Full Of Songs”. They didn’t look for a relationship (like I said, they don’t often do planning of any kind and just go with the flow). But the moment they meet you, they will just have to know you and „win” you. Claim you. (And one of you will give the other sunflowers). Your first (blind?) date will be just perfect. You don’t have to fear there being any awkwardness or uncomfortable silence. You will just get along. A lot of talking, laughing and shared heated glances - that’s what I see for you, pile numer 3. Falling in love.

Romance -> How you will see them: You will see a confident, strong, ethereal person. Beautiful in unconventional way - seductive like a nymph or some demigod. But there won’t be anything intimidating about them, you will connect easily. They just have this inner warmth, which you will adore. They will be funny and full of life (energy of a bubbly sunshine, I would say). You two won’t be able to stop talking. You will be attracted so much to their natural way of being.

How they see you: They will find your strength irresistible. It’s like you are the shoulder they can rest on their head on. A very sexy shoulder. Hah. You give them a sense of security and a safe space - they know you would never judge them. They won’t waste any time and will give you their heart in no time. Also they intuitively notice all the „wounded” parts of you that you keep hidden from most, and will love and cherish them. I think they are going to admire your more strict and rational side of personality. (Yes, big sir energy lol). And your quirks? They’re gonna see them as important and will love them as much as you do.

Relationship -> Everything just great, nothing to add. Your energies are made for each other. Communication is your shit, you rule at this. The chemistry? Wow, dude. High af.

[citr0us]

Tarot Reading

How is going to be your next month?

These readings are general, they have various energies which means they may not resonate with you and your situation, if this happens feel free to change your pile and remember read and stick with what resonates with you and leave what doesn't.

notes: Hii guys, so i been kind of distance from posting here, because I am having a lot of other projects. But when I found some time, I am going to post here more. And give feedbacks about the reading and ideas. Byeeeee.

I did it for pure fun and curiosity, I'm not a professional, just a tarot student.

My native language is not English, so if there are any spelling mistakes, please don't mind

I am accepting genuine feedbacks and this reading is timeless

pile 1 ———————> Pile 2

pile 1: the cards flew off the table very quickly in this reading, The first thing I heard was ‘’surprises’’ maybe next month will bring surprises for you. The first 4 cards were:

7 of Cups: May indicate that you will have several opportunities or choices to make, but some of them may not be as real or promising as they seem

10 of Pentacles: It may indicate that you are in a good financial or family moment, with a solid foundation.

The Tower: It represents unexpected changes, which can shake the structures you have built. Despite being a difficult card, it also brings the opportunity to rebuild in a more solid way.

2 of Swords: need to make a difficult decision. There may be a situation where you feel divided or unable to move forward

General interpretation for the next month: The next month may bring many options and opportunities, but not all of them will be what they appear to be. It is important to anchor yourself in the things that bring security and stability. However, you may face a significant change or an unexpected event that shakes your certainties. This can lead to a situation where you will need to make a difficult decision, balancing reason and emotion to move forward. Being prepared for change and staying focused on what's really important to you will be essential to navigating this period.

two more cards to finish:

To finish, the Sun card and Seven of Wands fell. I think you might be celebrating something at the end of the month, something you fought hard and fought to achieve. In my mind it seems like you had difficulties, people or even you yourself doubted your ability, but in the end you succeed. I see a family celebrating and jumping (very cute)

At the bottom of the cards there is the Hermit So I think you will now be looking for new opportunities, and new paths will be shown. In my thing here there is an older guy with a lamp trying to get through the dark without knowing what is coming, I think that is what you will get through.

Random things: family, Fire sign (Aries, Leo and Sagittarius), ‘’apple’’ charli xcx (lol)

Pile 2

MY GOD, the cards jumped too, but I felt like it was going to be one of your best months. I heard success for definition of the month.

The first 4 cards were

The Chariot: It can indicate that you will be on a journey, whether literal or figurative, where willpower and confidence are necessary to overcome challenges.

Ace of Pentacles: new beginnings in relation to material or financial aspects, such as job opportunities, financial gains or new prosperous projects.

Ace of Wands: It is associated with inspiring beginnings, enthusiasm, creative energy and new ideas. It can indicate the beginning of a new venture or the arrival of a new passion or project that fills you with vigor.

Nine of Wands: Suggests that, even when faced with obstacles, you must continue to fight and protect yourself, remaining firm in your convictions.

General Interpretation for the Next Month: The next month seems to bring with it significant movement in your life, with new opportunities emerging in both the material and creative fields. There will be a need to stay focused and determined, seizing these new opportunities with vigor and energy. However, you will also need to be resilient and prepared to face challenges, but the message is clear: you have the strength to overcome any obstacle that comes your way. may arise.

the last 2 cards: bro, I hope you guys are ready. I feel like you're going to live a teenage dream aaaaaahhh.

girl, I can only hear celebrations, and joy.

1 of cups and 3 of Pentacles you will be in your era of abundance, prosperity and love. I think for some of you, you may meet someone romantically, and you will also meet new people, and even more new opportunities in the area of ​​work or school.

I really wish pile 2 the best of luck. Your next month is going to be wonderful.

random things: couple fight, teenage dream ''katy perry'', yellow, feeling: dizzy, itchy throat, left ear getting hot

[weeb-polls-with-pip]

Autistic Anime Boys Prelims - Propaganda Division - Group 9

Propaganda:

Shinpei -

"Has a tendency to ignore his emotions in high stress situations in favor of looking at everything logically, even when it is detrimental for him to take that approach. Keeps meticulous track of everything that happens around him."

Sunny -

"Sunny has been told that his face is not expressive. He doesn't talk a lot and he often gets lost into his imagination. He is a great listener and recalls a lot of information being told he has a great memory (he is able to remember a whole speech about flower symbolism that his friend told him) He is compared to a cat."

Yuki -

"He has difficulty communicating with other people and suffers from extreme social anxiety, feeling like he's drowning when placed in uncomfortable social situations or scenarios where she doesn't know how to respond. This also causes him to go red in the face and clench his jaw, which other characters wrongfully interpret as him becoming angry. Through meeting Haru (and getting pulled into his plan to save the world), he becomes friends with him and Natsuki and develops his own strong interest in fishing."

Meursault -

"not only is he based on the character from camus' l'étranger who has actual scholarly debate on him being autistic, meursault is just… so autism. hes this stoic, terse guy with resting bitch face who doesnt really seem to fully process that he isnt showing any emotions and that that offputs people, and hes very blunt and literal with things. once another character asked if he had metal for brains as an insult and he responded by telling him the exact chemical composition of his brain to show that it is not metal. once the other characters made food so bad that when he tasted it he went on a minute straight long monologue about how much it sucked. he then proceeded to cook his own food which the giant evil chicken monster man that was judging the food tasted and said was so intensely done to the letter of the recipe that it was too boring. hes like if autism was a guy and that guy was french."

Zack -

"does things based almost solely on whether or not he wants to, at one point in the series, he doesn't tell the rest of the cast that he can fly a spaceship because he doesn't feel like it. he also take everything everyone else tells him seriously, such as when another character he knew as a kid said they were going to get married one day, he took it very seriously and was confused when said character tried to confess her feelings again and he said he thought their promise from when they were kids was still on."

Joujirou -

"This boy is autism incarnate. No social skills, no normal pain perception, complete weirdo. He even has a special interest which becomes a mild issue when he joins the main cast lol."

Alus the Star Runner -

"He’s a three-armed wyvern gunslinger with cool goggles and a lightsaber. Need I say more? …Okay then. Alus was born as a mutant cripple and rejected by his kind but managed to overcome this and rise up to become Flying Reptile Indiana Jones. He’s famed as the greatest adventurer in the land, but also struggles to keep up a conversation and prefers to remain on his own (which is especially unusual for wyverns, who usually gather in giant flocks). He has exactly one (1) friend, whom he completely fails to understand as a person but still values and respects immensely. Despite his difficulties with social interaction, he’s repeatedly shown to be incredibly resourceful and intelligent, with a single-minded drive and persistence unmatched by anyone else in the series. (Also canonically asexual, because who needs a family when you can fight dragons perfectly well on your own?)"

Mamoru -

"the ORIGINAL autistic magical boy."

Shizuka -

"he's the most emotionally intelligent & mentally stable member of the cast & he's in love with the least emotionally intelligent & most emotionally volatile character ever. he's constantly got the vibe of looking into the camera like he's in the office while he's dealing with everyone else's bullshit. he's so steadfast & loyal that it makes me want to cry. he's so bad at expressing himself in a way that other people understand that for the longest time the boy he's in love with thinks that Doumeki doesn't even like him."

Idia -

"He’s a shut-in weirdo with long messy hair, a sleep deprived look in his eyes, and one of the few students to have a hoodie as part of his school uniform. He’s a prodigal tech genius with the vibes of burn out and depression. He’s usually quite meek around people, but when he clicks with a conversation topic, he gets all energetic and fired up and sometimes a bit haughty too. To avoid going out of his room and interacting with people face to face, he invented a mobile tablet with text to speech. He stays up all night playing video games and while he has trouble with IRL relationships, he’s made a genuine friend out of one of his gaming buddies (who he doesn’t realize is actually one of his classmates). He stans an idol group and once got into a hacking war against some dorm mates over it. He rebuilt his dead brother as a robot who has become somewhat of a therapist to him. The only reason he went out on a holiday vacation with school acquaintances is due to the location being featured in an anime, then bonded with the one guy’s grandma when he realized his favorite girl was based on her. For the Halloween celebration, he convinced his dorm to theme themselves after his favorite B horror movie, constantly infodumping to people about it and going all out in recreating the special effects. In Book 5, he has a minor background arc of being forced to do public speaking. In another Halloween event, he was forced to be a back-up singer and managed to pull through despite the social anxiety. He’s the most autistic student in all of Night Raven College and possibly in all of Twisted Wonderland too."

[bumblebeehug]

I've watched season 1-3 of winx in less than 4 days, and I'm so glad I grew up on that instead of cocomelon. Even when the script seemed cringe and not as fleshed out as it could be, they never made the people watching the show seem stupid (they made Bloom seem stupid instead, lol (half-joke)). The dialogue could be simplefied and sometimes a bit naive, but at the same time they never made it feel very simple? Maybe I'm just blinded bc I'm a sucker for illustrated animations, but the fact that they could make a complicated storyline with a lot of character arcs, while keeping the dialogue simple enough for kids to follow, is just amazing. And as if that wasn't amazing enough, the show had good balance in the art - it was colourful, the characters were dynamic and unique with different siluettes (something i rarely see in kids shows today), while also appealing to the preteen audience: the winx girls are strong, stylish, girly girls, who can seek out love from men without needing them to save them. They show that you can be unique in your friend group, and you can still be loved and appreciated (thinking about Musa, Techna and later on Aisha/Layla, who all aren't the stereotypical sweet/soft/stylish girls, but who still find friends who love them for who they are). (More analysis beneath the read more thing - mainly a discussion on how family is represented in the show and how important it is for children to be able to look up to female figures that can represent them. + some other stuff.)

Winx also casts light on a lot of different family dynamics - something i've only really seen Bluey do well recently. Stella's parents are divorced, Bloom is adopted, Musa's relationship with her dad is strained ever since her mom died, Aisha/Layla is an only child who struggled with lonliness despite having both of her parents together (they were absent bc of their royal duties), Techna doesnt seem to have any mayor issues, nor does Flora. And the thing is - these struggles are shown in such natural ways in the show. All of these dynamics turn out to be part of their journeys - Bloom struggles as a fairy because of her unknown past, so she must resolve it and find out more to be able to become a fully fledged fairy. Stella has dealt with her divorced parents most of her life, but in season 3 the entire Valtor thing strains her relationship with her father, and she has to overcome it so she can save him from Cassandra or whatever that duchess was called (girlie practically gets banned from her home planet, don't you forget). Faragonda brings Musa's dad to her first concert, which once again strains their relationship, but then strengthens it when he sees how capable she is, both as a musician and as a fairy. Aisha/Layla displays how it is to have more traditional parents - as a child she had lots of expectations to be a proper princess, which she for a long time still had trauma from, plus that her parents wanted to pick her future husband for her (they were all lucky that the two of them matched well lol). And then we have Flora who showed off sisterhood in an amazing way - worrying over and scolding her little sister, but never doubting for a second that she'd risk her life to save her. To the point though - everyone faces difficulties that can be reflected in most people's lives, and the show makes these journeys meaningful and important. I personally never had a need to see myself represented in my family situation, but my friend had divorced parents, and she told me that Stella's viewpoint made it easier for little her to deal with it. If Stella could overcome it (reminder that she still allowed herself to feel sad about it) then so could my friend.

Now, while I'm at it, I might as well continue ranting:

Maybe I'm just not updated in modern shows, but isn't there an entire market of preteens who are missing these types of shows today? We're always talking about how clothing trends and social media is forcing younger people to grow up eariler, but let's not forget that these kids have nothing if they don't decide to grow up immediately. There's no shows, no "toys" (i'm mostly talking about merch that caters to young people - "H2O just add water" pillowcases and diaries etc) and no older teens in these shows setting appropriate clothing trends. Shows aren't cool enough nowadays for preteens to see the appeal of being young. Too many shows are changing their target audience to younger and younger children - and not only shows! Just look at the Nesquik bunny! He went from 100% drip and style, to 100% millenial.

Ik this isn't anyone in particulars fault, but this is just my way of saying: go back to unique styles and outfits! Shows aren't cool anymore, and removing the illustrated style and exaggeration is absolutely part of that.

I also saw someone on TikTok critique the pace of the earlier seasons - they said everything was too slow-paced and boring, and honestly? I couldn't disagree more. Now, I don't have any difficulties concentrating, so maybe it's a bigger problem for people with ADHD or similar diagnosis, but the slower pace gave more time for me to immerse myself in the winx world. They added amazing vocals and soundtrack, that could either showcase heartbreak or joy, and these details made the show reach much higher quality, despite looking like it was made in the cheapest animation program ever.

I went off on a tangent, but I'm getting back to winx now - what I mean is that kids nowadays have no authentic way of finding shows like winx, mainly because there aren't any! Most shows are made for kids under the age of 8 or over the age of 13, and there's almost no inbetween. Shows don't do it like winx did anymore - they don't make the art appealing enough (bc the shows are never illustrated - fair enough i'll add, bc illustrated animation is too expensive to be profitable nowadays, but not even the animation is appealing anymore, they're all rapunzel-lookalikes/wannabes), they don't trust that the watchers have brains and critical thinking, so they make the stories too dumb, they don't have the guts to make scary storylines, and they try so hard to be inclusive without actually succeeding at it (making all the fairies even paler than what they were in the beginning of the show).

I'm sure everything I've said here has been said before a trillion times, but I wanted to get it off my chest. I won't blame anyone if they decide that they ain't reading allat bc i really ran with this. If u did read this though, thanks! And sorry if i spelled things wrong, I'm writing this on a Swedish computer that insists that every single word is spelled incorrectly, lol.

[ericmicael]

HONEYMAREN VS RYDER

The dispute between Honeymaren and Ryder for Elsa's heart, this dispute if you consider "Disney Magic Kingdoms" has already been resolved (with Honeymaren's overwhelming victory), but it is interesting to talk about.

The first indication of this dispute was Kristen Bell herself.

The conversation was about Elsa being a lesbian and whether Honeymaren could be the chosen girl, they answered the standard answers until Kristen Bell mentioned Ryder. She mentions that Disney gave options in the plural if Elsa wants to have romance: she has Honeymaren and Ryder, a woman and a man.

And then we had "Disney Magic Kingdoms."

It's a mobile game about building and managing a park and we've had the addition of F2 characters with very interesting missions that better address their personalities.

FUN FACT: to this day, this mobile game is the only place that developed the members of the Northuldra tribe after F2.

Honeymaren appears to be a shy woman who has some difficulty speaking to people. She wants to know the world beyond the Enchanted Forest, but she is a warrior and has this fear of what is new.

Ryder is more outgoing and talkative. He is extremely excited to see the world beyond the Enchanted Forest.

The first interesting mission that the brothers share Elsa theme is "barking up the wrong tree", the name will be explained later.

The mission is basically Ryder wanting to take Elsa for a walk in the Enchanted Forest. He wants to present her with his vision of the place and of course share experiences with reindeer (probably the conversation would involve more reindeer than forest). But then when he goes to try to invite her he discovers that Honeymaren has already gone out with her a long time ago, and she left him a message and the man's reaction to the message makes it clear that this is a bit frequent. I don't think I need to explain the name of the mission anymore lol

What is the nature of the tours between Elsa and Honeymaren? Honeymaren introducing Elsa to the beauty of the Enchanted Forest, the delicious smells and talking about magic. In fact, these trips seem to be so frequent that Anna says: "in the Enchanted Forest I will meet Elsa on some adventure or she together with Honeymaren".

In the book "Polar Nights" Elsa says that Honeymaren, Ryder and the other Northuldras have been teaching her about the forest. And eventually she also says that she also learned about magic from them, I think she only learned it from Honeymaren.

There are 3 other missions I remember involving the 3 characters: the mission that introduces the characters from F2 (nothing revealing), one involving Ryder and Honeymaren looking for a replacement for Yelana in the Northuldra choir (Honeymaren goes after Elsa and Gale is quite committed to taking Elsa to Honeymaren, Gale even lies to Elsa just to make her come faster) and:

There's a festival happening in Arendelle (I don't remember the name, but this festival has already happened in the franchise's comics) and Honeymaren decides to help by taking care of a candy stall. Ryder ends up meeting his sister who is sad, she can't sell anything because she isn't good at talking and then Ryder realizes something about Honeymaren. Honeymaren was there because of Elsa, Honeymaren really wants to please the Snow Queen in any way even by doing something she doesn't like and doesn't know how to do, like being a saleswoman and overcoming her shyness, and then understanding her sister's feelings for Elsa the guy decides to help... And he's a really great salesman, although he can't sell to a certain red-haired man with sideburns.

I don't want this dispute to continue in "Frozen 3" and "Frozen 4", and thinking about it a little Ryder seems more like an excuse from Disney about the relationship between Elsa and Honeymaren: "Elsa and Honeymaren have no relationship, there is also a man in the forest she talks, saw, saw".

I already commented on SuleMio and what Bandai said at the end of the anime (Gundam Witch From Mercury) after the two women got married and showed off wedding rings, but it's worth remembering:

"Their relationship is open to interpretation."

And then phrases about marriage began to be censored. Why did they say that? Because with them admitting that the women got married, it would be bad to sell merchandising of the two women together with the anime boys during shipping moments.

I don't think Disney would do that although "open to interpretation" is very likely to happen. But imagine this actually happening in "Frozen 3" and "Frozen 4": Ryder being pushed into moments with Elsa just to try to match the moments between Elsa and Honeymaren. I've seen people saying that a dispute that could happen in F3/4 would be between Honeymaren and Hans for Elsa's heart, but Disney seems to have already replaced Hans with Ryder lol

[decafdoodlez]

heyy is everything okay? i saw that you made your Twitter profile private again and i thought something had happened. i remember you mentioned wanting to distance yourself from that social media because of the people and other issues, and honestly you have every right to do what's best for you

i really hope you are well and can overcome whatever difficulties you are going through. you are a very talented artist and a sweet person (from what i see in your posts) <3

CW: Gonna get a lil sad! :) So venting under the cut.

Hiiiii, thank you for your concern! <3

I decided to make my main page private on twitter, my side account is unprivate for now, but we'll see if I want to go private there as well in the coming days. I'm effectively deboosted on both accounts, so this is almost like a clean break from the platform in a way if I do stay private and cease posting.

I privated my account bc of looming anxiety of being shit on like I had been in the past year. Plus, I have been seeing that I was increasingly being blocked by other people who like Ren, some of which were creators who's content I enjoyed, and it just made me even more sad. And the private quote retweets I would get on some of my more "contentious" tweets also gave me severe anxiety. It kind of makes me feel like I really am not liked in this fandom at all. Which I know is not true, there are plenty of people who like me and my art, and I love interacting with them. Seeing people go crazy even over my OC brings me a lot of joy bc I know most people follow me bc of the Ren content, lol.

But I still get this sneaking feeling in the back of my brain that I really am not liked in the BTD/TPoF fandom. Maybe it's bc I don't draw enough gore or "dubious" content, but I'm trying to diversify and feel more comfortable with drawing that kind of stuff!!! (I've got some gunplay ideas I need to draw, I've been lightly touching on the ideas on my bluesky account...)

But this is all to say, twitter is not a very kind place. My moots and followers are so very sweet, but the culture on twitter has rarely ever been kind to me in the 2 years I've been active there, even when I was in other fandoms.

Overall though, I am still a generally happy and motivated person. I am still motivated to treat others with grace, and to be a positive influence despite the treatment I may have recieved in the past and going forward. Nothing is going to stop me from drawing, but I do think it is best for me to step away from twitter, which is sad bc I LOVED twitter, lol. But with stepping away from twitter, it'll probably motivate me to post more elsewhere, like on Instagram, Tumblr, and now Bluesky! :)

Sorry for the long-ish vent, but I really do appreciate the kind message. I'm sorry if I may have worried you, but know I am fine, just finding a new place to call "home" hopefully, haha. :)

Thank you so much, again! <3

[gurugirl]

if someone is looking for a good classic romance which one of your fics do you recommend?

This is an interesting ask! It's difficult to say which I recommend based on it being a classic romance. And because I'm quite literal when I'm thinking about this I'll just mention right off that the basic elements to any "classic" romance are in most of my series (long or short) as well as in my longer one-shots.

Examples from my masterlist are (not linking bc it's too much - just peruse!):

ALL of my long and short series

bfd!harry

ex bf dad!harry

I Guess You're All Mine

The Long Weekend

Mixed Signals

Tell Me You Hate Me

The Handyman (tho we have very little angst/push & pull in this one - it's a soft romance)

Sex Tutor

Baby Daddy

^ And that's just on Tumblr. I have more on Patreon.

Please forgive me for the following. I got wordy about the romance genre. Also, this is my very literal brain answering you. Ignore if you like.

A classic romance usually contains the following elements (this is what I like to use - obviously this is a basic structure but you can bet most romance will include this):

(eventual) Lovers meeting (the meet-cute) - this can be a whole section or just the intro to the story - are they enemies at first, is their attraction forbidden, how did they meet, what steps got them to know one another, were they childhood friends, are they current best friends (so many options)

some kind of denial or push and pull (maybe he or she thinks the other couldn't possibly be attracted to them or even something bigger and deeper that keeps them apart at first - like he's not single or she's a company rival, or they live in different countries - lots of options here)

a "thing" that makes them keep coming back together while still being cautious about the relationship (they work together, their kids go to the same school, they wind up at a party together and are drawn to one another, etc.)

then we get to the relationship exploration part - where there are difficulties to overcome as they get to know one another on a deeper level, setting the groundwork for a more stable relationship later (depending on the level of friction you want this can be drawn out a bit - including a whole 2-steps forward + 3-steps back scenario - OR not) - don't forget to include massive tension

sometimes it's fun to throw in some elements that keep the lovers apart - something that really makes them see how much they love the other person and how they want to be together - but this is the angsty part with tons of tension if you want to include angst - which most romance has

then they come back together - an outside force may bring them together or one of them does something to get the other one's attention - here you can have them falling in love or maybe it happened earlier on - but they'll be in love and wanting to be together by now

you can add another falling out or some kind of sacrifice that needs to be made if you like - something to just infuriate the reader or engage them further (LOL) - but definitely have them making up again and accomplishing some kind of goal that you might have set for them at the beginning to make the extra angst worth it (the extra angst is not necessary but it's in a lot of romance where there's like one last fallout - or something that keeps them apart before realizing they can't live w/o the other)

and of course, the resolution and the Happily Ever After!

xoxo

[thelazyhermits]

Book 7 has got me thinking about my Yuu's dynamic with Sebek and Silver, so I decided I wanna make a most about this trio like the one did with AYuuDeuce.

There are some Book 7 spoilers underneath the cut, and they're spoilers from some of the parts that are currently only available in the JPN server, so if y'all don't wanna see any form of spoilers, I'd recommend not reading this post.

Okay, so everyone knows that I adore Sebek and absolutely love writing fluffy moments with him and Yuu. That's why these two have such a close relationship my A Twisted Future series.

I've decided that all my current Sebek fics happen prior to Book 7, so they're both super close by the time Book 7 happens.

Silver, however, is someone I haven't talked a lot about which is a shame cause I love him a lot too.

Yuu treats Silver a lot like Kalim in that she really trusts him and is fond of him cause Silver is just such a sweetheart and is always a perfect gentleman around her, which is the kinda treatment she's a sucker for.

One idea related to the Silver/Yuu relationship that I came up which I really love is that Yuu is always able to wake up Silver when he falls asleep.

While others will often have difficulty waking Silver up when he's sleeping particularly deeply, Yuu doesn't really have that problem, and the reason for that is because she genuinely, platonically loves him.

I'm not quite sure about all the details about the sleeping curse that was placed on Silver when he was a baby. Like if it's only half broken thanks to the passage of time/Lilia or if it's completely broken but Silver just has sleep spells as an unfortunate side effect of being cursed for so long. If that's ever explained/confirmed, I totally missed that lol

Regardless, I love the idea of "love" still playing a crucial role when dealing with Silver's sleepiness, so someone with a pure love for him, whether it be romantic or platonic, can have an easier time waking him as compared to anyone else trying to wake him.

This kinda thing is perfect for Yuu who just loves so wholeheartedly without reservations due to having been unloved for all her life. She's desperate for that kinda love, which is why she doesn't hesitate to give it to those who are important to her since, to her, that's only fair.

Anyway, I just think it'd be super cute and wholesome if Yuu's always able to wake Silver up for a reason like that, and it's definitely an idea that matchmaker Lilia can get behind haha

Prior to Book 7, I'd say Yuu's relationship with Silver is a good one built on mutual trust and admiration for each others skills/good qualities, but I wouldn't say they're super close friends. They're definitely not as close as Yuu and Sebek are.

However, Book 7 is obviously gonna change things cause Yuu ends up spending so much time with Silver and Sebek, resulting in those three forming a really tight bond due to everything they've had to face and overcome together.

Rest assured, all the moments in Book 7 when Silver/Sebek need a hug, Yuu makes sure they get one. There are so many hug sessions that go on in this book.

When this madness is all over, I just want these kids all wrapped up in warm blankets and all cuddled up together somewhere safe where they can just rest and de-stress 😭

By the end of Book 7, the boys and Yuu are super comfortable with each other, like personal space is rarely considered, cause these kids went through hell and need that physical contact and a ton of it.

Anytime the boys are feeling unloved/are being weighed down by their insecurities, Yuu is showering them with as much love as she can and will keep at it for as long as they need her to.

She'll hug them close, card her fingers through their hair, and offer any kind of affection they want/need.

Sebek is the type who just loves being doted on by her, so Yuu always goes all out with that. Meanwhile, Silver just enjoys having someone close, someone he can hug and talk to if he has something he needs to get off his chest since he doesn't want to ask for too much. Of course, Yuu makes sure Silver gets that and so much more because it's what that sweet boy deserves.

Meanwhile, Sebek and Silver become very good at noticing when something's off with Yuu and are quick to offer comfort when they can tell she needs it, knowing it's better to act before she asks since she's not the type to ask for help until she's really bad off.

Silver will just quietly hold her hand or gently stroke her hair/back, or they'll just take a nap together if she just needs to a break from everything. He's always so gentle with her but never treats her like she's a piece of glass. That's just how he is since he possesses such a soft, gentle kindness that envelops you like a warm blanket fresh from the dryer.

While Sebek had already become quite good at expressing affection toward Yuu prior to Book 7, he's even better after the book since now he rarely ever hesitates to reach out to her when he thinks she needs him.

Sebek will often just wrap Yuu up in a tight, protective embrace that's always full of his love and care for her. Meanwhile, the kisses he places against her face and hair are always extremely tender, showcasing how much he treasures her.

By the end of Book 7, all three of them are more protective of each other because of everything they went through. Silver/Sebek are especially protective of Yuu cause there were times when her recklessness got the better of her during the book's events.

And I could see this book being when Yuu admits that her recklessness is the result of growing up her whole life never really caring about her own well-being since she was always treated like she was worthless. She never experienced love prior to NRC, so she didn't know how to love herself.

Fortunately, since coming to NRC, she has learned this valuable lesson, and she knows that now there are people who would be upset if she died, so she never wants to put the people she loves through that kinda pain. Plus, she truly wants to live now that she has a life she thinks is worth living.

Needless to say, Sebek gets really emotional when he hears that and hugs the hell out of her for a while.

Regrettably, old habits die hard, which is why Yuu can't just completely stop being reckless just cause she wants to, so that's why she will still have moments when she puts herself in danger in order to protect her loved ones.

Which is why Silver/Sebek will always watch her back because they want to protect her just as much.

Thanks to Book 7, I am now just so soft for the SilYuuSeb trio cause they're all such good kids who are always working so hard and doing their best. They care so much about each other and have so much mutual respect for one another.

Depending on how Book 7 ends, I might just have to write a fic with these three.

Just imagine, when it's all over and done and they're supposed to return to their rooms at the end of the day now that everything's back to normal, none of them can sleep, not even Silver, cause it's been what feels like forever since these three last slept on their own without the other two present and it just feels wrong to not know with complete certainty that they're all completely safe.

Fortunately, Lilia was smart enough to have Yuu stay over at Diasomnia for the night, out of concern for her mental state after such a stressful ordeal, so once the three have had enough of being alone, they all end up seeking each other out in the middle of the night.

Hence, the timeless classic cuddle pile cause that's exactly what these poor kids need.

And of course, the next morning, Lilia finds the three fast asleep all cuddled up together and is absolutely thrilled 😂

(There's also some worry, of course, but more than anything, he is just loving seeing his boys becoming even closer to his future daughter lol)

[saylessastrology]

Synastry Interactions - Guess the Planet! 💫

Guess which person is the correct planet, Aspect is bonus points for being awesome Lol! 💁🏾‍♀️

Emily: *Frustrated* Mark, I can't believe you're being so cold and distant! It feels like you don't care about my feelings at all.

Mark: *Defensively* Emily, I do care about your feelings. I just have a hard time expressing myself, especially when things get tough.

Emily: But that's the problem, Mark. Whenever there's conflict, you shut down emotionally. It's like you build this wall between us, and it's so hard to break through.

Mark: I know it may seem that way, but it's not intentional. I've always had difficulty with vulnerability, and I struggle to let people in.

Emily: But we're supposed to be in a relationship, Mark. We're supposed to be able to lean on each other and support one another. How can we do that if you won't open up?

Mark: I understand your frustration, Emily, but my fear of getting hurt often takes over. I have this deep-seated fear that if I show my vulnerability, you'll reject me.

Emily: I'm not going to reject you, Mark. I love you, but I need more from you. I need to feel like you trust me enough to open up and let me in.

Mark: I want to trust you, Emily, but it's difficult for me. However, I'm willing to work on it because I don't want to lose you. You mean everything to me.

Emily: I appreciate that, Mark, but actions speak louder than words. I need to see some effort from you. I need you to show me that you're actively working on overcoming your fears.

Mark: I understand, Emily. I'll make a conscious effort to communicate my feelings better and be more vulnerable with you. I want to build a stronger connection and create a safe space for both of us.

Emily: Thank you, Mark. That's all I'm asking for. We can work through this together as long as we're both committed to growth and understanding.

Mark: I am committed, Emily. I love you, and I want to make this relationship work. Let's keep communicating and supporting each other, even when things get tough.

Emily: Agreed, Mark. We can get through this if we stay open and honest with each other. I believe in us.

[solarwynd]

Bouncing back on the previous ask and I think honestly a lot of people in this fandom want jimin to struggle with something. Things could be great for him and they will still find something to make it negative. Jimin is a great artist and a great person. I don't say this just because I stan him but having seen him for the past 7 years he's genuinely an amazing and talented man with a good heart and set of morals. And that makes some people upset because they want to humble him, make him more flawed or maybe want to project their own flaws onto him. So they come up with stuff like this fake idea of overcoming toxic masculinity or struggling with his identity when he's never had any toxic masculinity to begin with and is by far the most self-secure man out of the group. Of course he's had his moments of insecurities or difficulties like every person in this world does but listening to armys you would think all that he is insecurities and struggles when that's not the case. Add to it the fake narratives about supposed struggles with body image when jimin is the only member who's acknowledged the fact that idols diet can be unhealthy and he's even regretted doing unhealthy diets in the past. He's spoken about it and has chosen to diet healthily when he needs to get ready for comebacks. Meanwhile you got other members openly speaking about starving and getting iv drips or doing water only diets before comebacks but none of them are ever judged with the same lens as jimin. In terms of talents too, despite being the best performer and dancer of the group, and a gifted musician with insane composing abilities jimin is barely even recognized for his skills while other members are often hailed as genius for the bare minimum. They'll call him hard working which he is but this hardwork would be meaningless if he didn't have tons of talent to begin with and they don't want to accept that he's very talented. lol it's really weird because you would think being a fan of a beautiful artist and person like jimin would make those people more appreciative of him but no they're more focused on trying to associate him with negativity or belittle him.

.🎯

[koolades-world]

Spellbound Secrets

playlist

current length: 32 minutes long

current amount of tracks: 8

hello! i assume you're here from a chapter of spellbound secrets, but if not, here's the prologue to get you started :)

the playlist is a youtube/youtube music playlist since that's just what i use but if you guys ask for it, i can make a spotify one too! i think there are a couple songs i wouldn't be able to add but i could see what i could do. before you go listen, i highly recommend reading more about the explanation for each song since i thought a lot about it before adding each song. my taste in music is very vocaloid leaning just so you know haha (also please let me know if those links are working!!!)

as time goes on and i release more chapters, i'll be adding more songs since some of them have to do with later plot points. i'll also just be adding songs in general if and when i find more i want to add. if you have any suggestions, i may add them so fire away if you think something might, don't be afraid to let me know <3

now, let's begin!!

Our Destiny by Solomon (VA: Kazuki Kawata): does this song even need an explanation? it's on this playlist because it's a solomon fic, it's gotta be haha

Hole Dwelling by Kikuo: this is the song that inspired me to start the playlist. the lyrics themselves could apply, but what got me to add this more than anything was the deep feeling of dread and hopelessness from the the song. if you'd like to listen to an english version to get a better grasp on the lyrics, i recommend this one over any other cover. this person did an amazing job!!

Language of the Lost by Riproducer: i adore riproducer. they're great for stepping into the vocaloid community since almost all of their songs are in english. i could go on and on about them. the lyrics in this one i feel like could be applied to mc after the events of the prologue and how solomon is going to be the one to help them and help them dig their way out of what feels like their grave

Love Again by Dua Lipa: i absolutely loved dua's album future nostalgia so i combed it trying to pick at least one song to add and settled on this one. this isn't necessarily exclusive to spellbound secrets, but the lyrics could read as solomon's feelings towards mc ahhh it's too cute

Float Planner by More More Jump!: i'm a HUGE project sekai fan which you'll see. this song and the next go hand in hand. this song is all about 'soaring' into the future together. there's one line about having difficulties overcoming but holding hands would give them the strength to continue it's so cute man. i won't yap about song and the characters who sing it but just know, i could. here's a version with an english translation

Jumpin' Over by More More Jump!: this song was released after the previous song so the messages line up. the lyrics are about looking back over past obstacles and observing growth. it feels better as an end of the fic song, but this could be for any obstacles solomon and mc have overcome together. here's a great english translation

Ultra C by Vivid Bad Squad: love this song too! at first i tried really hard to justify why this was here and i came up with a feeble reason before realizing it was my playlist and i could put a song on it because i wanted too lol. but the reason was the lyrics are about overcoming obstacles and the instrumentals are wicked. idk i'm just a huge vbs fan. eyestrain warning for the mv so here's an english translation

Hope is the Thing With Feathers by Robin: another one that i kinda struggled to justify but i just felt like the vibes matched? if i come up with a stronger reason i will list it lol

[randomthefox]

Do you think that “Should you let your accomplishments define you?” is a good theme for a Tails-centric story that builds off of his arc in Frontiers? It comes from how Tails seems to let his most recent accomplishments or failures overshadow everything he’s done before, which leads to him having difficulty remaining emotionally stable without support, and it certainly doesn’t help that he bases most of his identity off of being useful to and cool like Sonic, so almost everything he does has to be something he feels Sonic would approve of. So I think it would make sense for a Tails solo story post Frontiers to focus on him learning to not let his accomplishments define him as much so that he can confidently do things his own way and be a hero because he wants to without having to constantly worry about failing because it’s his fear of failure, mostly a fear of failing Sonic, that leads to him being cripplingly unsure of himself, incredibly overconfident to insulate himself against future failures after he experiences success at the consequence of making himself complacent, or emotionally dependent on the people around him. All things that he has to grow out of if he wants to be a hero in his own right. Tails had realized he can do things on his own in Adventure 1, in Adventure 2 he realized he could only be as cool of a hero as Sonic if he comes a hero in his own way rather than copying Sonic because Sonic’s coolness comes from him being himself, but his fear of failure led to him backtracking most of that development and rediscovering it thanks to Sonic in Frontiers while also realizing that he needs to become more independent. If he wants to confront his fear of failure, facing Eggman once by himself and only when he had no other choice was only testing the waters. He needs to choose to go on a whole adventure all on his own to confront his fear of failure. You seem to be a big Tails fan, and I value your take on the franchise, so what do you think of this potential character arc? Ideas are cheap, and writing is mostly about execution, but I still find it important that I don’t start before I make sure that I don’t have a rotten base that fundamentally misunderstands the character.

Yeah that seems about right for his character. Another way to put it is "you're only as good as your last idea." Parks and Rec had an episode with that as the driving conflict. I personally think that episode kind of dropped the ball on the morale, since it kind of ends with the implication that you DO actually have to always one up your previous contributions and accomplishments to have value lol.

I think your assessment is correct. It's also a lot of negativity bias. Basic human nature is that any failure or criticism hurts twice as much as any success or praise feels good. So we have a tendency to overemphasize the importance of our failures or shortcomings and downplay the significance of our achievements, which definitely feels like an issue Tails struggles with. "Successes only lasts until someone screws them up, failures are forever."

It feels right that part of Tails' journey should be accepting himself for who he is as himself, and not based on his accomplishments or deeds. Sonic used his successes and achievements to buoy his mood in Frontiers and that was the right thing to say for how Tails was feeling at that time. But the next step in believing in himself should be to overcome placing his sense of self worth on his actions and learning to truly internalize that he is Good Enough just by the virtue of existing. I feel like that'd be the right direction to go with a post-Frontiers Tails, yes.

[inverted-flowers]

I did a tarot spread predicting how Martyn's Secret Life is gonna go... I've already posted about Joel if you're curious. Also you don't really need to know anything about Tarot Cards here. (Also I put the drawn cards in italics.)

First Card - Start

I laughed when I pulled this because... Wow pfttt. You probably don't even need to have seen Martyn's pov to understand just how blunt this card is being. I drew the 7 Of Wands reversed which represents being overpowered... Yup... Anyway! This card also describes how overwhelming this start is for him which I'm pretty sure he talks about. This one feels less like it's about his actual game play and more just how he's experiencing the beginning of this season which... Kinda makes me feel weird for doing this so I don't wanna interpret this one more than that. Feels like I'm breaking some sort of unspoken boundary or something.

Second Card - Individual

This card is meant to describe how Martyn's gonna play this season. For this I drew the reversed King of Wands. I actually struggled quite a bit to interpret this one. This card talks about how "challenges" can make him feel lost and that he needs to focus on long term goals. My best idea here is something pulls his attention too much and makes focusing on other important factors more challenging. So maybe dropping hearts pulls from completing tasks or tasks pull from the actual game or something along those lines.

Third Card - Social

This card is supposed to describe how things will go for Martyn in the social aspect of the game. The card I drew was Strength! (Funny I also drew that for Joel but reversed.) It's talking about using confidence and determination to overcome difficulties. With the social context there's QUITE the variety of what these "difficulties" are. There's also a point of understanding the needs and wants of the others. That's always a good thing in these games because... well manipulation and trades.

Fourth Card - Big Impact

This card is supposed to describe what's most impactful for him. Whether it's the thing that makes or breaks his season or something that makes the most dramatic turn. I drew the Magician. This card REALLY talks about bringing two sides together; about being the tie between them. Which 👀 ... Wouldn't THAT be interesting?

Fifth Card - End

So how's Secret Life end for Martyn? A reversed Tower! This is interesting because it tells us he needs to not be afraid of taking risks towards the end of the season. Is it that he'll need to do some hard tasks for more hearts? Or is it something that will risk him hearts or alliances? We'll find out! (Maybe. If I'm accurate.)

Final thoughts? That this is very vague. Much more vague than Joel's was. According to this reading he seems to have a decent shot though so that's fun! Or at least an ok shot lol.

'Til next time! :D

[svartalfhild]

Listening to The Who a bunch for the first time since I was a young teen has been an Experience.

I spent my college years feeling kinda embarrassed over the obsession I'd had with them when I was like 13. I felt like it was so cringe because other 13 year olds had made me feel like my love of classic rock was cringe, and I had also since fully moved on and started exploring music that wasn't just the music my parents had raised me on or my favourite film soundtracks. I wanted to distance myself from my parents and the person I was as a teen and bury myself in alt rock, metal, and post-punk.

Now here I am in my late-20's, going back and listening to that old music for various reasons, and I'm like oh no 13 year old me was right. The Who fuck severely. And I can also see now how formative listening to them was for me. I recently read that they're considered proto-punk by music historians and I started connecting dots in my head like holy shit that explains so much of why my musical taste evolved the way it did. The edgy subject matter. The intense sound. The dramatic vocals. Of course I went on to be very into bands like Evanescence, Halestorm, Green Day, The Offspring, My Chemical Romance, In This Moment, and even Florence + The Machine.

And I think that shit influenced me beyond just music taste. I think it made me way more comfortable talking about difficult social topics than my peers in some ways, which in turn made me an even more pretentious teen than I otherwise would have been lol. I also only just recently realized that one of the many reasons why The Who, out of all the classic rock bands in my dad's LP collection, probably appealed to me the greatest was because their music isn't mostly about sex or attraction, and my tiny unaware ace ass was naturally drawn to that.

Additionally, shoutout to Pete Townshend for inspiring me so much as a musician and songwriter at that age, but also a big thanks to his slightly pitchy ass for giving me the completely unearned confidence to be the lead singer in a band as a teen. My tiny self heard Pete Townshend sing in some of The Who's songs and was subconsciously like "if this is the bar for professionals, I'm fine". I mean that with complete sincerity and love. Being able to get myself to sing in front of other people did a lot for me psychologically at 13, I think. Sure, I later I came to look back and cringe at how bad I was, but being oblivious to myself was very important in making sure I got to do some of the things I wanted to do at the time.

Perhaps most importantly after all this introspection and trips down memory lane, I find myself wanting to pick up my guitar and write music again for the first time in more than 10 years. I still have the custom black and tortoiseshell Gibson SG I got specifically because Pete Townshend used to play SGs (in hindsight, I should have stuffed my idolatry, made the smart choice, and gotten a Stratocaster- SGs are stupidly neck-heavy- but teen me was like I Need Townshend's Guitar, Dad). The truss rod probably needs some serious adjustment by now, but that's probably doable. I just need to set aside the time and get myself to overcome the hurdle of opening that dusty ass gig bag (ADHD Task Difficulty: Moderate-Severe).