#like you dont understand i need to know what happens to them first and foremost before i can attend to my own needs

[glitterghost]

Kind of want to run into an overgrown forest (ao3) and never be seen again (drown happily in my feelings).

[phantasmatoucan]

Character ask game for mod Owl: I was gonna ask about Smitten, but I'm sure someone else will do that-

So how about instead... tell me about Skeptic. That fluffy bird-

THE FLUFFIEST GUY EVER

[Send Me a Character and I'll List Ask Game]

FAVORITE THING ABOUT THEM

I ABSOLUTELY ADORE HOW INTELLEGENT HE CAN BE, HOW HE CAN COME UP WITH A PRACTICAL PLAN THAT CAN HELP TLQ OUT AND MAKE IT WORK [including also whatever other voice was already there into his plan because im sure he knows he can't do this alone] BUT I ALSO LOOOOVE HOW DUMB HE CAN BE AS WELL AND NOT BECAUSE HES AN IDIOT BUT BECAUSE OF HIS DISTRUST OF OTHERS AND GETTING TOO MUCH IN HIS OWN HEAD THAT HE STARTS MISSING THE POINT OF WHAT THEYRE EVEN DOING, HE NEEDS ANSWERS NO MATTER THE COST, I LIKE TO THINK IF HE HAD SOMETHING LIKE RPG STATS HE WOULD HAVE THEM LIKE 20 INTELECT AND -2 WISDOM, HE HAS A HARD TIME JUDGING THE CHARACTER [in this case the princess] UNLESS HE CAN GUESS WHAT SHES TRYING TO DO, HE DOES CARE ABOUT THE PRINCESS, AFTER ALL HE CAME TO BE BY TRYING TO FREE HER BUT FOR HIM TRYING TO DECIPHER EVERYTHING THATS HAPPENING IN A LOGICAL MANNER COMES FIRST AND FOREMOST, ALSO I LOVE HOW HE CAN ADAPT AS WELL IF PUSHED ENOUGH BY OTHER VOICES, LIKE WHEN PARANOID TOLD HIM ABOUT THE SHACKLES BEING TO RUSTY AND HE GIVES IN INTO PARAS LOGIC, THE SAME WITH HERO IN THE DEN, HE CAN BELIEVE IN THIS HONESTLY ILLOGICAL THINGS BUT HE NEEDS A REASON TO BELIEVE, HE CAN'T JUMP INTO CONCLUSIONS WITHOUT QUESTIONING THEM ITS NOT IN HIS NATURE

LEAST FAVORITE THING ABOUT THEM

ERM.... ERM... ERM.............................. I DONT KNOW... I THINK MAYBE THE FACT THAT THE LINE WHERE HE SUGGEST GETTING THE HEAD OF THE PRISIONER AND BRINGING IT WITH THEM WAS CUT OUT AFTER PRISTINE CUT... BUT THATS NOT HIS FAULT HE WAS LOBOTOMIZED A BIT 💖

FAVORITE LINE

"Looks like we've seen through your lies at last, Mr. The Narrator. If that even is your real name." HES SO STUPID

BROtp

SMITTEN AND SKEPTIC ARE THE BROS OF BROS FOR ME, GREY BROTHERS MY BELOVED, SMITTEN HELPS OUT SKEPTIC TO UNDERSTAND OTHERS A BIT MORE AND DISCERNING HIS EMOTIONS A BIT BETTER, ALSO HELPING HIM OUT ON NOT GETTING FRUSTATED AS EASILY IF THINGS DONT GO HIS WAY AND SKEPTIC HELPS OUT SMITTEN TO THINK MORE ABOUT HIMSELF AND DOING THINGS FOR HIMSELF, NOT REVOLVING HIS LIFE AROUND THE PRINCESSES SO MUCH, AND THEN SMITTEN INVITES SKEPTIC TO A TEA PARTY AND THEY HAVE A GOOD TIME JUST HANGING OUT

OTP

IVE BEEN INFECTED WITH THE SKEPTUNIST AGENDA AND LET ME TELL U I THINK THEYRE... VERY CUTE TOGETHER ACTUALLY, SKEPTIC TRYING TO UNDERSTAND OPPORTUNIST MOTIVES WHILE OPPORTUNIST TRIES TO GET ON SKEPTICS GOOD SIDE AFTER ALL HAVING A SMARTY PANTS ON HIS SIDE WILL ALWAYS BE GOOD FOR ANY PLAN HE CAN COME UP WITH BUT SLOWLY THEY REALIZE THAT DAMN.... I KINDA ENJOY THE COMPANY OF THIS PERSON THE MORE I TRY TO GET CLOSER TO THEM, MAYBE THEY CAN EVEN BECOME PARTNERS IN CRIME....

NOtp

I ACTUALLY HAVENT SEEN THAT MANY SKEPTIC SHIPS SO I WOULDNT EVEN KNOW IF I HAD ONE LMAO

RANDOM HEADCANON

I THINK HE HAS ANGER ISSUES AS HES PRONE TO GET FRUSTRATED VERY EASILY, HE JUST HAS A CALMER WAY OF EXPRESSING IT BY TRYING TO LOGIC HIS WAY OUT OF IT BUT ITS HARDER WHEN HE ONLY FINDS DEAD ENDS, ALSO A HEADCANON FOR MY VERSION OF SKEPTIC IS THAT HE CAN FLY AT ALL BECAUSE OF THE POSITION OF HIS WINGS AND THAT HE NEEDS GLASSES TO ACTUALLY READ lol

UNPOPULAR OPINION

HAVENT LOOKED AT THE FANDOM LONG ENOUGH TO THINK OF THIS ONE, I HAVE NOT SEEN MANY PEOPLE TALKING BADLY ABOUT SKEP OR ATLEAST IN A WAY I FEEL LIKE IT DOESNT MAKE SENSE FOR ME LMAO

SONG I ASSOCIATE WITH THEM

GOLDEN NUMBER BY IYOWA [I PUT THE SUB VERSION BUT CHECK OUT THEIR OTHER SONGS IN THEIR MAIN CHANNEL THEYRE VERY GOOD, I ASSOCIATE THIS SONG TO HIM SPECIFICALLY THE LAST PART A LOT lol]

FAVORITE PICTURE OF THEM

SINCE YOU KNOW, THE VOICES DONT REALLY HAVE LIKE SET IMAGES OR DESIGN ILL JUST PULL FROM MY ART O21L3KR12R, U GET MY FAV PIC I DREW OF HIM

[el-warverine]

Wolverine: Weapon X (1991)

Wolverine: Weapon X is a MUST read if you want to get the full scope of Wolverine. This story details more than any other comic, exactly what kind of bullshit Logan was subjected to while being used for the Weapon X program.

The dehumanization of Logan during this comic is gut-wrenching for me, so i need to jabber about it. My favorite bit and some ramblin below.

Logan can hear and smell the wolves in the cage. The fuckers in lab coats know that he is receiving this stimuli, but have no idea why Logan isnt reacting, there isnt a single impulse to run or fight the wolves.

To Logan, the sounds and smell of wolves isnt a threat. Even when they knock him down, even when they bite.

He doesn't react until they are actually tearing him apart. Once the pain is too much, he fights back, and he roars.

"I dont think that's bloodlust, professor... I think it's pain."

"I'm enjoying this far too much."

The doctor claims Logan's roar is "relish" of the carnage, but really, he's just projecting. He is very fascinated by controlling this kind of power, and this is what he chose to do with it. He wants to portay this cruelty as some animalistic trait of Logan's, when really none of this horror would ever happen if he wasn't the one pulling the strings.

In Logan's mind, those animals were not disposable. These people rationalize their cruelty toward Logan by claiming he is not human he is an animal, when to him, humanity is not a prerequisite for respect or kindness. What caused this barbaric display was the very men sitting there watching it. When Wolverine was free, there was a time wolves were his family, his comfort.

So no, it's not "odd" that he wasn't afraid of those wolves. And no, it isn't pleasure in that roar. It's not just pain, either. It's grief.

This is how a fool can posess someone, violate their mind and body, control them, and still know less than he would if he just had a fucking chat with them. But the doctor doesn't want to learn anything from these experiments. He just wants to control Wolverine. Like a toddler wanting to drive a car, he doesn't even want to go anywhere he just wants to use the steering wheel.

Throughout Wolverine's life after this, the same thing will happen to him over and over again. Governments, lovers, friends, all of them will use him, and in most instances with the last two, he will allow it. He will give them the opportunity to use him, and in exchange, he gets a place by their side for as long as they'll allow him to have it. Even when they dont necessarily make him happy, because happiness isn't really what he's after. Maybe he wants to be needed, part of a unit, indispensable. That isn't enough in the long term, either, though. If his constant introspective inner monologues paired with his sudden outbursts of asserting who he is are anything to go by, being understood is also something very important to him.

It's a tough ask to understand someone who has been alive for nearly 200 years and been to hell and back, even tougher when at least half that life has been dedicated to suffocating the parts of himself that humanity would look down upon. For some time Logan strives for ideals like honor to keep himself on the track of being a man first and foremost, he tries to fight for what's right and control the wilder parts of his personality to prove to himself he isnt an animal. With time, he starts to accept those things as well, though. Being called an "animal" happens to him regularly regardless of what he does, and he is very capable of taking it on the chin without holding a grudge despite what he's been subjected to due to that perspective. Maybe it's because deep down he knows that being the animal isn't the problem. It's being in the wrong cage.

Anyway, ouch, movin on. Read Weapon X it's good.

[nerves-nebula]

being aroace as The Person that i am is interesting cuz i have such a deep intense desire for companionship and understanding, i want a life partner, someone to share my whole world with, someone who will share everything with me and who i can raise kids with.

but those things are linked so deeply to romance and sex that a lot of people don't conceive of it as, like, A Thing That Can Actually happen, and i don't even know how to explain it. like yea i'm personally monogamous but i dont care if my partner dates or has sex with other people so long as i'm the main priority.

what's appealing about a relationship to me is the idea of having someone i know will always put me first, who i'd know I would drop anything to help if they really needed it, who needs me like i need them. that's what appeals to me. it's belonging to someone and knowing they belong to me first and foremost. the sex and the romance are optional.

you might think that sounds inherently romantic but i'd been dating a romantically inclined person for 5 years and let me tell you, it's really not. i might not be entirely sure what romance even is but it's something i really wasn't doing much of (except to indulge her, cuz i wanted her to be happy) and i know that romance is not a requirement for closeness or affection or devotion or. AUGH. now im rambling.

[eueuphoriaz]

I just need to get this out.

I just watched a video giving opiniated views on AOT characters and the views given on Hange is so stupid. After doing a few research on analysis for Hange, I realised that there are not a lot of in-depth analysis of her. Most of what I read are about her achievements, habits and behaviours. Perhaps I am not searching in the right directions but knowing that there are people who dont know Hange, and disliking her just because there is a lack on information/ back story on her, it is so unfair.

So I need to get this out. Like it or not, this is my views of Hange, and I will try to be logical and rational as much as possible.

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

First and foremost, we need to know that Hange is the ONLY major character that we have no personal background story on. Even characters like Pieck and Annie, who appeared lesser than Hange throughout the whole story, were given a backstory to explain the reasons for their actions or choices. This means that we get the chance to understand them, empathise with them and thereby making a more holistic judgement on them and their choices or actions.

We do not have that chance with Hange. We only see her choices and actions. Hence, without understanding the why and underlying reasons for her actions, we can only judge her based on what we see only. Blame it on Isayama and not Hange.

Which is why most of the analysis I read are mostly about what we can see in the mange and anime: her optimism, her eccentricity, her compassion, her self-esteem etc etc. But we cannot link the "why" to all of these that we observe in her.

Honestly, another character I think is in a similar position is Armin. Both of them just have that drive, which is difficult to have an explanation to. Like, they are just like that.

Hence, Hange's character, in my opinion, is someone who, if you get her you get her. You cannot logically analysis her completely but if you know, you will love her. She is written in such a way that you have to experience intuitively.

So I am going to start this post now....

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

I will organise this by timeline:

1) Pre-104

2) Pre-basement

3) Pre-Liberio

4) Rumbling.

I may get lost along the way but perhap will tidy up this in time to come.

And now, I would like to introduce the 3 men that are important to Hange's character:

Not them but they are definitely important.

The other 3 men are

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

1) Pre-104 and Pre-Basement

Now, I am going to compare Hange during the Pre-104 period and Pre-Basement period.

Essentially, we know that pre-104, Hange was first driven by hatred and anger towards the titan. But somewhere along that time, she decided to change her perspective and took on a different approach in the war against Titan. She is on Humanity's side very clearly.

The moment shifted when 104 came. First, there is new info of Titan-shifters, enemy shifters, Wall titans etc. All these changes happen in the span of 1-2 months (from the Battle at Trost to 57th expedition to Stohess batte). Comparing to what Hange and the Survey Corp had tried to seek and understood for so many years, this transition is important.

No one knew what is going on but I think this is the start of Hange's transition back to Pre-104 period for her.

Essentially, Hange is brought back to where she had to fight the Titans enemies with hatred and anger. Of course we do not have the reasons for why but she is very consistent here. She is tough and will not hesitate to resort to violence for the greater good- Humanity

I just want to insert a scene from Levi explaining this in the manga (reminds me of the part where Hange said she wanted everyone to feel safe. This also tells me that Hange is terrified knowing that Humanity can be enemies too):

"Choosing the hell of humans killing each other over the hell of being eaten....That way all of Humanity doesnt have to be damned"

This is very very deep. (Foreshsdowing cue on Eren's intention of thr Rumbling)

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

Nick here, kind of represents the Titans that Hange used to hate, but now seek to understand. You can see the parallels in Hange treating Nick and Titans in both the Pre-104 and pre-basement timeline. If she cant understand the situation herself, she make Nick understand the situation himself so that he can disclose the information. And in the process, she values them (Titans and Nick).

2) Pre-Basement

The next important man is Sannes, because this is when Hange started to realise the real enemy. Are they the titans? Shifters? What is humanity actually?

Nick kickstart a new realisation for Hange as she transits from knowing "humanity vs titans" to "humanity and friendly titan vs unfriendly titans" to "friendly humans vs hostile humans".

This scene which didnt make it to the anime gives a hint of Hange's future struggle with the violence in Humanity when the story later unfolds that humans will continue to kill one another.

This is very similar to Armin's speech when the 104 listened in to Sannes' torture.

Now, I have seen people commenting that Hange has not qualms about killing people and even titan after she knew that titan are actually human. And for that they did not like her decision to stop genocide, aka she is hypocritical.

Now, if you understand Hange's perspective of Humanity, it would be much more clearer that she is all for the bigger picture. For Humanity to survive and be free. Sannes and the king, on the other hand, is for Humanity to submit to the titans and accept any retributions that come.

Hange's Humanity perspective start to transit during her interactions with Sannes because it is a different belief she has to build upon her bigger goals now. Which type of Humanity is she on? Just like Armin's speech: Humans can be enemy because they have different beliefs.

Remember how Nick brought Hange back to the feeling of terror pre-104? Sannes gave Hange the opportunity to re-examine how she should respond to this new threat: human with different beliefs. Which is why I like her kicking of table scene so much. She is thinking and digesting a lot of what is going on. We dont see it but I think, we can feel it.

So pre-104 and pre-basement Hange are similar.

- She faced an enemy (Titan/ Humans), she respond emotionally and with violence (Titan's head football, Nick over wall, torturing Sannes)

- Given time, she eventually change the way she view her enemies (Titans, Nick, Sannes).

3) Pre-Liberio

So, after the basement and killing off all titans so that humanity can be free of the walls (I mean what can she do to those mindless titans right? They still possess a risk to humans if they cannot be restrained like Connie's mother or the baby titan), I feel that Hange reached her golden period.

I think that this is where she is most at ease with herself. Pre-104 period, once she is sure of how she wants to view her enemies aka Titans, she goes all out to experiment and understand them. Similarly after Basement and Pre Liberio, Hange now seeks to understand other humans, instead of titans now. Onykopon is the person that gave Hange that opportunity to be curious about human and their intelligence now. So we have her probing at guns and cars and what-not.

Hange at this stage is still on Humanity side but she does not differentiated them. I think she struggles with the idea of Humanity controlling the power of titans by giving up and sacrificing human lives. It is quite contradicting and we see Hange trying to understand once again, the Humans now.

I think Onykopon understood her and supported her as she tried to figure out what Humanity wanted.

I think her inner speech here is so important to understand that Hange is always on Humanity's side. I think many have pointed out she is always pro-life and she seeks a win-win situation, which can be idealistic, but at the least she tries to avoid a lose-lose situation. She is not being a coward at all.

4) Rumbling

I think many people just thought that she had changed after the timeskip and may dislike her for being wishy-washy about many decisions here. But if we follow Hange throughout the story, she always seek the way of understanding. She is going through a transition herself of understanding the world and she does not have the luxury of accessing anyone's past or future memories like the Titan shifters, or Marley's Eldians.

True, there is no time for Paradise to make a decision, she doesnt have the luxury of time to understand humans or to build relationships, which Hange is so good at. And it definitely will take time to change a system or global worldview. Sometimes it is impossible.

I included this scene from Armin during the Sannes torture scene. There is a lot of foreshadowing here, which hints at the continuation of humanity and the change in the way they should fight. I draw attention to Armin's observation that Erwin's coup is a rebellion against a system for almost 100 years. With Hange now trying to address a problem that newly arise within 5 years, how can anyone even question her competency!?!? And Armin's conclusion basically also foreshadow Eren's effect of Rumbling: creating a significant event (Rumbling) so that the Survey Corp (Alliance) can be seen as a saviour and putting the blame on the MP or the government (Eren and the Titans). That is what basically happened for the Rumbling, and Hange initated that, with Armin continuing this form of retaliation via means of Alliance.

Her role now, is not to initiate change or gamble for change but to facilitate transition to the next person. Her decision to stop the genocide is exactly why Eren can only kill 80% of the world's population. Her decision to try to seek to understand help patch Magath's delusional view, changed Marley's victimised persception of themselves, lead the foundation of the Alliance and many others. Some say her sacrifice is unnecessary. It is if we only think of the situation in a micro view, ie Paradis vs the world. But Hange's view is always for Humanity to be free. She has to move on so that Humanity can move on. I would go as far as to say that she is the parallel of Eren's Attack Titan in human form. Thats why Levi knows she wont allow herself to stay out of action even before Eren declare that he will activate the Rumbling. (She was already fixing the cart when Eren spoke to all Eldians)

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

So if I compare Hange after Liberio and with pre 104 and pre basement, she is still very similar:

- She faced an enemy (Titan/ Humans/ humans' internal violence), she respond emotionally and with violence (Titan's head football, Nick over wall, torturing Sannes, i think she struggled here and was redirecting a lot of the aggression internally towards herself-being hard on herself instead)

- Given time, she eventually change the way she view her enemies (Titans, Nick, Sannes, she accepts and embrace that violence within her, because she still believes in Humanity and she does not have the time to change or remove the violence within human).

A few more panels from the manga to highlight what the real enemy is:

Erwin's and Pixie's conversation after the coup is important as it hinted what really is the enemy.

I was curious about this conversation between Yelena and Levi. Now it makes more sense to me.

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

In a way, many people have seen the most precious thing about Hange: the willingness to change yourself. I think, even for us, irl, we always want others to change for us, we always want the external environment to change for us. Much like Eren, when things dont go our way, we want them to change or die or disappear. Hange's willingness to admit vulnerability and change themselves, is something not many people can do. She is not avoiding. She is not even in the fight/ flight mode against threats. She is being in total control of herself by changing her perspectives, opinions and worldviews. Her level of self-awareness is not something many people observed because, we dont have a very complete understanding of why she is like that. Aka, we need her backstory so that people can understand her actions and choices easier.

This voice drama is so important to understand her as a whole.

".. it's ok to change..."

"...so let's change..."

"...so that we keep what shouldnt be changed."

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

I kind of got lost and started to focus on her achievements instead. But Hange is just that character that is, if you understand you know.

[thelycanthropedia]

When it comes to canines, Werewolves, WereFoxes and WereDogs have similar care

What about WereFelines?

WereCats, WereHyenas, WereTigers and so on have much different care. And here's what you need to know if you happen to be one of them!

1. Your changes are vastly different

Unlike for canines, feline behavior is extremely different when it comes to lycanthrophy. You may notice you have an affinity for walking in the sun, you might like fish a little too much now, you like to take more frequent naps and perhaps even become much more playful or even snappier. All according to how typical cat behaviors go.

Your senses will also be enhanced, but in a slightly different manner. Your eyes will glow in the dark, your claws are retractable, certain strong smells will make you gag, and your hearing will be sensitive.

Depending on what kind of feline you are, your changes could be a tad different, such as Hyenas for example, who are loud and ecstatic, could reflect on your behavior.

2. Your transformation needs alot of prepare

Every lycanthrope needs to prepare for that time of the month, sometimes some species need more prep than others.

For felines, you might rather stay indoors, for that you'll need plenty of food and stimulations, be sure you have on hand plenty of toys and things to keep you distracted.

Your diet will also change, probably to either something as simple as fish, or small animals such as mice, birds, or go big animals such as deer.

Always remember to research, you can never be too careful!

3. You might have a bigger affect on people

It's very possible that people will begin to notice a change in you. People with cat allergies are more common than with dog allergies, so being around your peers could cause them to sneeze or wheeze, even if you dont have any fur on your, the sense and scent remains, affecting them.

You also could become more clingy and cuddly, like most felines are, and be prone to groom yourself more often, causing another physical change to be noticed by others.

In these situations, honesty is always the best policy. If you really trust them, just be truthful and explain why you are like this, if they are who you hope them to bex they'll be understanding and perhaps even help you to contain these changes

4. What if you cant tell anyone?

You'll have to adapt new things into your routine and life to hide the little but noticeable changes. Invest in colognes or perfumes to disguise the cat smell, wear colored clothing to hide the cat fur, keep a stim toy around to snuggle with whenever the need hits.

Little changes in your life like this could be life-saving.

5. How can I protect and research myself further?

If you are the type to blackout when you transform, then knowing exactly what you need is more complicated.

When you can, lock yourself in a room, barricade well the doors and windows, and record yourself during the night. Keep the camera in a well-lit but hidden spot.

When you awaken the next day, rewatch the footage hopefully it isnt broken and research based on what you have recorded

6. Focus on yourself.

Like any lycanthrope, life will be difficult to manage and adapt, so always prioritize yourself first and foremost. Always be prepared in advance, invest a little more money if you can, and just be sure to make your life into something fun, not something to be dreaded.

For what you have is not a curse, but a gift.

With these tips in mind, have fun and keep howling!

Er.. Meowing!

[wtfforged]

Zoro (or Wolfwood), 8 and/or 12, for the character ask game :)

noticing the wolfwood mention, i would first and foremost like to apologize for tricking you into thinking that i have ever consumed trigun. i watched like 3 episodes each of '98 and stampede i know nothing about these characters. i just like trigun and always reblog trigun art anyways bc both wolfwood and vash remind me of my friends oc who i am vehemently obsessed with. i do plan on picking it back up though!!!! i want to read and watch it all!!!!

MOVING ONWARDS!

8- oh god. god. oh my god. im such a haterrr im such a hater. clutching my head. im not used to big fandoms so you have to understand the insane whiplash and like flesh-boiling hatred i felt upon getting into one piece(found family! fun/cute characters! cool adventures!) and seeing the community being so hugely shipping and very specifically Being Weird About Zoro. i ffucking hate how very popular it is to take zoro's usual Kind Of Unexpressive And Quiet/Introverted(shy) Nature and turn him into some weird Sexy Bishounen Yaoi Unquenchable Dom Daddy. this is typically also combined with turning sanji into some tiny little weak and flowery hairless biped twink who goes "kya !" for shipping/jackoff material purposes. like im going to kill you. im gonna bite your nose off. get your hand out of your pants and go sit in the corner and think about what youve done.

12- HEADCANONS IS SO HARD. BC I HAVE SO MANY REALLY SELF INDULGENT ONES THAT IM SO SHY ABOUT HEHE. but one i can give you right off the top of my head is that sometimes i hc that hes functionally illiterate, maybe even dyslexic. he was orphaned so damn young and never got any guidance or schooling outside of the dojo which he only found like, definitely after your typical learned-how-to-read age. and i dont really think dojos teach you how to read and write. it probably took a second for (some of) the strawhats to realize that his snappiness about getting made fun of for his shakey and messy handwriting or misreading/struggling to understand texts isnt just him getting annoyed or engaging in typical banter, but is really him literally not having learned those skills and getting embarrassed and upset about it. of course this isnt like. canon at all. he reads just fine in canon. but alas. we are all always one life-changing fic away from a new hc(<-what happened to me). so on the opposite side of the coin, i also hc that (literate) zoro needs glasses/reading glasses... but thats just cause i think zoro looks reaaaaaaaallly cute in them:] i need to draw zoro in glasses more...!

[mihai-florescu]

Hello there tumblr user Mihai-floresuco.

I would like to ask of thee which stories you’d recommend of fine? I do not like the unit but I would like to like them so perhaps a better understanding of the characters shall aid me in this quest, thank you in advance and have a truly lovely day.

Yours truly,

Secret mutual :3

I am going to assume you've read the war era reminis, you are familiar with ex fine, what and why things happened, and your question is regarding current fine. I will also hope you've read Daydream and Blackbird as they explain a lot about the moments right after the war, from Eichi and Wataru's perspectives. Plus Eichi calls Yuzuru sexy, never forget.

Now, let's see, from the beginning. Flower fes is the first story with fine as we know it (minus Eichi as he was in the hospital), it's about Tori and Yuzuru meeting Wataru for the first time (among other things. It's also a good look into the state of things in the beginning of the next year right after the war. There's a good bit with Valkyrie as well)

Then other early ! Era stories would be Circus (fine perform at a circus, the scene that stood out the most to me is that of Eichi and the lion) and Quarrel Fes (Eichi Keito showdown mostly, it's good for understanding Eichi better)

Then Milky Way (fine and valkyrie, personally i'm due a complete reread), Jingle Bells (the one where Tori's illusions of fine as a perfect savior unit that can do no wrong and that hasn't done wrong in the past start dissipating), EP:link......i assume that if you follow me you've read eplink, but if not, i will not spoil it. The last story before the change of eras and it deals partially with fine's future.

Then for other stories i recommend when you have time: Magnolia (the best bridal enstars story imo, focused on Tori working around the school to buy Eichi a brooch for a gift exchange event), Dance Floor (they go to the park and then do karaoke at the end...), Triumph of the Emperor (an old story where Tori takes lead to prepare for a future where Eichi wouldn't be in fine anymore. This is all before we or they knew we'll have !! Era where the units stay together), Summer Live (undead and fine. Very unfortunate a good story is overshadowed by orientalist cards)

From the !! Era... um. I think there are some good one off idol stories, like the one with the parfait i remember seeing a tl for, but i dont know the name of it (i suspect it's somewhere in tori or eichi's idol stories). The best fine story in !! imo is Tempest. I also recommend if you end up enjoying fine Fist of the shangri la idol. And Sanctuary.........i feel like you should only read it after you already like Eichi or you might not have the best time... If you want to read anything else go ahead, but I can't guide you (I was unsatisfied with Primavera, and haven't yet read Ghostic. I enjoyed the livetweets for Atlantis but you can't find a full tl of it anywhere yet afaik and I'm not gonna recommend the !! climax to someone who is just getting started with fine as a whole anyway)

I hope I haven't talked for too long... if you need ex fine recs too, i'd say Element first and foremost, Checkmate for Eichi & Tsumugi's early relationship, and Wonder Game. Oh and Altered Origins. It's still a fever dream of a story to me personally, i haven't fully wrapped my head around the fact that we are getting the remini animes and extra stories yet. I mean I have, but you know, it still feels a bit surreal.

If anyone feels like I forgot any important fine stories please add to the conversation. If you end up interested in Wataru and Eichi in particular I'd also recommend Diner Live, but it is not a fine story. I've heard Toyland is good for Tori (Yuzuru too?) but I haven't personally read it yet. If you want more Wataru and Tori interactions, Amusement Live has some good scenes, but it is not that much about them, the story's about Ra*bits and 2wink. A story i enjoyed of fine members shenanigans sans Wataru is Noble Game. We shall see when White Brim gets translated, I know it has some good bits with Tori&Eichi. Hm hm hm. That's all I can think of at the top of my head rn, but I think I've already said more than enough...

[multiplicity-positivity]

so sorry but i need help and idk who else to ask.

i have this fictive headmate (gonna call him b) and hes the only fictive we have w source memories. in source he’s extremely homophobic and other things jn that vein. uhh he is Exactly like that in our head.

currently hes been locking himself away and doing “paperwork” (What it is we do not know) and he wont talk to ANY OF US 😭 we cant even conenct to him 90% of the time and when we can its usually js being ignored or being called slurs. i genuinely do not know what to do. we have to share a body so i know we have to connect but like I dont know how.

Hi! We’ve answered an ask a while back that was quite similar with advice on how to deal with headmates who hold bigoted ideas. Unfortunately we can’t seem to find it! So we’ll try to think of some new advice that may be useful for y’all’s particular situation.

To start off, it will be best to ensure the safety of your queer or marginalized headmates (if your system has any) first and foremost. If that means keeping these headmates away from this fictive order to protect them, that may be for the best, at least for now! No one should have to put up with being targeted or called slurs based on who they are.

We’d suggest being upfront and brutally honest with this headmate whenever he does interact with the rest of the system. If he uses a slur, say “Hey, that’s disrespectful. Cut it out.” Explain to him as best as you can that bigotry will not be tolerated by other headmates, and boundaries may need to be set up and enforced in order to ensure the comfort and safety of the rest of your system.

Perhaps remind him that introjects are in no way bound to live the lives led by their sources. If he ever expresses interest in gaining some healthy distance from his source, we do have a post that might help:

Once you’ve set up some boundaries, though, it would be a good idea to try and include him in your system’s lives as much as possible. He is still a headmate and he is just as capable of positive change as anyone else! While you do not have to tolerate any hate from him, that doesn’t mean you should have to bar him from the rest of your system entirely.

Ask him about his interests. Invite him to join when the system is doing an activity together. Ask for his opinion and input in decisions that may affect him. Make efforts to include him in discussions on and celebrations of diversity. Any way that you can show him kindness while also exposing him to the realities of marginalized groups could be very helpful.

If he won’t listen… talk to him anyway. If he has a nasty retort, either ignore it or remind him of your boundaries. If he refuses to participate, tell him that’s fine, but the invitation still stands if he ever changes his mind.

In all of this, understand that change often happens gradually. It may take a long time and much effort on y’all’s parts before he comes around and starts making strides towards positive change. Any step he moves in that direction should be met with praise and encouragement. Support him. Be there for him and understand that changing your fundamental ideas about the world can be a massive and terrifying undertaking. Please don’t grow weary and give up on him if it’s taking him a long time to make any strides towards progress!

We know this advice may barely scratch the surface, but we hope it at least gives y’all a starting point on how to approach and work with this fictive! If any of our followers have any useful advice or words of encouragement, y’all are welcome to share! Anon, we’re so sorry that y’all are having to deal with this, but we hope things get easier for y’all in the future, and y’all are able to get through to this headmate in a positive way while also protecting your own system!

Going to try and TLDR: Ensure your own system’s safety first and foremost! Set up and enforce boundaries regarding this headmate’s treatment of other members. Source separation may one day be beneficial for him! Encourage him to change, but don’t cut him off from your system entirely in the meantime - try and expose him to diversity while helping him feel included in system life. Be patient also and keep reaching out even if he appears unreceptive. Positive change may take a long time, but don’t give up! Best of luck to y’all with everything!

[rodismancave]

A reminder to new folks because I feel I need to say this. It's a few specific rules and more of a 'this is how i roleplay' thing. It kinda got away from me fast but alas, I don't want to make anyone uncomfortable for any reason so I just said what I feel i need to say to make that happen.

My muse is mean. It's usually nothing personal but he is Mean if provoked. There is a line and it is Thin.

This extends to his friends, mostly as a show of ease around them and as jokes, its just how he is. a little jokey joke. he says things without thinking and sometimes that leads to misunderstanding or an otherwise "cruel" comment. He normally doesnt mean it like that (unless he does)

this account is like 80% crack. i am here to have fun and be silly. if you take me seriously and get offended by it then I'm sorry but frankly, I have stated this many, many times. I do roleplay serious stuff, I do focus on a little bit of storytelling every once in a while, but for the most part I am silly and quirky. My portrayal won't always be 100% ic, sometimes a little ooc is healthy, for the bit. I stay committed to the bit, always.

Of course. if he's mean to your muse and you don't like it then you can let me know and I'll tone it down. I'll never be an asshole to people I dont know are 100% down to it or who aren't familiar with how my muse acts. However, sometimes being mean is in character with my muse and theres no other way around it. But the more intense, "i want to cause psychic damage" convos I will always ask if its okay for my muse to go hard on yours.

Rodimus is aware of the multiverse. This does not mean he's aware of the history of each multiverse. He may be aware of them, briefly, but he is really not going to dwell on it much and if you expect him to know it he just. wont. He doesn't really care all that much. This is also to say that he may confuse your muse for someone in his crew because of looking alike, and will treat you as such unless proven otherwise.

There are no people who are "canon" to Rodimus' crew, not at the moment. The only ones who I can say with confidence who are in his crew are @weavingmemoir and @stealthfeline, who are also my muses. This is for practicality. If your muse is part of the Lost Light crew in general, though (brainstorm, whirl, megatron, etc) you can respond to my lost light posts as if you were a member of his crew, I dont really mind. Like I said: commitment to the bit, always. The bit is always funnier when more people join.

Don't pretend like your muse knows mine and vice versa without talking to me first. This is mostly about muses outside G1 and IDW, or even people in IDW that Rodimus never really met, as well as OCs. It isn't really towards muses who HAVE interacted with Rodimus at least a few times. It is Awkward having to figure that out, and I'm not particularly a fan of having to dig around for people's relationships to understand what's going on between your muse and mine.

I don't really care if your muse is banging another Rodimus, or anyone else from his crew. Like I genuinely do not care, and neither does he.

I'll always make adjustments if you ask me to. I'll create new verses to fit with your muse, but that requires communication first and foremost. This also goes for events, if you want in on an event just talk to me and we'll see about it together. My events are never 100% thought out because I like leaving space for other participants to have a say in what happens. I just think its fun, like a group project (but less stressful)

When interacting with me I ask to lay off on the quirky colors and varying different fonts in one single reply. I have a lot of difficulty reading things like that and it strains my vision and it gives me a headache. Just, always have the same font throughout, and if there are different fonts, please let them be at least readable. The standard tumblr fonts are fine, except 'lucille', and the small font tends to me specially frustrating sometimes.

This is a g1/idw based blog. I take stuff i like from g1 and stuff i like from idw and i slam it together until I have something I like. Rodimus does not like the prime title, he does not miss being a prime, and he absolutely does not appreciate being called one, unless its doing things for his ego or to make himself look greater than he is. He is an Ass.

[selvesdiscovery]

hi, i'm putting this on anon because people i know are highly anti-endo and i don't wanna out myself as being pro-endo. if you want to delete this feel free btw since i know fusion is a touchy subject for some systems

we're a system. we've been diagnosed with DID and told to see a specialist. said therapist who diagnosed us and referred us out is advising we peruse final fusion. we would do it... except the only reason why we would is because we fear nobody would ever like us the way we are (we're a very independent and private system. other than the host, all dating and such is done in system and kicking the host out of front is rare).

do you have any advice on that? i'm sure it eventually gets easier but i'm not sure how to make it easier. do you have any resources and advice on getting comfortable with being a system, and being comfortable sharing that with people (both other systems and singlets)?

thank you. just delete this if it's against the rules or if it makes you uncomfortable :) your comfort is important too

Hi! Thank you so much for reaching out.

This question isn't too sensitive or anything like that, and I see stuff like this a lot in the system world. Even I myself have dealt with similar issues.

What really helped me was 'coming out' to only a few really close friends. It gave us the space to talk about what goes on inside our head, and be honest about who we are.

Ofc, this isn't super helpful if you dont have really close friends. The second best thing I can suggest from personal experience is participating in the system community, either here on Tumblr or on Discord or wherever else, and working on being progressively more open there.

Those are both really vague and I'm sorry about that, the only thing we really personally needed to come out of our shell was trust, either already pre-existing or built from watching others live the same way as us.

Something else that really helps us personally when trying to get more comfortable with ourselves OUTSIDE of a social context, is encouraging the others to find their own way. That's why we made this blog actually. The best way to become comfortable both socially and personally with being a system is to foster a space for every headmate to live their most authentic life as fully as possible.

If you can, try inviting your alters to front with you, to try out new things that AREN'T related to trauma, therapy, or journalling (If you don't have a journal already, I suggest you look into that first and foremost). If you can't, you could always just wait until you cofront naturally to bring this up with them. Your headmates are people too, and the best way to make THEM stop feeling like less than or like something to be ashamed of is to help them grow.

As for your therapist, it sounds like she doesn't have your& best interest in mind. If you can, I'd look for someone who's comfortable with both fusion AND functional multiplicity as options, and can help you find the way you truly want to follow way better than I, some stranger on the internet, ever could.

Lastly, a fair disclaimer, DONT go about doing any of these things if you think you or your alters might not be entirely ready. If you happen to be newly discovered as a system, it might be good to take some time to learn about one another at a nice slow pace, first, before jumping into anything else. Be very careful, as much as selves discovery and branching out and growing as people is important to being happy how you are, it can be dangerous to some systems in certain situations.

I could understand though how these things may not be what your looking for, but since I don't have a ton of information on your personal experience I can't really get any more specific. If you're looking for more specific resources, I'd encourage personalized research, or going to a professional with your concerns, since the most I really have for this sort of thing is personal experience.

Either way, I wish you luck, and I genuinely hope you can find people who accept you as you are, and help you in your journey to grow. You& got this!

[minimeowsom]

Parings in BL

I was bored so i am gotta get myself hated real quick, i think !

So i didnt know what i wanna talk about, i mean i have a lot that i could talk about, shows first and foremost but something has been bothering me the last couple of days, and i dont know how this opinion and thoughts will play out on here, but i needed to get it out. I just recently started watching BL starting with the "best" like Bad Buddy and KinnPorsche. And as i watch more and more shows i noticed actors showing up together again and again, a great example with actors i love are "The Eclipse" main actors First and Khao. They have this year alone three shows together (to be fair i dont know or even think that/if they will be a couple in MLC) but i love them both and as far as i can tell they actually like working together (but you know then again ... they are professionals we are supposed to think that). They are not the only ones lot of Pairs get put in shows together again and again. I dont mind that either as long as the actors are happy, my problems starts when they are not, i can imagine that many actors want to branch out try different things, or even dont get along that well with their partner. what happens then. i for example see a lot of nasty comments about Barcode and People wanting Jeff Satur with his old Partner again. As soon as you debut in BL with a Partner you seem to be kinda stuck with them and the Fanservies surrounding you. I also saw People being mad at Bad Buddy actor Ohm for maybe having a Girlfriend. You know guys... its kind off his business. Let him be.

I feel like they should be able to do what ever they want, i dont mind pairs that like working together, working on Multiple projects together, (as i said i love Firstkhao) but i would understand if they wanna branch out and work with other people to, i feel like it would make the industry as a hole more flexible and probably healthier.

Meh! i feel like this post is more rambling then thought out but i needed to get this off my chest. Do with it as you will

Anna Out ^-^

[bird-of-eternia]

What Personal Beliefs do you hold?

**I want people to understand first and foremost that this is how i personally feel. That doesnt mean i think everyone needs to feel and do exactly as i do. this is specific to me.**

my personal beliefs are sometimes hard for me to articulate. I think I went so long without a handle on things it was hard to put words to it. I floated around so much between certain beliefs, just learning about other cultures and not really letting anything stick.

Once I let myself sit with myself and not worry about what other people/witches believed or did it was easier. I know many people at the start of their journey and perhaps even still have this inner worry that the dont believe in the thing correctly or that they aren't going about it the right way. And though i do think certain paths are specific about traditions and how you need to go about it...I do not subscribe to them.

I believe that the Earth is alive. I believe she-they-he-it is an entity all on its own. I think for as long as humans have been here that we've felt a kinship to the Earth and its creatures. Not many folks are this way anymore, climate change and pollution run rampant- BUT i think we can see in different cultures across the world that they tend to hold earth/nature based beliefs. We have people oceans apart believing in similar things and acknowledging the solstices, stars, weather changes, plant use, etc... without ever meeting one another.

i think thats pretty frickin cool.

I believe that I'm still figuring out what i think happens in the after life, but for now i choose to believe this: When we die our bodies made of bone, muscles, blood, gristle, become apart of the earth again. I think our bodies decay and become nutrients for countless life forms as our spirit is welcomed back into the great mass of the universe.

I think its beautiful to think that we are the universe experiencing itself over and over again or perhaps, as my partner thinks, that when we die our spirits meld back into the inky soup of the universe-mingling with other spirits like recycled materials. Like a paper doll we discard certain bits and trade traits with other spirits to create something... someone...all together new before once again taking our first breath.

I believe that the Earth is full of magic and energy and love and beauty. That we can hold all of that inside of us too if we just try. That everything on earth has at least a spark of divinity.

I think we have so much to learn from the trees and rocks that have been here longer than us.

I think we have so much to learn from the oceans and clouds.

We just need to listen, hear what stories they have to tell us.

I think sometimes when the wind blows it feels like a friendly caress, or when the sun shines it feels like a gentle kiss. I feel like the snow held in my hand, burning my palm from the cold, feels like change and renewal- because sometimes it hurts but its so so worth it.

I believe it doesnt matter if you on the top of the tallest mountain alone in a small off the grid shack or if you live in the busiest city in a highrise or the suburbs- you can feel that magic if you look. If we respect the earth, try the best we can to take care of it, to learn about it, and listen, that we could find a place of peace.

idk, it might sound cringe or silly but when i sit in the forest (old or new) i can feel it. I feel peace. I feel happy. I listen to the wind in the trees and the birds flying by and i think of how ancient everything is.

I think magic is a part of this. Magic is science we dont yet understand and it is because we come from the earth that we can wield it if we try...i think....im still working on it. Im actually not sure why we can hold this magic and bend it for ourselves. maybe its because we're part of the earth, or the universe, or maybe its a higher self or because we can fluctuate on a different level....i dont know man.

I just fucking love the Earth and I think shes a bad bitch. lol

Theres alot more i could talk about but...i think this hits the basics.

[olreid]

'the secret good neverafter that lives in my head' lol i take it you're not enjoying the season? curious to hear why if you feel like sharing

hmm idk that i would say im not enjoying it but yeah i think for me it's just not really like. a successful horror story at least so far. under a cut for length lol

i think the first thing watching neverafter has helped me discover is that i dont think characters in a horror story can know that they are in a horror story, at least initially. OR if they do, they have to be the only person who knows it and no one else can agree with or believe them. for me at least, such a huge element of resonant horror is the split between what the world insists it is and what it actually is, between what you are promised in life and what you actually receive. you have to be being told that the world is logical, good, that there is a way for you to win at life or beat the game or escape the prison, and you have to genuinely believe that, at least at first. so i wish neverafter hadn't started with the premise of 'the world has gotten noticeably Bad and you all noticed it and everyone agrees that this is the case even if they dont know how to fix it.' i wish they had played it straight, starting in the happily ever after of fairy tales and had the characters slowly realizing that actually they're not happy even though they're supposed to be, and having to break out of prisons that don't look like prisons and fight through a world that insists it is helping them at every step even as it constrains and warps them. and i know that's partially at odds with needing to appropriately warn viewers about what they're getting into, but i still think even if they had billed this season as a horror season and started out the first episode with Everything Is Great, that would have been excellent because i would have been just WAITING in agony for the other shoe to drop.

and then i think my other issue besides the framing has more to do with the general format of d20, which i don't think lends itself to horror for several reasons, firstly the at this point predictable shape of a main cast season. again i think a lot of the power of horror comes from unpredictability; you know something bad is going to happen in a horror story, but you don't know exactly when or what shape it will be. the wind gets kind of taken out of the sails if you know that it's going to be an every-other-episode combat situation. i appreciate that brennan's trying to add some new stuff in - red tokens, one shot kills, etc - but i don't think it's enough and even the twist of the tpk alreadys feel like it's been almost fully explained in-world to the point that we now understand how combat works in this setting. again that goes along with the format -- the players have to be able to understand the game in order to play it and be able to effectively help tell the story. but it means that things are pretty predictable, and when you've watched a bunch of d20 seasons you develop an eye for what the next fight will look like and what the overall arc of a season will be. there is of course still room for me to be surprised or proven wrong here! but my hopes are not high.

the other issue is that d20 is first and foremost a comedy. and it's not that i think horror can't be funny, but i think that largely the comedy has to come from audience interpretation -- horror needs to take itself seriously to succeed, at least for me. i think of the 'it's remarkably easy to buy an ax in central london' line from tma -- timeless and hilarious but jon is completely sincere when he says it and jonny's delivery is similarly sincere; he plays it straight, and so we get both the horror of that moment -- jon having been driven to a point where he feels the need to arm himself, which seems a pitiful gesture in the face of the forces at work on him -- and the humor, which comes when we distance ourselves a bit from the text and can appreciate that line out of context. neverafter, on the other hand, as a comedy show, is full of jokes and bits which not only contrast somewhat bizarrely with the more serious horror moments but also serve to lower the stakes of the entire project, as nearly every joke creates distance between player and character, reminding us as the audience that they are just that -- characters, not real people, in a made-up world. for example, in the spider fight where lou is calling the spiders who are attacking him Ladies as he fails to fight them off, it succeeds as a joke -- it did make me laugh -- but fails as horror because if someone was truly prone glued to a spider web with spiders crawling onto their body, i highly doubt they would be joking about it, so it takes me out of the scene and makes the world less real to me. in the other direction, the fact that it's a comedy also primes the players to take what brennan says as comedy first and horror second, eg the mouse in cinderella's old house who is saying something genuinely horrifying about not being in control of his body or actions as the entire table struggles not to break because the voice is funny or whatever. and so i feel like the two main goals of the season are at cross-purposes, because nearly all of the successful comedy makes it feel like less of a horror story, and makes the characters feel less real.

and having said all that it's not that i don't think the d20 table is capable of doing horror well, because i honestly think they already have done so with a crown of candy. acoc doesn't suffer from any of the issues ive outlined above; characters were killed in roleplay episodes to the point that you felt something terrible could happen at any time; the season took itself seriously, perhaps because the premise itself is so inherently comedic that they decided that to seriously embody a character who is a loaf of bread named senator ciabatta is funnier than making a gag out of it. whatever the reason, the stakes of the world are incredibly high -- we know this was also partially because it was a low-magic, high lethality season where brennan put limits on the party's healing abilities and removed most of the plot armor that protected characters in other fantasy seasons. and crucially, the characters did not begin the story thinking that the world was terrible. they were all members of the royal house of rocks, and heavily invested in their world moving according to logical rules and patterns; so much of the horror and tragedy of the season comes with the dawning realization on the part of the characters that the rules they thought would protect them -- those of diplomacy and morality and cause and effect -- don't actually prevent harm, death, grief, or suffering.

similarly, fantasy high sophomore year succeeds at horror, largely because the horror is dream and mirror-based so there is a sense of pervasive unsafety and a feeling that characters cannot even doze off without making themselves vulnerable to possession or violation. so it's not that i think d20 couldn't ever do horror successfully, which would almost be better -- they have done it and i have watched them do it but theyre not doing it now for whatever reason and that is disappointing. i was promised horror!! i want horror!!!

hopefully i don't need to say that this is just one guy's opinion on why it hasn't gripped me -- i know it's working for others because the tag is always full of people posting about how they couldnt sleep after the episode or whatever and truly good for them. but that is not my journey

[cg-saturn]

(TW: talk about holding emotions in?)

hi saturn, I'm going to make this short as possible, so I'm sorry if I write a long message. Well.. I've been holding my emotions in for a long time, for months and i have been trying to hold my tears in. I know it's not okay. But I can't get help, I have trust issues and my friends probably wouldn't let get those emotions out. I'm tired and my sister is the only one who understands and makes me happy, you all in this community make me happy too. I have been thinking about just going to the bathroom and letting my emotions out in there. What do you think? Again, I'm sorry.

-ivy

Hey little one, I totally understand how hard it can be to express your emotions- especially if you come from a place with deep trust issues. It took me almost four years to cry in front of Star, and I've only recently began expressing panic attacks rather than bundling it in, just past five years of being together. It's hard to be vulnerable, especially in front of people. I'm from a family of "I'll give you something to cry about", so I struggle both with expressing and helping when it comes to this stuff. But I want you to know first and foremost that you are not alone. Expressing emotions and crying are extremely normal and valid responses to things happening in our lives. Bottling things up can only make it worse in the long run, and can cause you to do something serious or dangerous. If you're worried about others judging you, journaling can actually help a lot. I've kept tons of notebooks over the years, and it can really help to write down what's wrong or even just scribble out a whole page until you feel better. I used to write poems and songs, and I think it helped me when it came time to talk about my feelings because I had them written down in words in front of me.

I want you to know that crying and having emotions is not a sign of weakness or anything to be ashamed of. It is human. We all have feelings that can sometimes add up, but holding them in can only lead to bigger explosions down the line. I'm always here if you need a little distraction or some words of encouragement too! I really really hope you find ways that help to express your frustrations and anxieties as they come up so you dont feel like this in the future.

Sending you all the love kiddo, and a cookie and juice for being so brave 🧃🍪

Pippi Saturn 💕

[malwaredykes]

i feel like the tags screencap show a misunderstanding of what im trying to say though. "it couldve been better conveyed" what exactly though?

its not that i think its bad that arcade lets go of shame, or that he contacts his old family and gives them a chance to do something good, and thinks of them as people first and foremost. those are not bad things. theyre good actually. but as @laniusbignaturals pointed out it feels more like a starting off point wrt his understanding of where he came from and how to feel about his past. ive said it before but i think that shame, as an immobilizing, pervasive feeling, is something that arcade struggles with a lot. its good for him to find a way not to grovel and fret over things he cant change, and move forward instead.

but here im being given a Bad Choice vs Good Choice dichotomy, and the fact that arcade suffers if he makes the Bad Choice doesnt absolve him of what it would say about him if we were to take it at face value. other companions can Get Worse too, of course, and we look at the implications of that as part of who they are. in this case, understandably so, no one really wants to just accept and contend with the fact that apparently it took just a little bit of encouragement from a friend for arcade to proudly don his fathers fascist regalia and charge into battle. i mean, i think if we were to take it as it is, it IS interesting. but also weirdly glossed over.

i dont think arcade should grovel more, or be Punished, or Suffer, or that there should be a big glowing "ENCLAVE BAD" on your hud as you do the quest lol. i think the quest has highs and lows, offers a few intimate glimpses into arcade's inner life, takes a very uncomfortable "embracing your heritage" tone at times (for better and for worse), has rly good wider and in-game implications, and then falls so very flat with its ending. the gannon family tesla power armor is essentially mark gannon's corpse. ahouldnt it feel more... something?... that arcade puts it on and moves in it? shouldnt there be different ways for him to feel about it?

if anything, "if you do the bad thing a bad thing will happen to you, if you do the good thing it will be okay" is in itself a cop-out. when has doing the right thing and putting in the work ever been easy or straightforwardly beneficial to the person doing it? fascism is a losing ideology, but since when is embracing it not the easy way out for those deemed desirable by it? do bad things only happen to bad people and vice versa?

i dont know. im not suggesting rewrites. it all just bugs me in a way that i struggle to express but feel the need to nonetheless. theres only so much that a fallout new vegas quest can do and say, yes. but im just voicing my lack of satisfaction. something's missing. too much is just implied or handwaved.

i feel like people dont criticize arcades personal quest as much as they should. like its fine in terms of helping the courier and contributing to the main plot, but in terms of being arcade's personal quest well i dont find it particularly satisfying. especially when so much of it feels like some sort of Embracing Your Heritage wrt the enclave thing akafncksjfks..... and him proudly wearing his fascist dad's fascist uniform at the end? i rly never choose that it just feels in such bad taste. give me that armor arcade let me unburden you of it. dont show up to the function dressed up like a fash Please like i dont think thats essential to your internal struggle. i like at least that hes like Politely Uncomfortable when you hit him with that "your dead fascist father you barely knew and whom i know next to nothing about would be so proud of you cay-cay"